Shaanxi Blower Group established a subsidiary, Shaangu Europe R&D, in Germany on May 12. The company's expansion into Germany aims to integrate its global technological resources and marks a new start in the innovative research of distributed energy technologies. Shaangu CEO Yin Jian'an said, "The decision to expand into the German market will not only enhance the group's international procurement and business cooperation capabilities, but give impetus to future cooperation on international production capacity." The comprehensive and efficient use of clean energy and technological research into distributed energy have long been hot topics all over the world. According to the United States-China Joint Announcement on Climate Change released in Beijing on Nov 12, 2014, China's non-fossil energy shares will rise by 20 percent by 2030. Distributed renewable energy resources will be an important inlet for non-fossil energy. Meanwhile, the distributed energy resource industry is expected to become a rich market in the next three to five years, with an expected value of more than 1 trillion yuan ($1.4 billion), giving the industry huge momentum in the near future. Seeing the bright future of distributed energy resources, several enterprises, both at home and abroad, have been actively involved in the exploration and application of distributed energy technologies. Shaangu is no exception. As a qualified system solution and service provider, Shaangu's entrance into the German market aims to integrate global energy resources and establish a distributed energy technology and equipment innovation center. This will not only provide an open and creative platform for significantly advanced technologies, but effectively promote the industrialization of energy efficient usage and technical equipment. In addition, improving the internationalization level has always been an important strategy of the group. Following the 2015 acquisition of EKOL, a leading turbine manufacturer in the Czech Republic, the group has been establishing a global market and R&D system ranging from technology, personnel, finance and marketing to service, procurement and outsourcing businesses. With the help of its international platform, the group has now built a distributed energy technology R&D system. It can proficiently use supercritical Brayton cycle power generation, organic Rankine cycle technology, integrated machinery technology and high-parameter steam turbine and biomass gasification technology. Shaangu's energy recovery coaxial turbines technology, used for waste heat and pressure energy recovery in the metallurgical industry, has been listed in the awards for Top-10 Best Energy-saving Technology and Best Energy Practice by the International Energy Efficiency Partnership Organization. In 2016, the technology won the Gold Product Award at the Czech Brno International Machinery Industry Expo. In addition, Shaangu boasts a worldwide marketing system. For example, Shaangu EKOL has achieved many breakthroughs in the field of biomass power generation projects in Egypt, the Czech Republic, Iraq and other overseas markets. By now, Shaangu's products have spread throughout over 20 countries and regions, including India, Turkey, Iran, the United States, Germany, South Korea, Russia and Vietnam. With Shaangu Europe R&D, Shaangu Indian and Shaangu EKOL, the group enjoys many advantages when it comes to marketing, technology, and finance. "We all know that Germany is a pioneer in science and technology across the globe. It not only enjoys a sound ecological system of innovation and entrepreneurship, but is the home of advanced global technological resources," Yin said. "In future, Shaangu will adapt to the latest trends in global technological resources, and with the help of its science and technology resources advantages, will promote the innovation and development of key technologies of distributed energy. Also, Shaangu aims to strengthen the deepening cooperation in the energy industry chain from the upstream to the downstream processes," he added. According to Yin, Shaangu will actively involve itself in the Belt and Road Initiative to build a distributed energy industry ecological chain. The group will also use financial capital as the link to pursue the strategy of "Bringing In and Going Out", while also promoting international energy exchanges and cooperation. In Miami, often referred to as the "capital of Latin America" and a city with a large Venezuelan community, meet-ups where donations are collected are increasingly common. The gatherings are advertised among community members on Whatsapp, Instagram or Twitter, and identified with Venezuelan flags and signs like "Solidarity" or "SOS Venezuela." Lists of preferred items are also posted online. "I did what I could to buy everything that was on the list and contribute my grain of sand to support these people who are fighting for my country," said Michelle Lewin, a 31 year-old fitness model who lives in Miami. Lewin dropped two large bags of supplies on a table at a Colombian restaurant where donations were being accepted. Half of the 225,000 Venezuelans living in the United States reside in Florida, mostly in the greater Miami area. Goggles and gloves Most donations are geared towards protecting demonstrators from tear gas, pepper spray and other crowd-dispersal gases used by Venezuelan riot police. Police also use high-pressure blasts of water from water cannons to break up the crowds. Hooded protesters, sometimes carrying home-made shields, respond by throwing rocks, fuel bombs and bottles filled with paint or excrement. Liquid antacids -- the kind sold at corner pharmacies -- are good to treat gas-caused skin burns. For eye protection, swim goggles and over-the-counter eye drops are popular. Also in demand are walkie-talkies, hydrogen peroxide to clean superficial wounds, neck braces, antibiotic cream, and leather gloves for protesters to pick up and hurl hot gas canisters back at the cops. Destination: Green Cross Jose Colina is a Venezuelan former army lieutenant who heads a group called the Organization of Persecuted Venezuelans Living in Exile (VEPPEX). He told AFP that he hopes to collect 100 boxes of donations over the weekend. Last week he said he collected 1.4 tonnes of supplies. The items are sent to the Green Cross, a group of first responders from the Universidad Central de Venezuela that rush in to aid wounded protesters. "This is a way of doing something, to show that we may be far away but we are not absent," Colina said. He described the support from Venezuelans and sympathetic Latin Americans in Florida immigrants as "exceptional." Recently the Green Cross volunteers were blasted as a "paramilitary group" on a state-run VTV television show in Venezuela. Anonymity rules Medical supplies, almost all imported, are especially hard to find in cash-starved Venezuela, where the oil-dependent economy is in a free fall. "We're trying to help the heroes that are fighting for the freedom of our country," said Gloria Mora, who heads a group of Venezuelans living in Miami and is also gathering supplies. Much of the donation work is done anonymously. Organizers are often wary of interviews, fearing retaliation on relatives and friends still in Venezuela. Anonymity is especially common online. There are several anonymous sites at Amazon.com asking for medicine for Venezuelans. Organizers list what they want, and anyone can make the purchase. The whole transaction, including the final destination of the items, is anonymous. Another anonymous group, "Helmets against Bombs," accepts donations to buy hard-hat safety helmets -- the kind used at construction sites -- and cans of red, yellow and blue paint. At the crowd funding site Go Fund Me organizers collected nearly $23,000 in nine days. The group's Instagram account then showed pictures of long tables where the helmets were being painted with the colors of the Venezuelan flag. Absent from the pictures: faces. "If I want to rebel I can rebel here (in Juba)... If I was about to fight I would fight here," he told reporters upon his arrival in the capital. South Sudan President Salva Kiir sacked his powerful, hardline army chief Malong on Tuesday. Malong, long regarded as an ethnic nationalist of Kiir's majority Dinka tribe, was replaced by General James Ajongo Mawut, a career soldier. The move was described at the time as "routine" but has raised fears of fighting between troops loyal to him and those loyal to the president. In February several senior army officers resigned, accusing Malong of conducting an ethnic war against non-Dinkas and ruling with an "unqualified clique of friends and relatives". Among those who quit was Lieutenant-General Thomas Cirillo who has since announced plans to launch his own rebellion. Malong is widely regarded as being the mastermind of fighting that erupted in the capital, Juba, last July killing hundreds and dashing hopes of a power-sharing government between Kiir and his former deputy turned rebel leader Riek Machar, a member of the Nuer tribe. The Dinka and the Nuer are the two largest ethnic groups in South Sudan and have a history of bloody rivalry. Malong said he had refused to return to Juba until he had received assurances of his safety. There was tight security at the airport as he arrived back. "I want to go and stay home... I want to live with my (family) if I am not asked to do anything for the nation," he said upon arrival. However he added that he remains a "revolutionary", a reference to the 1983-2005 war of independence against Khartoum. South Sudan has been at war since December 2013 when Kiir fell out with Machar, accusing him of plotting a coup. Macron takes office after beating far-right candidate Marine Le Pen in last week's presidential run-off. The 39-year-old, who is pro-European union, takes over from Socialist Francois Hollande and is expected to lead France. After defeating Le Pen, Macron has become the French's youngest president to date. ALSO READ:President-elect to take office as French president The newly sworn-in President also said he will seek to build a strong France that was sure of itself in the world. Macron promised that under his administration, the labour market would be made more flexible, business-friendly conditions would be created to help companies function and "innovation" would be at the heart of his action as president. The outspoken Trump, who has rejected traditional diplomacy for a policy of speaking his mind on Twitter, will meet Francis on May 24. "I think he will say what he thinks," the Argentine pontiff said. "To find doors which are even slightly open one must speak of common things and go forwards. Step by step, peace is crafted each day," he added. The two leaders have previously staked out opposing policy positions, most notably in a heated exchange through the media while Trump was campaigning in February 2016 to become the Republican Party's nominee for the White House. "Friendship between people is handmade, it is made every day by respecting one another, walking together. Being sincere about what one thinks is key," Francis said. The pope, 80, has condemned the idea of using walls and barbed wire to keep out foreigners, while Trump has begun fulfilling his pledge to build a 2,000-mile (3,200 kilometres) wall along on the Mexican border. His administration had also tried to close US borders to refugees and nationals from seven Muslim-majority countries, a move directly at odds with Francis's calls for welcoming and integrating people forced from their homes. The pope has also been an ardent supporter of efforts to combat climate change, but Trump has pledged to pull the United States out of the COP21 Paris Agreement on reducing greenhouse gas emissions. Trump has said he will make his decision on whether to stick to the agreement before the G7 meeting in Taormina, Sicily later this month. Asked whether he thought the US leader would soften his stance on these issues, Francis said "that would be a political calculation which it is not for me to make". One area of common ground could be Trump's efforts to curb abortions. Dominic Don Giammetta, the owner of Freds Towing in Davenport, and his wife, Dr. Dianne Giammetta, an obstetrician and gynecologist with UnityPoint Trinity, were killed in a plane crash Friday afternoon in Christian County, Kentucky, authorities said. The National Transportation Safety Board said that the plane was flying from Davenport to Muscle Shoals, Alabama, when it crashed near Hopkinsville, Kentucky. The NTSB interviewed a witness and the property owner in the area. The wreckage was spread over a wide area, officials aid. The plane Don Giammetta was flying was a Beechcraft BE36 Bonanza, according to the Federal Aviation Administration. The Giammettas, of Bettendorf, were the only ones aboard the plane. The best way to describe Don is that he was a guy that loved life and everything it had to offer, said the Giammettas close friend, Scott County Sheriff Tim Lane. He really enjoyed flying and going on different adventures, just like he was doing today; going to different places and going on trips. He was just a positive person, always friendly, always smiling and joking, Lane said, adding that Don took over Freds Towing in about 1971 from his father. Retired Davenport Police Capt. David Struckman said hes know Don Giammetta for 50 years. His dad started that business at 4th and Perry Street, Struckman said. Don was a super guy, he said. You ask any policeman who worked with him, Don was always there with his people when we needed him, and he was very much a good businessman. Struckman, who is a pilot and flies regularly, said he is curious about what caused the crash. Lane said that Dons first name was Dominic, but everybody knew him as Don. Few people knew is first name was Dominic. Dianne Giammetta was a very well respected physician, he said The two of them were close, Lane said. They had a second home in Florida where they would often go to get away. They also had family down there, so it was an opportunity to see their family. The crash remains under investigation. A Davenport teen has been arrested in connection with the Friday shooting death of 17-year-old Akeim Hill, Davenport police said. James McKay Bailey Jr., 17, of 1329 Mississippi Ave., is charged with one count of first-degree murder and one count of first-degree robbery. According to the arrest affidavits filed by Davenport Police Detective Bill Thomas, just before noon Friday Bailey and another person met Hill, of Davenport, who was parked in the 700 block of East 10th Street near Sylvan Avenue. During the meeting, a fight broke out between Hill, Bailey, and Baileys accomplice who has been named a co-defendant in the case. Hill was shot twice and was pronounced dead at Genesis Medical Center-East Rusholme Street, Davenport. Police are looking for Baileys accomplice. On Friday at 11:57 a.m., Davenport police were sent to the area of Kirkwood Boulevard and Bridge Avenue regarding a shooting victim. A wounded Hill was located in the car and taken by Medic EMS to Genesis. First-degree murder under Iowa law normally carries an automatic sentence of life in prison without the possibility of parole, while first-degree robbery normally carries an automatic sentence of 25 years in prison of which 70 percent, or 17 years, must be served before parole is granted. However, the Iowa Supreme Court has determined that people below the age of 18 cannot be sentenced to life in prison without parole; that since they are juveniles they must be given a chance at being paroled. Anyone with information about the case is asked to contact the Davenport Police Department at 563-326-6125 or provide an anonymous tip via the citys mobile app at CityConnect Davenport, IA. It was implausible that FBI Director James Comey was fired in May 2017 for actions committed in July 2016 -- the rationale contained in the memo by Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein. It was implausible that Comey was fired by Donald Trump for having been too tough on Hillary Clinton, as when, at that July news conference, he publicly recited her various email misdeeds despite recommending against prosecution. It was implausible that Trump fired Comey for, among other things, reopening the Clinton investigation 11 days before the election, something that at the time Trump praised as a sign of Comey's "guts" that had "brought back his reputation." It was implausible that Trump, a man notorious for being swayed by close and loyal personal advisers, fired Comey on the recommendation of a sub-Cabinet official whom Trump hardly knew and who'd been on the job all of two weeks. It was implausible that Trump found Rosenstein's arguments so urgently persuasive that he acted immediately -- so precipitously, in fact, that Comey learned of his own firing from TVs that happened to be playing behind him. These implausibilities were obvious within seconds of Comey's firing and the administration's immediate attempt to pin it all on the Rosenstein memo. That was pure spin. So why in reality did Trump fire Comey? Admittedly, Comey had to go. The cliche is that if you've infuriated both sides, it means you must be doing something right. Sometimes, however, it means you must be doing everything wrong. Over the last year, Comey has been repeatedly wrong. Not, in my view, out of malice or partisanship (although his self-righteousness about his own probity does occasionally grate). He was in an unprecedented situation with unpalatable choices. Never in American presidential history had a major party nominated a candidate under official FBI investigation. (Turns out the Trump campaign was under investigation as well.) Which makes the normal injunction that FBI directors not interfere in elections facile and impossible to follow. Any course of action -- disclosure or silence, commission or omission -- carried unavoidable electoral consequences. Comey had to make up the rules as he went along. He did. That was not his downfall. His downfall was making up contradictory, illogical rules, such as the July 5 non-indictment indictment of Clinton. A series of these -- and Comey became anathema to both Democrats and Republicans. Clinton blamed her loss on two people. One of them was Comey. And there's the puzzle. There was ample bipartisan sentiment for letting Comey go. And there was ample time from Election Day on to do so. A simple talk, a gold watch, a friendly farewell, a Comey resignation to allow the new president to pick the new director. No fanfare, no rancor. True, this became more difficult after March 20 when Comey revealed that the FBI was investigating the alleged Trump-Russia collusion. Difficult but not impossible. For example, just last week Comey had committed an egregious factual error about the Huma Abedin emails that the FBI had to abjectly walk back in a written memo to the Senate Judiciary Committee. Here was an opportunity for a graceful exit: Comey regrets the mistake and notes that some of the difficult decisions he had previously made necessarily cost him the confidence of various parties. Time for a clean slate. Add the usual boilerplate about not wanting to be a distraction at such a crucial time. Awkward perhaps, but still dignified and amicable. Instead we got this -- a political ax murder, brutal even by Washington standards. (Or even Roman standards. Where was the vein-opening knife and the warm bath?) No final meeting, no letter of resignation, no presidential thanks, no cordial parting. Instead, a blindsided Comey ends up in a live-streamed O.J. Bronco ride, bolting from Los Angeles to be flown, defrocked, back to Washington. Why? Trump had become increasingly agitated with the Russia-election investigation and Comey's very public part in it. If Trump thought this would kill the inquiry and the story, or perhaps even just derail it somewhat, he's made the blunder of the decade. Whacking Comey has brought more critical attention to the Russia story than anything imaginable. It won't stop the FBI investigation. And the confirmation hearings for a successor will become a nationally televised forum for collusion allegations, which up till now have remained a scandal in search of a crime. So why did he do it? Now we know: The king asked whether no one would rid him of this troublesome priest, and got so impatient he did it himself. You have to give Rep. Kevin Cramer, R-N.D., credit for being willing to enter the arena. It wasnt the most pleasant thing to do on Thursday at the Mandan Eagles Club. Members of Congress are encountering some angry constituents when they return home to hold town hall meetings and other events. North Dakotans usually pride themselves on being respectful and not being rude to officials. That wasnt the case in Mandan. To be fair, those attending wanted to discuss some legitimate concerns. They were especially worried about the House passage of the American Health Care Act. One young mother described her young childs serious medical conditions and the resulting medical expenses and debt. Part of Cramers answer was that the Senate will change the AHCA and it is a work in progress. However, Cramer supported the House version and he needs to explain his position. Like it or not, at the moment hes attached to the House bill. Thats not an excuse for some of the behavior in Mandan. Mike Quinn, Hazen, got angry and tried to stuff money into Cramers pocket and was escorted out of the town hall. Quinn told Tribune reporter Nick Smith that his outburst wasnt preplanned, but he got mad when he thought Cramer was dodging questions. An apparent Cramer supporter grabbed Quinn and also was removed. He later returned. Tough questions are great and partisan wrangling should be expected. The party out of power has every right to participate and seek answers. Cramer told reporters after the meeting that he doesnt mind confrontation. Cramer has shown over the years that he can take hard questions and hes also known for some blunt statements. Verbal warfares OK, but there shouldnt be anything physical. Boisterous town hall meetings are becoming common for members of Congress. One Iowa representative was trying to screen his audience in advance and limit it to people in his district. That didnt keep opposition from the session. Some lawmakers have been canceling town halls. Thats a mistake. The exchange of ideas, concerns and complaints has to be healthy. If members of Congress come home and attend only tightly-controlled meetings where they get softball questions nothing is accomplished. They return to Washington with a false impression of the feelings in their state. There were no doubt Democrats at the Mandan town hall ready to pounce on Cramer. Hes considered a likely opponent to Sen. Heidi Heitkamp, D-N.D., if she runs again. So its to their benefit to try to tarnish his image. Thats the reality of politics. In the future, members of the audience need to come with good and tough questions. If they dont understand all the issues they need to pursue explanations. This lively exchange is good, but shouldnt get out of hand. Cramer said the Mandan incident prompted him to consider the need for more security. At the same time he doesnt want to limit the publics access. The Tribune hopes Cramer continues to hold town hall meetings. We also would like to see Heitkamp and Sen. John Hoeven, R-N.D., conduct town halls. The more opportunities voters have to interact with the congressional delegation the better. Representing the more than 700,000 living alumni, including nearly 400,000 in the state of Illinois, more than 100 alumni from the University of Illinois Systems three universities convened at the state Capitol on May 10 to meet with legislators for University of Illinois Alumni Day at the Capitol. University System President Tim Killeen, Executive Vice President and Vice President for Academic Affairs Barb Wilson, U of I at Urbana-Champaign Chancellor Robert Jones, U of I at Chicago Chancellor Michael Amiridis, U of I at Springfield Chancellor Susan Koch and other University leaders joined alumni in their efforts to meet with members of the General Assembly. Illinois Connection the legislative advocacy network of the University of Illinois Alumni Association and the Universitys Office of Governmental Relations coordinate the annual event that brings alumni together to advocate on behalf of the University of Illinois. As the state has been operating without a budget for nearly two years, the advocacy efforts and support of alumni are needed now more than ever. Higher education is essential to the states economic vitality, and the University of Illinois can be part of the solution to the budget crisis. The university has introduced a 5-year program, the Investment, Performance and Accountability Commitment (IPAC) proposal, to provide the university a stable level of financial support. IPAC will hold the University accountable to the state in delivering it missions of affordable education, workforce preparation, innovation and economic development. IPAC would require the university to admit a certain number of Illinois residents, while also creating the Invest in Illinoisans program to provide over $125 million per year in financial aid for Illinois residents. The University of Illinois provides value to every citizen across the state through its educational, research and outreach programs. As the states leading and most comprehensive public higher education system, here are just a few ways the U of I System is providing value: U of I Hospital and Health Sciences System is the states largest public healthcare provider U of I Extension shares expertise and knowledge in every county in the state. More than 1.5 million residents participate in U of I Extension programs each year. Many of the worlds greatest discoveries and inventions originated at the University of Illinois, including the first computer-based education system, home air-conditioning systems, the first post-secondary disability support service program in the world, cancer therapeutics and the first treatment for multi-drug resistant HIV. More than 80,000 students enroll annually, including students from 101 of 102 counties in the state. More than 80 percent of students are Illinois residents. One of the states largest employers, with nearly 30,000 full-time employees Annual state economic impact is $14 billion Speaking to my fellow alumni and friends of the university system: Please get involved in supporting your university. Currently, our state ranks 50th in its support for higher education. Our degrees are only as good as the universitys ranking and reputation. Not only are we helping future students by supporting and advocating for our Alma Mater, but we are also helping increase the value of our degrees. Lets all do our part to help maintain the reputation and stature of our cherished institution. U.S. Sen. Chuck Grassley loves to tout his independence and bipartisanship. His rhetoric could soon be tested when the chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee presides over nomination hearings for whoever is put up to replace ousted FBI Director James Comey. Over the past year and a half, Grassley has leaned heavily on almost four decades of largely honorable service. Even that distinguished record is buckling under the weight of the interference campaign Grassley's running for Donald Trump's White House, though. Grassley is either the White House's lap dog or an honorable lawmaker. Under this administration, the two are mutually exclusive. President Trump shocked the country when he suddenly sacked Comey last week because Comey didn't kiss the ring. Under the pretext of Comey's mishandling of Hillary Clinton's email scandal, Trump fired the man at the helm of the investigation into the possible collusion between Russian agents and the president's closest political advisers. It's smells of an attempted cover up orchestrated by an administration neutered by the Russian probe's very existence. It's an assault on FBI independence. It's possibly a crime. Several Senate Republicans rightly questioned the motives behind Trump's Nixonian purge. North Carolina's Richard Burr, chairman of Senate Intelligence Committee, called Comey's ouster "troubling," adding that it adds more confusion to his committee's probe into Trump's connections to Russia. Nebraska's Ben Sasse said the timing of Comey's ejection was "very troubling." Arizona's John McCain was "very disappointed." Some even called for a special prosecutor since, clearly, the Justice Department is tainted. But not Grassley, the man soon tasked with ensuring Trump doesn't insert some political lackey. He immediately parroted the White House's line about Clinton's emails, an excuse that soon crumbled when Trump admitted it was the Russia investigation that fueled his decision. Fun fact: Hillary Clinton is not president. Donald Trump is. Enough with the deflections. It wasn't the first time Grassley carried water for the White House. Some days, he looks to be filling Trump's swimming pool one bucket at a time. Neither Supreme Court seats nor tax cuts are worth selling out the country. Just last week, former acting Attorney General Sally Yates appeared before Grassley's Judiciary Committee and testified that she told the White House that then-National Security Adviser Michael Flynn had been compromised by the Kremlin, a warning the administration ignored for weeks. Yet again, Grassley had no interest in a potential threat to the republic, such as the Russian probe. No, Grassley wanted to know who leaked information about the Russian probe to the media, as if that's the real issue. Trump even harassed and intimidated Yates on social media prior to her testimony. Grassley didn't even bother defending his witness testifying under oath from the shameful attacks. Instead, he badgered her precisely as Trump had directed. Over the past few months, Grassley has forcefully advocated for Trump's various nominees and shutdown dissent from Democrats. He's repeatedly shilled the White House's spin on the controversy of the day. Like so many congressional Republicans, he's often remained silent as Trump beat, kicked and flogged the very norms that form the foundation of an entire system of government. Ours aren't the rantings of some mob demanding Trump's immediate impeachment. They are not some political hit job targeting Iowa's senior senator. They are a reflection of legitimate, serious concerns about Trump's rampant narcissism, admiration for despots and disdain for the most fundamental political norms. It's very possible Trump offers up a qualified nominee to run the FBI, someone who will take control of the investigation that could, ultimately, destroy his presidency. But it's also possible -- even likely -- that Trump puts forth yet another political minion who will quash what could be the most important investigation in a generation. If that happens, it falls to Grassley, finally, to take these concerns seriously and acknowledge that Trump's paranoid flailing is neither normal nor sustainable. The responsibility to guarantee the country gets the answers it needs now rests with Sen. Chuck Grassley. That's if he's half as independent as he claims. ANNAPOLIS, Md. | Maryland regulators on Thursday approved plans for the nation's first large-scale offshore wind projects, saying the decision will position the state to be a leader in the developing industry. The Maryland Public Service Commission awarded renewable energy credits on Thursday for two projects off Maryland's Eastern Shore near Ocean City. The PSC says the decision allows US Wind of Baltimore and Skipjack Offshore Energy, a subsidiary of Deepwater Wind, to build a total of 368 megawatts of capacity. Those projects significantly outrank by size the nation's sole offshore wind farm known as Block Island off Rhode Island. That farm, which is owned by Deepwater Wind, has only five turbines and a 30-megawatt capacity. US Wind's proposal is to build 62 turbines between 12 and 15 nautical miles offshore to generate 248 megawatts. It will cost an estimated $1.4 billion to build. Skipjack's plan is for 15 turbines between 17 and 21 miles offshore to produce 120 megawatts. It will cost about $720 million to build. "The approval today of the nation's first large-scale offshore wind projects brings to fruition the General Assembly's efforts to establish Maryland as a regional hub for this burgeoning industry," said W. Kevin Hughes, the commission chairman. The Maryland General Assembly approved a regulatory framework for offshore wind in 2013, after repeated efforts by then-Gov. Martin O'Malley, a Democrat. The plan comes at some cost for electricity ratepayers, once electricity is produced by the wind farms. The commission says the impact on utility bills is expected to be less than $1.40 a month for residential customers and less than 1.4 percent on the annual bills of commercial and industrial customers, according to the commission's independent consultant, Levitan & Associates. US Wind's project is expected to be operational in early 2020. "This decision cements Maryland as a first-mover we will now be the epicenter of this exciting new industry for decades to come," said Paul Rich, director of project development for US Wind. Skipjack estimates opening its operation near the end of 2022. The PSC said the two projects are expected to yield more than $1.8 billion of in-state spending. The agency says the projects are estimated to create nearly 9,700 new direct and indirect jobs and contribute $74 million in state tax revenues over 20 years. The PSC's decision is contingent on approval by the federal government of the developers' site assessment plans, as well as construction and operations plans. The plan includes a focus on developing port facilities in the Baltimore area and Ocean City. It calls for developers to invest at least $76 million in a steel fabrication plant in Maryland and at least $39.6 million for upgrades at Baltimore County's Tradepoint Atlantic shipyard, formerly Sparrows Point. Commissioner Michael Richard said the wind farms will "enables us to meet our clean, renewable energy goals using energy generated within the state while conditioning our approval on holding project developers to their promises of creating jobs and spurring economic growth." The new book "Calvin Coolidge in the Black Hills," written by Journal reporter Seth Tupper and published by The History Press, chronicles the nearly three months that the then-president spent vacationing in the region during the summer of 1927. In this excerpt from the book, Coolidge is driven from his vacation home in Custer State Park to his summer office at the old Rapid City High School, where he surprises the nation on Aug. 2, 1927, with a terse announcement about his future. By this eighth week of the presidents vacation, his presence had become routine. The limo made its regular weekday-morning entry into Rapid City, where the conversion of streets from gravel to pavement was still a work in progress. It was a place not long advanced from a frontier. Less than 60 years earlier, the Black Hills were a wilderness exalted by the Sioux people and reserved for their use. The gold rush that began in the 1870s changed that and forever fixed the Black Hills place in western mythology, due in large part to Deadwood and its cast of colorful characters, including Wild Bill Hickock and Calamity Jane. President Coolidge, who was born 17 years before South Dakota became a state, had enjoyed some of the western character of the Black Hills during his long vacation. But today, there was business to conduct. Sometime prior to 9 a.m. local Mountain time, his limo parked at Rapid City High School, a three-story brick building situated on a rise at the southern end of downtown. A group of people stood outside the building hoping to see and greet him. The president entered the building and went to his summer office, a converted French teachers classroom with blackboards on three walls. He handled some routine business items for perhaps 10 or 15 minutes and then welcomed about two dozen reporters into the room for one of his regular Tuesday and Friday news conferences. Because it was the fourth anniversary of Coolidges presidency (and therefore also the fourth anniversary of the death of former president Warren Harding, which had elevated then vice president Coolidge into the White House), a reporter asked the president to reflect on his accomplishments. The president obliged in his typical businesslike and unemotional fashion, although he did go on a bit longer than usual. The country had avoided war, he said. The economy was doing well. Labor strife had been avoided. The national debt was down. Each of those points and others he explained in detail. After about a half hour with the reporters, the president ended with a surprise. If the conference will return at twelve oclock, he said, I may have a further statement to make. The reporters retreated to gossip. It was the first time they could recall Coolidge ending a press conference with a request to reconvene later the same day. For the next two and a half hours, the president received a number of visitors. Two Rapid City men gave him a vest trimmed in rattlesnake skin. South Dakotas chief justice, other dignitaries and some common citizens paid visits. A band from Watertown, a city on the eastern side of the state, performed outside and drew the president out to listen until a mist drove him back indoors. Dozens of onlookers waited on the high school grounds, hoping to see the president again. At noon, the president welcomed the reporters back into his classroom office. He stood beside his mahogany desk with a cigar in one hand and a wad of small paper slips in the other, each one folded over on itself. When the room filled and the door was closed, Coolidge asked if everyone was present. After receiving confirmation of that, he asked the reporters to pass by him one by one as he gave each a slip of paper. Few people knew Coolidge well or could read his thoughts, least of all the reporters at that moment. Some later recalled him as grimly serious. Others wrote that he was visibly nervous or under deep emotion. Still others remembered him as faintly amused. The looks on the reporters faces, meanwhile, were easily interpreted as shock when they opened their folded slips of paper and read only this: I do not choose to run for president in nineteen twenty eight. One of the reporters asked if the president had any further comment. Some heard him answer no or none. Others saw only a shake of his head. Lest there be any doubt that the conference was over, a presidential staffer signaled it by opening the door. Reporters scrambled out, rushing to find the nearest communication device and transmit the news in time for evening editions of newspapers. Some reporters raced to the phones in the high school, some bolted for the towns telegraph office and some went to their own temporary summertime offices. By foot or by car, they hurried away. The tourists and onlookers outside, whod come only to see and hopefully speak with the president as he walked in and out of the building, stood dumbfounded as they witnessed the reporters dash out as though escaping a fire. Some minutes later, the president emerged from his office, donned his overcoat and stepped back out into the cool, overcast day. He stopped briefly on the front steps with a group of Sioux people whod come to see him and then hopped into the presidential limousine with Arthur Capper, a visiting U.S. senator from Kansas. Off the limo puttered again, back to the State Game Lodge. Such was the dramatic fashion, wrote a reporter that afternoon, even spectacular by contrast with the simple manner by which it was disclosed, that an outstanding story was given to the country. Another reporter estimated that 50,000 words were sent out over the telegraph wires from Rapid City that day to fill up the nations newspapers. The news stunned the country. Across the land that evening and the next morning, Americans read it in their papers and heard it on their radios and felt a collective bewilderment. What in the world, they wondered, had happened out there in the wilds of South Dakota to provoke such a shocking announcement, and why had the president gone so far away for so long? Local college students and the Rapid City Club for Boys are working together to make science a little more accessible for area youngsters. A release from the Rapid City Club for Boys says student volunteers from South Dakota School of Mines & Technology have helped start a Science Club at the Rapid City Club for Boys. Mines student Bo Paulsen spearheaded the effort, which began in October. Paulsen said science, technology, engineering and math, or STEM, education is vital for students to start learning as soon as possible. I think the more people we expose to STEM at a younger age the better off our society will be, he said in the release. If you look at every major problem humankind has ever solved, it was solved through STEM. If you look at the number of problems we have that havent been solved, like cancer and clean energy, for example those solutions are out there. I really think those solutions are in the minds of people who are children today. Paulsen also said he believes exposing children from families of all economic backgrounds to STEM is important. The release says Paulsen chose to work with the Club for Boys because he was part of the organization as a youth. "He said the club imparted valuable lessons of consistency and responsibility to his young life. He credits the club with helping him succeed as a mechanical engineering student at Mines and noted he wanted to help impart the same life lessons to a new generation of boys while introducing them to science in an exciting, hands-on way," the release says. Mines design team members meet with kids at the Club for Boys Science Club several times a month. Their science projects have included a water bottle rocket, a compressed air potato gun, and the "egg drop experiment," in which the boys try to shield an egg from cracking after a one-story vertical drop. Paulsen said the student volunteers try to come up with projects that are fun, but still educational. When the main focus is them having fun and the secondary focus is the science, then I feel like you can accomplish both goals more effectively, Paulsen said in the release. Club for Boys Program Director Carri Redmond said in the release the Science Club is a welcome addition to the nonprofits programming, which already includes initiatives for reading and homework help. Black Hills Energy donates $5K to Rapid City schools Rapid City Area Schools received a $5,000 donation from Black Hills Energy recently. A release from the school district says the donation will be used to buy items for emergency go-kits for each classroom in the district. Rapid City Area Schools is partnering with Pennington County Emergency Management to put emergency go-kits in each classroom, according to the release. The kits would be especially important during lockdowns, which can keep students restricted to a classroom for long periods of time. The need for such kits has grown as lockdowns become more common, the release says, referencing an incident on Sept. 30, 2015, when a student brought a gun into Harrisburg High School in eastern South Dakota and shot then-principal Kevin Lein. Lein has since recovered. "What we are learning from incidents like Harrisburg and other tragic events in schools is, having emergency kits in each classroom is not only ideal its necessary," the release says. Parent teacher associations, local businesses and a local quilting group have also donated to the cause. The release says the kits will be assembled and distributed to each elementary classroom in the fall. This is an opportune time to ensure that every classroom has an emergency go-kit. Were currently looking at revamping our emergency procedures, and this has been identified as a critical component in our emergency plan. I am grateful to Black Hills Energy for their continued support of the Rapid City Area Schools, and more specifically, our students, Superintendent Lori Simon said in the release. CASA banquet The Northern Hills CASA annual volunteer banquet was held earlier this month. Held May 2 in Spearfish, the event is to thank volunteers and partners for their support of abused and neglected children in the Fourth Judicial Circuit, which includes Lawrence, Meade and Butte counties. Awards presented were: Outstanding New Volunteer, Karleen Dagit, Spearfish; Continual Excellence in Advocacy, Barb Donat, Spearfish; Excellence in Court Reporting, Meg English, Belle Fourche; Above and Beyond, Kelli Davis, Spearfish; Outstanding Service to Children, Judge Randall Macy and Judge Jerome Eckrich; Friend of CASA, John and Lin Carr, Spearfish; Partner of CASA, Our Saviors Lutheran Church, Spearfish; Board Member of the Year, John Senden, Spearfish; Spirit of CASA, Nancy Thiel, Isabel; and Longevity Awards, Abbey Van Steenwyk and Marcia Barnes, five years. Newly trained volunteers, Diane Helfrich of Spearfish and Emily Olson of Belle Fourche, were sworn in. Emily Robison, of Spearfish, won the raffle drawing for a trip to Jamaica. Local club gives $6K to Rapid City organizations The Altrusa Club of Rapid City recently awarded $6,000 to various organizations in Rapid City. A release from the club says the funds went to Youth & Family Services, the Black Hills Literacy Council, Wellfully, the Career Learning Center, Mommy's Closet, the Children's Home Center, the Hope Center and Feeding South Dakota. Care for cancer patients In another act of altruism, Rapid City students will donate rice heating pads to cancer patients. Family and consumer science students from South Middle School made the heating pads, which they will present to cancer patients at 12:10 p.m. Monday at the John T. Vucurevich Cancer Care Institute. HOT SPRINGS | A seismic testing company plans to start looking for underground oil and natural gas deposits on up to 46,000 acres of private and public land in southwestern Fall River County. The area to be tested, between Provo and Edgemont at the edge of the Southern Black Hills, includes the former Black Hills Army Depot ground, which is now private land, and part of the Buffalo Gap National Grasslands acreage. That region of southwestern South Dakota has a long history of energy production, energy waste storage and munitions stockpiling. Uranium was mined there in the 20th century, and a proposal is now under consideration to implement an in situ system to mine for uranium via thousands of small wells drilled into the earth. The area is also home to a former Army munitions depot, which some residents fear could leach chemicals or set off decommissioned weaponry if disturbed by the seismic testing. At a meeting of the Fall River County Commission on May 2, some county residents including one resident who lives quite near the area to be tested were extremely concerned about what could happen if the remains of the ammunition, bombs, rockets and a wide array of chemical weapons that the Black Hills Army Depot handled during the 22 years of its existence and buried in vaults and trenches are disturbed by the testing. Seismic testing According to Mike McNeil of the U.S. Forest Service Hot Springs office, there will be up to 23,000 acres of private land and an equal amount of National Grasslands acreage that could be tested. McNeil said a private company, employed by landowners in the area, is using seismic surveys to look for oil and gas deposits. Seismic testing involves a large metal plate that is pushed down on top of the earth, through which high-frequency vibrations, called seismic waves, are sent. The waves are created by either a dynamite blast or a specialized air gun. The waves bounce back, or reflect, in the rock strata, and are recorded by receivers known as geophones. Oil and gas geologists can read the seismographs generated by the testing unit to determine if there are pockets of oil or natural gas below. The bulk of the testing would take place in the Coffee Flats area, he said. However, other areas around Provo are also involved. The company doing the testing is obligated to get permission only from private mineral rights owners (not necessarily landowners) and an internal permission from the Forest Service and the Bureau of Land Management, the federal agency that controls the mineral rights on the grassland areas to be tested, said Kelly Stover, also with the Hot Springs Forest Service office. The conditions the Forest Service has put on the testing are: No seismic testing prior to Aug. 1, to protect raptors and sharp-tailed grouse, currently nesting on the grasslands. Roads of all types, BLM, USFS, county and private, must be returned to their previous condition following testing. Seismic testing vehicles are especially heavy. No travel on wet roads. Local residents must be contacted prior to testing. Fall River County commissioners and audience members raised a number of questions about this effort. They wanted to know how cattle could be affected by the testing. Stover said there would be no harassment of livestock. Questions were also asked about the specifics of where the seismic testing would be done. McNeil said it would not occur east of Provo and not on the BHAD Burning Grounds. Chemical weapon worries A more significant worry was raised by Edgemont rancher Susan Henderson and Provo rancher Cindy Brunson, who lives practically on top of the former BHAD. This is a disaster of massive proportion, warned Henderson. For 10 years, roughly from 1991-2001, Henderson served as chairwoman of the Restoration Advisory Board, a citizens advisory board that provided a liaison between the U.S. Army and local people for the potential cleanup of the Army depot site. Congress mandated a cleanup of the depot, and then-U.S. Sen. Tom Daschle recommended Henderson for the board. This project had a $5 billion budget, Henderson told the commissioners. The Army depot had served the nation as a munitions storage and decommissioning facility beginning in 1942. Initially operated by the U.S. Army Ordinance Corps to meet a World War II increased demand for ordnance, the depot was chosen for its remoteness, with nearly all of the facilitys civilian workforce living in federal housing in Igloo, once a booming community but now an abandoned town. The depot was also used for storing and testing chemical weapons, including some highly toxic gases. They included: Sarin, or GB gas, a colorless, odorless liquid used as a weapon due to its extreme potency as a nerve agent. Sarin in its purest form is estimated to be 26 times more deadly than cyanide and 543 times more lethal than the chlorine gas used during World War I. Sarin exposure causes difficulty breathing, loss of bodily functions, followed by twitching and jerking. Ultimately the victim suffocates in a series of convulsive spasms. Sarin was outlawed in 1997 by arms control treaties, but most nations that produced it retained stockpiles of the weapons used to deliver it, as witnessed by what has happened in Syria recently. Mustard gas (sulfur mustard) forms chemical burns on the skin, eyes and lungs. It was first used as a weapon during World War I by the Germans when it was shot over troops via artillery shells. Mustard gas was also outlawed by arms control treaties. Phosgene gas also gained infamy as a chemical weapon during WWI. A suffocating gas, it was responsible for nearly 85 percent of the 100,000 deaths caused by chemical weapons in that war. Lewisite, another blistering agent developed during WWI, but not used then, was known during 1920s experiments as the "Dew of Death." The U.S. produced about 20,000 tons of lewisite, using it as an antifreeze for mustard gas or to penetrate protective clothing in special circumstances. It was replaced by a mustard gas variant during the 1950s and declared obsolete. VX, short for "venomous agent X" gas, is an extremely toxic nerve gas developed for military use after pesticide research discovered the toxicity of organophosphates such as malathion and parathion. VX stays around, doing damage in environments where it is used. Other nerve gases were also created and handled at the Army depot during WWII, including Tabun, a German product, Toban and the very deadly Soman, which can kill in two minutes. The Army depot was closed on June 30, 1967. However, the citizens advisory board quickly learned that the depot had some major disposal problems for munitions. Igloo was designed to take in WWII weapons that were difficult to manage, Henderson told the commissioners. Disposal was done in three basic ways: Stored in underground caverns; left in 200 miles of trenches dug at various locations around the base; or in 20-square-foot cement bunkers. The trenches were used to bury weapons, including chemical agents in containers, bombs and rockets around the depot, Henderson said. That included M55 rockets. A 1990s congressional study showed that thousands of the rockets were filled with chemical agents. Today, some 50 to 75 years after they were buried, a Sandia Labs study showed these rockets are destabilizing and could auto ignite. Also, when the temperature of the rocket rises above 55 degrees, it can ignite. There have been multiple blow-ups of these rockets in other areas where the rockets were stored, Henderson said, sharing her worry that seismic testing could set off a chain reaction of rockets in trenches. Chemical gas-filled rockets and bombs were also buried in bunkers, she said. There were hundreds of thousands of tons of chemical warfare agents stored or buried underground, 368,000 tons of Sarin alone, she said, along with GB, VX, mustard gas, terrible Nazi stuff and secret stuff that no one knows about. Henderson believes that the aim of the military following World War II was to tap into Wind Caves vast underground caverns, which recent cavern mapping shows extend for many miles, possibly even to the edges of the Army depot. The caverns, it was thought, would stay cool and make it easier to control stockpiled ordnance. She also said the chemicals and gasses in the weapons are percolating down into the water table. I dont know what will happen when seismic crews go shaking ground around this, Henderson said. This has me scared to death. Because time has passed all those who worked there are dead or gone, and people dont remember whats in there anymore. Both Henderson and Brunson talked about a sheep rancher, Georgia LaBarre, who lost 1,200 sheep on Army depot land in the early 1990s when they were grazing. They both surmised it was due to improperly disposed ordnance. Henderson said she saw some of those sheep with grass in their mouths that had convulsed so hard their backs were broken, but also that they did not bloat and flies would not land on them. Four of those animals were taken to the state veterinarian, who saw no sheep disease but suspected some horrible chemical warfare agent in their deaths, Henderson said. The bottom line here is that doing this (seismic testing) is insane, Henderson said. Its extremely scary, its unconscionable. Brunson told of losing grazing cattle to mysterious causes on depot lands. We need energy, Brunson said, but nobody should go there (to the Army depot site). I border on the west side of the burn pit and can see across the fence, where work is being done. Id advise these people to stay away. A 300-page Army Corps of Engineers commissioned report from 1992 backs up most of Henderson and Brunsons statements. Also, Stover said that archeological and paleontological studies are being done. Only Forest Service approval is needed for a short-term exploration effort like this, McNeil and Stover told the commissioners. The federal Bureau of Land Management and private landowners own the underground mineral rights of the lands in the project, while the Forest Service and private landowners hold the above-ground land rights. Register for more free articles. Sign up for our newsletter to keep reading. Get Government & Politics updates in your inbox! Stay up-to-date on the latest in local and national government and political topics with our newsletter. Sign up! Already a Subscriber? Already a Subscriber? Sign in Terms of Service Privacy Policy Register for more free articles. Sign up for our newsletter to keep reading. Be the first to know Get local news delivered to your inbox! Sign up! Already a Subscriber? Already a Subscriber? Sign in Terms of Service Privacy Policy WASHINGTON -- When Kathi Schwan was here on business just a few weeks ago, she came upon the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial, where engravers were etching Fargo Police Officer Jason Moszers name into marble alongside more than 21,000 names of officers who died in the line of duty since 1791. Schwans son, Drew, grew up with Moszer and she was excited to get a look at the engraving before the 29th annual Candlelight Vigil on Saturday. Jason and [wife] Rachel had just been at that wall a couple of years ago, and [Moszer] did an etching of the last Fargo police officer who was killed 80-plus years ago, Schwan said. Never in his wildest dreams did he think he would be next. Along with the vigil, a national memorial service will be held on Monday. About 39 Fargo police officers, their families, and Moszers family and friends are in the nations capital this week for National Police Week events. About 30,000 law enforcement officers, their families, friends and supporters came together at dusk on the National Mall with candles in hand to hear Moszers name read among officers killed in the line of duty in 2016. After police responded to a north Fargo domestic dispute-turned shootout Feb. 10, 2016, the suspect holed up in his home shot Moszer in the head with a rifle round. The 33-year-old officer, a six-year veteran of the department, died several hours later in a Fargo hospital. The shooter, Marcus Schumacher, killed himself. Law enforcement officers dressed in various-colored uniforms lit their white candles and stood shoulder to shoulder with their fellow officers and families and friends as Amazing Grace was sung by the Dallas Police Choir. Attorney General Jeff Sessions said each fallen officer that was honored at the vigil was much more than a name on the wall. They are persons that meant the whole world to someone, Sessions said. Speakers included National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial Fund Chairman John Ashcroft and John Kelly of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security. I hope you understand how inadequate my word of thanks really are, Ashcroft said to the officers survivors. PIERRE | South Dakotas attorney general and South Dakotas one member in the U.S. House of Representatives are squaring up for the Republican nomination for South Dakotas governor that will be decided next year. Attorney General Marty Jackley showed up a Thursday-ago in Aberdeen at the joint convention of the South Dakota and North Dakota newspaper conventions. He played trivia that night on the team of the Rapid City Journal editor, Bart Pfankuch. Then Bart hit Marty with a challenge: What was Marty going to do, if elected governor, about open-meeting and open-record laws in South Dakota? Bart plans to ask South Dakotas congresswoman, Kristi Noem, the same question. Kristi was in the South Dakota House of Representatives when she won the 2010 Republican primary election for the U.S. House of Representatives. With 42 percent, she defeated South Dakota Secretary of State Chris Nelson and state Sen. Blake Curd. Then Kristi ousted the four-term Democrat, U.S. Rep. Stephanie Herseth-Sandlin. Kristi received 48 percent of the vote. Stephanie got 45 percent. The remaining 6 percent went to independent candidate Thomas Marking. The contest was most remarkable for how little the poll numbers changed from June to November. Now both Kristi and Marty want the same job, as South Dakotas next governor. The current governor, Dennis Daugaard, is serving his second term and cant seek a third consecutive term. Dennis is the sixth Republican in a row to hold the job. Marty made his way to South Dakota attorney general by first serving as U.S. attorney for South Dakota. Democratic nominee Barack Obama, freshly elected as U.S. president, awaited his 2009 inauguration. Meanwhile, then-Gov. Mike Rounds waited for the Legislature in the 2009 session to approve an additional circuit judgeship for Minnehaha County. Mike, a Republican, chose then-attorney general Larry Long, a Republican, for the new judgeship. That created a vacancy for attorney general. Marty meanwhile faced the end of his time as U.S. attorney. Mike made an offer to Marty: Replace Larry as attorney general. Marty said yes. He ran for election in 2010 and won. He won re-election in 2014. The victory however meant he couldnt seek election to a third consecutive term as attorney general. Marty focused on the Republican nomination for governor. He folded together more than $1 million from his political action committee and from his attorney general account into a governor account last year. After the 2016 election, Kristi declared she would be a candidate for the Republican nomination for governor, too. She transferred $1.6 million from her congressional account to a state account for governor and raised another $219,000. A third candidate for governor is a Republican former legislator, Lora Hubbel. She filed her statement of organization March 21. Lora challenged Gov. Daugaard for the Republican nomination in 2014. She received 19 percent in the primary. A fourth candidate, Terry Lee LeFleur, filed his statement of organization May 3. He said Thursday he plans to run as a Republican. LaFleurs main goals: Repeal the state sales tax and change the property tax system. Equally interesting? There isnt a Democratic candidate yet. RAPID CITY | To everything there is a season and a time to every purpose under heaven. A TIME TO BE BORN Donald C. Wood was born to the union of Carrie M. Clawson and William H. Wood in 1924 in Groton, South Dakota. Don had one older brother. A TIME TO PLANT Don attended Putney Elementary School and Groton High School, graduating in 1942. Next, he joined the Army Air Force, serving in England in the 95th Bomb Group, as a radio operator-mechanic on a B-17 Flying Fortress. After the war, Don attended Northern State College, then transferred to USD, in Vermillion, graduating in 1949 with a degree in accounting. In 1962, he earned his Certified Public Accounting Certificate and worked as controller for companies in Wyoming, Iowa, and Wisconsin. In 1972, Don left private accounting and opened his public accounting office in Sturgis. In 1973, he became partner with Ketel Thorstenson and Associates in Rapid City. A TIME TO LOVE In May of 1946, Don married Patricia Ramsey at Council Bluffs, IA. They made their home in Putney, SD. Don and Pat raised three children: Jane Ann, Bryan and Bradley. Pat was a medical technician, wife, and mother. After 58 years of marriage, she passed away in 2004. Any accomplishments Don had in his career were in a large extent because of Pat's never-ending encouragement. Joy Athow of Rapid City became Dons second loving wife in 2009. Don became a second dad to Joys five children: Dean, Linda, Lana, Lori, and Dale; and their spouses, grandchildren, and great-grandchild. A TIME TO DIE Don departed this life May 10, 2017, at the age of 92. A TIME TO REMEMBER Don leaves those who were happy to share his life: Jane Ann, Bryan, and Bradley, and their spouses; and five grandchildren: Jeremy, Jeff, Jenny, and twins Macy and Cole. Preceding Don in death were his parents; brother, Robert; and first wife, Pat. Visitation will be from 10 a.m. to noon on Monday, May 15, at Osheim & Schmidt Funeral Home. Private interment, with full military honors will follow at Black Hills National Cemetery near Sturgis. In lieu of flowers, please donate to Rapid City Regional Hospital Auxiliary Hospice House, 225 Elk St., Rapid City, SD 57701, in remembrance of Don Wood. Guwahati : Assam Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal and Union Minister of State (Independent charge) for Petroleum & Natural Gas Dharmendra Pradhan launched the Pradhan Mantri Ujjwala Yojana (PMUY) for the BPL families of Assam in a programme held in Upper Assam's Dibrugarh district on Saturday. The PMUY aims to safeguard the health of women & children by providing them with a clean cooking fuel LPG, so that they don't have to compromise with their health in smoky kitchens or wander in unsafe areas collecting firewood. 'The LPG connection will not only help the poor, but will also give them a life of dignity,' Sonowal said at the launch of PMUY adding that the Union Government and the Assam government's primary focus has been the welfare of the poor. The Assam CM said that there are many families in the country who are still deprived of LPG as cooking fuel and have to rely on firewood, coal, dung cakes etc. as primary source of cooking. 'The smoke from burning such fuels causes alarming household pollution and adversely affects the health of Women & children causing several respiratory disorders,'A Sonowal said. Sonowal further lauded Prime Minister Narendra Modi for his vision which would relieve the women from the drudgery and help in conservation of nature. He also appreciated the union government for their unconditional support to unleash an era of development in Assam and North East citing that more than Rs 7000 crore oil royalty has been released by Govt. of India during last 11 month. Giving details about the developments which are taking place in Assam under the BJP lead coalition Government, Sonowal informed that the state has received around Rs 6300 crore investment in last eleven months which would provide direct and indirect employment to around 80,000 youth. The Assam CM also said that under Prime Minister's vision for 'sabka saath' 'sabka vikas', Assam is marching rapidly on the path of development and as a result of which, electrification of railway line and doubling of railway track, record number of projects for improvement of surface commencement have been initiated. Union Minister of State (Independent charge) for Petroleum & Natural Gas Dharmendra Pradhan while delivering his speech said that Govt. of India will provide 5 Cr LPG connections to BPL families in the country with a support of Rs 1600 per connection within March, 2019. 'Assam Government will also provide Rs 1000 per PMUY connection to the beneficiaries, which shall make LPG connection more affordable,'A Pradhan said. Stating that the launch of PMUY was delayed in Assam due to certain technical reasons, the Union Minister said that though Aadhar Card is a mandatory provision to avail the benefit of this scheme, this has been relaxed for the beneficiaries of Assam as per request of the Chief Minister. 'Identification of the BPL families for PMUY is done through Socio Economic Caste Census Data. In Assam, there are around 70 lac households, out of which 33 lac already have LPG connection. Around 90 percent of the families who still do not have LPG connection will be covered through PMUY and other Govt. schemes within March, 2019,'A Pradhan said. The Union Minister further informed that ONGC and other Oil companies will also carry out activities for beautification of historical towns like Dibrugarh, Sivasagar etc. OIL will invest Rs 25 crore for development of Kamakhya Temple, Pradhan said. 'Reiterating the central government's commitment, the Union Minister also said that the petroleum ministry has already taken up an exhaustive plan to develop North East at par with rest of the country under 2030: Vision Document (Petroleum Sector).' Pradhan Mantri Ujjwala Yojana was launched by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on May 1, 2016 in Ballia, Uttar Pradesh. Over 2.20 Crore LPG connections have been given in 1st year of launch of this scheme. In order to ensure women's empowerment, especially in rural India, the connections will be issued in the name of women of the households. Rs 8000 Crore has been allocated towards the implementation of the scheme. PMUY is likely to result in an additional employment of around 1 Lakh and provide business opportunity of at least Rs 10,000 Crore to the Indian Industries. Launch of this scheme will also provide a great boost to the 'Make in India' campaign as all the manufacturers of cylinders, gas stoves, regulators, and gas hose are domestic. Union Minister of State for Railways Rajen Gohain, State Food and Civil Supplies Minister Rihon Daimary and MP Rameswar Teli also spoke on the occasion. MP Kamakhya Prasad Tasa, MLAs Prashanta Phukan, Binod Hazarika, Teros Gowala, Bimal Bora, Rituparna Baruah, Naren Sonowal, Chakradhar Gogoi, Sanjay Kishan, Suren Phukan and Bolin Chetia were also present amongst other in the programme. (Reporting by Hemanta Kumar Nath) Guwahati, May 13 : New twists added in the jewellery shop looted case in Guwahati, while police had arrested two more persons including a most wanted drug paddler in connection with the robbery case. The crime branch of Guwahati city police on Friday night arrested Pakhi Miya alias Samsul Haque Talukdar, a most wanted drug paddler from Murajhar area in Nagaon district. Police also arrested a Manipur based robber Bikram Engte from Manipuribasti area in Guwahati last night, who was camping at a hotel. A top police official said that, the drug paddler had provided arms and ammunition to the robber gang which were used in robbery. Earlier, the crime branch of Guwahati city police had arrested Prem Singh (security guard), Nilkamal Singh and Basanta Singh for alleged involvement in the robbery incident at the MP Jewellers. (Reporting by Hemanta Kumar Nath) Guwahati : Assam Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal and Union Minister of State (independent charge) for Petroleum and Natural Gas jointly performed Bhumi Pujan for a multi-speciality hospital to be built at Rojabari at a function held at Rojabari in Sivasagar district on Saturday. The duo also ceremoniously launched the construction work of Rajiv Gandhi Institute of Petroleum Technology (RGIPT) to come up at Sivasagar district. It may be noted that the multi-speciality hospital will be built at sprawling land of 50 acre and the proposed 362 bedded hospital will be built at a cost of Rs 312 crore. Speaking on the occasion Chief Minister Sarbanadna Sonowal said that during the last 11 month, the present state government has been resolutely working to uplift the poor section of the society. He also said that in order to materialise the dream of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the State Government has been relentlessly striving to achieve 'Sabka Saath Sabka Bikash'. Sonowal also said that the Prime Minister's Sabka Saath Sabka Bikash has an undertone of Swargadeo Sukaphaa's principle of equality as the State Government has accorded top priority to take all sections of the people on board to provide better health care facilities and quality education along with other amenities. Sonowal said that Prime Minister Modi has started a new trend by abolishing VIP culture and promoting an ambience where Every Person is Important. He also said that RGIPT will serve the need of youths of the State in getting quality education within the State itself and without having to go outside. Acknowledging AASU's role in bringing this institution to fruition, Sonowal said that it is the solemn duty of each and every individual to maintain the institution as the best in the country. While thanking the Union Minister of State (i/c) for Petroleum and Natural Gas Dharmendra Pradhan for his role in releasing oil royalty, Sonowal said that the Centre's action has boosted the State's economy. Sonowal said that the gesture is an indication of Centre's commitment to take Assam to a higher growth trajectory. Union Minister Dharmendra Pradhan while speaking on the occasion said that it has been a long standing demand of the people of Assam for an Institute of Petroleum Technology and a Multi-Speciality Hospital which would cater to the needs of large of part of Assam. He also informed that Babasaheb Ambedkar Vaidyakiya Prathisthan has been entrusted with the responsibility of running the Multi Speciality Hospital in partnership with the ONGC, so that quality medical facilities can be provided to the poorest of the poor at affordable cost. He also announced that the new hospital will be named after Swargadeo Sukaphaa who immortalised the Ahom Kings' contributions in establishing Assam where all sections of the people can lead a life of dignity and equality. On the occasion he announced that another medical college will be set up in Sivasagar with 60:40 partnership. He also promised of starting nursing schools from the Petroleum Ministry at different locations like Digboi, Duliajan, Numaligarh, Bongaigaon and Guwahati. Pradhan also said that there had been resentment among the youths of the State for not getting the dues from the petroleum resources extracted from the State. But under the leadership of Modi, our Government is providing the due share for its resources and developing the entire region at a fast pace. The institute like RGIPT will enable the youths of the State to obtain necessary skills to get employment in petroleum sector. Member of Parliament Kamakhya Prasad Tasa, Rameswar Teli, MLA Jogen Mohan, Tapan Gogoi, Kushal Duori, Chairman cum Managing Director, ONGC D.K. Sarraf and a host of other dignitaries were present on the occasion. (Reporting by Hemanta Kumar Nath) Guwahati: Eminent kidney transplant specialist Dr Sankaran Sundar graced the Saturday evening OPD clinic at Guwahati Press Club on 13 May and offered free health consultations to over 20 participants. The senior consultant nephrologist and head of international kidney transplantation program of Manipal Hospitals Bangalore advised few of them to take further courses of treatment. The participants also got their blood pressure checked by Rahul Sarma from the acclaimed hospital. The previous evening OPD on 6 May, organized under the series of 'Evening with a Doctor' programs, was graced by Apollo Chennai Hospital's senior gynecologist Dr A Vinutha. The camp was exclusively organized for the women journalists along with the spouses (and daughters) of press club members. Prior to it, Dr Vinutha delivered a talk on various women related ailments and their preventions at the press club auditorium. The next Saturday clinic on 20 May will be attended by Dr Dhrubajyoti Dutta from Assam's well known Down Town Hospitals. The camp is scheduled to begin at 4 pm at the club premises and continue till 6 pm. The 27 May camp will be conducted by Dr Ashwin Rajagopal, senior consultant on Surgical Oncology from the Manipal Hospitals Bangalore. The unique healthcare initiative was launched by eastern India's pioneer pressmen's organization Guwahati Press Club last year for the benefit of its member-journalists along with their dependents. Assam's Dispur Hospitals initially supported the endeavour with raising a doctor's chamber at the club premises in August 2016. The city based hospital under the leaderships of Dr Jayanta Bardoloi also conducted the first episode of evening OPD clinics. Practicing doctors from Medanta-the Medicity Hospital, GNRC Group of Hospitals, Narayana Super-Specialty Hospitals, Swagat Super-Surgical Institute, Sankaradeva Nethralaya Guwahati, Wintrobe Hospital, Barthakur Clinic, Nemcare Hospital, Rahman Hospitals, Sun Valley Hospital, Sight First eye-clinic, Government Ayurvedic College, MMC Panbazar, Institute of Dental Science & Research Center etc have attended the camps till date. Kathmandu, Nepal: Historic local level elections have begun after about 20 years long wait in 34 districts from Province 3, 4 and 6 from 7.00 am on Sunday. 34 districts from Province 3, 4 and 6 have 283 local bodies, including four metropolitan cities, one sub-metropolitan city, 92 municipalities and 186 rural municipalities. A total of 4,956,925 voters of the 34 districts from Province 3, 4 and 6 will cast their votes from 6,642 polling stations in the first phase of elections today out of 14,054,482 voters across the country. Second phase of elections will be held in 41 districts of province number 1, 2, 5 and 7 on June 14. The Election Commission (EC) has said that it has already completed necessary preparations not only to accomplish the first phase of elections but also to hold the second phase of local level elections. The people in general seems elated for being able to cast votes to chose their own representatives to run the local units. The people are lining up in their respective polling stations to cast their votes with much more enthusiasm. The local level elections deserve the historic value as it is not only going to happen after 20 years long gap but also the representatives are being picked up under the federal set up. The country has to hold three tiers of elections by January 2018 to institutionalize the federal set up adopted after the popular movement in 2006. Dolakha, Nepal: At least one person killed and dozens other injured when the police opened fire at the Pabati polling center of Melung rural municipality-1 on Sunday afternoon. The police deployed in the polling center opened fire after the cadres of the Nepal Congress and the CPN UML clashes over the issue of capturing the ballot boxes. It is said that the police team mobilized in the center to maintain the security under the command of inspector Binod Sunuwar had opened the fire after situation turned into the violence. Though, the identities of the deceased yet to ascertained, it is said that the deceased would have a cadre of the CPN UML. According to the reports, the clash erupted after UML cadres attempted to capture the ballot boxes. Dolakha has remained tense throughout the day on Sunday due to the clashes between the cadres of the Nepali Congress, CPN UML and the CPN Maoist Center. It is said that seriously injured four people are airlifted to Kathmandu for the further treatment. Additional police force has been mobilized to take the situation under control. LALITPUR, May 14: Many voters complained of the large size ballot paper used during the voting today, under the first phase of local-level elections. The ballot paper for 16 districts including Kathmandu, Lalitpur and Bhaktapur was the longest with 68 different columns. As a result, many voters said it was hard for them to find the election symbol they were looking for and also to fold it into the ballot box. "I had to spend a lot of time looking for the election symbol", said Sumati Shakya, who voted at the polling centre in the Bagmati Zonal Transport Office, Ekantakuna Lalitpur. Some said they feared that the ink of the swastik stamp put on the ballot paper would blot while the paper was being folded. Sabita Timilsina, who voted from the same polling station, viewed that the fact that inks may spread and the vote invalidated while folding it should be taken into consideration. She also complained that there was lack of voter's education for the same. Journalist Babita Basnet, who cast her vote from polling centre at Jawalakhel, Lalitpur, said that although the ballot paper is large in size, it was not so difficult to cast vote. She said that voters have been casting vote enthusiastically as local-level election is taking place after around 20 years. Similarly, another voter Bal Kumari Silpakar, who voted from Patan Durbar Square polling centre, said that she did not face any problems in casting vote while Amirman Bajracharya complained that it was difficult to find the election symbols. 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She can be contacted at 623-8193 or at shirleycontreras2@yahoo.com. Her book, The Good Years, a selection of stories shes written for the Santa Maria Times since 1991, is on sale at the Santa Maria Valley Historical Society, 616 S. Broadway. Today marks a special episode of the podcast formerly known as Music on Film. Firstly, because I'm changing the name to Music On Screen, to acknowledge the growing importance of more forms of media than just film itself. Secondly, whereas I have thus far chosen a single film to explore per episode, inspired by the exceptional programming of quality rockumentaries of Toronto's Hot Docs Documentary Film Festival, which has just completed its 24th year, I feel compelled to take a look into a greater number of films. This won't happen on every episode, but I would like to introduce the possibility. The 2017 edition of the Hot Docs Film Festival was excellent and what started as a concept to incorporate five docs from all around the world into one episode has actually significantly grown into a three-part 2017 Hot Docs series. Each episode loosely contributes to the larger conversation of national identity via culture and the evolution of American pop music, as originated by the American other. Today's first episode will look at three wonderful films from around the world. I'll first be discussing the film Rumble - which comes out in late July in Toronto and NYC with a North American rollout to follow - with its executive producers. In the process, you'll hear a bit about the invaluable native American contribution to shaping the trajectory of Americas original sounds of the impoverished. Then well travel to West Africa in A Story of Sahel Sounds. Lastly, well travel to modern Osaka, Japan to experience a form of pop music so bizarre and somewhat unsettling, youll have to see the film, Raise Your Arms And Twist, to believe it for yourself. In the next episode, we'll be focussing on England and British reflections on American music and some of its key players, who offered their incredible takes on pop. In the third episode, we'll be looping back to America to see a more contemporary, although still heavily dated, flavour of what's become of the American music thread in the 60s and beyond. In the meantime, enjoy this weeks discussions surrounding: Rumble: The Indians Who Rocked The World with executive producers, Stevie Salas and Tim Johnson Story of Sahel Sounds with directors, Tobias Adam and Florian Klager (28 minutes in) Raise Your Arms and Twist: Documentary of NMB48 with director, Atsushi Funahashi (47 minutes in) If you are currently a print subscriber but don't have an online account, select this option. You will need to use your 7 digit subscriber account number (with leading zeros) and your last name (in UPPERCASE). SIOUX CITY | When he's grilling food, Jerry Janssen usually has a fruity, flora Pinot Gris in his hand. However, when eating his grilled favorites, the Sioux City WineStyles manager will be whetting his whistle with a full-bodied Cabernet Sauvignon. Wait, Janssen alternates between reds and whites during his summertime cookouts? "There is nothing wrong with choosing a wine to sip while flipping steaks," he explained, inside his 5002 Sergeant Road store. "And there's nothing wrong with choosing another wine that's robust enough to cut through the taste of red meat." OK, but do aficionados actually drink vino when the mercury's on the rise? While Janssen said beer is still synonymous with backyard burgers, wine is also seasonally satisfying when you're grilling as well as chilling. "If you ask me, wine is enjoyable any time of the year," he said. Well, of course, Janssen would say that. But what goes best with a slab of steak? "A Cabernet is a natural choice because red meats and red wines make for a perfect combo," he said, holding a bottle of Justin Cabernet Sauvignon from California's Santa Lucia Mountains. "I also enjoy an Argentine Malbec with steak," Janssen said. "Nobody knows beef better than the Argentinians and a black and fruity Malbec has a big flavor that will really make a steak pop." Want to take a walk on the wild side this summer? You can if you mind a wine that has a sideshow strong man on its label. "Believe it or not, the Freakshow Cabernet -- a full-bodied Cab from Lodi, Calif.'s Michael David Winery -- has become a local favorite," Janssen said. "The oaky, fruity flavors pair perfectly with big steaks as well as grilled veggies." Well, what if you're not in the mood for something quite so freaky for white wine fans? Janssen recommended Duck Pond Pinot Gris from Oregon's growing wine community. "With it's crisp taste and floral finish, this Pinot Gris will taste wonderful with seafood, poultry and lighter kinds of food," he explained. Indeed, Janssen said the perfect white wine can make a bland-tasting salmon can sizzle with newfound flavor. "That's the nice thing about wine," he said. "It can elevate the taste of any food." But what about the wines we simply love to sip? Janssen said blended wines -- blended white and red wines that are made form different grapes and varietals -- will continued to be seasonal favorites. "Women especially enjoy blended wines because they're refreshing and some styles have a lower alcohol content," he said. Looking over his store's vast selection of vino, Janssen said he considers himself to be both a wine advocate and a wine educator. "With food pairings, the old advice was to pair red wines with red meats and white wines with white meats," he said, shaking his head. "While that still holds true, we also realize that every palate is different." "If you like a certain wine, simply enjoy it," Janssen reasoned. "That's true in the summertime as well as all year round." If you are a trail enthusiast, or someone who doesn't use trails but who nonetheless appreciates their importance to our community, then you should enjoy what you see over the next two years. Significant additions to this metro region's growing network of trails are planned. More than $5 million of work will add several miles of new trail for use by walkers, runners and bikers, boosting local quality of life and, by extension, potential for economic growth. (For a metro trail map, visit https://www.sioux-city.org/trails) Parks and Recreation Director Matt Salvatore provided us with the following information on scheduled projects (these projects will be paid for through a combination of city funds, state funds and grants): Sertoma Park Trail - This 1.25-mile trail, which will finish by the end of August, will create a loop between Sertoma and Cone Parks at a cost of $294,000. A Missouri River Historical Development grant will provide $250,000. Clark School Connector Trail - This .2-mile trail, which will be completed by the end of the year, will connect residents in the Country Club neighborhood to the Outer Drive Trail through a trail on Clark School property at a cost of $225,000. Floyd-Outer Drive Trail - This .43-mile trail, which will begin sometime this year, is primarily an overpass bridge over railroad tracks with a small trail segment from the current Floyd Trail to the corner of Outer Drive. Total construction cost is between $1.5 million and $1.8 million. The Iowa Department of Transportation will provide $870,000 for the project. Big Sioux River Dike Trail Phase II - This .75-mile stretch of trail, which will begin in 2018 pending approval of permits by the Army Corps of Engineers, begins at the Riverside Pool and runs along the Big Sioux River, ending at Florence Avenue where the Big Sioux River Dike Trail Phase I was completed in 2015 (this is another 1.25 miles). The estimated construction cost is $375,000. The Siouxland Trails Foundation pledged $125,000 to this project; a state grant provides another $52,000. Riverfront Trail - This 1.5-mile section of trail, which will begin in 2018, will connect Chautauqua Park to Chris Larsen Park. From Chris Larsen Park, the trail will go under the interstate, cross the Floyd River and stay east of the interstate until it reaches Bacon Creek. The trail will cross the creek, travel back under the interstate, then stay on the west side of I-29 until it connects to Chautauqua Park. The $3.3 million Riverfront Trail connection received a $1 million MRHD grant and nearly $2 million in state funds. Throughout this metro region, we see, hear and sense appreciation for what we have with respect to trails and enthusiasm for what can be achieved in the future. Community leaders understand this is a citizen priority and continue to demonstrate, in words and actions, their support for expansion of our local trail system. Because we share the vision for more trail construction, with a focus on connectivity, we have used this space on many occasions to advocate for trail construction and to applaud efforts, both public and private, taken in support of local trail expansion. To these ends, we look forward to trail projects planned during the next two years as our metro region pursues what we hope one day will be a network of trails second to none. U.S. Navy veteran Bill Butcher says no experience was more nerve-wracking than being an officer aboard a destroyer escort ship during the Cuban Missile Crisis. The time on the front line wasnt without its moments of irony while standing on deck: Everyone was on edge over the possibility of a nuclear conflict that never came. We were wondering if the people of the United States realized how close we came to disaster, Butcher said. It could happen any instant, but were there holding coffee mugs thinking what could happen next? The Missouri native spent much of his childhood in Ohio before earning his bachelors degree in economics and psychology from Albion College in Albion, Mich. Ever since I was a little kid, I wanted to be in the Navy and run a ship, Butcher, 77, recalled. He made his wish come true, enlisting in 1961 and, on Aug. 1 of that year, reporting to Naval Station Newport in Rhode Island. Following basic training, he went to the Boston Naval Shipyard and underwent training to become a communications officer. In February 1962, Butcher was assigned to the USS Camp, an Edsall-class destroyer escort. The Camp headed down to Cuba in summer 1962. We patrolled the Windward Passage between Haiti and Cuba, said Butcher, explaining the goal was to monitor shipping vessels from the Soviet Union. The Camp was part of the blockade off of Cuba during the 13-day standoff from Oct. 16-28. The standoff between the U.S. and Soviet Union was over the Soviet installation of armed nuclear warheads on the communist island 90 miles from American shores. To end tensions, Soviet leadership offered to remove the missiles in exchange for a promise that the U.S. wouldnt invade Cuba. It was arguably the closest the two global superpowers came during the decades-long Cold War to initiating a nuclear conflict. Butcher recalled there were times when ships nearly brushed against each other, which also had the potential to prompt an international incident. Those were the hairy times for me, Butcher said. During part of his tour aboard the Camp while in the Caribbean, Cuban refugees adrift on boats were frequently picked up and turned over to the U.S. Coast Guard. Eventually, Butcher served as an interpreter whenever the Camp picked up refugees. At the time, the captain asked if anyone was able to speak Spanish to assist in communication. No one volunteered. Captain found in my (personnel) record that Id taken Spanish in college, although I was very poor, said Butcher, adding he was chewed out for not immediately mentioning it. Toward the end of his time aboard the Camp, the ship spent time in the North Atlantic, based out of Grenock, Scotland. When he returned to the U.S., he became a base administrative officer at the Naval Weapons Lab in Dahlgren, Va. He left the Navy in February 1966 and made a career change, undergoing training with the FBI. After stints in Washington, D.C., Pittsburgh and Minneapolis, he was transferred to Minot, where he stayed for about 12 years. When he was to be transferred to New York City in 1980, he chose to leave the agency, instead. His wife, Dina, was set to be appointed Deputy Agriculture Commissioner, a post she held for seven years. The decision was made to support her career. I started my private investigator agency, and Ive been doing it ever since," he said of starting W.T Butcher and Associates Ltd. in 1982. Looking back, Butcher, who has no regrets from his service, said the missile crisis was a time in which everyone was on edge and hes proud to have been a part of it. It was such a challenge, but it was exactly what I wanted, Butcher said. CIRCOR International, Inc. designs, manufactures, and distributes flow and motion control products in Europe, the Middle East, Africa, North America, and internationally. The company has a product portfolio of brands serving its customers' demanding applications. It operates through two segments, Aerospace & Defense and Industrial. The Aerospace & Defense segment manufactures and markets control valves, pumps, regulators, fluid controls, actuation systems, pneumatic valves and controls, electro-mechanical controls, motors, and other flow control products and systems; propeller pumps; MIL-spec butterfly valves and actuators; brushless dc motors; switches; and actuation components and sub-systems. Its products and services are used in the military and defense, commercial aerospace, business and general aviation, and general industrial markets, as well as serves aircraft manufacturers and tier 1 suppliers. This segment offers its products under the CIRCOR Aerospace, Aerodyne Controls, CIRCOR Bodet, CIRCOR Industria, CIRCOR Motors, Hale Hamilton, Leslie Controls, Portland Valve, and Warren Pumps brands. The Industrial segment provides 3 and 2 screw pumps, progressing cavity pumps, specialty centrifugal pumps, and gear metering pumps; automatic recirculation valves; engineered valves; positive displacement pumps; general service control valves; and actuation and unheading devices for the end-users and original equipment manufacturers, as well as engineering, procurement, and construction companies. This segment offers its products under the Allweiler, DeltaValve, Houttuin, IMO Pump, IMO AB, Leslie Controls, RG Lawrence, RTK, Schroedahl, TapcoEnpro, Tushaco, and Zenith brands. The company markets its solutions directly and through various sales partners to approximately 14,000 customers in approximately 130 countries. CIRCOR International, Inc. was incorporated in 1999 and is headquartered in Burlington, Massachusetts. Your Ultimate Investing Toolkit Sign up for MarketBeat All Access to gain access to MarketBeat's full suite of research tools: Portfolio Monitoring Top Stock Lists Premium Reports Stock Screeners Live News Feed Premium Support Free for your first month. Southern Ontario Standardbred breeding nurseries High Stakes Farm, Mac Lilley Farms and Seelster Farms all have special open houses taking place for the general public today (Sunday, May 14). Also, the popular fractional ownership endeavour The Stable is holding its Spring Showcase. All of the efforts are taking place to make this Mothers Day a memorable one. The farms will showcase their mares, foals, stallions and facilities, and in collaboration with the Standardbred Breeders of Ontario Association and Standardbred Canadas I Love Canadian Harness Racing Fan Club will educate visitors about Standardbred breeding and harness racing. This marks the sixth consecutive year that the SBOA and SC have partnered to host this event. The open houses provide a great opportunity for people who dont normally have a chance to visit a horse farm to connect with the horses and the people in the Standardbred industry. This event is free to the general public. Seelster Farms, located in Lucan, will be opening its facility to the public from 10:00 a.m. until 4:00 p.m. The open house at Seelster is an officially recognized fundraiser for the Canadian Cancer Society, with voluntary donations being graciously accepted on their behalf. High Stakes Farm, located in Moffat, will be opening its gates from 1:00 p.m. until 4:00 p.m. The open house at High Stakes is an officially recognized fundraiser for the Ontario Standardbred Adoption Society. Mac Lilley Farms, located in Dutton, will host its event from 1:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. In addition to showcasing its mares and foals, the Hands On Horses Team from the Ontario Harness Horse Association will be providing rides in jog carts around the racetrack. The Glencoe 4-H horse club members will be passing out cupcakes and drinks to the guests. Mac Lilley Farms will also promote the 250th anniversary of horse racing in Canada with a commemorative mile and information display. The Stables (thestable.ca) Spring Showcase will take place at Tomiko Training Centre in Campbellville. It will feature The Stables two-year-olds in training. The event will kick off at 10:30 a.m. and you can watch as 50 youngsters of The Stable and other trainers, show what they've got as potential racehorses. To watch the Spring Showcase via a live stream, click here. The Stable will have pony rides for the kids, rides on a jog cart with actual horses for the aspiring drivers in the crowd, and a BBQ for everyone. The first 30 moms will get a special gift and there will be plenty of door prizes. The addresses for each of the participating farms are as follows: High Stakes Farm 9685 First Line Nassagaweya Moffat, Ont. L0P 1J0 (5 minutes from Mohawk Racetrack & 15 minutes from downtown Milton) Mac Lilley Farms 28322 Chalmers Line Dutton, Ont. NOL IJO Phone # 519-762-3423 Seelster Farms 33618 Roman Line, R.R. # 3 Lucan, Ont. N0M 2J0 (15 minutes from London) Thestable.ca Tomiko Training Centre 210 Campbellville Rd. Campbellville, ON L0P 1B0 (10 minutes from Mohawk) The essential component of totalitarian propaganda is artifice (het toepassen van kunstgrepen. svh) . The ruling elites, like celebritie... IANS A section of computers of Andhra Pradesh's police departments were affected by a global cyber attack on Saturday, authorities said. Computers in 18 police units in Chittoor, Krishna, Guntur, Visakhapatnam and Srikakulam districts were affected. However, officials said the day-to-day functioning was not hampered. Director General of Police N. Sambasiva Rao said some standalone computers were affected and they were logged off as a precautionary measure. He said systems using the Windows operating system were hit by the cyber attack. The police chief's computer with Apple's iOS operating system was safe. A global cyber-attack using hacking tools believed to have been created by the US National Security Agency (NSA) has infected tens of thousands of computers in nearly 100 countries. R. Jaya Lakshmi, Superintendent of Police, Tirupati Urban, said the 'ransomware' encrypted data in some police stations. She said they were not able to access data and hackers were demanding ransom in digital currency bitcoin to restore access. The officer said since the data was also stored in different offices in the police administration, they will be able to retrieve the same. "The impact is minimal as we also keep offline record of FIRs and other documents," she said. Another officer said they were coordinating with the Home Ministry and were taking all precautions to protect the data. Meanwhile, Telangana police said its computer systems were not affected. "The TS Police website is functioning perfectly. There is no need to panic", said Telangana technical computer services incharge Krishna Prasad. IANS A day after a massive ransomeware attack hit nearly 100 countries, including India, terrifying details were slowly emerging on Saturday as computers from hospitals in Britain to police stations in Andhra Pradesh were hacked into, keeping cyber security experts on tenterhooks. In India, a section of computers at Andhra Pradesh's police departments were hacked. Computers in 18 police units in Chittoor, Krishna, Guntur, Visakhapatnam and Srikakulam districts were affected. According to Director General of Police N. Sambasiva Rao, systems using the Windows operating system were hit by the cyber attack. The police chief's computer with Apple's iOS operating system was safe. R. Jaya Lakshmi, Superintendent of Police, Tirupati Urban, said the 'ransomware' encrypted data in some police stations, adding that they were not able to access data and hackers were demanding ransom in digital currency bitcoin to restore access. "The impact is minimal as we also keep offline record of FIRs and other documents," Lakshmi added. Among the government agencies and companies affected globally were Britain's National Health Service (NHS), the Russian Interior Ministry, Spain's communications giant Telefonica, power firm Iberdrola, utility provider Gas Natural and FedEx in the US. According to media reports, teams were working round the clock in response to the attack, which resulted in operations being cancelled, ambulances being diverted and documents such as patient records made unavailable in England and Scotland. After denying reports that its computers had been targeted, the Russian Interior Ministry later confirmed that "around 1,000 computers were infected". The ministry said the technicians had contained the attack. Moscow-based Kaspersky Lab detected that variants of a malware called "WannaCry" were used that encrypted the files. "Once inside the system, the attackers install a rootkit, which enables them to download the software to encrypt the data. The malware encrypts the files. A request for $600 in Bitcoin is displayed along with the wallet -- and the ransom demand increases over time," Altaf Halde, Managing Director Kaspersky Lab (South Asia), told IANS. Kaspersky Lab confirmed that the company's protection subsystems detected at least 45,000 infection attempts in 74 countries, mostly in Russia. "This is big and set to get bigger. We haven't seen anything like this since Conficker in 2008," Amit Nath, Head of Asia Pacific-Corporate Business at cyber security firm F-Secure Corporation, told IANS. Another cybersecurity firm Avast said it had seen 75,000 cases of the ransomware around the world. Europol also warned a "complex international investigation" was required "to identify the culprits". Rail passengers in Germany were confronted with the ransom message when looking up train information at stations after Berlin-based railway company Deutsche Bahn was targeted. Carmaker Renault was France's first company to be affected by the ransomware while Portugal Telecom and a local authority in Sweden also faced a similar fate. The ransomware infects victims by exploiting a Microsoft Windows vulnerability described and fixed in "Microsoft Security Bulletin MS17-010". Microsoft also said it would roll out the update to users of older operating systems "that no longer receive mainstream support", such as Windows XP, Windows 8 and Windows Server 2003. The seeds of the massive cyber attack were sown by a mysterious hacking group "Shadow Brokers" in April when it leaked a hacking tool called "Eternal Blue" developed by the US National Security Agency (NSA). Interestingly, the same tool is believed to have been used by another anonymous hacking group to gain remote access to computers, that brought parts of the NHS to a standstill. "It's likely that regular online criminals simply used the information that the 'Shadow Brokers' put on the internet and thought 'how can we monetise this'," telegraph.co.uk quoted Graham Cluley, a computer security expert, as saying on Saturday. The attack was the latest in the growing menace of ransomware in which hackers deliver files to computers that automatically encrypt their data, making it unusable until a ransom is paid. "This is not targeted at the NHS," British Prime Minister Theresa May was quoted as saying in BBC. "It's an international attack, and a number of countries and organisations have been affected." Hacking group or groups were yet to claim responsibility for the attack. The Chinese online security company Qihoo 360 issued a warning about the virus, saying that many networks there had been hit and that some computers used to mine Bitcoin in China were among those infected. The US Department of Homeland Security, in a statement, encouraged people to update their operating systems, CNN reported. "We are actively sharing information related to this event and stand ready to lend technical support and assistance as needed to our partners, both in the United States and internationally," the department said. Meanwhile, the Group of Seven (G7) nations, which were holding a two-day meeting (May 12-13) of Finance Ministers and central bankers in Italy, released a draft statement committing to join forces to fight the rising threat of cyber attacks. BARISAL: SBMCH Class IV employee and her son were arrested over recovering government medicine from hospital pond on Saturday afternoon. Certificate giving ceremony at DIPTI held Campus Reporter : Certificate- giving ceremony and orientation programme of Daffodil International Professional Training Institute (DIPTI) was held at auditorium-71 of Daffodil International University on Thursday (May 11). Javed Ahmed, Acting Secretary, Ministry of Expatriates' Welfare and Overseas Employment was present at the programme as chief guest and Abdur Rouf, Executive Project Director, Skills for Employment Investment was present as special guest at the program. Md. Sabur Khan, Chairman, Board of Trustees, Daffodil International University presided over the program while Md. Abul Kashem, Project Director, SEIP-PKSF, Mohammad Nuruzzaman, Executive Director, Daffodil Education Network, Rathindranath Das, Executive Director, DIPTI and Moazzem Hossain, Deputy Director, DIIPTI were also spoke at the program. Addressing as the chief guest Javed Ahmed said that there are 70 training institutes under government affiliation and lot of non-government training institutes are working actively in Bangladesh. Most of the migrant workers took training from these training institutes. So, it's not absolutely truth that all of our migrant workers are unskilled. Problem is 'Branding'. We can't brand properly of our skilled manpower. So we should give emphasis on branding. Md. Sabur Khan said on his presidential speech that at the early stage we provided some unskilled persons in foreign markets as migrant. That negative branding is continuing still now. But, now a day, we are providing huge skilled workers abroad. So, it's time to start proper branding as we have lot of skill manpower. Addressing as a special guest Abdur Rouf said that there are 70 lacs Bangladeshi people work in various country of the world. They bring us 25 billion dollar remittance per year. On the other hand, 2 lac foreigner workers are working in Bangladesh and they take away 5 billion dollar per year from Bangladesh. If we make our people skilled enough then we earn increase our remittance more.. Two students- Rokonuzzaman and Saiful got appointment letter from Fican IT Solution on the program. On behalf of Fican IT Solution Mr. Mahmudul Hasan handed over the appointment letter to those students. Macron takes power as French president The centrist leader Macron, 39, posed for photos on the front porch with outgoing president Francois Hollande at Elysee Palace in Paris on Sunday. AFP : Emmanuel Macron was inaugurated as France's youngest ever president on Sunday, saying the country had chosen "hope" and promising to relaunch the flagging European Union. Macron, a 39-year-old centrist, took the reins of power from Francois Hollande a week after he won a resounding victory over far-right leader Marine Le Pen in a tumultuous election. After a warm welcome from Hollande at the Elysee Palace, the two men held a closed-doors meeting during which Macron was handed the codes to launch France's nuclear arsenal. In a moment heavy with symbolism, 62-year-old Hollande-who launched Macron's political career by appointing him first as advisor and then economy minister-was then driven away from the palace to applause from his staff and the new president. The former investment banker who had never even contested an election before was then proclaimed president by Laurent Fabius, president of the Constitutional Council. "In order to be the man of one's country, one must be the man of your time," Fabius told him. "You are now the man of your time... and by the sovereign choice of the people, you are now, above all ... the man of our country." In his first speech, Macron said the French people had chosen "hope" and shown a willingness to change in the election. He promised that the EU, hit by the imminent departure of Britain, would be "rejuvenated and relaunched" during his time in office. "The world and Europe need France now more than ever and they need a strong France with a sense of its own destiny." To underline his European ambitions, Macron will visit German Chancellor Angela Merkel in Berlin on Monday in his first foreign trip. The new president's wife Brigitte, a 64-year-old who was his high school drama teacher, listened to his sombre 12-minute speech wearing a light blue Louis Vuitton outfit. At the end of the formalities, a 21-gun salute rang out from the Invalides military hospital on the other side of the River Seine. Macron was later to be driven to the Arc de Triomphe to lay a wreath at the tomb of the unknown soldier. The new president faces a host of daunting challenges including tackling stubbornly high unemployment, fighting Islamist-inspired violence and uniting a deeply divided country. Socialist Hollande's five years in power were plagued by a sluggish economy and bloody terror attacks that killed more than 230 people and he leaves office after a single term. Security was tight, with around 1,500 police officers deployed near the presidential palace and the nearby Champs Elysees avenue and surrounding roads blocked off. After a formal lunch, Macron will visit Paris's town hall, a traditional stop for any new French president in his "host" city. Macron's first week will be busy. On Monday, he is expected to reveal the closely-guarded name of his prime minister, before flying to Berlin. It is virtually a rite of passage for French leaders to make their first European trip to meet the leader of the other half of the so-called "motor" of the EU. Pro-EU Macron wants to push for closer cooperation to help the bloc overcome the imminent departure of Britain, another of its most powerful members. He intends to press for the creation of a parliament and budget for the eurozone. Workers at the Sinopec Lubricant (Singapore) Pte Ltd plant. The company's revenue reached 1.5 billion yuan ($217.5 million) at the end of 2016. [Photo/Xinhua] China Petrochemical Corporation's first lubricant plant outside China - Sinopec Lubricant (Singapore) Pte Ltd - has continued its rapid growth and expansion by increasing business with Chinese companies overseas, according to one of the company's senior executives. The company said that thanks to the Belt and Road Initiative, the plant - located at Tuas in the south western tip of Singapore - has been actively supplying China's aerospace, ocean shipping and heavy machinery businesses abroad, providing these sectors with lubricant and other chemicals support. With a line of business that includes production of lubricating oils and greases, the unit's revenue reached 1.5 billion yuan ($217.5 million) at the end of 2016. "Thanks to the Belt and Road Initiative, Chinese companies are embracing broader platforms for expansion and are entering a golden age of development," said Deputy General Manager Xia Peng. Xia said his company had witnessed an expansion in business done with Chinese companies overseas, including Sany Heavy Industry Co Ltd and Xuzhou Construction Machinery Group. "Increasingly Chinese companies are expanding their businesses abroad, which also provides us with more opportunities to expand our products," he said. "It's a win-win for all of us." His group began supplying Xuzhou Construction Machinery in 10 key foreign markets, and now is planning to gradually expand this to 174 countries, including those in Central Asia and Africa. The unit cooperated to supply specialist oils for Sany's Southeast Asia operations. The two parties will carry out branding, product promotions and customer maintenance in Singapore, Malaysia, Indonesia and Thailand. German luxury automaker Mercedes-Benz AG recently chose Sinopec's Great Wall lubricant as its global lubricant supplier for the first time. The company said that with its Great Wall lubricants, which hold technology certifications from more than 90 percent international major automakers - it had become the strategic partner of many world-class companies including Siemens AG and Burckhardt Compression AG. The global oil market has long been monopolized by the likes of international oil majors Royal Dutch Shell Group, Exxon Mobil Corp, Chevron Corp, Castrol Ltd and Total SA. In response, Sinopec signed long-term supply deals with domestic maritime companies in 2009, aiming to break the monopoly. Sinopec Lubricant (Singapore) was founded in an attempt to take advantage of its location in an Asia-Pacific regional hub, enabling Sinopec to better serve the needs of its customers in Southeast Asia, Australia and New Zealand. It was considered a major milestone for Sinopec and seen by the company as key to its global expansion plans considering its closeness to the Strait of Malacca, which is also why most key oil companies set up plants in Singapore. The plant has installed production capacity of 100,000 metric tons of lubricant per year and produces high-end products to meet the increasing regional demand for high-grade lubricants and grease. "The Singapore plant will further boost Sinopec's lubricant influence and international competitiveness," Xia said. So far, Sinopec's lubricant business has expanded its distribution network to more than 50 countries and regions in Southeast Asia, Australia, Europe, South America and Africa. Trump calls for tougher sanctions on N Korea Al Jazeera News : US President Donald Trump has called for tougher sanctions against North Korea after it test-fired a ballistic missile on Sunday. The missile was fired from the region of Kusong, northwest of Pyongyang, where North Korea, in February, successfully test-launched an intermediate-range missile. Multiple sets of UN and US sanctions against North Korea have done little to deter it from pursuing its nuclear and missile ambitions. N Korea missile launch tests Seoul's new mission for dialogue "Let this latest provocation serve as a call for all nations to implement far stronger sanctions against North Korea," the White House said in a brief statement. The missile impacted "so close to Russian soil ... the president cannot imagine that Russia is pleased", the White House said, adding that North Korea "has been a flagrant menace for far too long". The projectile flew more than 700km before landing in the Sea of Japan. Russia's defence ministry later said the missile landed about 500km from its border and posed no threat. In April, Trump warned that a "major, major conflict" with the North was possible, but he would prefer a diplomatic outcome to the dispute over its nuclear and missile programmes. People of local Hindu community blocked road near Barik Building intersection protesting vandalizing of some idols by the miscreants at Gosaildanga Shib Temple in Agrabad area of Chittagong on Sunday. 3 BD nat'ls killed in NY road crash Three Bangladeshi expatriates were killed and another was critically injured in a car crash in Northern State Parkway near New York city of the United States on Saturday. The deceased are: Shamsul Islam, 61, and Ataur R Dulal, 34, of Mymensingh and Raihan Islam, 28, Bangladesh Consul General in New York Shameem Ahsan told UNB. He said the injured, Al Amin Mollah, 36, of Bhairab Bazar in Kishoreganj, was admitted to Winthrop Hospital in Long Island, New York in a critical condition. Shamsul and Ataur were killed on the spot while Raihan, who was driving the car, died at the hospital, Shameem Ahsan said. He said the New York Police department confirmed them about the accident on Saturday evening and he will visit the hospital on Monday as the authorities were not in a position to allow visitors due to police a case involving the accident. "I've talked to the victim's relatives. While conveying condolences on behalf of the Consulate General, we offered possible support, including facilitating expeditious repatriation of the human remains," Shameem said. HC orders transfer of Khaleda's graft case to new court The High Court on Sunday again ordered the transfer of the Zia Orphanage Trust graft case to another court from the Senior Special Judge's Court of Dhaka. An HC bench of Justice Md Shawkat Hossain and Justice Md Nazrul Islam Talukder passed the order following a petition filed by the BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia. However, the HC did not mention the name of the new court. On April 26, the BNP chief filed the petition with the High Court seeking its order to again shift the case to another court from the existing one. Earlier, on February 8, Khaleda filed a petition with the High Court for transferring the case to a new one. On March 8, an HC bench shifted of the Zia Orphanage Trust graft to the court of Senior Special Judge Quamrul Hossain Mollah from the judge of Special Judge's Court-3 Abu Ahmed Jamadar. It had also asked the Senior Special Judge's Court to dispose of the case within 60 days. Khaleda's lawyer Barrister Mahbub Uddin Khokon filed the new petition as the BNP chief expressed no-confidence in the Special Judge's Court. In the petition, the BNP chief sought an HC rule asking the authorities concerned to explain why the case should not be shifted to another court, Khokon said. Khaleda's petition also sought a stay order on the case proceedings until the rule is disposed of. The ACC filed the Zia Orphanage Trust graft case on July 3, 2008 with Ramna Police Station accusing Khaleda, her eldest son Tarique Rahman, now living in the UK, and four others for misappropriating over Tk 2.10 crore that came as grants from a foreign bank for orphans. Sumaiya knows some top militants Suspected female militant Sumaiya who surrendered to police during operation \'Sun Devil\' in Rajshahi\'s Godagari area is being taken on 10-day remand for interrogation on Sunday. Rajshahi Correspondent : Sumaiya, who surrendered to police during 'Operation Sun Devil' at Benipur village of Godagari upazila in Rajshahi district, was put on 10-day remand for interrogation. Senior Judicial Magistrate of Rajshahi Saiful Islam passed the order on Sunday morning. Sumaiya was brought to a Rajshahi Court around 11:30am for 15 days remand. But the court granted 10-day remand, said Altaf Hossain, Investigation Officer in the case and Inspector of Godagari PS. "Sumaiya was brought to the court under heavy security in the morning," the Police official said. The law enforcing agencies cordoned off the militant den of the upazila on Wednesday and ended the operation on Friday where five militants and fire fighters were killed in suicide blasts on May 11 as law enforcers were preparing to raid the hideout. They were Sumaiya's parents Sazzad and Lutfunnesa Bely, brother Al Amin, sister Karima and madrasa student Ashraful. A local Police official claimed that Sumaiya knew some of the top militants, who were acquainted with her father Sazzad Ali and visited his house in the last two months. One of them supplied grenades to Gulshan cafe attackers. She told police during interrogation that her father got involved with banned militant outfit Jama'atul Mujahideen Bangladesh (JMB) when Shaykh Abdur Rahman was its chief. Sazzad influenced his family members also. Nisharul Arif, Additional Deputy Inspector General (Rajshahi Range) of police, said that they showed Sumaiya 12 photographs of listed militants and she identified four of them, including Sohel Mahfuz, a former Majlis-e-Shura member of JMB. Sohel of Kushtia later joined "Neo-JMB" as an explosive expert. He was known as Hatkata Sohel for a cut mark in his left hand. He allegedly supplied grenades used in Gulshan cafe attack on July 1 last year, the Additional DIG said. Sohel was a distant relative of Nurul Islam Marzan, the suspected operational commander of the Gulshan attack. The additional DIG, however, refused to disclose the names of other militant suspects. After the executions of some top JMB leaders, Sohel became a member of the JMB's Majlis-e-Shura, the highest policymaking body of the outfit, with Maulana Saidur Rahman as its chief. Sumaiya told investigators that Sazzad became a member of JMB with the help of his cousin Monirul Islam, a close associate of kingpin Siddiqul Islam alias Bangla Bhai. According to her, Sazzad became active in "Neo-JMB" politics two years ago when Monirul was freed from jail. On Friday, the five came out of Sazzad's house together. Ashraful and Al Amin wore suicide vests, additional DIG Arif said quoting Sumaiya. Within seconds, Sazzad carrying a pointed rod ran towards firefighter Matin while his wife Bely with a sickle, daughter Karima with a knife and son Al Amin with a dagger followed Sazzad. Ashraful turned to the east targeting a police official. A little later, Sumaiya along with her child came out and stood in a cropland. Hifjur Rahman, Officer-in-Charge (OC) of Godagari Police Station, quoted Sumaiya as saying that the militants had a plan to kill at least one cop. Police are hunting for the militants as per her information, the OC said. 14-country prison managers' confce begins tomorrow Staff Reporter : A four-day conference of Asia and the Pacific regional prison managers scheduled to be held for the first time in Dhaka tomorrow (Tuesday). At least 38 delegates from Bangladesh, Cambodia, China, Fiji, Indonesia, Malaysia, Maldives, Myanmar, Pakistan, Papua NG, Philippines, Sri Lanka, Thailand and Vanuatu will take part in the conference, Inspector General of Prisons Brigadier General Syed Iftekhar Uddin told reporters in a press briefing in the city's Bakshibazar on Sunday. Officials -- Inspector General and Deputy Inspector General of Prison -- from at least 14 countries will participate in the meeting scheduled to be held at Le Meridien hotel in Dhaka, the IG prisons said. Home Minister Asaduzzaman Khan will inaugurate the conference on Tuesday which will conclude on Friday, said Syed Iftekhar Uddin. The prison officials will share their experiences and practices during the meeting organised by Bangladesh Department of Prisons and International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC), Syed Iftekhar Uddin said. He also informed the reporters that a process is underway to occupy 134 acres of land for building a jail in Ukhia upazila of Cox's Bazar district. The jail will be constructed under Open Jail System, he said. "There are six doctors only for the country's 68 jails while 111 posts of physicians still remain vacant, according to him. Moreover, nine ambulances only have been allocated for the prisoners across the country, he said. "We have already informed the Ministries of Finance and Health about the shortage of doctors, nurses and ambulances for positive response," he added. Migration cost on increase Reza Mahmud : Illegal visa selling is blamed for increasing cost of migration of Bangladeshi workers abroad, though the government has adopted a law in this regard to stop this unlawful activity. According to the Expatriate Welfare Law adopted in 2013, if any one illegally involved in selling or buying of visa he will be sentenced to 15 years imprisonment. But this practice of illegal visa selling has not been stopped so far, it was alleged. "Although there is a very limited number of visa for workers, a huge number of Bangladeshis are keen to go abroad for work. It creates competition among the workers," Bangladesh International Recruiting Agencies (BAIRA) Secretary General Md. Ruhul Amin Swapan told The New Nation on Sunday. He added: "Then they (workers) go to the brokers and offer more money above of reasonable stage. That is why the illegal visa selling is continuing. But we are trying to stop it." According to migrant workers, when the citizens of Philippines, India, Nepal and Pakistan recover their costs of migrations abroad within three to four months on arrival, the Bangladeshi workers need minimum two years. "When a Pakistani or Indian migrant worker recover his cost within three to four months, we the Bangladeshi workers try our heart and soul to recover the expenses within two years," Rezaul Karim, a migrant worker from Saudi Arabia said. Sources at the Ministry of Expatriates Welfare and Overseas Employment said, the cost of a worker to be migrated to Saudi Arabia is Tk 165,000. But the workers have to pay the agencies or brokers minimum Tk 600,000 to go there. At the same way, a worker need to pay Tk 37,575 to get a job in Malaysia, while the reality is, every migrant has to pay Tk 3 to 4 lakh for this. Some BAIRA leaders have blamed illegal selling of visa as the main cause of increasing cost of workers' migration abroad. They alleged that some recruiting agencies are also involved in selling group visa illegally. When any foreign company gives order to such agencies to recruit a group of workers for them, they sell the visa to other agencies or brokers at high rate. They also impose their profits on those visas, which increased the cost of migrants. But it is prohibited to sell visa to others. Apart of these, a section of dishonest officials of the Bureau of Manpower, Employment and Training (BMET) and the concern ministry also collect grafts from the expatriates while they go to those offices. In this circumstance, the Ministry of Expatriates Welfare and Overseas Employment has formed a Vigilance Taskforce recently headed by a joint secretary to monitor the irregularities in this sector. The taskforce has talked with the expatriate workers in different times at airports in Dhaka and Chittagong. They found that the Bangladeshi migration workers' cost is two to three times higher than the India and Pakistani migrants due to the illegal visa selling practice and corruptions of some officials. When contacted Begum Shamsun Nahar, Secretary of the Ministry of Expatriates Welfare and Overseas Employment, said, "There is no chance to sell visa. The proper application of the law must be ensured." BD can`t be a female manpower exporting nation SURPRISINGLY, when manpower export to several important destinations is decreasing the thrust for Bangladeshi female migrant workers in several Arab countries seems quite unusual braving risk for physical abuse and torture. A daily, quoting Bureau of Manpower Employment and Training (BMET) officials, reported on Sunday that the number of female migration has increased by 217 percent in the last five years when soaring incident of physical and mental torture of unskilled female migrants is an openly debated issue. Most female workers recruited as unskilled domestic help are not protected by laws and are always vulnerable to exploitation. But question arises as to why the number of female migrants workers is on rapid rise in contrast to a fall in recruitment of male workers. It is a highly sensitive issue at a time when most Middle East countries are facing shortfall of female workers from earlier sources of supply such as Indonesia, Philippines, Sri Lanka Thailand and such other countries. Most female workers from these countries have returned home while new arrival is not taking place because of reportedly indiscriminate incidents of sexual abuse, torture, irregular payment and such other things. The environment is not right for our female workers in highly exploitative Middle East countries and yet more women are going without knowing of their safety. In our view our policy makers must weigh every aspect of it to put a brake on migration of female workers. . As per BMET the number of female migrant workers swelled to 118,088 in 2016 from that of 37,304 in 2012. It has jumped to 368,411 in April 2017. Jordan is the top recruiting country followed by Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Oman, Lebanon, and Qatar. Except few skilled female workers like nurse, baby sitters and receptionists, most of them are unskilled and low paid and often exposed to misuse. Migration is mainly encouraged for male workers for employment abroad who earn money for family to end poverty. But it is really worrying that large-scale migration of female workers is taking place in total disregard to risk to their physical safety and other reported abuse. Our religion and socio-cultural values does not allow exposing women to such risk; which is threatening family ties. But manpower agents are collecting young women from countryside and sending then abroad without any bar. The government is not taking the matter seriously. Even some Middle East countries are pressing for 25 percent quota for female workers to get visa for male workers. This is a kind of pressure taking advantage of crowding of people for work permit in countries like Saudi Arabia. We must say we can't trade our women for money at the cost of their dignity. The government must rein in the situation and stop traffickers from sending women abroad under the guise of manpower export. Cops` role questioned Safat's statements in focus Customs and Intelligence officials raided five sale centers of Apan Jewellers in city. The photo was taken from Mouchak Market on Sunday. The sensational Banani rape case is now getting multi-dimensions with simultaneous inquiries by all state-run investigation agencies to detect Apan Jwellers' illicit money transactions and the attempt to suppress the rape incident by local police through an underhand dealing. Apan Jwellers is owned by Dildar Ahmed, the father of prime accused Safat Ahmed. The investigating authorities have also launched inquiry against the three-star Raintree Hotel, where two private university students were allegedly gang raped, to unearth the illicit money transaction and tax dodging by its owners. "Investigation is also going on against the Rain tree Hotel authority and the Officer-in Charge of Banani Police Station. Stringent action will be taken, if they are found involved in the rape incident. The investigators are looking whether there was any negligence of the OC," Home Minister Asaduzzamn Khan Kamal recently said. There is widespread allegation that Banani OC, who is now on leave at the directives of top brasses, was offered Tk 25 lakh in cash to suppress the rape incident. He had shown negative approach to the victims when they went to the police station for filing the case. Apan, the country's top jwellery brand, which was a small business only three decades ago, now turns into a billion-taka empire allegedly based on the money-flow that mainly came from smuggled gold and diamonds, officials concerned told The New Nation. The Bangladesh Financial Intelligence Unit [BFIU] of Bangladesh Bank has directed all commercial banks to send statements of bank accounts and other monetary transactions done by Dilar Ahmed and Safat Ahmed. "The intelligence officials of central bank are working on Apan Jewelers' financial transactions for the last couple of days. As part of the ongoing investigation, we've asked the banks to send statements of the duo [Dilar Ahmed and Safat Ahmed]. Our focus is on whether they were involved in smuggling," Operational Head of BFIU and BB's General Manager Devprashad Devnath said on Sunday. "Not only that, we're also investigating whether there was any incident of money laundering through usages of the banking channels," he said. Earlier on May 11, the Customs Intelligence and Investigation Directorate [CIID] in a letter to the BB requested to send all related financial statements of Safat Ahmed and Dildar Ahmed. On the same day, the Police Department also sent letter to the central bank making the same request. Against this backdrop, the CIID conducted raids in five showrooms of Apan Jewellers in search of 'dirty money' yesterday. The CIID sealed its outlet housed at Subastu Tower in the city's Gulshan as it was not opened despite directives of the authorities concerned. The CIID officials with the help of Rapid Action Battalion and police launched the drives in the showrooms located at Gulshan, Uttara, Mouchak and Shimanta Square to enquire about the legal source of gold and diamond and the tax paid on those. The Central Intelligence Cell of National Board of Revenue was also asked to launch an investigation against Dildar Ahmed and Safat Ahmed to detect their tax dodging. The Department of Narcotics Control [DNC] has also started a full-fledged investigation into the incident whether the culprits had used intoxicating drugs. The DNC, however, could not recover any narcotic items from the Raintree Hotel on Saturday. Interestingly, the CIID team on Sunday recovered 10 bottles of foreign liquor and some other illegal items from the spot. General Manager of Raintree Hotel Frank Forget told the media that they had no license to run bar in the hotel. Director General of CIID Dr Moinul Khan said: "We've conducted operation at Raintree Hotel and recovered 10 bottles of foreign liquor in a room. Action will be taken against the hotel authority for storing illegal items. " Safat, who is now undergoing interrogation by the detectives, already admitted that he had made physical relations with the victims with their permission at the Banani hotel. A source close to the interrogation team said Safat claimed that the physical relations with the victims were not done by applying force. In favour of his claim, Safat showed the detectives some selfies with the victims which were taken through the cellular phones. Safat also disclosed the names of a dozen girl friends, including some models, with whom he kept close relations. To check the claim, the police called Shahriar, a friend of the victims who was present at the hotel on that night, and interrogated him making a face-to-face sitting arrangement with Safat. Shahriar told the police that he was accompanied by a girlfriend at that time, who was luckily saved from the harassment where another accused Nayeem Ashraf was more aggressive. Safat and his friends severely beat Shahriar at gun point. During the interrogation, Safat admitted to the police about physical torture on Shahriar. Joint Commissioner of Detective Branch Md Abdul Baten, who is leading a four-member inquiry-supporting team, said none of the two [Safat and Shahriar] have admitted about the video that was allegedly captured by Safat's driver Billal. The detective official said they can call anybody for interrogation for the sake of proper investigation. The police are attaching 'importance' to the confessional statements of Safat, he added. Police said three other accused in the rape case will be arrested anytime as they are now under law enforcers' watch, while different law enforcement agencies, including the Rapid Action Battalion, started 'shadow' investigation into it alongside thana police. Of the accused, Safat Ahmed and one of his accomplices-Sadman Shafiq, 24, were arrested in Sylhet on May 11 while Nayem Ashraf, 30, Safat's driver Billal, 26, and his unnamed bodyguard remain absconding. Genres : Action, Adventure, Crime Starring : Bruce Lee, Chuck Norris, Nora Miao Director : Bruce Lee Plot Synopsis Tang Lung (Lee) flies to Rome to help a friend of the family, Chen Ching-hua (Nora Miao). She is being threatened by local gangsters to sell her restaurant and they will stop at nothing to get the property. When Tang proves to be a treat to the syndicate's plans they hire the best martial artists to take out Tang Lung. In one of the film's most famous sequences, Bruce Lee takes on American martial arts expert Colt (Chuck Norris) in the ancient city's majestic Coliseum. This martial arts classic, also known as WAY OF THE DRAGON, is written and directed by Bruce Lee. 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United Arab Emirates United Kingdom of Great Britain & N. Ireland Uruguay, Eastern Republic of Uzbekistan Vanuatu Venezuela, Bolivarian Republic of Viet Nam, Socialist Republic of Wallis and Futuna Islands Western Sahara Yemen Zambia, Republic of Zimbabwe Genres : Drama Starring : Joe Dallesandro, Bulle Ogier, Maria Schneider Plot Synopsis In 1975, Jacques Rivette reunited with Out 1 producer Stephane Tchal Gadjieff with the idea of a four-film cycle. He would create a quartet of interconnected films, each in a different genre. One was to be a love story, another a Western, and there was to be a fantastical thriller and a musical comedy starring Anna Karina and Jean Marais too. Ill health intervened, and only two of the films were completed. Duelle (une quarantine) sees Rivette in fantasy territory, cross-pollinating Val Lewton, Jean Cocteau and film noir as the Queen of the Sun (Bulle Ogier) and the Queen of the Night (Juliet Berto) search for a magical diamond in present day. Its parallel film, Noroit (une vengeance), is a pirate tale - and a loose adaptation of The Revenger's Tragedy - starring Geraldine Chaplin (Nashville, Cria cuervos). A third film began production - Marie et Julien starring Albert Finney and Leslie Caron - but Rivette succumbed to nervous exhaustion and shooting was abandoned. When he did return to filmmaking, Rivette borrowed some of the elements of Duelle and Noroit and came up with Merry-Go-Round. Joe Dallesandro (Trash, Flesh for Frankenstein) and Maria Schneider (Last Tango in Paris, The Passenger) are summoned to Paris, which leads to one of the most surreal and mysterious tales in a career that was dominated by surrealism and mystery. Bonus features include: Reversible sleeves with original and newly commissioned artwork by Ignatius Fitzpatrick, Interview with critic Jonathan Rosenbaum, who reported from the sets of both Duelle (une quarantaine) and Noroit (une vengeance), Exclusive perfect-bound book containing writing on the films by Mary M. Wiles, Brad Stevens and Nick Pinkerton plus a reprint of four on-set reports from Duelle (une quarantaine) and Noroit (une vengeance), Remembering Duelle Bulle Ogier and Hermine Karagheuz recollect their work on the 1976 feature, Original mono audio (uncompressed PCM on the Blu-rays), Optional newly-translated English subtitles for all films, Scenes from a Parallel Life: Jacques Rivette Remembers archive interview with the director, in which he discusses Duelle (une quarantaine), Noroit (une vengeance) and Merry-Go-Round, High Definition Blu-ray (1080p) and Standard Definition DVD presentations of all three films from brand new 2K restorations of the films The best bang for your buck! This option enables you to purchase online 24/7 access and receive the Sunday, Tuesday & Thursday print edition at no additional cost * Print edition only available in our carrier delivery area. Allow up to 72 hours for delivery of your print edition to begin. Print edition not available for Day Pass option. Genres : Documentary Starring : Heath Ledger, Naomi Watts, Ben Mendelsohn, Ang Lee, Ben Harper, Catherine Hardwicke, and Emile Hirsch Director : Derik Murray Plot Synopsis I Am Heath Ledger is a feature length documentary celebrating the life of Heath Ledger: actor, artist and icon. The documentary provides an intimate look at Heath Ledger through the lens of his own camera as he films and often performs in his own personal journey - extravagant in gesture and in action. It was his creative energy and unshakable willingness to take risks that instilled such an extraordinarily deep love and affection in the people that entered his life. Heath's artistic nature and expression set him apart from the Hollywood mainstream, vaulted him to stardom and endeared him to the world. Featuring interviews with Naomi Watts, Ben Mendelsohn, Ang Lee, Ben Harper, Catherine Hardwicke, and Emile Hirsch, amongst others. MAKANDA On a sunny Saturday morning at the edge of the Shawnee National Forest, the Midland Hills Country Club neighborhood subdivision officially became Illinois first nationally designated Firewise Community. Makanda Township is especially vulnerable to wildfires because it is home to the states highest concentration of wildland-urban interface, said Jennie Snyder, coordinator of the townships Community Wildfire Protection Plan. Wildland-urban interface refers to the zone where structures and human development intermingle with wildlands. Humans are the main cause of wildfire in the U.S., the number one cause. In Makanda Township, we have a lot of woods and we have a lot of people living in the woods. Thats why theres a higher risk in Makanda than in other locations in Southern Illinois, Snyder said. The National Fire Protection Associations Firewise program, which is co-sponsored by the USDA Forest Service, the U.S. Department of the Interior and the National Association of State Foresters, encourages local solutions for preventing forest fires. Members of the Midland Hills community had to fulfill recommendations to achieve the designation, which must be renewed each year. I was very excited, because my concern is that even if you do everything right, sometimes a lightning strike can come along, or a burning ember from someones campfire can blow and start another major forest fire, as weve seen in other locations in the U.S., said Makanda Township Supervisor Sara Lipe. Residents worked to reduce ladder fuels vegetation like brush that allows fire to spread quickly and maintain an alternate escape route, which is a closed-to-traffic road through the woods that leads to Raccoon Valley. Snyder also worked one-on-one with residents to teach them how to minimize risk at their homes by doing things like cleaning out gutters and keeping rooftops clear. This neighborhood is very active together as a community, and they actually meet monthly and they do a lot of work together anyway, so theyre a really good community (for this program), Snyder said. You have to have neighborhood cohesion to have it really be a good fit for this. Midland Hills is unique because the land is co-owned by the neighborhood association; residents strictly own their homes. We have a commitment as a community to preserve the 300 acres as a natural environment, said community member Susan Logue. This (Firewise designation) is absolutely in line with how weve managed Midland Hills over the last hundred years or so. Logue, a retired Southern Illinois University Carbondale administrator who has lived in the neighborhood all her life, said the 2008 derecho created a big mess in the community; all the downed trees in the woods were generating more fire potential. Its just another avenue for us to protect our land, but also to help protect the area around the community, Logue said. Jesse Riechman, a Midland Hills community member and forester, led residents Saturday in clearing invasive species like bush honeysuckle and autumn olive near the neighborhoods entrance. Its a big part of the forest health effort. With all that invasive stuff in the understory, theres a lot more fuel on the ground that could carry wildfire, and it keeps the oaks and hickories from going as efficiently as they should, which contributes to fire problems, Riechman said. Riechman, a lifelong resident of Makanda Township, said Midland Hills feels secluded, even though it's just a short drive from Carbondale. Theres maybe only 50 cabins around this lake, and its a very old community since the early 1900s. And so we have this almost century-long history of being a very private, very tight-knit community, and its all private land that we co-own, he said. Its a nice little bedroom community, but we still get to live out in nature and have control of our own destiny and our own forest. Midland Hills Board President Keith VanCleave said the real beauty of the Firewise designation is that it gave community members a reason to get out and work together on clearing brush and making improvements. Its just good for community spirit, VanCleave said. So to me, this is the benefit of being a Firewise Community just the chance to all get together and work together to reinforce our community bond. I think thats the biggest advantage. But he added we do get a nifty sign, too. Yesterdays meeting was attended by the chief minister and members of his government, the speaker of the Mon State parliament (Hluttaw) Daw Tin Ei, Ye Township representatives, staff from local departments and Ye Township residents. Today is the 12th of May 2017, and by the 12th of May 2018, about 15 villages in northern Ye Township will have electricity. Within 18 months every town and village in the township will have electricity, the chief minister said. One Ye city resident, U Than Soe, thought the electricity could make life safer and easier. I have nothing more to say about electricity because the minister has already said that we will be getting it soon. Once we have electricity, though, Id like for them to install lamps on the electrical poles near highways, he said. He added that there are often accidents on the highway, because there are no streetlights to illuminate the road. While residents welcomed the news that they would soon have access to electricity, some chafed at the high price tag. Because the power is being offered by a private company, rates will be 210 or 220 kyats per unit of electricity, more than six times as high that offered by the government elsewhere in the state. We would rather be getting electricity from the government, and get the same rate that other townships get. They get electricity at 35 kyats per unit and we would like to have the same, said Daw Sa Kyi, a Ye city resident. Residents in Ye city, and Abaw, Duyar, Zee Phyu Taung and Asin villages currently receive electricity from a company called Myat Thura Htun, which charges 400 kyats per unit. The Mon State parliament will allow two additional companies, Bedok Construction & Engineering Co. Ltd and The Southeast General Energy and Power Co. Ltd (SEGEP), to distribute electricity in the Township. When asked when the government might offer public electrical service at the lower rate enjoyed in other townships, the chief minister said he could not guess. The local nonprofit Aspiring Innovators in Action, founded by Eddie Massey III, recently brought in representatives from Google, Yelp and other Silicon Valley companies to speak with local high school and college students about technology at its Inspiro Summit. The event allowed students to learn coding, computer programming and website building from the professionals. The two-day event also included a "hackathon" in which students competed in a coding competition. Massey said educating minority and low income students about technology is essential to the future of technology. Students in high poverty pocket areas need to be at the table when it comes to creating technology. Silicon Valley isn't made of people who share our experiences so they don't build technology that solves our problems, Massey said. HBCU students also need the exposure to top-notch tech companies in order to get jobs in an industry that doesn't seem to be the most welcoming to women and minorities," he said. "By hosting the summit, I wanted to inspire youth and college students to be a part of the technical revolution. I also aimed to begin lasting partnerships with engineers from these organizations as they continue to help us serve the Orangeburg community." The summit represented one of the first times that Google representatives had visited and worked with local students. It marked the second time Yelp had spoken to local students with AIA. This was an opportunity for me to see the kind of people that I want to educate, said Bria Sullivan, a software engineer for AdWords at Google. After I went to a couple of HBCU hackathons with Google, I realized my life calling is to get black people involved with computer science and coding and introduce them to a new way. I want black people to know this a place where they can make a lot of money and (do something) they can enjoy, she added. At her workshop, Sullivan encouraged the AIA students to use their knowledge to advance their communities. You guys own your future, and you have to shape what your education is. We have the resources to teach ourselves, and I know you all know how to teach yourselves. So let's bring that back to your (community) in South Carolina," she said. Sullivan also shared tips about pursuing a job in technology with the students. She also told them about the enjoyable experiences she has had while working at Google including being able to have a surf board at work, maintain a high salary and follow her passion for outreach. Yelp Software Engineer Daniel Burke also shared the perks of working in technology. Yelp is as an online service and app for individuals to discover, research and review food establishments. "The future of the world is in technology. If we want to shape where the world goes, then we need to understand the technology and be the ones to direct it, Burke said. Sarai Winkler, a sixth grader at Felton Laboratory Charter School, was in the girls group that won the hackathon competition by designing a fashion website from scratch. The website, called A2Z Fashion, was designed to give teenage girls tips about fashion. Her group also designed two computer fashion games from scratch. At first, I never understood how to program these games until today ... I have more resources about how to get better at coding, Winkler said about her experience at the summit. JaNya Johnson, an eighth grader at William J. Clark Middle and one of the leaders on the winning hackathon team, said it was her decision to build a website that helped lead her team to victory. At first, I didn't think I could make a website, but with the help of my friends, I succeeded, Johnson said. Not everyone has a privilege to do what I'm doing today. So I feel as if we gave more people that option that there would be less people on the streets in the future and it would form a more perfect society in general, she added. Applications are now available for area schools to host an AIA technology workshop. For more information about AIA, email info@aiinaction.org or visit aiinaction.org/donate. According to Dr. Min Kyi Win, the Minister of Natural Resources and the Environment, the company did not conduct an Initial Environmental Examination, an Environmental Impact Assessment or an Environmental Management plan as required. The company has not properly dealt with the disposal of wastewater from the factory, and has not disclosed the environmental impact that the plant has on drinking water, so we will be distributing drinking water to surrounding villages for a few months, the minister said. Methylated spirit is a general-use alcohol that is mixed with methanol to prevent people from drinking it. It has a variety of industrial and medical uses but is, by design, toxic to consume. The Mon State Parliament (Hluttaw) Environment Conservation Committee launched an investigation into the plant after Bilin residents alerted them to problems. The residents complained about an odor in the area and the release of wastewater, which prompted the committee to begin compiling a report. The report was then submitted to the state parliament and cabinet, according to Dr, Khin Naing Oo, a representative from Bilin Township, and chairman of the Environment Conservation Committee. We submitted the report to the speaker of the Hluttaw, who passed it along to the cabinet. The cabinet then had a discussion about what emergency actions to take, both in the short term and in the long term. They began reviewing the report as soon as they received it he said. Residents of the area surrounding Kanbe fisheries said they experienced vomiting and dizziness from breathing in fumes from the plant, and others said they could not grow anything on their land because wastewater had seeped in, according to a resident who lives in Kanthayar Quarter. By the time they closed the factory it was too late. The entire Kanbe fisheries is now totally destroyed and people around the factory cant drink water from lakes or wells, he added. If the factorys owners want to reopen, they will need to submit all missing impact assessments to the Mon State government. Orangeburg Preparatory School senior Keagan Riser was practically born with a camera in her hands. "I have loved photography ever since I was little and I got my first camera when I was 10 years old," Riser said. "For my 16th birthday, I begged my parents for a 'good' camera, and they finally gave in and bought me my first DSLR (digital single-lens reflex). "The first picture that I can vividly remember taking was of a rose bud and the leaves of the flower looked like a bird perched beside the flower," Riser said. "I printed the photo and gave it to all of my relatives for Christmas presents." Ever since, her love for photography has remained. "I enjoy photography because it gives me the opportunity to take a snapshot of the most important moments in peoples lives that can be treasured forever," she said. The 18-year-old from Bowman took her love of photography and started her own small photography business -- Keagan Riser Photography -- in December 2015. Her entrepreneurial success earned Riser a $2,000 college scholarship through the National Federation of Independent Business Young Entrepreneur Foundation. It is the 15th year the awards have been issued. The NFIB/June Lennon Young Entrepreneur award encourages entrepreneurial talents among high school students who own and operate their own small business. Five other students in the state received the scholarship along with about 115 across the country. As part of her business, Riser offers sessions for families, senior portraits, maternity, newborns, weddings and events. For holidays such as Valentine's Day, Halloween, Thanksgiving and Christmas, Riser also conducts minisessions that aim to capture the holiday season. Both outdoor and indoor sessions are offered. The moments are all captured on a Canon 70D and Surface Pro 3 with Lightroom and Photoshop for editing pictures. A Charleston native, Riser moved to Bowman at the age of 2 and has lived in the town ever since. Growing up, photography was her hobby. At age 16, she ventured into the world of business. "I had many requests from people to take their photos and I figured that I might as well make some money with all of the requests," she said. "When I decided to establish myself, the requests became even greater and they have not stopped since." While Riser does not count her customers, she says she is most sought after by couples who attend the spring and fall dances for the Tri-Q Sorority, which includes students from Orangeburg Prep and Calhoun Academy. She says that brings in about 30 new customers each year. She is the sole employee, though her sisters help set up props for her during photo sessions. For the 18-year-old, there are a lot of demands juggling school work, business and friends. "During the week I work on my school work and schedule sessions," Riser said. "Most of my sessions are scheduled on the weekends and an occasional session during the week. Photo sessions are pretty quick, about 30 minutes to an hour, so there is plenty of time to do things with my friends before or after my sessions." Riser said the most challenging part about business is "being young." "People often think that just because youre young you are not able to run a business with responsibility," she said. "So getting past that stereotype has been the most challenging part." Despite the challenges, Riser said the experience has been enjoyable, especially in seeing the happiness of her clients as she takes their pictures. "When I see my pictures posted, it gives me such joy to know that the people enjoy them as well," she said. Her favorite subject for photos? Young children and especially toddlers, Riser said. "They are just so sweet and innocent, and generally easy to take photos of." Upon graduation, Riser wants to attend Clemson and major in biology. She hopes to expand her business in college through attracting new clients. "I also have enjoyed meeting new people and forming connections and bonds I would have never made outside of this business," she said. For more information visit: riserkeagan.wixsite.com/photography or call 843-714-3341 or email riserkeagan@gmail.com Pillar of strength. Caregiver. Rock. Superhero. These words can be used to describe Kathy Metts. The root of all the admiration and respect she has earned is the love she showers on her family and friends. The 72-year-old is the doting wife of Clinton Metts, 73. Residing in the Canaan community of Cope, she and her husband of more than five decades have two daughters, Misty, 52 and Wendy, 48. Wendy has seen her mother stand strong for the family, including when her father was sick and through the sometimes challenging responsibilities of raising her and her sister. When Wendy and her sister battled their own health challenges in adulthood, their mother was always there doing what she could to help. Metts has been a constant giver of care and compassion when she is needed. Without any expectation of recognition, Metts has lived her life giving love to others, something that comes naturally for her. It is her penchant for weathering the storms of life with enduring faith, strength and compassion that helped her become the winner of The Times and Democrats 2017 Mom Hero contest. Wendy said she is excited about her mom winning the contest. My mother has been married for 50-something years. She taught me how to be independent -- like shooting a gun, changing a tire, driving a tractor, taking care of things around the home, taking care of children, taking care of things at church, just making decisions, Wendy said. Metts mothering skills apparently rubbed off on Wendy because Wendys own daughter had nominated her in The T&D contest too. Metts' courage and care in the face of adversity are among Wendy's best memories of her. She recalled the time in 1978 when her mom drove her father with her and her sister in tow -- to Birmingham, Alabama, for quintuple bypass surgery. Her mother traveled back to Alabama again nine years later for a triple bypass surgery that her father needed. The challenges didnt stop there. Misty was diagnosed with breast cancer at age 31, and Metts stepped in to take care of Mistys oldest daughter. She served as Clintons caregiver when he was diagnosed with bladder cancer just a few years later and then again for Wendy when she was diagnosed with breast cancer on her 47th birthday. She allowed me to live with her for six months. Recently, one of her friends was diagnosed with lung cancer, and she again volunteered to help with her care. Thats what I see in her. When I had cancer and places began spotlighting caregivers, that really mattered to me, Wendy said. My mom did everything for me from staying in the bathroom with me when I took a shower to making sure I had whatever I had a taste for. It was all about caring for everybody with no recognition because thats not who she is, she said. Metts said was shocked when she found out she was named the contest winner. She said she didnt really feel like a hero, but appreciated the honor and the way God has blessed her to be a blessing to others. I have never been really ill. God has been good to me. He hasnt given me any bad diseases, and I think that his gift to me was to be able to take care of my family and my friends when they needed me. It was not something where I felt like it was a chore or something I had to do, but it was something I wanted to do, she said. Metts and her husband are the grandparents of three and will have three great-grandchildren with the birth of a great-grandson the first boy in 73 years who is expected on Mothers Day. I think my life has been wonderful. A lot of people dont even get to see their grandchildren. Ive been left here for a reason," Metts said. "God still has a purpose for me. All my grands and great-grands have been healthy, and thats just wonderful." Asked what makes a good mother, she said, A mother is a person who puts her children before anything else. Thats the way I look at it. I always took my children to church. I always loved them to the best of my ability, cared for them, provided for them to the best of my ability. My husband and I tried to back them in everything we thought that they were doing school-wise or church-wise." Wendy said her mother was sort of a caregiver to everybody elses children, too. Misty and I shared our parents with other kids that didnt have it as good as we did. We taught them how to skate, took them to the movies, we played ball with them. They were part of our family. My sisters college roommate lived with us for three or four years, she said. Wendy said the family skating trips were on Thursday nights. She recalled how her mom once tried so hard to keep her from falling that she ended up breaking her own arm. Metts said she tried to instill good values in her girls and give them and others unconditional love. I didnt always let them date everybody they wanted to, but thats another story. But the main thing is love. You gotta love your children, your husband and the people around you. My husband and I backed our kids through school and after they got out of school. Our kids were in a band right after they got out of school, and we followed them in that. They sang in all kinds of churches. Wendy went to college and played softball. I dont think I missed a game out of the four years she played. You just try to instill the things that you had into them, she said. Metts said she and her husband have enjoyed life and dont mind sharing their time and money with their family, including on annual beach trips. She said she loves fishing, the mountains and, in her youth, was also pretty adept at dirt track racing and motorcycle riding. Wendy recalled the racing trophies her mother has won, as well as the cool time when her mom picked her up from school on her dads motorcycle when she was in the first grade. Metts is also part of a group of friends who take cruises two or three times during the year. My husband and I are able to enjoy life like a lot of people arent able to. God has blessed me. At my age, I like to cruise and enjoy life. My husband and I enjoy each other at this time, she said. Metts is a member of Canaan Baptist Church in Cope, where Clinton is a deacon, Misty is choir director and Wendy serves as a Sunday School teacher. Wendy said, I most admire how my moms just able to take care of things in the moment. She volunteers at church, if its just to cook a meal. Shes always level-headed. Everybody around her can be sappy and she always comes across as being the strong one. Shes like the backbone whenever everything else falls apart. Metts, who also loves to cook, is a member of her churchs hospitality, kitchen and welcoming committees. In addition, she is a first responder and has served as a volunteer firefighter with the Canaan Fire Department for more than 20 years. Its all about helping people. It may be through saving a life or saving a home. But even if you dont do that, sometimes you know that its just material things if its a house gone. That can be rebuilt, but it is good when we have somebody just write us a little note, Metts said. We dont get many thank-you notes, but it makes us go ahead for another couple of months. Wendy said while she and her sister did not inherit their singing and piano playing abilities from their mother, they have seen how she shines her light in so many other ways. She said, Everybodys got a gift, and her gift is caring for others. She just takes care of everything." Gov. Henry McMaster had his reasons for vetoing legislation aimed at fixing South Carolina roads and bridges. Road plan foes say he had no intention of seeing the legislative plan fail but was unwilling to be saddled with a record of increasing taxes when it comes to a run for governor next year. McMaster quickly vetoed the bill, knowing the votes existed to override. So, at last, South Carolina moves forward with a sustainable source of funding for fixing the states bridges and roads. Critics will continue clamoring the S.C. Department of Transportation is wasteful, poorly run and governed, and should not be awarded more money to do what has not been done to date. Its time to prove them wrong. There is wisdom in the adage about throwing money at a problem not necessarily being a solution. But for certain the states roads and bridges wont get repaired without dollars. For those worried that money will be redirected to pet projects and new construction, the challenge for state leadership, from the Governors Mansion to the SCDOT, is to make sure new revenue from a 12-cent increase in the states gas tax over six years is used where it is needed most. A good place to start would be the plan put forward by Secretary of Transportation Christy Hall. South Carolinas highway system is the fourth-largest in the nation, and the deadliest, making Halls recommendation to the SCDOT Commission in January particularly relevant. Hall told commissioners improving safety on roads in rural areas of the state should be the top priority for new funding. South Carolina has the deadliest roads in the nation. Nearly 30 percent of our rural fatal and serious injury crashes take place on just 5 percent of our highway system outside of our urban areas. Our interstate highways and U.S. primary routes in our rural areas are the deadliest roads in the state. Some specifics: The states fatality rate is 53 percent above the national average. In the past five years, 6,812 crashes on S.C. rural roads have resulted in either a fatality or serious injury. From 2011-15 on S.C. rural routes, 47 percent of accidents that resulted in death or serious injury involved departing the roadway. Thirty-four percent involved striking an object on the roadside. Forty-six percent of the crashes occurred at night. Most rural fatalities and serious-injury crashes are occurring on 5,222 miles of roads: 563 miles of interstate, 2,145 miles of U.S. routes, 2,442 miles of S.C. highways and 72 miles of secondary roads. Hall suggested $50 million per year would be a good start in reducing highway deaths on roads in rural areas. (The 12-cent gas tax when fully implemented is to provide $600 million annually, with fully a third of the revenue projected to come from out-of-state motorists.) The SCDOT leader proposes targeting 1,957 miles of roads with solutions tailored for particular corridors. The solutions include rumble strips, raised pavement markings, high reflective signs, wider pavement markings, guardrails, specialized pavement treatments, wider shoulders, paved shoulders, wider clear zones adjacent to the roadways and drainage ditches farther away from roadways. Nowhere is her recommendation more relevant than in The T&D Region, which is home to 150 of the 1,957 miles of priority roads identified by Hall. Orangeburg, a rural county that is the states second-largest in land area and which has the most interstate miles, annually has a highway toll near the top in per-capita deaths. Roads and highways included in Halls prioritized miles are: All of Interstate 26 in Orangeburg and Calhoun counties. All of Interstate 95 in Orangeburg County. U.S. Highway 301 from Orangeburg to Santee. S.C. Highway 4 from Orangeburg to Springfield. S.C. Highway 6 in Orangeburg and Calhoun counties. Small portions of U.S. 78 and U.S. 178 in Orangeburg County, and U.S. 601 in Calhoun. While fixing potholes a4nd repaving are priorities in road maintenance and repair -- and are vital in order for South Carolinians too see that basic repairs are being prioritized -- making improvements such as those outlined by Hall could do much to make traveling here and in other rural areas a lot safer. It is sad and repulsive that Bakari Sellers would attack President James Clark for inviting the governor to speak at South Carolina State Universitys commencement address. It is an honor to have the governor speak at any event in Orangeburg County, regardless of political party or affiliation. Furthermore, this address will be the second time in four years the governor has spoken at a graduation ceremony in our county. This is a fact in which all Orangeburg and South Carolina State community members should feel pride, not offense. It is not the prerogative, duty nor business of anyone in the South Carolina State or the Orangeburg community (including former Rep. Sellers) to concern themselves with what country club McMaster may be a member of, and to probe such information was a disgraceful and unprofessional move by Sellers, a well-educated lawyer and former lawmaker. McMasters weekends and nights belong to McMaster and his family; they are not subject to our meddling. We should judge the governor by only his ability to lead South Carolina and make this state better for all its citizens. Possibly the reason the governor does not support a bond bill granting millions of dollars to S.C. State for repairs is due to the institutions troubled financial past. In 2015 the S.C. State board of trustees was ousted and the entire institution was nearly shut down due to a state of financial turmoil. S.C. States initial trouble began when the former president would not decrease the universitys budget to accommodate decreased enrollment. S.C. State owed over $12 million in loans and had no way of repaying said loans. South Carolina State was pardoned of these loans and it is by the grace of the House budget committee it is still a functioning academic institution. The university now has a new board of trustees and president. The institution was also placed on SACS (Southern Association of Colleges and Schools) probation, which was later removed. Without SACS accreditation, it would be impossible for students to apply for federal loans. I too would be concerned supporting a bill granting an institution with such a troubled financial history millions of dollars so soon after it escaped death by the skin of its teeth and was on the brink of financial collapse. Sellers comments shed light into a deeper problem in community relations far and wide, not solely in Orangeburg County. Partisanship runs deep and true in not only national politics, but at a local level as well. The only political ploy was Sellers authoring this piece. I strain to understand the dark cloud looming over commencement at South Carolina State. Can we not put our own political affiliations aside and welcome the states top government official to our community? Bakari Sellers is surely entitled to his own opinion, but to deface the president of South Carolina State for inviting the governor to speak in Orangeburg County is unjustifiable criticism and suggests hypocrisy. The undertone of political motives or ploys on behalf of Mr. Sellers is blatantly obvious. Sometime in the womb, as we evolve over months from a single-celled organism into the complex mass of neurons and flesh that we recognize as ourselves, an awareness of our place in the world emerges. The world as we begin to know it is a warm, liquid soup, filled with nutrients and enveloped in a thin translucent film. The steady drum of a heartbeat just outside the womb begins to set the pace of your own fledgling heart. An umbilical cord connected directly to our tiny bellies pipes in nourishment to fuel our rapid growth. And then bam! In a moment that ideal world comes crashing to an end. The pain and travail of our mothers struggle seems like a banishment from the land of milk and honey to a harsh, cold world. Our lungs struggle to take breath as our eyes adjust to the blinding light of the outside world. And in that moment, we must truly believe we have died, for the world we have known our entire lives up to that point has been torn from us never to return again. Like King Lears fool, we wail and cry, striking out in blind fury at having been kicked out of paradise. As infants, we cling closely to our mothers, suckling directly from our mothers breast, literally drawing from her own life force like a battery charging from a wall socket. We learn the world through her eyes. Her smell, her smile, her very presence becomes the blanket we seek against a world we do not know and cannot survive on our own. This deep attachment does not end, no matter how old we get and how many conquests we achieve. And so, it is no wonder that we return to our mothers again and again during life. As young children, we hide behind her skirts when other kids are being mean to us, or when we find ourselves in the company of strangers. We run to her and cry the first time we fall down while playing and scuff our knee. And every time this happens, she is there to reassure us, to mend our fingers or soothe our bruised hearts. Even as we mature in life we find ourselves constantly returning to the feeling of security and warm and unconditional love that only a person born of her own flesh can offer. Amid the gnawing doubts we suffer in our early adult lives, not knowing for sure whether we are equipped to confront a world in which there are rarely easy answers; amid the complexities of relationships, education, business and public life we return again and again to the primal comfort of our mothers. While it is often said that we inherit at least half of our genes from our fathers, the nurturing care of our mothers, her flesh and blood literally give us life. My father taught me the virtues of work and industry. Those instilled values have given rise over the years to my public persona. My mother, who was equally hard working, taught my siblings and me the importance of nurturing our physical and spiritual bodies. We inherited our Christian faith from her. And those values have given rise to an unshakable inner strength that has undergirded my soul and given me confidence and comfort in times of turmoil. The scriptures command us to honor our mothers and fathers. This age-old wisdom seems only natural and a matter of common sense. It is right and proper that we honor those without whom we would not enjoy the blessing of life. I have striven my entire life to live up the values and ethics exemplified by my parents. They were and are to this day my most cherished role models. But my mother was so much more than that. She was also one of my closest friends. We talked every morning by phone, before the sun rose, and often prayed together. This routine has become so deeply ingrained in my daily life until she passed away on April 7 on the eve of her 91st birthday we never went a day without communicating several times daily by phone that in a sense it has become the steady heartbeat that has constantly paced my own. I knew on a conscious level that when she passed it would be difficult for me to fathom life in her absence; but the feeling of loss, of separation, and banishment I must have felt at birth has now returned. Over the past month since her passing, the world has literally transformed into a strange place. Many years ago, my very wise and now deceased mother pulled me aside and reminded me that material wealth, while it may seem important to me in my youth, were not nearly so important as the memories created for family and friends. That is one's greatest legacy. Such grief and sadness knowing my life and relationships have changed forever. Just a difficult time emotionally. Truly have never felt so alone in this world! I expect to mourn and grieve as most of us do when a loved one passes. It is only natural. But I also know that my mother prepared me for this moment. Her constant prayers are ingrained in me, to call upon whenever I need them. While she is no longer with us in flesh, the gift of her soul is ever enduring. While mom was here on earth, she never wearied, she never wavered, until God said her work was done. But now, as King David fervently also wished, mom has been granted the wings of a dove; I imagine her fondly as she flies away to be at rest. NORWAY -- The application process is currently underway for a Community Development Block Grant for the town of Norway to upgrade water lines on several streets. Mayor Ann Johnson reported at Norway Town Council's May meeting that the Lower Savannah Council of Governments is assisting the town with the application. If the grant is approved, the town would have the money by July to upgrade the water lines on Winchester, Hunter, Maple and Kinard avenues/streets, Johnson said. The mayor noted that since she lives on Harrison Street, it could not be included in the work because it would be considered a conflict of interest. Also during the meeting, Coker Fogle reported the town's streetscape project is nearing completion. A few more plants need to be installed and mulch needs to be put down, Fogle said. Everyone agreed the streetscape project has enhanced the downtown area. The contractor will be responsible for maintenance for the first year, but the town will need to hire a landscaper to maintain the plants after that, Fogle said. He asked that anyone interested in doing the landscaping to contact town officials. In other business, Johnson reported she had spoken with Orangeburg County Councilman Heyward Livingston about securing funding for a HVAC system and electricial work at the Norway Museum. Also at the meeting: Several citizens mentioned that their water was brown and had a bad odor. Johnson told them to run the water to clear out the rust, adding that the town was aware of the problem and was working on it. Citizens interested in forming a Norway area Crime Watch were asked to make the Norway Police Department aware of their interest by calling town hall at 803-263-4300. Sandy Blake asked who the town's commissioners were, and the mayor told her Bonnie Fogle was the mayor pro tem and that she, as mayor, held all other positions. Coker Fogle announced the 42nd Annual Memorial Day Service will be held at the Veterans' Memorial at the Old Willow School at 10 a.m. on Monday, May 29. Johnson encouraged everyone to attend, noting that volunteers are needed this year to pass out programs since the Girl Scouts will be in school. She said refreshments will be served at the end of the program. We use cookies on our website to give you the most relevant experience by remembering your preferences and repeat visits. By clicking Accept, you consent to the use of ALL the cookies. Shooting competitions are underway as part of the 4th Islamic Solidarity Games in Baku May 14. The qualification round of the men's 25m pistol shooting competitions completed. Azerbaijani shooter Ruslan Lunev earned the right to advance to the finals. Lunev was ahead of other participants by scoring 572-21. Lunev won the first gold medal for Azerbaijan in men's 25m pistol shooting competitions. Another Azerbaijani athlete Ali Huseynli advanced to the finals in mens trap competitions. The Baku 2017 Islamic Solidarity Games started May 8 and will last until May 22 in Azerbaijans capital. With the retail share of responsible investment doubling to 26 per cent in 2016, ethical, responsible and Islamic fintech can support further growth to deliver the financial products, experts said at a summit in Zurich, Switzerland. The Responsible Finance & Investment (RFI) Summit opened yesterday (May 3) with leaders from across the responsible investment, impact investment and Islamic finance sectors gathering to discuss how to promote greater awareness of and engagement within responsible finance. The first days sessions focused on ethical, responsible and Islamic fintech and the power they harness which can disrupt financial services and in doing so address the inequities in society and support equitable, inclusive and sustainable economic growth. During his Opening Remarks on ethical fintech, Dr Jarmo Kotilaine, chief economist of the Economic Development Board of Bahrain noted that digitalization of emerging markets can deliver new value of $4 trillion to GDP by 2025 and this digitalization will help the financial sector better fulfil its role as the cardiovascular system of the economy. The sessions that followed Dr Kotilaines remarks looked at the role for responsible fintech to deliver impact and ESG integration to a much wider segment of the population. The final sessions of the day addressed how regulators and the innovation ecosystem can support fintech development and encourage more responsible fintech. This development can be supported both by better regulation and building appropriate incubation ecosystems that focus on responsible fintech. Before the opening of the RFI Summit, together with INCEIF, the global university of Islamic finance, the organizers hosted interactive Executive Sessions focused on the cooperative roles that impact investing and awqaf can play to address the Sustainable Development Goals. During the Sessions, participants discussed how to use the financial resources held by impact-focused investors and awqaf to address the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The Summit will also feature presentations by the finalists in the Support Disruption for GoodChallenge, which identified innovative fintech startups focusing on financial inclusion and the SDGs. TradeArabia News Service The Mena Food & Beverage sector deal value for the full year 2016 surged to over $3.4 billion, from just $402 million the previous year, said Mergermarket, a leading provider of M&A data and intelligence. Total deal value for the year was the highest since the data provider first reported on the sectors M&A landscape in 2009. Four deals in the consumer sector have been announced so far this year worth $104 million with a strong pipeline predicted for 2017. The data was announced at Mergermarkets Mena Mergers 2017 forum, which took place at Jumeirah Emirates Towers in Dubai, UAE today (May 8). Deal value in the Food & Beverage subsector so far this year has been driven by consumer giant, Nestles, acquisition of Caravan Marketing Company, a leading Egyptian instant coffee company and owner of the Bonjorno brand, for $33 million. The acquisition reflects Nestles ambition to invest in Egypt and the fast development of a rapidly growing soluble coffee segment which has been gaining popularity in the region. Another headline hitting deal to watch is Brazilian meat producer, BRFs, sale of a stake in its halal food unit, One Foods, which could be worth an estimated $5 million. Interest in the asset dropped following Brazilian police reports revealed a criminal investigation of the countrys meat industry. The stake may be targeted by Saudi Agricultural & Livestock Investment and the sovereign wealth funds, Abu Dhabi Investment Authority and Qatar Investment Authority. Ruth McKee Al Ghamdi, head of Mergermarket Mena, said: Food and beverage continues to be a hot sector for M&A in the Mena region. In an era of low oil prices, challenging economic conditions and stiff competition, thriving businesses are highly sought-after by corporates and private equity firms. A number of successful concepts are expanding throughout the region through opening company-owned locations or franchising. Most deals in this space will likely be seen in UAE, Saudi Arabia and Egypt. Following a slow start to 2017, M&A deal activity in the sector is expected to pick up in the second half of the year. Mergermarket intelligence suggests that a further flurry of small-cap deals are expected including Emirates Modern Poultry Co (Al Rawdah), who are mulling over a $20-30 million joint venture in Kuwait and Oman to increase their export capabilities. In March, Mergermarket reported that Lebanese food chain Shawarmanji was in advanced discussions with a private equity firm over a stake sale. Shawarmanji has signed franchise agreements to launch 50 outlets in Saudi Arabia in the next seven years, with discussions to open further franchises in Oman and Egypt and plans to enter Europe by the end of 2018. Jayshree Gupta, corporate partner, Baker McKenzie Habib Al Mulla, UAE, said: Deal flow in consumer-led sectors remains steady, with activity in the food and beverage (F&B) sector maintaining momentum through FY 2016 and into Q1 2017. The UAE traditionally sees a large chunk of the regions F&B activity, and we expect to see continued interest in both domestic and cross-border transactions, with some mega deals achieved in the Middle East last year. And despite a flat 2016 and modest expectations for 2017, retail is still predicted to be a driver of growth in the domestic economy in the medium term. TradeArabia News Service Dubai International Financial Centre (DIFC), the leading financial hub in the MEASA region, has announced that the number of its registered intermediate special purpose vehicles (ISPVs) and special purpose companies (SPCs) crossed the 200 mark. DIFC provides ISPV and SPC structures that support a broad spectrum of industry sectors including transport, education and energy. Clients include regional companies, family businesses and international conglomerates. ISPVs are used by a range of businesses, particularly those that are vulnerable in foreign markets. They often serve as a succession planning tool for private or family companies. In addition, fund management companies use them to ringfence assets and liabilities from other fund structures within the same company group. SPCs play a pivotal role in financial markets through offering a new legal entity as a company limited by shares, incorporated under DIFC law to arrange specific structured financial transactions. Typically, SPCs are used by clients for either structured Islamic or conventional financial transactions (such as securitisation, structured debt or sukuk issuance), as a loan facility or finance transaction as part of a corporate acquisition. Arif Amiri, chief executive officer of DIFC Authority, said: DIFC is now home to more than 200 SPCs and ISPVs that are becoming increasingly popular as financing structures, particularly in the Middle East, Asia and Africa. This milestone reinforces the financial hubs status as a domicile of choice for innovative structured finance transactions. An ideal destination for ambitious international businesses, DIFC continues to play a pivotal role in meeting the growing financial services needs of the Middle East, Africa and South Asia region. TradeArabia News Service The growth of a stable real estate market and the creation of a sustainable small and medium-sized enterprise (SME) sector are fundamental to the success of Saudi Arabias Vision 2030, said experts at a major financial summit in Riyadh. The 12th Euromoney Saudi Arabia Conference, held in partnership with the Ministry of Finance, was attended by government leaders and financial executives. Speaking on the second day of the event, Majed bin Abdullah Al Hogail, Minister of Housing, outlined the countrys ambitious plans to facilitate the sufficient supply and demand necessary to ensure a sustainably robust real estate market. Early this year, Saudi Arabia had launched a housing programme designed to hand over up to 120,000 units to citizens over the year, to complement the goals of Vision 2030. The Sakani programme is part of efforts to support the housing needs of around 280,000 families by the Ministry of Housing, he stated. Senior executives from Saudi Arabias real estate sector took part in a panel discussion, including Abdulrahman Bajunaid, the chief executive of Rafal Real Estate Development Company; Imad Damrah, the managing director of Colliers International (Saudi Arabia) and Faisal Shaker, the acting chief investment officer of Jabal Omar Development Company. More than 1,800 delegates registered to attend the conference, which saw presentations from senior Saudi ministers including Mohammed Al Jadaan, Minister of Finance, Dr Ahmed Abdulkarim Alkholifey, Governor, Saudi Arabian Monetary Authority and CEOs and executives from some of the worlds largest banks.-TradeArabia News Service Turkish construction giant Yuksel has won a SR1.9-billion ($506.3 million) contract from the Saudi government for its ambitious Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) project, which will pave the way for the construction of 34 stations,1,353 community bus stops and six pedestrian bridges in capital Riyadh. The project will also serve as feeder lines for the metro stations being built in the capital and its suburbs to ease traffic congestion, reported Arab News, citing a top company official. the BRT project, promoted and financed by Ar Riyadh Development Authority (ADA), will mark the completion of the citys transport infrastructure plan," stated Yuksel chairman and chief executive Emin Sazak. The new lines, along with the new transport information management system included in the overall project, will improve accessibility to public transport, he noted. Lauding the Saudi leadership for its vision, Sazak said: "Every element of the BRT project is contributing to a more efficient, more sustainable and greener transport future for Riyadh." "The project will include the much-needed bus terminals, passenger hubs, parking facilities and maintenance depots," he added. According to him, well-planned and delivered BRT systems with clean buses can provide metro-quality service at a fraction of the cost. "This will generate an enormous shift from private cars to public transportation in Riyadh," he added. BRT, he pointed out, was only a starting point for collaboration. "We hope to go beyond the transport sector and continue our collaboration with different entities, including Saudi Aramco, in supporting the sustainable development of the kingdom within the framework of the Vision 2030," he said in the interview to Arab News. Yuksel, a market leader in the construction of dams, marine structures, transport systems and industrial projects worldwide, has, so far, completed 39 projects in Saudi Arabia worth SR8.12 billion ($2.16 billion). First Bahrain Real Estate Development has posted a net profit of $2.7 million during 2016, representing annual growth of 148 per cent over the $1.1 million reported in the year prior, the company said at its Annual General Meeting (AGM). On the strength of this performance, I am pleased to confirm that the board is recommending a dividend of 5 fils per share this year, said Waleed Alkhaja, chairman of First Bahrain. First Bahrain is building momentum as it implements its plans, activating dormant land holdings and diversifying its sectoral holdings. The commercial success of the El Mercado Janabiya retail centre, completed and fully leased during the year, led directly to a growth in total income of 60 per cent. Construction has also begun on El Mercado Village, our first residential development, a complementary project of villas for sale on land adjacent to the mall, Alkhaja explained. On assuming our duties in 2014, First Bahrain had operating income from just 28 per cent of its holdings, being the Majaal industrial facilities. Under our mandate and approval, we grew and diversified our revenue such that 49 per cent of the investment property is now generating rental income and a further nine per cent is under construction .Across the whole of our term, rental income has grown a combined total of 353 per cent from KD279,851 to KD1.26 million, while the value of the assets has grown a combined total of 22 per cent from KD29.35 million to KD35.93 million. Alkhaja advised that First Bahrain had successfully managed its banking relationships to fund the construction of new projects and the creation of new streams of revenue with the debt to equity ratio increasing in measured fashion from 12 per cent in2013 to 20 per cent in 2016, leaving, as he stated, ample room for further increases in leverage. He also affirmed that First Bahrain had sufficient liquidity to meet all expected obligations. Alkhaja stated that First Bahrain will look to extend its success in the retail sector to a new development in Seef, commencing the first phase of a mixed-use project which will realise the founding vision of the company. He added that First Bahrain would continue to explore ways to realise cash exits from existing income generating properties to create liquidity for further expansion and dividends. Noting that the first successful listing of a Real Estate Industrial Trust (REIT) on the Bahrain Bourse occurred at the end of the year, he suggested that this structure could offer a means of generating exits while maintaining a stake in its existing brands. During the meeting, the shareholders held elections, selecting new directors to join the board for the coming three-year term. Operating out of Bahrain and Kuwait, First Bahrain is strategically positioned to execute projects across the GCC, in accordance with the principles of Sharia. TradeArabia News Service US-based MetLife Foundation and Sesame Workshop, the non-profit educational organisation behind Iftah Ya Simsim, has launched a new initiative at the Jalila Childrens Centre in Dubai, UAE. MetLife, through its subsidiaries and affiliates, is a global provider of life insurance, annuities, employee benefits and asset management. Since its creation in 1976, MetLife Foundation has provided more than $700 million in grants to make a positive difference for the people, families and communities. Part of a global multimedia programme aiming to help young children and their parents acquire healthy financial skills and behaviours, the initiative, titled Dream, Save, Do: Financial Empowerment for Families, provides engaging content featuring Muppets from Iftah Ya Simsim, the Arabic version of Sesame Street, with effective strategies for spending, saving, sharing, and donating, said a statement from the company. Attending the launch event were key representatives from the Ministry of Community Development and HAAD (Health Authority Abu Dhabi), who welcomed the initiative and committed to continue working with Sesame Workshop and MetLife Foundation to help young children and families in the UAE by promoting financial culture and education in the early years. As part of the initiative, Dream, Save, Do content will be a part of Iftah Ya Simsims 30-episode Ramadan Series set to run throughout the holy month, it stated. The episodes feature the Iftah Ya Simsim Muppets learning about planning, saving, and making thoughtful decisions, said a statement. Undersecretary of the Ministry of Community Development Sana Suhail, said: This is aligned with the ministrys objective to provide a stable economic environment for children, nurturing a conscious and creative generation, which in turn helps build the economy as well as prosperity of our society. The show has become an essential tool to help young children learn the Arabic language as well as values and life lessons that support their growth, and we look forward to seeing the positive effect of Dream, Save, Do on their lives as well, she added. Michel Khalaf, president of MetLife Europe, Middle East and Africa (EMEA), said: Our organisation and Sesame Workshop have long histories of supporting the communities in which we work. Our goal is to ensure that families have access to the knowledge they need to put them on the path to financial security. This programme will help establish an early foundation for building positive lifelong habits, he said.- TradeArabia News Service The US was close to completing a series of deals to sell Saudi Arabia arms and related maintenance worth $100 billion, said a Reuters report, citing a senior White House official. President Donald Trump begins an international tour next Friday with the first stop in Saudi Arabia, followed by visits in Israel, the Vatican, Brussels for a North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (NATO) summit and Sicily for a Group of Seven (G7) summit. "We are in the final stages of a series of deals," said the White House official on condition of anonymity. The arms package could be worth more than $300 billion over a decade, he revealed. The US has been the Saudi kingdom's major arms supplier, delivering F-15 fighter jets, command and control systems worth tens of billions of dollars in recent years. Trump has already met Saudi Arabia's powerful deputy crown prince Mohammed bin Salman, who yields much influence in the kingdom. The 31-year-old prince is also defence minister and has led an aggressive campaign both militarily in Yemen and politically against Iran. Prince Mohammed met Trump at the White House in Washington in March. The Bloomberg news agency reported on Thursday that Saudi Arabia's sovereign wealth fund could invest up to $40 billion in US infrastructure. The American University of Sharjah Enterprises (AUSE) has signed an agreement with Finlands Oulu University of Applied Sciences (OAMK) to collaborate on the development of a world-class innovation ecosystem in the Emirate of Sharjah. The Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) aims to form collaborative public-private sector relationships to grow knowledge-intensive businesses. It will also support the objectives of Sharjahs Research, Technology and Innovation (RTI) Park which is being developed under the supervision of AUSE to connect with local and international players to undertake practice-oriented education and demand-driven research activities. Under the terms of the MoU, both parties will encourage the establishment of construction start-ups by working with international partners, construction businesses, officials and educational institutions that have trained under OAMK LABs, a unique training and development program developed by OAMK that focuses on entrepreneurship and multidisciplinary learning. The goal is to significantly reduce costs and lead time in small residential building construction. The AUSE-OAMK partnership will act as a pilot for the creation of an interdisciplinary business incubator program in Sharjah and will promote innovative practices such as 3D technology-assisted construction. Hussain Al Mahmoudi, CEO, American University of Sharjah Enterprises, said: Given its advanced education system and leading expertise in research and development, OAMK is an important partner for harnessing Sharjahs immense business potentials especially among its 65,000 small and medium-sized enterprises which collectively form the UAEs biggest industry platform. Jyrki Ropelinen, director of Education and RDI, Oulu University of Applied Sciences, added: Research, development and innovation or RDI is one of the most essential functions for any university specializing in applied sciences after teaching. Through our extensive experience in RDI, we intend to support business development within Sharjah in tandem with the American University of Sharjah Enterprises to ensure that the emirate has a competent workforce and strong international linkages. We will also work together towards developing innovation-driven activities and providing strategic assistance to key business activities. The first activity post the MOU signing is an Introduction Workshop that will unveil the Construction Industry Innovation Challenge Program; which aims to encourage the active involvement of local construction and engineering firms as well as the American University of Sharjahs faculty and students; and share project and marketing plan updates. Representatives from AUSE and OAMK will participate along with faculty members of the American University of Sharjah. TradeArabia News Service Netherlands-based AkzoNobel, a leading global paints company, has joined hands with Luxembourgs Jean Boulle Luxury for the production of aviation grade Sun King Diamond Coating for the private and commercial jet markets. Under the agreement AkzoNobel will be the exclusive supplier of the aviation grade Sun King Diamond Coating, said a statement from the company. AkzoNobel is a global leader in the manufacture, development and supply of coatings for the aviation sector and provides innovative, reliable and efficient services to customers worldwide. Jean Boulle Luxurys patent pending Sun King Diamond Coating has been applied to super cars produced by some of the worlds foremost luxury car marques and dramatically alters the luxury vehicles visual appearance whilst maintaining full functional capabilities, it said. Sun King Diamond Coating is created through Jean Boulle Luxurys proprietary technique which transforms ethically sourced natural diamonds into a high quality finish that guarantees the highest quality and brilliance within precisely defined tolerances, it added. The aviation grade diamond coating has been subject to stringent testing and meets the AkzoNobel aerospace specifications. Bertrand Boulle, CEO of Jean Boulle Luxury, said: I am delighted to be working with AkzoNobel, a company with an unparalleled track record in the aviation sector. AkzoNobels technical expertise and global network will enable us to reach customers around the world whilst guaranteeing a constantly excellent level of service, he said. Tsjip Boersma, marketing director of AkzoNobel Speciality Coatings, said: We are proud to be partnering with Jean Boulle Luxury on this innovative natural diamond coating solution. Boulles international depth of expertise in diamond mining and marketing combined with our technical expertise creates a truly unique premium coating for the aviation industry, he added. TradeArabia News Service Ericsson highlighted how smart connectivity and the Internet of Things (IOT) can enable the ecosystem needed for new mobility services and automated transport at a recent knowledge sharing event in Dubai, UAE. The Ericsson Mobility Day brought together thought leaders from transport authorities, cities, private companies and ITS-consultants from Europe and Middle East and Africa, at Sofitel the Palm in Dubai. The world around us is changing, we are witnessing increasing urbanization and with it comes increasing traffic management issues, said Wojciech Bajda, head of Industry and Society Unit at Ericsson Middle East. However, technology can provide the answers we need to make more effective use of our roads. The transport sector is about to be revolutionized by being connected. Ericsson Mobility Day brings together industry and government leaders to discuss ways in which we can transform mobility and transportation, not only from a technology perspective, but from a travel behaviour one too. TradeArabia News Service Microsoft has announces new tools and services to help developers modernise existing apps and build more intelligent ones, on every platform, for every platform. The announcments were made as Microsoft welcomed thousands of developers to Seattle for Build 2017 Microsofts annual developer conference. During his opening keynote, Satya Nadella, CEO, Microsoft, announced that Windows had reached 500 million Windows 10 active devices and noted how together Windows, Microsoft Office and Microsoft Azure offer developers more than a billion opportunities to connect their innovations with Microsoft customers. Microsoft also announced new Azure data and cloud services to help developers quickly modernise their existing apps, new AI and Azure services that allow any developer to more easily build intelligent apps, with understanding and natural user interaction capabilities, and showcased new data, IoT edge and AI services built for a future with an intelligent cloud and intelligent edge. In a world of near infinite compute power and an exponential growth in data, we are focused on empowering every developer to build applications for this new era of intelligent cloud and intelligent edge, said Nadella. A vision for more intelligence Our world is overloaded with information, every minute, and yet it is in this very information data that opportunities and insights abound. To help customers realise these opportunities, Microsoft shared an early peek into innovations it is bringing to bear to help every person and organisation achieve more. In support of this vision Microsoft announced the following: A preview of Azure IoT Edge, technology that extends the intelligence and other benefits of cloud computing to edge devices; Extensions to the Microsoft Graph to combine insights from the world of work with device insights and contextual awareness of the physical world. Technology that will allow you to search the real world in the same way you search the digital world, helping to keep your data safe and secure while making you more productive. The cloud for every developer Microsoft showcased how it is meeting developers where they are, and helping them be more successful, with new Microsoft Azure and Visual Studio services and tools to help modernise existing applications and quickly build intelligent apps for all major platforms: Introducing Azure Cosmos DB, built from the ground up to power planet-scale cloud services and data-intensive applications from IoT to AI to mobile with incredible performance, fault tolerance and support for every type of data, including graph. It is the industrys first globally distributed, multi-model database service to deliver horizontal scale with guaranteed uptime, throughput, consistency and single-digit millisecond latency at the 99th percentile. Developers get incredible flexibility with the only schema-free database service, with support for popular NoSQL APIs, that also offers five well-defined consistency choices while auto-indexing all your data. New MySQL- and PostgreSQL-managed services that join Azure SQL Database to give developers expanded choice and flexibility on a service platform that delivers high availability and scalability, with minimal downtime, and data retention and recovery. An early preview of Microsofts new database migration services, which will allow Oracle and SQL Server customers to more easily move their data and quickly modernize their apps. Azure SQL Database improvements: o A new Managed Instance private preview, which offers customers SQL Server instance-level compatibility and makes it even easier for organizations to migrate existing SQL Server apps to Azure SQL Database. o General availability of Threat Detection and preview of Graph support. General availability of Visual Studio 2017 for Mac, which enables developers to work seamlessly across Windows and Mac environments with full support for mobile, web and cloud workloads, and previews of Docker tools, Azure Functions and Xamarin IoT support. Support for containers of nearly every type, on every platform, with the general availability of Windows Server Containers support in Azure Service Fabric, with Visual Studio tooling, and a preview of the ability to use Docker Compose support for Service Fabric to deploy containerized apps to Service Fabric enabling developers to deliver mission-critical, scalable apps and services. DocuSign supports a rapidly growing customer base of 300,000 companies and more than 200 million users across 188 countries. The company today announced Microsoft Azure is its preferred cloud for global expansion, starting in Canada. DocuSign uses Azure SQL Database to process enormous volumes of digital transactions. New developer on-ramps With more than 100 million monthly commercial active users, Office 365 is where the world works. Today Microsoft announced plans [Office Blog] to better connect developers with Office 365 customers around the globe: Any developer can now publish for Microsoft Teams, the new chat-based workspace in Office 365. Coming soon, apps in Teams will be more discoverable for end users through a new app experience. Developers can also add new capabilities to Teams apps, including third-party notifications in the activity feed, Compose Extensions and Actionable Messages. Microsoft also made new Microsoft Graph APIs available to developers, including APIs from SharePoint and Planner. The Microsoft Graph gives developers access to Office 365 data and intelligence and helps connect the dots between people, conversations, projects, schedules, processes and content. These insights help developers build smarter apps, enabling smarter ways to work. Developers and ISVs who host their production SaaS applications on Microsoft Azure and sign up through the Azure website can now have their apps data and workflow automatically extended to authorized Office 365 customers through standard connectors for PowerApps and Microsoft Flow. To help ISVs expand their business even further, Microsoft is also providing additional incentives to its sales force when they jointly co-sell eligible SaaS apps and services to enterprise customers. AI to augment capabilities Microsoft also highlighted its vision to amplify human ingenuity with intelligent technology, bringing AI to every developer through the unique combination of the Microsoft cloud and AI. New cognitive services, platform innovations in the Microsoft Bot Framework, advances in deep learning tools, continued infusion of AI into the companys products and services, and intelligent insights offered through the Microsoft Graph unlock this opportunity for developers and new growth scenarios for businesses. New announcements included the following: The company added new services to the industrys broadest offering of cognitive services and now 29 services for developers, with unique customization options. That enables developers to infuse off-the-shelf or custom intelligence capabilities such as vision, speech, language, knowledge and search into their app and bot experiences in any scenario. New services include Bing Custom Search, Custom Vision Service, Custom Decision Service and Video Indexer. A new PowerPoint add-in called Presentation Translator, which leverages Microsofts Translation APIs, was featured, allowing real-time translation to multiple languages during any presentation. The new Cognitive Services Labs were also launched, enabling developers to experiment with new services, such as a Gesture API, still in the early stages of development. Using the new adaptive cards supported by the Microsoft Bot Framework, developers can write cards once that look great across multiple apps and platforms. Using the Bot Framework, developers can also now publish to new channels including Bing, Cortana and Skype for Business, and implement Microsofts payment request API for fast and easy checkout in their bots. Azure Batch AI Training is a new Azure offering, available in private preview only, that will allow developers and data scientists to configure an environment with parameters and run their models against multiple CPUs, multiple GPUs and eventually field-programmable gate arrays. In addition to Harman Kardons Invoke intelligent speaker with Cortana, partnerships were also signed with HP on devices and Intel on reference platforms to deliver Cortana-enabled devices. The Cortana Skills Kit is now in public preview. Developers can build skills for Cortana by creating a bot and publishing it to the new Cortana channel of the Bot Framework. This is available across Windows 10, Android, iOS and the new Cortana-powered Harman Kardon Invoke speaker. The Cortana Skills kit is currently available in the U.S. only. A demonstration was provided on how multiple Microsoft products and services, including Dynamics 365, Office 365, Microsoft Teams, Cortana Skills, Microsoft Graph and Sentiment Analysis, will be integrated into Tact, the sales experience platform that turns any connected device into a AI-powered virtual sales assistant, later this year. - TradeArabia News Service Beautyworld Middle East, the regions largest international beauty and wellness trade fair kicks off tomorrow (May 14), with 1,580 exhibitors from 60 countries out to impress more than 35,000 visitors over three days at the Dubai International Convention and Exhibition Centre. Product launches from the worlds biggest brands and start-ups alike will share the stage at the 22nd edition of the three-day event, with organiser Messe Frankfurt Middle East confirming at least 100 companies will make a bow with their latest offerings seen for the first time in the region. Whether its the worlds first anti-aging beauty chocolate, mineral water dispensers infused with precious gemstones, exclusive niche fragrances, or organic skincare products made from native Hawaiian plants, Beautyworld Middle East will once again be the annual platform of choice for global manufacturers to introduce their newest wares, saifd the organisers. Bollywood star Kareena Kapoor will also launch a product-line for Indian manufacturer Olivia Cosmetics on the second day of the annual showcase. According to experts, the 10 products to look out for at the top beauty and wellness show are: Davines by EIDEAL The UAE company is a regular Beautyworld Middle East exhibitor. This year, it is launching davines, an Italian eco haircare brand with its roots founded on sustainable beauty. EIDEAL will also have a shampoo lab at its stand, where a chemist will be on hand to customise a davines shampoo product based on a visitors needs and scent preferences. Esthechoc (UK) Esthechoc is the worlds first anti-aging beauty chocolate. According to its inventor Dr Ivan Mikhailovich Petyaev, a former scientist at Cambridge University, the so-called nutricosmetic slows down the skins aging process through a combination of highly potent active substances: Astaxanthin the most powerful antioxidant known to science and Cocoa polyphenolic epicatechins, which are found naturally in chocolate. EVY Professional The Australian-owned brand is a hair tool range featuring unique patented Japanese mineral technology. Each of the EVY products feature 32 natural negative ion-generating minerals. This unique blend of post-volcanic minerals injects hydration and moisture into the hair during styling. The entire EVY range, including hair dryers, curling irons, brushes, and the 2017 AHFAs Most Innovative New Styling Tool Winner the EVY iQ-Oneglide, will be launched for the first time in the region at Beautyworld Middle East 2017. VitaJuwel (Germany) VitaJuwel is exhibiting for the second year in row, and this year launching its gemstone-infused water bottles, vials, decanters, and dispensers. Daniel Eisen, the CEO of VitaJuwel, said its handcrafted glass products vitalise water by restoring its original quality with a selection of precious gemstones. Hanalei (USA) From its stand in the US Pavilion (one of 22 country pavilions at Beautyworld Middle East), Hanalei will launch a complete range of personal care products such as lip treatments, scrubs, facial masks, lotions, and other body care items. APSU by Ullrich Lang (USA) Perfumer Ulrich Lang from New York will launch his latest unisex scent, APSU at Quintessence an exclusive showcase of niche high-end fragrances. Its scent is a nod to a simpler lifestyle a contrast to todays complex world. i.plex by Lakme Cosmetics (Spain) Spanish company Lakme Cosmetics manufactures professional hair colour and hair care products. At the Spanish Pavilion this year, the Barcelona Company is launching i.plex, an innovative anti-aging plex system with a keratin complex that restructures the hair, dramatically improving combing and manageability and increasing resistance to breakage by 44 per cent. Neo-White by Neoderma (Cyprus) Beautyworld Middle East 2017 will be the setting of skincare manufacturer Neodermas biggest relaunch since it was first created in 1991. Headquartered in Cyprus, Neoderma will also launch Neo-White a whitening product line with Halal certification. Ecosophy by Pennelli Faro (Italy) Pennelli Faro from Italy is an internationally recognised manufacturer of brushes and accessories for Cosmetics and Fine Arts. The company is also very eco-conscious; among its long list of product launches this year is Ecosophy, a vegan-friendly make-up brush collection. Luxury Gold Therapy by Hyunjin C&T (Korea) Hyunjin C&T is a new player in the regional beauty market, and is introducing its entire range of innovative products that involve the use of gold leaf, magnetic therapy, and oxygen therapy. Beautyworld Middle East focuses on the six product groups of Hair, Nails, & Salon Supplies; Cosmetics & Skincare; Machinery, Packaging, and Raw Materials; Professional Equipment, Spa & Wellness; Fragrance Compounds & Finished Fragrance; and for the first time in 2017, Personal Care & Hygiene.-TradeArabia News Service India's Supreme Court today (May 5) has upheld the death sentence awarded to four convicts in a landmark judgment in Delhi Nirbhaya gangrape case by a Delhi fast-track court in 2013. Akshay Thakur, Pawan Gupta, Vinay Sharma, Mukesh Singh, Ram Singh and a juvenile were held guilty of gang-raping and murdering a 23-year-old student in the national capital, reported Indian Express. The brutal incident shook the entire nation on the night of December 16, 2012 leading to widespread public protests and rallies by women activists and college students. The victim, who put up a brave fight, died about a fortnight later in a Singapore hospital where she was battling for life. During the course of the trial, Ram Singh was found dead in prison. The juvenile, who was tried by the juvenile justice board, served three years in a remand home and has since been released, said the report. In its verdict, the apex court said, "Taking the serious injuries, the severe nature of offence committeed by the convicts in consideration, we are upholding the sentence." While the Supreme Court has passed its order today, the four convicts will be given enough time to decide their next move, stated the report. They can file a writ petition in the Supreme Court and post that they can file a mercy petition before the President, it added. Saudi Basic Industries Corp (Sabic) is collaborating with DuPont Sustainable Solutions (DSS) to accelerate progress towards becoming a world leader in environment, health and safety (EHS) performance. Sabic is a global leader in diversified chemicals headquartered in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. It manufactures on a global scale in the Americas, Europe, Middle East and Asia Pacific, making distinctly different kinds of products: chemicals, commodity and high performance plastics, agri-nutrients and metals. It has more than 35,000 employees worldwide and operates in more than 50 countries. Our companys EHS achievements in recent years have been impressive, said Ahmed Al-Shaikh, executive vice president, corporate manufacturing, Sabic. And yet, there is a strong desire within the leadership team to reach the next level in EHS culture maturity, as outlined in the Sabic 2025 strategy, he said. Khaled Saleh Al Kharboush, corporate EHSS general manager and project executive, Sabic, said: This effort is extremely important. We have chosen to partner with DSS to help us with our transformation; we trust that they can provide our company with solutions to help us achieve a world-class standard. In line with its 2025 strategy, Sabic is becoming more global, more distinctive in its product offering, and more integrated in its operations. While the company has long been committed to the robust implementation of a rigorous environment, health, and safety (EHS) performance. The executive team has decided to invest further in becoming a world leader. The EHS transformation project will facilitate this change by strengthening operational risk management, leadership capabilities, and effectiveness of systems and processes to manage EHS performance. The DuPont engagement is an integral part of this improvement process. Johan van der Westhuyzen, managing director for DSS Turkey, Middle East and Sub-Saharan Africa, said: Our company remains committed to Sabic. We will deploy our best capabilities, owner-operator experience and know-how to ensure the success of this project. We look forward to working with Sabic to identify and mitigate the specific risks, which will ultimately allow them to achieve sustainable improvement, he added. Ehsan Akhavan, director, DSS, said: The positive shift that companies have made from a compliance-driven approach to a risk-based approach has delivered much value to improve their EHS performance, and leaders play a key role in driving sustainable change through greater engagement of all levels in the organisation. DuPont Sustainable Solutions is a partner of choice for key industries throughout the Middle East, particularly oil and gas. Using its own experience in implementing effective safety and operations improvement programmes as an owner/operator, DSS is in a unique position to help others on their journey to excellence. DSS has been operating in the region for over 15 years, and has successfully assisted companies with safety, operations and environmental challenges, it stated. TradeArabia News Service A decorative bridge installation is seen outside the China National Convention Center, where the upcoming Belt and Road Initiative Forum will be held, Beijing, China on May 13. Heads of state and government as well as delegates from 1,200 countries will attend the Belt and Road forum, which will take place on May 14 and 15. EPA/Wu Hong Jordans Abella Superstores signed an agreement with SolFirst, Huaweis authorized distributor, to provide high quality Huawei string inverters to the stores to meet its energy needs through the use of photovoltaic (PV) cells. Fayiz Al Faouri signed the agreement on behalf of Abella Superstores with Ibrahim Al Amir, SolFirst CEO. The agreement includes the supply and installation of a photovoltaic system of 400 kilowatt peak capacity. The signing ceremony was attended by Care Guan, project manager of Huawei Solar Inverter in Mena region. Al Faouri said: We are pleased to take this initiative and have a good solution-Huawei FusionSolar Smart PV Solution-for our energy needs, the positive impact will reflect on the stores financially in addition to the projects positive impact on the environment. We are excited about Abella Superstores project as its PV system is considered one of the largest Roof Top projects in Jordan with 4,000 sq m, said Al Amir. It is also good to mention that the system impact to reduce CO2 emissions since the project will produce around 700 MWh energy per year saving 350 Metric Tons CO2 annually. The global application of Huawei string inverter illustrates that the inverters with cutting-edge technologies can operate reliably in all kinds of harsh natural environments, especially the extremely high temperatures and sand erosion. TradeArabia News Service Bollywood icon Shah Rukh Khan arrived in Dubai yestrday (May 6) to shoot the sequel to the award-winning #BeMyGuest film with the second phase of the promotional campaign film to be done in collaboration with well-known Indian film director Kabir Khan. With millions of fans around the world faithfully following his every move, Shah Rukh Khan, or SRK, will continue his exciting journey in Dubai in his own inimitable style, as he shines a light on the multidimensional and multicultural character of a bustling metropolis that he considers his second home. On arrival at Dubai International Airport, Shah Rukh Khan was welcomed by Issam Kazim, CEO, Dubai Corporation for Tourism and Commerce Marketing (DCTCM), and they also took the opportunity to discuss future collaboration. #BeMyGuest is a film produced by Dubais Department of Tourism and Commerce Marketing (Dubai Tourism) to further enhance the emirates position as a must-visit destination and attract even more tourists from India, a key source market for Dubais tourism industry, and around the world. Expressing his delight to be back in Dubai, Shah Rukh Khan said he was happy to be filming the sequel to the hugely successful #BeMyGuest campaign film. He said that the film was done in a creative and different way from how tourism films are usually made, as it was so funny and sweet yet it was still able to showcase Dubai in all its glory. I think it is really nice, I really enjoyed making it and happy we are making another one, he said, and added: I am not an advocate for Dubai because I have done Dubai Tourism films, I genuinely like being in Dubai, I think its a really wonderful place, its a fantastic cityIt has everything for everyone. Since its launch in December 2016, #BeMyGuest has garnered 45 million views across multiple social media channels as well as 65 million engagements from around the world. #BeMyGuest also reached No.3 on YouTubes worldwide trending list within 48 hours of its launch, becoming one of the top 10 most viewed videos on the website globally in December. The film has also won international awards including the Grand Prix at the International Tourism Film Festival, Tourfilm Riga held in Latvia and the Diamond Award at ITB Berlins Golden City Gate tourism awards. - TradeArabia News Service Passengers onboard a flight from Jeddah to Cairo on May 9 were in a state of panic when a man reportedly threatened to blow up the aircraft. said a report. Security staff on the Flynas operated carrier had to subdue the 61-year-old man, who was said to be mentally unstable, and handed him over to police officials when it landed in the Egyptian capital, said a report in Reuters. No weapons or explosives were found with him, the report said. The man told police he was not aware of what he had done. He is expected to be referred to a psychiatrist to determine his mental state. Dubai-based Emirates will introduce a third daily service to Brisbane, Australia from December 1, 2017, complementing Emirates existing two daily services. The direct service, to be operated on a B777-200LR aircraft with eight seats in First Class, 42 in Business Class and 216 in Economy Class, will increase capacity on the route by 3,724 seats a week, inbound and outbound between Brisbane and Emirates hub Dubai. This will give passengers in the UK, France and North America greater access to Australia with just one stop in Dubai as part of Emirates global route network, which includes over 150 destinations in more than 80 countries and territories. The inbound service EK430 will depart Dubai at 22:00hrs, arriving in Brisbane at 18:15hrs the following day. While the outbound flight EK431 will depart Brisbane at 22:25hrs, arriving in Dubai at 07:00hrs the following day. The service will operate alongside two existing daily services to Dubai. Flights EK434 and EK435 operate nonstop between Dubai and Brisbane and onwards to Auckland, New Zealand, while flights EK432 and EK433 operate between Dubai and Brisbane via Singapore. Additionally, with codeshare partner Qantas, Emirates offers services to Singapore twice daily from Brisbane. The news comes as Emirates announced it would be upgauging its third daily service to Melbourne from a B777-300ER to an A380 operation from 25 March 2018, allowing passengers to travel aboard Emirates A380 on all three daily flights between Melbourne and Dubai. From a cargo perspective, the 777-200LR offers 14 tonnes of cargo capacity in the bellyhold. TradeArabia News Service J. L. BELL is a Massachusetts writer who specializes in (among other things) the start of the American Revolution in and around Boston. He is particularly interested in the experiences of children in 1765-75. He has published scholarly papers and popular articles for both children and adults. He was consultant for an episode of History Detectives, and contributed to a display at Minute Man National Historic Park. Monday support meetings Alcoholics Anonymous: 6:30 a.m., 917 N. Beech; 8:30 a.m., 500 S. Wolcott; 10 a.m., 328 E. A St.; noon, 500 S. Wolcott; 2 p.m, 917 N. Beech; 5:30 p.m., 328 E. A; 6 p.m., 500 S. Wolcott, Ste. 200; 6 p.m., 456 S. Walnut; 7 p.m., 917 N. Beech; 8 p.m., 328 E. A. Douglas: 7:30 p.m., 628 E. Richards (upstairs in back). Unless otherwise noted, all meetings are open. Casper info: 266-9578; Douglas info: (307) 351-1688. Al-Anon: Noon, 701 S. Wolcott, St. Marks Church, main entrance, left to library. Narcotics Anonymous: Noon, 500 S. Wolcott, 12-24 Club; 7 p.m., 302 E. 2nd, Methodist Church; 8 p.m., 4700 S. Poplar (church basement). Web site: http://www.urmrna.org. Teen Addiction Anonymous: 3:30-4:30 p.m., Boys & Girls Club Teen Center. Info: 258-7439. Adult Children of Alcoholics: 11:30 a.m.-1 p.m., 12-24 Club, 500 S. Wolcott St., Suite 200. TOPS Weight Loss: 5:30 p.m., Weight Loss Support Group TOPS #246, Wyoming Oil & Gas Building, 2211 King Blvd. Use NE door entry. Info: 265-1486. Audition for muni band The following positions are needed for the summer season 2017 of Casper Municipal Band: three or four clarinets and two French horns. Concert season runs every Thursday from June 8 through Aug. 3. Rehearsals are every Tuesday evening beginning May 16. Excellent sight-reading skills are mandatory. Please call for additional information: 234-2453. Senior Stompers meet Mondays Join Joyces Senior Stompers at 10:50 a.m. Mondays and exercise your mind and body. Its free for seniors 60-plus. Call Joyce for more information: 237-4908. Frankland talks international policy Erich Frankland, Ph.D, chair of the Department of Political Science, History and International Studies at Casper College, will present a program on International Challenges and Opportunities Facing the United States at a noon luncheon meeting of the Casper Rotary Club at the Parkway Plaza. Frankland earned his Ph.D in political science at the University of Oklahoma. His undergraduate studies were at Earlham College, where he graduated Phi Beta Kappa and at Westminster College, Oxford University. In addition to teaching at Casper College, he also serves as an adjunct faculty member for the University of Wyoming, where he teaches political science, history, international studies and sociology. Bingo at Poplar Living Center Poplar Living Center will mark Nursing Home Week with community bingo at 2 p.m. The public is welcome. Tween Monday at library The Natrona County Library will host a craft program for students in grades four through six at 4 p.m. Create a small world in a jar and bring nature into your home with a mason jar terrarium. All supplies provided. Call 577.READ x5 for more information. Community impact at Pizza Ranch Pizza Ranch, 5011 E. Second St., hosts Community Impact nights from 5 to 9 p.m. normally on Mondays and Wednesdays. Members of nonprofit groups bus tables for tips, and 20 percent of meal tickets from diners who mention the group are donated as well. Dine-in, delivery or pickup orders qualify. Mondays nonprofit is Boyd Avenue Baptist Church. Financial literacy: The mortgage process As part of the Natrona County Library and Reliant Federal Credit Unions Financial Literacy Series, a talk titled The Mortgage Process, will be held at 6:30 p.m. in the librarys Crawford Room. A Reliant FCU representative will discuss what a lender looks for to pre-qualify, the types of mortgage loans and the differences between them and how a credit score impacts payments. The lecture is free and open to the public. Call 577-READ x2 or email reference@natronacountylibrary.org for more information. A Wyoming district court judge has upheld the 2016 conviction of a Crow tribal member who was charged with shooting a bull elk out of season in the Bighorn National Forest in 2014. Clayvin Herrera had appealed the decision by a Sheridan jury for which he was ordered to serve one year of unsupervised probation, to pay $8,080 in fines and court costs and had his hunting rights suspended for three years. Kyle Anne Gray, Herreras Billings attorney, has subsequently petitioned the Wyoming Supreme Court to review the lower courts decisions, acquit Herrera and dismiss all charges. Gray had initially argued that the Laramie Treaty of 1868 allowed Herrera to hunt on unoccupied lands of the United States off the reservation in this case the Bighorn National Forest. That argument was quashed by the circuit court judge in the initial trial who decided that the issue of treaty rights had already been decided in a similar 1995 10th Circuit Court case: Crow Tribe of Indians v. Repsis. In the Repsis case, a Wyoming district court ruled that the treaty was intended to be temporary in nature and it was no longer valid, according to court documents. The Repsis court found that the Tribes right to hunt reserved in the Treaty with the Crows, 1868, was repealed by the act admitting Wyoming into the Union. Therefore the tribe and its members are subject to Wyomings game laws The circuit court judge also did not allow Gray to argue that a subsequent U.S. Supreme Court decision in a 1999 case Minnesota v. Mille Lacs Band of Chippewa Indians had reversed and rejected the Repsis case. Without the treaty right defense, Gray had to argue that Herrera was still on the reservation when he shot the elk, a point successfully countered by state officials during testimony. In the appeal of the jury decision to Judge Fenn, Grays attempt to say the issues in the Repsis and Herrera cases were different enough to merit consideration in the initial trial was shot down. Fenn also ruled against Grays argument that the later Mille Lacs decision overturned the Repsis courts ruling. Rather, it affirmed the concept that a court interpreting a treaty must determine if the rights reserved in the treaty were intended to be perpetual or if they were intended to expire upon the happening of a clearly contemplated event such as occupation of the land, Fenn wrote in his decision. Mille Lacs did not change the fundamental legal principles applicable to the interpretation of treaties. Fenn went on to say that even if the Repsis case was decided on an erroneous application of the law, the Crow Tribes treaty rights cannot be disputed in the present action because the issue was already adjudicated. So now Gray has petitioned Wyomings highest court to consider her arguments. Wyoming cannot continue to exist in a time bubble separate and apart from its sister states by giving precedent to a century-old case instead of a more current Supreme Court ruling, Gray wrote in her petition for review. If Herrera had shot the elk in a national forest in Montana, his federal treaty-rights would have been honored, just as similar treaty-hunting rights are honored in the other states of this single nation, the petition continued. Gray also argued that a treaty can only be broken by Congress, which has not been done in the instance of the Crow treaty. If after 40 days the Wyoming Supreme Court has not accepted Grays petition for review it is considered denied. A group of St. Marks Episcopal Church parishioners met recently to brainstorm the gifts and passions of St. Marks balanced with the needs of the community, said Kathy Robinson. The result is a monthly diaper and baby wipes giveaway to anyone in need. Robinson, a retired Episcopal priest, and Margie Roberts, a school district employee, recently talked about the unique effort at helping their neighbors. Will you tell us how it started? KR: This started six or seven months ago. It started so small, and the past few months it has blossomed. Last month, we gave away diapers, a whole package, for 113 kids. Who pays for the diapers and wipes that you give away? MR: The congregation has pitched in, and we got $5,000 from the Episcopal Diocese of Wyoming Foundation. Some people write checks, others bring in diapers. KR: But now those first donations are gone, and yes, we are pleading. You can mail a check and walk diapers through the door. Honestly, its easier to have cash because we have people designated to do the shopping, and were tax free, so we can get more bang for our buck than people who shop can. How does the giveaway work? MR: We have diapers, size newborn to 5, and wipes as well. We give them away the third Sunday of the month from 10:30 to 11 a.m. in the fellowship hall. They are invited to stay and have brunch with us, but there is no obligation to do that. KR: Yes, one of our goals is to create a relationship with people in the community, but there is no obligation to participate in anything at the church if you take free diapers. How has the effort blossomed? KR: People are returning diapers their children have outgrown to pay it forward. A pack-n-play just appeared one day, and we have a huge mountain of childrens clothes that people have donated. And the cost of diapers is expensive, isnt it? MR: Thats why this is so important. Some months you have to make a choice between buying groceries and buying diapers. Cutting back on clothing, heat or prescription drugs can affect family members health and emotional well-being beyond the practical need of having enough diapers. How is the diaper detail in your families? MR: I am the mother of two, grandmother of seven and great-grandmother of one. KR: I am the mother of two and I have two grandchildren now. And youve done some research on the importance of diapers beyond the obvious. Can you tell us about that? KR: Disposable diapers can cost as much as $70 to $80 a month, and most licensed child care programs require parents to supply disposable diapers and do not accept alternatives, such as cloth diapers. When parents run out of diapers, that may mean no child care. And they are not covered by federal assistance? KR: Federal anti-poverty programs such as food stamps do not cover diapers, leaving poor families without the means to properly diaper their children. Energy Secretary Rick Perry hit a raw nerve in Washington recently when he announced his department will undertake a study of the possible impact that federal regulations have had on U.S. electric grid reliability. Essentially, the Department of Energy will look at critical issues central to protecting the long-term reliability of the electric grid. The review will consider whether regulatory burdens and mandates and tax and subsidy policies for renewable energy are forcing coal units into retirement. This is sensible policy. After all, the toll that recent regulations have taken on affordable power production is well documented. In 2012 the MATS rule alone forced almost 20 percent of the U.S. coal fleet into retirement, and saddled the power industry with almost $10 billion in annual costs and all for a mere $6 million in public benefit. The U.S. Energy Information Administration has estimated that the more recent Clean Power Plan would cut coal production by 240 million tons annually. And Duke Universitys Nicholas School reported that government regulations threatened the viability of more than half of U.S. coal plants; low natural gas prices threatened the viability of less than 10 percent. Evidently, though, an examination of these impacts on electricity production crossed a red line by possibly raising awkward questions about the massive subsidization of renewable energy. In an April 28 letter to Perry, the nations wind and solar trade groups expressed alarm. With their taxpayer-funded subsidies potentially under attack, they all but questioned what business Perrys energy department has in studying energy. Their letter suggested that the strong, recent growth of wind and solar turbo-charged as it has been by growing federal largesse hasnt hurt coal. Neither, they imply, have Obama-era regulations. Instead, they blame coals woes on cheaper alternatives like natural gas. Even some in Congress weighed in against the secretary, accusing him of a thinly disguised attempt to harm renewables in favor of less economic electric generation technologies like coal. This is nonsense. For much of the past eight years, the Environmental Protection Agency has enjoyed unprecedented authority over the U.S. power grid and has given renewable fuels a free ride. But now that the EPA is going back to basics under Administrator Scott Pruitt, energy supply issues are suddenly being handed back to the Energy Department. Thus the palpitations aplenty among fledgling renewable projects. Since 2007, federal portfolio requirements, net metering, and annual subsidies have sheltered the renewable energy sector from market competition. And what amounted to roughly $1 billion in assistance 10 years ago has swelled to more than $11.6 billion today. Without these subsidies, wind and solar would have to compete in the same Game of Thrones-style energy market as less economic sources of electricity. Apparently, its OK for coal to struggle against cheap natural gas. But renewable fuels would rather not, thank you very much. The problem isnt the undeniably impressive growth of wind and solar power. Its how this growth has come about and the resulting impact on competing fuels. When a friendly government lowers your operating costs through tax breaks, raises your competitors costs with regulations, and mandates a market for your product all while shielding your customers from paying for the grid they use its disingenuous to announce this growth as real, much less revolutionary. Thats because its easy to get pricing power if you have enough political power. Hefty subsidies for renewables, like steroids for Olympic medalists, tarnish the achievement. Subsidies are never free, especially not for the half of all Americans who now describe themselves as lower class. Even measured by the jobs required to generate electricity, renewable fuels are costly. Wind creates 2,200 jobs per MWHr, and solar 98 jobs while coal creates 7,800. Still, some senators critical of Perrys report view green subsidies as necessary sacrifices that taxpayers must make to help wind and solar companies win the race for power market dominationand help affluent consumers indulge their green vanity in the bargain. But U.S. taxpayers left paying more for energy and a smaller supply of it may soon disagree. President Xi Jinping will host dozens of world leaders on Sunday and Monday at the Belt and Road Forum for International Cooperation, as China's Belt and Road Initiative has seized world wide attention. Right after this important event, the Chinese government should take advantage of the major shifts in the Americas, look across the Pacific and launch a parallel effort: the "Belt and Sea Lane" initiative for China and Latin America (Mexico, the Caribbean, and Central and South America). Three recent seismic changes have dramatically affected Latin America. First, the economic links that China has developed over the past 13 years with South America. Second, the end of populism in this region. Third, the election of Donald Trump as president of the United States, which will severely damage economic integration in the Americas, as shown by the recent demise of the US-led Trans-Pacific-Partnership agreement. Let us broadly review these three waves to understand the opportunity for China. South America swayed from the "lost half decade" of 1998-2003, to the "golden decade" of 2004-14, and this change happened mainly because of China. South American nations are rich in minerals, energy and food, which China started buying at growing prices and in ever increasing volumes. China is the main purchaser and price driver for commodities; whether it is copper from Chile, soybeans from Argentina or Paraguay, iron ore and grains from Brazil, gold from Peru, beef from Uruguay, tin from Bolivia, oil from Venezuela and Ecuador, or coal from Colombia. This economic link became crystal clear in the US financial crisis of 2008 that slowed down the economies of Mexico, Central America and the Caribbean (CAC), which all depend heavily on exports to the US market and remittances from there, but South America kept growing so long as China kept growing. The dividing line became clear: in Latin America, south of the Panama Canal the economic driver is China, north of the Panama Canal it still is the US. China has become the main buyer of South American commodities, a more important lender and an active investor. The challenge remains to have China become a full blown, long-term development partner for South America. The Chinese influence in Mexico-CAC is different. Here China is viewed as a competitor for access to the US market with manufactured goods (Mexico) and textiles (CAC), as well a price hiker for food products, and fuel that CAC needs to import. So the Chinese economic influence is dominant in South America. The US has been the prevailing influence in Mexico and CAC, until Trump was elected. The future for Mexico and CAC is now uncertain. With sky-high commodity prices, South America was governed according to the Hugo Chavez project in Venezuela, the Workers Party (PT) in Brazil, the Kirchner power couple in Argentina, and other like-minded projects in the region. South American coffers were filled by Chinese purchases of oil, grains and minerals, as populist regimes reigned over South America. There was a tendency to nationalize companies, spend freely, set low unsustainable consumer prices, close off free trade and not be very friendly to foreign investment in general. With the commodity price decline since 2014(especially oil prices) and voters fed up with and tired of corruption and abuses of populist regimes, the tide turned. More countries now have market-friendly governments. The end of populism in South America bodes well for China, as the current governments are more open to Chinese investment, more open to trade and can assure a better structural framework to collaborate with China. For the first time in its history, the US has elected a president who combines a protectionist trade position with an anti-migration policy. Trump has particularly targeted Mexico, promising to deport 11 million people, to build a wall by seizing remittances sent from the US, to hike duties for manufactured goods and abrogate the North American Free Trade Agreement. This is very worrisome for Mexico, but it also affects many countries in Latin America that have citizens sending remittances from the US. The trade disruption will eventually affect all CAC countries, aswell as Chile, Colombia and Peru, that all have similar free trade treaties with the US. Taking into account the economic interdependence between China and South America, the end of populism in South America, and the dramatic threats that the Trump administration poses to Mexico and CAC, it is clear that time, circumstances and events are providing a significant opening for China to propose a full-blown partnership with Latin America. The proposal should seize the opportunity of the "demise" of the Trans-Pacific Partnership agreement. Mexico now needs reliable partners, unlike the US; so will CAC very soon; and South America needs to deepen its strong trade ties with China. President Xi Jinping can take advantage of his strengthened position as the core leader of China, his commitment to address climate change and his stance as the world's free trade leader, which will help China to extend its Belt and Road Initiative toward Latin America, across the Pacific, with a "Belt and Sea Lane" proposal. The basic elements of it should be trade, loans, investment and respect for human dignity (No deportations. No discrimination). A new trade framework, the active presence of the China-led Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank in Latin America and the expansion of Confucian Institutes should be part of this initiative. Latin America is ready and ripe for such a proposal. This is the right time to show that while some want to build walls to divide and separate, China wants to build a bridge across the Pacific to integrate and link Asia and Latin America. Just one opportunity illustrates the potential of a deeper China-Latin America partnership. China is the world's leading manufacturer of lithium batteries, close to 90 percent of the world's lithium reserves are in South America. Our new, deeper partnership can easily prevail in the race to lead the new wave of lithium batteries for cleaner, more efficient development in the 21st century. The window of opportunity is now the Belt and Sea Lane Initiative for a stronger China-Latin America partnership. The author is former president of Bolivia. News / National by Staff reporter First Lady Grace Mugabe's son, Russell Goreraza, was yesterday accused of influencing the arrest and prosecution of the late Public Works deputy minister Aguy Georgias' son, Harry Moulder, after he allegedly assaulted his sister, who happens to be Goreraza's girlfriend.This was revealed during Harry's domestic violence trial at the Harare Magistrates' Court where he was being charged with assaulting Ionna Kiki Kuriakitsa Georgias while fighting over their children's food.According to Ionna, she was assaulted by Harry after stopping his children from eating lunch.Harry, who is represented by Charity Tawanda, appeared before magistrate Joy Chikodzore with a bandage on his head and was remanded to tomorrow for trial continuation.He pleaded not guilty to the charge claiming to be a victim of the assault, while arguing there was bad blood between the two since their father's death.Harry told the court Ionna claimed she had been impregnated by Goreraza and threatened him with arrest and disappearance by members of the Central Intelligence Organisation (CIO) boasting her boyfriend was well-connected.But, Ionna denied the claims, arguing she never confided in him on anything pertaining to her private life.Harry's lawyer Tawanda then asked Ionna if she knew Goreraza, to which she replied that she only knew him through the media, but later disclosed they usually meet at political events.Harry told the court that instead, it was Ionna who was supposed to face the charges as she was in the habit of provoking him verbally, emotionally and psychologically, insinuating he was not her late father's child.Harry further told the court Ionna was bitter because he was enjoying their father's inheritance.Commenting on his arrest, Harry told the court that justice had been taken upside down owing to Goreraza's influence within the police force.It is the State's case that on April 29 at around 8pm, Ionna had a misunderstanding with Harry over her decision to deny Harry's children food.It is alleged Harry went out and later came back with a bottle of whisky and upon entering the kitchen found Ionna with her sister Amanda.The State alleges Harry then asked Ionna why she was not dead and she did not reply and she walked out of the kitchen to her bedroom, but Harry followed her and then assaulted her with open hands and fists.It is alleged Ionna then took a walking stick and hit Harry on the forehead injuring him, after which she proceeded to make a report, leading to Harry's arrest.Devoted Nyagano-Gwashavanhu appeared for the State. CASA GRANDE An Arizona man has become a neighborhood pirate with his replica of the Pirates of the Caribbean ship, the Black Pearl. While Steven Hills three-story ship did not escape from Davy Jones locker, a giant squid can be seen attacking the ship, which stands in his backyard, The Casa Grande Dispatch reports. He and his wifes love for the Disney franchise inspired him to construct the ship a year ago, Hill said. He used the Ponderosa pines in his backyard to support the ships tree-house design. Although Hill has never worked on a movie set, he said the ship was not too hard to make. He found that the most difficult part of the project was ensuring safety. A tree is a living thing, he said. They do move and change. I built the ship so it could rock forward on a hinge off the side of the guest house as the tree grows without tearing the ship apart. The hull of the ship is about 80 square feet, and its upper deck is about 300 square feet. He thinks it can support about 20 playing children. Already, some neighbor kids have come over to act out their own pirate adventures. Hill added rudders, anchor chains, sails, captains quarters with a bed and desk and faux cannons to make his ship appear as close the Black Pearl as possible. It also has a crows nest, from which Hill can see Eloy. It took a lot of trips to the Salvation Army and Goodwill to get the details right, he said. WASHINGTON American democracy is under assault on separate fronts from President Trump and Russia, the former U.S. intelligence chief warned Sunday, expressing dismay over the abrupt firing of FBI director James Comey amid a probe into Moscows meddling in U.S. elections and possible ties with the Trump campaign. As Trump works to fast-track Comeys successor, lawmakers from both parties urged him to steer clear of any politicians for the job and say he must clean up the mess that he mostly created. I think, in many ways, our institutions are under assault, both externally and thats the big news here, is the Russian interference in our election system, said James Clapper, the former director of national intelligence. I think as well our institutions are under assault internally. When he was asked, Internally, from the president? Clapper said, Exactly. Clapper spoke following Trumps sudden firing of Comey last week, which drew sharp criticism because it came amid the FBIs investigation into Russias interference in the 2016 presidential election. Clapper said Americas founding fathers had created three co-equal branches of government with checks and balances, but with Trump as president, that was now eroding. The White House had no immediate comment. No White House aide appeared on the Sunday news shows, leaving Nikki Haley, the U.S. ambassador to the United Nations, to defend Trump. The president is the CEO of the country. He can hire and fire whoever he wants, she said. Lawmakers from both parties reprimanded Trumps actions, which included shifting explanations from the White House for Comeys dismissal and an ominous tweet by Trump that warned Comey against leaks to the press because he may have tapes of their conversations. The lawmakers called for a new FBI director without any political background and said Trump would need to hand over to Congress any taped conversations with Comey, if they exist. Republican Sen. Lindsey Graham, a member of the Judiciary Committee, said selecting an FBI agent to lead the agency would allow the nation to reset. He dismissed as less desirable at least two of the 14 candidates under consideration by Trump, former Rep. Mike Rogers of Michigan and Sen. John Cornyn of Texas, explaining that these are not normal circumstances. Rogers, an ex-FBI agent and former chairman of the House Intelligence Committee, has drawn the backing of the FBI Agents Association. Cornyn is the No. 2 Republican in the Senate. Its now time to pick somebody who comes from within the ranks, or has such a reputation that has no political background at all that can go into the job on Day 1, said Graham, R-S.C. The president has a chance to clean up the mess he mostly created, he said, adding, I have no evidence that the president colluded with the Russians at all ... but we dont know all the evidence yet. Sen. Mike Lee, a Republican from Utah, continued to argue that the president should consider Merrick Garland the federal judge nominated to the Supreme Court last year by President Barack Obama. Lee said he was absolutely serious about it. A former top aide to Sen. Mitch McConnell, Josh Holmes, said McConnell is interested in the suggestion. I think the Senate majority leader thinks thats a fantastic idea, Holmes said. Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer of New York said the new FBI director should be someone not of partisan background with great experience and courage. He declined comment on a Garland nomination. Eliza Larson and Kristy Kohler started their lactation granola bar company Oat Mama by meeting moms in Whole Foods Market parking lots and designating pick-up times at local Starbucks to get their bars to customers. The Tucson moms met three years ago watching their 2-year-old sons play at Himmel Park. Both were eight months pregnant with boys. Out of that friendship, they birthed Oat Mama, drawing on shared struggles with breastfeeding Larson after her first pregnancy and Kohler after her second. Kristy was having a hard time with her son and producing enough milk, and we noticed lactation cookies trending, Larson, 35, says. We would both rather have a granola bar in the diaper bag than cookies, and were bakers at heart. We thought, Lets just test some recipes around here. RECIPE FOR SUCCESS They decided to pack the bars with foods that have a reputation for helping breastfeeding moms produce milk: oats, ground flaxseed and brewers yeast. One of the bars contains fenugreek, an herb known to increase milk supply. Cookies have a lot of filler ingredients, Kohler, 36, says. The granola bar is all nuts and seeds and coconut oils things that are beneficial to a new mom. Although they knew the main ingredients they wanted to include, finding recipes good enough to sell took some work 60 to 70 test recipes, Larson says. We were breastfeeding at the time, so we were our own guinea pigs and could say, This helped my supply, she adds. All but one of their bars the creamy peanut butter chip are soy- and dairy-free. About a year into the business, they made all of the bars gluten-free, Larson says. They passed out their first bar at the Tucson Festival of Books in March 2015, asking for feedback before launching. The feedback was so strong and people were asking where they could order more, and we were like, We dont have them ready yet! Kohler says. Oat Mama officially launched in April 2015 online at oatmama.com. The Nut and Berry bar was their first product, the one they passed out at the book festival. It was the wrong choice, Kohler says, laughing. Everyone wants chocolate. So now theres chocolate. Oat Mama sells a variety of flavors online and in about a dozen baby boutiques around the country, Larson says. They also have a few seasonal flavors think pumpkin pecan in the fall. WHIPPING UP A BUSINESS The growth of Oat Mama quickly outpaced their model of baking in Larsons home and shipping from Kohlers. Now they have six employees and their own warehouse with a kitchen and storage. We were both stay-at-home moms and ready to get back into the workforce, Kohler says. But it can be hard for moms to re-enter after they take a step away from their careers and it feels like theres no way back in. For us, becoming entrepreneurs was a way back in. The company grew through social media, turning Larson and Kohlers focus from a local audience into a national one. They have more than 600 customer reviews on their website, along with more than 20,000 Instagram followers and about 8,000 Facebook followers. A private Facebook group offers a place for its 390 members to encourage and commiserate with each other. They recently went through Startup Tucsons Thryve a program for entrepreneurs wanting to grow their companies and won a services package for their presentation at the end of the of the 11-week program. Beyond the business of selling granola bars, there is another ingredient in the Oat Mama recipe: Encouragement for moms, those who breastfeed and those who dont. We felt like a lot of the messaging (of other lactation products) was, Were going to help you fix this problem, which is a sad message, Kohler says. We want to be empowering, to help moms feel confident and excited to breastfeed and know they can. MILKING COMMUNITY Crissi Blake and Nina Isaac, the co-owners of the local postpartum and breastfeeding support center Milk and Honey, say community support, especially early on, helps many moms nurse successfully. We werent meant to do this on our own, says Blake, a registered nurse and certified lactation consultant. Back in the day, we were living with grandmas and aunties and cousins who were helping us through the process, and now people are doing it on their own and werent meant to. Both Kohler and Larson were taken aback when breastfeeding didnt come easily. Nobody tells you it will hurt, Larson says. The number one question Milk and Honey fields about breastfeeding has to do with milk supply. Although lots of moms worry theyre not producing enough breast milk for their baby, they usually are, Blake and Isaac say. And if they arent, sometimes, there are other root issues to examine. Milk and Honey consultants dont recommend galactagogues substances like many of the ingredients in Oat Mama bars that increase lactation for all breastfeeding moms. But for those who do need a boost in milk production, they might help. Blake and Isaac also see women turn to galactagogues when they return to work and notice a decrease in supply when they begin using a breast pump. But every woman is different. I think for a lot of moms who go back to work and have to start pumping, youre away from your baby and might not produce as much milk, and thats scary for a lot of moms, and so this gives confidence that they can still maintain supply, Larson says. Theyre not magic. They dont work for every mom, but having that as a little me time, its a treat for a mom to have when they are pumping once back at work or even if your child gets sick and you get a dip in supply. The Oat Mama website says clearly that the bars have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration and dont replace professional support. We have a lot of moms who use (galactagogues) and say that they have found success, Blake says. Theres not a lot of great research supporting it, so its anecdotal. And Oat Mama does have a lot of anecdotes on the site, some raving about the increase in milk supply and others complimenting the taste but adding that the bars didnt aid lactation. Milk and Honey has occasionally stashed samples of their granola bars. We really like Oat Mama, because theyre local and theyre awesome ladies, and their product is really tasty, Blake says. PROVIDING FOR THEIR SONS Recently, Oat Mama began selling a tea blend and a tank top that says Mother Together. Theyre donating a portion of the tank proceeds to the maternal health nonprofit Every Mother Counts and a milk bank in Austin. We created this, Larson says. Its our baby. Were making a living off of it. Thats huge. Its only been two years. Their real babies, of course, come first. Larson has another son on the way. Im happy that we are setting an example for them of strong moms and role models and following our dreams, Kohler says. Its important for boys to see that, and I like to be an inspiration for other moms, too, that are in our same situation who are stay-at-home moms who would love to work or do something else. Oat Mama has provided for Larson, Kohler and their families in more ways than one. My first son was a dream scenario (with breastfeeding) and with my second boy that wasnt true, Kohler says. I started getting worried and said, Hey, whats going on here? A lactation consultant mentioned lactation cookies, and I was able to continue breastfeeding him fully because of the product that we made ... so that was a personal significance to me ... UA Presents programmer Candace L. Feldman is heading to the Ukraine at the end of the month as part of a State Department-sponsored cultural exchange program. Feldman and 11 other arts professionals from around the country will work with Ukrainian artists and ensembles interested in performing with a U.S. tour. The advisors will spend 10 days visiting the artists, watching them perform and participating in their workshops before making recommendations on the tour lineup. Feldman is the first representative from Arizona to serve on Center Stage, which is produced by the New England Foundation for the Arts in Boston. The program was initiated by the U.S. Department of States Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs in 2012. This is a huge moment in my career, to be asked to join the team and go over and visit with artists in the Ukraine, said Feldman, who said the initiative can lead to global conversations. Jory Hancock, outgoing UA College of Fine Arts dean who oversees UA Presents, said having Feldman represent Tucson on Center Stage will have a positive impact on the UA and the state nationally. Candace is someone who is not only a programmer, but a producer so her expertise extends beyond just bringing arts in, said Hancock, who also is director of the UA School of Dance. She has a lot of experience creating art herself, and by art I mean media and stage performances. I think that was part of the reason she was selected and part of the reason we hired her. Feldman said there is a chance that the Center Stage Ukraine tour could pass through Centennial Hall. I think it does invite an opportunity that I think UA Presents should consider, she said, noting that the performances would be an ideal fit for the Passport to the World series. We've collected a few front pages from newspapers.com to give you a look at some May 14 papers in history. With a subscription to newspapers.com you can search the Arizona Daily Star and many other newspapers using keywords or dates, and download articles or pages. A couple of years ago, Mike Varney was passing the hat among Tucson business owners. It might seem like a weird way to get an airline to fly between here and New York City, but that was the means the president of the Tucson Metro Chamber had available. And it worked. Local private donors committed to dropping big bucks, up to $1 million, to help Varney reach the needed threshold of $3 million. Without those commitments, which American Airlines could draw on in case of inadequate revenue, the airline was unwilling to fly nonstop between Tucson International and John F. Kennedy airports. But among the many commitments of private donations, there were also those pesky public contributions. Those, it turns out, are a sticky issue. Pima County Administrator Chuck Huckelberry agreed informally, without bringing the issue first to the Board of Supervisors, to contribute $100,000 toward the effort. That amounted to about 3.3 percent of the total needed. The city of Tucson made some sort of affirmative gesture, it seems, agreeing to a request to chip in $75,000, or 2.5 percent of the total needed. I phrase it that way because nobody with the city has confirmed agreeing to that amount, but City Manager Mike Ortega acknowledged there was an agreement in principle to support the effort. American Airlines started flying between TIA and JFK in October last year. Right away, the flights went south. American rarely made the minimal amount of money required to keep from dipping into the $3 million fund. Under the terms of the agreement, by the way, American could draw from this guaranteed revenue fund if it didnt make enough money, but if it made more than enough, that excess did not roll over into the next period. It just kept the money. The problem early on wasnt just that the flights were less full than needed around 70 percent full rather than about 80 percent but also that one-stop competition to New York City undercut Americans expected fares. We knew we could encourage people to get on the plane, but we couldnt control the prices, said Bill Assenmacher, CEO of Caid Industries, who helped run the fund and was one of its biggest contributors. Theyre giving these damn tickets away, and its been disappointing. The result was that American immediately signaled in January that it would need to draw on the revenue guarantee fund. The disappointing first two months qualified the airline to draw $1.3 million from the reserve fund. Since then, it appears to have qualified for another $1.3 million. Thats why Assenmacher & Co. have been letting committed donors know their money is needed now. And thats what brought into the public eye the fact that the county and, apparently, the city have been making financial commitments to this airline project without asking their elected boards first. Not a good idea. For one thing, the staff cant guarantee that the county Board of Supervisors or City Council will follow through and release the money. For another, theres a question as to whether the subsidies from the city and county violate the state constitutions Gift Clause, which prohibits public subsidies to private companies without a sufficient return to taxpayers. In the countys case, only Republican Supervisor Ally Miller raised a serious concern about fulfilling Huckelberrys $100,000 commitment. Even fellow Republican Steve Christy split from Miller and voted with the three Democrats to spend the money. In the citys case, rather than pay out the first half of the $75,000, as requested, the city administration asked Visit Tucson to cover the bill. This amounted to an extra payment for the agency charged with promoting tourism in the area Visit Tucson had already committed $250,000 of its own. Weve fronted the $37,500 at this time, Visit Tucson CEO Brent DeRaad told me Friday. We could very possibly be getting reimbursed. This is a bit troubling to me not because the agency in charge of promoting tourism in the Tucson area is paying the money. That actually makes sense. But because of the timing: Tucson wiggled out of its commitment in the month or two leading up to the important sales-tax election that concludes Tuesday. It probably wouldnt look right for a city in the midst of asking voters to charge themselves an extra half-cent per dollar on purchases to simultaneously hand over a $75,000 subsidy to an airline. When I asked Ortega Friday if the election was on his mind when asking Visit Tucson to take on that burden, he said, Absolutely not. Maybe thats the case. But then why would the city consider reimbursing Visit Tucson later for the money spent today? Heres something for sure: We dont need to be spending general-fund tax money on subsidizing airline flights, even though they are good for business. If any tax money is going toward recruiting airlines, it should come from Visit Tucson. The agencys funding comes primarily from hotel bed taxes charged in Tucson, Pima County and Oro Valley. DeRaad and hospitality-industry representatives have already begun talking about funneling some bed-tax money and donations from hotels and resorts into a new revenue-guarantee fund. Thats the way to do it, since we cant keep expecting the same handful of business people to hand over hundreds of thousands of dollars, and we shouldnt ask the city and county. The idea is that next time we land a nonstop to another new destination, the revenue guarantees can be in place, but they wont actually have to be used because the flight is financially successful. Then, free of general-fund commitments, they can be reused to land the next nonstop, too. Starting next school year, children will be allowed to bring and apply sunscreen at school or camp without a doctors note, thanks to new Arizona legislation. Like Tylenol or ibuprofen, sunscreen is classified as an over-the-counter drug by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration and previously fell under medication bans that required a doctors note or a prescription for kids to have it at school. The bill was introduced by Arizona Rep. Heather Carter, a Republican from north Phoenix, who also sponsored a bill to ban anyone under the age of 18 from using a tanning bed. The sunscreen bill was signed by Gov. Doug Ducey on April 26. Working with the dermatological association, both here and nationally, it has become more and more concerning that some schools were not allowing kids to carry sunscreen in school, said Carter. The research is very clear that the earlier children have exposure to a dangerous sunburn, the more likely they are to have some of the most dangerous forms of skin cancer later in life, and as we all know, kids are attending school during the day when the sun is at its greatest strength. ... So we created this legislation to allow parents and allow children to carry and apply sunscreen in school. The legislation leaves room for schools to create their own policies . For example, a school might decide children cannot use aerosol sunscreen or it may prefer that children bring unscented varieties. We left the policy as broad as possible to allow kids to carry it with no question and to allow schools to create necessary policies for the legislation to work, Carter said. Tucsons largest school district, Tucson Unified, says it has always allowed students to apply sunscreen in the health office. This law allows children to apply their sunscreen in the classroom, which is great news no time wasted traveling to the health office, and teachers can promote sun safety for the entire class, said Nikki Stefan, health services director for TUSD. The law, HB 2134, also allows school districts or camps to make their own policies or guidelines regarding teachers or volunteers assisting children with the application of sunscreen. The Skin Cancer Institute at the University of Arizona says the new law is a step in the right direction. We need to protect our kids and we know if they take care of their skin when theyre younger, theyll have less of a chance of developing skin cancer, said Denise Spartanos, community outreach coordinator for the Skin Cancer Institute. Applying sunscreen in the morning before school isnt enough, Spartanos said. If a child is vigilant about putting it on at say 7 in the morning and the child is on the playground at 11 in the morning, its not effective, Spartanos said. We recommend putting it on every 90 minutes. Parents may feel a false sense of security not realizing they need to reapply. The type of sunscreen used is just as important as applying it correctly, Spartanos said. The Skin Cancer Institute recommends products that are broad spectrum, which protects from UVA and UVB rays; an SPF factor of 30; and have a correct active ingredient which can be zinc oxide, titanium dioxide, avobenzone or mexoryl. In response to the legislation, the institute plans to inform schools about its Protect Your Skin program, which sells kits that includes a gallon of zinc-oxide-based, SPF 30 sunscreen with two dispensers and educational signage that can be bought for $150. Ive been working on skin cancer awareness and legislation to encourage healthy sun behaviors since Ive been elected, and this has been embraced by constituents, schools, physicians and advocacy groups from the start, Carter said. Ive tried to do a lot of things, but this one was common sense, and people were excited. They were surprised we had to pass a law to do this, but they were glad we did. Just as University of Arizona students were starting to edit the films that they had spent their entire college careers leading up to, the coronavirus pandemic happened and their worlds were turned upside down. News / National by Simbarashe Sithole Following unverified reports that many sex workers have died at the Tobacco Sales Floor (TSF) as a result of police brutality, prostitutes have relocated to the Premier Tobacco Auction Floors.The sex workers say they left because the Zimbabwe Republic Police accused them of promoting theft in the area.Speaking to this reporter the prostitutes said Premier Tobacco Auction Floors is more conducive for business though the clients are fewer than those from TSF."We no longer want trouble with the police hence we have moved to Premier Auction Floor where we operate freely because there is a bar and night club (Pamuvil)."On the lodge we share two per room at $25 per night so it is safer than bush sex or in make shifts at TSF," said Chiedza.Prostitutes have also also bemoaned plastic money saying farmers are not free to spend more cash due to the use of swipe machines. Deputy Interior Department secretary nominee David Bernhardt, whose law firm has represented Rosemont Copper since 2011, is pledging to recuse himself from handling all Rosemont-related issues for a year if confirmed for the post. Bernhardt listed Rosemont Copper as one of 17 firms and other entities from which he receives at least $5,000 a year in compensation. Many are energy and water companies or water districts whose business the Interior Department often regulates. Another is the Tucson-based Safari Club International, a foundation that is regularly active in national hunting and other conservation-related issues. In a letter to Interiors ethics office, Bernhardt pledged to avoid taking any official actions for a year that could affect those various entities. If confirmed by the Senate for the job, Bern-hardt also pledged to leave his current partnership at the D.C.-based law firm Brownstein, Hyatt, Farber and Schreck L.L.P. Interior does not have decision-making authority over the proposed Rosemont Mine. But two of its agencies, the Bureau of Land Management and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, have taken significant stands on opposing sides in the protracted mine dispute. A third Interior agency, the U.S. Geological Survey, has provided scientific information related to the mine issue to other agencies. Bernhardt lobbied for Rosemont from 2011 through 2015 and remains a consultant, Rosemonts Toronto-based parent company Hudbay Minerals Inc. said late last year. Other prominent Bernhardt clients are the Central Valley, California-based Westlands Water District, one of the biggest U.S. water districts; the Garrison Diversion Irrigation District in North Dakota, and Cadiz Inc. Cadiz, of Los Angeles, is embroiled in a longstanding controversy on which Interior must ultimately decide over a proposed, 43-mile-long pipeline to take groundwater from the Southern California desert to the Colorado River Aqueduct for delivery to urban areas. Bernhardt has also represented seven energy companies, based in Dallas and Houston, and the D.C.-based Independent Petroleum Association of North America. News / National by Staff reporter President Robert Mugabe yesterday hailed the late retired Chief Justice Godfrey Chidyausiku for ruling that the government may acquire land and agriculture equipment seized from white-owned farms.He told mourners at the burial of Chidyausiku at the Heroes' Acre - a national shrine in the shape of an AK47 assault rifle - that some of Zimbabwe's white farmers had hoped to successfully legally challenge the government's right to take the land and equipment as part of its controversial land redistribution policy but were stopped by the judge."The late chief justice came up with decisions which made our land reform programme possible, he applied a sharp legal mind to overturn the justice (Anthony) Gubbay judgments," Mugabe said.In an unprecedented move, Chidyausiku, who was then judge president, overturned a ruling by then Chief Justice Anthony Gubbay that government should take all measures to protect the possessions and property of white farmers who challenged the legality of the contested land reform programme."The Third Chimurenga was resoundingly won thanks to the efforts of the likes of Chidyausiku."Mugabe, who got to the Heroes Acre around 1pm after arriving back home around 5am from Singapore, said Chidyausiku understood the land battle as he was in line to benefit.Earlier, family spokesperson ambassador Boniface Chidyausiku said in his eulogy his late brother had just harvested 150 tonnes of tobacco."We have been told he was a farmer, but to us he was a hero who we were with in governance, though he was on the side of those we trusted to defend us in the land issue, because there were still those who were for whites who wanted to mess up everything, going to the courts, including the British courts," Mugabe said."When you have judges that understand you and who are afraid that they will also lose out if the land is taken away; they will defend the country as they will believe they are also defending themselves."As chief justice, the late ...Chidyausiku would be remembered for the most important role he played in defending and shaping the course of our land reform programme. There was violence and you know it, the white farmers did everything to derail it, and ended enlisting the support of the white bench, which was led by the likes of justice Gubbay, so we needed people like Chidyausiku to fight for us and resist the Gubbays as best as they could."He hailed Chidyausiku for setting up the Judicial Services Commission - a panel of mostly senior judges and lawyers - that he said was his last act before retiring."The Judicial Commission that produced a list of chief justice contenders, they were competing, so we were given the three chosen ones after others were dropped and we were told to pick from the three," Mugabe said, referring to process that led to him choosing Luke Malaba to replace Chidyausiku who had stepped down at the end of February.The top jurist died in a South African hospital last week on Wednesday where he was receiving medical attention for liver and kidney related problems.Mugabe, who described Chidyausiku as a distinguished and respected cadre, said his death caught him by surprise.He said he was aware that he was unwell for the past two months, but never imagined it would turn for the worse.He said the late retired chief justice studied law in the 70s when Africans were under colonial subjugation, leading to the guerrilla war against Ian Smith's regime.He narrated how Chidyausiku got into politics, culminating in his participation in the 1979 Lancaster House talks that led to an agreement to end white rule in the former Rhodesia.Mugabe and the late Vice President Joshua Nkomo headed the liberation fighters' delegation to the talks."Go well son of the soil...faithful servant who never deceived the nation and you never went astray...go well as a national hero and may you rest in eternal peace," Mugabe said. Since Labours manifesto leak shows significant increases to the budget of public services, notably the NHS. A lot of people have questioned where the funding will come from, of course where it will come from is important. But that question rarely gets asked when the renewal of trident comes around or we bomb other countries, however that is an argument for another time. This focus on Labour promises and where the money will come from. Firstly, they have set out quite succinctly where the money will come from and will have a clear funding plan for public services when the manifesto is officially released in the coming days. Funding pledge Current knowledge on funding is largely to do with clamping down on tax avoidance and increasing taxes on the 5% richest in society. According to current IFS statistics, you must earn at least 72,000 a year to be in the top 5% richest, Labour policy will see no tax increase for those earning under 80,000 a year, this tax increase will hit Jeremy Corbyn himself who earns around 125,000 a year along with Theresa May and London Mayor, Sadiq Khan along with various other cabinet ministers and major party leaders. They also plan to introduce a Robin Hood Tax, which will modernise the 322-year old stamp duty system. This will incorporate new forms of highly-traded financial assets. They will put a 0.5% tax on transactions, close the loophole within the tax office and the increase in corporate tax, they would raise significant sums of tax revenue over the next course of parliament, estimates are currently at 26 billion over a 50-year term. Achieving significant tax reforms but of course there is a risk with corporate tax, that it will put businesses off. But under Labour corporate tax itself would still be one of the most competitive globally, it is the UKs tax base that is uncompetitive with an ungenerous set of capital allowances. If the UK wants to become competitive with its tax base, it would require reform within this area rather than the reduction of corporate tax. The debate regarding euthanasia and assisted dying in the UK is controversial and heart-breaking. To begin, it is important to define the terms and the distinction between them: euthanasia is the act of deliberately ending a person's life to relieve their suffering, while Assisted Suicide is the act of assisting or encouraging another person to kill themselves. There are two types of euthanasia, active and passive. The first requires positive action to end a person's life, the second involves withdrawing or withholding treatment which keeps them alive. Euthanasia is also classified as voluntary or non-voluntary: in voluntary euthanasia, the subject consciously requests help to die. In non-voluntary euthanasia, the subject is unable to give their consent because they are in a state lacking mental capacity, e.g. coma, and another person takes the decision on their behalf. The current legal position Active euthanasia and assisted suicide are illegal under English law. The first is regarded as either manslaughter or murder with a maximum penalty of life imprisonment, and the second is punishable with up to 14 years in prison. However, due to the number of people applying to courts to have the position on assisted suicide reviewed, the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) has issued a series of new guidelines. These guidelines clarify a more lenient position: each case of assisted suicide will be considered specifically and decided by the DPP whether to be prosecuted based on significant factors, concentrating primarily on the autonomy of the subject and whether they made the decision to die independently, requesting help, or were unduly pressured. In past cases, where a loved one has acted only out of compassion on the request of his/her partner, for example, the DPP has decided not to prosecute. The two sides of the debate Those who still feel that assisted dying should remain illegal cite their concern about the possibility of euthanasia replacing high quality end of life care. Many feel that vulnerable people will be put in a difficult position and feel a burden, and that the government may reduce funding for palliative care if faced with the option of a cheaper alternative. However, the campaign umbrella group Dignity in Dying cites evidence that in jurisdictions where the option is available, there have been no cases of abuse and no widening of the scope beyond the limited necessity. Also, palliative care options remain first and foremost available and must be considered when any requests for assisted dying are made. According to statistics, 82% of the British public support a choice of assisted dying for adults who are terminally ill. They feel that one should, above all, be able to choose when to die, with respect for how they spend their last days. The campaign continues Although MPs voted in 2015 against a Bill which legalised assisted dying for terminally ill adults, campaigners are trying to persuade the courts to declare that the criminalisation of acts assisting someone who wishes to die is incompatible with human rights. This would force Parliament to reconsider. One of a group of faith leaders supporting the move, Rabbi Dr Romain states: "we hope MPs will revisit the issue at a future debate." The director of the campaign group Friends at the End, Dr Michael Irwin perseveres: "The fight goes on." #AssistedDying President Recep Tayyip Erdogan of Turkey will be visiting Washington DC on the 16th of May, where he will meet US President Donald Trump. The visit became critical as Washington announced that Kurdish militant group YPG will be supported with heavy weapons by the US army. Turkey considers YPG as a terrorist organisation, an outrunner of Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK). Besides a soft statement made by Turkish Foreign Ministry, Mr. Erdogan's reaction to such support can be summarised with a short sentence made before his visit to China. We hope this mistake will be corrected before our Washington visit Erdogan said. A "fragile" matter Turkey's former ambassador to Bonn, Mr. Onur Oymen thinks no correction will be made by the Trump administration. Oymen says before seeing steps taken by Washington to solve such a fragile matter for Turkey, it's wrong for Ankara to confirm the schedule of the visit. As an experienced diplomat and MP, Mr. Oymen says cancellation of the meeting should be the right alternative if US shows no will to satisfy Turkey's concerns. Cooperation? If there's such a delicate case in your agenda, you should pay effort for solving the issue by setting diplomatic meetings before the visit. And if no solution is available, you need to cancel your visit. Former US ambassador in Ankara, Eric Edelman wrote about PKKs support to YPG in a New York Times article in 2015, which is a proof of close cooperation of the two organisations. Also Amnesty International declared YPG as a war criminal in a report in 2015 Oymen says. Confronting ISIL YPG (People's Protection Units) is the armed branch of PYD (Democratic Union Party), a Kurdish political organisation in Syria. As a Kurdish movement, PYD and YPG is a major partner of coalition forces confronting ISIL in the northern part of the country, known as Rojava. Turkey's main concern is avoiding a seperate Kurdish state to be founded besides its borders. Ankara considers PYD and YPG as terrorist organisations and the main partner of Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK), a militant group fighting against Turkey demanding a liberal Kurdistan in the region. Head of PKK, Abdullah Ocalan is in prison sentenced for life. The United States and European countries consider the PKK as a terrorist organisation, but not the PYD and YPG. The Trump administration now decided to support YPG with heavy weapons and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan's two days visit to Washington DC will be crucial under the shadow of the this decision. Relations once more have soured between Israel and Turkey. After it hoped that things would get better after the flotilla raid in 2010, things are back where they were unfortunately. What is the problem this time? There have been a number of criticisms by the Turkish president Recep Tayyip Erdogan against the State of Israel, who first of all compared Israel's policies against the Palestinians as akin to that of the "apartheid-era" in South Africa, according to Aljazeera. In addition to stating that the embargo on Gaza by Israel "has no place in humanity", he also criticised the pledge made by Trump to move the US embassy to Jerusalem. Fighting back Israel did not hold back in its response. Emmanuel Nahshon, Israel's foreign ministry spokesman, strongly stated that Erdogan is a "serial human rights violator" and should not "preach morality" to the "only democracy in the region". Nahshon went on to say that "Israel consistently protects total freedom of worships for Jews, Muslims and Christians". However this situation is resolved, it is clear that a resolution is required. Both nations do have more important problems to deal with, namely that of global terrorism. We need to be standing together to thwart the world's problems; not Fighting with each other. It will help nobody going forwards. News / National by Stephen Jakes Chief Gampu has expressed concerns that the traditional leaders' values seem to be eroding away from the people as the nation seem to have a lot of elderly people abusing young girls.He made the remarks while in parliament during debate about HIV and AIDs."I am not in the HIV Committee, however, I was very much touched by what was being contributed by most Hon. Senators. It is saddening for us aschiefs as we see that our values are slowly eroding away from people. Some previous speakers spoke about sugar daddies who are so much of a problem in institutions of higher learning. It is true that they are indeed problematic because they fall in love and abuse these young children.Their intention is not to marry them but for them to benefit from them whilst abusing them," said the chief."People no longer have conscience at all that is why they do such scurry things. Truthfully, if you have a girl child and you leave them at home,you go to an institution of higher learning take advantage of another child who is same age as your child because you have money, where is yourconscience. That is where our problem is. If the Government is to strengthen the laws concerning this issue, it would go a long way inassisting to curb this issue."Gampu said concerning the issue of transmission of HIV/AID, people who do this intentionally, should be put under the law."There should be a law that takes care of these actions so that they pay for their deeds. Conscience no longer exist amongst us as people and thisis caused by what we call democracy. The human rights that we always talk about. The children that move around with sugar daddies and do what they want believing it is their right to do whatever they want, whenever they want and to have sugar daddies, however it is a bad thing," said the Chief."I remember the former South African President, Thabo Mbeki once released a statement that HIV/AIDS is nonexistent but it is there because of poverty. He said that what perpetuates HIV/AIDS is poverty and people did not understand what he meant. What he meant was that our poverty and suffering as Zimbabwe and the whole of Africa is what leads our children to handle themselves the way they do, having sugar daddies and dating for money's sake. I have heard that these sugar daddies are now referred to as "blessers".""As chiefs, we are here to advise you and to correct you in your wrong ways. It is amazing that the pastors, the bishops, the elderly and evenMembers of Parliament are amongst those who do wrong. As we sit in this august House, I beg with you Hon. Members, let us have conscience. Let us go to church; perhaps the Lord could have mercy upon us. He said it in his Bible that if you follow my commandments, you will not die of diseases of foreigners. The diseases that are referred to are like HIV/AIDS. What God is saying is that we should follow his commandments. We should have our conscience and people should not be brave. That is a very bad thing. With those few words," added the Chief. Being a movie reviewer can be dangerous work. You never know who is out there, reading what you've written, and waiting to take revenge. God forbid you spit on someone's favorite classic -- in my day, I've gotten my fair share of hate mail, from the mundane (one reader actually sent me a rotted pumpkin in the mail for failing to find Halloween III an undiscovered masterpiece) to the near-psychotic (I had to change my email address -- twice -- after an irate veteran apparently didn't like my trashing of Pearl Harbor and predicted I might suffer a premature demise). So it is with great trepidation I go into any review of a film that has a sizable and vocal fanbase. So it goes with King Kong, a film beloved before it even hit cinemas. Thanks to the Rings phenomenon, Peter Jackson is Hollywood's new heir apparent to Steven Spielberg, George Lucas, and James Cameron all rolled into one. So, to not like Kong is almost heretical. Sure, the film wasn't quite the gargantuan box office hit predicted, but the faithful still bent over backwards trying to downplay the film's faults and over-inflate its positives. And nothing I can say will likely change anyone's mind. So if you like this movie, skip right on down to the technical portions of this review. Because I hated this heartfelt if woefully miscalculated would-be blockbuster. Painfully overlong, horribly structured, badly cast, and containing some of the worst CGI I've ever seen, I couldn't wait for Kong to finally fall off the top of that stupid building and crush Naomi Watts along with him, just so the whole dumb thing would be over with. The story: Ann Darrow (Watts) is a struggling B-movie actress in 1920s America. Lovelorn and desperate for big-screen stardom, she hooks up with shady filmmaker Carl Denham (Jack Black), who whisks her and a makeshift crew off to a remote island, in the hopes of capturing "exotic" footage for a new potboiler. Along for the ride is Jack Driscoll (Adrien Brody), who is in love with Ann, but she has another, slightly more rotund suitor waiting for her on the island. After a bunch of interminable scenes on a boat involving instantly forgettable supporting characters, the crew is captured by a village of savages, with Ann being served as the main course for Kong. After even more interminable Jurassic Park-lite scenes involving Kong fighting (and fighting, and fighting) with dinosaurs, and Gollum (Andy Serkis) being attacked by giant bugs, Kong and Ann fall in love. Of course, as with all tragic romances, fate intervenes -- Denham cares little for romance, only profit, and soon poor Kong is New York's new star attraction. But love has no bounds, especially when your boyfriend weighs six tons, and the Big Apple now has one very big problem on its hands -- this one won't end happily. The tale of King Kong is, of course, a classic. Yes it's ridiculous -- a woman and a giant ape falling in love? But the power of Kong has always been that it is a fairy tale, a tragic fable of beauty that killed the beast. Which is why I was so exasperated by Jackson's take on the material. For the first two-thirds of the film's very long 187 minutes -- and even more padded in its extended 200-minute version, which is also included here -- Jackson seems to care little about his two leads. Instead, we get endless subplot after endless subplot, none of which pay off in any meaningful way. It is almost as if Jackson is obsessed with telling the backstories of everyone but Ann and Kong. And the island scenes, while decent enough as action filler, also have little to do with the heart of the story. Ann's relationship with Kong is certainly touching -- even a cold-hearted cynic like myself was misty-eyed as our doomed lovers made goo-goo eyes at each other on the edge of a giant cliff -- but it is surrounded by so much banal business that I nearly fell asleep. I also remain utterly bewildered as to why today's filmmakers are so in love with their CGI toys. Precious few moments in King Kong (or, for that matter the new Star Wars films, or the Spider-Man franchise, or Harry Potter...) look even remotely photo-realistic. Kong always looks like a digital creation, and after countless, monotonous scenes of normally excellent actors running in front of blue screen, pretending they are being chased by monsters, I was completely taken out of the world Jackson hoped to immerse me in. I'm not suggesting we go back to the era of latex puppets and bad matte paintings, but how about a bit more restraint? The herky-jerky rhythms of Kong and his dinos are a complete violation of physics, and no human body could withstand half of what Naomi Watts goes through in this movie and still be in one piece. This whole CGI craze continues to leave me frustrated and emotionally alienated -- I mustered more tears when that Ewok in a furry teddy bear costume died in Return of the Jedi than during the whole three hours of Kong. Yes, I did find a few things in King Kong' to like. It is a handsome production, and whenever anything real is onscreen (a prop, a location, a costume) it hints at the authenticity that might have been. I also continue to admire Watts, Brody and Serkis as actors -- I'm sure they'll look back at this one with a shrug, as the one that got away. With a more streamlined story, less reliance on excessive special effects, and a director concerned with humanity and not technology, Kong could have been a classic. Instead, it actually left me nostalgic for that classic camp-fest that was 1976's King Kong -- the one starring Jessica Lange and Jeff Bridges and some guy in a monkey suit. At least that version (as bad it was) knew when to quit. Vital Disc Stats: The Ultra HD Blu-ray Universal Studios Home Entertainment brings King Kong (2005) to 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray as a three-disc combo pack with an UltraViolet Digital Copy code. When redeeming said code via UPHE.com, only the SD and HDX (1080p) of either the Theatrical Cut or the Extended Edition are available through a variety of retailers. The dual-layered UHD66 and Region Free, BD50 discs sit comfortably on opposite sides of center spindle while another Region Free, BD50 disc is on the last panel. All three are housed inside a black, eco-vortex case with a glossy, embossed slipcover. At startup, the disc goes straight to a menu screen with full-motion clips and music playing in the background. One of the nation's largest power companies has changed its name from Dominion Resources to Dominion energy. This change represents the names of all of the key subsidiaries, including Dominion Virginia Power. The new name unifies the company's brands throughout the 18 states where they serve more than 6 million customers. The company's new name brings together all parts of the business under one common name. Even though electricity is Dominion Energy's largest product, the company does other things as well. According to Thomas F. Farrell, II, chairman, president, and CEO of Dominion Energy, the name change also includes Quester -- which merged with Dominion last year. Even though the name was proposed back in February, shareholders voted to approve the new name on Wednesday, May 10. Some companies rebrand after 12 years, but this is the first rebranding for Dominion in 17 years. The company used to be called Virginia Electric and Power Company, which was shortened to VEPCO. It took customers a long time to stop saying VEPCO. About Dominion Energy Dominion Energy, formerly Dominion Resources, is headquartered in Richmond, Virginia. However, the company supplies electricity to parts of North Carolina and Virginia. Not only does Dominion Energy supply electricity, it also supplies natural gas to parts of eastern North Carolina, West Virginia, Ohio, and Pennsylvania. Dominion has facilities in Connecticut, Illinois, Indiana, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, and Wisconsin. The CEO did not disclose the rebranding cost, but the good news is that customers will not see an increase in their monthly bills to pay for these changes. Customers can expect to see changes on correspondences from Dominion, employee uniforms, and the company's 7,300 vehicles, buildings, and hard hats. There won't be any changes to addresses or telephone numbers. Employees' e-mail addresses have been changed automatically. That means that if you correspond with an employee through e-mail, there is no need to update your contact information because they will still be able to receive e-mails from you. However, you might notice that when they send you one, their e-mail will be from Dominion Energy instead of the old dom.com. The company logo The company's logo has also been changed to go along with the new name. It is still in blue and in the shape of a "D." The white lines symbolize energy. The new logo has been described as simple but still strong and more modern than the old one. The logo was designed by Chermayeff & Geismar & Haviv. The brand design firm based in New York is known for having designed logos and trademarks for NBC, State Farm, National Geographic, PBS and the Smithsonian. It's become commonplace for cable news panels to become heated when supporters of Donald Trump clash with those who oppose him. On Thursday night, that tension was taken to a new level, with a prominent host stepping in before abruptly ending the program. CNN implodes Ever since Donald Trump decided to run for president back in June 2015, the landscape of American politics has changed. Part of that change can be seen on a daily basis across social media and on cable news, where the former host of "The Apprentice" and his policies are front and center to dominate the news cycle. In recent memory, there's never been a more controversial and polarizing political figure than Trump, which has resulted in increased backlash, while those who support him continue to stand by his side regardless of the situation at hand. On Thursday morning, Trump supporter Jeffrey Lord appeared on CNN along with liberal activist Symone Sanders. The segment was going as expected until Lord declared the president the "Martin Luther King of health care." At this point, Sanders, an African-American, fired back at Lord in what would become a heated exchange between the two. Fast forward to the April 13 edition of "CNN Tonight with Don Lemon" later that night which didn't go much better. (First part of the segment in the above video.) During Thursday night's program on CNN, host Don Lemon welcomed a panel which included Symone Sanders, Bakari Sellers, Salena Zito, and a returning Jeffrey Lord. The segment highlighted the aforementioned comments made earlier in the day, which didn't sit well with the panel, as well as the host. As the conversation came to a close, Lemon and Lord clashed. (Closing part of the segment in the above video.) "I think youre very ill-informed," Don Lemon said to Jeffrey Lord, before adding, "We dont live in a colorblind society." As Lemon pressed him to further explain himself, Lord continued to push his talking points while telling a story about his father from the civil rights era. "Answer the question now!" Lemon shouting, before adding, "I dont want to hear about stuff from 50 goddamn years ago!" Heated closing When the show returned from a break, the tension did not ease, with Jeffrey Lord accusing Don Lemon of "talking liberal." At this point, Lemon scolded Lord, explaining, "Dr. King means something different to the people here than he means to you. He wasn't a tactic for us." "For you to come on and give some reckless comparison to his work and his legacy..."Lemon said, as Lord attempted to cut him. Ending the segment, the CNN host said, Goodnight, were done. Goodnight, were done" as the show came to an end. This isn't the first time that supporters of the billionaire real estate mogul have clashed with hosts and contributors on CNN, and it's not likely to be the last. While Donald Trump is typically the one to grab the majority of the headlines when it comes to his administration, some of his top advisers often find their way into the news. When it comes to Presidential Counsel Kellyanne Conway, she has often come under fire for questionable remarks she makes on a routine basis. Mika on Kellyanne When Donald Trump announced that he was running for president back in the June 2015, the consensus was that his candidacy was a joke and would flame out before the race got too serious. By the time last summer rolled around, the former host of "The Apprentice" was on his way to locking up the GOP nomination at the Republican National Convention. While Trump was moving in the right direction, his campaign manager at the time, Paul Manafort, was forced to step down after his financial ties to Russia were exposed to the public. Trump quickly made a change, replacing Manafort with veteran pollster Kellyanne Conway, who would go on to become one of the leading voices of the campaign. Following Trump's big win last November over Hillary Clinton, Conway was bumped up to the role of presidential counsel in the White House, but has found herself on the negative side of the headlines ever since. Pointing out these troubles was MSNBC host Mika Brzezinski during the April 14 edition of "Morning Joe." During Friday's edition of "Morning Joe" on MSNBC, co-host Mika Brzezinski ran a video clip that first showed Kellyanne Conway making her now infamous comments about the government using microwaves to spy on the American people, before jumping to CIA Director Mike Pompeo dismissing that notion during a recent speech earlier this week. In response, Brzezinski unloaded on Conway. Mika Brzezinski Slams Kellyanne Conway: 'It's Unbelievable That She Works in the White House' https://t.co/y1VnqhXtxC pic.twitter.com/hjhshih72j Mediaite (@Mediaite) April 14, 2017 "I mean, that's the CIA director seemingly throwing a little shade at microwaves and Kellyanne Conway," Mika Brzezinski said, before adding, "it's unbelievable she works in the White House." Brzezinski went on to refer to Conway's comments as "ridiculously stupid," while fellow co-host Joe Scarborough and the rest of the panel mocked the presidential counsel. Brzezinski didn't stop there, chiming in and calling her "really kooky," while concluding, "that's being kind." Conway troubles This isn't the first time that the crew of "Morning Joe" have gone off on Kellyanne Conway. Earlier this year, Mika Brzezinski announced that she would no longer allow Conway on the show due to her non-top falsehoods, while Joe Scarborough has become increasingly critical of Donald Trump and the administration, despite being a Republican himself. Opinion / Columnist The late Chief Justice Chidyausuku was/had a vested interest in the affairs of the newly independent Zimbabwe in 1980.(he seized that opportunity and crossed the floor)This was because he wanted to accumulate wealth like many other people who capitalise on such situations.One would not regard him as doing his job for merely to ensure that justice prevailed in Zimbabwe.The reason being that he worked under the Rhodesian government and was a puppet of that system.He was subservient to the apartheid regime which was in control of Zimbabwe. The truth is that he has been given the heroes status because of ruling in favour of the government during the cases of the land issue in Zimbabwe.Apart from that, there is nothing to demonstrate that he had any interest in fighting for the rights of blacks during the time he worked in the justice system of Rhodesia.Everyone that played a role during the liberation struggle needs to be honoured for they playing an important role in emancipating Zimbabweans from the colonial shackles. But the late judge does not deserve that honour accorded to him by the government..Mandela was a lawyer, and he fought for the rights of blacks during the apartheid regime.Chidyausiku was only interested in lining his pockets with money during the Rhodesian era. Those that are trying to embellish his history, are wrong. They are doing so just to thank him for the role he played in the land cases in Zimbabwe during that time when land was taken from whites. The late judge ruled in favour of the government because he wanted to protect his position that he was wielding during that time. Above all to accumulate wealth.Furthermore, he had a vested interest(repeat), as he is/was one of the beneficiaries of the land redistribution programme unleashed in Zimbabwe. Hence there was a conflict of interest in the cases of land which he adjudicated on.lt is true that when you are partisan in a certain project, one would rule in favour of that project. Lest if they rule against, then that would have a detrimental effect on their interests or would compromise their interests.A lawyer cannot represent a client to instigate legal proceedings against his /her law firm, because of conflict of interest. And that is why he was not impartial in his handling of the land cases during that time.As opposed to Judge Gabi, who although was a beneficiary, wanted to see justice done. To conclude, Justice Chidyausiku was a hypocrite in the justice system of Zimbabwe. He put his interest first, before the people of Zimbabwe. He was egocentric. May his soul rest in peace, although he was a hypocrite. A real Judas in Biblical terms. About two years ago, in 2016, noteworthy disagreements broke out between the #Pentagon and the #White House in regards to the priority that should be placed on cooperating with China on North Korea, as opposed to a strategy of military and diplomatic confrontation about recent developments in the South China Sea. Now under #President Trump, the Oval Office seems to have chosen to cooperate with China so that the Chinese president can keep North Korean nuclear ambitions on the straight and narrow. This, however, doesnt discount the US concern with what is happening in the ocean south of China. The #United States has made it clear that they will reward #Chinese cooperation with advantageous China-United States trade negotiations, as well as less pressure overall with the situation that has been previously brewing in the #South China Sea. This shift in diplomatic and strategic urgencies is noticeable and it deserves to be so, since the North Korean situation is fare more dangerous for the US than obscure arguments about reefs, rocks and low-tide elevations in the disputed region The one weakness in this strategy however is the belief that China is able to reign in the crazy North Korean leaders on its own. The South china Morning Post is reporting that the Chinese are considering a much more ambitious version of Asteroid Redirect Mission that NASA has proposed. The idea is to find a resource-rich asteroid, attach rockets to it, and then fire it into lunar orbit within the next decade. Eventually, the asteroid would be mined for its resources. However, the Chinese do not anticipate having the technology for large scale space mining for another four decades. Why is China proposing to grab an asteroid? Space mining has become the potential industry of the 21st Century. Once the stuff of science fiction, the idea of mining asteroids for their mineral wealth got the stamp of approval by none other than Goldman Sachs recently. A single asteroid could have trillions of dollars worth of wealth in the form of platinum group metals as well as iron, nickel, and other industrial grade minerals. While some western companies such as Planetary Resources and Deep Space Industries envision asteroid mining as a way to feed space based industries and settlements, the Chinese seem to be planning on bringing the mineral wealth back to Earth. What about the NASA asteroid redirect mission? The asteroid redirect mission had its origin in a statement by then-President Barack Obama that announced what many thought to be a plan to send astronauts to visit Earth-approaching asteroids in their native orbits. The plan morphed into the ARM that involved capturing an asteroid, putting it in lunar orbit, and then visiting it with astronauts. The final version of the ARM is to grab a boulder off of a larger asteroid and put it into lunar orbit for a later visit. The asteroid redirect mission has proven to be controversial, to say the least. The small body planetary science community cannot figure out a rationale for doing the mission aside from testing some technology and giving astronauts something to do besides going back to the moon and before going to Mars. Nevertheless, neither Congress has formally canceled the project as of yet. Can the Chinese do this? It is an open question as to whether the Chinese can move an asteroid large enough to make mining it a profitable venture. Asteroids of that size have immense mass and tend to tumble as they hurtled through space. A mission that involves moving a rock of that size to the orbit of the moon is likely to make people on Earth very nervous. One mistake and the asteroid could hurtle toward Earth, wiping out human civilization much like a previous asteroid impact wiped out the dinosaurs. china is in the process of building an overseas naval base in the Middle Eastern country of Djibouti. The country is located at the mouth of the Red Sea in what is called the Gulf of Aden. The Djibouti has a strategic value as it controls the waterway that leads to the Suez Canal from the Indian ocean. A strong Chinese presence in this area may affect US dominance in the Middle East and the Persian Gulf. What is the main reason for China to start building overseas naval bases? Former director of strategic research in China, Jin Yinan said that the military base in Djibouti is much needed to secure China's overseas interests. This is the main reason for Beijing's prioritization of building such a facility on the African continent. At the moment, the primary function of the Djibouti naval base is to act as a refueling station for Chinese vessels that are close to the area. According to reports, China is planning to build a naval base in Djibouti to accommodate its own shipping that passes through the Suez. Many are skeptical of real intentions of China over this overseas base, especially with the expansionist policy over areas like the South China Sea. The Gulf of Aden and its surroundings are famous of piracy, especially from Somalian pirates that regularly terrorize the area. China uses this fact as one of its pretexts to build a naval base to safeguard its ships transiting the Suez Canal. Aside from this, the Chinese government also desires to build safe zones for its vessels, mostly Chinese warships after cruising weeks and even months on end. What is the reaction of the United States over China's overseas base building? Camp Lemonnier is the American naval base in Djibouti. It was established a few months after the 9/11 attacks in New York. This base is already home to 4,000 US personnel, deployed for covert activities in the Middle East. For decades, the United States and China have monitored each other from afar, with occasional run-ins in the South China Sea. However, upon completion of the Chinese base in Djibouti, the United States and China will practically become neighbors in an arid country in the African continent. It is among Trump's main agenda to cement ties with regional allies in the Middle East, namely Israel and Saudi Arabia. Upon Trump's official visit to Riyadh, he will bring with him a $100 billion arms deal for the oil-producing country to strengthen US-Saudi alliance. With China now in the picture, the Middle East may be up for grabs for the highest bidder. Jeanine Pirro of "Justice With Judge Jeanine" sat down with President Trump about the rumors that he demanded loyalty from James Comey, or he would be fired from the FBI. President Trump refused to confirm he said those exact words but when pressed, he didn't see anything wrong with asking Comey to be loyalty to him and keep certain "things" out of the media. Trump had threatened Comey before he fired him The events surrounding Comey's firing isn't clear, but the rumors state that Trump may have asked the former FBI director to stay quiet about the investigation as loyalty to him. Apparently, Comey allegedly said that he wouldn't compromise the investigation, stating he only had loyalty to the people of this country to get to the truth. Then the American people got a front row seat to Trump's threats directed at Comey when he tweeted that he "better not have" recorded their conversation and release it to the public. When confronted with the threat on social media, the president said that he just wants Comey to be honest and forthcoming in his public testimony. Trump's answer was shocking Judge Jeanine asked Trump if he thought it was inappropriate for him to ask Comey whether or not you had his loyalty. The POTUS said that he did not think that was inappropriate. Jeanine cut him off before he could clarify why he felt that way. His answer was revealing. He actually thought it was okay to openly threaten a former government employee, who was currently investigating him. James Comey better hope that there are no "tapes" of our conversations before he starts leaking to the press! Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) May 12, 2017 Jeanine asked him to answer the question, "Did you ask that question (about Comey's loyalty)?" Trump said he didn't. However, he doesn't think that would be a bad question to ask him. He still believes that Comey should have been loyalty to him and his country. He added that he never asked that question, or at least, in those exact words. Trump doesn't understand loyalty According to Occupy Democrats, Trump doesn't seem to understand that loyalty to your country is not the same thing as loyalty to him as the leader. He seems to believe that if Comey went against him, that meant he wasn't loyalty to the United States. It isn't clear if Trump purposely spun his conversation with Comey to make himself look better or if he really believed the lies. If Trump really did ask Comey for his loyalty, what he was really asking for was for the FBI director to protect him. What Trump didn't understand was the investigation into possible illegal acts committed by Trump and his regime, James Comey was already protecting and being loyal to his country. Russia must be laughing up their sleeves watching as the U.S. tears itself apart over a Democrat EXCUSE for losing the election. Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) May 11, 2017 Trump continued to defend himself and said that there are multiple ways to describe the definition of loyalty. Most Americans would agree that the only person who doesn't understand the term loyalty is Trump, not the man who opened an unprecedented investigation into the president's ties to the Russian government. Comey will still testify While Trump continues to implicate himself in possibly the greatest scandal to ever surround a president in US history, Comey will still testify in the next few weeks, but he allegedly requested for his testimony to be public. With only days left before Comey takes the stand, Americans are anxious to hear what the FBI concluded in their investigation. It seems Trump is getting pretty nervous about it too because he keeps trying to discredit James Comey every chance he gets. Do you think Trump fired Comey because he wouldn't pledge his loyalty to him? Do you believe that this could lead to his impeachment? Do you think it was inappropriate for the president to threaten Comey via Twitter? The Senate committee has not scheduled Comey's testimony yet, nor have they released whether they will allow him to testify publically. One of the fallouts of the furor surrounding President Trumps firing of FBI Director James Comey has been calls by Senate Democrats, led by Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, for the appointment of a Special Counsel to investigate contacts between the Trump campaign and the Russians. Democrats are pretty sure that Comey was getting too close to some imagined conspiracy between Trump and Vladimir Putin. Hence the president fired the FBI Director. The theory is ludicrous because the FBI investigation will proceed apace no matter who is running the Bureau. Special counsels have always been unpredictable The Trump Administration and congressional Republicans are, understandably, leery of having a special counsel take over the probe. Traditionally special counsels, or as they are sometimes called special prosecutors, have a virtually unlimited brief and have used it to make life a living hell for the administrations which they are investigating. The original Saturday Night Massacre, to which the firing of Comey is being unartfully compared, took place because of President Nixons frustration over the Watergate special prosecutor. On the other side of the political spectrum, Whitewater special counsel Ken Starr was savaged by the media and other supporters of President Bill Clinton who were appalled at the length and breadth of his investigation into various misdeeds of the then president. In the former case, the Watergate investigation led to President Nixons resignation. In the latter case, President Clinton became only the second American president in history to be impeached. Democrats, by the way, were successful in preventing the appointment of a special counsel to investigate President Obamas various alleged misdeeds. What about a special counsel for Hillary Clinton? Hot Air has a mischievous proposal for a compromise. The article suggests that Trump and the Republicans agree to an appointment of a special counsel to delve into alleged contacts between the Trump campaign and the Russians. In return, the Democrats must agree to a second special counsel to investigate Hillary Clinton, her email server, and the reason Comey decided not to recommend she be indicted, even though her various misdeeds that he listed during the now infamous July 2016 press conference suggested to many legal experts that she should have been prosecuted. The second special counsel would also look into the secret meeting between former President Bill Clinton and then-Attorney General Loretta Lynch that occurred days before Comeys press conference. Knowing how such investigations have gone historically, one can just imagine what rocks it would turn over and who might be caught in its web. One can only imagine how the Democrats would react to such a suggestion. Laith Alebbini, 26, of Dayton, Ohio was on May 11th charged for attempting to provide material support to ISIS. He was accused of trying to surrender himself in support of ISIS. The arrest of the 26-year-old was made at the Kentucky International Airport on the 26th of April. Alebbini is a legal resident of the United States and a citizen of Jordan. If found guilty, he will serve up to 20 years in prison. ISIS recruitments in the United States ISIS recruitments in the United States are mostly done online. Most become radicalized after reading and watching propaganda material online. Some are recruited through social media. Some who successfully join the group in Syria and Iraq tend to entice their friends back home to join them. Some recruits are also believed to be radicalized in U.S mosques. Recruits believe in the ISIS goals and agendas which are to create a perfect Islamic State and to restore old Islamic ideologies such as the Caliphate and the Ottoman Empire. In early 2015, it was believed that more than 20,000 foreigners from 90 countries had joined ISIS in Syria and Iraq, according to the National Counter-terrorism Center. 4,300 fighters were thought to have come from western countries. 180 of them were Americans, and a majority of them were teenagers. According to a statistic done by the George Washington University Program on Extremism early last year, the average age of an ISIS recruit is 26 years. 86 percent were men and 40 percent were believed to have recently converted to Islam before pledging allegiance to the group. ISIS attacks in the United States On 23rd October 2014, in Jamaica Queens, New York City, a new converter of Islam and an ISIS supporter by the name Zale H. Thompson attacked two police officers with a hatchet. Three people were left wounded including two police officers. The attacker was shot dead by police. On May 3rd, 2015, in Garland Texas, Elton Simpson, and Nadir Soofi, shot at officers at the entrance of an exhibit that displayed cartoon images of Muhammad. Both attackers were killed. On December 2nd, 2015 at the Inland Regional Centre in San Bernadino California, Married couple Rizwan Farook, and Tashfeen Malika open fire at the Inland Regional Center before fleeing. 14 people were killed during the incident including both perpetrators while 24 were injured. On 12th June 2016, a 29-year-old security guard by the name Omar Mateen killed 49 people and wounded 53 in a gay night club called Pulse located in Orlando Florida. On November 28th, 2016, Abdul Razak Ali Artan stabbed people and rammed others with a car at Ohio State University. 11 people were injured. The perpetrator was killed. On Sunday #North Korea sent an intermediate ballistic missile over the North Korean peninsula as a new president took to his throne in the country of #South Korea. The new South Korean president was faced with one of his first diplomatic tests with his northern neighbor in an ongoing military and diplomatic saga that has encompassed relations with the United States, China and Russia. The missile blasted off from #Kusong, a city on the northwest side of North Korea, and went as far as 430 miles before it took a nose dive into the waters between North Korea and Japan, this according to the South Korean military reports that were broadcast later that day. It is still unclear what sort of missile it was, even though the South Korean military are still analyzing the data to attempt to find this out. The missile follows dozens of nuclear warhead tests sent by #Pyongyang in their extended efforts to develop their nuclear arsenal. The #White House said in an official statement that North Korea had been a flagrant menace for far too long, and that the missile experiment existed as a call for all nations to implement far stronger sanctions against the North Korean government, the head of which is a man named Kim Jung-un. The White House also said that the US is firm in their 'commitment to stand with our allies in the face of the serious threat posed by North Korea.' The long-range missile fell in much closer proximity to #Russia than it did to Japan, and the White House was careful to warn the North Korean president Kim Jung-un that they cannot" imagine that Russia is pleased with the outcome of the test. Cold war allies Russia is an old Cold War-epoch ally of #Pyongyang and serves as a member of the group of countries called the six-nations who aim to persuade North Korea to cease and resist using its nuclear arsenal in exchange for some internationally diplomatic and economic benefits. This six nation-forum was started in in 2003, but has lied dormant since 2008 when Obama took office and when the North escalated their nuclear developments. The #intercontinental ballistic missile sent toward Russia on Sunday stretched to a height beyond 1,245 miles during its half-hour travelling time, according to the Japanese government who was recording its progress. The Japanese observation and data, along with South Korea's findings that that the projectile traveled a distance of 430 miles, proved that it was indeed what is called an intermediate-range ballistic missile that could potentially reach and destroy some strategic United States military bases in places such as Guam, according to missile experts. The missile launch was taking place as North Korea's strongest supporter, China, was accommodating delegations from countries throughout the globe at its One Belt One Road forum that was taking place in the Chinese city of Beijing. There was in attendance a North Korean delegation, with the North Korean trade minister representing the country and taking great efforts to keep a low profile. The Chinese President Xi Jinping and also the Russian President #Vladimir Putin who also attended the meeting, engaged in a detailed discussion about the North Korean-United States situation. A quote from the Russian media agency Interfax said that the two countries discussed their mutual concerns about the international situation and about the escalating tensions. Only hours after the United States President Trumps commentary about the proximity of the ballistic missile to Russia, Russias Defense Ministry broadcast a message that the North Korean missile didnt serve to endanger Russia since it flew a while from the coast, according to Interfax. After suffering three international missile launch fails, North Korea has finally managed to successfully launch a Ballistic Missile. US Intelligence tracked the missile's trajectory and determined that it traveled a distance of roughly 800 km and it was not an ICBM capable of reaching the United States mainland. What kind of missile did North Korea launch? According to Japanese and US Intelligence, the missile was an unidentified type. The missile traveled an estimated 800 km from Kusong and landed 250 km off the East coast of North Korea. Japanese defense minister, Tomomi Inada said that the missile reached an altitude of 2,000 km. Though the US does not classify this missile as an ICBM, some analysts theorize that this new North Korean missile will be able to reach a maximum distance of 4,500 km. This range is longer than the North Korean Musudan missile, which has a maximum distance of 3,000 km. What is the reaction of the United States over this missile test? US defense reiterated that any ICBM test might be responded to with an interception or a preemptive strike. This is in line with Trump's declarations of handling Pyongyang if they go too far with their tests. The US military already has its THAAD system in place in South Korea, which is expected to target and eliminate incoming missiles from North Korea. Aside from this, the USS Carl Vinson has attack capabilities to destroy missile sites and destroyer escorts fitted with Aegis missiles to destroy anti-ship missiles heading its way. However, the Pentagon is weary of the North Korean missile development and favors immediate action to stop its advancement. A preemptive strike at North Korea might be the only way to stop its development, but may result in the death of millions when DPRK artillery bombards Seoul in retaliation. Does China condemn or condone North Korea's success? China remains silent over the success of North Korea's missile test. However it did condemn its continued research into Nuclear weapons. The US demands China to pressure Pyongyang to stop its belligerent attitude but so far China has only given North Korea a verbal warning. Japan voiced concern over the missile test, saying that it is an unacceptable provocation that goes against UN security council resolutions. Australia also condemned the test and will cooperate on how to end North Korea's ballistic dream. Though the test is still technically in the development phase of DPRK's ballistic program, it is a leap forward from the string of fails it experienced over the past few months. If North Korea has their way it may be a short time period until this rogue country manages to develop a missile that will surely reach the US mainland. President Trump can find any reason to fire anyone he wants. He found several reasons over the past week when he fired the FBI director James Comey and none of them seemed valid enough to convince anyone -- other than his loyal supporters -- that it needed to be done. So far he's hell-bent on rattling infrastructure that relies on capable people who can run the government without running it into the ground. As Blasting News wrote about once before, that person is General H.R. McMaster and he was not only able to save the National Security Council (NSC) from certain doom but able to effectively push back when The President has been out of line. Is HR McMaster in the firing line? To Trump, that's reason enough to fire him and the fact that he might is threatening enough. Columnist Mike Allen accompanied his Axios article over the possibility that at any time the President could conduct a sweeping shake-up with his cabinet and/or White House staff with an appearance on 'Meet The Press' roundtable Sunday morning. The article and what he said about the shake-up seems to point to Trump targeting the more chaotic elements in the administration such as Steve Bannon, Sean Spicer, and even Jeff Sessions, but no mention of McMaster or even anyone within his circle. Trump's issues with McMaster It's already been reported that the President was furious when McMaster stepped out-of-line and told the South Korean government that the U.S. would pay for the THAAD defense system right after Trump said South Korea would pay. This was also more thoroughly explained in another Blasting News report which pointed out how the U.S. has shouldered the costs for similar defense systems for other countries. Trump had reportedly read about McMaster's "betrayal" in the Wall Street Journal and yelled at him over the phone for undermining him. One report by Bloomberg News says that McMaster has lost some sway in the White House but they deny this, saying that everything is fine. President Trump issued a statement to the media outlet on Sunday, May 7, saying that he couldn't be happier with the General but officials have said that this is not the sentiment the President has expressed in private. It explains that McMaster is pinned between a faction of the White House that falls in line with Steven Bannon's ideology, who McMaster ousted, and Reince Priebus' denial of a major appointment the General wanted to bring onto the NSC. Steve Bannon targets McMaster Bannon's beef with McMaster -- as mentioned in the Blasting News article about him restoring order to the council -- has a lot to do with him getting shoved out, as well as not being able to prevent McMaster from succeeding in restoring the council to its original intention, which goes against Bannon's determination to dismantle the administrative state. The Hill reported that the part of the White House that sides with Bannon are attacking the General through leaks, some of which are considered to be conspiracies fed to the media in order to keep the drama alive. White House leakers have new target: H. R. McMaster https://t.co/Tt0pRfEdyP pic.twitter.com/6ereeBidJ3 The Hill (@thehill) May 10, 2017 It states that McMaster has less face time with Trump who has also declined H.R's requests to brief him before being interviewed. President Trump has also said in front of others during meetings that McMaster had undermined his policy and at other times, rather than letting Trump ask questions, he's appeared to lecture the President on various issues. This would appear to fall in line with reports that McMaster has made decisions without getting Trump's approval with trying to remove some of Bannon's own appointments from the council. As stated, if Trump is able to fire James Comey by which he really has already shown his ability to traumatize government infrastructure without suffering any consequences, then removing H.R. McMaster would mean even less to President Trump. In light of recent events, it seems to some that Russia and America are on the verge of another cold war. Dmitry Peskov, a Russian spokesperson for President Putin, stated that America has not taken a peaceful approach with its defense of NATO allies. Could this possibly bring both countries to the brink of war? In a recent interview with CBS News, Dmitry spoke about the sudden blame on Russia for Donald Trump's election campaign. Considering all the issues that have risen between Russian and America since the Trump election, he further stated that two superpowers are advancing toward a new Cold War. What does Donald Trump have to say? While Donald Trump shifted his stance on NATO, he clearly said that the relationship with Russia is declining. This might not be good news but the situation is expected to change after the Presidents meet each other in July. Trump will be meeting Putin for the first time since becoming president. Will Russia take action against America? With the present situation, Russia does not feel comfortable with military infrastructure getting closer to their borders. They feel that it is a threat to national security and if it is necessary they will re-balance the situation and take further measures. At this moment there are around 4,000 American forces and tanks moving across Eastern European nations. Earlier this year in January, American troops arrived in Poland. The Defense Minister of Poland welcomed the troops and said that they have been eagerly waiting for decades. The U.S. has been supporting and spreading out into seven European nations, including Estonia. With American soldiers backing Estonia, they told the Russians that they are ready to fight the invasion of Crimea by the Russian federation carried out in 2014. According to Russia, they feel that the invasion of Crimea was legal. Russia feels that the territory belongs to them and that they don't need to justify themselves. With tension rising, things might not be settled until Trump meets Putin. Opinion / Columnist "To say Dr Nkosana Moyo is "stupid and greedy is desperation of the highest order!" Wrote Nomazulu Thata.Is it?"Yes I disagreed with his conviction: to go to the election in 2018 without reforms, but to go so low as to say he is just a concoction of sewage in an glass of milk is wholly insulting the man. Why can't we disagree with him decently?" She argued."Is he a number too big for us as to insult him instead of talking to him. If he is of the opinion that going for election is the right thing, why insult him to that low: your description of "Milk and Sewage" is not very far from VP Mnangagwa calling the Ndebele people cockroaches."Well, let me start by agreeing with you there whole hearted that VP Emerson Mnangagwa is the scum of the earth for to only calling the Ndebele people cockroaches but worse still for his role in the Gukurahundi massacre, in the nearly four decades of corrupt and tyrannical Zanu PF dictatorship, the systematic denial of the people's freedoms and basic human rights including the right to a meaningful vote and the right to life, etc., etc.So, it is not insulting Mnangagwa to call him scum because someone who has caused so much economic suffering, mental anguish and deaths to millions of innocent people is scum. By right Mnangagwa, President Mugabe and all those who have shed innocent blood should have been send to The Hague to face justice for their crimes a long, long time ago.Now let us go back to Zimbabwe's greatest post-independence problem the failure to hold free, fair and credible elections. Whilst is it true that the blame for corrupting our democratic institution such as ZEC, the Police, Public Media, etc. will rightly be placed on President Mugabe and his Zanu PF thugs' door. It must be said without any hesitation or equivocation that the country has had many opportunities to implement the democratic reforms design to dismantle the Zanu PF dictatorship but they have all been wasted; Morgan Tsvangirai and his MDC friends, in particular, are to blame for this.The people of Zimbabwe have risked life and limp, as we all know hundreds of thousands of people were beaten and\or rape and over 500 murdered in the 2008 elections alone, to elect MDC into power. MDC leaders were elected on a ticket to deliver democratic change, as the party's own name implies. MDC had the golden opportunity to implement the raft of democratic reforms agreed with SADC during the GNU. They failed to implement not even one reform because they are breathtakingly corrupt and incompetent.SADC leaders warned Tsvangirai and co. not to contest the 2013 elections without implementing the reforms but they would not listen. Even when MDC leaders themselves realised the folly of contesting the elections with no reforms in place they still contested regardless because of greed as David Coltart has admitted."The worst aspect for me about the failure to agree a coalition was that both MDCs couldn't now do the obvious withdraw from the elections," explained Senator Coltart."The electoral process was so flawed, so illegal, that the only logical step was to withdraw, which would compel SADC to hold Zanu PF to account. But such was the distrust between the MDC-T and MDC-N that neither could withdraw for fear that the other would remain in the elections, winning seats and giving the process credibility."So, if the MDC leaders' greed for the few gravy train seats stopped them doing the obvious thing withdraw from contesting flawed and illegal elections; what would you, Nomazulu, call it? Well I call it greed and stupid and make no apology for the very well chosen words.Least you forget, Nomazulu, MDC's betrayal is not a victimless crime. Millions of ordinary Zimbabweans out there are suffering the ill effects of economic meltdown and the continued brutal Zanu PF oppression to this day and will do so for many more years; until the democratic reforms are finally implemented.MDC leaders were very foolish to have contested the 2013 elections with no reforms in place. They came to their senses thereafter and promised they would not do it again. "No reforms, no elections!" they announced to the nation. Sadly, their greed for the bait gravy train seats is once again blinding them to reason as they are once again preparing to contest the 2018 elections with no reform.Of course, this is more than foolishness; contesting flawed elections again and again, knowing the elections will be rigged, and expecting a different result is insane. So, yes, Morgan Tsvangirai and his MDC friends are breathtakingly corrupt and incompetent and they are now dragging the nation into insanity just to gratify their greed.People like Mai Mujuru are desperate to get back on the gravy train and it is not surprising that she and her former Zanu PF thugs are itching to contest next year's elections. No Zimbabwean with any brain would expect her and her ex-Zanu PF thugs to understand what reforms and free and fair elections are about, any way.One would expect the likes of Dr Nkosana Moyo to understand what the reforms are about and that by contesting flawed elections they are per se playing a part in the continued denial of the people's right to free, fair and credible elections. The only logical reason why he too would refuse to listen to reason and boycott the elections until reform have been implemented as SADC leaders have advised is because he too is seeking a share of the give-away gravy train seats.If Tsvangirai and company are stupid and greedy to contest flawed elections then everyone else doing the same thing is stupid and greedy including Dr Nkosana Moyo, if he too should decide to contest!"I was really taken aback too when you when to criticized Dr. Mandaza for his live interview with Violet Gonda. I thought, and many people I talked to as well, concurred that his interview was indeed a masterpiece of his career as a political scientist," continued Nomazulu.The interview was first class, it confirmed that MDC leaders were warned by SADC not to contest the 2013 elections without reforms, amongst many key points. I disagreed with Dr Mandaza on one point that next year's elections will not take place."Unless the people of Zimbabwe stand up and stand firm now in demanding that there must be no elections without reforms then next year's elections are set to go ahead. SADC's warning to the opposition against contesting the elections with no reforms is as valid today as it was in 2013; it is up to us to make sure all opposition parties heed the warning this time! We will only have ourselves to blame if the elections go ahead!" I concluded.In an open, honest, healthy and democratic discourse; we must expect to differ. In this case I would strongly advise the nation to take my advice as contrast to Dr Mandaza's and do something now to make sure the next elections do not take place until all the reforms are implemented. It would be better to err on the side of caution!Zimbabweans are now the poorest in Africa and the root cause of this is our failure to hold free, fair and credible elections. The country's economic recovery, saving ourselves and posterity more economic hardships and unnecessary deaths are now totally dependent on us implementing the democratic reforms and finally holding our first free, fair and credible elections.We are in this hell-hole because for the last 37 years we have shied away from calling people like President Mugabe and Morgan Tsvangirai a corrupt and murderous tyrant and a breathtakingly corrupt and incompetent, respectively although that is what they are.Our opposition politicians continue to contest in flawed elections because they are stupid and greedy; they know it and have been warned of their folly. Telling these people, especially those aspiring to hold public office, that their selfishness will not be tolerated because it is cause untold misery to millions of others, is the right thing. No one, absolutely no one is above the law and democratic accountability. Sen. Dick Durbin revealed all the reasons he believes that President Trump is completely dangerous. He said he is dangerous for threatening former Director James Comey, a potential witness in an FBI investigation. Trump is dangerous for allegedly having Russian connections. Additionally, he has agreed with Sen. Bernie Sanders that it is time to appoint a special prosecutor to get to the bottom of the Russia's ties to American politics. Trump's credibility is gone According to Daily Kos, Trump's credibility has been destroyed this week. Durbin believes that it's time to block Trump's new FBI director. He said that Andrew McCabe will lead the FBI just fine, for now. Sen. Dick Durbin says it's a "credible conclusion" to think Comey's request for more resources led to his firing https://t.co/L5pgRTFsCo CNN (@CNN) May 10, 2017 He urged Democrats to force for a special prosecutor to be assigned to "deal with the issues with the Republican Party." Will the Republicans stop supporting Trump? Right now, it looks like the Republican are staying loyal to Trump, but it may be just for show. The rumors swirling in the Senate reveal that a majority of the Republicans do not want to be associated with Trump and his legal troubles. It isn't clear if they believe that he has/had ties to Russia or not, but they don't want to get tangled with him as he is in destruction mode right now. If President trump was trying to stay out of trouble with the law, then he's not going to like it when he hears that his tweet to James Comey could be seen as a legitimate threat. Legally this could be bad for Trump A legal expert revealed that if this was a court room and the judge discovered that one of the subjects of an investigation threatened a witness via social media, they would be warned to stop immediately. According to the law, it is a felony to intimidate and threaten a potential witness to prevent their official testimony in a courtroom setting. By saying Comey had told him 3x that FBI wasn't investigating his campaign's links to Russia, T waived executive privilege wrt T/C xchanges Laurence Tribe (@tribelaw) May 11, 2017 Is Trump his worst enemy? Is it possible that the president thinks he is above the law? It certainly is starting to look that way. Before Comey's dismissal and threat via social media, his impeachment wasn't a guarantee. According to Daily Kos, the Democrats were preparing to survive another three years under Trump's regime, but now it looks like it may only be a matter of time before he is forced to resign. White House has to turn over tapes Based on Trump's threat to Comey, Reps. Elijah Cummings and John Conyers asked the White House to turn over all tapes related to Comey's firing. They noted that it is illegal for anyone to threaten or intimidate a potential witness in an ongoing investigation. It's not looking good for Mr. Trump. Will this lead to his impeachment? There may be a new "General Hospital" baby on the way soon. No, Sonny Corinthos has not gotten anyone pregnant...yet. The unexpected baby news comes from a fairly new couple who has become a fan-favorite over the past few months. Dr. Hamilton Finn and Hayden Barnes are back together after Finn has been trying his best to get clean so he can make it work with Hayden. But are they ready to be parents right now? A surprise pregnancy This baby news definitely came as a shock to both of them and they are letting it all sink in. Last week on "General Hospital," Griffin announced the unexpected surprise. Hayden had no idea that she was pregnant. The urine test was supposed to be Finn's drug test, but they switched her urine with Finn's in order to catch someone that is expected to be tampering with Finn's drug test results. That person is Brad and he is out to make Finn pay. That means he is making it look like Finn is still taking drugs so that he can be fired from his job. Hayden became suspicious of Brad, which is why this plan was put in motion. This test revealed that it had been tampered with, but that was not all that was revealed. Hayden's urine contained hCG, which indicates that she is pregnant. Will a new baby be a part of Finn and Hayden's future? This should be a happy occasion for the couple, but Hayden told Finn that she didn't think she was ready to be a parent yet. Finn looked more receptive to the idea of being a father, but he did tell her that he will support whatever decision she makes concerning their child. Will there be another abortion story line on "General Hospital"? Lulu Spencer had an abortion in 2006 after she became pregnant with Dillon Quartermaine's baby. It was quite an emotional story line back then. The soap could go down this route again, but Hayden could very well choose to have this baby. Hayden & Finn deserve a relaxing moment. Can she really be pregnant? Find out, RIGHT NOW on ABC! Check your local listings for more. #GH pic.twitter.com/JHrA4hEbof General Hospital (@GeneralHospital) May 12, 2017 Could the test be wrong? There is always the possibility that something could be wrong with the test as well. Who knows? Maybe Brad caught wind that they were onto him and arranged for it to look like there is a pregnancy in their future. Stranger things have happened before. "General Hospital" spoilers say that Hayden will lay a trap, and it looks like it will be set up to catch Brad red-handed. Be sure to watch the ABC daytime drama this week to see if he will get caught tampering with Finn's drug test. Do you think that Hayden is really pregnant? If she is, will she decide to have the baby? The new China-US trade deal that allows Chinese companies to import more liquefied natural gas (LNG) from the United States could mean a boost to US export facilities, especially in Louisiana. "This represents more growth opportunities for Louisiana and Louisiana businesses," Caitlin Cain, CEO of the World Trade Center of New Orleans, told The Advocate newspaper in Baton Rouge. Liquefied Natural Gas Ltd is developing the Magnolia LNG export terminal in Louisiana. Scott Atha, director of LNG marketing and commercial strategy for North American projects at the company, told Bloomberg News that the agreement "provides us additional confidence that the Chinese market can be open to US projects." NextDecade LLC, which is developing an LNG project near Brownsville, Texas, welcomes the agreement, Rene van Vliet, COO, told Bloomberg. He said that contracts with LNG exporters that China signed in the early 2000s are about to expire and the country will be looking to replace those with the "most competitive LNG in the market". The agreement encourages Chinese firms to make long-term supply contracts with US companies. It clarifies, rather than changes, US policy on LNG exports to China, Zach Allen, president of Pan Eurasian Enterprises Inc., a Raleigh, North Carolina-based tracker of LNG shipments, said in an email to Bloomberg. "It sounds like a reiteration of pre-existing conditions," Allen said. US LNG export terminal developers will now be able to target Chinese buyers directly, potentially helping the projects to secure financing, Massimo Di-Odoardo, an analyst at Wood Mackenzie, said in a note to clients on May 12, according to Bloomberg. The deal could also support direct Chinese investment in the terminals, he said. The first ever US LNG tanker arrived in China in August 2016, followed by another eight shipments between December and March, according to Reuters. US LNG supplies accounted for almost 7 percent of China's gas imports in March, Bloomberg reported. But shipping more LNG from the US could face obstacles, Bloomberg said, including China's long-term contracts with suppliers for more LNG than its domestic demand requires through at least 2023, and competition from producers in the Asia-Pacific region, such as Australia. Louisiana has more than $90 billion in LNG export facilities in the planning stages, under construction or in operation at about a dozen facilities. China is Louisiana's largest trading partner, with agricultural products the largest export category. The state's exports to China amounted to nearly $8 billion, or 16.3 percent of its $48.8 billion total. Please turn JavaScript on and reload the page. Loading... Checking your browser before accessing the website. This process is automatic. Your browser will redirect to your requested content shortly. Please wait a few seconds. Opinion / Columnist "President Robert Mugabe's nephew Patrick Zhuwao says the party led by his uncle is full of stupid idiots," reported Zimeye.Well, even a certified first class idiot like Patrick Zhuwao will, once in a while, say something that is true, factual and incisive. Yes Patrick, Zanu PF is indeed full of idiots and you are one of the biggest idiots there are!"There were certain individuals that were claiming to come from Mashonaland Central province and had issues with Kasukuwere. What was meant to be a localised issue then got turned into a national issue and you see certain provinces getting up to support what is happening in Mashonaland Central," said Zhuwao, seething with anger and outrage."That was idiotic and nonsensical. It was foolishness of the worst order!"Out of your own mouth cometh the Lord's own judgement of you, Patrick Zhuwao and your corrupt and murderous uncle!It is true that many people who did not come from Mashonaland Central and therefore had no business interfering with that province's local affairs, made it their business and were bussed in to swell the numbers. But it that not standard Zanu PF modus operandi? Was that not the dirty tactic used to haunt out Joice Mujuru and her supporters out of office in the wave of "No vote of confidence" that swept the nation in 2014?Worse still, did Zanu PF not increase the number of polling station from 2 000 to a massive 9 000 just two days before the 31 July 2013 vote and then bussed its supporters from one of these added polling station to the next to cast multiple votes. Some of these voters were bussed in from outside the respective constituency, as the youtube video of one such case in Mt Pleasant showed. Google "Tendai Biti witnesses vote rigging in Zimbabwe" and see the video for yourself!Minister Patrick Zhuwao, the blatant vote rigging that Zanu PF has been doing is not just idiotic, it is downright high treason!"The danger with factions is that if people are in a faction and you have somebody who has idiotic tendencies and is part of that faction you will still follow through whatever idiotic nonsense that person is coming up with," Zhuwao said.Now let us paraphrase his words and just replace one or two words to make the argument relevant to the nation."The danger with one-party cum one-man dictatorship is that if people are in a dictatorship and you have somebody who has corrupt and satanic vote rigging and murderous tendencies and is part of that dictatorship you will still follow through whatever idiotic policies and murderous schemes that person is coming up with." Needless to say, that is exactly what happened to Zimbabwe."You know why Zanu PF will win (the coming 2018 elections)? It is because the people have confidence in President Robert Mugabe and as a party we have resolved that President Mugabe is going to be our candidate and we are lucky as Zanu PF that we have President Mugabe," boasted Zhuwao.Zhuwao went on to boast about Zanu PF creating an indigenous economy creating such jobs as selling airtime cards and roasted maize on the street. His uncle told an Economic Forum in SA last week that Zimbabwe is not a poor country.""We are not a poor country and we can't be a fragile country. I can call America fragile they went on their knees to China," said Mugabe."Zimbabwe is the most highly developed country in Africa after South Africa."Tyrants like Mugabe and their apologists have a very selective memory and will see only what they want to see; Mugabe see the developed Zimbabwe he inherited from Ian Smith in 1980 and refuse what has happen since then. The millions of ordinary Zimbabweans have to do the best they can in the real Zimbabwe in total economic meltdown.With no reforms in place to stop the vote rigging, Zanu PF will win next year's elections; the regime will claim the elections were free, fair and credible and refuse to see the bussed voters and all the other treasonous vote rigging shenanigans.The only way to end this Zanu PF dictatorial arrogance and contemptuous disregard for reality, the suffering and deaths it is causing to others, peacefully, is by implementing the democratic reforms designed to stop the regime rigging elections.The reforms should have been implemented by Tsvangirai & co. during the GNU when they had the golden opportunity to do so. Sadly, the MDC leaders sold out; Mugabe seduced them with the trappings of high office, a $4 million mansion for Tsvangirai, etc. and the reforms were thrown straight out of the window.Yes, it will be a lot harder to get the reforms implemented now, post the GNU. The need for the country to implement the reforms and get out of the worsen economic meltdown and political chaos is greater now than ever that is why the nation must grit its teeth and stand firm in demanding the reforms BEFORE the next elections.In any case, if the next elections are held with no reforms, the need to implement the reforms will be even greater and the task even harder than it is today! Updates throughout the day at http://calevbenyefuneh.blog spot.com. If you enjoy "Love of the Land", please be a subscriber. Just put your email address in the "Subscribe" box on the upper right-hand corner of the page.Twitter updates at LoveoftheLand as well as our Love of the Land page at Facebook which has additional pieces of interest besides that which is posted on the blog. Also check-out This Ongoing War by Frimet and Arnold Roth. An excellent blog, very important work. . ..This Ongoing War..13 May '17..Recent (and) events have gotten us thinking about the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan and its attitude to terror. One thing's clear: there are aspects of this that ought to be much better known. We feel a duty to help that happen.First, the drama of today. There has been an early-afternoon Arab-on-Israeli knifing attack in Jerusalem's Old City today (Saturday), close to what Israelis call Lions' Gate. It's also known as St. Stephen's Gate or Sheep Gate and it's one of the seven open Gates in Jerusalem's Old City walls.The Israeli victim is injured but alive and getting emergency treatment at Jerusalem's Shaarei Zedek Medical Center for knife wounds to the neck and head. He was conscious and in stable condition when rushed to the hospital.The attacker, said to be a visitor from Jordan who arrived in Israel (yes, indeed, Jordanians can do that) a couple of days ago, is dead.What happened is, as usual, largely a matter of the prejudices and openness a person brings to the discussion. For many years, people in a village in Thua Thien-Hue Province made and sold mattresses, made from special reeds. The village was in fact called Pho Trach em, which means mattress. When factories started to make mattresses it became harder for people from the village to sell their reed mattresses. Then, a clever man decided to make other things, such as lamp shades and key rings, from the reed mattresses. Since then, things have become better for the village. By Phuoc Buu Nguyen Viet Nam was born on a mattress woven by highly skilled artisans. He was not the only one, of course. The mattresses produced by artisans of Pho Trach Village in the northern part of Thua Thien-Hue Province using craft skills handed over through generations have also welcomed the birth of generations of babies in the village and beyond. For Nam, the knitting of dry, grey rush stems has been an indispensable part of his conscious life, and the awareness of his native villages craft legacy has only deepened over time. For decades, Nam has been struggling to expand the market for the villages mattresses, so that local weavers can earn higher incomes and their traditional craft thrives in the face of mass-produced industrial products. "It is not just me that was born on these mattresses, but many generations in this village. Obviously, the craft is a legacy of my community and many among us want a healthy life for this craft. Losing it would be like losing a part of my life and the villages history. Half a millennia The craft dates back to the 16th century, with pioneer residents from the northern part of the country following their commanders, who later became the Nguyen Lords (1558-1777), settling down in the village. The early residents recognised that the village had many marshes and rush plants growing naturally in them. They found that the plant had a hollow cylindrical stem and if these were flattened and dried, they would become durable. They invented a tool like a wooden hammer to flatten a bundle of the stems at the same time before drying them in the sun. Then they started knitting these threads to make mattresses and this became the villages mainstay for generations. The villages name became Pho Trach em. The word em means mattress in Vietnamese. For centuries, the villagers relied on this craft to augment their income from agricultural cultivation. In their heyday, they were the sole suppliers of mattresses throughout Thua Thien-Hue and neighbouring provinces. They made mattresses for beds, for floors to be used as carpets, and for baby cradles. The mattresses characteristics were amazing. They were soft, because of the air that remained in the flattened stems; they were also able to absorb water, a useful feature for babies; they were washable; and they gave off a cool feeling during hot, sunny days. Even today, Hue residents prefer rush mattresses for babies rather than plastic ones. However, sales of other products have declined. Only nostalgic rural customers continue to consume the mattresses produced in the village. "The traders pay me very little, around VN 50,000 ong (over US$2) for a mattress that I spend at least a week knitting," said an elderly woman in the village who did not want to be named. She said the traders blamed low sales for their low buying prices. The decline in sales is forcing the craft to fade out. Most younger residents have left the village, looking for other jobs with better incomes. The craft is now in the hands of elder artisans and housewives. Nam to the rescue Saddened by the plight of the villagers and their traditional craft, Nam, as the deputy head of villages agriculture co-operative, gave the body a new direction in 2000. He organised a team of skillful artisans to make mattresses and products, including handbags, sofa mats and hats. Those products became popular in the market, before the handmade items were overtaken by trendy fabric hats and plastic bags. Eventually, the knitting section was eliminated from the cooperative after Nam was removed through trickery. "I left the village to earn an income in Quang Binh, the native province of my wife. But I have never stopped thinking of the craft," Nam said. Far away from home, Nam designed samples using cut pieces of knitted mattresses as way to deal with his homesickness. Last year, he decided to make a determined comeback to his home village and work on creative products made with pieces of knitted mattresses. "Only creativity would work. I think that traditional handicrafts cannot compete with mass-produced items, so a transformation in the way they (traditional products) are used is necessary. Late last year, Nam had his new products make their debut and they were welcomed by locals and visitors to a festive event held in Phuoc Tich Village by the organisers of the biennial Hue Festival. Today, he has almost 150 designs for sofa mats, lanterns, tissue boxes and desk lamps, and key rings in different shapes, including fish, Santa Claus, Doraemon, 12 Zodiac animals and the Dharma Wheel of Buddhism. I want to meet the demands of customers of all types and ages, he said. Whatever is good for the sale of rush mattress, I will do. Nam has designed many toys for kids, too cars, planes, trains, etc. For producing his items, Nam purchases complete mattresses from locals and cuts them into smaller pieces for his works. For complicated designs, he does the knitting himself. Luckily, Nams creativity and skills have been accepted in the market. "These are so good, and it is great that they help consume the knitted mattresses," said Nguyen Van Loi, who was seeking nostalgic products. Pleased at his discovery during an accidental visit to Nams workshop, he said: "The items here are artistic and attractive for people of different ages. Recently, Nam has received orders from the Phuong Nam arts and crafts outlet, an organic food supermarket Que Lam in Hue and potential traders from a Nang and HCM City, who met him at the Hue Craft Village Festival held in the city earlier this month. Nam was invited to the festival as a representative for new craft products. Higher sales of Nams products mean stronger hopes of survival for the 500-year craft. With increased interest in organic product consumption in the country and elsewhere, Nam seems to have done the right thing at the right time. VNS GLOSSARY Nguyen Viet Nam was born on a mattress woven by highly skilled artisans. Artisans are people who make things by performing skills that involve using their hands. The mattresses produced by artisans of Pho Trach Village in the northern part of Thua Thien-Hue Province using craft skills handed over through generations have also welcomed the birth of generations of babies in the village and beyond. You and your brothers and sisters are one generation; your parents and their brothers and sisters are another generation; your grandparents and their brothers and sisters are yet another generation, and so on. For Nam, the knitting of dry, grey rush stems has been an indispensable part of his conscious life, and the awareness of his native villages craft legacy has only deepened over time. Indispensable means very necessary. Your conscious life is made up of the years you can remember. It usually means ever since you were about three years old. A legacy is what remains behind from the past. For decades, Nam has been struggling to expand the market for the villages mattresses, so that local weavers can earn higher incomes and their traditional craft thrives in the face of mass-produced industrial products. Decades are periods of ten years. To expand the market means to sell things to more people and in more places. Incomes are amounts of money people earn. In the face of means up against. When something is mass produced, many of that item are made. This usually happens when things are made in a factory. The craft dates back to the 16th century, with pioneer residents from the northern part of the country following their commanders, who later became the Nguyen Lords (1558-1777), settling down in the village. Pioneers are the first people to do something new. Residents are people who live in a certain place. The early residents recognised that the village had many marshes and rush plants growing naturally in them. A marsh is a swamp. A rush is a kind of plant that grows in the muddy soil found in swamps. They found that the plant had a hollow cylindrical stem and if these were flattened and dried, they would become durable. If a container is hollow it has solid walls around the outside but it is not solid on the inside. Rather it has a chamber of air on the inside. Cylindrical means in the shape of a cylinder, which is long and hollow. If something is durable it can last a long time. Then they started knitting these threads to make mattresses and this became the villages mainstay for generations. If making mattresses is the mainstay of a village, it is what the village relies on for most of its income. For centuries, the villagers relied on this craft to augment their income from agricultural cultivation. Augment means add to. In their heyday, they were the sole suppliers of mattresses throughout Thua Thien-Hue and neighbouring provinces. The villages heyday is the time when it was strongest. Sole means only. They were soft, because of the air that remained in the flattened stems; they were also able to absorb water, a useful feature for babies; they were washable; and they gave off a cool feeling during hot, sunny days. To absorb water means to take in water. However, sales of other products have declined. Declined, in this case, means gone down. Only nostalgic rural customers continue to consume the mattresses produced in the village. Nostalgic means longing for the past. Rural means from the country and not from the cities and big towns. Saddened by the plight of the villagers and their traditional craft, Nam, as the deputy head of villages agriculture co-operative, gave the body a new direction in 2000. A plight is a sad situation. Those products became popular in the market, before the handmade items were overtaken by trendy fabric hats and plastic bags. Trendy fabric means material that is popular. Eventually, the knitting section was eliminated from the cooperative after Nam was removed through trickery. If something is eliminated it is got rid of. A cooperative is an organisation in which people share their work and the money they make from their work. Trickery means dishonesty. Far away from home, Nam designed samples using cut pieces of knitted mattresses as way to deal with his homesickness. Homesickness means a longing for home. "I think that traditional handicrafts cannot compete with mass-produced items, so a transformation in the way they (traditional products) are used is necessary. To compete means to be in competition with others, in other words, things made by hand in the village being sold beside the same things made in a factory. Transformation means the changing of something from being one thing into being something else. Late last year, Nam had his new products make their debut and they were welcomed by locals and visitors to a festive event held in Phuoc Tich Village by the organisers of the biennial Hue Festival. A debut is a first appearance. A biennial festival is one that is held every second year. For producing his items, Nam purchases complete mattresses from locals and cuts them into smaller pieces for his works. Purchases means buys. For complicated designs, he does the knitting himself. Luckily, Nams creativity and skills have been accepted in the market. Complicated means very involved and sometimes confusing. Nams creativity means the use of his imagination. Recently, Nam has received orders from the Phuong Nam arts and crafts outlet, an organic food supermarket Que Lam in Hue and potential traders from a Nang and HCM City, who met him at the Hue Craft Village Festival held in the city earlier this month. Organic food means food grown without artificial fertilizer and chemicals but rather with the help of natural things. WORKSHEET Find words that mean the following in the Word Search: A woman who has a husband. A period of ten years. A form of toy made from reed mattresses that is especially for kids. A religion practiced in Viet Nam and elsewhere in the world. Little people who were born recently. m b a b i e s e b i t l e a r r w d r u u u s n w r d i n e t i d n s c u i o m d e c a d e b u s a f a g a a y h t e p y i w e c a i t i e l c i y h i l g s n s d g o a c i n n k i c m h i a u n t e u c h a a l e s d p a l c a r s o r n s ANSWERS: Duncan Guy/Learn the News/ Viet Nam News 2017 1. Wife; 2. Decade; 3. Cars; 4. Buddhism; 5. Babies. By Trinh Nguyen A classic travel guide authored early in the 20th century has been reprinted, offering readers the opportunity to travel back in time and experience yesteryear Ha Noi in minute detail. Nha Nam Books, in co-operation with Ha Noi Publishing House, has brought out a new edition of the original Ha Noi Chi Nam (Ha Noi Travel Guide), considered a thorough guide book in the early 20th century. Authored by Nguyen Ba Chinh, the guide book was first printed in 1923 with clear information about Ha Nois tram routes, railway, roads, restaurants, hotels, pharmacies and tailors. Apart from the wealth of information, the book also encouraged readers to follow the writers choices and recommendations. This is a new guide book written in the Romanised Vietnamese script, targeting Vietnamese people, travellers and enterprises as the demand for travel keeps increasing in such a beautiful city, which will be a big market soon, Chinh wrote in 1923. The book lists four tram routes in the city, all starting from Hoan Kiem Lake. It notes: A one-way ticket on leather seat costs 4 cents; ticket for a normal seat, 3 cents; ticket for children 3-7 years old, 2 cents. A return ticket on leather seat costs 7 cents; on normal seats, 5 cents; for children 3-7 years old, 3 cents. The Tram Department sells monthly tickets for 2 or 4 routes. The guide book also lists distances between Ha Noi and other provinces, details of rail routes and information on how to buy tickets. The book clearly sets out the rail route from Ha Noi to Yunan (China) and procedures to get a pass for both French and Vietnamese people. The readers were advised to submit the pass form to French authorities in the Ha Khau (border area with Yunan, China in the northern province of Lao Cai) three days before departure. It also carried a reminder: Passengers with weapons should show the weapons to the French authorities at the time they submit the pass forms. If they do not have permission from Chinese authorities at the border, they cannot bring weapons into Yunnan. Its a bit of an exaggeration to call this a historical or anthropological document as it is a travel guide, researcher Phan Phuong Thao of the History Department, Ha Noi University of Social Sciences and Humanities, told Thanh Nien (Young People) newspaper. There are clearer documents stored at No 1 Archive Centre in Ha Noi. Yet in terms of a travel guide book for that time, the information is quite clear, concrete and precise. Its a useful guidebook for both Vietnamese and French people. She noted further that Ha Noi Chi Nam lays out clear travel routes, highlights beauty spots within the city, on its outskirts and further. The Ha Noi Opera House is introduced thus: Locating at the head of Trang Tien Street, an outstanding, magnificent building is the so called Municipal Theatre . The House was built in 1901, on the area of a lake. As many as 35,000 wooden pillars were installed, a 90cm-thick layer of cement and pebblestones was poured to make its foundation. Attention to detail The book explains things like why the statue of Huyen Thien Tran Vu at the Quan Thanh Temple is covered with a yellow robe: It was made totally of black copper. People dubbed it as statue of Black Copper Saint. The statue was given a royal robe by King Thieu Tri (1807-1847) during his trip to the north Though the temple was built a long time ago, trees have been planted and new buildings have been newly erected. This detail is interesting, said Pham Thanh Huong, an expert with UNESCO Viet Nam. Today, the statue no longer wears a yellow coat. The information will help todays tour guide to add more interesting details to their presentation on the temple. The information on Hoan Kiem Lake states that the Le Dynasty (1427-1789) used the lake as a site for training marine forces. Thats why the lake used to be called Ho Thuy Quan (Naval Lake). The book tells the reader where she/he can get photographs taken, buy souvenirs, leather goods, jewelry, silk, cloth, etc. In the part for restaurants and accommodation, the writer divides the establishments into three categories: westerners, Chinese and Vietnamese. The list for western restaurants is led by Hotel Metropole. The writer has clearly opted for big restaurants with tasty and hygienic food. The 155-page book, costing VN50,000 (US$2.2) is available in book stores throughout the country. o inh Hong, director of Ha Noi Tourism Department said the department intended to publish a new guide book, which may contain the same subheads. The accommodation list may contain 5-star, 4-star, 3-star, homestays and apartments. The new book, to be published later this year, will also have information on venues for art shows. VNS By Anh Huong Over the past eight years, Nguyen Thuy Nga has carried her best friend and classmate, Nguyen Thi Mai Gai, to school every day, over a distance of more than four kilometres. I have always been ready to be by Gais side and take her everywhere she wants. Unfortunately, due to a deformity, she is unable to use her legs. So, I wanted to become her legs, says Nga, a ninth-grader at the Cat Hai Secondary School, in the southern province of Binh inh. Gai is the oldest child of four and was born with a deformity in her legs meaning she is unable to walk. All of Gais daily activities need the support of her parents and grandmother. I couldnt go out like other people, which made me feel very sad. My parents were too busy earning a living, so they couldnt take me out very often either. Gradually, I got used to it, and just stayed at home all day, Gai says. The years passed until the day the six-year-old was due to start primary school. Unlike most of her classmates however, this little girl was filled with feelings of both happiness and anxiety. The excitement of beginning school was short lived, as Gai was met with strange looks from the other students. The young girl was overwhelmed with depression. I hugged my mother and asked her to take me home whenever I went to class. She had to console, encourage and persuade me until I agreed to stay in school, she recalls. During break time, while the other children were playing around happily, Gai sat alone with nobody to talk to. That was before a fellow student named Nga came up to her and asked if she wanted to be carried to the playground. When class ended, Nga carried her new friend on her back to the school gates, where Gais mother was waiting. After that first encounter, Nga asked her parents if she could take Gai, whose house was nearby, to school. Seeing the good will she had towards her unfortunate friend, Ngas parents supported the idea. Ever since then, the little girl has dropped by her friends house everyday before class to take her to school on her back. Labour of love: Nguyen Thuy Nga has carried her classmate, Nguyen Thi Mai Gai, on her back to school for eight years. Photo baomoi.com On rainy days, Gais parents drive her to school, but Nga still waits at the school gate, ready to take her friend into the classroom. Not only becoming Gais "legs", Nga has been supportive of all her friends activities, and the two young girls have developed a strong bond. My primary school was over a kilometre from my house, but Nga always showed up to take me to school. Then when we attended secondary school, which was even further away, she kept accompanying me to class. Sometimes I see her sweating buckets, and I feel so moved and speechless, Gai says. Whenever classmates teased Gai for her deformity, I reported it immediately to the teacher and told them to cut it out. When my teachers check homework, I take Gais notebook to them. I also like to help her with difficult exercises. Being able to help her with such small things makes me very happy, Nga says. The image of the slender girl carrying her close friend on her back has touched many hearts, including those of teachers and schoolmates. Some of them, after seeing their beautiful friendship, also wanted to help Nga take Gai to school every day. To teacher Vo Ke Chien, principle of the Cat Hai Secondary School, the first day of the 2013-2014 school year was unforgettable. I came to school very early. Standing on the lobby and looking at the school gate, I saw a student carrying another on her back. At first, I thought they were playing a game, but later on I learned that student Nga took her classmate to school like that every day since they attended primary school, I felt so moved. I often praise their friendship and encourage other students to follow their example, he says. A beautiful friendship Like Gai, Nga is also the eldest child from a poor family. Both her parents work as farmers, struggling hard to make ends meet and cover their childrens tuition. Sometimes, her mother sells sugar-cane juice on the street to earn a little extra. Though my family is not well-off and both of us have to work long hours, we are still proud and happy to see our daughter studying hard and frequently helping others, particularly carrying her friend to school, says Ngas mother, Nong Thi Xuan Thiet. It moves Gais mother, Mai Thi Lac, to tears whenever she see the two friends making their journey to school. Having such a good friend like Nga is great for my daughter, she says. Despite suffering from a physical disability, she has always tried to perform well at school. We love her very much, and encourage her to overcome her disadvantages and attend school every day. My mind was put at ease when Gai made friends with Nga. Words are not enough to thank Nga for what she has done for my daughter. They have such a beautiful friendship, she adds. Not only in the classroom, Nga also regularly visits Gais house to help with homework. Whenever Gais sick, Nga brings her notes from the lessons and explains them so that Gai can catch up. Recently, after years of saving, Gais parents have managed to purchase a motorbike to drive her to school. Nga still waits at the gate, ready to walk into class together. The two friends have received a lot of support from kind-hearted benefactors and local authorities, both financially and morally, every year. Particularly, Nga has been presented with a new bicycle, helping to make the journeys she takes on her own quicker and easier. Our school has encouraged Nga and Gais to help each other in their studies. All of us, teachers and students, admire Ngas dedication to her friend, and the beautiful bond they have developed, says Principal Chien. VNS The HCM City Ballet Symphony Orchestra and Opera (HBSO), established more than 20 years ago, provides quality chamber and vocal concerts and dance performances for local and foreign audiences in HCM City. The shows often feature classical works by both Vietnamese and international composers, and are performed by foreign and local artists. Meritorious Artist Tran Vuong Thach, HBSOs director, speaks with Phuong Mai about the theatres achievements and challenges ahead. Inner Sanctum: What are HBSOs most significant achievements of the last 20 years? HBSO was established in 1993 with only 13 artists and workers, and now we have 133 officials and dozens of collaborators. We have three troupes, including the orchestra, ballet and opera. The orchestra, which was established first, has received support from local and international artists. The troupe was invited to perform at the Asian Orchestra Week in Tokyo in 2008 and in 2014. The ballet started with excerpts from famous foreign and Vietnamese ballets, including Carmen, Gisele and Ngoc Trai o (Red Pearl). However, since 2011, the troupe has presented full versions of the classical ballets Nutcracker and Cinderella. We have also introduced contemporary dance works choreographed by HBSO artists Nguyen Phuc Hai and Nguyen Phuc Hung, including Nhung Manh Ghep Cua Nhung Giac Mo (Dream Puzzles) and Cham Tay Vao Qua Khu (Touching the Past). In 2012, the Opera presented the full version of Henry Purcells opera Dido and Aeneas which was staged and led by conductor Norwegian Lars Notto Birkeland. Since then, the troupe has introduced a series of opera masterpieces, including Mozarts Magic Flute, Bizets Carmen and Offenbachs La Vie Parisienne (Parisian Life). After many years, for the first time, in 2009, HBSO published a brochure offering detailed information on programmes for the year. We increased the number of performances from two shows a month during the 2005-2010 period to three shows a month beginning in 2011. Were very happy to say that most of our shows sell out. We feel lucky that we have received support from international and local individuals and organisations. Thanks to them, our artists have improved a lot and we have received attention for the quality of our performances. This year, we welcomed conductors Daniel Gazon of Belgium and Stefano Meceli of Italy, British-Vietnamese pianist Bich Tra, Vietnamese-French violinist Stephane Tran, and many artists from Germany, France, Russia, South Korea, and Japan. HBSO has received huge support from international artists and organisations. Can you talk more about the cooperation? We are proud to say that HBSOs fame is known around the world. Many international artists have contacted us through consulates, and via email and HBSOs Facebook page, to ask for cooperation. They havent asked for any payment. We have cooperated with different countries cultural centres in Viet Nam, as well as organisations in Norway, Russia, South Korea and Japan. We have received a request from a Japanese organisation to send three musicians to HBSO to perform in a chamber concert in late May. Happily, they asked us not to pay for the musicians as they will be responsible for all the fees. We have worked with the General Consulate of France in HCM City to organise a concert Ngay Chau Au (European Day) on May 9. In 2019, we will collaborate with the Goethe Institute of Germany to host a special programme, combining Goethes dance festival Europe meets Asia in Contemporary Dance and our biennial festival Giai ieu Mua Thu (Autumn Melody). Can you tell us about HBSOs schedule in 2017? This year, HBSO will present concerts featuring classical masterpieces by great foreign composers and works by Vietnamese composers. We will introduce a new contemporary dance Ru em (Night Lullaby) choreographed by three of HBSOs talented artists, Nguyen Phuc Hai, Nguyen Phuc Hung, and Sung A Lung, with my original music. We will continue to restage our sold-out performances, including the ballets Cinderella and Nutcracker, and the contemporary dance Cham Tay Vao Qua Khu. This year, the HBSOs most awaited programme, the Giai ieu Mua Thu festival, will be back in August. What is the Giai ieu Mua Thu festival? The festival will be held from August 17-29 with 11 performances. There will be more than 160 Vietnamese artists and 42 international musicians. From HCM City, we have HBSO artists, the HCM City Conservatory of Musics brass band, the Saigon Guitar Quartet, and young pianist Nguyen Lan Anh. Guest performers from Ha Noi will include violinist Bui Cong Duy, cellist Tran Thi Mo, young violinist Tran Le Quang Tien and 10 excellent students from the Viet Nam National Academy of Music. Were also happy to welcome 12 young talents from the Spivakov Foundation from Russia, the Sakura String Orchestra Kitakyushu from Japan, the International Ensemble from the US, and soloists from Russia, Germany, Canada and Macedonia. Our programme for the festival includes the premiere in Viet Nam of the famous operetta Die Fledermaus (The Bat) by Johann Strauss II. It will be staged and directed by experts from Germany. We are proud to introduce a new version of the famous ballet Carmen, which will be staged by choreographers Hai and Hung. The performance is expected to be more seductive, alluring and impressive. For more than 20 years, HBSO has not had a permanent home. You rent the HCM City Opera House as your performing venue and office. Although the city government has planned to build a new theatre for years, the project still has not begun. Can you tell us more about this? Its necessary to build a new theatre. As you see, the Opera House is small and has old equipment. It cant meet the standards of rehearsal and classical music performances. HBSO rents two venues for rehearsal. One is at the Thanh Van Theatre at 360A Cach Mang Thang Tam Street in District 3 for the opera and the orchestra. The other is at 181 Tran Quoc Thao Street in District 5 for the ballet. If we have a new theatre, we can produce higher quality performances and attract more international artists and arts troupes. So, the city residents will have a chance to enjoy the best shows and learn more about classical music. A new theatre could be a performing venue for all kinds of arts, including cai luong (reformed opera) and hat boi (classical drama). In a meeting with the city government and the Department of Construction in January, I heard that a new theatre would be built in District 2. The deputy chairwoman of the city Peoples Committee, Nguyen Thi Thu, promised funding of VN1.43 trillion (US$63.5 million) to build the new theatre. I hope that construction on the new theatre will start by the time I retire in 2021. VNS by Hoang Anh I was at this years travel and tourism Global Summit, which took place last month in Bangkok. One question I asked of all my Thai colleagues was what they think of the Thai governments decision to stamp out the so-called zero dollar tours. As incredible as it may sound, zero dollar tours mean exactly that: a tour that costs nothing except for the airfare. These tours, while not exclusively made up of Chinese travellers, often include a significant number of them. As they say, theres no such thing as a free lunch, and zero dollar tours are no exception. Tourists, instead of seeing beautiful places and enjoying luxurious hotels, are taken to shopping malls and gifts shops. There the visitors are persuaded, or sometimes forced, to buy items at inflated prices. The tour companies get kickbacks from the shops, and in doing so can afford to keep running the tours. Worse still, the shops are often Chinese-owned and will almost always take cash exclusively. The whole business revolving around the zero dollar tour concept leaves little room for local firms, while local government loses out on massive tax revenue. The businesses and government arent the only losers in this game. The biggest losers are the tourists. Everyone joining in is doing so to save money. However, to their horror, the unwitting victims end up shelling out more on overpriced than they would have spent on a regular package tour. For many tourists the scam leaves painful memories, and some vow never to return. A shame really, because they didnt have a chance to see the sights, forced to go from shop to shop, treated as cash-cows. Every once in a while stories surface of tourists abandoned on the street by their guides, the result of being unwilling to spend enough. A recent article in Los Angeles Times tells the tale of some unfortunate tourists, who were held hostage by the very tour companies they entrusted their holidays with. Many said they were taken to shopping malls instead of going out for promised sight-seeing; some were even threatened by their tour guides. They were told if they didnt spend enough money on gifts they wouldnt have a place to sleep. In September 2013, 43 Chinese tourists were held for three hours in a jewelry shop in Hong Kong. They all purchased a zero dollar tour from a company in China. For the entire duration of the tour, they were taken to eight different shopping malls and forced to spend hundreds of dollars on gifts and other unwanted goods. By the Thai governments estimation, zero dollar tours cost the country US$9 billion a year. Most tourism experts will tell you the poison runs even deeper, as the damage caused to a countrys image is, sometimes, irreversible. It was perhaps no coincidence that right after the Thai government shut down the shady tours the number of Chinese visitors entering Viet Nam surged. Statistics provided by the Viet Nam National Administration for Tourism show a record number of Chinese tourists during the first three months of 2017, with nearly one million visitors, marking a 63.5 per cent increase from the same period last year. Popular destinations including the border province of Quang Ninh and the coastal city of a Nang welcomed tens of thousands of Chinese visitors on a monthly basis. It is safe to assume that after Thailands clampdown, the dodgy companies are looking for alternative destinations. Those who follow the news might remember pictures of seemingly endless lines of Chinese visitors queuing up at the Mong Cai Border Checkpoint to enter Viet Nam. They may also remember reports of a large number of unusual shops, selling only to Chinese tourists while denying entry to anyone else. Numerous accounts from industry insiders revealed that these events were all part of the same sinister circle. Tourism experts have long identified zero dollar tours as a serious threat to the countrys tourism industry, even as a form of fraud that must be stopped to protect Chinese tourists and local companies. Many pointed out that other factors, on top of financial loss, must be taken into account. The stress on local infrastructure networks, the impact on the environment and the negative influence the practice may have on tourists from other countries are all cause for concern. In late March, the Quang Ninh authorities closed some 15 of the shops, a positive development in the ongoing fight against zero dollar tour companies. However, for the future health of its tourism business, Viet Nam must take serious action to shut down the companies and individuals involved, just like the Thai government. Inevitably, Thailands strong action precipitated a drop in the number of Chinese tourists, but most experts at the Bangkok summit agreed with the decision and believed it would benefit the tourism industry in the long run. In the meantime, my Thai friends are putting on a brave face. Those tours have plagued our industry for years. We are happy to welcome back Chinese visitors. Hopefully, this time around they wont be on one of those rip-off tours, said a Thai tour guide who goes by the name of Tom. We cannot allow the image of our country and our people to be ruined in the name of greed, a Thai reporter who goes by Laura said, I am confident that even without those zero dollar tours Chinese people will come back to see my beautiful country. Chinese visitors amounted to nearly 30 per cent of the total number of visitors to Viet Nam last year and this figure is expected to rise in the years to come. It is of great importance that the countrys tourism authority starts working on measures to prevent the rise of zero dollar tours, not just to protect local tourism but also the image of a hospitable country and the honest, friendly people of Viet Nam. VNS Eye care center unveils new logo WATERLOO Cedar Valley Eye Care, the Cedar Valleys leader in vision enhancement services, has unveiled a new logo. The clinic provides complete eye care for patients of all ages, from eye exams and contact lenses to cataract, retinal, glaucoma and corneal treatments and iLASIK treatments. Cedar Valley Eye Care also features the Cedar Valleys largest group of board-certified ophthalmologists, including the areas only full-time retina specialist. Its Waterloo office, at 909 E. San Marnan Drive, is open from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Mondays, Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Fridays and 8 a.m. to 7 p.m. on Thursdays. At 1409 W. First St., its Cedar Falls clinic has hours from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Mondays, Wednesdays, Thursdays and Fridays and 8 a.m. to 7 p.m. on Tuesdays. CV Hall of Fame winners named WATERLOO The 2017 Cedar Valley Business Hall of Fame, presented by Great Western Bank, will honor three area business leaders and two young entrepreneurs who have experienced business success and have established a legacy of leadership within their industries and the community. The 23rd annual Junior Achievement of Eastern Iowa Cedar Valley Business Hall of Fame will take place Oct. 26 at Gallagher Bluedorn Performing Arts Center. The 2017 honorees are Dave Braton, former publisher of The Courier; Mark Hanawalt of United Equipment Accessories Inc.; and Dan Watters of US Bank. The young entrepreneurs are Adam Lewis and Marc Reifenrath, both of Spinutech. The business leaders were nominated by community members and selected by an independent committee. These individuals have lived and worked in eastern Iowa and epitomize five key standards of excellence: their impact on their industry or organization; their integrity as an ethical business leader; their commitment to bettering the community as a whole; their leadership qualities, which allow them to be exemplary role models especially the children of Iowa; and their entrepreneurial spirit in starting or significantly advancing local businesses. They will be inducted at a black tie dinner. Tickets are on a first-come, first-serve basis. For tickets or additional details, contact Junior Achievement at 274-0760 or e-mail Heather Arnold at harnold@jaeasterniowa.org. Karst geology topic of forum DECORAH An upcoming public forum will present issues related to Karst, Water Quality & Livestock: Finding Balance for a Sensitive Geography. The event is May 30 at Luther College in Olin Hall. Topics will include karst geology, research on water quality testing in karst areas of Wisconsin and Iowa, outstanding Iowa waters and their economic value, Iowas manure management rules and a Wisconsin multi-stakeholder process to address pollution and health concerns in a karst area. The event also will share viewpoints from several livestock producers on balancing the need to make a profit while protecting water quality. A planning group from several counties in Northeast Iowa helped develop the agenda. The group has been meeting since spring of 2016 to consider constructive approaches to address the growing number of large livestock facilities coming into the karst areas of Northeast Iowa. Space is limited. Advance registration required by May 22. A $25 fee includes lunch with locally sourced foods. Check-in at the event begins at 8:30 a.m., with the program from 9 to 5:15 p.m. For more information or to register, go to: www.iaenvironment.org/karstevent17. Flint Hills earns EPA honors FAIRBANK Flint Hills Resources Biofuels and Ingredients, owner and operator of the ethanol plants in Fairbank and Shell Rock and a Koch company, earned the U.S. Environmental Protection Agencys Energy Star Partner of the Year Award for 2017. It is in recognition of its energy management practices. It received the distinction for advancing energy management in multiple energy-intensive industries, actively participating in Energy Stars industrial network and by building a vast energy network within its own operations. The award is the highest honor bestowed by the EPA. New business workshop set INDEPENDENCE The Buchanan County Economic Development Commission and the UNI Small Business Development Center will offer a free Start Your Own Business workshop at the BCEDC, 112 First St. East, downtown Independence, from 9 a.m. to noon May 23. Amy Dutton of the UNI SBDC will provide information on developing marketing strategies for a home-based business. Participants will learn the rules and regulations for starting their own business as well as tax and finance issues and franchise opportunities available in the area. For those who already have developed some ideas for a small business, individual counseling also will be available. Register for the workshop by calling Dutton at 273-4328. Sign company gets showcased WATERLOO The Small Business Association Iowa District Office on Friday showcased Convey Sign Solutions, owned by Bari and Randy Richter, in honor of National Military Spouse Appreciation Day. The outreach event recognizes the contributions of veterans and their families to the small business community and national economy. The event featured an award presentation. The Richters started Convey Sign Solutions in August 2016. Randy is a Dubuque native who served in the U.S. Navy. He met Bari when he was stationed on the USS Nimitz in her native Washington state. WATERLOO A Waterloo man who fled the hospital in a neck brace in April following a lengthy police pursuit that ended in a crash has been arrested. Jonathan Minor Webster, 42, of 2116 Mulberry St., was arrested May 8 for felony eluding, possession of methamphetamine with intent to deliver and violation of the drug tax stamp act. He remains in the Black Hawk County Jail with bond set at $100,000. According to police, a patrol officer attempted to stop Webster for a traffic violation at Vinton and Mulberry streets around 10:15 p.m. April 15. The Ford F-150 pickup Webster was driving sped up, and the chase crossed to the Broadway Street area with speeds of up to 72 mph. The truck struck a pole in the area of Broadway and Parker and kept going, at one point following railroad tracks. The pursuit eventually returned to the area where it started, and the truck left the roadway near Franklin and Nevada streets where it stuck a number of trees. Webster was thrown from the vehicle through the drivers side window, according to court records. Paramedics with Waterloo Fire Rescue took Webster to UnityPoint-Allen Hospital, where he fled around midnight on April 18 wearing a gown and a neck brace, records state. Police found two ounces of meth in the wrecked truck along with $870 in cash. One injured in Thursday shooting in W WATERLOO A Waterloo man who was shot in the leg Thursday night likely wasnt the target of the shooting, according to police. Moriono Deshon Keys, 36, showed up at the Covenant Medical Center emergency room with a gunshot wound to his lower calf around 10:30 p.m. Thursday about 20 minutes after neighbors reported hearing gunfire in the Frances Drive and Hale Street. At this point we dont believe he was the intended target, said Capt. David Mohlis with the Waterloo Police Department. He said Keys was outside when the gunman apparently began shooting at a nearby apartment building. Patrol officers found numerous spent shell casings between cars parked along Frances Drive. No arrests have been made. It was the second time police responded to gunfire in the Frances Drive area in recent weeks. On April 22, one person was shot in the buttocks and taken to the hospital by private vehicle. One arrested in Thursday stabbing in Waterloo WATERLOO A Waterloo woman allegedly stabbed her roommate Thursday because she wanted him to leave the house, according to court records. Andrew Herman Kurtze, 48, was found outside a neighbors house with two stab wounds to his shoulder after police were called to 821 W. Sixth St. around 4:15 p.m. Thursday. He was taken to Covenant Medical Center for treatment. Margaret Anita Bass, 61, was arrested for domestic assault with intent to cause serious injury. She was released from the Black Hawk County Jail on Friday morning. According to police, officers had been called to the house about an hour before the stabbing when Bass had asked to have Kurtze, who has been living there since July, removed. Bass claimed Kurtze had assaulted her, but officers didnt observe any injuries, court records state. Police didnt have any grounds to remove him, said Capt David Mohlis with the Waterloo Police Department. After the stabbing, Bass again said she had been assaulted, claiming Kurtze had punched her and slammed her against a wall, but again police didnt observe any injuries, records state. Bass admitted stabbing him because she wanted him to leave the house, court records state. 2 deputies hurt during Cresco mans escape RIDGEWAY A Cresco man faces several charges following an incident Friday in which two deputies were hurt, one seriously. Shelby Henry, 25, faces charges of felony escape from custody, aggravated misdemeanor interference with official acts causing serious injury and serious misdemeanor interference with official acts causing bodily injury. The incident began about 2 p.m. when Henry was arrested in Winneshiek County on a Howard County probation violation warrant. A Winneshiek County deputy transported Henry to Ridgeway where he met with a Howard County deputy. While in Ridgeway, Henry escaped from custody. Deputies chased Henry on foot and a Taser was deployed. During the chase an unnamed Winneshiek County deputy sustained serious non-life-threatening injuries and was transported by ambulance. A Howard County deputy also sustained minor injuries. Henry was apprehended and transported to the Winneshiek County Jail. Additional charges against Henry are pending. Winneshiek deputies said Henry was charged with flooding their jail a couple of weeks ago. Vehicle shot Friday evening in Waterloo WATERLOO The owner of a vehicle reported damage after a shots-fired call on Center Street on Friday evening. Waterloo Police were called to the 300 block of Center Street at 5:50 p.m. Friday. Officers initially found only shell casings with no one injured and no property damage. At around 6:37 p.m. they received a vandalism call at 420 Linn St. for damage to a vehicle. Police say the vandalism was related to the shooting. No arrests have been made. Steamboat Rock man dies in ATV crash STEAMBOAT ROCK A Steamboat Rock man was killed after the all-terrain vehicle he was riding was involved in a crash Friday. Lindsay Michael Stupp, 32, died Friday from his injuries, according to a death notice furnished by Creps-Abels Funeral Home in Eldora. The notice gives no other details of the crash. The Hardin County Sheriffs Office said they will not release information until Monday. Stupp was a staff sergeant in the Iowa National Guard and served in Afghanistan in 2004 and Iraq in 2006, according to Eldora Newspapers. Stupps funeral will be Wednesday at 10:30 a.m. at the Steamboat Rock Baptist Church, with burial to follow at the Steamboat Rock Cemetery. Visitation will be from 5 to 7 p.m. Tuesday at the church. The future of the Waterloo Municipal Airport could be grounded by politics or could soar because of an electric bus in the air. Meanwhile, look up in the air. Its a bird! Its a plane! No, its a flying car! Small personal aircraft soon could overtake the self-driving car as the next cool thing. In March, the Trump administration budget proposed eliminating the $175 million Essential Air Service program for rural airports. Waterloo was granted an annual $945,546 subsidy for its 13 American Airlines weekly flights in 2014. EAS serves 173 smaller cities in largely rural markets, including nearly 50 in Alaska. Part of its budget comes from overflight fees the Federal Aviation Administration charges foreign aircraft using U.S. air space, and the rest is from taxpayers. We doubt Congress will go along with Trump nearly all public transportation requires some form of subsidy. While the busier airports should maintain their allocations, others (notably boutique airports near cities) could be susceptible to cuts. Regardless of that outcome, revolutionary new aircraft technology eventually may fly to the rescue. Zunum Aero recently announced its intent to manufacture a short-flight, inexpensive and quiet electric hybrid aircraft carrying 10 to 50 passengers. Named after a Mayan hummingbird known for its speed and efficiency, the Washington state company is backed by a partnership including subsidiaries of Boeing and JetBlue. The Zunum jet would fly routes up to 700 miles with fares reduced by 40 to 80 percent in a quiet aircraft producing 80 percent fewer emissions. A small range-extending generator would complement batteries. The goal is eliminating fuel costs entirely. Think of it as an electric bus in the air, said Bonny Simi, president of JetBlue Technology Ventures. According to the Washington Post, Zunum claims a trip will feel like a cross between private corporate air travel and hopping on a bus. It hopes to take advantage of regional airports, while convincing people to forgo trips under 500 miles usually taken by car (95 percent of such travel, according to the U.S. Department of Transportation) and get them off trains and buses as well. Zunum has competition. The Post reported Massachusetts-based Wright Electric has plans for zero-emissions electric airliners designed to save money and our planet in the next decade contingent on battery technology. Meanwhile, air taxis and personal cars are taking off. In Germany, Lilium debuted its VTOL jet, a vertical take-off-and-land air taxi, a winged aircraft that rises straight up, hovers and then heads off. Backed by investors, including the founder of Skype, the company plans on making a Lilium Jet that seats five. Airbus, the European aerospace consortium, hopes to produce its two-seat, all-electric E-Fan 2.0 capable of staying in the air for 90 minutes later this year. In 2015, its all-electric E-Fan 1.1 crossed the English Channel in 37 minutes. Last year, Ehang, a Chinese drone company, debuted its all-electric 184 quadcopter 4-feet, 11-inches high and 440-pounds. The 184 stood for one passenger, eight rotors and four arms. It could fly 10 miles at 62 mph with a maximum altitude of 11,480 feet. Its battery power lasts only 23 minutes. Passengers must weigh less than 264 pounds. The New York Times recently reported Kitty Hawk, a small Silicon Valley company backed by Google founder Larry Page and others, has unveiled a flying car, looking like something Luke Skywalker would have built out of spare parts an open-seated, 220-pound contraption with room for one person, powered by eight battery-powered propellers that howled as loudly as a speedboat. Four years ago, Terrafugia, a U.S. company, unveiled Transition, a semiautonomous car/plane hybrid with foldable wings that would sell for more than $300,000 with a flight range of 450 miles and an optimum road speed of 70 mph. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration categorized it as an off-road vehicle. Anything that takes flight, though, should be governed by rules in the air. And these new aircraft should keep regulators busy. Zunum is confident its small-size regional aircraft can circumvent Transportation Safety Administration rules on baggage check-in and security, much like trains and buses. But as potential targets of terrorists, that may not pass muster. What will be the rules of the road and air for car-like planes and air taxis? Can they be parked in a neighborhood garage and take off and land on the street? How will air space be shared, particularly with commercial flights? Regulators were slow to act and seemingly confounded by drones. The time to start developing new rules is now. One thing is certain: Traffic overhead will become much more congested in the not-so-distant future. Iowans are known for getting things done whether its academic breakthroughs at Iowas colleges and universities or building up the family farm in Bremer County. Thats why this year, Iowas members of Congress should take a hard look at what they can get done in Washington, especially the rare opportunity to reform the federal tax code. Its been nearly three decades since we last did a major tax overhaul, and now that tax reform is finally gaining traction in Congress, Im grateful our elected leaders are talking about the outdated tax code and how to make it fairer and simpler. Ideas on tax reform should be supported by Iowa members of Congress if theyre pro-growth, help simplify the tax code, cut rates and make the system more efficient and fair for small-business owners like myself. The current federal tax code is close to 75,000 pages long and contains 2.5 million words. It is obvious this is far too complex to be comprehensible to the average business owner or individual. This level of complexity puts businesses like mine at a competitive disadvantage when they have to hire accountants just to figure out how much money they need to pay the government. Instead of spending money navigating the tax code, we should be investing it in upgrading our equipment, hiring more people or giving higher wages to our employees. The United States also has one of the highest corporate tax rates among developed nations, something that puts us on an uneven playing field in the global marketplace and essentially punishes small businesses. In fact, some small businesses end up paying an effective tax rate as high as 39 percent. Tax reform must lower this sky-high rate so that businesses are encouraged to grow instead of squandering much of their money paying taxes. Its been three decades since the tax code was last updated business owners cant wait any longer for Congress to take action. The American public agrees. According to a recent poll, a staggering 77 percent of voters say tax reform should be a priority for Congress. Americans understand how this issue stands to benefit small businesses and also family pocket books. In Iowa for example, the average household would see a return of around $5,300 dollars in after-tax income and nearly 19,000 jobs would be created. The nation as a whole would see nearly 1.7 million new jobs created as a result. Simply put this opportunity is not something lawmakers can afford to pass up. We have steadily grown our third generation business over the last 65 years. Given all the work put in throughout my life, I want to keep our business growing. Its time for Washington to stop working against us. 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(12) Nov 06 (8) Nov 05 (4) Oct 29 (1) Oct 01 (1) Jul 29 (1) May 11 (1) Jul 11 (1) A startup needs to test an idea quickly. For this, an MVP is created. MVP, Minimal Viable Product a test version of a product or service with a minimum set of functions (up to one or two), which allows you to see the product's value for consumers and the market. MVP is created to test hypotheses and check the viability of the intended product: is it worth developing the project further, what changes should be made? The sooner a startup brings its MVP to market and tests the idea, the better. This article will look at how no-code technology can help founders achieve their business goals. This article will try to cover everything that a founder needs to know about no-code at the initial stage of creating a startup. What is no-code? No-code, zero-code platform is a tool for creating websites, applications, chatbots, and other programs without the need for direct code writing by programmers. No-code is a valuable alternative to traditional development. No-code is confused with low-code, but there is a difference in these terms. Low-code includes no-code and the ability to "finish code", add parts of code and the functionality. A user of a no-code platform usually does not need to know layout, programming languages, or hire a team of programmers. The user of the no-code tool creates an application using a visual block constructor, which he fills with the necessary content and functions, and the no-code platform itself does the processing of requests, compiling the application and other "magic." It generates code using AI and/or contains blocks of code pre-written by programmers. No-code allows the startup founder to create an MVP himself, entrust it to his employee with basic technical literacy and understanding of the project, or hire a no-code developer. Even in the case of hiring a no-code developer, the cost of creating an MVP will be significantly lower than with classical development with programmers. For example, you can read the interview of a startup and no-code developer on our website, who initially worked as a Product Manager and was able to master no-code for his project himself. Benefits of no-code for a startup founder There are the following key advantages for a startup founder in using no-code technology: a large selection of no-code tools, platforms, and their integrations at the moment already in 2022, there are many tools and platforms for creating an MVP, a larger project, or even a finished product on no-code, but few people still know about them, and others are far from all startups and founders use their potential; cost no-code development saves the money by speeding up the development process, not hiring professional programmers or no need to maintain a developer department, monitoring functions and quick bug fixes, avoiding or reducing the growth of technical debt; speed is the main advantage over classical development no-code allows you to build a simple application in a weekend, and a more complex one can be built in a month. In this way, you can test an MVP and even several versions of an MVP very quickly; low entry threshold to master a no-code platform, you often do not need technical education at all, but only an understanding of a company's business processes or product from the inside. In the case of pro-level no-code platforms, technical education is required, but you can get used to it hundreds of times faster than with any programming language. This makes no-code available to almost everyone who wants to work with technology; ease of use no need to write hundreds of code lines just move the blocks and assign links between them. Work on a project can be entrusted to your employee without communicating with a team of third-party developers. You can speak "in your language" without the need to understand the "inner kitchen" of developers; flexibility with the help of no-code, it is easy for a startup founder to add new functionality and new features right during a project or a MVP testing without a significant increase in development costs. Possible disadvantages of no-code for a startup founder As often, any property can be, under certain conditions, both a disadvantage and an advantage. In no-code, many of the benefits with the wrong choice of tool can turn into disadvantages: no-code is not always a budget solution for a project. Sometimes in a no-code development package, you get unnecessary functions and additions (on AppMaster.io you can separately connect the frontend and pay only for the backend or only for those functions that you are using); if you do not understand the needs of your project, then you can make a mistake with the choice of a no-code tool and not be able to implement the necessary functions on it, or it will be too difficult to implement them; often, no-code tools fail to ensure proper data security and contribute to data leakage (but AppMaster.io allows you to host a finished application on any server); no-code tools often do not provide the ability to upload source code or provide uploading in an inconvenient format, which makes it difficult to move to another tool or to your development. You have to choose a no-code tool "once and forever immediately" (AppMaster. io gives you the ability to download the source code. Also, we generate human-readable code and you will not have any difficulties with its transportation); most no-code tools on the market are not suitable for creating a finished product, and there are significant difficulties with scaling the project if the MVP is successful (AppMaster.io is a professional no-code platform and our capabilities allow us to implement and support the finished product and scale it in the future). Forewarned is forearmed. Choose your no-code tool wisely and take full advantage of your choice. Types of no-code platforms Conventionally, all no-code tools can be divided into several types: no-code devices with a low entry threshold (you can create frontend and not very powerful backend on them), integrators that help connect applications and services, and professional no-code platforms (they strive to replace the code completely, provide the ability to create a robust backend and high bandwidth). The basic principle of operation of your MVP and the choice of a no-code platform depend on such a conditional division into types. For example, if you make a simple application like a diary, you can limit yourself to a no-code tool with a low entry threshold and a beautiful design. If your application has powerful potential, high bandwidth, multi-user interface, and works with large amounts of data or real-time data, it is better to choose a professional no-code platform like AppMaster.io or Direcual. If you use several services at once, link them on integrators like Integromat and Zapier. Adalo An easy-to-learn designer with a relatively user-friendly interface. The free version is helpful for learning. The free version contains Adalo watermarks and does not allow you to upload your applications to GooglePlayMarket and AppStore. Beginners often choose this no-code platform to create their first applications with simple logic. Bubble It will take more time to learn Bubble , but the platform allows you to work with the backend, databases, business processes, and layout. There are many plugins. The free plan allows you to master the tool, and you can start developing at the middle rate. The price increase is due to the rise in the number of users. Integromat It is an integrator. Experts talk about it as a simple and affordable platform for linking applications and services. Scenarios can be created personally, or you can use templates. If you need to connect an application with a service not from the Integromat database, fill out the form and connect to its API via HTTP. Zapier This is an integrator for linking applications with each other or with other external services. You can transfer data between thousands of applications. There is a script constructor (one event starts a chain of necessary actions). Directual The no-code platform positions itself for creating MVP applications (Minimal Viable Product, minimum viable product) and full-fledged applications of finished products. Scenarios are the backbone of the platform. Using scripts, you can automate the backend logic of the application, create and combine workflows. The Directual catalog includes out-of-the-box connectors, HTTP requests, webhooks, database listeners, and integration with popular services. AppMaster.io No-code next-generation platform for creating native and web applications on a real backend. Visual drag-and-drop designer, user-friendly business process designer, one-click app publishing to AppMaster Cloud, or integration with any cloud platform. Push notifications, authorization using social networks. Networks, email, and more. Connect applications to hundreds of services or programmatically access them using APIs. The ability to upload source code and documentation in a human-readable format and transfer it to your servers. Documentation auto-generation. Modern and fast language GoLang at the core. No-code perspectives for startups No-code development is gradually gaining popularity around the world. There are already more than 500 no-code tools for creating websites and various types of applications. According to the forecasts of IT world experts, no-code will develop more and more actively and capture parts of the market responsible for medicine, small online business, small business, and all niches where it is possibly necessary to optimize and automate development processes. The mass shift of businesses and their customers online and to gadgets has increased the demand for the fast and inexpensive creation of mobile applications that would work according to a single quality standard and have a simple, understandable, user-friendly interface. Conclusion No-code is visual programming in the form of a constructor without directly writing code. Usually, basic knowledge in development is enough to build applications on no-code. The logic of no-code constructors is intuitive: the application interface is assembled from blocks, icons, buttons, and text which are connected to the database. Usually, you can choose a suitable template or do everything from scratch. Speed and economy are the main advantages of no-code tools. No-code is suitable for creating an MVP, testing an idea or new features in a product, saving time for solving standard tasks. PRO level no-code platforms can provide you with a finished product, an application. If you don't have an account on AppMaster.io yet, join us. After registration, you will be given a free trial period for 14 days, in which all the basic functionality of the platform is available. It will allow you to learn the intricacies of working with a professional-level no-code platform and understand its potential. After a five-year break, Courier, a magazine published by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) resumed publication in April with the support of China. Founded in 1948, the Courier has been spreading UNESCO's message of cultural diversity, communication between civilizations, and the spirit of peace, said UNESCO Director-General Irina Bokova in Beijing Saturday. The Courier, produced in print and online, serves readers from UNESCO's 195 member states in the six official languages of the Organization (Arabic, Chinese, English, French, Russian and Spanish) and in Portuguese. "The reappearance of this historic journal in 2017, through the generous support of the People's Republic of China, is much more than the resumption of an editorial endeavour: it is a valuable opportunity to renew our commitment to the Courier's founding values," said Bokova on the Courier website. The magazine stopped publication in 2012 due to financial difficulties. The Chinese version of Courier will be translated by China Translation Corporation, and will be published and distributed in China by China Translation & Publishing House. May 14, 2017 | By Julia A Romanian engineer is making serious headway in the rapidly intersecting fields of 3D printing and aerospace. Valentin Stamate, a leading researcher at the Transilvania University in Brasov, Romania, has officially unveiled his latest innovation: a 3D printed two-stroke airplane engine prototype. The first two-stroke engine to be almost entirely 3D printed, Stamates work constitutes a landmark in what can be achieved by additive manufacturing in the aerospace industry. Stamate said that 3D printing the engine would be particularly advantageous to the industry, as costs could be significantly reduced from traditional manufacturing methods. Making this engine is useful because, in the future, we could drop the manufacturing of matrices, which come with high production costs, and design the prototype with the help of the 3D printing technology. Then the series production can start, the researcher told local press. How and when production will actually start remains unknown, but the prototype is certainly a promising first development. The engine itself measures up at 10 cubic centimetres, and completes 10,000 rotations per minute. Almost all of the engine parts were exclusively 3D printed from steel, aluminum, and bronze and steel powders. Stamate used SLM and SLS-type systems for his work. The only sections that were not 3D printed are the propellor, which is made of wood, as well as the cone and its fastening system, the spark, the screws and nuts, and the supporting bearings. A precise combination of methanol and oil fuels the engine. The entire project was reported to have racked up some EUR 20,000 in manufacturing costs, and all expenses were covered by Brasov University. An up and coming star at Transilvania University, Stamate has been working as a researcher at the Romanian institution for the past four years, with a focus in the Technological Engineering and Industrial Management Faculty. Romanian press reports that Stamate gave up teaching about two years ago, in order to dedicate himself exclusively to research. So far, that move has already been paying off for Stamate and Transilvania University. A state school located in the mid-sized Brasov, Transilvania University is one of Romanias largest educational institutions. And with Stamates engine prototype already creating considerable buzz, the University is poised to get a lot bigger. The innovation is also significant for Romania in and of itself, as it projects a strong signal that the Eastern European country is ready to become a serious contender in the international aerospace industry. Posted in 3D Printing Application Maybe you also like: Gordon Bennet wrote at 5/14/2017 8:50:38 PM:So, no machining then ??? 10cc as per RC model engine. I want my children to have all the things I couldn't afford. Then I want to move in with them. Phyllis Diller Mothers of teenagers know why animals eat their young. ~ Author Unknown It would seem that something which means poverty, disorder and violence every single day should be avoided entirely, but the desire to beget children is a natural urge. ~ Phyllis Diller My mother had a great deal of trouble with me, but I think she enjoyed it. ~ Mark Twain Ive been married 14 years and I have three kids. Obviously I breed well in captivity. Roseanne Barr My mom's favorite Stevie Wonder song is, I Just Called to Say Someone You Don't Know Has Cancer Damien Fahey @DamienFahey There are three ways to get something done: hire someone to do it, do it yourself, or forbid your kids to do it ! You don't really understand human nature unless you know why a child on a merry-go-round will wave at his parents every time around and why his parents will always wave back. ~William D. Tammeus. My mother's menu consisted of two choices: Take it or leave it. ~ Buddy Hackett Motherhood is like Albaniayou cant trust the descriptions in the books, you have to go there. Marni Jackson Over the years I have learned that motherhood is much like an austere religious order, the joining of which obligates one to relinquish all claims to personal possessions. Nancy Stahl The reason I dont call my mother more often is that I get tired of her complaining that I never call. Melanie White An ounce of mother is worth a ton of clergy. Spanish Proverb Students from throughout Aiken Countys schools gathered May 13 at St. Mary Help of Christians School, in St. Angela Hall, for this years Celebration of Character, an annual event run by Aikens womens cubs. In the spotlight were 240 students who were nominated by their teachers for having consistently shown virtue throughout the 2016-17 school year. Chinese President Xi Jinping and other delegates attending the Belt and Road Forum (BRF) for International Cooperation pose for a group photo in Beijing, capital of China, May 14, 2017. Xi attended the opening ceremony of the forum and delivered a keynote speech. (Xinhua/Pang Xinglei) President Xi Jinping said Sunday that China will contribute an additional 100 billion yuan (about US$14.5 billion) to the Silk Road Fund to scale up financing support for the Belt and Road Initiative. Xi made the announcement when delivering a keynote speech at the opening ceremony of the two-day Belt and Road Forum for International Cooperation. Designed to finance the Belt and Road Initiative, the Silk Road Fund was officially founded in December 2014 and jointly backed by China's foreign exchange reserves, the China Investment Corp., the Export-Import Bank of China (China EximBank) and China Development Bank (CDB). To provide more funding for Belt and Road cooperation, China will also encourage financial institutions to conduct overseas RMB fund business with an estimated amount of about 300 billion yuan, Xi said. In addition, the CDB and the China EximBank will set up special lending schemes respectively worth 250 billion yuan equivalent and 130 billion yuan equivalent to support Belt and Road cooperation on infrastructure, industrial capacity and financing, he said. China will also work with the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB), the BRICS New Development Bank, the World Bank and other multilateral development institutions to support Belt and Road related projects, Xi said. Financing bottleneck is a key challenge to realizing connectivity. China has engaged in multiple forms of financial cooperation with countries and organizations involved in the Belt and Road Initiative. The AIIB has provided 1.7 billion U.S. dollars of loans for nine projects in Belt and Road participating countries. The Silk Road Fund has made four billion U.S. dollars of investment, and the 16+1 financial holding company between China and Central and Eastern European countries has been inaugurated. A multi-tiered Belt and Road financial cooperation network has taken an initial shape, Xi said in the speech. China will also work with other parties concerned to jointly formulate guidelines for financing the Belt and Road related development projects, he said. Proposed by Xi in 2013, the Belt and Road Initiative is a grand plan to connect Asia with Europe and Africa along, and beyond, ancient trade routes by putting in place an unparalleled trade and infrastructure network. So far, the initiative has won support from more than 100 countries and international organizations, of which over 40 have signed cooperation agreements with China. A total of 29 foreign heads of state and government leaders attended the forum. Other delegates include officials, entrepreneurs, financiers and journalists from over 130 countries, and representatives of key international organizations. May 13, 2017 An Egyptian band offers its audience a musical journey to the time of the pharaohs, through melodies inspired by inscriptions painted on temple walls, songs played with ancient musical instruments and lyrics sung by musicians dressed like pharaohs. Ahfad el-Farana (Grandchildren of the Pharaohs) was founded in 2007 to revive, protect and spread the ancient Egyptian musical heritage. The unprecedented initiative, which is part of the National Project for the Revival of Ancient Egyptian Music, was launched by professor Khairy el-Malt, who has been interested in ancient Egyptian music since the 1990s. "This idea came to me in 1990 when I got a glimpse of the temples from a plane as I was traveling to the upper Egyptian governorate of Qena to give a series of lectures. The view of the temples from the plane window encouraged me to dive into the world of ancient Egyptian music. I started working on the project a decade later," Malt, a professor of musicology at Helwan University, told Al-Monitor. The project received a grant from the European Union in 2004 and another grant from the World Bank in 2005, to become the first entity teaching ancient Egyptian music and providing students with a master's degree. "The study [of ancient Egyptian music] on an academic level is required to ensure the continuation of the project. Without preparing qualified cadres, this project would fall into oblivion," Malt said. The band was formed after extensive academic research of the instruments and other aspects of the music of pharaonic times. This project has two aspects: academic and cultural, Malt added. On the academic front, we thoroughly studied all the pharaonic instruments discovered worldwide. We began with eight instruments and we have reproduced nearly 21 instruments. We are preparing for more." The project team resorted to experts from Germany, the United Kingdom, South Korea and other countries in search of ancient Egyptian musical instruments. One of the obstacles in regard to the reproduction of the instruments was that animal intestines were used as strings. He noted, To produce similar sounds with the reconstructed instruments, we needed similar materials. Fortunately, some German experts were very helpful and provided us with the required materials as they were highly interested in the project." After the reproduction of the instruments, it was time to find the musicians who could play them. The first students to graduate from the ancient Egyptian music classes came together in a band. "After reconstructing the main instruments, we established the band in order to spread this musical culture; this is the cultural aspect of the project," Malt said. The music was inspired by the rhythmic moves carved on the temple walls. "Some paintings, for instance, depict a maestro who moves his shoulders and hands in certain ways to direct the musicians. Each move is a melody and refers to a certain scale. All these scales are derived from ancient Egypt, which is the birthplace of all genres of music," Malt said. Our slogan is that we make the stones speak. The songs' themes are derived from pharaonic civilization. "The band members selected some texts that highlight the ancient Egyptians' daily life. We also use some religious texts. Music was considered one of the holy sciences and it was highly regarded. The fact that there were so many instruments shows that the pharaohs prioritized art. There were more than 13 types of lutes in different sizes. There were also 20 types of harps," he said. Malt said that ancient Egyptian rituals included music and hymns, and that the priests were in charge of protecting this music from being merged with other foreign cultures brought by invaders. Temples also included spaces for music instruction. Malt said modern Egyptians should work to keep the heritage, saying, "As we are the grandsons of the pharaohs, it is our responsibility to keep the distinctively Egyptian characteristics of the music." But preserving the heritage with reconstructed Pharaonic instruments is far from easy. When we prepare for a concert, we have to take certain things into consideration while using or transferring these instruments from one place to another, since they are made from old materials and the maintenance costs are high," Asmaa Karem, a senior member of the project and the band, said. The band is composed of between nine and 11 members. The main and most important instruments the band depends on are the harp, lute, flute and tambourine. Karem emphasized that the main aim of the band is to raise public awareness of this musical heritage, in addition to spreading it. "Most people who come to listen to us are the intellectuals and those who are already interested in ancient Egyptian civilization. We also want to attract ordinary citizens through certain songs that include words they use. In Upper Egypt, for instance, there are many songs that people used to sing at weddings and other occasions. These songs including church music date back to ancient Egypt. They were etched within the society's collective subconscious and passed on from one generation to another," she said. The lack of financial resources remains the key obstacle faced by the band. "The band and the project in general did not get support from the Egyptian Ministry of Culture. But if supported, this project could play a vital role in reinvigorating the tourism sector," Malt said. He added that any financial support would be used to spread pharaonic music through concerts, seminars and cultural events. "The temple walls tell us everything. We depend on them to get the lyrics, melodies and scales, he concluded. May 11, 2017 CAIRO Amer Baalousheh, a journalist from the Gaza Strip, never expected the Hamas-affiliated security services to abduct journalists whom they consider against the movement, until it happened to him. He was abducted from the streets of Beit Lahia in the northern Gaza Strip on April 29. Baalousheh, 26, who works as a reporter for the Egyptian El Badil newspaper, has also recently emerged as a youth activist and has led many demonstrations, most notably a Jan. 12 electricity protest in Gaza. At approximately 6:30 p.m. on Saturday [April 29], two civilians started following me as soon as I left my home in Beit Lahia. Suddenly, a bus approached me. Gunmen opened the doors and pounced on me along with the two walking behind me. They forced me into the bus and took me to the headquarters of the Internal Security in Jabaliya camp, Baalousheh told Al-Monitor. He explained that they started beating him as soon as they took him. Interrogation started at 8 the next morning. They questioned me about the electricity protests that started and ended in January. We only demanded that the electricity situation in Gaza be improved. The officers kept assaulting me and insulting me until 3 in the afternoon," he said. Investigators asked Baalousheh, who was detained at the Internal Security headquarters for one day, not to talk about politics or anything related to the Hamas movement. They also accused him and his fellow protesters of receiving external funding and working according to certain agendas. In like manner, Palestinian militants kidnapped Mahmoud al-Zaq, who serves as the secretary of the National Labor Authority in the Gaza Strip, at the entrance of the Shajaiya neighborhood east of Gaza City on the evening of April 19. He told Al-Monitor, I was coming home at 3 p.m. when I stopped to buy some medicine at a pharmacy at Shajaiyas entrance. The minute I stepped out of the car, four unmasked men attacked me and forced me into their car. Some passersby tried to intervene, but my kidnappers threatened them with their weapons. He said, In the car, they tied my hands behind my back, tied my legs and blindfolded me. They beat me up and insulted me for 20 minutes, until we reached what seemed like a camp or a training center of theirs, where they continued beating and insulting me and their leader came in and joined the party. Zaq was taken for three hours, after which his kidnappers told him never to talk about politics again and instructed him to stay at home and never participate in political events, before ditching him in an agricultural field. He said that the message behind his kidnapping proves which party is responsible, in reference to Hamas. On May 2, Hamas Internal Security apparatus summoned and arrested dozens of Fatah leaders and activists in Gaza in order to prevent them from participating in demonstrations in support of Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas. Al-Monitor tried to contact Eyad al-Bozom, the spokesman for Hamas Interior Ministry in Gaza, but to no avail. However, spokesman for the Gaza police Ayman al-Batniji simply said that the Ministry of Interior launched a crackdown against activists and journalists for spreading rumors and false news to instill fear and terror among people. Mohammed Abu Hashem, a legal researcher at the Palestinian Center for Human Rights, told Al-Monitor that the situation of freedom of expression in the Palestinian territories is bad in general, especially in the Gaza Strip. This poor situation has been perpetuated by existing laws, policies and systematic violations against journalists and opinion-makers, creating a general state of fear that prompted journalists to practice self-restraint so as not to provoke the authorities or conservative forces in society. He added, The Palestinian Press and Publications Law includes vague texts that allow the authorities to interpret them as they please. The same goes for the Penal Code applied in the Gaza Strip, which mentions the crimes of slander and defamation. It also stresses the definition of libel, so that talking about corruption is extremely difficult, especially in the absence of transparency and a law that protects the right to access information. Thus corruption cannot be revealed or discussed. Abu Hashem noted that unknown attackers have recently assaulted opinion-makers, which is quite dangerous, especially since the identity of those responsible is yet to be discovered. Authorities in the Gaza Strip are held responsible since they are locally and internationally committed to providing protection to journalists and opinion-makers and preserving their right to freedom of expression, he said. He stressed that over the past month, the Palestinian Center for Human Rights monitored dozens of arrests against the backdrop of freedom of opinion and political participation; some victims were tortured and insulted. He added that there could never be any accurate statistics about freedom of opinion in the absence of transparency and under the intentional blackout on the reasons for arrest. The number of violations against journalists and political activists in the Gaza Strip has recently escalated, and various methods of arrest, abduction and torture are practiced. As officials and citizens remain silent, one could only wonder whether such violations have become a natural thing in this society. May 12, 2017 On April 23, hours after the conservative daily Kayhan proclaimed that [Islamic] Azad University is awaiting major restructuring, four members of the institutions nine-member board of trustees called a special session. Later in the day, Hamid Mirzadeh, the president of Islamic Azad University (IAU), received a note telling him to either resign voluntarily or be discharged by the weekend. Mirzadehs sudden replacement drew an outcry among Reformists, who fear that the countrys largest private university is slowly falling into the hands of rival conservative factions. Parvaneh Mafi, a Reformist member of parliament, told the Azad news agency, Attacks and intrusions against IAU have a political and electoral undertone. Questioning Dr. Mirzadehs management is one of the key strategies of a dishonest media. The ministers of science and health, both members of the IAUs board of trustees, also expressed opposition to the move. Rumors first emerged that Mirzadeh would be replaced by Farhad Rahbar, a staunch conservative and former president of Tehran University. In the end, however, the board of trustees appointed Ali Mohammad Nuriyan, a less controversial figure, to temporarily oversee university affairs. Since former President Ali Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani, the founder and longtime leader of IAU, died in January, conflict over who gets to inherit his education legacy has heated up. Less than three weeks after his death, Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei appointed his foreign policy adviser Ali Akbar Velayati, a powerful conservative, to head the board of founders the institutions highest decision-making panel. Soon afterward, Velayati asserted authority over the board of trustees, putting him in a position to control IAUs general direction. The political struggle over IAU invokes parallels with other contested models of private education in the region, notably the school system run by Fethullah Gulen in Turkey. In Iran, however, conflict over who gets to run the universities has been the order of the day since the 1979 Islamic Revolution, following revolutionary leader Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini's proclamation that the nations progress lies with the university. Faced with an unruly student movement, the young Islamic Republic closed the entire university system for almost two years between 1980 and 1982. Dissidents were purged and curricula reformed according to Islamic criteria. In 1987, the Islamic Republic made it a legal requirement for universities to educate a virtuous believer, conscientious and engaged in the service of the Islamic society. Despite being formally Islamic, the political importance of postsecondary education has only increased, particularly after students helped Mohammad Khatami, a Reformist advocate of cultural dialogue, get elected as president in 1997. Private education has been one of the main channels through which competing factions have tried to mobilize students in their causes. Both Reformist and conservative figures have established their own private universities with curricula and teaching staff designed to follow the political leanings of their powerful founders. The majority of these private universities are located in Tehran and Qom, and focus on teaching social sciences, humanities and religious studies. A notable example of a Reformist institution is Qom-based Mofid University, which enrolls over 2,500 students and was established by Ayatollah Abdolkarim Mousavi Ardebili, a former head of the judiciary. On the conservative side, Ayatollah Mohammad Taghi Mesbah Yazdi founded the Imam Khomeini Institute in 1991 a university that now hosts around 2,000 seminary students. Both of these institutions benefit from high national prestige in their respective fields. Indeed, Imam Sadeq University, which is located in Tehran and was founded by the powerful Ayatollahs Hossein Ali Montazeri and Mohammad Reza Mahdavi Kani, is one of the main educators of the state elite. Yet IAU is by far the largest of these private universities. Founded in 1982 as a private technical and engineering university, the size and scope of IAU exploded after Rafsanjani became president in 1989 and limits on private education were lifted. For a short while during the early 2000s, IAU boasted a larger student cohort than the entire state university system combined, according to data from the Institute for Research and Planning in Higher Education. In 2014, it had an enrollment of 1.7 million students reportedly the third largest university in the world. Unlike state education, IAU does not have an urban base. The university has branches across the country, including in even smaller rural towns. Its monopoly on education in the countryside endows it with particular political weight. Indeed, according to the 2016 census, up to a fourth of Irans population resides in rural areas. While Rafsanjani was seen as a centrist during the 1990s, he moved closer to the Reformists after the election of conservative Mahmoud Ahmadinejad in the 2005 presidential vote and the popular protests against his allegedly fraudulent re-election in 2009. As a result, conservatives feared that IAU, too, would be turned into a bastion of Reformist power. Some hard-liner groups even accused IAU of contributing actively to the 2009 protest movement and of fostering a Reformist culture. After 2009, the Ahmadinejad administration steadily upped pressure on IAU. In 2010, Rafsanjani was forced to replace Mir Hossein Mousavi, the defeated presidential candidate and Reformist leader of the protests and a member of the IAU board of founders with a less contentious figure. Fearing a direct takeover by the government, Rafsanjani first tried turning the university into mortmain property. When that failed, he re-registered IAU as a private nonprofit organization. While this change in status guaranteed a degree of university autonomy, it also removed the majority influence of the board of founders over the board of trustees and thus Rafsanjanis direct control over the university. Henceforth, the government and the supreme leader would play a more decisive role in determining IAUs president. Delays, opposition and bureaucratic obstacles prohibited Ahmadinejad from getting his own favored candidate elected as IAU president. When Hassan Rouhani, a Rafsanjani ally, was elected president in 2013, both agreed to appoint Mirzadeh. The temporary appointment of Nuriyan who is reported to be a cousin of Velayati shows that any Reformist or conservative attempt to assert more definite control over IAU is likely to remain postponed until after the tightly watched presidential election on May 19, in which Rouhani will face off conservative rivals. Whether that means replacing Nuriyan, or putting him in a more definite political position, any incoming government is expected to take a front seat in shaping the future of Irans largest private university. May 12, 2017 MOSUL, Iraq Following the fall of the Maamil neighborhood in west Mosul to the Iraqi forces May 10, only 15 neighborhoods remained under control of IS [the Islamic State] in Mosul, all of which are surrounded by the Iraqi forces, said Bashar al-Kiki, the head of the Ninevah Provincial Council. In order to manage the liberation of the remaining areas, the Iraqi joint forces announced a plan to divide the areas into different parts, each of which has been assigned to specific forces. In the area of Bab al-Jadid in west Mosul, which is held by the federal police, suicide attackers infiltrated the front line April 28 and one killed a staff colonel in charge of the area before blowing himself up, Col. Mohammad Hussein Salman told Al-Monitor two days later in an interview at the site of the attack. The officer killed, Staff Col. Khidher Abdulmahdi, left behind several children, including an infant who had been born while he was at the front and whom he had not yet seen, Salman, a deputy brigade commander, said. Suicide bombers usually shoot at you and then throw hand grenades, and then they blow themselves up when you try to catch them, Salman added, stressing that this time the attacker had infiltrated the defense line in the predawn hours and targeted the staff colonel from inside a former shop. Various body parts of the attackers had been left around the area where they had fallen, while young recruits manned a dirt embankment that cut off access to a main road leading out of the former market nearby. The men were holding their ground, and had no plans to move forward. One of the officers who spent time with Al-Monitor at the front line, Capt. Haidar Mohamad Abdurrida al-Isawi, was killed by a sniper in the same spot a few days later, on May 4. Across the market, other federal police were stationed in what was formerly a school, with large photos of little girls with white headscarves wrapped around their heads and skyward visages superimposed on photos of the hajj and the Kaaba in the Muslim holy city of Mecca. Holes had been drilled through the walls for ease of movement, and chunks of the wall remained on the ground, ignored by officers trying not to trip as they rushed across spaces potentially within the sight of snipers. Through a hole in a wall at the very edge of the territory held by the federal police, a desolate landscape of destroyed buildings and roads cluttered with rubble can be seen. The sound of snipers bullets attests to IS presence. A few projectiles pass through the forest green sandbags stuffed into a glassless window, making the officers nearby duck and call for heavier weaponry. Many civilians are still inside the area. They have not been able to leave through the southern sections for several weeks, Salman said, adding that IS is 50 meters [54 yards] away, at the most. At the Hammam al-Alil base about 30 kilometers (18 miles) south of Mosul, a photo of the staff colonel killed in Bab Al-Jadid hangs over Lt. Gen. Raed Shaker Jawdats desk. Many Iraqi news channels come to Hammam al-Alil base from Erbil to take live shots against a backdrop of helicopters' coming and going. They the journalists return to their hotels in the capital of the Kurdistan Regional Government, which is much closer than Baghdad. A few stay at the base and go out to the front. Those who have stayed find that the front line in the southern sections has moved extremely little, or not at all, in recent weeks. But the base itself has been targeted by three suicide attacks, Jawdat told Al-Monitor in an interview at his office there. He added that all of the attackers were foreign fighters but had used members of the local population for reconnaissance and to prepare the attacks. We captured all of them, he said, claiming that his forces were continuing to kill significant IS figures inside Mosul, including a man named Abu Sidra, who he said was involved in the production of chemical weapons. Jawdat said IS had controlled the local populations lives, thinking and finances since 2005 some nine years before the transnational group came to international attention with the dramatic taking of Mosul in June 2014 and that it would take a long time to change the situation. He estimated that around 1,200 IS fighters were still inside the city as of May 1 and that most of them were Iraqis. Some sleeper cells are still in the liberated areas, including in Hammam al-Alil, he added. Jawdat estimated that between 300,000 and 400,000 civilians were still in the areas of the city occupied by IS and that it was proving very difficult to get them out. During a visit by Al-Monitor on April 30 to the Nabi Sheet area, known for a mosque razed by IS just over a month after it took the city, Staff Brig. Gen. Hafez Hless al-Tami, the head of the federal polices Fifth Division, said the division was tasked with holding defensive positions while operations are conducted from other axes. In a previous visit by Al-Monitor to the area in mid-March, the same streets that were safe one day to traverse were not so the next due to sniper fire. The same situation was seen over a month later. Tami said civilians had not been able to leave the area for several weeks because of the danger from the crossfire, as snipers in the area are insidious. Although they do not hold positions, he said, they create problems for the forces stationed there by sneaking up and sometimes taking over buildings that are in view of our units. For the moment, the defensive lines seem to be holding, albeit with frequent losses due to snipers and suicide bombers. Operations by Iraqi forces to retake the city have now switched to the northern axis, and sources on the southern front say that no advances will be made from the southern part of the Old City until more pressure has been put on IS from the other side. May 14, 2017 Can Trump save face for Erdogan? The Trump administrations decision May 9 to provide arms to the Syrian Kurdish Peoples Protection Units (YPG) does not bode well for the meeting between US President Donald Trump and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan in Washington on May 16. On a visit to Washington last week, Erdogans closest national security advisers could not dissuade their US counterparts from taking the widely anticipated step, which Turkey has vehemently opposed. Ankara regards the YPG as the Syrian extension of the Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK), which both Ankara and Washington consider a terrorist organization. While Erdogans hope for a new page in US-Turkey relations may have been buoyed by Trump's being the only Western leader to congratulate him on his April 16 referendum victory, the prospects for a successful summit will depend on bromides about US-Turkey solidarity against both the Islamic State and the PKK. In Syria, keeping Turkey from complicating the US strategy to take Raqqa may, as we noted last week, depend in good part on Moscows good offices. In addition to seemingly irreconcilable differences over the YPG, Semih Idiz writes, Erdogans second major demand will be the extradition of Fethullah Gulen, the self-exiled Islamic cleric who resides in Pennsylvania and whom Erdogan accuses of masterminding last year's failed coup against him. This campaign which is also criticized strongly by independent Turkish analysts is expected to strengthen the hand of Gulens legal team and make it harder for Trump to make an executive decision regarding Gulens extradition. Idiz concludes, Erdogan has played his hand and is not open to compromises. The onus, therefore, is on Trump to come up with face-saving formulas for Erdogan while maintaining US policies that are unlikely to change. If this cant be done, Turkish-US ties will face even more turbulence, as many are already predicting they will. Saudis will press Trump on Iran Bruce Riedel explains what we can expect from Trumps visit to Saudi Arabia later this month. Iran is [King] Salman's top issue, writes Riedel. This month, Saudi Defense Minister and Deputy Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman gave an interview condemning Iran in extremely harsh sectarian terms. The prince, the king's favorite son, characterized the Iranian Islamic Republic as being driven by messianic prophecies and determined to dominate the entire Islamic community. He claimed that Iran sought to take control of Mecca from the kingdom. There was no room for dialogue with Tehran, according to his statement. Indeed, the prince promised that the kingdom will fight its war against Iran inside Iran, not in Saudi Arabia. He was vague about what that means, but it suggests he supports regime change in Tehran. It was one of the most virulent public attacks on Iran ever by the House of Saud. In response to the princes interview, Irans permanent representative to the United Nations, Gholamali Khoshroo, filed a letter of protest to UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres on May 2 that read: Our region and the world have suffered tremendously as a consequence of Saudi insecurity and misplaced obsession with Iran. It is imperative for the international community to take necessary action to compel Saudi Arabia to stop its reckless sponsorship of terrorism and extremism in the region and across the globe, and particularly its blatant and open aggression, starvation and genocide against the people of Yemen. Riedel adds, The royal family is eager for American support against Iran in Yemen, Syria and Iraq. The Saudi leaders face a more skeptical domestic audience. The new Trump administration is widely seen by the public in the Arab world as an enemy of Islam. A poll of Saudis in November showed overwhelming support for Hillary Clinton and only 6% for Trump. There will be no demonstrations against the president in a police state, but the palace will not want to be seen as failing to defend Muslim rights, especially when it comes to Jerusalem. Ibrahim al-Hatlani writes, An informed source in the GCC Secretariat General told Al-Monitor on condition of anonymity, Despite Trumps friendly discourse toward Saudi Arabia in his recent speech, some Gulf countries believe that he will bring up the defense money issue again, perhaps more diplomatically, in front of the GCC leaders in Saudi Arabia. Since Gulf governments still rely on US protection [and have] for decades now, they cannot but consign to Washingtons demands and pay their dues. Riedel concludes, There will be agreement on fighting terror, including al-Qaeda and the Islamic State. Behind the scenes, the Saudis will want some administration action to prevent legal action against the kingdom via the Justice Against Sponsors of Terrorism Act (JASTA). Numerous lawsuits have been filed alleging Saudi responsibility for 9/11. The Saudis will note that the CIA just awarded Crown Prince and Interior Minister Mohammed bin Nayef the George Tenet medal for fighting terrorism. How can a medal winner be a sponsor of terror? The Sinjar fault line Another possible fault line in US-Turkey and Turkey-Iraq relations is the prospect of further Turkish military intervention against the PKK and in Sinjar. Dilshad Abdullah writes, Iraqi officials and authorities have been stressing the need for diplomacy to deal with any Turkish intervention in Iraq following April 25 air raids by Turkish forces on the PKK headquarters in the Sinjar Mountains. Adding to the complexity of the situation are the Sinjar Defense Units, which are composed of Yazidis and backed by the Iraqi government, and alleged to be linked and trained by the PKK. Although the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) is allied with Turkey, the Turkish air raids killed five peshmerga forces, provoking a rebuke from the KRG. Hamas cracks down on journalists Ahmed Abu Amer reports, On April 26, the Ministry of Interior in Gaza launched a crackdown against what it described as 'propagandists.' During this unprecedented move, 17 Palestinian journalists and activists were arrested for several hours before being released after pledging not to publish news about internal Palestinian affairs before verifying it with official sources. Abu Amer adds, The crackdown came in the wake of escalating disputes between President Mahmoud Abbas and Hamas, and only a day after the Gaza Interior Ministry threatened to take decisive action against social media propagandists, saying, Some activists deliberately spread rumors on social media in order to stir up confusion among Palestinian citizens. Bob Gathany/bgathany@AL.com It's finally here. The successor to nonprofit development organization Downtown Huntsville Inc.'s popular Street Food Gathering mega events is a "less is more" remix: The Battle of the Food Truck All Stars. The 13 competing vendors, selected through rigorous selection process, include: Back Alley Traveling Bistro, Badd Newz BBQ, Beast Mode, Earth and Stone Wood Fired Pizza, Fire & Spice, Grumpy's, I Love Bacon Food Truck, Manic Organic Food Truck, Pearl Asian Cuisine, Rollin Lobstah, Southerland Sno Depot, Tim's Cajun Kitchen and Washington Square Catering. This will be the first of 12 "battles" and after each event you can vote in an online Facebook poll for your favorite. Battle of the Food Truck All Stars Kick-Off, 5-9 p.m. May 19, Church Street by Big Spring Park downtown, free to attend, facebook.com/downtownhsv Don't Edit File photo STORIES UNDER THE STARS Their stories are required to be true and fit into the theme of blast from the past. Burritt on the Mountains live storytelling series Stories Under the Stars returns with stories from eight community members: William Hampton, Jessica Temple, Tony Ricks, Cindy Small, Rachel Lackey, David Little and Elijah Bean. Attendees can sign up for a wildcard spot to share one of their own stories. With all the listening and talking, folks are bound to develop an appetite, so Manic Organic food truck will be onsite Stories Under The Stars, 6 8 p.m. May 18, Burritt on the Mountain, 3101 Burritt Drive S.E., $10, burrittonthemountain.com Don't Edit File photo PINT WOOD DERBY An adults-only version of the classic kids pinewood derby. Prizes will be awarded for speed and creative design. Pick up your car kits at the Straight To Ale taproom; official kits are required to participate in the race and participants must be 21 or older. A portion of proceeds raised from the sale of kits goes to support Alabama Longhouse of the Native Sons and Daughters, a nonprofit organization encouraging father/child bonds through various activities, including camping, hiking, and, yes, pinewood derby racing. Pint Wood Derby, 5-8 p.m. May 20, Straight To Ale, 2610 Clinton Ave N.W., $20 for car kit/registration, facebook.com/sta805 Don't Edit CONCERTS ON THE DOCK Arts Fishing Club, a young Nashville band will a blues-folk meets indie-rock sound, performs at Lowe Mills outdoor live music series. Concerts on the Dock, 6-9 p.m. May 19, Lowe Mill, 2211 Seminole Drive, admission free ($5 suggested donation for parking), lowemill.net, http://artsfishingclub.com Don't Edit File photo DISCOVER THE DINOSAURS You had us at life-size dinosaurs. The Discover the Dinosaurs walk-through exhibit features encounters with simulated stegosaurus, velociraptor and tyrannosaurus rex. "Discover the Dinosaurs," 9 a.m. 7 p.m. May 20 and 21, Von Braun Center South Hall, 700 Monroe St., $15 and up, discoverthedinosaurs.com Don't Edit Your free time is precious, so how to spend it? Here are five ideas for Birmingham this week, May 14-20, 2017. (Photo by Joe Songer | jsonger@al.com). PETS Sit. Stay. Enjoy. That's our plan for Do Dah Day, Birmingham's annual pet parade and festival. Animal lovers and their four-legged friends will sashay down Highland Avenue on Saturday near Caldwell and Rhodes parks, starting at 11 a.m. After the tail-wagging procession, attendees move into the parks for music, food, drinks, children's activities, vendor booths and a whole lot of socializing. Leashed dogs typically dominate the proceedings, but we've seen other critters on scene, including cats, birds, pigs and tortoises. Best of all: Proceeds benefit the Greater Birmingham Humane Society and Friends of Cats and Dogs Foundation. Do Dah Day, May 20 at 11 a.m., parade route starts at Highland Avenue and 33rd Street South and proceeds past Rushton, Rhodes and Caldwell parks to 26th Street South, festival afterward in Rhodes and Caldwell parks, entry fees $5-$50. (David McClister photo) MUSIC Here's another chance to see Birmingham's buzziest band, St. Paul & the Broken Bones. The fast-rising rock outfit -- led by charismatic soul shouter Paul Janeway -- is headlining on Saturday at the Knox Outdoors Music Festival in Anniston. Never heard of it? Not to worry. This new event on Noble Street boasts a carefully curated lineup, crafts vendors, food trucks and children's activities. Also on stage: the Dexateens, Seratones and Bright Light Social Club. Knox Outdoors Music Festival, May 20, 2 p.m.-11 p.m., Noble Street, Anniston, $35 advance, $45 at gate, $125 VIP via Ticketmaster, free for kids age 10 and younger. (Brian Bowen Smith photo) DANCE Love "Dancing with the Stars"? Then you've seen the precise, passionate work of Julianne and Derek Hough. The siblings have been standouts on the ABC reality series, excelling on the dance floor -- and in Julianne's case, presiding at the judges' table. The Houghs will come to Birmingham on Wednesday, starring in a production called "Move -- Beyond." From what we hear, the choreography encompasses a wide range of styles -- ballroom, tap, salsa, hip-hop and more -- and the imagery evokes earth, wind, fire and water. Natural high, anyone? "Julianne & Derek Hough: Move -- Beyond -- Live on Tour," May 17 at 7:30 p.m., BJCC Concert Hall, 2100 Richard Arrington Jr. Blvd. North, $51.50-$81.50 via Ticketmaster. (Skyway Man Facebook photo) SPECIAL EVENTS Secret Stages fans, this one's for you. The Birmingham festival is teaming with McWane Science Center and Birmingham Mountain Radio for a new events series. (Think Art on the Rocks with a science twist, geared to folks age 21+.) "McWane After Dark" will combine music, food, drinks, hands-on activities and access to museum exhibits. The first installment is set for Friday, with a lineup that features Skyway Man, Lauren Michel and The Audiovore. "McWane After Dark: The Science of Sound," May 19 at 7 p.m., McWane Science Center, 200 19th St. North, $20 advance, $25 at door. (Photo by Tamika Moore | tmoore@al.com) FESTIVALS Find your folding chair or rustle up a blanket. You just might want both, if you're planning to settle down at the Bob Sykes BBQ and Blues Festival. The popular event, set for Saturday at Bessemer's DeBardeleben Park, focuses on two of Alabama's favorite things: smoked meat and soulful music. This year's performers include Joe Louis Walker, Norman Jackson Band, Markey Blue and Eight O'Five Jive. When it's time to stretch and explore the site, you'll find vendors, crafts and children's activities. Bob Sykes BBQ and Blues Festival, May 20, 11 a.m.-8 p.m., DeBardeleben Park, 1623 Second Ave. North, Bessemer, $15 general admission, $125 VIP. UPDATE: Police said Sunday they recovered the stolen vehicle in the 4100 block of 42nd Court North. EARLIER STORY: Police are searching for a gunman who carried out a carjacking in Mountain Brook Saturday night. The holdup happened just before 6 p.m. in the Wendy's parking lot on U.S. 280, said Chief Ted Cook. The suspect took a man's maroon four-door 2013 Kia Optima. The stolen vehicle had Virginia license plate VUJ8028. The suspect, Cook said, turned right out of the Wendy's parking onto to U.S. 280 westbound. He is described as a black male with gold teeth, hand and neck tattoos and wearing a grey hooded sweatshirt and grey sweat pants. This story will be updated as more information becomes available. Yogi, a Dom, born into Varanasis community of cremators, is given an opportunity to study and try to change his future. The night Yogi Choudhurys father died, the teenager was asleep in his boarding school. His older brother had travelled some three hours along a dirt track to find the school. He asked the warden to wake Yogi up so he could break the news. Four years later, in December 2015, Yogi recalls the dread he felt upon being woken. Right then I knew something was wrong, Yogi says in Blue Lassi, a cafe in Varanasi in the northern Indian state of Uttar Pradesh. The cafe overlooks a lane leading to Manikarnika Ghat, a well known cremation ground for Hindus on the banks of the Ganges, the river that borders Varanasi in a sweeping arc. It was at Manikarnika where Yogis father, a Dom, burned human corpses for a living. He died of alcoholism at 52. In our community, everyone either dies of drinking or disease, Yogi says. The men drink, or smoke ganja [marijuana], to cope with the smell of melting flesh. Yogi has raven-black hair slicked back and to the side, a sturdy build and is of average height. A meticulously trimmed moustache runs across his upper lip. He believes he is either 21 or 22. His birthplace, the city of Varanasi, is more than 3,000 years old. Venerated for its tradition and religious significance, it is believed by devout Hindus to be the direct gateway to heaven. The city is characterised by its ghats ancient flights of stone steps that have drawn in throngs of pilgrims and worshippers for centuries which lead down to the waters of the Ganges. Hindus believe that Varanasi is one of the few places on earth where Lord Shiva considered the destroyer of the world dwells, in order to impart true enlightenment to his disciples. For the believers, dying in Varanasi holds the promise of moksha, or liberation of the soul from the mortal coil. Devout Hindus prefer to have their funeral rites performed at one of the cremation grounds either Manikarnika Ghat or Harishchandra Ghat. The Doms, the community to which Yogi belongs, is an isolated, less privileged one relegated by tradition to perform cremations. Their identity is inextricably linked to their profession, and as they deal with corpses, they are often looked down upon. But Yogi is desperate to become much more than what his caste defines him to be. He is a Dom in an unusual situation one that will test whether it is possible to escape the fate usually assigned to those born into his community for he has had the rare opportunity to receive a private school education. Yogi, whom I met at the end of 2015 when he was in the 10th grade, has been receiving sponsored education from a yoga instructor in New York along with three other Doms. When people tell me that a Dom child can never move forward in life because of his caste, I sometimes get disheartened, Yogi says. I feel that if God is willing, Ill be able to get out and make something of myself, and if he isnt, I wont. Ill remain here like everyone else. IN PICTURES In the name of Ram: Tattoos in Indias Dalit community Stealing shrouds as children Outside Blue Lassi, a crescendo builds: Ram Naam, Satya Hai! Ram Naam, Satya Hai! (Gods name is the truth.) In the narrow lane next to the cafe, a group of men dressed in simple, loose-fitting pants and shirts marches past, shouldering a bamboo bier with a corpse covered from head to toe in an orange shroud. The men soon disappear around a corner, their chant trailing behind them as they head for Marnikarnika. When I was four or five years old, I began working on the ghats, Yogi says. Like other Dom children, his parents sent him to work there. He grew up watching his father, brothers and uncles burn bodies throughout the day, but it was his oldest brother, Mithun Choudhury, who taught him how to pick shrouds. I used to steal shrouds for a living, he says. At that time, I didnt know what I was doing, but I began stealing shrouds because we had financial troubles at home. He would sell each shroud which is removed from a corpse before the body is laid onto a pyre to a shopkeeper, who would resell it to mourning customers. Yogi would earn about $1 a day. The occupation of burning bodies remains an inherited one - passed from father to son by It was dangerous work. Yogi and his young friends burned their legs and almost tripped into the fires. Sometimes theyd return home with nails dug deep into the soles of their feet. We didnt go to doctors because medicines are expensive, he says. Instead, Yogis mother would dip a cloth in hot kerosene oil to massage his foot. The Doms are keepers of a sacred fire called the Eternal Fire supposedly burning for centuries to which only they have access. They use it to light the funeral pyres. The fire is kept in a secluded area near the cremation ground, where the maliks (bosses), Doms who overlook the cremation, sit. A Hindu legend that Doms like to share describes how the community acquired this fire. According to the legend, Goddess Parvati (Lord Shivas consort) lost her earring at the ghats one day. While Shiva searched for it, a member of a Brahmin (the most privileged caste) family discovered the earring, and instead of returning it, kept it. When Shiva found out, he condemned the man and his family to the least privileged caste. The man begged for mercy and eventually, Shivas heart softened. He decided to give the family an inextinguishable flame which would ensure the liberation of a Hindus soul. The Doms are believed to be descendants of this family. Today, the occupation of burning bodies remains an inherited one passed from father to son. Despite performing this important Hindu ritual, the community is treated as untouchable by Hindus from more privileged castes. READ: Urvashi Butalia Turning the page for feminism Centuries-old caste inequality and violence According to the varnashrama dharma, an important religious text in Hinduism, Hindu society was traditionally made up of four distinct castes the Brahmins (priests), Kshatriyas (warriors), Vaishyas (merchants and traders) and Shudras (servants). Each caste had its own designated, hereditary profession. Beyond these divisions are the Ati-Shudras which include the Untouchables, whose occupations consist of cleaning sewage, cremating corpses and working with leather. Owing to the nature of their work, the common belief held was that Untouchables were impure, something that has only been reinforced by their imposed occupations. Today, the term Dalit is associated with being untouchable. B R Ambedkar, a Dalit economist and reformer, one of the key people to have drafted the Constitution of independent India, condemned the caste system. In his iconic undelivered speech, Annihilation of Caste, Ambedkar wrote: There cannot be a more degrading system of social organisation than the caste system. It is the system which deadens, paralyses, and cripples the people, from helpful activity. As late as the 19th century, if the shadow of a Dom fell on a Hindu from a more privileged caste, the latter had to bathe immediately to purify himself. Eighty years after Ambedkars speech was first published, the caste system persists. The rise of the middle class has slowly blurred caste boundaries, but it hasnt expunged it. People from less privileged castes continue to endure atrocities. In May 2017, members of the more privileged caste Thakur community burned down 25 Dalit houses in Shabirpur, a predominantly Dalit village in the state of Uttar Pradesh. The Thakurs were holding a loud procession to celebrate the birth anniversary of Maharana Pratap, the 16th-century Rajput warrior-king. When the Dalits raised their concern about the loud procession going through their village, there was an altercation between the two communities, which led to the Dalit homes being set on fire by the Thakurs. In one brutal case in May 2016, on a crowded market street, a 22-year-old man was hacked to death in broad daylight in Udumalaipettai, Tamil Nadu. V Shankar was a Dalit who had married a Hindu woman from a more privileged caste who came from a family that held political standing in society. The wifes family had arranged the murder of the young man, sending five men to do the job. Two months later, a group of Hindu men from a more privileged caste stripped four Dalit men who were skinning the carcass of a cow one of the professions of the less privileged. The men beat the Dalits with iron rods and publicly humiliated them. They accused the Dalits of butchering the cow. In January 2016, Rohith Vemula, a high-achieving 26-year-old Dalit student in Hyderabad Central University, committed suicide. His story was widely reported. Vemula had been expelled from the university for allegedly attacking a student leader from a more privileged caste who belonged to a right-wing political party. As a result, his scholarship was revoked. My birth is my fatal accident, wrote Vemula in his suicide letter. I can never recover from my childhood loneliness. The unappreciated child from my past. The caste system, in place for millennia, still weighs heavily on the Doms even as Indian society moves into the 21st century. As India holds firmly on to its rituals, particularly those associated with the final rites, which involve cremation, tradition binds Doms from birth to this profession. Till now, no Dom has been able to move forward in life. by Yogi Choudhury Education is perhaps the only way a Dom can challenge this status quo. The struggle to receive proper education, however, is an arduous one and many give up halfway. Till now, no Dom has been able to move forward in life, Yogi says. Private education is inaccessible to a majority of Dom families owing to their impoverished situation. There are several Hindi and English-medium government schools in the neighbourhood that offer free schooling until the eighth grade. But the education is substandard. The schools often face power cuts, rarely have furniture or blackboards, and lack competent teachers. Many Dom children are enrolled, but their names only exist in the register. Their parents would rather have them work at the ghats to earn money. Yogi was also enrolled, but his father spent all his earnings on alcohol. At that time, the government school fee was two rupees (the equivalent of three cents) per month. He couldnt even pay that! I was forced to drop out. READ MORE: Vidhya Das Fighting for poor women in India The cremation ground In the early afternoon, Yogi and I head to Manikarnika Ghat, negotiating our way through a blockade of cows. About 100 metres before we reach Manikarnika, a strange, disturbing smell hits me the smell of burning flesh. Close to the cremation ground lie piles of wood about five metres high. On the way down the ancient, dusty, betel spit-stained stone steps leading to the cremation ground, thick smoke rises from the burning pyres, which spew ruby-red embers. Flames lash and the wood crackles. As a Dom, it's impossible to study or make something of your own without leaving this place. by Yogi Choudhury Along the riverbank, a tableau of death is being performed in the open. Bodies on bamboo biers line the steps, logs of wood lie scattered and stray cows roam about. The pyres rage, emitting an excruciating heat. Flakes of ash drift down onto the marshy ground, mixing with squashed marigolds, cow dung and urine. Relatives of the dead haggle over the price of each cremation with the Dom men. Kites and seagulls fly overhead Nearby, four men lift a corpse by the bier and walk towards the shallow waters. As ordained, they dip the body five times into the water and then carry it to the pyre. In the distance, a man walks towards the shore, unzips his pants, and relieves himself in the water. Since childhood, I knew I wanted to study. I knew that if I wanted to make it, I needed to get out of my locality, my community, Yogi says, standing next to me on the steps. As a Dom, its impossible to study or make something of your own without leaving this place. READ MORE: The Indian caste where wives are forced into sex work The filmmaker and the yoga instructor In the summer of 2006, Rajesh Jala, a Delhi-based documentary filmmaker, visited Varanasi. Fascinated by Manikarnika Ghat, Jala ended up making a documentary called Children of the Pyre (2008), about a coterie of seven corpse-burners children, including Yogi, who stole shrouds. For Jala, the biggest challenge was convincing the children to participate in his film. They were very suspicious of my presence, Jala told me in Delhi. They believed that I would document their illegal work and splash it across television screens. Despite their apprehension, Jala persisted. Wherever we would go, he would follow us with his camera, Yogi recalls. One of the boys often picked up bricks to throw at him. When hed approach us with his camera, we would throw the shrouds over our heads! We would even abuse him, but he ignored it all. Then one day, Rajesh Sir sat us down and asked, Do you kids want to continue to work here or do you want to do something more in life? I can help you.' They were very suspicious of my presence ... They believed that I would document their illegal work and splash it across television screens. by Rajesh Jala, Delhi-based filmmaker That was the first time the children started thinking about their future. They began to have an impact on me, Jala says. One day I said to myself, I cant just make a film, use them and leave them. I told [the children] that Id try and help them. So I tried. Miles away in New York in the summer of 2009, Kevin Ryder, a yoga instructor, watched Jalas documentary at a screening at the Museum of Modern Art. Ryder had been fascinated by Varanasi ever since his first visit there in 2006. The city, including Manikarnika Ghat where life and death are celebrated in equal form drew him in. Inspired by the children, Ryder contacted Jala wanting to fund their education. Jala was ecstatic. But when Jala and Ryder approached the childrens parents with this proposal, the adults flatly refused. They didnt want to send the kids to school because the kids were making money, you see? Ryder says. The community was also suspicious. Our relatives and neighbours would instigate our parents by saying things like, Dont send your children to school; dont listen to Jala he will ensure that everybody in the community goes to jail!' Yogi recalls. However, when Ryder offered to pay 1,500 rupees ($23) per month as compensation, the parents agreed. Through an acquaintance, Ryder discovered the Alice Projects Universal Education School, an institution located about 13km from the heart of the city, in Sarnath. Valentino Giacomin, an Italian Buddhist, set up the private school to educate rural children. It was decided that four of the children from the documentary, including Yogi, would be enrolled there. The other three, uncomfortable about being dislocated, felt they were better off working at the ghats. WATCH: Indias Dalit Revolution Opportunity for an education One afternoon in December 2015, Yogi took me to meet his family. They live in Meer Ghat, a 10-minute walk from Manikarnika. In his neighbourhood, blue and green houses stood stacked on top of each other like a pyramid of matchboxes on either side of the street. Freshly-washed nylon saris flowed down from the balconies. In Yogis gully, a series of unevenly laid brick steps led to his home. We entered a sparsely furnished three-by-three metre wide room. There was a wooden bed in one corner, a collection of idols of Hindu gods and goddesses, and a clothes line that ran along a blue wall. Beneath it, ashy patches were visible on the wall. These were from the family leaning back against it in the evenings to watch Bollywood films on a small television. A bamboo ladder connected the room to the terrace. Downstairs, there was another small room. Eleven family members used to live there Yogi, his parents, his four brothers and four sisters. They would say, 'Hey Kevin Sir, can you please ask him to keep the light on because we want to study? We've got half of our lives to catch up on.' by Kevin Ryder, yoga instructor and education sponsor of four Doms As a child, Yogi slept on the floor of this cramped room where rats occasionally scurried about in search of food. The first time he had a bed to himself was when he went to Giacomins school in 2010. When Yogi saw the hostel room for the first time, he could not believe his eyes. Four beds with clean, fresh cotton sheets awaited the children. There were posters on the walls and curtains on the windows. Everything was new the cupboards were freshly painted. There was even a carpet on the floor! he recalls. At school, desperate to improve their lives, Yogi and the kids gave it their all. Ryder recalled the children asking him to request that Giacomin allow them to leave the light on in their hostel room a little longer at night. They would say, Hey Kevin, sir, can you please ask him to keep the light on because we want to study? Weve got half of our lives to catch up on. They didnt want to screw around, Ryder says. They wanted to study. When the boys returned home for holidays for the first time after six months, members of their community were astonished. These boys began looking really smart. When Yogi was living at home, he was this scrawny, little boy. But the moment he returned from Sarnath, he had started looking like a foreigner! He would wear a cap and strut about in our neighbourhood. Everyone used to look at him with great admiration, recalls Kapil, Yogis second oldest brother, who is a corpse-burner. Everyone who had earlier mocked the idea of us going to school now started approaching us. by Yogi Choudhury And we began getting marriage proposals! Yogi says, clapping his hands excitedly and covering his mouth to control his laughter. After going to school, our personality had improved tremendously wherever we went, people wanted to know: Whose boy is that? Which family does he belong to?' The transformation was evident. The children looked healthier because they ate regular meals that were provided at school, they could speak a smattering of English, and since they no longer worked at the cremation ground in the sun, they had begun to look fairer. Everyone who had earlier mocked the idea of us going to school now started approaching us, Yogi says. Our neighbours would say, Please do something for us too. We also want to send our kids to school. Please speak to Rajesh Sir for us.' In 2012, the kids moved to a bigger private school called Swami Harsewanand Public School in Banpurwa, Varanasi, which has a stronger academic curriculum and follows the pan-India Central Board of Secondary Education examination structure. Yogi, although being several years older than his classmates, had just entered seventh grade when he joined the school. However, he and the other three children had to stay at Meer Ghat and travel 42km to school and back every day. Shashikant Sharma, the schools administrative head, who was present on the first day to receive the boys, recalls: The first time I saw the four kids, they didnt look any different from normal kids. Sharma has been the point of contact between the children and Jala, who by now had become their local guardian. However, being fully aware of the background they had come from, I was pleasantly surprised to see a ray of hope in their eyes. I could tell they were excited to be here. Of the boys, however, Yogi seemed different to Sharma. Yogi had a look on his face that said, Now I have come here, and Im going to stay. Im not letting any opportunity go. OPINION: How the BJP has come to dominate lower-caste politics Hungry to learn But the first year there was tumultuous. The school was close to three hours away along a dirt road that was tiring to cover in a rickety school bus. Yogi would wake up at four in the morning to leave his home for school by 5am, with no food in his stomach, not wanting to wake his mother at that hour to cook him breakfast. By four in the afternoon, Yogi would return. Exhausted, hed drag himself home from the bus station in the summer heat. Half an hour later, the children were expected to attend their scheduled private tuition, organised by Jala and Ryder, a few blocks away. They would rush to their lessons, often not changing out of their sweat-soaked, wrinkled uniforms. By the time they wrapped up the session, it would be 6.30pm. At home, Yogi would do household chores, quickly eat his food and collapse into bed. While recounting this, Yogi shakes his head, startled at his own capacity to cope. How could I study then? he asks. Where could I study? During exams, I had to push myself to sit at the ghats and study, Yogi says. It was hard, especially during summers the heat was terrible. Jala and Ryder decided to register the children at the schools hostel. There, Yogi could dedicate long hours to his studies. Slowly, life began to transform. He started moving further away from the trajectory that fate had pre-designed for him. At school, the children were once taught a chapter on the Hindu caste system during a social science seminar. At that time, in Yogis class, a few students in the back row sniggered, particularly when the teacher spoke about the less privileged castes. I didnt like it, he says. But he chose to remain quiet. I feel scared because I don't want anyone to ever tell me that I'm wasting someone's money. I never want any teacher to point a finger at me, or complain to either Rajesh Sir or Kevin Sir that I'm useless. by Yogi Choudhury Apart from Sharma and a few teachers whom Yogi has grown to trust, almost no one else at school knows that hes a Dom. And I have no intention of telling them either, he says. Whats the point? I mind my own business and it is best they mind their own. In the past, people have behaved differently towards him once they learned about his caste. On the surface, they act like everything is OK, but I do sense that slight change in them, he says. At school, Yogi has never scored below 85 percent. When pressed on why he wants to excel, he says: I feel scared because I dont want anyone to ever tell me that Im wasting someones money. I never want any teacher to point a finger at me, or complain to either Rajesh Sir or Kevin Sir that Im useless. He adds, with a shy smile: Studying is my life. If I have to choose anything precious in my life, this will be it. At this school, Yogi had the opportunity to work on computers for the first time and became fascinated by them. The first time he tried to use one, however, he realised that the letters on the keyboard were in English, and he wasnt too familiar with them. It made him want to learn English more quickly. During weekly computer classes, Yogi would rush to pick up any book lying around the classroom, and open a text document on the computer to copy sentences in order to learn how to type in English. Id pick any book; it didnt matter to me. Today, hes faster on the keyboard, but admits: It still takes me time to find the U or the I, but I can type smart Yogi very quickly because of practice. Yogi types whenever he can. I purposely email people, because it helps me increase my typing speed on the keyboard. On his first visit home during the school holidays, Kapil asked him to work at the ghats. Yogi refused. Instead, whenever he goes home for the holidays he uses his spare time to learn. He often goes to a nearby internet cafe and watches YouTube videos of music maestros playing the tabla or classical Indian dance performances. He pays $0.22 per hour to use the internet from the pocket money Jala sends him every month. When he goes back to school, he volunteers to choreograph student dance pieces for annual school events. Yogi convinced his elder brother Mithun to buy him a second-hand smartphone. One evening, when Yogi and I visited Dashashwamedh Ghat where devotional performances are held every evening, he recorded Shiv Tandav, a religious song which was playing over the loudspeaker. When I asked him about it, he told me: I will listen to this song over and over again, and will learn to play the tune on the tabla under the supervision of my music teacher at school. Not only is he ambitious, he also helps others in his neighbourhood. He fills and submits school applications for children in his community, writes letters for identity cards, takes people to the hospital and helps them open bank accounts. Unlike his friends, he says hes not afraid to approach anyone to ask them questions so that he can learn more. WATCH: Dalit Muslims of India The brother who works at the cremation ground While visiting Yogis home, Pushpa Devi, his mother who is in her mid-40s, tells me she isnt convinced that pursuing an education is the best path for her son. Even now, sometimes I feel that I should call him back from school. Its becoming financially very difficult for us, she says, her wiry white hair pulled back in a bun. Yogi is one of her five sons, and she expects him to work and contribute towards the familys finances. Women dont earn in the community, so her daughters, all married now, have never stepped outside the home to work. Pushpa Devis oldest son Mithun, who burns bodies day and night at the cremation ground, is the sole earning member of the family. Kapil, Yogis second oldest brother, works at the cremation ground when he wants to, pocketing his earnings to live a carefree life. Dipu, Yogis younger brother, earns his pocket money by rowing a boat for tourists on the Ganges, while the youngest sibling, Anil, studies at a local government school. If anything happens to Mithun, Yogi would be forced to abandon his studies and his dreams and return to the ghats. Mithun, 28, is the one person who is shielding Yogi, standing as a bulwark between his studies and the cremation ground. by Yet Mithun, 28, is the one person who is shielding Yogi, standing as a bulwark between his studies and the cremation ground. Mithun has been working at the ghats since the age of five. He has short black hair and a scar near his right eye. Sitting cross-legged, wrapped in a thin, white shawl, he shapes tobacco in his hand before slipping a handful beneath his tongue. Though quiet, he has an intimidating presence. Mithun spends hours performing the back-breaking work of sifting through mountains of ash to cull tiny pieces of melted gold and silver remnants of jewellery the deceased were wearing to later sell for a meagre sum of money. Out of respect for their dead, families leave the jewellery (often a necklace, a few bangles, a gold nose-ring, or a gold tooth) on their relative before performing the last rites. For the Doms, the competition to find these tiny, precious pieces is cut-throat. As soon as the ash from a burned out pyre is swept into the river, an army of men with pants rolled halfway up rush in, wading through the murky water. To reduce the competition, some throw in broken glass and razors to make the process more arduous for others. If a man gets wounded or contracts a disease, anti-tetanus shots and visits to the doctor eat into his familys finances. He cannot work and his family suffers, until he is fit to work again. Many are in debt in order to feed their families and pay the bills. READ MORE: Sacred cows and Indias caste carcass All of us who burn bodies have to drink Ten days of strenuous work will fetch Mithun the equivalent of $15. In the midst of flames and smoke, Mithun works tirelessly, night and day. Our blood burns inside, it boils. Our head swims because of the extreme heat. We can drink as much water as we like during the summers, but there will be no urine. And if there is, it will be dark, red-brown. Even if there is fire all around us and the dead burning around us we have to do the work, Mithun says. The work conditions cause boils to erupt on their backs. All of us who burn bodies have to drink. How else can we bear the revulsion at the muck we see? by Ganesh Choudhury, Yogi's relative Its tough being responsible for an entire family, Mithun says. Sometimes it gets very difficult. The body aches all the time. After breakfast, I dont eat throughout the day. If I eat during the day, I cannot work, because it all comes out as vomit. Sometimes I even have loose bowels. Many Dom workers are forced to stay on the grounds for long hours at a stretch, depending on the number of bodies that come in. Theyre always on call. To cope with the smell of the burning flesh, the men numb themselves out of their senses with drugs and alcohol. Yogis relative, Ganesh Choudhury, started drinking alcohol at the age of 15 after cremating a dismembered body. All of us who burn bodies have to drink. How else can we bear the revulsion at the muck we see? he says. We see fractured skulls, chests slit opened right down the middle, intestines falling out with everything else. We have to drink, chew gutka (crushed flavoured tobacco), eat betel leaf we see burned bodies with kerosene poured over them and bodies of people with their tongues sticking out, probably because they hanged themselves people with gunshot wounds when we sleep our brain works over what we have seen. Now I tell Yogi to keep studying and become something. 'Show these guys what you are made of!' by Mithun Choudhury, Yogi's oldest brother Once, while burning a body, Mithun hit the skull with a bamboo stick a practice performed during the cremation and the head rolled off like a ball. It had been stitched after post mortem, he explains. Strange things happen, he continues, as his body leans forward and his marble black eyes hold me with an intense gaze. Once, I was sleeping at the cremation ground at night. There was absolute silence. At about two in the morning, I heard: Ram Naam Satya Hai (what is said while a body is being carried). I woke up and looked around for the voice, but no one was there. So we get scared like that and drink, or we drink to reduce our suffering. We are doing it out of compulsion, its our plight. Mithun began drinking when he was 12. But he quit when their father died, wanting to set an example for his brothers. Now he chews betel leaf incessantly. Mithun doesnt want Yogi to work at the ghats. This is my wish all I want him to do is study and make something of his life, he says. The people in our community taunt me, saying that Yogi will get spoiled at school. I believed them for a while, but all that changed when I heard him speak in English for the first time, he says. It was then that I knew that things were going to be different. Now I tell Yogi to keep studying and become something. Show these guys what you are made of! I tell him. Fighting the caste system Writing in 1874, Charles Phillips Cape, a missionary in Varanasi, wrote of the Doms: We are trying to instruct their children. But sometimes it seems that the influences of home counteract any good that may have been imparted in the mission school. And as even small boys and girls can earn a few shillings a month by street-sweeping, it is impossible to persuade the parents to make the sacrifice necessarily involved in sending them to school. More than a century later, this attitude has changed little. They are 'stuck', because they are neither in their ancestral profession which they want to escape, nor are they able to become mobile enough to reach a different kind of profession. by Nita Kumar, founder of an NGO supporting the education of underprivileged children Nita Kumar is the founder of NIRMAN, an NGO in Varanasi that has for the past 25 years focused on providing education to economically underprivileged children. Kumar believes that the phenomenon of Doms transcending their caste status will require undoing centuries of traditional thinking and also removing certain prestige from the profession. To make something out of such an underprivileged occupation, the ritualism of it was blown out of proportion, she says. Many people who wish to break from their ancestral profession go to a government school, which is a decent school, but they still dont get enough qualifications to actually move up the social ladder, she says. So they are stuck, because they are neither in their ancestral profession which they want to escape, nor are they able to become mobile enough to reach a different kind of profession. Yogi has often found himself torn between his own dreams and his familys wellbeing. If my family insists that I return home, I might be forced to leave my studies, he tells me one day. I can see how the conditions at home are. Mithun bhaiya [brother] will never ask me to leave my studies, but if things worsen, I wont be able to go to college, didi [sister], he says. Despite the support Yogi is receiving from Jala and Ryder at least until 12th grade, which he completes in 2017 he is acutely aware of what he is ultimately fighting against: the influence that the caste system still holds in Indian society. I struggle to work hard at school, yet there are people in my community who try to dissuade me. Many of them are jealous. They say, Lets see what you guys do in the future. We will remain here [at the ghats] and so will you. You are a Dom and you will never be able to get out. They say it because no one has even been able to move forward or leave, he says, before looking away. Then he straightens his shoulders and looks up. Yet, Ive made up my mind that Ill never burn a body. Im never going to go back to the masaan [cremation ground] to work there. Even if I get married, even when I have kids, I wont send them there, he says. This is a commitment Ive made to myself. In December 2013, less than three years after independence, South Sudan erupted into civil war. The ongoing conflict pits forces of President Salva Kiir, a Dinka, and those of former Vice President Riek Machar, a Nuer, against one another. The United Nations has issued genocide warnings and declared famine in several regions. Over 3 million people have been displaced from their homes. Reports chronicle massive human rights abuses. The UN Security Council, governments, and civil society groups have put forth multiple proposals to end the conflict and restore peace to South Sudan. The most promising, indeed indispensable, measure is an indigenous, all-inclusive peace process. On the other hand, another proposed measure, trusteeship, is especially problematic, as it would entail a break from the foundational basis of South Sudans sovereignty self-determination. Arms embargo Chapter VII of the UN Charter authorises the UN Security Council to undertake measures to keep or restore peace and security. Article 41of the chapter gives the Security Council a broad range of non-force options, including sanctions. General sanctions apply to an entire country, while targeted sanctions apply to specific individuals or entities therein. Both are intended to bring pressure to bear on warring parties in order to achieve peace. In December 2016, under strong pressure from the US, the Security Council put forward a resolution for a general arms embargo against South Sudan and targeted sanctions. The resolution, which failed to garner the required support among Security Council Members, would have prohibited UN Member States from selling arms to South Sudan. Security Council members that supported the resolution, including the US, argued that an arms embargo would reduce violence and impede the proliferation of arms, thereby creating conditions conducive to dialogue among the warring parties. Countries that opposed the arms embargo argued that it would undermine South Sudans progress toward national dialogue and its cooperation with UN peacekeeping operations. READ MORE: South Sudan: There are only dead bodies Arms embargoes have a troubled history. A 2006 Oxfam-commissioned study found that every one of the 13 [UN] arms embargoes imposed in the last decade has been systematically violated. There are multiple illicit channels through which arms might enter a country subject to an arms embargo. Even if an arms embargo was to work, South Sudan would still be awash in arms. Stopping the violence would also require the large-scale disarmament of existing weaponry and other long-term measures, such as an inclusive national peace process. Targeted sanctions In 2015, before attempting to put forward an arms embargo, the Security Council adopted Resolution 2206, which calls for targeted sanctions against specific individuals and entities deemed responsible for or complicit in the conflict. The targeted sanctions include a travel ban and asset freeze for culpable individuals and entities. The idea is that targeted sanctions, as personal penalties, reduce incentives for individuals and entities to engage in armed conflict. By the end of 2015, the Sanctions Committee had identified six individuals from government and the opposition subject to targeted sanctions. Many communities and groups are excluded from high-brow, top-down approaches to peace promulgated by cadres of briefcase expats and experts far removed from centres of conflict on the peripheries of South Sudan. by Still, the conflict rages on, as armed groups proliferate. Indeed, evidence suggests that targeted sanctions generally dont change their targets behaviour. Resolution 2206 implicitly assumes that top commanders responsible for the conflict are readily identifiable, but the centres of the South Sudanese conflict are diffuse, which renders it difficult to clearly identify responsible individuals. Therefore, targeted sanctions are bound to be insufficiently comprehensive. Another implicit assumption is that culpable parties have assets abroad or travel frequently. Yet, many of the commanders do not have extensive foreign dealings. Furthermore, those who do travel abroad relatively frequently and/or have assets abroad can relatively easily evade the sanctions by using false passports or hiding assets in complex ownership structures. A failed December 2016 Security Council resolution sought to impose targeted sanctions on three more government and opposition figures, including former Vice President, Riek Machar. The failure of the resolution was not surprising given that political jostling by powerful Security Council members, like China, Russia, and the US tends to preclude effective measures from that body. Trying to end impunity In November 2016, South Sudanese and international civil society groups urged the African Union to establish a hybrid court to try those responsible for war crimes in the conflict. Ending impunity for massive human rights violations in South Sudan is an attractive goal and would be welcomed by many South Sudanese. However, some have argued that criminal tribunals cannot bring peace to South Sudan and might make matters worse by alienating the leadership. By contrast, recent scholarship suggests that individual criminal accountability for human rights violations can have positive impacts. Also, criminal prosecutions would provide an important forum for South Sudanese victims to air their grievances. OPINION: Save South Sudan from destroying itself Nevertheless, criminal trials alone will not bring peace. They are insufficient and may be unnecessary for peace if the national peace process includes truth and reconciliation measures. The Wunlit Nuer-Dinka Reconciliation Process of 1999 provides a successful prior model of extra-legal reconciliation between Dinka and Nuer rival factions. Furthermore, war crimes trials are extremely expensive and very few perpetrators are convicted per dollar invested in such trials. The billions of dollars required to run a criminal tribunal would probably be better spent on rehabilitation of devastated local economies and livelihoods, education, public health, youth- and gender-focused programs, widespread disarmament, and a widespread grassroots community-based peace and reconciliation processes modelled after Wunlit. Neo-trusteeship The most extreme proposal put forward to end the conflict in South Sudan is a neo-trusteeship: a governing arrangement that involves the transfer of some or all sovereign powers to a trustee. The length of the trusteeship, the identity of the trustee, and the extent of sovereignty transferred would have to be worked out in the legal instruments creating the trusteeship. The purported goal is to create political stability and functioning institutions, such as rule of law, before handing sovereignty back to the South Sudanese. But the the implicit assumption in this proposal is that South Sudanese are incapable of governing themselves and thus require external guidance. Ironically, European colonialists made similar arguments in the 19th century. The prevailing notion then was that Africans were incapable of sovereignty and thus outside the international legal order. Contemporary research shows that trusteeships tend to fail without governments and citizens support, which does not exist in South Sudan. In such cases, trusteeship might exacerbate violence. Recent cases Afghanistan, East Timor, and Iraq offer cautionary tales regarding the potential pitfalls of neo-trusteeship. The most problematic aspect of trusteeship is that it breaks from the foundational basis of South Sudans sovereignty self-determination. Paradoxically, some proponents of neo-trusteeship were once strenuous defenders of South Sudans right to self-determination. Indigenity and representativeness As I have argued elsewhere, an indigenous, all-inclusive national peace process is indispensable to permanent peace and stability in South Sudan. Indigenity and representativeness, however, are usually missing from the international fora where many of the existing proposals emerged. Many communities and groups are excluded from high-brow, top-down approaches to peace promulgated by cadres of briefcase expats and experts far removed from centres of conflict on the peripheries of South Sudan. Peace must be indigenous, inclusive, and community based. Traditional authorities should be included in the process. The Wunlit Nuer-Dinka Reconciliation Process provides a model of people-to-people peace that can be scaled nationwide to multiple centres of conflict, facilitating truth and reconciliation, fostering development cooperation and thus preserving the self-determination foundation of South Sudan. Laura Nyantung Beny is a professor of Law at the University of Michigan Law School. She is also the co-editor of Sudans Killing Fields: Political Violence and Fragmentation. The views expressed in this article are the authors own and do not necessarily reflect Al Jazeeras editorial policy. Western anti-ISIL fighters volunteering in Syria and Iraq are doing more harm than good. They should go home. It would seem that Syria has enough foreign fighters occupying its lands by now, with Russia, Iran and its militias, and foreigners in the ranks of al-Qaeda and the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL, also known as ISIS). But that hasnt stopped westerners from flocking to Northern Syria and Iraq to fight against ISIL and getting praised for it. Although Western media loves them, it has to be made clear that US, Canadian and European citizens who go to Syria and Iraq to fight ISIL are not heroes. They are not fighting imperialism or supporting Kurdish autonomy, and they are not performing an act of charity. Aside from putting themselves and others in danger, they are only complicating affairs for Syrians and Iraqis who are already at the mercy of countless international powers and non-state actors. These citizens of western countries brag that their exploits in Iraq and Syria defend minorities and are a moral duty. Others see it as an adventure. And then there are those like Canadian former model Hanna Bohman, who go to Syria to alleviate boredom: I needed to do something with my life. I was bored. I didnt feel like I had done anything that I felt was really important, Bohman told CTV News. If the situation were reversed, though, and the US, Canada or a European country was at war, Africans, Arabs or Kurds who joined any side of the fight wouldnt be treated as kindly by the very same media organisations, and that is a particularly offensive aspect of this whole trend. Nothing charitable about combat Individuals are not the only culprits. Entire groups are founded and run by westerners in Syria and Iraq to welcome these volunteer fighters. Brookings recently went as far as labelling them combat charities in a report. The very term is incredibly disturbing because charity implies that there is a humanitarian aspect to their work. There is nothing humanitarian about contributing to perpetual fighting and war for the sake of curing boredom. Some of these groups are religious in nature, such as the Sons of Liberty International, which has a Christian leaning, while others are more political in nature, such as the socialist Bob Crow Brigade. Stated aims include free assistance to local groups and revolutionary aspirations, but such groups ignore the larger context in both Syria and Iraq. OPINION: Syrians should not be thanking Trump for the strikes The Bob Crow Brigade in Syria, for example, says it is fighting both ISIL and the Turkish-backed rebels, ignoring that these very rebels initially rose against Bashar al-Assad to fight for their own revolution. Westerners who join anti-ISIL groups dont acknowledge or understand the Syrian revolution, ignore the consequences of their own countries invading Iraq in 2013, and behave as if defeating ISIL will solve everything. The US atrocious intervention Many of these volunteer fighters join the mainly Kurdish Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) in Syria, which is a US ally and is getting military support from Washington in the fight against ISIL. Reports also indicate that the Peoples Protection Units (YPG), which fights under the SDFs umbrella, has sophisticated US weaponry at its disposal, including uniforms and enhancements, as well as access to US special forces on the ground. The entire idea of the SDF (created under the Obama administration) is problematic not only because it was yet another clear indication that the US played right into the Assad regimes terrorism narrative, but also because the YPG has ties with the Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK), which the US has designated as a terrorist organisation. Then there is the lax attitude of the West towards these fighters. Judging from the ease with which more prominent western fighters make it to Syria or Iraq and then back to their home countries, the US and other Western countries have made it relatively worry-free for their citizens to join these fights. At the same time, Syrian humanitarian workers with valid visas have been denied entry into the US simply for doing true humanitarian work in Syria or Iraq, such as delivering aid, saving lives after regime attacks, or supporting infrastructure projects. For some reason, a Syrian humanitarian is deemed a greater threat than an intervening US fighter. Go home where youre needed The positive media coverage of westerners who fight against ISIL alongside the SDF or YPG indicates that the perception of foreign fighters and intervention in Syria depends solely on the enemy theyre fighting against. In other words, there is a double standard in coverage those who are fighting against ISIL and are of western descent are heroes. People who are of Arab descent, Syrians themselves, fighting the Assad regime as well as ISIL, are painted as al-Qaeda, called terrorists and accused of being shills for Turkey, the Gulf and the US, even though its their country theyre fighting for. True charity begins at home. If these westerners want to help someone, they can help ensure their own backyards, namely the US, Canada and Europe, dont completely spiral into far-right extremist cesspools post-Brexit and post-Trump. And that wont cost them a plane ride or oblige them to pick up a weapon. Malak Chabkoun is an independent Middle East researcher and writer based in the US. The views expressed in this article are the authors own and do not necessarily reflect Al Jazeeras editorial policy. Beijing is hosting its biggest diplomatic event aimed at kicking off the One Belt, One Road initiative to boost trade. Chinese President Xi Jinping offered tens of billions of dollars for projects that are part of his signature foreign policy initiative linking China to much of Asia, Europe and Africa. Xi made the announcement on Sunday in his opening address to a two-day Belt and Road conference in Beijing that brought together leaders from 29 countries. It was Xis latest high-profile appearance that seeks to cast him as a global leader and chief advocate for free trade. We should build an open platform of cooperation and uphold and grow an open world economy, Xi said. Despite Chinas public defence of free trade, Beijing faces mounting complaints that the government is hampering or reducing market access to foreign companies. Xi said China would contribute 100bn yuan ($14.5bn) to the Silk Road Fund, which was set up in 2014 to finance infrastructure projects and provide aid worth 60bn yuan ($8.7bn) to developing countries and international organisations taking part in the initiative to revive the ancient trade route. Two Chinese banks will also set up lending schemes valued at 380bn yuan ($55bn) to support the initiative, Xi said. Presidents Vladimir Putin of Russia and Recep Tayyip Erdogan of Turkey also spoke at the opening ceremony. READ MORE: New Silk Road under construction despite threats Washington is being represented by a junior delegation led by Matt Pottinger, special assistant to the president and senior director for East Asia at the National Security Council. Al Jazeeras Adrian Brown, reporting from Beijing, said there was a fair number of skeptics saying Beijing is using the initiative to build its own political influence. The price tag on all of this has been put at something like $22 trillion, which is a phenomenal sum of money, so many people are asking where is this money going to come from and saying that China is acting out of self-interest to get its own economy moving again and helping the economy of countries that depend on China, he said. Human Rights Watch also raised fears about the treatment of people along the new Silk Road route in Central Asian nations with poor track records in infrastructure projects. India delivered an implicit criticism of Chinas plan on Saturday in a statement from its foreign ministry that said such an initiative should meet international norms and not create unsustainable debt. India also has objected to Chinese state-owned companies working in the Pakistani-held part of Kashmir, the Himalayan region claimed by both sides, seeing that as an endorsement of Pakistans control. No country can accept a project that ignores its core concerns on sovereignty and territorial integrity, the statement said. Seeking to portray the initiative as welcoming and inclusive, Xi promised to avoid forming a small group of allies, which he said might harm regional stability. Instead, he said, Beijing wants partnerships of friendship and a big family of harmonious coexistence. A 5.7-magnitude earthquake killed at least two people and injured hundreds while causing widespread damage. At least two people were killed and 370 injured when a magnitude 5.7 earthquake the province of North Khorasan in the northeast of Iran, state media reported. Saturdays quake, which killed a 54-year-old woman and a teenage girl, jolted the town of Pishqaleh, a farming region close to the Turkmenistan border with a population of about 2,000 people. The US Geological Survey said the earthquake occurred at a depth of 12.5km. The earthquake led to a power outage and state TV reports said the quake damaged several buildings in nearby villages. Fourteen villages suffered up to 70 percent damage, Morteza Salimi, head of the Red Crescent Societys rescue and relief organisation, was quoted as saying by the Iranian Students News Agency (ISNA) news agency. Managing Director of North Khorasan Red Crescent Society, Hassan Shakouri, said that 37 search-and-rescue teams were sent to the quake-hit region immediately to save victims of the deadly tremor. He added that 80 percent of the injured have been relocated to tents. Nearly 177 injured were hospitalised and 223 more received medical aid on the spot, according to rescue officials. Timeline: Major earthquakes in Iran The rescue operations are about to finish and there seems to be no need to ask for further aid from other provinces, Esmail Bahman Abadi, Deputy Head of Razavi Khorasan rescue team told the Islamic Republic News Agency (IRNA). The earthquakes aftermath has blocked access to several villages and locals have been asked to sleep outdoors over the probability of aftershocks. Iran is situated on major fault lines and has suffered several devastating earthquakes in recent years, including a 6.6-magnitude earthquake in 2003 which flattened the historic southeastern city of Bam and killed more than 26,000 people. Last month, a 6.1-magnitude earthquake killed at least two people in the northeastern city of Mashhad, temporarily disrupting cellular communication and landlines. Centrist leader is tasked with uniting a deeply divided country plagued by high unemployment and a growing far right. Emmanuel Macron has been inaugurated as Frances president, and will immediately face daunting challenges to rejuvenate the economy and breathe new life into the beleaguered European Union. Macron, a 39-year-old centrist, took over on Sunday from President Francois Hollande, the socialist whose five years in power were plagued by stubborn unemployment and attacks. Macron Frances youngest ever president beat his far-right rival Marine Le Pen to the presidency, winning more than 65 percent of the vote on May 7. In his first speech as president, Macron said France had chosen hope. The whole world has watched our presidential election, he said. The responsibility with which they have entrusted me is an honour. The world and Europe have today, more than ever, a need for France. They want a France that is sure of its destiny. The world needs what French men and woman have always taught it, freedom, equality and fraternity. He said France was not in decline, but at the start of an extraordinary renaissance, adding that he would boost employment, protect companies and engage with French people who feel ignored. Republican secularism will be defended, he said. We must find the deep meaning of what unites us today France is only strong if it is prosperous. Hollande is delighted at the election of the former investment banker. He launched Macrons political career, plucking him from the world of investment banking to be an adviser and then his economy minister. I am not handing over power to a political opponent. Its far simpler, Hollande said on Thursday. Though Macron won a large majority, he inherits a deeply divided country. Many voters said they cast their ballot for him reluctantly, in a bid to boot out the far right. Philippe Moreau-Chevrolet, a political consultant, told Al Jazeera: In the second round of the election, people voted for him in order to oust Marine Le Pen, not for his programme. Prime minister to be revealed On Monday, Macron is expected to reveal the closely guarded name of his prime minister, before flying to Berlin to meet German Chancellor Angela Merkel. It is virtually a rite of passage for French leaders to make their first European trip to meet the leader of the other half of the so-called motor of the EU. Pro-EU Macron wants to push for closer cooperation to help the bloc to overcome the imminent departure of Britain, another of its most powerful members. READ MORE: What does Emmanuel Macron stand for? He intends to press for the creation of a parliament and budget for the eurozone. Merkel welcomed Macrons decisive 32-point victory over Le Pen, saying he carried the hopes of millions of French people and also many in Germany and across Europe. In June, Macron faces what the French media are calling a third round of the presidential election when the country elects a new parliament in a two-round vote. This new 39-year-old president is trying to enthuse optimism, Pierre Haski, a Paris-based political journalist, told Al Jazeera. Hes been the most pro-European candidate in this presidency. ISIL controls nine percent of war-torn citys west, army official says, as US-backed Iraqi forces seek to evict group. US-backed Iraqi forces have pushed deeper into the last pocket of Mosul controlled by the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL, also known as ISIS), as the battle for the city approaches an end after seven months of gruelling combat. ISIL fighters have now been dislodged from all but a handful of districts in the western half of Mosul, including the Old City, where the group is expected to make its last stand, taking advantage of narrow streets and its dense population. Brigadier General Yahya Rasoul said on Sunday the area controlled by ISIL was no more than nine percent of west Mosul, which is bisected by the River Tigris. Its a very small area, he told Reuters. God willing, this is the final phase. The Iraqi Counter Terrorism Servicestormed the Ureibi and Rifaie districts at dawn on Sunday, according to a statement from the Joint Operations Command. At the same time, the armys ninth division and the Interior Ministrys elite Emergency Response Division attacked the ISIL bastion of 17 Tammouz. Daesh [ISIL] is drawing its last dying breath, the commander of the ninth division, Lieutenant-General Qasim Nazzal, told state television on Sunday. Daesh fighters are broken and quickly retreating from fronts. Vastly outnumbered by the forces arrayed against them, ISIL fighters are fighting back with suicide car bombs and snipers embedded among hundreds of thousands of civilians they are effectively holding hostage. Hungry civilians eating weeds There remains concerns about the offensives toll on the fate of civilians still stuck in ISIL-controlled territories. Conditions are increasingly desperate; as many are killed, other hungry civilians are resort to eating weeds. The number of people fleeing Mosul has more than doubled to about 10,000 a day since Friday, according to Iraqi government figures. Defence analyst and former general Jasim al-Bahadli said the strategy adopted by Iraqi commanders was to splinter the remaining fighters into smaller groups and attack them on multiple fronts to disrupt their command and control. By taking back all the districts surrounding the Old City, the militants will have no chance to receive any back-up or reinforcements, he said. According to the UN, more than 400,000 people have been displaced from western Mosul about two months into the Iraqi armys battle against ISIL. READ MORE: Mosul civilians Who knows who was shooting? The UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) said last week, citing the government, that 434,775 people have fled Mosul ISILs last stronghold since troops launched an operation on February 19. This brings the number of internally displaced people, since the Mosul operation started in October, to a total of 615,150 Iraqis. According to OCHA, about 30,000 civilians have returned to their homes in western Mosul since the end of April meaning that the number of internally displaced people from western Mosul stands at 403,490 people. Increased ISIL attacks In recent months, ISIL has stepped up its attacks in different parts of Iraq, apparently in an effort to distract attention from the ongoing US-backed campaign to remove it from Mosul in the countrys north. ISIL seized Mosul, Iraqs second-largest city, in a blitz in mid-2014. As hundreds of thousands of civilians are still in Mosul, anti-ISIL forces have had to limit their use of aerial attacks and artillery in the city. Nevertheless, hundreds of civilians have been killed by coalition air raids and shelling, as well as in ISILs counterattacks. The US-led coalition bombing ISIL positions in Iraq admitted that it carried out air raids in March at a location in west Mosul, where officials and residents say scores of civilians were killed. According to Iraqs authorities, ISIL now controls less than seven percent of the country. Israeli forces have carried out raids on homes across the occupied West Bank and detained at least 14 Palestinians on Sunday, among them a prominent intellectual and former political prisoner. Suha Barghouti, the wife of Ahmad Qatamesh, said a large force of Israeli soldiers arrived at their home in the West Bank city of al-Bireh at 4:30am local time and detained her husband. Until now, we dont know what is going on or where he is, she told Al Jazeera by telephone on Sunday morning, explaining that Israeli soldiers also searched her brother-in-laws nearby home. In 2013, Qatamesh, a prominent 66-year-old writer, was deemed a prisoner of conscience by Amnesty International while he was in an Israeli jail. Throughout two stints in prison, he spent more than eight years behind bars under Israels practice of adminstrative detention, in which Palestinians are held on secret evidence for renewable six-month intervals with no trial or charges. In total, Qatamesh was in Israeli jail for some 13 years, his wife said. In the 1970s, he spent four years in prison on charges related to involvement in the left-wing Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine (PFLP). In 1992, Israel accused him of continued membership in the PFLP accusations he denied and jailed him again as an administrative detainee for more than six years. Later, between April 2011 and December 2013, he was again held in administrative detention. READ MORE: Palestinian hunger strikers had no choice An Israeli army spokesperson confirmed that 14 Palestinians were detained on Sunday in pre-dawn raids, but declined to confirm the names of specific individuals. There are arrests almost every night, she told Al Jazeera. Hunger strike Qatameshs arrest comes as Palestinian prisoners enter the 28th day of a mass hunger strike inside Israeli jails. Palestinian media outlets estimate that more than 1,300 prisoners are refusing food behind bars, while Israeli officials have said the number is slightly lower. Barghouti, Qatameshs wife, suspects that his writing and campaigning in solidarity with the hunger-striking prisoners is part of the reason why Israeli forces targeted him for arrest. We dont know yet what is happening or why, but I think because he is campaigning for the prisoners and is very active, she said, explaining that Israeli interrogations summoned Qatamesh for questioning several times over the past two years. She said his interrogators often warned him not to speak so publicly. They still in their mind consider him a leader and hold him responsible for actions. Hes not a leader or a part of any political organisation, she said. They have an image of Ahmad [and] hes paying the bill for what they think he is. TIMELINE: Palestinian mass hunger strikes in Israel Addameer, a West Bank-based prisoners rights group, estimates that there are 6,300 Palestinians in Israeli jails. Of that total, at least 500 are administrative detainees. Although unable to speak to the details of Qatameshs arrest, Addameer lawyer Farah Bayadsi said Israel has cracked down on Palestinians protesting in solidarity with the hunger-striking prisoners in recent weeks. There is a lot of solidarity and action for the prisoners, she told Al Jazeera by telephone. Naturally, the [Israeli] occupation is responding aggressively. Follow Patrick Strickland on Twitter: @P_Strickland_ The Belt and Road Forum (BRF) for International Cooperation opens in Beijing, capital of China, May 14, 2017. (Xinhua/Zhang Duo) That China's standing in the world has vastly improved over the last few decades is undeniable. Such levels of economic development cannot help but have influence beyond the country's own borders. Once Xi Jinping took over China's leadership in 2012, he and his team inaugurated a comprehensive scheme to manage the impact of China's new-found economic power on the outside world, with the aim of ensuring that both China and her neighbors would derive tangible and lasting benefits from the East Asian powerhouse. The Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) was accordingly launched in 2013, with its own funding mechanism, the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB) following shortly afterwards, with support from countries in East and West. China has already earmarked US$40 billion for a dedicated BRI fund, on top of the already committed US$100 billion capitalization for the AIIB. A number of projects, largely involving China's near neighbors, have already been initiated. China claims that project contracts worth US$304.9 billion in Belt and Road partner countries were signed between 2014 and 2016; an estimated US$900 billion of investment is planned in trading infrastructure, ranging from ports to high-speed railways to gas pipelines, an investment program on an unprecedented scale. Though it obviously makes sense to address particular needs wherever they emerge, the Chinese leadership is keen to give a strategic dimension to the whole process, to ensure that the project does not dissipate in uncoordinated individual projects. To that end China has invited heads of state and government of those countries wishing to deepen their involvement in the program to an international forum in Beijing on May 14-15. Twenty-nine national leaders will attend the forum. One of China's main aims in holding this forum is to convince partners and potential partners that this Chinese-led project offers genuine win-win solutions. A recent Xinhua commentary quoted Confucius as saying: "He who wants success should enable others to succeed." In particular, it is important to ensure that the European end of the Belt and Road Initiative is fully on board. Most major European countries have signed up to the AIIB, indicating willingness in principle to participate; but Western Europeans on the whole have been slow to commit themselves to concrete participation. Partly this is due to the uncertainty over the future of the "European Union" following the U.K.'s decision to leave. The U.K. was the first European country to sign up to the AIIB. China has already set up a cooperation forum with 16 Central and Eastern European countries, some of which are EU members and some not. The financial giant Switzerland has set an example of third-party cooperation by functioning as an observer in this forum. It is becoming clear that China's economic relations with Europe are not dependent on the complex legal framework of the "European Union," but may work better by dealing with individual countries and smaller, more flexible groupings. Such an approach may help to redress the current imbalance in investment flows: in 2016 China invested four times more in Europe than EU companies invested in China. Another potential problem is that, by its very nature, the wide-ranging Belt and Road (B&R) program passes through regions with security problems. Though national governments are committed to the projects, there are dangers of popular turmoil. Some B&R projects in Sri Lanka have attracted public protests, and Pakistan, where over US$50 billion has been invested in the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor, has set up a new division of the armed forces to protect the corridor. There are also sovereignty disputes between India and Pakistan in the region of the corridor. No doubt the Beijing Forum will provide an opportunity for China to emphasize the importance of addressing these concerns, which will be another win-win, in the sense of improving both economic conditions and internal security in the countries affected. It has long been a central feature of China's foreign policy that peace and security are best underpinned by solid and mutually beneficial economic and commercial partnerships. For that reason many high-level representatives of troubled countries and regions will be attending the forum, including leading figures from war-torn Syria and the DPRK. If the ramifications of the Belt and Road Initiative lead to a slackening of tensions in these areas, the world will have a great deal to thank China for. Thus there are many things at stake in Beijing this weekend. China has the opportunity to engage her partners in the Belt and Road Initiative through a sustainable strategy, with advantages both to the partners and to China's internal development, as much of the Chinese involvement is centred in parts of the country which have hitherto been left behind by the massive growth of China's eastern coastal strip. The weekend's events will serve to engage the rest of the world in shaping China's vision for the economic future. Tim Collard is a columnist with China.org.cn. For more information please visit: http://www.china.org.cn/opinion/timcollard.htm Opinion articles reflect the views of their authors, not necessarily those of China.org.cn. Prime Minister Netanyahu says embassy move to Jerusalem would be positive for peace process with the Palestinians. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has challenged US concerns over moving the American embassy to Jerusalem and said a move will help the peace process to progress. During his election campaign, US President Donald Trump promised to move the embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem, whose status is one of the thorniest issues of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. The transfer of the American Embassy to Jerusalem not only will not harm the peace process, but the opposite, Netanyahu said in the statement on Sunday. It will advance it by correcting a historic injustice and by smashing the Palestinian fantasy that Jerusalem is not the capital of Israel. The statement from Netanyahus office came after US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson said Trump is still assessing the impact of the potential move. The president is being very careful to understand how such a decision would impact the peace process, Tillerson said. He said Trumps decision would be informed by feedback from all sides, including whether Israel views it as helpful to a peace initiative or perhaps a distraction. The Palestinians and the Arab world fiercely oppose a move, and the international community has warned that it could spark fresh unrest. Palestinians argued that moving the embassy would prejudge one of the most sensitive issues in the conflict, undermining Americas status as an effective mediator. Former US presidents have repeatedly waived a US law requiring the embassy to be moved to Jerusalem. The most recent waiver, signed by Barack Obama, expires on June 1. Trump is expected to sign a six-month renewal of the waiver, as he continues deliberating, before it expires. READ MORE: How Israeli soldiers interrogated me In another sign that the White House is proceeding cautiously, Trumps ambassador to Israel, David Friedman, plans to work out of the current embassy in Tel Aviv rather than out of the US Consulate in Jerusalem, as some had urged him to do. Israel occupied the West Bank and East Jerusalem in 1967. It later annexed East Jerusalem in a move never recognised by the international community. In 1980, Israel declared reunited Jerusalem its capital in a move unrecognised by major states. Seven bodies also recovered on Saturday as refugees and migrants were trying to cross into Europe on four rubber boats. Seven bodies were recovered and 484 people were rescued from boats in the Mediterranean Sea while attempting to cross into Europe, Italys coastguard said. The Italian coastguard, navy, an aid group, and two private vessels rescued the refugees and migrants, who were travelling on four rubber boats, on Saturday, the coastguard said in a statement. No details were given of the origins of asylum seekers. But most arriving in Italy are from Sub-Saharan Africa or Bangladesh and pay Libya-based smugglers to organise their passage. According to the International Organization for Migration (IOM), more than 45,000 people have reached Italy by boat from North Africa this year an almost 40 percent increase from 2016. The new deaths add to a toll of 1,222 on the route as of May 10, compared with 966 by the same date last year, according to the IOM. The pace of migrant crossings is expected to increase as the weather improves. The sea channel between Italy and Libya is the worlds busiest and most dangerous sea migration route. Human traffickers appear to be running rampant and smugglers often extort money and hold people for ransom. In addition, organisations assisting asylum seekers say that the smugglers methods have become increasingly brutal with people reporting cases of rape, beatings and forced labour. READ MORE: Nearly 200 asylum seekers feared dead off Libya coast A senior official in the UN-backed Libyan government in Tripoli said that his administration was ready to create a new guard to patrol the countrys chaotic southern border, but it would only be possible to secure the frontier if other countries helped. If we dont resolve southern Libyas problems, we will not resolve the migrant issue. The difficult economic situation in that region pushes a lot of young people to work for the traffickers, said Abdulsalam Kajman, vice president of the Libyan government headed by Fayez Saraj. Libya primarily needs administrative and logistical help. Marco Minniti [Italian Minister of the Interior] has told us that Italy is ready to dispatch mobile hospitals, but we need other countries and the EU to lend a hand too. Loyalist troops advance on Bouake after soldiers mutinying over pay refuse army demand to lay down arms. Ivory Coast has launched a military operation to re-establish order after soldiers who staged a three-day mutiny over bonus payments refused the armys demand to disarm. The mutineers, most of them former rebel fighters who fought to bring President Alassane Ouattara to power, have sealed off Ivory Coasts second largest city, Bouake, and used gunfire to break up protests against the revolt. As loyalist soldiers advanced on Bouake on Sunday, the Military Chief of Staff, General Sekou Toure, issued a statement announcing the new offensive. These acts of an extreme seriousness are contrary to the mission of protection assigned to the armed forces, the statement said. As a result, a military operation is under way to re-establish order. Six people were wounded by gunfire on Sunday, and one of three protesters shot and wounded on Saturday died of his wounds. The mutineers said they would not surrender. They asked us to lay down our arms and surrender. We refused and demand our money We are waiting for them, Sergeant Seydou Kone told the Reuters news agency. READ MORE: Six wounded in Ivory Coast anti-mutiny protest The soldiers uprising began in Bouake on Friday when a spokesman for the group dropped demands for extra pay promised by the government during negotiations to end a previous mutiny in January. The 8,400 mutineers received 5m CFA francs ($8,370) each at the time, and were due to get the rest of the sum this month. But the government has struggled to make the payment, with a budget hit by the collapse in the price of cocoa, Ivory Coasts main export. The defence minister has vowed not to re-negotiate with the renegade troops, and public anger at the mutineers is growing. Protests against the mutiny took place in Abidjan, the northern city of Korhogo and western cocoa hub of Daola on Saturday. On Sunday morning, the soldiers used gunfire to break up a march in Bouakes city centre, wounding six people. The population rose up, but the mutineers quickly dispersed the march with shots, said Bouake resident Simon Guede. Everything is closed. The Ivorian army, which consists of about 22,000 soldiers, includes many former rebels who were integrated into the armed forces after years of conflict. Ivory Coast was plunged into civil war in 2002 following a failed attempt to remove then-president Laurent Gbagbo. The revolt sliced the former French colony into the rebel-held north and the government-controlled south and triggered years of unrest, which ended when Gbago was forcibly removed from office in 2011. In his inaugural speech, Macron promises to restore Frances lost confidence and reform and relaunch the EU. Emmanuel Macron, Frances youngest president, has promised to restore the countrys lost confidence and re-launch the flagging European Union. Macron, a 39-year-old centrist, took over the reins of power from President Francois Hollande at the Elysee Palace on Sunday. In his first speech as president, Macron said his main priority would be to give back to the French people the confidence that for too long has been flagging. I will convince our compatriots that Frances power is not in decline, but that we are at the dawn of an extraordinary renaissance because we have all the qualities which will make the great powers of the 21st century, he said. While Frances place was in the European Union, the 28-member bloc needed to be reformed and relaunched, the new president said. Macron assumed power after an hour-long private meeting with Hollande in which official access to Frances nuclear missile launch codes was handed over. After the formalities, a 21-gun salute rang out from the Invalides military hospital on the other side of the River Seine. Later, the new president paid tribute at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier beneath the Arc de Triomphe, where he stood in a downpour, without a raincoat or umbrella, to light the flame in honour of Frances war dead. He went on to shake hands with supporters along the Champs Elysees, who were taking selfies and waving French tricolour flags, amid tight security. READ MORE: Who is Emmanuel Macron and what does he stand for? Some 1,500 police officers were deployed near the presidential palace and on the Champs Elysees. Macron faces a host of daunting challenges, including tackling stubbornly high unemployment, fighting violence and healing divisions exposed by an often vicious election campaign. Some analysts and opponents have questioned the strength of his mandate; though Macron defeated his rival Marine Le Pen in a landslide, many who voted for him on May 7 said they cast their ballot reluctantly, in a bid to boot out the far right. Macron vowed to glue France together, saying,The time has come for France to meet the challenges of our time. The divisions and fractures that run through our society must be overcome, whether they be economic, social, political or moral. I can assure you I didnt think for a single second that (the confidence) was restored as if by magic on the evening of May 7. It will be slow, demanding but essential work. He added: France is strong only if she is prosperous. A convinced European integrationist unlike Le Pen and other candidates, he went on: The world and Europe need France now more than ever and they need a strong France with a sense of its own destiny. He pledged to press for reforms to the EU, saying: We will need a more efficient Europe, a more democratic Europe, a more political Europe because its the instrument of our power and our sovereignty, I will work on that. The world needs what French men and women have always taught it: the audacity of freedom, the demand for equality and the desire for fraternity, he said. Witnesses say renegade soldiers opened fire on protesters in Bouake as opposition to rebellion gathers momentum. Six people, including a mother of three, were wounded when renegade soldiers in Ivory Coast opened fire at a protest against an army mutiny in Bouake, according to witnesses. The mutiny over a pay dispute began in Bouake on Friday, and spread quickly to other cities and towns, mirroring an uprising by the same group in January. The injured were brought to Bouakes main hospital with bullet wounds early on Sunday. Two other protesters, who had been beaten up, were also being treated. Sergeant Seydou Kone, a spokesman for the mutiny, confirmed to Reuters news agency that the soldiers had dispersed crowds in Bouake on Sunday but said he was not aware of any injuries. The population rose up, but the mutineers quickly dispersed the march with shots, Bouake resident Simon Guede told Reuters. Everything is closed. No one is in the streets except the soldiers and a few protesters. The soldiers, most of them former rebel fighters who fought to bring President Alassane Ouattara to power, cut off access to Bouake on Friday, defying the army chief, who has threatened severe punishment if they did not return to barracks. The defence minister has vowed not to negotiate with the renegade troops. Al Jazeeras Ahmed Idris, reporting from Abidjan, the economic capital of Ivory Coast, said opposition to the three-day revolt was gathering momentum. People were able to organise demonstrations yesterday and today, even in areas held by the rebels, he said. It [the government] had earlier deployed security forces and special forces to the main barracks here in Abidjan where things are quiet now, and it has also some presence in Bouake. There are reports the government is also making moves to take over all other places that are under rebel control, especially the barracks and other key formations that were occupied by the mutineers. Protest rallies and marches were held in the cities of Korhogo, Daloa and Abidjan on Saturday. We came here to tell them that we dont want this any more in the country You got to be a soldier to watch over us, to guarantee our basic rights, Ben Rafik Toure, a government supporter at Saturdays rally in Abidjan, told Al Jazeera. Why are you blocking the roads and stopping us from going to school? READ MORE: Mutinying soldiers seal off Ivory Coasts Bouake On Sunday morning, mutineers, under pressure from angry truck drivers and travellers, began allowing traffic to circulate in Bouake. We have nothing against the population, Kone, the mutiny spokesman, said. We just want our money. We will be here until the president pays us our money. We control the entrances to the city and we can close them whenever we want. The soldiers posted at the four main access points to Bouake have also been extorting money from drivers hoping to cross the city, according to AFP news agency. The mutiny in January ended when the government agreed to pay each soldier 12m CFA francs ($19,950) a promise it has struggled to keep after a collapse in the price of cocoa, the countrys main export. Ivory Coast emerged as one of the worlds fastest-growing economies following a decade-long political crisis ended by a 2011 civil war. But deep divisions persist, particularly in a military assembled from former rebel and loyalist combatants. Europol chief warns that number of targets hit by WannaCry hack will grow when many return to work on Monday. Fridays wave of cyberattacks has hit 200,000 targets in at least 150 countries, the head of the European Unions police agency said, adding he feared that the number would grow when people return to work on Monday. Europol Director Rob Wainwright told ITVs Peston on Sunday programme that the attack was indiscriminate. Wainwright called the fast-spreading hack unique because the ransomware was being used in combination with a worm, meaning that the infection of one computer could automatically spread it through an entire network. READ MORE: WannaCry What is ransomware and how to avoid it The global reach is unprecedented. The latest count is more than 200,000 victims in at least 150 countries, and those victims, many of those will be businesses, including large corporations, he said. He said few banks in Europe had been affected, having learned through the painful experience of being the number-one target of cybercrime the value of having the latest cybersecurity in place. We have been concerned for some time that the healthcare sectors in many countries are particularly vulnerable. Theyre processing a lot of sensitive data, he said. Britains state-run National Health Service was affected by the attack. Wainwright said Europol was working with the FBI in the US to track down those responsible, saying that more than one person was likely behind it. He said the cybercrime scene was increasingly going underground, meaning it was very difficult to identify the offender or their location. READ MORE: Europol Ransomware attack is of unprecedented level Were in a very difficult fight against these ever more sophisticated cybercrime syndicates that are using encryption to hide their activity, he said. Wainwright said Europol provided free downloads of decryption programmes for most ransomware. Once we get to the bottom of this one, well make sure that this is available to people as well, he said. It was believed to the biggest attack of its kind ever recorded. Rebels and their families moved from Qaboun neighbourhood to Idlib province in latest deal with government forces. More than 1,500 rebels and their family members left the devastated district of Qaboun on the edge of Damascus on Sunday, as the Syrian army and its allies continue to advance in areas in and around the capital, rebels and state media said. Hundreds of rebels and their families were evacuated this week from the adjacent Barzeh district after rebels there decided to lay down their arms and leave to rebel-held Idlib province. Syrian state media said evacuations had almost been completed and the district was now securely in army hands. The evacuation will see rebels and civilians move to Idlib, an opposition stronghold in northwestern Syria. The loss of Qaboun so soon after Barzeh is another blow to rebels as they battle to keep a foothold in the capital and face government troops who are supported by Russian air power and Iranian-backed militias. The UK-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights estimated that government forces have taken back most of the neighbourhood, leaving around 20 percent still under the control of rebel groups Ahrar al-Sham, Jaysh al-Islam and the Rahman Corps. READ MORE: Syrias de-escalation zones We dont trust Russia Syrian President Bashar al-Assad has promoted the use of such evacuations, along with what his government calls reconciliation deals for rebel-held areas that surrender to the government, as a way of reducing bloodshed in the six-year-old civil war. Siege tactics However, the United Nations has criticised both the use of siege tactics, which precede such deals, and the evacuations themselves as amounting to forcible displacement. The Syrian army has been steadily defeating pockets of rebellion near the capital, with the help of Russian air power and Iranian-backed armed groups. READ MORE: Jordanians wont support ground intervention in Syria The army offensive entered a higher gear in recent months in Barzeh and Qaboun, ending a local truce that had been in place with rebels there since 2014 and shutting access to a network of underground tunnels which supplied besieged eastern Ghouta, causing supplies to dwindle and prices to rocket. Similar evacuation deals in the Palestinian refugee camp of Yarmouk, also situated in southern Damascus, have fallen through time and again. The Syrian conflict started as an uprising against Assad in March 2011, but quickly morphed into a full-scale civil war that has killed hundreds of thousands and displaced millions. White House says latest ballistic missile test should serve as a call for stronger sanctions against Pyongyang. US President Donald Trump has called for tougher sanctions against North Korea after it test-fired a ballistic missile on Sunday. The missile was fired from the region of Kusong, northwest of Pyongyang, where North Korea, in February, successfully test-launched an intermediate-range missile. Multiple sets of UN and US sanctions against North Korea have done little to deter it from pursuing its nuclear and missile ambitions. Let this latest provocation serve as a call for all nations to implement far stronger sanctions against North Korea, the White House said in a brief statement. The missile impacted so close to Russian soil the president cannot imagine that Russia is pleased, the White House said, adding that North Korea has been a flagrant menace for far too long. The projectile flew more than 700km before landing in the Sea of Japan. Russias defence ministry later said the missile landed about 500km from its border and posed no threat. In April, Trump warned that a major, major conflict with the North was possible, but he would prefer a diplomatic outcome to the dispute over its nuclear and missile programmes. France also condemned Pyongyangs latest missile test in the first statement issued by the Foreign Ministry in Paris since Emmanuel Macron was sworn in as president. LEARN MORE: North Koreas nuclear weapons Here is all we know France calls on North Korea to conform immediately with its international obligations and proceed to the dismantlement of its nuclear and ballistic program in a complete, verifiable and irreversible way, Foreign Ministry spokesman Romain Nadal said in a statement. China, which has been under growing US pressure to help rein in the nuclear-armed North, called for restraint. All relevant parties should exercise restraint and refrain from further aggravating tensions in the region, the foreign ministry said. New South Korean President Moon Jae-In, who was inaugurated on Wednesday, has also been conciliatory. But he slammed the missile test as a reckless provocation after holding an emergency meeting with national security advisers. READ MORE: Trumps North Korea dilemma are sanctions the way to go? Moon said Seoul strongly condemned this grave challenge to the peace and security of the Korean peninsula and the international community, according to his spokesman Yoon Young-Chan. Moon, unlike his conservative predecessors, advocates reconciliation with Pyongyang but warned on Sunday that dialogue would be possible only if the North changes its attitude. Moon had said in his inauguration speech that he was willing to visit Pyongyang in the right circumstances to ease tensions. Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe slammed the latest launch as totally unacceptable and a grave threat to Tokyo. North Korea has staged two atomic tests and dozens of missile launches since the start of last year in its quest to develop an intercontinental ballistic missile capable of delivering a nuclear warhead to the US mainland. English News Belt and Road initiative contributes to open, win-win new world: Peoples Daily Alwihda Info | Par peoplesdaily - 14 Mai 2017 A total of 29 heads of state and governments, over 70 leaders of international organizations, and 1,500-plus representatives from worldwide attended the Belt and Road Forum for International Cooperation being held in Beijing. Source: People's Daily The ongoing Belt and Road Forum for International Cooperation will make future-oriented plans for cooperation and push forward the construction of the routes on a new starting point, said a commentary published by Peoples Daily on Sunday, the same day the two-day event opened in Beijing. The following is an abstract translation of the article: A total of 29 heads of state and governments, over 70 leaders of international organizations, and 1,500-plus representatives from worldwide attended the Belt and Road Forum for International Cooperation being held in Beijing. As the highest-level Belt and Road international meeting since the initiative was firstly put forward, the historical event will definitely usher countries around the world into a new chapter to build it together. Better than expected, progress and achievements have been scored by the efforts to construct Belt and Road. So far, more than 100 countries and international organizations have responded to the initiative, with 40 of them signing agreements of cooperation with China. These accomplishments obtained in such a short period of time indeed indicated the initiatives conformity with the trend of international peaceful development and the demand of Eurasian countries for cooperation and development. The Belt and Road initiative is for China, but more importantly, it is for the world. Now the world economy is still in a gloom, with rising tide of protectionism and anti-globalization. The conflicts between openness and conservatism, reform and fogyismeconomic integration and fragmentation have emerged as well. Amid such background, the Belt and Road development provides a new engine to boost trade growth and accelerate the reform of global economic governance. Fruitful harvests have been reaped from the endeavor to build the routes. The Belt and Road countries, for instance, have aligned their development strategies and construction plans, while investment and financing platforms such as Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank and Silk Road Fund have been set up. The infrastructure projects like Jakarta-Bandung high speed rail and Gwadar Port are underway as well. These have not only accelerated Chinas process to open up in an all-round way, but also brought development opportunities and tangible benefits for the countries and regions along the routes. The contribution of all involved countries was rewarded. Such common actions are pushing the world toward an innovative, invigorated, interconnected and inclusive economy. Chinese President Xi Jinping once pointed out that the world will be a better place only when everyone is better off. To put Xis words into practice, Chinese enterprises have established 56 economic cooperation zones in Belt and Road countries during the last 3 years, creating nearly $1.1 billion tax revenue and 180,000 jobs. In addition, Chinas direct investment in these countries reached $14.5 billion in merely 2016. China is implementing the initiative and devoting to economic globalization with maximum sincerity and firm actions. Xi stressed that the Silk Road is a common treasure for people all over the world. The continuous promotion of the initiative will not only effectively deepen the cooperation between China and the Belt and Road countries, but also deliver them and the world at large the conception to build a community of shared interests and future for the mankind. The achievements in the past 3 years have made the Belt and Road initiative important international public product goods. The forum will determine the key cooperation areas for the next phase through consultation, make future-oriented plans for cooperation, and promote the construction of the Belt and Road on a new starting point, in a bid to further build consensus, set direction and plan visions. The forum is not about empty talks. It will make itself into a highly-efficient global cooperation platform to encourage connectivity. Closer alignment, effective implementation and other concrete actions will be taken to convert consensus into development engines and welfare for the public, so that the Belt and Road initiative will be strong enough to carry the hope and dream of the people from en-route countries. Dans la meme rubrique : < > Yunnan dispatches sci-tech experts to South Asia, Southeast Asia, builds bridge of int'l technological cooperation China's Beidou reaches world-leading level: white paper Silk Road e-commerce promotes trade among Belt and Road countries Pour toute information, contactez-nous au : +(235) 99267667 ; 62883277 ; 66267667 (Bureau N'Djamena) Flash Kaspersky Lab has recorded more than 45,000 attacks of ransomware in 74 countries around the world as of Friday. The attack, boiling down to a computer virus that makes users' computers useless unless a payment is made to those who hacked their system, has prompt wide alarm around the globe. Here is what the ransom screen looks like (Chinese version) when a victim is hit with WannaCry. [File photo] The assault, described as the biggest-ever cyber ransom attack, struck state agencies and major companies around the world -- from Russian banks and British hospitals to FedEx and European car factories. "WannaCry" The multinational cybersecurity and anti-virus provider's Global Research and Analysis Team said in a web posting that in these attacks, data is encrypted with the extension ".WCRY" added to the filenames. The attack by the ransomware, dubbed "WannaCry," is initiated through an SMBv2 remote code execution in Microsoft Windows. The exploit, codenamed "EternalBlue," has been made available on the internet through the Shadowbrokers dump on April 14 and patched by Microsoft on March 14. "It's important to understand that while unpatched Windows computers exposing their SMB services can be remotely attacked with the 'EternalBlue' exploit and infected by the WannaCry ransomware," Kaspersky Lab noted. "The lack of existence of this vulnerability doesn't really prevent the ransomware component from working. Nevertheless, the presence of this vulnerability appears to be the most significant factor that caused the outbreak," it warned. The WannaCry malware encrypts the files and also drops and executes a decryptor tool. Images appeared on victims' screens demanding payment of $300 in Bitcoin, saying: "Ooops, your files have been encrypted!" Payment is demanded within three days or the price is doubled, and if none is received within seven days the files will be deleted, according to the screen message. As not all ransomware provides this timer countdown, the WannaCry attack shows computer users that "payment will be raised" after a specific countdown, along with another display raising urgency to pay up, threatening that the user will completely lose their files after the set timeout, the team said. It added that to make sure the user doesn't miss the warning, the tool changes the user's wallpaper with instructions on how to find the decryptor tool dropped by the malware. Wide range of victims Kaspersky Lab has confirmed additional infections in a group of countries, including China, Ukraine, Russia, India and more. The cryptology branch of Spain's National Center for Intelligence (CNI) also confirmed on Friday that several Spanish companies, including multinational telecommunications giant Telefonica, have suffered the "massive" cyber attack. The Spanish media reported that Telefonica bore the brunt of the attack, which caused the crash of the computers of Telefonica personnel at the company's Madrid headquarters, leaving them with blue screens and also halting other devices. Other businesses thought to have been attacked by the virus included consultancy firms, banks and energy companies. Hospitals in Britain also suffered from a similar attack on Friday. The National Health Service (NHS) issued an alert and confirmed infections at 16 medical institutions, but it remained unclear whether the incidents are connected with each other. Sweden's Timra municipality was struck by WannaCry Friday afternoon, Swedish public broadcaster SVT reported. A variation of the virus has infected Windows system and encrypts files locally and on shared services, and at least 70 computers were affected, as screens turned blue and then black on several of the municipalities' computers. After the computers were rebooted, users got a message saying that the computers were encrypted and they had to pay to regain access to the content. Right now it appeared that there was no risk to life or health, according to Sweden's national Computer Emergency Response Team, although some of the administrative personnel were not able to do their work. Andreaz Stromgren, head of the municipality's administrative offices, estimated that as many as 100 could have been infected before they stopped it from spreading. Denmark is also one of the victims affected by the massive hacker attack. "I can see on our map that Denmark has been tried to be attacked in the first hours of the attack," Leif Jensen, director of IT security company Kaspersky's Nordic department, was quoted by Danish TV2 channel as saying. Mikko Hypponen, chief research officer at the Helsinki-based cyber security company F-Secure, told AFP it was the biggest ransomware outbreak in history, saying that 130,000 systems in more than 100 countries had been affected. He said Russia and India were hit particularly hard, largely because Microsoft's Windows XP -- one of the operating systems most at risk -- was still widely used there. French police said there were "more than 75,000 victims" around the globe, but cautioned that the number could increase "significantly". US software firm Symantec said the majority of organisations affected were in Europe, and the attack was believed to be indiscriminate. The companies and government agencies targeted were diverse. In the United States, package delivery group FedEx said it was "implementing remediation steps as quickly as possible," while French carmaker Renault was forced to stop production at sites in France, Slovenia and Romania. Russia's interior ministry said some of its computers had been hit by a "virus attack" and that efforts were underway to destroy it. The country's banking system was also attacked, although no problems were detected, as was the railway system. Germany's rail operator Deutsche Bahn said its station display panels were affected. Universities in Greece and Italy also were hit. So far it is unclear who is behind the attack. Manhunt for hackers International investigators hunted Saturday for those behind an unprecedented cyber-attack that affected systems in dozens of countries, including at banks, hospitals and government agencies, as security experts sought to contain the fallout. "The recent attack is at an unprecedented level and will require a complex international investigation to identify the culprits," said Europol, Europe's police agency. Europol said a special task force at its European Cybercrime Centre was "specially designed to assist in such investigations and will play an important role in supporting the investigation". The attacks used ransomware that apparently exploited a security flaw in Microsoft operating systems, locking users' files unless they pay the attackers a designated sum in the virtual currency Bitcoin. But experts and government alike warn against ceding to the hackers' demands. "Paying the ransom does not guarantee the encrypted files will be released," the US Department of Homeland Security's computer emergency response team said. "It only guarantees that the malicious actors receive the victim's money, and in some cases, their banking information." English News Chinese energy company bets more investment on B&R countries Alwihda Info | Par peoplesdaily - 14 Mai 2017 On February 20, CEFC reached a 40-year agreement with Abu Dhabi National Oil Company (ADNOC) to acquire the final 4% interest in Abu Dhabis onshore oil concessions. By Li Xiang from Peoples Daily China CEFC Energy Company Limited, who ranked 229 in Fortune 2016 Global 500, has bet more investment on the Belt and Road countries in recent years after finding the business opportunities in the latters market. The companys generous investment came at a proper time for merger and acquisition of oil and gas assets. Headache with the record-low oil price in recent years, the producers in Middle East, Central Asia and other countries along the Belt and Road have been seeking business chances. Taking this historic opportunity, CEFC has actively sought for international capacity cooperation, said the companys Executive Director of the Board Ye Jianming, adding that it has formed a systematic layout covering the whole industrial chain. CEFC is the 8th largest energy enterprise in China, and also the only private company among the countrys top 10 energy giants. According to Ye, the CEFC also hopes to play a bigger role in balancing the allocation of global resource, safeguarding national energy security and enhancing cultural exchanges among the countries along the Silk Road. The company signed equity transfer agreement with KazMunaiGas (KMG), the national oil company of Kazakhstan in December 2016, acquiring 51% share of the KazMunaiGas International (KMGI). The KMGI possesses a plenty of oil refineries and more than 1,000 gas stations in important European oil and gas hubs such as Romania. In addition, it also has a retail network in Europe. The transfer has given CEFC the access of KMGIs advanced oil depot management system, a 7,000-staff globalized operating and managing team, as well as developed major oil refineries and chemical plants in Europe. The firm also plans to invest more in Europe by purchasing gas stations and ancillary oil depots in Italy, Spain, Romania, Bulgaria, Germany and Switzerland. In the meantime, it will conduct strategic mergers for major European oil refineries, oil depots and pipelines and increase its weight at key logistic nodes, in a bid to transform itself into an influential oil and gas terminal provider in Europe. The companys ultimate goal is to connect Chinese market with upstream resources in Central Asia and terminal resources in Europe. On February 20, CEFC reached a 40-year agreement with Abu Dhabi National Oil Company (ADNOC) to acquire the final 4% interest in Abu Dhabis onshore oil concessions. On top of this, the company has also signed a long-term supply agreement with ADNOC that would secure another 10 million tons of oil per year. As a result, 13 million tons of crude oil would be provided by the latter for China annually. Another project invested by the company to transport liquefied petroleum gas from Kazakhstan to China by railway was approved at the end of the last year as well. The first 18 railway tankers carrying liquefied petroleum gas departed from Dostyk transshipment station held by CEFC for Kuitun, northwestern Chinas Xinjiang Autonomous Region on January 12, 2017. Pic: A total of 18 railway tankers carrying liquefied petroleum gas departed from Dostyk transshipment station in Kazakhstan for Kuitun, northwestern Chinas Xinjiang Autonomous Region on January 12, 2017. (Photo by People.cn) Dans la meme rubrique : < > Yunnan dispatches sci-tech experts to South Asia, Southeast Asia, builds bridge of int'l technological cooperation China's Beidou reaches world-leading level: white paper Silk Road e-commerce promotes trade among Belt and Road countries Pour toute information, contactez-nous au : +(235) 99267667 ; 62883277 ; 66267667 (Bureau N'Djamena) English News President Xi proclaims Silk Road spirit Alwihda Info | Par peoplesdaily - 14 Mai 2017 The routes connected the birthplaces of the Egyptian, Babylonian, Indian and Chinese civilizations as well as the lands of Buddhism, Christianity and Islam and homes of people of different nationalities and races, Xi said. By Li Ning from Peoples Daily Chinese President Xi Jinping on Sunday proclaimed the Silk Road spirit, saying it has become a great heritage of human civilization. Spanning thousands of miles and years, the ancient silk routes embody the spirit of "peace and cooperation, openness and inclusiveness, mutual learning and mutual benefit," he said. Xi made the remarks when delivering a keynote speech at the opening ceremony of the Belt and Road Forum for International Cooperation in Beijing. When expounding the spirit of peace and cooperation, he recalled Zhang Qian's well-known journey to the Western regions. In China's Han Dynasty around 140 B.C., Zhang, a royal emissary, left Chang'an and traveled westward on a mission of peace, opening an overland route linking the East and the West. Centuries later, in the years of Tang, Song and Yuan Dynasties, such silk routes, both over land and at sea, boomed. Great adventurers, including Du Huan of China, Marco Polo of Italy and ibn Batutah of Morocco, left their footprints along these ancient routes. In the early 15th century, Zheng He, a famous Chinese navigator in the Ming Dynasty, made seven voyages to the Western Seas, which Xi lauded as "a feat which still is remembered today." "These pioneers won their place in history not as conquerors with warships, guns or swords. Rather, they are remembered as friendly emissaries leading camel caravans and sailing treasure-loaded ships," Xi said. "Generation after generation, the silk routes travelers have built a bridge for peace and East-West cooperation." The ancient silk routes, spanning the valleys of the Nile, the Tigris and Euphrates, the Indus and Ganges, and the Yellow and Yangtze Rivers, are also regarded as an emblem of openness and inclusiveness. The routes connected the birthplaces of the Egyptian, Babylonian, Indian and Chinese civilizations as well as the lands of Buddhism, Christianity and Islam and homes of people of different nationalities and races, Xi said. They enabled people of various civilizations, religions and races to "interact with and embrace each other with open mind" and foster a spirit of mutual respect, he said."This part of history shows that civilization thrives with openness and nations prosper through exchange," he stressed. Not for trade only, the ancient silk routes also boosted flow of knowledge, which Xi valued as the spirit of mutual learning.Through these routes, Chinese silk, porcelain, lacquerwork and ironware were shipped to the West, while pepper, flax, spices, grape and pomegranate entered China. In addition, Buddhism, Islam and Arab astronomy, calendar and medicine found their way to China, while China's four great inventions and silkworm breeding spread to other parts of the world. "More importantly, the exchange of goods and know-how spurred new ideas," Xi noted."For example, Buddhism originated in India, blossomed in China and was enriched in Southeast Asia. Confucianism, which was born in China, gained appreciation by European thinkers such as Leibniz and Voltaire," he said. "Herein lies the appeal of mutual learning." Xi also pointed out that the ancient silk routes, which witnessed the bustling scenes of visits and trade over land and ships calling at ports, bear the spirit of mutual benefit. "Along these major arteries of interaction, capital, technology and people flowed freely, and goods, resources and benefits were widely shared," he said. He listed the ancient cities of Alma-Ata, Samarkand and Chang'an, ports of Sur and Guangzhou, the Roman Empire, Parthia and Kushan Kingdoms, as well as Han and Tang Dynasties of China, as flags of prosperity boosted by the routes. "History is our best teacher," Xi said. "The glory of the ancient silk routes shows that geographical distance is not insurmountable." "If we take the first courageous step towards each other, we can embark on a path leading to friendship, shared development, peace, harmony and a better future," he said. Dans la meme rubrique : < > Yunnan dispatches sci-tech experts to South Asia, Southeast Asia, builds bridge of int'l technological cooperation China's Beidou reaches world-leading level: white paper Silk Road e-commerce promotes trade among Belt and Road countries Pour toute information, contactez-nous au : +(235) 99267667 ; 62883277 ; 66267667 (Bureau N'Djamena) English News Silk Road stories told by Chinese President Xi Jinping Alwihda Info | Par peoplesdaily - 14 Mai 2017 It was in Almaty that Xian composed his famous works Liberation of the Nation, Sacred War and Red All over the River. He also wrote a symphony Amangeldy based on the exploits of the Kazakh national hero. These pieces served as a rallying call to fight Fascists and proved immensely popular with the local people. Source: Peoples Daily 1. Xian Xinghai Boulevard in Almaty The ancient city of Almaty is also on the ancient Silk Road. In Almaty, there is a Xian Xinghai Boulevard, which got its name from a true story. At the outset of the Great Patriotic War in 1941, Xian, a renowned Chinese composer, arrived in Almaty after much travail. By then, he was worn down by poverty and illness and had no one to turn to. Fortunately, the Kazakh composer Bakhitzhan Baykadamov took care of Xian and provided him with the comfort of a home. It was in Almaty that Xian composed his famous works Liberation of the Nation, Sacred War and Red All over the River. He also wrote a symphony Amangeldy based on the exploits of the Kazakh national hero. These pieces served as a rallying call to fight Fascists and proved immensely popular with the local people. -- Quoted from Xis speech at Nazarbayev University in Kazakhstan on Sept. 7, 2013 2.Song Hening (Silence) composed by former Indonesian President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono In this connection, I recall the song Hening (Silence) composed by President Yudhoyono. In October 2006, he came to Guangxi, China for the commemorative summit marking the 15th anniversary of China- ASEAN dialogue relations. On the Lijiang River, President Yudhoyono was overwhelmed by inspiration and wrote down these beautiful lyrics. The beautiful days I spend with my friends have kept recurring in my life. The mountains and rivers in China deeply touched President Susilo and reminded him of his childhood and hometown. This shows just how strong the bond and affinity are between our two peoples. -- Quoted from Xis speech to Indonesian Parliament on Oct. 3, 2013 3. Silk Road connects culture of China and Western world In the 2nd century B.C., China began working on the Silk Road leading to the Western Regions. In 138 B.C. and 119 B.C., Envoy Zhang Qian of the Han Dynasty made two trips to those regions, spreading the Chinese culture there and bringing into China grape, alfalfa, pomegranate, flax, sesame and other products. In the Western Han Dynasty, China's merchant fleets sailed as far as India and Sri Lanka where they traded China's silk for colored glaze, pearls and other products. The Tang Dynasty saw dynamic interactions between China and other countries. According to historical documents, the dynasty exchanged envoys with over 70 countries, and Chang'an, the capital of Tang, bustled with envoys, merchants and students from other countries. Exchanges of such a magnitude helped the spread of the Chinese culture to the rest of the world and the introduction into China of the cultures and products from other countries. In the early 15th century, Zheng He, the famous navigator of China's Ming Dynasty, made seven expeditions to the Western Seas, reaching many Southeast Asian countries and even Kenya on the east coast of Africa. These trips left behind many good stories of friendly exchanges between the people of China and countries along the route. In late Ming Dynasty and early Qing Dynasty, the Chinese people began to learn modern science and technology with great zeal, as the European knowledge of astronomy, medicine, mathematics, geometry and geography were being introduced into China, which helped broaden the horizon of the Chinese people. Thereafter, exchanges and mutual learning between the Chinese civilization and other civilizations became more frequent. There were indeed conflicts, frictions, bewilderment and denial in this process. But the more dominant features of the period were learning, digestion, integration and innovation. --Quoted from Xis speech at UNESCO headquarters on March 27, 2014 4. Arab restaurant in Yiwu The fast growth of China-Arab relations has also brought closer the destinies of ordinary people from both sides. Here, I can give you such an example from the Chinese province of Zhejiang where I once worked. In the city of Yiwu where you can find many Arab businessmen, a Jordanian businessman named Mohanad opened an Arab restaurant. He introduced authentic Arab cuisine to Yiwu, and he has achieved great success in this prosperous city. He married a Chinese girl and settled down in China. This young Arab has woven his life dream into the Chinese peoples dream of a happy life. He has worked hard to live his life to the full and demonstrated a perfect fusion of the Chinese dream and Arab dream. --Quoted from Xis speech at the opening ceremony of the Sixth Ministerial Conference of the China-Arab States Cooperation Forum on June 5, 2014 5.China, second hometown of Tagore Ninety years ago, Rabindranath Tagore, the great Indian poet admired by the Chinese people, visited China and was warmly received there. Upon setting foot on Chinas soil, Tagore said, I dont know why, but coming to China is like coming home. Upon leaving China, he said quite sadly, My heart stays. --Quoted from Xis speech at the Indian Council of World Affairs on Sept. 18,2014 6. Pakistans generous help in Wenchuan earthquake In 2008, when the devastating earthquake struck Wenchuan, China, Pakistan responded immediately and sent all its transport aircraft to ship its entire reserve of tents to China. The Pakistani medical team on the transport plane had to remove all seats to make room for the tents and sat on the floor all the way to China. Today, thousands of Pakistanis are working side by side with Chinese engineers and workers on projects undertaken by China in Pakistan, and there are many moving stories about their cooperation. Similarly, whenever Pakistan is in need, China has come to its help. China firmly supports Pakistan's efforts to uphold sovereignty, independence and territorial integrity. When Pakistan was hit by a severe flood in 2010, China provided immediate relief assistance via air and land routes. We dispatched the largest ever medical team and sent a big convoy of vehicles and helicopters to carry out rescue operations, the first time that such an operation was undertaken in the history of China's rescue assistance. Following the terrorist attack in Peshawar at the end of 2014, China invited the students who had been injured in the attack and their family to spend some time in China for recuperation, so the trauma those kids had experienced could be healed with care and love of the Chinese people. In the most recent evacuation mission in Yemen, the Chinese navy evacuated 176 Pakistanis from the Port of Aden, and the Pakistani navy evacuated eight Chinese students from Mukalla Port. The Pakistani commander gave the order that the ship would not leave until all the Chinese students were on board. His stirring words again show that China-Pakistan friendship is indeed deeper than the sea. --Quoted from Xis speech at the Parliament of Pakistan on April 21, 2015 7.Ancient city that has witnessed China-Japan friendship More than a week ago, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi visited my hometown Shaanxi province. He and I traced back the history of cultural communication between ancient China and India. During Sui and Tang Dynasties, Xian was also an important gateway for the friendly communication between China and Japan, where many Japanese envoys, students and monks lived and studied. Abe no Nakamaro, a scholar who stayed in China back then, had forged a profound friendship with Chinese poets Li Bai and Wang Wei, leaving a well-known story. --Quoted from Xis speech at China-Japan Friendship Exchange Meeting on May 23, 2015 8.Dream jointly realized by China and Belarus Belarus has become one of the countries in Eurasian region with whom China has carried out the most big cooperation projects. Both sides have launched dozens of major projects in the fields of telecommunication, transportation, energy and infrastructure, generating favorable economic and social benefits. The products of BELGEE have realized Belarusians dream to produce cars; the first hotel named after Chinese capital Beijing has been completed and operated in Minsk, starting serving Belarusian guests; completed rehabilitation projects of Minsk No.2, No.5, Lukomlskoye and Berezovsky power plants have provided power resources for the countrys economic development; the 3 cement production lines constructed by Chinese enterprises in Belarus have greatly improved the countrys cement producing scale and ability. China has also provided Belarus with modern electric trains that are currently running across the broad plain of the country, while China-Belarus Industrial Park that carries the common dream of revitalization of both countries has gradually achieved practical progress. --Quoted from Xis signed article published on Belarusian newspaper on Jan. 21, 2016 9. Full size replica of the treasure boat of Zheng He in Singapore In the early 15th century, China's great navigator, Zheng He, visited Singapore several times on his ocean voyages. A full size replica of the treasure boat of Zheng He is on display in the maritime museum of Singapore to honor this historic event. In the late Ming and early Qing dynasties, many people from China's Guangdong and Fujian provinces migrated to Southeast Asia, bringing with them Chinese culture and skills, and sowing the seeds of China-Singapore friendship. In 1978, Mr. Deng Xiaoping visited Singapore, opening the friendly relations and cooperation between our two countries in the new era. At that time, China was embarking on a path of reform, opening up and socialist modernization and exploring the building of socialism with distinctive Chinese features. Here in your country, under the leadership of Mr. Lee Kwan Yew, Singapore succeeded in pursuing a development path suited to its national conditions by combining the Eastern values with an international vision. After seeing first-hand Singapore's economic achievements, Mr. Deng Xiaoping said that China needs to learn from Singapore. China has drawn on the Singaporean practices in addressing tough challenges encountered in its reform and development endeavors. On its part, China's development has also created tremendous opportunities for Singapore's development. --Quoted from Xis speech at the National University of Singapore on Nov. 7, 2015 10. Silk Road that links two great nations This will be my first trip to Iran, yet like many other Chinese, I do not feel like a stranger in your ancient and beautiful country, thanks to the Silk Road that linked our two great nations for centuries and to the many legendary stories recorded in history books of our friendly exchanges. Over 2,000 years ago during the West Han Dynasty in China, the Chinese envoy Zhang Qian's deputy came to Iran and received warm welcome. Seven centuries later during the Tang and Song dynasties, many Iranians came to China's Xi'an and Guangzhou to study, practice medicine and do business. In the 13th century, the famous Iranian poet Saadi wrote about his unforgettable travel to Kashgar, Xinjiang. In the 15th century, a renowned Chinese navigator Zheng He from the Ming Dynasty led seven maritime expeditions, which took him to Hormuz in southern Iran three times. The much-prized Persian carpet is weaved out of a fusion of China's silk and Iran's sophisticated techniques. And the exquisite blue and white porcelain is produced thanks to a mixture of Iran's "smaltum" (a type of material containing cobalt, unique to Iran) and China's advanced skills. Via Iran, China's lacquerware, pottery, as well as papermaking, metallurgical, printing and gunpowder making skills were spread to the west end of Asia, and further on to Europe. And from Iran and Europe, pomegranate, grape, olive, as well as glass, gold and silver ware were introduced into China. --Quoted from Xis signed article Work Together for a Bright Future of China-Iran Relations published on Iranian newspaper on Jan. 21, 2016 Dans la meme rubrique : < > Yunnan dispatches sci-tech experts to South Asia, Southeast Asia, builds bridge of int'l technological cooperation China's Beidou reaches world-leading level: white paper Silk Road e-commerce promotes trade among Belt and Road countries Pour toute information, contactez-nous au : +(235) 99267667 ; 62883277 ; 66267667 (Bureau N'Djamena) In fathoming the failure of Europeans to protect their own interests against the onslaught of Islamic jihadism, one is reminded of Ayn Rand's quotation that "[r]eason is not automatic. Those who deny it cannot be conquered by it. Do not count on them[.]" Bruce Bawer, an astute observer of the European scene, wonders how "Marine Le Pen lost in a landslide" given all the jihadist assaults against the French people and the very culture of France. Bawer offers three possibilities that include: European guilt about past imperial histories and a "need to atone." the postmodern belief that "no culture is better than any other and it's racist to say otherwise." the influence of the mainstream media, which routinely "soft pedals the Islamic roots of terror" the fact that "some people don't want to learn the truth" In the Autumn 2004 issue of the Wilson Quarterly, Christopher Clausen writes that "for many Europeans in the past 20 years, now-distant memories of both world wars have hardened into a self-righteous conviction that peace outweighs any value that might conflict with it, almost regardless of the threat or provocation." Consequently, there is an exquisite disregard in deliberately ignoring the "grim possibility that their children and grandchildren might end up by living under shariah law, if, in fact, they are allowed to live at all." Consider that London presently has 100 sharia courts that are "based on the rejection of the inviolability of human rights: the values of freedom and equality that are the basis of English Common Law." Moreover, "a third of UK Muslims do not feel 'part of British culture.'" As further evidence of the ultimate intent of Islamists, Saudi religious scholars include the following in the nine-volume English translation of the Quran. [D]iscard (all) the obligations (covenants, etc.) ... to fight against all the Mushrikun as well as against the people of the Scriptures (Jews and Christians) if they do not embrace Islam, till they pay the Jizya (a tax levied on the non-Muslims who do not embrace Islam and are under the protection of an Islamic government) with willing submission and feel themselves subdued. As Nonie Darwish has pointed out, 64% of the Quran is devoted to denigrating commentary about kafirs, or non-Muslims. And yet, while the above quoted words of the Quran should "forever silence any fantasies regarding Islam's peaceful disposition toward the non-Muslim," the West continues to avoid the obvious. But as Ayn Rand has noted, "[y]ou can avoid reality, but you cannot avoid the consequences of avoiding reality." Hence, France continues to decompose in front of our eyes. Yves Mamou writes that "everything that represents state institutions ... is now subjected to violence based on essentially sectarian and sometimes ethnic excesses, fueled by an incredible hatred of our country[.]" Ultimately, France "and all of European society must assimilate Islamic social norms, not the other way around." Newly elected President Macron symbolizes the multicultural manifesto when he maintains that "French culture doesn't exist in and of itself; there is no such thing as a single French culture. There is culture in France and it is diverse and multiple." Is it then inevitable that "France is going to have to live with terrorism," as former prime minister Manuel Valls proclaimed? Coupled with the ongoing Islamic push is the leftist destructive bent. Thus, "Belgium is unique" in that it is the "first nation blending appeasement to Islam and a suicidal form of nihilism[.]" It is not coincidental that in Belgium, "euthanasia is out of control." With a record number of people killed by lethal injection, it is equally disturbing that "Belgium is the country with the highest per capita number of volunteers for the Caliphate." Judith Friedman Rosen reminds us that against the backdrop of Normandy, where tourists "pay tribute to those who died pursuing liberty," there is a pervasive fear as the "French open door policy to Muslim immigrants, who reject Western values and liberty" has given way to "terror, anti-Semitic and anti-Christian murders." The "clash of culture and civilization" continues, and "unlike the Asian and Indian immigrants ... many of the Muslims are not willing to integrate into the society and are trying to force their values such as Halal, [and] the prohibition of pork ... onto the French populace." What will be the future of France when "30% of French Muslims want Sharia law and less than 25% identify as French citizens"? The Jihad Files by N.M. Guariglia document the results of jihad throughout the world so that Paris is now "one of the most dangerous capitals on Earth." A "Toronto imam has sworn that all Muslims will eventually kill all Jews." And in the name of religion, Pakistani three-year-olds are being married off while Nigerian three-year-olds are having heavy stones dropped on their heads. Not to be outdone, "[i]n Iraq, ISIS continues to commit unimaginable crimes. Approximately 200 Iraqis have been kidnapped to be used as human shields against U.S. air strikes. Homosexuals continue to get murdered in large quantities and for public display. Mentally handicapped Iraqis are being rounded up by ISIS and used against their will as suicide bombers. And mass executions against civilians accused of 'blasphemy' continue unabated." The incursions continue as the "Saudis plan on building 560 mosques across the South Asian nation of Bangladesh." Is it not surprising, then, that "minority communities across Bangladesh are once again facing violence and persecution by the Sunni Muslim majority"? Mohshin Habib describes how "many Hindu areas experience attacks of ... religious oppression. Muslim fundamentalists vandalized idols, set fire to Hindu temples and ... looted valuables from temples." Bruce Thornton asks, "[H]ow much worse will the destruction and death have to be to wake us up?" These "indulgences of naive idealism," dangerous delusions, and jihad denial still paralyze the West. Ayn Rand reminds us that "there are two sides to every issue. One side is right and the other is wrong, but the middle is always evil." Until we can incorporate the idea that "nothing is creepier than Islam" and begin to "challenge Islamic racism, misogyny, genocide," as Edward Cline exhorts, how can decent people not fall prey to Linda Sarsour's "stealth jihad in a hijab"? Amazingly, the more obvious the facts, "the more fiercely do people resist them." Bawer explains that "as skilled propagandists [continue to] represent Muslims as the mother of all victim groups, many Westerners [are] quick to buy into it all." This is aided by the "media's cheery ignorance about Islam's hostile ideology," as revealed by A.Z. Mohamed. This is the most puzzling aspect of the media's capitulation. After all, Islam brooks no dissent, and freedom of press and speech is eventually obliterated. But Ayn Rand explains that "to act rationally means to act in accordance with the acts of reality. Emotions are not tools of cognition. What you feel tells you nothing about the facts; it merely tells you something about your estimate of the facts[.]" Even the Church, which is "the supreme witness given to the truth of the faith," has abrogated its role. Instead of fighting to save the lives of Christians who are unwilling to renounce Christ, too many churches are deafeningly silent on terrorism. Denis MacEoin describes how the United Church of Christ (UCC) cultivates dealings with Islamic groups "despite the fact that Muslims across the Middle East have been killing, expelling, and humiliating Christians for a very long time, but especially in recent decades." Why hasn't the UCC noted the mass exodus of Christians precipitated by extremist Muslims and the Palestinian authorities? But what might be a motivating factor for this ostensible ignorance and indifference? I turn again to Ayn Rand. For most people, the term "altruism" has a positive connotation. But Rand "rejects this perception of altruism[.] She argues that the ultimate moral value, for each human individual, is his or her own well-being." Thus, Rand believes that selfishness is a virtue because "it secures and protects one's rational values ultimately, one's life and happiness. Since a concern with one's own interests is a character trait that, when translated into action, enables one to achieve and guard one's own well-being, it follows that selfishness is a virtue. One must manifest a serious concern for one's own interests if one is to lead a healthy, purposeful, fulfilling life." Rand maintains that "[t]he injunction 'don't judge' is the ultimate climax of the altruist morality which, today, can be seen in its naked essence. When men plead for forgiveness, for the nameless, cosmic forgiveness of an unconfessed evil, when they react with instantaneous compassion to any guilt, to the perpetrators of any atrocity, while turning away indifferently from the bleeding bodies of the victims and the innocentone may see the actual purpose, motive and psychological appeal of the altruist code. When these same compassionate men turn with snarling hatred upon anyone who pronounces moral judgments, when they scream that the only evil is the determination to fight against evilone may see the kind of moral blank check that the altruist morality hands out." Edward Cline has asked if Europe is in the terminal state of a death wish. He asserts that Europe's "foundational driver is altruism" a kind of "moral blank check." The West appears to have lost the desire "to value [itself] which means to fight for [its] happiness." Since "Allah demands that humans not love him, but submit to him, as slaves submit to their masters, and to sacrifice their lives for him," we should absolutely refuse to accept this frame of reference and all that it entails. Instead, we need to realize that "if any civilization is to survive, it is the morality of altruism [or self-destructive generosity] that men have to reject." Eileen can be reached at middlemarch18@gmail.com. New York City mayor Bill de Blasio recently boasted of a historic reduction in the city's crime rates. While statistics don't lie, they can be pretty deceptive if not analyzed intelligently and within the proper context. Upon closer examination, it is eminently clear that the main reductions in crime have occurred in the rough and generally known to be unsafe neighborhoods, which are more often than not located in housing project areas of Brooklyn and the Bronx. The notoriously high number of shootings in East New York, Brownsville, Mott Haven, Port Morris, and so forth has declined, as residents of these heavily crime-infested regions are killing each other less and are victims of violence at a reduced frequency whereas the safer areas of the city, such as Manhattan's Upper East Side and Financial District, Brooklyn's Borough Park (Chassidic), and large areas of Queens and Staten Island, were always considered safe, and the crime reduction statistics thus do not really impact there. Unlike the unfortunate situation with the high-crime neighborhoods of South Bronx and Upper Brooklyn, people walking by Trump Tower, the Empire State Building, the Metropolitan Museum of Art and the New York Stock Exchange never feared being grazed by flying bullets or being caught in the middle of a street gang shooting or stabbing rampage (notwithstanding the recent and unusual very high-profile violent crimes in Midtown Manhattan). So while this crime reduction is a success, it is one of a limited scope so limited that it is not really felt by the majority of New Yorkers and visitors to the city. (It should also be noted that the dramatic reduction in crime started under Mayor Giuliani and was maintained and built upon by Mayor Bloomberg. Mayor de Blasio did not initiate this trend, nor did he reverse or halt a wave of criminal activity. The credit for such goes to his predecessors, whose policing policies de Blasio criticized and pledged to reverse.) So how has the majority of New York City fared under the current mayor, seeing that it has not materially benefited from the lower crime rates in the city's roughest of neighborhoods? The answer: pretty badly. The reason: a precipitous decrease in quality of life in nearly every single neighborhood in the city. It is almost impossible to walk through the streets of even the best parts of Manhattan and not to smell marijuana and other non-tobacco smoked substances, see homeless people lying on the streets, and be accosted by panhandlers and vagrants. This morning, as I took the subway to Midtown Manhattan for an appointment, I had to exit the station through a different turnstile, as a large yellow puddle (which was not lemonade!) covered the floor of the main turnstile exit. Several feet away, along all of the subway station's walls, lay sleeping homeless people in squalor on filthy old blankets. It was not only heartbreaking, but also unhealthy and unacceptable. After ascending the stairs and starting to walk down 49th Street, I had to dodge a drugged panhandler, as more homeless people lay at the edge of the sidewalk. This all occurred within about three minutes. And it occurs all the time for the millions of New York City's residents. I recall last summer, when taking my daughter downtown to a (fabulous) kosher pizzeria, that we had to make a three-block detour because the street we planned to take was covered with derelicts and drug addicts, who made it impossible to get through without being accosted or having to walk over and between them as they lay on the street and leaned against every lamppost and fire hydrant. And on the way back, we had to avoid an onslaught of aggressive panhandlers who likewise appeared to be drugged or intoxicated as we made our way to Penn Station. This is not the New York City of Mayor Giuliani or Mayor Bloomberg. It has gotten noticeably bad. Local New York City newspapers have documented the dramatic decrease in the quality of life. See here and here, or Google the issue and see what's going on. Or, better yet, visit New York City and see for yourself. What has the de Blasio administration done in this regard? Believe it or not, the New York City Council, with the blessing of the mayor, has decriminalized quality of life offenses (!). New York City Council Speaker Melissa Mark-Viverito ironically declared: This is a huge win for criminal justice reform. For too long, our criminal justice system was broken and it was time we took action. The Criminal Justice Reform Act will prevent tens of thousands of people from getting a criminal record for low-level, non-violent offenses and over its lifetime it is going to change trajectories for countless New Yorkers. Now, under this brilliant new liberal-progressive system, "public urination and most offenses in public parks will be downgraded from misdemeanors to violations," according to news reports. And the New York Post reported: Councilman Ritchie Torres (D-Bronx), who voted in favor of the bills, urged "hysterical" critics to reconsider how criminal records picked up over minor offenses could hobble young minorities' "access to financial aid and higher education." "These essential elements of a decent life ... can be easily blighted by the lingering stigma of a criminal record," he said. In conjunction with all this, the Manhattan district attorney will not prosecute offenses relating to quality of life. Same for the Brooklyn D.A. Under the previous two mayoral administrations, declining neighborhoods underwent gentrification and were ungraded and restored to appealing places, drawing in new businesses and residents in a major way. This was done via enhanced quality of life enforcement. But now, an anti-gentrification, anti-white, anti-Semitic City Council candidate has undertaken to reverse this trend in parts of Harlem, as he spurts forth ugly racist and bigoted charges. Thomas Lopez-Pierre, in an effort to unseat City Council member Mark Levine, has charged: For almost 15 to 20 years, these Jewish landlords have been at the forefront at pushing black and Latino people out. I think it's hypocritical for the Jewish community and Jewish leaders to look the other way while black and Latino people are being pushed out of their communities to make room for white people. Lopez-Pierre, who has a domestic abuse record and who admitted to lying as part of a fundraising scheme, has gone ballistic with allegations about Jewish landlords gentrifying Upper Manhattan at the expense of minorities and attempting to "ethnically cleanse" these areas of blacks and Hispanics. Despite protests about his many ugly words, Lopez-Pierre is not backing down, and no one has done anything to effectively stop him. This is the new New York City. If this is progress, then I have a bridge to sell ya. Avrohom Gordimer serves on the editorial board of Jewish Action magazine, is a staff writer for the Cross-Currents website, and is a frequent contributor to Israel National News and a host of other publications. He is a member of the Rabbinical Council of America and the New York Bar, and he is also a senior rabbinic fellow at the Coalition for Jewish Values, a public policy institute reflecting traditional Jewish thought. By day, he works as an account executive at a large Jewish organization based in Manhattan. The views expressed in the above article are solely those of the writer. The birds and the bees have got it right. There's a male, there's a female, there's progeny. And the social organism thrives. In our heavily (and increasingly) sexualized culture, this appears to be less and less the case. On any reasonable scale of values, sex is merely one of many human needs and preoccupations, fundamental but not exclusive. However, instead of simply acknowledging the natural binary and getting on with life, the focus is now on sex-related phenomena in any of their multiple forms and aberrations: sexual politics, sexual performance, sex education, sex scandals, same-sex marriage, sexual coercion (the rape culture meme), and perhaps most notably sex changes, cosmetic, chemical, and surgical. To top it off, the male-female divide has been reconceived as a "social construct" that must be unlearned, a relic of the oppressive and unenlightened past. For the gender radicals, biology itself is irrelevant. In its place, they propose a metaphysics of gender, in which sexed identity is a psychic essence known through an almost mystical apprehension quite apart from the body and its chromosomes, morphology, and hormonal structure. The latest fad amounting to an epidemic that has come to afflict us is gender "self-identification" and transgender fluidity, spewing forth a multiplicity of different genders of choice (which can also change from day to day) and spawning a blizzard of surrogate pronouns (zir, hir, elr, zis, ze, etc.) that normal people are forced to recognize in some places, like the province of Ontario, by law, and also as Bill C-16, now in its second reading in the Canadian Senate, stipulates. In New York City, refusal to use gendered pronouns can result in fines of up to $250,000. Transgender options and their designators continue to proliferate. Thirty-one gender pronouns and counting are like virgins in Islamic heaven, the reward for an act of linguistic terrorism. As theologian Fay Voshell points out, a statement issued by the National Center for Lesbian Rights (NCLR) serves to illustrate the rigid zealotry we are now dealing with. "We believe that every LGBT child is born perfect and that any young person's identity as lesbian, gay, bisexual, or transgender should be honored, celebrated, and supported," the organization declares thus elevating the presumed sexual orientation of a minute segment of the underage population to the level of a legitimate given, a reified perfection. The William Institute estimates that only 0.3 percent of Americans self-confirm as transgender, 1.8 percent as bisexual, and 1.7 percent as lesbian or gay. The figures of the National Health Interview Survey are in the same demographic range. This is hardly a burning social question. Note as well that sexual orientation is, quite suddenly, no longer a matter of choice, nor is it regarded as a "social construct." It is now rooted in the genome. The hubris of the NCLR is rivaled only by its state of cognitive dissonance and taxonomic extravagance. Its members and the like-minded multitudes seem to care little that there are no legal standards and no objective tests to show that an individual suffers gender dysphoria requiring social recognition or, in some cases, surgical intervention. Rather shockingly, the latter determination depends simply on a diagnostician's acceptance of a person's current feeling and subjective assessment. As Walt Heyer, who spent years living as though he were a female and then stopped, writes in Paper Genders, the only place where sex change can be said to occur is on paper and on driver's licenses and the like. Similarly, Paul McHugh, distinguished science professor of psychiatry at Johns Hopkins University, the institution that pioneered the idea of gender reassignment surgery (before suspending the practice), has become a gender skeptic. Writing for The Witherspoon Institute, he argues that the idea that "one's sex is fluid and a matter of choice... is doing much damage to families, adolescents and children and should be confronted as an opinion without biological foundation." Transgendered people merely become "counterfeiters or impersonators of the sex with which they 'identify.'" The hypothesis, he continues, "that gender identity is an innate, fixed property of human beings that is independent of biological sex... is not supported by scientific evidence." "Gender dysphoria," he concludes in the article, titled "Transgenderism: A Pathological Meme," "should be treated with psychotherapy." The idea of physical sex change is a hormonal fraud, no less than felt gender variance provoking multiple pronominal reference is a personal and cultural disorder. The fact is, as any sane person knows, there are two genders and only two genders. They are, admittedly, qualified by occasional anomalies (e.g., the intersex condition in which a person is born with both sets of genitalia) and by a range of personal inclinations, impulses, and desires that stretch the boundaries of normative practice and reject but do not refute the biological imperative. This is an aspect of human freedom and marginal desire, but it does not alter the reality that there are two genders and only two genders. Personal inclinations do not alter biology and should not be institutionalized, on peril of social anarchy. Similarly, there are only two gender-specific pronouns: he and she. Anyone who believes otherwise is living in a fantasy world; is suffering from a state of traumatic confusion; is a total stranger to elenchical thought; or is, I regret to say, certifiable. Moreover, the preoccupation with gender identity obscures personal identity, which is a much more complex and profound category. Personal identity is a spiritual and psychological dimension encompassing such modalities of being as one's relation to the Divine, one's sense of historical existence, one's adherence to or struggle with an ethical code of conduct, how one understands the mystery of love, the way one confronts the tragic dilemma of mortality in brief, identity pertains to the essence, not the accidents, of one's being. It involves what makes us imprescriptibly human, as creatures with souls, irrespective of sex or, to cite an analogous issue, of skin color. Even if one could actually change one's sex or skin color, the basic elements that establish one's intrinsic identity remain in force. It is not necessary to be Christian to appreciate Saint Paul's apothegm in Galatians 3:28 that, Jew or Greek, slave or bond, male or female, the soul is one. Confusing personal identity with gender identity allows for personal identity to go undeveloped while supplanting it with what we might call genital (or, analogously, epidermal) identity. The trade-off is a mug's game, a profound reduction of the self, of the possibility of achieving moral and intellectual substance. The vectors and concomitants of desire or the socially reactive brackets and classifications one negotiates have little to do with the core phenomenon of true individual identity. The sexual obsessions of our time are rightly understood as forms of prideful dementia, expressing the effort of human beings to create what only God or Nature can create. It is the transgression with the emphasis on trans that the Book of Genesis warned against: "ye shall be as gods," as the serpent insinuated, a temptation that led to the Fall, or the building of the Tower of Babel, which generated a confusion of languages, including thirty-one pronouns, no doubt. The signs of a culture on the skids are all around us, of which gender mania and sex cathexis are both integral factors and paramount examples. Thankfully, the birds and the bees have retained their sanity, or seed dispersal would significantly decrease, and the honey jar would soon be empty. Two-state solution advocates recently received a boost when President Donald Trump hosted Palestinian Authority (P.A.) Chairman Mahmoud Abbas at the White House. Abbas's urging of Trump to restart Israeli-Palestinian negotiations from the offer made by former Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert is like a seductive siren song to the perpetually hopeful. According to the latest edition of the official Palestinian narrative, the differences between Jerusalem and Ramallah on borders narrowed a great deal during the 2008 peace talks. Indeed, had Olmert not left politics, so goes the P.A.'s view of recent diplomatic history, it would have been possible to reach an agreement on the borders, as well as bridge all the other gaps. Let's assume that Abbas would have agreed to Olmert's offer, which included Israel's return to the 1967 borders with 6.3% of the West Bank annexed to Israel, territory swaps, safe passage between the West Bank and Gaza Strip, all Arab neighborhoods in Jerusalem falling under Palestinian sovereignty, dividing Jerusalem into two capitals and Israel allowing a certain number of refugees to return. Furthermore, let's take the P.A. at its word, and accept that Abbas's main objection to Olmerts proposal was that the former supported Israeli annexation of only 1.9% of the disputed territories. If both sides were so precariously close to closing the deal of the century, what went wrong? Perhaps Chairman Abbas, whom we've been told by members of the mainstream media, foreign diplomats and tenured professors is Israel's only viable peace partner, should read President Trump's 1987 bestseller, The Art of the Deal. One of Trump's secrets for success is to think big: "Most people think small, because most people are afraid of success, afraid of making decisions, afraid of winning." Abbas embraces a 'smallball' style to statecraft that lacks a grand vision for a future Palestinian state. While the early Zionists obsessed over the contours and characteristics of the nascent Jewish state, Abbas and his Fatah party focus relentlessly and exclusively on extracting every last possible concession from Israel. Thinking big would enable the Palestinian leadership to be more flexible diplomatically. Another lesson that Abbas could learn from the 45th President of the United States is to maximize options: "For starters, I keep a lot of balls in the air, because most deals fall out, no matter how promising they seem at first." By fixating on the refugees' right of return, making the entire West Bank Judenrein and dividing Jerusalem, the Chairman of the Palestinian Authority is seemingly oblivious to Israel's minimal security needs. Moreover, the idea of uprooting nearly 500,000 Jewish Israelis from the West Bank is out of step with the national consensus, which increasingly believes that the five large settlement blocs that contain over two-thirds of the Jews in the area should remain under Israeli sovereignty. Finally, Abbas should take note that "You can create excitement, you can do wonderful promotion and get all kinds of press, and you can throw in a little hyperbole. But if you can't deliver the goods, people will eventually catch on." Now in the 12th year of his four-year term, Abbas has successfully internationalized the cause of Palestinian independence. However, his reign has also been marked by extensive corruption at the highest levels of government. The Abbas family and the Palestinian elite have manipulated the political and financial systems to benefit themselves at the expense of the people. As a result, two-thirds of Palestinians think he should resign. In addition, a joint Israeli-Palestinian survey revealed that only 44% of Palestinians still support a two-state solution. You can gauge Abbas's success in negotiating with Israel by noting that he has failed to provide his people with even the most basic trappings of statehood, such as defined borders, an effective governing body, an independent financial system, and a fully functional healthcare apparatus. Now, if Mahmoud Abbas doesn't have what it takes to be his people's William Wallace, perhaps he should focus his energies on at least alleviating his people's suffering. To guide the leader of the Palestinian people on this new path towards honest, transparent and accountable governance, might I suggest he peruse another literary classic: "The Emperor's New Clothes?" Hillary Clintons blindness to issues of class conflict handed victory to her hated opponent. She and her partisans never saw it coming. Conservatives generally shy away from using the category of class in our political analyses. After all, it is a Marxist analytical tool, and it contradicts the noble ideals of equality in citizenship status that undergird the Republic. If sociology professors obsess about it, that is enough to taint the concept in many conservative eyes. But the old categories of political analysis have been turned on their heads. The Democrats represent the elites, and rely on the votes of dependent classes, perpetually agitated by grievance-mongering and convinced that only the benevolence of government can sustain their lives. Historically, the Democrats were the party that made a big deal out of class, and the old mindset has blinded them to their peril. They pushed themselves as champions of the working class against what FDR (who inherited a fortune) called the malefactors of wealth. But that was the better part of a century ago, and meanwhile the Information Revolution began replacing the Industrial Revolution as the driver of social and economic stratification. The old political framework started crumbling when Richard Nixon discovered that hard hats were attacking hirsute anti-war demonstrators. The Vietnam War was dividing the country as harshly as it now appears to fracturing. The support of blue-collar Democrats gave Republican Nixon two presidential election victories, the second one a historic sweep. Nixons silent majority was succeeded by the Reagan Democrats, another term signifying working class support after one term of Jimmy Carter. The support of Reagan Democrats working class, union members, offended by the arrogance the left and weakened by Jimmy Carters malaise economy -- was critical. As with Nixon, Reagans re-election was overwhelming. So, when Donald Trump cultivated the white working class voters driven to further desperation by decades of de-industrialization and the scourge of opioids, he was building on a very successful model. But, given the demographic shift in the nations population through immigration, he needed some help from Hillary Clinton. Shee graciously provided it, in the form of her basket of deplorables remark (and in countless other ways). Writing in the New York Post, Kyle Smith provides excellent insight into the way that white working class resentment came to power Donald Trumps victory, in his review of the book White Working Class: Overcoming Class Cluelessness in America, by law professor Joan C. Wiliams. Her argument is clear and incisive, so I urge a read of the entire thing, Here is an excerpt. If your answer to the question Who am I? is Im a professor, then your identity doesnt change whether youre in London, Miami or San Francisco. Elites have a tendency to leave home for college, then flit from one global capital to another. Not so the WWC, which Williams defines as white middle-class people (thos.e in the $41,000 to $132,000 income range) who dont have a college education. Theyre strongly attached to their hometowns, to the people they feel comfortable with, to what they perceive to be the shared values of their communities. Tradition and stability matter. The dream is to live in your own class milieu, where you feel comfortable just with more money, Williams notes. Donald Trump epitomizes this idea, having made his fortune in garish casinos that sold a working-class brand of luxury. Gold-covered everything is exactly how youd decorate if you were from Appalachia and struck it rich with no intervening period of finishing school at Stanford or Yale. To the rootless global elites, though, tradition is subordinated to transgression. What society considers edgy, elites deem worthy of their praise. It isnt acceptable merely to accept gay life, for example it must be celebrated. Recalling moving to San Francisco and observing a fully naked man walking down the street, Williams recalls feeling proud of herself for being tolerant of such norm-shattering. Among the elites, she says, Its a point of pride not to be one of those petty bourgeois whos shocked by sexual transgression. This attitude not only stuns the WWC but strikes them as a kind of attack on everything they hold dear. To them, bicoastal urban America is a joke to which they dont get the punchline. They feel excluded, marginalized, left out. Worse than any of this, they feel condescended to, and it infuriates them, Williams writes. Hillary Clinton did a marvelous job of confirming their suspicions when she said in New York City, at an LGBT event that You could put half of Trumps supporters into what I call the basket of deplorables. Right? The racist, sexist, homophobic, xenophobic, Islamophobic you name it. And unfortunately, there are people like that. And he has lifted them up. Being called names such as these is exactly what gets the white working class fired up. She might as well have told everyone from Pennsylvania to Wisconsin, Dont vote for me. Outside of Chicagoland, they didnt. Hat tip: Ed Driscoll, Instapundit For years, I've argued that the media have given Democrats a free pass on abortion. In other words, they don't do stories on the divide about abortion in the Democratic Party. Yet I've had conversations with Democrats in Texas who are troubled by Roe v. Wade. They've shared concerns about their party's "purity test" over life. Some have even told me that the issue should have been settled by state legislatures rather than a Supreme Court decision. My hunch proved right when Wendy Davis was blown away in the 2014 election for Texas governor. To refresh your memory, Miss Davis became the darling of the left when she led a filibuster in Austin, Texas on abortion. She seemed like the perfect candidate an attractive, articulate lady who would stand up the GOP boys of Texas. On election night, it was Mr. Abbott winning 59-38%. It had nothing to do with her gender. It was her radical position on abortion and Hispanic women in Texas: If these campaigns were trying to prove a point, they certainly proved two important ones: that running a pro-abortion candidate is not a winning formula in the Lone Star State, and that the Latino vote is neither sympathetic to the pro-abortion message nor is it monolithic. The difficulty of running a pro-abortion candidate was evident early on, when Wendy Davis failed to win several heavily Hispanic counties in the Democratic gubernatorial primary. Let's go to Omaha, Nebraska, a place where Democrats lost another election this year. In Omaha, you had a pro-life Democrat running for mayor. Unfortunately, the party base, and donors, could not accept the idea that a young rising star does not support abortion, as news reports tell us: The National Abortion and Reproductive Rights Action League slammed the Democratic National Committee for supporting Mello, who voted for abortion restrictions during his eight years in the Nebraska Legislature. Responding to the criticism, Democratic party chair Tom Perez declared that, "every Democrat, like every American, should support a woman's right to make her own choices." His comment sparked a fierce debate within the party over whether there should be an abortion litmus test, with Mello caught in the middle. "It's astounding that our party chairman would say pro-life Democrats are not welcome," Nebraska Democratic Party Chairwoman Jane Kleeb told The Associated Press Tuesday as Mello conceded. A CBS News poll taken in January found 15 percent of Democrats nationally believed that abortion should not be permitted. Omaha Democratic voter Adam Gouttierre, a 45-year-old business developer, said Democrats in Nebraska didn't have the luxury of being choosy. "Abortion is one item on the menu of progressive concepts," he said, frustrated at the backlash. "You can't have them all!" At the April 20 rally in Omaha, Sen. Bernie Sanders, the Vermont independent who sought the Democratic presidential nomination last year, endorsed Mello, telling thousands, "Are you ready for a political revolution?" Mello had cast himself as a next-generation Democrat focused on economic opportunity, while embracing GOP-friendly ideas such as public-private partnerships as a way to solve the city's vexing streets problem. "That's the future of the Democratic Party, in my mind, looking at that pro-growth, progressive, future-focused mentality." A Mello win would have given Democrats a leg up in Nebraska's 2nd Congressional District, more than two-thirds of which is in Omaha, as the party hopes to claw its way back to the majority next year. In thanking supporters, Mello hinted he was hardly finished by Tuesday's defeat. "Our work does not stop tonight," he said. "It only begins." With all due respect to Mr. Mello, your work ended in Omaha unless someone can persuade the party leadership to open up the tent for pro-life people or others who don't spend their entire day swimming in the sea of identity politics. P.S. You can listen to my show (Canto Talk), (YouTube) and follow me on Twitter. It's a small victory for religious freedom but at this poiint, any win is welcome. An appellate court in Kentucky has ruled that a Christian print shop owner can refuse service to a gay rights organization whoi wanted him to supply "gay pride" T-shirts. In this case, the court accepted the argument that the owner was not discriminating when refusing to print words on the T-shirt at odds with his religious beliefs. Wall Street Journal: The ruling by the Kentucky Court of Appeals favored the business owner. A crucial difference in this case was the expressive nature of the service denied: literally words on a shirt. In a split vote, a three-judge panel concluded that the store, Hands on Originals, couldnt be forced to print a message with which the owner disagreed. The dispute started in 2012 when Gay and Lesbian Services Organization in Kentucky asked Hands on Originals to make T-shirts with the name and logo of a pride festival. Blaine Adamson, owner of Hands on Originals, said he refused to print the shirts because it violated his businesss policy of not printing messages that endorse positions in conflict with his convictions. Mr. Adamson offered examples of other orders he refused, such as shirts featuring the word bitches or a depiction of Jesus dressed as a pirate. The gay-rights group filed a complaint with the Lexington Fayette Urban County Human Rights Commission, which in 2014 ordered Mr. Adamson to make the shirts. Fridays decision affirmed an earlier ruling from a lower court. The commission, which brought the appeal, said the store was in violation of a local fairness ordinance banning discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation in places of public accommodation. The Kentucky Court of Appeals, one level below the states Supreme Court, disagreed, ruling that the conduct by the business wasnt discrimination, rather a decision not to promote certain speech. One judge on the panel dissented, saying he thought Mr. Adamsons shop had engaged in deliberate and intentional discriminatory conduct. In other lawsuits against religious business owners, courts have rejected First Amendment defenses. The decision bucks the recent legal trends that elevates discrimination and discriminatory behavior above free speech and freedom of religion. In other cases, the courts have seen it as their duty to promote gay equality and punish discrimination regardless of religious beliefs. The Kentucky court disagreed, putting religious freedom ahead of the notion that a business must serve everyone, regardless of whether the sentiments expressed are in line with their faith. What is particularly disturbing about these cases is that the gay couples and organizations who claim discrimination had other options. They could have gone to another printer, another baker or photographer for the service. Instead, they deliberately targeted the Christian businessman, believing that their refusal to serve them would mean notoriety and settlement money. One case of a similar nature may end up being heard by the Supreme Court. Masterpiece Cakeshop in Colorado was found guilty and fined for discrimination afer refusing to bake a gay wedding cake. We should know in a few weeks if their appeal to the Supreme Court has been accepted. A campaign promise by Mr. Trump was to support Israel by moving the United States embassy in Israel from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem. President Trump should have acted on that campaign promise on Jan. 20, 2017. He did not. To prevent post-campaign backsliding, two proclamations regarding Israel are presented herein, in proper format for issuance. In one proclamation, the U.S. recognizes that Jerusalem is the capital of Israel, and declares that the U.S. embassy in Israel is to be located in Jerusalem. The other proclamation recognizes the territory which is subject to Israeli control. Each proclamation is dated May 22, 2017, the day on which President Trump will be in Israel. BY THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA A PROCLAMATION Jerusalem, Capital of Israel The Land of Israel has been the patrimony of the Jewish people for the past 4,000 years, ever since God promised the land to them, through their forefather Abraham. David, King of Israel, captured Jerusalem from the Jebusites 3,000 years ago, and made the city his capital. Jerusalem has always been a unitary city, with one exception (19501967). In 1950, Jordan purported to annex the eastern part of the city. In 1967, Israel freed the eastern part from the unlawful grip of Jordan. Jerusalem was the capital of the First Commonwealth (from King David through the First Temple period), and was the capital of the Second Commonwealth (from Ezra and Nechemiah through the Second Temple period). During the long, Rome-induced exile of the Jewish people, no claimant (such as Umayyads, Abbasids, Mamluks, and Ottomans) of sovereignty over the Land of Israel designated Jerusalem as the capital of the claimant. The United Nations partition plan of November, 1947, called for a Jewish state and an Arab state in the Land of Israel. There was to be a special international circumstance corpus separatum for Jerusalem. Meaning: the internationalization of Jerusalem under the control of the United Nations. Neither then nor later was there a United Nations plan which called for a special international circumstance for Lambeth Palace, or which called for a special international circumstance for Vatican City, or which called for a special international circumstance for Danilov Monastery. The 1947 partition plan came to nothing. The intended dismemberment, by the international community, of Jerusalem from the rest of the Land of Israel, through the instrumentality of the despicable United Nations, failed. On May 14, 1948, David Ben-Gurion proclaimed the establishment of the State of Israel, which is the Third Commonwealth. Later that day (Washington time), President Truman recognized the State of Israel. National Archives, U.S. Recognition of the State of Israel (2006). Since 1948, Jerusalem has been the capital of Israel. Wartime conditions, during the Israeli War for Independence, prevented the government of Israel from immediate establishment of itself in Jerusalem. On December 5, 1949, the government of Israel declared that Jerusalem is the capital of Israel. Knesset, Statements of the Prime Minister David Ben-Gurion Regarding Moving the Capital of Israel to Jerusalem (1949). On January 23, 1950, the First Knesset declared, . . . with the establishment of the State of Israel, Jerusalem once more becomes the capital[.] Center for Israel Education, Knesset Declares Jerusalem Capital (n.d.) In 1980, the Basic Law: Jerusalem the Capital of Israel, became law. Section 1 of that Basic Law declares, Jerusalem, complete and united, is the capital of Israel. On November 8, 1995, the Jerusalem Embassy Act of 1995, Public Law No. 104-45, 109 Stat. 398, became law. Section 2(1) of the Act declares, Each sovereign nation, under international law and custom, may designate its own capital. Section 2(2) declares, Since 1950, the city of Jerusalem has been the capital of the State of Israel. Section (3)(a)(2) declares, Jerusalem should be recognized as the capital of the State of Israel[.] Section 3(a)(3) declares, the United States Embassy in Israel should be established in Jerusalem no later than May 31, 1999. Waivers of the operation of that Act prevented actualization of the congressional recognition that Jerusalem is the capital of Israel. There will not be any further waiver. No country is authorized to decide that Tel Aviv is the capital of Israel, and to maintain an embassy there, and to maintain a consulate in Jerusalem, any more than a country is authorized to decide that New York or Philadelphia is the capital of the United States, and to maintain an embassy there, and to maintain a consulate in Washington. NOW, THEREFORE, DO I, DONALD J. TRUMP, President of the United States of America, by virtue of the authority vested in me by the Constitution of the United States, and by laws of the United States, proclaim that the United States of America recognizes that the capital of the State of Israel is the City of Jerusalem, unified now and unified forever. I declare that the United States embassy in Israel shall be located henceforth in Jerusalem. IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I set my hand hereunto this twenty-second day of May, in the year of our Lord two thousand seventeen, and of the Independence of the United States of America the two hundred forty-first. BY THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA A PROCLAMATION Boundary of Israel The United States understands that the Oslo Accords are dead. The two-state solution is dead. Each was folly. Unique folly. There was no road map, and there was no two-state solution, and there was no sonorous talk about independent countries living side-by-side in peace and Kumbaya harmony, and there was no equivalent of the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA), applicable to the numerous territorial disputes which beset various countries. Among them: China, regarding Taiwan and Tibet. India and Pakistan, regarding Jammu and Kashmir. Iraq and Turkey, regarding Kurdistan. Russia, regarding Chechnia. Canada, regarding Quebec. Cyprus, regarding the Turkish part of the island of Cyprus. Denmark, regarding Greenland. Georgia and Russia, regarding Abkhazia and South Ossetia. Morocco, regarding Western Sahara. Philippines, regarding Mindanao. Sri Lanka (formerly), regarding the Tamils. The territory which is subject to the control of Israel should include the entirety of the Land of Israel, from north to south, and from east to west. The United States recognizes that the territory of Israel includes the Golan Heights, Shebaa Farms, Samaria, Judea, Aza (the so-called Gaza Strip), the Negev, and Jerusalem; and includes adjacent places and in-between places too numerous to mention. The United States recognizes further that Jerusalem is inclusive of the Temple Mount and of City of David; and that, since the day on which Abraham and Isaac were on Mount Moriah, the Temple Mount has been the sacred place only of Jews. The understanding of the United States is that some territory which is subject to the control of Israel is not subject to the sovereignty of Israel. The effect of a declaration of sovereignty on the citizenship of Arab residents in Judea, Samaria, and Aza is fraught with peril for Israel. Full Israeli sovereignty over the Land of Israel must await another day. The policy of the United States is to resolve territorial disputes which affect Israel through the 22-state solution. Israel plus 21 Arab countries would participate in the 22-state solution. Thereunder, Arabs keep the 5,000,000 square miles of 21 of the 22 members of the League of Arab States (that excludes the square miles claimed by the Palestinian Authority, one of the members of the League). Jews keep the Land of Israel, and its 12,000 square miles. NOW, THEREFORE, DO I, DONALD J. TRUMP, President of the United States of America, by virtue of the authority vested in me by the Constitution of the United States, and by laws of the United States, proclaim that the United States of America recognizes that the territory which is subject to the control of Israel is as aforesaid. IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I set my hand hereunto this twenty-second day of May, in the year of our Lord two thousand seventeen, and of the Independence of the United States of America the two hundred forty-first. Progressives were able to sell same sex marriage, but they have reached a Rubicon of sorts. The dominance of progressives in the academy, culture, and media has ensured that all sorts of new and radical ideas could be sold to the broader public quite effectively over time. The revolutionary re-definition of marriage in the space of a generation or so stands as a historic high mark for the ability of an elite to exercise power over a wide majority, winning over their minds. First, use schools and higher education, while simultaneously pushing a media bombardment of propaganda. You get a sizable enough plurality that opponents and laggards can start to be demonized, and you have won the battle. Now we are seeing the same powers brought to bear on the concept of gender fluidity decoupling sex from the science of chromosomes and relegating it to imagination. Human stories offer the best means of changing minds, because they offer access to the heart. That was the cue for Caitlyn Jenner to emerge from the chrysalis of Bruce Jenner. As a purported female, this member of the extended Kardashian clan enjoyed one of the greatest waves of positive publicity since Lindbergh flew the Atlantic. Caitlyn is now, as far as the media are concerned, a genuine female (albeit with a Y-chromosome), and anyone who says otherwise is a hater. In the media culture, as experienced by everyone but readers of conservative websites, the battle has been won already. Period. Except for this, from Stephen Ohlemacher of the Associated Press: A year after Caitlyn Jenner announced her new name and gender, the popularity of the name Caitlyn plummeted more than any other baby name, according to Social Security's annual list of the most popular baby names. In fact, the four names that dropped the most were all variations of the same name: Caitlin, Caitlyn, Katelynn and Kaitlynn. "It was inevitable," said Laura Wattenberg, founder of BabynameWizard.com. "Caitlyn was already falling in popularity. Now it is suddenly controversial." Naming a baby is among the most deeply personal decisions a couple can make. It is where values express themselves behaviorally. At this level, the Caitlyn campaign is a failure, and the name may fade as completely as the female name Prudence has today. The brainwashing reached its level of resistance. Progressives have embraced the term Resistance to signify their strategy to bring down the elected POTUS. Now that Hillary Clinton has included herself under its umbrella, that may be the kiss of death for it as a cool label. But the real resistance in the United States, the one that has been ongoing for decades, is the resistance to the social and cultural engineering efforts from the Left. Their power in those spheres is far more sweeping than the powers of President Trump over the federal government, where the bureaucrats themselves often are hostile to his goals. So everybody is resisting everybody else. I guess that just about sums it up. In the old days, the Mafia would send enforcers around to local businesses to demand protection money. Now local governments are doing nearly the same thing. They cry that they don't have enough taxpayer money, and when citizens don't agree to a tax increase, they release criminals to terrorize the population until they meet their demands. The latest example of this is in a rural part of Oregon in Douglas, Curry, and Josephine Counties. The counties claim that because logging revenues are down, there is a budget shortfall, and essential services must be cut. First they tried eliminating the town libraries. Then they reduced police response to crimes. Then, when that didn't work, they started releasing criminals from jail to terrorize the local population. Douglas County residents voted down a ballot measure that would have added about $6 a month to the tax bill on a median-priced home and saved the libraries from a funding crisis. So this spring, it has been lights out, one by one, for the system's 11 branches. The Roseburg central library here is the last to go. A tax increase of only $6 a month! Or $72 a year! If you believe that. If a crime is reported after midnight there, best not hold your breath for a response, since cuts to the sheriff's budget have meant the end of round-the-clock staffing. Even conducting an election this fall could be beyond reach, said Renee Kolen, the Curry County clerk, who has one full-time staff member left in her elections division, and is facing another possible 30 percent cut in funding this year in her budget. If you don't agree to high taxes, the police will not respond, and no more elections will be held. It will be like living in the Palestinian territories. And then criminals will be released to terrorize you until you change your mind. Just east of Curry in Josephine County, the jail has been defunded after nine consecutive defeats of public safety tax levies there will be another try next week in a special election leading to a policy of catch-and-release for nonviolent criminals. So the county budgets must really be cut to the bone if they are releasing criminals! I decided to take a quick look at the budget of Josephine County. The county spends: o Six million dollars on mental health. Josephine County is a small rural county. That's crazy! o Nine million on "public works". Surely some of that can be trimmed before emptying jails. o One million on "information technology". o Two million on "building operations and maintenance." o Nearly $700,000 on vehicles. o Over four million on "public health." o Nearly $1,800,000 on economic grants. o $1,200,000 on "building safety." o $700,000 on "fairgrounds." Fairgrounds are more important than jails? o $1,300,000 on parks. Parks are more important than jails? o $4,500,000 on "transit." For a rural community, a bus system should be a lower priority. o Nearly $3,000,000 on local airports. Local airports should be privatized. o $13,500,000 more in reserve funds. Surely some of these items could be cut before emptying jails. But cutting any of these would not cause as much distress to the local population as emptying the local jails, so that's what they do. I could not find salary information for Josephine County, but I did find some information in nearby Douglas County. Department heads can make up to $140,000 a year, counting benefits. Deputy district attorneys can also make six-figure salaries, and other workers working in unspecified positions can also make big money. If these were salaries for top employees in a major city, they would be normal; for a rural county with budget problems, they are extravagant. But don't expect these counties to trim their salaries or expenses on fairgrounds before stopping police service and opening up the jails. That's how they get their tax increases passed. Ed Straker is the senior writer at NewsMachete.com. The search for a new FBI director to replace the fired James Comey is well underway and President Trump has promised he will nominate someone by the end of this week. The Department of Justice is conducting interviews this weekend with as many as 14 potential nominees. And the association representing FBI agents has weighed in, recommending former congressman Mike Rogers to fill the position. Chairman Rogers exemplifies the principles that should be possessed by the next FBI Director, Thomas F. OConnor, president of the FBI Agents Association, said in a statement. The association cited Rogers experience previously serving in the FBI in addition to his time in Congress to explain their endorsement. It is essential that the next FBI Director understand the details of how Agents do their important work," the statement continued. Rogers unique and diverse experience will allow him to effectively lead the men and women of the Bureau as we work to protect our country from criminal and terrorist threats." During his time in Congress he showed a commitment to confronting threats to our country in a nonpartisan and collaborative manner. Rogers is a former FBI special agent and is well liked on Capitol Hill. But the DoJ appears to be considering other candidates. Chicago Tribune: The first candidate to arrive for interviews was Alice Fisher, a high-ranking Justice Department official in the George W. Bush administration. Also interviewed were: Adam Lee, special agent in charge of the FBI's office in Richmond, Virginia. Acting FBI Director Andrew McCabe. Michael J. Garcia, a former prosecutor and associate judge on New York's appeals court Sen. John Cornyn of Texas, the No. 2 Senate leader and a former Texas attorney general. U.S. District Judge Henry E. Hudson, a Bush appointee who struck down the centerpiece of the Obama administration's health care law in 2010. Frances Townsend, former Bush homeland security and counterterrorism adviser. Former Rep. Mike Rogers of Michigan, who was chairman of the House Intelligence Committee. An ex-FBI agent, Rogers drew the backing of the FBI Agents Association, which said his diverse background makes him the best choice. Fisher and Townsend were the only women on the list of candidates. The FBI has never had a female director. Sessions has faced questions over whether his involvement in Comey's firing violates his pledge to recuse himself from investigations into Russian interference in the election. Some lawmakers have alleged the firing was an effort to stifle that FBI probe. Justice Department spokeswoman Sarah Isgur Flores said Sessions and Rosenstein were involved in the interviews because the FBI director reports to them as attorney general and deputy attorney general. All of the candidates can be considered Washington insiders with a thorough knowledge of the bureau and the Justice Department bureaucracy. A politician like Cornyn or Rogers would probably have an easier time getting confirmed by the Senate. Comey wasn't fired because he was pursuing the Russian investigation. Democrats are finding political advantage in making that claim, but it fails to stand up to scrutiny. Anyone the president names to succeed Comey will inherit the same investigation, the same agents, the same evidence that Comey was pursuing. There isn't much chance a new director will "go easy" on the president or his aides. The political situation is extremely volatile right now and the president would be well advised to choose a candidate who would sail through the confirmation process. According to Jim Comey (who was just fired as director of the FBI), Trump invited Comey into his parlor and asked him a very tricky question. Now the question is who trapped whom, because they are both quite capable of setting a trap, and at least Comey seems to have stepped into it good. We don't have an exact quote from the Trump-Comey conversation, but supposedly Trump asked Comey if Comey is loyal to Trump. If those were the words Trump used, it would be illegal, and, as Larry Tribe instantly told the newsies, it would be "ground for impeachment." Funny how quick Larry came off the mark on that question. But there were only two witnesses, Trump and Comey, unless the talk was being taped which would also be illegal. We may never know what was said, but Trump is not a fool, and he knows that Comey is a Clinton appointee who pardoned Ole Bill after he was impeached in 2002. Comey is likely to be the anti-Trump leaker who's been rousing Washington's killer bloodlust for the last several weeks. If so, Comey would be following in the footsteps of Richard Nixon's Deep Throat, Mark Felt, Sr., who was associate director of the FBI, and who destroyed Nixon using one deadly leak after the next. In collusion with Ben Bradlee of the Washington Post. Whose editor today would be one Bob Woodward. Interesting how things come around again. Anyway, the other day, Trump needed to know if Comey was one of the big leakers trying to destroy him. Because the NYT and WaPo and a thousand other media types have made no secret of their bloodlust when it comes to destroying one Donald Trump, duly elected president of the United States. I'll bet that Trump, who knows how to confuse liberals with his words, said something that was almost impeachable, but not quite. But nobody is going to confess to taping it, because that would also be illegal. So Comey snaps at the sucker bait and tells Jim Clapper (who just got fired himself as DCI) that Trump is dead meat. The House Intelligence Committee instantly asks Comey to testify. Secretly or publicly. They don't care. They just want to see a dead body swinging in the wind. Then Trump springs his trap, using his favorite bullhorn: his Twitter account and its several million followers. Including all the news media, who keep a 24-hour death watch on Trump's tweets, waiting for him to break his neck in public. So Trump tweets: James Comey better hope that there are no "tapes" of our conversations before he starts leaking to the press! That was 5.25 am on 12 May 2017. Snap! Guess who got caught! James Comey, who is accusing the president of the United States of an impeachable crime without being able to prove it? Or Donald Trump? I guess we'll find out very soon. I'm betting on Trump reeling this big one in soon. In his first commencement address as president, Donald Trump coined an expression deeply rooted in American tradition and practice, and guaranteed to annoy progressives. In America, we dont worship government; we worship God, made sense to his audience at Liberty University, and it does to a majority of Americans. It may not rank with President Reagans Mr. Gorbachev, tear down this wall!, but I do think that this expression will be long remembered. Watch and see what you think of the case that he makes for this belief: Progressives despise Liberty University because they despised its founder, Jerry Falwell, and his evangelical Christian approach to politics. By going there, President Trump thumbed his nose at the pretensions of the elitists, and reinforced the status of Liberty University as a legitimate and important institution. It was also, of course, a university where the crowd was guaranteed to be friendly, unlike the commencement gathering addressed by Education Secretary Betsy DeVos. President Trumps commencement address was an important re-statement of bedrock principle, that our rights are not derived from government, but are from our Creator, God. Let the Left cringe and snark all it wants at this reiteration of bedrock principle. It tells everyone who and what they are. When I asked in a piece last week why President Trump had not yet fired then-FBI director James Comey, I did not expect Trump to do it 48 hours later (and no, I don't think my column played a role). We still don't know why Trump kept Comey on, but the administration has provided abundant, if shifting, reasons for letting him go so much so that it ought to stop before the mainstream media and the Democrats twist that reasoning into a perception that Trump acted illegally. There are a lot of deep ironies in this saga, most notably how both the Democrats and Trump have variously touted Comey as a hero and condemned him as a villain. That Comey got himself into such a situation, so that in fact nobody in Washington trusted him and he became the epitome of a legal and political loose cannon, is the fundamental reason he had to go. That's just in addition to all the improper procedural and legal judgments he made, which alone would have given Trump grounds to fire the guy in January. Trump should have and could have done that, quietly and discreetly, as Charles Krauthammer points out, with a gold watch and an insincere fare-thee-well sendoff, on the simple grounds that the new boss is not the same as the old boss and wants his own guy in the FBI. That would still have launched attacks from the media and Democrats on much the same grounds they are screaming about today that Trump is trying to cover up Russian meddling in the election but likely it would not have been this bad. Probably Trump's advisers told him to keep Comey on just to avoid this kind of theatre, and Trump refrained as long as he could, until Comey's sanctimony and arrogance made it unbearable. And now that the drama is upon him, Trump, who is something of a drama king and who has an almost equally dramatic foil in Comey, is full into it. Trump's already had some early crises in his presidency, but nothing quite like this. A mano a mano tussle, with the media against him, is the kind of thing Trump has difficulty letting go of, and since his enemies well know this, they are stoking the flames as much as possible. But the other great irony here is that for all the nefarious accusations being made against Trump, alleging shades of Watergate and tin-pot dictatorships, he is actually acting like an innocent man. One thing most sophisticated politicians know to do is keep their mouths shut. Issue a pro forma denial and move on, without providing further ammo to the other side. Examples abound: "I am not a crook"; "I did not have sexual relations with that woman"; "I never sent or received any email that was marked classified." Or just keeping your mouth shut completely, as Obama did when it was revealed that his literary agent had promoted his book Dreams of My Father as being written by a guy born in Kenya, information that they only would have gotten from Obama, which was a lie in the first instance, but oh, never mind. The point is Obama let the literary agency take the fall and said nothing. What all four of the above examples (Nixon, Clinton, Clinton, Obama) have in common is that they were or are lawyers, who know that the first rule of criminal defense is keeping your mouth shut. Experienced criminals know this, too. Innocent people who are neither career criminals nor lawyers tend to jabber away when accused of something that they did not do, or believe that they did not do in some instances, if they are not very bright. Trump's a very bright guy. He's jabbering away not because he's stupid although some observers might say it is a stupid thing to do but because he knows he's not done anything wrong vis-a-vis the Russians and is angry that he's being investigated for it and often accused otherwise. Sure, Trump has been around lawyers his whole adult life, and he is a litigious fellow, but that was in the civil realm, where being garrulous is not such a big deal and might even help sway negotiations your way. The criminal side is entirely different, as perhaps Trump is now finding out. The Washington Post is now breathlessly reporting it's been breathless a lot lately that Trump's statements along with the revelation that he may have taped some conversations with Comey may open him to charges of obstruction of justice, which the Post ominously note was "a central charge in the impeachment proceedings against two presidents in the past 43 years." This is mostly hyperbole, but the fact is that Trump is definitely not helping himself in a purely legal sense by protesting his innocence, even though he almost certainly is innocent of the charge that he or his aides colluded with the Russians to throw the election his way. Whether he is helping or hurting himself politically is harder to say. Conventional wisdom says yes, shut up already. But Trump has proven conventional wisdom wrong repeatedly when it comes to his own political instincts. Will ordinary Americans see Trump's protests in interviews, statements, and tweets as Clintonesque obfuscation or the righteous shouts of an innocent man falsely accused? Stay tuned the drama isn't over yet. Local Chippewa Falls Senior High School junior, Chase Bucheger, was selected from a group of competitors for the 2017 KIDS from Wisconsin show troupe. The show troupe consists of a group of talented Wisconsin residents age 15-20 who travel around Wisconsin and the Midwest performing at a multitude of venues. To be chosen for this group, students must meet the age requirements and audition along with hundreds of other eager performers. Bucheger was picked not only because of his vocal talent, but also because of his involvement in many music groups. He participates in concert choir, Harmonics Show Choir, a barbershop quartet and two instrumental ensembles where he plays violin. This years theme for the tour is Head Out on the Highway. The group will take their musical journey June 22 through August 19, starting in West Allis, Wisconsin and making their way around the state and the region. In honor of Armed Forces Day, and in appreciation of veterans throughout the community, a local group is hoping to be a part of history in Lake Hallie. The Veterans March on America is a nationwide event happening at noon CST Saturday, May 20. Veterans and supporters, family and friends will join together to march for veterans rights. In Lake Hallie, retired U.S. Army vet Eugene Walsh, CEO of Accugaard in Eau Claire, is leading a march from the Eagles Club parking lot to the Peace Park in Lake Hallie. Following the march, there will be a short speaking ceremony and lifetime achievement awards given to veterans. I think its really important, (and) were just hoping to get a lot of community support, Walsh said. Not just veterans, we want everyone in the community who thinks this is an issue that needs to be addressed to show up. According to veteransmarchonamerica.com, they are marching to make people aware of the issues all veterans face. In the long run they hope to pass legislation to help get more funding for programs for veterans, and make sure that funding is going to the right places. Our countrys veterans are in a sad state of affairs, the website said. Many disabled veterans are homeless and/or not receiving pensions. PTSD (Post Traumatic Stress Disorder) is literally killing over 8,000 of our brothers and sisters EVERY YEAR. Veterans are being delayed or denied VA care. The goal of the march is to raise awareness of the lack of treatment and resources veterans are facing around the country. Walsh knows this firsthand. Hes a member of a Facebook page for veterans, which has become a sanctuary to share stories, vent and know the people listening have been through similar situations. Because thats the problem, Walsh said. Its hard to talk to people who dont understand, and he thinks that piece gets overlooked when people create veteran support lines. A lot of times soldiers dont want to talk to anyone about their problems unless its someone else thats on our level, thats been through (the same) and understands, Walsh said. Walsh, whose company did the marketing logos for the national Veterans March on America, was asked to help organize the Wisconsin march in Lake Hallie just a few weeks ago. Nationally, the idea was formed by a group of veterans last December. In just six months, people like Walsh have planned marches in 36 states, all of which will begin at the same time on May 20. The march is a culmination of week-long events in northwestern Wisconsin, recognizing veterans during Armed Forces Appreciation Week, Monday, May 15 through Saturday, May 20. Former Sen. Dave Zien is helping organize a Living Heritage Legacy Tour through his nonprofit organization, Wheels of Liberty. The tour will travel throughout northwestern Wisconsin throughout the week, with 57 events spanning the six days. For more information on the tour, visit Wheels of Libertys Facebook page. For more information on Saturdays march, or to get involved, search Veterans March on America-Wisconsin on Facebook. remaining of Thank you for reading! On your next view you will be asked to log in to your subscriber account or create an account and subscribepurchase a subscription to continue reading. Textron Aviation confirmed the final production Mustang has rolled off the factory floor and will be delivered in the coming weeks. The world's first entry-level business jet, which was introduced to rave reviews in 2002, was manufactured at the company's plant in Independence. But sales faltered after the financial crisis in 2008 and 2009 and never recovered. 472 of the five-passenger, 1,200-nautical-mile range jets were delivered between 2005 and 2016, according to data from the General Aviation Manufacturers Association. Textron said it would continue to provide service support for the Mustang and its owners. Maybe we have been making this whole why does President Trump do what he does? thing too complicated. Albert Einstein said, The definition of genius is taking the complex and making it simple. In this regard, Donald Trump is a genius. Trump makes every complex problem simple. Health care is an exception, but it was Trump himself who discovered that health care was complicated. Before that, Who knew? Critics (or losers in Trumps parlance) have made complicated attempts to analyze and decode the president. Psychological explanations that use 25-cent words such as narcissist are most popular. There are also a slew of articles claiming that his best-selling nonfiction treatise, The Art of Deal, reveals all you need to know. That seems very close to the mark but still too complicated. Maybe Trumps special genius is simply that he is able to take every allegedly complex issue and make it into a simple real estate situation. The evidence is beautiful. The Civil War. But why was there the Civil War? the president asked this week. Why could that one not have been worked out? Exactly. Historians have made it all very complicated, but the bottom line is that the Civil War is a case study in bad negotiation. Lincoln was a great American, no doubt, but he was obviously a low-energy guy. The times called for a great negotiator, not a philosopher. This was a basic land dispute, right? North vs. South. Its that simple. Same deal with the Israelis and the Palestinians. That leads to the next example. U.S. embassy in Israel. Some days, Trump says hes moving the embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem. Some days, he says he isnt. What he understands is that this is a simple zoning problem. Its actually a classic case of NIMBYism (not in my back yard). The Palestinians dont want the embassy in Jerusalem so theyre using a bunch of old grievances, treaties and stuff to keep the U.S. from building there or to get a better deal, more likely. This is what every single zoning fight in the history of real estate has been about. Get over it. It isnt complicated. Russian meddling, the popular vote. What we have here is a simple title dispute. Various parties claim that Trump does not possess a clear title to the White House. Again, this happens in probably 60 percent of commercial real estate deals. Why? Because people want something for nothing. That is human nature. So the Democrats say Trump doesnt have a legitimate title because he lost the popular vote. Pathetic: The rules clearly state that electoral votes count, not popular votes. Then the Democrats say Trumps title to the White House isnt legit because of Russian shenanigans. Case closed. Sorry. Trump has the deed. Obamacare. This is a simple teardown deal. Maybe 90 percent of the time, when a developer buys a property to tear it down and build something gorgeous and iconic, people are going to complain maybe 95 percent of the time. Youve got the tenants or neighbors or historic building committees. Its a fact of life. Same with Obamacare. Most of the time, the developer can wait them out. If not, bye-bye. Here, The Art of the Deal is relevant. I never get too attached to one deal or one approach, Trump wrote, or had written for him. This is especially true of teardowns. If you want something, you have to try every approach and then you have to be prepared to walk away. Avoiding the government shutdown. The president took a lot of guff from critics (losers) and even some fans when they saw the positions and promises Trump backed down from recently to avoid the government shutdown: cutting funds for Planned Parenthood, ending Obamacare subsidies, huge new funding for the military, cutting all discretionary domestic spending, slashing medical research budgets and much more. The key here is that Trump is playing with other peoples money. You know what Donald J. Trump gave up to keep the government open? Zero, nada, nicht, bupkis. You know what would have happened if the government had closed? Very bad publicity for Donald J. Trump. As Trump wrote in The Art of the Deal, I discovered, for the first time but not the last, that politicians dont care too much what things cost. Its not their money. Trump is a politician now. His book is actually a lousy guide to how he operates very dishonest. For example: You cant con people, at least not for long. You can create excitement, you can do wonderful promotion and get all kinds of press, and you can throw in a little hyperbole. But if you dont deliver the goods, people will eventually catch on. Either this is wrong or the people will eventually catch on. YEREVAN, MAY 14, ARMENPRESS. Zaruhi Postanjyan, president of the Yerkir Tsirani party, who heads the partys proportional list in the Yerevan City Council election, cast her ballot in the morning of May 14. Today we will observe the election process during the whole day in both polling stations and outside, she said, adding they will supervise everything. She urged all citizens of Yerevan to participate in the voting. Addressing the Yerevan Police Department, Postanjyan called on officers to be attentive and follow the election process in all polling stations. YEREVAN, MAY 14, ARMENPRESS. As of 12:00, 9 electoral violation-related cases have been recorded by Yerevan Police Departments district divisions during the Yerevan City Council election. The Police HQ told ARMENPRESS all cases are being verified. Law enforcement agencies are exercising all functions under law for responding to all reports. Meruzhan Hakobyan, chief of staff of the Police Chief of Armenia, told a press conference in the central electoral commission that as of 11:00 the number of reports was 7. Two of those reports were called in by citizens, two by police officers and 3 by political parties or blocs. YEREVAN, MAY 14, ARMENPRESS. Armenias Police Chief Vladimir Gasparyan cast his vote in the Yerevan City Council election in the 9/21 polling station. After casting the ballot, the Police Chief told reporters that he voted for stability. Gasparyan also commented on reporters observation that the opposition finds it necessary for police officers to patrol near the ruling partys HQ. Police officers are attentive near all HQs, starting from the Republican until the Yerkir Tsirani, he said. WASHINGTON Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell is one of the shrewdest politicians of his generation. But by speaking Wednesday on the Senate floor in defense of President Trumps firing of FBI Director James Comey, McConnell made what is likely to stand as the most important mistake of his long political career. McConnell, who is measured and calculating about everything, should have known better. He chose to ally himself with a man who becomes unhinged whenever the subject of his campaigns possible collusion with Russian interference in our election arises. Removing the leader of the nations top law enforcement agency while he was in the middle of an investigation that could touch the president should no matter what your view is call forth seriousness, sobriety and thoughtfulness. When critics can legitimately wonder if it is part of an effort to obstruct justice, a president would do well to treat the matter in a reflective way. But as an empty, unserious man who thinks only of himself and knows only how to deride opponents, Trump began a series of Wednesday tweets at 7:10 a.m. with a puerile assault on Democrats who now play so sad over Comeys firing. A little over an hour later, Trump mocked Sen. Richard Blumenthal, D-Conn., calling him Richie, for misleading statements Blumenthal had made in 2008 about serving in Vietnam. Blumenthal apologized long ago. As Trump characterized it, Blumenthal was caught and cried like a baby. Is McConnell really sure he wants to stand with a man who will spew out attacks on anyone and everyone who gets in his way? By contrast, many of McConnells Republican colleagues have begun disentangling their party from a presidency that is likely to end in a train wreck. Arizona Sen. Jeff Flake said he spent several hours trying to find an acceptable rationale for the timing of Comeys firing. I just cant do it. Senate Intelligence Committee Chairman Richard Burr of North Carolina said he was troubled by the timing and reasoning of Director Comeys termination. Sen. Ben Sasse of Nebraska joined in calling the timing very troubling. Someday, McConnell will wish that he sounded more like Flake, Burr, Sasse and similarly minded Republicans. All of them are aware of how absurd it is for Trump to pretend that a concern over Comeys behavior in the Hillary Clinton investigation the very behavior the president once praised as demonstrating Comeys guts is the actual reason for the firing. McConnell repeated White House talking points justifying Comeys firing by noting that Democrats had eviscerated Comeys handling of the Clinton matter. What this misses is that many who thought Comey was wrong in the Clinton case were also strongly opposed to his being fired. Since readers have every right to question whether columnists are being consistent, this is what I said on a radio show in January: However angry liberals and Democrats might be at Comey for what he did, I think the worst outcome might be for Donald Trump to name a director of the FBI and that, at least in Comeys case and Im very critical of him on what he did here we know he has a history of independence. And I would really not be comfortable with Donald Trump having even more influence on the FBI. In light of all that has happened in the intervening four months, the idea of Trump naming a new head of the FBI is even more disquieting. And it is beyond belief that anyone in the White House could think that the memo criticizing Comey on the Clinton probe from Rod J. Rosenstein, the deputy attorney general, would be persuasive to Trumps foes. Most disturbing are signals that Trumps interest is in shutting the Russia investigation down altogether. It has now emerged that days before he was fired, Comey had asked Rosenstein for more resources to investigate Russias role in the election. That seems a more credible reason for why Comey was fired than Trumps solicitude for the woman he called Crooked Hillary. White House spokeswoman Sarah Huckabee Sanders said on Fox News after the firing that the bigger point on the Trump/Russia inquiry was when are they going to let that go since theres nothing there. Yes, getting us to let go of any hope that Trump will be held accountable is the real agenda. Maybe McConnell figures he can reposition himself on Trump at the right time. But he missed his chance to stand up when it mattered. YEREVAN, MAY 14, ARMENPRESS. As of 15:00, Police received 14 reports regarding the process of the City Council election. The Police HQ told ARMENPRESS one report was received from a citizen, 5 from police officers, 1 from media outlet, and 7 from representatives of political parties. The reports are being verified. YEREVAN, MARCH 14, ARMENPRESS. According to non official data the Republican Party of Armenia surpasses opponents by a large margin in Yerevan City Council elections. Armenpress reports according to the data from real-elections.com, the Republican Party has received nearly 70% of the votes, Yelk bloc has received 22% and Yerkir Tsirani has received 8%. Yerevan Mayors assistant Maria Baraghamyan has posted the results of a number of polling stations on her Facebook page. Particularly, the RPA has received 688 votes, Yelk -162 and Yerkir Tsirani 55 at the 9/01 polling station of Nork Marash. 639 citizens have voted for the RPA, 119 citizens for Yelk bloc and 34 for Yerkir Tsirani party at 1/07 polling station of Avan district. Terence went to school and stood in the morning assembly with his bag on, spotting which vice-principal started canning him with a baton. Allahabad: In yet another case of corporal punishment, a Class XII student of St. Joseph's School, Allahabad became the victim of brutality of the worst kind. Serven Terence (14), lost vision in his right eye allegedly because he was caned by the vice-principal for standing in the morning assembly with his school bag on. Initially the student was being treated in Allahabad, but now is in Lucknow. The family of the victim registered the First Information Report (FIR) in the regard on last Friday against the accused in the Civil Lines police station in the city. On May 9, Terence went to school and stood in the morning assembly with his bag on, spotting which vice-principal Leslie Cotino started canning him with a baton and amid the act the baton struck his right eye which started bleeding. He was rushed to the hospital in Allahabad, from where he was sent to Lucknow where it was informed that Terence has lost vision in his right eye. Serven, who is the lone child of his parents, will undergo surgery in a month. Meanwhile, an investigation has been launched into the matter. India has been opposed to the inclusion of the CPEC under the OBOR initiative, as part of corridor passes through PoK. New Delhi: India has expressed its displeasure over Chinese flagship project 'One Belt, One Road' (OBOR), citing the nation would not accept a project that ignores its core concerns on sovereignty and territorial integrity. The OBOR Forum, which is scheduled to be held in Beijing from May 14 to May 16, is being attended by 29 nations, including all South Asian nations, except India, as it has not sent representatives to the event. "We are of firm belief that connectivity initiatives must be based on universally recognised international norms, good governance, rule of law, openness, transparency and equality," Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) official spokesperson Gopal Baglay said. "Connectivity projects must be pursued in a manner that respects sovereignty and territorial integrity," he added. Baglay said India has been urging China to engage in a meaningful dialogue on its connectivity initiative. "We are awaiting a positive response from the Chinese side," he added. India has been opposed to the inclusion of the China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) under the OBOR initiative. It's reported that a part of the project passes through the Pakistan Occupied Kashmir (PoK). The USD 51 billion CPEC project is a collection of infrastructure projects currently under construction throughout Pakistan. Several infrastructure projects would be undertaken in various provinces in Pakistan, including the Gilgit-Baltistan area, which falls in the PoK. In wake of the attacks a total of 193 families, comprising of 743 persons, took shelter in camps. Islamabad violated ceasefire post 6:45 a.m. and more than 7 villages have been targeted. (Photo: Representational/AP) Nowshera (Jammu and Kashmir): The evacuation of villagers in Jammu and Kashmir's Nowshera region continues, with more than 900 people being relocated to safer places after the area came under heavy mortar shelling from across the border. Three camps have been established and no firing was reported in Nowshera sector on Sunday. Islamabad violated ceasefire post 6:45 a.m. and more than 7 villages have been targeted. Meanwhile, the District Administration in Rajouri has established special relief camps for the people evacuated from habitations along the Line of Control (LoC) following heavy cross-border shelling in the area On Sunday morning shelling was reported from across the LoC in Manjakote and Keri sector, however, no loss of life has been reported there so far. Meanwhile, the Pakistan Army initiated indiscriminate firing of small arms, automatics, 82 mm and 120 mm mortars along the LoC in Chiti Bakri area of Rajouri sector in Jammu and Kashmir. At least two civilians including a minor girl were killed and nine people, including four soldiers were injured as Pakistan pounded 35 villages and Indian posts with mortars along the LoC in Jammu and Kashmir's Rajouri district on Saturday. In wake of the attacks a total of 193 families, comprising of 743 persons, took shelter in camps. As many as 609 border residents were evacuated late last evening. In another development, as many as 51 schools of the Nowshera region, and 36 of Manjakote and Doongi zones have been closed for an indefinite period. The sacked minister said there was also a massive scam underway in the AAP-established mohalla clinics in Delhi. Calling it a massive fraud, Mishra alleged that Kejriwal converted black money to white using Axis Bank, and showed account details of AAP. (Photo: ANI Twitter) New Delhi: Sacked Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leader and former Delhi minister Kapil Mishra on Sunday accused Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal of holding hundreds of shell companies. He further alleged that AAP used these companies to deposit crores of unaccounted funds. Lashing out at the minister, the ousted AAP leader called for Kejriwal's resignation and also gave him an ultimatum until Sunday evening. "Arvind Kejriwal, have some shame. If you don't resign by today evening, I will drag you from your office to Tihar Jail. I'm Kapil Mishra," the minister said. Read: After his dizzying allegations, Mishra faints; hospitalised In a media conference in which he showed some slides allegedly displaying discrepancy between funds received by AAP and its declarations to the Election Commission (EC) over the past 3 years, Mishra claimed that he had all the documents to expose Arvind Kejriwal. Calling it a massive fraud, Mishra alleged that Kejriwal converted black money to white using Axis Bank, and showed account details of AAP, which revealed that though the party had received Rs 45 crores in funding in 2013-14, it showed only Rs 20 crores in its books. Mishra showed a slide which said that after an Income Tax notice to AAP, it had revealed that the funds received amounted to Rs 30 crore, but even this was much below the Rs 45 crore it actually got. He also showed a similar slide relating to the 2014-15 financial year. The sacked minister said there was also a massive scam underway in the much-touted AAP-established mohalla clinics in Delhi. Speaking to media persons, Mishra promised to email them all authentic documents about shell companies owned by Kejriwal, as well as details of every scam and corruption scandals that occurred. He also claimed that every detail had a supporting document to assert its authenticity. Mishra also said that he had submitted fresh evidence against AAP in the form of documents to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI). Mishra had made headlines last week after he alleged that Delhi minister Satyendra Jain gave Kejriwal Rs 2 crores in his presence. This happened a day after Mishra was sacked as Water Minister from the Delhi government. Mishra subsequently went on a four-day fast at his residence, and on Saturday alleged that the police were trying to "forcibly" take him to the hospital based on "fake reports" given by doctors. Following the Sunday press conference, Mishra immediately appeared to fall unconscious. To dispel doubts among the Muslim community, veteran screenwriter and lyricist Javed Akhtar has also been asked to lend his services. New Delhi: Bollywood megastar Amitabh Bachchan will be the face for the Union health ministrys measles-rubella (MR) campaign. Bachchan who has been associated with various health campaigns like polio, Hepatitis B agreed to voice his support for the MR campaign which had to bear the brunt after reports started circulating on social media that the immunisation drive of the ministry was a conspiracy to control Muslim population. To dispel doubts among the Muslim community, veteran screenwriter and lyricist Javed Akhtar has also been asked to lend his services. The health ministry decided to take host of initiatives by roping in religious leaders of minority communities to circulating videos through social media platforms for the next phase of the vaccination drive which is slated to happen in August in eight states Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Kerala, Uttarakhand, Himchal Pradesh, Chandigarh, Daman and Diu, Dadra and Nagar Haveli. Launched early this year in five states and UTs, the vaccination campaign was rocked by rumours and received a major show down in the states it was introduced. Parents started questioning the validity and efficacy of the vaccine and Muslim leaders were not on board when we launched the campaign, sources said. Terming it as crisis response, the health ministry officials said that they have now taken on board religious leaders and are going to put forth experts opinion to turn away from myths. The campaign will have a backing from none other than Amitabh Bachchan and we also have on board religious leaders. We have asked the religious leaders to motivate people for the vaccine in their Friday prayers, sources added. To dispel the doubts, short videos have also been made during vaccination campaign where children and mothers have given their testimonials. A lot of training programmes have been given. WhatsApp groups have been made in advance. There is a support from other ministries like HRD as well. Introduced early this year, the MR vaccine has been launched in five states and UTs. An estimated 2 lakh cases of measles are reported every year with 48,000 children dying due to the killer infection. It affects the cognitive development. To protect the brain power, we have to contain both measles and rubella, said T. Jacob John, chairman child health foundation and one of the members of the expert group on vaccines. The fresh evidence, which have been recently shared with the CBI, will strengthen its investigation, said a senior CBI official. New Delhi: The CBI has got hold of what it claims to be the clinching electronic evidence to nail Narada sting accused. Narada sting man Mathew Samuel is learnt to have shared certain crucial electronic devices with the CBI which he had not handed over to the West Bengal police, which earlier investigated the case. The fresh evidence, which have been recently shared with the CBI, will strengthen its investigation, said a senior CBI official. The scientific analysis of fresh evidence is expected to uncover the truth, he added. The fresh evidence, collected from the premises of Samuel in Delhi, include CDs, hard disc and certain equipment. Based on scientific analysis of the evidence, the CBI will soon start questioning of Trinamul Congress leaders, sources added. The Trinamul leaders have been booked for corruption after being allegedly caught on camera taking bribe. The CBI recently filed an FIR against 13 persons, including senior leaders of Trinamul Congress. The TMC leaders who have been named in the CBI FIR are Madan Mitra, Mukul Roy, Saugata Roy, Sultan Ahmed, Iqbal Ahmed, Kakoli Ghosh, Prasun Banerjee and Suvendu Adhikari. The list includes all persons (leaders) who were purportedly seen receiving money in the Narada sting operation footage. Trinamul Congress MP Aparupa Poddars name has also been included in the list of FIR. The CBI recently examined Samuel for several hours at its headquarters here. Sources said Samuel is not an accused and the motive was to get information about the sting and circumstances in which it was done. The Narada sting tapes, which were released to different news organisations before the 2016 Assembly elections in West Bengal, showed people resembling senior TMC leaders receiving money allegedly for giving future favours. The case was registered by the CBI on the completion of preliminary enquiry (PE) by the agency. The PE was registered on directions of a division bench of the Calcutta High Court, comprising acting Chief Justice Nishita Mhatre and Justice T Chakraborti. The Calcutta High Court ordered the PE on March 17 and asked the CBI to submit the report within 72 hours. The Trinamool Congress appealed to the Supreme Court on 21 March, challenging the High Courts order. However, the apex court refused to interfere with the high court order but extended the deadline for the preliminary probe to one month. India and Pakistan last clashed at the ICJ 18 years ago regarding the shooting down of a Pakistani maritime reconnaissance aircraft by the IAF. File photo of former Indian naval officer Kulbhushan Jadhav who has been sentenced to death by a Pakistani military court on charges of 'espionage'. (Photo: PTI) New Delhi: Till Sunday evening, Pakistan was yet to take a clear stand officially on its participation in proceedings in the crucial International Court of Justice (ICJ) hearing on Kulbhushan Jadhav that will take place on Monday at The Hague. Jadhav, a former Indian naval officer, had been sentenced to death about a month ago by a Pakistani military court on grounds of espionage and sabotage. India has contested the move and dragged Pakistan to the ICJ on May 8 for refusing consular access to Jadhav and for violating the Vienna Convention on consular relations. Senior lawyer Harish Salve will represent the government of India at the ICJ on Monday. According to news agency reports, both countries had last clashed at the ICJ 18 years ago, with the previous instance relating to shooting down of Pakistans maritime reconnaissance aircraft Atlantique by the Indian Air Force (IAF) in the Kutch region on August 10, 1999, killing 16 people on board shortly after the Kargil conflict. Pakistan then reportedly claimed the plane was brought down in its air space and sought US$ 60 million in damages from India for the incident but a 16-judge bench of the court on June 21, 2000 voted 14-2 to dismiss Pakistans claim. On March 29, this year, in a fresh declaration, Pakistan had recognised the jurisdiction of the ICJ but had specified before the ICJ that this would not apply to matters related to the national security of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan. Pakistan treats the Kulbhushan Jadhav case as a matter of national security and this has triggered speculation that it may refuse to accept the ICJs jurisdiction in this case. The ICJ had last week stated that India seeks the following reliefs: relief by way of immediate suspension of the sentence of death awarded to the accused, relief by way of restitution in interregnum by declaring that the sentence of the military court arrived at, in brazen defiance of the Vienna Convention rights, restraining Pakistan from giving effect to the sentence awarded by the military court, and directing it to take steps to annul the decision of the military court as may be available to it under the law in Pakistan... The ICJ had added, On May 8, 2017, the Republic of India instituted proceedings against the Islamic Republic of Pakistan, accusing the latter of egregious violations of the Vienna Convention on Consular Relations (hereinafter the Vienna Convention) in the matter of the detention and trial of an Indian national, Mr Kulbhushan Sudhir Jadhav, sentenced to death by a military court in Pakistan. The applicant (India) contends that it was not informed of Mr Jadhavs detention until long after his arrest and that Pakistan failed to inform the accused of his rights. It further alleges that, in violation of the Vienna Convention, the authorities of Pakistan are denying India its right of consular access to Mr Jadhav, despite its repeated requests. The applicant also points out that it learned about the death sentence against Mr Jadhav from a press release. India submits that it has information that Mr Jadhav was kidnapped from Iran, where he was carrying on business after retiring from the Indian Navy, and was then shown to have been arrested in Balochistan on 3 March 2016... The Yogi Adityanath government decided to bid goodbye to the khaki dress worn by students of government schools. In view of a number of complaints related to quality of midday meal being served in primary schools, there will be maa in every school. (Representational image) Lucknow: Its a Mothers Day gift for lakhs of children and their moms in Uttar Pradesh. Maa will now keep an eye on midday meals served to students in state-run primary schools to ensure that they get nutritious food prepared in hygienic conditions. In view of a number of complaints related to quality of midday meal being served in primary schools, there will be maa in every school. It will be a committee of six mothers, from all sections of society, whose students are studying in that school, UP basic education minister Anupma Jaiswal said on Sunday. From cleanliness in kitchen, to quality of food being served to children, they will keep an eye on minute details, he said. The state government is expecting a change in atmosphere of primary schools this session with directives being issued for punctuality of teachers and introduction of new uniforms and school bags, she said here. To ensure presence of teachers in schools, it has also been decided to put up their phone numbers with photographs in schools. It will help parents to contact them in case they are absent, the minister said. The state government is also considering a proposal to declare no school bag day on Saturdays in state-run schools. Students will be allowed to come to school without their school bags on Saturdays so that they can enjoy themselves in creative activities, she said. It will establish a good rapport between students and teachers and help in their personality development. Earlier, the Yogi Adityanath government decided to bid goodbye to the khaki dress worn by students of government schools. From the session starting July, they will be seen in a new uniform comprising pink-and-white check shirt with brown collar and brown trousers for boys and similar shirt with brown skirt for girls. At the senior-level, girl students will wear brown salwar, red kurta with a brown dupatta. Meanwhile, two terrorists were killed by the security forces in an encounter in north Kashmirs Kupwara district. Villagers living near the border points out damage caused to the wall of a house after mortal shelling from Pakistan, at Jhanghar village near the Line of Control at Nowshera sector in Jammu. (Photo: AP) Jammu/Srinagar: Pakistani troops heavily shelled areas along the LoC in Rajouri district for the second consecutive day on Sunday, causing heavy damage to buildings and forcing evacuation of 1,000 border dwellers. The Indian Army effectively retaliated. Pakistan had on Saturday pounded civilian areas and forward posts along the LoC in Nowshera area with mortars, killing two civilians and injuring three. Pakistan has resorted to indiscriminate firing of small arms, 82 mm and 120 mm mortars from 0645 hours along the Line of Control in Rajouri sector, a defence spokesman said. The Indian Army posts are retaliating strongly and effectively. The firing is presently on, he said. Meanwhile, two terrorists were killed by the security forces in an encounter in north Kashmirs Kupwara district. The security forces had launched a cordon and search operation in Bhagatpura in Handwara area of the district based on a specific intelligence input about the presence of terrorists there. As the security forces were conducting the search operation, terrorists fired upon them, an official said. In secret, behind locked gates, our Nation's Oldest City dumped a landfill in a lake (Old City Reservoir), while emitting sewage in our rivers and salt marsh. Organized citizens exposed and defeated pollution, racism and cronyism. We elected a new Mayor. We're transforming our City -- advanced citizenship. Ask questions. Make disclosures. Demand answers. Be involved. Expect democracy. Report and expose corruption. Smile! Help enact a St. Augustine National Park and Seashore. We shall overcome! The accused had proposed the victim for marriage. However, she had turned down his proposal, which apparently made him angry. New Delhi: A 24-year-old woman in the national capital was allegedly shot dead by a man on Friday after she turned down his marriage proposal. The incident happened in south Delhi's Khirki Extension. The CCTV footage revealed three others accompanied the accused who fired at the woman. Two men have been arrested and an FIR for attempted murder has been registered. According to police, the accused, Manoj, and his friends went to the woman's house. When she came out, he shot her in the chest. Her brother is an eyewitness. She was rushed to a hospital but couldn't be saved, police said. Her family members told police that the accused and the victim were friends and a few months ago, he had proposed to her for marriage. However, she had turned down his proposal, which apparently made him angry, police said. He started stalking and harassing her. He even threatened to kill her and her brother, they added. The woman told him she would file a police complaint, but didn't do so. The accused's mobile number was taken from the woman's cellphone. The police tracked him down and he was arrested from Tigri in Neb Sarai along with his friend Afroz. Two juveniles have also been apprehended and the murder weapon has been recovered. On May 9th, a woman was brutally gang-raped and murdered, and later her mutilated body was found in an empty plot in Haryana's Rohtak. The incident occurred on May 9 and came to light when the victim's body was found in city's IMT area. (Photo: Representational Image/File) New Delhi: The National Commission for Women (NCW) Chief Lalitha Kumaramangalam on Sunday took suo moto notice in the gruesome Rohtak gang-rape and Murder case. Kumaramangalam she said that first she will be sending a team to Sonipat, following which she will visit herself. Meanwhile, NCW member Rekha Sharma, who visited the grieving family of the victim condemned the brutality and urged for death sentence for the accused. "I am shocked the way all this happened. The torture she went through is horrifying. I cannot understand why men cannot take no from a women. Like Nirbhaya case I expect death sentence for these criminals," said Sharma. "We have formed an inquiry committee; I have come here to pressure on police to expedite the process. We will also see how they frame charges and will see that the filing of the case is done properly," she added. Two accused have been arrested in connection with the case. A case has been registered under the Indian Penal code (IPC) 376, 365, 302 against the accused. On May 9th, a woman was brutally gang-raped and murdered, wherein later her mutilated body was found in an empty plot in Haryana's Rohtak. The incident occurred on May 9 and came to light when the victim's body was found in city's IMT area. The victim had allegedly refused a marriage proposal, following which the accused reached her home a week later with his friends. A heated argument broke out which resulted in the woman slapping him. In revenge, the accused along with his friends allegedly raped and murdered her. The family of the victim said that on May 9, at least five to six youth abducted her from the gate of a private company. After that the accused took her to a deserted place and gang-raped her. The victim's mother said that the accused have been pressurizing the woman for marriage for the past one year. The forensic reports suggested that the victim was mutilated with sharp-edged weapons. Later, the accused tried to run her over to hide her identity. "The victim was tortured and her body was mutilated after the gang rape. She was killed after being raped involving at least seven people. Her skull was smashed in a way which indicates that she was run over by a vehicle in order to hide her identity," the forensic team has stated. The victim was living with her mother and brother and used to work in a private medicine company. The woman's parents had filed a missing complaint, based on which the police tracked her parents down. The parents were called to Rohtak to identify her body. The distraught parents have claimed that this ghastly attack was carried out by the girl's neighbour and have demanded capital punishment for the rapists. As per villagers, the accused has married four times and none of his wives spent more than six months with him. Bhubaneswar: A tribal has been arrested on charges of raping and murdering his 72-year-old mother under the influence of intoxicants in Odishas Mayurbhanj district, the police said on Sunday. The 45-year-old tribal allegedly raped the woman multiple times, leading to her death, reports said. According to the police, accused Hari Marandi dragged his mother inside the house while she was brooming in front of the house at Dambaru Dahar village of the district on Saturday morning. While the woman managed to free herself from his clutches, he again dragged her inside and raped her in an inebriated state. He committed the crime when other family members were away from their house in Dambaru Dahar village, the police said. The accused did not stop there. He then repeatedly raped his mother in frequent intervals. After around half an hour, the tribal woman rushed out and collapsed in front of the thatched house. Shocked neighbours gave her water where the victim narrated her ordeal. I saw him dragging his mother inside. After some time, I saw him taking out her clothes and then raping her in the veranda, an eyewitness said. While the villagers were planning to rush the woman to hospital, she breathed her last due to severe pain. The incident has shocked the people in the locality. I informed the police after I came to know about the incident. This is deplorable and the accused should not be spared. He should get harshest punishment, a villager said. As per eyewitness accounts, accused Hari Marandi raped his mother and murdered her. We have arrested the accused under Sections 376 and 302 of Indian Penal Code (IPC), Betnoti sub-divisional police officer (SDPO) Dhirendra Nanda said on Sunday. As per villagers, the accused has married four times and none of his wives spent more than six months with him. He was abusive and used to snatch all the pension money his mother used to get every month. The BJP has failed on all fronts and through this rally, we will expose their entire lies, Yadav said in Patna on Sunday. Patna: RJD chief Lalu Prasad Yadav plans to hold a rally in August to expose BJPs failure. Mr Yadav also urged all non-NDA parties to come together to form a Bihar-like Mahagathbandhan at national level to stop BJP from coming to power in 2019. Mr Lalu Yadav said that the rally by Opposition parties will be attended by most of the non-NDA parties, including Congress president Sonia Gandhi, vice-president Rahul Gandhi, West Bengal and Orissa chief ministers and former Prime Minister H.D. Deve Gowda. The BJP has failed on all fronts and through this rally, we will expose their entire lies, Mr Yadav said in Patna on Sunday. However, the JD(U), which is running the grand secular alliance government in Bihar with RJD and Congress, has not yet confirmed its presence in the public meeting. Speaking on the issue JD(U) state president Basisth Narayan Singh said that the party will decide about attending the political event at the right time. Sources said the JD(U) has been trying to maintain a safe distance from the RJD ever since BJP presented documents regarding Mr Yadavs involvement in the land scam. It was Mr Yadavs first appearance after Sushil Kumar Modi presented documents to prove his eldest daughter Misa Bhartis involvement in the land scam and the controversial telephonic conversation between him and mafia don Mohammad Shahbuddin. Mr Yadav also said that the incidents of stone-pelting and Naxal attacks have increased despite demonetisation drive. Prime Minister had claimed that demonetisation will stop stone-pelting in Kashmir, but such activities have been growing. The Prime Minister also failed in generating enough employment for youth, he added. Lalu Yadavs announcement to hold a rally in August evoked sharp reactions from the opposition camp. Sushil Kumar Modi who has been accusing Lalu Yadav and his family for being involved in land purchase scam on Sunday said that instead of diverting public attention from the deals he should have clarified his stand on the allegations leveled against him. While taking a dig at him for announcing a rally to expose BJP, Mr Modi said: Lalu Yadav is planning to hold a rally against BJP but who knows whether he will be in jail or remain outside in August. L-G should assess the political situation with a possibility to dismiss the Kejriwal govt, says Tiwari. New Delhi: Reacting to new allegations of former AAP minister Kapil Mishra, the BJP has said that the money laundering through hawala route in Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) is the biggest scam of the decade because it is perpetrated by experts with several years of practical experience in the field. Delhi BJP chief Manoj Tiwari said that as Arvind Kejriwal does not believe in moral values, all that BJP is trying to say to AAP is that it is okay for them to be in power on the basis of numbers, but they should at least bring in an interim chief minister till the inquiry into the scams is going on. Mr Tiwari alleged that earlier, India Against Corruption (IAC) and later the AAP was formed with the express intention of fighting corruption in politics. However, today it stands as a symbol of blackmail, black deeds, and as a benefactor of the corrupt and corruption, he added. The lieutenant-governor should assess the political situation with a possibility to dismiss Kejriwal government, demanded Mr Tiwari. Leader of Opposition in Delhi Assembly Vijender Gupta said, AAP, which claims itself to be the only imandar and a flag bearer of morality in politics, instead of diverting the real issue of public fund looting by its head and blaming the BJP, should file a defamation suit against Mr Mishra who once was the blue-eyed-boy of the chief minister. But it is sure that AAP being afraid of Mr Mishra, is not going to do so, because he (Mr Mishra) may have many more skeletons of corrupt leaders of the party in his cupboard. The Delhi BJP appealed to the Union finance minister, Arun Jaitley, to order a complete investigation of the role of Axis Bank in AAPs financial scams. It is pertinent to note that a senior official of Axis Bank has been reportedly very close to Mr Kejriwals political set up too, said the party. If CM Kejriwal doesnt step down, will drag him by the collar to Tihar Jail, says AAP rebel. Kapil Mishra being taken to Ram Manohar Lohia Hospital after he fainted during the press meet. (Photo: PTI) New Delhi: Ousted Delhi minister Kapil Mishra on Sunday claimed that chief minister Arvind Kejriwal-led Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) lied about its donation figures to the Election Commission. He threatened that if Mr Kejriwal doesnt step down by the evening, he would drag him by the collar to Tihar Jail. But amid detailing a huge array of financial irregularities against Mr Kejriwal at the Sunday press conference at his Civil Lines residence, Mr Mishra fainted. The suspended AAP member was rushed to the Ram Manohar Lohia (RML) Hospital. Mr Mishra has been on a hungerstrike for the last five days, demanding that the AAP release details of foreign tours made by five its leaders. He was suffering from a little weakness and mild dehydration because of no salt intake for the last few days, an RML doctor said. Before taking ill, the rebel AAP leader alleged that the party received funds worth crores of rupees from several shell companies. Mr Kejriwal hid this information from income tax department and the election commission, Mr Mishra said at the Sunday morning news conference, where he had promised to reveal shocking details of corruption and scam. AAP leaders close to Mr Kejriwal are involved in running these shell companies and Mr Kejriwal is aware of all this, he alleged. The registered addresses of four directors out of 16 shell companies, which allegedly donated to AAP, are the same, Mr Mishra claimed. AAP MLA Shiv Charan Goyal is closely involved in running these companies, he alleged. The income tax department has sent notice to the AAP chief in connection with the four companies he holds fraudulently, he alleged. But he actually has hundreds of companies which he holds illegally. Lakhs and crores are in each of these company accounts, the sacked Delhi minister said. The alleged money laundering was carried out through a Krishna Nagar branch of Axis Bank in East Delhi, where raids had been conducted after demonetisation, he said. Showing what he said were bank account details, Mr Mishra said he will document to the Central Bureau of Investigation at 11 am on Monday and file an FIR against Mr Kejriwal. He claimed that many donations were concealed from the Election Commission from 2013 to 2016. Late on Sunday night, a team of doctors from RML hospital had examined Mr Mishra and said his blood sugar level, pulse rate and blood pressure were normal. The doctors had also advised that he be hospitalised, but the rebel AAP leader carried on with his hungerstrike. Ater his sacking from Mr Kejriwals city Cabinet more than a week ago, Mr Mishra had made a sensational allegation, saying he witnessed Mr Kejriwal take Rs 2 crore in cash from health minister Satyendar Jain at his residence. Nazim was arrested on April 20, in a joint operation of the Uttar Pradesh ATS and Maharashtra ATS officials. Mumbai: The Mumbai Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS) has sent a team to Bijnor in Uttar Pradesh to question Huzefa Abrar, the third person who used to stay with Nazim Ahmed, suspected IS recruiter and terror suspect, who was arrested by the UP ATS in April. The officials suspect that Abrar, who had come to stay with Ahmed a month before Ahmeds arrest, had been recruited recently into the terror module. Nazim was arrested on April 20, in a joint operation of the Uttar Pradesh ATS and Maharashtra ATS officials. The officers had reached the house in Mumbra where Ahmed was staying with two people identified later as Gulfam and Huzefa Abrar alias Guddu and arrested Ahmed and detained the other two. While Ahmed was handed over to UP ATS, which has registered a case against him in Lucknow, the Maharashtra ATS released Gulfam and Abrar after questioning them. After their release, Abrar left for his house in Bijnor. He had allegedly come to stay with Ahmed and Gulfam only a month ago and claimed to not know anything about Ahmeds terror activities. While we did let him go, we were constantly investigating their roles and keeping an eye on them, said a source. He added that they now have reason to believe that Abrar may have also been a recruit in Ahmeds terror module. We have sent a team to question him. The UP ATS and state ATS are working together on this case as it involved accused from various locations in the country, said the source. We are investigating all activities of Ahmed when he was in Mumbai. said the source. Mittan Katoch feels it is a 'great honour' to join IMPD as the first American-Sikh. He said it has been his dream to become an officer since he was a child. (Photo: Facebook) New York: A 26-year-old Sikh-American has made history by becoming the first police officer from the community to join the police department in Indianapolis, the capital of the US state of Indiana, a media report has said. Mittan Katoch feels it is a 'great honour' to join Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department (IMPD) as the first American-Sikh, the Indianapolis broadcaster RTV6 said. "I honestly thought there might be more Sikh police officers in IMPD, but to learn I am the first is quite shocking," Katoch, a graduate of the department's 13th recruit class, was quoted as saying by the RTV6. He said it has been his dream to become an officer since he was a child. "I used to write essays about it," he said. "I've got tons of feedback, tons of support, comments on Facebook like 'hey, we're proud of you, way to lead the way.' I feel like Im the spearhead to the movement of getting different ethnicities into the department," he said. According to IMPD, the current amount of minorities that make up the population of the department is about 18 per cent - however in Marion County, recent US Census data shows minorities make up more than 34 per cent of the population, the report said. In 2015 and 2016, 17.3 per cent and 17.6 per cent of the IMPD's force were minorities, respectively. Katoch said he is excited about his career and the chance to build a bridge between communities. "Being born and raised in America, I'm Americanised enough to know I can do anything I want," he said. "This is the land of opportunity and to be a part of a police department that's reflective of that is awesome." Trumps senior officials who visited the region recently have already put the basis for the anti-Iran alliance into place. The White House has announced that Saudi Arabia will be the first foreign country Donald Trump will visit as President when he begins his tour to the kingdom, followed by Israel and the Vatican, on May 19. He will thus become the first US President to make his inaugural foreign tour to a Muslim country. The administration clearly picked Saudi Arabia as the first stop on the tour in a bid to counter the widespread impression that the President is Islamophobic. This impression is not surprising given that he had spent the election campaign promising a ban on Muslims entry into the US and then twice tried to enforce it through administrative orders, the implementation of which was only thwarted by court interventions. In Riyadh, besides attending the bilateral summit with King Salman bin Abdulaziz, Mr Trump will be meeting members of the Gulf Cooperation Council and the selected members of the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation, excluding Iran and Syria. The Trump visit to the kingdom will be underscoring both the success of the Saudi outreach to the new administration and the determination of the President to recommit to the Saudi-led regional alliance. Not surprisingly, Iran will be a priority concern for both sides. Ali Shihabi, a pro-Saudi commentator, sees this visit as a solid US commitment to defending the Gulf monarchies from Iran, ISIS and Al Qaeda, which in his view are making a determined effort to bring down the monarchies that constitute the front line in the battle against terrorism. Mr Trumps senior officials who visited the region recently have already put the basis for the anti-Iran alliance into place. Thus, US secretary of defence James Mattis declared in Riyadh that the United States wants to see a strong Saudi Arabia, and added that there is disorder wherever Iran is present. Shortly thereafter, secretary of state Rex Tillerson said: Iran is the worlds leading state sponsor of terrorism and is responsible for intensifying multiple conflicts and undermining US interests A comprehensive Iran policy requires that we address all of the threats posed by Iran, and it is clear there are many. Saudi Arabia seems to be fanning the flames of antagonism for Iran. In a recent interview, its deputy crown prince and defence minister, Prince Mohammed bin Salman, rejected any possibility of a dialogue with Iran, even giving a powerful sectarian spin to his stand: he said dialogue was impossible because of what he described as the Iranian religious conviction that Shias were destined to dominate the Islamic world, with the advent of the Mahdi, the Hidden Imam in Shia tradition. In the run-up to the Trump visit, both the US and Saudi Arabia are trying to push through contracts worth tens of billions of dollars in defence sales to the kingdom. Items under discussion include the Terminal High Altitude Area Defence (THAAD) missile defence system, valued at about $1 billion, and a C2BMC software system for battle command and control and communications. Other items being discussed are combat vehicles and a $11.5 billion package of four multi-mission surface combatant ships. Also under negotiation are more than $1 billion worth of munitions, including armour-piercing penetrator warheads and paveway laser-guided bombs. The Obama administration had suspended the planned sale of these items due to the destruction wreaked by Saudi bombardment in Yemen. While these defence deals will certainly sweeten the run-up to the visit to Riyadh, the kingdom cannot ignore the fact that it is dealing with a mercurial leader. At the end of April, just when the Saudis were basking in the positive atmosphere created by Prince Mohammed bin Salmans meeting with Mr Trump a few weeks earlier, the US President in a press interview went back to his campaign rhetoric and complained: Frankly, Saudi Arabia has not treated us fairly because we are losing a tremendous amount of money in defending Saudi Arabia. The prospective defen ce deals are the fair price the kingdom is willing to pay for the US backing against Iran. National security adviser H.R. McMaster has described Mr Trumps foreign policy approach as disruptive, saying that his unconventional ways could create an opportunity to help stabilise West Asia. The one area where this approach might work is pushing forward the Israel-Palestine peace process. In his recent meeting with Fatah leader Mahmoud Abbas, Mr Trump had assured the latter, saying: We will get it done. Most regional observers are sceptical, not only because of the absence of interest on the part of Israels politicians to make any concessions, but also due to Mr Trumps own unfamiliarity with the issues involved and his earlier positions that have seemed to be solidly pro-Israel. Still, a few commentators believe that the matter needs a fresh pair of eyes and Mr Trump, with his unorthodox approach, might just pull off a deal. But the pandering to Mr Trumps visceral animosity for Iran by the Gulf Arabs could have horrendous consequences. Mr Trump has already shown he is quite happy to resort to military force for short-term advantage, without necessarily weighing the full implications of those actions or even considering other diplomatic options. The attacks on Syria and Afghanistan and the sabre-rattling against North Korea suggest that the President could launch a pre-emptive assault on Iran. This will lead to widespread Iranian retaliation on its Gulf neighbours and the possible closure of the Hormuz; it will convulse West Asia in an orgy of death and destruction, which will trigger a worldwide economic and political crisis. It would be more fruitful if Mr Trumps energy and propensity for deal-making were to be channelled towards diplomacy and negotiation. But there is no hint of this either in Riyadh or Washington. Start negotiation on a China-India treaty of good neighbourliness and friendly cooperation, declared the Chinese ambassador. Diplomats, as a class, are traditionally perceived to be perceptive and usually known to have the confidence of their incumbent home rulers. Hence, a foreign ambassador is taken seriously and heard by every nation. Understandably, therefore, when the present Chinese ambassador to India, Luo Zhaohui, mooted four-point proposals/ideas to a select gathering, one was curious to examine them. But now the examination turns to re-examination. Why? Because Beijing doesnt seem to agree with its own envoy as it has distanced itself from the proposed four points. By doing what both Beijing and its man in Delhi have done, there could be several potential developments. First, the ambassador may be asked by Beijing not to make any fresh proposal in future without getting it vetted by the state. Second, if the fallout of contrary opinions (of the state and envoy thereof) becomes serious, then a change of guard in India may be more than a possibility. Third, there is no doubt that Indias stand on the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor/One Belt One Road/Belt and Road Initiative has created some sort of a situation in the Chinese hierarchy. The fourth factor, however, could be much more far-reaching. Beijing, having constantly ignored Indias concerns on sovereign territory, will find it hard to reverse its longstanding policy or make a course correction. China has dug deep into Pakistans geography, notwithstanding its economic woes, political instability, social violence, religious killings and weak-kneed civilians. The moot point now is: what did the ambassador say to evoke/provoke a negative reaction from his political masters? What would have been Indias reaction, if any, had the Chinese government endorsed the envoys proposal? Let us dissect the envoys words. Start negotiation on a China-India treaty of good neighbourliness and friendly cooperation, declared the Chinese ambassador. By implication, the envoy conceded that not all is well between his country and the host nation. India and China need to start, thereby implying start afresh, good neighbourliness and friendly cooperation. Clearly there is a gap pertaining to points referred to above. From the Indian side, however, there is nothing much to say as traditionally Delhi is amenable to good neighbourliness. History proves it. The problem is India is excessively good, which gives wrong ideas to some. Again, when Mr Luo suggests that both Beijing and New Delhi strive for an early harvest on border issue while maintaining peace and tranquillity in the border areas, aligning Chinas OBOR initiative with Indias Act East Policy, and restarting talks on a China-India Free Trade Agreement, the clever envoy is virtually suggesting a one-way advantage/traffic in favour of his countrys interests, and to the detriment of Indias position. The implication is simple. First, India must not disturb or disrupt Chinas OBOR by just keeping quiet on the Sino-Indian border, being the junior partner in bilateral trade. Second, China be given complete freedom to access the hinterland market of India owing to industrial goods overcapacity thereof, which has resulted in a visible slowdown of the Chinese economy. In other words, let Indian consumers have all possible choice of made in China goods, to the detriment of Indias own production. How smart and clever? Again, when Mr Luo suggested that China and India should agree to demarcate the Sino-Indian border in Sikkim, it was like another of Chinas goalpost shift; a ploy to keep India in a state of confusion by expanding the area of border conflict as, till date, Sikkim never figured in any high-stakes agenda point at the bilateral diplomatic high table. A new front, a new headache for India? A proposal too clever by its half! There is little doubt that by far the Chinese envoy was playing well pertaining to his countrys policy of containment of India through (creating) a tranquil, stable border for a smooth, unhindered OBOR completion; opening new Sikkim frontier to Indias discomfort; pitching for a free trade areas one-way advantage to Chinese-made goods. However, as it so often happened in the past, surplus intelligence can be counter-productive too. Thus, when the envoy proposed renaming the CPEC as China-Pakistan-India Economic Corridor or South Asian Economic Corridor, he invited a potential cause of grave concern for China as it simply backfired. It instantaneously became a double-edged sword, which could cut either by sharpness or its weight. How, one may ask. The very inclusion of Indias name would imply a change from CPEC to CPIEC, thereby posing a direct challenge to President Xi Jinpings pet dream project by an envoy posted to not-too-friendly (distant!) neighbour. One suspects that the envoy crossed the danger zone, that is the red line of Chinas supreme (high) command of the powerful CPC-Army-politico caucus. To the Pakistan Army too, the pivot for the success of OBOR, passing through eternally turbulent terrain, it is totally unacceptable. For India too, prima facie, any consent to this proposal would imply legalising an illegal act by the Indian State, thereby going against its own professed stand of seven decades pertaining to the illegal occupation of Kashmir, known as Pakistan-occupied Kashmir. Also it would give China a permanent position in the territory of J&K, thereby damaging India no end and creating endless chaos within the country. No doubt a dented Indian polity constitutes a supreme advantage to Sino-Pak entente; but a Beijing-Delhi-Islamabad triple alliance also weakens the all-weather Sino-Pak alliance. Hence, Beijing just cannot accept it. In a way, the envoys suggestion would have made all three Beijing, Delhi and Islamabad unhappy, though for different reasons. The overall situation thus did not, and rightly cannot, go in favour of the Chinese envoys suggestions in front of a select Indian gathering. China does realise now that India means business on the sovereignty issue and there simply is no escape as no government (irrespective of political colour) can afford to ignore this issue. Hence, why change the nomenclature of CPEC? And finally, when the ambassador referred to the Dalai Lama episode like a sting in bilateral ties, one has a reason to believe that his entire suggestion constituted more like playing to the gallery than a serious discourse for a future course correction by his state. That a spiritual leader of a suppressed tribe from the remote, high-altitude Himalayan Tibet could pose such grave threat to Security Council veto-wielding aspiring nuclear superpower with an economic magic wand sounds bizarre, ludicrous and incredible. Is it Chinas actual fear of the Dalai Lama or a fiery lama of fear and drama? Only the wise ambassador might be able to clarify. Samsung announced its latest Tizen-powered smartphone called Samsung Z4 in India on Friday, 12 May. The device, which runs on Tizen 3.0 OS is available in the following given colour variants: Black, Gold and Silver. The company, however, hasnt detailed out the price and release date for the same. The Samsung Z4s primary feature is its camera as it packs a 5MP rear camera with dual-LED flash support along with a 5MP front snapper with f/2.2 aperture and LED flash support. According to the company, the camera is optimised for social media and offers features focused on convenience and creativity. The Samsung Z4 features a 4.5-inch WVGA (480 x 800 pixels) display with 2.5D curved glass on top and is powered by a 1.5GHz quad-core processor. The device offers 1GB of RAM and is powered by a 2,050mAh battery. On the connectivity front, the Samsung Z4 includes 4G VoLTE, Wi-Fi 802.11 b/g/n, Bluetooth 4.0, USB 2.0, GPS and Glonass. Were dedicated to providing our customers with devices that offer smarter mobile interactions, DJ Koh, president of mobile communications business at Samsung Electronics, was quoted as saying. The Samsung Z4 brings a simplified mobile experience to first-time smartphones users and represents our on-going commitment to expanding the Tizen ecosystem, he added. The official spoke before North Korea fired a ballistic missile in an apparent bid to test US resolve and the South's new president. Washington: The US Treasury Department said it is looking at "every tool in its arsenal" to cut off sources of international financing for illegal activities in North Korea. "We don't comment on future sanctions, but we are obviously going to consider every tool in our arsenal to combat any illicit activity and terror financing," a senior Treasury Department official said on Saturday. The official spoke before North Korea fired a ballistic missile in an apparent bid to test US resolve and the South's new president. "We are entertaining all the tools in our arsenal," said the official, which include programs originating from the offices of Terrorism and Financial Intelligence and Foreign Assets Control. After Sunday's missile test President Donald Trump called on "all nations" to impose "far stronger sanctions against North Korea." US Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin, speaking earlier Saturday, said the fight against terrorism financing was a major concern at the G7 gathering of finance chiefs in Bari, Italy. While international trade is important, "the biggest focus is working with our partners on terror financing," Mnuchin told reporters returning to Washington from the Bari event. After meetings with German Finance Minister Wolfgang Schaeuble and Japanese Deputy Prime Minister Taro Aso, Mnuchin "underscored the importance of working together to address the threats posed by North Korea," the Treasury Department said. Moon Jae-In had said that he was willing to visit Pyongyang in the right circumstances. It was also North Koreas first launch since a controversial US missile defence system deployed in South Korea became operational on May 2 and follows a failed April 29 ballistic missile test. (Photo: AP) Seoul: North Korea fired a ballistic missile on Sunday in an apparent test of the Souths new president who backs engagement with Pyongyang. The missile flew about 700 kilometres (435 miles) before landing in the Sea of Japan, South Koreas Joint Chiefs of Staff said. The US Pacific Command said it did not appear to be an intercontinental ballistic missile. New South Korean President Moon Jae-In, who was inaugurated on Wednesday, slammed the test as a reckless provocation after holding an emergency meeting with national security advisors. He said the government strongly condemned this grave challenge to the peace and security of the Korean peninsula and the international community, his spokesman Yoon Young-Chan said. Moon, unlike his conservative predecessors, advocates reconciliation with Pyongyang but warned Sunday that dialogue would be possible only if the North changes its behaviour. Moon had said in his inauguration speech that he was willing to visit Pyongyang in the right circumstances to defuse tensions on the Korean peninsula, with Pyongyang and Washington exchanging hostile rhetoric. US President Donald Trump has threatened military action against the North but recently appears to have softened his stance, saying he would be honoured to meet the Norths leader Kim Jong-Un under the right conditions. A senior Pyongyang diplomat said Saturday the North would be willing to hold talks with the US if the conditions are right. Washington has been looking to China for help in reining in Kim and the missile test is likely to embarrass Beijing, which is hosting a summit Sunday to promote its ambitious global trade infrastructure project. It was also North Koreas first launch since a controversial US missile defence system deployed in South Korea became operational on May 2 and follows a failed April 29 ballistic missile test. Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe slammed the latest missile launch as totally unacceptable and a grave threat to Tokyo. We strongly protest against North Korea, he said. The missile was launched from a site near the northwestern city of Kusong, according to the Souths Joint Chiefs of Staff. North Korea test-fired a missile from the same city, in February, with the missile flying more than 500 kilometres. The North has staged two atomic tests and dozens of missile launches since the start of last year in its quest to develop a missile capable of delivering a nuclear warhead to the US mainland. Most experts have doubted that the North has developed an intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) with that range. But many say the isolated nation has made a great progress in its nuclear and missile capabilities since Kim took power after the death of his father and long time ruler, Kim Jong-Il, in 2011. China is planning to invest billions of dollars in building railways, waterways and highways as part of its OBOR initiative. New Delhi: Taking on India without naming it, Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif hailed the controversial China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) in his address at the One Belt One Road (OBOR) conference, boycotted by New Delhi, in Beijing on Sunday, saying the CPEC was an economic undertaking open to all countries in the region, that it has no geographical boundaries and that it must not be politicised. India, which skipped the conference opening ceremony, had issued a strong statement Saturday night referring to the CPEC, saying: No country can accept a project that ignores its core concerns on sovereignty and territorial integrity. In an apparent snub to New Delhi, which is opposed to the CPEC (a flagship project of OBOR) as it passes through Pakistan-occupied Kashmir, Chinese President Xi Jinping told the OBOR conference that all countries should respect each others sovereignty, dignity and territorial integrity, each others development paths and social systems, and each others core interests and major concerns. India is the only major invitee to boycott the meet and this is expected to further widen the schism between New Delhi and Beijing, triggered by China blocking Indias NSG membership and also blocking UN sanctions on Pakistan-based terrorist mastermind Masood Azhar. Hailing China whom he described as his countrys close friend and trusted ally, Pakistan PM Nawaz Sharif told the OBOR meet: The China-Pakistan Economic Corridor is a core project of OBOR. In fact, it has been rightly called its flagship because it aims to connect the neighbourhoods of East and West Asia. CPEC makes Pakistan both a conduit and destination for cross-regional investment and trade. Let me make it very clear that CPEC is an economic undertaking open to all countries in the region. It has no geographical boundaries. It must not be politicised. In implementing this corridor, we are not striving to merely leverage geography for economic prosperity, we are also trying to build a peaceful, connected and caring neighbourhood. It is time we transcend our differences, resolve conflicts through dialogue and diplomacy, and leave a legacy of peace for future generations... The CPEC is a project owned and nurtured by all citizens of Pakistan. In another veiled barb at India, Mr Sharif added: Before I conclude, I must emphasise OBOR has gained wide traction. It negates the logic of polarisation and rejects the encirclement of any country. It is about connectivity. It is about emancipation... The fact is that now OBOR belongs to us all those who are participating in it and those who are not as yet. PTI reported from Beijing that India skipped the opening ceremony of the conference after New Delhis strong statement late on Saturday that read: Regarding the so-called China-Pakistan Economic Corridor, projected as the flagship project of OBOR, the international community is well aware of Indias position. No country can accept a project that ignores its core concerns on sovereignty and territorial integrity... Connectivity must be pursued in a manner that respects sovereignty and territorial integrity. China is planning to invest billions of dollars in building railways, waterways and highways as part of its OBOR initiative. The proposed OBOR comprises two corridors, one on land and the other maritime. The land corridors will be part of the Silk Road Economic Belt (SREB), with corridors through Central, West and South Asia that will link China with Europe. The proposed SREB will forge Chinas links with Western Europe through Central Asia and Russia, and with the Mediterranean via West Asia. Further, it will also ensure access to the Indian Ocean by the much shorter land route through Pakistan that passes through PoK, culminating in Gwadar port in Balochistan province. The second part of OBOR is an ambitious plan for sea routes linking China with Southeast Asia and onward to Africa, supplemented by rail and road networks for which Beijing has heavily invested in Africa. He said his party had accepted the 2013 election results for the sake of democracy. Islamabad: Pakistan Peoples Party leader Asif Ali Zardari has said that elections will be held within eight to nine months. He said his party had accepted the 2013 election results for the sake of democracy. He added that the PPP would win the next general elections which would be held in eight to nine months. We want neutral and transparent elections, Mr Zardari said, adding, We will win the elections. Talking to reporters in Peshawar, he said that the Pakistan Muslim League (Nawaz)-led government in the Centre had the same thinking as the martial law rulers. Nawaz Sharif is ruling the country like a Mughal emperor, he added. The PPP co-chairman said that his party had fought undemocratic forces in the past and would do so in the future. He said that the government was taking loans after loans to run the affairs of the state and as a result, prices of items have ballooned. Mr Zardari said he would move court if the Parliamentary Committee on Electoral Reforms failed to finalise its proposals regarding election reforms within one week. rances youngest post-war Prez pledges to restore nations standing on world stage. Newly-elected French President Emmanuel Macron poses with his wife Brigitte Trogneux at the Elysee presidential Palace in France on Sunday prior to the inauguration ceremony. (Photo: AFP) Paris: Emmanuel Macron took office as the President of France on Sunday, vowing to restore the countrys status in Europe and the world and heal divisions in society a nod to the bitter campaign the pro-EU centrist fought to defeat a far-right leader. The 39-year-old former investment banker, unknown to the wider public three years ago and whose May 7 election marked a meteoric rise to power, was inaugurated as leader of the worlds fifth-largest economy in a solemn Elysee Palace ceremony. In his first words after taking office, he pledged to restore Frances standing on the world stage, strengthen national self-confidence and heal divisions that the bitterly-fought campaign had opened up. Mr Macron beat the National Fronts Marine Le Pen in a May 7 run-off vote, but the long campaign exposed deep divisions over Frances role in Europe, immigration, and policies to revive a sluggish economy bedeviled by high unemployment. The division and fractures in our society must be overcome. I know that the French expect much from me. Nothing will make me stop defending the higher interests of France and from working to reconcile the French, Mr Macron declared. Although his victory over Ms Le Pen was comfortable, almost half of Frances 47 million voters chose candidates with views opposed to Mr Macrons in the first round of the election. Many say they feel dispossessed by globalisation as manufacturing jobs move abroad, and as immigration and a fast-changing world blur their sense of a French identity. A convinced European integrationist, unlike Ms Le Pen and other candidates, Mr Macron went on to say, The world and Europe need France more than ever, and a strong France, which speaks out loudly for freedom and solidarity. Seeking closer ties with EU anchor nation Germany, Mr Macron will meet Chancellor Angela Merkel in Berlin on Monday. He will ram home the message that the EU is resilient despite Britains vote to leave and a spate of financial and migration crises that have boosted the far right. Monday will also see Mr Macron name his Prime Minister, whose job will be to pilot liberalising reforms aimed at reducing joblessness and reviving economic growth. Mr Macron becomes the youngest post-war French leader and the first to be born after 1958, when President Charles de Gaulle put in place the countrys Fifth Republic. In a ceremony full of pomp, he was presented with what is effectively his chain of office a heavy golden necklace mounted on a red cushion that makes him Grand Master of the National Order of the Legion dHonneur. But Macron appeared determined to create an impression of personal modesty. Aides went out of their way to emphasize that the dark suit he wore cost about 450 euros or just under $500, and that the lavender outfit worn by his wife Brigitte had been loaned by fashion house Louis Vuitton. He displayed youthful vigor during the televised proceedings, at one point racing up the Elysee stairs to meet a protocol requirement something not all previous French presidents might have managed. He then chose to be driven by military jeep rather than civilian limousine to the Arc de Triomphe, where he stood in the rain, without coat or umbrella, to light the flame in tribute to Frances war dead at the tomb of the unknown soldier a powerful reminder of Frances role in the NATO defense alliance. Further underscoring a commitment to Frances military and peacekeeping role in the Middle East and Africa, he visited wounded service personnel in the military hospital. Aides have flagged a likely visit to French troops in Mali for next Friday. Macrons rise, marked by a 21-gun salute at the Esplanade des Invalides, signaled at least a pause in the anti-globalization trend that elevated businessman Donald Trump into the U.S. presidency and led British voters to choose Brexit. He later shook hands with well-wishers on the Champs Elysees, not far from where a policeman was shot dead by a gunman in April. More than 230 people have died in France in attacks claimed by Islamic State over the past two years as the country has taken part in military action against the militant group that controls parts of Syria and Iraq. Fifteen hundred police were mobilized to ensure security for Macrons inauguration while a large section of Paris was closed to traffic all morning. Kathmandu: Nepal held local level polls on Sunday, the first since 1997 and a key step in the country's rocky transition to democracy over a decade since the end of the civil war. Around a third of registered voters across three provinces were eligible to cast their vote, with the rest of the country due to vote in a month's time. The vote has been split into two phases because of unrest in the southern plains bordering India, where the minority Madhesi ethnic group is refusing to take part until an amendment to the constitution is passed. Local representatives were last elected in 1997 and their five-year terms expired at the height of the brutal Maoist insurgency. The 10-year war ended in 2006 and the country began a fraught transition from a Hindu monarchy to a secular federal republic, which has seen it cycle through nine governments. The long gap between polls has left an institutional void at the local level, which has seen graft become a way of life in Nepal, hampering the delivery of basic services as well as the recovery from a devastating 2015 earthquake. "It is difficult to expect much from our politicians -- they have always been selfish and not worked for the people -- but I hope that with this election things will change," housewife Shova Maharjan, 41, told AFP after casting her vote in the capital. With nearly 70 percent of the population aged under 35, many were voting for their local representatives for the first time. Polls opened at 7:00 am (0115 GMT) and closed at 5:00 pm, with each voter casting their ballot for seven local representatives: mayor, deputy mayor, ward chairman and four ward committee members. The ballot paper in the capital Kathmandu -- one of the largest constituencies -- was around one metre long (three feet) to accommodate the 878 candidates. Nearly 50,000 candidates were standing for election across 283 local municipalities in the first phase, with many registered as independents or with a number of small reformist parties hoping to grab some votes from the traditional political heavyweights. While the youth vote is seen as key in undermining the grip of the three main political parties, the elderly were also out in force, including an 105-year-old man who cast his ballot in Gorkha, the epicentre of the devastating 2015 earthquake, according to the election commission. Drawn-out peace process There were sporadic reports of violence on Sunday with one person killed when police opened fire on a group attempting to raid a polling station in Dolakha district, 180 kilometres (110 miles) northwest of the capital Kathmandu, police told AFP. A bomb was also found early Sunday morning outside the house of a mayoral candidate for the main opposition CPN-UML party in Bhaktapur, 15 kilometres (nine miles) east of Kathmandu. It was diffused without incident. The remaining four provinces, considered potential flashpoints for election-related violence, will vote in the second phase on June 14. But with results expected from Sunday's vote later this week, observers have expressed concern that the first phase will influence the outcome of the second. As part of the deal that ended the civil war, a new constitution was written and finally adopted in September 2015, nearly a decade after the end of the conflict. The charter mandated that local elections, followed by provincial and then national elections, be held by January 2018 -- the final step in the drawn-out peace process. But the constitution sparked protests by the Madhesi community -- who say the document leaves them politically marginalised -- and led to a months-long blockade of the India-Nepal border in 2015 that caused a crippling shortage of goods across the country. The Madhesi threatened to boycott the local polls unless the constitution is rewritten. This forced the government to split the vote into two phases. The government has promised a vote on an amendment to the constitution after Sunday's election, but the fragile ruling coalition is struggling to get a majority in parliament to pass the bill. Saeed told the board that the Pakistani govt detained him for raising his voice for Kashmiris. Lahore: Mumbai terror attack mastermind and Jamat-ud Dawah (JuD) chief Hafiz Saeed and his four aides have been detained for "spreading terrorism in the name of jihad", Pakistan's interior ministry has told a judicial review board. Saeed appeared before the board on Saturday and told it that he had been detained by the Pakistani government in order to stop him for raising voice for Kashmiris. However, the interior ministry rejected his arguments and told the three-member board that Saeed and his four aides have been detained for "spreading terrorism in the name of jihad". The board comprising Justice Ejaz Afzal Khan of the Supreme Court (head), Justice Ayesha A Malik of Lahore High Court and Justice Jamal Khan Mandokhail of Balochistan High Court directed the ministry to submit a complete record regarding detention of Saeed and his aides - Zafar Iqbal, Abdul Rehman Abid, Abdullah Ubaid and Qazi Kashif Niaz on next hearing on May 15. The board also sought personal appearance of the attorney general of Pakistan on next hearing. Police produced Saeed and his four aides before the board at Lahore registry of the apex court amid high security. A large number of Saeed's supporters gathered outside the court. Saeed's counsel advocate A K Dogar was also present but the founder of Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) chose to plead his case before the court. "The allegations levelled by the government against me had never been proved by any state institution. My organisation and I have been victimised for raising voice for freedom of Kashmir and criticising the governments weak policy on the Kashmir issue," Saeed said. He said that he had been placed under house in order to stop him for raising voice for Kashmiri people. Saeed appealed to the board to set aside the Punjab government's detention order. "The government detained the JuD leaders on pressure of United Nations and international organisations," an official representing the federal interior ministry told the board. Last Thursday Lahore High Court division bench had questioned as why Saeed and others were not presented before a review board before the government issued notification for extension to his detention for another 90 days. On April 30, detention of Saeed and his four aides was extended by the Punjab government for another 90 days under preventative detention under 11 EEE (I) and 11D of Anti-Terrorism Act 1997. The Punjab government on January 30 had put these five under house arrest in Lahore for their involvement in activities which can be prejudicial to peace and security. The government has also placed JuD and FIF under second schedule of the anti-terrorism act. The Nawaz government had reportedly taken action against Saeed after the US clearly told Islamabad that in case of not taking action against JuD and Saeed it may face sanctions. JuD is said to be the front for the banned Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT). The organisation has been declared as a foreign terrorist organisation by the US in June 2014. Saeed and his aides said in their petition that the government detained them without any legal justification. They said the UN resolution followed by the government did not seek detention of any citizen. "The detention of the JuD leaders is a simple case of mala fide intention and ulterior motive on part of the government as it has been done so to please India and the United States," the petition said. Reddit Users Reveal Their Favorite Memories With Their Mom Trending News: People Shared Their Best Memories With Mom And Who's Cutting Onions? Quick Take Moms, they're our MVPs. They cared for and nurtured us. They showed us how to be decent human beings. And even if, for whatever reason, your mother isn't a part of your life, somewhere, at some point, a mom inspired us. Yes, Mother's Day is a day to be mushy and even shed a tear or two, because real men cry. On Askmen (the Reddit version), user Rise_ToThe_Occasion was thinking about their mom a lot, so he/she asked the community to share their most heartwarming moments with ma' and we dare you not to shed a tear. Bourbon_Democrat: Last summer I was sitting alone with my mom before dinner. We started talking about my life goals and feelings of purpose. Then she said something so sincere and striking- "Bourbon_Democrat, I believe my purpose in life was to bring you into this world." It was incredibly touching and I still think about it from time to time. Love you mom! Moms can always be counted on to say the sweetest thing. motivates_you: When I was 5 years old, my family moved and for some reason, my mom and I rode the bus from Memphis to Cincinnati. I remember stopping somewhere along the way and she bought me a small toy train to play with. I slept in her lap a lot. The sun shining through the window was bright and I remember looking at her face while she slept and I slept on her lap. I remember her smiling at me a lot that trip. She's the best mom I could've hoped for. That's my favorite memory of her, although it's getting hazier the older I get. Awwww! My mom came and visited me around Mother's day last year and she is such a nerd, which explains me. We had a rather serious and detailed brunch conversation about the relative merits of both sides of the Marvel Civil War movie. Haha what a super-mom! We don't have the best relationship now for a number of reasons. But I have a photo of me when I was about three years old under the Christmas tree with my mom smiling at me, and me being absolutely lit up and smiling back. I usually can't hold back the tears when I look at that photo. No, you're crying... Waclawa: My mom yelled at my principal in grade school. I kept getting detentions because I was a little shit, but some of them were bs, like not lining up in time to go home. I was outside and could hear everything when she did it, I had the biggest shit-eating grin ever during that moment. You can always count on mom to be your number 1 advocate, even if you're being a sh*t. For more cute memories of people and their mom, check out the full thread. Drop This Fact We surveyed 1,000 men and 22% of fathers said they don't plan on giving a gift to moms on Mother's Day. This domain was recently registered at Namecheap.com. Please check back later! Contact Californian columnist Lois Henry at 661-395-7373 or lhenry@bakersfield.com. Her work appears on Sundays and Wednesdays; the views expressed are her own. Unfortunately, our website is currently unavailable in your country. We are engaged on the issue and committed to looking at options that support our full range of digital offerings to your market. We continue to identify technical compliance solutions that will provide all readers with our award-winning journalism. PLEASE NOTE! Due to the March 23, 2020 NM DOH Public Health Order, These Event Listings Are Not Accurate! All non-essential businesses are closed, public gatherings are prohibited! (One day some of these events will be rescheduled or will resume, but they are not happening now!) A Plant High School student who was saved by a school nurse three years ago is set to graduate this year and is on a mission to save others. Plant High student saved by nurse set to graduate Charlie Curtis passed out during fitness test freshman year School nurse, Kayla Spilman, saved his life During his freshman year, Charlie Curtis was running laps for a fitness test when he collapsed from heart problems and almost died. I went down to one knee and someone asked me one more time, Are you OK? and I gave them two thumbs up and then I passed out on the ground, Curtis said. Luckily, school nurse Kayla Spilman wasnt too far away and knew exactly what Curtis needed. I grabbed the trauma bag and as soon as I saw Charlie, I knew he needed the AED (Automatic External Defibrillator), Spilman said. Curtis said he doesnt run much anymore, but has started working with the American Heart Association, advocating for defibrillators. He even started a school club. The WHAT Club--World Health and Treatment. We get a lot of people educated on CPR, Curtis said. And Curtis will never forget the woman who saved him. Everytime you see Charlie, no matter if were in the crowded hallway, he always runs up and give me a hug, Spilman said. Curtis said he is just happy to have finished his final lap at Plant High. He now has to take special heart medicine and wears a pacemaker. He also said everyone in his family knows CPR now, and he has helped to train many students to learn as well. Charlie plans to go to University of Florida in the fall. The Treasury has been warned over playing City favourites after it emerged that the Chancellor has held nearly a dozen meetings with US banks since January, but failed to arrange sit-downs with Japanese lenders. The Press Association understands that neither Philip Hammond nor Commercial Secretary Baroness Lucy Neville-Rolfe, who is meant to oversee Brexit's impact on financial services, have held any dedicated meetings with Japanese banks this year, despite threats they would start leaving London by this summer without adequate Brexit assurances. However, Mr Hammond has held at least 10 meetings with US banks, including Goldman Sachs, Morgan Stanley and JPMorgan, since the start of the year, PA understands. The imbalance has raised questions about the Treasury's Brexit priorities. "Post-Brexit, we are going to be playing an independent role in the world, and that means that every third country is going to be critically important to the UK in a way that is not the case now," said Anthony Belchambers, chairman of the Financial Services Negotiation Forum, a cross-party research and advocacy group for the financial sector. "In other words, we need to be much more focused in engaging with third countries, and that's not just the US - that is Japanese banks, Indian banks. "US banks are important, of course they are. So this is not diminishing their role, but it's actually saying we ought to be paying a lot much more attention to other institutions who will be increasingly important to us and, hopefully, we to them." The last ministerial-level meeting held with Japanese banking executives, in December, was attended by City Minister Simon Kirby, who was was shortly after stripped of responsibilities for overseeing Brexit's impact on financial services, which then fell to Baroness Neville-Rolfe. Executives at that meeting, which was attended by representatives from Nomura and Daiwa, warned that they would shift operations from London within six months unless passporting for financial services was secured. Both banks are now understood to be on track to expand operations in Frankfurt as part of Brexit contingency plans. PA understands that lower level staff have organised meetings and been communicating with representatives from Japanese banks since the new year, but ministerial meetings have not taken place. Mr Hammond is understood to have only held one unplanned discussion with Nomura in late April, when representatives attended a round table at a private function organised by the British Banking Association. Nomura declined to comment. Allie Renison, head of EU and trade policy at the Institute of Directors, said that whatever the reason that meetings have not taken place this year, she expects the Government to get dates in the diary shortly after the General Election. "Japanese financial firms have a big footprint in London, and we would expect ministers from all relevant departments, including the Department for Exiting the EU and the Department for International Trade, to seek their views on maintaining and indeed boosting our business links with the world's third largest economy," she said. The new face of Sinn Fein politics is convinced he can end decades of unionist domination in North Belfast. John Finucane, whose solicitor father Pat was murdered by loyalist paramilitaries in one of the most infamous cases of the Troubles, believes the republican party can take the seat for the first time and cause "quite a ripple right across Ireland." But the DUP's Nigel Dodds, whose own family was attacked by IRA gunmen in 1996, says Mr Finucane may be a new candidate but claims he follows the same "extreme republican ideology". Mr Dodds - who has held the seat since 2001 - also attacked the republican party's abstentionist policy. While running candidates in general elections Sinn Fein have always refused to take their seats at Westminster, but still insist their voice will be heard, especially during Brexit negotiations. Mr Dodds says it would be a "tragedy" to leave North Belfast voiceless in Westminster. Situated on the shores of Belfast Lough, the constituency includes some of the most divided and deprived communities in Northern Ireland where sectarian tensions between the Protestant loyalist and Catholic nationalists are high. Nationalist Ardoyne has been hit by almost annual scenes of rioting following contentious Twelfth of July Orange Order parades. "The main thing about North Belfast, it wants, needs and deserves a voice to speak up for them, to stand up for them, especially at a time when Stormont is not working," says Mr Dodds. "To leave North Belfast completely voiceless and unrepresented would be a tragedy for everybody. Expand Expand Previous Next Close Sinn Fein's Northern Ireland leader Michelle O'Neill held a press conference with candidates Mairtin O Muilleoir, John Finucane and Paul Maskey Sinn Fein MLA Gerry Kelly (right) congratulates John Finucane, son of murdered solicitor Pat Finucane, after he was announced as the party's candidate for North Belfast in the upcoming Westminster election, at an election convention in Belfast. PA PA / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Sinn Fein's Northern Ireland leader Michelle O'Neill held a press conference with candidates Mairtin O Muilleoir, John Finucane and Paul Maskey "I don't contemplate for a minute that Sinn Fein will win the seat," he adds. Mr Dodds believes that all Sinn Fein candidates "follow the same extreme republican ideology of Gerry Adams". "The candidate in North Belfast was nominated by (former IRA prisoner) Gerry Kelly. They don't offer anything different to what Sinn Fein has offered in the past which is boycott, negativity, abstention. "If you want a positive vision for Northern Ireland in the UK and someone standing up for North Belfast then you have to vote for me." Traditionally, North Belfast has been a safe unionist seat since Cecil Walker won it in 1983 but demographics have changed and according to the 2011 Census Catholics are now in the majority. The result of the recent Stormont election - where Sinn Fein came within one seat of being level with the DUP - has emboldened the republican party. Mr Finucane said he would not be running if he did not believe he could win. "The gap is getting a lot smaller. There is a degree of energy and confidence in progressive politics. "I have even had feedback from police officers who have contacted me to congratulate me in what I am doing, wishing me all the best. "Not a lot of people would have thought that was possible a few years ago. I'm chuffed at that. People from different strands of society are showing there is an appetite for progressive, equal politics," says Mr Finucane. The Belfast solicitor accused the DUP of equating abstentionism "with complete inactivity and irrelevance". "With respect, I think the MPs from here who have been in the chamber have been as close to irrelevant as you can get. "In relation to Brexit, with regards here, we (Sinn Fein) are going for special designated status. We are not going to get that by talking to Theresa May whether that is in the chamber or outside. "The only way we are going to get any progress on this is by engaging the way we have been engaging which is directly with the Irish government and other member states," he says. Mr Finucane is certain that the only party able to unsit an MP is Sinn Fein. "If you vote SDLP in this election you are enabling Nigel Dodds to potentially go back to Westminster. You are talking about an MP who is in the chamber and actively campaigning for Brexit," he says "There is a unique opportunity at the minute that North Belfast can send a very clear message and cause quite a ripple right across Ireland," adds Mr Finucane. Mr Finucane was the party's surprise choice rather than party veteran and former IRA prisoner Gerry Kelly. Dr Jonny Byrne from the school of criminology and politics at Ulster University said his selection is seen as an attempt by Sinn Fein to reach out to new voters. "It is a change in the status quo where we are moving away from the traditional Kelly versus Dodds. It is a fundamental shift in what we are used to. "Sinn Fein believe after the assembly election that North Belfast is a winnable seat and have decided to throw significant resources into the campaign in the constituency," Dr Byrne says. He adds: "Finucane ticks all the right boxes - he is young, professional, he has the name recognition, he is a new generation of Sinn Fein. He is fresh and energised and is offering something different. It is definitely a constituency to watch. " The Ulster Unionists are not running a candidate in the constituency giving the DUP a free run for the unionist vote. The SDLP rejected a call by Sinn Fein to stand aside in the constituency and has selected the party press officer, Martin McAuley, as the North Belfast candidate. While the SDLP has insisted Mr McAuley is not a "token" candidate, the way seems clear for a straight battle between the two political heavyweights, Dodds and Finucane. Mr McAuley said: "The choice here is simple. "An MP who has betrayed the will of his constituents, an MP who won't turn up to take on Theresa May or an SDLP MP who will take a stand and take this seat to oppose the Tories at every turn." Candidates standing in Belfast North: Nigel Dodds (DUP) John Finucane (Sinn Fein) Martin McAuley (SDLP) Sam Nelson (Alliance) Malachai George O'Hara (Green Party) Gemma Weir (The Workers Party). A councillor has been suspended after a tweet apparently sent from his account during Eurovision referred to Irish "gypsies". The message, which appeared on Nick Harrington's account during the song contest on Saturday night, was criticised as "appalling". Screenshots of the tweet, which were posted online by people criticising the councillor, read: "#Eurovision2017 thanks Ireland. You can keep your f***** gypsies! Hard border coming folks!" The content appears to be a reference to Ireland having given the UK no points in the jury voting round, and implies there will be hard border controls between Northern Ireland and the Republic after Brexit. Councillor Andrew Mobbs, leader of Warwick District Council, said: " I am appalled and horrified at the comments made, and this morning we suspended councillor Harrington from the Conservative group at Warwick District Council with immediate effect for six months. "There will be an investigation. "The local Conservative association has also suspended him from the party." Of the comments he added: "These are certainly not the views of the Conservative group at Warwick District Council or the Conservative party." Mr Harrington's Twitter account has been deleted. UK Eurovision entry Lucie Jones tweeted: " Oooooh Ireland. It burns!!" after votes were revealed, but later added: "Ps- the Ireland tweet was a total lad joke." A spokesman for Warwickshire Police said: "We can confirm that we are in receipt of a complaint regarding a tweet by a man in Warwickshire. "It is being investigated and inquiries are ongoing." A virus and spyware warning message on a laptop screen at a home in London, following a major cyber attack on NHS computer systems Police in Northern Ireland are working closely with government and tech agencies amid fresh warnings that the cyber attack that crippled international services are set to continue. Europol has warned that the threat "will continue to grow" as people return to work on Monday. Since Friday's breach more than 200,000 victims - including the NHS - across 150 countries have been infected by the Wanna Decryptor ransomware, also known as WannaCry. Latest advice and patches are available from the National Cyber Securty Centre The PSNI has said it has been liaising with relevant agencies "to ensure that here in Northern Ireland we are adequately briefed and prepared for the possibility of any potential similar incident." Detective Chief Inspector Douglas Grant said: "Since this attack occurred on Friday afternoon we have been working with representatives from the national government, National Crime Agency, National Cyber Security Centre and cyber security experts to put in place mechanisms to mitigate the risk to systems in Northern Ireland. "As people return to work tomorrow after the weekend, many will have unopened, potentially infected emails in their inboxes, or their systems may already be infected and are waiting to activate. It is of the utmost importance that individuals and organisations act to ensure the integrity of our local cyber networks and take appropriate action to reduce the threat posed by cyber criminals." Read More "While there is currently no suggestion that systems within Northern Ireland have been targeted, we remain conscious that we must act to ensure the integrity of cyber networks and take appropriate action to reduce the threat posed by cyber criminals. "Do not open emails from unknown sources or containing suspicious links or attachments. Ensure that all computers on your network are fully updated with the latest 'patches'. A patch is a piece of software designed to update a computer program or its supporting data, to fix or improve it. This includes fixing security vulnerabilities." Speaking to ITV's Peston on Sunday, Europol director Rob Wainwright said the attack was indiscriminate across the private and public sectors. "At the moment we are in the face of an escalating threat, the numbers are going up, I am worried about how the numbers will continue to grow when people go to work and turn their machines on Monday morning. "The latest count is over 200,000 victims in at least 150 countries. Many of those will be businesses including large corporations." Organisations across the globe, including investigators from the National Crime Agency (NCA), are now working non-stop to hunt down those responsible for the ransomware. Meanwhile health authorities are racing to upgrade security software amid fears hackers could exploit the same vulnerability with a new virus. There have been calls for an inquiry into the circumstances surrounding Friday's major incident, with the Government and NHS chiefs facing questions over their preparedness and the robustness of vital systems. Mr Wainwright explained: "We have been concerned for some time. The healthcare centres in many countries are particularly vulnerable. They are processing a lot of sensitive data." A British cyber whiz was hailed an "accidental hero" after he registered a domain name that unexpectedly stopped the spread of the virus, which exploits a vulnerability in Microsoft Windows software. The anonymous specialist, known only as MalwareTech, prevented more than 100,000 computers across the globe from being infected. On Sunday MalwareTech issued a warning that hackers could upgrade the virus to remove the kill switch. "Version 1 of WannaCrypt was stoppable but version 2.0 will likely remove the flaw. You're only safe if you patch ASAP," he wrote on Twitter. A number of hospitals in England and Scotland were forced to cancel procedures after dozens of NHS systems were brought down in Friday's attack. Medical staff reported seeing computers go down "one by one" as the attack took hold, locking machines and demanding money to release the data. Around a fifth of trusts were hit amid concerns networks were left vulnerable because they were still using outdated Windows XP software. The apparent chink in the NHS's defences led to criticism of the Government and NHS bosses, with the Liberal Democrats demanding an inquiry takes place. Speaking after a Cobra meeting on Saturday, Home Secretary Amber Rudd admitted "there's always more" that can be done to protect against viruses. She said: "If you look at who's been impacted by this virus, it's a huge variety across different industries and across international governments. "This is a virus that attacked Windows platforms. The fact is the NHS has fallen victim to this. "I don't think it's to do with that preparedness. There's always more we can all do to make sure we're secure against viruses, but I think there have already been good preparations in place by the NHS to make sure they were ready for this sort of attack." Labour's shadow health secretary, Jonathan Ashworth, in a letter to Mr Hunt, said concerns were repeatedly flagged about outdated computer systems. Speaking to Robert Peston, he demanded that the Conservatives publish the Department of Health's risk register to see how seriously they were taking IT threats. Among those affected by the virus was Nissan UK, but the car manufacturer said there had been no major impact. It is understood its plant in Sunderland is not due to have another production shift until Sunday night. Espen Barth Eide leaves the presidential palace after a meeting with Cypriot president Nicos Anastasiades in Nicosia, Cyprus (AP) Talks aimed at reunifying ethnically divided Cyprus are at risk of collapse because of a possible "international crisis", a UN envoy said amid tensions over oil and gas exploration off the island. Espen Barth Eide said "we may be looking forward to rather dramatic times" and urged everyone involved in peace talks to work to reduce tensions. He said Cypriot president Nicos Anastasiades - a Greek Cypriot - and Turkish Cypriot leader Mustafa Akinci have taken the peace process farther in two years of negotiations than any of their predecessors over decades of failed attempts. "To see that go to waste because of an international crisis would be very sad for all of us," he told reporters after a meeting with Mr Anastasiades. Earlier this week, Cyprus government spokesman Nicos Christodoulides said Turkey's "threats" to prevent oil and gas exploration off Cyprus could be designed to scuttle peace talks, while Mr Anastasiades criticised the UN envoy of bias. On Thursday, Mr Anastasiades said Cyprus' hydrocarbons search "won't be affected by whichever threats". "Nothing is changing the government's plans, which is exercising its sovereign rights inside its Exclusive Economic Zone," he told reporters. Moving forward with drilling would be best for Greek and Turkish Cypriots to get the fastest benefit from any oil and gas discoveries, he said. Cyprus was split into a breakaway Turkish Cypriot north and an internationally recognised Greek Cypriot south in 1974 when Turkey invaded following a coup by supporters of union with Greece. Turkey recognises the Turkish Cypriot declaration of independence and keeps more than 35,000 troops in the north. The country opposes what it calls a unilateral Greek Cypriot search for hydrocarbons, saying it ignores the rights of Turkish Cypriots to the island's mineral wealth. The Turkish Foreign Ministry warned in March that it would "take all necessary measures to protect its interests" in the eastern Mediterranean, as well as those of the Turkish Cypriots. A Turkish ship is currently conducting seismic surveys off Cyprus's eastern coast. French energy company Total is scheduled to drill an exploratory well off the southern coast in mid-July. The Cyprus government has dispatched a letter to the UN chief detailing how Turkey's actions are undermining peace talks, said Mr Christodoulides. AP French newly elected President Emmanuel Macron (R) is welcomed by his predecessor Francois Hollande as he arrives at the Elysee presidential Palace for the handover and inauguration ceremonies on May 14, 2017 in Paris. / AFP PHOTO / Eric FEFERBERGERIC FEFERBERG/AFP/Getty Images French newly elected President Emmanuel Macron arrives at the Elysee presidential Palace for the handover and inauguration ceremonies on May 14, 2017 in Paris. / AFP PHOTO / STEPHANE DE SAKUTINSTEPHANE DE SAKUTIN/AFP/Getty Images French newly elected President Emmanuel Macron (R) waves next to his wife with his wife Brigitte Trogneux at the Elysee presidential Palace before his formal inauguration ceremony on May 14, 2017 in Paris. / AFP PHOTO / POOL / YOAN VALATYOAN VALAT/AFP/Getty Images French newly elected President Emmanuel Macron (R) stands next to his wife with his wife Brigitte Trogneux at the Elysee presidential Palace before his formal inauguration ceremony on May 14, 2017 in Paris. / AFP PHOTO / POOL AND AFP PHOTO / Patrick KOVARIKPATRICK KOVARIK/AFP/Getty Images French newly elected President Emmanuel Macron (R) stands next to his wife with his wife Brigitte Trogneux at the Elysee presidential Palace before his formal inauguration ceremony on May 14, 2017 in Paris. / AFP PHOTO / POOL / Patrick KOVARIKPATRICK KOVARIK/AFP/Getty Images France's new president Emmanuel Macron has pledged to fortify the European Union, redesign French politics and glue together his divided nation. Mr Macron's presidency began with a visit to troops injured in overseas combat - a reminder of France's large global military presence and role in fighting extremists from Syria to Africa. He's expected to name a prime minister imminently, and to show his commitment to reviving European unity. Mr Macron takes his first presidential trip on Monday to Berlin to meet Germany's Chancellor Angela Merkel. In a lofty but lucid inaugural speech, Mr Macron vowed to lift France out of its sense of decline and lost purpose, and seize its place in the world. "The time has come for France to rise up to the occasion. The division and fractures across our society must be overcome ... because the world expects us to be strong, solid, clairvoyant." He promised to take France's responsibilities to tackle today's crises - "the migration crisis, the climate challenge, authoritarian abuse, the excesses of capitalism in the world and of course terrorism. Nothing now strikes one and spares the other. We are all interdependent. We are all neighbours." The 39-year-old is the youngest president in the country's history and the eighth president of France's Fifth Republic, which was created in 1958. A former economy minister with pro-business, pro-European views, Mr Macron is the first French president who does not originate from the country's two mainstream parties. After he was formally declared president at the Elysee Palace, 21 cannon shots were fired from across the Seine River at the Invalides monument, where Napoleon is entombed. Mr Macron later paid tribute at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier beneath the Arc de Triomphe, greeting veterans and military officers in formation beneath the imposing arch. He takes charge of a nation that, when the UK leaves the European Union in 2019, will become the EU's only member with nuclear weapons and a permanent seat on the UN Security Council. Reviving support for European unity will be among his top priorities. France is a founding member of the 28-nation EU and its third-largest economy after Germany and the UK. "We will need a more efficient Europe, a more democratic Europe, a more political Europe because it's the instrument of our power and our sovereignty, I will work on that," he said. Before the ceremony, he met for an hour with his predecessor, Francois Hollande, taking a last few minutes to discuss the most sensitive issues facing France, including the country's nuclear codes. In a visibly moving moment for both, Macron accompanied Mr Hollande to his car, shaking hands and applauding him along with the employees of the French presidency who had gathered in the palace's courtyard. The two men had known each other well. Mr Macron was Mr Hollande's former adviser, then his economy minister from 2014 to 2016, when Mr Macron quit the Socialist government to launch his own independent presidential bid. About 300 guests, officials and family members gathered in the Elysee reception hall, including Mr Macron's wife, Brigitte, wearing a lavender blue dress by French designer Nicolas Ghesquiere for Louis Vuitton. Mr Macron himself wore a dark suit from French brand Jonas and Cie, a tailor based in Paris. The new president arrived on the Champs-Elysees Avenue under a heavy rain - recalling Mr Hollande's inauguration five years ago. But unlike his predecessor, Mr Macron managed to avoid getting wet. The bad weather often associated with the former Socialist president has become a joke for the French. After his time at the tomb, Mr Macron went to shake hands with supporters along the Champs-Elysees, who were taking selfies and waving French tricolour flags, before coming back to the palace for a lunch with his family. Earlier, he and France's new first lady briefly posed for photographers at the front porch of the palace after Mr Hollande left. The couple will now live at the Elysee Palace. Mr Macron met with Paris Mayor Anne Hidalgo later on Sunday and visited the Percy military hospital in the Paris suburb of Clamart to meet with two soldiers injured during French operations in Mali last year and one wounded in Afghanistan in 2010. AP Theresa May wants to introduce new internet regulations that allow teenagers to wipe their social media history to prevent embarrassing posts coming back to haunt them. Heres what you need to know. How will it work? The Tories say that if they are returned to power in the General Election, they will give users a new entitlement to require the major social media platforms to delete all of their records from before the age of 18. Why are they doing this? Almost half of children aged between eight and 11 have handed over privacy rights to platforms with little or no understanding of what they were doing, according to a recent report by the Childrens Commissioner for England. There are concerns they could be embarrassed by their postings later in life, for example when they apply for a job. Are the Conservatives proposing any other online safeguards for young people? They say they want to work with the industry on technical changes to protect children from images of violence, pornography and other inappropriate content. Where a technical fix is not possible, mandatory safeguards will be introduced. How will it be enforced? The Conservatives say they will put in place a statutory sanctions regime giving regulators the power to fine or prosecute companies who fail in their legal duties and to order the removal of content that clearly breaches UK law. Ministers say companies operating in the UK will be obliged to comply, even if they are based overseas. What do the opposition say? 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Jem's Birding & Ringing Exploits in the Eastern Province and elsewhere in Saudi Arabia The small, palm-fringed fishing town of Palma was meant to become a symbol of Mozambique's glittering future, transformed by one of the world's largest liquefied natural gas projects. But construction has fallen far behind schedule and the town's fate is uncertain after gas prices fell and the government became engulfed in a $2bn debt scandal. Tucked between the turquoise waters of the Indian Ocean and thick tropical forests, Palma remains a sleepy village of 3,000 people, still waiting for the promised arrival of new jobs and infrastructure. The discovery of gas reserves in 2010, estimated at 180-trillion cubic feet (five trillion cubic metres) in the surrounding Rovuma Basin, was the biggest natural gas find in recent decades. Experts have predicted that Mozambique could become the world's thirdblargest exporter of liquefied natural gas (LNG) - and an African version of wealthy Qatar. Plans to exploit the reserves moved fast, and Palma's residents were soon looking for opportunities to lift themselves out of poverty in one of the world's poorest nations. "It's only through such projects that we will get proper jobs because otherwise we just depend on the sea," said 46-year-old fisherman Pedro Abuda-Nchamo. Since the discovery of the gas, the face of the town has started to change. Excavators and construction vehicles are working on the planned liquefaction plant and export facilities. A gated residential complex for the anticipated influx of skilled workers is almost ready, and the town's first shopping mall is being built. But the much-touted gas project has run into strong headwinds. Initial estimates were that the first LNG would come on stream in 2016 but now it is expected in 2023 - or later. The plunge in global gas prices has led energy companies to slow down capital expenditure. Meanwhile the government in Maputo is caught up in a debt scandal that has triggered an economic crisis unseen since the end of the southern African country's civil war in 1992. Vast secret debts News emerged last year that the government had borrowed massively - including three secret loans amounting to $2bn - between 2012 and 2014 to fund a coastal protection project. As a result, the International Monetary Fund and World Bank have suspended budgetary support. The loans, which the government is unable to repay, were taken out in anticipation of the gas windfall that remains elusive. "The government thought it would repay the loans with gas money," said Borges Nhamire, analyst with CIP, an anti-corruption non-governmental organisation. Analysts fear that Mozambique's state-owned Empresa Nacional de Hidrocarbonetos (ENH), a minority partner in the gas project, may now struggle to raise its contribution of the share capital - although ENH insists it will honour its share of the deal. Meanwhile, other players in the multi-billion-dollar gas project appear to be making investment decisions. In March Exxon announced that it was buying for $28bn, a 25% stake in Italian energy giant ENI's Mozambique gas resource. That same month another major player, US oil and natural gas company Anadarko, also said it was investing $770m in its deepwater project in Mozambique where it "expects to continue advancing" and that it has "made good progress on the legal and contractual framework". But Nhamire said it will take a "long time" for any benefits from the gas project to reach average Mozambicans. 'Blessing or curse'? The long-running conflict between the ruling Frelimo party and opposition Renamo fighters engaged in a low-key armed insurgency resurfaced in 2013, but a ceasefire in place since December has raised hopes of progress towards permanent peace. Yet the debt controversy has dented investor confidence and provoked fears that Mozambique is another African victim of the "resource curse". "It's been really a pretty serious disaster that impacted right throughout the economy," said Peter Fabricius, a consultant with the South Africa-based Institute of Security Studies. "What it does indicate is serious deficiency in governance and that is at the heart of any discussion about whether resources are going to become a blessing or a curse." For a decade until 2014, Mozambique experienced galloping growth of more than seven percent annually, fuelled by foreign capital inflows on the back of coal and natural gas discoveries. But growth has slowed by half from 6.6% in 2015 to 3.3% last year, and the central bank in April forecast "a continuation of the weakening of economic activity". "Foreign direct investment declined by 20% indicating a decline in confidence in the economy," said the World Bank in its latest country overview. For Palma residents, delays in the start of the gas project are breeding anxiety and frustration. "They promised that when the companies come we would get jobs but until now it has not happen and people are complaining," said Amade Mussa, a village leader. The government insists the Palma project is still on track and that local people will benefit even as some have to be relocated for the construction of the gas terminal. "Our priority is to take that community out of poverty," Land Minister Celso Correia told AFP. Source: AFP Already have an account? Log in here Six break and enters occurred in the Green Acres ward of Brandon between last Thursday evening and Friday morning. We need your support! Local journalism needs your support! As we navigate through unprecedented times, our journalists are working harder than ever to bring you the latest local updates to keep you safe and informed. Now, more than ever, we need your support. Starting at $4.99/month you can access your Brandon Sun online and full access to all content as it appears on our website. or call circulation directly at (204) 727-0527. Your pledge helps to ensure we provide the news that matters most to your community! Traditional black and white silver prints by prominent Finnish photographer Pentti Sammallahti. Runs through 6/24. ABOUT THE EVENT photo-eye Gallery will host an Opening for the exhibition Friday April 28th from 5 7pm, corresponding with the Railyard Arts Districts Last Friday Art Walk. Warm Regards will remain on view through June 24th, 2017. ABOUT THE ARTWORK Pentti Sammallahti is a traveler and a visual poet. Endowed with an extraordinary 15-year grant from the Finnish government Sammallahti has travelled widely from his native Scandinavia, across the Soviet Republics through Siberia, to Japan, India, Nepal, Morocco, Turkey, throughout Europe, Great Britain, and South Africa. Meticulously well-seen, Sammallahtis photographs are imbued with a sense of wonder, delight, and reverence for the world at large while reflecting on both beauty and the human condition. He focuses on the people and animals of far off places recording the relationships between them and their environment. A master craftsman, Sammallahti is always in pursuit of the perfect means to communicate his intentions by subtly toning each of his rich silver gelatin prints. Over the years, photo-eye Gallery has had the pleasure to receive Penttis prints in treasured bundles signed with "Warm Regards". ABOUT THE ARTIST Inspired by his grandmother Hildur Larsson, a newspaper photographer, and viewing Edward Steichens seminal The Family of Man at Helsinki Art Hall in 1961 Pentti Sammallahti began making images at the age of 11. At 21, Sammallahti was featured in his first solo exhibition marking the beginning of a professional career that would come to influence an entire generation of Finnish photographers. Prior to receiving the Finnish States 15-year artist grant, Sammallahti taught at the Helsinki University of Art and Design, and has released thirteen portfolios and monographs since 1979 including The Russian Way and Here Far Away. In 2003, at the opening of the Henri Cartier-Bresson Foundation in Paris, France, Pentti was named one of Cartier-Bressons 100 favorite photographers, and works by Sammallahti where exhibited from Cartier-Bressons personal collection. Penttis work can be found at the Museum of Modern Art, the Bibliotheque Nationale, Paris, France, Pushkin Museum, Moscow, Russia, among others, and he has received awards such as the Samuli Paulaharju Prize of the Finnish Literature Society, State Prizes for Photography, Uusimaa Province Art Prize, Daniel Nyblin Prize, and the Finnish Critics Association Annual. Update - 3:30pm: 200,000 victims worldwide have now been hit by the "WannaCry" cyber attack. Europol says the ransom-ware virus is now affecting users in at least 150 countries. There are fears some Irish networks may be affected - but there is only one confirmed case so far. The HSE says it is assisting a healthcare unit in County Wexford that has had files frozen by the virus - however the centre is not connected to the main HSE network. Update - 11.45am: The head of Europol has confirmed a major cyber attack has targeted 200,000 victims in at least 150 countries. The Government has been urged to increase funding for cyber security protection in light of the hacking. Europol director Rob Wainwright said the attack was indiscriminate across the private and public sectors. "At the moment we are in the face of an escalating threat, the numbers are going up, I am worried about how the numbers will continue to grow when people go to work and turn their machines on Monday morning. "The latest count is over 200,000 victims in at least 150 countries. Many of those will be businesses including large corporations." Organisations across the globe, including investigators from the National Crime Agency (NCA), are now working non-stop to hunt down those responsible for the ransomware. Russia appeared to be the hardest hit nation, with its interior and emergencies ministries and biggest bank, Sberbank, saying they were targeted. The interior ministry said on its website around 1,000 computers had been infected but it had localised the virus. Business group IBEC is advising members to take extra vigilance regarding cyber security. Its head of digital policy, Erik O'Donovan, says: "Safeguarding the resilience of our digital infrastructure and economy is a key priority for business. Ibec has previously called for adequate resourcing of the National Cyber Security Centre and the implementation of a cyber security programme. "Government provided extra funding in this regard to the Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment in Budget 2017 and in view of the increased threat we call for this funding to be increased significantly further. "Adequate cyber security infrastructure is of critical importance to all companies in Ireland and is a major consideration in securing inward investment. "The business sector invests heavily in cyber security and it is essential that the Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment has adequate resources to address the related policy issues including the implementation of the Directive on Security of Network and Information Systems." Earlier: It is feared more cases of the WANNACRY cyber attack will be uncovered in Ireland as businesses reopen tomorrow. A small HSE funded healthcare facility in Wexford has been impacted by the ransomware, but it is not connected to the health authority's network. More than 100 countries and at least 75,000 citizens have been targeted since Friday. The HSE is working to secure thousands of its devices which could take a number of days. It has taken a series of actions to reduce the risk of disruption to services, including removing access for incoming communications on the afternoon of the 13th as a way of limiting the exposure to the network. The HSE said: "Efforts will continue over the weekend and into next week to ensure that services across the public sector remain unaffected and that the private sector receives any support or information required." The National Cyber Security Centre said they are continuing to actively monitor the situation, and to engage with entities across Government and the private sector in terms of managing the response to this malware. In a statement the Department of Communications said that "The situation is still evolving, but international contacts are ongoing and more clarity is becoming available on an hourly basis as to how this malware propagates and how it can be dealt with." They said that "while a number of systems have been targeted, it appears at this point that only one active incident has arisen in Ireland. "It appears that a small Centre funded by the HSE in Wexford has been affected by the malware behind the present cyber attack," they added that "They are not actually connected to the HSE network & do not pose a broader risk." Thankfully the threat was isolated and was prevented from spreading. They said the centre was removed from the incoming email list, and the affected hardware was removed from the system. They also said that the remaining equipment has also been patched. Finally, they said that The National Cyber Security Centre is also involved, providing assistance and support as required. There are reports that a road accident in Co. Cavan has put six people in hospital. It is believed a car crashed into a fence at 5.30am this morning in Rantavan in Mullagh, Co Cavan. Eight candidates for FBI director have been interviewed at Justice Department headquarters as US President Donald Trump suggested a decision on a nominee to replace Director James Comey could be announced within days. Mr Trump was due to leave for his first overseas trip as president on Friday and told reporters it was possible he could make public his selection before he departs for the Middle East and Europe. "I think the process is going to go quickly. Almost all of them are very well known," Mr Trump said aboard the plane that took him to Lynchburg, Virginia, where he gave the commencement address at Liberty University. "They've been vetted over their lifetime essentially, but very well known, highly respected, really talented people. And that's what we want for the FBI." The president abruptly fired Mr Comey on Tuesday accusing him of being a "showboat" and "grandstander" who was not doing a good job. The firing drew a wave of criticism in large part because the FBI has been investigating whether election meddling by Russia involved people in Mr Trump's presidential campaign. Changing rationales for the firing offered by White House aides added an element of chaos to the president's action. Mr Comey's replacement requires Senate confirmation. The FBI director serves a 10-year term but can be replaced by the president. So far 14 people - lawmakers, lawyers and law enforcement officials among them - have emerged as candidates. Eight met Attorney General Jeff Sessions and his deputy, Rod Rosenstein, throughout Saturday. The first candidate to arrive for interviews was Alice Fisher, a high-ranking Justice Department official in the George W Bush administration. Also interviewed were: :: Adam Lee, special agent in charge of the FBI's office in Richmond, Virginia. :: Acting FBI Director Andrew McCabe. :: Michael J Garcia, a former prosecutor and associate judge on New York's appeals court :: Sen John Cornyn of Texas, the No. 2 Senate leader and a former Texas attorney general. :: US District Judge Henry E Hudson, a Bush appointee who struck down the centrepiece of the Obama administration's health care law in 2010. :: Frances Townsend, former Bush homeland security and counter-terrorism adviser. :: Former Rep Mike Rogers of Michigan, who was chairman of the House Intelligence Committee. An ex-FBI agent, Rogers drew the backing of the FBI Agents Association, which said his diverse background makes him the best choice. Fisher and Townsend were the only women on the list of candidates. The FBI has never had a female director. Mr Sessions has faced questions over whether his involvement in Mr Comey's firing violates his pledge to recuse himself from investigations into Russian interference in the election. Some have alleged the firing was an effort to stifle that FBI probe. AP Update - 10.40am: Emmanuel Macron has been sworn in as France's new president and immediately pledged to do everything necessary to fight terrorism. In a ceremony at the Elysee presidential palace in Paris, the 39-year-old took over the reins of power from Francois Hollande. Mr Macron, who is the youngest president in the country's history, said in his inauguration speech: "We will take all our responsibilities to provide, every time it's needed, a relevant response to big contemporary crises." He also listed "the excesses of capitalism in the world" and climate change among his future challenges. All countries in the world are "interdependent ... we are all neighbours," he said. And he announced his determination to push ahead with reforms to free up France's economy and pledged to press for a "more efficient, more democratic" European Union. Mr Macron takes charge of a nation that, when Britain leaves the European Union in 2019, will become the EU's only member with nuclear weapons and a permanent seat on the UN Security Council. His Republic on the Move movement hopes to reinvigorate French politics and win a majority of lawmakers in the June parliamentary election. Mr Hollande was loudly applauded by the employees of the French presidency as he left the palace. He shook hands with Mr Macron, who accompanied him to his car and also applauded him. The new president then posed for photographers at the front porch of the Elysee with his wife, Brigitte. Mr Macron had been Mr Hollande's top economy adviser from 2012 to 2014, then became his economy minister until last year, when he decided to quit the Socialist government and launch his independent presidential bid. Earlier: France's Emmanuel Macron has arrived for his inauguration ceremony at the Elysee presidential palace in Paris, ready to fully embark on his mission to shake up the world of French politics. His predecessor, Francois Hollande, welcomed him in the courtyard, shaking hands in front of hundreds of journalists. The two were meeting in the president's office before Mr Hollande's departure, taking a last few minutes to discuss the most sensitive issues facing France, including the country's nuclear codes. Mr Macron takes charge of a nation that, when Britain leaves the European Union in 2019, will become the EU's only member with nuclear weapons and a permanent seat on the U.N. Security Council. He will then make a speech in the Elysee reception hall in front of about 300 guests, officials and family members, including his wife Brigitte Macron. Outside the Elysee, a few dozen supporters waved French tricolor and European blue flags at the arrival of the new president. Following the ceremony and military honours at the Elysee palace, Mr Macron will go the Tomb of the Unknown soldier, at the Arc de Triomphe at the top of the Champs-Elysees Avenue, a tradition followed by all heads of states in France's modern history. He will also meet with Paris Mayor Anne Hidalgo later on Sunday. On Monday he travels to Germany to meet German Chancellor Angela Merkel in Berlin and then in the following days will have to name his prime minister and form a government. Russian President Vladimir Putin, known for his passion for the outdoors, showed off his softer side during a visit to China when he sat down to play the piano. Mr Putin is in Beijing on a state visit to discuss a 1 trillion US dollar infrastructure plan that strives to revive the ancient Silk Road. Canada's Teck Resources , Lundin Mining and HudBay Minerals are among a number of suitors that have submitted bids for BHP Billiton's Cerro Colorado copper mine in Chile, people familiar with the matter said. The Anglo-Australian miner expects the asset to fetch as much as $US800 million ($1.1 billion), they said, declining to be named. A worker at the BHP Billiton Copper mine at Escondida, Chile in this undated photo.(AP Photo/BHP Billiton, HO) ** EDITORIAL USE ONLY ** Credit:AP BHP said last Wednesday that it has started a sales process to potentially divest Cerro Colorado, without naming the potential buyers. Teck, Lundin and HudBay declined to comment. Sources have previously said Chile's Empresas Copec SA , a conglomerate looking to diversify into copper, was also interested. Online job search site Seek reached record prices last week, trading as high as $18.35 in the days after the government's budget. But chief executive Andrew Bassat said there was nothing outstanding for his company in Scott Morrison's work, describing it simply as an "interesting" and "pragmatic" budget. Seek chief executive Andrew Bassat is confident of strong profits out of a booming Chinese job market. Credit:Darrian Traynor The bump could be the market's excitement about Seek privatising Chinese job site Zhaopin from the New York Stock Exchange, which means Zhaopin can move quicker and keep more of the expected profits to itself. After privatisation Seek will own the company along with HillHouse Capital Management and FountainVest. "It feels like it is the right time to bring the business back private," Mr Bassat said. To illustrate that the Coalition has simply no clue as to what is fair and what is not, one can cite: reduction of corporate taxes in the vain pursuit of "Jobson Groath", reduction of penalty rates, increases in HECS and acceleration of repayment, defence of Centrelink's issue of phoney debt notices, inaction on Peter Costello's ridiculously over-generous capital gains tax concessions, and final abandonment of the 2014 budget's so-called "zombie measures" but with no recognition of their intrinsic unfairness. The list goes on and on from here. We can only be thankful that the Senate has rejected or modified the worst of what the Tories have wanted to inflict on us. T. J. Marks, Holt No neutral ground Recently, the churches of Canberra were asked to display banners advertising the Palm Sunday rally designed to pressure politicians to free the political prisoners incarcerated in concentration camps (at huge public expense) on Manus and Nauru and bring them to Australia. Many churches agreed to do that, but many did not. To those that refused I say this: There is no neutral ground on this issue. If you are not supporting the freeing of those prisoners then you are tacitly supporting their imprisonment, as only sustained public pressure will make the politicians change their minds. You are siding with the oppressors. What Jesus would do in this situation is, I think, abundantly clear. Keith Binns, Goulburn Here's 'good debt' Crispin Hull ("Debt changes are good", May 6, Forum p.2) suggests that an inland rail link from Brisbane to Melbourne via Parkes is "good" debt. My understanding is that Infrastructure Australia gave it a benefit cost ratio of 1.1 that is, only marginally beneficial. But the rail route would pass through a number of National Party seats. On the other hand a fast rail link Brisbane, Sydney, Canberra and Melbourne, one of the most heavily air trafficked routes in the world would have, according to the international consulting company AECOM, a benefit cost ratio of 2.3. It would also traverse a wide range of political party seats. I would classify the latter as good debt and the former as pork-barrelling! Rod Holesgrove, Canberra For the record G.T.W. Agnew (Letters May 3), Jeff Carl, Bill Deane (Letters May 4) and David J. Richards (Letters, May 5) were all wrong. The first Japanese land defeat was not Kokoda, not Milne Bay, not even Tugali. By the time Western allies joined the battle against the Japanese in World War 2, the Chinese had inflicted many defeats on the Japanese land forces. Admittedly, many of these battles were won with overwhelming numerical superiority, but even this wasn't true for all those victories. Western historians tend to ignore history of those outside the West unless it directly has Western involvement, something in a globalised world we should look to correct. Brendan Dobson, Macgregor Worth the pain TV host Stephen Fry has been quoted as saying "Why should I respect a capricious, mean-minded, stupid God who creates a world which is so full of injustice and pain?" What a load of piffle that is. Being a conscious part of this wonderful world is worth any price, even that of pain. Moreover, even a debilitating death from cancer can evoke a good which outweighs it, as the story of Connie Johnson ("Coins for a cause", May 11, p.1) shows. "I've never felt so much love in my life," she said. What price love? Life after death shows that life on earth is just the first chapter in a book, the later chapters of which can throw the first chapter into a totally new light. Reg Naulty, Hawker Naval history The recent commemoration of the Battle of the Coral Sea reminds me of a little-known fact. The turning point of the sea battle came when the Japanese invasion fleet was finally spotted after countless searches. USAAF bombers based in Townsville sank many ships which forced the Japanese fleet to retreat. Although the bomber pilots were American, many aircrew fighting under the US flag were actually Australian due to a shortage. I met one such fellow in 1986, an in-law of sorts to my wife whose father, incidentally, flew a Lancaster for RAAF 467th squadron in '44 and '45. Gerry Murphy, Braddon Debate heats up The gas debate is warming up while reserves are dwindling. It's time to embrace electricity now climate change is proven and a grid of renewables can guarantee supply - with gas from non coal seam sources (the best of many evils) injecting volts at times of low supply. All very well, except for the millions who have invested in gas appliances, believing them safer and cleaner, and who now should to be recompensed and given rebates to switch from natural gas to electricity. Matt Ford, Crookwell Paradox of school funding ACT government schools have been assessed as being "overfunded" (i.e. above the Schooling Resource Standard), so their funding is being increased. Many ACT Catholic and independent schools have been assessed as being "overfunded", so their funding is being decreased. One Sydney school charging fees around $30,000 a year has been assessed as being "needy", so its funding is being increased. Our independent school has been assessed as being "underfunded" (i.e. below the Schooling Resource Standard), yet at the same time "wealthy" (according to our SES score). Despite two government funding inquiries identifying our school as being funded unfairly (at half the rate of all our neighbouring schools serving the same local community) for the past 16 years, we now have to wait another 10 years before our school gets the same funding rate as neighbouring schools. How do we explain this mathematical logic to our students and their families? Is anyone seriously suggesting this is a fair and equitable school funding model? Maureen Hartung OAM, executive director Blue Gum Community School, Hackett, ACT Warning for banks The Turnbull government could treat the big five banks as every other business in Australia, and withdraw the guarantee of "Lender of Last Resort" provided to the banks. The banks have a unique privilege in Australia that effectively allows them to socialise their losses, that is, the taxpayers foot the bill for poor management decisions. The Greek hero Hercules was set a number of labours. The fifth labour was to clean in one day the Augean stables of the accumulated droppings of thousands of cattle, in other words, bullshit. He accomplished the task. Would Brian Hartzer (Westpac), Andrew Thorburn (NAB), Ian Narev (CBA), Shayne Elliott (ANZ) and David Murray be as hairy-chested if they confronted Hercules rather than the nine former bankers in the Turnbull ministry? The bank CEOs need to be reminded Lender of Last Resort could be withdrawn if that is what is needed to stop their advertising campaign against the levy. John Stickle, Daglish, WA Lightbulb moment Here's a thought have the relevant CEO's salary (and bonus) package inversely proportionally linked to the cost of energy to consumers. The higher the cost of energy, the lower the CEO's remuneration. Pete Howe, Evatt Policy disaster J. Halgren (Letters, May 12) thinks the xenophobic, isolationist, and borderline racist policies of Donald Trump, in the form of Marine Le Pen, are the antidote to France's militant Islam problem, and somehow draws an analogy with Britain's entry into the Second World War, ignoring the fact that such policies would likely lead to even more resentment among an already disenfranchised Muslim population and only serve to perpetuate the problem. James Allan, Narrabundah Not so far-sighted $26.1 million government funding to access Chilean telescopes. Perhaps the ANU astronomers will find us a nice cool empty planet so that when this one becomes even hotter, and even more overpopulated, we will all be able to migrate. Adrian Gibbs, Yarralumla Outdated model Another year, another budget, and the usual tsunami of conflict and commentary. What's in it for me; what's in it for us. Myopia dominates. Meanwhile we remained locked into 19th and 20th century economic thinking and policy to deal with 21st century realities and challenges. The addiction to growth remains central while the imperative of building an economic and social foundation of human well-being for all and ensuring that we do not go beyond any ecological ceilings on key planetary limits is sidelined. We need to ditch GDP, or national output, as our main and overly narrow measure of progress. We need the bigger goal of meeting the real human needs of every person within the means and limits of our life-giving planet. We need to replace the assumption of a self-contained market with the reality of an economy embedded in an ecology, society and culture. We need to replace the fantasy of "rational economic man" so central to conventional economic thinking with the complexity of social, diverse and adaptable humans. We need to understand economic systems as dynamic, contradictory and complex. We also need to acknowledge the failure of growth to clean up pollution and ecological damage and develop processes and policies that are regenerative and sustainable by design. Nothing in nature, not even the universe, grows forever. Nevertheless, today we have policies and budgets that assume we need to grow, whether or not this makes us thrive. While we really need budgets and economic policies that make us thrive, whether or not our GDP increases. Stewart Sweeney, North Adelaide, SA Trump the ticket Donald Trump is shaping up to be a strong international as well as national leader, and we could do worse than be a strong political ally of the United States. His first lady will no doubt also prove to be a valuable international asset, a la Jackie Kennedy. Claude Wiltshire, Queanbeyan, NSW Donald Trump is certainly keeping his promise to make America "grate" again (and again and again). Maureen Fisher, Hawker TO THE POINT FIGURE IT OUT NSW Liberal MP Peter Phelps said obesity had increased slightly from 5 per cent to 8 per cent over the last 20 years. Slightly? That is a 60 per cent increase. Scott Morrison raises the Medicare levy from 2 per cent to 2.5per cent. That is not a 0.5 per cent increase it is a whopping 25 per cent increase. Keith Calvert, Chapman BITING THE HAND A lot of nonsense has been written and said about Yassmin Abdel-Magied and her Anzac Day comment, when she is an insensitive ingrate who is biting the hand that is feeding her. If her intention was to generate some free publicity , than she has achieved that in spades. Shame on you Yassmin. Mario Stivala, Spence POOR RECORD One of the nation's major issues is house affordability, particularly for those seeking to enter the market. However, the press, including The Canberra Times, becomes excited when a house sale breaks a record for a suburb or an area, thereby conferring prestige which is perceived as desirable. Bruce Kennedy, Melba LABOR WRONG-FOOTED The biggest loser out of the budget is the Labor opposition. Not only have some of its policies been "borrowed" but it's now been left with the problem of redefining its raison d'etre. On pre-budget trends it clearly had a chance of winning the next election without major change; that's no longer true. Labor must now build a structure that has the goal-oriented intelligent leadership it needs to present its special vision for the country's future. Philip Telford, Tarago, NSW COMPLIANCE PROBLEM The story of Professor Laurie Brown's gambling addiction reveals that if an industry requires guidelines and codes of practice because of poor practices, it requires legislation to enforce compliance. Self-regulation does not work. Gary J. Wilson, Macgregor DEFENCE RISE ILLOGICAL With the only threats on the horizon being from "lone wolf" attacks, against which Defence is ineffectual, why must the Defence budget be raised to 2 per cent of GDP except to pay for the hare-brained, erratic behaviour of, Australia's, off-shored, Commander-in-Chief, Trump. Albert M. White, Queanbeyan Former BLF boss and green ban man Jack Mundey being carried from a protest at The Rocks in the early seventies. Credit:Robert Pearce Reg Wilding Wollongong As a Herald letter-writer I "went on strike" in solidarity with Fairfax journalists and editors. But I wish to thank Elizabeth Farrelly for another level-headed, pertinent and well-argued piece in the service of a constant greater than us all. A drone was used by a drug syndicate to keep an eye on police. Credit:Paul Rovere Meredith Williams Dee Why City's heart crushed by political and personal greed I live in Coogee. Last year my neighbour's house increased in value by $206,000, the Coogee average. He paid no tax on this amount. SYDNEY, AUSTRALIA - MAY 12: 'Former Australian of The Year' finalist Eman Sharobeem arrives at the ICAC offices where she has been giving evidence on May 12, 2017 in Sydney, Australia. (Photo by James Alcock/Fairfax Media) Credit:James Alcock In the same period, my net income was $180,000. I am now to pay tax of $89,100 on that amount, leaving me with $90,900. Is there anyone yet to grasp the enormity of this inequity? I work full time, for $89,100. My neighbour does absolutely nothing, and receives $206,000. Gerry Harvey isn't happy with Joe Aston. Credit:Ben Rushton No, it is not supply and demand ("Billion-dollar windfall for Berejiklian", May 13-14). No, it is not his better management. No, it is not free-market forces. It is a government with only one source of income forcing those who do not own homes to pay enormous sums of money to those who do own homes. The consequences to society of such an assault by its government upon a significant portion of its citizens cannot be over-estimated. Those consequences are yet to be reaped in full, but they will be. Traumatised by this deliberate stealing from the poor to give to the rich are the 32 per cent of people who rent, anyone under the age of 30 who will never own a house, the tradespeople and front-line services forced to live on the outskirts of the city, the unemployed, under-employed, the single mothers and the middle-class income earners who can barely meet their exorbitant rents. The NSW and federal governments have turned one of the great cities of the world into a merciless financial instrument, with the greed and distorted entitlement which that guarantees. The heart of this great city is being crushed underneath the weight of political and personal greed. Soon it will only be occupied by those who benefit from, and encourage, this rape and pillage of the other 32 per cent of its citizens. John Harrison Coogee Community should have a say That Inner West Council apparently sees "merit" in more complying development against which local residents and councils cannot object would indeed most likely lead to "considerable community dissatisfaction" ("Councils marshal against cookie cutters", SMH, May 13 2017). Let us perhaps start the dissatisfaction with the fact that this "merit" may have been found by the leadership of a council appointed by the state government rather than elected by the people. Who do they speak for? Then let's go to the forthcoming local government elections the state government is kindly allowing us to have in September (a year late). What will be left for councils to decide when everything it seems has been decided by the state government? No doubt developers think this is a marvellous situation, but one may wonder then who do governments govern for? Is is the developers, or is it just possible the community should have a say. Colin Hesse Marrickville Can the centre hold? Peter Hartcher raises an interesting point about populism in his analysis of Malcolm Turnbull's budget ("A budget designed to fend off Trumpism", May 13-14). If indeed the Coalition is seen as 'Labor-lite', how will that affect the major parties? Cory Bernardi has already folded his tent and set up elsewhere; will Tony Abbott, Eric Abetz and like-minded cronies be far behind? The advent of Emmanuel Macron as a centrist in France does not augur well for the Coalition. There, many conservatives have moved far to the right with Marine le Pen while here, the Pauline Hanson Party and Family First attract the more disaffected to their ranks. Interesting times, indeed. Nola Tucker Kiama The dangers of automation Reading in tandem the two articles in Saturday's Herald ("The untold story of QF72: What happens when 'psycho' automation leaves pilots powerless?'", May 13-14) and ("Massive international cyber attack hits computers across Europe, Asia and Russia" May 13-14), the next question to ask is: how safe from such attacks would be the proposed driverless trains for the North West Link and "revamped" Bankstown Line? Could the situation occur where trains loaded with passengers (or "customers") are stalled between stations in a tunnel with no way to move them? You have to wonder if automation can go too far. Bruce Stafford Tascott Sharobeem not credible Are Eman Sharobeem's incredible denials of wrongdoing, in spite of clear evidence to the contrary ("The handyman, the honeymoon and the $9000 bill", May 13-14), an example of the power of 'saving face'? If so, long live honesty and straight talking. Heather Johnson West Pennant Hills Human fetuses are not cattle I won't spend time grieving over the killing of calves, Jenny Moxham (Letters, May 13-14), provided it is done in a humane way. But we should grieve over the thousands of babies aborted every year and the subsequent pain and regret many women feel years later for having denied the baby they once carried the chance of life. Nan Howard Camden Something wrong with this picture Looking at the picture of the construction worker in ("Stamp duty windfall hits record levels as Berejiklian tackles crisis", May 13-14) I hope he has regular skin cancer check-ups. He has his broad-brimmed hat, but the singlet should be replaced by a long-sleeve cotton shirt, and don't forget the sunscreen and water. Maybe the Cancer Council and Worksafe NSW could use this as advertising on "What's wrong with this picture". Robert Pallister Punchbowl Drones should be registered As the news of pesky drones invading our privacy and nearly causing accidents ("Driver warns of drones after one hits his car", May 12) I wonder at the difficulty in solving this problem. It is 2017, isn't it? Is there nothing to link the purchase of a drone to the customer? Can there not be a simple registration, as per mobile phones? As per our pets? A visible number and a magnetic chip? Then again, MH370 is still missing, so maybe the answer is no. Diane Prior Northbridge Abuse not acceptable Henk Verhoeven (Letters, May 13-14) seems to not understand the definition of freedom of speech. Alan Joyce has a right to speak out on any issue, especially a civil rights issue that impacts negatively on him and his family. Henk also has a right to speak out an any issue but he has no right to verbally abuse, harass or intimidate women attending abortion clinics. They do not equate to the same thing and Henk should educate himself on the difference. Brendan Crotty Lorne Rules of dress sense Plastered prominently on page three of The Herald's Business section is a photo of Gerry Harvey wearing a bright blue check shirt with a red striped tie which sent shivers up my spine. ("Recession is 'fake news' says Harvey", May 13-14). Even though I've been retired from the shirt trade for over 20 years I am still very offended to see some of our top business leaders ignoring a very simple basic rule of dress sense. And that is: When wearing a fancy shirt (stripe, check or print) always wear a plain tie. If you want to wear a fancy tie you must wear a plain shirt ... much more soothing to the eye. I would have thought some of the many people in his organisation would have told him that. Morris Argy Lane Cove Abortion clinic picket abuse of freedom Just like Alan Joyce and Henk Verhoeven (Letters, May 12) I too worry about our right to freedom of speech With the right to freedom of speech we should also take on the responsibility of making sure that we express ourselves in the appropriate forum and in a dignified manner. As an atheist I have strong reservations about the teachings and practices of many organised religions. But I would have a big problem with picketing regular church, mosque or temple-goers at their place of worship. I would see such an act as provocative. Similarly, I acknowledge Mr Verhoeven's right to have a different view on abortion to me and his right to be able to express his opinion. However, his desire to picket abortion clinics and approach women who attend them is not a case for freedom of speech. It is plain and simple a desire to harass women who have likely struggled to a difficult decision and to force his narrow world view on others while they are vulnerable. The United States has called for tougher international sanctions against North Korea in the wake of its latest ballistic missile test, which Australia described as a "reckless and provocative" act that would fuel regional instability. The missile was fired from the Kusong area north-west of the capital Pyongyang early on Sunday and flew about 700 kilometres before landing in the Sea of Japan, the South Korean military said. It was the first such provocation since South Korea's new President Moon Jae-in took office last week and called for dialogue with the North. "Flagrant menace": North Korean leader Kim Jong-un Credit:KRT via AP The White House issued a sharp rebuke over the test, saying North Korea had been a "flagrant menace for far too long". "The United States maintains our ironclad commitment to stand with our allies in the face of the serious threat posed by North Korea," the Trump administration said in a statement. Three senior Queensland senators could be forced out of their seats by the next election, with momentum building for generational change that would shake up the Sunshine State's Senate ticket. Attorney-General George Brandis, veteran Ian Macdonald and relative newcomer Barry O'Sullivan's positions are all in doubt as members of the party agitate for "new blood" in a bid to broaden Queensland's talent pool and increase its numbers in future cabinets. Senators Barry O'Sullivan and Ian Macdonald. Credit:Alex Ellinghausen Fairfax Media has spoken to nearly a dozen Queensland MPs, party operatives and LNP members and while all three senators dismiss suggestions their future is under a cloud, planning has begun for what would be a seismic shift designed to inject new talent and grow the LNP's influence in the federal Coalition. "Queensland won the election for Malcolm Turnbull, for the Coalition and there needs to be more acknowledgement of that," a party source said. Acclaimed Australian designer Dion Lee staged high fashion's version of a bachelor and spinster ball on Sunday to officially launch Fashion Week Australia's Resort 2018 collections. Instead of the food dye-covered fancy dresses usually seen at B&Ss, Lee's version of the iconic country meet'n'greet featured deconstructed wide-brimmed Akubra hats in shades of black, blue and tomato sauce red along with R. M. Williams boots with Cuban heels. Models on the runway during the Mercedes-Benz Presents Dion Lee show at Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week. Credit:Getty Images Like Ikea and Balenciaga before him, the New York-based designer showcased his take on calico with what he called "laminated outerwear" for men. The oversized jackets, one even in Ikea shopping bag blue, were a highlight as were the silk tracksuits and thick terry towelling-looking throwovers for women. All perfect ensembles to take the wearer from a party in a paddock to a board meeting in the CBD. But we do need to recognise that it's valuable. It's one of the quirks of economics that looking after your own children or cleaning your own house does not contribute to gross domestic product (GDP) but paying someone else to mind your children or clean your house does. Overall, it's been estimated that unpaid care work including child minding, domestic work, caring for adults, and volunteering is worth more than half our GDP. It's not included in the GDP but that doesn't make the underlying economic value lesser. Our GDP has gone up as more women have entered the workforce, both from our direct participation in paid work, but also because of outsourcing more household tasks. It's far more common to use after-school care facilities, or employ a house cleaner than it used to be. Unpaid work that was traditionally performed by men such as handyman work, maintaining the car or mowing the lawn is also more likely to be outsourced. There are whole businesses built on this trend, such as Airtasker, TaskRabbit or Freelancer. There's also a plenty of exploitation, so I'm happy that Airtasker and Unions NSW recently reached an agreement on fair pay. Meanwhile, some tasks that used to be the basis of paid jobs have gone the other way we're now expected to pump our own petrol for free, and increasingly to scan and bag our groceries. Economists classify unpaid care work as a type of productive work called "household production". This means the products and services are consumed by a family member or the community rather than sold on the market. But unlike leisure, household production can be outsourced. In other words, you can pay someone such as a cleaner or nanny to do the work, whereas you can't pay someone else to relax on your behalf or do your hobbies. I have no qualms about outsourcing when I can afford it. We have a weekly cleaner. I've also hired a friend on maternity leave as my virtual executive assistant. I email her tasks when I think of it; anything from researching which computer keyboard to buy for my home office to ordering and wrapping suitable gifts for six- and seven-year-olds so I have a ready supply for birthday parties. There are some things about being a parent that you can't outsource, and nor would I want to. You can't pay someone else to love your children and be a constant and supportive presence in their lives. But it doesn't require a 24/7 physical presence. I happily use outsourcing to supplement our parenting efforts and ensure that my husband and I can maintain both our careers and sanity. So we pay a young woman to come to my house at 8am twice a week and walk our kids to school, we use after-school care a few afternoons a week, and we gratefully accept the help freely offered by grandparents and other relatives. Calculating the cost and benefit of paid outsourcing is a matter of individual household economics. How much does it cost versus how much you and your partner are paid? But if you're considering dropping hours of paid work in order to do unpaid work, also think about the long-term cost of reduced career progression, earning potential and lost superannuation contributions. If both parents in a couple are working, your leisure time is equally valuable, regardless of any earning disparity. I can only hope that things have changed since a 2008 article in the Journal of Marriage and Family, when researchers found that when a mixed-gender couple moves in together, the woman's time spent on housework goes up, while the man's goes down, regardless of employment status. A 2017 report from the UNSW Business School suggests it varies by education levels. The analysis, also looking at heterosexual couples, found when a woman is promoted at work, she'll do a little less housework and her partner a little more. But for less-educated couples, if a man loses his job, it results in his female partner doing more housework. That's counter-intuitive because the man has more time on his hands, and less economic power, but the explanation is that less educated women perform more of a conventional gender role to compensate for their partner's male breadwinner status being under threat. Apart from doing it all yourself, there's another alternative to outsourcing, and that's about community and shared social obligations. I'm told it used to be common for working Australians to work on the home with the equivalent of a "barn raising" your mates help you pour a slab of concrete, and in return you lay on some beer and promise to help them when it's their turn. Great for community. There are equivalents. In my 20s, my friends and I helped each other move house. Now I'm a parent, there are school working bees and fundraising events. Next on my agenda is to develop a trusted networks of parents to take turns babysitting each other's children especially in school holidays the idea being to solve child minding and play dates in one go. Loading But first, back to my snuggles and scrambled eggs. A global cyber attack that has struck computers across Europe and Asia is believed to have infected its first Australian business, the federal government says. And more local computer systems are expected to be hit. A computer screen shows an error message after Britain's National Health Service was hacked. Credit:AP/Twitter: @fendifille The attack has hit more than 75,000 computers in 99 countries. It has crippled Britain's health system with stroke victims unable to undergo urgent surgery because their scans could not be accessed and affected other businesses around the world. Kate Neville has spent much of her life worrying about severe food allergies, but the worrying eased a little after she grew out of egg and milk allergies at the age of 12. Peanut, cashew and pistachio allergies persist, but for Ms Neville, the ability to enjoy eggs and milk has opened up a world of opportunities. "I'd probably say that it doesn't really matter what you're allergic to, it will still impact your life in some way. So even just having one or two things less that you're allergic to, it's a huge relief and it definitely expands upon what you can enjoy and what you don't have to worry about," she said. Nearly two-thirds of children will outgrow their food allergy by their fourth birthday, but Australian food allergy rates are still some of the highest in the world, new research shows. Portable cement bollards should be installed at the ends of corsos and shopping malls in every major city and town, according to security experts who warn that Australia is still too vulnerable to a Nice or Westminster-style terror attack. However, local governments, which would be best placed to implement such a measure, have been largely excluded from counter-terrorism planning in Australia, it is claimed. Eighty-six people died when a truck ploughed through a Bastille Day crowd in the French resort city of Nice. Credit:AP Vehicle attacks have become the favoured method for Islamic State terrorists, with the latest issue of the terror group's magazine even advising on the specifics of the best vehicle. In March, radicalised Londoner Khalid Masood drove a car into pedestrians near the Palace of Westminster, killing four people including a police officer. More than 30 years of service, an estimated three thousand rescues, in excess of 2000 vessels recovered and more than 6000 people safely back on dry land. It was these staggering numbers that saw Brisbane Coast Guard's Allan Tennent receive the prestigious title of Queensland Volunteer of the Year for 2017 making him the first Coast Guard volunteer to be given the award. Allan Tennent has dedicated more than 30 years of his life to the Coast Guard, rising to the rank of Deputy Commodore for the South Queensland Squadron. Mr Tennent, 64, joined the Coast Guard in 1983 because he wanted to learn more about boating. "It was like a little friendly club with just a few guys doing their best back then, now it is a high-regulated organisation," he said. Former Bligh and Newman ministers have found work after politics sitting on boards, working as chief executive officers and getting gigs as consultants. Fairfax Media has looked into what the former cabinet members are doing now - but not all of them have retired from public life. Campbell Newman and Anna Bligh at a debate in 2012. Credit:Glenn Hunt Some of the former cabinet members are still in the Queensland Parliament including now Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk and Opposition Leader Tim Nicholls and others are living a life outside the spotlight. Of former premier Anna Bligh's cabinet, 11 are on a board, five are chief executives, five are still Queensland politicians and four have found work in consulting. Smoke has poured from a house in Brisbane's south on Sunday morning as fire crews battled the blaze. The house on Kiato Street in Rochedale was "well-involved" when four fire crews arrived at the scene just before 7.30am, according to a Queensland Fire Service spokeswoman. The house was "well-involved" when fire crews arrived at the scene, but it was brought under control within 30 minutes. Credit:Nine News Queensland - Twitter Firefighters had brought it under control and were dampening down hotspots just before 8am. Fire investigators had also been called to the scene. In 2016, Mr Symes travelled through Japan and Malaysia. In the same year, he quit the LNP and decided to stand for One Nation in the seat of Mansfield, against his former parliamentary colleague Ian Walker. Former premier Campbell Newman has become involved in agricultural robotics. Credit:Glenn Hunt He said he quit the LNP because he believed it had lost its way and decided to get back into politics in September 2016 after "much consideration and advice from my inner circle". While not a minister, Mr Symes was a member of the Education and Innovation Committee while in government. Lytton MP Neil Symes making his maiden speech in Parliament in 2012. He is planning to contest the next election with One Nation. Credit:Harrison Saragossi Fairfax Media has investigated where former Newman ministers are now. Campbell Newman ministers Premier Campbell Newman The former premier is the chairman of SwarmFarm Robotics, a farming robots company, a director at digital literacy company LinkSprite, a director at Arcana Capital, which helps wholesale investors invest in commercial property, and an advisory board member at Alkira Software, making websites accessible to visually impaired people. Mr Newman made an appearance at Parliament earlier in 2017 for the unveiling of his official portrait. He also recently gave a speech at the Australia-Israel Chamber of Commerce, saying robots would take backpackers' jobs. Deputy Premier, State Development, Infrastructure and Planning Minister Jeff Seeney Mr Seeney is still the member for Callide and now acts as the Leader of Opposition Business. He has announced his retirement at the next state election. Treasurer and Trade Minister Tim Nicholls Previously Mr Newman's right hand man as treasurer, Mr Nicholls is now the LNP's Opposition Leader. He is also the opposition arts and major events spokesman. Health Minister Lawrence Springborg Mr Springborg is still the member for Southern Downs but has also announced his retirement at the next state election. He is also a member of the Coal Workers' Pneumoconiosis Select Committee, chair of the Parliamentary Crime and Corruption Committee and a member of the Committee of the Legislative Assembly. Education, Training and Employment Minister John-Paul Langbroek A dentist before entering politics, Mr Langbroek is now the opposition health and ambulance services and Commonwealth Games spokesman. Police and Community Safety Minister David Gibson Mr Gibson resigned as police minister in 2012 amid claims he was caught driving unlicensed and he did not contest the 2015 election. Mr Gibson, who grew up with deaf parents, is the chairman of Deaf Services Queensland. He is also on the board of the Deafness Forum of Australia and chairs the Queensland chapter of the Australasian Study of Parliament Group. Police and Community Safety Minister Jack Dempsey Mr Dempsey briefly served as Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander and multicultural affairs minister and minister assisting the premier before becoming the police minister from April 2012, after the resignation of Mr Gibson. He lost his state seat at the 2015 election. The former member for Bundaberg worked as a real estate agent and then was elected as Bundaberg's mayor in March 2016. Attorney-General and Justice Minister Jarrod Bleijie Like several others in Mr Newman's cabinet, Mr Bleijie is still in Queensland politics. He is currently in opposition as the employment, industrial relations, skills and training and fair trading spokesman. Transport and Main Roads Minister Scott Emerson Mr Emerson is now the shadow treasurer and small business spokesman. Local Government, Community Recovery and Resilience Minister David Crisafulli Mr Crisafulli lost his seat at the 2015 election and he is understood to be seeking LNP preselection for a Gold Coast seat. Housing and Public Works Minister Bruce Flegg The LNP state executive refused to support Dr Flegg's preselection for the 2015 election, choosing Christian Rowan instead, and he did not recontest his seat. He had earlier resigned as a minister in November 2012 after controversies. Dr Flegg returned to working as a GP in Brisbane. Housing and Public Works Minister Tim Mander Mr Mander became housing and public works minister in November 2012 following Dr Flegg's resignation. He is currently the opposition police, fire and emergency services and corrective services spokesman. Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry Minister John McVeigh Mr McVeigh's resignation from the Queensland Parliament in April 2016 triggered a by-election in his seat of Toowoomba South. He then went on to win the federal seat of Groom, formerly held by Queensland Resources Council chief executive Ian Macfarlane. The electorate of Groom was once held by Mr McVeigh's father, Tom, in the 1980s. Environment and Heritage Protection Minister Andrew Powell Mr Powell is still in Parliament, now in opposition. He is the LNP spokesman for transport and main roads and local government. Natural Resources and Mines Minister Andrew Cripps Mr Cripps is now the opposition natural resources and mines and northern development spokesman. Energy and Water Supply Minster Mark McArdle Once a minister in Mr Newman's cabinet, in opposition, he was the health spokesman until May 2016. Mr McArdle is now the deputy chairman of the Health, Communities, Disability Services and Domestic and Family Violence Prevention Committee. Communities, Child Safety and Disability Services Minister Tracy Davis Another former Newman government minister, Ms Davis is now the opposition education spokeswoman. Science, Information Technology, Innovation and the Arts Minister Ros Bates Ms Bates resigned as minister in 2013 following issues with her lobbyist register and poor health. Still the member for Mudgeeraba, Ms Bates is now the Opposition Communities, Women and Youth, Child Safety and the Prevention of Domestic and Family Violence, and Disability Services and Seniors spokeswoman. Science, Information Technology, Innovation and the Arts Minister Ian Walker While in government, Mr Walker took over as science minister from February 2013 until the LNP lost the January 2015 election. Now in opposition, the former solicitor is the shadow attorney-general and justice and planning spokesman. National Parks, Recreation, Sport and Racing Minister Steve Dickson Once a minister in Mr Newman's cabinet, Mr Dickson served with the LNP in opposition from 2015. In January 2017, Mr Dickson left the LNP and joined One Nation, becoming its state leader less than two weeks later. Tourism, Major Events, Small Business and the Commonwealth Games Minister Jann Stuckey Loading A senior member of Matthew Guy's frontbench has infuriated firefighters after telling Parliament that paid firefighters did not respond for the first 5 hours on Black Saturday, the nation's worst bushfire tragedy. Shadow emergency services minister Brad Battin last week spoke out against speculated plans by the Andrews government to overhaul the state's fire services and create a wholly volunteer service and a separate paid force for built-up areas. Shadow emergency services minister Brad Battin has apologised for his comments. Credit:Justin McManus "When we go back to February 2009, the minister should be able to tell us how many career firefighters were on the firefighting ground on 7 February for the first 5 hours of Black Saturday. I can tell the house that it was zero," Mr Battin told Parliament. The comments have infuriated firefighters who see the false accusations as part of an ongoing campaign by the volunteers association and the state opposition to demonise career firefighters. A Victorian youth justice centre is in lockdown after three prison officers were assaulted by detainees in a violent brawl. Police and emergency services were called to the centre following reports of a fight at the Malmsbury Juvenile Justice Centre about 2.45pm on Sunday. It is believed three prison officers were punched and kicked by inmates during the incident. A prison source said the guards required medical treatment, one for serious facial injuries, after the attack. Washington: So ferocious is the commentary on Donald Trump's sacking of FBI director James Comey the sacking itself, as much as its ham-fisted spinning by punch-drunk Trump aides that the underlying reasons for so much gnashing of teeth are lost. Think about this: the FBI is supposed to be at arm's length from the political process, so that it can get on with its job free from political interference. But in this case the politician at the centre of one of the agency's most sensitive investigations has unilaterally sacked the man who was overseeing a supposedly independent investigation. Writ large - just as in the gold lettering that spells out Trump's name on buildings around the world - are the words CONFLICT OF INTEREST. On Saturday, an editorial in The New York Times listed no less than 34 Trump offences against political propriety, principle and sensitivity, any one of which would shake the foundations of Australian politics were they perpetrated by leaders in Canberra. Washington: Former US director of National Intelligence James Clapper warned on Sunday that the nation's institutions were being undermined by President Donald Trump after his decision last week to fire FBI director James Comey. Citing Russian influence in the US election, Clapper told CNN's Jake Tapper on State of the Union that outside forces were responsible for weakening the US government. He also added that "our institutions are under assault internally." "Internally from the president?" Tapper asked. "Exactly," said Clapper. "I think the Founding Fathers, in their genius, created a system of three coequal branches of government and a built-in system of checks and balances. And I feel as though it's under assault and eroding." Pope Francis has effectively dismissed reports of continuing apparitions of the Virgin Mary at the Medjugorje shrine in southern Bosnia, saying the visions "don't have much value" even if the shrine itself has helped Catholics find God. Francis provided the first ever details about the contentious process that has been under way for years to determine whether the Catholic Church should describe the Medjugorje visions as authentic. Pope Francis addresses journalists on his flight back to Rome, following a two-day visit to Fatima, Portugal. Credit:AP He was asked to comment en route home from the Catholic shrine at Fatima, Portugal, where he commemorated the anniversary of the visions of the Madonna reported by three shepherd children 100 years ago on Saturday. Unlike Fatima, or Lourdes in France, the Medjugorje phenomenon has never been declared authentic, in part because local bishops have long cast doubt on the reliability and interests of the "seers". Bangkok: Australian Federal Police have played a key role in uncovering a syndicate streaming extreme child sex and torture to Australian paedophile predators in a $1 billion-a-year underground industry in the Philippines. A Queensland man has been arrested and other arrests in Australia are expected after authorities in the Philippines rescued three sisters aged eight, nine and 12 and an 11-year-old girl, based on information partly provided by the AFP. The mother of the sisters and two other women have been arrested and charged with human trafficking, child abuse and forcing the girls to engage in explicit sex acts. The children are being cared for in a shelter for abused children in Bacolod City, 720 kilometres south of Manila, where the offences allegedly took place. Beijing: Chinese President Xi Jinping opened his ambitious global summit to build a modern Silk Road, overland and by sea, by outlining the billions of dollars already invested and the need for international cooperation. North Korea sought to steal the limelight as 29 world leaders, including Russian President Vladimir Putin, gathered in Beijing, by firing a ballistic missile that travelled 700 kilometres before landing in waters between Japan and South Korea. Facing tightened sanctions from Beijing, Pyongyang sent its deputy trade minister Kim Yong-jae to the Belt and Road forum, despite reported protests by the United States to China that it was inappropriate. The South Korean delegation met briefly with Mr Kim at the forum to protest the missile launch. U.S. Senate candidates break records for spending in Pennsylvania Im not sure that people get persuaded by these ads, said Matthew Jordan, head of Penn State's Department of Film Production and Media Studies. 50 women who have raised the profile of sports in South Jersey To mark the 50th anniversary of Title IX, we're spotlighting 50 women who have raised the profile of sports in South Jersey. Plutonium processing tunnel collapses at Hanford nuclear facility in Washington Nuclear experts have called it an underground Chernobyl waiting to happen, and now the Hanford Nuclear Reservation 200 miles outside of Seattle has gone into lockdown after a tunnel filled with highly contaminated nuclear waste collapsed. Around 4,800 people working there were instructed to either evacuate or take cover. As the situation intensified, they were advised by a manager to secure the ventilation in their buildings and avoid eating or drinking. According to officials, a patch of ground above the tunnel collapsed. Initial reports placed the collapsed area at around 16 square feet, but this was later revised to a far more concerning 400 square feet. The tunnels were originally built during the mid-1990s to hold rail cars filled with radioactive equipment and are made out of wood and concrete. They span hundreds of feet in length and are covered by around eight feet of soil. The area of the collapse is near the junction of two such tunnels. The tunnel where the collapse occurred contains just eight rail cars, while the adjoining one holds 28 rail cars, all loaded with nuclear waste. The massive plant, which is around half the size of the state of Rhode Island, made plutonium for the U.S. arsenal of nuclear weapons for decades. It contains four-fifths of all of the spent nuclear fuel rods in the nation. A private contractor has been cleaning up the site, which contains 56 million gallons of nuclear and chemical waste in hundreds of underground tanks. Skepticism about safety of site While officials have said that there are no signs of a radiological release, the facility does contain radiological contamination and has been a cause of concern for years. The fact that robots were sent in to check the contamination on the ground and in the air is only compounding fears. You might recall that in the immediate aftermath of the Fukushima meltdown, the Japanese government told people that there was no need to worry, and look at how that turned out! Workers are now filling up the hole with soil after crews spent the night creating a gravel road to accommodate heavy equipment. It is believed that it will take around 50 truckloads of soil to stabilize the part of the tunnel in question. A misting machine has been brought in to keep dust down, but workers are donning protective suits and masks, as an extra safety precaution. There are concerns that the wind could suck some of the materials out of the tunnel and bring them out into the environment. Prior to the collapse, the tanks were leaking radioactive vapors and toxic chemicals that are being blamed for brain and lung damage as well as cancer. In March 2014, 26 plant workers were hospitalized with health problems in just a two-week period. A former truck driver at the site suffered severe injuries after coming into contact with leaked radiation there, and he says officials knew about the spill but did nothing to stop him from going there. He says that while the site has an official policy stating that workers should feel free to present their concerns to management, most are afraid of losing their jobs by speaking out. The firm that was tasked with managing the site at the time, CH2M Hill, was slapped with more than $300,000 in fines from the Department of Energy for a series of nuclear safety violations. Sources include: King5.com NaturalNews.com NaturalNews.com Independent.co.uk SeattleTimes.com Unlock 30+ premium stories daily hand-picked by our editors, across devices on browser and app. Full access to our intuitive epaper - clip, save, share articles from any device; newspaper archives from 2006. Curated newsletters on markets, personal finance, policy & politics, start-ups, technology, and more. Pick your 5 favourite companies, get a daily email with all news updates on them. 26 years of website archives. It is May 14 and the date is special because on this very date, 32 years ago, Mark Zuckerberg, Facebook's chief executive officer, was born in White Plains, New York, the United States of America. In a first for an e-commerce company, Kunal Bahl and Rohit Bansal, co-founders of online marketplace Snapdeal, are planning to give $30 million, roughly Rs 193 crore, to the existing and some former employees from their own payout once the companys sale to Flipkart is through. COLUMBUS Heather Hrouda has never been one to lean on others, whether it's at work or at home. Over the past few months, though, she has learned how to accept a helping hand. One thing that doesnt come naturally to me is having people help me. My learning experience through this whole thing is that it is OK to let other people help you. It is OK to trust other people to get things done, she said. That's just one of the lessons the 35-year-old has taken to heart after giving birth to her youngest child three months earlier than expected. Since her son Rusher was born in February, Hrouda has split her time between home life with her husband and three other children and driving to Omaha to stay with the newborn. Her schedule is packed. A recent morning had her waking up her kids at home, getting them off to school, then heading to Omaha for a few hours before coming back to Columbus in time to take her daughter to dance class. Its a back-and-forth routine she has kept for the last several weeks. During the early portion of her pregnancy, Hrouda experienced some spotting that subsided until Feb. 15, when she noticed it started again. A call was made to the emergency room at Columbus Community Hospital, where Dr. Nicholas Wulf told her to come in for a check-up. I was actually hesitant to even call. I just thought I could lay down for a while and I would be OK. If I would have done that I would have died, Hrouda said. After arriving at the hospital, getting an ultrasound and undergoing an examination, it was determined that Hrouda would be giving birth that night. Rusher was delivered at 8:38 p.m. by cesarean section and flown by medical helicopter to Childrens Hospital and Medical Center in Omaha three hours later. Hrouda experienced a lot of blood loss in surgery from complete placenta previa, a condition where the placenta was covering her cervix. She also developed a blood-clotting complication. Hrouda received 14 units of blood and was life-flighted to Methodist Womens Hospital in Omaha at 12:45 a.m. She stayed there for four days while recuperating. The first time she held her newborn son, the tiny boy was hooked up to so many machines it took three people to carefully place the 2-pound baby in her arms. Rusher was 2 weeks old at the time. Since then he has gained more than 4 pounds and could be coming home in a couple of weeks. Though he was born three months early, Rusher isnt experiencing any health problems. Hrouda has been racking up the miles to spend time with her youngest child. Sometimes the entire family, including father Russ and siblings William, 11, Levi, 10, and Faith, 7, is able to see him in the hospital. During those visits, the Hroudas wear green T-shirts with the words Rusher Squad emblazoned on the front along with an illustrated stick figure in mid-dash. Thats Rusher running through all the things he has to do, Hrouda said. The back of the shirt mentions a Bible verse from Philippians 4:13 that says, For I can do everything God asks me to with the help of Christ who gives me the strength and power. Hrouda believes God helped her family through the past few months by providing the right people at the right time, starting with Wulf, who she credits with saving her life. He wasnt her doctor during the pregnancy, but was working that evening at the hospital. There has also been support from others who have pitched in to mow their lawn, bring them meals and clean their house. The saying it takes a village to raise a family really is true because this community is the best. People we dont even know are helping us. It is just amazing, Hrouda said. Being a mom is special, but having a community that helps you be a successful mom really is what counts. She also said there was an ironic moment that made the experience come full circle. The week before giving birth, Hrouda hosted a blood drive at Dynamic Life Therapy and Wellness, where she works. That blood drive just happened to net 14 units of blood, the same amount she received after surgery. She and her husband havent given blood often, but now they're making it a point to donate knowing it could help save someones life. If people didnt donate blood I wouldnt be alive, Hrouda said. may soon be forced to display on their premises the number of cesarean deliveries conducted by them in order to be empanelled under the Central Government Scheme (CGHS). A senior CGHS official told PTI that under a new process to be completed in a month, hospitals seeking to be empanelled by CGHS, which is under the ministry of and family welfare, may have to publicly display the number of such deliveries. A new agreement between the government and hospitals will also have a provision for punitive measures -- including being dropped from the empanelled list -- if the hospitals do not fall into line. "Under the existing memorandum, we have asked all hospitals to voluntarily put out this information. However, when we launch the new empanelment process, it will be made mandatory," the senior CGHS official said. He said that with this move, the government wanted to raise awareness about cesarean deliveries and help would-be parents decide on their choice of hospital for a delivery. A c-section, or cesarean section, is the delivery of a baby through a surgical incision in the mother's abdomen and uterus. "It's a great step by the government and will help expose the unscrupulous use of this technique during child birth. Often, in hospitals, the relatives are told about fetal distress or maternal risk to force them into giving consent for a c-section. "It is true that such surgeries are way higher than expected and its a great step forward," said Dr Y K Sandhya of Sahayog, a non-profit based in Uttar Pradesh that works on women's health and rights as well as sexual health. The World Health Organization (WHO) prescribes that such deliveries should be ideally 10-15 per cent of the total number of deliveries in a country. However, 74.8 per cent of private sector deliveries are by c-section in urban Telangana, 58 per cent in Tamil Nadu, and 41 per cent in Kerala, according to a report by the Chennai-based ICMR School of Public Health. In the US, such surgeries are 20 per cent of the total births while it is 16 per cent of births in Finland and 24 per cent in the United Kingdom. The move to include such a clause comes two months after Women and Child Development (WCD) Minister Maneka Gandhi raised the issue in a letter to the Health and Family Welfare Ministry. In April, she sent another mail to the ministry, asking them to make it a mandatory provision for hospitals under CHGS. The agreement for CGHS empanelment has to be renewed every two years by hospitals. Currently, there are 1,000 and diagnostic centres which are empanelled under the CGHS across the country. "The number of such surgeries has gone through the roof and in many states it is as high as 70 per cent. Why undergo such surgery unnecessarily when there a perfectly natural way to deliver babies," Gandhi said. In February this year, a petition was started on Change.Org, an Internet advocacy platform, which appealed to both the ministries for more transparency in data regarding c-sections. "Even though serious complications were not detected, I was cut open to deliver my baby. I wanted to have a natural birth but had to undergo a c-section as it was presented to be more 'scientific, modern and risk-free'. "I was misled, manipulated, confused and my choice was overridden," the petitioner wrote, drawing Gandhi's attention. Studies show that c-sections have a higher risk of post- partum depression and lower breastfeeding rate in women and can lead to obesity and diabetes in children. A terrorist has been arrested by border guarding force SSB from Sonauli in Uttar Pradesh along the Indo-Nepal frontier. The Sashastra Seema Bal said it apprehended Naseer Ahmed (34) last evening from the Sonauli border post. The SSB is tasked to guard the 1,751 km long open border. "Ahmed was residing in Pakistan since September, 2003. He was involved in many violent attacks against civilians and security forces including an attack on a STF camp. He was sent to India by his handler for a specific mission," an SSB spokesperson said here. "Ahmed, a resident of Banihal in Ramban district of Jammu and Kashmir, was trying to sneak into India from Nepal in guise of a Kashmiri shawl and carpet vendor. "When he was asked for his identity proof by the SSB personnel at Sonauli, he was unable to produce any supporting documents," the spokesperson said. The paramilitary, based on initial interrogation of the terrorist, said Ahmed landed in Kathmandu on May 10 from Faisalabad in Pakistan via Sharjah. The SSB said Ahmed reached the Indo-Nepal border in a bus "with an intention to sneak into Indian territory and motive to carry out terrorist activities in India." "He was in touch with a handler from India, who used to deposit money, in his account, off and on. On his instructions he came to India for undertaking terrorist activities but was apprehended by the SSB," the paramilitary claimed. Citing concerns over the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor's (CPEC's) impact on its sovereignty, India on Sunday skipped the opening ceremony of China's Belt and Road Forum. (Read more) However, CPEC is not the only component of China's ambitious new Silk Road that has India worried. Navy Chief Admiral Sunil Lanba on Sunday held extensive talks with his Singaporean counterpart Lai Chung Han and explored ways to further step up maritime cooperation between the two countries. Lanma arrived in Singapore on Sunday to participate in an event on Monday to commemorate 50 years of the Singaporean Navy as well as to witness a mega exercise between the navies of the two countries. Four warships of the and long range anti- submarine warfare aircraft P-8l would be part of the exercise with the Republic of Singapore Navy (RSN). The aim of the exercise is to enhance and expand coordination between the two navies in the Indian Ocean Region. In their talks, Lanba and Lai touched upon a number of key issues concerning maritime security and deliberated on ways to boost cooperation between the two navies. Admiral Lanba will be attending the International Maritime Review (IMR) tomorrow, an event being organised by the RSN to celebrate its 50th years of establishment. The event is being attended by navy chiefs of at least 30 countries. He will also attend the International Maritime Defence Exhibition and Conference (IMDEX) 2017. "Besides attending the IMR and IMDEX 17, the visit aims to consolidate existing Maritime Cooperation initiatives as well as explore new avenues," Spokesperson Captain D K Sharma said. Indian naval ships Sahyadri and Kamorta have also arrived in Singapore to participate in the IMR and IMDEX. Defence cooperation between India and Singapore is on an upswing in the last few years. India had signed a defence cooperation agreement with Singapore in 2003, which was renewed in 2015. The and Singapore Navy are partners in the Indian Ocean Naval Symposium (IONS), a multilateral maritime cooperation forum, conceptualised and pioneered by the Indian Navy in 2008. Both the countries have been conducting the bilateral exercise 'SIMBEX' (Singapore India Maritime Bilateral Exercise) since 1994. The next edition of the exercise is scheduled to be conducted off Singapore from May 18 to 24. Warships from both the countries regularly visit each other's ports. The last visit by the Chief of the Naval Staff to Singapore was by then chief Admiral R K Dhowan in 2015. Singaporean Navy Chief Lai had last visited India in February last year. "Singapore share similar maritime challenges such as coastal security, large coastal shipping and fishing fleet, wherein both navies have opportunities to learn from each other's experiences. In addition, ground exists for cooperation on a number of issues common to both navies," said Sharma. President Pranab Mukherjee on Saturday said was still the "most acceptable ruler" of the country and hailed the late Prime Minister for her decisiveness and fearlessness. "To the people of India, she is the most acceptable ruler of a democratic country, even today," Mukherjee said at the launch of the book "India's Indira - A Centennial Tribute" during her birth centenary year. He said that Indira Gandhi's short period in political wilderness revealed her true strength. "She remained undaunted in the face of attacks and criticism. She never lost courage. If the Congress party came back into power within a short period of three years, it was because of Gandhi's hard work and determined action," said Mukherjee at the event attended by Vice President Hamid Ansari, former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and Congress Vice President Rahul Gandhi among others. "When Congress was defeated in 1977, when I met her, the first thing she told me was 'Pranab, don't get unnerved by the defeat. This is the time to act. And she acted," he said. The President, who had served as a minister in her cabinet, said that she had "waged a relentless war against communal and sectarian violence, throughout her life" while successfully rising above "divisive identities of caste, community, religion and creed and established a direct connect with people". "It was this unhindered rapport that made her acceptable from Kashmir to Kanyakumari and Mizoram to Dwarka. She had only one identity that of an Indian," said the President. He said that Indira Gandhi's life was infused with a tremendous passion for India and its people, and hailed her contributions towards the progress and development of India. About Indira Gandhi's decisiveness, Mukherjee referred to several of her bold decisions including the Operation Blue Star the 1984 military operation to remove Sikh militants from the Golden Temple in Punjab. "Sometimes history demands some action which may not prove correct later on, but perhaps is most relevant at that time," he said. "Fearlessness in action and boldness in decision making was the unique hallmark of her character," said Mukherjee who was presented the first copy of the book edited by senior Congress leader Anand Sharma. "It was in Indiraji's time that India became the third largest reservoir of skilled scientific and technical manpower, the fifth military power, the sixth member of the nuclear club, the seventh in the race for space and the tenth industrial power," he said.Gandhi was Prime Minister from 1966 to 1977 and then from 1980 to 1984 when she was assassinated. The International Court of Justice (ICJ) was last a battleground for India and Pakistan nearly 18 years ago when Islamabad sought its intervention over the shooting down of its naval aircraft. On Monday, the ICJ, which is the UN's principal judicial organ, is holding a public hearing at the Great Hall of Justice housed in the Peace Palace at The Hague in Netherlands where the two countries will be asked to present their case over the contentious Jadhav issue. India on May 8 moved a petition before the UN Body to seek justice for Kulbhushan Jadhav, 46, alleging violation of the Vienna Convention on Consular Relations by Pakistan after its 16 requests for consular access to the former naval officer was consistently denied. A Pakistani military court awarded death sentence to Jadhav last month for alleged espionage and subversive activities. Pakistan has also not responded to the request for visas applied by Jadhav's family. Jadhav was arrested on March 3 last year. The previous case related to shooting down of Pakistan's maritime reconnaissance aircraft Atlantique by the Indian Air Force(IAF) in the Kutch region on August 10, 1999, killing all 16 naval personnel on board. Pakistan claimed the plane was brought down in its air space and sought 60 million USD in damages from India for the incident. A 16-judge bench of the court on June 21, 2000 voted 14-2 to dismiss Pakistan's claim. The decision was announced by bench president Gilbert Guillaume of France at a public sitting. The verdict was final and there was no appeal. The ICJ found that it has no jurisdiction to entertain the application filed by Pakistan on September 21, 1999. Public hearings in the case titled 'Aerial incident of August 10, 1999 (Pakistan vs India)' lasted four days ending April 6, 2000. Arguments centred on the court's jurisdiction in the case which had to be determined before its merits could be considered by the 16 judges. The Atlantique case was ousted by the ICJ on the issue of jurisdiction and not on merits. Both parties had agreed that the question of jurisdiction would be decided first and only then would the issue of merits be taken up. Guillaume said the court would first have to decide whether it had the jurisdiction to go into the case as contended by New Delhi after the Indian delegation led by the then Attorney General Soli Sorabjee, raised preliminary objections to its jurisdiction. Pakistan opened the first round of oral arguments, India replying them, and then Pakistan following with its second round, with India making its response thereto. India argued that the court did not have jurisdiction in the matter, citing an exemption it had filed way back in 1974 to exclude disputes between India and other Commonwealth states, and disputes covered by multilateral treaties. Sorabjee told the court that Pakistan was "solely responsible" for the incident and Islamabad must "bear the consequences of its own acts." Pakistan's Attorney General Aziz Munshi had sought a speedy resolution, saying its application had to be concluded quickly so that it did not remain an irritant in Indo-Pak relations. Pakistan had also sought to politicise the case by referring to the Kashmir issue, the Kargil conflict, Indo-Pak relations and alleged motives for the shooting. Pakistan wanted the court to intervene while India was opposed to its assumption of jurisdiction on the basis of Islamabad's application. It urged the court to "dismiss the objections raised by India and accept its jurisdiction." India maintained that none of Pakistan's arguments is 'sound' and does not provide a basis for invoking the court's jurisdiction. Sorabjee expressed happiness with the court's verdict. "We are very happy. The court has accepted all our contentions," he had said. Former supreme court judge B P Jeevan Reddy and Pakistan's former Attorney General Syed Sharifuddin Pirzada were co-opted into the bench as ad-hoc judges. As per ICJ rules, when it does not include a judge possessing the nationality of the state party to a case, the state may appoint a person to sit as a judge ad-hoc for the purpose of the case. The court also recalled that its lack of jurisdiction does not relieve States of their obligation to settle their disputes by peaceful means. The choice of those means admittedly rests with the parties under Article 33 of the UN Charter, it said, adding, they are nonetheless under an obligation to seek such a settlement, and to do so in good faith in accordance with the Charter. As regards India and Pakistan, that obligation was restated more particularly in the Simla Accord of July 2, 1972. Moreover, the Lahore Declaration of 21 February, 1999 reiterated "the determination of both countries to implementing the Simla Agreement," it said. Accordingly, the court reminded the parties of their obligation to settle their disputes by peaceful means, and in particular the dispute arising out of the Atlantique incident in conformity with the obligations which they have undertaken. India's External Affairs Ministry while hailing the verdict especially welcomed the court's positive observations on the principles enunciated in the Simla agreement and Lahore Declaration as the basis for an Indo-Pak rapprochement. Through its comments, the court has vindicated India's stand on these landmark agreements that are the very cornerstone of India-Pakistan relations, a ministry spokesman had said. In a savage gang-rape reminiscent of the 2012 Nirbhaya incident, a young woman from Haryana's Sonepat district was abducted, brutally raped and murdered, with her head and face smashed with a blunt object and crushed under the wheels of a vehicle. Two men, including her neighbour who was stalking her, have been arrested. The distraught parents of the victim have demanded immediate death penalty for the accused. The mother of the victim said on Saturday that she wanted to kill the accused herself. Police officials said that othere men could be involved in the gruesome gangrape and murder. Congress President Sonia Gandhi has expressed "deep shock" over the rape. The incident comes days after the Supreme Court upheld the death sentence of four accused in the December 16, 2012 Nirbhaya gang-rape. The Haryana woman, aged around 23 years, went missing on May 9, as per the complaint filed by her family. Her body was found on the outskirts of Rohtak town, 70 km from capital Delhi, early on Friday. Police officials said that forensic experts have disclosed that the victim was sexually assaulted and her body was badly mutilated. Stray dogs had bitten off parts of the body. SK Dhattarwal, Head of the Department of Forensic Medicine at the Post Graduate Institute of Medical Sciences (PGIMS), Rohtak, said that the post-mortem examination of the body indicated sexual assault, mutilation of private parts and murder. Police was told that the victim's head and face were smashed with a hard object and crushed under the wheels of a vehicle. This, according to the police, was done to hide her identity. The Haryana Police have launched an investigation into the brutal gang rape and murder. The arrested men were being interrogated, a police officer told IANS. The two men arrested have been identified as Sumit and Vikas. Police said that Sumit was a neighbour of the victim in Sonepat and had been stalking her for some time. He was pressurising her to marry him but she had refused. Police officials alleged that Sumit planned the gang rape and murder to teach a lesson to the woman. Expressing deep shock and outrage over the brutal gang rape and murder, Gandhi hoped that the Haryana government would take action against the perpetrators. "This savage and bone chilling incident has shocked the conscience of the nation, reminding each one of us about the crying need of revisiting the important issue of women's safety and security," she said. A mentally unstable Nepalese woman was brutally gang raped and murdered by seven men in Rohtak district in February 2015. The accused were awarded the death penalty by a local court in December 2015. India's longest river bridge, capable of withstanding the weight of a 60-tonne battle tank, will be inaugurated in Assam close to the border with China on May 26 by Prime Minister Narendra Modi. With the inauguration of the 9.15-km-long Dhola-Sadiya bridge over the Brahmaputra river, the prime minister will kick start the celebrations of the NDA government's three years in office from this eastern-most part of Assam. The bridge is seen as an attempt by India to shore up its defence requirements along the Sino-Indian border particularly in the Northeast besides providing easy access to the people of Arunachal Pradesh and Assam with air and rail connectivity. It is 3.55 km longer than the Bandra-Worli sea link in Mumbai, making it the longest bridge in India. "The prime minister will dedicate the strategically important bridge to the nation on May 26. It will bolster the road connectivity in the Northeast as the bridge will be used by people of Assam and Arunachal Pradesh besides defence forces extensively," Assam Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal told PTI. The construction of the bridge began in 2011 at a project cost of Rs 950 crore. The design is such that the bridge can withstand the movement of military tanks. "Assam and Arunachal Pradesh have huge strategic value to the country. Since the bridge is located close to our border with China, it will help quick movement of military troops and artillery in times of conflict," Sonowal said. The bridge is located 540-km away from Assam capital Dispur and 300 km away from Arunachal Pradesh capital Itanagar. The aerial distance to the Chinese border is less than 100 km. After Kaliabhomora bridge near Tezpur, there is no bridge over the Brahmaputra for the next 375 km upstream till Dhola, where the new bridge is constructed. Currently, all the transport between the two banks of the river are being carried out through water only. The bridge, when opened for the public, will cut down the travel time between Assam and Arunachal Pradesh by as much as four hours. As there is no civilian airport in Arunachal Pradesh, this bridge will help people of the state to reach the nearest rail head in Tinsukia and the airport in Dibrugarh easily. Sonowal said the delayed works of the bridge was expedited after Modi assumed the charge in 2014. The bridge was originally scheduled to open in 2015. The BJP government in Assam will complete one year in office on May 24. The bridge is one of the key projects of the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways in the Northeast and is built in public-private partnership with a construction company. How are high potency anti-cancer drugs easily available in the market without any licence or bill, putting people's lives at risk, a special court has wondered, expressing serious concern. The issue cropped up when a pharma dealer, who did not have a licence and from whom such drugs worth over Rs 50 lakh were allegedly recovered, approached the court seeking anticipatory bail. The court said it was matter of serious concern that such drugs were freely available, while also causing loss of revenue to the state exchequer. "It is hard to believe that such toxic/high potency anti- cancer drugs can be sold or purchased freely without any license or invoices in the open market, putting the lives of citizens at risk, as also causing loss of revenue to the state exchequer," the court said. Special CBI Judge Sanjeev Aggarwal rejected the anticipatory bail plea of Abhinav Pathak, director of Abhinav Biotech Pvt Ltd in Karol Bagh area of central Delhi from whom the drug inspector had allegedly seized drugs, which were stored without the requisite licence for distribution of allopathic drugs. "Therefore, the custodial interrogation of the applicant would be required for ascertaining the fact, as to from whom and from where he had procured such huge amounts of anti- cancer drugs without any license and without any invoices, which is a matter of serious concern," the court said. The court said that prima facie an offence under the Drugs and Cosmetics Act was attracted towards the accused, which entails a maximum imprisonment of five years and a fine of Rs one lakh or three times the value of the confiscated drugs, whichever is more. The drug inspector had carried out the inspection at the pharma dealer's office on May 4. He informed the court that the value of the seized drugs was more than Rs 50 lakh and these costly medicines were used in the treatment of cancer patients. Pathak's counsel claimed that he had already applied for licence from the drug authorities and sought anticipatory bail and said he was ready to join the investigation. The prosecutor, however, opposed the bail plea. In the wake of a worldwide cyber attack using ransomware that encrypts Windows systems, cyber security experts say India might see a larger impact on safety and more computers infected when offices open on Monday morning after the weekend break. India on Sunday skipped the opening ceremony of China's Belt and Road Forum following sovereignty concerns over the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC). No Indian delegation was seen at the opening ceremony addressed by Chinese President Xi Jinping. When enquired, Indian diplomats here pointed to the statement issued by Ministry of External Affairs spokesperson Gopal Bagley last night. "...No country can accept a project that ignores its core concerns on sovereignty and territorial integrity," he said. Few Indian scholars attended the meeting. Media was not permitted into the conference hall where the opening ceremony took place. Indian scholars who took part in the meeting said no Indian delegation was spotted. The meeting, called the Belt and Road Forum (BRF), is being attended by 29 heads of state and governments, including Prime Minister of Pakistan Nawaz Sharif and his Sri Lankan counterpart Ranil Wickrmasinghe, besides official delegations from other South Asian countries. Leaders and officials from various countries, including Russia, US, Japan, UK, Germany and France, are attending the meeting. In a strongly-worded statement issued last night, India had said that the connectivity initiative must be pursued in a manner that respects sovereignty and territorial integrity. "Guided by our principled position in the matter, we have been urging China to engage in a meaningful dialogue on its connectivity initiative, 'One Belt, One Road' which was later renamed as 'Belt and Road Initiative'. We are awaiting a positive response from the Chinese side," Baglay had said in a statement. Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Edappadi K Palaniswami has sought the central government's approval for its proposed Rs 85,047-crore metro rail project at the earliest, in order to improve the mobility solutions in Chennai. The first underground stretch of the Chennai Metro Rail, for a stretch of 7.4 kilometre, was inaugurated in Chennai on Sunday. State-run ONGC Videsh Ltd expects Venezuela state oil firm Petroleos de Venezuela to pay off of $537.6 million within three years. As part of a deal signed with India last year, the Latin American major has so far paid $88 million in four instalments to the ONGC subsidiary. Chief of the Naval Staff to attend Republic of Singapore Navy (RSN) 50 International Maritime Review (IMR) Admiral Sunil Lanba, PVSM, AVSM, ADC, Chief of the Naval Staff, is on an official tour to Singapore from 15 May 2017. The Admiral will be attending the Republic of Singapore Navy (RSN) 50 International Maritime Review (IMR), commemorating 50 years of the RSN which was formed on 05 May 1967, and International Maritime Defence Exhibition and Conference (IMDEX) 2017. Besides attending the IMR and IMDEX 17, the visit aims to consolidate existing Maritime Cooperation initiatives as well as explore new avenues. Defence cooperation between India and Singapore is robust and is primarily focused towards Maritime Cooperation. India signed a Defence Cooperation Agreement in 2003, which was renewed in 2015. Indian Navy and Singapore Navy are partners in the Indian Ocean Naval Symposium (IONS), a Maritime Cooperation construct, conceptualised and pioneered by Indian Navy in 2008. Singapore Navy has stood shoulder-to-shoulder with Indian Navy to take this 21st century maritime construct forward. Both countries have been conducting the bilateral exercise SIMBEX since 1994. The next edition of the exercise is scheduled to be conducted off Singapore from 18 to 24 May 2017. Both navies also engage in Navy to Navy Staff Talks, which commenced in 2004. The 12th Staff Talks were conducted in March 2017 and the 13th Staff Talks are scheduled to be held in 2018. The Singapore Navy has participated in all the MILAN-series interactions organised at Port Blair by the Indian Navy. Warships of both countries regularly visit each others ports. The last visit by the Chief of the Naval Staff of the Indian Navy was by Admiral RK Dhowan in 2015 and the Singaporean Naval Chief Rear Admiral Lai Chung Han last visited India in Feb 2016 for the IFR 16 at Visakhapatnam. Both countries also enjoy healthy training cooperation by means of trainee and instructor exchange programmes. India - Singapore share similar maritime challenges such as coastal security, large coastal shipping and fishing fleet, wherein both navies have opportunities to learn from each others experiences. In addition, ground exists for cooperation on a number of issues common to both navies. During the visit, Admiral Sunil Lanba is scheduled to hold discussions with the Defence Minister of Singapore, the Chief of Defence Forces, Singapore and the Chief of Singaporean Navy, besides having bilateral talks with a number of Chiefs of other Navies attending the event at Singapore. _____________________________________________________________________________ DKS/AC President Donald Trump's shock dismissal of FBI chief James Comey this week not only unleashed a political firestorm in Washington it also revealed the discordant sounds emanating from his communications team. It was a complicated week for the Republican billionaire and his spokespeople one that earned him a mountain of negative press. His aides conveyed a somewhat scatter shot message, and Trump was reportedly angry. He turned to Twitter, his communications method of choice, to issue a threat the possible scrapping of the daily White House briefings. "Maybe the best thing to do would be to cancel all future 'press briefings' and hand out written responses for the sake of accuracy???" he mused, admitting that his own people were struggling to keep up with his "active" presidency. Trump then doubled down on the idea in an interview with Fox News, saying: "We just don't have them, unless I have them every two weeks and I do them myself. We don't have them. I think it's a good idea." "You have a level of hostility that's incredible and it's very unfair," he told the network in an interview to air in full today. But Trump's critics said the hiccups in his media operation were his own fault, and questioned his willingness to impugn the credibility of his own team members, who the president said could not "stand at podium with perfect accuracy." "He needs to empower his people and spokespeople to understand what's happening and be okay to legally communicate it to the world," Josh Earnest, the former spokesman for Trump's predecessor Barack Obama, told MSNBC. "That is a flaw at the top." Former White House communications director Jen Psaki said the week's events had raised questions about whether Trump's spokespeople "are prepared, and whether credibility and honesty are valued." "That is troubling not just in the United States but around the world," Psaki, also a former State Department spokeswoman, told AFP. Once the bombshell news of Comey's firing broke late Tuesday, the White House was at pains to explain it and its series of contradictory statements were quickly ridiculed. Officials first said Comey had been dismissed over his handling of the investigation into Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton's use of private email while at the State Department. Vice President Mike Pence said the move, which followed the recommendation of Attorney General Jeff Sessions and his deputy, was the "right decision at the right time." But Trump himself later made an about-face, admitting the decision was based at least partly on the fact that Comey was leading a probe into Russia's alleged interference in the 2016 election and the Trump circle's possible collusion with Moscow a notion the president says was "fabricated" by Democrats. He then went a step farther, warning Comey not to speak to the press about their meetings and suggesting there could be "tapes" of their private conversations in the Oval Office. The embattled White House spokesman Sean Spicer who had been off for a few days on Naval Reserve duty returned to the podium Friday, where he faced a grilling from reporters. On whether Trump was surreptitiously recording Oval Office meetings, Spicer said he had "nothing further to add on that." As for the tweet to Comey, Spicer said: "That's not a threat. He simply stated a fact. The tweet speaks for itself." But the spokesman admitted he and his staff sometimes "don't have an opportunity to get in to see him to get his full thinking." Earnest said that situation was untenable, and not Spicer's fault. "There are days when Sean Spicer can't get into the Oval Office before he does the briefing," said Earnest, who served as Obama's primary spokesman for three years. "That's not Sean's fault. That's the fault of the president of the United States." Trump defended his surrogates in the interview with Fox News, calling Spicer a "wonderful human being" and deputy spokeswoman Sarah Huckabee Sanders a "lovely young woman." The president has so far dismissed the notion that Spicer could be fired, lamenting that "he gets beat up" by the press corps. But it is not only at the White House that Trump has communications problems. At the State Department, regular daily briefings -- which are as closely followed by the diplomatic corps as the White House press conferences -- have not resumed since late January, save for a few exceptions in March. However, for both Earnest and Psaki, the moment of truth will come when a national security crisis erupts. "When there is a general national security crisis when the world is tuning in to the White House briefing wondering what the president thinks about it, and there may be a spokesperson standing behind the podium that hasn't spoken to the president that day, that's going to be a problem," Earnest said. Psaki added: "When that moment comes, the public and the global community will be looking to the president, the vice president and the White House to speak with one voice. Halfway through her second eight-hour day of looking at art in the Venice Biennale, Maria Giulia Maramotti took a break outside the Punta Della Dogana, an exhibition space on the Grand Canal. President Donald Trump said today that he could name a new director by next week before he leaves on his first foreign trip since taking office. "Even that is possible," he told reporters when asked whether he could announce his nominee by Friday, when he is scheduled to leave for the Mideast and Europe. "I think the process is going to go quickly. Almost all of them are very well known," Trump said while flying to Lynchburg, Virginia, where he gave the commencement address at Liberty University. "They've been vetted over their lifetime essentially, but very well known, highly respected, really talented people. And that's what we want for the FBI," he said. According to media reports, the Trump administration is considering four candidates to replace fired Director James Comey. They are acting Director James McCabe, Senate Majority Whip John Cornyn, a former assistant attorney general Alice Fisher and Judge Michael J Garcia of the New York Court of Appeals. The Trump administration is looking to fill the job, which requires Senate confirmation, after Trump abruptly fired FBI Director James Comey on Tuesday. Hackers are discovering that it is far more profitable to hold your data hostage than it is to steal it. President laid the framework for Chinese-style globalisation and his ambition to lead it during a speech inaugurating his cornerstone diplomatic trade initiative for a new Silk Road. A lot of the opinion on public sector bank (PSB) stocks of late has been skewed towards why they dont make sense for investors. But, recent data points suggest fund managers may have disregarded this opinion. A 15-year-old Afghan boy was allegedly killed by a flat-owner in Karachi's Karimabad area on Sunday after he demanded Rs 25 for cleaning the flat's staircase. Ayaz Malik, the resident of old Karimabad, opened fire on the boy, Noor Agha, after the latter asked to be paid for the service, the Dawn quoted Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Karachi Central as saying. Azizabad SHO Jamal Leghari said that the victim was an Afghan scavenger who, along with his brother and others - all residents of Machar Colony of Sohrab Goth - tended to collect garbage from the localities in Karimabad in return of a few rupees per family. The suspect managed to escape. Meanwhile, the police have registered a case. The incident comes days after a woman in Pakistan's Punjab chopped off a 13-year-old boy's right hand with a fodder cutting machine for demanding his salary of Rs 3000. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Ousted AIADMK leader T T V Dinakaran and his aide Mallikarjuna will be produced before a Delhi court on Monday after expiry of their judicial custody. On May 1, Dinakaran and Mallikarjuna were sent to the judicial custody till May 15. The Delhi Crime Branch earlier recovered Dinakaran's five bank accounts from Chennai, through which transactions of huge amount were carried out, after which the police sought for further remand of the ousted AIADMK leader. As per sources, most of the amounts were paid to a Hawala Operator. Dinakaran's Chartered Accountant was also called by the crime branch for questioning in the matter. The crime branch officials also recovered mobile phone of alleged middleman Sukesh Chandrashekhar from Chennai and also found the details of communication between Chandrashekhar and Dinakaran. Earlier on Friday, a Delhi Court sent Chandrashekhar to judicial custody till May 12. Dinakaran had reportedly, through Chandrashekhar, sought the 'Two Leaves' symbol of the AIADMK by allegedly trying to bribe an Election Commission official. The Crime Branch recovered approximately Rs. 1.3 crore and two luxury cars, a BMW and a Mercedes from Chandrashekhar. Chandrasekhar was picked up from the Hyatt hotel and was produced at the residence of Special Judge Poonam Chaudhry, who allowed the Delhi Police's plea to interrogate the accused for eight days. During his third day of interrogation by the Crime Branch of the Delhi Police yesterday, Dinakaran finally accepted that he met Chandrashekhar, the man alleged to be the middleman in his bribery dealing with the Election Commission. Dinakaran, sources said, initially refused to have known Chandrashekhar. He later accepted meeting him when Chandrashekhar himself gave the details of his meeting with the former. At least two District Reserve Group (DRG) personnel were injured after an encounter broke out between security forces and Naxals in Bijapur on Sunday. The encounter took place at 10 a.m. in Timarpur jungles under Bijapur District in Chhattisgarh between Naxals and a joint team of 204 Cobra (CRPF) and DRG (Chhattisgarh Police). As per information, the injured jawans are being evacuated by helicopters. Search operation is currently underway. More details are awaited. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) can lead to regional rivalry between China and India in South East Asia and the Persian Gulf, which could further destabilize these regions, said Dr. Robert Darius, a former Adjunct Professor of Behavioral and Social Sciences and former Military Historian. "CPEC will further reduce Western influence in both South East Asia and the Middle East and will be a permanent gateway to these regions for China s economic power," he said. Dairus alleged that Pakistan is practicing a near genocide in Balochistan and would increase these actions for CPEC projects. He said human rights violations in Balochistan will increase as a result of CPEC. Asserting that the indigenous Baloch people deserve a better life as they seek their freedom from Pakistan's bondage and Punjabi domination, Dairus said that he has empathy for the Baloch people as his father himself was a Baloch and was killed in 1951 during the elections in Sistan and Balochistan. He said India has a moral duty as the most populous democracy in the to save the Baloch people from Punjabi bondage. "Democracies must forge greater ties in the Indian Ocean area! India can play a larger role in supporting freedom and human rights," he said. Dairus said that Pakistan will fail as they are practicing near genocide against Baloch and Sindhi and other minorities. "Minorities are human beings and want to live in peace and grow and prosper like the majorit. Human rights is a vital issue and must be supported by a democracies," he said. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Baloch Diaspora France President Ali Akbar Mengal has said the China Pakistan Economic Project (CPEC), an initiative under the One Road, One Belt project that seeks to connect Pakistan's Gwadar port to Chinese Xinjiang Province, would continue to face stiff resistance by the Baloch people as the project intends to only benefit the Chinese and the Punjabis in Pakistan. Describing the current phase as the fifth phase of the Baloch freedom movement, Mengal said, "Baloch will resist the CPEC, because they know very well that the project is not for the benefit of the Baloch people. The CPEC will only benefit the Chinese and Punjabis. So, we will resist it until there is last Baloch." "As the Baloch resistance gets momentum in the Gwadar port, where this major portion of this CPEC is going to be constructed, Pakistan security agencies are also strengthening their harsh policies of kill and dump Baloch," he added. Mengal further said that Pakistan security agencies have been tormenting the Blaoch people who have been raising their voice against the project. "So, as this plan of the CPEC is started by China and Pakistan in Balochistan, worst kind of human rights violations have been happening. Earlier, Pakistan government tried to create a generation gap by killing all those who are young active people between the age of 16-40 years and especially the young educated class," he said. Citing a report by the Human Rights Watch, Mengal said that more than 20,000 Baloch people went missing. Baloch people and activists have been consistently protesting against the CPEC, alleging that Pakistan is only concerned about exploiting the resources of Balochistan for Beijing and its advantage. Considered to be a part of China's One Belt, One Road initiative, the USD 51 billion CPEC will cover significant parts of Balochistan, Sindh and the Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK). (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The International Court of Justice (ICJ) will be holding public hearings in the Indian national on Monday. The International Court of Justice on May 9 put a stay on the death sentence given by Pakistan to the alleged Indian spy. The development came after India instituted proceedings against Pakistan, accusing the latter of "egregious violations of the Vienna Convention on Consular Relations" in the matter of detention and trial of Jadhav, and sought a stay on his death sentence. India earlier contended that it was not informed of Jadhav's detention until long after his arrest and that Pakistan failed to inform the accused of his rights, an official release from the ICJ said. India further said that, in violation of the Vienna Convention, the authorities of Pakistan were denying it its right of consular access to Jadhav, despite its repeated requests. It's also pointed out that India learned about the "death sentence against Jadhav from a press release." India submitted that it had information that Jadhav was "kidnapped from Iran, where he was carrying on business after retiring from the Indian Navy, and was then shown to have been arrested in Baluchistan" on March 3, 2016, and that the Indian authorities were notified of that arrest on March 25, 2016. India also asked the ICJ to declare the decision illegal being violative of international law and treaty rights and restrain Pakistan from acting in violation of the Vienna Convention and international law by giving effect to the sentence or the conviction in any manner, and directing it to release the convicted Indian National forthwith, if Pakistan is unable to annul the decision. Pakistan had claimed that Jadhav was arrested from the Baluchistan province last year. A military court sentenced him to death, alleging he was involved in espionage and anti-national activities. Pakistan also claimed that he was "a serving officer in the Indian Navy." India out rightly denied the claims, saying Jadhav was kidnapped from Iran where he was running a business, and adding he was a retired Navy officer. Pakistan has turned down 16 requests from India for consular access to Jadhav. Jadhav was sentenced to death by the Field General Court Martial (FGCM) last month for his alleged involvement in espionage and sabotage activities against Pakistan. Launching a scathing attack on Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) chief Arvind Kejriwal over the series of allegations levied on him by former party leader Kapil Mishra, Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Subramanian Swamy on Sunday asserted that Kejriwal should take a step back from the political arena. "Kejriwal is a 420. He is getting money from abroad. It is no surprise that these allegations have surfaced. All his fraudulent activities are out in the open, with many more to come," Swamy told ANI here. Alleging the AAP to be a 'deshdrohi' party, Swamy further stated that the party was established to destroy politics. Continuing his rant against the AAP and its chief, Swamy while defending Mishra's allegations on Kejriwal's involvement with Shell companies, said the latter should be arrested and interrogated by the Enforcement directorate (ED). "I have lodged a complaint with the Lieutenant Governor regarding four companies. The accounts represented by the party are not the real expenses. Surely the remainder has gone into his pocket," he further alleged, adding that President's rule may be imposed owing to the situation of the state government. In a dramatic press conference that ended with Mishra fainting, the former accused Kejriwal of corruption and warned him to resign by this evening. Addressing a press conference in New Delhi earlier in the day, Mishra said, "Arvind Kejriwal, have some shame. If you don't resign by today evening, I will drag you from your office to Tihar Jail. I'm Kapil Mishra." Mishra further alleged that for three continuous years, black money was converted into white and spent on foreign trips of the AAP leaders. "The AAP did not inform about some of its fundings which it received from fake companies," he said. Mishra further targeted Kejriwal and revealed that 16 shell companies added money worth crores in AAP's bank accounts. "These fake companies are registered in the name of AAP MLA from Moti Nagar, Shivcharan Goyal. These companies have given Rs 2 crore to Kejriwal at 12 a.m. The fund received from these companies were sent to same branch branch of Axis Bank where there were allegations of converting black money into white at the time of demonetisation," he added. The AAP has its bank account at the Krishnanagar branch of Axis Bank and all the transactions happen from there. Mishra also shared a bank cheque without a date which has already been encashed. "I file case against Arvind Kejriwal in Central Bureau of Investigation on Monday in connection with conversion of black money to white," the AAP leader said. Responding to Mishra's allegations, AAP spokesperson Raghav Chadha said, "The BJP is raising the same questions from last two years which were raised by Kapil Mishra today. I think he is mentally unstable." Speaking on the accusations of foreign visits, Chadha claimed that even before joining the party, he use to travel abroad. Echoing similar views, AAP senior leader Sanjay Singh alleged that BJP and Kapil Mishra are hand-in-glove, adding that the BJP must refute using their 'Sanghi Formula'. Condemning the language used by Mishra in his conference, another AAP leader Ashutosh said, "I invite you, Kapil Mishra to AAP's office. I will open the door and then will make Kejriwal stand infront you. If you won't drag him by the collar then I will think that there is still humanity left in you." Meanwhile, the Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) has sent a summon notice to political advisor of Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, Vaibhav Kumar in connection with water tanker scam. Last Thursday, Mishra made "serious allegations" against senior Delhi Government functionaries in relation to the water tanker scam, which is alleged to have caused a loss of an estimated Rs. 400 crore to the state exchequer, in a detailed statement to the Anti-Corruption Branch (ACB). Earlier, Mishra submitted documents related to the tanker scam to the ACB, while saying that he also apprised the agency about the misuse of the money by the Delhi Government. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Former Jammu and Kashmir chief minister Farooq Abdullah on Sunday appealed to Prime Minister Narendra Modi for a unilateral ceasefire from India like former prime minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee did during his tenure to solve the tensions on the border. "We discussed about the present situation in Jammu and Kashmir. I also told him that now it has become very important to take some major steps against the ongoing unrest in the state. It is not a problem of law and order. I urged that we have to take major steps soon to solve the problem in the state because tensions in the border are increasing day by day. I appeal for unilateral ceasefire like former prime minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee did during his tenure as India doesn't want war because it's destructive for all. India wants peace," Abdullah said. Abdullah earlier on Tuesday met Prime Minister Modi and urged him to address the Kashmir issue politically. The meeting lasted for over half-an-hour. Abdullah briefed the Prime Minister on the growing unrest in the Kashmir Valley. It was the first meeting between the two after Abdullah was elected to Parliament recently. Abdullah urged the Prime Minister not to treat the Kashmir issue as a mere law and order problem. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Pakistan Interior Minister Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan has ordered the Cyber Crime Wing of the Federal Investigation Authority (FIA) to take immediate action against those dishonouring the Pakistan Army on social media. "Ridiculing the army or its officers under the garb of freedom of expression is unacceptable," the Express Tribune quoted Khan as saying as he stated that the Constitution, while providing guarantee of freedom of expression, makes it clear that security and defence matters and relevant organisation would not be subjected to criticism and no citizen would indulge in any such activity that negatively impacts the prestige, repute and respect of the armed forces. He said targeting a disciplined and reputed organisation of the country was a serious offence and strict action should be taken against those who, intentionally or unintentionally, were committing such an offence. According to the report, the crackdown orders were issued after many social media users criticised the military establishment in its recent standoff with the civilian government over the Dawn Leak issue. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) After making its displeasure clear over Chinese flagship project 'One Belt, One Road' (OBOR) citing that the project ignores core concerns on sovereignty and territorial integrity, New Delhi officially skipped the event honoring the project in Beijing. The OBOR forum, which is scheduled to be held in Beijing from May 14 to May 16, is being attended by 29 nations, including all South Asian nations, except India, as it has not sent representatives to the event. "We are of firm belief that connectivity initiatives must be based on universally recognised international norms, good governance, rule of law, openness, transparency and equality," Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) official spokesperson Gopal Baglay said in a press conference yesterday. "Connectivity projects must be pursued in a manner that respects sovereignty and territorial integrity," he added. Baglay said India has been urging China to engage in a meaningful dialogue on its connectivity initiative. "We are awaiting a positive response from the Chinese side," he added. India has been opposed to the inclusion of the China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) under the OBOR initiative. It's reported that a part of the project passes through the Pakistan Occupied Kashmir (PoK). The USD 51 billion CPEC project is a collection of infrastructure projects currently under construction throughout Pakistan. Several infrastructure projects would be undertaken in various provinces in Pakistan, including the Gilgit-Baltistan area, which falls in the PoK. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) A magnetic bomb explosion took place in Pul-e-Sokhta area in capital Kabul on Sunday. Two employees of the water supply department were killed when a magnetic bomb was detonated targeting a vehicle of the water supply on May 13, Tolo News reported. No group has so far claimed responsibility for the explosion. Afghanistan is one of the world's largest sources of opium and the drug addicts take shelter under Pul-e- Sokhta bridge in the western part of the capital. As many as eight people were killed in an attack when a suicide bomber targeted a vehicle convoy of the coalition forces the vicinity of Macroryan area of the city on May 2. The Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS) terrorist group's offshoot in Afghanistan, ISIS Khurasan has claimed responsibility of the suicide attack. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) If reports are to be believed, McLaren and Honda are now on the verge of a split. As per Sport24, Germany's Auto Bild has made this sensational claim about the Anglo-Japanese team as their nightmare continued in Spain with a first-lap practice failure for Fernando Alonso. The Spaniard suffered an engine failure on his first lap in practice at the Spanish Grand Prix, the latest in a series of problems for Honda in 2017. It is reported that McLaren owner Mansour Ojjeh and boss Zak Brown met with Mercedes chief Toto Wolff after that disastrous session in the Mercedes motor home, where they discussed a Mercedes engine deal for 2018. "Yes, we met," Wolff confirmed, but did not divulge the details of the meeting. However, as per Auto Bild, a plan is being devised to save face for struggling Honda, who will reportedly announce a grand plan to work exclusively with Sauber in 2018 and beyond. The report also added that McLaren could however face a legal trouble following the split with Honda. There are widespread rumours that Mercedes are to assist Honda with their engine technology in an attempt to help the Japanese company catch up. "We are not doing anything for Honda. That is the current status quo," Wolff said. "So unless that situation changes, I don't want to contribute to rumours out there that I think are damaging for Honda. We'll see what happens," he added. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Baloch Women's Forum president Naela Quadri Baloch has raised questions on the leaders who are supporting and contributing to the One Belt One Road (OBOR) initiative of China. At a time when the leaders have congregated to attend the two-day ceremony One Belt One Road summit , Baloch Kurd liberation activist Naela Baloch asked "Why the world leaders are deciding about Balochistan in the name of development." Naela Baloch accused the Pakistani Army of carrying out brutal activities in Balochistan. She said thousands of women are kept in rape cells where they are confined and subjected to brutal sexual assault. She maintained that her struggle for liberation is not limited to women but extended to all quarters of Balochistan . "The Baloch lawyers, doctors and engineers are being kidnapped by the Pakistani army," she said. Stating that Pakistan is committing this genocide of the Baloch people with the full support of China as a form of "ethnic cleansing", Naela said, "The International Human Rights is silent despite the atrocities and the level of genocide going on in Balochistan by the Pakistan Army and the Pakistani establishment. " Accusing the Pakistan Army of having the licence to "kill, rape and torture Baloch people and to take out their organs to sell them", Naela has demanded that the United Nations - which has "turned blind and has closed its ears and mouth" - to wake up and listen what is going on in Balochistan. "So, the Baloch nation is going to be finished from the face of the earth and the U.N. is silent and the international community is silent, it's a very-very worrisome situation for us," she added. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Hailing China's One Belt One Road (OBOR) initiative, Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif on Sunday called Beijing a "close friend and trusted ally" of Islamabad. Sharif was addressing the plenary session of China's Belt and Road Forum (BRF) for International Cooperation in Beijing. He said OBOR signifies that geo-economics must take precedence over geo-politics, and that the centre of gravity should shift from conflict to cooperation. Sharif congratulated China for hosting the "Belt and Road Forum for International Cooperation" and for choosing a very apt theme for this Summit: "Cooperation for Common Prosperity". "This is a historic event. It will build critical pathways in the years to come for economic and financial cooperation, business-to-business collaboration, and people-to-people contacts," he said. Sharif told the gathering that Pakistan admires and commends China's vision and ingenuity in developing corridors across regions; in building supportive financial institutions such as the Silk Road Fund and the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank and in launching China Railway Express trains that construct a new bridge on the Eurasian landmass. "One Belt-One Road" is an inter-continental mega-project that integrates infrastructure, energy, trade, telecommunications, investment and industrial development. Such a broad sweep and scale of interlocking economic partnerships and investments is unprecedented in history. We stand at the cusp of a geo-economic revolution. In fact, this is the dawn of a truly new era of synergetic intercontinental cooperation," he said. Sharif added that Pakistan views the OBOR initiative as a conscious and humanistic endeavour to take humankind to a higher level of prosperity, peace and stability through connectivity and close contact. Noting that peace and development go hand in hand, Sharif added that nothing can pave the path for peace and security more than economic development achieved through regional collaboration. He added that Islamabad sees the OBOR as a powerful tool for overcoming terrorism and extremism. "Pakistan believes that the most powerful impact of OBOR will be on the lives of poor and marginalised people, who would have higher incomes, better education and more health facilities. It would help in eradicating poverty and achieving Sustainable Development, leaving no one behind," he said. Asserting that the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor is a core project of OBOR, Sharif emphasized that it has been rightly called its flagship because it aims to connect the neighbourhoods of East and West Asia. He said the CPEC makes Pakistan both a conduit and destination for cross-regional investment and trade. Sharif clarified that the CPEC is an economic undertaking open to all countries in the region and it has no geographical boundaries. "In implementing this Corridor, we are not striving to merely leverage geography for economic prosperity; we are also trying to build a peaceful, connected and caring neighbourhood. It is time we transcend our differences, resolve conflicts through dialogue and diplomacy, and leave a legacy of peace for future generations," "The CPEC is a project owned and nurtured by all citizens of Pakistan. It is also fully compatible with our own Vision 2025, which invests our resources in multiple corridors of regional cooperation, including energy, industry, trade and transportation. In pursuance of this vision, we are also bridging the gap between economic growth and social development by focusing on poverty alleviation, education, health, and gender mainstreaming. We would tap the full potential of our youth, who constitute more than 60 per cent of our population," he added. Sharif further said the CPEC must not be politicised and it remains open to all countries. Sharif is leading a high level delegation along with four provincial chief ministers, Finance Minister Ishaq Dar, Planning and Development Minister Ahsan Iqbal, Railways Minister Saad Rafique, Commerce Minister Khurram Dastagir and IT Minister Anushay Rehman, among others to attend the international forum to highlight the Chinese initiative of "One Belt One Road. During his six-day visit, Prime Minister Sharif is scheduled to meet several Chinese leaders. Chinese President Xi Jinping yesterday met Prime Minister Sharif and asserted that China-Pakistan relations remain a priority for Beijing. The two sides also signed several memoranda of understanding (MoU) yesterday. As many as 28 heads of state and government, over 50 leaders of international organisations, over 100 ministerial-level officials, as well as over 1,200 delegates from various countries and regions are participating in the Belt and Road Forum for International Cooperation summit. OBOR is a Chinese initiative that focuses on connectivity and cooperation among countries primarily China and the rest of Eurasia, which consists of two main components, the land-based "Silk Road Economic Belt" (SREB) and oceangoing "Maritime Silk Road" (MSR). (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas arrived on Sunday on a four-day visit to India in a bid to strengthen ties with New Delhi ahead of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's historic trip to Israel. The Palestine President arrived with a delegation for his third state visit to India, where he will hold key talks on bilateral, regional and international issues, including the peace process in the restive Middle East, according to the Foreign Ministry. On Monday, he will zip to an IT centre in Noida, a satellite city outside the Indian capital, aiming to forge greater cooperation in technology. He is also slated to make an address at New Delhi's India Islamic Cultural Centre in the evening. On the second day, he will meet with Prime Minister Modi, his Indian counterpart Pranab Mukherjee and Foreign Minister Sushma Swaraj after a ceremonial welcome at the presidential palace and lay a wreath at Mahatma Gandhi's memorial. Abbas and Prime Minister Modi will sign several deals "on cooperation in various areas", the Foreign Ministry said. "India and Palestine enjoy historically close and friendly ties," it said in a statement late on Saturday, reiterating India's "political support to the Palestinian cause". New Delhi is hosting Abbas ahead of Hindu nationalist Modi's unprecedented visit to Israel reportedly in July, the first-ever by an Indian premier, with observers calling it a balancing act by India to assuage both sides. India has traditionally voiced its support for Palestinian statehood, initially shunning diplomatic relations with the Jewish state. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Condemning the brutal shocker emerging from Rohtak, where a girl was gang-raped and her mutilated body was discovered, several political leaders on Sunday came to the fore and dubbed it as one harrowing incidents of India and demanded stern action against the perpetrators. Shakeel Ahmad, Congress leader, told ANI, "It is a pretty unfortunate incident. It is a grave matter which needs to be dealt with seriousness. This is something that both the citizens and the nation as the whole have to be ashamed of. I am hopeful that the criminals are given the much needed punishment and justice is meted out to the victim of this inhumane tragedy." Echoing similar views, Samajwadi Party expressed concern over the enhancement in the number of rape incidents occurring all across the country. Naresh Agarwal Samajwadi Party (SP), spokesperson said, " I am in awe of the fact that there is a swift enhancement in the number of rape incidents. Uttar Pradesh and Bihar have always fetched the limelight for such cases and so did Delhi few days back. It is gut-wrenching that now Haryana has also been added to the list. Something stern has to be done in order to combat this issue." "However, if Samajwadi Party would have been in power and the same case would have erupted in UP, media would have blamed it all on the poor establishment of law and order under SP regime. I hope, you get it, that it is a pan-India problem which needs immediate attention," he added. "It is harrowing and unfortunate and I ascertain that government is combating with full might to punish the perpetrators and they will not be forgiven at any cost," said Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Shahnawaz Hussain. The incident occurred on May 9 and came to light when the victim's body was found in city's IMT area. The victim had allegedly refused a marriage proposal, following which the accused reached her home a week later with his friends. A heated argument broke out which resulted in the woman slapping him. In revenge, the accused, along with his friends, allegedly raped and murdered her. The family of the victim said that on May 9, at least five to six youth abducted her from the gate of a private company. After that the accused took her to a deserted place and gang-raped her. The victim's mother said that the accused had been pressurising the woman for marriage for the past one year. The forensic reports suggested that the victim was mutilated with sharp-edged weapons. Later, the accused tried to run her over to hide her identity. "The victim was tortured and her body was mutilated after the gang-rape. She was killed after being raped involving at least seven people." "Her skull was smashed in a way which indicates that she was run over by a vehicle in order to hide her identity," the forensic team has stated. The victim was living with her mother and brother and used to work in a private medicine company. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) United States President Donald Trump has denied allegations of any type of collusion between his campaign officials and Russian operatives. In an interview to Fox News, President Donald said, "Everybody's convinced: They say there is no collusion. We have nothing to do with Russia." Emphasizing that he wants to clear the air, Trump stated, "I want to get to the bottom if Russia or anybody is trying to tamper or play with our election." The President also dismissed reports that he demanded loyalty pledge from former FBI Director James Comey at a private dinner .Trump responded saying, "No, I didn't but I think loyalty to the country, loyalty to the U.S. is important." As several candidates are being interviewed by the Department of Justice to nominate a replacement, Trump said," I want loyalty to the United States of America and want the person to do a great job." Terming Democrats as 'hypocrities', Trump said they were the ones who were upset with Comey's handling of the investigation into Hillary Clinton's emails. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The world premiere of Priyanka Chopra's Hollywood debut movie 'Baywatch' happened yesterday in Miami and the actress made sure that she rocked her red-carpet look. The 34-year-old actress took to Instagram and shared a photo of her with the remaining cast of the movie. She captioned the snap, "Congratulations! Thank you to a wonderful cast. #may25th #BeBaywatch @baywatchmovie #12daystogo." The 'Quantico' star looked stunning in a shimmery dark blue gown which had a plunging neckline and a thigh slit and completed the look with strappy black heels. In the photo, the entire cast of 'Baywatch,' including Dwayne Johnson, Zac Efron and Alexandra Daddario, posed together for the shutterbugs. Helmed by Seth Gordon, 'Baywatch' is all set to release in India on June 2. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The Rohtak gangrape victim's kin will get a financial assistance of Rs. 10.5 lakh. Sonipat Deputy Commissioner Makrand Pandurang has asserted that the kin of the brutal Rohtak gangrape case victim will be provided a financial assistance of Rs. 10.5 lakh. The Haryana welfare department has announced to provide a financial assistance of Rs. 8.5 lakh under Scheduled Caste and Scheduled Tribe (Prevention of Atrocities) Act. The remaining Rs. two lakh will be given by the Red Cross society. The post-mortem report of the victim stated that the cause of her death was due to head injury as blunt force injuries and multiple wounds were found on her skull and scalp. The report said the victim's face, tongue, eye, ears was totally distorted, which made the face totally unidentifiable. What makes the brutality every more evident, is that her oesophagus was missing and gnawing effects were seen over chest of the victim. Meanwhile, Haryana Inspector general of police (IG) Inspector General of Police informed that two accused have been arrested in connection with the case. "We cannot tell the investigation details. Two accused has been arrested till now. The investigation is underway," said IG. A case has been registered under the Indian Penal code (IPC) 376, 365, 302 against the accused. On May 9, the woman was brutally gang-raped and murdered, wherein later her mutilated body was found in an empty plot in Haryana's Rohtak. The incident came to light when the victim's body was found in city's IMT area. The victim had allegedly refused a marriage proposal, following which the accused reached her home a week later with his friends. A heated argument broke out which resulted in the woman slapping him. In revenge, the accused along with his friends allegedly raped and murdered her. The family of the victim said that on May 9, at least five to six youth abducted her from the gate of a private company. After that the accused took her to a deserted place and gang-raped her. The victim's mother said that the accused have been pressurizing the woman for marriage for the past one year. The forensic reports suggested that the victim was mutilated with sharp-edged weapons. Later, the accused tried to run her over to hide her identity. "The victim was tortured and her body was mutilated after the gang rape. She was killed after being raped involving at least seven people. Her skull was smashed in a way which indicates that she was run over by a vehicle in order to hide her identity," the forensic team has stated. The victim was living with her mother and brother and used to work in a private medicine company. The woman's parents had filed a missing complaint, based on which the police tracked her parents down. The parents were called to Rohtak to identify her body. The distraught parents have claimed that this ghastly attack was carried out by the girl's neighbour and have demanded capital punishment for the rapists. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The Supreme Court will on Monday continue its hearing on the case. Attorney General (AG) Mukul Rohatgi would argue the matter today. The Centre, earlier on May 11, told the apex court that it opposes the practice and wants to fight for women equality and gender justice. However, All India Muslim Personal Law Board (AIMPLB) counsel Kapil Sibal told the apex court that is a matter that comes under the Muslim board and therefore, in his opinion, the top court should not interfere in it. "The Central Government makes rules but in my opinion the apex court should not interfere into it," Sibal said. While hearing several pleas filed by Muslim women challenging the practice of triple talaq, the apex court observed that it would examine whether the issue is fundamental to religion or not. A five-judge bench of the apex court further observed that it would not hear polygamy issue along with the triple talaq case. Relentless debates on the validity and plausibility of this practice were instigated soon after one petitioner, Shayara Banu, challenged the Muslim personal law over instantaneous application of triple talaq (talaq-e-bidat), polygamy and nikah-halala. Supporting the stance of ending the practice of triple talaq, the Allahabad High Court had earlier asserted that the rights of any person, including Muslim women, cannot be violated in the name of 'personal law'. In December last year, the Allahabad High Court termed the Islamic practice of divorcing a woman by uttering the word "talaq" thrice "unconstitutional." The court further observed that triple talaq sanctioned under Muslim Personal Law that governs marriage, property and divorce violates the rights of Muslim women. "Triple talaq is unconstitutional. It violates the rights of Muslim women," ruled the high court, adding that no personal law board was above the Constitution. Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday said the Swachh Bharat Mission provides opportunities for a large number of social entrepreneurs to emerge. He said that India has had a tradition where successive generations take family values forward and contribute to the family by adding their capacities and capabilities. Prime Minister Modi said this while attending the 90 years celebrations of the Essel Group here today. The event was also attended by President Pranab Mukherjee. Welcoming the Prime Minister, Chairman of Essel Group Subhash Chandra thanked him for graciously accepting the invitation for this event. Prime Minister Modi explained Essel Group's recent social initiatives on themes such as water supply, power supply, Swachh Bharat and Affordable Housing. On the occasion, the Prime Minister launched two social initiatives. These includes Sarthi - a people's empowerment programme on subjects such as education, health and employment and the DSC Foundation with a corpus of Rs. 5,000 crore, to empower people in need. Prime Minister Modi recalled his earlier meetings with Nandkishore Goenka and said the family has always been open to new ideas, and has taken every challenge as an opportunity, to create a presence in a range of initiatives from 'soil to satellite'. He said that while 'Sarthi' presented a good blend of rights and duties, the DSC Foundation would help build a large number of job creators. The Prime Minister urged everyone present to work towards specific goals for what they could do for the country by 2022 - the 75th anniversary of independence. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Former Director of National Intelligence James Clapper issued a stern warning about the state of the U.S. Government stating that the U.S. institutions are "under assault' after President Donald Trump fired FBI Director James Comey last week. "I think in many ways our institutions are under assault both externally- and that's the big news here is the Russian interference in our election system -and I think as well our institutions are under assault internally ," the CNN quoted Clapper as saying. Clapper categorically stated that U.S. institutions and other branches of the federal government are under assault internally. "The founding fathers, in their genius, created a system of three co-equal branches of government and a built-in system of checks and balances," Clapper said, adding that "I feel as though that is under assault and is eroding." Democrats and several Republicans in Congress have publicly pressurized the Department of Justice to appoint a special prosecutor or establishing an independent investigative body to look into allegations of potential collusion between Russia and the Trump campaign in what the U.S. intelligence community says was Moscow's efforts to influence the U.S. election. There are reports that President Trump may appoint Judge Merrick Garland to head the FBI. United States President Donald Trump has denied allegations of any type of collusion between his campaign officials and Russian operatives. In an interview to Fox News, President Donald said, "Everybody's convinced: They say there is no collusion. We have nothing to do with Russia." Emphasizing that he wants to clear the air, Trump stated, "I want to get to the bottom if Russia or anybody is trying to tamper or play with our election." The President also dismissed reports that he demanded loyalty pledge from former FBI Director James Comey at a private dinner .Trump responded saying, "No, I didn't but I think loyalty to the country, loyalty to the U.S. is important." There are reports that President Trump may appoint Judge Merrick Garland to head the FBI. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) While delivering a keynote speech at the opening ceremony of the two-day Belt and Road summit for international cooperation, Chinese President Xi Jinping on Sunday called for joint efforts to build the OBOR into a road to peace and prosperity. Chinese Leader clarified that China has no intention to form a group detrimental to stability of the region and all countries should respect each other's sovereignty, territorial integrity , each other's development paths and each other core interests and major concerns, Xinhua News Agency quoted President Jinping as saying. Referring to the ancient Silk Road, Jinping stressed on the importance of various civilizations, including the Indus and Ganges civilizations and pledged an additional 100 billion yuan (about $14 billion) to the Silk Road fund. The Belt and Road initiative is "a project of the century" that will benefit people across the . Spanning thousands of miles and years, the ancient silk routes embody the spirit of peace and cooperation, openness and inclusiveness, mutual learning and mutual benefit, China Daily quoted Xi as saying. OBOR was proposed by Xi in 2013 and is a grand plan to connect Asia with Europe and Africa and beyond to boost interconnection and trade between Asia and the rest of the . The China development Bank and the Export-Import Bank of China will set up special lending schemes respectively worth RMB250 billion equivalent and 130 billion equivalent to support Belt and Road cooperation on infrastructure, industrial capacity and financing, China Daily quoted Xi as saying. A total of 29 foreign heads of state and government leaders are attending the forum, including Russian President Vladimir Putin and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) A 90-year-old in Uttar Pradesh's Kanpur district has sold her five goats to construct a toilet for her 120 year old mother- in-law. When everyone else is celebrating Mother's Day with bouquets and cupcakes, Chandana from Kanpur Dehat gave her mother- in- law a unique gift. Chandana can be seen as an ambassador for the Central Government's campaign to improve sanitation in rural India. She sold her five goats to generate capital to build the toilet as no government authority helped her in this cause. She said that the day her mother-in-law had gone out for defecation and fell down and broke her leg was when she decided to have a toilet built for her. Chandana's son Ram Prakash said that the village sarpanch and district authorities didn't do anything even when his mother tried seeking help from them. It was then that she decided to build the toilet by herself. Chandana facing rejection from the government authorities decided that she will take things in her own hand. Despite of being financially unstable, she gathered courage and sold her goats for this special gift for her mother-in-law. When contacted, the village sarpanch tried to shift the blame on the district authorities. He said, "We have time and again given list to the district authorities but till now not even one toilet has been constructed." The district officials appreciated Chandana's determination and they said that they will conduct an enquiry into the matter. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Former Pakistan president Asif Ali Zardari on Sunday criticized the PML-N Government for creating tense relations with Pakistan's neighbouring countries and said that Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif is following 'American foreign policy' of waging wars. "Pakistan should resolve all issues with its neighbouring countries through dialogue but Nawaz has the same thought process as the Americans when it comes to waging wars. We will not let this war happen," the Dawn quoted Zardari as saying. Addressing a public rally in Peshawar, Zardari has called on the government to resume dialogue with neighbours as peace in Afghanistan is essential for regional peace and stability. "A fire is raging in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and those governing the province are not aware of it. My party has decided to merge FATA with Khyber Pakhtunkhwa," Zardari said while addressing a gathering. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Baloch Republican Party (BRP) member from Germany, Ashraf Sherjan has advised countries joining China's the One Belt One Road (OBOR) initiative, to first consider the situation in Balochistan before taking any step further. "I would request all other countries to consider the situation of Balochistan before joining the OBOR project," Sherjan said. Asserting that the OBOR initiative is almost linked with the China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), Sherjan said the people and leaders of Balochistan have already rejected the CPEC project. He further said that the CPEC is not in the interest of people of Balochistan but only for people of Punjab province and Pakistan. "We the people of Balochistan have even rejected Pakistan and China. So, we request to the countries that are joining this OBOR initiative, we want to inform them before they take any step forward for OBOR that please considered the situation in Balochistan and see what is happening in Balochistan. Just to make China happy due to the CPEC, Pakistan is already killing the people of Balochistan," he said. Sherjan added that a slow motion of Balochistan genocide is going on just because of the CPEC. "But in between interest of China and in interest of Pakistan and for the people of Balochistan, there is no benefit and no interest in this project," he said. He asserted that Baloch leaders in exile have been protesting against the CPEC and they will continue to do so against Pakistan and China. "So, I and the Baloch nation request to countries which are joining the OBOR that they will be on the losing side. So better don't waste your time, don't waste your energy and don't waste your money on the OBOR," he said. Sherjan also appreciated India for skipping the OBOR summit in Beijing beginning today. Baloch people and activists have been consistently protesting against the CPEC, alleging that Pakistan is only concerned about exploiting the resources of Balochistan for Beijing and its advantage. Considered to be a part of China's One Belt, One Road initiative, the USD 51 billion CPEC will cover significant parts of Balochistan, Sindh and the Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK). (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Five children were killed and two others were wounded when a mortar shell struck a residential area in Laghman province of Afghanistan on Sunday, the provincial government said. "One mortar round fired by armed opponents landed in Omarzai locality in provincial capital Mehtarlam city roughly at midday. The blast killed five innocent children on the spot and injured two other kids," Xinhua news agency quoted an official as saying in a statement. The wounded were shifted to a hospital. No group has claimed responsibility for the incident so far. --IANS lok/dg (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Delhi's Anti-Corruption Branch (ACB) on Sunday sent a notice to Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal's political adviser Vibhav Patel asking him to join the investigation in the alleged Rs 400-crore water tanker scam on Wednesday. "After rebel and sacked Delhi Minister Kapil Mishra told the ACB that two persons -- Vaibhav Patel and Ashish Talwar -- close to Kejriwal were responsible for the delay in action in the water tanker scam, the ACB sent a notice to Vibhav Patel," a senior officer of the ACB said. Kapil Mishra on Thursday recorded his statement with the ACB, after he submitted evidence in support of his allegations that two persons close to Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal tried to influence the scam probe. Ashish Talwar is also likely to be summoned after Patel's statement in the case is recorded, according to the official. The Rs 400-crore water tanker scam involved alleged favouritism shown in the allotment of contracts to private water tankers to supply water to areas not falling under the Delhi Jal Board's network during the previous Congress government in Delhi. --IANS sp/lok/vt (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Actress Alia Bhatt has praised filmmaker S.S. Rajamoulis magnum opus "Baahubali 2: The Conclusion" and says she is keen to work with its lead actor Prabhas. Alia spoke about Prabhas while chatting with her fans on Twitter on Sunday. "Need a new word for this giant. Rock-buster? Loved it.. it was epic," Alia tweeted when a fan asked her to describe "Baahubali 2: The Conclusion" in one word. Alia later said she considers Prabhas as her favourite south Indian actor. Asked whether she would like to work with Prabhas, Alia wrote: "For sure!" The 24-year-old currently has films like "Dragon" and "Gully Boy" in her kitty. She said she is "excited" about "Dragon", which also features Ranbir Kapoor. --IANS sas/rb/vt (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The Supreme Court's Mandate Oversight Committee on Sunday gave its nod for the intake of students at the Pandit Raghunath Murmu Medical College and Hospital in Baripada from this academic year. The move paves the way for admission to 100 MBBS undergraduate seats in the 2017-18 academic session. Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik welcomed the decision to grant permission for admissions in Baripada Medical College. "The college though ready was not being inspected by MCI. Happy that now we can bring advanced health care to the people of Mayurbhanj," he tweeted. Odisha Health Secretary P.K. Meherda had written to the committee's secretary seeking its intervention to do justice to Baripada Medical College by Medical Council of India (MCI). Odisha had earlier sought Letter of Permission (LoP) for two medical colleges - Pandit Raghunath Murmu Medical College, Baripada and Saheed Laxman Nayak Medical College and Hospital, Koraput. However, the MCI only gave a LoP for the commencement of academic session from 2017-18 at the Koraput medical college while it did not inspect the Baripada medical college. --IANS cd/vd (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Chinese President Xi Jinping said on Sunday that Beijing and Russia have played their due role in safeguarding regional and global peace and stability. The two countries, which have been committed to seeking political solutions to the Syrian conflict and the Korean Peninsular nuclear issue, have played the role of "ballast stone" in safeguarding regional and global peace and stability, Xi said in meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin on the sidelines of the Belt and Road Forum for International Cooperation. Hailing sound development of China-Russia comprehensive strategic partnership of coordination, Xi said development and deepening bilateral ties are the strategic choice for the two countries, Xinhua news agency reported. He called for all-out efforts to promote and safeguard the bilateral relations despite changes in the international arena. The two countries should deepen cooperation in economy and trade, energy and other traditional areas, while exploring new areas for cooperation, like innovation and technology, for higher-level pragmatic cooperation, Xi said. He also said the two countries should enhance strategic coordination, jointly promote sustainable and stable growth in the world economy, work toward peaceful solutions for international and regional hot-spot issues, and improve international governance systems to inject "positive energy" into world peace and stability. Progress has been made since China and Russia agreed to align development of the Belt and Road Initiative with the Eurasian Economic Union (EEU) two years ago, and pragmatic cooperation should be pushed forward for tangible outcomes, Xi said. The two countries' active communication and coordination as well as mutual support on major international issues have become important stabilizing factors for the international community, Putin said. He noted Russia is willing to work with China to align the EEU with the Silk Road Economic Belt and deepen bilateral cooperation in areas including education, energy, manufacturing, sports, tourism and trade. --IANS ksk/vt (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The daughter of France's new First Lady Brigitte Trogneux has slammed the critics who have attacked the 24-year age gap between her and husband President-elect Emmanuel Macron, the media reported. Tiphaine Auziere, 32, on Saturday said "jealousy" was behind the "abhorrent" attacks targeting her 64-year-old mother's relationship with Macron, 39, who will be sworn-in as the nation's 25th President on Sunday following his landslide 66 per cent presidential election win against far-Right National Front candidate Marine Le Pen, The Daily Mail reported. Auziere, a lawyer by profession, told BFMTV: "I don't want to give credence to people who do this kind of thing." "I find abhorrent in France in the 21st century such attacks, which would not be carried out against a male politician or a male companion of a female politician." "There's a lot of jealousy," she added. Trogneux and Macron's romance started after they when the President-elect starred in one of her plays at the Jesuit school Lycee La Providence, Amiens, northern France. Macron also shared a class at a Catholic school with one of Trogneux's two daughters Laurence - who is also 39. The couple also went on to write a play together, which they later admitted was the period when they fell in love. At the time, Macron was just 16, reports The Daily Mail. Trogneux a mother-of-three, from a renowned family in the town of Amiens, later left her banker husband Andre-Louis Auziere for Macron. Before the election, Macron broached the abuse targeted at his wife, saying she was the victim of "everyday misogyny". "If I were 20 years older than my wife, nobody would have thought for a single second that I couldn't be an intimate partner," he had told the Le Parisien daily. Trogneux, now a grandmother of eight, is also expected to play an active role in the new government. --IANS ksk (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The Delhi Metro service on a section of Huda City Centre-Samaypur Badli remained disrupted for nearly three hours on Sunday due to technical reasons, causing huge inconvenience to passengers. The Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC) officials said a technical snag was reported near Chhattarpur Metro station on the Yellow Line. Commuters said they were stranded between Huda City Centre and Chhattarpur Metro station for nearly three hours. "There was some electricity repair work near Chhattarpur station that caused some delay in Metro service for some time around 12.30 p.m. Later, services were restored normally," DMRC spokesperson Mahender Yadav told IANS. Neetu Sharma, travelling from Huda City Centre to New Delhi, said: "I boarded the train at 11.30 a.m. from Huda City Centre station with my two children. I reached Qutab Minar by 2.35 p.m. The stations were crowded and nobody was aware of the reason for the delay." "I was supposed to board the train for Ludhiana at 1.40 p.m. from New Delhi Railway Station but I could not reach on time," she told IANS. Another commuter, Sunil Kumar also missed his train due to the disruption of the Metro service. A job seeker, Rajesh Singh said he could not reach on time for an interview, which was scheduled for 2.00 p.m. --IANS pradeep/lok/vt (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) RJD chief Lalu Prasad on Sunday dared Prime Minister Narendra Modi to dissolve the Lok Sabha and hold fresh general elections, as he claimed that the BJP-led central government had "failed on all fronts" in the last three years. "Modi should dissolve the Lok Sabha and get fresh polls conducted along with assembly polls coming up in some states because his government has failed to fulfil the promises made to the people ahead of the 2014 general elections," he told media here. The former Union Minister also demanded that Modi explain to the people about his promise of providing jobs to two crore persons annually. "What happened to his promise of jobs to two crore people every year? The Bharatiya Janata Party-led Union government should reveal how many persons were provided jobs since May 2014," the former Bihar Chief Minister said. The Rashtriya Janata Dal chief said the Modi government should also come out with official data on how much black money stashed in foreign banks had been brought back to the country in three years. "The country is not safe in BJP hands as it is hell-bent on dividing society and create hatred among different communities to continue in power at all cost." The BJP has been doing everything to finish regional parties to end true federalism in the country, the RJD leader said. --IANS ik/tsb/dg (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Egypt's antiquities ministry said that it has found a necropolis with as many as 30 intact mummies near the city of Minya, the first such find in the area, the media reported. The discovery was made in the village of Tuna al-Gabal, a vast archaeological site on the edge of the western desert. The area hosts necropolises mainly for animals and birds, The Telegraph reported on Saturday. The ministry said they belonged to the Late Period, which spanned almost 300 years up to Alexander the Great's conquest of Egypt in 332 B.C. But a spokeswoman said they could also date from the Ptolemaic Dynasty, founded by Alexander the Great's general Ptolemy. Archeologists believe that it is the first time to unearth a burial tomb with that number of mummies for ordinary people and in catacombs style. Inside the catacomb, Khaled Anani, Egypt's Minister of Antiquities referred to the gaps inside the catacombs saying "The more we drill the more we find". Four wells of eight metres deep were unearthed, which lead to catacombs where mummies of men, women and children are laid in good shape, reports The Telegraph. In one chamber inside the tunnels, human bones and skulls are piled. Most of the mummies were laid in lines in both of its sides. While some them were left in plain stone and wooden sarcophagi, others were piled on top of each other. "The excavation did not end yet, it's in the beginning" Anani said, adding that archaeologists expected to find many more. The site is close to an ancient animal cemetery. --IANS ksk (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Five farmers were killed after being struck by lightning in Andhra Pradesh's Anantapur district on Sunday, officials said. Three others were also injured in the incident which occurred in Kalugudu village in Gummagattu 'mandal' (block). The farmers had taken shelter in some huts under a tree during rains. In another incident, two cows died of lightening in the same district. Cabinet minister Kalva Srinivasulu, who hails from the district, rushed to the village. He directed officials to provide all help to the families of the victims and ensure best treatment of the injured. --IANS ms/vd (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) India and Chile will implement a bilateral expanded PTA Preferential Trade Agreement from May 16, it was announced on Sunday. According to the Ministry of Commerce and Industry, India and Chile had earlier signed the "original PTA" on March 8, 2006 which came into force with effect from August 2007. "The original PTA had a limited number of tariff lines, wherein both sides had extended tariff concessions to each other," the ministry said in a statement. "The expanded PTA has a wider coverage. This would facilitate exporters of both sides to take the advantage of tariff concessions as per the expanded PTA immediately which covers around 96 per cent of bilateral trade." Currently, Chile is the fourth largest trading partner of India in LAC (Latin America and the Caribbean) region after Brazil, Venezuela and Argentina. --IANS rv/dg (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) In this photo released by Xinhua News Agency, Chinese President Xi Jinping, center, and countries' leaders and delegates attending the Belt and Road Forum pose for a group photo on stage at the China National Convention Center in Beijing (Photo: AP/P As India on Sunday skipped China's Belt and Road forum to oppose the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), Islamabad and Beijing vowed to conclude the contentious economic route. While opening the two-day Summit, Chinese President Xi Jinping said "all countries should respect sovereignty" and Pakistani Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif said CPEC had no "geographical boundaries". In a veiled reference to India, which is dead against the CPEC as it goes through Pakistan-controlled Kashmir, Sharif said the issues of CPEC "must not be politicised". In addition, Xi pledged about additional $14 billion for the construction of the Belt and Road project, of which CPEC is the chief component. The grand project aims to connect Asia, Europe and Africa through a network of roads, sea links and railway lines. New Delhi, which had been non-committal about attending the forum despite repeated offers by Beijing, made its intentions clear about skipping the event. "No country can accept a project that ignores its core concerns on sovereignty and territorial integrity," India's External Affairs Ministry spokesperson Gopal Baglay said on Saturday. The CPEC has emerged as a thorny issue between India and China, whose ties have been under strain over issues including Beijing blocking New Delhi's bid for the Nuclear Suppliers Group and Tibetan spiritual leader the Dalai Lama's visit to Arunachal Pradesh in northeast India. India's absence at the summit will certainly not be liked by Beijing, which was keen on New Delhi joining the connectivity event. India claims Pakistan-controlled Kashmir and says allowing a road to be laid through the region will compromise its sovereignty. However, China is continuously pushing for the corridor, which will give it access to the Arabian Sea. "All countries should respect each other's sovereignty, dignity and territorial integrity, each other's development paths and social systems, and each other's core interests and major concerns," Xi said on Sunday. The summit was attended by leaders of 29 countries and delegation of over 100 countries. Russian President Vladimir Putin was one of the prominent heads of state. Sharif, who heaped praises on the project, said the CPEC was open to all the regional countries. "Let me make it very clear that CPEC is an economic undertaking open to all countries in the region. It has no geographical boundaries. It must not be politicized," he said here on the opening day of the event. Sharif said the Belt and Road "rejected the encirclement for any country. It is about connectivity. It is about emancipation. " belongs to all of us, those who are participating and those who are not as yet." Of the six corridors of Belt and Road, to New Delhi's interest is the Bangladesh-China-India-Myanmar route. Bottom dwellers Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) ended their disappointing Indian Premier League (IPL) campaign with a 10-run win over sixth-placed Delhi Daredevils in an inconsequential contest at the Ferozeshah Kotla here on Sunday. Captain Virat Kohli (58; 45b; 3x4, 3x6) shared a 66-run second-wicket stand with West Indian Chris Gayle (48; 38b; 3x3, 3x6) as Bangalore reached 161/6 in 20 overs. Delhi were bowled out for 151 in 19.5 overs, losing by 10 runs to finish sixth. With both teams out of the race for the play-offs, Bangalore, who made five changes to their side, opted to bat. They made a slow start, scoring 37/1 at the end of Powerplay overs (six), with Gayle contributing 32 runs off 24 deliveries. Opening batsman Vishnu Vinod (3) did not trouble the scorers as he was bowled by Pat Cummins in the fifth ball of the fifth over. Gayle picked two sixes off pacer right-arm pacer Mohammad Shami but he was far from his usual flow. He struggled with his stroke-making after the Powerplay overs. But Kohli looked to be in good touch and he provided impetus to the visitors' innings. His lofted drive off medium pacer Corey Anderson in the first ball of the ninth over was a joy to watch as it completed 50 runs for the southern outfit. Kohli picked out leg-spinner Amit Mishra for attack and his rasping flicks towards the midwicket against provided the runs Bangalore required in the middle overs. At the other end, Gayle, who was struggling, was caught by Zaheer Khan at short midwicket off a delivery from left-arm spinner Shahbaz Nadeem, with Bangalore at 96/2 in 13.1 overs. Bangalore lost Travis Had (2) in the following over, after the Australian fell short of completing two runs as Shreyas Iyer threw from the midwicket at the bowling end. Kohli, meanwhile completed his fifty in 39 deliveries in the final ball of the 15th over with a single to deep cover off a delivery from Zaheer. Zaheer's next over saw Kolhi play another delightful flick for a six over midwicket before being failing to clear Nadeem at long-off. It was a big relief for Delhi, having dismissed the visiting skipper in the 17th over. Kedar Jadhav (12) followed Kohli to the dug-out in the next over after being run out by Cummins with a direct throw from the short third man area at the bowling end. Sachin Baby (12) then was holed out at long-off by Anderson off Cummins, as Bangalore lost sixth wicket with 144 runs on the board. Later, Pawan Negi milked 13 off five deiveries he faced in the final over he faced from Anderson to take the total beyond 160. In pursuit of the target, Delhi had a poor start, losing Sanju Samson (0) in the second delivery of the first over bowled by medium pacer Avesh Khan. The responsibility of creating the base then fell on Karun Nair (26) and Shreyas Iyer (32) and the pair did well with a 40-run stand as the former pulled straight into the hands of Jadhav at short midwicket off a delivery from medium pacer Shane Watson. Iyer then joined hands with Rishabh Pant (45) and another partnership started to blossom. Medium pacer ended the 45-run partnership as he had Iyer caught by Watson at short cover in the fourth ball of the 12th over. Harshal then dealt another blow to Delhi in his next ball as he bowled West Indian veteran batsman Marlon Samuels (0) with a slower delivery to reduce the hosts to 87/4. Off-spinner Head made further problems for Delhi, removing Anderson (3) and Cummins (7) in the 16th over, as the hosts reeled at 113/ 6, still requiring 49 runs. In the following over, Harshal sent Pant packing, bowling through his defence to pull the match in favour of Bangalore, with Delhi still needing 43 runs from 3.2 overs. However, Shami (21; 9b; 3x4, 1x6) delivered some lusty blows to keep Delhi in hunt, as the hosts required 13 runs off the final over. The right-hander was stumped by wicket-keeper Vinod in the second ball of the 20th over bowled by Negi, leaving Delhi to score 12 off four deliveries.A After couple of deliveries that didn't yield a run, Negi dismissed Nadeem (2) in the fifth ball, bowling out Delhi for 151. Brief scores: Bangalore: 161/6 in 20 overs (Virat Kohli 58, Chris Gayle 48; Pat Cummins 2/22, Shahbaz Nadeem 1/12). Delhi: 151 all out in 19.5 overs (Rishabh Pant 45, Shreyas Iyer 32; Harshal Patel 3/43, Pawan Negi 2/10, Travis Head 2/30). --IANS pur/ahm/ (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Iraqi paramilitary units of Hashd Shaabi units on Sunday continued heavy clashes against the Islamic State militants on the third day of an operation aimed at dislodging the extremist militants from the areas near the Iraqi-Syrian border in west of Mosul, the Iraqi military said. The predominantly Shiite Hashd Shaabi units, backed by the army's helicopters, freed the villages of Khailo and Tal al-Qasab from IS militants near the IS-held town of al-Qairwan, which locates in the rugged sprawling area southwest of Tal Afar and south of Sinjar, the Hashd Shaabi said in a statement, Xinhua reported. The Hashd Shaabi units also surrounded the village of Tal al-Banat in north of al-Qairwan, where some of IS local leaders are believed to be holed up and using the villagers as human shields, the statement said. The units are now surrounding the town from three sides, isolating the IS-held town and cutting off its supply routes on the main roads between the town and Tal Afar and Sinjar, the statement said. The paramilitary units fought sporadic clashes against IS militants and killed 23 of them, including five suicide bombers and two snipers, along with destroying four car bombs, while the helicopter gunships destroyed a fifth booby-trapped car and three IS posts, the statement added. The operation would enable the Hashd Shaabi units to secure the border areas between Iraq and neighboring Syria and cut off the IS supply routes between Mosul and the Syrian city of Raqqa, the capital of IS self-declared caliphate. The operation came as the Iraqi security forces, backed by anti-IS international coalition, are carrying out a major offensive to dislodge IS militants from their major stronghold in the western side of Mosul in northern Iraq. Mosul has been under the IS control since June 2014, when government forces abandoned their weapons and fled, enabling IS militants to take control of parts of Iraq's northern and western regions. --IANS ahm/ (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Israeli police said that a Palestinian man was shot dead after he stabbed and moderately injured a police officer in East Jerusalem's Old City on Saturday. Police spokeswoman Luba Samri that the assailant approached a policeman who was patrolling the Shalshelet street, near the flashpoint al-Aqsa mosque, pulled out a knife and stabbed him, Xinhua reported. In response, the wounded policeman shot the stabber and "neutralized" him, Samri said. A later police statement confirmed that the assailant, whose identity was not disclosed, had been killed. A wave of Palestinian stabbing, shooting, and car-ramming attacks claimed the lives of 41 Israelis, two US nationals, and a British tourist since mid-September 2015. In the same period, Israeli security forces and civilians killed at least 245 Palestinians amidst attacks or alleged attacks. Israel accuses the Palestinian National Authority of "inciting" the unrest. The Palestinians say it is the result of 50 years of Israeli occupation of the West Bank and the Gaza Strip, home to more than 5 million Palestinians. --IANS ahm/ (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Independent-centrist and former investment banker Emmanuel Macron was sworn in on Sunday as the 25th French President and the youngest in the nation's history. Laurent Fabius, President of the Constitutional Council, presided the ceremony at the Elysee Palace here, the BBC reported. "In order to be the man of one's country, one must be the man of your time... By the sovereign choice of the people, you are now, above all ... the man of our country ... President of the Republic," Fabius said while proclaiming Macron, 39, as the President. Macron's wife Brigitte Trogneux, wearing a powder blue skirt suit, an outfit similar to what US First Lady Melania Trump wore during her husband President Donald Trump's swearing-in in January, entered the Palace ahead of Macron. The former Economy Minister, who worsted far-Right National Front leader Marine Le Pen in the presidential run-off, opened his term with talk of a new renaissance. "The world needs what the French have always taught. For decades France has doubted herself." But the world and Europe need France more than ever now, he said. "My mandate will give the French back the confidence to believe in themselves." He said he would convince the people that "the power of France is not declining - that we are on the brink of a great renaissance". Macron in his speech, also paid tributes to former Presidents from Charles de Gaulle to Nicolas Sarkozy and Francois Hollande, reports the BBC. He said he would count on the people to "deal with deep change". "From this very evening I will be at work. Long live the Republic and long live France." Macron becomes the youngest president in France's history and the youngest leader since Napoleon Bonaparte was elected in 1848 at age 40. Macron arrived at the Elysee Palace earlier and walked down a red carpet. He was greeted by Hollande. He will be naming a Prime Minister and a full Cabinet by Wednesday. --IANS ksk/mr (Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) A senior Maoist commander involved in the killing of a former minister and beheading a police official surrendered to police here in Jharkhand on Sunday. Kundan Pahan, who was a synonym for terror in three districts of the state, gave himself up in the presence of Additional Director General of Police R.K. Mallik and CRPF Inspector General Anand Latkar among others. Kundan carried a reward of Rs 15 lakh on his head, Ranchi Senior Superintendent of Police Kuldeep Dwivedi told reporters. He was involved in the killing of former Minister and then legislator Ramesh Singh Munda in 2008, the beheading of police Inspector Francis Induwar and in the loot of Rs 5 crore from an ICICI cash van. A total of 128 cases were lodged against him in the state, said Dwivedi. Kundan was notorious in Ranchi, Khuti and Seraikela-Kharswa districts. Ranchi and Jamshedpur districts were under his operational control. On his orders, Special Branch Inspector Induwar was abducted from Khuti. He was then beheaded, triggering terror. Kundan joined the Maoists in 1999 at age 16. He became a member of the Regional Committee in the outlawed Communist Party of India-Maoist in 2006. In 2012, he became Secretary of the Committee. Speaking on the occasion, police officer Mallik said Maoists have an opportunity to surrender in 2017. "Otherwise they will face consequences in 2018." Jharkhand Police has launched a new programme under which Maoists are encouraged to surrender. Till now, 107 Maoists have surrendered. Early this month, another top Maoist commander, Nakul Yadav, also carrying Rs 15 lakh reward on his head, surrendered. Speaking to reporters, Kundan said: "I take responsibility for all the incidents in which I was directly or indirectly involved. I admit I committed mistakes and will try to reform myself." His two elder brothers were also Maoists. One surrendered and the second was arrested. --IANS ns/mr (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Marathi film producer Atul B. Tapkir was found dead at a luxury hotel here on Sunday morning, police said. He was 35. A post on Tapkir's Facebook page indicates he was disturbed over financial loss in filmmaking and a troubled family life. Police had to break open the hotel room where they found Tapkir's body. A case of accidental death (ADR) has been registered by the Deccan Gymkhana Police Station, and the body has been sent for an autopsy, a police official told IANS. One of the last 'suicidal' messages posted on Tapkir's Facebook page on Saturday suggests he was depressed over the financial losses he suffered by producing Marathi film "Dhol Taashe". In the lengthy post, he claimed that while his father and sisters backed him, his wife Priyanka allegedly harassed him. Tapkir said his wife threw him out of their home, and he was living out of the house since six months. He was also upset as she alienated their children from him, apart from making allegations against him, defaming him in the neighbourhood and abusing him. Tapkir's post -- written in Marathi -- mentioned that his wife got her "so-called" brothers to threaten and beat him up. He shared how when some days ago, he called her and abused her, she abused him and his family in return and lodged a police complaint against them. Tapkir has urged Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis that "the police must listen to a man's side of the story too when a woman lodges a complaint". He said his last wish was that since his wife cannot look after their children, his father should raise them. As proof of the harassment he faced, Tapkir said he has saved in a pen drive, the incident when his wife's brother hurled abuses at him. --IANS vt-rb/qn/vd (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Hindi film superstar Shah Rukh Khan, one of the world's 100 highest paid celebrities, says the core of his job as an actor remains to spread happiness and that the money, awards and fame that come along are "peripherals", which he is grateful about. The actor, whose TED Talk in Vancouver went viral on social media with his witty one-liners, words of wisdom, and more, spoke to IANS in an email interview about his thoughts on stardom, how he can motivate others to follow their dreams, how he has so many dreams in his life that if he was to be left alone, he can just live in their company. How does the life he is living today as Bollywood's King Khan compare to the dreams he had when he entered the industry? Shah Rukh said: "It's extremely nice to hear the words King and Baadshah, heartthrob, loved, romantic hero, etc... All these things are really positive things. I'd rather be hearing these than some negative aspects that people might attach to my name. So, I'm extremely thankful and happy that this happened." "Having said that, my core job is to try and entertain people. Like I always say, make them smile... Fulfil some unfulfilled desire or emotion in them that might exist. Give them a couple of hours of happiness. It has to be as simple as that. Everything else that comes is peripheral." "Everything that gets attached to my acting in films... whether it's the money, the fame, the name, whether it's on a power list, whether it's an award... all of those are windfall games," Shah Rukh said. "I'm very happy about them and grateful about them. But the core of my job is can I make people happy whenever I'm in touch with them? Through my cinema? Through just talking to them or meeting them. When you're a star, people feel happy just meeting you or seeing you pass in a car. So to me, the core is just that, nothing else." Often, the 51-year-old star has said he sells dreams. But does the thought that there might come a time when he loses this ability, bother him? "No. It doesn't bother me. I believe that anyone who has the capability, the ability, the desire to sell dreams, has to dream them first. So, I have lots of dreams. As a matter of fact, if I were to be left alone, I could just live in the company of my dreams." "I don't really always need to get these dreams verified, quantified or substantiated," he said, stressing that he prefers to see the "optimistic side of life". Shah Rukh, who has spent almost three decades in Indian showbiz, will be hosting "TED Talks India: Nayi Soch", a global first Hindi TV talk show created in partnership with TED, the non-profit organisation devoted to 'ideas worth spreading', for Star India. Asked if motivational talks by public figures can bring about a positive change among the country's youths, SRK said: "I think 'motivational talk' as a term itself is overrated. It's not about giving motivation to someone." "I think if you can hold on to the interest of people through your experiences, then it's up to people to take away something of some worth which suits them. Not like the whole talk is going to become something that people are going to live by." "Some aspects may touch some people, some may not touch people, some may not like it at all. But I think as long as you can make it personal, people everywhere in the world get attached to personal emotions because emotions are universal." He also said: "For me to sit down and pen down my struggles and romanticise them, I think it's being ungrateful about the success I've got. But having said that, yes, I think it makes a lot of sense when you achieve something, when you come from no background, like I have... When you come from a different city and without anyone helping out... when things fall right, it just feels nicer." "It also gives the message to people that if you can work hard, and if you have a bit of talent and you believe in yourself, that's more than enough to achieve your dreams. You need nothing else." --IANS sug-rb/nn/vt (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Taking suo motu cognisance of a brutal gang-rape in Haryana -- reminiscent of the 2012 Nirbhaya gang-rape case in Delhi, the National Commission for Women has sought a fair and speedy trial in the case, its Chairperson Lalitha Kumaramangalam said on Sunday. "We have written to officials concerned to ensure a speedy and fair inquiry. We have also sent a team to inquire into the matter," Kumaramangalam told IANS. In a savage crime reminiscent of the 2012 Nirbhaya gang-rape case in Delhi, a young woman from Haryana's Sonepat district was abducted, gang-raped and brutally murdered. The woman, aged around 23, went missing on May 9. Her body was found on the outskirts of Rohtak town, 70 km from the national capital, early on Friday. Reminiscent of the December 16, 2012 Delhi gang rape, the rapists had inserted a sharp-edged weapon in her private parts. Police also said that sedatives were found in her stomach. Her head and face were smashed with a blunt object and later crushed under the wheels of a vehicle. Two men, including her neighbour Sumit who was stalking her, were arrested. Stray dogs had eaten the victim's face and lower portion of her body which was spotted by a passerby in a secluded area of the city in Haryana on May 11. The incident comes days after the Supreme Court upheld the death sentence awarded to four convicts in the December 16, 2012, Nirbhaya gang-rape case. --IANS ao/tsb/dg (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Nearly five million Nepalis on Sunday are voting in the first phase of the much awaited local elections taking place for the first time after the Himalayan nation became a federal democratic republic. A total of 4,956,925 registered voters are eligible to cast their votes at 6,642 polling stations across Nepal, The Kathmandu Post reported. The local polls will elect a chairperson of the village council, vice chairperson, municipality's mayor, deputy mayor, ward chairperson, two ward members from open quota, a woman ward member and a woman ward member representing the Dalit community. The election is being held in four metropolitan cities, one sub metropolis, 92 municipalities and 186 village councils. A total of 49,337 candidates are contesting the polls and among them 160 women and 169 men candidates remain unopposed, according to the Election Commission (EC). The second round of the local polls will be held on June 14, reports The Kathmandu Post. The Home Ministry said that it deployed 64,000 police personnel including Nepal Police, Armed Police Force (APF), temporary police and intelligence officers. Nepal Army has deployed 31,000 soldiers for the security of the first phase of the local polls with choppers on standby in Kathmandu, Hetauda, Pokhara and Surkhet. --IANS ksk (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) A tribal has been arrested on charges of raping and murdering his 72-year-old mother under the influence of intoxicants in Odisha's Mayurbhanj district, the police said on Sunday. Hari Marandi (45) committed the crime on Saturday when other family members were away from their house in Dambaru Dahar village, the police said. He has been arrested under Sections 376 and 302 of the Indian Penal Code dealing with rape and murder, Betnoti Sub-divisional Police Officer Dhirendra Nanda said. Marandi will be presented in a local court on Sunday. --IANS cd/tsb/vt (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) While all of us aspire to achieve certain goals in life, not everybody succeeds. Here comes a new book that attempts to unravel the many unknown facets that lead us on our journey to follow our dreams -- quite a compelling read. Savi Sharma's novel "This is Not Your Story," (Westland/Rs 175/226 pages) advances some strong facts and consequences that one faces in the course of chasing a dream. It should be no surprise for readers that the author herself gave up her CA studies to follow her dream -- writing. "I was pursuing CA and had to clear just the finals. But the story of (two of my friends) Meera and Vivaan (transposed into the book) saw me take a break. The more I got involved in the entire process, the more I found the true me. Finally, I let go my career as CA to become a writer. I realised I didn't want to write numbers but stories. Writing was something which gave clarity of thought to my mind and heart," Sharma told IANS in an email interview. The author said that she hopes to see her stories being adapted into movies in the next few years. "It would be great to pen down four or five more books and possibly see a couple of them being made into movies. Besides, l would like to complete my secret list of 100 wishes in the next five years," she added. "This is Not Your Story" is all about three youngsters of varied situation and with different ambitions. It begins with Shaurya sharing his dream with his parents for the first time but not sure what their reaction would be. While Shaurya wants to become a filmmaker, his parents believe it is not the right path for people like them, as they belong to a middle-class family. They want him to pursue Chartered Accountancy. On the other hand, Anubhav convinced his parents and left for Mumbai to obtain an MBA towards fulfilling his dream to build his own business empire. Meanwhile Miraya, the most mystifying character, comes to Jaipur, struggling with her own distressing past. After a point of time, these characters find each other. Then the story takes an interesting turn as Shaurya decides to follow his dream and Miraya and Anubhav fall in love and decide to get married. The manner in which the author links up these three characters at different points of time is interesting, narrating how they bravely overcome their fears and move on in their life to achieve all that they want. "I prefer to write inspiring fiction, contemporary and romance fiction. In future, I would like to write about spirituality, self-help, positivity," Sharma said. "My dream mission is to inspire and touch millions of hearts. That's a long way to go. As I said, I have 100 secret dreams yet to be completed," she added. Three cheers to that. (Madhupriti Mitra can be contacted at madhupriti.m@ians.in) --IANS madhupriti/ss/vm (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Exuding confidence that the opposition parties would be able to put up a common candidate in the coming presidential polls, CPI-M General Secretary Sitaram Yechury on Sunday said the effort was to zero in on a person capable of preserving the secular democratic fabric of the constitution. "The secular democratic fabric of the constitution has to be preserved from the Rashtrapati Bhavan. We have to find out such a common candidate," he told media persons on the sidelines of a programme at Khardah of West Bengal's North 24 Parganas district. Yechury said talks were on among the opposition parties to firm up a consensus candidate. "Talks are on among opposition parties. You will get to know at the right time who we are speaking to. And then you will see a common candidate," he said. But Yechury declined to name any individual who was being considered for the top post. "How can I name? The moment we name somebody, the CBI will be used against him. L.K. Advani's name had cropped up. Now there is a CBI probe against him. Wait, and you will know the name at the right time." Replying to a query about Congress chief Sonia Gandhi's scheduled meeting with Trinamool Congress supremo Mamata Banerjee on Tuesday, the Communist Party of India-Marxist chief said it was a matter between the two leaders. "In a democracy, everybody has the right to talk to anybody," he said. Asked whether the CPI-M would speak to the Trinamool on the issue, Yechury said: "There was a discussion among likeminded parties. The responsibility of who will talk to whom was finalised in that meeting. "I was given some responsibility which I carried out. Others also have been given some specific responsibility, which they will fulfill", he said. --IANS ssp/vd (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Independent-centrist will be sworn-in as the 25th President of France following his landslide 66 per cent victory against far-Right National Front candidate Marine Le Pen, at a ceremony at the Elysee Palace here, the media reported. Macron, 39, will become the youngest President in French history since Napoleon Bonaparte was elected in 1848 when he was 40 years of age, The Telegraph reported. Macron will walk up the red carpet to the palace steps and exchange a ceremonial handshake Socialist President Francois Hollande. He would normally be accompanied on the red carpet by his wife Brigitte Trogneux, but because there is no outgoing First Lady, protocol will oblige her to enter the palace before him, along with other guests. Macron and Hollande will withdraw for about half an hour to discuss matters of state in private. Hollande will also hand over the codes for France's nuclear arsenal. According to sources, Hollande may show Macron around the Elysee, although the president-elect is familiar with the palace layout from his time as an advisor and later his Economy Minister. Macron will accompany the outgoing President to the palace steps. He is expected to wait on the porch until he has departed. Macron will then review the Republican Guard and a 21-gun salute will be fired, reports The Telegraph. He will be driven up the Champs-Elysees to the Arc de Triomphe, where he will rekindle the flame on the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier. After taking power, he will also name a Prime Minister. After a string of terror attacks, security will be extremely tight. Thousands of armed soldiers and police will be deployed and there will be helicopter surveillance. Parts of Paris will be closed to traffic. France remains under a state of emergency introduced after the Paris attacks in November 2015. The alert was heightened after a policeman was killed on the Champs-Elysees last month just days before the first round of voting in the presidential election. Macron has laid out ambitious plans for reforming the European Union and loosening France's rigid labour laws, The Telegraph reported. His first foreign trip will be to Berlin on Monday, in keeping with the tradition for French presidents to visit Germany soon after their inauguration. As much as Rs 125 crore will be spent on ensuring an impressive crowd at a 'Namami Devi Narmada Sewa Yatra' event, which will be attended by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the Congress Madhya Pradesh unit claimed on Sunday. The May 15 event at Amarkantak will mark the end of the Madhya Pradesh government's pet project. This sum will include expenditure on ferrying people to the event in over 5,300 buses and providing them food and training, besides on the security paraphernalia, the state Congress unit said. A target has been set for authorities in each of the 51 districts on the number of people to be sent for the event, Congress leader Ajay Singh claimed. He alleged that the ground reality on the Save Narmada project was quite different from what was being projected by the Shivraj Singh Chouhan state government. --IANS hindi/tsb/dg (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Moderate to brisk polling for seven civic bodies in West Bengal was reported on Sunday, as the principal opposition parties, the Left Front, Congress and BJP, demanded scrapping of the "farcical" elections amid alleged violence and booth capturing in three municipalities. A CPI-M leader claimed that at least four party workers were injured in poll violence. Activists of the Congress and the Left Front, which forged an undeclared alliance for the civic polls, staged a noisy demonstration at the State Election Commission office here and resorted to a road blockade to protest against what they called "rampant looting of votes" by the ruling Trinamool Congress. The protest was held after the poll authorities allegedly refused to meet their leaders and accept their memorandum on complaints regarding voting in three municipalities of Raiganj in North Dinajpur district, Domkal in Murshidabad district, and Pujali in South 24 Parganas district. The SEC officials promised to meet the Congress and Left representatives after the demonstrators broke through police barricades. However, later the SEC authorities did not meet them citing their preoccupation with poll matters. Later, Bharatiya Janata Party activists also demonstrated at the same spot, complaining against electoral malpractices. In Domkal, Pujali and Raiganj, the Trinamool is up against an undeclared seat adjustment between the Congress and the Left Front. Polling was, however, peaceful in four municipalities in northern Bengal hills -- Darjeeling, Kurseong, Mirik Notified Area Authority in Darjeeling district, and Kalimpong in Kalimpong district. Communist Party of India-Marxist state Secretary Surjya Kanta Mishra alleged that the elections were far from "free and fair". "In Domkal, motorcycle-borne outsiders attacked our workers and voters with bombs and pistols. The local administration looked the other way. "Since morning, elections have been a farce. Three of our workers were injured when they were fired upon by Trinamool-backed miscreants. Another worker suffered broken limbs," said Mishra. He alleged that all polling booths were captured by the Trinamool supporters in Raiganj and Pujali. "The polling agents of the Congress and Left Front were driven out and electronic voting machines damaged. Even journalists were not spared," he said. He demanded countermanding of the elections in Domkal, Pujali and Raiganj. "But we have no illusion that fresh elections will be impartial. This shows it is not possible to hold proper polls so long as the Trinamool is in power," the CPI-M leader said. State Congress president Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury instructed all his party candidates in Domkal to withdraw from the polls, describing the elections as a "farce". Former Congress MP from Raiganj Deepa Dasmunshi alleged that opposition workers came under intense attack from Trinamool supported "goons". She said genuine voters were not allowed to exercise their franchise in Raiganj. "Police and civil officials made no effort to provide protection to voters or our workers," she said. The elections to the municipalities spread across five districts in the northern, central and southern areas of the state will provide a peek into the mind of voters in small towns. The polls are a test for the Trinamool to continue its electoral successes and make fresh inroads in the north Bengal hills by breaking the stranglehold of the Gorkha Janmukti Morcha. The BJP is striving to to carry forward its bid to become the main opposition force in the state. For the Congress and the LF the challenge is to revive their political fortunes against the backdrop of electoral battles wherein both lost ground to the BJP. --IANS ssp/vd (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Pakistan Prime Minister on Sunday said the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) was "open" to all the countries in the region and the "issue must not be politicised". Sharif made the comments as India skipped China's Belt and Road Summit in opposition to the planned economic route which passes through Pakistan-controlled Kashmir. "Let me make it very clear that CPEC is an economic undertaking open to all countries in the region. It has no geographical boundaries. It must not be politicized," Sharif said here on the opening day of the event. India gave the forum a miss, opposing the $46 billion economic corridor which cuts through Pakistan-controlled Kashmir. New Delhi lays claim to the region. It is the key artery of China's Belt and Road project, which connects Kashgar in Xinjiang with Gwadar port in Pakistan's Balochistan. One Belt One Road (OBOR), Chinese President Xi Jinping's dream project, envisages connecting Asia, Europe and Africa by a network of roads, railway tracks and shipping lanes. Sharif said the Belt and Road "rejected the encirclement for any country. It is about connectivity. It is about emancipation." India sees the project, particularly CPEC, a geo-strategic project by China to limit its influence in South Asia. "OBOR belongs to all of us, those who are participating and those who are not as yet. "It is time we transcended our differences, resolve conflicts through dialogue and diplomacy and leave a legacy of peace for future generations," he said at the event with 29 heads of states and governments and 1,500 delegates in attendance. "The OBOR signifies that geo-economics must take precedence over geopolitics and that the centre of gravity should shift from conflict to cooperation," he said. Three tourists from Tamil Nadu were killed and 14 others injured on Sunday when a Tempo Traveller they were travelling in fell into a gorge in Himachal Pradesh's Bilaspur district, police said. The tourists, all members of an extended family, were travelling to Manali tourist resort from New Delhi when the vehicle skidded off the road in the Swarghat area, some 120 km from here, on the Chandigarh-Manali route. Survivors told police that the driver probably lost control while negotiating a turn. While Jagrati and Jai Raman died on the spot, N. Kumar succumbed to his injuries while being taken to hospital, police said. The injured were admitted to a hospital in Bilaspur town. --IANS vg/tsb/dg (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) An association between the gut and the brain in people with irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) has been found, say researchers who established that it could be triggered by a traumatic childhood. The results suggest that signals generated by the brain regions -- involved in the processing of sensory information from their bodies -- can influence the composition of microbes residing in the intestine and that the chemicals in the gut can shape the human brain's structure. "Signals from the gut microbes shape the way the sensory system develops," Emeran Mayer from the University of California - Los Angeles, was quoted as saying by Newsweek. "A lot of influences start during pregnancy and go on for the first three years of life. That's the programming of the gut microbiome-brain axis," Mayer noted. A history of early life trauma has been shown to be associated with structural and functional brain changes and to alter gut microbial composition. It is also possible that the signals the gut and its microbes get from the brain of an individual with a history of childhood trauma may lead to lifelong changes in the gut microbiome. These alterations in the gut microbiota may feed back into sensory brain regions, altering the sensitivity to gut stimuli -- a hallmark of people with IBS, the researchers said. For the study, published in the journal Microbiome, the team collected behavioural information, stool samples and brain images of 29 adults with IBS and 23 healthy people as controls. The research also suggests that the treatments for IBS should be tailored by gut flora test results. --IANS rt/lok/vt (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Two Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) militants were killed on Sunday in a gun battle with security forces in Jammu and Kashmir's Kulgam district, authorities said. Police said the militants were killed when they fired at a road clearing party of security forces in Chaddar Motelhama in Qaimoh area. "The security forces were carrying out a highway clearance operation for the forthcoming Amarnath Yatra when they were fired at by the hidden militants," a police officer said. "The encounter between the security forces and the militants is still going on." --IANS sq/mr (Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Noor-Ur-Rehman Barkati , imam of Kolkatas Tipu Sultan Mosque, who had earlier refused to remove the red beacon atop his car saying he would do so only at the behest of the British government, has acquiesced, though he still feels there isnt much point to it. After a few days everyone would be using it again, he said. Even central ministers wont follow the government ban for too long and it would be business as usual in no time, he added. Traders muttered Merci beaucoup! and went long after Emmanuel Macron became the youngest French president in history. But the Eurosceptics of the extreme-right Front Nationale (FN) won about one-third of the vote. In the French parliamentary elections of mid-June, the FN could be a major player. The UK also has elections in early June. That will shape Brexit. Germany is due to vote in September and Italy could call an election any time. In every case, Eurocsceptics will be influential. In the second week of April, as the Budget session of Parliament drew to a close, Congress President Sonia Gandhi and Communist Party of India (Marxist) chief Sitaram Yechury ran into each other in its corridors. Their brief conversation soon switched to a matter of common concern the upcoming elections for President and Vice-President. Both leaders felt a united Opposition should put up common candidates for the countrys top constitutional posts. This, however, required a longer strategy session. But they didnt want the news, that they were deliberating on the issue, to become public at such an early stage. Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) President Amit Shahs efforts to expand the party continue. He will spend two days in the Lakshadweep islands (May 16-18) to expand the BJPs footprint. Shah has already announced he will work especially hard to win the 120 Lok Sabha seats where the party had lost in 2014. In this connection, he has already visited Jammu and was scheduled to travel to Tamil Nadu but had to change his plans because Prime Minister Narendra Modi was in Sri Lanka at the time. He will visit Telangana and Andhra Pradesh to set up booth-level units of the party where none exist and energise those units which exist but may have fallen into disrepair. Kerala and the neighbouring Lakshadweep islands are an important region where the BJP is trying to establish itself. Bombs were hurled at polling booth in West Bengal's South 24 Parganas's Pujali and North Dinajpur's Raiganj districts on Sunday as elections to seven municipalities in the state is currently underway. In addition to this, an Electronic Voting Machine (EVM) has also been damaged by a few unknown miscreants in ward number seven. The unknown miscreants also attacked a polling officer of the booth and vandalised the polling booths. A heavy police force has been deployed at the site post the incident. Earlier in the morning, the local police had arrested an armed person from the nearby polling booth. Several rounds of bullets were fired in different areas. As many as five persons have been injured in this regard. The presiding officer of the booth told ANI, "The EVM's have been damaged and are dysfunctional at the moment. The glasses of the building are shattered and the furniture have been blown away. A couple of people who were presiding the booth have been trapped inside and have not been able to come out yet." Joy Das, a voter of ward number seven told ANI, "I was physically tortured and assaulted by political goons when I tried to cast my vote. They beat me black and blue, hit me hard and did not let me cast my vote." Another voter claimed to have seen two men with bombs and guns. There were around 40-50 bombs and there were heavy rounds of firing in the distinct areas. "Last time in the municipal elections, there was hardly any political disruption, then why do we have to face so much of torture this time?," questioned a voter. The voters alleged that the Trinamool Congress (TMC) tried to quash the former in order to cast votes for their own party and cease the locals from advocating the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). The police are currently investigating the matter. Seven municipalities, including four in the hills around Darjeeling, in West Bengal are voting today after a campaign between Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee-led Trinamool Congress and Bharatiya Janata Party-Gorkha Janamukti Morcha alliance. At least 1,500 civilians and rebels evacuated an opposition district in Damascus today, state media said, bringing the government closer to cementing its control over the Syrian capital. The evacuations from the Qabun district in northeast Damascus follow similar departures from the Barzeh and Tishrin neighbourhoods earlier this week. An AFP correspondent inside Qabun saw around a dozen white buses carrying out residents and fighters in the morning, after a deal for the neighbourhood was announced late Saturday following heavy fighting. At the edge of the district, two women embraced and wept as they faced the prospect of parting ways. Suad, 22, was leaving behind her friend Mona, also 22, to follow her family to Idlib province, a rebel-held area in the northwest of the country. "I didn't want to leave, but I have to stay with my family, and they prefer to go Idlib after my uncle left with the group from Barzeh," said Suad, wearing a white headscarf and a blue top. "I never thought one day I'd be in this position," she added, sobbing heavily. "I can't describe how I feel." Those evacuating carried small bags with them as they boarded the buses, while others who had decided to stay registered their names at a military post. The evacuation deal came last night after government forces advanced inside the neighbourhood. "The Syrian army yesterday managed to encircle dozens of armed elements inside Qabun neighbourhood, forcing them to surrender and hand over their weapons," a source from the pro-regime National Defence Forces militia told AFP. The signs of the recent fighting, as well as years of prior bombardment and clashes, were visible all around with rubble from partially and completely destroyed buildings strewn across the roads. Tanks sent up clouds of dusts as they manouevered over the mounds of rubble and dirt and black smoke rose from fires still burning in the neighbourhood. "A few days ago we couldn't be here. The road was too dangerous," said one soldier. Others showed off a tunnel they had discovered, one of many that rebels use to connect besieged neighbourhoods. "This tunnel is ten metres deep, and connects Qabun with the town of Arbin" in rebel-held Eastern Ghouta, one soldier said. "It was used by militants to smuggle weapons and food." He said another tunnel had been discovered between the Barzeh and Qabun neighbourhoods and destroyed yesterday. "It was the width of two cars." A lieutenant, who declined to give him name, said the capture of Qabun had been months in the making. "This battle lasted for 15 days but we have been planning it for six months," he said. "We would not have been able to succeed without controlling the network of tunnels. We found more than 10 tunnels so far, and there are still more." The deals for Qabun, Barzeh and Tishrin neighbourhoods follow a pattern of agreements under which the rebels agree to surrender in exchange for safe passage to opposition-held territory elsewhere. The government says the deals are the best way to end the six-year war, but the opposition says it is forced into the agreements by regime bombardment and siege. Two groups of evacuees left Barzeh neighbourhood this week, with one leaving from Tishrin. All three headed to Idlib province, in northwest Syria. Damascus has been insulated from some of the worst violence of Syria's war, which has killed over 320,000 people since it began with anti-government protests in March 2011. But the government has made securing control of the last remaining rebel districts in the capital a key priority. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) More than 2,200 civilians and rebels evacuated an opposition district in Damascus today, state media said, bringing the government closer to cementing its control over the Syrian capital. The evacuations from the Qabun district in northeast Damascus follow similar departures from the Barzeh and Tishrin neighbourhoods earlier this week. "The first phase of the agreement in the Qabun district has been completed with the evacuation of 2,289 people, including 1,058 armed men," Damascus governor Beshr Assaban was quoted as saying by the official SANA agency. He said the aim of the evacuation was to "end the presence of armed forces in the neighbourhood". An AFP correspondent inside Qabun saw around a dozen white buses carrying out residents and fighters, after a deal for the neighbourhood was announced late yesterday following heavy fighting. At the edge of the district, two women embraced and wept as they faced the prospect of parting ways. Suad, 22, was leaving behind her friend Mona, also 22, to follow her family to Idlib province, a rebel-held area in northwest Syria. "I didn't want to leave, but I have to stay with my family, and they prefer to go to Idlib after my uncle left with the group from Barzeh," said Suad. "I never thought one day I'd be in this position," she added, sobbing heavily. "I can't describe how I feel." Those evacuating carried small bags with them as they boarded the buses, while others who had decided to stay registered their names at a military post. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) At least 213 HIV-infected women have given birth to healthy babies in the government-run hospitals of Chhattisgarh in 2016-17, a state health official has said. "The health department is committed to secure the child from infection in the womb of a HIV-positive mother," Chhattisgarh's health services director R Prasanna told PTI. The multi-medicine treatment process has yielded better results, with 213 HIV-infected women having given birth to healthy babies, he said. In 2016-17, the HIV examination were conducted on as many as 3,93,475 pregnant women and of them, 232 tested positive. Around 219 HIV positive pregnant women were provided treatment under the multi-medicine process at government hospitals, he said. After their deliveries, the babies of 213 women were detected uninfected and healthy, Prasanna said. However, the infection was found in the remaining six children who are being given medicines through the anti- retroviral therapy (ART) centres, he said. ART is the combination of several antiretroviral medicines used to slow the rate at which HIV makes copies of itself (multiplies) in the body. Prasanna said the state has 26,000 HIV positive people and of them, 10,289 were being provided medicines through five ART and 12 link ART centres (which work like sub-centres of ART), according to the set guidelines. Keeping in view the shortage of supply of HIV drugs from the National AIDS Control Organisation (NACO) at New Delhi in January this year, a new guideline was issued by the state, he said. "The medicines for adults were broken into a standard dose to feed the children. All the ART and link ART centres had followed the directive. "Neither the child patients, nor their parents had to face trouble (during shortage of medicines)," he said. As per the new guidelines of NACO, it is mandatory for all the HIV patients to take medicines of ART. For the purpose, the state recently received as many as 2.54 lakh medicines (of different compositions) from the Central government for its ART centres, the director said. He said the ART centres have also been allocated a budget to procure medicines on their own as per the requirement. Besides, the Chhattisgarh State AIDS Control Society (CGSACS) has devised an action plan to maintain a regular supply of medicines. The Chhattisgarh Medical Services Corporation has been directed to procure medicines for a period of three months if the situation of shortage in supply arises in future, he said. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The manuscript of 'A Suitable Boy' was so huge that it had to be sent to the publishers in the UK in a whiskey crate, recalls author Vikram Seth, whose magnum opus is set to be adapted into a period drama by the BBC. The novel, running into 1,350 pages, weaves a coming-of- age story set in post-colonial India, and was published in 1993 to much acclaim, both at home and internationally. Seth, now 64, took nearly eight years to finish the book, one of the longest novels ever published in a single volume in the English language, parts of which he wrote in Shimla in early 90s. "Mama (late Justice Leila Seth) was posted in Shimla and I decided to go there, away from the hustle and bustle of Delhi, to concentrate on my writing. "And, when the manuscript was finished, the pages stacked up quite high, and it (manuscript) was sent to the UK in a whiskey crate, for auctioning to publishers," Seth told PTI. The celebrated poet-novelist is the eldest son of the Leila Seth. She served as the chief justice of the Himachal Pradesh High Court from August 5, 1991 to October 20, 1992. In her equally acclaimed memoirs, 'On Balance' Justice Seth recalled the years when the "monumental novel" was a "work in progress". "Though Vikram wrote the bulk of 'A Suitable Boy' in 8 Rajaji Marg (bungalow), its revision and some additions were completed in Armsdell (chief justice's bungalow) in Shimla. During the long process, lasting many years of writing, revising and producing the book, quite apart from the creative stresses and difficulties, he had many problems," she wrote in her autobiography. And, now the literary world of Seth will come alive on screen. The eight-part tele-series by BBC One will be shot on location in India and feature the BBC's first entirely non- white cast. The story of 'A Suitable Boy', a title that would later become Seth's most identifiable book in his enviable body of literary work, begins in 1950s, the decade Seth was born in (1952). The Kolkata-born author created a fictional town of Brahmpur, located on the banks of the Ganga, embedded it with memories of the cities he grew up in, and populated it with characters anchored in realism in a colourful backdrop that complement and supplement the characters that populate his imaginary literary universe anchored in realism. "I did dovetail the references to those places and landmarks -- Brahmpur (Bankipur in Patna), Subzipore Club (Bankipore Club of Patna), Praha Shoe Company (Bata) and then there are links with cities like Calcutta, Lucknow, Allahabad and Kanpur. But, at the core of it is Patna," he said. Justice Seth practiced as barrister in Patna High Court from 1959-69 while her husband Prem Seth was working as a manager for Bata in Patna's Digha area. She passed away early this month aged 86, at her home in Noida. "People have often asked me if 'Lata' (the protagonist) was modelled after my mother. Not really, but the character of Rupa Mehra was definitely made after my grandmother (nani)," Seth says with a smile. "I have tremendous fondness for Patna, and have wonderful memories. And, though the readers of different places, find connect, my characters and the universe I have imagined, grow organically as the story progresses," he said. His younger brother Shantum Seth (60), recalls that "Vikram was always immersed in the world of his characters that he was imagining". "When we were living at Rajaji Marg bungalow, he, in his room, had also created a map of Brahmpur (the city in his novel), and would always 'interact' with his characters, as he does now too. Once in Shimla, mama (Justice Seth) came home early, so he told her -- 'Why have you come back so early? All my characters have run away'," Shantum told PTI. 'A Suitable Boy' is divided into 19 parts, with each segment described in rhyming couplet form on the content page. 'The Golden Gate' author is currently working on sequel to his magnum opus, 'A Suitable Girl'. "The characters in my next novel are still evolving. I am also waiting for my next book, as much as others are." Justice Seth further reminisces in 'On Balance' that her son had his share of problems while writing the book. "But when the book finally appeared, resplendent in dark red and gold and elegantly printed on fine paper, all was forgotten." The first edition of the novel still occupies pride of place in the enviable book shelf that Justice Seth had maintained with much care. "The novel ('A Suitable Boy') was first published in India, as it was set here. Just like my first book 'The Golden Gate' was first published in the US and 'An Equal Music' first in the UK," the author said. Based on meticulous research, the book also navigates the political space of then India, the first general elections of 1952 and also various socio-cultural signposts. "For me, as an author, it is not about the fame that my work brings, but the real joys lie in little things like readers telling that they can relate to the story, that is the real reward as a writer," Seth said. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Indian conglomerate plans to begin extracting coal from the $16.5 billion Carmichael project in Australia in 2020-21, its Chairman Gautam Adani has said. The Group, which has interests from ports to power, would finalise by June an investment decision for the project, which has been delayed due to protests from environmental groups. In an interview to PTI, Adani said his group is not just investing in coal but also in renewable energy in Australia, seeking to develop 1,500 MW of solar projects by 2022. "Like in India, we are investing heavily in renewable energy in Australia too," he said. It has signed pacts to build two solar farms, each with capacity of 100-200 megawatts in Queensland and South Australia. Adani said the company has scaled down the coal mine capacity in the first phase. Originally seen producing 60 million tonnes a year from six open-cut pits and five underground mines, a scaled-down first stage is now planned to produce 25 million tonnes a year of coal and will cost over $4 billion. Other phases will come later. "We will begin work within months of getting final approval from the Australian government," he said. Projections of a global glut of coal and prolonged low prices notwithstanding, Adani is pushing ahead with plans to build the mine that would produce thermal coal to generate electricity and operate for six decades. "About 15 million tons of coal produced from the project (in the northern Australian state of Queensland) will be shipped to India for generating electricity," he said. The group has for more than five years battled opposition from green groups who are opposed to any expansion of the port, saying it will cut into the Great Barrier Reef World Heritage Area. The port is to be used for exporting coal to India. "A port already exists with capacity to handle phase-one coal," he said adding a rail line will have to be built for transporting coal from the mines to the port. The group has so far invested Australian dollar 3.4 billion on the Abbot Point port and preparatory work for the Carmichael coal mine. It has applied for an Australian government agency loan to finance the railway line. Adani said he is expecting Australian federal and state government nods for the coal project soon. The entered Australia in 2010 with the purchase of the greenfield Carmichael coal mine in the Galilee Basin in central Queensland, and the Abbot Point port near Bowen in the north. The Calcutta High Court has asked prosecutors in the AMRI Hospital fire case to bring down the number of witnesses from a staggering 455 to a practical figure to conclude the trial within a time frame. The fire had claimed lives of 92 persons on December nine, 2011. Hearing a petition by cardiac specialist Dr Mani Chhetri for quashing of proceedings against him, Justice Joymalyo Bagchi observed that examining 455 witnesses could make the trial go on for many years. Justice Bagchi said the prosecution would have to scale it down to a practical number so that the trial could be completed within around two years. Public prosecutor Saswata Gopal Mukherjee submitted before the court that he would come back with a plausible plan for scaling down the number of witnesses and inform the court about it on the next date of hearing on May 18. Mukherjee submitted during the proceedings earlier this week that the prosecution was ready to hold day-to-day trial if the high court passed directions asking the trial court to make such arrangement. Opposing the prayer of nonagenarian Chhetri, who was one of the directors of AMRI Hospital at the time of the fire incident, Mukherjee submitted that the trial in the case had already began. At this, Justice Bagchi said that only one witness had been examined by the prosecution in the trial court. The cardiac specialist has claimed that though the license of the hospital had been in his name, he was not involved in the day-to-day operations of the hospital located in south Kolkata. Chhetri, 11 other directors and four officials of the hospital have been charged with culpable homicide not amounting to murder which entails a punishment of 10 years in jail if found guilty. They were also charged under various sections of the West Bengal Fire Services Act pertaining to violations of fire safety rules. Charges were framed against all 16 accused persons, all of whom are out on bail, by the Alipore court on June 30, 2016. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The Bihar government has told the National Green Tribunal that it would appoint a permanent head of the state pollution control board (SPCB) in two months, but has assigned its Environment Principal Secretary on an interim basis as its chairman. The assurance came after the NGT had questioned the state governments and Union Territory administrations on top appointments in their state pollution control boards and directed them to fill the vacancies with persons of requisite qualification within three months. The Nitish Kumar government told a bench headed by NGT Chairperson Justice Swatanter Kumar that the newly appointed Chairman of the Board was fully qualified to hold the post as per the judgment of the Tribunal. Advocate Gautam Singh, appearing for the state government, told the tribunal that the IAS officer Vivek Kumar Singh has been posted on an interim basis and a regular chairman would be appointed within two months. "He (lawyer for Bihar) further submits that the Member Secretary who is an officer from Indian Forest Service has been appointed on interim basis and a new incumbent, in accordance with law and guidelines as stated in the Judgment, would be appointed shortly. This process should be completed within three months," the bench said. The NGT also directed the Bihar government to abide by its statement and file a compliance report within two months. The green panel had issued a slew of guidelines for appointments to the posts of Chairman and Member Secretary, those to be appointed should have special knowledge, practical experience or qualification in environment protection studies and "not on the ground of their association with state government". The post of Chairman/Member Secretary should be advertised and thrown open for all candidates irrespective of the fact whether they are in the government, academia or in private sector, so as to attract the best talent, it had said. The tribunal had said the Chairman or Member Secretary should have a fixed term, which should not be extended for more than one term. Such persons should not hold office in the Board in accordance to their tenure in State Government. The judgement had come on a plea by Uttarakhand resident Rajendra Singh Bhandari, who had challenged the constitution of state pollution control boards on the ground that people who did not qualify were appointed as Chairman, Member Secretary and Members of these boards. According to the plea, these appointments were bound to affect environmental issues seriously in as much as the grant of consents under Prevention and Control of Pollution Act and the entire regulatory regime depended on the effective working of these boards. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) ArcelorMittal is steeling itself against flooding of cheaper imports, from China in particular, that is eating into its profitability. The world's largest steelmaker, led by NRI billionaire Lakshmi N Mittal, has registered a net profit of USD 1 billion for the quarter to March 2017, but at the same time seen a rise in net debt to USD 12.1 billion during the period. "Given that there continues to be overcapacity in the global steel industry, particularly in China, it is important that there is a comprehensive trade response in place to minimise the impact of unfair trade across all product categories," the company has said in its latest report. It has categorically stated that while import has declined in product categories where duties have been imposed, it has gone up or remained constant in cases where no decision has been taken yet. "So, despite recovering domestic demand in our core markets, our cost-competitive and well-invested assets are not consistently earning their cost of capital due to this persistent pressure from unfairly-priced imports," it said. ArcelorMittal "will continue to work with our trade associations to launch actions against unfair trade". In the US, the steelmaker said, there are anti-dumping (AD) and anti-subsidy (AS) duties in place on all four flat product categories: core, CRC, HRC and plate. These measures are in place for five years. The company also said anti-circumvention investigations have been initiated by the Department of Commerce in China (through Vietnam) with an expected decision in September 2017. It is expecting an early decision on national security investigation with respect to steel imports in the US. On April 20, 2017, US President Donald Trump announced initiation of a national security investigation with respect to steel import. In Europe, there are "final AD duties on CRC against China and Russia and final duties on HRC against China". The European Commission has decided not to impose provisional measures on import of HRC from five additional countries -- Brazil, Iran, Ukraine, Russia and Serbia. The steel giant said, "We will continue to work towards final measures which could be implemented by third quarter of 2017. The AS investigation for HRC import from China is ongoing and in December 2016, a new AD investigation was initiated on import of corrosion resistant steel from China." The Luxembourg-based firm had reported a higher net debt of USD 12.1 billion, which it attributed to "seasonal working capital investment of USD 2.2 billion" as against USD 11.1 billion as on December 31, 2016. In 2016, ArcelorMittal racked up revenues of USD 56.8 billion and crude steel production of 90.8 million tonnes. Its own iron ore output hit 55.2 mt. The company is listed on stock exchanges of New York, Amsterdam, Paris, Luxembourg and on Spanish bourses of Barcelona, Bilbao, Madrid and Valencia. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Forced to flee their homes, cattle and ready to harvest crops due to frequent shelling by Pakistan, the residents along the Line of Control are batting for construction of 'community bunkers' in their villages. For the thousands living in these vulnerable zones, fear creeps in when the sun sets as their hamlets come under intense shelling by the neighbour's army. Mortar marks on walls of houses and shops in the area are a testimony to the brute firing by Pakistani army targeting the civilian population. The Pakistan armyhad yesterday pounded civilian areas and forward posts along the LoC in Nowshera area with mortars, killing two civilians and injuring three others. The border dwellers are now batting for construction of community bunkers to safeguard themselves from the heavy cross-border shelling, which have seen a spike since 2002. Madan Lal (62) said he along with his five family members took shelter in an underground bunker set up by him near his house for 20 hours, before being ferried in a bullet-proof vehicle by police and housed in a camp in Nowshera. "It was the worst shelling along LoC in Nowshera since 2002. Hundreds of mortar shells were fired by Pakistan, especially targeting civilian areas and hamlets. It was raining shells," he said. With fear and terror writ large on his face, the farmer said, "We fled our houses, leaving behind the cattle and ready to harvest crops to save our lives. We took refuge in an underground bunker near my house for several hours." His wife Sudha said, "The mud bunker near our house saved our lives as shells damaged our house. For border dwellers, such bunkers are like the bullet proof jackets." The couple said such bunkers could also help in keeping their cattle safe. Jangarh residents--Rajan Choudhary, Mohinder and Suresh Kumar-- also vouched for the usefulness of such bunkers for safeguarding lives. They said community bunkers should be constructed in each and every hamlet dotting the Indo-Pak border. Three civilians have been killed and five others injured in Pakistani shelling along LOC in Nowshera sector of Rajouri district on May 11 and 13. As many as 42 villages along the LoC have been caught in the crossfire recently. "Our village Pukharmi was hit by over 70 mortar shells in just 10 to 15 minutes. A shell hit our house. My wife Akhar Bi died in the attack," 40-year-old Haneef, who was injured in the attack, said. "If the government would have set up a bunker, my wife would not have died. The government has failed to keep the promise of setting up community bunkers for border dwellers," he said. Underground community bunkers have become like a "second home" for the border residents, with most of these being constructed by the locals on their own. The decision to construct community bunkers was taken by the Union government in December last year. The Jammu and Kashmir government had in 2015 submitted a proposal to the Centre for setting up of over 20,000 bunkers at a cost of over Rs 1,000 crore in 448 border areas in the state. "The proposal will cover a population of 4,02,455 living close to the border areas in districts of Kathua, Samba, Jammu, Rajouri and Poonch," then chief minister Mufti Mohammad Sayeed had said. The border dwellers also want the Narendra Modi-led Central government to deal with Pakistan with an iron hand. "Give them (Pakistan) a befitting reply so that they never dare to resort to even a single ceasefire violation in the future," a border resident Puran Chand said. After the Pakistani shelling, 270 people were evacuated from various areas along the LoC in Rajouri district to safer places. The government had last month said the Pakistani security forces had violated the ceasefire 268 times in the last one year. Nine perons were killed in these incidents. Minister of State for Defence Subhash Bhamre had said some time back that between April 2016 and March 2017, the maximum of 88 violations were witnessed in November 2016 followed by 78 in October 2016 and 22 in March this year. The ceasefire between India and Pakistan came into force in November 2003. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) A class XI girl student, who was allegedly abducted, was today rescued from a farmhouse here after which she complained of being raped by three youths during her captivity, police said today. The girl, a resident of Modinagar area in neighbouring Ghaziabad, had gone to her institute on April 28 to collect her marksheet but did not return home. Following this, her relatives filed a police complaint on May 1 against one Ashu and two others, accusing them of abducting her, a police official said. "The girl was rescued from a farmhouse in Kankarkhera here last night," said Modinagar police station SHO Dhruv Bhushan Dubey. "She had jumped to the roof of an adjoining building. On hearing her cries, the owner of this building informed police following which she was rescued," Dubey said. The official said the girl will be sent for medical examination to confirm rape. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The government is exploring the possibility of putting under the hammer around seven to eight more coal blocks for commercial mining by private players, taking the total number of mines to be auctioned to up to 12. "So we are examining the possibility of adding some more mines for commercial mining which are smaller, and some work has already happened on them. So the process can start faster and bring in more flexibility in availability of coal," Coal and Power Minister Piyush Goyal, who was on a visit to Austria and the UK from May 10-13 for an Energy Dialogue, told PTI. India is in the process of throwing open commercial mining to private firms for the first time in four decades, with the aim of shifting the world's third-biggest importer towards self-sufficiency. "That could be about 7-8 mines which are smaller in number. So, in total, four large mines and 7-8 small mines would be auctioned," the minister said. The government had earlier said that opening up of commercial coal mining to private companies will bring in completion in the coal sector and reduce power tariff. The Centre had said it wanted to convey to potential investors that sustainable and efficient mining, not revenue maximisation, is the idea behind commercial mine auction. As per the Coal Mines Special Provision Act of 2015, the government can open up commercial coal mining for private players. With a chunk of population going without electricity, the government had said that it would ensure that these people get power. A group of secretaries had earlier suggested that the government should create competition for Coal India by opening up commercial coal mining. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Invoking Atal Bihari Vajpayee, National Conference leader Farooq Abdullah today appealed to Prime Minister Narendra Modi to declare a "unilateral truce" along the Indo-Pak border during the holy month of Ramzan. The "bold" move will show that India wants to have peace and is ready to sit together to resolve the issue, the former Jammu and Kashmir chief minister told reporters. "I will appeal (to Prime Minister Narendra Modi). Ramzan is approaching. It is just a few days away. It will better if they announce unilateral truce," Abdullah said here, a day after two persons were killed in heavy shelling by Pakistan along the Line of Control (LoC) in Rajouri district. The NC leader's statement drew a sharp reaction from the BJP with Deputy Chief Minister Nirmal Singh asking why he was not giving similar advice to Pakistan, which has frequently violated the 2003 Indo-Pak ceasefire along the border and targeted civilian settlements. Asked about the ceasefire violations by Pakistan, Abdullah said that despite the hostile situation in Jammu and Kashmir and on the borders, former prime minister Vajpayee had announced a unilateral ceasefire against anti-terror operations in the year 2000. "It has become a serious problem. To resolve this, we have to take decisions. There was a very serious problem... when Atal Bihari Vajpayee was Prime Minister and he took a bold decision, went to Lahore and announced unilateral ceasefire during the month of Ramdan," he said. Announcing a unilateral truce against terror oprations, Vajpayee had on November 19, 2000 said in a statement, "I hope that our gesture will be fully appreciated and all violence in the State and infiltration across the Line of Control and the International Border will cease and peace will prevail". Later in 2003, the Indo-Pak ceasefire came into force. The government had last month said that Pakistani security forces had violated the ceasefire 268 times in the last one year. Between April 2016 and March 2017, the maximum of 88 violations were witnessed in November 2016 followed by 78 in October 2016 and 22 in March this year. "Time has come when both countries should move forward towards it. Four wars have been fought and except death and destruction, we have got nothing," Abdullah said. The holy month of 'Ramadan' will begin towards May-end. The NC leader said that he had impressed on the Prime Minister during their recent meeting that there was immediate need to take a political initiative on Kashmir issue and the situation in the valley should not be looked as a law and order problem. "We shared our view point on Kashmir situation. I told him that it is very important to take a political initiative. It is not a mere law and order problem. We have to think beyond the law and order angle. "A Parliament delegation came (to Kashmir). They gave a report on the situation but nothing was done. The iterlocutors' report has not been implemented. I told him you need to work fast on it and take an urgent initiative," he said. Abdullah said the situation in Kashmir "is getting bad" and tension is increasing on the borders. "A situation should not be allowed which will result in a war. It is not good for us. It will only cause destruction. So there is need to have talks," he said. Asked about Hizb commander Zakir Moosa's statement that militants are fighting for Islam in Kashmir, Abdullah said, "Where in Islam is it written that we have to wage a war and kill innocents. Please show me the book in which it is written. "It is a state of Muslims, Hindus, Sikhs, Christians and Bhuddists. Does Islam say kill innocents? If you kill one innocent person, you will go to hell. "It (Kashmir) is political issue. It cannot be resolved through a war. It will be resolved through talks. You have keep the door open for commencement of talks," he said. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Imagine an appliance that pulls out water from air! Kolkata-based Vikram Solar has teamed up with Israel's WaterGen to manufacture a harvester to address safe and clean drinking water issue. A memorandum of understanding (MoU) has already been signed between the two firms to form a joint venture for manufacturing solar-powered water harvester using the Israeli technology that will suit the Indian conditions. The technology is relevant to countries like India where a large part of population still does not have access to safe and clean drinking water. "We are working seriously to finalise the joint venture. Hopefully, the deal will get through in the next few days," WaterGen Business Development officer Maor Zrahyahu told PTI. A product with the unique water solution technology will be developed in a such way that is energy efficient and cost effective, he said without disclosing about investment. This would help provide drinking water access to people in remote places making best use of easily available natural resources -- air and humidity, he added. According to WaterGen, the water harvesting device can be of different sizes depending on the extent of water to be harvested from atmosphere. A small device, which can be used at home, can produce produce up to 20 litres a day, while a medium-sized device can produce up to 450 litres and a large device up to 3,000 litres a day, he added. WaterGen said it has systems that can produce up to 7,000 litres of clean drinking water a day depending on temperature and humidity conditions. The drinking water harvested from atmosphere is safe and can be tested for the quality. Besides India, the Israeli company has entered into strategic partnerships with companies in other countries including Vietnam and North America. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Four members of a family were killed today after their car hit the railing of a flyover on a national highway near Pardi village in Valsad district, police said. Nareshbhai Solanki (35), his wife Lataben Solanki (32), mother Kanuben Solanki (62) and niece Krishna (10), died on the spot after their car crashed into the railing and then overturned, an official of Pardi police station said. They were returning to their home in Surat from Mumbai, the official said. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) More gory details of Nirbhaya like gang rape-and-murder of a young Dalit woman from Sonipat emerge today, while her family alleged that their plea to police for help prior to the killing went unheeded. An autopsy of the victim showed the bones of the woman's skull were shattered into pieces and "some sharp-edged objects may have been inserted in her private parts". "The findings suggest that it was a brutal rape and murder," said Dr S K Dhatterwal, head of the department of forensic medicine at the Post Graduate Institute of Medical Sciences (PGIMS) in Rohtak, who conducted the post-mortem examination. Two persons, including the main accused Sumit, who is a Dalit, have been arrested by the Haryana Police which has formed a Special Investigation Team (SIT) to probe the case. Police today also said that the family of the victim suspected the involvement of six more persons, out of whom five were related to the main accused. Meanwhile, National Commission for Women member Rekha Sharma met the family of the victim and said she expects that the accused will get exemplary punishment like the killers of 'Nirbhaya'. The decomposed and mutilated body of the 23-year-old woman, who went missing from Sonipat on May 9 and was gang- raped and brutally murdered, was found near the Industrial Model Township in Urban Estate, Rohtak, on May 11. Stray dogs had bitten off the face and lower portion of her body. The sheer brutality of the crime is reminiscent of the 'Nirbhaya' incident in Delhi, which triggered nation-wide outrage. The kin of the victim have alleged that they had approached the Sonipat police about a month back with a complaint that Sumit was harassing their daughter, but there was no action. "Earlier, we had approached police with a complaint of harassment by the main accused but no action was taken," the victim's kin told reporters in Sonipat. Refuting the charge, Sonipat Superintendent of Police, Ashwin Shenvi said, "There was a verbal complaint given some time back by the woman to Sonipat police saying that the main accused was asking her to marry him. It was a verbal complaint, there was no written complaint to police station." "However, later the complainant and her mother again came to the police station and said they had struck a compromise, and there no need for police action," the officer claimed. Shenvi said an SIT, headed by DSP (Headquarters) Sonipat, Mukesh is probing the case. It also has a local SHO, Inspector CIA and a woman police officer, he told PTI over phone. He said as the victim belonged to Dalit community, the accused had also been booked under the provisions of the SC/ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act. "The woman was a Dalit and out of the two accused, main accused Sumit is also a Dalit," he added. Shenvi said during investigations involvement of only two people had come to fore, both of whom were arrested. Rohtak Range Inspector General of Police Navdeep Virk said that the family gave the names of six more persons last evening. "The victim's family gave names of six more persons yesterday, suspecting their involvement in the crime. A supplementary statement of the family has been recorded to find out if those who have been named are actually involved. Out of these six persons, five are relatives of Sumit, main accused. One more is also related in some way to the accused," the SP said. The police have arrested 24-year-old Sumit and 28-year- old Vikas on the charges of rape, murder and abduction. Drawing parallels with the 'Nirbhaya' case of Delhi, the victim's family demanded exemplary punishment to the accused. The shocking incident barely a month after the BJP-led Haryana government launched 'Operation Durga' to stop eve- teasing and harassment of women in public places in the state, which is infamous for its adverse sex ratio in the country. The victim, said to be a divorcee, had been abducted from Sonipat on May 9 and taken to Rohtak in a car, police said. The victim's parents had lodged a missing complaint at the Sonipat police station. Sonipat police sub-inspector Ajay Malik had said that the victim was raped first and then the suspects hit her with a brick, smashing her face. Sumit, who was an acquaintance of the victim, had allegedly been pressuring her to marry him, police said. Following the incident, Congress president Sonia Gandhi yesterday expressed deep shock, saying it highlighted the need for "revisiting" the issue of women safety. The body was identified by the victim's mother on the basis of her clothes. "He was putting pressure on her to marry him and used to threaten her. A week ago, he stopped her when she was returning from work. When she resisted, he threatened and abused her. She slapped him and ran home," said the mother in her statement to the police. While Sumit has a private job, Vikas works as a car mechanic. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Financial assistance of Rs 10.5 lakh was announced today for the family of a young woman who was gang-raped and killed in Haryana last week. As the 23-year old woman was a Dalit, the state welfare department would provide Rs 8.5 lakh to her family under provisions of the Scheduled Caste and Scheduled Tribe (Prevention of Atrocities) Act. "The remaining Rs 2 lakh will be given by the Red Cross," Sonipat Deputy Commissioner K Makrand Pandurang told PTI over phone. The mutilated body of the woman was found near the Industrial Model Township in Urban Estate, Rohtak, on May 11, two days after she had gone missing. Stray dogs had bitten away the victim's face and lower portion of her body which was spotted by a passer-by. The woman, said to be a divorcee, had been kidnapped from Sonipat on May 9 and taken to Rohtak in a car, police said. The Haryana Police has formed a special investigation team (SIT) to probe the case. The police have already arrested two men including the one who they claimed was her "jilted lover". (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) A bomb-sniffing dog is being hailed as a hero after he took a bullet meant for his handler during a shootout. K9 Kasper, who has protected President Donald Trump in the past, is recovering after being shot in the side when deputies with the Palm Beach Sheriff's Office (PBSO) exchanged gunfire with a wanted man who was killed. Phillip Oshea was accused of a shooting and robbery on Friday in Jupiter, Florida. Later that day, deputies came to apprehend him, and he fired shots at them, Fox 13 reported. "During the gunfire, PBSO K9 Kasper was shot while protecting his handler," the sheriff's office said in a Facebook post that included a photo of the wounded dog on a veterinarian's operating table. Deputies had pursued OShea to Jupiter following a shootout off Okeechobee Boulevard in which a police officer was injured while diving for cover. Details of the final shootout were scant, but police said it took place in a parking lot. During the encounter, Kasper was struck in the left hip by gunfire. The bullet missed his vital organs, and it was removed with surgery at Palm Beach Veterinary Specialists, according to a video posted on Twitter by the sheriff's office. The bullet was out and Kasper had recovered from anesthesia. The video showed him walking out of the clinic with relative ease. "He's on antibiotics and is walking fairly well, all things considered," said Michele Tucker, the veterinary center's managing director of patient services, on the video. Kasper, a bomb-sniffing, patrol and street crimes dog, has protected Trump during his visits to Florida. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) A Hizbul Mujahideen militant was apprehended at the Indo-Nepal border in Maharajganj in Uttar Pradesh as he was trying to cross into the country to carry out terror activities, according to officials. Naseer Ahmed alias Sadiq (34), hailing from Banihal in Ramban district of Jammu and Kashmir, was held last evening from Sonauli border post. He was trying to sneak into India from Nepal in the guise of a shawl and carpet vendor, the Sashastra Seema Bal (SSB), which guards the 1,751-km-long open border, said. He was carrying a Pakistani passport and an identity card of being a resident of Lala Musa village in Gujrat district in Punjab province of the neighbouring country, it said. Ahmed was handed over to the Uttar Pradesh ATS for further investigation. According to security agencies, Ahmed had joined Hizbul Muzahideen in 2002-03 and moved to Pakistan. He was involved in a number of terrorist activities. In 2002, he sustained bullet injuries during an encounter with the Army in Banihal. "Ahmed was residing in Pakistan since September, 2003. He was involved in many attacks against civilians and security forces including an attack on an STF camp in India in 2003. "He was sent to India by his handler for a specific mission," an SSB spokesperson said. When he was asked for his identity proof by the SSB personnel at Sonauli, Ahmed was unable to produce any supporting documents, the spokesperson said. The paramilitary, based on initial interrogation of the terrorist, said Ahmed and his associate Mohd Shafi landed in Kathmandu on May 10 from Faisalabad in Pakistan via Sharjah. Shafi separated from him in Kathmandu. A top security official said that Ahmed's name did not figure in the list, maintained by Jammu and Kashmir police, of those who want to shun terrorism and are desirous of returning to the Kashmir Valley for rehabilitation. "Ahmed was apprehended by SSB based on its own intelligence inputs and profiling," the spokesperson said. The SSB said Ahmed reached the Indo-Nepal border in a bus "with an intention to sneak into Indian territory and carry out terrorist activities in India". "He was in touch with a handler from India, who used to deposit money, in his account, off and on. "On his instructions, he came to India for undertaking terrorist activities but was apprehended by the SSB," the spokesperson said, adding the handler who provided him money has been identified. Ahmed had crossed over to Pakistan in 2003 in a group of 23 people to join the Hizbul cadre. He was trained in unarmed combat and weapon handling at Atak in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Province in Pakistan by Hizbul Mujahideen, ISI and the Pakistan Army "with an aim of waging war against India and to fight with Indian security forces in Jammu and Kashmir". "Ahmed revealed he used to preach Quran to Hizbul cadres during his stay at various camps," the spokesperson said. In Pakistan, he married Asha Naeem (25) of Gujrat district on November 2, 2009. He had two sons. He also started a hosiery business in Gujrat district of Pakistan, the official said. The SSB said Ahmed sustained two bullet injuries during an encounter with security forces in Banihal in Jammu and Kashmir in 2002. He was among the terrorists who exploded mines during polls in the same year in which two civilians and as many army personnel were killed. Ahmed was part of the terrorist team that attacked the Special Task Force camp in Ramsoo near Banihal in 2003, the spokesperson added. He will be produced by the ATS in court and his custody will be sought for further interrogation, the officer said. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The family of the 23-year-old Dalit woman, found gang-raped and murdered in Rohtak on Thursday, had around a month back complained about a man who was harassing her but the police failed to act, one of her relatives alleged today. Drawing parallels with the brutality witnessed in the 'Nirbhaya' case of Delhi, the victim's family has sought maximum punishment to the accused. The police acknowledged that a "verbal" complaint had been made but refuted the charge of inaction saying that the victim's family had later come to a compromise with the man and said there was no need for action. The same man, named Sumit, has now been arrested for the crime, the sheer savagery of which emerged today in the post- mortem report which found the victim's skull shattered, a part of the food pipe missing and suggested sharp-edged objects may have been inserted into her private parts. "We had approached the police with a complaint of harassment by the main accused but no action was taken," a kin of the victim kin told reporters in Sonipat. The police however refuted the charge "There was a verbal complaint some time back by the woman to Sonipat police saying that the main accused was pressuring her to marry him. It was a verbal complaint, there was no written complaint to police station," Superintendent of Police, Sonipat, Ashwin Shenvi said. "However, later, the complainant and her mother again came to the police station and said they had struck a compromise and there no need for police action," the officer claimed. The body was identified by the victim's mother on the basis of her clothes. "He (Sumit) was putting pressure on her to marry him and used to threaten her. A week ago, he stopped her when she was returning from work. When she resisted, he threatened and abused her. She slapped him and ran home," said the mother in her statement to the police. While Sumit (24) has a private job, the other person arrested, Vikas (28), works as a car mechanic. "The woman was a Dalit and out of the two accused, main accused Sumit is also a Dalit," Shenvi said. He said as the victim belonged to Dalit community, the provisions of the SC/ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act have also been invoked. Shenvi said during investigations, involvement of only two people had come to fore and both have been arrested. The post-mortem report also indicated a 'Nirbhaya' case- like savagery. "The findings suggest that it was a brutal rape and murder," said Dr S K Dhatterwal, head of the department of forensic medicine at the Post Graduate Institute of Medical Sciences (PGIMS) in Rohtak, who conducted the post-mortem. He said multiple head injuries, inflicted by some blunt weapon, were the main cause of the death and several bones of the victim's skull were found to be shattered. "There were injuries on the private parts, which means that woman was sexually assaulted," Dhattarwal said adding that the vaginal swab had been sent to a forensic science lab for confirmation regarding rape. The injuries suggest some sharp-edged objects may have been inserted in her private parts, he further said. Indicating that the woman was given sedatives before she was raped and murdered, Dhattarwal said that signs of some such drugs had been found in the stomach. Rohtak range Inspector General of Police Navdeep Virk said that the family gave the names of six more persons last evening. "A supplementary statement of the family has been recorded. Out of these six persons, five are relatives of Sumit, main accused. The sixth may also be related in some way," a police official said. The opposition hit out at the BJP government in Haryana over the incident. Former Chief Minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda alleged a complete breakdown of law and order while demanding exemplary punishment for the culprits. Financial assistance of Rs 10.5 lakh was announced today for the victim's family. As she was a Dalit, the state welfare department would provide Rs 8.5 lakh to her family under provisions of the Scheduled Caste and Scheduled Tribe (Prevention of Atrocities) Act while Rs 2 lakh will be given by the Red Cross, Sonipat Deputy Commissioner K Makrand Pandurang said. National Commission for Women member Rekha Sharma met the family of the victim. The decomposed and mutilated body of the 23-year-old woman, who went missing from Sonipat on May 9 and was gang- raped and brutally murdered, was found near the Industrial Model Township in Urban Estate, Rohtak, on May 11. Stray dogs had bitten off the face and lower portion of her body. The sheer brutality of the crime, reminiscent of the 'Nirbhaya' incident in Delhi which triggered nation-wide outrage, occurred barely a month after the BJP-led Haryana government launched 'Operation Durga' to stop harassment of women. Following the incident, Congress president Sonia Gandhi had expressed deep shock, saying it highlighted the need to revisit the issue of women safety. Meanwhile, in Gurugram, also in Haryana, a 22-year-old woman from Sikkim was allegedly raped by three men in a moving car here and thrown out on a road in Delhi. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) A one-stop shop for details on all financial transactions of lenders, information utilities under the insolvency and bankruptcy law are likely to be operational in next three months, a top official said. These "unique" institutions -- governed by the Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code (IBC) -- would act as repository of information about lending and borrowing activities done by all financial institution. "They will provide ready information for resolution professionals and courts like NCLT. It will help them save time as information would be readily available for expeditious clearance of cases," Insolvency and Bankruptcy Board of India (IBBI) Chairman M S Sahoo told PTI. Having such institutions might also help fight against the bad loans menace amid the government empowering RBI to direct banks to initiate insolvency and bankruptcy proceedings against defaulters under the IBC. Under the Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code (IBC), information utilities can have a maximum of 49 per cent foreign holding and rules for setting up such entities are already in place. "One company has applied for in-principal approval...And FDI beyond 49 per cent is not allowed. Information utility company should become a reality in next 2-3 months," Sahoo said. An information utility would be storehouse of financial information that helps establish defaults as well as verify claims expeditiously. Having such a system would facilitate completion of transactions under the Code in a time bound manner. "It is going to be big IT-intensive system... We are looking at operationalising information utilities, an organisation that will give financial information like lending, borrowing all that is required in transaction," he said. Emphasising that there is no parallel of this in the world, Sahoo said information utility would be set up by market and this would be something unique to India. It would be a public company with a net worth of at least Rs 50 crore, among other requirements, and more than half the directors of its governing board should be independent. Its promoters, directors, key managerial personnel and persons holding over 5 per cent of its paid-up equity share capital or total voting power, would be considered as fit and proper persons. Sahoo said utilities "constitute a key pillar of the insolvency and bankruptcy ecosystem, the other three being the Adjudicating Authority (National Company Law Tribunal and Debt Recovery Tribunal)". (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu today challenged US concerns over moving the American embassy to Jerusalem, in what Haaretz newspaper called his "first public dispute" with the Trump administration. US President Donald Trump had promised during his campaign to move the American embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem, whose status is one of the thorniest issues of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. But there has been no movement on that pledge so far. The Palestinians and the Arab world fiercely oppose a move, and the international community has warned that it could spark fresh unrest. US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson told NBC's "Meet the Press" today that Trump was still seeking to assess whether relocating the embassy would help or harm chances for Israeli-Palestinian peace. "The president is being very careful to understand how such a decision would impact a peace process," Tillerson said, going on to suggest that Israel itself might be less than fully committed to a move. "I think it'll be informed, again, by the parties that are involved in those talks and most certainly Israel's view on whether Israel views it as being helpful to a peace initiative or perhaps a distraction." Netanyahu hurried to remove any doubt -- and preempt protest within his right-wing government -- in a statement issued by his office. "Israel's position has often been expressed to the American administration and to the world," it said. "The transfer of the American Embassy to Jerusalem not only will not harm the peace process, but the opposite. It will advance it by correcting a historic injustice and by smashing the Palestinian fantasy that Jerusalem is not the capital of Israel." Israel occupied the West Bank and east Jerusalem in 1967. It later annexed east Jerusalem in a move never recognised by the international community. In 1980, Israel declared "reunited" Jerusalem its capital in a move unrecognised by major states. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Japanese automobile manufacturer Isuzu is gradually ramping up component sourcing from India for its global operations as it develops local vendors here. The company has already roped in around 100 suppliers which are primarily meeting local requirements for rolling out pick-up truck from its plant in Andhra Pradesh. "We are already doing it," Isuzu Motors India (IMI) Deputy Managing Director Hitoshi Kono told PTI when asked about the company's plans to source components from India for global operations. While it is too early to quantify how much components are exported from India, he said Isuzu is looking to source components across the board from the country for its global operations. Isuzu's vendor development in India has been done with a long-term strategy of meeting global component requirements. "When we look at parts suppliers, we don't look at their ability to supply only for India. We look at their ability to supply for us in the long run even for our global requirements," IMI Senior General Manager Communications Shankar Srinivas said. On the company's role in vendor development in India, he said: "To some extent we advise and guide their engineering to level-up with our requirements." Giving an idea of potential for component sourcing from India, Srinivas said Isuzu has operations in 100 countries, out of which it has leadership in 35. It is a question of how much of those volumes can be tapped from the Indian market as there are suppliers elsewhere in the world as well, he added. A vendor from India would have to first meet quality requirements, he added. "We are not in a hurry to push for volumes but we are ready to ensure that quality is up there," he added. Isuzu is already planning to export vehicles from India to around 15-20 countries as part of its plans to make the country a hub of its global manufacturing operations. The company, which has invested Rs 3,000 crore in Andhra Pradesh to set up a manufacturing facility, has already started exporting vehicles to Nepal. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Executive search firm Head Hunters India said the job cuts in will be between 1.75 lakh and 2 lakh annually for next three years due to under-preparedness in adapting to newer technologies. "Contrary to media reports of 56,000 IT professionals to lose jobs this year, the actual job cuts will be between 1.75 lakh and 2 lakh per year in next three years, due to under- preparedness in adapting to newer technologies," Head Hunters India Founder-Chairman and MD K Lakshmikanth told PTI, analysing a report submitted by McKinsey & Company at the Nasscom India Leadership Forum on February 17. McKinsey & Company report had said nearly half of the workforce in the IT services firms will be "irrelevant" over the next 3-4 years. McKinsey India Managing Director Noshir Kaka had also said the bigger challenge ahead for the will be to retrain 50-60 per cent of the workforce as there will be a significant shift in technologies. The employs 3.9 million people and the majority of them have to be retrained. "So, when we analyse these figures, it is clear that 30 to 40 per cent of the workforce cannot be retrained or re- skilled. So, assume that half of this workforce can continue to work on old skills, then balance will become redundant. "So, the number of people who will become redundant in the next three years will be about five to six lakhs. This will workout to, on a average, between 1.75 lakh to 2 lakh per year for next three years," Lakshmikanth explained. However, he said job cuts will not take place in major cities like Mumbai or Bengaluru, but cities like Coimbatore or a few remote places, he said. Lakshmikanth further said the IT services is passing through an uncertain time as the growth in digital technologies like cloud-based services is happening at a much faster pace and the are combining learning of some of the new technologies and reskilling. "Because of the changing technology, the most affected will be the professionals aged 35 and above, for it would be very difficult for them to get jobs," Lakhsmikanth said. Asked if it is fair to blame US President Donald Trump's policy for job cuts, Lakshmikanth said it is not fair because he has fulfilled the promise after winning the elections. "How can we blame Trump, for he has fulfilled the election promise of giving jobs to local people including IT professionals by tightening H1-B visa norms, which were being misused by by paying less to foreign professionals working in US. It is for to tackle the situation, and such situation they have undergone in previous years. It is not new for them. They know to tide over it," he said. Lakhsmikanth also said it is not fair even to target the Indian government as the IT industry grew on its own in India, but at later stages respective state governments and central governments provided them facilities like land or creating special economic zones, among others. Jammu and Kashmir's Deputy Chief Minister Nirmal Singh today met shelling-affected people along the LoC in Rajouri and assured them that the state government has taken optimum measures to relocate residents to safer areas if ceasefire violations by Pakistan continue. Asserting that Pakistan is violating the ceasefire in sheer "desperation", the Deputy CM said a befitting response is being given and the Indian Army will continue to do so. He expressed hope that the situation would be brought under control soon. Singh also visited the shelling-affected areas in Nowshera sector and took stock of the situation. "Pakistan is continuing with its cowardly acts. They are targeting civilians. They have carried out such acts earlier also. We are giving an apt reply to their firing, the government will also take appropriate steps," Singh said. "Since three days they are continuing firing. It is an act of desperation. We are retaliating strongly. They are suffering losses. Pakistan is not only resorting to shelling but also encouraging militants in Kashmir," he said. He was accompanied by Nowshera MLA Ravinder Raina, Deputy Commissioner Shahid Iqbal Choudhary and other senior officers of police and civil administration during the visit. The Deputy CM visited the relief camps set up by the administration for providing relief and rehabilitation to affected families and took stock of the facilities. He directed the administration to assess the damages to people's property and livestock and prepare a detailed report so that sufferers would be compensated. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Jordan and Israel have traded rare verbal barbs over a stabbing in which a Jordanian was killed by an Israeli policeman whom he had attacked. The two countries spar sometimes over Israeli policy in east Jerusalem, captured and annexed by Israel in 1967. Jordan called yesterday's killing a crime. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's branded Jordan's response as "outrageous," demanding that "Jordan must condemn terror attacks in Israel." Jordanian Foreign Minister Ayman Safadi said today that Jordan "will confront all kinds of terrorism," but did not refer to the Israeli comments. A Jordanian official says the Israeli statement omitted that the incident, "as bad as it was," took place on occupied territory. He spoke on condition of anonymity, saying "we don't want to get into a war of words with them. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Reacting to the controversy over militant commander Zakir Musa's audio messages and his subsequent dissociation from Hizbul Mujahideen, the Kashmiri separatist trio of Syed Ali Shah Geelani, Mirwaiz Umar Farooq and Yasin Malik today appealed for maintaining political unity. "All political and militant organisations must follow freedom struggle with vision and wisdom and maintain unity. It is time to remain united and follow the cherished goal with spirit of persistence and unity among all the concerned factions," Geelani, Mirwaiz and Malik said here in a joint statement. The separatists said the struggle was in its "crucial stage"and people need to be careful. "Freedom movement is in its crucial stage and we need to be careful as our enemy can derive advantage from prevailing crises," they said. Musa had warned the separatists against terming the Kashmir insurgency as "political" instead of "Islamic", followed by his dissociation from Hizbul Mujahideen after the outfit said his remarks about Hurriyat leaders were his personal opinion. "In nineties, the situation was more awful and complex. We paid a lot in terms of precious lives and kind. We were engaged in petty and non-serious matters and as such instead of following logic we were swayed by our emotions. Disunity and differences proved disastrous in past and the enemy forces succeeded at various stages to sabotage our mission," they said. Apparently referring to their stand on Kashmir being a political issue rather than a religious one, the separatists said "we stand by our earlier statement". "We stand by our earlier statement and are following the freedom struggle and facing shrewd enemy," the statement said. They said the authorities were "choking" their voice and now is the time to remain cautious. "On one hand, they are hatching conspiracies and on the other are employing all their repressive measures and military might to sabotage the movement. However, all political and militant factions have decided to face all these and remain united. We won't allow them to create rifts among resistance camp or divide leadership and nation," they said. They asked the separatist and militant outfits to remain cautious and "let us not harm our struggle and desist from all such steps which may help these forces to play folly with freedom movement". The separatists said that "our youth need to learn much more from senior leadership and we all need to go hand in hand and work together to achieve our mission". (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Emmanuel Macron becomes France's youngest ever president on Sunday, taking over from Socialist Francois Hollande in a solemn ceremony. Macron, a 39-year-old centrist, arrived at the Elysee Palace in central Paris in a motorcade and walked down the red carpet under light rain to be greeted by Hollande for his inauguration. The new president's wife Brigitte, a 64-year-old who was his high school drama teacher, arrived separately for the ceremony wearing a light blue Louis Vuitton outfit. A week after his victory over far-right leader Marine Le Pen in a tumultuous election, Macron will have a private meeting with Hollande at which he will be given the codes to launch France's nuclear weapons. He will then attend a ceremony in front of hundreds of politicians and invited guests at which the official election results will be read out. At the end of the formalities, a 21-gun salute is to ring out from the Invalides military hospital on the other side of the River Seine. Macron will then be driven to the Arc de Triomphe to lay a wreath at the tomb of the unknown soldier. The new president faces a host of daunting challenges including tackling stubbornly high unemployment, fighting Islamist-inspired violence and uniting a deeply divided country. Socialist Hollande's five years in power were plagued by a sluggish economy and bloody terror attacks that killed more than 230 people and he leaves office after a single term. The 64-year-old launched Macron's political career, plucking him from the world of investment banking to be an advisor and then his economy minister. "I am not handing over power to a political opponent, it's far simpler," Hollande said on Thursday. Security was tight with around 1,500 police officers deployed near the presidential palace and the nearby Champs Elysees avenue and surrounding roads were blocked off. After a formal lunch, Macron will visit Paris's town hall, a traditional stop for any new French president in his "host" city. Macron's first week will be busy. On Monday, he is expected to reveal the closely-guarded name of his prime minister, before flying to Berlin to meet German Chancellor Angela Merkel. It is virtually a rite of passage for French leaders to make their first European trip to meet the leader of the other half of the so-called "motor" of the EU. Pro-EU Macron wants to push for closer cooperation to help the bloc overcome the imminent departure of Britain, another of its most powerful members. He intends to press for the creation of a parliament and budget for the eurozone. Merkel welcomed Macron's decisive 32-point victory over Le Pen, saying he carried "the hopes of millions of French people and also many in Germany and across Europe". There has been a progressive decline in the number of cases of and deaths due to it and the disease is likely to be eliminated from at least 15 states in another three years, according to the government. "By 2020 we will be able to eliminate from 15 states with an annual parasite incidence (API) of less than one case per thousand population. We are sure to eliminate from these states by 2020," Dr AC Dhariwal, Director of the National Vector Borne Disease Control Programme (NVBDCP) in the ministry, told PTI. He asserted that states like Jammu and Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Punjab, Sikkim, Tamil Nadu and Kerala and union territories including Daman and Diu, Lakshadweep and Puducherry will be free from malaria. He, however, mentioned certain districts in Odisha, Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Meghalaya, Mizoram and Tripura as malaria transmission risk areas. "The API in some of these areas are more than two per thousand population. In some areas the scenario is worse like more than ten," he said. In fact, a couple of districts in West Bengal were considered to be risk areas where the API was two per thousand people, he said. "Some districts of Meghalaya and Tripura having borders with Bangladesh are also places where malaria is still a threat," Dhariwal stated. The overall situation in India, however, has improved compared to what it was in the last century, he said. "There has been a decline not only in the number of cases of malaria incidence but also in the number of deaths because of the disease. It's mainly because of the efforts of Bivalent Rapid Diagnostic Test (RDT) tests," he said. Malaria cases have consistently declined from two million in 2001 to 0.88 million in 2013, although an increase to 1.13 million cases occurred in 2014 due to focal outbreaks, a data released by the National Framework For Malaria Elimination in India said. The malaria burden in India has reduced significantly, thanks to the introduction of new interventions for case management and vector control, namely Rapid Diagnostic Tests (RDT), Arteminisinin based combination therapy (ACT), Long-Lasting Insecticidal Nets (LLINs) and effective Monitoring and Evaluation, Dhariwal added. Within a year of agreeing to the Asia Pacific Leaders Malaria Alliance (APLMA) goal of a region free of malaria by 2030, about 70 per cent of districts of India had no indigenous cases or no cases reported, he said. "But at the same time in 807 districts we have high transmission of the disease. In these districts we have set up a target of 13 years ahead," he said. Talking about the problems in dealing with malaria in areas of "high risk", the NVBDCP director said besides manpower, threat of Naxalites has been a challenge for them to address people in these districts. "These problems are mainly in tribal areas of Odisha, Jharkhand and Chhattisgarh," he said. "We need to have a local specific strategy for these places. We need to rope in local persons as well as local in intra-personal commentator and local preachers for areas like these," he pointed out. Voting in the by-election to the Maujpur ward of East Delhi Municipal Corporation (EDMC) remained peaceful today with 57.85 per cent voters exercising their franchise braving the scorching heat. A total of 26,032 eligible voters cast their votes out of 45,000 voters in the ward, a senior Delhi State Election Commission official said. The voting began at 8 am and concluded at 5.30 pm. Counting of votes will take place on May 23. Elections to Maujpur and Sarai Pipal Thala wards were postponed due to death of candidates there. Voting in the rest of the 270 wards of the three municipal corporations was held on April 23 and results were announced on April 26. In the Maujpur ward, the polling was postponed due to the death of Samajwadi Party candidate Naseema. Her daughter Shaheen is in the fray for the party. The ward is currently held by BJP. Other main contenders in the election include Suman Sharma (BJP), Rekha Sharma (Congress) and Reshma (AAP). The bypoll for the Sarai Pipal Thala ward in the North Delhi Municipal Corporation(NDMC) will be held on May 21. The election to the ward was rescheduled due to the death of Samajwadi Party candidate Dinesh Singh. His son Himanshu has now been fielded by the party. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) It's a Mother's Day gift for lakhs of children and their moms in Uttar Pradesh. 'Maa' will now keep an eye on mid-day meals served to students in state-run primary schools to ensure that they get nutritious food prepared in hygienic conditions. "In view of a number of complaints related to quality of mid-day meal being served in primary schools, there will be 'maa' in every school. It will be a committee of six mothers, from all sections of society, whose students are studying in that school," UP Basic Education Minister Anupma Jaiswal told PTI today. From cleanliness in kitchen, to quality of food being served to children, they will keep an eye on minute details, he said. The state government is expecting a change in atmosphere of primary schools this session with directives being issued for punctuality of teachers and introduction of new uniforms and school bags, she said here. "To ensure presence of teachers in schools, it has also been decided to put up their phone numbers with photographs in schools. It will help parents to contact them in case they are absent," the minister said. The state government is also considering a proposal to declare "no school bag day" on Saturdays in state-run schools. Students will be allowed to come to school without their school bags on Saturdays so that they can enjoy themselves in creative activities, she said. It will establish a good rapport between students and teachers and help in their personality development. Earlier, the Yogi Adityanath government decided to bid goodbye to the khaki dress worn by students of government schools. From the session starting July, they will be seen in a new uniform comprising pink-and-white check shirt with brown collar and brown trousers for boys and similar shirt with brown skirt for girls. At the senior level, girl students will wear brown salwar, red kurta with a brown dupatta. There are 1.78 crore children studying in 1.68 lakh government schools in 75 districts of the state. This includes 1.14 lakh primary schools (class I-V) and 54,000 upper primary schools (class VI-VIII). The change in uniform comes after the chief minister expressed unhappiness over the khaki dress, comparing it with the "uniform of homeguards". In 2012, when SP government came to power, the khaki uniform was introduced replacing the traditional navy blue shorts/trousers for boys and skirts/salwars paired with sky blue shirt/tunics for girls. The chief minister is said to be keen on rolling out the BJP's promise to provide free books, uniform, shoes and school bags to all poor students from July 1 to 10. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Millions of Nepalese on Sunday voted in the country's first local-level polls in two decades as the Himalayan nation took a crucial step towards cementing democracy amid political turmoil. Authorities recorded a 71 per cent voter turnout with sporadic election-related violence reported and one person killed in police firing in Dolakha district, 120 km east of Kathmandu. The Election Commission has postponed polling in three centres one each in Kavre, Kalikot and Dolakha districts. Date for fresh voting will be announced shortly, officials said. "First phase of local poll passes peacefully with estimated 71 per cent turnout," the Election Commission said in a statement. The voting began at 7 am in almost all the 18,438 polling centres and concluded at 5 pm. Chief Election Commissioner Ayodhee Prasad Yadav thanked the voters for the overwhelming participation in the local- level elections. He said voting was conducted in a free and fair manner. "The first phase of local polls have concluded in a peaceful manner," Yadav said. Ballot boxes from remote locations are being airlifted to the respective headquarters in some districts, he said. Vote counting in Kathmandu and Lalitpur municipalities are expected to begin tonight while counting in other parts of the countries are likely to begin tomorrow morning. Though the voting process was by-and-large peaceful, some instances of violence reported from a few polling stations. The first phase of the local elections took place peacefully at 281 local units out of 283 in province 3, 4 and 6, said the EC. Out of the 283 local bodies where first phase of elections were scheduled, voting was held in 281 bodies as candidates were elected unopposed in two units, it said. Two rural municipalities, one each in Manang and Dolpa districts, unanimously elected their representatives without voting. According to an EC spokesperson, authorities have registered a record 71 per cent voter turnout. Altogether 4.9 million voters were eligible to exercise their franchise in the first phase of elections. Nearly 50,000 candidates were vying for the position of mayor, deputy mayor, ward chairman and ward member in 281 municipalities. Batuli Lamichhane, 115, was the oldest person to cast his vote. He voted at the polling centre at Matra village in Nuwakot district, 75 km west of Kathmandu, the EC said. Tulasi Kumari Khatri, 104, also cast her vote in Dupcheshwor village of the same district. Nanda Bahadur Poudel, a 105-year-old citizen from Gorkha Municipality was the second oldest person to exercise his franchise. The second round of polls in provinces 1, 2, 5 and 7 will be held on June 14. The absence of elected representatives in the local bodies for more than 15 years obstructed development in the villages and towns across the country, including the capital city Kathmandu. Local-level elections could not be held after 1997 largely as a result of the decade-long Maoist insurgency that claimed more than 16,000 lives in Nepal. The elections should be held in every five years but due to the political instability, they were halted since May 1997. Local bodies remained ignored during the long transitional period even after the signing of a peace deal between the government and the Maoists in November 2006. Prime Minister Prachanda has appealed to the voters to use their sovereign voting rights by casting votes. "I urge all the electors to participate in this historic local-level election and use their sovereign voting rights. In a democracy, people can exercise their sovereign rights through election," he said in a statement. "On the one hand, the local polls have stood as a linkage to direct Nepal's peace process to a logical conclusion, while on the other, it can be looked upon as a milestone to end the unitary and centralised governing system and establish federal governance," Prachanda said. This election will open door for meting out the rights and resources centralised at Singha Durbar (central government secretariat) to people's doorstep, the prime minister said. Nepal has been witnessing political instability. Although major Madhesi group the Rastriya Janata Party Nepal has decided to boycott the first phase of polls, two other Madhesi parties Federal Socialist Party and Madhesi Peoples Forum Democratic are participating in the polls. Some Madhes-centric parties have opposed the elections until the new Constitution is amended to accommodate their views: more representation in the Parliament and redrawing of provincial boundaries. The Nepal government has tabled a new Constitution amendment bill in the Parliament to address the demands of the agitating Madhesis. Madhesis, mostly of Indian-origin, launched a prolonged agitation between September 2015 and February last year against the implementation of the new Constitution which they felt marginalised the Terai community. The has said that it has not received any request so far to extradite 26/11 Mumbai attack mastermind Hafiz Saeed and 1993 Mumbai bombings accused Dawood Ibrahim from the agencies probing them. The ministry was responding to an RTI query seeking to know the action taken by the government to bring back fugitive gangster Ibrahim and Jamaat-ud-Dawah chief Saeed. "The has not received any request for extradition/deportation/return in respect of Hafiz Sayeed and Dawood Ibrahim from the investigating agency concerned in India," it said. Ibrahim is the main accused in the 1993 serial bomb blasts case in Mumbai in which around 260 people were killed, and more than 700 suffered injuries. He fled the country post the bombings and is understood to be hiding in Pakistan at present. Saeed, also the co-founder of Pakistan-based Lashkar-e- Taiba terror group, is accused of plotting the militant attack in Mumbai on November 26, 2008, in which 166 people were killed by a group of terrorists who had entered the city through a sea route. In April, Home Minister Rajnath Singh had stated that there was no doubt that Dawood was still in Pakistan. During the last 10 years, India has sent several dossiers to Pakistan in this regard, saying Ibrahim is accused in the serial bomb blasts case. In 2011, P Chidambaram, the then home minister in the UPA government had also stated that Ibrahim was based in Karachi. He had also said that India would continue to push its case to bring to justice the people who had planned the 2008 attack. India has for long been advocating an extradition treaty between SAARC countries in order to ensure quick action against those involved in terrorist activities. A top North Korean diplomat said that Pyongyang would be willing to meet with the Trump administration for negotiations "if the conditions are set." Choe Son Hui, director general for North American Affairs at the Foreign Ministry, spoke briefly to reporters in Beijing yesterday en route to Pyongyang. She was travelling from Norway, where she led a delegation that held an informal meeting with former US officials and scholars. Choe did not elaborate on what the North's conditions are, but her comments raise the possibility of North Korea and the US returning to negotiations for the first time since 2008, when six-nation talks over Pyongyang's nuclear weapons program fell apart. President Donald Trump opened the door this month to talks, saying he would be "honoured" to meet North Korean leader Kim Jong Un. Tensions have mounted in recent months after the Trump administration said it would keep "all options on the table" to halt North Korea's nuclear weapons program, including a military strike. The North responded by pledging to retaliate with a devastating nuclear counterattack, a threat it has made in the past. In recent weeks, North Korea has arrested two American university instructors and laid out what it claimed to be a CIA-backed plot to assassinate Kim. Choe did not address the matter of the detained Americans yesterday. In Norway, Choe met with former US officials and scholars for what are known as "track 2" talks. The talks, which cover a range of nuclear, security and bilateral issues, are held intermittently, and are an informal opportunity for the two sides to exchange opinions and concerns. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) One person died today after mutinous soldiers took to the streets in Ivory Coast's central second city Bouake as fresh tensions gripped the world's top cocoa grower. The fatality was among five men and a mother-of-three who were hospitalised after being struck by warning shots fired to keep residents inside their homes, an AFP photographer saw. About 15 others were treated for minor injuries. "(He), Issouf Diawara, finally died from his bullet wounds," his brother Souleymane Diawara told AFP. "I am a distraught man." Diawara died after he was shot and seriously wounded yesterday amid clashes between former rebels, some of whom have been integrated into the army, and those who were disarmed but have not integrated. The mutinous soldiers -- those who have been integrated into the army -- were clashing with former fellow rebels over government payments. Under a deal negotiated with the government in January, struck after the soldiers' first mutiny, they were to be paid bonuses of 12 million CFA francs (18,000 euros) each, with an initial payment of five million francs that month. The remainder was to be paid starting this month, according to rebel sources. But the government has struggled to pay the mutinous soldiers, as ex-fighters now demand their own government payments. The soldiers revolted over the bonus payments by taking to the streets on Friday and blocked access to Bouake, which served as the rebel headquarters after a failed 2002 coup which split Ivory Coast in half and led to years of unrest. Several Bouake residents were beaten by patrolling renegade soldiers. Another person was injured by soldiers rebelling in Korhogo, the main city in the north. Korhogo residents had gathered to protest against the mutiny but were dispersed by the rebellious soldiers. Soldiers have also rebelled in the central city of Daloa, a major trading hub in Ivory Coast's cocoa belt. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas arrived here today on a four-day visit during which he will hold extensive talks with Prime Minister Narendra Modi on key bilateral, regional and international issues, including the Middle East peace process. Ahead of Abbas' visit, India reiterated its "political support" to the Palestinian cause and had said it continued to assist developmental projects there. The visit will provide an opportunity for reviewing the entire gamut of bilateral relations, the Middle East peace process, and regional and international issues, external affairs ministry said. Several MoUs on cooperation in various areas are also expected to be signed during the visit, the ministry added. A delegation-level discussion between President Abbas and Prime Minister Modi will be held on May 16. "India and Palestine enjoy historically close and friendly ties. Apart from the political support to the Palestinian cause, India continues to support developmental projects in Palestine by extending technical and financial assistance," the ministry had said in a release yesterday. The statement assumes significance given that there have been commentaries on the increasing proximity between the Modi government and Israel which may have a bearing on New Delhi's relations with Palestine. In July, Modi will travel to Israel, the first Indian prime minister to do so. During his trip to India, Abbas will visit C-DAC (the Centre for Development of Advanced Computing) in Noida tomorrow to forge cooperation between Palestine-India Techno Park, being built by India in Palestine, and the Indian IT industry. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) With devotional songs, preachings of Lord Ram and daily yagnas on the menu, the plans for the government's Ram-Ramayana museum in Ayodhya could well be the template for a temple. It was in October last year that Prime Minister Narendra Modi first expressed his intentions of building a Ram Museum and a site was identified in Ayodhya in Uttar Pradesh. But it was not to be under Akhilesh Yadav's government which refused to allocate the land. After the political landscape changed in March, the Yogi Adityanath government released the 25-acre land on the banks of Saryu river, and the museum will now be built in collaboration between the central and UP state governments at a cost of Rs 225 crore. According to a concept note obtained by PTI, the main structure - to be located about six kilometres from the disputed Ram temple site - will be like a "grand temple" and will open into a "Ram darbar". It will have cutting-edge technology such as virtual reality and 3D displays to showcase ancient traditions. The concept note says the museum is for "devotees as well as tourists" and will depict the preachings of Lord Ram. The note was prepared by Ram Autar, who is the chairperson of the Ramayana Circuit National Committee formed by the Centre. A researcher in studies of Lord Ram, he describes him as "a historical figure and not a figment of one's imagination," though there is no academic evidence that Lord Ram existed beyond the pages of mythology and popular folklore based on Ramayana, one of India's two epic poems. His "teachings are not restricted to just Hindus. Lord ram has an all pervasive significance for people of all religions. The museum will reveal a lot of aspects of his teachings that science has not understood," Autar told PTI. Autar and other proponents of the museum deny there is any political agenda behind the museum, although the museum is scheduled to be completed in 18 months, just before the 2019 general elections when the Ram Mandir issue is likely to figure in campaigning by the Bharatiya Janata Party. "As long as the reason behind building the museum is cultural, to promote Indian traditions, I have no problems," said Harsh Kumar, a professor of ancient history at Allahabad University. "(But) if this is a political agenda, then I am afraid how they will represent Ram. I believe that Lord Ram is purely a mythical character and there is no proof of his existence in history. However, he has huge traditional and cultural resonance in India," Kumar told PTI. The plan for the museum includes a "yagnashala" where yagnas will be performed every morning and evening to "purify" the environment and to make people understand the importance of such rituals in Hinduism. On the walls of the court there will be murals and drawings of Lord Ram's life journey. In another room, built almost like an amphitheatre, tourists will have the opportunity to sit and watch the life of the Hindu god being played out on projector screens with 3D visuals and audio. "The tourist will feel that Shri Ram is living his life in front of them," the note said. It will draw inspiration from the Capital's Akshardham Temple and the recently held exhibition of Sardar Patel at the National Science Centre. Autar, who also heads the Shri Ram Sanskritik Shodh Sansthan Nyas, has recommended a centre for science that will show tourists programmes on Lord Ram using augmented reality or virtual reality. The aim of this exercise, the note says, is to "connect the youth with their culture and religion". In yet another room, there will be a big screen which will show films on Lord Ram, and these will be sourced from places such as Myanmar, Indonesia and Thailand, where Ramayana stories are popular. The plan also envisages a library and research centre for scholars. There will be a separate enclosure where twice a day the teachings of Lord Ram will be preached by experts, scholars and others. The note also recommends a light and sound show depicting the places where Lord Ram visited which would be recreated on the museum premises. While Autar's three-page note written in Hindi is now under consideration by the culture ministry, officials say they are awaiting more inputs from other experts, which will be added to the present draft. "We have started working with the state government to set up the museum and we are on track. We will finalise the details soon," said Tourism and Culture Minister Mahesh Sharma, who visited the site just before the UP assembly elections. "However, let me reiterate that our efforts are not just towards building a museum, but about a holistic development of Ayodhya," he said. Cultural activist Sohail Hashmi does not see any problem with a Ram Museum, but said that such a museum should include all interpretations of Lord Ram. "It should incorporate every tradition that includes Ram. It should not just be the north Indian upper class interpretation of Ram as the Hindu conqueror. Ram is very human, and he should be portrayed like that," Hashmi told PTI. "Also, the museum should be built in collaboration with people who have worked on the mythology of Ram and not RSS pracharaks. It should be an inclusive museum with the entire debate on Ram being represented," said Hashmi. The proposed cost of the museum is also raising eyebrows. At Rs 225 crore, it is higher than this year's Rs 200 crore- budget for Prime Minister Narendra Modi's pet scheme, Beti Bachao, Beti Padhao, almost a five-time increase from last year. "I don't think all of India's museums put together would cost Rs 225 crore," said Hashmi. RSS ideologue Rakesh Sinha was all for the museum. "Shri Ram represents our culture and tradition and his teachings are seeped in history. Even in other countries folktales about Shri Ram are popular. Why not promote him here? The western world calls our tradition pre-historic -- why should we let them do that? This museum will showcase to the world our sabhyata (culture) and history," said Sinha, honorary director, India Policy Foundation. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh and Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on Sunday reviewed preparations for the main function to mark on June 21 to be attended by the prime minister in Uttar Pradesh. Besides Prime Minister Narendra Modi and other dignitaries, nearly 55,000 people are expected to participate in the Yoga Day event at Ramabai Ambedkar Maidan in the state capital. A spokesperson of the UP government said Singh met Adityanath to discuss and review the preparations. Union AYUSH Minister Shripad Yesso Naik was also present. The AYUSH (Ayurveda, Yoga and Naturopathy, Unani, Siddha, and Homoeopathy) Ministry is the nodal agency for Yoga Day celebrations. Praising the presentation made for the event, the home minister exuded confidence that the celebrations will be successful. Adityanath said LED screens would be installed at different parks in the city so that visitors could also take part in the celebrations simultaneously. He issued directions to hold a 28-day workshop for the participants prior to June 21. The Union AYUSH Ministry had proposed Lucknow as the venue for the main function for International Day of Yoga (IDY) celebrations this year. Earlier, the government was considering Bhopal, Jaipur, Ahmedabad, Ranchi and Bengaluru as possible venues for the main event. The ministry is also planning to organise a major yoga event in at least one city in each district across the country. The ministry zeroed in on Lucknow as the possible venue at a review meeting on the preparations for IDY which is observed on June 21. The official website of the ministry on its webpage pertaining to IDY also requests the people visiting the page to make the following pledge -- "I pledge to make yoga an integral part of my daily life." So far, 30.14 lakh visitors have taken the pledge. The first IDY celebration was organised at Rajpath in New Delhi on June 21, 2015 in which representatives of 191 countries had participated. Last year, the main function took place in Chandigarh. The United Nations General Assembly, heeding to a call by Modi, had made a declaration in December 2014 to observe June 21 as IDY. On March 29, Adityanath, while addressing a three-day UP Yoga Mahotsava in Lucknow, had said that 'surya namaskar' was similar to namaz (prayers) offered by Muslims and those opposing the yogic exercise wanted to divide the society on religious lines. Adityanath, who had in the past lashed out at a section of Muslims for terming the practice of 'surya namaskar' as "un-Islamic", said the sun salutation was a beautiful example of religious harmony. "The namaz offered by Muslims resembles different postures and asanas of surya namaskar including pranayama (breathing exercise). What a beautiful example of harmony (between two religions). But some 'bhogis' who do not believe in yoga, indulged in dividing the society on lines of caste, creed, religion and region among others," he said. "Before 2014 (when the BJP came to power at the Centre), even talking about yoga was considered communal. But things changed after Modi took steps to make yoga popular across the world," he had said. Lauding the prime minister for making yoga a global phenomenon, Adityanath had said, "PM Modi deserves all the credit for the global recognition which yoga has got." "The number of countries which participated in the celebrations in 2015 was 175, which went up to 192 in the subsequent year," he said. The University Grants Commission has directed all universities to organise training programmes on common yoga protocol. It has urged vice-chancellors to personally supervise efforts in their institutions and affiliated colleges to make the plan a success. Apart from ensuring mass yoga performances on campuses, the universities have been asked to conduct discourses, lectures and talks by eminent yoga experts. The main programme would be the mass yoga demonstration from 7.00 am to 8.00 am, which will adhere to common yoga protocol (CYP). Other events would include yoga fests, seminars, workshops, musical and cultural programmes. Critical infrastructure agencies including banks, airports, telecom networks and stock markets have been asked to take precautions to shield themselves against the crippling global ransomware attack 'WannaCry'. Over the weekend, the ransomware hit systems in over 100 countries, including Russia and the UK, in one of the most widespread cyber attacks in history. In India too, there have been reports of some systems of Andhra Pradesh Police being affected. While India's cybersecurity unit CERT-In is yet to receive a formal intimation of any major attacks, it has reached out to all government agencies and public utilities to stay alert. Indian Computer Emergency Response Team (CERT-In) Director General Sanjay Bahl said that advisories have already been issued to all Central and state government agencies. Additionally, a list of do's and don'ts have been shared with all vital installations and networks, including banks, stock markets, airports, defence, power and public utilities. "If people have already taken action and applied the software patch (issued by Microsoft), they need not worry... If they haven't, they should apply it immediately," he told PTI. The malware infected computers running on older versions of Microsoft operating systems like XP, locking access to files on the computer. The cyber criminals have demanded a fee of about USD 300 in crypto-currencies like Bitcoin for unlocking the device. Microsoft has introduced a security 'patch' to tackle the situation. Consumers across the globe have been advised to download the solution at the earliest. The US-based software giant has also released updates for Windows XP, Windows 8, and Windows Server 2003. Bahl maintained that no "major" incidents have been brought to CERT-In's notice yet, but was quick to add that a full assessment of the impact on ground can be made only on Monday when people return to work after the weekend. The Andhra Pradesh systems were isolated PCs and not connected to larger networks, he said. In Spain, major companies including telecommunications firm Telefonica have been infected. The most disruptive attacks were reported in the UK, where hospitals and clinics were forced to turn away patients after losing access to computers. Reports suggest that over two lakh systems globally could have been infected by the malicious software. Experts fear the situation could further aggravate as a number of computers in India run on the older operating systems and have not been updated yet. EY Partner Cyber Security Burgess Cooper said Indian hospitals could be quite vulnerable to critical infrastructure attacks as they rely on industrial systems that run on old outdated hardware. Also, the traditional manufacturing sector relies on outdated IT systems that are run by unsupported operating systems and therefore, the risk of creating havoc to public is higher, he said. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Punjab minister Navjot Singh Sidhu and Finance Minister Manpreet Singh Badal conducted a special meeting here today on the development of 'Guru Ki Nagri'. The meeting took place at Municipal Corporation office where Lok Sabha MP Gurjeet Singh Aujla and some other MLAs were also present. During the course of meeting, the issue of completing pending development projects pertaining to Amritsar and initiating new ones was deliberated upon. Sidhu and Manpreet focused on the beautification of the place. Divulging the details, Manpreet said the Punjab government would not allow any dearth of funds to hamper the all round development of the holy city and the government would formulate a special policy to ensure that this objective is met. He further said that a third party audit is being conducted of the amount spent in the name of development works in the past 10 years by the previous SAD-BJP Government. He also said that the perpetrators of financial irregularities during the previous regime would not be spared. Elaborating his plans to improve upon the financial condition of the state, Manpreet said that the implementation of the GST (Goods & Services Tax) would result in more income to the state from the central taxes than earlier. He also disclosed that the Union Government has guaranteed the 14 per cent tax share under the GST to the states for next 5 years. He said that the austerity measures of the State government have resulted in cutting down expenditures to the tune of Rs 1,000 crore. On the occasion, Sidhu, while lashing out at the previous SAD-BJP regime, said that the erstwhile Badal Government had started BRTS project in Amritsar without any proper planning. Terming it as a political stunt of the Badals, he said the project had many flaws, due to which it couldn't succeed. He said that out of this Rs 600 crore project, the amount to the tune of Rs 400 crore has been spent but in a haphazard manner which led to its failure. He elaborated that this project would now be run on PPP mode. The minister also said that 60 buses would also be included in the project. Batting for a clean and green city, Sidhu said the state government would plant 10 lakh saplings in the present season to ensure this objective for which the Lok Sabha MP Gurjeet Singh Aujla has announced a grant worth Rs 50 lakh from his MPLAD fund. He further said that under a new and novel policy, every house owner would pledge to plant 2 saplings while getting his/her house map approval and would also make arrangements for conserving the rain water in it. A committee under the stewardship of Deputy Commissioner has been formed to ensure its implementation. The minister also said that the state government would start solid waste management projects to solve the problem of garbage in the urban centers of the state. He said that efforts are on to start these projects in Amritsar, Bathinda and Jalandhar. The state government would provide land ranging from 100 to 200 acres for these projects so as to permanently solve the problem of garbage within next 50 years. He also said that new special machines have been contracted to clean the sewerage systems in the cities. Commenting further, the minister said that a new advertisement policy is being framed by the state government as per which the collection of Rs 200 crore as revenue has been targeted which would be spent on the developmental purposes. Coming to the transport policy, Sidhu said that the state government is going in for a new policy to finish off the transport mafia in the state which would be aimed at the strengthening of public transport, thereby breaking the monopoly of big transport companies. He also said that under the newly envisioned policy, mini bus operators would be encouraged and taxes would be lowered. He said that the main aim of the new policy is to provide maximum transport facilities to the people. The minister assured that the Congress government would toil hard day in and day out for the prosperity of Punjab and fulfil each promise that has been made to the people. He said that all the pending projects concerning Amritsar would be completed in the next 6 months. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Prime Minister on Sunday said social entrepreneurs can benefit from Swachh Bharat programme as it has huge business element, while stressing on the need to convert waste into wealth. A large number of youth, in the role of social entrepreneurs, are coming forward to partake in Swachh Bharat, he said. The Swachh Bharat mission provides opportunities for a large number of social entrepreneurs to emerge, Modi said. "Waste to wealth is a belief that is gaining momentum. Lot of social entrepreneurship is being devoted towards this," Modi said while speaking at the commemoration of 90 years of Essel Group here. The prime minister further said, "If we consider waste as waste, then we have lost our precious possession." He said there is a crisis of natural resources shortage and it can be tackled in a scientific manner with proper management and judicious usage. The prime minister also said entrepreneurship has been inherent part of Indian system that has been passed on from one generation to another. Modi highlighted the importance of family values in India, saying it is the biggest gift to the world. "Today, even in the most advanced countries, revival of family values have become a part of election manifesto," the prime minister said. Celebrated sarod maestro Ustad Amjad Ali Khan has said social media and technology are helping classical music regain its rightful place in India. The 71-year-old veteran artiste said classical music took a hit after the rise in the number of television channels. "The social media is helping because people can now see our recordings on DVDs," he told PTI post the launch of his book "Master on Masters" yesterday here. "The technology has helped the young musicians to better themselves. I am looking forward to see all the talented young musicians reach their goal in life," Khan added. He said classical musicians are now back in the mainstream thanks to people who love art and music. The book was launched by Jawed Ashraf, India's High Commissioner to Singapore. Pakistan's High Commissioner to Singapore, Nasrullah Khan also attended the event. In the book Khan has penned anecdotes about some of the greatest icons of Indian classical music in his book such as Bade Ghulam Ali Khan, Amir Khan, Begum Akhtar, Alla Rakha, Kesarbai Kerkar, Kumar Gandharva, M S Subbulakshmi, Bhimsen Joshi, Bismillah Khan, Ravi Shankar, Vilayat Khan and Kishan Maharaj. The event was organised by the Institute of South Asia Studies (ISAS). (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Organic personal care brand Soulflower is evaluating opportunities in natural cosmetics and perfumes categories through organic or inorganic route, a top company official has said. "We are open to acquisitions in India. We are looking at opportunities in natural cosmetics and perfumes. We are looking at companies which have natural element to cosmetics, if we do not find any, we will get into that space ourselves. Primarily, we will be looking at lip care, nail care and skin care products," Soulflower Managing Director Amit Sarda told PTI here. The city-based company, which focuses in the mid-premium segment, is present in categories like essential oils, carrier oils, soaps, bath salts and aroma diffusers, among others. The company largely focuses on modern trade and online channels for sales but it is also now looking at general trade to penetrate further in the domestic market. "Four months back, we started selling our hair oils through general trade which include pharmacies, beauty stores and some super markets. By this financial year end, we plan to be present in 6,000 stores. We have crossed 350 stores now," he said adding that the company will first look at western and southern markets for retailing through general trade followed by central, northern and eastern regions. Soulflower forayed into the US market last year and is now planning to expand its presence to the UK and the UAE. "Last year, we entered the US and now we are looking at the UK and the UAE. By this financial year end, we will be present in both these markets. The strategy to launch our brand in international market is through online only," he said. In the US, the company has partnered Amazon and Walmart for online retailing and expects it to be a bigger market than India in the next few years. It is also looking at setting up a manufacturing unit there in the next two years. "In the next two years, there is a plan of setting up a plant in the US for our oils because the consumption will be much higher. The raw materials would be sourced from India. Pennsylvania is a place which is appropriate for us for setting up a unit," he said without divulging the investment details for the same. It has two manufacturing units in India at Mumbai and Pondicherry. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) An inter-ministerial panel being constituted to suggest a policy prescription for the failing financial health of the telecom sector will consult banks and operators before finalising its views in three months. The committee is expected to have representation from the Departments of Economic Affairs, Revenue and Financial Services, besides the Telecom Department, an official familiar with the matter told PTI. The panel is expected to finalise its recommendations in the next three months. Some of the recommendations could be placed before the Telecom Commission the highest policy-making body in the Telecom Department for an approval. For the other proposals mooted by the panel, a Cabinet go-ahead may be necessary. "The internal plan is that the views of banks, telecom operators and also the large investors in the sector will be sought," the official said. The Department of Telecom is attaching top priority to the issue, the official said adding that the first meeting of the panel members is likely to be held this month itself. The extent of financial stress in the telecom sector can well be gauged from the fact that the industry has a debt of Rs 4.6 lakh crore. The sector has been under severe pressure since the entry of newcomer Reliance Jio, last year. In September 2016, billionaire Mukesh Ambani's venture Jio stormed into the Indian telecom market (incidentally, the second largest market globally with 1.2 billion subscribers) with free voice and data services, forcing established operators to slash rates to protect their turf. This put revenue and profitability of all telcos under severe pressure, although subscribers benefited from attractive data and voice packs. Even after launching its paid services post-March 2017, Jio continues to be aggressive, offering data at rock-bottom prices while voice calls are free. The latest earnings season has further deepened the worry lines - India's largest telecom operator Bharti Airtel recently reported its lowest quarterly profit in four years as net earnings fell 72 per cent in January-March. Smaller rival Idea Cellular has posted a loss of Rs 325.6 crore in the three-month period ended March 31, 2017. Airtel, in a post-earnings investor call, hoped that the government panel would take a "prudent view" of the industry's demands, including the one on deferred payment for spectrum. The competition has not just squeezed the margins of telecom companies but also raised fears of defaults on loans taken from banks. The Telecom Department, earlier this year, wrote to the regulator saying promo offers could hit the capability of companies to meet their contractual commitments, including payment of spectrum-related instalments and loans repayment. The Reserve Bank, last month, has asked banks to review their exposure to telecom and make higher provisions to safeguard their business against any future stress. The Cellular Operators' Association of India an industry body whose members includes the incumbents as well as new entrant Jio has asked the government to consider reducing levies like licence fee and spectrum usage charges, to ease the financial burden on companies. Another industry demand pertains to an adoption of revised definition of Adjusted Gross Revenue (used for calculation of various levies), as well as using spectrum as a collateral. At least two persons were killed today when terrorists opened fire on their vehicle during routine patrolling in northwest Pakistan. The incident occurred in village Owlay in lower kurram agency bordering Afghanistan, officials said. Political Moharrar, an administrative clerk, Sarfraz Hussain and his bodyguard Mumtaz Hussain died on the spot when terrorists opened fire at their vehicle, officials said. The attackers fled from scene after the incident. Search operation has been launched to nab the culprits. Kurram is one of the most sensitive tribal areas as it borders three Afghan provinces and at one point was one of the key routes for militant movement across the border. It has witnessed scores of attacks. From the beginning of the year, Kurram Agency has been a target of multiple terror incidents. On April 25, a passenger van hit a landmine in Godar area of the tribal agency, killing at least 14 people. On March 31, at least 24 people were killed and 90 others injured in a blast outside a Shia imambargarh in the agency headquarters Parachinar. In January, a powerful explosion ripped through a crowded vegetable market in Parachinar in northwest Pakistan's restive Kurram tribal agency, killing 25 people, mostly Shias. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The Kakinada central crime station police have arrested three persons in connection with the murder of a retired bank officer Bulusu Suraiah was murdered at his residence in SBI officers colony in Ashok Nagar area here on April 24. Police have also recovered cell phone, laptop and other valuables that were stolen from the bank officer's house besides seizing the motor-cycle used by the accused in the crime. "It was a murder for gain. The main accused Vara Prasad (19) was an acquaintance of Suraiah. He conspired with his friends to murder both the bank officer and his wife who were living alone in their house and steal the valuables," additional SP Damodar told reporters today. On April 24, Vara Prasad went to Suraiah's house and introduced him to his friends under the pretext that they were looking for a rented accommodation, said the officer. "When Suraiah took them to show the rooms, the three accused held him and slit his throat with knife. Later they went upstairs to kill the old lady. But on seeing them she sensed trouble and raised an alarm," said the police official. The accused ran away taking along with them a cell phone, a laptop and other valuables kept on the table, he said. Besides, Vara Prasad, the other accused have been identified as Khandavalli Satyaprabhu Kiran (20) and Poolla Kamesh (19), said Damodar. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Tamil Nadu would sanction three lakh houses in 2017-18 under the central government's 'Housing for All' scheme, Union Minister M Venkaiah Naidu said here today. "Tamil Nadu Government today assured me that it will sanction three lakh houses during 2017-18. Because after 2017-18, I am not going to sanction... 2019-20 are election years and there will not be any time", he told reporters. On funds allocated to the state under the scheme, he said "the total outlay is Rs 3,855 crore. And the amount released to the state is Rs 1,433 crore so far". "Tamil Nadu is one of the top performing states with reference to obtaining sanction from Government of India. The state should maintain its tempo and expedite construction of the Houses", he said. The Minister also advised real estate developers to fulfill the promises made by them while placing advertisements in newspapers. "I am not asking builders to do anything out of the way. What you have promised, fulfill it. What you promised through prospectus, what you have promised through big, big colourful advertisements in newspapers, fulfill it", Naidu said. "I am not going to ask you what you (real estate developers) have not promised. What you promised like carpet area, show that. Whatever time you promised (for completion of project) stick to that", he said. Naidu also warned builders that they would be "fined" or even "prosecuted" if they do not follow the rules. "If you do not follow rules, (realty developers) then you will be fined. And if you violate (the rules), you will be jailed", he said. The minister also had a word of praise to the real estate developers for doing a "great job" in the sector. "The Government alone will not be able to do Housing for All scheme by 2022. I believe in Public Private Partnership and the private sector will come in big way", he said. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) A former US spymaster today accused Donald Trump of assaulting American institutions, saying the US president's decision to fire FBI Director James Comey was "very disturbing" to the employees of the bureau. James Clapper, former Director of National Intelligence, told CNN that Comey's sacking has led to concern in the bureau tasked with proving alleged Russian meddling in the November presidential election that brought Trump to the White House. "I spoke to one (of the FBI employees) last night at a dinner who was quite upset about it. And I think that reflects the feeling, the widespread feeling, in the FBI," he said. "I will just say that the developments of the past week are very bothersome, very disturbing to me," Clapper said. Last week, Trump fired Comey, who was leading an investigation into the alleged Russian interference. Comey's sudden removal from the post set off a political firestorm in Washington, fuelling fears that Trump was trying to stifle the bureau's probe into alleged Russian meddling. "People had issues with Director Comey's - some of his decisions. That's fine. People took issue with decisions I made. That's part of the deal. But, I think, as far as his stature as a leader and his integrity, people are very upset about the way he was treated," Clapper said. "I'm pretty familiar with the bureau and its people. It's a national treasure. It's very disturbing to me that the negative morale impact this event has had," he said. He also said the "assault" on American institutions was not limited to Trump. He said the alleged Russian meddling in the US election system also compromised the institutions. "In many ways, our institutions are under assault, both externally - and the big here is the Russian interference in our election system. And, I think, as well our institutions are under assault internally," Clapper said. Asked if by "internally" he meant Trump, Clapper said: "Exactly". "Internally, it is coming from the US President Donald Trump himself, and externally from the countries like Russia through interference in the election system," he said. "The founding fathers, in their genius, created a system of three co-equal branches of government and a built-in system of checks and balances. And I feel as though that's under assault and is eroding," Clapper said. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The United States and Japan today called for an emergency meeting of the United Nations Security Council on North Korea after Pyongyang carried out its latest missile test, diplomats said. The meeting has been scheduled in principle for Tuesday afternoon, according to the UN mission of Uruguay, which currently holds the council's presidency. North Korea launched a ballistic missile early today in what was seen as a challenge to South Korea's new President Moon Jae-In, a liberal who has said he wants to ease tensions with the North. It was the North's second missile firing in two weeks, and came amid mounting international concern over Pyongyang's progress in developing nuclear weapons that could be carried by long-range missiles. The latest projectile, launched from a military base in Kusong near the country's northwest coast, traveled some 435 miles (700 kilometers) before landing in the Sea of Japan. "There are no excuses that justify N. Korea's actions," Nikki Haley, the US ambassador to the UN, tweeted. "This was close to home for Russia. China cant expect dialogue. This threat is real." In Brussels, NATO spokeswoman Oana Lungescu called Pyongyang's move "a new flagrant breach of a series of United Nations Security Council Resolutions," constituting "a threat to international peace and security." And EU foreign affairs spokeswoman Maja Kocijancic denounced the launch as "a threat to international peace and security (that could) further aggravate tensions in the region at a time when de-escalation is instead needed." For weeks, the Trump administration has been demanding a tightening of sanctions against the North and urging a tougher stance by Beijing, Pyongyang's principal ally. Haley said on ABC that North Korean leader Kim Jong-Un was "in a state of paranoia." "And so what we're going to do is continue to tighten the screws," she said. "He feels it. He absolutely feels it. And we're going to continue, whether it's sanctions, whether it's press statements, anything that we have to do." US President Donald Trump issued a brief statement calling for tougher sanctions. "Let this latest provocation serve as a call for all nations to implement far stronger sanctions against North Korea," he said. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Two-wheeler rental startup Wheelify plans to expand its presence across India in the next two years, increasing total number of vehicles available for hire to about 5,000. Initially, the Delhi-based firm is looking to enhance presence in places with close proximity to tourist spots, besides towns with sizeable student population. The company currently offers its services in 10 locations including Delhi, Mumbai, Jaipur, Dehradun, Manali and Leh. It has a fleet size of 1,300 two-wheelers ranging from engine capacity of 100 cc to 1,500 cc. "The main focus of expansion will initially be to have presence in places from where tourist spots are in close proximity," Wheelify co-founder and CEO Devanshu Khandelwal told PTI. Pune, Bengaluru and Hyderabad are on the radar of the company. Identifying students as key target customers, he said the strategy is to be present in all "student-centric cities" and tap them, especially when they plan their holidays. When asked about increasing fleet size, Khandelwal said it would touch around 5,000 in the next two years through tie ups with various regional offline bike rental service providers. The company is also looking to expand its footprints to the North East which holds a good potential with not many players in the segment. The concept of two-wheeler rental is slowly evolving there, Khandelwal said. When asked about funding means for the expansion, he said the company is not looking for any external investors at present. "Majority of our profit goes back to the business so, funds for expansion will not be a big problem. However, we keep looking for potential investors who can help take the business forward," he said. Till now, the company has operated without any external funding support, Khandelwal said. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) "The Exorcist" director William Friedkin is working on a feature-length documentary based on exorcism. Titled "The Devil and Father Amorth", the documentary will explore how the moments in Friedkin's classic film compares to actual exorcisms, according to The Hollywood Reporter. More than four decades after the release of the 1973 horror movie, Friedkin received permission to attend an exorcism performed by Father Gabriele Amorth, who is known as the "Dean of Exorcists," having performed thousands of exorcisms. Friedkin witnessed the ninth exorcism on an Italian woman who had been experiencing troubling fits and behavioural changes that psychiatry apparently could not fix. "I've never stopped being fascinated by the nature of good and evil, and the possibility of demonic possession. The opportunity for me to witness and film an actual exorcism came about, more than four decades after I made 'The Exorcist', completely by accident," Friedkin said. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Police have arrested a 24-year-old woman from Indore for allegedly filing a fake rape case against a Mumbai-based builder last year. The woman, who is originally from Indore, had accused the 56-year-old real estate developer of raping her in a hotel room at Anjuna beach village in North Goa under the pretext of giving her a job. "The woman was arrested yesterday following investigation in the case which revealed that the complaint against the builder was fake," Anjuna police inspector Sanjay Dalvi told PTI today. The complaint was filed in March 2016 following which the realtor had filed for anticipatory bail before an additional sessions court at Mapusa in Goa, which was granted to him. He had also filed a counter complaint against the woman and 11 others in October last year, accusing them of filing a fake case against him to grab his property and extort money. Dalvi said the police investigation revealed that the builder was in Mumbai at the time of the alleged incident. "We obtained the CCTV footage which shows his presence in Mumbai. Besides, his mobile phone location showed and other witnesses also claimed that he was not in Goa on the day when the woman accused him of rape," he said. The medical report of the woman was also negative, he said. The woman was yesterday produced before a judicial magistrate at Mapusa. She has been remanded in police custody for seven days, Dalvi said. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The things we hold while shopping can affect what we buy, according to a new study which found that people are significantly more likely to choose a product that is similar to the shape of whatever they are holding. Researchers, including those at the University of Innsbruck in Austria, showed that grasping an object can facilitate visual processing and choice of other seen products of the same shape and size. They showed that blindfolded people induced to grasp familiar products under the guise of a weight judgement task were quicker in recognising the brand name of the product when it slowly appears on a screen, and choose more often that product among others as a reward for having participated in the experiment. "For instance, when you are holding your mobile phone in your hand, you may be more likely to choose a KitKat than a Snickers, because the KitKat is shaped more like your phone," said Zachary Estes from Bocconi University in Italy. "What we find is that consumers are significantly more likely to choose the product that is similar to the shape of whatever is in their hand," Estes said. "These results have direct implications for product and package designers and marketing managers," Estes concludes. "For one thing, distinctive product shapes like Coca- Cola's iconic bottle design can provide a powerful source of brand identity and recognition," he said. "Second, consumers tend to choose products that are shaped like the things they often hold, like a mobile phone, a wallet, or a computer mouse when shopping online," he said. "Product designers could create packages that mimic those commonly held forms, and marketing managers can accentuate this effect of product touch by placing several products near one another, and by encouraging consumers to touch the products on display," Estes said. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) India will boycott China's Belt and Road Forum (BRF) beginning in Beijing tomorrow, a clear indication of which came in an official statement tonight that said India cannot accept a project that violates its sovereignty and territorial integrity. India has strong reservations over the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), a flagship project of China's prestigious Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), which is expected to figure prominently in the two-day meet. The CPEC passes through Gilgit and Baltistan in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK). India treats the entire state of Jammu and Kashmir as its integral part, including PoK. In a strongly-worded statement issued hours before the opening of the forum in the Chinese capital, India said the connectivity intiative must be pursued in a manner that respects sovereignty and territorial integrity. "Guided by our principled position in the matter, we have been urging China to engage in a meaningful dialogue on its connectivity initiative, One Belt, One Road which was later renamed as Belt and Road Initiative. We are awaiting a positive response from the Chinese side," External Affairs Ministry spokesperson Gopal Baglay said in a statement. "Regarding the so-called China-Pakistan Economic Corridor, which is being projected as the flagship project of the BRI/OBOR, the international community is well aware of Indias position. No country can accept a project that ignores its core concerns on sovereignty and territorial integrity," he said. Noting that India has received a formal invitation to participate in the six separate forums that China is organising as part of the BRF, he said India is of the firm belief that connectivity initiatives must be based on universally recognised international norms, good governance, rule of law, openness, transparency and equality. "Connectivity initiatives must follow principles of financial responsibility to avoid projects that would create unsustainable debt burden for communities, balanced ecological and environmental protection and preservation standards, transparent assessment of project costs, and skill and technology transfer to help long-term running and maintenance of the assets created by local communities," Baglay said. Asserting that India shares international communitys desire for enhancing physical connectivity, the ministry said it believes that it should bring greater economic benefits to all in an equitable and balanced manner. The spokesperson also noted that India was working with many countries and international institutions in support of physical and digital connectivity in its immediate and near neighbourhood. He also said that expansion and strengthening of connectivity is an integral part of Indias economic and diplomatic initiatives. "Under the Act East policy, we are pursuing the Trilateral Highway project, under our Neighbourhood First policy we are developing multimodal linkages with Myanmar and Bangladesh, under our Go West strategy, we are engaged with Iran on Chabahar Port and with Iran and other partners in Central Asia on International North South Transport Corridor. "BBIN initiative is aimed at enhancing logistics efficiencies in South Asian region. We are also actively considering acceding to TIR Convention," Baglay said. The remarks assume significance given that China is trying to project that by skipping the BRF, India may be "isolated" in the region as all countries in South Asia -- barring Bhutan which doesnt have diplomatic relations with China -- are participating. India also asserted that connectivity initiatives should follow principles of balanced ecological and environmental protection and preservation standards, transparent assessment of project costs, and skill and technology transfer to help long-term running and maintenance of the assets created by local communities. Indias stand on the meet comes after a year of bilateral discord over Chinas stubborn opposition to its entry into the Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG) and a UN ban against Pakistan- based terrorist group Jaish-e-Muhammad leader Masood Azhar. China also protested Indias decision to permit the Dalai Lama last month to visit Arunachal Pradesh, which Beijing claims as South Tibet. In the last few days, China has tried to assuage Indias feelings by asserting that the commercial CPEC will not have any impact on its stand that the Kashmir issue should be settled by India and Pakistan through dialogue. Indias worries over the 3,000-km-long CPEC project connecting Pakistans deep-water port Gwadar and Chinas Xinjiang stem from the fact that Gwadar, which was taken over by the Chinese, will become a future naval base. The Gwadar port across the waters from Mumbais port housing the Indian Navys western naval command provides a berth for China in the Arabian Sea and to the Indian Ocean. (Beijing) Chinese President Xi Jinping on Sunday promised new financial backing for the One Belt, One Road initiative that he said will promote trade and mutual prosperity to participating countries stretching from Asia to Africa and Europe, primarily through infrastructure investment and construction. Xi spoke at the opening of a two-day Belt and Road Forum for International Cooperation in Beijing, which drew state and government leaders from 29 nations. Mr. Xi's ambitious trade and investment program, unveiled in 2013, comes at a time of protectionist moves afoot in the U.S. and elsewhere. The initiative includes an overland Silk Road Economic Belt that connects China with Europe through Central Asia, and an ocean-based 21st Century Maritime Silk Road that links countries to the south of China and leads all the way to Africa and southern Europe. Some observers have said Xi's initiative will strengthen the geopolitical standing of the world's second-largest economy and allow it to export its excess domestic industrial capacity. But Xi stressed the economic opportunities and benefits for participating nations. "We should build the 'Belt and Road' into a road of prosperity, said Xi, who pledged to achieve economic integration and interconnected development, and deliver benefits to all. "Belt and Road" supporters hail it as a significant alternative to the rising anti-globalization sentiment symbolized by the election of Donald Trump in the U.S. presidential election. Opening up brings progress, while isolation results in backwardness, Xi said in his keynote address. We should build a platform of cooperation and uphold and grow an open world economyand establish a fair, equitable and transparent system of international trade and investment rules so as to develop a broad community of shared interests." Xi said China will scale up financing for the Belt and Road initiatives. That includes a combined 380 billion yuan ($55 billion) in specialized loans to be extended by policy lenders China Development Bank and Export-Import Bank of China, and an injection of 100 billion yuan into the state-owned Silk Road Fund, which is tasked to invest in infrastructure, resources, industrial-capacity cooperation and financial projects in Belt and Road countries. China will grant more than $10 billion in aid to nations and international organizations participating in the program to alleviate poverty and improve peoples well-being, Xi said. The new funds follow more than $50 billion China invested in the initiative from 2014 through 2016. The Beijing-backed Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank, which began operation in January 2016, has provided $1.7 billion in loans for nine projects in the initiatives partner nations, while the state-owned Silk Road Fund has made investments of $4 billion, Chinas official data showed. Chinese companies have built 56 economic and trade cooperation zones in more than 20 countries, creating 180,000 jobs locally and contributing nearly $1.1 billion in tax revenues to foreign governments, Xi said. As of the end of 2016, three of the countrys big four state-owned banks had provided credit lines worth a combined $225.4 billion to countries covered by the Belt and Road initiative, according to data released by those lenders. While 29 national leaders from four continents, including Russian President Vladimir Putin and Argentine President Mauricio Macri, attended the forum, heads of most Group of Seven countries and members of the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development, which represents many of the worlds developed economies, did not come. Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi was among those absent. New Delhi has expressed alarm about the $55 billion China-Pakistan Economic Corridor, one of the largest Belt and Road projects and one that runs through territory that India and Pakistan both claim sovereignty over. Xi directly addressed concerns about China's motives, saying the nation isn't seeking to interject itself in politics and disputes elsewhere. We are ready to share practices of development with other countries, but we have no intention to interfere in other countries internal affairs, export our own social system and development model, or impose our will on others, he said. In pursuing the Belt and Road Initiative, we will not resort to outdated geopolitical maneuvering. What we hope to achieve is a new model of win-win cooperation." Xi also called on world leaders to keep their minds open to globalization. We should embrace the outside world with an open mind, uphold the multilateral trading regime, advance the building of free trade areas and promote liberalization, trade and investment, he said. Contact reporter Fran Wang (fangwang@caixin.com) Pap Pap The Secretary General of the Popular Action Party, PAP, Akoson Raymond has announced the partys boycott of the May 20 celebration in Cameroon. In a release signed by the Scribe, the party advances explain that the events from October 2016 portrays lack of Unity between the two peoples that make up Cameroon, the continuous detention of Anglophones arrested during the heart of the crisis, the lack of will by Yaounde for constructive political dialogue as recommended by English speaking Cameroonians and International bodies like AU, UN,UK and the US towards resolving the crisis. The SG of the party of Ayah Paul Abine in his release reiterated that it will join others to observe ghost town on May 20 and that PAP members and sympathizers will dress in black attires in memory of all those who have died during the crisis. The leader of PAP, Chief Justice Ayah Paul Abine is one of the persons arrested during the crisis and the SG reveals that the decision to boycott the parade is coming from the Advocate General at the Supreme Court. PAP now joins SDF, CPP, PADDEC to boycott the May 20 Parade in Cameroon. Cameroon Renaissance Movement of Maurice Kamto has also announce a boycott if security measures are not beefed up in the two regions. "On behalf of the ACT government, I would like to express my deepest sympathy to the family and friends of the individual. I understand this will be a difficult time for them and I ask that you respect their privacy," he said. Despite growing community concerns for those in prison and children in care in Canberra, the territory government has not promised any additional funds in the upcoming budget, or promised any initiatives other than those already underway. "We had to get the pipework up the shaft to the top of the tower and there was no lift so we had to walk up hundreds of stairs. In the winter it was particularly cold and foggy." Millennial Moms Review: 2022 Acura MDX is pretty close to the perfect family car I dont know if perfect is attainable, especially considering weve got the world of options when it comes to modern vehicles. Were spoiled and, as such, we have very specific needs and wants. Driving-wise, the 2022 Acura MDX is one of my favourite ... Our Promise: Welcome to Care2, the world's largest community for good. Here, you'll find over 45 million like-minded people working towards progress, kindness, and lasting impact. Care2 Stands Against: bigots, racists, bullies, science deniers, misogynists, gun lobbyists, xenophobes, the willfully ignorant, animal abusers, frackers, and other mean people. If you find yourself aligning with any of those folks, you can move along, nothing to see here. Care2 Stands With: humanitarians, animal lovers, feminists, rabble-rousers, nature-buffs, creatives, the naturally curious, and people who really love to do the right thing. You are our people. You Care. We Care2. Meeting in regular session, Park Hills Mayor Daniel Naucke started off the meeting Tuesday night by asking the council to approve his appointment of Benjamin Lashley to the open Ward 1 council seat that was vacated by Steve Sutton shortly after he won re-election last month. Council members voted unanimously to approve the appointment and then a brief recess was called during which City Clerk Terri Richardson administered to Lashley the oath of office. During another brief break, Naucke presented a plaque to former mayor David Easter, thanking him for his years of service to the city and the citizens of Park Hills. Next, Brandon Snyder, admissions counselor for Job Corps, spoke to the council about recruiting local high school students and other low-income youth aged 16 to 24 years for a government-paid education and job training program. Lasting eight to 12 months, the program costs nothing for the participants. Snyder remarked that many people have a negative perception of the program, partly because it is labeled as a program for low-income youth. A lot of people associate low income with being bad, he said, and a lot of our admissions counselors have recruited kids that have gotten kicked out of school because we do allow them to get a GED or high school diploma (while in the program). But the reality is, its a training program. He listed some examples of the types of training provided by Job Corps programs, including certifications in welding, culinary arts, nursing assistants, pharmacy technicians, carpentry, heavy equipment operation, plastering, plumbing and many other trades. Continuing, he said, I have the ability to recruit kids for eight different centers in the Midwest. They can go to Kentucky, Iowa, Chicago, St. Louis, Kansas City, Puxico (Missouri) or southern Illinois. Each center has different trades. Snyder said the students are paid during the training programs, but are required to live at the centers for the duration of their chosen program. He described the programs as rigorous, structured, and disciplined and demand that each participant be willing to make a commitment to complete the program. He said admissions counselors target youth who may not have a career plan in mind and who do not have plans, aspirations or the money to attend college. This program is going to take them eight to 12 months of their life, said Snyder. Theyre gonna get paid, they get fed there, they get a certification and then we either put them in advanced training across the country at different centers or we help them get a job or we help them get into college if thats what they want to do. He concluded his presentation by commenting that his main purpose in speaking was to simply inform the council about the program and his efforts to recruit local youth. Cynthia Carr, the second registered speaker, spoke next about a request on behalf of Elvins Baptist Church. She asked for permission for the church to hold a non-motorized parade to kick off vacation bible school on June 10 beginning at 10 a.m. She said the parade is open for anyone to participate and that she has already spoken to the Park Hills Police Department about providing street safety. The council unanimously voted to approve the request. Next up, Naucke gave a brief update on the project to repave East Main Street. He said it is nearly completed and remarked on the situation with the traffic lights at the intersection of Flat River Drive and Main Street. Because the road sensors to change the lights have not yet been replaced, there is an increased wait time during a red light, but said, weather permitting, the sensors will be installed today. Naucke offered no updates on any other ongoing or upcoming projects. Giving the floor to City Attorney Ed Pultz, the next issue on the agenda concerned the pending zoning change request from property owner Nicholas Gibson. Addressed during previous meetings, extended discussions had taken place about plans to construct an apartment complex on Falcon Drive that would include three buildings consisting of 80 total housing units and 136 parking spaces. Numerous residents of the neighborhood have voiced their objections to the plans. Pultz took some time to explain the complicated legalities surrounding the approval of the request by the city council. The rezoning is done by ordinances, not by resolutions or by vote, he said. Because its an ordinance, it has to have a majority of all members of the council. So that would either be five members of an eight-person council or would have to be a four-four split with the mayor voting in favor of it to pass. But theres also a provision in the state statute and in our code that says and this is kind of complicated but you basically take the area thats going to be rezoned and you go out 185 feet in all directions. You calculate what that square footage is, excluding roads, and then if you have a written protest which we have now received then youve got to calculate how much of the percentage of the property within that 185 foot band is owned by those who have appropriately signed the protest. And if its 30 percent or more, then you have to have a super majority, which is two-thirds (in order to approve the zoning change). Pultz went on to clarify that if at least six members of the council voted against the zoning request change, the protest becomes moot. Otherwise, an engineer would have to be retained in order to conduct the calculations to determine the percentage of the property owned by residents who signed the written protest. After some more discussion among council members and the city attorney, members went on to vote on the matter with only one yes vote, from Councilman John Clark, and the remaining six council members voting no. Councilman Tom Reed was absent from the meeting. Moving on to new business, Naucke asked the council to consider moving the Code Enforcement Department and duties to the police department. The change would require the hiring of a new full-time employee, who would be responsible for monitoring cases such as trash, grass and weed compliance codes and other duties which fall under city code enforcement. Council members voted to approve the change, noting that housing and building inspections will remain separate from the Code Enforcement Department. The council also voted in favor of amending a schedule in Chapter 300 of the municipal code that changes A Street to a one-way street with traffic flowing east from Front Street to Firmin Street. In his city attorneys report, Pultz addressed the council about the status of the municipal code and the need to update it per state requirements. Councilwoman Charlotte House requested a special meeting during which the council, mayor and city attorney could go through the recommended modifications together. Naucke said the council will be notified with a date soon. Audi boss Rupert Stadler has expressed his support for both diesel and natural gas powered cars in an interview with Autocar. Not long after the boss of Jaguar Land Rover said diesel will play an important role in the future of automobiles, Stadler said that in the next decade, it will still sit alongside petrol and mild hybrids as an important fuel of choice. Diesel is a key technology yet the value of it as a fuel is no longer recognised, he said. Id prefer to see its value through the eyes of the customer, who gets good torque, range and fuel consumption. These values should be respected, especially when we know that, for the next 10-15 years, 70-80% of the market will be diesel, petrol or mild hybrid. Even the most positive expectation is 30% pure electric. We are investing heavily in battery technology, but we should never forget that most mileage will be covered for a long time by vehicles with internal combustion engines. We need to have the best options for those, and restricting choice will not help, said Stadler. Despite many automakers turning their attention almost exclusively to hybrid and electric vehicles, Stadler believes that vehicles powered by compressed natural gas has many advantages over traditional options. Im a big supporter of CNG. Its very clean, can be stored everywhere, you get a long range and you can refuel in two to three minutes. The trouble is it has an image problem, but Im convinced of its advantages. The strategy is right, but we need industrial partners to make it work on a wider level, Audis boss said. Audi currently offers a single CNG car, the A3 Sportback g-tron. It receives its fuel from water and CO2 or organic residual materials including straw and plant clippings. This year, the German automaker will add A4 Avant and A5 Sportback variants powered by compressed natural gas and a 2.0-liter TFSI engine delivering 168 hp and 199 lb-ft of torque. PHOTO GALLERY A motorcyclist in China has been lucky to escape with his life after crashing into a dump truck in the city of Nanchang. The entire scene was captured by a surveillance camera and shows the moment that the dump truck pulled out into the road, directly in the path of the biker. Unable to brake or swerve out of the way in time, the rider crashes directly into the trucks fuel tank, instantly causing a fire. The biker can be seen engulfed in flames and writhing in pain as he tries in vein to extinguish the flames. Thankfully, the driver of the dump truck and two people nearby doused the biker in water and pulled him away from the truck as the inferno intensified. Speaking to the media after the ordeal, truck driver Yang Juyong said he exited through the passenger door and rushed to the biker. The first thing that came into my mind was rescuing the man, he said. I did not care that my truck was burned. What I was thinking was trying to rescue that man first. VIDEO The boss of Toyota says the companys vehicles shouldnt be considered boring anymore in what has proven to be a difficult year-to-date for the automaker. Until now, there were times when Toyotas cars were called boring or were said to be lacking in character, Toyota chief executive Akio Toyoda told USA Today. But I now feel that, in terms of driving and design, our customers have begun to favorably evaluate our cars. Although Toyoda believes that customers have started to view the brands offerings as more than boring, not everything has been going swimmingly. In fact, Toyota has had a surprisingly lackluster 12 months. In the full fiscal year ending March 31, Toyotas net income has fallen by 20.8 per cent to 1.831 trillion yen ($16.1 billion). In the same time period, operating income dropped by 30.1 per cent to $17.5 billion and revenue fell by 2.8 per cent to $242.2 billion. Toyota has also revealed that it expects an 18 per cent fall in net income and a 2.5 per cent drop in revenue for the fiscal year ending in March 2018. It also says that fiscal-year sales will sit at around 10.25 million units. The companys falling income and revenue are being blamed on the stronger yen, higher research and development costs and decreasing U.S. sales. Discussing the results, Toyoda said It is my view that our latest financial results demonstrate Toyotas desire to steadily and continuously advance our investment in the future, rather than place top priority on short-term profit. PHOTO GALLERY Photo: The Canadian Press A Kane County police officer monitors the scene at Northwestern Medicine Delnor Hospital in Geneva, Ill. Officers fatally shot an armed jail inmate and freed his hostage at hospital in northern Illinois on Saturday, several hours after the inmate stole a gun from the correction's officer guarding him, authorities said. A SWAT team quickly moved in to Northwestern Medicine Delnor Hospital in Geneva after negotiations broke down with the inmate Saturday afternoon, Kane County Sheriff's Office spokesman Patrick Gengler said. Gengler said one officer shot and killed the inmate, whom he identified as 21-year-old Tywon Salters. The female hostage was "extremely emotional and upset" following the shooting, but appeared to be physically OK, Gengler said. She was quickly taken to another room in the hospital. The standoff began around 12:30 p.m., when the inmate snatched a gun from a correctional officer at the hospital about 40 miles west of Chicago. Salters, who was being held on charges related to a stolen vehicle, had been in the Kane County Jail's custody since April 11, and in the hospital since Monday, Gengler said. Gengler said he couldn't release details about why Salter was hospitalized, citing federal privacy laws. The standoff had been contained to one section of the emergency room as of late afternoon, when SWAT and crisis negotiation teams were called to the scene. Gengler said the hospital's emergency room was quickly cleared, but patients elsewhere in the hospital weren't evacuated. The hospital went on lockdown, meaning no one was allowed on to the hospital's campus. "We were able to move patients out of the ER. Those that needed medical care were transferred to other hospitals," hospital spokeswoman Kimberly Waterman said. The hospital asked people to avoid coming to the area and to not come to visit patients during the standoff. Ambulances were on standby for anyone who arrived at the hospital in need urgent care, city spokesman Kevin Stahr said. Photo: The Canadian Press Senate Judiciary Committee member Sen. John Cornyn, R-Texas speaks on Capitol Hill in Washington. President Donald Trump said Saturday that "we can make a fast decision" on a new FBI director, possibly by late next week, before he leaves on his first foreign trip since taking office. "Even that is possible," Trump told reporters when asked whether he could announce his nominee by Friday, when he is scheduled to leave for the Mideast and Europe. Eight candidates to be the bureau's director were in line Saturday for the first interviews with Attorney General Jeff Sessions and his deputy, Rod Rosenstein, at Justice Department headquarters. They are among more than a dozen candidates Trump is considering, a group that includes several lawmakers, attorneys and law enforcement officials. "I think the process is going to go quickly. Almost all of them are very well-known," Trump said aboard the plane that took him to Lynchburg, Virginia, where he gave the commencement address at Liberty University. "They've been vetted over their lifetime essentially, but very well-known, highly respected, really talented people. And that's what we want for the FBI." The Trump administration is looking to fill the job, which requires Senate confirmation, after Trump abruptly fired Director James Comey on Tuesday. The first candidate to arrive was Alice Fisher, a high-ranking Justice Department official in the George W. Bush administration. Among those interviewed was Adam Lee, special agent in charge of the FBI's Richmond, Virginia, office. Acting FBI Director Andrew McCabe also interviewed for the permanent post despite his repeated willingness to break from White House explanations of Comey's ouster and its characterizations of the Russia investigation. Also interviewed Saturday were Michael J. Garcia, a former prosecutor and associate judge on New York's highest court; GOP Sen. John Cornyn, the No. 2 Senate leader and a former Texas attorney general; and U.S. District Judge Henry E. Hudson, a George W. Bush appointee who struck down the centerpiece of the Obama administration's health care law in 2010. Frances Townsend, former homeland security and counterterrorism adviser to President George W. Bush, and former Michigan Rep. Mike Rogers also met with Justice officials. Rogers came endorsed by the FBI Agents Association, which said his diverse background makes him the best choice for the job. He is the former chairman of the House Intelligence Committee who also worked as an FBI special agent based in Chicago in the 1990s. Fisher and Townsend were the only women on the list of candidates. The FBI has never had a female director. Each has worked in high-profile positions in the Justice Department. Fisher formerly served as assistant attorney general for the Justice Department's Criminal Division. She faced resistance from Democrats during her confirmation over her alleged participation in discussions about detention policies at the Guantanamo Bay facility in Cuba. Among other roles, Townsend led the Office of Intelligence Policy and Review, which at the time handled requests for government surveillance warrants in terrorism and espionage cases. Sessions has faced questions over whether his involvement in Comey's firing violates his pledge to recuse himself from investigations into Russian interference in the election. Some lawmakers have alleged the firing was an effort to stifle that FBI probe. Justice Department spokeswoman Sarah Isgur Flores said Sessions and Rosenstein are involved in the interviews because the FBI director reports to them as attorney general and deputy attorney general. They can make recommendations, but the president will ultimately make the hiring decision. Photo: Twitter/Shelley Breen The Thompson Nicola Regional District is waiving tipping fees for homeowners clearing debris from flood-damaged properties. The waiver will be in effect at all TNRD solid waste facilities until June 11. Only waste materials generated as a result of the flood will be waived. At the waste disposal site, residents will be required to sign a declaration stating their name, phone number and address of the flooded property. The Heffley Creek and Lower Nicola landfills are the only two facilities that will accept rocks, clean soil, sand, gravel, etc. This material is not considered to be garbage and cannot be handled at TNRD waste transfer stations. If you have questions about accepted materials, contact the TNRD Environmental Services Department at 1- 877-377-8673 or [email protected]. Photo: Falkland Stampede Rodeo action returns to Falkland for the May long weekend. Falkland is getting ready to kick up its heels. The 99th annual Falkland Stampede gets underway on the May long weekend, drawing cowboys and rodeo fans from across the Pacific Northwest. The three-day event kicks off next Saturday with professional cowboys vying for prizes worth more than $50,000. It's one of the oldest rodeos in Canada. The action gets going at the stampede grounds at 1 p.m. Saturday, with the popular parade running through town at 1 p.m. Sunday. On Monday, there's the heavy horse pull 10 a.m. before rodeo action resumes at 1 p.m. Saturday and Sunday, the rodeo dance features the band Hat Trick. Tickets are available at the gate or, Sunday only, at the Falkland Store. Admission is $15 for adults, $12 for seniors and students. Family and three-day passes are available. Children under six are free. Camping is also available for $10 per night. Photo: David Ogilvie UPDATE: 10 a.m. A witness from the scene said smoke couldnt be seen from outside but firefighters are investigating. ORIGINAL: 9:40 a.m. Firefighters are responding to a call for smoke inside a home on Sunday morning. The fire is believed to be inside a home on Westbrook Drive and crews were notified around 9:30 a.m. Castanet will update as more information becomes available. Send your videos or photographs to [email protected]. Photo: Contributed Police in South Carolina say a woman has been arrested for hitting her young son after he gave a Mother's Day card to his grandmother but not to her. A Spartanburg Police Department report says Shontrell Murphy is charged with cruelty to children for hitting her son on the head Thursday. His age was not given. He was treated and released from a local hospital. According to the report, the boy's sister told police that Shontrell Murphy hit the boy hard because he gave his grandmother a card but not her. She then tore the card up. Police say Shontrell Murphy has been released from the Spartanburg County Detention Center. It wasn't clear Sunday if she has an attorney, and the number listed on the police report wasn't working. Photo: RCMP The Lumby Cenotaph was vandalized and police are searching for the culprits. According to RCMP, two bronze War Memorial plaques were taken off the Lumby Cenotaph and dumped into the garbage. Both plaques have been recovered and examined by RCMP Forensic Identification experts. The Lumby Legion is aware of this incident and are of course concerned that someone would have no regard for what the Cenotaph represents or for their fallen comrades, said Cpl. Trevor Tribes. Police were made aware of the incident on Sunday. There is no further information about the suspect or suspects at this time. RCMP are asking anyone with information to contact them. Photo: The Canadian Press David Samuelson throws debris from his flooded house onto a pile on his driveway in the Pierrefonds borough of Montreal Sunday, May 14, 2017. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Paul Chiasson David Samuelson stands in the bare, still-damp space in his basement that was once his son's room. Outside on the front lawn of his Montreal home is a growing pile of waterlogged debris that was once part of his home: wood, drywall, furniture, stuffed animals and shoes. Samuelson is one of many Montrealers facing a daunting cleanup after the historic floods that swept through their neighbourhoods last week, filling homes with several feet of water and forcing residents to leave. With water levels dropping across the province, many citizens are gradually being allowed home to assess the damage to their properties. Many are facing weeks or months of renovations that they say will cost tens of thousands of dollars. On Samuelson's street in Montreal's Pierrefonds borough on Sunday, homeowners were busy ripping up floorboards and stripping out drywall and insulation. Samuelson, 42, said he stayed to save as much as he could until the water reached waist high, but was forced to abandon 90 per cent of the items in his finished basement, which was mostly a space for his three children. Now it's all ruined and needs to be removed quickly to prevent mould from setting in. He says the damages to his place are estimated almost $60,000 although the true costs are harder to calculate. "It's toys, it's memories, so many things that didn't have a price," he said. "It's big amounts." Authorities have sought to reassure flood victims that financial aid will be available to them. Premier Philippe Couillard said compensation has been evaluated and has likely increased. The City of Montreal has offered the services of city inspectors and electricians to ensure homes are safe. But most homeowners say they'll still be left with thousands of dollars to pay and some doubt they'll get anything at all. Photo: The Canadian Press People outside a Megafon mobile phone shop in Moscow, Russia, on Saturday, May 13, 2017. (AP Photo/Ivan Sekretarev) An unprecedented "ransomware" cyberattack that has already hit tens of thousands of victims in 150 countries could wreak greater havoc as more malicious variations appear and people return to their desks Monday and power up computers at the start of the workweek. Officials and experts on Sunday urged organizations and companies to update their operating systems immediately to ensure they aren't vulnerable to a second, more powerful version of the software or to future versions that can't be stopped. The cyberattack paralyzed computers that run Britain's hospital network, Germany's national railway and scores of other companies and government agencies worldwide. The attack, already believed to be the biggest online extortion scheme ever recorded, is an "escalating threat" after hitting 200,000 victims across the world since Friday, according to Rob Wainwright, the head of Europol, Europe's policing agency. "The numbers are still going up," Wainwright said. "We've seen that the slowdown of the infection rate over Friday night, after a temporary fix around it, has now been overcome by a second variation the criminals have released." Researchers discovered at least two variants of the rapidly replicating worm Sunday and one did not include the so-called kill switch that allowed them to interrupt its spread Friday by diverting it to a dead end on the internet. Ryan Kalember, senior vice-president at Proofpoint Inc., said the version with no kill switch was able to spread but it contained a flaw that wouldn't allow it to take over a computer and demand ransom to unlock files. However, he said it's only a matter of time before such a version exists. "I still expect another to pop up and be fully operational," Kalember said. "We haven't fully dodged this bullet at all until we're patched against the vulnerability itself." The attack held users hostage by freezing their computers, encrypting their data and demanding money through online bitcoin payment $300 at first, rising to $600 before it destroys files hours later. The 200,000 victims included more than 100,000 organizations, Europol spokesman Jan Op Gen Oorth told The Associated Press. He said it was too early to say who was behind the onslaught and what their motivation was, aside from the obvious demand for money. So far, he said, not many people have paid the ransom demanded by the malware. The effects were felt across the globe, with Britain's National Health Service, Russia's Interior Ministry and companies including Spain's Telefonica, FedEx Corp. in the U.S. and French carmaker Renault all reporting disruptions. If you have just started your journey in an online casino or are looking for a new site to play,... Kerrville, TX (78028) Today Partly cloudy early followed by cloudy skies overnight. Slight chance of a rain shower. Low 64F. Winds SSE at 10 to 20 mph.. Tonight Partly cloudy early followed by cloudy skies overnight. Slight chance of a rain shower. Low 64F. Winds SSE at 10 to 20 mph. Virginia P. Boring, 85, of Cleveland passed away on Thursday, May 11, 2017 in a local health care facility. She was of the Baptist faith.She was preceded in death by her parents, William and Willie Boring; brothers, Clifford Boring and Harvey Boring; sisters, Marie Boring, Juanita Epperson and Dorothy Boring.She is survived by her sister, Violet Hefner of Cleveland; special niece, Denise Epperson of Hampton, GA; and several nieces and nephews.Funeral services will be conducted at 10 a.m. on Monday, May 15, in the chapel of Fike-Randolph & Son Funeral Home with the Reverend Lake Walker officiating. Interment will follow in Rural Vale Baptist Church Cemetery in Tellico Plains, Tn.Her family will receive friends from 2-4 p.m. on Sunday at the funeral home.We invite you to send a message of condolence and view the Boring family guestbook at www.fikefh.com Eddie L. Thompson, 54, a resident of Cleveland, TN, passed away on Friday May 12, 2017. He was of the Baptist faith. Eddie was lifelong carpenter. He was dearly loved by all that knew him and will be greatly missed. He was preceded in death by his parents, Donald Eugene Thompson and Vidalee Thompson; brothers, Dennis Thompson and Steve Thompson; sisters, Linda Ramsey and Brenda Swallows; and niece, Jenifer Swallows. He leaves behind to cherish his memory, loving companion, Diane Bozarth; brothers, Billy Thompson and Robert Thompson; special brother-in-law, Bill Ramsey; as well as numerous nieces, nephews, extended family, and friends. The family will receive friends from 10 a.m. until 12 p.m. on Monday, May 15, at Companion Funeral Home, located at 2419 Georgetown Road, Cleveland. A graveside service will follow the visitation at 12:30 p.m. in the Lee Cemetery, on S. Lee Highway in McDonald. You are invited to share a memory of Eddie or your condolences with his family at his online memorial located at www.companionfunerals.com. Companion Funeral and Cremation Service and the Cody family are honored to assist the Thompson family with these arrangements. Melrose Park Police, State Police, Cook County Forest Police and Canadian National Railroad Police gather near 1st Avenue and North Avenue in Melrose Park on May 14, 2017, to search for a juvenile who jumped into the river from a railroad trestle Saturday night and is missing. (Nancy Stone / Chicago Tribune) A search is underway in Melrose Park for a juvenile who jumped into the Des Plaines River and did not emerge on Saturday night, authorities said. The Chicago Fire Department was called to assist at North First Avenue and West North Avenue about 7:05 p.m., according to a media notification. Advertisement Illinois State Police also responded to assist after three juveniles apparently jumped into the river and one did not surface, according to Sgt. S. Orta. The juveniles appeared to have jumped from a nearby railroad in the Thatcher Woods area, Orta said. Advertisement The incident happened near a railroad trestle bridge, said Patrick Waldron, a spokesman for Canadian National Railway Co. The search was expected to resume Sunday morning, authorities said. A man who may have fired shots in a domestic fight in Buffalo Grove died after he sped off in a car and crashed into two other vehicles when police began pursuing him Saturday morning, police said. The man, 23, was pronounced dead at Northwest Community Hospital in Arlington Heights after a crash near Lake Cook and Nichols roads, authorities said. The drivers of the other vehicles were treated at hospitals and released, according to a Buffalo Grove police news release. Advertisement A woman told police that the man, who knew her daughter, smashed a backyard patio window, injuring both women. Police originally were called to Auburn Lane in the northwest suburb about 10:20 a.m. to check reports of gunshots in the area. One person who talked to police reportedly heard screaming and gunshots, and another told police about hearing several loud pops and glass breaking, according to police. Advertisement A man was seen running from the home soon after and jumping into a red sedan, police said. A Buffalo Grove officer saw a red Toyota Corolla heading south on Arlington Heights Road, and the officer turned on his lights and siren as the Toyota headed west on Lake Cook Road. The Toyota passed Wilke Road and collided with two other vehicles. One of the surviving drivers was taken to Northwest Community Hospital, and the other was taken to Good Shepherd Hospital in Barrington. Buffalo Grove police were investigating the reported domestic attack, while Cook County sheriff's police were investigating the crash. Police issued a Community Alert after a man tried to lure an 8-year-old girl to a West Side park. (Chicago police) Police are looking for a man who tried to lure an 8-year-old girl Saturday night on the West Side. The girl was riding her bicycle in the 700 block of North Long Avenue about 9:50 p.m. when the man approached her near Chicago Avenue, pointed to a park across the street and said, "Meet by the park, I will be there,'' according to a community alert issued by police. Advertisement The girl immediately rode back home on her bike, and the man walked south on Long and west on Huron Street from the park, located at Howe Elementary School, 720 N. Lorel Ave., police said. The man is black, between the ages of 35 and 55 and stands between 5-foot-8 and 5-foot-9. He weighs about 170 pounds and has black, short hair and brown eyes, and he was possibly wearing an orange shirt, police said. Advertisement Anyone with information should call Area North detectives at 312-744-8200. A Cook County sheriff's officer and a man walk along the bank of the Des Plaines River on May 16, 2017, searching for signs of Cameron Sanders. (Alyssa Pointer / Chicago Tribune) Authorities are continuing their search Sunday near suburban Melrose Park for a boy who jumped from a bridge into the Des Plaines River on Saturday and did not emerge. Three boys all reportedly jumped together from a railroad bridge in the Thatcher Woods area, but only two surfaced, according to a spokesperson for the village of Melrose Park. Advertisement The bridge is in the Thatcher Woods behind the Lincoln College of Technology in Melrose Park and is owned by Canadian National Railway Co. Railway spokesman Patrick Waldron said "three teens" jumped into the river around 4:30 p.m. Saturday. The Chicago Fire Department and Illinois State Police were called to assist in the search later Saturday evening, officials said. Advertisement Waldron said the Melrose Park Fire Department is leading a "multijurisdictional recovery effort" to search for the boy. Emergency responders from Melrose Park, Cook County Forest Preserves, Cook County sheriff's office, Illinois State Police, Lyons Township and the American Red Cross were on the scene when the search resumed Sunday morning. Boats were seen surveying the waterway south of Roosevelt Road. Police K-9 units were also assisting the search. Chicago police helicopters could be seen surveying the area as well. An official said the search was suspended late Sunday afternoon. The boy's identity has not been released. A woman who identified herself as the sister of the missing boy said that her brother's friends who were with him are now home and safe. A man who identified himself as an older brother said the missing boy is 16 years old. A tall barbed-wire fence lines the train tracks leading to the bridge. Several large holes from fallen trees and other disrepair could be seen in the fencing. Scott Manno, who said he is a family friend of one of the boys, said the bridge is a popular hangout for teenagers in the area. A routine report of suspicious activity in a small northwest suburb Saturday night ended with a veteran police officer shooting a juvenile, authorities there said. About 11 p.m., officers with the Marengo Police Department were sent by dispatchers to a home in the 800 block of East Prairie Street, according to a statement from police Chief Rich Solarz. Advertisement Solarz said arriving officers "were confronted by a juvenile armed with a firearm. The armed juvenile pointed the firearm at a Marengo police officer," he wrote. Authorities on Sunday would not say what type of weapon the juvenile pointed at police. The name of the officer who drew his service weapon and fired at the juvenile had 10 years with the Police Department in Marengo, a town about 60 miles outside Chicago. Advertisement The officer was placed on administrative leave, standard practice after an officer-involved shooting. Investigators did not immediately release the juvenile's name, his age, the location of his injuries or where he was being treated. The McHenry County sheriff's office is investigating the shooting, officials said. Police are asking for the public's help finding a man who was last seen in early April at the Cermak train station in the Chinatown neighborhood. Donnie Murray, 39, was last seen April 2. He was wearing black jeans, a white zip-up hoodie and white Air Jordans, police said. Advertisement Murray was described by police as white with a fair complexion, blonde hair and blue eyes. He is 5 feet 10 inches tall, and weighs about 180 pounds, police said. He has a tattoo of "Romans" on his neck, one that reads "Insane" on the back, and tattoos on both arms, police said. Advertisement Anyone with information on his whereabouts should call detectives at 312-747-8380. Authorities are seeking help from the public in locating a 15-year-old girl who was reported missing Friday. Janie Anderson is missing from the 300 block of South Loomis Street on the Near West Side, according to an alert from the Chicago Police Department. Advertisement The girl, who is also known as "Jae Savv," was last seen wearing a light blue shirt, black pants and white gym shoes. She is known to frequent the areas near South Springfield Avenue and West Adams Street on the West Side, according to police. If you see her or have additional information about her whereabouts, call 911 or Area Central detectives at 312-747-8380. Authorities are looking for a black BMW involved in the shooting and wounding of a woman driving on the Kennedy Expressway early Sunday on the North Side, according to Illinois State Police. It happened about 3:50 a.m. in the northbound lanes near Fullerton Avenue, according to ISP District Chicago Trooper Ark Wozniak. The woman was driving a white Honda CR-V when someone inside a northbound black BMW opened fire, hitting her in the leg, Wozniak said. She was taken to Advocate Illinois Masonic Medical Center, where she was in good condition, Wozniak said. She was initially taken to Presence Saints Mary and Elizabeth Medical Center, according to a spokesman for the Chicago Fire Department. No one else was in the CR-V, according to the trooper, who said the BMW sped away and no arrests have been made. North Korea on Monday boasted of a successful weekend launch of a new type of "medium long-range" ballistic rocket that can carry a heavy nuclear warhead. Outsiders also saw a significant technological jump, with the test-fire apparently flying higher and for a longer time period than any other such previous missile. Amid condemnation in Seoul, Tokyo, Washington and Moscow, a jubilant North Korean leader Kim Jong Un promised more nuclear and missile tests and warned that his country's weapons could strike the U.S. mainland and Pacific holdings. North Korean propaganda must be considered with wariness Pyongyang has threatened for decades to reduce Seoul to a "sea of fire," for instance but Monday's claim, if confirmed, would mark another big advance toward the North's goal of fielding a nuclear-tipped missile capable of reaching the U.S. mainland. Some experts, including officials in Tokyo, estimate that Sunday's launch successfully tested a new type of missile, potentially the longest in North Korea's arsenal. The test is also an immediate challenge to South Korea's new president, Moon Jae-in, a liberal elected last week who expressed a desire to reach out to North Korea. Pyongyang's aggressive push to boost its weapons program also makes it one of the Trump administration's most urgent foreign policy worries, though Washington has struggled to settle on a policy. North Korea's official Korean Central News Agency called the missile a "new ground-to-ground medium long-range strategic ballistic rocket," and said the "Hwasong-12" was "capable of carrying a large, heavy nuclear warhead." Kim witnessed the test and "hugged officials in the field of rocket research, saying that they worked hard to achieve a great thing," according to KCNA. The rocket, "newly designed in a Korean-style," flew 787 kilometers (490 miles) and reached a maximum altitude of 2,111 kilometers (1,310 miles), the North said, and "verified the homing feature of the warhead under the worst re-entry situation and accurate performance of detonation system." South Korea's Defense Ministry said more analysis is needed to verify the North's claim on the rocket's technological features. Spokesman Moon Sang Gyun said it's still unlikely that North Korea has re-entry technology, which would return a warhead safely back into the atmosphere. Japanese officials said Sunday that the missile flew for half an hour and reached an unusually high altitude before landing in the Sea of Japan. Several South Korean analysts, including Lee Illwoo, a Seoul-based commentator on military issues, said the missile flew higher and for a longer period than any other the North has ever test-fired. North Korea has also launched satellites into orbit on long-range rockets that share some of the same technology as missiles. North Korea is not thought to be able yet to make a nuclear warhead small enough to mount on a long-range missile, though some outside analysts think it can arm shorter-range missiles with warheads. Each new nuclear and longer-range missile test is part of the North's attempt to build a nuclear-tipped intercontinental ballistic missile. Kim said North Korea would stage more nuclear and missile tests in order to perfect nuclear bombs needed to deal with U.S. "nuclear blackmail." State media paraphrased North Korea's leader as saying that "the most perfect weapon systems in the world will never become the eternal exclusive property of the U.S.," warning that "the U.S. should not ... disregard or misjudge the reality that its mainland and Pacific operation region are in (North Korea's) sighting range for strike." The launch complicates the new South Korean president's plan to talk to the North, and came as U.S., Japanese and European navies gather for joint war games in the Pacific. "The president expressed deep regret over the fact that this reckless provocation ... occurred just days after a new government was launched in South Korea," senior presidential secretary Yoon Young-chan said. "The president said we are leaving open the possibility of dialogue with North Korea, but we should sternly deal with a provocation to prevent North Korea from miscalculating." Moon, South Korea's first liberal leader in nearly a decade, said as he took his oath of office last week that he'd be willing to visit North Korea if the circumstances were right. In Seoul, some citizens expressed frustration. Kim Do-hoon, 31, said that South Korea, while keeping the "door open for conversation" with the North, should also "show a stern attitude at some level." "As South Korea's diplomatic situation matures, North Korea should also show a more mature attitude, not a childish one, and contribute to (establishing a better) diplomatic relationship," said Jin Hyo-seon, 33, a painter. The U.N. Security Council will hold closed consultations about the launch on Tuesday afternoon, according to the U.N. Mission for Uruguay, which holds the council presidency this month. The U.S. ambassador to the U.N., Nikki Haley, said on ABC television that the United States has been working well with China, Pyongyang's closest ally, and raised the possibility of new sanctions against North Korea, including on oil imports. The Security Council has adopted six increasingly tougher sanctions resolutions against North Korea. President Donald Trump's administration has called North Korean ballistic and nuclear efforts unacceptable, but it has swung between threats of military action and offers to talk as it formulates a policy. While Trump has said he'd be "honored" to talk with leader Kim under favorable conditions, Haley seemed to rule out the possibility. "Having a missile test is not the way to sit down with the president, because he's absolutely not going to do it," she told ABC. The U.S. Pacific Command said Sunday's test flight "is not consistent with an intercontinental ballistic missile." David Wright, co-director of the Global Security Program at the Union of Concerned Scientists, said the missile could have a range of 4,500 kilometers (about 2,800 miles) if flown on a standard, instead of lofted, trajectory considerably longer than North Korea's current missiles. He said Sunday's launch the seventh such firing by North Korea this year may have been of a new mobile, two-stage liquid-fueled missile North Korea displayed in a huge April 15 military parade. The White House, in a statement, said that North Korea has been "a flagrant menace for far too long." Russian President Vladimir Putin condemned the missile launch, telling reporters during a visit to China that "there's nothing good about" it. The Russian defense ministry said the missile landed several hundred kilometers away from the city of Vladivostok in Russia's Far East, but Putin said it "didn't present a threat" to his country. The launch came as troops from the U.S., Japan and two European nations gather near Guam for drills that are partly a message to North Korea. The USS Carl Vinson, an aircraft supercarrier, is also engaging with South Korean navy ships in waters off the Korean Peninsula, according to Seoul's Defense Ministry. Associated Press writer Hyung-jin Kim contributed to this report. A Tennessee woman hated that her congressman voted for the controversial Republican health care bill in the House of Representatives, authorities say. So Wendi Wright tried to run Rep. David Kustoff, R-Tenn., off the road after he left a town hall meeting at the University of Tennessee at Martin, they said. The Weakley County Sheriff's Department said Wright tailed the car carrying Kustoff. At some point, the congressman and his aide became afraid and worried that Wright wanted to force them off the road. They then turned into a driveway and stopped. That's where Wright got out, screamed at the congressman and struck the windows of his vehicle, even reaching inside the car, the sheriff's department said. Authorities said Wright then stood in front of the vehicle to try to keep Kustoff from leaving. At some point, someone called 911, but Wright left before authorities arrived. The incident happened on May 8, four days after House Republicans narrowly passed a bill to overhaul the country's health care system. Wright, 35, has been charged with felony reckless endangerment and was released after posting a $1,000 bond. Authorities say they found her after she posted details of the encounter with Kustoff on Facebook. It was not immediately clear if Wright has an attorney. She will be arraigned on Monday. Kustoff represents Tennessee's 8th District, which covers Union City, Tenn., where Wright lives. The district borders Kentucky, Missouri and Arkansas. Kustoff and 216 other House Republicans voted to pass the American Health Care Act to replace the Affordable Care Act, also known as Obamacare, on May 4. The bill was passed hastily, with little debate and key revisions agreed upon during closed-door meetings at the White House and on Capitol Hill. At the time of the vote, the Congressional Budget Office had not analyzed the bill's cost and impact on coverage, but the agency's analysis of its original version that 24 million would lose insurance by 2026. The estimate also showed that the bill would cut $880 billion from the Medicaid program over the next decade. The program provides health insurance to low-income Americans and helps pay for long-term care for seniors and people with disabilities. The bill includes an amendment that would allow states to obtain a waiver so they could charge customers with preexisting conditions more than other people. Another amendment that would provide $8 million over five years to lower premiums for those with preexisting conditions swayed some concerned moderate Republicans to support the bill, allowing the House GOP leadership to secure enough votes to pass it. Democrats, however, say the $8 billion is not enough and those with preexisting conditions will face the choice of paying exorbitant premiums or carrying no insurance. In a statement after voting for the bill, Kustoff said: "We promised the American people we would repeal and replace Obamacare, and today, the House voted to keep our word and provide relief ... This bill would protect and ensure access to care for those with preexisting conditions, and moreover, it will make health care more attainable with lower premiums." Kustoff's office has not publicly addressed the incident. Insurance providers in Tennessee have pulled out of the Obamacare exchange, leaving residents in 16 counties without health insurance. That's affecting more than 1.1 million people, Kustoff's office said, adding that premiums in Tennessee have skyrocketed to as much as 116 percent. The health-care bill faces an uncertain future in the Senate, where negotiations are already facing obstacles. Senators have said they intended to write their own legislation. In deciding to abruptly fire FBI Director James Comey, President Donald Trump characteristically let himself be guided by his own instincts - fueled by his creeping anger and sense of victimhood about a probe into Russian meddling in the 2016 election that he considers a "witch hunt." The aftermath is a presidency rocked by its most serious self-inflicted crisis yet, exposing dysfunction and distrust within his West Wing and imperiling his agenda. The momentum for the health-care bill that passed the House is gone, and a week scheduled to be devoted to Trump's preparations for a high-stakes foreign trip was overtaken by distractions and fury. Across Washington, Trump's allies have been buzzing about the staff's competence as well as the president's state of mind. One GOP figure close to the White House mused privately about whether Trump was "in the grip of some kind of paranoid delusion." Trump has been stewing all week, aggrieved by sharp media scrutiny of his decision to fire Comey and of his and his aides' ever-shifting explanations, and has been quick to blame his staff, according to several people who have spoken with him. Privately, Trump has lashed out at the communications office - led by press secretary Sean Spicer and communications director Michael Dubke - and has spoken candidly with advisers about a broad shake-up that could include demotions or dismissals. The president personally has conducted postmortem interviews with aides about the Comey saga, investigating the unending stream of headlines he considers unfairly negative, according to several White House officials who spoke on the condition of anonymity because Trump is cracking down on unauthorized leaks. "This was the first major crisis or test they've had, and it looks like a lot of systems failed," said Chris Ruddy, a Trump confidant and chief executive of Newsmax. "My experience with the president is when he sees failure, he quickly adapts and tries new things. He's not a guy that keeps the same ol'." The system may be failing, but it is Trump picking which buttons to press. The president takes pride in being the ultimate decision-maker, for matters large and small. And chaos has been a hallmark of Trump's enterprises, from his family real estate empire to his presidential campaign, a 16-month venture during which he cycled through three leadership teams. Inside the White House, there was widespread agreement that Comey had to go. But how and when Trump would fire him - and how it would be rationalized to the public - was the subject of considerable debate. Vice President Mike Pence, Attorney General Jeff Sessions, senior adviser Jared Kushner, Chief of Staff Reince Priebus and Counsel Donald McGahn were the closest to the president as he weighed his options, according to White House officials. Would Trump first visit with Comey in person and ask for his resignation or fire him abruptly? The president decided the latter. Would Trump slow down the process so that a communications strategy could be crafted, with credible surrogates lined up to defend his decision, or terminate Comey about 24 hours after first telling top aides he wanted it done? He chose the latter. Would Trump stick to the agreed-upon explanation for Comey's ouster or invoke the Russia investigation, both in his Tuesday termination letter to Comey and two days later in a television interview? And would he be restrained on Twitter, as his advisers have urged, or peck out a provocative salvo at Comey warning of possible "tapes" of their private conversations? In both cases, Trump again chose the less prudent path. White House aides have felt bewildered and alarmed by how Trump arrives at his decisions - often on impulse and emotion and sometimes by rejecting the counsel of those around him - and how he then communicates those decisions to his personnel and the public. Trump is in some ways like a pilot opting to fly a plane through heavy turbulence then blaming the flight attendants when the passengers get jittery. The result is a hardening portrait of sheer disarray. "The Comey firing is just the most dramatic example of a White House that is completely dysfunctional, the most chaotic in modern history," said Chris Whipple, author "The Gatekeepers," a newly published history of White House chiefs of staff. "Reince Priebus has made rookie mistake after rookie mistake," Whipple said. "But ultimately, it's fundamentally on Donald Trump. A chief of staff can do very little to make the White House function if he's not empowered by his president. That simply has not happened." Robert Gates, a former defense secretary who informally advised Trump during the transition, criticized his handling of Comey's ouster. "Not terribly well done," Gates told John Dickerson in a CBS News interview scheduled to air Sunday on "Face the Nation." "I fired a lot of senior people myself, and I think the key, when you feel compelled to remove a senior official, is essentially to have all your ducks in a row at the beginning," he continued. "To have the rationale, have everybody understand what the rationale was. If possible, to be in a position to announce who is going to step in as the interim immediately. And, if possible, to announce who you're going to nominate to replace that person." As Trump's anger with the Comey fallout boiled over, his aides have been pointing fingers at one other. Much of the internal blame has fallen to the communications operation, with Kushner and other top officials questioning why the small army of press staffers led by Spicer and Dubke took so long to forcefully defend the president's decision and agree to a set of talking points that could withstand scrutiny, according to several White House officials. Inside the West Wing, it became a running joke among some staffers that the answer to every question would be "Rosenstein," referring to the deputy attorney general, Rod Rosenstein, who wrote a memo outlining a case for Comey's ouster. Trump loyalists were particularly upset that Senate Minority Leader Charles Schumer, D-N.Y., organized a news conference Tuesday night and got other Democrats to parrot the same message before a full explanation came out of the White House - despite the fact that the White House controlled every variable of the story. "They were running around like chickens with their heads cut off," said one White House official. "There was no leadership, no 'get your troops in a room and issue orders and execute.' " Yet Trump did not inform Spicer and Dubke of his decision until about an hour before it was announced, keeping them and other senior aides out of the loop because he feared the news might leak prematurely, officials said. There is confusion about whether Stephen Bannon, the chief strategist who had been somewhat marginalized after feuding last month with Kushner, was among those the president consulted about his decision. Two people familiar with the matter said Bannon intentionally was kept out of the process. But a third person denied that Bannon first learned Comey had been fired from television news reports and said that he had actually counseled Trump to delay his decision to lessen the political backlash. Spicer and Dubke did not respond to a request for an interview. Their defenders said they were assigned an impossible task of orchestrating on short notice a complete rollout plan - from crafting and distributing talking points to lining up lawmakers, legal experts and other Trump supporters to give interviews. The explanation delivered Tuesday night by Spicer, counselor to the president Kellyanne Conway and deputy press secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders - that Trump acted decisively at the recommendation of Rosenstein and Sessions - was discussed with and agreed to by the president himself, officials said. Trump then changed his story, telling NBC News on Thursday that he made the decision to fire Comey on his own and would have done so "regardless" of Rosenstein's recommendation. "We were absolutely given the information that we could have at that time," Sanders told reporters Thursday. "It was a quick-moving process. We took the information we had, as best we had it, and got it out to the American people as quickly as we could." Trump defended his spokesmen, tweeting Friday that they should not be expected to speak with "perfect accuracy" and later complaining to Fox News personality Jeanine Pirro about the "level of hostility" against them. But Trump went on to tell Pirro that he was considering canceling regular press briefings - except for when he does them himself. Some of Trump's allies said they are worried that the president views the Comey episode entirely as a public-affairs crisis - a branding problem - and has not been judicious about protecting himself from legal exposure as the FBI continues to investigate possible links between his campaign and Russia. When Trump sat down for the interview with NBC anchor Lester Holt, his aides were not certain what he might say. The president improvised, essentially - and, in one stream-of-consciousness answer, invited potential legal peril by connecting his firing of Comey to the Russia matter. "In fact, when I decided to just do it, I said to myself, I said, 'You know, this Russia thing with Trump and Russia is a made-up story, it's an excuse by the Democrats for having lost an election that they should have won,' " Trump told Holt. Trump also revealed that he had asked Comey on three separate occasions - once over dinner and twice in phone calls - whether he was under investigation by the FBI and said that Comey had told him he was not. It is Justice Department policy that ongoing investigations generally are not to be discussed with White House officials. "Trump is so unsophisticated about government, and he lacks even basic knowledge about how the government functions, of what the unwritten but very important rules and traditions are. His attitude toward all those things is they don't matter: 'I'm going to drain the swamp!' " said a veteran of past Republican administrations who is close to the Trump White House and spoke on the condition of anonymity to candidly critique the president. Pollster Patrick Caddell, a longtime confidant of Bannon who served in Jimmy Carter's White House, said he was pained to watch the Trump White House struggle. "It's like reliving the Carter administration on steroids," Caddell said. "This is an outsider administration being surrounded by Apache knives. Every inch of the political class and both parties are going after him. The president can't afford in this type of environment to not execute these kinds of announcements better." The Washington Post's Damian Paletta and Robert Costa contributed to this report. President Barack Obama was given an extraordinary opportunity when he was elected. He was a president who had the total support of the media. The Congress was open-minded and hopeful of the intelligent, silver-tongued leader. The American people, even if they didn't vote for him, for the most part were willing to give him a chance. After all, President Obama was going to bring about change. Fast forward eight years and the change we hoped for never quite materialized. What change did take place was not for the good. The country was more divided, more angry and more stagnant than ever before. Advertisement And now Obama comes alive: a $400,000 speaking engagement, a $60 million book deal, political opinions for France, and of course, criticism for his successor. Should a monument be built to honor a president who managed to squander away the opportunity of a lifetime? A president whose accomplishments are being erased daily, even his signature Obamacare? The great president that could have been never materialized. Obama was a great president of the country he envisioned in his head, but unfortunately it wasn't the country he was elected to lead, to change. It was never a reality. Advertisement Sue Atkenson, Palos Park What to read next: Why President Donald Trump must be impeached Is there anyone who will say no to President Trump? Obama's style too 'casual'? Give him, and men, a break. How Republicans are paving the way for single-payer health care Kane County sheriff's Lt. Pat Gengler leaves after a news conference to discuss the conclusion of a hostage situation at Northwestern Medicine Delnor Hospital in Geneva on May 13, 2017. (Chris Sweda / Chicago Tribune) Officials were still in the debriefing process Sunday following Saturday's hostage standoff at Northwestern Medicine Delnor Hospital that ended with the death of the suspect, Kane County Sheriff's Office Lt. Pat Gengler said. Investigations into the incident are being done by both the Sheriff's Office and the Illinois State Police, he said. Advertisement A Kane County jail inmate identified as Tywon Salters, 21, of Chicago, was killed by a SWAT team officer during the incident. Salters had been in Kane County custody since April 11, when he was arrested by Elgin police on a charge of possession of a stolen motor vehicle. Salters had been in the hospital for several days, but was always with an armed guard on a rotating shift, Gengler said. The Sheriff's Office spokesman said he could not release why Salters was hospitalized due to federal regulations. Advertisement According to officials, Salters was able to take a correctional officer's gun and held a Geneva hospital nurse hostage for several hours. The standoff began about 1 p.m. Several hours later, after hostage negotiators were unable to persuade Salters to give himself up, negotiations broke down and members of the SWAT team were sent in, Gengler said. "For us, for the Sheriff's Office, we want to know what happened; How did he get the officer's gun, and what occurred in that room," Gengler said. The State Police investigation will focus on the use of force by the SWAT team in ending the situation, he said. There will be some crossover in the two investigations. "We need to sit down and go over with investigators," Gengler said. "Our goal yesterday was to let people know what was going on," he said. The goal now is to determine how it happened. The SWAT teams involved in the incident train twice a month in several different scenarios and locations, Gengler said, in preparation for incidents such as Saturday's. While the loss of life is always unfortunate, the hostage was safe at the end of the standoff, he said. Advertisement "We would have loved for him to take the opportunity to let her go, and come out and have a peaceful resolution," Gengler said. "That is what we hoped for. But if the hostage is safe and the officers are safe .. that is a start to a good ending." Janelle Walker is a freelance reporter for The Beacon-News. Bartlett Fire Chief Michael Falese read the names of late Bartlett firefighters Thomas Mack and Ken Penkala as Elgin firefighter Anthony Herrera rang a bell during a ceremony Saturday remembering firefighters who died in the last year. (Gloria Casas / The Courier-News) Elgin Fire Chief David Schmidt was part of the original Elgin Area Firefighters Memorial ceremony 25 years ago, as was colleague and friend Steve Berry and Elgin Fire Department Chaplain Roger Pollock. For many years, Schmidt said he watched Berry prepare for the service. "I remember Steve being in his zone," he said. "My natural inclination was to make Steve laugh by saying, 'Wouldn't it be funny if you forgot the lyrics?' He didn't think it was funny, but we did try to make him laugh." Advertisement This year's memorial was especially bittersweet for Schmidt because Berry was among those being remembered. Berry, who died in July 2016, was among 11 firefighters from seven area departments honored during Saturday's 25th annual memorial service, held at George Van De Voorde Firefighter Memorial Park on the grounds of the Elgin Fire Barn No. 5 Museum on Bent Street. Advertisement Bells tolled for Berry and Robert F. Smith from the Elgin Fire Department; Thomas Mack and Ken Penkala from Bartlett Fire Department; Dennis Dwyer from Carpentersville Fire Department; Don Benchly, Ron Nussbaum and Don Oranger from Hampshire Fire Department; Robert Scholl from Hoffman Estates Fire Department; and Michael Mattoon from Rutland Dundee Fire Protection District. Freeport Firefighter Eric Kohlbauer, who died in the line of service, was also recognized. A moment of silence was held for Elgin police Officer Steve Jones, who died suddenly May 7. Schmidt said Jones was a friend to firefighters and will be missed. The annual ceremony is a way for families to mourn their loved ones as well as heal, Schmidt said. Elgin Mayor David Kaptain read a proclamation marking the day, which also included such traditions as the Last Alarm, reading of the "Fireman's Prayer" and a performance of "Amazing Grace" on bagpipes. Kathleen Mattoon attended the event with her 1-year-old daughter, Madison. She lost her husband Michael, a former Rutland Dundee firefighter, in January. Kathleen took photos of the ceremony to share with her daughter and to keep Michael's memory alive, she said. "The fire service has been what has gotten Madison and me through every day," said Mattoon, who attended the ceremony many times when growing up as the daughter of former West Dundee Fire Chief Frank Buhrmann. "The support they have given us is incredible." Gloria Casas is a freelance reporter for The Courier-News. Frisch eyes upset of Boebert, but Pueblo County results could take time About 9,000 votes are due in the next batch that Pueblo County posts, which could determine if Lauren Boebert will continue to represent CD-3 in Congress The Uzbek version of "Xi Jinping: The Governance of China" has been jointly published by China's Foreign Languages Press and the Press of Uzbekistan. Uzbek President Shavkat Mirziyoyev, now attending the Belt and Road Forum for International Cooperation in Beijing, wrote a foreword for the book. The book cover of the Uzbek version of "Xi Jinping: The Governance of China." [Photo/ China.org.cn] The full text of the president's foreword reads as follows: Friendly cooperation between Uzbekistan and China can be traced back to the era of the ancient Silk Road which connected the East to the West. Over the centuries, the two peoples have conducted effective exchanges in the fields of trade, science, and culture. We learn from each other and value each other's cultures, customs, and traditions; many historical events bear witness to this. The People's Republic of China is an intimate and trustworthy partner of Uzbekistan. Upholding the concept of mutual understanding and respect, and valuing their traditional friendship, the two countries have worked to further their comprehensive and mutually beneficial partnership. The documents signed by the two countries on friendly cooperation have laid a solid legal foundation for this relationship. It was a noteworthy occasion when His Excellency Xi Jinping, President of the People's Republic of China, signed a joint declaration during his state visit to Uzbekistan in June 2016, upgrading the Uzbekistan-China relationship to a comprehensive strategic partnership. Our people are very well aware what a great honor and also a great responsibility it is to become a strategic partner of China, an influential country with a population of 1.3 billion. There is no doubt that the initiative and the efforts of the Chinese leader Xi Jinping have played a significant role in the evolution of the bilateral relationship. Over the 26 years since the establishment of diplomatic relations, the two countries have carried out long-term and effective cooperation, and established a mechanism of regular mutual visits at state and governmental levels. China has always supported our strategic plans for economic reform and modernization. It has also invested in our industry, energy, transportation, telecommunications, agriculture and other business sectors. We speak highly of projects involving investment from China. His Excellency Xi Jinping is universally acknowledged as a politician of renown, with a global reach. China's domestic and foreign policies always designed after careful consideration and deliberation attract attention and interest throughout the world, as well as in Uzbekistan. "Xi Jinping: The Governance of China" is significant in that it provides valuable insights into China's policies, and into the thinking behind the comprehensive reform under way in China. The book includes speeches, talks, lectures and interviews by His Excellency Xi Jinping. What will impress its readers is the comprehensive perspective it provides of China's future prospects, of the goal of realizing the Chinese Dream, and of the path that will lead to great achievements. I have read this book with great interest, a book that contains the profound political thoughts of this influential leader of a major country, and his analysis of the complexities of the current trends in globalization. I am very honored to introduce this book to our Uzbek readers. Today's China has astonished the international community with its rapid yet stable development. Over a very short period it has grown into a locomotive of the world economy. Therefore, our people and our readers should consider themselves fortunate in having the opportunity to read President Xi's book in our native language. In this era of globalization, his book is a source of ideas and a pragmatic guide in the areas of governance, society, sustainable development, market economy, and safeguarding people's interests, for our leadership, for experts, for people working in the field of mass media, and for teachers and students from institutes of higher learning especially those from the Academy of State Governance under the President of the Republic of Uzbekistan. I am certain that the book will be of great benefit to the time-honored friendship, cooperation, and people-to-people exchanges between Uzbekistan and China. Shavkat Miromonovich Mirziyoyev, President of the Republic of Uzbekistan A train loaded with clothing and small commodities chugged out of a station in east China's Zhejiang Province Saturday afternoon, heading for Madrid. It was the 1,000th freight train linking China and Europe this year. [Xinhua] With a long whistle, a train loaded with clothing and small commodities chugged out of a station in east China's Zhejiang Province Saturday afternoon, heading for Madrid. Departing from the manufacturing city of Yiwu, it was the 1,000th freight train linking China and Europe this year. From Jan. 1 to May 13 this year, the number of Sino-European freight trains has increased by 612, or 158 percent, compared with the same period last year, according to China Railway Corp. "Freight train services are safe, convenient and environmentally friendly," said Yang Xingqiang, general manager of supply chain operator Geodis (China). Geodis is one of the service's major clients. Yang told Xinhua that they have always conducted trade between China and Europe. "The train provides a new option in addition to shipping and air transport, cutting our logistics costs by 30 percent," he said. More cargo is being carried from China to Europe, from electronic devices and small commodities to automobile parts, furniture, machinery and textiles, while the trains return with products such as wine from Spain, milk from Poland, rose essential oil from Bulgaria and cars from Germany. China currently has 51 Sino-European freight train routes, with trains from 28 Chinese cities travelling to 29 cities in 11 European countries, including 15 cities added just this year. Just when we think things can't get any worse and WHAM BAM......the head of census, John Thompson, resigned. Don't think it's a big deal?? News flash--it's a very BIG deal.In fact as the article will explain the census is....."consequential to the future of our democracy. That's because the Census Bureau, while less flashy than the FBI, plays a staggeringly important role in both U.S. elections and an array of state and federal government functions.""The results of the decennial Censusthe next will be in 2020will determine how state and federal political districts are drawn; which Americans are "counted" for representation; and how federal dollars, many of which are allocated on a per capita basis, are spent.AND maybe you haven't heard but once in awhile our politics gets in the way of our census data. YES Siree Bob! "After the 1920 Census, members of Congress refused to accept data showing the increasing urbanization of the country, and voted not to reallocate seats based on that supposedly flawed data."AND hold on to your chair-- this is going to SHOCK the pants right off SOME OF you but.....get this:"Bruce Barlett, a former Republican White House and Congressional aide, says it wouldn't be the first time the agency's work became a political hot potato. In 2009, Tea Party Republicans sought toor ACS, was an unreasonable intrusion into Americans privacy. In 2012, a Republican-led House voted 232 to 190 to abolish the ACS entirely.But why, you ask?? AND HERE IT IS. If a new Trump-appointed director was seen as making decisions that had the effect of excluding minorities, undocumented immigrants, or non-English speakers, that could have a ripple effect. The Census results would still be used to reallocate state and federal seats, "shifting representation and money from blue states to red states."Is there any doubt that Trump would hesitate? would ponder? would have second thoughts about excluding minorities from the census? The opening ceremony of the Belt and Road Forum (BRF) for International Cooperation is held in Beijing, capital of China, May 14, 2017. (Xinhua/Zhang Duo) The Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), promulgated by President Xi Jinping in 2013, has attained a new height in the international arena offering multi-dimensional paradigm shifts from the Cold War or post-War period to the contemporary development strategies joining Asia to the outer world. The Western proverb on connectivity "All Roads Lead to Rome" has been outdated today. Present day reality is "All Roads Lead to Beijing" at the China National Convention Center and Yanqi Lake International Center for the Belt and Road Forum for International Cooperation (BRF) on May 14-15, 2017. The motto of the BRF "Boosting Cooperation and Realizing Development" tallies to Xi's vision of working together to forge a new partnership of "win-win-cooperation" and create a "community of shared future for mankind." It's Xi who, in his first address to the UN General Assembly on September 28, 2015, declared, "We must translate commitments into actions and work together to ensure that everyone is free from want, has access to development and lives with dignity. " As a matter of fact, the Xi-era in China has proved that Beijing is ready to share its development experience and opportunities with other countries and welcome them to board "China's Express Train of Development" so that all citizens of the world achieve fruits of common development. Here is what the author means by the "paradigm shift" in the Cold War or post-War mentality in the decision making systems of the "World Order" and Game Theory. Organizing the biggest global event of the year in Beijing, China has kept its promise to support the UN SDG 2015-2030 with some 1,500 participants. The "connectivity and cooperation" are the necessary tools for the SDG strategies. The high level participation of the UN, World Bank, IMF, ADB and 60 more global organizations represented by 29 heads of states and governments and more than 130 countries from the global map strongly indicate that the BRI is the pillar of the UN-led SDG strategies, which is declared to be for all: weak or strong and big or small countries. This author, as a theorist and practitioner, takes pleasure in suggesting that the BRI should focus on multi-dimensional paradigms based on trade, tourism, transportation, transfer-of-technology, and hydropower/clean-energy generation. Among the variables, "transfer of technology" should consist of human resources management, agricultural development, social-development sectors like education and health, infrastructural development, environment conservation, investment promotions, industrial growth and more. The connectivity part of the BRI is, of course, well known. The New Silk Road connecting Asia to Europe and the 21st Century Maritime Silk Route joining East Asia to ASEAN, SAARC, Indian Ocean, Africa and Europe. Therefore, the connectivity strategy of transportation should cover all of its forms -- road, navigation and aviation. To the point of urbanization and the connectivity, the world could learn from Shanghai, which was just ranked the "first" in rail-mileage as a "Global City" hosting over 1,300 trans-national corporations and organizations and functioning as an international center for innovation, trading, pricing and settlement. Annual trade volumes to Shanghai totals US$188trn and the turnover of exports and imports stands at more than US$1 trillion. Dr. Bishnu Hari Nepal is a theorist and practitioner in international relations, peace, conflict, security and development studies. Opinion articles reflect the views of their authors, not necessarily those of China.org.cn. Flash White House spokesman Sean Spicer said that the trade consensus reached by China and the United States on Thursday showed that the bilateral relationship is already "paying dividends." "As the president has shown, in terms of the relationship that he's built with (Chinese) President Xi (Jinping) and the rest of the team built with their delegation, those relationships are clearly paying dividends," Spicer told a daily press briefing on Friday. Chinese Vice Finance Minister Zhu Guangyao Friday confirmed the initial results of a 100-day action plan for China-U.S. comprehensive economic dialogue, covering agriculture, financial services, investment and energy. Some highlights of the outcome are that China will allow imports of U.S. beef; the United States is to import poultry from China. The United States expects China and other partners to import liquefied natural gas and China will allow wholly foreign-funded financial services to provide credit ratings in China. Most of the agreements are expected to be implemented by July 16, Zhu said. Spicer also suggested that the U.S. government is eyeing further cooperation with China under the Belt and Road Initiative. "It's a major trade initiative," Spicer said, adding that "we're going to continue to work with them." The United States will send a delegation to the upcoming Belt and Road Forum for International Cooperation scheduled for May 14-15 in Beijing. According to Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Geng Shuang, the Washington delegation will be led by Matt Pottinger, special assistant to the president and senior director for Asia at the National Security Council. "Trade is a major issue for us," Spicer said. You are here: Home Flash Former Finnish President Mauno Koivisto died in Helsinki at the age of 93 on Friday, the Finnish presidential office announced. Koivisto died in the Meilahti hospital in Helsinki at 21:14 local time Friday, said the presidential office in a statement. Koivisto had been suffering from Alzheimers. He was last seen in public on Dec. 6, 2016 when he attended the official church service of the Finnish Independence Day. Born in 1923, Koivisto was first in office in 1981 serving the remainder of the tenure of Urho Kekkonen, who resigned for health reasons. Koivisto became elected president in 1982. He was reelected in 1988 and stayed in office until 1994. During his two terms, Koivisto continued the foreign policy keeping Finland outside great power conflicts of interest. He underlined good relations with the Soviet Union, and meanwhile widened the relationship with the United States. During Koivisto's presidency, Ronald Reagan visited Finland as the first U.S. president in office in 1988.Also during his presidency, Finland began talks for joining the European Union. We Just Breached the 410 PPM Threshold for CO2 The world just passed another round-numbered climate milestone. Scientists predicted it would happen this year and lo and behold, it has. On Tuesday, the Mauna Loa Observatory recorded its first-ever carbon dioxide reading in excess of 410 parts per million (it was 410.28 ppm in case you want the full deal). Carbon dioxide hasnt reached that height in millions of years. Its a new atmosphere that humanity will have to contend with, one thats trapping more heat and causing the climate to change at a quickening rate. In whats become a spring tradition like Passover and Easter, carbon dioxide has set a record high each year since measurements began. It stood at 280 ppm when record keeping began at Mauna Loa in 1958. In 2013, it passed 400 ppm. Just four years later, the 400 ppm mark is no longer a novelty. Its the norm. ...Carbon dioxide concentrations have skyrocketed over the past two years due to in part to natural factors like El Nino causing more of it to end up in the atmosphere. But its mostly driven by the record amounts of carbon dioxide humans are creating by burning fossil fuels. ...Even when concentrations of carbon dioxide level off, the impacts of climate change will extend centuries into the future. The planet has already warmed 1.8F (1C), including a run of 627 months in a row of above-normal heat. Sea levels have risen about a foot and oceans have acidified. Extreme heat has become more common. ...Right now were on track to create a climate unseen in 50 million years by mid-century. Flash The Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) has condemned the forming of a GIs society of fellowship in Seoul and Washington to support the U.S. officers and soldiers who have served in South Korea, said official media Saturday. A spokesman for the North Side Headquarters of the Nationwide Special Committee for Probing the Truth behind the GIs' Crimes said "the South Korean group of conservatives in collaboration with their U.S. masters staged a farce of forming a 'Fellowship Society of GIs in South Korea' this year." It will admit those who had served in the U.S. army in South Korea after the Korean War (1950-53) or are in active service now, and will also includes South Korean troops and thus will have a membership of over 3.5 million,"the Korean Central News Agency quoted the spokesman as saying Friday. It will cover the stipends for education of children of GIs serving in South Korea, bonus for "exemplary officers and men," and the cost for South Korean visit by those retired from service with funds provided by South Korean government and businessmen, according to the spokesman. "The U.S. intention is to justify its colonial rule over south Korea and its war moves against the DPRK and gain further benefits at the cost of blood shed by South Koreans under the spurious signboard of fellowship," he added. You are here: Home Flash Egyptian archaeologists have discovered on Saturday 17 mummies in catacombs in Minya province, in central Egypt, the antiquities ministry announced on Saturday. Newly unearthed mummies are seen in a catacomb in Touna el-Gabal district of Minya province, 234 km far from Cairo, Egypt on May 13, 2017. Egyptian archaeologists have discovered on Saturday 17 mummies in catacombs in Minya province, in central Egypt, the antiquities ministry announced on Saturday. (Xinhua/Ahmed Gomaa) "We found catacombs containing a number of mummies," said Salah al-Kholi, a Cairo University professor of Egyptology who headed the mission that made the discovery in a press conference. The new discovery was unearthed in Touna el-Gabal district, which is a desert area in Minya province, 234 km far from Cairo. "This is the first human necropolis found in central Egypt with so many mummies," Antiquities Minister Khaled el-Anany told a news conference at the site. "Such big number of discovered mummies revealed that there will be a large necropolis behind the shafts," the minister added. A team from Cairo University supervises the mission of the new discovery. The area dates back to the Greco-Roman period between the third century BC and third century AD. Al-Kholi pointed out that the necropolis was a subject for scavenging by antiquities thieves. Chairman of Cairo University, Gaber Nassar, said "we will continue to fund the antiquities discoveries in Touna el-Gabal district, and turn it into an important center at the tourist map of Egypt." The first discovery in Touna el-Gabal was announced in 1931. Flash Syrian army on Saturday captured the eastern Qaboun neighborhood of the capital Damascus after losing it to the rebels in 2012, a military source told Xinhua. The victory came four months after a military campaign by the Syrian army waged by the Syrian military forces, the source said on condition of anonymity. Qaboun is extremely strategic for the Syrian army as it's located on the official international road connecting Damascus with the central province of Homs and other key provinces in northern Syria. The neighborhood, also one of the entrances of the rebel-held Eastern Ghouta countryside of Damascus, has several big tunnels the rebels used to smuggle their weaponry and fighters to different parts of Ghouta. Qaboun was also the launching pad of attacks on the capital Damascus, with the largest and most vicious one happening in March. In 2014, a truce was reached in Qaboun but quickly fell apart. The source said the rebels in Qaboun surrendered and will be evacuated to the northwestern province of Idlib and the city of Jarablus, both rebel-held areas in northern Syria. The capture of Qaboun came a day after the rebels in the nearby neighborhoods of Barzeh and Tishreen evacuated. With the three neighborhoods returning to the government, the remaining areas are part of the "de-escalation zones" deal, which means that there will be no further attacks on the capital from that area. Flash President Xi Jinping met with Pakistani Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif on Saturday. The prime minister is visiting China to participate in the Belt and Road Forum with a high level ministerial delegation at the invitation of Chinese leadership. President Xi Jinping met with Pakistani Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif in Beijing, May 13, 2017. [Photo/ China.org.cn] During the meeting, the two sides discussed a range of issues of bilateral interest as well as developments in the region. President Xi said that China and Pakistan are iron brothers and this partnership has withstood the test of time. The Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif expressed support to "One China Policy" and to other core issues including Taiwan, Tibet, Xinjiang and South China Sea. The prime minister deeply appreciated President Xi's vision of "Belt and Road Initiative" and congratulated President Xi on hosting Belt and Road Forum with the timely theme of "Cooperation for Common Prosperity." The forum will serve as an important platform for discussing international cooperation and joint development for win-win cooperation among a large number of countries. He noted that these goals are aligned with his own vision for economic development, regional connectivity & peace. In this context, the two sides also discussed the impressive progress of Pakistan-China bilateral China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) which is a flagship project of the B&R Initiative. The prime minister also thanked the Chinese president for China's strong support to Pakistan's full membership of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization. President Xi stated that China greatly valued its all weather strategic friendship partnership with Pakistan. He stressed that at a time when major and profound changes are taking place both internationally and regionally, exemplary cooperation between China and Pakistan would serve the fundamental interests of the two countries and help promote regional peace and development. He thanked the prime minister for his support to the B&R Initiative and for his participation in Belt and Road Forum with a high powered delegation. He appreciated the sacrifices Pakistan security forces has rendered in facing the challenges of terrorism and expressed China's full support to Pakistan's measures in this regard. He also expressed appreciation for Pakistan's accelerated social and economic development under the leadership of Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif. Noting with satisfaction the smooth progress of China Pakistan Economic Corridor, he stated that it was not only a flagship bilateral project but would also play a major role in development of the region and of the world. Both sides agreed to continue to deepen cooperation in all areas of bilateral relations while exploring new avenues of bilateral cooperation. Flash Former Pakistan Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz on Saturday lauded the China-proposed Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) as a "game-changer for the world." Former Pakistan Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz is in Beijing to attend the two-day Belt and Road Forum for International Cooperation on May 14. [Photo by Zhang Lulu/China.org.cn] Aziz is in Beijing to attend the two-day Belt and Road Forum for International Cooperation opening on May 14. Chinese President Xi Jinping called for the building of a Silk Road Economic Belt and 21st Century Maritime Silk Road in 2013. It is primarily an infrastructure and trade cooperation framework that spans Eurasia as well as the rest of the world. Aziz, speaking to China.org.cn, said that the BRI "will be a game-changer for the world -- not just for one or two countries -- because it will set the tone transcending many cultures, borders and ideologies." Aziz said the concept of the Belt and Road is about "sharing and caring" about China's neighbors and "countries that believe in peace, progress and prosperity." "If you have peace, progress and prosperity or make efforts towards that, you will find the world to be a better and safer place," he said. "Getting different cultures and geographical areas together is what the world needs most." China and Pakistan launched a comprehensive cooperation plan under the BRI when President Xi visited the south Asian country in 2015. Xi called for a "1+4" cooperation structure with the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor as the center and the Gwadar Port, transport infrastructure, energy and industrial cooperation as four key elements. A total of US$46 billion Chinese investment was pledged then. Aziz, a banker-turned-politician, explained the economic rationale behind massive Belt and Road projects. He said that any development plan must necessarily take into account the return on investment, but not all the return has to be in cash or tangible. "The thrust of the Belt and Road Initiative is infrastructure, and infrastructure is an enabler, a way of getting maximum benefit from your economy." He said better infrastructure can lead to more trade, jobs and investment. Therefore instead of eyeing only tangible "financial returns," the BRI looks at the holistic "economic return" -- including better education for people in countries involved -- that can eventually boost the economy of a country. Former Pakistan Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz is in Beijing to attend the two-day Belt and Road Forum for International Cooperation on May 14. [Photo by Zhang Lulu/China.org.cn] He also said that lending institutions under the initiative, such as the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank, should make rigorous analysis of borrowers as any development institution would do. "Nobody is saying that this is a charity program; it's not. It is a very well-thought-out, holistic, out-of-the-box new way of looking at development globally and regionally." Aziz also praised the Chinese leadership for proposing the BRI. "This concept shows that the leadership of China -- President Xi and his team -- believe in not just growing China but also growing other countries in the region and in the world." "To me, this initiative manifests the quality and strength of the Chinese leadership. They have a vision, they have been consistent about it and now they are taking it to the next level." China Aviation Daily | May 14, 2017 Star Alliance returned to Frankfurt, the place of its birth, to celebrate 20 years of "Connecting People and Cultures". For the next decade, the Alliance announced a strategy of harnessing digital technology to further enhance the travel experience of Alliance customers. The Alliance's Chief Executive Board, comprising the CEOs of all 28 member airlines, will hold its summer board meeting in Frankfurt on May 14th, during which the CEOs will be briefed on the progress of the Alliance's current business plan and future strategy. The meeting falls exactly 20 years to the day when its founder members -- Air Canada, Lufthansa, Scandinavian Airlines, THAI and United -- first stunned the aviation industry with the announcement that they would come together to form the world`s first global aviation alliance. "Our founding fathers had a very forward thinking vision back in 1997," said Jeffrey Goh, who took over as CEO of Star Alliance in January this year. "From that moment on Star Alliance was destined to drive innovation in the airline industry. We have done this successfully for the last 20 years, constantly striving to meet that original vision of a global network seamlessly integrated for international travel." In another Alliance first, in the unlikely case of missing miles, members in any Star Alliance frequent flyer programme (FFP) can now claim these online, through their own FFP website, even when the miles were collected on another Star Alliance member carrier flight. The Alliance enters its third decade with a strong and comprehensive network serving over 1,300 destinations in 191 countries. Connectivity continues to expand by member carriers launching new routes and increasing frequencies, while network reach will grow through the addition of local and regional airlines through the Connecting Partner concept. Against this background, the Alliance's clear strategic focus has shifted from network expansion, to providing a seamless experience especially to the over 14 million annual customers who connect between member carriers on their journeys. Going forward, digital technologies will lie at the heart of this strategy. "Access to instant information updates online from more or less anywhere has irrevocably changed the expectations of customers as they travel," said Pedro Heilbron, CEO of Copa Airlines and current chairman of the Star Alliance Chief Executive Board. "Passengers want to have control over their journey at their fingertips. That means having full access to a wealth of information, but also being able to personalise it to their own particular requirements. Providing such services to today's 'digital' traveller on an alliance level is the central pillar of our new strategic focus." The IT hub infrastructure which the Alliance has put in place in recent years has allowed for the better integration of back-end services between the member airlines. With this now in place, we can start building and offering digital applications. The new IT hub infrastructure has already enabled the Alliance to, for example, improve the reliability of such processes as through-check in for multi-carrier itineraries or ensuring fast crediting of accrued frequent flyer miles into the correct customer account. The baggage hub, the most recent IT hub project, went live at the end of 2016, and facilitates baggage message transfer between the member airlines, their ground handlers and the baggage handling systems at the airports. Today it processes on average five million baggage messages a day. This allows the airlines to better steer baggage operations and to keep customers informed on the status of their bag. Once implemented across the entire network, it will become easier to give customers proactive updates on their baggage delivery status. Using the existing IT Hub, Star Alliance has now introduced a new functionality which allows front line employees to better assist customers in case of irregularities. Should their feeder flight be delayed, the connecting boarding pass information can now be access by the airline operating the feeder flight, thus enabling a faster and simpler rebooking process. Up to now, such transactions at times still required calling the other airline involved. "Our strategy is to develop digital capabilities centrally, which can then be used by our member carriers to enhance their own products, so that they can offer extended care to their regular customers even when they are travelling elsewhere on the network", said Jeffrey Goh. "Over the next few years we will be launching many such enhancements. Individually, these will offer an incremental improvement. Taken together, they will offer customers a completely new level of information and control of their journey." To support the implementation of the new strategy, Star Alliance has restructured its Frankfurt-based headquarters operation and reorganised the Alliance's management team, which now is made up of: Janice Antonson, Vice President Commercial and Communications. With a strong background in airport senior management, her career spans leadership roles in five countries, most recently at privately owned Northern Queensland Airports Inc. in Australia. Christian Draeger, Vice President Customer Experience. He had joined Star Alliance as Director Customer Experience, having previously worked for Swissport International, As Managing Director he was in charge of business units at various locations in the worldwide network. He brings with him over 25 years of aviation experience. Dr. Martin Mueller, now Director Finance and Strategy joined Star Alliance in 2009 as Director Alliance Development, having previously worked for such companies as LSG Sky Chefs, Thomas Cook and Lufthansa eCommerce. Alska Scherer, now General Counsel & Director Human Resources, joined Star Alliance in 2005 as legal manager. Mileage Millionaire Competition As part of its customer interaction for its 20th Anniversary, Star Alliance will be running a global competition, inspired by the theme of "Connecting People and Cultures", which will offer winners the chance to become a mileage millionaire. Each of the Alliance's 21 FFPs is offering one million miles (or equivalent) to one competition winner. Entrants are asked to upload a picture of themselves and to share a cultural experience they enjoyed at www.staralliance.com/mileagemillionaire. The cultural experiences will be shown on an interactive world map. The competition runs from May 14th to July 31st, 2017. The Star Alliance FFPs are also providing some inspiration on what can be done with a million miles and are presenting some unique travel experiences at www.staralliance.com/mileagemillionaire. In support of the 20th anniversary campaign, each of the 28 Star Alliance member carriers has come up with their own local cultural experience idea. The five founding carriers, Air Canada, Lufthansa, Scandinavian Airlines, THAI and United, have gone one step further by challenging National Geographic's Travel Nomad, Robert Reid, to test their recommendations personally and report back to travellers on his experience. A further 23 unique cultural experiences selected by our member carriers can also be found at www.staralliance.com/mileagemillionaire and range from tile painting in Portugal to home cooking in Shenzhen, China, to joining the locals in Bogota turn major roads in the city into cycle paths on Sundays. The world-wide campaign will be supported by many local activities at many locations around the world. For example, customers visiting one of the six Star Alliance Branded Lounges on or around 14 May will receive special locally inspired gifts and enjoy special menu items celebrating the cultures and flavours of the world throughout the month of May. Many airline lounges in our larger hubs will also mark the occasion. There will also be pop-up events in several airports world-wide. Contributed by Star Alliance Spain has special advantages in geographic location, and the country could play an important role in building the Belt and Road, President Xi Jinping said while meeting with Spanish Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy on Saturday. The launch of the China-Europe Railway from Yiwu to Madrid has become an important bridge to connect Asia with Europe, and it is also the achievement of the early period of building the Belt and Road, Xi said. China and Spain started frequent trade exchanges 400 years ago through the Maritime Silk Road linking China with Europe and Latin America, Xi said. The two countries should connect each other's development strategies, deepen cooperation in areas such as agriculture, bio-pharmacy, aviation and aerospace, Xi said. China firmly supports the unification process of Europe, and hopes that Spain could play an active role in the European Union to make positive contributions to China-Europe relations, he said. Rajoy said that Spain-China relations are gaining good momentum. High-level exchanges are frequent, and trade cooperation is fruitful, he said. Spain spoke highly of the Belt and Road Initiative, which will have an important influence on the economy and culture exchanges along the routes, he said. Spain would like to deepen cooperation with China in trade, investment, infrastructure, and people-to-people, exchanges, he said. BEIJING - President Xi Jinping said Saturday that China and Spain should carry out practical cooperation in various fields to produce win-win outcomes and mutual benefits under the Belt and Road Initiative. With its special geographic advantage, Spain can play an important role in Belt and Road construction, Xi said when meeting with Spanish Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy, who is in Beijing to attend the two-day Belt and Road Forum for International Cooperation which opens Sunday. The China-Europe freight train from Yiwu City in east China's Zhejiang province to Madrid is an important bridge of Eurasian connectivity and one of the first outcomes of the Belt and Road, said Xi. In recent years, bilateral practical cooperation has deepened and expanded and faces broad prospects, he said. Both sides should dovetail their development strategies and explore the potential for cooperation in fields such as agriculture, bio-medicine, aviation and aerospace, said Xi. "China firmly supports the integration of Europe and hopes Spain will play an active role in the European Union and make a contribution to the long-term, sound and stable development of China-Europe ties," said Xi. Rajoy said Spain-China relations maintain good momentum with close high-level exchanges and fruitful economic and trade cooperation. Spain highly appreciates the Belt and Road Initiative, said Rajoy. The initiative will have an important impact on the regional economy and cultural exchanges along the routes and provide more room for bilateral cooperation, he said. Spain is willing to strengthen cooperation in trade, investment and infrastructure and people-to-people exchanges with China, and push for deeper Europe-China relations, Rajoy added. Premier Li Keqiang also met with Rajoy on Saturday, urging joint efforts to boost two-way trade and investment and promote a balanced trade growth. Both sides should jointly maintain liberalization and facilitation of trade and investment, said Li. Rajoy said Spain expects both countries to promote trade and investment growth and oppose trade protectionism. BEIJING - Chinese President Xi Jinping Saturday called on China and Greece to expand cooperation in energy, infrastructure, oceanic and telecommunications sectors to better benefit the people of both countries. Xi made the remarks when meeting with Greek Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras who is in Beijing to attend the Belt and Road Forum for International Cooperation scheduled for May 14 and 15. This year marks the 45th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic ties between China and Greece. Commending the traditional friendship and vigorous cooperation between the two countries, Xi said China is willing to maintain high-level exchanges with Greece, and establish closer contact between governments at all levels. He said both countries must work together to ensure balanced development of bilateral trade, and tap into their potential in cultural and people-to-people cooperation. In particular, the Chinese president said the two countries should use the Ancient Civilizations Forum, a Greek initiative with China as co-organizer, as a platform to foster dialogue. He said that China and Europe need to expand pragmatic cooperation and expressed hope that Greece will make a positive contribution to the long-term, healthy and stable development of China-EU ties. Greece's own development strategy dovetails with the Belt and Road Initiative, Xi noted. Efforts should be made to build the Port of Piraeus into a key transfer point for containers in the Mediterranean, a bridgehead for land-ocean transportation and an international logistics center to support the China-Europe Land-Sea Express Line and the Belt and Road Initiative, he said. For his part, Tsipras also called on the two countries to deepen cooperation in fields such as agriculture, economy, energy, finance, investment and new technologies, and to jointly advance the Piraeus Port project. He said the Belt and Road Initiative holds great vision and importance, and is conducive to the connectivity of energy, trade, transport and Internet across the Eurasian region. Greece is glad to participate in the Belt and Road cooperation, and is willing to promote cooperation between China and Central and Eastern Europe countries as well as Europe at large, he said. Chinese Premier Li Keqiang also met with his Greek counterpart on Saturday, saying that China is willing to expand two-way investment and trade, strengthen cooperation on cultural industry and increase people-to-people exchanges with Greece. Li also stressed the significance of the Port of Piraeus project, as a flagship project for the China-Greece cooperation. Greece is willing to deepen cooperation with China in fields such as energy, communication, manufacturing, infrastructure and finance, Tsipras said, stressing that the bilateral ties are of strategic significance and the foundation of cooperation is solid. Food Agriculture Organization (FAO) Director General Jose Graziano da Silva speaks during a news conference after his visit to Chad and IDP areas, in Maiduguri, Nigeria April 7, 2017. [Photo/Agencies] BEIJING - The chief of United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) said Saturday that the Belt and Road Initiative is all about sustainable development and should therefore be connected to the UN 2030 Agenda for sustainable development. Jose Graziano da Silva, the FAO director-general, told Xinhua in Beijing that the Belt and Road Initiative focuses on not only trade and investment, but also on strengthening partnerships, preserving culture and achieving sustainable development. He said the ancient Silk Road existed long ago, but the Belt and Road Initiative is "a kind of revival of trade between countries" along the route. He said the initiative will become a new model of cooperative development. Graziano was invited to attend the Belt and Road Forum for International Cooperation from May 14 to 15 in Beijing. He said the initiative is welcomed by more and more countries and international organizations, as more and more "important agencies" have accepted the invitation to the meeting." During the two-day forum, he will focus on South-South cooperation, the development of rural areas and agriculture as well as food security and food safety. "I think South-South cooperation is the key to the Belt and Road Initiative, and we need to work to promote this model," he said. China and Chile should push forward major projects in such areas as infrastructure construction,regional interconnectivity,clean energy and telecommunications as the two countries work to build the Belt and Road, President Xi Jinping said on Saturday. Xi made the remarks while meeting with Chilean President Michelle Bachelet, who is on a state visit to China.Bachelet will also attend the twoday Belt and Road Forum for International Cooperation starting on Sunday. The two countries signed cooperative documents to boost collaboration in areas including trade,tourism, agriculture andAntarctic research, with the two presidents aswitnesses. Xi expressed gratitude for Chile's support for the initiative and the country's active participation in building the Belt andRoad.Chile is in an important geographical position to do so since it is a door toLatinAmerica for theAsiaPacific region, Xi said. China is willing to enhance coordination with Chile under the AsiaPacific Economic Cooperation framework and jointly push the building of a free trade zone in the AsiaPacific region, he said. Bachelet said that although Chile is far from China, the two countries have many common interests. Chile would like todeepencooperation with China in such areas as politics, economy, investment,agriculture, energy and minerals,finance, environment,culture,tourism, ecommerce,telecommunications,infrastructure and Antarctic research, she said. ZhuQingqiao,directorof theLatin America Department of the Foreign Ministry, said the two presidents have reached an importantconsensusondevelopingaChinaChile comprehensive strategic partnership. The two presidents have now made reciprocal state visitswithin half a year of each other, following Xi's trip toChile inNovember, providing an indication of their highlevel relationship, he said. anbaijie@chinadaily.com.cn Journalists from China and around the globe work at the media center of the Belt and Road Forum for International Cooperation on Saturday. Over 4,000 registered to cover the event.[Zou Hong / China Daily] High expectations were expressed by those who planned to attend the Belt and Road Forum for International Cooperation, which opens on Sunday in Beijing. Government officials, business leaders and journalists voiced hopes that the forum will advance the Belt and Road Initiative's goals of globalization,regional interconnectivity and cultural exchanges among nations. "I hope all forumparticipants can reach a greater consensus on trade liberalization," said Li Xuezhong,headofZhejiangprovince sdevelopmentandreformcommission."Zhejiang is known for exporting merchandise around the globe. It's actively exploring free trade zones and crossborder digital trade platforms.An open and transparent market environment is conducive to business in China and around the world." Jose Vinals, chairman of the Standard Chartered multinational bank, said he expected many "tangible outcomes", particularly in financial cooperation. "(The forum) will not only enhance communication among governments,business communities and stakeholders but also discuss and develop cooperation mechanisms for the next phase of the initiative." SAP Greater China's president,Mark Gibbs, said the software giant wants to "get more involved" in the initiative, saying it "enables a beautiful marriage between innovative technology and a thoughtout government plan to boost collaboration amongmultiple countries". "It can effectively promote the application of technology in commercial environments," he said. Wang Yupu, chairman of China Petroleum and Chemical Corp, or Sinopec, said, "Sinopechasbenefited from cooperating with economies supporting the Belt and Road Initiative for yearsbasedon...reciprocity." Carina Verdu, a journalist with Spain's national Antena 3 Television station, said she hoped her reportingwouldintroduce the initiative to businesses fromher homeland that aspire to enter China. "The Belt andRoad Initiative is a great opportunity not only for China but also for many countries around the world, including mine,Spain," she said. "I hope to hear more progress being made on trade facilitation and infrastructure building." Yu Hasegawa, Moscow correspondent for Japan's TV Asahi Corp, said his coverage will focus on SinoRussian economic ties."One area of interest is to look at how the Belt and Road Initiative would bring newenergy to Asia." Attendees working in the cultural realm also anticipated benefits."It encourages us to reviewthe history of how Eastern and Western civilizations communicated and learned fromeach other in ancient times andhowwe canenhance cultural dialogues in the future," said Shan Jixiang, director of Beijing's PalaceMuseum. erik_nilsson@chinadaily.com.cn Port of Colombo is a joint investment by China and Sri Lanka as a project of the Belt and Road Initiative. [Photo By Huang Haimin / Xinhua] Initiative Will Build Comprehensive Connections Between Economies For Yuri Kannangara, Chinese investment has brought positive changes not only to his own life, but also to the lives ofmany local people. A seniormanager at a SinoSri Lankan container terminal joint venture in the Port of Colombo, Yuri told Xinhua News Agency that the company,which was established by ChinaMerchants Group and the Sri Lanka Ports Authority, not only means he enjoys a decent salary and training opportunities,but it has also boosted the local economy. Following China's launch of the Belt and Road Initiative, an increasing number of cooperative projects are being carried out along the two routes binging benefits to local people. First proposed by President Xi Jinping in 2013, the Silk Road Economic Belt and the 21st Century Maritime Silk Road have now been welcomed by more than 100 countries and international organizations and more than 60 of them have signed cooperation agreements with China. "The progress of China's Belt and Road Initiative is conducive to expanding global demand and promoting global economic growth," said Liang Haiming, chief economist of the China Silk Road iValley Research Institute. The core of the initiative is to promote connectivity of infrastructure,featuring transportation networks,industry clusters and economic corridors, so as to give fresh impetus to global economic growth. In the past three years, China has invested more than $50 billion in countries and regions along the routes of the Belt and Road. That investment has kickstarted a number of major projects, such as railways,power plants, and other infrastructure,said Ren Zeping,chief economist of the Founder Securities. "The world suffers from an infrastructure financing gap of $7 billion and it is important to channel the global capital into the real economy and infrastructure," said Wang Yiwei, an international relations professor atRenmin University of China. "It will help reduce the challenges faced by the world economy and help achieve global economic rebalancing." For example, Afghanistan,which suffers from slow economic development because of repeated wars and conflicts,is hoping to accelerate its social and economic developmentby improving its links with China's Xinjiang Uygur autonomous region, said Wang. In November 2016, the United Nations urged the international community to embrace the Belt and Road Initiative to promote Afghanistan's economic and social development. Chinese companies have also won the contracts to build highspeed railways in Indonesia and Russia. "Such projects will also bewelcomed in Africa and South America, and we should help more countries build highspeed railways and ultimately connect the whole world," said Huang Renwei, deputy head of the Shanghai Academy of Social Sciences, at a recent forum. Seen from a broader perspective,interconnectivity is not confined to infrastructure construction, said Cao Yuanzheng,chief economist ofBank of China. It also includes political, trade, financial connectivity and human communications. Wang of Renmin University of China also said that interconnectivity should also include cooperation in "soft infrastructure", such as free trade area arrangements,which can supplement the role of the traditional trade negotiation framework of World Trade Organization to ensure free trade ispromoted. And the Belt and Road Initiative should be expanded to involve such developed countries as the United States and the United Kingdom more closely,Wang said. xinzhiming@chinadaily.com.cn The publicprivate partnership (PPP) model will play a key role in the export of industrial overcapacity to the economies participating in the Belt and Road Initiative, because it can cope with uncertainties associated with projects that usually take years to complete,according to the minister of China's top economic planning body. "TheBeltandRoadInitiative has achieved better than expected results in helping countries to bridge the infrastructure gap. Still, China has room to improve its efficiency when it comes to financing longterm investment projects,"said He Lifeng, minister of the National Development and Reform Commission, at theChinaEnterprisesDevelopment Forumin January. The NDRC plans to promote the PPP fundingmodel to support public infrastructure projects,He said. The model will help lower the risks and provide sustainable funds to longtermprojects. Over the past three years,outbound investment to countries along the Belt and Road routes reached$50billion,during which most projects progressed quitewell,He said. From 2016 to 2030, it is estimated the total funding needed for infrastructure development will be $26 trillioninAsianeconomies,where the public sector makes up 92 percent of total infrastructure investment, said Zhu Caihua,dean of the School of International Economics at China ForeignAffairsUniversity. Zhou Muzhi, a professor of economics atTokyoKeizaiUniversity,said enterprises need to learn from their experiences,especially those related to construction projects that didn't perform well. Zhou was referring to some railway projects that were halted because of local governments' pessimistic outlook on future returns. Zhou also said China could learn from the experiences of developed countries, whose officialdevelopment assistance provided major financial support during the early phase of investment. This will help"enterprises dilute the risks on a large scale in countries that they have little knowledge about", Zhou said. Infrastructure projects worth 162.2 billion yuan ($23.5 billion) were signed between China and countries along the Belt and Road routes in 2016,includingthoseinconstruction projects forpowerengineering,housing and transportation,and petrochemical and communications engineering,according to data from Ministry of Commerce. In this context, Zhang Xiaoqiang,vicechairman of the China Center for International Economic Exchanges, said the government can play a vital role in helping enterprises understand local rules and needs, so as to help themmake wise investment decisions.There is much room for improvement in foreign exchange management. But enterprises can learn more about local laws and customs by providing convenient services before making big investments in lessdeveloped economies. wangyanfei@chinadaily.com.cn Editor's Note: President Xi Jinping continued his schedule ofmeetings on Saturdaywith leaders attending the Belt and Road Forumfor International Cooperation. The following are highlights of the talks as reported by China Daily. Hungary Chinese President Xi Jinping met with Hungarian PrimeMinister Viktor Orban and announced the two countries' establishment of a bilateral comprehensive strategic partnership.The partnership reflects the progress of their relations and ushers in a broad space for cooperation,Xi said. Both sides should strengthen the link between the Belt and Road Initiative and Hungary's Opening to the East strategy,Xi said. They should continue tapping into their collaboration's potential, promoting major projects such as the HungarySerbia railway and expanding financial cooperation,Xi said. Orban said Hungary admires China's achievements in economic and social development,particularly inpoverty alleviation, and believes China's market economy status is indisputable. Hungary is committed to deepening cooperation in areas such as infrastructure and agriculture,and it supports cooperation between China and Central and Eastern European countries and the development ofChinaEurope ties, he said. Greece China and Greece should expand cooper ation in energy, infrastructure and the oceanic and telecommunications sectors to better benefit the people of both countries,PresidentXi Jinping saidwhen meeting Greek Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras. Xi said both countries must work together to ensure balanced trade and realize their potential for cultural and peopletopeople cooperation. Greece's own development strategy dovetailswith the Belt andRoad Initiative,Xi said. Efforts should be made to build the Port of Piraeus into a key transfer point for containers in theMediterranean and a bridgehead to support the planned ChinaEurope LandSea ExpressRoute and the Belt andRoad Initiative, he said. Tsipras called for deeper cooperation in agriculture, the economy, energy, finance,investment and new technologies,and to jointly advance the Piraeus project. He said the initiative holds great importance,andis conducive to greater energy, trade,transport and internet connectivity acrossEurasia. Pakistan Chinese President Xi Jinping called for construction of the ChinaPakistan Economic Corridor to be pushed forward whenmeeting Pakistani Prime Minister Muhammad Nawaz Sharif. Xi said China has made its relationswithPakistanapriority and expects towork together to enrich their allweather strategic cooperative partnership. He said the two sides should advance construction of the ChinaPakistan Economic Corridor,promote the Port of Gwadar and supporting projects,accelerate the planning of industrial parks, finish a longtermblueprint at an early date,and implement traffic infrastructure and energy projects.Theyshouldalsoboostcooperation in counterterrorism and have closer coordination on major international andregional affairs,Xi added. Sharif said his whole country supports participation in the Belt and Road Initiative. Pakistan is willing to work withChina topromote the economic corridor andpushcooperation in areas like energy and infrastructure, including the Port ofGwadar, he said. Switzerland Chinese President Xi Jinping asked for an early start to negotiations with Switzerland on the upgrading of their free trade agreement as he met SwissPresidentDorisLeuthard. Relations have deepened since the establishment of an innovative strategic partnership last year, Xi said, adding that the two countries should start negotiations to update their free trade agreement and strengthen strategic alignment of the "Made in China 2025" action plan and Switzerland's"Industry 4.0" strategy. He said he expects Switzerland to push forward pragmatic cooperation with China in key sectors. Leuthard said Xi's visit to Switzerland in January was a success. She said both sides should implement agreements that were reached during the visit and promote cooperation in various fields including innovation, energy,finance and tourism. Switzerland believes the Belt and Road Initiative will benefit the people in the countries involved,Leuthard said, adding her country will contribute to the initiative. Malaysia China andMalaysia should push forward cooperation on major projects such as industrial parks and railways, President Xi Jinping said when he met with Malaysian Prime MinisterNajibRazak. SinoMalaysian relations are at a historic high, Xi said,adding that China would like to work closer with Malaysia so that both can prosper further from their comprehensive strategic partnership. Communication between the two nations' leaders has been strengthened in recent years, he said, adding that the pair hadworked to proactively connect the 21st CenturyMaritime Silk Road to Malaysia's plans for its economy. China is willing to enhance cooperation in areas such as education, culture, tourism as well as law enforcement, security and antiterrorism,Xi said. Prime Minister Razak said Malaysiawould like to push the developmentofMalaysiaChina relations to a higher level,while deepening cooperation in areas including trade, investment,infrastructure, counterterrorismand security. Spain Spain's advant a geous location means it could play an important role in supporting the Belt and Road Initiative,PresidentXi Jinping saidwhen hemet Spanish PrimeMinister Mariano Rajoy. The YiwuMadrid rail service has become an important bridge connecting Asia with Europe, and was one of the earliest achievements of the initiative,Xi said. He said China and Spain began trading 400 years agovia the maritime Silk Road,and the two countries should connect each other's development strategies,while deepening cooperation in areas such as agriculture, biopharmaceuticals,aviation and aerospace. China firmly supports an integrated Europe and hopes that Spain can help contribute to ChinaEurope relations, Xi said. Spain speaks highly of the Belt and Road Initiative and its potential for economic influence and culture exchanges, Rajoy said, adding that the country would like to deepen cooperation with China on trade, investment, infrastructure,and peopletopeople exchanges. Turkey China is willing to push forward its cooper ation with Turkey on important projects under theframeworkof theBelt and Road Initiative, President Xi Jinping said on Saturday while talkingwithTurkishPresidentRecepTayyipErdogan. The two countries should respect each other's core concerns,deepen cooperation in regards to fighting terrorism andsecurity, andconnect their development strategies under the principles of equality and mutual benefit, Xi said. He said China was highly appreciative of Turkey's support and participation in building the Belt andRoad Initiative and noted that SinoTurkish cooperation had developed rapidly in recent years.He added that China would like to enhance communication with all relevant parties for peace andstabilityintheMiddleEast. Erdogan described the Belt and Road Forum for International Cooperation as an important step. He added that Turkey is willing to enhance cooperation with China on investment,transportation and infrastructure construction. Russian President Vladimir Putin speaks during the opening ceremony of the Belt and Road Forum for International Cooperation in the National Convention Center in Beijing on May 14, 2017. [Photo/Agencies] BEIJING -- Russian President Vladimir Putin said here on Sunday that he salutes China's "large-scale" Belt and Road Initiative and called for greater Eurasian partnership. Putin made the remarks at the opening ceremony of the Belt and Road Initiative Forum for International Cooperation taking place in Beijing on May 14-15. Calling the Belt and Road Initiative an example of cooperation in such fields as infrastructure, transport and industry, the Russian president said his country has supported the initiative from the very beginning. He said the historical experience of cooperation between countries linked by the ancient Silk Road through Asia, Europe and Africa is important in the 21st century when the world is facing "very serious challenges." Putin called for more cooperation to meet worldwide challenges like unbalanced development in globalization, poverty and regional conflicts, saying that Russia is working with its partners to advance the Eurasian Economic Union (EEU), among others. The integration of the Belt and Road Initiative, the EEU, the Shanghai Cooperation Organization and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) has laid the groundwork for building a great Eurasian partnership, he said. Meanwhile, Putin urged concrete actions to materialize these existing initiatives by facilitating flow of goods, cooperation between enterprises of different countries, infrastructure construction and establishment of joint and large-scale research institutions. He said the Belt and Road Initiative proposed by China is "very timely and promising." The Belt and Road Initiative proposed by China in 2013 consists of the Silk Road Economic Belt and the 21st-Century Maritime Silk Road. It aims to build a trade and infrastructure network connecting Asia with Europe and Africa along and beyond the ancient Silk Road trade routes. During a visit to Moscow in May 2015, Chinese President Xi Jinping signed an agreement with Putin on aligning the Belt and Road Initiative with the EEU, which currently groups Russia, Kazakhstan, Belarus, Kyrgyzstan and Armenia. President Xi Jinping's keynote speech at the opening ceremony of the two-day Belt and Road Forum for International Cooperation on Sunday earned wide praise from experts, international delegates and entrepreneurs. "Spanning thousands of miles and years, the ancient silk routes embody the spirit of peace and cooperation, openness and inclusiveness, mutual learning and mutual benefit," Xi told an audience of more than 1,500 from across the globe. The Belt and Road Initiative is "a project of the century" that will benefit people across the world, he said. Industrial and Commercial Bank of China the world's biggest bank by assets is gearing up to provide a full range of financial services for projects under the Belt and Road Initiative, a senior executive said in an interview. The bank is hoping to capture "huge" opportunities that have presented themselves because of the opening up of an infrastructure financing gap in the countries and regions related to the program, said Zhang Hongli, vice-president of ICBC. The bank has extended loans worth about $70 billion for more than 200 projects under the initiative, and financing for projects worth up to $400 billion is in the pipeline, he said. The initiative, proposed by President Xi Jinping in 2013, will accelerate the expansion of the bank's global footprint and its transition into becoming a truly global financial services provider, Zhang said. "It represents huge opportunities for big commercial banks like us," Zhang told China Daily. "There is a huge call for us to go international with our clients, who are making strategic investments in overseas markets," Zhang said. In addition to providing loans, ICBC has also engaged in providing services such as financial advice, transaction settlements and foreign exchange trading, Zhang said. Given the size of ICBC, Zhang said that the bank would focus on large and long-term strategic infrastructure projects, stressing that commercial returns were one of the bank's priorities when it selected projects. Meanwhile, the bank is closely working with other commercial lenders, policy banks and multilateral development agencies to co-finance projects under the Belt and Road Initiative. The latest example is an infrastructure project in Mozambique, where ICBC has partnered with financial institutions from South Korea, Italy and France to provide funding, Zhang said. "We rely on local knowledge and work with lawyers and environmental specialists to ensure the projects are both financially and ecologically sustainable," he added. Zhang acknowledged the potential risks in projects under the Belt and Road Initiative given the different social, economic and legal conditions in countries and regions participating in the initiative. He said the bank had developed a solid risk evaluation and monitoring system to minimize risks. "Every project will cost capital, and there are risks, such as foreign exchange and liquidity risks. What we do is to ensure the efficient use of our capital, which has been factored into the calculation of our strategy," Zhang said. The banker also viewed the Belt and Road Initiative as an opportunity to lift the global profile of the Chinese currency. "Given the size of China and its economy, there is a strong call for China to take greater responsibility on the global scene and the internationalization of the renminbi is part of that responsibility," Zhang said. Contact the writer at lixiang@chinadaily.com.cn President Xi Jinping's keynote speech at the opening ceremony of the two-day Belt and Road Forum for International Cooperation on Sunday earned wide praise from experts, international delegates and entrepreneurs. "Spanning thousands of miles and years, the ancient silk routes embody the spirit of peace and cooperation, openness and inclusiveness, mutual learning and mutual benefit," Xi told an audience of more than 1,500 from across the globe. The Belt and Road Initiative is "a project of the century" that will benefit people across the world, he said. Here is a collection of comments from attendees. Jim Yong Kim, president of the World Bank. [Photo/Xinhua] Jim Yong Kim, president of the World Bank President Xi's speech today is a very good complement to his Davos speech (in January). I thought that the Davos speech was the best articulation of what the world system was and what we ought to do for everybody. It was a very powerful speech. Today's speech was much more specific about how to make the system work now along the Belt and Road. We've been talking about win-win situations, and we believe there're many win-win situations out there. Now we're putting it in motion. There are very few leaders in the world who, because of their own position, their own charisma, their own ideas, can push the entire region forward. President Xi can do that. Shaangu Europe R&D's opening ceremony in Germany, May 12, 2017. [Photo provided to chinadaily.com.cn] Shaanxi Blower Group established a subsidiary, Shaangu Europe R&D, in Germany on May 12. The company's expansion into Germany aims to integrate its global technological resources and marks a new start in the innovative research of distributed energy technologies. Shaangu CEO Yin Jian'an said, "The decision to expand into the German market will not only enhance the group's international procurement and business cooperation capabilities, but give impetus to future cooperation on international production capacity." The comprehensive and efficient use of clean energy and technological research into distributed energy have long been hot topics all over the world. According to the United States-China Joint Announcement on Climate Change released in Beijing on Nov 12, 2014, China's non-fossil energy shares will rise by 20 percent by 2030. Distributed renewable energy resources will be an important inlet for non-fossil energy. Meanwhile, the distributed energy resource industry is expected to become a rich market in the next three to five years, with an expected value of more than 1 trillion yuan ($1.4 billion), giving the industry huge momentum in the near future. Seeing the bright future of distributed energy resources, several enterprises, both at home and abroad, have been actively involved in the exploration and application of distributed energy technologies. Shaangu is no exception. Shaangu Europe R&D's opening ceremony in Germany, May 12, 2017. [Photo provided to chinadaily.com.cn] As a qualified system solution and service provider, Shaangu's entrance into the German market aims to integrate global energy resources and establish a distributed energy technology and equipment innovation center. This will not only provide an open and creative platform for significantly advanced technologies, but effectively promote the industrialization of energy efficient usage and technical equipment. In addition, improving the internationalization level has always been an important strategy of the group. Following the 2015 acquisition of EKOL, a leading turbine manufacturer in the Czech Republic, the group has been establishing a global market and R&D system ranging from technology, personnel, finance and marketing to service, procurement and outsourcing businesses. With the help of its international platform, the group has now built a distributed energy technology R&D system. It can proficiently use supercritical Brayton cycle power generation, organic Rankine cycle technology, integrated machinery technology and high-parameter steam turbine and biomass gasification technology. Shaangu's energy recovery coaxial turbines technology, used for waste heat and pressure energy recovery in the metallurgical industry, has been listed in the awards for Top-10 Best Energy-saving Technology and Best Energy Practice by the International Energy Efficiency Partnership Organization. In 2016, the technology won the Gold Product Award at the Czech Brno International Machinery Industry Expo. In addition, Shaangu boasts a worldwide marketing system. For example, Shaangu EKOL has achieved many breakthroughs in the field of biomass power generation projects in Egypt, the Czech Republic, Iraq and other overseas markets. By now, Shaangu's products have spread throughout over 20 countries and regions, including India, Turkey, Iran, the United States, Germany, South Korea, Russia and Vietnam. With Shaangu Europe R&D, Shaangu Indian and Shaangu EKOL, the group enjoys many advantages when it comes to marketing, technology, and finance. "We all know that Germany is a pioneer in science and technology across the globe. It not only enjoys a sound ecological system of innovation and entrepreneurship, but is the home of advanced global technological resources," Yin said. "In future, Shaangu will adapt to the latest trends in global technological resources, and with the help of its science and technology resources advantages, will promote the innovation and development of key technologies of distributed energy. Also, Shaangu aims to strengthen the deepening cooperation in the energy industry chain from the upstream to the downstream processes," he added. According to Yin, Shaangu will actively involve itself in the Belt and Road Initiative to build a distributed energy industry ecological chain. The group will also use financial capital as the link to pursue the strategy of "Bringing In and Going Out", while also promoting international energy exchanges and cooperation. Visitors take photos of the Three Gorges Dam on the Yangtze River in Yichang, Hubei province. [Photo/China Daily] Company's activities involve more than 5 million kilowatts of installed capacity China Three Gorges Corporation, builder and operator of the world's biggest hydroelectric power project - the Three Gorges Dam - has vowed to increase energy supplies to economies related to the Belt and Road Initiative. CTG said it plans to invest $6 billion in countries and regions participating in the initiative in the next five years, involving more than 5 million kilowatts of new installed capacity, according to Wang Shaofeng, executive vice-president of China Three Gorges International Corporation, the overseas unit of the corporation. Wang said the past few years had witnessed rapid development of the group, when it transformed from a novice into a leader and industry pioneer with business in Europe, South America and Southeast Asia. "Profit from the international business reached 5 billion yuan ($724 million) in 2016," Wang said. "The Belt and Road Initiative has provided numerous opportunities for the corporation, including the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor," he added. Sudanese President Omar al-Bashir (front) speaks at the completion ceremony of the Atbara hydropower project in Sudan. CTG is part of the consortium contractor of this project. [Photo/Xinhua] Wang said that despite the strict monitoring of environmental protection and construction, he was confident the key Karot hydropower project in Pakistan would go into operation in 2020. The project - China's first overseas hydropower program to use its own technology and standards - began construction in April 2015 and when completed will cost an estimated $1.74 billion. "Located at an intersection of the Belt and Road Initiative, Pakistan is one of the most important investment markets for CTG," said Zhang Hongxun, director of the operation and management department at China Three Gorges International Corp. The China-Pakistan Economic Corridor is a the symbol of the regional economic development between China and Pakistan. An analyst said China is a world leader in terms of hydroelectricity exploitation and Pakistan is rich in hydropower resources. "Because of limited capital, its resources have not been fully developed," said Zhang Boting, a senior analyst at the China Society for Hydropower Engineering. "The cooperation between CTG and Pakistan is going to benefit both sides." During its five-year construction period, the Karot hydropower project will pay $23 million in taxes to the Pakistani government. At the peak of construction, it will hire more than 2,000 local workers, greatly improving the labor market there. CTG said it was also striving to strengthen connections with international financing institutions, to support its hydropower projects in Pakistan. It invited International Finance Corporation and the Silk Road Fund to take equity stakes, to further promote hydropower development in South Asia. Hong Kong SAR chief executive heads for Beijing to attend Belt and Road Forum Xinhua | Updated: 2017-05-14 06:40 Hong Kong - Chief Executive of China's Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (SAR) Leung Chun-ying on Saturday left here for Beijing to attend the Belt and Road Forum for International Cooperation to be held on Sunday and Monday. Speaking to the media at the airport, Leung said he will introduce Hong Kong's strengths to foreign heads of state and overseas and mainland businessmen during the forum. Leung said Hong Kong, as a part of China, has not only the "one country" advantages, but also the privileges of "two systems" and can play a unique role in facilitating the Belt and Road Initiative. The Silk Road Economic Belt and the 21st Century Maritime Silk Road, known as the Belt and Road Initiative, was proposed by China in 2013 with the aim of building a trade and infrastructure network connecting Asia with Europe and Africa along the ancient trade routes. Chinese Red Cross Foundation launches aid program in Mongolia Xinhua | Updated: 2017-05-14 06:43 BEIJING - Chinese Red Cross Foundation began a medical aid program for pediatric congenital heart disease in Mongolia under the Belt and Road Initiative Saturday. Medical professionals and doctors from north China's Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region will visit Mongolia and examine children with congenital heart disease there. After the check-up, the foundation plans to send 100 Mongolian children back to China for surgery. The Red Cross Society of China program is for all children among the Belt and Road countries, and Mongolia is beneficiary. The Red Cross Foundation is currently working with medical organizations in Afghanistan. President Xi Jinping delivers a keynote speech at the opening ceremony of the Belt and Road Forum for International Cooperation in the National Convention Center in Beijing on May 14, 2017. [Photo/Xinhua] President Xi Jinping called for joint efforts to build the Belt and Road into a road for peace, prosperity, openness, innovation and civilization on Sunday. Xi made the remarks when delivering a keynote speech at the opening ceremony of the two-day Belt and Road Forum for International Cooperation. More than 1,500 representatives across the world are attending the forum. The Belt and Road Initiative is "a project of the century" that will benefit people across the world, Xi said. "Spanning thousands of miles and years, the ancient silk routes embody the spirit of peace and cooperation, openness and inclusiveness, mutual learning and mutual benefit," Xi told the audience. "The Silk Road spirit has become a great heritage of human civilization," he added. In his speech, Xi announced to scale up financing support for the Belt and Road Initiative by contributing an additional 100 billion yuan ($14.5 billion) to the Silk Road Fund. "The China Development Bank and the Export-Import Bank of China will set up special lending schemes respectively worth RMB 250 billion equivalent and RMB 130 billion equivalent to support Belt and Road cooperation on infrastructure, industrial capacity and financing," Xi said. The Belt and Road Initiative, put forward by Xi in 2013, aims to boost interconnection and trade between Asia and the rest of the world. A total of 29 foreign heads of state and government leaders are attending the forum, including Russian President Vladimir Putin and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan. Other delegates include officials, entrepreneurs, financiers and journalists from over 130 countries, and representatives of key international organizations, such as UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, World Bank President Jim Yong Kim, and Managing Director of the International Monetary Fund Christine Lagarde. Full text of President Xi's speech China's first listed courier YTO Express plans to invest 100 million yuan in a new logistics information technology lab at its Shanghai headquarters. The National Engineering Laboratory for Logistic Information Technology is designed to create a research and development base for China's logistics and an incubator for innovation application in the flourishing sector. It was officially founded by YTO Express Group, along with company backers China Academy of Information and Communications Technology, China National Heavy Duty Truck Group, Shanghai Internet of Things and China United Network Communications Group. Approved by the National Development and Reform Commission, the engineering lab is the first of its kind in the logistics sector. YTO Express chairman Yu Weijiao said it is in line with Shanghai's goal of becoming a global technological innovation center as well as an international shipping center. In the next three years, YTO Express will pour more than 100 million yuan into the lab. Top talents from scientific research institutions with expertise in equipment research and development, automation, communication and logistics will be recruited from the lab's six joint founders. China's logistics sector is confronting problems with information interoperability, low degree of automation, an incomplete standard system, and a shortage of talents, YTO Express vice-president Xiang Feng said. To improve the overall industry chain, YTO Express and its partners proposed a national engineering lab in November last year and were given the green light in January. The national engineering lab will construct an independent intellectual property rights and standard system to create a research and development base for China's logistics. Yu said it will aim to become an incubator for innovation application in China's logistics sector. The Shanghai-listed YTO Express delivered 4.46 billion packages last year, raking in 16.8 billion yuan in revenue in 2016, up 39.04 percent from the year before. wang_ying@chinadaily.com.cn More than 1,500 companies in seven provincial regions have been fined a combined total of 90.3 million yuan ($13 million) for polluting the environment, the Ministry of Environmental Protection said on Friday. The central government sent seven teams to inspect Tianjin municipality and Shanxi, Liaoning, Anhui, Fujian, Hunan and Guizhou provinces on April 24 the third batch of monthlong inspections since July last year. The inspectors received 14,479 reports from the public about pollution through May 9 and recommended 9,194 for further investigation. In total, 142 people were detained on suspicion of polluting the environment, while 1,278 government officials have been held accountable for poor environmental protection practices. "The inspections have prompted local governments to solve some pollution problems, and won applause from the public," the ministry said in a statement. E-commerce giant Alibaba Group Holding Ltd's announced a comprehensive strategic partnership with China Telecom Corp on Saturday, to carry out cooperation in e-commerce, basic network and security, cloud computing, payment, rural channels, internet of things (IoT) and government procurement. The two sides will work together to strengthen the construction of intelligent connection, smart family, new applications of information and communication technology (ICT), internet finance and IoT for China Telecom, and new retail, manufacturing, finance, technology and energy resources for Alibaba. They will further explore deeper cooperation in the future. Alibaba and China Telecom have already carried out cooperation in the fields of data center, basic telecommunication capacity, e-commerce and mobile payment. It is not the first time that Alibaba has cooperated with the three major telecom carriers. Last year, Alibaba inked a strategic partnership with China Unicom to cooperate on basic telecommunication services, mobile internet and industrial internet. BEIJING -- China is willing to align the Belt and Road Initiative with Indonesia's development plan to advance pragmatic cooperation, according to Chinese State Councilor Yang Jiechi. Yang made the remarks on Saturday when meeting with Luhut Binsar Pandjaitan, coordinating minister for maritime affairs of Indonesia, who is attending the Belt and Road Forum for International Cooperation in Beijing. The Belt and Road Initiative proposed by Chinese President Xi Jinping and the Global Maritime Axis vision put forward by Indonesian President Joko Widodo match closely, Yang said, adding the integration of the two will help push forward bilateral ties. Pandjaitan said that Indonesia hopes to strengthen cooperation with China in infrastructure facilities, industrial parks, maritime affairs and tourism, as well as further coordinate its development programs with Chinese ones to enhance collaboration at all levels. Russian President Vladimir Putin speaks at the opening of the Belt and Road Forum for International Cooperation in Beijing, May 14, 2017. [Photo by Xu Jingxing/chinadaily.com.cn] Developing and deepening China-Russia relations is a strategic choice by both countries, and they should make every effort to enhance and maintain the relations no matter how the international situation changes, President Xi Jinping said on Sunday. Xi made the remarks when meeting with his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin in Beijing. Both countries should strengthen strategic cooperation, jointly promote sustained and steady growth of the world economy and push for peaceful settlement of major international and regional issues, Xi said. The two countries hope to improve the global governance system, and inject more positive energy for the world peace and stability, Xi added. Putin said the proactive communication, coordination between both countries and their support to each other on major international issues are an important, stabilizing factor for the international community. The two leaders also exchanged views on the Korean Peninsula situation and other international and regional issues of common concern. On bilateral ties, Xi said the two countries should expand cooperation in areas such as science, technology and innovation, and raise the level of pragmatic cooperation between the two countries and achieve more results. Putin said that Russia-China relations are developing at a high level, and they enjoy frequent high-level exchanges, close exchanges between government departments and legislative bodies. Putin said the bilateral trade has seen rapid growth and an improved trade structure, and the two sides should deepen cooperation in trade, energy, manufacturing, education, local, tourism and sports. Earlier on Sunday, both Xi and Putin attended and addressed the opening ceremony of the Belt and Road Forum for International Cooperation. In May 2015, China and Russia reached a consensus upon linking the Belt and Road Initiative with the Eurasian Economic Union. Xi noted that in the past two years, steady and remarkable progress has been seen in the efforts to dovetail cooperation. In the next stage, China is ready to work with Russia to deepen pragmatic cooperation with the Eurasian Economic Union and promote the implementation of major projects, Xi said. Putin echoed Xi's call on the major projects and said Russia is willing to work with China to boost the link between the Eurasian Economic Union and the Silk Road Economic Belt. WUHAN -- A suspected "tomb raider" has been caught after 23 years on the run, police in central China's Hubei province said Sunday. Li Yihai was apprehended Wednesday in South China's Hainan province, police confirmed. In March 1994, one of more than 300 ancient tombs in Hubei's Jishan Township was raided by thieves who stole a female corpse, as well as other valuable artifacts. The corpse, believed to be more than 2,400 years old, was recovered 39 days later. Some 23 suspects were detained and more than 20 stolen artifacts retrieved, but Li got away. Police continued to search for Li for more than two decades, before locating him this month. SHANGHAI -- Tatiana Skuratova, a graduate of Shanghai-based Tongji University, went to a job fair in Shanghai Free Trade Zone (FTZ) this week with confidence in securing a position. She is among the first group of foreign graduates to benefit from Shanghai's revised foreign work permit policy. From this year, international students with a bachelor degree or above can apply for jobs in Shanghai Zhangjiang National Innovation Demonstration Zone and Shanghai FTZ directly after graduation. Previously, foreign citizens required two years of work experience after graduation to work in Shanghai. Russian national Skuratova said she has always wanted to work in Shanghai since arriving when she was 16. She is confident in finding a suitable job with her bachelor degree in world politics from the prestigious Chinese university. Xu Wen, director of the human resources and social security bureau in Shanghai Pudong New Area, said some 39 companies based in Shanghai FTZ were offering 269 positions at the fair. Ian Soder, an American graduate in humanities from NYU Shanghai, said a job with a monthly salary around 20,000 yuan ($2,899) would be enough to convince him to stay in Shanghai, while if he looks for a job in New York, he expects a yearly package above $50,000. NYU Shanghai, jointly set up by the New York University (NYU) and East China Normal University in 2013, is the third degree-granting campus in NYU's global network. Soder was among the school's first group of undergraduates. "I believe better career development prospects in Shanghai. That is why I would consider a lower starting salary here," he said. Iranian PhD student Mahdi Gharibavi attended the job fair, although he still has another year to go for his mechanical engineering studies at East China University of Science and Technology. He was happy to see the many job opportunities available in Shanghai. "I studied for my masters in Italy. The job prospects in Europe were nowhere near that in China," he said. Most employers at the fair said they are willing to offer foreign job seekers starting salaries 10 to 20 percent higher than that given to Chinese graduates. Ding Yifan, a recruiter for global travel booking firm Agoda, said foreign graduates are ideal for the company's customer service team. He received more than 20 job applications within the first hour. As well as enhanced employment policies, Shanghai has also piloted a series of policies streamlining applications for Chinese "green cards," allowing permanent residence for non-Chinese residents. For those working in Shanghai FTZ, a letter of recommendation from the FTZ authorities assists in the application process. Shanghai has 170,000 foreign permanent residents. The municipal government has encouraged large companies and industrial parks to build apartment buildings to provide housing for their foreign employees. Similar policies have been rolled out in cities in Zhejiang and Jiangsu provinces in east China, as increasing foreign talent has become more important than attracting foreign investment. BEIJING -- A senior official of China's central bank said Sunday that the decision to inject capital into the Silk Road Fund stemmed from an enormous funding demand. The fund has a large reserve of projects in waiting, and the demand for funds will be greater in the future, said Yi Gang, deputy governor of the People's Bank of China. China will contribute an additional 100 billion yuan (about $14.5 billion) to the Silk Road Fund, President Xi Jinping said earlier Sunday when he addressed the opening of the Belt and Road Forum for International Cooperation. "It is very necessary to increase the capital of the Silk Road Fund at the current stage," Yi told Xinhua. The capital boost will help the fund to take advantage of flexibility and high efficiency, while more funding will also help the fund to play its leveraging role, Yi said. The capital boost will not change the market-oriented operating principle of the fund, which will get fair returns on its investment while funding Belt and Road construction, Yi said. Designed to finance the Belt and Road Initiative, the Silk Road Fund was founded in December 2014 and is jointly backed by China's foreign exchange reserves, China Investment Corp, Export-Import Bank of China and China Development Bank. On the future plans of the fund, Yi said it will facilitate the alignment of the Belt and Road Initiative with the development strategies of countries involved in the initiative. The fund will continue to champion the concept of green and sustainable development, incorporating social responsibilities such as environmental protection into its feasibility evaluation and risk management system, Yi said. To provide more funding for Belt and Road cooperation, China will also encourage financial institutions to conduct overseas RMB fund business with an estimated amount of about 300 billion yuan, President Xi said in his speech. In addition, the CDB and China EximBank will set up special lending schemes worth 250 billion yuan equivalent and 130 billion yuan equivalent respectively to support Belt and Road cooperation on infrastructure, industrial capacity and financing, Xi said. Financing bottlenecks are a key challenge to realizing connectivity. China has engaged in multiple forms of financial cooperation with countries and organizations involved in the Belt and Road Initiative. The AIIB has provided 1.7 billion U.S. dollars of loans for nine projects in Belt and Road countries, and the Silk Road Fund has made four billion U.S. dollars of investment. A multi-tiered Belt and Road financial cooperation network has taken initial shape, President Xi said. BEIJING -- China is willing to cement its sound cooperation with Belarus and push collaborations in various fields, according to senior Chinese official Meng Jianzhu. Meng, member of the Political Bureau of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China (CPC), made the remarks here on Saturday during a meeting with Nikolay Snopkov, deputy director of the Belarusian presidential office, according to a press release on Sunday. Meng, who is Chinese chairman of the two countries' Intergovernmental Committee of Cooperation, said China welcomes Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko to attend the Belt and Road Forum for International Cooperation on Sunday and Monday. Snopkov, also Belarusian chairman of the committee, said Belarus values its relations with China and hopes to actively participate in the construction of the Belt and Road. China has made major advances in building a community for the insurance industry in countries along the Belt and Road. In the past few months, more than 20 countries along the route have signed memorandums of cooperation with China Reinsurance Corporation (China Re), the initiator of the community, according to Yuan Linjiang, chairman of China Re. Yuan said that Chinese insurance and reinsurance companies will work closely with their foreign counterparts, which will provide services for local customers such as claims settlement and contract-issuing. The cooperation network is expected to cover all relevant countries by the end of the year. The proposal also drew the interest of many domestic companies, Yuan said. "The overseas market is enormous, and we need to support each other in expending operations," he said. China Re is the only state-owned reinsurance company in China. It is estimated that the company provides reinsurance worth 60 billion yuan ($8.7 billion) for the Belt and Road Initiative annually. On April 27, the China Insurance Regulatory Commission (CIRC), the industry's top regulator, issued guidance for Chinese insurers to serve the Belt and Road Initiative. Chinese insurers were encouraged to expand their presence in the Belt and Road regions and increase business in export credit insurance and overseas investment insurance. Yuan said that insurance companies play an important role in the ambitious initiative. "The companies, with huge reserves of long-term and stable capital, are themselves investors looking for potential opportunities," he said. "On the other hand, the companies should help to decrease risks for other companies and provide stable and sustainable returns for them." It's "the right choice" for participating countries to come together to discuss building the Belt and Road, following the spirit of the ancient Silk Road, President Xi Jinping said on Sunday evening at a banquet welcoming leaders and representatives to a high-level forum in Beijing. "About 2,000 years ago, our ancestors cherished the hope of friendly communications. They built the ancient Silk Road and started a period of grand exchanges in the history of mankind," Xi said, toasting the Belt and Road Forum for International Cooperation. It is consistent with the historical pattern that the participants came to discuss building the Belt and Road for modern times, Xi said. The representatives engaged in vigorous discussions that bore fruit during the high-level meeting on Sunday, Xi said. The leaders and representatives will participate in a roundtable meeting at Yanqi Lake International Convention Center in Beijing's northern Huairou district on Monday, during which the leaders will make plans for cooperation under the Belt and Road framework. Building the Belt and Road meets the people's desire for exchanges of civilization, Xi said, adding that China will continue to act as an ambassador for communication. He called on all countries to respect and trust each other, jointly build a harmonious homeland and establish a peaceful world. The Belt and Road will narrow gaps between countries, help them share the fruits of development and build a community of shared destiny, he said. Beijing has evolved from an ancient small city into the current international metropolis with contributions from people of different cultural backgrounds, Xi said, adding that mankind has always progressed through exchanges of ethnic and cultural traditions. "We are now walking a path that is filled with hope," Xi said. Margaret Chan, director-general of the World Health Organization, sees the Belt and Road Forum for International Cooperation as a chance to promote joint work by the WHO and China that will in turn benefit countries involved in the Belt and Road Initiative. Margaret Chan, director-general of the WHO In January, at WHO headquarters in Geneva, President Xi Jinping witnessed the signing of a memorandum of understanding between the WHO and China on their joint work. That was the fruit of a highly successful partnership between the two working on global health, Chan said. China's help included sending 1,200 medical workers to West Africa in 2014 in response to the Ebola crisis, contributing to WHO efforts to distribute medical supplies in Syria and playing a role in the newly created WHO Emergency Medical Teams, which aim at ensuring more flexible and rapid responses to disease outbreaks and disasters, she said. The countries involved in the Belt and Road Initiative include some WHO member states in which poor public health limits the potential for economic growth, and some in which new growth could strain their ability to prevent and control diseases and provide basic health services, she said. "Having many of those state leaders here, this weekend in Beijing, is an opportunity for us to put detailed proposals on the table and get member states' support for cooperation." Chan became WHO director general in 2007 and is due to step down in July, when she will return to Hong Kong to live, she said. At the forum, she said, the WHO looks forward to working with its member states involved in the Belt and Road corridor to find ways to bring health issues to bear in their economic growth strategies and decision-making, and supporting the expanded delivery of health services and disease prevention and control services. China has demonstrated strong, sustained political leadership that is essential to helping ensure strong global collaboration on health so emerging health problems can be dealt with, she said. Globalization and global economic development have produced unprecedented economic gains and facilitated the movement of people and goods across borders, she said, but this has been accompanied by the transmission of diseases and viruses. Pressures have increased on national health systems to prevent and control disease outbreaks, ensure adequate health services for increasingly urbanized populations and ensure access to medicines and treatment for the poor, she said. A painting by oil painter Wu Yongnian. [Photo provided to China Daily] At 83, Xi'an-based oil painter Wu Yongnian has donated 24 works of his output to the National Art Museum of China in Beijing. They include Xintianyou, his most representative piece and also his graduation work in 1954, when he received a bachelor's degree at the prestigious Central Academy of Fine Arts in the capital city. In the painting, Wu depicts several peasants who ride donkeys along the rugged, narrow paths of the Loess Plateau in northwestern Shaanxi province. The title comes from a folk singing style, with emotional, resounding tunes that resonate with the extensive plateau, that is popular in the province. Wu made the donation at the opening of his exhibition at the museum on May 12, titled A Return to Origin. On show are his donated works and dozens of other oil paintings and sketches spanning a career of over six decades. Ongoing through May 21, the exhibition reflects the landscapes and daily life of people living in Shaanxi, his native province. It also salutes his teaching endeavors: He taught at Xian Academy of Fine Arts for decades. Wu says, "Since I was a child, I have wanted to make some good paintings. I haven't yet accomplished the dream. But I will keep working as long as I'm alive." "It's really a great opportunity to learn about AI. We are doing the self-driving cars. It's pretty cool!" 10th grader William told Xinhua at the eighth annual GPU Technology Conference (GTC) in San Jose, California. Aimed at exposing underrepresented youth to cutting-edge technologies and encouraging them to explore careers in science, technology, engineering and math, NVIDIA and Iridescent, a global STEM education nonprofit, launched Thursday an educational initiative, NVIDIA Techsplorer. William is one of 200 middle and high school students from Bay Area learned from NVIDIA engineers about Artificial Intelligence (AI) and its applications in healthcare and automotive, participated in hands-on activities on the initiative. "The goal with NVIDIA Techsplorer program is to get youth exposed to Artificial Intelligence concepts. Because everyone will be working with AI in the future. So it's not too soon for someone who is in elementary, middle or high school to start thinking about what their careers might look like in the Artificial Intelligence world," Tonie Hansen, Senior Director, Corporate Responsibility, NVIDIA, told Xinhua. During the event, NVIDIA engineers introduced fundamental AI concepts, like parallel processing and the underpinnings of neural networks, which are then brought to life through hands-on design challenges. The AI design challenges introduce complex topics in a fun, engaging and collaborative way and replicate a real-world engineering design cycle. Because students use everyday materials, such as rubber bands, paper clips and aluminum foil, the lessons are affordable, making them accessible to everyone. "AI is taking over every field in engineering, technology and beyond, creating a tangible risk of a disconnect between underserved communities and AI that will result in a fear that machines and technology are a threat to livelihoods and well-being. Therefore, we are addressing the core problems AI is solving," said Tara Chklovski, CEO and Founder, Iridescent. Following the launch of Techsplorer at GTC, the AI design challenges, explanatory videos and supporting educational materials will be made available on Curiosity Machine, Iridescent's online platform that reaches about 1 million students, parents and educators annually, according to the education nonprofit organization. "The best we to do that is to bring children to understand how these technologies are changing this world and they have to be part of that," Chklovski told Xinhua. Donald Trump's rise to power in the United States involved more than a little China-bashing. Yet with President Xi Jinping's visit to Trump's Florida estate in April, it seems the status quo in the bilateral relationshipcrucial for global trade, growth and stabilitywill be maintained. That could be very good news for Chinese and US workers alike. At the Florida meeting, Xi reiterated China's commitment to maintaining a positive relationship with the US. "We have a thousand reasons to get China-US relations right," he said, "and not one reason to spoil them." Trump, for his part, accepted Xi's invitation to visit China soon. On trade, Trump and Xi agreed to a 100-day plan for discussions on reducing the US trade deficit with China. Moreover, the US accepted China's proposal to revamp the framework for bilateral engagement by creating the US-China Comprehensive Dialogue, consisting of four sub-dialogues: diplomacy and security, economic issues, law enforcement and cybersecurity, and social and cultural affairs. The understanding between Xi and Trump reflects a sober acknowledgment of the domestic and international risks their countries face. Both seem to have recognized that a stable US-China relationship is necessary to enable them to focus on how to deal with their respective challenges. For Xi, those challenges include supply-side structural reforms to address corruption, pollution, rising debt, overcapacity and low productivity. As for Trump, the main imperative is to overcome political and institutional obstacles to fulfilling his promises, including the ones to reduce taxes and invest in infrastructure. But there is one key challenge that both leaders have in common: jobs. Technological advances, especially in automation and robotics, are putting a growing number of jobs under pressure. In the US, that pressure was a driving force behind Trump's election, though it was often and disproportionately blamed on immigrants and developing countries' exporters, including those from China. But in China, too, technology-driven job insecurity could pose a threat to the economy. According to a report released by former US president Barack Obama's administration last year, anywhere from 9 percent to 47 percent of jobs will be threatened by automation during the coming decade. More recently, McKinsey released a report on the topic, in which it estimates that about 60 percent of all occupations could undergo automation of 30 percent or more of their constituent activities. Now, world leadersbeginning with Trump and Ximust figure out how to sustain employment, as existing jobs disappear. The Obama administration's study recommended a three-pronged approach: investment in artificial intelligence (to take advantage of its benefits); education and training of workers for the jobs of the future; and aid for workers in transition. This is all well and good, but one imperative is missing: ensuring that enough new jobs actually are created. In both China and the US, job disruptions are subject to sectoral and geographic imbalances. Driverless cars, for example, will threaten some 2-3 million jobs in the US. Those job losses will hit workers in some sectorsbeginning with personal and freight transportparticularly hard. Similarly, the effects of automation on factory workers tend to be concentrated in particular regions. The US' Rust Belt, which once boasted a powerful manufacturing sector, is already suffering the consequences of automation. In China, it is the northeastern region that is being hit hardest by job losses, owing to overcapacity and the closure of polluting and loss-making heavy industries. But the most consequential asymmetry affecting the job-creation challenge may be the one between institutions and policies. Sharp increases in government employment are usually fiscally unsustainable and even counterproductive, as they can crowd out the private sector. Yet large enterpriseswhether private or State-ownedare in job-reduction mode, driven either by profit or efficiency pressures. This leaves small and medium-sized enterprises to pick up the slack. China's SMEs are certainly capable of doing so. Indeed, even if large enterprises were not currently shedding workers, they would be at a disadvantage vis-a-vis more efficient and innovative SMEs in an economy transformed by interactive internet platforms. Consider e-commerce. As a recent report by the Alibaba Research Institute points out, e-commerce is transforming the relationship between customers and businesses. What was once a business-to-consumer supply-and-distribution model has become far more interactive, with customers constantly delivering feedback to which businesses have to constantly adapt. Large internet platforms like Alibaba can use big data and smart analytics to monitor such changes. But large established companies cannot respond to those changessay, by adjusting what they are producing or how they are distributing itwith the same speed and flexibility as their SME counterparts. Despite the potential of SMEs to produce valuable innovation and create jobs, however, the sector has been woefully neglected by policymakers. For example, tax incentives do not account for SMEs' positive externalities in terms of job creation and innovation. And, because of the risks of individual failures, SMEs often face higher costs for bank credit, particularly in China. As the world's two largest consumer markets and leading trade partners, China and the US can do much to help each other overcome the barriers to increased, broad-based and high-quality job creation. The US has the technology, talent and regulatory experience to continue to lead the way on innovation, supporting job creation in new and future-oriented industries and activities. And China's move toward a consumption-led economy, driven by an increasingly modern services sector, is likely to boost demand for high-quality and innovative US goods and services. The result would be a much more balanced trade relationship and, potentially, a new global partnership for development. With that in mind, one can only hope that Trump maintains the cooperative spirit demonstrated at the recent Florida meeting. Andrew Sheng is a distinguished fellow at the Asia Global Institute at the University of Hong Kong and a member of the UNEP Advisory Council on Sustainable Finance. And Xiao Geng, president of the Hong Kong Institution for International Finance, is a professor at the University of Hong Kong. Tourism exchanges have been increasing thanks to enhanced cooperation between China and countries participating in the Belt and Road Initiative. The scale of two-way tourism exchanges has exceeded 25 million trips, according to Li Jinzao, head of China National Tourism Administration. About 85 million trips are expected to be made from countries in the Belt and Road region to China from 2016 to 2020, spending about $110 billion, Li estimated. Over 10 million trips from China to countries in the region were made via China's largest online travel agency Ctrip.com last year, up 72.5 percent year on year, the company said in a report. Thailand, Singapore and Malaysia are the top three destinations in the Belt and Road region for Chinese travelers, the report showed. Since 2013, China has established tourism cooperation and exchange mechanisms with ASEAN, Central and Eastern Europe, Russia and Mongolia. Ten bilateral tourism events covering 34 countries in the Belt and Road region have been held to promote tourism exchanges. China will cultivate new domestic markets such as cultural and business tourism while enhancing cooperation with other countries in tourism insurance and market regulation, according to Li. "We are striving to make King Coffee one of world's top five coffee brands and to make Vietnam a global coffee powerhouse," the wife of Vietnam's coffee king told Xinhua. Le Hoang Diep Thao is the chief executive officer of Ho Chi Minh City-based Trung Nguyen International Corporation (TNI), part of the Trung Nguyen Group (TNG). Her husband, Dang Le Nguyen Vu, who has been recognized as Vietnam's coffee king by Forbes Asia and National Geographic Traveler, is the co-founder and co-owner of TNG, a leading coffee firm in Vietnam, specializing in instant coffee, roasted and ground coffee, cafe trading and coffee export. After the couple successfully brought the G7 coffee brand to more than 60 countries in the world, Thao launched TNI King Coffee and is aiming to conquer the hearts of coffee lovers all over the world, including over 1.3 billion Chinese consumers who are used to drinking tea. "In the last 20 years, we have focused on the coffee business only. We provide full services, from coffee bean plantation to blending and roasting," Thao said. "TNI's coffee beans are finely chosen from the best coffee beans in Buon Ma Thuot (the capital city of Dak Lak central highland province, Vietnam's coffee kingdom). Combined with advanced technology, production equipment imported from Europe, and the secret recipe from Trung Nguyen, TNI coffee is distinctive," the graceful woman, wearing a long, red traditional dress explained. In late April, Thao put into operation a big TNI King Coffee factory, with an initial capacity of churning out 9,000 tons of roasted coffee beans and 19,800 tons of instant coffee a year, in the southern province of Binh Duong. King Coffee has been exported to many countries in the world, including the United States, Australia, Russia, China, India, South Korea and Singapore, and is expected to be available in 129 other markets in the future. "King Coffee for the king market," Thao said, implying that China is world's biggest coffee consumer. In China, King Coffee has advanced to become one of the four best-selling brands on T-Mall Supermarket, one of three key e-commerce websites of online trade platform Alibaba. In March, at the 96th China Food and Drink Fair held in the Chinese city of Chengdu, Thao announced that TNI will strive to meet its sales target of $1 billion from the Chinese market in the next few years. "More and more Chinese young people like to drink coffee and regard it as a casual lifestyle," Thao stated. An anonymous internet blogger, who asked to be known only by his online alias Malware Tech, stumbled on the "off switch" that halted an attack by a ransomware virus that affected computer systems in over 100 countries, the BBC reported, citing an interview with the man. His discovery halted the virus, which freezes computer systems and access to files unless a cash ransom is paid, but will not repair any damage already done, he said. The blogger, who works for a UK Internet security company, was on a week's holiday when he heard about the virus and decided to check it out. He told the BBC he saw that each time the virus entered a new computer system, it would try and contact a specific web address, which he discovered was unregistered. He immediately acquired it for eight pounds. His ownership of the site meant his investigations accidentally triggered the "off switch" and halted the further spread of the virus, which hit Britain's National Health Service, Nissan's car plant in northern England, Spanish telecoms giant Telefonica, Spanish energy company Iberdrola and Russian government ministries, the BBC reported. MalwareTech now thinks the code was originally designed to thwart researchers trying to investigate the ransomware, but it backfired by letting them remotely disable it. "It was actually partly accidental," he told the BBC, after spending the night investigating. "I have not slept a wink." He added that his boss had given him an extra week off to recover from what he called "a train wreck of a holiday." Security experts said that new variants of the malware that ignore the "kill switch" will appear. "This variant shouldn't be spreading any further, however there'll almost certainly be copycats," said security researcher Troy Hunt, according to the BBC. MalwareTech warned: "We have stopped this one, but there will be another one coming and it will not be stoppable by us. "There's a lot of money in this, there is no reason for them to stop. It's not much effort for them to change the code and start over." To contact the reporter: chris@mail.chinadailyuk.com China's Global Newspaper Sorry, the page you requested was not found. Please check the URL for proper spelling and capitalization. If you're having trouble locating a destination on Chinadaily.com.cn, try visiting the Chinadaily home page White House Senior Advisor Kellyanne Conway holds up a memorandum from the Justice Department's Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein critical of Comey's position as director of the FBI at the White House in Washington, U.S., May 10, 2017. [Photo/Agencies] WASHINGTON -- US President Donald Trump on Saturday pledged to move quickly on the selection of a new Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) director. Trump told reporters aboard the Air Force One as he embarked on a visit to Lynchburg, Virginia that a decision may come as soon as before he starts his first oversea trip next Friday. "Even that is possible," he told reporters when asked whether he could unveil his nominee by Friday to succeed James Comey, whose abrupt dismissal has sparked a major media firestorm and much disagreement. "I think the process is going to go quickly," Trump said, adding a list of well-known figures are being considered. "They've been vetted over their lifetime essentially. But very well known, highly respected, really talented people. And that's what we want for the FBI," Trump said. U.S. media quoted an unnamed White House official as saying that 11 candidates are being considered, including acting FBI Director Andrew McCabe. The position of the FBI director was vacated Tuesday after Trump fired Comey, which has sent shockwaves through Washington as critics say the move was an attempt to undermine an ongoing FBI investigation into alledged ties between the Trump campaign and the Russian government, an accusation the White House denied. The military chiefs from the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) started arriving in Manila Sunday to attend conferences to strengthen cooperation among ASEAN militaries in addressing common security challenges facing the region. Col. Edgard Arevalo, chief of the public affairs office of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP), said in a statement that the military chiefs from the 10 ASEAN nations will attend the ASEAN Chief of Defense Forces Informal Meeting (ACDFIM) and related meetings that will run from May 15 to May 19. He said regional issues such as maritime security, humanitarian assistance and disaster response, counter-terrorism, infectious disease management and peacekeeping will stay high in the agenda of the meeting. He said Gen. Eduardo Ano, the AFP chief of staff, will chair the five-day meetings. The ACDFIM is an informal networking and confidence building platform among ASEAN chiefs of defense forces. It has since developed into an important avenue for ASEAN militaries to build capacity and strengthen practical cooperation. Before the ACDFIM, he said, ASEAN senior operations and intelligence officers will convene for this year's ASEAN Military Operations Informal Meeting (AMOIM) and ASEAN Military Intelligence Informal Meeting (AMIIM). He said the meetings "encourage common perspectives and understanding for promoting and fostering strong relationships and security cooperation in the region." The Philippines is the chairman of ASEAN this year. The bloc groups Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam. Jim Bacorn, 67, of Broken Bow, Oklahoma, and formerly of Sweet Home, passed away May 10, 2017, in Dallas, Texas. A celebration of life service was held at 10 a.m. Saturday, May 13, at the First United Methodist Church in Broken Bow. (Photo : US Navy) Aegis Ashore radar site in Romania, part of the NATO Missile Defense System protecting Europe against Russian missiles. Advertisement The "Aegis Ashore" ballistic missile defense system currently protecting NATO from Russian and Iranian ballistic missile attacks will be ideal for deployment against North Korean ballistic missiles, argues an American think tank. Aegis Ashore is the land-based component of the Aegis Ballistic Missile Defense System (Aegis BMD or ABMD) that provides missile defense against short to intermediate-range ballistic missiles. Like Us on Facebook Advertisement It consists of equipment commonly used by the U.S. Navy being deployed in land-based facilities. This equipment includes SPY-1 radars and a battery of RIM-161 Standard Missile 3 (SM-3) ship-based missiles used by the navy. Aegis Ashore is the key system in the NATO Missile Defense System, which includes radar systems and missile interceptors deployed to Poland, Romania, Spain, Turkey and the Czech Republic. The U.S. Navy has deployed four Aegis-capable Arleigh Burke-class guided missile destroyers to Spain as part of the ballistic missile defense shield. Aegis BMD (also known as Sea-Based Midcourse) is designed to intercept ballistic missiles post-boost phase and prior to reentry. The Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS), which is based in Washington D.C. and is rated one of the world's best in its field, argues Aegis Ashore could become a model for missile defense against North Korea. It said Aegis Ashore can protect Japan, Guam and Hawaii because it's adaptable and capable of carrying a mixed load of missiles. Aegis Ashore "provides layered defense in a box," much like the Aegis Combat System, said Thomas Karako, a CSIS senior fellow. Karako said Aegis Ashore is already operational and provides regional ballistic missile defense against Iranian missiles from a site in Romania. Aegis Ashore can be teamed-up with other air and low-tier missile defense capabilities such as Patriot to address different kinds of threats. He noted Romania and Poland already are looking at buying Patriot. The United States is considering sending a Patriot battery later this year for an exercise with Lithuania. Advertisement TagsAegis Ashore ballistic missile defense system, NATO, North Korea, Aegis Ballistic Missile Defense System, U.S. Navy, NATO Missile Defense System, Center for Strategic and International Studies, CSIS (Photo : Getty Images) Pakistan Foreign Affairs Adviser Sartaj Aziz (2nd L) talks with Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi (2nd R) during a meeting at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs April 27, 2016 in Beijing, China. Advertisement Pakistan and China have signed new deals worth about half a billion dollars on Saturday, ahead of Beijing's international forum on its "Silk Road" initiative. The recent understanding will add to the $57 billion China already committed for the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), which is part of China's Belt and Road initiative, or One Belt, One Road. Like Us on Facebook Advertisement "China-Pakistan Economic Corridor is a core component of your visionary initiative of the 'One Belt-One Road," Pakistani Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif said during his meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping at the Great Hall of China on Saturday. The $492.95 million worth of memorandums of understanding signed by both countries will cover an airport in the southwestern town of Gwada, which has a deep-water port that could provide an outlet to the Arabian Sea from the far western region of Xinjiang; development of the Havelian Dry Port in Pakistan; and economic and technical cooperation for the East Bay Expressway that will connect Gwadar to Pakistan's existing highway system. Xi also called for a smooth completion on the projects in Pakistan including the Gwadar Port and special economic and industrial parks along the corridor. Although some countries have expressed concerns of the debt the Chinese funding could create, Pakistan told Reuters that it remains a positive view. Meanwhile, Pakistan is one of the strong supporters of China's One Belt One Road initiative, particularly because many of the projects include power plants that will help Islamabad's decade-long energy shortage crisis. The Beijing summit, which aims to promote Beijing's ambition to expand trade links, will be attended by at least 29 leaders from different countries. They are expected to hold a series of sessions on Sunday. Advertisement TagsPakistan, china, CPEC, China-Pakistan Economic Corridor, One Belt One Road, Silk Road Initiative (Photo : YouTube Screenshot) The Chuwi Lapbook laptop is currently listed on GearBest for the price of $185.99. Advertisement Online retailing website GearBest is now offering a flash sale of the Chinese brand computer Chuwi Lapbook. The Chuwi Lapbook laptop is currently listed on GearBest for the price of $185.99. The Chuwi Lapbook Laptop has a discount of 37 percent less price compared to its original price. The flash sale will only be available for a limited period. The main highlight of the Lapbook is its 4GB of RAM onboard and massive 10,000 mAh battery. Like Us on Facebook Advertisement As for the specifications, the Chuwi Lapbook laptop features a 15.6-inch Full HD display screen with a resolution of 1080 pixels by 1920 pixels. Under the hood, the device is powered by a Quad-Core Intel Cherry Trail X5 Z8350 processor clocked at a speed of 1.44GHz up to 1.92GHz. It comes with 4GB DDR3L RAM and Intel HD Graphics (Gen 8). The Chuwi Lapbook laptop comes equipped with a built-in 64GB eMMC internal memory storage, which can be further expanded up to 128GB via a dedicated microSD card slot. It runs on Microsoft's latest Windows 10 operating system out of the box. As mentioned earlier, the computer is fueled by a Polymer Li-ion 10,000 mAh capacity battery inside. On the camera department, the lapbook has a 2-megapixel front-facing webcam. Other features the Chuwi Lapbook laptop computer offers include Bluetooth 4.0, Wi-Fi 802.11 b/g/n, 1 x USB 3.0, 1 x USB 2.0, HDMI slot, and 3.5mm headphone jack. It measures a body dimension 37.10 cm x 23.90 cm x 23.90 cm and weighs around 1.8960 kg. Advertisement TagsChuwi, chuwi lapbook, chuwi laptop, gearbest, chuwi labook flash sale (Photo : RSAF) Saudi Arabia's Saqr 1 UAV. Advertisement Saqr 1, Saudi Arabia's first indigenous medium-altitude, long-endurance (MALE) unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV), shows strong Chinese influence in its design and is armed only with Chinese guided missiles and smart bombs. The UAV will see action against Iranian-backed Houthi rebels in Yemen fighting against a Saudi-led coalition of Sunni Arab nations. Like Us on Facebook Advertisement Saqr 1 was first revealed to the public a few days ago at the King Abdulaziz City for Science and Technology (KACST) in Riyadh. KACST President Prince Turki bin Saud bin Mohammed said Saqr 1 is equipped with a Ka satellite communication system and with thermal imaging and surveillance technology for weapon guidance. The UAV has a range of 2,500 km and can reach an average altitude of over 6,000 meters. It can fly non-stop for 24 hours powered by its Rotax 914 (95 hp) engine. Saqr 1 is 9.2 meters in length and has a wingspan of 18 meters. In appearance, Saqr 1 resembles China's CH-4 (Cai Hong-4) UAV operated by the Royal Saudi Air Force. Like Saqr 1, CH-4 is also a MALE UAV and both are armed with the same Chinese-made munitions. These weapons are the AR-1 semi-active laser-guided missile and the FT-9 guided bomb. AR-1 is used against tanks and armored vehicles, and can also penetrate buildings. It can pierce 1,000 mm of armor plate. AR-1 has an effective range of eight kilometers and a circular error probable (CEP) of only 1.5 meters. On the other hand, the FT-9 smart bomb weighs 50 kg, and is guided to its target by a combination GPS/INS system. These weapons are mounted on two hardpoints capable of a combined payload weighing 250 kg. CH-4 looks remarkably similar to the U.S. MQ-9 Reaper UAV built by General Atomics. Some American experts believe the striking resemblance is another example of Chinese spying put to use in the real world. The reason for the CH-4's popularity in the Middle East and Africa is its price: a CH-4 costs only $1 million compared to the price tag of $30 million for the MQ-9 Reaper. Advertisement TagsSaqr 1, Saudi Arabia, medium-altitude, Houthi Rebels, yemen, King Abdulaziz City for Science and Technology, Prince Turki bin Saud bin Mohammed, CH-4 (Cai Hong-4) UAV, AR-1 semi-active laser-guided missile, FT-9 guided bomb A NASA working group has concluded after a two-month review that sending astronauts on the first flight of its massive new rocket wouldn't be feasible due to the immense costs of safely accommodating a crew on the planned 2019 mission, the first step in America's return to human space exploration. The Trump administration has expressed a desire to quickly restart the manned spaceflight program. But with rare exception, NASA tests rockets first without astronauts, given the huge risks associated with space vehicles. Rockets in the early years of space flight were unreliable in test phases and sometimes blew up on the pad or shortly after liftoff. Even today, such disasters occasionally strike private rocket firms such as Orbital ATK and SpaceX. Despite tremendous advances, rocket science retains its reputation as a notoriously risky endeavor. IN THE WORKS: The next Mars rover may resemble the Batmobile NASA's acting administrator, Robert Lightfoot Jr., requested the study in mid-February. The group determined relatively quickly that changing the existing strategy would likely cost several hundred million dollars and disrupt schedules for the Space Launch System (SLS) rocket and new Orion Multi-Purpose Crew Vehicle, according to a person familiar with the study. The group's consensus hasn't been formally announced, and NASA's decision-or that of President Donald Trump-on whether to add crew to the SLS's first flight could disregard the findings, said the person, who requested anonymity because they weren't authorized to discuss NASA's internal review. If so, a White House request for additional NASA funding in 2018 would need to be made relatively quickly. (Story continues below ...) NASA officials declined to comment on the findings or when an announcement would be made. "Any time you are trying to rapidly add capabilities, you are asking for trouble in a system like this," said Casey Dreier, director of space policy at The Planetary Society, which lobbies for greater funding of space science and exploration. "Changing the plans midstream is where you start to incur cost that is not commensurate with your return. "You're working with these massive programs that are spread out and integrated over multiple centers and supply chains," Dreier said. "Changing that just throws things into chaos." The SLS program is the centerpiece of NASA's effort to send humans into the solar system, starting with the first manned mission beyond Earth orbit in a half century. The Space Launch System is the largest rocket in NASA history, similar in size to the Saturn V rockets used in the Apollo program but offering far more thrust. Ultimately, NASA envisions sending humans to Mars. Beyond the question of whether to fly astronauts aboard the first flight, NASA has been struggling with delays and development problems on both Orion and the behemoth SLS, which was initially scheduled to fly last year. That mission was later moved to November 2018, although a Government Accountability Office report issued last month found that date unrealistic; the rocket's first exploratory mission, EM-1, is now seen as occurring by 2019 at the earliest-without any crew aboard. NASA has yet to formally reschedule the EM-1 flight date, but told the GAO it would do so by Sept. 30, the end of the current U.S. budget year. That mission is designed to send the Orion on an orbit beyond the moon. A second flight with crew, called EM-2, is scheduled as an eight-day journey around the moon in 2021, although industry observers expect that time frame to slip. To include astronauts in the first launch, the Orion capsule would require life support and a fully working launch abort system, which is designed to help the crew capsule escape a failure. Such a shift would incur significant expense and delays. Sending astronauts into space on the first flight of the SLS and Orion would mark a radical departure from NASA practice, given that the agency has typically first flown new vehicles into space without crew. The Space Shuttle Columbia's first flight, in April 1981, was the first and only time NASA has sent a new craft into space with astronauts. (An earlier shuttle test model, Enterprise, wasn't designed for space and flew only in the atmosphere.) "With space, it takes a lot of time to do stuff because space is actively trying to kill you, every second, and there's never enough budget," Dreier said. "Cost is not the [main] problem, it's just that NASA doesn't do things that way," said Lori Garver, the agency's deputy administrator from 2009 to 2013, citing the risks to human life. "They fly them first." In February, William Gerstenmaier, associate administrator of the agency's Human Exploration and Operations Mission Directorate, said NASA probably wouldn't put a crew on the first flight if it couldn't be done by 2019. Apart from the tight development schedules, Mother Nature has also dented NASA's plans. In early February, a tornado struck NASA's Michoud Assembly Facility in New Orleans, where the SLS and Orion module are being built, damaging several buildings and hampering work on both vehicles. The program has also had to contend with welding glitches on the SLS and a May 3 incident in which the dome of a liquid oxygen tank on the core stage was severely damaged during the manufacturing of test hardware. NASA and Boeing are investigating the mishap, which was first reported May 10 by NASA Watch, a site that covers the agency. The SLS and Orion programs have both enjoyed deep support from Congress, which in recent years has allocated more funds for each than NASA has requested. The SLS-Orion program's estimated cost stands at $23.8 billion, including $2.8 billion for launch infrastructure being developed at Cape Canaveral, Florida. A crunch to make the Orion module astronaut-worthy on its first flight could also collide with other White House budget priorities, many of which will cost tens of billions of dollars: a wall on the Mexican border, an infrastructure-renewal plan, and a large increase in U.S. military spending. A 2018 budget "blueprint" from the Trump administration suggests a $19.1 billion NASA budget, including $3.7 billion for continued SLS and Orion development. The plan amounted to an overall cut of about 1 percent. In the recent budget compromise to fund the government until October, Congress allocated NASA about $19.7 billion. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate A long-standing tenant of many religions is "Love thy neighbor." A church in Tennessee may have taken that one a bit too literally. Officials in the Nashville suburb of Madison say the United Fellowship Center, which billed itself as a church and signed a lease to operate as a house of worship, was actually a sex club. TRADE OFF: Police say Florida woman sought to trade sex for cash, chicken McNuggets In a lawsuit filed by the city, officials said the owner of The Social Club, Alfred Woods and his family, used the 22,000-square-foot building for weekend sex parties. Officials said members of The Social Club and curious first-time swingers were welcomed and party guests are required to pay $40 to attend as a couple, with single men charged $50 and single women paying $20 to gain entry. Two undercover officials investigated the club in March and found 12 rooms fitted out with chaise lounges and flat beds where people could have sex or watch others do so. Bill Herbert, the zoning administrator for the Nashville Metro Government, told WTVF-TV in Nashville that he was shocked to hear from investigators about what was happening inside something that was supposed to be a church. LA FERIA CLUB: Infamous Houston sex club in national spotlight "They witnessed sex acts and other acts that indicated that the property was not being used as a church," Herbert said. A lawyer for the club declined to comment to the station about the city's lawsuit, but said the building was used as a church. If city officials are right, it's a church that really emphasizes loving thy neighbor. Scroll through the gallery above to see how social media treated the topic of sex File Photo/Hearst Connecticut Media A gunman is on the loose after shooting two people Sunday morning inside a north Houston home, according to police. Around 3 a.m., a man busted into his ex-girlfriend's home in the 1900 block of Hardy and opened fire, according to KPRC. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate Simone Manuel glided through the water as a line of young children attempted a one-armed freestyle drill she had done hundreds of times before. The 20-year-old Olympic gold medalist watched as they passed, offering tips and encouragement when they stopped to breathe or rest. "Try rotating your hips a little more," she said gently to a young girl who had turned to her for advice. The champion freestyler, a Sugar Land native, volunteered for the first time with the USA Swimming Foundation's "Make a Splash" program, a multi-city effort to teach children basic swimming and water safety skills. About 150 students received lessons Saturday at the Dad's Club swimming complex near Spring Branch as part of the initiative, which included three other Houston-area pools as well as Olympic gold medalists Cullen Jones and Rowdy Gaines. Through the program, which started in 2007, the foundation has provided about $4.5 million in grants to provide lessons for children at swim clubs nationwide. This year Houston-area pools received $100,000. Access to swim lessons is limited among lower-income families. The foundation recently conducted a study with the University of Memphis that found nearly 80 percent of children in households with income less than $50,000 have little or no knowledge of how to swim. Efforts commended Lack of knowledge creates a risk of accidental drowning, the second leading cause of unintentional death among children younger than 14. The danger is higher for African-American and Latino children, who are less likely to learn to swim than other demographic groups. Whether a child learns to swim often depends on whether his or her parents know how, said Debbie Hesse, the foundation's executive director. A lack of knowledge can create fear of enrolling a child in lessons. "It's a cultural issue in this country," Hesse said. At a press conference Friday, Mayor Sylvester Turner and Harris County Commissioner Rodney Ellis commended the program's efforts to expand access to swim lessons among lower-income families. Neither learned how to swim during childhood, and both pledged to learn. "We can't tell kids to do something and then not do it ourselves," Turner said. Golden message Last year, Manuel became the first African-American woman to win an Olympic gold medal in an individual swimming event, the 100-meter freestyle. Hesse said she hoped Manuel's appearance at the pool would demonstrate the importance of lessons, as well as the opportunities available to those who ultimately adopt swimming as a hobby or a sport. "When you hear the message from an Olympian, it seems to resonate more," she said. Nira Proto, who lives in the Heights, watched as her three-year-old twins, Seth and Sasha, worked with another instructor in a shallower part of the pool. She first enrolled them in lessons two years ago for greater peace of mind around the family pool, and she hopes they'll stick with it as a sport. "It was of the utmost importance to me that they learn to swim as early as possible," she said. Started at 4 Manuel's mother, Sharron, recalled her daughter's insistence on joining a local swim team at age 4, before she had taken a swim lesson. She put Manuel in the pool with an instructor, thinking she would need several sessions to learn the basics, and watched in awe as she completed a full lap on her second lesson. "Boy, was I wrong," she said. "She did not have any fear at all." On Saturday, Manuel tried her hand at instructing for the first time. She found it challenging to offer critiques, she said, but words of encouragement came easily. "That's what keeps you in this sport," she said. The summers final Live on the Waterfront concert was held Wednesday evening at Prince Arthurs Landing. The popular series in Thunder Bay has completed nine weekly shows that began on July 13. Wednesdays concert was unique as it was held one hour later in the evening to mesh with the 10 p. We attempted to send a notification to your email address but we were unable to verify that you provided a valid email address. Please click here to update your email address if you wish to receive notifications. Otherwise, you may click here to disable notifications and hide this message. In 1982, my mom had an interview with a top advertising agency in New York. She had been working in the industry for nearly a decade and had been contacted by a headhunter about joining a rival agency. "Do you smoke?" the male executive interviewing her asked. She didn't. As a non-smoker, she wasn't right for this job, he told her. A cigarette maker was one of the agency's top clients, and you can't sell a product you don't believe in enough to use. She sensed the interview had gone south, and, in today's parlance, she leaned in. "I noticed," she said, "that you have a brand of sanitary products in your portfolio. Do you feel confident advertising for them?" He did. "Well," she told him, "I'd like to point out that there is always the chance I could become a smoker, but it seems highly unlikely you're ever going to use a tampon." My mom, center, office of McCann Erickson, Frankfurt, Germany, September 1976 Stories of my mom's adventures in the workplaces of the 1970s and 80s punctuated my childhood. She worked until I was born in fact, she attributes my near-total recall for commercials to all the pitch meetings we attended "together" but throughout my childhood she was a stay-at-home mom. Her take on most group situations third grade, lunch tables, dance class was organizational and corporate. Like sometimes you have to keep quiet, even if you're seething. And other situations require that you speak up, even if you know you won't win. There is a mountain or perhaps a minefield of research on the effects of a woman's career on her progeny. By the end of 2016, 42 percent of mothers in the U.S. were the sole or majority financial providers for their families, and another 22.4 percent provided at least a quarter of the household income. Still, inadequate leave policies and the high cost of childcare often force women with young children to drop out of the workforce, which in turn perpetuates the gender pay gap. To this day, the guilt of the working mother is espoused by the likes of Sheryl Sandberg and Indra Nooyi, but a 2015 Harvard Business School study found that the daughters of working mothers went on to earn higher wages and experience greater professional success than those of stay-at-home moms. Some say the best case scenario is for mothers to simply have the choice of whether to work or stay home, but as Jill Filipovic pointed out recently, that assumes that these choices are inherently equal and without cultural weight. Here is what's clear to me: It was my dad's career as a tax accountant that supported my family, financed my education and enabled my early career as a reporter. And maybe it's because we share a gender, or because advertising and journalism are more similar than either is to corporate tax policy, but it was my mom's career, which took place before I was born, that still informs how I see the workplace. Her stories made working seem like an adventure that could take you unusual places and introduce you to fascinating people. Her advice, though tested at work, had broad applications: Know when it's time to leave a job. A good haircut is your friend in uncertain times. If your boss' boss' boss is the U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations and he's giving a holiday party and you have the flu, crawl out of your coffin, put on some extra makeup and go he might one day become President of the United States. That's right: Always go to the party. My mom and then-U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations George H.W. Bush, December 1972 Even when I was a child, I recognized that her stories hinted that the world is not particularly fair to working women. It will continually present you with unwinnable situations with which other women can commiserate but which no one can tell you how to navigate. In the mid-1970s, my mom was working at the Frankfurt, Germany office of the ad agency McCann Erickson, on the account for a German car maker owned by General Motors. She was the only female executive, and was deemed a prude for suggesting that using semi-nude models dressed as angels to sell cars during the holidays might alienate customers looking to purchase a family vehicle. After a staff meeting, she was called to the managing director's office and admonished for not helping his secretary clear away coffee cups after the meeting. As the only female account manager, it was expected that she'd both participate in the meeting and clean up after it. Actually, he told her, she shouldn't have been assigned to a car account in the first place a woman's only role in the auto industry should be choose the paint color after her husband selected the vehicle. I'M HERE NOW. December 1985 That man was the first person I thought of when I stood in a newsroom 40 years later and heard Mary Barra announced as the next CEO of General Motors. I hope he was alive to see Barra become the first woman at the helm of a U.S. automaker. I want him to have seen her use the skills she brought from working in human resources, so often dismissed as a professional "girl ghetto," to steer the company through a crisis created by internal communication so poor that it cost customers their lives. The workplaces in which I've come of age professionally look different than the ones my mom knew. Nobody smokes in the office, and though it's remained dishearteningly common, sexual harassment is an offense that can get you fired. When my mom applied for jobs after college she was still required to take a typing test, something a man with the equivalent education was not subjected to. Now everyone is expected to have honed that skill. And beyond our environs we, too, are different. My mom impressed upon me that bad language is more effective when you use it only sparingly but working for magazine editors eroded my resolve. I know it's difficult for my mom to fathom that I wear black jeans to work essentially every day, sometimes even accompanied by sneakers. We both tend to remember occasions by what we wore; her memories include more sartorial achievements. Newly-minted suburbanites, 1988. In 2007, Julie Deane's 8-year-old daughter, Emily, was being bullied she'd lost her happy, extroverted personality and came home from school with bruises on her arms. The British mother of two made a promise that day to send her children to private school. But Deane only had 600 ($775) to spare, not the 24,000 ($31,000) it would take to pay tuition. So the strong-willed Deane decided to invest the money, little as it was, into creating a business to earn the income she needed. "That's kind of like gamble money. It isn't allocated to anything, so I thought, 'This will be fine, that's what you call seed capital right?'" says Deane, speaking at the Vanity Fair Founders Fair in New York City recently. It was more than fine: In just over five years, Deane turned that $775 in to a $65 million business, The Cambridge Satchel Company, selling bags to 120 countries all over the world. Celebrities like Taylor Swift, Alexa Chung, Zooey Deschanel and Elle Fanning have worn the satchels. Julie Deane was appointed an Officer of the Order of the British Empire for her services to entrepreneurship. Photo courtesy The Cambridge Satchel Company The Cambridge Satchel Company is born By 2008, Deane, who was at various times an accountant, stay-at-home mom and university employee, had a simple plan to launch a business; it started with tea in the kitchen. "I thought, obviously, what you do is you go home, and if you are British, you have a cup of tea, and you put the computer on in the kitchen and you get excel up," she says. As she was brainstorming business ideas, Deane zeroed in on her frustration with the poor quality of school backpacks for her children. When she had gone looking for a traditional satchel, she couldn't find one. "I am outraged, properly outraged, because the satchel is the most British bag you can ever imagine, everybody had a satchel at school. Nobody was making them. Nobody was making satchels in Britain," she says. So Deane decided she would be the one to start making quality satchels. "I am really really lucky because I am a very awkward person and so I tend to get really irritated when things don't work properly," she says. Deane fashioned together a couple old cereal boxes and wrapped them in brown paper for a prototype. She came up with the name quite matter-of-factly. "Well, it's not hard is it. You have got to have a name for your company. I am living in Cambridge. And I sell satchels," she says. She came up with the logo similarly. She used Microsoft Word's "Paint" function. "Job done. Job done," says Deane. A sketch of The Cambridge Satchel Company's first logo Photo courtesy The Cambridge Satchel Company Deane, who openly expresses bewilderment that launching a business could require expensive consultants and strategists, at the time had no budget to hire a staff so she enlisted her mom. "Well, the thing is you have got to get somebody who will work really hard, put up with your slightly easily irritated temperament, not expect to be paid. It narrows until you are left with your mother." From a school supply store in Scotland to New York Fashion week Artisans were too expensive for Deane's kitchen-table enterprise. So she searched for suppliers on Google and 16 pages back in the results, she came across a school supply store in Scotland claiming to sell satchels. The store didn't have a website. So Deane called the shop to ask where its bags were made. At first, the owner wouldn't reveal his sources. So Deane called him every half hour with a new question. A day and a half later, tired of the incessant calls, the shop owner relented and gave her his supplier. Deane had three satchels made in brown leather. Her children modeled them. Deane then taught herself to code in two days with a free Microsoft course so that she could get a website up. "I thought, I am going to need to sell a lot of these things. This is obviously a job for the Internet." The very first satchels The Cambridge Satchel Company made. Photo courtesy The Cambridge Satchel Company On her home-made website, the Paypal buttons weren't all lined up, admits Deane, but it did the job. She started getting orders (first from friends and family out of pity, she says). The British Satchel Company was officially incorporated by Dec. of 2008. In 2010, Deane had the idea to send some of her brightest, neon-colored satchels to fashion bloggers to wear at New York Fashion Week. She couldn't afford to go herself. "At the beginning of Cambridge Satchel, I couldn't have come to New York with an economy ticket. It was just not in the budget, everything was going to [private] school fees." When the lights at fashion week events went down, the neon satchels she sent the bloggers were luminous. The Cambridge Satchel Company got the attention Deane was seeking perhaps more than she was predicting. She was flooded with 16,000 orders. At the time, Deane had four small manufacturers that could make 100 satchels each per week. Tops. How The Cambridge Satchel Company became a manufacturer To fulfill the 16,000 orders that flooded in, Deane started working with a larger U.K. manufacturer, which at the time was nearly in bankruptcy. After production started, she got a call from one of the employees informing her that the manufacturer was stealing leather from her supply, making copycat bags and selling them at a discount. "I will not work with somebody that I don't trust," says Deane. She confronted the manufacturer and his brash dismissal of her claims set Deane on a path even she wasn't expecting. The manufacturer told Deane she had no alternatives but to work with him. "That sort of irritated me a bit," she says. "But then the next line was the real kicker: 'Because you're a stupid woman and you don't know about manufacturing.' And he was so pleased with himself. He turned on his heel and went out the back." In a near out-of-body experience, Deane heard herself tell the entire staff of the manufacturing factory, who had been watching the confrontation, that she would be starting a factory nearby and if they wanted to work with her, they should email her. Three weeks later, she had turned a rundown building into a working factory and hired all but two of the rude manufacturer's employees. In 2013, The Cambridge Satchel Company opened it first retails location. (There are now five, all in the U.K.) By January 2014, The Cambridge Satchel Company was worth 50 million ($65 million), Deane says. Today, The Cambridge Satchel company is still worth roughly that. According to Dean, it's because she took on investment and too many executives came with the funding and the bureaucracy slowed the company down. Julie Deane meeting the Queen of England Photo courtesy The Cambridge Satchel Company The WannaCry software is particularly virulent because it doesn't necessarily require users to take any action, like clicking a link or downloading software, to spread; it can also spread automatically through file-sharing systems on networks. Some security experts expect a second wave of the attack to start Monday morning , as employees arrive at work and turn on affected computers. The ransomware, also called WannaCrypt, was first noticed on Friday, and has affected at least 200,000 computers in more than 150 countries, including some in hospitals, locking them until their owners pay a Bitcoin ransom to the attackers. WannaCry uses a vulnerability in old versions of Windows that was originally discovered and exploited by the U.S. National Security Agency as an offensive cyber-weapon. "This attack provides yet another example of why the stockpiling of vulnerabilities by governments is such a problem," wrote Microsoft President Brad Smith in a blog post on Sunday. "We have seen vulnerabilities stored by the CIA show up on WikiLeaks, and now this vulnerability stolen from the NSA has affected customers around the world. Repeatedly, exploits in the hands of governments have leaked into the public domain and caused widespread damage." Smith's post deflects criticism of by noting that the company issued a patch for the vulnerability earlier this year, but many organizations didn't patch older computers. Smith also said that Microsoft has been "working around the clock" to assist affected customers, even those on older operating systems that are no longer supported. But he also warns that similar attacks will recur unless governments stop stockpiling these kinds of vulnerabilities: Ryan Graves announced he would step down from an operating role at Uber on Thursday. This profile originally ran in May. Travis Kalanick has become the face of Uber, the brash and super-successful entrepreneur that "holds no prisoners" and bleeds "Uber blood." But central to Uber's recent unraveling is a less familiar face Ryan Graves, the start-up's first CEO. Though Graves has faded from Uber's limelight over the past seven years, an explosive internal investigation may lead to his termination, sources indicated to Recode this week. Yet Graves' role at Uber remains somewhat mysterious. Back in 2010, Kalanick didn't want to run Uber full time and put Graves in the role. Then a 20-something newlywed fresh out of the Midwest, Graves was an unlikely executive who served only a short stint at the helm of Uber in 2010. But he has remained at the company through its success, and more recently, its turmoil. Uber head of global operations Ryan Graves (R) eats with fourth grader Frederick Dozier during Cooking Matters, a nutrition class taught by 18 Reasons, a local partner of Share our Strength at Glen Park Elementary School in San Francisco, California, December 10, 2014. Beck Diefenbach | Reuters In particular, Graves was aware of "greyballing," a tool Uber used to evade authorities around the world, according to The New York Times. That program is now subject to a criminal probe, Reuters reported. Graves' stake in Uber is also enough to make him one of the world's youngest billionaires, according to Forbes. That stake, and the board seat that comes with it, became crucial as Uber has fielded a series of scandals that include accusations of gender bias and alleged intellectual property theft. An Uber insider told Business Insider that Graves, known as Uber's "Mr. Nice Guy," had "vanished from the office," and that employees feel Graves hasn't displayed the leadership they would have expected. Recode reports that Uber's HR accused by a former employee of dismissing sexism allegations reported to Graves. From intern to CEO Graves' professional trajectory was exponential: He went from an intern to a top start-up executive. On a now-defunct Tumblr, Graves listed his positions prior to Uber as an intern for 3 months at FourSquare, while he was also a program manager at GE Healthcare as part of the Information Management Leadership Program. Graves, a San Diego native and Padres fan who grew up near the beach and wanted to see the world, had a sparse technology background. A member of the water polo club team and the Beta Theta Pi fraternity, Graves graduated from Miami University in Ohio with an economics degree in 2006, a period he described as "some of the best years of my life." He married his college sweetheart, a kindergarten teacher named Molly who loved fashion. After interning at UBS, Graves said he did a stint as a consultant at a Chicago firm called PartnerSolve, following Molly to the Windy City, before founding and subsequently shuttering at least one start-up, a Tweetdeck-like social media project called SocialDreamium. "When I joined GE at the very end of 2007 I had expectations of what opportunities the job would provide," Graves wrote in a Facebook post. "Since I had interest in technology, I joined the Information Management training program to follow the path of [former GE chief] Jack Welch. There was an 'unofficial' promise that if I was the top of my class at the 1-year point I would be able to work abroad, there was the off program salary that was very appealing, there was the job titles, and the opportunity to work directly for a CIO." The early days of UberCab By mid-2009, Kalanick was "temporarily" running Uber, which had yet to launch, with co-founder Garrett Camp. "I wasn't yet ready for a full-time gig still recharging from a 10 year non-stop startup life in P2P technology and we both thought the business was going to be pretty low-tech, mostly operational Little did we know," Kalanick wrote of early days at Uber. By January 2010, Kalanick said, he was interviewing Graves to take over. "Funny story how we brought him in. I was hitting Craigslist, Twitter, and other channels looking for the right candidate. What resulted was the Awesomest job post and response I've ever seen (I'm @konatbone):" Source: Uber Newsroom He got the job and moved to Hayes Valley in San Francisco, leaving a half-packed apartment in Chicago after 4 years. "The world of no health insurance, jamming late nights, endless responsibility, and some of the most fun I've ever had are ahead of me and I'm so stoked," he wrote. Graves started working at Uber in March 2010, demoing the product, with Kalanick dropping by for about 15 to 20 hours a week. Graves steered the company through its launch and first round of financing for the next two years he didn't take any vacations. In the first two months after the app launched, the company went from coordinating 5 rides per night to about 50, Graves said in a Facebook post, crediting the rise to customers' forgiveness for early-stage companies. The team started hiring for their first full-time engineer in April, and by June, Graves had moved the rest of his stuff to San Francisco. "I work with a ton of young startup executives, but rarely have I had the opportunity to work with someone as high quality as Ryan," Kalanick wrote at the time. "He's got the trifecta: Hustle, emotional intelligence, and smarts. .... He learned the startup game fast and worked his ass off to build the Uber team and make the San Francisco launch and subsequent growth a huge success." Graves, center right, poses with NASA astronaut Jose Hernandez, center left, with Los Ubers, a group of Uber employees "committed to spreading the vibrancy of Latino culture" Source: Uber Newsroom But by December, Kalanick took over as CEO. Graves cited their "mentor/mentee" relationship, and both said they were "pumped" by the changes in the company, calling it a "partnership, not a replacement." Graves, then general manager and vice president of operations, wrote later that the handover was "a little bit of an ego/gut check." "I wasn't being forced out, and the position Travis was asking me to accept was one that I thought really aligned with my strengths," Graves said in an interview with a venture capital firm. Since then, Graves has been involved in a myriad of projects, including the company's international expansion and UberEats meal delivery service. His Twitter feed, mostly silent on Uber's issues, is largely focused on politics (he's a passionate environmentalist). Now a family man, Graves aims to be home for dinner at least once a week for dinner with his young children. The anti-Travis? Kalanick has undoubtedly been a driving force in Uber's skyrocketing valuation, which now approaches $68 billion, according to CB Insights. "Travis is who he is. He doesn't try to play the political brand or water things down," SB Projects, an early Uber backer, told CNBC last year. Jason Calacanis, another investor in Uber, said Kalanick has the makings of a "legendary CEO" in the vein of Microsoft's Bill Gates and Oracle's Larry Ellison. Uber founder Travis Kalanick Danish Siddiqui | Reuters But that hard-driving approach has also lent itself to a "fighter mentality," Calacanis said. Susan Fowler, a former Uber engineer, wrote that Uber's culture was, indeed, political, noting that upper management did little to address her concerns about sexism. "We all lived under fear that our teams would be dissolved, there would be another re-org, and we'd have to start on yet another new project with an impossible deadline. It was an organization in complete, unrelenting chaos," Fowler wrote in a viral blog post. Fowler doesn't name which executives were involved in the most inflammatory incidents she witnessed, like the decisions to exclude women from getting corporate leather jacket. But that kind of behavior does not seem to fit Graves' personality, at least not from what we know as his early days as an executive, more than 7 years ago. He was "nice, genuine and hardworking," according to one college friend who spoke to CNBC. Culture isn't something that you force feed your team. Ryan Graves Uber In his book, "The Upstarts," author Brad Stone describes Graves' hiring of Austin Geidt, the first woman to work at Uber. Geidt had been addicted to drugs in college, recovering to find her career adrift before she was hired by Graves as a marketing intern. She told Stone that she struggled to fit, had "terrible impostor syndrome," and found Kalanick stressful. But Graves "counseled her in the stairwell to the office, with Geidt in tears." "Instead of firing her, though, Graves gave her time to find her footing," Stone wrote. "Later he dismissed his first driver-operations manager and installed Geidt in the role." She, like Graves, would go from intern to key Uber exec and advocate of Uber's culture. But in a 2012 interview with a venture capital firm, Graves also emphasized that he thought rewarding individuals was an important part of building culture in a company but that forcing the culture issue was "kind of lame." "Culture isn't something that you force feed your team," Graves said. "It's more of a byproduct of who you are collectively, what you stand for, and what you value most. If you focus on people individually the work that they do and the way in which they're rewarded I think that will have a far greater impact on your business, and culture will take care of itself." An uncertain future for top Uber executives Sinopec expects to boost foreign investment to more than $30 billion, Dai Liqi, director of the firm's foreign cooperation office, told CNBC. That could mean double the $16 billion the firm spent between 2010 and 2015 in outward investment targeted in 30 countries, where the firm has 50 different projects. Dai, however, didn't specify the time frame for the increased investment. China's giant state-owned oil and gas firm Sinopec is planning to splash big money into a continued expansion abroad to shore up access to energy resources as Beijing touts its main foreign policy initiative. China Petroleum & Chemical Corp. (Sinopec) signage is displayed on one of the company's storage tanks in the Tsing Yi area of Hong Kong, China, on Monday, Aug. 26, 2013. The company's push falls under a broader Chinese government initiative, dubbed "One Belt, One Road," a giant plan to strengthen China's investment, influence and trade links to the rest of the world. It's meant to increase the country's global clout, to help China shore up access to energy resources and to seek growth abroad as the domestic economy slows. Both state-owned and private firms are applauding the initiative a government-approved line of spending that could help companies circumvent tighter capital controls that have curbed overseas investment recently. "We think this policy is very good we have enjoyed the benefits of China opening up over time," Dai said. "For Sinopec, this presents us favorable opportunities." Sinopec has the money for continued overseas investment the company's balance sheet remains robust with 135 billion yuan (about $19.56 billion) in cash, wrote Alliance Bernstein's Neil Beveridge in a recent note. Last year, the firm sunk $1 billion to buy Chevron's assets in south Africa. China has been importing energy resources for decades to meet growing demand. As such, the government has long encouraged energy firms to acquire overseas assets. "We are still quite poor in domestic resources in Chongqing, we have discovered this new shale gas resource," Dai said, adding that "it's still not enough to meet our needs and we have to furnish resources from abroad." One of Sinopec's largest foreign investments came in 2013, when it bought one-third of U.S. firm Apache's Egypt business for around $3 billion. At the time, a coup had recently toppled the democratically elected president and sparked deadly protests. Despite the unrest, Sinopec was quick to snap up a stake in Egypt's "valuable" assets, Shao Jingyang, Sinopec's general manager in Egypt, told CNBC. "We were very confident and determined to make the decision." Critics of OBOR have said that Chinese companies don't have the know-how to manage operations in areas where stability and security can pose a risk. Sinopec, Dai said, recognizes the challenges and has worked to "teach and train our own people to adapt to different countries, cultures and languages." "Managing international expansion operations will create different interim issues," he said. "You have to understand the situation where you are going, you have to adapt to the local environment, and you have to assess the risks of investing there." The country touts its Egypt venture as a success. Even as oil prices have fallen globally, Sinopec said it has maintained its momentum, producing 350,000 barrels of oil a day in Egypt, turning a profit of $620 million. The firm has reinvested about $1 billion in Egypt over the last three years with an eye to long-term growth, and is currently in discussions to invest billions to help develop a petrochemical refinery complex south of the Suez Canal. "We see a bright future here," Shao said. "We want to make full-spectrum cooperation with Egypt." But a big challenge is "past due receivables," he said. Experts have continually highlighted risks if countries are unable to pay back China. Shao suggested the issue could be eased if more transactions settled in Chinese renminbi, adding another possible currency to the pool to handle payments. The Chinese government has been keen to globalize the renminbi it's acceptance last year into the International Monetary Fund's special basket of currencies was a symbolic move in that direction. In the long run, the "One Belt, One Road" initiative "could boost internationalization of the renminbi by encouraging its use in both trade and financial transactions," wrote Tianjie He of Oxford Economics in a recent note. In January 2016, Chinese President Xi Jinping announced billions in investment and aid deals during a trip to Egypt, the first by a Chinese head of state in a dozen years, state media reported. The launch ceremony for the Ozark National Scenic Riverways is still scheduled for June 5 despite the site being damaged from flood waters. The park was still closed as of May 11 as repairs and cleanup are made. Big Spring Lodge at Ozark National Scenic Riverways park in Missouri was nearly submerged by floodwaters from torrential rainstorms in late April. Plans for the U.S. Mints June 5 launch of the 2017 Ozark National Scenic Riverways quarter dollar in Missouri remain on track while workers at the currently closed park that is the scheduled site for the launch clean up and make repairs caused by extensive river flooding. Right now, in June is still the plan, U.S. Mint spokesman Michael White told Coin World May 11. The park has not indicated otherwise. We have plenty on the off-metal 1943 Lincoln Cents and on the origin of Q. David Bowers column: A reader wonders how much his 1943 cent struck on a dime planchet is worth, while a long-time numismatist wonders why the origins of two new bronze 1943 cents were revealed. The historic Alley Mill depicted on the reverse of the quarter dollar and the scheduled site of the coin launch had a foot of water on the main floor inside the structure before the waters began to recede and cleanup began. Connect with Coin World: Sign up for our free eNewsletter Like us on Facebook Follow us on Twitter Park officials report the water has been pumped out and the building is drying. Damage is being evaluated by conservators and historic architects with the objective of having repairs complete in time for the quarter dollar launch festivities. Other structures at the national park, including Big Spring Lodge, were almost completely submerged in the floodwaters of the Current and Jacks Fork rivers, when multiple torrential rainstorms in later April caused the rivers to crest nearly 10 feet above their historic recorded highs. Authorities are dealing with mud, sand, gravel, tree branches and debris, as well as low-hanging electrical lines. Unless announced otherwise, however, the quarter dollar launch ceremony is still slated for 11 a.m. Central Time June 5 at the Alley Spring and Mill, State Route 106, in Eminence, Mo. The launch coincides with the coins release into general circulation. Following the June 5 launch event in Missouri, attendees will be able to exchange cash for $10 face value rolls of Uncirculated circulation-quality 2017-P quarter dollars. Security Bank of the Ozarks is the sponsoring bank in charge of conducting the coin exchange. A coin collector forum, during which collectors and U.S. Mint representatives can exchange their views on U.S. Mint programs, is set for 6 to 7 p.m. CT June 4 in the Nixon Room at Echo Bluff State Park, 34489 Echo Bluff Drive, in Eminence. The 2017 Ozark National Scenic Riverways quarter dollar is the 38th of 56 coins to be issued under the America the Beautiful Quarters Program. One coin is being issued for each of the 50 states, the District of Columbia and the five U.S. territories, with a reverse design reflective of a national park or historic site in each respective area. Three older, heavier coins of Sweden will no longer be valid after June 30. Three denominations of Swedish coins will soon be invalid for use in circulation. The Sveriges Riksbank, or Swedish Central Bank, has warned consumers in Sweden that after June 30, older 1-, 2- and 5-krona coins will no longer be accepted in circulation. They will remain legal tender until Aug. 31, 2017, but may only be deposited into bank accounts through that time. We have plenty on the off-metal 1943 Lincoln Cents and on the origin of Q. David Bowers column: A reader wonders how much his 1943 cent struck on a dime planchet is worth, while a long-time numismatist wonders why the origins of two new bronze 1943 cents were revealed. In 2016, new coins of the three aforementioned denominations debuted with new designs and different alloys. The designs are based on the theme Sun, Wind and Water. The bank is now withdrawing older versions of the 1-, 2- and 5-krona coins. Connect with Coin World: Sign up for our free eNewsletter Like us on Facebook Follow us on Twitter The old 1-krona coins were in use from 1976 to 2012, with several circulating commemorative designs in use. Two different types were in use during this period, with the most recent definitive design used from 2001 to 2012. Until 2016, the 2-krona coin hadnt been issued for circulation since 1971. It was released from 1952 forward, and the changes last year restored the denomination to circulation. The classic 5-krona coin has been issued since 1976. For full details of the changes, visit the Riksbank website. Manifesto 1) May promises swathe of new council houses Theresa May will launch an audacious bid to woo Labour voters when she puts plans for a new generation of council homes for the working classes at the heart of her programme for government. In an interview with The Sunday Times, the prime minister said she will change the law to help councils and housing associations build hundreds of thousands of homes, ending years of neglect of social housing. May will also seek to emulate Margaret Thatchers dream of a property owning democracy in the 1980s, by ensuring a proportion of the new homes will have to be offered for sale to tenants after 10 to 15 years under the Right to Buy scheme. The plan to adapt Thatchers most popular policy to help Generation Rent will form the centrepiece of the Conservative election manifesto, due to be published on Thursday. Sunday Times () She will adapt Right to Buy for a new generation Sunday Times () The manifesto matters Craig Oliver, Mail on Sunday What should be in it The Sun on Sunday Manifesto 2) The Armed Forces will get a share of the aid budget Britains armed forces will get a slice of foreign aid cash under a shake-up being planned by ministers. Senior Tories want the military to play a bigger role in maintaining security in strife-torn countries. It will mean troops being used to deliver food and medicine to overseas trouble spots and raking off some of the ballooning overseas aid budget. Plans to blur the lines between aid and defence spending are being thrashed out by party bigwigs for inclusion in the election manifesto. Insiders insist Theresa May will keep the commitment to spend two per cent of national income on defence and 0.7 per cent on aid. The Sun on Sunday The immigration cap will be pledged this weekfor the third time The Sun on Sunday Manifesto 3) Thatcherite grandees warn May against abandoning free markets Theresa May has been warned not to abandon Margaret Thatchers free market economics as she prepares to reveal the most interventionist Tory manifesto for generationsHer more interventionist economics, which is part of an election strategy to win over traditional Labour voters, has triggered a backlash among some Tory grandees. Lord Tebbit, who held the trade and employment briefs under Mrs Thatcher, said Mrs May would be wise to extend the Iron Ladys free-market thinkingSir Bernard Ingham, Mrs Thatchers long-serving chief press secretary, warned Mrs May against a manifesto that ignores the past when it comes to Government intervention. Two other cabinet ministers who served under Mrs Thatcher were scathing of the Prime Ministers energy price cap when speaking off the record. Sunday Telegraph Scrapping green subsidies would be better than a price cap Christopher Booker, Sunday Telegraph The Conservatives shouldnt turn their back on what works Sunday Times Leader () The Ronseal Prime Minister She is, as one minister calls her, the Ronseal prime minister, appropriating the slogan from the adverts for the quick-drying wood stain: She does what she says on the tin. When I mention this nickname May suddenly comes alive, leaning forward, smiling: Well, I hope so. Certainly thats my political philosophy. I try to say it as it is and I would hope that what people see is what they get. What it says on the tin is what they get. What you get is a sober, straightforward, no-nonsense approach that is attracting support from former Labour voters and has Conservatives in raptures. Sunday Times () How will ministers deal with what is becoming an overwhelmingly personal mandate? Dominic Lawson, Sunday Times () A strong and stable push to tell voters not very much Adam Boulton, Sunday Times () Wales is set to turn blue Roger Scully, Sunday Times () The NHS suffered 66 ransom virus attacks last year but none were reported to police Hackers demanding ransoms launched 66 cyber attacks on English hospitals last year but none was reported to police. The astonishing failure of the NHS to take action laid its computer systems open to the devastating assault on Friday, experts said. Details of the 2016 incidents only emerged during a Mail on Sunday investigation using freedom of information requests. Our inquiries found that one London NHS trust Imperial College Healthcare was hit 19 times in the year. And eight of the 27 trusts affected were subjected to more than one attack. The NHS was crippled on Friday by a global computer virus which encrypted data and demanded a ransom for it to be unlocked again. Mail on Sunday Editorials >Today: ToryDiary: After the biggest ransomeware offensive in history, how safe is our personal data which the state requires others to keep? Davidson: They said it was once in a generation, so indyref2 should be in 2049 Ruth Davidson has said she will try to keep a second independence referendum off the table for a generation suggesting another vote should not be considered for around 35 yearsWhen Nicola Sturgeon signed the Edinburgh Agreement and said shed respect the result I believed her. She said it would be for a generation. We will endeavour to make sure that it is. This is something that is very much decided by the people of Scotland, said Davidson. When asked how long she thought a generation should be, Davidson said: What was Alex Salmonds definition? He said that between the 79 and 2014 referendum that was about a generation. That works for me. Scotland on Sunday Tories enjoy lead among Leavers and among the majority of Remainers who accept the result On the question of Brexit, the electorate can be broken down into three core groups instead of two: the Hard Leavers who want out of the EU (45 per cent); the Hard Remainers who still want to try to stop Brexit (22 per cent); and the Re-Leavers (23 per cent) those who voted to Remain last summer but think that the government now has a duty to leaveThe Conservatives stance on Brexit has won not only the backing of those who voted for EU withdrawal, but is also siphoning extra votes from the Re-Leavers. Among the two-thirds of the electorate who are Leavers or Re-Leavers, the Tories have the support of six in 10 voters. It matters a lot less that Mrs Mays party is losing voters among Hard Remainers. Marcus Roberts, FT >Today: Tina Stowell on Comment: The question that voters are asking in this election is whos with us, and whos against us? Corbyn was arrested when protesting against the trial of IRA terrorists Jeremy Corbyn was arrested in 1986 taking part in a protest by IRA sympathisers to show solidarity with accused terrorists including the Brighton bomber, a Sunday Times investigation reveals. Corbyn joined a picket outside the Old Bailey to oppose the show trial of a group including Patrick Magee, who was subsequently convicted of murdering five people at the 1984 Tory party conference. Magee was also convicted with the other defendants of planning a massive bombing campaign in London and seaside resorts. The disclosure comes the week after Corbyn said that Britain had not fought a just war since 1945, although he supported some peacekeeping operations. The protest was organised by activists from the Troops Out Movement, closely linked to Sinn Fein, the IRAs political wing. Sunday Times () Blair allies draw up plans for a new party following the election Close allies of Tony Blair have drawn up plans to create a new political party if Labour crashes to a historic defeat and have already received pledges of funding if it is needed, according to sources familiar with the discussions. The former prime minister has said he wants to see the moderates reclaim control of Labour after the general election. But some of his political allies have concluded that the party cannot be saved from the clutches of the hard left and that a plan B will be required. Sunday Times () Trump denies asking Comey for a pledge of personal loyalty President Donald Trump has flat out denied asking former FBI director James Comey for a loyalty pledge and has refused to answer questions about whether he records conversations in the White House. In an interview with Fox News Channels Jeanine Pirro on Saturday night, Trump said he never questioned Comey about his loyalty. No I didnt, but I dont think it would be a bad question to ask, Trump said. I dont know how that got there because I didnt ask that question. Mail on Sunday News in Brief Imagine that the Government required the companies that issue us with our front door keys to keep itemised copies of them for a year. Would we be confident that these would not be stolen and our homes ramsacked? The parallel with parts of last years Investigatory Powers Act is not exact. But is suggestive. Under the terms of the Act, communication service providers are compelled to retain internet connection records for a year, which detail which websites internet users visit (though not the particular pages and full browsing history). The possibility of us being locked out of our own computer systems the parallel with our homes with our own personal data stolen, before blackmail demands are issued, arises from last weeks biggest ransomware offensive in history which struck at about a hundred countries, including Britain. Here, hospitals and GP surgeries were hit. Patients were turned away, operations cancelled, staff forced to resort to pen and paper. It will be claimed that hackers are unlikely to go after institutions rather than a mass of individuals, and that the security of our records will not be breached. But the first claim is arguably wishful thinking, and the second far from guaranteed. Jeremy Hunt is being criticised this morning for failures in NHS computer security; we simply do not know if the internet providers would do any better. The security services argued while the Act was being drafted that they need the powers it contains to help combat Islamist terror. Civil libertarians mocked what they claim is the ineffectiveness of state trawling operations, searching for the needle of terrorist plotting amidst the haystack of communications data, and said that extremist groups would simply resort to encrypted systems instead of the kind that Amber Rudd recently said the security services should be entitled to break. But let us take the security services part here, recognising the work they do to keep us safe from the likes of ISIS and Al Qaeda and presume that the provisions laid out in the Act, which allow the police and security services to see these records without a warrant in some cases, are important to the work that they do. If this is so, were left with a trade-off between, on the one hand, allowing the state the tools that it needs to help protect our lives and, on the other, placing the security of our data at risk. The state itself may invade our privacy, as some public bodies did when they abused the powers available to then under the Regulation of Investigatory Powers Act. Or criminals may seek to do so in order to steal and blackmail. Or a foreign power may do. Our readers will need no reminder, in the wake of Donald Trumps sensational sacking of James Comey, of allegations about Russia in that regard. Indeed, where criminal activity ends and state subversion begins is a nice question: read this piece from Wired if you want to get the flavour of some of the claims. It would be an exaggeration to claim that the hacker will always get through, just as it was one to say that the bomber will always get through, when Stanley Baldwin made that claim. None the less, the hacker will sometimes do so perhaps often. We should be asking ourselves whether the law is putting our data more at risk than the balance between collective and personal security justifies. Continue Reading Below Advertisement Snails and dog tails make you more aggressive. When we grow up, women are more likely to be penalized for displaying too much aggression, while men are rewarded for the exact same behavior. Sometimes with millions of dollars. Continue Reading Below Advertisement When actually ... Women might be the more aggressive of the genders. Researchers found that when you deindividuate a person--or place the person in a situation where he or she doesn't have an individual identity--aggressive attitudes are amplified. This makes sense. It's probably why Marines are required to wear the same uniform, and hipsters are such pussies. Well, they tested this in the lab by having men and women play an interactive video game that required killing other players by dropping bombs on them. They found that under normal circumstances, men dropped far more bombs than women. But in the deindividuated groups, women out-attacked the men every time, with an average of about five more bombs dropped per session. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate 3 1 of 3 Phil Noel / File Photo Show More Show Less 2 of 3 File Photo/Cathy Zuraw / File Photo Show More Show Less 3 of 3 MILFORD On Wednesday, May 10, at 6 p.m., U.S. Rep. Rosa DeLauro (D-3) will visit Jonathan Law High School in Milford to lead a town hall-style forum on President Donald Trumps tax plan. DeLauro will offer brief remarks at the start of the event and will then hear directly from constituents. Doors will open at 5:30 PM and the session will begin at 6. Your business is growing and its time for you to hire an employee or two. You blanket the internet with job listings, ask your friends and family for referrals and maybe even use a recruiter. You put a lot of time and effort into attracting candidates, but how many apply? Probably not as many as you hoped. And, after screening resumes and evaluating applications, how many actually qualify for the position? So, you interview the qualifying applicants and choose the best candidate . . . who promptly turns you down, at which point youre likely left confused and frustrated. You thought you were almost done with the hiring process, but now you have to start over. If youve ever tried hiring new employees, then you probably know how hard it is to find high-quality candidates. Related: 22 Qualities That Make a Great Leader Why is it hard to find employees? The hiring process is just that: a process. Unfortunately, there can be breakdowns at any stage of the process. Even a single breakdown can be enough to prevent you from hiring the candidate you want to hire. If your hiring process has multiple breakdowns, then the chances of finding good employees is greatly diminished. Below are four of the most important stages of the process. Attracting the right candidates for your open position (i.e., qualified candidates) Keeping those candidates engaged throughout the process Assessing and selecting the appropriate candidates Sealing the deal with your top choice If you falter at any of these steps, you're in trouble, but if you fail to find or attract the right candidates to start, you're screwed. So, let's go over some tips to finding good employees. Where do I start? One of my companies, Top Echelon, recently surveyed its customer base of over 5,000 recruiters to discover what their clients complained about the most. Nearly half of respondents (45.8 percent) indicated that their clients biggest complaint was not having enough candidates from which to choose. Of course, what theyre really complaining about is not having enough quality candidates from which to choose. This is a matter of quality, not quantity. So how do you get more of these quality candidates, the type of candidates who will turn into good employees? You have a few options. You might have a person or two (or a whole team) within your organization dedicated to attracting and finding quality candidates. You might also advertise your job openings on the internet, and there are plenty of ways to do that. Or, you could enlist an experienced recruiting firm that specializes in your industry. Or all of the above. Whatever you do, you must ensure get plenty of quality candidates. Make sure you can be happy with your second or third option. That doesn't mean you should settle for your third option, though. Here are four tips to making sure you don't scare away your favorite candidate. Related: How to Start a Business With (Almost) No Money 1. Write clear job postings Unclear job requirements lead to unqualified candidates -- or at the very least, not enough qualified ones. In the Top Echelon survey, recruiters identified inaccurate job requirements as a stressor in their professional lives. Thats because inaccurate or unclear requirements make it more difficult to find quality candidates. Spell out the job requirements. Dont be vague by saying things like Must be able to work with others. Be specific. Will the employee need to communicate and get feedback from clients regularly? Will the employee need to complete projects with a larger team at your company? Dont leave your requirements and expectations up to interpretation. 2. Be Decisive Throughout the hiring process steps, you have to act quickly because high-quality candidates are in demand. In Top Echelons report, we discovered that almost a quarter of candidates who rejected a job offer did so because the employer took too long. So, even if you do have promising candidates, they will potentially leave your hiring process if youre too slow. The tortoise doesnt beat the hare when it comes to hiring. Cut out unnecessary time wasters in your process. Dont take long breaks between communication with candidates. Move from one part of your process to the next as quickly as possible. Related: Habits of the World's Wealthiest People (Infographic) 3. Have reasonable expectations You might be overlooking great candidates because you keep thinking that the perfect candidate is out there. Forget about perfect. You want great candidates who will turn into great employees. Lacking that, you want good candidates who will grow into the position and become great employees. Ive hired good candidates who didnt even have experience within my companys industry, and they evolved to the point where theyre now successfully running critical departments. They werent perfect, but they had plenty of potential. If you hire intelligently, you can also mine diamonds in the rough for your organization. Break your expectations down into must-haves and like-to-haves. Once you decide where youre willing to be flexible, your candidate-sourcing strategies will deliver more qualified candidates. 4. Offer solid pay In the Top Echelon survey, 29.7 percent candidates who rejected a job offer said they did so because the salary was too low. In contrast, 17.9 percent of employers said candidates have unrealistic salary expectations. We are currently in a candidates market. This means candidates have more pull during the hiring process when determining compensation and benefits. To get the most qualified candidates, you must offer a competitive salary and compensation package. You need to offer candidates what they want, or at least attempt to meet them in the middle. Thats how you seal the deal. If you dont, then you might lose a good candidate to a higher-paying competitor. There are plenty of challenges and obstacles when it comes to hiring in todays competitive marketplace. The last thing you want to do as an employer is add to those obstacles. Hiring great employees is not as difficult as it seems. You just have to be prepared to do everything thats necessary in order to hire them. Related: Copyright 2017 Entrepreneur.com Inc., All rights reserved Republican legislators have offered an alternative budget to reduce projected state current service budget deficits of $1.6 billion in FY2018 and and $1.85 billion in FY 2019. The heart of their plan are labor concessions of $700 million for FY2018 followed by concessions of $892 million in FY2019. Together with overtime freezes saving $25 million each year, hiring freezes saving $11.5 million and consolidation of agencies saving $15.8 million and $27.5 million for reach of the two years, all told these projected savings amount to $852 million and $956 million. Or roughly one-half of the projected state budget deficits. Russia, Turkey, and Iran, at a conference in Astana, Kazakhstan, announced an agreement to create 'de-escalation zones' in major areas of conflict between Syrian government forces and rebel groups. The United States was represented at the Astana conference by Acting Assistant Secretary Stuart Jones. The United States was not a direct participant in the negotiations and is not, at this point, a party to the agreement. "The United States supports any effort that can genuinely de-escalate the violence in Syria, ensure unhindered humanitarian access, focus energies on the defeat of ISIS and other terrorists, and create the conditions for a credible political resolution of the conflict," said State Department Spokesperson Heather Nauert. The U.S. appreciates the efforts of Turkey and the Russian Federation to pursue this agreement and has encouraged the Syrian opposition to participate actively in the discussions despite the difficult conditions on the ground. "We continue to have concerns about the Astana agreement," said Ms. Nauert, "including the involvement of Iran as a so-called 'guarantor.' Irans activities in Syria have only contributed to the violence, not stopped it, and Irans unquestioning support for the Assad regime has perpetuated the misery of ordinary Syrians." In light of the failures of past agreements, the U.S. has reason to be cautious. "We expect the [Syrian] regime to stop all attacks on civilians and opposition forces, something they have never done," said Spokesperson Nauert. "We expect Russia to ensure regime compliance." The opposition must also live up to its commitments, with Turkey as the guarantor, to separate from designated terrorist groups, including al-Nusra Front, which continue to hijack the legitimate aspirations of the Syrian people for a representative and accountable government. The U.S. nonetheless hopes that this arrangement can contribute to a de-escalation of violence, end the suffering of the Syrian people, and set the stage for a political settlement of the conflict. The United States looks forward to continuing its dialogue with Russia on efforts to responsibly end the Syria conflict. The U.S. also continues to support the United Nations-led process in Geneva to bring about a negotiated settlement. PAUL SCHNEIDEREIT: Treatment centre for PTSD in first responders, military opens in Nova Scotia Imagine its your job, every day, to be ready to rush to scenes where men, women or even children had been killed or badly injured, often in horrific circumstances. Really, consider what that might be like. If youre like most of us, the thought ... On August 8th of this year, Kenya will hold a general election. Kenyans will elect a president and his deputy, members of parliament, and county governors and assembly representatives. Kenyas previous elections, particularly the 2007 presidential election, have experienced violence and technical problems. In this context, stakeholders from across Kenya, including international partners, fear that this trend could continue and working to make the August 8 elections as free, fair, credible, and peaceful as possible. In preparation for the August polls, Kenyas first nation-wide primary elections, run by the political parties themselves, took place between April 13th and 30th. There was strong voter turnout and hundreds of candidates for county and parliamentary positions were selected. However, there were also delays in delivering party voting materials to the right polling stations, allegations of pre-marked ballot papers, and names of some voters missing from the party registers. Kenyans National Police Service announced that there were also two deaths related to violence around the primaries. In a statement released on May 3rd, the heads of mission of 21 Embassies and Consulates, including U.S. Ambassador to Kenya Robert Godec, called on all Kenyans to embrace peace and reject violence. They also urged law enforcement and administration to remain politically-neutral, and to protect all voters, activists, and candidates equally and fully. As friends of Kenya, we congratulate the many Kenyans who peacefully participated in the recent political party primaries by voting and supporting the integrity of the process. We also welcome the large number of women and young candidates and voters, said the statement. Together, millions of Kenyans stepped forward to exercise their constitutional rights and give voice to democracy. At the same time, Kenyans from all sides also rightfully expressed frustration with the serious organizational challenges and allegations of improprieties that affected many of the polls. Even more troubling were the unacceptable acts of violence and intimidation during the process. As Kenya now moves toward August 8, the primaries highlight the importance of free, fair, credible, and peaceful general elections. . . We encourage citizens to vote for the leaders of their choice on August 8. We have no favored party or candidate. This is a decision for Kenyans alone to make A court in Cambodia recently extended by six months the pre-trial detention of five human rights defenders already held for a year without trial. They include Lim Mony, Nay Vanda, Ny Sokha, and Yi Soksan, members of the respected Cambodian non-governmental organization ADHOC, as well as that of former member Ny Chakrya. The United Nations Human Rights Office of the High Commissioner called for Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sens government to release without delay the five rights defenders. Speaking to reporters in Geneva, United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights spokesperson Elizabeth Throssell also expressed regret that their detention was extended, despite an opinion by the U.N. Working Group on Arbitrary Detention last November that they be freed. While we recognize the obligation of the investigative judge to thoroughly investigate the case, the use of pre-trial detention should be the exception, rather than the rule, and be allowed only for the shortest possible time necessary, on the basis of clear evidence and valid legal reasoning, Throssell said. We regret that these safeguards appear not to have been followed at any of the bail hearings. The United States notes with concern reports the impact this prolonged detention is having on the families of the imprisoned and the unreasonable delay in proceeding to trial. The United States encourages the government of Cambodia to consider carefully the United Nations' recommendations of the U.N. Working Group on Arbitrary Detention and respect its human rights obligations. As Secretary of State Rex Tillerson has said, promoting human rights and democracy is a core element of U.S. foreign policy. That's why the U.S. will continue to champion respect for human rights around the world, including in Cambodia. United Nations peacekeeping missions are critical to assisting war-torn countries get back on their feet, and to transition from conflict to peace. For over 60 years now, UN peacekeeping missions have operated in some of the most dangerous and difficult environments in the world, dealing with conflicts and their aftermath the world over. In that time, 126 countries have contributed peacekeepers to the United Nations. Given the wide spectrum of cultures involved, in order to be successful in their common endeavor, they must train together. Now, more than ever, there is a growing global demand for trained peacekeeping personnel, writes Andrew Strike of the U.S. State Departments Bureau of Political-Military Affairs in a recent blog post. International stability requires peace operations, and peace operations require well-trained, effective peacekeepers. That is why, in late March and early April, the Government of Nepal and the United States Pacific Command co-hosted Shanti Prayas III, a multinational peacekeeping exercise that brought together participants from over 30 countries. Partnerships play a critical role in meeting global challenges, from maintaining peace to providing humanitarian assistance after natural disasters, said U.S. Ambassador to Nepal Alaina Teplitz. This kind of multinational training can deepen mutual understanding and respect and encourage further collaboration if were doing it right and were committed to this mission. The Shanti Prayas III, which translates as Peace Endeavor, is supported by the U.S. Global Peace Operations Initiative, a U.S. Government-funded security assistance program that aims to strengthen international peacekeeping capacity in support of United Nations and regional peace operations. The Initiative provides the capacity building support to help countries around the world contribute to the establishment of international peace and security. The United States is committed to U.N. peacekeeping missions, mandates and tasks that support the rules-based international ordera system that benefits all nations, said Admiral Harris, head of U.S. Pacific Command. Thats why we continue to work together with partners from the countries [represented at Shanti Prayas III]. Each morning for the next three and a half weeks, a small but dedicated army of Labour supporters will pin on their red rosettes, pick up their clipboards and set off on a mission to divine the mood of the nation. More specifically, they will gather data to feed in to Contact Creator, the online program used by their party to manage its ground war in the 650 electoral battlegrounds. Every canvasser is given a set of codes to record responses. L denotes a solid Labour supporter, while DL (for Dont Know, Labour) indicates a wavering voter. Most seasoned Labour activists are fluent in this psephological shorthand. But in this Election they have had to learn a new cypher DLJ. Each morning for the next three and a half weeks, a small but dedicated army of Labour supporters will pin on their red rosettes, pick up their clipboards and set off on a mission to divine the mood of the nation DLJ is how Labours teams are coding former voters who are abandoning the party specifically because of Jeremy Corbyn. And from Yorkshire to Humberside, from the West Midlands to outer London, the feedback is the same. Canvass sheets are now thick with the letters DLJ which might as well mean Dont Like Jeremy. Its how we start conversations, one MP tells me. The phone will go and Ill just say, 1 in 4 DLJs. How about you? Another explained: Theyre all were focusing on. If you spend 15 minutes with a DLJ you can bring them round. But there are just too many. There simply isnt going to be time to reach enough of them. The 2017 General Election is already over. Labour is no longer fighting a campaign in the traditional sense. Thoughts of winning a majority, or enough seats to provide effective opposition, are gone. Instead, a series of savage battles for survival are being fought by individual MPs, while in parallel a very different struggle is being fought by their leader. Corbyns Election ended on April 18, the day Theresa May called it. Observers of his daily schedule expressed bewilderment as he immediately began visiting seats with large Labour majorities. But it wasnt the majorities that were significant. What was significant was Corbyns targeting of those seats with large Labour memberships. While his MPs fight for their lives, Corbyn is already putting in place his post-Election strategy. Part of that involves mobilising his supporters to repel any immediate leadership challenge, hence his bizarre campaign grid. Its also seen his personal activist base mobilising behind those sympathetic to his leadership, rather than critics in winnable seats. In an email, members of the Corbynite Praetorian Guard, Momentum, have been told to prioritise those candidates we consider to be Corbyn supporters rather than those who have been consistently oppositional. But by far the most important part of the strategy is laying the groundwork for what has been christened Corbynism without Corbyn. This week Labour Kremlinologists have been trying to work out who leaked Labours manifesto. But what was more instructive was the response of Corbyns surrogates when the document appeared. No sooner was it online than his supporters began explaining how popular the policies were. Between now and polling day a new policy is set to be unveiled every 24 hours. This policy blizzard is not because Team Corbyn believe establishing a Peace Minister or saving Britains bees will sway the electorate. But rather, they hope it will help cement a vital post-Election narrative. That narrative will go something like this. Jeremy has reshaped the party. Under him Labour has finally fought an Election on a prospectus that is both radical and popular, but he has been horribly misrepresented by the press. Despite that, we have shown a true Left-wing alternative can resonate with voters. Subtext: The message was great, we just had the wrong messenger. Those moderates fretting Corbyns never going to go! are missing the point. Of course he will go. The only questions are when and how, and whether his favoured successor Rebecca Long-Bailey will be shoehorned in as his replacement. There is talk of a pre-resignation immediately after polling day to spike any snap challenge, followed by an orderly autumn departure. But that depends on Long-Bailey being in the contest, seats in the Shadow Cabinet for his allies and a commitment that significant elements of his programme will remain. This is Corbyns fight now. For years the hard-Lefts mantra has been the only reason our agenda hasnt been electorally successful is its never been tried. But on June 8 that theory will be tested to destruction. So his priority is dragging as much of his battered ideology as he can from the wreckage. Meanwhile, hundreds of his MPs continue their own desperate struggle. Many will not survive. The letters DLJ will form their epitaph. Ken Loach, award-winning director of gritty social dramas Kes and I, Daniel Blake has been commissioned to produce a hard-hitting party political broadcast for Labour. But I understand hes hit a snag. The plan was to profile ordinary people whose jobs are under threat from Theresa Mays cruel administration. But Loach has been struggling to find anyone who fits the bill. According to a Labour insider: Theyve been scrabbling around trying to get workers around the UK whose jobs are at risk. But they cant find enough. Perhaps he should try contacting members of the Parliamentary Labour Party. CAMPAIGN CAMERA: Jezza win is a mission impossible It seemed Jeremy Corbyn had revealed his secret weapon last week signing up Tom Cruise. A man with a striking resemblance to the Mission: Impossible star was pictured in Jezzas car but it turned out to be his communications chief James Schneider. The Conservatives are a comfortable 18 points ahead of Labour in the polls enough to deliver Theresa May an overall majority of 120, with Jeremy Corbyn reduced to a rump of 185 in this weeks MoS seat-o-meter. Mrs Mays win could be even greater. A mass-sample poll released by Lord Ashcroft on Friday suggests the tally of seats could reach a whopping 172. Not only is Labour making little progress, there is no sign of the much-vaunted Lib Dem revival either. Only in Remain-voting London is there much indication of any advance by Tim Farrons party. Analysis by John Curtice, Professor of Politics, Strathclyde University. All the single ladies! Listen up. This could be life-changing. Last week, it transpired that the Queen of Silicon Valley and our own May Queen have something very important in common when it comes to men. Let us go first to that green One Show sofa, and the historic occasion the Mays offered themselves for inspection to the nation as a couple. A bespectacled Philip gazed supportively at his wife, praised her cooking (very important) and spoke of not minding that he didnt have his tea at 6pm (when of course they have supper at eight-ish) as his wife was too busy being Prime Minister to have it on the table. Philip gazed supportively at his wife, praised her cooking and spoke of not minding that he didnt have his tea at 6pm as his wife was too busy being Prime Minister to have it on the table. The takeaway here was that Mr May who was on the way to becoming President of the Oxford Union when the future PM met him, and works as an investment relationship manager was a bog-standard kind of bloke. Reserved. Shy. Unshowy. When asked about his fashion sense he looked anguished and stuttered: I quite like ties. We now zoom far far away to Facebooks Californian campus where Sheryl Sandberg, the lush-haired chief operating officer of the social media behemoth, is sharing the secrets of a successful marriage over chopped salad with a Financial Times reporter. You can date whoever you want, but you should marry the nerds and the good guys, Sheryl who was widowed a couple of years ago is ruling. You can date the bad guys, she allows, but you have to marry the guys who want an equal relationship. Guys who want to support your career. What Ms Sandberg appears to be saying is there is a new type of romantic hero in town. Not your usual toxic Neanderthal from central casting but the sensitive, supportive, self-sacrificial type, who might even put his other half first. Which makes perfect sense. If youre an alpha female, you dont want an alpha male to power-struggle over who takes out the bins, a needy rival for status and attention. You want a nerd. Angela Merkels got one (hes a quantum chemist, I rest my case). Helena Morrissey who juggled nine children with being boss of one of the City biggest investment houses, relies on hers a former financial hack called Richard. Nicola Horlick might have even had two. Yup, for todays superwomen, its all about harnessing nerdpower, whether you define nerd as a quietly capable (trying not to say strong and stable) man in a form-fitting tank top (Britain), or a single-minded expert in a technical field such as the guys Sheryl Sandberg might see across a crowded conference of matcha-tea drinking digerati in Silicon Valley. Not only do they make good husbands, who dont mind being the appendage to the power wife; these unpromising looking, scrawny, good guys are frequently high achieving themselves and a great get. Look at gorgeous Victorias Secret model Miranda Kerrs fiance, the co-founder of Snapchat, Evan Spiegel. Mark Zuckerberg in his grey T-shirts. Steve Jobs. Bill Gates. All nerds to look at, but no need to ask what first attracted flocking females to these towering billionaire titans of the modern interconnected age. So, single ladies, whether you go for a nerd in the sense of a meek, almost mousey, man like Philip May (who I think is very attractive, as it happens) or a tech-star, you will be making a wise choice. Good guys dont finish last. They end up with First Ladies. And the geek will indeed inherit the Earth. Now thats what I call a PROPER Princess! The shocking thing about King Charles III wasnt portraying the death of a 91-year-old monarch or the fifth-inline having a love affair with a commoner. Or even the treasonous insinuations about Prince Harrys parentage. My breath was taken by Kate Middleton (Charlotte Riley, pictured) who casts off her assigned role as plastic doll to reveal a Machiavellian Lady Macbeth with really great hair. She is not a submissive consort but a formidable female who opens her mouth and spits tacks in blank verse. Cry havoc! Here was a character boldly drawn against type who made me long for life to imitate art. My breath was taken by Kate Middleton (Charlotte Riley, pictured) who casts off her assigned role as plastic doll to reveal a Machiavellian Lady Macbeth with really great hair A genius written off by sexism The Spectator magazine once asked me to nominate the best novel Id ever read. I chose Jilly Coopers art-world bonkbuster Pandora. I thought it might shock the high-minded literary editor. Instead, he told me his own bookish wife had nominated Pandora too. Yes, millions of readers have known for many decades that Jilly is just as good as any of the Greats, and now we have academia on our side. Writing in The London Review of Books, Dr Ian Patterson, who teaches English at Queens College, Cambridge, says Jillys plots are every bit the equal of Dickens. So why do snobs still look down on her? I think its all down to marketing. Publishing is a highly sexist industry. When a woman writes a brilliant, funny, sexy book its called chick lit and printed as a paperback. When a man writes a novel, however unreadable, its categorised as literary fiction and issued in important, hard covers. A shudder went through my entire body when I read that Pippa Middleton has gone bridezilla and asked guests to bring a change of outfits for her big day. Celebrants have to sweat over TWO whole different elegant nuptial looks for the same occasion. The mind reels. Where will the wedding belles deposit their evening outfits before struggling into them? The vestry? Tip for Pippa: in my long experience, the more informal a do is, the happier people are (I might add that I was perfectly content with a register office and my navy office suit from Next, as I think was everyone else). Fidelity is upheld as the gold standard for a happy marriage. But according to Harley Street relationship counsellor Louise Van Der Velde involving other people in your intimate life could be the key to a healthy relationship. The 42-year-old widowed mother tells FEMAIL she believes 'everyone should swing' to save their long-term relationships. Louise, who is known as the 'Pleasure Professor', hosts two-day seminars for 'rich, good-looking couples' - often culminating in group sex on plush cushions - in a London hotel for around 70 selected people at a time. 'If I had my way the whole of society would be swinging together,' Louise says. 'We have an image of sex with strangers as sleazy and dirty, but this is about getting back to soul truth, that no one owns anybody else, we don't own our partners.' Scroll down for video Hot take: Mother-of-two Louise Van Der Velde, 42, runs sex parties for 'affluent, good looking, professional couples' - and she believes 'everyone should swing' to 'save their marriages' The relationship counsellor, who broadcast her theories during a recent appearance on Micky Flanagan's show, Thinking Out Loud, adds: 'It's about stopping jealousy and replacing fears with love.' Louise, originally from Harrogate, Yorkshire, has been in open relationships on-and-off since her doctor husband died 13 years ago. The mother-of-two, who has a son, 20, and daughter, 15, splits her time between Camberley, Surrey, and Marbella, where she initially hosted smaller, 'celebrity attended' sex parties. Louise, who goes under the name 'Pleasure Professor', previously told FEMAIL she believes 'marriage is for mugs' - but she wants to try to save unions in this unconventional way. Open relationships: Louise, originally from Harrogate, Yorkshire, has been in open relationships on-and-off since her doctor husband died 13 years ago She argues sex with strangers will create a marriage no one would want to leave. 'Doing this stops infidelity,' she says. 'If you explore your desires together, any fear about your other person cheating goes. 'After our work together couples often go and play and experience things together. Why on earth would you think of having an affair when you ave a relationship like this?' The sex guru invites single women as well as couples to the events, which involve a 70 per cent to 30 per cent ratio of women to men, 'to ensure it does not become a sausage fest'. The invites are also based on couples' desires. 'Most couples want a threesome with another woman,' Louise explains. 'The people who come are affluent, good looking, professional couples. They are young - I don't accept anyone over 45, and are mostly around 30 to 45.' Participants, who are also vetted for attractiveness and reasons for attending before being accepted, then embark on 48 hours of tantric touching, phallic meals, emotional workshops and unleashing the 'kundalini serpent' of sexual desire. Louise, who believes monogamy is a 'lie' sold to society as a whole, insists her sex parties are not purely about lust. Louise hosts two-day seminars for 'rich, good-looking couples' - often culminating in group sex on plush cushions - in a London hotel for around 70 selected people at a time Threesomes to save marriages: The invites are also based on couples' desires. 'Most couples want a threesome with another woman,' Louise explains She argues they 'deepen the connection' between couples - and successful pairs even leave with a certificate. 'In the seminar we start off very gently, we look at where people got their beliefs from about why they are monogamous. Mostly it's a limiting belief. An "I got married so I expected to have sex with one person", or "it's what society and marriage say you should do". 'I loosen up this belief by going back to very first time they were sold the lie about being monogamous - which can be as early as when they were seven or eight years old.' The sex guru, who has appeared regularly on This Morning and Lorraine, says her seminars culminate in, optional, sexual experiences in a 'comfy, cushion-lined, candlelit separate space'. Louise says her own children know about and are comfortable with her work. She explains: 'They have very much been brought up to be mindful with sex. They are both selective about who they engage with and are well balanced. 'I have taught them the opposite of what society does, that sex is not taboo.' The sex guru, who has appeared regularly on This Morning and Lorraine, says her seminars culminate in, optional, sexual experiences in a 'comfy, cushion-lined, candlelit separate space'. Sexy: 'The couples walk in and I get them in a sexy mood. There are male and female dancers around, pictures and mood lighting,' she outlines. 'We use a lot of music to get people in the mood as well' She revealed that male and female partners apparently tend to come with different attitudes. Louise says: 'What I am finding a lot is that the men are initially totally up for it and the women are a bit scared. Organised: The sex guru invites single women as well as couples to the events, which involve a 70 per cent to 30 per cent ratio of women to men, 'to ensure it does not become a sausage fest' 'So I hold their hands through it. Over two days, I gradually let them into their sexual goddess power to where they have never felt so sexy before. 'Then they have sex when they are ready at some point during the two days - usually at the end.' 'The couples walk in and I get them in a sexy mood. There are male and female dancers around, pictures and mood lighting,' she outlines. 'We use a lot of music to get people in the mood as well. 'As a group we work on emotions such as jealousy - especially for the women - and with the men on their fears around performing and other issues. 'Everything here is geared towards getting people in the mood for sex - partly unconsciously. Even the lunch is phallic, the way it's presented.' Sessions involve exercises such as splitting the group into people who like and dislike being dominated or submissive in the bedroom, to help people spot good potential partners. As things build towards the climax, participants strip down to their underwear and perform erotic dances. Louise says: 'They begin to tease each other with tantra techniques, with blindfolds, feathers, oils. They feed each other sensually with chocolate, fruit and fresh cream, which teases and ignites all the senses. 'Then finally we have an area, hidden off whole time before then, with candlelight and cushions, and anyone who is ready at that time to take things further, they go to that area and have sex.' It was while she was backpacking in the Caribbean for a year, working feeding wild stingrays that the then 20-year-old former events coordinator, Steph Gabriel, realised what her true passion in life was: sustainability. When she returned home to Australia, the now 28-year-old from the Sunshine Coast decided to enroll in an environmental science degree at university. Five years later, Ms Gabriel is the founder and CEO of the sustainable swimwear line, OceanZen. The gorgeous range of bikinis and swimsuits is made entirely from recycled plastics. Stephanie Gabriel (pictured), 28, from the Sunshine Coast has founded a range of sustainable bikinis and swimsuits She decided that this was what she wanted to focus on when she was backpacking in the Caribbean for a year, working feeding wild stingrays (pictured: her bikinis) Five years later, OceanZen is a hugely successful sustainable swim brand - every bikini is made from recycled plastics (pictured) According to Ms Gabriel, the gap year job in the Caribbean feeding wild stingrays was what 'planted the seed' and 'opened' her up to the idea of ocean sustainability: 'Beforehand, I had always loved the ocean, but I had no real idea about the effects humans were having on marine life,' she told Daily Mail Australia. 'After my first real connection with marine life, I was hooked and couldn't wait to get home and learn more.' In her final year of her degree, the ambitious 28-year-old launched OceanZen. The bikinis and swimsuits in the label are made from recycled fishing nets and plastic bottles, using a material called Econyl. 'When I launched, the company was entirely self-funded and started with about AUD $5,000,' Ms Gabriel said. 'I was still studying and working two jobs at the time,' she added. According to Ms Gabriel, the gap year job in the Caribbean feeding wild stingrays was what 'planted the seed' and 'opened' her up to the idea of ocean sustainability 'Beforehand, I had always loved the ocean, but I had no real idea about the effects humans were having on marine life,' she told Daily Mail Australia (pictured in the Caribbean) In her final year of her degree, Ms Gabriel launched OceanZen 'When I launched, the company was entirely self-funded and started with about AUD $5,000,' Ms Gabriel said - 'I was still studying and working two jobs at the time,' she added The 28-year-old explained that she finds it so 'exciting to be able to turn some discarded waste into something awesome' However, before she knew it, the environmentally-friendly swimsuit range began to take off. 'It's so exciting to be able to turn some discarded waste into something awesome,' Ms Gabriel said. The 28-year-old draws her inspiration from the ocean and things she loves. 'I don't really follow trends,' she said, revealing that Instagram has been crucial to her success. 'Even to this day, most of my sales come from Instagram. It's so inspiring to see so many people of my generation breaking away from the normal 9-5 and working abroad and carving their own mould.' Steph Gabriel (pictured) said she doesn't follow trends with her range and gets her inspiration from the ocean Ms Gabriel had a couple of tips for people who want to limit their waste at home - she mainly recommended not having plastic bottles, straws and bags The future is looking bright for the 28-year-old, who has just been approached by Sir Richard Branson's entrepreneurial programme - she also hosted an event on the Sunshine Coast recently (right) 'I'm really loving the direction OceanZen is going in at the moment, and hope to branch out into all sorts of things in the future. We're already doing eco retreats,' she said She offered some advice to aspiring businesswomen and recommended getting going and following your dreams Ms Gabriel had a couple of tips for people who want to limit their waste at home: 'Stop getting plastic bags, bottles and straws,' she advised. 'Plastic lasts for a thousand years and can easily end up in the ocean long after we have died. You might not think that you're contributing to ocean pollution if you live far away from the ocean, but you will be. Everyone is.' The future is looking bright for the 28-year-old, who has just been approached by Sir Richard Branson's entrepreneurial programme. Ms Gabriel is currently crowd-funding the $40,000 required to meet Sir Richard Branson with the help of ING online. 'I'm really loving the direction OceanZen is going in at the moment, and hope to branch out into all sorts of things in the future. We're already doing eco retreats. 'My advice to anyone with a business idea is start yesterday and follow your dreams any day of the week. Our parents didn't have the technology or the luxury to do what they want, but we do. 'I've poured my heart and soul into this business. I love it.' To shop from OceanZen, click here. To support Ms Gabriel's crowd-funding campaign, click here. Victory rolls, beehives, bumper bangs - for some these words don't mean much. But for the women who live and breath pin-up, these are just three of the hairstyles they may try to master as they travel back in time to the middle of the 20th century. And Renae Soppe and Sofie Bahnson are hoping to help them along the way, opening up the Sunshine Coast Pinup School to share all their tricks of the trade. For both women, the pin-up world was one where they finally learned how to embrace and love their curves. Renae Soppe, 26, (right) and Sofie Bahnson, 32, (left) have opened up the Sunshine Coast Pinup School to help teach women the tips and tricks behind their stylish looks For both women, the pin-up world was one where they finally learned how to love their curves Renae came from a family of women who had 'always been gifted with large breasts', she told the Daily Mail Australia. But it didn't feel like much of a gift to Renae, who needed an E cup by the time she reached university and could never find stylish clothes that fit her. Renae, now 26, would try every new fashion at the Brisbane mall where she went to school, but nothing ever fit over her frame. It was crushing to her self-esteem. 'I got really depressed,' she said. 'I had no real appreciation of my body or any body confidence.' That all changed four years ago, when a co-worker asked Renae if she wanted to come along to a fair for vintage and pin-up clothing. Renae hadn't known the pin-up world even existed. But when she saw women walking around in their big swing dresses and petticoats, it was love at first sight. 'They looked so comfortable, beautiful, feminine. They weren't the supermodel size that, in my vision of beautiful, I thought you had to be.' 'I thought, maybe this is the style that would suit me. That's sort of where it all started and I haven't looked back since.' Renae came from a family of women who had 'always been gifted with large breasts' but couldn't find any clothes that fit her Renae hadn't even known the pin-up world existed. But when she saw women walking around in their big swing dresses and petticoats, it was love at first sight Sofie, 32, had always loved vintage and old movies, but didn't commit to the pin-up world until she began going to the fairs and festivals. The clothes were a dream to Sofie who, like Renae, had struggled to find mainstream fashion that fit her figure. 'I have a small waist and a big bum. I couldn't find anything that fit my shape,' she said. 'I'd try on a pair of jeans and I'd cry.' Sofie loved that vintage clothes were about measurements and that she no longer had to feel bad about being tied to a particular size. 'This whole sizing for clothes, it's meant to be an average - but there is no such thing as a real average, no one really fits into these clothes,' she said. 'They're designed around a certain body shape that not everyone has.' 'When you're buying to fit your shape, rather than trying to fit into something made for another shape, it's extremely empowering and giving back your control.' It was only when Sofie, whose whole wardrobe is now vintage, embraced the pin-up style that she learned to love her hourglass figure. 'When I started wearing these clothes and realised I looked good in these clothes that actually fit my measurements, I started feeling better about myself and accepting my body,' she said. It was the same experience for Renae, who loved how much the pin-up culture promoted inclusivity and 'rocking what you have'. Sofie, 32, had always loved vintage and old movies, but didn't commit to the pin-up world until she began going to the festivals and immediately fell in love with the fashion It was only when Sofie, whose whole wardrobe is now vintage, embraced the pin-up style that she learned to love her hourglass figure 'All the pin-up clothing companies specifically make the clothes to fit the curves of the women,' she said. 'I love showing off the curves that I have. Before I used to think I had to be a size 8 and stick thin to look good in fashion.' Now both women are hoping to bring the body acceptance and self-love that they've learned to their classes in Nambour. Renae describes them as the 'perfect team', with Sofie an expert on vintage of the 1940s and '50s while she is more inclined toward the looks of the '50s and '60s. Now both women are hoping to bring that kind of body acceptance and self-love to their workshop classes in Nambour Together inside a room in an old ambulance station they are teaching the secrets behind the likes of Gibson rolls, winged eyeliner, and poodle hairdos. A maximum of 10 people are allowed per workshop, where they receive a kit that, depending on the class, may include hair accessories and tools, as well as makeup. Prices range from $85 to $130, the latter being for two-day workshops teaching hairstyles that need to set overnight. Renae said she and Sofie made sure the workshops would be extremely hands-on, offering women the kind of guidance they can't get from watching YouTube. 'We do really teach everything you need to have a complete arsenal of hair and makeup to transform yourself to pin-up perfection,' she said. And both women love seeing their clients completely transform after showing then that pin-up styles are easier to master than they might first appear. Elle Williamson (right) and Katie Baird (left) are two women who've taken workshops with at the Sunshine Coast Pinup School Elle oozed pin-up glamour at this photoshoot after leaning Renae and Sofie's tips Katie embraced the classic beehive hairstyle, popular in the 1960s, for her pin-up looks 'A lot of people believe that it's actually really hard, and that's the frightening factor that stops people,' Sofie said. 'We really want to encourage people that, like anything, with a little bit of patience it's not that hard and that the basics are simple.' And Renae and Sofie both hope to show women that although pin-up may be known for polka dots and red lips, it is a culture that welcomes creativity. 'To an outsider everyone dresses the same, but once you're in the culture you realise how everyone puts their own stamp on everything,' Renae said. While Sofie is more inclined to the vintage of the 1940s and '50s, Renae said she often finds herself drawn to the customisation of the modern pin-up world. 'I'm a horticulture scientist so I have some circle skirts that are all chemistry related fabrics and a skirt with Tetris on it,' she said. 'I try and insert my geekiness and love of science into my fashion.' 'It brings out all this extra personality in people,' Sofie added. 'Because they can actually express themselves in their own way with no judgement.' It's that same personalisation Renae and Sofie encourage women to embrace, a supportiveness they say is integral to the pin-up community. Both Renae and Sofie love seeing their clients completely transform after showing then that pin-up styles are easier to master than they might first appear (pictured is client Lisa Hayman) And Renae and Sofie both hope to show women that although pin-up may be known for certain specific styles, it is a culture that welcomes creativity (pictured is client Ellen Hardy) 'Someone once described to me that the pin-up world is the drunk girls in the bathroom at a bar who tell you they love your dress or shoes,' Renae said. 'It's a really inclusive community that I wish I would've found earlier in life.' 'I've gotten to a place of self-love,' Sofie added. 'And I feel like it actually allows me to show my pride in who I am.' And to the women and girls who dream of joining the pin-up world but are scared of the stares, both Renae and Sofie hope they'll embrace the style they desire. 'What harm will it do if you dress differently, people will stare at you anyways,' Renae said. 'People are going to judge you anyway. You might as well have fun while doing it!' 'I never get people looking at me strange,' Sofie added. 'I only have people telling me, "Oh my god, you look amazing today"'. 'Putting that little effort in and showing pride in yourself, people notice - and it's in a positive way.' Like most children, Alex Houseman enjoyed indulging in ice cream growing up. But his love for dairy came to a chilling end after the young Sydney man discovered he could no longer stomach food containing lactose. 'At some point in my teens, I became really lactose intolerant. Ice cream, cheese and milky cereal all out the window,' the now 28-year-old told Daily Mail Australia. 'Turning away from milky cereal was of course disappointing, but facing up to missing out on the myriad of delicious dairy-filled dessert options was simply beyond the pale. 'Lactose intolerance is already the most common food allergy in Australia and yet I think a lot more people still remain in the "lactose intolerance closet". 'I know that I was in "lactose intolerance denial" for years, not wanting to miss out on all of the dairy-related deliciousness.' The 28-year-old was watching TV with his girlfriend - who was eating dairy ice cream - when the idea to launch his own business Over The Moo sprung into mind. Founder of Over The Moo Alex Houseman (pictured) found out he was lactose intolerant in his teenage years. The 28-year-old has since turned his idea into a successful ice cream empire Fast forward two years, Over The Moo is sold in more than 900 stores across the country 'My girlfriend was digging into a tub of ice cream but naturally I wasn't able to get among it due to my lactose intolerance,' he recalled. 'At the time there were no brands of dairy-free ice cream that delivered a truly indulgent, delicious flavour for an affordable price. 'That was the inspiration for Over The Moo. I am passionate about truly indulgent, moreish, sit-on-the-couch-watching-Game-Of-Thrones ice cream. 'We're trying to show people that dairy-free doesn't have to be drab.' About a year after his 'Game of Thrones 'ah-ha' moment, he decided to turn his hand into making dairy-free ice cream. 'So I quit my day job and started scraping cash together for my first batch of production,' he said. 'I worked for free for the first 18 months and moved back in with my parents to save money.' One of Over The Moo's distinctive touches is the ice cream truck - a vintage 1981 Ford Transit Over The Moo was taken off the ground after he closed his first deal with giant Woolworths And he turned his beloved brand into a successful ice cream empire after closing his first deal with supermarket giant Woolworths. 'My first major success was closing a deal with Woolworths which allowed me to hire my first employee,' he said. There are nine popular flavours, including the Asian inspired flavour pandan (pictured) 'After six months of trading, we had 90 stockists across three states. We're now just over two years in and we're now sold in over 900 stores nationally. 'As I have learnt, a successful business is only one per cent good idea, and 99 per cent hard work and commitment. I'm lucky that my mum runs a food business, so she has been huge inspiration for me.' But his success didn't happen overnight after months of rejection before his business took off. 'Sales will always be the engine of any business,' he said. 'I have received some crushing rejections trying to get my brand out there, especially in the early days when the business had no track record. Pushing yourself forward after rejection is a huge challenge.' He said another challenge he faced was trying to have a cash flow. 'Cash flow is the biggest killer of small businesses for a reason,' Mr Houseman said. 'At our worst, we had literally $45 in our bank account. All the while we have thousands of dollars in wages and product expenses every month. 'Being able to balance growth versus cash in the bank is the most important thing I have learnt regarding starting Over The Moo.' Does Over The Moo taste like the real deal? Mr Houseman said: 'It's good enough to fool your Granny' The 28-year-old was watching Game of Thrones with his girlfriend, who was eating dairy ice cream, when the idea to start his own business sprung into mind Distinctive ice cream truck is a vintage 1981 Ford Transit that was shipped over from the UK One of Over The Moo's distinctive touches is the ice cream truck - a vintage 1981 Ford Transit that was shipped over from the UK. 'This truck is basically an extension of our dream to bring dairy free deliciousness to the people,' Mr Houseman said. 'Finding this baby wasn't easy. We scoured Gumtree for about six months before we found the perfect van. It was one of the first Mr Whippy vans to operate in Australia. 'The van was being advertised by a former Mr Whippy franchisee on the NSW South coast. It took us another six months plus about 10 litres of elbow grease to repair and revamp her.' And does Over The Moo taste like the real deal? Mr Houseman said: 'It's good enough to fool your Granny. 'We call it the 'Granny Test' and all of our Grannies have been fooled,' he added. 'It's creamy, smooth and filled with delicious bits and bobs like toffee balls, choc chips and gooey sauces. 'I worked really hard in the early days of the business to get the recipe spot on. Plenty of our competitors use soy as a base, we picked coconut because it's got the same fat content as dairy. 'This means Over The Moo tastes as creamy and melts in your mouth just like dairy ice cream.' One of Over The Moo's distinctive touches is the ice cream truck - a vintage 1981 Ford Transit The brand has been popular for everyone - not just vegans or lactose intolerant sufferers Growing up, Mr Houseman recalled running outside his home every time he heard the sirens on an ice cream truck go off despite being lactose intolerant Growing up, Mr Houseman recalled running outside his home every time he heard the sirens on an ice cream truck go off despite being lactose intolerant. 'I would still shamelessly run out onto the street for some ice cream if I could - and now thankfully I can,' he said. 'Getting Over The Moo up and running has just been an elaborate ruse for me to be able to run into my street on a Saturday afternoon so I can get ice cream from a vintage van.' The brand has nine popular dairy-free flavours made from coconut milk. 'We've also been really strict on flavour. I didn't want Over The Moo to be really coconutty as that can turn a lot of people off,' Mr Houseman said. 'We've toned down the coconut flavour so our chocolate tastes like chocolate and our caramel tastes like caramel. 'My favourite thing? I love the unique flavours that we've got on offer. There are the classics like vanilla and caramel but we've also got a wicked range of Asian flavours like matcha, pandan and black sesame.' Over The Moo is available in selected Woolworths and independent supermarkets nationally Over The Moo is creamy, filled with delicious bits and bobs like toffee balls and choc chips One of Over The Moo's distinctive touches is the ice cream truck - a vintage 1981 Ford Transit And the brand has been a crowd favourite among all walks of life - not just vegans or lactose intolerant sufferers. 'We don't think of Over The Moo as something that's only for vegans or lactose intolerant folks,' he said. 'It's plenty delicious and indulgent enough to appeal to all sorts. It's basically for anyone who loves ice cream. 'The best fan mail we get are from people who haven't had ice cream in years, have discovered Over The Moo and splurged majorly.' The brand will be releasing new flavours soon For those wanting to launch their own brand, Mr Houseman said there are sacrifices to make because 'starting a business is probably the hardest thing you can do'. 'If you are really committed to your idea, you have to be so passionate about it that you would be prepared to work for free, tirelessly towards your goals with potentially no payout ever,' he said. 'On the back of that, being able to rely on your friends and family to keep you grounded, remind you to have fun and chill out is super valuable. 'Having the 'buy in' of your most important relationships, who will make sacrifices of their own for you, is possibly the difference between the success and failure of your business.' The company will be releasing new flavours soon. 'We've got a lot of pots on the boil right now so watch this space. Yiew!' he said. To track down Over The Moo ice cream truck, please visit the website. It was a life story that enraptured the nation - a devout Christian turned sex worker who slept with 10,000 men before she left the escort industry for good. Now Gwyneth Montenegro is lifting the veil behind a job that afforded her designer clothes, nice cars, and trips around the world. And the Melbourne resident, who teaches women how to understand the opposite sex, is revealing what men really want - and the answer may surprise you. Gwyneth, now 39, first got paid for sex at the age of 21. It was three years after a horrific gang rape that completely changed the course of her life. Former sex worker Gwyneth Montenegro, from Melbourne, is lifting the veil behind a job that afforded her designer clothes, nice cars, and trips around the world Gwyneth made headlines in 2014 when she revealed she had slept with 10,000 men before leaving the escort industry for good after 12 years Just 18 at the time, Gwyneth was out at a club when her drink was drugged. She believes anywhere from six to eight men raped her that night. The experience turned upside down the world of the Christian teen who had been saving herself for marriage. Gwyneth suddenly felt worthless. Her old dreams and aspirations were thrown out the window and she instead joined the table top industry a year later. Although she felt she had already 'crossed a line' by becoming a stripper, Gwyneth still describes the first time she was paid for sex as being 'totally surreal'. 'Once you've been paid for sex once, you can't take that back,' she told News.com.au. 'I just found I was able to compartmentalise and switch my feelings off, because I already felt dirty.' Gwyneth would stay in the industry for 12 years, unable to give up the thousands of dollars that kept pouring in and the perks of beautiful clothes and trips. She was paid $500 to $1,000 an hour to have sex with well-known lawyers, politicians and musicians and flown to exotic places like Bora Bora. Gwyneth, now 39, first got paid for sex at the age of 21. It was three years after a horrific gang rape that completely changed the course of her life 'The money was why I stayed for so long,' Gwyneth told Daily Mail Australia in 2014. 'It was like a drug - it let me fly around the world.' To ease her guilt over being an escort, Gwyneth then blew the 'thousands and thousands' of dollars she earned on a new car and clothes. As she moved up the escort world, her clients were becoming richer and richer. One multi-millionaire even introduced Gwyneth to cocaine in her early twenties. To ease her guilt and numb her to the idea of being an escort, Gwyneth blew the thousands of dollars she earned on cars and clothes 'It was a lifestyle of cocaine, speed and French champagne,' she recalled. But it was also a lifestyle that gave Gwyneth a deep insight into what men really want from women as they confided in her about their desires and relationships. Gwyneth found that most of her clients actually didn't want 'hardcore kinky sex' or a chance to live out 'sick fantasies'. The sex was 'normal', but the escort found that many men felt 'more validated' in their own masculinity after they had sex with her. 'I don't want to be so brazen as to just blame feminism for this. However, I think there is a part to play where men do feel emasculated,' Gwyneth told News.com.au. Gwyneth believes that men no longer know how to navigate a world where they're scared to open a door for a woman. She found that many of her clients sought out escorts because they felt emasculated in their actual relationships. 'They don't know what it is to be a man anymore. They've lost their way,' she added. Gwyneth found that much of her job involved just talking to men, although she found there were some clients who liked the feeling of owning her for a bit. 'They get an intense delight out of controlling women. They get more of a kick out of feeling like they control you, than they do off the actual sex,' she told the site. Although Gwyneth had no 'horror stories' to tell about her time as an escort, she found it hard to leave the industry. She became a fully-licensed commercial pilot at the age of 29 and found a new job doing scenic tours. But Gwyneth fell back into the sex industry once more when she was diagnosed with kidney failure and could no longer get medical approval to keep her license. Gwyneth tried to leave the industry, even becoming a fully-licensed commercial pilot at 29 But Gwyneth fell back into the sex industry once more when she was diagnosed with kidney failure and could no longer get medical approval to keep her license It wasn't until the age of 33 that she finally retired once and for all and instead became trained in neuro-linguistic programming, a type of psychotherapy. Gwyneth then found fame when she wrote the story of her life in the book 10,000 Men and Counting, which was released in 2014. The former escort found writing the book to be a therapeutic experience, one she said helped her discover her true self as the 'girl next door'. 'I'm fairly introverted and conservative,' Gwyneth told Daily Mail Australia at the time. 'I'm the last person my friends ever expected to have lived that kind of life.' Gwyneth said she hoped that her book would shatter the preconceptions people hold of sex workers and show the world that they're 'human beings' too. But Gwyneth also hoped her book would stop anyone who was considering joining her former world. 'If I can change one person from making that decision then I would have done something good, something meaningful and that would mean a lot to me,' she said. My favourite film of all time is Annie Hall. It contains one of my favourite jokes. Two elderly women are at a Catskill mountain resort and one says: Boy, the food at this place is really terrible. The other says, Yeah, I know. And such small portions. That sums up how Woody Allen feels about life. Its awful and hard but you want more of it and you dont really want it to end. That joke also rather more literally sums up how I feel about Masterchef, which announced its winner, Saliha Mahmood-Ahmed, on Friday night. Masterchef announced its winner, Saliha Mahmood-Ahmed, on Friday night The food didnt look that appetising the fondant potatoes were woefully undercooked and the meat almost raw when it came to the ubiquitous venison (I kept being reminded of the blood oozing out of Bambi time and again). It was also insanely overly intricate who in their right mind would add chicken liver to wild rice? And yet... such small portions! Three hours of peeling, basting and pureeing of 16 different aromats (whats an aromat when its at home?) to produce a green dot the size of a full stop that tastes like toilet cleaner (pine is the new pomegranate, apparently). The blanching of a duck no fewer than six times (thats tantamount to waterboarding, surely?) to end up with a sliver the size of a postage stamp! But still I didnt want the series to end. Im a recovering anorexic and also a vegan, so not really the target audience. For me, watching all 25 episodes of this years Masterchef was about as pointless as a nun watching a blue movie. I didnt want to learn new techniques or how to perform any last bit of it: who on earth has the time to make a ponzu and dashi jelly by boiling bones for two hours when you can just pour hot water over a few cubes of Rowntrees raspberry? I certainly didnt want it messing up my kitchen, but boy, was it fascinating and comforting. And heres the rub. I suspect Masterchefs popularity isnt thanks to the food at all. Its because it reassures us that, for an hour or so, the world isnt such a horrid place. It isnt controlled by Donald Trump and Vladimir Putin but by John Torode and Gregg Wallace men who like crumble and cry when someone purees a yellow pepper. The glimpses inside all those Michelin-starred kitchens show us pristine steel, order and fresh produce, not mouse droppings, zero-hours contracts and swearing, which is what most commercial kitchens contain. A trip for the final four to South Africa showcased lovely upmarket barbecues, not slums, where cooking over an open flame for a lifetime gives you lung cancer. In this Masterchef fantasy land, the working-class boy or Yorkshire farmers wife or recovering cancer patient (last years winner) or overworked hospital junior doctor (the aforementioned Saliha) really can triumph in a food business that, back in the real world, would look down on anyone like them as amateurs. Actually, Salihas victory over the wonderfully twinkly eyed DJ Steve smacked of Masterchef wanting to steal a little of Bake Offs thunder Actually, Salihas victory over the wonderfully twinkly eyed DJ Steve smacked of Masterchef wanting to steal a little of Bake Offs thunder. Saliha is this years Nadiya Hussain a superbrainy Pakistani powerhouse who, admirable though she was, only made me think what a waste of all that (presumably) NHS-funded training and use of resources if her ambition now is not to save lives but to knock up something heavily spiced and laced with saffron. Saliha was initially my favourite, as she started off the series championing vegetables, but she soon succumbed to the meat mania, despite having glimpsed inside the nations arteries and hearts. Yet, I will miss Masterchef, that reassuring, steamy end to my day. How about a spin-off for those of us with withdrawal symptoms? A bit like Britains Got More Talent, but this time a prequel: The Great British Abattoir, anyone? Oh, those pesky fashionistas! My quote of the week appears in the special travel issue of June Vogue, which came out on Friday. Photographer Mario Testino writes of India: I loved the curries. Wow! The insight! The palate! They should invite him to be a guest judge on the next series of Masterchef! It reminds me of Testinos appearance in the documentary The September Issue, when he pondered, ahead of a fashion shoot in Rome: I keep on looking at things that are white. The Colosseum? I think we dont need it. Advertisement Carriage driving has become a favourite royal past-time and these pictures suggest the tradition is likely to continue for years to come. Lady Louise Windsor, 13, one of the youngest members of the royal family, showed off her skill as she drove a carriage at the Royal Windsor Horse Show today. The teenager, daughter of Prince Edward and Sophie the Countess of Wessex, looked perfectly at ease in the red and black carriage, which was first driven by her grandmother the Queen in 1943. Meanwhile her proud grandfather Prince Philip appeared cheerful as he handed out rosettes at the show just days after announcing he was stepping back from public life. Lady Louise is following in the footsteps of her grandfather the Duke of Edinburgh, who was instrumental in helping to establish carriage driving as a sport in Britain. Prince Philip looked in good spirits as he handed out rosettes at the show at Windsor Castle in Berkshire It comes just days after the Duke of Edinburgh announced that he was retiring from public life Prince Philip, 95, who announced his retirement from royal duties last week, looked in excellent spirits at the annual horse show In one hilarious picture from today Prince Philip was seen putting his fingers in his ears to protect against the loud noise of the canons from the King's Troop Royal Horse Artillery Queen Elizabeth II, dressed in blue, and the Duke of Edinburgh, third from the right, watch as Nick Skelton walks his horse Big Star around the arena Tradition: Lady Louise Windsor, 13, drove a carriage at the Royal Windsor Horse Show today Learning from the best: Prince Philip was also seen driving a horse and carriage at the event Proud: Lady Louise, left, was supported by her father Prince Edward, right, at the event Smile! Prince Edward, third from right, took photos of Louise as she approached in the carriage Devoted: Proud mum Sophie couldn't resist taking a snap of Lady Louise on her iPhone Success! Lady Louise is following in the footsteps of her grandfather, Prince Philip, who was instrumental in helping to establish carriage driving as a sport in Britain Prince Philip, 95, who announced his retirement from royal duties last week, looked in excellent spirits as he drove his own carriage at the annual horse show. Lady Louise was supported by Prince Edward,53, as she led the Champagne Laurent-Perrier Meet of the British Driving Society into the showground. Edward looked every inch the proud father as he stood on the sidelines and took photos on his mobile phone as his daughter approached. Earlier this week Prince Philip spoke about how he took up carriage driving when he stopped playing polo at the age of 50. Confident: Lady Louise, 13, looked composed as she rode through Windsor Park today Country living: The young royal wore a blanket over her lap to keep out the chill Pioneer: The Duke of Edinburgh practised racing carriages in Norfolk before pulling together a committee to decide on official rules for the sport Charging ahead: The sport involves either two or four-wheeled carriages pulled by a single horse, a tandem or four-in-hand team (pictured: Prince Philip accompanied by his team) He said: 'I was looking round to see what next, I didn't know what there was available. And I suddenly thought, well, we've got horses and carriages so why don't I have a go. 'So I borrowed four horses from the stables in London, took them to Norfolk and practised and thought - why not?' The Duke described how he convened a committee of equestrian experts to come up with a set of international rules for the fledgling sport of carriage driving. REINING PASSION: PRINCE PHILIP AND CARRIAGE DRIVING Prince Philip, 95, turned to carriage racing after he decided to stop playing polo at the age of 50. The Duke of Edinburgh practised racing carriages in Norfolk before pulling together a committee to decide on official rules for a sport. He went on to represent Great Britain, taking part in several European and World Championships, as well as competitions in Hungary, Poland and the Netherlands. Prince Philip drives the Queen's Team of part-bred Cleveland Bays at Home Park Windsor in 1974 Prince Philip competing in the 2006 Hopetoun Estate horse driving trials (left). He stopped at the pub for a pint whilst competing at Cirencester Park in 1975 (right) The sport involves either two or four-wheeled carriages pulled by a single horse, a tandem or four-in-hand team. Different contests include dressage, time trials and a challenging obstacle course. Carriage driving can also be simply a relaxed way of enjoying the countryside. Advertisement Sophie, 52, was also on babysitting duty as she looked after a group of young royals with her husband at the event. The excited young attendees included their nine-year-old son James, Viscount Servern, and her great-nieces, Savannah and Isla Phillips. Isla could be seen hugging her cousin tightly as the smartly-attired James smiled happily. Horsing around: Sophie looks after Isla Phillips (the daughter of Autumn and Peter Phillips) as she hugs James, Viscount Servern (the son of Sophie and Prince Edward) Entertaining: The composed royal was also on babysitting duty as she looked after a group of young royals with her husband at the event Sweet: Isla could be seen hugging her cousin tightly as the smartly-attired James smiled happily Delighted: Prince Edward, seen in the green jacket, looked proud as Lady Louise neared The Royal Windsor Horse Show, held in the private grounds at Windsor Castle, is regarded as an unmissable event in the royal diary. It is now in its 72nd year and the Queen has attended every single year since it began as a wartime fundraising event back in 1943. Both the Queen and the Duke of Edinburgh competed in the show in their younger years, with Prince Philip entering the Carriage Driving at Royal Windsor Horse Show for 30 years, winning it just once in 1982. Steeped in history: Lady Louise was driving a carriage first driven by the Queen in 1943 Excited: The teenager looked pleased as she made the journey through the horse show Picturesque: Lady Louise drives through a beautiful springtime scene on her way to the show More recently the Queen has watched many of her own horses take part in the showing class competitions. Lady Louise was leading out The Champagne Laurent -Perrier meet of The British Driving Society, which supports and encourages traditional carriage driving. Participants arrived in smart day wear, with some of the ladies donning extravagant period hats and long, but practical, dresses. Passionate: Lady Louise was leading out The Champagne Laurent -Perrier meet of The British Driving Society, which supports and encourages traditional carriage driving Dressed up: Participants arrived in smart day wear, with some of the ladies donning extravagant period hats and long, but practical, dresses A proud mother and her two daughters claim they have beaten odds of one in 48 million to enjoy a 'triple birthday' on the same day. One-year-old Enya-Rose is the latest addition to the Spriggs family after she was born on May 11 last year, eight days earlier than expected. Her older sister 'Princess' Paige, 12, and mother Lee-anne Spriggs, 31, also have the same birthdays, and all three were born in the same hospital near their home in Keighley, West Yorkshire. The shared birthdays are even more remarkable because the probability of the feat occurring is only one in 48 million, according to full-time mum Lee-anne. L-R: Paige, 12, one-year-old Enya-Rose and mother Lee-anne, 31, have beaten staggering odds of one in 48 million to enjoy a 'triple birthday' - on the same day The amazed mother, who herself was born at 11pm on May 11, is convinced the triple birthday is 'fate' and claims there is no jealousy between the trio. Lee-anne gave birth to 8 lbs baby Paige at 5.03pm on May 11, 2005 and 'rainbow baby' Enya-Rose by c-section at 2.42pm on May 11 last year at the Airedale General Hospital. Between each birth, sadly, Lee-anne suffered three miscarriages but claims her due dates were all in May. She said: 'I feel like it's fate personally. Even the miscarriages were due in April or May, I think my body only does it at a certain time of the year. 'When I speak to people and tell them they say, wow. This last year if I could make a pound for every person that has said that to me I would be a millionaire. Lee-anne gave birth to 8 lbs baby Paige on May 11, 2005 (left) and Enya-Rose by c-section on May 11 last year (right) at the Airedale General Hospital in Keighley, West Yorkshire. 'My mum is overjoyed that we all have the same birthday, although her bank balance isn't enjoying it.' She added: 'When I had Paige it was amazing, my dad predicted it. I was due May 2 but my dad said he had a feeling I was having a girl and she would come on my birthday, he was right. 'I went into hospital on May 9 and they said 'you are very early' but they could not send me home because I had extremely high blood pressure. 'Things went very slowly and dragged on into May 10 and I was told that it looked like the baby wasn't going to make an appearance anytime soon. The three ladies' shared birthdays are even more remarkable because the probability of the feat occurring is only one in 48 million, according to full-time mum Lee-anne Lee-anne, who herself was born at 11pm on May 11, is convinced the triple birthday is 'fate' and claims there is no jealousy between the trio 'Into the Wednesday, I was given an epidural and thankfully I was able to get some sleep.' Lee-anne recalled: 'I started pushing at 2pm on my birthday and Paige came out at 5.03pm, weighing eight lbs. 'When I fell pregnant with Enya-Rose, I was due on May 19 but had a lot of complications before her. 'I was induced on May 9 and nothing happened. On the Tuesday I was in labour for 10 hours and needed a specialist doctor to pop my waters - there was then an emergency on the ward. Lee-anne said of the trios shared birthday: 'I feel like it's fate personally. Even the miscarriages were due in April or May, I think my body only does it at a certain time of the year' The trio celebrated their birthdays this year with a shopping trip to Skipton, accompanied by Lee-anne's husband and father to the two girls Iain, 41, followed by a feast at Toby Carvery 'The midwife was feeling my stomach and said 'something's not right here' and she realised I was breech. 'They did say the baby could be delivered breech, but it's high risk, or by c-section. I decided on a c-section but there wasn't any space to deliver until the following day. My birthday.' The trio celebrated their birthdays with a shopping trip to Skipton, accompanied by Lee-anne's husband and father to the two girls Iain, 41, followed by a feast at Toby Carvery. The U.S. Department of States Rewards for Justice Program is offering a reward of up to $10 million for information leading to the identification or location of Muhammad al-Jawlani, leader of the al-Nusrah Front, or ANF, terrorist group. This is the first Rewards for Justice reward offer for a leader of al-Nusrah Front, the Syrian branch of al-Qaida. In 2013, al-Jawlani pledged allegiance to al-Qaida and its leader Ayman al-Zawahiri after he had a public falling out with ISIS. In 2016, in a video posted online, al-Jawlani praised al-Qaida and al-Zawahiri and claimed the ANF was changing its name to Jabhat Fath Al Sham. Under al-Jawlanis leadership, ANF has carried out multiple terrorist attacks throughout Syria, often targeting civilians. In April 2015, ANF reportedly kidnapped, and later released, approximately 300 Kurdish civilians from a checkpoint in Syria. In June 2015, ANF claimed responsibility for the massacre of 20 residents in a Druze village in Idlib province, Syria. In January 2017, ANF merged with several other hardline opposition groups to form Hayat Tahrir al-Sham, or HTS. ANF remains al-Qaidas affiliate in Syria and Jawlani remains the leader of ANF, which is at the core of HTS. In 2014, ANF was designated as a Foreign Terrorist Organization by the State Department. The same year, the UN added ANF to its sanctions list. Since its inception in 1984, the Rewards for Justice program has paid in excess of $125 million to more than 80 people who provided actionable information that helped bring terrorists to justice or prevented acts of international terrorism worldwide. For more information about al-Jawlani go to www.rewardsforjustice.net. We encourage anyone with information about al-Jawlani to contact the Rewards for Justice office via e-mail on the website: info@rewardsforjustice.net; by phone, 1-800-877-3927 in North America; or by mail, Rewards for Justice, Washington, D.C., 20520-0303, USA. All information will be kept strictly confidential. Sitting in the carriage with impeccable posture, Lady Louise Windsor looked every inch the young royal as she took the reins at the Windsor Horse Show today. The 13-year-old remained perfectly composed as she led the carriages of the Champagne Laurent-Perrier Meet of the British Driving Society into the showground. And with her bright blue eyes and carefully coiffed blonde hair, the talented rider bore a striking resemblance to her mother, Sophie the Countess of Wessex. Composed: Lady Louise Windsor, 13, took centre stage at the Royal Windsor Horse Show today Like mother, like daughter: Lady Louise, left today, is growing more like her mother, Sophie Countess of Wessex, right in 2006 Moment in the spotlight: Lady Louise led a procession of carriages at the annual horse show The young royal smiled as her mother and father Prince Edward, the Queen and Prince Philip's youngest son, took photos of her moment in the spotlight. Edward looked the picture of a proud father as he stood with spectators and photographed his daughter, while mother Sophie beamed as she approached the carriage for a close up. Lady Louise, who was a bridesmaid at the wedding of Prince William and Kate Middleton in 2011, looked smart in a riding jacket and white blouse and kept her hair neatly tucked in a hairnet under a tweed hat. Proud father: Prince Edward with daughter Louise in Scrabster, Scotland, in 2010 Growing up in the spotlight: Lady Louise in 2009, left, and at the Diamond Jubilee in 2012, right Lady Louise, pictured behind Prince William, was a bridesmaid at the royal wedding in 2011 The young royal, the older sister of James, Viscount Severn, nine, was born with a squint, but can now see perfectly after having corrective surgery. A firm favourite of the Queen, the 11th in line to the throne has inherited her grandmother's love of riding and has been taught by the monarch and her grooms from an early age. She also has accompanied her parents to royal church services and at every turn has shown herself to be gracious and well-mannered. Accomplished rider: Lady Louise and Prince Edward at the Queen's 90th birthday celebrations in May last year Young royals: Lady Louise and her brother James at a service of thanksgiving to mark the Queen's 90th birthday last year Today she took the lead from her grandfather Prince Philip, who was also seen driving a carriage at the annual horse show. Prince Philip has been an avid carriage driver since 1971, when he took up the sport after giving up polo. He enjoys regular outings with his son Prince Charless old friend Lady Brabourne. She made her first official appearance today as France's First Lady in a powder blue power suit by Louis Vuitton. And it seems Brigitte Macron, 64, may have looked to her American counterpart for inspiration as her ensemble today bore striking similarities to suits worn by both Melania Trump and Jackie Kennedy during their husband's respective inauguration ceremonies. The high school teacher defied her years in Paris today as she arrived at the Elysee Palace for the handover between outgoing President Hollande and her newly-elected husband Emmanuel, who is 24 years her junior. The structured jacket and matching, perfectly-tailored dress showed off Mrs Macron's svelte frame to perfection, while her nude heels elongated her legs. Deja vu! Mrs Macron arrives at the Elysee Palace for the handover between outgoing President Hollande and her newly-elected husband Emmanuel, who is 24 years her junior Feeling blue Melania Trump opted for Ralph Lauren in January 2017, left, and Jackie Kennedy in 1961, right, at her husband's inauguration ceremony Spectators may have felt a sense of deja-vu as Melania Trump, 47, selected a stunning Ralph Lauren baby blue dress and jacket for her husband Donald's inauguration ceremony in January. The public got their first glance at Melania's perfectly-tailored look when she departed Blair House alongside her husband on their way to St. Johns Church before she stood by Donald's side as he took the oath of office. A 31-year-old Jacqueline Kennedy similarly wore a pale blue suit and gloves for the 1961 inauguration ceremony of her husband John Fitzgerald "Jack" Kennedy. As well as her meticulous approach to beauty, Brigitte, who is a grandmother, has an eye for youthful style, too. French President-elect Emmanuel Macron poses for photographers with his wife Brigitte Macron after the handover ceremony with outgoing President Francois Hollande Earlier this month, the former teacher plumped for chic navy jeans, a zip-up jumper and a trendy blue coat with metallic collar - an outfit that would also be favoured by a much younger woman. She has expensive taste and loves designer labels - her favourite being Louis Vuitton. Louis Vuitton's collections are edgy and extremely fashion-forward, and the go-to label for younger stars such as Selena Gomez, Cara Delevingne and Miranda Kerr. She has been spotted sitting on the front row at the luxury label's fashion shows, as well as at Christian Dior. Style file: As well as her meticulous approach to beauty, Brigitte, who is a grandmother, has an eye for youthful style, too She also has a penchant for Revival (favouring their ankle boots), Gianvito Rossi shoes, wears an Hermes watch and a 1,000 Moncler jacket. Chantelle Znideric, award-winning Personal Stylist, said Brigitte has an 'effortlessly chic' look that most women can only dream of. 'She dresses youthfully by wearing classic, well-tailored and feminine styles - such as the shift dress - to suit her shape. She also swears by skinny jeans, a style usually favoured by women half her age,' she told Femail. 'Her simple styling - think tailored jackets, clean lined blouses and figure-hugging trousers - combined with an understated neutral colour palette ensures an elegant and well coordinated wardrobe for every occasion.' Between her mom, her First Lady stepmom and being parent to her own three little ones, Ivanka Trump is sure to have a jam-packed Mother's Day The first daughter and her husband Jared Kushner were spotted on Sunday coming out of their Washington, D.C. home with their three young children, piling into a car with Secret Service looking on. Ivanka was seen taking advantage of the warming D.C. weather in an off-the-shoulder white dress and holding a denim jacket, paired with a set of golden sandals. On her way: Ivanka Trump, 35, was spotted stepping out of her Washington, D.C. home on Mother's Day Lugging the little one: Ivanka's husband Jared Kushner was also seen toting the couple's youngest son Theodore in a baby car seat A post shared by Ivanka Trump (@ivankatrump) on May 14, 2017 at 6:35am PDT Jared, dressed casually in jeans, a sweater and ball cap, hoisted a car seat carrying the couple's youngest child, Theodore, as they prepared to head out. Also on Sunday, Ivanka paid tribute to her on mom, Ivana Trump, with a touching throwback image of herself as a young child. The photo sees little Ivanka standing on a gold-covered four poster bed and giving her mom a kiss on the nose. 'Happy Mother's Day to my incredible mom, Ivana,' Ivanka wrote in the post. 'And to my children, thank you for giving me the gift of motherhood. You are my inspiration!' Ivanka's father also joined in on the Mother's Day well-wishes, paying tribute to Ivanka's stepmom Melania in a tweet. Summer on its way: Ivanka was seen taking advantage of the warming weather in an off-the-shoulder white dress as she took one of her children by the hand Out together: It wasn't clear where the couple were heading out to, but they soon returned to their D.C. house Family resemblance: Ivana and Ivanka Trump pose together at a Giovanni Perrone exhibition in April 2013 'Wishing @FLOTUS Melania and all of the great mothers out there a wonderful day ahead with family and friends!' he wrote. At the beginning of the weekend, Ivanka and Melania celebrated their own version of 'casual Friday' by donning stylish trousers and comfortable tops for their day at the White House. The President's 47-year-old wife looked stunning in a pair of wide-leg black pants and a casual white button-down to attend an event honoring military mothers in the East Room of the White House on Friday afternoon. While Melania's outfit was effortlessly chic, Ivanka undoubtedly turned a few heads thanks to the hot pink trousers she was wearing. Happy days: President Trump also joined in on the Mother's Day well-wishes by paying tribute to his wife Melania on Twitter Effortlessly chic: President Donald Trump and First Lady Melania attended an event honoring military mothers in the East Room of the White House on Friday morning Eye-catching: Ivanka Trump was photographed stepping out of her Washington, D.C. home in hot pink pants earlier in the day Early bird: The 36-year-old paired her striking pants with a sleeveless turtleneck The 35-year-old mom was photographed leaving her Washington, D.C. home on Friday morning wearing a black, sleeveless turtleneck and electric pink pants as she headed off for a day of work. Ivanka, who is the unpaid assistant to the president, pulled her long blond hair up in a ponytail, and she accessorized her look with sunglasses as she jetted out the side gate of her residence and headed into the black SUV parked at the curb. The mother-of-three's husband Jared Kushner is Trump's senior adviser, and he was also seen leaving their home on Friday. The 36-year-old was wearing a gray suit and blue tie as he walked out the door and headed to work. Stunning: Melania looked elegant in a classic white button-down shirt and black white leg pants for the event Calm, cool, and collected: The First Lady also rolled up her sleeves, giving her stunning ensemble or a more casual feel Look of love: President Trump and his wife shared a kiss on the cheek at the Mother's Day event Patriotic: Trump sported a red tie and an American flag pin for the White House event, which was held on National Military Spouse Appreciation Day Meanwhile, Melania looked elegant in her classic white button-down, which she left open at the collar to show off her gold chunky gold necklace. The First Lady also rolled up her sleeves, giving her stunning ensemble a more casual feel. Instead of opting for traditional black pumps, Melania chose white heels featuring glittery pendants to match her top. Melania joined her husband on stage at Friday's event, and the two sweetly kissed each other on the cheek. She was all smiles as she watched Trump address the crowd at the event, which was held on National Military Spouse Appreciation Day. All smiles: Melania left the collar of her button down open to show off her chunky gold chain necklace Joyous occasion: The U.S. Marine Chamber Orchestra and the U.S. Army Chorus performed patriotic music for the invited guests, which was held two days before Mother's Day Shaking hands: Melania is pictured thanking members of the U.S. Army Chorus The U.S. Marine Chamber Orchestra and the U.S. Army Chorus performed patriotic music for the invited guests just two days before Mother's Day. Trump and Melania have a 11-year-old son son Barron together, and in addition to Ivanka, she is a stepmother to his children Donald Trump Jr., Eric Trump, and Tiffany Trump. And while Melania wears a mix of pants and dresses, Ivanka is more commonly seen wearing ladylike dresses, including ones from her eponymous collection. Impostors are always popping up in psychological thrillers. After all, so much of our lives depends on trust, on believing what we tell each other. Without it, all rules of social, professional and emotional engagement go out of the window. Fortunately, they are more common in books than in life. Its a complicated business pretending to be someone youre not; a bit off-putting for the common criminal. But for the writer, all that detail and deceit is the very stuff of suspense. And psychological thrillers are of-the-moment in publishing but just because they are new doesnt mean theyre the best. In fact, the vintage ones are the most unsettling of all. Impostors are always popping up in psychological thrillers. After all, so much of our lives depends on trust, on believing what we tell each other Take Marnie, the novel of the Alfred Hitchcock movie, written by Winston Graham. The pretty heroine is a petty conwoman who keeps changing her identity and her job to rip off her employers, one by one. Marnie thinks she is invincible and one step ahead of everyone but, of course, love eventually gets in her way. Dripping with the atmosphere of late Fifties England, this will tie your brain and your sympathy in knots. At the beginning of Daphne du Mauriers The Scapegoat, impersonation seems a simple enough business. John, an honest Englishman, meets Jean, his French doppelganger, at a railway station and, after a few drinks, finds himself living the enviable life of a French count. It all seems so glamorous, he decides to go along with it until he realises why Jean was so keen to get out of there. In the end, both men find they really miss being themselves. Josephine Tey was one of the earliest mistresses of mystery and her eponymous Brat Farrar is a classic impostor. He turns up at the estate of the Ashbys, claiming to be the lost son who is due to inherit. Hes done his research and it looks as if he might get away with it. But it turns out that for all you can learn about a family, there is some element of truth you cant pretend to know. Enjoy amazing desert landscapes on one of these wild adventures. JEWELS OF JORDAN Jordans 7th-century desert castles, the Roman ruins at Jerash and the lost city of Petra are spectacular sights. Youll also camp under the stars in Wadi Rum Jordans 7th-century desert castles, the Roman ruins at Jerash and the lost city of Petra are spectacular sights. Youll also camp under the stars in Wadi Rum. INSIDER TIP: Avoid crowds at Petra by entering at the rear of the city youll see the monastery first. DETAILS: Wild Frontiers (wild frontierstravel.com) has an eight-day trip including Jordans desert castles from 1,417pp including flights and seven nights B&B. SERIOUSLY HOT CHILE The Atacama, the worlds driest desert, is out of this world it even has a Moon Valley. Bathe in the Puritama Hot Springs and spot flamingos at Altiplanic Lagoons The Atacama, the worlds driest desert, is out of this world it even has a Moon Valley. Bathe in the Puritama Hot Springs and spot flamingos at Altiplanic Lagoons. INSIDER TIP: Buy llama socks from the market in San Pedro de Atacama for cool desert nights. DETAILS: Cox & Kings (coxandkings.co.uk) has a 15-day/12-night tour to Chile from 3,595pp including flights, transfers and B&B. SANDS OF ARABIA Combine a beach break with serious Bedouin style in Oman. Your two-night stay in the Wahiba Sands desert comes with all the mod-cons, including air conditioning and a licensed bar. INSIDER TIP: Watch the sand dunes come to life in the dawn light. DETAILS: Scott Dunn (scottdunn.com) offers seven nights in Oman from 2,500pp including two nights at the Desert Nights Camp on a half-board basis. Avril Harvey is a therapist. She lives with her husband, Ian, in Southgate, North London, and has two grown-up daughters and four grandchildren. FIND THE ONE I dont step out of the door without make-up. I discovered Japanese brand Shiseido in Harrods 29 years ago and have been using it ever since. It is my go-to for tinted moisturiser, mascara, eyeliner and eye shadow. When you find something that works, why change it for the latest trendy new brand? Avril Harvey is a therapist. She lives with her husband, Ian, in Southgate, North London, and has two grown-up daughters and four grandchildren NO HOT FLUSHES When I turned 47, a friend recommended that I take black cohosh supplements (13.99, hollandandbarrett.com). I took them twice a day for the next nine years and the effects were amazing. I escaped all the usual menopausal symptoms: no hot flushes, no insomnia, no mood swings. STAY GROUNDED Stress is one of the biggest agers, so I have a reflexology session once a month. It is amazing how each part of the foot is connected to different parts of our body by applying pressure here, calming and rejuvenating effects are felt all over. BESPOKE DIETING I saw a nutrition specialist to find out what I should be eating. The resulting blood tests showed I might be able to lower my cholesterol by cutting out certain carbohydrates. I havent eaten bread, pasta, rice or potatoes for six years and my health has really benefited. YEARLY CHALLENGES Every year, I set myself a challenge. At the age of 44 I went backpacking around Australia with my eldest daughter. The following year, I started university on the same day as my other daughter. After a psychology degree followed by a masters, I went on to qualify as a counsellor. When I turned 60, I learnt to swim. Last year, I started running, completing a 10k charity run for a hospice. Its never too late to be who you want to be. Look good for your age? Tell your secrets at inspire@dailymail.co.uk A new drug could save thousands of chronically ill British women from liver transplants. In the UK, 20,000 people 90 per cent of them women suffer from primary biliary cholangitis, also known as primary biliary cirrhosis (PBC). The illness sees the bodys immune system attack the bile ducts connecting the liver and the gut, leading to a build-up of bile in the liver which over time causes cirrhosis. A new drug could save thousands of chronically ill British women from liver transplants (Stock image) It has been said that it gives sufferers the liver of an alcoholic even though they typically do not drink at all as they find alcohol intolerable. The currently available drug treatment is only effective in 60 per cent of patients, which has led to PBC becoming the main cause of liver transplantation in British women. A majority of patients are diagnosed aged 40 to 60, after showing initial symptoms of fatigue, dry eyes and mouth, arthritis, and pain in the upper stomach. The cause of PBC is not clear, but it is believed to be an autoimmune disease triggered by infection, and has been linked to both genetics and pregnancy. Until now, a drug called ursodeoxycholic acid (UDCA) has been the only one approved to treat PBC but some 40 per cent of patients either do not respond to the drug or cannot take it. These patients are more likely to have been diagnosed at a younger age, in their 30s or 40s. For them, liver transplantation has been the only alternative. The new British-developed drug, Obeticholic acid, sold under the name Ocaliva, is the first treatment to be approved in the EU for patients with PBC in nearly 20 years. The 79.50-a-day drug will be given either in combination with UDCA or alone for patients unable to tolerate UDCA. The drug, which was approved by NICE only this month, works by activating a receptor in the liver and intestine which regulates bile acids. The most recent trial, published in August 2016, found that 50 per cent of PCB patients responded completely to the drug and 90 per cent had at least some benefit from taking it. Collette Thain, chief executive of the PBC Foundation, said: The approval of Ocaliva for treating people in the UK is extremely exciting news for PBC patients. It has been said that it gives sufferers the liver of an alcoholic Liver transplantation is a distressing prospect for many people living with PBC, as nearly four in every ten patients do not respond to the current treatment. Ocaliva provides them with additional hope. When I was diagnosed with PBC there was no alternative, or additional treatments, to the current therapy. Fatigue doesnt even begin to cover the symptoms: it was like walking through tar. I had younger children and couldnt even lift them. It would hurt when someone would touch me imagine being in pain from hugging your child. Professor David Jones, director of UK-PBC Consortium who led the research said: PBC affects thousands of ordinary people, but it is rarely talked about, partly because there is a false notion that liver disease is linked to alcohol. The 30 to 40 per cent of PBC patients who need Ocaliva are mostly those who have had an early presentation of the disease, and by default from suffering longer they are more likely to need a liver transplant. This drug will make a difference to these people both because they will be getting better but also because they wont face having a transplant which in addition benefits the NHS. 'Dear Twitter friends, that gum you like is going to come back in style! #damngoodcoffee. And so, with a couple of famous quotes from the show, director David Lynch sparked a social media meltdown in October 2014 by revealing that his extraordinary TV drama Twin Peaks was returning for a third season. The first two series caused a sensation in 1990 and 1991. After the first episode, one critic described it as the series that will change TV. Time magazine declared it the most hauntingly original work ever done for TV. Set in a small Pacific Northwest logging town, the show revolved around an investigation into the killing of Laura Palmer, whose body, wrapped in plastic, is found by the river in the pilot episode. FBI Agent Cooper (Kyle MacLachlan) with Audrey Horne (Sherilyn Fenn). The first two series of Twin Peaks caused a sensation in 1990 and 1991 The BBC2 announcer introduced it as an offbeat murder mystery, but Twin Peaks was about as far away from a conventional crime show as it was possible to get. It was both perverted police procedural and subversive soap opera featuring, among many other things, demonic possession, extra-dimensional locations, an FBI agent who relied on clues given to him in dreams, a dancing dwarf with a disturbing speech pattern and, naturally, a giant. Lynch, an Oscar-nominated film-maker with The Elephant Man, Dune and Blue Velvet under his belt, brought his unique, surreal sensibility to a show that was funny, frightening, freakish and utterly unlike anything else. So what can we expect from the new series? Undoubtedly, the unexpected... Set in a small Pacific Northwest logging town, the show revolved around an investigation into the killing of Laura Palmer, whose body, wrapped in plastic, is found by the river The weird and wonderful world of Twin Peaks 1. Why its a big deal The list of shows influenced by Twin Peaks is a long one. It pioneered the high production values, complicated plot and long-form narrative drama that we are so used to today. Consider The X-Files (maverick cop mired in the mysterious), The Sopranos (surreal dream sequences reveal deep truths), Scandi noir (multiple layers of secrets slowly unravel). It also featured a Hollywood director (Lynch) and a movie star (Kyle MacLachlan) switching from the big screen to TV almost unheard of then. 2. The Corrie connection David Lynch watched episodes of Peyton Place for inspiration for the soap-opera element of Twin Peaks. The long-running American soap was conceived to emulate the success of Coronation Street. So, no Rovers Return, no One Eyed Jacks. FBI boss Gordon Cole (David Lynch) with forensic pathologist Albert Rosenfield (Miguel Ferrer) 3. What we know about the new series Lynch has released only a few seconds of footage, and none of the cast or crew has let any secrets slip. The actors signed non-disclosure agreements and were sent redacted scripts with only MacLachlan allowed to see all 500 pages. All we know is that all 18 episodes have been directed by Lynch and that its set in present-day Twin Peaks. 4. Twin Speak From the Nineties to now, simply saying a certain phrase instantly identifies you as a Peakie. Damn fine coffee!, for instance. Agent Cooper loves coffee and never misses an opportunity to praise a decent cup. Any reference to cherry pie, another of Coopers loves, is peak Peaks. That gum you like is going to come back in style, is a line he first hears in one of his portentous dreams. David Bowie (pictured) had a cameo as an FBI agent in Twin Peaks: Fire Walk With Me, the movie about Laura Palmers last days, but died before he could film his part for the new show 5. FBI Agent Cooper is David Lynch Co-writer Mark Frost said he based Agent Cooper on David Lynch, but however many idiosyncrasies Cooper has, hes no match for Lynch. The director went through a period when he wouldnt cook any food (because he didnt like the smell); he always wears a white shirt, buttoned up to the neck; he always uses a megaphone to direct, even for intimate scenes; and he used to release online weather reports. 6. The man who fell to Twin Peaks David Bowie (above) had a cameo as an FBI agent in Twin Peaks: Fire Walk With Me, the movie about Laura Palmers last days, but died before he could film his part for the new show. Lynch likes to work with the same actors again and again. Among those returning from the original series are Kyle MacLachlan (Dale Cooper), Sheryl Lee (Laura Palmer/Maddy Ferguson), Sherilyn Fenn (Audrey Horne) and David Duchovny (transgender agent Denise Bryson). Lynch himself is also back, as 99 per cent deaf FBI boss Gordon Cole. 7. Sinister sounds The melancholy-menacing Laura Palmers Theme was written by Angelo Badalamenti in just 20 minutes as he sat at the keyboard while Lynch told him to imagine some woods at night and a teenage girl emerging from the darkness. Badalamenti first worked with Lynch on the 1986 film Blue Velvet, and has also worked with Bowie, Anthrax and Pet Shop Boys. Laura Palmer (Sheryl Lee) 8. The monster who moves the furniture With his demonic grin and blood-curdling animal howls, Bob, played by the late Frank Silva, was the shows scariest character. He had been employed as a set dresser and wasnt even meant to be in the show. But Lynch heard someone warning Silva, who was moving furniture around Laura Palmers bedroom, not to block himself in with a chest of drawers. The image of Silva trapped in the room appealed to the director. Then, when Silvas reflection in a mirror was accidentally captured in a shot of a character screaming, Lynch took it as a sign and gave Silva a part. 9. What does it all mean? Virtually everything that happens in the show seems to have a deeper level of significance. Its a riddle, wrapped in an enigma, inside a mystery. The truth is, probably, that viewers can read into it whatever meaning they want. However, there is a theme of duality running throughout there are lots of mirrors and mirror images, doppelgangers, double lives, and, of course, twin peaks. 10. Back-to-front The disturbing way in which some of the characters speak in Coopers dreams was achieved by having the actors learn how to say their dialogue backwards, taping that and then playing it backwards so it came out forwards but sounding very weird. Twin Peaks begins on May 22 on Sky Atlantic Queer City: Gay London From The Romans To The Present Day Peter Ackroyd Chatto & Windus 16.99 Rating: At no other time in its history has London ever been so prim and proper. Nowadays, St Jamess Park, just across the road from Buckingham Palace, is a model of decorum. Even the ducks seem to quack discreetly, so as not to offend their neighbours. But back in the days of King Charles II, it was, according to one poet, notorious for the activity beneath its trees: Nightly now beneath their shade/ Are buggeries, rapes and incests made. Today, Temple and Lincolns Inn Fields are both full of lawyers going quietly about their business. But at the beginning of the 18th century they were go-to places for gay pick-ups, with holes bored in the partitions of their lavatories to, as Peter Ackroyd delicately puts it, facilitate intimacy. And, while we are on the subject of the law, in the late 14th century, the most popular male brothel was situated just opposite the Old Bailey. Londons Gay Pride march in 1995. Peter Ackroyd subtitles his book gay life in London from the Romans to the present day Not very far away, Holywell Street, just off the Strand, was the centre for the Victorian gay porn trade, with an estimated 57 pornography shops in as many yards. And Burlington Arcade, which might well now be the swankiest shopping area in London was, in 1855, known as a nest of male whores, along with, of all places, a skating rink in Knightsbridge. Ackroyd has an encyclopaedic knowledge of London, and a poets instinct for its strange, mesmerising drives and urges. As well as his classic books London: The Biography and Thames: Sacred River, he has written masterly biographies of a wide range of Londoners, among them Dickens, Turner, Blake, Charlie Chaplin and Alfred Hitchcock. Now he has turned his all-seeing eye on what he calls Queer City. He subtitles his book gay life in London from the Romans to the present day. He is certainly not short of material. Through the magical Ackroyd X-ray binoculars, everywhere in London stands revealed as a steamy hub of gay activity. The pertinent characteristics of a large city such as London the railway termini (even the trains themselves), the public baths, the arcades, the parks, the museums and art galleries, the gymnasia, the restaurants, the new theatres, the public lavatories and above all the restless streets formed the perfect environment for same-sex pursuits, he writes. Quentin Crisp in gay Old Compton Street Obviously, it would be odd to consult a book called Queer City in search of information about other London pursuits stamp-collecting, say, or ballroom dancing. But at the same time, Ackroyd leaves the impression that for the past 2,000 years London has been primarily a 24-hour gay pick-up joint, with the odd unwanted heterosexual putting in an appearance simply to tut-tut, or to look for trouble, or to make an arrest. The tale Ackroyd tells is, with just a few blips, one of gay abandon for a couple of thousand years, followed by a puritanical crackdown for a century or so, then back to business as usual in the late 20th century. In Roman London, male prostitutes were apparently prized for the tax raised from them, and they had their own public holiday. As for gladiators, they were probably gay too, as they dressed to kill with tunics made up of tassels and threads of gold, and as far as women gladiators go, their sexuality, if such it was, can only be surmised. In the absence of evidence, Ackroyd surmises away to his hearts content. After all, the bones of two women buried together have been uncovered on the bank of the Thames. One of them was older and had been killed with a blow to the skull. Beside her was a much younger and smaller woman, with a height of 4ft 9in. They may have been sisters, but they may not. Nudge, nudge, wink, wink! Later in the book he mentions a similar case of two early-18th-century women sharing a grave in a Norfolk church. Are we to deduce that these women were more than familiar companions? he asks, coyly. He then answers his own question. Nothing can be inferred, let alone proven, but they might perhaps have been silent witnesses for a condition which they did not disclose. Ackroyd soups up even the most anodyne tale to render it more fruity. Every schoolchild has been taught the tale, first mentioned by the Venerable Bede, of the 6th-century Pope Gregory the Great setting eyes on a group of fair-haired young English slaves in a market. On being told that they were Angles, Pope Gregory is said to have replied, Not angles but angels. At my old-fashioned school, we were taught that this showed that the English have long been the favoured race. But Ackroyd presents quite another interpretation. The little angels were no doubt destined for a fate harsher than a heavenly choir, he writes, adding that, The remark was later held against Gregory on the grounds that he was also a sodomite. But would Bede, a pious monk, have put the story into his solemn ecclesiastical history if he had entertained the faintest suspicion that it contained Chatty Man-style innuendo? A cartoon of Edward II and his lover Piers Gaveston And so to King Alfred, who was so blase about homosexuality that though he instituted the death penalty for men who had sex with sheep, there was no punishment at all for men who had sex with other men. Then came the Normans, who were, says Ackroyd, notorious for their sexual preference... It was said that, after the Normans came, homosexuality spread in England like syrup through water. For all his erudition, and his magpie ability to gather a shiny assortment of fascinating details, Ackroyd loves a sweeping generalisation, and with it comes a tendency to tabloid overstatement. Writing of London in the 12th century, he declares that Schoolmasters paid as much attention to the buttocks as the brains of their little pupils. In the mid-16th century, Monks were sleeping with monks, monks were sleeping with boys, boys were sleeping with whomever. During the Restoration, buggery was once again in fashion. And in the late 19th century the public toilet beside the Lyric Theatre in Hammersmith was chock-a-block from dusk to dawn. Ackroyd is certainly no slave to statistics. His chapter titles reflect his rollicking approach to scholarship: among those repeatable on a Sunday morning are Bring On The Dancing Boys, Soft And Slippery, Arsey-Versey, Continually Wet and Good Golly Miss Molly. IT'S FACT! In the 18th century, meeting places for homosexual men were known as Molly houses, from the popular term for gay men, Miss Molly. Advertisement Across the centuries, he handpicks some splendid examples of gay debauchery. There is the infamously camp Piers Gaveston, who so entranced King Edward II that even during the royal wedding the king couldnt take his eyes off him, leading his brides relatives to walk out in disgust. In the 16th century comes Nicholas Udall, the headmaster of Eton who was sacked from his post after confessing to having had sex with a pupil, then went briefly to prison before being appointed headmaster of Westminster school just a few years later. But if ever Ackroyd finds things not quite so saucy as he would like them to be, he is happy to give them a nudge in the right direction. At one point, for instance, he mentions a lurid article in something called The Bon Ton magazine in 1792 about a lesbian whipping club in Jermyn Street. It sounds remarkably like a male fantasy, he acknowledges, before quickly adding, but the fact that it could be conceived at all is an indication of the sexual possibilities of the city. What could be imagined could also be performed. Oh yes? Would he offer the same certificate of credibility to Hannibal Lecter, or Count Dracula, or One Hundred And One Dalmatians? Queer City contains something to alarm or fascinate on every page, but how much of it is wishful thinking? Giacometti Tate Modern, London Until September 10 Rating: Swiss artist Alberto Giacometti was at the heart of Parisian cultural life in the mid-20th century: he drank coffee with Jean-Paul Sartre, took walks with Samuel Beckett and bickered regularly with Pablo Picasso. He also had what we might call a complex relationship with women: in his teens an attack of mumps left him infertile, while in adulthood he had an unhealthy obsession for prostitutes (whom he called the ultimate in womanhood). A new Tate retrospective, however, all but ignores biography, allowing his work to speak for itself. Its a risky approach, but also, it turns out, a triumphant one. Giacometti is confirmed as among the greatest artists of recent times. Swiss artist Alberto Giacometti was at the heart of Parisian cultural life in the mid-20th century. Above: his Spoon Woman (1927) Born in the Alpine village of Borognovo, he moved to Paris in his early 20s to study sculpture. Early work finds him experimenting with different styles that were then fashionable, such as cubism and primitivism in the case of Spoon Woman, inspired by the anthropomorphic ladles of the Dan people of West Africa, both in the same work. In the Thirties he joined the surrealist movement, and his works from this time are worthy of an exhibition of their own. Many are disturbing psychosexual fantasies that a Freudian would be better placed to discuss than an art critic. As you approach Woman With Her Throat Cut, for example, it looks like a tarantula on the loose. Yet to see it up close is to encounter something altogether more alarming. It depicts a female who has, just moments before, been raped and murdered: her crotch open, body arched and windpipe slashed. The trend in art galleries nowadays at Tate and beyond is for anonymous, white walls that call hospitals to mind. Too often they leave work looking sanitised and sterile, but theres never a danger of that with Giacometti. In the Thirties he joined the surrealist movement, and his works from this time are worthy of an exhibition of their own. Above: Woman With Her Throat Cut (1932) Its the sculptures from after the war, though, for which Giacometti is most famous: his spindly, stick-thin men and women. Above: Man Pointing (1947) With Paris occupied during the Second World War, the artist relocated to Geneva, where his sculptures got progressively smaller. When peace came, the publisher Albert Skira recalled visiting Giacometti before the latters return to France and asking, Have you shipped your sculptures yet? To which he replied, No, Im taking them with me, promptly pulling a pair of matchboxes from his pocket and revealing his recent years work within. These minuscule figures are astonishing. Theyre about a centimetre high, and no matter how close you get to them, they still resemble specks on the horizon. Its the sculptures from after the war, though, for which Giacometti is most famous: his spindly, stick-thin men and women. In 2015, one of these, Man Pointing, was bought by US hedge fund manager Steven A Cohen for $141.3 million, making it the most expensive sculpture ever sold. The post-war works are in plentiful supply at Tate. Though, disappointingly, without any consideration of why they above all other sculptures by all other sculptors have become so lucrative. Long and lonely, theyre often interpreted like the screaming subjects of paintings by Francis Bacon as symbols of alienation and existential despair in a world still scarred by conflict. Picasso mocked Giacometti for repeating these figures ad nauseam in his latter years. But look closely and theres great variety. In Le Chariot, from 1950, we even see a woman with bouffant hair standing on top of a chariot. Giacometti was famous for his modesty. He thought the work from throughout his career a failure, declaring that no matter what I look at, it eludes me. Thankfully for the rest of us, he kept plugging away regardless and was clearly much better at making his work than he was appraising it. ALSO WORTH SEEING The Pink Floyd Exhibition: Their Mortal Remains V&A Museum, London Until October 1 Rating: The Victoria & Albert Museum has had a large amount of success with exhibitions devoted to pop stars it discovered this almost accidentally, when a borrowed exhibition about Kylie Minogue proved a colossal draw in 2007. Others, including a David Bowie show, followed. The justification for these exhibitions is usually an overlap with the V&As core competence, especially (in Bowie and Minogues case) fascinating stage costumes, beautifully made and carefully preserved. Pink Floyd were, and remain, immensely popular. Their musical pre-eminence within their field is unchallenged. But is their status in visual media enough to justify an exhibition on such an enormous scale as this one? The band seem to emerge from a miasma of psychedelic imagery here, and the rooms charting their early years in the Sixties are a delight: swirling colours, art nouveau lettering, the groovy patterns you get by swirling oil on water. The band seem to emerge from a miasma of psychedelic imagery here, and the rooms charting their early years in the Sixties are a delight. Above: Division Bell Head The album designs, by the studio Hipgnosis, are classics of their kind, and the explanations of how images such as the flaming man on Wish You Were Here (above) were shot are interesting In that period, unsuspected works from the past became suddenly relevant a V&A Aubrey Beardsley show in 1966 was unbelievably successful, and Alice In Wonderland was abruptly very hip. Pink Floyd were part of this, but not the creators of the style it was there to be used, like the floral shirts and paisley trousers they can be seen wearing in publicity shots. More striking were their musical innovations but the visual aspect of the band is, in my view, not enough to sustain the show. The album designs, by the studio Hipgnosis, are classics of their kind, and the explanations of how images such as the flaming man on Wish You Were Here were shot are highly interesting. But once the band have so much money they can create whatever spectacle they like, the results are often grandiose but rather banal in conception a giant flying pig to signify impossibility, a giant nuclear family including 2.4 children, a looming schoolteacher indicating the oppressive forces of education and power. Once the band have so much money they can create whatever spectacle they like, the results are often grandiose but rather banal in conception. Above: Inflatable Teacher Of course, these emblems, impossible to ignore, spoke to millions. They arent meant to constitute an argument, or a political proposal just a spectacle on stage. But I cant help thinking that one of David Bowies suits meant more, in the end, than all the giant inflatables and 40ft puppets. The music is the thing, and there is plenty of that in the exhibition. And there is a lot of memorabilia, including an outraged letter from a BBC executive when Syd Barrett freaked out and left a studio without warning. But for the rest of us, theres a fundamental lack of visual interest. Philip Hensher Secretary of State Rex Tillerson and Prime Minister of Georgia Giorgi Kvirikashvili recently signed a U.S.-Georgia General Security of Information Agreement. The agreement represents a major milestone in security cooperation between the United States and Georgia. The information agreement establishes a legal foundation for bilateral intelligence sharing and will strengthen counterterrorism cooperation between the United States and Georgia. This agreement will also enhance the Georgian militarys interoperability with the armed services of NATO member states. The information agreement supports Georgias efforts to transform its military and paves the way for future security agreements between the United States and Georgia. After signing the agreement, Secretary Tillerson and Prime Minister Kvirikashvili met to discuss the strong U.S.-Georgia partnership, noting that this year marks the 25th anniversary of diplomatic relations. Secretary Tillerson thanked the Prime Minister for Georgias contributions to global security and commended the significant reform progress the country has made since independence. He reaffirmed U.S. support for continued progress toward Georgia's Euro-Atlantic integration. Secretary Tillerson also reiterated the steadfast commitment of the United States to Georgias sovereignty and territorial integrity within its internationally recognized borders. Georgia continues to be locked in a standoff with Russia over the Moscow-backed breakaway regions of Abkhazia and South Ossetia. Russia recognized Abkhazia and South Ossetia as independent states after a brief war against Georgia in 2008, though only a handful of countries have followed suit. Both Secretary Tillerson and Prime Minister Kvirikashvili agreed to continue efforts to ensure Georgias security and prosperity. Zelda reads all your letters but regrets that she cannot answer them all personally My brothers girlfriend is a waste of space My mother, sister and I are in despair over my younger brother. He is 32, clever and has a high-flying job, but in other ways he is utterly stupid. He is divorced and we all consider his new girlfriend of three months to be a klutz. Six months ago, she lost her father who did everything for her. Now my brother has taken over that role. She cant check her tyres or change a wheel on her car and even failed her driving test eight times. My brother is helping her to decorate her house and she doesnt know one end of a brush from the other. Our father gambled everything away and we lost our home, so our mother brought us up to be independent. She went back to college and now has a senior management role. In her new house, she did all the DIY jobs including fixing the washing machine and leaky taps and plastering and painting the walls and she taught us to do the same. My sister rewired her own house. I buy and renovate houses. We have told our brother what we think, but he just says that his two sons are fond of her. His girlfriend knows how we feel. It is such an unequal relationship and she is a waste of space. Suppose for a minute that you were writing a lonely hearts ad. Would it read: Kindness and personality immaterial, but must be practical and brilliant at DIY? Maybe she has other qualities that appeal to your brother. The fact that your nephews are fond of her, for instance, may mean that she is a kind and caring person and, potentially, a loving stepmother. Perhaps she is intelligent, interesting and loves your brother and vice versa. Of course, it may be that your concerns are about deeper issues. Maybe her father also supported her financially and you worry that she may have latched on to your brother because she sees him as a cash cow and thinks that he can provide her with a comfortable lifestyle, in which case your concerns would be understandable and you could gently voice these to him. Also, perhaps because your family lost everything and had to become fiercely independent, you find it hard to imagine not being so. If your brother loves her and he is happy, it is his decision. Will my feelings ruin our bond? My wife died a little while ago. She was in her mid-70s, like me. For the past ten years, we had gone on holiday with her friend, who is in her early 60s, and now this friend has asked me to go on holiday with her to the same place and stay in a two-bedroom apartment. I have agreed. She is an attractive woman and I have feelings for her, but Im worried that I might make a fool of myself and ruin a wonderful friendship. What do you think? I am so sorry about the death of your wife. The fact that your wifes friend has asked you to go on holiday with her certainly suggests that she likes you and enjoys your company. Though this might well be just as a friend, it could also be because she has feelings for you, too. However, you need to tread sensitively and it might be an idea to find out how the land lies before you go away together. Perhaps you could invite her out for a drink to plan the holiday and talk about how different it will be without your wife. Try to see if there are any signs that she feels the same way. Is she quite flirty, does she look into your eyes, smile seductively or perhaps touch your arm frequently? If so, then tell her how much you value her friendship and ask if she could ever imagine it being more than that. I hope she feels the same way, but if she makes it clear that she just sees you as a good friend, then its important to accept that and not cling on to any hope that she might change her mind. Ive never found sex pleasurable I have never enjoyed sex. Even in the early days, I found it a chore and gradually began to dread it. There seems to be a conspiracy in which everyone says that sex has to be wonderful, and that if women do not enjoy it they are abnormal and should see a doctor or that they should spice up their sex lives and tell their partners what they do enjoy. But it is not abnormal, an illness or necessarily about any lack of skill on their partners part. I have had loving relationships and my disinterest in sexual pleasure is no reflection on my partners, or my love for them. Its simply how I am I dont enjoy sex. Is it OK to prefer a snuggle? Unless your previous partners also did not enjoy making love, then having to settle for just a cuddle or being with someone who was enduring sex rather than enjoying it may have been difficult for them. Maybe this is not the case for you, but a lot of women dont want to make love because their relationship is going through a difficult time, or they do not feel emotionally close to their partner and so no longer sexually desire them. Sometimes it can be for more physical rather than emotional reasons, such as hormonal changes during the menopause or low testosterone. It can even be a result of negative attitudes from childhood perhaps sex was never talked about or was portrayed as dirty and wrong, or something that women did not enjoy. This early indoctrination can live on into adulthood. It is rare to be completely asexual, but not unheard of. According to research, people who are asexual can enjoy romantic relationships, but dont want them to go further. If you have a problem, write to Zelda West-Meads at: YOU, Northcliffe House, 2 Derry Street, London W8 5TS, or email z.west-meads@you.co.uk Maddie Chesterton is just 30, but already one of Londons most influential trend-makers. Baar & Bass, her boutique on the Kings Road, is the place to head for the little-known labels youll otherwise want to take straight off the backs of summers best-dressed beach-goers. We cornered her for her 2017 vacation style tips Hunza G x Baar & Bass BIKINI, 120, Baar & Bass, baarandbass.com If you could only pack one piece of swimwear, what would it be? Our brightly coloured Hunza G x Baar & Bass bikini. No one will miss you on the beach! Swimsuit v bikini? Its a toughie. Youve got to get your tummy nice and brown, but I love the sophisticated look of a one-piece teamed with shorts and skirts for a long, lazy lunch. The summer label we should all be wearing? We have an in-house brand that has everything covered. Think beautiful lemon and tangerine colours and lots of blue linen, finished with our signature gold buttons. Who makes the best kaftans? My favourites are by Cloe Cassandro. They come in lightweight fabrics, cool prints and are one-size-fits-all the dream! Your current bestseller? Silk jumpsuits by Seren. Theyre perfect for stylish summer weddings. Seren JUMPSUIT, 665, Baar & Bass, baarandbass.com What do you wear when you have two minutes to get ready? Jeans and a Claudia Schiffer cashmere jumper. Essential summer accessories? Mercedes Salazar earrings and bespoke Atelier Paulin name bracelets. The beach well find you on this season? Pampelonne its just a stones throw from our Saint-Tropez pop-up shop. Take me there now! Pineapple-print pyjamas are impossible to resist. Especially these by Tales of Thread, a brand that uses an entirely ethical design and production process, making its cotton pieces in Ghanaian factories run by, and for, women and paying them above market wage. TOP, 85, and SHORTS, 50, both Tales of Thread, talesofthread.com TOP, 85, and BOTTOMS, 75, both Tales of Thread, talesofthread.com Sleep easy. talesofthread.com It seems a lifetime ago that Anya Hindmarch launched her Be A Bag service, allowing us to turn family photos into the most giftable of bags. Anya Hindmarch's new service will allow customers to build their own bags Tomorrow she launches Build A Bag take one super-useful, soft leather bag and add the straps, embellishments and accessories of your choice. Change on a yearly, monthly or for those with short boredom thresholds daily basis to create several new bags from one. Bags from 895, additional components from 150; available in select stores and anyahindmarch.com. WEAR WHERE The RHS Chelsea Flower Show is running from 23-27 May All things floral and fruity for the RHS Chelsea Flower Show, from 23-27 May. rhs.org.uk EARRINGS, 150, Jennifer Behr, from Liberty, libertylondon.com. BAG, around 145, Essentiel, essentiel-antwerp.com We love After film producer Winnie M Li was raped by a teenager in a Belfast park, she suffered severe anxiety and depression and was unable to work for two years. Here she explains why sharing her story with other survivors was key to her recovery Winnie today in London Aged 29, I thought I was figuring out adulthood. I was living in London (having grown up in New Jersey in the US), and I was enjoying a busy social life and an exciting career as a film producer. Id already been to the Oscars, where a short film I helped produce was nominated, and Id worked with stars including Daniel Craig and Game of Thrones Lena Headey. It seemed all I had to do was keep producing films, living my life and everything else would eventually happen: career success, a relationship, a family. But one Saturday afternoon in April 2008, those hopes vanished in an instant. I was on the tail end of a business trip to Belfast and I planned to go for an 11-mile hike in the Belfast Hills. The following day I was due to attend the London red-carpet premiere of Flashbacks of a Fool, a film Id produced, so I wanted to clear my head. Solo hiking had always been one of my great joys, a way to renew my sense of wonder for the world. It was a beautiful afternoon and only 20 minutes into my walk I spotted a teenage boy who seemed out of place in the park. Unlike other passers-by, he wasnt out with a dog or talking a stroll. He was standing around with no particular purpose. He was on his own. And he approached me. Winnie at the Oscars in 2006, two years before her attack Up close, he seemed young, in his early teens. He claimed he was lost and asked for directions. I did my best to help, but he wouldnt go away. He kept tagging alongside me on my hike, trying to chat, and though I felt uncomfortable, I didnt want to be rude. He was so young, I told myself he couldnt be dangerous. When I reached a very remote part of the walk, I thought I had lost him. I can still remember climbing a slope, thinking I was finally on my own, free to enjoy the view of the countryside. But a moment later, I glimpsed him in the trees behind me instinctively, I knew I was in trouble. But by then, there was no one else around. The boy confronted me suddenly violent and threatening demanding sex. It was as if hed flipped a switch. I did all the things youre supposed to do: I shouted for help, I fought back. It only seemed to render him more violent. I couldnt bring myself to tell my parents because I knew the pain it would cause He punched me in the head, he choked me until I couldnt breathe. I realised my best chance of not being killed or seriously injured was to let him have what he wanted. It wasnt much of a choice. But I took it to survive. In the end, that boy inflicted 39 separate injuries on me during a 30-minute assault mainly cuts and bruises. The deepest wounds were psychological. After he left, I knew I needed medical attention but there was no one around to help. So I phoned my friend who was in Belfast for our business trip and she called the police. As I sat by the side of a road waiting for them to arrive, I realised: this is my life now; Im a rape victim. 'The rape effectively ended my film-producing career,' says Winnie. 'Post-traumatic stress disorder, anxiety and depression set in immediately.' I went through six hours of police questioning, forensic and medical examinations. The next day, there were more police procedures and through it all I was grateful to have two friends by my side. They made sure I got on a flight back to London. Hours later, I put on the evening gown a designer had lent me and I walked down the red carpet at the Leicester Square premiere of our film. But I wasnt the same person as before. The old Winnie would have worked the room, relishing the party, but now I was numb, an empty shell, playing a charade of my earlier self. The rape effectively ended my film-producing career. Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), anxiety and depression set in immediately. I developed agoraphobia and panic attacks. I rarely wanted to leave my apartment; I cleared my social calendar. In sleep, I kept revisiting the trail where Id been attacked. During the day, all I could do was cry. I was ashamed of what Id been reduced to: from the active, dynamic me to this timid ghost. But I was still curious. Only two days after my assault, I sat at my laptop and read news articles about my rape. I even listened to radio chat shows talking about this horrific attack on a tourist. One woman said her heart went out to the wee girl who had been raped, because her life was now ruined. Even though she spoke from a place of sympathy, I felt insulted, written-off. I thought: You dont even know me. Who are you to pronounce my future? My perpetrator was arrested three days later. He was a 15-year-old boy. He pleaded not guilty and I would have to testify in court against him. I identified him in a video ID parade and a date for the trial was set for 8 March, 11 months after my assault. I could see months of my new joyless, fearful existence stretching onwards. That year, many of my friends were becoming engaged or married. Single and racked with anxiety about the trial, I did my best to attend parties and weddings. I felt the sharp pain of watching my friends celebrate while my own life was falling apart. I sank lower into helplessness and couldnt imagine ever rising out of it. I couldnt bring myself to tell my parents what had happened because I knew the pain it would cause them. It seemed as if I cried for months, feeling utterly alone. I contemplated suicide to end the unbearable dread of testifying in court. I knew the truth of what had happened to me, but to have that truth tested, judged in public and discredited would be soul-destroying. I started claiming Incapacity Benefit and began taking antidepressants. After six months on an NHS waiting list, I qualified for cognitive behavioural therapy. Two close friends accompanied me to Belfast for the trial. On the first morning, when I sat in the courtroom as a nervous wreck, my perpetrator suddenly switched his plea to guilty. That was it: there would be no trial. I was free from having to testify. I had justice, yet it felt strangely anticlimactic. My rapist was sentenced to eight years in prison. In the end, he only served four. His conviction helped lift my nightmares and panic attacks, but the key to my recovery was having friends who cared and believed in me. From the outset, I had decided one thing: I was going to be honest with close friends about what had happened. So, first in a group email, and then gradually in one-to-one conversations, I told each of my friends about the rape. How many more of us are out there with dark chapters? And as I opened up to them, I started to hear their stories of when they were raped, or their sister, or cousin or aunt. Only then did I realise how many women I knew had been affected by sexual assault. That statistic one in six women will be the victim of an assault was real. The crime is so prevalent yet we hardly ever talk about it openly. But if victims start to break the silence and tell our stories, perhaps we can educate the public about the reality of sexual assault and realise that we are not alone. Meanwhile, I started to rebuild my life. Even though my PTSD improved, I was unable to find work. The economic downturn of 2008 didnt help, and in job interviews I found it difficult to explain why I hadnt been working. I was unemployed for more than two years; my finances suffered and this added to my depression. Eventually, I moved to Qatar for a job at the Doha Tribeca Film Festival. There, on a new continent, I was able to earn money again and piece my career back together. Gradually, I started to feel as though I might still have a future in film. I later relocated to Singapore for another job. My career was flourishing, I was exploring new countries yet I felt empty. I realised I couldnt walk away from the issue. Something in me had changed. I had always loved writing and now I had a book I needed to write: a novel inspired by what had happened to me that spring afternoon in Belfast. In the autumn of 2013, I quit my job in Singapore, moved back to London, enrolled on an MA in creative writing at Goldsmiths, University of London, and started writing. Since then, Ive dedicated my professional life to advocating for change in how our society handles sexual assault. I dream of a day when survivors can speak more openly about their experiences and not be judged. Unlike my case, nine out of ten survivors are assaulted by someone they know. My case fitted the classic stranger rape scenario: I was sober, nobody disbelieved me. But many other women I encountered had been drunk during their assault and felt blamed as a result when, in reality, it is always (and only) the perpetrators who are guilty of causing the crime. Winnie with performers at The Clear Lines Festival in London, 2015 Weirdly, I consider myself lucky because only six per cent of reported rapes result in a conviction. Yet it is estimated that just 15 per cent of rapes are ever reported. Think of how many perpetrators remain free to assault again. And if my own experience was so horrific, what must it be like for the victims who arent believed, who have to see their perpetrators regularly at work, at school, or in their own family? There are so many survivors among us, and yet society understands so little about the impact rape has on lives. I know women who will never be mothers because their assault affected their ability to date and find a partner while they were in their 30s and 40s. How many more of us are out there with dark chapters which continue to haunt and impact the lives we lead? These questions inspired my activism and, in 2015, I co-founded The Clear Lines Festival, the UKs first platform dedicated to addressing sexual assault and consent through the arts and discussion. It drew together 500 people and the second festival will take place this autumn. Im also pursuing a PhD at the London School of Economics, exploring how rape survivors use social media to share their experiences and build a sense of community. More and more of us want to tell our stories, and often we find each other online. My novel Dark Chapter will be published next month. Inspired by my experience and those of other women, it tells the story of a rape from the perspectives of both victim and perpetrator. Im hoping it will provide readers with a realistic understanding of what survivors have to go through, while also connecting with victims who may feel isolated. I felt it was important to consider the rapist, too, because his actions were the cause of all my trauma and if we want to prevent future assaults occurring, we need to understand the roots of a perpetrators behaviour. While my friends start families and buy homes, Im still single and wary of men (though hopeful). But having found a community of survivors through the arts and activism, I dont feel quite as alone. I finally told my parents about the assault, after Id been able to reclaim my career. They didnt doubt or undermine me. Having survived a traumatic rape and its aftermath, I appreciate the pleasures in life we take for granted being able to work in a job you like and earn money. Being able to walk through a park on a sunny afternoon, free of fear. Life can change in an instant,through no fault of our own. But if we can share our stories bravely, openly, we can start to change the public understanding of rape and in the process, heal ourselves. clearlines.org.uk. Winnies novel, Dark Chapter, will be published by Legend Press on 1 June, price 14.99. To order a copy for 11.24 (a 25 per cent discount) until 4 June, visit you-bookshop.co.uk or call 0844 571 0640; p&p is free on orders over 15 Here, the couple explain how that decision has brought them joy at a difficult time Pete and Christina with their daughters Bella (left) and Louisa Cast your eye around Pete and Christina Moretons sitting room and you will see toys stacked neatly in one corner and a dining table that has been shifted slightly sideways to make way for a new double pram. To a casual observer, this is clearly the home of young professionals rapidly adjusting to the clutter of parenthood. The photographs and congratulations cards displayed on every spare surface tell you that they are also a couple bursting with love and pride for their daughters, two-and-a-half-year-old Bella and Louisa, who was born in February. Unlike most parents, however, the Moretons are painfully aware that the rites of passage they will experience together are limited. Seven years ago Pete, now 33, was diagnosed with an incurable brain tumour. He has since become a father while knowing that he will not be around to nurture his daughters into adulthood indeed, he may not survive long enough to see them start school. And Christina, also 33, is facing the certainty that at some as yet undetermined point she will become simultaneously a widow and a single mother. CHRISTINA Pete and I were 20 when we got together at a party during our second year at university. Afterwards, he left a sweet note in my pigeonhole asking me for a date and we arranged to meet at a local pub. He was late, which was a bit cheeky, but that didnt stop us becoming very serious, very quickly. Our backgrounds are similar: our mothers are teachers, our fathers have worked in business and consultancy. We are the elder siblings: I have two younger sisters, Pete has one. I grew up in Yorkshire, he comes from Wolverhampton. And we both appreciated how lucky we were to make it to Oxford although you only have to spend five minutes with Pete to realise how brilliant he is. Hes the most frighteningly clever person I have ever met. I was a history student, while he read physics. Hes logical and quieter than me, but he is also honest and kind. I remember being struck early on by his strong provider instinct. When we talked about our futures, a big factor for him was ensuring he would earn enough to support a family, while all that entered my head was having a career I would enjoy. He worked phenomenally hard and got a much-deserved first. I was more susceptible to distractions and graduated with a 2:1. We moved to London, where he secured a job in the City and I developed a career as a strategy analyst (I am currently head of strategy and external relations at London and Partners, the citys promotional company). We went on ski holidays, had a spectacular trip to Mauritius and were always busy seeing friends. Life was good until the day, just a few weeks after Petes 26th birthday in September 2009, that he suffered a seizure. It happened on a Monday morning at around 6am. Id never seen anyone having a fit before, but I knew instantly what it was. I called an ambulance, which was thankfully there within minutes, and Pete spent the next two weeks in hospital undergoing tests. The first doctor to explain that scans had shown a brain tumour described it as benign and said that Pete would probably be fine for many years. But a short while later we saw a neurosurgeon whose tone was far more chilling. He told us starkly that chemotherapy, radiotherapy and surgery could be attempted, but wouldnt work. There are no curative options, was how he put it. I cried but Pete didnt, because he so rarely does. Afterwards, we walked around Regents Park, which was nearby, and I felt as though I had been hit by a truck. It was the end of our world as we knew it. Pete returned to work soon after. He said he wanted a sense of normality and outwardly he was normal. He had been prescribed an anti-epilepsy drug, which meant he had no more seizures, and at that point there was nothing more to be done except monitor the tumour through follow-up scans. That November, Pete proposed and I said yes. There was never any question that he remained the love of my life. From left: Pete and Christinas wedding, 2010; Pete and Christina now with Bella and Louisa Our wedding in June 2010 was a happy day that we shared with 80 relatives and friends. We had dancing lessons so that we could do a Strictly turn (our song was John Paul Youngs Love is in the Air). Those lessons, along with planning the big day and our honeymoon in the US, were welcome diversions: knowing that things are OK but also that they are not is the strangest thing. Its a bit like George Orwells doublethink from the novel Nineteen Eighty-Four: you have to find a way of acknowledging and living with the awfulness and, at the same time, a way of ignoring it if you are to have any hope of getting on with life. Pete and I had talked about having children since the earliest days of our relationship. And, if Im honest, I dont think we ever seriously considered not going ahead with having a family. He was still well and each three-monthly scan showed that the tumour was stable. Nobody could tell us when that might change. But more than that, we were determined that Petes brain tumour was not going to become the thing that defined us. So we moved from our rented flat in Canary Wharf and bought the house where we now live in Southeast London. In 2012 I suffered a miscarriage at 12 weeks, which was a distressing setback, but by the end of 2013 I was pregnant with Bella. Once I was through the awful sickness (I had hyperemesis gravidarum, the same severe nausea experienced by the Duchess of Cambridge), it felt like Christmas every day. We were so happy and full of anticipation. Pete was with me for Bellas birth in August 2014 and, after a 36-hour labour, we experienced that magical moment that all parents must have when you look at your baby and wonder that you have created something so amazing. We were determined that Pete's brain tumour would not define us Bella was seven months old when, in March 2015, we received the news that we had long feared: Petes routine scan showed that the tumour was growing. He had a biopsy, which confirmed that it had turned aggressively cancerous and was now a grade four glioblastoma multiforme. He would need radiotherapy and chemotherapy, both of which could make him infertile. If we thought we might want more children, our first stop had to be a sperm bank. Choosing to have a second baby was a more cautious decision than having our first. Pete has been unable to work since he started treatment in May 2015 as he gets tired and needs to sleep for several hours during the day. Looking after one baby is hard work how would we cope with another? But at the forefront of my mind, too, was what was going to be best for Bella. How would it be in the future if it was just her and me? And how much better would it be if she and her sibling had each other? Intuitively, both Pete and I knew it was the right thing to do. We tried intrauterine insemination first, a method that keeps fertility drugs to a minimum. That didnt work for us, but our first attempt at IVF did. Now Louisa is here and Bella is getting used to sharing our attention. Sometimes she sings songs to her little sister and strokes her head, other times she insists Mummy give it to Grandma so that she can have us to herself. She loves to read stories and watch Frozen with her daddy, and she knows in her own way that he is not well. She will say, Daddys got a headache, or, Daddy feel better later. We dont talk about the future with her in any concrete way. Children live in the moment and having her around keeps us in the moment, too. Some time ago Pete raised the subject of my future happiness and said that he would like and expect me eventually to meet someone else. Ive told him I cant imagine that, and I dont want to think about it, but I hugely appreciate him saying it. It is so typically selfless of him to give me the freedom to live my life when he is no longer able to live his. Pete and Christina at a university ball in Oxford He is the most brave man I have ever known. He doesnt make a fuss; he has never been angry, resentful or self-pitying. All his thoughts and energy are focused on those he loves: me and the girls, his parents and his wider family. He has also sorted out our wills because his absolute priority has been ensuring that we have no unnecessary worries when he is not here. We both have wobbly days me more than Pete. I am sometimes overwhelmed by the horror of what we are facing and have awful dreams about his funeral. But when one of us is upset we support each other. And perhaps the most surprising thing about our situation is how normal life can be. We still find time to laugh together and occasionally, like any couple, we clash although if I am cross, I tend to let off steam and calm down within ten minutes and Pete is so undramatic that he doesnt get cross at all. For Pete, becoming a father has been a massive motivation to make the best of every day. It occurred to me recently how unimaginable our world would be without Bella and Louisa. Pete would be at home feeling ill; I would be going to work and feeling guilty. Wed both be sad and empty. Instead, for as long as we have time together, our lives are filled with joy. PETE Christina and I are opposites. Shes a chatterbox, Im the quiet one, and I tease her about being a spender not a saver. But I am also hugely admiring of how warm and understanding she is when dealing with people. Among the qualities we share is a respect for honesty and openness, and that has been crucial in getting us through my illness. The seizure that led to my diagnosis came out of the blue. I ate well, kept fit, didnt drink much or smoke and hadnt been feeling unwell. I used to be the first to want to go home from parties, and maybe that tiredness was a symptom, but it also fitted with my personality type. There were no obvious signs such as headaches, but I now know that the tumour had been growing for several years, possibly since I was a teenager. I read my medical notes while I was in hospital undergoing tests so when someone suggested that my parents joined us for the appointment to discuss results, I had a good idea of what was coming. My tumour is in my left temporal lobe, the part of the brain that manages speech and language. I couldnt feel it and I still cant, but my language recall is fading along with my short-term memory, and I can see on the scans how the tumour has grown. The adjectives doctors use to describe it have accelerated from big to large and now extensive. The main part of the tumour is about the size of a small fist. Pete and Christina at home From the outset, I was told there were no curative options, but to me, that wasnt the same as being given a terminal prognosis. The neurosurgeon said I would probably be fine for many years and he was right. Id been intending to propose to Christina for ages and I knew that had to be my next step. I was keen to get back to normal, but there was no time to waste. We talked long and hard about starting a family. My main concern was for Christina it is she who will have to cope when I am gone. She has doubts about her capabilities, but I know how smart and caring she is and that she will always be a brilliant mother. And she will have the added support of our families: every week either my parents or Christinas are with us to provide extra pairs of helping hands. I also had to bear in mind that any children we had would grow up without me in their lives. I have two friends who lost their fathers when they were five years old, so I asked them how that felt, and they said that it was difficult but it hadnt prevented them being happy. Their words were hugely reassuring. The day Bella was born was one of the happiest of my life. Wolverhampton, the city I come from, has a motto: Out of darkness cometh light. And those were the words that rang in my head. While facing death, we can still create new life and with Bella, I had my legacy. I was still working as a project manager for a leading investment bank when Bella arrived, but gradually as my energy levels dropped, I was going in later and coming home earlier. My employers have gone above and beyond in their understanding. I have been on sick leave since undergoing surgery and radiotherapy and starting chemotherapy, which will continue indefinitely, for as long as it is slowing the growth of the tumour. The decision to have Louisa was a hard one, but the more Christina and I talked, the more lovely we realised it would be. It feels so good to have her here. She completes us. Christina is having to cope with the broken nights alone. Sleep is my best medicine. During the day, I can manage about three hours before tiredness overwhelms me and I have to shut down, rather like a computer running out of battery. At night, I am in the spare room so that I can sleep through. But when I am awake, I can be hands-on with the children. I take Bella to the park and to nursery and carry Louisa in the sling. Christina with Bella and Pete after he had lost his hair during treatment After Bella was born, I set up an email address so that I could write to her with random thoughts that she will be able to read when she is older. I tell her that she brushed her teeth by herself and managed to put on her own pyjamas today. I pass on memories from my own childhood and Ive even set her a few maths problems for her homework! I am starting a similar email address for Louisa now. No one can tell me why I have a brain tumour. Its nothing to do with using a mobile phone and it is not hereditary. Its just bad luck, and I prefer it that way because it means Bella and Louisa are at no greater risk than anyone else. Being angry achieves nothing. Time is short I dont know exactly how short, but I know the statistics. Sixty per cent of those with a high-grade tumour like mine die within a year, and only 19 per cent survive more than five years. Christina and I have no secrets. We have said everything that we want to say to each other. The future is beyond our control, but the present is ours. And with the happiness Bella and Louisa have brought into our lives, we are making the very best of the time we have. Jo and Sarah answer real questions from readers: to put your query, go to beautybible.com Q Im a landscape architect and outside most of the day. Im looking for a reasonably priced, mattifying primer with a high SPF to wear under foundation for days with clients and planners when I have to be in smart mode. A As you know from our email correspondence, this has been a bit of a tricky product to source. However, La Roche-Posay, a French dermatological brand for sensitive skin, now offers an Anti-shine option in its Anthelios range. Anthelios XL Anti-shine Non-perfumed Dry touch gel-cream has a new SPF50+, 16.50/50ml, which promises no white marks and would work well under make-up. It is also water-resistant. The SPF50 should give you the high protection you want, but if you felt the need to top it up, there is also an Anthelios Invisible fresh mist SPF50, 14/75ml. For more information follow Beauty Bible online here or on Facebook and Twitter For days when you are not in smart mode, you might like to try Anthelios XL Tinted dry touch gel-cream SPF50+. We know from friends and readers with very touchy skin that the Anthelios range is very unlikely indeed to cause any irritation or sensitivity. Another product that comes highly recommended is Murad award-winning Invisiblur Perfecting Shield SPF30. This is designed to blur and prime the skin with a matte finish, as well as acting as an anti-ageing treatment. However, it does constitute more of an investment product at 55/30ml. Lipstick Queen Mornin' Sunshine, 22 Beauty Bible loves Lipstick Queen Mornin' Sunshine, 22. Who'd have thought that a green lipstick would become Lipstick Queen Poppy King's all-time bestseller? But Frog Prince the 'transformer' lipstick which glides on from a green tube to deliver a flattering, bitten-lip shade on everyone has achieved just that. Make way, though, for the next 'transformer' a perfect-for-summer balm-textured lipstick that appears bright, bright yellow when you swivel it up. Yet apply to lips and it also becomes well, a very becoming, suits-all-skintones shade of peach/coral. The perfect summer lip look, in fact. Just applying it is really rather smile-making. Be quick, though. Frog Prince has regularly sold out all over the globe (repeatedly!) and that really is enough to wipe the smile off a woman's face. For more information follow Beauty Bible online here or on Facebook and Twitter The body of the 20-year-old women was found in an industrial site in Delhi On May 11, Haryana police found a mutilated 20-year-old female body being eaten by dogs at an industrial site in Rohtak district. A local man Sumit Kumar, age not known, along with and half-a-dozen associates allegedly abducted the woman, and gang-raped and tortured her using sharp-edged objects. They are then alleged to have murdered her, crushed her face with bricks and drove a vehicle over the body to avoid identification, according to police. The incident comes just days after the Supreme Court upheld the death penalty for four men in the Nirbhaya gang-rape and murder case from Delhi that had sparked nationwide revulsion and legal reforms. Evil: Sumit Kumar and his associate Vikas allegedly abducted the woman, and gang-raped and tortured her Police announced on Saturday that they have arrested Sumit Kumar and an associate. I was in love with her and she also loved me. There was some altercation between us and I killed her with a brick. Sumit Kumar, rapist and murderer The victim's family members identified the body and told the police that Sumit and six to seven men had stormed their house and threatened the woman after she refused to marry him. Station house officer Ajay Kumar confirmed: 'The was living with her mother. She had left for the job on May 9 around 7am when the accused, Sumit, along with his accomplice, Vikas, abducted her in a car'. On May 11, Haryana cops found a mutilated 20-year-old female body being torn apart by dogs at an industrial site in Rohtak district (pictured - the victim's body was driven over to avoid identification) 'We have recovered victim's body who was later identified as a resident of Kalupur Chungi area of Sonipat. The investigation is ongoing and we have arrested the prime accused Sumit and his accomplice, Vikas. 'Sumit has confessed to the crime and told us that they killed the victim after raping her,' Ajay Kumar said. The autopsy report found sexually malevolent injuries on the victim's body. Her skull was smashed in an attempt to disfigure her. The victim's family members identified the body and told the cops that Sumit and six to seven men had stormed their house and threatened the woman after she refused to marry him (pictured - the victim's body being taken away) 'The postmortem has revealed that the victim was first intoxicated by mixing sedatives in a soft drink. It is believed that the victim was raped and killed after she fell unconscious. 'Her head has been crushed brutally,' said senior professor and forensic medicine expert Dr SK Dhatarwal. 'We have also found broken bones. The accused indulged in this brutal act to deface her.' The victim's family told the police that Sumit was pressuring her to marry, but she turned him down her last year as he was unemployed. He would stalk her and a week before she was abducted she had slapped the accused as he blocked her way. Police say Sumit told them that after abducting the woman, they took her to Rohtak and stopped the vehicle near Parsvnath City. He asked the victim again to marry him but she refused. This infuriated him and he killed her. 'I was in love with her and she also loved me. There was some altercation between us and I killed her with a brick,' Sumit said on camera. The woman's mother has demanded that all those involved in the crime be hanged. The brutality of the December 29, 2012, gang-rape and murder of a woman, who was named 'Nirbhaya' meaning fearless because of laws against naming rape victims, provoked intense anger and weeks of protests across Indian cities and also hit international headlines. Government statistics show that almost 90 per cent of rapes in the country are committed by people known to the victims. A massive cyber attack on the computers of Indian Army officers has been thwarted. Suspected Pakistani and Chinese hackers attempted to inject data stealing malware on military systems by luring army officers by offering a foreign posting to Sri Lanka. 'The pinpointed attacks were launched on Friday by the hackers to middle-rung Indian Army officers by sending them an email purportedly sent from a government server and asking them to avail the offer of going for a posting to attend a prestigious course in a Sri Lankan military academy,' Army sources told Mail Today. Suspected Pakistani and Chinese hackers attempted to inject data stealing malware on military systems by luring army officers by offering a foreign posting to Sri Lanka The sender of the mail was nicknamed ADGMT-16. The mail was made to look as if it had been sent by Indian Army's Directorate General of Military Training, which details officers and personnel for attending courses within and outside India along with the Military Secretary's branch, the sources said. Soon after, the first few officers who received the malicious mail referred it to the Army Cyber Group, which issued an immediate alert to caution the officers against opening the mail. The Army Cyber Group in its warning, said, 'A malicious email from *karmi****16@nic.in* is being sent to Army personnel. 'The email contains a malicious file 'DEPUTATION_OF_ONE_ARM Y_OFFICER_TO_ATTEND_SRI_ LANKA. Xls'. 'On opening the malicious file, a data stealing malware gets installed in the computer. Please do not open the email'. Hackers often use links of dubious websites to inject malware in their victim's system. These malware are designed to disrupt or damage or gain unauthorised access to a computer, and may steal critical information. Incidentally, the hackers tried to attack Indian Army officers with offers of Sri Lanka posting at a time when Prime Minister Narendra Modi was in Colombo for a two-day visit. Both the Army Cyber Group and the Computer Emergency Response Team (CERT-India) are trying to ascertain the source of the attacks. They suspect it to be the job of Chinese and Pakistani hackers as they have been using similar tactics in the past. Prime Minister Narendra Modi being seen off on his departure from Colombo, Sri Lanka Sources said the first few officers who received the mail got suspicious as soon as they received it as the Army does not offer or announce postings of officers on private mailbox and communicates only on its intranet. In the last couple of months, this is the second massive attack on the Indian Army officers in a bid to steal classified information from their personal emails which could be used in many ways including blackmailing the victims or using the stolen data for anti-Indian activities, sources said. In April, the Army Cyber Group had uncovered a coordinated attempt to hack into the computers of its senior officers with decoy emails that purportedly contained links of 'their sex videos'. At least four officers of Lieutenant General-rank posted at South Block headquarters were the target of the malicious bid. The nationality of the hackers in the April attack has not yet been ascertained but the Army unit traced the server and the Internet Protocol address to Germany. After a few incidents of virtual honey-trapping by Pakistani agents, the Army has been on an overdrive to educate its personnel to guard against such attacks. One example of this is evident in calling an official Army telephone number, which plays a recorded message about the need to be careful from foreign agents who have been trying to extract information by all means. While the Union government is busy formulating a possible solution for the Maoist-hit Sukma, the district administration of Uttar Pradesh's Chandauli has found a constructive way to deal with the problem. Community policing, skill development, facilities in schools are the new tools of the district administration to counter Maoism that has been nearly wiped off from the district. 'It (corrective programme) was launched about one-and-a-half years ago by then DM Surendra Vikram and SP Amit Verma and we are carrying forward the legacy,' superintendent of police, Chandauli, Deepika Tiwari told Mail Today. School children are given bags and stationery items to encourage them to go to school The programme includes skill development of youth and women, she added. 'We (youth) are very happy as now we are getting jobs. 'I am now a trained electrician and earn enough for my family,' said Sanjiv, a youth whose father was involved in Maoist activities. 'I am now a trained plumber Our village Naogarh was once affected with Maoist activities but now I am a proud citizen of my mohalla,' said Rishabh. 'The Maoist tag we had on us is no more. We are now earning a livelihood with respect),' said Mukesh, another youth. The community policing has also helped the youth. 'The district administration roped in some sewing experts and now we are into our own tailoring business. We are now earning to our capacities,' said Shushila, a homemaker. Police inspect the work of a newly-trained tailor The police are also visiting the government schools on a regular basis. 'We are providing the kids with school bags and stationery in a bid to encourage them to come to school. We are also planning to provide pick-and-drop facility to kids so that more and more children come to schools,' said Tiwari. Chandauli district was the most Maoist-affected district in the recent past due to its proximity with Bihar. The police are also visiting the government schools on a regular basis Maoists had an easy escape gateway from Bihar as they used to cross borders after committing any crime. However, for the past 1.5 two years, the activities have been literally put on hold by the police and the administration as it is also the hometown (Bhabhaura village) of home minister Rajnath Singh. Chandauli had witnessed some dreaded Maoist attacks. In November 2004, 15 policemen including PAC jawans were killed when their van was blown up while passing over a culvert in Naugarh police station area. What is the criterion for fast-tracking a case? Only those which involve public outrage, mass fight for justice and media trial? The question is being raised by Dwarka-based parents of a 19-year-old girl who was gang-raped and murdered around 10 months before the Nirbhaya incident, and who have been waiting for justice over the past five years and three months. The debate comes ten days after the Supreme Court upheld the death sentence of four convicts in the high-profile Nirbhaya rape and gang-rape case which passed through the entire judicial hierarchy - trial court, high court and apex court - within a span of just four years. The parents of a 19-year-old girl who was gang-raped and murdered around 10 months before the Nirbhaya incident are seeking justice In the pertinent case, accused Rahul, Ravi and Vinod were sentenced to death by a Delhi trial court after two years of trial on February 13, 2014. This was after the victim's father, 55-year-old Kunwar Singh Negi sat on a fast at the Jantar Mantar seeking justice for her. Acting fast, the Delhi High Court upheld the sentence within just six months - on August 25, 2014. But the Supreme Court is yet to confirm the sentence and the matter has been pending before it for the past two years and two months without a single hearing. The only movement in the case which happened in the SC was the court allowing the victim's father to become a party in the case on December 9, 2015. The victim was returning after work from Cybercity in Gurugram on February 9, 2012 with three of her colleagues who lived in the same neighbourhood in Qutub Vihar, in Dwarka. The girls were dropped off by a bus around 8.30 pm and had to walk through a maze of poorly lit lanes to reach their homes. Three men in a car accosted the women and made lurid comments. They suddenly pulled the victim inside the car and sped away. She was kept in captivity and gang-raped for three days and later brutally killed. They burnt her body with cigarette butts, mutilated her eyes and face with screwdrivers, poured acid over her and left her to bleed to death. The body was found four days later in a field in Rewari, Haryana. 'My only prayer is that all three monsters should be hanged at the earliest,' said Kunwar Singh Negi, 55-year-old father of the victim who works as a security guard in a private school. 'We are clueless about the criteria adopted by courts to fast track cases. This incident in fact, took place 11 months before the Nirbhaya incident. Just because there was no public outrage or media campaign her family cannot be denied speedy justice,' Yogita Bhayana, social activist involved in the case. The view is echoed by Charu Wali Khanna, the advocate of victim's family. 'Justice should be speedy for all victims. Not merely for the family of the victims whose case has been highlighted by the media,' she adds. Terming the crime 'brutal and diabolic', the High Court had observed: 'We cannot ignore that in a rarest of rare case where the crime and the criminal test are satisfied, sentence of death can be inflicted for a violent rape followed by murder and especially when the accused have acted as predators, have snatched a member of the society from the society to commit the crime. 'Having committed the crime the predators have defiled the body of the victim. It is not that they acted upon a sudden impulse. They were predators moving on the streets and were looking for a preythis is not a common rape followed by murder. It is a whimsical and bizarre crime, conceits of which kind are not common in the annals of crime,' the High Court added. A former international swimmer who did not achieve her dream of winning an Olympic gold medal is expanding her swimming school, which was set up to help other people achieve theirs. Angela Wilson became Scottish National Champion at 11 and was selected for Team GB aged 15. She competed in the World, European and Commonwealth Games, but ill health forced her to retire. She was also diagnosed with autistic spectrum disorder and suffers from attention deficit hyperactivity disorder. Sport star: Angela Wilson became Scottish National Champion at 11 and was selected for Team GB aged 15 Angelas Swim School, which she says does not just teach people how to swim, but to reach their full potential and be the best they can be, has 18 franchises in the South-East. Now Wilson has negotiated a package with Metro Bank so franchisees can borrow up to 70 per cent of the franchise fee over five years to use as working capital. She plans to expand into the Midlands. Turnover for the first quarter of 2017 is up 70 per cent against the same period last year, which was 74 per cent up on the first quarter of 2015. Wilson said: My aim is to encourage people to use the setbacks and disappointments they have suffered as a motivation to succeed in their lives. I believe that the drive and determination it takes to learn to swim can help rebuild confidence and give people the enthusiasm to go out and make a success of their lives, particularly, if like me, they suffer from a disability. The schools pupils have won medals in the World Transplant Games, competed in Rio 2016 and two have been selected for Team GB for Tokyo 2020. Pope Francis says he won't try to convince U.S. President Donald Trump to soften his policies on immigration and the environment when they meet this month, but wants instead to find common ground and work for peace. Francis said proselytizing isn't his style - in politics or religion. Speaking to reporters while traveling home Saturday from a trip to Portugal, Francis said he would say what he thinks sincerely to Trump and listen respectfully to what Trump has to say. 'Even if one thinks differently we have to be very sincere about what each one thinks. Scroll down for video Pope Francis (left on Saturday) says he won't try to convince U.S. President Donald Trump (right on Saturday) to soften his policies on immigration and the environment when they meet this month, but wants instead to find common ground and work for peace. Speaking to reporters while traveling home Saturday from a trip to Portugal, Francis (above on Saturday) said he would say what he thinks sincerely to Trump and listen respectfully to what Trump has to say 'Topics will emerge in our conversations. I will say what I think and he will say what he thinks. 'But I have never wanted to make a judgment without first listening to the person.' Speculation has swirled about what Trump and Francis will discuss during their May 24 audience, given Francis has already said anyone who wants to build walls to keep out migrants is 'not Christian.' Trump, who made building a wall along the border with Mexico a signature campaign promise, responded by saying it was 'disgraceful' that the pope would question his faith. Francis said he was willing to find common ground with Trump. 'There are always doors that are not closed. We need to find the doors that are at least partly open, go in, and talk about things we have in common and go forward, step by step,' he said. 'Peace is artisanal. You do it every day.' Asked specifically if he would try to soften Trump's policies, Francis said: 'That is a political calculation that I don't allow myself to make. Also in the religious sphere: I don't proselytize.' Trump, who grew up in a Presbyterian family, will visit the Vatican during a tour of the Middle East and Europe that will also include a meeting in Sicily of the leaders of the Group of Seven leading economies. The pope is a head of state as well as being leader of the world's 1.2 billion Roman Catholics. Such meetings allow for an exchange of views on world affairs and a chance for the pope to encourage ethical solutions to world problems. About 21 percent of Americans, or 70 million people, are Catholic. Washington has had full diplomatic relations with the Vatican since 1984, when President Ronald Reagan saw Pope John Paul, a Pole, as a crucial ally against communism. British troops reacted with fury last night after a shamed military housing supplier received an award for being forces friendly. Soldiers and their families spoke out after CarillionAmey picked up the Armed Forces Covenant Bronze Award a prize given by defence chiefs to employers who support the military community. CarillionAmey has come under scrutiny for providing 'filthy, cold and rat-infested' homes The award comes after months of criticism by MPs, service charities and serving soldiers about troops being forced to live in filthy, cold and rat-infested accommodation. In one three-month period in 2016 the company which has a 115 million Government contract to maintain soldiers houses had received more than 5,000 complaints. The announcement of the award led to more than 600 comments on the companys Facebook page. Captain Matt Weites, the director of music for the Royal Marines, wrote: They came to do a survey on our house back in January and told us that the kitchen needs replacing and the boiler is so old it should be condemned. We have heard nothing since despite repeated calls. An absolute joke of a business. Rachel Smith, who also lives in a service home, added: Are you for real? My ceiling is held together by a single piece of cardboard for well over a year. Numerous soldiers have complained about CarillionAmey in wake of the award Hayley Taylor, another occupant of a service house, added: Your poor standards, bad customer service and lack of empathy for service families is a joke. Last year, while giving evidence to the Public Accounts Committee, Richard Lumby, the managing director of Carillion Defence and Security, admitted his company had dropped a big clanger and put service personnel and families though significant discomfort over the last 18 months. A CarillionAmey spokesman said last night: Although we acknowledge that our performance in some areas was not satisfactory up to early 2016 we are now meeting, and in places exceeding, the overall requirements of our contracts. President Donald Trump has hinted that Sean Spicer may not retain his position as press secretary in the near future. The president revealed Spicer's position on his communications team may be in jeopardy during an interview with Fox News Host Jeanine Pirro - amid claims that he is considering Fox news personality, Kimberly Guilfoyle for the job. When the host asked Trump twice if Spicer would be the press secretary 'tomorrow', he dodged the question on both occasions. The president responded the first time: 'Well, he's doing a good job, but he gets beat up' . 'He's been there from the beginning,' he said the second time, equally as coy, as he refused to confirm if Spicer is retaining his job. President Donald Trump hinted that Sean Spicer may not retain his position as press secretary in the near future during an interview with Fox host Jeanine Pirro When Pirro asked Trump if Spicer would be the press secretary 'tomorrow', he refused to answer directly and said: 'Well, he's doing a good job, but he gets beat up' Expanding more about the pressure he says Spicer has faced in communicating with the media, especially amid the controversy surrounding the firing of FBI Director James Comey, Trump said: 'He just gets beat up by these people, and again you know they dont show the 90 questions that they asked and answered properly. Im saying if theyre off just a little bit, just a little bit, its the big story.' The controversy began on Tuesday, when the White House announced that Comey had been fired, apparently because of how he had handled the investigation into Hillary Clintons use of a private email server last November. In a letter, Trump said he had acted on the recommendation of Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein. Using this thread, Kellyanne Conway, Sarah Huckabee - the deputy press secretary - and even Vice President Mike Pence defended the president's actions. But Trump later rendered their defense baseless when he said he had already decided to fire Comey before Rosenstein was even appointed. 'I was going to fire Comey my decision. There is no good time to do it, by the way,' Trump told NBC Nightly News anchor Lester Holt. 'I was going to fire regardless of the recommendation,' he said. His team came under fire and Trump has been on the defense ever since, and has been considering a 'the most far-reaching shake-up' of his controversial 113-day term, West Wing officials told the New York Times. Trump's tentative answer comes amid claims he is considering Fox news personality, Kimberly Guilfoyle (pictured February at New York Fashion Week) for the job. Guilfoyle was formerly a prosecuting attorney and reportedly met with Trump last year while he was putting his White House team together Among those reportedly on Trump's blacklist are press secretary Sean Spicer (pictured talking to reporters while walking to the West Wing of the White House on Tuesday) as well as chief of staff Reince Priebus, and his communications director, Michael Dubke Trump has been reportedly thinking of having a 'far-reaching shake up' since his team contradicted his own reasons for firing FBI director James Comey. Comey and Trump are pictured here shaking hands during a reception at the White House in January On Friday, he tweeted out multiple times explaining why his interview on the Comey Firing was not in tandem with his team's and even threatened to end daily press briefings. PRESIDENT TRUMP INSINUATES SEAN SPICER MAY NOT KEEP HIS JOB FOR LONG PIRRO: Is he your press secretary today and tomorrow? TRUMP: Yeah, he is, sure. PIRRO: Will he be tomorrow? TRUMP: Well, he's doing a good job, but he gets beat up. PIRRO: Will he be there tomorrow? TRUMP: Well, he's been there from the beginning. PIRRO: Is he in the, in the what do they say - is he in the woods? TRUMP: Hes getting beat up. No, he just gets beat up by these people, and again you know they dont show the 90 questions that they asked and answered properly. Im saying if theyre off just a little bit, just a little bit, its the big story. PIRRO: When will you make a decision as to whether or not youre gonna keep having him? TRUMP: And heres the thing, the difference between me and another president. Another president, I wont use names but another president doesnt do what Im doing. they really dont. PIRRO: Right. Advertisement 'As a very active President with lots of things happening, it is not possible for my surrogates to stand at podium with perfect accuracy!' he said. He added in a later tweet: 'Maybe the best thing to do would be to cancel all future "press briefings" and hand out written responses for the sake of accuracy?' Trump apparently kept the details of the firing secret from his own communication team so as to avoid any leaks. Vice President Pence and a team he created in secrecy were among the few who knew about the President's plans to oust Comey, the New York Times reported. Among those reportedly on the president's blacklist are Sean Spicer, his chief of staff, Reince Priebus, and his communications director, Michael Dubke. Kimberly Guilfoyle, 48, - formerly a prosecuting attorney - is one of the cable news hosts whose names has been circulating as a possible replacement. Trump has also been meeting with other Fox news producers to join his communication team, the Association Press has reported. Since he took on the position, Spicer has been liable to ridicule, especially on Saturday Night Live. Melissa McCarthy plays a caricature of the press secretary - during skits that have gone viral and propelled the ratings of the NBC show -, which have apparently upset Spicer and Trump. This hasn't slowed down the comedienne. Yesterday, she donned a suit and paraded around the streets of New York. Earlier this week, SNL released a snippet of its show tonight, showing McCarthy dressed as Sean Spicer while she sang 'I feel pretty'. But the press secretary maintained a poker face when asked about McCarthy earlier this week. 'She needs to slow down on the gum chewing; way too many pieces in there,' he joked in an interview with Extra. On Friday, he tweeted out multiple times explaining why his interview on the Comey firing was not in tandem with his team's A Florida woman is suing Beauvoir, the last home of Confederate President Jefferson Davies, after she says she was attacked on the grounds by one of its resident camels. Sylvia June Abbott claims that she was walking across the grounds at the Biloxi, Mississippi, tourist attraction when the beast - named Sir Camelot - stampeded her. 'It's kind of ridiculous to think there are aggressive animals walking around on the property where this sort of thing can happen,' her attorney, Charles M Thomas, told The Sun Herald. Scroll down for video Menace? A Florida woman says that Sir Camelot (pictured), a resident of Jefferson Davies' last home, stampeded and bit her last week, causing a fractured wrist and vertebrae Thomas said that Abbott suffered fractures on her wrist and vertebrae after Sir Camelot hit and bit her as she and her husband were walking to a cemetery behind Beauvoir. The suit, filed in Mississippi's Harrison County Circuit Court last week against United Sons of Confederate Veterans Inc (USCV), operators of the home, cites 'physical and mental' suffering caused in the alleged attack. Sued: Sylvia June Abbott is suing the home of Jefferson (pictured) for medical expenses and loss of earnings. She claims the owners knew Sir Camelot was dangerous It claims that the camel had a history of violence that was known to the USCV, but that they allowed the animal to roam free anyway. The suit is demanding unspecified damages for physical and mental anguish, past and future medical expenses and loss of work through disability, among other claims. Sir Camelot arrived at Beauvoir as a baby in 2014, and received his name on his first birthday from a nine-year-old in a contest for local kids. 'Hes just an absolute asset when it comes to field trips,' Beauvoir's programs and events coordinator, Kitsaa Stevens, told the Sun Herald at the time. 'Kids love him and he loves the kids.' Attraction: Sir Camelot has been living at Beauvoir (pictured) for three years, but was removed temporarily by the board due to aggression issues; he was later returned after profits dropped Despite claiming that the camel 'behaved dangerously' in the past, the suit does not name any particular incidents. But in a 6-2 motion in December 2015, the Beauvoir board voted to remove Sir Camelot and the goats that comprise Beauvoir's animal attractions. They cited Sir Camelot's aggression, as well as waste problems and the goats butting car doors, according to the Sun Herald. However, the animals were returned to the site in June 2016 after a drop-off in income. Employees at Beauvoir described the camel as being far from ferocious, saying that its worst trait is a taste for caffeine - particularly coffee and Dr Pepper. Beauvoir's executive director, Tom Payne, didn't immediately respond to a message seeking comment. The glamorous ex-wife of a millionaire property tycoon and accused murderer has been revealed to be living a luxury life on the French Riviera. Odetta Medich has escaped Sydney and the court case which has engulfed her former husband Ron Medich to live discreetly in the village of Beaulieu-sur-Mer. The 49-year-old, who also goes by the name Odetta Chtouikite, is reportedly not working but shares custody of a dog with a former lover who lives on a private island the coast of Italy, The Daily Telegraph reported. Odetta Medich (pictured), the former wife of accused Sydney murderer Ron Medich, now lives a discreet life in the French Riviera Pictured is the building the apartment of Odetta Medich, who also goes by the name Odetta Chtouikite, is located in She now resides in the apartment in the village of Beaulieu-sur-Mer (pictured) Mr Medich is accused of soliciting the killing of his former business associate Michael McGurk in Sydney in 2009, which he denies. Last year, Mr Medich asked to be given funding for his legal fees for his case and reportedly said at the time his estranged wife would not give him any money towards legal costs. In 2010, he was estimated to be worth $73 million. A jury in April was unable to reach a unanimous verdict in Mr Medich's murder trial, with a new trial set to begin in late January next year. Ms Chtouikite reportedly purchased her salmon-pink exterior coloured Beaulieu-sur-Mer apartment with Mr Medich in 2008, when the pair were still together. It is located on the main street of the village, which translates to 'Beautiful place' and is about a 20-minute drive east of Nice. Ron Medich (pictured) is accused of soliciting the killing of his former business associate Michael McGirk Michael McGirk (pictured) was shot dead in the driveway of his Sydney home in 2009 The apartment is worth several million euros and was recently renovated, with the interior now believed to resemble a New York-style loft. Ms Chtouikite is said to have a housekeeper and a personal assistant who works occasionally. She has been seen frequenting a number of shops in the village although she maintains a low profile. 'She is always very kind and smiles,' a local shopkeeper told The Daily Telegraph. Reality star Tommie Lee is at the center of the latest airline scandal and it seems alcohol is to blame. Video, taken by a fellow passenger, captured the moment she was kicked off a Delta Airlines flight after allegedly refusing to give up her glass of wine at the terminal. Seen in a long sleeve pink and black striped shirt, Lee wiggles out of her seat and walks down the aisle, followed by security. She appears very calm as the airline crew mumbles something inaudible to her before she exits. The controversy comes on the heels that Lee will be booted off the popular reality show Love & Hip Hop: Atlanta due to her 'violent' behavior. Video captured the moment that Love & Hip Hop: Atlanta star Tommie Lee, 32, was kicked off a Delta Airlines flight after allegedly refusing to give up her glass of wine Lee appeared very calm as she wriggled out of her seat and spoke to airline staff. The flight was heading from Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport in Atlanta, Georgia, to Miami, Florida The entire exchange took about 10 minutes, but the flight was delayed for 34 minutes (Lee seen exiting the plane) Although the exchange lasted no more than 10 minutes and Lee was calm throughout, the flight at Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport was delayed for 34 minutes. Lee was on a Delta airline flight heading from Atlanta, Georgia to Miami, Florida when the incident occurred, TMZ reported. Lee's rep told DailyMail.com on Friday that the star was not kicked off for drinking but for grieving the death of her friend, which, if true, is an unprecedented move from the airline. This comes as rumors have been swirling that Lee will be booted off the VH1 hit show for her 'violent' behavior, even though she has been part of the program for just two seasons. Lee has had her fair share of alcohol-related controversies. Last year, a video emerged of her being forced out of her car and handcuffed by police officers. Lee's rep told DailyMail.com that the star was not kicked off for drinking but for grieving the death of her friend, which, if true, is an unprecedented move from the airline. Just two days before the incident unfolded, the Love & Hip Hop star posted this picture on Instagram with the caption, 'Imma try for u' The scandal came on the heels that Lee would be dismissed from her popular VH1 show due to her 'violent' behavior. In this picture she posted three weeks ago, she poses with her co-star Tammy Rivera The star initially posted a video accusing the cops of police brutality, but they later said Lee was forced out of her car because she had allegedly lied about being the passenger rather than the driver. Officers said Lee's eyes were bloodshot and watery and her speech was slurred when they booked her for drunk driving, disorderly conduct and driving with an expired license, according to TMZ. She also reportedly peed herself in the police car on the way to the station but she blames the deputies for not accepting her request to go to the bathroom. Earlier this year, she posted a 'drunken' rant on Instagram Live, which seemed to be aimed at her friend Mary Jane - also featured in the video - although it's unclear the reason behind it. Last year, Lee accused the cops who arrested her of police brutality. Video later emerged showing the star handcuffed by police officers. In this tweet, posted on July 2016, she shows the bruises behind her knee and on her shoulder, which allegedly came about because of her interaction with the police officers 'Stop playing with me!' she said in her viral rant. 'Y'all are not going to trick me off the motherf***ing streets. 'I will beat a b****'s a** and kill a b****!' When DailyMail.com reached out to Delta Airlines, the spokesperson said Lee was 'accommodated' on a later flight. A young woman was rushed to hospital and up to 20 others affected when a gas was sprayed over a pub dance floor. The personal defence spray was deployed after two men approached a woman at the Perseverance hotel in Fitzroy, Melbourne, about 1am on Sunday and hassled her. Senior Sergeant Steve Mills said the chain of events and what the spray contained was still unclear as neither the woman nor the two men had come forward. A young woman was rushed to hospital and up to 20 others affected when a gas was sprayed over a pub dance floor 'I'm assuming the girl who did it felt genuinely scared. It's important to note that those sorts of things are illegal, although I sympathise with her for using it,' he told ABC. Sergeant Mills added that the gas likely got into the pub's air-conditioning an affected more patrons than the girl intended. He said capsicum spray and similar were illegal in gas form and now usually sold as a foam to prevent incidents like this. The personal defence spray was deployed after two men approached a woman (not pictured) about 1am on Sunday and hassled her Partygoers were seen being attended to by multiple ambulances on the street outside the pub in Melbourne's trendy inner-northeast suburbs The incident happened at the same time as an alleged assault for which a 27-year-old man was arrested at the pub, but it's not clear if they were connected. Partygoers were seen being attended to by multiple ambulances on the street outside the pub in Melbourne's trendy inner-northeast suburbs. A young woman was taken to St Vincent's Hospital in a stable condition after she had difficulty breathing. Jail inmate Tywon Salters, 21, was fatally shot on Saturday afternoon at Delnor Hospital in Geneva, about 40 miles west of Chicago, after he took a female nurse hostage A jail inmate has been killed by a SWAT team as they dramatically saved a female nurse he had taken hostage in a Chicago hospital. Tywon Salters was fatally shot on Saturday afternoon at Delnor Hospital in Geneva, about 40 miles west of Chicago, when hostage negotiations broke down. The 21-year-old inmate was being treated near the emergency room of the hospital at about 12.30pm when he grabbed a correctional officer's gun. Kane County Sheriff's Office said the inmate took the female hospital employee hostage in a room near the treatment area. Salters was killed when the SWAT team moved into the room after negotiators had failed to get the inmate to surrender. The nurse who was taken hostage survived and was not injured in the ordeal. Authorities would not reveal what Salters was being treated for in hospital. SWAT teams responded after the inmate took the female hospital employee hostage in a room near the treatment area at about 12.30pm on Saturday Salters was killed when the SWAT team moved into the room to save the nurse after negotiators failed to get the inmate to surrender Police said the standoff was contained to one section of the emergency room when it initially broke out He had been in custody at Kane County Jail since April 11 after being charged with stealing a vehicle from the Elgin Police Department. Police said the standoff was contained to one section of the emergency room when it initially broke out. The emergency room was cleared but patients elsewhere in the hospital were not evacuated. Authorities blocked visitors from coming onto the hospital's campus as the situation unfolded. The hospital was placed into lockdown as armed police stood guard outside as the hostage situation unfolded A train driver has been awarded 3,000 compensation for working with a colleague who had Nazi tattoos. Dion De Leon challenged Bryan Siequien after discovering he had a swastika and a German Iron Eagle tattooed on his leg, an employment tribunal heard. But Mr De Leon claimed he was labelled the wrongdoer rather than the victim by Tube bosses and was investigated for allegedly calling a friend of Mr Siequien a white supremacist. He likened his treatment to mental torture and alleged that it had damaged his health. Bryan Siequien was discovered to have a Iron Eagle and Swastika tattoo The compensation was awarded despite a panel of judges at East London Hearing Centre learning that Mr Siequien had had the swastika blacked out after Mr De Leons complaint. They said: We do not doubt that the tattoo has caused him some genuine and material distress and has injured his feelings. Although the swastika tattoo was visibly present to the claimant for a relatively short period of time, we consider that this is a particularly offensive symbol and that all of the connotations which are carried within it should not be diminished. London Underground awarded Dion De Leon 3,000 for his 'injury to feelings' (file picture) The swift and voluntary steps taken to remove the swastika were sensible but they failed to remove the entirety of the tattoo. The tribunal accepted that Mr Siequiens tattoos did not mean he had extreme views. Mr De Leons claims of harassment related to race succeeded against London Underground and Mr Siequien and he was awarded 3,000 for injury to feelings. A hotel in Turkey has compiled a surveillance dossier on a British couple after being tipped off that they were planning to make a holiday sickness compensation claim. The hotel owner examined CCTV footage whilst the couple were still staying at the hotel with their young children and saved images of the man frolicking and dancing by the pool. The guests 36-year-old Martin Brown and his wife Lindsey, 34 were on an all-inclusive break at the four-star Emre Hotel in the popular resort of Marmaris. CCTV evidence from the Emre Hotel shows Martin Brown and his wife dancing by the pool They frolic and cavort amount in a way that doesn't indicate that they're at all sick Back in the UK, the couple launched a claim for 1,200 in compensation, alleging that they suffered nausea as a result of poor hotel hygiene. Tour operator Jet2holidays are contesting the claim. During their holiday, the Browns complained to the hotel that they were suffering from stomach upsets and the hotel referred Mr Brown to a local hospital doctor. Unknown to them, the hotel had started keeping them under surveillance after a guest had informed the hotel that the couple were planning to make a claim. Hotel owner Emre Deliveli said: We were told by another guest that Mr Brown had mentioned he was going to make a sickness claim, so we made sure each evening that we had recorded footage that might help our defence. When back in the UK from Turkey the couple launched a 1,200 compensation claim We put him under surveillance, so when the complaint came we had the CCTV footage ready. We had him running around, by the pool, dancing. In one piece of footage, recorded on May 30 last year, Mr Brown can be seen dancing, before jumping in the pool. He was also recorded setting off for a boat excursion. On June 2, Mr Brown allegedly told a local doctor that he had started feeling nauseous three days previously. This would include the day the poolside video was taken. However, Mr Browns lawyers now assert that he did not begin to feel ill until the following day. The hotel arranged for Mr Brown to see the doctor at a local hospital after he said he was feeling sick. Mr Brown, from Chorley, Lancashire, was given a prescription for anti-sickness medicine. The MoS has previously highlighted how there has been an explosion in holiday sickness claims by British tourists which threatens to push up the price of holidays. Mr Deliveli told the MoS: We used to have a handful of sickness issues that we would resolve but now we have solicitors who get involved and there is currently around 100,000 of outstanding claims. It is cheaper for the tour operator to settle the claim rather than pay the legal costs but in this case Jet2 has taken the decision to fight. A spokesman for Jet2holidays said: We are contesting this claim based on evidence compiled by the hotel. Compensation claims are putting all-inclusive holidays at risk for millions of hardworking British families and can result in serious legal consequences too. Mr Deliveli revealed that his hotel routinely examined social media postings when dealing with compensation claims. Facebook photos show the pair enjoying evenings out, on one occasion posing with a parrot Photos posted on Mr Browns Facebook account after he returned home showed him and his wife enjoying an evening on holiday with no mention of the illness. One picture showed a smiling Mr Brown posing with a parrot on his shoulder alongside his wife. The photos were captioned: Back home top holiday wish I was still there with **** and the rest bangin time roll on next year. Mr Brown told the MoS: The whole place was a joke for the money I paid. I was the worse. My partner had sickness as well and one of the children was really ill. If I was dancing around, I was still with my children on holiday. Ive still got to look after them. Stuart Matthews, of Treadstone Law, Manchester, the Browns solicitor, said: Any person who genuinely suffers illness as a consequence of poor hygiene standards on holiday has a right to damages for breach of contract. Mr Brown and his family correctly reported their concerns about the hygiene standards and received appropriate medical treatment from the doctor which allowed him to go on to enjoy his holiday as best as he could. A huge fight allegedly broke out at an inner west wedding after a man pinched another guests girlfriend on the bum, according to the venue's owner. Michael Onourfriadis, who owns the Leichhardt establishment, told media that he believed the fight began over the grasping of the woman's bum. The wedding reception in Sydney's inner west descended into sheer chaos after the mass brawl between 30 guests broke out. One attendee was hospitalized while another was arrested following the Saturday night fracas at Albert Palais Events function centre in Leichhardt. Police were called to the Catherine Street address, yet the brawl had already dispersed on their arrival as guests flooded out onto the surrounding streets. Wedding guests spill out into the street after a brawl involving 30 people broke out at a function centre on Saturday evening Police were quick to attend to the fracas at the Albert Palais Events venue shortly after 10.00pm A 26-year-old man was arrested after approaching police in an aggressive manner and was taken to Newtown Police station. He was issued with a Criminal Infringement Notice for offensive language and later released, pending further inquiries. A 43-year-old man sustained a broken nose during the brawl and was treated by paramedics at the scene before being taken to Royal Prince Alfred Hospital. A police investigation is underway while no one else involved in the altercation was seriously injured. One guest remonstrates with police officers after a 43-year-old man suffered a broken nose during the melee The function centre in Leichhardt, Sydney, where the huge brawl took place Labour is pledging to impose a 'Robin Hood Tax' on financial transactions, raising billions for public services, if it gains power in June. Shadow chancellor John McDonnell said the levy would bring in up to 26 billion over the course of the next parliament, while eliminating the most destabilising forms of speculation on the financial markets. However the move is likely to cause an outcry in the City amid fears it will undermine the competitiveness of the financial sector at a time of uncertainty in the wake of the vote for Brexit. John McDonnell said the levy would bring in up to 26 billion over the course of the next parliament It comes as Labour has been under pressure to explain how it will pay for its ambitious programme of re-nationalisations and expanding public services, set out in a leaked draft of the party's election manifesto. Under the Labour plan, the party said it would revise the 322-year-old stamp duty regime on share-trading, closing down an existing 'loop hole' for banks and hedge funds, and extending it to cover financial 'derivatives' and other highly-traded assets. At the current rate of 0.5% per transaction, the party said the move would raise 4.7 billion in 2016/17, rising to 5.6 billion in 2021/22 - the final year of the next parliament. It said the plan mirrored the financial transactions tax currently being prepared for introduction in 10 European countries. At the same time, the party said it would carry out 'the biggest crackdown in this country's history' on tax avoidance, with a comprehensive programme of tax reform. Following the disclosures in the leaked 'Panama papers' in 2015, it said a Labour government would close the loopholes and clamp down on the network of secretive shell companies and offshore tax havens used by the 'super rich' to shield their wealth. Mr McDonnell said the changes would restore 'fairness' to the system after the bail-out of the banks following the financial crash of 2008. 'The next Labour government will introduce a "Robin Hood Tax" to make the financial sector pay its fair share after it received huge public bailouts in the crash,' he said. 'Ordinary people are still being made to pay by the Tories for a crisis they didn't cause through the worst spending cuts for generations. 'All we're asking for is fairness in our tax system. By making those who trade in financial derivatives pay a small fraction of their profits, we can help properly fund our public services.' Mr McDonnell said the changes would restore 'fairness' to the system after the bail-out of the banks following the financial crash of 2008 As part of its clamp down on tax avoidance, Labour said it would require large companies and wealthy individuals earning more than 1 million to publicly file their tax returns. A new tax enforcement unit would be established in HM Revenue and Customs, with a doubling of the number of staff scrutinising the affairs of companies and high net worth individuals. Tax 'avoiders' would be banned from tendering for public sector contracts while there would be strict new minimum standards for Britain's network of Crown Dependencies and Overseas territories. There would also be a new levy on UK properties bought from offshore trusts located in tax havens, while the party said it would close the so-called 'Mayfair tax' loophole which allows individuals to reduce their tax liabilities by treating interest as capital gains rather than income. MPs would face greater scrutiny, with new rules on the declaration of offshore holdings in the Register of Members' Interests while a public inquiry would be held to examine what lessons could be learned from the Panama papers. Treasury Minister Jane Ellison dismissed the plans as a 'total shambles' from the Labour leadership For the Conservatives, Treasury Minister Jane Ellison dismissed the plans as a 'total shambles' from the Labour leadership. 'The transaction tax has been described as 'madness' by his own mayor of London because it risks economic growth and jobs, and just weeks ago in Parliament Labour blocked measures to stop almost 9 billion worth of tax avoidance,' she said. 'Since 2010, we have recouped an extra 140 billion in tax that would have otherwise been avoided or evaded. We will relentlessly go after those who do not pay their fair share.' The Institute of Economic Affairs (IEA) free market think tank said it was 'naive' to think a financial transactions tax would only hit banks and speculators and warned the costs would 'inevitably' be passed on to customers. 'This is another example of the fallacy that corporations can be tapped for cash with no wider costs, ' said IEA chief economist Julian Jessop. 'In reality, it's always ordinary people who ultimately pay, including consumers and workers. Sherwood Forest wasn't made of magic money trees Britain is still pumping millions of pounds of foreign aid into Kenyas health service despite the US pulling its support because of concerns over corruption. US ambassador Robert Godec announced last week that America was cancelling its 16 million a year payments to the African countrys Ministry of Health due to ongoing corruption and integrity issues. Despite the move, Britains Department for International Development (DFID) is pushing ahead with an eight-year project costing taxpayers 106 million. Indicted: President Uhuru Kenyatta, left, was accused of inciting violence The US did not take its decision lightly as the massive cut will affect seven critical programmes and result in many job losses. However, Mr Godec insisted no funding will be reinstated until accounting weaknesses are resolved. He said: The US taxpayers want to see their money is spent appropriately and goes to the right causes. Kenyas Medical Practitioners And Dentists Union leader Ouma Oluga publicly welcomed the dramatic move and said he was not surprised because the ministry is riddled with accounting issues. Worryingly, the hugely expensive DFID programme operates in the very areas which have caused alarm to US officials. An investigation by USAID found that salaries and travel expenses were not properly accounted for. President Uhuru Kenyatta (pictured with British Prime Minister Theresa May) was indicted by the International Criminal Court for inciting post-election violence in 2013 and the governments Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission is itself under investigation over allegations of bribe-taking Britains continuing financial support is all the more astonishing as some of its funds go towards providing free maternity care. Yet a probe by the Kenyan governments own anti-corruption unit last year exposed a scandal in which 6.7 million, some of it intended for free maternity care, was diverted to private healthcare companies. The country has long been plagued by serious political problems. President Uhuru Kenyatta was indicted by the International Criminal Court for inciting post-election violence in 2013 and the governments Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission is itself under investigation over allegations of bribe-taking. The commissions chairman, Philip Kinisu, resigned last August when it emerged that a company he owned had been awarded contracts worth 266,766 for supplying equipment to another government department, which is also being investigated for suspicious contracts it received from the Ministry of Health. A DFID spokesman said it was unable to comment because of the forthcoming General Election. The Mail on Sunday has been leading the campaign to overhaul Britains commitment to spend 0.7 per cent of national income more than 12 billion a year on aid. Mark Zuckerberg, 38, apologised for 'getting it wrong' after employees were informed about the cuts in a company-wide email at 11am on Wednesday. In a message to Meta employees, Zuckerberg said that he had decided to reduce the size of the team by about 13 per cent, which could mean there will be 650 job losses in the UK. Facebook's UK employee headcount swelled from 3,745 in 2020 to 5,148 in 2021, with the vast majority based in London. Meta said it would pay 16 weeks of base pay to those affected in the US plus two additional weeks for every year of service as a part of the severance package and all remaining paid time off. The company said that the arrangements would be similar elsewhere, though it was unclear how many UK jobs would be affected. In Ireland, where Meta has its European HQ, the company has already begun restructuring its content moderation team. The Irish Times reported that the company could be seeking to shed up to 1,000 roles from its Irish operations. It employs more than 3,000 people directly in Ireland, with an additional 6,000 people employed at operations across multiple sites including Meta's international headquarters in Dublin, Clonee data centre in Co Meath and Reality Labs in Cork. A dramatic collapse in Labour support in the North of England could hand Theresa May a greater Election triumph than even Margaret Thatcher at her peak. And it could lead to the Tories gaining seats they never dreamed of winning including Tony Blair's former constituency of Sedgefield in County Durham. The latest sign that Jeremy Corbyn's Labour faces being swept away by a blue tidal wave on June 8 comes from an unusually detailed 'mega-poll' of 40,000 voters. A dramatic collapse in Labour support in the North of England could hand Theresa May a greater Election triumph than even Margaret Thatcher at her peak Britain's leading election expert, Professor John Curtice, from Strathclyde University, said last night that the survey pointed to a majority for Mrs May as large as 172 seats because of disproportionately large swings to the Tories across Labour heartlands in the North of England and the Midlands. By contrast, Labour's vote is holding up better in the south, where it has relatively few seats. Professor Curtice said that nearly one in three Labour MPs could lose their seats because support for the party was 'falling most heavily where Labour has most to lose'. The survey, published this weekend by pollster Lord Ashcroft, suggests that Mrs May's majority will rocket from the 17 she inherited from David Cameron last summer and could even dwarf the 144 majority won by Mrs Thatcher in 1983, when she was buoyed by a surge of support after the Falklands War. It would be the largest majority achieved by the Conservatives since the 1930s, with the number of Labour MPs plummetting from 230 to 161. Other Northern Labour seats at risk if the Ashcroft poll is correct include several held by Labour since the Second World War, including: Stalybridge and Hyde in Greater Manchester which was held by the Blairite Cabinet Minister, and current BBC director of radio, James Purnell, until 2010 Bradford South, where Labour whip Judith Cummins had a 6,450 majority in 2015 Great Grimsby, held by Melanie Onn on a majority of 4,540 formerly the seat of 1970s Foreign Secretary Tony Crosland Workington, where Shadow Environment Secretary Sue Hayman had a 4,686 majority. Margaret Thatcher General Election Victory, 10 Downing Street - 10 June 1983 To add insult to injury, according to the Ashcroft poll, Labour could also lose Cardiff South, the former seat of Labour PM James Callaghan, which was won by Labour in 2015 by 7,453 votes. Labour's growing polling day panic was reflected in a bizarre plea by Trotskyist former BBC journalist Paul Mason for party supporters to use booze to get young Labour supporters to vote on June 8. SHE'D EVEN BAG BLAIR HEARTLAND A 172 commons majority would leave Mrs May just short of Tony Blair's 179 majority in 1992, but could still give her the satisfaction of a Tory victory in Blair's former seat, Sedgefield in County Durham, held by Labour since 1935 and won by Phil Wilson in 2015 by 6,843 votes. Advertisement Lancashire-born Mr Mason, a member of Mr Corbyn's inner circle, called for pub 'drinking sessions' to boost the anti-Tory turnout. In a video message, he urged them: 'Have a house party the night before have a drinking session in the pub on Election day. But drag your friends to that polling station.' Young voters should back Mr Corbyn or 'anti-Brexit Lib Dems' to stop Mrs May's Conservatives 'who want to crash the country,' said Mr Mason. At their manifesto launch this week, the Tories are expected to pledge no VAT rises, while dropping their 2015 vow not to hike income tax and national insurance and re-affirm the target of cutting UK net migration below 100,000. They are also set to announce plans to recruit 10,000 more NHS mental health staff; maintain the vow to spend 0.7 per cent of national income on overseas aid; impose a cap on household fuel bills; leave the EU Single Market as part of Brexit; set up new grammar schools and boost social care spending. Other pledges will give young people the right to erase embarrassing internet posts and MPs a new vote on fox hunting. A man has been found dead inside a jail with a police investigation into the circumstances surrounding his death now underway. The 29-year-old detainee, who has not been named, died about 8pm on Saturday at the Alexander Maconochie Centre in Canberra. It is the second death to occur at the facility in the past 12 months, The Canberra Times reported. A male inmate was found dead inside the Alexander Maconochie Centre (pictured) in Canberra on Saturday evening ACT Corrections Minister Shane Rattenbury said 'any death in custody is a tragedy and of deepest concern'. He expressed his 'deepest sympathy to the family and friends of the individual' and acknowledged 'this will be a difficult time for them'. 'I am advised that ACT Corrective Services staff were notified by a detainee who was concerned about the health of the detainee,' Mr Rattenbury said. It is understood no disturbances were reported around the time of the man's death. A report will be prepared for the Coroner. In May last year, Steven Freeman was found dead inside the same jail, with his death the subject of an ongoing coronial inquiry. The latest incredible excuses given by people to explain why they do not have a television licence have been revealed. One woman, from Bonnyrigg in Scotland, told inspectors: Sorry I cant buy a licence Im giving CPR to my goldfish. A resident at a house in Londons East End said: Blimey, I dont need one because Prince Harry is my boyfriend! One woman, from Bonnyrigg in Scotland, told inspectors: Sorry I cant buy a licence Im giving CPR to my goldfish. And a man from Paisley, near Glasgow, said: I have a smart TV, and its that smart it can work without a licence. Theyre among a top ten of excuses gleaned from reports by inspectors across the country and have been released in a drive to encourage more people to buy the 147 permit. TV Licensing spokesman Richard Chapman said: The excuses we hear can be ingenious, but those we catch still need to buy a licence. Around 94 per cent of homes in the UK now have a licence. Scottish Tory leader Ruth Davidson has slapped down Nicola Sturgeon Scottish Tory leader Ruth Davidson has slapped down Nicola Sturgeon by vowing to block a second independence referendum until nearly 2050. Her pledge comes after SNP leader Sturgeon demanded a second referendum before Britain leaves the EU scheduled for 2019. Ms Davidson said there should be no second vote for 35 years echoing an earlier commitment by former SNP leader Alex Salmond that the 2014 referendum was a once in a generation event. Her vow, in an interview with the MoS, goes further than Theresa May, who has refused to be drawn on a timetable for a second referendum. Ms Davidson said Scots were fed up with the SNPs relentless drumbeat for independence, saying she was determined to force Ms Sturgeon to carry out her promise to respect the result of the once in a generation 2014 vote. The First Minister pays a visit to Patrick Farmers Market in Glasgow Asked how long a generation was, Ms Davidson replied: Alex Salmond said between 1979 and the 2014 referendum, that was a generation. That works for me. Her proposal for a 35-year break with no further independence vote until at least 2049 will infuriate Scottish Nationalists desperate for another vote. Ms Sturgeon has argued for a vote by 2019 just four years after the last one. But Ms Davidson claimed Tory gains in local elections showed support for a second referendum is dwindling and that Ms Sturgeons bid to use Brexit to demand another vote has backfired. Scottish Tories, who currently have only one MP, claim they could win up to 15 seats in the General Election next month. Opinion polls show a majority of Scots still back the UK and only a third want another vote within Ms Sturgeons timetable. Crooked lawyers swindled taxpayers out of 6 million in legal aid claims for made-up asylum seekers but two police forces said they were incapable of investigating the scam, a court has heard. The boss of a London solicitors firm, her husband and their office manager submitted thousands of invoices for non-existent immigration cases during a six-year-long fraud then forged files to cover it up, it is claimed. But when the Legal Aid Agency (LAA) uncovered the abuse of the system, City of London Police said they did not have the resources to look into it while Scotland Yard said they could not carry out the necessary computer analysis, top judges were told. Crooked lawyers swindled taxpayers out of 6 million in legal aid claims for made-up asylum seekers but two police forces said they were incapable of investigating the scam, High Court judges have heard. Pictured: the Royal Courts of Justice The extraordinary case emerged after The Mail on Sunday revealed how police chiefs admitted it was not feasible for them to investigate every case of fraud, which accounts for half of all crimes in Britain. This newspaper has also exposed how the national hotline Action Fraud has been accused of ignoring victims and losing cases, while the firm that ran its call centre went bust, with an overhaul well overdue. As a result of police failing to investigate the alleged immigration firm case, the LAA entered into a most unusual deal with a local authority, which agreed to prosecute the law firm in return for a share of any ill-gotten gains. The High Court has now ruled that Thurrock Council was wrong to pursue the case for profit and the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) has agreed to put the trio on trial instead. Scotland Yard said they could not carry out the necessary computer analysis Lawyers for the council told judges that any suggestion that the CPS would take on such a case at a time of austerity was fanciful, and they began the prosecution last July. But the Court of Appeal judges said the CPS had never been asked about instituting this very significant prosecution, adding that the prosecution proceedings were commenced unlawfully because the council had no power to bring them either under the Local Government Act or common law. Their ruling described attempts to involve police in the case as half-hearted, and agreed it would be astonishing if the CPS had not agreed to prosecute the case. The judges, led by the Lord Chief Justice, concluded: Alleged abuse of the legal aid system is always serious; it assumes a particular importance in the field of immigration where there is a very significant drain on legal aid resources. It is precisely the sort of prosecution that should be pursued by the national prosecuting authority. The Court of Appeal heard that the three defendants are now awaiting trial at Southwark Crown Court for conspiracy to defraud and perverting the course of justice, and deny the allegations against them. Thurrock Council said: The case has been cost-neutral to the local authority. The authority is currently considering the decision of the Court within the appeal timeframe. It would therefore be inappropriate to comment further at this stage. Scotland Yard declined to comment on the case. Princess Dianas former lover James Hewitt was last night reported to have been fighting for his life after suffering a heart attack and a stroke. The 59-year-old former Army officer had needed emergency surgery and doctors gave him a slim chance of survival, according to reports. He is now said to be recovering. News of his illness comes just weeks after he gave a rare interview denying longstanding rumours he is Prince Harrys real father a slur repeated again in the new BBC2 drama King Charles III. Princess Diana's former lover James Hewitt, 59, is reported to have been fighting for his life after suffering a heart attack and a stroke Three years after Hewitt and Diana met in a now iconic image at the height of their affair she was pictured presenting the Life Guards officer with a polo trophy Hewitt was said to be undergoing treatment at the Royal Devon and Exeter Hospital, where he is expected to remain for several weeks. Friends said he fell ill two weeks ago and was rushed to Derriford Hospital in Plymouth to receive care from specialist medics. The ex-Army captain and Gulf War veteran had a five-year affair with Diana while she was married to Prince Charles A relative told a Sunday newspaper: The family were concerned. He had a pre-existing illness, then got seriously ill. Suddenly it got very critical and he was rushed to hospital. It was pretty serious but hopefully we are all OK now. He is recovering and has been moved to Exeter. The ex-Army captain and Gulf War veteran had a five-year affair with Diana while she was married to Prince Charles. The pair met at a party in London in 1986 when she was aged 25. He was 28. Three years later in a now iconic image at the height of their affair she was pictured presenting the Life Guards officer with a polo trophy. The couple were forced apart when he was sent to Iraq in the 1991 Gulf War and split after their affair was made public. Hewitt now lives with his widowed mother Shirley in a two-bedroom flat in Exeter. A K9 officer in South Florida is heading home to recover after being shot in a gunfight which resulted in the death of an armed robbery suspect. Police dog Casper took a bullet that was intended for his handler during a shootout in Palm Beach, Florida, Friday and went through surgery that same night. But he looked well on his way to a full recovery just one day after he was hurt. He headed home, a cone collar placed around his neck to keep him still. Casper's veterinarian Michele Tucker said the dog is 'wonderful' and 'is walking fairly well, all things considered.' Palm Beach County K9 Officer Casper looked well on his way to a full recovery just one day after he went through surgery Casper, pictured, took a bullet for his handler, which saved the officer's life, and went through surgery Friday night Philip Oshea, 46, pictured, was being chased by police early Friday morning after he robbed a bar around 4am. He was also wanted in North Carolina for the armed robbery of a motel The dog was hurt at around 4am as officers chased Philip Oshea, 46, after he robbed a bar and carjacked a woman, according to the Palm Beach Post. When police arrived at the bar, Oshea drove away in his car and police followed, leading to two gunfights. The first shootout happened during the chase, the second after Oshea crashed his car into a fence. No police were shot except Casper, though one deputy was injured as he dove for cover. He was treated in the hospital and was released later that morning. Oshea was shot and killed. Three officers were involved and have been placed on administrative leave and state law enforcement agents will investigate the shooting, following protocol. Palm Beach County Sheriff Ric Bradshaw said Oshea had an extensive criminal history, according to CBS News. Bradshaw said Oshea had been to prison several times and was wanted for arrest in North Carolina, particularly for the armed robbery of a motel in early May. 'This very dangerous individual is off the streets,' he said. In the chase with police, Oshea crashed his car into a fence in Palm Beach, Florida, pictured. He then initiated a second gunfight with officers and was killed Theresa My will pledge to extend her predecessor's totemic Right to Buy policy. Right to Buy became one of the defining policies of the 1980s Theresa May will invoke the spirit of Margaret Thatcher in the Conservative manifesto by pledging to extend her predecessors totemic Right to Buy policy. The Prime Minister will promise to tackle the shortage of housing for low-income families by building tens of thousands of new council houses, which will become available for tenants to buy after they have been living in them for a decade. Laws on the compulsory purchase of land will be relaxed to encourage councils to build new social housing on derelict sites in town centres. Right to Buy became one of the defining policies of the 1980s, giving tenants the right to purchase their properties at a discount of up to 50 per cent. Nearly two-million council homes have been sold in the 37 years since the policy was introduced. Mrs May is determined to boost the dwindling social housing stock: there are currently 300,000 fewer homes for social rent than 20 years ago and about 1.2 million families on local authority waiting lists. Under deals struck between the Government and local authorities, a proportion of social homes would be sold after ten to 15 years in order to generate the funds to build further social housing with the tenants given first refusal. Mrs May said: There are few issues that are greater than the need for good quality, affordable housing. 'Giving tenants a new right to buy these homes when they go on the market will help thousands of people get on the first rung of the housing ladder. Farmers across Britain have reported an alarming rise in ravens killing new-born lambs by pecking out their eyes and tongues. While raven attacks are not unheard of because the birds are 'opportunistic feeders', experts are baffled at their increasing volume. Some farmers are so concerned that they are demanding the right to shoot the marauders without need for a special government licence. Farmers across Britain have reported an alarming rise in ravens killing new-born lambs by pecking out their eyes and tongues Phil Stocker, of the National Sheep Association, said: 'The problem is growing. We are getting reports from all over the country. Ravens are smart and intelligent but very aggressive.' The birds, a protected species under UK law, live in the wild in the Scottish Highlands and uplands of Britain, the Lake District, Wales, Dartmoor, Exmoor and the South-West. But the population is shifting and ravens are now common in the Derbyshire Peak District and the East. A farmer having a problem must apply to Natural England (NE), the Government's wildlife advisers, for a licence to kill the birds. From 2014 to 2016, five licences were issued, with three given to the same farm. Martyn Fletcher, 50, a shepherd near Salisbury, Wiltshire, said: 'Five years ago we saw ravens but attacks on sheep were rare,' he said. While raven attacks are not unheard of because the birds are 'opportunistic feeders', experts are baffled at their increasing volume 'Last year there were eight pairs of birds and we lost 100 lambs and 20 ewes. 'This year we've had 30 pairs. I've got a licence and have shot four ravens but have still lost 70 lambs and 12 ewes.' A spokesman for the RSPB said: 'We appreciate this is upsetting for the farmers. Ravens are opportunistic feeders and occasionally kill small lambs. But ravens are still rare in many areas, so it's important not to demonise them.' A woman who was beaten, sexually assaulted and verbally abused by her ex husband has shared screen grabs of their text message exchanges after turning him into authorities. On Monday, Imgur user KrissyKross uploaded six screenshots of text messages from her now ex-husband, Adam, that demonstrate his possessive and violent nature. She says that during their relationship, he was violent and verbally abused her before she got the courage to leave and he was sentenced to eight months in prison. Now, three years later, she said sharing the messages is like a form of therapy and a way for her to finally receive closure. KrissyKross's Imgur post on May 1 went viral after she uploaded six text messages that documented the domestic violence she suffered at the hands of her now ex-husband Adam. In this example, she says this is typical of a string of text messages she would receive at work when she was not allowed to have her phone on her Adam would constantly ask her to send updates on where she was and who she with, such as in this example when she was with her mother. Three years ago, KrissyKross said she got the courage to leave him after he began abusing her pets KrissyKross said Adam's violent tendencies started to be displayed after she underwent a rapid weight loss transformation, dropping from 200 pounds to roughly 120 pounds. He would wait outside of her workplace after her shifts ended, text her incessantly regarding her whereabouts, and ask that she send him photographic evidence she was staying with her mother. According to the National Domestic Violence Hotline, many partners don't exhibit their abusive behavior until the later stages of a relationship. Habits such as extreme jealousy, controlling a partner's social life, and hurting their pets as are all indicative of intimate partner abuse and violence - and KrissyKross ex-husband exhibited much of this abusive behavior. She recounted a story of how she wanted to go out with two female coworkers to celebrate her 23rd birthday. 'I told him weeks in advance and when the time came he punched me in the face and slammed my head into the floor, only leaving me alone because he had duty that evening,' she wrote. 'I tried to go to the police in the middle of the night, he tailgated me the whole way.' KrissyKross added that when she tried to talk to his parents about his behavior, his father, a pastor in Tennessee, said 'it's normal in a young marriage and I should reassure him'. She said that she finally got the courage to leave after he started abusing her dog and kitten. She packed up her bags and pets and hid at a coworker's house and called Naval Criminal Investigative Service - a sign that her husband was likely in the US Navy. KrissyKross said Adam had a violent nature and would occasionally hit her, punch her or bite her. In this instance, she says she had a huge bruise on her arm from where he had bit her and left visible teeth marks In this conversation, KrissyKross said she stayed the night with a female friend from work and that her husband knew because he had set 'traps' for her - in an example of extreme control After giving statements and taking photographs of her bruises, Adam was arrested and charged with a handful of misdemeanors and two felonies. KrissyKross said she accepted his guilty plea bargain for eight months in the military prison Miramar on the condition that the felony charges be dropped. She also said that she shared the texts years later because the stigma that surrounds women who stay in abusive relationships had kept her silent. 'Even on my post, a small handful of people were asking, 'Well, why would you stay then?' she told HuffPost. 'I made very little money, I was financially dependent and I just really wanted my marriage to work. I didn't want to give up on it. But it's hard for people on the outside to really understand that, I suppose.' In one series of texts, Adam accused her of sleeping with a coworker of hers named Tony. She said she knew when he clocked off because that's when she clocked on KrissyKross says that her husband required her to call him every time she visited her mother at midnight and that he would time her It's been three years since and although KrissyKross says she's still recovering from the trauma, she adds she's in a much better place. 'This isn't really a sob story,' she wrote. 'I'm really proud of what I've done on my own. I just wanted to share for possibly some closure since I never really got that.' Chris Day had an unblemished record as a junior doctor. Respected by his senior colleagues, he was used to working hard in often difficult circumstances, regularly putting in long night shifts in the intensive care unit at the Queen Elizabeth Hospital in Woolwich, South East London. It took him away from his wife Melissa, a nurse, and their two young children. But such was his commitment that Chris, 32, believed it was a small price to pay to follow his dream of becoming a consultant in A&E medicine. So when, during yet another night shift, Chris made a telephone call to report to the duty manager that he believed overnight staffing levels were unsafe, and that patients with life-threatening conditions may be left dangerously at risk, he simply believed he had discharged his duty as a responsible doctor. Chris believed the long night shifts were a small price to pay for his dream of becoming an consultant in A&E During his time on the unit, two ICU patients had died at night, in circumstances formally recorded by Lewisham and Greenwich NHS Trust as serious untoward incidents meaning the deaths were unexpected or preventable. Yet unbelievably, that polite phone call left his career in tatters and sparked a two-year legal battle which is estimated to have cost the NHS hundreds of thousands of pounds in public funds. Rather than support his claim, NHS agencies accused him of having personal and professional conduct issues, removed his right to continue training and used the full weight of the law against him destroying his promising career. But in a landmark legal victory last week, the Court of Appeal ruled that Chris is finally allowed to bring his case to an employment tribunal. Not only that, the decision granted all of the countrys 54,000 junior doctors reassurance that they too are protected by whistleblowing laws and should not be victimised for exposing NHS failings. Yet the win has come at a huge personal cost. This has robbed us, as a family, says Chris, speaking for the first time since the ruling. In the time it has taken to change British law for everyone else, in a case which will hopefully improve patient safety by allowing junior doctors to come forward with concerns, my family has paid the price. Last week the Court of Appeal ruled that Chris is allowed to bring his case to an employment tribunal This has never been about my conduct and my competence its about an understaffed ICU, he explains. Yet Ive stood here for nearly three years arguing the basic point that a junior doctor should be able to openly raise concerns about safety. I think most patients would agree with that principle. Yes, lets celebrate that victory. But what really scares me is that I wont be able to clear my name. Chris should be well on his way to a full-time consultant post by now. Instead, he has found himself working locum shifts at under-staffed A&E departments after failing to secure more permanent work. He is also banned from appearing at a junior BMA conference taking place this weekend which focuses, ironically, on safeguarding the future of the NHS. Im losing my skills, he admits. I could never work in an ICU now. Ive gone backwards in my career. It feels as if the NHS doesnt want people like me. Junior doctors have been let down by some very powerful people. Chris should be nearly a full-time consultant post, but as instead found himself working locum shifts at under-staffed A&E departments It is a far cry from his promising start as a young doctor. Growing up in Kent with two teachers as parents, he was determined to go into medicine and began studying at the prestigious Barts and the London Medical School, part of Queen Mary University of London, in 2003. He married Melissa, 34, in 2007 and the couple live in a modern terrace house in Thamesmead, South-East London, with their six-year-old son and a daughter who is three. After being allocated a one-year rotation as part of his training to become an A&E consultant at the Queen Elizabeth, he began having concerns over patient safety. Almost immediately after starting a stint in intensive care in August 2013, he realised the unit was understaffed at night. Terrifyingly he found himself, with no previous intensive care experience, looking after up to 18 seriously ill patients overnight without on-site ICU supervision. Chris found himself looking after 18 seriously ill patients when he started his stint in intensive care Guidelines from the Intensive Care Society recommend a doctor-patient ratio of around one to eight. After discussing his concerns with a consultant, Chris wrote an email to senior management, copying in Health Education England (HEE), the Government agency which oversees the training of junior doctors. The expectations felt unreasonable. This wasnt my opinion I based it on the guidelines. There have been manslaughter cases brought against healthcare professionals who make mistakes under pressure. Its not difficult to see how a situation like that could develop in these circumstances. But no changes were made. So in January 2014, when Chris realised two locum doctors had not turned up for the overnight shift, he worried how the remaining staff could cope. It made me think that this was a very dangerous situation indeed and a clear threat to safety. Also on his mind were the two deaths. None were directly linked to understaffing, or had happened during his shifts. But it was within this context that Chris decided to ring the duty manager. The contents of this call will form part of his upcoming legal case, and he has been advised not to discuss it. Chris maintains it was polite, and witnessed by a nurse. He followed it up with an email, thanking the manager for his support. He did not realise that what he was doing was technically classed as whistleblowing. While consultants are protected from victimisation as a result of taking such action, because they are employed by a hospital, the situation for junior doctors is legally dubious because they are on fixed-term contracts with hospitals, organised by HEE which, in effect, acts as a third party employment agency. To Chris, training had seemed a huge success and senior colleagues had reported that his work was not just satisfactory, but excellent. Chris wrote an email to senior management about the dangerous under-staffing in wards It was only much later that Chris discovered matters were very different behind the scenes. In one email to HEE, an assistant medical director at the Trust revealed he would prefer not to employ him. Then in June 2014, Chris was called by HEE to his annual appraisal where he again mentioned the understaffing issues. Shockingly, three days later, Chris checked his appraisal document online which showed it had been unsatisfactory on account of personal and professional conduct issues. He says: These were career-defining allegations and they were completely false. Suddenly I began to put the pieces together. Was this related to my ICU concerns, or that phone call? It really has been up to HEE to provide another explanation, which they so far havent been able to do. In another devastating blow, the HEE also deleted Chriss doctor training number over the ongoing row, which meant he could no longer continue training. It means, although he can work for the NHS, he cannot progress to become a consultant. I went from being very confident that it would all go away, to feeling like the whole system was corrupt and my career was about to go down the toilet. The NHS accused Chris of 'personal and professional conduct issues' Chris brought his concerns before an employment tribunal in February 2015. However, the case was thrown out when HEE successfully argued that whistleblowing laws did not apply to them. But in fighting the treatment he received Chris had inadvertently exposed an even greater scandal: that no junior doctor was protected by whistleblowing laws. Perhaps even more troubling, the Government was effectively content for that to be the case. It was an outcome which raised concerns over the safety of all NHS patients. Then in August 2015 an appeal was granted after a judge determined there was a lacuna a gap in the whistleblowing laws for junior doctors. At one point, four law firms for NHS agencies including solicitors for Health Secretary Jeremy Hunt were involved. Chris says: It became like a pathetic family feud. Ironically, this came weeks after Sir Robert Francis published his report on whistleblowing in the NHS, which found staff were deterred from speaking up and faced serious consequences for doing so. Instead of defending themselves on the facts of my case, they used taxpayer money to essentially argue me and every other junior doctor out of statutory whistleblowing protection. How is that an effective use of public money if it makes the NHS less safe? So what began with a bid to resurrect his career turned into a mammoth legal battle. With a young family to support, Chris turned to crowdfunding, raising more than 140,000 from thousands of donors including junior doctors to fund a legal challenge, first in the Employment Appeals Tribunal, which failed, and then in the Court of Appeal. The case was also supported by the charity Public Concern At Work. In February 2016, two days before one hearing, Chris claims HEE threatened his team with a costs application order for 24,084.50. Imagine the effect that would have had on a young familys financial security. They did it to try to get us to back down. But it was not a deterrent. On May 5, judges ruled the HEEs arguments against junior doctors having whistleblowing protection were legally flawed and concluded HEE could be considered an employer. It means his case in the employment tribunal can finally be heard in the next few weeks. Chriss lawyer, Tim Johnson, from Tim Johnson Law, said: The impact on Chris and his family shouldnt be underestimated. He has had to work incredibly hard to achieve this result. What I hear from junior doctors is that many of them see Chris as fighting the management of the health service on their behalf better than other institutions such as the BMA. At one point four law firms for NHS agencies including solicitors for Health Secretary Jeremy Hunt - were involved with Chris' case Today he still wants to work for the NHS but he is not optimistic about the future. His cynicism seems well-grounded. No doctor sacked after exposing NHS failings has ever been given their job back at the same level, and many find themselves blacklisted even after being cleared by tribunals. Chris says: I might look like some sort of activist but Ive turned into this person for my family. I never had a Facebook or Twitter account before; now I have a huge number of followers. But its never who I wanted to be. Thanks to Chris, the Trust has now increased the number of doctors on ICU to national standards. It has also accepted he did, in fact, make a protected disclosure in other words, he blew the whistle in a way that was protected by law. In a further statement, it said it could not comment further while legal proceedings are ongoing. HEE also said in a statement that it welcomed the Court of Appeal decision and that it had agreed changes with the BMA to extend rights to trainees in this area. It added: We did not act to cause detriment to Dr Day as a result of him raising concerns. But the delay in resolving the issue has already had an impact on patient safety, according to the doctors regulator, the General Medical Council. It believes the case has discouraged other junior doctors from speaking out. And there is still the real fear for Chris that his own career may already be over. This case has often felt like it has been to everyone elses benefit but mine, he says. Despite everything, a full hearing still isnt guaranteed and I might never get justice. Whistleblowing comes at a huge personal cost. Fortunately, it hasnt crippled us. And thats because of the strength of my marriage. If Mel wasnt a nurse and understood what we had to do, who knows what may have happened. Ive got the glory, but its as much her victory as mine. Donald Trump criticised his critics by saying: 'The future belongs to the dreamers not to the critics.' He has been heavily criticised over his brutal firing of FBI boss James Comey Donald Trump launched a stinging attack on his critics last night at the end of the most turbulent week of his presidency. Mr Trump has been heavily criticised over his brutal firing of FBI boss James Comey while he was in the middle of a probe into Russias role in last years US election and possible financial ties between Trump and Russia links which the President has repeatedly denied. But last night in a speech at Liberty University in Lynchburg, Virginia, a bullish Mr Trump hit back, saying: Nothing is easier or more pathetic than being a critic. The future belongs to the dreamers not to the critics. 'The future belongs to people who follow their hearts, not to the critics. The more a broken system tells you that youre wrong, the more you must keep pushing forward. The President was lambasted for firing Mr Comey by letter, and for the fact that the FBI director learned he had been sacked through TV reports. Last night Mr Trump announced Mr Comeys successor would be announced very soon four candidates were interviewed for the post yesterday. Those in the running include acting FBI director James McCabe, New York judge Michael Garcia, and defence lawyer Alice Fisher. She is the first woman to be considered for the FBI job. The Presidents speech was greeted by cheers from students at Liberty, an evangelical Christian university whose president, Jerry Falwell, was an early supporter of Mr Trump. Dr Audrey de Nazelle has warned that chemicals found in packaging are potentially dangerous if consumed every day Leading scientists are calling for plastic-free aisles in supermarkets, as fears grow that toxic chemicals leaching into food could cause cancer and fertility problems. In a letter to todays The Mail on Sunday, ten top food-security specialists and doctors including Professor Sir David Baulcombe, of Cambridge University, and Dr Audrey de Nazelle, of Imperial College London warn that chemicals found in packaging are potentially dangerous if consumed every day. They say disposable plastic wrappers not only leave traces of toxic phthalate chemicals on the surface of foods but contaminate the environment when thrown away. And there is also growing evidence that, when consumed, the chemicals could cause catastrophic changes to human cells. Calling for plastic-free aisles, the experts write: This will give shoppers a choice. Plastic packaging is damaging our environment and we do not know enough about its effects on human health. Frederikke Magnussen, co-founder of campaign group A Plastic Planet, added: Weve got gluten-free, dairy-free and fat-free, so why not have plastic-free? A rise in patriotism and Christian pride has accounted for a rise in the number Anglican churchgoers, a new report has found. The proportion of people who identify themselves as Church of England worshippers has seen a small rise from 16.3 per cent in 2009 to 17.1 per cent in 2015. And the report found the number of those who identify as non-religious has decreased in the same period. A rise in patriotism could account for an increased pride in Christianity in Britain Academics have said this could show the church is recovering after losing a lot of followers after the release of Richard Dawkins's atheist publication The God Delusion in 2006. Professor of theology and the sociology of religion at St Mary's University in Twickenham, Stephen Bullivant, thinks increased patriotism had consequently increased pride in Christianity. He told The Telegraph: 'People see Christianity as an expression of Englishness. There has been more rhetoric around Britain being a Christian nation. 'People are looking for ways to connect with others. I suspect a larger proportion of people who do say they are Anglican tend to be patriotic.' The proportion of people who identify themselves as having no religion hit an all-time peak in 2009 at 50.6 per cent. This number has remained stagnant or has decreased between then and 2015 when it stood at 48.6 per cent. The proportion of people who identify themselves as Church of England worshippers has seen a small rise from 16.3 per cent in 2009 to 17.1 per cent in 2015 The figures cited in the report are based on an analysis of the British Social Attitudes Survey and the European Social Survey. However, the recent rise in Anglicanism appears minuscule in comparison to the fact that the number of self-describing Anglicans dropped by 23 per cent between 1983 and 2015. But Professor Bullivant believes the Church of England should be positive about the recent figures. He said: 'After decades of bad news, this is certainly welcome for the Church of England. If I was in the Anglican Church I would be celebrating this.' Katelyn Christina Carnline, 28, from Milano, Texas,'pretended' her children were sick to raise money A mother-of-two could spend the rest of her life in jail after allegedly pretending her children - including a four-month-old girl - were gravely ill by starving them. Police say Katelyn Christina Carnline, 28, from Milano, Texas, lied when she said her infant was suffering from a rare genetic condition and her older child had cancer in order to raise money on a website that helped families with medical expenses. The mother raised over $2,000 during her alleged hoax that also fooled the doctors that were treating the children. An affidavit released by the Milam County Sheriff said in a press release that Carnline's children are 'healthy' since their mother was arrested in March. 'The child, placed with other family members by CPS, is now healthy and thriving,' the office said in a press release, KWTX reported. Police say Carnline, whose post is pictured, raised $2,000 by asking for donations on the popular fundraising site, You Caring Carnline has been accused of raising money by asking for donations on the popular fundraising site, You Caring. On the site, she said her baby was suffering from a rare genetic disorder called Inborn Errors of Metabolism, a condition which could delay a child's development because it prevents the body from properly churning food into energy. Her older child, she said, had cancer and to keep up his ill appearance, she allegedly shaved his head, placed a breathing mask over his mouth, and posted pictures of him as well as her daughter online. The Texas native would also send her children to the hospital multiple times, allegedly lying that her four-month-old was suffering from seizures, which meant the doctors operated on the child repeatedly and performed various medical procedures, the Associated Press reported. The mother-of-two has been charged with exploiting and causing serious bodily injury to a child. She could face up to 99 years in jail if found guilty of the latter After she was arrested on March 1, investigators say her baby weighed only ten pounds - five pounds less than the average weight of a baby her age - but gained five pounds in less than two months after she stayed with her father. Carnline has been charged with exploiting and causing serious bodily injury to a child, KWTX reported, and if she is found guilty of the latter, she could be jailed for up to 99 years. But if she's only found guilty of exploitation, she would face up to ten years. She was held in the Milam County jail on Wednesday and jail records don't show an attorney for her, according to the AP. Three of Donald Trump's former employees say they witnessed him recording phone calls at Trump Tower inNew York before he became president. The ex-employees told the Wall Street Journal that Trump had one or more recording devices that he would sometimes use to tape conversations with associates. They claim to have seen the devices being used to record conversations when they worked for Trump as high-level employees over a period spanning 30 years. A fourth person, who was an associate of Trump's, told the outlet he knew the then-businessman had recorded one of their conversations because it was later used as evidence in a lawsuit. Three of Donald Trump's former employees say they witnessed him recording phone calls at Trump Tower in New York before he became President Recording conversations is not illegal in New York as long as at least one person involved is aware it is being taped. The four associates and employees said they were not surprised that Trump mentioned recording conversations this week. It comes after Trump lobbed a veiled threat at former FBI director James Comey on Friday, hinting that some of their conversations before his firing may have been taped. 'James Comey better hope that there are no "tapes" of our conversations before he starts leaking to the press!' the president tweeted. It's unclear whether Trump was warning that the White House is recording his calls, or if he believes the FBI may have been recording Comey's. The White House have not yet commented on the issue. White House press secretary Sean Spicer told reporters Friday afternoon that the Oval Office would be silent on the matter: 'The president has nothing further to add on that.' Challenged about the tweet itself, Spicer said: 'That's not a threat. He's simply stating a fact.' The stunning move adds a new level of intrigue to the firing of the nation's former top cop Donald Trump warned former FBI director James Comey (pictured) that their conversations may have been preserved on 'tape' White House press secretary Sean Spicer said Friday afternoon that the Oval Office wouldn't have any further comments about the tweet, which he denied was a 'threat' to Comey But Comey, according to CNN, which cited an unnamed source, is 'not worried about any tapes' of conversations between him and the president. 'If there is a tape, there's nothing he is worried about.' And NBC News had its own secret access to Comey's inner circle, with one person close to him saying: 'He hopes there are tapes. That would be perfect.' Trump said Thursday during an interview with NBC News that the two men have spoken at least three times since Inauguration Day. And on those occasions, he insisted, Comey assured him that he was not personally the subject of any federal investigations. 'He said it once at dinner and then he said it twice during phone calls,' Trump said. He described a matter-of-fact exchange over dinner in which he asked an unusual question and got an unconventional response. 'I said, "If it's possible would you let me know, am I under investigation?" Trump recalled. 'He said, "You are not under investigation".' Spicer was asked Friday whether or not the White House had a recording of that dinnertime conversation, and replied: 'I'm not aware of that.' Trump said Thursday that Comey told him three times that he wasn't being investigated It is rare for a federal law enforcement official to tell anyone, including the President of the United States, whether they are being investigated. The latest twist from Trump amid reports that he demanded loyalty from James Comey during the private dinner at the White House back in January. The claims come from associates of the now fired FBI director. Comey had told associates that he was summoned to the White House for a one-on-one dinner with Trump seven days after the inauguration, the New York Times reports. It was during the dinner that Trump reportedly asked Comey twice to pledge loyalty to him as the new Commander in Chief. Sources claim Comey declined to do so but said he told the President he would always be honest with him. Trump is said to have pressed Comey on whether that would be 'honest loyalty', to which the FBI director said: 'You will have that.' Sources close to Comey said he now believes this dinner conversation may have sealed his fate. This version of events is vastly different to the dinner conversation Trump himself described in an interview with NBC's Lester Holt on Thursday. The version is denied by the White House. But the president also used Twitter on Friday morning to say that 'it is not possible for my surrogates to stand at podium with perfect accuracy'. While it is not clear if they are talking about the same dinner, the pair are believed to have only dined together privately once. Trump indicated that he had dinner with Comey at the former FBI director's request - and said Comey was angling to keep his job. 'I had a dinner with him. He wanted to have dinner because he wanted to stay on. We had a very nice dinner at the White House,' Trump said. 'He asked for the dinner?' Holt followed up. 'A dinner was arranged, I think he asked for the dinner,' the president hedged. 'And he wanted to stay on as the FBI head. 'And I said I'll consider and we'll see what happens. But we had a very nice dinner. And at that time he told me "you are not under investigation",' Trump said. During that same interview, Trump declared he had planned to fire Comey all along, regardless of whether top Justice Department officials recommended the stunning step. The White House had initially cited a Justice Department memo criticizing Comey's handling of last year's investigation into Hillary Clinton's emails as the impetus for Trump's decision. Press Secretary Sean Spicer, Counselor Kellyanne Conway (pictured), Deputy Press Secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders and Vice President Mike Pence had all claimed that Trump did the firing after he was advised to let Comey go by the deputy attorney general With Spicer (left) away on Navy Reserve duty, Huckabee Sanders (right) was put behind the White House podium to handle the billowing crisis that prompted comparisons to Richard Nixon's Saturday Night Massacre Been here before... White House tape threat sounds like Nixon President Nixon resigned before he could be impeached for the Watergate scandal President Donald Trump said in a Twitter tirade Friday morning that sacked FBI director James Comey 'better hope that there are no "tapes" of our conversations before he starts leaking to the press.' Presidential recordings of course have played a part in history before - notoriously so in the case of Richard Nixon. He resigned before he could be impeached after the infamous Nixon White House tapes that were made public before the Senate Watergate Committee. Nixon ordered the Secret Service to install recording devices in the White House and taped 2,636 hours of phone calls and conversations between 1971 and 1973. He was paranoid about how he was viewed by members of Congress and the executive branch. The 37th president was also concerned about how he was being portrayed to the media. Most people did not know they were being taped and only a few members of the White House administration knew the sound activated recording devices existed. Nixon's downfall spiraled because of the tapes which were exposed during the Watergate investigation into the DNC burglary while he was running for re-election. President Nixon ordered the firing of special prosecutor Archibald Cox (pictured) who was investigating the break-in at the DNC headquarters at the Watergate complex The burglars were trying to bug the DNC headquarters at the Watergate complex. During the investigation, the 'smoking-gun' tape led to Nixon's resignation. It proved the president ordered a cover-up of the burglary of the DNC. The recording revealed Nixon ordering the FBI and CIA to abandon its investigation of the break-in. Before the release of the 'smoking gun' tape, Nixon ordered the firing of special prosecutor Archibald Cox - who was investigating the Watergate scandal - in the Saturday Night Massacre, which itself has drawn comparisons to the firing of Comey. Nixon was pardoned by his successor, Gerald Ford, but many of his aides served time in federal prison. Nixon wasn't the first president to secretly record Oval Office conversations. President Franklin Delano Roosevelt also recorded discussions in the Oval Office with a microphone hidden under his desk. President Franklin Delano Roosevelt used a recording device hidden under his desk after a New York Times article containing 'a deliberate lie' was publsihed He began using the device after the New York Times published what he claimed to be a fictitious article. FDR was advised by his stenographer to record meetings to keep this from happening again. He recorded eight hours of conversations in the Oval and stopped using it after he was re-elected in 1944. President Dwight D. Eisenhower also used a secret recording device disguised as a telephone on his desk in the Oval Office. FDR could only tape 10 minutes at a time with his recorder, but Eisenhower was able to record a full 15 minutes. However, Eisenhower would occasionally forget to turn the machine on at the beginning of meetings and the quality of many recordings was extremely poor. He used the device to document 75 different conversations beginning in 1953. President Eisenhower (pictured with Vice President Nixon) used a recording device hidden in a fake telephone . However, he often forgot to turn it on before meetings President John F. Kennedy had a system installed in 1962 by the White House Communications Agency. He hid microphones in the drapes of the Cabinet Room and under a coffee table and his desk in the Oval. Kennedy had a Dictaphone machine hooked up to a telephone and taped 265 hours of meetings and 12 hours of phone calls. His Vice President Lyndon B. Johnson also used a device and as president he used it to record 800 hours covering 9,000 phone conversations. JFK upped the number of devices in the White House from previous administrations. Recorders were hidden in the drapes of the Cabinet Room, his study and in the Oval President Johnson used secret recording devices as vice president and president Again, the quality of the Dictaphone recordings were often lacking. The tapes would often pick up background noise and JFK's leg tapping more than the actual conversation. President Ronald Reagan also taped dozens of calls made from the Situation Room. The recordings reveal the conversations he had with world leaders such as former Israeli Prime Minister Menachem Begin, former Syrian President Hafez el-Assad and former British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher. Ronald Reagan taped dozens of calls made from the Situation Room, including one with former British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher (left) Source: History.com, Richard Nixon Presidential Library and Museum, The Institute: The IEEE News Source and CNN Advertisement But Trump acknowledged for the first time on Thursday that the Russia investigation - which he dismissed as a 'made-up story' - was also on his mind as he ousted the man overseeing the probe. The shifting accounts of the decision to fire Comey, whom Trump derided as a 'showboat' and 'grandstander,' added to a mounting sense of uncertainty and chaos in the West Wing, as aides scrambled to get their stories straight and appease an angry president. Not even Vice President Mike Pence was spared the embarrassment of having told a version of events that was later discredited by Trump. Multiple officials, including Pence, said the president was acting at the behest of Rosenstein and Attorney General Jeff Sessions. 'I was going to fire Comey,' Trump said. 'Regardless of recommendation I was going to fire Comey.' The White House's explanations continued to crumble throughout the day Thursday. On Capitol Hill, acting FBI Director Andrew McCabe strongly disputed the White House's assertion that Comey had been fired in part because he had lost the confidence of the FBI's rank-and-file. My decision: Trump said of the firing of the FBI director: 'Oh, I was going to fire Comey regardless of recommendation.' White House spokeswoman Sarah Huckabee Sanders insisted she had heard from 'countless' members of the FBI who welcomed the president's decision. 'That is not accurate,' McCabe said. 'Director Comey enjoyed broad support within the FBI and still does to this day.' McCabe also pointed out the remarkable nature of Trump's version of his conversations with Comey. McCabe told a Senate panel it was not 'standard practice' to tell an individual whether they are or are not under investigation. Previous presidents have made a public show of staying out of legal matters, so as not to appear to be injecting politics. Trump's comments demonstrated his striking deviation from that practice. Trump and Comey's relationship was strained early on, in part because of the president's explosive and unsubstantiated claims that Barack Obama 'wiretapped' him. The husband of a lawyer who vanished after dropping off her daughter on the school run has revealed she recently asked for a divorce after 23 years of marriage and claims she walked out on the family to join a sect. Renata Antczak was last seen more than two weeks ago, after taking her daughter Victoria, 11, to school before returning to her home. The 49-year-old left the house at 1pm on April 25 and has not been seen since. Speaking for the first time since she disappeared in an exclusive interview with The Mail on Sunday, her husband Majid Mustafa revealed his wife had asked for a divorce in March and wanted to return to her native Poland, taking Victoria with her. Pictured is Renata Antzak and Majid Mustafa from Hull, East Yorkshire with daughter Victoria He said: She said she was going to find a job and would put Victoria in a Polish school. I said I didnt accept that. I said, If you want to go to Poland and leave us and find a job, I dont think its a good idea to take Victoria. I was really surprised because there was nothing really wrong. I told her people divorce for more serious reasons, but she said no, she wanted a divorce. She wanted to be independent. Mr Mustafa said his wifes plan had been to take Victoria back to Poland this summer. According to dentist Mr Mustafa, 47, the request for a divorce followed months of increasingly bizarre behaviour, in which her interest in alternative medicines had turned into an obsession. He believes she had joined a sect in Poland and kept in touch with members by phone. He said: She started to wear different jewellery, especially a gold necklace, which she said took the bad energy from her. She started to contact people we didnt know, and at home would light candles everywhere. After shed gone we found some of her writing. It talked about her feeling free, free from relationships, free from everything. One sentence said: I dont have any obligation to anyone. I think shes joined a sect. I dont know what its called, but think she had contact with them when she went to Poland. Pictured is Magda (right) with sister Victoria making an appeal for the for their missing mother Renata to come home Mr Mustafa said the family had celebrated Victorias birthday at home in Hull three weeks early at his wifes request on April 8, although the girl did not turn 11 until April 30 five days after her mother had vanished. Elder daughter Magda, 20, a student, said the family is desperate for the mother to make contact. She said: Mum, we love you. Just let us know youre ok and that you can hopefully come back to us when youre ready to. We can forget everything and start over. For now, please just contact us. A Humberside Police spokesman said last night: Mr Mustafa has passed his theory on to us and it is something thats being considered. But at the moment we have no evidence that corroborates that. The spokesman confirmed that inquiries were being conducted in Poland regarding an unconfirmed sighting of the missing lawyer. A Melbourne couple have been left rattled after their vehicle was broken into twice in seven days with the offenders leaving behind an ominous message promising further horror. In a frightening example of extreme vandalism Chris Nevill and Georgia Chambers woke up to discover Chris' car had been torched outside their Eltham North home on Saturday morning. After a failed attempt at stealing the vehicle the thieves set the car on fire and embedded 'We'll be back' into the side of the car. Scroll down for video A Melbourne couple have suffered a second break-in during the last seven days After failing to stealing the vehicle the thieves set the car on fire and scratched 'We'll be back' onto the side of the car It is understood the offenders are responsible for a prior theft earlier at the same address earlier in the week where jewellery, cash and car keys were stolen. Ms Chambers said the ordeal was scary. 'I was already pretty spooked by it to start with and it kind of makes your home feel like a house and not a home anymore,' she told 7 News. Her partner, Chris Nevell said the offenders are 'scum'. After the incident on Saturday morning the couple will install security systems into and around their home 'This is people's livelihood that they're ruining,' he said. The couple are taken measures to secure their home as police look into the incident. Accused cocaine smuggler Cassandra Sainsbury has hit out at the two separate television deals struck by members of her family and her fiance. Sainsbury's mother and sister have negotiated a $1 million interview deal with Channel Nine's 60 Minutes program, reportedly without her knowledge, but her fiance Scott Broadbridge has signed on with Channel Seven's Sunday Night. The 22-year-old Australian woman said she would be discussing 'whatever's been going on with the two stories' when she gets a chance to be reunited with her mother and sister, who have recently arrived in Colombia, News Corp reported. 'It's just typical family drama,' Sainsbury said from Bogota's El Buen Pastor Women's prison, where she is being held after 5.8 kilograms of cocaine was allegedly found in her luggage on April 11 at Colombia's El Dorado International Airport. Scroll down for videos Cassandra Sainsbury (pictured) has spoken out about the two separate television interview deals struck by her mother and sister and her fiance Sainsbury, 22, was found with 5.8kg of cocaine concealed in the packaging of 15 headphone boxes at Colombia's El Dorado International Airport Sainsbury's mother and sister made a desperate attempt on Saturday to communicate with the accused drug smuggler, as her fiance was turned away from the prison gates. Shouting 'Cassie, its mumma' across the embankment to El Buen Pastor Women's prison, Bogota, the 22-year-old's mother Lisa Evans and sister Khala Sainsbury tried desperately to see her following her arrest. Sainsbury, who has made a friend in prison, said she has been trying to get hold of her fiance. 'I think it's nothing to do with me. I think it's something to do with the prison and the way they want to set up the visitation,' she said. Colombian police have alleged Sainsbury was lured into becoming a drug mule because she was in debt and told it would be easy money. Colonel Rodrigo Soler, anti-narcotics chief at Bogota's El Dorado International Airport, said Sainsbury was a perfect mark for drug smugglers. He alleged she was likely told the job was pre-arranged and airport staff and police were paid off on both sides of the journey to let her through with the 5.8 kilograms of cocaine she carried in her luggage. Mother Lisa Evans and sister Khala Sainsbury shouted 'Cassie, its mumma' across the embankment to El Buen Pastor Women's prison, Bogota when they attempted to see her Cassie's fiance Scott Broadbridge (pictured) was turned away from the prison gates when he went to see her The young woman maintained her innocence to police and media, and through her family, and even when she was filmed waving at TV crews behind bars Police said she was likely told the job was pre-arranged and airport staff and police were paid off on both sides of the journey to let her through 'The owner of the drug who convinces the people to smuggle the drugs, he says everything is fixed up. Everything in the airport is fixed. Everything is easy,' he told News Corp. Colonel Soler said drug traffickers often took advantage of young people like Sainsbury who were facing economic hardship and needed fast cash. Sainsbury was thousands of dollars in debt after her failed Yorke's Fitness, in her hometown on SA's Yorke Peninsula failed and she abruptly skipped town. The Adelaide woman claimed she was set up by a man named 'Angelo' who arranged to buy her headphones at a cheap price as gifts for her wedding party. She claimed the 18 packages wrapped in black plastic containing the cocaine were given to her the morning of her flight and she didn't know they were drugs. Colombian police seized CCTV footage of Angelo at the hotel where she stayed for eight nights before her flight, and she hoped it would help prove her innocence. But Colonel Soler and his colleagues said since the beginning of the investigation that they did not believe her story and that she knew what she was doing. The first photo of Sainsbury (right) from inside her Colombia prison, showing her smiling at the camera alongside a fellow inmate Lt Colonel Jorge Triana told Daily Mail Australia soon after news of Sainsbury's arrest broke that drug mules often feigned ignorance when they were caught. 'It's a commonplace strategy that narco traffickers use to take drugs out of the country,' he said. 'Her explanation is not credible. Everyone we catch says they didn't know it was in their luggage, but they know what they were doing.' Colonel Soler also said '90 per cent' of people in her situation said they were trapped and cheated and didn't know they were carrying drugs. 'They majority also end up accepting responsibility (for the crime) because they say they have economic problems, family problems, they have no job,' he said. He said all drug mules progress through a familiar three stages after they arrested, starting with denial where Sainsbury is still sitting. The young woman maintained her innocence to police and media, and through her family, and even when she was filmed waving at TV crews behind bars. An inmate friend even held out a sign reading: 'Cassandra Pide Libertad Immediata', which translates in English to: 'Cassandra asks for freedom immediately'. Footage from inside Bogota Airport obtained by Nine News shows Sainsbury being led away just moments after handing her passport to an immigration officer on April 11 Colonel Soler said the next face was the inevitable acceptance of their crime, confessing to police and explaining why the did it. Finally they repent and express regret for their error in judgement. The top cop often referred to Sainsbury and others as victims because they were low-level players convinced to take the risk. 'But logically perhaps we see them like victims, unfortunately they committed part of the crime and they must pay,' he said. At least 19 foreigners were arrested for drug trafficking at Colombian airports this year and Colonel Soler said police were constantly on the lookout. She claimed the 18 packages wrapped in black plastic containing the cocaine were given to her the morning of her flight and she didn't know they were drugs He said mules had different tells, such as nervousness, new bags but old clothes, or travelling on unusual itineraries. They found drugs of all kinds hidden in all kinds of ways including stalks of flowers, inside coffee beans, or even their stomachs. Colonel Soler warned other Australians not to be lured by what appeared to be easy money, and should instead collect rewards for reporting drug mules. He said drug trafficking was a 'cancer' that not only hurt users, but caused environmental damage to Colombia and 'family destructions, murders, massacres' from the drug trade. A family claim they were kicked off a JetBlue plane because the birthday cake was deemed a 'security risk'. Cameron Burke, his wife and two children were flying to Las Vegas from JFK on May 3 to celebrate his wife's 40th birthday - and they brought a buttercream cake with them. But after they say they received conflicting advice about where they could store it a disagreement developed and they were ordered off the flight. The airline claims the family stored it in areas that were 'improper' - an overhead bin for safety equipment - and refused to move it. But the family say they followed all the cabin crew's instructions. Even after Port Authority officers called to the scene deemed 'no wrongdoing' on the part of the family, as see in a video obtained by ABC 7 NY, airline staff nonetheless forced them to exit the plane. Scroll down for video Cameron Burke and his family (left and right) were on board a flight to Las Vegas for his wife's 40th birthday and brought a buttercream cake with them. After one flight attendant asked them to move the cake from an overhead bin to the floor, another flight attendant came over to reprimand her colleague - and the Burkes When another airline employee asked Cameron and his family to leave, he refused and began recording. Two Port Authority employees (left) were called to force the family off the flight. The Burkes' two children can be seen crying and scared (right) The Burkes had boarded a Jet Blue flight out of Kennedy Airport and stored their buttercream cake in the overhead bin before taking their seats in the last row. 'A flight attendant nicely asked me to remove the cake from that compartment, so I moved it to another one,' Cameron told the New York Daily News. 'She then asked me to move it to underneath the seat in front of me, I did.' Then, chaos unfurled. According to Cameron, another flight attendant appeared and confronted her colleague and then Cameron. 'You know, you could see the gestures - then she was pointing to her, did you tell him he couldn't put anything in the overhead compartment? 'I had approached them, and I said everything was fine, and she said, 'sir, this does not involve you. When she told me I had been non-compliant, then I said 'ma'am, had you been drinking?' because her behavior was not normal'' When another airline employee asked Cameron and his family to leave, he refused and began recording. Officer Cheung (pictured with Cameron Burke) tells an airline employee that he sees 'no wrongdoing' on the part of the Burkes and just took down their information before leaving Video, obtained by ABC 7 NY reporter CeFaan Kim, showed Port Authority officers questioning the family as the Burkes tell them the cake is on the floor as flight attendants has requested. Their seven-year-old son, Cameron Jr, and nine-year-old daughter, Camille, appear scared as the officers question the family. 'I just want to know why,' Cameron's wife, Minta, says out loud. 'Exactly!' he replies. 'For a cake?' One of the officers then tells an airline employee that he sees 'no wrongdoing' on the part of the Burkes. Airline staff then had all passengers on the full flight exit the plane in order to remove the Burke family. The family's tickets and reward points were refunded. Their luggage went to Las Vegas, and was collected by his mother-in-law. According to JetBlue, the Burkes are at fault for the disruption. The company says the cake was originally stored in an overhead bin with safety equipment, not meant for passenger carry-on and that the family 'refused several requests to move the dessert'. Airline staff then had everyone on the full plane exit so the Burkes could be removed. Their tickets and reward points were refunded Cameron says he was able to book a United Airlines flight out of Newark for Las Vegas the following day, and intends to file a lawsuit against JetBlue (Minta pictured with her children before the incident onboard the flight) 'The customers became agitated, cursed and yelled at the crew, and made false accusations about a crew member's fitness to fly,' said JetBlue spokesman Doug McGraw. 'After the customers refused to speak with a team leader about the situation, the Port Authority Police Department was called and the entire aircraft deplaned.' Cameron says he was able to book a United Airlines flight out of Newark for Las Vegas the following day. He has since reached out to the National Action Network, and intends to file a lawsuit against JetBlue. 'I want the flight attendant fired, she has no business serving the public,' said Cameron President Donald Trump has flat out denied asking former FBI director James Comey for a loyalty pledge and has refused to answer questions about whether he records conversations in the White House. In an interview with Fox News Channel's Jeanine Pirro on Saturday night, Trump said he never questioned Comey about his loyalty. 'No I didn't, but I don't think it would be a bad question to ask,' Trump said. 'I don't know how that got there because I didn't ask that question.' In an interview with Fox News Channel's Jeanine Pirro on Saturday night, Trump said he never questioned ex-FBI director James Comey about his loyalty Trump was referring to a New York Times article this week that alleged he had demanded loyalty from Comey during a private dinner at the White House in January. Associates of the now-fired FBI director claimed Comey had told them he declined to pledge loyalty to Trump but said he would always be honest with the president. Comey had allegedly said Trump asked twice during the private dinner. Sources close to Comey said he now believes this dinner conversation may have sealed his fate. When Trump was questioned by Jeanine Pirro about whether he recorded these conversations with Comey, the President refused to comment. 'That I can't talk about,' he said. 'All I want is for Comey to be honest and I hope he will.' When Trump was questioned by Jeanine Pirro about whether he recorded these conversations with Comey, the President refused to comment Trump seemingly lobbed a veiled threat at Comey on Friday, hinting that some of their conversations before his firing may have been recorded President Trump had allegedly demanded loyalty from James Comey (pictured at the White House in January at a law enforcement reception) during a private dinner at the White House back in January, sources claim It comes after Trump seemingly lobbed a veiled threat at Comey on Friday, hinting that some of their conversations before his firing may have been recorded. 'James Comey better hope that there are no "tapes" of our conversations before he starts leaking to the press!' the president tweeted. It's unclear whether Trump was warning that the White House is recording his calls, or if he believes the FBI may have been recording Comey's. White House press secretary Sean Spicer told reporters Friday afternoon that the Oval Office would be silent on the matter: 'The president has nothing further to add on that.' Challenged about the tweet itself, Spicer said: 'That's not a threat. He's simply stating a fact.' Comey's alleged version of events about the White House dinner is vastly different to the conversation Trump himself described in an interview with NBC's Lester Holt on Thursday. While it is not clear if they are talking about the same dinner, the pair are believed to have only dined together privately once. My decision: Trump said of the firing of the FBI director: 'Oh, I was going to fire Comey regardless of recommendation.' Trump indicated that he had dinner with Comey at the former FBI director's request - and said Comey was angling to keep his job. 'I had a dinner with him. He wanted to have dinner because he wanted to stay on. We had a very nice dinner at the White House,' Trump said. 'He asked for the dinner?' Holt followed up. 'A dinner was arranged, I think he asked for the dinner,' the president hedged. 'And he wanted to stay on as the FBI head. 'And I said I'll consider and we'll see what happens. But we had a very nice dinner. And at that time he told me 'you are not under investigation',' Trump said. Trump said he had asked Comey - once over dinner and twice by phone - if the FBI were investigating him as part of its probe into alleged collusion between members of his campaign and the Russian government prior to the election. The President showed no concern that the request might be viewed as interference in the active FBI probe. During that same interview, Trump declared he had planned to fire Comey all along, regardless of whether top Justice Department officials recommended the stunning step. After 71-year-old Vietnam War veteran George Taylor died recently, family members and friends arrived at his visitation on Thursday to pay their respects. But when they arrived at Heritage Funeral Home in Fort Oglethorpe, Georgia, they saw that Taylor's body was not lying in a coffin, but was rather laid on a table with an American flag draped over him. The lack of a coffin was reportedly due to an issue with a $9,000 payment that was supposed to come out of Taylor's life insurance. Family members posted on Facebook that during a visitation for 71-year-old George Taylor, his body was presented on a table with an American flag draped over him Taylor served in the Vietnam War and is pictured here as a young man in decorated uniform The insurance company allegedly said it needed to see a death certification before overnighting the payment, but the check didn't arrive in time. 'This is how his friends an (sic) family had to see him,' family member Elizabeth Moss wrote in a Facebook post, along with a photo of the scene. 'I am in total disbelief.' Taylor's son James said that although he agreed to the arrangement with the funeral home beforehand, inevitably he did not think the setup was respectful. 'At first we were okay with it but like I told the guy, I said this was very disrespectful to my dad,' he told News Channel 9. 'They came to me and told me that unless the $9,000 dollars were paid, they couldn't put him into the ground at the military thing, he would have to sit in the freezer until we paid it or the insurance come through,' James added. Despite the controversy and lack of life insurance money, a representative for the funeral home said: 'We were trying to honor the request and let them have some closure by viewing their loved one' David Cummings, a representative at the funeral home, said they were merely doing what the family told them to do. Since the original photo of Taylor was shared, Cummins said they have been receiving threats. 'We were trying to honor the request and let them have some closure by viewing their loved one,' he said. 'We serve this community. We love the community. We serve this community in everything we do.' News Channel 9 also spoke to Taylor's sister-in-law Beverly Roe, who said she and other family members were fine with the arrangement before the visitation. 'His son was too. We shook on it. The three of us shook on it and then all of a sudden, somebody comes in and wants to stir up trouble. 'These guys haven't done anything. They were so nice,' Roe said. Taylor's body was placed in a casket for a service on Friday after an agreement was reached between the two parties. A popular ice cream chain is accused of racism for social media ads depicting a hand covered in charcoal and 'blackface' in the caption. The promotion of n2 Extreme Gelato's new honey charcoal vanilla flavour featured a white hand gripping an ice cream cone covered in a dusting of carbon. 'Is it still considered blackface if it's just on your hand???' the caption for the ad on both the company's Facebook and Instagram accounts read. Ice cream chain n2 Extreme Gelato is accused of racism for social media ads for its honey charcoal vanilla flavour depicting a hand covered in charcoal and 'blackface' in the caption The post was met with immediate outrage on social media with customers slamming the chain, which has shops in Sydney and Melbourne, as racist. 'Anyway it's just spilt carbon so calm yo t*ts with our Honey Charcoal Vanilla gelato! (Carbon dusting not included),' it continued. The post was met with immediate outrage on social media with customers slamming the chain, which has shops in Sydney and Melbourne, as racist. 'And the award for Sydney's most offensive ice-cream parlour goes to...' one woman wrote in a post sharing the ad on her own Facebook. Another commented on the Instagram ad: 'Whether this is a cry for attention or genuine attempt at a piece of content - I'm pretty sure everyone agrees you are filth.' 'Whether this is a cry for attention or genuine attempt at a piece of content - I'm pretty sure everyone agrees you are filth,' one customer commented Hours after the backlash began, n2 edited both posts to remove the controversial remarks, but offered no apology or explanation Others suggested the company should sit down with its social media manager and 'give them a lesson in how not to trivialise racism'. Hours after the backlash began, n2 edited both posts to remove the controversial remarks, but offered no apology or explanation. 'Oops I spilt carbon on my hand while cooking our honey charcoal vanilla gelato!' the caption now reads. This did not satisfy one customer who wrote: 'When your post starts off as both racist and sexist, but you've already paid for it to be promoted N2 has outlets in Newtown, Fitzroy, the Sydney and Melbourne CBDs, and Paris This did not satisfy one customer who wrote: 'When your post starts off as both racist and sexist, but you've already paid for it to be promoted. 'So you make a couple of edits to hide how scum you are.' N2 Extreme Gelato told Daily Mail Australia the female social media manager was relieved of their duties and would be reassigned and possibly suspended. 'It was quite unfortunate, we give them quite a wide berth but obviously what was said was inexcusable,' it said The ice cream chain, which makes its gelato with liquid nitrogen, has a rotating menu of weekly flavours and has its staff dress like scientists in lab coats 'It was meant to be tongue-in-cheek and wasn't intended to come off that way but definitely got it all wrong. 'She's pretty shaken up over it.' The ice cream chain, which makes its gelato with liquid nitrogen, has a rotating menu of weekly flavours and has its staff dress like scientists in lab coats. It has outlets in Newtown, Fitzroy, the Sydney and Melbourne CBDs, and Paris. A coronial inquest is investigating the gruesome death of an Indonesian transgender sex worker who was killed and dismembered. It will seek to determine when, where, and how Mayang Prasetyo was brutally killed, allegedly by her partner Marcus Volke, 27, who then committed suicide. The chef boyfriend fled the scene soon after police found the woman's remains in their Brisbane apartment in October 2014. A coronial inquest is investigating the gruesome death of Indonesian transgender sex worker Mayang Prasetyo who was killed and dismembered It will seek to determine when, where, and how Mayang Prasetyo was brutally killed, allegedly by her partner Marcus Volke (L), 27, who then committed suicide Volke attempted to dispose of the 27-year-old victim's remains by boiling them on the stove in their upmarket Teneriffe unit, police said at the time. He then fled the building after officers arrived and hid in a nearby industrial bin, where he took his own life. Coroner Terry Ryan is scheduled to hear evidence over three days from Monday, before delivering findings on when, where and how Ms Mayang died and what caused her death. He is also tasked with determining Volke's cause of death, and whether the police officers who attempted to locate and detain him complied with Queensland Police policy and procedure. Volke attempted to dispose of the 27-year-old victim's remains by boiling them on the stove in their upmarket Teneriffe unit, police said at the time The alleged murder-suicide was treated as a domestic violence situation that escalated, with police saying they had recovered a murder weapon from Volke The remains of Ms Prasetyo's body being taken out of their flat in Brisbane The alleged murder-suicide was treated as a domestic violence situation that escalated, with police saying they had recovered a murder weapon from Volke. The crime scene, which took authorities four days to clean up, was particularly disturbing, according to police. It included rubber gloves, bleach, a 'squelching' carpet, a vomit-inducing smell, and a 'massive' cooking pot on the stove. The apartment complex where the victim was allegedly murdered and dismembered Volke attempted to dispose of the 27-year-old victim's remains by boiling them on the stove in their upmarket Teneriffe unit, police said at the time The death of Ms Mayang, who worked as a high-class escort to support her family in Indonesia and put her two sisters through school, sent shock waves across Australia The death of Ms Mayang, who worked as a high-class escort to support her family in Indonesia and put her two sisters through school, sent shock waves across Australia and around the world. Friends and mourners who gathered for a candlelit vigil in New Farm Park soon after the death of the woman, who was born Febri Andriansyah, said her story had resonated with Brisbane's transgender community. Readers seeking support and information about suicide prevention can contact Lifeline on 13 11 14. In some bars across Australia you'd be lucky to get any change from a $10 note when buying a pint of beer. In others though, a cheap happy hour could mean sinking pint after pint without breaking the bank. Now a new report released by Deutsche Bank analysts has revealed the exact costs of being a lager lout in some of the most costly settlements worldwide. New research has revealed the most expensive cities in the world when buying a pint of beer in a local expat bar Sydney is renowned for its bustling nightlife with trendy bars throughout the city, where a pint of beer will cost you $7.30 on average Top 20 most expensive beers around the world 1. Oslo, Norway; $13.40 2. Singapore; $12.20 3. Hong Kong; $10.40 4. New York, US; $10.00 5. Boston, US; $9.80 6. Paris, France; $9.50 7. Stockholm, Sweden; $9.40 8. Melbourne, Australia; $9.10 8. Zurich, Switzerland; $9.10 10. Dublin, Ireland; $8.80 10. Copenhagen, Denmark; $8.80 10. Auckland, NZ; $8.80 13. London, England; $8.70 14. Helsinki, Finland; $8.50 15. San Francisco, US; $8.40 16. Shanghai, China; $8.00 17. Edinburgh, Scotland; $7.90 17. Wellington, NZ; $7.90 17. Milan, Italy; $7.90 20. Sydney, Australia; $7.30 All prices in AUD Source: Deutsche Bank Advertisement The report sources prices from Expatistan, a site that tracks cost-of-living expenses in over 200 countries. The data identifies the most expensive cities across the world to buy a beer in a neighbourhood pub (500 ml or one pint) in an expat area and it doesn't make good reading for our largest cities. Melbourne was ranked eighth in the world with an average cost of $9.10, while Sydney made the top 20 with a slightly lower average price of $7.30. Surprisingly, Perth was left off the list, as the renowned extortionate coastal city sees beer drinkers regularly shell out around $11.00 a pint. Yet spare a thought for the natives of top of the list Oslo, who have to fork out an eye-watering $13.40 each time they see a beer off at their local. Singapore and Hong Kong aren't too far behind them in second and third place, with an average beer cost of $12.20 and $10.40 respectively. New York are the highest of four US cities at $10.00 a pint on the list comprising of 47 cities from all over the world. Following last year's Brexit, London sits in a reasonable 13th with a good old British pint setting back punters $8.70. There was some light at the end of the tunnel for beer connoisseurs, as the study also revealed some of the cheapest metropolises on the globe. Melbourne boasts some of the best bars in Australia yet it will set you back a steep $9.10 on average for a 500ml glass of beer in one of its popular venues The highest priced pint or 500ml glass of beer on the list was Oslo's at a staggering $13.40 Top 5 cheapest beers around the world 1. Prague, Czech Republic; $1.80 2.Johannesburg, South Africa; $2.30 3. Lisbon, Portugal; $2.70 4. Cape Town, South Africa; $2.80 5. Manila, Philippines; $3.10 All prices in AUD Source: Deutsche Bank Advertisement For all those travelers searching for that bargain booze, make sure you head to Prague in the Czech Republic as a beer at a local bar will only cost a nominal $1.80. Those with a keen eye for a good deal may also want to make their way to South Africa after the country featured heavily in the top five cheapest places with Johannesburg and Cape Town both listed. The report didn't just centre on the alcoholic drink and compiled data on a whole range of worldwide products ranging from a two-litre bottle of Coca-Cola to a subscription to The Economist. Alt-Right leader and White Supremacist Richard Spencer led a torch-wielding mob crying 'Russia is our friend' and 'You Will not replace us', in protest of the removal of a controversial statue of the pro-slavery Civil War general Robert E. Lee. The marchers showed up in their dozens at the park in Charlottesville, Virginia, where the monument is on display, on Saturday at 9pm, the Daily Progress reported. But only ten minutes into the protest, police were called because of an altercation among some of the marchers, forcing the demonstrators to scatter. White Supremacist Richard Spencer, 39, led dozens of torch-wielding marchers protesting the removal of a monument of the Civil War general Robert E. Lee The mob gathered at the park in Charlottesville, Virginia, where the monument is on display, on Saturday at 9pm Public figures have condemned the gathering, which some, including the city's Mayor, say echoes the practices of the Ku Klux Klan. '[The event] was either profoundly ignorant or was designed to instill fear in our minority populations in a way that hearkens back to the days of the KKK,' Charlottesville Mayor Mike Signer said. 'Either way, as mayor of this city, I want everyone to know this: we reject this intimidation. We are a welcoming city, but such intolerance is not welcome here.' The controversy surrounding the statue began in April when Charlottesville City Council voted 3-2, to remove and sell the monument. The debate about the statue had been ongoing for a year and it has attracted leaders from the alt-right group including Spencer. The marchers showed up in their dozens at the park in Charlottesville, Virginia, where the monument is on display (stock image of the statue) Some say the protesters actions mimicked those of the Ku Klux Klan. The city's Mayor said: '[The event] was either profoundly ignorant or was designed to instill fear in our minority populations in a way that hearkens back to the days of the KKK The debate surrounding the statue began last month, after the Charlottesville City Council voted 3-2, to remove and sell the monument The 39-year-old - who is credited with beginning the alt-right movement and has been quoted by Nazi propaganda - has been in the Virginia town leading protesters and giving speeches. Also at the demonstration was the conservative blogger Jason Kessler, who tried to oust the Vice Mayor, Wes Bellamy, according Daily Progress's report. For now, the city council has a legal mountain to climb since a judge issued a court order halting the removal of the statue, for at least the next six months. There has also been dissent over the council's decision to rename parks named after Robert E. Lee and Thomas Jackson, also Confederate Civil Wall general. There have yet to be any injunctions issued against this decision. Donald Trump made an unexpected reference to Russia after North Korea fired a ballistic missile into the Sea of Japan on Sunday. 'The President has been briefed on the latest missile test by North Korea,' a statement from the White House read. 'With the missile impacting so close to Russian soil - in fact, closer to Russia than to Japan - the President cannot imagine that Russia is pleased. 'North Korea has been a flagrant menace for far too long. South Korea and Japan have been watching this situation closely with us. The United States maintains our ironclad commitment to stand with our allies in the face of the serious threat posed by North Korea. 'Let this latest provocation serve as a call for all nations to implement far stronger sanctions against North Korea,' the statement concluded. In a statement released by the White House, Donald Trump commented that North Korea's test missile landed closer to Russia than Japan. Russian President Vladimir Putin is currently in Beijing for a two-day conference hosted by Chinese President Xi Jinping The statement noted that, given the location of the missile test,' the President cannot imagine that Russia is pleased' The missile took off from Kusong, which is northwest of Pyongyang, where North Korea previously test-launched an intermediate-range missile (pictured: A man watches a television displaying news broadcasts reporting on North Korea's recent ballistic missile launch, at a station in Seoul, South Korea on Sunday) People watched a news program in Seoul, South Korea, showing a file image of a missile launch conducted by North Korea on Sunday Russian President Vladimir Putin is currently in Beijing for a two-day 'Belt and Road' conference hosted by Chinese President Xi Jinping. The missile took off from Kusong, which is northwest of Pyongyang, where North Korea previously test-launched an intermediate-range missile. US Pacific Command says the flight was not consistent with an intercontinental ballistic missile. The projectile was launched at around 5.30am on Sunday and flew about 435 miles, according to South Korea's Joint Chief of Staff. Other reports claim the missile traveled 500 miles. 'The South and US are analyzing more details about the missile,' it said in a statement without elaborating. It is thought that the missile reached an altitude of 1,250 miles. North Korea attempted but failed to test-launch ballistic missiles four consecutive times in the past two months. Nevertheless, the country has conducted a variety of missile testings since the beginning of last year at an unprecedented pace. The missile was launched from Kusong and landed 60 miles off the coast of Vladivostok, a major Russian port city North Korea, under the leadership of Kim Jong-un, has conducted a variety of missile testings since the beginning of last year at an unprecedented pace This launch is the first since liberal president Moon Jae-in took office in South Korea on Wednesday Weapons experts and government officials believe North Korea has accomplished some technical progress with those tests. This launch is the first since liberal president Moon Jae-in took office in South Korea on Wednesday, saying dialogue and increased pressure must be used to ease tensions on the Korean peninsula and to stop North Korea's weapons pursuit. President Jae-In has summoned an emergency meeting with his national security advisors, his spokesman said. Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe also slammed the missile launch as 'totally unacceptable' and a 'grave threat' to Tokyo. 'We strongly protest against North Korea,' he said. Senior North Korean diplomat Choe Son Hui said that the country is willing to talk to the US and the Trump administration 'under the right conditions.' When asked if North Korea was also preparing to talk with the new government in South Korea, Hui said: 'We'll see.' Hui did not elaborate on what the conditions in question might be, but her comments raise the possibility that North Korea and the US could return to negotiations for the first time since 2008, when six-nation talks over Pyongyang's nuclear weapons program fell apart. A state-of-the-art vessel designed to 'intercept' ballistic missiles is set to be tested later this month. The MV Pacific Collector is in port at Aloha Tower in Hawaii to gather telemetry data for a new missile defense system. The new technology, known as Ground-Based Midcourse Defense System, shoots out a vehicle which smashes into a warhead in mid-flight to disable it. The news comes as North Korea test-launched a ballistic missile that flew for half an hour and reached an altitude of 1,240 miles before landing in the Sea of Japan - a flight pattern that could indicate a new type of missile. The MV Pacific Collector (pictured), has been developed by the US government to gather telemetry data for the Ground-Based Midcourse Defense System - which shoots out a vehicle, smashing into a warhead in mid-flight to disable it The ship (pictured), measuring 393 feet long and housing 24-foot antennas, will be used in support of missions from the US Missile Defense Agency missions and have the next flight intercept test planned for late May The ship, measuring 393 feet long and housing 24-foot antennas, will be used in support of missions from the US Missile Defense Agency missions, reported the Honolulu Star-Advertiser. Spokesman Chris Johnson said the agency doesn't usually discuss missile defense tests until after they've been conducted, but did confirm that the next flight intercept test is planned for late May. This test will be the first time a ground-based missile interceptor launched from California attempts to smash into a intercontinental ballistic missile in its mid-course over the Pacific, the Missile Defense Agency said. The test will also tell if upgrades are needed, particularly as North Korean ballistic missiles are being test-fired at an accelerated rate. Admiral Harry Harris, head of US Pacific Command, warned Congress that the country's leader, Kim Jong Un, 'is clearly in a position to threaten Hawaii today'. Currently, the US has 36 ground-based interceptors placed in Alaska and California to theoretically protect the US from a nuclear missile attack. That number will increase to 44 this year. However, in December, a Pentagon weapons testing office rated the $40 billion system as having low reliability. The ship will be especially important as North Korea test-fires ballistic missiles at an accelerated rate (Missiles are paraded across Kim Il Sung Square during a military parade on Saturday, April 15, 2017, in Pyongyang, North Korea to celebrate the 105th birth anniversary of Kim Il Sung) According to Admiral Harry Harris, head of US Pacific Command, the country's leader, Kim Jong Un, 'is clearly in a position to threaten Hawaii today' (An unidentified rocket is displayed during the April 15 parade) Older versions of the MV Pacific Collector were stationed in the 'broad ocean area' northeast of the Hawaiian Islands for an intercept test in June 2014. The ship processes missile telemetry primarily in the mid-course and ending phases of flight. The ground-based system has a record of nine out of 17 successful intercepts since 1999, or a 53 percent success rate. During a flight test conducted in January 2016, a defensive missile fired from California zeroed locked on a target missile launched from a C-17 cargo plane west of Hawaii. The test was deemed a success by the Missile Defense Agency. However, the Pentagon's chief weapons testing office later said that a circuit board associated with one of the divert thrusters experienced a short and did not command the thruster to turn on for the later part of the test. A mother has spoken of the awful moment her young, adult daughter suffocated to death as a freak thunderstorm sparked a series of fatal asthma attacks across Melbourne. Hope Carnevali, a 20-year-old law student, died in November last year as her family tried to revive her with CPR on their front lawn. Her mother Danielle Carnevali was there as her asthmatic daughter took her last breath and 'disintegrated'. Scroll down for video Hope Carnevali, a 20-year-old law student, died from an asthma attack during Melbourne's freak storm last year Ambulances and hospital emergency wards across the Victorian capital were inundated with calls for help. 'It's indescribable. I'm watching my daughter just disintegrate, barely able to move, and it was traumatic,' Mrs Carnevali told the Nine Network's 60 Minutes program. She recalled the horror of being put on hold and making numerous calls to triple-0 as her daughter's life slipped away. 'The hardest part for me as a mum is I had that chance of saving my daughter's life taken away from me. Danielle Carnevali said being unable to help her daughter was 'the hardest thing' to endure Hope Carnevali was meant to have celebrated her 21st birthday party in February this year 'To not be able to help her as a parent, that is the hardest thing you can ever go through.' Hope was meant to have celebrated her 21st birthday in February with her mother and sisters London and Tyne. But instead, she died in the arms of her devastated family as they desperately attempted CPR on her front lawn while waiting more than half an hour for an ambulance to arrive. 'That's when it really hit that I might lose her,' Tyne said before breaking down in tears. An intense storm had triggered her acute asthma attack as a high pollen count and high temperatures caused severe respiratory problems for thousands of people with allergies. Hope's sister Tyne (pictured) tearfully recalled how she watched her loved one lose her life An image of the freak thunderstorm in Melbourne that stretched hospital resources and killed nine people The world's worst recorded thunderstorm asthma attack on November 21, 2016 killed nine people and saw more than 8,500 patients hospitalised in Victoria. At the time, the Australian Medical Association's vice-president Tony Bartone described the spike in respiratory illnesses as 'unprecedented'. 'I would describe it as extremely unusual as it's been a long time since we've seen anything like this in terms of presentation of patients with asthma on the one day,' he said. Dr Bartone, a general practitioner based in Melbourne's west, said he had never seen Victorian hospital resources so stretched in his 30-year medical career. Hospitals declared a 'major disaster' after receiving more than 1,900 triple-0 calls and almost depleting their Ventolin supplies, as the disaster followed sweltering heat. Australians are demanding a crackdown on foreign investors as first homebuyers find it increasingly impossible to break into the soaring property market. Eighty per cent of adults said it was too hard for people to afford their first home, and 40 per cent pointed the finger at foreign investors, a new survey revealed. Matt McCann, chief executive of Local Agent Finder which commissioned the study of 1,000 people, said foreign investment was a 'formidable' force affecting property prices. Australians are demanding a crackdown on foreign investors as first homebuyers find it increasingly impossible to break into the soaring property market Eighty per cent of adults said it was too hard for people to afford their first home, and 40 per cent pointed the finger at foreign investors, a new survey revealed 'Housing affordability is a major issue in this country and many people feel locked out of the market,' he said. 'With house prices rising across many of Australias capital cities, its unsurprising that most Australians doubt first homebuyers ability to enter the market.' Mr McCann said the survey showed young people were harder hit as they were less likely to feel they could afford a home and had less solutions available to them. A third of Australians under 40 felt the only way they would ever afford a home would either be for their parents to pay their deposit or to live at home while renting out their new house. 'Young Australians salaries cannot keep up with the high growth rate of house prices,' he said. 'Many young buyers do not have the luxury of choosing to buy where they want to live. They have little choice but to buy in regional areas or the outer suburbs where house prices are more affordable.' A third of Australians under 40 felt the only way they would ever afford a home would either be for their parents to pay their deposit or to live at home while renting out their new house Investors will no longer be exempt from capital gains tax when selling their man residence and will be charged for leaving properties vacant for more than six months The most popular solution among older demographics was to move to the city's outskirts where property was cheaper, but Mr McCann said that wouldn't work for everyone. 'A large number of young Australians have professions located within proximity to our main CBDs, which is one of the largest factors that prevent a big geographical move,' he said. Mr McCann said the Federal Government was finally starting to tackle housing affordability with last week's Budget, but didn't go far enough. He said restrictions on foreign investors, and $600 million in increased taxes over the next four years, would be well-received. They will no longer be exempt from capital gains tax when selling their man residence and will be charged for leaving properties vacant for more than six months. Developers can also not sell more than half of homes in a development to overseas investors. House prices rose far more than the 13.2 per cent increase for wages in the past five years House prices skyrocketed in the past decade across Australia, particularly in Sydney which is now the second most unaffordable city in the world The Budget also allowed Australians to use up to $30,000 of their superannuation for a home deposit in the hope of accellerating savings by 30 per cent. Retirees would also be given incentives to sell by being allowed to drop $300,000 from the sale into their super so it doesn't count against their pension. These looked to be popular moves with 18 per cent of survey respondents saying grants for first homebuyers were the best way to address the problem. This was particularly popular among those under 30, with 43 per cent citing as their preferred solution. Freeing up more land to build houses was also well-liked at 14 per cent. 'This is an important move by the Government to encourage older Australians to downsize and will assist with freeing up housing stock for first homebuyers,' Mr McCann said. 'We believe this does not go far enough... more could be done to unlock the housing stock held by older Australians, who still face financial barriers to downsizing. 'By increasing the downsizing re-investment cap, supply will open up for mid-income families. The trickle-down impact of this would further assist first homebuyers from being locked out of the market.' People line up for blocks to inspect a rental property in Sydney's inner-west Prices in Sydney doubled since 2009, rising by an average of $222 a year and the median house price hitting $1.15 million Mr McCann also opposed taking a blowtorch to negative gearing, which was barely touched in the Budget, as only 12 per cent cited it as a key issue. 'Many Australians who use negative gearing use these investments to save for their retirement. We dont believe different asset classes should be treated inconsistently,' he said. 'A chainsaw approach to negative gearing would impact mum and dad investors who are trying to sensibly plan for their future. 'Why should these Australians be disadvantaged to those who happen to have invested in other assets such as shares?' House prices skyrocketed in the past decade across Australia, particularly in Sydney which is now the second most unaffordable city in the world. Prices in that city doubled since 2009, rising by an average of $222 a year and the median house price hitting $1.15 million. More than 30 people have been charged with drug offences following a police operation at a music festival in Sydney's west. Officials say more than 200 people were searched and 32 people were charged with drug-related charges during the sold-out Midnight Mafia event at Sydney Olympic Park on Saturday. The line-up for the 2017 music event included international as well as domestic artists including Angerfist, Hixxy, Technoboy and Tatanka. More than 30 people were charged with drug possession or drug supply at a Sydney music festival Police made the arrests during a police operation at the Midnight Mafia music festival in Sydney Six people were arrested with cannabis possession and 19 were charged for holding MDMA Nine people were refused entry to the venue following searches during the operation. Of those arrested six people were charged with possessing cannabis, 19 people were charged with possessing MDMA and two people were charged with possessing GHB, police said. Four men aged between 18 and 23 were additionally charged with supplying a prohibiting drug. They are scheduled to appear in Burwood Local Court in June. Nine people were refused entry to the gig as a result of the searches Commander of the South West Region Enforcement Squad said police were very disappointed at the amount of people found to be carrying drugs. 'Clearly the message is not sinking in. Too many people are playing Russian roulette with their lives, not only is it extremely dangerous, but you are also risking a criminal record and future employment prospects,' Detective Chief Inspector Gus Viera said. 'Not to mention the worry and concern you are causing your family and the unknown long term effects these drugs may have on your health. 'It's time to start making better choices,' he said. Record-breaking numbers of migrants are crossing the Mediterranean from Africa to Italy, prompting fears that authorities are powerless to stop another crisis. Despite a huge political drive to prevent asylum seekers risking their lives on the deadly crossing from lawless Libya, the number of arrivals has surged by 42 per cent already this year. Some 44,222 asylum seekers have reached Italian shores this year, compared to 31,205 at the same time last year. Nearly 500 migrants were recovered by the Italian coastguard and navy Rescuers also tragically discovered the bodies of seven men on the rubber boats Disturbing claims have also emerged that the mafia in Sicily where most migrants arrive are siphoning huge sums of public money allocated to address the situation. And increasingly ruthless tactics being used by smuggling gangs have resulted in 1,222 deaths already this year. Migrants yesterday told the Mail how armed gangs in Libya routinely raped women while effectively keeping migrants as slaves, before murdering those deemed unfit to travel. Italys status as the main migration gateway to Europe comes after an EU deal with Turkey dramatically reduced the huge flow of asylum seekers travelling through Greece. But attempts by Rome and Brussels to find a similar solution have proved futile. On Saturday, 484 migrants packed on just four rubber dinghies were saved during a huge rescue operation, while seven bodies were pulled from the water. Italy registered more than 42,000 migrants arriving by sea by mid-April alone The majority of migrants are rescued by fishermen or charity-run vessels accused of operating a taxi service before being taken to Sicily by the Italian coastguard or Frontex, the EU border force. The situation has led to deep social divisions on the island, with locals questioning why the EU is not doing more. Mayor at centre of migrant crisis A Maverick politician at the forefront of the refugee crisis has been branded the mayor of the migrants because of his open-door invitation. Pozzallo mayor Luigi Ammatuna, 76, whose town is one of the main entry points for migrants making the journey from North Africa, said he loves everybody who arrives. But his offer of hospitality has divided locals, who say the constant stream of migrants has hampered its tourist industry. Paulo, whose family has run a hotel for many years, said: People saw stories about hundreds of people dying and they were afraid about going swimming and meeting a corpse, so they did not come. Advertisement Two-thirds of migrants are relocated to reception centres in Italy after several days in Sicily, but the island is host to Italys most notorious migrant camp. Cara di Mineo, an isolated former US military base, houses up to 4,000 asylum migrants and has been at the centre of claims of criminal corruption. A major anti-mafia investigation has raised concerns that mobsters are preying on public funds intended to care for migrants. Investigators have unearthed suspects describing migrants as milking cows and as being more profitable than the drug trade. According to the Italian coastguard 97 per cent of illegal immigrants arrived from Libya Migrants are rescued at sea. Prosecutors now believe that criminals have infiltrated refugee camps in Sicily Prosecutors believe criminals some of whom have infiltrated the camp are skimming off the 25 daily allowance paid by the state to the private company running the camp for each resident. Several migrants living there told the Mail that officials had stopped paying the allocated 2.10 daily allowance and instead offered cigarettes. Anna Aloisi, the mayor of the Mineo town which overlooks the site, said: Dont transfer any more migrants in our town, weve had our share and now our tolerance level is way over the limit. The problem has gotten so bad that EU leaders are now considering whether they want to install a European mission on the Libyan border with Niger to deter would-be migrants The EU discussed providing technical and financial support to improve Libyan border security Migrants in the ancient town of Mineo in Sicily. The town of 5,000 residents, mostly elderly, now neighbors a camp holding 4,000 migrants Were seated on a bombshell, the only alternative is for locals to leave their homes in order to make room for migrants. Incredibly, the 46-year-old lawyer has found herself implicated in a criminal prosecution into the 82million public tenders to run the camp. She is alleged to have shown favour to mafia-linked clans during bidding. Keven Omoroybe, a 26-year-old photographer from Nigeria who has lived in the camp for six months, described being held at gunpoint by smugglers in Libya. He said three passengers, including his younger sister, died on the crossing, while a smuggler aboard the vessel shot one asylum seeker who had fallen into the sea. They used me and others as slaves and wouldnt feed us for two days. Every week they kill people depending on what country they came from, he said. Pwright Bamawo, 21, a computer engineer from Nigeria with dreams of moving to the UK, said the camps residents felt stranded. Dr Conor Kenny, who works for the Medecins Sans Frontieres charity, said: It has been brutal in recent weeks. There will be many more fatalities, I have no doubt. Federico Fossi, from the UNs refugee agency, said: We expect an increase in the summer and with the number of deaths already, this is very, very worrying. The asteroid impact that doomed the dinosaurs to extinction had such a devastating effect on Earth by pure chance, scientists say. If it had struck 30 seconds later or 30 seconds sooner it would have caused far less damage and the dinosaurs would probably have survived. As a result, man might never have become the planets dominant species, a BBC documentary reveals tonight. CGI image of the moment the asteroid struck earth 66 million years ago, precisely the same time as the dinosaurs became extinct The asteroid struck 66million years ago 24 miles off the Yucatan Peninsula in Mexico, causing a crater 111 miles wide and 20 miles deep. Scientists who drilled into the crater found the rock was rich in sulphur compounds. The impact of the asteroid vaporised this rock, filling the air with a cloud of dust similar to that created by a catastrophic volcanic eruption. This blocked out the sun and cooled the planet dramatically below freezing for a decade wiping out most life. Those dinosaurs not killed by fumes, molten rock falling from the sky or tsunamis would have starved as their food ran out. Yet if the asteroid, which is estimated to have been nine miles across and travelling at 40,000mph, had arrived a few seconds sooner or later, it could have landed in deep water in the Atlantic or Pacific. The impact from the explosion with dust flying into the atmosphere after the asteroid struck earth at 40,000mph That would have meant that mostly sea water would have been vaporised, causing far less harm. Instead, the effect of the impact of a comparatively tiny asteroid was magnified catastrophically. Sean Gulick, professor of geophysics at the University of Texas at Austin, who organised the drilling with Professor Joanna Morgan, of Imperial College London, said: That asteroid struck Earth in a very unfortunate place. Professor Morgan said research suggests 100billion tons of sulphates were thrown into the atmosphere, adding: That would be enough to cool the planet for a decade and wipe out most life. The Day The Dinosaurs Died is on BBC2 tonight at 9pm. Tyrannosaurus Rex dominated earth before an asteroid hit and vaporised sulfur-rich rock which catapulted a light-reflecting cloud into the atmosphere and blocked the suns rays The asteroid's impact was so huge that the blast led to the extermination of three quarters of all life on Earth, including most of the dinosaurs. But this chance event allowed smaller mammals - and ultimately humans - the chance to thrive. Had the asteroid crashed seconds earlier or later it would have hit the ocean, potentially causing much less vaporisation which may have allowed the dinosaurs to survive, scientists now believe. The drilling machine 25 miles from the coast of Mexico where scientists collected rock cores in order to prove how the dinosaurs became extinct The research has unearthed insights into how impacts can help shape planets and possibly even provide habitat for new origins of life Professor Joanna Morgan of Imperial College London has co-led a major new study with Sean Gullick, professor of geophysics at the University of Texas, Austin into the the impact of this earth-changing asteroid. The results of this major study will be revealed in a new BBC documentary called The Night the Dinosaurs Died which will be screened on BBC2 tomorrow at 9pm and is presented by Professors Alice Roberts and Ben Garod. In the study, researchers have drilled into the peak ring of the Chicxulub crater in the Gulf of Mexico where the asteroid hit. Evolutionary biologist Ben Garrod looks up to the sky during the scientific experiment in the Gulf of Mexico A dinosaur fossil lies on the ground ready to be examined in New Jersey Professor Alice Roberts sits down with paleontologist Ken Lacovara to examine the fossil Mr Garrod looks at part of the extracted rock core dug up in the Gulf of Mexico The rock core is measured out for examination This graphic shows an asteroid crash into earth, vaporise rock and catapult clouds of sulfur into the atmosphere. The sulphate particles blocked sunlight, plunging earth into global winter Their research has unearthed insights into how impacts can help shape planets and possibly even provide habitat for new origins of life. It also established a new understanding of how violent asteroid impacts cause a planet's surface to behave like a fluid - previous scientific analysis suggested that such impacts deform the surface by melting most of the rock around the impact. Prof Gullick said that the asteroid struck the earth at a very unfortunate place - a concentration of sulphur-rich rock which vaporised, catapulting a light-reflecting cloud into the air. The lack of light led ultimately caused the death of the dinosaurs which had dominated earth for 150m years. This chance extinction allowed mammal - and human life - to evolve and thrive Sean Gulick looks to the camera with a crater behind him from a recent asteroid impact on in Arizona Prof Gullick explained that sulphate particles reflect light, which effectively shaded the earth from the sun, dramatically cooling the planet, limiting plant growth and ultimately cutting off food supplies. This caused the decline and death of the dinosaurs as a species which had dominated earth for 150m years. According to Professor Joanna Morgan, the samples suggest that more than 100bn tons of sulphates were thrown into the atmosphere with extra soot from the fires that followed. Part of a dinosaur fossil is encased in the hope of being examined for evidence The asteroid struck the earth at a very unfortunate place - a concentration of sulfur-rich rock which vaporised, catapulting a light-reflecting cloud into the air The impact forced rock from deep in the crust to be lifted into the air and form a strange ring of peaks 'That would be enough to cool the planet for a decade and wipe out most life,' Prof Morgan said as reported by The Times. But this dark day for the dinosaurs provided an opportunity for mammals and ultimately humans to evolve. 'Just half a million years after the extinction of the dinosaurs, landscapes had filled with mammals of all shapes and sizes. Chances are, if it wasn't for that asteroid we wouldn't be here today,' scientist and BBC presenter Prof Alice Roberts told The Times. Rock analysis has allowed scientists to calculate the size of the impact which indicates that the asteroid was approximately nine miles wide and hit the planet at 40,000mph. This would make the asteroid equivalent to a grain of sand hitting a bowling ball. The asteroid was approximately nine miles wide. Scientist believe that without it, human life may never have existed A former Come Dine With Me contestant has been exposed as the joint owner of a telecoms firm fined 400,000 for making an 'unprecedented' 100 million cold calls. Rachael Tooher-Rudd and her husband Gregg own the firm Keurboom Communications Ltd, which bombarded millions of Britons with unwanted phone calls from early morning until late at night. When she appeared on the Channel 4 show in 2006 - just one year after her husband's previous company was fined 1.3 million - mother-of-three Mrs Tooher-Rudd, 47, was introduced as a 'supermum'. Rachael Tooher-Rudd, who appeared on the Channel 4 show Come Dine With Me in 2006, is the joint owner of Keurboom Communications Ltd Her husband Greg Rudd's firm was fined 400,000 for making an 'unprecedented' 100 million cold calls. Pictured, Rudd at his 750,000 Cambridge home According to The Telegraph, Mrs Tooher-Rudd was not involved in running the business, but works two days a week as a counsellor at a primary school. Greg Rudd's firm was fined 400,000 for making an 'unprecedented' 100 million cold calls but he avoided the penalty by shutting his firm. He had previously managed to avoid a 1.3 million fine for a separate phone scam. Rudd, 51, has made a career of pestering Britons with unwanted calls regarding anything from PPI compensation and road accident claims, to offers of free holidays. An investigation by the Information Commissioners Office (ICO) showed the firm instigated a shocking 99.5million automated marketing calls over an 18-month period equivalent to around 2 every single second. Mrs Tooher-Rudd, 47, works two days a week as a counsellor at a primary school Members of the public were bombarded from early morning until late at night, with some receiving repeat calls on the same day. Just days ago, the Information Commissioner's Office finally moved to punish his firm Keurboom Communications Ltd with the potentially crippling six-digit fine. But Mr Rudd wound up the company before the fine had been paid seemingly walking away scot-free. Mr Rudd was previously involved in another massive rogue cold-calling operation, which was described at the time as 'intrusive and almost certainly illegal'. He was a director of Allied Telecommunications Ltd, a firm at the centre of a nexus of 16 nuisance call services which lured people into dialling premium rate numbers with the promise of a cash prize. When the scam was exposed in 2005, Allied was hit with a 1.3 million fine but also went straight into liquidation, before any reparations were made. The NRL has suffered another black eye as two star rugby league players were arrested after a fight broke out outside a Sydney bar at 12:30am on Sunday morning. Luke Brooks and Kyle Lovett were arrested for 'breaching the peace' as a brawl ignited at The Workers in Balmain. Brooks and Lovett were questioned by police before being released. Scroll down for video Two NRL stars have been arrested after a fight broke out on Sunday morning outside a bar in Sydney's inner-west Wests Tigers players Luke Brooks and Kyle Lovett were questioned by police for their involvement in the brawl Two men suffered minor facial injuries during the incident but neither required medical treatment. The Wests Tigers have released a statement saying they are aware of the incident and are working with the NRL Integrity Unit to investigate. Lovett pleaded guilty to cocaine possession earlier this year after being arrested outside The Star casino. Brooks recently signed a $1.1 million two-year extension with the club. Kyle Lovett pleaded guilty to cocaine possession earlier this year after being arrested outside The Star casino in Sydney Wests Tigers forward Kyle Lovett (pictured) has been arrested after fight broke out outside a bar in Sydney's inner-west This is the latest in a long line of scandals to recently rock the NRL, after four players and a club chairman were involved in alleged drug incidents. Sydney Roosters centre Shaun Kenny-Dowall was stood down indefinitely by the club after being charged with cocaine possession outside Sydney's The Ivy nightclub. Less than 24 hours later New Zealand stars Jesse Bromwich and Kevin Proctor were allegedly caught on CCTV purchasing and consuming cocaine. Kyle Lovett (pictured) was arrested on Sunday morning outside a Sydney bar after a fight broke out. Luke Brooks (pictured) recently signed a $1.1 million two-year extension with the Wests Tigers Former Cronulla Sharks chairman Damian Keogh was arrested the same night allegedly in possession of cocaine. Sharks under 20s player Jesse Savage was also stood down by the club after being charged for possession of an illegal substance. Diane Abbott was once again the laughing stock of Twitter after users joked that the Labour politician should give out the scores at Eurovision. The shadow home secretary was unexpectedly trending on the social media site last night as users joked that the UK could only win if Abbott was in charge of votes. It comes after the MP got into a muddle over figures surrounding Labour's pledge to put 10,000 more police officers on the streets in a LBC interview. Days later, she got into yet another cringe-worthy confusion while speaking to ITV about her party's net losses during the local elections. Scroll down for video Diane Abbott was once again the laughing stock of Twitter after users joked that the Labour politician should give out the scores at Eurovision The shadow home secretary was unexpectedly trending on the social media site last night as users joked that the UK could only win if Abbott was in charge of votes It comes after the MP got into a muddle over figures surrounding Labour's pledge to put 10,000 more police officers on the streets in a LBC interview Abbott's flexible approach to figures saw Twitter users taunt the politician during last night's Eurovision Song Contest, which was won by Portugal. The United Kingdom enjoyed its best showing since 2011, with Lucie Jones receiving 111 points and narrowly missed out on finishing on the left side of the leaderboard. The results prompted users to jokingly demand a recount by Abbott, with others saying they would not acknowledge the result until Abbott had verified it herself. User @CorbynHope_less wrote: 'Diane Abbott is looking after our score sheets for #Eurovision. It'll be a runaway victory for #Venezuela.' Another said: 'We've got a chance here. Just heard that Diane Abbott is keeping our score and we're up to 30,000 points already.' Meanwhile, user @AEHALL1983 joked: 'The UK has won #Eurovision!!!!! Turns out all we needed was Diane Abbott crunching the numbers.' The results prompted users to jokingly demand a recount by Abbott, with others saying they would not acknowledge the result until Abbott had verified it herself Abbott's flexible approach to figures saw Twitter users taunt the politician during last night's Eurovision Song Contest, which was won by Portugal Former X Factor singer Lucie Jones received 111 points for her performance of Never Give Up On You and narrowly missed out on finishing on the left hand side of the leaderboard It comes after Mrs Abbott was humiliated in an LBC radio interview earlier this month when she said it would cost just 300,000 to pay for an extra 10,000 police officers. She later upper this to 80million, but this would still fall far short and only give each policeman an annual salary of 8,000. The policy is actually costed at 300m a year by 2021/22. The Prime Minister said the blunder was no laughing matter and shows the chaos that lies ahead if Jeremy Corbyn is elected PM on June 8. Ms Abbott was left stuttering stuttering as she failed to answer the simple question of how much it would cost to implement Labour's policing pledge. The toe-curling appearance on LBC radio raises fresh questions a bout the basic competence of Mr Corbyn's shadow cabinet team. Although Mr Corbyn tried to claim he had not been 'embarrassed' by his senior colleague. Asked how much the policy would cost, Ms Abbott said: 'Well, erm... if we recruit the 10,000 policemen and women over a four-year period, we believe it will be about 300,000.' Diane Abbott gave another shambolic interview within days of her shambolic LBC appearance as she did not know how many seats Labour had lost in local elections Presenter Nick Ferrari replied: '300,000 for 10,000 police officers? What are you paying them?' A confused Ms Abbott replied : 'Haha, no. I mean... sorry. They will cost... they will, it will cost, erm, about... about 80million.' Ferrari suggested even that would mean paying each police officer just 8,000 over four years - or 2,000 annually. The average salary of an officer is around 30,000. A floundering Ms Abbott, who was not in the studio but could be heard frantically leafing through papers, said: 'We get to that figure because we anticipate recruiting 25,000 extra police officers a year at least over a period of four years and we're looking at both what average police wages are generally, but also specifically police wages in London.' Days later, the shadow home secretary gave another car crash interview when asked what the party's net losses were so far in local elections. 'At the time of us doing this interview, I think the net losses are about 50,' she said, to which the ITV journalist replied: 'They are actually 125 net losses so far.' But Ms Abbott said: 'Well the last time I looked we had net losses of 100 but obviously this is a moving picture.' Staff at the $21million Fire and Rescue headquarters have been told not to use the lifts amid accusations contractors who installed them didn't hold a licence. NSW Electrical Trades Union secretary Dave McKinley said the company which carried out the work at the building, which opened in Sydney's Greenacre earlier this year, breached industry regulations. 'We believe the lifts now in operation at Fire and Rescue NSW's new headquarters may not comply with Australian standards,' he told The Daily Telegraph. Staff at the $21million Fire and Rescue headquarters have been told not to use the lifts amid accusations the contractors who installed them didn't hold a licence (stock) The building (pictured) opened in Greenacre in Sydney's south-west earlier this year 'We believe that Eastern Elevators... is operating in breach of these mandatory conditions and, as such, placing the safety of workers and the future safety of residents and the public at risk. 'These concerns are serious in nature and place the safety of workers and the public at risk.' Mr McKinley urged Fair Trading to investigate the company. An Eastern Elevators spokesman told the paper the lifts are safe and labelled the accusations a 'political storm'. Eastern Elevators is a joint China-Australia venture and established its headquarters in Sydney in 2002. The company has over 40 years experience on elevator designs and manufacture, according to its website. Two Spanish police officers have been suspended, following an inquest ruling that neglect contributed to the death of a British tourist in a Benidorm cell. Antony Abbott, 36, was detained on the last night of his holiday after a drunken row with his partner in a hotel foyer, in October 2015. As he was arrested, the father-of-two told police: 'You Spanish b****** - you've never forgiven us for the Armada'. Less than two hours later, Mr Abbott was found hanged in his cell. Two Spanish police officers have been suspended following an inquest ruling that neglect contributed to the death of British tourist Tony Abbott in a Benidorm police cell At a six-day inquest in March, the jury returned a verdict of death by misadventure, adding that a failure to implement safety recommendations had been a 'significant factor' in his death. While police maintain the warehouse worker from Bolton killed himself, two officers have now been suspended for leaving him unattended in his cell. Speaking for the first time since his death, his widow Catherine Corless, 29, recalled how a simple argument over a cigarette lighter had 'blown up' and resulted in Mr Abbott's arrest. But she maintained that he had been happy that night, watching a reptile show with their two children Ellie, 10 and Louie, 8, before the dispute erupted. When he was arrested, she expected to see him again the next day, but within hours was informed by the hotel receptionist he had died. The 29-year-old mother-of-two, also from Bolton, told Sunday People: 'Worst of all was telling our children their daddy was dead. 'Ellie tried her best to be grown-up, but Louie sobbed. 'He has cried for his daddy every day since then.' She also claimed that she was not allowed to touch or kiss her partner, that his jumper and blanket, which had been over his head, were missing and that CCTV footage from the hotel had been accidentally deleted. At the inquest in March, Ms Corless revealed further details about the circumstances leading up to Mr Abbott's death. The hearing was told how the couple were at the Spanish resort for a week's holiday with their two children. Ms Corless, who was with Mr Abbott for nine years, told the inquest how, on their final night, the couple had gone to the bar at Hotel Palm Beach for a circus. She said Mr Abbott was 'in his element' and was getting involved in the show, while drinking lager. But, when they returned to their room balcony after midnight, Mr Abbott realised his lighter was out of fuel and he could not have a cigarette. Happier times: Tony Abbott, pictured with Catherine Corless and children Ellie, 10 and Louie, 8 She told the hearing that Mr Abbott started to get 'panicky' because he was a heavy smoker and he needed his cigarettes. 'He told me he was going to buy a lighter,' she told the hearing. 'I asked where he was going to get it and he said, 'I don't know but I will get one'.' She said Mr Abbott then started shouting at her and asking for the safe key, so he could get some money and buy another lighter. When she said no, he became frustrated and started to throw clothes around the room, she said. Ms Corless said a security guard then turned up at the room and, as Mr Abbott started to go downstairs, sent a message on his radio to the reception, where a janitor stopped him. 'Tony was saying 'leave mem I'm going into town',' she said. 'The security guard restrained Tony, so Tony started shouting at him, calling him names. The receptionist asked me if I wanted him to call the police and I said, 'if he wouldn't calm down, yes'. 'The police arrived at the hotel really quickly and I was trying to speak to them, but they didn't speak English and I didn't speak Spanish, so it was difficult. 'Tony was shouting: 'You Spanish bastards, you've never forgiven us for the Armada'.' Ms Corless said that, as he was taken away, he said: 'I'm sorry Cat, I love you, we'll sort this out tomorrow. See you soon.' But, less than three hours later, the mother-of-two received a phone call explaining her partner had died. 'I just collapsed to the floor and was unable to comprehend what I had just been told,' she said. 'I was in a total state of shock.' Ms Corless said she then went to the police station to identify Mr Abbot's body. She claims she was refused access to CCTV images and was told she could not have the names of any of the offices involved in the arrest. Miss Corless told the inquest she was also quizzed by the interpreter, who made inappropriate comments. She said: 'I was told he had been there for ten minutes and he had hung himself. The interpreter said that he was selfish. 'She started to ask me questions and I answered all the questions, but it didn't make sense to me about why he would kill himself. I felt like they were trying to convince me that Tony wanted to kill himself. Catherine Corless maintains that her partner, Tony Abbott, would not have taken his own life 'I said that Tony wouldn't do it and he loves me and the kids. The interpreter said he mustn't have loved you to kill himself. I was very shocked by her response.' Ms Corless said her partner had never spoken about harming himself. 'I don't understand how what was done, was done in such a short space of time,' she said. 'They just left him and didn't do anything to help him'. Dr Charles Wilson, a pathologist who examined Mr Abbot's body in the UK, said he had a small graze on his forehead and jaw. He added: 'He had bruises consistent with gripping on the upper part of his right arm on his biceps. 'When people are arrested they can be restrained and it is not unusual by gripping the arms or wrists in this way. He also had a bruise on his left wrist, but there were no signs of resisting handcuffs. 'The injuries are consisted with self-suspended hanging. There is no sign of assault, only minor injuries. There were no injuries to his face that suggest he was assaulted. There was nothing that gave me concern that a third party was involved in this death.' Dr Wilson said tests showed Mr Abbott had 173 microgrammes of alcohol in 100 millilitres of blood at the time of his death. The legal limit for driving is 80mg. Following the inquest ruling, Leigh Day solicitors said they are continuing to advise Ms Corless. Labour's shadow foreign secretary has claimed Jeremy Corbyn has gone on a 'journey' after being confronted with a clip of him condemning the Nato alliance. Emily Thornberry insisted it was 'unfair' to try and hold the Labour leader to account for his views, which were expressed to a Labour Party committee in 2011. Mr Corbyn, then an obscure backbencher, railed against Nato as 'dangerous' and claimed its power should be opposed. He made a major speech on defence and foreign policy at Chatham House on Friday to try and spike Tory claims he is a threat to national security. Emily Thornberry (pictured on the Andrew Marr Show today) claimed Jeremy Corbyn has gone on a 'journey' after being confronted with a clip of him condemning the Nato alliance Ms Thornberry insisted it was 'unfair' to try and hold the Labour leader to account for his views, which were expressed to a Labour Party committee in 2011 Ms Thornberry said the Labour leader had since changed his mind and promised Labour's commitment to Nato would be in the party's manifesto. The BBC's Andrew Marr ran the clip of Mr Corbyn branding Nato a 'major problem' and a 'danger to world peace'. The Nato alliance has been the lynchpin of Britain's national security for decades. Ms Thornberry insisted: 'I think that's a quote from six years ago and Jeremy has been on a... journey to coin a phrase. 'There have been a number of discussions and it is quite clear the predominance of opinion within the Labour Party is we are committed to Nato. 'The reality is that we have been relying on our partnership in Nato, the way we buy things, the way we are committing things - if we were to pull out of Nato, our forces would be... for example, how would we get our forces off Salisbury Plain?' The BBC's Andrew Marr ran the clip (pictured) of Mr Corbyn branding Nato a 'major problem' and a 'danger to world peace' in 2011 The Nato alliance has been the lynchpin of Britain's national security for decades but has long been opposed by Mr Corbyn, who is a veteran of the Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament and Stop the War Asked if she had put Mr Corbyn 'back in his box' over Nato, Ms Thornberry said: 'You will see from the manifesto our commitment to Nato is clear. 'I'm not fighting with anybody - I'm telling you the Labour Party's position is clear.' Told Mr Corbyn would be PM if Labour wins and he is opposed to Nato, Ms Thornberry claimed: 'It's not fair, if you heard what he said at Chatham House (on Friday) he did not say this. 'He is clear we have a commitment to Nato and that is that.' Asked if she had put Mr Corbyn 'back in his box' over Nato, Ms Thornberry said: 'You will see from the manifesto our commitment to Nato is clear Asked if Mr Corbyn could 'unsay' his attack, Ms Thornberry insisted the Labour leader - a long time leader of the Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament and Stop the War - had 'changed his mind'. 'Lots of politicians change their minds', she insisted. Ms Thornberry (pictured arriving at the BBC today) admitted Labour would not cancel Donald Trump's state visit if they win on June 8 despite opposing the invite Mr Corbyn made a major speech on defence and foreign policy at the Chatham House think tank on Friday. He insisted he was not a pacifist but stood by his opposition to all wars fought by Britain since 1945, highlighting only peacekeeping operations when asked to endorse activities by British troops. Asked to repudiate Mr Corbyn's 2011 comments, she said: 'I'm not fighting with anybody, I'm telling you that the Labour Party's position is a clear one.' She added that 'lots of politicians change their minds'. A government led by Mr Corbyn would only agree to military action on a multilateral basis 'which means the UN Security Council', Ms Thornberry said - acknowledging that would potentially give Russia and China a veto over any deployment of British troops. 'It is very difficult,' she acknowledged, but said the international agreement for action in Kosovo showed that in some cases there were ways around the Russian security council veto. On the Falklands, Ms Thornberry said Labour would be prepared to send a taskforce in response to a crisis and there was no question of giving up sovereignty while the islanders wished to remain British. Mr Corbyn made a major speech on defence and foreign policy at Chatham House on Friday (pictured) to try and spike Tory claims he is a threat to national security 'There needs to be a future in terms of talking to the neighbours of the Falklands', she said, but 'certainly not undermining the sovereignty of the Falkland Islands.' She claimed the Tories were 'gung-ho' over the use of force, insisting 'you have to look at the alternatives first'. On Mr Trump, Ms Thornberry said: 'I would be prepared to stand up to him. I would be prepared to say 'I'm sorry Mr President, but you are wrong about that, we are supposed to be good friends and these values are not our values, you are doing the wrong thing'.' Asked if that meant Mr Trump may decide not to come, Ms Thornberry said: 'Well, there we are. I also hear that he doesn't want to share a carriage with Prince Charles because he doesn't agree with Prince Charles on climate change. ' She said the visit would be a 'bumpy ride' and accused Theresa May of 'fawning' over the US President as she insisted that Labour would focus on human rights in its foreign policy. Ms Thornberry insisted that would not mean 'we are going to boycott China' but there is a 'middle way' to follow. Around 20 children a week in Australia are hospitalised after swallowing potentially fatal button batteries found in common household objects. The ingestion or insertion of a small button battery can cause soft tissue to erode, causing internal bleeding within two hours. Ear, nose and throat surgeon Dr John Curotta warned parents about the danger of the batteries, saying two children have died in Australia from swallowing them. Around 20 children a week in Australia are hospitalised after swallowing potentially fatal button batteries found in common household objects. Pictured: Hunter who lost half his oesophagus after swallowing a battery Button batteries are commonly found in calculators, bathroom scales, car keys and remote controls 'If they go into your gullet and get stuck there, the secretions act like caustic soda,' he told 7 News . 'We've had two children die in Australia from the battery eroding through and the child bleeding to death.' Button batteries are commonly found in calculators, bathroom scales, car keys and remote controls. About 20 children a week are hospitalised by button batteries, with most cases being kids under the age of six, according to Product Safety Australia. The ingestion or insertion of a small button battery can cause soft tissue to erode within two hours. Pictured: The devastating effect button batteries can have on flesh, reenacted on ham An X-ray of a six-year-old child who was recently taken to hospital after swallowing a button battery from a calculator An awareness campaign launched by Product Safety Australia said a child can die or suffer serious injury within a few hours of swallowing a button battery. 'An electrical current is immediately triggered by saliva, which causes a chemical reaction that can cause severe burns to the childs oesophagus and internal organs such as the lungs, heart, arteries and spine,' the Product Safety Australia website said. A four-year-old child named Summer died, while baby Hunter lost half his oesophagus after swallowing a battery, according to 7 News. Another six-year-old child was recently taken to hospital after swallowing a button battery from a calculator. Doctors were able to save the child by swiftly removing the battery, which was badly corroded. An awareness campaign recommends parents keep products containing button batteries out of reach, or make sure they are securely sealed. Missing RAF serviceman Corrie McKeague Sick internet trolls have targeted the mother of missing RAF serviceman Corrie McKeague by claiming she knows where he is and is covering up his disappearance. Mr McKeague was last seen in Bury St Edmunds in the early hours of September 24 last year and police have been hunting for him since - at a cost of more than 1million. Earlier this week his mother, Nicola Urquhart, described the torment she has endured as the landfill search for her son goes into its tenth week. Now couple Andrew Ashman, a convicted sex offender, and his partner Amy Wilson, have caused fresh torment with their unfounded online allegations. The couple, who have set up their own company called Paradox UK in their quest to do investigative work, approached Mr McKeague's family asking for paid work to help find the missing airman. However when their offer was rejected they retaliated by writing online slurs against Ms Urquhart and claimed Mr McKeague's family had covered up his disappearance as part of a ploy to keep tens of thousands of pounds donated to them by well-wishers. Ms Urquhart, 48, a serving police officer, said the pair and other sick trolls had caused her a great deal of stress at a time of huge emotional turmoil. She said: 'I'm at a loss to see why they do this. I'm stunned.' Nicola Urquhart (left), mother of missing 23-year-old Corrie McKeague (right) is pictured with his girlfriend April Oliver, 21, who is expecting his child Police search teams have spent nearly eight months looking for the 23-year-old since he disappeared following a night out with friends. It makes the case one of the most expensive missing person's investigations undertaken by Suffolk and Norfolk police forces. Detectives were confident that Corrie is buried in landfill after data from a bin lorry showed the rubbish collected from where he went missing could have carried his body. Specialists have combed the tip in Milton, where they have spent more than nine weeks sifting through 2,850 tonnes of rubbish. Ms Urquhart said she thought Corrie will be found at the site - but has also expressed doubts, claiming she is 'amazed' her son has not been found yet. Police search teams have spent nearly eight months looking for Mr McKeague since he disappeared following a night out with friends His disappearance has prompted huge public interest, with more than 128,000 members on the Find Corrie Facebook page alone. His mother said the messages of support had provided her family with solace during a distressing time. She said: 'It's been a real comfort to us. We've received so much support.' However she added there had been a 'few spiteful people', referring to the online trolls. Police have been combing through thousands of tonnes of rubbish in a landfill in the hope of finding his body or further clues This is not the first time Mr Ashman and Miss Wilson have targeted families of missing people. Valerie Nettles, the mother of Damien Nettles, a 16-year-old who disappeared from the Isle of Wight in 1996, was also left shocked following contact with the pair. She said they became abusive towards her and her supporters before she severed all contact. Andrew Ashman (pictured), a convicted sex offender, and his partner Amy Wilson, have caused fresh torment with their unfounded online allegations Mr Ashman was jailed in 2007 for two years for posing as a solicitor and gas fitter to dupe a number of victims, including a recently bereaved widow. During the investigation, police discovered he had downloaded 775 images of sexual images of children. He was placed on the sex offenders register for 10 years and banned from creating false identities and aliases as well as ever working with children. However, in December 2015, he was sent to prison again after a police spot-check discovered he had been using bogus ID details online, potentially endangering children. At the hearing, Exeter Crown Court heard how Ashman claimed to be investigating and making television documentaries about the Madeleine McCann case at the time. He was also pretending to be an MI5 spy. Asked about the internet posts written about the missing airman, Mr Ashman said: 'Amy approached Corrie's family to carry out research work on her own behalf. 'It had nothing to do with me. I'm not involved in private investigation work any more. 'So what if Amy posts on the internet under names? I'm entitled to my own opinion. So is she. 'What's wrong if it's us saying Corrie has disappeared and his mum is covering it up?' Miss Wilson said: 'My partner is trying his hardest to get on with life and has been completely out of trouble for almost two years. It is not online abuse and no one has said it to be true.' However Caroline Lyons, an activist who works with the families of missing people, said: 'This pair must be stopped. They are preying on vulnerable people.' Dramatic footage has emerged of a teenager being attacked by a gang of men at a Sydney train station - before HE is charged. The video, taken at Bondi Junction at about 12.30am on Saturday, shows the irate group unleashing a flurry of punches at the 18-year-old. It is believed the attackers seen in the footage, obtained by Seven News, were retaliating to an incident just moments earlier. Dramatic footage has emerged of a teenager, wearing a fluorescent vest, being attacked by a gang of men at a Sydney train station - but all is not as it seems The teenager allegedly assaulted a 53-year-old man, leaving him with an injury to his neck. It is unclear if the alleged victim was one of the men throwing punches at the teenager seen in the footage. 'Police were told that an 18-year-old man assaulted a 53-year-old man, as well as another unknown man,' a police spokesperson said. 'He was restrained by security before police attended and placed him under arrest. 'He was taken to Waverley Police Station where he was charged with affray and common assault.' The 18-year-old was refused bail and will appear at Waverley Local Court in June. A convicted rapist has claimed his school teacher wife shouldn't be sacked from her position, despite having supported him in the wake of his vile attack. Outraged parents are leading a campaign for the rapist's wife to be taken out of the classroom and away from their kids at a public school in Perth, Western Australia. The teacher's husband was jailed for five-and-a-half years in 2008 after raping and taking inappropriate photos of a 13-year-old who was staying at their home, Perth Now reports. And now, in the wake of the campaign against his wife, the convicted rapist has hit back at parents, dubbing them 'vigilantes' and saying she should be free to teach. A convicted rapist has claimed his school teacher wife shouldn't be sacked from her position, despite having supported him in the wake of his vile attack against a 13-year-old in 2008 For legal reasons, the names of the rapist, teacher and school can't be named. 'Why is it all going this far, I don't understand. I've done my time, I've done my crime, I just want to move on,' the man said. 'It's all crap basically as far as we're concerned. The Education Department is fully backing my wife anyway, she's done nothing wrong. 'You need to understand that careers are involved too, livelihoods.' Parents have reportedly gone as far as to remove children from schools in protest against her continued employment. Similarly, the teacher has reportedly been moved between three different schools by the education department to deal with parent discontent. Outraged parents are leading a campaign for the rapist's wife to be taken out of the classroom and away from their kids at a public school in Perth, Western Australia, for supporting him Adding to the anger of parents, the convicted rapist reportedly attended one of the schools to help his wife move furniture. But an education department spokesperson told Perth Now that it was during school holidays and no students were on school grounds when he was there. Angry parents have taken to Facebook to call for a 'no fraternisation policy' inside WA schools, but the state's education minister Sue Ellery said that would be too hard to police. Migrants are paying wealthy Ukrainian gangs more than 5,500 to smuggle them from Turkey to Italy on luxury yachts. According to the border agency and Italian authorities, more than 2,000 have made the trip since the beginning of 2016. The multi-million pound operation sees the gangs - believed to be former members of the Ukrainian army - charge thousands for the journey which takes three or four days. Seven suspected illegal immigrants were arrested last month off the coast of Suffolk after their yacht got stuck in a mudbank after it was blown off course UK border force officials were called in and after the lifeboat towed the yacht up river to the jetty in Orford, the seven men were arrested and taken into custody The migrants begin the journey in Izmir on Turkey's Aegean coast before sailing via Malta or Sicily, sometimes picking up more passengers in Greece, heading for Italy According to Louise Callaghan of The Sunday Times, migrants are taken to Izmir on Turkey's Aegean coast before sailing via Malta or Sicily, sometimes picking up more passengers in Greece. And according to The Times, in the last month eight Ukrainian people smugglers were arrested in Sicily after their yacht was intercepted, while another six were arrested in Malta and Crete - both groups ferrying some 30 migrants from South Asia, Africa and the Middle East. However there were a reported nine successful trips last year which evaded the Sicilian authorities. Most migrants attempt the perilous journey on flimsy inflatable boats provided by smugglers that are barely equipped to make it to international waters. Larger wooden boats carrying several hundred migrants are rarer, but are still regularly seen in the treacherous stretch of water between the two continents. Some migrants are turned back by the Libyan coastguard, which generally delivers them to detention centres notorious for poor conditions and ill-treatment. Seven suspected illegal immigrants were arrested last month off the coast of Suffolk after their yacht got stuck in a mudbank after it was blown off course. The group, thought to be from the Ukraine, were on board a 28 foot sailing boat that was trying to get into the mouth of the River Ore in Suffolk from the North Sea when it got into difficulties in low water and strong winds. Most migrants attempt the perilous journey on flimsy inflatable boats provided by smugglers that are barely equipped to make it to international waters Larger wooden boats carrying several hundred migrants are rarer, but are still regularly seen in the treacherous stretch of water between the two continents The main lifeboat from Aldeburgh, ten miles north, was by chance on exercise in the area but was unable to get into the river because of the shallow channels. Instead the Aldebugh RNLI's inshore lifeboat was called in to help save the white-hulled yacht which was being blown on mudbanks before the alarm was raised. UK border force officials were called in and after the lifeboat towed the yacht up river to the jetty in Orford, the seven men were arrested and taken into custody. Almost exactly three years ago, six Ukranians were caught getting off a small boat at Orford Quay and three Ukranian nationals later received jail sentences of up to four years. As border security along the Channel coast has been stepped up in recent years, smugglers have been forced to make much longer crossings from Europe and East Anglia has become a favourite target to land illegals. It is a 120-mile crossing from the Dutch coast and in a small boat the journey takes 24 hours. But once here, smugglers have 250 miles of largely un-policed coastline to choose from including creeks and estuaries and miles of isolated beaches. Rescuers saved 484 migrants from boats in the Mediterranean on Saturday and found the bodies of seven men who had died in the attempt to get to Europe, Italy's coastguard said. More than 45,000 people have reached Italy by boat from North Africa this year An Italian prosecutor is investigating members of humanitarian organisations rescuing migrants in the Mediterranean Sea on suspicion they may have cooperated with smugglers More than 45,000 people have reached Italy by boat from North Africa this year, a more than 40 percent increase on the same period of 2016, and 1,222 people are known to have died on the route, according to the International Organisation for Migration. The migrants were rescued from four separate rubber boats by the Italian coast guard and navy, an aid group and two private vessels, the coast guard said in a statement. Meanwhile, an Italian prosecutor said on Wednesday he is investigating some members of humanitarian organisations rescuing migrants in the Mediterranean Sea on suspicion they may have cooperated with people smugglers. Ambrogio Cartosio, chief prosecutor of the western Sicilian city of Trapani, told a parliamentary committee in Rome that the organisations themselves were not a target of the inquiry. Suspicions arose because some rescue crew seemed to know in advance where to find the flimsy boats crowded with migrants after smugglers sent them off from north African ports, he said. Some Italian politicians have claimed non-governmental organisations (NGOs) run a taxi service bringing migrants to Italy. 'We understand that NGOs made some rescues at sea without informing the Coast Guard,' Cartosio said. A six-year-old boy left his family in a wild panic after he rode his bicycle alone to an Aldi store without any money to buy his mum a television as a Mother's Day gift. Raith was reported missing to police after leaving his home in Highton, Victoria on Mother's Day morning still in his pyjamas as his parents feared the worst. The adorable little boy was spotted by concerned Highton Aldi staff at the store on South Valley Road attempting to purchase a television but was unable to pay as he had no money. Six-year-old Raith (pictured) left his home early on Mother's Day to buy his mum a television as a gift His worried family contacted police after noticing he was missing on Mother's Day morning (stock image) His frantic parents contacted local police and shared an image of Raith on Facebook in a desperate attempt to locate him on Sunday. 'He is wearing his yellow Vegemite bike helmet, unsure if he is in his pyjamas or has changed,' his mother wrote. Geelong police told Daily Mail Australia the little boy was found after Aldi staff stopped him at the register when he couldn't pay for the television and called the police. 'A store manager noticed him... they saw he was alone and had no money,' a Geelong police spokesperson said. 'He has such a kind heart to try and buy his mother a gift for Mother's Day.' Staff at Highton Aldi (pictured) spotted the young boy at the register attempting to buy a television without any money 'He is wearing his yellow Vegemite helmet': His mother posted to Facebook in a desperate attempt to find her son Raith was returned home safe and sound to his family by police, albeit without an expensive Mother's Day gift. After an image of Raith was posted to a local Geelong Facebook group, relieved commenters expressed their delight at his return. 'Oh my goodness. That kid is seriously adorable! I'm so glad he's safe and sound! I couldn't imagine the heartache and worry mum was going through,' one woman said. 'What a great thought to go and get a TVfor his mum one sweet kid after this boy's effort maybe Aldi might donate the TV to the family that would be nice just a kind thing to do,' another person said. Sir Michael Fallon was humbled on live TV today as he was ambushed during an attack on Jeremy Corbyn by revelations he attended a party with Syrian dictator Bashar Assad. Shadow foreign secretary Emily Thornberry embarrassed the Defence Secretary as the pair shared the sofa at the end of the BBC Andrew Marr Show today. Sir Michael renewed Tory criticism of the Labour leader's support for Irish republican terrorists following new revelations today about him being arrested at a protest in support of the IRA protest in the aftermath of the Brighton bombing. But he was interrupted by Ms Thornberry, who asked him to reveal where he was on 27 May, 2007. She did not mention Mr Corbyn has himself met the Syrian dictator on at least one occasion, in 2009. As Sir Michael scrambled to defend himself, the shadow foreign secretary accused him of talking 'b*******'. Sir Michael Fallon was humbled on live TV today as he was ambushed by Emily Thornberry during an attack on Jeremy Corbyn by revelations he attended a party with Syrian dictator Bashar Assad Sir Michael renewed Tory criticism of the Labour leader's support for Irish republican terrorists following new press reports today - but was caught out by Ms Thornberry telling viewers about his visit to Syria Sir Michael said he did not know - only for the senior Labour politician to inform viewers he had been in Damascus at a victory rally for Assad, who had recently secured 99 per cent in an 'election'. The Defence Secretary insisted the situation was different because Syria was an ally at the time. Ms Thornberry claimed the Tories were 'making up' claims about Mr Corbyn's support for the IRA - despite his well documented support for a united Ireland and welcoming of Gerry Adams to Parliament. The extraordinary exchange began as Marr outlined the media reports today about Mr Corbyn and Sir Michael said the Labour leader wanted to be Prime Minister and that this was a 'risk'. Ms Thornberry then questioned: 'If you judge people by who it is they spend time with, the question has to be - do you remember where you were on 27 May 2007?' Mr Fallon responded: 'I'm sure you're going to tell me'. She replied: 'Yes I am. You were in Syria and you were celebrating at a reception for the re-election of President Assad with 99% of the vote. 'Now, I'm not going to judge you for going to a reception with Assad. 'And I don't think people should judge Jeremy for trying to talk to people who might be open to a settlement in Northern Ireland.' Sir Michael insisted there was a huge 'moral difference' to him visiting Syria on a parliamentary trip and Mr Corbyn's work with Gerry Adams and Sinn Fein Mr Fallon admitted he went to Syria on an all-party visit and shook the autocrat's hand, but insisted: 'I don't recall any party in Syria. I remember a fact-finding visit to Syria.' FALLON DENIES A MANIFESTO BREACH ON ARMY NUMBERS Sir Michael Fallon was forced to defend the Government's record on military recruitment today. The Defence Secretary was accused of braking a manifesto promise as army numbers sat at 79,000, below the Government's pledge of keeping the numbers at 82,000. He said: 'First of all we cannot force people to join the army, we don't have conscription in this country, the army has to compete with other sectors in the economy. 'It was a promise over the parliament, over the five years, we are only two years into the old parliament and I can assure you that we are spending a lot of money on recruiting but also on giving the armed forces the equipment they need.' Advertisement Told the reception he attended was to celebrate Assad's re-election, he said: 'Nonsense. 'There's a huge moral difference between talking to other foreign leaders and Jeremy Corbyn 's quite open support for the IRA.' But Ms Thornberry refused to give up and continued her ambush on Sir Michael. She jumped in, saying: 'You really can't just go around making this stuff up. 'There's an election and people need to make decisions on the basis of the truth.' 'You have just said for example I want to negotiate the future of the Falklands. That is b*****ks!' The reports Marr referred to were a Sunday Times investigation revealing Mr Corbyn was arrested in 1986 taking part in a protest by IRA sympathisers to 'show solidarity' with accused terrorists including the Brighton bomber. Mr Corbyn joined a picket outside the Old Bailey to oppose the 'show trial' of a group including Patrick Magee, who was subsequently convicted of murdering five people at the 1984 Tory party conference. Mr Corbyn controversially invited Sinn Fein chief Gerry Adams to Parliament on several occasions, including in 1995 (pictured) During a separate interview on the Marr show, Ms Thornberry agreed negotiations could be needed over the Falklands if a new invasion was threatened and Britain should not be 'gung-ho', saying: 'You have to look at the alternatives first.' But she added: 'If we're under attack we defend ourselves.' Labour leader Mr Corbyn has himself met the Syrian president. He visited Syria in 2009 on a trip paid for by Palestinian lobbyists and later paid tribute to Syria's accommodation of refugees in Parliament. Both Mr Fallon and Mr Corbyn's trips came years before uprisings against Assad began and then descended into brutal civil war. For a time, Syria was an ally and in 2002 Assad made an official visit to Britain, which included a meeting with the Queen. A Colombian prison guard has labelled accused drug smuggler Cassie Sainsbury as a liar, bully and attention seeker. The female prison guard working at El Buen Pastor prison said Sainsbury has been feeding 'bad information' to the media since being arrested last month. 'Cassie likes attention and she knows how to get it,' the guard - who wished to remain anonymous - told 9 News. 'She's not my most difficult prisoner, but I don't like her lies.' Sainsbury has been inside El Buen Pastor since she was found with 5.8kg of cocaine concealed in the packaging of 15 headphone boxes at El Dorado International Airport on April 11. Scroll down for videos A Colombian prison guard has labelled accused drug smuggler Cassandra Sainsbury as a liar, bully and attention seeker The female prison guard - who wished to remain anonymous - said Sainsbury has been feeding 'bad information' to the media since being arrested last month 'She's not my most difficult prisoner, but I don't like her lies,' the female prison guard said The guard also claimed the 22-year-old has been bullying a fellow inmate who she was pictured smiling with. Sainsbury previously told News Corp in a phone interview that she didn't give permission for the photo to be released, however the guard believes she was happy to have the photo taken. 'She is bullying another prisoner for taking a picture with her,' the guard said. 'But we believe Cassie wanted to take the picture.' She also accused Sainsbury of lying about not being able to access medical facilities or enough food. 'That's a lie. Every prisoner gets checked out for their health. She has access to private doctors too if she wants,' she told 9 News. The accusations come after Sainsbury hit out at the two separate television deals struck by members of her family and her fiance. Sainsbury's mother and sister have negotiated a $1 million interview deal with Channel Nine's 60 Minutes program, reportedly without her knowledge, but her fiance Scott Broadbridge has signed on with Channel Seven's Sunday Night. The guard also claimed that Sainsbury (right) has been bullying a fellow inmate who she was pictured smiling with (pictured) Sainsbury has been inside El Buen Pastor women's prison since she was found with 5.8kg of cocaine concealed in the packaging of 15 headphone boxes at Colombia's El Dorado International Airport on April 11 She has also been accused of lying about not being able to access medical facilities or enough food inside the prison The 22-year-old said she would be discussing 'whatever's been going on with the two stories' when she gets a chance to be reunited with her mother and sister, who have recently arrived in Colombia, News Corp reported. 'It's just typical family drama,' Sainsbury said from Bogota's El Buen Pastor Women's prison, where she is being held after 5.8 kilograms of cocaine was allegedly found in her luggage on April 11 at Colombia's El Dorado International Airport. Sainsbury's mother and sister made a desperate attempt on Saturday to communicate with the accused drug smuggler, as her fiance was turned away from the prison gates. Shouting 'Cassie, its mumma' across the embankment to El Buen Pastor Women's prison, Bogota, the 22-year-old's mother Lisa Evans and sister Khala Sainsbury tried desperately to see her following her arrest. Sainsbury, who has made a friend in prison, said she has been trying to get hold of her fiance. Mother Lisa Evans and sister Khala Sainsbury shouted 'Cassie, its mumma' across the embankment to El Buen Pastor Women's prison, Bogota when they attempted to see her Cassie's fiance Scott Broadbridge (pictured) was turned away from the prison gates when he went to see her 'I think it's nothing to do with me. I think it's something to do with the prison and the way they want to set up the visitation,' she said. Colombian police have alleged Sainsbury was lured into becoming a drug mule because she was in debt and told it would be easy money. Colonel Rodrigo Soler, anti-narcotics chief at Bogota's El Dorado International Airport, said Sainsbury was a perfect mark for drug smugglers. He alleged she was likely told the job was pre-arranged and airport staff and police were paid off on both sides of the journey to let her through with the 5.8 kilograms of cocaine she carried in her luggage. 'The owner of the drug who convinces the people to smuggle the drugs, he says everything is fixed up. Everything in the airport is fixed. Everything is easy,' he told News Corp. Colonel Soler said drug traffickers often took advantage of young people like Sainsbury who were facing economic hardship and needed fast cash. Police said Sainsbury was likely told the job was pre-arranged and airport staff and police were paid off on both sides of the journey to let her through Sainsbury was thousands of dollars in debt after her failed Yorke's Fitness, in her hometown on SA's Yorke Peninsula failed and she abruptly skipped town. The Adelaide woman claimed she was set up by a man named 'Angelo' who arranged to buy her headphones at a cheap price as gifts for her wedding party. She claimed the 18 packages wrapped in black plastic containing the cocaine were given to her the morning of her flight and she didn't know they were drugs. Colombian police seized CCTV footage of Angelo at the hotel where she stayed for eight nights before her flight, and she hoped it would help prove her innocence. But Colonel Soler and his colleagues said since the beginning of the investigation that they did not believe her story and that she knew what she was doing. Lt Colonel Jorge Triana told Daily Mail Australia soon after news of Sainsbury's arrest broke that drug mules often feigned ignorance when they were caught. She claimed the 18 packages wrapped in black plastic containing the cocaine were given to her the morning of her flight and she didn't know they were drugs 'It's a commonplace strategy that narco traffickers use to take drugs out of the country,' he said. 'Her explanation is not credible. Everyone we catch says they didn't know it was in their luggage, but they know what they were doing.' Colonel Soler also said '90 per cent' of people in her situation said they were trapped and cheated and didn't know they were carrying drugs. 'They majority also end up accepting responsibility (for the crime) because they say they have economic problems, family problems, they have no job,' he said. He said all drug mules progress through a familiar three stages after they arrested, starting with denial where Sainsbury is still sitting. The young woman maintained her innocence to police and media, and through her family, and even when she was filmed waving at TV crews behind bars. An inmate friend even held out a sign reading: 'Cassandra Pide Libertad Immediata', which translates in English to: 'Cassandra asks for freedom immediately'. A grandmother driving to a hospital appointment six miles from her home drove 300 miles after she missed a turn-off. Valerie Johnson mistakenly drove for eight hours rather than ten minutes and ended up in Larkhall, Scotland, when roadworks diverted her as she travelled from Peopleton in Worcester to the city's Royal Hospital. The 83-year-old eventually ran out of fuel when she reached Scotland and was reported missing by her worried family before her daughter had to get a flight to go and pick her up. Valerie Johnson (pictured with her grandsons) mistakenly drove for eight hours rather than ten minutes when roadworks diverted her Mrs Johnson continued to head north on the M5 and M6 in her Toyota Aygo, ending up in Larkhall, Scotland Mrs Johnson was making her way to an appointment when roadworks diverted her. However after missing a turn, she continued to head north on the M5 and M6 in her Toyota Aygo. Police launched a search for Mrs Johnson when her worried family reported her missing on May 5. According to the Daily Record, she ran out of fuel and was taken in by a couple while they waited for her daughter. Her 49-year-old daughter Karen Maskell said: 'Mum's next-door neighbour called me to say she hadn't come back and he was worried. I thought she must have had an accident. 'We called the police and by the time I got to her house, they said they had spotted her car on a traffic camera at Preston at 11pm. 'I said it couldn't be my mum because she hates driving, she doesn't usually drive more than three miles. 'But it was her and she was still heading north and we had to get the Scottish police involved.' She then got on the first flight to Scotland to go and get her mother. Karen Maskell called police to report her mother missing before catching a flight to Scotland to collect her Scotland police said Valerie's rescuers spotted her car had come to a standstill in the road outside their house. Sergeant John McLeish at Larkhall police office said: 'A local couple assisted Valerie and she informed them that she was lost. 'The couple called the police at Larkhall who contacted West Mercia Police to inform her family. 'Local officers called an ambulance to ensure she did not require any medical attention. 'The local couple very kindly looked after the woman, ensuring that she was comfortable until her relatives arrived from England to collect her.' Journalist Talitha Cummins has bravely shared the gritty details of her former alcoholism and spoke candidly about her booze spiral while working as a newsreader. The 37-year-old former Channel Seven weekend Sunrise reader revealed she was a high-functioning alcoholic and has told of the binge-drinking problem which gripped her for 20 years. 'My life was unmanageable. I was cancelling on people because I just wanted to stay at home and drink by myself,' she told the Gold Coast Bulletin. Talitha Cummins (pictured) secretly battled an alcohol addiction since the age of 14 The newsreader (pictured) candidly spoke of the years she spent binge-drinking and hiding her secret from friends and family As the newsreader fronted cameras each morning, her co-workers had no idea she was harbouring a crippling addiction that could have ended her career. The mother-of-one has described herself as the modern face of alcoholism - young, professional, educated and high-functioning. 'There was a lot of shock but then a lot of reaction like ''Are you really that bad?'' being professional and educated, I wasn't what people perceived an alcoholic to be,' she said. Ms Cummins said she began binge-drinking as young as 14 and at the height of her alcoholism she would drink four bottles a night. But after years of denial and a heart-to-heart with her chief-of-staff, the television journalist was finally able to confess her demons. She then returned to Alcoholics Anonymous meetings and even penned a blog post about moving on from her booze troubles. The mother-of-one has described herself as the modern face of alcoholism - young, professional, educated and high-functioning (pictured with son Oliver) The newsreader claimed she was unfairly dismissed from Channel Seven while on maternity leave 'I no longer feel anxious about going to work, I have more confidence, I have savings in my bank account and I havent woken up wearing a kebab since I stopped drinking,' Ms Cummins wrote. Ms Cummins then publicly outed herself as an alcoholic in 2012 by accidentally sharing the blog post to her 5000 Facebook friends. Suddenly her friends and family knew a secret she had managed to keep tight-lipped about all her life, but it was the final push Ms Cummins needed to recover. While struggling to maintain sobriety the newsreader also suffered a harrowing court battle with Channel Seven after she claimed she was sacked unfairly from the network while on maternity leave. She eventually reached a confidential settlement in April with Seven adding Ms Cummins would not be reinstated at the network. After four years sober Ms Cummins is gracing television screens once again on Network Ten and is championing addiction treatment for other sufferers of alcoholism. She will give the keynote address at the Australian and New Zealand National Addiction Conference in Queensland next week. Former FBI Director James Comey has been spotted backstage at a touring Broadway show just four days after he was fired by Donald Trump. During his first public outing since was publicly sacked by the president, Comey spent Saturday afternoon at the National Theater in Washington, catching the penultimate performance of Fun Home. The touring show, which won a Tony Award for best new musical in 2015, is a true, coming of age story about lesbian cartoonist Alison Bechdel. Comey, who was with his wife Patrice, told the cast that his daughter had seen the show when it toured in Chicago and and that 'they had to see it.' Former FBI Director James Comey (back, center) has been spotted backstage at a touring Broadway show just four days after he was fired by Donald Trump Barbara Whitman, one of Fun Home's lead producers, said that Comey and his wife were so moved by the performances, they were 'wiping away tears' when they came backstage. 'He said something to the effect of it was the best thing they could have picked for their first outing,' she told the New York Times. 'It's awfully moving, but I would imagine doubly so at the end of a week like this,' she wrote in an email. 'I was a little tongue-tied, and as they were leaving, I said, 'Get home safe,' as if I were his mom, and also as if he doesn't know every F.B.I. agent in the country.' The news of Comey's termination on Tuesday sent shock waves through the nation's capital. Trump (left) told Comey (right) in his termination letter that he was being ousted because he was not 'able to effectively lead the bureau' Comey has been heading an investigation into the connections between Trump's advisers and the Russian government (President Trump, left, shook hands with Comey on January 22) In fact, the former FBI director first learned that he was fired when he saw the news reports being played on a TV in the background, according to the New York Times, and assumed it was a 'fairly funny prank.' He reportedly even laughed at the news before staff asked him to step into another room. A letter from Donald Trump was delivered to the FBI headquarters in Washington, DC around the same time. 'While I greatly appreciate you informing me, on three separate occasions, that I am not under investigation, I nevertheless concur with the judgment of the Department of Justice that you are not able to effectively lead the bureau,' Trump wrote. 'It is essential that we find new leadership for the F.B.I. that restores public trust and confidence in its vital law enforcement mission.' FBI sources told ABC News that Comey was finally read his termination letter over the phone. Comey's firing was effective immediately, and deputy director Andrew McCabe was quickly made the acting head of the FBI. Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein and Attorney General Jeff Sessions reportedly recommended that Trump fire Comey. A letter from Donald Trump was delivered to the FBI headquarters in Washington, DC, informing Comey he had been fired Comey has been heading an investigation into the connections between Trump's advisers and the Russian government before the 2016 presidential election. He was also responsible for handling the investigation into Hillary Clinton's private email server last fall - a lengthy process that Trump once called 'gutsy.' In July, Comey stated that the bureau 'did not find clear evidence that Secretary Clinton or her colleagues intended to violate laws governing the handling of classified information,' but that they had been 'extremely careless.' Rosenstein wrote in a letter released by the White House that he did not appreciate the findings that Comey had come to. 'I cannot defend the directors handling of the conclusion of the investigation of Secretary Clintons emails, and I do not understand his refusal to accept the nearly universal judgment that he was mistaken.' He was kept a very low profile since then, only making his first public appearance at Washington's National Theater yesterday. He is hardly the first politician to seek solace in the theater after their career went down in flames. Hillary Clinton has repeatedly been seen at Broadway shows since losing out to Trump in the presidential election. HERO TO ZERO: FIRED FBI BOSS ENDED UP HATED BY EVERYONE Attorney General James Comey sealed a reputation as a brave and principled actor after a 2004 standoff during the Bush administration, when he refused White House efforts to get him to reauthorize warrantless eavesdropping while Attorney General John Ashcroft was hospitalized. Comey had been appointed deputy attorney general by President George W. Bush, having served as a U.S. attorney in New York under Rudy Giuliani in New York. With Ashcroft incapacitated, Bush administration officials wanted Ashcroft, and then Comey, to sign off on an extension of the authority, with just hours to go before an N.S.A. program expired. Comey refused. His stand was a major reason why President Obama nominated him to be head of the FBI in 2013. Obama hailed Comey as a person of 'fierce independence and deep integrity' as he nominated him for the FBI post, which carries a 10-year term. A devout Catholic, a registered Republican and a former U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of New York, he seemed to radiate independence from the Democratic machine. And many congressional Democrats became far less supportive of Comey after the 2016 presidential election. Obama's man: Republican James Comey was chosen by the Democratic president for his principled stand but ended up in the words of one senator as 'as popular as cholera' Led by defeated candidate Hillary Clinton, many have griped about Comey's handling of the Clinton email scandal. On July 5th, 2016, Comey personally announced the FBI's decision not to charge Clinton in connection with its investigation of her private email server and handling of classified material. He nevertheless called her conduct 'extremely careless.' Then on October 28, he told lawmakers the bureau was reviewing newly discovered emails in connection to the investigation. The FBI had uncovered thousands of emails on disgraced ex-Rep. Anthony Weiner's laptop that had been sent to his wife, longtime Clinton aide Huma Abedin. Comey drew the Democrats' ire once again when he announced two days before the election that the investigation hadn't turned up anything to alter the decision not to prosecute. Clinton said it only made matters worse and stole headlines. In the congressional hearing where he made inaccurate statements about about Abedin's emails, Democrats grilled Comey about why he had not revealed the existence of an ongoing investigation into alleged Russian election interference. Comey said the FBI 'didn't say a word about' the Russia investigation until months into, whereas he had testified under oath about the existence of the Clinton investigation. Advertisement Joshua Waite (pictured), 17, was placed in an induced coma after he was allegedly kicked once by an 18-year-old man about 7.45pm on Friday A teenager is fighting for his life after allegedly being kicked in the head during an argument in a McDonald's car park. Joshua Waite, 17, was placed in an induced coma after he was allegedly kicked once by an 18-year-old man about 7.45pm on Friday. Paramedics arrived at the car park in Redcliffe, north of Brisbane and took Mr Waite to Royal Brisbane and Women's Hospital. He had been in stable, but critical condition throughout Saturday, but his health has since deteriorated, a Royal Brisbane Hospital spokesperson said. Heartbroken family members have rushed to the teenager's bedside as he battles for life. 'Joshy is an amazing caring soul this is not fair, he is loved so much,' grandmother Jenny-Lynne Garrett told The Courier Mail. Paramedics arrived at the car park in Redcliffe, north of Brisbane and placed Mr Waite in an induced coma He had been in stable, but critical throughout Saturday in Royal Brisbane Hospital (pictured), but his health has since deteriorated Meanwhile friends have posted supportive messages to Facebook, telling Mr Waite to 'be strong' and 'get well soon.' Police have charged an 18-year-old man with one count of grievous bodily harm. They will allege a group of people were involved in the argument before the 18-year-old man caused serious head injuries. He is due to appear in the Redcliffe Magistrates Court on May 15. Investigators have appealed to anyone driving by the area at the time of the alleged attack who may have dash cam footage to come forward. A woman who delivered a lethal dose of heroin to her boyfriend as part of a 'suicide pact' invited friends over for a 'farewell dinner' the night before his death - but they did nothing to prevent his death. Twenty years ago, Anu Singh drugged Joe Cinque's coffee with Rohypnol and gave him heroin, before watching him lie in bed and slowly die over the next 36 hours. Only then, after his breathing had slowed, his lips turned blue and he began to vomit blood did she call an ambulance to their Canberra home on October 26, 1987. Now, an interview with Sunday Night has again raised questions about the death of Mr Cinque and Singh's eventual acquittal of his murder - in particular, why friends of the couple didn't do more to stop their 'suicide pact'. Scroll down for video Anu Singh (pictured) invited friends over for a 'farwell' dinner party before she drugged her boyfriend's coffee and gave him a lethal dose of heroin in their Canberra home 20 years ago She was found guilty of killing Mr Cinque by a judge alone, but was only sentenced to 10 years for manslaughter due to 'diminished responsibility' - but was released within four just years Told by Singh, now 44, that she and Mr Cinque had signed the pact, she invited her friends over for two dinners in the days before his death. As they closed the door behind them after the second dinner party, the pair's friends knew the couple were going to die. Asked how that could be, Det Sgt Greg Ranse, who worked the case in 1997, said he couldn't understand. 'No one intervened in all of this, no one spoke to Joe in all of this,' Mr Ranse said. 'These are the questions that this case for the last 20 years has raised and I think this will sit in the minds of the people... of how a person could morally justify themselves allowing a person to die the way Joe did. 'Especially some of the close friends of Joe and Anu, knew very well what was occurring with Joe, that he was being drugged. 'Why didn't they do something?' Found guilty by a judge of killing Mr Cinque, she was only sentenced to 10 years for manslaughter due to 'diminished responsibility' - but served just four years. Two decades on, questions are still being raised about why the friends of Singh and Mr Cinque left the dinner party knowing the pair would take part in a 'suicide pact', but did nothing Singh's attempts to reach out to Mr Cinque's parents were met with this response: 'You are the devil, a monster' Having watched her boyfriend die for 36 hours, her call to Triple Zero lasted 20 minutes as she gave wrong addresses in what prosecutors alleged was a deliberate effort to delay ambulance Her Triple Zero call lasted 20 minutes as she gave several wrong addresses in what prosecutors later alleged was a deliberate effort to delay the ambulance. 'There are many things people don't understand,' Singh told Sunday Night. 'I'd love to turn back the clock.' Having agreed to talk on camera in the hope of forgiveness from Mr Cinque's parents Maria and Nino, her efforts proved to be in vain. The haunted elderly couple had no interest in reconciling with Singh, with Mr Cinque's mother calling her 'the devil'. 'What I call you is not your name, because you don't deserve a name,' Mrs Cinque said. 'I call you the devil, you are the devil, a monster. You have destroyed my family.' She rarely spoke about killing Mr Cinque, always insisting she was mentally unwell at the time A young property tycoon says Generation Y needs to stop travelling and spending money on overpriced food to save for their first home. Tim Gurner, 35, from Melbourne, has amassed nearly half a billion dollars since buying his first investment property when he was just 19 years old. He said his generation can become home owners by changing their spending and lifestyle habits, despite Australia's housing affordability crisis. 'When I was trying to buy my first home, I wasn't buying smashed avocado for $19 and four coffees at $4 each,' he told Channel Nine's 60 Minutes program. Tim Gurner (pictured with his wife Aimee), 35, believes Generation Y needs to stop travelling and spending money on overpriced food to save for their first home 'We're at a point now where the expectations of younger people are very, very high. They want to eat out every day, they want travel to Europe every year. 'This generation is watching the Kardashians and thinking that's normal - thinking owning a Bentley is normal.' Mr Gurner, who was the youngest new entrant to the BRW's 2016 Rich List, said Generation Y needs to lower expectations when it comes to the property market. 'You're not going to get a house in (Melbourne's) Camberwell for $700,000. You're not going to get one in Alexandria in Sydney or in Newstead in Brisbane,' he said. Mr Gurner (pictured), from Melbourne, has amassed nearly half a billion dollars since buying his first investment property when he was just 19 years old Mr Gurner says Generation Y needs to start saving for their first home amid the Australia's housing affordability crisis 'We're at a point now where the expectations of younger people are very, very high,' said Mr Gurner (pictured centre) 'The market has changed. You can go to Perth, you can go to Darwin. But you have to start to get realistic about your expectations. 'You might have to buy an investment property first. You might have to share with mum and dad - you might have to buy with a friend. 'But you've got to get your foot in the door and you've got to slowly get up the ladder.' Mr Gurner's comments were met with a mixed reaction on social media, with many suggesting he got his own foot in the door with help from his family. He began his property empire when he purchased a gym in Melbourne's south in 2001 after borrowing $34,000 from his grandfather. 'You've got to get your foot in the door and you've got to slowly get up the ladder,' said Mr Gurner (pictured with his wife) Mr Gurner's comments were met with a mixed reaction on social media, with many suggesting he got his own foot in the door with help from family One social media comment read: 'Maybe the new home buyers would stand more of a chance if they were given 34K by their grandad... that's a fair few smashed avos.' Another added: 'Nice if you can get it,' while one commented: 'Much like Trump's dad gave him a "small loan of $1Mil.' After spending a month renovating the property and getting his gym licence, Mr Gurner turned the investment into a thriving business. He ran the gym for another 12 months before selling it to a competitor and starting his career as a property developer. After founding his company, Gurner, in 2013, he now has billions of dollars worth of projects across Australia. Mr Gurner appeared on the BRW Young Rich List in 2015 in eighth place when he was worth $430million. That year, he made more than $10million in an hour when buyers snapped up penthouses in his luxury development in Melbourne, domain.com.au reported. He recently told the Australian Financial Review his biggest flaw is being a perfectionist. He began his property empire when he purchased a gym in Melbourne's south in 2001 after his grandfather lent him $34,000 Mr Gurner made more than $10million in an hour in 2015 when buyers snapped up penthouses in his luxury development in Melbourne. Pictured, his Brisbane complex, The Flatiron He ran the gym for another 12 months before selling it to a competitor and starting his career as a property developer 'I always say we can do things better. You'd be surprised about the level of detail,' he told the paper. 'I still mark out every plan, down to couch locations and antenna locations, every paint colour, door handle and everything. 'I'm obsessed because it has my name on it.' The paper will name Mr Gurner as Australia's 157th richest person when it releases its rich list later this month. Mr Gurner will be named as Australia's 157th richest person when the Australian Financial Review releases its rich list later this month The 35-year-old said Generation Y needs to lower expectations when it comes to the property market (stock) A group of Boy Scouts were picking up trash along a Massachusetts river when they came across a dead body. The body was discovered Saturday morning near the Carlisle Street Boat Ramp on the Concord River in Bedford. Police were called to the area around 11am after the Bedford Boy Scout Troop and Cub Scout Pack spotted something while they were clearing the area, according to the Middlesex District Attorney's Office. A group of Boy Scouts were picking up trash along a Massachusetts river when they came across a dead body. Authorities have not yet identified the body Upon arrival, Bedford police found the body on an embankment. The DA's Office said authorities are investigating and the 'death is being considered suspicious'. Scoutmaster, Peter Ricci, told CBS that the scouts were participating in the annual Beautify Bedford cleanup day. He said 'a small group of youths along with adult volunteers encountered something that appeared suspicious and out of place'. 'The group appropriately notified the local police department,' Ricci added. The remains were taken to the Office of the Medical Examiner. Authorities did not say if the body was male or female nor did they give information about the race or approximate age. However, local reports are suggesting the remains are those of a male. 'To protect the integrity of the investigation additional details are not being released at this time,' the DA's Office said. A 65-year-old woman who begged a judge to evict her tenant just days before she was killed, was able to record her own murder. Mimie Anita Cowen was found bruised, bloody and floating facedown in her backyard swimming pool in Palm Springs, California, on June 14, 2016. When police checked inside the home, they found her tenant Scott Edmund Pettigrew, 50, lying naked on his bed, covered in scratches. Pettigrew now faces murder charges, as well as charges of elder abuse and a violation of a protective order. Officers also found a digital audio recorder lying on the floor under the kitchen table which had a minute-long recording, apparently taken on the night of the murder. Scott Edmund Pettigrew (left) faces murder charges, as well as charges of elder abuse and a violation of a protective order over the murder of Mimie Anita Cowen (right, in an old, undated photo) 'It was a recording of what I believe took place that night,' said Detective Heather Olsen at a preliminary hearing for Pettigrew, Friday, according to WTSP. Prosecutors also played the recording in court in which a woman, believed to be Cowen, is heard shouting over the sounds of a scuffle. Another voice, which is unintelligible, is said to belong to Pettigrew. 'Stay away from me!' she screamed. 'You b*****d! You b*****d! You b*****!' 'Get out of here! Get out of here! Get off me!' The recording then suddenly ends. Just days before her murder, Cowen had filed a request for a restraining order and eviction on June 9, saying she was worried that Pettigrew's behaviour was becoming increasingly erratic. 'Scared to do anything except stay away,' Cowen wrote in court documents. 'Scott is intensifying this to keep me in constant fear of him and what he will do next time. I don't want a next time.' She wrote that Pettigrew had refused to pay rent, stole her food, cut batteries out of her phones, poured water over her computers, and let his dogs defecate inside the house. She had agreed to let a room to Pettigrew, who was a co-worker, in February after he was evicted because of an 'altercation with a neighbor.' Mimie Anita Cowen's bruised and bloodied body was found floating facedown in her backyard swimming pool in Palm Springs, California on June 14, 2016 (pictured is her home) By June, the house was 'destroyed', he had only ever paid one month's rent, and if she tried to discuss it with him, he would threaten her, according to court documents. 'I am being terrorized daily in my own home,' Cowen said. 'Escalating each day. I need help. I need a restraining order.' But Superior Court Judge James Cox refused to evict the 65-year-old's nightmare tenant and gave him a five-yard restraining order. He told them both to attend a court hearing in two weeks for them to organize a permanent solution. Five days later, and Cowen was dead. Pettigrew denies all charges against him. Police had been called to Cowen's house on the night of her murder by concerned relatives who had heard them arguing during a phone call. It was almost midnight when Cathedral City cops arrived and found her unconscious, floating face down in her pool. There were deep bruises all over her face and body, and handfuls of blond hair had been ripped from her head. Officers pulled her out the pool and began CPR but she would later be pronounced dad. Inside the house was obvious signs of a struggle; broke glass, destroyed statues and damaged furniture. Pettigrew was arrested at the scene. A Victorian mother has shared a heartbreaking timeline of images showing how fast the deadly meningococcal disease infected her daughter. Jazmyn Parkyn contracted the illness when she was aged three and is one of a fortunate group who have managed to recover. Her mother, Sarah, said it was important other parents see what the early signs look like in hope they too can avoid it being fatal for their child. Scroll down for video Jazmyn Parkyn at 9:30am when mother Sarah first notices a mark on her chest The mark on Jazmyn's chest appears to get bigger as other similar spots appear across her abdomen less than four hours later The rash has also started to spread down Jazmyn's legs and now covers a good portion of her body before 1:30pm The timeline shows a small mark on Jazmyn's chest appear at 9.30am before spreading across her abdomen and down her limbs just a few hours later. 13 hours after her mother's discovery of the first mark, Jazmyn was covered in a rash from the disease and was fighting for her life. Her mother says Jazmyn, now five, still suffers from headaches and leg pains which require daily medication. Dr Chris Moy told Seven News 'minutes matter' when it comes to treatment and it is vital antibiotics are used as soon as possible to help fight the disease. The most common forms of meningococcal are strains B and C, and these occur most commonly in children under the age of five. By 3:40pm the rash has spread across Jazymyn's body and the spots have considerably increased in size. Her mother, Sarah, takes her to hospital where she is immediately put into ICU and treated with antibiotics. At 10:30pm, just 13 hours after her mother first noticed a mark, Jazymyn's entire body is covered in the meningococcal rash and the three-year-old is fighting for her life. Jazmyn suffered from the B strain, which currently is not covered by the Pharamaceutical Benefits Scheme, meaning a shot could cost up to $500. 'It should be on the PBS and National Immunisational Schedule,' Ms Parkyn says. What is meningococcal? Meningococcal is a rare form of meningitis that causes the brain and spinal cord to become inflamed. It can be contracted through the exchange of respiratory secretions such as coughing or kissing. Advertisement According to the Department of Health PBS website meningococcal B accounts for '85% of all meningococcal disease cases.' In a report by the ABC, Meningococcal Australia director Eliza Ault Connell says they have made three different approaches to the Federal government about getting the B-strain vaccine on the benefits scheme but they had all been knocked back. A petition has been created to put pressure on the government to make the vaccine a part of the PBS. The following day the rash is very pronounced and Jazymyn is very weak but in a more stable condition. The rash still covers most of her body. A two-year-old was unresponsive and suffered serious brain injuries after her 16-year-old babysitter allegedly 'disciplined' her. Gia Faye, 2, was supposed to be asleep in her Brownsville, California home when she was playing with a toy Thursday afternoon. Her babysitter, a teenage boy known to the family, took the toy from her and left the room. When he got back she had taken a piece of candy. SCROLL DOWN FOR VIDEO Gia Faye, 2, pictured, suffered severe brain injuries after her 16-year-old male babysitter allegedly 'attempted to discipline' her Thursday afternoon. She underwent emergency brain surgery after being flown to a Sacramento hospital The toddler was supposed to be asleep when her babysitter caught her playing with a toy and then sneaking a piece of candy. The sitter later admitted to police that he 'slammed her against the wall', according to Gia's mother He first told officers he was trying to discipline the toddler, but eventually admitted to more. 'He confessed to slamming her against the wall and she hit her head on the edge,' Gia's mother, Jessica Lamar told Fox 40. When first responders came to the home in Yuba County, Gia was unresponsive and was flown to a Sacramento hospital, according to KCRA.com. She had emergency brain surgery which took three hours. Doctors told Lamar that Gia's brain had shifted after the blow and they had to remove a blood clot and half her skull for the swelling. On a GoFundMe page set up by Lamar, she said Gia is in critical condition after her surgery. The mother of six is asking for help for 'travel expenses for Gias (sic) care'. Jessica Lamar, pictured, Gia's mother, said she had known the teenager for four years and had trusted him to take care of her children. She said she won't hold a grudge against him Lamar has six children, pictured, and the teenage boy was watching Gia and three of her siblings, ages ranging from infancy to five-years-old Gia's surgery lasted three hours, where doctors had to remove a blood clot and half the toddler's skull. Doctors told Lamar that Gia's brain had shifted after the blow The babysitter was arrested on suspicion of felony child abuse and an outstanding warrant from Sacramento County. At the time of the incident he was watching Gia and three of her siblings, ages ranging from infancy to five-years-old, according to police. The teen was jailed in a juvenile hall and his name has not been released. Lamar said she has known the teen for four years and had let him move in with her family after his had kicked him out. She said he had always been good with her kids, according to Fox 40. She said she forgives him, but she won't speak to him again. 'I forgive him. I'm not going to hold a grudge against him,' she said. 'He's a young boy. He made a mistake.' When first responders arrived at the incident, Gia was unresponsive. Her babysitter has been arrested on suspicion of felony child abuse and an outstanding warrant from Sacramento County Leroy Campbell (pictured) was sentenced to life in prison for the murder of Lisa Skidmore who was raped and strangled in her home A violent criminal who raped and murdered a nurse, tried to strangle her mother with a vacuum hose and then set fire to their flat was released from prison for a similar crime only weeks earlier. Leroy Campbell, 55, planned the attack three days days beforehand when he stole a set of step ladders and hid them in a public access-way behind the nurse's home last November. Campbell had been released from prison only four months earlier after he was previously jailed for 17 years for a similar crime - burglary and indecent assault. The sex offender had recently moved to Moseley, Birmingham from a hostel. No motive for the attack in Bilston, West Midlands, has ever been established and it appears to have been completely random. It is believed that Ms Skidmore, who was described as an 'angel' by those who knew her, may have disturbed Campbell after he broke into her house. CCTV captured a dark figure carrying the ladders and then using them on the morning of the attack to climb up to the first floor bedroom window. True Angel: Nurse Lisa Skidmore was raped and murdered in her own home in a seemingly random attack by an intruder who climbed into the flat on a stolen ladder Some two hours later, Lisa's mother called to check on her daughter, who was off work sick at the time, and, as she entered the kitchen, Campbell grabbed her around her neck and punched her. He then wrapped a cord around her neck and she passed out before he set light to the property. He fled the scene but he was arrested two days later. He was sentenced to a full life term in prison at Birmingham Crown Court on Friday after he pleaded guilty to strangling and sexually assaulting the 37-year-old nurse at her home. Campbell also admitted to attempting to murder her mother and to arson with intent to endanger life. Shortly after the body was discovered, police said: 'This horrendous crime has had a devastating impact on those who knew Lisa, her family, friends and work colleagues and the people who lived near her.' 'Her death has left a void in the family that can never be filled again,' murder victim Lisa Skidmore's family said after the nurse was raped and murdered in her own home Her family issued a statement soon afterwards in which they said she was a 'true Angel in the community.' They continued: 'She was the most caring, kind, compassionate, thoughtful, dedicated, professional nurse, who would go to the end of the world to meet any requirements of her patients, and her mum and family. 'Her death has left a void in the family that can never be filled again. Her presence will always be with us and her memory will never die. The tears in our eyes we can wipe away, the ache in our hearts will always stay.' The nurse was discovered by paramedics after neighbours alerted emergency services to a fire but was pronounced dead at the scene on November 24 last year. A post mortem concluded that she died as a result of strangulation. Campbell also tried to strangle her 80-year-old mother with a vacuum cleaner hose after she called at the property, the court heard. She was found on the ground floor and taken to hospital where she was treated for severe injuries to her face and arms. Nurse Lisa Skidmore worked at The Royal Wolverhampton NHS Trust for nearly 20 years. Colleagues paid tribute to 'a valued member of the nursing team' after her violent death Miss Skidmore had worked at The Royal Wolverhampton NHS Trust for nearly 20 years and colleagues paid tribute to 'a valued member of the nursing team' where she worked as a senior staff nurse. She received a bachelor of science with honours degree in professional nursing studies in 2007 and began working in the community, based in Bilston, in 2013. The fire service were quickly on the scene, and after taking Lisa's 80-year-old mother to safety, couldn't revive Lisa. The 37-year-old senior staff nurse from the West Midlands was described as an 'angel' who worked tirelessly to help others Campbell has convictions for similar attacks on three different women including another nurse who awoke as he began choking her in bed after he broke in through her bedroom window with the aid of ladders. He was given a life sentence after his previous offence in 2000 and served 16 years before his release last July four months before killing Miss Skidmore. Birmingham Crown Court heard he had told his probation officer six weeks before the latest attack that he was having feelings similar to those he had experienced at the time of a previous rape. Campbell was jailed in 1983 for seven years after being convicted of attempting to choke a nurse with intent to commit rape. In 1992 he was convicted of rape after again entering a womans property through a window as she slept. He was given a ten-year sentence. In May 2000, Campbell was back in court, convicted of indecent assault and false imprisonment. Rachael Brand, defending Campbell, said he was a paranoid schizophrenic who had shown remorse. Investigating officer Detective Inspector Harry Harrison, from Force CID, said: 'Campbell had sought to cover his tracks by setting fire to the property and even tried to confuse the investigation by leaving a lager can and cigarette butts in the sink bearing a third party's DNA, but he did not remove all trace of his own DNA from the property and he handed himself in at a police station three days later.' Lisa's mother continues to recover from her ordeal and is being cared for by family members, who were in court. Following the sentencing they said: 'The tragic death of Lisa has not only devastated the whole family but also her friends and work colleagues. 'Lisa was one of those rare people who made a difference in the community, first by being a nurse and even more so when she became a district nurse. 'For 19 years Lisa devoted her life to caring for other people, tending to their needs in their last hours, but no one was there for Lisa in her last hours. 'We couldn't tell you how many people Lisa nursed, helped and cared for during her time as a nurse or lives that she saved, but all were treated with dignity and respect. 'Lisa was one of the most caring, kind and honest person you could meet who also had a sensitive side and would not have hurt anyone. 'To be taken in such a cruel way is lasting pain that the family will have to endure. 'Lisa will always be lovingly remembered and sadly missed by all.' Detective Chief Superintendent Mark Payne added: 'This horrendous crime has had a devastating impact on the many people who knew Lisa, her family, friends and work colleagues and those who lived near her. 'Campbell has refused to give an account of what happened that morning and they may never know, so I hope they can get some comfort from the fact that Campbell will never be set free again.' Jailing him on Friday, Judge Mark Wall QC described Campbells offending as grotesque, adding: Miss Skidmore had to suffer the pain and terror of being raped by someone in her own home before she died. Jan Karbaat, who died last month, aged 89, is accused of using his own sperm instead of that of chosen donors at the fertility clinic he ran close to the port city of Rotterdam The former head of a Dutch fertility clinic has been accused of using his own sperm to father dozens of children over several years. Twenty-three parents and children born through IVF claim that Jan Karbaat, who died aged 89 last month, used his own sperm instead of that of chosen donors at the fertility clinic he ran close to the port city of Rotterdam. Karbaat reportedly admitted to having fathered about 60 children in his time at the clinic, which closed in 2009 amid reports of irregularities. Over the years, he allegedly falsified his clinic's data, analyses and donor descriptions and exceeded the permitted number of six children per donor. Yet, Bijdorp Medical Centre was one of the country's largest sperm banks in the 1980s and 1990s, in a time when Karbaat called himself 'a pioneer in the field of fertilisation'. A group of 23 Dutch people petitioned a court on Friday seeking DNA tests to see if Karbaat used his own sperm. 'It's a fundamental right to know where one came from,' the lawyer for the families, Tim Bueters, told the Rotterdam court. 'It's a question of identity, it helps someone to form their personality,' he said, asking the court to order DNA tests to prove whether Karbaat was the father. Twenty-three parents and children born through IVF petitioned a court on Friday seeking DNA tests to see if Karbaat used his own sperm Bueters highlighted some inconsistencies, such as that one of his clients had brown eyes when the sperm donor was supposedly blue-eyed, or that another male client physically resembled the doctor. But Lisette de Haan, the lawyer for Karbaat's family, shot back: 'There is not the slightest evidence that Mr Karbaat was the donor.' She also urged the court to respect the Karbaat family's right to privacy. Karbaat even asked in his will that no DNA tests be carried out after his death. But court officials at the request of the families seized some personal objects such as a toothbrush from his home on May 2. DNA tests on these objects would be the preferred option, but the court could also order a test on one of his legitimate children or even call for the body to be exhumed. The court will return its decision on June 2. Karbaat reportedly admitted to having fathered about 60 children in his time at the clini (pictured above), which closed in 2009 amid reports of irregularities 'As a mother, this judgement won't give me anything,' said Esther Heij, one of the plaintiffs, after the hearing. 'But I see at home how my son's life has been affected. He was so angry when Karbaat died, and that he was taking this to his grave.' On paper, her son and daughter were conceived thanks to the same sperm donor. 'Tests are underway, but it's not clear if they really are brother and sister,' she said. 'My daughter looks like Karbaat... tall and thin.' Moniek Wassenaar, 36, who also attended the hearing, met the head of the sperm bank in 2010. She recently recounted to Dutch media how he had told her 'it was possible I was his biological child.' He said he was proud of what he had done, saying 'he was in good health and intelligent, so he could share some of his genes with the world. He saw it as something noble. He had no concept of ethics and minimised the impact on the children,' she added. A Ukranian who jumped on stage at Eurovision with an Australian flag and then dropped his trousers to reveal his bare buttocks is facing up to five years in jail. Vitalii Sediuk took to the stage draped in the blue, white and red flag while reigning winner Jamala performed, before flashing his naked behind to millions worldwide. While the incident was one of the most talked about moments of Eurovsion, police in the Ukraine did not see the funny side, arresting Sediuk and detaining him. Scroll down for video Ukrainian serial prankster Vitalii Sediuk (pictured), who draped himself in an Australian flag and jumped on stage at Eurovision before revealing his buttocks is facing up to five years in jail The prankster is facing anything from a fine to five years in prison on hooliganism charges, the Ukranian Interior Minister Arsen Avakov said in a Facebook post The prankster is facing anything from a fine to five years in prison on hooliganism charges, the nation's Interior Minister Arsen Avakov said in a Facebook post. 'During the performance of our Jamala, according to his own words, he decided to realise his hobby as he 'unofficially works as a provocative journalist',' Mr Avakov wrote. A serial pest, Sediuk famously attacked Kim Kardashian in Paris last year, just days before she was caught up in a hotel robbery. He once struck actor Brad Pitt in the face as he signed autographs in Los Angeles. He also jumped onto the red carpet at the Cannes Film Festival to try to climb under actress America Ferrera's dress as she posed for photographers. In other exploits, he hugged actor Leonardo DiCaprio around the crotch and later stormed the stage during Adele's Grammy acceptance speech. A serial pest, Sediuk had an infamous run-in with Kim Kardashian (pictured) in Paris, just days before she was caught up in a hotel heist He's also pranked A-list celebrities Brad Pitt, Will Smith, Leo DiCaprio (pictured) and Adele Jumping onto the red carpet at the Cannes Film Festival in 2016, he attempted to crawl under the dress of America Ferrera who was standing next to Australian actress Cate Blanchett He was also slapped by Will Smith after kissing the actor at a Moscow premiere. Isaiah was Australia's official representative at the song contest, performing the hit 'Don't Come Easy' during the final. Saturday's Eurovison contest was won by Salvador Sabral of Portugal. Bulgaria came second and Moldova third. A teenager has been killed and two others injured in the latest in a surge of knife attacks in the capital. The 18-year-old was found with stab wounds after police were called to reports of a mass brawl in Hertford Road in Enfield, north London at 10.30pm on Saturday. A 19-year-old man and 17-year-old boy were also found with knife injuries in nearby Palmers Lane. All three victims were taken to hospital and the 18-year-old was pronounced dead at 11.41pm. A teenager has been killed and two others injured in the latest in a surge of knife attacks in the capital He is yet to be formally identified and a post-mortem examination will take place in due course. Scotland Yard has launched a murder investigation and said no arrests have been made in connection with the incident. The injuries to the other two teenagers are not being treated as life-threatening. Yesterday afternoon a 41-year-old man was shot and stabbed to death in Bow, east London. Scotland Yard said: 'A murder investigation has been launched following the death of a teenager in Enfield. 'Police were called shortly after 10.30pm on Saturday to a fight involving a number of people in Hertford Road, Enfield. The 18-year-old was found with stab wounds after police were called to reports of a mass brawl in Hertford Road in Enfield, north London at 10.30pm on Saturday 'Officers attended and found an 18-year-old man suffering from stab injuries. 'A 19-year-old man and a 17-year-old male were found nearby in Palmers Lane, also suffering from stab injuries. 'All three victims were taken to hospitals in north and east London by London Ambulance Service. 'The 18-year-old was pronounced dead at 11.41pm that night. Police believe they know the identity of the deceased and next of kin have been informed. 'Formal identification and a post-mortem examination will be arranged in due course. 'The injuries to Victims 2 and 3 are not being treated as life-threatening. Detectives from the Homicide and Major Crime Command are investigating. 'There has been no arrest at this stage. Enquiries continue.' Video has emerged of the moment an Australian man is taken out by seven police officers in a Singapore airport. The shocking video shows the man scuffling with security guards, police officers and members of the public inside Changi Airport last month. The man in the video is believed to be Jason Peter Darragh, 44, who has reportedly been charged with 11 offences according to The Straits Times. In the video, the man can be seen tussling with two officers who are trying to grab him by the arms. Scroll down for video Video has emerged of the moment an Australian man is taken out by seven police officers in a Singapore airport One officer eventually grabs his left wrist, but the man breaks free and charges at the other officer, pushing him to the ground One officer eventually grabs his left wrist, but the man breaks free and charges at the other officer, pushing him to the ground. Members of the public begin to converge on the scene and attempt to help the officers by kicking the man in the legs. However he seems unfazed by the their efforts, and continues to duel with the officers. They can be heard telling the man to 'calm down' and that he is under arrest on several occasions. 'Don't f****** touch me, alright? I'll knock your f******* head off,' the man can be heard saying. Eventually seven officers swarm on the man and tackle him to the ground. Members of the public begin to converge on the scene and attempt to help the officers by kicking the man in the legs Eventually seven officers swarm on the belligerent man and tackle him to the ground Mr Darragh is facing charges on using vulgar language and criminal force against police officers, as well as causing annoyance to others while drunk in a public place. He started his alleged crime spree about 12.30am local time on April 20. He's alleged to have thrown a man's mobile to the floor and used vulgar language towards him before officers intervened. Mr Darragh will appear in court on Friday. Pope Francis has acknowledged the Vatican has 2,000 clerical sex abuse cases backlogged for processing, but he added that more staff are being brought in to improve progress. This is the first time the pope has responded to the criticism of how the Vatican is handling sex abuse cases since Marie Collins resigned from the Vatican's sex abuse commission on March 1. The prominent Irish abuse survivor left the advisory board citing the 'unacceptable' lack of cooperation from Cardinal Gerhard Mueller's office, which processes canonical cases against pedophile priests. She also said the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith ignored or scuttled commission proposals to protect children and care for abuse victims that had been approved by the pope. Pope Francis, pictured on the plane from Portugal Saturday, has acknowledged the Vatican has 2,000 clerical sex abuse cases backlogged for processing, but he added that more staff are being brought in to improve progress The pope's comments Saturday are his first response to the way the Vatican is handling sex abuse cases since Irish abuse survivor Marie Collins, pictured, left the advisory board in March Francis told reporters on his plane Saturday that Collins was 'a bit right' to criticize how long it takes to process cases, according to Fox News, but he did not address her other concerns with the commission. 'Marie Collins was right on that point,' he said, speaking of her critique of the slow pace. 'But we are on the right path, as there were 2,000 cases backlogged.' He added that more staff are being added to the congregation to boost efficiency and that there are ongoing discussions about giving more regional help to bishops to better prepare their cases before sending them on to the Vatican. The pope was flying home to Portugal just one day before Mother's Day, where he held a moment of silence in St Peter's Square to pray for mothers, 'even our mothers in heaven'. Francis spoke to reporters about backlog of sex abuse cases the day before Mother's Day, where he held a moment of silent prayer for mothers, 'even our mothers in heaven' in St Peter's Square, pictured Speaking of Collins's critique of how long it takes for the sex abuse cases to be processed, Francis said: 'Marie Collins was right on that point. But we are on the right path, as there were 2,000 cases backlogged' He told reporters that more staff are being added to the congregation to boost efficiency and that there are ongoing discussions about giving more regional help to bishops to better prepare their cases On the plane Saturday, Francis also denied that he had accepted a request for clemency from a pedophile priest. Francis has pledged 'zero tolerance' for abusive priests, and he won praise for creating the commission to provide the church with expert advice on protecting children and keeping pedophiles out of the priesthood. But questions have dogged him from the start about whether he really 'gets it' about abuse, given he never dealt with the issue as archbishop and has surrounded himself with cardinal advisers who themselves have botched handling cases. His board has also lost credibility since Collins left in March. She was the only abuse survivor on the commission. When she left the advisory board, Collins, pictured, said the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith ignored or scuttled commission proposals to protect children and care for abuse victims that had been approved by the pope Pope Francis blesses faithful from his studio's window overlooking St. Peter's Square on the occasion of the Regina Coeli noon prayer at the Vatican on Sunday An anonymous group of ex-Muslims has slammed Facebook for its censorship of anti-Islamic content as several pages are shut down and banned for allegedly violating community rules. The group - which is made up of former Muslim-Australians - claims Facebook pulled the plug on pages with thousands of followers after users flagged them as 'disrespecting' the Islam religion, reports The Australian. 'Restrictions to these platforms would be overwhelmingly damaging for ex-Muslims who are too afraid to go public with their views due to the taboo of leaving and criticising a religion,' a spokeswoman for the group said. The group of ex-Muslims claims Facebook shut down several of its anti-Islam pages Australian ex-Muslims allege Facebook censored its content and banned several pages Pioneers of the ex-Muslim groups have condemned the social media giant for censoring content and filtering the type of information available to users. The pages exist for ex-Muslims to denounce their former religion and band together with other previous adherents of Islam. Anti-Islamic pages ripped from cyberspace include the Ex-Muslims of North America page - which soon resurfaced - and a page called Mufti News which parodied Muslim news. Several Arabic-based Atheist pages were also shut down on Facebook, the group alleges. Administrators of the pages have asked Facebook to reconsider its community guidelines to allow for a more diverse conversation on the Islam faith. However dozens of ex-Muslim groups and pages remain visible on Facebook, including the Council of Ex-Muslims of Britain, Ex-Muslims of Norway and Council of Ex-Muslims of New Zealand. The pages exist for ex-Muslims to denounce their former religion and band together with other previous adherents of Islam (stock image) John McDonnell has admitted his proposed 'Robin Hood tax' on transactions in the City would be a 'gamble' with the economy. The Shadow Chancellor has put the plan, which levies a tax on every financial transaction, at the heart of his plans to overhaul the economy. The idea of a financial transaction tax has been around for years but has been dismissed as 'madness' by Labour's London Mayor Sadiq Khan. Mr McDonnell insisted today his proposed levy was 'small' and would be sustainable for the City in a growing economy. John McDonnell (pictured on Sky News today) has admitted his proposed 'Robin Hood tax' on transactions in the City would be a 'gamble' with the economy Mr McDonnell was confronted on Sky News with quotes from Labour's London Mayor warning against a unilateral imposition of a financial transaction tax And he insisted it was a 'contribution' asked for a decade after the taxpayer bailed out the banks. But told by Sky News's Sophy Ridge, he said: 'It is.' Mr McDonnell continued: 'But were talking to a tiny fraction more and when Sadiq was saying that, at that point in time the European system had stalled, it hasnt now, its moved on quite swiftly so I think circumstances have changed, now is the right time to do it. 'This is a small transactional tax, were asking for a small contribution from the City. You know, look, we bailed out the City ten years ago when the crash came, we poured hundreds of billions of pounds into it. 'Since then 100 billion has been given out in bonuses in the City, so were asking for a small contribution from them, what to do, to fund our public services, to make sure our children are educated, to make sure we have a decent health service, its not much to ask you know.' Unveiling the policy earlier, Mr McDonnell said the levy would bring in up to 26 billion over the course of the next parliament, while eliminating the most destabilising forms of speculation on the financial markets. It comes as Labour has been under pressure to explain how it will pay for its ambitious programme of re-nationalisations and expanding public services, set out in a leaked draft of the party's election manifesto. Under the Labour plan, the party said it would revise the 322-year-old stamp duty regime on share-trading, closing down an existing 'loop hole' for banks and hedge funds, and extending it to cover financial 'derivatives' and other highly-traded assets. The Shadow Chancellor has put the plan, which levies a tax on every financial transaction, at the heart of his plans to overhaul the economy. He says it would raise 26billion At the current rate of 0.5 per cent per transaction, the party said the move would raise 4.7 billion in 2016/17, rising to 5.6 billion in 2021/22 - the final year of the next parliament. It said the plan mirrored the financial transactions tax currently being prepared for introduction in 10 European countries. At the same time, the party said it would carry out 'the biggest crackdown in this country's history' on tax avoidance, with a comprehensive programme of tax reform. Following the disclosures in the leaked 'Panama papers' in 2015, it said a Labour government would close the loopholes and clamp down on the network of secretive shell companies and offshore tax havens used by the 'super rich' to shield their wealth. Mr McDonnell said the changes would restore 'fairness' to the system after the bail-out of the banks following the financial crash of 2008. 'The next Labour government will introduce a "Robin Hood Tax" to make the financial sector pay its fair share after it received huge public bailouts in the crash,' he said. 'Ordinary people are still being made to pay by the Tories for a crisis they didn't cause through the worst spending cuts for generations. 'All we're asking for is fairness in our tax system. By making those who trade in financial derivatives pay a small fraction of their profits, we can help properly fund our public services.' Mr McDonnell said the changes would restore 'fairness' to the system after the bail-out of the banks following the financial crash of 2008 As part of its clamp down on tax avoidance, Labour said it would require large companies and wealthy individuals earning more than 1 million to publicly file their tax returns. A new tax enforcement unit would be established in HM Revenue and Customs, with a doubling of the number of staff scrutinising the affairs of companies and high net worth individuals. Tax 'avoiders' would be banned from tendering for public sector contracts while there would be strict new minimum standards for Britain's network of Crown Dependencies and Overseas territories. There would also be a new levy on UK properties bought from offshore trusts located in tax havens, while the party said it would close the so-called 'Mayfair tax' loophole which allows individuals to reduce their tax liabilities by treating interest as capital gains rather than income. MPs would face greater scrutiny, with new rules on the declaration of offshore holdings in the Register of Members' Interests while a public inquiry would be held to examine what lessons could be learned from the Panama papers. Treasury Minister Jane Ellison dismissed the plans as a 'total shambles' from the Labour leadership For the Conservatives, Treasury Minister Jane Ellison dismissed the plans as a 'total shambles' from the Labour leadership. 'The transaction tax has been described as 'madness' by his own mayor of London because it risks economic growth and jobs, and just weeks ago in Parliament Labour blocked measures to stop almost 9 billion worth of tax avoidance,' she said. 'Since 2010, we have recouped an extra 140 billion in tax that would have otherwise been avoided or evaded. We will relentlessly go after those who do not pay their fair share.' The Institute of Economic Affairs (IEA) free market think tank said it was 'naive' to think a financial transactions tax would only hit banks and speculators and warned the costs would 'inevitably' be passed on to customers. 'This is another example of the fallacy that corporations can be tapped for cash with no wider costs, ' said IEA chief economist Julian Jessop. 'In reality, it's always ordinary people who ultimately pay, including consumers and workers. Sherwood Forest wasn't made of magic money trees Russian President Vladimir Putin played piano while awaiting Chinese leader Xi Jinping for bilateral talks in Beijing on Sunday. Ahead of his talks with Xi and other leaders on Sunday at the state Diaoyutai residence, Putin spoke at a summit on China's new Silk Road plan. While waiting for his bilateral with Xi to begin, Putin played several chords on an open piano. Putin played passages from Soviet-era songs about Moscow and St Petersburg, according to TASS news agency and state Russian television. While waiting for his bilateral with Chinese leader Xi Jinping to begin in Beijing on Sunday, Putin played passages from Soviet-era songs about Moscow and St Petersburg on a piano The 64-year-old former KGB spy has demonstrated his skills on the piano in the past although he has mostly cultivated a macho image. That included riding a horse in Siberia, piloting firefighting planes and diving in submersible into the depths of Lake Baikal and Black Sea off Crimea coast. Putin's meeting with Xi comes after the Chinese President pledged $124billion for his ambitious new Silk Road plan to forge a path of peace, inclusiveness and free trade, and called for the abandonment of old models based on rivalry and diplomatic power games. Xi used a summit on the initiative, attended by leaders and top officials from around the world, to bolster China's global leadership ambitions as US President Donald Trump promotes 'America First' and questions existing global free trade deals. The 64-year-old former KGB spy met with Xi and other leaders on Sunday, cincluding Chinese Premier Li Keqiang (second right) President Xi Jinping, center, shakes hands with Russian President Vladimir Putin with Xi's wife Peng Liyuan at right prior to a group photo, during a welcome ceremony for leaders attending the Belt and Road Forum on Sunday Chinese President Xi Jinping, his wife Peng Liyuan and Russian President Vladimir Putin arrive for the welcoming banquet for the Belt and Road Forum at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, China, on Sunday Vladimir Putin travelled to Beijing to hold talks with Chinese Presiding Xi Putin was attending the two-day Belt and Road Conference in Beijing with 29 leaders Other leaders such as the Cambodian PM Hen Suth and Recep Tayyip Erodgan of Turkey attended the special conference along with Kazakh president Nursultan Nazarbayev While Putin was in Beijing, thousands of Musovites held mass protests over their housing 'We should build an open platform of cooperation and uphold and grow an open world economy,' Xi told the opening of the two-day gathering in Beijing. Xi made the announcement in his opening address to a two-day Belt And Road conference in Beijing that brought together leaders from 29 countries. Some of China's most reliable allies and partners are at the forum, including Putin, Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen and Kazakh President Nursultan Nazarbayev. Putin and Turkey's Recep Tayyip Erdogan also spoke at the opening ceremony. Meanwhile, back in Russia, thousands of Muscovites joined a protest rally in the centre of the Russian capital on Sunday against government plans to resettle millions of citizens from shoddy Soviet-era apartment blocks. Meanwhile, back in Russia, thousands of Muscovites joined a protest rally in the centre of the Russian capital on Sunday against government plans to resettle millions of citizens from shoddy Soviet-era apartment blocks Authorities want to resettle millions of people from their Soviet-era dilapidated flats The draft law on renovation envisages moving some Muscovites into modern flats but has also fuelled concerns about property rights, a year after city authorities provoked an outcry among small businesses by bulldozing many street kiosks. Moscow residents are also concerned about the location and quality of the planned new accommodation, a lack of services and infrastructure and about threats the redevelopment may pose to the historic face of the Russian capital. Organisers put the number of people attending the rally at up to 60,000, or 10 times the number originally agreed with Moscow authorities. Police put the number at 8,000, Russian news agencies said, though their estimate covered a smaller area. Protesters brandished banners that read 'Hands off our homes' and 'My house is my castle'. The former Director of National Intelligence James Clapper pointed a finger toward Russia and at the White House, warning that American institutions are under seige. 'The developments of the past week are very bothersome, very disburbing to me,' Clapper, who retired in January, told CNN's Jake Tapper. 'I think in many ways our institutions are under assault both externally and that's the big news here is the Russian interference in our election system and I think as well our institutions are under assault internally.' When Tapper asked if 'internally' meant from President Trump who sent shockwaves around the country and the globe this week by firing FBI Director James Comey Clapper answered, 'exactly.' Scroll down for video Former Director of National Intelligence James Clapper said American institutions are 'under assault' and said 'exactly' when Jake Tapper identified President Trump as the culprit CNN's Jake Tapper (left) sat down with former DNI chief James Clapper (right) on Sunday and asked him about President Trump's decision to fire FBI Director James Comey Delving into the question of why, Clapper explained that Trump was messing with the balance of the three branches of government. 'I think the founding fathers, in their genius, created a system of three co-equal brances of government and a built-in system of checks and balances,' Clapper pointed out. 'I feel as though that is under assault and it's eroding,' Clapper said. Clapper said he was 'concerned' with Trump's firing of Comey this week. 'I do know that it came as a great shock to, it was very disturbing to FBI employees, I spoke to one last night at a dinner that was quite upset about it and I think that reflects the feeling, the widespread feeling in the FBI,' Clapper said. 'It's a national treasure,' he said of the agency. 'And it's very disturbing to me that the negative morale impact this event has had.' Clapper admitted that while Comey made some controversial decisions he received criticism from both Democrats and Republicans for his handling of the Hillary Clinton email case people still respected his 'stature as a leader and his integrity.' 'People are very upset about the way he was treated,' Clapper said. Comey's congresional testimony, along with that of ex-acting Attorney General Sally Yates, reportedly ticked off President Trump. But Clapper, who spoke before Congress on Monday, Trump tried using for validation. 'When James Clapper himself, and virtually everyone else with knowledge of the witch hunt, says thereis not collusion, when does it end?' the president tweeted on Friday. On Monday, the day Clapper and Yates testified, Trump made the same point. 'Director Clapper reiterated what everybody, including the fake media already konws- there is "no evidence" of collusion w/ Russia and Trump,' the president tweeted. But that's not exactly what Clapper said, the former DNI chief again explained Sunday. While serving as DNI chief from 2010 to 2017, Clapper said he left it up to the FBI director 'whether, when and what to tell me about any counter-intelligence investigations they may have under way.' In the case of the Trump-Russia investigation, Clapper didn't learn about its existence until Comey publicly confirmed it during Congressional testimony the now ex-FBI director gave in March. 'I did not have any evidence. I did not know about the investigation,' Clapper said again on Sunday. What Trump glommed onto is the fact that 'there was no reporting in that intelligence community assessment about political collusion,' Clapper explained. The assessment was signed off on by the CIA, FBI and NSA, and laid out what the intelligence community concluded about Russia's involvment in the 2016 presidential election. Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., asked Clapper how it could be that the FBI was investigating whether there was collusion, but, at the same time, signed off on an assessment that said there was no evidence of it. 'I can only speculate why that's so. There wasn't the evidence, if there was any, didn't reach the evidentiary bar in terms of the level of confidence that we were striving for in that intelligence community assessment,' Clapper explained on Monday. On State of the Union, Clapper explained that his statements shouldn't be interpreted the way the president has tried to push. In short, the FBI's investigation could still produce evidence of collusion. 'So the bottom line is, I don't know if there was collusion, political collusion, and I don't know of any evidence to it,' Clapper said. 'So I can't refute it and I can't confirm it.' A fledgling police officer is following the family tradition by becoming the fifth consecutive generation to join the same police force. Adam McWalter, 27, previously worked as a police community support officer with West Midlands Police. But he become a fully-trained officer after completing the force's intensive PC training programme this summer. Adam McWalter, who is the fifth generation to join West Midlands Police, with father Andy McWalter (left), grandfather John McWalter (second right) and uncle Ian McWalter (right) Adam is the eighth member of the McWalter family and fifth consecutive generation to join West Midlands Police, since the early 1900s. Previously known as Birmingham City Police, the force is the second largest in Britain. Adam said: 'It is hard to believe the family has been involved in policing in the West Midlands for more than 100 years. 'Having heard all about the force from relatives it definitely made me want to become a police officer. 'It is clearly in my blood, but the thought of being able to help protect the public and make a difference is really inspiring. 'I'm enjoying the training programme and have learned many new skills. Tradition: Great-great-great-grandfather Richard McWalter was a sergeant with Flintshire Police in Wales during late 1800s 'It is everything I thought it would be and more.' The McWalter name has long been associated with West Midlands Police with family members carrying out roles from beat bobbie to chief inspector over the last century. Incredibly, Adam's great-great-great-grandfather Richard was also a sergeant with Flintshire Police in Wales during the late 1800s. Since then there have been seven other family members based in the Midlands, including his great-great-grandfather John, who was a chief inspector. Adam's great-grandfather Joseph also joined the force and his grandfather John was detective sergeant with West Midlands Police in 1974. His father Andy was a detective constable in the force's vehicle crime team before his retirement in 2011. Meanwhile, Adam's uncle Ian was also a detective sergeant before he transferred to the National Crime Agency in 2000. Andy said: 'Times may have changed, but there will always be the same basic principle of policing with the protection of the public at the heart of it all. 'The family never put any pressure on Adam to sign up, but when the recruitment process opened he was determined to follow on the tradition. 'I thoroughly enjoyed my time with West Midlands Police and hopefully Adam will go on to have a great career within the force.' Cassie Sainsbury may block her mother and sister from seeing her in a Colombian jail cell, admitting to 'family dramas' in the wake of their $1 million 60 Minutes deal. The accused drug smuggler's mother Lisa Evans and her sister Khala arrived at the El Buen Pastor jail, in Bogota, late last week, hoping to see the 22-year-old for the first time since she was found with 5.8kg of cocaine at El Dorado Airport on April 11. But despite being expected to set foot inside the jail on Monday, its believed their visit could yet be blocked by Sainsbury, who is reportedly upset at them for signing a TV deal with 60 Minutes without her approval. In even worse news for Sainsbury, her fiance Scott Broadbridge who is now also in South America, may have to wait close to a week to visit her after paperwork failed to be finalised in time for his expected visit on Sunday, the Daily Telegraph reports. Scroll down for video Cassie Sainsbury (pictured) may block her mother and sister from seeing her in a Colombian jail cell, admitting to 'family dramas' in the wake of their $1 million 60 Minutes deal Scott Broadbridge (left, with Sainsbury) hoped to step foot inside El Buen Pastor jail, Bogota, on Sunday, but his paperwork couldn't be completed inside the six-hour visiting window Despite being set to step into the prison for the first time on Monday, its believed Sainsbury could be set block their visit, saying she's having 'family dramas' with her mother Lisa Evans (left) and sister Sainsbury was anticipating her first visits from family this week in jail, where she has been since being found with 5.8kg of cocaine at El Dorado Airport on April 11. But it's believed that although her mother and sister may be allowed into the prison on Monday, the accused drug smuggler could boycott their visit. Sainsbury is said to be 'devastated' that her fiance couldn't see her, after the Channel Seven crew joining him and paying his way couldn't finalise his paperwork. Having missed out on the allotted six-hour visiting window on Sunday, means that Mr Broadbridge may now have to wait until next Saturday to see his fiancee. It comes after a guard inside the El Buen Pastor prison labelled the accused drug smuggler a liar, bully and attention seeker. The female prison guard working at El Buen Pastor prison said Sainsbury has been feeding 'bad information' to the media since being arrested last month. 'Cassie likes attention and she knows how to get it,' the guard, who wished to remain anonymous, told 9 News. A Colombian prison guard has labelled accused drug smuggler Cassandra Sainsbury as a liar, bully and attention seeker The female prison guard - who wished to remain anonymous - said Sainsbury has been feeding 'bad information' to the media since being arrested last month 'She's not my most difficult prisoner, but I don't like her lies,' the female prison guard said 'She's not my most difficult prisoner, but I don't like her lies.' The guard also claimed the 22-year-old has been bullying a fellow inmate who she was pictured smiling with. Sainsbury previously told News Corp in a phone interview that she didn't give permission for the photo to be released, however the guard believes she was happy to have the photo taken. 'She is bullying another prisoner for taking a picture with her,' the guard said. 'But we believe Cassie wanted to take the picture.' She also accused Sainsbury of lying about not being able to access medical facilities or enough food. 'That's a lie. Every prisoner gets checked out for their health. She has access to private doctors too if she wants,' she told 9 News. The accusations come after Sainsbury hit out at the two separate television deals struck by members of her family and her fiance. Sainsbury's mother and sister have negotiated a $1 million interview deal with Channel Nine's 60 Minutes program, reportedly without her knowledge, but her fiance Scott Broadbridge has signed on with Channel Seven's Sunday Night. The guard also claimed that Sainsbury (right) has been bullying a fellow inmate who she was pictured smiling with (pictured) She has also been accused of lying about not being able to access medical facilities or enough food inside the prison The 22-year-old said she would be discussing 'whatever's been going on with the two stories' when she gets a chance to be reunited with her mother and sister, who have recently arrived in Colombia, News Corp reported. 'It's just typical family drama,' Sainsbury said from Bogota's El Buen Pastor Women's prison, where she is being held after 5.8 kilograms of cocaine was allegedly found in her luggage on April 11 at Colombia's El Dorado International Airport. Sainsbury's mother and sister made a desperate attempt on Saturday to communicate with the accused drug smuggler, as her fiance was turned away from the prison gates. Shouting 'Cassie, its mumma' across the embankment to El Buen Pastor Women's prison, Bogota, the 22-year-old's mother Lisa Evans and sister Khala Sainsbury tried desperately to see her following her arrest. Sainsbury, who has made a friend in prison, said she has been trying to get hold of her fiance. Mother Lisa Evans and sister Khala Sainsbury shouted 'Cassie, its mumma' across the embankment to El Buen Pastor Women's prison, Bogota when they attempted to see her Cassie's fiance Scott Broadbridge (pictured) was turned away from the prison gates when he went to see her 'I think it's nothing to do with me. I think it's something to do with the prison and the way they want to set up the visitation,' she said. Colombian police have alleged Sainsbury was lured into becoming a drug mule because she was in debt and told it would be easy money. Colonel Rodrigo Soler, anti-narcotics chief at Bogota's El Dorado International Airport, said Sainsbury was a perfect mark for drug smugglers. He alleged she was likely told the job was pre-arranged and airport staff and police were paid off on both sides of the journey to let her through with the 5.8 kilograms of cocaine she carried in her luggage. 'The owner of the drug who convinces the people to smuggle the drugs, he says everything is fixed up. Everything in the airport is fixed. Everything is easy,' he told News Corp. Colonel Soler said drug traffickers often took advantage of young people like Sainsbury who were facing economic hardship and needed fast cash. Police said Sainsbury was likely told the job was pre-arranged and airport staff and police were paid off on both sides of the journey to let her through Sainsbury was thousands of dollars in debt after her failed Yorke's Fitness, in her hometown on SA's Yorke Peninsula failed and she abruptly skipped town. The Adelaide woman claimed she was set up by a man named 'Angelo' who arranged to buy her headphones at a cheap price as gifts for her wedding party. She claimed the 18 packages wrapped in black plastic containing the cocaine were given to her the morning of her flight and she didn't know they were drugs. Colombian police seized CCTV footage of Angelo at the hotel where she stayed for eight nights before her flight, and she hoped it would help prove her innocence. But Colonel Soler and his colleagues said since the beginning of the investigation that they did not believe her story and that she knew what she was doing. Lt Colonel Jorge Triana told Daily Mail Australia soon after news of Sainsbury's arrest broke that drug mules often feigned ignorance when they were caught. She claimed the 18 packages wrapped in black plastic containing the cocaine were given to her the morning of her flight and she didn't know they were drugs 'It's a commonplace strategy that narco traffickers use to take drugs out of the country,' he said. 'Her explanation is not credible. Everyone we catch says they didn't know it was in their luggage, but they know what they were doing.' Colonel Soler also said '90 per cent' of people in her situation said they were trapped and cheated and didn't know they were carrying drugs. 'They majority also end up accepting responsibility (for the crime) because they say they have economic problems, family problems, they have no job,' he said. He said all drug mules progress through a familiar three stages after they arrested, starting with denial where Sainsbury is still sitting. The young woman maintained her innocence to police and media, and through her family, and even when she was filmed waving at TV crews behind bars. An inmate friend even held out a sign reading: 'Cassandra Pide Libertad Immediata', which translates in English to: 'Cassandra asks for freedom immediately'. For the second time this week, a Russian jet has 'buzzed' a US recon plane over the Black Sea. The US Navy P-8 Poseidon was flying in international airspace around 30 miles from Russia and 100 miles from the Russian-held Crimea on Friday when an Su-27 jet raced by, close to it, officials told Fox News. That came three days after a similar incident in the Black Sea - and two days after a meeting between Donald Trump and Russian foreign minister Sergey Lavrov. Scroll down for video Buzzed: A Russian Su-27 jet like the one pictured flew close to a US recon plane in international airspace, around 100 miles from Russia-held Crimea, on Friday. It's not known if it was armed Incident: The encounter recalled a Tuesday incident in which an armed Su-27 buzzed a US P-8A Poseidon (pictured) in the area. The US has stepped up its role in the zone as tensions rise It's not yet known whether the Russian plane was armed, or whether either of the aircraft involved in the incident are the same as the ones from Tuesday's encounter. The Su-27 spotted on Tuesday had six AA-10 'Alamo' air-to-air missiles under its wings when it flew just 20 feet from the recon plane. That encounter occurred just of the coast of Crimea, an area that has seen increased attention from the US ever since 2014, when Russia annexed it. The US isn't the only country to have been harassed by Russia: On Thursday a Russian Su-24 attack jet flew into South Korea's Air Defense Zone. The American ally then scrambled two F-16 jets to see it off - but not before the plane flew within 70 miles of the USS Carl Vinson aircraft carrier in the Sea of Japan. Both US encounters with the Su-27s last week occurred on either side of Trump's closed-doors Wednesday meeting with Russian officials. He spoke to Lavrov and Sergey Kislyak, the Russian diplomat who has been fingered as a spy by intelligence agencies, and whose meetings with Mike Flynn led to the latter being dismissed as National Security Adviser in February. US media were shut out of the Wednesday meeting, but pictures taken by Russian photographers were released through the Russian state media. White House sources said they were blindsided by the unannounced release of the photos, and scrambled to save face. The following day, Trump tweeted both a photo of himself with Lavrov and Pavlo Klimkin, the Ukrainian foreign minister, with the tag #LetsMakePeace. Embarassing: The 'buzzing' occurred before and after Russian state media tweeted a photo (pictured) of Trump's Wednesday meeting with Sergey Kislyak, the Russian diplomat accused of colluding with the president's associates to disrupt the election Saving face: Trump attempted to save face Thursday by tweeting these photos of meetings with Russian foreign minister Sergei Lavrov (right) and Ukraine's FM Pavlo Klimkin, which he said also occurred on Wednesday Trump also dragged Putin into the growing tensions in North Korea on Saturday. In response to Kim Jong-un's launch of a missile that landed in the Sea of Japan 60 miles south of Vladivostok, the White House released a statement that questioned how Putin would react. 'With the missile impacting so close to Russian soil - in fact, closer to Russia than to Japan - the President cannot imagine that Russia is pleased,' it said. After reaffirming the US's commitment to its allies in the region, the statement concluded: 'Let this latest provocation serve as a call for all nations to implement far stronger sanctions against North Korea.' President Donald Trump ordered his homeland security adviser, Tom Bossert, to hold an emergency meeting Friday night. The meeting was called to assess the threat posed by a global computer ransomware attack, a senior administration official told Reuters. Senior security staff held another meeting in the White House Situation Room on Saturday. President Trump ordered his Homeland Security Advisor Tom Bossert to hold an emergency meeting Friday night to assess the threat posed by a global computer ransomware attack Homeland Security Advisor Tom Bossert held an emergency meeting Friday night to discuss last week's massive hack, in which a stolen program from the NSA was likely used That meeting was attended by several cabinet secretaries, deputy secretaries and 'appropriate staff,' according to reporting from Politico. The attack affected more than 200,000 computers, in at least 150 countries. The FBI and National Security Agency were trying to identify the perpetrators of the massive cyber attack, said the official, who spoke with Reuters on the condition of anonymity to discuss internal deliberations. The malware attack affected the U.K.'s National Health Services and Russia's Interior Ministry, along with brand-name companies including FedEx and Nissan, according to Bloomberg News, which confirmed the White House meetings. The attack used a tool called Eternal Blue, which was developed by the National Security Agency and then stolen, according to the Financial Times. Attackers used a modified version of a virus called WannaCry, which encrypts computer files and demands a fee to have them unlocked. Generally, computers are infected via email, but in this case, WannaCry spread through computer networks with the help of Eternal Blue, which allows the malware to spread through file-sharing protocols. In many cases, these internal networks span the globe. Security officials in the United Kingdom believe the hacks are the work of a criminal group, but their identity has not been revealed. A 22-year-old English researcher stopped, or at least paused the attack, by registering a domain that acted as a kill switch in the code, according to the Guardian. Disruptions could continue Monday, however, as people return to work, officials warn. Advertisement Eerie images look inside a First World War naval complex and was used to help men get back on their feet after losing their homes during the Great Depression. The pictures show graffiti sprawled over the walls of the gigantic complex which spans across three six-story buildings, weeds growing up the rusted outside gates and dusty chairs scattered across a meeting room. One photograph shows cut out targets that were once used for SWAT training, whilst another shows a sticker promoting the base as an army recruiting battalion. Eerie images reveal the inside of a massive naval complex which has lain empty for the past six years One of the many targets which had been placed throughout one floor of the complex used for SWAT training A collection of empty shells at the naval complex which has been used for multiple training sessions for the US Navy and other federal agencies A Naval recruitment notice reveals the former life of the now empty 30-acre site on the Mississippi River The shots were taken at the buildings on the East Bank of the Mississippi River which made up the Naval Support Activity in New Orleans, Louisiana by an urban explorer known only as Abandoned Southeast. 'This is a massive abandoned U.S. military base in New Orleans that sits along the Mississippi River,' he said. 'I read about this facility online in a news article and we were able to enter the facility through an unlocked door. 'The problem we had was when we encountered a homeless man and his dog living in one of the buildings that weren't very friendly.' The shots were taken at the buildings on the East Bank of the Mississippi River which made up the Naval Support Activity in New Orleans, Louisiana by an urban explorer known only as Abandoned Southeast Cape Knox, a ready reserve vessel, remains docked behind the naval complex. It can be mobilized within five days Pictures show weeds growing up through the basketall court, and graffiti sprawled over the walls of the gigantic complex The 1.5 million-square-foot center spans across both sides of the Mississippi River and was built during the First World War by the US Army and was completed in 1919 The 1.5 million-square-foot center spans across both sides of the Mississippi River and was built during the First World War by the US Army and was completed in 1919. The Bywater Facility was home to 3,900 active duty personnel and 2,700 civilian personnel. In 1934, The Louisiana Emergency Relief Administration opened the complex as a transient camp, training and sheltering 25,000 New Orleans residents who had lost homes during the Great Depression. During the Second World War it was in complete use by the military as the New Orleans Port of Embarkation under Army Transportation Corps. This notice is one of the many mementos and reminders of the huge site's long, military past In 1934, The Louisiana Emergency Relief Administration opened the complex as a transient camp, training and sheltering 25,000 New Orleans residents who had lost homes during the Great Depression In the 1970s, it was renamed the F. Edward Hebert Defence Complex, after the New Orleans Congressman who served a stint as chairman of the House Armed Services Committee The graffiti-lined street runs up to the ship in the distance. The Navy left behind a small security detail when they closed the base, but it seems they have been unable to stop the vandalism at the site Between 1944 and 1966, the naval complex became the US Naval Headquarters after the Army transferred ownership to the Navy, and along with the neighboring Algiers base on the West Bank. It became known as the Naval Support Activity (NSA) in 1966. It also housed the Navy Reserve and Marine Corps Reserve. In the 1970s, it was renamed the F. Edward Hebert Defence Complex, after the New Orleans Congressman who served a stint as chairman of the House Armed Services Committee. But in 2005, during a Navy bases reshuffle, officials decided to relocate its headquarters to Virginia, and personnel functions to Tennessee. When the base closed in 2011, the Marine Corps Reserve headquarters moved to the neighboring Algiers complex. However, the Navy did leave behind a small security detail staff with a caretaker to ensure the property was secured and maintained, although it seems like a losing battle as weeds and graffiti threaten to overrun the buildings. Another shows a sticker, posted on a wood paneled wall, is promoting the base as an army recruiting battalion A long dusty table, surrounded by luxurious chairs and collapsing ceiling panels reveals a military meeting point A Tory councillor has been suspended after causing outrage after tweeting about Ireland and 'f****** gypsies' during the Eurovision Song Contest. Nick Harrington, a Conservative Party councillor in Warwick District Council, stunned social media with the comments. He added: 'Hard border coming folks!', referring to stricter controls between the Irish and British borders post Brexit. Nick Harrington was suspended by Warwick District Council for six months after the outburst Mr Harrington has been suspended from the Warwick District Council for six months, the Coventry Telegraph reported. Andrew Mobbs, leader of the council, said: 'I find these comments completely unacceptable. 'I have had a number of people contact me by telephone and email this morning with concerns. 'I have suspended councilor Harrington from the Conservative group on Warwick District Council for six months. There will be an investigation.' Mr Harrington was also suspended from the Conservative Party. His Twitter account was also taken down on Sunday. The expletive-laden tirade came after Ireland awarded the UK zero points during last night - which seems to have prompted Mr Harrington's outburst. The comment was liked 13 times and gained 11 tweets, but quickly drew widespread condemnation. Conor O'Carroll posted: 'You are a perfect Tory. A nasty bigot that drops his guard when he's p***ed and makes a fool of himself. You believe every word you said.' Harrington was suspended from Warwick District Council for six months Harrington's tweet quickly caused a firestorm of criticism on Twitter Andrew Mobbs, leader of Warwick District Council, suspended Harrington after numerous complaints Susan Burningham tweeted: '@nickjharrington are you aware racism is unlawful? Do you wish to continue being a Councillor' Johnoorie said: 'Hahaha nul points for the stupid Brexit country.' Warwick District Council has 'apologised unreservedly' for the outburst from Harrington. Mr Harrington, who lives with Elaine, 50, declined to comment at their 400,000 home in the village of Weston-under-Wetherley, near Leamington Spa, yesterday, where he also serves as chairman of the parish council. Former X Factor contestant Lucie Jones, 26, who represented the UK with Never Give Up On You, finished 15th the nations best result since 2011. Ireland's Brendan Murray crashed out of Eurovision in the semi finals on Thursday The Welsh singer appeared overjoyed by the results, posting on social media: I WONNNNNN!!! Oh no wait... While the UK did receive four points from the Irish public via the telephone vote, the countrys jury opted not to reward Miss Jones for her efforts. Portugal's Salvador Sobral won last night's contest in Kiev, with Britain's Lucie Jones coming 15th, between Azerbaijan and Austria. Ireland's Brendan Murray crashed out in the semi finals on Thursday. Married nurse bought Cregan, pictured, protein shakes because he likes bodybuilding Hospital bosses have moved an 'overly-friendly' married nurse off the ward of double police killer Dale Cregan, is has been reported. Staff at the high-security hospital, where Cregan was transferred after being diagnosed with mental illness in 2015, were said to have grown wary when the nurse, in her 30s, bought the murderer presents. The woman, who lives with her husband near Ashworth Hospital in Merseyside, was said to have brought in protein shakes and bars for Cregan, a keen bodybuilder. A source told the Mirror that the 'good-natured' woman was in danger of being taken 'advantage of' by the 'manipulative and dangerous' killer. They added that there were security concerns after the relationship became too friendly. Cregan, 33, was told he would die in prison when he was jailed for life without parole for shooting police officers Fiona Bone, left, and Nicola Hughes, right, in 2012 Many claimed Cregan would receive a 'cushy' lifestyle at Ashworth, pictured, when he was moved from prison to the high-security psychiatric unit two years ago They said: 'She regularly brought Cregan in protein bars and shakes. She was getting over-friendly with him. This sort of thing is frowned upon to say the least. The security implications are obvious. 'There was nothing to suggest it was anything other than the nurse being too good-natured and wanting to help. It was decided it was best to move her.' Cregan, 33, who lost an eye in a brawl years ago, was told he would die in prison when he was jailed for life without parole for shooting police officers Fiona Bone and Nicola Hughes in 2012. Cregan killed PC Fiona Bone (left) and PC Nicola Hughes by luring them to a house with a fake 999 call before shooting them 32 times on the doorstep and then throwing a grenade at them He killed the two policewomen after luring them to a house with a fake 999 call before shooting them 32 times on the doorstep and then throwing a grenade at them. The notorious killer sparked controversy when he was moved from prison to the high-security psychiatric unit two years ago, as many claimed he would receive a 'cushy' lifestyle at Ashworth. Patients at the facility, where Moors murderer Ian Brady was detained for 30 years, are offered comfortable bedrooms and allowed personal items such as CDs, photos and books. A spokesman for Mersey Care NHS Trust told The Mirror: 'We cannot comment on individual patients because of rules covering patient confidentiality.' Matthew Yates secretly filmed female clients A masseur is facing jail for secretly filming female clients using a camera hidden inside a clock. Iraq War veteran Matthew Yates, 38, recorded himself giving full-body massages to the women who were either naked or partially clothed. The former RAF serviceman claimed he made the secret films to protect himself from false complaints from female customers. But a jury found him guilty of five charges of voyeurism and three sexual assaults after a trial at Nottingham Crown Court. Yates, of Loughborough, Leicestershire, was bailed by Recorder Paul Mann QC until his sentencing hearing in June. But the judge warned him he would be sent to prison when he returned to the court next month. Recorder Mann said: 'I am adjourning until Friday, June 2. 'I do so only to give you opportunity to put your affairs in order. 'Bring your toothbrush, you are going to prison, unless circumstances are put before me that are wholly exceptional. 'That is what you should be expecting when you turn up.' The court heard there was no dispute Yates secretly filmed his naked or nearly-naked clients as he gave them full body massages. Yates claimed he felt insecure when he became a masseur and had been seeing a counsellor for anxiety and depression. He claimed he adopted the policy of using the secret camera after setting up his business under another name. Prosecutor Gregor Purcell said he advertised on Gumtree and then Facebook using the name 'Chris Parker Mobile Massage Therapist' from around 2012. Yates was found guilty of five charges of voyeurism and three sexual assaults after a trial at Nottingham Crown Court (pictured) He added: 'There is no issue that he put a camera between all those women's legs. 'You have to decide what he intended when he did that.' Yates, who denied all the charges, claimed he used the camera to give 'a factual account' so 'nothing could be said that didn't happen'. He told the jury: 'My insecurities at the time, my paranoia. 'The filming was for the sole purpose of my protection. 'I was concerned, due to the nature of some of the requests I had, that my actions could be misinterpreted and I wanted a factual account of what did occur.' Yates said he served in the RAF and later spent eight years as a contract manager for a firm. Yates said his annual salary had reached 37,000 but he was 'overwhelmed with debt' following a marriage breakup and took up massage as a second job. Asked why he did not use his own name when advertising his services, he told the jury: 'I didn't want any connection with my current employment. 'I wanted to keep it completely separate. 'I was embarrassed I had to take a second job to try to keep up with bills and payments. I was in a managerial role.' Yates looked shocked as the unanimous verdicts were delivered. Shoppers have reacted with fury after supermarket Asda appears to have stopped selling loose fruit and vegetables. Customers have spoken of their shock at finding only bagged produce at stores in Bristol and Lancashire and have accused the chain of causing food waste. Many have vented their anger on social media, posting pictures of supermarket aisles only containing pre-packed fruit and vegetables. Shoppers in Bristol are furious after claiming Asda in Bedminster, pictured, has stopped selling loose fruit and vegetables Jonathan Bowdin tweeted this picture of an Asda in Colne, Lancashire, complaining about only being able to buy bagged produce One shopper told the Bristol Post: 'It's not even about the money (although for some it will be) but think of the food waste. 'Also think of a poor granny having to carry 1kg of carrots and 1kg of potatoes home when she's cooking a stew for one!' Others said staff at a store in Bedminster, Bristol, had 'apologised' to customers over the situation. It is unknown whether Asda have stopped selling loose produce across the whole UK, but one shopper complained about the issue at a shop in Colne, Lancashire, on Twitter. Jonathan Bowdin said: 'Yo @Asda colne. Where's all your loose fruit and veg gone? I don't want a bag of carrots.' Dave Morrow, of Manchester, added on Twitter: It is true. I shopped in ASDA Radcliffe Friday and all pre bagged & no loose veg. Others have branded the lack of loose fruit and vegetables at Asda a 'rip off' Dave Morrow said he tried to buy loose fruit and vegetables at an Asda in Manchester to no avail 'Surely bigger food wastage for the store and the customer?' Tanya Johnston wrote online: 'I'm in shock #Asda in a day and age when we are trying to cut food waste and plastic and you stop selling loose veg.' And Twitter user Hash Brown added: 'What a load of c*** not selling fruit and veg loose anymore, I wanted 4 apples not 6 and 3 carrots not 10 #ripoff.' MailOnline has contacted Asda for comment. ELKO The Bristlecone Audubon Chapter invites everyone to join them on May 19 for a presentation on the plants of the Mojave Desert. North America has four deserts: Great Basin Desert, Mojave Desert, Sonoran Desert and the Chihuahuan Desert. While the Great Basin Desert includes the majority of Nevadas landscapes, a small portion of the Mojave Desert is found in Southern Nevada. The Mojave Desert is the smallest of North Americas deserts, with the largest portion of the desert found in southeastern California. A small region covers portions of Nevada, Utah and Arizona. Precipitation ranges from 5 inches a year in the western parts to less than 2 inches in the east. The group will meet at 7 p.m. in Room 208 of the DCIT Building at Great Basin College, 1050 Chilton Circle. Lois and Mark Ports have explored and photographed many areas of the Mojave Desert in the past 10 years. This presentation will share the natural history of many of the shrubs, trees and wildflowers that are found there. Historical uses of many of the plants will be included. The PowerPoint slides will be captioned so that this talk can be enjoyed by those from the Deaf community and those who are hearing impaired. For further information contact Lois Ports at 738-4270 or BristleconeAudubon@gmail.com. A calf born seemingly healthy at a North Dakota ranch has an extra set of limbs hanging off its neck. The Black Angus calf was born Wednesday at Gerald Skalsky's ranch south of Beulah. Skalsky, 59, says he plans to have the extra limbs surgically removed so it doesn't get caught in a fence 'I've been ranching my whole life, and I've never seen anything like it,' Skalsky told the Bismarck Tribune. A calf born seemingly healthy at a North Dakota ranch has an extra set of limbs hanging off its neck. The Black Angus calf was born Wednesday at Gerald Skalsky's (pictured holding the calf) ranch south of Beulah Skalsky, 59, says he plans to have the extra limbs (pictured) surgically removed so it doesn't get caught in a fence, but he doesn't plan to keep it Skalsky said he doesn't plan to keep the calf for breeding but he still plans to keep the calf's mother. The calf could've been born with one of two disorders, polydactyly or polymelia, state veterinarian Susan Keller told the Tribune. With polymelia the extra limbs are often smaller or shrunken. Polydactyly is the result of genetic combinations involving recessive genes. Keller says this type of defect is an 'important topic that producers should not be afraid to report to their veterinarian and to all breed associations'. She also suggested taking a DNA sample from the calf, cow and bull in order to determine 'if the defect is genetic or due to other potential causes'. Gerald Kitto, a veterinarian at Sheridan Animal Hospital, told the Tribune that he's seen 'three or four calves with an extra limb' in his 42 years of work. He said, in his opinion, it could be a set of twins that didn't split during development. 'It can be something else, but I think it's more a mistake in gestation,' Kitto added. According to the experts, the condition isn't fatal. J.W. Ledford Jr., scheduled to be put to death by lethal injection on Tuesday, wants a firing squad instead A man set to be executed on Tuesday requested a huge last meal after asking for death by firing squad instead of lethal injection. Atlanta death row inmate J.W. 'Boy' Ledford Jr, 45, convicted in the January 1992 stabbing death of his 73-year-old neighbor, Dr Harry Johnston, near his home in Murray County in northwest Georgia, argued that his scheduled death by lethal injection will cause unconstitutional suffering. He says execution by firing squad is preferable. He is scheduled for execution at 7pm on Tuesday at Georgia Diagnostic and Classification Prison in Jackson, Georgia. For his final meal, Ledford requested filet mignon wrapped in bacon with pepper jack cheese, large french fries, 10 chicken tenders with sauce, fried pork chops, a blooming onion, pecan pie with vanilla ice cream, sherbet and a Sprite, according to WGLC. Ledford made the request for his last meal Friday after his lawyers filed a federal lawsuit that said Ledford suffers from chronic nerve pain that has been treated with increasing doses of the drug gabapentin for more than a decade. LEDFORD'S LAST MEAL - CALORIES Filet mignon wrapped in bacon (6oz) - approximately 310 calories Pepper jack cheese (1oz) - approximately 105 calories Blooming onion (1) - approximately 1,949 calories Large french fries (5.90z) - approximately 510 calories Fried pork chops (196g) - approximately 310 calories Chicken tenders with sauce (10) - approximately 860 calories Pecan pie (1 slice) - approximately 456 calories Vanilla ice cream (.5 cup) - approximately 145 calories Sherbet (.5 cup) - approximately 107 calories Sprite (21oz) - approximately 192 calories Total - 4,944 calories Sources: My Fitness Pal, FatSecret.com Advertisement They cite experts who say long-term exposure to gabapentin alters brain chemistry in such a way that lethal injection drug pentobarbital cannot be relied upon to make him unconscious and devoid of sensation or feeling. 'Accordingly, there is a substantial risk that Mr. Ledford will be aware and in agony as the pentobarbital attacks his respiratory system, depriving his brain, heart, and lungs of oxygen as he drowns in his own saliva,' the lawsuit says. That would violate the prohibition on cruel and unusual punishment enshrined in the Eighth Amendment of the US Constitution, Ledford's lawyers argue. But the US Supreme Court has said that when challenging an execution method on those grounds, an inmate must propose a 'known and available' method of execution. Ledford's lawyers, therefore, suggest that he be executed by firing squad. There is no alternative method of lethal injection available to the state since the drugs used in executions have become increasingly difficult for states to obtain because manufacturers have prohibited their use for capital punishment, the lawsuit says. But the Supreme Court has held that execution by firing squad is constitutional, and Georgia already has the skilled personnel, weapons and ammunition needed to carry one out, Ledford's lawyers argue. There are numerous law enforcement officers who currently have the necessary training to pass a proficiency test to qualify for a firing squad, they say. They note, however, that the 11th US Circuit Court of Appeals has previously ruled - including as recently as this week in an Alabama case - that an inmate can only suggest an alternative execution method that is already authorized by Georgia law, and Georgia law only allows execution by lethal injection. Three states - Mississippi, Oklahoma and Utah - allow for a firing squad as a backup if lethal injection drugs aren't available, said Robert Dunham, executive director of the Death Penalty Information Center, which compiles statistics on capital punishment. Ledford is set to be executed Tuesday by lethal injection at the Georgia Diagnostic and Classification Prison in Jackon (the lethal injection gurney, above) Ledford is effectively prevented from meeting the burden imposed by the Supreme Court of proposing an alternative execution method when challenging the state's execution protocol as unconstitutionally cruel and unusual since state law only allows for lethal injection, his lawyers say. For that reason, they say they recognize that a dismissal of their lawsuit on those grounds is inevitable and say that a quick dismissal would allow enough time for them to request a hearing before the full 11th Circuit. The office of state Attorney General Chris Carr had no comment Friday morning on the lawsuit, spokeswoman Katelyn McCreary said in an email. US District Judge Steve Jones had ordered the state's lawyers to file a response to the lawsuit by 4:30pm Friday. Ledford was only 20, above, when he murdered his 73-year-old neighbor, Dr. Harry Johnston, whom he had known all of his life Ledford's lawyers also have asked the judge to order the state not to discontinue or withhold his medication pending his execution. That could cause him to suffer withdrawal symptoms and would leave him to experience the pain for which the gabapentin was prescribed, they say. Ledford's attorneys also have asked the State Board of Pardons and Paroles to spare his life, citing a rough childhood, substance abuse from an early age and his intellectual disability. The board, which is the only authority in Georgia with power to commute a death sentence, plans to hold a meeting Monday to hear arguments for or against granting clemency. Ledford was also convicted for the kidnapping of his victim's wife, Antoinette Johnston. Ledford was 20 years old when he lived next to the couple in Murray County. He had known them his whole life. Set to be executed by lethal injection, the murderer is arguing that it would be 'agony' and 'unconstitutionally painful' as his high tolerance to pain meds means he won't be knocked unconscious On January 31, 1992, Antoinette had seen her husband driving away in his truck with a passenger she couldn't identify, according to Dalton Daily Citizen. Later, neighbor Ledford forced his way into the home at knifepoint, and demanded money and guns. He tied her up on the bed and escaped with both. She was able to free herself and call police. He was later apprehended and Dr. Johnston's body was found in a small building on the couple's property. His head was nearly sliced from his body. He was found guilty of the murder and given a death sentence in November. His lawyers have also argued that Ledford should receive clemency because of his troubled past. He had no history of violence before the murder. Ledford told police he had a number of beers and smoked a couple joints in the hours before the killing. Known as 'Boy' because he was his parents' first male child after six girls, Ledford's childhood was characterized by whippings and verbal abuse from his father, who was strict when sober and mean when drunk, the clemency application says. Ledford's older sisters and cousins began giving him alcohol when he was seven or eight to watch him get drunk and then began giving him drugs around age 10, the application says. Ledford is intellectually disabled and that caused him to struggle throughout school and later made even simple jobs requiring minimal skills difficult, his lawyers wrote. State law and a US Supreme Court ruling prohibit the execution of the intellectually disabled, which means Ledford is ineligible for execution, his lawyers argue. State and federal courts have consistently rejected Ledford's claims of intellectual disability, but his lawyers are urging the parole board members to use the extra discretion they're allowed to consider the totality of his circumstances. The clemency application also includes testimonials from friends, family members and pen pals who say he has offered them support and help even from prison. Two prison guards are quoted as saying he never gave them trouble and got along with other inmates and officers. Life without the chance of parole was not a sentencing option at the time of Ledford's trial, but five of the jurors from his trial told his lawyers they would have chosen that instead of death had it been available, the application says. A 40-year-old man was chased through a busy residential area and repeatedly stabbed outside a shop as children played in the street. The victim was set upon in what police are describing as a 'targeted attack' in Leeds, West Yorkshire, on Sunday morning. He was cornered outside a convenience store and his blood-stained clothes were left on the ground. The man was treated by paramedics at the scene and rushed to hospital where he is being treated for non life-threatening injuries. Police officers are now investigating the incident after a 40-year-old man was stabbed in Leeds this morning The man's blood-stained clothes were left on the ground outside a convenience store on Sunday morning Detectives are investigating and police are appealing for witnesses to come forward in relation to the incident. Officers said that the suspect made off on foot. A West Yorkshire Police spokesman said: 'We received a report of a stabbing in Beeston Road at 10.25am. The victim was injured with a knife. 'The victim, a 40 year old man was treated by paramedics at the scene and taken to hospital with injuries that are not believed to be life-threatening. 'The suspect, is believed to have left the area on foot and police are appealing for anyone who was in the area who may have seen the incident, or who has seen someone fleeing the area and discarding clothing to come forward. Police cordoned off the area outside the shop and are appealing for witnesses to come forward The man was treated by paramedics at the scene and rushed to hospital where he is being treated for non life-threatening injuries 'A cordon remains in place as officers continue their enquiries.' Anyone with any information is asked to contact Leeds District CID via 101 quoting log 626 of May 14. Information can also be passed anonymously to Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111. Members of polygamist pedophile Warren Jeffs' Mormon sect are fleeing Hildale after the government took control of the trust that owns their land. Hyrum Dutson, who moved from the remote, fenced-off compounds in Utah, formerly owned by the Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, last year, believes around 80 per cent of the community has left in recent years. 'It's almost like there's an exodus happening,' Dutson, who now lives in neighboring Cane Beds, Arizona with his 'large plural family,' told the Salt Lake Tribune. Members of polygamist pedophile Warren Jeffs' Mormon sect are fleeing Hildale after the government took control of the trust that owns their land (file image) The former compound of Warren Jeff, the prophet leader of the Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints (FLDS) in Hildale, Utah in 2004 The group, based in Hildale and neighboring Colorado City, Arizona, is a radical offshoot of mainstream Mormonism. Many loyalists still consider Jeffs - who is serving a life sentence for marrying and having sex with underage girls - a prophet who speaks for God and can do no wrong. Unlike most Mormons, members of FLDS believe polygamy will bring exaltation in heaven and follow the Law of Consecration - whereby anyone entering the church must give all their possessions to the church, who then allocate members as 'stewards' of property. Properties belonging to the sect were held in a trust, the United Effort Plan (UEP), that was established in the 1940s so that members could benefit from its shared assets in line with their religious beliefs. Many loyalists still consider Jeffs (pictured) - who is serving a life sentence for marrying and having sex with underage girls - a prophet who speaks for God and can do no wrong But in 2005, the Attorney General of Utah filed a lawsuit and seized the holdings of the UEP in Hildale and Colorado City over allegations Jeffs and FLDS leaders were mismanaging it. State officials feared without intervention, the community would eventually be left homeless. Just a year later, Jeffs was arrested for having sex with a 12-year-old girl and a 15-year-old girl. His brother Lyle, who was a bishop and took over leadership while Warren is in jail, absconded from a pretrial release after he was accused of food stamp fraud last year. Lyle was one of 11 leaders at the FLDS Church took food stamp benefits from members and used them as they wished, diverting at least $12 million, prosecutors claimed. Dutson, who was among the 11, pleaded guilty to fraud but was spared jail. He perceives the government intervention and arrests as 'persecution.' 'We look at all of this going on as a test,' Dutson said. Doran Jessop, a member of the FLDS and the Hildale City Council, said in 2015 that if Jeffs has 'done anything like that, it was directed toward the Lord.' The state of Utah is now selling back its assets to FLDS members and ex-members - many of whom are only seeing the deeds to their properties for the first time. For those who do not want to buy, FLDS can sign occupancy agreements a cross between a rental contract and an agreement with a homeowners association with the UEP or pay a $100-a-month fee per home. The northwest entrance of jailed Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints (FLDS Church) polygamist prophet leader Warren Jeffs' in Hildale, Utah, May 3, 2017, The group, based in Hildale and neighboring Colorado City, Arizona, (pictured) is a radical offshoot of mainstream Mormonism Yet most have refused to sign or buy. Many still follow Jeffs and his teachings, and have a deep distrust of the government and state. So in the past year, a new board of trustees have sought to replace non-compliant residents with those who will sign occupancy agreements, which is also in part to save the many properties at risk of a tax foreclosure. But between the evictions, and their refusal to deal with the new board - who are mostly made up of former FLDS members - referred to as 'apostates' by current members - many have packed up their belongings and fled to nearby Mormon communities. They include Shannon Darger, who was packing up her home ready to leave, as she waited for the constable, the locksmith and the UEP employee overseeing the eviction last week. She firmly believes that Jeffs or God will stop the evictions and return the land and homes to them. 'I know with all my heart Warren is a prophet of God and these homes belong to him,' she said. Liz, a mother-of-eight who lived in Darger's basement with all her children, added:' We expect to be back.' Many still follow Jeffs and his teachings, and have a deep distrust of the government and state (file picture of members of his sect) She says she's worried about her future because she has never had to buy anything in the past, and has no credit, so doesn't know how she will provide for her family. Yet others who recently received the deeds to their own homes called them a 'symbol of freedom.' Katie Cox, a long-time resident and member of the community's housing board, said sect leaders have been moving people from home to home for years. Ms Cox, her husband, another wife and 21 combined children moved to the area in the late 1960s. Like many polygamous families who settled here, the Coxes fled Salt Lake City out of fear of prosecution under Utah's bigamy law. Echoing a common sentiment among defectors, she remembers a quaint little community during the 1970s and early 1980s. By the time Jeffs and his father decided to move from the Salt Lake City area to the Utah-Arizona border, the Coxes had left the sect. To finally receive deeds to her home was 'a symbol that we are part of this United States,' said Cox, wearing modern clothes and listening to Frank Sinatra croon a Christmas song. The community is now looking for new homes after around 80 per cent fled the small towns in remote Utah and Arizona Ron Rohbock and his wife, Geri, stand in their home in Hildale, Utah. Mr Rohbock, a former member of the FLDS, was kicked out in 2002 'For so long, it seemed like we had our own little Soviet Union here.' 'This is a nice place to live if you don't have somebody with their thumb on you telling you what you have to do.' Jeffs took over after his father suffered a stroke and soon began ousting men from the sect. Many were told they had broken church rules and were forced to leave their families, homes and belongings behind. So many young men have been forced out that they came to be known as the 'Lost Boys.' Their wives and children were reassigned. Warren Jeffs, pictured in a Las Vegas courtroom in 2006, still runs his polygamous sect from prison In recent years, a series of lawsuits and court filings, federal and state officials have accused the towns of denying housing and municipal services to residents who live outside the sect and using the police to enforce discrimination. At a town hall meeting, organized by the Arizona attorney general in Colorado City, sheriff's deputies instructed people to call specific dispatch numbers, instead of 911, to ensure they get help from county authorities rather than town police who they say have a duty to FLDS leaders. Attorneys for the towns have denied any wrongdoing and say there is no basis for the accusation. Ron Rohbock was kicked out in 2002, despite having worked alongside Jeffs at the sect's school in the Salt Lake City area as vice principal. The general contractor said he purchased $2million in supplies with his own line of credit to fix up homes in preparation for the massive move of people from Salt Lake to the Utah-Arizona border. After he was ousted, he had to file for bankruptcy and contemplated suicide. Razvan Sirbu (pictured) was found dead in Maidstone, Kent, by dog walkers Four teenagers including two schoolboys have been arrested on suspicion of murder after a young Romanian homeless man was beaten to death in a park. The pair, aged just 14 and 15, were being questioned by detectives over the weekend and are still in custody. Razvan Sirbu, 21, was found dead at 7.15am on Sunday, May 7 in the Loose Valley Conservation Area in Kent. His body was found by dog walkers in Crisbrook Meadow in Maidstone, where flowers had since been laid. It is believed he was living in a tent behind some bushes close to a busy road, and had been seen at the picturesque spot on several occasions. A post-mortem examination found that he had died from blunt force trauma to the head and body. An inquest into his death was opened on Friday where it was heard that Mr Sirbu was unemployed, single and of no fixed abode. His body was identified by his mother and by fingerprint evidence. Four teenagers had now been arrested over the murder, following the arrests of an 18-year-old and a 19-year-old from Maidstone, Kent, on Thursday. A Kent Police spokesman said: 'Razvan Sirbu, aged 21 years, of no fixed address, was found dead at 7.15am on Sunday May 7 2017, at a location in the Loose Valley Conservation Area. 'Results from a post-mortem examination revealed he had died from blunt force trauma to the head and body. His body was found by dog walkers in Crisbrook Meadow in Maidstone, where flowers had since been laid 'On Friday May 12 officers arrested two teenage boys, aged 15 and 14, on suspicion of murder. They remain in custody as enquiries continue. 'It follows the arrest of two men, aged 18 and 19, on the evening of Thursday 11 May. 'Both suspects were arrested on suspicion of murder and are from the Maidstone area. They also remain in police custody.' Advertisement A Dutch-built super yacht support vessel arrived in London today after it completed its sea trials in the North Sea. The 227-foot game changer is designed to allow owners of super yachts to carry larger helicopters, more staff and equipment while enjoying their own luxury vessels. The vessel was built by Dutch firm DAMEN and is available to hire for this summer's super yacht season. According to DAMEN, there are now either 11 of these support vessels completed or under construction in what is a rapidly developing niche market. . The 227-foot super yacht support vessel Game Changer arrived in London earlier today for the first time The massive vessel is available for super yacht owners to hire over the summer to carry extra support staff, fuel and stores The vessel passed under Tower Bridge, into the Pool of London before going past HMS Belfast, right Mark Vermeulen, DAMEN Product Director said: 'Our clients want to go to exciting new destinations with less established superyacht infrastructure and they want to have more fun with larger tenders, larger helicopters and submersibles. 'They also want to take more staff, guides, pilots and security personnel with them. Game Changer is the massive leap forward in capability that they need, but at a much lower cost than a larger yacht. Plus, they get all the benefits of flexible operations and privacy. Thats why we call it the Smart Stretch.' The vessel has 250 square metres of open deck space and accomodation for 22 crew and staff below decks. The Game Changer has a large deck crane for lifting heavy equipment - including submersibles The Game Changer has a large helipad at the rear of the vessel capable of handling heavier aircraft with a longer range Game Changer was completed in March and was sent into the North Sea for sea trials before being offered to clients. According to the company, there is a further 110 square metres of storage below decks and a dive centre - including a decompression chamber. The heli deck on Game Changer is larger than those found on most super yachts meaning it can cope with larger aircraft with a longer range. It also carries enormous amounts of aviation fuel, diesel and fuel for the owner's tender. It is also able to carry spare parts and luggage. It appears to be a happy family scene simply showing a girl celebrating her 11th birthday. But this photo could be a vital clue behind the mysterious disappearance of lawyer Renata Antczak, 49, almost three weeks ago. Her husband, dentist Majid Mustafa, 47, has admitted she wanted a divorce and planned to return to her native Poland with their youngest daughter Victoria this summer against his wishes. He said his wife insisted they hold a party for their daughter on April 8, more than three weeks before her 11th birthday on April 30. This picture of missing mother Renata Antczak's (left) daughter Victoria's (centre) 11th birthday party could hold a clue as to why she went missing, according to her husband Majid Mustafa (back centre) who said she demanded the party be held three weeks early. Also pictured are her daughter Magda, 23, and boyfriend Piotrek Zaton Dr Mustafa, left with daughter Victoria, said his wife, right, wanted a divorce and had 'planned on vanishing all along' As Humberside Police continue to investigate what has happened to the mother of two, her husband believes she has joined a sect after becoming obsessed with a form of alternative therapy. The photo, taken at the familys rented home in Hull, was produced by Dr Mustafa to support his theory. The birthday girl posed with her parents, sister Magda, 23, and her boyfriend Piotrek Zaton. It is the last known photo of Miss Antczak before she was reported missing. Dr Mustafa believes his wife was planning on vanishing all along. He said: Why have the party early? Maybe because she was planning to go. There are many questions for which there are no answers. But the mystery deepened as a friend said they were sceptical about the sect idea. On April 25 Miss Antczak dropped Victoria off at school, returned home and spoke to her husband, who said he was ill in bed that day. They had a discussion about her returning to Poland with Victoria before Miss Antczak left the house on foot and has not been heard from since. Renata Antczak has been missing since dropping off her 11-year-old daughter at school in her Mercedes two weeks ago. Her husband claimed he believes she has 'joined a sect after becoming obsessed with alternative therapy' Miss Antczak, 49, drove back to her home in Hull, East Yorkshire, after doing the school-run in her black car. Police have confirmed the last known sighting was when she left home in Hull at 1pm Police have confirmed the last known sighting was when she left home in Hull at 1pm. Dr Mustafa, who reported her missing when she failed to return home that day, said he had been trying to get her to change her mind and still hopes she will return. I still love her very much, I still miss her very much and I want her to come back. If she doesnt want to stay with me, thats her choice, he said. Miss Antczak had already left the marital bed and was making plans to enrol Victoria at school in Poland from next term. However, hopes are fading that she has simply fled an unhappy marriage to return home to Poland. Dr Mustafa said his wife had not been in contact with her mother in Lodz and inquiries by police in Poland have failed to solve the mystery. Miss Antczak's daughters Victoria, left, and Magda, right, have appealed for her to return According to Dr Mustafa, for the last six months Miss Antczak has been spending a week per month in Poland, apparently to train as a therapist for a homeopathic health treatment called TimeWaver. Miss Antczak qualified as a therapist and used a room at a friends hair salon in Hull for occasional sessions. Dr Mustafa said: At home she started to put candles everywhere, and joss sticks. 'After shed gone we found some of her writing. It talked about her feeling free, free from relationships, free from everything. He said documents have been passed to police and he believes she was brainwashed by an unidentified sect. She does love me, but theres something really strange in her behaviour in the last few months, he added. But a friend, who asked not to be named, said yesterday: I am angry about this and I am 100 per cent sure it is not true. The lawyers eldest daughter Magda is a student at the University of Central Lancashire. Miss Antczak is said to have recently told her: Whatever happens, promise youll look after your sister. Magda, who was visiting her father at the weekend, said: Please, just contact us. We are really upset and scared because we dont know where she is. A Humberside Police spokesman said: Mr Mustafa has passed his theory on to us and it is something thats being considered. 'But at the moment we have no evidence that corroborates that. In fact, there is no evidence to suggest she has left the country. CCTV of an armed thug getting his comeuppance as he attempts to rob a post office has gone viral. Footage from inside the post office, five minutes before closing time, shows a burly man in a balaclava brandishing a pistol as he enters. Pointing it aggressively at the man behind the counter, later identified by the name Zoran, he demands cash. CCTV shows Miroslav Les, 30, points a pistol aggressively at the post office worker, demanding cash The terrified worker starts putting bundles of notes on the counter which the robber, having lacked the foresight to bring a bag, starts stuffing inside his coat. But then a plainclothes police officer rushes in to the post office in Croatian capital Zagreb, pointing his own pistol at the thief. Complying with the cop's requests, the thief pulls off his balaclava and lies face-down on the floor. The officer then cuffs him. The thief was later identified as 30-year-old Miroslav Les. The post office worker, later identified by the name Zoran, hands over the cash. Recalling his terrifying ordeal, he said: 'I remember him holding a black gun. I could only see his eyes. He shouted: "Give me the money, this is a robbery, give me the money"' Caught in the act: A plainclothes police officer rushes in, pointing his own gun at the thief. The unnamed officer who caught the criminal is believed to have been staking out the post office in anticipation of the crime, as a spate of similar attacks were plaguing Zagreb at the time He is now serving time for the attempted robbery, which was carried out in December last year but has only just gone viral. His weapon turned out to be a realistic plastic replica. Post office worker Zoran recalled of his terrifying ordeal: 'I remember him holding a black gun. I could only see his eyes. 'He shouted: "Give me the money, this is a robbery, give me the money".' The unnamed police officer who caught the criminal is believed to have been staking out the post office in anticipation of the crime, as a spate of similar attacks were plaguing Zagreb at the time. Relaxing in the Mediterranean sunshine aboard the most luxurious ship ever built, this was Marguerite Hayward the day before her dream holiday turned to hell. The next photographs taken of the 83-year-old grandmother show her lying black and blue in a foreign hospital - after being dumped off the six-star cruise liner. Yesterday her husband, war veteran Fred Hayward, told how their weeks voyage enjoying gourmet food and balcony views in an 8,000 suite on the Regent Seven Seas Cruises Explorer gave way to a shocking ordeal. Marguerite Hayward's week-long luxury cruise around the Med gave way to a shocking ordeal A day before the end of their cruise around the Med, the couple claim they were ordered off the ship and abandoned in an Italian hospital. Mrs Hayward, who has mild dementia, was sedated against her will and left bruised and screaming for help, they said. As the ship sailed off without them, distraught Mr Hayward, 87, who fought in the Korean War and at Suez, was left in a hospital corridor with their hastily-packed suitcases, with only a trolley to sleep on and no means of contacting family. Italian doctors apparently struggled to diagnose Mrs Haywards dementia, leading to various treatments causing what she calls eight days of torture and starvation. Mrs Hayward, who has been married to her husband Fred for 63 years (pictured right), suffers from a mild form of dementia Yesterday, as he visited his wife who is still ill in a British hospital, Mr Hayward said: They dumped us and sailed off, leading to a true nightmare of literally screaming for help and being ignored. This really has been the most traumatic, expensive and without exaggeration the very worst experience of my life. As one who served in the front line in the Korean War and the Suez conflict, they were doddles by comparison. The couples traumatic ordeal began in the early hours of April 25 as they slept in their sumptuous cabin aboard the Seven Seas Explorer which the cruise company boasted was the most luxurious ship ever built at its fanfare launch in 2015. Every cabin on the marble-floored 300million liner is an opulent suite with a balcony to the sea. Mrs Hayward awoke from a nightmare at 3am and had a panic attack linked to her dementia. Her husband recalled: I switched on the light and she started kicking at me and shouting. She looked wild-eyed and angry. He said this had happened once before, at home, and on that occasion she was quickly calmed. But this time, in unfamiliar surroundings, he said, the more I attempted to calm her, the louder she became. In desperation, I rang reception to ask for assistance and shortly after a security guard appeared and began shouting loudly at Marguerite to Keep quiet. Then our suite was filled with several people including the ships doctor and his nurse. Fred Hayward served on the front line in the Korean War and during the Suez Crisis They injected Mrs Hayward with a sedative and she soon returned to sleep, with her husband cuddling her. The next morning, she was calm and relaxed and remembered nothing of the night-time drama. The couple were about to go to breakfast when they were summoned to a meeting with the ships officers. Mr Hayward recalled: One of them said the incident had been reported to their head office in Miami, who had ordered we must leave the ship immediately. I pleaded with him to let us stay because the ship was docking at Rome in less than 24 hours and we would be on our way home anyway. But they said Miami had given them their orders. The cruise firm claims there was mutual agreement to leave the ship, but the couple strongly dispute this and say they were thrown off despite their protestations. The company said it was in Mrs Haywards best interests to be seen by medics ashore. The Seven Seas Explorer boasted that it was the most the most luxurious ship ever bit They were handed a medical bill for $1,370 (1,000) then whisked ashore by tender to the southern Italian port city of Sorrento, where an ambulance was waiting along with a man who it later transpired was the cruise companys port agent. A letter from the ships doctor to the Italian medics stated: Suspected diagnosis: paranoid schizophrenia. The couple are adamant this was a misdiagnosis of Mrs Haywards disorientation. At the quayside, said Mr Hayward, my wife was asked to get onto a stretcher - but she was standing quite calmly and declined to get onto it, so they manhandled her into the back. But despite paying 8,000 for a suite, the couple claim that Mrs Hayward was 'thrown off' after she was misdiagnosed with paranoid schizophrenia They stopped me from getting in with her. At this, she became very agitated, so reluctantly they allowed me to get into the front. At a run-down hospital in Sorrento photos show crumbling exterior walls Mrs Hayward was put on a drip and given an oxygen mask, quickly becoming unconscious, her husband said. She lay flat on her back for several hours with her eyes closed and her mouth wide open. I sat in the corridor a few feet away. Everyone ignored me and no-one I tried to speak to spoke English. Marguerite eventually woke up and started screaming. I was distraught. Mr Hayward was given a chair to sit on, and told he could sleep overnight on a trolley downstairs. The Haywards, of Lavenham, Suffolk, had no mobile phone with them, but luckily, a British woman who happened to be in the hospital phoned the couples son Martin in the UK. Martin Hayward already knew something was wrong, as he had been telephoned by the port agent. The agent had told him his mother had suffered a psychotic episode and been transferred off the ship to hospital. Martin said: The agent said he wasnt there, he was driving home. He gave me the hospitals phone number and I tried to ring it more than 50 times, but no one answered. In a photo taken at the hospital Mrs Hayward can be seen with a hand bruised black and blue Mr Hayward said that Marguerite was taken to an Italian hospital where 'everyone ignored me and no-one I tried to speak to spoke English' The hospital in Sorrento was described as being 'run-down' with 'crumbling walls' Then I received a call from an English lady who had found dad very distressed, and let him speak to me. He was distraught, sitting with his suitcases outside a room where mum was screaming in fear. Martin, 56, a marketing consultant, immediately booked himself on the next flight to Naples, and when he arrived in Sorrento the next day, he found his mother sedated, on a drip, and wearing a T-shirt covered in blood. He said: It was an absolute nightmare situation. My 87-year-old dad hadn't slept for two nights and was very worried about his wife being treated in a foreign hospital, where no-one spoke English, for conditions she didn't have. Martin Hayward, Marguerite's son, flew to Italy to find her mother sedated and wearing a T-shirt covered in blood He had literally been abandoned in a foreign land and was on his last legs. My mum, who was walking before she was forced into hospital, was now horizontal and sedated, covered in bruises and soiled clothing, alone in a very basic hospital bed. Nobody at the hospital seemed to know about her dementia and they were obsessed with finding a medical condition. The cruise company were nowhere to be seen. Mr Hayward Senior said: I could not have endured it very much longer without becoming a casualty myself. What almost literally saved my life was meeting Martin, my son, who had just flown in. After seeing Marguerite, who briefly opened her eyes and tried to speak, Martin took me somewhere for a meal, the first food I had had since dinner on the ship on the evening before they decided to throw us off. Furious Martin said his father had been 'abandoned in a foreign land' and his previously mobile mum 'was now horizontal and sedated' Martin arranged for his exhausted father to fly straight home, then spent a week caring for his mother and arranging an air ambulance to get her back to Britain. He said: In the hospital, she was dehydrated and not given food and simply left to lie in bed under sedation, without the care needed to prevent bed sores which we are told now were exacerbated by her lack of food. Her agitation increased since she was put through so many unnecessary tests. I tried to give mum a sip of water. Her mouth was completely gummed up with dead skin after four days of the oxygen mask. I kept syringing water into her mouth. Martin claims he rang Seven Seas for help but was told the matter was in the hands of the port agent and the couples insurance company. He said no one had seen the port agent after the first day. Mr and Mrs Hayward in the Bury St Edmunds ER. Son Martin claims he rang Seven Seas for help but was told the matter was out of their hands Mrs Hayward was eventually flown back to the UK on May 3 by private air ambulance although Martin had to make his own way home and is now recovering at the West Suffolk Hospital in Bury St Edmunds. Her husband said: She came back from Italy in a very poor way. Her physical injures alone include extensive bruising, damage to her heel and severe bed sores. The wound nurse told us yesterday that the bed sores would take weeks and potentially months to heal. She is still traumatised and distressed. At least now she is in good care. All of the staff at the West Suffolk Hospital have been wonderful. Marguerite and Fred's trip was supposed to include gourmet food and balcony views on the luxurious six-star ocean liner Son Anthony said that his mum and dad 'pleaded to be able to stay on' the ship for just one more day - but they were still forced off Mr and Mrs Hayward have been married for 63 years, having met after he returned from the Korean War where he served as a corporal in the Royal Electrical and Mechanical Engineers. He also served in the Suez Crisis. After the Army, he worked in sales and became marketing director of a multinational company. The couple have two sons and three grandchildren. Their other son, Anthony, 57, a company director, said the whole family was furious. He said: Mum and dad were forced to disembark the ship against their will in Sorrento despite mum being calm, alert and walking unaided ready for breakfast. They pleaded to be able to stay on for one more day. They even offered to be locked in their cabin if the ship wanted to reduce any perceived risk. They were forced into a series of events that has had a devastating impact on mum and dad's health. A view inside the cruise ship. Anthony says the incident has had a 'devastating impact' on his parent's health One of the cabins on board the seven seas. A spokesman for Regent Seven Seas says they don't 'fully agree with all the claims being made' The sons have written several letters of complaint to the companys CEO in America, Frank Del Rio, but have still not had any reply. Yesterday a spokesman for Regent Seven Seas said: We are sorry to hear about the complaints of the Hayward family, but our prayers are still with Mrs Hayward for her complete recovery. While we understand that this is a very distressing time for the family, we dont fully agree with all the claims being made. To preserve our guests privacy, we cannot comment to the specific medical situation for which Mr Hayward had requested urgent assistance, however it is our first priority to consider the safety and security of every one of our guests. With this in mind, the shipboard doctor determined that it was in Mrs Haywards best interests to receive the attention of medical specialists on shore, to which Mr Hayward agreed. Seven Seas said the shipboard doctor thought it best to remove Marguerite The Haywards have disputed the companies version of the events Our port agent and our shipboard staff made arrangements for both Mr and Mrs Hayward to be taken to hospital; offered a hotel room; and contacted their insurers to liaise with the medical professionals in hospital. Mr and Mrs Hayward were introduced to the port agent, and a member of Regents team contacted their insurer while still on board the ship. They were then escorted to an ambulance by one of the ships medical staff. The port agent has confirmed that the Haywards had access to the hospitals interpreter from the day of admittance. The Haywards dispute the companys version of events. Mr Awukus solicitor, Jennifer Owusu-Barnieh, pictured, defines proxy marriage as the process where a couple can get married with their consent but without being present at the ceremony Foreign nationals can get UK residency by marrying EU citizens in overseas ceremonies which they do not even have to attend, it emerged last night. Details of the little-known practice have been spelled out in the case of a Ghanaian man, who has fought a four-year legal battle to live in Britain following a proxy wedding 3,000 miles away. Neither Albert Awuku, 43, or his bride a German citizen who can live in the UK under EU free movement rules needed to be present at their nuptials in Ghana in February 2013. Instead, they are thought to have been represented by their families in accordance with the countrys customary law on marriages. At such weddings, the grooms father typically offers gifts and drink to the brides father for her hand in marriage. Months after the couple tied the knot, their marriage was registered in Ghana and the wedding certificate used in Britain in a bid to win residency rights for Mr Awuku. As there were no exit or entry stamps from Ghana or the UK on his passport to show he had attended the ceremony, his marriage was considered by the Home Office to have taken place by proxy. Then-home secretary Theresa May refused his application for residency because she was not satisfied Mr Awukus claimed marriage was registered in accordance with Ghanaian law. Her decision was later overturned by a judge at a first-tier immigration tribunal who was happy with the documents provided by the couple and satisfied the wedding was properly executed. But Mrs May appealed to a higher tribunal and won. However, Mr Awuku then went to the Appeal Court to challenge that ruling, claiming that his human right to a family life with his wife who is of Ghanaian descent had been breached. Now after a four-year battle, Mr Awuku represented by human rights barrister Zane Malik and a London-based solicitor specialising in proxy marriages has scored a major victory at the Appeal Court which has paved the way for him to be granted residency in the UK. Mr Awuku has scored a major victory at the Appeal Court, pictured, which has paved the way for him to be granted residency in the UK Immigration lawyer Jennifer Owusu-Barnieh works for Danbar Solicitors in London which published a guide to marriage by proxy and how it can be used to win resident rights in the UK The man from Ghana, pictured, fought a four-year legal battle to live in Britain following a proxy wedding 3,000 miles away (stock photo) Lord Justice Lloyd Jones said: The law of England and Wales recognises proxy marriage if valid by the lex loci celebrationis (law of the land). 'Accordingly a spouse of an EU national who has concluded such a marriage will qualify as a family member. The ruling came after current Home Secretary Amber Rudd apparently changed her position and invited judges to allow the appeal. It comes three years after a watchdog report said proxy ceremonies legal in countries including Ghana, Nigeria and Brazil are becoming increasingly common in immigration applications. John Vine, chief inspector of borders and immigration, said in June 2014 that more than 80 per cent of 29 sample proxy marriages that involved an EU national marrying a non-European partner proved to be invalid. In the report, Mr Vine revealed his inspection found increasing attempts to exploit the EUs free movement rules. The man did not need to leave or re-enter the EU because his marriage was conducted by 'proxy' (stock photo) The European route is becoming an increasingly important way into the UK for those whose origins lie outside the European Economic Association area, particularly now that the immigration rules have been tightened, he added. I found that many of the non-EEA spouses refused residence cards were overstayers. There is no suggestion Mr Awukus marriage was designed to subvert immigration rules, or that he entered or remained in the UK unlawfully. While the court documents do not go into detail about his background, inquiries by the Daily Mail in Ghana found a man with Mr Awukus name and date of birth was born the son of a marine fitter in Tema, a port about 15 miles from the capital Accra. Neighbours of the humble property in a bustling suburb of the city did not remember him and his family. It is believed his proxy marriage was registered in a district outside the capital. The Mail was unable to contact Mr Awuku, with his whereabouts unclear last night. His family in Ghana could not be reached, and neither his barrister Mr Malik or solicitor Jennifer Owusu-Barnieh responded to requests for comment. As there were no exit or entry stamps from Ghana or the UK on the man's passport to show he had attended the ceremony, his marriage was considered to have taken place by proxy (stock photo) The Home Office declined to answer specific questions about Mr Awukus case, including whether he had officially been granted residency. It said: The judgment of the Court of Appeal confirms that it is for the rules of private international law in the law of England and Wales to determine whether a proxy marriage can be recognised. Whether to recognise such marriages is decided under the rules in our national law. A proxy marriage will generally be recognised if it is legally valid in the country in which it was contracted. There is also a requirement under our law that the parties should have had capacity to enter into the marriage. All cases are given full and careful consideration to prevent any opportunities for abuse of any kind. Loophole for couples who cant legally wed in Britain A blog post by Mr Awukus solicitor, Jennifer Owusu-Barnieh, defines proxy marriage as the process where a couple can get married with their consent but without being present at the ceremony. The piece on the website of her law firm, Danbar Solicitors in north-west London, goes on to suggest that some migrants have turned to proxy weddings as a means of staying in Britain, after the authorities banned those who are in the country illegally from marrying. Potential clients are told: The Home Office has through policy banned illegal immigrants from getting married in the United Kingdom. Proxy marriage became their next challenge. Further advice says: A Ghanaian and a British or European can have a proxy marriage in Ghana. 'The proxy marriage is then registered and a certificate is issued. The couple can then make an application to the Home Office to obtain leave to be in the UK. The senior partner at the law firm, who has appeared on Ghanaian radio advertising her firms services, also discussed the Home Offices dilemma in dealing with such cases, even pointing out the risk of proxy marriage being abused. She wrote: BOOM! The Home Office is receiving marriage certificates from people that through government policy ... could not get married in the UK. You guessed something had to be done in relation to such marriage certificates which to be fair could be abused. Armenia: EU and Armenia Hold annual Dialogue on Human Rights Todays Shushi, Occupied and Cleared of Armenians, is a Real Example of Turkish-Azerbaijani Policy of Ethnic Cleansing of Artsakh Ookla, the the global leader in internet testing and analysis has awarded Ucom Sweden will hold the Presidency of the Council of the European Union Google Ad Ameriabank: At the Vanguard of Armenia's Banking Sector STATEMENT OF THE NATIONAL ASSEMBLY OF THE REPUBLIC OF ARTSAKH SUBSCRIBERS OF UCOMS ALL TIME BEST OFFER TO ENJOY ADDITIONAL BENEFITS Armenia-Azerbaijan: EU sets up monitoring capacity along the international borders PACE co-rapporteurs on Armenia concerned by reports of alleged war crimes or inhuman treatment perpetrated by Azerbaijans armed forces There is still 35% gender pay gap: Sona Ghazaryan Global Finance Names Ameriabank the Safest Bank in Armenia Mikayel and Karen Vardanyans provided 136 million AMD support for the overhaul of the Myasnikyan statue, which was in unsafe state of disrepair Believe me, as a representative of a country which uses the Schengen system very often, it is quite important. Vardanyan I really look forward to having answers from the Azerbaijani side for these alleged gross human rights violations: Secretary General I call on Armenian and Azerbaijani parliamentarians to use this Assembly as an agora of opportunities President Tiny Kox UCOMS SPECIAL OFFER OF THE UNLIMITED INTERNET IS NOW TERMLESS Google Ad There is no place for the death penalty in a State that respects human rights: PACE General Rapporteur EU and CoE call on two Member States that have not yet acceded to this Protocol Armenia and Azerbaijan to do so without delay An urgent debate requested on "The military hostilities between Armenia and Azerbaijan". UCOM AND PES-PES CONTINUE COOPERATION WITHIN THE FRAMEWORK OF EDUCATIONAL PROJECT The statement of the meeting between Prime Minister Pashinyan, President Aliyev, President Macron and President Michel of October 6, 2022 Largest Corporate Bond Program at the Securities Market of Armenia Completed Successfully The statement of the Defender on the video of the execution of Armenian PoWs by the Azerbaijani armed forces LEVEL UP ONLY FOR STUDENTS: UCOM OFFERS X2 AND X3 MORE INTERNET STATEMENT BY SECRETARY ANTONY J. BLINKEN This criminal act is another proof that the Armenophobia policy. Tatoyan Nikol Pashinyan, Nancy Pelosi discuss a number of issues related to the Armenian-American agenda and regional developments Delegation by Nancy Pelosi Accompanied by Alen Simonyan Visits Tsitsernakaberd Memorial Complex Speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives Nancy Pelosi Arrives in Yerevan A man, 24, has been shot in the leg in a drive-by shooting in southwest Sydney overnight. Police were called to the scene in Lurnea at about 9pm on Sunday and found the man with gunshot wounds to his legs. A white Toyota Kluger was spotted at the scene at the time of the shooting and was later found burnt-out about 22km away at Oran Park, 9News reports. A man, 24, has been shot in the leg in a drive-by shooting in southwest Sydney overnight (scene pictured) Police were called to the scene in Lurnea about 9pm on Sunday and found the man with gunshot wounds to his legs A police manhunt is underway for the gunman. Nearby residents told police of hearing eight or nine gunshots fired. The 24-year-old victim was taken by ambulance to Liverpool Hospital, where he remains in a stable condition. Inquiries into the incident are continuing. Police are urging anyone with information on the incident to call Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000 or use the online reporting page. A white Toyota Kluger was spotted at the scene at the time of the shooting and was later found burnt-out about 22km away at Oran Park (shooting scene pictured) Workers will be allowed to take a years sabbatical to care for sick relatives, Theresa May will announce today. The Prime Minister will pledge the greatest expansion of workers rights by any Tory government in history as she sets out a raft of new entitlements to woo Labour voters. Employees with family members who fall sick such as elderly parents will be able to take up to 12 months unpaid leave to provide full-time care while their jobs are kept on hold. Theresa May will pledge the greatest expansion of workers rights by any Tory government in history Parents who suffer the tragedy of losing a child will get a statutory two weeks of bereavement leave, and employees will be allowed to request time off to go on training courses as part of a bid to boost skills and productivity. There will also be a major crackdown on corporate governance, with listed companies forced to have worker representation on their boards. New rules will stop irresponsible bosses making millions while company pension schemes go bankrupt. Ministers also want to close loopholes that allow so-called gig economy firms to exploit workers by claiming they are self-employed. Mrs Mays pitch, which aims to appeal to traditional Labour supporters, comes just days after she accused Jeremy Corbyn of deserting the working class. The Prime Minister hopes to pick up seats deep into Labours northern heartlands that have not been won by the Tories for decades. In a bid to ease the concerns of those worried about Brexit, Mrs May will guarantee that all workers rights currently offered under EU law will be maintained. And she will go further, pledging to put building on these entitlements at the centre of the Tory manifesto that will be unveiled later this week. The Prime Minister hopes to pick up seats deep into Labours northern heartlands During a visit to a training centre in the South East this morning, the Prime Minister will say: I said I would use Brexit to extend the protections and rights that workers enjoy, and our manifesto will deliver exactly that. Our plans, backed up with strong and stable leadership, will be the greatest expansion in workers rights by any Conservative Government in history. She will add: By working with business, reducing taxes and dealing with the deficit we have delivered steady improvements to the economic prospects of working people. Now is the time to lock in that economic growth and ensure the proceeds are spread to everyone in our country. There is only one leader at this election who will put rights and opportunities for ordinary working families first. The choice next month is clear: economic stability and a better deal for workers under my Conservative team, or chaos under Jeremy Corbyn, whose nonsensical policies would trash the economy and destroy jobs. Mrs May will offer workers the right to take up to a year off to look after sick relatives while keeping their jobs, in the same way as new mothers taking maternity leave. The move comes just days after Mrs May accused Jeremy Corbyn (pictured) of deserting the working class' Companies will also be obliged by law to give parents time off following the loss of a child. At the moment, many firms provide informal leave, but ministers will give employees a legal right to bereavement leave expected to be two weeks. Workers who want to improve their skills will be given the right to ask for time off to go on courses. Firms will not be obliged to pay for the training or lost wages, but must consider all requests. Ministers hope the move will help tackle the so-called productivity gap. Mrs May will repeat a vow made earlier in the election campaign to bring in tough new laws to prevent a repeat of the Sir Philip Green BHS pension scandal if she wins. The manifesto will include plans to stop irresponsible bosses making millions while company pension schemes go bankrupt. The move, dubbed the anti-Philip Green charter, follows repeated calls to protect pensioners from ruthless bosses. A poll at the weekend showed that Mrs May is on course for a greater election triumph than even Margaret Thatcher at her peak due to a dramatic collapse in Labour support in the North of England. The survey of 40,000 voters suggested a Tory majority as large as 172 seats. Dehenna Davison, 23, pictured with fiance John Fareham, 57, is targeting victory at the election in Tony Blair's former seat of Sedgefield, County Durham A student who works in a computer game shop and has a fiance 34 years her senior is standing for the Tories in Tony Blairs former constituency. Dehenna Davison, 23, is targeting Sedgefield in County Durham, held by Labour since 1935. Mr Blair was its MP for 24 years. A Tory victory would have been unthinkable before last years EU referendum but Miss Davison, who is engaged to a Tory councillor in Hull, said she is optimistic. She added: We know Sedgefield has a sort of Labour legacy but we know also that that legacy is behind it. There is a great swathe of people living here who are coming over to our side, mostly because of Jeremy Corbyn. But people are also getting behind Theresa May. Miss Davison, who was born in Sheffield to a nursery nurse mother and businessman father, became a Conservative aged 15 while at a private school on a scholarship. She experienced an early tragedy in life when her father was killed with one punch when she was 13. She moved to Hull to study British politics and legislative studies and is in her final year, while working in a shop in the city. She spent a year as an assistant to prominent Tory Jacob Rees-Mogg as part of her degree. In 2015, she stood in Hull North, finishing third behind Labour and Ukip but increasing the share of the Tory vote. She is engaged to the colourful Conservative councillor John Fareham, 57, who she met on the campaign trail. Asked about the age gap yesterday, she said: Age is but a number. But discussing their relationship previously, she said: I have always been mature and my family know I dont take decisions lightly, so they have been supportive. As long as I am happy, they are happy, and they seem to think John makes me happy. Sedgefield was held by Mr Blair, pictured, for 24 years but the Conservatives believe they can win 'because of Jeremy Corbyn' She appears popular with the Tory high command, and is pictured posing with the Prime Minister on her Twitter page. Her slogan is: Standing with Theresa May in Sedgefield. Miss Davison said she was hoping the Prime Minister would visit the constituency soon. Asked if fighting Mr Blairs former seat added to the pressure, she said: Were getting a lot of press attention, it being Sedgefield, which I suppose puts the pressure on, but at the same time its a marginal seat like any other. It might be iconic to pollsters and the Westminster bubble, but for the residents in Sedgefield, its just where they live. Miss Davisons Labour opponent is Phil Wilson, a critic of Mr Corbyn who was born and raised in the constituency and voted Remain. A newspaper editor from Snohomish County has been arrested for shoplifting after allegedly stealing a cart full of groceries and attempting to take a second. Kevin Hulten, 38, who edits the Statesman-Examiner in Colville, is accused of a series of thefts from the town's Super 1 store from March 15-25. Hulten, who had previously been fined $2,500 after a political scandal last year, was spotted on security camera looking 'nervous' prior to his thefts, police told the Spokesman-Review. Charged: Kevin Hulten (pictured), 38, an editor at the Statesman-Examiner newspaper in Colville, Snohomish County, has been charged with shoplifting a total of $112 in goods Filmed: Cops say CCTV caught Hulten walking out with flowers and a cart full of goods in mid-March. He was caught with a second cart and made to pay for it on March 25 Video shows Hulten leaving on March 15 with a bunch of flowers without paying for them, police said. The next day he was allegedly recorded walking out with a shopping cart full of unpurchased groceries. And on March 25, a store manager claims to have spotted him trying to leave with a second cart. The manager says he persuaded Hulten to pay for those items, but the editor did not tell him about a $2 can of Red Bull he'd already drunk in an aisle. Colville police identified Hulten through a card that he had used to buy prescriptions at the store's pharmacy. In total, they say, he stole $112 in items. In one 'shopping trip' Hulten pretended to rent a DVD at a Redbox vending machine to throw two witnesses off his trail, police said. He has been charged with three counts of third-degree theft, a gross misdemeanor, and one count of attempted third-degree theft, a misdemeanor. Gross misdemeanors carry a maximum sentence of a year in jail and a $5,000 degree fine; misdemeanors carry a maximum sentence of 90 days in jail and a $1,000 fine. This is not the first time that Hulten has run afoul of the law. In 2014, while working as an aide to Snohomish County Executive Aaron Reardon, he used his work computer to make records requests targeting political rivals. He later pleaded guilty to trying to hide his trail by using computer programs. He was sentenced to five days on a work crew for that gross misdemeanor; he was also fined $2,500 by the Public Disclosure commission. It seems correctional officers at Cook County Jail feel strongly about spending time with their mothers. The county's sheriff's department says more than 200 officers at the Chicago jail were missing for the morning shift on Sunday, Mother's Day, while the rest called out for evening shifts. The staggering number of absent employees forced the jail to be placed on lockdown with 'movement' allowed only in the case of medical emergencies. More than 200 Cook County Jail correctional officers called in sick on Mother's Day - the latest in a growing problem for the jail where hundreds of officers go missing on holidays and during national sporting events (exterior of the jail pictured in January 2016) According to the Cook County Sheriff's Department, the number of officers missing for the 7am to 3pm shift amounted to 32 per cent of the guard staff assigned to Around 86 called in sick to explain their absence while 120 invoked the Family Medical Leave Act - the federal law that requires employers provide leave for some medical reasons.work. Another 154 informed the jail they wouldn't be coming to work for the shift that starts later in the day. Officials speculated that the holiday, combined with the nice weather, explained the light attendance. 'The extraordinary number of call-offs puts additional pressure on the men and women of the Sheriff's office who come to work as scheduled,' the sheriff's department said in a statement. While the jail's visitation schedule was not affected, Sunday's low staffing levels prompted officials to place the jail, which houses more than 9,000 inmates, on lockdown. Only 'essential movement' was allowed to take place, such as for medical and mental health issues. This is not the first time that the Cook County Jail has had problems with officers calling in sick for either holidays or major sporting events. On last year's Mother's Day, 420 officers called in sick - prompting a lockdown. Just a month later, more than 520 officers were absent on Father's Day and on the following Monday. In May 2015, almost 640 correctional officers missed their shifts the same day that boxers Floyd Mayweather and Manny Pacquiao faced off. This year, nearly 240 correctional officers called in sick February 5 - the same day as the Super Bowl. The union that represents the Cook County correctional officers, Teamsters Local 700, has defended 'sick-outs' in the past. Secretary-treasury Michael Malone, said that a union poll showed 96 per cent of county corrections officers 'do not feel this administration does enough to keep them safe at work', reported the New York Daily News. 'Regardless of how earned sick time is used, we won't let our members be subjected to the ridicule that the current jail administration puts forth in an attempt to hide the real issues that they should be paying attention to,' Malone said in a statement. Two IRA fugitives suspected of torturing and killing an undercover British Army officer before putting his body in a meat grinder were granted an amnesty by Tony Blair. The Mail can reveal that Terry McCormick and Pat Maguire were among 187 on-the-run paramilitary suspects who received 'comfort letters' dubbed 'get-out-of-jail-free cards' which told them they were not being sought by police. The pair were wanted for questioning about the murder of Captain Robert Nairac 40 years ago today in one of the most brutal incidents in the Troubles. The revelation of the amnesty offered to the men comes after it emerged 18 British soldiers could be charged over their involvement in Bloody Sunday. A letter from the Public Prosecution Service for Northern Ireland, obtained by the BBC, said the veterans could face charges including murder and attempted murder, wounding and perjury. Thirteen people were shot dead when members of the Parachute Regiment opened fire on civil rights demonstrators in Londonderry in 1972. Another died later. Using the name Danny McAlevey, Capt Nairac, 28, of the Grenadier Guards, was undercover and singing Republican songs in the Three Steps pub near the border with the Irish Republic, when he was seized. Terry McCormick (left) and Pat Maguire are believed to have played prominent roles in the cold-blooded killing of Captain Robert Nairac (right), in 1977 He was taken across the border, tortured and then shot dead in a field. His body has never been found and it was suspected that it was put through a meat processing machine so it could never be found. Capt Nairac's body is the only one of the 722 British servicemen and women murdered in Northern Ireland never to have been found and returned for burial in the UK. McCormick and Maguire are believed to have played prominent roles in the cold-blooded killing. But under a secret deal between members of Mr Blair's Labour government and IRA leaders as part of the 1999 Good Friday Agreement, the pair were among the Republican terrorists given immunity. Both men have lived in the US since the 1977 murder. Maguire has become a US resident and eight years ago was tracked down to the New Jersey suburb of Dumont. He said: 'There's nothing I can say about that night... Of course I have regrets about it... but I'm not going to say any more.' McCormick also went into hiding in New Jersey. In 2007, he told an Irish reporter that he pretended to be a priest while interrogating Capt Nairac. He said: 'I told Nairac that he had better make a confession, because unless he told the truth he was going to be shot. He proceeded... basically saying "Bless me, Father, for I have sinned".' The officer was shot dead minutes later, without revealing who he was. A former Police Service of Northern Ireland officer told The Mail: 'For whatever reason, the American authorities have not decided to kick them out, back to Northern Ireland. It would be nice to get them back to see what they know. For Capt Nairac's sisters, who are his only living relatives, it would at least provide some solace to be able to give his remains a proper Christian burial. 'The letters saying they would be excused for their deed that night effectively means we would never be able to prosecute them but we would still like to interview them both, if only to try and locate Capt Nairac's body.' The existence of the comfort letters emerged in 2014 when the Old Bailey murder trial of John Downey, chief suspect for the 1982 Hyde Park bombing which killed four soldiers, collapsed. Under a secret deal between members of the Labour government led by Tony Blair (pictured) and IRA leaders as part of the 1999 Good Friday Agreement, the pair were among the Republican terrorists given immunity. Both men have lived in the US since the 1977 murder Lady Justice Hallett, who carried out an inquiry into the letters, described them as a 'catastrophic error'. The names of the 187 IRA terrorists have never been released, but the Mail can reveal that McCormick is No 72 on the list and Maguire is No 73. Capt Nairac was posthumously awarded the George Cross. The citation praised the resistance of the Oxford-educated officer and his bravery under 'a succession of exceptionally savage assaults', which failed to break him. Three men were convicted of his murder and received hefty jail sentences. Ten days ago, the body of a teacher who was murdered by Republican paramilitaries more than 30 years ago was found in woodland in northern France. Seamus Ruddy, from Co Down, was abducted from Paris in 1985. He was one of the Disappeared 16 people who were murdered and secretly buried by Republicans during the Troubles. Capt Nairac is the only soldier in the group. Former Army captain Doug Beattie, now an Ulster Unionist Party politician in the Northern Ireland Assembly, urged Sinn Fein leader Michelle O'Neill to use her influence to find Capt Nairac's body. He said: 'She should use her position to appeal to former IRA members to demonstrate respect for the remains of Capt Nairac. 'Someone in the Republican movement knows. The IRA continue to hide his body in some sort of macabre revenge just because he was a British soldier. 'He was a son and brother. It's time to bring this to an end.' Just 29 percent of Americans approve of President Trump's decision to fire FBI Director James Comey, a new NBC News/Wall Street Journal poll shows. Another 38 percent disapprove, while 32 percent said they hadn't yet formed an opinion on the matter meaning some Americans are still malleable on the issue, but early numbers don't inspire a lot of confidence for Trump. Pollsters also asked survey respondents what they thought the president's motives were for firing the FBI director, whose agency was looking into ties between the 2016 election year hacks and Trump's presidential campaign. Forty-six percent of Americans said they agreed with the statement that Trump fired Comey to slow down the FBI's investigation. Scroll down for video Only 29 percent of Americans said they supported the firing of FBI Director James Comey (left) by President Donald Trump (right), a new poll showed Just 29 percent of Americans approved of Donald Trump's decision to fire James Comey, though Republicans were more supportive of the move Another 38 percent of respondents agreed that Comey's dismissal came over his handling of the Hillary Clinton email probe, as Trump's team initially said. Diving deeper into the numbers, Trump's decision to fire Comey was most approved of by his fellow Republicans. Fifty-eight percent of GOP respondents said they approved of Trump's decision, which was announced Tuesday, while just 8 percent of Republicans disapproved. Another 33 percent of Republicans said they had no opinion. Despite Comey's late-in-the-game letter, which Clinton has pointed to as part of what can be blamed for her dramatic election loss, just 9 percent of Democrats approved of Trump's decision to let Comey go. Another 66 percent said they disapproved of the president's decision, while 24 percent had no opinion. Independents were most likely not to have an opinion on the matter, with 42 percent saying so. Twenty-one percent of independents said they approved of Trump's decision to ax Comey, while 36 percent of independents disapproved. So far, Trump's decision to fire Comey hasn't moved his overall approval ratings. While still low sitting currently at 39 percent that's only a one-point drop in the last month, which is within the survey's margin of error of plus-or-minus 3.5 percent. A majority, 61 percent, said Trump's firing of Comey hasn't changed their opinion of Trump, though 30 percent said it gave them a less favorable impression of the commander-in-chief. Comey's ouster didn't win over a lot of Americans either, with just 6 percent saying they now like Trump more. Thirty-eight percent of respondents hold a positive view of the president, while 52 percent view him negatively, which are similar numbers to how Trump was viewed last month. The FBI, as an agency, is viewed more positively than the president at 52 percent positive, while Comey, a lesser-known name, was viewed positively by just 18 percent of the poll's respondents, and negatively by 26 percent. The FBI was viewed negatively by 16 percent of those polled. Sixty-five percent said they either have a 'great deal' or 'some' confidence in the FBI to conduct a fair and impartial investigation into Russia's meddling in the 2016 presidential election. Just 40 percent say the same thing of Congress, as both House and Senate committees have taken up probes. When respondents were asked if they preferred Congres or an independent commission or special prosecutor to investigate Russia, only 15 percent of Americans chose Congress. Another 78 percent wanted to see an independent commission or special prosecutor take on the task. A Florida drama teacher is accused of raping a 15-year-old boy in the back of her car in the middle of the night. Pamela Stigger, 33, was arrested on Thursday just moments after she allegedly had sex with her former student in the car near an intersection in Tamarac. A police officer caught Stigger at about 2am in the back seat of the car with the boy who was allegedly naked from the waist down. Pamela Stigger, 33, was arrested on Thursday just moments after she allegedly had sex with her former student in the car near an intersection in Tamarac, Florida Authorities say Stigger denied having sexual contact with the boy and said he was 'attempting to seduce her' when police approached the car. She told officers 'she was only trying to mentor him', according to her arrest report. The boy told police that Stigger was driving him home when she pulled the car over and allegedly started kissing him. He said Stigger told him to get into the back seat and claims they took off their clothes and had sex. The drama teacher then got dressed and was allegedly performing a sexual act on the boy when she was caught. Authorities say Stigger (left and right) denied having sexual contact with the boy and said he was 'attempting to seduce her' when police approached the car Stigger is a teacher at Forest Glen Middle School and police say she had previously been the victim's teacher. She has been working in the Broward County Schools district since 2008, NBC Miami reports. She was charged with two counts of sexual battery and one count of lewd conduct. Stigger faced court on Friday and bail was set at $37,500. She was ordered to wear an ankle monitor and is banned from contacting the victim. Detectives are still investigating but they don't believe there are any other victims. Broward County Schools said they were investigating the incident and that Stigger had been reassigned away from the school. They said she would not be allowed near students during the trial. A 14-year-old physics major has become the youngest person ever to graduate from Texas Christian University. Carson Huey-You was among more than 2,000 students getting degrees on Saturday at the Fort Worth school, where he also minored in Chinese and Math. While his achievements have already put him in the history books, the self-described 'normal dude' has already set his eyes on getting graduate and doctorate degrees in quantum mechanics. But he doesn't see himself as any different from others his age, and even shies away when others call him a 'genius' or 'celebrity'. 'Im a normal dude,' he told the Star-telegram. 'It is just something I have learned to deal with because, to me I am not a genius. I am a normal 14-year-old person doing college-level stuff.' Scroll down for video Carson Huey-You, 14, is the youngest person ever to graduate from Texas Christian University. The prodigy is pictured here walking off the stage after receiving his bachelor's degree during the commencement ceremony held in Fort Worth, Texas, on Saturday Carson was a physics major who double minored in math and Chinese after enrolling in 2013. He is pictured here hugging his mentor, physics professor Magnus Rittby Carson - who is just four years older than the world's youngest college graduate - first shot to the spotlight in 2013 when he entered the university at 11 years old. He had just graduated as the co-valedictorian in his high school. But he was still intimidated by his new surroundings and says his college classes were a lot more difficult than he anticipated, especially the American environmental history, general chemistry II and classical mechanics classes. 'It was scary at first because my high school was only one building versus a massive campus with tons of people,' Carson told the paper. 'After that, I really did get used to it because TCU was so accommodating and a positive influence really. 'When I used to get bad test scores or something like that, I would go home and be disappointed and think about, "Oh, I should have known this, I should have done way better."' Now, he told the local paper: 'I know better how to deal with that disappointment, knowing that I will bounce back.' But Carson shies away from the 'genius' or 'celebrity' labels and he says he is just a 'normal dude.' His mother Claretta Kimp, pictured here wiping away tears after watching her son receive his degree, says she just wants Carson to grow up to be a selfless person Carson has also shared the spotlight with his 10-year-old brother Cannan, who just graduated from the same high school and is planning to study engineering, physics and astronomy at the Texas Christian University. He is pictured here showing one of his graduation gifts, a Hobbit Lego set, after the commencement ended Fascinated by the 'very small-scale things' in quantum physics, he sees this field as central to the future of smartphones and other electronic devices. 'Quantum mechanics deals with very, very small-scale things,' Carson said. 'Even, a lot of the times, past microscopic level so you get electrons, protons, neutrons even smaller than that going into quarks.' He then added: 'Smartphones, computers, electronics all of that stuff runs on quantum mechanics. If you want smaller technology that fits into smaller spaces, then thats really where to look.' Graduating as the co-valedictorian in his high school, Carson says he was intimidated by his new surroundings and found his classes more difficult than he expected. He is pictured here looking up at fellow graduate Adam Christopher Hood as they prepare to receive their diplomas on stage Carson, second from left, says his college experience has helped him cope with disappointment. 'I know better how to deal with that disappointment, knowing that I will bounce back' he told the Star-telegram This prodigy has also had to share the spotlight with his brother Cannan, a 10-year-old who graduated from the Accommodated Learning Academy - the same high school his brother attended - and is also headed to the Texas Christian Academy to study engineering, physics and astronomy. Even though both boys already have enough on their resume to make their mother proud, their mom Claretta Kimp - who shed a tear as her son received his diploma - loves to know that through it all her sons are still close. 'It's sweet,' she said of their relationship, adding that she hopes her sons grow up to be selfless people who give back to society. The self-described 'normal dude' has already set his eyes on pursuing graduate and doctorate degrees in quantum mechanics Jeremy Corbyn was accused of appalling conduct yesterday after it emerged he had been arrested in 1986 for joining a pro-IRA protest. The Labour leader had attended a picket outside the Old Bailey to show solidarity with accused terrorists, including the Brighton bomber. The protest opposed the show trial of men including Patrick Magee, who was later convicted of murdering five people at the 1984 Tory Party conference. It was organised by activists from the Troops Out Movement, which was linked to the IRAs political wing Sinn Fein. Jeremy Corbyn was accused of appalling conduct yesterday after it emerged he had been arrested in 1986 for joining a pro-IRA protest. He is pictured right in 1983 alongside Sinn Fein President Gerry Adams, left Lord Tebbit, whose wife was paralysed in the Brighton attack, said: This just emphasises the total unfitness of Mr Corbyn. 'Labour is no longer led by men of the calibre of Attlee and Bevin, it is led by IRA terrorist sympathisers and Marxists. I have total contempt for all supporters of the IRA. Mark Tipper, whose brother died in the 1982 Hyde Park bombing, said: How can a man who is running for prime minister befriend the IRA? Its quite appalling. 'It makes me feel sick in the stomach that this man could actually win the general election. It will make voters wonder where his true allegiance lies. Defence Secretary Sir Michael Fallon accused Mr Corbyn of displaying quite open support for the IRA saying his election next month would be too great a risk for this country. Mr Corbyn, pictured, attended a picket outside the Old Bailey to show solidarity with accused terrorists, including the 1984 Brighton bomber It was known that, weeks after the Brighton bombing, Mr Corbyn invited Gerry Adams and Sinn Fein members to the Commons. Now a Sunday Times investigation has found that on June 9, 1986, Mr Corbyn joined the picket to show solidarity with the Irish Republican prisoners put on trial by the British state. All 16 demonstrators, including the MP, were arrested for obstruction after refusing to move from outside the court. They were held for five hours then released on bail, but do not appear to have been charged. Files in the Troops Out archive include a letter from Mr Corbyn on House of Commons-headed notepaper to activist Sal Jenkinson, who helped organise the protest. It said: Thanks for your help, hope you get out as I did! A spokesman said Mr Corbyn had been lobbying for a fair trial and the Labour leader worked tirelessly to bring peace in Northern Ireland through dialogue. Sir Michael was forced to defend himself after Emily Thornberry brought up his participation in a trip to see Syrian leader Bashar al-Assad in 2007. The shadow foreign secretary told him: Im not going to judge you on going to a reception with Assad and I dont think people should judge Jeremy by trying to talk to people who may be open to a settlement in Northern Ireland. Armenia: EU and Armenia Hold annual Dialogue on Human Rights Todays Shushi, Occupied and Cleared of Armenians, is a Real Example of Turkish-Azerbaijani Policy of Ethnic Cleansing of Artsakh Ookla, the the global leader in internet testing and analysis has awarded Ucom Sweden will hold the Presidency of the Council of the European Union Ameriabank: At the Vanguard of Armenia's Banking Sector STATEMENT OF THE NATIONAL ASSEMBLY OF THE REPUBLIC OF ARTSAKH SUBSCRIBERS OF UCOMS ALL TIME BEST OFFER TO ENJOY ADDITIONAL BENEFITS Armenia-Azerbaijan: EU sets up monitoring capacity along the international borders PACE co-rapporteurs on Armenia concerned by reports of alleged war crimes or inhuman treatment perpetrated by Azerbaijans armed forces There is still 35% gender pay gap: Sona Ghazaryan Global Finance Names Ameriabank the Safest Bank in Armenia Mikayel and Karen Vardanyans provided 136 million AMD support for the overhaul of the Myasnikyan statue, which was in unsafe state of disrepair Believe me, as a representative of a country which uses the Schengen system very often, it is quite important. Vardanyan I really look forward to having answers from the Azerbaijani side for these alleged gross human rights violations: Secretary General I call on Armenian and Azerbaijani parliamentarians to use this Assembly as an agora of opportunities President Tiny Kox UCOMS SPECIAL OFFER OF THE UNLIMITED INTERNET IS NOW TERMLESS Google Ad There is no place for the death penalty in a State that respects human rights: PACE General Rapporteur EU and CoE call on two Member States that have not yet acceded to this Protocol Armenia and Azerbaijan to do so without delay An urgent debate requested on "The military hostilities between Armenia and Azerbaijan". UCOM AND PES-PES CONTINUE COOPERATION WITHIN THE FRAMEWORK OF EDUCATIONAL PROJECT The statement of the meeting between Prime Minister Pashinyan, President Aliyev, President Macron and President Michel of October 6, 2022 Largest Corporate Bond Program at the Securities Market of Armenia Completed Successfully The statement of the Defender on the video of the execution of Armenian PoWs by the Azerbaijani armed forces LEVEL UP ONLY FOR STUDENTS: UCOM OFFERS X2 AND X3 MORE INTERNET STATEMENT BY SECRETARY ANTONY J. BLINKEN This criminal act is another proof that the Armenophobia policy. Tatoyan Nikol Pashinyan, Nancy Pelosi discuss a number of issues related to the Armenian-American agenda and regional developments Delegation by Nancy Pelosi Accompanied by Alen Simonyan Visits Tsitsernakaberd Memorial Complex Speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives Nancy Pelosi Arrives in Yerevan A 92 year-old widow has been paying ten times more than she needed to for home insurance in one of the worst cases of the loyalty rip-off. Elsie Briggs, a customer of the Co-op for 24 years, was charged 1,280 a year for buildings and contents cover. Mrs Briggs, from Gloucester, moved into a care home in December before suffering a stroke in March. The Mail revealed the extent of the rip-off last week, with reports highlighting how customers who stay with the same provider often lose out by hundreds of pounds a year. Pictured The Co-operative Groups new head office in Manchester. It was only when her 72-year-old stepson Michael looked into her finances that he found just how much she was being charged by the Co-op which prides itself on its ethical reputation. He realised Mrs Briggs could have the same cover for less than a tenth of the price with John Lewis, which is currently charging 118 a year. Michael, a retired sales director, told The Sunday Times: Her biggest disability was trusting a company that claims to treat customers fairly. The Co-op must surely have been aware of how out of date its premiums were. The Mail revealed the extent of the rip-off last week, with reports highlighting how customers who stay with the same provider often lose out by hundreds of pounds a year. Campaigners are asking the Financial Conduct Authority to take action after the extent of the rip-off was revealed by the Mail Last night campaigners urged the Financial Conduct Authority to take action. Wes Streeting, Labour candidate for Ilford North, said: Insurance companies have got a lot to answer for. It is clear some insurers are choosing to rip off their most loyal customers, many of whom are pensioners, by hiking premiums and charging them more. A spokesperson for Co-op Insurance said: Were really sorry for the distress that this has caused to Mrs Briggs and to her family. In this case we have clearly fallen short and we are committed to putting this right. We include details in our customers renewal policies advising that we may have a newer, better suited product for them and we now contact our longstanding customers directly to make them aware that this may be the case. We are also exploring the introduction of an insurance premium cap later this year, which will benefit a small number of customers who are paying particularly high premiums. Evil child killer Ian Brady is receiving end of life care at the secure mental hospital where he is being detained. The 79-year-old murderer is being treated by a nurse who assists the terminal cancer patients. The killer revealed in December that he is suffering from inoperable lung cancer. Ian Brady, pictured after his arrest in 1965, left, and as an artist's impression in June 2013, is currently receiving end of life treatment for his fatal lung cancer in a secure unit Brady and his co-accused Myra Hindley, left, murdered five children including Keith Bennett, right, whose body has never been recovered despite several extensive searches Brady is being held in Ashworth Hospital in Merseyside, pictured, in a secure unit Brady, and his co-accused Myra Hindley murdered Pauline Reade, 16, John Kilbride, 12, Keith Bennett, 12, Lesley Ann Downey, ten, and Edward Evans, 17. Terry Kilbride, whose brother John was murdered by the pair told The Sun: 'We'll certainly celebrate his death when it comes. Good riddance.' However, Brady's death will reduce the likelihood of the family of Keith Bennett ever being able to recover his body. Mr Kilbride continued: 'I would beg him to do the right thing on his deathbed and tell us where Keith is. Now is the time for him to stop playing tricks and come clean. Search teams scoured Saddleworth Moor in 1965 searching for the first three victims Police have recovered bodies of four of the pair's victims but cannot find Keith Bennett Brady's co-accused Myra Hindley died in prison in November 2002 and was cremated Mr Kilbride claimed Brady will 'rot in hell' as it is the only place he is going. 'When Brady dies I truly hope he rots in hell. That's the only place he's going.' The killer is being detained in Ashworth hospital on Merseyside. He has been bedridden for the past two years as a result of his condition. One source claimed: 'He is gravely ill and everyone is preparing for him dying.' Brady and Hindley murdered five children over a two year period between 1963 and 1965. The victims were buried on Saddleworth Moor, near Oldham. Hindley died in prison in 2002 aged 60. In February, Brady was refused permission to launch a 'totally unique' High Court fight to choose his own lawyer to represent him at the Mental Health Review Tribunal. However, Mr Justice Morris, sitting in London, dismissed the application as 'unarguable' and ruled that it had 'no realistic prospect of success'. Brady was jailed for three murders in 1966 and has been at Ashworth since 1985. He and Hindley later confessed to another two murders. He last went before the Mental Health Review Tribunal (MHRT) in 2013 and asked for a move to a Scottish prison so he cannot be force-fed as he can in hospital. It is feared that Brady's imminent death will mean Keith Bennett's body will never be recovered His request was rejected after Ashworth medical experts said he had chronic mental illness and needed continued care in hospital. Brady refused to take part in a further review without Mr Makin, who is is currently barred from acting as Brady's publicly funded legal representative because his solicitors' firm is not a member of the Law Society's mental health panel. Under legal aid rules, only members are entitled to a publicly-funded contract in the mental health law category. Brady's legal team argued before Mr Justice Morris that the Lord Chancellor, Liz Truss, has power to intervene and protect his human rights. His barrister Philip Engelman argued Ms Truss had unlawfully fettered her discretion by failing to act in what the tribunal itself had described as a 'totally unique' case. But on Monday Mr Justice Morris ruled all grounds of challenge 'unfounded and unarguable'. Brady took a High Court case in March 2000 to allow him to starve himself to death The judge said nothing in the European Convention on Human Rights or in case law 'supports the proposition that in civil proceedings, in particular proceedings related to detention on the grounds of mental health, there is a right to publicly funded representation for a lawyer of choice.' The judge agreed with lawyers for the Lord Chancellor who had argued it would not be a 'lawful and proper use of her power' for her to intervene. The court has heard that Brady was reluctant to engage with the latest review, believing it was biased against him but was persuaded to take part by Mr Makin after 'making it clear that the only legal representative he would have was Robin Makin'. His legal team say he has been bedridden for the last couple of years or so, stating 'It is probably fair to say that his physical condition will not improve and he is terminally ill.' In December, Brady wrote to Channel 5 journalist Julian Drucker to reveal his fatal condition. He wrote: 'I'm still bedridden and have been for over two years. The lung and chest condition is terminal.' Brady said in the two-page letter that he enjoyed spending time in jail with IRA prisoners. He also attacked the High Court's ruling that the Government doesn't have the power to begin the Brexit talks without Parliament's approval. 'Those three public school judges who dredged up a law from the seventeenth century to obstruct the people's vote for Brexit, additionally exemplify the corrupt establishment, and the myth of a politically independent judiciary,' he said. Formula 1 bosses have brought in the latest anti-drone technology to protect Lewis Hamilton and other drivers from Islamic State terrorists at this years British Grand Prix. Race officials fear that jihadis could use drones carrying explosives to attack drivers and spectators at the Silverstone racetrack. So to counter the threat, security guards with electronic jammers and net guns will be on patrol before and during the race, which will be attended by tens of thousands of fans on Sunday, July 16. Guards with net guns and electronic jammers will help counter the threat of drones The move is in response to IS using drones to drop bombs on UK-backed forces in Syria and Iraq and the danger posed by lone wolf jihadis who could buy a drone online or on a British high street. Last night, Silverstone officials confirmed that they have hired the British company Drone Defence to cover the race. The firms founder, Richard Gill, told The Mail on Sunday: Outdoor events, festivals and sporting venues are all very attractive targets for rogue drone users. 'And when you consider that a lot of events have low-flying aircraft too, then the impact of a drone could be significant. The motorsports venue in Northamptonshire will become Europes largest heliport during the Grand Prix, and organisers fear that a drone could be flown into the rotors of a helicopter carrying participants or spectators. In an attempt to identify drones near the racetrack, Mr Gills team will use ultrasonic microphones, video feeds and near-infrared sensors. These are effective up to a range of one-and-a-quarter mile. There are fears drones could be used to drop bombs on British drivers at Silverstone Any drone posing a threat to life will be destroyed using the hand-held jammers. Security guards can fire a disruptive radio beam to interfere with the drones controls and navigation frequencies. The jammers also prevent whoever is flying the drone from regaining control of it. As a last resort, guards will have carbon dioxide-powered net guns, which can fire a net measuring 30 square feet into the air to catch and down a drone. Risks posed by rogue drones are growing as the technology develops. In 2015 a drone carrying radioactive sand from the Fukushima nuclear plant landed on top of the Japanese prime ministers offices in Tokyo. These magnificent images capture the vastly different lives of people around the planet. They are all submissions to the 2017 National Geographic Travel Photographer of the Year contest, picked as being particularly impressive in the 'People' category thus far. 'The people you meet as you explore a new place are just as important as the stunning scenery,' the competition editors remark. One captures two young brothers 'train surfing' on the tracks of Bangladesh - a dangerous but common practice among families who must beg for a living. Other subjects include a young African child playing in the Niger River, a camel handler on the busy streets of Delhi and a smiling monk in Tibet. The competition is taking submissions until June 30, and the grand prize winner will receive a ten-day trip for two to the Galapagos Archipelago. When it comes to wealth, we generally know how well we're doing compared with our peers. But a new online tool enables you to see exactly how you rank on a global level - and the results are sure to be eye-opening. The UK average salary of 27,600, for example, puts you in the top 0.79 percent of the world; meaning you earn around 14 per hour compared to a factory worker in Ethiopia, who makes just 0.15 in the same time. The new tool reveals that the UK average salary of 27,600 puts you in the top 0.79 percent of the world Produced by humanitarian charity Care, the Global Rich List also reveals that an hour of that salary can purify enough water to last a child for 47 days elsewhere in the world. An hour's average salary could also pay for a trained midwife to deliver two babies safely in a developing country. Look at the higher end of the wage bracket and the numbers become even more startling. Author JK Rowling, for example, is estimated by WageIndicator to earn a whopping 14.7million a year. Produced by humanitarian charity Care, the Global Rich List also reveals what an hour of your salary can do for others around the globe Author JK Rowling is estimated to earn a whopping 14.7million a year, which puts her in the top 0.0001 per cent That would put her in the top 0.0001 per cent of wealthiest people in the world. And this means she would earn an average of 7,680 per hour - enough to purify water for impoverished children to last them for 70 years. Incidentally, Ms Rowling was the second most generous celebrity in 2016, after Sir Elton John, having donated 10.3million that year. Online speculation is growing that the latest series of The Bachelor may be in trouble, as the production appears to be running behind schedule compared to previous years. According to eagle-eyed fans on the Bachelor And Bachelorette Spoiler Forums, recent photos obtained by The Daily Telegraph suggest 'intruders' have only just been introduced. As Matthew 'Matty J' Johnson's series began filming in late February - on a similar date as Sam Wood's season back in 2015 - it has been observed that the 'timing is way off'. Taking his time? The new series of The Bachelor, starring Matthew 'Matty J' Johnson, appears to be running behind schedule compared to previous years It comes after Daily Mail Australia published photos earlier this month which possibly revealed the final seven contestants - including Elise Stacy, Elora Murger and Laura Byrne. At the time, it was also observed by the forum users - who are notorious for 'sleuthing' the results of Bachelor episodes - that filming was progressing more slowly than expected. It is possible the production is running behind schedule as Matty J was granted a break from filming in April, as Sydney Confidential previously reported. Gossip: As Matty's series began filming in late February - a similar date as the 2015 season - fans on The Bachelor And Bachelorette Spoiler Forums observed the 'timing is way off' Taking time off: It is possible the production is running behind schedule as Matty J was granted a break from filming in April, as Sydney Confidential previously reported It was previously claimed Matty was accompanied by a 'minder' during this period of 'personal time' away from the Bachelor mansion. Daily Mail Australia has reached out to Network Ten for comment. Matty's mid-season sabbatical followed an unconfirmed report by NW magazine which claimed he was 'very unhappy' with the female contestants. Rumour: Matty's mid-season sabbatical followed an unconfirmed report by NW magazine which claimed he was 'very unhappy' with the female contestants. Pictured: Elora Murger Claims: In March, NW reported Matty had demanded the 'producers bring in the intruders - and fast' because he wasn't impressed by the line-up of women. Pictured: Elise Stacy In March, the publication reported he had demanded the 'producers bring in the intruders - and fast' because he wasn't impressed by the line-up of women. It was also alleged Matty had still not recovered from his heartbreak on The Bachelorette, which saw him rejected by Georgia Love in the series finale. However, The Bachelor host Osher Gunsberg refuted the story, telling NW the rumours were 'utter bulls**t' and claiming their source was 'absolutely full of it'. Whenever Karl Stefanovic's around his stunning new model girlfriend, his fashion sense appears to miraculously flourish. Now, Jasmine Yarbrough, 33, has been 'tipped for the catwalk' at Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week, with her Today Show beau predicted to be watching on from the sidelines. With the star-studded festival of fashion getting underway at Sydney's Carriageworks on Sunday, The Daily Telegraph's insiders expect an 'instant circus' at any show the pair appear at. Runway return! Jasmine Yarbrough has been tipped to make her return to the runway at Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week at Carriageworks Sydney this week Keeping up appearances! Her Today Show beau Karl is also said to be making an appearance, watching on from the sidelines 'The whisper around fashion circles [predict] Karl Stefanovic and Jasmine Yarbrough could pop up at one or more shows at Carriageworks this week,' the publication reported. The blonde bombshell is a fashion designer herself and is no stranger to the runway, but hasn't been pictured on the catwalk since Rosemount Australian Fashion Week in 2011. According to fashionistas associated with the show, she's been 'tipped as an outside chance,' to make her return this week. Back in 2011, the flawless beauty took a jaunt down the runway in skimpy Rebecca Manning hypercolour swimwear, exposed her assets in an Argua Bendita two-piece and added some svelte style in a full-length red gown. Whispers: 'The whisper around fashion circles [predict] Karl Stefanovic and Jasmine Yarbrough could pop up at one or more shows at Carriageworks this week' The Daily Telegraph reported Tipped: According to fashionistas associated with the show, she's been 'tipped as an outside chance,' to make her return this week Style: Back in 2011, the Mara & Mine took a jaunt down the runway in some skimpy Rebecca Manning hypercolour swimwea and added some svelte style in a full-length red gown Insiders for the publication added: 'It would be a rare glimpse of the 33-year-old not decked out in her own label.' The shoe designer is regularly snapped out and about, flaunting her slender frame in pieces from her Mara & Mine label. Likewise, Karl, 42, has played the supportive boyfriend in recent times, sporting a notably increased focus on fashion since their loved-up relationship went public in February. Supportive! Likewise, Karl, 42, has played the supportive boyfriend in recent times, sporting a notably increased focus on fashion since his loved-up relationship with the fashionista went public Learned from the best! He's been spotted in recent weeks with fashion hats, opting for the loose-tucked shirt in jeans look and clearly appears to have taken a masterclass in layering One famous incident even saw the divorced father-of-three embracing the wide-brimmed Fedora trend made popular by the likes of Johnny Depp, Pharell Williams and Beyonce. The TV star has been spotted in recent weeks with both tan and black fashion hats, and even opting for the loose-tucked shirt in jeans look. Since the fashionista has entered his life, he clearly appears to have taken a masterclass in layering. Split: Karl and Jasmine reportedly first met in December last year, months after his split from wife-of-21-years Cassandra Karl and Jasmine reportedly first met in December last year, months after his split from wife-of-21-years Cassandra. It was recently claimed Karl had settled his divorce, with his with his estranged wife taking home a reported $6 million in cash and assets, plus child support and 'ongoing payments' in the couple's settlement. The Today Show star earns nearly $3 million a year at Channel Nine. Public! The blonde bombshell and her Today Show beau went public back in February Model! She's pictured here modelling designs from the Karen Neilsen collection at Rosemount Australian Fashion week in 2010 It was only a matter of time before Doctor Who appointed its first female Time Lord. Phoebe Waller-Bridge, 31, is tipped to take on where Time Lord Peter Capaldi, 59, leaves off in the Tardis for its next series after impressing on BBC comedy Fleabag. An insider told The Sunday People: 'Beeb bosses love Phoebe. They thought she did an amazing job with Fleabag and is certainly one of the rising stars in TV and film.' Scroll down for video Out of this world: Phoebe Waller-Bridge, 31, has got tongues wagging as she is tipped to take on where Time Lord Peter Capaldi, 59, leaves off in the next series 'They see her as the perfect fit as a Time Lord and the first female Doctor Who.' Phoebe has previously been coy about the prospect of being the first female Doctor in the show's 52-year history, telling the Mirror: 'I am not allowed to say anything about that, one way or the other.' MailOnline has contacted Phoebe's representatives for a comment. Dramatic exit: Peter will make his final appearance as the Doctor in the Christmas special It appears the rising starlet could win the title over famous faces including Death In Paradise heartthrob Kris Marshall. No doubt the directors of the show are looking to take it in a different direction on the back of its successful run for 52 years. Peter will make his final appearance as the Doctor in the Christmas special. Tipped for the role: It appears the rising starlet could win the title over famous faces including Death In Paradise heartthrob Kris Marshall Phoebe is said to have impressed the BBC bosses with her performance in the six-part drama where she wrote and played the leading lady in Fleabag in 2016. She previously made an appearance in ITV's Broadchurch as the junior barrister Abby Thompson. The TV actress made her debut on the West End stage in play Roaring Trade at the Soho Theatre in 2009. She called time on her 11-year union with Liev Schreiber in September last year. And Naomi Watts has opened up to Vogue Australia in their June issue, stating that 'there are good days and bad days.' The comments feature alongside a stunning cover shoot, that sees the 48-year-old show off her penchant for style in several high-fashion looks. Timeless beauty! Naomi Watts, 48, showed off her penchant for style on the cover of Vogue Australia's June issue Naomi graces the cover of the fashion bible in an ethereal one-shoulder frock. Positioned against a textured green blanket, the Mulholland Drive star hoists up the lightweight fabric, revealing her toned legs. Tilting her head to the side, Naomi draws attention to her striking facial features, enhanced with a flawless complexion, defined brows, lashings of mascara and a burgundy lip. The British-born personality allows her shoulder-length blonde locks to frame her face effortlessly. Plaid perfection! Another stunning shot sees Naomi cutting a bold figure, while reclining on a vintage chair Resting beauty: Another shot within the cover spread sees Naomi sporting a slim-fitting black frock, positioned on a vintage-style bed Another stunning shot sees Naomi cutting a bold figure, while reclining on a vintage chair. A deep pink plaid frock skims over her slimline figure, with significant ruffle detailing adding an extra feminine touch. Tights and shoes in coordinating material ties in with the overall look, delicate silver jewellery working as subtle accessories. Resting one manicured hand near her mouth, left slightly agape, the blonde beauty appears deep in thought. Parting ways: The Mulholland Drive star called time on her 11-year union with Liev Schreiber, 49, in September last year Another shot within the cover spread sees Naomi sporting a slim-fitting black frock with an embellished strap. The feature saw the King Kong actress revealing that she and ex-partner Liev Schreiber are on good terms, following their split in September. 'He's a fantastic dad, a wonderful, wonderful man, and we still want the absolute best for each other,' Naomi told the publication. Family ties: During their 11-year union, the couple welcomed two sons, Samuel Kai, eight, and Alexander Pete, nine During their 11-year union, the couple welcomed two sons, Samuel Kai, eight, and Alexander Pete, nine. Naomi also confirmed to Vogue that she's single. 'I'm single, I'm co-parenting. I'm doing OK,' she revealed. 'There are good days and bad days and Liev and I are on great terms and we're trying to do our absolute best for the sake of the children and we hope to keep moving forward in that way,' Naomi added. She's the ex-pat Australian actress who traded the tranquility of Byron Bay for the bright lights of Los Angeles seven years ago. And blonde beauty Isabel Lucas, 32, has revealed that the temptation to return Down Under to shoot the upcoming biopic about iconic Australian actor Errol Flynn, In Like Flynn, proved too great to ignore. Speaking to the Daily Telegraph, the former Home and Away actress said the chance to shoot the film in her home country 'felt right' adding that the project was her first in Australia since shooting the vampire film Daybreakers in 2009 and that she 'felt the call to come home.' Home again: Isabel Lucas, 32, has revealed that the temptation to return Down Under to shoot the upcoming biopic about iconic Australian actor Errol Flynn proved too great to ignore 'It felt right to come home - I'm excited to be back,' she said. 'I did the film Daybreakers in Brisbane...it was my first project, my first film after Home and Away.' The publication reported that Isabel wrapped her scenes on Friday while the substantial role is quite a feather in the actresses cap who already has such films as Knight of Cups, The Wedding Party and That's Not Me on her resume. Ex-pat: 'It felt right to come home - I'm excited to be back,' the former Home and Away star told the Daily Telegraph Swapping her trademark blonde locks for curly red tresses to take on the role of Rose in the $12 million biopic, Isabel's new look is drawing plenty of comparisons to fellow ex-pat Australian actress Nicole Kidman. The 31-year-old Byron Bay stunner shared behind-the-scenes snaps from filming earlier this week, with many fans quick to point out the similarities between the two actresses. Red-haired doppleganger: Isabel Lucas (right) has drawn attention for her striking resemblance to Nicole Kidman (left) after sporting curly red hair while filming new biopic In Like Flynn 'Your red hair makes you really resemble a young Nicole Kidman!' one Instagram user commented. While another follower shocked at the likeness, added: 'I thought you were Nicole Kidman at first! Keep on shining.' The star's 'gorgeous' new hair doesn't appear to be a permanent change though, with the ginger locks a wig to help her play the character of 'Rose'. Look-alike: The 31-year-old Byron Bay stunner shared behind-the-scenes snaps from filming earlier this week, with many fans quick to point out the similarities between the actresses 'I thought you were Nicole!' One follower was particularly shocked at the likeness, writing how they did a double take upon seeing the image Not quite permanent: Isabel's 'gorgeous' new hair doesn't appear to be as permanent as the Big Little Lies actress' though, with the ginger locks a wig Isabel has shared a number of snaps since filming kicked off this week, including one running alongside co-star Thomas Cocquerel. Wearing a blue tunic dress and dark lace-up shoes, her flame-hair flew about in the wind as she smiled in character. Beside her, Thomas sported brown pants and a blood-stained singlet, with a dirty long-sleeve shirt open over the top. Smile on her dial! The petite beauty has shared a number of snaps since filming kicked off this week, including one running alongside co-star Thomas Cocquerel Cosying up: In another, the two cuddle up in cleaner versions of their costumes, with Isabel wrapping her arm around Thomas' shoulders While few details have been released yet, it is believed the film will follow Australian-born actor Errol Flynn's early life chasing gold and adventure in New Guinea. Director Russell Mulcahy recently told Variety that the picture will hone in on Flynn's 'unapologetic and uninhibited desire to experience a full, adventurous and spectacular life'. 'All while revealing his deeply rooted belief in himself and an ability to survive on charisma and bravado,' he continued. The film is also set to star Australian actors David Wenham and Callan Mulvey, as well as British star William Moseley. His late father, Crocodile Hunter Steve Irwin, died in September 2006 after a stingray attack. And Robert Irwin has gushed about his father on The Living Room, when talking about their shared passion for photography. The bubbly 13-year-old said he feels like he is 'following in his footsteps' by getting behind the camera lense. Scroll down for video Sweet: Robert Irwin has gushed about his late father Steve Irwin on The Living Room, when talking about their shared passion for photography 'My dad loved photography,' Robert said. 'He took his camera with him everywhere, wherever he went.' 'It's really nice for me to be able to I guess, kind of carry on in his footsteps and spread that message of conservation, through photographs,' Robert added. His dad: The bubbly 13-year-old said he feels like he is 'following in his footsteps' by getting behind the camera lense (Robert is seen with Steve) On the show, Robert and host Dr. Chris Brown had a fun photograph competition at Australia Zoo, with the pair having to snap animals for the segment. Dr. Chris Brown - who is a vet and a keen photographer - jokingly said he felt that his job was threatened by the teen. Robert won the competition, snapping a chameleon. 'They are just fascinating animals,' Robert said. Family: Robert's sister Bindi meanwhile, recently told US Weekly of her favourite memory of their father (seen with mother Terri) Robert's sister Bindi meanwhile, recently told US Weekly of her favourite memory of their father. The 18-year-old told the publication it was a moment from the family's final crocodile-catching trip to Queensland, just before his death in 2006. Just eight years old, Bindi recalled how the family - including mother Terri - were trying to capture a female crocodile to tag with a tracking device. With the whole Irwin gang getting in on the croc-jumping action, Steve turned to Bindi and told her she was finally ready to tackle the tough task of nabbing the reptile's head. Looking back: Bindi said her favourite memory was when Steve let her sit on a crocodile's head during a crocodile-catching trip 'On our very last croc trip with Dad he decided I was old enough to be able to jump on the head of the crocodile,' Bindi told the publication. 'I was this little eight-year-old girl and Dad goes, 'I believe in you. You can do this, sweetheart.'' While excited about her dad's unwavering faith in her, Bindi also disclosed that it was a bittersweet moment, with a picture of the gang on top of the beast their 'last family photo together'. 'He believed in me, and all I wanted to do was make him proud,' the teen said. 'This was a really special moment and a really special photo,' she added. Just months after the crocodile tagging expedition Steve died after he was struck by a stingray barb while filming in Queensland for a documentary. Bindi gave a heartfelt speech at his funeral, calling him her 'hero' and saying: 'I have the best Daddy in the whole world and I will miss him every day.' She's the A-list actress whose work has netted her one best actress Oscar and two nominations. But Nicole Kidman has revealed that she wants to do more television work after the runaway success of the HBO drama Little Big Lies. Speaking to the Sydney Morning Herald, Nicole, 49, said that after the success of the darkly comedic, seven-hour mini series, based on a book by Australian author Liane Moriarty, more work on the small screen could very well be in her future. Scroll down for video Small screen: Nicole Kidman has revealed that she wants to do more television work after the runaway success of the HBO drama Little Big Lies 'I would love to do more television as it's such a direct and powerful medium,' she said. Nicole, who plays Celeste Wright in the critically lauded Little Big Lies, also teased that a sequel to the popular mini-series could be in the works, with the actress revealing that she and co-star Reece Witherspoon had been in talks with author Liane Moriarty about a potential follow-up. 'It's definitely being talked about, but it takes a lot of work to get it to where we want it,' she said. Back on the box? 'I would love to do more television as it's such a direct and powerful medium,' she said. Nicole (L) is pictured with Little Big Lies co-stars Shailene Woodley (C) and Reese Witherspoon (R) 'We are just so thankful that people have responded in the way they have. It's such a rare occurrence.' Appearing on The Ellen Degeneres Show recently, Nicole surprised the host after she revealed that her turn on Little Big Lies represents the first time the iconic actress has started to get recognised in public. 'I was suddenly being recognised in airports and on airplanes and women were coming up to me in the street and talking about the character and what was going to happen next. I was getting texts from Keith's friends...and I thought 'wow, this is working.' Round two? Nicole, who plays Celeste Wright in the critically lauded Little Big Lies, also teased that a sequel to the popular mini-series could be in the works Ellen pressed the star, asking 'what do you mean you suddenly got recognised - nobody knew you before this?' Nicole responded with: 'I haven't had a film, besides Lion, that's really kind of penetrated into the psyche of the world for a long time...and I love it. I love being in people's homes. Aside from Little Big Lies, Nicole's television credits include the Network Ten miniseries Vietnam and Bangkok Hilton, a short stint on iconic Australian soap A Country Practice and the 2012 HBO drama Hemmingway and Gellhorn. Who are you? Nicole recently revealed to Ellen Degeneres that she now gets recognised in public thatks to Little Big Lies. co-star Alexander Skarsgard is pictured right He's the makeup guru and she's the rising fashion model. And Napoleon Perdis, 47, and daughter Lianna, 17, made a bold arrival as they touched down at Sydney Airport on Sunday. The pair sported vibrant ensembles ahead of their preparations for Mercedes-Benz Australian Fashion Week. Making a bold arrival! Napoleon Perdis, 47, and daughter Lianna, 17, touched down at Sydney Airport on Sunday, sporting vibrant ensembles ahead of Australian Fashion Week Napoleon cut a bold figure as he made his way out of the terminal. A blue Gucci T-shirt with a snake print, was teamed with distressed slim-fitting jeans. White Nike trainers, a khaki bomber jacket with embellished sleeves, and a camouflage cap added extra wow factor. Carrying a quilted shoulder bag in one hand, the makeup guru sported various pieces of jewellery as well as a pair of black spectacles. Statement: Napoleon cut a bold figure as he made his way out of the terminal. A blue Gucci T-shirt with a snake print, was teamed with distressed slim-fitting jeans Flair: White Nike trainers, a khaki bomber jacket with embellished sleeves, and a camouflage cap added extra wow factor to the makeup guru's ensemble Daughter Lianna Perdis sported a Supreme sweater with the American flag emblazoned all over. A pair of red tie-dyed leggings clung to the starlet's trim pins. Opting for comfort with white trainers, Lianna added a glamorous touch in the form of a red leather Hermes bag. The model's long locks were styled straight and in a middle parting, framing her striking facial features. Accessories: Carrying a quilted shoulder bag in one hand, the makeup guru sported various pieces of jewellery as well as a pair of black spectacles Americana: Daughter Lianna Perdis sported a Supreme sweater with the American flag emblazoned all over Svelte: A pair of red tie-dyed leggings clung to the starlet's trim pins, teamed with a pair of white trainers Allowing her natural beauty to shine through, Lianna drew attention to a minimal makeup palette of a flawless base and defined brows. Napoleon and Lianna touched down in Sydney on Sunday from their Athens base. The family are due to attend Mercedes-Benz Australian Fashion Week, with Napoleon's iconic label acting as the official makeup sponsor. Lianna, who has just graced the cover of Bazaar Greece, will walk the runway at Christopher Esber's highly-anticipated showing. Primped: Lianna's long locks were styled straight and in a middle parting, framing her striking facial features Luxe: The model added a glamorous touch in the form of a red leather Hermes bag Beauty: The starlet drew attention to a minimal makeup palette of a flawless base and defined brows In February this year, Lianna told Daily Mail Australia that she's 'still getting over' having graced the cover of the fashion bible, Harper's Bazaar. 'I'm so humbled by everyone's interest in wanting to shoot me for their magazines,' Lianna said. Lianna's star is continuing to rise, after having walked for Australian designer Christoper Esber at New York Fashion Week earlier this year. The teen is a fan of Esber's tailoring, which she said appeals to her sense of 'mixing and matching styles' that are both new and vintage. Lianna flew into Manhattan specifically for Esber's show, and had to fly straight home to Greece to get back to school. In demand: Napoleon has jetted into Sydney ahead of Mercedes-Benz Australian Fashion Week, for which his iconic makeup brand is the official sponsor Model behaviour: Lianna will also be walking the runway for Christopher Esber's highly-anticipated runway show The beauty signed with international agency Chic Model Management and launched her own makeup line, Total Bae. When it comes to young women entering the modelling and business world, Lianna hopes they'll follow her lead. 'If you want to do it, go for it. My parents have always encouraged me to give everything and to do your best,' she told Daily Mail Australia. Lianna will take to the Christopher Esber runway once again at Mercedes-Benz Australian Fashion Week. Second time around: This is not the first time Lianna has worked with Esber, having walked at his New York Fashion Week show earlier this year Rising star: Lianna's star continues to rise, having already graced the cover of Bazaar Greece at just 17 years of age They spent most of their time in skimpy swimsuits while shooting the movie. But Baywatch babes Alexandra Daddario and Priyanka Chopra definitely went with more glamorous getups for the premiere on Saturday night in Miami. Alexandra, 31, glittered in a stunning, floor-length silver dress. Scroll down for video Sparkling stars! Baywatch babes Alexandra Daddario and Priyanka Chopra definitely went with more glamorous getups for the premiere on Saturday night in Miami The strapless number featured black sheer lace along the bust line and down each side. Her brunette tresses were parted neatly on the left and allowed to fall straight down her back. Dark eye liner, light blush and taffy-colored lipstick ensured the blue-eyed beauty was ready for her turn on the red carpet. Priyanka, 34, also donned a glittering garment for the big night. All eyes on her: Alexandra, 31, glittered in a stunning, floor-length silver dress Peek-a-boo: The strapless number featured black sheer lace along the bust line and down each side Glamorous glare: Dark eye liner, light blush and taffy-colored lipstick ensured the blue-eyed beauty was ready for her turn on the red carpet Her sparkling, dark violet wrap-type frock included a deeply plunging neckline which highlighted her ample cleavage. A split up the center of the hem exposed her shapely gams while some delicate Schutz stilettos and Nirav Modi jewels rounded out the elegant look. Similar to her co-star, her dark locks were neatly parted, although this time it was in the middle, while the the long strands were tied back into a simply ponytail. Spectacular in sequins: Priyanka, 34, also donned a glittering garment for the big night Balanced: She dazzled in a plunging blue sequinned wrap dress, Schutz stilettos, and Nirav Modi jewels Chic: Similar to her co-star, her dark locks were neatly parted, although this time it was in the middle, while the the long strands were tied back into a simply ponytail Lavender lip paint and a smoky eye made the Quantico star glow. Of course blonde star Kelly Rohrbach, 27, was on hand as well, and flaunted her lean figure in a silver halterneck mini embroidered with pink flowers. Metallic stilettos added a few inches to her 5ft9in frame. Flirty florals: Of course blonde star Kelly Rohrbach, 27, was on hand as well, and flaunted her lean figure in a silver halterneck mini embroidered with pink flowers Leggy lady: Brazilian bombshell Izabel Goulart, 32, who plays Amber in the film, opted for a thigh-skimming pink mini dress with strategic cutouts on the side Monochrome: Charlotte McKinney, 23, stunned as usual in a black one shoulder dress with a thigh-high split up her left leg All tied up: Ilfenesh Hadera also embraced an asymmetrical look in a black mini dress which featured a large tied sash at the waist Brazilian bombshell Izabel Goulart, 32, who plays Amber in the film, opted for a thigh-skimming pink mini dress with strategic cutouts on the side. Charlotte McKinney, 23, stunned as usual in a black one shoulder dress with a thigh-high split up her left leg. Ilfenesh Hadera also embraced an asymmetrical look in a black mini dress which featured a large tied sash at the waist. The men of the beach also made an appearance, led of course by Dwayne The Rock Johnson, 45, who kept things casual in a short sleeve collared shirt, white trousers and white sneakers. Nothing fancy: The men of the beach also made an appearance, led of course by Dwayne The Rock Johnson, 45, who kept things casual in a short sleeve collared shirt, white trousers and white sneakers Ready to party: Zac Efron, 29, looked quite dapper in blue suit with a subtle texture, classic shades and some snappy black oxfords Lower key: Jon Bass also chose a suit, although his was a cream-colored affair Zac Efron, 29, looked quite dapper in blue suit with a subtle texture, classic shades and some snappy black oxfords. Jon Bass also chose a suit, although his was a cream-colored affair. Some of the original Baywatch team was also present for the festivities. Back to the future! The original CJ Parker, Pamela Anderson, 49, looked stellar in her own shimmering gown, which also managed to showcase her famous cleavage Youthful: Donna D'Errico, also 49, turned heads thanks to her own massively plunging dress which featured a netting outer layer The original CJ Parker, Pamela Anderson, 49, looked stellar in her own shimmering gown, which also managed to showcase her famous cleavage. Donna D'Errico, also 49, turned heads thanks to her own massively plunging dress which featured a netting outer layer. A mustachioed David Hasselhoff, 64, looked dashing but playful in a blazer and white trouser combo. He accompanied his model partner Hayley Roberts as they proceeded down the red carpet. She's the former army Corporal who made it to the final three in the 2016 series of Survivor Australia. And on the eve of Mother's Day, Elena 'El Rowland' shared a heartrending-yet-inspirational post about her own battle with post-natal depression. Elena, who is mum to five-year-old Darcy and currently in a relationship with fellow survivor star Lee Carseldine, posted a throwback photo to Instagram on Saturday showing the reality star with her son when he was a baby. Struggle: Survivor Australia star Elena 'El' Rowland has shared a heartrending-yet-inspirational post about her own battle with post-natal depression on Saturday The photo was captioned with a lengthy description of her own battle outlining such symptoms as an inability to sleep or eat, 'a racing heart' and constant panic attacks. 'My battle was very traumatic and one that almost claimed me,' the post began. 'I have never gone through a mental health battle in my life and that's why I was so surprised when shortly after my boy Darcy was born, I quickly deteriorated into [a] pit of despair and horror and i was drowning in a hole of a tormented mind.' Continuing, El also revealed that her struggle with post-natal depression had turned her mind to thoughts of suicide. Upfront: The photo was captioned with a lengthy description of her own battle outlining such symptoms as an inability to sleep or eat, 'a racing heart' and constant panic attacks 'I was totally incapacitated and the only way I saw getting better was not being around. It was in these moments I swore to the universe if I ever got better, I would help other people going through similar circumstances, and here I am.' With that, El offered some words of inspiration to all mums struggling with the mental illness. 'If this is you precious soul please know this. From my ashes I rose a different creature, wearing a new garment of strength and became the best ever version of myself possible,' she said. 'If you are going through something similar, please use me as a promise. My promise is that you too can get your Zen back even if you think it is impossible. I am dedicating my life and using my healing process to help women going through any mental health battle or confidence issues. I salute all mums this mothers day. You are all such beautiful lil spirits and I respect the s**t out of you.' Outpouring: El's inspirational post was met with a flurry of support from followers, with many sharing their own personal battles with the mental illness El's inspirational post was met with a flurry of support from followers, with many sharing their own personal battles with the mental illness. El, who has made no secret about her struggles with post-natal depression in the past with the reality star announcing, on her Instagram page in February, that she was leaving the Australian Army, after 13 years of service to launch her Belle of the Ashes post-natal depression support program. 'I am saying goodbye to 13 years of serving my country full time to welcoming a new season of bringing hope into the lives of those who need it. Particularly young women,' she posted at the time. 'I managed to turn my biggest weakness into my greatest strength and I'm going to teach you how. Come with me.' He's lost a mother and girlfriend to suicide. And Samuel Johnson candidly spoke to Mia Freedman for her No Filter Podcast, of mental illness and the stigma surrounding it. 'Suicide's been a theme for me my whole life,' the 39-year-old actor revealed. 'Suicide's been a theme my whole life': Samuel Johnson, 39, candidly spoke of the stigma surrounding mental illness, in an interview with Mia Freedman 'I've got a few problems with the way suicide's treated in this country. I certainly don't like the way people who commit suicide are labelled as week, or as selfish,' Samuel admitted. 'You have to be propelled by insane amounts of pain. And I think it's really insensitive to say 'how could you leave your loved ones behind?'" the Gold Logie winner continued. Samuel also added that he 'feels gifted' for having known the people he lost. The Molly star tragically lost his mother at just three years of age to suicide, as well as girlfriend Lainie Woodlands in 2006. Opening up: 'You have to be propelled by insane amounts of pain. And I think it's really insensitive to say 'how could you leave your loved ones behind?'" the Gold Logie winner shared Challenging times: Samuel has dealt with a lot of grief in his life, most notably sister Connie's (pictured) terminal cancer diagnosis Samuel has dealt with a lot of grief in his life, most notably sister Connie's terminal cancer diagnosis. Connie, who opted to go public with her cancer diagnosis, recently made the heartbreaking decision to end all treatment after battling the disease for years. The choice brought Samuel and Connie closer together, with the actor admitting he did not understand how important his family was in the past. Heartfelt: During his recent Gold Logie win, Samuel took home the statuette and dedicated the accolade to his sister, choking back tears as he collected his award for his role on mini-series Molly The retired actor previously told TV WEEK magazine: 'I just don't think I fully understood the importance of family. I was too busy being a 'delebrity' (d-list celebrity). I feel like my sister's cancer helped pull my head out of my a***.' During his recent Gold Logie win, Samuel took home the statuette and dedicated the accolade to his sister, choking back tears as he collected his award for his role on mini-series Molly. During his speech, he urged viewers to support or donate money to the charity he created with his sister, Love Your Sister. 'My sister is succumbing finally to the perils of cancer after a three decade long tussle and rather than rolling over, she's going out blazing with an attempted world record for the longest line of coins absurdly,' he said. Support: During his speech, he urged viewers to support or donate money to the charity he created with his sister, Love Your Sister He added, 'Connie, who I dedicate this award to, I would like to urge any family watching affected by cancer or not to join us in our quest to keep our families safe from the terrors of cancer. Love your sister.org.' Connie and Samuel have raised $2.1 million towards cancer awareness and have one 'last hurrah' planned with the hopes of raising another million dollars. If you or a loved one are struggling, call Lifeline on 13 11 14. She's an undeniable bombshell. And Charlotte McKinney didn't fail to stun while at Baywatch's Miami premiere Saturday. The blonde beauty looked ever-sultry in an off the shoulder gown with a daring slit that traveled high up her thigh to reveal her long, sexy legs. Getting a leg up! Charlotte McKinney strutted her stuff in a sexy dress with thigh-high slit at Saturday's premiere of Baywatch in Miami Charlotte, 23, glowed with a head-to-toe bronze at the beachside premiere, where she donned a subtly pinstriped Baja East dress that fit her like a second skin. While the Florida native's full chest heaved from the one-shouldered number, it was her vertiginous legs that commanded the most attention as they stemmed out from the dress. She added extra inches to her already 5' 7.5" form with a pair of towering heels. Golden goddess: The Florida native looked sultry in her thigh-baring Baja East gown, revealing a head-to-toe bronze in her flirty-but-fancy frock The Carl's Jr. commercial star styled her golden tresses in loose wave which she paired with a full pout. A smoky eye added extra oomph to the already steamy look. Charlotte joins fellow beach beauties Alexandra Daddario, Kelly Rohrbach and Zac Efron in Baywatch as a character named Julia. Glow and go: The Carl's Jr. commercial star styled her golden tresses in waves while donning a smoky eye for an added layer of sex appeal Dwayne 'The Rock' Johnson leads the cast as Captain Mitch Buchanan while Priyanka Chopra steps in as the conniving villain Victoria Leeds. The summer flick also promises 'surprise' appearances from Baywatch veterans Pam Anderson and David Hassellhoff. Baywatch splashes into theaters May 25. Dan Smyers of the musical outfit Dan + Shay wed girlfriend Abby Law on Saturday evening in the country music capital of Nashville, Tennessee. The lovebirds included their three pet dogs in the ceremony, dressing them up in formal doggie clothes, People reported. Smyers said the trio of canines - named Chief, Joy and Ghost - were 'the most important bridesmaid and groomsmen' in an interview with the publication in March. Husband and wife: Dan + Shay's Dan Smyers married girlfriend Abby Law in Nashville on Saturday. The couple was dressed to the nines earlier this year at their engagement bash The 29-year-old Smyers, a Pennsylvania native, had told the publication that the location was a natural draw for the new duo's family and friends: 'Itll be awesome ... a lot of them have never been here ... we built our love story in Nashville.' Law, who works in marketing for a Music City salon, said she and Smyers were 'very much looking forward to being husband and wife,' after a 'wonderful' three-and-a-half years as a couple. He said that they were aiming for a wedding that was 'very representative of the both of us,' complete with vegetarian and vegan menu options. Law, who put together the event, said that the guest list swelled as the names added up 'really quickly.' Country stars: Smyers (L) and musical partner Shay Mooney appeared at an event in February in NYC Cute couple: The bright-eyed beauty showed off her engagement ring in this shot with the musician taken on Valentine's Day Strong love: The couple has gushed over their relationship, with Law saying they 'very much looking forward to being husband and wife' after three-and-a-half years as a couple She said: 'We were going to try and keep it super small, but we have so many people that we love and care about and we both have decent-sized families.' The duo got engaged last November on Hawaii's Waikiki Beach. At the time, Law took to Instagram to share a romantic seaside shot of the pair kissing. 'There are few words to fully convey this feeling of complete happiness,' she wrote. 'Daniel Smyers, knowing and loving you has been the most rewarding part of my life thus far and continuing our journey together as your wife will be an honor.' Dan + Shay's other member Shay Mooney, who welcomed son Asher James with fiancee Hannah Billingsley earlier this year, told the publication that they were looking at a wedding date this autumn. Crazy in love: The couple in November made their engagement official in Hawaii Rocking out: Smyers took to the stage in Indio, California last month at Stagecoach California's Country Music Festival She made her name starring in Slumdog Millionaire. And Freida Pinto looked like a million bucks on her latest red carpet. The 32-year-old actress looked stunning in a navy blue dress as she attended the Los Angeles LGBT Center's gala on Saturday night. Stunner: Freida Pinto looked gorgeous in a navy blue dress as she attended the Los Angeles LGBT Center's gala on Saturday night She was pure elegance as she strutted on the red carpet of the event titled An Evening With Women at the historic Hollywood Palladium. Freida looked breathtakingly beautiful in a silk midnight blue midi gown featuring a slit down the middle. She accessorized with a white blazer draped over her shoulders as she teamed the look with dark blue patent leather heels. Pretty: The 32-year-old actress was pure elegance as she strutted on the red carpet of the event titled An Evening With Women at the historic Hollywood Palladium Elegant: Freida looked breathtakingly beautiful in a silk midnight blue midi gown featuring a slit down the middle Natural beauty: Her raven-colored locks were put in an elegant updo as she let her natural looks show with minimal make-up on her face topped off with red lip The Immortals star accessorized with a metallic clutch and dangling earrings. Her raven-colored locks were put in an elegant updo as she let her natural looks show with minimal make-up on her face topped off with red lip. Candis Cayne was also at the event as she stunned in a patterned emerald number. Gorgeous in green: Candis Cayne was also at the event as she stunned in a patterned emerald number Legend: Lily Tomlin rocked all black Matchy matchy: Kim Raver (left) and Megan Hilty wore black lace Rocking it: Clea DuVall wore a long black coat over a floral shirt The 45-year-ole theater actress also sported a pair of stilettos as she wore her blonde locks down flowing over her shoulders. The gala event was put together to benefit the LA LGBT center in order to support those who care about the well-being of lesbian, bisexual and transgender women. There was a cocktail hour and silent auction before the dinner and show festivities began. Cute couple: Cameron Esposito and Rhea Butcher hosted the event Not dancing: Bruno Tonioli rocked a green leather jacket Flower power: Frances Fisher wore a black leather biker jacket over a yellow floral dress She is one of cinemas biggest butt-kickers. But on Saturday Milla Jovovich could not have looked sweeter as she attended the Best Buddies Mother's Day Brunch with her daughter Ever. The actress and her nine-year-old were guests of fellow mom and daughter duo Cindy Crawford and Kaia Gerber for the charity gig. Happy Ever after! Milla Jovovich attended Cindy Crawford's Best Buddies Mother's Day Brunch in Malibu with her daughter Ever on Saturday The 41-year-old looked fab in a cute white pin-stripe skirt and polka-dot blouse combo. She accessorized with a pretty white clutch, and white stilettos with tiny black bows. Her little girl meanwhile looked adorable in a floral-patterned pink summer dress. Milla shares her with husband Paul W. S. Anderson, who wrote and produced and/or directed all five of her Resident Evil films. Mommy and me: The actress and her nine-year-old were guests of fellow mom and daughter duo Cindy Crawford and Kaia Gerber for the charity gig Gorgeous: The 41-year-old looked fab in a cute white pin-stripe skirt and polka-dot blouse combo Almost as scary as the zombies she is usually surrounded by, the Ukraine-born beauty found herself flanked at one stage by a pair of anthropomorphic bunnies. The Brunch was held to benefit Best Buddies International, the worlds largest non-profit organization dedicated to ending the social, physical and economic isolation of the 200 million people with intellectual and developmental disabilities. There were dozens of famous faces among the host committee mothers and their children, including Rosanna Arquette and daughter Zoe Bleu, Minnie Driver and son Henry, Milla Jovovich and daughter Ever, Maria Shriver and children Katherine, Christina, Patrick and Christopher, Jennifer Stallone and daughters Sophia, Sistine and Scarlett, and Reese Witherspoon and daughter Ava. It featured cocktails, live performances, kids activities and an awards ceremony honoring three mothersMother of the Year: California, Mother of the Year: USA and Mother of the Year: International. Australian Fashion Week kicked off in style on Sunday, with Dion Lee's show at the Sydney Opera House. And it seemed black was the colour of the moment, with celebrities donning dark frocks and leather jackets by the droves. Among the arrivals was Terry Biviano, who showed off her ample assets in an ebony ensemble, as well as newlywed Sylvia Jeffreys who opted for a chic navy number. Black is back! Dark colours were a hit as Australian Fashion Week kicked off on Sunday, with Terry Biviano showing off her ample assets in a plunging ebony ensemble Terry opted for a plunging, edgy outfit for her entrance to the catwalk show, donning an asymmetrical figure-hugging frock with matching knee-length boots. She completed her look with a sleek leather jacket, which she wore across her shoulders, as well as a simple ebony clutch. Keeping her raven-coloured tresses fixed back in a tight bun, the media personality opted for smokey eye make-up and complemented it with a nude lip colour. Edgy: Terry opted for a plunging outfit for her entrance to the catwalk show, complementing it with smokey eye make-up and a nude lip colour A-symmetrical style: She completed her look with a sleek leather jacket, which she wore across her shoulders, as well as a simple ebony clutch Meanwhile, Sylvia Jeffreys sported an elegant navy dress as she walked the steps of Sydney Harbour. She accessorised with a pair of black tie heels, a sparkling clutch and a similarly styled leather jacket. The TV presenter wore her golden locks away from her face to show off her bronzed make-up look. Classic: Channel Nine presenter Sylvia Jeffreys sported an elegant navy dress as she walked the steps of Sydney Harbour Glowing! The TV host wore her golden locks away from her face to show off her bronzed make-up look Despite the chilly conditions, Victoria Secret model Georgia Fowler decided to show a little skin as she arrived. Flaunting her toned tummy in a black trousers-and-bra combination, she teamed the ensemble with a matching blazer. Wearing her brunette hair out in curls, the stunner added a pair of pointed heels and a small, over-the-shoulder bag. Posing up a storm: Despite the chilly conditions, Victoria Secret model Georgia Fowler opted to show a little skin as she arrived All-black ensemble: Flaunting her toned tummy in a trousers-and-bra combo, she teamed the look with a matching blazer One star unafraid to mix things up was model Montana Cox, who added a touch of colour in a cream-coloured dress. The Melbourne-born beauty's coat-style ensemble cinched at the waist with a banded belt and featured a high neckline. She completed the look with lace-up, high-heeled boots and a chunky beige bag with blue detailing. Change in style: One star unafraid to mix things up was model Montana Cox, who added a touch of colour in a cream-coloured dress Model duo: Montana and Georgia strike a pose Matching accessories: She completed the look with lace-up, high-heeled boots and a chunky beige bag with blue detailing Joining in on the fashion show fun was E! Australia presenter Ksenija Lukich, who stunned in a sophisticated white outfit. Posing for photos in front of the Harbour Bridge, the host flaunted her enviable figure in the strapless ivory gown and coat. Keeping her accessories simple, the 27-year-old donned nude pumps and carried a beige bag with cute face design. That's an all-white outfit! Joining in on the fashion show fun was E! Australia presenter Ksenija Lukich, who stunned in a sophisticated ivory outfit Chic and stylish: Keeping her accessories simple, the 27-year-old donned nude pumps and carried a beige bag with cute face design. Another star not afraid to make a fashion statement was Imogen Anthony, who rocked up to the show in a revealing sheer number. The glamour model's daring ensemble showed off her trim figure, and she accessorised with a white fur scarf. Adding a pop of colour with her bright red lipstick, the girlfriend of shock jock Kyle Sandilands wore her blonde hair slicked back. Making her mark: Another star not afraid to make a fashion statement was Imogen Anthony, who rocked up to the show in a revealing sheer number Slender physique: The glamour model's daring ensemble showed off her trim figure, and she accessorised with a white fur scarf Former Home and Away star Tessa James looked smart in her all-black ensemble, opting for a turtleneck and tea-length skirt combo. It was teamed with plain additions, including a leather-look bag and heeled boots. She showed off her natural beauty in minimal make-up, and pulled her blonde tresses back off her face. Black to basics: Former Home and Away star Tessa James looked smart in her all-black ensemble, opting for a turtleneck and tea-length skirt combo Model Elyse Taylor brought a splash of Autumn colour to the event in a floral frock. The floor-length, striped white number featured yellow and red flowers, as well as brunt orange shoulder straps. She donned a fluffy, brown coat as she arrived, and opted for see-through footwear with a pair of plastic heels. Touch of colour: Model Elyse Taylor brought a splash of Autumn colour to the event in a floral frock with burnt orange shoulder straps Warming up: She donned a fluffy, brown coat as she arrived, and opted for see-through footwear with a pair of plastic heels Lindy Klim also kept things light with a wraparound, strapless beige dress, which featured a thick belt. She paired it with a long, white handbag and matching heel boots and wore her brunette tresses in a low bun. She was joined at the event by fiance Adam Ellis, who donned grey trousers, a white shirt and a dark cardigan. It's in the eyes: Lindy Klim also kept things light with a wraparound, strapless beige dress, which featured a thick belt Perfect pair: She was joined at the event by fiance Adam Ellis, who cut a casual figure The man of the moment, Dion Lee, toned things down for his opening show, making sure the attention was on the models. He paired a plain black sweater with similarly dark trousers and ebony shoes. Keeping it simple: The man of the moment, Dion Lee, toned things down for his opening show, making sure the attention was on the models Pretty in plum: Meanwhile, Nadia Bartel added some colour with her plum frock, which featured extravagant fluffy arm pieces Meanwhile, Nadia Bartel added some colour with her plum frock, which featured extravagant fluffy arm pieces. Nadia Fairfax wore an interesting ensemble including a red frock with a gingham shirt underneath teamed with a pair of black boots. Pia Muehlenbeck went for a military look with a black fitted trench paired with matching boots and handbag. Steve Irwin's family have admirably continued the late conservationist's work since his tragic death in 2006. And Terri, Robert and Bindi swapped khaki for glamour at the Steve Irwin Gala dinner at the SLS Hotel in Beverly Hills on Friday. The family was joined by Bindi's boyfriend Chandler Powell, who is also involved in continuing Steve's legacy. Paying tribute: Terri, Robert and Bindi Irwin swapped khaki for glamour at the Steve Irwin Gala dinner at the SLS Hotel in Beverly Hills on Friday Part of the family! The Irwins were joined by Bindi's boyfriend Chandler Powell (right), who is also involved in continuing Steve's legacy Terri, 53, wore a white lace frock and strappy heels while her daughter Bindi stunned in a blue floral dress. Chandler kept it casual at the soiree, wearing a black suit with an olive green shirt. Meanwhile, 13-year-old Robert looked dapper in a black suit, white shirt and tie. Looking stylish! Terri wore a white lace frock and strappy heels while her daughter Bindi stunned in a blue floral dress Young love! Bindi and Chandler also enjoyed a moment together in front of the cameras before heading into the party The family posed for photos on the red carpet, before Bindi and Robert proudly showed off some exotic animals. Later, Bindi and Chandler also enjoyed a moment together in front of the cameras before heading into the party. The Dancing With The Stars winner, 18, also posed for a photo with Modern Family actor Nolan Gould. Animal magic! The family posed for photos on the red carpet, before Bindi and Robert proudly showed off some exotic animals Famous friends: The Dancing With The Stars winner, 18, also posed for a photo with Modern Family actor Nolan Gould During the gala dinner, Bindi, Robert and Terri took to the stage for a presentation about Steve. The family looked emotional as they embraced while a montage of the Australian legend was shown on a screen. The Bachelor 2015's Sam Wood and Snezana Markoski are expecting their first child together. Sam broke the news on Instagram on Sunday night. They are the first couple from the TV dating series to announce a pregnancy. In the accompanying photo, Snezana showed off her growing baby bump. Scroll down for video Announcement: The Bachelor 2015 couple Sam Wood and Snezana Markoski are expecting their first child together 'She is having a BABY!' Sam made the announcement on his Instagram account on Sunday In Sam's Instagram post, a smiling Snezana is dressed in a white T-shirt with a bowl of pasta in her lap. With a excited expression on his face, Sam points to her baby bump. He wrote in the caption: 'Snez... a) has just eaten a bowl of pasta bigger than her head, b) can't do up her pants, c) is having a BABY!!! d) all of the above'. Later, Sam revealed on Facebook the couple were expecting a baby girl. Happily ever after! The couple met on the third season of The Bachelor Australia Loved up! Three months after the show's finale, Sam and Snezana got engaged The couple met on the third season of The Bachelor and got engaged three months after the show's finale. Fans reacted with overwhelming joy, taking to Instagram to congratulate the pair. A fan wrote: 'Congratulations to all three of you, this is freakin' awesome. Next year Sam you will be running at the Mother's Day Classic with a pram.' Another commented: 'Yay you guys! Little 28er - time for 28 onesies xxx' The first Bachelor baby! Fans took to Instagram to congratulate the reality TV couple Happy family: In the past two years, Sam has taken on a stepfather role to Snezana's 11-year-old daughter Eve (pictured) Family: Snezana and Eve moved from Perth to Melbourne to live with Sam in July 2016 In July 2016, Snezana and her 11-year-old daughter Eve moved from Perth to Melbourne to live with personal trainer Sam. Over the past two years, Sam has taken on a stepfather role to Eve and the couple have previously talked about having children together. In a previous interview with OK! Magazine, Snezana confessed she 'welcomed the idea of having children' with Sam. 'I did have a feeling whoever was going to be the Bachelor would be keen to start a family,' she said. Clucky: Snezana previously said she 'welcomed the idea of having children' with Sam Bonding: Snezana also revealed she was hoping to give her daughter a little brother one day All smiles: 'I did have a feeling whoever was going to be the Bachelor would be keen to start a family,' Snezana said in a previous interview Snezana also told Who magazine she was hoping to give her daughter a little brother one day. '(Eve) kept saying, "Oh mummy, you might meet somebody and it's a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. And even if you don't, at least you tried",' she said. Earlier in the year, Sam told KIIS FM's The Kyle And Jackie O Show they were planning to get married in Europe next year. 'Snez is in full swing getting things organised,' he said. 'We're going to get married overseas. We just want our immediate family and closest friends. She's made the leap from Victoria's Secret Angel to film star with ease. And Brazilian beauty Izabel Goulart, 32, looked every inch a Hollywood bombshell as she wowed fans with her endless pins on Saturday, accidentally suffering a wardrobe malfunction when her dress blew up in a gust of wind. Izabel was attending the premiere of Baywatch where she plays Amber in the cult 1980s TV series reboot. Scroll down for video Leggy lady: Brazilian bombshell Izabel Goulart, 32, who plays Amber in Baywatch, opted for a thigh-skimming pink mini dress with cutouts on the side at the premiere in Miami on Saturday Oops! The lingerie model suffered a near wardrobe malfunction when her dress blew up in a gust of wind Izabel showed off her famous long legs in a pink mini dress with strappy detail around the midriff that highlighted her toned abs. The Baywatch star wore her curled brunette locks with blonde highlights which fell down past her shoulders. Complementing the look perfectly, Izabel wore elegant pink heels with delicate ankle strapping. Chic: Complementing the look perfectly, Izabel wore elegant pink heels with delicate ankle strapping Stunning: The Baywatch star wore her curled brunette locks with blonde highlights fall past her shoulders Izabel was joined by cast members including Zac Efron, Dwayne Johnson and Priyanka Chopra as the premiere of Baywatch at South Beach. But Izabel is used to the attention having featured in a huge global show last year when she starred in the Rio Olympic Games closing ceremony. The model looked spectacular in a bejeweled amethyst bikini, complete with magnificent pink plumage as she danced away in the Maracana stadium. While she looked calm during her performance, she admitted to being wracked with nerves on Snapchat. Scouted: Izabel was discovered in a supermarket at the age of 14, and moved to France to pursue modelling She said: 'Literally there is five minutes left before I get on stage... I'm so nervous! Let's do this!' Izabel was discovered in a supermarket at the age of 14, and moved to France to pursue modelling. However her career did not get off to the best start, after her top fell open to reveal her bare chest during her first ever catwalk appearance. Yet, the Brazilian beauty has put the embarrassing malfunction behind her to find success - going on to model for the likes of Oscar de la Renta, Valentino and Balmain. She became more widely known when she was named a Victoria's Secret Angel in 2005, after appearing on the cover of Vogue Brasil. Although she is no longer an Angel, Izabel has walked in a whopping 11 shows for the luxurious lingerie brand and has wowed fans each year with her sensational body. The Vogue model recently revealed she keeps in such good shape by exercising daily and embarking on a short but sweaty routine. Her perfectly honed physique helped her land the role as Amber in the the highly-anticipated reboot, which is released in May, also stars Zac Efron, Charlotte McKinney, Kelly Rohrbach and Priyanka Chopra, as well as iconic original cast member Pamela Anderson. Most people swap their heels for trainers when they're walking the dog. But model Kate Upton did just the opposite when she was pictured taking her pet pooch Harley out for a stroll on Saturday. The 24-year-old stunner, who stands tall at 5'10" tottered along in a pair of $965 Manolo Blahnik slingback Hangisi heels. Scroll down for video Upton girl! Kate walked her pet dog Harley in sky high $965 Manolo Blahniks and a tracksuit... (and a full face of make-up) in Hollywood on Saturday Yet the rest of her look was a little more casual, with a tight white T-shirt and a pair of grey tracksuit bottoms. While Kate may well have simply been taking a break from a shoot or acting job she was on, her sartorial choice did seem a little odd. Her caramel coloured locks were slicked back into a ponytail and she looked naturally beautiful for the outing. Making her own rules: While Kate may well have simply been taking a break from a shoot or acting job she was on, her sartorial choice did seem a little odd Kate has spoken at length about her boxer dob before, likening him to being her child. People reported that Kate adopted Harley six years ago but since then they have been on countless adventures together. Kate said: 'He is pretty much my child. I travel a lot with him. I go everywhere with him.' Her rescue dog even has a Link AKC tracker which keeps him GPS tracked and notifies her if he leaves the house or gets too hot. Meanwhile, Kate and her beau Justin Verlander got engaged last year after dating since 2011 and are now planning their wedding. But, unlike many brides, she won't be doing frantic shedding for the wedding. 'I never get on a scale because you cant judge yourself for how much you weigh,' she previously said. Their relationship status has left fans confused over the last few weeks. But Stephanie Davis appeared to confirm that she and her on/off beau Jeremy McConnell are still dating by sharing an intimate photo of the couple to Snapchat on Friday night. The former Hollyoaks star, 24, uploaded a snap that seemed to show the pair with their legs intertwined as they enjoyed a cosy night in together. Scroll down for video Back on? Stephanie Davis confirmed she and Jeremy McConnell are STILL together despite their turbulent time over the last few days by sharing this intimate shot of the pair on Snapchat on Friday night Stephanie is pictured resting her feet on her beau's legs as he lay with his tattooed feet crossed over one another. She added a love heart emoji to the picture and added the caption: 'Fridays.' Her photo will no doubt be taken as confirmation by fans that she and her Celebrity Big Brother love are still in a relationship despite things seeming rocky between them of late. The couple had blocked and unfollowed each other on social media which prompted speculation all was not well between them and on Wednesday, Jeremy had appeared at Liverpool Magistrates' Court where he denied assaulting Stephanie. On/off: Stephanie and her Celebrity Big Brother beau have left fans confused over their relationship status in the last few weeks after unfollowing and blocking each other on social media multiple times He did, however, admit to criminal damage at her property. Hours later, Stephanie collapsed after a panic attack and ended up in hospital. She had been discharged on Friday from hospital and was seen leaving with Jeremy - suggesting their romance is firmly back on. Jeremy, who met Stephanie in the Celebrity Big Brother house in January last year, was arrested for assault in March before appearing in court and admitting to criminal damage but denying an assault charge. After his court appearance, Stephanie was taken to hospital with a representative confirming to MailOnline: 'I can confirm our client Stephanie has been admitted into hospital with a stress related illness this afternoon.' Sources now reveal Jeremy, who has been released on unconditional bail, departed hospital alongside his on-off girlfriend as he supports her in midst of her illness while he awaits his trial in August. In the wake of news of their departure from the facility, Jeremy shared a loving snap with the tot, who appeared considerably smaller than recent shots implying it was a throwback snap, under which he simply captioned a love heart. Representatives for the duo declined to comment when approached by MailOnline. Stephanie was in a hotel room in Liverpool when she collapsed on Wednesday, forcing her to be hurried to the closest A&E and admitted overnight. Proud papa: Jeremy McConnell left hospital with his on-off girlfriend Stephanie Davis after she fell ill with a stress-related illness on Thursday - heightened by the events of Wednesday's court case concerning her boyfriend The new mum is said to be suffering from a 'stress-related illness' heightened by the events of Wednesday concerning her on/off boyfriend Jeremy. Jeremy had appeared at Liverpool Magistrates Court that morning, where he was facing assault charges by Stephanie, to which he pleaded not guilty. In court, Jeremy spoke only to confirm his address and date of birth during a 15-minute hearing. A trial date has now been set for August 7 at Liverpool Crown Court following his not guilty plea to assault by beating. On Tuesday, a spokesman for Merseyside Police told MailOnline: 'We can confirm Jeremy McConnell, 27, of Swords, Ireland has been charged with assault and criminal damage following an incident in Rainhill on 9 March 2017.' Stephanie was reportedly 'shaken' after calling the police on Jeremy at the home she shares with their son. Jeremy has previously vehemently denied any wrongdoing. Happier days: On Tuesday, a spokesman for Merseyside Police told MailOnline: 'We can confirm Jeremy McConnell, 27, of Swords, Ireland has been charged with assault and criminal damage following an incident in Rainhill on 9 March 2017 The couple first got together after appearing as fellow contestants on Celebrity Big Brother in 2015, months after Stephanie finished a five-year run playing Sinead O'Connor in Hollyoaks. She first came into the public eye when she took part in the BBC talent-spotting show Over The Rainbow in 2010. Last week Stephanie vowed to quit drinking after posting a worryingly incoherent tweet about cheating. The pair are trying to rebuild their relationship but last Wednesday it appeared all was not well between them, with Stephanie tweeting: 'Someone who gives you and doesn't answer, don't I. There beat a cheat n always n in.' The post was reportedly deleted 20 minutes later, but Jeremy blocked the star following a holiday the pair took together. Quitting: Last week Stephanie vowed to quit drinking after posting a worryingly incoherent tweet about cheating that initially sparked speculation all was not well with herself and Jeremy Stephanie revealed in an interview with Closer magazine just days before, that she and Jeremy would like to try for baby number two, following his recent stint in rehab. She confessed she was feeling 'broody', adding that her boyfriend wanted to be there for her next pregnancy, after missing out first time round. Stephanie admitted: 'We've both talked about having another baby at some point. She said: 'For Jez, it's about wanting to put right what he did wrong and be there throughout my next pregnancy. And I'm so broody I'd love to give Caben a little sister one day.' She also revealed that wedding bells could be on the horizon, saying she 'can't wait to marry him one day'. Stephanie made the official announcement that she was in a relationship with the father of her son once again on This Morning last month. She's fully mended her bridges with Debbie Rowe following her mother's cancer treatment last year. And Paris Jackson, 19, was spotted doing some last minute Mother's Day shopping in LA on Saturday clutching a wrapped gift for her. The daughter of pop legend Michael Jackson was pictured smiling in the sun as she enjoyed a spot of retail therapy. The gift that keeps on giving: Paris Jackson, 19, wore a bohemian ripped t-shirt and khaki combats to go last minute Mother's Day shopping in LA on Saturday Paris, dressed in a laid back punk-rock outfit, wore a loose fitting hippie t-shirt with rips to the sleeves and a plunging neckline on top of khaki green cargo pants hemmed at the knees. She wore a boho inspired bag draped casually over her shoulder that complemented her leather sandals and bead bracelets ensemble. The Chanel model kept her hair swept back with a pair of retro inspired Ray Ban turtledove Wayfarers. Laid back: The Chanel model kept her hair swept back with a pair of retro inspired Ray Ban turtledove Wayfarers It is understood Paris and her mother reconnected following mother Debbie's cancer diagnosis in 2016. The pair had previously fallen out badly and it was reported that Paris had disowned her mother entirely. Paris even amplified the feud by unfollowing Debbie on Instagram, Facebook and Twitter at the time. Reunited: It is understood Debbie and Paris reconnected after Debbie's cancer diagnosis in 2016 But after putting their differences aside, Paris began sharing sweet pictures of the two together across social media. The 58-year-old ex-wife of the late Michael Jackson recently described the teen as her 'rock' as she undergoes her treatment for breast cancer. The former nurse, who was diagnosed in the summer, told ET: 'She's my rock, she's amazing. She's been with me the whole time. Proud: Paris was overjoyed at her mother's treatment success along Debbie who grinned as she stared at the camera while holding a sign saying, 'chemo done.' Following the completion of her chemo at the beginning of January, Paris hailed her 'badass mom' Debbie Rowe when she shared an image of her mother following a cancer treatment session. Paris was overjoyed at her mother's treatment progress, writing: 'I'm a fighter because she's a fighter. I love my mom.' In another post later on she added: 'My badass mom, kickin butt n takin names. ain't she f***in fabulous????' The Washington native - who was married to the Prince Of Pop from from 1996 to 1999 - explained that Paris has been her 'reason' to get out of bed each day. She admitted: 'You have to work very hard to get up every morning and do this.' At the beginning of October, Paris shared a sweet Instagram snapshot of the pair as she placed a loving kiss upon her mom following a chemotherapy session. The Real Housewives of Sydney's reunion special on Sunday was always going to be explosive and unmissable television. But things got particularly heated when host Alex Perry lost his patience with the feuding women - and HE was branded the diva. Victoria Rees and AthenaX Levendi began to argue over a previous confrontation when the situation quickly got out of hand. Women at war! Things got particularly heated on the Real Housewives Of Sydney reunion on Sunday when host Alex Perry lost his patience with Victoria Rees (R) and AthenaX Levendi (L) Can anyone get a word in? Getting frustrated with the women bickering and not being able to hear the rest of the story, host Alex Perry (pictured) lost his temper AthenaX and Victoria began to raise their voices at each other as Victoria tried to get her point across and defend herself. Every time Victoria began to start speaking, AthenaX would interrupt and talk over the top of her. Victoria then screamed at Athena to 'shut the f**k up' and demanded: 'Please be quiet and let me finish!' He's had enough! The fashion designer stood up, slammed his cue cards to the ground and told the Housewives to 'shut up' - but his outburst resulted in a mixed response from fans on Twitter Getting frustrated with the women bickering and not being able to hear the rest of the story, Alex Perry lost his temper. The fashion designer stood up, slammed his cue cards to the ground and decided it was time to discipline the Housewives. Alex told the women to 'shut up' or he would 'stab himself in the eye with a fork'. His unexpected outburst prompted a mixed reaction from Real Housewives Of Sydney fans on Twitter. Some praised him for speaking up, but others asked why the host had made himself the centre of attention. Should he have lost his temper? Some praised Alex for speaking up, but others asked why the host had made himself the centre of attention One fan wrote on Twitter: 'I feel like Alex is on the cusp of throwing his glasses onto the ground'. Another viewer understood how he lost patience, tweeting: 'How has Alex Perry not punched Athena in the throat yet?' Meanwhile, a social media user pointed out the irony that Alex was 'interrupting Victoria to lecture them about interrupting'. Replacement? Another angry fan said: 'Oh gawd, Alex Perry is making it all about Alex Perry as usual, can you please find a better host?!?' 'Drama queen Alex Perry is going off again. He is so unprofessional': Some Real Housewives fans were not impressed by Alex's behaviour, with one writing: 'You're not the star, sit down' But some viewers clearly didn't approve, with one tweeting: 'Drama queen Alex Perry is going off again. He is so unprofessional. You're not the star, sit down.' Another angry fan wrote: 'Oh gawd, Alex Perry is making it all about Alex Perry as usual, can you please find a better host?!?' Even the Real Housewives of Sydney's official Twitter account posted: 'Alex is mad!' She spent 24 hours in hospital after collapsing from a severe panic attack following a mystery illness hours after she was reportedly dumped by Jeremy McConnell. But on Friday, turbulent couple Stephanie Davis and Jeremy McConnell were pictured holding hands as they signified that their troubled romance was back on again. The 24-year-old's hospitalisation came hours after the Irish model, 27, denied assaulting her while appearing at Liverpool Magistrates' Court on Wednesday leading to contradictory reports over their relationship status. Scroll down for video PICTURED: Stephanie Davis left hospital holding hands with Jeremy McConnell on Friday following 'mystery illness' as she confirms they're back together Sources revealed Jeremy, who shares five-month-old son Caben-Albi with the actress, visited her in hospital, shortly before posting a shirtless snap in which he cradled his son - who appeared just weeks old in the image. Jeremy, who met Stephanie in the Celebrity Big Brother house in January last year, was arrested for assault in March before appearing in court and admitting to criminal damage but denying an assault charge. After his court appearance, Stephanie was taken to hospital with a representative confirming to MailOnline: 'I can confirm our client Stephanie has been admitted into hospital with a stress related illness this afternoon.' Off and on again: The 24-year-old's hospitalisation came hours after the Irish model, 27, denied assaulting her while appearing at Liverpool Magistrates' Court on Wednesday Ill: Stephanie collapsed after Jeremy reportedly dumped her - she was suffering from a mystery stress-related illness and had a severe panic attack Sources now reveal Jeremy, who has been released on unconditional bail, departed hospital alongside his on-off girlfriend as he supports her in midst of her illness while he awaits his trial in August. In the wake of news of their departure from the facility, Jeremy shared a loving snap with the tot, who appeared considerable smaller than recent shots implying it was a throwback snap, under which he simply captioned a love heart. Representatives for the duo declined to comment when approached by MailOnline. Trying times: Jeremy, who met Stephanie in the Celebrity Big Brother house in January last year, was arrested for assault in March before appearing in court and admitting to criminal damage but denying an assault charge 'Our client Stephanie was admitted to hospital': After his court appearance, Stephanie was taken to hospital with a representative confirming it to MailOnline Stephanie was in a hotel room in Liverpool when she collapsed on Wednesday, forcing her to be hurried to the closest A&E and admitted overnight. The new mum is said to be suffering from a 'stress-related illness' heightened by the events of Wednesday concerning her on/off boyfriend Jeremy. Jeremy had appeared at Liverpool Magistrates Court that morning, where he was facing assault charges by Stephanie, to which he pleaded not guilty. Sources now reveal: Jeremy, who has been released on unconditional bail, departed hospital alongside his on-off girlfriend as he supports her in midst of her illness while he awaits his trial in August Drama: Jeremy had appeared at Liverpool Magistrates Court that morning, where he was facing assault charges by Stephanie, to which he pleaded not guilty In court, Jeremy spoke only to confirm his address and date of birth during a 15-minute hearing. A trial date has now been set for August 7 at Liverpool Crown Court following his not guilty plea to assault by beating. On Tuesday, a spokesman for Merseyside Police told MailOnline: 'We can confirm Jeremy McConnell, 27, of Swords, Ireland has been charged with assault and criminal damage following an incident in Rainhill on 9 March 2017.' Stephanie was reportedly 'shaken' after calling the police on Jeremy at the home she shares with their son. Jeremy has previously vehemently denied any wrongdoing. The couple first got together after appearing as fellow contestants on Celebrity Big Brother in 2015, months after Stephanie finished a five-year run playing Sinead O'Connor in Hollyoaks. In court: Jeremy spoke only to confirm his address and date of birth during a 15-minute hearing Continuing on: A trial date has now been set for August 7 at Liverpool Crown Court following his not guilty plea to assault by beating Speaking out: On Tuesday, a spokesman for Merseyside Police told MailOnline: 'We can confirm Jeremy McConnell, 27, of Swords, Ireland has been charged with assault and criminal damage following an incident in Rainhill on 9 March 2017' Upsetting: Stephanie was reportedly 'shaken' after calling the police on Jeremy at the home she shares with their son. Jeremy has previously vehemently denied any wrongdoing Low-key: Stephanie was dressed for maximum comfort as she left hospital following a stressful few days Basic: She donned an oversized white tee, leggings and navy jacket Strolling along: Stephanie ensured maximum comfort with a pair of flip flops as she made her way to an awaiting vehicle Teamwork: Jeremy gave her a helping hand as he carried all of her items in a funky backpack Keeping it close by: The brunette carried all of her essentials in a chic black shoulder bag Stephanie also appeared to confirm that she and her on/off beau Jeremy McConnell are still dating by sharing an intimate photo of the couple to Snapchat on Friday night. The former Hollyoaks star uploaded a snap that seemed to show the pair with their legs intertwined as they enjoyed a cosy night in together. Stephanie is pictured resting her feet on her beau's legs as he lay with his tattooed feet crossed over one another. Gym attire: Jeremy was wearing a funky bright purple neon sports top and black shorts Mane attraction: The former soap star tied her mane into a messy top knot Trendy: The inked hunk accessorised with a dangling silver chain and wore a pair of multi-coloured trainers Back on? Stephanie confirmed she and Jeremy McConnell are STILL together despite their turbulent time over the last few days by sharing this intimate shot of the pair on Snapchat on Friday night She added a love heart emoji to the picture and added the caption: 'Fridays.' The couple had blocked and unfollowed each other on social media which prompted speculation all was not well between them and on Wednesday, Jeremy had appeared at Liverpool Magistrates' Court where he denied assaulting Stephanie. He did, however, admit to criminal damage at her property. On/off: Stephanie and her Celebrity Big Brother beau have left fans confused over their relationship status in the last few weeks after unfollowing and blocking each other on social media multiple times Proud papa: Jeremy McConnell left hospital with his on-off girlfriend Stephanie Davis after she fell ill with a stress-related illness on Thursday - heightened by the events of Wednesday's court case concerning her boyfriend Happier days: On Tuesday, a spokesman for Merseyside Police told MailOnline: 'We can confirm Jeremy McConnell, 27, of Swords, Ireland has been charged with assault and criminal damage following an incident in Rainhill on 9 March 2017 Stephanie first came into the public eye when she took part in the BBC talent-spotting show Over The Rainbow in 2010. Last week Stephanie vowed to quit drinking after posting a worryingly incoherent tweet about cheating. The pair are trying to rebuild their relationship but last Wednesday it appeared all was not well between them, with Stephanie tweeting: 'Someone who gives you and doesn't answer, don't I. There beat a cheat n always n in.' The post was reportedly deleted 20 minutes later, but Jeremy blocked the star following a holiday the pair took together. Quitting: Last week Stephanie vowed to quit drinking after posting a worryingly incoherent tweet about cheating that initially sparked speculation all was not well with herself and Jeremy Stephanie revealed in an interview with Closer magazine just days before, that she and Jeremy would like to try for baby number two, following his recent stint in rehab. She confessed she was feeling 'broody', adding that her boyfriend wanted to be there for her next pregnancy, after missing out first time round. Stephanie admitted: 'We've both talked about having another baby at some point. She said: 'For Jez, it's about wanting to put right what he did wrong and be there throughout my next pregnancy. And I'm so broody I'd love to give Caben a little sister one day.' She also revealed that wedding bells could be on the horizon, saying she 'can't wait to marry him one day'. Stephanie made the official announcement that she was in a relationship with the father of her son once again on This Morning last month. She's Australia's PR queen known for her expensive taste in fashion. So it was hardly surprising Roxy Jacenko was invited to attend the Louis Vuitton Resort 2018 show in Koka, Japan on Sunday. The 36-year-old wore a classic all-black ensemble as she posed next to the runway for one of the world's best-known luxury designers. Making an entrance! Roxy Jacenko was invited to attend the Louis Vuitton Resort 2018 show in Koka, Japan on Sunday Roxy wore a high-neck top that was slightly cinched at the waist with a fabric belt. She paired this with tight black leather trousers that were cropped at the ankles and highlighted her slender legs. Roxy finished off her stylish look with a black leather blazer which she draped over her shoulders. Back in black! The 36-year-old wore a classic all-black ensemble as she posed next to the runway for one of the world's best-known luxury designers Still on? Roxy's diamond engagement ring from jailed husband Oliver Curtis also made an appearance at the fashion event - as rumours swirl about her relationship status She accessorised with a black Louis Vuitton clutch embellished with silver studs, and gold and silver bangles. Notably, Roxy's diamond engagement ring from jailed husband Oliver Curtis made an appearance at the fashion event. The Sweaty Betty PR founder finished off her look with aviator sunglasses and a pair of leopard print Louis Vuitton stilettos. Luxury: Roxy also posted an Instagram photo as she took her seat at the fashion show, showing off her clutch bag, shoes and exclusive invitation Roxy also posted an Instagram photo as she took her seat at the show, showing off her clutch bag, shoes and exclusive invitation. Roxy's trip to Japan follows a busy few weeks for the Sydney publicist, as her personal life has made headlines. Last month, she was caught kissing her ex-boyfriend Nabil Gazal in his apartment, despite previously saying she was still 'married'. She was dropped as a David Jones ambassador last year in a cost-cutting measure. But Montana Cox insists there is no bad blood between herself and the luxury department store. The 23-year-old model told The Daily Telegraph she has enjoyed the opportunity representing different brands. 'I've had the busiest couple of months of my life': Montana Cox insists there is no bad blood between herself and David Jones after she was dropped as an ambassador by the retail giant 'Sometimes one door closes and it opens up a lot of other doors, which in this case it has,' she told the newspaper. Montana was originally signed on a three-year contract as an ambassador, but her contract was not renewed due to cost-cutting measures, it was previously claimed. She described the brand's decision to let her go as a blessing because it has allowed for her to travel and work overseas. Opportunities: Montana told The Daily Telegraph this week, 'Sometimes one door closes and it opens up a lot of other doors, which in this case it has' Dropped: Montana was originally signed on a three-year contract as an ambassador, but her contract was not renewed due to cost-cutting measures, it was previously reported 'I've had the busiest couple of months of my life', she explained. The US-based model has been working on other projects around the world, including with trendy fashion brand The Academy New York. Montana has maintained a good relationship with David Jones since her ambassadorship ended in August, and she even attended their Autumn/Winter runway show. No dramas! Montana has maintained a good relationship with David Jones since her ambassadorship ended in August, and she even attended their Autumn/Winter runway show 'I went to their show in February and we have a really good relationship. It's really nice to work with a client and remain amicable,' she said. In a previous interview, Montana said: 'It's been great working with David Jones but I'm ready for new challenges. 'I haven't done it (the international modelling circuit) for a couple of seasons because it has been hard to fit in, but I'll be able to give it my all now.' Jaclyn Smith looked incredible when she hit a charity event on Thursday night in Beverly Hills. The 1970s sex symbol was flawless in a white blouse, pinstriped skirt and heels as she supported a fundraiser for the Farrah Fawcett Foundation at Barneys New York. The brunette designer worked with Fawcett - who died from cancer in 2009 - on Charlie's Angels. Still stunning! Jaclyn Smith looked incredible when she hit a charity event on Thursday night in Beverly Hills The good old days: The brunette designer worked with Fawcett - who died from cancer in 2009 - on Charlie's Angels with Kate Jackson It did her well: Jaclyn was with Charlie's Angeles for its entire run from 1976 until 1981 Also at the event was Raquel Welch and host Alana Stewart. She wrote on Instagram: 'Barneys hosted the 2nd annual fundraiser for the @farrahfawcettfn. What an incredible turnout and amazing event! Farrah would be thrilled #farrahfawcett #charliesangels #standuptocancer.' Last month the actress told Closer Weekly one of her secrets to staying so young looking. The TV movie queen said she downs a very healthy green blended drink every morning. The ingredients include broccoli, spinach and kale. Fancy: The 1970s sex symbol was flawless in a white blouse, pinstriped skirt and heels as she supported a fundraiser Her post: The star also took to Instagram to write about the event which she called 'incredible' Another beauty: Here she is seen with Farrah's longtime friend Alana Stewart The brunette bombshell, who designs clothes and accessories for Kmart, told the weekly: 'I love green drinks, but I blend not juice so I get the pulp.' Smith added: 'I use broccoli, kale, spinach, green apple, avocado, water, and a squeeze of lemon.' Jaclyn was with Charlie's Angeles for its entire run from 1976 until 1981. She told the same publication how she keeps her marriage together. Gal talk: Here Jaclyn and Alana caught up by the Chanel counter She has been wed to Dr Brad Allen, 62, for nearly 20 years. Jaclyn says she and Brad went on a 'spontaneous road trip' to the Arizona desert where they enjoyed 'a great weekend' exploring Sedona. 'Going the distance is just great because you build a history together and memories,' Jaclyn said. 'Looking back over time is wonderful. We have similar values and upbringing; spiritually, we think the same.' But the star said they also like to spend time in their LA mansion. 'Brad and I love home. I feel very loved and protected,' she said. She's a model, beauty entrepreneur and aspiring Hollywood actor. And Jessica Gomes, 32, has spoken about the awkwardness of filming her first sex scene with 62-year-old actor Bruce Willis. She has been busy shooting Once Upon a Time in Venice, an action comedy in which she plays the Die Hard star's younger girlfriend. Model turned actress: Rising Hollywood star Jessica Gomes, 32, has spoken about the awkwardness of filming her first sex scene with 62-year-old actor Bruce Willis 'Yes, he's 60, he's my dad's age, so that was pretty full-on,' she told The Daily Telegraph on Monday. Jessica admitted she was a little starstruck, saying: 'I was like, "Oh my gosh, I'm with Bruce Willis right now and we're making out."' As her film career blossoms, Jessica also spoke about her real-life romance with fellow Australian actor Xavier Samuel. 'Yes, he's 60, he's my dad's age, so that was pretty full-on': Jessica stars alongside Bruce Willis (pictured) in the upcoming action comedy Once Upon a Time in Venice 'We're just really open and honest with each other': As her film career blossoms, Jessica also spoke about her real-life romance with fellow Australian actor Xavier Samuel (right) 'We're just really open and honest with each other about where we're at, and we communicate really well,' she said. The Perth-raised, LA-based beauty confirmed the relationship was serious and that she is very happy. But despite rumours of a possible engagement, Jessica has previously said she is too busy to think about a wedding at the moment. True love! Jessica confirmed the relationship was serious and that she is very happy Wedding bells? But despite rumours of a possible engagement, Jessica has previously said she is too busy to think about a wedding at the moment 'I'm so busy I couldn't even think about that at the moment. It's been so nice to have a solid personal life among all the craziness,' Jessica told Sunday Life last month. The model also recently released her highly anticipated line of beauty products called Equal Beauty, exclusive to David Jones. 'I have worked with a lot of beauty brands there and I found their technology for skin car was very cutting edge,' she explained. Michelle Williams slid on an elaborately designed cocktail dress to swung by the Louis Vuitton Resort 2018 show at the Miho Museum in Koka, Japan on Sunday. The four-time Academy Award nominee looked radiant in an ensemble that, above the waist, featured black lace fringing cream sections splashed with floral patterns. Below the waist, the sleeveless number was sprawled in more flowery patterns - though these were in various shades of grey - and was hemmed a bit below the knee. Scroll down for video Aglow: Michelle Williams slid on an elaborately designed cocktail dress to swung by the Louis Vuitton Resort 2018 show at the Miho Museum in Koka, Japan on Sunday While standing for photos, the My Week With Marilyn Star posed alongside Elvis Presley's granddaughter Riley Keough, who'd worn a faintly similar dress. When the Manchester-By-The-Sea actress snagged her front row seat for the actual fashion show, she was seated beside a blue tracksuit-wearing Jennifer Connelly. White stripes streaked here and there about 46-year-old Jennifer's outfit, a black leather purse sat on her lap, and looking chic at her other side was Fan Bingbing. The X-Men: Days Of Future Past actress showed off her sculpted legs in a black dress cut off above the knee and had donned a black leather coat with rolled-up sleeves. The look: The four-time Academy Award nominee looked radiant in an ensemble that, above the waist, featured black lace fringing cream sections splashed with floral patterns Hello, gorgeous: Below the waist, the sleeveless number was sprawled in more flowery patterns - though these were in various shades of grey - and was hemmed a bit below the knee Duo: While standing for photos, the My Week With Marilyn Star posed alongside Elvis Presley's granddaughter Riley Keough, who'd worn a faintly similar dress Front row: The Brokeback Mountain Oscar nominee was seated for the actual show near (from left) Shiori Kotsuna, Fan Bingbing and Jennifer Connelly Dressed to impress: Jennifer looked cool and casual in a tracksuit inspired look by the brand Shiori Kutsuna was seated on the other side of the Iron Man 3 actress and had popped on a black dress with a mock turtleneck, voluminous sleeves and tight cuffs. Also seated on the front row as models paraded the Louis Vuitton clothes was legendary French actress Isabelle Huppert, who got her first Oscar nod this year. Accessorizing with dangling earrings and black-rimmed shades, the two-time Cesar Award winner popped a lime green leather jacket over a white turtlenecked sweater. Joining forces: The duo posed alongside Chinese actress Fan Bingbing Phone up: Fan Bingbing showed off her sculpted legs in a black dress cut off above the knee and had donned a black leather coat with rolled-up sleeves Starry array: Among the others assembled at the front row were legendary French actress Isabelle Huppert (fifth from right) and Game Of Thrones star Sophie Turner (fourth from left) Sophie Turner had cinched a black leather belt about her enviably trim waistline, and had selected an off-the-shoulder dress with print in shades of grey, black and white. The 21-year-old Game Of Thrones actress matched the dress with a Louis Vuitton purse, and she'd pulled her platinum hair into a bun, sliding on glinting black boots. Australian socialite Roxy Jacenko, who's now 36 years old, had added a dash of contrast to her largely black ensemble by way of a leopard-print pair of stilettos. FROW: Jennifer and Michelle chatted to veteran French actress Isabelle Huppert Patchwork chic: Michelle and Riley joined forces for a photo opportunity Grinning at the fashion show; White stripes streaked here and there about 46-year-old Jennifer's sky blue tracksuit and a black leather purse sat on her lap Chic as ever: Accessorizing with dangling earrings and black-rimmed shades, two-time Cesar Award winner Isabelle popped a lime green leather jacket over a white turtlenecked sweater Stylish: Sophie Turner had cinched a black leather belt about her enviably trim waistline, and had selected an off-the-shoulder dress with print in shades of grey, black and white Coordinated: The 21-year-old Game Of Thrones actress matched the dress with a Louis Vuitton purse, and she'd pulled her platinum hair into a bun, sliding on glinting black boots A black leather jacket was slung casually over her shoulders, and she'd worn a flowing black top over glinting black trousers that tightened about her taut legs. The wife of insider trading convict Oliver Curtis grasped a glistening clutch and had perched a pair of black-rimmed cat-eye sunglasses onto her face as she posed. Actress and model Janice Man, who'd also got a stylish jacket flung over her shoulders, held her sunglasses in one hand as she held her phone out with her other. Smiling ear to ear: Australian socialite Roxy Jacenko, who's now 36 years old, had added a dash of contrast to her largely black ensemble by way of a leopard-print pair of stilettos Advertisement The biggest names in television were out in force for the TV BAFTAS 2017 on Sunday night. And Eleanor Tomlinson, Holly Willoughby and Anna Friel were leading the glamour in elegant ensembles as they conquered the red carpet at the star-studded awards ceremony, held at the Royal Festival Hall in London. The striking redhead looked simply sensational an extreme plunging number, featuring gorgeous floral embroidery and glittering detailing as she braved the torrential rain and grey skies. Scroll down for video Leading the glamour: Eleanor Tomlinson (left), Holly Willoughby (centre) and Anna Friel (right) took to the red carpet at the TV BAFTAS 2017, held at the Royal Festival Hall in London on Sunday night The stunning, floor-length dress boasted beautiful pearl and sequin stitching and pink flower applique, giving the dress an ethereal feel. Eleanor pulled her look together with a chic clutch bag and a pair of dramatic drop earrings, and styled her flame-hued tresses in a loose fishtail plait and kept her make-up natural and understated. Also turning heads on the red carpet was This Morning's Holly, who opted for a classic baby blue dress. The striking Roland Mouret number featured a subtle creped effect and an asymmetric strapless neckline. Making a statement: Eleanor took the plunge in a daring, low cut-dress, going braless in the sequinned number but accessorising carefully with Amrapali jewellery Beautiful in blue: Also turning heads on the red carpet was This Morning's Holly, who opted for a classic baby blue dress Braving the weather: Holly persevered with her posing session, despite a sudden downpour Standout look: The striking redhead looked simply sensational an extreme plunging number, featuring gorgeous floral embroidery and glittering detailing Touch of bling: Eleanor and Holly complemented their looks with dazzling silver jewellery Gorgeous: Eleanor was undoubtedly one of the best dressed stars on the night Holly embraced old Hollywood glamour with a bouncy blow-dry and a diamond studded choker necklace. Anna Friel wowed in an elegant white tulle dress with a strapless cut and full skirt, channeling a princess in the 50s style frock. The 40-year-old actress twisted and twirled on the red carpet, putting on an animated display. Scarlett Moffatt was looking sensational in a star-themed mini-dress that perfectly highlighted her slender frame. Fit for a princess: Anna Friel stunned in a white ruffled dress with a puffy, A-line skirt, twirling for the cameras at the event Elegant: The actress cut a cool and quirky figure in the lace-trimmed ensemble with a tulle neckline Perfectly coordinated: The 40-year-old actress pulled her look together with a funky pair of black heels to match the lace trim Strictly stylish: Tess Daly and Claudia Winkleman were hoping for a big win for Strictly Come Dancing this year - but the show took home no gongs Stunning: Tess looked chic in pastel pink - the same Roland Mouret number as Holly - while Claudia embraced her usual sombre style in black Best of friends: Tess and Claudia put on an animated display on the red carpet together Blooming beautiful: Pregnant Jennifer Metcalfe showed off her baby bump in a Bardot lace number Glowing: The Hollyoaks beauty is expecting her first child with former Geordie Shore star Greg Lake Maternity chic: The brunette beauty choose a beautiful Bardot number which perfectly highlighted her bump The former I'm A Celebrity winner opted for a chic star cut-out dress that featured a nude slip underneath - no doubt to protect the starlet's modesty. She elongated her already lengthy pins with a pair of patent nude court heels and toted her essentials in an embellished handbag that she toted on one arm. She wore her tumbling tresses - that now boast a grey ombre shade - down past her shoulders in tousled waves and completed her flawless make-up with a nude lip. Scarlett was beaming from ear-to-ear as she strutted her way into the Southbank centre - the venue for this year's awards - and despite cutting a solo appearance on the red carpet, she had chosen to bring her mother along as her date for the evening. Singing in the rain! Ella Eyra (left) and Ophelia Lovibond (right) didn't let it rain on their parade Ushered inside: Holly ensured her bouncy blow-dry was protected from the rain by an umbrella Bridal chic: Soap star Roxanne Pallett looked incredible in a backless gown with a long, flowing gauze train Stunning: Roxanne ensured all eyes were on her as she sashayed into the venue, holding her skirt aloft Helping hand: An army of assistants helped Roxanne adjust her train as she descended along the carpet Ballerina: Singer Ella Eyre stood out from the crowd in a pastel pink, tutu inspired number Centre of attention: All eyes were on the pop princess in her sheer tulle skirt set off with silver heels Making a statement: Laura Whitmore (left) and Gillian Anderson (right) opted for dramatic patterned dresses Enviable pins: Scarlett Moffatt ade for a leggy display thanks to her star-inspired mini dress Star spangled: The star looked lovely in her simple black number with a funky star pattern The British Academy Television Awards was hosted by former Bake Off star Sue Perkins - a change from usual presenter Graham Norton who was busy with Eurovision hosting responsibilities in Ukraine. Ed Balls' hilarious Gangnam Style has helped Strictly Come Dancing waltz ahead of its rivals as show leads the 2017 TV BAFTA nominations with three nods. The show also picked up nominations for Entertainment programme, while presenter Claudia Winkleman has been shortlisted for Entertainment Performance - but failed to win a single gong. Ed's performance had been shortlisted for Virgin TV's Must-See Moment gong, but the former shadow chancellor lost out to Planet Earth. Strictly reunion: Ed Balls - whose Gangnam style performance had been shortlisted for Virgin TV's Must-See Moment gong - attended on the arm of his former dance partner Katya Jones Waltzing into the venue: The pair proved they still have the same fun-loving chemistry as on the show Keeping it simple: Bake Off winner Candice Brown, actress Denise Welch and EastEnders star Michelle Collins (from left to right) opted for floor-skimming black gowns Lovely in lace: GMB's Charlotte Dawson stunned in a sweeping black gown with a side-split and lace applique detailing Thigh's the limit: Actress of the moment Charlotte Riley opted for a glittering navy gown with a thigh-high split Fashion faux pas? Candice sported a bizarre spiked hairdo, slicked back with a liberal amount of gel Loving life: The baking goddess was in her element as she braved the drizzle on the red carpet Michelle Obama's famous appearance on James Corden's Carpool Karaoke was also in the running, alongside Danny Dyer's discovery that he is related to Sir Thomas Cromwell in Who Do You Think You Are, losing out to the moment Attenborough's iguanas were chased by snakes on Planet Earth II. TV series, The Crown received two nods for Best Drama, with protagonist Claire Foy being nominated for Best Performance, but went home empty handed. The winners were announced at the Royal Festival Hall on Sunday May 14, on BBC One with Sue Perkins as the host. Come rain or shine: Ant and Dec didn't look too impressed with the sudden downpour of rain Selfie time: Ant and Dec took endless snaps of themselves on the red carpet, joking around together Date night: Line Of Duty favourite Daniel Mays was accompanied by his wife Louise Burton, who opted for a tangerine dress Helping hand: The Fall favourite Gillian was on crutches, needing assistance on the red carpet Beautiful and bright: Chewing Gum favourite Michaela Coel looked incredible in a hot pink minidress Nominated for Female Performance in a Comedy Programme were Diane Morgan, Lesley Manville and Olivia Colman, with the prize going to Phoebe Waller-Bridge. The Doctor Who Gave Up Drugs, The Great British Bake Off, Travel Man: 48 Hours in lost out to Who Do You Think You Are? in the Features category. Shortlisted for Factual Series were 24 Hrs in Police Custody, Exodus: Our Journey to Europe, Kids on the Edge, and winning entry Prosecutors: Real Crime & Punishment. Ant and Dec's Saturday Night Takeaway beat Strictly, Britain's Got Talent and Michael McIntyre's Big Show in the for Entertainment Programme category. Gothic glamour: Katie Piper dared to be different in a voluminous prom dress with jacquard floral detailing Cute couple: Katie was in attendance with her husband Richard Sutton, who cut a dapper figure in a bow tie Belle of the ball: Suranne Jones conquered the red carpet in a beautiful red ballgown with understated embroidery Classic looks: Claire Foy, Jodie Comer and Anna Friel (left to right) looked incredible in elegant ensembles Hoping for a win: Matt Smith was flying the flag for Netflix series The Crown, which failed to take home a prize Think pink: Ophelia Lovibond cut an elegant figure in a tiered pink frock with a subtle paisley print Sealed with a kiss: Ashley Taylor Dawson and Lysette Anthony puckered up for some snaps Chic: Rachel Adedeji, Aisling Bea and Lesley Manville ensured they looked classy for the big showbiz night out Partying it up: Holly joined forces with comedian Alan Carr, larking around together before heading into the ceremony What a joker: Alan and the blonde beauty posed up a storm together in the press room Michael McIntyre beat Claudia Winkleman, Adam Hills and Graham Norton for Entertainment Performance. The Durrells, War & Peace and The Crown lost out to Happy Valley in the battle for Drama series. Comedy & Comedy Entertainment Programme went to Charlie Brooker's 2016 Wipe, emerging victorious over Cunk on Shakespeare, The Last Leg and Taskmaster. Adeel Akhtar beat Babou Ceesay, Benedict Cumberbatch and Robbie Coltrane in the race to Leading Actor. Comedy favourites: Zawe Ashton and Joanna Lumley joked around on the red carpet together Keeping it classy: Joanna, 71, was dressed to impress in a sweeping dress with an integrated blazer Putting in an appearance: Danny Dyer was making his first public appearance since he took time off from EastEnders Dapper chaps: First Dates star Fred Sirieix, Gossip Girl's Ed Westwick (in an Emporio Armani tuxedo) and Cuba Gooding Jr. (from left to right) got suited and booted for the occasion Glittering: Joan Collins (left) and Thandie Newton (right) dazzled in a sparkling frocks Leading men: Matt Smith, Benedict Cumberbatch and Stranger Things star Charlie Heaton smartened up Suits you! Kim Cattrall and new Doctor Who star Pearl Mackie opted for androgynous looks for the occasion Colourful: Irish beauty Laura stood out from the crowd in her tie dye dress and metallic accessories Sarah Lancashire triumphed over Claire Foy, Jodie Comer and Nikki Amuka-Bird for Leading Actress. Funnymen Asim Chaudhry, David Mitchell, Harry Enfield and winning entry Steve Coogan are all nominated for Male Performance in a Comedy Programme. Muslims Like Us beat First Dates, The Real Marigold Hotel and The Secret Life of 5 Year Olds in the Reality & Constructed Factual category. Ravishing in red: Allegra Riggio (left) and Suranne Jones (right) made a strong impression in voluminous scarlet dresses American contingeant: Judith Light and Cuba Gooding Jr hugged it out on the red carpet Stunner: Line Of Duty beauty Thandie looked incredible in her strapless number with a structured scoop neckline Bold and bright: Vanessa Kirby, Victoria Derbyshire and Lucy Pargeter (from left to right) sported jewel brights Gorgeous: Model Leomie Anderson (left) and Humans star Emily Berrington (right) looked elegant and sophisticated Understated looks: Phoebe Waller-Bridge, Millie Brady and Anna Passey (from left to right) exuded elegance Proud poses: Eleanorand Ed Westwick presented George Ormond, Marc Munden, Jack Thorne and John Chapman with the best Mini Series award for National Treasure Winners: Andy Worboys, Andy Boag, Daniel Gordon, Nicholas Bennett, Tim Atack, John Battsek and Phil Scraton won the Single Documentary award for Hillsborough, with Katie Poper and Stacey Dooley presenting Dynamic duo: Ant and Dec took home the Best Presenter gong, continuing their record number of wins Emmerdale took home the prize over Casualty, Eastenders and Hollyoaks in the Soap & Continuing Drama round. Daniel Mays, Jared Harris and John Lithgow lost out to The Night Manager's Tom Hollander for Supporting actor. The highly coveted 'International' category saw The People Vs OJ: American Crime Story win over The Night Of, Stranger Things and Transparent. Taking home the trophy: Cuba Gooding Jr. was thrilled with his International win for The People v OJ Simpson Big win: Sally Wainwright, Nicola Shindler, Siobhan Finneran, Sarah Lancashire, Con O'Neill and Kevin Doyle, took home the Drama Series award for Happy Valley Beaming: Phoebe Waller-Bridge picked up the best Female Performance in a Comedy Programme for Fleabag In their element: Ant and Dec were celebrating a big win for Saturday Night Takeaway Thrilled: Joanna picked up the special Fellowship trophy, looking delighted with the prestigious award Proud: Michael McIntyre beat Claudia Winkleman, Adam Hills and Graham Norton for Entertainment Performance Top prizes: It was a big night for both Joanna and for Sarah, who proudly posed with their BAFTAs Hostess with the mostess: Joan Collins looked sensational in sparkles after presenting the prizes to Ant and Dec Well deserved: Cuba was handed his best International show prize by Fresh Meat favourite Zawe Ashton What a pair: Chatty man star Alan and his co-presenter Holly had the audience in stitches Touching: Jennifer Saunders was at hand to present the award to her comedy partner Joanna Her moment: An emotional Wunmi Mosaku won the Supporting Actress award for her role in Damilola Our Loved Boy, while Thandie Newton was tasked with presenting the main Leading Actor prize Success: Who Do You Think You Are found success in the Features category, against Travel Man: 48 Hours In , The Doctor Who Gave Up Drugs and The Great British Bake Off Bringing some drama to the stage: Anna and Suranne certainly upped the fashion stakes on the night Group shot! The winners posed together on stage, triumphantly holding their BAFTAs aloft Candid camera: Laura Whitmore and Ore Oduba shared a joke backstage at the event Heavyweights: Benedict Cumberbatch and David Haye were snapped on someone's phone, both big players in their respective fields Star power: John Lithgow of The Crown was deeply engrossed in conversation, as was Happy Valley's Sarah Lancashire BBC sweethearts: Claudia Winkleman, Mary Berry and Tess Daly of flagship shows Strictly and Bake Off With the new girl: Eleanor Tomlinson posed with Pearl Mackie, the newest sidekick of Doctor Who Leaving their mark: Cuba Gooding Jnr and Sarah Lancashire signed the giant Taittinger bottle doing the rounds Getting around: Suranne Jones and Michaela Coel also signed the bottle Stamp: Scarlett Moffatt, Joanna Lumley and Joan Collins autographed the BAFTA Bottle Former dance-mates: Ore Oduba and Rob Rinder larked around, having appeared on Strictly 2016 Stunning: Suranne Jones and Joanna Lumley displayed their stunning dresses while they sat at the ceremony Cute: Celeb pair Victoria Coren and David Mitchell enjoyed the after party together She was nominated for a TV BAFTA as Best Actress for her role as the Queen in Netflix series The Crown. But Claire Foy also appeared to be in the running for the best dressed when she made a stunning appearance on the red carpet at the Royal Festival Hall, in London on Sunday. The actress, 33, swapped the glamorous gowns from her period drama role as she dared to bare it all when she went braless in a steep neckline, finished with an elegant sheer panel which teased her assets. Scroll down for video From royal to racy! The Crown star Claire Foy went braless in dramatic dress as Best Actress nominee stepped out on red carpet at TV BAFTAs 2017 at the Royal Festival Hall, in London on Sunday The Being Human oozed sex appeal as she turned heads in the daring dress, edged with intricate floral panels. She sashayed gracefully down the carpet in chic sandals, fastened at her ankles with a neat strap. The TV queen swept her golden locks into a messy bun, with a few stray strands framing her pretty facial features, as she shows off her flower silver stud earrings. It's all about the lace: The Being Human, 33, oozed sex appeal as she turned heads in the daring dress, edged with intricate floral panels Focal point: The TV queen swept her golden locks into a messy bun, with a few stray strands framing her pretty facial features, as she shows off her flower silver stud earrings From costume to drama: The actress swapped the glamorous gowns from her period drama role as she dared to bare it all in a daring dress for the star-studded awards The Manchester native put the focus on her evening attire as she kept her accessories simple with a small black bag, edged in gold, to match. She is out enjoying every minute as she celebrates her performance as Queen Elizabeth alongside Matt Smith who plays Prince Philip in the Netflix hit show. Describing taking on the part, she told The Telegraph: 'This was a young couple with two young children who didnt think their accession to the throne would happen for another 20 years. 'Their lives change in an instant, while theyre still grieving and going through something terrible personally. 'I don't know how anyone can't sympathise with that.' Love story: She is out enjoying every minute as she celebrates her performance as Queen Elizabeth alongside Matt Smith (pictured) who plays Prince Philip in Netflix's The Crown Leading lady: Claire is in the running for the Best Actress for her regal role Nominated: The Crown has dominated the nominations with five nods in the running for tonight's TV BAFTAs She lost out to Sarah Lancashire for the BAFTA. Competing with Claire and Sarah on Sunday for Leading Actress were Jodie Comer and Nikki Amuka-Bird. The British Academy Television Awards took place at the London's Southbank Centre on Sunday afternoon with the finest of British and global talent in attendance. The star-studded show will be hosted by former Bake Off star Sue Perkins - a change from usual presenter Graham Norton who was busy with Eurovision hosting responsibilities in Ukraine. She is one of the world's most beautiful women. And Salma Hayek proved worthy of that title as she looked gorgeous for her photo shoot in Mays edition of Rhapsody Magazine for United Airlines. The 50-year-old Oscar nominee dazzled in an array of beautiful couture gowns as she posed for the stunning pics. Stunning: Salma Hayek, 50, looked gorgeous for her photo shoot in Mays edition of Rhapsody Magazine for United Airlines For the cover shot, Hayek wore a low cut black dress that had a ruffled collar around her decolletage and sheer cut outs for the sleeves. In a black and white photo, the Frida star looked gorgeous in a patterned dress that cut low at the chest with an added lace fringe. Hayek smouldered in a black and white print mini dress that showcased her beautiful skin tone and leggy appeal. Another photo has the Mexican-born actress posed near a window wearing a stunning off-the-shoulder bright blue top. Model: For the cover shot, Hayek wore a low cut black dress that had a ruffled collar around her decolletage and sheer cut outs for the sleeves Lovely lady: In a black and white photo, the Frida star looked gorgeous in a patterned dress that cut low at the chest with an added lace fringe In the magazine interview, Hayek dishes on the Hollywood stereotype that women of a certain age work less. 'Ive never had so much work,' she said. 'They tell you, "Save your money; its over at 30." But they told me, "You will never work in this town because youre Mexican and your accent." 'Now Im 50, and Im working more than ever. The best parts are women in their mid-30s and up. As an actress, this is when its richer. Now I am free from the bombshell.' Repose: Another photo has the Mexican-born actress posed near a window wearing a stunning off-the-shoulder bright blue top Reveal: In the magazine interview, Hayek dishes on the Hollywood stereotype that women of a certain age work less She admits that chasing films as a producer is rewarding, but she would also like to be chased for acting gigs. 'I want somebody to be inspired and want to hire me to do it,' she noted. 'I want to be wanted. I want to be rediscovered. I want somebody to think of me to tell their story.' And someone has as Hayek is soon to be seen in Beatriz at Dinner. 'This is the dream job,' Hayek says. 'Mike White wrote me this script. Miguel Arteta wanted to direct me. I was their muse!' Truth tea: 'Now Im 50, and Im working more than ever. The best parts are women in their mid-30s and up' She played the Duchess of Cambridge in the BBC's controversial adaptation of Charles III. And Charlotte Riley put on a racy display at the TV BAFTAs when she arrived on the red carpet in a revealing metallic dress in London on Friday. The actress, 35, showed off her toned legs in the blue and black gown, which had a slit up her right hand side. Racy: Charlotte Riley appeared on the TV BAFTAs red carpet in a very revealing slit dress that showed off her toned legs The slit on her beaded dress goes dangerously high, almost hitting her hipbone. Charlotte's dress was otherwise modest, with a high neckline. The blue frock had sparkling sequins sewn in a floral striped pattern, offset by a wide black stripe which cut above her cleavage. The backless gown fell to the floor and the slit showed off the actress's sky-high black heels. Beaded beauty: The blue frock had sparkling sequins sewn in a floral striped pattern, offset by a wide black stripe which cut above her cleavage Charlotte scraped her shoulder-length raven hair back in an editorial style as she made her appearance at the star-studded event. The actress completed her look with a smoky eye, which she diffused outwards with reds and browns. The British Academy Television Awards took place at the London's Southbank Centre on Sunday afternoon with the finest of British and global talent in attendance. Editorial glamour: The backless gown fell to the floor and the slit showed off the actress's sky-high black heels The star-studded show was hosted by former Bake Off star Sue Perkins - a change from usual presenter Graham Norton who was busy with Eurovision hosting responsibilities in Ukraine. Netflix drama The Crown dominated the nominations with five nods, while Damilola, Our Loved Boy is hot on its heels with three. But the royal drama failed to pick up any gongs, while Damilola won two awards. Edgy look: Charlotte scraped her shoulder-length raven hair back in an editorial style as she made her appearance at the star-studded event New presenter: The TV BAFTAs will be hosted by Sue Perkins as Graham Norton is busy with Eurovision hosting responsibilities in Ukraine Happy Valley's Sarah Lancashire won Best Actress while Adeel Akhtar won for Murdered by My Father. The highly coveted 'International' category was won by The People Vs OJ: American Crime Story. Charlotte shot to fame in 2012 when she starred as Caris in Ken Follett epic World Without End. She met her husband Tom Hardy on the set of TV movie Wuthering Heights, who she married in 2014. Charlotte shot to fame in 2012 when she starred as Caris in Ken Follett epic World Without End Charlotte married Taboo star Tom Hardy in 2014 after they met on set and the pair have one child together Fans of the beloved baking show were shocked earlier this year when it emerged The Great British Bake Off would be moving to Channel 4, with new hosts and judges. And Sue Perkins, who fronted the series with sidekick Mel Giedroyc, was quick to poke fun at her departure in her monologue as host of the TV BAFTAs on Sunday. The comedienne, 47, addressed the controversial reboot by discussing the recent BBC show The Replacement, joking: 'A show about how stressful it can be when someone takes over your job... I mean, I really couldn't relate to it!' Scroll down for video Quip: Former Bake Off host Sue Perkins, who fronted the series with sidekick Mel Giedroyc, was quick to poke fun at her departure in her monologue as host of the TV BAFTAs on Sunday Having announced she was quitting the Bake Off earlier this year, Sue was then chosen as host of the TV BAFTAs at the Royal Festival Hall, while usual presenter Graham Norton was in Ukraine for Eurovision. However in her usual witty style, the Croydon-born star was quick to use her opening speech to poke fun at the controversy - which saw her and Mel quit the baking competition after it was confirmed to move to Channel 4. She opened the gag by referring to recent BBC show The Replacement, which followed an architect fighting her colleague for her job back, after returning from maternity leave. Jokes aplenty: The comedienne, 47, addressed the controversial reboot by discussing the recent BBC show The Replacement, joking: 'A show about how stressful it can be when someone takes over your job... I mean, I really couldn't relate to it!' Sue explained to the audience: 'How great was The Replacement everybody? A show about how stressful it can be when someone takes over your job... Met with laughter from the crowd, she then added cheekily in light of her recent career move: 'I mean, I really couldn't relate to it!' Smiling at the joke however, the TV star went on to pass on her best wishes to the new hosts - Sandi Toksvig and Noel Fielding. Chilling drama: She opened the gag by referring to The Replacement, which followed an architect fighting her colleague for her job back, after returning from maternity leave She said: 'Genuinely hand on heart, the very best of luck to the new Bake Off team.' Never without a witty one-liner however, she then added to further hilarity of viewers: 'They're going to need it - they are about to discover what Mel and I left for them in the ground sheet!' Fans were distraught earlier last year when Mel and Sue confirmed they will step down as hosts when the show moves to Channel 4, telling fans: 'We aren't following the dough'. Out: Fans were distraught earlier last year when Mel and Sue confirmed they will step down as hosts when the show moves to Channel 4 In a crushing blow to the broadcaster, the friends said they had made no secret of their desire for the show to stay with the BBC where it had began, and found such huge success. Confirming their plans, the presenters said: 'The BBC nurtured the show from its infancy and helped give it its distinctive warmth and charm, growing it from an audience of two million to nearly 15 at its peak. 'We've had the most amazing time on Bake Off, and have loved seeing it rise and rise like a pair of yeasted Latvian baps. new team: Sandi Toksvig and Noel Fielding are the new hosts of the show, alongside returning judge Paul Hollywood and Prue Leith, who has replaced Mary Berry 'We're not going with the dough. We wish all the future bakers every success.' Judge Mary Berry then announced she was also quitting after the show signed the multi-million pound deal, while Paul Hollywood decided to remain for the reboot. The baking legend has since been replaced with Prue Leith, completing the new line-up for the show, which is set to air in 2018. Comic duo Mel and Sue have since been named as frontrunners to host a revival of former Saturday night favourite The Generation Game. Pamela Anderson showed off her knockout legs in a pair of tiny white shorts as she emerged from the a hotel in Miami Beach on Sunday. Her bra showed through the sheer white tank top the 49-year-old had slid on and tucked in, and a dashing, seemingly younger man ambled in front of her. Bundling her blonde mane into a slightly haphazard beehive, she'd flung a walnut brown coat casually over her shoulders, balancing on nude stilettos. Scroll down for video Stepping out: Pamela Anderson showed off her knockout legs in a pair of tiny white shorts as she emerged from her hotel in Miami on Sunday One hand shoved into her pocket, the erstwhile Mrs. Tommy Lee was grasping a massive nude purse speckled with lattice patterning in the other. Pamela and Tommy, the first of her three husbands, were married from 1995 to 1998, during which time a honeymoon sex tape of the two of them leaked. That marriage was the only one of hers that produced children, specifically two sons: a 19-year-old called Dylan Jagger Lee and a 20-year-old called Brandon Thomas Lee. Hinting: Her bra showed through the sheer white tank top the 49-year-old had slid on and tucked in, and a dashing younger man ambled in front of her Patsy Stone, is that you?: Bundling her blonde mane into a slightly haphazard beehive, she'd flung a walnut brown coat casually over her shoulders, balancing on nude stilettos Dylan's Instagram page hasn't played host to an upload for a couple of weeks, but Brandon did pay tribute to his mother on Sunday, which was Mother's Day. Next to a throwback photo of Pamela arcing her signature chiseled legs as she sat on the ground wearing a Dodgers T-shirt, he wrote: 'Happy Mothers Day Mom!' Brandon, one of the flock of celebrities' offspring who've begun modeling, went on: 'I love you so much, you inspire me every f**kin day to do my best and to always take care of others. And you still look the same as 25 years ago... wtf?!?' Got her gear: One hand shoved into her pocket, the erstwhile Mrs. Tommy Lee was grasping a massive nude purse speckled with lattice patterning in the other Beauty in blue: Pamela was later spotted leaving her hotel in a long blue dress with nude heels Perfect posture: The Baywatch star gracefully descended a staircase with upright posture After the marriage to Tommy crumbled, Pamela joined Kid Rock in matrimony in 2006, but wound up filing that year for a divorce that was finalized in 2007. That year, she married Rick Salomon - who incidentally co-starred in Paris Hilton's infamous sex tape - and despite a 2008 annulment, remarried him by 2014. She broke the news in January of 2014, but in February of 2015 - just a year and a month later - she'd filed for a divorce, and the split was legally finalized that April. 'I love you so much': Brandon Thomas Lee, the 20-year-old elder of Pamela's two sons, uploaded an Instagram post Sunday paying tribute to her on Mother's Day This May 25 will see the release of Baywatch: The Movie, a comedy adaptation of the NBC drama series - awash with running lifeguards - that made Pamela a star. C.J. Parker, the role she played from 1992 until 1997, will be assumed by Kelly Rohrbach in a cast that includes Dwayne Johnson, Zac Efron and Priyanka Chopra. Pamela's got herself a cameo in the forthcoming release, as has David Hasselhoff, whose character Mitch Buchannon is the part Dwayne's assumed for the film. On which subject, British Columbia-born Pamela cut a smoldering figure in a cleavage-baring glistening gold gown at the film's Miami premiere on Saturday. Throwback to 1994: This May 25 will see the release of Baywatch: The Movie, a comedy adaptation of the NBC drama TV series that made Pamela a star Emma Watson has boasted of how she turned Disneys Beauty And The Beast into a modern feminist tale and lectured the United Nations on womens rights. But has the Harry Potter star met her match in a fellow young British actress? Talulah Riley, 31, who shot to fame in the St Trinians films, has attacked political activist Watson, 27, over her gender equality campaigning. Talulah supports equal rights for women, but cant stand the way Watsons HeForShe crusade appears to seek to eliminate differences between the sexes. Men and women should have equal rights, of course, but [they] are also different and theres nothing wrong with that, Talulah tells me. We dont have to start unifying gender in order to establish political equality. Talulah Riley, 31, pictured left, who shot to fame in the St Trinians films, has attacked political activist Emma Watson, 27, pictured right, over her gender equality campaigning Elon Musk and Talulah Riley pictured at a film awards ceremony in 2015 in Cap d'Antibes, France Last week, Watson praised MTV for abolishing the best actress prize at its annual awards ceremony. It handed her the best actor gong, leading her to gush: The first acting award in history that doesnt separate nominees based on their sex says something about how we perceive the human experience. Riley, who has twice divorced U.S. tech billionaire Elon Musk, says of Watsons drive: The HeForShe campaign creates a lot of confusion when it comes to gender equality, because people are getting stuck in a semantic argument, rather than addressing the actual issue. People are associating gender equality with being exactly the same and, of course, thats not what it means. You lose the real issue when you have that confusion. Riley is not afraid of antagonising powerful women. Earlier this year, she gazumped Cherie Blair on a 3 million Georgian house in Londons Marylebone. The actress, whose debut novel was well-received last year, will put the cat among the pigeons with her follow-up. She says: Its about a group of women who conspire to take over the UK and turn it into a matriarchy. Look out! Cindy's model example Supermodel Cindy Crawford celebrated U.S. Mothers Day in California with three generations of her family. Wearing a red off-the-shoulder, patterned summer dress, the 51- year-old posed with her mother Jennifer, who opted for stripes. Jennifer raised Cindy alone from the age of six. Her divorce from Cindys father left Jennifer struggling to make ends meet. Cindy has said: I thought: Ill never be in that situation where I cant take care of myself. Supermodel Cindy Crawford celebrated U.S. Mothers Day in California with three generations of her family - she is pictured with her daugher Kaia, 15, left, and mother Jennifer, right And she has instilled the work ethic into her lookalike daughter Kaia, 15, who received her first pay cheque aged ten, when she made her modelling debut for Versace. Kaia who wore a 150 Realisation polka dot mini dress with Dr Martens is still working as a model. Advertisement Super-cute royal sisters going up in the world! As the Queens great grand-daughters, Savannah and Isla Phillips will never be in need of social climbing. The blonde sisters nevertheless had a great time scaling a wall at the Royal Windsor Horse Show at the weekend. Wearing a trendy blue-and-white patterned jumpsuit and brown suede ankle boots, six-year-old Savannah clambered carefully up the tower, watched by her parents, Peter, the Queens grandson, and Autumn Phillips. Savannah Phillips, the Queen's great great-grand daughter, was pictured on the climbing wall at the Royal Windsor Horse Show - she also had a go on the inflatable slide Savannahs five-year-old sister, Isla, was soon in hot pursuit on the climbing wall Not to be outdone, Savannahs five-year-old sister, Isla, was soon in hot pursuit. Savannah, who also enjoyed hurling herself down an inflatable slide sported a freshly painted fake tattoo on her arm. Clearly, the Queens eldest great-grandchild is keen to make her mark. Employing Princess Eugenies boyfriend, Jack Brooksbank, as an ambassador for his tequila brand, Casamigos, has paid off for George Clooney. The star, who has a home in Berkshire with his lawyer wife Amal, is about to have a new cocktail named after him at The Ivy Soho Brasserie. It will be really exciting. Well have different styles of margaritas made from Casamigos to show how much fun they can be, former barman Brooksbank tells me. There will be a Casa Clooney. Will Cherie actress play Her Majesty? Cherie Blair will be pleased. Helen McCrory, 48, who played Tony Blairs wife in 2006 film The Queen, is being considered for the role of Her Majesty in the third series of acclaimed Netflix drama The Crown. A senior source tells me: Claire Foy, who played the Queen in the first two series, will not return, as she is too young for the period from 1963 to 1977. She's the multi award-winning actress whose impressive career has taken her to A-list legendary status. And Nicole Kidman, 49, looked the picture of elegance as she attended the opening ceremony of the Bodrum Hotel in the Aegean coastal city in Turkey. Highlighting her slender frame in the dazzling Marchesa gown, Nicole smiled gracefully as she attended the event. Scroll down for video Graceful: Nicole Kidman, 49, looked the picture of elegance as she attended the opening ceremony of the Bodrum Hotel in the Aegean coastal city in Turkey Dress to impress! The multi-talented actress, who recently garnered praise for her role as Celeste Wright in HBO drama Big Little Lies, took to the stage to present the event The multi-talented actress, who recently garnered praise for her role as Celeste Wright in HBO drama Big Little Lies, took to the stage to present the event. Adorned with silver bead detailing, the gown featured a plunging neckline, before dropping dramatically to the floor. Nicole, who scooped a highly-coveted Oscar for her 2002 film The Hours, looked sensational at the exclusive event. Beautiful: She styled her strawberry blonde hair into an elegant chignon, and added height to her statuesque frame with a pair of strappy heels She styled her strawberry blonde hair into an elegant chignon, and added height to her statuesque frame with a pair of strappy heels. Appearing on The Ellen Degeneres Show recently, Nicole surprised the host after she revealed that her turn on Little Big Lies represents the first time the iconic actress has started to get recognised in public. 'I was suddenly being recognised in airports and on airplanes and women were coming up to me in the street and talking about the character and what was going to happen next. I was getting texts from Keith's friends...and I thought 'wow, this is working.' Difficult: Nicole was the belle of the ball as she mingled with guests Ellen pressed the star, asking 'what do you mean you suddenly got recognised - nobody knew you before this?' Nicole responded with: 'I haven't had a film, besides Lion, that's really kind of penetrated into the psyche of the world for a long time...and I love it. I love being in people's homes. Nicole portrays a character who is trapped in an abusive relationship with husband Perry (played by Alexander Skarsgard), and has spoken about how she found her own response to the scenes 'very weird.' Strike a pose: The Hollywood a-lister dressed to the nines, stealing the spotlight at the glam opening Nicole told Vulture: 'Afterwards, I would just be quiet. I would go home and be quiet. After we shot some of the really, really violent scenes, I was in a lot of pain myself. My body was.' The mother of four then added: 'It was very strange. It was very uncomfortable. It wasn't a good feeling, I have to say. 'But women go through this, so I wanted to tap into the truth of it, and I wanted to be real in those scenes, so that's what it required - an element of violence.' The Australian beauty shares children Isabella, 24, and Connor, 22, with ex-husband Tom Cruise, and daughters Sunday, eight, and Faith, six, with spouse Keith Urban. Aside from Little Big Lies, Nicole's television credits include the Network Ten miniseries Vietnam and Bangkok Hilton, a short stint on iconic Australian soap A Country Practice and the 2012 HBO drama Hemmingway and Gellhorn. She loves to steal the show any chance she gets. And Real Housewives Of Beverly Hills star Brandi Glanville was once again up to her old tricks. The reality personality was a guest at the Steve Irwin Gala Dinner held at the SLS Hotel at Beverly Hills over the weekend, and she certainly turned heads at the red carpet. Crikey, look at the size of 'em! Brandi Glanville flaunts her EXTREME cleavage in a revealing dress at the Steve Irwin Gala Dinner in Beverly Hills over the weekend The mother-of-two flaunted her extreme cleavage in a VERY revealing green dress. Cuddling up to her boyfriend Donald Friese, the blonde bombshell made sure she was the centre of attention. It was hard not to look as Brandi flaunted her ample assets in the satin cut-out frock that also showed off her flat tummy. Where to look! It was hard not to look as Brandi flaunted her ample assets in the satin cut-out frock that also showed off her flat tummy Peace out: Cuddling up to her boyfriend Donald Friese, the blonde bombshell made sure she was the centre of attention Meanwhile, Terri, Robert and Bindi Irwin swapped khaki for glamour at the dinner honouring the late Crocodile Hunter. The family was joined by Bindi's boyfriend Chandler Powell, who is also involved in continuing Steve's legacy. Terri, 53, wore a white lace frock and strappy heels while her daughter Bindi stunned in a blue floral dress. Flawless: The mother-of-two revealed her flawless bronzed complexion Chandler kept it casual at the soiree, wearing a black suit with an olive green shirt. Meanwhile, 13-year-old Robert looked dapper in a black suit, white shirt and tie. The family posed for photos on the red carpet, before Bindi and Robert proudly showed off some exotic animals. In his honour: Meanwhile, Terri, Robert and Bindi Irwin swapped khaki for glamour at the dinner honouring the late Crocodile Hunter Later, Bindi and Chandler also enjoyed a moment together in front of the cameras before heading into the party. The Dancing With The Stars winner, 18, also posed for a photo with Modern Family actor Nolan Gould. During the gala dinner, Bindi, Robert and Terri took to the stage for a presentation about Steve. The family looked emotional as they embraced while a montage of the Australian legend was shown on a screen. Prime Minister Narendra Modi is promoting a 'Make in India' initiative but technology entrepreneurs like Saurabh Ahuja, director of Nuts and Boltz, are still frustrated by a multitude of regulatory obstacles When Saurabh Ahuja tried to import a $600 3D printer for manufacturing drones in his Delhi workshop, he ended up spending another $900 in taxes and bribes and waited three months for it to clear customs. "We lack in technology and industry to make the smallest things, so we have to import," Ahuja said as he listed the frustrations entrepreneurs still encounter since the government launched its "Make In India" project. "If my business grows, the country grows with me. But the government won't let me grow." Since coming to power in 2014, Narendra Modi has been looking to overhaul India's image as an awkward country in which to do business and instead emulate China by becoming a global manufacturing hub. In September that year, the right-wing premier unveiled "Make in India" as a flagship initiative which would have an "unprecedented overhaul of out-dated processes and policies" at its core. The government has tried to woo investors by promising to simplify the tax regime and liberalise rules on foreign direct investment (FDI). But in the World Bank's most recent chart ranking countries for their ease of doing business, India came 130th out of 190. While much of the focus has been on the travails of foreign firms, local entrepreneurs who should be the poster boys of Indian manufacturing are also struggling. The printer that Ahuja did eventually manage to import from China to build everything from drones to robots had nearly 300 parts. He first had to submit a sheaf of documents, including details of the exporter and the product catalogue to officials at Delhi airport. He was then told each part would have to be tested before being let through. Three months and 150,000 rupees ($2,250) in warehouse charges later, he got his consignment only after he coughed up a bribe, he said. Officials at the airport did not respond to an emailed query for comment. Ahuja, 29, launched his company Nuts and Boltz six years ago from a basement in northwest Delhi to provide other budding entrepreneurs a place to experiment with product ideas. For an hourly rental fee, clients have access to equipment such as 3D printers and circuit boards. But while the prototypes can be crafted in India, nearly all the manufacturing ends up being outsourced overseas. - 'Mad in India' - "Maker spaces are great because you can quickly launch a prototype and get credibility," said Navi Radjou, co-author of the book "Frugal Innovation". Employees at Nuts and Boltz in New Delhi. Prime Minister Narendra Modi has been looking to overhaul India's image as an awkward country in which to do business but entrepreneurs say they are still struggling with regulatory obstacles "But then you open a Pandora's Box because if a customer asks for 2,000 units of your product, you're screwed since you can't make it at that scale and that leads to a lot of frustration." While India's big business houses are among Modi's loudest cheerleaders, economist Sunil Sinha said making things at home remains a fraught process for smaller firms. "It's one thing to say we want to focus on manufacturing and that's why we have liberalised FDI and that's why we're trying to improve the ease of doing business," Sinha, principal economist at Fitch India, told AFP. "But the crucial component is what's happening at the state level, at the local level. "Anyone setting up a factory or business needs water and electricity connections and various permissions and annual regulatory filings to different government watchdogs. Those are the major stumbling blocks and there are no significant changes at that level. "Many of the large companies ... have special access to the corridors of powers, but for the small guy no one will even answer his call so he has to strike a deal with whoever is the hurdle." Ahuja was reminded of how onerous it was to manufacture at scale when the government last year banned the imports of lithium polymer batteries, needed to power the drones. He now buys the batteries from Mumbai from someone who smuggles them in and then charges $300 a go, double the actual cost. "Since the parts are not easily available, we've put on hold our classes to teach people how to make drones," Ahuja said. His complaints find echoes among large-scale manufacturers such as Rajiv Bajaj, head of the Bajaj Auto conglomerate. A long-established motorbike manufacturer, Bajaj wants to introduce a quadricycle but has encountered multiple obstacles. "If your innovation in the country depends on government approval or the judicial process, it will not be a case of 'Made in India', but 'Mad in India'," Bajaj said in a speech this year, using a twist on the government's campaign slogan. US President Donald Trump (R) welcomes Chinese President Xi Jinping to the Mar-a-Lago estate in West Palm Beach, Florida The new trade agreement unveiled Friday between China and the United States is yet another olive branch from the Trump White House to Beijing, but some skeptics wonder how long the cooperative tone will last. One thing is sure: the initial measures of the 100-day action plan launched in mid-April by China and the United States stand in stark contrast with the anti-Chinese rhetoric Donald Trump used on the campaign trail. The president has significantly softened his stance, declining last month to declare China a currency manipulator -- one of the most strident pledges he made as a candidate. And, at least at first glance, the new Sino-American trade deal appears to have vindicated this softer approach that is starting to bear fruit. "We have made...more progress in 40 days than the prior trade negotiators had in this century," Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross said recently on Fox News. - Seemingly familiar aspects - The two-page plan of action calls for the lifting of the 13-year embargo Beijing had kept on American beef, as well as gradually opening the Chinese market to certain US financial services. "It's impossible to overstate how beneficial this will be for America's cattle producers," said Craig Uden, president of the National Cattlemen's Beef Association, adding that he was eager to court 1.4 billion new consumers in China. As important as they may be, these developments are not entirely new. Plans to lift the beef embargo had already been agreed to in principle last September under former President Barack Obama. The only truly new development was the plan to speed up direct exports of American liquefied natural gas to China, delighting some in the American hydrocarbon industry. "It's a strong signal from both governments that there is a real interest in using LNG produced in the US in China," Charlie Riedl, director of the Center for Liquefied Natural Gas, told AFP. As for the Chinese, they got the US to lift trade barriers to Chinese exports of cooked poultry, a concession that does not appear to worry US producers. "It would serve a niche market and we don't think that it would be a problem for our domestic industry," said Jim Sumner, director of the USA Poultry and Egg Export Council. According to Douglas Paal, a China expert at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, these achievements are the low-hanging fruit. - The easy steps - "It's not negative but it's not a major step," he said. "These are the easy steps. The heavy work hasn't started yet." Indeed, the agreement does not touch on theft of intellectual property or the American manufacturing sector, which has suffered most of all from Chinese competition -- and which Trump had promised to rescue on his arrival in the White House. Imports of Chinese-manufactured goods are nevertheless blamed for the colossal US trade gap in goods with China, which stood at $347 billion in 2016. Trump has vowed to reduce it. "For American manufacturing, there's not a lot there although I'm not terribly surprised," said Scott Paul of the Alliance for American Manufacturing. "Those issues are going to be much harder to solve." Paul said the Trump administration may need to get tougher, even threaten sanctions or fresh trade barriers, to win concessions from Beijing. "The administration may need to take a more aggressive stance," he said. Analysts say that, despite its repeated promises on joining the World Trade Organization in 2001, China has still not honored promises to open its markets to foreign competition. "There's a lot of skepticism about whether or not China will really follow through," said Paal. Since a nuclear deal came into force in 2016, lifting some sanctions for curbs to Iran's atomic programme, the expected investment rush has failed to materialise The investment gold rush that was supposed to follow Iran's nuclear deal with world powers and revitalise the economy has not materialised, leaving many voters disillusioned ahead of Friday's election. The figures say it all -- President Hassan Rouhani wanted $50 billion a year in foreign investment to reach his target of eight-percent growth. But since the nuclear deal came into force in January 2016, lifting some sanctions in exchange for curbs to Iran's atomic programme, only $1-2 billion worth of deals have actually been finalised, his deputy Eshaq Jahangiri admitted to AFP this week. Unofficial polls still show Rouhani in the lead for Friday's election, but faced with a 12.5-percent unemployment rate it is no wonder that many have lost faith in his administration. The problem is even worse for young people, with more than a quarter of 18- to 25-year-olds out of work, and many of the rest taking jobs far below their education level. "I studied five years at one of Iran's top architecture universities but what I'm doing now could be done by someone who learnt the software on a two-month course," said 24-year-old designer Parnian Dalili, who nonetheless felt lucky to have landed a job at all. All this has been a boon for Rouhani's conservative opponents, who say the government has failed to cash in on the nuclear deal and ignored the plight of the poor. "A tree that has not born any fruit in four years will not yield anything positive in the future," said Tehran mayor and presidential candidate Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf in the final debate on Friday. - Waiting game - For all its troubles, Iran with its diverse economy and large, cosmopolitan middle class is still a great untapped opportunity among emerging markets, and hardly a week goes by without another huge business delegation coming from Europe or Asia. Big names such as Siemens, Renault and Nestle are on the ground and hungry to expand. But everyone is wary of US President Donald Trump, who has threatened to tear up the nuclear accord. The US has also maintained a raft of sanctions that continue to scare off global banks which companies need to finance their deals. "In the absence of large banking firms, the deals can't happen," said Farid Dehdilani, of the Iranian Privatisation Organisation. He recently returned from a roadshow in London, where he found a lot of interest from investors in coming to Iran. "But everyone is waiting for someone just a little bit bigger to make the first move," he said. "They understand the risks and they're willing to take them, but the uncertainty over Trump and other factors is putting them off." The crucial test is whether Trump continues to waive the sanctions suspended under the nuclear deal, which he must sign off over the next two months. "All the big firms, especially the energy companies, are waiting to see whether Trump will keep the sanctions suspended," said a French businessman in Tehran. The one clear success for Iran has been the return of oil sales, with exports doubling to almost 2.8 million barrels per day since the deal. Rouhani says he will use this money to invest in the economy, and vowed this week to work for the removal of all remaining US sanctions over the next four years, although that would require a major attitude shift from the Trump administration. "People have seen the benefits of the (nuclear deal) because there's stability. They're no longer worrying about prices going up overnight and having to hide dollars under their mattress," said Dehdilani. "But people were over-excited. Iran could be a trillion-dollar economy, but it will take time." And many fear the meagre progress of the past year could evaporate if the hardliners win on Friday, since they would likely take a much less friendly approach to the West. "If the conservatives win, we might as well just pack up and go home," said a European diplomat. Tibetan medical practitioner Yeshi Dhonden became a legend as personal healer to the Dalai Lama Before dawn in the Indian Himalayas, scores of patients clutching small vials of urine queue patiently to see Yeshi Dhonden, a Tibetan monk who became a legend as personal healer to the Dalai Lama. Tibetan medicine, known as Sowa-Rigpa, draws on centuries-old techniques such as blood-letting, cupping, and moxibustion -- burning herbs on energy points of the body -- to try to heal ailments. The practise draws on aspects of traditional Chinese medicine and India's Ayurvedic system as well as its own unique theories and treatments. It also features spiritual practises including meditation and Buddhist prayer. Today it attracts devotees from all over the globe, hoping for help with conditions from back pain to cancer and degenerative diseases. "If the sick come to me I will take care of them," Dhonden told AFP at his private clinic in McLeodganj, surrounded by Tibetan scrolls and beaming images of his most famous client. Dhonden -- who spent three decades tending the health of Tibet's spiritual leader -- relies on his senses to divine what ails patients. "I don't go for tests like X-ray and all. I trust myself. I just test the pulse and the urine," he explained. A touch at the wrist is how he ascertains the health of vital organs and blood pressure. The urine, held in a white porcelain cup, is stirred with two small bamboo sticks. Colour, bubble formation, sediment and smell can all shape the diagnosis. Devotees swear Tibetan medicine works, though few scientific studies have been conducted into its efficacy. - 'Imbalanced energies' - Tibetan medicine, known as Sowa-Rigpa, draws on centuries-old techniques such as blood-letting, cupping, and moxibustion -- burning herbs on energy points of the body -- to try to heal ailments The teachings -- contained in some 2,000 textbooks and the messages of the Buddha, considered the guardian deity for all spiritual healers -- are believed to have originated in Tibet. But as it features elements of both ancient Chinese and Indian healing practises, and is rapidly evolving from a niche tradition into popular alternative treatment, both nations have scrambled to claim it as their own. In April, the Asian giants nominated Tibetan medicine for inclusion on a UNESCO list for "intangible culture". China and India have engaged in countless spats over the Tibetan community since New Delhi granted sanctuary to the Dalai Lama in 1959. Beijing took control of Tibet eight years earlier and was furious when India granted the Dalai Lama permission to headquarter a government-in-exile in McLeodganj. The traditions of Tibetan medicine are based on four root texts known as the 'tantras' that evolved in two medical colleges, Chakpori and Men-Tsee-Khang, in the Tibetan capital Lhasa. These tantras classify thousands of diseases into separate categories, with unique mixtures of herbs and minerals -- mostly sourced from the upper reaches of the Himalayas -- listed as remedies for each ailment. "We believe diseases are caused when our inner energies are imbalanced," said Tsewang Tam Din, a medical practitioner at the McLeodganj branch of the Men-Tsee Khang school, one of many across India. Taking a delicate golden hammer, Din demonstrated how healers heat the instrument over fire and place it against the body to offset pain and other common malaises. "The idea behind our medicine system is that one should not have to take medication all his life for chronic problems like arthritis and diabetes," Din said in McLeodganj, nicknamed "Little Lhasa" for the large Tibetan community residing there. - Science of healing - The increasing popularity of Buddhism in the west, as well as a global Tibetan diaspora has helped spread awareness about its unique alternative medicine. But like other Eastern health treatments, it is viewed with scepticism among the conventional medical fraternity. A lack of standardisation and clinical trials means it will be some time before Tibetan medicine can go mainstream, said cardiologist D. Prabhakaran from the Public Health Foundation of India. But even doubters acknowledge the natural treatment appears to assist some patients in certain cases. "I know of anecdotal examples where people with terminal diseases have lived much longer than predicted after taking Tibetan medicine," Prabhakaran said. Tibetan medicine draws on aspects of traditional Chinese medicine and India's Ayurvedic system as well as its own unique theories and treatments "I think there's a lot of empathy towards the patient in Tibetan medicine. Basically it comes from the thinking of Buddhism and that may be one of the reasons why it's becoming more popular," he added. In 2010, India officially recognised Tibetan medicine as a "science of healing" and enshrined it within the nation's healthcare system, paving the way for future research and investment into the spiritual discipline. It's good news for devotees like 60-year-old Abdul Rehman, who has eschewed mainstream medicine his entire life in favour of Tibetan alternatives. "I suffered from a recurrent cold which was cured in one year," said Rehman as he collected herbal pills at a clinic in a posh Delhi suburb. He added: "Now I have some back and neck pain and I think it will also be cured soon." This picture taken on May 9, 2017 shows Indonesian forest rangers dismantling traps set by poachers in Indonesia's Leuser ecosystem rain forest In the depths of Indonesia's dense Leuser rain forest, a group of rangers are searching for traps set by poachers which are endangering rare wildlife. Scientists and conservationists consider the Leuser Ecosystem, which falls mostly within Aceh province on Sumatra island, to be among the most important forests left in Southeast Asia. It is the last place of sufficient size and quality to support viable populations of rare species like orangutans, Sumatran tigers, rhinoceroses, elephants, clouded leopards and sun bears. In 2015 hundreds of traps were confiscated monthly in Leuser but now fewer than 10 are found every month, according to local conservation NGO Forum Conservation Leuser. "The rangers are trained to track signs indicating that there were poachers in the area, such as by looking for cigarette ends or footsteps," said Rudi Putra, head of the forum. Some traps are designed to snare animals' feet. Others consist of spears set high up in trees, which would fall when a trap is sprung. This picture taken on May 7, 2017 shows an orangutan and her baby in Indonesia's Leuser ecosystem rain forest The rangers also watch for signs of deforestation such as illegal logging, and collect data from the forest for further research. Poachers typically set up traps to capture elephants, tigers and bears so they can sell them illegally and make money. US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson (R) who met with Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov ion May 10, 2017, said trust between the two nations was "very low" Relations between the United States and Russia, at their lowest level since the Cold War, will not restart "with a clean slate," Secretary of State Rex Tillerson said on Sunday. The former ExxonMobil CEO, who was decorated in 2013 by Russian President Vladimir Putin, had said previously that the relationship between the two nuclear powers had hit its lowest point since the Soviet collapse in 1991. His Russian counterpart, Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov -- whom Trump hosted at the White House on Wednesday -- said the same. Speaking on NBC on Sunday, Tillerson reiterated that relations had fallen to "an all-time low point since the end of the Cold War, with a very low level of trust." "It is not healthy for the world," he said. "It's certainly not healthy for us, for the American people, our national security interest and otherwise, for this relationship to remain at this low level." However, "whether we can improve it or not remains to be seen," he added. Although Tillerson said he is "committed" to improving relations -- which have been especially tense since 2012 thanks to differences over Syria and, later, Russia's invasion of Ukraine -- he expressed deep skepticism about the prospects for doing so. He ruled out relaunching relations with a "clean slate," similar to the attempt at a "reset" by former president Barack Obama and his secretary of state, Hillary Clinton, in 2009. "We're starting with the slate we have," he said, "all the problems that are on that slate. We don't dismiss any of them." President Donald Trump, who has expressed admiration for Putin, has repeatedly said that Washington should try to improve its relations with Moscow to tackle terrorism and other pressing problems around the world. "I think terms like having a reset are overused," Tillerson said. "You cannot reset. You cannot erase the past." Asked about US intelligence reports that Russia meddled in last year's US presidential election campaign, Tillerson said, "I don't think there's any question that the Russians were playing around in our electoral processes." However, "it's inconclusive as to what, if any, effect it had," he added. Still, "we have to look at this relationship in its broadest contours," Tillerson said. "There are many, many important areas which require our attention if we are to bring it back to a relationship that we believe is necessary for the security of the US." Palestine President Mahmoud Abbas (C) arrives at Palam Air Force Station in New Delhi on May 14, 2017 Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas landed in New Delhi late Sunday for a three-day visit looking to strengthen ties with India ahead of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's historic trip to Israel. Abbas arrived with a delegation for his third state visit to India, where he will hold key talks on bilateral, regional and international issues, including the peace process in the restive Middle East, according to India's foreign ministry. On Monday -- day one of his visit -- he will zip to an IT centre in Noida, a satellite city outside the Indian capital, aiming to forge greater cooperation in technology. He is also slated to make an address at New Delhi's India Islamic Cultural Centre in the evening. On day two, he will meet with Modi, his Indian counterpart Pranab Mukherjee and Foreign Minister Sushma Swaraj after a ceremonial welcome at the presidential palace and laying a wreath at Mahatma Gandhi's memorial. He is scheduled to head back home on Wednesday. Abbas and Modi will sign several deals "on cooperation in various areas", the foreign ministry said, without providing specific details. "India and Palestine enjoy historically close and friendly ties," it said in a statement late Saturday, reiterating India's "political support to the Palestinian cause". New Delhi is hosting Abbas ahead of Hindu nationalist Modi's unprecedented visit to Israel reportedly in July -- the first-ever by an Indian premier -- with observers calling it a balancing act by India to assuage both sides. Although there has been no official announcement of his visit so far, Modi told a rally last month that he was "soon going to Israel". India has traditionally voiced its support for Palestinian statehood, initially shunning diplomatic relations with the Jewish state. The frost has thawed, however, in recent years, with India -- the world's biggest arms importer -- seeking closer defense ties with Israel, a top weapons exporter. A Palestinian woman casts her ballot during the municipal elections in the West Bank city of Ramallah on May 13, 2017 Palestinian president Mahmud Abbas's Fatah party was ahead in most of the West Bank's main cities after municipal elections that highlighted persistent divisions with its rival Hamas, results showed Sunday. Voting took place on Saturday only in the occupied West Bank, controlled by Fatah, and not in the Gaza Strip, which is run by the Islamist movement Hamas. Attempts to hold the first joint elections in the West Bank and Gaza since 2006 failed after the two movements were not able to reach an agreement. Hamas did not present candidates under its party label in the vote. Official figures showed turnout at 53.4 percent, or nearly the same as local elections in the West Bank in 2012, electoral commission chief Hanna Nasser told journalists in Ramallah. However, turnout was far lower in large cities than in surrounding communities, with the lowest in Nablus, the main city in the northern West Bank, where it was less than 21 percent. Ramallah, the Palestinian political capital, saw turnout of less than 40 percent. Fatah's list was notably ahead in the cities of Jenin, Jericho and Hebron. More than half of the 536 lists participating in the elections were not registered as being affiliated with any party. While Hamas did not field candidates under its party name, the leftist Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine called for a boycott. It said it would refuse to participate in an election while hundreds of Palestinians in Israeli jails were on hunger strike. The prisoners began the hunger strike on April 17, demanding better conditions. The failure of Hamas and Fatah to reconcile is seen as a major obstacle to any settlement of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. The West Bank and Gaza have not participated in an election together since 2006, when Hamas swept Palestinian parliamentary polls, sparking a conflict that led to near civil war in Gaza the following year. Escalating tensions between Hamas and the more moderate Fatah led to Hamas's seizure of Gaza in 2007, while Abbas's party was left with control of the West Bank, occupied by Israel for 50 years. Abbas's presidential term was meant to end in 2009, but he has remained in office with no elections organised. The US Embassy building in the Israeli coastal city of Tel Aviv Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Sunday challenged US concerns over moving the American embassy to Jerusalem, in what Haaretz newspaper called his "first public dispute" with the Trump administration. US President Donald Trump had promised during his campaign to move the American embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem, whose status is one of the thorniest issues of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. But there has been no movement on that pledge so far. The Palestinians and the Arab world fiercely oppose a move, and the international community has warned that it could spark fresh unrest. US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson told NBC's "Meet the Press" on Sunday that Trump was still seeking to assess whether relocating the embassy would help or harm chances for Israeli-Palestinian peace. "The president is being very careful to understand how such a decision would impact a peace process," Tillerson said, going on to suggest that Israel itself might be less than fully committed to a move. "I think it'll be informed, again, by the parties that are involved in those talks and most certainly Israel's view on whether Israel views it as being helpful to a peace initiative or perhaps a distraction." Netanyahu hurried to remove any doubt -- and preempt protest within his right-wing government -- in a statement issued by his office. "Israel's position has often been expressed to the American administration and to the world," it said. "The transfer of the American Embassy to Jerusalem not only will not harm the peace process, but the opposite. It will advance it by correcting a historic injustice and by smashing the Palestinian fantasy that Jerusalem is not the capital of Israel." Israel occupied the West Bank and east Jerusalem in 1967. It later annexed east Jerusalem in a move never recognised by the international community. In 1980, Israel declared "reunited" Jerusalem its capital in a move unrecognised by major states. BAGHDAD (AP) - An Iraqi air force helicopter has been downed west of Mosul Saturday afternoon after coming under fire from the Islamic State group, according to Iraq's joint operations command. The helicopter was hit while supporting Iraq's mostly Shiite militia forces in an operation to retake villages still held by the militants in the sprawling desert to Mosul's west, Brig. Gen. Yahya Rasool, the command's spokesman, said in a statement. The source of the attack was ground fire, the pilot landed safely and there were no fatalities, he added. The government-sanctioned Shiite militia forces known as the Popular Mobilization Units launched an operation to retake a small village just south of Sinjar on Friday. Inside Mosul Iraqi forces backed by the U.S.-led coalition are slowly closing in on a small cluster of neighborhoods in the city's west held by the extremist group. The operation to retake Mosul was launched in October, the city's east was declared liberated in January and Iraqi forces launched the operation to retake the west the following month. The U.S.-led coalition does not provide air cover for operation led by the Popular Mobilization Units. The last time an Iraqi helicopter was shot down was in April, and the crash killed both pilots. In addition to coalition air support, Iraqi air force and army aircraft conduct regular strike operations over the city to support police and special forces units battling IS. HOPKINSVILLE, Ky. (AP) - Authorities say two people were killed when a plane heading from Iowa to Alabama crashed in southern Kentucky. Christian County Emergency Management Director Randy Graham said Saturday that the remains of the pilot and passenger have been sent to Louisville for autopsies. There were no survivors. The National Transportation Safety Board has interviewed a witness and the property owner where wreckage was spread over a wide area. The NTSB says the plane was flying from Davenport, Iowa, to Muscle Shoals, Alabama, when it crashed on Friday afternoon near Hopkinsville. Federal Aviation Administration says the crash involved a Beechcraft Bonanza, which seats up to six people. No identities have been released. BENNETTSVILLE, S.C. (AP) - Authorities say a man has been arrested and charged in the stabbing death of a South Carolina woman and the disappearance of her 8-year-old daughter, who remains missing. The Marlboro County Sheriff's Office said Saturday that 32-year-old Jejuancey Fernando Harrington has been charged with murder in the case of Ella Lowery. Lowery was found dead May 5 in the Bennettsville home she shared with her daughter Iyana. The sheriff's statement says the Bennettsville man also was charged with kidnapping in the child's disappearance. The girl hasn't been seen since, despite a massive search by state police and the FBI. Sheriff Charles Lemon says authorities remain focused on finding Iyana and "bringing her home to her family." Harrington was being held, and it wasn't immediately known if he had an attorney. PHOENIX (AP) - Arizona journalists are fighting a court decision concealing information in the case of the so-called Serial Street Shooter. A lawyer representing the Arizona Republic, Associated Press and several TV broadcast stations filed the motion Friday. Police have accused 23-year-old Aaron Juan Saucedo of killing nine people in 12 shootings in 2015 and 2016. He faces multiple charges of first-degree murder and aggravated assault. Saucedo maintained his innocence in court. The Arizona Republic reports (http://bit.ly/2pJPsGN) that a Maricopa County judge had granted a prosecutor's motion to seal parts of the criminal complaint and indictment, citing an ongoing investigation. The news coalition, including CBS 5 (KPHO-TV), ABC15 (KNXV-TV), 3 TV (KTVK), 12 News (KPNX-TV) and Telemundo of Arizona, contends that they have a legal right to the public records indicating probable cause. ___ Information from: The Arizona Republic, http://www.azcentral.com BILLERICA, Mass. (AP) - A fifth person has died following the sudden acceleration and crash of an SUV at a Massachusetts indoor auto auction. Middlesex District Attorney Marian Ryan and police say 55-year-old Ruben Espaillat died Saturday from injuries suffered during the May 3 crash at LynnWay Auto Auction in Billerica (bihl-RIH'-kuh). He was the second crash victim to die this week. Espaillat, who was from Methuen, was among nine people injured when a 2006 Jeep Grand Cherokee apparently lurched out of control and crashed through a wall. Rhode Island residents Brenda Lopez and Pantaleon Santos were pronounced dead at the scene. Lowell resident Leezandra Aponte was taken to a hospital after the crash and died there. Elliott Rowlands Jr., of Buzzards Bay, died on Wednesday. The driver worked for LynnWay and wasn't hospitalized. Log in, look out: Cyber chaos may grow at workweek's start LONDON (AP) - Employees booting up computers at work Monday could see red as they discover they're victims of a global "ransomware" cyberattack that has created chaos in 150 countries and could wreak even greater havoc as more malicious variations appear. As a loose global network of cybersecurity experts fought the ransomware hackers, officials and experts on Sunday urged organizations and companies to update older Microsoft operating systems immediately to ensure they aren't vulnerable to a second, more powerful version of the software - or to future versions that can't be stopped. The initial attack, known as "WannaCry," paralyzed computers that run Britain's hospital network, Germany's national railway and scores of other companies and government agencies worldwide in what was believed to be the biggest online extortion scheme ever recorded. Microsoft took aim at the U.S. government for "stockpiling" software code that was used by unknown hackers to launch the attacks. The hackers exploited software code from the National Security Agency that leaked online. The company's top lawyer said the government should report weaknesses they discover to software companies rather than seek to exploit them. ___ Clapper: US govt 'under assault' by Trump after Comey firing WASHINGTON (AP) - American democracy is "under assault" on separate fronts from President Donald Trump and Russia, the former U.S. intelligence chief warned Sunday, expressing dismay over the abrupt firing of FBI director James Comey amid a probe into Moscow's meddling in U.S. elections and possible ties with the Trump campaign. As Trump works to fast-track Comey's successor, lawmakers from both parties urged him to steer clear of any politicians for the job and say he must "clean up the mess that he mostly created." "I think, in many ways, our institutions are under assault, both externally - and that's the big news here, is the Russian interference in our election system," said James Clapper, the former director of national intelligence. "I think as well our institutions are under assault internally." When he was asked, "Internally, from the president?" Clapper said, "Exactly." Clapper spoke following Trump's sudden firing of Comey last week, which drew sharp criticism because it came amid the FBI's investigation into Russia's interference in the 2016 presidential election. Clapper said America's founding fathers had created three co-equal branches of government with checks and balances, but with Trump as president, that was now "eroding." ___ GOP lawmakers mark success by flipping rules from Obama era WASHINGTON (AP) - Final score: Republicans 14, Barack Obama's last-minute regulations, one. Congressional Republicans anxious to show voters they can get something done are hailing their reversal of more than a dozen Obama-era regulations on guns, the internet and the environment. Over a few months, lawmakers used an obscure legislative rule to ram through changes that will have far-reaching implications for the coal industry, broadband customers, hunters and women seeking health care at Planned Parenthood and other abortion providers. The deadline for scuttling the rules that Democrat Obama imposed during his final months in office was last Thursday. The 1996 Congressional Review Act had given Republicans the power to make the changes with a simple majority, within a set time. While the rest of Washington focused on the furor over President Donald Trump's firing of FBI Director James Comey, Republicans were celebrating their effort to reverse the rules, arguing that it would boost the economy and make it easier for businesses to operate. ___ North Korea says new long-range missile can carry heavy nuke SEOUL, South Korea (AP) - North Korea said Monday the missile it launched over the weekend was a new type of long-range ballistic rocket that can carry a heavy nuclear warhead. North Korean propaganda must be considered with wariness, but if confirmed, the claim marks another big step forward in the country's escalating efforts to field a nuclear-tipped missile capable of reaching the U.S. mainland. Outside experts don't believe the North can do that yet, but each new test pushes them closer to the goal. The launch Sunday is an immediate challenge to South Korea's new leader, a liberal elected just five days earlier who expressed a desire to reach out to North Korea. The country's push to boost its weapons program also makes it one of the Trump administration's most urgent foreign policy worries. The missile flew for half an hour and reached an unusually high altitude before landing in the Sea of Japan, the South Korean, Japanese and U.S. militaries said. Tokyo said the flight pattern could indicate a new type of missile. North Korea's official Korean Central News Agency called the missile a "new ground-to-ground medium long-range strategic ballistic rocket Hwasong-12" that's "capable of carrying a large-size heavy nuclear warhead." Leader Kim Jong Un was said to have witnessed the test and "hugged officials in the field of rocket research, saying that they worked hard to achieve a great thing," according to KCNA. ___ France's new president vows to fortify EU, revamp politics PARIS (AP) - In ceremonies marked by youthful optimism and old-world Napoleonic pomp, Emmanuel Macron swept into office Sunday as France's new president pledging to fortify the European Union, redesign French politics and glue together his divided nation. Macron's presidency began with a visit to troops wounded in overseas combat - a reminder of France's large global military presence and role in fighting extremists from Syria to Africa. He's expected to name a prime minister imminently, and to show his commitment to reviving European unity. Macron takes his first presidential trip Monday to Berlin to meet Chancellor Angela Merkel. In a lofty but lucid inaugural speech, Macron vowed to lift France out of its sense of decline and lost purpose, and seize again its place in the world. "The time has come for France to rise up to the occasion. The division and fractures across our society must be overcome ... because the world expects us to be strong, solid, clairvoyant." ___ New York eyes 'textalyzer' to combat distracted driving ALBANY, N.Y. (AP) - Ben Lieberman just wanted to find out what may have caused the head-on collision that killed his 19-year-old son, Evan, on a highway north of New York City. It took a lawsuit and six months in court to get the cellphone records showing the driver of the car his son was in had been texting behind the wheel. Lieberman doesn't believe getting that information should be so hard. He's channeling his grief over the 2011 accident into a proposal that would allow police at accident scenes in New York to immediately examine drivers' cellphones with a device to determine if they'd been tapping, swiping or clicking. It's been called a Breathalyzer for texting. "You think people are already looking at phones and it just doesn't happen," said Lieberman, who is partnering with the Israel-based tech company Cellebrite to develop the plug-in device that's been nicknamed the "textalyzer." The idea already faces obstacles from constitutional and privacy advocates who are quick to note that police need the owner's consent and a warrant to get cellphone records. They're also concerned such technology would be used to access all of the personal information people may have on their cellphones. ___ More states allow sunscreen at schools without doctor's OK PROVIDENCE, R.I. (AP) - Susan Grenon makes sure her son is lathered with sunscreen before he leaves for school in the morning, but the fair-skinned 10-year-old can't bring a bottle to reapply it without a doctor's note. Many school systems categorize sunscreen as an over-the-counter medication requiring special paperwork, but several states have been pushing to loosen restrictions to make it easier for kids to protect themselves from skin cancer. Washington Gov. Jay Inslee, a Democrat, signed a bill into law this month allowing students to use sunscreen at school without notes from a doctor and parent. Arizona Gov. Doug Ducey, a Republican, enacted a similar measure late last month, following Utah in March. Oregon, Texas and New York have also freed students to use sunscreen in recent years. California did it back in 2002. Backed by the personal care products industry, such proposals also have wide and bipartisan support from health experts and state lawmakers. Legislation is moving forward this spring in Rhode Island and Louisiana. In Florida, it's waiting for the governor's signature. The main opposition has come from school nurses voicing caution about children bringing in lotions that can cause allergic reactions. Grenon, who lives in Smithfield, Rhode Island, said her concerns for her son grew after a doctor excised two basal cell carcinomas from her face in February, and another one three years ago. Grenon said she is paying the price for never using sunscreen while growing up as a military kid in sunny climates such as Hawaii and Nevada. ___ Sad Mother's Day for family of slain Ohio nurse's aide KIRKERSVILLE, Ohio (AP) - The family of a 48-year-old mom of five children is in mourning this Mother's Day weekend, after her slaying at the Ohio nursing home where she was a nurse's aide. The Columbus Dispatch reports (http://bit.ly/2qFMaJ7 ) that Cindy Krantz is being remembered as a kind person who loved her kids. She, nurse Marlina Medrano, 46, and Kirkersville Police Chief Steven Eric DiSario, 36, were killed in the Friday attack. Suspect Thomas Hartless, 43, was found dead inside the nursing home in Kirkersville, a village of some 500 residents, about 25 miles (39 kilometers) east of Columbus. Authorities said Sunday they didn't immediately have any new information to release. They have said they are looking into the relationship between Hartless and Medrano, who had obtained civil protection orders against him in connection with domestic violence cases. In the nearby city of Pataskala, Krantz's family said she liked to help others. ___ Jeter's No 2 retired by Yanks; Monument Park plaque unveiled NEW YORK (AP) - Derek Jeter held a microphone and spoke without notes to the crowd that filled sold-out Yankee Stadium. His No. 2, the last of the single digit pinstripes, had been retired and a plaque in his honor dedicated that will be placed in Monument Park alongside tributes to Ruth, Gehrig, DiMaggio, Mantle, Berra and the rest of the team's greats. "I say this very humbly," he told the fans, "there isn't a person or player I would trade places with that's playing now or ever." Three years removed from a big league career that spanned 1995-2014, Jeter personally picked Mother's Day for his tribute. His grandmother, parents, sister, nephew and pregnant wife joined him for the ceremony, and he laughed when he saw the plaque, which reads "DEREK SANDERSON JETER/'THE CAPTAIN'/"MR. NOVEMBER'" and goes on to call him "THE CORNERSTONE OF FIVE WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP TEAMS" AND "A LEADER ON THE FIELD AND IN THE CLUBHOUSE, SETTING AN EXAMPLE FOR HIS TEAMMATES WITH HIS UNCOMPROMISING DESIRE FOR TEAM SUCCESS." Jeter said he thought about the plaques of teammates Bernie Williams, Jorge Posada and Andy Pettitte. "When Bernie got his, he had the big mole. When Jorge had his, he had the big ears. Andy had the big nose. So I was happy with mine," Jeter said. ___ Schools brace for impact if Congress cuts Medicaid spending For school districts still getting their financial footing after the Great Recession, the Medicaid changes being advanced as part of the health care overhaul are sounding familiar alarms. Administrators say programming and services even beyond those that receive funding from the state-federal health care program could be at risk should Congress follow through with plans to change the way Medicaid is distributed. They say any reduction in the estimated $4 billion schools receive in annual Medicaid reimbursements would be hard to absorb after years of reduced state funding and a weakened tax base. "If they have less Medicaid money, something's going to go away," said Randy Liepa, superintendent of the Wayne County Regional Education Service Agency, which works with 33 school districts in the Detroit area. The agency covers about 21,000 children with special needs who are on Medicaid and it helps districts recoup about $30 million annually in reimbursements. Districts would have to look at nonmandated positions and programs if forced to bear more of the costs for services for poor and disabled students required by federal law, said Thomas Gentzel, executive director of the National School Boards Association. The Senate is up next in efforts to do away with President Barack Obama's health law, and school leaders are watching to see whether the changes advanced by the House survive. The House bill would transform the open-ended federal entitlement, which reimburses schools a percentage of the cost of the eligible services they provide to poor and disabled students, to one where reimbursements will come in a fixed, per-person amount. NEW YORK (AP) - Melissa McCarthy once again brought comic spice plus Spicer to "Saturday Night Live." After a spate of guest appearances mocking White House press secretary Sean Spicer in recent weeks, she was back on Saturday's edition of the NBC satire show to preside as host. One sketch featured McCarthy as the hot-tempered Spicer commandeering his motorized podium through the streets of midtown Manhattan - a sequence spotted by the media on Friday while it was being filmed. In this photo provided by NBC, Melissa McCarthy as White House Press Secretary Sean Spicer, performs during "Spicer Returns" on the television show "Saturday Night Live," Saturday, May 13, 2017, in New York. McCarthy once again brought comic spice plus Spicer to "Saturday Night Live." (Kylie Billings/NBC via AP) The show began with Alec Baldwin reprising his piercing impersonation of President Donald Trump. Interviewed by NBC News' Lester Holt (actually cast member Michael Che), Trump was asked if he could assure the nation he wouldn't name someone "crazy" to replace ousted FBI Director James Comey. Trump said his choice would be "so bonkers" everyone would wish it were Judge Judy. McCarthy took repeated pies to the face as a hapless contestant on a game show called "Just Desserts!" Then things got even more physical with the latest White House press briefing spoof. The sketch began with cast member Aidy Bryant playing Sarah Huckabee Sanders, the White House aide who subbed for Spicer for a few days last week. But quickly Spicer jumped from the bushes just outside the press room to reclaim his spot, pushing Sanders aside. "Let me put this whole Russian thing to bed: Trump is innocent," he seethed at the press corps. "How do we know? Because he TOLD us so!" Then a reporter asked, "Were you surprised Trump fired Comey before he fired you?" Blowing his top, Spicer ripped down a support column and hurled it at the reporter. But was this true? Was Spicer's job really in jeopardy? Had Trump been feeding him lies? Spicer cranked up his motorized podium and hit the road for New York to confront Trump and find out. "Have you ever told me to say things that aren't true?" Spicer asked Trump after tracking him down. "Only since you started working here," Trump replied. Then they kissed and made up, literally, with Trump and Spicer locked in a tight embrace. In this photo provided by NBC, Melissa McCarthy as White House Press Secretary Sean Spicer, left, and Alec Baldwin as President Donald Trump perform during "Spicer Returns" on the television show "Saturday Night Live," Saturday, May 13, 2017, in New York. (Will Heath/NBC via AP) In this photo provided by NBC, Melissa McCarthy, right, as White House Press Secretary Sean Spicer, performs during "Spicer Returns" on the television show "Saturday Night Live," Saturday, May 13, 2017, in New York. McCarthy once again brought comic spice plus Spicer to "Saturday Night Live." (Kylie Billings/NBC via AP) In this photo provided by NBC, Melissa McCarthy as White House Press Secretary Sean Spicer, performs during "Spicer Returns" on the television show "Saturday Night Live," Saturday, May 13, 2017, in New York. McCarthy once again brought comic spice plus Spicer to "Saturday Night Live." (Will Heath/NBC via AP) SIDON, Lebanon (AP) - Ahmad Dawoud recalls the day 10 years ago when a Lebanese soldier asked to search his taxi. Then 17, the Palestinian didn't wait for the soldier to find the weapons hidden in the trunk. He jumped from the car and fled into the nearby Palestinian refugee camp, where the Lebanese army has no authority. But it was not long afterward that Dawoud, who once admired the radical groups that have sprouted in the camps in Lebanon, decided he was tired of running. That same year, in 2007, he surrendered to authorities and spent 14 hard months in jail. In this Thursday, May 4, 2017 photo, a boy walks by graffiti of the Palestinian flags with Arabic reads: "The flag is four colors that shine on the face of the sun" in the Bourj al-Barajneh Palestinian refugee camp in Beirut, Lebanon. On Monday, Palestinians mark 69 years since hundreds of thousands of them were forced from their homes during the 1948 war that led to the creation of Israel. Palestinians in Lebanon suffer discrimination in nearly every aspect of daily life, feeding a desperation that is tearing their community apart. (AP Photo/Bilal Hussein) Although he was released without a conviction, he couldn't erase the biggest strike against him: As a Palestinian in Lebanon, he is a stateless, second-class resident in the only country where he's ever lived. On Monday, Palestinians mark 69 years since hundreds of thousands of them were forced from their homes during the 1948 war that led to the creation of Israel. Many settled in the neighboring West Bank, Gaza, Jordan, Syria and Lebanon. As refugees, various U.N. charters entitle them and their descendants to the right to work and a dignified living until they can return to their homes or such settlement is reached. But Palestinians in Lebanon suffer discrimination in nearly every aspect of daily life, feeding a desperation that is tearing their community apart. Many live in settlements officially recognized as refugee camps but better described as concrete ghettos ringed by checkpoints and, in some cases, blast walls and barbed wire. The U.N. runs schools and subsidizes health care inside. In Lebanon, there are 450,000 refugees registered in 12 camps, where Lebanese authorities have no jurisdiction inside. "Our lot is less than zero," Dawoud said in a recent interview outside Ein el-Hilweh, the crowded camp in Sidon that is one of the most volatile. On peaceful days, children play in the damp alleys and merchants park their carts of produce along the camp's main streets. But the place feels hopelessly divided along factional and militant lines, and it frequently breaks down into fighting between Palestinian security forces and militants or gangs that capitalize on the general despair. Last month, 10 people were killed in a flare-up that drove out thousands of the camp's estimated population of 75,000. Palestinians are prohibited from working in most professions, from medicine to transportation. Because of restrictions on ownership, what little property they have is bought under Lebanese names, leaving them vulnerable to embezzlement and expropriation. They pay into Lebanon's social security fund but receive no benefits. Medical costs are crippling. And they have little hope for remediation from the Lebanese courts. Doctors are prohibited from working in the Lebanese market, so they find work only in the camps or agree to work for Lebanese clinics off the books, and sign prescriptions under Lebanese doctors' names. That leaves them open to employer abuse, a condition normally associated with low-skill work. "If a young boy gets in trouble because he is Palestinian, the prosecutor writes in his note to the judge, 'He is Palestinian,' meaning: 'Do what you wish to him. Be cruel to him. Forget about his rights,'" said Sheikh Mohammad Muwad, a Palestinian imam in Sidon. The crush of war refugees from Syria has made it even harder for Palestinians here to find work. Nearly six in 10 under age 25 are unemployed, according to the U.N.'s Palestinian relief agency UNRWA, and two-thirds of all Palestinians here live below the poverty line. UNRWA country director Claudio Cordone said they feel trapped in political limbo and see an "almost total lack of meaningful political prospects of a solution" to their original displacement from Palestine. Lebanese politicians say that assimilating Palestinians into society would undermine their right to return. But Palestinians say they are not asking for assimilation or nationality, just civil rights. "They starve us, so we go back to Palestine. They deprive us, so that we go back to Palestine. Well, go ahead, send us back to Palestine! Let us go to the border, and we will march back into Palestine, no matter how many martyrs we must give," Muwad said. For those in the camps, the line between hustling and criminality is often blurred. Unemployed and feeling abandoned by the authorities, many turn to gangs for work. Adding to this is a widely shared disaffection with the Palestine Liberation Organization, which many Palestinians now see as having sold out their rights with the failed Oslo Accords of 1994. This has helped fuel the rise of radical Islam - a shift in the occupied Palestinian territories that is reflected by Hamas' rising popularity, and one outside the territories in the meteoric trajectory of militant groups such as Fatah al-Islam in the volatile and deprived Nahr al-Bared camp. Growing up in Nahr al-Bared, a camp much like Ein el-Hilweh, Dawoud felt a strong affiliation for Fatah al-Islam, his gateway to radical extremism. "They were the only ones who seemed honest," he said. "Of course, later I figured out they were just like everyone else, too." In 2007, the Lebanese army razed most of Nahr al-Bared to crush Fatah al-Islam. By that time, Dawoud already was in Ein el-Hilweh, and his arrest was the beginning of a slow falling out with the gangs that once sheltered him and treated him like a brother. After his stint in prison, they began to feel they couldn't trust him, and he was chased out of Ein el-Hilweh in 2013. Now, he can only enter the parts of the settlement firmly under PLO control. With no job, no prospects and little wealth, Dawoud now runs errands for others in his white 1980s-era BMW - all done under the table, of course. Palestinians cannot apply for the red license plates that identify taxis and other commercial vehicles. "I don't even think about marrying and getting into those situations," he said, waving off starting a family at age 27. His ambition now is to apply for a visa to leave Lebanon. But first he needs a travel document, and for that he needs to be on good terms with the Lebanese authorities. Not all Palestinians live in camps, but even the most privileged among them endure discrimination. At a panel on Palestinian labor rights at the American University of Beirut, Muhammad Hussein asked a Lebanese Labor Ministry official why he was denied work even in sectors that are formally open to Palestinian employment. The 22-year-old graduate showed the official an email he received from a marketing firm in Dubai refusing his job application on the grounds that the Lebanese office had to give priority to Lebanese workers. "The problem isn't finding vacancies," Hussein said. "It's getting the job." In this Friday, May 5, 2017 photo, Sheikh Mohammad Muwad speaks during an interview with the Associated Press inside the Hussein Mosque in the village of Dayait al-Arab near the southern port city of Sidon, Lebanon. On Monday, Palestinians mark 69 years since hundreds of thousands of them were forced from their homes during the 1948 war that led to the creation of Israel. Palestinians in Lebanon suffer discrimination in nearly every aspect of daily life, feeding a desperation that is tearing their community apart. (AP Photo/Bilal Hussein) In this Thursday, May 4, 2017 photo, people walk underneath the banners of Fatah and the Palestinian flags inside the Bourj al-Barajneh Palestinian refugee camp in Beirut, Lebanon. On Monday, Palestinians mark 69 years since hundreds of thousands of them were forced from their homes during the 1948 war that led to the creation of Israel. Palestinians in Lebanon suffer discrimination in nearly every aspect of daily life, feeding a desperation that is tearing their community apart. (AP Photo/Bilal Hussein) In this Thursday, May 4, 2017 photo, a teenager rides his scooter inside the Bourj al-Barajneh Palestinian refugee camp in Beirut, Lebanon. On Monday, Palestinians mark 69 years since hundreds of thousands of them were forced from their homes during the 1948 war that led to the creation of Israel. Palestinians in Lebanon suffer discrimination in nearly every aspect of daily life, feeding a desperation that is tearing their community apart. (AP Photo/Bilal Hussein) In this Friday, May 5, 2017 photo, a general view of the concrete wall surrounding the Ein el-Hilweh Palestinian refugee camp near the southern port city of Sidon, Lebanon. On Monday, Palestinians mark 69 years since hundreds of thousands of them were forced from their homes during the 1948 war that led to the creation of Israel. Palestinians in Lebanon suffer discrimination in nearly every aspect of daily life, feeding a desperation that is tearing their community apart. (AP Photo/Bilal Hussein) In this Thursday, May 4, 2017 photo, people walk inside the Bourj al-Barajneh Palestinian refugee camp in Beirut, Lebanon. On Monday, Palestinians mark 69 years since hundreds of thousands of them were forced from their homes during the 1948 war that led to the creation of Israel. Palestinians in Lebanon suffer discrimination in nearly every aspect of daily life, feeding a desperation that is tearing their community apart. (AP Photo/Bilal Hussein) In this Friday, May 5, 2017 photo, a general view, foreground, of the Ein el-Hilweh Palestinian refugee camp near the southern port city of Sidon, Lebanon. On Monday, Palestinians mark 69 years since hundreds of thousands of them were forced from their homes during the 1948 war that led to the creation of Israel. Palestinians in Lebanon suffer discrimination in nearly every aspect of daily life, feeding a desperation that is tearing their community apart. (AP Photo/Bilal Hussein) In this Thursday, May 4, 2017 photo, a woman walks past a poster of the late Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat, in the Bourj al-Barajneh Palestinian refugee camp in Beirut, Lebanon. On Monday, Palestinians mark 69 years since hundreds of thousands of them were forced from their homes during the 1948 war that led to the creation of Israel. Palestinians in Lebanon suffer discrimination in nearly every aspect of daily life, feeding a desperation that is tearing their community apart. (AP Photo/Bilal Hussein) CAIRO (AP) - Judges from one of the Egyptian judiciary's three main branches voted Saturday to defy a newly adopted and widely disputed law giving the president a degree of control over the judiciary, nominating as head of their branch a judge who ruled against a government decision to surrender two Red Sea islands to Saudi Arabia. State Council judges, who rule on disputes with the government, voted overwhelmingly to put forward judge Yahya Dakroury, their most senior, as their nominee to head their branch. The move clashes with the new law that stipulates that each judiciary branch nominate three of its seven most senior judges to the president to choose one to head each of the three branches. The judiciary's two other branches - the court of cassation and government lawyers - already have complied with the new law, adopted by parliament and ratified by the president last month with uncustomary speed. Many judges see the law as an infringement of the judiciary's independence and a violation of the principle of the separation of government branches. Tiran Island, the Red Sea, Egypt, Friday, Feb. 10, 2017. An Egyptian court last month ruled against the government's decision to hand over two Red Sea islands to Saudi Arabia. Judges from one of three main branches of the Egyptian judiciary have voted to defy a newly adopted and widely disputed law enhancing the president's control over the judiciary. (AP Photo/Nariman El-Mofty) Before the new law came into effect, each branch of the judiciary nominated their most senior judge to head their branch, with the president's ratification a foregone conclusion. President Abdel-Fattah el-Sissi will now have to either ratify Dakroury's nomination to avoid a confrontation with the powerful State Council or independently name one of the most senior judges from that branch as its head. Dakroury's ruling last year on the fate of the two islands went against the government's stated position that Tiran and Sanafir, at the mouth of the Red Sea's Gulf of Aqaba, belonged to Saudi Arabia but were placed under Egyptian control in the 1950s to protect them against a perceived threat from Israel. His ruling was upheld in January by a higher court, which declared as unconstitutional an Egyptian-Saudi agreement signed in April 2016 to cede control over the islands to Riyadh. El-Sissi last month said the executive branch has nothing more to do with or say about the agreement, saying its fate was now in the hands of the judiciary and parliament, a 596-seat chamber packed with his supporters. PARIS (AP) - The Latest on the inauguration of French President Emmanuel Macron (all times local): 5 p.m. France's new president has made his first visit after his inauguration to a military hospital in the Paris suburb of Clamart. French President Emmanuel Macron greets veterans at the the Unknown Soldier's tomb under the Arc de Triomphe after his formal inauguration ceremony as French President Sunday, May 14, 2017 in Paris. Macron was inaugurated as France's new president at the Elysee Palace in Paris, and immediately launched into his mission to shake up French politics, world economics and the European Union. (Alain Jocard, Pool via AP) Emmanuel Macron's team says that he went to Percy hospital to meet with soldiers wounded in combat. The media weren't allowed to cover the visit. Macron's entourage says that the visit marks the president's will to show "deep empathy toward the people fighting for freedom" in France and around the world. He met with two soldiers injured during French operations in Mali last year and one wounded in Afghanistan in 2010. Macron, a 39-year-old centrist with pro-business and pro-European views, was formally declared president Sunday morning in the Elysee presidential palace, one week after winning the May 7 vote. ___ 1:30 p.m. France's newly inaugurated paying tribute at the tomb of the unknown soldier beneath the Napoleonic triumphal arch in a highly symbolic ceremony. After Emmanuel Macron was formally declared president Sunday in the Elysee Palace, 21 cannon shots were fired from across the Seine River at the Invalides monument, where Napoleon is entombed. Macron then walked alone across the cobblestones of the Champs-Elysees avenue to the Arc de Triomphe, where he lay a wreath and re-ignited the flame at the tomb of the unknown soldier. France's youngest-ever president and new commander-in-chief waved to supporters taking selfies and greeted veterans and military officers in formation beneath the arch. Macron won France's presidential election May 7 on a pro-European, business-friendly platform. ___ 1:15 p.m. As he leaves the French presidency, Francois Hollande is describing the "terrible ordeals" that marked his five-year term, from deadly attacks in France to Greece's debt crisis. Hollande defended his unpopular presidency in a series of tweets minutes after leaving the Elysee presidential palace in the hands of his successor and protege, Emmanuel Macron. The messages were directed at members of his once-powerful Socialist Party, which is now on the verge of a collapse. Hollande vaunted his efforts to produce the Paris Agreement on fighting climate change, legalizing gay marriage in France and doing "everything possible to ensure that Greece stays in Europe." He tweeted that "we lived through crises but we held together. France remained France." ___ 12:01 p.m. New French President Emmanuel Macron says he will do everything that is necessary to fight terrorism and authoritarianism and to resolve the world's migration crisis. The 39-year-old centrist, speaking Sunday in his inauguration speech at the Elysee presidential palace in Paris, says "we will take all our responsibilities to provide, every time it's needed, a relevant response to big contemporary crises." He also listed "the excesses of capitalism in the world" and climate change among his future challenges. Macron says all countries in the world are "interdependent ... we are all neighbors." He announced his determination to push ahead with reforms to free up France's economy and pledged to press for a "more efficient, more democratic" European Union. ___ 11:25 a.m. France has inaugurated new president, Emmanuel Macron, a 39-year-old independent centrist who was elected on May 7. The president of the Constitutional Council, Laurent Fabius, proclaimed the official result of the vote in a ceremony Sunday at the Elysee presidential palace in Paris. Macron formally took power after his predecessor, Socialist Francois Hollande, met with him for one hour and left. Macron is the youngest president in the country's history and the 8th president of France's Fifth Republic, created in 1958. His Republic on the Move movement hopes to reinvigorate French politics and win a majority of lawmakers in the June parliamentary election. ___ 11:15 a.m. Francois Hollande, France's former president, has left the Elysee presidential palace in Paris, following a one-hour meeting with his successor Emmanuel Macron. He was loudly applauded by the employees of the French presidency at his departure. He shook hands with Macron, who accompanied him to his car and also applauded him. Macron then posed for photographers at the front porch of the Elysee with his wife, Brigitte. Macron, 39, had been Hollande's top economy adviser from 2012 to 2014, then became his economy minister until last year, when he decided to quit the Socialist government and launch his independent presidential bid. Macron's formal inauguration ceremony was to start shortly in the reception hall of the presidential palace. ___ 10:20 a.m. France's President-elect Emmanuel Macron has arrived at the Elysee presidential palace for his inauguration ceremony. The 39-year-old Macron slowly marched alone, under a light rain, in the Elysee courtyard. He shook hands with his predecessor, Francois Hollande, at the front porch and the two men briefly posed for photographers. Macron had been Hollande's top economy adviser at the Elysee from 2012 to 2014, then became his economy minister until last year, when he decided to quit the Socialist government and launch his independent presidential bid. He is the first French president who doesn't originate from one of the country's two mainstream parties. His Republic on the Move movement hopes to reinvigorate French politics and win a majority of lawmakers in the June parliamentary election. ___ 8 a.m. France's new President Emmanuel Macron is formally taking power during a ceremony at the Elysee presidential palace in Paris. His predecessor, Francois Hollande, is to welcome him in the courtyard Sunday in front of hundreds of journalists. The two are meeting in the president's office before Hollande's departure, taking a last few minutes to discuss the most sensitive issues facing France, including the country's nuclear codes. Macron takes charge of a nation that, when Britain leaves the European Union in 2019, will become the EU's only member with nuclear weapons and a permanent seat on the U.N. Security Council. Macron will then make a speech in the Elysee reception hall in front of about 300 guests, officials and family members, including his wife Brigitte Macron, in a lavender blue dress designed by French designer Nicolas Ghesquiere for Louis Vuitton. New French President Emmanuel Macron, centre, waves to the crowds, as he is transported up the Champs-Elysees Avenue after his inauguration ceremony in Paris, France, Sunday, May 14, 2017. Macron was inaugurated Sunday as France's new president at the Elysee palace in Paris, and immediately launched into his mission to shake up French politics, world economics and the European Union. (AP Photo/Petr David Josek) Former French President Francois Hollande waves goodbye after after the inauguration ceremony for new French President Emmanuel Macron at the Elysee palace in Paris, France, Sunday, May 14, 2017. (AP Photo/Thibault Camus) New French President Emmanuel Macron is presented with the Grand Collier in the Legion of Honor during his inauguration at the Elysee Palace in Paris, Sunday, May 14, 2017. France has inaugurated new president, Emmanuel Macron, a 39-year-old independent centrist who was elected on May 7. (AP Photo/Francois Mori, Pool) New French President Emmanuel Macron listens during his inauguration at the Elysee Palace in Paris, Sunday, May 14, 2017. France has inaugurated new president, Emmanuel Macron, a 39-year-old independent centrist who was elected on May 7. (AP Photo/Francois Mori, Pool) Outgoing French President Francois Hollande, left, welcomes incoming French President Emmanuel Macron as he arrives for his inauguration ceremony at the Elysee palace in Paris, France, Sunday, May 14, 2017. (AP Photo/Thibault Camus) French President-elect Emmanuel Macron arrives in the courtyard of the Elysee Palace before the handover ceremony with outgoing President Francois Hollande, in Paris, France, Sunday, May 14, 2017. (AP Photo/Christophe Ena) Outgoing French President Francois Hollande, left, greets President-elect Emmanuel Macron before the handover ceremony, at the Elysee Palace in Paris, France, Sunday, May 14, 2017. (AP Photo/Christophe Ena) Outgoing French President Francois Hollande, left, welcomes incoming French President Emmanuel Macron as he arrives for his inauguration ceremony at the Elysee palace in Paris, France, Sunday, May 14, 2017. (AP Photo/Thibault Camus) New French President Emmanuel Macron deliverS a speech during his inauguration at the Elysee Palace in Paris, Sunday, May 14, 2017. France has inaugurated new president, Emmanuel Macron, a 39-year-old independent centrist who was elected on May 7. (AP Photo/Francois Mori, Pool) French President-elect Emmanuel Macron poses for photographers with his wife Brigitte Macron after the handover ceremony with outgoing President Francois Hollande, at the Elysee Palace in Paris, France, Sunday, May 14, 2017. (AP Photo/Christophe Ena) French President-elect Emmanuel Macron poses for photographers with his wife Brigitte Macron after the handover ceremony with outgoing President Francois Hollande, at the Elysee Palace in Paris, France, Sunday, May 14, 2017. (AP Photo/Christophe Ena) New French President Emmanuel Macron deliverS a speech during his inauguration at the Elysee Palace in Paris, Sunday, May 14, 2017. France has inaugurated new president, Emmanuel Macron, a 39-year-old independent centrist who was elected on May 7. (AP Photo/Francois Mori, Pool) French President-elect Emmanuel Macron poses for photographers with his wife Brigitte Macron after the handover ceremony with outgoing President Francois Hollande, at the Elysee Palace in Paris, France, Sunday, May 14, 2017. (AP Photo/Christophe Ena) New French President Emmanuel Macron's wife Brigitte reacts during his inauguration at the Elysee Palace in Paris, Sunday, May 14, 2017. France has inaugurated new president, Emmanuel Macron, a 39-year-old independent centrist who was elected on May 7. (AP Photo/Francois Mori, Pool) French President-elect Emmanuel Macron, right, shakes hands with outgoing President Francois Hollande after the handover ceremony, at the Elysee Palace in Paris, France, Sunday, May 14, 2017. (AP Photo/Christophe Ena) New French President Emmanuel Macron waves to people as he drives up the Champs-Elysees Avenue after his inauguration ceremony in Paris, France, Sunday, May 14, 2017. Macron was inaugurated Sunday as France's new president at the Elysee palace in Paris, and immediately launched into his mission to shake up French politics, world economics and the European Union. (AP Photo/Petr David Josek) New French President Emmanuel Macron, right, waves to the crowds, as he is transported up the Champs-Elysees Avenue after his inauguration ceremony in Paris, France, Sunday, May 14, 2017. Macron was inaugurated Sunday as France's new president at the Elysee palace in Paris, and immediately launched into his mission to shake up French politics, world economics and the European Union. (AP Photo/Petr David Josek) New French President Emmanuel Macron, right, waves to the crowds, as he is transported up the Champs-Elysees Avenue after his inauguration ceremony in Paris, France, Sunday, May 14, 2017. Macron was inaugurated Sunday as France's new president at the Elysee palace in Paris, and immediately launched into his mission to shake up French politics, world economics and the European Union. (AP Photo/Petr David Josek) New French President Emmanuel Macron waves to the crowds, as he is transported up the Champs-Elysees Avenue after his inauguration ceremony in Paris, France, Sunday, May 14, 2017. Macron was inaugurated Sunday as France's new president at the Elysee palace in Paris, and immediately launched into his mission to shake up French politics, world economics and the European Union. (AP Photo/Petr David Josek) New French President Emmanuel Macron, centre is transported up the Champs-Elysees Avenue after his inauguration ceremony in Paris, France, Sunday, May 14, 2017. Macron was inaugurated Sunday as France's new president at the Elysee palace in Paris, and immediately launched into his mission to shake up French politics, world economics and the European Union. (AP Photo/Petr David Josek) New French President Emmanuel Macron salutes the crowd from the command car on the Champs Elysees avenue after the handover ceremony with outgoing President Francois Hollande, in Paris, Sunday, 14 May 2017. New French President Emmanuel Macron says he will do everything that is necessary to fight terrorism and authoritarianism and to resolve the world's migration crisis. (Etienne Laurent, Pool via AP) New French President Emmanuel Macron salutes the crowd from the command car on the Champs Elysees avenue after the handover ceremony with outgoing President Francois Hollande, in Paris, Sunday, 14 May 2017. New French President Emmanuel Macron says he will do everything that is necessary to fight terrorism and authoritarianism and to resolve the world's migration crisis. (Etienne Laurent, Pool via AP) VIENNA (AP) - Ayhan Ogelge lives in Austria. But his heart is in his Turkish homeland and beats for its president, even as Europe's democracies raise the alarm over the Turkish leader's push toward one-man rule. President Recep Tayyip Erdogan "speaks for all of us," says Ogelge, when asked why he voted to strengthen his powers. "In Austria, in Turkey - everywhere." Ogelge is far from alone. While nearly half overall of those who voted last month opposed a referendum giving Erdogan more power, many of the 1.4 million votes cast in Europe tell a different story. FILE - In this March 27, 2017 file photo people wait outside the Turkish consulate in Berlin, Germany, to cast their votes on the first day of the referendum on the presidential system in Turkey. The high support for Turkey's president of Turks living in the European Union has worried some officials in the 28-nation bloc. Critics fear their endorsement of Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan's push toward undisputed rule amounts to a rejection of the Western democracies many Turks have lived in for decades. (AP Photo/Markus Schreiber, file) More than 70 percent voted yes in Austria, the Netherlands and Belgium, and more than 60 percent in Germany and France. Critics fear their endorsement of Erdogan's moves toward undisputed authority amounts to a rejection of the Western democracies many Turks have lived in for decades. Reflecting deep polarization within Europe's Turkish communities, most members refuse to discuss their vote. Additionally, because Austria doesn't allow dual citizenship in most cases, Turks with Austrian and secretly held Turkish passports won't acknowledge they voted. "I've never experienced such a climate of distrust," says publisher Birol Kilic, a first-generation Turkish immigrant with Austrian citizenship. "Even when I, a Turk, ask other Turks about their vote here, I am met with silence." But Erdogan critics have ready answers to why so many supported the Turkish leader. They speak of indoctrination - and intimidation - through a web of mosques, social clubs and other organizations loyal to Erdogan's AKP party. Germany's pro-European Turkish Community says many were led into thinking the question boiled down to "are you a Turk, or a traitor to the fatherland?" Sevim Dagdelen of Germany's Die Linke party speaks of manipulation by "Erdogan's networks, his army of informants and trolls." Peter Pilz of Austria's Greens party says Erdogan's support in Europe was strongest "where there are powerful religious and political webs financed and controlled by Ankara." Pilz notes that Erdogan lost in Sweden, Switzerland and other countries with relatively small Turkish populations and weak Turkish state-backed organizations. ATIB, the Turkish acronym for Turkish-Islamic Cultural Unions in Europe, which reports to Ankara's religious authorities and was named by Pilz as a key state-influencer of Austrian Turks, didn't respond to requests for comment. In Vienna, the sprawling Brunnenmarkt bazaar appears to be the most fertile ground for any Turkish state outreach. Essentially a Turkish outpost, it provides life in the comfort zone with the minimum of forays into what for many is the strange world of Europe. The language here is Turkish, as are the signs and the enticing smells from the food stalls. So are the television programs beamed by state and pro-state networks loyal to Erdogan. And holiday trips always lead back to Turkey. Even when understood in a community where many only speak Turkish, questions about Erdogan from outsiders are unwelcome here. A kerchiefed woman selling pastries frowns when asked what she thinks of the Turkish president. "No time," she mutters, turning away. "Too much work." Another Turk a few stands away is even curter. "No reporters," he barks. German migration researcher Joachim Schulte speaks of Turkish "ghettos" distrustful of outsiders where "nationalism is strongly conserved and the contacts to Germans or Austrians are reduced to a minimum." "Every-day communication occurs only in the home community," he says. "One remains in his own world here. Turkish brides are imported. And they never learn German - no need, everything works fine in Turkish." Many break out and integrate. Still, statistics indicate that most don't feel they have arrived. An Austrian government study from last year says 51.8 percent of first- and second- generation Turks feel more at home in Turkey than Austria. A survey in the German state of Bavaria from February notes that of migrants from nine nations or regions, Turks and their descendants show "the greatest readiness to return home and the greatest ties to the motherland." But fault for such "parallel societies" lies not only with the Turks. Enclaves like the Brunnenmarkt grew from the arrival of the first "guest workers" in the mid-1950s. They did the menial work that the citizens of economically growing Western Europe considered below them. Subsequent generations inherited such work - and with it, European aversion. The German study reflects Turkish frustrations, with 51 percent of first- and second-generation respondents agreeing with the statement: "No matter how hard I try, I am not accepted as part of German society." While EU nations are offering language lessons, courses on socially acceptable behavior and job training to the wave of migrants that swarmed into Europe starting in 2015, the guest workers never had such opportunities. German Chancellor Angela Merkel said as much two years ago in comments marking the 60th anniversary of the arrival of the first guest workers. Officials back then, she said, "pushed a book in their hands titled 'German for Foreigners' and said: 'OK, that should work.'" In terms of adapting, "they were simply thrown into cold water," she added. Many turn to the old country in their search for the self-esteem they can't find in their new homes. Aydan Ozoguz, Germany's commissioner for immigration, refugees and integration, says Erdogan voters saw in him "the strong man who represents the self-worth apparently missing" in Germany. And Erdogan's anti-European tirades apparently fell on receptive ears. "The message 'we want a strong Turkey, all of Europe wants a weak Turkey' hit the right nerve," Austrian migration and assimilation researcher Kenan Gungor says. The vote for Erdogan, he says, was "almost a declaration of love." ___ Associated Press writer Kirsten Grieshaber in Berlin contributed to this report. FILE - In this March 27, 2017 file photo people cast their votes for the referendum on the Turkish constitutional reform in Berlin, Germany. The high support for Turkey's president of Turks living in the European Union has worried some officials in the 28-nation bloc. Critics fear their endorsement of Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan's push toward undisputed rule amounts to a rejection of the Western democracies many Turks have lived in for decades. (AP Photo/Markus Schreiber, file) JOHANNESBURG (AP) - Thousands of members of the Lutheran church have gathered at a stadium in Namibia to mark the 500th anniversary of the Reformation. The commemoration occurred Sunday during an assembly of the Lutheran World Federation, which represents tens of millions of people around the world. The stadium where the commemoration happened is in Katutura, an area of the Namibian capital of Windhoek where blacks were forced to relocate during white minority rule. Namibia became independent in 1990. A Lutheran delegate attends a service at an assembly held in Windhoek, Namibia, Sunday, May 14, 2017. Thousands of members of the Lutheran church have gathered at a stadium in Namibia to mark the 500th anniversary of the Reformation. (AP Photo/Dirk Heinrich) A sermon about hope and liberation was delivered at the stadium by Lutheran Zephania Kameeta, Namibia's minister of poverty eradication and social welfare. On Saturday a Nigerian, Archbishop Musa Panti Filibus, was elected head of the Lutheran World Federation at an assembly held in Windhoek, Namibia's capital. Filibus, 57, is the second church leader from Africa to lead the Lutheran federation since it was founded in 1947. He comes from the northeast region of Nigeria, which has endured attacks by the Boko Haram Islamic extremist group. The Lutheran federation says many churches in the area had to suspend activities two years ago to avoid militant assaults during worship services. Filibus replaces Bishop Munib Younan, who had served as president since 2010. The Protestant Reformation was initiated in 1517 by Martin Luther in response to what he said were excesses and abuses within the Catholic Church. Lutheran delegates attend a service at an assembly held in Windhoek, Namibia, Sunday, May 14, 2017. Thousands of members of the Lutheran church have gathered at a stadium in Namibia to mark the 500th anniversary of the Reformation. (AP Photo/Dirk Heinrich) Palestinian Bishop Dr. Munib A. Younan, right, joins newly elected president Nigerian archbishop Musa Panti Filibus, centre as they attend a service, held in Windhoek, Namibia, Sunday, May 14, 2017. Thousands of members of the Lutheran church have gathered at a stadium in Namibia to mark the 500th anniversary of the Reformation. (AP Photo/Dirk Heinrich) In this Saturday, May 13, 2017 photo, Palestinian Bishop Dr. Munib A. Younan, right, congratulates Nigerian archbishop Musa Panti Filibus, left, after he was elected as head of the Lutheran World Federation at an assembly held in Windhoek, Namibia. Filibus, 57, is the second church leader from Africa to lead the Lutheran federation since it was founded in 1947. (AP Photo/Dirk Heinrich) KANSAS CITY, Kan. (AP) - NASCAR driver Aric Almirola was released from the University of Kansas Medical Center on Sunday, a day after he fractured a vertebra during a fiery wreck at Kansas Speedway. Almirola was trailing Joey Logano and Danica Patrick when a broken brake rotor on Logano's car sent him and Patrick into the wall entering the first turn. Almirola had no time to check up and plowed into Logano's car, the force of the impact lifting his No. 43 car into the air and nearly flipping it over. Safety crews removed the top of Almirola's car so they could remove him, and he was placed on a backboard and taken to the infield care center. He was then airlifted to the hospital, conscious and alert, and doctors there diagnosed a compression fracture of his T5 vertebra. A racing official looks over the car of Aric Almirola after the roof was taken off to remove Almirola, following a wreck during the NASCAR Monster Cup auto race at Kansas Speedway in Kansas City, Kan., Saturday, May 13, 2017. (AP Photo/Colin E. Braley) Richard Petty Motorsports said in a statement Sunday that Almirola was mobile and returning to his home in North Carolina. He will be examined further by doctors in Charlotte. The wreck with 67 laps remaining in Saturday night's race, which was won by Martin Truex Jr., cast such a debris field that the race was red-flagged for nearly 30 minutes. That gave plenty of other drivers a chance to contemplate the carnage that had taken place along the wall. "That was scary," Clint Bowyer said. "You hate to see anybody that you race against and know, know their kids and everything else, get cut out like that. It's scary for everybody." Almirola's injury is similar to one suffered by Denny Hamlin in a 2013 wreck in California, where he made contact with Logano's car on the final lap and struck the inside wall near pit road. Like Almirola, Hamilin's car was lifted off the ground by the force of the impact. Hamlin suffered a compression fracture to his L1 vertebra, which is in the lower back, while Almirola's injury is behind his chest. It wound up keeping Hamlin out of his car for four races, and he needed a relief driver when he finally returned at Talladega. "Feel bad," Hamlin tweeted after hearing the diagnosis Sunday. "What makes this injury even worse is he will feel ready to return to racing before his body will allow him to." Richard Petty Motorsports' statement did not indicate its plans for upcoming races. The exhibition All-Star race is Saturday at Charlotte, with the regular season resuming May 28 with the Coca-Cola 600. The crash Saturday night occurred when the right front brake rotor caused Logano's car to veer suddenly to the left, clipping the right rear or Patrick's car. They both slid up the track and into the wall, and Patrick's car was engulfed in flames before sliding to the apron. Almirola plowed into Logano's car, causing massive damage to both cars. "While I'm OK, one of these times, one of these really big accidents, someone is not going to be OK," said Patrick, who escaped her burned-up car without any injuries. "Aric is not OK and his car looked the best of everybody. You never know when it is going to be the wrong hit." The cars of Danica Patrick (10) and Joey Logano (22) are hauled past rescue efforts for Aric Almirola, back, during the NASCAR Monster Cup auto race at Kansas Speedway in Kansas City, Kan., Saturday, May 13, 2017. (AP Photo/Colin E. Braley) AMMAN, Jordan (AP) - A senior Palestinian official says he "hopes" Israel will halt settlement construction if U.S.-led peace talks resume, but stopped short of making it a condition. Saeb Erekat spoke Sunday in Jordan after meeting with the foreign ministers of Jordan and Egypt, ahead of a Mideast trip next week by President Donald Trump. Trump says he wants to broker an Israeli-Palestinian deal. The Palestinians seek a state in the West Bank, Gaza Strip and east Jerusalem, lands Israel captured in 1967. Israel has built settlements on war-won lands, now home to 600,000 Israelis. In recent years, the Palestinians refused to resume talks without a settlement curb. Asked about linking negotiations to a settlement freeze, Erekat said "no one stands to lose more in the absence of peace and negotiations" than Palestinians. HOPKINSVILLE, Ky. (AP) - Authorities have released the names of an Iowa couple killed when their plane heading to Alabama crashed in southern Kentucky. Christian County Sheriff's Office spokesman Capt. Chris Miller says in a news release that the 69-year-old pilot, Dominic Giametta, and his 55-year-old wife, Dr. Dianne Giametta, were killed in Friday's crash near Hopkinsville. The statement did not indicate their hometowns, but media outlets report the couple was from Bettendorf, Iowa. The statement says the plane was flying from Bettendorf to Muscle Shoals, Alabama. The Federal Aviation Administration says the crash involved a Beechcraft Bonanza, which seats up to six people. JERUSALEM (AP) - American casino mogul Sheldon Adelson will reportedly give Israeli police testimony in an investigation into allegations of wrongdoing by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. Israel's Channel 2 reported Sunday that Adelson, a close confidante of Netanyahu, and his wife will be questioned by police during their visit to Israel next week. The Adelsons will be questioned about allegations that Netanyahu tried to trade better coverage in a major Hebrew newspaper in exchange for reduced circulation of a free daily paper owned by Adelson. According to the report, Adelson only agreed to talk to police when they informed him he wasn't suspected of criminal activity. A police spokesperson declined to comment on the report. The investigation is one of several into alleged wrongdoing by Netanyahu. None have thus far yielded indictments. UNITED NATIONS (AP) - The U.N. Security Council will hold urgent consultations on North Korea's latest ballistic missile test at the request of the United States, Japan and South Korea. Uruguay holds the council presidency this month and its U.N. Mission said Sunday the closed consultations will be held on Tuesday afternoon. U.S. Ambassador Nikki Haley said on ABC television's George Stephanopolous show Sunday that the U.S. has been working well with China, Pyongyang's closest ally, and she raised the possibility of new sanctions against North Korea including on oil imports. The Security Council has adopted six increasingly tougher sanctions resolutions against North Korea. ATHENS, Greece (AP) - Greece's fire department says that one person has died after a wildfire broke out west of Athens. A body was found in a ravine outside the town of Agioi Theodoroi, 65 kilometers (40 miles) west of Athens. Fire officials say that the body has been burned so badly, it isn't immediately identifiable. They believe the victim is an elderly woman who had been declared missing by her family earlier Sunday. The fire, which has been contained, burned through a forest area and severely damaged a house on the outskirts of the town. MOSCOW (AP) - Russian President Vladimir Putin, known for his passion for the outdoors, showed off his softer side during a visit to China when he sat down to play the piano Sunday. Putin is in Beijing on a state visit to discuss a $1 trillion infrastructure plan that strives to revive the ancient Silk Road. After speaking at the summit in the morning, Putin headed to meet Chinese President Xi Jinping at his residence. Russian President Vladimir Putin plays piano before his talks with Chinese President Xi Jinping prior to the opening ceremony of the Belt and Road Forum in Beijing, Sunday, May 14, 2017. (Alexei Nikolsky, Sputnik, Kremlin Pool Photo via AP) Putin is habitually late for meetings, but this time he was the one who was made to wait, Russian news agencies said. So, Putin played some songs on Xi's piano. Russian state television showed excerpts of at least two tunes he played - "Moscow Windows" and "City on the Free Neva" - both Soviet classics. Putin has demonstrated his music talents before. In 2010, he took the stage at a charity concert with a jazz band to play and sing "Blueberry Hills." But in recent years, Putin - occupied with the annexation of Crimea, the crisis in eastern Ukraine and Russia's role in Syria - preferred to demonstrate his virile side in Kremlin-distributed pictures of him hunting and fishing. BOSTON (AP) - Gold Star father Khizr Khan will be a featured speaker at the annual Bill of Rights Dinner sponsored by the American Civil Liberties Union of Massachusetts. The dinner will be held Monday at the Westin Copley Place Hotel in Boston. The event will focus on what the ACLU sees as new federal threats to civil rights and liberties from the administration of Republican President Donald Trump. Khan, a lawyer and civil liberties advocate, received international attention after he criticized Trump during a speech at the 2016 Democratic National Convention. His son was a Muslim U.S. Army captain who was killed in 2004 during the Iraq War. He was posthumously awarded a Bronze Star and a Purple Heart. Christopher Delacruz is charged with murder after allegedly shooting a 56-year-old Magnolia man following a road rage incident Sheriff's officials in Texas say a 21-year-old man is in custody and booked into a county jail for what authorities are calling a road rage slaying of a 56-year-old man. Montgomery County Sheriff's Lt. Scott Spencer says Christopher Delacruz was detained without incident Saturday night not far from where the body of Jose Augusto Lozada was found on the side of a road in Magnolia, about 20 miles southwest of Conroe, near Houston. Authorities say Lozada was shot in the head and torso when Delacruz, also from Magnolia, followed him home after a minor collision. When an argument ensued, Spencer says Delacruz pulled a semi-automatic pistol from his vehicle and began firing. 56-year-old Augusto Lozada was shot in the head and torso and he died at the scene The 56-year-old was shot in the head and torso and he died at the scene in his own driveway. A GoFundMe page has been set up by the victim's family. When police were called, the evidence and investigation interviews pointed them to Delacruz as a suspect. Delacruz was located in his truck near the crime scene waiting inside of his truck. According to police. He was detained without incident and was charged with murder based on the evidence recovered during the scene investigation. BOSTON (AP) - Musician Lionel Richie addressed more than 1,000 graduates at the Berklee College of Music after accepting an honorary degree. The Boston Globe reports (http://bit.ly/2rfvt4e ) that Richie spoke at the school's commencement Saturday at the Agganis Arena in Boston. Richie gained fame in the 1970s as a member of the R&B group The Commodores. The award-winning recording artist and songwriter went on to have a successful solo career with hits such as "All Night Long," ''Hello" and "Endless Love." Richie talked about choosing songwriting and/or performing as a career, telling the graduates: "You are sitting in prime seats to tell the world what's on your mind." Richie was among five music-industry professionals who received an honorary degree of doctor of music. ___ Information from: The Boston Globe, http://www.bostonglobe.com ROGERS, Ark. (AP) - Rapper Travis Scott has been arrested following a concert in northwest Arkansas. Police in Rogers say in a Facebook post that the music artist, whose real name is Jacques Webster, was arrested following a concert Saturday night on charges of inciting a riot, disorderly conduct and endangering the welfare of a minor. Police say Webster encouraged people to bypass security and rush the stage, resulting in injuries to a security guard, a police officer and several others. The conditions of the injured was not released. The post says Webster was taken to the Benton County Sheriff's Office, but county jail records did not list him as an inmate Sunday and the company listed as his agent did not immediately return a phone call and an email for comment. The parties continued their criss-crossing across Scotland on Saturday as the first full week of campaigning came to end. Nicola Sturgeon visited a farmers market in Glasgow, where she said the SNP had repeatedly stopped Labour and the Tories at Westminster from inflicting harmful policies on families across the country. From ending the Bedroom Tax to keeping nursing bursaries, here's 10 ways we've protected Scotland from Tory policy. https://t.co/GcK8pNilSf pic.twitter.com/XG30JY6FAO The SNP (@theSNP) May 13, 2017 The First Minister said the party would continue to be Scotlands bulwark against the dangers of an unopposed Tory government. Nicola Sturgeon She said: Now more than ever, we need strong SNP voices to stop the the Tories dragging Scotland backwards. In Scotland, it is only the strong voice of SNP MPs at Westminster, combined with an effective SNP government, that has protected Scotland from the full force of the Tories at Westminster. Now more than ever, it is vital to have strong SNP voices standing up for Scotland. Only then can we protect Scotland from the dangers of an unopposed Tory government at Westminster and continue to make Scotland the best country it can be. Campaigning in West Linton with Scottish Secretary David Mundell, Scottish Conservative leader Ruth Davidson said her partys opposition to a second referendum had particular relevance to younger voters. Out on the trail in West Linton with @DavidMundellDCT. Great to meet up with new Scottish Borders Council leader @shona4tweeddale #GE2017 pic.twitter.com/jM3oAkVPFN Ruth Davidson (@RuthDavidsonPC) May 13, 2017 She also urged young people to say no to another referendum. Ms Davidson said: Our key message at this campaign is to say no to a second referendum so we can face the challenges of the future together. That message applies to young people more than anyone. More uncertainty makes it harder for a young people to find work and get on the housing ladder. More security within the UK means they stand a better chance of building a future here in Scotland, without having to go elsewhere to do so. Only a vote for the Scottish Conservatives will send a strong message that we oppose SNPs divisive plan for a second referendum. pic.twitter.com/XUmDdg7VXZ Scottish Conservatives (@ScotTories) April 19, 2017 Willie Rennie visited Helensburgh in Argyll and Bute, where he pointed out Ms Sturgeon had also visited this week, including East Dunbartonshire, North East Fife and Inverness. Fantastic day campaigning in Argyll and Bute today even if the weather didn't turn up. #GE2017 pic.twitter.com/rQbaNDAvPb Willie Rennie (@willie_rennie) May 13, 2017 He said: The SNP are rattled. They have spent three whole days trying to stop us. The First Minister has been playing me and my shadow. Everywhere I go, the SNP follow. We know we are the challengers in these seats. The SNP know we are the challengers. It is now up to local people to rally behind the Liberal Democrat challenger to stop the SNP. We can stop another divisive independence referendum. We can stop a damaging hard Brexit from the Conservatives. And we can stand up for investment in education and mental health. Nicola Adams relished her return to her home city of Leeds on Saturday night as she produced a fiery performance to stop Mexicos Maryan Salazar after 35 seconds of the third round at the First Direct Arena. The double Olympic champion was roared in and out of the ring and produced a performance likely to stand her in good stead for a potential world title fight against one of Salazars compatriots before the end of the year. Adams said: That was just what I wanted. Mexicans are always tough and strong and that was great preparation for a lot of the champions who are Mexican. Nicola Adams stopped Mexico's Maryan Salazar in the third round (Danny Lawson/PA) The atmosphere was great. I knew Id get a great reception because we are in Leeds. Ive been dreaming about this moment for a long time and to walk in to the crowd chanting Yorkshire was a great feeling. Adams did not have it all her own way against the 18-year-old Salazar, who deserves enormous credit for not buckling under the pressure in what was only her sixth professional contest. But the 34-year-old landed a couple of juddering combinations and dominated a ferocious exchange at the end of round two before provoking referee Howard Fosters relatively timely intervention. Adams admitted she had revelled in the rare opportunity to fight over three-minute rounds, a distance which she hopes will become a permanent factor as she builds up towards a world title shot. Two pro fights. Two wins. Nicola Adams stops Maryan Salazar in the third round pic.twitter.com/MqSngimG1m PA Sport (@pasport) May 13, 2017 Adams added: The three-minute rounds definitely suited me better. I felt over two minutes it was too much of a rush and I didnt really have any time to do anything. Now fighting over the three-minute rounds, I can stay relaxed and pick my punches right. The noise that had greeted Adams march to the ring suggested the evenings action would be a cut above her relatively routine debut victory over Virginie Carcamo in Manchester last month. Salazars cornermen even threw T-shirts bearing their fighters name into the crowd but their boxer was soon left in no doubt she was in for the toughest test of her career to date. Adams dominated the first round with a left to the body and a right-hand combination and she appeared to settle over the longer stanza while Salazar tired. But the Mexicans refusal to budge seemed to frustrate Adams a little in the second, her cornermen yelling at her to settle down as her desire lo to finish the job threatened to run away with her. Adams finished the round in style as she backed Salazar into her corner and unloaded shots with both hands and early in the third another assault convinced Foster to wave an entertaining contest off. American democracy is separately under assault from Donald Trump and Russia, the former US intelligence chief has warned. James Clapper, the former director of national intelligence, expressed his dismay over the sacking of FBI director James Comey amid a probe into Moscows meddling in US elections and possible ties with the Trump campaign. As Mr Trump works to fast-track Mr Comeys successor, lawmakers from both parties urged him to steer clear of any politicians for the job and said he must clean up the mess that he mostly created. Former National Intelligence Director James Clapper I think, in many ways, our institutions are under assault, both externally and thats the big news here, is the Russian interference in our election system, said Mr Clapper. I think as well our institutions are under assault internally. When he was asked, Internally, from the president? Mr Clapper said: Exactly. He spoke following Mr Trumps sudden firing of Mr Comey last week, which drew sharp criticism because it came amid the FBIs investigation into Russias interference in the 2016 presidential election. James Comey leaves his home in Virginia on Saturday (Sait Serkan Gurbuz/AP) Mr Clapper said Americas founding fathers had created three co-equal branches of government with checks and balances, but with Mr Trump as president, that was now under assault and eroding. The White House had no immediate comment on Mr Clappers remarks on a morning in which no White House aide appeared on the Sunday news shows to discuss Mr Trumps firing. Politicians from both parties reprimanded Mr Trumps actions last week, which included shifting explanations from the White House for Mr Comeys dismissal and an ominous tweet by Mr Trump that warned Mr Comey against leaks to the press because he may have tapes of their conversations. Less than a week after Mr Trump fired Mr Comey, the administration has interviewed at least eight candidates to be FBI director, and Mr Trump has said a decision could come before he leaves on Friday on his first overseas trip as president. Mr Trump abruptly fired Mr Comey on Tuesday and later said Mr Comey was a showboat and grandstander who was not doing a good job, drawing a firestorm of criticism. Mr Trump said in an interview with television network NBC that the Russia investigation factored into his decision to fire Mr Comey. The changing rationales the White House offered added an element of chaos to the presidents action. The FBI director serves a 10-year term but can be replaced by the president. So far 14 people politicians, lawyers and law enforcement officials among them have emerged as candidates. Eight met at the Justice Department on Saturday with Attorney General Jeff Sessions and his deputy, Rod Rosenstein. Mr Sessions has faced questions over whether his involvement in Mr Comeys firing violates his pledge to recuse himself from investigations into Russian interference in the election. North Korea has test-launched a ballistic missile that landed in the Sea of Japan. The launch, which Tokyo said could be of a new type of missile, is a direct challenge to the new South Korean president and comes as US, Japanese and European navies gather for joint war games in the Pacific. It was not immediately clear what type of ballistic missile was launched, the seventh such firing this year, although the US Pacific Command said that the flight is not consistent with an intercontinental ballistic missile. North Korean leader Kim Jong Un has been pictured watching earlier tests (Ahn Young-joon/AP) However, Japanese officials said the missile flew for about 30 minutes, travelling about 800 km (500 miles) and reaching an altitude of 2,000 km (1,240 miles) a flight pattern that could indicate a new type of missile. David Wright, co-director of the Global Security Program at the Union of Concerned Scientists, said the missile could have a range of 4,500 km (about 2,800 miles) considerably longer than Pyongyangs current missiles. He said Sundays launch may have been of a new mobile, two-stage liquid-fuelled missile North Korea displayed in a huge April 15 military parade. South Korea, Japan and the US swiftly condemned the launch, which jeopardises new South Korean leader Moon Jae-ins willingness for dialogue with the rival North. South Korean president Moon Jae-in presides over a meeting of the National Security Council (Yonhap via AP) The president said we are leaving open the possibility of dialogue with North Korea, but we should sternly deal with a provocation to prevent North Korea from miscalculating, senior South Korean presidential secretary Yoon Young-chan said. Moon, the first liberal leader in Seoul in nearly a decade, said as he took his oath of office that he would be willing to visit the North if the circumstances were right. Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe told reporters that the launch was absolutely unacceptable and that Japan will respond resolutely. The White House took note of the missile landing close to Russias Pacific coast and said in a statement that North Korea has been a flagrant menace for far too long. World leaders have criticised the test (Ahn Young-joon/AP) The statement said Washington maintains its ironclad commitment to stand with its allies in the face of the serious threat posed by North Korea. The latest provocation should serve as a call for all nations to implement far stronger sanctions against the North, it said. Mr Trump has earlier said hed be honoured to talk with leader Kim Jong Un under favourable conditions. On Saturday, a top North Korean diplomat in charge of US relations, Choe Son Hui, told reporters in Beijing that Pyongyang would be willing to meet with the Trump administration for negotiations if the conditions are set. She did not elaborate. The Norths state media said on Saturday that the nation will bolster its nuclear capability unless the United States abandons its hostile policy. The United States should never expect us to give up our nuclear capability, the main Rodong newspaper said in a commentary carried by the Korean Central News Agency. It said President Donald Trumps maximum pressure and engagement policy is only aimed at stifling us and will compel the North to strengthen our nuclear deterrent at the maximum speed. The government of Ecuador has voiced concerns about the serious lack of progress by the Swedish authorities in dealing with WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange. A letter has been sent to the Swedish government saying there has been a serious failure by the countrys prosecutor, including a lack of initiative to complete inquiries. Mr Assange has been living inside the Ecuadorian Embassy in London for almost five years and has been granted political asylum. Banners outside the Ecuadorian embassy in London (PA) He was questioned six months ago in the presence of Swedish officials over a sex allegation, which he has always denied. Mr Assange faces extradition to the United States for questioning over the activities of WikiLeaks if he leaves the embassy. The letter raises developments in the United States since the election of Donald Trump as President, including a speech by CIA director Mike Pompeo describing WikiLeaks as a hostile intelligence service. Recent public declarations such as this constitute an obvious risk for Mr Assange, said the letter. The government of Sweden continues to be in breach of the UN's findings in Assange v Sweden https://t.co/0VmWWBkWo4 https://t.co/hrPyGrl3Tp Defend Assange Campaign (@DefendAssange) April 4, 2017 The Ecuadorian government reiterated that Mr Assange was under international protection inside the embassy. The letter expresses great concern that six months after being questioned, the Swedish prosecutor has not issued any declaration on the procedural situation. It repeated Ecuadors request for guarantees of non-extradition to any third country. The letter, from Ecuadors Foreign Affairs Ministry, urges the Swedish authorities to resolve Mr Assanges situation as quickly as possible. The Ecuadorian government declined to comment. Aljaz Bedene booked his place in the first round proper of the Internazionali BNL dItalia by beating Argentinas Renzo Olivo in straight sets. Having already dispatched Lukas Lacko in the first qualifying round, the British number three displayed early nerves in dropping his opening service game against Olivo. (Steve Paston/PA) However, four games in succession helped Bedene secure the opening set before a decisive break in game five of the second sealed a 6-3 6-4 victory in one hour and 36 minutes. The world number 56 joins fellow Britons Andy Murray, Kyle Edmund and Dan Evans in the mens main draw in Rome. Labour has promised to introduce a Robin Hood tax to fund public services. Every time a transaction involving eligible assets takes place a levy of up to 0.5% would apply. Because of the high volume of trades, in theory significant sums could be raised for the Exchequer. John McDonnell insists Labour's proposed "Robin Hood tax" is about "tackling a loophole" not punishing bankers #Ridge pic.twitter.com/nW6Xk0sG76 Sophy Ridge on Sunday & The Take (@RidgeOnSunday) May 14, 2017 When you buy shares, you usually pay a tax of 0.5% on the transaction. In reforms to the stamp duty regime on share trading, Labour says it will extend the tax to new forms of highly-traded assets, including financial derivatives such as options on shares. A loophole exempting banks and hedge funds would also be closed. A Robin Hood tax protest in 2010 (Dominic Lipinski/PA) Labour says the package of reforms could raise 26 billion over the five years of the next parliament and will also eliminate the most destabilising forms of speculative high-frequency trading. Campaigners for a tax on financial transactions claim it could be used to redistribute wealth from the Citys rich to the poor, like the Sherwood Forest outlaw. For the Conservatives, Treasury Minister Jane Ellison dismissed the plans as a total shambles from the Labour leadership. The Institute of Economic Affairs (IEA) free market think tank said it was naive to think a financial transactions tax (FTT) would only hit banks and speculators and warned the costs would inevitably be passed on to customers. Labours London mayor Sadiq Khan has previously warned that unilaterally introducing a FTT could cause huge damage to jobs in the capital. Here are five things we learned from the General Election campaign on Sunday: Emily Thornberry on #Marr taking my grandma's approach to swearing. If you say it slightly quietly it doesn't count. pic.twitter.com/YhYLTp2NQy Jake Humphrey (@mrjakehumphrey) May 14, 2017 The shadow foreign secretary had the nation choking on their cornflakes by accusing Defence Secretary Sir Michael Fallon of talking bollocks on the BBCs Andrew Marr Show. It came as the pair clashed over whether Ms Thornberry wanted to renegotiate the future of the Falklands. Not content with turning the airwaves blue, she then landed a blow by accusing Mr Fallon of hypocrisy for his criticism of Jeremy Corbyns views on the IRA flagging up how the Defence Secretary had met Syrian president Bashar Assad in 2007. Harry Styles In an intervention absolutely no one was waiting for, renowned politico and One Direction band member Harry Styles revealed that he would be voting for whoever is against Brexit in the General Election. Keen to capitalise on a potential new recruit, Lib Dem candidate Sarah Olney issued a pun-filled statement saying Labour and the Tories are both heading in one direction. Groan. Theresa May is the Ronseal Prime Minister. It might not be the most glamorous epithet, but Mrs May is happy to be known for doing what it says on the tin in homage to the slogan of the quick-drying wood stain. Her responses to a quick quiz alongside the Sunday Times piece were similarly wooden. When asked whether she preferred whisky or wine, she answered, depends on the circumstances, while a similar head-scratcher about whether she liked to watch Sherlock or Midsomer Murders prompted a similar revelation Ive watched both. Jeremy Hunt the hands-on Health Secretary (PA) Since the NHS was hit by a global cyber attack on Friday, no one has seen hide nor hair of the Health Secretary. Amid fears for his safety, many will be relieved to know that he has been busy being a hands-on Health Secretary which is why no one has seen him. Former education secretary Michael Gove told Sky News Sophy Ridge on Sunday that Mr Hunt has been putting the management of the NHS first rather than appearing on TV. .@NicolaSturgeon tells @Peston in her house she focuses on the jobs for the girls...running the country #Peston pic.twitter.com/YJ8DsXxixV Peston (@itvpeston) May 14, 2017 The First Minister had little patience for Mrs Mays suggestion there are boys jobs and girls jobs in an interview with her husband Philip on The One Show last week. Asked whether the same rules apply in her house, Nicola Sturgeon replied: Im afraid in my household my husband does all the cooking and most of the domestic tasks. I get on with the girl job of running the country. Olympic champion Nick Skelton bid an emotional farewell to showjumping in the presence of the Queen, and admitted: I would do it all again if I could. Skelton and his Rio 2016 gold medal-winning ride Big Star both formally retired on the final day of the Royal Windsor Horse Show. As the Queen watched from the Royal Box, 59-year-old Skelton entered a packed Castle Arena on Big Star fans were also stood several deep outside it, craning for a view riding through a guard of honour formed by officials and riders. Queen Elizabeth II smiles as she presents an award to Show Jumper Nick Skelton at the Royal Windsor Horse Show (Steve Parsons/PA) Wearing his Great Britain team jacket and adorned by the Rio gold medal he won so spectacularly last summer, a clearly moved Skelton said his public goodbye. From the day we bought Big Star when he was five-years-old, I had it in my mind that he could win an Olympic gold medal, Skelton said. He has been an outstanding horse, and he has never let me down. I have an amazing team around me, and I have been very lucky all my life. Ive had the most wonderful horses, great owners and great sponsors, and I am very proud of what I have done. I would do it all again if I could. Queen Elizabeth II and the Duke of Edinburgh watch as Nick Skelton walks his horse Big Star around the arena (Steve Parsons/PA) Skeltons partner American international showjumper Laura Kraut looked on, as did his father David, Big Stars owners Gary and Beverley Widdowson and Skeltons racehorse trainer son Dan. Even Skeltons son Harry, a National Hunt jockey who could not be at Windsor due to racing commitments at Ludlow, duly marked the occasion by riding a winner. A brief ceremonial act saw Skelton remove his Great Britain jacket, replacing it with traditional riding wear, before Big Stars saddle and Team GB cloth were also removed. But before they could embark on a final lap of thanks, three of Skeltons fellow British stars John Whitaker, Michael Whitaker and Scott Brash entered the arena on horseback to accompany him as Auld Lang Syne played on the speakers. Nick Skelton's family watch as he walks his horse Big Star around the arena (Steve Parsons/PA) Many in the crowd struggled to hold back tears, with Big Star, who is being retired to stud, in typically lively form as British showjumpings greatest partnership made their final exit. I thought going to Rio with Big Star, if I was lucky enough to get there, I was sitting on the best horse there was no doubt about that, Skelton added. Skelton will continue working with young horses at his base near Alcester in Warwickshire, while also closely following the racing fortunes of his sons. Emotions and tears are flowing at British Showjumping as we watch Nick Skelton and Big Star retire. We salute you! #rwhs #hero British Showjumping (@BritShowjumping) May 14, 2017 But Sunday at Windsor was all about the end of a truly great partnership, as acknowledged by former world number one and Skeltons London 2012 gold medal-winning colleague Brash. Nick has been amazing for our sport and amazing for Great Britain, Brash told Press Association Sport. It is a bit of a mixed day very sad that Nick and Big Star have retired, but also a celebration of two incredible careers. What made Nick as good as he was? He was just an out and out winner. He wanted to win every grand prix he possibly could and more. Tottenham bid a victorious farewell to White Hart Lane after 118 years as Mauricio Pochettinos side outmanoeuvred Manchester United. Soon the ground opened in 1899 will be fully engulfed by the structure next door, with impressive progress on Spurs stunning new home set to accelerate after this 2,533rd and final match. The stadium points to a future as bright as life looks on the field, with Victor Wanyama and Harry Kane goals securing a 2-1 win against United as Tottenham ended their final campaign at White Hart Lane unbeaten on home turf for the first time since 1964-65. A record-equalling 14th successive home league victory only underlines the clubs progress and promise. It's all over. We sign off from an electrifying White Hart Lane with a 2-1 victory over Man Utd. #TheLaneTheFinale #COYS pic.twitter.com/9F3Iu3rW5o Tottenham Hotspur (@SpursOfficial) May 14, 2017 I want to congratulate all and say thank you to the fans, players, my staff because all together we work so hard to achieve all that we achieve this season. Really disappointed because Chelsea in the end they won the Premier League. There was nothing to regret, I am very happy with the performance of the players. Only now say to our fans we will try next season to give our best and fight again to win the league. I am not upset because we had to make that decision, he said about missing out on the top four. When people say we gamble, we didnt gamble, we didnt choose the Europa League we had to do it. Because if I have Ashley Young, Luke Shaw, Marcos Rojo, (Zlatan) Ibrahimovic, Tim Fosu-Mensah, if I had these guys I can rotate, I can go for every match.When I have 14, 15 players, I cant do it. Its as simple as that. It is not possible to do it every three days. Tweet of the match Great for Spurs to finish at the old place with a victory. Goodbye White Hart Lane. Gary Lineker (@GaryLineker) May 14, 2017 Star man Victor Wanyama The astute summer signing produced his latest fine display in the final match at White Hart Lane. Wanyama was a dominant presence in the Spurs midfield, running the game having opened the scoring with a thundering header inside six minutes. In with the crowd A sea of flags welcomed the sides out along with a remarkable din atmosphere that showed few signs of letting up as Spurs bid a memorable farewell to White Hart Lane. Tottenham fans went through their songbook and certainly enjoyed a victorious end to life at the old ground. Stat of the match Sunday was the 2,533rd and final match at White Hart Lane. Spurs record ends as 1,472 wins, 565 draws and 496 losses. Goals for 5,272, goals against 2,798. Player ratings Hugo Lloris 6, Kieran Trippier 7, Toby Alderweireld 6, Jan Vertonghen 7, Ben Davies 7, Victor Wanyama 9, Eric Dier 8, Dele Alli 7, Christian Eriksen 8, Son Heung-min 7, Harry Kane 8. Substitutes: Mousa Dembele (on for Son, 72mins) 5, Kyle Walker (on for Trippier, 82mins) 5, Georges-Kevin Nkoudou (on for Eriksen, 90mins) 5. David De Gea 7, Eric Bailly 5, Chris Smalling 4, Phil Jones 6, Daley Blind 5, Axel Tuanzebe 5, Michael Carrick 5, Wayne Rooney 7, Juan Mata 6, Jesse Lingard 5, Anthony Martial 7. Substitutes: Henrikh Mkhitaryan (on for Lingard, 61mins) 6, Ander Herrera (on for Tuanzebe, 61mins) 7, Marcus Rashford (on for Mata, 79mins) 6. Whos up next? Tottenham Hotspur's Mousa Dembele (left) and Leicester City's Jamie Vardy battle for the ball (John Walton/PA) Leicester v Tottenham (Premier League, Thursday May 18) Southampton v Manchester United (Premier League, Wednesday May 17) Watford manager Walter Mazzarri is in no doubt Chelsea deserve the plaudits as Premier League champions, but remains determined his players will not get swept up in the title celebrations at Stamford Bridge on Monday night. Antonio Contes men made sure of top spot by defeating West Brom 1-0 on Friday night at The Hawthorns, which takes the pressure off their showdown with the Hornets, whose defeat at Everton was a fourth straight loss. While Chelsea are preparing for a party atmosphere in front of their fans, Mazzarri must lift his players to make sure they avoid the campaign fading out now they have secured top-flight status once again. Watford manager Walter Mazzarri (Richard Sellers/PA) Congratulations to Chelsea. They have had a great season and deserve it, they were better than everyone else in the Premier League, said the Italian. They have to celebrate over the weekend and dont think about our game. Mazzarri added: We have to play as we did (against Everton) at Chelsea. Of course, these players are giving me a lot of satisfaction they are giving everything and trying their best. BEHRAMI: "We tried to defend well & counter-attack & overall did our job well. The commitment was there, we gave 100 per cent." #watfordfc pic.twitter.com/kdRYu3mFpi Watford Football Club (@WatfordFC) May 12, 2017 Also Everton had reached their objective, and look how they played, the nice thing in England is teams never give up until it is finished. Watford were dealt another defensive injury blow by the loss of Christian Kabasele to a hamstring problem during the first half at Goodison Park on Friday. With centre-back Miguel Britos having recently joined Craig Cathcart and Younes Kaboul in a busy treatment room, Mazzarri admits resources have been stretched. I am very angry because everything is happening in the same positions. We are now missing four defenders and it is very unlucky, said Mazzarri, who will at least be able to call on midfielder Tom Cleverley, who was not eligible to face parent club Everton under the terms of his loan deal. Russian President Vladimir Putin, known for his passion for the outdoors, showed off his softer side during a visit to China when he sat down to play the piano. Mr Putin is in Beijing on a state visit to discuss a 1 trillion US dollar infrastructure plan that strives to revive the ancient Silk Road. After speaking at the summit in the morning, Mr Putin headed to meet Chinese President Xi Jinping at his residence. Chinese President Xi Jinping, centre, shakes hands with Russian President Vladimir Putin with Xi's wife Peng Liyuan (Wang Zhao/AP) Mr Putin is habitually late for meetings, but this time he was the one who was made to wait, Russian news agencies said. So, Mr Putin played some songs on Mr Xis piano. Russian state television showed excerpts of at least two tunes he played Moscow Windows and City On The Free Neva both Soviet classics. Mr Putin has demonstrated his music talents before. In 2010, he took to the stage at a charity concert with a jazz band to play and sing Blueberry Hills. But in recent years, Mr Putin occupied with the annexation of Crimea, the crisis in eastern Ukraine and Russias role in Syria preferred to demonstrate his virile side in Kremlin-distributed pictures of him hunting and fishing. MINSK, May 11 (Reuters) - Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, in an interview with Belarusian TV Channel ONT aired on Thursday, said he will not back down from fighting his enemies. He pledged to defend de-escalation zones, brokered by Russia, and crush, with the support of Iran and Hezbollah, those who will try to breach them. Assad also told the TV channel that the de-escalation zones give chance for insurgents to hand over weapons, and for "reconciliation" with government. (Reporting by Andrei Makhovsky; Writing by Vladimir Soldatkin; Additional reporting by John Davison in Beirut; Editing by Alison Williams) BEIJING, May 14 (Reuters) - China called on Sunday for restraint and for no party to do anything to exacerbate tension after North Korea fired a ballistic missile in defiance of calls to rein in its weapons programme. "Relevant Security Council resolutions have clear rules about North Korea using ballistic missile technology to carry out launches. China opposes relevant launch activities by North Korea that are contrary to Security Council resolutions," China's foreign ministry said in a statement sent to Reuters. "At present the situation on the peninsula is complex and sensitive, and all relevant parties should exercise restraint and do nothing to further worsen regional tensions." (Reporting by Ben Blanchard; Editing by Robert Birsel) By Benjamin Kang Lim BEIJING, May 14 (Reuters) - China and the Philippines will start bilateral consultations on the disputed South China Sea this week, the Philippine ambassador to Beijing said, as Manila looks to ease tensions with Asia's top economic power. Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte, who is visiting Beijing this weekend to attend a summit on China's new Silk Road plan, has opted to court China for its business and investment and avoid rows over sovereignty that dogged his predecessors. Philippine Ambassador to China Jose Santiago Santa Romana told reporters late on Saturday that the consultations between the two countries would take place in a Chinese city, but declined to name it. He added that the dispute between the two countries "cannot be resolved overnight." China has not publicly announced any such talks. Duterte has been accused by critics of taking a defeatist position on China and on defending Philippine sovereignty. He considers his approach is pragmatic and says challenging China risks triggering a war. Santa Romana said Duterte's attendance at the China summit should not be seen as the Philippines abandoning or "giving up" its claim of sovereignty in the South China Sea. The previous Philippine government in 2013 filed a case with the Permanent Court of Arbitration in The Hague to set the record straight on maritime boundaries. The tribunal did that last year, and invalidated China's claim to sovereignty over most of the South China Sea. Duterte has put the ruling on the back burner and said he will revisit it later in his term. Santa Romana defended Duterte's position, saying Manila was "proceeding from our own interests". China claims most of the energy-rich South China Sea through which about $5 trillion in ship-borne trade passes every year. Neighbours Brunei, Malaysia, the Philippines, Taiwan and Vietnam also have claims. Duterte visited China last October for an ice-breaking trip after bilateral relations soured over the South China Sea under the previous Philippine administration of Benigno Aquino. The detente has seen China commit to three infrastructure projects and pledge to donate two bridges, said the ambassador, without giving an investment figure. China has also eased import curbs on Philippine bananas, he said. "If you go around Beijing right now and you go to the market, you will see ... Philippine bananas. The Chinese are eating Philippine bananas again and Philippine pineapples," Santa Romana said. "They have promised to buy over $1 billion worth of tropical fruits from the Philippines and they are interested to buy more." (Reporting by Benjamin Kang Lim; Writing by Ben Blanchard; Editing by Randy Fabi) By Benjamin Kang Lim BEIJING, May 14 (Reuters) - China and the Philippines will start bilateral consultations on the disputed South China Sea this week, the Philippine ambassador to Beijing said, as Manila looks to ease tensions with Asia's top economic power. Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte, who is visiting Beijing to attend a summit on China's ambitious new Silk Road plan, has opted to court China for its business and investment and avoid the rows over sovereignty that dogged his predecessors. Philippine ambassador to China Jose Santiago Santa Romana told reporters late on Saturday that the consultations between the two countries would take place in China. He added that the dispute between the two countries "cannot be resolved overnight". China has not publicly announced any such talks. Duterte has been accused by critics of taking a defeatist position on China and on defending Philippine sovereignty. He considers his approach to be pragmatic and says challenging China risks triggering war. Santa Romana said Duterte's attendance at the Silk Road summit should not be seen as the Philippines abandoning or "giving up" its claim of sovereignty in the South China Sea. The previous Philippine government filed a case in 2013 with the Permanent Court of Arbitration in The Hague on maritime boundaries. Last year the tribunal invalidated China's claim to sovereignty over most of the South China Sea. Duterte has put the ruling on the back burner and said he will revisit it later in his term. China claims most of the energy-rich South China Sea, through which about $5 trillion in ship-borne trade passes every year. Brunei, Malaysia, the Philippines, Taiwan and Vietnam also have claims. Ahead of the bilateral consultations, special envoy for intercultural dialogue Jose de Venecia proposed a three-way energy exploration effort at the disputed Spratly Islands between the Philippines, Vietnam and China. De Venecia said in Beijing that such an effort would promote peace and economic development. Duterte visited China last October after bilateral relations had soured over the South China Sea under the previous Philippine administration of Benigno Aquino. The detente has seen China commit to three infrastructure projects and pledge to donate two bridges, said Santa Romana, without giving an investment figure. China has also eased import curbs on Philippine bananas, he said. "If you go around Beijing right now and you go to the market, you will see ... Philippine bananas. The Chinese are eating Philippine bananas again and Philippine pineapples," he said. "They have promised to buy over $1 billion worth of tropical fruits from the Philippines and they are interested in buying more." (Reporting by Benjamin Kang Lim; Writing by Ben Blanchard and Ryan Woo; Editing by Randy Fabi and Andrew Bolton) VIENNA, May 14 (Reuters) - The leadership of Austria's conservative People's Party, the junior party in the country's coalition government, has appointed Foreign Minister Sebastian Kurz as its new head, Kurz told a news conference on Sunday. Kurz, 30, is widely seen as the party's best chance of boosting its ratings and surpassing the far-right Freedom Party, which is running first in opinion polls, followed by Chancellor Christian Kern's Social Democrats. He has already called for a snap parliamentary election, which Kern has said is now inevitable. (Reporting by Francois Murphy; Editing by Keith Weir) ROME, May 14 (Reuters) - Rescuers saved 484 migrants from boats in the Mediterranean on Saturday and found the bodies of seven men who had died in the attempt to get to Europe, Italy's coastguard said. More than 45,000 people have reached Italy by boat from North Africa this year, a more than 40 percent increase on the same period of 2016, the International Organisation for Migration (IOM) says. More than 1,200 have died on the way. With rising arrivals, calls are growing for intervention in the African countries where most of the migrants originate and which they cross in their quest to reach Europe. The coastguard gave no details about where the migrants rescued on Saturday came from, but most arriving in Italy come originally from sub-Saharan Africa or Bangladesh, and pay Libya-based smugglers to organise their passage. Italy and Germany sent a joint letter on May 11 to the European Union to ask for a mission to be sent to Libya's southern border, which many migrants cross on their way north, an Italian interior ministry source said on Sunday. In the letter, the interior ministers, Marco Minniti and Thomas de Maziere, asked for a greater EU commitment to help stabilise the roughly 5,000 km (3,100 mile)-long border which Libya has long struggled to control, the source said. A senior official in the United Nations-backed Libyan government in Tripoli said on Sunday his administration was ready to create a new guard to patrol the frontier, but it could only be secured if other countries helped. "If we don't resolve southern Libya's problems, we will not resolve the migrant issue," Abdulsalam Kajman, vice president in the U.N.-backed government headed by Fayez Seraj, told Italy's Corriere della Sera newspaper. "The difficult economic situation in that region pushes lots of young people to work for the traffickers," Kajman said, adding Italy had said it was willing to train the new guard. Libya primarily needs administrative and logistical help, he added, saying Turkey had donated 20 tonnes of medicine but that now needed to be taken to southern Libya and distributed. "(Italian Interior Minister Marco) Minniti has told us Italy is ready to dispatch mobile hospitals, but we need other countries and the European Union to lend a hand too," he said. (Reporting by Isla Binnie; Editing by Gareth Jones) By Francois Murphy VIENNA, May 14 (Reuters) - Austria's youthful foreign minister took over as leader of the country's main conservative party on Sunday and called for a snap parliamentary election that centre-left Chancellor Christian Kern admitted he could not prevent. Kern's Social Democrats (SPO) and Sebastian Kurz's conservative People's Party (OVP) are coalition partners and have dominated Austrian politics for decades, but are now at daggers drawn. An early election would give the far-right Freedom Party (FPO), currently leading in opinion polls, a good chance of entering national government less than a year after its candidate lost a presidential runoff. However, some surveys have suggested the OVP would leap from third to first place if the 30-year-old Kurz, who takes a tough stance on immigration, became its leader. Forming a government in Austria usually requires at least two parties. "There will definitely ... be an election, I assume in the coming autumn," Kern told ORF TV. He had resisted the idea of a snap election, calling for the coalition to keep working until its term ends in more than a year's time. Hours later, the OVP leadership appointed Kurz as their leader and also handed him sweeping new powers including the ability to pick the party's list of candidates for parliament. Kurz told a news conference he would meet the chancellor on Monday and suggest they jointly propose a parliamentary election be held after the summer. A spokeswoman for Kern said the chancellor was unaware of any meeting with Kurz on Monday. Kurz is a star of Austrian politics and widely seen as his party's best hope of reviving its fortunes. The previous OVP leader, Reinhold Mitterlehner, quit on Wednesday after failing to stop in-fighting among his ministers. MACRON-STYLE Kurz plans to include people from outside the OVP in the party's list of candidates, which would carry his name and that of the "New People's Party" - a striking power grab in a country of consensus-driven politics. The move also carries echoes of new French President Emmanuel Macron's novice-heavy list of parliamentary candidates. "We have decided that we are starting a movement, that we are relying on valued forces within the People's Party but at the same time bringing new people on board," Kurz told a news conference on Sunday evening, declining to provide names. Calling a snap election requires a majority in parliament. The FPO supports the idea -- it and the OVP are three seats short of a majority. Kern, who took over as chancellor and SPO leader only a year ago, accused the OVP and Kurz of failing to honour a commitment they made in January to a package of measures aimed at breathing new life into their coalition and eroding support for the FPO. But that package failed to put an end to the squabbling that has marred the centrist coalition. "It was the case from the first day onwards that there was a group within the OVP that wanted to work with us (Social Democrats) constructively ... and then there were some who were less interested in this government succeeding. They have now prevailed within the OVP," Kern said. The package included a series of law-and-order measures such as a ban on Muslim face-covering veils in public places. Kurz has made a tough line on immigration one of his hallmarks, to the point that the FPO has accused him of stealing its ideas. (Reporting by Francois Murphy; Editing by Gareth Jones) WASHINGTON, May 14 (Reuters) - President Donald Trump is trying to determine how keeping his promise to move the U.S. Embassy in Israel to Jerusalem could affect his hopes of brokering a peace deal between the Israelis and the Palestinians, his secretary of state said on Sunday. Since taking office in January, Trump has shown signs of shelving his campaign pledge to move the embassy from Tel Aviv, while vowing to do what is necessary to clinch a Middle East peace agreement. "The president is being very careful to understand how such a decision would impact a peace process," Secretary of State Rex Tillerson told NBC's "Meet the Press." He spoke just days before Trump starts a Middle East trip that includes meetings with Israeli and Palestinian leaders. Israel regards Jerusalem as its eternal and indivisible capital and wants all foreign countries to base their embassies there. The relocation is strongly opposed by many U.S. allies as the Palestinians also claim the city as their capital. Tillerson said Trump's decision would depend greatly on how it is seen by governments in the region, including "whether Israel views it as being helpful to a peace initiative or perhaps a distraction." His comments drew a quick response from Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. "Israel's position has been stated many times before to the American administration and the world," Netanyahu's office said in a statement. "Moving the American embassy to Jerusalem will not harm the peace process, it will do the opposite. It will advance it by righting a historical wrong and by shattering the Palestinian fantasy that Jerusalem is not the capital of Israel." (Reporting by David Morgan in Washington; Additional reporting by Ori Lewis in Jerusalem; Editing by Peter Cooney) DUBAI, May 14 (Reuters) - Officials in the Yemeni capital of Sanaa, controlled by the armed Houthi movement, declared a state of emergency on Sunday after an outbreak of cholera, which has killed dozens of people. Yemen's health ministry called on humanitarian organisations and other aid donors to help it deal with the epidemic and avert an "unprecedented disaster". The health system, severely degraded by more than two years of war that also displaced millions, cannot cope, the state news agency, Saba, said. Yemen is reeling from conflict between Houthi rebels, aligned with Iran, and a Western-backed, Saudi-led coalition. More than 10,000 people have been killed, mostly by almost-daily air strikes, since the fighting began. Only a few medical facilities are still functioning and two-thirds of the population are without access to safe drinking water, the United Nations has said. A epidemic late last year faded but outbreaks of cholera are becoming more frequent. The diarrheal disease has killed 51 people since April 27, the World Health Organization said on Thursday, and 2,752 people are suspected cases. Fifty eight more cases have been confirmed. Sanaa has been worst hit by the outbreaks, followed by the surround province of Amanat al-Semah, WHO data has shown. Cases have also been reported in other major cities including Hodeidah, Taiz and Aden. WHO said that 7.6 million people live in areas at high risk of cholera transmission. Some 17 million of Yemen's 26 million people lack sufficient food and at least three million malnourished children are in "grave peril", the U.N. has said. (Reporting by Ali Abdelatti Writing by Aziz El Yaakoubi; Editing by Louise Ireland) Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who met former President Mahinda Rajapaksa on Thursday, enquired about Chinas thinking on current development projects in Sri Lanka, a top source told The Hindu on Friday. The ex-President is a known ally of China and has in the past blamed India for his defeat in the January 2015 elections. The former strongman retains considerable public support. Describing Thursdays meeting as cordial, the source close to Mr. Rajapaksa said there was nothing controversial. The focus of the meeting, which began around 10.30 p.m. at India House in Colombo, was economic and development projects. Mr. Modi reportedly asked the former President what he thought India could do. Mr. Rajapaksa said New Delhi must encourage Indian investment in Sri Lanka to benefit the people, the source said, requesting anonymity. The meeting was organised at the request of Mr. Rajapaksa and sources in both governments said it was not uncommon for a leader to meet a former President of a neighbouring country. On his first visit in March 2015, two months after the regime change in Sri Lanka, Mr. Modi met Mr. Rajapaksa. Tweeting about the meeting, Mr. Rajapaksa said: As always, a cordial meeting with PM @narendramodi yesterday. Happy to see him in #SriLanka for International Vesak Day Celebrations. #India. The source close to Mr. Rajapaksa said: When the former President asked Mr. Modi if he was tired after many engagements, he remarked When I see you my tiredness vanishes. Mr. Modi also reminded the former President of his standing invitation to visit India, sources said. The Police had not made any significant progress in their investigations yet into the grenade attack on the Sri Lanka Medical Council (SLMC) last Friday night, Senior DIG (Western Province) Nandana Munasinghe said. Speaking to the Daily Mirror he said that the Colombo Crimes Division (CCD) officers, who were conducting investigations, had taken statements from the security officers at the SLMC premises and probing on the motive of the attack, which might lead to arrests of suspects. A Type- M4 live hand grenade had been lobbed into the SLMC premises on Friday night but it failed to explode, the Police said. The security personnel had discovered it on Saturday morning, Police said. However, the security personnel, who were on duty had heard some object hurled at the SLMC building but had not found anything during the night. (Thilanka Kanakarathna) Indian Prime Ministers visit dominated the local news headlines and spawned intense debates among analysts and politicians to the circumstances surrounding his visit and their implications. Yet the first out of the two key globally captivating events was the sudden removal of the director of the American Federal Bureau of Investigations (FBI) by President Trump and its aftermath. American media, analysts, scholars all joined in a series of vocal criticisms claiming that the American democracy, American liberalism was at cross roads and may eventually cede to an authoritarian presidency altering the political landscape of the Nation. The Comey-affair exposed a widening political fault line that many American analysts fear may radically change Americas global role and diminish its global political authority as it gets distracted and entrenched in local political disputes that may have far reaching consequences. The second major event was the massive cyber attack that was launched by an undisclosed hacker group or syndicate targeting global computer networks with the brunt being born by Russia and the UK. This column highlighted the importance of cyber politics and cyber strategy for national security in last weeks edition, within a few days after the column was published, global cyber security experts are working overtime to trace the attackers, ascertain the level of damage as a result of the most recent attacks. Many experts fear that the key malware code used in this attack originated from a set of malware codes that were stolen from American cyber offensive division allegedly attached to the National Security Agency (NSA) called the equation group. Thus these attacks were based on blueprints of cyber weapons that a State developed as part of cyber war preparations that are now out in the open and affecting civilian networks globally. "China has identified 65 countries as being part of the OBOR community spanning Asia, Africa, Europe and Middle East. 29 leaders of the 65 countries will attend including the Prime Minister of Sri Lanka" The more important development that requires deeper insight is the One Belt One Road (OBOR) Forum of May 14 15 that was held in Beijing. While details of the forum had not reached the public realm when this column was being written, the significance of the forum can still be analyzed. Multitudes of analyses have emerged from Western, Asian and other regional scholars on the ways in which China has embarked on its signature foreign policy shift since its announcement by President Xi Jingping in 2013. OBOR is not just a foreign policy slogan; it embodies a foreign policystrategy that China aspires to develop as the backbone of its integration and interaction beyond its regional sphere of influence. This analysis has been floating around ever since the unveiling of the policy and China has been implicit about its intentions. The 2017 OBOR forum seems to be the vehicle which China is attempting to play a central role of a global power that other states accept as relevant, as powerful and as important to co constitute a prosperous future. This was exactly what the Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen reiterated at the world economic forum few months ago. He said how vital OBOR has become for the development and progress of his own country. China has identified 65 countries as being part of the OBOR community spanning Asia, Africa, Europe and Middle East. 29 leaders of the 65 countries will attend including the Prime Minister of Sri Lanka. All key South Asian States will be represented by heads of States with the exception of India. Indias low level representation and differing with all other South Asian nations highlights Indias concern of rising China and its attempt to be the buffer of the liberal world against a China that does not represent the norms, values or interests of the free world. The strategic costs to Indias defiance are yet to be accounted for. United States under Trump was expected to ignore the forum especially with all the anti China rhetoric Trump garnered during his presidential campaign. Instead the US is being represented by a significantly high level delegation, comprising of an inter-agency representative team headed by Matthew Pottinger, who represents an important node in connecting with the intelligence community who doubles as a top consultant to the Whitehouse. China maybe missing a significant number of heads of states from countries that are connected through the OBOR yet, the number of delegations, 4000 odd journalists, vast number of global scholars, will definitely provide the necessary exposure that it is seeking to carve a place out for itself as a key player in global governance. Whilst OBOR is projected as the most expansive foreign engagement strategy China has unveiled in its post revolution era, some argue that it is a deeply political tool to create a sphere of influence in the regions of the world where China can create economic dependence leading to political manipulations and become a hegemon in the process Lindsay Graham, Professor of Politics and International Relations at the Kennedy School of Government at Harvard University, vehemently makes a case for an impending and unavoidable China America war. Graham goes back in history to the great Hellenic war between Athens and Sparta and claims throughout history in most cases when rising powers challenge existing powers, war is the most probable outcome which he calls the Thucydides Trap. Ironically the current president Xi Jingping who is an avid follower of Western developments while acknowledging the dangers of the Thucydides trap, claimed that American and Chinese leadership could work together to avoid such unnecessary conflicts. Thus Xi Jingping managed to take the sting out of this latest case made by Allison in his latest book, Destined for War, which was just released a few weeks ago. An economic perspective of OBOR locate, it within a domestic context, where economists argue that China has no option but to engage with global markets and whenever possible to lock onto those markets. As there is a massive surplus of products from industry material, building materials, railway components that the Chinese domestic market is under super saturation. The OBOR is a great economic strategy for domestic economic prosperity and job creation. The focus on OBOR is intensifying among states that includefriendly nations of China to more cautious States like India. OBOR signifies Chinas global ambitions and its intent for global engagement in multiple forms such as loans, to mass scale infrastructure development projects. Yet the world is headed towards policies that are inward looking, a new wave of nationalism, and an anti globalization sentiment. Yet the only global leader who has sustained and intensified defence of globalization and global engagements has been the Chinese President Xi Jingping. He has managed even to create dependencies among nations that are not part of the OBOR strategies, reaching out to countries as far as in Latin America, the political crisis prone Venezuela has received more than 60 billion US dollars over the last 7 years from China, which made up more than 50% of all loans that went into the region. While Chinese infra structure assistance has grown up to 10 billion US dollars per year making it the leading provider of assistance even to most volatile economies such as Angola, Ethiopia, Sudan and Democratic Republic of Congo have become Chinas lend seekers. The OBOR forum of May 2017, despite its critiques and under representation of global leaders, still paves the way for China to be the forum where not just Chinese interests are discussed but has the potential of evolving into a key global space for leaders to meet and hold bi lateral relations. What China is trying to achieve from this forum is not just a utilitarian gain. It is trying to become a venue for global conversations, OBOR as a policy is leading Chinese global engagement while the OBOR forum may bring part of that globe back to China. At a time when many other states are preoccupied fixing local political issues, Chinas global engagement will inevitably lead to a global power consolidation. The Writer is the Director, Bandaranaike Centre for International Studies (BCIS) The Court of Appeal judgement clearly describes that the considered opinion of the court is that the first Respondent is disqualified to be a member of the parliament in terms of Article 91(1)(d)(13) of the 1978 Constitution. MP Geetha Kumarasingha has appealed to the Supreme Court against this judgement and obtained a stay order until May 15. If the Supreme Court endorses the same judgement delivered by the Court of Appeal, she can vacate her seat under Article 91(1)(d)(13) where a citizen of Sri Lanka who is also a citizen of any other country and 66 (G) of the Constitution that the seat of a Member shall become vacant if among other things, if his election as a member is declared void under the law in force for the time being; where he becomes subject to a disqualification under these Articles. The main legal issues arising here are that her disqualification has not been challenged after one-hour of handing over the nominations or within one month after she has been elected as a Member of Parliament. When contesting for Parliament elections the applicable law is Parliamentary Elections Act (No. 1 of 1981). According to Section 115 of the Act, which say that death, withdrawal or disqualification of such person or persons, the nomination paper of that party or group nomination paper shall not be invalidated and accordingly, the candidature or election of any other person nominated by the party or group is only invalidated. Therefore one argument is to appoint the next person who secured the most number of votes in that parliamentary election. But when you analyse the Constitutional provisions in the 1978 Constitution whereby a MP disqualified from his or her seat under Article 66(G) the relevant provision of law filling vacancy is clearly described in Article 99(13) of the Constitution. "The main legal issues arising here are that her disqualification has not been challenged after one-hour of handing over the nominations or within one month after she has been elected as a MP" Article 99(13) of the Constitution provides for the filling of vacancies in Parliament by nominating the candidate who received the next highest number of preferential votes on the relevant list, for vacancies created in the event of Members resigning from their parties or being expelled there from or any vacancies occurring in terms of Article 66. Article 66 of the Constitution provides for the ways in which a parliamentary seat may fall vacant. However, 66(g) - instances where the election of a sitting MP is declared void in terms of a law in force - is expressly exempt from the application of Article 99(13) of the Constitution. On this basis, what should happen in the event of Kumarasinghe being declared unqualified is the entire list of the UPFA being rejected. Neither the Constitution nor the Parliamentary elections Law says what should be done in instances falling under Article 66(g) - where the election of a sitting MP is declared void in terms of a law. Depending on the interpretation that the Supreme Court gives on this matter, things could be much messier than the government anticipates. Under the present Constitution, the constituency or the electorate that elects MPs to Parliament is the District, and there are no individual electorates as under the first past the post system. As such Kumarasinghe is not the MP for Bentara-Elpitiya but for the Galle District. She was elected not as an individual nominated for that district but as a member of a list submitted by her party. The party secretary signs the entire nomination paper and not just the nomination paper of Kumarasinghe. If Geetha is disqualified from contesting elections to Parliament at the time she signed the nomination paper, the entire nomination list should be deemed to have failed. Therefore the final interpretation should be taken from the Supreme Court of Sri Lanka where filling the vacancy under Article 99(13) where MP becomes disqualified under prevailing law. The possibilities are cancellation of the full list of MPs of Galle District in such case other parties in the Parliament from that district are entitled to the UPFA seats, including the national list or call for by election for the same district. Therefore the Independent Election Commission has a duty not only to name the next candidate but to consider the Constitutional provisions of filling the vacancy. The GMOAs indefinite strike that was schedule to be held tomorrow had been postponed following requests by other trade unions, the Government Medical Officers Association Secretary Dr. Nalinda Herath said.. The GMOA had scheduled an indefinite trade union action starting tomorrow (15) demanding the closure of the South Asian Institute of Technology and Medicine (SAITM) private medical college. He also said several trade union actions carried out by the GMOA had not been favourably responded by the Government. The number of trade unions including the trade unions affiliated to the Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna (JVP) had expressed their agreement to support the GMOA in its strike, Dr. Herath said. He said the GMOA had requested the Government to formulate a just solution to the problem before the trade unions were pushed to resort to strikes. (Dayaseeli Liyanage) The Government Medical Officers Association (GMOA) today condemned the attack on Sri Lanka Medical Council (SLMC) and said the Government should immediately investigate the matter before another insurgency broke out in the country. Speaking to the Daily Mirror, GMOA Secretary Dr. Samantha Ananda said the recent attack showed the shameful attempt to silence the SLMC by preventing doing its duty to ensure the quality and the standard of the countrys medical education. He said the SLMC and its officials were attacked on many occasions however, the lawsuits failed to do justice by arresting responsible individuals. This is not the first time the SLMC was attacked. The SLMC office was set fire in 2002 and many SLMC officials and their residencies were attacked on several occasions. The law was not enforced and justice was not served. Therefore the Government should at least find those responsible for the recent attack, he said. Meanwhile, Senior DIG Nandana Munasinghe, who is in charge in the investigation said no breakthrough had been made in the investigation. However, he said the Colombo Crimes Division and the Forensic Units were collecting evidence to find the motive behind the attack and to trace the suspects. (Thilanka Kanakarathna) The Indian Navy has carried out a joint hydrographic survey of Sri Lanka's Weligama Bay and southern coast, in a reflection of the growing cooperation between navies of the two countries. Hydrographic survey data for more than 7,000 nautical miles was collected during a two-month-long exercise and details of the survey were handed over to the Sri Lankan Navy at a ceremony in Colombo yesterday. Interestingly, Sri Lanka had on Wednesday rejected China's request for its submarine to dock at Colombo next week, after a similar visit in 2014 triggered strong protest from India. China has been making consistent efforts to make inroads into the island nation. "The successful completion of the maiden joint hydrographic survey with Sri Lanka Navy marks a new beginning in the bilateral relations," Indian Navy spokesperson Capt D K Sharma said. He said Indian naval ship Darshak was on a two-month-long deployment in Sri Lanka to carry out the survey. The survey operations were undertaken in three phases and the ship also visited Colombo and Galle harbour. A Chetak helicopter was also deployed as part of the data collection exercise. "The ship and its survey motor boats fitted with multi- beam systems were extensively deployed and the hydrographic survey data for more than 7,000 nautical miles was collected," said Sharma. Officers onboard the INS Darshak also imparted training on various aspects of hydrographic survey to some Sri Lankan naval officers.(PTI) n Sunday, May 7, Emmanuel Macron, a centrist young former banker, who had never held elected office, comfortably won the French presidential election; defeating Marine Le Pen of the National Front who campaigned on an anti EU, anti immigrant and pro-nationalist card. French voters rejected her far-right message and backed Macrons call for centrist change. The political newcomer campaigned on a promise to open up Frances economy, strengthen ties to the European Union and the need for strengthening the EU itself by bringing about reforms within that organisation. With his victory Emmanuel Macron, the former banker turned presidential candidate appeared to have halted the tide of nationalism which appeared to be sweeping across the so-called democratic west from the UK to the US, to the member states of the EU. "France once led its down-trodden and frustrated people to freedom via the French Revolution. Can Mr. Macron through his neither left nor right stance lead his people away from extremist positions" Macron, who as mentioned had never held elected office, would be the youngest president in the 59-year-old history of Frances Fifth Republic. The 2017 French presidential election held in two stages - April23 andMay 7, 2017- pitted Emmanuel Macron of En Marche against Marine Le Pen of the National Front (FN) in the second round of the ballot. As no candidate won a majority in the first round on April 23 , the May 7 election turned into a run-off between the top two candidates. The results of the April 23 first round in the election meant that for the first time in modern French political history, both established parties were eliminated in the first round itself. The voters faced a choice of two radically different visions for the countrys future after Macrons surprising win in the first round. Macron, a first-time candidate and political independent, won over 23% in Sundays (April 23) election and National Front leader Le Pen received over 21% in the first round run-off. Hiss victory on May 7 sent a huge sigh of relief through the European Union, which Le Pen had threatened to leave. Her loss also showed that the populist wave that took Britain out of the European Union and saw Donald Trump enter the White House as President of the United States was now on the wane. President Trumps intervention in days before French presidential election on behalf of Le Penn, possibly played a role in her defeat. The US President is extremely unpopular in France. A Pew poll found that 85% of French had no confidence in his ability to handle world affairs and another found that 75% disliked him. A fan of Le Penns anti-immigrant, anti-European Union, anti-Muslim stance; Trump just a few days before the French election in an interview with the AP said: Shes the strongest on borders, and shes the strongest on whats been going on in France, Whoever is the toughest on radical Islamic terrorism, and whoever is the toughest at the borders, will do well in the election. The election result proved that both Trump and Le Penn were way out of tune with the mood in France. What is unfortunate however is the fact, the poll showed that over 30% of the French people supported the unashamedly racist views and anti-immigrant stance of the National Front and its leader. After Britains vote last year to leave the EU and Donald Trumps victory in the U.S., the French election was being watched world-wide as a test of how high the tide of right-wing nationalism would rise in Europe. The world literally and physically breathed a sigh of relief at Macrons victory. Another Trump in the form of Le Penn in charge of yet another leading world power would not be good for the rest of the world based on the little over 100-day stint of Trump as President of the US. But Macron now has a tough road ahead of him. He needs to consolidate his position especially in the light of the fact that 30% or more French voters have been shown to support racist politics. To counter this, he needs to quickly follow-up with creative deeds which can act as the balm the French people need to face growing problems of unemployment, problems arising from fears of terrorism and an end to social antagonism. France once led its down-trodden and frustrated people to freedom via the French Revolution. Can Mr. Macron through his neither left nor right stance lead his people away from extremist positions? In short, the challenge facing Mr. Macron is to move from campaign slogans into governance. His success will depend on his ability to living up to his promises. Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi had invited the Mahanayake Theras of the Malwatte and Asgiri Chapters to visit India, it is learnt. Mr. Modi made this invitation when he called on them in Kandy during his short visit to the country in view of UN Vesak Day celebrations. According to sources, the Mahanayake Theras accepted the invitation. Mr. Modi undertook a tour of Sri Lanka for the second time on May 11 to attend the UN Vesak Day celebration conducted in Sri Lanka besides, he, during short stay in the country, participated at a function to mark the inauguration of a hospital in Norwood, Nuwara-Eliya. He also addressed the gathering of People of Indian Origin living in the hill country and hailed their contribution to the local economy. The visit took place in the backdrop of India seeking to invest heavily in projects in Sri Lanka, including the Trincomalee Oil Tank Farm. The two countries have already signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) in this regard. (Kelum Bandara) The Mullaitivu fishing community went through tremendous devastation during the last phase of the war, the tsunami before that and decades of displacement. Almost every family has lost one or more persons, most of their homes were razed to the ground and their fishing livelihoods brought to a standstill for years. Yet the post-war period has not brought them respite. During the course of the war, the number of able-bodied fishermen in Mullaitivu had perished. After the war, the Rajapaksa regime further humiliated this population by interning them in camps, undermined their economic revival with militarized restrictions on fishing and intimidated them for years with surveillance. Sadly, even after regime change two years ago, their economic situation has become worse. Their fishing livelihoods have been undermined by the arrival of hordes of fishing enterprises from other regions. Ironically, it is the Fisheries Ministry responsible for developing sustainable local fisheries that is at the centre of the current controversy. Excessive licences are granted to hundreds of gill-net fishermen and companies that send divers to collect sea cucumber for exports. The large inflow of licensed fishermen has also provided cover for unlicensed fishermen and illegal fishing practices including the use of light course and dynamite, which are all draining the ability of the Mullaitivu fishing community to recover. Migrants and Mudalalis Mullaitivu has a long history of migrant fishers from the South who fish between March and August, particularly during the south-west monsoon, and had amicable relations with the local fishing communities. After the war in 2012, the military facilitated the return of some of these migrant fishers. Problematic as the role of the military might have been in such fisheries management, the Mullaitivu fisher co-operatives agreed initially to 30 and then eventually accepted 78 such migrant fishermen who claimed to have fished in the Mullaitivu waters before the war. After regime change in 2015, the number of outside fishers suddenly increased to a few hundred. Worryingly, it was with the active return of the civil administration, particularly the Fisheries Department, that excessive licences were issued, particularly to new mudalalis from the South who wanted to exploit the marine resources and sought tens of licences each to bring in fishermen who worked for them. The Mullaitivu fishing communities, which had been confronting the Indian trawlers ravaging their waters for shrimp during the early months of the year, suddenly faced excessive number of powerful fishing enterprises from the South. These developments led to drastically low fish harvest, declining fishing income and rising indebtedness for the coastal Mullaitivu communities. Failing efforts In this context, over a year ago in April 2016; during a visit by the Fisheries Minister to Mullaitivu, the local fishing community demanded that the Fisheries Ministry restrict the number of licenses provided to migrant fishers as it was leading to increasing tensions in the District, particularly in the Nayaru area. In subsequent meetings at the Fisheries Ministry, I was also present in my capacity as a researcher working with the Northern fishing community. In June 2016, a Committee was appointed by the Fisheries Ministry to address the problems between the local fishing community in Mullaitivu and those who came from other regions for gill-net fishing, for collecting sea cucumber and ornamental fish, and for beach seine fishing. "The Mullaitivu fishermen had been confronting the Indian trawlers ravaging their waters for shrimp during the early months of the year, suddenly faced excessive number of powerful fishing enterprises from the South." The Committee consisted of nine individuals, including the Divisional Secretary for coastal Mullaitivu, representatives from the Navy and the Army, representatives of the different sections of the Fisheries Ministry, the leader of the fisheries co-operative federation of Mullaitivu, a representative of the migrant fishing community and myself in my capacity as a researcher from the North. After a series of discussions, a report was drafted by early September 2016, drawing on discussions in Colombo as well as local meetings and reports by the District Secretariat in Mullaitivu. However, to date the final report of the Committee has not been launched, and as with so many committees appointed by successive governments to address serious problems, the report of the Committee seems to have been buried. In the meantime, during my visits to Mullaitivu District over the last two months, there was again the excess of fishermen from the South numbering over 200 this year in Nayaru. Furthermore, tensions are rising around beach seine and lagoon fishing leading to court cases and increased police presence. The problem is clearly the lack of political will and principled fisheries management by the Fisheries Ministry. Given the damage to reconciliation and co-existence, the question arises as to why this state of affairs by the Fisheries Department responsible for fisheries management headed by its Director General? And why is the Fisheries Minister stalling on the promise to address the fisheries problems in Mullaitivu, including through the work of the Committee and its report? Co-operatives and co-management While this fishing conflict may at first sight seem to be a Tamil-Sinhala problem, at the heart of it is tensions between a war-devastated small scale fishing community in Mullaitivu and much better capitalised lucrative fishermen from other regions, who seem to be able to influence the Fisheries Ministry. However, as such problems escalate into a conflict, it inevitably creates deep ethnic divides and takes on an ethnicised character. For all the talk in Colombo by the Government about reconciliation and a political solution, how is it that a serious issue like this, which I fear may even lead to violent clashes, is so irresponsibly ignored? Fisheries in Sri Lanka and certainly in the North was always about small scale fishing, with as much as twenty percent of the Northern population depending on fisheries. Fisheries in the country was historically managed by customary law and local social institutions. In the North, it is the vibrant fisher co-operatives in each village that have controlled fishing practices and ensured sustainable fishing to last future generations.Yet in recent times, the emphasis on increasing production and growth, with the state attempting to manage fisheries through coercive security apparatuses has in fact led to unsustainable fishing practices by resource exploiting distant actors undermining both the sustainability of marine resources and the livelihoods of rural fishing communities. Therefore, if fisheries is to be sustainable, the local co-operatives should be given a larger role in fisheries co-management and their concerns addressed. Development for whom? Even as fisheries in the North has been devastated by Indian trawlers and has hit the rocks in Mullaitivu with outside fishers, what would the fishing community make of the larger fisheries development vision of the Government? After decades of neglecting rural economic development, one of the largest development projects for the North is a new Asian Development Bank fisheries development project amounting to a massive US$ 125 million, including the building of large fishing harbours and a number of smaller landing sites. Given the problems in Mullaitivu, the Northern fishing communities are increasingly asking the question whether such fisheries development would benefit them. They worry that such large fisheries harbours would only serve powerful fisher bosses in the South and multinational fishing enterprises. President Maithripala Sirisena had stopped all Cabinet meetings until a Cabinet reshuffle, sources said. Government sources had told our sister paper Lankadeepa, that President Maithripala Sirisena and Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe had agreed to reshuffle the current Cabinet of Ministers after the return of the Prime Minister from China. They had also agreed upon the matter at a meeting they had had before the Prime Minister's China visit, sources said. The proposed Cabinet reshuffle has soured the relationship between the United National Party (UNP) and the Sri Lanka Freedom Party (SLFP) in the Government. It is learnt that several SLFP Parliamentarians had informed the President that they would be compelled to act as an independent group by August, unless the issues that had cropped up between the two parties in the Government were resolved. It is also learnt that the President had rejected a request by them to review the MoU between the United Peoples Freedom Alliance (UPFA) and the UNP and stated that he would take a decision to establish discipline within his party, the SLFP, in the near future. Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe arrived in China yesterday to attend China's high- profile Belt and Road summit beginning today, Indian media reported. Wickremesinghe left for the Chinese capital immediately after seeing off India's Prime Minister Narendra Modi at the end of his two-day visit to Sri Lanka. Wickremesinghe will hold talks with Chinese President Xi Jinping and Prime Minister Li Xiang on a host of bilateral issues, his office has said. Analysts here say Wickremesinghe's Beijing visit has gained significance as India has chosen to stay away from the summit, citing sovereignty concerns related to the China- Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC). The Belt and Road Forum is being organised by China to showcase its multi-billion dollar Silk Road initiative of which the USD 50 billion CPEC connecting China's Xinjiang with Balochistan through Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK) is a part. India has expressed concerns over China's growing presence and influence in Sri Lanka. It was reported during Modi's visit that Sri Lanka had denied permission for a Chinese submarine to visit Colombo port this week. A similar submarine in 2014 had raised protests from New Delhi against the then Mahinda Rajapaksa government in Colombo. It has been argued that Rajapaksa's massive infrastructure projects presented the Chinese with a foothold in the island nation. Sri Lanka borrowed mostly commercial loans to fund the infrastructure projects such as building a sea and airport in the Rajapaksa heartland of Hambantota in the deep south of the country. Wickremesinghe, who is primarily the Economic Affairs Minister in the unity government of President Maithripala Sirisena, has taken the lead in turning the Chinese funded projects into Chinese equity due to Sri Lanka's inability to meet high Chinese debts. His proposals have faced strong resistance from the Opposition which is being led by Rajapaksa who dubs Wickremesinghe's plans as a sell out of state assets to China(PTI) Sri Lankan President Maithripala Sirisena on April 27 cracked open one of the most horrendous problems confronting mankind-the worlds endless wars. Inaugurating a conference on Islamic reality and contemporary challenges in Colombo he pulled out an issue often kept under the carpet not only by the worlds powerful leaders but also by a major part of the Western media. He said: Peace talks must be held with weapons manufacturers rather than with the warring parties. Peace can be achieved if every state leader bans weapons and stops manufacturing them in his own country. The President hit the nail right on its head! Indeed a welcome and timely wake up call. With unsettled and unpredictable leaders already in command in some major arms -manufacturing countries and new ones seeking to run many nuclear armed nations, mankind is entering a dangerous stage. The world is extremely unlikely to see the end of its never-ending destructive wars. The arms industry is having fabulous business with or without boisterous extremist leaders but the world is going through stressful times. The Daily Mirror of April 19, 2017 wrote a strong editorial under the heading For lasting peace, dismantle weapons industry The editorial drew attention to the need to look at the root causes of war and violence. It underlined the fact that those who manufactured multi-billion dollar weapons would also manufacture conflicts or the markets. In another strongly worded editorial the Daily Mirror on the following day criticized the USs pounding on Afghanistan, without any direct provocation, the Mother of All Bombs, second only to a nuclear weapon costing a whopping US $ 16 billion! (Rs.2,400,000,000,000/= or Rs. 2.4 trillion). The Mirror editorial pointed out this as another instance of the democratic West testing its weaponry on vulnerable people of a different colour, religion and in an area where the fallout did not adversely affect the Americans. Headlined Non-White Lives Do Matter Mr. Trump, the editorial said, Mr. Trump, to the people of the US and the arms dealers who back this US president and are egging him on, we say ASIAN LIVES MATTER get your battleships, nuclear carrying submarines, air force and army out of our part of the world. Well said Editor! Meanwhile the silence of the human rights activists and the NGOs is appalling! Those who are organizing discussions on violent extremism for Young Parliamentarians and others having regional conferences on countering violent extremism will have the answer in the Daily Mirrors forthright editorials and President Sirisenas alerting speech. Instead of promoting the agenda of the arms industry through their activism on the wrong side of history, these so called do-gooders must change their theme to Ending Violent Invasions by the West in Asia. The silence of the NGOs may also be because they are awaiting their next funding from countries manufacturing arms that kill not only human beings but also destroy animals, vegetation, fauna, flora and Mother Nature. Shame on them all! The perceived enemy of the pre 1985, arms industry-backed world leadership was communism. Arms sales reached Himalayan heights by 1985. With the collapse of the Soviet Union in the mid 1980s, arms sales dropped sharply by more than 50% until around 2002. From 2003 onwards, by which time Islamic fundamentalism was installed in the firing line post 9/11 as the next enemy to succeed communism, arms sales began recovering reaching TIV Billion 30 by 2014! The Times of Israel of April 6, 2017 reports that in 2015 global military spending rose to US $ 1,700,000 million or $1.7 trillion! This sum is sufficient to solve more than 50% of Asias poverty related problems! Addressing the US Congress last year, His Holiness Pope Francis said if we wished to have lasting peace, the arms industry must be dismantled. The Pope could not have chosen a better place to express his deep concerns for the suffering multitude of women, children and the elderly than the United States by far the largest manufacturer and the leading exporter of arms in the world. "Fair enough, every country must have its security strategies in place! But where are the peace plans, dialogues, reconciliation mechanisms and conflict resolution processes?" Between 2010 and 2014, the US, with a 31% share and Russia coming second with 27%, together supplied 58% of all arms exports while the next eight biggest arms exporters were China 5%, Germany 5%, France 5%, UK 4%, Spain 3%, Italy 3%, Ukraine 3% and Israel 2%. The value of these percentages translated into dollars or local currencies would be mind-boggling. The top arms exporters are from the developed world but the theatres of wars had always been the struggling third world countries. The global media, particularly the Western wire services seldom report on arms exports or imports. Import figures and their dollar or local currency equivalent are rarely publicised. According to an NDTV report, February 2017 titled World buys more weapons than ever before, India tops the list; between 2012 and 2016 India topped the chart as the worlds largest importer of weapons. Saudi Arabia was leading the list of the largest importer of weapons until PM Narendra Modi came to power in India in May 2014. In 2010, Riyadh signed a 60 billion dollar deal with the US to purchase arms and ammunitions. Last Thursdays presidential missile calling on world leaders to ban weapons that destroy mankind could not have been launched at a more appropriate venue than the Saudi-sponsored conference at Temple Trees. How did India take the worlds number one title from Saudi Arabia? A report dated January 4, 2017 published by Bloomberg titled Modi closes in on $660 million weapons deal states India was set to finalize a $660 million deal for mobile heavy artillery weapons - its third major gun purchase in the past year and a sign PM Modis defence spending spree is far from over. The Huffington Post of January 18, 2017 reported that India had been on a secretive weapons shopping spree on an emergency footing, buying up anti-tank missiles, tank engines, rocket launchers and various kinds of ammunition. The emergency purchases costing nearly US $ 3,000 million are from Israel and Russia. A United Press International (UPI) report of April 6, 2017 says the Indian Navy has signed a US $ 1,600 million contract with Israel Aerospace Industries to purchase an air and missile defence system. The Indian Premier is due to visit Israel in July; the first by an Indian leader and will sign two defence deals with the Jewish nation, according to a New Delhi based correspondent S. Venkat Narayan. The two known deals are worth US $ 1,500 million that will include the delivery of 8,000 missiles. Venkat Narayan says this is in addition to deals that had already been finalized earlier in April 2017 to deliver to India, medium and long range surface to air missiles worth US $ 2,000 million. According to a 2016 September defencenews.com report, India needs a whopping US $ 233 billion to meet its weapon and equipment requirements in the next 11 years quoting Indias Long-term Integrated Perspective Plan for 2012-2027. The plan reflects Indias outlook to solve negotiable problems through recourse to war, whether it be Pakistan, China, the Maoists or the new enemy violent extremists! Fair enough, every country must have its security strategies in place! But where are the peace plans, dialogues, reconciliation mechanisms and conflict resolution processes? Where are the NGOs? Mahatma Gandhi, the iconic founding father of mother India is no doubt dead. But did India bury or burn with him the universally respected ideals that Gandhi lived for? India is also the seat of two great religions Hinduism and Buddhism! Why is India siphoning off billions to the arms manufacturers when the country needs every Indian rupee to advance the millions of Indians below the poverty line? No doubt India has problems to be solved with Pakistan and China, problems that could be solved through dialogue among statesmen of these Asian countries, if only they would stop believing the fake and fear-mongering intelligence reports of countries that seek to sell their weapons. "Why is India siphoning off billions to the arms manufacturers when the country needs every Indian rupee to advance the millions of Indians below the poverty line? " PM Modi set a good example in May 2014, when he invited Nawaz Sheriff to New Delhi to be his guest at Modis inauguration ceremony. But within weeks, Pakistani phobic fear-mongering reports attributed to the arms mafia began to surface in the Indian media. The world also saw first signs of a down-to-earth Indian statesman when Modi arrived virtually unannounced in Islamabad in 2015 and joined Nawaz Sheriffs birthday bash in Pakistan. Once again within days of this exemplary move, fear-mongering anti-Pakistani reports, some quoting intelligence sources were circulated. The obvious reason being, it is in the interest of the arms industry to keep the two nations to remain as antagonistic as possible. Retired top military men also play a big role in this big business. Narcotic business takes a secondary place. The Indian PM had made a very welcome visit to Sri Lanka where he had participated as the chief guest in the UN recognised historical international Vesak celebrations in Colombo signifying peace and harmony. All Sri Lankans joined in the celebrations with best wishes! He would have, no doubt recalled the greatest gift that Sri Lanka had received from India, two millennia ago; Buddhism, with its universal message for mankind of tolerance and compassion. His visit carried a message to the regions women, children and the elderly, the first casualties of all wars, to emulate Prince Siddartha who will always be remembered as the global role model who gave up arms, instead, preferred to receive alms. It was indeed a great event to all those who loved peace in our region. (The views expressed here are the writers own and do not reflect the official position presently or previously held by the writer- mm_zuhair@yahoo.com) A 45-year-old woman was killed and another two were injured when a van crashed into a container truck on the Southern Expressway (E01) this morning. Police said the van traveling from Kottawa to Matara had crashed into the truck at the 25.5L KM post. The injured were admitted to the Nagoda Hospital. The deceased was identified as a resident of Kotte. Police said the accident occurred when the driver of the van had fallen asleep at the wheel. Nearly two weeks after 10 Iranian border guards were killed in clashes near Mirjaveh, a town near the Iran-Pakistan border, the head of Irans armed forces, Major-General Mohammad Baqeri, warned Islamabad that his country would attack areas sheltering terrorists in Pakistan unless it tightened control over its borders and stopped what he called cross-border attacks. Jaishul-Adl (Army of Justice), a Sunni armed group fighting for independence in Irans Sistan-Baluchestan province, claimed responsibility for the attack. The comments came days after Iranian foreign minister Mohammad Javad Zarif visited Islamabad to discuss improving border security between the two nations. Kidnapping This is nothing new in Iran-Pakistan ties. Even in 2014 Iran had threatened to send troops to Pakistan to retrieve five Iranian border guards kidnapped by Jaishul-Adl. What is different today is that Irans rivalry with Saudi Arabia to enhance influence in the region is at its peak. And Pakistan has turned closer to Saudi Arabia with the former Pakistan chief of army staff, General Raheel Sharif, recently being appointed the head of the Saudi-backed Islamic Military Alliance to Fight Terrorism. Pakistan and Iran are bound by cultural, tribal and religious bonds. Iran became the first state to recognise the new nation in 1947, and the two neighbours soon developed a strong partnership, signing a treaty of friendship in 1950. Some of this was geopolitical. Pakistan found a natural partner in Iran after the Indian government chose to support Egyptian President Gamal Abdel Nasser who sought to export a pan-Arab ideology that threatened many Arab monarchies, a number of which were favoured by the Iranian Shah. Iran was a natural ally and model for Pakistan for other reasons as well. Both had majority Muslim populations but remained secular, centralised, and Western-oriented in practice. Both countries granted the other most-favoured nation status for trade purposes; the Shah offered Iranian oil and gas to Pakistan on generous terms, and the Iranian and Pakistani armies cooperated to suppress the rebel movement in Balochistan. Both countries also became major bulwarks of US policy in West Asia. Both were firm US allies and members of the anti- Soviet Baghdad Pact. In 1971, however, the geopolitical situation began to shift. The withdrawal of British forces from the Persian Gulf left the US to fill the vacuum, making Saudi Arabia far more important in Americas strategic calculus. Pakistan's defeat in its 1971 war with India and the loss of half its territory with Bangladeshs independence led it to court China as a means to balance India. Pakistan also sought closer ties with the Arab states in order to isolate India, and thus weakened its ties to Iran, even though Islamabad-Tehran relations remained cordial. Photo: Indiatoday.in The Shahs fall in 1979 was a blow to Pakistan. Ayatollah Khomeinis anti-American posture worried the Pakistani authorities, as did the prospect of any export to Pakistan of Khomeinis radical views. After all, in 1979, perhaps 20 per cent of Pakistans population was Shia and, at the same time, Khomeinis religious rhetoric sparked radicalism across the sectarian divide. Nevertheless, Islamabad offered an olive branch to Tehran. Pakistan was among the first countries to recognise the new Islamic Republic and was among very few countries in the region that refrained from supporting Iraq during the Iran-Iraq war. Pakistan emerged as the frontline state in the US struggle to expel the Soviets from Afghanistan. Here, the Pakistani military regime under General Zia-ul-Haq did try to coordinate with the Islamic Republic but, in practice, Islamabad cooperated much more fully with Saudi Arabia, which bankrolled Pakistani military programmes. Advantage Tehran did not want to cede the advantage to Islamabad, and continued to fight for influence in Afghanistan, even as the Pakistani- and Saudi-backed Taliban consolidated control over 90 per cent of the country. This proxy fight, however, polarised Afghanistan and brewed further Pakistan-Iran mistrust. In 1998, after an incident in which the Taliban sacked an Iranian consulate in Mazari-Sharif and murdered six Iranian diplomats and some agents, the Iranian military massed some 70,000 troops on its border with Afghanistan and blamed Pakistan, claiming that Islamabad had assured the safety of its diplomats. Iranian President Mohammad Khatami, however, helped walk Iran back from the brink of war. Sectarian Communities of five million Baloch tribesmen stretch across south-western Pakistan and south-eastern Iran. Balochis on both sides of the border feel neglected, on sectarian grounds in Iran and on ethnic grounds in Pakistan, and nationalist sentiments have long simmered. While the Shah helped the Pakistani army crush Baloch insurgencies in the days prior to his ouster, insurgency has again erupted with both Pakistani and Iranian officials accusing each other of aiding the insurgents. In June 2008, Jundallah terrorists, an insurgent Balochi group operating from Pakistan, kidnapped 16 members of Irans paramilitary Law Enforcement Forces and, over the course of months, executed all of their hostages. Tehran blames the Pakistani government for sheltering the group even though Islamabad has also declared Jundallah a terrorist outfit. Sectarian tension has also complicated relations. In the 1980s, several radical groups sponsored by Pakistani intelligence began a systematic assault on Shia symbols and mosques in Pakistan. Pakistani Shia groups, with Iranian assistance, responded by forming their own militias. The continued targeting by Sunni terrorists of Pakistani Shias remains an Iranian concern. Pakistan today stands accused by its three neighbours of exporting terrorism India, Afghanistan and Iran. New Delhi should build on this regional convergence to carve out a sustained policy against Pakistan even as it should engage Iran in Afghanistan as well as fast-tracking projects such as Chabahar and the North-South Transport Corridor. Pakistan was rocked by a deadly blast on May 11 in a small town of Balochistan, killing 25 and injuring many. The lethal bombings also targeted Abdul Ghaffoor Haideri, deputy chairman of the senate when he emerged after addressing a Friday congregation. This is yet another incident which hits hard the nation, which continues to promote terror in India, Afghanistan and Iran but is completely oblivious to what's happening in its own backyard. Notably and in acts of extraordinary coincidence, Pakistan has been in the news in the last couple of days for all the wrong reasons, drawing flak for abetting and causing terror. The affected parties are now waking up to the concern by dastardly acts of Pakistan and they seem to be actively planning some result-oriented strategy to address the problem. It began with a direct threat issued (May 9) by Maj Gen Mohammad Baqeri of Iranian counter-terror operations, stating that Iran will carry out strikes at all safe havens and cells within Pakistan, wherever they are. Such a warning comes in the wake of the Pakistan-inspired terror outfit Jaish-Ul-Adl (Army of Justice) carrying out sinister attacks killing ten Iranian guards, in an act of violence in Mirjaveh on the Iran- Pakistan border. This extremist outfit, intelligence officials assertively claim, draws moral and material support from the Pakistan intelligence agencies, which is aimed at fomenting disturbances and subversion in Iran's impoverished Sistan Balochistan province, where a Sunni-dominated lot has been demanding an end to alleged discrimination by the Shias and the government of Iran. It is worth recalling that in 2014, Iran had cautioned Pakistan with direct action against Jaish-Ul-Adl for kidnapping Iranian guards, and one of them was killed too. Pakistan had immediately apologised and assured action against this terrorist entity. However, the current threat given by Maj Gen Baqeri to target safe havens and cells within Pakistan is strong in tenor and the message is loud and clear. It's very likely that Iran would prove that such warnings are real by hitting hard at these targets. Iranian intelligence is in possession of the locations of sympathisers and activists who have been targeted in these killings. Iran's patience seems to be running out as it has exhausted all options, including diplomatic ones. Iranian foreign minister Mohammad Javad Zarif was in Pakistan last week, and during his meeting with Pakistani Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif, he conveyed his country's concern over the guards' killings, urging Sharif to rein in the terrorists carrying out covert cross-border operations through Jaish-Ul-Adl at the behest of Pakistani intelligence. Amid such warnings, Afghanistan too has cautioned Pakistan to refrain from abetting terror operations on Afghan soil, abusing Taliban and other terror groups continuously and targeting Afghanistan infrastructure. Pakistan's incessant terror campaigns inside Afghanistan and Iran seem to have a profound negative impact on these two Pakistani neighbours who may now consider looking at India for joint covert operations to try and put Pakistan on the backfoot. This, according to some senior security experts, both in Iran and Afghanistan, is operationally possible as they perceive that Indian agencies are professionally and operationally competent to handle such scenarios. Their expectations are also believed to be based on the fact that India too is constantly needled by Pakistan through cross-border operations in Kashmir, so they assume that it will be a ready player as an affected party to assist these two friendly countries from Pakistans nefarious designs. Having said that, it remains a million dollar question whether India will stick its neck out to ally with Iran and Afghanistan on these operations, albeit covert. Against the backdrop of these developments, director of US national intelligence Daniel Coats told (on May 11) the select committee on intelligence during his congressional briefing that Pakistan-based terror groups have plans to attack India and Afghanistan. Photo: Indiatoday.in Based on credible and pure intelligence, Coats further disclosed that intelligence analysts have assessed that the Taliban is likely to continue to make gains, especially in Afghan rural areas. Significantly, he further gave out that Pakistan is expanding its nuclear arsenal in pursuing tactical nuclear weapons. Coincidentally again, the US in a very recent move has imposed sanctions on Pakistan-based terror groups, including Lashkar-e-Tayyeba (LeT), Taliban, Jamat-ud-Dawa and Jamat-ul-Dawa-al-Quran and ISIS Khorasan. These sanctions seek to affect the financial support networks of terrorists based in Pakistan and engaged in suicide bombings and violent insurgent operations. This was confirmed by John Smith, director of the Treasury's Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC). It would appear from these happenings that the US is serious in tightening its grip on Pakistan, forcing it to control terror. The next steps in counter-terror plans would be worth watching with regard to Pakistan. Pakistan has no one in the region except China to extend support in pursuit of its destructive designs. With recent US assertions and muscle-flexing with Iran and Afghanistan steadily becoming proactive, India can revisit its anti-terror strategy with focus on Pakistan to meet the fresh challenges. Some kings are born great, others have greatness thrust on them - centuries later. But even though comparisons are odious and both Jalaluddin Mohammed Akbar and Maharana Pratap cannot be placed on the same pedestal - there must be some gold standard by which the greatness of a king can be measured? The benchmark possibly can't be longevity, though a king who ascends the throne at the age of 14, which Akbar did, and ruled for 49 years is bound to have accomplished much more. Maharana Pratap, on the other hand, neither had the time, nor the resources on his side; nor did he have the backing of the other Rajput clans; he also spent the first half of his life cooped up in Mewar and the second half on the trot in the Aravalli hills after he lost the Battle of Haldighati. But even though Maharana Pratap finds just a mention in the postscript to Mughal history he is surely embedded in the collective social consciousness in his native Rajputana, having left an imprint in the sands of time for his valour and tenacity - primarily for cocking a snook at Emperor Akbar. Or is greatness to be seen through the prism of conquests and annexation? Akbar's litany of acquisitions stretched from the frontiers of Persia to Assam and Burma and from the Hindu Kush and the Himalayas to the Godavari river. Considering that the Mughal empire was almost tottering when Akbar ascended the throne under the tutelage of his guardian Behram Khan, there is surely much to celebrate. Maharana Pratap had no durable conquests to his credit, he was not able to redraw the contours of his kingdom and for all his valour, he was not able to liberate Chittor, though he was able to claw back and wrest Mewar from the Mughals. But at that point, historians tell us, Akbar was more concerned about the Afghan threat up North and less about what was happening in his backyard in Rajputana. Moreover, by then Akbar had already weaned away most Rajpur rulers and was not unduly worried about the Maharana. What really stands out about Akbar's reign was not just the vigorous territorial expansion but the manner in which the Emperor reached out to the tiniest principalities and convinced them that if they aligned with him, they would be able to manage their fiefdoms with some semblance of autonomy. Where political manoeuvres failed, Akbar decided to secure alliances, especially with the formidable Rajput rulers, with marriage almost becoming an instrument of State Policy. However, Maharana Pratap was not inclined to allow himself to be co-opted like the other Rajput rulers of his ilk, many of whom were content with plum postings in the Mughal court, looking at the arrangement as some kind of perpetual bondage. Akbar, in all fairness, made several diplomatic overtures but Maharana was not inclined to play along; he even rebuffed an invite from Akbar to appear in the Mughal court. It was this diplomatic standoff with Akbar that finally resulted in the Battle of Haldighati. So, Maharana is remembered not so much for his conquests as his tenacity - a doggedness that he exhibited even on the deathbed, when he is believed to have asked his son to carry on the "war" against the Turks. Result: Pratap's persona is the stuff of folklore - his robust build, his valour in the battlefield, the manner in which he sliced open a Mughal soldier and his horse in half, how he led from the front in the Battle of Haldighati against a numerically stronger Mughal army - possibly with double the numbers. Even his horse Chetak has been immortalised in a poem by that name. Historians, too, seem to agree that Maharana had the battle of Haldighati all nicely sewn up having sliced the right and left flanks of the Mughal army, which was largely incapacitated by their failure to move heavy artillery in the rugged terrain. But he was not able to hold out when Akbar ordered the reserves into the battlefield. However, from all accounts, the Mughals were not able to match the Rajputs man-to-man in conventional combat. But quite unlike the Mughal emperor, Maharana was not able to build a lasting partnership with like-minded rulers, except for pairing with the tribals while he was hiding in the Aravalli hills. From these forested sanctuaries he continued to needle the kings who had aligned with Akbar, waging what is described in modern day parlance as jungle warfare. He was also able to regroup what remained of his motley group and plan the recapture of Mewar but unable to stall Akbar's territorial overreach. Maharana remained just a blip on Akbar's radar after he lost the decisive battle of Haldighati, but his unconventional warfare tactics did resonate decades later, with both Shivaji and Guru Gobind Singh in their incessant fight with the Mughals. But to look at Pratap's intransigence as a precursor to some kind of a Hindu resurgence would be going off the tangent. What really made Akbar "great" was his well crafted policy of integrating rather than assimilating all subjects - both Hindu and Muslim - within the mainstream. They co-existed in a mixed milieu, even as they seemed to inhabit two different religious streams. Akbar's excellent understanding of the dynamics of the Hindu-Muslim interface gave him the confidence ''to bring all non-Muslims in Muslim territories within the ambit of the same law, the Shari'a, but he also allowed the Hindus in territories under their control to remain under their own law, called the Dharmashastra, and to retain their own courts''. Also, his bureaucracy had a Hindu face in Todar Mal and numerous others, even though the administration was entirely "Islamic in spirit". Even if greatness is all about administrative acumen, Akbar acquitted himself rather well: he was not only able to weld the geographically contiguous but disparate units into a coherent whole, but he was also able to put in place a superstructure of territorial autonomy, even in areas that were dominated and presided over by Hindu overlords. Akbar seems to satisfy all other prerequisites of greatness as well: he acquired a reputation for being a benign monarch who was in sync with the sensibilities of his subjects; the abolition of the pilgrim tax and the land and revenue reforms - he allowed a minimal deduction in farm yield - further reinforced this notion of a well-meaning monarch. But for some "greatness" is all about religiosity: how many temples or mosques did the king build - that becomes the touchstone. Akbar went a step further: he offered his subjects his own indigenous spiritual project of a syncretic religion called Din-e-Ilahi but stopped short of imposing it on even his Muslim subjects. "I love my tits being out - yup, thats what Kendall Jenner said in a video interview with W magazine last year. Jenner is known in the US for mastery of social media outlets to expose her feline figure, sometimes even justifying her publicity obsession by joining feminist movements such as free the nipple. In her most recent public appearance at the Met Gala, she wore a one-string La Perla dress which looked more like a fishing net than a gown and when I refer to a fishing net, I mean a bad performing one incapable of catching anything due to the large holes. It did, however, catch her butt. Should we call this free the butt? With a straight face and ultimate optimism, when my daughter asked me if there was a typo in the small INDIA printed on the May edition, I tried to position Kendall Jennar as a champion of Indian heritage and culture. After all, she agreed to leave her $6.5 million Hollywood Hills home to model in a 16th century palace. Not only is the Samode Palace a building of historical significance but a crucial revenue source in a city that thrives on tourism - three major trade promotion organisations have offices in Jaipur. My daughter didnt buy it and neither did Vogue Indias readership. In Jennars words: My favourite thing about doing photo-shoots is just being able to have fun, meeting new people, getting dressed up and I just love doing it. So, I have a lot of fun. And thats exactly what she did in India. She agreed to a photo-shoot with Mario Testino, she met a lot of Indian people, she wore clothes by Indias hottest designers and she probably had a lot of fun. Or did she? Purpose or fun? We will never know. Her IG account where she has no problems posting the most trivial things was void of any account of her trip to India. Absolutely nothing about her India trip. In fact, the photo posted most recently in time to the KJ May Day publication was of Kendall on a boat somewhere holding a glass of white wine. Her caption: carefree Kenny. Looks like she didnt have fun, after all. Vogue India (944k followers) receives on average 15-30 comments per post. The post of KJ May Day Collectors' Edition Cover beckoned over 2,000 comments - 99 per cent negative. Followers were upset that a foreigner was on the cover. The comments were as follows: Boooooooo, Ten-year anniversary and you pick her? Shes already ruined Pepsi, dont let her ruin Vogue India; Is this a joke?; Extremely disappointing especially since India has a bad history with skin-whiting products and stigma to have dark skin. You put a white model with no connection to India to show girls this is the beauty standard; Just trying to do the math on this one out of over a billion people in India (and likely over 500 million) you chose a foreigner. Yet another example of how Indians obsess about being white. How embarrassing. I did find a few lonely positive comments but noticed they were from Indian actors and socialites who often frequent Vogue covers. Lisa Haydon, Indian model and actress, responded Love it. Could Vogue India have made such a big mistake? Is there a Kendall of hope to this story? Lets take a look at Vogue Indias history of covers. For starters, this is not the first time a foreigner graced the cover. No one was offended when Gisele Bundchen wore a skimpy bikini in the September 2009 cover. No public outrage when Victoria Beckham wore a tika on the November 2008 issue. What about Sarah Jessica Parker in the February 2010 cover? Has she ever set a Manolo Blahnik on Indian soil? Cindy Crawford was on the 3rd anniversary (October 2010) issue and spoke about everything from retirement to selfies but nothing about India - Mario Testino yes. But public outrage for showcasing a foreigner? None. If I did a skin complexion comparison of Kendall Jenner versus Cindy Crawford, Sarah Jessica Parker, Gisele and Victoria Beckham, Jenner probably has the darkest pigmentation out of all of them. The IG comments go on and on about not wanting a foreigner even drawing comparisons to imperial India and Indias willingness to be subjects of white domination. Where were these voices when Victoria Beckham, Sarah Jessica Parker and Cindy Crawford were on the cover? Herein lies the issue which is something we all have to stand against. The issue is not that it is a foreigner on the cover. The issue is that it is Kendall Jenner on the cover. Lets make that clear. If we had Lupita on the cover of Vogue India, would there be such an outrage? Probably not. We have no problem with Cindy, Jessica, Victoria but we have a major problem with Kendall Jenner. And herein lies the ultimate question; who created Kendall Jenners popularity? Was it Vogue India? NO! Was Vogue India grossly negligent in upholding their duty to protect their readership from an impression of foreign domination? No. Could Vogue India have chosen another model? Yes. The bottomline is that Vogue India did not create Jenners popularity and is probably just as confused by it as we all are. Come on, a celebrity that is famous because of her sister who created a sex video back in October 2002. Jenner has been on the covers of Vogue US, Allure, Bazaar, Glamour, Teen Vogue, Garage you name it. She has over 80 million followers on IG ranking her number 11 - way ahead of even Michelle Obama (13.5 million) and numerous other female role models we hail. May I note that Jenners sisters give her company at #7, #8 and #17. What disappoints me is our quick reaction and finger-pointing at Vogue India when we do not hold these 80+ million people responsible for encouraging such celebrities to rise. Celebrities who are made famous via sex tapes? Celebrities who actually think a can of soda can solve deep-rooted racial tensions. Celebrities who travel to India for opportunities of fame, gain even more followers and then leave Vogue India alone to defend itself while sipping away as carefree Kenny on a boat somewhere. Gildan Activewear Inc. manufactures and sells various apparel products in the United States, North America, Europe, Asia-Pacific, and Latin America. It provides various activewear products, including T-shirts, fleece tops and bottoms, and sports shirts under the Gildan, Gildan Performance, Gildan Hammer, Comfort Colors, American Apparel, Alstyle, and GoldToe brands. The company also offers hosiery products comprising athletic; dress; and casual, liner, therapeutic, and workwear socks, as well as sheer pantyhose, tights, and leggings under the Gildan, Under Armour, GoldToe, PowerSox, Signature Gold by Goldtoe, Peds, MediPeds, Therapy Plus, All Pro, Secret, Silks, Secret Silky, and American Apparel brands. In addition, it provides men's and boys' underwear products, and ladies panties under the Gildan and Gildan Platinum brands; and ladies' shapewear, intimates, and accessories under the Secret and Secret Silky brands. The company sells its products to wholesale distributors, screen printers, and embellishers, as well as to retailers and lifestyle brand companies. The company was formerly known as Textiles Gildan Inc. and changed its name to Gildan Activewear Inc. in March 1995. Gildan Activewear Inc. was founded in 1946 and is headquartered in Montreal, Canada. The Hartford Financial Services Group, Inc. provides insurance and financial services to individual and business customers in the United States, the United Kingdom, and internationally. Its Commercial Lines segment offers workers' compensation, property, automobile, liability, umbrella, bond, marine, livestock, and reinsurance; and customized insurance products and risk management services, including professional liability, bond, surety, and specialty casualty coverages through regional offices, branches, sales and policyholder service centers, independent retail agents and brokers, wholesale agents, and reinsurance brokers. The company's Personal Lines segment provides automobile, homeowners, and personal umbrella coverages through direct-to-consumer channel and independent agents. Its Property & Casualty Other Operations segment offers coverage for asbestos and environmental exposures. The company's Group Benefits segment provides group life, disability, and other group coverages to members of employer groups, associations, and affinity groups through direct insurance policies; reinsurance to other insurance companies; employer paid and voluntary product coverages; disability underwriting, administration, and claims processing to self-funded employer plans; and a single-company leave management solution. This segment distributes its group insurance products and services through brokers, consultants, third-party administrators, trade associations, and private exchanges. Its Hartford Funds segment offers investment products for retail and retirement accounts; exchange-traded products through broker-dealer organizations, independent financial advisers, defined contribution plans, financial consultants, bank trust groups, and registered investment advisers; and investment management and administrative services, such as product design, implementation, and oversight. The company was founded in 1810 and is headquartered in Hartford, Connecticut. The Virginia State Bar is honoring an attorney with the Charlottesville-based Legal Aid Justice Center for her headline-making work over the past year. The Access to Legal Services Committee of the state bar recently announced that Angela Ciolfi, a 13-year veteran of the LAJC, is this years recipient of the Virginia Legal Aid Award. Established in 1992, the award honors outstanding legal aid attorneys who exhibit creativity in their advocacy and generate an impact thats felt beyond their own programs service area. Joining the ranks of past honorees such as Andy Block, former LAJC attorney and now director of Virginias Department of Juvenile Justice, and LAJCs executive director, Mary Bauer, Ciolfi is receiving the award just a month after taking over as the LAJCs director of litigation and advocacy. The promotion comes after seven years as the legal director of LAJCs JustChildren program. It was in that role that Ciolfi and her colleagues published a statewide report in May 2016 that found that the number of out-of-school suspensions in Virginia had increased from previous years and highlighted the detrimental effect of taking students out of the classroom setting. The report, which commends Albemarle County Public Schools for its practices in reducing out-of-school suspensions, caught media attention when it declared that Virginia schools were pushing out too many students with widespread, discriminatory overuse of suspensions and expulsions. Through analysis of data from the 2014-15 school year, the report found that nonviolent offenses accounted for the majority of suspensions, and that black students and students with disabilities were suspended disproportionately to their peers. Two months later, Ciolfis work again came into the public eye when she filed a class-action lawsuit against the commissioner of the states Department of Motor Vehicles, targeting the practice of automatically suspending the drivers licenses of people who are unable to pay their fines and court costs. The suit, filed on behalf of four indigent Virginians, contended that the practice puts low-income individuals at a disadvantage by taking away their ability to drive to work, thus paradoxically inhibiting them from being able to pay off the court fees that got their license suspended in the first place. The suit was dismissed from federal court in March due to a jurisdictional dispute a federal judge ruled that the case should be filed in the states appellate court but Ciolfi and a cadre of fellow attorneys are trying to keep the suit alive with an April motion that said the judges decision was based on mistakes of facts and law. If successful, the lawsuit could help more than 900,000 Virginians regain their licenses. Already, the U.S. Department of Justice and the Virginia chapter of the NAACP have expressed support for the effort. Her work on the DMV case is very creative, said Rachael Deane, the LAJCs new JustChildren legal director. That case is bringing to light an issue that has affected hundreds of thousands of low-income Virginians across the state. According to her coworkers, Ciolfis standout work is indicative of her broad talents and deep commitment to the LAJCs mission of providing low-income clients with high-caliber legal services. Shes truly an extraordinary talent and leader in terms of the range of skill sets that she has, Bauer said. She has brought this giant lawsuit, but she is also incredibly skilled at lobbying and mentoring people. This past spring, that focus on mentorship manifested itself in the form of the Civil Rights Litigation Pro Bono Clinic. Led by Ciolfi and Adeola Ogunkeyede, director of the LAJCs Civil Rights and Racial Justice Program, the clinic offers University of Virginia law school students the opportunity to get hands-on experience working with attorneys on a variety of civil rights cases, from the criminalization of poverty to housing discrimination, Ciolfi said in March. The idea that we are training the next generation of civil rights advocates, in many ways, that was Angelas brainchild, Bauer said. She just really believed that the work we do on behalf of low-income people is civil rights advocacy, and that its important to be teaching law students about that work, and shes done an incredible job with that. Deane agreed, calling Ciolfi exceptionally generous in her propensity to mentor junior attorneys, often offering to help with brainstorming and strategizing while simultaneously leading her own initiatives. She can do it all, Deane said. And its always with a great deal of enthusiasm and excellent-quality work. Leslie Kendrick, the UVa law schools soon-to-be vice dean, shared similar sentiments in her letter recommending Ciolfi for the Legal Aid Award, calling her the consummate lawyer and saying she could excel at any law firm or law school that would have her. It is clear to me that Angela could do anything, anywhere, Kendrick wrote. She has had other opportunities to do other things. She has made a conscious decision: legal aid is her calling. This is where she wants to be. And we are all better off for it. When reached for comment about her award, Ciolfi humbly said that in her line of work, the real praise should be directed at the clients whom the LAJC represents. I am really proud of the heroic work that legal aid lawyers do every day all over the state, and this award is a wonderful opportunity to showcase that work, Ciolfi said. But when you are trying to change systems that keep people in poverty, the real warriors for justice are our clients who selflessly sacrifice their immediate needs to prevent the next person from suffering the same fate. Ciolfi will accept the award at a luncheon during the Virginia State Bars annual meeting on June 16 in Virginia Beach. Chief Justice of the Supreme Peoples Court Nguyen Hoa Binh (L) meets with President of the Supreme Court of Cassation Giovanni Canzio (Photo: VNA) Chief Justice of the Supreme Peoples Court Nguyen Hoa Binh, who is leading a high-level Vietnamese delegation to visit Italy from May 9th-14th, has told Vietnam News Agency correspondents in Italy. The ongoing visit aims to strengthen cooperative ties with the hosts Supreme Court of Cassation via exchanging information on the respective legal and judicial systems and sharing experience in law building and judicial reform. During the working tour of Italy, the Vietnamese officials met with President of the Supreme Court of Cassation Giovanni Canzio and worked with the High Council of the Judiciary to discuss matters of mutual concerns. They learnt about the organization, authorities and missions of the High Council of the Judiciary; the independence of Italys court system; regulations on the appointment, rotation, and evaluation of capacity for judges and public prosecutors, and disciplinary procedures against judges. Binh said the two sides agreed to enhance cooperation between the courts and exchange all-level court delegations and information on crime prevention, while sharing experience in the field and stepping up collaboration in training judges and managing their activities. As Vietnam is pushing ahead with judicial reform, the experience learned from Italy will help the Southeast Asian country to improve the judgment quality and judicial operational efficiency, he added. The Vietnamese representatives also visited a judicial training school in the host country to study its organization and training of judges and public prosecutors. They are scheduled to visit France and attend the International Judicial Conference in Paris from May 14th-21st./. Canada and Australia prospered after World War II as U.S. allies and trading partners. But they are separated by the vast Pacific Ocean and face different economic and strategic challenges. Canada must deal with its colossus to the south, and Australia lives in the long shadow of a superpower to the north, China. These allies occupy some of the worlds largest land masses, yet have relatively small populations. Canadas 35.5 million people occupy 3.85 million square miles, much of it in the arctic north. Australias 23.5 million live mostly along its coasts, in a continent that comprises 2.9 million square miles, much of it semi-desert. Both are highly productive nations in economic output: Canadas GDP is $1.56 trillion (U.S.), and Australias is over $1.35 trillion. Australia and Canada were part of the British empire until 1931, when they acquired dominion status within the Commonwealth. It gave them full control over their internal affairs, but allowed London to guide their foreign policies. As a result, when Britain declared war on Germany in 1939, Canada and Australia sent troops to join British forces in Europe. Australian troops were caught in Singapore in 1942 when Japanese forces attacked the British base there. Many were captured and died in Japanese prison camps. Following the war, the two countries concluded defense alliances with the United States, replacing their earlier reliance on Great Britain for their security. Canada became a charter member of NATO in 1949, and Australia, along with New Zealand, concluded a defense alliance, ANZUS, with the U.S. in 1951. A major difference in Australias and Canadas defense relationships with the United States is their attitude toward defense expenditures and military service. Australia currently spends roughly 2 percent of its GDP on national defense and plans a major increase in its defense budget over the next five years. Canada currently spends only 1 percent of GDP on defense, among the lowest of NATO. In 2014, NATO agreed to an increase in members defense budgets to 2 percent of GDP. But Canadas government, currently headed by Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, has to initiate a plan to reach that goal. The result: Canadas armed forces remain small compared to the rapidly expanding Australian navy and air force. Two reasons account for the allies divergent attitudes toward national defense and alliance policy. One is geography; the other, domestic politics. Both countries enjoyed security for 70 years as a result of their alliances with Washington, whose navy and air forces provide security in both the Atlantic and Pacific. While Australia supported the U.S. in decisions to intervene abroad, including Vietnam and Iraq, Canada declined to give its support unless the military interventions were sanctioned by the U.N. Ottawa contributed troops to the Korean War in 1950 and sent troops to Afghanistan in 2001. But Ottawa refused to participate either in the Vietnam War or in the U.S. invasion and occupation of Iraq. Canada, like Western Europe, became complacent about defense after the Cold War ended, and failed to provide sufficient funds for its own defense until NATO decided in 2014 to increase defense budgets. Canada has lagged behind; a large factor is its public opinion. While the military is held in high regard in Australia, in Canada the military lacks wide public support. Canadas government shows little inclination to reverse that trend. The Trump administration is reluctant to press Ottawa on its lagging NATO contributions, preferring instead to focus on revising NAFTA to better protect U.S. economic interests. President Trumps highest priority is to ensure that he has Canadas and Australias full support for his efforts to coerce North Korea into stopping its nuclear threats to Japan, South Korea, and this country. But if Vladimir Putin decides to expand Russias naval operations in the North Atlantic between Norway and Iceland, both NATO allies, will Canadas navy be up to the task of helping NATO counter that threat to its northern flank? Donald Nuechterlein is a political scientist and author who lives near Charlottesville. Email him at nuechtd@cstone.net. President Tran Dai Quang (front, right) visits the Fuzhou Administrative Service Centre in Fuzhou city of Fujian province (Photo: VNA) The seminar was held in Fuzhou city of Fujian province, attracting representatives of nearly 300 businesses of Vietnam and China. President Quang, who is on a State visit to China, stressed that with total registered investment capital of over USD11.2 billion, China is one of the 10 biggest foreign investors in Vietnam. It remains the biggest trade partner of Vietnam for more than 10 years with bilateral trade approximating USD72 billion in 2016. Thanks to favourable sea, road and air connectivity, Vietnam is a gateway for Chinas products to enter ASEAN markets and is the largest trade partner of China in ASEAN. He added aside from a number of famous destinations like Ha Long Bay, Da Nang city and Nha Trang city, the continuous opening of air routes will help attract more and more Chinese tourists to Vietnam. Targeting a green economy, sustainable development and average GDP growth rate of 6.5-7 percent by 2020, Vietnam treasures all resources, of which private businesses and foreign investment are important driving forces for economic growth. It is also working to improve the investment environment and national competitiveness to attract more domestic and foreign resources, he noted. The Vietnamese leader asked enterprises of Vietnam and China to continue initiating innovative ideas in order to create a new momentum for bilateral economic partnership, especially in trade and investment. He suggested Chinese companies invest in infrastructure building, logistics, electronics and support industries while protecting the environment and actively engaging in social activities in Vietnam. While the ASEAN-China Free Trade Agreement already came into force, the two neighbouring countries boast favourable transport connectivity and many products for consumption and manufacturing that the other country does not have. Basing on that fact, they targets balanced trade at USD100 billion in the near future. President Quang asked the two sides to facilitate their strong products access to each others markets. Giving an introduction of Fujian, Governor of the province Yu Weiguo highlighted the close relationship between Fujian and Vietnamese people and the two sides economic links. Trade between Fujian and Vietnam reached USD3.4 billion in 2016, up 13.8 percent year on year, and USD820 million in the first quarter of 2017. In the last three months, 35 businesses of Fujian invested USD270 million in Vietnam. Yu emphasised that economic, trade and investment relations with Vietnam are one of the driving forces of the provinces development. He described the establishment of the friendship relationship with Vietnams Quang Ninh province during President Quangs State visit as a milestone in Fujians development./. When cattle farmer Chad Young discovered one of his cows had given birth to tripletsand later was ailing from all she had been throughhe knew it was time to ask for divine intervention. Im gonna be honest with you, its the first time I ever prayed for an animal in my life, Young said. Whether it was from his pleas or medicine from the veterinarian, the cow seems to have recovered from her labors. News of her delivery spread quickly as most farmers have to wait until the proverbial cows come home to see something that unusual. Some online sites proclaim the odds of cattle triplets as high as one in 8 million births while a more acceptable estimate seems about one in 105,000. The Young cow is known by her ear tag, No. 55, and shes a cross between a black Angus and the bigger boned breed, Charolais. Her larger frame may have helped support three fetusesand kicks from 12 hooves. Can you imagine the trauma when they were born? wondered Young, who runs his cow-calf operation on a breezy knoll appropriately named Windy Haven Farm in Stafford County. Probably none of them had much room, said Youngs father and No. 1 helper, Wayne Young. Neither knew that the cow, considered smoky colored in Charolais circles, was carrying a small herd. Shes given birth, one at a time, to at least four other calves, and there didnt seem to be anything unusual about this pregnancy. Their veterinarian, Dr. Robert Franck of Hanover County, said conceiving triplets is not a deal. Having them survive is. There are a fair number that actually conceive as triplets, but most are aborted along the way, and its rare that triplets are born alive, he said. Playing Tic-Tac-Toe Chad Young rents land from his neighbors, who called the morning of April 23 to say there were baby calves in the field. When he investigated, he saw two bull, or male, calves by themselves. A short distance away, in the woods with a female baby, or heifer, was the mother. The farmer brought the three calves to No. 55, and they all nursed. Young, his wife, Cristina, and their 5-year-old daughter, Rebecca, began bringing bottles to the babies to make sure they were getting enough to eat. That was on a Sunday, and the calvesnamed Tic-Tac-Toeseemed to be doing fine. Their mother wasnt. She drank a little water but wasnt eating. The vet visited on Tuesday and pumped her full of medicine. Thats the same day that Chad Young voiced a few appeals, praying the cow would be able to raise her offspring. By the next day, she was enjoying fresh spring grass, and in the days since then, has started to fill out from the hollow look Chad Young said she had after giving birth. Really worried Franck said the cows uterus was so large, and so full of babies, it pressed against her stomach. Even though cattle have four stomachs to process their food, females in the situation of No. 55 have a hard time getting enough to eat because they simply dont have anywhere to put it, the vet said. Because she was expending more energy than she was consuming, her body had to draw on reserves. Things get toxic quickly in those situations, and the mother cow developed a pregnancy-related infection, the vet said. The medicine seemed to clear it up, and the vet was as relieved as the farmers. Theyre doing a good job with those animals, Franck said. They really worried about them. Close to normal size The Youngs arent new to the cattle world. Wayne Young and his brother, Jerry Young, maintained Staffords last dairy farm until they sold it in 2003. Their grandfather, Edwin Young Sr., started the dairy herd in 1943, and Chad Young says he never heard about a cow having triplets. He wishes he could farm full time like his predecessors, but has to do landscaping work, along with hay and cattle farming, to pay the bills. Even more unusual than the incidence of triplets is the bulk of the bovine trinity. The vet guessed they weighed about 50 pounds each, close to normal size. Sometimes, twin calves are as little as 25 or 30 pounds, Franck said. The female calfand the Youngs arent sure if shes Tic, Tac or Toehas the shiniest black coat. Shes also got the Greta Garbo complex, as in she wants to be alone. Shes usually a few feet from her brothers, who stick pretty close to their mother. All three seem to be getting the nourishment they need from mothers milk. Soon after birth, the triplets were tripping over themselves to get to the bottle, but as their mother got better, the babies turned up their black and pink noses at powdered milk. Meanwhile, No. 55 truly has become a cash cow as shes given the farm three times as many offspring in one pregnancy. The Youngs will sell the calves as feeder calves when they reach about 600 pounds. The cow isnt the only one whos increasing the herd on Windy Haven Farm. Chad and Cristina Young are expecting their second child in early September and were scheduled to get more details, such as the babys gender, during an ultrasound soon after the calves arrived. Could triplets be in the cards for them? Chad Young practically had a cow at the mere thought. We hope its only one, he said. New Delhi: Indian conglomerate Adani Group plans to begin extracting coal from the USD 16.5 billion Carmichael project in Australia in 2020-21, its Chairman Gautam Adani has said. The Group, which has interests from ports to power, would finalise by June an investment decision for the project, which has been delayed due to protests from environmental groups. In an interview to PTI, Adani said his group is not just investing in coal but also in renewable energy in Australia, seeking to develop 1,500 MW of solar projects by 2022. "Like in India, we are investing heavily in renewable energy in Australia too," he said. It has signed pacts to build two solar farms, each with capacity of 100-200 megawatts in Queensland and South Australia. Adani said the company has scaled down the coal mine capacity in the first phase. Originally seen producing 60 million tons a year from six open-cut pits and five underground mines, a scaled-down first stage is now planned to produce 25 million tons a year of coal and will cost over USD 4 billion Other phases will come later. "We will begin work within months of getting final approval from the Australian government," he said. Projections of a global glut of coal and prolonged low prices notwithstanding, Adani is pushing ahead with plans to build the mine that would produce thermal coal to generate electricity and operate for six decades. "About 15 million tons of coal produced from the project (in the northern Australian state of Queensland) will be shipped to India for generating electricity," he said. The group has for more than five years battled opposition from green groups who are opposed to any expansion of the port, saying it will cut into the Great Barrier Reef World Heritage Area. The port is to be used for exporting coal to India. "A port already exists with capacity to handle phase-one coal," he said adding a rail line will have to be built for transporting coal from the mines to the port. The group has so far invested Australian dollar 3.4 billion on the Abbot Point port and preparatory work for the Carmichael coal mine. It has applied for an Australian government agency loan to finance the railway line. Adani said he is expecting Australian federal and state government nods for the coal project soon. The Adani Group entered Australia in 2010 with the purchase of the greenfield Carmichael coal mine in the Galilee Basin in central Queensland, and the Abbot Point port near Bowen in the north. Partnership with FIEO will help Indian exporters take their 'Made in India' products to millions of active customers across the globe New Delhi: E-commerce major Amazon India has partnered with the Federation of Indian Export Organisations (FIEO) - South Zone to train merchants on selling their products online. FIEO is the country's apex body of export promotion. Under the partnership, entrepreneurs manufacturing, retailing and exporting products will be educated on the digital business opportunity, brand building, documentation, listing methodology and Amazon services, a statement said. This includes categories like home textiles, kitchen linen, leather accessories, leather shoes, apparel, home decor products, incense and essential oils among others. Amazon India said south India has seen close to 100 per cent increase in terms of the number of global sellers in the last two years. "Starting with the textile hub of Coimbatore, these workshops will be held in Chennai, Karur, Bengaluru, Madurai, Vijayawada, Tirupur, Nilgiris District, Hyderabad and Kochi over the next two months," the statement said. Amazon also offers guidance on the type of deals sellers can offer, the kind of advertisements they can run on these platforms and how they can use social media channels to drive awareness about their listings on the various marketplaces. "Our partnership with FIEO will help Indian exporters take their 'Made in India' products to millions of active customers across the globe," Amazon India Head Global Selling Abhijit Kamra told PTI. Over 20,000 sellers today from India currently sell over 45 million products through 10 global Amazon marketplaces. "We see immense potential in the country and look forward to enabling thousands of FIEO members to expand their business through our Global Selling Programme," Kamra said. The sale to Flipkart could see Snapdeal being valued at about USD 1 billion. New Delhi: Sale of a company often leaves employees high and dry, but not in the case of Snapdeal that may offer a Rs 193 crore bonanza to its staff if the homegrown e-commerce firm is taken over by larger rival Flipkart. According to sources, if the deal goes through, the founders will give half of their payout (USD 30 million) for the proposed scheme which would cover all current employees of Snapdeal. Snapdeal has about 1,500-2,000 staffers. "The founders have asked the Board to carve out USD 30 million (about Rs 193 crore) from their settlement for payouts to the Snapdeal team. They want to ensure that the team does not get sidelined in any manner," they added. Some former senior executives of Snapdeal, who have left the firm in the last 12 months, could also benefit from the process. E-mails sent to Snapdeal did not elicit any response. The intent is also to compensate for the ESOPs that were issued to senior employees. The value of their shares and options have eroded and would be worthless once the deal is signed, one of them said. Interestingly, the deal-linked payment would also be extended to employees who do not own ESOPs to reward those staying on with Snapdeal till the proposed transaction with Flipkart is complete. If the deal goes through, Snapdeal founders will get USD 60 million (cumulative), of which half will be given to employees. Japanese conglomerate and Snapdeal's largest investor SoftBank has initiated the process to sell the beleaguered online marketplace to bigger rival Flipkart. It has managed to get Board members, which also includes the founders (Kunal Bahl and Rohit Bansal) and early investors Kalaari and Nexus Venture Partners, to agree to the potential deal. Nexus Venture Partners could get close to USD 80 million and a stake in the merged/new entity, while Kalaari could get about USD 70-80 million. As per regulatory filings, SoftBank currently owns over 30 per cent in Snapdeal, while Nexus has roughly a 10 per cent stake and Kalaari holds 8 per cent share in the firm. A non-binding term sheet to start the due diligence by Flipkart for Snapdeal is expected to be signed soon between the two parties. In the past few months, Snapdeal has seen a number of voluntary and involuntary exits. While the company has hiked salaries by up to 15 per cent, employees are concerned about their future as the impending takeover looms ahead. One of the leading contenders in the Indian e-commerce space, Snapdeal has seen its fortunes failing amid strong competition from US-based Amazon and Flipkart. Compared to a valuation of about USD 6.5 billion in February 2016, the sale to Flipkart could see Snapdeal being valued at about USD 1 billion. SoftBank had recently said it suffered a loss of USD 1 billion (Rs 6,500 crore) on its investment in Snapdeal during 2016-17, almost matching the money it put in the home-grown marketplace. The deal between Snapdeal and Flipkart, if completed, would mark the biggest acquisition in the Indian e-commerce space and change the landscape of the sector that is witnessing intense competition among players. Mumbai: Pitching for rapid movement towards digitisation of the economy, Union minister Arjun Ram Meghwal today said the government's digital initiative is crucial to curb the black market. "In this country, 22-26 per cent is shadow economy (ie illicit economic activities like black market transactions and undeclared income existing alongside the official economy)," the minister of state for finance said here. "This is a large percentage and it is not good for a nation. As and when shadow economy is constrained the gross domestic product (GDP) of the country will grow," he added. Noting post-demonetisation of high value currency notes, the country has rapidly moved towards digitisation which has helped keep a check on the shadow economy, Meghwal said 'digital India' is a necessary initiative to "hurt" the illicit economic activities. "When we have a large shadow economy, digital India will help curb it and we will be able to account for the illicit transactions. This will result in growth of consumption, investments and export and as a result GDP will also grow." The minister was addressing the 'Digital India Summit Role of Cooperative Banks in Adopting and Advancing the Prime Minister's Flagship Digital India Programme'. Meghwal observed that 2017 "would be known in history as the year of economic reforms" on account of various government initiatives, including implementation of goods and services tax (GST). "This year we made various changes to budget like merging the railways with Union budget and passed the finance bill before March 31 for the first time. Now we will roll out the goods and services tax from July 1 which will make it easier to do business in the country," Meghwal said. "GST will help it easier to do business. For instance in India, logistic charges are high compared to US and Canada but with GST these charges will come to par with these developed countries." Hailed as the biggest tax reform since India's independence, GST will replace an array of central and state levies with a national sales tax, thereby creating a single market and making it easier to do business in the country. Ministry is looking at scrapping the deposit insurance requirement as suitable insurance product for the purpose is not available in the market. New Delhi: The government is considering doing away with the mandatory deposit insurance requirement for deposit-taking firms under the company law. The deposit insurance provision is part of the Companies Act, 2013 but is yet to be made operational. The Corporate Affairs Ministry, which is implementing the Act, has been extending the deadline for implementation of this particular provision. Sources said the ministry is looking at scrapping the deposit insurance requirement as suitable insurance product for the purpose is not available in the market. The view has emerged that it would be difficult to have such an insurance product, they added. Implementation of the deposit insurance provision has been delayed over the years. A significant part of the Companies Act came into force from April 1, 2014. This provision of the Act was made as part of larger efforts to safeguard the interest of investors amid instances of ponzi schemes. In a notification issued on May 11, the ministry again extended the deadline for complying with the deposit insurance norm to March 2018. Interestingly, the ministry had proposed doing away with the norm in the bill introduced in 2016 to amend the Companies Act. It had proposed omitting requirement relating to deposit insurance and provide that deposit repayment reserve should not be less than 20 per cent of the amount of deposits maturing during the following financial year. The bill was introduced in the Lok Sabha in March 2016 and then it was referred to the Standing Committee on Finance. The panel submitted its report on the legislation in December 2016. In March this year, the Cabinet approved the amendments to the bill after taking into consideration the suggestions made by the panel. However, the bill was not introduced during the Budget session of Parliament that ended last month. Sources said the revised bill has retained the proposal to omit deposit insurance clause. Meanwhile the notification issued by the Ministry on May 11 has amended the Companies (Acceptance of Deposits) Rules, 2014. "... the companies may accept deposits without deposit insurance contract till March 31, 2018 or till the availability of deposit insurance product, whichever is earlier," the notification said. States have the flexibility to lower taxes in the existing VAT regime. But with GST, it will not be possible for states to lower taxes due to uniform GST tax rates across the country. Hyderabad: The rollout of Goods and Services Tax (GST) on July 1 is giving jitters to the industrial sector over availing incentives being extended under the present VAT regime. The TS Government has attracted nearly 3,500 industries during the past two years on the back of its 15-day online approval policy (TS-iPASS) by offering several incentives like lower tax rates and VAT exemptions. Non-tariff incentives include economical land lease terms and low power charges. States have the flexibility to lower taxes in the existing VAT regime. But with GST, it will not be possible for states to lower taxes due to uniform GST tax rates across the country. Various industries are already taking up the issue with the government, seeking clarity over the fate of various benefits being offered. The government is also concerned about how to face competition from other states when it comes to drawing industries and investors after GST comes into effect. Companies have set up units with significant investment outlays based on incentives offered by the state as part of its investment promotion policy. However, the GST Act does not clarify the fate of incentives. GST: Industries department working out modalities Companies that have based their financial projections around these fiscal incentives may have to reassess their projections in the GST regime. Officials of industries department are currently working out the modalities on how to overcome the industrial issues arising out of GST. The one option being considered could be asking investors to pay tax rates as per GST regime, said an an official of the industries department. The government will calculate how much excess they had paid under GST when compared to current VAT rates. The difference of amount will be refunded to investors later, said the official. He is involved in working out the modalities for the GST regime. The official added that there are some issues the state government faces heavy financial burden in case of huge gap in tax rates. In the GST Council meeting held earlier, Union Finance Minister Arun Jaitley made it clear that there cannot be different tax rates for different states to promote industries. He said it was up to the states to decide which incentives to continue and how much amount they would refund to investors later from the tax income they earn. Mumbai: The whole world is celebrating Mother's Day today and seems like B-town people cannot stop showering love on their mommies. From Alia Bhatt, Shraddha Kapoor to Priyanka Chopra and Sonam Kapoor, all have shared some special messages for their mothers on social media. Here are some heartfelt messages from Bollywood celebrities for their mothers: Alia Bhatt took to Instagram and shared a picture of hers in the arms of her mother and captioned it with, "" I got it from my mama " sonirazdan #happymothersday." National-award winning actress Sonam Kapoor also wished her mom by posting a cute, nostalgic pic and wrote, "My mother had a great deal of trouble with me but I think she enjoyed it MARK TWAIN @kapoor.sunita #happymothersday love you mommy!" Global star, Priyanka Chopra, who has always been really close to her mother, shared, "I aspire to be even little like her @chopramm5 happy Mother's Day to all moms and maybe and should be and I want to b n soon to be moms." I aspire to be even little like her @chopramm5 happy Mother's Day to all moms and maybe and should be and I want to b n soon to be moms.. pic.twitter.com/gPaPiVquAf PRIYANKA (@priyankachopra) May 14, 2017 Deepika, on the other hand, kept it short and simple. She wrote: Love You Ma... #MothersDayEveryday "My mommy. My best friend. The wind beneath my wings. My everything. I love you more than words can express. Thank you for being you. Happy Mother's Day!!!," noted Shraddha Kapoor. The day is especially dedicated to the woman who devotes all her life for the well-being of her child and in return for this selfless love from her, she expects nothing. The custom of celebrating Mother's Day on the second Sunday of May was first adopted by the United States, following which many other countries adopted the same. Happy Mother's Day to all the lovely mothers out there! Mumbai: Kangana Ranaut might have had a not so impressive start to the year, with her highly ambitious Vishal Bhardwaj directorial 'Rangoon' failing to make a mark at the box-office. However, the actress is all set to bounce back, with Hansal Mehta's 'Simran'. The makers released the first motion poster of the film, revealing that the teaser will be releasing on May 15. Watch the motion poster here: Speaking about Kangana, director Hansal had said, We live in a democratic county and I see it as a collaborative effort. Kangana is a thinking actor and she has collaborated with us very closely on Simran. The film has shaped up really well." Kangana plays a 30-year-old Gujarati NRI divorcee in the film. There have been reports that the film is inspired by the life of an NRI nurse in the US named Sandeep Kaur, who was imprisoned last year for robbing banks to pay off her gambling debts. Salman Khan has his plate pretty full. As he awaits Tubelights release, hes busy shooting for Tiger Zinda Hai with Katrina Kaif. But its the small screen thats vying for his attention too again. The actor, who has been hosting Bigg Boss for quite a few years now, has reportedly been approached for the third season of gaming reality show, Dus Ka Dum. While Salman did host the first two seasons of the show, which aired between 2008 and 2009, the actor seems to be charging a bomb for the new season. This demand could well be attributed for the large sums hes being paid to host Bigg Boss. Says a close source, The channel has approached Salman to host Dus Ka Dum, but the actor has quoted a huge price. Owing to this, theyre now approaching Ranveer Singh to host it. When contacted, Ranveers spokesperson confirmed, While Ranveers team was approached, the fact is that hes very tied up with existing commitments already. Currently, hes completing all his film commitments before looking at doing television. Its a medium that Ranveer is excited about, and will make his debut on TV when he can dedicate substantial amount of work and time. More than 200 flights were disrupted due to an unauthorized drone flying around an airport in southwest China's Chongqing Municipality Friday evening. Flights to and from Chongqing Jiangbei International Airport were affected from 7:20 p.m. Order was restored at 9:37 p.m., but 34 minutes later the drone appeared again. More than 40 flights were forced to land at alternative airports, while over 60 were canceled and another 140 were delayed, affecting over 10,000 passengers. This was the second time an unauthorized drone has caused disruptions at the airport this week. On Tuesday, 12 flights were forced to land elsewhere. As privately-owned drones have become increasingly popular in China, several airports have experienced flight disruptions due to illegal drone activity, which poses a threat to aviation safety. In late April, four drones were illegally flown over Chengdu Shuangliu International Airport in southwest China's Sichuan Province, which forced 58 flights to land at alternative airports, four flights to return to their departure airport, and more than 10 to be canceled. Since February, Kunming Changshui International Airport in Yunnan Province has reported at least seven drone disruptions. Local police have launched investigations. The actress looked stunning in a shimmery dark blue gown which had a plunging neckline and a thigh slit. Mumbai: The world premiere of Priyanka Chopra's Hollywood debut movie 'Baywatch' happened yesterday in Miami and as usual; the actress stole all the thunder at the red carpet. However, one incident that took place while the actress was addressing the media, that made everybody go awww at the event. As Priyanka was posing and talking to media present at the venue, her co-star Dwayne Johnson arrived, who planted a surprise kiss on the actress cheek. Everything was captured on camera and the video soon enough went viral. credit @hugogloss | Cute | #priyankachopra #dwaynejohnson #therock #baywatch A post shared by Priyanka Chopra Fan Page (@pcourheartbeat) on May 13, 2017 at 6:50pm PDT The Quantico star, who looked stunning in a shimmery dark blue gown which had a plunging neckline and a thigh slit, took to Instagram to share a group picture of the film's cast. Congratulations! Thank you to a wonderful cast. #may25th #BeBaywatch @baywatchmovie #12daystogo A post shared by Priyanka Chopra (@priyankachopra) on May 13, 2017 at 8:44pm PDT In the photo, the entire cast of 'Baywatch,' including Dwayne Johnson, Zac Efron and Alexandra Daddario, posed together for the shutterbugs. The actress also shared few videos from the red carpet. Thank you for the love Miami! @baywatchmovie premiering on May 25th in a theater near you! #BeBaywatch A post shared by Priyanka Chopra (@priyankachopra) on May 13, 2017 at 8:40pm PDT Helmed by Seth Gordon, 'Baywatch' is all set to release in India on June 2. On May 9, Terence went to school and stood in the morning assembly with his bag on, spotting which vice-principal Leslie Cotino started canning him with a baton. (Photo: ANI Twitter) Allahabad: In yet another case of corporal punishment, a Class XII student of St Joseph's School, Allahabad has become the victim of brutality of the worst kind. Serven Terence (14), lost vision in his right eye allegedly because he was caned by the vice-principal for standing in the morning assembly with his school bag on. Initially the student was being treated in Allahabad, but now is in Lucknow. The family of the victim registered the First Information Report (FIR) in the regard on last Friday against the accused in the Civil Lines police station in the city. On May 9, Terence went to school and stood in the morning assembly with his bag on, spotting which vice-principal Leslie Cotino started canning him with a baton. The baton struck his right eye which started bleeding. He was rushed to a hospital in Allahabad, then sent to Lucknow where it was found that Terence had lost vision in his right eye. Serven, who is the lone child of his parents, will undergo surgery in a month. Meanwhile, an investigation has been launched into the matter. The hawala racket, unearthed by the Visakhapatnam police on Saturday, operated from Kolkata and had illegally funnelled out money to the tune of Rs 569 crore overseas. (Photo: File/Representational) Amaravati: The Andhara Pradesh CID on Sunday took over the investigation into the remission of Rs 569 crore to foreign countries through illegal hawala channels, an inter-state racket busted by the state police on Saturday. The Crime Investigation Department (CID) took over the probe into the racket, unearthed by the Visakhapatnam police, amid indications that the case may be handed over to the CBI. According to the officials, Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu has directed Director General of Police (in-charge) N Sambasiva Rao, to act tough against the economic offenders. The Visakhapatnam police in Andhra Pradesh on Saturday claimed to have unearthed the hawala racket operating from Kolkata that illegally funnelled out money to the tune of Rs 569 crore overseas. "Going by the gravity of the case and the foreign transactions involved, the state government is also said to be considering the option of transferring the case to the CBI," the police official said. While the Income Tax Department has already conducted preliminary investigation into the case, the Enforcement Directorate, too, is said to have taken up a simultaneous probe as hundreds of crores of rupees have been funnelled out of the country. The Visakhapatnam police on Saturday registered a case against nine persons, including two chartered accountants of Kolkata, after the racket was unearthed. According to the police, a sum of Rs 680 crore was received by the hawala operators into several dubious bank accounts in Visakhapatnam, Hyderabad and Kolkata. Of the sum, Rs 569 crore was sent out of the country using fake documents. A father-son duo, Vaddi Srinivasa Rao and Vaddi Mahesh, have been named as the prime accused in the case. The duo, hailing from Srikakulam, had settled in Kolkata in mid-1980s, the police had said. Mahesh is said to be in the custody of Visakhapatnam police and is being interrogated at an undisclosed location. Two brothers hailing from West Godavari district, Achanta Rajesh and Harish, reportedly employed by Mahesh have been named as the accused. Kolkata-based CAs Prasanth Kumar Roy and Praveen Kumar Jha, investors Ayush Goyal, Vineet Goenka and Vikas Gupta are the other accused in the case, the police said. The DGP (in-charge) has convened a high-level meeting in Amaravati on Monday to review the case. Sacked Delhi minister Kapil Mishra speaks to media near his residence as his hunger strike continued on the fourth consecutive day in New Delhi on Saturday. (Photo: PTI) New Delhi: Former Delhi minister Kapil Mishra on Saturday alleged that the police were trying to "forcibly" take him to hospital based on "fake reports" given by doctors, just a day before he was planning to make another "expose". He claimed that the report of his health is "faked" by the doctors, who were directly reporting to health minister Satyendar Jain, even as a team of doctors from Ram Manohar Lohia (RML) hospital late tonight examined Mishra and said his vitals, including blood pressure and sugar level, were normal. "Before tomorrow's expose, they are spreading fake news and trying to divert attention. It is a ploy to end my hunger strike," Mishra said in a tweet. "Doctors gave fake report. They report directly to health minister Satyendar Jain," he stated in another tweet. Mishra, who was recently sacked from Delhi cabinet, had started an indefinite hunger strike on Wednesday demanding Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) divulge details of foreign tours undertaken by five of its leaders. Doctors had yesterday advised hospitalisation to Mishra due to drop in blood sugar level and dehydration. Mishra also asked the Delhi police commissioner to not take actions based on "fake reports". "Sir @CPDelhi, Please don't do this just based on a fake report. I am fighting for a big cause. It's a conspiracy," the MLA said in a tweet. In a late night development, a team of a team of doctors from RML hospital examined Mishra and said his vitals, including blood sugar level, pulse, blood pressure, is normal. However, he had mild dehydration which is due to no salt intake since last 4 days, the doctors said, adding it was a case of "starvation ketosis". Earlier a team of doctors from Aruna Asaf Ali hospital had examined him in the afternoon and evening and advised his hospitalisation. Mishra mounted a fresh attack on chief minister Arvind Kejriwal today, accusing him of using AAP MLAs as "shield" after party legislator Sanjeev Jha announced a hunger strike to counter the rebel leader's ongoing fast. Jha was detained by the police twice while he was proceeding to stage the planned hunger strike outside Mishra's residence. He later began his "indefinite strike" at Jantar Mantar. Jha has demanded that Mishra come clean on the claim that he saw Health Minister Satyendar Jain pay Rs 2 crore to Kejriwal. In an "open letter" to Kejriwal, Mishra again pressed for divulging the details of foreign tours undertaken by five leaders of the party. "How much drama will you create to hide one truth. You are trying all tactics to divert attention. Don't try any new tactic tomorrow. "You (Kejriwal) made a strategy to use MLAs as a shield. However, only one MLA came forward to be that shield?" Mishra said, adding he would make his next "expose" on Sunday. He further said "thief" is demanding to hand over all the evidences to him. "Then he would prove himself innocent by becoming a judge, a lawyer and a witness," he added. In the morning, Jha, who is an MLA from Burari, went to Rajghat, Mahatma Gandhi's memorial, to "seek blessings". "On May 7, Kapil Mishra had said that Arvind Kejriwal had met Satyendar Jain where he paid him Rs 2 crore. My question to him is at what time did he meet the chief minister. Which car did he use? I have the entire day's video footage (of people entering Kejriwal). "The whole world knows about Kejriwal's credentials and he (Mishra) should give evidence to back his claim. If it turns out to be true, even I will join him in his hunger strike against Kejriwal," Jha said. Mishra hit back at Jha with another "open letter" and "advised" him to drink lots of water during the hunger strike. The Ministry of External Affairs was responding to an RTI query seeking to know the action taken by the government for bringing back Jamaat-ud Dawah chief Saeed and fugitive gangster Ibrahim. (Photo: File) New Delhi: The Ministry of External Affairs has said that it has not received any request from the probe agencies for extradition of 26/11 Mumbai attack mastermind Hafiz Saeed and 1993 Mumbai bombings accused Dawood Ibrahim from Pakistan. The ministry was responding to an RTI query seeking to know the action taken by the government for bringing back Jamaat-ud Dawah chief Saeed and fugitive gangster Ibrahim. "The ministry of external affairs has not received any request for extradition/deportation/return in respect of Hafiz Sayeed and Dawood Ibrahim from the investigating agencies concerned in India," it said. Ibrahim is the main accused in the 1993 serial bomb blasts case in Mumbai in which around 260 people were killed, and more than 700 were injured. He fled the country post the bombings and is understood to be hiding in Pakistan at present. Saeed, also the co-founder of Pakistan-based Lashkar-e-Taiba terror group, is accused of plotting the militant attack in Mumbai on November 26, 2008, in which 166 people were killed by a group of terrorists who had entered the city through a sea route. In April, Home Minister Rajnath Singh had stated that there was no doubt that Dawood was still in Pakistan. During the last 10 years, India has sent several dossiers to Pakistan in this regard, saying Ibrahim is the key accused in the serial bomb blasts case. In 2011, P Chidambaram, the then home minister in the UPA government, had stated that Ibrahim was based in Karachi. He had also said that India would continue to push its case to bring to justice the people who had planned the 2008 attack. India has for long been advocating an extradition treaty among SAARC countries to ensure quick action against those involved in terrorist activities. Thiruvananthapuram: Kerala Police Cyberdome, the technological research and development centre of the state police in Thiruvananthapuram, has alerted individuals and organisations against the crippling global ransomware attack WannaCry. The agency also issued certain guidelines for computer and internet users in this regard. In order to prevent infection, users and organisations are advised to apply patches to Windows systems as mentioned in Microsoft Security Bulletin MS17-010, it said. The Cyberdome experts directed users to maintain updated antivirus software on all systems and check regularly for the integrity of the information stored in the databases. It also requested users to regularly monitor contents of backup files of databases for any unauthorized encrypted contents of data records or external elements, (backdoors /malicious scripts). Over the weekend, the ransomware hit systems in over 150 countries, including Russia and the UK, in one of the most widespread cyber attacks in history. In India too, there have been reports of some systems of Andhra Pradesh Police being affected. The alert comes after Europes leading security chief on Sunday warned of another imminent attack. At the moment, we are in the face of an escalating threat. The numbers are going up, I am worried about how the numbers will continue to grow when people go to work and turn (on) their machines on Monday morning, Europol Director Rob Wainwright said. The threat was escalating as cyber experts warned that another attack was imminent in coming days, he said. The global reach is unprecedented. The latest count is over 200,000 victims in at least 150 countries and those victims many of those will be businesses including large corporations, Wainwright told ITV news channel. Meanwhile, in India, Critical infrastructure agencies including banks, airports, telecom networks and stock markets have been asked to take precautions to shield themselves against the crippling global ransomware attack 'WannaCry'. While India's cyber security unit CERT-In is yet to receive a formal intimation of any major attacks, it has reached out to all government agencies and public utilities to stay alert. The IT Ministry said it has initiated contact with relevant stakeholders in public and private sector to advise them to patch their systems as per CERT-In's advisory. "The stakeholders' organisations include NIC for all government and state government systems, RBI, NPCI and UIDAI for protection of digital payment ecosystem, DoT to alert the ISPs for security of telecommunication network, Data Security Council of India (DSCI) and CDAC," it added. It is also keeping a close watch on the developments on the ransomware and is working in close coordination with all relevant agencies, it said. Indian Computer Emergency Response Team (CERT-In) Director General Sanjay Bahl said that advisories have already been issued to all Central and state government agencies. Additionally, a list of do's and don'ts have been shared with all vital installations and networks, including banks, stock markets, airports, defence, power and public utilities. "If people have already taken action and applied the software patch (issued by Microsoft), they need not worry... If they haven't, they should apply it immediately," he told PTI. The malware infected computers running on older versions of Microsoft operating systems like XP, locking access to files on the computer. The cyber criminals have demanded a fee of about USD 300 in crypto-currencies like Bitcoin for unlocking the device. Microsoft has introduced a security patch to tackle the situation. Consumers across the globe have been advised to download the solution at the earliest. The US-based software giant has also released updates for Windows XP, Windows 8, and Windows Server 2003. Bahl maintained that no "major" incidents have been brought to CERT-Ins notice yet, but was quick to add that a full assessment of the impact on ground can be made only on Monday when people return to work after the weekend. The Andhra Pradesh systems were isolated PCs and not connected to larger networks, he said. In Spain, major companies including telecommunications firm Telefonica have been infected. The most disruptive attacks were reported in the UK, where hospitals and clinics were forced to turn away patients after losing access to computers. Reports suggest that over two lakh systems globally could have been infected by the malicious software. Experts fear the situation could further aggravate as a number of computers in India run on the older operating systems and have not been updated yet. EY Partner Cyber Security Burgess Cooper said Indian hospitals could be quite vulnerable to critical infrastructure attacks as they rely on industrial systems that run on old outdated hardware. Also, the traditional manufacturing sector relies on outdated IT systems that are run by unsupported operating systems and therefore, the risk of creating havoc to public is higher, he said. The Indian Army is retaliating to the unprovoked act strongly and effectively. (Representational Image) Rajouri: The Pakistan Army on Sunday initiated indiscriminate firing of small arms, automatics, 82 mm and 120 mm mortars along the Line of Control (LoC) in Chiti Bakri area of Rajouri sector in Jammu and Kashmir. The Indian Army is retaliating to the unprovoked act strongly and effectively. Islamabad violated ceasefire post 6:45 a.m. and more than 7 villages have been targeted. At least two civilians including a minor girl were killed and nine people, including four soldiers were injured as Pakistan pounded 35 villages and Indian posts with mortars along the LoC in Jammu and Kashmir's Rajouri district yesterday. In wake of the attacks a total of 193 families, comprising of 743 persons, took shelter in camps. As many as 609 border residents were evacuated late last evening. In another development, as many as 51 schools of the Nowshera region, and 36 of Manjakote and Doongi zones have been closed for an indefinite period. The Dhola-Sadiya bridge is 3.55 km longer than the Bandra-Worli sea link in Mumbai, making it the longest bridge in India. (Photo: ANI/Twitter) Dibrugarh (Assam): India's longest river bridge, capable of withstanding the weight of a 60-tonne battle tank, will be inaugurated in Assam close to the border with China on May 26 by Prime Minister Narendra Modi. With the inauguration of the 9.15-km-long Dhola-Sadiya bridge over the Brahmaputra river, the Prime Minister will kick start the celebrations of the NDA government's three years in office from this eastern-most part of Assam. The bridge is seen as an attempt by India to shore up its defence requirements along the Sino-Indian border particularly in the Northeast besides providing easy access to the people of Arunachal Pradesh and Assam with air and rail connectivity. It is 3.55 km longer than the Bandra-Worli sea link in Mumbai, making it the longest bridge in India. "The Prime Minister will dedicate the strategically important bridge to the nation on May 26. It will bolster the road connectivity in the Northeast as the bridge will be used by people of Assam and Arunachal Pradesh besides defence forces extensively," Assam Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal said. The construction of the bridge began in 2011 at a project cost of Rs 950 crore. The design is such that the bridge can withstand the movement of military tanks. "Assam and Arunachal Pradesh have huge strategic value to the country. Since the bridge is located close to our border with China, it will help quick movement of military troops and artillery in times of conflict," Sonowal said. The bridge is located 540-km away from Assam capital Dispur and 300 km away from Arunachal Pradesh capital Itanagar. The aerial distance to the Chinese border is less than 100 km. After Kaliabhomora bridge near Tezpur, there is no bridge over the Brahmaputra for the next 375 km upstream till Dhola, where the new bridge is constructed. Currently, all the transport between the two banks of the river are being carried out through water only. The bridge, when opened for the public, will cut down the travel time between Assam and Arunachal Pradesh by as much as four hours. As there is no civilian airport in Arunachal Pradesh, this bridge will help people of the state reach the nearest rail head in Tinsukia and the airport in Dibrugarh easily. Sonowal said the delayed works of the bridge was expedited after Modi assumed the charge in 2014. The bridge was originally scheduled to open in 2015. The BJP government in Assam will complete one year in office on May 24. The bridge is one of the key projects of the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways in the Northeast and is built in public-private partnership with a construction company. New Delhi: As the Pakistan Army continued its unprovoked ceasefire violation in Jammu and Kashmir and along the Line of Control (LoC), the Congress on Sunday continued to push its agenda for a dialogue between the two hostile neighbours. Senior Congress leader Ghulam Nabi Azad told ANI, "Solution is not easy, but people and security forces of India should not give up. We have to reply to the militancy. But when there is need we need to talk also with Pakistan and other stakeholders." The Pakistan Army on Sunday initiated indiscriminate firing of small arms, automatics, 82 mm and 120 mm mortars along the Line of Control (LoC) in Chiti Bakri area of Rajouri sector in Jammu and Kashmir. The Indian Army is retaliating to the unprovoked act strongly and effectively. Azad also asserted that as hundreds of people took part in a candlelight vigil at India Gate in New Delhi to pay tributes to late Army officer Lieutenant Ummer Fayaz is admirable, adding that it proves that our country is secular. Lt. Fayaz, 24, was abducted and murdered by suspected Hizbul militants on Tuesday and found dead the next morning in an orchard in Shopian district. Lt. Fayaz hailed from Kulgam district and was an infantry officer posted in the Akhnoor area of Jammu District. He was commissioned in the Indian Army in December last year. Praising the presentations made for the event, the home minister exuded confidence that the International Yoga Day celebrations will be successful. (Photo: PTI) Lucknow: Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh and Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on Sunday reviewed preparations for the main function to mark International Yoga Day on June 21 to be attended by the Prime Minister in Lucknow. Besides Prime Minister Narendra Modi and other dignitaries, nearly 55,000 people are expected to participate in the Yoga Day event at Ramabai Ambedkar Maidan in the state capital. A spokesperson of the UP government said Singh met Adityanath to discuss and review the preparations. Union AYUSH Minister Shripad Yesso Naik was also present. The AYUSH (Ayurveda, Yoga and Naturopathy, Unani, Siddha, and Homoeopathy) Ministry is the nodal agency for Yoga Day celebrations. Praising the presentations made for the event, the home minister exuded confidence that the International Yoga Day celebrations will be successful. Adityanath said LED screens would be installed at different parks in the city so that visitors could also take part in the celebrations simultaneously. He issued directions to hold a 28-day workshop for the participants prior to June 21. The Union AYUSH Ministry had proposed Lucknow as the venue for the main function for International Day of Yoga (IDY) celebrations 2017. Earlier, the government was considering Bhopal, Jaipur, Ahmedabad, Ranchi and Bengaluru as possible venues for the main event. The ministry is also planning to organise a major yoga event in at least one city in each district across the country. The ministry zeroed in on Lucknow as the possible venue at a review meeting on the preparations for IDY which is observed on June 21. The official website of the ministry on its webpage pertaining to IDY also requests the people visiting the page to make the following pledge -- "I pledge to make yoga an integral part of my daily life." So far, 30.14 lakh visitors have taken the pledge. The first IDY celebration was organised at Rajpath in New Delhi on June 21, 2015 in which representatives of 191 countries had participated. In 2016, the main function took place in Chandigarh. The United Nations General Assembly, heeding to a call by Modi, had made a declaration in December 2014 to observe June 21 as IDY. On March 29, Adityanath, while addressing a three-day UP Yoga Mahotsava in Lucknow, had said that 'surya namaskar' was similar to namaz (prayers) offered by Muslims and those opposing the yogic exercise wanted to divide the society on religious lines. Adityanath, who had in the past lashed out at a section of Muslims for terming the practice of 'surya namaskar' as un-Islamic, said the sun salutation was a beautiful example of religious harmony. "The namaz offered by Muslims resembles different postures and asanas of surya namaskar including pranayama (breathing exercise). What a beautiful example of harmony (between two religions). But some 'bhogis' who do not believe in yoga, indulged in dividing the society on lines of caste, creed, religion and region among others," he said. "Before 2014 (when the BJP came to power at the Centre), even talking about yoga was considered communal. But things changed after Modi took steps to make yoga popular across the world," he had said. Lauding the prime minister for making yoga a global phenomenon, Adityanath had said, "PM Modi deserves all the credit for the global recognition which yoga has got." "The number of countries which participated in the International Yoga Day celebrations in 2015 was 175, which went up to 192 in the subsequent year," he said. The University Grants Commission has directed all universities to organise training programmes on common yoga protocol. It has urged vice-chancellors to personally supervise efforts in their institutions and affiliated colleges to make the plan a success. Apart from ensuring mass yoga performances on campuses, the universities have been asked to conduct discourses, lectures and talks by eminent yoga experts. The main programme would be the mass yoga demonstration from 7.00 am to 8.00 am, which will adhere to Common Yoga Protocol (CYP). Other events would include yoga fests, seminars, workshops, musical and cultural programmes. The Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) launched what believed to be a ballistic missile early Sunday, South Korea's Yonhap News Agency reported. The "unidentified missile" was fired early Sunday morning from a site near the city of Kusong in North Pyongan Province, the news agency quoted the Joint Chiefs of Staff as saying. Mumbai: Globally active ransomware virus has partially affected the computer systems in some institutions in Maharashtra, including that of its police department, a police official said in Mumbai on Sunday. The exact data about the systems hit by the ransomware, however, will be known once the offices open tomorrow, the official said. A cyber ransomware is a type of malicious software that blocks access to a computer system until a sum of money is paid through the online medium. As per reports, the ransomware has hit as many as 200,000 victims in over 150 countries. "The Maharashtra police department is partially affected due to the ransomware and the cyber experts have rushed to fix the systems in time," a senior police officer said on the condition of anonymity. "Only a small section of the computer-based data system, and not the entire system, of the Maharashtra police department has got affected. We have separated those PCs from the system and we are trying to fix it," the officer said. Apart from the police department, few other institutions, where non-upgraded versions of the Windows operating system has been in use, have also got affected due to the ransomware, the officer said. The officer, however, refused to disclose the names of those institutions "to avoid panic" in the society. "We have issued an advisory as well as a link of Windows patches that were released recently. The advisory can help people to take back-ups as well as check the security of their computer system," Maharashtra state's cyber cell head and government's information and publicity department, Brijesh Singh, told PTI. "The link of the patch is for those, who have not yet upgraded their system that quickly uses it for upgrading it. Once upgraded, the windows operating system becomes more secure," he said. According to Singh, this was not the first time a ransomware has hit the systems globally, where the elite class of hackers have used the tools of NSA of the US government, which were leaked by WikiLeaks and other similar organisations. "Those tools have been used by the hackers' group, who are now demanding ransom to release the system they had hacked," he said. Asked as to how one should trust such hackers about regaining complete access of the system, he said, "Ideally, we have instructed people not to pay the raonsom. It is true that those hackers are mostly after money and trust is crucial here. Once they get the money, the systems have been accessible to its users. Most of the reported cases of payment of ransom are from abroad." When asked about the security of the Crime and Criminal Tracking Network and Systems (CCTNS), Singh said, "Luckily, the system we use (in CCTNS) is linux-based, hence it has not at all affected. An official delegation from AP, which met chief secretary Girija Vaidyanthan, has requested Rs 362 crore from TN towards the maintenance of channels that supply water to Chennai. Chennai: Water managers in Tamil Nadu are likely to agree to with the terms and conditions of AP water supply department in sharing the maintenance cost of Sai Ganga canal that supplies water to Chennai. An official delegation from AP, which met chief secretary Girija Vaidyanthan, has requested Rs 362 crore from TN towards the maintenance of channels that supply water to Chennai. According to highly placed secretariat sources, a three-member delegation comprising chief engineer from Andhra water supply department discussed about the maintenance issues related to the canals connecting Andhra border with the Tamil Nadu zero point at Uthukottai. Tamil Nadus share that has to be released towards the Telugu Ganga project was also discussed in the meeting and it was decided to form a technical committee on the subject so that the maintenance project is taken forward. Admitting that Chennai benefited from Andhra after the neighboring state CM Chandrababu Naidu ordered the release of water for the capital city, a government official said there are some technical issues that had to be cleared between the two states. Unlike Kerala and Karnataka, there is not much problem with Andhra, the informed official said. There are differences in claims over this between the two states and the minutes of the meeting will be taken up with the TN chief minister for further action, chief secretary Girija Vaidyanathan told the visiting delegation now in Chennai, secretariat sources said. Officials of water resources departments of AP and Tamil Nadu were earlier scheduled to meet in Tirupati for further talks on Telugu Ganga water sharing, but the discussions got delayed to the political turmoil in TN, sources added. Chennai: Tamil Nadu would sanction three lakh houses in 2017-18 under the central governments Housing for All scheme, Union Minister M Venkaiah Naidu said in Chennai on Sunday. Tamil Nadu Government today assured me that it will sanction three lakh houses during 2017-18. Because after 2017-18, I am not going to sanction... 2019-20 are election years and there will not be any time, he told reporters. On funds allocated to the state under the scheme, he said the total outlay is Rs 3,855 crore. And the amount released to the state is Rs 1,433 crore so far. Tamil Nadu is one of the top performing states with reference to obtaining sanction from Government of India. The state should maintain its tempo and expedite construction of the Houses, he said. The minister also advised real estate developers to fulfil the promises made by them while placing advertisements in newspapers. I am not asking builders to do anything out of the way. What you have promised, fulfil it. What you promised through prospectus, what you have promised through big, big colourful advertisements in newspapers, fulfil it, Naidu said. I am not going to ask you what you (real estate developers) have not promised. What you promised like carpet area, show that. Whatever time you promised (for completion of project) stick to that, he said. Naidu also warned builders that they would be fined or even prosecuted if they do not follow the rules. If you do not follow rules, (realty developers) then you will be fined. And if you violate (the rules), you will be jailed, he said. The minister also had a word of praise to the real estate developers for doing a great job in the sector. The Government alone will not be able to do Housing for All scheme by 2022. I believe in Public Private Partnership and the private sector will come in big way, he said. The newly found markings, known as petrographs and drawings on the rock surface near the site. Kozhikode: In December last year, during the renovation work at Parambath Kaavu Bhagavathi Temple near Vendalloor in Malappuram, hundreds of clay dolls from during the middle ages were unearthed by the researchers. In a new development on Saturday, the research team from Calicut University has found more evidences of early human settlements from the caves near the site which depicts symbols and art works (petrographs) carved on rocks. The team also found several iron mining caves from that period near the temple site and also pits believed to be used for the cremation of bodies during those period from the adjacent Parambath Kaavu Hill. File picture of the clay dolls unearthed from the site. The site which is located near Bharatappuzha is one of the major iron ore mining centres during ancient period. There are records available which say large scale iron ore export from the area through Ponnani port to Kochi and other places. The people here believed to be led a progressive life of high standard, said Calicut University History department head Dr P Sivadasan. The weapons and tools they used for digging pits and carving the petrographs pointing to this fact, he added. The University is planning to conduct detailed study at the site by conducting workshops, survey and examination of the petrographs. Further study will help us to get new evidenced to understand the early human settlement in Kerala which would immensely help in further research, added Dr Sivadasan. Cops return from a briefing on security arrangements for the Opposition-sponsored Chalo Dharna Chowk rally without wearing helmets and one of them even talking on the phone while riding his bike. (Photo: S. Surender Reddy) Hyderabad: Going by the elaborate security arrangements in and around the Indira Park, it is clear that the Hyderabad police will leave no stone unturned to thwart Mondays Opposition-sponsored Chalo Indira Park rally demanding reopening of the Dharna Chowk. Over 1,000 police personnel have been deployed in the radius of the Dharna Chowk right from Sunday morning; barricades have been erected and razor wire protection has been put in place at all the entry points to the park. Over 20 vehicles have been kept ready in and outside NTR Stadium to shift any activists who try dodging the security cordon and entering the protected area on Monday. Though there was no traffic advisory till Sunday evening, the massive security arrangements mean that the people travelling from RTC Crossroads towards the Lower Tank Bund road are in for a nightmarish experience due to the police blocking the road at the Indira Park Junction. Meanwhile, a few locals from neighbouring LIC Colony and TRS workers held a small rally on Sunday in the area, defending the governments decision on closure of Dharna Chowk. They said that the Opposition parties cannot insist on holding rallies, public meetings and dharnas throughout the year since such activity disturbed their peace. Kavadiguda TRS corporator G. Lasya Nandita told DC that the local people were not against the Opposition holding dharnas or protests but wanted the protesters to do it at some other place and not cause inconvenience to them. People have come and represented the issue to me several times. We are only against Dharna Chowk being located at Indira Park. There are several residential colonies, hospitals, educational institutions in the area. Protests here are quite inconvenient for the people, she said. However, Indira Park Walkers Association president Dr A. Sudhakar Yadav, said that the association was only interested in development of the park and would not comment on the political issues that take place outside. He also said the walkers association would not comment either on demand to retain the Dharna Chowk there or close it permanently to restore peace to the area. Ours is the largest association, with about 5,600 members. There are walkers with different political affiliations, including me, hence we have decided not to comment, Dr Yadav said. Dharna Chowk gives parties a common goal For the first time in the three years of TRS rule, almost all Opposition parties, under the banner of Dharna Chowk Protection Committee, will come together on Monday to participate in the Chalo Indira Park rally. The showdown between the Opposition and the ruling parties will see the former trying to lay siege to the park and hold a public meeting there at 11 am. In the backdrop of the Hyderabad police making preparations for a major crackdown and possible preventive arrests, several TJAC activists, who will lead the protest, went underground on Sunday and were not reachable. Congress, TD, BJP, CPI, CPM and other Leftist parties, peoples organisations and human rights activists have decided to participate in the protest rally demanding revival of the Dharna Chowk that has been closed for the last two months. The police has stopped giving permissions to individuals, organisations and political parties to hold any kind of protest or fast on the Indira Park road. This is a first-of-its-kind situation, where the entire Opposition has come under one umbrella to protest against the government decision not to allow any protest activity at the Dharna Chowk at Indira Park. Meanwhile, members of the Dharna Chowk Protection Committee on Sunday appealed to the people of Telangana to join them and lay siege to the Indira Park on Monday. Help us teach a lesson to the state government that has been suppressing democratic dissent in the state for the last few years, the committee members said. The committee members held a meeting at Maqdoom Bhavan in Himayatnagar on Sunday where various strategies to reach Indira Park were discussed. Prof. Haragopal, who participated in the meeting, said that Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao should know that the massive agitation for a separate Telangana state started from Indira Park. He reminded that even the TRS had several times staged protests during the statehood movement from the area. Prof. Haragopal said that the people will not tolerate suppression of human rights and dissent without valid reason. Dharna Chowk gives parties a common goal For the first time in the three years of TRS rule, almost all Opposition parties, under the banner of Dharna Chowk Protection Committee, will come together on Monday to participate in the Chalo Indira Park rally. The showdown between the Opposition and the ruling parties will see the former trying to lay siege to the park and hold a public meeting there at 11 am. In the backdrop of the Hyderabad police making preparations for a major crackdown and possible preventive arrests, several TJAC activists, who will lead the protest, went underground on Sunday and were not reachable. Congress, TD, BJP, CPI, CPM and other Leftist parties, peoples organisations and human rights activists have decided to participate in the protest rally demanding revival of the Dharna Chowk that has been closed for the last two months. The police has stopped giving permissions to individuals, organisations and political parties to hold any kind of protest or fast on the Indira Park road. This is a first-of-its-kind situation, where the entire Opposition has come under one umbrella to protest against the government decision not to allow any protest activity at the Dharna Chowk at Indira Park. Meanwhile, members of the Dharna Chowk Protection Committee on Sunday appealed to the people of Telangana to join them and lay siege to the Indira Park on Monday. Help us teach a lesson to the state government that has been suppressing democratic dissent in the state for the last few years, the committee members said. The committee members held a meeting at Maqdoom Bhavan in Himayatnagar on Sunday where various strategies to reach Indira Park were discussed. Prof. Haragopal, who participated in the meeting, said that Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao should know that the massive agitation for a separate Telangana state started from Indira Park. He reminded that even the TRS had several times staged protests during the statehood movement from the area. Prof. Haragopal said that the people will not tolerate suppression of human rights and dissent without valid reason. BJP MLA O. Rajagopal, state secretary V. V. Rajesh and Thiruvananthapuram district president S. Suresh coming out of the Raj Bhavan in Thiruvananthapuram on Saturday, after meeting Governor P. Sathasivam seeking his intervention against the political violence in Kannur. (Photo: A.V. MUZAFAR) Thiruvananthapuram: The BJP has demanded the intervention of Governor P. Sathasivam to end the killings of BJP workers in Kannur and the imposition of Armed Forces Special Powers Act (AFSPA) in the district to curb the growing political violence. A BJP delegation led by Mr O. Rajagopal MLA called on the Gvernor in the wake of the murder of RSS activist Choorakkad Biju on Friday. Mr Rajagopal told reporters that since the present LDF government came to power, 14 Sangh Parivar workers had been killed by CPM men in nearly 500 attacks. The delegation comprising state secretary V. V. Rajesh and Thiruvananthapuram district president S. Suresh claimed that the LDF government was supporting the attackers in Kannur. The government is keeping mum instead of intervening to stop the violence. The centre should impose AFSPA that grants special powers to the Indian Armed Forces to act, Mr Rajagopal said. He told he Governor that the police had failed to ensure peace in Kannur and that violence was spreading with the connivance of the government. Mr Rajagopal sought the centres intervention as the RSS/BJP activists were being hunted down by the Leftist in Kannur. BJP state president Kummanam Rajasekharan has already demanded the imposition of AFSPA in Kannur. Thiruvananthapuram: Union minister of state for social justice and empowerment Ramdas Athawale said dalit atrocities were lowest in the state. Nationally, 44,000 cases of violence against dalits are reported every year. But here in Kerala, it is only 102. This shows that the government is doing well for the welfare of the scheduled caste and tribes in the state, the minister said during a press conference here on Saturday. Mr Athawale, who was in the state to review the performance of the Social Justice Department, met with senior officials of the Department on Saturday. The minister is in charge of scheduled caste, scheduled tribes, OBCs, the disabled and senior citizens. In all these areas, the minister was of the view that the state had performed well. Kerala has always been a progressive state, Mr Athawale said. The minister, however, said that BJP would come to power in the state in 2021, thanks to Prime Minister Narendra Modis popularity. See what happened in Uttar Pradesh. The prediction was BJP would lose because of demonetization but, as it turned out, the party won big, Mr Athawale, the leader of Republican Party of India (Athawale). He also hinted that his party RPI(A) would fight in the next Assembly elections in the state. He approved the election of new office-bearers for the state unit of the party on Saturday. DISABLED-FRIENDLY BUILDINGS: Mr Athawale said that the Centre would soon tweak rules to make public buildings disabled-friendly. The Centre had launched 'Accessible India' campaign in December 2015 to make 50 per cent of the buildings in each of state capitals accessible to disabled persons. In November 2016, the Supreme Court had pulled up the Centre for not acting on the promise. The minister said that the disabled in the country would also be given an identity card that would facilitate easier access to government services. A survey is already on for the purpose, Mr Athawale said. Bengaluru: He has always been outspoken. Never one to mince his words, veteran Congress leader, Adaguru H Vishwanath, has of late taken on Chief Minister Siddaramaiah himself, even shooting off a letter to AICC general secretary, K C Venugopal decrying the lack of democracy within the party. With rumours of his quitting the Congress doing the rounds, Deccan Chronicle caught up with the former Member of Parliament from Mysuru to discuss the issues bothering him and whether there was any possibility of a patch- up with the Chief Minister. Admitting that he could quit the party, Mr Vishwanath appeared to be most disappointed by the disrespect shown to seniors by Mr Siddaramaiah. Defending his decision to go public with his grouses, he said he had no choice as no one cared to discuss such issues within the party. We don't feel this is our government in power in the state, he lamented. Excerpts from the interview: Your party colleague, Janardhan Poojary feels the Congress may lose the coming 2018 elections to the state assembly. Do you agree? If we look back at the Congress political history its easy to see what could happen as it has all happened in the past. The party has decided to go to the polls under the leadership of Chief Minister Siddaramaiah. If voted to power, he will be CM again. What is your take on this? Exercising their franchise is upto the people. The party can only canvass. I cant say anything. The party will have to go to the people next year for the assembly elections. What is it going to tell the voters? The Siddaramaiah government has completed four years in power. What are its achievements and why do you think there is such a negative atmosphere in the state? (pause..) It was alright earlier, but gradually things have worsened, There is a negative atmosphere in the state, because of the arrogance of the Chief Minister. In a democracy nobody is king and we are answerable to the public. But Mr Siddaramaiah thinks he is king and cannot be questioned. You gave a three- page letter to AICC general secretary, K.C. Venugopal in which you accused the Chief Minister of being arrogant and claimed there was no internal democracy in the party . But Mr Siddaramaiah says he is very democratic in his functioning. Can you explain why you feel this way? He is only praising himself when he says he is democratic. A leader who is democratic listens to others and respects them. But Siddaramaiah has not treated some senior leaders with respect. There is no internal democracy in the party either. Internal democracy means convening meetings with senior leaders and discussing the omissions and commissions of the government in party forums . I was defeated in the parliamentary elections held three years ago and so were others. But till date neither the Chief Minister nor the KPCC president has convened a meeting to discuss what happened and why. Nobody invited us to talk about this and we dont feel we are a part and parcel of this government or that this is our partys government in the state. Neither the way the Chief Minister or the KPCC president functions is fair. They are both adamant and arrogant. Why did you make your allegations public? Many in your party claim you are publicity hungry. I am not making allegations against anybody. What I am saying is the truth. It is factual. The party and the government want us to express our views in a party forum. But where is the forum? There is no party platform where we can discuss and sort out our problems. So it is inevitable for us to take our problems out on the streets and go to the media. They are talking about party discipline but I am talking about the partys functioning. After five years you have not taken party workers into confidence, although they are the ones who are expected to work for you in the next elections. You said you may leave the party. Why so and if you do, which party are you likely to join? I may (leave). I am consulting my friends and party colleagues. Till my last breath I will consider the Congress party as my mother. But there are many reasons . Only when I resign, will the question of which party I should join will arise. When Mr S M Krishna decided to leave the party, you advised him not to. But now you want to leave yourself. It is not because of just one person. There are many reasons. When Krishnaji quit the party he said nobody respects us seniors or listens to us or takes us into confidence anymore. Five years ago at a Kuruba convention in Davanagere you proposed that Siddaramaiah should become CM. Do You regret that now? Yes, I now regret proposing his name. Exactly when did your friendship with Mr Siddaramaiah turn sour and why? It all happened gradually. I never went to him with any demands or any expectations. My only wish was for the party to flourish. People of Karnataka had voted for us with a lot of expectations. But they have not been fulfilled and this is what we are trying to convey. Is there a possibility of a patch- up between you and the Chief Minister? No , there is none. There are many reasons. Siddaramaiahs attitude is one of them. A massive cyberattack brought computers to a halt on Friday and Saturday, the malware affecting over one lakh computers and systems in nearly 150 nations worldwide, ranging from the UK National Health Service to a French carmaker with an alliance plant in Chennai, the German railways, the Andhra Pradesh police and entire Russian systems. Such ransomware attacks are commonplace, with an estimated 600 million attacks likely recorded in 2016 alone. This particular worldwide security threat, which hasnt yet run its course, was dismantled by a UK security expert who activated an address that the kill switch in the ransomware was compelled to search for. The whole containment process happened quite by accident, security experts said. The attack on Britains NHS was potentially the most devastating as thousands of patients appointments were cancelled, ambulances rerouted, records lost and chaos followed, despite the warnings delivered, some as recently as last year, on the vulnerability of outdated systems. The suspicion that the vulnerability of systems around the world were exploited by a hacking tool thought to have been developed by Americas National Security Agency exposes the fact that governments may be the ones most to blame as their intelligence agencies are the ones who create such openings to spy on people through the communications networks linking smartphones by exploiting loopholes in their operating systems. Its possible an NSA contractor may have been careless in leaving the hacking tool on an unsecured computer from which it was stolen by a hacking collective, that may have auctioned it on the dark net, although it came as a crumb of comfort that a domain name costing less than Rs 800 to create may have found the antidote to stop this virulent attack, the worst in the new millennium since the Love Bug virus. Its known organisations like the NSA develop tools to exploit computer systems in order to spy on people, including potential terrorists and their plots, of course. The fact is that a cache of cyber weapons was said to have been stolen from the NSA by the same collective behind the WannaCry ransomware that created the biggest-ever extortion racket to hit the Internet. The harsh lesson to be learned is that we have to better protect our systems, at the individual, corporate and government levels. With several books on military strategy and security to his credit, Maj. Gen. Afsir Karim (Retd) is a well-acknowledged expert on Kashmir.A former member of Indias National Security Advisory Board, Gen. Karim is a veteran of several wars and also commanded an infantry brigade in Kashmir on the Line of Control. He spoke to Sanjib Kr Baruah of the latest plethora of troubles and unrest in the Kashmir Valley. Excerpts from the interview: The Kashmir Valley is witnessing an unprecedented churn. In the 1990s too, there was a lot of violent militant activity in the Valley as it is now. In what way are the two phases of activity different? Is there any remarkable ideological difference between the two strands? Alienation of the common man was not the cause of turmoil in 1990; it was wholly orchestrated by Pakistan and mismanaged by a government, which understood very little about the problems that confronted it, it died a natural death in due course of time. This time the government has its roots in the Valley with an unwelcome addition of the BJP; the alienation of people this time is almost total, silent disgust, sullen mood, and resentment against the real and perceived injustice, the oppressive presence of security forces in civilian areas and powers they enjoy over people have provided a new incentive for rebellion against the state. Pakistan has been preparing people for this phase since 2013-14. It managed to raise and train a new corps of indigenous terrorists, who would enjoy full support and sympathy of a majority of people, so the problem is far more complex in this phase. Wahhabi ideology that knows no compromise is now widespread and people are no longer afraid to die. They are also no longer afraid of the Army, which they consider as an infidel occupation force. Although they are not fighting for establishing a Shariah-based Islamic state, yet they consider their mission a jihad. Militancy seems to be covering new ground. South Kashmir, which has been relatively quiet in the past, is the new vortex of militant activity. Pakistan chose this area deliberately far from border areas, which had very little Army presence and intelligence activity. The people were politically active, and anti-India. The districts of Anantnag, Kulgam and Pulwama, which received little attention of intelligence agencies, are surrounded by a terrain that is tailormade for training local insurgents. The people of these three districts could be indoctrinated away from the prying eyes of government agencies. Anti-India propaganda and religious bias was whipped up here through social media and activities of specially-designated Wahhabi mosques that went unnoticed till it was too late. In the backdrop of appeals to Kashmiris not to join government services and to instead aid the armed movement, and with the killing of a local boy Army officer Lt. Ummer Fayaz Parray what kind of message are the militants trying to send? The killing of those who are symbols of government authority or those against the political-religious ideology of the rebels has been a common practice in many such situations around the world to spread fear and send a strong message to those who do not support insurgency, this is something new in Kashmir, which shows the success of Pakistani agents in indoctrinating ordinary people. What is your take on the government response? Could Kashmir have been better handled or has the Valley entered an abyss of no return? The overall response to this new kind of movement, which is supported by the majority of young people, has been inadequate as is obvious from the inability of the government to bring back normalcy. The approach of employing armed security forces, as an instrument of state policy, has proved ineffective. A movement that is a mixture of terrorism, intifada and civil unrest requires a more innovative approach. So far no worthwhile political initiative is on the horizon. It seems our policymakers by and large still perceive the current Kashmir problem from the narrow prism of Pakistan-sponsored terrorism; they have gradually handed over the Kashmir problem to the security forces that did a good job according to their own insights and vision. They succeeded in cutting down infiltration and curbing terror attacks, but the problems multiplied when various security agencies gradually started setting political agendas. Their agendas created widespread resentment and alienation among the people. The political parties who should have been in the forefront of countering Pakistani-Wahhabi propaganda and influence took a laidback position while disaffection among people increased. Militancy seems to have spread among the locals more than ever before, whereas the number of foreign militants has gone down. Do you read any significance here? Pakistan has been under pressure to reduce the presence of its own terror groups in J&K as its cover has been blown and the international community is no longer ready to accept such activities. Gradually, conditions were created by Pakistani agents for starting the training of indigenous groups, mostly from the ranks of unemployed youth. The success of this Pakistani move showed the utter failure of our political parties and intelligence agencies. Social media in Kashmir is becoming a major tool in propagating separatist ideas or even in arranging logistics to carry out an agitational programme and the government is seemingly running out of ideas. The latest ban on the Internet is also being circumvented by accessing advanced technology. Social media cannot be stopped or checked permanently, and the cyberspace cannot be controlled. It can be only countered by our public and social media if an elaborate plan is made by the government to do so. At present, we have little presence in the Valley. Talking about counter-insurgency operational tactics, the Army is planning changes in order to get more results, which includes getting more aggressive. With an active social media, do you think it is a wise idea? In my view, Army visibility needs to be reduced in J&K except along the LoC and its immediate hinterland in the present environment, armed police forces trained by the Army can suffice to counter terrorism and carry on the cordon and search operations. Aggressive forays by terrorists across the international border from Pakistan point towards a more vigorous and lethal sub-conventional war by Pakistan in collaboration with newly-raised local terrorist groups. Pakistan has been gradually inducting Wahhabi preachers in the Valley, who, through their weekly sermons are telling people that taking up arms against the government was their religious duty. This campaign was the vanguard of a new phase of war being waged through the people of Kashmir. The new phase started taking shape sometime in 2015; the process went on unchecked as no resolute counter-measures were taken by the Central and state governments to meet this threat, instead petty political games were being played in this dangerous situation. Chinese President Xi Jinping said Saturday that Malaysia was an early supporter of the Belt and Road Initiative and has become one of the countries that benefited the most from it. Xi told visiting Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Razak on the eve of the Belt and Road Forum for International Cooperation that China will continue to increase bilateral cooperation under the initiative. Najib said the Belt and Road is a historic initiative that will bring huge changes to the region and the world at large, adding that Malaysia will actively participate in it. Xi said the China-Malaysia relationship is currently at its best ever and the two sides will continue cooperation in the areas of culture, counter-terrorism, education, industrial parks, law enforcement, rail projects, security and tourism. China will advance the comprehensive strategic partnership with Malaysia to further improve bilateral ties, he said. Chinese Premier Li Keqiang also met with Najib Saturday. The two witnessed the signing of a series of bilateral agreements on alignment of development strategies, cooperation on inspection and quarantine, infrastructure and others. Li said he appreciates Malaysia's active response to the Belt and Road Initiative. Beijing will continue to support China-Malaysia industrial parks in China's Qinzhou and Malaysia's Kuantan, and expand cooperation on infrastructure. The two will continue to work together on security issues, he said. Najib said Malaysia aims to cooperate with China in e-commerce and tourism, while continuing joint efforts on building railways and industrial parks. Malaysia will also promote relations between China and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations. Photographs and video clips of Kalu with his VIP master are now all over the Internet. Once upon a time long, long ago, Kalu was a common name for dogs in India till dogs opted for more modern names like Tommy and Bobo. However, Kalu is now back in vogue and that too with a vengeance in Uttar Pradesh. Ever since people discovered that Uttar Pradesh chief minister Yogi Adityanath has a pet dog named Kalu, the name has become a hit. During his recent visit to Gorakhpur, Kalu, who is also a vegetarian, came into the public eye when he saw his master after a considerable gap and lunged at the chief minister with excitement. It took several minutes for Yogi to calm down his pet dog who continued to grovel at his feet. Photographs and video clips of Kalu with his VIP master are now all over the Internet. Kalu has become a sought-after entity at the Gorakhnath temple and all visitors are keen to have a look at the canine. Kalu, however, is kept away from prying eyes and sources at the temple say that he may be soon shifted to Lucknow where Yogi now lives. A number of ministers in the Yogi Cabinet are now looking out for black-coloured dogs and the favoured name will obviously be Kalu. Building a castle in the sky Union tribal affairs minister Jual Oram rarely appears concerned when he faces the press. Nor does he ever think what reactions his statement will evoke from the opponents. Fully aware that his junior ministerial colleague Dharmendra Pradhan is racing ahead in projection as the BJPs future Odisha chief ministerial candidate, Mr Oram, one of the first-generation BJP stalwarts from the state, has never directly reacted to this or opposed the move. However, he has not sweet-savoured the development in the party either. When journalists trying to get some spicy soundbites asked him recently if he was interested in becoming chief minister of Odisha if the party came to power in the 2019 polls, Mr Oram said, I have no interest to become chief minister. Asked who would be the BJPs CM candidate in 2019, Mr Oram minced no words in revealing his reservations about projecting any particular individual as CM candidate. Our party has many eligible candidates to become CM, he said. The BJP has only 10 members in the 147-member state legislature and it will require party leaders to work hard to catch up with the BJD. It seems Mr Oram is living in wishful thinking and building a castle in the sky, quipped BJD spokesperson S.N. Patro. Artificial intelligence or AI as it is called in cyber parlance, and believed to be the next big thing in information and technology, can play a key role in good governance, a senior Microsoft official has said. "We are seeing that governments are benefitting through Artificial Intelligence and are able to bring (governance) closer to people in their countries," Dave Forstrom, director of communications for the Artificial Intelligence (AI) group at Microsoft, told. "Absolutely," he said when asked if AI can be a tool in good governance. "In terms of helping create good governance we're seeing an approach industry-wide right now where it's focused on ethical design and those principles that will help to really govern that," he said on the sidelines of the Microsoft's annual developers conference Build 2017. Microsoft's India-born CEO Satya Nadella has identified AI as the center piece of the company's growth strategy. Forstrom said Microsoft is having partnerships with a number of governments in this regard. "Singapore is one that we recently worked with last year to actually help them create bots to better engage their customers," he said. "We're seeing organisations, we're seeing governments, Singapore being one of them, where they've actually been working at creating bots where people can come to their bot through their website and be able to access any information that they want. They can ask questions, it really shortens the process and the interaction between government and customer," Forstrom said. With the amount of data that is being now generated, it is but natural that artificial intelligence has now arrived at a take off stage, he said. Microsoft, he said, is currently working with numerous governments on different AI related technologies, not just bots, but also cognitive services and how they can take those and infuse those into different solutions for folks who govern. In India, for instance Microsoft is working on the applicability of AI on improving approach to agriculture and crop sowing. "It's a great example of what we're doing in India where we're actually using the power of AI to help farmers determine best times for seeding and for sowing their crops. And they're seeing 30 per cent return from it," Forstrom said. The senior Microsoft official said AI could be of great usage in various fields, including public health, law and order, education and even city sanitation and cleanliness. But AI comes with challenges too, he said. "How do you make sense of the data that exists within an organisation, within a government? AI is starting to help fuel that, and a lot of the products and services, the tools that are coming out, are helping to fuel that too," he said in response to a question. At the same time, he acknowledged that AI has a long way to go. "If you look at where we are in terms of AI's progression, it has been around for 50-60 years, the historical research and what's been going on. But it's only been these last few years where we really see things start to accelerate because of these areas like cloud computing, progress in terms of algorithms and the power of data, being able to use these massive amounts of data, but it's really early days now," Forstrom said. "We're actually able to see tangible results and outcomes now in terms of how we can use AI in consumer scenarios and business scenarios. We will start to see that just continue to explode exponentially as we move forward over the next ten years," he said. Click on Deccan Chronicle Technology and Science for the latest news and reviews. Follow us on Facebook, Twitter. William Saito, cyber security adviser to the Japanese cabinet and trade ministry, said some of the country's institutions were affected but declined to elaborate. Some hospitals, schools and universities in Asia were hit by a global cyber attack which infected tens of thousands of computers in Europe and the United States, but officials and researchers said the extent of any damage may not yet be known. China's official news agency Xinhua said secondary schools and universities were hit, but did not say how many or identify them. Sun Yat-sen University said it received a large number of virus complaints on Friday, the Chinese financial magazine Caixin reported on Saturday, citing a notice circulated by the university's IT department. William Saito, cyber security adviser to the Japanese cabinet and trade ministry, said some of the country's institutions were affected but declined to elaborate. South Korea's Yonhap news agency said one of Seoul's university hospitals had been affected. An official said it wasn't yet clear whether the hospital, which he declined to name, had been hit by the ransomware or some other malware. Two hospitals in Jakarta were hit, according to Semuel Pangerapan, a director general at Indonesia's Communication and Information Ministry. He said officials were attempting to localise the infected server to prevent the malware from spreading. One of Vietnam's leading antivirus software companies said dozens of people had reported infections. "This number may increase as people return to work next week. A large number of computers will be turned back on and may be targets," said Vu Ngoc Son, vice president of Bkav Anti Malware. He declined to identify who had been infected. None were customers of the company. NUMBER OF INFECTIONS FALLING Cyber extortionists tricked victims into opening malicious malware attachments to spam emails that appeared to contain invoices, job offers, security warnings and other legitimate files. The ransomware encrypted data on the computers, demanding payments of $300 to $600 to restore access. Security researchers said they observed some victims paying via the digital currency bitcoin, though they did not know what percent had given in to the extortionists. Officials in the Philippines and Singapore said there were no reports of breaches of critical infrastructure. New Zealand and Australia reported no impact on any organisations. India's chief information security officer, Gulshan Rai, said there appeared to be no damage. Two factors may account for the limited reports of damage in Asia. The worm began to spread in Europe on Friday, by which time it was already early evening in many Asian countries. The worm spreads most efficiently through organisational networks, not home computers, said Vikram Thakur, principal research manager at Symantec. That means officials will need to wait until Monday, when business resumes, to gauge the impact on Japan, said Saito. "In Japan, things could likely emerge on Monday," he said. Another factor may be that the worm's spread was limited by the actions of a British based researcher, who told Reuters he registered a domain that he noticed the malware was trying to connect to. By buying the domain, the researcher, who declined to give his name but goes by the Twitter handle @malwaretechblog, may have curtailed the worm's spread. "We are on a downward slope, the infections are extremely few, because the malware is not able to connect to the registered domain," said Symantec's Thakur. "The numbers are extremely low and coming down fast; don't expect this to remain a major threat across this weekend apart from those in firefighting mode." But the attackers may yet tweak the code and restart the cycle. The British-based researcher who foiled the ransomware's spread said he hadn't seen any such tweaks yet, "but they will." Click on Deccan Chronicle Technology and Science for the latest news and reviews. Follow us on Facebook, Twitter. Some hospitals, schools and universities in Asia were hit by a global cyber attack which infected tens of thousands of computers in Europe and the United States, but officials and researchers said the extent of any damage may not yet be known. China's official news agency Xinhua said secondary schools and universities were hit, but did not say how many or identify them. Sun Yat-sen University said it received a large number of virus complaints on Friday, the Chinese financial magazine Caixin reported on Saturday, citing a notice circulated by the university's IT department. William Saito, cyber security adviser to the Japanese cabinet and trade ministry, said some of the country's institutions were affected but declined to elaborate. South Korea's Yonhap news agency said one of Seoul's university hospitals had been affected. An official said it wasn't yet clear whether the hospital, which he declined to name, had been hit by the ransomware or some other malware. Two hospitals in Jakarta were hit, according to Semuel Pangerapan, a director general at Indonesia's Communication and Information Ministry. He said officials were attempting to localise the infected server to prevent the malware from spreading. One of Vietnam's leading antivirus software companies said dozens of people had reported infections. "This number may increase as people return to work next week. A large number of computers will be turned back on and may be targets," said Vu Ngoc Son, vice president of Bkav Anti Malware. He declined to identify who had been infected. None were customers of the company. Cyber extortionists tricked victims into opening malicious malware attachments to spam emails that appeared to contain invoices, job offers, security warnings and other legitimate files. The ransomware encrypted data on the computers, demanding payments of $300 to $600 to restore access. Security researchers said they observed some victims paying via the digital currency bitcoin, though they did not know what percent had given in to the extortionists. Officials in the Philippines and Singapore said there were no reports of breaches of critical infrastructure. New Zealand and Australia reported no impact on any organisations. India's chief information security officer, Gulshan Rai, said there appeared to be no damage. Two factors may account for the limited reports of damage in Asia. The worm began to spread in Europe on Friday, by which time it was already early evening in many Asian countries. The worm spreads most efficiently through organisational networks, not home computers, said Vikram Thakur, principal research manager at Symantec. That means officials will need to wait until Monday, when business resumes, to gauge the impact on Japan, said Saito. "In Japan, things could likely emerge on Monday," he said. Another factor may be that the worm's spread was limited by the actions of a British based researcher, who told Reuters he registered a domain that he noticed the malware was trying to connect to. By buying the domain, the researcher, who declined to give his name but goes by the Twitter handle @malwaretechblog, may have curtailed the worm's spread. "We are on a downward slope, the infections are extremely few, because the malware is not able to connect to the registered domain," said Symantec's Thakur. "The numbers are extremely low and coming down fast; don't expect this to remain a major threat across this weekend apart from those in firefighting mode." But the attackers may yet tweak the code and restart the cycle. The British-based researcher who foiled the ransomware's spread said he hadn't seen any such tweaks yet, "but they will." Click on Deccan Chronicle Technology and Science for the latest news and reviews. Follow us on Facebook, Twitter. A court in Azerbaijan on Friday approved the government's request to block websites of a US-funded broadcaster and several news outlets critical of the country's strongman President Ilham Aliyev. The Baku district court backed the claim of the ministry of transport and communications that Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty's Azerbaijani branch, Radio Azadlyg, poses a "threat to the legitimate interests of the state and society". The court, held in normal open session, also blocked internet-based Azerbaijan Saati TV, Turan TV, and Meidan TV. The outlets' lawyers condemned the ruling as unlawful and unfounded. "The verdict violates international legal norms," lawyer Samed Ragimov told AFP. "No publication referred to in the Azerbaijani authorities' lawsuit contained a breach of laws and public interests." Earlier in April, Ganimat Zahid, the director of Turan TV denounced legal action against online media as "a move against freedom of speech." Oil-rich Azerbaijan has faced strong international criticism for stepping up pressure on dissent and opposition media since Aliyev's election for a third term in 2013. Aliyev, 55, fiercely denies any rights abuses. The tightly-controlled ex-Soviet republic ranked 162 in the 2017 World Press Freedom Index released in April by media advocacy group Reporters Without Borders. The group said that independent journalists and bloggers "are thrown in prison if they do not first yield to harassment, beatings, blackmail, or bribes". Aliyev took over in 2003 after the death of his father Heydar Aliyev, a former KGB officer and communist-era leader who had ruled Azerbaijan with an iron fist since 1993. Click on Deccan Chronicle Technology and Science for the latest news and reviews. Follow us on Facebook, Twitter. Microsoft released patches last month and on Friday to fix a vulnerability that allowed the worm to spread across networks, a rare and powerful feature that caused infections to surge on Friday. Technical staff scrambled on Sunday to patch computers and restore infected ones, amid fears that the ransomware worm that stopped car factories, hospitals, shops and schools could wreak fresh havoc on Monday when employees log back on. Cybersecurity experts said the spread of the virus dubbed WannaCry - "ransomware" which locked up more than 100,000 computers - had slowed, but the respite might only be brief. New versions of the worm are expected, they said, and the extent of the damage from Friday's attack remains unclear. Marin Ivezic, cybersecurity partner at PwC, said that some clients had been "working around the clock since the story broke" to restore systems and install software updates, or patches, or restore systems from backups. Microsoft released patches last month and on Friday to fix a vulnerability that allowed the worm to spread across networks, a rare and powerful feature that caused infections to surge on Friday. Code for exploiting that bug, which is known as "Eternal Blue," was released on the internet in March by a hacking group known as the Shadow Brokers. The group claimed it was stolen from a repository of National Security Agency hacking tools. The agency has not responded to requests for comment. Hong Kong-based Ivezic said that the ransomware was forcing some more "mature" clients affected by the worm to abandon their usual cautious testing of patches "to do unscheduled downtime and urgent patching, which is causing some inconvenience." He declined to identify which clients had been affected. The head of the European Union police agency said on Sunday the cyber assault hit 200,000 victims in at least 150 countries and that number will grow when people return to work on Monday. "The global reach is unprecedented ... and those victims, many of those will be businesses, including large corporations," Europol Director Rob Wainwright told Britain's ITV. "At the moment, we are in the face of an escalating threat. The numbers are going up, I am worried about how the numbers will continue to grow when people go to work and turn (on) their machines on Monday morning." MONDAY MORNING RUSH? Monday was expected to be a busy day, especially in Asia which may not have seen the worst of the impact yet, as companies and organisations turned on their computers. "Expect to hear a lot more about this tomorrow morning when users are back in their offices and might fall for phishing emails" or other as yet unconfirmed ways the worm may propagate, said Christian Karam, a Singapore-based security researcher. Targets both large and small have been hit. Renault said on Saturday it had halted manufacturing at plants in Sandouville, France, and Romania to prevent the spread of ransomware in its systems. Among the other victims is a Nissan manufacturing plant in Sunderland, northeast England. Hundreds of hospitals and clinics in the British National Health Service were infected on Friday, forcing them to send patients to other facilities. German rail operator Deutsche Bahn said some electronic signs at stations announcing arrivals and departures were infected. In Asia, some hospitals, schools, universities and other institutions were affected. International shipper FedEx Corp said some of its Windows computers were also breached. Telecommunications company Telefonica was among the targets in Spain. Portugal Telecom and Telefonica Argentina both said they were also targeted. A Jakarta hospital said on Sunday that the cyber virus had infected 400 computers, disrupting the registration of patients and finding records. The hospital said it expected big queues on Monday when about 500 people were due to register. In Singapore, a company that supplies digital signage, MediaOnline, was rushing to fix its systems after a technician's error had led to 12 kiosks being infected in two of the island's malls. Director Dennis So said the systems were not connected to the malls' or tenants' networks. Symantec, a cybersecurity company, forecast infections so far would cost tens of millions of dollars, mostly from cleaning corporate networks. Ransoms paid amount to tens of thousands of dollars, one analyst said, but he predicted they would rise. Governments and private security firms said on Saturday that they expected hackers to tweak the malicious code used in Friday's attack, restoring the ability to self-replicate. "This particular attack was relatively easy to shut down," said Bryce Boland, Asia Pacific chief technology officer for FireEye, a cybersecurity company. But he said it would be straightforward for the existing attackers to launch new releases or for other ransomware authors to start copying the way the malware replicated. The US government on Saturday issued a technical alert with advice on how to protect against the attacks, asking victims to report any to the Federal Bureau of Investigation or Department of Homeland Security. Click on Deccan Chronicle Technology and Science for the latest news and reviews. Follow us on Facebook, Twitter. All these Nokia phones were unveiled at the Mobile World Conference held in late February this year. HMD Global-backed Nokias latest releases namely: the Nokia 6, Nokia 5 and Nokia 3 smartphones along with the classic Nokia 3310 device are probably the most anticipated devices of this year. Update: The iconic Nokia 3310 (2017) finally launched in India at Rs 3,310 Theres good news, though. Fans may not have to wait for long. A new report suggests that the company might launch the smartphones in India in the first week of June. The decision will be made official by May-end. Nokia is expected to hold an event in the first week of June and thats when the smartphones are expected to be launched along with their prices. Click on Deccan Chronicle Technology and Science for the latest news and reviews. Follow us on Facebook, Twitter. Samsung announced its latest Tizen-powered smartphone called Samsung Z4 in India on Friday, 12 May. The device, which runs on Tizen 3.0 OS is available in the following given colour variants: Black, Gold and Silver. The company, however, hasnt detailed out the price and release date for the same. The Samsung Z4s primary feature is its camera as it packs a 5MP rear camera with dual-LED flash support along with a 5MP front snapper with f/2.2 aperture and LED flash support. According to the company, the camera is optimised for social media and offers features focused on convenience and creativity. The Samsung Z4 features a 4.5-inch WVGA (480 x 800 pixels) display with 2.5D curved glass on top and is powered by a 1.5GHz quad-core processor. The device offers 1GB of RAM and is powered by a 2,050mAh battery. On the connectivity front, the Samsung Z4 includes 4G VoLTE, Wi-Fi 802.11 b/g/n, Bluetooth 4.0, USB 2.0, GPS and Glonass. Were dedicated to providing our customers with devices that offer smarter mobile interactions, DJ Koh, president of mobile communications business at Samsung Electronics, was quoted as saying. The Samsung Z4 brings a simplified mobile experience to first-time smartphones users and represents our on-going commitment to expanding the Tizen ecosystem, he added. Click on Deccan Chronicle Technology and Science for the latest news and reviews. Follow us on Facebook, Twitter. He said it has been his dream to become an officer since he was a child. (Photo: Facebook) New York: A 26-year-old Sikh-American has made history by becoming the first police officer from the community to join the police department in Indianapolis, the capital of the US state of Indiana, a media report has said. Mittan Katoch feels it is a 'great honour' to join Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department (IMPD) as the first American-Sikh, the Indianapolis broadcaster RTV6 said. "I honestly thought there might be more Sikh police officers in IMPD, but to learn I am the first is quite shocking," Katoch, a graduate of the department's 13th recruit class, was quoted as saying by the RTV6. He said it has been his dream to become an officer since he was a child. "I used to write essays about it," he said. "I've got tonnes of feedback, tonnes of support, comments on Facebook like 'hey, we're proud of you, way to lead the way.' I feel like Im the spearhead to the movement of getting different ethnicities into the department," he said. According to IMPD, the current amount of minorities that make up the population of the department is about 18 per cent - however in Marion County, recent US Census data shows minorities make up more than 34 per cent of the population, the report said. In 2015 and 2016, 17.3 per cent and 17.6 per cent of the IMPD's force were minorities, respectively. Katoch said he is excited about his career and the chance to build a bridge between communities. "Being born and raised in America, I'm Americanised enough to know I can do anything I want," he said. "This is the land of opportunity and to be a part of a police department that's reflective of that is awesome." Texas: A woman in Texas, the United States, might face life imprisonment for starving her children to make them look ill and fraudulently raise money online for their treatment. According to a report in Daily Mail, 28-year-old Katelyn Christina Carnline had raised over USD 2,000 by fooling people on a website, which raises funds to help people who are in genuine need of medical aid. She not only starved her children but also lied that her one of her sons was suffering from cancer. She shaved off his head, put a breathing mask over his mouth and posted pictures of him on the site, You Caring. Carnline also said that her four-month-old daughter was a victim of rare genetic disorder, called Inborn Errors of Metabolism, which prevents the body from turning food into energy, slowing down a childs development. The mother managed to fool even the doctors into believing that the infant was having seizures. As a result of this, they performed various operations on the baby, causing her weight to drop drastically below a healthy body weight. After her arrest on March 1, the baby stayed with the father and recovered in two months. An affidavit from the Milam County Sheriff said, The child, placed with other family members by CPS, is now healthy and thriving. Carnline was charged with exploiting and causing serious bodily injury to a child. She will face 99 years in jail if she is found guilty of the latter, but if found guilty of only exploitation, she will face only 10 years in prison. The Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB) announced Saturday that its Board of Governors has adopted resolutions approving seven applications to join the bank, bringing its total approved membership to 77. The approved applications came from three regional prospective members -- Bahrain, Cyprus and Samoa -- and four non-regional prospective members, namely Bolivia, Chile, Greece and Romania. "More and more countries are signing up to become members of AIIB because they see how internationalism can promote development in Asia, with far reaching benefits for the global economy," said Jin Liqun, AIIB president. "We welcome our new prospective members and thank them for joining us in our effort to meet the infrastructure needs in the region," he said. The seven prospective members will officially join AIIB once they complete the required domestic processes and deposit their first installment of capital with the bank. The shares allocated to the new prospective members come from the bank's existing pool of unallocated shares, according to AIIB. With 57 signatories at its launch in January 2016 and the approval of 13 prospective members in March 2017, AIIB aims to provide financing to address the daunting infrastructure needs across Asia. London: Around 100 million incandescent and CFL bulbs in the United Kingdom will be replaced by LED bulbs of EESL by March 2019, Coal and Power Minister Piyush Goyal said on Saturday. The Indian government will draw up a "very smart" strategy to achieve the target, including tie-ups with large corporate companies. "Today, we have set up a target of replacing 100 million bulbs in the UK with LEDs. It is a very ambitious target. It is a mind-boggling number... that 100 million bulbs in London will be sold in a foreign country, in a foreign land," the minister said. The minister was speaking during the launch of Energy Efficiency Services Ltd's (EESL) affordable lighting scheme in the UK. For the company, this will truly be a "very very big challenge". "I already had a conversation with my colleagues of EESL and has given some ground realities and guidance. One is they should tie up with large corporates that have immediately seen benefits of energy saving and we will target Indian companies like the Tatas and other companies which have invested in India and helped create so much value and business and jobs in the UK," he said. EESL is a joint venture among four central PSUs - NTPC, PowerGrid, REC and PFC - and under the administrative control of the power ministry. "We are reaching out to the supermarket for discoms for selling the bulbs," the minister said. "We are thinking of expanding our set-up here and talking to large users. We can talk to all the supermarket chains." With zero cost and zero investment modes, he is optimistic that more people will go for it. The minister sees a big business opportunity in London, which can become a base for foraying into the rest of Europe. Goyal also spoke of a favourable business response to EESL by Austria. India has so far replaced 560 old incandescent bulbs by LED bulbs. The minister hinted at a need for rechristening EESL. Vedanta Chairman Anil Agarwal, who was present during the launch, announced that every bulb of all the units of his group will be replaced by LED bulbs. EESL aims to replace 77 crore incandescent bulbs in the residential sector throughout the country by 2019. Amman: The Syrian army and its allies are on the verge of completely seizing the rebel-held district of Qaboun on the edge of the capital Damascus following over two months of aerial strikes and artillery shelling, rebels and state media said on Sunday. But rebels said they still held a small pocket within the neighbourhood that lies in the northeastern edge of the capital that has been mostly reduced to rubble after around 80 days in which it was struck by hundreds of aerial strikes and missiles. The army had resumed its intensive bombardment in the district on Wednesday after a one-day ultimatum it gave the rebels mainly drawn from the area to surrender and agree to evacuate to rebel-held areas in northern Syria. "The regime has threatened to destroy what is left of Qaboun and will not accept anything but a military solution," Abdullah al Qabouni from the local council of the district said. Hundreds of rebels and their families had been evacuated this week from the adjacent Barzeh district after rebels there decided to lay down their arms and leave to rebel-held Idlib province. They included some from Qaboun. There were unconfirmed reports from a local source in the district that an agreement had been reached to evacuate the rebels from Qaboun on Sunday. About 1,500 fighters and their families are now trapped in a nearly one square kilometre zone. A news bulletin on state television said evacuations had begun, quoting the governor of Damascus. No other details were provided on the numbers. Most of the residents of the once-bustling area, that had sheltered thousands of displaced people from other parts of Syria in the course of the conflict, had fled in the last two months as the bombing escalated. The loss of Qaboun following Barzeh is a another blow to rebels battling to keep a foothold in the capital and facing government troops who are backed by Russian air power and Iranian-backed militias. They are situated on the eastern gate of Damascus, districts which were the scene earlier this year of battles that were the first such large-scale foray inside the capital in over four years. The army was able to repel the attack after heavy aerial bombing forced the rebels to retreat. Syrian President Bashar al-Assad has promoted the use of such evacuations, along with what his government calls "reconciliation" deals for rebel-held areas that surrender to the government, as a way of reducing bloodshed. But the United Nations has criticised both the use of siege tactics which precede such deals and the evacuations themselves as amounting to forcible displacement. The Sunni rebels accuse the government of seeking to evict Sunni inhabitants in these areas in demographic changes they say would eventually pave the way for Iranian-backed Shi'ites who back President Assad's rule to take over their homes, a claim the authorities deny. Army advances were made possible after tunnels between Qaboun and Barzeh were cut and the army isolated the areas from the rest of the main rebel enclave of Eastern Ghouta. The tightening of the siege in the two districts, where tens of thousands of people lived, forced the hands of rebels to eventually agree to deals worked out elsewhere that forces them to pull back to northern Syria. "They besieged us and even medicines for children or any supplies were no longer left and people died of hunger," said Ahmad Khatib, who was among those who left on Friday. The densely populated rural Eastern Ghouta district of farms and towns has been besieged since 2013. It remains the only major rebel bastion near Damascus and the fall of Qaboun and Barzeh have removed a main line of defence that protected it, rebels say. Lahore: Mumbai terror attack mastermind and Jamat-ud Dawah (JuD) chief Hafiz Saeed and his four aides have been detained for "spreading terrorism in the name of jihad", Pakistan's interior ministry has told a judicial review board. Saeed appeared before the board on Saturday and told it that he had been detained by the Pakistani government in order to stop him for raising voice for Kashmiris. However, the interior ministry rejected his arguments and told the three-member board that Saeed and his four aides have been detained for "spreading terrorism in the name of jihad". The board comprising Justice Ejaz Afzal Khan of the Supreme Court (head), Justice Ayesha A Malik of Lahore High Court and Justice Jamal Khan Mandokhail of Balochistan High Court directed the ministry to submit a complete record regarding detention of Saeed and his aides - Zafar Iqbal, Abdul Rehman Abid, Abdullah Ubaid and Qazi Kashif Niaz on next hearing on May 15. The board also sought personal appearance of the attorney general of Pakistan on next hearing. Police produced Saeed and his four aides before the board at Lahore registry of the apex court amid high security. A large number of Saeed's supporters gathered outside the court. Saeed's counsel advocate A K Dogar was also present but the founder of Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) chose to plead his case before the court. "The allegations levelled by the government against me had never been proved by any state institution. My organisation and I have been victimised for raising voice for freedom of Kashmir and criticising the governments weak policy on the Kashmir issue," Saeed said. He said that he had been placed under house in order to stop him for raising voice for Kashmiri people. Saeed appealed to the board to set aside the Punjab government's detention order. "The government detained the JuD leaders on the pressure of United Nations and international organisations," an official representing the federal interior ministry told the board. Last Thursday Lahore High Court division bench had questioned as why Saeed and others were not presented before a review board before the government issued notification for the extension to his detention for another 90 days. On April 30, detention of Saeed and his four aides was extended by the Punjab government for another 90 days under preventative detention under 11 EEE (I) and 11D of Anti-Terrorism Act 1997. The Punjab government on January 30 had put these five under house arrest in Lahore for their involvement in activities which can be prejudicial to peace and security. The government has also placed JuD and FIF under the second schedule of the anti-terrorism act. The Nawaz government had reportedly taken action against Saeed after the US clearly told Islamabad that in case of not taking action against JuD and Saeed, it may face sanctions. JuD is said to be the front for the banned Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT). The organisation has been declared as a foreign terrorist organisation by the US in June 2014. Saeed and his aides said in their petition that the government detained them without any legal justification. They said the UN resolution followed by the government did not seek detention of any citizen. "The detention of the JuD leaders is a simple case of mala fide intention and ulterior motive on part of the government as it has been done so to please India and the United States," the petition said. Nepalese stand in a queue to cast their votes at a polling station during the local election in Bhaktapur, Nepal. (Photo: AP) Kathmandu: Nepal held local level polls on Sunday, the first since 1997 and a key step in the country's rocky transition to democracy over a decade since the end of the civil war. Around a third of registered voters across three provinces were eligible to cast their vote, with the rest of the country due to vote in a month's time. The vote has been split into two phases because of unrest in the southern plains bordering India, where the minority Madhesi ethnic group is refusing to take part until an amendment to the constitution is passed. Local representatives were last elected in 1997 and their five-year terms expired at the height of the brutal Maoist insurgency. The 10-year war ended in 2006 and the country began a fraught transition from a Hindu monarchy to a secular federal republic, which has seen it cycle through nine governments. The long gap between polls has left an institutional void at the local level, which has seen graft become a way of life in Nepal, hampering the delivery of basic services as well as the recovery from a devastating 2015 earthquake. "It is difficult to expect much from our politicians -- they have always been selfish and not worked for the people -- but I hope that with this election things will change," housewife Shova Maharjan, 41, told AFP after casting her vote in the capital. With nearly 70 percent of the population aged under 35, many were voting for their local representatives for the first time. Polls opened at 7:00 am (0115 GMT) and closed at 5:00 pm, with each voter casting their ballot for seven local representatives: mayor, deputy mayor, ward chairman and four ward committee members. The ballot paper in the capital Kathmandu -- one of the largest constituencies -- was around one metre long (three feet) to accommodate the 878 candidates. Nearly 50,000 candidates were standing for election across 283 local municipalities in the first phase, with many registered as independents or with a number of small reformist parties hoping to grab some votes from the traditional political heavyweights. While the youth vote is seen as key in undermining the grip of the three main political parties, the elderly were also out in force, including an 105-year-old man who cast his ballot in Gorkha, the epicentre of the devastating 2015 earthquake, according to the election commission. Drawn-out peace process There were sporadic reports of violence on Sunday with one person killed when police opened fire on a group attempting to raid a polling station in Dolakha district, 180 kilometres (110 miles) northwest of the capital Kathmandu, police told AFP. A bomb was also found early Sunday morning outside the house of a mayoral candidate for the main opposition CPN-UML party in Bhaktapur, 15 kilometres (nine miles) east of Kathmandu. It was diffused without incident. The remaining four provinces, considered potential flashpoints for election-related violence, will vote in the second phase on June 14. But with results expected from Sunday's vote later this week, observers have expressed concern that the first phase will influence the outcome of the second. As part of the deal that ended the civil war, a new constitution was written and finally adopted in September 2015, nearly a decade after the end of the conflict. The charter mandated that local elections, followed by provincial and then national elections, be held by January 2018 -- the final step in the drawn-out peace process. But the constitution sparked protests by the Madhesi community -- who say the document leaves them politically marginalised -- and led to a months-long blockade of the India-Nepal border in 2015 that caused a crippling shortage of goods across the country. The Madhesi threatened to boycott the local polls unless the constitution is rewritten. This forced the government to split the vote into two phases. The government has promised a vote on an amendment to the constitution after Sunday's election, but the fragile ruling coalition is struggling to get a majority in parliament to pass the bill. General Bajwa visited troops deployed along the LoC in Nikial sector. (Photo: AP) Islamabad: Amid border tension, Pakistan army chief General Qamar Javed Bajwa on Saturday toured some areas along the Line of Control, two weeks after a similar visit which was followed by the beheading of two Indian soldiers. Bajwa visited troops deployed along the LoC in Nikial sector, Pakistan Armys media wing Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) said in a statement. He was briefed about the ground situation by a commander. He (Bajwa) appreciated the high state of operational readiness, effective response to Indian cease-fire violations and high morale of troops, the ISPR said. Bajwa was accompanied by Commander Rawalpindi Corps Lieutenant General Nadeem Raza. The LoC has been witnessing an exchange of fire between Indian and Pakistani troops for the last several weeks. On May 1, two Indian security personnel were beheaded; a day after Bajwa visited some areas along the LoC and promised support to the Kashmiris. The soldiers killed were Naib Subedar Paramjeet Singh of 22 Sikh Infantry and Head Constable Prem Sagar of 200th Battalion of BSF. Peshawar: At least two persons were killed on Sunday when terrorists opened fire on their vehicle during routine patrolling in northwest Pakistan. The incident occurred in village Owlay in lower kurram agency bordering Afghanistan, officials said. Political Moharrar, an administrative clerk, Sarfraz Hussain and his bodyguard Mumtaz Hussain died on the spot when terrorists opened fire at their vehicle, officials said. The attackers fled from scene after the incident. Search operation has been launched to nab the culprits. Kurram is one of the most sensitive tribal areas as it borders three Afghan provinces and at one point was one of the key routes for militant movement across the border. It has witnessed scores of attacks. From the beginning of the year, Kurram Agency has been a target of multiple terror incidents. On April 25, a passenger van hit a landmine in Godar area of the tribal agency, killing at least 14 people. On March 31, at least 24 people were killed and 90 others injured in a blast outside a Shia imambargarh in the agency headquarters Parachinar. In January, a powerful explosion ripped through a crowded vegetable market in Parachinar in northwest Pakistan's restive Kurram tribal agency, killing 25 people, mostly Shias. The police on Saturday arrested two persons on the charge of stealing eight cattle at Beloor village in Shanivarasanthe. The arrested have been identified as Sharif and Mansoor from Mangaluru. Five of their accomplices fled the spot. The arrests were made after the police chased the vehicle by which the stolen cattle were being transported. Enraged people set the vehicle on fire, in front of the Kodlipete police outpost. The Congress on Saturday termed the gang-rape and murder of a young woman in Rohtak of Haryana, as savage and a bone-chilling incident. This savage and bone-chilling incident has shocked the conscience of the nation, reminding each one of us about the crying need for revisiting the important issue of womens safety and security, Congress president Sonia Gandhi said in a statement. Party vice president Rahul Gandhi hit out at the jungle raj in the BJP-ruled states and demanded stern action against the culprits. Jungle Raj in BJP-ruled states continues, he said. A 23-year-old woman was gang-raped and murdered on Tuesday and her mutilated body was found two days later in Haryanas Rohtak district. The BJP is worried about the mushrooming vigilantism by Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanaths Hindu Vahini though the saffron-clad leader has tried to rein in his religious brigade. With Vahini activists resorting to vigilantism against love jihad and ghar vapsi, the worry within the BJP is that the outfit may turn out to be a clone of Vishwa Hindu Parishad and Bajrang Dal members, spoiling the image of the party and the government in the run up to the 2019 Lok Sabha polls. Prime Minister Narendra Modi had to intervene to check a similar spurt of incidents across the country in his first year in office akin to what is happening now in Uttar Pradesh after Adityanaths became chief minister, recalled a party leader. BJP sources said, at the partys state executive meeting held in Lucknow recently, deputy chief minister Keshav Prasad Maurya had obliquely mentioned the issue by hinting that growing influence of outsiders should not be entertained. The 1,000th freight train connecting China and Europe this year departed Yiwu in eastern Chinas Zhejiang Province on Saturday, bound for Madrid. The Yixinou line runs freight services twice per week with a lead time of 16 days. This allows goods from China to arrive in Europe in a shorter time than via shipping by sea. CGTN Photo The train carries Yiwus small commodities such as household items, toys, decors, and garments to Europe. Upon return, European goods such as wine, olive oil and cosmetic products are imported to China. Trains returning from Europe are now scheduled for once a month. The Yixinou line launched its maiden trip in November 2014. This rail link, measuring over 13,000 kilometers, is by far the longest in the world. Since then, Yiwu has started operation of a direct rail freight service to London. The Yiwu-London line passes through Kazakhstan, Russia, Belarus, Poland, Germany, Belgium and France. CGTN Photo As part of their intercontinental rail freight services, the CR Express has now developed a total of 39 train routes connecting 16 cities in China to Europe. Rail freight provides a cheaper shipment method to air, and a more time-efficient option than sea. According to logistics expert Wang Jianming from Yiwu, the launch of the Yixinou lines not only strengthens trade ties between China and Europe, but also promotes people-to-people and cultural exchanges. He reveals that the city of Yiwu is also holding discussions with European countries such as Latvia and Poland to establish partnerships and collaborations in trade, education and logistics sectors. Wang is optimistic that collaborations between China and Europe will flourish as the CR Express runs on a more frequent basis. The Union government will advance its arguments in the Supreme Court on a batch of petitions challenging the constitutional validity of triple talaq from Monday. A five-judge bench, presided over by Chief Justice J S Khehar, has asked Additional Solicitor General Tushar Mehta to ensure that either he or Attorney General Mukul Rohatgi start making submissions on the issue on behalf of the Centre. The BJP-led NDA government had earlier claimed before the court that the practice was incompatible with the principles of gender equality and justice enshrined in the Constitution. As Prime Minister Narendra Modi has raised the issue a number of times, the government needs to buttress its contention that the practice is not intrinsic to Islam and cannot be protected under the fundamental right to practice religion. As arguments on behalf of the women petitioners as well as others concluded on Friday, the bench, also comprising Justices Kurian Joseph, R F Nariman, U U Lalit and S Abdul Nazeer, made it clear to the law officer that it will not grant any adjournment as the matter is being heard during the courts vacation period. Gender justice and dignity of women are non-negotiable and are of overarching constitutional value, and can brook no compromise in a secular country like India, the government said. It cited the UN Convention, Vienna declaration and other international covenants to point out that even the Muslim Personal Law Board described the practice as undesirable. The government also said that the practices of triple talaq, nikah halala and polygamy were regulated or done away with even in countries like Iran, Pakistan and Bangladesh. The government said triple talaq rendered Muslim women vulnerable and without any security, unlike women of other religions in the country, and that such discrimination based on religion cannot be countenanced. A panel headed by former chief justice of India R M Lodha has found that the PACL Limited owed Rs 80,000 crore to more than five crore investors across the country. The revelation has made the scam look bigger than the Sahara case. As per the information furnished by the company, its principal liability towards the investors is around Rs 57,000 crore. Besides, there is a demand from the Income Tax Department to the tune of Rs 24,500 crore. In addition, the company has several other liabilities running into more than Rs 1,000 crore comprising rental dues, salary and other related statutory dues, maintenance charges against properties/offices, the panel noted. In a status report submitted to the Supreme Court, Justice Lodha panel said it is not disputed that the company mobilised more than Rs 50,000 crore, whereas its liability is more than Rs 80,000 crore. The panel has now sought a direction from the apex court to the PACL Ltd to furnish details of properties that are still owned by it directly or indirectly. The panel is looking into the issue of refund of money to the investors of the company. The apex court had on February 2, 2016, directed the Securities and Exchange Board of India (Sebi) to set up the committee under the chairmanship of Justice Lodha for disposing of land purchased by PACL Ltd so that the sale proceeds could be paid to the investors. The CBI and Sebi are proceeding separately against PACL Ltd and its promoters and directors, including Nirmal Singh Bhangoo, for their failure to refund money to the investors. The properties of the company are said to be spread over 23 states and 193 districts across the country. The CBI has forwarded 29,000 documents to the committee in 90 steel boxes. Among others, the panel sought direction to PACL Ltd to recover and deposit within 45 days with the committee inter-corporate loan and advances given to corporate bodies or individuals. President Pranab Mukherjee on Saturday appeared to nudge the Congress, which has of late suffered successive electoral losses, by highlighting Indira Gandhis twin qualities of fearlessness in action and boldness in decision making. He was speaking during the release of the book Indias Indira A Centennial Tribute brought out by the Congress as part of the late prime ministers birth centenary celebrations. Indira Gandhis response to the worst moments in her political life was to push herself into more action. She remained undaunted in the face of attacks and criticism. She never lost courage, Mukherjee said. His remarks come a day after the Delhi High Court refused to stay the Income Tax Department proceeding against Congress president Sonia Gandhi, vice president Rahul Gandhi and other party functionaries in connection with the National Herald case. Relentless war The President recalled that Indira waged a relentless war against communal and sectarian violence throughout her life. The message from Mukherjee comes even as the Congress is struggling to carry out an organisational reshuffle three years after its worst ever electoral defeat in the 2014 Lok Sabha elections. India Gate on Saturday saw an outpouring of grief and outrage over the abduction and killing of 22-year-old Kashmiri army officer Lt Ummer Fayaz by militants. Hundreds of army veterans, students and tourists took out a candlelight march in his memory, with many voicing their demand for the death of the young lieutenant to be avenged. His killing is condemnable. Each and every part of the society should condemn the incident and it should not be accepted at any cost. Stability should return to the Valley. The path Fayaz chose should inspire people, former Indian Army chief Gen Deepak Kapoor said. The march, that went around the India Gate circle, saw people raising slogans hailing his sacrifice. Bharat Mata ki Jai rented the air along with cries condemning Pakistan and militant groups in the Valley. The alumni association of Jawahar Navodaya Vidyalaya, where Fayaz studied before joining the Pune-based National Defence Academy, were among those who took part in the march, along with members of the 124 infantry battalion of the Territorial Army. If Kashmiris want to go with Pakistan, let them go. I am sure Kashmir will be left with nothing within a few months, Captain (retd) Ravi Verma said. India today skipped the opening ceremony of China's Belt and Road Forum following sovereignty concerns over the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC). No Indian delegation was seen at the opening ceremony addressed by Chinese President, Xi Jinping. When inquired, Indian diplomats here pointed to the statement issued by MEA spokesperson Gopal Bagley last night. "...No country can accept a project that ignores its core concerns on sovereignty and territorial integrity," he said. Few Indian scholars attended the meeting. Media was not permitted into the conference hall, where the opening ceremony took place. Indian scholars who took part in the meeting said no Indian delegation was spotted. The meeting called the Belt and Road Forum (BRF) is being attended by 29 heads of state and governments including Prime Minister of Pakistan Nawaz Sharif and his Sri Lankan counterpart Ranil Wickrmasinghe, besides official delegations from other South Asian countries. Leaders and officials from various countries including Russia, US, Japan, UK, Germany and France are attending the meeting. In a strongly-worded statement issued last night, India had said that the connectivity initiative must be pursued in a manner that respects sovereignty and territorial integrity. "Guided by our principled position in the matter, we have been urging China to engage in a meaningful dialogue on its connectivity initiative, 'One Belt, One Road' which was later renamed as 'Belt and Road Initiative'. We are awaiting a positive response from the Chinese side," External Affairs Ministry spokesperson Gopal Baglay had said in a statement. The Ministry of External Affairs has said it has not received any request so far for extradition of 26/11 Mumbai attack mastermind Hafiz Saeed and 1993 Mumbai bombings accused Dawood Ibrahim from the agencies probing them. The ministry was responding to an RTI query filed by a PTI Bhasha correspondent seeking information on the action taken by the government for bringing back Jamaat-ud-Dawah chief Saeed and fugitive gangster Ibrahim. "The ministry of external affairs has not received any request for extradition/deportation/return in respect of Hafiz Sayeed and Dawood Ibrahim from the investigating agencies concerned in India," it said. Ibrahim is the main accused in the 1993 serial bomb blasts case in Mumbai in which around 260 people were killed, and more than 700 were injured. He fled the country post the bombings and is understood to be hiding in Pakistan at present. Saeed, also the co-founder of Pakistan-based Lashkar-e- Taiba terror group, is accused of plotting the militant attack in Mumbai on November 26, 2008, in which 166 people were killed by a group of terrorists who had entered the city through a sea route. In April, Home Minister Rajnath Singh had stated that there was no doubt that Dawood was still in Pakistan. During the last 10 years, India has sent several dossiers to Pakistan in this regard, saying Ibrahim is the key accused in the serial bomb blasts case. In 2011, P Chidambaram, the then home minister in the UPA government, had stated that Ibrahim was based in Karachi. He had also said that India would continue to push its case to bring to justice the people who had planned the 2008 attack. India has for long been advocating an extradition treaty among SAARC countries to ensure quick action against those involved in terrorist activities. A proposal of the Election Commission seeking statutory powers to countermand a poll over cases of bribe-for-votes has received the backing of the opposition Congress, but the ruling BJP says first there is a need for a similar definition of 'gratification' in all laws. At an all-party meeting held here on Friday, the poll panel had sought the views of parties on its proposal to have a specific clause in the Representation of the People Act "to take appropriate action including countermanding of election in the event of incidents of bribery of electors". The Congress, the main opposition party in Parliament, said it stands for strengthening of democratic institutions in their fight against graft. "The Congress party stands for strengthening of institutions of democracy. All steps which will fight and reduce the menace of money power will have the support of the party," party leader Vivek Tankha told PTI. Tankha, a former Additional Solicitor General, had represented the Congress in the all-party meeting. BJP general secretary Bhupendra Yadav said his party will apprise its stand in detail to the Election Commission on the agenda items. "But the term gratification should be synchronised with all laws. Parliament is already considering the subject in the form of amendments to the Prevention of Corruption Act," he said. Yadav had represented the BJP in the meeting. The Commission has asked the government to add a new section 58 B in the Representation of People Act, 1951, on the lines of section 58 A, which allows adjournment of poll or countermanding the election on the ground of booth capturing. As of now, the Commission uses its powers under Article 324 to countermand elections where voters have been bribed in large numbers to influence elections. The R K Nagar bypoll in Tamil Nadu was cancelled on the same grounds recently. The fifty-year-old woman received the award from President Pranab Mukherjee at a function at the Rastrapati Bhawan in New Delhi on Friday on the occasion of International Nurses Day. The award carries a citation, a medal and a cheque of Rs 50,000. Working in the community health centre (CHC) at Kukudakhandi in the district, Krishna said she was awarded for her 18-year-long service in the field of immunisation, women welfare programmes, management of labour room and operation theatre. "I am very happy to receive this award. I'll donate the award money towards education of orphan children," Krishna said. She said she would meet the local MLA from Digaphandi and Civil Supplies Minister S N Patro as well as the Chairman of the Panachayat Samiti Kamakshya Prasad Patra and urge them to set up a home for orphans in the area. Chief District Medical Officer (CDMO) of Ganjam, Manoj Kumar Behera appreciated Krishna's contribution to the CHC. "She is a role model for others. Her work will inspire others to serve the people," Behera said. Krishna Kumari, a health worker in Ganjam district, has bagged the prestigious Florence Nightingale award 2017. President Xi Jinping said Sunday that China will contribute an additional 100 billion yuan (about 14.5 billion U.S. dollars) to the Silk Road Fund to scale up financing support for the Belt and Road Initiative. Xi made the announcement when delivering a keynote speech at the opening ceremony of the two-day Belt and Road Forum for International Cooperation. Designed to finance the Belt and Road Initiative, the Silk Road Fund was officially founded in December 2014 and jointly backed by China's foreign exchange reserves, the China Investment Corp., the Export-Import Bank of China (China EximBank) and China Development Bank (CDB). To provide more funding for Belt and Road cooperation, China will also encourage financial institutions to conduct overseas RMB fund business with an estimated amount of about 300 billion yuan, Xi said. In addition, the CDB and the China EximBank will set up special lending schemes respectively worth 250 billion yuan equivalent and 130 billion yuan equivalent to support Belt and Road cooperation on infrastructure, industrial capacity and financing, he said. China will also work with the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB), the BRICS New Development Bank, the World Bank and other multilateral development institutions to support Belt and Road related projects, Xi said. Financing bottleneck is a key challenge to realizing connectivity. China has engaged in multiple forms of financial cooperation with countries and organizations involved in the Belt and Road Initiative. The AIIB has provided 1.7 billion U.S. dollars of loans for nine projects in Belt and Road participating countries. The Silk Road Fund has made four billion U.S. dollars of investment, and the 16+1 financial holding company between China and Central and Eastern European countries has been inaugurated. A multi-tiered Belt and Road financial cooperation network has taken an initial shape, Xi said in the speech. China will also work with other parties concerned to jointly formulate guidelines for financing the Belt and Road related development projects, he said. Proposed by Xi in 2013, the Belt and Road Initiative is a grand plan to connect Asia with Europe and Africa along, and beyond, ancient trade routes by putting in place an unparalleled trade and infrastructure network. So far, the initiative has won support from more than 100 countries and international organizations, of which over 40 have signed cooperation agreements with China. A total of 29 foreign heads of state and government leaders attended the forum. Other delegates include officials, entrepreneurs, financiers and journalists from over 130 countries, and representatives of key international organizations. According to sources, if the deal goes through, the founders will give half of their payout (USD 30 million) for the proposed scheme which would cover all current employees of Snapdeal. Snapdeal has about 1,500-2,000 staffers. "The founders have asked the Board to carve out USD 30 million (about Rs 193 crore) from their settlement for payouts to the Snapdeal team. They want to ensure that the team does not get sidelined in any manner," they added. Some former senior executives of Snapdeal, who have left the firm in the last 12 months, could also benefit from the process. E-mails sent to Snapdeal did not elicit any response. The intent is also to compensate for the ESOPs that were issued to senior employees. The value of their shares and options have eroded and would be worthless once the deal is signed, one of them said. Interestingly, the deal-linked payment would also be extended to employees who do not own ESOPs to reward those staying on with Snapdeal till the proposed transaction with Flipkart is complete. If the deal goes through, Snapdeal founders will get USD 60 million (cumulative), of which half will be given to employees. Japanese conglomerate and Snapdeal's largest investor SoftBank has initiated the process to sell the beleaguered online marketplace to bigger rival Flipkart. It has managed to get Board members, which also includes the founders (Kunal Bahl and Rohit Bansal) and early investors Kalaari and Nexus Venture Partners, to agree to the potential deal. Nexus Venture Partners could get close to USD 80 million and a stake in the merged/new entity, while Kalaari could get about USD 70-80 million. As per regulatory filings, SoftBank currently owns over 30 per cent in Snapdeal, while Nexus has roughly a 10 per cent stake and Kalaari holds 8 per cent share in the firm. A non-binding term sheet to start the due diligence by Flipkart for Snapdeal is expected to be signed soon between the two parties. In the past few months, Snapdeal has seen a number of voluntary and involuntary exits. While the company has hiked salaries by up to 15 per cent, employees are concerned about their future as the impending takeover looms ahead. One of the leading contenders in the Indian e-commerce space, Snapdeal has seen its fortunes failing amid strong competition from US-based Amazon and Flipkart. Compared to a valuation of about USD 6.5 billion in February 2016, the sale to Flipkart could see Snapdeal being valued at about USD 1 billion. SoftBank had recently said it suffered a loss of USD 1 billion (Rs 6,500 crore) on its investment in Snapdeal during 2016-17, almost matching the money it put in the home-grown marketplace. The deal between Snapdeal and Flipkart, if completed, would mark the biggest acquisition in the Indian e-commerce space and change the landscape of the sector that is witnessing intense competition among players. Sale of a company often leaves employees high and dry, but not in the case of Snapdeal that may offer a Rs 193 crore bonanza to its staff if the homegrown e-commerce firm is taken over by larger rival Flipkart. A suspected Hizbul Mujahideen terrorist, who was staying in Pakistan for the past 14 years, was arrested near the Indo-Nepal border while trying to sneak into India for carrying out a "specific mission", officials said on Sunday. Naseer Ahmed (34), who hails from Ramban in Jammu and Kashmir, was apprehended by the Sashastra Seema Bal (SSB) at Sanauli in Uttar Pradesh at around 5:15 PM on Saturday. "He was trying to sneak into India from Nepal in disguise of a Kashmiri shawl and carpet vendor. When he was asked for his identity by the personnel's of SSB at Sanauli, he was unable to produce any supporting documents," an SSB spokesperson said. Following this, a physical search was conducted and it yielded a Pakistani passport and identity card having a Pakistani address. "He was involved in many violent attacks against civilians and Security Forces including an attack on the STF Camp. He was sent to India by his handler, for a specific mission," the spokesperson said. Ahmed had landed in Kathmandu from Pakistan's Faislabad via Sharjah on May 10 along with one Mohd Shafi. Shafi did not accompany him as Ahmed boarded a bus to reach the Indo-Nepal border. The spokesperson said Ahmed was in touch with a handler in India, who used to deposit money in his account. "He was trained to operate weapons namely AK-47, AK-56, SLR, Rocket Launcher (RPG7), Assault Rifle (G3 and G2), grenades, etc. After completion of training, he stayed at various Hizbul camps in Abbotabad between 2004-2006 and Manshera (2006-09). He said that he used to preach Quran to HuM cadres during his stay at various camps," the SSB spokesperson said. According to security officials, he was involved in terrorist activities in Banihal area of Ramban since 2002. The next year, he crossed over to Pakistan in a group of 23 persons. In Pakistan, he received physical and arms training between November 2003 and January 2004 in Atak area of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province. He was trained by the terrorists and ISI officials, they said. He also married a Pakistani national in November 2009 and the couple have two sons. He also started a hosiery business in Gujrat district of Pakistan. Prior to his crossing over to Pakistan, he was involved in a number of terrorist activities. Ahmed, who was gunman of the then district commander of Hizbul Mujahideen, is alleged to be a member of the team, which executed mine attacks during election in 2002 in Banihal killing of two civilians and two army personnel. He was also allegedly involved in the killing of Mohd Meer Wani, a resident of Banihal on suspicion of being a source of security forces. The South West monsoon has hit the Andaman and Nicobar islands on Sunday, three days ahead of its normal schedule. The south west monsoon has advanced into some parts of south east Bay of Bengal, Nicobar Islands, entire south Andaman Sea and parts of north Andaman Sea on Sunday, the IMD says in a statement. The announcement, the met agency explained, was made on account of strengthening and deepening of south westerly winds, persistent cloudiness and rainfall, which is being seen over the islands. Heavy to very heavy rainfall are likely in the Andaman and Nicobar islands over the next two days, during which the seas are also likely to be rough. Fishermen have been advised not to venture out in the next 48 hours. The early arrival in the Andaman and Nicobar islands does not mean an early arrival of the monsoon on the Kerala coast, where the normal onset date is around June 1. The meteorologists say it would be too early to predict whether the monsoon would reach the Malabar coast ahead of its time. It takes about 13-14 days for the monsoon to reach Kerala from south Andaman. The flows on the Arabian side are normal at the moment. We can't say anything about the onset in Kerala now, IMD director general K J Ramesh told DH. Last week, scientists at the Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research forecast that the South West monsoon would be hitting the Eastern Ghats between June 14-22. They made the claims on the basis of their own forecast model for Indian summer monsoon. Private weather forecaster Skymet said monsoon was likely to hit Kerala on June 1 with an error of one-two days. Last month, IMD predicted a normal South West monsoon in 2017 when the country is expected to receive 96% of the average monsoon rain, essential for summer crops. Executive search firm Head Hunters India today said the job cuts in IT sector will be between 1.75 lakh and 2 lakh annually for next three years due to under-preparedness in adapting to newer technologies. "Contrary to media reports of 56,000 IT professionals to lose jobs this year, the actual job cuts will be between 1.75 lakh and 2 lakh per year in next three years, due to under- preparedness in adapting to newer technologies," Head Hunters India Founder-Chairman and MD K Lakshmikanth told PTI, analysing a report submitted by McKinsey & Company at the Nasscom India Leadership Forum on February 17. McKinsey & Company report had said nearly half of the workforce in the IT services firms will be "irrelevant" over the next 3-4 years. McKinsey India Managing Director Noshir Kaka had also said the bigger challenge ahead for the industry will be to retrain 50-60 per cent of the workforce as there will be a significant shift in technologies. The industry employs 3.9 million people and the majority of them have to be retrained. "So, when we analyse these figures, it is clear that 30 to 40 per cent of the workforce cannot be retrained or re- skilled. So, assume that half of this workforce can continue to work on old skills, then the balance will become redundant. "So, the number of people who will become redundant in the next three years will be about five to six lakhs. This will workout to, on an average, between 1.75 lakh to 2 lakh per year for next three years," Lakshmikanth explained. However, he said job cuts will not take place in major cities like Mumbai or Bengaluru, but cities like Coimbatore or a few remote places, he said. Lakshmikanth further said the IT services industry is passing through an uncertain time as the growth in digital technologies like cloud-based services is happening at a much faster pace and the companies are combining the learning of some of the new technologies and reskilling. "Because of the changing technology, the most affected will be the professionals aged 35 and above, for it would be very difficult for them to get jobs," Lakhsmikanth said. Asked if it is fair to blame US President Donald Trump's policy for job cuts, Lakshmikanth said it is not fair because he has fulfilled the promise after winning the elections. "How can we blame Trump, for he has fulfilled the election promise of giving jobs to local people including IT professionals by tightening H1-B visa norms, which were being misused by companies by paying less to foreign professionals working in US. It is for companies to tackle the situation and such situation they have undergone in previous years. It is not new for them. They know to tide over it," he said. Lakhsmikanth also said it is not fair even to target the Indian government as the IT industry grew on its own in India, but at later stages, respective state governments and central governments provided them facilities like land or creating special economic zones, among others. More gory details of Nirbhaya like gang rape-and-murder of a young Dalit woman from Sonipat emerged today, while her family alleged that their plea to police for help prior to the killing went unheeded. An autopsy of the victim showed the bones of the womans skull were shattered into pieces and "some sharp-edged objects may have been inserted in her private parts". "The findings suggest that it was a brutal rape and murder," said Dr S K Dhatterwal, head of the department of forensic medicine at the Post Graduate Institute of Medical Sciences (PGIMS) in Rohtak, who conducted the post-mortem examination. Two persons, including the main accused Sumit, who is a Dalit, have been arrested by the Haryana Police which has formed a Special Investigation Team (SIT) to probe the case. Police today also said that the family of the victim suspected the involvement of six more persons, out of whom five were related to the main accused. Meanwhile, National Commission for Women member Rekha Sharma met the family of the victim and said she expects that the accused will get exemplary punishment like the killers of 'Nirbhaya'. The decomposed and mutilated body of the 23-year-old woman, who went missing from Sonipat on May 9 and was gang- raped and brutally murdered, was found near the Industrial Model Township in Urban Estate, Rohtak, on May 11. Stray dogs had bitten off the face and lower portion of her body. The sheer brutality of the crime is reminiscent of the 'Nirbhaya' incident in Delhi, which triggered nation-wide outrage. The kin of the victim have alleged that they had approached the Sonipat police about a month back with a complaint that Sumit was harassing their daughter, but there was no action. "Earlier, we had approached police with a complaint of harassment by the main accused but no action was taken," the victim's kin told reporters in Sonipat. Refuting the charge, Sonipat Superintendent of Police, Ashwin Shenvi said, "There was a verbal complaint given some time back by the woman to Sonipat police saying that the main accused was asking her to marry him. It was a verbal complaint, there was no written complaint to police station." "However, later the complainant and her mother again came to the police station and said they had struck a compromise, and there no need for police action," the officer claimed. Shenvi said an SIT, headed by DSP (Headquarters) Sonipat, Mukesh is probing the case. It also has a local SHO, Inspector CIA and a woman police officer, he told PTI over phone. He said as the victim belonged to Dalit community, the accused had also been booked under the provisions of the SC/ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act. "The woman was a Dalit and out of the two accused, main accused Sumit is also a Dalit," he added. Shenvi said during investigations involvement of only two people had come to fore, both of whom were arrested. Rohtak Range Inspector General of Police Navdeep Virk said that the family gave the names of six more persons last evening. "The victim's family gave names of six more persons yesterday, suspecting their involvement in the crime. A supplementary statement of the family has been recorded to find out if those who have been named are actually involved. Out of these six persons, five are relatives of Sumit, main accused. One more is also related in some way to the accused," the SP said. The police have arrested 24-year-old Sumit and 28-year- old Vikas on the charges of rape, murder and abduction. Drawing parallels with the 'Nirbhaya' case of Delhi, the victim's family demanded exemplary punishment to the accused. The shocking incident barely a month after the BJP-led Haryana government launched 'Operation Durga' to stop eve- teasing and harassment of women in public places in the state, which is infamous for its adverse sex ratio in the country. The victim, said to be a divorcee, had been abducted from Sonipat on May 9 and taken to Rohtak in a car, police said. The victim's parents had lodged a missing complaint at the Sonipat police station. Sonipat police sub-inspector Ajay Malik had said that the victim was raped first and then the suspects hit her with a brick, smashing her face. Sumit, who was an acquaintance of the victim, had allegedly been pressuring her to marry him, police said. Following the incident, Congress president Sonia Gandhi yesterday expressed deep shock, saying it highlighted the need for "revisiting" the issue of women safety. The body was identified by the victims mother on the basis of her clothes. "He was putting pressure on her to marry him and used to threaten her. A week ago, he stopped her when she was returning from work. When she resisted, he threatened and abused her. She slapped him and ran home," said the mother in her statement to the police. While Sumit has a private job, Vikas works as a car mechanic. Navy Chief Admiral Sunil Lanba today held extensive talks with his Singaporean counterpart Lai Chung Han and explored ways to further step up maritime cooperation between the two countries. Lanma arrived here today to participate in an event tomorrow to commemorate 50 years of the Singaporean Navy as well as to witness a mega exercise between the navies of the two countries. Four warships of the Indian Navy and long range anti- submarine warfare aircraft P-8l would be part of the exercise with the Republic of Singapore Navy (RSN). The aim of the exercise is to enhance and expand coordination between the two navies in the Indian Ocean Region. In their talks, Lanba and Lai touched upon a number of key issues concerning maritime security and deliberated on ways to boost cooperation between the two navies. Admiral Lanba will be attending the International Maritime Review (IMR) tomorrow, an event being organised by the RSN to celebrate its 50th years of establishment. The event is being attended by navy chiefs of at least 30 countries. He will also attend the International Maritime Defence Exhibition and Conference (IMDEX) 2017. "Besides attending the IMR and IMDEX 17, the visit aims to consolidate existing Maritime Cooperation initiatives as well as explore new avenues," Indian Navy Spokesperson Captain D K Sharma said. Indian naval ships Sahyadri and Kamorta have also arrived in Singapore to participate in the IMR and IMDEX. Defence cooperation between India and Singapore is on an upswing in the last few years. India had signed a defence cooperation agreement with Singapore in 2003, which was renewed in 2015. The Indian Navy and Singapore Navy are partners in the Indian Ocean Naval Symposium (IONS), a multilateral maritime cooperation forum, conceptualised and pioneered by the Indian Navy in 2008. Both the countries have been conducting the bilateral exercise 'SIMBEX' (Singapore India Maritime Bilateral Exercise) since 1994. The next edition of the exercise is scheduled to be conducted off Singapore from May 18 to 24. Warships from both the countries regularly visit each other's ports. The last visit by the Chief of the Naval Staff to Singapore was by then chief Admiral R K Dhowan in 2015. Singaporean Navy Chief Lai had last visited India in February last year. "Singapore share similar maritime challenges such as coastal security, large coastal shipping and fishing fleet, wherein both navies have opportunities to learn from each other's experiences. In addition, ground exists for cooperation on a number of issues common to both navies," said Sharma. On Mothers Day, it was a gift from a mother to her son who has been incarcerated on the charge of killing his newly-wed wife. The mother, convinced that her son was innocent, traced his sons dead wife to Jabalpur in Madhya Pradesh, informed the police, gave substantial evidence of her jailed sons innocence, and ensured the arrest of her daughter-in-law along with her paramour. Seems to be a straight lift from a Bollywood flick, but this real-life crime story from Muzaffarpur has left many astounded. Manoj Kumar, a resident of Muzaffarpur, was arrested by the police in April 2015, barely an year after he married one Rinki Kumari, daughter of a defence personnel. Reason: Rinki had disappeared 11 months after her wedding and remained untraced for days. Her father Chandreshwar Prasad lodged a case of dowry death. The girls family even recognised a body, found in the neighbourhood, as that of Rinki. They said they recognised the body from her clothes. The cremation followed. After an FIR was lodged, in which Manoj and his parents were charged with killing Rinki for dowry, the police arrested the accused. Manoj and his parents were booked under Sections 304 B (dowry death) and 201 (tampering with evidence) of the Indian Penal Code (IPC), said the source. Later on getting bail, Manojs mother Lalita Devi started looking for her dead daughter-in-law. In the process, she went to Madhya Pradesh, where Rinkis father was posted. After a long search, she eventually traced her dead daughter-in-law, who was staying in Jabalpur with her paramour. She returned to Bihar to inform the cops that her son, who was behind bars for killing his wife, was actually innocent. I told the Saraiya (in Muzaffarpur) Station House Officer (SHO) how my 'dead bahu' was alive and kicking. But the cop asked for more evidence. Then I met a probationary IPS officer Santosh Mishra who sent a team to Jabalpur. Rinki and her paramour Mayur Malik were arrested from there. Police sources said both of them were brought to Bihar and produced before the sub-divisional judicial magistrate on May 12. Rinki confessed that she was in love with Malik even before her marriage and her wedding with Manoj was against her wish. Rinki and Malik have a new-born baby. Manoj, languishing in jail, can now expect to walk free. Congress leader Mallikarjun Kharge today said his party will fight the 2018 Assembly election in Karnataka under "collective leadership". To a question whether he is being considered for the party's state unit president post, the leader of the Congress in the Lok Sabha said, "I have not even applied for it." "We will go (to polls) under collective leadership... After we come to power, things will happen according to what is decided by the CLP (Congress Legislature Party) and our high command," he told reporters here. There is a stiff competition among senior party leaders for the state Congress president's post ahead of the 2018 Assembly polls. While Home Minister G Parameshwara is seeking to retain the post, other leaders like D K Shivakumar, M B Patil, S R Patil are also said to be in the fray. Kharge said, unlike the BJP, where all powers are concentrated with one person, that is Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the Congress has a high command which takes decisions. Speaking to reporters on Friday, Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah had expressed confidence that the Congress will return to power in the state after the next Assembly elections under his leadership and the chief ministerial candidate will be decided by the party high command. He had said the party's norm is that the chief ministerial candidate is first selected by the CLP after which it is ratified by the high command. "So, as of now, I cannot say that I will be the chief ministerial candidate. It is a decision of the high command," Kharge had said. Newly-appointed Congress' general secretary in-charge K C Venugopal had on Wednesday said there is no difference in the party's state unit and "all confusion" on the new Pradesh Congress committee president will be cleared within this month. Polling for the 224 seats in Karnataka legislative assembly is expected to be held early next year. The BJP, which is in the opposition in the state, under the leadership of its state unit president B S Yeddyurappa has set a target of 150 seats for the elections. The accused father impregnated her daughter who is now admitted to a local hospital in a serious condition. The mother of the victim, a migrant from Bihar now staying in Rohtak, took her daughter to the doctor which is when she was informed that her minor girl is 5-months pregnant. The police have arrested the accused. Meanwhile, police inaction is being alleged in the case of rape and murder of the 23-year old woman that is reminiscent of the tragic Nirbhaya incident in Delhi which triggered widespread outrage. The victims kin accused the police of failing to take cognizance of their earlier complaint against the accused. They say the police were informed about the acts of the accused and the threats he had hurled some time back, but to no avail. The police have denied the charge saying, the complaint was made only verbally. Later, the victims mother approached the police saying a compromise has been stuck. The autopsy report of the victim showed her bones had been crushed in the assault, skull shattered into pieces and sharp-edged objects inserted in her private parts. As politicians across political parties made their presence felt at the mourning at the house of the victim throughout the day, the government today said a sum of Rs 10.50 lakh will be given to the family of the victim. The family has revealed names of more people in the crime. A special investigation team (SIT) has been set up to investigate the case. Police and family suspect involvement of six more persons. Two accused, Sumit and Vikas, have been so far arrested by the police. Close on the heels of the brutal rape and murder of a 23-year old Dalit women in Haryanas Rohtak comes another shocker where a 10-year old minor girl is battling for her life after being raped for months by her stepfather. Uzbek President Shavkat Mirziyoyev has said Chinese President Xi Jinping's book on state governance will give Uzbek readers much inspiration and guidance on the rule of a country, a market economy and the protection of public interests. Mirziyoyev, who is in Beijing to attend the Belt and Road Forum for International Cooperation scheduled for Sunday and Monday, has written a foreword for the Uzbek language edition of the book, "Xi Jinping: The Governance of China," which has been published recently in Uzbekistan. At the beginning of the foreword, Mirziyoyev pointed out that China and Uzbekistan have a long history of friendship, which dates back to the ancient Silk Road period of more than 2,000 years ago. The two countries have enjoyed fruitful cooperation in various fields such as trade, technology and culture. Since the two countries established diplomatic ties more than 25 years ago, the two sides have set up a mechanism of regular exchanges of visits at country and government levels. President Xi's state visit in June 2016 elevated the China-Uzbekistan relations to a comprehensive strategic partnership, Mirziyoyev wrote. The president mentioned in particular that China has provided consistent support for Uzbekistan's modernization and economic reform. China has also made investment in many sectors of the country including manufacturing, energy, transportation, telecommunications and agriculture, to which he gave high praises to the significance of relevant programs. Thus, the book of President Xi, who has been widely recognized as a great leader with global influence, has sparked strong the interest of readers in Uzbekistan and other countries around the world, as it elaborates on China's well-considered domestic and foreign policies, development blueprint and future goals set to achieve "the Chinese dream" with a collection of Xi's public speeches, addresses, conversations and Q&A sessions, according to the foreword. "I have read the content-rich book with great interest, which manifests in-depth political wisdoms of a great power and offers penetrating analysis of the complicated globalization that the world has been undergoing," Mirziyoyev wrote. "I am very happy and honored to introduce the book to Uzbek readers." Today's China has wowed the world with its steady and rapid development, as it has become one of the locomotives for the global economy within a rather short period of time, Mirziyoyev said in the foreword. At the end of the foreword, the Uzbek president highly recommends the "insightful and content-rich book" of President Xi, as it would serve as an inspiration and a practical guide book on state governance, on a sustainable market economy with national characteristics, and on safeguarding people's overall interests for Uzbek leaders, experts, mass media professionals, as well as students and teachers of institutions of higher learning. "I fully believe that the book will help cement the time-honored Uzbekistan-China friendship, deepen bilateral cooperation and enhance exchanges between the two peoples," he wrote. Budding Marathi film producer Atul Tapkir committed suicide on Sunday after posting a message on social media platform, Facebook. In 2015, he had produced Dhol Tashe, which did not do well. Financial loss in filmmaking and family dispute were the reasons cited by the Pune-based filmmaker for his suicide. He had claimed that his wife, Priyanka, and brothers-in-law were torturing him after he suffered the financial loss and were not allowing him to meet his kids. He was staying in a hotel at Karve Road in Pune. When in the morning, he did not opened the door, police was informed and the door was broken. He was found lying motionless in the bed. He is suspected to have consumed poison. The body was sent to Sassoon General Hospital for post-mortem. The Deccan Gymkhana police station has registered a case and investigations were in progress. For six months, Ive been driven away from my home and my wife has refused access to my children. I am now joining my (deceased) mother, the suicide note states. In the Facebook post, Tapkir credits his father and sisters for standing by him. Invoking Atal Bihari Vajpayee, National Conference leader Farooq Abdullah today appealed to Prime Minister Narendra Modi to declare a "unilateral truce" along the Indo-Pak border during the holy month of Ramzan. The "bold" move will show that India wants to have peace and is ready to sit together to resolve the issue, the former Jammu and Kashmir chief minister told reporters. "I will appeal (to Prime Minister Narendra Modi). Ramzan is approaching. It is just a few days away. It will better if they announce unilateral truce," Abdullah said here, a day after two persons were killed in heavy shelling by Pakistan along the Line of Control (LoC) in Rajouri district. The NC leader's statement drew a sharp reaction from the BJP with Deputy Chief Minister Nirmal Singh asking why he was not giving similar advice to Pakistan, which has frequently violated the 2003 Indo-Pak ceasefire along the border and targeted civilian settlements. Asked about the ceasefire violations by Pakistan, Abdullah said that despite the hostile situation in Jammu and Kashmir and on the borders, former prime minister Vajpayee had announced a unilateral ceasefire against anti-terror operations in the year 2000. "It has become a serious problem. To resolve this, we have to take decisions. There was a very serious problem... when Atal Bihari Vajpayee was Prime Minister and he took a bold decision, went to Lahore and announced unilateral ceasefire during the month of Ramdan," he said. Announcing a unilateral truce against terror oprations, Vajpayee had on November 19, 2000 said in a statement, "I hope that our gesture will be fully appreciated and all violence in the State and infiltration across the Line of Control and the International Border will cease and peace will prevail". Later in 2003, the Indo-Pak ceasefire came into force. The government had last month said that Pakistani security forces had violated the ceasefire 268 times in the last one year. Between April 2016 and March 2017, the maximum of 88 violations were witnessed in November 2016 followed by 78 in October 2016 and 22 in March this year. "Time has come when both countries should move forward towards it. Four wars have been fought and except death and destruction, we have got nothing," Abdullah said. The holy month of 'Ramadan' will begin towards May-end. The NC leader said that he had impressed on the Prime Minister during their recent meeting that there was immediate need to take a political initiative on Kashmir issue and the situation in the valley should not be looked as a law and order problem. "We shared our view point on Kashmir situation. I told him that it is very important to take a political initiative. It is not a mere law and order problem. We have to think beyond the law and order angle. "A Parliament delegation came (to Kashmir). They gave a report on the situation but nothing was done. The iterlocutors' report has not been implemented. I told him you need to work fast on it and take an urgent initiative," he said. Abdullah said the situation in Kashmir "is getting bad" and tension is increasing on the borders. "A situation should not be allowed which will result in a war. It is not good for us. It will only cause destruction. So there is need to have talks," he said. Asked about Hizb commander Zakir Moosa's statement that militants are fighting for Islam in Kashmir, Abdullah said, "Where in Islam is it written that we have to wage a war and kill innocents. Please show me the book in which it is written. "It is a state of Muslims, Hindus, Sikhs, Christians and Bhuddists. Does Islam say kill innocents? If you kill one innocent person, you will go to hell. "It (Kashmir) is political issue. It cannot be resolved through a war. It will be resolved through talks. You have keep the door open for commencement of talks," he said. A hardcore Maoist, carrying a reward of Rs 16 lakh on his head, was today gunned down in an encounter with the police in Chhattisgarh's Bastar district, a senior official said. The ultra identified as Vilas alias Kailash alias Aaytu, the secretary of Barsoor area committee of Maoists, was killed in the face-off with a team of local police in Burgum police station area this evening, Bastar Superintendent of Police Sheikh Arif Hussain told PTI. Security personnel were out on an area domination operation in the forests of Burgum, located around 350 kilometres away from here, when they received inputs about the presence of Maoists in the area, the SP said. While security forces were cordoning off the specific target area, they came under firing by a group of ultras that led to the gun-battle between both the sides, he said. After finding security personnel zeroing on them, the rebels fled to deep inside the forest, he added. Later, security forces recovered body of the Naxal from the spot besides an AK 47 rifle and a country-made revolver, the SP added. Vilas was a key Maoist member in Bastar region, who had allegedly played a crucial role in executing several major Naxal incidents, the SP said adding further details are awaited. A 22-year-old woman from Sikkim was allegedly raped by three men in a moving car here and thrown out on a road in Delhi in yet another chilling rape incident in Haryana days after the Nirbhaya-like case in Sonipat. The woman was attacked at around 2 AM when she was returning from Delhi to her residence in Sector-17 here. As she reached near her house, she was dragged by three men into their Swift car. They then took turns to rape her in the moving vehicle while heading to Najafgarh in the national capital, 20 kms from here, a senior police officer told PTI quoting the victim's statement. The woman had gone to visit Connaught Place with her friend on Saturday night. The accused then threw her out in Najafgarh area and sped away, the officer said. The woman later approached some passersby and informed the Delhi Police which alerted the Gurgaon police. A case of rape has been registered against three persons. One of the accused was addressed as Deepak by the others, police said. "We have identified a few vehicles on the basis of her statement and CCTV footage and raids are being conducted at various locations to nab the accused," the officer said. The incident comes days the gruesome gangrape and murder of a 23-year-old woman came to light after her decomposed and mutilated body was found near the Industrial Model Township in Urban Estate, Rohtak. The woman had gone missing from Sonipat on May 9. Stray dogs had bitten off the face and lower portion of her body. Women's safety remains an issue of concern despite a slew of steps taken by the government after the December 16, 2012 gang-rape and murder of a paramedic student in Delhi sparked nationwide outrage. She later came to be known as 'Nirbhaya' (the fearless). RJD chief Lalu Prasad today took a jibe at the BJP-led central government saying it should dissolve the current Lok Sabha and hold parliamentary polls simultaneously with the Assembly elections due this year. "The BJP had backed the Niti Aayog's suggestion of holding Lok Sabha and Assembly elections simultaneously to ensure political stability. Now, the Narendra Modi government should pay heed to it, call for dissolution of the current Lok Sabha and go for fresh polls simultaneously with the Assembly elections due this year," he said at a press conference here. "You (Modi) will get to know about your strength and popularity," added Prasad. The RJD chief had called the press meet to make his observations on the Modi government's performance in the last three years public. Prasad claimed that the BJP would not return to power at the Centre in the 2019 general elections due to its government's "failure on all fronts". "The BJP won state elections and by-polls only where the opposition was divided. Wherever we (opposition) forged a unity, the BJP was defeated decisively," he said. The former Bihar chief minister claimed that the Modi government had done "nothing, except making tall claims and hollow promises" in the last three years. "Only capitalists have benefited during Modi's tenure so far," he said. Prasad asked the Centre to explain to the people what happened to its promises of creating one crore jobs for the youth, minimum support price for farmers at the rate of input costs and 50 per cent profit, Digital India, Clean Ganga and its sanitation drive, besides its promise of putting Rs 15 lakh in the bank account of every citizen after the recovery of black money stashed abroad. "BJP president Amit Shah himself had termed his party's promise to deposit Rs 15 lakh to each citizen's bank account as a 'jumla' (gimmick). My question is, how long will you run the country on jumla," he said. As regards internal and external security, the RJD chief claimed that the country was "not in safe hands". He blamed Modi for the crisis in Jammu and Kashmir as the prime minister had gone to Lahore to meet his Pakistani counterpart Nawaz Sharif in December, 2015. On the upcoming presidential polls, Prasad said he was yet to hold talks with the "like-minded" opposition parties. "(But) we will stand united," he added. Tamil Nadu government bus services will be off the roads as majority of more than 40 trade unions of the State Express Transport Corporations to launch an indefinite strike from Monday. The bandh was announced after series rounds of talks held with Transport Minister M R Vijayabaskar over pending salaries and settlement of benefits to retire staff, including PF benefits, failed. However, the associations affiliated to the ruling AIADMK would operate the bus services as usual and the authorities has taken all steps to ensure that normal services were maintained, government sources said. After commissioning its first aircraft carrier, a refitted Soviet-era vessel called the Liaoning, in 2012, the Peoples Liberation Army Navy (PLAN) launched its second aircraft carrier, the Shandong or CV-001A, last month. This first 70,000 tonne indigenously-produced aircraft carrier of China is likely to be operational by 2020. This is widely viewed as a major step for the PLAN as it underscores Chinas efforts towards indigenous design and construction of aircraft carriers. If the present trends continue, the PLAN is on its way to emerging the worlds second largest navy by 2020. The new carrier is part of an ambitious expansion of the Chinese Navy, which, according to some estimates, is projected to have a total of 265-273 warships, submarines and logistics vessels by 2020. That compares with 275 deployable battle force ships presently in the US Navy, which also operates 10 aircraft carriers, has 62 destroyers to Chinas 32, and 75 submarines to Chinas 68. As a rising power, Chinas military advancement is to be expected. Beijing wants to project power far beyond its shores, so a blue water navy is a prerequisite for Chinese ambitions. It is entangled in maritime disputes all around its periphery from East to South China Sea. Chinese naval presence is growing in the Indian Ocean and the larger Pacific. Chinese President Xi Jinping has launched defence reforms which are taking away resources from land to air and naval power. And the Chinese defence ministry has been articulating the need for PLAN to gradually shift its focus from offshore waters defence to open-seas protection. Though American Navy with its 10 carriers remains no match yet, PLAN is posing a real challenge to regional powers. For far too long, most western and regional observers continued to discount the possibility of China emerging as a serious naval power. Chinas interests do not need PLAN to invest in aircraft carriers, they suggested. But Chinese interests turned out to be much the same as of other maritime powers. In a short span, China will have two operational carriers with many more being planned. Chinese experts openly point out the need for at least three aircraft carriers operating in each East and South China Sea. The PLAN is ramping up the construction of nuclear powered submarines, very significant for the short-term to medium-term priorities of China. China does lack trained manpower to build its submarines, cruisers, destroyers, frigates, amphibious ships, replenishment ships and light craft. But that too is being rectified with a single minded purpose. China is constructing its first overseas military base in Djibouti ostensibly to provide rest and rehabilitation for the Chinese troops taking part in escort missions in the Gulf of Aden and waters off Somalia. But its real purpose is for projecting Chinese naval power in the Horn of Africa. There is also the Gwadar port closer to India. Immediate periphery Chinas naval presence has been growing in the Indian Ocean region. The PLAN submarines have been making regular forays in the Indian Ocean Region (IOR) on the pretext of anti-piracy patrols since December 2013. Chinas Maritime Silk Road initiative is aimed at gaining a higher profile in the IOR and to reduce Indias natural geographic advantages in the region. In the garb of protecting its trade and energy sea lines of communication, China is now building partnerships with countries around the Indian Ocean periphery. From Djibouti to Hambantota in Sri Lanka and Gwadar in Pakistan, new military facilities are being constructed to project Chinese naval power. Aircraft carriers are symbols of power, a signal that PLAN has arrived as a force to be reckoned with. While directly taking on the US is still some way off, the focus will likely be on its immediate periphery. In South China Sea, for example, a carriers entry can have a major impact on regional deterrence. For regional powers, therefore, some serious challenges have emerged. Much as the PLAN has tried to counter the superiority of the US Navy by focusing on anti-ship capabilities, especially submarines and anti-ship missiles, other regional powers will also have to think along similar lines to manage Chinas growing naval prowess. Given the challenge that China poses to Indian interests, PLANs growing lethality should be a serious worry for India. The Indian Navy too is working on its carrier battle groups but delays and shoddy planning continue to mar Indian aspirations. Indias first indigenous aircraft carrier, the 40,000-tonne INS Vikrant was launched in 2013 but its commissioning has been delayed till 2020. And it will be another decade before the second indigenous carrier, the 65,000-tonne INS Vishal, will be up and running. As a result, the 44,570-tonne INS Vikramaditya will be the only one for India for the next few years. Chinese official media took a swipe at Indian efforts recently when it argued that New Delhi is perhaps too impatient to develop an aircraft carrier. The country is still in its initial stage of industrialisation, and there will be many technical obstacles that stand in the way of a build-up of aircraft carriers...New Delhi should perhaps be less eager to speed up the process of building aircraft carriers in order to counter Chinas growing sway in the Indian Ocean, and focus more on its economy, it said. The larger question that Indian Navy needs to ask is whether it should really prioritise aircraft carriers over its other requirements. India, like China, wants to be a blue water navy and assert its primacy in the Indian Ocean. But the short-term to medium-term challenge emerging from Chinas potent rise means that India needs to find ways to mitigate that threat with some urgency. Waiting for a decade to get a carrier battle group up and running is perhaps not the most sensible of options. (The writer is a Distinguished Fellow at Observer Research Foundation, New Delhi and Professor of International Relations, Kings College, London) The Common Law Admission Test (CLAT) for undergraduate and postgraduate courses saw 93% attendance all over India and 87% in Bengaluru with candidates opining that the exam was tougher than last years. Professor S P Singh, Registrar of Chanakya National Law University, the nodal institution for this years test, said that the exam was moderate and the 200-marks paper had no errors. It had a fair amount of difficulty to test the students skills. In fact, we expect the cutoff to go up from last years 65%, he said. About 7,000 more students attended the test compared to last year. Out of the 1,533 who applied from Karnataka, 1,333 attempted the exam, said Singh, who is also the convener of the test implementation committee. Of the 50,676 students who had applied, 47,108 were present to grab a seat in one of the 18 institutions participating in the exam. Uttar Pradesh topped the list of applicants with 11,449 followed by Delhi (3,194), Bihar (2,431) and Kerala (1,644). We saw a good response from J&K with the participation of 47 of the 52 candidates who applied for the exam. We expect the number of students to go up, next year, Singh said. Of the 1,533 candidates who applied for the exam in Karnataka, 1,259 candidates appeared for the exam in five centres in Bengaluru and 74 at Mysuru. Students find this years paper tough Being one of Indias most popular law entrance exam, students found this years CLAT paper, a tough nut to crack. At SJM Infotech Pvt Ltd, 400 students who had appeared for the test were huddled in groups, each complaining about the part of the paper that they found difficult and worried about negative marking. There were noticeably fewer girls. Saaramsh M S and Ritu M Eshwar, the commerce students who attempted the exam for the second time, said the mathematics section, with 20 marks, was the most difficult. The exam was tougher than last years and we found that time management was the key especially because the questions from logical reasoning section were lengthy, they said. Karan Himatsingka said reading newspapers regularly helped him crack the general knowledge section easily, which saved a lot of time. There were questions about Kulbhushan Yadav (the former Indian Navy officer on death row in Pakistan) and euthanasia. The really confusing part was legal aptitude and logical reasoning with lengthy questions which were confusing, he said. While those who studied commerce and arts in their pre-university course struggled with mathematics, the candidates with science background found the section easiest. Pallavi Hemaraj, who has scored 80% in PCMB, said she will pursue law come what may. I found mathematics easy. But I am here because I dont want to study engineering or medical. But the legal aptitude section was toughest as I found it difficult to manage time, she said. An invigilator at the centre, who didnt want to reveal his identity, said the test was a mixed bag though most of the students who came out of the hall complained about legal aptitude section. Key facts and dates Candidates applied: 50,676 Candidates appeared: 47,108 Date of answer key upload: May 15 Declaration of results: May 29 Publication of first seat allocation list: June 5 #WATCH Madhya Pradesh: Man thrashed allegedly by cow vigilantes in Ujjain; police arrested four people, search for others underway pic.twitter.com/UqO7pRqyqy ANI (@ANI_news) May 14, 2017 A group of self-proclaimed cow vigilantes thrashed a man on the suspicion that he had cut the tail of a cow, with the video of the incident going viral. Two of the accused have been arrested, a police official said.The incident took place on Saturday near a temple in Peeplinaka area in Ujjain district. In a video of the incident which went viral, the accused were seen beating the man with a belt, and kicking and punching him while alleging that he had cut the tail of a cow.However, Jiwajiganj police station in-charge O P Mishra said the accused had a dispute with the victim over money and therefore, they thrashed him. A case was registered based on a complaint of the victim, identified as Apuda Malviya, he said.The accused, identified as Chetan Sankhla, Vikas alias Bhura, Nilesh Sankhla and Shubham, have been booked under IPC sections pertaining to voluntarily causing hurt and criminal intimidation, Mishra said.Police had on Saturday said that they arrested Chetan and Vikas while the others are absconding, the official said. Further investigation was on in the incident, he said. The family of the 23-year-old Dalit woman who was raped, murdered and mutilated in Haryanas Rohtak, said on Sunday that a threat to the victims safety had been reported to the police, who chose to ignore it. The police had been informed about how one of the accused, Sumit, had threatened her when she turned down his frequent proposals to marry him. The family said the police was informed about this, but that there was no response from them. The police said the complaint was made only verbally. They said the mother of the victim had later approached the police and said that a compromise was struck with the accused. The autopsy report of the victim showed that her bones were crushed in the assault, her skull shattered to pieces and sharp objects had been inserted in her private parts. Politicians from all political parties had made their presence felt at the house of the victim on Saturday. The government said that a sum of Rs 10.50 lakh will be given to the family of the victim. The family has revealed the names of more people in the crime. A special team has been set up to investigate the case. The police and the family suspect the involvement of six more people. Apart from Sumit, another accused, Vikas, has been arrested. A 10-year-old girl is currently undergoing treatment after being raped for months by her stepfather in Rohtak, the same area where the 23-year-old womans mutilated body was found. The girl is now admitted to a local hospital. The mother of the victim, a migrant from Bihar who is now staying in Rohtak, had taken the girl to a doctor, who informed her that the 10-year-old is five-month pregnant. The police have arrested the stepfather. Russian President Vladimir Putin, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres addressed the opening ceremony of the Belt and Road Forum for International Cooperation in Beijing on Sunday. Putin: Russia salutes China's initiative In a speech at the opening ceremony of the forum, Russian President Putin gave a speech on his country's actions and achievements in promoting regional and global development. He said Russia salutes China's large scale initiative which could help the country seize opportunities in the region. Given the country's geopolitical status, Russia is willing to cooperate with China in various sectors. He also stressed that the success of the projects depends on trade facilitation and collaboration among countries. Extensive cooperation could enable objectives to be met, he added. Erdogan: Turkey welcomes the B&R Initiative In his speech at the opening ceremony, Turkish President Erdogan said the initiative connects Europe, Asia, Africa and even America to one another. Located at the crossroad of Asia and Europe, Turkey is an important country along the Belt and Road trade routes, and the country is willing to work with China under the initiative, the president said. Guterres: B&R Initiative expected to benefit all UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said the world has made remarkable progress in human development, but risks still challenge the planet, including inequality, poverty and climate change. Guterres called for a wide-ranging action to promote win-win cooperation and connectivity. Countries should bring the spirit of the trade routes to a new high to benefit all, he said. At least 29 heads of state and government are attending the forum, the highest-profile international meeting on the Belt and Road since Chinese President Xi Jinping proposed the initiative in 2013. A Class XI girl student, who was reportedly abducted, was on Sunday rescued from a farmhouse here after which she complained of being raped by three youth during her captivity, the police said on Sunday. The girl, a resident of Modinagar area in neighbouring Ghaziabad, had gone to her institute on April 28 to collect her marksheet, but did not return home. Following this, her relatives filed a police complaint on May 1 against one Ashu and two others, accusing them of abducting her, a police official said. The girl was rescued from a farmhouse in Kankarkhera here last night (Saturday), said Modinagar police station SHO Dhruv Bhushan Dubey. She had jumped to the roof of an adjoining building. On hearing her cries, the owner of this building informed the police following which she was rescued, Dubey said. The official said the girl will be sent for medical examination to confirm the rape. With just two months to go for the presidential elections, the BJP is keen on getting the support of both AIADMK factions. On Sunday, Urban Development Minister M Venkaiah Naidu met Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Edappadi Palanisami at the secretariat in Chennai. The meeting comes a few days after BJP state vice president Vanathi Srinivasan met the chief minister in Coimbatore. Though the meetings were described as official, sources in the ruling AIADMK camp said the BJP was making sure it had the chief ministers support for the presidential election. The saffron party is first wooing the ruling faction as it commands the support of 122 MLAs and of 50 out of 59 MPs. The vote of each elected representative of the state legislature is valued at 176, while the vote of a Lok Sabha or Rajya Sabha members is 708. After the meeting with Vanathi Srinivasan, Palanisami asked his party leaders not to criticise the BJP, while BJP national secretary H Raja said there was nothing wrong in the BJPs attempts to get the support of the AIADMK. BJP leaders have also begun meeting members of the rebel AIADMK camp, led by O Panneerselvam, which has the support of 12 MLAs and nine MPs. Army sources said it has planned to deploy two battalions (one battalion has 1,000 soldiers) along the sensitive sectors of the route and another battalion on the Shamshabari mountains to check terrorist movements across the Line of Control. In addition, the Central Reserve Police Force and the Border Security Force plan to deploy more than 100 companies (one company has about 100 men) all along the route. The number of men deployed is almost double compared to last year, which signifies the heightened threat perception to the high-profile event this year, officials said. Pilgrims will have to pass through restive areas in south Kashmir, which witness regular incidents of stone-pelting and confrontation between militants and security personnel. Recently, a cordon-and-search exercise involving four army battalions, eight companies of the CRPF, five platoons of the Jammu and Kashmir Police and 30 women police was conducted in Shopian. The aim was to establish area domination. However, within days, young Kashmir-born army officer Lt Ummer Fayaz, who went home on leave, was abducted and killed. With Jammu and Kashmir on the boil, the army will enhance the security cover for Amarnath pilgrims. More than 14,000 additional security personnel from the army, central paramilitary forces and state police will be deployed all along the 300-km pilgrimage route, sources told DH. The yatra is scheduled to begin on June 29 and culminate on August 7.Since the yatra, which is held every year, was targeted by terrorists twice in 2003 and 2007 the security agencies are not taking any chances. Top-level discussions at the Centre and state levels are under way to ensure an incident-free pilgrimage. A suspected Hizbul Mujahideen terrorist, who was staying in Pakistan for the past 14 years, was arrested on the Indo-Nepal border while trying to sneak into India for carrying out a specific mission, officials said on Sunday. Naseer Ahmed (34), who hails from Ramban in Jammu and Kashmir, was apprehended by the Sashastra Seema Bal (SSB) at Sanauli in Uttar Pradesh from the border at 5.15 pm on Saturday. He was trying to sneak into India from Nepal in the guise of a Kashmiri shawl and carpet vendor. When he was asked for his identity by SSB personnel at Sanauli, he was unable to produce any supporting documents, a SSB spokesperson said. Following this, a physical search was conducted, and a Pakistani passport and an identity card bearing a Pakistani address were recovered. He was involved in many violent attacks against civilians and security forces, including an attack on the STF camp. He was sent to India by his handler, on a specific mission, the spokesperson said. Ahmed had landed in Kathmandu from Pakistans Faislabad via Sharjah on May 10 along with one Mohd Shafi. Shafi did not accompany him as Ahmed boarded a bus to reach the Indo-Nepal border. The spokesperson said that Ahmed was in touch with a handler in India, who used to deposit money in his bank account. According to security officials, Ahmed was involved in terrorist activities in Banihal area of Ramban since 2002. The next year, he crossed over to Pakistan with a group of 23 people. Trained by ISI In Pakistan, he was trained by the terrorists and ISI officials, they said. He was trained to operate weapons such as AK-47, AK-56, SLR, Rocket Launcher (RPG7), Assault Rifle (G3 and G2), grenades, etc. After completion of training, he stayed at various Hizbul camps in Abbotabad during 2004-2006 and Manshera (2006-09). He said that he used to preach Quran to HuM cadres during his stay at various camps, the SSB spokesperson said. Pakistani wife He also married a Pakistani national in November 2009 and the couple has two sons. He also started a hosiery business in Gujrat district of Pakistan. Karnataka is ready for another elephant census after five years. The latest headcount of pachyderms will start on May 17 after a two-day training of volunteers and ground staff beginning Monday. The focus of the census will be on frequent elephant habitats and why they are dwindling. The census will be carried out wherever elephants are found and will not be limited to the five tiger reserves and 30 wildlife sanctuaries in the state. Places where man-elephant conflicts were reported will be covered, too. These include Hassan, Shivamogga and the Cauvery Wildlife Sanctuary, P Anur Reddy, Principal Chief Conservator of Forests (Wildlife), said. To know the conflict areas better, the Forest Department is involving villagers. Noted elephant expert Ajai Desai said villagers would help provide details of crop raiding, searching and looking for fresh elephant tracks and the last time elephants passed by their area. This information will give a better idea of areas that need attention. More than 550 volunteers and 98 resource persons have registered for the census, five times more than the last time when there were just 200 people. Forest officials attributed the higher registration to growing interest in wildlife. In 2012, when the last census was held, the number of volunteers was not organised and many last-minute entries were made. The official figure was lower than that on the ground. No cameras or selfies The Forest Department has instructed volunteers not to carry cameras or mobile phones during the census. We want serious work. We have told the volunteers not to bring their cameras or phones. This order has to be followed across the state, T Hiralal, Director, Bandipur Tiger Reserve, said. The order also aims to prevent untoward incidents. Since elephants move everywhere, there have been instances of people harming themselves while trying to take photographs. We dont want people to get busy uploading photographs on social media instead of conducting the census. Its no fun exercise, he added. According to Desai, the elephant population in Karnataka has doubled since 1987 but remains scattered. Elephants are well-protected in Nagarahole and Bandipur tiger reserves that adjoin the Wayanad Wildlife Sanctuary and the Mudumalai National Park. But on the eastern side, towards Bannerghatta, they live in poor habitats and face threat. They face threat in North Karnataka, too, where they are scattered in the Yellapur region. He underscored the need to understand this disparity, its reasons and maintain stability. Another elephant expert R Sukumar said elephant population was not a concern and emphasised the need for special attention to North Karnataka. He said the Dandeli belt was declared an elephant division three years ago but didnt receive much attention afterwards unlike the Mysuru division where the elephant population was high and the region had become congested. He said attention should be paid to areas that witnessed incidents of conflict in the recent past like the Bannerghatta National Park and the Cauvery Wildlife Sanctuary. He raised concerns over elephants moving to Tamil Nadu and Andhra Pradesh because of change in the geographical terrain. The schedule May 15: Planning and training at division level. May 16: Training and preparation of elephant distribution map May 17: Sample block count (direct sighting) May 18: Line transect (dung count) May 19: Study of elephants in groups near waterholes, salt licks and open areas. Four training sessions were held prior to the census on April 22, 25, 29 and May 2. The Population 2002 census: 5,848 2007: 4,025 2012: 6,06 Elephant deaths 2012- 13:189 natural and 18 unnatural 2013- 14: 134 natural and 7 unnatural 2014- 15:77 natural and 18 unnatural 2015- 16: 59 natural and 15 unnatural 2016- 17: 56 natural and 10 unnatural Did you know? Karnataka has two elephant divisions Mysuru and Dandeli. The Mysuru elephant division is the largest in South Asia and is considered the safest haven for tigers and elephants. This division is spread over 12,000 sq km and houses over 8,000 elephants, while the Dandeli division is spread over 5,000 sq km and is home to 100 elephants. The Mysuru division covers Shivamogga, Bandipur, Nagarahole, Cauvery, MM Hills, Bannerghatta, BRT, Madikeri, Hassan, Kudremukh National Park, Balehonnur, Chikkamagaluru and Bhadra Wildlife Sanctuary, besides the Nilgiris Biosphere Reserve and the Wayanad Wildlife Sanctuary. The Dandeli division covers Uttara Kannada and Belagavi. Anticipating Indias intention of moving to the ICJ on the Jadhav issue, Pakistan on March 29 moved a declaration on the recognition of jurisdiction of the ICJ. Pakistan listed eight exceptions, including disputes relating to hostilities, armed conflicts and all matters related to national security. India took recourse to the Vienna Convention on Consular Relations, 1963, to which both countries are party. New Delhi claimed Islamabad violated the treaty by denying India its right of consular access to the navy officer-turned-businessman, despite repeated requests. India also contended it was not informed of Jadhavs detention until long after his arrest. India pointed out that it learnt about the death sentence against Jadhav from a press release. Pakistan, for its part, claimed consular access could be provided only if New Delhi assisted Islamabad in investigating Jadhavs alleged involvement in espionage and terrorist activities in Pakistan. But New Delhi felt linking assistance to the investigation process to the granting of consular access was by itself a serious violation of the Vienna Convention. In its petition, India sought four reliefs including suspension of the death sentence and cancelling the Pakistan military courts order. If the Pakistan government is unable to overrule the military courts verdict, then India would urge the ICJ to declare the verdict illegal on the basis of which Jadhav could be released. Last encounter in 99 The last time the two countries fought in the ICJ was in 1999 when the IAF shot down a Pakistani spy plane Atlantique in the Kutch area, killing all the 16 Pakistani naval personnel on board. A 16-judge bench of the court on June 21, 2000, had voted 142 to dismiss Pakistans claim. After almost 18 years, India and Pakistan are set to cross swords at the International Court of Justice (ICJ) over the case of former Indian Navy officer Kulbhushan Jadhav. Jadhav was awarded death sentence by a Pakistan military court on espionage charges.India moved the ICJ, charging its neighbour of egregious violations of the Vienna Convention on Consular Relations, as Islamabad rejected 16 Indian requests on consular access to Jadhav. On Monday morning, at the Peace Palace in The Hague, the seat of the ICJ, the Indian legal team would first make their presentations for one and half hours arguing their case. In the afternoon, Pakistan would get the same time for response. Senior Congress leader Mallikarjun Kharge on Sunday said the party will face the 2018 Assembly elections under a collective leadership. Kharge told reporters who met him in Bengaluru that if the party retains power in the elections, then the next chief minister will be decided by the Congress high command. Kharges statements come at a time when Chief Minister Siddaramaiah has been repeatedly stating that the 2018 elections will be fought under his leadership. Siddaramaiah had reiterated the statement at a press conference to mark the completion of the fourth year of his government last week. Siddaramaiah, however, retracted another statement that he will continue as chief minister for a second term. On his name doing the rounds for the post of Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee (KPCC) president, Kharge said, I have neither applied for the post nor have I sought it. It is for the high command to decide. He said unlike the BJP, there is internal democracy in the Congress. In the BJP, everything is decided by Narendra Modi. The Congress has a high command to decide all party issues, he said. Kharge said there has been no peace in the country since NDA came to power at the Centre. While crude oil prices have fallen in the international market, the Centre has not reduced the prices of petrol and diesel, he added. HDK attacks state govt Elsewhere in Bengaluru, JD(S) state president H D Kumaraswamy trained his guns on the state government charging it with looting the state. The proposal to build a tunnel between Chalukya Circle and Hebbal in Bengaluru was first mooted during my tenure as chief minister at an estimated cost of Rs 800 crore. The Congress government is now trying to implement the same project at a cost of Rs 3,500 crore, he claimed. He charged that the police have been masquerading as robbers. He claimed that the police had clandestinely seized Rs 2.5 crore cash from a person near Mysuru recently. As soon as news about the incident leaked, the police said only Rs 40 lakh had been seized, he charged. Politicians wooing communities JD(S) state president H D Kumaraswamy called on Bengaluru Brahmana Mahasabha president Prakash Iyengar in Malleswaram on Sunday. Kumaraswamy said he had come to congratulate Iyengar, who took over as president of the forum recently. History-sheeter V Nagaraj had tried to legalise demonetised notes through six non-resident Indians (NRIs) from Chennai whom he knew personally, police say. Investigators questioned Nagaraj and his two sons Gandhi and Shastri for more than five hours on Sunday to find out the source of Rs 14.8 crore in scrapped notes seized from his house in Srirampuram in a police raid on April 14. He spoke about six NRIs from Chennai but said the plan didnt work. Nagaraj, who is a former corporator, claimed that he didnt solicit customers for exchange of demonetised notes, but said politicians had sent some industrialists to his house, seeking his help in legalising the banned currency, police quoted him as saying. Nagaraj said he didnt guarantee them anything and asked them to take back the notes, but they didnt pay heed. As a result, the notes accumulated in his house. He had to behave differently to deal with such industrialists, he said. According to Nagaraj, the scrapped currency seized from his house belonged to politicians and bureaucrats. A senior police officer said Nagaraj appeared to have mellowed and offered to reveal all information about money laundering. In return, he asked police not to implicate his sons and jeopardise their future. Nagaraj said he was anxious when he released the two videos while in hiding and said he had spoken on the spur of the moment. In the videos, he had accused Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and some IPS officers of money laundering. Police will continue to interrogate him and his two sons. A tropical island paradise lying 500 kilometers off the coast of Senegal, Cape Verde is the westernmost point of the African continent. The former Portuguese colony has a population of half a million, but only an estimated one doctor for every 3,000 people. For over 30 years Chinese doctors have brought badly-needed medical support to the archipelago. A special partnership between China and Cape Verde has seen Chinese doctors providing services in the African island nation since 1984. Teams of Chinese doctors have been arriving in the country to serve in the health sector, typically staying for two years. Today, with the 17th mission taking up residency, it's not unusual to see Chinese and Cape Verdean doctors sitting side-by-side at the Aghostino Neto Hospital, the biggest and busiest health-care facility in Cape Verde, discussing patients and treatment plans, performing surgeries and consulting on a range of procedures. One of the most significant outcomes of the healthcare cooperation has been Chinese investment in maternity and paediatrics. Though language and cultural differences have presented some challenges, the doctors have integrated well, and the patients appreciate the level of care they provide. By John Toon 15 March 2017 ATLANTA, GA (Geirgia Tech) Chinas severe winter air pollution problems may be worsened by changes in atmospheric circulation prompted by Arctic sea ice loss and increased Eurasian snowfall both caused by global climate change. Modeling and data analysis done by researchers at the Georgia Institute of Technology suggest that sea ice and snowfall changes have shifted Chinas winter monsoon, helping create stagnant atmospheric conditions that trap pollution over the countrys major population and industrial centers. Those changes in regional atmospheric conditions are frustrating efforts to address pollution through emission controls. Emissions in China have been decreasing over the last four years, but the severe winter haze is not getting better, said Yuhang Wang, a professor in Georgia Techs School of Earth and Atmospheric Sciences. Mostly, thats because of a very rapid change in the high polar regions where sea ice is decreasing and snowfall is increasing. This perturbation keeps cold air from getting into the eastern parts of China where it would flush out the air pollution. Reported March 15 in the journal Science Advances, the research was sponsored by the National Science Foundation and Environmental Protection Agency. The paper presents a clear example of how large-scale perturbations caused by global climate change can have significant regional impacts, and is believed to be the first to link sea ice and snowfall levels to regional air pollution. Haze problems in the East China Plains which include the capital Beijing first gained worldwide attention during the winter of 2013 when an instrument at the U.S. embassy recorded extremely high levels of PM 2.5 particles. The haze prompted the Chinese government to institute strict targets for reducing emissions from industry and other sources. Though these emission controls appear to be working, the haze during December and January continues. So Wang and colleagues Yufei Zou, Yuzhong Zhang and Ja-Ho Koo wondered if other factors may be playing a role. Long-term air quality measurements arent available in China, so the researchers had to piece together estimates based on visibility measures and satellite data. To analyze the historical records, they created a new Pollution Potential Index (PPI) that used air temperature gradient anomalies and surface wind speeds as a proxy for ventilation conditions over eastern China. Once we generated the PPI and combined it with the visibility data, it was obvious that January 2013 was well beyond anything that had ever been seen before going back at least three decades, said Wang. But in that month emissions had not changed, so we knew there had to be another factor. The East China Plains consist of interconnected basins surrounded by mountain ranges to the west and the ocean to the east, a mirror image of the polluted Southern California. Pollution generated by industry and vehicles can be removed effectively only by horizontal dispersion or by vertical mixing in winter, and when those processes fail to move out stagnant air, pollution builds up. It seemed likely that something was preventing the ventilation that would have kept the air cleaner. The researchers next looked at climate features such as sea ice, snowfall, El Ninos, and Pacific Oscillations. They conducted principal component and maximum covariance analyses and found correlations of stagnant air conditions over China to Arctic sea ice which reached a record low in the fall of 2012 and snowfall in the upper latitudes of Siberia, which had reached a record high earlier in the winter. They then used atmospheric model simulations to study how those factors change large-scale atmospheric circulation patterns and pollution ventilation over eastern China. Media freedom has never been so threatened and RSFs global indicator has never been so high (3872). This measure of the overall level of media freedom constraints and violations worldwide has risen 14% in the span of five years. In the past year, nearly two thirds (62.2%) of the countries measured* have registered a deterioration in their situation, while the number of countries where the media freedom situation was good or fairly good fell by 2.3%. The Middle East and North Africa region, which has ongoing wars in Yemen (down 4 at 166th) as well as Syria, continues to be the worlds most difficult and dangerous region for journalists. Eastern Europe and Central Asia, the second worst region, does not lag far behind. Nearly two third of its countries are ranked below or around the 150th mark in the Index. In addition to Turkeys downward spiral, 2016 was marked by a clampdown on independent media in Russia, while the despots in such former Soviet republics as Tajikistan (149th), Turkmenistan (178th), and Azerbaijan (162nd) perfected their systems of control and repression. The Asia-Pacific region is the third worst violator overall but holds many of the worst kinds of records. Two of its countries, China (176th) and Vietnam (175th), are the worlds biggest prisons for journalists and bloggers. It has some of the most dangerous countries for journalists: Pakistan (139th), Philippines (127th) and Bangladesh (146th). It also has the biggest number of press freedom predators at the head of the worlds worst dictatorships, including China, North Korea (180th), and Laos (170th), which are news and information black holes. Africa comes next, where the Internet is now routinely disconnected at election time and during major protests. More than five points separate then the African region from the Americas, where Cuba (down 2 at 173rd) is the only country in the black (i.e. very bad) zone of the Index, which is otherwise reserved for the worst dictatorships and authoritarian regimes of Asia and the Middle East. Finally, the European Union and Balkans region continues to be the one where the media are freest, although its regional indicator (of the overall level of constraints and violations) registered the biggest increase in the past year: +3.8%. The differences in regional indicator change over the past five years are particularly noticeable. The European Union and Balkans indicator rose 17.5% over the past five years. During the same period, the Asia-Pacific indicator increased by only 0.9%. The words regions (in descending order of respect for media freedom): In the emerging new world of media control, even the top-ranked Nordic countries are slipping down the Index. After six years at the top, Finland (down 2 at 3rd) has surrendered its No. 1 position due to political pressure and conflicts of interests . The top spot has been taken by Norway (up 2 at 1st), which is not a European Union member. This is a blow for the European model. Sweden has risen six places to take 2nd position. Journalists continue to be threatened in Sweden but the authorities sent a positive signal in the past year by convicting several of those responsible . The cooperation between the police and certain media outlets and journalists unions was also seen as a step forward in combatting the threats. At the other end of the Index, Eritrea (179th) has surrendered last place to North Korea for the first time since 2007, after allowing closely-monitored foreign media crews into the country. North Korea (180th) continues to keep its population in ignorance and terror even listening to a foreign radio broadcast can lead to a spell in a concentration camp. The Indexs bottom five also include Turkmenistan (178th), one of the worlds most repressive and self-isolated dictatorships, which keeps increasing its persecution of journalists, and Syria (177th), riven by a never-ending war and still the deadliest country for journalists , who are targeted by both its ruthless dictator and Jihadi rebels. (See our analysis entitled 2017 Press Freedom Index ever darker world map .) RSFs latest World Press Freedom Index highlights the danger of a tipping point in the state of media freedom, especially in leading democratic countries. (Read our analysis entitled Journalism weakened by democracys erosion .) Democracies began falling in the Index in preceding years and now, more than ever, nothing seems to be checking that fall. The obsession with surveillance and violations of the right to the confidentiality of sources have contributed to the continuing decline of many countries previously regarded as virtuous. This includes the United States (down 2 places at 43rd), the United Kingdom (down 2 at 40th), Chile (down 2 at 33rd), and New Zealand (down 8 at 13th). Donald Trumps rise to power in the United States and the Brexit campaign in the United Kingdom were marked by high-profile media bashing , a highly toxic anti-media discourse that drove the world into a new era of post-truth, disinformation, and fake news. Media freedom has retreated wherever the authoritarian strongman model has triumphed. Jaroslaw Kaczynskis Poland (54th) lost seven places in the 2017 Index. After turning public radio and TV stations into propaganda tools, the Polish government set about trying to financially throttle independent newspapers that were opposed to its reforms. Viktor Orbans Hungary (71st) has fallen four places. John Magufulis Tanzania (83rd) has fallen 12. After the failed coup against Recep Tayyip Erdogan , Turkey (down 4 at 155th) swung over into the authoritarian regime camp and now distinguishes itself as the worlds biggest prison for media professionals. Vladimir Putins Russia remains firmly entrenched in the bottom fifth of the Index at 148th. The rate at which democracies are approaching the tipping point is alarming for all those who understand that, if media freedom is not secure, then none of the other freedoms can be guaranteed, RSF secretary-general Christophe Deloire said. Where will this downward spiral take us? Nicaragua (down 17 at 92nd) distinguished itself in 2017 by falling further than any other country on the Index. For the independent and opposition media, President Daniel Ortegas controversial re-election was marked by many cases of censorship, intimidation, harassment, and arbitrary arrest. Tanzania (down 12 at 83rd), where President John Bulldozer Magufuli keeps tightening his grip on the media , also suffered a significant fall. Amid all the decline, rises in two countries seem particularly promising and will hopefully continue. After ridding itself of its autocratic president, Gambia (up 2 at 143rd) has rediscovered uncensored newspapers and is planning to amend legislation that is restrictive for the media. The historic peace accord in Colombia (up 5 at 129th) has ended a 52-year armed conflict that was a source of censorship and violence against the media. No journalists were killed in 2016, making it the first time in seven years that journalists survived their work. However, other sizeable jumps in the 2017 Index are probably deceptive. Italy (52nd) has risen 25 places after acquitting several journalists including the two Italian journalists who were tried in the VatiLeaks 2 case. But it continues to be one of the European countries where the most journalists are threatened by organized crime. France has risen six places to 39th position but it was simply recovering from the exceptional fall it suffered in the 2016 Index because of the Charlie Hebdo massacre. It is a country where journalists struggle to defend their independence in an increasingly violent and hostile environment. Excepting the 2016 Index, Frances latest score (22.24) is its worst since 2013, a decline that is due inter alia to problems arising from businessmen using the media as a source of influence . RSF welcomed a new law on media independence but it did not suffice to significantly modify the situation. In Asia, the Philippines (127th) rose 11 places, partly because of a fall in the number of journalists killed in 2016, but the insults and open threats against the media by President Rodrigo Duterte, another new strongman, do not bode well. Evolution in Frances score Published annually by RSF since 2002, the World Press Freedom Index measures the level of media freedom in 180 countries, including the level of pluralism, media independence, and respect for the safety and freedom of journalists. The 2017 Index takes account of violations that took place between January 1st and December 31stof 2016. The global indicator and the regional indicators are calculated based on the scores assigned to each country. The country scores are calculated from the answers to a questionnaire in 20 languages that is completed by experts throughout the world, supported by a qualitative analysis. The scores and indicators measure the level of constraints and violations, so the higher the figure, the worse the situation. Because of growing awareness of the Index, it is an extremely useful and increasingly influential advocacy tool. * The term country is used in its ordinary sense, without any special political meaning or allusion to certain territories. Related document: 2017_-_god_velikogo_povorota.pdf 2017 World Press Freedom Index tipping point 4 May 2017 (RSF) The 2017 World Press Freedom Index compiled by Reporters Without Borders (RSF) shows an increase in the number of countries where the media freedom situation is very grave and highlights the scale and variety of the obstacles to media freedom throughout the world. The World Press Freedom map is getting darker. The global indicator calculated by RSF has never been so high, which means that media freedom is under threat now more than ever. Three more countries sank into the darkest depths of the Index in 2017: Burundi (down 4 at 160th), Egypt (down 2 at 161st) and Bahrain (down 2 at 164th). A total of 21 countries are now colored black on the press freedom map because the situation there is classified as very bad, and 51 (two more than last year) are colored red, meaning that the situation in these countries is classified as bad. In all, the situation has worsened in nearly two thirds (62.2%) of the 180 countries in the Index. I. Additions to the black list Ranked 160th out of 180 in the 2017 Index after falling four places, Burundi is the first of the 21 countries in the black zone. President Pierre Nkurunziza launched a fierce crackdown in 2015 against media outlets that covered a coup attempt after his decision to run for a third term. Burundi is now locked in a crisis and media freedom is dying. Charged with supporting the coup, dozens of journalists have fled into exile. For those that remain, working is almost impossible without toeing the government line. The all-powerful National Intelligence Service (SNR) interrogates, arrests, and mistreats reporters and editors at will. Editors are told to correct articles that cause displeasure. No holds are barred in the regimes war on any form of opposition or criticism. Information is manipulated and journalists are beaten. One journalist, Jean Bigirimana, has disappeared EGYPT AND BAHRAIN, PRISONS FOR JOURNALISTS The other two countries that have entered the Indexs black zone are both from the region with the worst score the Middle East. Many journalists have been imprisoned in both countries 24 in Egypt and 14 in Bahrain and they both detain their journalists for very long periods of time. In Egypt (down 2 at 161st), Mahmoud Abou Zeid, a photojournalist also known as Shawkan, has been held arbitrarily for more than three years without being tried. His crime was to have covered the violent dispersal of a demonstration organized by the Muslim Brotherhood, which is now branded as a terrorist organization. Freelancer Ismail Alexandrani has been in pre-trial detention since November 2015 although a judge ordered his release in November 2016. Regardless of the law, the regime led with an iron fist by Gen. Al-Sisi tolerates no criticism, suppresses protests, shamelessly erodes media pluralism, attacks the journalists union, and encourages self-censorship amongst reporters on a daily basis. The situation is no better in the Kingdom of Bahrain (down 2 at 164th), which is back in the black zone where it always was, except for a brief respite in 2016. Dissidents or independent commentators such as Nabeel Rajab, the head of the Bahrain Centre for Human Rights, pay a high price for daring to criticize the authorities in tweets or interviews. The regime intensified its repressive methods in 2011, when it feared it might be overthrown. Any content or media suspected of posing a threat to the countrys unity is simply suppressed, and detained journalists face the possibility of long jail terms or even life imprisonment. II. The last of the last At the other end of the black zone, three countries have monopolized the last three places for the past 12 years. Ever since the 2005 Index, North Korea, Turkmenistan, and Eritrea have consistently suppressed and crushed all divergence from the state propaganda. Eritrea (up 1 at 179th) has for the first time in ten years relinquished the bottom place to North Korea, even if there has been no fundamental change in the situation in this aging dictatorship where freely reported news and information have long been banned. The media, like the entire society, are still totally under President Issayas Afeworkis arbitrary thumb. The Eritrean government continues to enforce lifetime conscription and to detain dozens of political prisoners and journalists arbitrarily. In 2016, a few foreign media crews were nonetheless allowed into the country to do reports, under close escort. North Korea (down 1 at 180th), now ranked last in the Index, has also shown more flexibility towards the foreign media. More foreign reporters have been allowed to cover official events and, in September 2016, Agence France-Presse was even able to open a bureau in Pyongyang. These developments might give the impression of more openness, but in fact there is no desire for real change. The information available to the foreign media is still meticulously controlled and the population is kept in ignorance and terror. Listening to a radio station based outside the country can lead straight to a concentration camp. North Korea continues to be a Cold War-era dictatorship. Turkmenistan, another hangover from a previous era, has held on to its 178th position. Any criticism of the Arkadag (Father Protector) is inconceivable is this former Soviet Republic. The state has total control over the media and continues to intensify its harassment of the few remaining correspondents of foreign-based independent media, who are forced to work clandestinely. The government has continued its campaign to remove all satellite dishes, denying the public of one of its last chances to access freely reported news. III. Predators on all continents Former Soviet republics have produced many of the dictators found on the Index. Examples include Azerbaijan (up 1 at 162nd), where trumped-up charges are used to jail journalists, and Uzbekistan (down 3 at 169th), which is a model of institutionalized censorship although the new presidents behavior has raised hopes of improvement after the widespread use of torture under his predecessor. In Asia, China (176th), Vietnam (175th), and Laos (170th) have always languished near the bottom of the Index alongside North Korea (180th). But that is not all they have in common. They are all also totalitarian communist regimes in which journalists take their orders from the Party and, in China especially, citizen journalists and bloggers are prosecuted and jailed if they dare to offer the least criticism of the Party-State. FROM TOTALITARIANISM TO AUTOCRACY The perpetuation of a Soviet-style communist regime is the reason why Cuba (down 2 at 173rd) is more hostile to media freedom than anywhere else in the Western Hemisphere. The states monopoly of news and information did not end with the death of Fidel Castro, who will be remembered not only as the father of the Cuban revolution but also as one of the planets worst press freedom predators. Aside from Eritrea and Burundi, already mentioned, three of the other four African countries in the Indexs black zone have regimes that are at the very least autocratic if not brutal dictatorships. Both Omar al-Bashir in Sudan (174th) and Teodoro Obiang Nguema in Equatorial Guinea (down 3 at 171st) constantly crack down on the least dissent in order to hold on to the power they acquired by force in the last century. Both are on RSFs list of press freedom predators and both continued, in various ways, to curtail freedom of information, expression, and thought in 2016. In Djibouti, which held on to its 172nd position in the 2017 Index, President Ismail Omar Guelleh has also deployed a significant repressive arsenal against the media. After steadily depriving his country of independent and opposition media, the iron-fisted Guelleh found it fairly easy to amend the constitution in order to run for a fourth consecutive term. Defense of religion, morality, and the established order are the grounds usually given in the Middle East for violating media freedom. The Islamic Republic of Iran (up 4 at 165th) imprisons journalists arbitrarily by the dozens on the pretext of combatting obscenity or threats to national security. Prison conditions are so bad that many of them go on hunger strike in protest. The Iranian regime imposes inhuman and medieval punishments such as flogging. For insulting Islam, Saudi Arabia (down 3 at 168th) also sentenced the blogger Raif Badawi to flogging as well as ten years in prison. Both King Salman bin Abdulaziz, who took over the reins of the Saudi dynastic monarchy in 2015, and the Islamic Republic of Irans Supreme Leader, Ali Khamenei, hold distinguished positions in the ranks of RSFs press freedom predators. IV. War and crises, also enemies of journalists Dictatorships and other totalitarian regimes obviously throttle media freedom and pluralism, but wars and latent conflicts are also devastating and can quickly drive a country down into the lower regions of the Index and keep it there for years. Six years after the start of a bloody civil war, Syria is now the worlds deadliest country for journalists and is stuck at its 177th position. Nothing has been done to protect journalists from the insane barbarity of its dictator and fanaticized Jihadi armed groups that stop at nothing. Journalists are also caught in the crossfire in Yemen (166th). Even if fewer were killed in 2016, which accounts for Yemens four-place rise, journalists risk being abducted and held hostage by the Houthi rebels or by Al-Qaeda. They also risk being killed in air strikes by the Saudi-led Arab coalition. Chaos is equally dangerous for journalists in Libya (down 1 at 163rd), which is torn by armed clashes between rival factions and is on the verge of imploding. Three more journalists died in 2016 covering fighting in Sirte and Benghazi. Although the toll of dead and missing has fallen, journalists still face endless threats because crimes of violence against them go unpunished. So too in Somalia (167th), where the fragility of the state contributes to the dangers for journalists, who are the victims not only of shootings and bombings by Al-Shebaab, but also persecution by what remains of governmental authority. V. A non-exhaustive black list It is clear from the 2017 Index that the frequency of media freedom violations is on the rise (see our release entitled Tipping point?) and this is reflected inter alia in a 7% increase over the past five years in the number of countries located in the red zone (where the situation is classified as bad). This in turn suggests that a rapid increase in the number of countries in the black zone may also be imminent. For example, the Democratic Republic of Congo headed by Joseph Kabila, another press freedom predator has been falling steadily since 2002, when it was ranked 113th in the first Index published by RSF. After falling two more places in the past year, it is ranked 154th in the 2017 Index and is steadily approaching the black zone. Similarly, South Sudan (down 5 at 145th) has fallen more than 20 places in the past five years because of its civil war and seems to be heading inexorably down to join the countries in the worst category. TURKEY, MEXICO, AND AFGHANISTAN IN THE DOWNWARD SPIRAL Turkey is one of the most alarming cases in the 2017 Index. Ranked 155th after falling four more places in the past year, it has fallen a total of 57 places in the past 12 years. The coup attempt in July 2016 swept aside the last restraints on the government in its war against critical media. The ensuing state of emergency has allowed the authorities to disband dozens of media outlets at the stroke of pen month after month, reducing pluralism to a handful of low-circulation newspapers. More than 100 journalists have been detained without trial, turning Turkey into the worlds biggest prison for media professionals. Mexico is another country that stood out last year. Ranked 75th in RSFs 2002 Index, it has fallen almost 75 places in the past 15 years and is ranked 147th in the 2017 Index after 10 more journalists were murdered in 2016 (and another spate of killings in March 2017). It is riddled by corruption and violent organized crime, especially at the local level. In the states of Veracruz, Guerrero, Michoacan, and Tamaulipas, it is extremely dangerous for journalists to cover sensitive subjects, especially as impunity for crimes of violence against the media feeds a vicious circle that continues year after year. In terms of level of risk for journalists, Mexico is nowadays only just behind Syria and Afghanistan, which is down at 120th. The courageous efforts of Afghanistans journalists and their determination to fulfil their reporting mission are frustrated by the constant decline in the security situation resulting from the Taliban and Islamic State insurrections, which have turned entire provinces into news and information black holes. Only the governments declared readiness to create protective mechanisms for journalists has prevented Afghanistan from falling further in the Index. Dozens of universities across China have become victims of a massive global cyber-attack which has affected institutions and businesses in nearly 100 countries. A ransom note which asks for 300 US dollars in Bitcoin to unlock the files appears on the screen of a computer that belongs to a student from East Chinas Hangzhou Normal University [Photo: hangzhou.com.cn] The attack locks files on a computer and encrypts them, and then demands at least 300 US dollars in Bitcoin to unlock the documents. According to Avast, a cyber-security company, the ransomware that caused the disasters was identified as WannaCry, reports the BBC. Cheng, a student from east Chinas Zhejiang Gongshang University, said a lot of people are talking about the cyber-attacks on the popular WeChat messaging app, and are complaining that their Word and PowerPoint documents have been locked, according to xinmin.cn. As far as I know, academic institutions [in Zhejiang province] such as Ningbo University, Zhejiang Chinese Medical University, Zhejiang Gongshang University and Zhejiang Sci-tech University have been hit by the cyber-attacks, Cheng said. Another Chinese university student Tang told xinmin.cn that his computer was hit on Friday night, with a ransom note appearing on the screen saying that if he didnt pay 300 US dollars in Bitcoin within one week, his files will ever be unlocked. Tang said the note was in several languages including Chinese, Korean, Japanese and English. The attack has severely affected many fourth-year university students, as their graduation dissertations have been locked, according to media reports. Some Chinese universities, such as Dalian Maritime University and Shandong University, have issued notices informing their students about the latest developments, reminding them to install a software patch released by Microsoft for the security holes, and update and backup their systems. More than 45,000 attacks have been recorded in 99 countries, including the UK, India, Ukraine, Egypt, China, Russia and Italy as of Saturday, according to the Guardian. The National Health Service (NHS) in the UK has been struck, preventing some hospitals admitting new patients with severe conditions, and many operations have also been canceled, according to media reports. The attacks take advantage of a vulnerability which was reportedly identified for use by the US National Security Agency (NSA) but subsequently leaked on the internet, according to media reports. Background: On 17 Jan 2017, the president of Peoples Republic of China (PRC), Mr. Xi Jinping delivered a speech to state leaders and business community representatives from all over the world. In his speech, Mr. Xi has presented the Chinese national initiative of the Belt and Road, which we may track the root when more than two millennia ago the diligent and courageous people of Eurasia explored and opened up several routes of trade and cultural exchanges that linked the major civilizations of Asia, Europe and Africa, collectively called the Silk Road by later generations - The initiative to jointly build the Belt and Road, embracing the trend towards a multipolar world, economic globalization, cultural diversity and greater IT application, is designed to uphold the global free trade regime and the open world economy in the spirit of open regional cooperation. It is aimed at promoting orderly and free flow of economic factors, highly efficient allocation of resources and deep integration of markets; encouraging the countries along the Belt and Road to achieve economic policy coordination and carry out broader and more in-depth regional cooperation of higher standards; and jointly creating an open, inclusive and balanced regional economic cooperation architecture that benefits all. Jointly building the Belt and Road is in the interests of the world community. Reflecting the common ideals and pursuit of human societies, it is a positive endeavor to seek new models of international cooperation and global governance, and will inject new positive energy into world peace and development. - The Belt and Road Initiative aims to promote the connectivity of Asian, European and African continents and their adjacent seas, establish and strengthen partnerships among the countries along the Belt and Road, set up all-dimensional, multi-tiered and composite connectivity networks, and realize diversified, independent, balanced and sustainable development in these countries. The connectivity projects of the Initiative will help align and coordinate the development strategies of the countries along the Belt and Road, tap market potential in this region, promote investment and consumption, create demands and job opportunities, enhance people-to-people and cultural exchanges, and mutual learning among the peoples of the relevant countries, and enable them to understand, trust and respect each other and live in harmony, peace and prosperity. - China's economy is closely connected with the world economy. China will stay committed to the basic policy of opening-up, build a new pattern of all-round opening-up, and integrate itself deeper into the world economic system. The Initiative will enable China to further expand and deepen its opening-up, and to strengthen its mutually beneficial cooperation with countries in Asia, Europe and Africa and the rest of the world. China is committed to shouldering more responsibilities and obligations within its capabilities, and making greater contributions to the peace and development of mankind. To be mentioned, despite a sluggish global economy, Chinas economy grew by 6.7% in 2016, still one of the highest in the world. Chinas economy is far bigger in size than in the past, and it now generates more output than it did with double-digit growth in the past. Household consumption and the services sector have become the main drivers of growth. In the first three quarters of 2016, added value of the tertiary industry took up 52.8% of the GDP and domestic consumption contributed to 71% of economic growth. Household income and employment have steadily risen, while per unit GDP energy consumption continues to drop. The countrys efforts to pursue green development are also paying off. How South African businesses benefit from the Belt and Road South Africa is the largest trading partner for the PRC in African continent. Through years of efforts since 1998, the two governments have built up strong political tie and bilateral trading & investment relation. At the meantime, South Africa government and ruling party, African National Congress are pursuing radical economic transformation to address poverty, create job opportunities and involve the majority participation in the economy. Historically, South Africa and China share the same past of walking out of colonialism and building national independent and economical prosperity. Therefore, by learning from the successful experience of our eastern partner and attracting investment in various fields, South Africa can truly benefit from the Belt and Road initiative. In trade and industry: Recently, Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) just rolled out the Industrial Policy Plan (IPAP 2017/18 19/20). The new plan is focusing on labour intensive sectors that link the productive sectors of economy, across integrated value chains. Obviously, the new DTI plan encouraged business community to expend efforts in building up manufacturing capacity and create more employment opportunities. In this regard, Chinese investors who are supported by the Belt and Road initiative can play an important role by forming partnership with SA businesses, injecting capital, introducing innovative technology and skills. - The resource can be consumed effectively and efficiently. - The value added products can be produced locally and exported worldwide. - Large number of decent job opportunities will be created and skilled labour force will be developed. - African entrepreneurship will grow substantially through the partnership. - Build up sustainable manufacturing sector and eventually achieve the goal of national industrialization. Agriculture: South Africa government and ruling party African National Congress are working tirelessly on transformation in the agriculture sector. The land reform program will ultimately benefit the previously disadvantaged group and involves the majority of rural communities in the agriculture operation. It will also increase production due to inverse farm size productivity and create employment in farming sector. In this regard, Chinese investors can play a key role based on its well developed small and medium agriculture model through centuries. To be emphasized, China has a well established food processing industry to satisfy the diversified domestic market. The most demanded agro-processing technology and skill will be introduced to South Africa and benefit the majority of rural community through partnership. Other sectors: The radical economic transformation will open up sectors to the majority through empowerment of previously disadvantaged society. It will also break the monopoly of minorities and create space for investors from overseas. There is already substantial Chinese investment from in South Africa, such as infrastructure, finance, construction, motor manufacturing, telecommunication and wholesale & retail etc. There is no doubt that investment and cooperation between South Africa and China will further expend under the guideline of the Belt and Road. Chinese president, Mr. Xi Jinping has expressed the partnership between China and Belgium as Tea and Wine, which symbolize the coherent of different culture and manner from Eastern and Western. Therefore, the Belt and Road initiative becomes the tie of the differences. I believe that Tea and Wine shall match the characters better referring to SA China relationship. As the most diversified economy in the world, South Africa will provide great potential for Chinese investors to establish their business and receive their rewards in various sectors. I may also call upon SA entrepreneurs to grab this opportunity provided by both South Africa and Chinese Government and put all efforts in building a sustainable and prosperous SA economy. (Anderson ANC Progressive Business Forum) The Donegal Democrat has been informed of the following deaths: - Jackie Meehan, the Glebe, Roshine Road, Killybegs - Eileen Doran, Manorcunningham - Margaret Spratt (nee McGlynn), Church Lane, Letterkenny - Felicity Fox, Merrion, Dublin/Bundoran - Thomas McVey, Carland, Kerrykeel - Mary Jane Patton, Broadlea, Raphoe Jackie Meehan, the Glebe, Roshine Road, Killybegs The death has taken place of Jackie Meehan, the Glebe, Roshine Road, Killybegs. Remains reposing at his residence from 12 noon to 11pm today, Sunday, and from 12noon on Monday to 11pm. Removal from his home on Tuesday morning at 10.30 am. to St. Mary's Church, Killybegs for 11am funeral Mass. Burial afterwards in the local cemetery. Eileen Doran, Manorcunningham The death has taken place at Letterkenny University Hospital of Eileen Doran, Manorcunningham. Reposing at her late residence until removal at 10.15am tomorrow, Monday, May 15th, to St. Columbas Church, Dromoghil, for funeral Mass at 11am, followed by burial in the adjoining cemetery. Family time please from 11pm and tomorrow morning. Family flowers only. Donations in lieu, if desired, to Medical 3 Ward, Letterkenny University Hospital. Margaret Spratt (nee McGlynn), Church Lane, Letterkenny The death has taken place at Deanfield Nursing home of Margaret Spratt (nee McGlynn), formerly of Church Lane, Letterkenny. Reposing at WJ OBrien and Son Funeral Home, Eglinton from 6pm until 8pm on Saturday, May 13th. Funeral service will take place at 2pm at the funeral home today, Sunday, May 14th, followed by burial in Gortlee Cemetery, Letterkenny. Felicity Fox, Merrion, Dublin/ Bundoran The death has taken place at St. Vincents Private Hospital of Felicity Fox, Merrion, Dublin/Bundoran. House and funeral home private. Removal on Tuesday, May 16th, to arrive at the Church of Our Lady Queen of Peace, Merrion Road, Dublin 4, at 11.50am for funeral Mass at 12 noon. Cremation afterwards in Mount Jerome Crematorium, Harolds Cross, D6. There will be a Mass for Felicity in the Star of the Sea Church, Bundoran, at 12 noon on Saturday, May 20th. Family flowers only please. Donations, if desired, to Cancer Clinical Research Trust Department of Medical Oncology, St. Vincents, Dublin 4. Thomas McVey, Carland, Kerrykeel The death has taken place of Thomas McVey, late of Carland, Kerrykeel. His remains reposing at his home from 3pm on Friday, May 12th. Requiem Mass at 2pm on Sunday, May 14th, in St Columbas Church, Massmount, with interment afterwards in the adjoining cemetery. House private from 10pm until 11am and on the morning of the funeral. Mary Jane Patton, Broadlea, Raphoe The death has occurred of Mary Jane Patton, aged 101, late of Broadlea, Raphoe. Her remains are reposing at Kellys Funeral Home Friday, May 12th, from 4pm until 8pm and Rosary at 8pm on Friday, May 12th; and on Saturday, May 13th, from 4pm until 9pm, with Rosary at 9pm. Funeral from there on Sunday morning at 10.40am going to St Eunans Church, Raphoe for Requiem Mass at 11am. Burial afterwards in the adjoining cemetery. Family flowers only please. Donations in lieu if desired to the Alzheimer's Society, Donegal Branch c/o Sean Kelly and Son Funeral Directors, Oakfield, Raphoe or any family member. If you wish to have a death notice included here, email us at editorial@donegaldemocrat.com and include a phone number for verification purposes only. The first pilot freight train for new sea-rail transportation route linking southwest China's Chongqing Municipality and Singapore arrived at Qinzhou Port in south China's Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region on Friday after its 48-hour journey. The containers on the 26 rail cars will continue their journey to Singapore and other Southeast Asian countries by sea after finishing the clearance procedure. Upon the open of Chongqing-Guangxi-Singapore international sea-rail route, the goods can arrive at their destinations over 20 days ahead compared with the previous sea transportation. Starting from Chongqing, the line first reaches Beibu Gulf in southern Guangxi after passing through Guiyang and Naning, and then stretches south to Singapore and other parts of the world. Complementing the Chongqing-Xinjiang-Europe rail link, the 4,080-kilometer-long sea-rail line provides inland provinces with access to both the Silk Road Economic Belt to their north and the 21st Maritime Silk Road to their south, and a new Eurasian land-sea corridor connecting Southeast Asia and Europe will come into being as a result. The sea-rail link, in light of its position, will not only be an international trade corridor, but also a key part of China-Singapore (Chongqing) Demonstration Initiatives on Strategic Connectivity. The papers carried by train are for domestic trade, while the motorcycles will be exported to Indonesia after arriving at Singapore at first. It is expected that within this year, 10,000 TEUs (20-foot equivalent container units) will be transported by the line, the most convenient way for Chongqing and its neighboring Sichuan province to export their products. Watching the House of Representatives pass the repeal and replace Obamacare, a good time was had by all the white folks gathered at the White House. Now lets get to the bones of this legislation -- $960 billion dollars over 10 years will be cut from Medicaid. It seems as all were immune to the fact that people are going to die from this. Last I heard, they had immunized themselves from any effects of this legislation. Watching our local legislators struggle with Medicaid funding, it doesnt seem as though our representatives care. The Democrats gave up too much with their bill and the Republicans have taken too much back. I would like to see on the 2018 ballot some front page boxes added one for Republicans, one for Democrats and a new one for anti-incumbent. I agree wholeheartedly with the lady a while ago that had in the paper to vote them all out, then they would work together for the people. I forgot to mention the huge tax break for those who make $200,000 or more a year. It seems as though the Republican motto is the poor have too much and the rich dont have enough. Ronald Bourdlaies Cowarts Questions have been raised about methodology adopted in Swachh Survekshan Report 2017. Instead of encouraging sustainable practices like segregation at source and recycle and reuse, the survey seems to have rewarded cities that are focussing on collection of unsegregated waste and transporting it to landfills. These unsustainable practices are putting a burden on Indian economy. Did you know? In India, annual per capita cost of municipal solid waste management ranges from Rs 204 to Rs 900 for capital investment and from Rs 113 to Rs 269 for operation and maintenance. move mouse over the bars to know more Data source: Report of the Task Force on Waste to Energy (Volume I), In the context of Integrated MSW Management, Planning Commission, 2014 An extensive study by the Centre for Science and Environment has revealed some interesting facts and figures on financial aspects of solid waste management in India. Need for waste Minimisation Of the 143,449 tonnes per day (TPD) of Municipal Solid Waste (MSW) generated in 20142016 in India, 4060 per cent is organic. It is assumed that 20 per cent of the total waste is recycled and does not enter the MSW stream to be processed. FINANCING WASTE MANAGEMENT | Cities across the country are striving to adjust their budgets This waste, at an average cost of Rs 1,000 per tonne, saves approximately Rs 10.7 crore per day. Waste minimisation results in savings, which accumulate through avoided collection, treatment and disposal costs. Data source: Not in my Backyard, CSE, 2016 Parameters Large cities (above 1.5 million) Mid-size towns (between 0.5-1.5 million) Small towns (less than 0.5 million) Hilly towns MSW management expenditure (Rs per capita per annum) 165-175 150-180 120-150 350-400 MSW management cost per tonne (Rs) 900-1,200 800-1,200 800-1,600 2,500-3,000 Ratio of workers per tonne of waste managed 3.5-4.5 2.5-6 2.5-5 8-16 MSW management expenditure as percentage of total municipal revenue expenditure 15-25 15-25 20-40 25-45 Salaries as percentage of overall MSW management costs 45-55 60-70 65-75 80-90 Cost of primary collection as percentage of total MSW management expenditure 25-30 40-70 30-40 20-40 Cost of transportation as percentage of total MSW management expenditure 20-25 10-20 10-15 15-25 Cost of MSW management contract as percentage of total MSW management expenditure 35-40 25-30 5-10 <5 Data source: Improving Management of Solid Waste in India, World Bank, May 2006 Funds allocated under Swachh Bharat Abhiyan The campaign was launched on 2nd October 2014. Rs 62,009 crore likely to be spent on the Swachh Bharat Mission programme, the Centre will contribute Rs 14,623 crore, out of which, Rs 7,366 crore will be spent on solid waste management, Rs 4,165 crore on individual household toilets, Rs 1,828 crore on public awareness and Rs 655 crore on community toilets. Did you know? Urban bodies spend between Rs 500 and Rs 1,500 per tonne on solid waste collection, transportation, treatment and disposal Data source: Municipal Solid Waste Manual, 2016 Not in my Backyard, CSE, 2016 Swachhta Status Report 2016, NSSO Assessment and quantification of plastics waste generation in major cities, 2015, CPCB Report of the Task Force on Waste to Energy (Volume I), In the context of Integrated MSW Management, Planning Commission, 2014 What a Waste : A Global Review of Solid Waste Management, World Bank BACK TO TOP Dundalk Chamber was invited to meet three Euro MEPS from Spain, Netherlands and Germany with Mairead McGuiness at Carrickdale. Michael Gaynor, President and Paddy Malone PRO outlined the concerns the Chamber had over BREXIT. Michael thanked Mairead for giving the Chamber the opportunity to express the Chambers concerns. He outlined the problems that will be created on commuters ,commerce and trade. He pointed out that the border had become invisible and no longer had an impact on peoples lives. It was our wish that as far as possible that this remains. He warned that without proper planning all aspects of living along the border would be affected. Paddy raised the issue that if Ireland had a special case then the border counties had an even greater concern and required special treatment. He called on the EU to allow the National Government some flexibility with regard to State id rules. He outlined the calls already made regarding: 1. Rates relief; 2. Interest subsidies to SME exposed to BREXIT and 3. The long held call for the Living City Imitative to be extended to Dundalk. The MEPs were impressed with Carlingford Lough and recognised the arbitrary nature of the border. However they were clear that the border would be not between North and South but UK and EU. They confirmed their wish to minimise the impact that BREXIT will bring. Other people who spoke included Conor Patterson, Newry Chamber and representatives of IFA and An Garda Siochana The Piraeus Port in Greece, an early harvest project under the framework of Belt and Road Initiative, is a role model for the win-win cooperation between China and Greece, a Greek official told the Peoples Daily. The port has risen to fame after it was acquired by China Ocean Shipping (Group) Company (COSCO) and secured generous investment from the latter. The port has now become a stop connecting the East and West along the Maritime Silk Road, according to Stergios Pitsiorlas, Greek Deputy Minister of Economy and Development. Pitsiorlas believed China and Greece will profit from the Piraeus Port, while Europe and the world at large will benefit from the Belt and Road Initiative, which delivers a concept of peace and win-win outcome. Pitsiorlas is a witness and propeller for COSCO's acquisition of the Piraeus Port, at a time during he was in charge of the Hellenic Republic Asset Development Fund (HRADF) from 2015 to 2016. COSCO agreed to acquire 67 percent of the shares of the Piraeus Port Authority (PPA) in April 2016 under a deal signed with the HRADF, Greece's privatization agency. Four months later, the group officially took over the ports business. Despite of international financial crisis and the Greek debt crisis, the ports loading and unloading capabilities have multiplied over the past several years. The ports handling capacity added to 3.36 million TEUs (20-foot equivalent container units) in 2015 from 880,000 in 2010, ranking 39th in 2016 globally up from 93rd in 2010. COSCO plans to boost the port's container traffic to 5 million TEUs by 2018, which means the port would then be among the world's 30 largest container ports, Pitsiorlas said, adding that COSCO will add new investment in the port. According to the agreement, COSCO will invest another 300 million euros to expand businesses involved in shipbuilding and repair, international cruise ships and car terminals. Chinas heavy investment will upgrade the operating capability of the port and lift its global status. Besides promoting Asia-Europe economic and trade ties, the investment is also expected to create more jobs in Greece and contribute to the countrys economic recovery. Pitsiorlas said Greek Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras will attend the upcoming Belt and Road Forum for International Cooperation in Beijing, less than one year after his last visit to China. That indicates the Greek government attaches great importance to the Belt and Road Initiative and hopes to develop a closer partnership with China, Pitsiorlas said, in a hope that the forum will draw the two countries closer. Malacca, a Malaysian city whose rise and decline was closely related to the Maritime Silk Road in history, has embraced hope to reinstate its prosperity thanks to the Belt and Road Initiative. The rise of Malacca state whose capital city is Malacca city, was facilitated by the armada of a revered Chinese navigator Zheng He during the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644). Zhengs fleet was stationed in Malacca on five of his seven maritime expeditions, according to Mao Lei, associated professor of History Department with Xiamen University. At the same time, the King and diplomatic envoys of Malay dynasty of Malaccaconducted over 20 visits to the Ming government, said Chen Dasheng, head of the Cheng Ho Cultural Museum in Melaka City. Six centuries later, Malaysia's participation in China's Belt and Road Initiative has built a new connectivity platform that enables Malacca to see the hope to restore its lost glory. In 2014, Chinas Xinyi Glass Holdings Limited, a major supplier in the industry, invested $200 million to build its first production base in Malacca. Before that, Malaysia had to spend $300 million on imported glass every year to meet its domestic demands. The deal was then also the largest overseas investment for the coastal state in over a decade. The glass factory started construction in 2015 and became operative at the end of 2016. Seeing the sound effect of cooperation, Xinyi invested another $200 million in the second phase to expand production. The second phase started construction on March 12 this year. In only two years, Malaysias glass industry has undergone drastic changes. Relying on the most advanced manufacturing technique in China even in the world, Malaysia now has the confidence to call itself as an export base for the foreign market, which in turn will benefit Chinas economy as well. Melaka Gateway is another key Sino- Malaysian project in Malacca. Co-built by a Malaysian investment company and three Chinese companies, namely PowerChina International, Shenzhen Yantian Port Group and Rizhao Port Group, it is a mega project that includes deepwater wharf, tourism, residential and commercial use, estate development, and coastal industrial park. China has the worlds top-ranking technologies and working efficiency, and our cooperation with the Chinese enterprises will yield twice the result with half the effort, according to Michelle Ong, the Malaysian head of the project and CEO of Malaysia's KAJ Development. It was recorded that more than 84 languages were spoken in the state of Malacca in its 700-plus years of history, and Zheng Hes fleet had brought friendship and peace to the place, Michelle Ong said, adding that the Melaka Gateway will bring back the former glory of Malacca. The Melaka Gateway, upon completion, will be a massive deep-sea port as well as a marina for yachts, according to Malaysia's minister of transport Liow Tiong Lai. Malacca's port would focus on the supply and replenishment of passing vessels, indicating a bright prospect for Sino-Malaysian cooperation, which will drive the all round development of the countrys economy and tourism, the minister added. By Leah Duran Editors note: The global seafood chain can be as murky as the oceans depthsin fact, one in five pieces of seafood is falsely labeled. In Brazil, Conservation International is pioneering a smartphone-friendly tool that traces seafood from ocean to plate, giving consumers the power to make sustainable choices with a few finger swipes. Human Nature sat down with Guilherme Dutra, marine program director for Conservation International Brazil, to discuss the pioneering seafood traceability program, Pesca+Sustentavel (in English, Fisheries+Sustainable). Winner of the 2014 Google Brazil Social Impact Challenge, this initiative brings innovative technology directly to fishing communities in Brazil to reshape the seafood chain from the water to the consumers plate. Q: How does Pesca+Sustentavel work? A: Pesca+Sustentavel is a traceability system based on QR codes. The QR code is printed on a piece of paper that accompanies a restaurant menu. Customers open the QR app on their smartphone and scan the code, which brings them to the program website to find out more about where their seafood came from. This way, the conscious consumer can easily choose healthy and sustainable seafood that comes from local fishing communities, benefiting the whole seafood chain. A fisher in Brazil catches crabs in the mud around mangrove roots. This is the first step in the seafood chain. Conservation International / Priscila Steffen Q: What does this seafood chain look like? A: At coastal community fisheries in Brazil, Conservation International is pioneering sustainable catch of a type of crab called caranguejo-uca, which are caught by hand in the mud around coastal mangrove forests. To sustain healthy populations of these crabs, local fishers agree to catch them when theyre a certain size and not during breeding season. Once caught, the crabs are transported to suppliers and restaurants. So far, our main restaurant partner is in Belem, the capital city of the northern state of Para. Q: Why is fish to plate transparency important? A: Today, a large portion of the seafood chain is illegally or unsustainably caught. One in five seafood labels is fake! The market is focused on who can catch morewhich is unhealthy and unsustainable for fishers, fish and marine ecosystems. The market should be focused on quality: simply put, who fishes better, with better meaning using sustainable methods that are good for consumers and the environment. Our choices as consumers are critical for ocean conservation, and we must be sure about the sources of seafood we eat. Pesca+Sustentavel offers consumers a simple, straightforward way to create positive changewith their wallets. Q: How does Pesca+Sustentavel advance other conservation efforts? A: Fishermen wantand needto protect the mangroves where the crabs live, so they can continue to fish them and sustain their families; about 10,000 families depend on crab. Transitional areas between ocean and land such as mangrove forests not only provide food for communities, but they serve as buffers from tropical storms and can store as much as 10 times the amount of carbon as the same area of land-based forest. The mangroves in northern Brazil are the largest continuous portion of this ecosystem on the whole planet, occupying an area bigger than Puerto Rico. Pesca+Sustentavel trains fishersmany of whom cant read or writeto protect the environment in order to guarantee lasting fisheries, explaining the connection between overfishing and the loss of natural resources and livelihoods. A dish featuring locally caught crab tracked using the Pesca+Sustentavel QR code. Conservation International / Priscila Steffen Q: What efforts are underway to expand Pesca+Sustentavel? A: Our goal is to make this system available for the 25 marine extractive reserves in Brazil, which would help 6,000 families who depend on small-scale fishers and would benefit directly. We are also working with Conservation International Colombia to bring this traceability system to their EcoGourmet fisheries, which also connects local fishers to suppliers and restaurants. Conservation International programs in Colombia have prevented overfishing while preserving livelihoods, primarily by using less harmful fishing techniques and having restaurants pay more for sustainably caught fish. The Pesca+Sustentavel traceability approach can work for a number of other sustainable products, and many local communities can benefit from greater transparency. Watch the video: See what ocean to plate transparency looks like. Xi calls for joint efforts to turn Belt and Road into path for peace, prosperity President Xi Jinping called for joint efforts to build the Belt and Road into a road for peace, prosperity, openness, innovation and civilization on Sunday. Xi made the remarks when delivering a keynote speech at the opening ceremony of the two-day Belt and Road Forum for International Cooperation. More than 1,500 representatives across the world are attending the forum. The Belt and Road Initiative is "a project of the century" that will benefit people across the world, Xi said. "Spanning thousands of miles and years, the ancient silk routes embody the spirit of peace and cooperation, openness and inclusiveness, mutual learning and mutual benefit," Xi told the audience. "The Silk Road spirit has become a great heritage of human civilization," he added. In his speech, Xi announced to scale up financing support for the Belt and Road Initiative by contributing an additional 100 billion yuan ($14.5 billion) to the Silk Road Fund. "The China Development Bank and the Export-Import Bank of China will set up special lending schemes respectively worth RMB 250 billion equivalent and RMB 130 billion equivalent to support Belt and Road cooperation on infrastructure, industrial capacity and financing," Xi said. The Belt and Road Initiative, put forward by Xi in 2013, aims to boost interconnection and trade between Asia and the rest of the world. A total of 29 foreign heads of state and government leaders are attending the forum, including Russian President Vladimir Putin and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan. Other delegates include officials, entrepreneurs, financiers and journalists from over 130 countries, and representatives of key international organizations, such as UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, World Bank President Jim Yong Kim, and Managing Director of the International Monetary Fund Christine Lagarde. Latest News GATE 2023 application correction window opens The deadline for Registration (with late fees) has been extended until October 16, 2023 Alert: IGNOU extends July 2022 registration deadline, know details here Interested candidates can apply at the official IGNOU website DU Admissions 2022: More than 23,000 students applied for upgrade Over 61,500 students have been admitted to the university out of the 70,000 undergraduate seats on offer this To build the largest and most complete Amateur Radio community site on the Internet - a "portal" that hams think of as the first place to go for information, to exchange ideas, and be part of whats happening with ham radio on the Internet. eHam.net provides recognition and enjoyment to the people who use, contribute, and build the site. This project involves a management team of volunteers who each take a topic of interest and manage it with passion. The site will stand above all other ham radio sites by employing the latest technology and professional design/programming standards, developed by a team of community programmers who contribute their skills to the effort. The site will be something of which everyone involved can be proud to say they were a part. We welcome your comments. The eHam.net Team, Revision 07/2020. Chinese Vice Premier Zhang Gaoli has delivered a speech at the High-level Plenary Meeting of the Belt and Road Forum for International Cooperation in Beijing on Sunday morning. Chilean President Michelle Bachelet, World Bank President Jim Yong Kim and IMF Managing Director Christine Lagarde are among those who addressed the high-level meeting, sharing their views about the Belt and Road Initiative. Zhang highlighted efforts to be undertaken in the future under the Belt and Road Initiative. He outlined that endeavors will be made to achieve win-win cooperation and benefit all, including building a network of infrastructure, enhancing trade for a dynamic market, improving financial connectivity for a diversified investment and funding system, and building a bridge connecting countries and peoples along the routes." Friends Circle hails the Belt and Road Initiative Chilean President Michelle Bachelet: We consider the Belt and Road as a path to shorten distances which will pave the way to a more equal, prosperous, just and inclusive society with developments for all. We believe this is the right time to seek new horizons. Czech President Milos Zeman: The Belt and Road Initiative is the most fascinating project in modern history. Ethiopian Prime Minister Hailemariam Desalegn: The initiative brings a unique opportunity for advanced cooperation and opens doors for emerging and developing countries to put their potential in trade and investment. Greek Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras: Greece highly values the initiative and is expanding its role as an important regional hub in the field of trade, transport, energy, telecommunications and logistics. Pakistani Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif: The Belt and Road Initiative makes win-win partnerships possible for all, integrating infrastructure, energy, trade and more. The China-Pakistan Economic Corridor is an economic undertaking open to all countries in the region with no geographical boundaries. British Finance Minister Philip Hammond: The initiative is truly ground breaking in its scale of ambition. The UK can be a natural partner of the initiative and welcomes it as an opportunity to strengthen the bilateral ties between China and the UK. Former French Prime Minister Jean-Pierre Raffarin: Globalization is a force that needs to be encouraged and sustained. The notion of win-win has to be at the core of the initiative. German Economic Affairs and Energy Minister Brigitte Zypries: The best foundation for deepening economic ties and rising growth is to open up the market even further. We welcome recent signals by Chinese leadership for free trade and open markets. UN General Assembly President Peter Thomson: The Belt and Road Initiative will boost many of the sustainable development goals through economic growth, employment, poverty reduction and expansion of trade and investment among the countries along the Belt and Road. World Bank President Jim Yong Kim: The initiative can provide greater connectivity with Asia and other regions and it requires innovative funding. IMF Managing Director Christine Lagarde: When I first heard about the Belt and Road Initiative, I thought about something simple and straightforward like a fragrant cup of tea. The initiative is about connecting cultures, communities, economies, and people. It is about rejuvenating ancient trade routes and building new ones. Together, we can create something new by combining proven policy ingredients with new economic flavors. WTO Director-General Roberto Azevedo: The Belt and Road Initiative will be hugely important in responding to the need for infrastructure. World Economic Forum Executive Chairman Klaus Schwab: Great progress has been made in realizing the goals under the initiative, which sets a model for regional cooperation and development. 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The aquatic mammals are under first-class state protection in China. Local residents unexpectedly spotted the rare sea creature swimming around the bay and shot video of it. A rare Chinese white dolphin, also known as the "giant panda of the sea", is spotted in the waters of Quanzhou Bay of east China's Fujian Province recently. [File Photo: 163.com] Pan Wenshi, a professor at the School of Life Sciences, Peking University said from 2004 to 2006, the Chinese white dolphin population was numbered at fewer than 100. Pan said that the number has since grown to 220. Their numbers are seen as an indicator of measuring the marine environment as white dolphins are sensitive to water quality. Fishermen in Fujian Province, Hong Kong and Taiwan honor the white dolphin as Goddess Matsu's fish, worshiping them as sea gods. 30 years ago, many local fishermen believed the white dolphin had gone extinct. But with more and more sightings, residents say, "They haven't forgot the hometown and the way of backing home." This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate Troy, she whispered to her husband. Lying in a hospital bed and groggy from medication earlier this year, Troy Cornutt had to hear his wifes words a few times before he realized what they meant. I have some good news, Roni Cornutt repeated. UIW called and said that everythings fine, and youll be able to graduate with your degree. Twenty-five years since he first started his degree, and three years since his diagnosis with amyotrophic laterals sclerosis, or ALS, Cornutt was going to get his bachelors. University of the Incarnate Word staff presented him with his B.A. in business administration shortly after he was released from the 10-day hospital stay in January. And Saturday, Cornutt crossed the stage with his fellow graduates. For a brief moment, he was like everyone else, joining the thousands of San Antonio students celebrating completion of a degree in higher education this weekend. My kids are all in school. Why quit when they cant quit? Troy Cornutt said. We always told our kids you cant be quitters, you always have to follow through, said Roni Cornutt. So he wasnt going to quit because of his disease, he was going to move forward and finish what he started. Keeping his promise At first sight, the 52-year-old man looks like he could easily bound out of his wheelchair. But when he speaks, his speech is slurred and slow, and his hands and legs show minimal motion. Theyre the classic signs of ALS, a disease that degrades motor functions while leaving the brain untouched, trapping sharp minds in useless bodies. The only part of his body that is recognizably untouched by the condition is his blue eyes, which brighten and dim, sharpen and soften, as he takes in life around him. Today is a good day, Troy Cornutt said in his home last week. It was one of the rare days when he can speak the complete sentences he forms in his head. The Cornutts live in an enclave on the far Northeast Side, where the brick houses look similar and the yards are neatly trimmed. They moved to San Antonio from Grand Junction, Colorado, a year and a half ago after hearing about the beautiful weather and the expert care he could receive here. The Colorado winters made their frequent four-hour trips to the ALS clinic in Denver punishing. And their home, once so perfect for them, had become too small. Making accommodations Troy Cornutt needs wide hallways, no stairs and furniture spread out far enough to allow his wheel chair to move between it. He has a phone app that speaks what he types. For now, he can type on the computer, though hes slow, using only one finger on each hand. Thats how he completed his 44 remaining credit hours at UIW over the last 18 months. UIW gave him more time to finish his tests, and let him know of essay assignments before the rest of the class so he had more time to finish it by the due date. But apart from that, Troy Cornutt did the same work as everyone else. Im really slow but I asked for accommodations, and they were bending over backwards to help me out, Troy Cornutt said. Also in the Cornutt home is the machine that will allow him to type sentences without lifting a finger by tracking his eye movement. He doesnt necessarily need it now, but he will, later, with the failure of hand and arm movements that ALS eventually brings. When Cornutt graduated from high school in 1983, the nation was in the middle of a recession, and though his parents desperately wanted him to get more education, he couldnt take out enough loans to pay for college. Instead, he entered the Navy and served for 22 years. During that time he had sporadically tried to start going back to school, but his work, his three kids and his wifes own pursuit of an education got in the way. I had promised my folks I would get a degree, Cornutt said in a recent interview. And here we are, his wife finished. A bucket list A bachelors in business administration He did it for his parents and for his kids. And he also did it for himself. Its a goal. Gotta have a goal, Troy Cornutt said. Because it gives you something to aspire to. It keeps you going, it keeps you busy, Roni Cornutt said to him. You have to get on with life, or life will get on without you, he responded. Troy Cornutt has made many plans to get on with life. He has a bucket list that includes swimming with great white sharks and skydiving. The couple is hanging on to the scuba gear they bought before his illness with the hopes of still putting it to use. And they bought a special wheelchair with large, inflatable yellow wheels so he can get in the ocean on a beach somewhere. We have limited time, Roni Cornutt said. When the UIW staff personally came to their home to award him his degree, Troy Cornutt was elated. He had 130 credits, enough needed to graduate, but at the time of his surgery brought on after complications with his catheter he hadnt completed the UIW-specific courses he needed to graduate. But shortly before entering the operating room, his wife had received the voice mail message telling her officials were going to waive the few extra credit hours he had left. Troy Cornutt graduated summa cum laude. Now he spends his days looking into starting his own online business. Troy Cornutts mother and sister flew in on Tuesday so they could watch him graduate Saturday. Everybody has challenges, you just always have to look on the positive side. Because if you focus on the negative youre always going to find the negatives. I always tell him, we went through the struggles with him in the hospital, we were besides ourselves, but then this happened, Roni Cornutt said, gesturing to the degree hanging on the wall behind her. Thats a bright side. sfosterfrau@express-news.net The Belt and Road Initiative is a global one to connect markets. For Africa, it represents a step up in development - one that could benefit millions on the African continent. One of the key components of the Belt and Road Initiative, the Standard Gauge Railway (SGR), is due to go on line at the end of this month. The SGR will link East Africa's busiest port, Mombasa, to Kenya's capital, Nairobi. In time, the link will completely change transportation systems in the region. 2016: Workers take part in the construction of a section of the new Standard Gauge Railway (SGR) in Kenya. /VCG Photo Experts say the infrastructure project under the Belt and Road Initiative is a win-win situation for both Africa and China, and would benefit local business as well as the international market. The infrastructure being built will open up markets for traders, farmers, industrialists to have access to not only local markets but also international markets. So this initiative is very important as Africa moves forward in the 21st century to improve on its infrastructure, analyst Hassan Mwachimwako told CGTN. A locomotive hauling cargo cars runs along an elevated section of the new Standard Gauge Railway (SGR) in Kenya, March 16, 2016. /VCG Photo Once completed, the SGR will connect four countries in east Africa: Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania and Rwanda. Chinese firms have completed the first phase, a 500-kilometer rail line linking Kenya's port city of Mombasa to the capital Nairobi. A second phase linking Nairobi to the border with Uganda is set to begin later this year. China has already completed a 700-kilometer rail line from Ethiopia to Djibouti. Most of the funding comes from China's banks while further funding comes from development banks. Africa is witnessing the dramatic and accelerated modernization of vital infrastructure. And people across the continent are hoping this will help speed up economic development. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate Craig Hensley cradled a white-eyed vireo in his hand, a metal band wrapped around its leg as Hensley walked to a clearing with a gaggle of kids around him. Hensley a state and federally licensed bird bander chose a little girl to help him release the bird. Youre going to feel his claws on your palm, OK? he said to the girl, who nodded. He counted to three and took his fingers off the vireo. The tiny bird which weighed 10 grams, or the equivalent of four pennies sat on the girls palm, peering at the the sea of childrens faces circling it. Hensley walked up slowly, placing his middle finger underneath the girls hand. With a gentle but quick tap upwards, the vireo popped up and took flight. The Mitchell Lake Migratory Bird Festival, sponsored by the Mitchell Lake Audubon Center, was part of 2017s International Migratory Bird Day. The event celebrates migratory birds as they travel northward from their winter homes in the Southern Hemisphere. Some are as small as the vireo or various warblers such as the Wilsons warbler, which with its yellow face and black forehead looked like a bumblebee poking between a handlers fingers. Hensley has been banding birds for more than 31 years and also is a park interpreter at the Guadalupe River State Park. The bands help ornithologists people who study birds track where the birds have been. Hensley and others working with him also measure the birds weight, bill length and width, and other statistics for cataloging. Some of these birds, including the tiny ones, may make trips from as far as South America to Canada as they follow their main food source insects. They come here because theres that huge outburst of insect development in our spring and summer, so theres plenty of food for their offspring, Hensley said. Then in the fall, because theyre primarily insect eaters theyve got to leave to go find food to survive the winter months. The migration adds birds to an area that already has more than 300 species of birds and a major rookery, or nesting ground, for nearly 1,500 egrets. But the celebration of these migrations is a chance to engage children and adults alike in educating them on the epic journeys some of these fragile creatures undertake twice a year. Its a gateway drug into nature, Tom Inglet, a docent for the 1,200-acre Mitchell Lake Audubon Center, said of how important the event is for educating children. Its a way to involve them in the natural world. Inglet, who along with his wife has been volunteering at various organizations for more than 15 years, said these events allow experts to highlight the fragility of these animals, who have been affected by everything from climate destruction to human development. All you have to do is watch the news to know that were in deep kimchi, Inglet said. They had canaries for the coal mines to tell the guys when to leave; well, most of the bird species and a lot of them seriously are crashing. On May 5, nearly 400 migrating birds were killed when they crashed into the 23-story American National Insurance building in Galveston, the citys tallest. The majority of the birds were warblers of varying types, many with brilliant spring plumage. In an online post, the Audubon said the birds, which may have been exhausted from crossing the Gulf of Mexico, may have mistaken the buildings lights for the moon or sun during a storm. Thats why Hensley shows the newest generation not only what it takes to do the scientific portion of his job, but also what it feels like to be that close to one of these fleeting figures. You put a bird in a childs hand, they dont forget it, Hensley said. rdruzin@express-news.net @druz_journo This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate KERRVILLE Mayor Bonnie White has often found herself on the losing end of lopsided City Council votes, but the election May 6 of two of her political allies is expected to tip the balance in her favor. The swearing in Tuesday of George Baroody and Vincent Voelkel also will end an odd dynamic on the council a majority of its five current members are appointees. The two winners stressed their independence, but they and the mayor appeared likely to tackle what all three consider a problem with transparency at City Hall. I believe there is a silent majority out there who wanted change from the good old boy system, White said last week. Voelkel defeated incumbent Place 1 Councilman Stephen Fine 1,149 votes to 993, while Baroody was unopposed for the Place 2 seat held by Glenn Andrew since his appointment last May after losing the mayoral race to White. Voelkel, 29, a draftsman at his familys surveying firm, said he aspires to be a voice for all citizens and will work to bring street and drainage upgrades to neighborhoods that have been overlooked. His immediate priority is to reverse the councils February decision, which White opposed, to move the public comments part of its meetings from near the beginning of the agenda to near the end. The citizens should come first, Voelkel said. Baroody, 49, a computer consultant who has been a regular speaker at those public comments, said he wants to make the council more responsive and accountable to the people. Were not necessarily in sync on every issue, he said of his alignment with White and Voelkel. Voelkel concurred, saying, We do share a lot of the same ideas, but were not a bloc. Im not just a vote for them. Voelkel called the councils recent changes to the city ethics policy an effort to muzzle the mayor, who often utilizes her own research to question city staff on detailed aspects of projects. They didnt like her asking questions, Voelkel said. The rules, modified two weeks before the election over Whites objections, now require council members who plan to reference a document at meetings to provide a copy of it beforehand to staff and the council. The policy also requires council members to submit to staff any questions they intend to raise about agenda items, to allow time for staff research. And, the new rules say, council members cannot publicly release information they get from city staff until after the council has voted on the topic. The two new council members will take office just as the new city manager, Mark McDaniel, is settling in. The council unanimously hired him in March. I already feel at home here, McDaniel, a former assistant city manager in Dallas, told city leaders Tuesday at his first council meeting and the outgoing members last. I look forward to a fresh start with the new City Council that was just recently elected. Whether the new council will be less marked by conflict is unclear. Some see Whites scrutiny of city projects as prudent due diligence, but detractors consider it an effort to undermine plans and projects the council has already approved. She has always voted against these things, but she has never once given a solution to any of them, said resident Renee Brooks Lofaso, who supported Councilman Fine. I havent heard a single idea from her, but I know everything shes against. Since the public comments were moved, fewer people have sat through the meetings to speak. Councilwoman Mary Ellen Summerlin said she had proposed the change because many speakers ask for their issue to be put on future meeting agendas, so it made sense to hear remarks near the point where the council usually discusses potential future business. I intended it as a tweak, but it turned out to be an earthquake, said Summerlin, who was appointed to the council last fall after the death of Place 3 Councilman Gary Stork. Another council member who voted for the change, Warren Ferguson, said it also was aimed at curbing redundant remarks. It was the same people who came along every time and created what we thought was a negative situation, said Ferguson, who was appointed in February to replace Place 4 Councilman Gene Allen, who resigned. White, defending her queries as attempts to protect constituents interests, shares Voelkels view that the new ethics rules were drafted with her in mind. Besides governing how the council shares information and asks questions of staff, the rules now discourage members from attending meetings of other city boards and commissions, to preclude any perceived interference. White said shed attended as many city meetings as possible. Were the eyes and ears of the people, she said during the debate over the policy April 25. Some of these boards dont record minutes in a timely manner. Councilman Andrew replied, Thats a solvable problem, suggesting city staff prepare the reports. Likening the new rules to ethics codes in other cities, Ferguson last week said, They were good changes because its an appropriate way to ethically conduct council business. White called the new provisions overreaching and excessive but demurred when asked if the new council majority would move to repeal them. Its just a policy, a violation of which couldnt result in removal from office, but it would never withstand a legal challenge, she said. zeke@express-news.net This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate In the May 6 general election, Mayor Ivy Taylor enjoyed support across most of the city, but not in her own backyard. Taylor lives in Dignowity Hill, a neighborhood and historic district just east of downtown, between Cherry Street and New Braunfels Avenue. It is among the inner citys fastest-changing and rapidly redeveloping areas; Taylor was its representative as District 2 councilwoman for five years. This month, she lost the precinct that includes Dignowity Hill to District 8 Councilman Ron Nirenberg, who secured 41 percent of the 261 votes cast there, to Taylors 38 percent. Manuel Medina, the Bexar County Democratic Party chairman who placed third in the mayoral race, won 17 percent in the precinct. Taylor is facing Nirenberg in a June 10 runoff. The mayor won most of the East Side on May 6, performing well in precincts east of New Braunfels Avenue, including neighborhoods around the AT&T Center. She won virtually every precinct east of San Antonio International Airport and northeast of Joint Base San Antonio-Fort Sam Houston. Her main weaknesses on the East Side were those neighborhoods closest to downtown and those seeing the biggest demographic shifts. Taylor lost a small part of the Denver Heights neighborhood south of Dignowity Hill, which is also beginning to see redevelopment. That neighborhood is split between two precincts: Taylor won precinct 4003, with 59 percent. It includes a small sliver of Denver Heights. Nirenberg won precinct 4002, encompassing the southern half of Denver Heights, with 36 percent support. The councilman also won the 4004 and 4075 precincts, also just east of downtown. The mayor declined to comment. Her campaign spokesman, Greg Jefferson, said Taylor is mayor of the entire city and has been for three years. In that time, Dignowity has gotten even more dynamic. This is a neighborhood that is changing at lightning speed. He noted that Taylor won 236 precincts across San Antonio and said shes going to pick up more in the runoff as voters learn more about her success in moving San Antonio forward. Nirenberg won 162 precincts May 6, according to a San Antonio Express-News analysis of the results. That includes the precinct where he lives, near Northwest Military Drive and Wurzbach Parkway. Medina lost the precinct where he lives in the Dominion; Taylor won it. Kelton Morgan, Nirenbergs campaign manager, didnt point to a specific reason for the candidates win in Dignowity Hill except to say the councilman is a strong candidate with a strong message of leadership for San Antonio. That resonated in both the mayors own neighborhood and hundreds of other neighborhoods across the city. He said no votes are being taken for granted and noted that Nirenbergs canvassers and the candidate himself have block walked on the East Side. We have supporters on the East Side and we have votes on the East Side, Morgan said. A loss again This is not the first time Taylor has failed to win over her neighbors: She lost Dignowity Hill in her June 2015 runoff with former state Sen. Leticia Van de Putte. She barely won the precinct in the general election that year, trailed only slightly by former state Rep. Mike Villarreal, who failed to make the runoff. However, that precinct loss did not hurt Taylor overall in 2015. Voter turnout was strongest in North Side precincts two years ago, helping to push Taylor to victory over Van de Putte. Taylor and her husband, Rodney, live in a downtown-facing house built in 1911 near Dignowity Park. The couple bought it in 2007, according to Bexar Appraisal District records, a time when more newcomers were arriving in the neighborhood but before the recent redevelopment boom. That change is evident in the soaring property values in the neighborhood. The Taylors home was appraised at $192,350 in 2012; this year, it climbed to $406,750, records show. Juan Garcia and his wife, Barb, also moved to Dignowity Hill in 2007. Garcia previously served as neighborhood association president and is still active with the group. He said many people in the neighborhood have had issues with Taylor ever since she voted against a nondiscrimination ordinance while still a councilwoman. The ordinance, which the majority of the council backed, protects the rights of lesbian, gay and transgender people. Garcia said theres a sizable gay community in Dignowity Hill, which had an influx of young professionals, but now more retirees and empty-nesters with politically progressive leanings are moving in. Taylor is viewed as conservative and is open about her strong religious faith. She took tremendous heat last month after saying generational poverty was partly the result of broken people who dont have a relationship with God. Taylor later clarified her answer, saying she was not blaming the poor but believes that people who are spiritually empty may make decisions that can hurt them in the long run. Brian Dillard, the current Dignowity Hill neighborhood association president, has been a vocal supporter of Taylor. He declined to speak on the record for this report. Liz Franklin and her partner, Dee Smith, bought their home in Dignowity Hill in 2009 and moved in four years later after extensive renovations. Smith was previously neighborhood association president, and she and Franklin remain active in Dignowity. Franklin thinks that many of the neighborhood newcomers simply dont know Taylor and dont have a relationship with her, so its easier for them to choose another candidate. The needs of Dignowity Hill residents are also far different than the concerns of people elsewhere in the district. I think in the big context of the East Side, from Cherry Street to W.W. White, Dignowity Hill is perceived and operates as if it has luxury problems, Franklin said. Dont get me wrong, we have some violence, we have gunshots nightly, but we dont have somebody being gunned down on the street. We dont have the kids being desperately scared to walk to school. Taylor has strong support in the neighborhoods east of New Braunfels Avenue, around East Meadows, a new, mixed-income housing development that replaced Wheatley Courts public housing. East Meadows, partly funded by millions in federal grants, happened on her (Taylors) watch, Franklin said. Dignowity Hill is also very different from other East Side neighborhoods where Taylor maintains support. District 2 has traditionally been thought of as the heart of the citys African-American population; thats changed in recent years, as Hispanics now outnumber blacks there. But the black population is still larger in those neighborhoods east of New Braunfels Avenue, such as in Harvard Place/Eastlawn, than those toward the west, like Dignowity Hill. Poverty levels are lower in Dignowity Hill, too, than in the other neighborhoods. Her base on the East Side is really not this neighborhood, Garcia said. He also thinks Taylor was in a difficult position as councilwoman and now mayor, never wanting to show favoritism to Dignowity Hill because of her rank. Garcia added that its also in Taylors nature to be a little aloof. So far, Garcia and Franklin said, Nirenberg hasnt had much of a presence on the East Side. Neither weighed in on their choice for mayor. Gigi Hughes, who runs the San Antonio News Herald, an East Side-based publication, doesnt live in Dignowity Hill but thinks many East Side residents got frustrated once Taylor became mayor because she couldnt just focus on the district. I felt like some of the East Side was a little upset that they didnt see her as much, Hughes said. Shes everybodys mayor. Shes not accessible like that to them anymore. vdavila@express-news.net Twitter: @viannadavila This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate WASHINGTON - Two days after President Donald Trump signed an annual spending bill stripped of funds to build a border wall, the Republican National Committee sent out a petition from Trump Headquarters. It carried a blunt warning: Either Congress funds President Trumps much-needed border wall - or we LOSE the midterm elections. Though likely an effective fundraising tool with conservatives who propelled Trump to the White House, the appeal faces a stark political reality in Congress, where Democrats have drawn a line in the sand. Even in the current polarized political environment, major spending agreements have needed bipartisan majorities to pass, and the same dynamic will likely hold in September, when the 2018 funding battle gets underway in earnest. There is no change in the politics of the wall in September, said Norman Ornstein, a veteran Congress watcher at the American Enterprise Institute, a nonpartisan public policy research institute in Washington, D.C. Although Trump insists that his plans for a wall remain intact, analysts say he will face at least three obstacles in the fall: Uniform Democratic opposition; a divided Republican caucus; and cost estimates that surpass $20 billion. If anything changes, Ornstein said, it is the willingness of Freedom Caucus members to go along with a budget that fails to slash domestic spending. Trump has requested $2.6 billion in 2018 to build some 70 miles of barriers along the Rio Grande Valley, El Paso, and Tucson. Thats on top of the $1 billion he didnt get this year. The $1 trillion deal he signed to keep the government open through September does include $1.5 billion for border security, but the money cant be spent on building a wall. Some analysts say the deal could be a precursor of the walls fate in September, even if the Department of Homeland Security continues moving forward with proposals for a 30-foot wall prototype. Hes facing a minority party that does not want this at all, and he has a majority party thats not united in favor of it, said political scientist David Crockett, a presidential scholar at Trinity University in San Antonio. He may be able to cobble together some money for parts of the wall or fences, call it a victory and go home, even if its not the big beautiful wall we were promised. Scoring money for a wall would still only partially fulfill Trumps campaign pledge. The bigger applause line in his campaign was that Mexico would pay for it. With Mexico continuing to refuse, Trumps Plan B has been to win support for the project among congressional Republicans. But with a narrow majority in the Senate, and a cluster of hard-line conservatives in the House wary of budgets that dont balance, Trumps options continue to narrow. Compounding the political dilemma are Republicans in Texas and other border regions who see Trumps wall as an impractical solution to the problem of border security. Chief among them is San Antonio Republican Will Hurd, whose district runs along 800 miles of the Mexican border. A one-size-fits-all border solution wont address the borders complexities, Hurd tweeted earlier this month after taking a boat tour of Lake Amistad and the Rio Grande Valley. In a constituent newsletter early this month, with pressure building and negotiations on border wall spending in full swing, Hurd said his position had not changed. There is no question that we must secure our border, but building a wall from sea to shining sea is the most expensive and least effective way to go about doing so, he said. Others, including Texas U.S. Sen. John Cornyn, have expressed skepticism about Trumps literal vision of a continuous physical barrier, depicting the call for a wall as a metaphor for enhanced patrols, surveillance, technology upgrades, and other security improvements. That points to a bipartisan consensus for border security, but not necessarily a wall, which House Democratic Leader Nancy Pelosi has called immoral, expensive (and) unwise. Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer warned that Trumps insistence on wall funding last month would risk a government shutdown. That threat also will loom in the background of any budget battle in the fall. Texas U.S. Rep. Henry Cuellar, a centrist Democrat from Laredo, is seeking to defuse tensions in a search for middle ground. My constituents live on the border, so they definitely want strong, smart border security, he said. They also want to see bipartisan cooperation. Members of Congress who represent districts on our southern border - Democrats and Republicans - oppose a border wall, and were finding ways to work together on the real challenges our communities face. With Republicans in control of the White House and both chambers of Congress, the GOP would seem to have much more to lose from a government shutdown. Analysts say that calculus weakens Trumps hand, despite his suggestion in a recent tweet that a good shutdown could force a partisan confrontation over federal spending, including money for a wall on the southern border. While the RNC appears to be fundraising off grassroots conservative support for a wall, it is far from clear that it is a winning hand for Republicans when it comes to holding their majorities in the House and Senate. It doesnt help them at the ballot box, said Texas Democrat Matt Angle, executive director of the Lone Star Project. But it does help at the bank account. A non-partisan Lyceum poll last month found that nearly two-thirds of Texans oppose construction of a border wall - that in a state that Trump won in November with 52 percent of the vote. A national poll in February by the Pew Research Center found similar results. Texas GOP operatives acknowledge that a pro-wall stance would likely hurt candidates like Hurd, whose district went to Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton. Two other Texas Republicans represent districts Clinton won: Pete Sessions, in Dallas, and John Culberson in Houston. Sessions office has described the wall as an analogy for a strong border; Culberson is on record supporting Trumps plan to secure the border with an actual wall. Nationally, Clinton won 23 House districts represented by Republicans in November, while Trump won 12 districts represented by Democrats. That could only embolden Democrats in the coming spending battle for 2018. If Congress refuses to fund your stupid wall during your honeymoon period, what makes you think we will ever fund it? tweeted U.S. Rep. Ted Lieu, a California Democrat. But conservatives seeking to stem the flow of illegal immigration see some value in pressing for the wall, even if it is not seen as the best way to fortify the border. You could make a defensible case that Republicans could be really weakened in 2018 if Trump is seen as having sold out to the swamp, said Mark Krikorian, executive director of the Center for Immigration Studies, a Washington think tank that advocates for lower levels of immigration. Whatever the walls resonance with voters at large, it proved to be the marquee issue for the activist base that helped get Trump elected. He didnt get thousands of people chanting along with him about ending the carried interest deduction, Krikorian said. Come September, it will be hard for Trump to back down like he did this month. If that leads to a government shutdown in October, Krikorian said it will be up to Republicans to frame it as a national security issue. Any government shutdown fight really is a kind of political campaign, he said. Thats the whole point of it. The question is, how do you manage that campaign? How do you frame the issue? As a fallback, Republicans could push a broader definition of a wall: one that combines fencing, sensors, levees, or natural barriers, like the cliffs in Big Bend National Park. Krikorian notes that Trumps core backers have proven resilient. Hes got a lot of flexibility from his voters about what the wall means, he said. But hes got to have something you can take a picture of. For Trump, and the RNC - where his political operation is housed - that could mean that the looming battle over wall funding is less about the 2018 midterm elections than it is about the 2020 presidential election. At a recent rally in Pennsylvania to mark his 100th day in office, Trump renewed his signature campaign pledge. We will build a wall, folks, dont even worry about it, he said. Go to sleep. Go home. Go to sleep, rest assured. To some analysts, Trump has walled himself in. Trump would have some explaining to do in 2020, said University of Texas political scientist Sean Theriault, envisioning a re-election campaign with no wall. It wasnt ever clear that the Republican Party even got behind the wall as much as Trump, he said. Especially in the Texas delegation. Theyre not jumping up and down for the wall. AUSTIN Amid the political posturing, raw emotion and veiled threats of a legislative bloodbath, the poignant stories of lunch-shamed, hungry schoolchildren were met with a hush. There was the 4-year-old who slid her meal tray to the cashier, only to be told, You have no money, as her tray was taken away. The student then sat at the table assigned to her class and was inconsolable for the next 20 minutes while her classmates enjoyed their meal, said the Copperas Cove teacher who watched it happen, in a statement recounted by state Rep. Helen Giddings in a personal privilege speech to the House. The DeSoto Democrat also told of the Spring Branch student who confessed, When it happened to me, I just wanted to go into a corner and hide. Giddings was trying to help children like them with House Bill 2159, one of numerous bills torpedoed last week by tea party-aligned House members. The bill would set out new requirements for school districts when students have overdue meal accounts, making the boards of trustees responsible for establishing a grace period. An attempt would have to be made to contact parents or guardians by telephone or email during each week of the grace period. If the accounts still werent paid, districts could allow students to continue buying meals or provide alternatives such as the milk, cheese and bread or crackers that may be provided today. Overdue accounts could be paid with private donations solicited for that purpose. Despite twice having her bill removed from consideration last week through procedural moves by Texas Freedom Caucus members, who are unhappy about their own priorities being stalled, Giddings isnt giving up. In fact, it does have a third life, she said of her bill. Its getting another chance thanks to Rep. Diego Bernal, D-San Antonio, who has added the provisions of HB2159 to a bill he authored to allow school districts to set up food pantries. Bernal said his HB367 would allow school districts to put otherwise wasted food to good use and that Giddings bill is a natural fit. After the Freedom Caucus popped her bill which was depressing and then after her speech, I thought ... I have a way to sort of resurrect it. And this is what we are going to try, Bernal said. Giddings said in her personal privilege speech that she was determined to fight until hell freezes over. When a hot lunch is taken away, she said, What message are we sending that child? A message that you dont matter. That you have no value. That you have no worth. We have embarrassed that child and we may be affecting how that child sees their value and their worth for the rest of their lives. Giddings also took the fight directly to those who killed her bill, saying, These legislators, in my opinion, are not about searching for the truth and giving kids an equal chance. Theyre about winning at any cost, even when the cost results in a child going hungry. We can do better for our children. They deserve better. And I personally believe that the hottest places in hell are reserved for those who harm our children, Giddings said. Her remarks got a standing ovation, but also some pushback. I care about Texas children having lunch but also care about them having LIFE. I will never apologize for fighting for the preborn! tweeted Rep. Jeff Leach, R-Plano. He is a member of the Freedom Caucus, whose priorities include anti-abortion bills. Rep. Jonathan Stickland, a Bedford Republican who helped knock off her bill, said he opposed the measure on policy grounds and took issue with Giddings tough language. We felt like this legislation would specifically go for kids that had made a mistake, basically, but not kids that were necessarily hungry or that needed it, he said. These were kids who do have the money. Otherwise they would be getting a free lunch and would have never missed a meal. The Houston Chronicle, in a story on the issue in April, reported that in one school district, nearly half the children who owed money qualified for free lunch. Under Giddings proposal, if a student was eligible, school districts would help parents or guardians apply for free or reduced-price meals. Stickland also said there are nonprofits that provide food for children, and he would prefer such services be provided by the private sector. As for Giddings remark about the hottest places in hell, Stickland said, I thought that was over the line. If I had done that, there would have been serious consequences, in my opinion. But for some reason, she seemed to get away with it. pfikac@express-news.net Twitter @pfikac Many people have misconceptions or misunderstandings about the judicial system in this country and the people who work within it, especially concerning the role and difficult tasks of trial judges. We need only look at the recent past to find prime examples of one misconception: President Donald Trumps criticism of two judges acting independently of one another on two separate occasions because of Trumps disagreement with their decisions. The first of these criticisms came about last summer, when Trump was a candidate; the second began in February of this year, after he took office. Trump first repeatedly criticized Gonzalo Curiel, a U.S.-born federal judge of Mexican descent who had ruled against Trump University, Trumps for-profit education company. Based on the judges heritage, Trump alleged that Curiel had an absolute conflict because of Trumps hard stance on immigration and his proposed wall along the U.S.-Mexican border. At the time, House Speaker Paul Ryan called Trumps comments the textbook definition of a racist comment. Just three weeks or so after Trump took office, he lambasted U.S. District Judge James Robart (a George W. Bush appointee), whose ruling blocked Trumps executive order halting the U.S. refugee program and stopping entries into the United States from seven Muslim-majority countries. Even Trumps first nominee to the U.S. Supreme Court, Neil Gorsuch, asked during his confirmation testimony before the U.S. Senate s Judiciary Committee to comment on Trumps criticism, called it disheartening and demoralizing. The danger of the type of negative rhetoric displayed by Trump is that it creates and foments further negative behavior by others toward judges, which isnt conducive to an independent judiciary, an essential prerequisite of our democracy and form of government. The negative impact of such unwarranted criticisms was aptly stated in 2005 by Judge Joan Lefkow, whose mother and husband here murdered by a past defendant in her court. In testimony before Congress, she told the lawmakers, I ask you to publicly and persistently repudiate gratuitous attacks on the judiciary. It seems to me that even though we cannot prove a cause and effect relationship between rhetorical attacks on judges and violent acts of vengeance by a particular litigant, fostering disrespect for judges can only encourage those that are on the edge, or the fringe, to exact revenge on a judge who ruled against them. Trumps criticisms could also possibly offend Chief Justice John Roberts of the U.S. Supreme Court, who has been widely known to publicly support all lower court judges, and their dedication to their duties and rulings, despite the risk of being criticized. The chief justice, in his annual report this year, called judges selfless, patriotic and brave. He added: This is no job for impulsive, timid or inattentive souls. He wrote further about life-tenured judges: You might be asking why any lawyer would want a job that requires long hours, exacting skill and intense devotion while promising high stress, solitary confinement, and guaranteed criticism. He concluded, The answer lies in the rewards of public service. Its no wonder that misconceptions, as exemplified by Trump, exist. After all, our school structure, from elementary school through college, offers little instruction on the judiciary. Only in law schools, where a small minority of our students are found, does one get a glimpse of our courts and complex laws, and the various judicial structures of our states and federal government. Often, there are no easy answers to questions about the judiciary. Or the answers arent satisfying. There are times when there is no consensus even among legal experts as to a correct answer. Our laws are sometimes unnecessarily complex. They may not lend themselves to hard and fast rules or simple answers. But the nature of our laws, as well as their purpose, do on occasion justify complexities that may or may not be simple to explain. And thus arises our misunderstanding and distrust of our laws. There lies the irony in all this. A few years ago, I participated in a program put in place by my alma mater, the law school at Georgetown University. My task was to interview applicants for admission to the school who lived in the Austin area. At some point in the interview, Id ask each applicant a particular question, not necessarily expecting her or him to give me the answer I was seeking but only to find out about their impressions or understanding of the field they were about to enter. Heres the question: Apart from who, such as those involved in law enforcement and our judicial system, what maintains order in a structured society? I was seeking a concept for the root of the answer. After my 52-plus years as a practicing attorney, almost 14 of which were spent as an appellate judge and after that, 17 years as an arbitrator, mediator or hearing officer, I finally came to comprehend that what truly maintains such order in our society is our citizens tacit agreement, understanding or acceptance to obey and respect the law. Think about that for a moment. Under our republican form of government, we in this country, collectively, have chosen to enact laws under which we have implicitly agreed to be governed. Without it, the answer to the question suggests, wed have no order in this country. That tacit agreement is what gives strength to our laws. That is what our laws owe their existence to. So I pose the question: Isnt it ironic that we often misunderstand or distrust the same laws we ourselves made possible by our bond to comply with and be governed by them? Rudy Apodaca, a former chief judge of the New Mexico Court of Appeals, is an Austin attorney/writer. The theme will allow exporters to consider the progress of the industrys on-going reform agenda, while posing questions about live trades future success and its relationship with the community. The Belt and Road initiative put forward by Chinese President Xi Jinping is of great significance since the highly-collaborative proposal will boost the development of the en-route countries and even the whole world, World Bank President Jim Yong Kim stressed on Thursday, pledging all forms of support to propel the initiative. He said so in an interview with the Peoples Daily before he headed to Beijing for the two-day Belt and Road Forum for International Cooperation kicked off on Sunday. We are eager to and ready to provide support of all forms to Belt and Roaddevelopment,Kim vowed, adding that the World Bank, together with the developing countries, has accumulated quite a number of experience in trade facilitation, road infrastructure, institutionalized investment and construction of infrastructure. It is a remarkable achievement for China to lift millions of people out of poverty, the president hailed. Chinas experience in market economy, trade facilitation, pursuit of innovation and introduction of more state-owned enterprises into competing ground can be sum up as reference for other countries, he pointed out, adding that its undergoing reform of medical insurance system is also an important contribution to the international community. Chinas development also offers enlightenment for the World Bank, Kim stressed, elaborating that the organization is trying to incorporate more developing economies, including the poorest ones into the world market system, so that both involved nations and the investors will be benefited. He added that as some developing nations need more investment to improve their infrastructure, the World Bank will, as always, support the cooperation and development of the developing countries including those along the Belt and Road. The World Bank, according to the chief, has maintained close collaboration with Chinese departments like National Development and Reform Commission and Ministry of Finance, and launched unprecedented cooperation in mechanism reforms. We made some inputs, but learned a lot as well, said the president who has paid several visits to China during his tenure. Appreciating the development process of Shenzhen, a major city in Guangdong Province, Kim praised that it is a city that combines technologies, investment and economic growth perfectly. Impressed a lot by Chinas persistence to learning from the rest of world, the president said that China, with a strong learning ability, is good at applying the experience it borrowed to its own progress. Photograph: Prasit Rodphan/123RF The Netherlands the land of bikes, windmills, clogs, tulips and Van Gogh is a country of contrasts. Pragmatic liberalism and a buttoned-up primness sit side by side. The towns in this beautiful country are surrounded by canals and castle walls. Fields stretch on for days. And tulips paint the landscape bright hues of purple, yellow, red and orange. But it isnt just nature, the people are as much a part of the landscape too. Reportedly, the Dutch are the tallest people in the world, so expect to be towered over. The best time to visit is between April and September, all through spring and summer. Heres what you should do when you visit: 1. In Amsterdam, spend time ambling through the citys various neighbourhoods. Discover the famed red-light district, stop by some of the boho-chic areas, and stand in awe in front of some grand architecture. 2. Plan a trip to Hoge Veluwe National Park, the largest national park in the Netherlands. Here, stop by the Kroller-Muller Museum to marvel at works of Van Gogh, Picasso and Mondrian. 3. Hop on a bicycle to explore the Randstad region. Cycle past the gorgeous tulip elds, which generally bloom in all their brilliant colour between March and May. 4. Navigate the area around the labyrinthine tunnels on the western outskirts of Maastricht. Of course, before you go, you must be prepared. Heres how you can get started: 1. Read the moving The Diary of Anne Frank which will take you back to Amsterdam during the Nazi invasion. Or, get an understanding of Amsterdams canal system through the existential The Fall by Albert Camus, which uses the canals to explain the rings of hell. 2. Get in the groove by turning up the volume to tracks by DJ Tiesto, or opt for something a bit more classy in the form of pianist Ronald Brautigam. 3. Watch the award-winning Stromenlied (Song of the Rivers) by documentary filmmaker Joris Ivens. 4. Fuel up on cans of Heineken beer bet you didnt know it was a Dutch export! 1. Xian Xinghai Boulevard in Almaty The ancient city of Almaty is also on the ancient Silk Road. In Almaty, there is a Xian Xinghai Boulevard, which got its name from a true story. At the outset of the Great Patriotic War in 1941, Xian, a renowned Chinese composer, arrived in Almaty after much travail. By then, he was worn down by poverty and illness and had no one to turn to. Fortunately, the Kazakh composer Bakhitzhan Baykadamov took care of Xian and provided him with the comfort of a home. It was in Almaty that Xian composed his famous works Liberation of the Nation, Sacred War and Red All over the River. He also wrote a symphony Amangeldy based on the exploits of the Kazakh national hero. These pieces served as a rallying call to fight Fascists and proved immensely popular with the local people. -- Quoted from Xis speech at Nazarbayev University in Kazakhstan on Sept. 7, 2013 2.Song Hening (Silence) composed by former Indonesian President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono In this connection, I recall the song Hening (Silence) composed by President Yudhoyono. In October 2006, he came to Guangxi, China for the commemorative summit marking the 15th anniversary of China-ASEAN dialogue relations. On the Lijiang River, President Yudhoyono was overwhelmed by inspiration and wrote down these beautiful lyrics. The beautiful days I spend with my friends have kept recurring in my life. The mountains and rivers in China deeply touched President Susilo and reminded him of his childhood and hometown. This shows just how strong the bond and affinity are between our two peoples. -- Quoted from Xis speech to Indonesian Parliament on Oct. 3, 2013 3. Silk Road connects culture of China and Western world In the 2nd century B.C., China began working on the Silk Road leading to the Western Regions. In 138 B.C. and 119 B.C., Envoy Zhang Qian of the Han Dynasty made two trips to those regions, spreading the Chinese culture there and bringing into China grape, alfalfa, pomegranate, flax, sesame and other products. In the Western Han Dynasty, China's merchant fleets sailed as far as India and Sri Lanka where they traded China's silk for colored glaze, pearls and other products. The Tang Dynasty saw dynamic interactions between China and other countries. According to historical documents, the dynasty exchanged envoys with over 70 countries, and Chang'an, the capital of Tang, bustled with envoys, merchants and students from other countries. Exchanges of such a magnitude helped the spread of the Chinese culture to the rest of the world and the introduction into China of the cultures and products from other countries. In the early 15th century, Zheng He, the famous navigator of China's Ming Dynasty, made seven expeditions to the Western Seas, reaching many Southeast Asian countries and even Kenya on the east coast of Africa. These trips left behind many good stories of friendly exchanges between the people of China and countries along the route. In late Ming Dynasty and early Qing Dynasty, the Chinese people began to learn modern science and technology with great zeal, as the European knowledge of astronomy, medicine, mathematics, geometry and geography were being introduced into China, which helped broaden the horizon of the Chinese people. Thereafter, exchanges and mutual learning between the Chinese civilization and other civilizations became more frequent. There were indeed conflicts, frictions, bewilderment and denial in this process. But the more dominant features of the period were learning, digestion, integration and innovation. --Quoted from Xis speech at UNESCO headquarters on March 27, 2014 4. Arab restaurant in Yiwu The fast growth of China-Arab relations has also brought closer the destinies of ordinary people from both sides. Here, I can give you such an example from the Chinese province of Zhejiang where I once worked. In the city of Yiwu where you can find many Arab businessmen, a Jordanian businessman named Mohanad opened an Arab restaurant. He introduced authentic Arab cuisine to Yiwu, and he has achieved great success in this prosperous city. He married a Chinese girl and settled down in China. This young Arab has woven his life dream into the Chinese peoples dream of a happy life. He has worked hard to live his life to the full and demonstrated a perfect fusion of the Chinese dream and Arab dream. --Quoted from Xis speech at the opening ceremony of the Sixth Ministerial Conference of the China-Arab States Cooperation Forum on June 5, 2014 5.China, second hometown of Tagore Ninety years ago, Rabindranath Tagore, the great Indian poet admired by the Chinese people, visited China and was warmly received there. Upon setting foot on Chinas soil, Tagore said, I dont know why, but coming to China is like coming home. Upon leaving China, he said quite sadly, My heart stays. --Quoted from Xis speech at the Indian Council of World Affairs on Sept. 18,2014 6. Pakistans generous help in Wenchuan earthquake In 2008, when the devastating earthquake struck Wenchuan, China, Pakistan responded immediately and sent all its transport aircraft to ship its entire reserve of tents to China. The Pakistani medical team on the transport plane had to remove all seats to make room for the tents and sat on the floor all the way to China. Today, thousands of Pakistanis are working side by side with Chinese engineers and workers on projects undertaken by China in Pakistan, and there are many moving stories about their cooperation. Similarly, whenever Pakistan is in need, China has come to its help. China firmly supports Pakistan's efforts to uphold sovereignty, independence and territorial integrity. When Pakistan was hit by a severe flood in 2010, China provided immediate relief assistance via air and land routes. We dispatched the largest ever medical team and sent a big convoy of vehicles and helicopters to carry out rescue operations, the first time that such an operation was undertaken in the history of China's rescue assistance. Following the terrorist attack in Peshawar at the end of 2014, China invited the students who had been injured in the attack and their family to spend some time in China for recuperation, so the trauma those kids had experienced could be healed with care and love of the Chinese people. In the most recent evacuation mission in Yemen, the Chinese navy evacuated 176 Pakistanis from the Port of Aden, and the Pakistani navy evacuated eight Chinese students from Mukalla Port. The Pakistani commander gave the order that the ship would not leave until all the Chinese students were on board. His stirring words again show that China-Pakistan friendship is indeed deeper than the sea. --Quoted from Xis speech at the Parliament of Pakistan on April 21, 2015 7.Ancient city that has witnessed China-Japan friendship More than a week ago, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi visited my hometown Shaanxi province. He and I traced back the history of cultural communication between ancient China and India. During Sui and Tang Dynasties, Xian was also an important gateway for the friendly communication between China and Japan, where many Japanese envoys, students and monks lived and studied. Abe no Nakamaro, a scholar who stayed in China back then, had forged a profound friendship with Chinese poets Li Bai and Wang Wei, leaving a well-known story. --Quoted from Xis speech at China-Japan Friendship Exchange Meeting on May 23, 2015 8.Dream jointly realized by China and Belarus Belarus has become one of the countries in Eurasian region with whom China has carried out the most big cooperation projects. Both sides have launched dozens of major projects in the fields of telecommunication, transportation, energy and infrastructure, generating favorable economic and social benefits. The products of BELGEE have realized Belarusians dream to produce cars; the first hotel named after Chinese capital Beijing has been completed and operated in Minsk, starting serving Belarusian guests; completed rehabilitation projects of Minsk No.2, No.5, Lukomlskoye and Berezovsky power plants have provided power resources for the countrys economic development; the 3 cement production lines constructed by Chinese enterprises in Belarus have greatly improved the countrys cement producing scale and ability. China has also provided Belarus with modern electric trains that are currently running across the broad plain of the country, while China-Belarus Industrial Park that carries the common dream of revitalization of both countries has gradually achieved practical progress. --Quoted from Xis signed article published on Belarusian newspaper on Jan. 21, 2016 9. Full size replica of the treasure boat of Zheng He in Singapore In the early 15th century, China's great navigator, Zheng He, visited Singapore several times on his ocean voyages. A full size replica of the treasure boat of Zheng He is on display in the maritime museum of Singapore to honor this historic event. In the late Ming and early Qing dynasties, many people from China's Guangdong and Fujian provinces migrated to Southeast Asia, bringing with them Chinese culture and skills, and sowing the seeds of China-Singapore friendship. In 1978, Mr. Deng Xiaoping visited Singapore, opening the friendly relations and cooperation between our two countries in the new era. At that time, China was embarking on a path of reform, opening up and socialist modernization and exploring the building of socialism with distinctive Chinese features. Here in your country, under the leadership of Mr. Lee Kwan Yew, Singapore succeeded in pursuing a development path suited to its national conditions by combining the Eastern values with an international vision. After seeing first-hand Singapore's economic achievements, Mr. Deng Xiaoping said that China needs to learn from Singapore. China has drawn on the Singaporean practices in addressing tough challenges encountered in its reform and development endeavors. On its part, China's development has also created tremendous opportunities for Singapore's development. --Quoted from Xis speech at the National University of Singapore on Nov. 7, 2015 10. Silk Road that links two great nations This will be my first trip to Iran, yet like many other Chinese, I do not feel like a stranger in your ancient and beautiful country, thanks to the Silk Road that linked our two great nations for centuries and to the many legendary stories recorded in history books of our friendly exchanges. Over 2,000 years ago during the West Han Dynasty in China, the Chinese envoy Zhang Qian's deputy came to Iran and received warm welcome. Seven centuries later during the Tang and Song dynasties, many Iranians came to China's Xi'an and Guangzhou to study, practice medicine and do business. In the 13th century, the famous Iranian poet Saadi wrote about his unforgettable travel to Kashgar, Xinjiang. In the 15th century, a renowned Chinese navigator Zheng He from the Ming Dynasty led seven maritime expeditions, which took him to Hormuz in southern Iran three times. The much-prized Persian carpet is weaved out of a fusion of China's silk and Iran's sophisticated techniques. And the exquisite blue and white porcelain is produced thanks to a mixture of Iran's "smaltum" (a type of material containing cobalt, unique to Iran) and China's advanced skills. Via Iran, China's lacquerware, pottery, as well as papermaking, metallurgical, printing and gunpowder making skills were spread to the west end of Asia, and further on to Europe. And from Iran and Europe, pomegranate, grape, olive, as well as glass, gold and silver ware were introduced into China. --Quoted from Xis signed article Work Together for a Bright Future of China-Iran Relations published on Iranian newspaper on Jan. 21, 2016 Prof. Thomas Borody, Founder and Medical Director, at the Centre for Digestive Diseases (CDD) in Sydney, Australia Prof. Borody (right) collaborates with China's FMT leader Professor Faming Zhang Director, Intestinal Diseases Center at the 2nd Affiliated Hospital, Nanjing Medical University NANJING, CHINA, May 14, 2017 - (ACN Newswire) - A future where faecal transplants in China will cure conditions like autism, IBD, arthritis, Parkinson's disease and even MS was presented by global Faecal Microbiota Transplantation (FMT) leader Professor Thomas Borody (MD, PhD) at the opening of the China Microbiota Transplantation Conference in Nanjing, in his keynote presentation on non Clostridium difficile conditions (April 12-14, 2017).Professor Borody, the founder and Medical Director of the Centre for Digestive Diseases (CDD) in Sydney, Australia said many diseases have a unique microbiome profile which can be progressively changed to a normal profile with FMT treatment ( www.cdd.com.au ). The conference, hosted by the Chinese Medical Doctor Association, attracted more than 700 attendees with 50 oral presentations from China, Australia, USA and Europe.FMT has its origins in China with earliest treatments dating back to the 4th century. Prof. Borody is at the forefront of FMT research being first to report successful treatment of IBD in 1988. He invented, among other therapies, the freeze-dried oral FMT capsule system. He is also globally recognized as the first physician to successfully formulate the highly effective Triple Therapy that become the gold standard for treating Helicobacter pylori infection, which can lead to peptic ulcers and stomach cancer, so common in China.Prof. Borody in his presentation also shared findings from recent ground-breaking clinical trials in IBD and autism that he personally designed and was involved as an example of the need for greater FMT clinical trial investment in serious diseases:- The FOCUS Study - the first adequately powered randomized double blind controlled trial for ulcerative colitis- The Autisim Study - where cognitive improvement change was found after just 5 weeks of treatmentAt the CDD Prof. Borody has had success using FMT in a broad range of conditions including IBS, IBD, autism and other neurological and autoimmune diseases. He said more research funding was needed to bring FMT treatment into the mainstream medical world."We've seen profound remission in three MS patients that are out of wheelchairs," he said.Like the US and Australia China is facing increasing challenges around the management of diseases, many with rising incidence including IBD, Parkinson's disease, MS, and many autoimmune conditions.At the state-of-the-art CDD facility in Sydney Prof. Borody and his team have performed more than 12,000 FMTs."The healthy human flora or it's components, appears to be the most complete probiotic treatment available today, capable of eradicating 'bad' bacteria and spores and supplying 'good' bacteria for recolonization of the damaged gut microbiome," said Prof. Borody.Prior to the conference Prof. Borody visited the FMT Bank in Nanjing with China's FMT leader Professor Faming Zhang, who was the first to perform FMT in China and has carried out over 1600 treatments to date.Prof. Borody has collaborated closely with Professor Faming Zhang, the Director of Intestinal Diseases Center at the 2nd Affiliated Hospital, Nanjing Medical University.About:What is Faecal Microbiota TransplantationThe human bowel contains a complex population of bacteria known as the gut microbiota. These organisms and the chemicals they produce can affect the bowel and the body as a whole, and these effects can have both positive and negative impacts on a person's health. The human gut microbiota protects us from pathogenic or 'bad' bacteria.FMT involves the infusion of healthy human donor faecal bacteria via colonoscope or enema into a bowel that contains abnormal bacteria that are making the bowel 'sick'. This infusion process can be a single infusion or it can be repeated over a period of time, depending on the severity of the patient's condition.The use of healthy human flora appears to be the most complete probiotic treatment available today, capable of eradicating 'bad' bacteria and spores and supplying 'good' bacteria for recolonisation of the gut in certain conditions.The Centre for Digestive Diseases offers FMT primarily for the treatment of Clostridium difficile and treats selected patients with ulcerative colitis, irritable bowel sydrome, constipation and Crohn's disease. Other conditions are assessed on a case by case basis.About:Prof. Thomas BorodyBSc (MED) (HONS), MBBS (HONS), MD, PhD, DSc, FRACP, FACG, FACP, AGAFMedical Director, Gastroenterologist (www.cdd.com.au)Prof. Thomas Borody is the founder and Medical Director of CDD. His keen interest in medical research led to the establishment of the Centre to provide both diagnostic procedures and effective treatments.Prof. Borody has published over 250 articles and abstracts. His knowledge and expertise has been sought after by patients from around the world. He is a reviewer for numerous medical journals and has developed novel therapies in gastrointestinal areas such as Inflammatory Bowel Disease, Irritable Bowel Syndrome, Parasite infestation, ulcer disease and resistant Helicobacter pylori and C. difficile. Prof. Borody continues to conduct research in order to improve current therapies and develop new treatments.Contact:Susan Fitzpatrick-NapierDigital Mantra GroupTeam@dmgpr.comSG +65 6809 3869AU +61 2 8218 2144USA +1 650 798 5238Source: Centre for Digestive Diseases (CDD)Copyright 2017 ACN Newswire . All rights reserved. The European Investment Fund has signed a commitment of GBP20m into WestBridge II, a lower mid-market fund focusing on investments in the United Kingdom. The investment from EIF, which has supported WestBridge since inception in 2009, acting already as a cornerstone investor in its first fund, will enable WestBridge II to increase its funding for UK SMEs, providing growth and expansion capital to businesses. Via offices in London and Cardiff, WestBridge II will continue the investment strategy implemented by the predecessor fund, backing SMEs and small mid-caps across the UK regions with the potential to grow rapidly and dominate their niche or exploit new opportunities that will lead to growth. WestBridge Capital typically invests in profitable, fast growing UK SMEs with enterprise values of GBP 10m to GBP 20m, many of which are technology enabled. The WestBridge SME Fund includes investee companies operating in aerospace; electronics; B2B business services; medical technology; business critical software; and HR systems. FinSMEs 13/05/2017 Kannada actress Sruthi Hariharan has lodged a complaint with Bengaluru Cyber Crime Cell over morphed pictures. Hariharan, who has starred in films Lucia and Jai Maruthi 800 has filed a complaint on Friday, 14 May, requesting action against the people who have uploaded morphed photos of hers on various social media platforms, reports The Times of India. The actor met with City commissioner Praveen Sood on Thrusday before filing the complaint requesting him for help and noted that her images had been doing the rounds of the internet for a while. DCP (crime) Anand Kumar, while confirming the allegations, said some people had created fake Facebook accounts in Sruthi's name and published inappropriate images. The Cyber Crime Police have registered a complaint against unidentified persons under the IT Act. "Unidentified persons had set up fake profiles of the actor. They had morphed her face on to the bodies of a few women working in the adult movie industry and uploaded them on various social media sites including Facebook," said ACP Ravi (Crime) told The Newsminute. "She requested that the miscreants be traced as soon as possible. A complaint has been filed under section 57 of the IT Act," he added. The Newsminute also notes that Kannada actress Sonu Gowda, Rishika Singh were also victims of similar cyber crimes. Pune: Marathi film producer Atul B Tapkir was found dead at a luxury hotel in Pune on Sunday morning, police said. He was 35. A post on Tapkir's Facebook page indicates he was disturbed over financial loss in filmmaking and a troubled family life. Police had to break open the hotel room where they found Tapkir's body. A case of accidental death has been registered by the Deccan Gymkhana Police Station, and the body has been sent for an autopsy, a police official told IANS. One of the last "suicidal" messages posted on Tapkir's Facebook page on Saturday suggests he was depressed over the financial losses he suffered by producing Marathi film Dhol Taashe. In the lengthy post, he claimed that while his father and sisters backed him, his wife Priyanka allegedly harassed him. Tapkir said his wife threw him out of their home, and he was living out of the house since six months. He was also upset as she alienated their children from him, apart from making allegations against him, defaming him in the neighbourhood and abusing him. Tapkir's post written in Marathi mentioned that his wife got her "so-called" brothers to threaten and beat him up. He shared how when some days ago, he called her and abused her, she abused him and his family in return and lodged a police complaint against them. Tapkir has urged Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis that "the police must listen to a man's side of the story too when a woman lodges a complaint". He said his last wish was that since his wife cannot look after their children, his father should raise them. As proof of the harassment he faced, Tapkir said he has saved in a pen drive, the incident when his wife's brother hurled abuses at him. New Delhi: As attacks on Indian Army establishments continue with the latest being in Kupwara district of Jammu and Kashmir, the government is yet to release vital funds for upgrading security at defence establishments as suggested by a committee that was formed following last year's attack on the Pathankot air base, informed sources said. According to highly placed sources, as per the guidelines issued on the basis of a report of a committee under former Army Vice Chief, Lt Gen Philip Campose, Rs 2,000 crore (over $310 million) had to be given for upgradating security at defence establishments over two years. Of this, half the money, that is Rs 1,000 crore , was supposed to be given this year. However, there has not been any allocation by the Defence Ministry so far. "The peripheral security at many Army camps is rather elementary; there are barbed wire fences; tin sheets are put on the fences at places so that any movement may create a noise and alert the guards. These barbed wires are very basic and not sufficient for protection, especially in forward areas," an army officer who did not want to be named, told IANS. "Even the lighting is basic, plus most camps and establishments have dense vegetation around. This provides terrorists a good hideout," the officer added. The Panzgam army camp in Kupwara district, which was attacked on 27 April, had a two-layered barbed-wire fence, which the terrorists managed to break through. Three soldiers were killed and seven were injured, while two terrorists were also killed. The Indian Air Force base in Pathankot was attacked on 2 January, 2016. Firing and combing operations went on for at least four days, leaving seven security personnel and one civilian dead and 37 security personnel and one civilian injured. All four terrorists, who were from Pakistan, were killed. The Campose committee, with three Army officers and one officer each from the IAF and the Navy, was formed on February 8. It submitted its report on May 20, 2016. Subsequently, guidelines were issued to all defence establishment on enhancing security based on its recommendations. The recommendations included integrated response by the three services through a coordinated mechanism and upgrading the Defence Security Corps (DSC). A standard operating procedure (SOP) on the security of defence establishments was promulgated, and the establishments were divided into different categories based on threat perception. There are around 600 CAT A establishments, the highest category; around 1,000 each in CAT B and CAT C; and 200 in CAT D, according to sources. Short, mid and long-term measures were recommended. The short-term measures included perimeter security and access control by hardening perimeter fences, lighting, intrusion alarms and surveillance cameras. The long-term measures included installation of technology-based security infrastructure, positioning of well-trained, armed and equipped Quick Reaction Teams (QRTs) at high-threat and high-priority military bases, and conduct of periodic security audits in other establishments. Other long-term measures included construction of boundary walls and putting in place high-end modern security infrastructure in a phased manner, for which additional funds are required. For the short-term measures, the army was to use its own funds and so far Rs 300 crore has been spent, the sources said. However, the defence ministry has not released any funds so far. "The Centre has not given any funds for enhancing security infrastructure so far. Army has spent from its own funds, but the long-term measures require more money," the officer said. In the recently-concluded budget session of parliament, a parliamentary panel on defence had rapped the government for not taking any "concrete measures" following terror attacks at Uri, Pathankot and other places. The panel said it was "disturbed" to note the "apparent lack of sincerity" on the part of the defence ministry and desired that the situation should improve, adding that necessary measures should be taken to ensure that intrusions do not recur. Later in the same session, in a written reply in the Lok Sabha, Minister of State for Defence Subhash Bhamre said Guidelines for Security of Defence Installations had been issued. But, as the officer pointed out, guidelines are fine but where is the money to implement them? New Delhi: The Centre will soon begin work on a Rs 11,000-crore project to provide road connectivity to 44 Maoist-dominated districts, including Sukma in Chhattisgarh, which had recently witnessed one of the deadliest Maoist attacks. Five percent of the total project cost i.e Rs 550 crore will be kept aside for administrative expenses including for deployment of security forces at strategic locations, officials said. To improve rural road connectivity in the Left-wing Extremism affected districts, the Cabinet had last year approved the centrally-sponsored "Road Connectivity Project for Left-wing Extremism (LWE) Affected Areas" scheme. The project will be implemented under the Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana (PMGSY) in the districts that are critical from a security and communication point of view. Under the project, there will be construction or upgrade of 5,411 km of roads and 126 bridges. Work will be taken up at an estimated cost of Rs 11,724.53 crore in the above districts. The project is likely to be started in the next few weeks and all necessary arrangements have been made for its launch, a top government official said. Out of these 44 districts, the maximum is in Chattisgarh, where 25 personnel of the Central Reserve Police Force were killed by Naxals last month. Odisha, Jharkhand, Bihar, Madhya Pradesh, Telangana and Maharashtra are the other states that will be covered under the scheme. Ranchi: Security forces have seized over 1,000 bullets, 5,000 detonators and 200 kg of explosives from an ammunition dump of Naxalites in Jharkhand. A joint team of the CRPF and the state police had launched a search in the jungles of Murhukarchatoli and Husru in Lohardaga district, officials said, adding the team made the seizure late last evening. The cache includes 1,010 bullets of different calibre, 5,100 detonators, 21,600 feet-long explosive cordex wire and explosives weighing 200 kg. The seized ammunition has been handed over to the state police, they said. A similar dump was unearthed by the joint security forces squad in the same district few days back. The 13-year-old boy is lying unconscious on a hospital bed in Kondotty and his father has left everything to God now. Down with diphtheria doctors say hes yet to come out of danger. But his father, a cleric in a local mosque, is yet to believe that two harmless shots of an injection could have saved his son. After a brief lull, the deadly disease has resurfaced in Malappuram district of Kerala. Out of 16 suspected cases reported last week, four are confirmed cases of diphtheria giving enough worries to health officials. Last year, the bacteria-induced disease that was once eradicated from the state had claimed six lives in the district. Health officials working on the immunisation front cite the stiff resistance they still face from many parents and religious outfits as the reason behind the disease's resurgence. True, many parents easily fall prey to the misinformation campaign let loose by fundamentalist forces, who claim most vaccines were creation of the West and believers never needed them. They also spread a canard that vaccines affect the fertility of children when they grow up and most of them carry a pork-based gelatine making it haraam (forbidden) for believers. We were told by our mahal (mosque) committee that most vaccines are harmful and affect fertility of children when they grow up, said Khader Meeran, a farm labourer, who lost his youngest child last year. Hes yet to convince himself that a timely vaccination could have saved his sons life. There has been a steady rise in mistrust for vaccinations in the Muslim-majority (of the total population 65 percent are Muslims) district triggering a fear that some of the eradicated diseases like polio may re-appear in the district. In some interior places people often put up boards saying they dont entertain vaccine inquirers anymore. Health officials do admit they dread to enter certain areas. Upset with such developments, the Indian Medical Association had sought police protection for health personnel who carry out immunization drive in the district and the state's Health Minister K Shailaja even threatened police action against those who disrupt work immunization officials. The government had also roped in south Indian actor Mohanlal to do a vaccine promo. But the latest outbreak shows that these efforts failed to yield the desired results. We are facing a Herculean task. Despite a vigorous campaign, a section of people still feel that vaccinations are not needed, Malappuram DMO Dr Mohamed Ismail told Firstpost. State health ministry statistics show that 30 percent children between 0 and five years and 20 percent between seven and 16 years were never vaccinated. The dismal level of vaccination in Malappuram are further highlighted by the fact that in other nearby districts, immunization rate is well above 90 percent among children falling under both age brackets. Many reformist organisations have condemned the orthodox groups saying their Taliban model campaign would only help push the community towards a disaster. They also blame two powerful organizations Jammat-e-Islami and a Sunni sect led by Kanthapuram Abubaker Musaliyar for misleading Muslims from the economically weaker section of the society. But a spokesman of the Jammat-e-Islami denied any role in it saying that it was the prerogative of the parents whether to administer vaccine or not. Last year the district collector had called a meeting of all parties and religious bodies but some fringe outfits stayed away from it. It is a fact that often poor people fall prey to designs of such forces and they suffer the most once disease afflict them. Fearing police action there is no open campaign now... Many mahal committees often convince believers that vaccines are anti-Islam and they are a ploy to restrict Muslim population in the country, said a health official adding that these forces are working overtime to discourage people from participating in immunization drives. The view that vaccines as a form of preventive medicine is not complaint with Sharia, is rarely expressed openly but spoken in whispers. Earlier there was a plan to announce the importance of vaccine through the mosque public address system but it was dropped after many religious bodies resisted it. Besides this, many quacks and alternate medicine practitioners also fan trouble. According to the central governments universal immunization schedule ten diseases are covered under free immunization programme in the country polio, diphtheria, pertussis, measles, tetanus, mumps, rubella tuberculosis and hepatitis A and B. These vaccines have to be administered within 5 years of age. If a wholly preventable disease cant be contained effectively, the states robust health record (lowest infant mortality and highest life expectancy rates in country) will go for a toss. Anti-vaccine movements are as old as vaccines. But all their arguments have been proven wrong by the scientific community. It is time for religious leaders to take the mantle and exposes forces who push the little ones to death and destruction. It is a fact that if a large number of people are unvaccinated there is a high chance that another epidemic may break out. The district also needs proper health education at grassroots to dispel unnecessary concerns otherwise it will remain a blot on the state that boasts of many firsts in human development indices. An evening gala themed on Millennial Road was held at National Center for the Performing Arts in Beijing to welcome delegates of the Belt and Road Forum for International Cooperation. A total of 29 heads of state and government are attending the forum, the highest-profile international meeting on the Belt and Road since Chinese President Xi Jinping proposed the initiative in 2013. Hyderabad: Four men allegedly tried to rape a 20-year-old pub dancer at Narpally on the outskirts of the city, police said on Sunday. The incident took place on Friday night and the woman lodged a complaint on Saturday, police said. On 12 May, the victim, a married woman and a resident of Sithaphalmandi here, had called up a cab driver named Ravi, whom she previously knew, asking him to drop her at Uppal. He picked her up from her house, although three other men were already travelling in his cab, police said. "Ravi told her that the trio was going to Srisailam and he would drop her at Uppal," Ghatkesar Police Station Inspector B Prakash said. "On the way, he bought beer and the woman consumed it. Later, Ravi took the car near a college and forced her into having sex them, which she refused. Then, as she called up the police, Ravi threw her mobile phone and beat her up," he said citing the complaint. After she raised an alarm, the accused dropped her near Peerzadiguda near here before fleeing in the car. The woman was rescued by some local residents, Prakash said. A case of sexual harassment and simple hurt was registered against the four accused, the officer said adding that efforts were on to nab the absconding accused. Chandigarh: Former Haryana chief minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda alleged that there is a complete breakdown of law and order in the state and the BJP government has failed to put a check on the rising crime graph. He demanded exemplary punishment for the culprits in the gang rape and murder of a 23-year-old woman from Sonipat and said such incidents, wherever those happen, shame the humanity. The decomposed and mutilated body of the woman, who went missing from Sonipat on 9 May and was gang-raped and brutally murdered, was found near the Industrial Model Township in Urban Estate, Rohtak, on 11 May. Stray dogs had bitten off the face and lower portion of her body. An autopsy of the victim showed the bones of the woman's skull were shattered into pieces and "some sharp-edged objects may have been inserted in her private parts". "The case is similar to the one which took place in Delhi a few years back. In the 'Nirbhaya' case, the Supreme Court has upheld the death sentence to the four convicts. In this case too, the culprits should be awarded same punishment," Hooda told PTI. He said the shocking incident was a grim reminder of how the law-and-order situation in the state has deteriorated under the Manohar Lal Khattar-led government. The horrifying crime, which occurred just days after the Supreme Court held that the culprits in the 'Nirbhaya' gang rape case will hang, prompted Congress chief Sonia Gandhi to assert that the issue of women's safety needs to be revisited. The incident took place barely a month after the state government, launched a special drive called 'Operation Durga' to stop incidents of eve-teasing and harassment of women. Asserting that the latest incident had shocked the entire nation, he hit out at the state government saying, "There is not a single day when incidents of serious crimes are not reported in the state." "Criminal activities are going on unchecked and the crime graph is rising. This government has failed on all fronts, it has proved to be a failure," Hooda said. Informing that the gang rape victim was the sole breadwinner of her family, he said, "She worked in a factory, her brother is not working, while father is a labourer. The government should give adequate compensation to them." About 'Operation Durga', Hooda said, "This government believes in just hollow slogans. It has done no work on the ground and no development has taken place. They are only busy in giving slogans, changing names of existing schemes, transferring officials and indulging in witch-hunt against political rivals." "The people of Haryana had high hopes from the BJP government, but today, every section of society is feeling frustrated. The government has failed to deliver," he claimed. Chandigarh: Financial assistance of Rs 10.5 lakh was announced on Sunday for the family of a young woman who was gang-raped and killed in Haryana last week. As the 23-year old woman was a Dalit, the state welfare department would provide Rs 8.5 lakh to her family under provisions of the Scheduled Caste and Scheduled Tribe (Prevention of Atrocities) Act. "The remaining Rs 2 lakh will be given by the Red Cross," Sonipat Deputy Commissioner K Makrand Pandurang told PTI over phone. The mutilated body of the woman was found near the Industrial Model Township in Urban Estate, Rohtak, on 11 May, two days after she had gone missing. Stray dogs had bitten away the victim's face and lower portion of her body which was spotted by a passer-by. The woman, said to be a divorcee, had been kidnapped from Sonipat on 9 May and taken to Rohtak in a car, police said. The Haryana Police has formed a special investigation team (SIT) to probe the case. The police have already arrested two men including the one who they claimed was her "jilted lover". Chandigarh: Multiple head injuries inflicted by a blunt weapon were the main cause of death of the 23-year -old woman from Sonipat while sharp edged objects may have been inserted in her private parts, according to the post-mortem report. The chilling findings also that suggest that woman may have been sedated before the crime was committed. Some portion of the oesophagus (food pipe) was also found to be missing from the body, according to the post-mortem report. "Multiple head injuries, inflicted by some blunt weapon, were the main cause of the death," Dr S K Dhattarwal, Head of the Department of Forensic Medicine at the Rohtak-based Post-Graduate Institute of Medical Sciences (PGIMS), said on Saturday. Several bones of the victim's skull were found to be shattered, he said. "There were injuries on the private parts, which means that woman was sexually assaulted," Dhattarwal said adding that the vaginal swab had been sent to a forensic science lab for confirmation regarding rape. The injuries suggest some sharp-edged objects may have been inserted in her private parts, he further said. Indicating that the woman was given sedatives before she was raped and murdered, Dhattarwal said that signs of some such drugs had been found in the stomach. Gnawing effects were also found on the body, he said. The young Dalit woman from Sonipat was abducted, gang-raped and her brutally mutilated body dumped at a place in Rohtak where stray dogs bit off it. The body was found near the Industrial Model Township in Urban Estate, Rohtak, on 11 May, two days after the victim went missing. Stray dogs had bitten off the face and lower portion of her body, police officials said. The woman, said to be a divorcee, had been kidnapped from Sonipat on 9 May and taken to Rohtak in a car, police said. Police had earlier said it appeared that the victim was raped first and then the suspects hit her with a brick, smashing her face. Lucknow: A Hizbul Mujahideen terrorist has been arrested by border guarding force Sahastra Seema Bal (SSB) from Sonauli in Uttar Pradesh along the Indo-Nepal frontier. The Sashastra Seema Bal said it apprehended Naseer Ahmed (34) last evening from the Sonauli border post. The SSB is tasked to guard the 1,751 km long open border. "Ahmed was residing in Pakistan since September, 2003. He was involved in many violent attacks against civilians and security forces including an attack on a STF camp. He was sent to India by his handler for a specific mission," an SSB spokesperson said in Lucknow. "Ahmed, a resident of Banihal in Ramban district of Jammu and Kashmir, was trying to sneak into India from Nepal in guise of a Kashmiri shawl and carpet vendor. "When he was asked for his identity proof by the SSB personnel at Sonauli, he was unable to produce any supporting documents," the spokesperson said. The paramilitary, based on initial interrogation of the terrorist, said Ahmed landed in Kathmandu on 10 May from Faisalabad in Pakistan via Sharjah. The SSB said Ahmed reached the Indo-Nepal border in a bus "with an intention to sneak into Indian territory and motive to carry out terrorist activities in India." "He was in touch with a handler from India, who used to deposit money, in his account, off and on. On his instructions he came to India for undertaking terrorist activities but was apprehended by the SSB," the paramilitary claimed. Advocate Awais Sheikh was the Pakistani counsel of Sarabjit Singh, the Indian national who was convicted for espionage, and killed in Lahores Kot Lakhpat Jail while on death row in May, 2013. Sheikh now resides in Sweden after being offered permanent refuge by the Swedish government in 2013. He had to leave Pakistan owing to the multiple life-threatening attacks on him for representing Sarabjit. Author of three books Samjhota Express, Journey to the Land of Peace, and Sarabjit Singh: A Case of Mistaken Identity, Sheikh is the president of Pakistan-India Peace Initiative. Firstpost spoke to Sheikh who thinks while Sarabjeet was a victim of "long-standing politics" between two enemy countries, in Kulbhushan's case India has made an excellent and timely move in approaching the International Court of Justice (ICJ). Here are edited excerpts from the interview. What do you think about India approaching the ICJ in case of Kulbhushan Jadhav? In my opinion, approaching the ICJ was an excellent and very timely move by India. It has attracted the entire worlds attention towards the sensitivity and importance of this case. This now has a direct bearing on the relations of India and Pakistan, the two conflict-ridden, nuclear-armed countries. Also, Pakistan is now under moral obligation to set Kulbhushan free. The main basis of ICJs recent order, staying Kulbhushans execution, is that the convict was denied consular access, which is illegal and unlawful. Indias move, in my opinion, will pave way for Kulbhushans liberty although Pakistan has said that the ICJ decision is not binding. According to Indias plea before The Hague, not providing consular access to Kulbhushan was a breach under provisions of the Vienna Convention. As Sarabjit's counsel, do you think there were any such violations in his case? Yes. There were many violations in Sarabjits case. The ex-parte order convicting him for terrorism and espionage, firstly, was illegal and unlawful. Only two notices were issued to Sarabjits counsel (the advocate who represented Sarabjit before Sheikh). His lawyer failed to appear before the court, and the decision was announced in his absence. Ideally, the Supreme Court should have issued another notice, and if the lawyer would have failed to appear again, the court should have asked the state to appoint another lawyer to represent Sarabjit. Ex-parte order on basis of defaults in two notices is illegal in case of death-row prisoners. Further, the only witness in the case retracted his statement, and confessed that he was forced to give false evidence. At this, the Supreme Court should have re-opened the case. India did not approach the ICJ for Sarabjits release or for a stay on his execution. Do you think his case merited an ICJ intervention? Sarbjit's case was different from Kulbhusans. Although both men were death-row prisoners, Sarabjit was tried and convicted by a civil court whereas Kulbhushan was convicted by a military court. International media and many international peace forums supported Sarabjit, and wanted his release. I was aware of it. I was in touch with them on every stage of the trial. However, as for the Indian government, Sarabjit's sister was not satisfied with them. She wanted the political leadership to do more. Do you think Sarabjit would have survived if the ICJ had intervened? Sarabjit became a victim of long-standing politics between India and Pakistan. He was a prisoner of an enemy country. There were gross illegalities and injustices in his case. His name was not mentioned in the First Information Report (FIR). This is a rare phenomenon. How can a person be convicted without his name being mentioned in the FIR? My book Sarabjit Singh: A Case of Mistaken Identity was released in four Indian cities. But in Pakistan, it was not allowed a release. On the day of its launch, the gates of the Lahore Press Club (the book launch venue) were locked. So I don't think Sarabjit would have won freedom in face of any amount of pressure or force from outside. He was the victim of a long, long confrontation between two rival countries. Do you think Pakistan is bound by the ICJ's order to stay Kulbhashans execution or is it only a question of moral and/or diplomatic obligation? I think the short order of the ICJ, the most prestigious world-recognized forum, directing Pakistan to hold Kulbhushans execution, carries a lot of weight. It is, without a doubt, a moral victory for India, and also a psychological and diplomatic gain. It certainly puts a lot of pressure on Pakistan to hold the execution. After all, there are weighty reasons for the ICJs order: (i) The case has been decided by a military court, which has no recognition in the civilized world. And therefore, the conviction by the court has been rejected by the ICJ. (ii) The military courts order has violated fundamental principles of natural justice and international law, the accepted code of conduct to be followed by civil/criminal courts. According to provisions of the constitution of Pakistan, any person who has been convicted by a military court or any other court has a fundamental civil right to challenge the decision for the enforcement of fundamental/civil rights. This, however, has not been the case with Kulbhushan. What, in your opinion, should be Pakistans ideal move in face of the ICJs recent order? In my opinion, after the ICJs order, the military courts order about Kulbhushans execution has been rendered mala fide and erroneous. It should be set aside, and a fair trial, within the meaning and scope of the constitution of Pakistan, should be held. Kulbhushan should be provided proper legal aid, and an appropriate court of law should host the proceedings in accordance with the rules and procedures prescribed for civilian trials. What are your expectations from the public hearings in Kulbhushan Jadhav's case at The Hague on Monday? I have a lot of expectations from the ICJs hearing. I believe that ICJ will hold that no opportunity of being heard was provided to Kulbhushan, which is a grave violation of international law and natural justice. The accusation against Kubhushan Jadhav is that he is guilty of waging war against Pakistan. But I want to ask, what is the evidence against him? A mere confession before a TV channel? That carries no legal weight or acceptance in the court of law. On Monday, the ICJ can direct the Pakistan military court to provide copies of their order on Kulbhushans death sentence to his relatives or legal representatives, if any. This could lead to a proper appeal in the Pakistani Supreme Court as provided in the procedure, rules and constitution of Pakistan. The ICJ can even ask the President of Pakistan to the set the case aside for a de novo decision by a civil or criminal court, ensuring that the Indian High Commission in Pakistan has consular access to him. It can even order the immediate release of Kulbhushan. If India does avail consular access to Kulbhushan, what legal measures can be taken to ensure his safe return? Section 131 of Pakistans Army Act, 1952 provides that Kulbhushan has the right to file an appeal before the Supreme Court within forty days of the military courts order. Alternatively, he can also file a mercy appeal before the President of Pakistan within sixty days of the courts order. Under the Army Act, 1952, the President of Pakistan has been empowered to mitigate the punishment awarded or commute such punishment to any lesser punishment when any person subject to the Act has been convicted by Court Martial of any offence. In Sarabjits case, I had filed a mercy petition, and it had worked. The petition was accepted, and Sarabjit was ordered to be released. The news even made it to television channels. But unfortunately, Pakistan took a U-turn, and said it was a mistake. They said that it was Surjeet Singh who was being pardoned, and not Sarabjit Singh. That was a blatant lie. Two years after the Bharatiya Janata Party and the Peoples Democratic Party formed an alliance in Jammu and Kashmir, the allies are locked in a war of words, each blaming the other for rising militancy, mob violence and low voter turnout in the recent parliamentary bypolls. Now, the security establishment in Jammu and Kashmir has requested the Centre to consider Governor's rule to ease the situation, according to media reports. According to a report in the Indian Express, a senior security official said that the alliance between the PDP and BJP is one of the causes of Kashmiri resentment and if there was Governors rule, it would remove this factor from the equation. Two weeks ago, Member of Parliament P Chidambaram criticised the BJP-PDP alliance, stating that there was a need for Governor's rule, according to a report in The Economic Times. Growing clamour for Governor's rule in J&K. Glad more people have realised PDP-BJP government is a disaster. P. Chidambaram (@PChidambaram_IN) April 22, 2017 1/2 The honourable course for honourable CM of J&K is to snap the coalition with BJP and make peace with the people P. Chidambaram (@PChidambaram_IN) April 22, 2017 Mehbooba Mufti, addressing senior leaders of her party at a meeting on 1 May reportedly said: Give me a roadmap on how to come out of the ongoing crises and I will make sure New Delhi starts a dialogue with all stakeholders. If they dont, I wont hesitate to leave the government. Former RAW chief AS Dulat, analyising the alliance, told Firstpost: "If you see the results of the 2014 Assembly election, there was no other way but for the BJP and PDP to join hands. Mufti Mohammad Sayeed described it as an alliance between the North Pole and the South Pole. Both sides have looked at the coalition differently. Mufti Saheb wanted to bring Jammu closer to the Valley and in doing so, he hoped he would get a lot of support from the Centre. That never came about." "The BJP looked at the alliance differently. It provided them with an opportunity to enter the Valley. This is where Kashmir resentment began with Mufti emerging as a villain for bringing the RSS into the Valley." He further added that the Kashmiris were resentful of this alliance. "They feel there is an effort in Delhi to change the character of the Valley. Their ultimate nightmare is that they will be reduced to a minority in the Valley and that is the core of what the present disturbance is about. One thing has led to another." Attacks on security forces in the state have been on the rise. On 9 May, army officer Ummer Fayaz, who was on leave to visit his home in Kulgam, was kidnapped by militants while attending the marriage of his cousin in Batapura village. His bullet-riddled body was found on 10 May at Harmen in Shopian district. What is Governor's rule? In case of failure of the constitutional machinery in any state of India, usually, President's Rule is imposed under Article 356 of the Constitution. However the Jammu and Kashmir state Constitution allows the imposition of Governor's rule, and that too, for only six months. Governor's rule can be imposed only after the consent of the President. The state Assembly is either suspended or dissolved and the state comes under the direct rule, once the Governor's rule is imposed. With inputs from agencies By Sharanya Gopinathan When I read that Raveena Tandon had made a new video for Mothers Day, I was very concerned to see that she was crying. Oh no, what could be wrong, I wondered. But it was nothing. Nothing was wrong. It was just Mothers Day. Until quite recently, if that, mothers in Bollywood movies were framed entirely as depositories of feelings and repositories of tears, created and put in place to cry over their sons. Think Rakhee and Nirupa Roy. The modern-day equivalent of the erstwhile Bollywood mum is the Mothers Day mother. All is not well for the Mothers Day mum. Womens Day, of course, is a happy and celebratory day for all and sundry, with the likes of Renuka Shahane ditching her terminally whiny and immature husband to head to Goa with her friends in an ad. Or the You Can Do It Womens Day ad that featured the woman in the iconic pose (Rosie the Riveter), but with full makeup. Or Croma telling you how strong and shiny you are. Mothers Day is reserved for much more serious business, because motherhood Mothers Day, is a serious issue. Dont mess with it. The rasa of Mothers Day ads is usually the same (very saline). At least this year, there seems to be a nice variety within the sub-genre of Mothers Day mothers. Theres Niveas foster care mother, who tells her ward to go off to her new adoptive parents while silently wiping away her own tears, and Godrej brittle and worried-looking mother-in-law, whose bahu gives her a Mothers Day gift that she thought was intended for her bahus biological mum, Archies abandoned mother, who lives in an ashram in Vrindavan, and The Bag Talks biological mum who comes to meet her daughter whos too busy to meet her. Its weird, because all of these feel-good ads are most definitely supposed to make you feel bad. If they dont have crying women in them (they do though), theyre designed to make you cry, or feel sad, or most of all, feel guilty. About your mom and how you treat her, or in the gross-capitalism case of Archies Vrindavan mom, someone elses mom and how you treat her. Kaprukas Sri Lankan mothers are crying in childbirth, one of Horlicks many mums cries as she watches her daughters music performance, and Walls Pakistani mum is teary-eyed when her kids are bratty towards her. Practos ad features kids and adults crying when they get hurt and immediately think of mum. Why so much sadness yo, its only Mothers Day. On an aside, that overriding theme of guilt is of course making me think rude thoughts about the people who make these ads and their psychological relationships with their mothers, but I digress. The ads that dont actively feature crying women still paint a pretty bleak picture of motherhood overall. You know the ones, full of assertions that you need to start treating your poor mother right, because her daily life is so full of (willing) sacrifices and hard labours (of love), so the best thing you can give her this Mothers Day is literally two minutes of rest or something? Sure, thats not how they say it, but you know what they mean when Grofers tells you that mothers dont have any time to themselves ever because theyre working so hard around the house. Hey but dont worry, they dont want you to actually help her with her work or anything, just get her onto Grofers to save her the time she spends at the grocery store. Indiabulls, though, will tell you she doesnt mind any of this, kyunki maa kabhi thakti nahi, which like, most of advertising, is a lie. The biggest difference between the Bollywood mum and her successor, the Mothers Day mum, is that there are no sons here. The Bollywood mum existed as an off-shoot of the Bollywood boy: His cheerleader and caretaker, the source of his strength and the reason for his righteousness. Not so with Mothers Day. Except as a voice reading a letter aloud in Amazons Mothers Day, that encourages you to turn your mother into a girl again (no thanks!), boys are prodigiously missing in Mothers Day ads. Maybe the Mothers Day aesthetic is just too feminine for them, I dont know. The way Mothers Day is imagined by ad agencies now? It is a time for women who are not mothers to have a hard think about what the whole prospect means. And a time for mothers to feel that no one is ever going to help them clean the house, ever, and they too should reconsider their choices. Is this where the national budget for promoting family planning is hidden? Thank god for the internet though. The greatest synergy of the Bollywood mum and the Mothers Day mum of all time was embodied in this meme by Happily Unmarried, that features the iconic mum Nirupa Roy along with the words, If you want to make your mother happy, just get her all her dabbas back. At least a dabba unlike these Mother's Day ads has a reason to make a hollow, empty sound. The Ladies Finger (TLF) is a leading online womens magazine delivering fresh and witty perspectives on politics, culture, health, sex, work and everything in between. New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday said social entrepreneurs can benefit from Swachh Bharat programme as it has huge business element, while stressing on the need to convert waste into wealth. A large number of youth, in the role of social entrepreneurs, are coming forward to partake in Swachh Bharat, he said. The Swachh Bharat mission provides opportunities for a large number of social entrepreneurs to emerge, Modi said. "Waste to wealth is a belief that is gaining momentum. Lot of social entrepreneurship is being devoted towards this," Modi said while speaking at the commemoration of 90 years of Essel Group here. The prime minister further said, "If we consider waste as waste, then we have lost our precious possession." He said there is a crisis of natural resources shortage and it can be tackled in a scientific manner with proper management and judicious usage. The prime minister also said entrepreneurship has been an inherent part of Indian system that has been passed on from one generation to another. Modi highlighted the importance of family values in India, saying it is the biggest gift to the world. "Today, even in the most advanced countries, revival of family values have become a part of election manifesto," the prime minister said. Bhopal: As much as Rs 125 crore will be spent on ensuring an impressive crowd at a "Namami Devi Narmada Sewa Yatra" event, which Prime Minister Narendra Modi will attend on Monday, the Congress Madhya Pradesh unit claimed on Sunday. The May 15 event at Amarkantak will mark the end of the Madhya Pradesh government's pet project. This sum will include expenditure on ferrying people to the event in over 5,300 buses and providing them food and training, besides on the security paraphernalia, the state Congress unit said. A target has been set for authorities in each of the 51 districts on the number of people to be sent for the event, Congress leader Ajay Singh claimed. He alleged that the ground reality on the Save Narmada project was quite different from what was being projected by the Shivraj Singh Chouhan state government. Modi will pay a one-day visit to Madhya Pradesh on Monday to participate in the concluding ceremony of the project, which will also be attended by Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan. Modi will take a chopper ride from Jabalpur in the afternoon to reach Amarkantak to participate in the event. The prime minister will return to Delhi from Jabalpur around 5 pm. The Narmada river originates at Amarkantak. The Yatra had started from Amarkantak on 11 December 2016 and is concluding on Monday after covering a distance of nearly 3,500 km. (With inputs from IANS) Baku, Azerbaijan, May 14 By Azad Hasanli Trend: Azerbaijani karate fighter Roman Heydarov expects to win in the karate (kata) finals at the 4th Islamic Solidarity Games in Baku. Out of the three fights, the hardest one was with the Iranian rival Abolfazl Shahrjerdi, Heydarov told Trend. Speaking of the fans support, the athlete noted that the shouting crowd was disturbing him a little. "But nevertheless, when the entire audience is chanting Azerbaijans name, I get inspired and this helps to win," he added. The Baku 2017 Islamic Solidarity Games started May 8 and will last until May 22 in Azerbaijans capital. Jamui: Two Maoists were arrested on Sunday with explosives from a village in Charkapatthar in Bihar's Jamui district, a police officer told PTI. According to the news agency, the security forces nabbed two ultras during combing and search operation in from Budhia Lapar village while they were planting can bombs on a village road leading to Dhel Patthar jungle, Charkapatthar police station In-charge Deepak Kumar said. The duo have been identified as Suresh Sao and Anwar Mian. Two bombs weighing 2.5 kg each were seized from the duo, he said. In Jharkhand, earlier on Sunday, police recovered a huge cache of ammunition from a Naxalite dump in Lohardagga district. The police along with the Central Reserve Police force has been conducting several operations across the Red corridor which includes parts of states like Andhra Pradesh, Bihar, Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Odisha, Telangana, Uttar Pradesh and West Bengal states. In another success to anti-insurgency efforts, as Firstpost reported earlier, dreaded Maoist leader Kundan Pahan surrendered before the police in Jharkhand on Sunday. He was wanted in 128 cases of theft and murder. Chennai: Tamil Nadu Chief Minister E Palaniswamy on Sunday alleged that the previous DMK government delayed the Metro Rail project when it was in power. "When Metro Rail project was approved by the Government of India at a cost of Rs 14,600 crore, the DMK was in power between 2006-11, but spent only Rs 1,143 crore," he said. The chief minister was speaking after flagging off the first underground Metro Rail service between Thirumangalam and Nehru Park in Chennai. Palaniswamy said that from June 2011 to April 2017, the AIADMK government had spent nearly Rs 13,787 crore on the projects. "The government has been allocating sufficient funds for Metro Rail project every year and has been taking adequate steps to complete the project on schedule," he said. Construction work on the next sector from Nehru Park to Chennai Central was going on at a "steady pace", he said. "Work for 34.3 km underground rail connectivity has been completed of the total of 36.4 kilometre (in the first phase of Metro Rail service)," he said. Phase one has a total length of 45 kilometreS. The chief minister also sought Central government's approval for the 107.55-kilometre second phase. This phase comprises three corridors; Madhavaram-Siruseri (44 kiklometre), Chennai Mofussil Bus Terminus-Light House (15.7 kilometre and Madhavaram-Sholinganallur (44.6.kilometre) "The government has given its policy level approval for these extensions for the project that is estimated at Rs 85,047 crore," he said. The chief minister also sought the Centre's approval for the third phase, saying Chennai was expanding rapidly. Responding to his request, Union Urban Development Minister Venkaiah Naidu, who flagged off the first underground train service here, said his Ministry would look into it. "I understand they (Tamil Nadu government) are requesting for extension of Phase III (Metro Rail project). I can assure you that it will be examined by the officers, who have already come here for discussions," he said. "I have no problem, what is possible, what is feasible that will be done I assure you," Naidu said. He requested Chennai Metro Rail officials to expedite the remaining work under Phase I. "I would also like to request the Tamil Nadu government to extend full support for completion of Phase I. We are willing to support Phase II extension of Metro Rail project also," he said. Shimla: Three tourists from Tamil Nadu were killed and 14 others injured on Sunday when a Tempo Traveller they were travelling in fell into a gorge in Himachal Pradesh's Bilaspur district, police said. The tourists, all members of an extended family, were travelling to Manali tourist resort from New Delhi when the vehicle skidded off the road in the Swarghat area, some 120 km from here, on the Chandigarh-Manali route. Survivors told police that the driver probably lost control while negotiating a turn. While Jagrati and Jai Raman died on the spot, N Kumar succumbed to his injuries while being taken to a hospital, police said. The injured were admitted to a hospital in Bilaspur town. Lucknow: Two doctors of the King George's Medical University in the state capital have been booked after a man alleged that one of his kidneys was stolen during treatment in 2015, a charge denied by the hospital. Prithviraj (23) a resident of Purebhawani village in Kothi area of Barabanki district, said in February 2015, he had visited the district hospital with complaint of stomach ache from where he was referred to the KGMU. He said Dr Sandeep Tiwari and Dr Anand Mishra treated him and he was discharged from the hospital in March 2015. He claimed when again the stomach ache started last month, after which he got ultrasound test done and he was informed that his right kidney is missing. The FIR was registered yesterday against Dr Tiwari and Dr Mishra and a Barabanki-based unidentified doctor under various sections of the Transplantation of Human Organs Act and on the charge of cheating. Superintendent of Police Vaibhav Krishan had issued directions to register the case. Meanwhile, as the matter came to fore, Medical Education Minister Ashutosh Tondon ordered a probe into it. A four-member committee headed by Prof RK Sharma, Head, Department of Nephrology, Sanjay Gandhi Post Graduate Insitute of Medical Sciences (SGPGI) was constituted on Saturday to probe the matter. When asked, a KGMU spokesman told PTI that it was impossible to take out a kidney of a patient admitted in emergency at the Trauma Centre. "The entire process is long and a series of tests are conducted before kidney is taken out for transplantation. It's impossible to imagine kidney theft of patient admitted in Trauma Centre in emergency as a team of doctors is present," the spokesman said. "Also, the present case is of 2015. At that time the facility of kidney transplant was not available in KGMU and even in SGPGI. The patient, who has made the allegation, is ignorant of these facts and seems to have been misled," the spokesman added. Behibagh (J&K): When 22-year-old Ummer Fayaz was commissioned in the Army as a Lieutenant five months back, his two proud younger sisters felt there was nothing more that they could have asked for. But all dreams of a better future now lie shattered after Fayaz was abducted by militants from a relative's place on Tuesday and found shot dead the next morning. "We sisters used to say that we do not need anyone else as our brother had become an officer and we will achieve many things now. We had felt that he had reached some position," Asmat, younger to Fayaz by a couple of years, said. Tears in her eyes, she termed her only brother's killing an "irreparable" loss. "His killing is a huge loss for us. Our parents, sister, uncle, aunty, two cousins and grandparents all had their eyes set on him as he had become an officer," Asmat told mediapersons, who arrived at the family's home in Behibagh on Saturday. She wished that no one ever goes through the kind of pain that her family is experiencing. "Yes, whatever happened to him was wrong and I want that it should not happen to anyone else. If anyone wanted something, they should have informed us. We are not saying anything except that we are speechless," she said. While Asmat, did manage to muster the strength to give vent to her pain, words indeed seemed to fail the others. "It's a huge loss to the family," was all a grieving father Fayaz Ahmad could tell a top Army Commander who visited on Saturday. General Officer in Command (GoC) of south Kashmir-based Victor Force, Major General BS Raju, had come for Fayaz's 'chahrum' (the fourth day mourning). Cramped in a small room in their house, the family broke into sobs remembering their loved one. District Development Commissioner Kulgam Showkat Aijaz and Senior Superintendent of Police Shridhar Patil, who accompanied Raju, assured them of all support. The GoC told the parents that their son was a brave martyr and that people, even though silent, were with them. The Army commander and others prayed for the departed soul and handed over ex-gratia cheques to the family. Raju said that no matter which group of militants had committed the crime, it would not be spared. Fayaz was posted with 2 Rajputana Rifles and had taken leave to attend a cousin's wedding. His first leave home, however turned out to be his last. New Delhi: Union minister Maneka Gandhi wants special homes to be set up for children with permanent disabilities, saying child care institutions are "unable to provide" sustained and permanent care to them. In a letter to the Union Social Justice and Empowerment Minister Thaawarchand Gehlot, she urged him to set up special homes for such children in states, which could be run by NGOs under the supervision of local child welfare committees. She suggested that while smaller states would require one or two centres, larger states like Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Rajasthan, Maharashtra and West Bengal would need more number of such centres. Referring to her visit to some children homes where she met children with various disabilities like multiple sclerosis staying with other children, Gandhi said even though these institutions had separate areas marked for disabled children, they are not able to cope-up with the special requirements which these children have. Most of these institutions operate as transition centres where either they are reunited with their families or get adopted by families under the extant laws, Gandhi said in her letter. "However, a number of children with disabilities like cleft palate or hole in the heart or those suffering from multiple-sclerosis need special, sustained and permanent care which these child care institutions are unable to provide," she said. "I firmly believe that such children need to be looked after by the government as they have no other means to live so that they are able to lead a life of dignity," she said in the letter. Lucknow: It's a Mother's Day gift for lakhs of children and their moms in Uttar Pradesh. 'Maa' will now keep an eye on mid-day meals served to students in state-run primary schools to ensure that they get nutritious food prepared in hygienic conditions. "In view of a number of complaints related to quality of mid-day meal being served in primary schools, there will be 'maa' in every school. It will be a committee of six mothers, from all sections of society, whose students are studying in that school," UP Basic Education Minister Anupma Jaiswal told PTI on Sunday. From cleanliness in kitchen, to quality of food being served to children, they will keep an eye on minute details, he said. The state government is expecting a change in atmosphere of primary schools this session with directives being issued for punctuality of teachers and introduction of new uniforms and school bags, she said in Lucknow. "To ensure presence of teachers in schools, it has also been decided to put up their phone numbers with photographs in schools. It will help parents to contact them in case they are absent," the minister said. The state government is also considering a proposal to declare "no school bag day" on Saturdays in state-run schools. Students will be allowed to come to school without their school bags on Saturdays so that they can enjoy themselves in creative activities, she said. It will establish a good rapport between students and teachers and help in their personality development. Earlier, the Yogi Adityanath government decided to bid goodbye to the khaki dress worn by students of government schools. From the session starting July, they will be seen in a new uniform comprising pink-and-white check shirt with brown collar and brown trousers for boys and similar shirt with brown skirt for girls. At the senior level, girl students will wear brown salwar, red kurta with a brown dupatta. There are 1.78 crore children studying in 1.68 lakh government schools in 75 districts of the state. This includes 1.14 lakh primary schools (class I-V) and 54,000 upper primary schools (class VI-VIII). The change in uniform comes after the chief minister expressed unhappiness over the khaki dress, comparing it with the "uniform of homeguards". In 2012, when SP government came to power, the khaki uniform was introduced replacing the traditional navy blue shorts/trousers for boys and skirts/salwars paired with sky blue shirt/tunics for girls. The chief minister is said to be keen on rolling out the BJP's promise to provide free books, uniform, shoes and school bags to all poor students from 1 to 10 July. New Delhi: Educational trusts and societies seeking minority status will now be required to register as NGOs with the NITI Aayog regardless of whether they are seeking government aid or not. The registration with NITI Aayog's portal Darpan, is likely to put all the financial transactions of the trust and its office bearers under the government scanner as crucial details like PAN card and Aadhaar card of all their trustees and office-bearers will be required for the enrollment. Minority status permits the schools and colleges to have a say in reservation quantum and limits interference from the government. The National Commission for Minority Educational Institutions (NCMEI), however, said that the rule will not be applicable to institutions run by individuals. "All petitioners are required to submit unique ID of the trust/society as given by the Niti Aayog portal NGO Darpan (it is not needed only in cases of institutions run by individuals)," the new rule said. As per the requirement, the unique ID should also match corresponding details on the NGO's website. "While the cases already being heard before the commission will continue to be heard, the minority status certificate will be awarded only after the unique ID is provided by the petitioner," it added. Since its inception in 2004, the commission has awarded minority status certificates to 12,954 schools and colleges in the country. The government had last year made it mandatory for NGOs and voluntary organisations to register with the NITI Aayog portal to enable them to apply for grants from any ministry. However, the trusts and NGOs not seeking government funding were not required to do so. The Constitution of India gives linguistic and religious minorities a fundamental right to establish and administer educational institutions of their choice. A society or trust consisting of members of a minority community, or even a single member of a minority community, may establish an institution. It was freezing when I arrived in San Francisco, or Frisco as lovers fondly call it, for the Christmas weekend. Id taken a fancy double-decker bus from Los Angeles early in the morning and regretted the decision over the following eight-odd hours instead of six. The more time you spend in the City of Angels, the more acutely its oft-delayed public transport system hits you. Anyway, winter drizzle can be nightmarish, but do you know whats worse? Imagining that youve escaped it, only to realise that the upper deck with a glass ceiling and wide, lovely windows is frozen hell. It was like riding with the Dementors, so naturally, knee-high boots, woolen pants, sweater and then a knee-length snow jacket, gloves and a monkey cap werent enough. The bus heating system failed miserably. California is very picturesque, and if you want to avoid such a tedious journey, take the Pacific Coast Highway. It requires deep pockets, because you have to hire a car, but the route is breathtaking. Contrary to the rolling hills that I ambled through, the PCH or Highway 1 zigzags along the coastline between national parks and dizzying crags steeped in the Pacific. Convertibles are the general preference particularly on dreamy California days. I had no such luck. Being a student, my pockets were shallow, which hurt even more when I arrived at my hostel. As a single traveller, I love hostels. Theyre functional but vibrant, and its fun to meet strangers on their own personal journeys. This hostel was nothing like that. It was housed in an old, rundown building in the heart of Frisco, which ultimately didnt matter much because the city is spread over a minuscule 124 sq km. (In comparison, Kolkata spans around 1,887 sq km.) Each floor had one bathroom and shower room, the bunk beds screamed bloody murder when you moved so much as a finger, and the heater came on only between 10 pm and 5 am, even on the coldest days. But I fell in love with Frisco for its beauty, fantastic coffee, undulating roads, warm people, commitment to a liberal discourse, artsy vibe, and copious faults. The City by the Bay has a fascinating history and has long been a centre of art, culture and innovation. Because its so small, every turn has a distinct story, and every street has incredible character just ask the Painted Ladies across Alamo Square. Downtown pulsates with oscillating sights, sounds and smells Asian restaurants rubbing shoulders with traditional diners and affluent stores, the constant ding-ding of trams and blues riding the sea breeze, and the fragrance of festivities mixed with the stench of poverty. The sheer number of homeless people took me a while to process, and the contrast is starker when its Christmas. Huddled under blankets just metres apart, they wore piles of clothes on their person presumably to stay warm and so they dont get stolen. Many sat around manholes emitting steam, which was tragic. Globally, cities with harsh climates have a network of underground steam and hot water pipes to supply to offices and residences, and when these pipes come in contact with cold air or water, evaporation leads to emissions. Sometimes, these are also leaks, which is dangerous. Once Id gotten used to this aspect of Frisco, it was simpler to navigate the fraught clash of glitzy lights shining on those who have nothing. An ardent jazz fan, I soon found myself at the 159-year-old Saloon, the oldest in the city. Its cash-only, run by a group of old musicians whove been touring the world for decades. The gentleman at the door, a Latin jazz percussionist it was his shift that night had performed with Tito Puente. The band alone made the trip to Frisco worthwhile, playing for a giddy audience dancing under bloodshot lights. Here, I met a Saudi filmmaker who offered to show me some of the city. We walked for a long time, leaving behind Victorian architecture to enter Chinatown, the oldest in North America, and emerge at Jack Kerouac Alley, which is engraved with poetry and walled by the historic Vesuvio Cafe. Founded in 1948, the cafe was frequented by icons like Allen Ginsberg, Kerouac, Neal Cassady of the Beat Generation, and later Bob Dylan and Francis Ford Coppola. That Vesuvio is a meeting ground for the intellectually inclined was apparent from snatches of conversations I heard; for me, it was a rendezvous with counterculture. Most of my time was spent walking everywhere, which wasnt a joke because theres a lot of climbing uphill. The journey from downtown to the wharf was especially interesting from chaos, through complete silence as I passed residential areas, to bedlam. There are tons of restaurants and bars here lining the coast, along with a sea lion reserve at the edge of the pier. It was Christmas Day. I had been on the Golden Gate Bridge early in the afternoon but it was so crowded, I gave up the idea of walking across. So, at the wharf, when a gentleman offered a sunset ride under the bridge on his speedboat for $20, I jumped. The tide was rising and the choppy waters made me a little uneasy, but as we jumped the waves towards the golden horizon, I thought to myself: There are worse places to die. Under the magnificence of the Golden Gate Bridge, in the middle of the ocean, I watched the sea swallow the flaming orb of the sun. Its a feeling more than a sight that remains with me. I was walking back from Fishermans Wharf when I saw two policemen talking to a homeless man who refused to look up at them. Most of the city was on holiday and even at 7 pm, the streets were largely empty except for a pedestrian here and there, and countless homeless people. Walking towards them from a distance, I could taste ambient fear; the policemens hands were casually resting on their weapons even as they seemed affable. It was the strangest few minutes of my life, the apprehension that I may watch a helpless man get shot at any moment in a city that exemplifies freedom, defiance and expression. The United Nations Plaza was moments away, and a building painted with the word TRUTH in huge letters stood across the road. Street art lends Frisco much of its colour. Nothing happened. I suspect we have the birth of Jesus to thank for it. On 3 May 2017, a clutter of tweets assembled under the Twitter handle of a young British photographer of Indian origin. From curiosity to outrage, photographer Souvid Dattas Twitter page felt for a handful of hours as though a queue of exasperated moviegoers were asking for their money back in the event of the terrible film they had been made to watch. An event of that sort is rare. Rarer still is the extent to which Souvid Datta, as a documenting photographer has gone, to acquire for himself the reputation of a boy wonder. In cutting a person from one of Mary Ellen Marks photos, and pasting it in one of his own photos of sex workers from Sonagachi in Kolkata, Datta, quite stunningly went where no photographer, in a post-Steve McCurry expose world would go (or so one assumes). Photojournalist Souvid Datta admits to plagiarising Mary Ellen Mark's work for Sonagachi series There are a number of things to consider here: Firstly, the discovery of a botched job, that in retrospect looks so shoddy, one wonders if Datta might have been better off without it. I first came across his work in 2014 when I was trying to look up news pieces on Sonagachi, to be able to orient myself on the happenings in the red light district because I was working there as an aftercare worker at that point. I did not think his work was phenomenal; it was ordinary, to be very honest. Unfortunately, I discovered the photograph in question in under five minutes of coming across his work. That left me with no time to judge his work without questioning his credibility, says Shreya Bhat, who was behind the expose of Dattas plagiarised photo. Shreyas first impressions of Dattas work, marked by the rush-to-next enthusiasm of engaging with the visual, is a testament to the times we live in. Just how much do we care to look into the contexts of images we are inundated with, right from waking up, to the time we go to bed? Curiosity still, perhaps, is the only flame we carry, and it led Shreya to a discovery that says more about us than it does about Datta. I did start to read about his reasons for documenting sex work in Sonagachi and his experience photographing the women in the red light district, trying to understand how he might have gone about it. It is almost difficult to find someone with a camera walking around, clicking photographs in Sonagachi. Women there are extremely wary of being photographed," Shreya says. Among the photos Datta shot here, there is another that has raised a row, apart from the plagiarised image. It depicts a minor sex worker being raped by an inebriated man, that has been photographed as if from the perspective of a low ceiling. We need to point a finger at those who are merely observers here. The magazines, editors and writers (including myself) who consider the aesthetic as paramount, but often fail, or refuse to grasp the social context in which the aesthetic is shaped, are all culpable to some extent. In India the scenario is worse, with art critics and writers at a premium and with genuine criticism being regarded as an oddity; it is automatic that the publication of a book, of a photo, the recording of a song, the filming of a film or a documentary, almost everything is considered to exist as if only for adulation Bollywood being the exception due to its abundance. The genuine lack of constructive criticism around art practices or products gives rise to the post-outrage introspection that we are now engaging in.You don't need to capture an underage girl in the act of sex with a client to be able to tell her story. Because this has repercussions that might do more harm to the girl in the future than her 'story' from the past, Shreya points out. Second, and perhaps more important here, is Dattas own understanding of his profession. In standing over a minor girl being raped, even if the photo in question here is staged, it would be a minor encumbrance on part of the third party viewer, to consider the subject as an object. Rape is rape from all angles, but in instituting a certain geometry, a certain gaze, Datta rises, at least within the promise of virtual authority, to absolute power over his subject. The woman in his photo is not the woman he is shooting, in that he appropriates her to within an inch of her feeble reality. It is a dangerously provocative way of looking at people, contextualising lives through moments. Is he not aware that most women who have been trafficked/have entered India willingly for the purpose of sex work continue sending money earned from the profession to family members, but are not open about the current nature of their work to folks back home?" wonders Shreya, who herself works as an activist with trans and sex workers in Bengaluru. Through the peephole-view of society that photography almost always presents, there are immense dangers of assuming and therefore normalising a particular state or situation. Shreya believes there has to be nuance in the way these issues are told to an audience that simply does not understand the economy of sex trafficking and what helps it sustain. It is essential to ensure that your viewer , or NGOs or the government who is consuming your work, understands the 'why' part of the problem of sex trafficking as it might explain the lack of resources in these regions that results in underage girls being tricked into entering metropolitan cities in India. An underage girl's face can be easily forgotten. Besides, what use is it for me to be looking at the distressed image of an underage girl when there is nothing I know about the context? she says. Finally, there is the whole aspect of competition that probably pushed Dattas hand. Photographys existential crisis comes from its accessibility, the ease with which you can now shoot, the challenges that video now poses and the shear ubiquity of perspective. In such a world, where making it is paramount, deception doesnt come as much a surprise as does its openly poor execution. The viewer has been taken for granted. And in all honesty he or she should. Because we simply dont spend time to understand the contexts from where these photos emerge, or whether the lens cast is colonial, racial, classist, violent and so on. That Datta has discredited himself in the process, and whatever of his work is known to the world, is a given. But whether we understand or have the means to check someone as empowered as Datta-with-a-lens, I wonder. At which point one must take refuge in the most seminal voice on photography to date, Susan Sontag: To photograph is to appropriate the thing photographed. It means putting oneself into a certain relation to the world that feels like knowledge and, therefore, like power. Images sourced from Mary Ellen Mark's website and Scribbler Baku, Azerbaijan, May 14 By Elena Kosolapova Trend: Iranian gymnast Saeedreza Keikha demonstrated a new element in the pommel horse exercises as part of the 4th Islamic Solidarity Games in Baku. I am very glad that I have successfully performed a new element, Keikha told reporters in Baku May 14. The gymnast said that he was pleased with his performance and in general the performance of Iranian team at Baku 2017 Islamic Solidarity Games. The Iranian men's gymnastics team won the bronze medal. The Baku 2017 Islamic Solidarity Games started May 8 and will last until May 22 in Azerbaijans capital. How likely are we to discover a lost city in the 21st century? Not very likely. Archaeologists may discover artefacts that resemble pots and pans belonging to a certain civilisation, buried pieces of jewellery or ancient tools from a certain era or scientists may unearth human remains dating back to prehistoric times. But to discover an ancient city that once supported a thriving civilisation is not everyday news. Deep in the restive country of Honduras in South America, lies a region called La Mosquitia. It is one of the last unexplored regions in the world carpeted with impenetrable, lush rainforests, high mountains, deep valleys and rivers. It is one of the most dangerous places on earth, so much so that early explorers nicknamed it Portal del Infierno or Gates of Hell. Somewhere in this densest of jungles lies a lost city, whose origins are not well known, that had eluded explorers for the past 500 years. It is known as Ciudad Blanca, the White City, so named as it is said to be built of white marble like stone. Some also call it the Lost City of the Monkey God and this book of the same name is about the latest attempt by an intrepid crew of archaeologists, film-makers, anthropologists, an ethnobotanist and even a drug-dealer to discover it. The legend of the White City has carried such power over the last few centuries that it became an intrinsic part of the Honduran national psyche and identity. It became a fabled tale narrated by mothers to little children and was taught in schools. The seeds for the myth of the Lost City were sown nearly five centuries ago, a little later after Christopher Columbus discovered America, when Hernan Cortes, who conquered Mexico, in 1526 reported to the Emperor Charles V in glowing terms about a particular province richer than and as populated as Mexico. Cortes never made it to the Mosquitia region but twenty years later Cristobal de Pedraza, a missionary who would become the first Bishop of Honduras, reported to Charles V about actually venturing into mountains of Mosquitia and looking down upon a large and prosperous city spread in the river valley. His report firmly established the legend of the Lost City and for the next three hundred years, geographers and travelers regaled the world with stories of many ruined cities in Central America. The expedition undertaken in 1839 by a New Yorker, John Lloyd Stephens, along with Frederick Catherwood a British artist changed the perception most North Americans had of the New World that the aboriginal inhabitants were hunter-gatherers. When Stephens described that they had come across the figure of a man, curiously and richly dressed, and the face, evidently a portrait, solemn, stern, and well fitted to excite terror, he presented the idea that prosperous civilizations had risen on their own accounts centuries ago in the Americas comparing them to the great civilizations of Rome and Egypt. The world was eager to find out what more secrets were waiting to be revealed. In the 1930s, the Smithsonian Institute sent William Duncan Strong, an archaeologist, to explore Mosquitia. In 1933, he spent five months in Honduras documenting and even excavating ancient cities of Wankibila and Dos Quebradas among others. Strong realised these sites that were built with earthen mounds were different from the Mayan cities which were built in stone. What he uncovered was an entirely new culture not connected to the Mayan world. But his excavations threw up more questions than answers. Although he failed to locate the White City, it paved the way for serious archaeological work in the region. No serious archaeological work would happen for the next 75 years until the present expedition finally discovered the Lost City. But these intervening werent bereft of any action. In fact they were full of drama and intrigue brought about by the lofty adventures undertaken by many explorers claiming to have found the Lost City. Notable among these was the expedition Theodore A Morde, a journalist of dubious repute, undertook in March 1940 financed by George Gustav Heye. Son of a wealthy petroleum baron, Heye was obsessed with collecting anything Native American, eventually amassing over a million pieces from garments to artifacts. Morde was the third explorer Heye engaged between 1930-1935 in discovering the Lost City after the first two had conned him of his money. Morde didnt fare any better going on to falsely announce to the world of having discovered the Lost City when he had actually been digging for gold in the Mosquitia valley. Mordes expedition, though, fired the imagination of the American and Honduran public. Since his death, the location of the Lost City has been a subject of intense speculation. The mystery of the Lost City probably would not have been solved had Steve Elkins not persisted with his obsession of cracking an age-old legend. For a living, Elkins rents camera equipment in Los Angeles to filming crews. But from the time he first heard about the Lost City from a professional collector of legends, Steve Morgan, he was bitten by the lost city virus. After couple of failed attempts to launch an expedition into the Mosquitia mountains, luck changed for Elkins when he came upon an article in Archaeology magazine about a powerful laser technology called lidar or Light Detection and Ranging, which had been used to map a Mayan city. Lidar has revolutionised the field of archaeology in the past few years as archaeologists can map and trace a potential site before carrying out any ground-truthing excavation. With the technology in place and blessings of top political Honduran leadership, Elkins convinces the National Center for Airborne Laser Mapping in the USA to lend their aircrafts fitted with lidar to map the area. Elkins then puts together the crew and establishes the areas to be mapped. From their entry into Honduras, a country ravaged by crime led by drug cartels, gang wars, poverty and constant political turmoil to the jungles infested with violent outlaws and bounty hunters, where the crew hacks down their own camping area, it seems like an unbelievable adventure in the twenty-first century. Douglas Preston is on top of his game in writing this book. After bringing alive the nuances of the failed and fudged attempts of past explorers, he expertly holds the readers attention through the exhilarating forests teeming with one of the amazing snakes, jaguars, monkeys that arent used to human presence. He also narrates a ringside view of the eventual discovery of the Lost City and its repercussions in the academic world as well as for the Honduran establishment. In the end, Preston delicately highlights the price humans would pay for wanton damage of the natural world. If you are a collector of legends or have a weakness for adventure stories, this should be a cover-to-cover read. Regardless, the book is a brilliant story of a lost city as there might not be many left to discover in our times. The Lost City of the Monkey God is published by Head of Zeus and will be available in India post-September 2017. New Delhi: Delhi's Anti-Corruption Branch (ACB) on Sunday sent a notice to Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal's political adviser Vibhav Patel asking him to join the investigation in the alleged Rs 400-crore water tanker scam on Wednesday. "After rebel and sacked Delhi Minister Kapil Mishra told the ACB that two persons Vaibhav Patel and Ashish Talwar close to Kejriwal were responsible for the delay in action in the water tanker scam, the ACB sent a notice to Vibhav Patel," a senior officer of the ACB said. Kapil Mishra on Thursday recorded his statement with the ACB, after he submitted evidence in support of his allegations that two persons close to chief minister Arvind Kejriwal tried to influence the scam probe. Ashish Talwar is also likely to be summoned after Patel's statement in the case is recorded, according to the official. The Rs 400-crore water tanker scam involved alleged favouritism shown in the allotment of contracts to private water tankers to supply water to areas not falling under the Delhi Jal Board's network during the previous Congress government in Delhi. New Delhi: Yogi Adityanath and Manohar Parrikar may have left national politics to be chief ministers but they are likely to resign from their parliamentary seats only after casting their vote in the presidential election. With every vote important in the election for which the opposition parties are working to close their ranks behind a common candidate, the BJP wants both the leaders to cast their votes in the poll before putting in their papers, party sources said. Uttar Pradesh Deputy Chief Minister Keshav Prasad Maurya, also a Lok Sabha member, will also resign following the presidential election. The UP and Goa chief ministers besides Maurya have to be elected to the legislature in their states within six months since they were sworn in and the window is long enough for them to remain parliamentarians till the presidential election in July. They can contest elections to the state legislature only after quitting as MPs. Parrikar was sworn in as Goa CM on 14 March and Adityanath and Maurya as UP chief minister and deputy chief minister on 19 March. The presidential election is due in July and the poll to the post of the vice president is scheduled for August. The electoral college for picking the vice president is clearly in the BJP-led NDA's favour with the alliance having 418 members out of the total 787, the combined strength of the Lok Sabha and the Rajya Sabha. The NDA has crossed the majority mark in the electoral college for the presidential poll too after the YSRCP, an Andhra Pradesh party headed by Jagan Mohan Reddy announced his party's support to the ruling combine and the TSR, which ruled Telangana, indicated that it will follow suit. The BJP is also hopeful of getting the support of both the factions of AIADMK, which is in power in Tamil Nadu. However, it has to make provisions for its mercurial ally Shiv Sena, which in the past two elections has not voted with its bigger ally in the presidential election. After former Delhi Minister Kapil Mishra mounted an attack on Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, on Sunday, accusing him of concealing Aam Aadmi Party's alleged 'hawala funding' and misleading the Election Commission and Income Tax department, the Congress and the BJP was quick to target the beleaguered chief minister. While the Delhi unit of the BJP sought Kejriwal's resignation, state Congress chief Ajay Maken called the allegations "serious" and urged the government to probe the names that were taken by Mishra during his press conference. Ex AAP minister @KapilMishraAAP exposes black money transactions of AAP through donations. Kejriwal must resign now. #___ BJP Delhi (@BJP4Delhi) May 14, 2017 .@ajaymaken It's a very serious matter. There should be an inquiry about this. There are lot of illegal funding going on in AAP: @ajaymaken News18 (@CNNnews18) May 14, 2017 AAP's counter charge Countering Mishra's charges, AAP leaders Sanjay Singh and Rajeev Chadha pinned the blame on the BJP, slamming the party for "defaming" Kejriwal. Both leaders claimed that the BJP was behind Mishra's hunger strike against the party. Singh also took potshots at Prime Minister Narendra Modi, taunting him for not being able to unearth irregularities worth Rs two crores in the last three years, that Mishra was now alleging. Singh added that the BJP must search its own house first, referring to BJP MP Kirti Azaad's allegations against Arun Jaitley in the Rs 400 crore DDCA scam. When the press questioned Chadha over his foreign tours, he said, "When party was not formed, I used to go for foreign trips. There is nothing new in that. I travel with my own money." To make a point that the party is transparent, Singh added that even the former chief election commissioner SY Quereshi had claimed that the AAP is the only party which takes funds with all the transparency. BJP is totally involved in this. Kapil Mishra is only saying what BJP is saying for past 2 years: Sanjay Singh, AAP pic.twitter.com/AQ6TWDaxEu News18 (@CNNnews18) May 14, 2017 The party also targeted Neil Haslam, the man Mishra frequently referred to as someone who conducted the investigations into the alleged scam. Singh alleged that he is an agent of the BJP who has previously worked with Union minister Jaitley. Neel is an agent of BJP. he also worked with BJP: Sanjay Singh, AAP News18 (@CNNnews18) May 14, 2017 Dramatic end to press conference The press conference ended on a very dramatic note, with a fuming Mishra seeking Kejriwal's resignation as Delhi chief minister, vowing to "drag him to Tihar jail by his collar." Mishra, who is on an indefinite hunger strike since the past five days, passed out at the end of the presser, and was rushed to the hospital. His mother, Annapurna Mishra, who is a BJP leader was also seen accompanying Mishra to the hospital. The condition of rebel AAP leader, admitted to the RML hospital, is stable, doctors said. The former water resources and tourism minister in the Delhi government is suffering from "a little weakness and mild dehydration", an RML doctor said. "But he is conscious and his vitals are all normal," the doctor said. Delhi: Kapil Mishra falls unconscious immediately after his press conference on revelations on AAP 's finances, on 5th day of hunger strike pic.twitter.com/xzDpMjdgQV ANI (@ANI_news) May 14, 2017 Sensational revelations At the start of the presser, Mishra played a video showing Kejriwal appealing for donations from his supporters to help him run the party without the aid of bigwigs. However, soon after that he levelled serious charges of inconsistencies and corruption in the donations made to the party, quoting from a slew of documents, which the former Delhi minister claimed were proofs of blatant corruption in AAP. He alleged that there are 461 bogus entries in the ledgers of the party, and millions of rupees have been transferred in the party's account from shell companies under fake identities. Mishra named several companies, alleging that they were mere shell companies that were linked to several AAP MLAs or their kin. He also claimed that Kejriwal was in the know of all these fraudulent transactions. Alleging blatant irregularities in the donations made to AAP, Mishra said that the party has shown it's total income as Rs 27,48,71, 611 on its website, while it told the poll panel that it had received donations worth Rs 32,46,16,662. However, he claimed that the bank account statements of the party show that the party actually received Rs 65,52,40,752 from various sources. He said that party donation was used as a source to convert black money into white. He also alleged that blank cheques worth crores of rupees were accepted from undisclosed sources. Mishra also said that a substantial amount of these suspicious cheques and cash transactions were carried out at Axis Bank, which was raided during the demonetisation drive for allegedly converting unaccounted wealth into white money. Kapil Mishra's allegations against AAP AAP donations (2013 - 2014 | Donations above Rs 20,000) 2014 - 2015 | Donations above Rs 20,000 Declared in banks 45,74,06,911 65,52,40,752 Filed with EC 9,42,25,475 32,46,16,662 Listed on donation website 19,82,32,820 27,48,71,611 Revised reply to EC after I-T notices 30,08,75,280 - Mishra said that he will email proofs of all the allegations laid by him to the media and approach the CBI on Monday to register an FIR against the Delhi chief minister and the MLAs who he found were operating shell companies to bungle funds in the name of donations. On 9 May, Mishra filed CBI complaints against Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal over allegations of corruption and also against his relatives and some AAP leaders, hours after he posted an open letter to the Chief Minister. He handed over three sealed envelops to the CBI that he called "evidences". "I have registered three complaints. First on the exchange of cash between Kejriwal and Satyendar Jain. Second on the firm owned by Kejriwal's relatives involved in PWD and a Chhatarpur farmhouse land deal... The third is on the foreign trips by five AAP leaders," Mishra told reporters after filing the complaints. Mishra had sought details about the foreign trips of AAP leaders Sanjay Singh, Ashish Khetan, Raghav Chadha, Satyendra Jain and Durgesh Pathak. "In the last two years, which countries did they visit, where did they stay, who bore the expenses, whom did they meet and what are those deals that they entered into?" Mishra asked. Corruption allegations do more damage when charged against AAP and its national convener Kejriwal as both are a byproduct of the India Against Corruption movement and shot to fame for the promise of practicing politics with a difference. With inputs from agencies New Delhi: Former Delhi minister Kapil Mishra on Saturday alleged that the police were trying to "forcibly" take him to hospital based on "fake reports" given by doctors, just a day before he was planning to make another "expose". He claimed that the report of his health is "faked" by the doctors, who were directly reporting to health minister Satyendra Jain, even as a team of doctors from Ram Manohar Lohia (RML) hospital late tonight examined Mishra and said his vitals, including blood pressure and sugar level, were normal. "Before tomorrow's expose, they are spreading fake news and trying to divert attention. It is a ploy to end my hunger strike," Mishra said in a tweet. "Doctors gave fake report. They report directly to health minister Satyendar Jain," he stated in another tweet. Mishra, who was recently sacked from Delhi cabinet, had started an indefinite hunger strike on Wednesday demanding Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) divulge details of foreign tours undertaken by five of its leaders. Doctors had yesterday advised hospitalisation to Mishra due to drop in blood sugar level and dehydration. Mishra also asked the Delhi police commissioner to not take actions based on "fake reports". "Sir @CPDelhi, Please don't do this just based on a fake report. I am fighting for a big cause. It's a conspiracy," the MLA said in a tweet. In a late night development, a team of doctors from RML hospital examined Mishra and said his vitals, including blood sugar level, pulse, blood pressure, is normal. However, he had mild dehydration which is due to no salt intake since last four days, the doctors said, adding it was a case of "starvation ketosis". Meanwhile, police officials reached Mishra's house to take him to hospital but he remained adamant on not going with them. "Mishra is adamant to not leave his house before he holds a press conference at 11 am on Sunday. He has gone inside his house saying he wants to meditate," a source said. Earlier, a team of doctors from Aruna Asaf Ali hospital had examined him in the afternoon and evening and advised his hospitalisation. Mishra mounted a fresh attack on Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Saturday, accusing him of using AAP MLAs as "shield" after party legislator Sanjeev Jha announced a hunger strike to counter the rebel leader's ongoing fast. Jha was detained by the police twice while he was proceeding to stage the planned hunger strike outside Mishra's residence. He later began his "indefinite strike" at Jantar Mantar. Jha has demanded that Mishra come clean on the claim that he saw health minister Jain pay Rs two crore to Kejriwal. In an "open letter" to Kejriwal, Mishra again pressed for divulging the details of foreign tours undertaken by five leaders of the party. "How much drama will you create to hide one truth. You are trying all tactics to divert attention. Don't try any new tactic tomorrow. "You (Kejriwal) made a strategy to use MLAs as a shield. However, only one MLA came forward to be that shield?" Mishra said, adding he would make his next "expose" tomorrow. He further said "thief" is demanding to hand over all the evidences to him. "Then he would prove himself innocent by becoming a judge, a lawyer and a witness," he added. In the morning, Jha, who is an MLA from Burari, went to Rajghat, Mahatma Gandhi's memorial, to "seek blessings". "On 7 May, Mishra had said that Kejriwal had met Jain where he paid him Rs two crore. My question to him is at what time did he meet the chief minister. Which car did he use? I have the entire day's video footage (of people entering Kejriwal). "The whole world knows about Kejriwal's credentials and he (Mishra) should give evidence to back his claim. If it turns out to be true, even I will join him in his hunger strike against Kejriwal," Jha said. Mishra hit back at Jha with another "open letter" and "advised" him to drink lots of water during the hunger strike. Jammu: Invoking Atal Bihari Vajpayee, National Conference leader Farooq Abdullah on Sunday appealed to Prime Minister Narendra Modi to declare a "unilateral truce" along the Indo-Pak border during the holy month of Ramzan. The "bold" move will show that India wants to have peace and is ready to sit together to resolve the issue, the former Jammu and Kashmir chief minister told reporters. "I will appeal (to Prime Minister Narendra Modi). Ramzan is approaching. It is just a few days away. It will better if they announce a unilateral truce," Abdullah said here, a day after two persons were killed in heavy shelling by Pakistan along the Line of Control (LoC) in Rajouri district. The NC leader's statement drew a sharp reaction from the BJP with Deputy Chief Minister Nirmal Singh asking why he was not giving similar advice to Pakistan, which has frequently violated the 2003 Indo-Pak ceasefire along the border and targeted civilian settlements. Asked about the ceasefire violations by Pakistan, Abdullah said that despite the hostile situation in Jammu and Kashmir and on the borders, former prime minister Vajpayee had announced a unilateral ceasefire against anti-terror operations in the year 2000. "It has become a serious problem. To resolve this, we have to take decisions. There was a very serious problem...when Atal Bihari Vajpayee was Prime Minister and he took a bold decision, went to Lahore and announced unilateral ceasefire during the month of Ramdan," he said. Announcing a unilateral truce against terror operations, Vajpayee had on November 19, 2000 said in a statement, "I hope that our gesture will be fully appreciated and all violence in the State and infiltration across the Line of Control and the International Border will cease and peace will prevail". Later in 2003, the Indo-Pak ceasefire came into force. The government had last month said that Pakistani security forces had violated the ceasefire 268 times in the last one year. Between April 2016 and March 2017, the maximum of 88 violations were witnessed in November 2016 followed by 78 in October 2016 and 22 in March this year. "Time has come when both countries should move forward towards it. Four wars have been fought and except death and destruction, we have got nothing," Abdullah said. The holy month of 'Ramadan' will begin towards May-end. The NC leader said that he had impressed on the Prime Minister during their recent meeting that there was an immediate need to take a political initiative on Kashmir issue and the situation in the valley should not be looked as a law and order problem. "We shared our viewpoint on Kashmir situation. I told him that it is very important to take a political initiative. It is not a mere law and order problem. We have to think beyond the law and order angle. "A Parliament delegation came (to Kashmir). They gave a report on the situation but nothing was done. The interlocutor's report has not been implemented. I told him you need to work fast on it and take an urgent initiative," he said. Abdullah said the situation in Kashmir "is getting bad" and tension is increasing on the borders. "A situation should not be allowed which will result in a war. It is not good for us. It will only cause destruction.So there is need to have talks," he said. Asked about Hizb commander Zakir Moosa's statement that militants are fighting for Islam in Kashmir, Abdullah said, "Where in Islam is it written that we have to wage a war and kill innocents. Please show me the book in which it is written. "It is a state of Muslims, Hindus, Sikhs, Christians and Buddhists. Does Islam say kill innocents? If you kill one innocent person, you will go to hell. "It (Kashmir) is political issue. It cannot be resolved through a war. It will be resolved through talks. You have to keep the door open for the commencement of talks," he said. Thiruvananthapuram: The owner of a car used in ferrying seven persons behind the 12 May killing of an RSS worker at Payyannur and another man who hired the vehicle were taken into custody for questioning, the police said. They said the identities of the seven persons have been established and a search was on to nab them. The police has also recovered the car used by the assailants from a house at Ramanthali area in the city. RSS worker Choorakad Biju was hacked to death allegedly by CPM activists at Payyanur town in Kannur district that has witnessed a series of clashes between the ruling CPM and the RSS for the past one year. Biju was an accused in a case relating to the killing of CPM activist CV Dhanraj in 2016. Meanwhile, BJP state General Secretary Shoba Surendran said the state Governor P Sathasivam should quit if he is 'afraid' of Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan. Speaking at a protest meeting in front of Kerala House at New Delhi, she said if the governor has some respect to the post he holds, he should take action against the government. Her outburst came a day after BJP'S state unit submitted a memorandum to the Governor, seeking action and to declare Kannur a disturbed area and to impose Afspa (Armed Forces Special Powers Act) there to maintain law and order. Her remarks drew a strong reaction from CPM state secretary Kodiyeri Balakrishnan, who said in Thiruvananthapuram that the BJP's attempt to impose President's rule by threatening the governor was anti-democratic. "The BJP's demand for imposing Afspa has no justification. Insulting the governor publicly for not acting in tune with their demand has exposed the BJP's autocratic nature," he said. Countering BJP's charge that CPM had unleashed attacks on RSS-BJP workers, Balakrishnan said 12 party workers were killed and 500 party cadres injured in assaults by RSS-BJP workers after the LDF government came to power in May 2016. Balakrishnan also alleged that the saffron party had initiated a campaign to target the government under cover of the unfortunate incident of killing of Biju. Kolkata: Moderate to brisk polling for seven civic bodies in West Bengal was reported on Sunday, as the Congress and the Left Front demanded scrapping of the "farcical" elections amid alleged violence and booth capturing in three municipalities. A Communist Party of India (Marxist) (CPM) leader claimed that at least four party workers were injured in poll violence. Activists of the Congress and the Left Front, which forged an undeclared alliance for the civic polls, staged a noisy demonstration at the State Election Commission office in Kolkata to protest against what they called "rampant looting of votes" by the ruling Trinamool Congress. The protest was held after the poll authorities allegedly refused to meet their leaders and accept their memorandum on complaints regarding voting in three municipalities of Raiganj in North Dinajpur district, Domkal in Murshidabad district, and Pujali in South 24 Parganas district. However, SEC officials later agreed to meet an opposition delegation after the demonstrators broke through police barricades. In Domkal, Pujali and Raiganj, the Trinamool is up against an undeclared seat adjustment between the Congress and the Left Front. Polling was, however, peaceful in four municipalities in northern Bengal hills Darjeeling, Kurseong, Mirik Notified Area Authority in Darjeeling district, and Kalimpong in Kalimpong district. The elections to the municipalities spread across five districts in the northern, central and southern areas of the state will provide a peek into the mind of voters in small towns. The civic polls come amid a challenge for the Left Front and the Congress to revive their political fortunes in the backdrop of electoral battles wherein both lost ground to the Bharatiya Janata Party. Communist Party of India-Marxist state Secretary Surjya Kanta Mishra alleged that the elections were far from "free and fair". "In Domkal, motorcycle-borne outsiders attacked our workers and voters with bombs and pistols. The local administration looked the other way. "Since morning, elections have been a farce. Three of our workers were injured when they were fired upon by Trinamool-backed miscreants. Another worker suffered broken limbs," said Mishra. He alleged that all polling booths were captured by the Trinamool supporters in Raiganj and Pujali. "The polling agents of the Congress and Left Front were driven out and electronic voting machines damaged. Even journalists were not spared," he said. He demanded the scrapping of the civic elections. "But we have no illusion that fresh elections will be impartial. This shows it is not possible to hold proper polls so long as the Trinamool is in power," the CPI-M leader said. Former Congress MP from Raiganj Deepa Dasmunshi alleged that opposition workers came under intense attack from Trinamool supported "goons". She said genuine voters were not allowed to exercise their franchise. "Police and civil officials made no effort to provide protection to voters or our workers," she said. The mountainous region of West Bengal has not witnessed a local election in the past five years. The ruling Trinamool is trying to break the Gorkha Janmukti Morcha's stranglehold in the state's hills by tying up with the Gorkha National Liberation Front. To strike an emotional cord among the people, the GJM has revived a call for a separate Gorkhaland state and tried to turn the civic polls into a Gorkhaland versus Bengal issue. By Jim Finkle and Eric Auchard | TORONTO/FRANKFURT TORONTO/FRANKFURT Businesses around the world scrambled on Saturday to prepare for a renewed cyber attack, convinced that a lull in a computer offensive that has stopped car factories, hospitals, schools and other organizations in around 100 countries was only temporary.The pace of the attack by a destructive virus dubbed WannaCry slowed late on Friday, after the so-called "ransomware" locked up more than 100,000 computers, demanding owners pay to $300 to $600 get their data back."It's paused but it's going to happen again. We absolutely anticipate that this will come back," said Patrick McBride, an executive with cyber-security firm Claroty.Symantec predicted infections so far would cost tens of millions of dollars, mostly from cleaning corporate networks. Ransoms paid so far amount to only tens of thousands of dollars, one analyst said, but he predicted they would rise. Companies rushed to protect Windows systems with patches that Microsoft released last month and on Friday. WannaCry exploited a vulnerability to spread itself across networks, a rare and powerful feature that caused infections to surge on Friday.Code for exploiting that bug, which is known as "Eternal Blue," was released on the internet in March by a hacking group known as the Shadow Brokers. The group claimed it was stolen from a repository of National Security Agency hacking tools. The agency has not responded to requests for comment. The identity of the Shadow Brokers is not known, though many security researchers say they believe they are in Russia, which is a major source of ransomware and was one of the countries hit first and hardest by WannaCry.Cyber security experts, who have been on watch for months for an "Eternal Blue"-based attack, said on Saturday that they expect the computer code to be used in types of cyber attacks beyond extortion campaigns, including efforts to seize control of networks and steal data.Governments and private security firms on Saturday that they expect hackers to tweak the malicious code used in Friday's attack, restoring the ability to self-replicate. Those expectations prompted businesses to call in technicians to work over the weekend to make sure networks were protected with security updates needed to thwart Eternal Blue. "It's all hands on deck," said Shane Shook, an independent security consultant whose customers include large corporations and governments.Guillaume Poupard, head of Frances national cyber security agency, told Reuters he is concerned infections could surge again on Monday, when workers return to the office and turn on computers. The U.S. government on Saturday issued a technical alert with advice on how to protect against the attacks, asking victims to report attacks to the Federal Bureau of Investigation or Department of Homeland Security. RENAULT HALTS PRODUCTION Security software maker Avast said it had observed 126,534 ransomware infections in 99 countries, with Russia, Ukraine and Taiwan the top targets.Security experts said that they were not sure how many victims would pay the ransoms, or if access to computers was being restored after such payments. Elliptic, a private security firm that investigates ransomware attacks, said that only about $32,000 had been sent to bitcoin addresses listed by the extortionists in ransom demands that flashed on screens of infected computers. "We expect this number to increase significantly over the course of the weekend," said Tom Robinson, lead investigator at Elliptic. That is far below what it is likely to cost companies to recover from such attacks. Symantec researcher Vikram Thakur said that total repair costs are likely to be in the tens of millions of dollars. "The expensive part is the clean up of the machine and restoring the encrypted data," he said. Still, such figures do not account for lost production at firms like Renault, which on Saturday said it had halted stopped manufacturing at plants in Sandouville, France and Romania to prevent the spread of ransomware in its systems. Among the other victims is a Nissan manufacturing plant in Sunderland, northeast England, though a spokesman said "there has been no major impact on our business." Hundreds of hospitals and clinics in the British National Health Service were infected on Friday, forcing them to send patients to other facilities. On Saturday, Interior Minister Amber Rudd said that 97 percent of the nation's health service trusts were "working as normal."German rail operator Deutsche Bahn said some electronic signs at stations announcing arrivals and departures were infected.In Asia, some hospitals, schools, universities and other institutions were affected, though the full extent of the damage is not yet known due to the weekend. International shipper FedEx Corp said some of its Windows computers were also breached. "We are implementing remediation steps as quickly as possible," a FedEx statement said.Telecommunications company Telefonica was among many targets in Spain. Portugal Telecom and Telefonica Argentina both said they were also targeted. Europol's European Cybercrime Centre said it was working closely with national law enforcement agencies and private security firms to combat the threat and help victims. "The recent attack is at an unprecedented level and will require a complex international investigation to identify the culprits," it said in a statement.Some experts said the threat had receded in part because a British-based researcher, who declined to give his name, registered a domain that he noticed the malware was trying to connect to, and so limited the worm's spread.Finance chiefs from the Group of Seven rich countries were to commit on Saturday to joining forces to fight the growing threat of international cyber attacks, according to a draft statement of a meeting they are holding in Italy."Appropriate economy-wide policy responses are needed," the ministers said in their draft statement, seen by Reuters. (Additional reporting by Kiyoshi Takenaka, Jose Rodriguez, Emmanuel Jarry, Jemima Kelly, Alistair Smout, Andrea Shalal, Jack Stubbs, Antonella Cinelli, Dustin Volz, Kate Holton, Andy Bruce, Michael Holden, David Milliken, Tim Hepher, Luiza Ilie, Patricia Rua, Axel Bugge, Sabine Siebold and Eric Walsh, Engen Tham, Fransiska Nangoy, Soyoung Kim, Mai Nguyen; editing by Peter Henderson and Mary Milliken) This story has not been edited by Firstpost staff and is generated by auto-feed. Baku, Azerbaijan, May 14 By Elchin Mehdiyev Trend: The competition was tense as part of the 4th Islamic Solidarity Games, Azerbaijani judoka Elkhan Mammadov told reporters in Baku May 14. The competition in Baku requires even more responsibility, he said. The spectators expect us to win. The rival turned out to be very strong. I am glad that I have advanced to the finals." We are pleased with holding of the 4th Islamic Solidarity Games in Baku, he added. In the finals, Elkhan Mammadov will compete with another Azerbaijani judoka Elmar Mammadov. The Baku 2017 Islamic Solidarity Games started May 8 and will last until May 22 in Azerbaijans capital. Beijing: Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif said that the multi-billion dollar China-Pakistan Economic Corridor was an economic project open to all nations in the region and it "must not be politicised", taking pot-shots at India for boycotting China's high-profile Belt and Road Forum. India skipped the meeting due to its concerns over the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (Cpec), which goes through Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK). However, few Indian scholars attended the opening session of the two-day "Belt and Road" conference here that brought together leaders from 29 nations. "Let me make it very clear that Cpec is an economic undertaking open to all countries in the region. It has no geographical boundaries. It must not be politicised," Sharif said in his speech at the inaugural session of the forum, defending the project over which India has raised objections. Stating that Cpec has emerged as core and flagship project of China's One Belt and One Road (Obor), he said, "Obor signifies that geo-economics must take precedence over geo-politics and that the centre of gravity should shift from conflict to cooperation. We see it as a path for overcoming terrorism and extremism." In implementing Cpec "we are not striving to merely leverage geography for economic prosperity, we are also trying to build peaceful, connected and caring neighbourhood," he told the gathering. "It is time we transcend our differences, resolve conflicts through diplomacy and leave legacy of peace for future generations," Sharif said without directly referring to India. Sharif, who is leading a large delegation and clinched more Chinese finance for six more projects of the Cpec said, "The fact is that OBOR belongs to all of us, those who are participating in it and those who are not as yet. Obor has truly become a global community." "As Obor unfolds across continents we see it fostering inclusion, creating tolerance and promoting acceptance of cultural diversity," he said. He said Pakistan believes that the most powerful impact of Obor will be on the lives of poor and marginalised people who would have higher incomes, better education and health facilities. It would help eradicating poverty, he added. "The Cpec is core project of Obor. In fact it has been rightly called its flagship because it aims to connect neighbourhoods of East and West Asia. Cpec makes Pakistan both a conduit, destination for cross regional investment and trade," he said. Terming China as Pakistan's "close friend and trusted ally", he said his participation at the forum was to celebrate the remarkable success of the seminal initiative of Obor. He also said that infrastructure, energy and industrial projects under Cpec are moving as envisaged. Many of them would be completed before their timelines. Unprecedented economic social and cultural benefits will accrue from the Cpec not just for people of Pakistan but also the people of the entire region, he said. "Through a resolute will and sound planning as well as steadfast support of our Chinese friends, we shaped an enabling environment for Cpec to take off," he said. He said Cpec is also producing new entrepreneurs and creating new jobs and attracting international investment. Playing down differences over the project among different provinces in his country, Sharif said, "The Cpec is owned and nurtured by all citizens of Pakistan. It is also fully compatible with our own vision 2025 which invests our own resources in multiple corridors of regional cooperation including energy, industry trade and transportation." By Benjamin Kang Lim | BEIJING BEIJING China and the Philippines will start bilateral consultations on the disputed South China Sea this week, the Philippine ambassador to Beijing said, as Manila looks to ease tensions with Asia's top economic power.Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte, who is visiting Beijing this weekend to attend a summit on China's new Silk Road plan, has opted to court China for its business and investment and avoid rows over sovereignty that dogged his predecessors.Philippine Ambassador to China Jose Santiago Santa Romana told reporters late on Saturday that the consultations between the two countries would take place in a Chinese city, but declined to name it. He added that the dispute between the two countries "cannot be resolved overnight."China has not publicly announced any such talks.Duterte has been accused by critics of taking a defeatist position on China and on defending Philippine sovereignty. He considers his approach is pragmatic and says challenging China risks triggering a war. Santa Romana said Duterte's attendance at the China summit should not be seen as the Philippines abandoning or "giving up" its claim of sovereignty in the South China Sea.The previous Philippine government in 2013 filed a case with the Permanent Court of Arbitration in The Hague to set the record straight on maritime boundaries. The tribunal did that last year, and invalidated China's claim to sovereignty over most of the South China Sea.Duterte has put the ruling on the back burner and said he will revisit it later in his term. Santa Romana defended Duterte's position, saying Manila was "proceeding from our own interests". China claims most of the energy-rich South China Sea through which about $5 trillion in ship-borne trade passes every year. Neighbours Brunei, Malaysia, the Philippines, Taiwan and Vietnam also have claims.Duterte visited China last October for an ice-breaking trip after bilateral relations soured over the South China Sea under the previous Philippine administration of Benigno Aquino. The detente has seen China commit to three infrastructure projects and pledge to donate two bridges, said the ambassador, without giving an investment figure. China has also eased import curbs on Philippine bananas, he said. "If you go around Beijing right now and you go to the market, you will see ... Philippine bananas. The Chinese are eating Philippine bananas again and Philippine pineapples," Santa Romana said. "They have promised to buy over $1 billion worth of tropical fruits from the Philippines and they are interested to buy more." (Reporting by Benjamin Kang Lim; Writing by Ben Blanchard; Editing by Randy Fabi) This story has not been edited by Firstpost staff and is generated by auto-feed. Paris: Emmanuel Macron became France's youngest ever president, taking over from socialist Francois Hollande in a solemn ceremony on Sunday. Macron, a 39-year-old centrist, arrived at the Elysee Palace in central Paris in a motorcade and walked down the red carpet under light rain to be greeted by Hollande for his inauguration. The new president's wife Brigitte, a 64-year-old who was his high school drama teacher, arrived separately for the ceremony wearing a light blue Louis Vuitton outfit. A week after his victory over far-right leader Marine Le Pen in a tumultuous election, Macron will have a private meeting with Hollande at which he will be given the codes to launch France's nuclear weapons. He will then attend a ceremony in front of hundreds of politicians and invited guests at which the official election results will be read out. At the end of the formalities, a 21-gun salute is to ring out from the Invalides military hospital on the other side of the River Seine. Macron will then be driven to the Arc de Triomphe to lay a wreath at the tomb of the unknown soldier. The new president faces a host of daunting challenges including tackling stubbornly high unemployment, fighting Islamist-inspired violence and uniting a deeply divided country. Socialist Hollande's five years in power were plagued by a sluggish economy and bloody terror attacks that killed more than 230 people and he leaves office after a single term. The 64-year-old launched Macron's political career, plucking him from the world of investment banking to be an adviser and then his economy minister. "I am not handing over power to a political opponent, it's far simpler," Hollande said on Thursday. Security was tight with around 1,500 police officers deployed near the presidential palace and the nearby Champs Elysees avenue and surrounding roads were blocked off. After a formal lunch, Macron will visit Paris's town hall, a traditional stop for any new French president in his "host" city. Macron's first week will be busy. On Monday, he is expected to reveal the closely-guarded name of his prime minister, before flying to Berlin to meet German Chancellor Angela Merkel. It is virtually a rite of passage for French leaders to make their first European trip to meet the leader of the other half of the so-called "motor" of the EU. Pro-EU Macron wants to push for closer cooperation to help the bloc overcome the imminent departure of Britain, another of its most powerful members. He intends to press for the creation of a parliament and budget for the eurozone. Merkel welcomed Macron's decisive 32-point victory over Le Pen, saying he carried "the hopes of millions of French people and also many in Germany and across Europe". By Michel Rose and Jean-Baptiste Vey | PARIS PARIS Emmanuel Macron took power as president of France on Sunday, vowing to restore the country's status in Europe and the world and heal divisions in society -- a nod to the bitter campaign the pro-EU centrist fought to defeat a far-right leader.The 39-year-old former investment banker, unknown to the wider public three years ago and whose May 7 election marked a meteoric rise to power, was inaugurated leader of the world's fifth-largest economy in a solemn Elysee Palace ceremony.In his first words after taking office, he pledged to restore France's standing on the world stage, strengthen national self-confidence and heal divisions that the bitterly-fought campaign had opened up.Macron beat the National Front's Marine Le Pen in a May 7 run-off vote but the long campaign exposed deep divisions over France's role in Europe, immigration, and policies to revive a sluggish economy bedevilled by high unemployment."The division and fractures in our society must be overcome. I know that the French expect much from me. Nothing will make me stop defending the higher interests of France and from working to reconcile the French," Macron declared.Although his victory over Le Pen was comfortable, almost half of France's 47 million voters chose candidates with views opposed to Macron's in the first round of the election.Many say they feel dispossessed by globalisation as manufacturing jobs move abroad and as immigration and a fast-changing world blur their sense of a French identity.A convinced European integrationist unlike Le Pen and other leadership candidates, Macron went on: "The world and Europe need more than ever France, and a strong France, which speaks out loudly for freedom and solidarity."Seeking closer ties with EU anchor nation Germany, Macron will meet Chancellor Angela Merkel in Berlin on Monday. He will ram home the message that the European Union is resilient despite Britain's vote to leave and a spate of financial and migration crises that have boosted the far right.Monday will also see Macron name his prime minister, whose job will be to pilot liberalising reforms aimed at reducing joblessness and reviving economic growth. YOUNGEST FRENCH POST-WAR LEADER Macron becomes the youngest post-war French leader and the first to be born after 1958, when President Charles de Gaulle put in place the country's Fifth Republic.In a ceremony full of pomp, he was presented with what is effectively his chain of office -- a heavy golden necklace mounted on a red cushion that makes him Grand Master of the National Order of the Legion d'Honneur.But Macron appeared determined to create an impression of personal modesty. Aides went out of their way to emphasise that the dark suit he wore cost about 450 euros or just under $500, and that the lavender outfit worn by his wife Brigitte had been loaned by fashion house Louis Vuitton. He displayed youthful vigour during the televised proceedings, at one point racing up the Elysee stairs to meet a protocol requirement -- something not all previous French presidents might have managed. He then chose to be driven by military jeep rather than civilian limousine to the Arc de Triomphe, where he stood in the rain, without coat or umbrella, to light the flame in tribute to France's war dead at the tomb of the unknown soldier -- a powerful reminder of France's role in the NATO defence alliance.Further underscoring a commitment to France's military and peacekeeping role in the Middle East and Africa, he visited wounded service personnel in the military hospital. Aides have flagged a likely visit to French troops in Mali for next Friday.Macron's rise, marked by a 21-gun salute at the Esplanade des Invalides, signalled at least a pause in the anti-globalisation trend that elevated businessman Donald Trump into the U.S. presidency and led British voters to choose Brexit. He later shook hands with well-wishers on the Champs Elysees, not far from where a policeman was shot dead by a gunman in April.More than 230 people have died in France in attacks claimed by Islamic State over the past two years as the country has taken part in military action against the militant group that controls parts of Syria and Iraq. Fifteen hundred police were mobilised to ensure security for Macron's inauguration while a large section of Paris was closed to traffic all morning.NUCLEAR CODES Macron assumed power after an hour-long private meeting with outgoing President Francois Hollande, 62, in which official access to France's nuclear missile launch codes was handed over.Macron, once Hollande's economy minister, then accompanied his former mentor down the red carpet to a waiting car.He must now try to win a majority in June parliamentary elections for his start-up Republic on the Move (REM) party, which has blown apart traditional French political boundaries.But Macron may struggle to get the country behind him.In the first round of voting, more than 45 percent chose Le Pen or other candidates who promised different medicine, such as closing the wealth gap by rolling back globalisation, shutting borders and rejecting the EU.The business-friendly labour reforms in Macron's programme follow on from policies that helped make Hollande the least popular French president in modern history and killed his chances of a second term by failing to ease unemployment. (Reporting by Mathieu Rosemain, Marine Pennetier, Ingrid Melander, Elizabeth Pineau and John Irish; Writing by Richard Balmforth; Editing by Catherine Evans) This story has not been edited by Firstpost staff and is generated by auto-feed. Beijing: India boycotted China's high-profile Belt and Road Forum, taking its protest over a controversial economic corridor traversing through Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK) to a new level despite Beijing's overtures to ensure New Delhi's participation. Following India's boycott, Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif, taking a veiled swipe at New Delhi's move, said the multi-billion dollar China-Pakistan Economic Corridor Cpec was an economic project open to all the nations in the region and it "must not be politicised". No Indian official of any level was present at the elaborate opening ceremony attended by 29 heads of state and government along with top officials of the world bodies like the UN, the World Bank and the IMF. India skipped the meeting due to its sovereignty concerns over the $50 billion Cpec, which passes through PoK. Sharif, Sri Lankan Prime Minister Ranil Wickramasinge, Russian President Vladimir Putin and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan were among the world leaders who attended the meeting inaugurated by Chinese President Xi Jinping. The US sent a delegation led by Matt Pottinger, special assistant to the President and senior director for Asia at the National Security Council. China apparently saw India's boycott coming as no seat was allotted to it at the high-tech Convention Centre during the opening ceremony telecast live. The event, however, was attended by a few Indian scholars representing think tanks, which took part in the group discussions. Skirting any references to India's absence at the meeting, Xi, in his address after inaugurating the Summit, said all countries should respect sovereignty. "All countries should respect each other's sovereignty, dignity and territorial integrity, each other's development paths and social systems, and each other's core interests and major concerns," the 63-year-old leader said. Xi said the Belt and Road initiative is "a project of the century" that will benefit people across the world. Dismissing assertions that the initiative was aimed at forming a "small group" of nations taking part in the One Belt and One Road (Obor) venture, Xi said China plans to build it as a road to peace and link his country to much of Asia, Europe and Africa. "Pursuing the Belt and Road initiative, China has no intention to form a small group detrimental to stability," as the pursuit of the initiative requires a peaceful and stable environment, Xi said. Xi, in his address, pledged to pump in a whopping USD 124 billion for projects that are part of the ambitious venture. In the run-up to the forum, China had sought to allay India's concerns over the CPEC, saying that the project has no bearing on its stand on the Kashmir issue which should be resolved between India and Pakistan through dialogue. In another bid to allay India's concerns, Chinese ambassador to New Delhi Luo Zhaohui, during an address at a think tank in New Delhi, had offered to rename the Cpec, insisting that it was an economic cooperation and connectivity enhancement project devoid of "sovereignty issues". However, China had later removed the remarks of its envoy from the transcript of his speech posted on the Chinese Embassy website. While the absence of India was a talking point among the 4,000 Chinese and foreign media registered to cover the event, there was no official comment from China on New Delhi giving the forum a miss. Sharif, at the Summit, also avoided direct references to India's boycott and its objections to the CPEC but said the initiative should not be politicised. He asserted that the project is open for the regional countries to join. "Let me make it very clear that Cpec is an economic undertaking open to all countries in the region. It has no geographical boundaries. It must not be politicised," Sharif said in his speech at the inaugural session. "It is time we transcend our differences, resolve conflicts through diplomacy and leave legacy of peace for future generations," Sharif said, without directly referring to India. Stating that the CPEC has emerged as the core and flagship project of China's Obor, he said, "Obor signifies that geo-economics must take precedence over geo-politics and that the centre of gravity should shift from conflict to cooperation. We see it as a path for overcoming terrorism and extremism." The conference will end Mondaywith a joint declaration. The Belt and Road initiative includes a maze of roads and port projects. While Cpec is highlighted as "flagship project", the Belt and Roads includes the Bangladesh, China, India and Myanmar (BCIM) Economic Corridor, New Eurasian Land Bridge, China-Mongolia-Russia Economic Corridor, China-Indochina Peninsula Economic Corridor and 21st century Maritime Silk Road. Baghdad: At least 13 Islamic State militants were killed in airstrikes by Iraqi jets targeting a meeting of the Islamic State leaders and other Islamic State posts in Iraq's western province of Anbar, said the Iraqi military on Saturday. According to intelligence reports, the jet fighters conducted the airstrikes on Friday on an IS hideout where some Islamic State leaders believed they were holding a meeting in the town of al-Qaim near the border with Syria, said Iraq's Joint Operations Command (JOC) in a statement, Xinhua reported. The Islamic State leaders were discussing plans for terrorist attacks against civilian targets during the coming holy month of Ramadan, late in this month, as wells as assassinating judges and attacks on the towns of Haditha and Rutba and the international highway between Baghdad and neighboring Jordan, according to the statement. The airstrikes killed 13 Islamic State militants and wounded others at the meeting place, in addition to bombing eight other Islamic State posts that included weapon warehouses and a car bomb-making site, along with killing and wounding a number of Islamic State militants at the scenes, it said. On 9 May, the jet fighters carried out 15 airstrikes against Islamic State posts near the Syrian border areas, leaving a total of 100 Islamic State militants killed. In late April, the JOC said that Iraqi F-16s and Sukhoi warplanes attacked IS hideouts within and nearby the town of al-Qaim, some 330 km in western of Baghdad, killing 46 Islamic State militants. The airstrikes came as the Iraqi security forces backed by anti-IS international coalition are carrying out a major offensive to drive out the IS militants from their major stronghold in the western side of Mosul in northern Iraq. New Delhi: The International Court of Justice (ICJ) was last a battleground for India and Pakistan nearly 18 years ago when Islamabad sought its intervention over the shooting down of its naval aircraft. On Monday, the ICJ, which is the UN's principal judicial organ, is holding a public hearing at the Great Hall of Justice housed in the Peace Palace at The Hague in Netherlands where the two countries will be asked to present their case over the contentious Jadhav issue. India on 8 May moved a petition before the UN body to seek justice for Kulbhushan Jadhav, 46, alleging violation of the Vienna Convention on Consular Relations by Pakistan after its 16 requests for consular access to the former naval officer was consistently denied. A Pakistani military court awarded death sentence to Jadhav last month for alleged espionage and subversive activities. Pakistan has also not responded to the request for visas applied by Jadhav's family. Jadhav was arrested on 3 March 2017. The previous case related to shooting down of Pakistan's maritime reconnaissance aircraft Atlantique by the Indian Air Force(IAF) in the Kutch region on 10 August 1999, killing all 16 naval personnel on board. Pakistan claimed the plane was brought down in its airspacee and sought $60 million in damages from India for the incident. A 16-judge bench of the court on 21 June, 2000 voted 14-2 to dismiss Pakistan's claim. The decision was announced by bench president Gilbert Guillaume of France at a public sitting. The verdict was final and there was no appeal. The ICJ found that it has no jurisdiction to entertain the application filed by Pakistan on 21 September, 1999. Public hearings in the case titled 'Aerial incident of 10 August, 1999 (Pakistan vs India)' lasted four days ending 6 April, 2000. Arguments centred on the court's jurisdiction in the case which had to be determined before its merits could be considered by the 16 judges. The Atlantique case was ousted by the ICJ on the issue of jurisdiction and not on merits. Both parties had agreed that the question of jurisdiction would be decided first and only then would the issue of merits be taken up. Guillaume said the court would first have to decide whether it had the jurisdiction to go into the case as contended by New Delhi after the Indian delegation led by the then Attorney General Soli Sorabjee, raised preliminary objections to its jurisdiction. Pakistan opened the first round of oral arguments, India replying them, and then Pakistan following with its second round, with India making its response thereto. India argued that the court did not have jurisdiction in the matter, citing an exemption it had filed way back in 1974 to exclude disputes between India and other Commonwealth states, and disputes covered by multilateral treaties. Sorabjee told the court that Pakistan was "solely responsible" for the incident and Islamabad must "bear the consequences of its own acts." Pakistan's Attorney General Aziz Munshi had sought a speedy resolution, saying its application had to be concluded quickly so that it did not remain an irritant in Indo-Pak relations. Pakistan had also sought to politicise the case by referring to the Kashmir issue, the Kargil conflict, Indo-Pak relations and alleged motives for the shooting. Pakistan wanted the court to intervene while India was opposed to its assumption of jurisdiction on the basis of Islamabad's application. It urged the court to "dismiss the objections raised by India and accept its jurisdiction." India maintained that none of Pakistan's arguments is 'sound' and does not provide a basis for invoking the court's jurisdiction. Sorabjee expressed happiness with the court's verdict. "We are very happy. The court has accepted all our contentions," he had said. Former supreme court judge B P Jeevan Reddy and Pakistan's former Attorney General Syed Sharifuddin Pirzada were co-opted into the bench as ad-hoc judges. As per ICJ rules, when it does not include a judge possessing the nationality of the state party to a case, the state may appoint a person to sit as a judge ad-hoc for the purpose of the case. The court also recalled that its lack of jurisdiction does not relieve States of their obligation to settle their disputes by peaceful means. The choice of those means admittedly rests with the parties under Article 33 of the UN Charter, it said, adding, they are nonetheless under an obligation to seek such a settlement, and to do so in good faith in accordance with the Charter. As regards India and Pakistan, that obligation was restated more particularly in the Simla Accord of 2 July 1972. Moreover, the Lahore Declaration of 21 February 1999 reiterated "the determination of both countries to implementing the Simla Agreement," it said. Accordingly, the court reminded the parties of their obligation to settle their disputes by peaceful means, and in particular, the dispute arising out of the Atlantique incident in conformity with the obligations which they have undertaken. India's External Affairs Ministry while hailing the verdict especially welcomed the court's positive observations on the principles enunciated in the Simla agreement and Lahore Declaration as the basis for an Indo-Pak rapprochement. Through its comments, the court has vindicated India's stand on these landmark agreements that are the very cornerstone of India-Pakistan relations, a ministry spokesman had said. New Delhi: The Ministry of External Affairs has said that it has not received any request so far to extradite 26/11 Mumbai attack mastermind Hafiz Saeed and 1993 Mumbai bombings accused Dawood Ibrahim from the agencies probing them. The ministry was responding to an RTI query seeking to know the action taken by the government to bring back fugitive gangster Ibrahim and Jamaat-ud-Dawah chief Saeed. "The ministry of external affairs has not received any request for extradition/deportation/return in respect of Hafiz Sayeed and Dawood Ibrahim from the investigating agency concerned in India," it said. Ibrahim is the main accused in the 1993 serial bomb blasts case in Mumbai in which around 260 people were killed, and more than 700 suffered injuries. He fled the country post the bombings and is understood to be hiding in Pakistan at present. Saeed, also the co-founder of Pakistan-based Lashkar-e-Taiba terror group, is accused of plotting the militant attack in Mumbai on November 26, 2008, in which 166 people were killed by a group of terrorists who had entered the city through a sea route. In April, Home Minister Rajnath Singh had stated that there was no doubt that Dawood was still in Pakistan. During the last 10 years, India has sent several dossiers to Pakistan in this regard, saying Ibrahim is accused in the serial bomb blasts case. In 2011, P Chidambaram, the then home minister in the UPA government had also stated that Ibrahim was based in Karachi. He had also said that India would continue to push its case to bring to justice the people who had planned the 2008 attack. India has for long been advocating an extradition treaty between SAARC countries in order to ensure quick action against those involved in terrorist activities. Kathmandu: Voting began in Nepal on Sunday in its first local-level polls in two decades that are crucial for cementing democracy amid political turmoil in the country. The first phase of local elections are peacefully taking place at 281 local units out of 283 in province 3, 4 and 6, said the office Election Commission. It said as the candidates have been elected unopposed in two local units, polls are taking place in remaining local units only. Altogether 4.9 million voters are eligible to cast their votes in the first phase of elections. Nearly 50,000 candidates are vying for the position of mayor, deputy mayor, ward chairman and ward member in 281 local municipalities. The second round of polls in provinces 1, 2, 5 and 7 will be held on 14 May and 14 June respectively. The absence of elected representatives in the local bodies for more than 15 years obstructed development in the villages and towns across the country including the capital city Kathmandu. Local-level elections could not be held after 1997 largely as a result of the decade-long Maoist insurgency that claimed more than 16,000 lives. The elections should be held in every five years but due to political instability, they were halted since May 1997. Local bodies remained ignored during the long transitional period even after the peace deal signed between the government and the Maoists in November 2006. Prime minister Prachanda on Saturday appealed to the voters to use their sovereign voting rights by casting votes. "I urge all the electors to participate in this historic local-level election and use their sovereign voting rights. In a democracy, people can exercise their sovereign rights through election," Prachanda said in a statement. "On the one hand, the local polls have stood as a linkage to direct Nepal's peace process to a logical conclusion, while on the other, it can be looked upon as a milestone to end the unitary and centralised governing system and establish federal governance," Prachanda said. This election will open door for meting out the rights and resources centralised at Singha Durbar (central government secretariat) to people's doorstep, the prime minister said. Nepal has been witnessing political instability. Although major Madhesi group the Rastriya Janata Party Nepal has decided to boycott the first phase of polls, two other Madhesi parties -- Federal Socialist Party and Madhesi Peoples Forum Democratic are participating in the polls. Some Madhes-centric parties have opposed the elections until the Constitution is amended to accommodate their views: more representation in parliament and redrawing of provincial boundaries. The Nepal government has tabled a new Constitution amendment bill in the Parliament to address the demands of the agitating Madhesi parties. Madhesis, mostly of Indian-origin, launched a prolonged agitation between September 2015 and February last year against the implementation of the new Constitution which they felt marginalised the Terai community. By Ju-min Park and Idrees Ali | SEOUL/WASHINGTON SEOUL/WASHINGTON North Korea, defying calls to rein in its weapons programme, fired a ballistic missile that landed in the sea near Russia on Sunday, days after a new leader came to power in South Korea pledging to engage Pyongyang in dialogue.The U.S. military's Pacific Command said it was assessing the type of missile that was fired but it was "not consistent with an intercontinental ballistic missile". The U.S. threat assessment has not changed from a national security standpoint, a U.S. official said.Japanese Defence Minister Tomomi Inada said the missile could be a new type. It flew for 30 minutes before dropping into the sea between North Korea's east coast and Japan. North Korea has consistently test-fired missiles in that direction.A U.S. official, speaking on condition of anonymity, said the missile landed 97 km (60 miles) south of Russia's Vladivostok region.U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations Nikki Haley called the launch a message by Pyongyang to South Korea after the election of President Moon Jae-in, who took office on Wednesday."You first have to get into Kim Jong Un's head - which is, he's in a state of paranoia, he's incredibly concerned about anything and everything around him," Haley told ABC's "This Week" program, referring to North Korea's leader.Haley added that the United States will "continue to tighten the screws," referring to sanctions and working with the international community to put pressure on Pyongyang.The White House mentioned Russia in its earlier statement about the launch. "With the missile impacting so close to Russian soil in fact, closer to Russia than to Japan the President cannot imagine that Russia is pleased," the White House said, referring to U.S. President Donald Trump.The launch served as a call for all nations to implement stronger sanctions against North Korea, it added.The missile flew 700 km (430 miles) and reached an altitude of more than 2,000 km (1,245 miles), according to officials in South Korea and Japan, further and higher than an intermediate-range missile North Korea successfully tested in February from the same region of Kusong, northwest of its capital, Pyongyang. An intercontinental ballistic missile is considered to have a range of more than 6,000 km (3,700 miles).North Korea is widely believed to be developing an intercontinental missile tipped with a nuclear weapon that is capable of reaching the United States. Trump has vowed not to let that happen.Experts said the altitude reached by the missile tested on Sunday meant it was launched at a high trajectory, which would limit the lateral distance it travelled. But if it was fired at a standard trajectory, it would have a range of at least 4,000 km (2,500 miles), experts said.Kim Dong-yub of Kyungnam University's Institute of Far Eastern Studies in Seoul said he estimated a standard trajectory would give it a range of 6,000 km (3,700 miles)."The launch may indeed represent a new missile with a long range," said Jonathan McDowell of the Harvard Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics, referring to the estimated altitude of more than 2,000 km (1,240 miles). "It is definitely concerning." Speaking in Beijing, Dmitry Peskov, Russian President Vladimir Putin's spokesman, told reporters Putin and Chinese President Xi Jinping had discussed the situation on the Korean peninsula, including the latest missile launch, and expressed "mutual concerns" about growing tensions.Putin is in Beijing for a conference on a plan for a new Silk Road. Delegations from the United States, South Korea and North Korea are also there.The launch, at 5:27 a.m. Seoul time (2027 GMT Saturday), came two weeks after North Korea fired a missile that disintegrated minutes into flight, marking its fourth consecutive failure since March.'CLEAR VIOLATION' South Korea's new president Moon held his first National Security Council in response to the launch, which he called a "clear violation" of U.N. Security Council resolutions, his office said. "The president said while South Korea remains open to the possibility of dialogue with North Korea, it is only possible when the North shows a change in attitude," Yoon Young-chan, Moon's press secretary, told a briefing.Moon won Tuesday's election on a platform of a moderate approach to North Korea and has said he would be willing to go to Pyongyang under the right circumstances, arguing dialogue must be used in parallel with sanctions.China, North Korea's sole main ally which nevertheless objects to its weapons programmes, called for restraint and for no one to exacerbate tensions."China opposes relevant launch activities by North Korea that are contrary to Security Council resolutions," China's foreign ministry said in a statement.Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe said North Korea's missile launches were a "grave threat to our country and a clear violation of U.N. resolutions".Ambassador Haley said the launch was not the way for North Korea to earn a meeting with Trump, who has said he would be "honoured" to meet Kim Jong Un under the right circumstances.Trump said in an interview with Reuters in April that a "major, major conflict" with North Korea was possible but he would prefer a diplomatic outcome. On Saturday, a top North Korean diplomat said Pyongyang was open to dialogue with the Trump administration under the right conditions.Bonnie Glaser, an Asia expert at the Center for Strategic and International Studies think tank in Washington, said among the responses expected from the Trump administration would be further pressure on all countries to fully implement U.N. Security Council sanctions resolutions against North Korea.North Korean attempted but failed to test-launch ballistic missiles four times in the past two months. It has conducted various tests since the beginning of last year at an unprecedented pace. It also conducted its fourth and fifth nuclear tests last year. (Additional reporting by Dustin Volz and Matt Spetalnick in WASHINGTON, Linda Sieg and Nobuhiro Kubo in TOKYO, Christine Kim in SEOUL, and Ben Blanchard and Denis Dyomkin in BEIJING; Writing by Jack Kim and Soyoung Kim; Editing by Neil Fullick, Robert Birsel and Will Dunham) This story has not been edited by Firstpost staff and is generated by auto-feed. Tehran, Iran, May 14 By Mehdi Sepahvand - Trend: The exports of 20 major types of goods from Iran to the European Union rose by something between 28 and 100 percent last Iranian fiscal year (which ended March 20) compared to five years before Iran and world pwoers implemented the nuclear deal called the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA). Mirhadi Seyyedi, caretaker of the Export Markets Development department of Iran's Trade Promotion Organization, said the JCPOA well managed to help Iran regain its old markets that it had lost due to sanctions, IRNA news agency reported May 14. The destinations to which the goods were exported last year were also much more diverse than they used to during the sanctions, the official said. The highest export was of hot-rolled iron with a value of $66 million, he said, adding this is while during the five years prior to the implementation of the JCPOA the annual export of the product stood at an average of $17 million. According to Seyyedi, Iran's hot-rolled Iron is currently exported to the UK, Italy, Belgium, Poland, and Spain among EU members. Next stand gas condensates, whose export value last fiscal year stood at $41 million. These were exported to Malta and the Netherlands, the official noted. The JCPOA was put into practice in January 2016, putting an end to years-long economic sanctions on Iran. Seoul: North Korea fired a ballistic missile early on Sunday that flew 700 kilometres (430 miles), South Korea's military said, days after a new leader took office in the South pledging to engage in dialogue with Pyongyang. The missile was fired from the region of Kusong, northwest of Pyongyang, where the North in February successfully test-launched an intermediate-range missile that it is believed to be developing. Japan said the latest missile reached an altitude of more than 2,000 km (1,245 miles) and flew for 30 minutes before dropping into the sea between North Korea's east coast and Japan. The North has consistently test-fired missiles in that direction. Sunday's launch, at 5.27 am Seoul time (20.27 GMT Saturday), came two weeks after North Korea fired a missile that disintegrated minutes into flight, marking its fourth consecutive failure since March. The US Pacific Command said it was assessing the type of missile but it was "not consistent with an intercontinental ballistic missile". "US Pacific Command is fully committed to working closely with our Republic of Korea and Japanese allies to maintain security," a spokesperson said, referring to South Korea by its official name. South Korean president Moon Jae-in, who took office on Wednesday, held his first National Security Council meeting as president in response to North Korea's latest missile launch, which he called a "clear violation" of U.N. Security Council resolutions, the presidential office said. "The president said while South Korea remains open to the possibility of dialogue with North Korea, it is only possible when the North shows a change in attitude," Yoon Young-chan, Moon's press secretary, said at a briefing. Moon won Tuesday's election on a platform of a moderate approach to North Korea and has said he would be willing to go to Pyongyang under the right circumstances, arguing dialogue must be used in parallel with sanctions to resolve its neighbour's defiance of the international community. Japanese prime minister Shinzo Abe told reporters on Sunday that North Korea's repeated missile launches are a "grave threat to our country and a clear violation of UN resolutions." Abe said Japan will stay in close touch with the United States and South Korea. Japan Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga declined to comment when he was asked whether the latest missile launch was a success, and whether it represented a new level of threat. MISSILE TESTS AT UNPRECEDENTED PACE North Korea launched the Pukguksong-2 missile, an upgraded, extended-range version of its submarine-launched ballistic missile (SLBM), from the same Kusong site on Feb 12. It represented a more significant threat because of the difficulty of tracking a mobile launcher and because of the ability to keep the missile fuelled in advance, unlike liquid fuel rockets. The North attempted but failed to test-launch ballistic missiles four consecutive times in the past two months but has conducted a variety of missile tests since the beginning of last year at an unprecedented pace. Weapons experts and government officials believe the North has accomplished some technical progress with those tests. US president Donald Trump warned in an interview with Reuters in late April that a "major, major conflict" with the North was possible, but he would prefer a diplomatic outcome to the dispute over its nuclear and missile programmes. On Saturday, a senior North Korean diplomat who is a veteran member of its nuclear negotiating team, said the country was open to dialogue with the Trump administration under the right conditions, without elaborating. Choe Son Hui, the North Korean foreign ministry's director general for US affairs, spoke to reporters while in transit in Beijing after attending a conference with former US officials in Norway. South Korea, the United States and other regional powers have been stepping up efforts to diffuse tensions over the North's weapons programme after a sharp rise in tensions in April over concerns that it may conduct a sixth nuclear test. North Korea has briefly reported on Moon's election win and said conservatives in South Korea should be thrown out for good for inciting confrontation between the rival states. There was no immediate reaction from China. Delegations from Washington, Seoul and Pyongyang are gathering in Beijing on Sunday to attend China's new Silk Road forum, its biggest diplomatic event of the year. By Suleiman Al-Khalidi | AMMAN AMMAN More than 1,500 rebels and their family members left the devastated district of Qaboun on the edge of the Syrian capital Damascus after more than two months of aerial strikes and artillery shelling, rebels and state media said on Sunday.The rebels had agreed overnight to a secret evacuation deal after being cornered in a small pocket of Qaboun, which lies on the northeastern edge of Damascus. The area has been largely reduced to rubble after being struck by hundreds of aerial strikes and missiles over a period of about 80 days.The Syrian army had resumed its intensive bombardment of the district on Wednesday after a one-day ultimatum it gave the rebels mainly drawn from the area to surrender and agree to evacuate to rebel-held areas in northern Syria. "The regime has threatened to destroy what is left of Qaboun and will not accept anything but a military solution," Abdullah al Qabouni from the local council of the district told Reuters.Hundreds of rebels and their families were evacuated this week from the adjacent Barzeh district after rebels there decided to lay down their arms and leave to rebel-held Idlib province. [nL8N1IE5IR]. Syrian state media said evacuations had almost been completed and the district was now securely in army hands. Most of the residents of the once-bustling area, which had sheltered thousands of displaced people from other parts of Syria in the course of the conflict, fled in the last two months as the bombing escalated.REBELS UNDER PRESSURE The loss of Qaboun following Barzeh is another blow to rebels as they battle to keep a foothold in the capital and face government troops who are supported by Russian air power and Iranian-backed militias. Syrian President Bashar al-Assad has promoted the use of evacuation deals, along with what his government calls "reconciliation" accords, for rebel-held areas that surrender to the government as a way of reducing bloodshed. But the United Nations has criticised both the use of siege tactics which precede such deals and the evacuations themselves as amounting to forcible displacement.The Sunni Muslim rebels accuse the government of seeking to evict Sunni inhabitants in these areas in demographic changes they say would eventually pave the way for Iranian-backed Shi'ites who back Assad's rule to take over their homes, a claim the authorities deny. Army advances were made possible after tunnels between Qaboun and Barzeh were cut and the army isolated the areas from the rest of the main rebel enclave of Eastern Ghouta. The tightening of the siege in Qaboun and Barzeh, where tens of thousands of people lived, forced the hands of rebels to eventually agree to deals worked out elsewhere that force them to pull back to northern Syria."They besieged us and even medicines for children or any supplies were no longer left ... and people died of hunger," said Ahmad Khatib, who was among those who left on Friday. The densely populated rural Eastern Ghouta district of farms and towns has been besieged since 2013. It remains the only major rebel bastion near Damascus and the fall of Qaboun and Barzeh have removed a main line of defence that protected it, rebels say. (Reporting by Suleiman Al-Khalidi; Editing by Dan Grebler and Gareth Jones) This story has not been edited by Firstpost staff and is generated by auto-feed. Islamabad: Pakistan signed new deals with China on Saturday worth nearly $500 million ahead of Beijing's international forum on its "Silk Road" trade and infrastructure initiative for Asia, Africa and Europe, the Pakistani government said.The memorandums of understanding add to $57 billion already pledged for the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), a network of rail, road and energy infrastructure that is part of the wider Chinese project also known as One Belt-One Road. The deals came as Pakistani Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif met Chinese President Xi Jinping ahead of the Beijing summit expected to be attended by leaders from at least 29 countries to promote Xi's vision of expanding trade links.Delegates in Beijing will hold a series of sessions on Sunday to discuss the plan in more detail, including trade and finance.Proposed in 2013 by Xi, the project is broad on ambition but still short on specifics. Pakistan has been a flagship country and one of the most enthusiastic supporters of the One Belt-One Road initiative, in part because many projects are for power plants to alleviate the country's decade-long energy-shortage crisis that sees frequent blackouts. "China-Pakistan Economic Corridor is a core component of your visionary initiative of the "One Belt-One Road," Sharif told Xi when they met at the Great Hall of China on Saturday, according to the Associated Press of Pakistan. PROJECTS Xi called for a swift completion of projects involving Gwadar Port and special economic and industrial parks along the corridor, state Xinhua news service reported. Among the 3.4 billion RMB ($493 million) in deals Sharif's office said were signed on Saturday were: "Two cooperation agreements worth 2.3 billion RMB ($333 million) for an airport in the southwestern town of Gwadar, site of a deep-water port that is to provide an outlet to the Arabian Sea from the far western Chinese province of Xinjiang.* Establishment of the Havelian Dry Port in Pakistan. "Agreement on economic and technical cooperation (1.1 billion RMB) ($160 million) for the East Bay Expressway linking Gwadar to Pakistan's existing highway system.China says that between 2014 and 2016, its businesses signed projects worth $304.9 billion in Belt and Road countries. Some of the projects could be in development for years. Some countries are wary of the debt burden that the Chinese financing could create.Pakistan, however, has expressed an optimistic view, with the government's chief economist telling Reuters this week that the repayments will peak at around $5 billion in 2022, but will be more than offset by transit fees charged on the new transport corridor. New Delhi: Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas arrived in New Delhi on Sunday on a four-day visit during which he will hold extensive talks with Prime Minister Narendra Modi on key bilateral, regional and international issues, including the Middle East peace process. Ahead of Abbas' visit, India reiterated its "political support" to the Palestinian cause and had said it continued to assist developmental projects there. The visit will provide an opportunity for reviewing the entire gamut of bilateral relations, the Middle East peace process, and regional and international issues, external affairs ministry said. Several MoUs on cooperation in various areas are also expected to be signed during the visit, the ministry added. A delegation-level discussion between President Abbas and Prime Minister Modi will be held on 16 May. "India and Palestine enjoy historically close and friendly ties. Apart from the political support to the Palestinian cause, India continues to support developmental projects in Palestine by extending technical and financial assistance," the ministry had said in a release on Ssaturday. The statement assumes significance given that there have been commentaries on the increasing proximity between the Modi government and Israel which may have a bearing on New Delhi's relations with Palestine. In July, Modi will travel to Israel, the first Indian prime minister to do so. During his trip to India, Abbas will visit C-DAC (the Centre for Development of Advanced Computing) in Noida tomorrow to forge cooperation between Palestine-India Techno Park, being built by India in Palestine, and the Indian IT industry. By Ayesha Rascoe | WASHINGTON WASHINGTON The top Democrat in the U.S. Senate said on Sunday that Democrats would consider refusing to vote on a new FBI director until a special prosecutor is named to investigate President Donald Trumps potential ties to Russia.Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer said his caucus has not yet made a decision on whether to withhold their votes, but added that the issue is being looked at as a way to ensure there is a thorough investigation of alleged Russian meddling in the 2016 U.S. election."To have that special prosecutor, people would breathe a sigh of relief because then there would be a real independent person overlooking the FBI director," Schumer told CNN's "State of the Union" program.Trump sparked a political firestorm when he abruptly fired James Comey, director of the Federal Bureau of Investigation last week. The FBI has been investigating alleged Russian meddling in the U.S. election and possible ties between Moscow and the Trump campaign.Russia has denied the claims and the White House says there was no collusion.Trump, who has sought better relations with Russia, has continued to question whether Russia was behind the hacking of email accounts belonging to Democrats involved in Hillary Clinton's 2016 presidential campaign. But Secretary of State Rex Tillerson told NBC's "Meet the Press" program on Sunday there is no question that "the Russians were playing around in our electoral processes."He defended Trump's decision to meet with Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov in the Oval Office last week."It's in the interest of the American people, it's in the interest of Russia and the rest of the world that we do something to see if we cannot improve the relationship between the two greatest nuclear powers in the world," Tillerson said. Democrats have accused Trump of attempting to thwart the FBI's probe and have called for some type of independent inquiry into the matter. Trump has said he removed Comey because he was not doing a good job and that Comey lost the support of FBI employees.The Justice Department began interviewing candidates for the FBI director job on Saturday. Some people under consideration include acting FBI Director Andrew McCabe, Republican Senator John Cornyn of Texas, New York Appeals Court Judge Michael Garcia and former Assistant Attorney General Alice Fisher, according to a White House official.If the Senate vote on an FBI director were to break down along strict party lines, Democrats would not have the votes to block a nominee. Republicans control both chambers of the U.S. Congress. They hold 52 seats in the 100-member Senate, enough to approve a FBI nominee provided that no more than two Republican senators break ranks. In the event of a tie vote, Vice President Mike Pence would cast the deciding vote."The key is getting some of our Republican colleagues to join us," Schumer said.Republican leaders in the Senate have rebuffed calls for a special prosecutor, saying it would interfere with ongoing congressional probes.Republican Senator Lindsey Graham of South Carolina said on Sunday there may come a time when a special prosecutor is needed but not now."Right now, it is a counterintelligence investigation, not a criminal investigation. So you don't need a special prosecutor," Graham said on "Meet the Press." (Additional reporting by David Morgan; Editing by Caren Bohan and Jeffrey Benkoe) This story has not been edited by Firstpost staff and is generated by auto-feed. The UN Security Council will hold an emergency meeting in connection with the recent missile test carried out by the North Korea, the Permanent Mission of Uruguay to the United Nations said Sunday, Sputnik reported. The meeting is set for May 16, according to preliminary information. Uruguay holds this months rotating presidency of the UN Security Council. Earlier in the day, North Korea launched a missile, which fell in the Sea of Japan after flying some 500 miles. The move has been criticized by a number of countries, including the United States and South Korea. Pledging more than $100 billion in financing, Chinese President Xi Jinping called Sunday for closer cooperation across Asia and Europe in areas from anti-terrorism to investment as leaders from 29 countries gathered to promote a Chinese initiative that could increase Beijing's global influence. The "Belt and Road Initiative" calls for building ports, railways and other facilities in a vast arc of 65 countries. Other countries welcome the investment, but governments including the United States, Russia and India have expressed unease that Beijing also might be using the effort to increase its political stature. Speaking before an audience that included Russian President Vladimir Putin, Xi said his government has "no desire to impose our will on others." But he called for "economic integration" and cooperation on financial regulation, anti-terrorism and security fields in which China's heft as the world's No. 2 economy would make it a dominant player. "We should foster a vision of common, comprehensive, cooperative and sustainable security," said Xi. He called for stepped-up action against terrorism and what he called its root causes of poverty and social injustice. In a reminder of potential security threats, North Korea test-fired a ballistic missile Sunday that flew for a half-hour and reached an unusually high altitude of 2,000 kilometers (1,240 miles). The launch was seen as a challenge to a new South Korean president who was elected last week and came as U.S., Japanese and European naval forces gathered for war games in the Pacific. The "Belt and Road" is Xi's signature foreign policy initiative. The two-day meeting that started Sunday gives the Chinese president a platform to promote his image as a global leader and free trade advocate in contrast to President Donald Trump, who has called for import restrictions. China is hardly the first government to promote regional trade links. Japan has given billions of dollars in grants and low-cost loans to Southeast Asian nations to build ports and other facilities, and governments including South Korea have launched trade initiatives. But Beijing's effort is the most ambitious and is backed by China's financial muscle and status as the biggest global trader. Chinese officials have said previously that "Belt and Road" is purely commercial, though Xi's comments Sunday indicated Beijing sees that as including a broad array of regulatory and other coordination with potentially far-reaching consequences. Some diplomats and political analysts say Beijing is trying to create a political and economic network centered on China, push the United States out of the region and rewrite rules on trade and security. The United States and Japan, which Beijing sees as rivals for influence in Asia, are not part of "Belt and Road." China and Russia already are partners, along with Central Asian governments, in the Shanghai Cooperation Organization, a security group widely seen as an effort to counter U.S. influence in the region. Putin, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif of Pakistan echoed Xi's theme that economic development would help to nurture political stability and neutralize support for radical groups. The Russian leader complained about "illegal sanctions" a possible reference to U.S. trade penalties imposed on Moscow over Ukraine and warned that trade protectionism is creating a "breeding ground" for terrorism. Closer economic integration "should change the very political and economic landscape of the continent, bringing Eurasia stability, prosperity," said Putin. Referring to Beijing's plan, Erdogan said, "This is going to be the kind of initiative that puts an end to terrorism." Xi called for regional cooperation in finance a field where China's huge state-owned banking industry and $3 trillion of foreign currency reserves would make it the dominant player. "We should establish a sustainable financial system that keeps risk under control," said Xi. The president also announced additional Chinese financing for "Belt and Road" totaling 780 billion yuan ($113 billion). That includes lending totaling 380 billion yuan ($55 billion) by two noncommercial state banks, up to 300 billion yuan ($43 billion) from state-owned commercial lenders and a 100 billion yuan ($14.5 billion) contribution to the Silk Road Fund, set up in 2014 to finance infrastructure projects. Xi said his government also would provide aid worth 60 billion yuan ($8.7 billion) to developing countries and international organizations. He said Beijing plans to announce dozens of new investment and other agreements during the two-day event. Pakistan's government announced it had signed memoranda of understanding on Saturday with China on possible projects worth a total of $500 million. That is on top of railway, power and other projects announced previously in an "economic corridor" linking China's far west with the Indian Ocean that Pakistani officials have said are worth up to $55 billion. Other leaders at the gathering included Premier Paolo Gentiloni of Italy and President Michelle Bachelet of Chile. No major Western leaders attended, though Britain, France and Germany were represented by top finance officials. A U.S. delegation was attending the meeting, led by Matt Pottinger, special assistant to Trump and senior director for East Asia at the National Security Council. The United States and other governments have said "Belt and Road" is a natural outgrowth of China's status as the biggest global trader, and U.S. officials have said they want to work with Beijing on infrastructure. But they also have expressed concern that Beijing might undermine human rights and international standards for lending or leave poor countries with too much debt. Pottinger spoke in the afternoon at a side event at the forum, where he stressed the importance of private-sector participation in major infrastructure projects, according to remarks released by the U.S. Embassy in Beijing. He was due to meet Monday with Chinese officials and representatives of U.S. companies looking at potential "Belt and Road" opportunities, said embassy spokeswoman Mary Beth Polley. Details on which companies were involved and what activities the work group will undertake were not immediately available, Polley said. Chinese state-owned lenders have put up most of the money for "Belt and Road," but Beijing says it wants projects to attract private investment. Speaking at Sunday's event, former U.S. Treasury Secretary Henry Paulson said Beijing needs to make its initiative more transparent to attract partners. "I know the United States has been among those countries apparently most skeptical," said Paulson, who was in office in 2006-09. "The more China can demonstrate the 'Belt and Road Initiative' is open to outside participation in this way, the more it will be embraced by global and even American firms and suppliers." India delivered an implicit criticism Saturday in a statement that said such an initiative should meet international norms and not create unsustainable debt. India has objected to Chinese state-owned companies working in the Pakistani-held part of Kashmir, the Himalayan region claimed by both sides. New Delhi sees that as an endorsement of Pakistan's control. "No country can accept a project that ignores its core concerns on sovereignty and territorial integrity," the statement said. "Belt and Road," named for dual trade routes through the Indian Ocean and Central Asia, is the biggest of a series of initiatives launched by Beijing over the past decade to gain a global leadership role to match its economic success. China led the creation in 2014 of a new regional lender, the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank, to finance ports, highways and other projects. Xi promised to avoid forming a "small group" of allies, which he said might harm regional stability. Instead, he said, Beijing wants "partnerships of friendship" and a "big family of harmonious coexistence." Also Sunday, Hungary's foreign minister, Peter Szijjarto, said the Chinese government's Export-Import Bank presented a financing proposal for a railway line from Budapest to Belgrade in neighboring Serbia. The line would be China's first major rail project in the European Union. The ability to supply such financing has helped Chinese builders land contracts abroad, but the rail project faces hurdles after EU officials said they would look into whether Hungary improperly picked contractors without competitive bidding. The 20-year Chinese loan at 2.5 percent annual interest would cover 85 percent of the rail line's estimated cost of 550 billion forints ($1.9 billion), according to a statement by Szijjarto posted on a government website. ___ Associated Press writers Matthew Brown and Gillian Wong in Beijing, Muneeza Naqvi in New Delhi and Zarar Khan in Islamabad contributed to this report. An Intercity train derailed and crashed into a house in northern Greece, leaving three people dead and 10 injured, Greek police said Sunday. The train, traveling on the Athens-Thessaloniki route with 70 passengers, derailed at 9:45 p.m. (1945 GMT) Saturday in the village of Adendro, 40 kilometers (25 miles) west of the northern city of Thessaloniki. Its engine rammed into a three-story house, exiting on the other side. There was no immediate reason given for the derailment. An investigation has begun. Police said the train's 44-year-old driver and a 50-year-old passenger died at the scene, and a 55-year-old passenger died Sunday morning. All three were men. Two other passengers are in serious condition. The police announcement raised the number of injured, which train operator Trainose earlier had put at seven. "I was sitting on my porch. I saw a flash and immediately heard a terrible explosion," neighbor Giorgos Mylonas, 78, told The Associated Press. President Donald Trump said on Saturday he will move quickly to nominate a new FBI director, after he sparked a political firestorm by firing the man investigating possible collusion between Russia and the Trump presidential campaign. Trump told reporters he might even be able to make his decision on who should succeed James Comey to lead the Federal Bureau of Investigation before he leaves on his first foreign trip on Friday. "Even that is possible," Trump said, speaking on Air Force One before departing for Lynchburg, Virginia, where he delivered a commencement address. "I think the process is going to go quickly," he said, adding that the candidates under consideration were mostly well known. "They've been vetted over their lifetime essentially. But very well known, highly respected, really talented people. And that's what we want for the FBI." Critics have assailed Trump for abruptly dismissing Comey, who was leading the agency's investigation into alleged Russian meddling in the 2016 U.S. election, and possible ties between Moscow and the Trump campaign.. Russia denies the claims and the White House says there was no collusion. Trump made the remarks to reporters prior to speaking to about 50,000 people at Liberty University in Lynchburg, where he did not mention Comey or the controversy his dismissal on Tuesday caused. It was Trump's first public event outside the White House since Comey's ouster. A White House official had said 11 people were under consideration - including acting FBI Director Andrew McCabe, Republican Senator John Cornyn, New York Appeals Court Judge Michael Garcia and former Assistant Attorney General Alice Fisher - to replace Comey as FBI chief. Two new names, however, emerged on Saturday: FBI special agent Adam Lee and U.S. District Judge Henry Hudson. A source familiar with the process said Attorney General Jeff Sessions and his deputy, Rod Rosenstein, had interviewed Hudson, Lee and five others on Saturday. The FBI Agents Association, which claims more than 13,000 active and retired agents as its members, on Saturday endorsed another candidate: former Representative Mike Rogers, who had also worked as an FBI agent. At Liberty, the nation's largest Christian college, Trump peppered his remarks with the kind of anti-establishment rhetoric that fueled his maverick presidential campaign, telling graduates to challenge "entrenched interests." He thanked the crowd for their support and repeatedly invoked his own unlikely election victory. "Relish the opportunity to be an outsider," Trump said. "The more that a broken system tells you that you're wrong, the more certain you should be that you must keep pushing ahead." He also had strong words that seemed aimed at his critics. "No one has ever achieved anything significant without a chorus of critics standing on the sidelines explaining why it can't be done," Trump said. "Nothing is easier or more pathetic than being a critic, because they're people that can't get the job done." Liberty's president, Jerry Falwell, Jr., was a key early supporter of Trump during his campaign and helped rally support among religious conservatives. Trump, who has been preparing for his first foreign trip - one that will take him to the Middle East and Europe - also will deliver the commencement address to the United States Coast Guard Academy in New London, Connecticut, on Wednesday. (Reporting by Roberta Rampton, Idrees Ali and Lucia Mutikani; Writing by James Oliphant and Tim Ahmann; Editing by Alistair Bell and Mary Milliken) Andrew Oswald kept a secret. Friends and neighbors in his hometown of Hamilton, N.J., knew Oswald as a gifted writer, a music buff and the kind of guy parents wanted their sons to hang around and their daughters to date. On Jan. 27, Andrew died at the age of 23. His parents unsparingly shared his secret in his obituary. Our beautiful son, Andrew, died from an overdose of heroin, read the first sentence. Its a grim trend that follows the explosion of deaths around the country due to opioid addiction. Once a forum for sweet memories and floral language, obituaries for the casualties of opioids are becoming a platform for frank cautionary tales. We want to share his story in the hope that lives may be saved and his death will not be in vain, Oswalds parents explained farther down in the obituary. Addiction is a mental illness. No one plans to be an addict. If baring the shame behind the failed struggle of a lost soul is jarring to other friends and family, thats just the point. Now, there even is a Twitter account that posts links to the obituaries of people who have died of overdoses or tainted opioids. None of his friends knew he was doing drugs until he went to rehab, said Andrews mother, Stephanie, of her only child. Its the dirty little secret. Health experts liken the opioid epidemic to that of the early spread of HIV in the 1980s. It defies boundaries, sowing death and misery in cities, suburbs and rural areas alike, and claiming victims from the ranks of the homeless and the ultra-successful. The roots of this addiction, typically a pain-inducing injury and a well-intended treatment that festers long after serving its purpose, explain its egalitarian reach. Though recognized medically as a disease, addiction carries a stigma. And when dependence on prescription drugs prompts victims to turn to their illicit cousins, such as heroin, the stigma looms even larger. People can take a dark, condemning view of them and their families. The Oswalds knew they were sacrificing their sons sanitized legacy, but believe they did so for a higher purpose. I was hesitant, Stephanie Oswald said of writing a forthright obituary. I felt like I would outing my son, said the mother about her only child, whose ashes she wears in a locket on a chain around her neck. My husband said Were putting it in there. Tell them, tell them that theyre playing Russian Roulette if they take opioids or heroin. It didnt take long for the family to see the impact of the agonizing decision. Hundreds showed up to Andrews funeral; many were relatives of people who were dealing with addiction, or who had died of overdoses. They told Andrews parents they had found comfort in the obituarys message about how the addiction was not a failure or weakness, but a disease. In Connecticut, corporate executive Amy Andreana hid her daughter Lisas battle with opioid addiction from co-workers and bosses. Lisa had become dependent on opioids first, and then heroin. She battled through numerous detox programs as she clung to her dream of going to Harvard. During her windows of sobriety, she envisioned going to schools with her mother to talk about opioids and addiction. You live with this burden of secrecy, Andreana said. I kept it private. I work in a high level job in insurance. I didnt want to bring it to work with me. I compartmentalized it. Last June, Lisa died at age 22. Her mother said Lisa apparently thought was she was consuming heroin, but it was fentanyl, a synthetic painkiller that looks like heroin but is 50 times stronger and 100 times more powerful than morphine. When she died, I immediately thought I am not going to hide this, Andreana said. I called my boss and told him. The support I got was overwhelming. Like the Oswalds, she decided to address the addiction in Lisas obituary. She was met with bewilderment by some relatives. They said Can you soften it? she recalled. I said How do you soften it? They said Do you need to say this in the open right now? I said Yes, we do. In February of 2016, Keith Kinsman, a business owner, walked out of his Towanda, Pa., home one morning and found his son Ben, 28, lying dead in the snow in their front yard. Kinsman had spent the night worried sick about the whereabouts of Ben, who developed an opioid addiction after getting a prescription for a collapsed lung. He had been drug-free for several months, but took a lethal dose of heroin. Kinsmans eulogy combined his sons many endearing qualities with a warning to the community not to turn a blind eye to the killer in town. I told the truth at Bens funeral, Kinsman said. I knew he would have wanted me to. He wanted people to stop seeing addicts as losers. A recording of the eulogy was downloaded thousands of times, and reached countless strangers far and wide. A vigil for Ben and addiction awareness drew hundreds of people. Neighbors, friends and strangers sought the elder Kinsman out to confide about their own opioid addiction, or that of their child or spouse. Young people came to me and said Keith, you need to tell them, Im sick of seeing my friends addicted, dying. In 2014, when such candor in obituaries and eulogies was rare, New York father Brian Hunt wrote an open letter to his community. It appeared in a full page in the Staten Island Advance newspaper after his son Adam died of acute heroin intoxication following months of staying clean. My 23-year-old son Adam passed away on March 2nd as result of this terrible drug epidemic that has a grip on Staten Island, the letter began. My son was a good, loving young man and had all to live for... I want to make my son's life and the struggle that he had to stay clean mean something. As with other parents, Hunt made the painful decision to memorialize a loved one with a brutal honesty that he could only hope might spare another parent his anguish. I want other parents to know you can no longer say not my kid, said Hunt, who recently addressed a gathering of parents of addicted children in a Staten Island school. You guys are blessed, Hunt said. Even though you have a child with an addiction, you know what you guys have that I dont? You have hope, you have a whole world of tomorrows. President Trump is scheduled to make his first foreign trip later this month with stops that will include the Vatican, Saudi Arabia and the Holy Land. In remarks at the National Day of Prayer on May 4, the President said he hoped to bring safety, opportunity, and stability to the war-ravaged Middle East with his visits to these centers of three of the great world religions. In the Middle East, the President will find a legendary region of alluring oases and fatal mirages. His challenge will be to reinforce U.S. bonds with proven allies still reeling from an ever-more-threatening Iranian regime that was empowered by the previous American administration. He will also need to spurn false peace promises, and promote the religious foundations of interfaith and international tolerance. A tall order indeed. Mostly, though, in his quest for greater stability and peace in the Middle East, the President should consider taking a road less traveled by his predecessors: tackling hatred before borders. His arrival in the Holy Land will find many Israelis who feel they have no peace partner to negotiate with. The Palestinian Authority (PA), under the leadership of President Mahmoud Abbas, is a profoundly corrupt organization despite or rather in large part due to massive amounts of funding from the West. And this funding continues to flow despite the virulent hatred and lies preached by Palestinian leaders, government organizations and schools. Abbas remarkable ability to tell a bald-faced lie while looking a world leader in the eye was on full display at the White House when he told President Trump, We are raising our youth, our children, our grandchildren on a culture of peace. And we are endeavoring to bringing about security, freedom, and peace for our children to live like the other children in the world along with the Israeli children in peace, freedom, and security. Hogwash. Abbas and his PA cronies are using American tax dollars to brainwash yet another generation of Palestinian children to hate their Jewish neighbors as they name schools in honor of terrorists and pay the families of suicide bombers monthly stipends. Abbas the PA are not alone in this duplicity. Abbas arch rival, the terrorist group Hamas, has launched a PR campaign to present itself to the world as the true leaders of the Palestinians. Hamas leaders now don three-piece suits rather than keffiyeh and have allegedly dropped some of the more explicitly genocidal verbiage from their anti-Israel charter. But Hamas barbarity is undiminished. For instance, Human Rights Watch confirms they continue to hold two Israeli non-combatants with known mental health problems. And the bodies of Hadar Goldin, a young Israeli soldier murdered by Hamas during a U.S.-brokered ceasefire in the last Gaza war, and Oron Shaul, another Israeli soldier killed in action, are still held by Hamasacts that violate Muslim law, as revealed in a rather remarkable video. The superhighway of terror tunnels being burrowed underground toward Israeli communities continues unabated. Thousands of rockets, purposely embedded into the civilian infrastructure, continue to be stockpiled for the next war with the occupiers. And the hate continues unabated as well, despite claims on the part of UNWRA, the UN agency that runs schools that educate Gazas young, that they have introduced a Holocaust and peace curriculum. Not true. Again, American tax dollars are going to schools where according to a recent documentary students as young as 13 proudly declare they want to join ISIS and kill Jews. Hamas has yet to formally abandon the heart of its genocidal, anti-Semitic 1988 Charter, which insists Israel will exist and will continue to exist until Islam will obliterate it. So, amid all of this hate, where should the President begin in a search for peace? As I said before, by taking a road less traveled by his predecessors and tackling hatred before borders. First, the US should block funds for the Palestinians and UNRWA that are used to inculcate hatred or to pay families of terrorists who murder Israelis and Americans. In Riyadh the President should demand that the Saudis stop their poisonous global Wahhabi campaign that undermines the basis of religious tolerance of Muslims with Christians and Jews everywhere. And at the Vatican, President should emphasize his administrations commitment to protect endangered religious minorities throughout the Middle East, starting with the Christians and Yezidis. The new Trump Middle East policy should be based on transparency; which leads to accountability; accountability diminishes corruption; reducing hate brings hope; hope leads to trust and trust will lead to peace. God speed, Mr. President, on your peace mission. The head of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) office inAlaska will face Congress Thursday over allegations the agencycolluded with locals tribes to purposely block a planned mine project. EPAs head administrator Dennis McLerran will testify in frontof the House Science, Space and Technology Committee Thursday. The proposed Pebble Mine in Alaskas Bristol Bay reportedlywould have been a prosperous project for both developers and thelocal economy were it not shuttered by an EPA report showing itwould harm the ecology of the states salmon population. McLerran represents areas of Oregon, Washington, Idaho andAlaska. Thursdays hearing will be the second on the Pebble Mine issuefor the EPA. The first happened in November and resulted inRepublican congressmen criticizing the EPA over its supposedpredetermined plans to block the mine. The GOP believes the EPA colluded with Alaskan tribes to torpedothe mine project. U.S. District Judge Russel Holland decided in March that the EPA withheld large sections ofdocuments mine developers asked for in conjunction with the mine.Holland wrote at the time that he had no confidence in EPAscompetency on document filing. EPA ecologist Phillip North, reports show, allegedly worked handin hand with local tribes to stymie the project. North used hispersonal email to consult the tribes on how to block the plan,according to a report from the Inspector Generals office. North edited and altered a petition under an aspect of the CleanWater Act through his private email account in 2010, which allowedthe tribes to veto the plan. He left for Australia to avoid investigation. When reviewing the draft petition, it was not clear whether[North] participated in a personal or official capacity, thereport noted. It was also not clear whether commenting on thedraft petition using personal email was allowable under the jobduties of [North]. The EPA denies it blocked the mine instead, the agencymaintains the Pebble Mine is still being reviewed. Regulatorssuggested in 2014 that it could use a preemptive veto tabling themine. Republicans lambasted the entire situation. The committees Republican chairman, Texas Rep. Lamar Smithlambasted the Inspector General for failing to produce Northshidden emails. If we allow the EPA to pursue this path of action the agencywill have the power to tell states, local government, and evenprivate citizens how they can develop their land before a permitapplication has ever been filed. This is unprecedented anddangerous, he said in November. A study conducted in 2013 by Alaskan economist Scott Goldsmith,and paid for by the First National Bank of Alaska, showed that themine, were it developed, would contribute to the overall Alaskaneconomy. A recent study indicates that the Pebble mining prospect insouthwest Alaska could, if developed, could make a significantcontribution to the Alaskan economy, given its measured andindicated resources 55 billion pounds of copper and 67 millionpounds of gold, Goldsmith wrote at the time of the study. Follow Chris on Facebook and Twitter Content created by The Daily CallerNews Foundation is available without charge to any eligible newspublisher that can provide a large audience. For licensingopportunities of our original content, please contact licensing@dailycallernewsfoundation.org. China is ready to discuss Turkeys membership of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO), the Chinese ambassador to Turkey said Friday. Yu Hongyang told Anadolu Agency that Beijing would be willing to discuss Turkey joining the six-nation bloc with other member states. Speaking ahead of President Recep Tayyip Erdogans visit to China, Yu said: Turkey has reached the position of being a dialogue partner of the organization by attending the activities of the SCO in recent years. China, which understands Turkeys intention of becoming a member of the SCO, is ready for Turkeys membership in consultation with other member countries. The SCO is made up of Russia, China, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan. Turkey was approved as one of six dialogue partners in 2012. There are also six observer states linked to the organization, which was established in 2003 with the aim of promoting cooperation between members and maintain regional stability. On Friday, Erdogan will leave for China for an economic summit. It will be his fourth meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping in the past two years. Yu said China hoped to narrow the trade gap between the two countries and improve visa regulations for their nationals. President Donald Trump discussed his next steps and ways to connect with the American people amid many obstructions from the media to Democrats during an interview with Jeanine Pirro for "Justice With Judge Jeanine" on Saturday. Weve freed up this system, which was all glued up, so that people can build houses and they can build factories and they can build so much, Trump said. Our trade deals are about to come. Theyre going to be unbelievable. Were doing things and I honestly believe that people see it. But theres no question, it would be wonderful to go fast, but I want it to be done right. The president believes everyday Americans can see the successes of his administration. He said, What Im most proud about is whats happening with the country. You look at jobs are way up. Its going to be unbelievable the trade deals were making for this country. We have the worst trade deals ever made by any country anywhere and were making them into great deals. The business that were now reopening with China thats been gone for many, many years, especially when you look at natural gas, and especially when you look at the deal we just made on cattle. Its really something special. Trump talked about the busyness of being president and how his life now is having meeting after meeting from cutting the price of the airplanes with Lockheed to cutting the price of airplanes with Boeing. Im a very active president. Im doing like Im dealing with China, Im dealing with Japan, Im dealing with North Korea, Im dealing with all of these different things, Trump said. I am a very active person. I have a lot of very positive things going on right up here for this country. Trump added later in the interview, Another president, Jeanine, will sit in the Oval Office and do practically nothing all day. Im doing every minute of the day Im doing something. Im cutting prices, Im were going this nation has such unbelievable potential. The president dismissed media accounts about his efforts to repeal and replace ObamaCare: It wasnt really an initial failure. It was just a continuation of a negotiation. Obamacare is dead, its dying. Ive been saying that for a long time, the president said. Now Aetna just pulled out, the big insurance company just pulled out, and we have to come up with a plan, because Obamacare is dead. The president also dismissed a New York Times article saying he demanded loyalty from FBI Director James Comey, whom he abruptly fired on Tuesday. His administration is on a fast track to nominate a replacement and several candidates were interviewed Saturday at the Department of Justice. I want loyalty to the country. I mean I want loyalty to the United States of America. I want him to do a good job or her to do a great job, Trump said. Beyond the media, the president commented on opposition from the Democrats. Well, theyre obstructionists, Trump said. I mean what they want to do is obstruct and delay, and Im actually very surprised with Chuck Schumer because I know him; Ive known him for a long time. I cannot I really am surprised that hes become such hes gone so far left in order to get into the Elizabeth Warren group that I think hes hurting himself. The president added, And I also dont think they can win any more elections unless they start changing their tune. The president, however, is very optimistic about the Republican Party. Were going to end up winning. Weve been winning. We won, and now you look, we have the House, we have the Senate. At the end of the interview, Judge Jeanine asked the president about what his late brother, Fred, who died in 1981 at 42 of complications associated with alcoholism, would think of his younger brothers achievements. Were going to have, I think, I would love to say one of the truly great impacts of any president on the lives and the betterment of lives, people of this nation, said Trump, noting his brother would be very proud. Fred would be looking down and he would say keep going. And I would tell you if it were different. If I thought he would be looking down and saying you can do better here or there, I think hed be very proud of the things that weve accomplished, having to do with everything from jobs to the military to the borders. You see whats happening on the borders, Trump said. Were going to have to solve some big problems, like the North Korea problem that weve been talking about. But I think hed be very proud. The American Civil Liberties Union filed a Freedom of Information Act request Thursday seeking any facts or evidence supporting President Trumps claims that the 2016 presidential election was muddied by widespread voter fraud. Dale Ho, the director of the ACLUs Voting Rights Project, called Trumps establishment of a commission to review alleged voter fraud and suppression a boondoggle and part of his plan to spread his own fake news about election integrity, The Hill reported. The president has alleged that millions of votes were illegally cast for the other side. No concrete evidence has been provided thus far to support the presidents serious indictment against American democracy. Yet the presidents allegations are the basis of an executive order to establish a Commission on Election Integrity, the ACLU said in its request. This FOIA demands that the government release the factual basis and evidence supporting the presidents allegations. Trump signed the executive order Thursday to review alleged voter fraud. Vice President Mike Pence will chair the commission, while Kansas Secretary of State Kris Kobach, who has investigated voter fraud in Kansas, will serve as vice chair. Other members of the commission include: Indiana Secretary of State Connie Lawson (R), New Hampshire Secretary of State Bill Gardner (D), Maine Secretary of State Matthew Dunlap (D), Christie McCormick, commissioner of the election assistance commission, and former Ohio Secretary of State Ken Blackwell (R). The White House said the commission will review practices that affect the integrity of federal elections--spanning improper registrations, improper voting, fraudulent registrations, fraudulent voting and voting suppression. Voting experts and many lawmakers have said they haven't seen anything to suggest that millions of people voted illegally, including House Oversight Committee Chairman Jason Chaffetz. The Utah Republican said his committee won't be investigating voter fraud. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell is behind the idea of Judge Merrick Garland, whose Supreme Court nomination McConnell squashed, becoming the next FBI director, a former adviser to the Kentucky senator said Sunday. I think the senate majority leader thinks thats a fantastic idea, former adviser Josh Holmes, who now runs the strategy firm Cavalry LLC, told Fox News Sunday. He certainly thinks (Garland) will be qualified. And (McConnell) certainly thinks he would be somebody that he could support. Garland was former President Barack Obamas nominee to replace conservative Justice Antonin Scalia, who died in 2016. However, McConnell infuriated Democrats by declining to hold Senate confirmation hearings on Garland, saying the next president should have that choice. The idea of Garland as the next FBI director was posed by Utah Republican Sen. Mike Lee after President Trump on Tuesday fired agency Director James Comey. MIKE LEE: MERRICK GARLAND FOR FBI HEAD: Lee backed the idea again on Fox News Sunday. I think Merrick Garland would be a particularly good option, given that he would have so much support from both sides of the aisle. Im absolutely serious about this, said Lee, who also pointed out that Garland played a key role in investigating and prosecuting the Oklahoma City bombers. Lee said he didnt know whether Garland is being considered by Trump, who purportedly has a short list of about a dozen potential replacements. Several candidates were interviewed Saturday at Justice Department headquarters by Attorney General Jeff Session and his deputy, Rod Rosenstein. Trump said Saturday that he could name a Comey replacement by the end of this week. However, whomever Trump picks would have to go through the Senate confirmation process. For Republicans, the Garland idea is complicated by Texas Sen. John Cornyn, the Senates second-ranking Republican, being considered for the FBI post. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson said Sunday that he must earn President Trumps confidence every day, after Trump apparently lost confidence in FBI Director James Comey and fired him. I am devoted to helping the president achieve his objectives, helping him be successful, Tillerson told NBCs Meet the Press." And I understand I have to earn his confidence every day with how I go about those affairs and how I go about conducting the State Department's activities consistent with the direction he wants to take the country. Tillerson also answered what has emerged as a litmus test question about administration officials allegiance to Trump and country, after Trump reportedly demanded a loyalty pledge from Comey. I will never compromise my own values, Tillerson told NBC. That's my only line. And my values are those of the country. TILLERSON SAYS US-RUSSIA TIES AT LOW POINT: Trump was reported to have asked Comey for the pledge over dinner shortly after he took office in late-January. However, the president on Saturday denied the report. No, I didnt. But I dont think it would be a bad question to ask," he told Fox News Justice with Judge Jeanine. The White House has said Trumps confidence in Comey had eroded before the FBI director was ousted Tuesday. Tillerson also told NBC News that Trump is assessing whether moving the U.S. Embassy in Israel to Jerusalem would help or hurt prospects for clinching an Israeli-Palestinian peace deal. Since taking office, Trump has backed away from his campaign pledge to move the embassy in a gesture to Israel, instead saying he's still studying the issue. But Tillerson linked Trump's deliberations directly to his aspirations for brokering Mideast peace. "The president is being very careful to understand how such a decision would impact the peace process," he said. Tillerson said Trump first wants feedback from all sides, including whether Israel views such a move as helpful to a peace initiative or perhaps a distraction." Trump departs Friday on his first foreign trip. After stopping in Saudi Arabia, the president will visit Israel and the Palestinian territories, in a nod to his nascent bid to strike the Israeli-Palestinian deal that has eluded his predecessors. Jerusalem's status is one of the most emotionally charged issues in the conflict, with both sides laying claims. Israel captured east Jerusalem -- claimed by Palestinians for the capital of a future independent state -- from Jordan in 1967 and annexed it, a move not internationally recognized. U.S. presidents of both parties have repeatedly waived a U.S. law requiring the embassy be moved to Jerusalem. The most recent waiver -- signed by former President Barack Obama -- expires on June 1. Trump is expected to sign a six-month renewal of the waiver before it expires, as he continues deliberating. Palestinians argue moving the embassy would prejudice one of the most sensitive issues in the conflict and undermine America's status as an effective mediator. There have been some signs that the Israeli government, while publicly supportive of moving the embassy, has quietly raised concerns that doing so could enflame the political and security situation. In a statement to the media Sunday, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu claimed that moving the embassy would be good for peace. "Israel's position has been stated many times to the American government and to the world," he said. There was no immediate Palestinian reaction. Tillerson also downplayed suggestions that the U.S. needed to deal decisively with Russia's interference in the U.S. election before it could pursue better relations with Moscow. Though Tillerson said he'd seen the intelligence implicating Russia and believed there was no question Russia meddled, he said it was just one of a "broad range of important issues that have to be addressed in the U.S.-Russia relationship." He said the notion of a "reset" with Russia -- which both Obama and President George W. Bush pursued -- was misguided. "You cannot erase the past, he said. You cannot start with a clean slate," Tillerson said. The Associated Press contributed to this report. Virginia Democratic Sen. Mark Warner said Sunday that President Trump firing the director of the FBI appears as an attempt to squash the agencys investigation into whether his presidential campaign team colluded with Russia during the 2016 elections. The presidents actions and his statement lends to that appearance, Warner, the top Democrat on the Senate intelligence committee, told Fox News Sunday. Trump on Tuesday fired FBI Director James Comey, based on Attorney General Office recommendations and the presidents view that Comey wasnt doing a good job. COMEY FIRING: TRUMP TEAM REFUTES MEDIA CLAIMS: Warner is among the most outspoken Senate Democrats on Trump, particularly regarding the Russia issue. He also said Sunday that Trump firing Comey was very disturbing and unacceptable, while acknowledging he doesnt know exactly what the president was thinking. In an interview broadcast Saturday on Fox News Justice with Judge Jeanine the president said he decided to fire Comey before the Attorney General reviews, which essentially concluded the FBI director mishandled the agencys Hillary Clinton email investigation during the 2016 presidential campaign. Trump has said that Comey made clear that the president wasnt under investigation in the Russia probe. However, Warner on Sunday declined to say whether Comey had told him or others on the Senate intelligence committee whether Trump is being investigated. What I will say is there are clearly ongoing investigations on a number of individuals that are affiliated with the Trump campaign and the Trump operation, Warner said. Weve going to get to the bottom of it. The White House responded to the latest North Korean ballistic missile launch late Saturday, saying that the rogue regime has been a flagrant menace for far too long. The statement added that President Trump cannot imagine that Russia is pleased with North Koreas latest test because the missile landed close to Russia soil. The statement pointed out that the missile landed closer to Russia than to Japan. The White House said the U.S. maintains its "ironclad commitment" to stand with its allies in the face of the serious threat posed by North Korea, and added that the latest "provocation" should serve as a call for all nations to implement far stronger sanctions against the North. The Pentagon confirmed that North Korea launched some type of ballistic missile at around 10:30 a.m. Hawaii time. It was launched near Kusung and landed in the Sea of Japan. The North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD) determined the missile launch from North Korea did not pose a threat to North America. South Korea's Yonhap News Agency reported the missile traveled about 435 miles. The launch is the first in two weeks since the last attempt to fire a missile ended in a failure just minutes into flight. The isolated regime attempted but failed to test-launch ballistic missiles four consecutive times in the past two months but has conducted a variety of missile testing since the beginning of last year at fast pace. Trump warned in an interview with Reuters in late April that a "major, major conflict" with the North was possible, but he would prefer a diplomatic outcome to the dispute over its nuclear and missile programs. The launch is the first since a new liberal president took office in South Korea on Wednesday, saying dialog as well as pressure must be used to ease tensions on the Korean peninsula and stop the North's weapons pursuit. Fox News Lucas Tomlinson and the Associated Press contributed to this report. A 22-year-old cybersecurity researcher and a cheap domain registration helped thwart the cyberattack that spread malicious software around the world, shutting down networks at hospitals, banks and government agencies. Britains National Cyber Security Center and others hailed the researcher who discovered a so-called kill switch that halted the unprecedented outbreak. The person has only been identified as MalwareTech. By then the "ransomware" attack had crippled Britain's hospital network and computer systems in several countries in an effort to extort money from computer users. But the researcher's actions may have saved companies and governments millions of dollars and slowed the outbreak before computers in the U.S. were more widely affected. MalwareTech is part of a global cybersecurity community, working independently or for security companies, who are constantly watching for attacks and working together to stop or prevent them, often sharing information on Twitter. MalwareTech explained in a blog post Saturday he learned that Britains health system was under attack after he had returned from lunch. He began analyzing a sample of the malicious software and noticed its code included a hidden web address that wasn't registered. He said he "promptly" registered the domain, something he regularly does to try to discover ways to track or stop malicious software. Across an ocean, Darien Huss, a 28-year-old research engineer for the cybersecurity firm Proofpoint, was doing his own analysis. The western Michigan resident said he noticed the authors of the malware had left in a feature known as a kill switch. Huss took a screen shot of his discovery and shared it on Twitter. Soon he and MalwareTech were communicating about what they'd found: That registering the domain name and redirecting the attacks to MalwareTech's server had activated the kill switch, halting the ransomware's infections. Huss and others were calling MalwareTech a hero on Saturday, with Huss adding that the global cybersecurity community was working "as a team" to stop the infections from spreading. "I think the security industry as a whole should be considered heroes," he said. But he also said he's concerned the authors of the malware could re-release it without a kill switch or with a better one, or that copycats could mimic the attack. "I think it is concerning that we could definitely see a similar attack occur, maybe in the next 24 to 48 hours or maybe in the next week or two," Huss said. "It could be very possible." Who perpetrated this wave of attacks remains unknown. Two security firms Kaspersky Lab and Avast said they identified the malicious software in more than 70 countries. Both said Russia was hit hardest. This is already believed to be the biggest online extortion attack ever recorded, disrupting services in nations as diverse as the U.S., Ukraine, Brazil, Spain and India. Europol, the European Union's police agency, said the onslaught was at "an unprecedented level and will require a complex international investigation to identify the culprits." The Associated Press contributed to this report. A New Jersey family said they were removed from a JetBlue flight from New York to Las Vegas on Saturday over a birthday cake they brought onto the plane. The Burke family told WABC-TV that the cake, which was initially stored in the overhead bin, was deemed a security risk. Cameron Burke was told to move the cake and he put it under the seat in front of him. The family said a second flight attendant confronted the first attendant about the cake. "You know, you could see the gestures - then she was pointing to her, did you tell him he couldn't put anything in the overhead compartment? I had approached them, and I said everything was fine, and she said, 'sir, this does not involve you. When she told me I had been non-compliant, then I said 'ma'am, had you been drinking?' because her behavior was not normal," Burke told the station. The station reported that police at John F. Kennedy Airport were brought on board. An attendant then made an announcement that everyone had to get off the plane. Thats when the Burkes were removed. Video posted to social media shows one of the Burke children crying after being told they were being kicked off the plane. JetBlue refuted the story told by Cameron Burke. The airline said in a statement that he was yelling at the crew. "(The customer) refused multiple requests from the crew to remove the items, became agitated, cursed and yelled at the crew, and made false accusations about a crew member's fitness to fly, the statement said. Burke said he never cursed at crew members and at no point was it known why he and his family were getting booted from the plane. Burke said they were all refunded at the terminal. Click for more from WABC-TV. A torch-wielding group, including a prominent white nationalist, protested Saturday night against plans to remove a Confederate monument in the hometown of the University of Virginia. Local media outlets reported that the group rallied around the statue of Gen. Robert E. Lee in Charlottesville, chanting "You will not replace us," "Russia is our friend," and "Blood and soil." The protesters included Richard Spencer, a white nationalist who popularized the phrase "alt-right" and has advocated for an "ethno-state" that would be a "safe space" for white people. "We will not be replaced from this park," Spencer told the crowd at a different rally held hours earlier in Charlottesville on Saturday. "We will not be replaced from this world. Whites have a future. We have a future of power, of beauty, of expression," he said. Charlottesville Mayor Mike Signer said in a statement that Saturday's protest was either "profoundly ignorant" or meant to instill fear in minorities "in a way that hearkens back to the days of the KKK." "I want everyone to know this: We reject this intimidation," Signer said in a statement. "We are a welcoming city, but such intolerance is not welcome here." Erich Reimer, chairman of the Charlottesville Republican Party, said in a statement that the "intolerance and hatred" that the protesters are seeking to promote is "utterly disgusting and disturbing beyond words," The Daily Progress reported. The debate over Confederate symbols has swept through cities across the South since the 2015 massacre of nine black parishioners at a South Carolina church. The gunman was a self-avowed white supremacist. In Virginia, Republican Corey Stewart's vocal support for the Lee statue also has pushed the issue into the state's high-profile race for governor. Stewart has pledged that no Confederate monuments would be removed if he is elected. In New Orleans, workers on Thursday removed a statue of Confederate President Jefferson Davis, the second of four monuments to Confederate era figures the city has voted to remove. Late last month, the city removed a 35-foot tall granite obelisk tribute to whites who battled a biracial Reconstruction government installed in New Orleans after the Civil War. The Charlottesville City Council voted last month to sell the Lee statue, but a judge has agreed to a temporary injunction that blocks Charlottesville from moving the statue for six months, The Daily Progress reported. The city also plans to rename Lee Park and another park named after another famed Confederate, Thomas "Stonewall" Jackson. The Associated Press contributed to this report. An immigration agent tried to search for a fourth-grader at Queens school but was sent packing by staff, according to city officials. Mayors been briefed on a fed immig agent showing up at Queens PS58 Thurs. asking about a 4th grader. School turned him away, Mayor de Blasios press secretary Eric Phillips tweeted. The lone agent from the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Service (USCIS) didnt have a warrant and he was dismissed by an administrator and a school safety official, a Department of Education rep added. The federal agent went to the front security desk, but did not get any further, according to Gregory Floyd, president of Teamsters Local 237, which represents the school safety officer. The agent was told the student was not in school, Floyd added although he didnt know if the administrator or safety officer provided that information. It isnt clear if the move violates city protocol. A source familiar with the situation said that while the safety officer notified the administration, she did not immediately contact the NYPDs school safety command and that does go against city requirements. The violation could result in disciplinary action, most likely a docked vacation day. Click for more from the New York Post. John Boyega, Daisy Ridley, J.J. Abrams and Adam Driver pose for their selfie with South Korean boy band EXO during the event for fans ahead of 'Star Wars: The Force Awakens' South Korea premiere. (Photo : Getty Images/Chung Sung-Jun) Carrie Fisher's death dealt a heavy blow to the "Star Wars" community and largely affected the future of the "Star Wars" movies. As General Leia Organa, Fisher was set to play a crucial role in the franchise, especially in "Star Wars: Episode 9" which had begun development at the time of her death. Losing Fisher meant losing General Organa, and it took a while for the film's cast and crew and the fans to come to terms with the loss. Advertisement There have been reports that General Organa would continue to appear on the show with the help of CGI-the same case as Grand Moff Tarkin in "Rogue One: A Star Wars Story," whose appearance was made possible with the help of CGI since actor had died in 1994. However, Lucasfilm has decided to not to have General Organa appear in "Episode 9" at all. Lucasfilm president Kathleen Kennedy told EW that the story team had to start over for "Star Wars: Episode 9," ultimately leaving behind earlier plans to include Fisher in the film. "Obviously, with Carrie having passed away, it shook everybody," Kennedy said. "We pretty much started over." For now, there's still no telling where director Colin Trevorrow and co-writer Derek Connolly will take "Star Wars: Episode 9," as we have yet to see how the story will unfold in "Star Wars: The Last Jedi," which has not been altered following Fisher's passing and will end as originally planned. Kennedy also teased that fans will see a lot of Fisher in "The Last Jedi" and that "she's fantastic" in the film. Meanwhile, May the Fourth, known globally as Star Wars Day has been devoted to Carrie Fisher, who died in December 2016. Fisher's daughter, Billie Lourd, shared a throwback photo of herself and her mother on the set of "Star Wars," Teen Vogue reported. The actress, who is also on the cast of "Star Wars," stood in for her mother at the "Star Wars 40th Anniversary Celebration" in Florida, where she joined original stars Mark Hamill and Harrison Ford. A Colorado woman just released from the hospital after a life-saving liver transplant has been left homeless after a massive hailstorm destroyed her home last week. Pam Alva and her husband were forced to flee during the storm Monday when hail pounded the roof of their Commerce City home, causing it to collapse, Fox 31 Denver reports. My heart is broken for my wife more than anything, Paul Alva said. She's been suffering so long and then to have to go through this and then make her move. He is an Army veteran living on a fixed income, the station reported. She is fresh out of the ICU after receiving a new liver. Video shot by the station shows the damage to the home from the storm. The video also shows an oxygen unit Alva has been using following the transplant. It does not appear to have been damaged. Alva said the landlord just collected their rent and they cant afford anything else. Fox 31 reported that the landlord had agreed to pay for a motel for the Alvas for five nights. Click for more from Fox 31 Denver. Memphis Police Department told FOX13 they responded to an incident relating to Facebook Live in the 1500 block of Madison early Saturday morning. They asserted that a man set himself on fire in an attempt to kill himself while filming the whole thing on Facebook Live. The victim's ex-girlfriend Alyssa Moore identified the man has Jared McLemore. FOX13 uncovered he has a history of domestic violence including threatening to kill her, police said. Police said when they arrived to the scene, they discovered a male with severe burns. He was rushed to Regional One in critical condition and later died from his injuries. They also told us that they found another man who suffered burns by trying to help. He tried to kick the lighter away from the man setting himself on fire. He was rushed to Regional One in non-critical condition. Read more from FOX 13 Memphis. A South Carolina mother has been accused of beating her young son after the boy made a Mothers Day card for his grandmother, but not one for her. Spartanburg Police said Shontrell Murphy, 30, repeatedly hit her 6-year-old son after ripping up the card, Fox Carolina reported. Murphy was charged with cruelty to children. She was released from jail on a personal recognizance bond. Police said they found the boy crying when they went to the home Thursday for a report of a disturbance, the station reported. Officers said the grandmother told them her daughter slapped her grandson multiple times around the head. Investigators said the boy's sister told them their mother was upset because the Mothers Day card her brother made wasnt for her. She said the card was for their grandmother, according to the station. The police report states that when Murphy realized the card wasn't for her, she ripped it up and hit the boy repeatedly about the head, according to the station. He was evaluated at a hospital and released. The station reported that Murphy admitted to smacking the child but "does not believe it was in a hard or violent manner." Click for more from Fox Carolina. Investigators searched three properties in the past two days for evidence related to the unsolved killings of eight members of an Ohio family nearly 13 months ago, according to reports Saturday. SWAT teams helped carry out the searches Friday and Saturday in Adams County and Pike County, according to media reports. Fox 19 reported that police made no arrests in connection with the searches. The station reported that the searches marked a major development in the long-stalled probe. Seven adults and a teenage boy from the Rhoden family who were found shot to death April 22, 2016, at four homes near Piketon in Pike County. They were shot execution-style. Its unclear what if anything was found during the searches, WLWT-TV reported. A lot of things run through your mind at night, Leonard Manley told the station. His daughter Dana Rhoden was one of the victims, so were three grandchildren. Its been a lot of sleepless nights, he said. The properties searched included a 71-acre farm in Adams County. It belonged to a former boyfriend of one of the victims, 18-year-old Hannah Rhoden, the Cincinnati Enquirer reported. She was found shot to death next to her 5-day-old baby girl who was not harmed. Jake Wagner, 24, and Rhoden had a daughter in 2013 and he was given custody of the child after the killings, the paper reported. Records indicated Wagner may have sold the farm in March. Another search took place at a farm in Piketon that belongs to relatives of Wagner, according to the paper. A woman who answered a phone at the farm Saturday declined comment, the Enquirer reported. The third property searched was a used car lot in Adams County owned by a man named Brian Brown, according to the paper. Rhoden family members issued a plea last month on the first anniversary of the killings for anyone with information to contact police. A special weapons and tactics team is helping search for evidence in the execution-style slayings of eight family members in Ohio last year. The Franklin County Sheriff's Office tells WBNS-TV a swat team conducted searches in Pike County on Saturday. The Ohio Attorney General's Office says the search was related to a search the day before in Adams County. Further details weren't disclosed. Authorities are trying to uncover information about the seven adults and teenage boy from the Rhoden family who were found shot to death April 22, 2016, at four homes near Piketon. The town is about 70 miles (113 kilometers) south of Columbus. Three children were found unharmed. No arrests have been made in the deaths. Family members have pleaded for anyone with information to step up. ___ Information from: WBNS-TV, http://www.10tv.com/ A 31-year-old woman was being evicted by her parents when authorities say she killed her father in their million dollar waterfront mansion in South Carolina this week, court records show. Brittany Simpson was charged with shooting 66-year-old Robert Simpson Tuesday just days after her parents won an eviction order kicking her out of their suburban Charleston home, the records show. Simpson had been served with a 24-hour notice to vacate and was due to leave the day of the murder, The Post and Courier in Charleston reported Saturday. Incident reports obtained from police show Simpsons sister told cops about the vacate order, the paper reported. The reports say that during an interview with an officer Brooke Simpson said that she didnt know who would want to her hurt her father, but that her sister had been given a 24-hour notice to leave the home by Tuesday. Another sister, Chelsea Simpson arrived at the house and accused Brittany of the crime, telling officers that her sister was unstable, the paper reported, citing the police reports. Brittany Simpson blamed the shooting on an intruder until investigators found a gun and her bloody clothes submerged in a creek behind the home, the paper reported. The parents started the eviction proceeding March 31 in Charleston County Circuit Court, online court records show. A judge signed off on the eviction Thursday May 4. Robert Simpson, a London native and film industry worker, was alive when cops arrived at the scene at 6 a.m. Tuesday, but later died, the Post and Courier reported. His wife Susan Simpson was sleeping in another bedroom and heard pop, pop, pop, the paper reported. Brittany Simpson told officers that she had been swimming at the IOn Club and had returned home to find the back door open, according to the paper. The police reports show that she accused her mother of leaving the doors unlocked. A neighbor told cops she saw a woman run to the end of the dock and back just before police arrived, the New York Post reported. Divers searched the creek and found the weapon and a green book back with a pink t-short and shorts. The clothing matched the clothes Brittany Simpson was wearing earlier that morning in surveillance images from a neighbors security camera, the Post reported. Her attorney David Aylor told the Post and Courier that Brittany was unemployed lately, hampered by a disability. He called the shooting a tragedy affecting the entire family. Click for more from the New York Post. A passenger train has derailed in northern Greece, leaving four passengers dead and at least five seriously injured, including the driver, the state railway has said. The intercity train was traveling from Athens to Thessaloniki when it went off the rails near the station at the village of Adendro on Saturday night. One carriage crashed into the ground floor of a two-storey house while others toppled onto their sides, their windows smashed. "I was sitting on my porch. I saw a flash and immediately heard a terrible explosion," Giorgos Mylonas, 78, told The Associated Press. "Then I saw the train enter (a nearby) house and heard the two Albanians who live there scream for help." A local official said: "The whole house is now leaning on the train, which shows you how severe the crash was." The Athens News Agency reported about 100 passengers were on board the train and some media reports said five carriages had derailed. The cause of the accident is not yet known, a police official said. Read more from SkyNews. Usama bin Ladens son reportedly seeks to avenge his fathers death and is poised to become the new leader of Al Qaeda. Personal letters seized in the raid that killed bin Laden show that his son, Hamza, is set on continuing his father's legacy, Ali Soufan, a former FBI agent, told CBS News in an interview that will air Sunday. "He tells him thathe remembers 'every lookevery smile you gave me, every word you told me, Soufan said about bin Ladens son. Soufan also told CBS News that Hamza wrote that he considers himself to be forged in steel. Soufan said that Hamzas path to become the leader of the terrorist organization was created years ago when he was used as a propaganda tool in bin Ladens videos. He was seen sometimes holding a gun. The agent added that he has even started to sound like his father. His recent message that came out, he delivered the speech as if it's his father, using sentences, terminology that was used by Usama bin Laden, Soufan said. Hamza is believed to be about 28 years old and has been named as a specially designated global terrorist by the U.S. Hamza has recorded four audio messages in the last two years, aimed at the U.S. "He's basically saying, 'American people, we're coming and you're going to feel it, Soufan said. And we're going to take revenge for what you did to my father. Iraq, Afghanistan'. The whole thing was about vengeance." Click for more from CBS News. A railway worker's quick thinking saved a woman's life when he spotted her running into the path of an oncoming train and hauled her back onto the platform. The suicidal woman suddenly made a dash for the tracks as the train was just seconds away from arriving at Putian City in China's Fujian Province. But 54-year-old Weng Jianzhong reacted immediately, grabbing her arm and saving her from falling over the edge. With both falling to the ground, the train missed the woman's legs by a second. The woman, in her 20s, burst into tears on the platform after being pulled to safety. She was taken to hospital but had no serious injuries. Her rescuer received 6,000 yuan ($869) as a reward. Read more from SkyNews. Actor Max Greenfield and Tess Sanchez attend the 24th Annual Race To Erase MS Gala at The Beverly Hilton Hotel on May 5. (Photo : Photo by Alberto E. Rodriguez/Getty Images) "New Girl" actor Max Greenfield has signed up to join the cast of "The Assassination of Gianni Versace: American Crime Story." He will star alongside Ricky Martin, Lady Gaga, Penelope Cruz and more. Greenfield, who is best known for his role as the suave Schmidt in the American sitcom "New Girl," is taking on a different role in "American Crime Story: Versace." The big reveal was shared by Ryan Murphy who took to Instagram Friday to share a photo of Greenfield and co-star Darren Criss ("Glee"). Advertisement Both actors look nothing like the comedic roles they portray in their respective shows, with Greenfield sporting a buzz cut and a mustache. While Criss is playing a character named Andrew Cunanan, there is no word yet on which character Greenfield will portray and how many episodes he will be in in the upcoming crime anthology series, NME reported. However, based on his appearance, it is presumed that he is playing Cunanan's first known victim, Jeffery Trail. Greenfield has previously worked with Murphy, having appeared in "American Horror Story: Hotel," where he played a drug addict named Gabriel who died at the hands of the Addiction Demon. "American Crime Story: Versace" tells the story of the murder of fashion icon Gianni Versace in 1997 by a serial killer named Andrew Cunanan, who also killed himself thereafter after going on a killing spree that ended the life of Versace. Although Cunanan's motives for the five murders were unclear and different from each, it was speculated that he killed Versace in a jealous rage over Versace's status as a gay icon. "American Crime Story: Versace" is the third series in Murphy's successful "American Crime Story" anthology, which started with "The People v O.J. Simpson" and followed by "Katrina." "Katrina," will star Annette Benning and Matthew Broderick. Ricky Martin is playing Versace's partner Antonia D'Amico. Penelope Cruz is taking on the role of Donatella Versace. Lady Gaga, on the other hand, is portraying a still-unnamed fashion icon. "American Crime Story: Versace" will premiere on FX in 2018. North Korea said Monday that the medium-range strategic missile it tested over the weekend was "capable of carrying a large-size heavy nuclear warhead." Dictator Kim Jong Un was said to have witnessed the test early Sunday and "hugged officials in the field of rocket research, saying that they worked hard to achieve a great thing," according to the communist dictatorship's official Korean Central News Agency. The claim, if confirmed, would mark another big step forward in the country's escalating efforts to field a nuclear-tipped missile capable of reaching the U.S. mainland. Outside experts have said they do not believe the rogue nation can do that yet, but each new test may push them closer to that goal. The missile flew 1,245 miles above the surface of the Earth this weekend according to U.S., South Korean and Japanese officials. For context, the International Space Station orbits at roughly 240 miles above the Earth. If launched on a normal trajectory, officials estimate the KN-17 missile would be able to hit targets 2,800 miles away, including Guam, where U.S. troops and Air Force bombers are stationed. North Korea may have pioneered a new engine for its ballistic missiles -- an engine the rogue nation first displayed in March, according to Jeffrey Lewis, a missile proliferation expert at the Middlebury Institute in Monterey, Calif. "North Korea showed off a new engine we had never seen," Lewis said. "In other words, this is a big breakthrough for the North Koreans." Earlier Sunday, officials told Fox News that the U.S. military believes Pyongyang launched a KN-17 medium-range ballistic missile the first successful test in four attempts for the Pyongyang regime. The missile flew for four minutes longer than any previous ballistic missile test in the history of the communist regime, U.S. officials said. The KN-17 is a single-stage, liquid-fueled missile -- not the three stage, solid-fuel missile that North Korea successfully tested back in February, which caused more concern among Pentagon officials. UNITED STATES MONITORING CLAIM MISSILE COULD CARRY NUCLEAR WARHEAD North Korea made three attempts last month to launch the KN-17, but failed each time. Officials have said they believe North Korea aims to use the missile to target ships. The missile flew for half an hour and reached an unusually high altitude before landing in the Sea of Japan, the South Korean, Japanese and U.S. militaries said. The latest test came a few days after the CIA opened a new "mission center" to study the nuclear and missile threat from North Korea. Missile experts initially thought the rogue communist regime had tested a new type of intermediate-range ballistic missile, but U.S. officials told Fox News that is not the assessment from the U.S. Pacific Command and U.S. Strategic Command. A U.S. official told Fox News the missile splashed down about 60 miles south of Russias Vladivostok region and approximately 250 miles from Japanese shores. UNITED STATES WILL 'TIGHTEN THE SCREWS' ON NORTH KOREA, HALEY SAYS Japanese officials said the missile flew for about 30 minutes, traveling about 500 miles and reaching an unusually high altitude of 1,240 miles. The South Korean military said the missile traveled about 430 miles. On February 12, North Korea successfully tested a KN-15 from a mobile launcher using a solid-fuel engine, causing concern among Pentagon officials. The KN-15 can be launched with five minutes' notice from a concealed location a concerning advancement by the communist regime for senior Pentagon officials. According to the South Korean military, the launch site used Sunday was the same one used on February 12 the first North Korean ballistic missile test during the Trump administration, launched while President Trump hosted Japans Prime Minister Shinzo Abe at his Mar-a-Lago Club in Florida. The launch jeopardizes new South Korean President Moon Jae-in's willingness for dialogue with the North, and came as U.S., Japanese and European navies gather for joint war games in the Pacific. Moon convened an emergency session of his national security council Sunday, shortly after the missile test. "The president expressed deep regret over the fact that this reckless provocation ... occurred just days after a new government was launched in South Korea," senior presidential secretary Yoon Young-chan said. "The president said we are leaving open the possibility of dialogue with North Korea, but we should sternly deal with a provocation to prevent North Korea from miscalculating." Moon, South Korea's first liberal leader in nearly a decade, said as he took his oath of office last week that he'd be willing to visit the North if the circumstances were right. The U.N. Security Council said Sunday it will hold urgent consultations on North Korea's latest ballistic missile test at the request of the United States, Japan and South Korea. Uruguay holds the council presidency this month and its U.N. Mission announced the closed consultations will be held on Tuesday afternoon. The Security Council has adopted six increasingly tougher sanctions resolutions against North Korea Trump's administration has called North Korean ballistic and nuclear efforts unacceptable, but he has swung between threats of military action and offers to talk as it formulates a policy. On Saturday, a top North Korean diplomat in charge of U.S. relations, Choe Son Hui, told reporters in Beijing that Pyongyang would be willing to meet with the Trump administration for negotiations "if the conditions are set." She did not elaborate. The launch came as troops from the U.S., Japan and two European nations gather near Guam for drills that are partly a message to North Korea. The USS Carl Vinson, an aircraft supercarrier, is also engaging with South Korean navy ships in waters off the Korean Peninsula, according to Seoul's Defense Ministry. Fox News Lucas Tomlinson and The Associated Press contributed to this report. Pope Francis acknowledged Saturday that the Vatican has a 2,000-case backlog in processing clerical sex abuse cases and says criticism of the slow pace was justified. But he says more staff are being added and insists the Vatican is "on the right path." Francis was making his first comments about the criticism leveled at the Vatican's handling of sex abuse cases by Marie Collins, an Irish abuse survivor who resigned from Francis' sex abuse advisory commission in March. Collins quit because of what she said was the "unacceptable" level of resistance within the Vatican to implementing the group's proposals to better care for victims and protect children from priests who rape and molest them. Speaking to reporters while flying home Saturday from a trip to Portugal, Francis called Collins "a great woman" and said she was "a bit right" to complain about the slow pace in processing cases. "Marie Collins was right on that point. But we are on the right path, as there were 2,000 cases backlogged," he said. Francis didn't respond to the other issues raised by Collins, including the refusal of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith which handles abuse cases to create a tribunal to judge bishops who covered up for pedophile priests. Instead, he focused on explaining why cases can take so long to process. To improve efficiency, he said he had added more staff to the congregation and that talks were underway about providing more regional help to bishops to ensure their cases are properly documented before they arrive at the Vatican for review. He denied he had ever agreed to a request for clemency from a pedophile priest, saying once a sentence is confirmed on appeal by the congregation "it is finished." Francis has come under fire from some survivors and their advocates for his handling of the abuse crisis. He won praise for having created the advisory commission and for promising "zero tolerance" for abuse. But his advisory board has lost credibility following Collins' departure and its failure to implement key recommendations that even Francis had approved. Theres a saying that behind every successful man is a woman. For Coins For Anything Inc. founder Jeff Morin, that woman is his mother. Ellen Morin not only didnt hesitate to provide him with his first business loan, but quit her job as an auditor for a bank to become his first employee after the Fredericksburg-based business took off. Jeff Morin got the idea for Coins For Anything Inc. while serving in the Marine Corps aboard the amphibious assault ship USS Wasp in the Red Sea. He was searching the web for military memorabilia coins while off duty and discovered that military challenge coins, collectibles used by the U.S. military to commemorate service, were selling for as much as $15. He knew that he could buy them for $5 at a Marine Corps base and decided to mark up the price and resell them online. Morin sold his first 30 coins on eBay for a tidy profit, and then repeated the process again and again. He figured that this would be a good idea for a business, but hed need a website in order to make the jump from a spare time venture to a serious business. That would take capital, and his mother provided the $500 he needed for that and to buy more coins. She also let him operate out of her dining room at first and then her basement as the business grew. Morin decided to focus on custom coins after an Ohio woman asked him to create a military challenge coin for mothers with sons serving in the Marine Corps. He discovered that there was no challenge coin for Marine Corps moms, so he had one designed and manufactured. It sold out quickly, which showed him that there was a market for customized coins. Today, Coins For Anything is a multi-million dollar company that designs and manufactures custom-made challenge coins for the military and for non-military applications such as business cards, customer loyalty discount coins and employee recognition pieces. Customers have included Brinks, Citgo and the State Fair of Texas. Morin is now the companys CEO, and his mom still works for him. Shes his chief financial officer. Staying pregnant for the full gestational term is whats best for the baby, according to the latest medical research. The Virginia Hospital & Healthcare Association, along with local hospital clinicians and representatives from the Medical Society of Virginia and the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists announced Tuesday in Richmond that through a collaborative effort, Virginia has achieved the lowest early elective delivery rate in the nation. Early elective deliveries happen when a pregnancy is prematurely and medically unnecessarily induced before 39 weeks. For pregnant women, reducing early elective deliveries is essential because it may improve the overall birth health. Recently, the health care community has placed an emphasis on reducing early elective deliveries to improve birth health since vital organs such as the brain, heart and lungs dont fully develop until the final weeks of pregnancy. Dr. Alta DeRoo, director of OB/GYN services at Novant Health UVa Health System Culpeper Medical Center, said during Tuesdays press conference that her employer has a multitier review process to evaluate any early elective delivery request. So when a physician would like to schedule an elective early delivery, the nurses are empowered to stop that physician and if hes persistent it would go all the way up to the clinical care coordinator, OB/GYN director and if needed all the way up to the chief medical officer of the hospital. And through these efforts, you see the drastic declines of early elected deliveries, DeRoo explained. In 2013, Culpeper Medical Centers early elective deliveries were at 11 percent and currently at zero percent within the last year and a half, according to DeRoo. Its great to see weve come full circle on early elective deliveries in Virginia to the point that we have achieved the lowest early delivery rate in the nation, said DeRoo. Reducing early elective deliveries prior to 39 weeks of gestational age, with exceptions for cases where it is medically appropriate, is a positive step to promote healthy babies and the health of mothers. Weve really enjoyed the success in the healthy babies and moms that result from deliveries after 39 weeks in gestational age. DeRoo said when a mother informs the hospital staff that shes delivered a healthy baby before 39 weeks in the past, medical personnel will share the data with that patient. We let them know that its during the latter part of the pregnancy when the brain, lungs and heart fully develops, said DeRoo, who added that the hospital has added posters in the labor and delivery department that displays the advantages of keeping the baby in utero past 39 weeks. Megan Barefield, director of The Birthplace, a labor, delivery, recovery and postpartum unit at Carilion New River Valley Medical Center in Christiansburg, said her employer also implemented a similar plan that only allows a member of the hospitals clinical leadership team to schedule an early elective delivery after verifying that the baby has indeed reached 39 weeks. The last EED we had was in September and it involved a physician insistent on scheduling an induction because the mom had a recent diagnosis of breast cancer and was scheduled for surgery in four days, said Barefield. She needed to start treatment and so a decision was made for the physician to go ahead and pursue that. Dr. Stephen Bendheim of Virginia Physicians for Women, said Tuesdays announcement is a great achievement for Virginia. When the data came out, it was eye-opening to a lot of people, hospitals and insurers, said Bendheim. There are several benefits of waiting until after 39 weeks. One, babies tend to do better. And theres a lower c-section rate, which leads to lower morbidity and mortality of moms and babies. Ultimately, we need to do what we know is best for our patients and babies in the long-term. Tuesdays event also coincided with National Hospital Week, which was May 713. As the opioid abuse problem continues to spread locally, in Virginia and the eastern United States, a relatively new, illegally produced narcotic cocktail is leaving a trail of dead in its wake. The new drug is a form of fentanyl. a synthetic painkiller similar to morphine but 50 to 100 times more powerful. But this new drug mixture is an illicitly made form of fentanyl, often mixed in with other drugs such as heroin and cocaine. Its gotten really bad, said one local veteran narcotics officer, a sergeant with a Fredericksburg-area sheriffs office who asked to remain anonymous because of the nature of his work. He said increasingly more potent forms of opioids, primarily fentanyl, are being sold and used in the region. State data back up that assertion. According to the Virginia Department of Healths fourth-quarter report for 2016, of the 1,420 drug-related deaths last year, 618 were fentanyl-related overdoses. That total is nearly more than the combined statewide deaths caused by the drug between 2010 and 2015. Fentanyl-related deaths easily outpaced cocaine (292) and heroin (448) overdoses last year in Virginia. Illegally made fentanyl accounted for more than 94 percent of fentanyl-related overdose deaths last year, according to the Health Department report. The same report says that all fentanyl-related deaths increased by 174 percent from 2015 to last year. While most opioid-related overdoses appear to be contained to the eastern portion of the country, the Centers for Disease Control calls it a national epidemic. The CDCs most recent statistics show that during 2015, drug overdoses accounted for 52,404 deaths in the U.S., including 33,091 that involved an opioid. While there is no breakdown of the specific drugs involved, in 2016 some 42 people died of opioid overdoses in Fredericksburg and Stafford and Spotsylvania counties, according to the Virginia Attorney Generals Office. According to the Health Department report, Fauquier, Culpeper, Orange and Westmoreland counties had among the highest rates in Virginia of fatal fentanyl overdoses in 2016. Fredericksburgs rate of fentanyl deaths ranked among the second-highest tier last year. The opioid problem often starts with prescription pain narcotics and graduates to addiction and a person buying cheaper heroin or other opioids on the black market. Sellers on the black market have adjusted to the demand by creating a cheaper and more potent form of the drug. It is produced by small criminal operations and exported from countries such as China and Mexico, according to the U.S. Drug Enforcement Agency. The local sergeant said dealers often buy the drug prepackaged from out of the area in places such as Washington, D.C., and Maryland. Then they cut it up with things such as coffee creamer so they can sell more and make more money. Dealers also are selling drugs such as heroin and cocaine mixed with the illicitly made fentanyl. Often, users are getting a fix that can be 50 times more potent than what they think theyre getting. A recent addition to the drug market is carfentanyl, a super-potent form of the synthetic opioid that is used to sedate large animals such as elephants. A lot of times, the small-time dealers dont even know what theyre selling; a lot of times, its pure fentanyl, Michael Barbuti, an assistant special agent in the DEAs Richmond office, said during a forum in Fredericksburg last week. Its mixed strictly for profit, and distributed on our streets. You dont know what is in it. You see that bag on the street and you could be getting heroin mixed with rat poisoning or meat tenderizer ... and more and more of it is mixed with fentanyl. The newer forms of the drugs can even be too much for Narcan, a drug that can reverse opioid overdoses. Sometimes, more than one dose of Narcan is needed. Other times, no amount will save the victim. And the synthetic drugs have grown so potent that first responders have to be careful they arent affected. The drug can be absorbed through the skin or inhaled. It can make responders sick or kill them. Sometimes, users are unaware of the dangerous cocktail they are snorting, injecting or swallowing. But the extreme potency of the drug is good advertising for dealers. An overdose death is almost a badge of honor for a dealer, showing their product is strong, said the local narcotics officer. They dont care what theyre selling as long as the money is coming in. The sergeant said the same traditional drugs are still out there, but they are playing second fiddle to the new drug in town. Were still seeing coke, we see marijuana, he said, but the drug of choice is the opiate. Staff writer Cathy Dyson contributed to this report. Shannon and Thor Smalling graduated from the University of Mary Washington on Saturday the same way theyve approached all challenges in their 17-year marriage: hand-in-hand. Both from the Pittsburgh area, they met through friends at neighboring high schools and were married there in 1999. We married young, and both had big plans, she said. But life got in the way. Thor Smalling, now 38, joined the Marine Corps and was deployed to Iraq in 2002 when they lived in North Carolina. Shannon Smalling, now 36, was at school then, and it helped her to distract her from his deployment. But the couple moved to California after he returned. Though she went to school briefly there, a death in the family brought her education to a halt again. Then they moved to Woodbridge, and she again briefly attended school but left for a full-time job. It wasnt until 2015, after he was medically discharged from the military and was working, and she was also settled into life in Fredericksburg, that they decided to go back to college together and complete degrees. Its overwhelming, she said about receiving her bachelor of liberal studies degree in psychology. I thought I was just going to take one semester off between high school and college, and just be that far behind my peers. Its been a lot longer. Through it all, they supported each other, even taking classes in astronomy and human resource management together. The classes brought out a competitive side in both of us, she said. Being married, its important to push and support each other, Thor Smalling said. You want to do right by each other. The couple was among 1,035 undergraduates and 155 graduate students to receive diplomas this weekend during the schools commencement ceremonies on its historic Fredericksburg campus. That history was invoked by graduation speaker Edward Ayers, a historian and the president emeritus of the University of Richmond, as he talked about the unpredictability of history and how to not just live in, but create, what historians will look back on. Generally, no matter who you are and what you believe in, the 21st century so far has been a surprise, Ayers said. If we measure those years by political events, economic events, international events, or cultural events, things seem chaotic. Its hard for everyone, including young people, to get their bearings. He said that while we live in unpredictable times, no time saw upheaval in the U.S. like the Civil War, partly fought on the same ground as UMWs Ball Circle, where commencement exercises were held. No campus is the heart of this historical event like yours, he said. ... But I cant not look out among you and think that history also brings redemption. Everybody lives in history, Ayers said. We have no choice. Its the air we breathe ... But history, in fact, lives within us as much as we live within history. And history lives within us whether we recognize it or not. Everything, from the shape of our families to our working lives, is shaped by the times in which we live ... You are the Class of 2017, and it matters when you were here. You are part of each others historical fabric ... I feel better about the world knowing you will go out and make your own history. Through his speech and through the undergraduate commencement Saturday, the days rainy forecast proved untrue, giving a dry morning for the school to carry out its traditionssuch as the bagpipers of the Eagle Pipe band leading the faculty in, and the singing of the Alma Mater that concluded the ceremony. The ceremony also completed President Troy Painos first academic year at UMW. In his address to the students, he encouraged them to use their degrees to lead a life of meaningful purpose, and said he was looking forward to shaking your hand. Graduates, you know in your heart, how unique and special Mary Washington is, he said. For Shannon Smalling, UMW is special becauseunlike most schools she attendedthe professors were invested in my plans. Everything about the atmosphere here is warm. She, Thor and her parents, Sandy and Gary Sadler, went to meet and talk with those professors, along with other graduates in psychology on the steps of Mercer Hall, the departments headquarters. Next, she has a job as a human resource manager for Lowes. Thor is going back for his masters degree at UMW in business, while continuing to work full time. But she thinks a career in social services or even more school might be in the future. That feeling was summed up by Ayers, as he said during his graduation speech, The unexpected always happens, so get used to itor, even better, bring it about yourself. Thats a reason for anxiety, but its also reason for hope. Several dozen torch-wielding protesters gathered in Charlottesvilles Lee Park just after 9 p.m. Saturday, chanting You will not replace us, Russia is our friend and Blood and soil. After about 10 minutes, Charlottesville police arrived at the scene following an altercation between protesters. The crowd quickly dispersed with no further incidents, according to police. In April, Charlottesville City Council voted to sell the statue of Confederate Gen. Robert E. Lee that stands in the park, but a judge earlier this month issued an injunction that prevents the city from doing so for six months. The city's decision has drawn considerable consternation from Southern heritage groups, Republican gubernatorial candidate Corey Stewart and a number of others in Virginia and elsewhere. Richard Spencer, a University of Virginia graduate and a white nationalist who popularized the term "alt-right," wrote about the events at the statues of Confederate Gens. Thomas Stonewall Jackson and Lee in several Twitter posts. Right-wing blogger Jason Kessler, who led an unsuccessful attempt to oust City Councilor Wes Bellamy over an effort to remove the Lee statue, also posted about the event. Several photos posted by them appear to correspond to the scene as described by a Daily Progress reporter. In a statement, Charlottesville Mayor Mike Signer called the event "either profoundly ignorant or was designed to instill fear in our minority populations in a way that hearkens back to the days of the KKK. Either way, as mayor of this city, I want everyone to know this: we reject this intimidation. We are a welcoming city, but such intolerance is not welcome here." On Twitter, Del. David J. Toscano, D-Charlottesville, called the outrageous protests in Charlottesville this evening by apparent white supremacists unacceptable. "Whoever these people were, the intolerance and hatred they seek to promote is utterly disgusting and disturbing beyond words," Erich Reimer, chairman of the Charlottesville Republican party, said in a statement. "This is a time for our community to come together on our common values of liberty, equality and justice for all, in stark contrast to them." Police were unable to confirm exactly who or what groups were at the Lee and Jackson parks on Saturday. In issuing an injunction blocking Charlottesville from selling the Lee statue, the judge, however, did not apply it to the citys plan to rename the Lee and Jackson parks. The city also will not be barred from initiating a master planning process to redesign the two historical districts where the parks are located. The plan also includes a concept to build a new memorial in Jackson Park to those who were enslaved in the city. In filing a lawsuit against the city's decision to sell the Lee statue, the plaintiffs a collection of local residents and the Virginia Division Sons of Confederate Veterans allege the citys vote to remove the statue violates a state law that protects war memorials. The Monument Fund, a collection of the plaintiffs in the case, disavowed the demonstration and said it was not involved in it. Elliott Harding, an attorney who is involved with the group and the litigants in the case against the city, confirmed in a text message that a statement posted from the Facebook page Save the Robert E. Lee Statue was issued by associates of The Monument Fund. "Neither Save the Robert E. Lee Statue nor The Monument Fund were in any way involved in these events and only learned of them though media reports," the statement said. "We remain committed to preserving the Robert E. Lee Monument in its park through the legal process in the courts because of its historic and artistic value. "We soundly and completely reject racism, white supremacy, and any other identity based groups that preach division and hate no matter which side of the issue they happen to support." Mrs. Anne Henderson Love, 91, died peacefully in her sleep Wednesday May 10, 2017 at The Colonnades in Charlottesville, Va. Mrs. Love was born in Atlanta, Georgia on September 22, 1926 to Joseph Howard and Mattie Lou Vaughn Henderson. She was a member of Kappa Kappa Gamma at Duke University and graduated from Agnes Scott College in 1948 with a BS in Physics and Math. She was also a member of the scientific fraternity Chi Beta Phi, and went on to work in a cancer research lab at Brookhaven National Laboratory in Long Island, N.Y. Mrs. Love met her future husband, Nash Love, at Duke, when he chose her as his dance partner, and they were married June 20, 1949 in Atlanta. She and her husband were instrumental in the design and construction of Aldersgate Methodist Church in Alexandria, Virginia where she served as Worship Chairman for over 20 years, working closely with Reverend James Duley. Mrs. Love was a passionate genealogist, spending significant time in the National Archives, graveyards and public records offices across the South to trace her family history. She earned membership in Clan Henderson, The Daughters of the American Revolution, The Colonial Dames and the French Huguenot Society, and was well known in the field for her skills and knowledge. Mrs. Love and her family moved to Lake of the Woods, near Fredericksburg, Virginia, where she became a co-founder of Riverside Dinner Theater & Conference Facility. She was instrumental in the facility design and interior decorating. Mrs. Love also enjoyed travelling the globe and was a gifted artist. She is survived by two daughters, Jennifer Love Brill and Allison Louise Love; four grandchildren, Michael Love, Jackson Pethtal, Jim Love, and Katie Love; and one great-grandchild, Melanie Love. A graveside service will be held at 11:00 a.m. on Wednesday, May 17, 2017, at Pohick Church Cemetery, 9301 Richmond Highway, Lorton, Va. Memorial contributions may be made to Clan Henderson Society, Geneology Fund at 204 Beagle Gap Run, Waynesboro, VA 22980. (www.clanhendersonsociety.org/donation/) DEMOCRACY is always a work in progress, but one hopes that it ultimately moves forward. Fifty years ago, the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. spoke of the disparity in medical care in America and stated, Of all the forms of inequality, injustice in health care is the most shocking and inhumane. His remarks came when Medicare and Medicaid were being enacted as fiercely opposed amendments to the Social Security Act. Within one year of enactment, 19 million people had enrolled in Medicare, and by 2015, 55.5 million were enrolled. By 2016, over 74 million were enrolled in Medicaid/CHIP/FAMIS. But opposition to both programs continues. They are both threatened in the current Republican Congress. The first significant regulatory overhaul of Medicare and Medicaid occurred with enactment of the Affordable Care Act or Obamacare in 2010. Today, an additional 20 million people are insured as a result of the ACA, which also strengthened and expanded the 50-year-old Medicare and Medicaid programs. The ACA has been called the first civil rights act of this century because its goal is to move toward universal coverage and to treat health care as a right of all, rather than a privilege for those who can afford it. First District Rep. Rob Wittmans claims [May 10 op-ed, AHCA is a good first step in the right direction] about a failing ACA and a wonderful new American Health Care Act are at best exaggerated, and at worse false. They also suffer from a stunning omission of countervailing facts. I know this because when I retired from a 40-year career as a legal-aid attorney in 2013, I became an ACA health insurance navigator helping individuals learn about health insurance, to choose and enroll in an affordable plan that best fit their specific needs, and to then wisely use that plan to improve their physical and mental health, their families, and their employability. I did so because many of my working legal-aid clients were uninsured; often, they suffered loss of health, financial devastation and early death. Over the last four years, I have personally enrolled more than 1,000 of Wittmans constituents (many of whom supported him, the Tea Party and/or Donald Trump), despite his offices refusal, beginning in 2013, to refer constituents to the local Navigator office on the grounds that the ACA constituted government interference in the free market, would never work and should be repealed. Wittman has since voted for ACA repeal over 60 times. He supported a successful must pass December 2014 budget reconciliation bill that intentionally neutered the effectiveness of the ACAs risk-corridor funding so that insurance markets would be destabilized and rates would rise. The Houses recent passage of the AHCAcombined with Health and Human Services Department administrative rules that take effect next month and will undercut enrollment and raise premiums and out-of-pocket costsare a further attempt to sabotage the ACA marketplaces. Nonetheless, there are now about 37,000 persons in the 1st House District enrolled in the ACA, and about 410,000 statewide. Another 400,000 Virginians (including 30,000 veterans) are eligible for Medicaid expansion, but for the action of Virginia Republicans in rejecting $4.4 million in federal funding every day and $5.4 billion to date. They will not have the future opportunity for such coverage given its phase-out under the AHCA. DHHS data shows that 83 percent of enrolled Virginians receive advance ACA premium tax credits to lower their monthly premiums (credits that would be significantly reduced under the AHCA), that 67 percent have monthly premiums below $75, and that over 50 percent receive cost-share reductions to significantly lower their out-of-pocket costs such as deductibles, co-pays and co-insurance (these would be eliminated under the AHCA). Eighty-two percent of Virginians express satisfaction with their ACA plans (much higher than the current 11 percent approval rating for Congress). Locally, there is plenty of ACA choice, with six insurers offering 35 different plans with HMO, PPO, POS and HSA options and five tiers of coverage. There is also quality of coverage, assured by a 10-point minimum essential coverage requirement, by free preventative care, and by no pre-existing conditionsall of which are threatened by the AHCA. Nationally, the original version of the AHCA has only a 17 percent approval rating (compared with a 55 percent approval rating for the ACA). It and the acts more conservative, revised version are opposed by more than 50 organizations, including AARP, the American Medical Association, American Hospital Association and American Cancer Society, and is dead on arrival in the Senate. According to the Congressional Budget Offices original scoring and anticipated scoring of the revised version, the AHCA would: Cut Medicaid spending by $800 billion over 10 years by phasing out support for Medicaid expansion and reducing federal support for existing state Medicaid programs. Allow ACA premiums and deductibles to rise by reducing premium subsidies (especially for Americans over 50), eliminating cost-share subsidies, and shrinking the risk pool through elimination of the requirement to have insurance. Severely weaken pre-existing condition protections. Contribute to an increase in the number of uninsured persons by as much as 24 million (more than reversing ACA coverage gains), and; Transfer the savings to corporations and the richest of households, in the form of $600 billion in lavish tax cuts. Bill Botts of Stafford was executive director of Rappahannock Legal Services from 1984 to 2011. He has served as an ACA health insurance navigator since 2013. Editors note: Columns on the AHCA by Reps. Wittman and Brat ran on May 10 and 12, respectively. They may be found on fredericksburg.com/opinion. The Justice League live-action movie will be directed by Zack Snyder and it stars Henry Cavill, Ben Affleck, Gal Gadot, Ray Fisher, Jason Momoa and Ezra Miller. (Photo : YouTube) With all the adaptations and the upcoming Warner Bros. movie "Justice League," most have probably been acquainted with the members of the superhero team. In the comic books, however, the writers are known to spice things up and add a villain or two to the superhero-only team. Here's a list of popular DC Comics supervillains that you didn't know were part of Justice League. Advertisement Catwoman Selina Kyle has been brought to life onscreen by various actresses and in various storylines, but her origin story has remained the same all throughout. She's grew up with a tough upbringing and resorted to a life of crime as she became older. She's a character that flip-flops back and forth-sometimes she's good, sometimes she's bad. At one point, however, she was good to the point of filling in for Batman in Justice League Canada. Killer Frost In The CW's "The Flash," viewers have seen how Killer Frost cannot be trusted. She's manipulative and cold-hearted. In the comic books, however, she's more of a character in the grey area and would only go to great lengths in order to find a cure for her illness. She found a place in Justice League when villain Eclipso had possessed the other members. Although Eclipso tried to do the same with Killer Frost, he was unable to do so due to Frost's strong willpower. Prometheus Prometheus was introduced as top villain in "Arrow" Season 5. According to Screen Rant, Prometheus killed Felicity's boyfriend, Oliver, forcing Felicity to undergo a drastic transformation in order to exact revenge. The Prometheus in the comic books has been a member of Justice League ever since his youth. He was given the status of honorary member in the League. Captain Cold Although he was initially introduced as a baddie in "The Flash," viewers have seen the Captain Cold has a proclivity for goodness and being the hero. As a matter of fact, Movie Pilot reports he sacrificed himself in order to save the rest of Legends of Tomorrow. He became a member of the Justice League after he helped them fight the Crime Syndicate of America. Lex Luthor Superman's popular nemesis joining forces with him? Yes, you read that right. Together with Captain Cold, he helped the Justice League in the battle against the Crime Syndicate of America. The other team members reluctantly allowed Luthor to join. He remained a member of Justice League until the "Darkseid War" story. YES, 21 young Fredericksburg-area students have the Sunshine Lady to thank for providing them the chance for a brighter future and a head start on their future academic and professional careers. But they also have themselves to thank for successfully becoming the first class of Gladys Todd Academy graduates. The Sunshine Lady is, of course, Doris Buffett, the philanthropist whose foundation has touched the lives of a generation of people with programs and opportunities that they might not have otherwise experienced. Buffett, who formerly lived in Fredericksburg, founded the Gladys Todd Academy with a five-year, $2 million gift to Germanna Community College that pays for these and future students to complete their associates degrees by the time they graduate from high school. The students worked incredibly hard, were aided by dedicated mentors and participated in cultural enrichment activities along the way. Of the first class of 21 students, 14 are from James Monroe High School and seven are from Spotsylvania High. The students represent local communities that have faced academic challenges over the years, and this program has succeeded in nurturing the motivation they displayed two years ago to win acceptance into the academys inaugural class. All of the students have been recipients of free or reduced-price school meals. Some represent the first generation of their families to attend college. Many of the students have already committed to extending their academic careers at four-year colleges and universities. One has been accepted to Princeton University, another to the U.S. Military Academy. The pride among these students is palpable, and theres plenty to go around for their families and friends. Each of these kids, along with all of the educators and volunteers who have helped them succeedand certainly Doris Buffettdeserve a standing ovation. When she initiated the academy, Buffett called it a chance to revolutionize the way higher education engages young people. She also called it the most important thing Im doing in the Fredericksburg area. That is saying something, considering the millions of dollars the Sunshine Lady Foundation has invested in local projects and causes: seven homes purchased for the chronically homeless through Micah Ecumenical Ministries; the Sunshine Lady House for Mental Health Wellness & Recovery; the Sunshine Ballpark and Educational Foundation; the Boys and Girls Club of Fredericksburg; the Doris E. Buffett Pool (formerly the Dixon Park Pool); the Prisoner Education Program (which sends Germanna instructors to teach at Coffeewood Correctional Center in Culpeper County). It has always been Buffetts hope that when her funding for continuing programs expires, the community will step up to keep them going. (Buffett is the sister of Berkshire Hathaway CEO Warren Buffett, whose BH Media properties include The Free LanceStar.) The Gladys Todd Academy could not be more appropriately named. Gladys Todd was a local teacher and lifelong civil rights advocate who died in 2015 at the age of 101. Her daughter, Gaye Todd Adegbalola, a musician and recording artist with the local band SaffireThe Uppity Blues Women, continues to lend her unflagging enthusiasm to the program. My mom is truly smiling down for the program to carry her name. She worked all her life for young people, particularly young black people, Adegbalola said. This community is smiling as well. ON SIGNING DAY IN CAROLINE While were at it, lets give a National College Signing Day shout-out to the 109 Caroline High School seniors who will attend a two- or four-year college next fall. The number is up slightly over last year, when the school first participated in the event created by first lady Michelle Obama. The fact that high school graduates everywhere will continue their schooling this fall is not news. Whats newsworthy is that many of them did not expect to or were not expected to go on to college. At some point along the way, they decided to defy expectations and make college a reality. At Caroline High School, maybe National College Signing Day festivities will provide the realization to more students that they too can defy expectations and sign up for a brighter future. Bob Thomas would be a great delegate This is an exciting time! As a fairly new voter, I am looking forward to voting in the June 13 primary and the general election. There are so many offices up and so many choices. I have researched all of them, and I have some experience to help in my decisions. In February, I served as an intern in the Virginia House of Delegates, giving me firsthand exposure to how the process works. I have a special interest in one race, the Houses 28th District seat. Because of my research and experience, I see that there is only one right choice: Bob Thomas. Watching Thomas at meetings of the Stafford County Board of Supervisors, one sees a professional. He clearly does his homework and understands the issues. He also is very respectful to others, even if he does not share their view, which is a quality that I find crucial in this day and age. He is an advocate for his conservative positions, while working with others to bring them to his side. This is an important characteristic. I witnessed delegates in Richmond who were able to get their legislation passed, and this trait was evident. What use is it to preach conservative views if you can not build relationships to get them into law? Relationships built on respect and trust make lasting results. Thomas clearly has that trait. I am excited to be supporting Bob Thomas for delegateand hope you will join me! Samantha Neal Stafford Save the bay and our traditional economies It is wise to support tested economic development strategies. Countries around the world sustain traditional agriculture and watermen economies because these industries employ people, feed citizens and are a source of a cultures identity and pride. You dont mess with a good thing. New internet and other economies should be cultivated, but they havent passed the test of time. Unfortunately, although we now know that suburban development irreversibly damages the climate, wildlife, air and water, America still gives it steroid-like assistance. The suburbs are Americas Potemkin villages, presenting the illusion that things are better than they are. None of our countrys shiny new economies are improving wages, retirement options or job quality. More than 51 percent of American jobs pay less than $30,000 a year, and 71 percent pay less than $50,000. Why then is the new administration planning to eliminate existing watermen jobs with draconian funding cuts to the Environmental Protection Agency and to the Chesapeake Bay program? These cuts will kill crabs and rockfish and jobs galore. The groups with political capital to halt these cuts are Republicans, Donald Trump voters and farmers who recognize that their government-subsidized businesses adversely affect unsubsidized waterman downstream. Over the last half century, perhaps in part because of suburbia, Americans have come to believe in an entirely free market system formed by everyones selfish decisionsthat is, until their jobs are at stake. Then its a different story. In the past, in small-town USA, there was greater civic consciousness about the market. We can go forward by going back a bit. Shop and invest with awareness of environmental and community impacts. Oppose the EPA budget cuts and reversals in environmental regulations. Kimberly Abe Wicomico Church Free Freightnet Membership List your company in the Freightnet directory. It's Free, it's Easy and your company can be displayed in front of potential freight buyers within 24 hours. "Winnie the Pooh" gets a live-action remake. (Photo : Twitter/@digitalspy) Following the success of live-action adaptations, Disney is moving forward with giving the beloved "Winnie the Pooh" a live-action treatment. Titled "Christopher Robin," the film will center on Robin, the adult version of Christopher Robin who was a primary character in A.A. Milne's books. According to Comicbook, Robin will be portrayed by Ewan McGregor. In "Winnie the Pooh" live-action movie, Robin has outgrown his young, joyful imagine and has grown up to become a business. Robin prioritizes his work over his wife and daughter, putting his family life on the brink of destruction. Pooh returns to his life when the jolly bear asks Robin to help find his friends again. Advertisement The Hollywood Reporter wrote that Marc Foster is on board to direct "Christopher Robin," based on a script written by Alex Ross Perry. Aside from McGregor, no other cast member has been confirmed for the film yet. In the meantime, here's a dream casting for the "Winnie the Pooh" live-action adaptation. Patrick Warburton as Eeyore Warburton did a tremendous job narrating Netflix's "A Series of Unfortunate Events," giving the story the gloomy, tragic feel it most certainly deserved. His low, calm voice would make him the perfect candidate for Eeyore, a character which has been described as "not a fan of much, other than eating thistles, but his loyalty wins the hearts of his friends every time he loses his tail." Kevin Spacey as Rabbit Spacey, in a lot of his roles, has always exhibited a sense of leadership, a characteristic that is not far off from Rabbit. He is very attuned to his routine and doesn't like it when he gets interrupted. Spacey also has a strict air to him, which could work in scenes where he's scolding Pooh. Chris Pratt as Tigger Pratt as the same cheerful spirit as Tigger, who's always ready to pounce and surprise everyone with his hilarious antics. The character is described as someone who "eagerly shares his enthusiasm with others - whether they want him to or not." Sounds like something Pratt can pull off. Craig Ferguson as Owl Ferguson played Owl in the 2011 "Winnie the Pooh" movie and he did an incredible job in it. Tom Holland as Piglet Holland has a sweet, young voice which perfectly matches Piglet's personality. Jim Cummings as Winnie the Pooh Pooh's voice is rather distinct, and only Jim Cummings can give Pooh the same kind of character and individuality. Livestock farmers are being urged to recognise the risk of bluetongue spreading to the UK and consider whether vaccines for cattle and sheep are necessary. Although bluetongue has not been seen since 2008 in the UK, the number of cases have continued to increase in France, and move northwards, with trade restrictions now in place in Calais and Brittany. According to Defra, the risk of bluetongue infection in herds remains low, which reflects the cold weather, wind direction and low likelihood of virus circulation in local midge populations in the UK. See also: Vet viewpoint Flies, BVD and oversized lambs However, this may change as temperatures rise and the chances of infected midges being blown across the Channel increases later in the year. Defra said it would continue to monitor the situation in France and report any further updates from the French authorities. Restriction zones Carolyn Hogan, national vet manager at Zoetis, a company that produces the BTV-8 bluetongue vaccine, said it was vital farmers talked to their vets about whether vaccination was necessary ahead of the possibility of the disease entering the UK. If bluetongue arrives back in the UK, restriction zones of 150km would be imposed around infected premises. Livestock famers need to ask themselves whether they can afford not to move stock for six weeks, said Ms Hogan. This would have a significant impact on farmers ability to trade freely. Last September, Defras Animal and Plant Health Agency (APHA) predicted an 80% risk of disease entering the UK from France. But the disease did not appear. Pre-emptive vaccination offers the most effective strategy to ensure animals are fully vaccinated in the event of an outbreak. Bluetongue in France The bluetongue virus currently circulating in France is of the same serotype as that which was detected in the UK in 2007-08. In December 2016, 406 new cases were reported in France with 154 in January 2017, mainly as the result of pre-movement testing. Bluetongue is transmitted via midges, and disease is spread when infected midges bite an uninfected animal. To share with friends and brethren The Gospel of the Kingdom of Jesus Christ (the Everlasting Gospel), and to prepare a people to stand when He returns to redeem His remnant. Also, to share relevant information of current events, and to show how they relate to prophecy; By means of articles, editorials, opinions, scripture readings, and poetry. Disclaimer Endrtimes does not necessarily endorse or agree with every opinion expressed in every article/video posted on this site. The information provided here is done so for personal edification; It's up to the reader to separate truth from error, and to examine everything (like the Bereans) from a Biblical perspective. Let the Holy Scriptures be you guide! - - - FAIR USE NOTICE: These pages/videos may contain copyrighted () material the use of which has not always been specifically authorized by the copyright owner. Such material is made available to advance understanding of ecological, POLITICAL, HUMAN RIGHTS, economic, DEMOCRACY, scientific, MORAL, ETHICAL, and SOCIAL JUSTICE ISSUES, etc. It is believed that this constitutes a 'fair use' of any such copyrighted material as provided for in section 107 of the US Copyright Law. In accordance with Title 17 U.S.C. Section 107, this material is distributed without profit to those who have expressed a prior general interest in receiving similar information for research and educational purposes. NRW elections : Hannelore Kraft resigns: Social democrats in free fall, CDU wins clearly Bonn With a bitter outcome for the SPD, the NRW voters paved the way for a new coalition. The CDU regained in popularity, and the FDP managed the best result in their history. The Green Party got into the parliament despite a huge loss in votes, the AfD also climbed the 5% mark and will be part of the NRW parliament. Teilen Teilen Weiterleiten Weiterleiten Tweeten Tweeten Weiterleiten Weiterleiten Drucken First results show a disastrous outcome of the North Rhine Westphalian elections for Hannelore Kraft and the Social Democrats (SPD) with a loss of 8% and an historically low vote of just 31.1%. As an immediate reaction she announced her resignation from all her posts including as NRW premier. The Christian Democratic Union (CDU) regained power in what traditionally is a social democratic homeland, with 33.7% of the votes. The FDP managed their best result ever with 12.3%, and the AfD also climbed the 5% mark and got into the NRW parliament. The Green Party managed to get in with 6.2%, but also drew in a big loss in votes, compared to their previous result in 2012. Thanks to sound expertise, deficits among the political opponents and a strong tailwind from the federal arm of the CDU, the Christian Democrats celebrated a clear win in the North Rhine Westphalian elections. Chancellor and CDU head Angela Merkel now enjoys a much better image in NRW than the SPD challenger Martin Schulz, according to a poll by the research group Wahlen on Sunday evening. After massive losses during the past two NRW elections the CDU managed to regain a lot of ground, particularly in expertise and reputation. And: Despite still having a positive image in general neither the NRW Social Democrats nor Hannelore Kraft achieved the popularity level they had five years ago. A lot of criticism particularly directed at the Green Party led to a negative red-green government outcome and thus to an atmosphere ripe for their being voted out, according to the psephologists from Mannheim. The cleric described Christians as unbelievers while explaining a Quranic verse during an episode of his television show A Cairo misdemeanor court has set 24 June to start the trial of a prominent Islamic cleric and television presenter on charges of contempt of religion, after he described Christians as non-believers on an episode of his television show. The lawsuit filed against Salem Abdel-Geliel by lawyer Naguib Gibrail initially charged that Abdel-Geliels comments displayed contempt of religion, threatened national unity, disrupted public peace and incited the killing of Christians. Abdel-Geliel, a former deputy minister for proselytisation at the Ministry of Religious Endowments, has presented a daily religious programme, Muslims Ask, on Mehwar satellite channel since early 2016. Hassan Rateb, the head of Mehwar, said on Wednesday that the clerics contract with the station would be cancelled. The channel also apologised to all Christian brothers in an official statement. Abdel-Geliel, who is been known for his mainstream religious views, described Christians as "unbelievers" and their beliefs as "corrupted" during his explanation of a Quranic verse on an episode of his programme earlier this week. He said later in a statement that the description unbeliever was applied to Christians in the Quran in a specific context, but he apologised if he had offended Christians feelings. He also stressed that describing Christians as such doesnt carry any sort of incitement to violence against Christians or followers of any other religion, as such violence is forbidden in Islam. Abdel-Geliel also said that he fully understood the channel's decision to end his contract. Egypt's Ministry of Endowments had said that Abdel-Geliel would be banned from giving sermons at ministry-affiliated mosques until he issued an apology. Defendants charged with contempt of religion are normally Christians, or others holding minority religious views, charged with insulting Islam. But this is not the first time in recent years that an Islamic religious figure has been tried on charges of contempt of Christianity. Controversial preacher Abu Islam, who burnt a copy of the Bible in front of the American embassy in Cairo during Salafi protests in September 2012, was sentenced in June 2013 to 11 years in jail and a EGP3,000 fine over the incident after he was found guilty of insulting Christianity. The sentence was reduced to three years following a series of appeals. Al-Azhar University head replaced After a similar controversy, Egypt's grand imam, Ahmed El-Tayyeb, last week appointed Mohamed Hussein El-Mahrsawy, the dean of the Arabic language faculty at Al-Azhar Univeristy, as acting president of the university. The appointment came following the resignation of previous president Ahmed Hosni, who had caused controversy due to his attacks against well-known independent religious commentator Islam El-Beheiry. Hosni resigned after he was criticised for describing El-Beheiry, who is known for controversial interpretations of Islamic jurisprudence and calls for "renewal of religious discourse," as an apostate. Hosni later issued an apology, saying the opinions he expressed about El-Beheiry were personal and did not represent the official positions of Al-Azhar, stressing he believes no Muslim can be considered an apostate unless he renounces Islam. Search Keywords: Short link: An opportunity for foodies and beer lovers to get lost in a world of food and drink from a hand-selected range of food trucks and breweries from around New Zealand. President El-Sisi also affirmed the importance of lifting the arms embargo on the Libyan army, imposed by the United Nations on Libyan factions in February 2011 Egypts President Abdel-Fattah El-Sisi met Saturday with Libyan military commander Khalifa Haftar in Cairo where the two discussed recent developments in the Libyan situation, a presidential statement read. The Egyptian president reiterated that Egypt encourages political dialogue to end the Libyan crisis as well as reaching amendments to the Skhirat agreement, which was signed in Morocco in 2015 and mandates the reaching of a peaceful transition of power in Libya and the establishment of a national unity government. El-Sisi stressed to Haftar, a figurehead in the east of Libya, the importance of reuniting the Libyan military, which was created 77 years ago by the hands of its people from different [Libyan] regions, the statement added. The president also affirmed the importance of lifting the arms embargo on the Libyan army, imposed by the United Nations on all factions of Libya in February 2011 citing violent repression of civilian demonstrators by former president Muammar Gaddafi. El-Sisi also pointed to the necessity of stopping the financing of terrorist groups and preventing their supplies of weapons. For his part, General Haftar expressed his gratitude for Egypts role in efforts to end the Libyan crisis and its efforts to reach a settlement for the situation, the statement added. Search Keywords: Short link: Weekly Roundup: Smartphones launched last week Features oi -Harish Kumar Weekly roundup of launches. This entire week was jam-packed with new smartphone launches in the Indian market. There were launches that took place at different price points to cater to the needs of all segments of buyers. Many international smartphone manufacturers such as Huawei's Honor, Sansui and Panasonic released their offerings in the country. Besides them, even the homegrown vendors such as Intex, Karbonn and Micromax came up with their offerings in the maker. Even Nubia launched one of their phones in the country at an attractive price point. Best, recently launched budget smartphones under Rs 10,000 Let's take a look at all the announcements and launches that have taken place in India this week over here. Check out the list from below. Karbonn Aura 4G Buy At Price of Rs 5,290 Key Specs 5-inch (1280 x 720 pixels) HD display 1.3 GHz quad-core processor 1GB RAM 8GB internal memory expandable memory up to 32GB with microSD Android 6.0 (Marshmallow) Dual SIM 8MP rear camera with LED Flash 5MP front-facing camera 4G VoLTE 2150mAh battery Intex Aqua Crystal Plus Buy At Price of Rs 6,499 Key Specs 5-inch (1280 x 720 pixels) HD display 1.25GHz Quad-core MediaTek MT6737 64-bit Processor with 550MHz Mali-T720 MP2 GPU 2GB RAM 16GB internal memory expandable memory up to 128GB with microSD Android 7.0 (Nougat) OS Hybrid Dual SIM (Micro + nano / microSD) 13MP rear camera with dual LED Flash 5MP front-facing camera 4G VoLTE 2100mAh battery Panasonic P85 Buy At Price of Rs 6,499 Key Specs 5 Inch HD IPS Curved Glass Display 1.0GHz Quad-Core Processor 2GB RAM With 16GB ROM Dual SIM 8MP Rear Camera With LED FLash 2MP Front Camera 4G VoLTE WiFi Bluetooth 4.0 Fingerprint FM Radio 4000mAh Battery Honor 8 Lite Buy At Price of Rs 10,690 Key Specs 5.2-inch (1920 x 1080 pixels) Full HD 2.5D curved glass display Octa-core Kirin 655 ( 4 x 2.1GHz + 4 x 1.7GHz) 16nm processor with Mali T830-MP2 GPU 4GB LPDDR3 RAM 64GB storage expandable memory up to 128GB with microSD Android 7.0 (Nougat) with EMUI 5.0 Hybrid Dual SIM (nano + nano/microSD) 12MP rear camera with LED flash 8MP front-facing camera, 77 wide-angle lens Fingerprint sensor 4G VoLTE 3000mAh battery Panasonic Eluga Ray Buy At Price of Rs 7,999 Key Specs a 5-inch HD display powered by 1.3 GHz MTK Quad-Core Processor 3GB RAM 16GB on-board memory expanded up to 64GB runs on Android 6.0 Marshmallow operating system 4G/VOLTE-enabled 5MP front camera with flash rear 13MP camera a 4,000mAh battery power Asus Zenfone Go 5.5 Buy At Price of Rs 8,499 Key Specs 5.5-inch (1280 x 720 pixels) IPS display 1.2 GHz quad-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 410 (MSM8916 ) 64-bit processor with Adreno 306 GPU 2GB LPDDR3 RAM 16GB internal memory micro SD card up to 128GB Dual SIM Android 6.0 (Marshmallow) with Zen UI 13MP rear camera with dual-tone LED Flash 5MP front-facing camera 4G LTE/3G WiFi 802.11 b/g/n, Bluetooth 4.0, GPS 3000mAh battery Micromax Canvas 2 2017 Buy At Price of Rs 11,999 Key Specs 5-inch (1280 x 720 pixels) HD display with Corning Gorilla Glass 5 protection, 400 nits brightness 1.3GHz Quad-core MediaTek MT6737 64-bit Processor with Mali T720 MP1 GPU 3GB RAM 16GB internal memory expandable memory up to 64GB with microSD Android 7.0 (Nougat) OS Dual SIM 13MP rear camera with LED Flash 5MP front-facing camera Fingerprint sensor 4G VoLTE 3050mAh battery Nubia M2 Lite Buy At Price of Rs 13,999 Key Specs 5.5-inch (1280 x 720 pixels) HD 2.5D curved glass display 1.5 GHz Octa-Core MediaTek MT6750 64-bit processor with Mali T860 GPU 4GB RAM 32GB storage expandable memory up to 128GB with microSD Nubia UI 4.0 based on Android 6.0 (Marshmallow) Hybrid Dual SIM (nano + nano / microSD) 13MP rear camera with LED Flash 16MP front-facing camera Fingerprint sensor 4G 3000mAh battery Best Mobiles in India Facebook, To stay updated with latest technology news & gadget reviews, follow GizBot on Twitter YouTube and also subscribe to our notification. Allow Notifications Counter-ISIS Strikes Target Terrorists in Syria, Iraq From a Combined Joint Task Force Operation Inherent Resolve News Release SOUTHWEST ASIA, May 13, 2017 U.S. and coalition military forces continued to attack the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria yesterday, conducting 22 strikes consisting of 80 engagements, Combined Joint Task Force Operation Inherent Resolve officials reported today. Officials reported details of yesterday's strikes, noting that assessments of results are based on initial reports. Strikes in Syria In Syria, coalition military forces conducted 15 strikes consisting of 19 engagements against ISIS targets: -- Near Abu Kamal, a strike destroyed an ISIS wellhead. -- Near Hawl, a strike engaged an ISIS tactical unit and destroyed a vehicle and a vehicle bomb. -- Near Dayr Az Zawr, six strikes engaged an ISIS tactical unit and destroyed 16 ISIS oil tankers, two pieces of ISIS oil processing equipment, two fighting positions and a vehicle. -- Near Raqqa, five strikes engaged two ISIS tactical units and destroyed two fighting positions, a front-end loader, an ISIS crane, and a house-born improvised explosive device. -- Near Tabqah, two strikes engaged an ISIS tactical unit and destroyed a tactical vehicle and a vehicle. Strikes in Iraq In Iraq, coalition military forces conducted seven strikes consisting of 61 engagements against ISIS targets: -- Near Mosul, six strikes engaged three ISIS tactical units; destroyed six fighting positions, five mortar systems, a tactical vehicle, a house-borne improvised explosive device, a recoilless rifle, a medium machine gun, a command-and-control node, a weapons cache; damaged 27 ISIS supply routes and a fighting position; and suppressed eight mortar teams an artillery system. -- Near Tal Afar, a strike engaged an ISIS tactical unit and destroyed a tactical vehicle and a weapons cache. Additionally, six strikes were conducted in Syria on May 11 that closed within the last 24 hours: -- Near Hawl, a strike engaged an ISIS tactical unit and destroyed three fighting positions. -- Near Raqqa, five strikes engaged an ISIS tactical unit; destroyed two vehicle bombs, a fighting position, a weapons cache, a vehicle; and damaged two ISIS supply routes and a bridge. Part of Operation Inherent Resolve These strikes were conducted as part of Operation Inherent Resolve, the operation to destroy ISIS in Iraq and Syria. The destruction of ISIS targets in Iraq and Syria also further limits the group's ability to project terror and conduct external operations throughout the region and the rest of the world, task force officials said. The list above contains all strikes conducted by fighter, attack, bomber, rotary-wing or remotely piloted aircraft; rocket-propelled artillery; and some ground-based tactical artillery when fired on planned targets, officials noted. Ground-based artillery fired in counterfire or in fire support to maneuver roles is not classified as a strike, they added. A strike, as defined by the coalition, refers to one or more kinetic engagements that occur in roughly the same geographic location to produce a single or cumulative effect. For example, task force officials explained, a single aircraft delivering a single weapon against a lone ISIS vehicle is one strike, but so is multiple aircraft delivering dozens of weapons against a group of ISIS-held buildings and weapon systems in a compound, having the cumulative effect of making that facility harder or impossible to use. Strike assessments are based on initial reports and may be refined, officials said. The task force does not report the number or type of aircraft employed in a strike, the number of munitions dropped in each strike, or the number of individual munition impact points against a target. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Pak-Afghan-US trilateral meeting discuss fighting Daesh IRNA - Islamic Republic News Agency Islamabad, May 13, IRNA -- A high level meeting between senior military officials of Pakistan, Afghanistan and Resolute Support Mission stressed upon the need to fight Daesh through complementary efforts in respective areas of operations, Pakistan's military media wing said. According to the statement of the pakistan army, the Afghan delegation was led by its Director General of Military Operations Major General Habib Hesari and Deputy Chief of Staff Major General Christopher Haas represented Resolute Support Mission while Pakistan was represented by Director General of Military Operations Major General Sahir Shamshad Mirza in the meeting at Pakistan army headquarters. "Border control and management, and measures to curb cross-border fire violations were also discussed," read the statement issued by Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR). During the trilateral meeting, the senior delegates discussed measures for improving military-to-military coordination and cooperation. All sides also agreed to enhance frequency of bilateral interactions at multiple levels through different command and staff channels to foster an environment of mutual respect, trust, cordiality and cooperation. This is the first ever trial meeting between Pakistan, Afghanistan and Resolute Support Mission which discussed the issue of Daesh in the region. Daesh has a presence in Afghanistan which can be a threat for Pakistan also. Earlier Pakistan army had said that it will not allow even a shadow of Daesh in Pakistan. Resolute Support or Operation Resolute Support is a NATO-led train, advise, and assist mission consisting of over 13,000 troops in the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan, which began on January 1, 2015. It is a follow-on mission to the International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) which was completed on December 28, 2014. 272**1723**1771 NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Beijing deploys AWACS aircraft near South China Sea: Report Iran Press TV Sat May 13, 2017 2:37PM Satellite imagery purportedly shows that the Chinese military has deployed its advanced airborne early warning and control airplanes to a military airbase near the disputed South China Sea. Beijing deployed a pair of its state-of-the-art Shaanxi KJ-500 aircraft to Jialaishi Air Base in the northern part of China's Hainan island, said a report by the Defense News on Friday, citing a March 24 satellite photo provided by the DigitalGlobe company, a US commercial vendor of space imagery and geospatial content. The satellite imagery showed the KJ-500 planes, the latest generation of AEW&CS aircraft, as resting alongside two other older planes, one of them a KJ-200 aircraft and the other possibly a Y-8J or Y-8X maritime patrol airplane. The KJ-200 AEW&C aircraft, which are currently in service with the Chinese military, are expected to be replaced by younger and more advanced KJ-500 aircraft. Having entered into service with the Chinese Air Force in early 2015, the KJ-500, with the help of a satellite communications dome atop it, is reportedly capable of tracking nearly 100 vehicles simultaneously. The bigger radar array of the KJ-500 also creates more effective situation awareness and allows guidance and control of enemy and friendly planes, while smaller radars mounted on the nose and rear fuselage guarantee additional coverage. So far, only six KJ-500 aircraft are known to be used by the Chinese military, with four of them employed by the Chinese People's Liberation Army Air Force and the remaining two used by the Chinese People's Liberation Army Navy (PLAN), which are currently deployed in Hainan, tasked with special missions. Jialaishi is one of three major PLAN air bases in Hainan, located on the northern parts of the South China Sea and its contested islands. The South China Sea is located between China, the Philippines, Vietnam, Taiwan, Malaysia and Brunei and hosts one of the world's busiest waterways and is believed to be rich in mineral and gas deposits and fishing grounds. The neighboring countries have long disputed the ownership of the territories in the waterbody, through which about $5 trillion of global sea-borne trade passes each year. However, Beijing claims all the contested sea, including waters and rocks close to the shores of neighbors, and has been building much-criticized artificial islands and installing military equipment on them, including on some reefs in the Spratly chain, which are also claimed by Manila. The regional military presence of the United States, which always takes sides with China's rival claimants in the disputed waters, has been a source of concern for China's leadership. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Hezbollah hands over border posts to Lebanese army Iran Press TV Sat May 13, 2017 1:43PM The Lebanese resistance movement Hezbollah has handed over a number of military posts to the army after the group managed to retake them from terrorists operating along the border with Syria. Hezbollah said on the website of its television network al-Manar on Friday that the army took over the positions that had been under Hezbollah's control in Baalbek region. It said the four military posts were located west of Tufail, in Brital, in Ham, and in Maaraboun plains. The announcement came a day after Hezbollah's Secretary General Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah said in a speech that the mission of the resistance movement had been accomplished in Baalbek. Nasrallah said, however, that Hezbollah would maintain its positions on the other side of the border in Syria to prevent militants from infiltrating into Lebanon. Hezbollah fighters intervened in the conflict in Syria after the war broke out in early 2011. The resistance movement said the intervention was necessary to prevent a spillover of the conflict in Syria, which is blamed on certain regional governments. Through Hezbollah's assistance, Syria has managed to clear key areas in the south and north from militants. The battle continues especially in the east, where the Daesh Takfiri terrorist group holds positions. Hezbollah has a history of assisting Lebanon's military in the fight against enemies, especially during eight years of occupation of southern Lebanon by Israel that ended in May 2000. Hezbollah also entered a war with Israel in 2006 to inflict huge losses on the regime in Tel Aviv and to force it to accept a UN-brokered ceasefire after 34 days in mid-August that year. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Afghan forces kill 12 Daesh terrorists in Nangarhar Iran Press TV Sat May 13, 2017 9:49AM Afghan security forces have killed at least a dozen militants affiliated with the Takfiri Daesh terrorist group operating in the country's troubled east. Police sources said at least 12 terrorists had been killed during security operations conducted with air power support in eastern Nangarhar Province on Saturday. No further details have been released regarding the report so far. The operations are underway since a month ago in response to the growing threats posed by the Takfiri group and its affiliates in the eastern province. Daesh has expanded its activities in nearly a dozen Afghan provinces, particularly Nangarhar, despite the presence of thousands of foreign boots on the ground in the war-torn country. The terrorist group, mainly active in Syria and Iraq, has been using a sophisticated social media campaign to woo the local militants, who defect from the main Taliban group. The rise of Daesh in Afghanistan has raised concerns in a country already torn apart by decades of Taliban-led militancy and the 2001 invasion of the US and its allies. Although Taliban leaders have warned Daesh against "waging a parallel insurgency in Afghanistan," the latter has been trying to expand its outreach there and is reported to have between 1,000 to 3,000 terrorists on its payroll. In an exclusive interview with the US-based Fox News network published earlier this month, former Afghan president Hamid Karzai held the United States accountable for the rise of Daesh in his homeland, saying Washington was in cahoots with the notorious terrorist group it had created. "Daesh is a US product," Karzai said. "Daesh -- which is clearly foreign -- emerged in 2015 during the US presence." The US currently maintains nearly 8,400 soldiers in Afghanistan with nearly 5,000 more troops from NATO allies. Washington and its allies first invaded the country nearly 16 years ago as part of the so-called war on terror. The invasion removed Taliban from power, but militancy continues to this day. Reports say the US and NATO are seeking to build up their military presence in the war-torn country again. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Military Strikes Hit ISIS Terrorists in Syria, Iraq From a Combined Joint Task Force Operation Inherent Resolve News Release SOUTHWEST ASIA, May 14, 2017 U.S. and coalition military forces continued to attack the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria yesterday, conducting 36 strikes consisting of 70 engagements, Combined Joint Task Force Operation Inherent Resolve officials reported today. Officials reported details of yesterday's strikes, noting that assessments of results are based on initial reports. Strikes in Syria In Syria, coalition military forces conducted 22 strikes consisting of 34 engagements against ISIS targets: -- Near Abu Kamal, two strikes engaged an ISIS tactical unit and destroyed an ISIS pump jack and an ISIS vehicle. -- Near Dayr Az Zawr, three strikes destroyed three ISIS oil tankers and a command-and-control node. -- Near Raqqa, 13 strikes engaged seven ISIS tactical units and destroyed five vehicles, four fighting positions, two front-end loaders, an ISIS crane, an artillery system, a mortar system and an ISIS headquarters. -- Near Tabqah, four strikes engaged two ISIS tactical units and destroyed two fighting positions, a tactical vehicle, an ISIS headquarters and a vehicle bomb factory. Strikes in Iraq In Iraq, coalition military forces conducted 14 strikes consisting of 43 engagements against ISIS targets: -- Near Qaim, a strike destroyed a tactical vehicle. -- Near Mosul, five strikes engaged four ISIS tactical units; destroyed a mortar system, a vehicle bomb factory, a rocket cache, a command-and-control node, a medium machine gun; damaged 19 ISIS supply routes, a front-end loader, a fighting position; and suppressed mortar team. -- Near Rawah, three strikes engaged two ISIS tactical units and destroyed three tactical vehicles and two staging areas. -- Near Sinjar, four strikes destroyed four tactical vehicles, two ISIS staging areas and a vehicle. -- Near Tal Afar, a strike engaged an ISIS tactical unit. Additionally, four strikes were conducted in Syria on May 12 that closed within the last 24 hours: -- Near Raqqa, four strikes destroyed an ISIS vehicle and a fighting position and damaged two ISIS bridges and an ISIS supply route. Part of Operation Inherent Resolve These strikes were conducted as part of Operation Inherent Resolve, the operation to destroy ISIS in Iraq and Syria. The destruction of ISIS targets in Iraq and Syria also further limits the group's ability to project terror and conduct external operations throughout the region and the rest of the world, task force officials said. The list above contains all strikes conducted by fighter, attack, bomber, rotary-wing or remotely piloted aircraft; rocket-propelled artillery; and some ground-based tactical artillery when fired on planned targets, officials noted. Ground-based artillery fired in counterfire or in fire support to maneuver roles is not classified as a strike, they added. A strike, as defined by the coalition, refers to one or more kinetic engagements that occur in roughly the same geographic location to produce a single or cumulative effect. For example, task force officials explained, a single aircraft delivering a single weapon against a lone ISIS vehicle is one strike, but so is multiple aircraft delivering dozens of weapons against a group of ISIS-held buildings and weapon systems in a compound, having the cumulative effect of making that facility harder or impossible to use. Strike assessments are based on initial reports and may be refined, officials said. The task force does not report the number or type of aircraft employed in a strike, the number of munitions dropped in each strike, or the number of individual munition impact points against a target. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Worldwide Cyberattack Spreads Further in Second Day By VOA News May 13, 2017 A cyberattack against tens of thousands of data networks in scores of countries, all infected by malware that locks computer files unless a ransom is paid, spread further in its second day Saturday, with no progress reported in efforts to determine who launched the plot. Computer security experts assured individual computer users who have kept their PC operating systems updated that they are relatively safe. They advised those whose networks have been effectively shut down by the ransomware attack not to make the payment demanded the equivalent of $300, paid in the digital currency bitcoin, delivered to a likely untraceable destination that consists merely of a lengthy string of letters and numbers. However, the authors of the "WannaCry" ransomware attack told their victims the amount they must pay would double if they did not comply within three days of the original infection by Monday, in most cases. And the hackers warned that they would delete all files on infected systems if no payment was received within seven days. Avast, an international security software firm that claims it has 400 million users worldwide, said the ransomware attacks rose rapidly Saturday to a peak of 57,000 detected intrusions. Avast, which was founded in 1988 by two Czech researchers, said the largest number of attacks appeared to be aimed at Russia, Ukraine and Taiwan, but that major institutions in many other countries were affected. 'Kill switch' found Computer security experts said the current attack could have been much worse but for the quick action of a young researcher in Britain who discovered a vulnerability in the ransomware itself, known as WanaCryptor 2.0. The researcher, identified only as "MalwareTech," found a "kill switch" within the ransomware as he studied its structure. The "kill" function halted WanaCryptor's ability to copy itself rapidly to all terminals in an infected system hastening its crippling effect on a large network once it was in contact with a secret internet address, or URL, consisting of a lengthy alphanumeric string. The "kill" function had not been activated by whoever unleashed the ransomware, and the researcher found that the secret URL had not been registered to anyone by international internet administrators. He immediately claimed the URL for himself, spending about $11 to secure his access, and that greatly slowed the pace of infections in Britain. Expects cautioned, however, that the criminals who pushed the ransomware to the world might be able to disable the "kill" switch in future versions of their malware. Hackers' key tool WanaCryptor 2.0 is only part of the problem. It spread to so many computers so rapidly by using an exploit software capable of burrowing unseen into Windows computer operating systems. The exploit, known as "EternalBlue" or "MS17-010," took advantage of a vulnerability in the Microsoft software that reportedly had been discovered and developed by the U.S. National Security Agency, which used it for surveillance activities. NSA does not discuss its capabilities, and some computer experts say the MS17-010 exploit was developed by unknown parties using the name Equation Group (which may also be linked to NSA). Whatever its source, it was published on the internet last month by a hacker group called ShadowBrokers. Microsoft distributed a "fix" for the software vulnerability two months ago, but not all computer users and networks worldwide had yet made that update and thus were highly vulnerable. And many computer networks, particularly those in less developed parts of the world, still use an older version of Microsoft software, Windows XP, that the company no longer updates. The Finnish computer security firm F-Secure called the problem spreading around the world "the biggest ransomware outbreak in history." The firm said it had warned about the exponential growth of ransomware, or crimeware, as well as the dangers of sophisticated surveillance tools used by governments. Lesson: Update programs With WanaCryptor and MS17-010 both "unleashed into the wild," F-Secure said the current problem seems to have combined and magnified the worst of the dangers those programs represent. The security firm Kaspersky Lab, based in Russia, noted that Microsoft had repaired the software problem that allows backdoor entry into its operating systems weeks before hackers published the exploit linked to the NSA, but also said: "Unfortunately it appears that many users have not yet installed the patch." Britain's National Health Services first sounded the ransomware alarm Friday. The government held an emergency meeting Saturday of its crisis response committee, known as COBRA, to assess the damage. Late in the day, Home Secretary Amber Rudd said the NHS was again "working as normal," with 97 percent of the system's components now fully restored. Spanish firm Telefonica, French automaker Renault, the U.S.-based delivery service FedEx and the German railway Deutsche Bahn were among those affected. None of the firms targeted indicated whether they had paid or would pay the hackers ransom. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Egypt's Prime Minister Sherif Ismail has re-extended President El-Sisis invitation to Somali President Mohamed Abdullahi Mohamed to visit Egypt in order to consolidate bilateral relations, state news agency MENA reported. Mohamed expressed his gratitude to the support and humanitarian aid offered by Egypt to the Somali people, a statement by Egyptian cabinet said Friday. Ismail met on Thursday with the Somali president while participating in the London Somalia Conference in the UK capital. The statement added that Ismail hopes the conference contributes to supporting Somalia, and enabling the proper environment for development and prosperity of the Somali people. On Wednesday the UK hosted the two-day conference, in collaboration with the Somali government and the United Nations. According to a British government statement, the conference brought together leaders from around the world who accelerated progress on security sector reform, built on the international response to the ongoing drought and humanitarian crisis and agreed the new international partnership needed to keep Somalia on course for increased peace and prosperity by 2020." The Egyptian premier has also stressed the willingness of Egypt to fully support Somali government and to offer help in development field and fighting terrorism. Ismail referred to a number of opportunities for trade and economic cooperation increase between both countries, such as agriculture, irrigation, mining, oil, gas, animal resources, fishing, meat imports, and education. Ismail also stated the importance of the private sector, pointing to an expected visit by an Egyptian businessmen delegation to Mogadishu to search for fields of cooperation. According to the Egyptian statement, the Somali president sent a message to El-Sisi that their meeting will mark a push towards enhancing relations between the two countries, and that he is looking forward to all joint projects to be carried out, especially as his country has started the reconstruction process and is in need of cooperation on many levels to achieve national economic. Mohamed Abdullahi Mohamed, 55, was elected in February 2017. Search Keywords: Short link: Manhunt Under Way In Cyberattack; Business Prepare For Renewed Attacks RFE/RL May 14, 2017 An international manhunt is under way to find those responsible for a massive global cyberattack that hit as many as 100 countries. Meanwhile, businesses around the world on May 13 said they were bolstering their defenses as experts said a lull in attacks might be just temporary. The pace of attacks by the WannaCry "ransomware" slowed late on May 12, after having locked up at least 100,000 computers. The instigators of the virus demanded computer owners pay $300 to $600 in bitcoin to retrieve their encrypted data. "It's paused, but it's going to happen again," Patrick McBride, an executive with cybersecurity firm Claroty, told Reuters news agency. "We absolutely anticipate that this will come back." Europol, Europe's police agency, said, "The recent attack is at an unprecedented level and will require a complex international investigation to identify the culprits." The agency said a task force at its European Cybercrime Center was "specially designed to assist in such investigations and will play an important role in supporting the investigation." The unprecedented cyberattack affected systems, including at banks, hospitals, and government agencies, in dozens of countries around the world with Russia, France, and the U.K. particularly hard hit. In the U.K., the attack disrupted National Health Service facilities, forcing ambulances to divert and hospitals to delay operations. The NHS said on May 13 that almost all of its computers were back to normal operation. The Russian Interior Ministry said some of its computers had been hit by a "virus attack." The country's banking system and railways were also hit, although no problems were detected. Experts and government officials urged users not to give in to the hackers' demands. "Paying the ransom does not guarantee the encrypted files will be released," the U.S. Department of Homeland Security's computer emergency response team said. "It only guarantees that the malicious actors receive the victim's money, and in some cases, their banking information." Computer experts said the virus spread quickly because it used a digital code believed to have been developed by the U.S. National Security Agency. The code was leaked as part of a hacked document dump, the experts said. A cybersecurity researcher has been credited with slowing the ransomware after accidentally discovering a "kill switch" that could prevent the spread. The researcher issued a tweet from the @MalwareTechBlog that said registering a domain name used by the malware stops it from spreading, although it would not help computers already affected. With reporting by dpa, AFP, and AP Source: https://www.rferl.org/a/manhunt-cyberattack-ransomware -russia-uk-computer-virus/28486797.html Copyright (c) 2017. RFE/RL, Inc. Reprinted with the permission of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, 1201 Connecticut Ave., N.W. Washington DC 20036. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Europol: Cyberattack Threat Escalating As Manhunt Under Way RFE/RL May 14, 2017 An international manhunt is under way to find those responsible for a massive global cyberattack that hit more than 200,000 victims in more than 150 countries, Europol has said. Europol executive director Rob Wainwright said on May 14 that few had given in to the demands for payments to unblock files so far, but warned that the situation was escalating. "The global reach is unprecedented. The latest count is over 200,000 victims in at least 150 countries, and those victims, many of those will be businesses, including large corporations," the head of the pan-European Union policing agency told Britain's ITV television. The pace of attacks by the WannaCry "ransomware" slowed late on May 12. The attack is believed to be the biggest online extortion attack ever recorded. The attack might spread further once people return to work on May 15 and log on to their computers, Wainwright warned. The instigators of the virus demanded computer owners pay $300 to $600 in Bitcoin to retrieve their encrypted data. Europol said a task force at its European Cybercrime Center was "specially designed to assist in such investigations and will play an important role in supporting the investigation." The unprecedented cyberattack affected systems, including at banks, hospitals, and government agencies, in dozens of countries around the world -- with Russia, France, and Great Britain particularly hard hit. In Britain, the attack disrupted National Health Service (NHS) facilities, forcing ambulances to divert and hospitals to delay operations. The NHS said on May 13 that almost all of its computers were back to normal operation. The Russian Interior Ministry said some of its computers had been hit by a "virus attack." The country's banking system and railways were also hit, although no problems were detected. Experts and government officials urged users not to give in to the hackers' demands. "Paying the ransom does not guarantee the encrypted files will be released," the U.S. Department of Homeland Security's computer emergency-response team said. "It only guarantees that the malicious actors receive the victim's money, and in some cases, their banking information." Computer experts said the virus spread quickly because it used a digital code believed to have been developed by the U.S. National Security Agency. The code was leaked as part of a hacked document dump, the experts said. A cybersecurity researcher has been credited with slowing the ransomware after accidentally discovering a "kill switch" that could prevent the spread. The researcher issued a tweet from the @MalwareTechBlog that said registering a domain name used by the malware stops it from spreading, although it would not help computers already affected. With reporting by dpa, AFP, and AP Source: https://www.rferl.org/a/manhunt-cyberattack-ransomware -russia-uk-computer-virus/28486797.html Copyright (c) 2017. RFE/RL, Inc. Reprinted with the permission of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, 1201 Connecticut Ave., N.W. Washington DC 20036. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Cyber Security Experts: Russia Disproportionately Targeted by Malware By Charles Maynes May 14, 2017 Countries across the globe scrambled to respond to a malicious "ransomware" virus, as internet security watchdogs said the attack had disproportionately targeted Russia. The Russian cyber security firm Kaspersky Labs was among the first to identify the so-called "Wanna Cry" malware a viral worm that exploits a vulnerability in the Windows operating system to encrypt files without users permission. A group of hackers known as "The Shadow Brokers" are widely believed to have stolen the program from the U.S. National Security Agency last April and deployed it as a means to ransom user data around the world for cash profits. Kaspersky Labs initially reported 45,000 attacks by the malware in more than 70 countries, with Russia bearing the brunt of the onslaught. "The range of targets and victims is likely much, much higher," warned the Kaspersky report. Within hours, other internet security firms put the number of computers targeted at more than 75,000 computers in 100 countries. Those numbers are expected to grow. Russian fallout Russia's powerful Interior Ministry and national railway service both confirmed they had fallen victim to the malware. The Russian mobile telecom giant, Megafon, too, issued a statement saying its servers had been compromised. But by mid-day Saturday, spokesmen from all three said they had successfully isolated the virus and were operating as usual. The statements came as other key Russian ministries, and the country's central bank, pushed back against claims state computer infrastructure had been compromised. In statements to Russian media, all argued they had thwarted the virus using non-Windows operating systems while trumpeting the merits of data backups using a, notably, Russian-made server, Elbrus. The claims have not been confirmed by outside experts. Kremlin-net The Kremlin has long been suspicious of Western technology firms, arguing they work in collusion with American intelligence agencies. In 2014, Russia's Duma passed a law requiring Western tech companies such as Facebook, Twitter, and Google to relocate servers to Russia in an effort to protect Russian user data. Though not yet fully implemented, Russian internet activists have argued the law gives Russian security services dangerous access to private data with little legal recourse. Russian President Vladimir Putin has also pushed for digital independence from Western tech firms, partially in response to American and European sanctions introduced following Russia's annexation of Crimea from Ukraine in 2014. Sunday, the Kremlin's advisor on internet strategy German Klimenko seized the latest cyber attack as a chance to praise those moves. "The president's order to create a Russian segment of the internet, [it created] a closed Internet solely for government bureaucrats," said Klimenko in an interview with Russia's Channel One television. "The defense against attacks has been in place a long time," he added. "It is doubtful our [government] data suffered." NSA connection? Meanwhile, Russia's online community debated the disproportionate targeting of Russia, in particular allegations the virus had originated with the NSA. But on the Russian-built secure messaging app Telegram, users traded theories the virus was a U.S. plot aimed at disrupting the country's 2018 presidential elections, apparent payback for U.S. intelligence agencies' conclusion Russian hackers had interfered in last year's American presidential elections. But Anton Nossik, a longtime leading internet voice in Russia, rejected those charges as "terribly funny" in a widely shared post to his Live Journal blog. "That 74 countries were implicated in the virus is explained as Russia's enemies desire to hide the real goal of their attack," wrote Nossik, who notes that Russian governmental officials had been too lazy to install a Windows "patch" available since last March that resolved the security flaw. "Really, how can you deceive our ever wakeful conspiracy theorists?" he added wryly, "To hack their computers is the simplest thing, but to destroy their vigilance? Never!" Other Russian digerati, too, pushed back against the idea that Russia had been a target by design. "There's no politics or intention here. The virus is just spreading randomly," says Ilya Sachkov, Director of the Moscow-based Group IB, a company that tracks internet fraud, in an interview with Moscow's Business FM radio. Sachkov notes ransomeware attacks have been growing in number and strength for years. Snowden, again The unfolding crisis and alleged links to the NSA again thrust Edward Snowden, the former NSA contractor who was granted asylum in Russia after leaking classified NSA documents to the press in 2013, into the spotlight. In a series of Twitter posts, Snowden argued the NSA bore moral responsibility for the leak. "Despite warnings, the NSA built dangerous attack tools that could target Western software," wrote Snowden. "Today we see the cost." NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Ransomware Attack Could Herald Future Problems By Michelle Quinn May 14, 2017 Tech staffs around the world worked around the clock this weekend to protect computers and patch networks to block the computer hack whose name sounds like a pop song "WannaCry" as analysts warned the global ransomware attack could be just the first of a new wave of strikes by computer criminals. The United States suffered relatively few effects from the ransomware that appeared on tens of thousands of computer systems across Europe and into Asia, beginning Friday. Security experts remained cautious, however, and stressed there was a continuing threat. In contrast to reports from several European security firms, a researcher at the Tripwire company on the U.S. West Coast said late Saturday that the attack could be diminishing. "It looks like it's tailing off," said Travis Smith of Tripwire. "I hope that's the case," Smith added. The Oregon firm protects large enterprises and governments from computer security threats. Ransomware attack The code for the ransomware unleashed Friday remains freely available on the internet, experts said, so those behind the WannaCry attack also known as WanaCryptor 2.0 and a variety of other names could launch new strikes in coming days or weeks. Copycat attacks by other high-tech criminals also are possible. "We are not out of the woods yet," said Gary Davis, chief consumer security evangelist at McAfee, the global computer security software company in Santa Clara, California. "We think it's going to be the footprint for other kinds of attacks in the future." The attack hit scores of countries more than 100, by some experts' count and infected tens of thousands of computer networks. Industry reports indicate Russia, Taiwan, Ukraine and Britain were among the countries hit hardest, and more hacking reports can be expected when offices reopen for the new workweek Monday or, in some parts of the world, Sunday. One of the weapons used in the current attack is a software tool reportedly stolen from the U.S. National Security Agency and published on the internet by hackers last month. The tool affords hackers undetected entry into many Microsoft computer operating systems, which is what they need to plant their ransomware. However, Microsoft issued patches to fix that vulnerability in its software weeks ago that could greatly reduce the chances of intrusion. Outdated operating systems The crippling effects of WannaCry highlight a problem that experts have long known about, and one that appears to have hit developing countries harder. Some organizations are more vulnerable to intrusion because they use older or outdated operating systems, usually due to the cost of upgrading software or buying modern hardware needed to install better-protected operating systems. Companies like Microsoft eventually stop updating or supporting older versions of their software, so customers using those programs do not receive software patches or security upgrades. Much of the ransomware's spread around the world occurred without any human involvement. The WannaCry malware self-propagates, copying itself to all computers on a network automatically. When a demand for ransom payments appears on a user's screen $300 at first, doubling to $600 in a few days it's usually too late: All files on that computer have been encrypted and are unreadable by their owners. The hackers said they would reverse the effect of their software once they received the payments they demanded. Microsoft patched the "hole" in the newest versions of its operating software Windows 10 for most home users in March, three weeks before the stolen NSA exploit software was published on the internet. Since Friday, the company dropped its refusal to update old versions of its programs and issued patches specifically written for use in Windows XP and several other systems. Microsoft declined a request for an interview, but a statement on the company's blog said: "Seeing businesses and individuals affected by cyberattacks, such as the ones reported today, was painful. We are taking the highly unusual step of providing a security update for all customers to protect Windows platforms that are in custom support only, including Windows XP, Windows 8, and Windows Server 2003." "A lot of people in the security community were impressed with Microsoft's speed, but it highlights an ongoing challenge we have," said Stephen Cobb, a senior security researcher with ESET, a global security software company. "If a malicious code outbreak breaks out tomorrow, and targets unsupported operating systems, Microsoft may have to go there again." NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address NASA Affirms Plan for First Mission of SLS, Orion May 12, 2017 In February, NASA began an effort looking at the feasibility of putting crew aboard the first integrated flight of the Space Launch System rocket and Orion spacecraft -- Exploration Mission-1, or EM-1. After weighing the data and assessing all implications, the agency will continue pursuing the original plan for the first launch, as a rigorous flight test of the integrated systems without crew. However, engineers will apply insights gained from the effort to the first flight test and the integrated systems to strengthen the long-term push to extend human presence deeper into the solar system. NASA determined it is technically capable of launching crew on EM-1, but after evaluating cost, risk and technical factors in a project of this magnitude, it would be difficult to accommodate changes needed to add crew at this point in mission planning. The effort confirmed that the baseline plan to fly EM-1 without crew is still the best approach to enable humans to move sustainably beyond low Earth orbit. "We appreciate the opportunity to evaluate the possibility of this crewed flight," said NASA acting Administrator Robert Lightfoot. "The bi-partisan support of Congress and the President for our efforts to send astronauts deeper into the solar system than we have ever gone before is valued and does not go unnoticed. Presidential support for space has been strong." Exploration Mission-1 is the first in a broad series of exploration missions that will take humans to deep space, and eventually to Mars. It is designed to be a flight test of our entire system -- one that is challenging in itself and will offer the opportunity to better understand our capabilities and limitations and ultimately build confidence in our ability to safely send crew into deep space. "We're considering additional ground testing of the heat shield prior to EM-1 as well as the possibility of advancing the ascent abort test for the Orion launch abort system based on findings from the study," said William Gerstenmaier, associate administrator for NASA's Human Exploration and Operations Mission Directorate. "Conducting these tests in advance of EM-1 would provide additional data that will advance our systems knowledge faster and possibly improve the robustness of the overall plan for sending humans into deep space." As part of the assessment, NASA also reviewed the schedule for EM-1, including production schedules across the enterprise, anticipated budgets and appropriations, projected delivery of the European Service Module, first time production issues related to the core stage that is at the leading edge of new manufacturing, and the ongoing impact of the February tornado that directly affected the Michoud Assembly Facility in Louisiana. As a result of these factors, NASA will adjust the target launch date for the EM-1 mission to 2019, and will execute its normal process in the coming weeks to determine an official revised launch date. NASA continues to keep each part of the enterprise Orion, SLS, and ground systems moving at their best possible pace toward the first integrated test mission. While components for EM-1 are being delivered, contractors can turn to the next phase of their work for the second flight, Exploration Mission-2, which will carry crew beyond the moon. Flight hardware for SLS and Orion is currently in production for both the first and second missions, and progress continues across the country. The SLS engine section structural test hardware is currently aboard a barge on its way to the Marshall Space Flight Center in Alabama for testing, a series of engine tests is taking place in Mississippi, and the Orion abort attitude control system was tested in Maryland. An abort motor for the launch abort system will soon be tested in Utah, and avionics systems for the Orion European Service Module have been integrated into the Orion testing laboratory near Denver. Meanwhile at the Kennedy Space Center, Orion's heat shield is being installed, and ground systems and software continue development. In addition, deep space habitation and propulsion system development activities also are underway and life support and related technologies are being tested 250 miles above the Earth aboard the International Space Station now. "We are building both systems and supporting infrastructure to ensure a sustained cadence of missions beginning with EM-1 and continuing thereafter," said Lightfoot. "NASA will continue to work with the Administration and Congress as we move toward a crewed flight test on EM-2 and, right now, we are very focused on accomplishing the EM-1 flight test." NASA continues to lead the way in sending humans into deep space beyond the moon through building a flexible, reusable and sustainable capability and infrastructure that will last multiple decades and support missions of increasing complexity. This infrastructure will be available for use by others both domestic and international as they want to join in the effort to advance human presence into the solar system. These systems create an incredible capability from which future generations will continue to benefit. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address China's Xi Says Silk Road Plan Expands Finance, Security Ties RFE/RL May 14, 2017 Chinese President Xi Jinping has called for closer cooperation across Asia and Europe in areas from anti-terrorism to finance, as leaders from 29 countries gathered to promote a Chinese trade initiative that could increase Beijing's global influence on trade and geopolitics. The two-day summit is showcasing Xi's One Belt, One Road initiative, a revival of the ancient Silk Road trade route, first unveiled in 2013. Xi has pledged $124 billion in funds for the initiative, which seeks to connect China with Africa, Asia, and Europe through a network of ports, railways, roads, and industrial parks. Speaking before an audience that included Russian President Vladimir Putin and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, Xi assured Western diplomats that the plan was not simply an attempt to promote Chinese influence globally. "In advancing the Belt and Road, we will not retread the old path of games between foes. Instead we will create a new model of cooperation and mutual benefit," Xi said. Xi has defended globalization as U.S. President Donald Trump has promised to put "America First" in international trade and relations. Shortly after the summit had begun, U.S. and South Korean military officials confirmed that Pyongyang had launched a ballistic missile. While Xi did not mention North Korea during his speech, the Chinese Foreign Ministry issued a statement saying it opposed such missile tests. Xi also pledged $8.7 billion in aid to countries and international organizations that participate in the Silk Road plan. Xi said the project was open to everyone, including those in Europe and Africa. Putin, speaking at the opening of the summit, told participants that protectionism was a threat to the global economy. Putin also complained about "illegal sanctions," a possible reference to a series of Western sanctions imposed over Moscow's annexation of Crimea from Ukraine. Few Western leaders are attending the summit, although Britain, France, and Germany are represented by top finance officials. The United States sent a senior White House adviser. Also attending the summit are Uzbek President Shavkat Mirziyaev, Kazakh President Nursultan Nazarbaev, Kyrgyz President Almazbek Atambaev, Belarusian President Alyaksandr Lukashenka, Pakistani Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif, and Serbian Prime Minister Aleksandar Vucic. Ahead of Beijing's international forum, Pakistan signed new deals with China worth nearly $500 million. Officials said on May 13 that the deals added to the $57 billion already pledged for the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC). The CPEC effort consists of rail, road, and energy infrastructure and is part of the "Belt and Road" initiative. Pakistan's traditional foe, India, refused to send an official delegation to Beijing, reflecting displeasure with China for developing the $57 billion trade corridor through Pakistan that also traverses the disputed Himalayan region of Kashmir. The U.S.-based Human Rights Watch on May 13 raised concerns about the treatment of people along the new Silk Road route in western China that borders Central Asia. The group said Chinese authorities had "heightened surveillance and repression to prevent potential unrest that could impede" the project in the Xinjiang region, which is the homeland of the Turkic-speaking and mainly Muslim Uyghur ethnic group. With reporting by AP, Reuters, BBC and AFP Source: https://www.rferl.org/a/pakistan-china-silk-road- infrastructure-summit-russia-putin/28486807.html Copyright (c) 2017. RFE/RL, Inc. Reprinted with the permission of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, 1201 Connecticut Ave., N.W. Washington DC 20036. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address N Korea ready for dialog with US under right conditions: Senior diplomat Iran Press TV Sat May 13, 2017 7:4AM Amid simmering tensions on the Korean Peninsula, a senior North Korean diplomat in charge of handling US relations says Pyongyang would hold talks with Washington under the right conditions. Choe Son-hui, deputy director general of the Department of US Affairs at the North Korean Foreign Ministry, made the remarks in the Chinese capital, Beijing, on her way back home from Norway, according to the South's Yonhap news agency. "We'll have dialogue if the conditions are there," she said when asked if Pyongyang was ready to hold talks with the administration of US President Donald Trump. According to the report, Choe was also asked if the North was prepared to talk with the newly elected South Korean government of liberal President Moon Jae-in, to which she responded, "We'll see." The new South Korean president has also adopted a conciliatory approach toward the North, saying he is willing to work for peace with its neighbor. Japanese media reported that Choe was in Norway for the so-called Track Two meeting with former US officials. It was described as the latest in a series of such meetings. This is while a Reuters report cited a source with knowledge of the latest meeting as saying that at least one official of the ex-US government participated in the talks, which did not involve representatives from the Trump administration. The remarks by Choe, a veteran member of North Korea's team of nuclear negotiators, came amid tensions between Pyongyang and Washington, a close ally of Seoul. The two sides have traded a barrage of military threats in recent weeks. Seoul and Washington have expressed concerns over Pyongyang's missile and nuclear programs, which North Korea says serve to defend itself against US aggression. The development comes after Trump warned last month about the possibility of a "major, major conflict" with North Korea over its weapons programs, but later reversed course, saying he would be "honored" to meet the North's leader Kim Jong-un under the right conditions. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address North Korean Missile Test Condemned by Tokyo, Seoul By Steve Herman May 13, 2017 North Korea launched a missile Sunday in an unusual high-altitude ballistic path that indicated it might be a new type of medium-range rocket capable of flying up to 4,500 kilometers (about 2,800 miles). Japan and South Korea quickly condemned North Korea's action as a grave threat to the region and a violation of U.N. resolutions concerning North Korea's arms programs. From Tokyo, Japanese Defense Minister Tomomi Inada said the missile was fired in a high-angle orbit that reached an altitude of more than 2,000 kilometers. It flew for 30 minutes, she added, and came down in the Sea of Japan after a total flight of about 700 kilometers, splashing down at a point about 400 kilometers from the east coast of North Korea. In Washington, a White House statement said President Donald Trump "has been briefed on the latest missile test by North Korea." The statement said, "With the missile impacting so close to Russian soil in fact, closer to Russia than to Japan the President cannot imagine that Russia is pleased." The short statement ended by saying "North Korea has been a flagrant menace for far too long. South Korea and Japan have been watching this situation closely with us. The United States maintains our ironclad commitment to stand with our allies in the face of the serious threat posed by North Korea. Let this latest provocation serve as a call for all nations to implement far stronger sanctions against North Korea." Possibly a new type of missile Inada said it appeared the North Korean projectile could be a new type of missile. There was no immediate comment from Pyongyang. Analysts from the Union of Concerned Scientists and other sources said the parameters of the rocket's flight, as measured by the Japanese military and the U.S. Pacific Command, pointed to a rocket with a maximum range of up to 4,500 kilometers, if flown on a standard trajectory. Guam is 3,400 kilometers from North Korea, and until now had been considered beyond the range of the most powerful rocket North Korea is known to have developed, the Musudan, with a range of about 3,000 kilometers. South Korea, Japan denounce launch South Korea's President Moon Jae-in, sworn in just days ago, denounced the launch as a "reckless provocation" by Pyongyang. Meeting in Seoul with his top advisers, Moon said the timing of the launch was particularly regrettable, coming so soon after his inauguration and his pledge to try to improve ties with the North. Japan issued a strong protest immediately after the launch, declaring North Korea's repeated missile tests are a grave threat to its neighbors and a clear violation of U.N. resolutions. Prime Minister Shinzo Abe said Tokyo would remain in close touch with the U.S. and South Korea about developments in North Korea. In Hawaii, the U.S. Pacific Command confirmed the rocket launch but said the unidentified projectile did not appear to be large enough to be an intercontinental ballistic missile, a weapon that North Korea claims it is developing. Talks had been raised Just one day earlier, a senior North Korean diplomat had said Pyongyang would be willing to talk with the United States about the two countries' disputes, under the right conditions. Choe Son Hui, the North Korean foreign ministry's director general for U.S. affairs, raised the issue of talks when she spoke with reporters in Beijing while returning home from a trip to Norway. "We'll have dialogue if the conditions are there," Choe said, according to South Korea's Yonhap news agency. While in Oslo, Choe met with American academics and former U.S. officials. After another diplomatic crisis last month triggered by North Korean missile tests, Trump had warned there was a possible "major, major conflict" brewing with Pyongyang, but that he hoped for a diplomatic solution to the dispute over the North's nuclear and missile programs. The U.S. president later said he would be willing to meet with the North's leader, Kim Jong Un, under the right circumstances. In the aftermath of the latest North Korean missile launch, meanwhile, American, European and Japanese military units gathered for war games in a group of remote U.S. islands in the Pacific Ocean. The exercises are meant to warn North Korea not to test the allies' military might. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address N. Korea launches ballistic missile, four days after South Korean President's inauguration 2017-05-14 12:38:07 KST Korea has carried out its first military provocation since the launch of the new administration in South Korea just four days ago. This is the seventh missile provocation by Pyongyang this year alone, and comes just two weeks after a missile test that South Korean and US officials said failed. South Korea's military confirmed that the North launched a ballistic missile Sunday morning, around 5:30 a.m. Seoul time, from an area near the city of Kusong, about 120 kilometers northwest of the regime's capital. According to the Joint Chiefs of Staff, the missile flew some 700 kilometers, and judging by the flight distance, military experts are looking at the launch as a successful one. The exact type of missile it was is not yet clear, but the U.S. Pacific Command said the flight was not consistent with that of an intercontinental ballistic missile. However, Japan's defense minister said that considering the missile's trajectory there is a chance it was an ICBM or even a new type of missile. According to Japan, the missile reached an altitude of more than 2-thousand kilometers in a matter of about 30 minutes before falling into the East Sea in Japan's Exclusive Economic Zone, suggesting it could have been a bigger missile like an ICBM launched at a steep, or "lofted," angle. In other words, if that same missile was launched on a standard trajectory, it could have easily reached a distance of over 4-thousand kilometers. If that's true, the missile could have reached American soil, because the distance to Alaska is about 57-hundred kilometers and to Hawaii about 75-hundred kilometers, while an ICBM has a range of about 5 or 6-thousand kilometers. However, experts also believe it's too soon to jump to the conclusion that Pyongyang has tested its own intercontinental ballistic missile. (English/phone) "To have an ICBM, you have to conduct a lot of tests. This is very time-consuming. Japan just make this kind of conclusion out of the distance and the altitude. That does not actually guarantee it will be an ICBM. You need more sophisticated capability to produce ICBM." Experts also say Sunday's missile launch may be North Korea's way of gaining leverage in future negotiations with the U.S. and South Korea, and testing South Korea's new President. Hwang Hojun, Arirang News. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address S Korea, US: Pyongyang test-launched unidentified projectile Iran Press TV Sun May 14, 2017 1:30AM North Korea has fired an "unidentified projectile," which is thought to be a ballistic missile, says South Korea's Joint Chiefs of Staff. "North Korea launched a ballistic missile at 5:27 am this morning in Pyongan Province," said the South Korea's Joint Chiefs of Staff. It added that analysis is currently being carried out on the projectile which flew for around 700 kilometers. Following the launch, Yoshihide Suga, Japan's Chief Cabinet Secretary, stressed that it was a violation of UN resolutions and that Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe had severely condemned it. "North Korea's repeated missile launches are a grave threat to our country and a clear violation of UN resolutions," said Abe. Japan's Defense Minister Tomomi Inada said that the projectile may be a new type of missile, which reached an altitude of more than 2,000 kilometers before falling in the Sea of Japan. The US Pacific Command has also confirmed that Pyongyang has carried out another missile launch. "US Pacific Command detected and tracked a North Korean missile launch," said an official statement, adding that the tested missile has still not been determined. Newly elected South Korean President Moon Jae-In also condemned the launch as a "reckless provocation." "The president... expressed deep regret over the North's reckless provocation staged only days after the beginning of the new administration in the South," said spokesman. Tensions have been on the rise on the Korean Peninsula over the past weeks. Unsettled by North Korean missile and military nuclear programs, the United States has adopted a war-like posture, sending a strike group and conducting joint military drills with North Korea's regional adversaries Japan and South Korea. Pyongyang defends its missile and nuclear programs as a means of protecting the country from US hostility. In addition to a naval strike group, which includes the large USS Carl Vinson aircraft carrier, Washington deployed two supersonic bombers over the peninsula during a joint exercise with South Korea's air force on Monday. The USS Michigan nuclear submarine joined the strike group earlier this week. In April, the US also deployed a THAAD missile system in South Korea rising tensions over North Korea's ballistic and nuclear tests. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Egypt's foreign ministry announced an agreement between Egypt and Sudan that would fix problems faced by citizens of both countries over the past months, regarding residency, freedom of movement and visa costs, Arabic Ahram website reported, citing a statement from the ministry. The agreement came out of an urgent meeting of the joint Egyptian-Sudanese consulate committee at the Egyptian foreign ministry headquarters in Cairo, attended by representatives of both countries. The meeting covered the return of confiscated property to Sudanese miners who were pardoned by the Egyptian president in August 2015, after they were previously arrested. The parties also agreed to rush the return of that property -- including mining equipment -- over the Egyptian-Sudanese border. Sudanese newspapers reported that 37 Sudanese miners were arrested in Egypt in March 2015 on charges related to illegal entry into Egypt. Egyptian officials stressed during the meeting that "any Sudanese person who has been living in Egypt since before 1995 is treated here like an Egyptian citizen". The statement added that "both sides agreed to continue visa exemptions for diplomatic and special passport holders," along with women and citizens above 50 and below 16 from the two countries. The visa exemptions will also cover Egyptian and Sudanese citizens who have valid residency in the Gulf, US, Canada, European countries and Australia. Both sides agreed to provide six-month visas free of charge to male, regular passport holders, which can be renewed for another six months. Both sides stressed that citizens should renew their residencies on time, and agreed to consider cancelling retroactive fees for people currently residing in either country who have overstayed their visas. In April, Sudan began requiring Egyptian men aged 18 to 49 to apply for visas in order to enter the country. While Egyptians could previously enter Sudan without a visa under a deal signed between the two countries in 2004, in practice Sudanese nationals had to obtain visas before entering Egypt. In 2004, Egypt and Sudan signed the Four Freedoms Agreement, which said that Egyptian and Sudanese citizens could move freely between the two countries to reside, work and own property in either nation without a visa. Search Keywords: Short link: Trump calls for 'tougher sanctions' against North Korea Iran Press TV Sun May 14, 2017 5:41AM US President Donald Trump has called for tougher sanctions against North Korea after it fired an "unidentified projectile" thought to be a ballistic missile. "Let this latest provocation serve as a call for all nations to implement far stronger sanctions against North Korea," the White House said in a brief statement Sunday, adding the country "has been a flagrant menace for far too long." According to the South Korea's Joint Chiefs of Staff, Pyongyang launched the missile from Pyongan Province at 5:27 am on Sunday. The US Pacific Command also confirmed the missile launch. After flying over 700 kilometers (435 miles), the missile landed in the Sea of Japan (East Sea) surrounded by the Korean peninsula, Japan and the Russian far east. The missile impacted "so close to Russian soil ... the president cannot imagine that Russia is pleased," the White House said. Following the missile test, US National Security Adviser H.R. McMaster spoke with South Korea's national security chief, Kim Kwan-jin, according to South Korea's presidential office. The two agreed to increase cooperation to denuclearize North Korea, the office said. North Korea is already under multiple sets of international sanctions over its nuclear and ballistic missile programs. The sanctions, however, have done little to deter the country from pursuing its nuclear and missile ambitions, which Pyongyang sees as a deterrent against a potential invasion by its adversaries. On May 4, the US House of Representatives passed new sanctions against Pyongyang, targeting the country's exports and shipping industry. The sanctions ban ships owned or hired by North Korea from operating in US waters or docking at US ports. Also, the US Treasury said it was considering all of its available tools to deny North Korea access to the international financial system. "We are entertaining all of the tools in our arsenal, including programs that come from TFI (Terrorism and Financial Intelligence) and OFAC (the Office of Foreign Assets Control) offices and similar ones to try to stop them," a senior Treasury official told reporters Saturday. "We don't comment on future sanctions, but we're obviously going to consider every tool in our arsenal to combat any illicit activity and terror financing," the official said just a few hours before North Korea fired another ballistic missile. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Russia, China Express Concern Over New North Korean Missile Test RFE/RL May 14, 2017 Russian President Vladimir Putin and Chinese leader Xi Jinping have voiced concern about rising tensions on the Korean Peninsula after North Korea fired a ballistic missile on May 14, Putin's spokesman said. Speaking on the sidelines of a visit by Putin to Beijing, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said the two leaders "discussed the situation on the Korean Peninsula in detail" and "both parties expressed their concern over the escalation of tensions." The ballistic missile flew more than 700 kilometers for half an hour and reached an altitude of more than 2,000 kilometers, according to officials in South Korea and Japan, before landing in the Sea of Japan between the Korean Peninsula, Japan, and the Russian far east. The White House earlier said President Donald Trump "cannot imagine Russia is pleased" with North Korea's latest missile test. "With the missile impacting so close to Russian soil -- in fact, closer to Russia than to Japan -- the president cannot imagine that Russia is pleased," a White House statement said, which also called for "far stronger sanctions" against Pyongyang. China called for "restraint," warning against increasing tensions in the region. "China opposes the DPRK's violation of the [UN] Security Council's resolutions," the Foreign Ministry said in a statement. China has been under pressure, especially from the United States, to help rein in North Korean leader Kim Jong Un. Beijing is hosting a summit on May 14 to promote its global trade infrastructure project and delegations from North Korea and the United States are expected at the forum. Putin and his Turkish counterpart, Recep Tayyip Erdogan, are also attending the summit. China is North Korea's only major ally and economic lifeline. It has been reluctant to increase pressure to avoid upsetting the status quo and risk an influx of refugees. The North has stepped up tests of its missile program in recent months, although several failures have been detected by South Korean and U.S. officials. The missile flew further and higher than an intermediate-range missile North Korea successfully tested in February from the same region of Kusong North Korea's nuclear and ballistic-missile programs have been banned by the United Nations, and many countries generally issue condemnations after each launch. Trump previously has called the tests unacceptable. The administration has at times issued military threats and at other times offered talks with Pyongyang. North Korea is widely believed to be developing an intercontinental missile tipped with a nuclear weapon that is capable of reaching the U.S. mainland. Trump has vowed not to let that happen. The launch is the first since South Korea's new president, Moon Jae-in, took office this week. He has said he favors engagement with Pyongyang to bring it to the negotiating table, in contrast to a tougher stand by his predecessor. Nevertheless, Moon on May 14 condemned the missile launch as a "reckless provocation." Moon's office said on May 12 that the South Korean leader urged Putin in a 20-minute phone call to play a "constructive role" in resolving tensions with North Korea over its threats to use nuclear weapons. The launch will also complicate Moon's efforts to improve ties with China, after South Korea's former government decided to position a U.S. missile-defense system aimed at defending against North Korea. China considers the system's powerful radar a threat to its security. With reporting by AP, AFP, dpa, TASS, and Reuters Source: https://www.rferl.org/a/north-korea-missile-test -russia-china-concern/28486995.html Copyright (c) 2017. RFE/RL, Inc. Reprinted with the permission of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, 1201 Connecticut Ave., N.W. Washington DC 20036. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Japanese Defense Minister Says DPRK's Missile Altitude Could Exceed 1,200 Miles Sputnik News 05:15 14.05.2017(updated 13:35 14.05.2017) Japanese Defense Minister Tomomi Inada suggested that North Korea could have launched a new type of missile on Sunday, as the projectile reached an altitude of over 1,200 miles. TOKYO (Sputnik) Japan considers that a presumed altitude of the missile, launched by North Korea on Sunday, amounted to over 2,000 kilometers (1,242 miles), Inada said. "We consider that the missile flew at the altitude exceeding 2,000 kilometers. It could be a new type of missile," Inada said at a press conference in Tokyo. Earlier in the day, media reported citing the South Korean Joint Chiefs of Staff that Pyongyang had launched an unidentified missile, presumably a ballistic one, in the vicinity of Kusong, North Pyongan Province, which flew about 430 miles and fell in the Sea of Japan. Japanese Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga said that the missile presumably flew for 30 minutes not reaching the Japanese exclusive economic zone. At the same time, the US Pacific Command said that it had detected and tracked the North Korean missile launch, but there was no confirmation that it was an intercontinental ballistic missile. The Command added that the missile did not threaten the security of North America. Japanese media reported earlier on Sunday citing government sources that the maximum flight altitude of the North Korean missile amounted to over 1,000 kilometers (621 miles). Sputnik NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Pyongyang May Have Test-Fired Missile of New Type - Reports Sputnik News 03:26 14.05.2017(updated 03:27 14.05.2017) North Korea may have fired a missile of a new type, Japanese experts suggested after analyzing the trajectory of the projectile's flight, local media reported. TOKYO (Sputnik) Japanese experts do not rule out the possibility that North Korea could test a missile of a new type, as the missile reached a very high altitude, Japanese media reported on Sunday citing government sources. According to the Kyodo news agency, such an assumption was made on the basis of the analysis of the trajectory of the missile's flight. There is a high probability that the missile launch was carried out at a steep trajectory, and it means that the missile flew at a high altitude, the media outlet said. The maximum flight altitude of the North Korean missile, launched earlier on Sunday, amounted to over 1,000 kilometers (621 miles), the media outlet said earlier citing government sources. Earlier in the day, media reported citing the South Korean Joint Chiefs of Staff that Pyongyang had launched an unidentified missile, presumably a ballistic one, on Sunday in the vicinity of Kusong, North Pyongan Province, which flew about 430 miles and fell in the Sea of Japan. Japanese Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga said that the missile presumably flew for 30 minutes not reaching the Japanese exclusive economic zone. Following the launch, the Japanese and South Korean governments convened meetings of national security councils. Sputnik NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address North Korea Launches Unidentified Projectile - South Korea Sputnik News 00:18 14.05.2017(updated 04:44 14.05.2017) North Korea has fired what appears to be a ballistic missile from its west coast, the South Korean military reported early Sunday. According to a South Korean military official, the type of projectile is not yet known, but South Korea's Yonhap news agency reported early on that it appears to be a ballistic missile. US Pacific Command has also announced that it tracked the missile and that its flight did not appear consistent with an intercontinental ballistic missile. The missile was fired from the northwestern city of Kusong just before 5:30 a.m. local time, according to the South's Joint Chief of Staff, and flew about 430 miles over about 30 minutes before it fell into the Sea of Japan. Japan pointed out that the missile did not reach waters that constitute its exclusive economic zone. In a news conference a few hours after the launch, Japanese Defense Minister Tomomi Inada said that the missile had reached an altitude greater than 1,245 miles and could be a type they have not seen before. Pyongyang previously test-launched the intermediate-range missile it is believed to be developing from the same area. New South Korean President Moon Jae-in ordered the convening of his country's security council after the reported launch. The president, who took over the office on Wednesday, said at his inauguration ceremony that he was ready to visit North Korea. Japanese Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga blasted Pyongyang for the reported test, saying it was a violation of UN Security Council Resolutions. On Monday, North Korea's ambassador to the UK gave an interview to British news outlet Sky News in which he said his country is "not afraid" to continue its missile and nuclear weapons activity, and that Pyongyang intends to conduct its sixth nuclear test as soon as the leadership deems it necessary. North Korea's deputy ambassador to the UK became the country's highest ranking defector when he fled in August 2016. He has said North Korea fully intends to implement a nuclear attack against the US or its allies. Tensions around North Korea's development of both nuclear and non-nuclear weapons have drastically escalated in recent months, after Pyongyang conducted a number of nuclear tests and ballistic missile launches in violation of UN Security Council resolutions and the US sent a massive show of force to its neighborhood. North Korea declared itself a nuclear power in 2005. The United States, Japan and South Korea, as well as Russia and China, took part in talks with North Korea on the denuclearization of the Korean peninsula between 2003 and 2009, when Pyongyang withdrew from the talks. Sputnik NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address North Korean Missile Test Condemned by US, Tokyo, Seoul, Beijing By Steve Herman May 14, 2017 North Korea launched a missile Sunday in an unusual high-altitude ballistic path that indicated it might be a new two-stage liquid-fueled rocket capable of flying up to 4,500 kilometers. The test, according to a White House statement, should "serve as a call for all nations to implement far stronger sanctions against North Korea." Later, the U.S. ambassador to the United Nations, Nikki Haley, said it was time for many nations to "send a strong, unified message that this is unacceptable, and I think you'll see the international community do that." She said the U.S. would continue to "tighten the screws" against North Korea. U.S. President Donald Trump said earlier this month he would be "honored" to meet with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un "under the right circumstances," but Haley said that "having a missile test is not the way to sit down with the president, because he's absolutely not going to do it." Japan and South Korea also quickly condemned North Korea's action as a grave threat to the region and a violation of U.N. resolutions about North Korea's arms programs. Japan's prime minister, Shinzo Abe, ordered his government to "prepare for all possible contingencies," according to his office. "The launch of such ballistic missiles is a serious threat to our country. The defense ministry and the self-defense forces are continuing to work closely with the United States and South Korea to collect and analyze the information," Japanese Defense Minister Tomomi Inada told reporters in Tokyo. "We will make every effort to ensure the peace and security of our country." She explained it was possibly a new type of missile that was fired in a high-angle orbit, reaching an altitude of more than 2,000 kilometers and flying for 30 minutes, before coming down in the Sea of Japan after a total flight of about 700 kilometers. China called for restraint to avoid increasing tensions in the region while the Foreign Ministry expressed opposition to Pyongyang's violation of U.N. Security Council resolutions. Beijing is North Korea's only major ally and Pyongyang's key trading partner. Russian President Vladimir Putin, who is in Beijing for an international summit, expressed concern about the missile test and the escalation of tensions, according to a Kremlin spokesman. The splash-down point was about 400 kilometers from the east coast of North Korea, according to the Japanese government. Scientists: Not an ICBM "This is kind of a big deal. But it's not an ICBM. That's the good news," Union of Concerned Scientists co-director David Wright told VOA. If flown on a standard trajectory, the missile fired by North Korea Sunday morning would have a range of up to 4,500 kilometers, according to Wright. Guam, an American territory with two large U.S. military bases, is 3,400 kilometers from North Korea and until now had been considered beyond the range of the most powerful rocket North Korea is known to have developed, the Musudan, with a range of about 3,000 kilometers. With this test, North Korea may have leapfrogged its troubled Musudan series of missiles. "It would put together things we've seen them doing that they haven't been able to put together," Wright explained. South Korea, US weigh in The U.S. Pacific Command, based in Hawaii, confirmed the rocket launch but said the unidentified projectile did not appear to be large enough to be an intercontinental ballistic missile, a weapon that North Korea says it is developing. Trump was briefed about the North Korean launch on the telephone by National Security Advisor H.R. McMaster, a White House official told VOA news. The White House statement, which said "North Korea has been a flagrant menace for far too long" also seemed to make an indirect appeal to Moscow for stronger cooperation to counter Pyongyang. "With the missile impacting so close to Russian soil in fact, closer to Russia than to Japan the President cannot imagine that Russia is pleased," according to the White House statement issued late Saturday. Pyongyang addresses Washington Just one day earlier, a senior North Korean diplomat had said Pyongyang would be willing to talk with the United States about the two countries' disputes, under the right conditions. Choe Son Hui, the North Korean Foreign Ministry's director general for U.S. affairs, raised the issue of talks when she spoke with reporters in Beijing while returning home from a trip to Norway. Some analysts dismissed Choe's comment as a long-stated position of Pyongyang, along with its constant belligerent rhetoric toward Washington and Seoul. In the aftermath of the latest North Korean missile launch, meanwhile, American, European and Japanese military units gathered for war games in a group of remote U.S. islands in the Pacific Ocean. The exercises are meant to warn North Korea not to test the allies' military might. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Macron Says France on Brink of 'A Great Renaissance' By Jamie Dettmer May 14, 2017 France's youngest head of state since Napoleon Bonaparte presented himself as president of all the French Sunday as he was sworn into office in Paris, following in the Fifth Republic footsteps of political giants Gen. Charles De Gaulle and Jacques Chirac. Much is riding on the 39-year-old Emmanuel Macron, who two years ago set out on what many dismissed as a Quixotic quest to get himself elected to the French presidency as a centrist, pro-European Union candidate on his first ever political campaign and without the support of the country's established parties. Macron was greeted midmorning at the Elysee Palace by outgoing President Francois Hollande, who for many of the French exemplifies more than most of his predecessors the old saying that all political careers end in failure. Macron has the reputation, reinforced by his election, as a man who always succeeds. Now he has the greatest of all challenges to fulfill objectives even grander than those outlined by Hollande at his inauguration five years ago. Just before Macron's arrival, Hollande stood on his office balcony taking one last sweeping glance from it of the palace grounds. Amid the pomp and circumstance Sunday, future challenges were half-forgotten by the crowds lining the Champs-Elysees, where at the Arc de Triomph, Macron lay flowers at the memorial to the unknown soldier Inside the Elysee's ballroom earlier, Macron was presented with the grand collier de la Legion d'honneur once owned by Napoleon I. One of his supporters, Axelle Tessandier, a marketing consultant, tweeted "Emotion immense." But the task ahead wasn't forgotten long. At his swearing-in ceremony, Macron, a former investment banker who served a mere two years as an appointed minister in Hollande's government, told France his goal is to renew the Fifth Republic and to unify the French. "The world needs what the French have always taught. For decades France has doubted herself," he said. The world, and Europe, need France more than ever, he added. "My mandate will give the French back the confidence to believe in themselves." He said he would convince the people that "the power of France is not declining - that we are on the brink of a great renaissance." Unifying France will be a tall order. Twenty-one million people voted for Macron in the second round of the elections, but 12 million backed far-right nationalist Marine Le Pen, despite her lackluster campaign. Millions more didn't turn up at the polling stations. And four million destroyed their ballot papers as a sign of disapproval of both candidates, the largest number ever to do so in a French election. Having set himself the monumental tasks of trying to expand the center, and of convincing half the country which disapproves of EU membership that the European bloc is something to be valued, Macron has the immediate challenge of securing a parliamentary majority to back him. He can do that either by leading his one-year-old En Marche! Movement -- renamed last week Republique en marche to victory in parliamentary elections next month, or by cobbling together a center coalition. Polls suggest he might be able to pull off a parliamentary victory, one as unthinkable as his presidential win, and secure, a majority in the 577-seat lower house. Much will depend on who he names Monday as his initial prime minister. If his party fails to win the majority of seats, the alternative would be La Cohabitation with a prime minister from an opposing political party, something the Fifth Republic has seen three times since 1958. La Cohabitation, analysts agree, would likely spell major trouble for Macron's highly ambitious policy program. Macron wants to cut public spending and reorder a rigid labor market to allow businesses to hire and fire more easily, all in a bid to revive a stagnant economy. At the same he says he wants to ameliorate the downsides of globalization for those left behind. One of Macron's rivals for the presidency, the conservative Republican Francois Fillon warned during the first round of presidential voting that Macron in office would be forced to "cook up parliamentary dishes of impotence and compromises." Grubby legislative deal-making risks fueling public disillusionment with government paving the way, some fear, for a Le Pen victory in five years time and a defeat of Macron's aim to turn the French away from the extremes of left or right. Meeting with Merkel On Monday, France's new President will endure his first rite of passage a flight to Berlin to meet German Chancellor Angela Merkel. On his election, Merkel acknowledged the expectations many Europeans have of Macron, saying he carried "the hopes of millions of French people and also many in Germany and across Europe." He's likely to enjoy smoother relations with Merkel than Hollande. He has been courting assiduously German leaders the past two years. He intends to push for closer cooperation between EU members as well greater centralization of the countries in the eurozone with the creation of a budget. But he won't please EU federalists in Brussels by likely also arguing the bloc has to be more flexible and in the recent words of Jean Pisani-Ferry, his chief economic adviser, recognize that "the governance of the eurozone remains excessively cumbersome and technocratic." Macron has talked tough about Britain when it comes to Brexit, but his approach will likely be shaped by Pisani-Ferry. In a policy paper last year for Bruegel, a think tank in Brussels, Macron's aide argued the EU should use Brexit as a chance to shape a "Europe of two circles," with the EU at its core and an outer circle of countries in a structured partnership. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Candidates lock horns in last debate before Iran election IRNA - Islamic Republic News Agency Tehran, May 13, IRNA -- The six candidates contesting Iran's 12th presidential election squared off in a final live televised debate on Friday. In the course of the debate, the challengers that included incumbent President Hassan Rouhani, First Vice President Es'haq Jahangiri, Tehran Mayor Mohammad-Baqer Qalibaf, member of the Expediency Council Mostafa Mirsalim, Seyyed Ebrahim Raeisi, the current custodian of the Holy Shrine of Imam Reza (PBUH) in the northeastern city of Mashhad and former vice president Mostafa Hashemitaba elaborated on their economic plans and agendas as they campaigned for the May 19 vote. **Smuggling, imports The debate began in earnest with Jahangiri drawn first to answer a question about his plans to fight smuggling and reduce imports. He said the smuggling of commodities undermines domestic production and diverts the course of economy from the right course. He added that the oversight in dealing with the smuggling of goods has dealt severe blows to the country's economy. Presidential candidates took turns to express their views on Jahangiri's remarks with Raeisi saying that the backbone of his anti-smuggling plan is based on extensive research conducted in universities. He added that the 11th administration was not serious in dealing with the smuggling of goods. Hashemitaba said that 114 official docks have been used to smuggle goods into country. Qalibaf said prevention is the first step in fighting goods smuggling and claiming that some ministers are engaged in illegal import of commodities to the country. Rouhani said the first concern with regard to the smuggling is its root causes. He added that the private sector's economic activities must be encouraged to reduce smuggling and emphasized that border villages must start producing and exporting goods in order to curb smuggling. Jahangiri retook the podium to answer the candidates' questions and said the judiciary has appeared weak in fighting the smuggling of goods. He said Raeisi and Qalibaf should come clean on their records and should not be afraid to talks about them. He noted that the two should explained what they did to fight smuggling when they were in charge with Raeisi as deputy judiciary chief and Qalibaf as head of the anti-smuggling headquarters. He said some $25 billion of goods used to be smuggled into the country when the incumbent government took the helm but it managed to cut to $25 billion. He told Raeisi to be ashamed of what the previous government, which he supported, did rather than being critical. Jahangiri added that the current administration has taken serious measures to stop astronomical salaries. The Iranian first vice president said Tehran Municipality has not come clean on the selling of underpriced properties to certain people. Jahangiri accused Qalibaf of "selling out" public properties worth 22,000 billion rails. He said the mayor blocked a parliamentary investigation into the scandal by lobbying. He also said once already the country's affairs were dealt with sloganism which pushed the country to the verge of collapse. He said those who did so to the country now have their representatives in the campaign team of some of the conservative candidates. **Oil dependence Mirsalim, the second hopeful taking to the podium, was asked to outline his approaches to boosting exports and reducing the country's dependence on oil. He said he plans to reduce crude oil sales in favor of exporting domestic products. He added that the sales of crude oil have made the country more dependent on other countries and added that exports must be encouraged to make up for expensive production inside the country. The presidential contestants took turns to express their views on Mirsalim's remarks with Rouhani saying that his administration has managed to open Iran's export markets through the signing and implementation of the landmark 2015 nuclear deal. He added that if the country does not exploit shared energy fields, the neighboring states will extract their oil reserves. Jahangiri said the 11th administration has considerably reduced the export of raw materials. Raeisi said the building of refineries in various provinces would reduce crude oil sales and criticized that no measure has been carried out in this regard. He added that there is currently no serious will to fight the smuggling of goods in the country. Hashemitaba said export-oriented domestic production would help reduce the smuggling of goods. He said building refineries in different parts of the country is not economical. Qalibaf said people with vested interest in smuggling have prevented solving the problem. Mirsalim retook the podium to respond to the candidates' questions, saying Iran must work with its neighboring countries to safeguard shared energy fields. **Banking issues Rouhani, the third candidate at the podium, used his four-minute time to express his plans to solve the problems in the country's banking system. He said Iran's banking system needs fundamental reforms. The incumbent president added that his administration has managed to double the capital of state-run banks to get more active in the economic sector. The presidential candidates took turns to express their views on Rouhani's remarks with Jahangiri saying the previous administration had brought about the depletion of bank resources. He added that the 11th administration is implementing the development plan for banks to help them become active in production. Raeisi said the 11th administration blames its predecessor for all of the problems. Raeisi added that the current administration has left the country in limbo for four years. Rouhani hit back by saying that Raeisi has time and again called for a debate between "me and my predecessor". "I suggest that it would be better to hold a debate between me and Mr. Raeisi himself with the presence of the press because most of the cabinet members of the former government are active in Raeisi's camp". Rouhani slammed Qalibaf for hurling verbal abuse against him and Jahangiri by calling them "rude" and "liar". He said this is not a new thing as Qalibaf did mud slinging against the government over the past four years using his media outlets. Hashemitaba said the banking problems were handed down to the 11th administration by its predecessor. Qalibaf said the administration of President Rouhani has failed in properly supervising and managing banks and added that liquidity has tripled under the present administration. Mirsalim said the banking system is currently based on usury, adding that the 11th administration is required to be more serious in dealing with the banking problems. Rouhani retook to the podium to use his five-minute time to answer the debate question. He asked why the judiciary has not dealt with financial problems caused by the previous administration. Rouhani asked Raeisi what he did while he was the head of the General Inspection Office to address embezzlements in the Oil Ministry and the Social Security Organization. He said Raeisi failed to address those scandals. He said Raeisi and Qalibaf keep saying that they would give out cash subsidy to people and create jobs but they don't say the resources for their plans. The incumbent president said his administration have greatly reduced bank arrears and put banks back to the right course. Rouhani noted that the media should be allowed to speak out and they should not be banned when they reveal scandals like the one in the municipality. **Domestic production Hashemitaba, the fourth candidate taking to the podium, answered a debate question about his plans for prosperity of domestic production. He said the modernization of the agriculture sector should be the first step for bringing prosperity to domestic production. He said the export-oriented production, investment attraction and bank reforms are other needed steps in this regard and added that domestic capital must be used to promote Iran's exports. The presidential hopefuls took turn to express their views about Hashemitaba's comments with Qalibaf saying the current production problems are rooted in the mismanagement of the country's affairs. Mirsalim said many production problems are a result of the administration's inattention to the economic recession. Rouhani said production prosperity needs further investment and a proper use of technology. Jahangiri said the private sector is the key to production and investment in the country and added that the 11th administration has succeeded in bringing stability back to the Iranian economy. Raeisi said 250,000 businesses shut down under the current administration. Hashemitaba retook to the podium to use his five-minute time to give responses to the candidates' question, saying the country's industry will fail if it is not export-oriented. He added that many businesses shut down due to the worn-out technology used in them. He said some media outlets undermine any step taken to attract foreign investment. **Subsidies As the fifth candidate taking to the podium, Raeisi explained his plans for the implementation of the subsidies law. He said the 11th administration's policies have led to increasing poverty inside the country and added that subsidies handed out to lower deciles must increase. The presidential contenders took turns to express their views on Raeisi's remarks with Hashemitaba, urged Raeisi to explain how he is going to increase cash subsidy by threefold. He said if Raeisi does so, his government would draw 17 times more from their pockets. Qalibaf said entrepreneurs were under tremendous pressure as a result of the country's economic problems. Mirsalim said domestic production has been damaged over the past four years. Rouhani said some people are willing to revive methods used by the previous administration and urged the continuation of cash handouts and the implementation of social security plan. Jahangiri said the existing problems are a result of wrong policies adopted by the previous administration and added that increasing cash handouts would destroy the country's economy. Raeisi retook to the podium to answer the candidates' questions in five minutes. He expressed his readiness to hold a one-on-one debate with Rouhani on his wrong policies. **Economic growth Qalibaf took to the podium to answer a question in four minutes about his plans for boosting the country's economic growth. He said Iran is facing full-fledged economic crisis and added that President Rouhani's administration has not been successful in solving the country's economic crisis. The mayor of Tehran said tax evasion in Iran amounts to 40 percent, adding that the creation of job opportunities is the most important step for boosting the economic growth. The presidential hopefuls took turns to express their views on Qalibaf's remarks with Mirsalim saying the 11th administration has failed to observe the principles of Economy of Resistance. Rouhani said Qalibaf must explain his plans for achieving 26 percent economic growth rate. Jahangiri said the candidates must explain if they are capable of attracting foreign investment. Raeisi said oil accounts for the lion's share of national seven percent economic growth rate. Hashemitaba also made comments on Qalibaf's comments. Jahangiri said that his conservative rivals, Raeisi and Qalibaf, lacked any expertise in diplomacy and will fail to attract foreign investment. The mayor of Tehran retook to the podium to answer the debate questions, vowing that his administration will certainly create five million jobs, including 1.5 million jobs for rural districts, if elected. Qalibaf said prosperity of the housing sector and tourism are among his main plans and added that it is possible to increase the country's revenue 2.5 times. Source: Iran Daily 9060**1394 NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address JCPOA showed diplomacy is effective: Moscow ISNA - Iranian Students' News Agency Sat / 13 May 2017 / 14:31 Tehran (ISNA)-An official from Russian foreign ministry said while JCPOA showed diplomacy was effective, stressing that it was impossible to resolve the issue of the North Korean nuclear program in the same way the Iranian nuclear issue was settled. It is possible to denuclearize the Korean Peninsula using political and diplomatic means, but not by an analogy with the solution of the Iranian nuclear problem, the director of the Russian foreign ministry's department for arms control, Mikhail Ulyanov, told Sputnik. "The Iranian example showed that there is a real possibility to resolve even the most difficult issues through political and diplomatic means, if there is, firstly, a political will, and secondly, enough creativity for that," Ulyanov said. Ulyanov noted that the situation on the Korean Peninsula was significantly different from the one around Iran's nuclear program, so it is impossible to fully copy the resolution process. "But I'm talking about fundamental approaches that should be centered around political and diplomatic efforts and not around bellicose rhetoric and large-scale military maneuvers, and not only around sanctions," Ulyanov added. The Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) was signed by Iran and the P5+1 countries China, France, Russia, the United Kingdom and the United States plus Germany in July 2015, ensuring the peaceful nature of the Iranian nuclear program in return for the gradual lifting of sanctions against Tehran. The deal came into force on January 16, 2016, after the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) confirmed that Iran was ready to implement the program to reduce its nuclear potential. North Korea declared itself a nuclear power in 2005. The United States, Japan and South Korea, as well as Russia and China, took part in talks with North Korea on the denuclearization of the Korean peninsula between 2003 and 2009 when Pyongyang withdrew from the talks. Tensions around North Korea's activities with both nuclear and non-nuclear weapons have drastically escalated in recent months after Pyongyang conducted a number of nuclear tests and ballistic missile launches in violation of the UN Security Council's resolutions. End Item NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Iraqi government forces fully recapture key west Mosul district Iran Press TV Sat May 13, 2017 3:27PM Iraqi government forces have reportedly managed to wrest complete control over a strategic neighborhood in the western part of Mosul as they are engaged in joint operations with volunteer fighters from the Popular Mobilization Units to purge Daesh terrorists from the country's second largest city. The commander of Nineveh Liberation Operation, Lieutenant General Abdul Amir Yarallah, said on Saturday that soldiers from the Federal Police, elite Rapid Response units of the Interior Ministry, the 34th Armored Brigade, the 9th Armored Division, the 73rd Infantry Brigade and the 15th Infantry Division had liberated Third Haramat neighborhood, and are now advancing towards 17 Tamuz district, Arabic-language al-Forat news agency reported. Separately, the director for Daesh public properties affairs in Tal Afar, identified as Abi al-Bara al-Qahtani, has stolen millions of dollars, and fled the area along with three of his close aides. A local source, requesting not to be named, said the defectors had escaped to an unknown location. Iraqi government forces also reclaimed full control over Hawi al-Kanisah neighborhood in the western and southern banks of the Tigris River. Furthermore, the media bureau of the Popular Mobilization Units, commonly known by the Arabic name Hashd al-Sha'abi, announced that the pro-government fighters had cut off the road linking al-Qirwan region to the mainly Izadi-inhabited Sinjar town. Hashd Sha'abi fighters also recaptured Tal Ezzo, Tal Ha'et, Mohamed Zeid, Hozeil and Tal Banat villages in Qirwan west of Mosul and near the border with Syria following intense clashes with Daesh Takfiris. Over 630,000 people displaced amid Mosul battle: UN Meanwhile, the United Nations says more than 630,000 people have been displaced in and around Mosul ever since Iraqi government forces and their allies began military operations last October to win back the strategic northern city. "This includes more than 434,000 displaced from western Mosul since mid-February," Andrej Mahecic, senior external relations officer at the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, said on Friday. He added, "Six months into the Mosul offensive, the UNHCR remains concerned about the continuing massive displacement. Despite enormous risks, the number of people fleeing west Mosul shows no sign of slowing down." "The risk to people fleeing Mosul is now very great, with people having to move despite being in grave danger. People speak of conditions that are desperate and worsening. Families arriving from west Mosul report heavy bombing and fighting," the senior UN official pointed out. Mahecic stated that the people fleeing western Mosul had told the UNHRC that the city lacked basic services such as food, water, and fuel. Iraqi army soldiers and popular fighters from the Popular Mobilization Units have made sweeping gains against the Takfiri elements since launching the Mosul operation. The Iraqi forces took control of eastern Mosul in January after 100 days of fighting, and launched the battle in the west on February 19. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address The nine men were convicted of illegally protesting a government decision to transfer the two Red Sea islands of Tiran and Sanafir to Saudi Arabia A Damietta court has reduced the prison sentences of nine men convicted in the "Red Sea islands" case, reducing their sentences from one year to three months, Al-Ahram Arabic news website reports. In its ruling on Saturday, the court upheld an EGP 20,000 fine for each of the nine men. They were found guilty on charges relating to illegal protests in Damietta against the April 2016 Egyptian-Saudi border demarction deal which placed the two Red Sea islands of Tiran and Sanafir under Saudi sovereignty. The decision sparked fierce public debate within Egypt, as well as street protests. Many protesters faced trials for illegal protests but most have been released since then. A group of Egyptian lawyers filed a legal challenge against the agreement. Court battles have continued since that time, with rulings and counter-rulings in various courts. In January this year, the High Administrative Court (HAC) issued a fimal ruling voiding the deal, reasoming that the two islands are Egyptian. However, in April, the Cairo Court for Urgent Matters ruled that the HAC had no jurisdiction in the matter, rendering the HAC's January ruling void. An administrative court has set 6 June as a date to rule on the issue of jurisdiction. In December 2016, the cabinet approved the deal and referred it to Parliament. Parliament has yet to discuss or vote on the agreement. Search Keywords: Short link: South Korean Leader Urges 'Constructive Role' From Putin On Tensions With North RFE/RL May 13, 2017 South Korea's newly elected President Moon Jae-in has urged Russian President Vladimir Putin to play a "constructive role" in resolving tensions with North Korea's over its threats to use nuclear weapons. Moon's office said on May 12 that the South Korean leader told Putin in a 20-minute phone call that finding a solution to curb North Korea's nuclear threat would help boost cooperation between Seoul and Moscow. "We hope for Russia to play a constructive role in order for North Korea to stop with its nuclear provocations and go the way of denuclearization," Moon told Putin, according to the South Korean president's office. The South Korean statement also quoted Moon as saying that Russia was prepared to play a "productive" part in easing tensions. A brief Kremlin statement said that Putin stressed "the importance of seeking paths to a political and diplomatic solution to the crisis." Moon said he would like to revive the six-party talks aimed at denuclearizing North Korea, which include the United States, China, Japan, Russia, and the two Koreas. The talks collapsed in 2008 after North Korea launched a rocket. Tension has been high for months on the Korean peninsula over Pyongyang's nuclear and missile tests, which it conducts regularly in defiance of UN Security Council resolutions. Moon's office said he also told Putin he hopes the two countries will be able to cooperate in developing East Asia, including extending a natural gas pipeline from Siberia to South Korea. Putin said he was ready to help in all of the matters they discussed, and the two leaders invited each other for state visits, the Kremlin and Seoul said. Moon said he would send a special envoy to Russia soon. The two leaders plan to meet at the Group of 20 summit meeting in Germany in July. Earlier on May 12, Moon spoke with British Prime Minister Theresa May and German Chancellor Angela Merkel and asked them for help in curbing North Korea's nuclear program as well. Both agreed to do so, Moon's office said. Moon told Chinese President Xi Jinping on May 11 that resolution of the North Korea issue "must be comprehensive and sequential, with pressure and sanctions used in parallel with negotiations." Moon's conciliatory approach appears to conflict with that of the White House, which is trying to force Pyongyang to abandon its nuclear weapons through stiff international sanctions and pressure. While the United States is South Korea's biggest ally, the U.S. State Department said that Washington is open to talks with North Korea only if Pyongyang "ceases all its illegal activities and aggressive behavior in the region" -- a much higher threshold than Seoul is now setting. U.S. President Donald Trump told NBC News on May 11 that Moon is "more open to discussion. I don't mind discussion, but it's under certain circumstances." With reporting by Reuters, Yonhap, TASS, and Interfax Source: https://www.rferl.org/a/russian-president-putin- offers-constructive-role-resolving-north-korean- nuclear-test-problem/28483638.html Copyright (c) 2017. RFE/RL, Inc. Reprinted with the permission of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, 1201 Connecticut Ave., N.W. Washington DC 20036. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address U.S. Settles Magnitsky-Linked Money Laundering Case On Eve Of Trial Mike Eckel May 13, 2017 A Russian-owned group of companies will pay the U.S. government $6 million to settle a wide-reaching money-laundering case that had quietly rippled through U.S.-Russian relations for years. Federal prosecutors in New York announced the settlement with Russian businessman Denis Katsyv, the owner of Prevezon Holdings, on May 12, just three days before jury selection was set to begin in the case. Under the settlement, none of Prevezon Holdings' companies admitted wrongdoing. The settlement brings to a close more than three years of court battles by U.S. prosecutors seeking to seize more than $20 million in real estate and bank accounts from Prevezon. The assets, prosecutors alleged, were obtained through a series of Byzantine bank transfers that ultimately trace back to the largest tax-fraud case in Russian history. That tax-fraud case, totaling about $230 million, targeted the Hermitage Capital investment firm and was uncovered by a whistle-blowing Russian auditor hired by Hermitage, Sergei Magnitsky. Magnitsky was himself arrested on charges of collusion to commit tax fraud, and he died in a Moscow pretrial detention center in November 2009, just eight days before he would have either had to be put on trial or released. His supporters say he was tortured, and a Russian government commission was critical of his treatment while in custody. Russian prosecutors later charged him posthumously with the very crime he helped uncover. Magnitsky Act Three years later, the United States passed a law bearing Magnitsky's name that targeted Russian government officials allegedly involved in the original tax crime, as well as those complicit in Magnitsky's death and other alleged human rights abuses. As of May, there were 44 Russian officials on the Magnitsky sanctions list, including the former head of Russia's Investigative Committee, Aleksandr Bastrykin, and several Interior Ministry officers and tax officials are also on the list. State Duma Deputy Andrei Lugovoi is on the list for his alleged involvement in the 2006 radiation-poisoning death in London of former Federal Security Service officer Aleksandr Litvinenko. Prosecutors with the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Southern District of New York launched the Prevezon case nearly four years ago, but instead of filing criminal charges they opted for a "civil asset forfeiture" proceeding, where the rules of evidence aren't as strict. U.S. authorities "will not allow the U.S. financial system to be used to launder the proceeds of crimes committed anywhere -- here in the U.S., in Russia, or anywhere else," Joon H. Kim, the acting Manhattan U.S. attorney, said in a statement late on May 12. The May 13 settlement helps U.S. prosecutors avoid having to establish the underlying circumstances of the original $230 million tax fraud. As it had for years of pretrial wrangling, Prevezon's defense team intended to challenge the facts of the fraud, asserting that the government's case was entirely built on flimsy evidence gathered by Hermitage founder William Browder. 'Modest' Settlement Prevezon portrayed the settlement as a defeat for the U.S. government and said the arrangement did not constitute a seizure or forfeiture on the part of Prevezon. "The modest size of this settlement simply underscores the fact that this action should never have been bought in the first place," a company spokesman told RFE/RL in an email. Hermitage founder Browder, however, described the settlement as "a huge victory." "This sends a clear message to the people who received that money that it's not safe in the West and will be seized," Browder's statement said. "I believe that this case will give the green light to other countries to follow suit." U.S. officials had repeatedly sought assistance from Russian prosecutors in gathering material for their case. But in Moscow, the Prosecutor-General's Office not only refused to help, but instead asked their U.S. counterparts for help in building a criminal case against Browder. Russian prosecutors ultimately charged Browder with tax evasion. He was convicted in 2013 after a trial that was largely seen as politically motivated. The Washington law firm initially hired to represent Prevezon, Baker Hostetler, sought repeatedly to undermine the prosecution's case, arguing that it was built largely on Browder's material. Just days before trial's original start date in January 2016, the judge ordered a delay, after Hermitage argued one of the Baker Hostetler lawyers had provided counsel to Hermitage years prior in the tax fraud case, and therefore had a conflict of interest. An appeals court later agreed and kicked Baker Hostetler off the case. Last-Minute Motion Last week, federal prosecutors won a small pretrial victory when U.S. District Judge William Pauley allowed the introduction of crucial banking files compiled by Nikolai Gorokhov, another Russian lawyer who has represented Magnitsky's widow, as part of the docket record. A day later, Pauley rejected a last-minute motion by Prevezon's new lawyers, Quinn Emanuel Urquhart and Sullivan, to have the entire case thrown out. Russia has made no secret of its contempt for the Magnitsky Act and the entire narrative that paints a picture of institutionalized high-level Russian corruption. Several months after then-President Barack Obama signed the legislation into law, the Kremlin retaliated by banning all adoptions of Russian children by U.S. parents. That ban remains in place. The case rippled quietly through Washington, D.C., more recently.Last year, a Russian-American man named Rinat Akhmetshin, who had worked alongside Baker Hostetler, helped spearhead a quiet lobbying effort to undermine Magnitsky's findings and influence Congress as it sought to pass a broader human rights law modeled on the original Magnitsky law. Akhmetshin's name then resurfaced last month when a leading Republican senator called for the Justice Department to investigate him and a Washington lobbying firm named Fusion GPS, with which he worked. Fusion GPS has been linked to the explosive dossier compiled by a former British intelligence officer on President Donald Trump that leaked out during last year's election campaign. Senator Chuck Grassley suggested that some of the anti-Magnitsky lobbying may have been done in violation of the Foreign Agents Registration Act. Adding further to the intrigue, in March, Gorokhov, the Russian lawyer who had also represented Magnitsky's widow, fell from a window of his Moscow apartment building, one day before he was scheduled to appear in a Russian court in a case related to Magnitsky's death. He remains hospitalized. Source: https://www.rferl.org/a/magnitsky-prevezon-u-s- settlement-6-million/28483793.html Copyright (c) 2017. RFE/RL, Inc. Reprinted with the permission of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, 1201 Connecticut Ave., N.W. Washington DC 20036. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Tillerson Says Russia Meddled In U.S. Election, No 'Clean Slate' With Moscow RFE/RL May 14, 2017 U.S. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson says it is clear that Russia meddled in last year's presidential election, and that Washington and Moscow will not be able to restart with "a clean slate." Tillerson's comments in a May 14 television interview with NBC follow Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov's visit to Washington last week that included a meeting with President Donald Trump. Tillerson echoed his earlier statements on bilateral ties, saying relations had fallen to "an all-time low point since the end of the Cold War, with a very low level of trust." He added, however, that this state of relations "is not healthy for the world." Relations between the two sides remain tense over Moscow's seizure of Ukraine's Crimean Peninsula in 2014, its backing of separatists in Ukraine, the Syrian civil war, and other issues. The Trump administration has not budged on the issue of U.S. sanctions targeting Russia over Ukraine, though Trump indicated during his campaign last year that he would consider lifting the punitive measures. "I think it's important to understand we're not trying to start with a clean slate," Tillerson said. U.S. intelligence has also accused the Kremlin of directing a hacking and influence campaign aimed at helping Trump, who says he wants to improve ties with Moscow, defeat Democratic rival Hillary Clinton in the November presidential election. The Kremlin denies it interfered in the election. After voicing skepticism about the allegations, Trump has since said he believes Russia was behind the hacking campaign targeting Democrats but that it had no impact on the outcome of the vote. Tillerson told NBC that Russian interference in the election was "well documented." "I don't think there's any question that the Russians were playing around in our electoral processes," he said. He added, however, that it was "inconclusive" whether this had any impact on the election. Trump's presidency has been dogged by the Russian-meddling allegations and investigations by the FBI and congressional committees about contacts between his associates and Russian officials. Trump has accused the news media and his political opponents of seeking to undermine his presidency with what he has called a "fake" Russia story. With reporting by NBC, Bloomberg, and AFP Source: https://www.rferl.org/a/us-russia-tillerson-says-meddled -in-election-no-clean-slate/28487621.html Copyright (c) 2017. RFE/RL, Inc. Reprinted with the permission of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, 1201 Connecticut Ave., N.W. Washington DC 20036. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Thousands Protest In Moscow Against Plan To Raze Soviet-Era Housing Tom Balmforth May 14, 2017 MOSCOW -- Thousands of people have taken to the streets of Moscow to protest the proposed demolitions of Soviet-era housing blocks in the Russian capital. The May 14 protest, held on a wide central Moscow street named after Soviet dissident Andrei Sakharov, marked a large showing of grassroots anger less than a year before a planned presidential election in which President Vladimir Putin is expected to secure a new six-year term. Backed by Putin, Moscow Mayor Sergei Sobyanin plans to knock down 4,500 prefabricated buildings erected on an industrial scale across Russia in the 1950s-60s to ease a housing crisis. Supporters argue that the 3.5 trillion-ruble ($62.1 billion) project is vital, as it will replace the aged buildings with high-rise housing in a city that faces rising rents and a housing crunch. But opponents say the program, due to start in September, is an assault on their property rights. "People don't quite understand the correlation between freedom and wages. But when you attack the last thing they have, they will of course protest," Nina Braginskaya, a 66-year-old philology professor, told RFE/RL at the protest. Braginskaya held a placard that read: "I won't give away an inch of my home!" Other protesters held anti-Sobyanin signs, such as "I support the demolition -- of Sobyanin," "Hands off my property," and "Moscow is not a separate kingdom. Sergei Sobyanin -- respect federal laws." Sergei Velichkov, a 42-year-old IT worker, told RFE/RL that the proposed demolitions "could lead to armed confrontation." "I'm prepared to buy a rifle, and if they break down my door, I'll shoot. I'm a completely peaceful person.... They've pushed me to this. I'm going to defend my home," he said. Organizers of the protest, which was not spearheaded by the political opposition, claimed from the stage that 60,000 people had participated. Moscow police, who are regularly accused of undercounting the size of antigovernment protests, put the figure at 8,000. White Counter, an independent activist group that tracks turnout at demonstrations, estimated that there were 20,200 people present inside the designated demonstration area. Moscow authorities gave permission for a demonstration of no more than 5,000 people. Russian authorities in recent years have tightened restrictions on public protests, including with a law criminalizing participation in more than one unsanctioned protest in a 180-day period. Critics these efforts are specifically aimed at clamping down on the political opposition, whose requests to stage demonstrations are frequently rejected by municipal authorities. The May 14 protest in Moscow was a rare public showing of substantial grassroots outrage, though social issues -- such as other housing-related matters and the rights of car drivers -- have triggered occasional large demonstrations during Putin's 17 years in power. The event was organized by local activists who met one another through their opposition to Sobyanin's demolition plan. They explicitly decided not to allow opposition politicians to speak at the demonstration so as to avoid politicizing the rally. Opposition leader Aleksei Navalny arrived at the protest with his wife and son and attempted to reach the stage, but police intercepted them and led them away from the platform. The protesters' anger was mostly directed at Sobyanin, while there was little or no criticism of Putin, who approved the renovation program in February. Speakers on the stage at the protest repeatedly called for Sobyanin's firing. Dinara Yakusheva, a woman introduced as Sobyanin's representative, was invited to speak on the stage after Moscow City Hall apparently asked the organizers for permission. As Yakusheva tried to speak, demonstrators booed, whistled, and shouted "shame!" Andrei Dukhonin, a 46-year-old real estate agent who attended the rally, told RFE/RL that the protest "is very important, because if similar things do not take place in the future, the authorities will simply continue with their impudence and lawlessness." Sobyanin said in a May 14 tweet that city hall would take into account all "substantive announcements" made during the protest, "including those made by opponents of the program." The housing blocks were designed for rapid assembly, and some versions were considered to have a shelf life of only 25 years. The outcry has elicited a reaction from Putin, who told ministers that "it goes without saying that this should be done in such a way and with such means and methods so as to not breach the rights of citizens." Legislation related to the plan passed its first reading in Russia's lower house of parliament with almost unanimous support on April 20. Lawmakers have promised to push for changes in later readings. Parliament has postponed the second reading of the bill until July. OVD-Info, a nongovernmental organization that tracks detentions and arrests at public demonstrations, reported that one person was detained during the protests. With reporting by AFP, the Financal Times, Current Time TV, and TASS Source: https://www.rferl.org/a/russia-moscow- protests-demolition-krushchev -era-housing/28487244.html Copyright (c) 2017. RFE/RL, Inc. Reprinted with the permission of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, 1201 Connecticut Ave., N.W. Washington DC 20036. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Army forces regain control of al-Jarrah airbase in northern Syria Iran Press TV Sat May 13, 2017 4:49PM Syrian government forces have managed to retake a military air base in the country's northern province of Aleppo from Daesh Takfiri terrorists as they continue to score territorial gains against the extremists across the country. The director of the so-called Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, Rami Abdel Rahman, said Syrian troopers could establish control over the small al-Jarrah airport on Saturday after heavy fighting with Daesh members. "The majority of the extremists have withdrawn, and government forces are carrying out clearing operations in the airport and engaged in limited clashes with remaining Daesh elements," he added. A military source, speaking on condition of anonymity, also confirmed the recapture of the base. "The Syrian army has completed its capture of Jarrah airport and a number of the surrounding villages," he said. "It will continue its advances into the areas held by the terrorist organization and ... expand the areas it controls in eastern Aleppo Province," the source pointed out. The development came as government forces are advancing towards the town of Maskanah . Meanwhile, Syrian army soldiers have seized back control of a major suburb on the eastern edge of Damascus. Syria's state-run television reported that the military had recaptured Qaboun neighborhood, located 6 kilometers northeast of the capital's center. Syrian government forces also uncovered a strategically important chain of tunnels and trenches, which foreign-sponsored Takfiri militants used to transport ammunition, food, water, and armor in the area. Syria has been battling foreign-backed militancy since March 2011. United Nations Special Envoy for Syria Staffan de Mistura estimated last August that more than 400,000 people had been killed in the crisis until then. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Kurdish-Led SDF Closing In On IS-Held Raqqa, Groups Report RFE/RL May 13, 2017 An international monitor group and Kurdish media are reporting that Syrian Kurdish-led forces are closing in on the city of Raqqa, the self-declared capital of the Islamic State (IS) militant group in Syria. The U.K.-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights on May 13 said the U.S.-backed Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) advanced to 4 kilometers from the northeast of the city in a multipronged offensive amid strong resistance from IS fighters. The reported advance comes a day after SDF commanders said they would launch their assault on Raqqa, the last large IS stronghold in Syria, by early summer. Kurdish activist Mustafa Bali said the latest SDF gains are part of an effort to encircle Raqqa but that the actual assault on the city is likely to come later. The taking of Raqqa, should it happen, would mark a significant victory for the U.S.-backed coalition, greatly reducing the area controlled by the militant group that has been accused of atrocities in the region and for terror attacks elsewhere. IS fighters captured wide swathes of territory in 2014 in Syria and Iraq but are being pushed back on multiple fronts -- in Raqqa and in Mosul in Iraq. Syrian is embroiled in a civil war that has killed more than 300,000 people since the government cracked down on antigovernment protesters in March 2011. The United States and Turkey have supported differing rebel groups, while Russia and Iran back President Bashar al-Assad's government. The IS fighters later joined the war and are opposed by the other forces. Another activist group, Raqqa Being Slaughtered Silently, said public markets in Raqqa have been closed and that militants ordered merchants to leave the main vegetable market for the next few days, without providing details. The move comes after U.S. President Donald Trump gave his authorization to equip the Syrian Kurdish YPG militia, the SDF's most powerful element, to help in the Raqqa assault. The U.S. decision has infuriated Turkey, which considers the YPG as a terrorist group With reporting by AP and dpa Source: https://www.rferl.org/a/kurdish-arab-sdf-raqqa- islamic-state-militants/28486408.html Copyright (c) 2017. RFE/RL, Inc. Reprinted with the permission of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, 1201 Connecticut Ave., N.W. Washington DC 20036. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address US-Backed Syrian Kurdish Fighters Advance on IS Stronghold By VOA News May 13, 2017 Monitors say Kurdish-led Syrian forces, backed by a U.S.-led air coalition, are battling Islamic State extremists on the northern outskirts of Raqqa, the IS de facto capital seized by the militant group three years ago. The activist Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said Saturday that the U.S.-backed Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) advanced within four kilometers of Raqqa as fighting raged at several points north and east of the besieged city. An SDF spokesman, speaking Friday, said an anti-jihadist assault on the fortified northern city would most likely begin in the next several months. The loosely knit anti-jihadist coalition pushing to liberate Raqqa includes SDF forces attacking from the north and rival Syrian ground forces backed by Shi'ite allies and Russia pressing toward the city from the south. Complex alliance Sunni Arab and Turkmen militias are also involved, along with a separate contingent of Turkish-backed forces opposed to a faction of Kurdish fighters in the U.S.-backed SDF alliance. Conflicts within the widely divergent anti-jihadist alliance have so far been addressed with quiet diplomacy by U.S., Turkish and Russian military commanders. As the disparate anti-jihadist forces gather near Raqqa motivated largely by the single objective of destroying Islamic State U.S. advisers have sought to keep peace within the factions by creating buffer zones separating Kurdish fighters from Turkish-backed forces. It remains unclear what role, if any, Syrian government forces and their Russian allies will play in the planning or execution of the complex offensive. Anti-jihadist push gains steam The push to retake Raqqa appears to have gathered strength since U.S. President Donald Trump announced a decision Wednesday to arm Kurdish-led forces with heavy weapons. That decision has been roundly criticized by Turkey, which sees a key Syrian Kurdish unit in the SDF alliance, the YPG, as an extension of the outlawed Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK). Turkish leaders have voiced fears that any heavy weaponry used by the SDF against extremists at Raqqa will eventually fall into the hands of PKK fighters, who have battled the Turkish government for an autonomous region in Turkey's southeast for more than three decades. On Wednesday, Erdogan, who opens an official visit to Washington on Tuesday, told reporters that he hoped "this [U.S.] mistake will be reversed immediately." NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address US Heavy Weapon Shipments Spell Doom for Daesh Sputnik News 18:35 14.05.2017 Members of the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) hailed US President Donald Trump's decision to supply heavy weapons to the Syrian Democratic Forces' most powerful element, the Kurdish YPG, to help in the Raqqa assault. Earlier US President Donald Trump tasked the US Defense Ministry to conduct heavy weapon shipments to YPG forces which Turkey regards as a branch of the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) branded as a terrorist organization by Ankara. Abdulaziz Yunus, an SDF representative responsible for external relations, told Sputnik Turkiye that this decision is a truly momentous occasion. "These weapon shipments will help bring closer the fall of Daesh (ISIL/ISIS), make capturing Raqqa easier and assist our struggle," Yunus said. "We say that this decision was late, but at the same time it has a historic significance. It is a show of trust, and highlights the fact that we're fighting a successful fight against Daesh. The weapons that will be delivered will help bring closer the demise of Daesh and other terrorist organizations," he added. And according to Yunus, the US will supply precisely the kind of weapons YPG needs in order to defeat Daesh forces entrenched at the terrorist movement's so called 'capital.' "Raqqa is very important for Daesh, it is a place of strategic importance. Daesh will put up a fight there, so heavy weapons are needed, like tanks, howitzers, rockets and other hardware," he explained. Sputnik NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address US-Backed Syrian Democratic Forces, Kurds Embark on Decisive Assault on Raqqa Sputnik News 10:56 14.05.2017(updated 20:00 14.05.2017) Recent reports suggest that the US-Backed Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) and the Kurdish People's Protection Units or YPG are bracing for what could be one of the defining battles of the war against Daesh terrorists, awaiting more weapons from the US. Turkish diplomat Faruk Logoglu however warned of certain dangers of arming the Kurds. The US-Backed SDF and the Kurdish Units or YPG are getting ready to embark on an assault on Raqqa, the stronghold of Daesh terrorists, in early summer, Reuters reported, citing Abdul Qader Hevdeli, an SDF commander. He said that they are awaiting more weapons from the US, including armored vehicles, to be able embark on what can be one of the defining battles of the war against the militants in Iraq and Syria. This week President Trump has authorized supplying weapons for the first time to the SDF's most powerful element, the Kurdish YPG, to help in the Raqqa assault. That has infuriated Turkey, which sees the YPG as an extension of the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) outlawed in Turkey. The US' move sparked even more debates as Turkish President Erdogan is set to visit Washington next week. Meanwhile, when asked about the timing of an assault on Daesh's de facto capital in Syria, Hevdeli told reporters at a news conference in the city of Tabqa that he "can't specify exactly, but believes entering and storming the city will happen at the start of the summer." "At the start of entering, of course, as (the US-led coalition) promised us, there will be support in the form of specialized weapons, armored vehicles or others." He said that weapons approved by the White House for the YPG had yet to arrive, but added: "I believe these weapons or this support will arrive soon." This week the SDF and YPG have captured the city of Tabqa, along with its nearby dam on the Euphrates River, located 40 kilometers upstream from the city of Raqqa. The SDF said in a statement that Tabqa would be turned over to a civilian council once fully secured. The authority that oversees the hydroelectric Tabqa dam would remain "a national Syrian institution that will serve all the regions of Syria without exception". The SDF have also captured a major airbase near Tabqa, some 50 km (30 miles) west of Raqqa, in the latest phase of their operation against Daesh. However a source in the SDF has told Sputnik Turkiye that the Kurds received the first batch of US armaments and armored vehicles on Friday. "After US President Trump approved the supply of weapons to Kurdish forces fighting the Islamic State (Daesh) in Syria, we received the US armaments and armored vehicles. We have received many Hummer vehicles, mine throwers, infrared homing missiles, heavy machineguns, armored vehicles and tanks," the source, who preferred not to reveal his name, told Sputnik. The armament and armed vehicles, he said, were sent by land from the Iraqi Kurdistan and then sent to Rojava autonomous region in northern Syria, he said. It was further sent to Kobani, a city in the Aleppo Governorate and the Tell Abyad District within the Raqqa Governorate. Russian military analyst, editor-in-chief of the Russian magazine "Arsenal of the Fatherland" Viktor Murakhovsky said that the liberation of Raqqa and the city of Deir ez-Zor, which is also currently in the midst of heavy fighting, will mean the loss of control by Daesh over any important infrastructure in the territory of Syria. In his interview with Russia's online newspaper Gazeta.ru, he said that the valley of the Euphrates River (including Tabqa, Raqqa and Deir ez-Zor) now serves as the major resource base for Daesh. Besides the dam, there are many industrial enterprises and other objects of infrastructure. "The dam is only one of the key objects in the region. The whole area is a very important resource base for Syria, thus it is very important to kick the militants out. It will be better for everyone, and it does not matter whether the Syrian government is cooperating with SDF or not," he told the outlet. However former Turkish Ambassador to the US Faruk Logoglu has warned of certain dangers of arming the Kurds in Syria. "The US decision to arm the Kurdish units in Syria is dangerous both for Turkey and for Syria. The US has been governed by its short-term ambitions. It might allow them launching an operation to liberate Raqqa, however in the long-term perspective it will result in the breakup of the territorial integrity and unity of the Syrian state and more clashes on its territory. The assault on Raqqa is an important milestone in the Syrian conflict, however Syria's ultimate future is of more importance," he told Sputnik Turkiye. "The Americans got stuck on the elimination of Daesh, however Daesh is not the only Syrian problem," he said. By arming the Kurds, Faruk Logoglu said, the US is supporting their claims for an independent Kurdish state. And this will facilitate the continuation of the conflict in Syria. Sputnik NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address President Abdel-Fattah El-Sisi said the economic reform plan includes efforts to stabilize the Egyptian currency at a realistic value Egyptian President Abdel-Fattah El-Sisi said on Sunday that the state is "in a race against time" to provide citizens with essential consumer goods at affordable prices, citing difficulties due to increasing rates of consumption. The president made the comments during an event in Qena to inaugurate a set of infrastructure development projects in Upper Egypt. In his speech, Sisi referred to a range of measures linked to economic reforms that are intended to fix problems in the economy and bring consumer prices under control, while ensuring that the supply of goods keeps pace with demand. He said that the economic reform programme, which was launched in 2014, is necessary to ensure the Egyptian currency settles at its true value relative to the nation's economy. Floating the pound Among the key reforms introduced was the floatation of the pound in November 2016, a move that he said was essential to improving the economy. "The state used to subsidize the value of the Egyptian pound and that was a very dangerous economic situation that got us into a lot of trouble," the president said. When the fiscal reforms, including fuel subsidy cuts and a range of new taxes, were introduced, they were described as necessary to ease a growing budget deficit. However, they resulted in price increases, hitting the nation's poor particularly hard. Sisi said on Sunday that ordinary citizens should be provided with a full set of figures on the economy, allowing them to keep abreast of developments. However, he said that consumer prices, which have risen significantly in recent months, are still cheaper than in most countries around the world, adding that "the building of nations is not an easy process; there are burdens that citizens must bear." Food security Sisi also addressed the challenges facing the nation in the area of agriculture and food security, since problems with supply have contributed to rising food prices. "We produce between 8 and 10 million tonnes of grain and import another 10 million, while we consume a total of 18 tonnes annually. Here we are not talking about an increase in demand due to the increase in population, but we are basically talking about a steep increase in our consumption," he said. More storage capacity Last week, the planning ministry announced that Egypt aims to increase its silo storage capacity to 3.13 million tonnes of wheat in 2017/18 from 1.528 million tonnes in 2015/16. Egypt, the world's top importer of grain, has been implementing policies to limit the use of private-sector silos and increase its own capacity to curb smuggling and fraud in the local market. "That's why it is very important to hold such meetings, to make all the information on the situation available to the Egyptian citizen", Sisi said, addressing government officials in Qena. The Egyptian president also thanked the United Arab Emirates for financing many development projects in the country, including the project for wheat silos. Repossessing state land However, he expressed frustration at delays in the ongoing process of repossessing state land that has been appropriated illegally by private parties over the last few decades, urging the interior ministry and the armed forces to put an end to such transgressions. "This is not some abandoned farm property, it's the state's land, and we will not allow anybody to put his hands on one inch of it illegally," Sisi said. In 2016, Sisi formed a national committee to redeem stolen state land in accordance with the law governing each authority. The committee announced last December that it had restored 80,000 feddans of land illegally acquired at the expense of the state. The committee is headed by Egypt's former prime minister Ibrahim Mahlab and includes the minister of local development, the presidents aide for security affairs and counter-terrorism, and representatives from the justice, defense and finance ministries, as well as Egypt's general intelligence. Search Keywords: Short link: The Egyptian Navy has rescued 23 tourists on a boat near the coast of the Red Sea city of Hurghada, a military spokesman said Sunday. "Egypt's navy units headed to the point in the sea upon directives of the general command where it controlled a fire aboard the boat, rescuing 23 tourists of different nationalities, in addition to eight crew members," said the spokesman in a statement. "The navy provided all the necessary medical care to the rescued tourists. One tourist was transferred to Hurghada General Hospital," the statement added. The military spokesman added that navy units rescued four Egyptians on board a fishing boat near Gifton Island in the Red Sea. Egypt's navy carries out regular patrol operations across the country's coasts. Red Sea resorts are a key tourist attraction in Egypt. The sector has yet to recover from three years of political unrest that has sapped one of the economy's main sources of foreign currency. Search Keywords: Short link: Fernando Alonso says he has no regrets about sitting out the forthcoming Monaco grand prix. Amid the McLaren-Honda crisis, the Spaniard is sitting out F1's most prestigious race in a fortnight to instead vie for victory at the Indy 500. But Alonso qualified a shock seventh in Barcelona, and Monaco could be an even better circuit for the team. So when asked if he has any regrets about sitting out Monaco, Alonso insisted: "Zero. "On the same day as Monaco I am driving one of the biggest races in the world. What could I have done in Monaco?" he is quoted by Auto Motor und Sport. "Mercedes, Ferrari and Red Bull will be in front of us so it would only be for seventh place again. No thanks," the 35-year-old said. Honda has made an obvious step forward in Barcelona, and it is believed the struggling Japanese supplier is planning a bigger upgrade for Canada in June. "That is the plan, but I cannot promise it yet," said Honda's Yusuke Hasegawa. (GMM) Experts from Egypt, Sudan and Ethiopia are holding talks in Addis Ababa with representatives from foreign consultancy firms to discuss an initial report by the firms on the effect of the Ethiopian Grand Renaissance Dam (GERD) on downstream countries, Egypt's irrigation ministry said. Ministry spokesman Walid Haqiqi told Al-Ahram Arabic news website that Sunday's meeting comes as a continuation of a four-day April meeting held in Cairo. In April, the committee discussed an initial report prepared by the two French consultancy firms Atrelia and BRL on the effect of the dam on downstream countries, where they agreed on several technical points to be taken into consideration by the firms when formulating a final report. The initial discussions conducted by the three countries were held to decide on a mechanism to be adopted by the firms in carrying out their studies. The three countries said in April that the firms are respecting the recommendations of the committee of experts, which recommended that the studies focus on the concerns expressed by the three states, including the best mechanism for filling the dam. The studies by the French firms, expected to take 11 months from their start date in late 2016, will include the managing of water and hydroelectric resources as well as an assessment of the cross-border environmental, social and economic impact of the mega project. Cairo has expressed concerns that the construction of the Renaissance Dam, which is more than halfway complete, could negatively affect Egypt's share of Nile water. Addis Ababa, however, has maintained that the dam project, which Ethiopia says is vital for generating electricity, will not harm downstream countries, with Ethiopian FM Workneh Gebeyehu assuring Egyptians last April during a first-time Cairo visit that Addis Ababa will never harm the Egyptian people and their interests. Search Keywords: Short link: Nestor Marchi, 59, came from Brazil to America in 1994 to build a better life for his son. I never had the chance to study, go to college, Marchi said. I wanted him to have a better life and better place to live. It was about giving him the chance to be somebody. Marchi found that opportunity in Greensboro. Son Andy Marchi, now 30, is a firefighter with the city of Greensboro. Marchi said he couldnt be prouder of his son, who recently married. But he fears he may never see his grandchildren. After 21 years in Greensboro and 23 years in this country, he is being deported. Its like the lights going off, Marchi said on Tuesday. My whole life is here. In Brazil, I will be a stranger in my own birthplace. Nestor Marchi is one of a dozen clients at McKinney Immigration Law in Greensboro who are facing deportation after years of living in the U.S. under government supervision. They are not the bad hombres President Donald Trump invoked in debates and speeches, who pose a danger to the country and their communities. They are law-abiding residents who work, pay taxes and have no criminal records. What we are trying to get across ... is that this administration is not focusing on criminals, as was promised and as is being sold to the American people, attorney Jeremy McKinney said. They are pumping up deportation numbers by taking people like Nestor who are coming to them. The Atlanta office of the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), which has jurisdiction over Marchis case, did not return a call for comment. He is required to check in with ICE officials once a year under his order of supervision. A skilled aviation mechanic, he worked in Miami for two years before transferring to Greensboro in 1996. The Gate City would become his home. He enrolled Andy, then 10, at Mendenhall Middle School. Andy Marchi would go on to graduate from Page High School and attend Greensboro College and GTCC. Im very proud, Marchi said. I worked to give him the start he needs, to go to college. Now he is a firefighter, working to help people. Nothing could make me prouder. Enhanced security around transportation after the 9/11 terrorist attacks led to an immigration raid in 2005 at Nestor Marchis workplace in Greensboro. He was detained for having overstayed his VISA, and he was ordered deported in 2006. The Department of Homeland Security chose not to enforce the deportation order because Marchi had strong community ties and no criminal record. He was allowed to remain and get a work permit under an order of supervision, which requires yearly check-ins. For the past 10 years, he has followed those rules without incident. But at his first check-in under the Trump administration, on March 9, Nestor Marchi was greeted with the news that he had an opportunity to self-deport, or he would be taken into custody. McKinney filed a stay-of-removal request, for which Nestor had solid grounds. First, he has serious health problems, including congestive heart failure, hypertension and diabetes, which will be far more difficult to treat in Brazil. Because the health system there is completely overburdened, it could take up to a year or more to get an appointment with a primary-care doctor and then a referral to a specialist. And, second, he has a path to citizenship. Because Andy Marchi married an American citizen, he will be granted permanent residency in a matter of months and can become a U.S. citizen in three years. Once he is a U.S. citizen, Andy Marchi can sponsor his father. But if Nestor Marchi were to leave the U.S. now, he would be barred from returning to the U.S. for a decade. Nestor Marchi said he was encouraged after his interview with an ICE agent in Charlotte on April 12. She told him that she was going to approve his stay of removal, but that decision would have to go through a supervisor for final approval. McKinney said he felt confident that, given Nestors situation, he would be granted a stay. Nestor Marchi was helping his son repair his kitchen sink on May 2 when they got the word his stay had been denied. No reason was given. I didnt know what to do, Nestor Marchi said, wiping away tears. I knew it was the last chance I had. He is not being dramatic when he says he doesnt expect to live long if he has to go back to Brazil. As a first responder, Andy Marchi has seen what happens to people with congestive heart failure who dont take their medication for a couple of days or a week. It might take his father months to obtain medication in Brazil. I have to be realistic, Andy Marchi said. If my dad does leave now and he does have a 10-year bar I might not ever see him again, period. Its just so inhumane. But humanity is not a part of the equation these days when it comes to immigration enforcement. They have a quota, said Andrew Willis Garces, who works with the American Friends Service Committee in Greensboro. We dont have any evidence yet, because theyre denying all the Freedom of Information Act requests that they used to approve. But clearly there are decisions being made that are based on some arbitrary metric. Clearly, its not based on the merit of the case. All of this makes Nestor Marchis love for America all the more poignant. Here, you can make things happen, he said. You can make good things for your family. Like many undocumented Americans, Marchi pays into Medicare and Social Security with every paycheck, though he cant access those benefits. He has been able to raise a family, send his son to college, pay income tax and medical bills out of pocket by working 60 hours a week. He drives to Miami thats right, Miami, FLORIDA every few months to access low-cost medical care through an association that helps immigrants and to visit a clinic where the doctor provides him with samples to cut down on the cost. This is the place that gave me a chance to survive, Marchi said. I just want a chance to see my grandkids, see my family. There is no reason to live if I dont have my family. The U.S. government absolutely has the legal right to deport Nestor Marchi, McKinney says, but doing so is both illogical and dangerous. What the ICE union who endorsed Trump for president calls undoing the shackles the Obama administration put on them is creating an absence of leadership, so this agency can do whatever it wants to do, McKinney said. Which is apprehend and detain and deport whoever is in front of them without regard to any priority system. And that makes the community less safe. The Trump administration needs to issue clear guidelines that set priorities for criminals to be deported, and Congress needs to step up and repair the broken immigration system, McKinney said. Local elected officials need to intervene in cases such as Marchis to keep these injustices from being done, Garces said. This is a real crisis for our community, Garces said. If we allow him to be deported, what does it say about us? What indeed. The German and Italian interior ministers have called for an EU mission to be installed on the border between Libya and Niger to stem migrant crossings to Europe. In a letter to the European Commission dated May 11, which AFP obtained a copy of on Sunday, ministers Thomas de Maiziere and Marco Minniti said they "are convinced that we all must do more" to "prevent that hundreds of thousands of people once again risk their lives in Libya and on the Mediterranean Sea in the hands of smugglers." Italy had already registered nearly 42,500 migrants coming by sea by mid-April this year and 97 percent of them arrived from Libya, the letter said. It called for the setting up of "a EU Mission at the border between Libya and Niger as soon as possible." To close the migrant route from Niger to Libya, the ministers are seeking "support for growth and development programmes in local communities" along the border. Other measures include "technical and financial support" for Libyan authorities fighting illegal migration, particularly at the border with Niger. Libya has long struggled to control its 5,000 kilometres (3,000 miles) of southern borders with Sudan, Chad and Niger, even before the 2011 uprising that toppled dictator Muammar Gaddafi. The North African country has long been a stepping stone for migrants seeking to cross the Mediterranean for a better life in Europe. But smugglers have stepped up their lucrative business in the post-uprising chaos, with tens of thousands of people each year making the perilous crossing to Italy just some 300 kilometres away. According to the Libyan government, between 7,000 and 8,000 migrants mostly from sub-Saharan Africa are being held in Libyan detention centres after entering the country illegally. Search Keywords: Short link: You have permission to edit this article. Edit Close Two decades ago, Durham-based MDCs first State of the South report observed that the new economy makes education beyond the 12th grade mandatory. The report urged business and civic leaders to change a culture that encourages too many students to quit pursuing education after prom night. Since then, the education-beyond-high school maxim has become settled wisdom. Accelerated technological change and further economic transition have reinforced that post-secondary education does not necessarily guarantee, but surely serves as a prerequisite, for work that sustains a middle-class standard of living. The General Assembly is considering a measure that has the potential to widen one of the pathways from high school to subsequent education to what are known as middle-skill jobs. The bill adopted by the House and awaiting Senate action would transfer the states apprenticeship program from the state Department of Commerce to North Carolinas community colleges. I really get pretty passionate about apprenticeships, said N.C. Community Colleges System President Jimmie Williamson by phone recently. Its a real natural fit. Williamson said he learned the potency of apprenticeships as an executive in Columbia, S.C., of Agape Senior, a network of residential and health-related companies. Agape had 350 to 400 apprentices with an 80-90 percent retention rate, he said. Williamson subsequently served two years as president of the South Carolina Technical College System. An array of European automobile-related factories has helped propel apprenticeships in South Carolina. The Apprenticeship Carolina website boasts of 18,177 total apprentices served in 876 programs, with 6,467 current active apprentices. The N.C. Department of Commerce reports that this state had over 5,000 apprentices in nearly 550 programs as of Feb. 1. That is, North Carolina has fewer apprentices than South Carolina, even though North Carolinas 18- to 24-year-old population of more than 900,000 is twice as large as South Carolinas. North Carolina has three apprenticeship categories: A youth apprenticeship that begins in high school and connects to community colleges and businesses. Apprenticeships for active military personnel and veterans. And incumbent apprenticeships for current workers who want to advance their careers. The top three employer-sponsors are Charter Communications (formerly Time Warner Cable) with 672 apprentices, the Fort Bragg Training and Education Center with 498 and the N.C. Department of Public Safety with 363. The Siemens Energy plant in Charlotte was recently cited in a federal report, as well as a story in The New York Times, as a model of an effective apprenticeship, combining high school, no-debt community college and paid on-the-job training. What we have not done is to educate business and industry in how apprentices can grow their companies, said Williamson, who said he would embark on a marketing campaign in North Carolina. Its a campaign that would benefit from support from the governors office and the legislature. To be effective, an expansive apprenticeship effort requires a partnership between businesses and government. Also required is a partnership with high schools. Williamson described apprenticeships as a pronounced marriage between the employer and the high school. Of course, legislation to shift the administration of the states apprenticeship program, however effective, is simply one decision in what must become a much wider stream of policy making. Profound changes are afoot in the world of work. Those of us who teach students know instinctively that they will encounter job opportunities that have yet to emerge. And so, for North Carolinas business, civic and political leadership, the challenge posed by State of the South 1996 has only intensified. Full disclosure: In addition to my teaching position at UNC-Chapel Hill and my role at EdNC, I am a senior fellow at MDC, the Durham-based nonprofit research and community-building organization. WASHINGTON For those lately bereft of leadership, last week provided both a respite and a reason for hope. Make that two reasons two women Sally Yates and Condoleezza Rice. Its likely that neither would prefer to be singled out as women who are brilliant but rather as brilliant people who happen to be women. Nevertheless, Im guessing that women (and enlightened men) who heard Yates and Rice had an extra spring in their steps. I admit, they made me proud. Yates is the former acting attorney general whom Donald Trump fired, perhaps confusing his current role with his previous gig on The Apprentice. The Donald dumped her because she refused to enforce his travel ban, which she found unlawful. Rice, former secretary of state during the George W. Bush administration, happened to be in town the same day to promote her new book, Democracy. Watching her on MSNBCs Morning Joe Tuesday, one was reminded of her unique story growing up in the segregated South to become one of the most powerful individuals on the world stage. Responding to questions about current foreign affairs, she was characteristically reasonable and that rarest of qualities these days palpably sane. As I watched both women, the word that kept coming to mind was competent. Oh, how once gone, we miss it. Other equally dusty adjectives include whip-smart, steady, unflappable, knowledgeable, focused, straightforward. Anyone watching Yates during her hearing would have been impressed with her calm, her clarity and, especially, her dominance under questioning. Notably, she schooled Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas) when he tried to suggest that her legal reasoning was incorrect and that she was partisan in her decision not to enforce the travel ban. It must have taken a supreme act of will for Yates to keep a straight face when countering his condescending reading of a statute pertaining to executive power in restricting immigrants entry into the country. First, Cruz asked if she was familiar with statute blah, blah, blah, section blah blah blah. Not off the top of her head, she said. Upon Cruzs rendering of the statute in his best GreenEggsAndHam voice, Yates said that, yes, she was familiar with that and also with a subsequently promulgated statute that she felt overrode the previous. Namely, that immigration law cant be applied either preferentially or as discriminating on the basis of race, nationality or place of birth. But, she said to constitutional-lawyer Cruz, she was mainly concerned with the constitutionality of the presidents ban. Brief pause for relishing the moment. It was riveting theater, made all the more enjoyable because Cruz comes off as persistently arrogant. His debating skills may have been superior to other Republican primary contenders, but debates are won with arguments, not confidence. Yates also testified on the subject of Michael Flynn, whom Trump also fired, but only after The Washington Post revealed what Trump had known that Flynn had discussed sanctions with the Russian ambassador during the transition and then lied about it. Yates said that she had warned Trump officials to beware of Flynn. And, apparently, President Obama personally warned Trump against hiring Flynn. Meanwhile, Rice, who before becoming secretary of state was national security adviser to Bush leading up to the Iraq War, looked rested and radiant at the Morning Joe table and made one hope shes in close contact with the current administration. Her observations on Russia (Putin is an eye-for-an-eye guy) were especially illuminating. Validating what others had testified during the Senate hearings, she said Putin despised Hillary Clinton and leaked hacked emails from Democratic campaign computers in hopes of hurting her. It was payback, in other words, for when then-Secretary of State Clinton challenged the fairness of Russias elections in 2011. But here Rice deviated from the popular narrative that Putin wanted Trump to win and warned against ascribing other motivations to him. Putin would have wanted anyone to win against Clinton, she said. Regarding Russias interference in the 2016 election, this has long been one of Russias goals, mainly to undermine Americans confidence in the democratic process. Hence, in part, Rices timely book. Whatever ones political persuasion, I doubt Im alone in noting the too-rare character exhibited by Rice and Yates. Being reminded of what we once expected of leaders and leadership, maybe well insist on better next time. As weve seen, there are other women besides Clinton who could be president. Emmanuel Macron becomes France's youngest ever president on Sunday, taking over from Socialist Francois Hollande in a solemn ceremony. Macron, a 39-year-old centrist, arrived at the Elysee Palace in central Paris in a motorcade and walked down the red carpet under light rain to be greeted by Hollande for his inauguration. The new president's wife Brigitte, a 64-year-old who was his high school drama teacher, arrived separately for the ceremony wearing a light blue Louis Vuitton outfit. A week after his victory over far-right leader Marine Le Pen in a tumultuous election, Macron will have a private meeting with Hollande at which he will be given the codes to launch France's nuclear weapons. He will then attend a ceremony in front of hundreds of politicians and invited guests at which the official election results will be read out. At the end of the formalities, a 21-gun salute is to ring out from the Invalides military hospital on the other side of the River Seine. Macron will then be driven to the Arc de Triomphe to lay a wreath at the tomb of the unknown soldier. The new president faces a host of daunting challenges including tackling stubbornly high unemployment, fighting Islamist-inspired violence and uniting a deeply divided country. Socialist Hollande's five years in power were plagued by a sluggish economy and bloody terror attacks that killed more than 230 people and he leaves office after a single term. The 64-year-old launched Macron's political career, plucking him from the world of investment banking to be an advisor and then his economy minister. "I am not handing over power to a political opponent, it's far simpler," Hollande said on Thursday. Security was tight with around 1,500 police officers deployed near the presidential palace and the nearby Champs Elysees avenue and surrounding roads were blocked off. After a formal lunch, Macron will visit Paris's town hall, a traditional stop for any new French president in his "host" city. Macron's first week will be busy. On Monday, he is expected to reveal the closely-guarded name of his prime minister, before flying to Berlin to meet German Chancellor Angela Merkel. It is virtually a rite of passage for French leaders to make their first European trip to meet the leader of the other half of the so-called "motor" of the EU. Pro-EU Macron wants to push for closer cooperation to help the bloc overcome the imminent departure of Britain, another of its most powerful members. He intends to press for the creation of a parliament and budget for the eurozone. Merkel welcomed Macron's decisive 32-point victory over Le Pen, saying he carried "the hopes of millions of French people and also many in Germany and across Europe". In June, Macron faces what the French media are calling a "third round of the presidential election" when the country elects a new parliament in a two-round vote. The new president needs an outright majority to be able to enact his ambitious reform agenda. The year-old political movement "Republique en Marche" (Republic on the Move, REM) that he formed to launch his presidential bid intends to field candidates in virtually every constituency in the country. It unveiled 428 of its 577 candidates this week, saying it wants to bring fresh faces into the National Assembly lower house of parliament. Half of them have never held elected office, including a retired female bullfighter and a star mathematician, and half of them are women. Macron met many of the candidates gathered at a Paris museum on Saturday and told them they had an "immense responsibility". "You are the new faces of French politics," some of those present quoted him as saying. Macron won one of the most unpredictable French elections in modern history marked by scandal, repeated surprises and a last-minute hacking attack on his campaign. Just as campaigning ended, hundreds of thousands of emails and documents stolen from his campaign were dumped online, leading Macron to call it an attempt at "democratic destabilisation". US authorities have said they believe Russian hackers were behind the attack. The election saw voters reject France's two traditional political forces of left and right. Their candidates were eliminated in the first round. Unpopular Hollande was the first to bow to the rebellious mood in December as he became the first sitting president not to seek re-election in the French fifth republic, founded in 1958. Search Keywords: Short link: This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate GREENWICH The Board of Education has not finalized the graduation requirements for the Greenwich High School class of 2017, although students are scheduled to receive their diplomas in just over six weeks. Chris Winters, headmaster of Greenwich High School, and Richard Piotrzkowski, assistant headmaster, sat looking nervous in the front row of a Board of Education meeting this week as school board members deliberated changing graduation policy. The school board is scrambling to update its graduation requirements to account for a change of the state standardized test students must pass in order to graduate. Connecticut adopted the School Day SAT as the standardized test for all 11th graders in the 2015-16 school year, dropping the Smarter Balanced Assessment, but the Greenwich policy has not been updated to reflect that. Furthermore, the Greenwich policy is being altered to include alternative routes to graduation that high school administrators have created for students. If students cannot score high enough on the standardized test in English, math or science, they could now able to graduate if they complete a math, reading or science portfolio, can prove that their problems with the English language impacted their abilities or have met all of the objectives on their special education Individualized Education Plan. Most controversially, under the new requirements, students in the class of 2017 would be able to meet the English, math and science standards if they could provide evidence of acceptance to a post-graduate college or university. Im wholly uncomfortable with it, said Peter Sherr, chair of the school board, of the college provision. BOE member Laura Erickson said making students acceptance to college a factor in their high school graduation is a little circular. According the district, with the new alternatives, 14 students in the class of 2017 would graduate high school because of a college acceptance. Seven students would graduate based on their score on an alternative test or through producing a senior portfolio and five would be exempt from graduation requirements based on their low English proficiency. Thirty-five special education students in the class of 2017 would graduate after they meet the performance standards by meeting mastery level in their core academic goals or through the completion of the portfolio, according to the district. Of the roughly 650 students in the class, five will not graduate even if the changes are approved. Under the existing graduation policy, students already have several options if they cannot meet the minimum test scores. If a student cannot score high enough on the state English standardized test, for example, he or she can substitute an acceptable score on an AP English test, AP U.S. History test, Verbal PSAT or Verbal SAT I test to qualify for graduation. The proposed policy change adds seven other alternatives to the four. In math, students would be given eight new alternatives to meet the requirement. In science, they would be offered nine new options. What would not change is that students must receive 22 class credits in nine different subject areas in order to graduate. The new graduation requirements were added to the Board of Educations agenda on Thursday, the same day as the meeting. One possible driver of the effort to broaden the route to graduation could be that last year the Greenwich High graduation rate fell to 94.3 percent from 95.2 percent in 2014-15, which marked a five-year high for the district. When asked why the policy was not revised last year, Sherr said in the future, the board will examine the question about what happened in prior years and what lessons can be learned from that. In February, Sherr said he found out that there were some kids in the class of 2017 and potentially in the class of 2018 who had not yet demonstrated proficiency consistent with the board policy. The school board asked the administration for data on an identified 61 students to understand why they were failing to meet the standard and what other ways they might prove their grasp of English, math and science. Data was given to the board in March and April. Based upon that we talked about potential and appropriate solutions that would make sure we were adhering to our tenants of only graduating students who have demonstrated an appropriate level of proficiency or are ready for college or career, Sherr said. The boards Policy and Governance Committee decided to revise the graduation policy because, We need to be certain that children are never penalized for the actions of adults. And in this case the adults are the board, the administrators and the teachers. At Thursday nights meeting, several board members seemed unhappy with the timing of the policy change. We need to anticipate these things in advance, said BOE member Peter Bernstein. For this year, as a stop gap, it is fine, Erickson conceded. There are lots of aspects of this that make board members uncomfortable, Sherr said after the meeting. There is no doubt that next year on our board agenda will be a full review of this aspect - the proficiency aspect of our graduation requirements. The school board did not vote on the proposed policy on Thursday night as it was the first time they read it. The school board typically discusses a new policy at three consecutive meetings before voting on it at the third meeting. Board members indicated at Thursdays meeting that they are likely to vote after the second policy reading at the May 25 board meeting in order to finalize the policy with more lead time before graduation. On Thursday, board members suggested to Winters and Piotrzkowski that they should act in the next two weeks as if the policy would be approved. The BOE gave us the direction we need to proceed, said Winters. We are helping the relatively small number of individuals who are still working to meet performance standards. emunson@greenwichtime.com; Twitter: @emiliemunson It was a relatively calm week in our top 10 chart with the top three remaining unchanged. That means the Samsung Galaxy S8 tops the list for the 7th week in a row, while the Galaxy J7 Prime and Xiaomi Redmi Note 4 complete the rostrum. The larger member of the new Samsung flagship duo - Samsung Galaxy S8+ surged to 4th, overtaking the Xiaomi Mi 6 in the process. The entry-level Xiaomi Redmi 4a claimed 6th, ahead of the Samsung Galaxy A5 (2017) and Samsung Galaxy S7 edge - all three gaining a spot thanks to the Sony Xperia XZ Premium which fell off the top 10. The two-and-a-half years old Apple iPhone 6 keeps defying expectations to land 9th spot and be the most popular smartphone by the Cupertino company for yet another week. The final place on the chart is taken by Xiaomi Redmi 4X, making it 4 devices by the Chinese company in the top 10. President Donald Trump called for tougher sanctions against North Korea after it test-fired a ballistic missile Sunday in an apparent attempt to test the South's new liberal president and the US. "Let this latest provocation serve as a call for all nations to implement far stronger sanctions against North Korea," the White House said in a brief statement. The missile flew more than 700 kilometres (435 miles) before landing in the Sea of Japan (East Sea). It impacted "so close to Russian soil ... the president cannot imagine that Russia is pleased", the White House said. North Korea "has been a flagrant menace for far too long", it added. Trump's national security adviser, H.R. McMaster, had phone conversations with his counterparts in Japan and South Korea to discuss the situation. China, which has been under growing US pressure to help rein in the nuclear-armed North, called for restraint. "All relevant parties should exercise restraint and refrain from further aggravating tensions in the region," the foreign ministry said. Multiple sets of UN and US sanctions against North Korea have done little to deter it from pursuing its nuclear and missile ambitions. Before the missile test, the US Treasury said it was considering "every tool in our arsenal" to cut off sources of international financing for illegal activities in the North. Trump has threatened military action but recently appeared to have softened his stance, saying he would be "honoured" to meet leader Kim Jong-Un under the right conditions. New South Korean President Moon Jae-In, who was inaugurated on Wednesday, has also been conciliatory. But he slammed the missile test as a "reckless provocation" after holding an emergency meeting with national security advisers. Moon said Seoul strongly condemned this "grave challenge to the peace and security of the Korean peninsula and the international community", according to his spokesman Yoon Young-Chan. Moon, unlike his conservative predecessors, advocates reconciliation with Pyongyang but warned Sunday that dialogue would be possible "only if the North changes its attitude". Moon had said in his inauguration speech that he was willing to visit Pyongyang "in the right circumstances" to ease tensions. The North itself would be willing to hold talks with the US if the conditions are right, according to Choe Son-Hui, a senior official at the North's foreign ministry, on Saturday. "The North is apparently trying to test Moon and see how his North Korea policy as well as policy coordination between the South and the US will take shape," said Yang Moo-Jin, professor at the University of North Korea Studies in Seoul. The launch was also aimed at "maximising the North's political leverage" ahead of possible negotiations with the US, as Pyongyang and Washington both recently signalled they were open to talks, he added. "The North wants to show before negotiations that their precious, powerful weapon is not something they would give up so easily," Yang said. The missile test is likely to embarrass Beijing, which was hosting an international summit Sunday to promote its ambitious global trade infrastructure project. Russian President Vladimir Putin and his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping discussed the Korean situation on the sidelines of the meeting and "both parties expressed their concern over the escalation of tensions", Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters. China, the isolated North's sole major ally and economic lifeline, has been reluctant to upset the status quo in Pyongyang and risk an influx of refugees from its neighbour. The latest test was the North's first launch since a controversial US missile defence system deployed in the South became operational on May 2. It follows a failed April 29 ballistic missile test by Pyongyang. Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe slammed the latest launch as "totally unacceptable" and a "grave threat" to Tokyo. The North has staged two atomic tests and dozens of missile launches since the start of last year in its quest to develop an intercontinental ballistic missile capable of delivering a nuclear warhead to the US mainland. The US Pacific Command said Sunday's launch did not appear to be an ICBM. Yang said however it showed "fast progress" in Pyongyang's missile capability. The missile was fired from a site near the northwestern city of Kusong. A previous test at the same site in February sent a missile 500 kilometres, far less than Sunday's launch. Search Keywords: Short link: Published on 2017/05/14 Beautiful Jeollanam-do captured in 21 pictures, former North Korean propaganda artists shares his story and skills, "Rocky Byun" is a balancing artist who enjoys a challenge, and browse 20 stunning sketches by artist Jahun Ku. Advertisement "21 Pictures that Prove Jeollanam-do is the Most Underrated Region of South Korea" Mimsie Ladner may just have thrown a spectacular spanner in your travel plans with this post on Culture Trip: "Blanketed in rolling hills and towering mountains, and bordered by a coastline of thousands of charming islands, the area is famous for its gorgeous landscapes, fresh seafood, and traditional festivals". According to Mimsie, Jeollanam-do is "by far" the most underrated region in the country, and she's got 21 beautiful photographs to prove it... ...READ ON THE CULTURE TRIP "Former North Korean propaganda artist turns his skills to satire" "They've said they will send agents to kill me", said Song Byeok, a former North Korean artist who has turned his creative powers against the DPRK. "Every day, when I go home, I worry there may be somebody waiting". According to this article on Reuters, Song spent seven years helping to paint the Dear Leader and his ideas in a positive light, but after a suffering starvation, desperation, and six months at a labour camp, he managed to survive, regain his strength and escape the lands he once glorified. ...READ ON REUTERS "Watch This Korean Artist Balance Bicycles, Bottles, and a Person on Thin Air" In the episode of "Seoul of the Street", 'Rocky Byun', a balancing artist who loves a challenge, shows off some of his seemingly gravity-defying creations. "Many artists train their hands to remain steady while they paint, sculpt and perform, but Korean artist Rocky Byun takes this concept to a whole new level". Apples, rocks, motorbikes and vases are just a few of the objects Rocky puts his mind to balancing. ...READ ON HIGHSNOBIETY "Sketches by Jahun Ku from South Korea" South Korean artist Jahun Ku shares her sketches of female faces on Artospective. Jahun says that when she started posting her work on Instagram her life changed; "Thanks to the love and encouragement of many people, I am happy to draw pictures". Click on through to see 19 other stunning sketches from Jahun... ...READ ON ARTOSPECTIVE Published on 2017/05/13 Jero Yun was born in Busan, in 1980. At the age of 13, he entered the Atelier of drawing and painting. After studying at Busan Design High school, he began to study classic Art at the University, in 1998. In 2001, he arrived in France, continued his studies in Beaux-arts de Nancy (Fine Art school) and then in ENSAD (Ecole Nationale Superieure des Arts Decoratifs de Paris) where he studied classic cinema and documentary. In 2008, he entered the Le Fresnoy, where he directed the middle-length feature film "In the Dark", which was shot in Korea, and the short film "Red Road", selected in several international festivals. Advertisement His first documentary "Looking for North Koreans" received a Special mention by the Jury in Cinema Planeta (Mexico), in 2013. His documentary "Mrs. B. A North Korean Woman" was coproduced by France and Korea, awarded Best Documentary in Moscow IFF and in Zurich Film Festival 2016, and was screened in festivals all over the world. We talk to him about his life, his career, Mrs B, the tension in SE Asia, and many more topics. What made you leave Korea for Europe, and become a filmmaker? When I left my county, I had no idea what I wanted to do. I was just 20 years old and just wanted to live new experiencse. Cinema came later when was studying at Art school in Nancy (France). I met a friend from the same class, who loaned me many DVDs. They were French classic films: Godard, Truffault etc. I realized that I loved spending time watching movies. I did not know that before. Your latest works deasl with North Korean immigrants. Why did you choose this theme? It all started when I met a Chinese-Korean woman. I made a short film about her, called "Promesse", in 2011. She had an illegal hostel in the suburbs of Paris. She had a Northern accent (North Korean accent) that intrigued me a lot. So, I became interested in the disperse of Korean in the world, through forced separation: Japanese colonization, Korean War, the border created. I am not working particularly on "North Korean immigrants". My work is more about "Familly". And about "the Consequences" of "the Cause", through the story of people who live near the border. How difficult was it for you to come in contact with the smugglers, and how did you got Mrs B to open up so much about her life? The contact with the smugglers came from my previous documentary, "Looking for North Koreans", which I spent 2 years to make it. After that, I met Mrs.B as a guide; she was supposed to introduce me to North Korean refugees in China. At the beginning, I didn't expect to make a documentary about her. I was working my script for a fiction film at the time. That is why I went to China. Finally, as I spent more time in her life, she became the main character. Wasn't she afraid, knowing her experiences (and face) would be shown on film? No. She wanted to talk about her life. She was very cooperative. Can you tell us a bit about the experience you had, following the smugglers' routes? Very intense, physically and psychologically. By bus, cars, and walking for many days. I injured my leg, was exhausted, I almost died on the mountains, because it was so slippery. Some smugglers were very humane, some were not. Mrs B also mentions the concept of Chinese family buying wives for their sons. Can you explain a bit more about how this concept works? In China, in isolated villages especially, you can see many old people, in majority men. So, they need women to keep what they do. In the end, do you think that Mrs B is happy with her life? Today, she is fine. I can't say she is happy or not. I think she is just fine. The situation in the area, with Japan, China, North and South Korea and the US is quite tense at the moment, even more than usual. How do Koreans experience this situation, which has been going on for decades, and what is your opinion on the matter? We are still fighting during peace in South Korea, much more than is democratically possible. I think the situation today is wrong. But believe me, many Koreans (young and old) do not want tension and war. South Korean voices are changing in this generation. And I believe things will be different. What do you see as the advantages of documentary as opposed to making a drama on these issues? Which do you think is the one with the most impact? In fiction, we can control the story. In documentary, we cannot (I think). That's the only difference I see. I don't think documentary has more advantages than fiction. For me, both are equally important. Your official site (www.jeroyun.net) includes an impressive, but rather abstract image in the introductory page. What does this image show? It is from one of of short films called "Red Road". It is ink made to look like blood for this film Which are the filmmakers that have influenced you, and what kind of films do you like to watch? I watch all genres, from art movies to commercial movies. For me, it's important to watch various genres. If I must choose some, I love Inarritu's films and Jacques Audiard's. Your latest documentary is titled "Letters". Can you tell us a bit about it? It's about two people, a woman and a man who live in Oslo and in Seoul, who talk about their ordinary lives linked by motherhood. France's next prime minister will be appointed on Monday and the country's new government on Tuesday, a source close to President-elect Emmanuel Macron told Reuters on Sunday. Independent centrist Macron won a run-off vote against far-right candidate Marine Le Pen a week ago with 66 percent of the vote. His inauguration will take take place later on Sunday. Search Keywords: Short link: Published on 2017/05/14 | Source The country will face an increasing shortfall of nurses over the next decade, data suggests. Advertisement The Korea Institute for Health and Social Affairs last week said the country will be short of 110,000 nurses and 1,837 doctors in 2020. By 2030 that will have burgeoned to 158,554 nurses and 7,646 doctors. As to pharmacists, the country will be 7,139 short in 2020 and 10,742 in 2030. But there will be an oversupply of 1,566 dentists in 2020 and 3,030 in 2030 and of 1,084 alternative medical practitioners in 2020 and 1,391 in 2030. The most serious problem will be a lack of nurses, falling short a whopping 44.1 percent of the 359,000 nurses needed in 2030. The reasons include tougher regulations for qualified medical staff, increasing demand as the elderly population grows and growing medical tourism. Published on 2017/05/13 | Source Added the upcoming Korean drama "Live Up to Your Name"'s page to HanCinema database Advertisement "Live Up to Your Name" (2017) Directed by Hong Jong-chan Written by Kim Sun-soo Network : tvN Mon, Tue Synopsis A Joseon-era doctor of traditional medicine who is frustrated in his career by his status as the son of a concubine travels forward in time to modern-day Seoul where he meets a medical doctor, who hides her secrets underneath a cold exterior. Broadcast starting date in Korea : 2017/07 by Andrew Walden Former Congressional candidate Shirlene Ostrov is the new Chair of the Hawaii Republican Party. Thats the outcome of the 2017 Hawaii Republican Party Convention meeting May 13 on at the Kauai Beach Resort in Lihue. After the defeat of Sen Sam Slom last November, Hawaii is the only state to have a one-party Senate. No state has a one-party House. Keynote speaker Rep Charles Djou told the 359 delegates, These are some pretty tough times. For the first time since the Jim Crow days, Republicans have been excluded from a house of the Legislature. After presentations by State Chair candidates Shirlene Ostrov and Rep Andria Tupola and 14 candidates for seven other Party offices, the voting favored Ostrov and her downticket slate: State Chair - Shirlene Ostrov 245 Andria Tupola 111 Vice Chair for Coordinated Campaigns - Pat Saiki 201 Henry Vincent 152 Vice Chair for Candidate Recruitment - Lorraine Shin 208 Kaeo Kealoha-Lindsey 145 Vice Chair for Communications - Jonathan Kunimura 213 Stephanie Boland 141 Vice Chair for Community Service - Mele Songsong 212 Kaiwiola Coakley 143 Vice Chair for Coalitions - Cheryl Sora 189 Kelly Kitashima 164 Secretary - Jennifer Anderson 214 Fern Mossman 139 Treasurer - Gwen Honjo 243 Mark Storfer 110 Delegates also approved a Treasurers report, resolutions and changes to the Party rules. One of the approved rules changes reverses an earlier decision authorizing sale of Party HQ and instead prohibits any sale without approval of a majority of the 78 members of the Hawaii GOP State Committee. * * * * * Representative Tupola Congratulates the New HRP Chair News Release from Rep Andria Tupola May 15, 2017 HONOLULU, HAWAII Representative Andria Tupola (R-43 - Ewa Villages, Kalaeloa, Honokai Hale, Nanakai Gardens, Ko Olina, Kahe Point, Nanakuli, Lualualei, Maili) released the following statement congratulating newly elected Chair of the Hawaii Republican Party, Shirlene Ostrov and the new team of executive officers. Two slates of candidates presented themselves to the delegates of the Hawaii Republican Party bringing out over three hundred people to this years convention. As we move forward as a party, we are excited to work with our new Chair and State Executive Committee to bring the change the people of Hawaii so desperately need, said Tupola. * * * * * Mahalo from Your New Chair Aloha Fellow Republicans, May 15, 2017 Thank you to all who played a role in executing an enormously successful state convention on Kauai this past weekend. Seeing over 350 Republicans together, focusing on different opportunities to rebuild our party here in Hawaii, was an incredible experience. You were asked to choose between two teams, each filled with incredibly talented, compelling, successful and passionate individuals, and I am grateful to each and every candidate for volunteering to sacrifice so much for our party. My team and I are humbled and honored that you placed your trust in us to strengthen our brand and elect more Republicans into office. We will not let you down. We've obviously got a long road and daunting challenges ahead of us. This weekend gave me a chance to speak to a wide range of party members and Ive found no shortage of enthusiasm to make the Hawaii GOP the party of real choice. We will be communicating with you often, and reaching out to everyone for help. Rebuilding the party will be a team effort! I know we can succeed if we band together, and I look forward to working shoulder-to-shoulder with all of you. In addition to the excitement of this weekend's convention, I hope we all had a chance to remember that yesterday, on Mothers Day, we had the time to honor the women who have dedicated themselves to one of the hardest and most fulfilling jobs that life has to offer. We ask for your patience as the next few weeks will be characterized by a flurry of activity as my team focuses on the transition of key issues for our party. However, I wanted to assure you that we are fast moving forward and that the Hawaii Republican Party is "Open for Business" and welcome volunteers, donors, and any candidates to come in and help wherever you can...there's room for everyone! We have 539 days until the November 2018 elections, and we don't have a single second to waste. With warmest aloha, Shirlene Ostrov Chair, Hawaii Republican Party * * * * * HONOLULU GOP: New Chair Elected, Time to get to Work! HIGOP: Election Results SA: Retired Air Force colonel is elected to lead isle GOP SA: Root for isle GOP to regain footing SA: New energy could revive long-flagging Hawaii GOP HNN: Retired Air Force officer, businesswoman elected chair of Hawaii's GOP KITV: The Hawaii Republican Party has a new chair KGI: GOP Selects Ostrov: State party chair promises to provide restraint, discipline and integrity China touted on Sunday its new Silk Road as "a project of the century" at a summit highlighting its growing leadership on globalisation, but a North Korean missile test intruded on the meeting. President Xi Jinping greeted leaders from 29 nations for the two-day summit in Beijing after US and South Korean military officials confirmed that Pyongyang had launched a ballistic missile. Delegations from North Korea and the United States attended the forum, though not their leaders. Few Western heads of government made the trip. The summit is showcasing Xi's cherished One Belt, One Road initiative, a revival of the ancient Silk Road trading routes that could cement China's growing global clout on trade and geopolitics. "This is indeed a gathering of great minds," Xi said, addressing leaders including Russian President Vladimir Putin and Turkish counterpart Recep Tayyip Erdogan. Xi pledged to pump an extra $124 billion in funds into the initiative, calling it "a project of the century" in a "world fraught with challenges". The Chinese-bankrolled project seeks to link the country with Africa, Asia and Europe through an enormous network of ports, railways, roads and industrial parks. The initiative spans some 65 countries representing 60 percent of the world population and around a third of global gross domestic product. The China Development Bank has earmarked $890 billion for some 900 projects. The project is seen as a practical solution to relieve China's industrial overcapacity. But it could also serve Beijing's geopolitical ambitions as Washington retreats into "America First" policies. While Xi did not mention North Korea during his speech to the delegates, it was discussed during a bilateral meeting with Putin. "Both parties expressed their concern over the escalation of tensions" on the Korean peninsula, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters. The Chinese foreign ministry said in a statement it opposed such missile tests and it called for restraint from all parties. The delegates from both Koreas held a brief meeting at the summit, according to South Korea's Yonhap news agency. "We strongly condemned North Korea's launch of the missile," said Park Byeong-Seug, who leads Seoul's delegation, according to Yonhap. North Korea relies heavily on trade with China for its economic survival, and US President Donald Trump has urged Xi to use that leverage to put pressure on Pyongyang. The White House called on all nations to impose "far stronger sanctions" following the latest test, which came days after South Korea elected a new president. Sunday's missile launch "is absolutely an embarrassment to Beijing but it also shouldn't be overstated", Christopher Balding, economics professor at Peking University, told AFP. "This will not overshadow (the summit) in an enormous way but it will absolutely continue to raise US frustrations with Beijing," he said, adding that Washington was "frustrated" that North Korea was also invited to the summit. Xi focused on his initiative, boasting that it represented a "road for peace", but he cautioned "all countries should respect each others' sovereignty... and territorial integrity". He warned that "isolation results in backwardness". The new financing that he promised on Sunday includes 100 billion yuan ($14.5 billion) for the Silk Road Fund and lending schemes worth 380 billion yuan. He also urged financial institutions to contribute 100 billion yuan. Praising Xi's initiative, Putin warned that "protectionism is becoming the norm". "The ideas of openness, trade freedom are rejected more and more, very often by those who were their supporters not so long ago," Putin said. Erdogan said Belt and Road was "going to be the kind of initiative that will put an end to terrorism". Some Belt and Road projects are raising concerns in certain countries. India has voiced displeasure at the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor, a Belt and Road project aimed at linking northwestern China to the Arabian Sea. The route cuts through Gilgit and Baltistan in Pakistan-administered Kashmir, disputed territory that India claims is illegally occupied. Human Rights Watch raised fears on Saturday about the treatment of people along the new Silk Road route in Central Asian nations with poor track records in infrastructure projects. Search Keywords: Short link: German Chancellor Angela Merkel's conservatives defeated the ruling Social Democrats (SPD) in a key state election on Sunday, exit polls showed, boosting their hopes of retaining power in September's national vote. Merkel's Christian Democrats (CDU) saw a surge in support in Germany's most populous state of North Rhine-Westphalia (NRW), which is home to one in five German voters and has often been an indicator of national electoral trends. The CDU won 33 percent, up from 26.3 percent in 2012, according to projections on public broadcaster ARD. The CDU focused its campaign in NRW on attacking the SPD for failing to tackle local issues like crumbling infrastructure that causes huge traffic jams, rising crime and an underperforming education system. But the conservatives, who have now defeated the SPD in three state elections since the end of March, are hoping to build on the momentum in the run-up to the federal vote on Sept. 24, where Merkel is seeking a fourth term. Merkel's image as an experienced leader who can provide stability resonates with many risk-averse Germans. Western Europe's longest-serving current leader, Merkel is seen by many in Germany and in the European Union as an experienced negotiator to guide tough talks with Britain on its exit from the bloc. She is also seen as a champion of free trade. Merkel stood firm in the face of heated criticism at home and abroad for opening Germany's borders in 2015 to more than one million mainly Muslim asylum seekers, a measure that hurt her popularity and contributed to the rise of the nationalist party Alternative for Germany (AfD). Merkel's credentials have also been enhanced by an economy that has grown every year since 2010, driven by a solid labour market, a booming construction sector, rebounding exports as well as increased state spending and private consumption. SCHULZ IMPACT FADES The SPD, which has ruled NRW for most of the past half century, plunged to 31.5 percent from 39.1 percent, casting a shadow over their national election hopes. The party had surged ahead of the CDU in the polls after it named former European Parliament President Martin Schulz as leader and candidate for chancellor in January. He vowed to roll back labour market reforms that increased the number of people in poorly paid jobs and to broaden social welfare. But his message of "social equality" has lost much of its initial impact among voters who have been imploring him to spell out more concretely his plans and how much they would cost. The SPD is 10 percentage points behind the CDU in national polls. The two parties currently rule together nationally in a "grand coalition". The liberal Free Democrats, the CDU's preferred coalition partners, have bounced back to win almost 13 percent in NRW where the two allies are expected to have enough seats in the regional parliament to muster a majority. They would be hoping to replicate those results at the national level. SPD state premier Hannelore Kraft quickly conceded defeat and said she would stand down as her party's local leader, which analysts called an attempt to shield Schulz from the fallout. "It's clear that campaigning for the federal election is only just starting now," Schulz told the ARD broadcaster after the results, which he called a "bitter defeat". HOLDING THE CENTRE Analysts said the SPD's biggest problem was that Merkel had managed over her 12 years in power to pull her conservatives to the centre, making them attractive to left-wing and centrist voters who would otherwise vote SPD. "Based on today's results, the main problem for the SPD is clear: SPD voters from the centre and centre-left are seriously considering the CDU as a preferred option," said Robert Vehrkamp of the Bertelsmann Foundation think-tank. Merkel managed to revive her fortunes over the last two months with a victory in Saarland on March 26 and an upset defeat of the ruling SPD in Schleswig-Holstein a week ago. Carsten Nickel, an analyst with Teneo Intelligence, said the NRW result was a sign that Merkel was on her way to re-election. "The regional polls have vindicated Merkel's decision to keep calm in the face of the 2015 migration crisis and the difficult election year 2016," he said. "It also confirms our earlier skepticism regarding the immediate effect of the SPD's surprise nomination of Schulz. Merkel remains on track for a fourth term in the chancellery." Search Keywords: Short link: Khan's winning project 'Composition for a Public Park' is a multichannel music and text piece installation in the Biennale's park Contemporary Egyptian artist, musician and writer Hassan Khan was awarded the Silver Lion for a Promising Young Artist at La Biennale di Venezia, which opened yesterday with an awards ceremony. Khan was awarded for his work Composition for a Public Park (2013/2017) displayed at the Giardio delle Vergini, which the artist described on his Facebook page as a multichannel music and [Libretto] text piece in three movements, especially designed for public parks. Running till 26 November, La Biennale di Venezia is chaired by Paolo Baratta, and the 57th International Art Exhibition is titled VIVA ARTE VIVA, curated by Christine Macel. This year the Biennale included 120 invited artists from 51 countries. The Biennale's Golden Lion for Best National Participation went to Germany, with a special mention to Brazil. The Golden Lion for the Best Artist of the Exhibition Viva Arte Viva went to German artist Franz Erhard Walther, with two special mentions for US artist Charles Atlas and Kosovo artist Petrit Halilaj. The jury cited the motivation behind the selection as the special and intimate relationship that his work establishes with the spectator, to whom he suggests a connection between voice, sound and the horizon. His [work] creates an immersive experience which beautifully intertwines the political and the poetic, according to the Biennale website. Khan was born in 1975 in the UK, and lives and works in Cairo. He was the president of the International Jury of the 54th International Art Exhibition at the Venice Biennale. His diverse oeuvre features performance, site-specific projects, sculptures, photographs, video, and writings, as he constructs narratives from personal experiences to reflect on subjects centered on Egypt, be they events, individuals or features. With a career extending back to 1990, Khan has had solo exhibitions in New York, Sao Paulo, Switzerland, and the United Kingdom, and has composed soundtracks for theatre and performed his own compositions in Amsterdam, Istanbul, London, and Paris. Parallel to the Biennale exhibition is a series of weekly Open Table talks by the artists to meet vistors over a casual lunch and discuss their practice. Khans Open Table will take place on Friday 29 September at 1pm at the Padiglione Centrale. He also has a book titled Twelve Clues on sale at the Venice Biennale's bookstores, which the artist describes on Facebook as a novella of secret societies; shimmering orbs; charismatic silverbacks; murderous sociopaths; smooth operators; love triangles and converted AI weapon systems. Additionally, The Artists Practice project features a series of short videos made by the invited artists about themselves and their way of working. These videos are also on view at the Central Pavilion in the Arsenale and at Forte Marghera The Open Table events, the videos of the Artists Practices Project and the live performances of Viva Arte Viva are on view on www.labiennale.org For more arts and culture news and updates, follow Ahram Online Arts and Culture on Twitter at @AhramOnlineArts and on Facebook at Ahram Online: Arts & Culture Search Keywords: Short link: With nationalism on the rise, political engagement is central to the artistic dialogue at the Venice Biennale, the world's oldest contemporary art fair, opening Saturday. From the main show, "Viva Arte Viva," curated by Christine Macel, to 87 national pavilions in the Venice Giardini, Arsenale and throughout the historic city center, artists are contemplating the world around them and giving a voice to under-represented populations. Macel said artists "are able to respond to this moment of complexity" even if art "should not be reduced to politics." The show runs through Nov. 26. Here are some highlights. Green Light Project Berlin-based artist Olafur Eliasson's "Green light" is an onsite workshop where 100 migrants create lamps lit by green bulbs from simple materials. Visitors can engage with the migrants for many a faceless, nameless category repeated on the news maybe pitching in, maybe asking their stories. Eliasson says being a migrant is not an identity, but a condition. "What we see is ourselves," Eliasson said. "The migrants are a little bit like actors in a play. Fair enough. But I am doing it on the condition that they are volunteers. They are given a subjective space, they are not being objectified." An immigration lawyer and psychological counselor are among 90 volunteers participating. The project aims to help the migrants learn skills, and build self-esteem, while exploring a platform that could be repeated in other contexts. Dutch Self Image The Dutch pavilion examines the Netherland's self-image as progressive and tolerant, which has been put to the test during Europe's refugee crisis. One film explores how the Dutch self-narrative papered over the difficult assimilation of mixed-race children of Dutch and Indonesian parents after Indonesia's independence. Artist Wendelien van Oldenborgh discusses the issues in three short films. Because the children entered the country smoothly as Dutch citizens, vast differences in their experiences have been overlooked, from those who were abandoned by their white fathers and impoverished, to the wealthy, well-educated arrivals who still found barriers to assimilation. Brexit Melancholy Phyllida Barlow's show of sculptures for the United Kingdom's pavilion titled "folly" isn't about overtly about politics, but that did seep into the work as the Brexit campaign raged around her. "As I was making the work, I began in April, before the referendum, I had this sense of unease, melancholia really, about this idea of occupying the British pavilion and what it means to be British ... when it's leaving Europe and I feel I'm European," Barlow said. She said the mood permeated her sculptures, which while robust "show fragility, and a sense of things being uneasy." Hungarian Utopia For the Hungarian pavilion, artist Gyula Varnai discusses the "viability and necessity of utopias" in his show titled "Peace on Earth." He uses many defunct communist symbols, including a reproduction of a large neon Peace on Earth sign from a building in Hungary, to a rainbow made of 8,000 pins bearing Cold War-era symbols. Curator Zsolt Petranyi said they asked themselves "is it true, that we can just speak about dystopias, that there is not any positive vision? " He realized that technology has become utopia's stand-in, "covering the deeper problems of today. Wherever you go, from China, to Africa, to India, if there is a new kind of television, a new kind of whatever, everybody is celebrating it." Illegal Journeys With cinematic tableaus, photographer Tracey Moffatt recreates scenes of "journeys, secret journeys, illegal journeys," in a series called "Passages" for the Australian pavilion. The opening photograph features a mother grasping a child seen through a fog looking out over the sea. "The baby is squirming. The baby will leave her. She might be giving the baby away for her passage. There are many scenarios," Moffatt said. While the scenes bring to mind modern-day migrants, Moffatt said "for me it is old fiction. A fake old film. It is a celluloid that I claim I found in a vault." Acolescents Then and Now Troubled Polish adolescent girls are both inspiration and actors in U.S. artist Sharon Lockhart's show for the Polish pavilion titled "Little Review," named for a pre-war Jewish newspaper by and for adolescents in Poland. The broadsheet published weekly from 1926 to Sept. 1, 1939, the day Hitler invaded Poland. Lockhart had the girls choose issues of the paper to reproduce each week at the Biennale, finding similarities in their lives and global political tensions, according to curator Barbara Piwowarska. They also appear in photographs, and a film they choreograph themselves. Lockhart got to know the girls while filming them, "then she realized they had this tremendous need" and has continued to work with them beyond the artistic collaboration to help get support and therapy, said Katy Siegel, a senior curator at the Baltimore Museum of Art who has worked with Lockhart. Greek Catharsis George Drivas explores the complexity of the refugee crisis in his show for the Greek Pavilion. In a video installation that draws on ancient Greek tragic theater, Drivas outlines a 1960s experiment where foreign cells endanger the native. The show is designed to get people to ask, "What kind of societies do we have. What is the criterion how do we decide? These are the things that preoccupy me, without saying this is correct, that is correct. I don't want to make a lesson. I want to raise questions, 'What kind of Europe to we want?'" Divas said. Drivas wants visitors to slow down and let the allegorical meaning of the experiment sink in. Anyone who rushes through his installation will miss Charlotte Rampling's cameo, and possibly even catharsis. Search Keywords: Short link: Maryland election 2022: Dan Cox concedes governor race to Wes Moore Republican Dan Cox conceded the election, calling Governor-elect Wes Moore. But throws jabs at Hogan, more. Frank Drendel has been honored with the Distinguished Alumni Award from the Northern Illinois University Alumni Association for demonstrating outstanding success in his field. Drendel is the founder and chairman of the board of CommScope Inc. He served as CommScopes CEO after founding the company in 1976 as a North Carolina corporation based in Hickory until the acquisition of CommScope by The Carlyle Group in January 2011. He has served as chairman since 1997, when CommScope was spun off from General Instrument Corp. (subsequently renamed General Semiconductor Inc.) and became an independent, publicly traded company on the New York Stock Exchange. CommScope has grown into a multibillion-dollar global leader in infrastructure solutions for communications networks spanning the globe. Through organic growth and acquisitions of Avaya Connectivity Solutions, Andrew Corp. and TE Connectivity Broadband Network Solutions, the company established leadership positions in key markets wireless, business enterprise, telecom and cable television/residential broadband that continue today. Drendel is a director of the National Cable & Telecommunications Association (the principal trade association of the cable industry in the U.S.) and the SCTE Executive Council. He previously served as a director of Sprint Nextel Corp. from 2005 to 2008 and as a director of Nextel Communications Inc. from 1997 to 2005. He also served on the board of directors for Tyco International Ltd., The Cable Center and C-SPAN. An active member of several National Cable & Telecommunications Association committees, Drendel has received NCTA awards and numerous honors for his contributions to the industry, including induction into the Cable Hall of Fame, an Emmy Award for outstanding achievement in engineering development and The Order of the Long Leaf Pine, one of the most prestigious awards given by the governor of North Carolina. By stonewalling calls for transparency about the workings of the Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs), the Election Commission of India is helping the Aam Aadmi Party, Congress and other opposition parties mainstream the view that the BJP may never lose an election in India again. Left unaddressed, this issue will cast a shadow on recent state election results, including UPs, and potentially undermine the legitimacy of the Modi government. It can rally Opposition forces and usher in an era of political instability. To get a sense of this, lets assess where the debate is. For one, there are credible doubts about the reliability of EVMs that have been expressed by legitimate bodies and expert authorities in India. The Bombay High Court ordered a forensic examination of machines used in a 2014 Assembly election while the Uttarakhand High Court has decreed the seizure of EVMs used in seven Assembly constituencies in the state. This assessment based on academic literature on EVMs points out that the Election Commission (EC) has refused independent checks on the machines. A vulnerability analysis in 2010 revealed that no cryptographic mechanisms were encoded into the central processing unit. There is also no independent record of the reliability of the machines currently being procured by the EC. A former chief secretary of Delhi has written that the possibility of tampering exists; he says that the writing of the programme on the EVMs chip by public sector companies (which make them) is no safeguard since ultimately a minister can control them. Arvind Jha, a tech entrepreneur, has written to the EC offering ways to assess the hardware and software and spelt out five hypotheses against which the EVMs ought to be tested. The stakes were thus very high when the EC convened an all-party meeting on May 12 to discuss the issue and allay doubts. However the outcome seems anything but satisfactory. The Commission has said that all future state and national polls will have a verified paper audit trail (VVPAT) that records the candidate and symbol a person voted for. But by assuring VVPAT for future elections is the EC conceding that theres been a problem with past and recent elections? There is also the clause that the voter cannot take the VVPAT receipt home. The EC said that a fixed percentage of polling booths will mandatorily correlate paper trail slips with EVM results. Its not clear if this form of randomising will be enough for experts as the issue here is about strategic and selective manipulation of EVMs. The EC has said it will hold a challenge at a future date, but whether it will be a hackathon of the kind that experts recommend still remains in doubt. The bottom line is that the public needs a transparent testing of the manufacturing and handling of EVMs and there is none in sight yet. How will this play out politically, hereon? AAP will circulate the view about the unreliability of EVMs effectively to millions of its followers, including on social media it claims that its Facebook page has a reach of 150 million users. Opposition parties like the Congress, BSP and SP have joined in taken together this is not an inconsiderable collective. The BJP, which is currently not questioning the EVMs, will make this about Arvind Kejriwal and portray the EVM story as a diversion from the corruption allegations that the AAP leader is facing. Kejriwal has maintained his silence and instead of speaking from a defensive vantage, he has deftly shifted the ground to a bigger issue in the scheme of things the future of Indias democracy. The BJP will need to watch the evolving perception game carefully. The longer the EVM controversy drags on the more the chances for the Opposition to suggest that the BJP is ruling aggressively because it knows it cannot lose elections. If that line of criticism takes hold, it will lead to a total breakdown of trust within the political class and society at large and if elections, a vital instrument for settling differences, are themselves rendered unreliable, then India will be staring at a constitutional crisis. The stakes thus cannot be higher. The EC should pull out all the stops and conduct independent tests for the manufacturing and handling of EVMs to restore its own credibility and preserve Indias democracy. The BJP may also reflect on personalising the system the way it is. NDAs tenure has been marked by all authority being invested in the Prime Minister. All major policy decisions are said to originate in South Block and correspondingly Cabinet ministers, the bureaucracy and other institutions, including the Election Commission have seen a loss of stature. The flip side of such diminution is that when it is in the governments interest for institutions like the EC to assert their independence, the act no longer seems convincing since the EC too cannot be impervious to perceptions of institutional decline. The point about having checks and balances in a democracy is not only about restraining executive power but also allowing independent institutions to add to the executives legitimacy, thereby placing its authority on firmer ground rather than on political and bureaucratic submission. Lastly, a point about Kejriwal. It may be too soon to write him off. Yes, he has lost recent elections in Punjab and Delhi, the attempt to pay his legal counsel Ram Jethmalani from Delhi state coffers was a PR disaster, he lost the liberals with the way he handled Yogendra Yadav and Prashant Bhushan and AAP spokespersons have now been reportedly told not to appear with Yadav on TV panels. Some of the leaders Kejriwal has nurtured within the AAP arent kosher for many the party now sorely seems to lack intellectual muscle, beyond a few exceptions. Kejriwal also needs to answer to the serious corruption allegations. That said he and the AAP have again picked up an issue that generates possibilities for opposition politics. In the immediate aftermath of UP elections few thought a discussion on EVMs would gain traction. Now a new narrative questioning the ECs credibility in the age of BJPs dominance is emerging, with grave consequences for Indias democracy. The views expressed are personal. The author tweets at @SushilAaron SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON To prevent any embarrassment to Prime Minister Narendra Modi during the Narmada Seva Yatras concluding ceremony at Amarkantak in Anuppur district on Monday, the Madhya Pradesh government has asked 5,000 BJP activists to ensure that the river is not polluted by those attending the event. These volunteers will assist government officials in the task of segregating garbage, and making certain that it is disposed of in a responsible manner. Modi will participate in the event, which is expected to be attended by around five lakh people. The yatra was launched by chief minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan five months ago with the objective of preserving the river, which many across the state depend on for subsistence. Sources said environmental concerns raised by the Bhopal central zone bench of the National Green Tribunal (NGT) on a petition, besides the damage done to the Yamuna river due to Sri Sri Ravi Shankars Art of Living programme on the Yamuna last year, have been weighing heavily on Chouhans mind. Modi had attended the Art of Living programme too. Official sources said Chouhan will stay on in Anuppur to oversee the cleaning arrangements till May 16, long after the Prime Ministers departure. The NGT had recently sought a report from the district collector, asking him to specify the measures being implemented to prevent pollution of the Narmada on the day of the event. The petitioner, Sanjiv Tiwari, had expressed concern that the river would be affected by as many as five lakh people taking a holy dip during the concluding ceremony. The opposition, meanwhile, has raised questions over the propriety of holding such a huge event when it would clearly go against the very objective of the Narmada Seva Yatra. State Congress president Arun Yadav and state opposition leader Ajay Singh even held a joint press conference to question Modis participation in the ceremony when the state government itself was under a cloud for allegedly allowing illegal sand mining in the river. Does the Prime Minister indirectly support illegal mining in the state? they asked. Youth Congress general secretary Vishal Bisen wrote a letter to the NGT chairman, stating that no arrangements were made to check the potentially adverse impact a gathering of five lakh people would have on the Narmada. The state government, however, chose to look on the brighter side of the upcoming event. It is an honour to have PM @narendramodi launch #NarmadaSevaMission on May 15 and write a new chapter of the river-led development in MP, tweeted Chouhan on Sunday. State cabinet minister Sanjay Pathak also shrugged off allegations that the concluding ceremony would end up polluting the Narmada. The meeting venue is located about a kilometre from the river. The Prime Minister will perform a pooja at the Narmada origin point, but people will not be allowed to visit it until he gets there. Mass feasts were organised by various ashrams in the town, but no plastic plates were used to serve the food, he said. Pathak also said over 550 toilets had been built on the site by Sunday afternoon and more were being constructed to prevent attendees from excreting in the river. Over 18 lakh trees are to be felled and 6,017 hectares (ha) of forest landmajority of it from Panna tiger reservediverted for the Ken-Betwa river link project that would irrigate 6.35 lakh hectares of drought-prone Bundelkhand and provide drinking water to over 13 lakh people in the under-developed region. The final approval for the project is expected from the ministry of environment and forests apex clearance body, the Forest Advisory Committee (FAC), which will meet in New Delhi on May 16. As per documents sourced from the ministry, at full reservoir level, 18,04,962 trees will be felled/affected in Ken-Betwa project, which also requires the diversion of 6,017 ha in Panna, Chhatarpur and Tikamgarh districts to the National Water Development Agency. The Ken-Betwa link envisages diversion of surplus Ken basin water to the Betwa basin at an estimated cost of Rs 18,057 crore. A 77-metre high dam, namely Daudhan is proposed across Ken, about 2.5 km upstream of the existing Gangau Weir. The reservoir requires submergence of 9,000 ha, of which 5,803 ha is in Panna reserve. Overall, the project would submerge 6,017 ha of forest land and 5,967 ha of non-forest land. In Panna, it would submerge 55.78 sq km (10.07%) of critical tiger habitat (CTH), besides the vast tree species, which has wildlife lovers concerned. According to official sources, the tree species that would be felled or affected are Tectona grandis, Terminalia arjuna, Diospyros melanoxylon, Madhuca indica, Accacia catechu, and others. Wildlife activist Ajay Dubey said Panna Tiger reserve was part of the Panna biosphere reserve which has a rich biodiversity of 1,255 species of plants, 34 mammalian species and over 280 species of birds. The Ken Betwa project will impact the Panna biosphere reserve as a whole and its impact on the biosphere has not been evaluated as a whole, he said. Panna forests (HT PHOTO) However, the loss to the Panna tiger reserve in terms of area and quality will be made good by adding additional area to the reserve as recommended by National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA), said a senior wildlife official in Madhya Pradesh. The Expert Appraisal Committee of the environment ministry had recommended clearance in December 2016 with certain conditions. The standing committee of National Board for Wildlife (NBWL) also recommended clearance in August last year. The FACE had constituted a committee in November last year to inspect the site, verify relevant documents/reports. The committee visited the area in January and the FAC recommended clearance for the forest land diversion in March. Though there was a suggestion to reduce the height of the proposed Dhaudan dam by a few metres to help save some precious forest in Panna from submergence, the Union water ministry reportedly was not in favour of this. According to officials, such forest areas are not usually considered for diversion as they are ecologically very sensitive areas. But what weighed in favour of such a diversion was the special objective of the project to provide water to water-scarce economically backward Bundelkhand. SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON A teenager was beaten mercilessly by cow vigilantes in Ujjain on Saturday after he was allegedly found in possession of a cow tail. Police, however, said the attackers were not part of any cow vigilante groups or associated with saffron outfits. The 17-year-old boy, a resident of Jiwajiganj working with a caterer in a restaurant, was on his way to work when 810 people intercepted him near Gumandev temple and asked him where he had got the cow tail. When he couldnt give a satisfactory reply, they beat him up mercilessly, with belts, fists and kicks, alleging that he was a cow killer, despite the boy asking them to spare him. None of the passers-by dared to intervene. Jiwajiganj town inspector of police, OP Mishra told HT that three of the accused, including the chief of the group Chetan Sankhla, had been arrested and an FIR had been lodged against 810 persons. The minor was hospitalised at Ujjain district hospital. #WATCH Madhya Pradesh: Man thrashed allegedly by cow vigilantes in Ujjain; police arrested four people, search for others underway pic.twitter.com/UqO7pRqyqy ANI (@ANI_news) May 14, 2017 Mishra said the incident didnt seem to be related to cow killing as there was also a dispute over money matters between the two sides. However, police were investigating the matter. He said the head of the group Chetan was not related to any saffron outfit, but was a nephew of a Congress corporator. Ujjain superintendent of police, MS Verma said the police had learnt that the minor was a drug addict. He (the boy) might have got the cow tail from somewhere but it did not appear that he had killed any cow, he said. He said preliminary investigations did not suggest that the accused belong to a cow vigilante group in Ujjain. However, police were looking into the matter to find out the exact reasons behind the incident. (With inputs from Anand Nigam, Ujjain) SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON Deepika Padukone has, of late, been busy shooting for her next film, Padmavati. However, that didnt stop the actor from taking time off to attend her cousins wedding in Bangalore. Deepika and her cousin have been very close since childhood. She was happy that she could be there in time to attend all the ceremonies right from the start. She didnt want to miss out on her cousins special day, says a source. #Repost @tommyhilfiger with @repostapp @deepikapadukone tearing up the #metkawakubo red carpet in a custom white satin Hilfiger Collection gown. #metgala2017 A post shared by Deepika Padukone (@deepikapadukone) on May 2, 2017 at 10:28am PDT Its believed that Deepika also came up with an impromptu dance performance for one of the functions. Deepika had it [a performance] on her mind, but she didnt share it with anyone, as she wanted to surprise her cousin. Plus, she wanted to make things special for her cousin in her own way, says the source. summer style from @allaboutyoufromdeepikapadukone get this look for just Rs. 2199/- Link in bio! #AllAboutYou A post shared by Deepika Padukone (@deepikapadukone) on May 6, 2017 at 10:08am PDT The wedding also turned out to be a get together of sorts for Deepika. All of her close family was present at the wedding. So, it gave her an opportunity to catch up with everyone, including her cousins. Otherwise, her busy schedule doesnt give her much time to meet her near and dear ones, says the source. Get this Stardust Cover Look only at @allaboutyoufromdeepikapadukone! Striped Skirt-Price Rs.1699/- Link In Bio! A post shared by Deepika Padukone (@deepikapadukone) on May 12, 2017 at 9:42am PDT Deepika now lives in Mumbai, but she has always kept a tab on not just her immediate family (father Prakash Padukone, mother Ujjala Padukone and sister Anisha Padukone), but her other relatives as well. Despite her busy schedule, she makes sure that she is present during all the big and special moments of the family, the source says. Recently, HT reported how Deepika got on to a WhatsApp group to stay connected with her family. SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON Bollywood stars are gearing up to walk the red carpet at the 70th Cannes Film Festival. Starting May 17, the celebration of the best in world cinema will get underway. India has always been an integral part of the prestigious film festival that happens every summer in the French Riviera, and this year too, a slew of stars from Bollywood are set to walk the red carpet. DEEPIKA PADUKONE Actor Deepika Padukone thinks theres too much focus on clothes at the Cannes Film Festival. Actor Deepika Padukone will be walking the red carpet on the second last day, May 27, for a beauty brand. In a recent interview, the Piku actor said: We have started planning. There is too much focus on clothes, but it should be fun. As a woman, we enjoy being ready and all of that. Clothes are exciting but there is more to it. It is something that my team is working on. . OPENING THE FILM FESTIVAL ON DAY TWO Kamal Haasans daughter Shruti will be making her red carpet debut at Cannes with her Tamil film Sangamithra. Actor Shruti Hassan will make her red carpet debut with the Tamil film, Sangamithra, which will open the film festival on day two, May 18. In an interview, Shruti expressed her happiness. We know that this is a story which will find a great connect with national and international viewers and we are so happy to have them as part of our journey right from the beginning, she was quoted as saying. A R Rahman too will be making his Cannes debut for the same film. Shruti will be joined by Oscar winning composer AR Rahman, who too will make his red carpet debut. Im very excited to work on this ambitious project, Sangamithra. I am looking forward to joining the team at Cannes, Rahman said in a statement. THE REGULARS Cannes regulars who will be walking the red carpet this year include Sonam Kapoor and Aishwarya Rai Bachchan. Just like Deepika Padukone, Sonam too will walk the red carpet on May 27. Actor Sonam Kapoor insists on representing India through her outfit at the Cannes Film Festival. (REUTERS) I will always represent India at the red carpet. So you will see that. Even if I am not wearing an Indian designer, I will include Indian designs in some way. I will always do something in some way to represent India. This is my eighth year at Cannes and I am super proud to be representing my country in such a way. I wish, one day, I go there to represent a film too, she said. Aishwarya Rai Bachchan, who first walked the red carpet at Cannes in 2002, for Devdas, will be presenting the same film again, celebrating 15 years since its release. Aishwarya Rai Bachchan first walked the red carpet at Cannes in 2002 for her film Devdas. We attended the festival not just as artists but as proud representatives of Indian cinema, and showcasing a film that meant so much to us. The kind of reception we got for the movie was truly overwhelming and I will cherish it all my life, said Aishwarya, who will be walking the red carpet on May 19 and May 20. Follow @htshowbiz for more SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON Delhi girl, actor Kriti Sanon has to stay away from her parents due to her work commitments. However, the actor, who lives in Mumbai, speaks everyday to her mother, Geeta Sanon, who is a professor. The 26-year-old actor says that for her, Mothers Day is not just about one day, its about making sure her mother is a part of every moment of her life. She says, Of course, we all make our moms feel special on that one day [Mothers Day], but it has a lot to do with keeping that connect with your mother. Wen ur mom makes more faces than you!! #adaywithmommy @geeta_sanon A post shared by Kriti (@kritisanon) on Sep 28, 2016 at 4:19am PDT Kriti adds that nowadays, youngsters get so involved with their lives that they forget to include their parents in it. We get busy in our lives. There is so much competition around us that we [tend to get] really get busy. [But] its important to slow down and take time out to at least talk to your parents and understand how they feel. Also, to have that connect with them that we had as kids and teenagers. Thats what we need to make sure, no matter how hectic our lives are, says Kriti, who is looking forward to the release of her film Raabta alongside actor Sushant Singh Rajput. Happy Birthday our Para Bachcha A post shared by Geeta Sanon (@geeta_sanon) on Jul 26, 2016 at 11:29am PDT Kriti says her mother helps her with work-related decisions too. Its funny when stories like me being part of a film come up and my mother makes a random call to me and goes like, Have you signed anything and not told me, she adds. Follow @htshowbiz for more While every day is as good as any to be grateful for the one person in our lives we all often take for granted, the difficulty of being a mother (and a sorted one at that) may be a reflection reserved for special days. As you celebrate the day with your life-long Santa Claus-cum-educator, heres looking at 5 female parents in literature who totally nailed motherhood. The mum-who-sees-all: Molly Weasley, the Harry Potter series From the time he moves to Hogwarts, Harry finds many surrogate fathers (Hagrid, Albus Dumbledore, Remus Lupin, Sirius Black). Mrs Weasely, however, is the only mother figure Harry has throughout the books. A pure-blood witch, Molly Weasley is endearing not just for her courage (she has a lot to lose in the fight against Voldemort), but also for her infinite capacity for love and her generosity (despite the Weasley familys hand-to-mouth existence). Raising seven kids on limited means when the world is headed for a showdown between good and evil and raising them right (all turn out fine, except for Percy who too eventually finds his way home) is no mean feat. It is Molly Weasley who makes The Burrow home not just for Harry but for Potterheads, too. The silent mum: Francesca Johnson, The Bridges of Madison County Her world may revolve around them, but like most teenagers, Francescas kids take her for granted. And to some extent so does her husband. Before she meets photographer Robert Kincaid, Francesca is bored and lonely. And yet when forced to choose between her thankless family and the chance to run away and travel the world with the love of her life, Francesca chooses to put the needs of her children over her own happiness. She helps them out even after her death. When her children now adults discover her diaries and the story of her sacrifice, it helps them gain perspective and sort out their own troubled marriages. The single mum: Sita, The Ramayana Sita was a great mom, who brought up two boys all by herself. One of the earliest single moms in literature, Sita gives her sons one helluva education despite being abandoned and left to fend for herself in a forest while pregnant. None of the bitterness, anger or grief that must have been the natural outcome of the rather unjust turn of events in her story is reflected in or fuels her upbringing. Her boys are intelligent, kind and brave warriors, who can take on Ramas mighty army and his best fighters while still in their teens. The adopted mum: Marilla Cuthbert, Anne of Green Gables In case of Marilla and Anne, mother can be used a verb and it applies to both. The orphan girl who shows up at Green Gables (the Cuthbert siblings had asked for a boy to work as a farm hand) thaws the frozen heart of Marilla Cuthbert, revealing an affectionate and emotional person beneath the cold demeanour. At the end of the first book in the series, Marilla is both a friend and a mother to Anne who, after Mathew Cuthberts death, gives up a scholarship to stay with Marilla and look after her. The mum-who-is-also-a-friend: Frannie Lancaster, The Fault in Our Stars Hard to forget Frannie Lancaster from The Fault in Our Stars. Frannie Lancaster sets new motherhood goals, especially when it comes to giving her only child who is depressed and dying from cancer some space. She takes the raw deal that falls to her lot on the chin yet remains positive and strong. Far from becoming a helicopter parent (which too would be understandable), she educates herself about her daughters illness, enrolls Hazel in a support group to distract her from depression (it is where Hazel meets Gus), encourages her to enjoy the present and even lets her travel to Amsterdam when she expresses the desire to do so. While Frannie is 100% invested in her daughter, she is also preparing herself for a life without Hazel by training to become a counsellor to parents whose children are suffering from cancer. She is as Hazel puts it, her best friend. Follow @htlifeandstyle for more. Three years ago, on May 16, the people of this country put a stamp of approval on Narendra Damodardas Modi becoming Prime Minister. In response Modi had politely described himself as pradhan sevak (principal servant). Three years later, it may be appropriate to ask how Modi has fared during his tenure of service. The peoples verdict can be interpreted as a report card for most politicians. He has done well on this parameter. Whether it was smaller civic body elections in Mumbai and Delhi, or the assembly polls in Uttar Pradesh, Modi was the BJPs face. In the beginning his party may have faced defeat in the Delhi and Bihar assemblies, but in the other elections it got the numbers required for a majority. How do you see it? Modi has emerged as the boldest incumbent prime minister since Indira Gandhi. Whether it is talking tough with China, teaching a lesson to terrorists flourishing in Pakistani territory or suddenly deciding to stop circulation of large currency notes, he has displayed an irrepressible capacity to take big decisions. The people have appreciated this because the largest democracy in the world has discovered that it has the capability to become a powerful nation. That is why it has begun to admire strong leaders. Narendra Modi and his colleagues recognise this. Modi also knows that many of the promises that he made havent been fulfilled. The incidence of Maoist terror hasnt come down despite demonetisation. Pakistan has responded to the surgical strikes by mutilating our soldiers. The stone-pelters are back in Kashmir. The promises to create one crore jobs every year and depositing Rs 15 lakh in every account are yet to be met. The Opposition was expecting that after the passage of two years, the shadows of unfulfilled promises will take some sheen off Modis magic. Even the brute majority enjoyed by Indira Gandhi and Rajiv Gandhi was eclipsed by these factors. But the results of the five assembly elections have dashed the Oppositions hopes. The reasons are clear. Over the past three years, the Prime Minister and his ministers have set new records for productivity and hard work. There is no significant corruption charge against his colleagues or him. Not just this, on every occasion, Modi has projected himself as a person from humble origins. You would remember that after attaining a majority, before climbing up the flight of stairs, Modi had touched the steps of Parliament with his forehead like a devotee. That is not all. The way he has addressed issues such as VIP culture, cleanliness and patriotism have touched the peoples hearts. The common man loves his way of doing things. It is not as if there is a drought of honest and hardworking leaders in the country. Their political adversaries dont raise questions over the personal integrity and honesty of Nitish Kumar in Bihar and Manik Sarkar in Tripura. I also wanted to mention Arvind Kejriwal in this list of upright CMs butThe PMs penchant for change management has compelled the Opposition space to shrink. When he faced criticism about wearing a suit priced at Rs 10 lakh and that his was a suit-boot government, instead of defending himself with words he focused on changing his appearance. He realises that no electoral victory is meaningful without a strong organisational structure. Which is why he appointed his trusted colleague Amit Shah to the post of party president. As was expected, Shah has not left any stone unturned in making the BJP relevant in the current context. Today if some of the faces of the party are people who earned their spurs in the RSS shakhas, there are other office-bearers whove studied at Wharton and Cambridge. If army generals occupy key party positions, so do farmers. Narendra Modi is anticipating that he may have to fight a united opposition in 2019. The battle wont be easy. Since there is little room for error, the NDA has already announced that Modi will be their prime-ministerial candidate. The Opposition needs to act, and fast. But can such decisions be taken in haste? Thats why political pundits are keeping an eagle eye on the forthcoming presidential elections. It is clear that an NDA candidate will win the elections for Indias first citizen and even if the Opposition camp puts up a contest, it will only be symbolic. Symbols and personalities have enormous significance in a democracy. Clearly, it will be the first litmus test for a united Opposition and its reverberations will be felt till the 2019 Lok Sabha polls. Shashi Shekhar is editor-in-chief Hindustan. A section of leaders of the BJP, the ruling party in Uttarakhand, wants a probe into the appointments made in the Vidhan Sabha (assembly) secretariat in the last 16 years. BJP leader Ravindra Jugran has written to speaker Prem Chand Agarwal demanding a probe. It is alleged that about 700 appointments had been made overlooking rules since a caretaker BJP government took reins of the government for a little more than one year after Uttarakhand was created on November 9, 2000. In his letter to the speaker, Jugran alleged that backdoor appointments in the assembly secretariat were against natural justice and overlooked article 14 and article 16 of the constitution that guarantee equal rights to citizens. Nepotism and recommendations were the major criteria behind over 700 appointments through the backdoor. Some positions were only to be filled by the public service commission. Its a serious issue, Jugran told HT. Barring Govind Kunjwal, all other former speakers belong to the BJP. Prakash Pant was the speaker of the first caretaker government. After the first assembly elections in 2002, Yashpal Arya was made the speaker. A former Congress leader, Arya is now with the BJP. In 2007, Harbans Kapoor became the speaker. The Congress government that was voted to power in 2012 appointed Govind Kunjwal as the speaker. Jugran said he was not pointing fingers at individuals, but raising the flag on the appointments made without following procedures. State BJP president Ajay Bhatt had questioned the backdoor appointments as a leader of the opposition during the Congress rule. When contacted, Bhatt said the BJP has raised voice against corruption and wrongdoings and it is good if a probe is conducted against every grey area that we pointed out. Speaker Agarwal gave no comments when this correspondent contacted him. SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON After demanding a raise in their service rates, mule operators in the Kedarnath valley have hit out at the state government for outsourcing a major chunk of the business to a Jammu and Kashmir firm, saying the decision hit their economy and employment opportunities. Mule operators carry pilgrims from Sonprayag to the Kedarnath shrine, traversing one of the most steep terrains of the Himalayas. The pedestrian track for the shrine starts from Sonprayag. Mule operators demanded that the government scrap the contact with the firm, saying outsourcing killed self-employment opportunities for local youths who had been managing mule operations till the 2013 disaster that hit the Kedarnath valley. We are being deprived of our share of works and business after a major share of the mule services was outsourced to the firm from Jammu Kashmir, said a mule operator. Kedarnath MLA Manoj Rawat said the governments tough terms for bidding for mule operations kept locals out the tender process. A major share of mule services for the Kedarnath pilgrimage was well-managed by local youths in coordination with the district panchayat. The outsourcing of the service after the 2013 disaster rendered hundreds of local youths unemployed, Rawat told Hindustan Times. Instead of keeping the bidding simple and accommodative for mule owners, its norms were so harsh that they could not participate in the tender process. The MLA said, The bidding process needed the participants to have a minimum 5 crore annual turnover, and firms must own no less than 5000 mule tags for punching animals ears. This was not possible for a local mule operator or even groups in the Kedarnath valley. The youths who earlier looked after mule services have been left unemployed, he said. We are small mule operators. Our business goes on till Chardham pilgrimage season, which is only for six months. The total strength of mules, owned by individual operators, was good enough to cater to the needs of the pilgrims, said Avtar Singh Negi, president of the Sonprayag Mule Operators Union. Our concerns and needs were not taken into account when state government decided to award the contract to the Jammu and Kashmir firm. Following an abysmal performance of Dehradun in the recent Swachh Survekshan, state urban development secretary Radhika Jha has asked the Dehradun Municipal Corporation (DMC) officials to visit and study the cleanliness model of Varanasi city in neighbouring Uttar Pradesh. Varanasi, which is Prime Minister Narendra Modis parliamentary constituency, has been ranked the 32nd cleanest city in India among the 434 participating cities in the survey this year. It has improved drastically from last years performance where it had been ranked among the 10 dirtiest cities in the country and thus will now serve as an inspiration for Dehradun, which currently stands at a dismal 316th position. Varanasi has improved tremendously in its ranking since the last survey. If it being an old city can do so much, we are sure that we (Doon) can do much, much better. I have asked the DMC officials to visit Varanasi and focus on how we can better the city on various parameters of the cleanliness survey, Jha told Hindustan Times on Sunday. Dehradun municipal commissioner Ravneet Cheema said that based on the directions, a team of DMC officials and sanitation inspectors will soon visit Varanasi to carry out a field visit. Our priority would be to look for practical solutions to some of the key challenges (in terms of maintaining cleanliness) that we face here in Dehradun every day while disposing of waste, Cheema told HT. Dehradun generates over 350 metric tonnes of solid waste every day. These (challenges) include transportation of garbage through dumpsters amid heavy traffic, use of PPP (public private partnership) mode and technology, micro-management of door-to-door waste collection and night lifting of garbage, she added. According to Varanasis chief health officer Dr A K Dubey, the Varanasi Municipal Corporation carried out over 150 cleanliness and awareness drives with volunteers, roped in three non-government organizations to manage cleanliness in wards and ghats (river banks), closely monitored its waste collection and ensured large scale deployment of sanitation workers and garbage collection vehicles which led to its highly improved rankings. HT was the first to report in its May 8 edition how the state government was planning to study the sanitation models of other cities in states with similar features. We will find out what other cities are doing the best and where we are lagging behind, urban development minister Madan Kaushik had told HT. Under the nationwide survey held under the aegis of the Union ministry of urban development (MoUD), none of the participating cities of Uttarakhand (see box) made it to top 200 in the countrywide list. SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON After sacked Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) minister Kapil Mishra alleged that the party lied about its donation figures to the Election Commission, the Congress demanded a case against AAP and Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal under Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA). Delhi Pradesh Congress Committee president Ajay Maken said, If the opposition have made such allegations, it was still understandable, but here a party colleague is making allegations. That too, with credible proof. Maken said besides a case under PMLA, the Congress also demand that the source of funds be investigated by the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) government. Addressing a press conference on Sunday, Maken said that senior Congress leaders including Amarinder Singh and Anand Sharma had raised concerns five months ago and given statements in public that AAP receives funds from pro-Khalistan separatist groups but no effort was made to probe it. We urge that the government should investigate AAPs foreign funding and find out the anti-national elements that are funding that party. If needed, a special audit should take place. All the companies and name of ministers that he (Mishra) had mentioned should be brought under scrutiny, Maken added. The Congress said Kejriwal should not only resign but also come clean on allegations of not revealing its full funding to the Election Commission and the Income Tax department. Maken also took a dig at the BJP and said that it is difficult to believe that government agencies were not aware about corruption in the funding of AAP. If the government agencies were not aware, then it shows their failure. But if they were aware, then why was BJP government trying to shield the AAP? Why has there been no FIR registered yet? he said. When asked about the timing of Mishras allegations, Maken said the focus at present should be more on probing the allegations. I will say better late than never on Mishras revelations, he said. SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON Delhi University will start the online registration process for admissions to around 54,000 seats in undergraduate courses from May 22. The university is starting the online registration process almost two weeks ahead of its usual schedule for courses in which admission is based on cut-off. The last date to fill the admission form has not been finalized yet. Students can start filling the online registration form from May 22. As we are starting the registration earlier, students will have enough time to get their certificates and other documents in place, said M Pandit, member of DUs admission committee. The online registration process for undergraduate courses, in which an entrance test is conducted, will begin from May 31. DU conducts entrance tests for courses such as Bachelor of Management Studies, BA (Hons) Business Economics, Bachelor of Business Administration (financial investment analysis). There are around 1600 seats in undergraduate courses in which entrance test is conducted, said an official. For postgraduate courses and research courses, the online registration will also start from May 31. Admission to postgraduate courses, MPhil and PhD will begin from May 31, said an official. DU registrar Tarun Das said the registration process for all programmes and categories will be online. The eligible applicants are informed that the registration process of all the programmes will be completely online including Sports, Extra Curricular Activities (ECA), Kashmiri Migrants, CW (Defence), and PwD categories, Das said. Das said the details of registration process and subsequent procedure will be available in a bulletin of information, which will be uploaded online soon on www.du.ac.in. The university will hold a standing committee meeting to finalise the admission criteria for various courses on May 16. After Tuesdays meeting, changes in the criteria for different courses will be approved. Once the changes are approved, we will upload the information on university website, said officials. There is still no clarity on whether entrance test for postgraduate and research courses will be conducted online, as planned earlier because there has been resistance from students bodies to conduct offline entrance tests. SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON A 43-year-old mathematics teacher was sent to judicial custody on Sunday for raping his 19-year-old daughter for the last six years. The victim shot a video on her mobile phone which exposed the alleged incident at their residence in a locality under Kavi Nagar police station area in Ghaziabad. The 15-minute video shows the woman being raped by her father, who also operates a school in Ghaziabad. The man was arrested and produced before a court on Sunday. The young woman repeatedly suffered the assault by her own father for the past six years. She could not garner support from her mother as she was unable to stand up against her husband. The incidents took place when she was a minor, so we have booked the accused of rape and also under the provisions of the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act, said Hemant Rai, station house officer, Kavi Nagar. Before taking the step to stand up against the repeated assault by her father, the woman, who is a first-year graduation student, spoke about her ordeal with her friend. Later, her friend approached her own mother and the two further approached the mother of the victim. They counselled the victims mother to report the matter to police. Her mother knew about the incidents but kept quiet as she feared the social stigma the family will have to face later. In the meantime, the victim placed her mobile in her room and turned the video on when her mother was not present. The video clearly captured the assault by her father who is also seen threatening her and later forcing himself on her. The video is a vital piece of evidence and will be a part of investigation, Rai added. The victims mother took the woman to Kavi Nagar police station on Sunday and lodged a formal complaint against her husband. The police have also levied section 323 (voluntarily causing hurt) of IPC as the accused also beat the victim often. He had also threatened his wife time and again about not reporting the matter to anyone. SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON Four men allegedly barged inside the house of an elderly couple, held them hostage and robbed valuables including Rs3 lakh cash, diamond rings and gold ornaments. The incident was reported from south Delhis Shanti Niketan, South Campus, on Thursday morning. Chandrashekhar Umre (71), a former director with a private company, told the police that he was at home with his wife Urvashi when the men barged in and tied them up before robbing the house. While one of Umres son lives in the USA, his younger son is working in a company in Bengaluru. Umre said that two men rang the door bell and the moment he opened, they pushed him inside and overpowered him. Before he could react, the men allegedly taped his mouth and also tied his hands with a rope, a senior police officer said. While the two men were tying Umre up, two more men entered the house and locked it from inside. The other two men then allegedly went inside the house, where Urvashi was sitting and tied her up too. The men then allegedly ransacked the house for over an hour, looking for valuables. They overturned the beds, searched the almirahs and emptied drawers. From the lockers they allegedly took Rs3 lakh cash, diamond rings, gold necklaces and two Iphones. The men then fled the spot, a senior police officer said. Umre later made a PCR call. The couple managed to free themselves after the men left and then made a PCR call. Based on their complaint, we registered a case of robbery and have begun the investigation to track down the culprits, a senior police officer said. Police suspect the involvement of an insider in the case. Sources said three persons have been detained for questioning. Since the men knew that the couple had kept valuables inside the house, we suspect the involvement of an insider. We have taken details of their house helps and other staff and will be examining them. Two of their maids, who had been working for them for the past seven months, will also be questioned. We have asked the couple to help us with details of the appearance of the men so that we could get their sketches made. We are also scanning the CCTV footage that we accessed from the area, a senior police officer said. Foot prints in the kitchen; the locks and windowpanes broken; the jewel box opened but not stolen; cash and valuables as they were the house was ransacked but not an item reported missing. What happened inside a senior diplomats house on the night of May 5? The Delhi police have formed teams and roped in crime branch to identify the men who broke in at a French diplomats house in south Delhis Shanti Niketan. With no items reported stolen, police are probing why the diplomats house was ransacked. The couple had gone to Nepal for a vacation, when their domestic help alerted them about a break-in at their flat. The maid had on the morning of May 6 reached the house and found the kitchen and bedroom doors broken, according to the diplomats husband in his police statement. There were foot prints in the kitchen. The diplomats husband alleged the drawers were forced open. There was a lot of disturbance in the bedroom. The jewellery box was open, the drawer with valuables was opened and the jewels were left outside. The bed mattresses have been moved. All cupboards were open. Jewels, and even cash notes (euro, dollar) have not been taken, reads the complaint. When the couple returned on May 8, they found that their laptop, Ipad and their smart phones were also left untouched. They then informed the South Campus police station. Police have registered an FIR and are scanning the finger prints from the house. Though senior police officers were not willing to comment, a source said the case is interesting because there was a similar break-in at an adjacent house but valuables and cash were missing. It is strange that on the same night, there were two thefts but from the diplomats not an item was missing. The police crime team took photographs of the room and it seems the thieves had ample time to take the valuables. Police are probing the case from all angles, said a source. HT contacted the senior diplomat for a comment but she refused to comment. The woman said it was her private matter. SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON A 26-year-old woman was gang-raped by three men in a moving car after she was kidnapped near Sukhrali village in Gurgaon on Saturday. The victim, who lives as a paying guest in sector 17, told the police that she went to Connaught Place in New Delhi to watch a movie on Friday night with her male friend after which they went to a bar and then returned to Gurgaon in a cab at around 2am on Saturday. I was going to my room when suddenly three men forced me inside a Swift Dzire and raped me in the car. They threatened me to not to tell anyone about the incident and dropped me on a secluded road somewhere in Delhi. From there, a biker helped me reach the toll point (Sarhaul border), where I met a Delhi Police personnel at 6.45am who took me to Gurgaon Police, the victim alleged in her complaint to the police. The three men took turns to rape her, she added. The spot from where she was kidnapped is about 1.5 kms away from Sector 17/18 police station in Gurgaon. A police official said that a sandal of the victim was found at the spot. An FIR in this regard was lodged at the police station under section 376-D (gang rape), 365 (kidnapping), and 506 (criminal intimidation) of Indian Penal Code (IPC). The case was lodged in the presence of a legal counsel and Delhi Police personnel. Similar incidents September 11, 2016: Police arrest 24-year-old man for raping a 16-year-old girl. The victim was the sister of the alleged rapists elder brothers wife. The teen, a Class 12 student in Dehradun and a native of Manipur, was on a visit to her sister house in Sikanderpur, Gurgaon. August 2, 2015: A 25-year-old woman from Assam was allegedly molested by a manager at a company in Gurgaon. The manager allegedly made racist comments against her. April 15, 2014: A 21-year-old woman from Nagaland had alleged sexual assault by a driver, who also tried to rape her, in the moving cab she boarded from Mahipalpur in Delhi for Gurgaon. The victim worked as a salesgirl at the DLF Promenade Mall in Vasant Kunj. We have lodged a case and are investigating the incident and trying to get more information on the three unidentified men, said Sumit Kuhar, deputy commissioner of police (crime). An official of sector 18 police station said medical examination of the victim, a resident of Gangtok in Sikkim, was conducted and attempts are being made to trace the car so that the accused can be identified. SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON Sacked Delhi water minister Kapil Mishra on Sunday alleged that the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) lied about its donation figures to the Election Commission (EC) moments before he fainted and was taken to a hospital. (HIGHLIGHTS) Addressing a press conference in New Delhi, Mishra alleged that the ruling AAP had over Rs 45 crore in its bank account during the financial year of 2013-2014 whereas the party in its declaration to the EC had showed an income of around Rs 9 crore. He also said that the party accumulated the money through shell companies and was converting black money into white through hawala transactions, all with the knowledge of party convenor and Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal. Alleging massive irregularities in AAP funding, Mishra sought Kejriwals resignation as people close to Kejriwal are involved running these shell companies and he always knew about it. Yeh ab spasht hai ki Kejriwal bhrasht hai (Now its clear that Kejriwal is corrupt)... either he should resign, or I will drag him by his collar to Tihar jail, Mishra said, before concluding his remarks at the conference. Mishra, who has been on an indefinite hunger strike since Wednesday, fainted at the press conference before he could share documents he said would prove his allegations. He was taken to Ram Manohar Lohia hospital, where doctors said he was stable and conscious, but suffered from a a little weakness and mild dehydration. His vitals are all normal, an RML doctor said. The party however dismissed Mishras allegations, claiming he was parroting what the BJP voiced voiced just before the 2015 Assembly polls. This is the BJPs ploy to finish AAP. It should stop questioning the credentials of AAP and Arvind Kejriwal as we have ensured all transparency while accepting funds, senior AAP leader Sanjay Singh said. Mishra, who was sacked as the water and tourism minister on May 6 and later suspended from the party, has been demanding details on foreign trips of five AAP leaders. He demanded Kejriwal reveal the source of funding for trips of five Sanjay Singh, Ashish Khetan, Raghav Chadhha, Satyendra Jain and Durgesh Pathak in the last two years. Sacked Delhi water minister Kapil Mishra on Sunday alleged that the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) lied about its donation figures to the Election Commission (EC). Addressing a press conference in Delhi, Mishra alleged that the AAP had over Rs 45 crore in its bank account during the financial year of 2013-2014 whereas the party in its declaration to the EC had showed an income of around Rs 9 crore. Here are the live updates: 2.45pm: Congress leader Ajay Maken alleges AAP getting funds from separatist groups that have pro-Khalistan connections. 2.20pm: Rebel Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leader Kapil Mishra was admitted to the RML hospital in Delhi after he fainted while addressing the media on Sunday. He is suffering from a little weakness and mild dehydration, an RML doctor told PTI. 1.30pm: This is conspiracy by BJP to derecognise AAP. Kirti Azad as a BJP MP was the first to allege irregularities in DDCA, says AAP leader Sanjay Singh 1.20pm: The BJP says what Kapil Mishra says, and Kapil Mishra says what BJP says: AAP leader Sanjay Singh in a press conference. 11.52am: Kapil Mishra faints immediately after his press conference on revelations on AAPs finances. He has been on a hunger strike for the past 5 days. 11.50am: It is clear now that Arvind Kejriwal is corrupt, says Kapil Mishra to AAP volunteers. 11.49am: 187 cos, including 8 foreign cos, have been registered at an address at Jasola district centre. Two of the 16 shell cos also registered at the same address. 11.48am: The registered addresses of four directors out of 16 shell companies, which donated to AAP, are the same, says Mishra. 11.47am: AAP MLA Naresh Yadavs wife has also invested in one of the shell companies, says Mishra. 11.45am: AAP MLA Shiv Charan Goyal is closely involved in functioning of these shell companies, says Kapil Mishra. 11.45am: Arvind Kejriwal had hundreds of Shell firms, alleges Kapil Mishra. 11.40am: People close to Arvind Kejriwal are involved in running these cos and Kejriwal is aware about all this, alleges Kapil Mishra. AAP MLA Shiv Charan Goyal is closely involved in functioning of these shell companies: @KapilMishraAAP Vishal Kant (@VishKant) May 14, 2017 11.35pm: Many entries concealed from Election commission from 2013 to 2016, says Kapil Mishra. 11.30am: Crs were credited in AAP's accounts through 16 shell companies. Money was transferred at the same time on Jan 20, 2014: @KapilMishraAAP Vishal Kant (@VishKant) May 14, 2017 11.20am: Kapil Mishra claims false info given to EC regarding AAP accounts; alleges black money converted to white. SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON Where is my dog? This is one question an increasing number of dog owners in Delhi and NCR are asking these days. And they are not getting any definitive answer. They fear their missing dogs may have been stolen for illegal breeding rampant in what animal activists call the growing number of puppy mills in many parts of the city. One such owner is Venu Rajamony, Press Secretary to the President of India. His pet -- a purebred female Dalmatiandisappeared in April from his residence at Talkatora Road. The family ran a campaign on social media, put up missing-dog posters and approached the police and the New Delhi Municipal Council (NDMC), but to no avail. We were preparing to take our pet to the Netherlands when it went missing, says Rajamony, who is moving to the Netherlands next month as Indias Ambassador. I see only two possibilities: either someone has found it and kept it innocently not knowing what to do. The second is trafficking; many purebred dogs are used for illegal breeding. We mentioned in the posters that our pet is neutered. Read: Decoding the mystery behind handwriting: How experts are coping in digital age Rajamonys fears about his dogs being trafficked for illegal breeding are not unfounded. In the past six months, there have been many cases of theft and abduction of dogs. Social media platform such as Facebook are full of photographs of missing dogs. Rewards for finding them range from Rs 5000 to Rs 20,000. In December, Coco, a female Beagle, was allegedly taken from outside her owners house at Pusa Road in central Delhi. Many animal activists believe the unidentified man, who was captured on CCTV pushing the dog into a car, belong to gang of thieves that steal pet dogs and sell them to illegal breeders. The cost of a Beagle puppy starts from R20,000. In January, a retired air force wing commander was assaulted while he was walking his dog, and his nine-year-old golden Labrador retriever was snatched from him. Many animal activists such as Sonya Ghosh believe organised gangs are behind the theft and kidnapping of dogs in Delhi and NCR. They say areas such as Trilokpuri, Nizamuddin, Shadipur, Sangam Vihar and Raangpuri Pahari are home to puppy mills with cruel breeding practices. The puppies are kept in cramped cages in dirty, deplorable conditions; there is poor hygiene, no veterinary care and rough handling of pets by untrained workers. Most of these breeding centres are not registered with the Animal Welfare Board of India (AWBI) as mandated by the Animal Birth Control (Dogs) Rules, 2001. Read: Delhi Metro turns muse for writers on the move I have seen many expensive pedigree dogs in slums located in Trilokpuri and Rangpuri Parari. Recently, I saw a Neapolitan Mastiff in a Trilokpuri slum that costs about a lakh, says Ghosh. These are stolen dogs hidden and kept for breeding in these slums. The breeders use pedigree dogs and abandon them once they are past their breeding life span. We alerted the police many a time but they have done nothing against them. Dependra Pathak, Special Commissioner of Police (Operations), refutes the charge that police are not sensitive to dog cases. We do take such theft cases seriously. A theft is a theft, whether it is of dog or anything else. We go after any violator of the law. But yes, there are low priority and high priority cases, he says. Rick Green, an Australian expat in Gurgaon who was lucky to have found his missing pet, Rexy, after a social media campaign, says the Gurgaon Polices attitude was objectionable. When I went to the police station to complain about my missing dog, the first question they asked me was if I had the licence to keep a pet. Eventually, I could find the pet because of the support I got from people in my housing society, says Green, who gave a Rs 2-lakh cash reward to the girl who found his dog. In Australia, the police are very sensitive to these issues. There is a separate squad to find missing dogs. Geeta Seshamani, vice president, Friendicoes, a Delhi organisation that works for animal welfare, says they get 2-3 cases of missing dogs every day. Like Ghosh, she believes the reason behind the disappearance of pedigree dogs is illegal breeding, buying and selling. Unfortunately, there are many unscrupulous breeders who do not care about the breeding cycle or the health of dogs, she says. This is the worst crime against animals. The illegal business needs to be stopped immediately. Read: Mahipalpur: Delhis urban village is now the capitals latest hotel hub Spurring the illegal breeding is the great demand for pedigree dogs. The number of pets in Indian households went from 7 million in 2009 to 12 million in 2014, says a report by Euromonitor, a London-based market researcher. A Saint Bernard goes for anywhere between Rs 35,000 and Rs 40,000; a Husky puppy for Rs 40-60,000 and a Tibetan Mastiff for something between Rs25,000 and Rs35,000. Seshamani says there should be a microchip-based ID card for every dog and a centralised data registry. This will be of help in keeping a record of sale and purchase of dogs, stopping thefts and finding missing dogs, she says. This may become a reality soon. In January, the union ministry of environment, forest and climate change published draft rules to regulate dog breeders and pet shops. The rules mandate registration of all dog breeders with state animal welfare boards and define requirements to be met by breeders and the establishments used for breeding or housing animals. The rules also mandate that breeders maintain records of both male and female dogs, including breed and description, their micro-chip number, number of litters, sale, purchase and death. The rules should be notified soon and implemented strictly to achieve the desired objective of stopping cruelty to animals, says Seshamani. SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON Sacked Delhi minister Kapil Mishra on Sunday accused the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) of being involved in massive financial irregularities and routing funds through shell companies things he claimed Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal had full knowledge of. Demanding chief minister Kejriwals resignation, Mishra also said that he will file a complaint with the CBI on Monday in the matter. Mishra had last week filed a complaint against Kejriwal accusing him of receiving Rs 2 crore as bribe money. Yeh ab spasht hai ki Kejriwal bhrasht hai (Now its clear that Kejriwal is corrupt)... either he should resign, or I will drag him by his collar to Tihar jail, Mishra said. Talking to reporters at his residence, Mishra alleged that the AAP had received crores of rupees from 16 shell companies over the past three years, which converted black money into white. Mishra also alleged discrepancies in the money received by AAP and the amount it declared before the election commission. Mishra was accompanied by former AAP volunteer Neil Tarrance Haslam, who went to on join AVAM, a breakaway group before reportedly joining the BJP. Mishra alleged these shell companies are run by people close to Kejriwal and named two AAP legislators Shiv Charan Goel and Naresh Yadav who he claimed were running some of these companies. Goel and Yadav both denied the charges and said that they will file a criminal and civil defamation case against Mishra. Mishra, who has been on a hunger strike for the past five days to demand the foreign trip details of five AAP leaders, said that if Kejriwal didnt step down he would drag the chief minister by his collar and take him to Tihar jail. In a dramatic turn of events later, Mishra fainted before he could share with the media documents he said proved his charges. Referring to one of the cases of alleged discrepancies, Mishra said AAP received Rs 90 lakh as donation from a person identified as Priya Bansal of Bengaluru for 2014-15 and 2015-16, but the tax payable on her income was merely Rs 4,000. In 2014-15, AAP had Rs 65,52,40,752 (Rs 65.5 crore) in its bank account, but the election commission was informed about only Rs 32,46,16,662 (Rs 32.4 crore) while the party put only Rs 27,38,71,611 (Rs 27.3 crore) in the public domain and told its volunteers it had no money, Mishra said. All this happened with the knowledge of Arvind Kejriwal as these shell companies deposited money in AAPs bank account on the same day and time in January 2014, Mishra said, brandishing documents. To prove his point, the sacked minister also alleged that postal addresses of directors of four of the 16 shell companies was similar while others were registered at a Jasola district centre where 187 companies, including eight foreign firms, were also registered. This is why I have been demanding the foreign travel details of five AAP leaders, Mishra said. Its a dream of a better life that has been conclusively shattered. Recently the ministry of external affairs (MEA) had to step in to rescue 24 Indians held captive by a company in Saudi Arabia over salary disputes. The matter was brought to the notice of the MEA after Odisha chief minister Naveen Patnaik sought the help of external affairs minister Sushma Swaraj. This is not an isolated incident. Last month a woman from Hyderabad who was reportedly sold and tortured in Saudi Arabia was rescued after Ms Swaraj intervened. In March, after the Telangana government approached the MEA, 29 workers held captive in Saudi Arabia were rescued. In July, the MEA intervened to help more than 10,000 Indian workers who had lost their jobs in Saudi Arabia and were short on food supplies. Like a record stuck in a loop, horror stories of Indians working in West Asia, especially Saudi Arabia, keep repeating themselves with frightening frequency. Most of the times it runs like this: On the promise of better pay and working conditions Indians go to the Gulf but are duped into working in inhuman conditions; they send out messages pleading for help and finally the MEA steps in to their rescue. In many cases Ms Swaraj has personally intervened to ensure the safe return of these NRIs. The role of the ministry in this matter has been nothing short of commendable. But rather than effectively dousing fires, the effort should be to prevent it. Unauthorised recruitment agencies and visa dealers are the main culprits here. They sell false promises and trap gullible people who often realise their plight much later. The government on its side has mechanisms to prevent such fraud: It has advised job seekers to go through recognised employment agencies. To assist, the MEA and Indian embassies in the host countries have special cells. But, as repeated cases show, more needs to be done. Of course, the primary focus of the government should be on providing avenues for employment here in India, which would prevent this economic migration. But until then, to stop this trend, those dealing in illegal labour export must face stricter punishment and theres a need for more awareness through effective ICTs. New Delhi, on its part, must also get assertive on ensuring that such cases of human rights violations are not passed off as a routine matter. While India still imports most of its oil and gas, West Asia is not the market dictator it used to be. Shale gas from the United States and Irans re-entry into the market has weakened the Arab oil card and India, the buyer, is at an advantage here. This coupled with the Modi governments positive outreach to countries across the region should help the case of such NRIs. One of every three IITians graduating this year either didnt find a suitable job or wasnt found suitable for a job through campus placement, official data show, pointing to shrinking employment opportunities for Indias large pool of engineering talent. Only 66% of those who made themselves available for campus recruitment landed a job offer in 2016-17, as against 79% in 2015-16 and 78% in 2014-15, according to data made available by IITs to the human resource development (HRD) ministry. Out of 9,104 student in 17 IITs who applied this year, only 6,013 got jobs. The data for placement was shared by 17 IITs. There are 75,000 students studying in 23 IITs in the country. When contacted, the human resource development ministry said that recruitment by PSUs through GATE scores has increased over these years and many of those recruited are from IITs. These numbers wont reflect in the campus recruitment numbers. We need to add these too before coming to conclusions on employment opportunities for IIT students. We, therefore, feel that the employment scene is not really going down for IITs. The slide in recruitment from what are considered premier technical institutes reflects the possible impact of the economic downturn in India as also globally. Indias estimated economic growth has slowed to 7.1% in 2016-17 from 7.9% in the previous year. Larsen & Toubro Ltd, for instance, laid off 14,000 employees during April-September last year, saying it was necessary to stay agile and competitive. Many companies in the manufacturing and construction sectors slashed jobs in November-January to protect their profit margins post-demonetisation. A wave of protectionist steps by countries such as the United States has further hit the services sector, especially IT companies. The top seven IT firms in India are reportedly planning to lay off at least 56,000 engineers. There is an increase in the number of IITs but the jobs have remained the same. Naturally jobs have been distributed amongst all the IITs, Professor NP Padhy, dean of academic affairs, IIT Roorkee told HT. At the same time, the new IITs were given an opportunity to start the placement drive much earlier than the rest to help them. Also, the number of start-ups that participated earlier has also come down. Many students also opt for higher studies, he said. IIT sources say that while the number of companies visiting IITs has increased in many cases, job offers have decreased. In IIT Madras, which topped the National Ranking of the countrys engineering institutes, of the 665 students who were available for campus placements, 521 got job offers, with an average salary of ~12.91 lakh per annum. That is to say that only 78% of the students who wanted jobs got the offers, as against 86 % in the previous two years. Our placement drive was disrupted due to the cyclone this year and so there might have been a slight drop, said Bhaskar Ramamurthy, IIT Madras director. IIT Roorkee managed to place 653 of 974 campus job-seekers this year; that is 67% compared to 83% last year. Of the old IITs, only the one in Kanpur showed a slight improvement in campus placements this year. In IIT Delhi, 502 of 563 students got job offers. Officials of the institute, however, said that the data might see a slight increase as the placements are still on. There are a number of students who opt for higher studies or sit for civil services examination. Many start their own start-ups and so not everyone opts for campus placement. At the same time, jobs are not increasing and we are a mere facilitator between the companies and the students. As far as we know, anyone from IIT Delhi looking for a job will be able to get one, said a senior official of IIT Delhi. Some IITs such as the one in Mumbai remain optimistic, claiming that recruitment season was still on and the numbers might still go up by the end of June. However, most companies visit IIT campuses for hiring from December to February and any additions after that are usually marginal. The global slowdown is one of the major reasons. The number of offers companies have made has come down, though more companies have come for placements. Even e-commerce companies have reduced their offers. H1B visa issue has also impacted the placements, said Professor Kaustubha Mohanty, convenor of All IITs Placement Committee. At the same time, there are more IITs vying for the same number of jobs so that has also affected job placements. We are confident that things will improve next year. A number of companies have started giving pre-placement offers in the third year itself when students go for internships in companies, which is a positive thing, he said. SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON The two girls who found a six-month-old missing dog that belonged to an Australian couple, have decided to spend the Rs2 lakh reward they received on the welfare of stray dogs. The girls, Akriti Nandy and Parul Sinha, were unsure if the money would be used for the welfare of street dogs if they donated it to any organisation claiming to look after such animals. The two South City 2 residents, who had who found the dog Rexy and were rewarded Rs2 lakh by its owners, have decided to spend the amount themselves on the welfare of stray dogs. I take care of 13 dogs living on the streets. I am planning to spend the money on them and will try to provide them a better life, said Akriti, a class 12 student. Sharing the same sentiment, her friend Parul said stray dogs have a poor life and are treated very badly on the streets. People should provide food and water to dogs who are out on the streets. Their attitude should change and they should not pelt stones at them, said Akriti. The two believe the city has hundreds of dogs on the streets who need help. Rexy, belonging to Venus and Rick Green, had gone missing on Sunday from a shopping centre in Sector 49. Its owners had announced a reward of Rs2 lakh for it. Following this, their neighbours, people on social media and pet lovers in the city had joined the search for the dog. On Tuesday, Akriti and Parul informed the Greens about their dog being spotted in the parking lot of a residential society. Following this, the Greens found their missing Rexy, but the girls families refused to accept the reward. We turn them (dogs) to the street. If we give them food, shelter, and love they too can have a home, said Venus, after getting their dog back, supporting the girls stand. The couple, who had adopted Rexy, also expressed their displeasure regarding the polices attitude towards animals. Rick said that when their dog went missing, he went to police station to report the incident, but a complaint was not filed. We could not file a complaint with the police. There is no law regarding protection of animals. If the police can take care of human beings, why are they reluctant about safety of animals? That was depressing and showed how badly animals are treated in the society, he said. SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON City homebuyers have found more faults with the Real Estate Regulation Act (RERA) draft rules in Haryana that have been in the public domain over the last couple of weeks. There are many projects in which builders obtained licence from the competent authority but did not start construction in the last ten years or more. They fear the RERA, in its present form, might fail to address their concerns. Homebuyers have formed various social media groups to share and exchange information and bring it to notice of the Haryana Town and Country Planning department. Commander (retired) JK Anand, resident of Faridabad, who is guiding the different associations and groups of home buyers, told Hindustan Times that the RERA draft for Haryana fails to incorporate several important aspects. As many as 20 projects in the state have been abandoned by the builders and now the homebuyers are running from court to consumer forum to town planning and other forums in the quest for justice. Homebuyers have put their hard-earned money into these projects, but their dream home, it seems, will remain a dream. The authorities arent moved by the plight of buyers, Anand said, adding many other projects are also mired in litigations for different reasons across the state. Read I Gurgaon: Homebuyers planning to meet CM Khattar over RERA draft rules Anand said, There are projects for which more than one proprietor have been created illegally. The RERA, in its present form, does not cover such projects. Prakhar Sahay, a homebuyer, said, The Harana former chief town planner (CTP) Dilbag Singh, who was present at a summit on real estate that was held in Gurgaon on Saturday ignored our queries in this regard. He said RERA will protect homebuyers. However, we doubt if the RERA will, indeed, help homebuyers who invested lakhs into projects that are yet to get off the ground. Gurgaon Citizens Council (GCC) held a meeting with homebuyers on Saturday and decided to put together all issues concerning them so that they could take up the issue strongly with the government. We will hold a protest against the RERA draft, in its present form, on May 17. If the Haryana government does not revise it on the lines of the one drafted by the Centre, we will intensify our protest, RS Rathee, president, GCC, said. Dilbag Singh, former city chief town planner who is one of the architects of the states RERA draft, said, RERA is a balanced draft, but we still have scope to revise it. SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON The residents of Silokhra village have decided to protest against the Haryana urban development authoritys (Hudas) plan to allot land for setting up an office of the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). The residents held a meeting on Sunday and shot off letters to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Haryana chief minister Manohar Lal Khattar, among others, demanding immediate action to stop the process. The residents have also decided to organise a protest over the issue by end of the month. In its letter to the prime minister, the residents raised a number of problems dogging the village. It says the village lacks a community centre, banquet hall, playground and other amenities for which they have to visit other areas. The residents said that since the village was brought within the ambit of the Municipal Corporation of Gurugram (MCG), it should also hold ownership of the plot which is to be allotted for the purpose. But we got to know that the Huda acquired 12 acres of our villages common land and has planned to give it to Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) to build its office. This is wrong. We are totally against it. Why should a political party be allotted a plot here? We want to know how Huda acquired the land and who it paid compensation to? We are not going to sit idle, said Mukesh Sharma, resident. Read I Huda land allotment process for Gurgaon bus service depot on fast-track The panchayat is to hold another round of meeting, involving members of five other villages, soon. Atar Singh Sharma, a resident, said, We will hold a panchayat meeting, also involving members of five other villages, and demand a thorough investigation into the process of acquisition of the plot by the Huda. Bhupendra Singh, district president, BJP, said, The party purchased the land at 25,500 per square foot from the Huda. The Huda had put out advertisements six months ago saying political parties can buy land. Based on that advertisement, the BJP purchased the 1-acre plot at Silokhra. Now, some people are trying to politicise the issue. SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON Courage is considered to be a virtue in a soldier but an Indian soldier proved that kindness too is a virtue for our army men. Posted in Jammu and Kashmir (J&K), recently, this soldier took upon himself to help the residents of Gurez a place which is situated near the Line of Control separating India and Pakistan. The officer called up Saajan Abrol, a resident of Gurgaon who runs the NGO, Clothes Box Foundation, and asked them to help gather clothes for donation, that would be distributed among the residents of Kandipore district in Gurez. Three weeks back, I got a call from an unknown number from the LoC. The guy calling was a colonel from the Indian Armed Forces. He was seeking help for the people who stay in a place called Dawar, a block in Gurez, J&K. This place is cut off from India for 8 months due to heavy snow and people who live there and earn merely 100 Rupees a day. He sought help with warm clothing for people who live there, reads the Instagram post of Abrol who started his NGO along with a friend Naman Ahluwaliya in February 2014. Abrol has sent the first lot of 2,000 clothes, and is planning to send at least three more lots in total. We have our pickup service across India and people also drop clothes in our warehouses. This is an opportunity for us to help the needy and also we are elated to partner with the Indian Army, says Abrol. Army and Border Security Force units situated in the area will be distributing the clothes among residents, but the team cant visit the place due to security reasons. Right now, due to the disturbances in Kashmir, we cant visit the place but we will once the situation will be under control, we will go. We have also promised to send clothes for 20,000 people at our own expenses, he adds. The officer behind this noble move could not speak to the media because of protocol, but promised to share the distribution videos after the drive. About Gurez The place is nestled among high mountains and with Pakistan occupied Kashmir (PoK) on three sides. It is connected to the rest of India from only one side only. Army and Border Security Force units situated at the LoC have to stock their ration and other essential items well in advance before the weather shuts down the only road link which passes through high passes. SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON There have been more swine flu cases and deaths in first four months of 2017 in India than all of 2016. The number of cases is five-fold higher in just over four months compared to last years cumulative data. There have been 8,648 confirmed cases and 345 deaths till May 7 compared to 1,786 cases and 265 deaths between January and December 2016, according to Union health ministry data. The numbers are likely to be higher because only those with serious disease get tested for influenza A(H1N1)pdm09 virus, which is popularly referred to as swine flu, because the virus shares genes with an influenza virus that infects pigs. Tamil Nadu accounts for close to one-third of the total swine flu cases and Maharashtra accounted for more than half the nationwide deaths. Gujarat is the worst hit state with one in four persons diagnosed with H1N1 dying in the state. But the death rate this year is the lowest ever. Less than 4% people diagnosed with the disease died this year, compared to 14.8% in 2016. The dominant strain flu strain in India this year is the A/Michigan/7/2009 (H1N1) pdm09 virus, which replaced last years A/California/7/2009 (H1N1) pdm09 virus as the predominant virus around the world. The A/Michigan/7/2009 (H1N1) pdm09 virus has been isolated in the Indian population for the first time, so we still dont know how it will play out in India, Dr Soumya Swaminathan, director general of Indias apex research institute, Indian Council of Medical Research told HT. Indias worst outbreak was in the pandemic years of 2009-10, when H1N1 sickened close to 50,000 people and killed more than 2,700. Fewer people are dying of the disease this year because of improved diagnosis and disease management. A lot of training has gone in, though more studies are needed to explain why deaths are higher in western India, said Dr Swaminathan. Swine flu causes symptoms of fever, lethargy, headache, cough, sore throat and nausea. Most people recover within a week, but people with low immunity and poorly-managed chronic diseases such as asthma, lung diseases, diabetes, cancer, kidney or heart problems risk serious complications and even death from multi-organ failure. SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON ARA A Bihar girl who walked out of her marriage on her wedding night in 2013, for the sake of her boyfriend, finally got to wed him four years later, but only after some not-so-gentle persuasion! The wedding ceremony of Riya Kumari and Arjuna Dubey took place on Saturday at the Aaranya Devi temple at Ara town in Bhojpur district of south central Bihar, about 75 km west of the state capital, Patna. Close relations of both, the bride and the groom, attended the function. But, it was not as if things were all hunky dory leading up to the wedding. Rather, it was only after the girl filed a police case, accusing her boyfriend of past many years of raping her, that he saw reason and finally agreed to wed her. Police said Riya, 23, of Sundarpur Barja village under Bihiya police station of Bhojpur had an affair going with Arjuna, 28, of Fuhan village under Barhara police station, located in the same district, for the past five years. There came a twist in their story in 2013 when Riyas parents got her wedded to a boy from Kolkata. However, the girl returned to her parents home on her wedding night, giving the excuse that she had to appear for her graduation examination. As days went by and Riya refused to return to her husband, word got around about her affair with Arjuna, causing her in-laws to disown her. All this while, the girl kept meeting Arjuna, who, she claimed, had assured her he would marry her. However, recently Arjuna, a jawan in the Sashastra Seema Bal (SSB), went back on his word and refused to marry Riya. Then, on April 14, Riya lodged an FIR at the Ara mahila police station, accusing Arjuna, of exploiting her sexually, said Akhilesh Pandey, a former sarpanch known to the two families. Pandey said fearing his arrest and possible loss of his SSB job because of the controversy, Arjuna changed his mind and agreed to wed Riya. I am really glad that their wedding at an Ara temple on Saturday has given a happy ending to the story, he added. Mahila police station SHO Poonam Kumari said she had tried hard to effect a compromise between the boy and girl but Arjuna was adamant on not marrying Riya. But when a case of rape was instituted by the girl, he saw reason and the wedding took place, she told HT. Chinese President Xi Jinping on Sunday pledged to pump billions of dollars into the new Silk Road initiative as he described his signature foreign policy push as inclusive, one that should not be held hostage to old rivalries and power games. China is hosting at least 29 heads of state, including Russian President Vladimir Putin and Pakistan prime minister Nawaz Sharif, for a two-day Belt and Road conference which India has chosen to give a miss. All of Indias neighbours, except Bhutan, sent high-level delegations to the event, with Sri Lanka represented by Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe. Xi pledged a major funding boost to the ambitious project, including an extra 100 billion yuan ($14.50 billion) into the existing Silk Road Fund, 380 billion yuan in loans from two policy banks and 60 billion yuan in aid to developing countries and international bodies in countries along the new trade routes. Xi said China would encourage financial institutions to expand their overseas yuan fund businesses to the tune of 300 billion yuan. He did not give a time frame for the new loans, aid and funding pledged on Sunday. We should build an open platform of cooperation and uphold and grow an open world economy, Xi said in his inaugural address to the Belt and Road Forum (BRF) as he also highlighted the importance of the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), the reason New Delhi has stayed away from Beijings most important diplomatic event of the year. The Chinese President, who is positioning himself as a global leader and chief advocate for free trade, seemed to have snubbed India when he said the belt and road initiative respected territorial integrity. All countries should respect each others sovereignty, dignity and territorial integrity, each others development paths and social systems, and each others core interests and major concerns, Xi told the gathering at the sprawling China Convention Centre. The CPEC, a cluster of road, rail and energy projects, will connect Pakistans southern Gwadar port city on the Arabian Sea and Kashgar in Chinas far-western western Xinjiang province. India has reservations about the project as it passes through Pakistan-Occupied-Kashmir, which New Delhi says challenges its sovereignty by lending legitimacy to Pakistans claim over the territory. ...No country can accept a project that ignores its core concerns on sovereignty and territorial integrity, ministry of external affairs spokesperson Gopal Baglay said on Saturday night. If there was any doubt about the importance of the CPEC in the One Belt, One Road plan, or Belt Road Initiative (BRI), it was put rest in a policy document released and distributed on the side lines of the BRF. The corridor (CPEC) is a flagship program of the BRI. The governments of both China and Pakistan attach great importance to it and have actively started preparation for long-term plans, the document titled Building the Belt and Road: Concept, Practice and Chinas contribution said with a rare mention of flagship in a Chinese official document. The other BRI projects mentioned in the document were not bestowed the honour. Xi described CPEC as a multi-dimensional infrastructure network. What we hope to create is a big family of harmonious co-existence, he said. In advancing the Belt and Road, we will not retread the old path of games between foes. Instead we will create a new model of cooperation and mutual benefit. In his speech at the inaugural BRF session, Pakistan Prime Minister Sharif said the CPEC was a core project of the BRI. In fact, it has been rightly called its flagship because it aims to connect the neighbourhoods of East and West Asia. CPEC makes Pakistan both a conduit and destination for cross-regional investment and trade, Sharif said. He indicated what the Chinese have been saying India is welcome to join the CPEC. Let me make it very clear that CPEC is an economic undertaking open to all countries in the region. It has no geographical boundaries, he said. It must not be politicised. In implementing this Corridor, we are not striving to merely leverage geography for economic prosperity, we are also trying to build a peaceful, connected and caring neighbourhood. It is time we transcend our differences, resolve conflicts through dialogue and diplomacy, and leave a legacy of peace for future generations, Sharif said. Sharif added: Unprecedented economic, social and cultural benefits will accrue from the CPEC not just for the people of Pakistan, but also for the people of the entire regionIt is producing new entrepreneurs, creating new jobs and businesses, and attracting international investment. Under the BRI, China plans to revive ancient trade routes from Asia to Europe and Africa involves a network of rail, road and sea links. The initiative is said to have won the support of more than 100 countries and international organisations, of which at least 40 have signed cooperation agreements with China. Nepal is the latest country to jump on to the bandwagon. It signed a deal with China on Friday. The Gawadar port found a mention as Xi shared details of the projects undertaken to connect member countries. Some regions along the ancient Silk Road used to be a land of milk and honey. Yet today, these places are often associated with conflict, turbulence, crisis and challenge. Such state of affairs should not be allowed to continue, he said. Several texts describe India as the land of milk and honey but the description is used for other countries as well. Chinas plan to revive ancient trade routes from Asia to Europe and Africa involves a network of rail, road and sea links. On the surface, the BRI floated by Xi in 2013 is based on three principles broadly explained as Gong Shang (negotiate/talk), Gong Jian (construct/build) and Gong Xiang (share good results). Its stated aims include improved infrastructure, trade, capital flow and people-to-people exchanges. But, diplomats privately say all the lofty talk is towards one end increase Chinas influence in South Asia and world and play on Indias disadvantages in the region. Many Chinese academics are of the view that India not joining BRI has little to do with its reservations about CPEC. They say New Delhi is wary of Chinas growing global clout and doesnt want to play second fiddle to Beijing. Indias concerns about BRI are not due to its concerns about CPEC. It is about whether India would like to help China to build a new world order and regional order, Hu Shisheng, a South Asia expert at the China Institutes of Contemporary International Relations, said. For Indian strategists and nationalists, BRI was Beijings grand strategy to build a China-dominated world order. Indian strategists, he said, would like New Delhi to support the West- (the US) dominated system. Indias absence at the Forum only showed that India doesnt like Chinas status in todays world, doesnt accept Chinas high-profile in the international arena, Long Xingchun, director of the Center for Indian Studies at China West Normal University, said. International relations scholar Dai Yonghong said he was unable to understand Indias position on the BRI, especially its refusal to officially acknowledge it. It indicated Indias unease with Chinas rise. But the fact is that so far the Indian government hasnt officially positively responded to the BRI due to the so-called concerns over the CPEC, Dai said. New Delhi was part of the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank and Bangladesh, China, India, Myanmar (BCIM)-Economic Corridor, which were part of the BRI but there was no positive official response to the forum, Dai said. Dai didnt mention that the BCIM-EC predated the BRI and when the investment bank was set up, founding members including India, werent aware of its links to the bigger Silk Road plan. (With agency inputs) KISHANGANJ The Border Security Force has been seeing signs of success in a programme to recruit young people in largely Muslim border districts of West Bengal and Bihar. Since last year, it has been educating students about both the objectives of the armed forces and the rewards of a career as a soldier or officer. The programme aims to add more locals to the staff of the BSF in parts of the country that are infamous for illegal crossings by Bangladeshis and criminal activities like smuggling. In addition to informative lectures about the workings of the BSF, the border guards are also conducting sessions of running and weight lifting to make students physically fit for recruitment. Thus far the drive has been confined to a small number of schools, but the BSF plans to extend its efforts to numerous madrasas in the area. We have conducted programmes at four schools in Kishanganj [in Bihar] and also a few schools in North Dinajpur in West Bengal. The idea is to make students aware how a career in the BSF is both challenging and prestigious, said PK Ranjan, second in command at the BSF headquarters in Kishanganj. Though recruitment numbers from these districts have continued to be small, the BSF is confident that it can make a persuasive case for joining the forces. Youths here are lured by miscreants to take up illegal activities as they have few job opportunities and poverty is rampant, said a BSF officer who preferred to remain anonymous while criticising the local community. We offer a great option. The BSFs reputation locally has also been aided by a welfare initiative they have been running that offers free health services, distributes blankets and plants trees. Ranjan claimed that the more favourable image the BSF now enjoys has been crucial to gathering intelligence. Last month, a tip from a local enabled the border guards to uncover an 80-metre long tunnel stretching from Bangladesh to Lakhipur, a town in North Dinajpur. Our efforts have yielded positive results by way of improving the ties of BSF with the locals, said Ranjan. They have also helped us in clearing a lot of misconceptions about the force, which people harbour especially in the border areas. REACHING OUT BSFs favourable image locally aided by their welfare initiatives that include free health services, distributes blankets and planting trees YIELDING RESULTS Border guards conducting running, weight lifting sessions to make students physically fit for recruitment So far, drive confined to few schools, but BSF plans to extend efforts to several madrasas in area Favourable image of BSF crucial to gathering intelligence A tip from local enabled border guards to uncover 80-metre long tunnel from Bangladesh to Lakhipur in North Dinajpur QUOTE Youths here are lured by miscreants to take up illegal activities as they have few job opportunities and poverty is rampant A BSF officer SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON As India trades fire with Pakistan over ceasefire violations along the Line of Control (LoC) in Jammu region, MP and National Conference chief Farooq Abdullah on Sunday urged Prime Minister Narendra Modi to declare a unilateral truce, but the suggestion was immediately shot down by the state government. The situation is very volatile on the borders as continued shelling is going on unabated. The situation was similar during the tenure of Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee. He (Vajpayee) took the initiative, went to Lahore and later called for unilateral ceasefire in wake of the holy month of Ramadan, Abdullah said on the sidelines of a private function in Jammu. I appeal to PM Modi, as Ramadan is round the corner, to go for unilateral ceasefire and it will also show that India does not want war. India wants to resolve the issue by holding bilateral talks. I think the time has come, that both countries - India and Pakistan should take the initiative. We have fought four wars and only suffered destruction and lines (border) stay where they were, he said. On Saturday, two civilians were killed and nine were injured in the Nowshera sector along the LoC, as Pakistan fired on civilians areas. Civilians vacated areas in large numbers. Early Sunday, Pakistan again shelled the Rajouri sector. The entire area along LoC has become volatile following the beheading of two Indian soldiers by Pakistani forces on May 1. The situation in the Kashmir is not a law and order problem. I have told PM Modi that it has become imperative to take urgent and early political initiatives to tackle the ongoing situation in the Valley. A parliamentary delegation visited the state, nothing materialised, also the government has the interlocutors report, but no action has been taken, Abdullah said. The former Jammu and Kashmir chief minister added, It is a political issue and the solution does not lie in war. Everyone feels that the issue, which is hanging since Independence, can only be solved through talks. He also dismissing the statement of radical militant leader Zakir Musa who stressed that the struggle in Kashmir valley is Islamic and not political. Abdullah said, No struggle is Islamic. Where in the Islam is it mentioned that we have to fight and take innocent lives? How can it be an Islamic struggle, when in our state, people belonging to all shades of religion including Muslims, Hindus, Sikhs and Christians are living together cordially. Instead Islam tells us that if one kills an innocent person, he/she will go to hell. But Abdullahs suggestion for talks with Pakistan drew immediate fire from the state government. Jammu and Kashmir deputy chief minister Nirmal Kumar Singh lashed out at National Conference president. When in power, Farooq Abdullah preaches bombing Pakistan, when out of power, he talks about dialogue with Pakistan, he said while on a visit to a relief camp here, How can one hold a dialogue with a country which is targeting our civilians. It is unfortunate that Farooq Abdullah has made such a statement. There can be no dialogue when mortars are being fired. They seem to be blind to realities. They give such statements just to keep a section of people happy, Singh said. Foreign secretary S Jaishankar is embarking on a two-day trip to Tel Aviv next Thursday to finalise the July visit of Prime Minister Narendra Modi that will bring the 25-year relationship totally above board with a focus on agriculture, desalination of sea water for drinking purposes and sanitation. Jaishankar is expected in Israel on May 18-19 for meetings with his counterpart Yuval Rotem and Prime Minister Benyamin Netanyahu. The Foreign secretary and his Israeli counterparts will discuss the agreement expected to be signed during Modis visit. Jaishankar is going at a time when the entire Israeli government would be preparing for a days visit by US President Donald Trump. Modi will be in Israel on July 5-6 to mark the 25th anniversary of diplomatic ties. Government sources told HT that Jaishankars visit will follow the just-concluded trip of agriculture secretary Sobhan Pattanayak, water resources secretary Amarjeet Singh and drinking water and sanitation secretary Parmeswaran Iyer this week. While the focus of Pattanayaks visit was to increase cooperation in agriculture technologies in arid areas with pin-pointed irrigation, the two other secretaries focused on the Sorek desalination plant, 15 km south of Tel Aviv. The worlds largest sea water desalination plant with an output of 624,000 cubic meters of drinking water per day, Sorek along with three other desalination plants has turned Israel from a water-deficit nation to a surplus one. Three other plantsat Ashkelon, Palmahim and Haderaalong the Mediterranean coast produce 290 million cubic of water per year. India is looking towards setting up desalination plants on the Gujarat, Maharashtra and Tamil Nadu coast in future to remove drinking water scarcity, said a senior official. India-Israel defence ties will also get a fillip in the run-up to Modis visit, with Tel Aviv offering a medium-altitude long-endurance missile-firing drone to New Delhi during defence secretary G Mohan Kumars visit last month. However, the Modi government is keen on Make in India in defence on the lines of Punj Lloyd setting up units for Tavor assault rifles, Galil sniper rifles, Negev light machine guns as well as a Jericho pistol factory in collaboration with Israeli Weapon Industries in Malanpur, Madhya Pradesh, on May 4. During Modis trip, the focus will be on high-end technologies developed by the Israelis, including close cooperation in cyber security to prevent attacks from enemy nations. Apart from this, the two countries will further cement cooperation in intelligence sharing in the context of terrorist groups such as Islamic State in West Asia and Islamic jihadist groups based in Pakistan, Afghanistan and Iran. SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON India on Sunday skipped the opening ceremony of Chinas Belt and Road Forum following sovereignty concerns over the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC). No Indian delegation was seen at the opening ceremony addressed by Chinese President Xi Jinping. When inquired, Indian diplomats here pointed to the statement issued by MEA spokesperson Gopal Baglay on Saturday night. ...No country can accept a project that ignores its core concerns on sovereignty and territorial integrity, he said. Few Indian scholars attended the meeting. Media was not permitted into the conference hall, where the opening ceremony took place. Indian scholars who took part in the meeting said no Indian delegation was spotted. The meeting called the Belt and Road Forum (BRF) is being attended by 29 heads of state and governments including Prime Minister of Pakistan Nawaz Sharif and his Sri Lankan counterpart Ranil Wickrmasinghe, besides official delegations from other South Asian countries. Leaders and officials from various countries including Russia, US, Japan, UK, Germany and France are attending the meeting. In a strongly-worded statement issued last night, India had said that the connectivity initiative must be pursued in a manner that respects sovereignty and territorial integrity. Guided by our principled position in the matter, we have been urging China to engage in a meaningful dialogue on its connectivity initiative, One Belt, One Road which was later renamed as Belt and Road Initiative. We are awaiting a positive response from the Chinese side, Baglay had said in a statement. The ceasefire violation along the Line of Control (LoC) in Rajouri sector of Jammu and Kashmir forced 104-year-old army veteran Inderjeet Singh and his fellow villagers into a relief camp. Shelling by the Pakistani army on Sunday damaged buildings and forced the evacuation of nearly 1,000 border dwellers, following which Indian troops retaliated. This was the fourth ceasefire violation by Pakistan in four days and the second in Rajouri district in two days. This mindless shelling heaps miseries and pain on innocent people on either side of the Line of Control (Loc), says Singh, of Jhangar village in Rajouri district. Instead of getting into a mad race of military might and conflict, India and Pakistan should better improve their dismal economies, he says, as the Pakistani army violated ceasefire along the LoC in Rajouri sector. Singh -- who has seen the 1947 partition and fought in the 1965 and 1971 wars -- says, Its enough of bloodshed and ugly skirmishes on the border. Both the countries should work out a solution to their problems, including Kashmir, in the interest of their citizens. Wars and conflicts only cause pain and agony to the poor people on either side of the border,Singh tells HT at the relief camp set up at the government higher secondary school in Rajouri. His niece Satnam Kour (65) too says the family has seen wars and now the shelling has forced them to flee from their home and take refuge at the camp. Earlier, it was our grandparents and now us and then our coming generation will be subjected to shelling and firing. It will go on like this... nothing good will ever happen to people living on the India-Pakistan border. Savitri Devi of Jhangar Khamba concedes that though the administration had opened the school for them and was providing them meals, life is hard in the camps. Studies of our children have again been affected and cattle back home are unattended. Harvesting of wheat crop has also been affected adversely. Our lives have become miserable, Savitri says. Smoke rises after firing from Pakistan along the border in Nowshera. (Nitin Kanotra/HT Photo) Fifty one schools in Nowshera sector have been closed for an indefinite period while 36 in Manjakote and Doongi zones have been closed for three days, affecting 4,600 students. At least two civilians, including a minor girl, were killed as Pakistan pounded 35 villages and Indian posts with mortars. SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON Premier Li Keqiang on May 13 met with Lao President Bounnhang Vorachit, who is in Beijing to attend the Belt and Road Forum for International Cooperation scheduled for May 14 to 15. The Premier said that China and Laos have a long friendship, and saw rapid development of bilateral relations. China is willing to link the Belt and Road Initiative with Laos efforts to turn from a land-locked country to a land-linked one, guarantee the smooth development of China-Laos railway projects and the establishment of border economic cooperation zone, improve cooperation in infrastructure construction, resources exploration, agriculture and electricity, Premier Li said. He also said the two countries should strengthen communication under the cooperative frameworks of China-ASEAN and Lancang-Mekong to better benefit people in both countries. Bounnhang said China and Laos are countries with a shared future, and his country is glad to see Chinas reform and opening-up and its huge economic and social achievements. He appreciated Chinas important role in regional and international affairs, and is ready to enhance bilateral high-level contacts, deepen cooperation in economy and trade, investment and infrastructure, speed up the China-Laos railway construction and promote economic and social development. The Jammu and Kashmir government has changed Kashmirs inspector general of police (IGP) amid increasing militant violence and student protests across the region. Senior Indian Police Service (IPS) officer Muneer Ahmed Khan has replaced Syed Javaid Mujtaba Gilani, who has been appointed as the director of vigilance. Gilani served as the Kashmir IGP from March 15, 2015, and is considered close to chief minister Mehbooba Mufti. According to sources, the new IG Kashmir is more open to anti-militancy operations and New Delhi backed the change. This signals that the Centre is looking to regain law and order in the state, a security official pointed out. State police have been struggling to control the mounting student protests across the Valley, which were triggered after an alleged incident of police high-handedness in Pulwama Degree College on April 15. The administration has been closing individual colleges and schools in central, south and north Kashmir as students are repeatedly taking to streets and clashing with police. The protests came in the aftermath of violence sparked by the killing of eight civilians by security forces during protests on April 09 when Srinagar Lok Sabha seat went to polls. Gilanis tenure also witnessed the massive street protests after the killing of Hizbul Mujahideen militant commander Burhan Wani in the summer of 2016. The iron-fisted response of the security forces led to death of 90 persons during the unrest. The killings triggered anger prompting more locals to join the militancy. In his last press conference as IG on May 08, Gilani had revealed that as many as 95 Kashmiri youth joined militancy during the last one year out of the total 200 militants active in the region. He had also claimed that the students protests that rocked Kashmir since April 15 were under control and normal work had resumed in most school and colleges. However, just a day after, hundreds of students took to streets in the business hub of Kashmirs summer capital Srinagar and clashed with police. Gilanis successor Khan has been serving as director vigilance. He has also served as IG traffic as well as crime. In their first reaction to a death threat issued by militant commander Zakir Rashid Bhat, Kashmirs separatist leaders on Sunday evening warned that any disunity in the freedom camp will give the Indian government a chance to sabotage the movement. In a joint statement, separatist leaders Syed Ali Geelani, Mirwaiz Umar Farooq and Mohammad Yasin Malik asked all political and militant organisations to fight for freedom with vision and wisdom. The grouping consisting of both moderate and hardline leaders said it was important that the factions remain united and adopt the spirit of persistence in pursuit of their cherished goal. The freedom movement is in a crucial stage. We need to be careful because our enemy may gain an advantage from prevailing crises, they said without directly naming any person or militant outfit. Militant commander Zakir Rashid Bhat alias Zakir Musa severed ties with the Hizbul Mujahideen on Saturday, hours after the outfits leadership in Pakistan-occupied-Kashmir trashed his threat to behead Hurriyat leaders. The rift in the outfit came about after Musa referred to the leaders of the Hurriyat Conference as hypocrites, infidels and followers of evil, and threatened to chop off their heads if they create any hurdles in the path of turning Kashmir into an Islamic state. He was ticked off by a May 8 statement by the separatists that the freedom struggle in Kashmir has nothing to do with ISIS and al-Qaeda. The separatists said they continue to stand by their previous statement. In the nineties, the situation was more awful and complex. We paid a lot in terms of precious lives and kind. We got swayed by our emotions, instead of following logic. Disunity and political differences have proved disastrous in the past, the joint statement read. Claiming that they were facing a shrewd enemy, the leaders said: They hatch conspiracies on one hand, and employ all their repressive measures and military might to sabotage the movement on the other. However, all political and militant factions have decided to remain united against them. We wont allow India to create a rift in the resistance camp. The separatists said they have succeeded in shrugging off their hardline and moderate tags, uniting on a one-point programme of attaining freedom from forced occupation. Geelani, Mirwaiz and Malik forged a pact based on issue-based unity at the start of 2016, and have been issuing joint protest calendars ever since. India stands frustrated by this unity, the joint statement said. We ought to remain cautious, and refrain from taking any step that would help its forces play foul with the freedom movement. Our history of unparalleled sacrifices has enabled us to stand against such grim situations. We all need to work together to achieve our mission. India hopes for a positive outcome but braces for a complex legal tussle with Pakistan at the International Court of Justice on Monday to save the life of an Indian national accused of spying. Rarely has India taken its issues with Pakistan to a multilateral forum but did so in the case of 46-year-old former naval officer Kulbushan Jadhav after a Pakistani court sentenced him to death for espionage and sabotage. Senior lawyer Harish Salve will argue for India at The Hague-based court, which last week stayed the execution of Jadhav on Indias appeal. India argued that it approached the international court to save the life of an innocent man, who was not given consular access even after 16 requests. Experts said Indias move to go to the ICJ, second time since 1971, was a sign of growing Indian confidence in facing multilateral forums. Countries move the ICJ in a case by case manner, said TCA Raghavan, former high commissioner to Pakistan, explaining how Indias confidence has grown in the 21st century. For its part, Pakistan has questioned the jurisdiction of the ICJ in the Jadhav case. But India hopes that the case, a consular matter, is not about the compulsory jurisdiction of the ICJ over a matter. It can get around the possibility of Pakistan invoking clauses from a bilateral pact on consular access. On March 29, Pakistan had revised its declaration on compulsory jurisdiction, which spells out terms under which Islamabad accepts the ICJ on matters of dispute settlement. While it could argue Pakistan could have anticipated the possibility of India moving the ICJ, sources said the compulsory jurisdiction is not an issue here. The court can revisit the question of jurisdiction even after granting provisional measures. The court only needs to satisfy itself of a prima facie basis of jurisdiction, said Shashank Kumar, a Geneva-based lawyer who has worked with the ICJ. India moved the international court because both India and Pakistan are signatories of the optional protocol to the Vienna Convention on Consular Relations (VCCR). This international treaty has the ICJ as the arbiter. India believes a bilateral consular treaty with Pakistan will not be a factor, though Islamabad has been arguing that the 2008 pact exempts cases related to national security. But the UN charter says no party may invoke that treaty or agreement before any organ of the United Nations. This means Pakistan might not be able to invoke the bilateral treaty. SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON PATNA RJD chief Lalu Prasad, on Sunday, dared PM Narendra Modi to dissolve parliament and hold simultaneously, elections to the lok sabha and state assemblies for which they will become due within one year. This, he said, would give the BJP the real taste of the popular mood. He also accused the BJP of pushing the idea of simultaneous polls, in the name of electoral reforms, just to grab power in states ruled by regional parties, such as Bihar, West Bengal, Tamilnadu and Kerala. Assembly polls are due in BJP ruled Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh , Gujarat and Chattishgarh and Congress ruled Karnataka, in 2017 and 2018. Prasads assertions came during a press conference at which he attacked PM Modi and BJP led NDA government at the centrei, on completion of its three years in power. The country had slipped into anarchy and is on the brink of breaking down due to the divisive politics being pursued by BJPs and its parent body, the RSS, he said. Prasad said the PMs only achievement in last three years was his transformation into an autocrat and quashing any dissension within the BJP. by advising party MPs to become his Hanuman. We know Hanuman used to be loyal to Lord Ram and never asked questions, he said. The RJD chief, facing attack from the BJP for amassing huge wealth through dubious means, accused the Modi-led central government of failing to address issues of unemployment, national security, economic stability and repatriation of black money from foreign shores. Prasad said the BJPs big claim of improving internal security was a farce. In this context, he highlighted how CRPF jawans were killed at Sukma in Chhatishgarh by Maoists and accused PM Modi of failing to handle the militancy in Jammu and Kashmir and to safeguard the lives of army jawans. During the UPAs tenure at the centre, only a single incident of beheading of a soldier took place whereas now we have had so many such incidents, he said. The BJP double speak was rvident in its decision to form government in J & K with the PDP, which had decribed parliament attack accused Afzal Guru as a martryr. Even the BJPs so called cow protection drive is an eyewash as beef export has increased manifold in recent years , he said. Prasad also demanded dismissal of the BJP government in Haryana over the recent incident wherein a girl was raped, murdered and her body was mutilated. About the presidential poll, Prasad said his party would support a consensus candidate decided together with like-minded secular parties. He predicted the BJP would lose the 2019 Lok sabha poll for its non-perfomance and creating a fear psychosis in the country. He said the opposition rally he was organising at Patnas Gandhi maidan on August 27, would help form an umbrella coaltion of secular forces to take on the BJP in the 2019 LS poll. QUOTE The PMs only achievement in last three years is his transformation into an autocrat and quashing any dissension within the BJP by advising party MPs to become his Hanuman Lalu Prasad, RJD chief SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON Chhattisgarh police gunned down a feared Maoist, Vilash aka Kailash, in an encounter in Bastar region on Sunday. The state government had announced a reward of Rs 16 lakh for Vilashs capture. Vilash, who was from Chhota Dongar in Narayanpur district, had been active in Barsoor area of Bastar for more than a decade and was booked in 18 cases, police said. Police engaged Vilash, who was the Barsoor area committee secretary of CPI(Maoist), in Patel Para hills under Burgum police station limits. Vilash had an AK-47 assault rifle, which was recovered near his body, police said. Aarif H Sheikh, superintendent of police, Jagdalpur, said Maoists attacked a joint patrol party near the hills and this led to a fire exchange in which Vilash was killed. Police said Vilash, who was in his mid-30s, had played a key role in Burkalpal ambush in which Maoists gunned down 25 CRPF troopers earlier this month. Maoist insurgents seldom follow their ideology nowadays, surrendered zonal commander Kundan Pahan said when Jharkhand police presented before media one the outfits most ruthless killers on Sunday and handed him a cheque of Rs 15 lakh. The elusive Pahan was with the CPI Maoist group for over a decade and security forces had put a bounty of Rs 15 lakh on his head. The Maoist leader and his group was wanted for the beheading of police officer Francis Induwar, murdering former minister Ramesh Singh Munda, planting landmines to kill over six policemen, including a DSP in Bundu, and looting Rs 5.5 crore and a kg of gold from a private bank on national highway 33. He accepted last week the governments surrender-cum-rehabilitation policy for Maoist rebels in a state that is fighting a four-decade-old insurgency, considered the countrys biggest internal security threat. Pahan has allegedly agreed to give information about his former rebel colleagues to police. Police sources said the government has helped his daughter study at an English-medium private school after he renounced the armed struggle. But his surrender, and benefits attached to it, has left many disappointed. Legislator Vikas Singh Munda of Tamar staged a hunger strike at Ranchis Morhabadi on Sunday against the governments policy and demanded punishment under the law for Pahan. Hindustan Times broke the news of his surrender with an exclusive picture on May 12 and met him once before near the picturesque Dassam Falls in 2016. He was unhappy with the organisation and had walked out already then. Police didnt let out any details about his surrender, but it has been learnt that Pahan laid down arms before senior police and Intelligence Bureau officers around a week ago. He was questioned at secluded places and asked to persuade others in group, especially those who reported to him, to surrender. He admitted on Sunday that the Maoists were deviating from their ideology, a point that piqued him to walk away after being one of its most dedicated cadre with about 50 criminal cases in Khunti, 42 in Ranchi, 27 in Chaibasa, seven in Saraikela and one each in Gumla and Ramgarh districts. The insurgents say they are fighting for the rights of peasants and landless labourers in the mineral-rich state but they train their guns occasionally on these very people for various reasons, especially those they suspect to be defying their diktat and giving away their positions to government forces. Pahan could be the biggest catch and become the most important bait to coax insurgents to surrender. Maoist violence, however, has come down over the years in Jharkhand because of coordinated counter-insurgency measures, backed by choking of rebel funding sources and development of rural areas that have been their support bases traditionally. Ranchis deputy inspector general of police, Amol Venukant Homkar, was present during Pahans media interaction on Sunday along with the senior superintendent of police, and the additional director general of police. You either join the mainstream or be ready to face our bullets, Homkar said. SSP Kuldip Dwivedi said Ranchi police have been running a strong campaign against Maoists, and Pahan was influenced by the surrender policy. He will get all the facilities in accordance with the terms and conditions of the policy. The ministry of external affairs has said that it has not received any request so far to extradite 26/11 Mumbai attack mastermind Hafiz Saeed and 1993 Mumbai bombings accused Dawood Ibrahim from the agencies probing them. The ministry was responding to an RTI query seeking to know the action taken by the government to bring back fugitive gangster Ibrahim and Jamaat-ud-Dawah chief Saeed. The ministry of external affairs has not received any request for extradition/deportation/return in respect of Hafiz Sayeed and Dawood Ibrahim from the investigating agency concerned in India, it said. Ibrahim is the main accused in the 1993 serial bomb blasts case in Mumbai in which around 260 people were killed, and more than 700 suffered injuries. He fled the country post the bombings and is understood to be hiding in Pakistan at present. Saeed, also the co-founder of Pakistan-based Lashkar-e- Taiba terror group, is accused of plotting the militant attack in Mumbai on November 26, 2008, in which 166 people were killed by a group of terrorists who had entered the city through a sea route. In April, home minister Rajnath Singh had stated that there was no doubt that Dawood was still in Pakistan. During the last 10 years, India has sent several dossiers to Pakistan in this regard, saying Ibrahim is accused in the serial bomb blasts case. In 2011, P Chidambaram, the then home minister in the UPA government had also stated that Ibrahim was based in Karachi. He had also said that India would continue to push its case to bring to justice the people who had planned the 2008 attack. India has for long been advocating an extradition treaty between SAARC countries in order to ensure quick action against those involved in terrorist activities. Mumbai terror attack mastermind and Jamat-ud Dawah (JuD) chief Hafiz Saeed and his four aides have been detained for spreading terrorism in the name of jihad, Pakistans interior ministry has told a judicial review board. Saeed appeared before the board on Saturday and told it that he had been detained by the Pakistani government in order to stop him for raising voice for Kashmiris. However, the interior ministry rejected his arguments and told the three-member board that Saeed and his four aides have been detained for spreading terrorism in the name of jihad. The board comprising Justice Ejaz Afzal Khan of the Supreme Court (head), Justice Ayesha A Malik of Lahore high court and Justice Jamal Khan Mandokhail of Balochistan high court directed the ministry to submit a complete record regarding detention of Saeed and his aides - Zafar Iqbal, Abdul Rehman Abid, Abdullah Ubaid and Qazi Kashif Niaz on next hearing on May 15. The board also sought personal appearance of the attorney general of Pakistan on next hearing. Police produced Saeed and his four aides before the board at Lahore registry of the apex court amid high security. A large number of Saeeds supporters gathered outside the court. Saeeds counsel advocate A K Dogar was also present but the founder of Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) chose to plead his case before the court. The allegations levelled by the government against me had never been proved by any state institution. My organisation and I have been victimised for raising voice for freedom of Kashmir and criticising the governments weak policy on the Kashmir issue, Saeed said. He said that he had been placed under house in order to stop him for raising voice for Kashmiri people. Saeed appealed to the board to set aside the Punjab governments detention order. The government detained the JuD leaders on pressure of United Nations and international organisations, an official representing the federal interior ministry told the board. Last Thursday Lahore high court division bench had questioned as why Saeed and others were not presented before a review board before the government issued notification for extension to his detention for another 90 days. On April 30, detention of Saeed and his four aides was extended by the Punjab government for another 90 days under preventative detention under 11 EEE (I) and 11D of Anti- Terrorism Act 1997. The Punjab government on January 30 had put these five under house arrest in Lahore for their involvement in activities which can be prejudicial to peace and security. The government has also placed JuD and FIF under second schedule of the anti-terrorism act. The Nawaz government had reportedly taken action against Saeed after the US clearly told Islamabad that in case of not taking action against JuD and Saeed it may face sanctions. JuD is said to be the front for the banned Lashkar-e- Taiba (LeT). The organisation has been declared as a foreign terrorist organisation by the US in June 2014. Saeed and his aides said in their petition that the government detained them without any legal justification. They said the UN resolution followed by the government did not seek detention of any citizen. The detention of the JuD leaders is a simple case of mala fide intention and ulterior motive on part of the government as it has been done so to please India and the United States, the petition said. Pakistani army violated ceasefire along the Line of Control (LoC) in Rajouri sector of Jammu and Kashmir early on Sunday, damaging buildings and forcing evacuation of nearly 1,000 border dwellers, following which Indian troops retaliated strongly. Around 6.45am, the Pakistani troops started shelling using long-range 82 mm and 120 mm mortars, besides firing from small arms and automatic weapons, defence spokesperson Lt Colonel Manish Mehta said, adding Indian Army posts retaliated strongly. This is the fourth ceasefire violation by Pakistan in four days and the second in Rajouri district in two days. Rajouri deputy commissioner Shahid Iqbal Choudgary said fresh ceasefire violation has been reported in Chitibakri area of Chingus in Rajouri. More than seven villages have been affected, he said. Border residents take shelter in a bunker after Pakistani troops shelled at Nowshera sector of Rajouri district on Saturday. (PTI) Police and district officials evacuated 996 people from areas along the LoC to relief camps. Fifty one schools in Nowshera sector have been closed for an indefinite period while 36 in Manjakote and Doongi zones have been closed for three days, affecting 4,600 students, he added. Chief minister Mehbooba Mufti will visit Rajouri later in the day to take stock of the situation. She will be accompanied by deputy CM Dr Nirmal Kumar Singh. At least two civilians, including a minor girl, were killed and nine people, including four soldiers, were injured on Saturday as Pakistan pounded 35 villages and Indian posts with mortars along the LoC in Rajouri. Border residents take shelter in a bunker after Pakistani troops shelled at Nowshera sector of Rajouri district on Saturday. (PTI) So far, three camps have been made operational and 28 others notified in wake of expected migration from affected villages, Choudhary said. Six ambulances have been pressed into action for shifting of injured and treatment. One mobile medical unit was stationed at Nowshera and another deputed to forward areas, he said. Around 120 officers from various departments have been deployed to organise facilities at relief camp. Residents of border villages in Nowshera gather at a relief camp on Saturday. (PTI) The district administration has provided immediate relief and financial assistance to the kin of the deceased and to the injured, he said. A control room has been established in the office of SDM Nowshera for coordination. (With PTI inputs) SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas arrived in New Delhi on Sunday on a four-day visit during which he will hold extensive talks with Prime Minister Narendra Modi on key bilateral, regional and international issues, including the Middle East peace process. Welcoming an important guest. Mr. Mahmoud Abbas, President of the State of Palestine arrives in Delhi, external affairs ministry spokesperson Gopal Baglay tweeted. Welcoming an important guest. Mr. Mahmoud Abbas, President of the State of Palestine arrives in Delhi pic.twitter.com/x2H1xoeeFs Gopal Baglay (@MEAIndia) May 14, 2017 Ahead of Abbas visit, India reiterated its political support to the Palestinian cause and had said it continued to assist developmental projects there. The visit will provide an opportunity for reviewing the entire gamut of bilateral relations, the Middle East peace process, and regional and international issues, external affairs ministry said. Several MoUs on cooperation in various areas are also expected to be signed during the visit, the ministry added. A delegation-level discussion between President Abbas and Prime Minister Modi will be held on May 16. India and Palestine enjoy historically close and friendly ties. Apart from the political support to the Palestinian cause, India continues to support developmental projects in Palestine by extending technical and financial assistance, the ministry had said in a release yesterday. The statement assumes significance given that there have been commentaries on the increasing proximity between the Modi government and Israel which may have a bearing on New Delhis relations with Palestine. In July, Modi will travel to Israel, the first Indian prime minister to do so. During his trip to India, Abbas will visit C-DAC (the Centre for Development of Advanced Computing) in Noida tomorrow to forge cooperation between Palestine-India Techno Park, being built by India in Palestine, and the Indian IT industry. Premier Li Keqiang met with Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban, who is in Beijing for a state visit and the Belt and Road Forum for International Cooperation, on May 13. China and Hungary enjoy profound friendship, solid political mutual trust, and rapid growing bilateral relations. China is willing to make joint efforts with Hungary to further consolidate mutual trust, cooperation, and communication, creating a brighter future for China-Hungary relations, said the Premier. Considering the sluggish global economy, the double-digit trade growth between China and Hungary last year indicates huge potential of cooperation, he said. The Premier also said that he hopes both sides could implement major projects under the framework of the Belt and Road Initiative and 16+1 cooperation mechanism to promote development of Hungary-Serbia railway, balanced bilateral trade, third-party cooperation, and people-to-people exchanges. He stressed that Hungary is an important member of the European Union and always supports and participates in the 16+1 cooperation mechanism, which promotes China-EU relations. China backs Hungary as the host of the Sixth Summit of China and Central and Eastern Europe Countries and will make joints efforts with all related sides to promote development of China-Europe relations. Orban said that China and Hungary enjoy traditional friendship and have frequent high-level exchanges. Hungary is willing to strengthen cooperation with China in sectors of infrastructure, finance, agricultural food, and shipping. In addition, the nation will accelerate Hungary-Serbia railway construction, carry out cooperation in third-party market, and expand educational communication. Hungary will be a good host of the Summit of China and Central and Eastern Europe Countries and promote 16+1 cooperation, Orban said. Prime Minister Narendra Modi is expected to meet US President Donald Trump in Washington in the last week of June, with terrorism emanating from Pakistan dominating the agenda, sources said on Sunday. In his first meeting with Trump after the developer-turned-politician took over as the President in January, Modi is also expected to discuss Indias entry into the nuclear suppliers group, changes in the H-1B visa regime, defence ties between the two sides and Chinas increasingly aggressive stance in east and south Asia. While top Indian officials are tight-lipped about the dates of the visit, US government sources indicated Modi would be in Washington from June 26 to June 28. The two leaders could meet again in Hanover, Germany on the sidelines of the July 7-8 G-20 meeting. Discussions on the agenda of the Modi-Trump meeting had begun with Indian ambassador to the US Navtej Sarna extending his New Delhi visit beyond the heads of mission meeting on May 7, sources in the ministry of external affairs said. Indication that terrorism will top the agenda came during the meetings US national security adviser HR McMaster, who was in Delhi recently, had with his Indian counterpart Ajit Doval, foreign secretary S Jaishankar and intelligence chiefs on April 17. Acting FBI director Andrew McCabe, too, was keen on exchange of evidence about terror groups during his India visit the same month. McCabe was then the deputy to James B Comey, who was fired by Trump on May 9. Both McMaster and McCabe heard the Indian side on terror emanating from Af-Pak region and the growing influence of Islamic State Wilayat Khorasan module in Nangarhar in Afghanistan. There are reports that a group of Indians, including women and children, from north Kerala has escaped to the remote eastern Afghanistan. The war-torn province made headlines last month when the US military dropped GBU-43 bomb, the countrys largest non-nuclear bomb ever deployed in combat. It is too early to predict the outcome of Modi-Trump meetings but there could be a definite movement in the extradition of 26/11 Mumbai attack accused Tahawwur Rana, a Pakistani-born Chicago businessman who helped Lashkar-e-Taibas David Coleman Headley with his travels as he scouted sites in India for the terror strikes at the behest of his handlers in the Pakistans powerful spy agency the ISI. There were indications that the US department of justice has processed Indias extradition request and forwarded it to the state department, source said. There was also a possibility of the FBI signing a memorandum of understanding with Indias anti-terror agency the National Investigation Agency for sharing evidence in case of terror attacks. The US agencies are keen to exchange data on Islamic State with India, particularly in context of Afghanistan and Pakistans role in it. Recently, the Trump administration blamed Pakistan for deteriorating relations with India and warned that terror groups based in the neighbouring country were planning to hit India and Afghanistan. Pakistani-based terrorist groups will present a sustained threat to the US interests in the region and continue to plan and conduct attacks in India and Afghanistan, US national intelligence director Daniel Coats told the Senate intelligence panel. Modi and Trump were expected to work towards strengthening defence ties, with New Delhi set to clear the new strategic partners policy in the coming week, source said. Under the plan, Indian defence majors will tie up with US firms to manufacture naval helicopters, submarines, armoured vehicles and single-engine fighters under the Modi governments ambitious Make in India initiative. India is also interested in high-altitude long-endurance Predator drones. SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON The countrys cyber security agency Computer Emergency Response Team of India (CERT-In) has issued a red-coloured critical alert in connection with the WannaCry attack, and warned users to not pay the ransom. The ransomware worm that stopped car factories, hospitals, shops and schools over the weekend worldwide, with Asia having escaped the worst so far, could wreak fresh havoc on Monday when employees log back on, cyber security experts warned. Individuals or organisations are not encouraged to pay the ransom as this does not guarantee files will be released. Report such instances of fraud to CERT-In and law enforcement agencies, CERT-In said. The spread of the virus WannaCry, which locked up more than 100,000 computers, had slowed on Sunday, but new versions of the worm were expected even while the world was yet to take stock of the extent of damage from Fridays attack. Marin Ivezic, cyber security partner at PwC, said some clients had been working around the clock since the story broke to restore systems and install software updates or restore systems from back-ups. Microsoft released patches last month and on Friday to fix a vulnerability that allowed the worm to spread across networks. Code for exploiting that bug, known as Eternal Blue, was released on the internet in March by a hacking group known as the Shadow Brokers. The group claimed it was stolen from a repository of National Security Agency hacking tools. The agency has not responded to requests for comment. The US cyber security researcher who helped halt the WannaCry attack, Darien Huss, said on Sunday that it wouldnt be difficult for those responsible to re-release it or for others to mimic it and this time it would not be reined in. This particular attack was relatively easy to shut down, agreed Bryce Boland, Asia Pacific chief technology officer for FireEye, a cyber security firm. Monday is expected to be a busy day, especially in Asia which may not have seen the worst of the impact yet, as companies and organisations turn on their computers. Some of the worlds largest institutions and government agencies have been affected so far, including the Russian interior ministry, FedEx in the US and Britains National Health Service. Other major hits included automaker Renault and its arm Dacia, the Nissan plant in northeast England, German rail operator Deutsche Bahn, Spains telecom giant Telefonica, Portugal Telecom and Telefonica Argentina, and a hospital in Jakarta that cautioned of big queues on Monday when about 500 people were due to register. Cyber security company Symantec predicted infections so far would cost tens of millions of dollars, mostly from cleaning corporate networks. Ransoms paid amount to tens of thousands of dollars, one analyst said, but it is generally predicted to surge when the deadline to pay the ransom approaches, and people start paying up once news spreads that payment solves the problem. One estimate put it as high as a billion dollars, but till Saturday, some $33,000 had been paid into the several bitcoin accounts associated with the ransomware, according to Elliptic, a company that tracks online financial transactions involving virtual currencies The US government on Saturday issued a technical alert with advice on how to protect against the attacks, asking victims to report attacks to the Federal Bureau of Investigation or Department of Homeland Security. The controversy surrounding the gang rape and murder of a Dalit woman in Sonepat has intensified, with more gory details of the crime emerging on Sunday. The Haryana police also came under a cloud, with relatives of the victim alleging that they had ignored a complaint lodged against the main suspect about three months ago. An autopsy of the victim showed that the womans skull had been shattered, and sharp objects may have been inserted into her private parts. The findings suggest that it was a brutal rape and murder, said Dr SK Dhatterwal, head of the forensic medicine department at the Post Graduate Institute of Medical Sciences (PGIMS) in Rohtak, where bodys post-mortem examination was conducted. The 20-year-old woman was gang raped and killed in Haryanas Rohtak allegedly by her jilted lover also a Dalit and his friend. They had smashed her face with a brick and run their car over the body to make it unidentifiable. The suspects, Sumit (24) and Vikas (28), were later arrested by the Haryana police. A Special Investigation Team (SIT) was also constituted to investigate the case. The victims family gave the names of six more people on Saturday. A supplementary statement of the relatives has been recorded to check if those named are actually involved. Of the six, five are relatives of Sumit the primary suspect, Sonepat superintendent of police Ashwin Shenvi said. Incidentally, the victims relatives have alleged that police ignored a complaint lodged against Sumit much before the crime occurred. We had approached police with a complaint of harassment against the main suspect a month ago, but no action was taken, a relative of the victim told reporters in Sonepat. The victims mother, who is still under trauma, also accused the police of not taking their complaint seriously. He (Sumit) used to waylay my daughter and intimidate her with a pistol. Finally, she slapped him a few days ago out of exasperation. He said he will come back for revenge, which he did. Had police arrested Sumit when we lodged a complaint against him months ago, this would not have happened, she said. Police inspect the spot where the body of the rape victim was dumped in Rohtak on Sunday. (PTI photo) Shenvi, however, denied the charge. Some time back, the victim and her mother told us that the main suspect was harassing her with demands of marriage. It was done verbally there was no written complaint. Moreover, the two came down to the police station later to say that there was no need for police action because they had struck a compromise, he said. Inspector general (Rohtak range) Navdeep Virk echoed Shenvis claim, stating that they have not found any written complaint of the kind in their records. National Commission for Women member Rekha Sharma, who met the victims family on Sunday, said she expects the suspects to get exemplary punishment as was done in the case of the December 2012 Delhi gang rape-cum-murder of a paramedical student. An SIT headed by Sonepat deputy superintendent (headquarters) Mukesh is probing the case, said Shenvi. The other members of the team comprise a local station house officer, an inspector of the Crime Investigation Department, and a woman police officer. Many public figures, including Congress president Sonia Gandhi, have expressed deep shock over the incident. She said such incidents highlight the need to revisit the issue of womens safety. Sonepat police found the decomposing body of the victim, who had gone missing on May 9, near the Industrial Model Township in Rohtak two days later. Though stray dogs had gnawed at womans face as well as the lower portion of her body, her mother was able to identify it on the basis of her clothes. Islamabad Prime Ministers Nawaz Sharif of Pakistan and Narendra Modi of India might meet in Kazakhstan, a top Pakistani official has said, amid reports of back channel contacts. Sartaj Azia, advisor to Sharif, said that a meeting between the two leaders cannot be ruled out on the sidelines of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) Summit next month in Kazakhstan. But it was too early to speak about such a meeting, the Nation newspaper quoted him as saying on Wednesday. Pakistan could consider the meeting if interest was shown from the other side. Aziz said the SCO Summit was important as Pakistan would become a permanent member of the organisation. The report said there was widespread speculation about a possible Sharif-Modi meeting after the Pakistani Prime Minister recently met Indian business tycoon Sajjan Jindal, who reportedly conveyed a message of the Indian premier to the Pakistani leader. Aziz said Pakistan was reviewing Indias plea against alleged Indian spy Kulbhushan Jadhavs death sentence and also the jurisdiction of the International Court of Justice in the case. The Nation quoted unnamed senior Pakistani foreign office officials as saying that diplomatic efforts had been launched to defuse tensions along the borders with its immediate neighbours. There have been overt and covert talks with all the countries (Iran, Afghanistan and India), an official was quoted as saying. Nobody can afford confrontation, so we are trying to resolve the misunderstandings through talks, the official said. He said that while there had been open talks with Iran and Afghanistan, back-channels were being used in Indias case. The unnamed official added that if Modi and Sharif do meet on the sidelines of the SCO Summit, it will be positive to concentrate on the talks process. Relations between India and Pakistan have touched a new low after a Pakistani military court awarded death sentence to Indian spy Jadhav and two Indian soldiers were beheaded on the Jammu and Kashmir border. Two foreign militants were killed in a brief encounter with security forces in north Kashmirs Handwara on Sunday, police said. The firefight took place around 4 pm. Officials said that a joint party of police and armys 21 Rashtriya Rifles launched a search operation after inputs about presence of militants in Waripora village of Handwara, some 75 km from Srinagar. Police control room Handwara said that the militants who were cornered in an orchard, just meters away from the populated area in Waripora, opened fire on the security forces who then retaliated. Two militants were killed in the operation, said Ghulam Jeelani, superintendent of police, Handwara. Jeelani said that they were lucky to trap the militants 100 meters away from the village which prevented any chances of untoward incidents among the villagers. Both the militants are foreigners. We are trying to ascertain their identity. Since Lashkar-e-Taiba is active in the region, we suspect the militants are from the same outfit, he said. An army spokesman said that two weapons were also recovered from the spot. Earlier during the day, a civilian who was wounded during a militant attack on a police party on May 6 in south Kashmirs Anantnag district succumbed to his injuries. The death toll in that incident has now risen to six. A police spokesman said that Mohammad Hussain Dar, a resident of Takia Malpora in Kulgam district, died at the Sher-i- Kashmir Institute of Medical Sciences in Srinagar where he was admitted since the attack. The body of the deceased has been sent to his native village, the spokesman said. Dar was injured after militants attacked a police party on its way to clear traffic after a road accident at Mir Bazar area in Anantnag district on the national highway. The exchange of fire left a policeman, three other civilians and a militant dead. He ran the race of his life, clocked a good time and qualified for the next round. But Bashir doesnt want to be photographed nor does he want his real name used. He has just finished the first task of the physical endurance test at a police recruitment rally. His friends and family dont know that the resident of Anantnag in south Kashmir, the hotbed of insurgency, is among 1,600 young men who have queued up at the towns Highground to prove themselves worthy of a police job. I hid my file inside the jacket, a man standing next to Bashir told HT on Friday morning. He doesnt want to upset his friends or neighbours. They will say things like: Why do you want to join the force which commits atrocities on us? Someone might attack me too or threaten my family. Bashir overcame these fears but is a bit sheepish about vying for a place in the force that is at the receiving end of peoples anger and militants bullets in the Valley, which is again witnessing a summer of discontent. The ongoing police recruitment drive in Kashmir has seen a big turnout although militants in the last few months have shot dead policemen, threatened their families and ransacked their homes. Around 1,00,000 candidates have applied for 5,000 posts across Jammu and Kashmir and more than half the aspirants are from the Kashmir Valley, where anger against security forces spills on to the streets regularly, with youngsters pelting stones at them. Police was not his first choice. The 24-year-old Bashir trained as an electrician but couldnt find a job. His father has retired and he has siblings who need support. He is confident of clearing the push-up round after he successfully ran the 1,500-meter race. He is sure he will get the job but he and others around him refuse to be photographed and are reluctant to open up. I have not told my friend in my village that I am going for the police recruitment rally. You have to understand the feeling of anger many people harbour against police, said another aspirant, explaining their reluctance. Jobs are hard to come by in the Valley, where tourism generates a lot of employment. The years of violence have taken a toll on the picturesque Valley nestled in the Himalayas. Summer is the tourist season but the unrest and increased militant violence is keeping travellers away. Girls take part in a race in the Kashmir Police recruitment drive in Srinagar on Saturday. (Waseem Andrabi/ HT Photo) Job avenues are limited and unemployment is high. A police job is a good job, said the man standing next to Bashir. Earlier this month, militants killed five policemen and two bank guards in an attack on a cash van in Kulgam district of south Kashmir. Didnt the killings scare them? No I am not scared. Life and death are in the hands of Allah. I will work for the safety of Kashmiris, one of them said. What about his family? Of course, because of the situation here, they will be worried if I start working as a policeman but they also want me to get a good job. Young women, too, want to join police though none of them were there in Anantnag on Friday. Director general of state police (DGP) SP Vaid said the turnout was huge. I wish the candidates luck. They should serve with full dedication, Vaid said. They would definitely need luck. It is not easy being a cop in Kashmir. Militants target them as they are symbol of the state; for civilians, many of who harbour anti-India sentiment, they represent repression and are traitors in a just cause. The stone-pelter they chase during protests is often a friend or a neighbour. A policeman, who hails from central Kashmirs Budgam district and now posted in the south, said khaki was a red rag for protesters. Stone-pelters tell them: When you get rid of the wardi (uniform) and quit your jobs, azaadi (freedom) will come. The policeman said many of his colleagues were mocked or even abused by neighbours. Those in charge are aware of the danger. Last month, DGP Vaid asked policemen, especially those from south Kashmir, to be cautious while visiting their homes and preferably avoid the visits for the next few months. In March, 10 armed militants ransacked the house of a police officer in Shopian and warned his family of serious consequences if he did not quit his job. Vaid had then reminded the militants that they, too, had families. The J-K Police has around 83,000 personnel, according to data available on their website. A very large number of them are Kashmiri Muslims, said a spokesperson, adding it was difficult to give the break-up. Police are one of the big recruiters in the Valley but the response to recruitment rallies was not an indication of ebbing separatist sentiment, political observers say. At the peak of last summers unrest that left around 100 people dead, at least 26,000 young men applied for the job of special police officers, a temporary position with a starting salary of Rs 5,000. Many of the applicants, police sources said, were stone-pelters. Similarly in 2010, one of the bloodiest summers, a recruitment drive in downtown Srinagar, the epicentre of the stir, saw youngsters turn up in huge numbers. But old Srinagar sill erupts every Friday. SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON A Class 11 student on Saturday escaped from the clutches of her kidnappers who allegedly raped her in a farmhouse in Meerut district of Uttar Pradesh for over two weeks. The victim narrated her ordeal to the people residing close to the farmhouse after escaping. They reported the matter to the police and informed her family members in Modinagar. A joint team of Modinagar and Meerut police raided the farmhouse on Saturday night and arrested two people. However, the main accused is still at large. Reportedly, one Rahul and his aides had kidnapped the girl on April 24, when she was returning home after collecting her exam result from school. The girls father had lodged a complaint of kidnapping at Modinagar police station, naming Rahul of Kankerkhera locality in Meerut as the accused.Cops had been on his lookout since then but failed to nab him. Rahul and his aides held the girl captive at the Shakya farmhouse in Kankerkhera, and instructed two people to keep a watch on her. Despite the guards, she managed to slip out on Saturday night. Superintendent of police (Meerut city) Alok Priyadarshi said, Modinagar police are investigating the case and have taken the girl and the arrested men along with them. The girl will undergo a medical examination after which she will be presented in court to record her statement. Gaya In the Puranic texts, Buddha is mentioned as one of the ten avatars (incarnation) of Vishnu and his statues of Pala and Sunga era have often been seen to be worshipped in Hindu temples in villages, where they were originally discovered. But at Bhuraha village in Gaya district, 140 km south of Patna, idols, which archaeologists claim to be of Buddha, have been placed in Hindu temples and are being worshipped as Durga and Hanuman. Village women even apply vermillion ritually on some of the idols each day, treating them to be variation of goddess Durga and Kali. Bihar archaeology department director Atul Verma, however, sees nothing wrong in it. You cannot but commend the villagers. They have installed these idols, unearthed during unconventional digging, in temples and helped preserve it, he said. Archaeologists say Bhuraha is a protected area where a treasure-trove of archaeological remains are still buried and require permission for excavation and proper preservation. They also claim that Buddha is believed to have spent some days in the village on way to Sarnath, where he delivered his first sermon after attaining enlightenment in Bodh Gaya. The site was in the news in May 2013 when chief minister Nitish Kumar visited Bhuraha during his Seva Yatra and held a detailed discussions with the villagers, along with a high-level team of the state archaeology department. Sensing the significance of the site, Kumar also announced plans for integrated development of the village and protection of the mounds. On his return to Patna, the chief minister directed all the departments concerned to chalk out a plan for Bhuraha village, said Rajeev Ranjan, associated with the village development committee. We have been struggling to protect the mounds for more than a decade. Although we have been able to protect the idols and other remains like pillars, stones in our temples, it requires serious exercise to showcase the remains to tourists, said Rajdev Prasad, president of the committee that organised the first Bhuraha Mahotsav in 2016. The Bhuraha Zirnodhar Samiti, a committee formed to spearhead a campaign to promote the village as a tourist spot, has, however, its own grounds for worshipping Buddha as Hindu goddess. The idols are well preserved in Hindu temples. What is the harm if women worship Buddha as their goddess? The precious idols are at least safe here, said Bhuraha Zirnodhar Samiti president Suryadev Prasad. The chief minister is well aware of the site and the hopes of Bhuraha rest on his initiative, the Bihar archaeology department director said, adding that Kumar had sanctioned Rs 50 lakh to set up a museum for preservation of the idols and other artifacts recovered at the village. UNIQUE TRADITION QUOTE You cannot but commend the villagers. They have installed these idols (claimed to be of Buddha), unearthed during unconventional digging, in temples and helped preserve it Atul Verma, director, state archaelogy BLURB Archaelogists claim Buddha is believed to have spent some days in Bhuraha on way to Sarnath, where he delivered his first sermon after attaining enlightenment in Bodh Gaya SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON A post by Hyderabad mayor Bonthu Rammohan on social networking sites Facebook and Twitter about the Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporations efforts to make the city clean and green landed him in a spot of embarrassment on Saturday. Rammohan posted before and after images of a street one with garbage strewn all over, and the second depicting a much cleaner version of the same area. The photographs, both taken on May 8, were apparently posted to show the seriousness with which the civic body was implementing Prime Minister Narendra Modis pet Swachh Bharat Abhiyaan. Some, however, took a closer look at the post to find that the after image was simply a Photoshopped version of the first one. While the garbage and grime were removed with a deft swipe of the computer mouse, the civic body staffers in their typical shoddy style of functioning had failed to crop out three people pottering around in the background. The final product was a laughable forgery. The oddities in the post went unnoticed for the larger part of the week, before it went viral on Saturday. Netizens gathered in force to make the most of the mayoral gaffe, targeting him with sarcastic jibes. Great work by Bonthu Rammohan, Mayor, Hyderabad, commented one of them. And kudos to the 3 people who posed for Swachbharatabhiyan for as long as it got wiped. Another commented on the patience of the pedestrians caught in the frame. Hats off to those three pedestrains who stayed there for 3 months just to see the work complete! @KTRTRS Great work sir, @bonthurammohan pic.twitter.com/dIN0zOFk74 Raviteja (@Teja_1) May 12, 2017 The mayor eventually realised that he was not being praised in all sincerity, and the post was taken down. Incidentally, Hyderabad was declared as Indias cleanest metropolitan city in the recent Swachh Survekshan-2017 list trumping Mumbai, Chennai, Kolkata, Bengaluru and New Delhi in the process. Responding to the wave of social media responses, the mayors office lambasted those trolling Rammohan without understanding the spirit of the post. Claiming that the post simply suggested the likely outcome of the civic bodys Swachh Bharat efforts, a government spokesperson said: The mayor wanted to say that the civic body will try to implement innovative and effective ways to clear garbage, in which case the street will look like what this photo shows. He did not say even once that we have done anything like this in the city. But that didnt stop trolls. @bonthurammohan Great work Mayor, BTW how did you manage to get those passerbys with same pose before and after pic.twitter.com/81qhEA92VN John (@JohnBhrn) May 12, 2017 @bonthurammohan photoshopped very poorly. Sharing this image is insulting oneself. pic.twitter.com/myfeJOam7t srinivas yelishetty (@Alkanz_srinu) May 13, 2017 @bonthurammohan saab, Nxt time dnt try to photoshop with ur knowledge. i will help u for free... pic.twitter.com/JNYTMGczQf SAI KRISHNAGUDIBOINA (@saikrishna_2234) May 13, 2017 SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON The municipal elections in the north Bengal hills on Sunday have been described as the first real fight in a region attempting to move past a bloody, 100-year-old movement for separate identity and control. The elections to four civic bodies Darjeeling, Mirik, Kalimpong and Kurseong are crucial for the Trinamool Congress that is looking to open its account for the first time in the hills. But winning Darjeeling - the Queen of the Hills - is an uphill task because the hills have always voted for their own, and rejected parties from the plains of West Bengal. This is the result of decades of resentment against Kolkata for neglect and lack of development, and Bengalis who are seen to only look at Darjeeling as a hill station. On top of that is the movement for a separate Gorkhaland that has raged intermittently since 1912, and which, locals say has claimed more than 1,000 lives. No mainstream party has managed to navigate this minefield for three decades, and local parties are projecting this election as a Gorkhaland vs Bengal fight. This is the first time we are witnessing a real contest, said Jeta Sankrityayan, a professor at the North Bengal University. Like most Bengalis, the hills are close to Mamatas heart. When she swept to power in 2011, she promised to solve the then festering Gorkhaland protests in 100 days, and managed to restore peace by setting up a independent administrative council. CM has showered unprecedented love and development for hills, said Aroop Biswas, state PWD minister and Trinamool in-charge for the polls. But six years on, the council and its work are mired in corruption allegations and the hills are poorer than ever. This, surprisingly, has helped the Trinamool, and hurt local parties such as the Gorkha Janmukti Morcha that has dominated the council since it was set up. There is a undercurrent that people will vote for needs and governance for the first time, and not identity, said Sankrityayan. But it is identity politics that could trip the Trinamool after minister Indranil Sen said in a rally that Gorkha leaders should be expelled from the hills in steel boxes. A ripple of anger has shot through the hills and even the Trinamools allies are battling to save face. Hill people will answer the divisive politics pursued by Mamata Banerjee, said GJM chief Bimal Gurung. In Darjeeling, the Trinamool didnt win a single seat in the assembly election, which it swept in the rest of the state. Gorkhaland is always touted as an example of how a government should deal with separate statehood demands. Even a couple of seats will be a a shot in the arm for Mamata. Premier Li Keqiang on May 14 met with Kazakh President Nursultan Nazarbayev, who came to Beijing to attend the Belt and Road Forum for International Cooperation. Premier Li said China and Kazakhstan are important neighbors, and he believes that new important consensus will be reached after President Xi Jinpings meeting with Nazarbayev, which is expected to push forward the further development of China-Kazakhstan relations. China attaches great importance to the development of bilateral relations, and is willing to better connect the development strategy of the Belt and Road Initiative proposed by China with Kazakhstans Bright Road program. Efforts will be made in promoting the production capacity cooperation, developing cross-border transportation, and expanding cooperation between the small and medium-sized enterprises of the two countries, the Premier said. The two countries also will conduct cross-border economic, trade and financial cooperation, and strengthen people-to-people and cultural exchanges, the Premier said, adding that China supports Kazakhstan in successfully hosting the Astana World Expo 2017. Nazarbayev said Kazakhstan and China enjoy solid political mutual trust, and pragmatic cooperation, which can be regarded as a model of relations between countries. The connection of Kazakhstans Bright Road program and the Belt and Road Initiative proposed by China has reaped remarkable achievements. The production capacity cooperation between the two countries is key to promoting Kazakhstans industrialization, and the Kazakhstan side hopes to include more programs into the framework of production capacity cooperation, strengthen cooperation in transportation infrastructure, nuclear energy and deep processing of agricultural products, Nazarbayev said. He also stressed that Kazakhstan attaches great importance to Chinas Year of Tourism 2017 and supports the activities to be held at the China pavilion at Astana Expo 2017. Putting an end to speculations on organisational changes in Rajasthan, newly appointed Congress state in-charge Avinash Pande on Sunday expressed confidence that his party will form the next government in the state. All set with a roadmap to counter the BJP in 2018, Pande said the party will focus on strengthening membership campaign till booth level, effective coordination between the partys frontal wings and training programmes for cadres. Pande was addressing newspersons after attending his first state executive meet along with four newly appointed co-incharges Vivek Bansal, Kazi Mohammad Nizamuddin, Devendra Yadav and Tarun Kumar. The biggest challenge in front of the BJP is AICC vice president Rahul Gandhi. That is why they go about maligning his image and spreading rumours. They have failed on all the promises they had made to the people of this state, he alleged. Replying on factionalism inside the party, he said, the Congress is a big party and some differences in opinion are bound to happen but when it comes to working for the cause of the party, every body unites. In todays meeting, all senior leaders have clarified that they have no personal agenda and defeating BJP is their only priority. All elections, be it state or Centre, will be fought under the leadership of Rahul Gandhi. When it comes to nominating leaders for the posts of chief minister, MPs or MLA, the decision will be taken by the leadership, he said. Pande further said that even Delhi knows that Congress has strong chances in Rajasthan. People have realized that they made a mistake in 2013. We are 200% sure of forming government in Rajasthan, he said, adding that its is matter of pride that Rajasthan leaders are going all out to strengthen the party in the North-East, Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Uttar Pradesh and Punjab. State party president Sachin Pilot said the party needs to work hard to turn the wind in favour of Congress. In the coming days, we will visit the nooks and corners of the state to tell people where BJP has failed. They have lost peoples faith, Pilot said, adding that thh sole priority would be winning elections and the party workers are not vying for nomination to the top posts. The incumbent chief minister is making claims of 180 plus (assembly seats), just to please BJP president Amit Shah, who would be visiting state soon. It is only because Congress staged protest and demonstrations in favour of peoples interests, schemes and projects such as MNREGS still continue to run. Every section of the society is unhappy with the current BJP government. We will form the government next year with a huge mandate, he added. A revolution knocks on the door and it comes with a fork and knife. The world of food is more exciting than ever before. New restaurants are coming up offering novel cuisines or digging out old ones. Chefs are looking at unusual ingredients and dramatic ways of presenting food. Meanwhile, some wizened old experts continue to wield magic with their skewers and ladles in remote parts of the city. There is a world waiting to be discovered or re-embraced new cooking styles, world food, sub-regional cuisine and tiny holes in the wall which produce the most delightful dishes. Heres a guided tour. Some aromas stay with you for a lifetime. How the sense of smell affects your appetite became clear to me long years ago when I stood next to a degchi of nihari. A heavenly aroma of meat and spices wafted in the air, and I immediately lost my heart to this delectable Muslim dish. There was a time when I used to often walk down the little lanes of Old Delhi in search of some good nihari. But many of the old bawarchis known for their nihari are no more. Kallu Nihariwallah of Chhatta Lal Mian, whose nihari was to die for, has gone up to the big sky, where, no doubt, he is feeding hungry souls. Haji Noora, another master chef, who sold nihari from a shop in Bara Hindu Rao, has departed, too. And I cant remember when I last visited Haji Shabrati in Jama Masjids Chitli Kabar area. These days, when I want some good nihari, I move southwards. Zakir Nagar, close to the Jamia Millia Islamia University, is a treasure trove when it comes to food. And I think you get the best nihari at an eatery called Javeds Famous Nihari Shop. Javeds shop, which opens only in the evenings, is in the Zakir Nagar Market near the main masjid in the area. Pictures here is Rahul with his favourite nihari. Nihari is essentially a meat stew, prepared with shanks cooked over hours. The meat with the spices is put in a big vessel, half of which is covered and placed below a lit platform, while the top half with the mouth is above the platform, and covered. This is to ensure that the heat is low, which soften the meat to such an extent that it just melts. Javeds shop, which opens only in the evenings, is in the Zakir Nagar Market near the main masjid in the area. A few steps up lead you to the shop, and you will find a huge deg there, besides which sits a man who scoops out the buffalo meat nihari from the deg onto the plates before him. There is a huge mound of ginger slivers and other ingredients used for garnishing. A small deg contains rogan, a hot curry which you can add to your nihari if you like it especially hot and spicy. On the other side, freshly baked rotis are tossed up from a flaming hot tandoor. Nihari tastes best with freshly baked rotis. I love this dish because of its flavours and the balance of spices such as fennel and cumin seeds. And the softness of the meat, which really blends into the gravy, along with the marrow, is what makes Nihari so very special. Javed gives a special touch to his nihari by adding some desi ghee to it. The dish is not just delicious and nourishing, it is also filling. Yet, you keep coming back for more. (Rahul Verma has been writing on food for over 25 years now. And, after all these years, he has come to the conclusion that the more he writes, the more there is left to be written) Follow @htlifeandstyle for more The University of Mumbai (MU) is yet to announce the results for the exams held between mid-March and the first week of April because it has started assessing answer scripts digitally now. In doing so, it has crossed the 45-day deadline, by which it is supposed to declare results. Under the new system, the university will use On-Screen Marking (OSM), where the papers will be scanned and displayed on the computer screen. Examiners will mark the papers on the computer and upload the results on a common digital platform. The university also said that this was the last such delay as assessments began on May 12. The assessments were delayed because we did not finalise the agency, which would set up the system. Now that work has finally begun, we hope to finish quickly in the next few weeks, said an official from the universitys examination department. He added that over a lakh answer booklets from the BCom faculty have already been scanned and assessment had started. Read more: Mumbai University V-C pushes for digital assessment of papers However, colleges complained that there was still no clarity on the procedure and they had not received any instructions. We have been waiting to hear from the university but theres no official word on it yet. Our teachers have assessed first-year papers and we hope we can bring out the results as soon as we can, said Rajpal Hande, principal of Mithibai College, Vile Parle. The first of the tenders to find bidders to select an online agency to conduct digital assessments were floated in the last week of February, followed by a second in mid-March. Bidders were invited for the third time in the first week of April. MU released the name of their online agency in the last week of April with the promise that digital assessments will begin on May 4. Setting up of scanning machines took sometime so we could not start assessments on May 4, said Deepak Wasave, (in-charge) controller of examinations, MU. While officials had first claimed to finish scanning more than 1.5 lakh answer booklets in one day, the same number was scanned over a week. While MU officials are still confident of completing assessments before the start of the next academic year, teachers and principals are doubtful. Papers will have to be moderated, which takes time. Assuming that teachers who have not been trained will finish the work within the next month is unfair, said the principal of a south Mumbai college. MU needs to work instead of making tall claims. Read more: Wont check answer papers if dues are not cleared, say Mumbai university teachers SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON Although the Parliament passed the HIV and AIDS (Prevention and Control) Bill 2017 prohibiting all forms of discrimination against HIV-positive people, it was Dominic DSouza, a carrier of the virus and the countrys first AIDS activist, who started the fight for equal rights for those infected. DSouza, a resident of Goa, succumbed to AIDS on May 14, 1992. A lot of progress has been made in the past 25 years. The legislation is a major step in the right direction, as it prevents disclosure of peoples HIV status without their consent, said advocate Anand Grover from Lawyers Collective, a group that helped DSouza fight his case against Goa government for his forceful quarantine for more than two months. Grover was addressing an event organised by Gay Bombay to commemorate DSouzas 25th death anniversary. The group paid tribute by showcasing a short film on Positive People, a non-governmental organisation (NGO) DSouza had founded two before he died at Mumbais Breach Candy hospital. The film traces the NGOs work with HIV-positive sex workers and orphans in Goa. Around 30 men who attended the screening said there was a need to initiate dialogue about HIV and homosexuality in India. Dominics story reiterates the need to abolish stigma surrounding HIV and those infected by it, said an attendee. Read: SC asks states to include HIV+ kids in disadvantaged group Depiction of homosexuality in mainstream media will make the society receptive to the gay community. Movies like My brotherNikhil help closeted gay men become comfortable in their own skin, said another attendee. Charles Arthur William, a Gay Bombay member added that homosexuality needs to be normalised and must get visibility in the society. Grover added, Under the Goa Public Health (Amendment) Act 1986, the state was authorised to test any person for HIV and isolate them if tested positive. He said DSouzas case was instrumental in fighting the law which held homosexuality as a punishable offence under Section 377 of the Indian Penal Code. Case History Dominic DSouza, countrys first HIV and AIDS activist, was a frequent blood donor and a worker at the World Wildlife Fund. A mandatory blood test in 1989, under the Goa, Daman and Diu Public Health Act, 1985, revealed he had contracted HIV. This made him Goas patient zero for the virus. DSouza was forcibly quarantined, during which he was kept in a a former tuberculosis sanatorium ward for 64 days. He legally fought against his quarantine and started Positive People in 1992 with his friend Isabel de Santa Maria Vas. DSouza died at Breach Candy hospital in Mumbai on May 14, 1992, two weeks after registering his organisation. Braving the scorching summer heat, nearly 400 parents and children went on a day-long fast to press their demand for representation in the state committee to discuss arbitrary fee hike by private schools. The protesters were also given support by district associations. The protest was held at the main entrance of the district magistrates office on Sunday. Parents demanded a representation, inclusion of either a parent or a public representative, for putting forward the issue of fee hike before the committee. The committee has a representative who runs a private school in Ghaziabad. We are against this persons inclusion. Why have parents not been given any representation? Either of the two MLAs from Ghaziabad should be a part of the committee to ensure a fair decision. We will also be going to meet chief minister Yogi Adityanath and deputy CM Dinesh Sharma. If our demands are not met, we will boycott the forthcoming local bodies election, said Seema Tyagi, a parent. The state committee comprises nine members, including principal secretaries, secretaries, directors of secondary education and higher education departments, and the secretary of basic education. It also has representation from a private school in Ghaziabad, an educationist from Lucknow University and a journalist from Lucknow. However, parents have not been represented in the committee. Apart from the inclusion of our representatives, we also want retired judges and government auditors to be a part of the committee for increased transparency. The committee has one media representative, but we want three independent journalists to be included. Till the government brings out an ordinance, it should issue an order staying the hiked fee, said Neeraj Bhatnagar, another parent. The protesters also called for non-deposition of hiked fee till the government brings out an ordinance over the issue of arbitrary fee hike by private schools in the district. The protesters had brought along banners, posters and carried out their fast outside the DMs office. However, no official from the district administration visited them. The Ghaziabad district magistrate had earlier said that schools will not levy the annual charges till a district committee scrutinises their accounts and arrives at a decision. However, the DM backtracked and later said that the decision of any intervention into the hiked fee will be taken by the state committee. The district committee that was formed to look into the issue submitted a report (on May 11) to the DM, which has been forwarded to the state officials for inclusion in any policy decision by the state committee. However, many schools failed to provide documents to the committee officials. Since there has been no further order about annual charges, the schools are now pressurising parents to pay the fee. They are also demanding a penalty in case of a delay in depositing the hiked fee. This should be immediately stopped by the state government, said Mukesh Kumar, a parent from Vasundhara. Protests are held every year and the district administration fails to address the issue every time. We want the fee to be fixed, as has been done in other states, said Manu Joshi, a parent from Vaishali. SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON The Yamuna Expressway Industrial Development Authority (YEIDA) has decided against increasing the land allotment rates due to the slowdown in the realty sector and recession in property sales. Allotment rates are fixed prices at which the authorities sell land for housing, industrial units, commercial and institutional projects. Parties interested in buying the land for setting up industries had requested the officials to decrease the allotment rates in the wake of the slowdown in the realty market and also due to demonetisation, officials said. However, the three industrial development authorities Noida, Greater Noida and Yamuna Expressway are unlikely to decrease the land allotment rates in their upcoming board meetings, likely to be held in June, despite the continuous dip in sales in the realty sector and the demonetisation process which further affected the market. Officials of YEIDA said that they will freeze the land rate and propose not to increase them in the upcoming board meeting that is scheduled for June 9. YEIDA is expected to hold its board meeting on June 9 after its chairman, Dr Prabhat Kumar, gave the go-ahead. However, the Noida and Greater Noida authorities are yet to finalise the final dates. Officials said that irrespective of the board meeting date, the authorities will not decrease the land allotment rates. We will not decrease the land allotment rates in any category but the chairman has given his approval to freeze the land allotment rates in all categories and not increase them, keeping in view the slowdown in the realty sector, said Amarnath Upadhyaya, additional chief executive officer of YEIDA. The chief executive officer of the Greater Noida and Noida authorities, Amit Mohan Prasad, has asked the officials to prepare the agenda for the board meetings soon. The Greater Noida authority has no plan to decrease the land allotment rates because the rates are already low. Also, it is not easy to lower the allotment rates, said Arvind Mohan Singh, financial controller of the Greater Noida authority. SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON Every time violence rocks Kashmir, inflicting more human misery, the immediate aftermath is invariably followed by a set pattern of platitudes. From time to act to about time the Kashimiri issue is settled, the response of those who shape our national discourse has grown stale. The Indian Army oversteps its limits and ties an innocent Kashmiri to a jeep as a human shield and we are told the army leadership must be more mature. When militants kill an unarmed soldier, our conscience-keepers take the high moral ground and decry violence. The talk is also peppered with suggestions that the Indian government must do what it takes to win over alienated Kashmiri youth. The die-hard nationalists amongst us call for decisive action. But as we talk, Kashmir continues to hurtle towards more chaos and anarchy. The sound bites clearly lack substance with the rhetoric failing both the Kashmiris and us. But amid the orchestrated din, what is not asked is what purpose all the talk serves if it is not implementable. It is easy to say that the government now must seize the initiative in the aftermath of the unarmed soldiers killing. Or, that the alienated Kashmiri youth must be won over. But no one seems interested in giving us a blueprint as to how. Armchair commentary by eloquently holding forth on the Kashmir imbroglio that has defied a solution over decades is certainly far easier. But it is time to cut out the empty talk and get down to some work. A day after the soldiers killing, the Army said it was a watershed moment. True, some Kashmiris have condemned the killing of a local by militants, but we still need to know how the moment translates into a watershed. Does the Army expect one killing to turn the mood on the ground against the militants? Or will it serve as provocation to let loose the State machinery with fuller might? And why on earth would the Kashmiri youth come around, after being on the other side so steadfastly for so many years? In the absence of clarity, we can only speculate. We are also forced to speculate about almost everything that is talked about, from weaning away youth to our side to ending violence has come to nothing. Amid all the noise that we hear, we have not heard anything on how exactly India plans to win hearts and minds. As copious tears are shed on the plight of Kashmir, the region promises more bloodshed. Empty talk has not changed anything on the ground for almost 30 years. It will not even in the future. For a window of opportunity to open itself, we should stop the talk and get down to some real business. A concrete road map is the need of the hour. The views expressed are personal. SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON The Centre may have banned use of beacons atop vehicles in a bid to end VIP culture but the victims have found another way to flaunt their professional status on roads. Fancy name plates displaying designations on vehicles are now in demand. On May 2, the Bihar government also banned use of red and blue beacons atop vehicles of all ministers, politicians and bureaucrats and state employees. Though as per the provisions laid down in the motor vehicle act and Central motor vehicle act, nothing except the registration number should be displayed on the number plates of vehicles, name plates displaying designation is now common on Bihar roads. All kinds of name plates can be seen on vehicles, which is not restricted only to VIPs. Apart from the generic ones like police, administration, press or names of department, there are various others with specific designations that read Vidhayak, Parshad, Sachiv, Pradhan Sachiv, chairman, SSP, commissioner, Mukhiya, Sarpanch, police Nirikshak, ADM BDO and many more. One also comes across name plates displaying lipik (clerk), nursing adhikari, principal, engineer or designations of functionaries of different political parties. In rural Bihar, even some motorcycles carry name plates now. The demand has gone up in the last 15 days. We make all kinds of number and name plates. Earlier, the demand was restricted to Patna, but now it comes from all parts of the state, said a local shopkeeper who makes such plates on the Bhattacharya Road. Principal secretary, department of transport, Sujata Chaturvedi said she would verify the provisions and if orders regarding use of name plates on vehicles had been issued in the past. With ban on use of beacons, emergency services will use multi-coloured light with sticker of transport department, she added. Patna traffic SP P K Das, however, said that instructions had been given to those involved in vehicle checking to look into growing use of name plates. The norms of the government are specific. There are specific colour codes for different kinds of number plates on vehicles for different purpose, say for example, commercial, private, VVIPs, foreign delegates, etc. Even stickers or labels are not allowed on number plates. Senior police officials have designated plates with stars as per rank. A couple of years ago, the Uttarakhand high court had ordered the state government to stop unauthorised use of name plates and hooters on private vehicles. As far as name plates are concerned, instructions had been sent earlier to districts to prevent use of name plates by mukhiya, sarpanch and others. We are not aware of any new order. We will examine the provisions, said a police officer, adding that the mindset of people was to flaunt their social status. SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON The administration of Patna university (PU), the countrys seventh oldest university, is counting on the participation of prime minister Narendra Modi in its centenary year celebration later this year, to give a leg up to its hopes of acquiring the status of a central university. The PU administration has already taken the Bihar government in the loop in the matter, with the universitys newly appointed vice-chancellor, Rash Bihari Prasad Sinha, having met chief minister Nitish Kumar on Saturday, to discuss the matter. The invitation to the prime minister will be sent to his office on Monday (May 15), with the knowledge and tacit support of the state authorities, including the offices of the CM and the chief secretary, with a copy to Raj Bhawan, as well, the VC told HT. Sinha said the CM had endorsed his plan for inviting the PM. Though PMO had been approached earlier also, now we will do it afresh and send an invite on Monday. A copy of the invite will also be sent to Raj Bhawan, CM office and the chief secretary. The CM wants a detailed programme for centenary year celebration, he added. The centenary celebration of the university is being planned for September, this year. Set up in 1917, PU entered its centenary year on October 1, 2016, but no celebration programme was finalised at the time, as the term of the then VC, Dr YC Simhadri, was nearing its end. Now, a grand show is planned with the new VC at the helm. The VC said the CM encouraged him to make the celebrations a memorable event as the university, despite its indifferent standing at present, had an illustrious past that few could match. Singh said the CM, himself an alumni of PU, also suggested that the history department of PU be roped in to hold seminars on the universitys contribution in the freedom struggle and document it. He also called for documenting the contributions of Patna Science College, which has been functioning independently since 1928 when its foundation stone was laid by Lord Irwin, he added. The move to rope in the PM for the celebration is significant in the light of PUs old demand for central university status. It was also one of the reasons why the new central university had to be shifted to Gaya, though it resulted in happy ending with Bihar getting another central university at Motihari also. But considering that neighbouring UP has four central universities, PU is still keeping its fingers crossed. PU functionaries are hopeful that PM Modi will announce its conversion into a central university, if he attends the celebrations. They recalled that PU had started as a central university in 1917, but it was taken over by the state government after independence. PUs claim for central university has the backing of the present political leadership also. Chief minister Nitish Kumar himself spoke in favour of PU quite a few times from different public fora. Patna is for PU. Sooner or later, it has to be converted into a central university. I will give adequate land to PU, he had said at a function. PU was established by an act of Imperial Legislative Council passed on September 23, 1917 that came into force on October 1, 1917, when JG Jennings took charge as its first VC. A hundred years journey is a big occasion for any institution. The PMs participation in the celebrations will help turn it into a grand show. The response of the CM is very positive, said the incumbent PU VC. SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON Gaya College, a premier institution of Magadh University, recently put up a notice for examinees banning them from writing their papers wearing shirts with folded cuff. Either you come in half sleeves shirts and T-shirts, or the sleeves of full shirts should be unfolded and well buttoned but not rolled up, said the direction. This notice, came on the heels of the discovery during frisking at examination halls, that several examinees were concealing chits in the folded cuffs during the ongoing degree part III (final year graduation) examinations (May 2-15, 2017), said principal MS Islam. Though the direction has put some examinees under pressure to arrange half shirts or get their sleeves lopped off, it has brought much relief to invigilators. For frisking women examinees by women teachers and cops, the college has created exclusive frisking spaces separated by heavy curtains. However, another MU college, GJ College, Bihta, is battling more ingenious brains using technology to attempt copying, using mobile phones. All through the examination period, our invigilators try to check whether anyone tried to get answers through WhatsApp or internet, said Kumar Rajiv Ranjan, principal. Since there are over 3000 examinees and no police force is made available to us by the administration, it is a tough task to frisk each examinee, he said, adding, that the invigilators tried to collect mobile phones before distribution of question papers. A few days back, when an examinee was asked to display the photo gallery of his mobile phone, invigilators were stunned to find it packed with dozens of images clicked from guess papers and other books, said the principal. Bid to copy through use of WhatsApp or other applications of mobile phones is the latest craze among MU examinees, admitted Shailesh Kumar Singh, member of the three-man special flying squad for Patna and Nalanda districts. He said all centre superintendents have been directed to ensure that no examinee carried mobile phones inside the venue. Shyamal Kishore, another squad member said that KST College, Biharsharif, has kept ready thousands of envelopes to store cell phones of examinees separately during the examination hours. Premier Li Keqiang vowed to enhance cooperation with Chile and upgrade China-Chile free trade zone during a meeting with Chilean President Michelle Bachelet in Beijing on May 14. Bachelet is in Beijing for the Belt and Road Forum for International Cooperation on May 14 to 15. Chile has led Latin American countries in developing longtime ties with China. President Xi Jinping held a fruitful meeting with Bachelet on May 13, which depicted a broader prospect for the China-Chile relationship, Premier Li said. The Premier said China hopes to accelerate dovetailing its development strategy with that of Chile, promote overall exchanges, and expand cooperation in key areas. He said China will join hands with Chile to upgrade the China-Chile free trade zone and send a positive signal of promoting economic globalization, supporting trade and investment liberalization and facilitation, and opposing protectionism, in an effort to promote regional and global peace and prosperity. Premier Li said cooperation between China and Latin American countries has become an important part of cooperation among developing countries, and the Forum of China and the Community of Latin American and Caribbean States has become a crucial platform that drives forward cooperation to mutual benefit. China hopes to work with Chile and other Latin American countries to hold the second ministerial meeting of the forum, and to push forward the relationship and further cooperation between the two sides. Bachelet said China and Chile have maintained close, high-level contacts and rapid development in bilateral relations and cooperation. Holding onto the principle of free trade and sticking to the development strategy facing the Asia-Pacific region, Chile hopes to conclude negotiations on the upgrade of the China-Chile free trade agreement, and strengthen cooperation among small- and medium-sized enterprises and e-commerce cooperation to expand bilateral trade, she added. Bachelet said Chile welcomes Chinese investment in Chile and participation in cooperation in fields such as new energy, communication, transportation, agriculture, sci-tech innovation and finance. Chile also hopes to work with China to tap the third-party market, and to promote the relationship between China and Latin America. State Councilor Yang Jing also attended the meeting. The Chandigarh Commission for Protection of Child Rights (CCPCR) has written to the director of school education asking him to set up child-friendly committees in schools to deal with grievances of students. Besides, the commission has also issued an advisory on counselling in schools and the role of counsellors in schools. It has been stated that a child-friendly school committee should be set up to serve as a complaint redressal body. This committee shall consist of the principal, vice-principal along with members, including one male teacher, one female teacher, a school counsellor and two members of the school management committee (SMC). Meanwhile in the advisory, the commission has highlighted that counsellors should interact with all school students from LKG onwards, preferably one weekly group session with each class section on issues including good touch bad touch, cyber crimes, mental well-being, ill effects of drug abuse and life skills training, etc. The counsellors have been asked to fill a detailed performa based on the interaction with students and submit it to the respective school heads. It has been stated that besides in-house counsellors, the school should have the liberty to approach reputed counsellors/ mental health professionals to be empanelled. The schools should also invite reputed mental health professionals to hold workshops for students and teachers. As per the advisory, complaint boxes should be placed on all floors, preferably in toilets of the school, so that students can make written complaints without any fear. Any complaint, whether received through the complaint box or otherwise, should be reported to the school complaint committee in writing within 24 hours of its being received. The committee should carry out a preliminary investigation into the complaint and submit its report to the principal in 3-4 days. The committee will immediately report the issue to the Chandigarh police. In case, the school does not report or abets any offence, it will face action for the offence. The committee will also monitor the behaviour and decisions of the staff such as corporal punishment, verbal abuse by teachers or staff members, physical abuse, sexual abuse and discrimination by teacher or staff members of students. On behaviour of children, perceived by teachers as problematic, the school should have a clear protocol to guide teachers which situation needs assessment and intervention by a school counsellor and which one needs immediate intimation to higher authorities at school and parents. Best school counsellor On November 14, Childrens Day, the commission will adjudge the best school counsellor of Chandigarh, who would be given a token of appreciation along with a certificate. SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON When you are working with full dedication to achieve your dreams, the financial barrier could not put the full stop on your way. It was believed by the students of class 12 of Punjab School Education Board who fought with the financial constraints in their family and achieved merit positions. Divya, a student of commerce stream in R S Model Senior Secondary School started giving tuitions at her residence in Haibowal after completing her 10th to earn money to support her father Raman Kumar, who is a factory worker. Tears of happiness rolled down her cheeks and she tightly hugged her mother while expressing that in class 10 she was four marks away to come in merit list but this she worked more hard and secured rank 19 in the state with 95.78 percent. Divya used to come after 5 pm at home from the school, later giving tuitions to students till class 7 for one and half hour, she devote four to five hours late night on self study and since her whole day remain occupied in these activites, she dropped her dancing hobby. Aiming to become Chartered Accountant, Divya will now pursue Bachelors in Commerce in a city college. Her mother Anju Bala articulated that her school authorities supported her by giving concession. Although, there are some limitations due to financial constraints but we never refused to provide our children with the stuff they required. One should also support the parents, who always hide their limitations and provide us all the benefits, Divya said. Vegetable vendor wants to see her daughter as police officer Santosh Gupta, a vegetable vendor selling vegetables in the streets of the city dream to see her daughter Jyoti Kumari as a police officer. Gupta went on cloud nine when he received a call from school that her daughter has achieved 15th rank in the state with 96.67 percent. Kumari is a student of Humanities stream in BCM Senior Secondary School, Focal point. Kumari wants to fulfill the dream of her father and aim to become an IAS officer. Kumari said that my father is putting all efforts to provide education to me and my two younger brothers. The two brother of Kumari are in class 8th and 10th in the same school and her mother is house wife. Gupta expressed that he is working day and nights to earn maximum he can rest school is also supporting. They have given scholarship to my daughter. Such scholarships provide some relaxations and encourage students from such families to study, he expressed. Never bought books to study I never bought books till date, I used to borrow them from the seniors or friends and in class 11 and 12, I got some issued from the library, said Kushboo, a student of Non-medical stream of Teja Singh Sutantar Memorial Senior Secondary School who secured 27th rank in the state with 94 percent. My father is a factory labour worker and mother work as tailor. They earn Rs 7000 and Rs 6000 respectively. Therefore due to financial problem in the family, I never spend money on purchasing books, she said. Along me, my parents also look after my two younger brothers and one elder sister, she said. Kushboo was alone at home when she received call from the school telling her about the result. I rushed immediately to the school and informed my parents who were at job, she said. Kushboo expressed that earlier she aimed to become engineer but since it will require more fees, She has planned to drop out her dreams and said she will pursue Bachelor in Science and will move ahead in teaching profession. A portion of the Panjab University administrative building caught fire early Sunday morning, reducing to ashes manual records, scores of computers, furniture and other equipment kept in the accounts branch. The fire broke out on the first floor of Dewan Anand Kumar Hall, which houses the accounts department having sections that deal with salary, examinations, payments, grants, planning and budget of the university. It took more than three hours for eight fire tenders to control the blaze. How it unfolded At about 2:45am, a university security guard deployed in front of the main gate of the administrative block was alerted by the students who were coming out of the main library. The guard informed his immediate officer who further alerted the PU chief security officer. Then they informed the police and the fire brigade besides alerting vice-chancellor Prof Arun Kumar Grover and registrar Col GS Chadha (retd). In the meantime, 10-15 security guards entered the block and tried to douse the blaze by using small fire extinguishers and a water sprinkler, yielding little result. At 3:10am, two fire tenders reached the spot and started dousing the fire. Six more fire tenders, including a hydraulic vehicle, from all seven fire service stations of the city along with the police also rushed to the spot. EXPIRED FIRE EXTINGUISHERS AT VC OFFICE It was noted that all the fire extinguishers installed at the vice-chancellors office at PU were not refilled as recommended by the fire safety office. The due date of refilling mentioned on the extinguishers was March 9, 2017 and it has been over two months, no fresh certificate has been issued till date. Officials reach the spot The varsity registrar and chief security officer had reached the spot at 3:20am, while the VC and other senior officials were there by 3:30am. Water was thrown from three sides to douse the fire, which was brought under control at 6am. The firemen managed to prevent the fire from spreading to other parts of the building, officials said. An employees working in the accounts department said the section had nearly 70 computers, 80% of which have been gutted. Officials said a short circuit in the accounts branch could have resulted in the fire. They, however, have not established it as yet. An official said electricity tripped several times on Saturday. There was an outage at 4:30pm and the staff waited till 5:30pm and then left. They must have left the appliances on, he said. Fire officer ML Sharma said, The fire spread inside the entire branch as it had wooden ceiling and plywood cabins. The branch had combustible material such as registers and files. I did not find an alternative source of power supply. After fire, they had to switch off the power supply but when we needed to circulate water through motor pump, they did not have a generator set. It will take weeks time to make the branch operational PU finance development officer Vikram Nayyar said, We have a centralised server, where the transactional data is updated on a daily basis. That server is set up in the separate building. Retrieving transactional data will not be a problem but it will be tough to operationalise the department again. It will take a weeks time. The affected area is just one hall. We have soft copies of all the data that was destroyed. V-C Prof Arun Grover said, It is an unfortunate incident. But we managed to contain the fire with the help of our own firefighting system and fire brigade. An inquiry will be ordered to analyse as what led to the fire and how it could have been prevented. A committee will also be formed. The finance office will be relocated and experts will be roped in to retrieve data. GAPS Uncovered and lose-hanging wires Non-availability of generator Non-functional fire alarms No preparations to deal with such accidents Less possibility of short circuit An electrician employed at the university said on the condition of anonymity that there is no possibility of a short circuit because wiring in the accounts branch was done recently. CFSL team collect samples A five-member team of the Central Forensic Science Laboratory headed by Dr Deepak Middha visited the campus. The team took samples of wires, which are suspected to have caused a short circuit. The team will visit the campus again on Monday for further analyses Senators visit PU Former Union minister Pawan Kumar Bansal, BJP city President Sanjay Tandon and many members of the teaching, non teaching staff of the university had visited the spot. Registrar Col GS Chadha (retd) said, The maximum damage has been done to the grants and planning section. A survey will be done to assess the loss. Our own disaster management system was operational. The CFSL team will check at what time the fire started and how. US President Donald Trump has called for tougher sanctions against North Korea after it tested an intermediate range ballistic missile on Sunday. He also sought to provoke a response out of Moscow by saying the projectile landed closer to Russia than Japan, the usual target of Pyongyangs belligerence. The missile travelled farther than any tested successfully by North Korea and was the first after the election of a new president in South Korea, Moon Jae-in, who has favoured engagement with Pyongyang and has said he is willing to travel there if circumstances are right. It rose to a height of about 1,240 miles, according to the Japanese defence ministry, and between 435 and 500 miles from the launch site. Experts told The Wall Street Journal that if launched at the conventional angle, it could have travelled 2,800 miles, far enough to reach a US military base in Guam. But it was Russia that the president had in mind, as the White House statement showed: With the missile impacting so close to Russian soil in fact, closer to Russia than to Japan the President cannot imagine that Russia is pleased. The statement went on to reiterate Americas ironclad commitment to stand with our allies in the face of the serious threat posed by North Korea and call for all nations to implement far stronger sanctions against North Korea. The reference to Russia was seen as an attempt to manipulate Moscow to say or do more, in continuation with Trumps effort to first outsource the problem with North Korea to its strongest ally and patron China. Trump has said he would like Beijing to use its considerable influence over North Korea to deal with Kim Jong-Un, adding, as a possible motivator the threat of United States prepared to act unilaterally if needed. The Russian defence ministry said in a statement that the North Korean missile didnt pose any danger to Russia, according to the Russian news agency Interfax, as it landed a significant distance from the coast. The ministry said in the statement the early warning system had tracked the ballistic target for 23 minutes before it fell into the central part of the Sea of Japan, some 500 km (about 315 miles) from the territory of Russia. But it did come up for a detailed discussion in Russian president Vladimir Putins conversation with his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping on the sidelines of Beijings One Belt One Road international meet. Russia is a member of the six-nation forum established in 2003 to persuade Pyongyang to give up its nuclear weapons; the other members are South Korea, North Korea, China, Japan and the United States. The talks were discontinued n 2009. Emmanuel Macron becomes Frances youngest ever president on Sunday, taking over from Socialist Francois Hollande in a solemn ceremony. Macron, a 39-year-old centrist, arrived at the Elysee Palace in central Paris in a motorcade and walked down the red carpet under light rain to be greeted by Hollande for his inauguration. The new presidents wife Brigitte, a 64-year-old who was his high school drama teacher, arrived separately for the ceremony wearing a light blue Louis Vuitton outfit. A week after his victory over far-right leader Marine Le Pen in a tumultuous election, Macron will have a private meeting with Hollande at which he will be given the codes to launch Frances nuclear weapons. French newly elected President Emmanuel Macron (R) is welcomed by his predecessor Francois Hollande as he arrives at the Elysee presidential Palace for the handover and inauguration ceremonies on Sunday in Paris. (AFP Photo) He will then attend a ceremony in front of hundreds of politicians and invited guests at which the official election results will be read out. At the end of the formalities, a 21-gun salute is to ring out from the Invalides military hospital on the other side of the River Seine. Macron will then be driven to the Arc de Triomphe to lay a wreath at the tomb of the unknown soldier. The new president faces a host of daunting challenges including tackling stubbornly high unemployment, fighting Islamist-inspired violence and uniting a deeply divided country. Socialist Hollandes five years in power were plagued by a sluggish economy and bloody terror attacks that killed more than 230 people and he leaves office after a single term. The 64-year-old launched Macrons political career, plucking him from the world of investment banking to be an advisor and then his economy minister. I am not handing over power to a political opponent, its far simpler, Hollande said on Thursday. Brigitte Trogneux gestures as she arrives at the Elysee presidential Palace to attend her husband Emmanuel Macron's formal inauguration ceremony as French President on Sunday in Paris. (AFP Photo) Security was tight with around 1,500 police officers deployed near the presidential palace and the nearby Champs Elysees avenue and surrounding roads were blocked off. After a formal lunch, Macron will visit Pariss town hall, a traditional stop for any new French president in his host city. Macrons first week will be busy. On Monday, he is expected to reveal the closely-guarded name of his prime minister, before flying to Berlin to meet German Chancellor Angela Merkel. It is virtually a rite of passage for French leaders to make their first European trip to meet the leader of the other half of the so-called motor of the EU. Pro-EU Macron wants to push for closer cooperation to help the bloc overcome the imminent departure of Britain, another of its most powerful members. He intends to press for the creation of a parliament and budget for the eurozone. Merkel welcomed Macrons decisive 32-point victory over Le Pen, saying he carried the hopes of millions of French people and also many in Germany and across Europe.(AFP) AMS A 26-year-old Sikh-American has made history by becoming the first police officer from the community to join the police department in Indianapolis, the capital of the US state of Indiana, a media report has said. Mittan Katoch feels it is a great honour to join Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department (IMPD) as the first American-Sikh, the Indianapolis broadcaster RTV6 said. I honestly thought there might be more Sikh police officers in IMPD, but to learn I am the first is quite shocking, Katoch, a graduate of the departments 13th recruit class, was quoted as saying by the RTV6. He said it has been his dream to become an officer since he was a child. I used to write essays about it, he said. Ive got tons of feedback, tons of support, comments on Facebook like hey, were proud of you, way to lead the way. I feel like Im the spearhead to the movement of getting different ethnicities into the department, he said. According to IMPD, the current amount of minorities that make up the population of the department is about 18 per cent - however in Marion County, recent US Census data shows minorities make up more than 34 per cent of the population, the report said. In 2015 and 2016, 17.3 per cent and 17.6 per cent of the IMPDs force were minorities, respectively. Katoch said he is excited about his career and the chance to build a bridge between communities. Being born and raised in America, Im Americanised enough to know I can do anything I want, he said. This is the land of opportunity and to be a part of a police department thats reflective of that is awesome. India is often depicted as an elephant in Chinese state media articles and cartoons. On Sunday, that elephant seemed to have leapt out of the pages and entered the venue of the Belt and Road Forum (BRF), Chinas grand show of economic might and growing strategic heft, and became a heavy presence that no one wanted to talk about, but everyone was aware of. India, the fastest growing developing economy with a 300 million and growing middle class, cheap labour, proficiency in English and young population, was easily the most notable absentee at the BRF on Sunday. Major western powers did not send heads of states either, but were represented by high-level delegations. The US, South Korea and Japan not known for happy ties with China too sent delegations; even a reclusive North Korean government dispatched two representatives though they remained suitably unobtrusive on the first day of the two-day forum. India took a decision not to deploy even its China-based diplomats for the forum because of its concerns and objections over the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) passing through Pakistan-Occupied Kashmir (PoK). China, it was learnt, was aware that Indias concerns with CPEC had made it difficult for its top leaders to attend the forum. But Beijing had expected that Prime Minister Narendra Modi would send some level of representation to the forum. For example, though India was invited by China to send a contingent of troops to participate at the World War II commemoration parade in September 2015 in Beijing, it declined the invitation but sent Minister of State for External affairs VK Singh to attend the military parade. China probably expected a response on similar lines. But that didnt happen. A senior politician from the South Asian neighbourhood with ancient ties with India but increasingly close relations with China took two steps back and threw his hands up when asked about Indias absence. Its Indias concern, he said with an awkward smile. Few other diplomats who didnt wish to be named said it was Indias decision not to attend the forum and that they had no comment to offer. There would have been few mentions of India at the academic and discussion sessions that followed the inauguration of the BRF by President Xi Jinping. At a session on cooperation between think tanks in countries under the BRI, former Australian prime minister Kevin Rudd made a rare mention of India. He said China, India, Russia and the US should come together to develop a long-term security architecture. The policy document on the BRI, titled Building the Belt and Road: Concept, Practice and Chinas Contribution also had to inevitably mention India as it talked about the BCIM-EC (Bangladesh, China, India, Myanmar Economic-Corridor). Among the handful of Indians present at the forum on Sunday besides Beijing-based Indian journalists was Sudheendra Kulkarni, chairperson of the Mumbai-based Observer Research Foundation. He criticised Indias decision not to participate at the forum. Whosoever has advised the PM, has given a very, very bad advice, he said. India has isolated itself by not participating at any level in the BRF. India has concerns and reservations and these are legitimate ones. And it could have expressed many of the things it has put out in the official statement by coming here and making its point on the forum as some of the participants made in the morning in an oblique way of course, he said. But by staying away, India has isolated itself because today at the BRF, practically the entire world is here. Including the US and Japan which have serious reservations of China, he said. It now remains to be seen how China, usually depicted as a giant but gentle panda in state media cartoons, reacts to Indias decision. Voting was held on Sunday in Nepals first local elections for two decades, a landmark moment in the countrys fraught transition to democracy. Polls opened in three provinces at 7:00 am local time, with nearly 50,000 candidates vying for the position of mayor, deputy mayor, ward chairman and ward member in 283 municipalities. With nearly 70% of the population aged under 35, many are electing their local representatives for the first time. The local representatives were last elected in 1997 and their five-year terms expired at the height of the brutal Maoist insurgency. The 10-year war ended in 2006 and the country began a rocky transition from a Hindu monarchy to a secular federal republic, which has seen it cycle through nine governments. The long gap between polls has left an institutional void at local level, which has seen graft become a way of life in Nepal, hampering the delivery of basic services as well as the recovery from a devastating 2015 earthquake. Long queues formed early outside polling stations in the capital Kathmandu, many eager voters sheltering under umbrellas from the harsh sun. The ballot paper in the capital -- one of the largest constituencies -- was around one metre long to accommodate names of the 878 candidates. It is difficult to expect much from our politicians -- they have always been selfish and not worked for the people -- but I hope that with this election things will change, housewife Shova Maharjan, 41, told AFP after casting her vote in the capital. While the youth vote is seen as key in undermining the grip of the three main political parties, the elderly were also out in force, including an 105-year-old man who cast his ballot in Gorkha, the epicentre of the devastating 2015 earthquake, according to the election commission. Many independent candidates are standing for seats, while a number of small reformist parties are also expected to grab some votes from the traditional political heavyweights. Drawn-out peace process The vote has been split into two phases because of unrest in the southern plains bordering India, where the minority Madhesi ethnic group is refusing to take part until an amendment to the constitution is passed. The remaining four provinces, considered potential flashpoints for election-related violence, will vote in the second phase on June 14. But with results expected from Sundays vote later this week, observers have expressed concern that the first phase will influence the outcome of the second. As part of the deal that ended the civil war, a new constitution was written and finally adopted in September 2015, nearly a decade after the end of the conflict. The charter mandated that local elections, followed by provincial and then national elections, be held by January 2018 -- the final step in the drawn-out peace process. But the constitution sparked protests by the Madhesi community -- who say the document leaves them politically marginalised -- and led to a months-long blockade of the India-Nepal border in 2015 that caused a crippling shortage of goods across the country. The Madhesi threatened to boycott the local polls unless the constitution is rewritten. This forced the government to split the vote into two phases. The government has promised a vote on an amendment to the constitution after Sundays election, but the fragile ruling coalition is struggling to get a majority in parliament to pass the bill. North Korea fired a ballistic missile on Sunday in an apparent test of the Souths new president who backs engagement with Pyongyang. The missile flew about 700 kilometres (435 miles) before landing in the Sea of Japan, South Koreas Joint Chiefs of Staff said. The US Pacific Command said it did not appear to be an intercontinental ballistic missile. New South Korean President Moon Jae-In, who was inaugurated on Wednesday, slammed the test as a reckless provocation after holding an emergency meeting with national security advisors. He said the government strongly condemned this grave challenge to the peace and security of the Korean peninsula and the international community, his spokesman Yoon Young-Chan said. Moon, unlike his conservative predecessors, advocates reconciliation with Pyongyang but warned Sunday that dialogue would be possible only if the North changes its behaviour. Moon had said in his inauguration speech that he was willing to visit Pyongyang in the right circumstances to defuse tensions on the Korean peninsula, with Pyongyang and Washington exchanging hostile rhetoric. US President Donald Trump has threatened military action against the North but recently appears to have softened his stance, saying he would be honoured to meet the Norths leader Kim Jong-Un under the right conditions. A senior Pyongyang diplomat said Saturday the North would be willing to hold talks with the US if the conditions are right. Washington has been looking to China for help in reining in Kim and the missile test is likely to embarrass Beijing, which is hosting a summit Sunday to promote its ambitious global trade infrastructure project. It was also North Koreas first launch since a controversial US missile defence system deployed in South Korea became operational on May 2 and follows a failed April 29 ballistic missile test. Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe slammed the latest missile launch as totally unacceptable and a grave threat to Tokyo. We strongly protest against North Korea, he said. The missile was launched from a site near the northwestern city of Kusong, according to the Souths Joint Chiefs of Staff. North Korea test-fired a missile from the same city in February with the missile flying more than 500 kilometres. The North has staged two atomic tests and dozens of missile launches since the start of last year in its quest to develop a missile capable of delivering a nuclear warhead to the US mainland. Most experts have doubted that the North has developed an intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) with that range. But many say the isolated nation has made a great progress in its nuclear and missile capabilities since Kim took power after the death of his father and longtime ruler, Kim Jong-Il, in 2011. An unprecedented ransomware attack has hit 200,000 victims in at least 150 countries and that number could grow when people return to work on Monday, the head of the European Unions police agency said on Sunday. Cyber security experts say the spread of the virus dubbed WannaCry ransomware which locked up computers in car factories, hospitals, shops and schools in several countries - has slowed, but that any respite might be brief. Europol Director Rob Wainwright told ITVs Peston on Sunday programme the attack was unique in that the ransomware was used in combination with a worm functionality so the infection spread automatically. The global reach is unprecedented. The latest count is over 200,000 victims in at least 150 countries, and those victims, many of those will be businesses, including large corporations, he said. At the moment, we are in the face of an escalating threat. The numbers are going up; I am worried about how the numbers will continue to grow when people go to work and turn (on) their machines on Monday morning. He said Europol and other agencies did not yet know who was behind the attack but normally it is criminally minded and that is our first working theory for obvious reasons. Of course there are amounts that are being demanded, in this case relatively small amounts - $300 rising to $600 if you dont pay within three days, he said. (There have been) remarkably few payments so far that weve noticed as we are tracking this, so most people are not paying this, so there isnt a lot of money being made by criminal organisations so far. Wainwright said Europol had been concerned about cyber security in the healthcare sector, which deals with a lot of sensitive data, but declined to comment on whether Britains National Health Service had been adequately funded. Defence minister Michael Fallon told the BBC the government under Prime Minister Theresa May was spending around 50 million pounds on improving the computer systems in the NHS after warning the service that it needed to reduce its exposure to the weakest system, the Windows XP. The NHS was not particularly targeted. There were the same attacks applied to Nissan on Friday and in other areas of the economy and indeed around the world, Fallon said. But let me just assure you, we are spending money on strengthening the cyber defence of our hospital system. In India, a red-coloured critical alert has been issued by the Computer Emergency Response Team (CERT-In), the nodal agency that combats hacking, phishing and fortifies security-related defences of the Indian Internet domain. Monday morning rush Monday was expected to be a busy day, especially in Asia which may not have seen the worst of the impact yet, as companies and organisations turned on their computers. Expect to hear a lot more about this tomorrow morning when users are back in their offices and might fall for phishing emails or other as yet unconfirmed ways the worm may propagate, said Christian Karam, a Singapore-based security researcher. Symantec, a cybersecurity company, forecast infections so far would cost tens of millions of dollars, mostly from cleaning corporate networks. Ransoms paid amount to tens of thousands of dollars, one analyst said, but he predicted they would rise. Governments and private security firms said on Saturday that they expected hackers to tweak the malicious code used in Fridays attack, restoring the ability to self-replicate. This particular attack was relatively easy to shut down, said Bryce Boland, Asia Pacific chief technology officer for FireEye, a cybersecurity company. But he said it would be straightforward for the existing attackers to launch new releases or for other ransomware authors to start copying the way the malware replicated. The US government on Saturday issued a technical alert with advice on how to protect against the attacks, asking victims to report any to the Federal Bureau of Investigation or Department of Homeland Security. Russian President Vladimir Putin played piano while awaiting Chinese leader Xi Jinping for bilateral talks in Beijing on Sunday. Putin spoke earlier on Sunday at a summit on Chinas new Silk Road plan. He later arrived at state Diaoyutai residence for talks with Xi and other leaders. While waiting for his bilateral with Xi to begin, Putin played several chords. According to TASS news agency and state Russian television, Putin played passages from Soviet-era songs about Moscow and St Petersburg. The 64-year-old former KGB spy has demonstrated his skills on the piano in the past although he has mostly cultivated a macho image. That included riding a horse in Siberia, piloting firefighting planes and diving in submersible into the depths of Lake Baikal and Black Sea off Crimea coast. An express train that slammed into a house after derailing near Greeces second city Thessaloniki killed three people and seriously injured two others, the trains operator said on Sunday. Trainose had initially reported four deaths from the accident which occurred at 1640 GMT on Saturday, with five people suffering serious injuries. It then revised the toll to just two dead, but one of the injured later died. A derailed wagon is pictured near the village of Adendro. (AFP Photo) The company did not identify the victims, but said the train driver was among the injured after all five carriages of the express train travelling from Athens left the track and the engine carriage ploughed into the house. A man walks next to derailed wagons from the derailed train. (AFP Photo) A 24-year-old man who lived in the house which was hit told reporters that he managed to jump off a balcony to safety just before the crash. Search and rescue operations ended in the evening. Most of the 70 passengers were safely evacuated within three hours of the accident which happened near the station at Adendro, about 40 kilometres (25 miles) from the northern city of Thessaloniki. A train carriage is seen after crashing into a house following a train derailment, in the town of Adendro in northern Greece. (Reuters Photo) The cause of the derailment was not immediately known, police said, and Trainose said it had opened an investigation. But a regional official, Voula Patoulidou, said the train might have been travelling too fast as it shuttled between Greeces two biggest cities. A derailed train carriage is seen toppled in the town of Adendro in northern Greece. (Reuters Photo) Photos showed at least one carriage on its back. A senior national railway official, who arrived at the crash site, said there had been no problems or incidents reported on that stretch of the railway line. Rescuers search the site of a fatal train derailment close to the northern city of Thessaloniki, Greece. (AP Photo) A bomb-sniffing dog is being hailed as a hero after he took a bullet meant for his handler during a shootout. K9 Kasper, who has protected President Donald Trump in the past, is recovering after being shot in the side when deputies with the Palm Beach Sheriffs Office (PBSO) exchanged gunfire with a wanted man who was killed. Phillip Oshea was accused of a shooting and robbery on Friday in Jupiter, Florida. Later that day, deputies came to apprehend him, and he fired shots at them, Fox 13 News reported. During the gunfire, PBSO K9 Kasper was shot while protecting his handler, the sheriffs office said in a Facebook post that included a photo of the wounded dog on a veterinarians operating table. Deputies had pursued OShea to Jupiter following a shootout off Okeechobee Boulevard in which a police officer was injured while diving for cover. Details of the final shootout were scant, but police said it took place in a parking lot. During the encounter, Kasper was struck in the left hip by gunfire. The bullet missed his vital organs, and it was removed with surgery at Palm Beach Veterinary Specialists, according to a video posted on Twitter by the sheriffs office. The bullet was out and Kasper had recovered from anesthesia. The video showed him walking out of the clinic with relative ease. Hes on antibiotics and is walking fairly well, all things considered, said Michele Tucker, the veterinary centers managing director of patient services, on the video. Kasper, a bomb-sniffing, patrol and street crimes dog, has protected Trump during his visits to Florida. North Korea reportedly detained four American citizens and recently, it just gave the reasons why they have the right to impose punishment on these accused Americans. It was reported that the East Asian country will ruthlessly punish these Americans who were accused of committing crimes against the government. Latest reports confirmed that North Korea is preparing to punish the four Americans who were accused of committing acts against the government. It was also added that anytime, the country can just impose any punishment the country deemed is fitting to impose. According to The Sun, North Korea would soon announce the crimes that these four Americans were convicted of once everything is ready. Recently, the country just announced that it detained a fourth American making it four American citizens it is holding. It can be recalled that North Korea already detained one American citizen who was also a professor at one of the popular universities in Pyongyang. It has been reported that the citizen has been accused of committing a hostile act which is really against the government. The authorities mentioned that the professor was about to leave the country when they got hold of him. Meanwhile, it was claimed that the U.S. government is putting concentration and is prioritizing the security of its citizens. That's why if the news reaches them that four American citizens are currently detained, U.S. government will work with the Swedish embassy in Pyongyang right away. According to Express, this report came out while Kim Jong-un just threatened war with U.S. President Donald Trump. In fact, China just signed a deal with the United Nations in order for the former to impose sanctions to further pressure North Korea regarding tits nuclear testing programs. With this report, the conflict between the U.S. and North Korea is growing after the former strongly condemned the latter's nuclear testing programs. The U.S. government has been seeking for a way in order to influence North Korea to stop its missile testing and to eventually achieve peace and security in the Korean peninsula. @ 2022 HNGN, All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. Latest reports confirmed that world leaders and representatives from the United Nations as well as some other known organizations met for a special conference in London. It was claimed that the purpose of the meeting and the gathering was to discuss measures and ways to help Somalia. When these world leaders met in London, reports were claiming that the primary function of the conference was to evaluate the progress of the issues that concern security in Somalia. The said conference was co-chaired by United Kingdom Minister Theresa May. The said meeting which was held last Thursday was attended by some 40 world leaders across the world. Latin American Herald Tribune reported that one of the primary objectives of the meeting was to draft guidelines to be able to help Somalia to attain prosperity and peace which are directed to achieve by the year 2020. This is not the first time the world leaders met to discuss things and issues on Somalia since a conference with the same purpose was also held five years back. Therefore, the world leaders likewise made an assessment on the progress of what they talked about during the first summit. As the crucial meeting was held, some of the points which were discussed were economics, security, humanitarian work, and politics. Since Somalia is facing a crisis right now at those aspects and issues, other countries along with United Nations saw the need to review matters and suggest effective policies. It can be recalled that one of the pressing issues that Somalia is dealing at the moment is the threat of a terrorist group like the Somali militant group al-Shabab. Many civilians, as well as properties, were greatly affected because of the frequent attacks of these terrorist groups. Apart from ways on how to protect human rights in Somalia, Relief Web claimed that the world leaders succeeded to discuss things on how the other nations can commit to the goal of helping the said African country for its political reforms. By drafting the guidelines which will be used for the 2020 elections, the world's leaders believed that they can help Somalia become a democratic state. But in order to suggest effective policies and implement these, some leaders from Somalia also joined the said conference. Through them, UN and the world leaders will be able to determine the constitutional reforms needed. @ 2022 HNGN, All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. In yet another incident, a woman traveller reported about another incident that indicates that United Airlines is having a troubling time dealing with passengers. The recent incident involves Nicole Harper and she alleges that the flight attendants did not let her use the bathroom, even though it was extremely urgent. A Missouri woman, Nicole Harper has recently reported another incident that has the United Airline back into the news again. Harper has said that during her flight from Kansas City to Houston, the flight attendants allegedly denied allowing her to use the bathroom. She posted on Facebook, "While allowing other passengers to get up and use the restroom on a seemingly uneventful flight, United Airlines crew wouldn't allow me to get up and use the restroom until the pilot turned off the seatbelt sign," People reported. Harper further stated that she has even explained to the United Airlines crew that she has an overactive bladder and she really needed to use the bathroom. But, she was handed cups to pee. And, she had to use the cups to relieve herself when she could not hold herself any longer. Moreover, she was forced to carry the cups until she got off the aircraft. Harper has also said that apart from being rude, they kind of humiliated her and treated her like a criminal for asking to use the restroom. According to reports from AOL, the United Airlines has said in a statement that it is due to customer safety that they have certain rules and according to the FAA regulation, Ms. Harper needed to remain seated as they were on final descent. But they have reached out to Ms. Harper and Mesa Airlines to better understand the situation. This incident is the second one that has come up after Dr. David Dao was forcefully and violently removed from a flight that was Chicago bound. United Airlines and Dr. Dao have settled the matter out of court. Notably, the incident that Nicole Harper reported also happened on the same day, but the only difference was that it was a different flight. @ 2022 HNGN, All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate Shortly after the Texas Legislature authorized limited use of medical marijuana in 2015 to treat people with intractable epilepsy, the Department of Public Safety's chief financial officer projected the agency would need to license 12 dispensaries to meet the needs of some 150,000 people across the state who suffer from the condition. Two weeks ago, DPS granted conditional approval for just three, frustrating families that were counting on easy access to the low-THC strain of cannabis as well as several Texas companies looking to enter the industry. Patty Bates-Ballard, who lives near Dallas, worries the state just made it more difficult for her 14-year-old son to get the drugs that could soothe his daily seizures. She was speechless when she learned that neither of the state's largest cities, Houston and Dallas, will have a dispensary. Two were approved in Austin and one in the small town of Schulenburg 80 miles away. "They are negligent in what they are doing," Bates-Ballard said. "They are blocking us from getting the medication we need for our son." More Information By the numbers 29: States with some form of legalized medical marijuana $5.86 billion: North American industry size $7.7 billion: Projected industry size, 2021 $8.18 billion: Industry size, including states with legal recreational use $22.6 billion: Projected total industry size, 2021 15: Banks and credit unions working with cannabis companies in 2014 301: Banks and credit unions working with cannabis companies in 2016 Source: Arcview Market Research See More Collapse Forty other companies, including one in Houston with ties to the Texas Medical Center, were denied licenses. Several of those say they are looking at ways to fight back. They claim DPS is barring patients' access to needed medicine and question the integrity of the licensing process. Critics, including nonprofit groups representing the medical cannabis industry, worry DPS is undermining the state's fledgling efforts to provide medical marijuana. "This program should never have gone to a law-enforcement agency," said Keith Oakley, CEO of the Medical Cannabis Association of Texas. "This should have been given to the Department of Health." The Compassionate Use Act, signed into law in 2015, mandated that DPS license at least three companies that would cultivate and dispense low-THC cannabis for patients with intractable epilepsy. It granted rule-making authority of the Compassionate Use Program to DPS. Taylor West, deputy director of the National Cannabis Industry Association, called that approach unusual. "Most other states either regulate through a public health agency, a specially created commission, or some combo of agencies like public health, pharmacy and agriculture," West wrote in an email. "Colorado is a little different, in that it houses marijuana regulation within the Department of Revenue, but it still isn't law-enforcement-regulated." Ranking system a surprise DPS declined to be interviewed for this story, saying the licensing process is ongoing. Final approvals must be granted by Sept. 1. In emailed responses to questions, an agency spokesman cited a "statutory requirement that the department license no more than the number necessary to provide reasonable statewide access and availability." The spokesman also said DPS had reviewed compassionate-use programs in other states and determined three dispensaries would be sufficient. Eight DPS employees ranked applicant companies on specific factors, including technological capacity, security measures and cover letters. Should any of the currently approved licensees fail upcoming site inspections, DPS will replace them with the applicant that ranked next on the list. "Rules were developed through research on other states' programs and input from legislators, state agencies, stakeholders, and the general public," DPS said in the email. Patrick Moran, founder of Texas Cannabis and the nonprofit Texas Cannabis Industry Association, said he and others who were denied a license did not know about the ranking system when they applied. He said they first heard of the rankings when DPS released its list of approved licenses. Initially, Moran said, DPS had informed companies their applications would be reviewed as a whole, not in discrete sections assessed individually. As applications started coming in, the agency said representatives from other state agencies with expertise in agriculture and health would assist in the review process. Moran and others complain that after all the applications were filed, DPS reverted back to an in-house-only review. Members of the review panel have expertise in finance, security, fire safety, information technology and laboratory analysis, the DPS spokesman said. The agency also said rule changes were implemented as required by law, with comment periods and publication in the Texas Register. It was in a September 2015 Texas Register entry that DPS Chief Financial Officer Suzy Whittenton said the state would likely issue 12 licenses, all to small businesses, including "four micro businesses." Regarding patient access, DPS said it would allow the dispensing organizations to set prices and determine how their employees would deliver the medication. That, too, raised concerns. "What we have is a system that will inevitably mean higher prices," said Franklin Snyder, a Texas A&M University law professor who studies the legal marijuana industry. Snyder applauded DPS for allowing out-of-state companies to apply, but many frown upon that decision. While 37 Texas-based companies applied, two of the three licenses went to companies based in Georgia and Florida. The other was granted to a company called Compassionate Cultivation. A pair of Austin-based personal injury lawyers are listed as having an ownership stake in Compassionate Cultivation, but a company spokesman declined to provide information on the rest of the company's leadership including details on the group's chief medical officer. Texas firms at a disadvantage Scott Bier, CEO of Houston-based applicant Green Well, said many Texas companies were at a disadvantage competing against groups from states that already have legalized medical marijuana. "They have punished small business in Texas," Bier said. Moran said that disadvantage could worsen if Texas doesn't expand the Compassionate Use Program. Nationally, the industry is projected to be worth $7.7 billion in 2021. Delay will help only established national brands, what Moran calls "big marijuana." Even Texas applicants with experience abroad lost out. Houston-based Indoor Harvest has for years provided infrastructure for a Canadian medical marijuana company. For its Texas license application, the Houston group noted its current joint venture with Alamo CBD in San Antonio and Vyripharm Biopharmaceuticals housed in the Texas Medical Center. The group scored a 76.9 out of a possible 100, ranking No. 16 on the DPS list. The top three companies scored between 89.6 and 93.6. "We are moving into Colorado now," said Chad Sykes, chief innovation officer for Indoor Harvest. Other shut-out companies, including Green Well, indicated they, too, would cross state lines. They may be joined by more patients and families. "There's nothing much we can do except perhaps break the law if we stay in Texas," Bates-Ballard said. Michael Knight from Conroe has a 21-year-old son who was diagnosed with epilepsy three years ago. Although he doesn't qualify under the current Texas program, his family had hoped the state program would be expanded this legislative session to include patients with conditions other than intractable epilepsy. After a House bill to do that just failed, Knight decided he may move his family to Colorado, perhaps over the objections of his son. "He doesn't want to leave," Knight said. "He's got friends here." This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate Every fall and spring, thousands of interior designers and home-furnishing dealers head to High Point, N.C., to see what's trending for the coming season. Four Houston designers reported back on their top picks and major themes from the market's 11.5 million square feet of showroom space. While there, they shopped for their own clients, showrooms and stores: midcentury modern pieces, one-of-a-kind antiques, brand-new collections and classics from mainstay vendors. And they watched for trends, such as colors, textures and fresh ideas, in all design genres. Here are takeaways from Connie LeFevre of the Design House and Fabric House at the Houston Design Center, Aaron Rambo of Found, Micah Tipler of the Tiper Design Group in Houston and The Woodlands, and Laura Umansky of Laura U Interior Design. BLUSH Pantone named rose quartz one its Colors of the Year in 2016, and we haven't let go of it yet. Calming and feminine blush hues appeared in showrooms all over High Point, from the palest pinks to a deeper clay color, LeFevre and Umansky both noted. In furniture collections, Umansky cited the pastels in Rachel Ashwell's Shabby Chic line as well as the pinks, dusty blues and neutrals in Windsor Smith's line for Century Furniture. More Information The experts Connie LeFevre: owner of Design House and Fabric House showrooms at the Houston Design Center, designhousetx.com and fabrichousetx.com Aaron Rambo: co-owner of Found home decor shop and design services, 3433 W. Alabama; shop.foundforthehome.com Micah Tipler: owner of the Tipler Design Group in The Woodlands; tiplerdesign.com Laura Umansky: president and creative director at Laura U Interior Design and owner of House & Town custom furniture; laurauinteriordesign.com See More Collapse One example is Smith's pas de deux chaise - a chair meant for two. "Her collection is so on point, really nice," Umansky said. BOLD COLOR If you lean more toward stronger tones, look to designers such as Jeffrey Bilhuber for Henredon. "He is one of my favorite designers of all time and is considered an American master," said Rambo, who cited Bilhuber's attention to detail, patterns and colors. Bilhuber's serious-but-playful Bolton Road chair was a standout for Rambo, especially in its dark-orange iteration, to add punch to any room. GRAY GOES BEIGE We might need to hit the pause button on gray. Umansky noted that the past few years' top color trend may be taking a slightly different form: a shade that's warmer and more beigy. Expect to see more taupe and grays with beige undertones, she said. HIGH CONTRAST Combining black and white is a staple in the fashion world, and continues to be a statement-maker in home decor. "It's never gone away and is always a classic, but I definitely saw more in this market than I did in October," Tipler said. "What's nice about this trend is that you can interpret it to be contemporary, traditional or transitional." MIDCENTURY MODERN Fresh takes on midcentury-modern design were plentiful in High Point showrooms. "Classic midcentury frames and lines, but on a different scale - larger than what was originally done - and they're putting a contemporary twist on wood and fabric colors," Tipler said. CASE GOODS The quality of craftsmanship and attention to detail in sideboards, dressers and credenzas caught everyone's attention. Rambo raved about Elizabeth Ingram's line in a High Point pop-up shop, especially her Fia credenza, made of walnut, brass and concrete. The smattering of natural quartz pulls on the dark burled wood in Ashley Childers' Apollo chest (for Emporium Home) impressed Umansky, who loves the piece for its artisanal nature. There's no denying the California-cool aesthetic in Michael Berman's work for Theodore Alexander. "His style is very casual but so thoughtful and so well constructed and well designed," Umansky said, singling out his Collins console. And LeFevre noted the mixed material she found in this category: mixing wood, metal, stone, concrete and shells in new and interesting ways. GOLD Fans of Badgley Mischka clothing who were watching for the brand's first foray into home furnishings may be disappointed. The consensus is that the pieces are so flashy that they practically shout: "Look at me now!" Not quite suited for the clientele of Umansky or LeFevre, though the latter had kind words for Badgley Mischka's Monterey sofa, a subtle piece with clean lines and a delicate inlay of gold. "Gold is everywhere in their collection. All of their case goods were metal and gold and looked too busy for a lot of projects," LeFevre said. METALS Overdone gold might not be their thing, but most of our Houston contingent had examples of metal-based furniture they loved. Tipler zeroed in on Bernhardt Furniture's Arctic table, for the sharp, interesting lines from its stainless-steel base and glass surface that's smooth on top and heavily textured underneath. WALL COVERINGS In Phillip Jeffries stunning new line, there's an image of laser-cut wood veneer in a pattern that looks almost three-dimensional. While it could be meant for any case good or even flooring, it's part of the high-tech trend in wallcoverings, turning unusual textiles and surfaces into something for your walls. "I would put it on a ceiling in a man's study." Rambo said. "It would add serious architectural value to a workspace." ACRYLIC Lucite and acrylic products - mainstays of the midcentury vibe - are still around, though no one is likely using the material as anything other than a subtle reference, perhaps in a coffee table, chair or lamp. "I think, and hope, it's here to stay," Tipler said. "I've always been a Lucite and acrylic fan. It's a great tool to create something unexpected; a wood or metal cocktail table just doesn't have the same pizzazz." MIXED MESSAGES LeFevre, a showroom owner herself, visits High Point to buy things and to tap into the market's zeitgeist. Many items left her puzzled: are they confused; do they know what they even want to be? There were oddly charming pieces like Bunakara's chairs with one toe dipped in bright paint and the attention grabber, a SHO Modern mirror that's half wrapped in a horse's mane. "Houston's the most international city of all now. We have a real mix of people here, so there are people who want a lot of different looks," said LeFevre, the owner of two showrooms, Design House and Fabric House. "We have so many different types of people and different designers shopping with us. We curate from everything." This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate The state of Arkansas executed four prisoners on death row last month. Four other executions have been blocked by court order. And dialogues about the moral "rights" of this practice have been swirling around the news media, social medi and, probably, several morning coffee circles across the United States. As a Catholic scholar who writes about religion, politics and policy, I understand how Christians struggle with the death penalty - there are those who cannot endure the idea and there are others who support its use. Some Christian theologians also have also observed that capital punishment could lead to the conversion of criminals who might repent of their crimes when faced with the finality of death. But is the death penalty, which defies one of the Ten Commandments, anti-Christian? Naturally, there are two sides to this discussion. The balance In its early centuries, Christianity was seen with suspicion by authorities. Writing in defense of Christians who were unfairly charged with crimes in second-century Rome, philosopher Anthenagoras of Athens condemned the death penalty when he wrote that Christians "cannot endure even to see a man put to death, though justly." But as Christianity became more connected with state power, European Christian monarchs and governments regularly carried out the death penalty until its abolition in the 1950s through the European Convention on Human Rights. In the Western world, today, only the United States and Belarus retain capital punishment for crimes not committed during wartime. According to a 2015 Pew Research Center Survey, support for the death penalty is falling worldwide. However, in the United States a majority of white Protestants and Catholics are in favor of it. In the Hebrew Bible, Exodus 21:12 states that "whoever strikes a man so that he dies shall be put to death." In Matthew's Gospel, Jesus, however, rejects the notion of retribution when he says "if anyone slaps you on the right cheek, turn to him the other also." While it is true that the Hebrew Bible prescribes capital punishment for a variety of offenses, it is also true that later Jewish jurists set out rigorous standards for the death penalty so that it could be used only in rare circumstances. In support of death At issue in Christian considerations of the death penalty is whether the government or the state has the obligation to punish criminals and defend its citizens. St. Paul, an early Christian evangelist, wrote in his letter to the Romans that a ruler acts as "an avenger who carries out God's wrath on the wrongdoer." The Middle Ages in Europe saw thousands of murderers, witches and heretics put to death. While church courts of this period generally did not apply capital punishment, the church did turn criminals over to secular authorities for execution. Thirteenth-century Catholic philosopher Thomas Aquinas argued that the death penalty could be justified for the greater welfare of society. Later Protestant reformers also supported the right of the state to impose capital punishment. John Calvin, a Protestant theologian and reformer, for example, argued that Christian forgiveness did not mean overturning established laws. The case against The deterrence value of capital punishment remains an issue of debate. In the United States, there also are strong arguments that capital punishment is unfairly applied, especially to African-Americans. Among Christian leaders, Pope Francis has been at the forefront of arguing against the death penalty. Saint John Paul II also maintained that capital punishment should be reserved only for "absolute necessity." Pope Francis observes that the death penalty is no longer relevant because modern prisons prevent criminals from doing further harm. Pope Francis speaks of a larger ethic of forgiveness. He emphasizes social justice for all citizens as well as the opportunity for those who harm society to make amends through acts that affirm life, not death. Jesus' admonition to forgive one's enemies is often thought to do away with the "law of the talion," or an "eye for an eye" retribution - a standard that goes as far back as the prebiblical Code of Hammurabi - a law code of ancient Mesopotamia. For many, the debate is about the relationship between Christ's call for forgiveness and the legitimate powers of the state. Those Christians who support capital punishment argue that Jesus was talking about heavenly realities, not the earthly matters that governments have to deal with. Christians who oppose the death penalty say that being Christian means bringing heavenly realities to the here and now. This debate is not just about capital punishment, but about what it means to be a Christian. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate On a recent weekend morning, Sugar Land Mayor Joe Zimmerman followed his usual routine, picking up kolaches for his wife. But when Zimmerman pulled out of his subdivision, he encountered a problem the city is trying urgently to address: a fellow driver, poorly maneuvering a Mercedes SUV, was preoccupied on a phone. Sugar Land council members voted in February to enact the law that bans use of handheld electronic devices, except when a vehicle is stopped. City leaders said they weren't willing to wait to see whether state legislators would take on the topic - especially since they have voted against such measures in the past. Halfway through the city's 90-day warning period before fines of up to $500, illegal cell phone use has far from ceased among motorists. But many, including the mayor, who juggles two cell phones and three email accounts, say it has helped eliminate personal temptation as they navigate through the suburb. "We're interested in the absolute of protecting the public," he said. The debate at the state house has in prior years been an emotional one, pitting family members who have lost loved ones against legislators who believe such a bill amounts to micromanaging adult behavior. But in Sugar Land, the city leaders strive to be proactive and didn't think of the issue along political lines, Zimmerman said. The city also is not alone in forging ahead without the state. In putting its policy in place, Sugar Land joined the cities such as Austin and the Dallas-area suburb of Denton, which have similar rules. Smaller cities in Harris County, including the upscale communities of West University and Bellaire, also have cell phone ordinances in place. Even those Sugar Land residents who have already been issued warnings - more than 115 so far - concede it's a bad habit, according to police. "Everybody knows it's dangerous but they still do it," Assistant Police Chief Scott Schultz said. "When you talk to them about it, they agree with you that it's dangerous." On councilman's radar A straight shot from Houston on the Southwest Freeway or U.S. 90A, Sugar Land endeavors to exist as a city in its own right. It has attracted branches of major medical institutions, as well as businesses including oil field services company Schlumberger. With more than an estimated 87,000 residents, it is the most populous city in Fort Bend County, complete with manicured medians and a quaint town square designed as a gathering place for its diverse community. The number of people there on a given weekday can be well beyond that. The idea for such a local policy most recently surfaced in 2015, at a retreat city leaders take to discuss ideas. Several council workshops followed. It was an issue that has been on the radar of at least one council member, Harish Jajoo, in the years before that, as he watched a state bill fail to make it through. He knew that even if the state couldn't pass such measures, he could at least make his message heard at the local level. "It's a safety issue," Jajoo said. "You're not only putting your life in danger, but you're putting my life in danger if I'm driving around you." Schultz took the lead in researching the matter. He looked at policies in Austin and Denton to craft one for Sugar Land, which is also known for its red light cameras. Though neighboring Missouri City has a no-text ban, public input steered them toward a ban on any use of a handheld device, talking included. The rule passed with a 5-2 vote Feb. 21. One dissenter, Amy Mitchell, said she thought the issue belonged with the state. "To me, this somehow seems premature," she said at a meeting Feb. 7. The other, Mary Joyce, didn't believe it got at the true issue of all technology as being essentially distracting, even the so-called solution of built-in car screens. "What are we doing to get ahead of the curve?" she asked. Neither was available Friday for comment, a council staff member said. Fines begin June 20 In all, more than 90 cities across the state have handheld phone policies in place, while a statewide bill, which passed out of the House in March, remains up for consideration in the Senate. Long-term effects of the Sugar Land policy remain to be seen. Early one morning, it took hardly a minute before several drivers could be spotted whizzing down Highway 6 with phones in hand or held to their ears. Police officers aren't necessarily sitting in wait to catch the crime, but several warnings were issued one after the other along the same roadway, police department data shows. In Austin, police issued more than 5,000 tickets in 2015, the year after the law took effect, said Sgt. Michael Barger. The number was similar the year after, though Barger said enforcement also increased. Enforcement tactics in Austin are varied. Sometimes, officers ride on a bus and radio patrol units when they see offenders. Still, first-time violators can opt to buy a hands-free device rather than pay a $220 fine. "If you're able to save one person's life," Barger said, "then that's what it's all about." The Denton law takes effect June 1, police spokesman Shane Kizer said. Police there were all too aware of the tragedy that driving with cell phones can cause and supported the measure as means for change. "We're hopeful," Kizer said. On a recent weekend, Sugar Land hosted an event for residents to set up their Bluetooth ahead of June 20, when fines will begin. Several there expressed support of the measure, including Phyllis Parker. "It even makes you more alert," said Parker, who works in real estate in Sugar Land. "It makes you so much more responsible." Nearby, Classic Chevrolet Sugar Land employee Thurman Ivory walked with Lynnette Mazur to her red Cadillac. He showed her how to work the Bluetooth system. Trained as a pediatrician, Mazur said she had seen the effects of crashes on children. She had set up her Bluetooth before but it had been disconnected. "It's so easy!" she exclaimed after Ivory set it up. "Think you can make it now from here?" he asked. "I think I can," she replied. Health care solutions Regarding "Other countries have lower health costs, healthier populations" (Page B1, Wednesday), the crux of Chris Tomlinson's column is that our greedy, for-profit health care system (and its cousin health care insurance) are to blame for America's through-the-roof medical costs. But hold on a minute. The health care (and insurance) industries are not exactly bastions of unfettered free enterprise that Tomlinson implies. No other industry in this nation of ours comes to the level of governmental intervention, regulation, control and bureaucracy as does health care. And it spans all three branches of government at every level of government. Many of the nations that Tomlinson mentions, despite their socialistic tax-supported systems, seem to make health care work without all the bureaucracy and litigation and such. Rather than moving toward full socialism, perhaps we should consider making health care more like our electronics industry: minimal governmental intrusion, awesome innovation, and costs that just keep dropping. David M. Woods, Houston Pessimistic outlook Regarding "Area survey finds positive view of immigrants" (Page A3, May 3), the survey results reinforces my concerns that our nation will become a socialist country in about 20 years and later break up into smaller, separate nations within 50 years. I know this may sound politically incorrect to some, but I've observed and firmly believe diversity is actually having a negative effect on the nation. There are just too many cultures, languages, ideologies, races and religions and our republic form of government cannot meet the needs of them all. Hence we have discord. There is no area where that discord is more evident than public education. Add in the racial animosity and we go to another level of discontent. It is said America is a "nation of immigrants," and that observation is quite true. But after 241 years of existence this distinction will probably be our downfall. Hopefully, I'm just a pessimistic 80-year-old lady, and this great nation will be here for my great-great grandkids. Mary K. Fritsche, Magnolia Fast-tracking gun laws Regarding "Texas House approves 3 bills loosening gun regulations" (Chron.com, May 2), another legislative session is almost behind us, and with it, another onslaught of irresponsible and unpopular gun laws. After the passage of campus carry last session, the bills proposed by elected officials this year included removing licensing requirements for carrying handguns and the carrying of weapons into schools, stadiums and bars. The vast majority of Texas, including gun owners, oppose these measures. Law-enforcement groups including the Texas Police Chiefs Association, Fraternal Order of Police, Texas Municipal Police Association joined in a press conference last week to announce their opposition to HB 1911, permit-less carry. So the question is, who are these bills for? Why is our part-time Legislature expending precious time and energy on them, when so many other important issues directly affect the every day lives of Texans? Education, jobs, flooding, the list goes on. As a volunteer with Moms Demand Action, I work with talented, dedicated citizens to help protect public safety and reduce gun violence Texas. What if they were not called upon to spend their days opposing dangerous, unpopular legislation promoted by a few, and were freed to help solve real problems? Jenny Staff Johnson, Houston Wrong side of history Regarding "Growing dragnet stirs fear, distrust" (Page 1A, May 8), the attacks on us from both Washington and Austin are nauseating. They recall Cold War children in the USSR turning their parents in to the secret police and neighbors in 1692 Salem turning neighbors in to be hanged as witches. It also reminds of the roundup of Jews in 1938 Germany, of Japanese citizens in 1943 California torn from their families and put in camps, of the ethnic cleansing of Muslims in Bosnia or of gay men in Chechnya rounded up and tortured. Folks should not give into his madness. With papers or without, these people are our neighbors and now they need sanctuary. The roundups of the past are a horrible stain on the human character. Whoever supported them are now pariahs, their children and their children's children deeply ashamed of what they did. This roundup of good people will be no different. Tom Schmal, Houston Shakespearean Regarding "Trump fires Comey" (Page A1, Wednesday), for a man obsessed with his brand and image, President Trump seems oblivious to appearances of chaos, collusion, corruption, cover-up and conflict-of-interest. In his play "Julius Caesar" Shakespeare taught us that Caesar's wife must be above suspicion; however, that also needs to apply to Caesar's actions. Trump's actions and the sequence of events are nothing if not suspicious. Trump promised to "drain the swamp," but instead seems intent on muddying the waters with this curiously timed and oddly reasoned firing. If it is time for fresh leadership to restore confidence at the FBI, the same might also be said for the White House. Gary Schroller, Houston What to believe It is clear that James Comey was fired as head of the FBI because Trump is frustrated over the Russian investigation. What is desperately needed is an independent counsel to get to the bottom of this controversy. The conclusion is stark: if the independent counsel comes up with a relationship between Russia and the Trump administration, then that is clear evidence that Trump should be impeached for lying to everyone. ("I did not have sexual relations with that woman" got Clinton impeached because of the lie). Only an independent counsel can determine any of this independently, clearly and truthfully. Anything less will leave a cloud of suspicion over Trump for the rest of his tenure. The American people deserve to know the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth about the Russian relationship (if any) with the Trump administration. Peter J. Riga, Houston Historians will tell you that Adolf Hitler was not plagued by leakers and anonymous sources within his government. Joseph Goebbels did not routinely race to the Frankfurter Zeitung to plant embarrassing or inconvenient information about the boss. Stalin, likewise, didn't rail against anonymous saboteurs within his inner circle. Well, maybe he did now that I think about it, but he usually allayed such concerns by having those people killed or sent to the Gulag. But he didn't kill them for leaking to the press, because there was no press in any meaningful sense to leak to. In other words, for the people who seem to think that Donald Trump is an authoritarian tyrant, the fact that his administration has been plagued by leaks and anonymous sources talking out of school should be oddly reassuring. At the same time, the roaring torrent of leaks from the White House is extremely dismaying for many Trump supporters, starting with Trump himself. His decision to fire FBI Director James Comey was reportedly driven in part by his belief that Comey wasn't doing more to hunt down leakers. In some instances, Trump is right to be angry. The leaking of classified information, including transcripts of his conversations with foreign leaders, is illegal and dangerous. But in other cases, Trump's anger is aimed at members of his own staff and probably his own family, who use the media to undermine competitors in the administration. Senior adviser Steve Bannon uses his old website, Breitbart.com, to throw brickbats at his enemies. Jared Kushner, the president's son-in-law and a sort of prince regent in the Trump administration, is widely believed to use MSNBC's "Morning Joe" for similar purposes. The whole spectacle is actually pretty hilarious. "They shouldn't be allowed to use sources unless they use somebody's name," Trump thundered in a speech in February. "Let their name be put out there." A few weeks later, Trump met in the Oval Office with news anchors who attributed his comments to a "senior administration official." Indeed, the president frequently calls reporters - Americans he describes as "enemies of the people" - on "background," doling out dollops of "anonymous" information. Of course, that's not new. All presidents do it. And all administrations give the press information that's "not for attribution." What's new in this White House is not the phenomenon of leaking but the scope and nature of it. After every meeting, participants race to their phones to put their anonymous spin on what happened. The reports read like parody. The Washington Post's in-depth story on the Comey firing was based on "the private accounts of more than 30 officials at the White House, the Justice Department, the FBI and on Capitol Hill, as well as Trump confidants and other senior Republicans." On Twitter it is common to see people dismiss any inconvenient leak as "fake news" - the president's favorite term for any inconvenient or unflattering coverage. What seems lost on his knee-jerk defenders is that these leaks are coming from the president's own handpicked team. I've gotten calls from members of the administration on background and I'm not even a political reporter, never mind a particularly sympathetic columnist. What explains it? Beyond the normal messaging there are several answers. Some reporters I've talked to note that few people in the Trump White House have much experience working in a White House, contributing to the shocking lack of internal discipline and clear lines of authority. Some reporters tell me it's simply "(posterior)-covering." Maintaining good relationships with the press is an insurance policy. It's always useful to have friends in the media, particularly if an administration goes off the rails. Being able to tell reporters, "Well, you know it wasn't me" when stuff hits the fan could save your career. Another explanation is that this kind of palace-intrigue reporting has become a staple of the new media climate. All these explanations are probably true. But I think the problem ultimately goes back to the president himself. He thrives on drama, particularly drama he creates. He cares about, and monitors, media coverage like no president in American history. Trump likes to pit subordinates against each other, which encourages staffers to be free agents. This dynamic is exacerbated by his glandular zigzagging on policies and his failure to provide a consistent philosophical or policy agenda beyond "make the boss look good." In short, he values loyalty above all else but offers few incentives for it. Goldberg is an editor-at-large of National Review Online and a visiting fellow at the American Enterprise Institute. Meanwhile, staff of the corporation told the Crime Branch that the letter pad issued in the name of the mayor was fake. Subscribing to our services is a three step process. First you have to create an account and then you have to pick if you want to subscribe to digital and or print. Some people only want to be a digital subscriber to get access online and others want to also receive the print edition. 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OLD ACCOUNT NUMBERS WILL NOT WORK The account number and zip code are easily available on your most recent issue of the High Plains Journal or Midwest Ag Journal in the address fields as is shown here. Sometimes the account number has extra zero's in front of it, just ignore those. Melissa McCarthy guest hosting Saturday Night Live was everything fans expected it to be with just one problem. Alec Baldwin reprised his impersonation of U.S. President Donald Trump, promising a "bonkers" choice to replace ousted FBI director James Comey. Advertisement And McCarthy gleefully acted out what are likely Sean Spicer's last days as White House press secretary. In that skit, Spicer tracks down his boss while riding a motorized podium through New York City to find out how secure his job is. The journey ends with Trump and Spicer sharing a final kiss. While many fans noticed how blatantly "SNL" was trolling the president, others pointed out one big issue with the kiss. Advertisement That wasn't even a joke or punchline, just straight up trolling with the kiss. #SNL Steve Mullis (@stevemullis) May 14, 2017 @dcexaminer SNL is homophobic and think it's funny when two men kiss. In typical liberal fashion, state one thing, but do the exact opposite. DanBuckto (@danholyo) May 14, 2017 Vox noted that "SNL" has been pushing the envelope and playing up Trump's reported irritations over a woman portraying his spokesman. "SNL took McCarthys gender-bending and raised the president a gay joke," the outlet stated. Problem is, the gay joke wasn't particularly sharp or sophisticated. Ugh straight dudes making out is the refuge of the laziest comedy. Lydia Polgreen (@lpolgreen) May 14, 2017 So the kiss is the new "drive a car off a cliff" of SNL's "we don't know how to end this sketch" Ok goodnight mad(ness) online (@divinemadness) May 14, 2017 Advertisement This was McCarthy's fifth time as "SNL" guest host, giving her entry to the show's "Five Timer Club." Fellow member and comedian Steve Martin surprised the actress at the end of the episode, and presented her with a smoking jacket with "5" embroidered on it. With a file from The Associated Press/CP Follow HuffPost Canada on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. The Most Important Stories Sent To You 'The Daily Brief' connects you with our best stories sent right to your inbox Also on HuffPost Newsletter sign-up HuffPost UK Daily Brief Sign up and we will email you daily with the best of our political and news coverage while also giving you a taste of our most-popular lifestyle, opinion and personal blogs. Ava Jones signing highlights NSD for Iowa women's basketball Ava Jones' inspirational story added another chapter Wednesday when she officially signed with the Hawkeyes. Home Damaged, Pets Lost in North Adams Fire Firefighters contain a blaze at 75 Greylock Ave. early Sunday morning. PreviousNext NORTH ADAMS, Mass. An early morning fire severely damaged a Greylock Avenue home on Sunday. No one was injured but two pets were lost. Fire Director Stephen Meranti said the fire began on small exterior porch on the south side of the single-family home. "It extended up the outside and it entered a window on the second floor and it entered the attic, so the attic was a little difficult," he said. "The fire gets between the slate and board." The fire was called in shortly after midnight by a neighbor, who also alerted the homeowners. The house's fire alarms went off as well, said Meranti. Police Officer Anthony Beverly, who responded within minutes, said he could see the fire before he took the corner onto Greylock and that the smoke was so heavy he had trouble seeing his way around the outside of the house. "The south side of the building was fully on fire," he said. 'The flames were roiling up the side. They knocked it down pretty quick. They did a good job." Fire Lt. John Paciorek called for the oncoming shift en route to the scene after hearing Beverly's description and put out an all call for all shifts to come in when he got to the scene. Clarksburg Fire Company sent a truck to fill the airpacks and Adams Fire Department was covering the North Adams station. North Adams Ambulance Service set up a rehab tent for firefighters to get out the rain. Meranti said the occupants were able to get out of the house but not their two cats. "They lost the two cats in there, they couldn't revive them," he said. The incident is still under investigation but is not considered suspicious. House Passes Protections For Pregnant Workers PITTSFIELD, Mass The state's House of Representatives passed a bill Wednesday shoring up the rights of pregnant workers. The Pregnant Workers Fairness Act will require employers to provide basic accommodations for employees who are pregnant or are new mothers. Such provisions include allowing pregnant woman to take more frequent bathroom breaks, drink water while they work, or provided a stool to sit on. "One of the holes we had in the protections was for women who are pregnant and employers, a small percentage of employers, who do not allow for any kind of accommodation for someone who is pregnant, or, quite frankly, retaliating against women who are pregnant," state Rep. Tricia Farley-Bouvier, D-Pittsfield, said. It also makes it illegal for employers to take "adverse action against" a pregnant woman asking for "reasonable accommodation" or to deny employment because of those or require employees to accept provisions they believe are unneeded. Employers also cannot make a woman take a leave of absence if another reasonable accommodation can be provided, or refuse to hire a pregnant woman if she has the ability to do the job. Farley-Bouvier retold a story of a certified nursing assistant who got pregnant and her employer assigned her to rooms with combative patients or patients with shingles in an attempt to make her quit. "They could have easily not assigned her those rooms but that employer was trying to force her out by doing that," the lawmaker said. Another woman, Alejandra Duarte, testified before the Joint Committee on Labor and Workforce Development about the difficulties she'd had with a pregnancy nearly a decade ago. She had asked for assignments at her laundry job in Worcester that would not require her to lift items as much. Instead, she was given more difficult jobs, her schedule was changed to make the work more difficult, and was given additional assignments. She couldn't afford to leave her job and miscarried. Farley-Bouvier said she's heard similar stories in many industries and job levels. Over the decades, the number of pregnant woman in the workforce has grown and more and more are working later into pregnancy. "We have laws for disabilities but pregnancy in itself isn't a disability. You don't want to call pregnancy a disability. This allows for some specific, easy, low-impact accommodations and not imposing an undue hardship," Farley-Bouvier said. The law outlines that more frequent breaks, seating, limits on lifting be provided and that further accommodations can be required with documentation from a health care provider. "The employee still has to be able to perform essential functions, that's the legal term," Farley-Bouvier said. Additionally, the bill provides provisions for new mothers to be given the time and space to nurse. "It has protections around lactation. That can be a pretty tricky thing because the choice to nurse your child or not is a choice. But, not having an accommodation at your workplace should not be a reason that you don't choose to nurse your baby," Farley-Bouvier said. "To be able to provide time and a private place to be able to nurse or pump is included in this bill." Farley-Bouvier added that employers advocated to have those accommodations defined and that businesses would not be required to take on a large financial burden to make the accommodations. "We're not asking an employer, for example, to build a new room for lactation. We're not asking for that. We are saying provide a place behind a curtain or something like that or maybe in the break room for 10 minutes they could have privacy," she said. The bill went through the house process in three years, nearly being passed at the end of last session. The bill was introduced by retired state Rep. Ellen Story, D-Amherst, and sponsored in this session by state Rep. David Rogers, D-Cambridge. Farley-Bouvier signed on as a co-sponsor and is the vice chair of the Joint Committee on Labor and Workforce Development, which handled the bill. "One of the exciting things about this bill is the way advocates for employers and the advocates for employees came together and worked this out. It wasn't a contentious thing," Farley-Bouvier said. The Massachusetts Commission Against Discrimination is responsible for enforcing such laws. Pot & Pollinators on Williamstown Town Meeting Agenda WILLIAMSTOWN, Mass. This year's annual town meeting is all about weed and weeds. The two articles that may generate the most discussion at the Tuesday evening meeting come near the end of the agenda: Articles 36 and 39 on a 40-article warrant. The former is the zoning bylaw amendment proposed by the Planning Board that would regulate the location of potential marijuana businesses in light of last November's statewide initiative to legalize recreational pot. The latter, generated by citizens' petition, is a non-binding resolution that asks town residents to reconsider how the manage their properties in order create an environment that fosters bees, butterflies and other pollinators. Article 36 would marijuana retail, marijuana production and marijuana testing facilities to the town's land-use tables. The potential inclusion of retail in particular sparked considerable discussion at the Planning Board's public hearing on this and three other proposed zoning bylaw amendments. Several residents addressed the board to express concerns about the potential impact on youngsters who are exposed to marijuana sales in public particularly considering adverse health effects to developing minds. That discussion will continue on Monday at 7 p.m., on the eve of town meeting, with a panel discussion and question-and-answer session at First Congregational Church. Planning Board Chairwoman Amy Jeschawitz, who will be on the Monday evening panel, explained last week that the bylaw's passage would not immediately open the door to marijuana retailers, largely because the commonwealth is yet to develop a regulatory framework for such establishments. The bylaw would give the town local control over where such shops would be located when Boston figures out how to permit them. "The main reason we decided to move forward with this is that, at this point in time, if someone was looking to come into Williamstown with either a medical dispensary or retail, we have nothing on the books whatsoever as to where it can go," Jeschawitz said. "They can come in and pick a spot where retail is allowed and do it anywhere without a special permit. "Retail licenses are not being issued [by the commonwealth] until July 2018, but, still a person could come into the community and say, I'm going to rent this space in X area,' or pull a building permit and they can do it." Jeschawitz said it is unclear at this point whether or how municipalities can institute a ban. But once the commonwealth makes those kinds of decisions, Williamstown could revisit the idea whether or not it has a land-use rule in place. The Planning Board began the work of crafting a bylaw amendment in November, around the time Massachusetts voters approved recreational pot by a 53-47 ratio (the vote was 60-40 yes in Williamstown). "Our choice as a Planning Board was to do nothing, or the only other option to us was to decide it was a land use and put it in the zoning table," she said. "That's why we decided to go that route. "The other ways [of regulating] that were available through the state, whether a moratorium or an all-out ban for the community it is very unclear how that gets done or if it can be done. "Having it within our zoning table, it gives us more control." A 3-1 majority of the Board of Selectmen agreed with the idea of giving the town a measure of control as the commonwealth enters an uncertain era of legalized marijuana. "It's new for all of us to say that marijuana is legal, and there are a lot of unknowns with it," Jeschawitz said. "It is legal within the state of Massachusetts. It's just going to take a while to get used to. "I think it's scary for all of us. I think we have preconceived notions of what marijuana can be and can do. Once it gets clearer within the state, everyone will calm down." The citizen's petition to make Williamstown a " Pollinator-Friendly Community ," similar to measures on town meeting agendas around Western Massachusetts, seeks to address a serious problem that threatens the world's food supply by taking modest steps close to home. Advocates point to alarming statistics about the decline in pollinator populations and say that local landowners can help by steps like delaying the mowing of fields, reducing or eliminating herbicides and insecticides and "replacing portions of grassed areas with low maintenance flowering perennial shrubs, wildflower corridors and trees." They also note that plants like dandelions, which are treated like unwanted "weeds" and often treated with chemicals, are actually part of a healthy ecosystem and should be allowed to flourish. Two other citizen's petition-led warrant articles seek to address global issues. Article 38 would rename Columbus Day in the town to Indigenous People's Day, a move that would be largely symbolic and impact only the wording on the town and elementary school's calendars. Article 40 would require that the town give residents 30 days notice if the Williamstown Police Department decides to modify the provisions of Police Chief Kyle Johnson's March 14 general order, which clarified existing department policy on immigration laws. The general order, which is included in the annual town meeting warrant, reads, in part, "Department members shall not stop, question, interrogate, investigate or arrest an individual based solely on actual or suspected immigration or citizenship status." Chief Johnson, who was consulted in the development of the town meeting article, has endorsed the resolution The financial articles on Tuesday evening's ballot have not generated near the angst they did in 2016. Of the town's three largest cost centers, two are seeking significant increases for fiscal 2018 while the third and largest is coming in at less than the 2.5 percent threshold. General government operations (the Department of Public Works, police, administration, etc.) comes in at a 2.1 percent hike from FY17. The Mount Greylock Regional School assessment is up by 6.89 percent from the current fiscal year a hike attributable entirely to the school building project overwhelmingly approved by Williamstown voters last year. The Williamstown Elementary School budget is up by 3.64 percent, continuing a two-year trend of larger increases than town officials have requested. Although the town's Finance Committee has expressed concern about trend and requested a meeting later this month with the WES Committee, both the Fin Comm and Board of Selectmen voted unanimously to recommend passage of the budget. Voters will see a number of non-unanimous recommendation votes when they get to Articles 23 through 29, the expenditures from the Community Preservation Act. Earlier this year, the Community Preservation Committee went through a lengthy and, at times, confusing series of meetings as it tried to rein in expenditures from the act and build up a reserve. The town in 2002 adopted the CPA, under which landowners are charged a property tax surcharge of 2 percent (after a $100,000 exemption) to fund projects that support affordable housing, historic preservation and open space and recreation. iciHaiti - Social : A JetBlue Flight to Haiti diverted to Bermuda Saturday, JetBlue flight #1835 , which left the John F Kennedy International Airport in New York at 9:57 am for Port-au-Prince International Airport, was forced to divert his route for an emergency landing in Bermuda at LF Wade International Airport at approximately 1:20 pm, following a medical emergency of a passenger on board the flight. Arriving in Bermuda, the rescue teams went to the plane at the main terminal where the passenger was transferred to an ambulance and transported to the King Edward Memorial Hospital. IH/ iciHaiti Sign up to our free IndyArts newsletter for all the latest entertainment news and reviews Sign up to our free IndyArts newsletter Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the IndyArts email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} Melissa McCarthy made a triumphant return to host Saturday Night Live, officially joining the heralded 5-timers club in the process. Of course, the show didn't waste the opportunity to also invite back McCarthy's scene-stealing impersonation of White House Press Secretary Sean Spicer, depicted as the fraught, yelling, podium-grabbing buffoon that we all basically conceive him to be. The sketch saw Aidy Bryant's Sarah Huckabee Sanders filling in for Spicer, who she reassured was fulfilling his naval duties, though he was clearly hiding in the bushes outside. Not for long, however, as Spicer made his return with a fire extinguisher to put the "pants out" of the press for lying, before declaring: "Spicey's back, Sarah's out. Let's do this." Responding to questions about Trump's state of mental health, Spicer retorted: "If hes crazy, hes crazy like a fox with mental problems." The answer to Russia's possible links to the Trump campaign were then explained through a series of Russian dolls, with Ghostbusters' Slimer standing in for Steve Bannon and Pikachu for Jeff Sessions. However, pushed on the idea Trump may be lying to him even though "he wouldn't do that, he's my friend", Spicer and his motorised podium took a journey to New York City to confront his employer. Reassured that Trump only asked him to lie "since you started working here" and that he could never be replaced by Sarah because she doesn't have his "special spice",the pair then locked lips for a passionate embrace. Melissa McCarthy is back as Sean Spicer in SNL We can't wait for Trump to tweet about this sketch, that's for certain. Sign up to the Independent Climate email for the latest advice on saving the planet Get our free Climate email Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Independent Climate email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} Theresa May has been accused of turning the UKs special relationship with America into a pact of silence on climate change by refusing to speak out about the prospect of Donald Trump withdrawing the US from the Paris Agreement. Germany, France, the European Union and China have all made clear the importance of the landmark deal, and Japans Prime Minister Shinzo Abe is believed to be planning to write to Mr Trump to that effect. But Ms May, who held hands with the US President during her trip to Washington, has ignored requests to speak out from campaign groups including Oxfam, the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds, WWF, Christian Aid, Cafod and Greenpeace. The Prime Ministers closeness to the US President is becoming an election issue, with Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn accusing her of pandering to an erratic Trump administration. A petition by Greenpeace calling on Ms May to speak to Mr Trump, saying if theres one person President Donald Trump will listen to, its our Prime Minister because of her apparent good relations with him, has attracted about 150,000 signatures. And John Sauven, Greenpeace UKs executive director, said: Theresa Mays Government is the only one among the worlds six largest economies to have said nothing at all about Donald Trumps threat to pull out of the Paris Agreement. The much-vaunted special relationship must not be a pact of silence, but an opportunity to speak frankly. Theresa May must come out in defence of a global agreement thats our best hope to avoid full-blown climate change. She owes it to the majority of the British public who are concerned about it; to the clean-tech businesses that are creating jobs and building our energy future; and to the next generation. She promised to leave our children a healthier environment, but if we dont stop climate change her promise will be worthless. Climate change is altering global air currents, scientists warn Calling the UKs silence shameful, Caroline Lucas, co-leader of the Green Party, said: Theresa Mays failure to challenge Donald Trump and his threat to abandon the Paris Agreement flatly contradicts her claim that she will act to create a healthier environment. Failure to act on climate change is not only a betrayal of the vast majority who want to see urgent action, but it also undermines the jobs and the businesses which depend on our shifting to a more sustainable economy. In a submission to the United Nations, the EU noted the US would not meet its emissions reduction target for 2020 and asked bluntly: Please could the US provide additional information on how it believes its future implementation of actions will ensure it achieves its targets? China made similar comments while the UK simply asked for further details about the effect of recent policy announcement. Emmanuel Macron told Mr Trump that he would protect what was made in Paris, the French President-elects spokeswoman Laurence Haim told CNN. And Germanys Vice Chancellor Sigmar Gabriel has also told US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson of the importance of the US staying a signatory to the Paris Agreement. Mr Tillerson, former head of fossil fuel giant Exxon, is believed to be among those in the Trump administration arguing that the US should not withdraw, along with the Presidents daughter and assistant, Ivanka Trump, and Defence Secretary James Mattis. 10 photographs to show to anyone who doesn't believe in climate change Show all 10 1 /10 10 photographs to show to anyone who doesn't believe in climate change 10 photographs to show to anyone who doesn't believe in climate change A group of emperor penguins face a crack in the sea ice, near McMurdo Station, Antarctica Kira Morris 10 photographs to show to anyone who doesn't believe in climate change Floods destroyed eight bridges and ruined crops such as wheat, maize and peas in the Karimabad valley in northern Pakistan, a mountainous region with many glaciers. In many parts of the world, glaciers have been in retreat, creating dangerously large lakes that can cause devastating flooding when the banks break. Climate change can also increase rainfall in some areas, while bringing drought to others. Hira Ali 10 photographs to show to anyone who doesn't believe in climate change Smoke filled with the carbon that is driving climate change drifts across a field in Colombia. Sandra Rondon 10 photographs to show to anyone who doesn't believe in climate change Amid a flood in Islampur, Jamalpur, Bangladesh, a woman on a raft searches for somewhere dry to take shelter. Bangladesh is one of the most vulnerable places in the world to sea level rise, which is expected to make tens of millions of people homeless by 2050. Probal Rashid 10 photographs to show to anyone who doesn't believe in climate change Sindh province in Pakistan has experienced a grim mix of two consequences of climate change. Because of climate change either we have floods or not enough water to irrigate our crop and feed our animals, says the photographer. Picture clearly indicates that the extreme drought makes wide cracks in clay. Crops are very difficult to grow. Rizwan Dharejo 10 photographs to show to anyone who doesn't believe in climate change Hanna Petursdottir examines a cave inside the Svinafellsjokull glacier in Iceland, which she said had been growing rapidly. Since 2000, the size of glaciers on Iceland has reduced by 12 per cent. Tom Schifanella 10 photographs to show to anyone who doesn't believe in climate change A river once flowed along the depression in the dry earth of this part of Bangladesh, but it has disappeared amid rising temperatures. Abrar Hossain 10 photographs to show to anyone who doesn't believe in climate change A shepherd moves his herd as he looks for green pasture near the village of Sirohi in Rajasthan, northern India. The region has been badly affected by heatwaves and drought, making local people nervous about further predicted increases in temperature. Riddhima Singh Bhati 10 photographs to show to anyone who doesn't believe in climate change A factory in China is shrouded by a haze of air pollution. The World Health Organisation has warned such pollution, much of which is from the fossil fuels that cause climate change, is a public health emergency. Leung Ka Wa 10 photographs to show to anyone who doesn't believe in climate change Water levels in reservoirs, like this one in Gers, France, have been getting perilously low in areas across the world affected by drought, forcing authorities to introduce water restrictions. Mahtuf Ikhsan However, Environmental Protection Agency chief Scott Pruitt and the chief strategist, Steve Bannon, are believed to be arguing in favour of doing so. A decision was expected to be made by the end of May, but two meetings by members of the administration to discuss the issue have been postponed without explanation. The Independent sought comments from Downing Street, the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, which is responsible for climate change since Ms May scrapped the dedicated department, and the Conservative party. No responses were received. For free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Breaking News email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} Toyota is set to finance a flying car project that could take flight by 2018. The Japanese car firm will give engineers 274,000 to develop jet-propelled vehicles that will travel up to 10 metres from the ground. Drone technology is being used to power the three-wheeled prototypes, which measure just nine-and-a-half feet by four feet, and have a projected top speed of 62mph. Flying cars - tech giants in a race to the skies The so-called "Skydrive" cars have been masterminded by crowdfunded group Cartivator, based in Japan. A group of Toyota engineers had been working for them voluntarily, according to the Nikkei Asian Review. They hope early models could be used to light the Olympic flame at the 2020 summer games in Tokyo, with a manned test flight planned for the end of 2018. Other firms in the US, China, Germany, and the Netherlands have been attempting to develop flying cars. Lilium, a Munich-based group backed by Skype co-founder Niklas Zennstrom, completed successful test flights of a flying five-seater taxi in April. The company says their jet has a range of 190 miles and a top speed of 186mph. World's first commercially available flying car Show all 5 1 /5 World's first commercially available flying car World's first commercially available flying car 32721695092-f56ca822bf-oweb.jpg World's first commercially available flying car 32721695562-8b05062180-oweb.jpg World's first commercially available flying car 32751587621-27d71acc38-oweb.jpg World's first commercially available flying car 32721695482-f54a012d22-oweb.jpg World's first commercially available flying car pal2.jpg Regulators will have to be convinced the vehicles can be used safely before they develop a licensing system and new laws that would allow them to be commericalised. Global tech giants including Google and Tesla are said to be interested in the new technology. Get the free Morning Headlines email for news from our reporters across the world Sign up to our free Morning Headlines email Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Morning Headlines email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} Latest estimates have suggested up to 75,000 individuals across nearly 100 countries were affected by the massive cyber attack that locked down computers and demanded a ransom. Cyber security firm Avast said the majority of the attacks targeted Russia, Ukraine and Taiwan, although details of which computer systems were targeted in those countries remain sketchy. The full scale of the attack is not yet known but experts believe the number affected will rise on Monday when people return to work after the weekend. The attack, known as Wannacry is believed to be one of the largest of its kind, affected hospitals, companies, universities and governments, including the NHS where close to 50 health trusts are believed to have been affected. The malicious software virus locked down machines and demanded a ransom payment of between $300-600 (230-460) to regain access. The Government today called a meeting of its emergency committee, Cobra, to discuss how to handle the situation. Home Secretary Amber Rudd said most of the NHS systems were back to normal by midday on Saturday. Cybercrime: Uncovered Show all 2 1 /2 Cybercrime: Uncovered Cybercrime: Uncovered 10339.bin Cybercrime: Uncovered 10340.bin Whistleblower Edward Snowden hit out at the National Security Council for not preventing the global attack. The former CIA employee said it was likely the malware used in the attack was written by the US security experts. He tweeted: Despite warnings, @NSAGov built dangerous attack tools that could target Western software. Today we see the cost. Get the free Morning Headlines email for news from our reporters across the world Sign up to our free Morning Headlines email Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Morning Headlines email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} Ineos, the company that runs the massive Grangemouth oil refinery, has been accused of putting national security at risk after refusing to pay for counter-terrorism measures recommended by a branch of MI5. The plant, which handles about 40 per cent of the total amount of oil produced in the UK, was described as critical national infrastructure (CNI) in UK Government documents seen by The Sunday Herald newspaper and Greenpeaces Energydesk news website. The files show that in 2010/2011 the Centre for the Protection of National Infrastructure (CPNI), a part of MI5, had recommended Ineos should spend between 4m and 6m on security improvements, such as improved perimeter fencing, CCTV and alarms. However, the company then shocked officials by refusing to do so. Greenpeace UK said the apparent disregard for national security shown by the company was deeply alarming and suggested it was yet another reason to encourage the development of renewable energy instead. Ineos pointed out the documents were about seven years old and said there had been significant changes since then. The leaked Government document said: As with all CNI assets, Ineos at Grangemouth have received security advice from CPNI on proportionate security mitigations. Ineos have, however, declined to take up these recommendations (costing between 4m and 6m) because they do not see themselves as the direct beneficiary, cannot afford these measures and are restricted on non-regulated expenditure as part of their debt agreement. Recommended Major incident declared by police at huge Scottish oil refinery This is the first and only example to date of a CNI owner/operator deciding not to act upon CPNIs recommendations. A note suggesting how officials should negotiate with the company said they should argue that it is important that such critical assets have proportionate counter-terrorism protection, but also recognise this must be proportionate to all parties including yourselves (Ineos). It said the threat of a terrorist attack on energy installations at the time was deemed possible but not likely. Nevertheless, the vulnerability of Ineos refinery (which supplies steam and other utilities to the adjacent oil and gas processing plant at BP Kinneil) increases the risk of a successful terrorist attack against BP Kinneil, which could impact oil and gas production through the Forties Pipeline System, the document added. The officials considered trying to force Ineos, which turned over $35bn in 2015, to pay for the extra security, but decided they were not legally able to do this. Using taxpayer money was also not thought to be a good idea as this would potentially antagonise other private firms who had already paid for similar improvements and could also set a precedent that would allow other companies to take the same stance in the future. But a senior member of staff at Ineos had clearly expressed his opposition to the idea that Ineos should pay. We do not believe he [the Ineos staff member] will appreciate being pushed hard on this point, the document added. John Sauven, executive director of Greenpeace UK, condemned Ineos and suggested renewable energy was less vulnerable to terror attacks. Such apparent disregard for national security from a major petrochemical company is deeply alarming, he said. According to the documents, Ineoss approach was unprecedented. Such behaviour suggests that this company was not prioritising the health and security of our communities. It's time to back industries that can deliver clean, renewable power without threatening our safety or climate. Investment in clean technologies, like ever-cheaper offshore wind and battery storage, will reduce emissions and provide security, economic growth, skilled jobs and fair bills. He also pointed out that Ineos owned a large number of fracking licenses in the UK. With the Scottish Government set to decide on the future of fracking in Scotland this year, they should ask themselves if they really want to open the door for a company like Ineos to frack the Scottish countryside, Mr Sauven said. Ineos did not respond to requests for comment, made on Sunday, from The Independent. However an Ineos spokesperson told Greenpeace Energydesk: We cannot go into detail on our security arrangements at our sites, some of which is confidential for obvious reasons. However, I can say that the safety and security of each of our sites around the world is our highest priority. Our sites vary considerably in terms of their size, composition and location and so the security arrangements, which are reviewed on a regular basis, are specifically developed to take into account the specific risk and situation of each facility. We work closely with local and national authorities and emergency and security services in shaping and monitoring our security arrangements and procedures, which are tested regularly. The document you are referring to dates back almost seven years to 2010. There have been significant changes at the Ineos Grangemouth site over the intervening years. Get the free Morning Headlines email for news from our reporters across the world Sign up to our free Morning Headlines email Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Morning Headlines email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} A mother is warning other parents after her baby was allegedly snatched out of her pram at a popular seaside amusement arcade in Cleethorpes, Lincolnshire. She and other community members have also expressed concerns over the slow response of local police officers. The mother initially posted on social media, warning that her 19-month-old daughter was briefly grabbed by a man between 50 and 55 years of age at the The Mint Arcade. Recommended Durham Police to use AI to predict future crimes of suspects Writing on a community watch Facebook page, the mother wrote: Warning! A man aged 50-55, dark hair, tall medium build, sandy colour jacket and glasses grabbed my 19-month-old daughter out her pram while we were in the arcades (mint) and as I tried to grab her back he squeezed my arm very hard and scratched me!" She said that the man walked out just as help was coming. Luckily we are both okay, just very shocked something like that can happen locally! she wrote. Police have been informed just waiting now. But community members later took to the Facebook page to express outrage that eight hours after the incident was reported to police, no officers had responded. Surely this should be a priority, one resident wrote. This man is still walking the streets, not even the staff at the arcade (the mint) would help [the mother] when she was shouting. And the police have shown no interest leaving it for over 8 hours before they consider coming out. Another responded: He could of easily gone into a different arcade or maybe on the street in a shop etc and snatch (sic) a child within minutes and they still havent come? Absolutely disgusting. The Independent has contacted Humberside Police for comment. Sign up to our free Brexit and beyond email for the latest headlines on what Brexit is meaning for the UK Sign up to our Brexit email for the latest insight Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Brexit and beyond email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} A multimillionaire donor who backed Vote Leave in the EU referendum is now looking to fund a new campaign to oust almost 140 pro-Remain MPs. City asset manager Jeremy Hosking, who donated more than 1.5m to the pro-Brexit cause prior to last June's vote, said he wanted to make sure Theresa May had an army of pro-Brexit MPs behind her after the 8 June General Election. He told The Observer that he was willing to hand 5,000 each to Conservative candidates in 138 mainly Labour-held seats where the majority of voters supported Brexit, but the MP voted Remain. Recommended Tom Watson admits Tories on course for landslide general election win The candidates would have to apply for funding with Mr Hosking willing to spend a total of 690,000. The city asset manager said he believed Tory MPs from traditionally Labour-held areas could help deliver a full, national Brexit, rather than a City of London Brexit. Mr Hosking backed the Tories ahead of the UKs last election in 2015, donating 100,000 to the central party. He also launched a Brexit Express poster campaign last June before the EU referendum, plastering parts of the UK with slogans such as: 7 presidents of the EU and you didnt vote for any of them. I think it is going to be a lot of hard work so we need the best team there, and we need all the Brexiteers there particularly the Brexiteers in the Labour heartlands, he said, adding: I think that will do a lot for Brexit. Mr Hoskings offer comes after the Best for Britain group, led by pro-EU campaigner Gina Miller, managed to raise 300,000 through crowdfunding to support candidates opposing an extreme Brexit. That number has since grown, with the campaign group raising more than 384,000 of its 395,000 goal. We need to prevent MPs and the people being forced into an Extreme Brexit that is not in Britains best interests, Best for Britain says on its crowdfunding page. We will support candidates who campaign for a real final vote on Brexit, including rejecting any deal that leaves Britain worse off. UK news in pictures Show all 50 1 /50 UK news in pictures UK news in pictures 9 November 2022 Australia and Spain play during the Wheelchair Rugby League World Cup group A match at the Copper Box Arena, London PA UK news in pictures 8 November 2022 A migrant attempting to communicate with journalists is pinned against a fence by members of staff, before being taken out of view, at the Manston immigration short-term holding facility, located at the former Defence Fire Training and Development Centre in Thanet, Kent PA UK news in pictures 7 November 2022 Handout photo issued by Just Stop Oil of a protester who has climbed a gantry on the M25 between junctions six and seven in Surrey, leading to the closure of the motorway PA UK news in pictures 6 November 2022 A grey seal with its pup, at the Donna Nook National Nature Reserve in north Lincolnshire, where they come every year in late October, November and December to give birth to their pups near the sand dunes, the wildlife spectacle attracts visitors from across the UK PA UK news in pictures 5 November 2022 Demonstrators with placards calling for a General Election march near the Houses of Parliament AFP via Getty Images UK news in pictures 4 November 2022 A peacock is seen in the early winter sunshine in the Dutch Gardens in Holland Park AFP via Getty Images UK news in pictures 3 November 2022 Florence Kasumba, Letitia Wright, Tenoch Huerta and Lupita Nyongo attend the European Premiere of Black Panther: Wakanda Forever in London Getty UK news in pictures 2 November 2022 A red squirrel gathers nuts in Pitlochry, Scotland Reuters UK news in pictures 1 November 2022 Englands Tara-Jane Stanley scores their sides seventh try against Brazil during the Womens Rugby League World Cup group A match at Headingley Stadium, Leeds PA UK news in pictures 31 October 2022 GBs James Hall competes during the mens parallel bars qualification at the World Gymnastics Championships in Liverpool AFP/Getty UK news in pictures 30 October 2022 People dressed in Halloween costumes paddle board along the river Avon in Christchurch, Dorset PA UK news in pictures 29 October 2022 Members of the public take pictures as police officers remove activists from a road during a Just Stop Oil protest, in London Reuters UK news in pictures 28 October 2022 A cosplayer attends the MCM Comic Con London 2022 at the ExCel Centre in London Reuters UK news in pictures 27 October 2022 98-year-old D-Day Veteran Bernard Morgan, whose story is among those featured on the giant poppy wall, during the launch of The Royal British Legion 2022 Poppy Appeal, at Hay's Galleria in central London PA UK news in pictures 26 October 2022 A meerkat explores a pumpkin in the enclosure at Wild Place, Bristol, where some of the animals are having pumpkin treats as part of their environmental enrichment PA UK news in pictures 25 October 2022 King Charles III welcomes Rishi Sunak during an audience at Buckingham Palace, where he invited the newly elected leader of the Conservative Party to become Prime Minister and form a new government PA UK news in pictures 24 October 2022 Rishi Sunak celebrates with Tory MPs outside the Conservative Campaign Headquarters after becoming the new leader of the Conservative Party Reuters UK news in pictures 23 October 2022 The Green Man at October Plenty, Borough Market's annual Autumn Harvest festival, in London, which returns for the first time post pandemic PA UK news in pictures 21 October 2022 Sculptor Peter McKenna puts the finishing touches to a pumpkin that will form part of the Planet A Hebden Bridge Pumpkin Trail in the West Yorkshire town PA UK news in pictures 20 October 2022 Britains Prime Minister Liz Truss delivers a speech outside of 10 Downing Street in central London to announce her resignation AFP/Getty UK news in pictures 19 October 2022 Salmon leap up Stainforth Force on the River Ribble in the Yorkshire Dales as they swim upriver to their spawning grounds during the annual Salmon migration PA UK news in pictures 18 October 2022 Just Stop Oil protesters continue their protest for a second day on the Queen Elizabeth II Bridge, which links Kent and Essex and which remains closed for traffic, after it was scaled by two climbers from the group PA UK news in pictures 17 October 2022 Hundreds of students take part in the traditional Raisin Monday foam fight on St Salvator's Lower College Lawn at the University of St Andrews in Fife PA UK news in pictures 16 October 2022 A protester holds a placard during a march into central London at a demonstration by the climate change protest group Extinction Rebellion AFP/Getty UK news in pictures 15 October 2022 A member of the public drags an activist who is blocking the road during a "Just Stop Oil" protest, in London, Britain REUTERS UK news in pictures 14 October 2022 Germanys Womens double skulls during day one of the World Rowing Beach Sprint Finals at Saundersfoot beach, Pembrokeshire PA UK news in pictures 13 October 2022 Family and mourners arrive at St Michael's Church, in Creeslough, for the funeral mass of 49-year-old mother of four Martina Martin, who died following an explosion at the Applegreen service station in the village of Creeslough in Co Donegal on Friday PA UK news in pictures 12 October 2022 Motorists in Coventry pass trees showing autumnal colour PA UK news in pictures 11 October 2022 A woman and her dog in the the North Sea at Tynemouth Longsands beach before sunrise PA UK news in pictures 10 October 2022 Police officers remove a campaigner from a Just Stop Oil protest on The Mall, near Buckingham Palace, London PA UK news in pictures 9 October 2022 A drummer plays during the Diwali on the Square celebration, in Trafalgar Square, London PA UK news in pictures 8 October 2022 Timothee Chalamet attending the UK premiere of Bones and All during the BFI London Film Festival 2022 at the Royal Festival Hall, Southbank Centre, London PA UK news in pictures 7 October 2022 Two young male fallow deer lock antlers in Dublins Phoenix park as rutting season begins PA UK news in pictures 6 October 2022 The Princess of Wales during a cocktail making competition during a visit to Trademarket, a new outdoor street-food and retail market situated in Belfast city centre, as part of the royal visit to Northern Ireland PA UK news in pictures 5 October 2022 Greenpeace protesters interrupt Prime Minister Liz Truss as she delivers her keynote speech to the Conservative Party annual conference PA UK news in pictures 4 October 2022 Prime Minister Liz Truss and Britains Chancellor of the Exchequer Kwasi Kwarteng wearing hard hats and hi-vis jackets, visit a construction site for a medical innovation campus in Birmingham AFP/Getty UK news in pictures 3 October 2022 British artist Sam Cox, aka Mr Doodle, reveals the Doodle House, a twelve-room mansion at Tenterden, in Kent, which has been covered, inside and out in the artist's trademark monochrome, cartoonish hand-drawn doodles PA UK news in pictures 2 October 2022 Erling Haaland celebrates after scoring Manchester City's second goal against Manchester United at Etihad Stadium. Haaland went on to score a hattrick, his third of the season in the Premier League. City beat United 6-3. Manchester City FC/Getty UK news in pictures 1 October 2022 Protesters hold up flags and placards at a protest in London. A variety of protest groups including Enough is Enough, Don't Pay and Just Stop Oil all demonstrated on the day AFP/Getty UK news in pictures 30 September 2022 British Prime Minister Liz Truss, who has not been seen in days, leaves the back of Downing Street after a meeting with Office For Budget Responsibility following the release of her governments mini-budget Getty UK news in pictures 29 September 2022 The Virginia creeper foliage on the Tu Hwnt i'r Bont (Beyond the Bridge) Llanwrst, Conwy North Wales, has changed colour from green to red in at the start of Autumn. The building was built in 1480 as a residential dwelling but has been a tearoom for over 50 years PA UK news in pictures 28 September 2022 Criminal barristers from the Criminal Bar Association (CBA), demonstrates outside the Royal Courts of Justice in London, as part of their ongoing pay row with the Government PA UK news in pictures 27 September 2022 David White, Garter King of Arms, poses with an envelope franked with the new cypher of King Charles III 'CIIIR', after it was printed in the Court Post Office at Buckingham Palace in central London AFP/Getty UK news in pictures 26 September 2022 A gallery staff member poses next to a painting by Lucian Freud - Self-portrait (Fragment), 1956 - on show at a photocall for the Credit Suisse exhibition - Lucian Freud: New Perspectives at the National Gallery in London PA UK news in pictures 25 September 2022 Labour leader, Sir Keir Starmer is interviewed by Laura Kuenssberg in Liverpool before the start of the Labour Party annual Conference which he opened with a tribute to Queen Elizabeth II and sang the national anthem PA UK news in pictures 24 September 2022 Handout photo issued by Buckingham Palace of the ledger stone at the King George VI Memorial Chapel, St George's Chapel, Windsor Castle PA UK news in pictures 23 September 2022 A climate change activist protests against UK private jets while lighting his right arm on fire during the Laver Cup tennis tournament at the O2 Arena in London EPA UK news in pictures 22 September 2022 Woody Woodmansey, Lee Bennett, Kevin Armstrong, Nick Moran and Clifford Slapper attend the unveiling of a stone for David Bowie on the Music Walk of Fame at Camden, north London PA UK news in pictures 21 September 2022 A flock of birds in the sky as the sun rises over Dungeness in Kent PA UK news in pictures 20 September 2022 Flowers which were laid by members of the public in tribute to Queen Elizabeth II at Hillsborough Castle in Northern Ireland are collected by the Hillsborough Gardening Team and volunteers to be replanted for those that can be saved or composted PA The pro-EU group is backing 16 candidates that have vowed to leave all options on the table if Ms May negotiates a bad Brexit deal. Individual donations have been capped at 499, with recipients including former shadow Business Secretary Clive Lewis and former Lib Dem leader Nick Clegg. Mr Hosking told The Observer he would only be backing Tory candidates because he believes their support for Brexit would create a government of national unity in fulfilling Britains decision to leave the EU. He said he was prepared to invest heavily in the campaign to secure the sovereign future of this independent-minded democracy. Sign up to the Inside Politics email for your free daily briefing on the biggest stories in UK politics Get our free Inside Politics email Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Inside Politics email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} Emily Thornberry accused Defence Secretary Michael Fallon of talking bollocks in a fiery debate on Sundays Andrew Marr Show. The Conservative MP said the Shadow Foreign Secretary wanted to renegotiate the future of the Falklands sovereignty, a claim which Ms Thornberry strongly rebutted, saying: That is bollocks. Its untrue. She went on to accuse Mr Fallon of lying to the electorate. You really can't just go around making this stuff up. Theres an election on and people need to make decisions based on the truth. The Falklands archipelago, which lies 300 miles east of Argentina, remains a British overseas territory. Ms Thornberry had been asked earlier in the programme about how a Labour government would approach the issue of the Falkland Islands. She said: "There needs to be a future in terms of talking to neighbours of the Falklands... but certainly not undermining the sovereignty of the Falkland Islands." The Shadow Foreign Secretary landed a further blow on Michael Fallon when she accused him of hypocrisy for his critical stance on Jeremy Corbyns alleged support for the Irish Republican Army (IRA). "I suppose if you judge people by who it is that you spend time with, the question has to be: Do you remember where you were on May 27, 2007?" When Mr Fallon said he did not, the Labour MP informed him that he was celebrating at a reception the re-election of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, condemned by the international community for attacks on civilians during the country's long-running Civil War. "I'm not going to judge you on you going to a reception with Assad and I don't think that people should judge Jeremy by trying to talk to people who might be open to a settlement in Northern Ireland." Sir Michael confirmed that he met with Assad on the date in question but rejected claims he had celebrated his election. Sign up to the Inside Politics email for your free daily briefing on the biggest stories in UK politics Get our free Inside Politics email Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Inside Politics email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} Jeremy Corbyn has been on a journey since suggesting Nato was a danger to the world in a speech six years ago, the partys Shadow Foreign Secretary Emily Thornberry has said. Appearing on BBCs Andrew Marr Show, Ms Thornberry appeared to stumble as she was replayed a series of statements made by the Labour leader deriding the 28-member military alliance from 2011. In the clip Mr Corbyn had said the transatlantic organisation was a major problem and a danger to world peace. But Ms Thornberry responded: Thats a quote from six years ago and Jeremy has been on a journey, to coin a phrase. Recommended Corbyn signals he would refuse to send more troops to Afghanistan There have been a number of discussions. It is quite clear that the predominance of opinion within the Labour is that we are committed to Nato." Asked to repudiate Mr Corbyn's 2011 comments, she said: "I'm not fighting with anybody, I'm telling you that the Labour Party's position is a clear one." She added that "lots of politicians change their minds". During the interview Ms Thornberry also said Labour would not rescind Donald Trumps invitation to Britain on a state visit scheduled for later this year should the party win the general election in four weeks time. Asked about the planned state visit, the Shadow Foreign Secretary said: Hes been invited and dont think it would be right to disinvite him. She did, however, suggest it was a mistake to invite the US President so quickly and added she would work with him but I would be prepared to stand up to him. On the Faklands, Ms Thornberry said Labour would be prepared to send a taskforce in response to a crisis and there was no question of giving up sovereignty while the islanders wished to remain British. UK General Election 2017 Show all 47 1 /47 UK General Election 2017 UK General Election 2017 12 June 2017 British Prime Minister Theresa May leaves 10 Downing Street for the 1922 committee on June 12, 2017 in London, England. British Prime Minister Theresa May held her first cabinet meeting with her re-shuffled team today Getty Images UK General Election 2017 12 June 2017 DUP leader Arlene Foster stands alongside deputy leader Nigel Dodds as they hold a press conference at Stormont Castle as the Stormont assembly power sharing negotiations reconvene following the general election on June 12, 2017 in Belfast, Northern Ireland. Discussions between the DUP and the Conservative party are also continuing in the wake of the UK general election as Prime Minister Theresa May looks to form a government with the help of the Democratic Unionist parties ten Westminster seats. Stormont and the political situation in Northern Ireland has been in limbo following the collapse of the power sharing executive due to the Renewable Heat Incentive scheme scandal which implicated the DUP Getty Images UK General Election 2017 12 June 2017 Priti Patel, International Development Secretary leaves 10 Downing Street Getty Images UK General Election 2017 12 June 2017 Larry the Downing Street cat runs ahead of Michael Fallon Britain's Secretary of State for Defence as he arrives for a cabinet meeting at Downing Street in London, Britain, June 12, 2017. REUTERS/Stefan Wermuth REUTERS UK General Election 2017 12 June 2017 Michael Gove, Environment Secretary leaves 10 Downing Street on June 12, 2017 in London, England. British Prime Minister Theresa May held her first cabinet meeting with her re-shuffled team today Getty Images UK General Election 2017 12 June 2017 Scottish National Party Leader Nicola Sturgeon (C) leaves after speaking to the media in Parliament Square. Getty Images UK General Election 2017 12 June 2017 British Prime Minister Theresa May (C, L) holds the first Cabinet meeting of her new team. Getty UK General Election 2017 11 June 2017 British Prime Minister Theresa May attends church in her constituency with her husband Philip May, a few days after disappointing results in a general election. Rex Features UK General Election 2017 9 June 2017 Leader of the Labour Party Jeremy Corbyn leaves Labour Party HQ this morning, following a general election yesterday. Parliament is hung, with no individual party gaining an overall majority. Post general election reaction. Rex UK General Election 2017 9 June 2017 BELFAST, NORTHERN IRELAND - JUNE 09: DUP leader and Northern Ireland former First Minister Arlene Foster (C) holds a brief press conference with the DUP's newly elected Westminster candidates who stood in the general election Getty Images UK General Election 2017 9 June 2017 A " Get May Out" demo took place opposite the gates of Downing Street, calling for May to resign, after the shock election results and Mays coalition with the DUP. Rex Features UK General Election 2017 9 June 2017 A demonstrator wears a mask depicting Britain's Prime Minister and leader of the Conservative Party Theresa May, poses with a mock gravestone bearing the words "Hard Brexit, RIP", during a protest photocall near the entrance 10 Downing Street in central London AFP/Getty Images UK General Election 2017 9 June 2017 Britain's Prime Minister Theresa May arrives at the Conservative Party's headquarters in London Reuters UK General Election 2017 9 June 2017 Britain's Prime Minister and leader of the Conservative Party Theresa May flanked by her husband Philip delivers a statement outside 10 Downing Street in central Londo Getty UK General Election 2017 9 June 2017 Britain's Prime Minister and leader of the Conservative Party Theresa May leaves Buckingham Palace in London the day after a general election in which the Conservatives lost their majority Getty Images UK General Election 2017 9 June 2017 A TV cameraman watches the door of 10 Downing Street in London Getty Images UK General Election 2017 9 June 2017 Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn is greeted by his Office Director Karie Murphy as he arrives at Labour Party HQ in Westminster, London, after he called on the Prime Minister to resign, saying she should 'go and make way for a government that is truly representative of this country' Dominic Lipinski/PA Wire UK General Election 2017 9 June 2017 Britain's Prime Minister Theresa May arrives at the Conservative Party's headquarters with her husband Philip in London REUTERS/Peter Nicholls UK General Election 2017 9 June 2017 Ukip leader Paul Nuttall speaks during a press conference at Boston West Golf Club where he announced that he is standing down as party leader Joe Giddens/PA UK General Election 2017 9 June 2017 Ruth Davidson, leader of the Scottish Conservatives, leaves the counting centre for Britain's general election with her partner Jen Wilson in Edinburgh, Scotland REUTERS/Russell Cheyne UK General Election 2017 9 June 2017 Scottish Labour leader Kezia Dugdale celebrates with candidate for Edinburgh South Ian Murray as he retains his seat at the Meadowbank Sports Centre counting centre in Edinburgh, Scotland Getty Images UK General Election 2017 9 June 2017 First Minister Nicola Sturgeon speaks to the media at the Emirates Arena in Glasgow, as counting is under way for the General Election Andrew Milligan/PA Wire UK General Election 2017 9 June 2017 Scottish Conservative leader Ruth Davidson at Meadowbank Sports Centre in Edinburgh, as counting is under way for the General Election PA UK General Election 2017 9 June 2017 Scottish National Party (SNP) leader Nicola Sturgeon reacts at the Emirates Arena in Glasgow, Scotland EPA UK General Election 2017 9 June 2017 Jeremy Corbyn, leader of Britain's opposition Labour Party, arrives at the Labour Party's Headquarters in London REUTERS/Marko Djurica UK General Election 2017 9 June 2017 UKIP Leader Paul Nuttall leaves in a car following the vote count for the constituency of Boston and Skegness in Boston, England Anthony Devlin/Getty Images UK General Election 2017 9 June 2017 British Prime Minister and Conservative Party leader Theresa May speaks at the declaration at the election count at the Magnet Leisure Centre in Maidenhead, England. Getty Images UK General Election 2017 8 June 2017 A policer officer enters a polling station in London AP UK General Election 2017 8 June 2017 A woman leaves after casting her vote at the Hove Museum and Art Gallery near Brighton, in southern England Getty UK General Election 2017 8 June 2017 A polling station sign is seen on a telephone box outside the polling station at Rotherwick Hall, west of London Getty UK General Election 2017 7 June 2017 A woman walks past a general election display in the window of a betting shop in Camden on June 7, 2017 in London, United Kingdom. Britain goes to the polls tomorrow, Getty Images UK General Election 2017 7 June 2017 Britain's Prime Minister Theresa May visits Atherley Bowling Club during an election campaign visit on June 7, 2017 in Southampton, England. Britain goes to the polls tomorrow June 8 to vote in a general election. Getty Images UK General Election 2017 6 June 2017 A supporter wears a pair of Jeremy Corbyn decorated tights at a general election campaign event in Birmingham, central England, on June 6, 2017. Britain goes to the polls on June 8 to vote in a general election only days after another deadly terror attack in the nation's captial. AFP/Getty Images UK General Election 2017 6 June 2017 A picture taken in London, shows election leaflets from various parties displayed ahead of the United Kingdom's general elections. Britain goes to the polls on June 8 to vote in a general election only days after another terrorist attack on the nation's capital AFP/Getty Images UK General Election 2017 6 June 2017 Election workers, George Gaunt and Luca Tragid deliver the first ballot boxes, on the Royal Mile in Edinburgh AFP UK General Election 2017 6 June 2017 British Prime Minister Theresa May meets with Conservative party supporters during an election campaign visit to a bakery during an election campaign visit on June 6, 2017 in Fleetwood, north-west England. Britain goes to the polls on June 8 to vote in a general election only days after another terrorist attack on the nation's capital Getty Images UK General Election 2017 5 June 2017 British Prime Minister Theresa May speaks during a general election campaign visit to a removals depot in Edinburgh AFP/Getty Images UK General Election 2017 3 June 2017 Pro-Independence supporters hold a march through Glasgow AFP/Getty Images UK General Election 2017 3 June 2017 Opposition Labour Party leader Jeremy Corbyn campaigns for the upcoming general election in Beeston, Nottinghamshire AFP/Getty Images UK General Election 2017 3 June 2017 Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn reacts to supporters after a rally at Beeston Youth and Community Centre as he visits the East Midlands during the final weekend of the General Election campaign on June 3, 2017 in Nottingham, England. If elected in next week's general election Mr Corbyn is pledging to create a million new jobs and to scrap zero-hours contracts Getty Images UK General Election 2017 1 June 2017 Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party leader Ruth Davidson joins a selection of Scottish Conservative election candidates and activists during campaigning on May 1, 2017 in South Queensferry, Scotland. With only seven days to go until the general election on June 8th, polls are showing the SNP out in front and the Conservatives set to close in on Labour. Getty Images UK General Election 2017 29 May 2017 Prime Minister Theresa May canvasses in Richmond with Conservative candidate Zac Goldsmith on May 29, 2017 in London, United Kingdom. After suffering defeat in the London Mayoral election Zac Goldsmith resigned over the Government's position on Heathrow expansion. He stood as an Independent but lost in a by-election to the Liberal Democrats. Britain goes to the polls on June 8 to elect a new parliament in a general election Getty Images UK General Election 2017 22 May 2017 Liberal Democrat leader Tim Farron poses for a selfie taken by carer April Preston during a General Election campaign visit to the Barlow Medical Centre, in Didsbury, Manchester Yui Mok/PA UK General Election 2017 22 May 2017 Britain's Prime Minister Theresa May speaks at an election campaign event in Wrexham, Wales Reuters UK General Election 2017 22 May 2017 Britain's main opposition Labour Party leader Jeremy Corbyn, and Labour's former deputy Prime Minister, John Prescott, exit the party's general election campaign 'battle' bus as they arrive at an event in Kingston upon Hull, northern England Getty Images UK General Election 2017 22 May 2017 Britain's main opposition Labour Party leader Jeremy Corbyn walks with supporters between venues, before speaking again at another general election campaign event in Kingston upon Hull, northern England Getty Images UK General Election 2017 22 May 2017 An anti-fox hunting protester is taken away and arrested by police outside the venue where Britain's Prime Minister Theresa May was due to launch the Welsh Conservative general election manifesto at Gresford Memorial Hall in the village of Gresford, near Wrexham, North Wales, on May 22, 2017. Britain goes to the polls on June 8 to elect a new parliament in a general election AFP/Getty Images "There needs to be a future in terms of talking to the neighbours of the Falklands", she said, but "certainly not undermining the sovereignty of the Falkland Islands." She claimed the Tories were "gung-ho" over the use of force, insisting "you have to look at the alternatives first". Sign up to the Inside Politics email for your free daily briefing on the biggest stories in UK politics Get our free Inside Politics email Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Inside Politics email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} A Labour government under Jeremy Corbyn would be prepared to stand up to Donald Trump - but would not rescind the invitation for the US President to make a state visit to the UK later this year, according to shadow foreign secretary Emily Thornberry. On BBC One's Andrew Marr Show, Ms Thornberry was challenged about a series of statements on foreign policy made by Mr Corbyn, including his opposition to Nato and comments about the status of the Falkland Islands. Responding to 2011 footage of Mr Corbyn saying Nato is a "major problem" and a "danger to world peace", Ms Thornberry said: "That's a quote from six years ago and Jeremy has been on a journey, to coin a phrase. "There have been a number of discussions. It is quite clear that the predominance of opinion within the Labour Party is that we are committed to Nato." Saying the Labour manifesto would make clear the commitment to Nato, she added: "How would we get our forces off Salisbury Plain at the moment without the assistance of Nato? We don't have enough frigates to be able to move them onto the continent of Europe if necessary if the Russians were to come rolling over the hill." Asked to repudiate Mr Corbyn's 2011 comments, she said: "I'm not fighting with anybody, I'm telling you that the Labour Party's position is a clear one." She added that "lots of politicians change their minds". A government led by Mr Corbyn would only agree to military action on a multilateral basis "which means the UN Security Council", Ms Thornberry said - acknowledging that would potentially give Russia and China a veto over any deployment of British troops. "It is very difficult," she acknowledged, but said the international agreement for action in Kosovo showed that in some cases there were ways around the Russian security council veto. On the Falklands, Ms Thornberry said Labour would be prepared to send a taskforce in response to a crisis and there was no question of giving up sovereignty while the islanders wished to remain British. "There needs to be a future in terms of talking to the neighbours of the Falklands", she said, but "certainly not undermining the sovereignty of the Falkland Islands." She claimed the Tories were "gung-ho" over the use of force, insisting "you have to look at the alternatives first". On Mr Trump, Ms Thornberry said: "I would be prepared to stand up to him. I would be prepared to say 'I'm sorry Mr President, but you are wrong about that, we are supposed to be good friends and these values are not our values, you are doing the wrong thing'." Asked if that meant Mr Trump may decide not to come, Ms Thornberry said: "Well, there we are. I also hear that he doesn't want to share a carriage with Prince Charles because he doesn't agree with Prince Charles on climate change. " She said the visit would be a "bumpy ride" and accused Theresa May of "fawning" over the US President as she insisted that Labour would focus on human rights in its foreign policy. Ms Thornberry insisted that would not mean "we are going to boycott China" but there is a "middle way" to follow. PA Sign up to our free Brexit and beyond email for the latest headlines on what Brexit is meaning for the UK Sign up to our Brexit email for the latest insight Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Brexit and beyond email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} If the Liberal Democrats are to fulfil their rhetoric as the real opposition to Theresa May after the general election, this is where they need to win Remain-leaning south-west London. Vince Cable and Ed Davey, both former Cabinet ministers, were swept out of Parliament along with dozens of their colleagues in 2015 and have seized upon the possibility of hard Brexit as the way back in. Voters in their constituencies, Twickenham, and Kingston and Surbiton favoured Remain in the referendum last June and one pollster told The Independent: If theyre going to win any kind of seats back it needs to be in those kinds of constituencies. Recommended Plan to legalise cannabis for high street sales unveiled by Lib Dems Joe Twyman, head of political and social research at YouGov, added: If theyre not doing better in constituencies like that, then goodness only knows where theyre doing better. Nationally, however, the polls do not put the party much higher than they did two years ago and Mr Twyman said a hoped-for realignment of voter sentiment over Brexit doesnt appear to have happened. Combined, about two thirds of people either voted Leave in the first place, or support the Government in implementing the referendum result. Nonetheless, the Lib Dems see a gap in the market, and the anti-hard Brexit message may yet work on an individual constituency level, constituencies like Cambridge, Bath, Twickenham, Mr Twyman said. The Thames-side constituencies are both largely prosperous areas that, although featuring pockets of relative deprivation, have high house prices and good schools. They have some of the lowest levels of crime in London, and border affluent areas of north Surrey. Sir Vince said he was cautiously optimistic of beating the 2,017-vote majority the Conservative Tania Mathias won over him last time. He does not even need Remain-voting Conservatives to vote for him, he told The Independent, though he would like them to, if enough Labour and Green supporters are on side. And he said core Lib Dem voters who wavered in 2015 over the Coalitions record are now more staunchly in his corner. There are quite a few former Tories who are quite angry and are switching to us. But others are not sure what to do. The absolutely key people for us are the people who are Labour-inclined, he said. Weve had two years of Conservative government. People have seen what it means, the difference between what went before. Where Conservatives are coming over, its around things like school cuts and the state of the NHS. Theres an element of buyers remorse. Sir Vince Cable and Lord (Navnit) Dholakia on the campaign trail in Twickenham (Jon Sharman/Independent) Out on the campaign trail in Twickenham last week, one woman who had previously voted Conservative did indeed tell The Independent she thought Ms May needed a strong opposition, and that she could not get behind Jeremy Corbyn. The Prime Minister was not visible enough to the public and should also participate in TV debates, she said. Another resident in the leafy former council estate near Fulwell train station made a point of discussing a local school that had written to parents asking for donations to boost its funding. Sir Vince believes Dr Mathias Remain vote and rebellion against the Government on EU workers will not weaken his message because the new MP also voted for Article 50, and appears alongside the Prime Minister in publicity materials. It does link her to the extreme form of Brexit that Theresa May is pursuing. Dr Mathias sounded baffled when this was put to her. She said: Its saying I can work with Theresa, and she listens. Im a team player. The former NHS doctor said that for Remainers, losing the referendum was like bereavement. She said: Its not always the issue people come up with on the doorstep. But where they have its obviously because theyre Remain. Im standing there saying, Yes, Im Remain, but Im wanting to now work with Government to get the best deal for us. She said one woman told her she seemed to have moved on from the vote. I have had to go through all those emotions, Dr Mathias said. She said her Brexit pitch centres on what she has already done, like taking business leaders to meet ministers and contributing to a forward-looking science and technology committee report, as well as the future. I still want us to be European but I do accept where we are, and I dont want division. On school funding and the NHS, her message is simple, Dr Mathias said. She has lobbied for more money or ringfenced budgets and would continue to do so and if the leader of her party is Prime Minister, who do you think is going to be talking to the ministers? I can effect change. A former primary school governor, she has argued for more financial training for governing bodies. Lord Dholakia, the deputy leader of the Lib Dems in the House of Lords, told The Independent during the canvassing session: Were not only counting on Labour supporters coming up, but also that the young people and people who voted to remain in Europe will tip the balance this time. They will realise that theyve lost a future. In addition, Sir Vince believes the Tories absorption of Ukip voters in the recent local election will scare away the partys more moderate backers. Whether it will happen in time to do him any good is unclear. Theyve taken over the Tory party. Its made their result look better so they get a win, good headlines, but deep down if youre a sensible, middle-of-the-road Conservative voter, you must worry about what will happen with all the values and voters of Ukip being transferred across. In the long run this will do them a lot of harm, he said. The Ukip approach you have to get behind Queen Elizabeth, Boudicca, Thatcher, whoever she is may be unsuited to Twickenham, Sir Vince added. UK General Election 2017 Show all 47 1 /47 UK General Election 2017 UK General Election 2017 12 June 2017 British Prime Minister Theresa May leaves 10 Downing Street for the 1922 committee on June 12, 2017 in London, England. British Prime Minister Theresa May held her first cabinet meeting with her re-shuffled team today Getty Images UK General Election 2017 12 June 2017 DUP leader Arlene Foster stands alongside deputy leader Nigel Dodds as they hold a press conference at Stormont Castle as the Stormont assembly power sharing negotiations reconvene following the general election on June 12, 2017 in Belfast, Northern Ireland. Discussions between the DUP and the Conservative party are also continuing in the wake of the UK general election as Prime Minister Theresa May looks to form a government with the help of the Democratic Unionist parties ten Westminster seats. Stormont and the political situation in Northern Ireland has been in limbo following the collapse of the power sharing executive due to the Renewable Heat Incentive scheme scandal which implicated the DUP Getty Images UK General Election 2017 12 June 2017 Priti Patel, International Development Secretary leaves 10 Downing Street Getty Images UK General Election 2017 12 June 2017 Larry the Downing Street cat runs ahead of Michael Fallon Britain's Secretary of State for Defence as he arrives for a cabinet meeting at Downing Street in London, Britain, June 12, 2017. REUTERS/Stefan Wermuth REUTERS UK General Election 2017 12 June 2017 Michael Gove, Environment Secretary leaves 10 Downing Street on June 12, 2017 in London, England. British Prime Minister Theresa May held her first cabinet meeting with her re-shuffled team today Getty Images UK General Election 2017 12 June 2017 Scottish National Party Leader Nicola Sturgeon (C) leaves after speaking to the media in Parliament Square. Getty Images UK General Election 2017 12 June 2017 British Prime Minister Theresa May (C, L) holds the first Cabinet meeting of her new team. Getty UK General Election 2017 11 June 2017 British Prime Minister Theresa May attends church in her constituency with her husband Philip May, a few days after disappointing results in a general election. Rex Features UK General Election 2017 9 June 2017 Leader of the Labour Party Jeremy Corbyn leaves Labour Party HQ this morning, following a general election yesterday. Parliament is hung, with no individual party gaining an overall majority. Post general election reaction. Rex UK General Election 2017 9 June 2017 BELFAST, NORTHERN IRELAND - JUNE 09: DUP leader and Northern Ireland former First Minister Arlene Foster (C) holds a brief press conference with the DUP's newly elected Westminster candidates who stood in the general election Getty Images UK General Election 2017 9 June 2017 A " Get May Out" demo took place opposite the gates of Downing Street, calling for May to resign, after the shock election results and Mays coalition with the DUP. Rex Features UK General Election 2017 9 June 2017 A demonstrator wears a mask depicting Britain's Prime Minister and leader of the Conservative Party Theresa May, poses with a mock gravestone bearing the words "Hard Brexit, RIP", during a protest photocall near the entrance 10 Downing Street in central London AFP/Getty Images UK General Election 2017 9 June 2017 Britain's Prime Minister Theresa May arrives at the Conservative Party's headquarters in London Reuters UK General Election 2017 9 June 2017 Britain's Prime Minister and leader of the Conservative Party Theresa May flanked by her husband Philip delivers a statement outside 10 Downing Street in central Londo Getty UK General Election 2017 9 June 2017 Britain's Prime Minister and leader of the Conservative Party Theresa May leaves Buckingham Palace in London the day after a general election in which the Conservatives lost their majority Getty Images UK General Election 2017 9 June 2017 A TV cameraman watches the door of 10 Downing Street in London Getty Images UK General Election 2017 9 June 2017 Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn is greeted by his Office Director Karie Murphy as he arrives at Labour Party HQ in Westminster, London, after he called on the Prime Minister to resign, saying she should 'go and make way for a government that is truly representative of this country' Dominic Lipinski/PA Wire UK General Election 2017 9 June 2017 Britain's Prime Minister Theresa May arrives at the Conservative Party's headquarters with her husband Philip in London REUTERS/Peter Nicholls UK General Election 2017 9 June 2017 Ukip leader Paul Nuttall speaks during a press conference at Boston West Golf Club where he announced that he is standing down as party leader Joe Giddens/PA UK General Election 2017 9 June 2017 Ruth Davidson, leader of the Scottish Conservatives, leaves the counting centre for Britain's general election with her partner Jen Wilson in Edinburgh, Scotland REUTERS/Russell Cheyne UK General Election 2017 9 June 2017 Scottish Labour leader Kezia Dugdale celebrates with candidate for Edinburgh South Ian Murray as he retains his seat at the Meadowbank Sports Centre counting centre in Edinburgh, Scotland Getty Images UK General Election 2017 9 June 2017 First Minister Nicola Sturgeon speaks to the media at the Emirates Arena in Glasgow, as counting is under way for the General Election Andrew Milligan/PA Wire UK General Election 2017 9 June 2017 Scottish Conservative leader Ruth Davidson at Meadowbank Sports Centre in Edinburgh, as counting is under way for the General Election PA UK General Election 2017 9 June 2017 Scottish National Party (SNP) leader Nicola Sturgeon reacts at the Emirates Arena in Glasgow, Scotland EPA UK General Election 2017 9 June 2017 Jeremy Corbyn, leader of Britain's opposition Labour Party, arrives at the Labour Party's Headquarters in London REUTERS/Marko Djurica UK General Election 2017 9 June 2017 UKIP Leader Paul Nuttall leaves in a car following the vote count for the constituency of Boston and Skegness in Boston, England Anthony Devlin/Getty Images UK General Election 2017 9 June 2017 British Prime Minister and Conservative Party leader Theresa May speaks at the declaration at the election count at the Magnet Leisure Centre in Maidenhead, England. Getty Images UK General Election 2017 8 June 2017 A policer officer enters a polling station in London AP UK General Election 2017 8 June 2017 A woman leaves after casting her vote at the Hove Museum and Art Gallery near Brighton, in southern England Getty UK General Election 2017 8 June 2017 A polling station sign is seen on a telephone box outside the polling station at Rotherwick Hall, west of London Getty UK General Election 2017 7 June 2017 A woman walks past a general election display in the window of a betting shop in Camden on June 7, 2017 in London, United Kingdom. Britain goes to the polls tomorrow, Getty Images UK General Election 2017 7 June 2017 Britain's Prime Minister Theresa May visits Atherley Bowling Club during an election campaign visit on June 7, 2017 in Southampton, England. Britain goes to the polls tomorrow June 8 to vote in a general election. Getty Images UK General Election 2017 6 June 2017 A supporter wears a pair of Jeremy Corbyn decorated tights at a general election campaign event in Birmingham, central England, on June 6, 2017. Britain goes to the polls on June 8 to vote in a general election only days after another deadly terror attack in the nation's captial. AFP/Getty Images UK General Election 2017 6 June 2017 A picture taken in London, shows election leaflets from various parties displayed ahead of the United Kingdom's general elections. Britain goes to the polls on June 8 to vote in a general election only days after another terrorist attack on the nation's capital AFP/Getty Images UK General Election 2017 6 June 2017 Election workers, George Gaunt and Luca Tragid deliver the first ballot boxes, on the Royal Mile in Edinburgh AFP UK General Election 2017 6 June 2017 British Prime Minister Theresa May meets with Conservative party supporters during an election campaign visit to a bakery during an election campaign visit on June 6, 2017 in Fleetwood, north-west England. Britain goes to the polls on June 8 to vote in a general election only days after another terrorist attack on the nation's capital Getty Images UK General Election 2017 5 June 2017 British Prime Minister Theresa May speaks during a general election campaign visit to a removals depot in Edinburgh AFP/Getty Images UK General Election 2017 3 June 2017 Pro-Independence supporters hold a march through Glasgow AFP/Getty Images UK General Election 2017 3 June 2017 Opposition Labour Party leader Jeremy Corbyn campaigns for the upcoming general election in Beeston, Nottinghamshire AFP/Getty Images UK General Election 2017 3 June 2017 Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn reacts to supporters after a rally at Beeston Youth and Community Centre as he visits the East Midlands during the final weekend of the General Election campaign on June 3, 2017 in Nottingham, England. If elected in next week's general election Mr Corbyn is pledging to create a million new jobs and to scrap zero-hours contracts Getty Images UK General Election 2017 1 June 2017 Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party leader Ruth Davidson joins a selection of Scottish Conservative election candidates and activists during campaigning on May 1, 2017 in South Queensferry, Scotland. With only seven days to go until the general election on June 8th, polls are showing the SNP out in front and the Conservatives set to close in on Labour. Getty Images UK General Election 2017 29 May 2017 Prime Minister Theresa May canvasses in Richmond with Conservative candidate Zac Goldsmith on May 29, 2017 in London, United Kingdom. After suffering defeat in the London Mayoral election Zac Goldsmith resigned over the Government's position on Heathrow expansion. He stood as an Independent but lost in a by-election to the Liberal Democrats. Britain goes to the polls on June 8 to elect a new parliament in a general election Getty Images UK General Election 2017 22 May 2017 Liberal Democrat leader Tim Farron poses for a selfie taken by carer April Preston during a General Election campaign visit to the Barlow Medical Centre, in Didsbury, Manchester Yui Mok/PA UK General Election 2017 22 May 2017 Britain's Prime Minister Theresa May speaks at an election campaign event in Wrexham, Wales Reuters UK General Election 2017 22 May 2017 Britain's main opposition Labour Party leader Jeremy Corbyn, and Labour's former deputy Prime Minister, John Prescott, exit the party's general election campaign 'battle' bus as they arrive at an event in Kingston upon Hull, northern England Getty Images UK General Election 2017 22 May 2017 Britain's main opposition Labour Party leader Jeremy Corbyn walks with supporters between venues, before speaking again at another general election campaign event in Kingston upon Hull, northern England Getty Images UK General Election 2017 22 May 2017 An anti-fox hunting protester is taken away and arrested by police outside the venue where Britain's Prime Minister Theresa May was due to launch the Welsh Conservative general election manifesto at Gresford Memorial Hall in the village of Gresford, near Wrexham, North Wales, on May 22, 2017. Britain goes to the polls on June 8 to elect a new parliament in a general election AFP/Getty Images Across the river, Sir Ed said he saw similar dynamics at work. He said core support was hardening up. Its not just in terms of what theyre telling us on the doorstep, its about members. Local party membership has doubled to 900 since 2015, he claimed. And he said Labour voters were defecting in larger numbers than I can remember. On Brexit, he believes voters will want the experience of people who have negotiated in Europe like Vince Cable and myself. On Monday, ICM Unlimiteds polling put the Tories ahead of Labour nationally by 22 points, a record in the companys books. The Lib Dems sat at nine per cent support. Director Martin Boon told The Independent: The Tories are hoovering up voters from left, right and centre. Weve got a bunch of polls now putting the Lib Dems on the same sort of vote share nationally, eight to 10 per cent, that they got at the last general election. Theyre facing an uphill battle as things stand. The party will really need to work it on the doorstep if it is to regain seats in what would be considered natural territory, he said. And the so-called progressive alliance did not appear to be materialising in the polls, he added. After embarrassing recordings leaked of Sir Vince, along with Richmond Park and North Kingston candidate Sarah Olney, suggesting the Lib Dems put up paper candidates in some seats, the former Business Secretary accused Mr Corbyn of making a formal progressive alliance impossible because of his leadership. For their part, the Greens have already pulled out of the races in Twickenham and Richmond Park. While that may free up some votes for the Lib Dems, the appetite for tactical voting is hard to quantify because of a lack of constituency-level polling. Mr Boon said: The electorates in south-west London are probably more engaged than most. There will be a better chance of it happening around there but its difficult to say whats going to happen when the evidence isnt really there to extrapolate. James Berry, the Conservative who unseated Sir Ed by turning a 7,560 Lib Dem majority into a 2,834-vote lead of his own, said he had no doubt the race would be close. He attacked his predecessor for a divisive campaign essentially targeting Remain voters and trying to reopen the divisions of the referendum. A lot of people very definitely dont want to do that, he said. The majority of people who voted Remain accept the fact that the referendum was clearly conducted on the basis the result would be accepted either way. He added: Were also seeing Labour voters supporting Theresa May and the Conservatives for the first time this election, because they think shes a strong leader. And the only way Sir Ed would be able to use his international negotiating experience as an MP would be in a government with the Labour Party led by Jeremy Corbyn or as a backbencher in a minor party with no voice in government, he said. Tim Farron and the Lib Dems: All you need to know The Lib Dems have been a strong presence in this part of London for some years, but their influence appears to have waned. The 1997 election delivered Sirs Vince and Sir Ed into Parliament, alongside Jenny Tonge in Richmond Park. The latter seat was wrenched away in 2010, when Zac Goldsmith beat Ms Tonges successor Susan Kramer. Kingston Council was yellow for 12 years before the Tories re-took power in 2014, and the Lib Dems had enjoyed a term in charge in Richmond from 2006 until 2010. Mr Goldsmith was unseated by Ms Olney last year, however, when he stood as an independent after stepping down over Heathrow expansion. Her success offered some hope for Sir Ed, the former Energy Secretary said, as did a Kingston Council ward byelection victory in 2015. Ms Olney made Brexit a central theme of her campaign, and her party has included a second referendum on the divorce deal as part of its manifesto. It is difficult to tell whether that will be the difference in this part of London but for the Lib Dems the national polls may not offer much encouragement. Sir Vince readily admitted that we clearly need to rebuild our base because it was badly damaged in 2015 and he set a quick pace around the streets of his old constituency as he hunted out the faithful and those willing to be converted. Sign up to the Inside Politics email for your free daily briefing on the biggest stories in UK politics Get our free Inside Politics email Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Inside Politics email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} Michael Fallon has been forced to defend the Government's decision not to fund crucial updates for NHS computer systems, leaving them vulnerable to a global cyber attack which caused chaos at hospitals across the country. Appearing on the BBCs Andrew Marr Show, the Defence Secretary appeared to deflect criticism onto health trusts for the fact crucial files were left open for hackers to exploit. Marr asked the Defence Secretary why upgrades to the outdated Windows XP operating system had not been bought "at the crucial moment" in 2015. "That was an old system, we didn't want [NHS Trusts] to use that system, we wanted them to use modern systems that are better protected," Mr Fallon replied. He claimed the trusts had been warned and warned again about the dangers, but admitted it was a joint responsibility to defend against cyber threats. Mr Fallon also claimed the Government had set aside more than 1.9bn in an effort to tackle cyber threats, of which a large chunk of 50m went to the NHS after an official security review highlighted hacks as a major threat. Were spending around 50m on the NHS cyber systems to improve their security, Mr Fallon said. We have encouraged NHS trusts to reduce their exposure to the weakest system the Windows XP only 5 per cent, less than five per cent of the trusts, actually use that system any more and there is money available to strengthen their systems. Emily Thornberry accuses Michael Fallon of talking bollocks "We all have to work at this, the NHS wasnt particularly targeted but let me assure you, we are spending money on strengthening the cyber defence of our hospital system. Recommended Hackers unleash new more dangerous version of WannaCry ransomware Jonathan Ashworth, the shadow Health Secretary, appeared to place blame for the cyber attack on Government cuts as he appeared on ITVs Peston on Sunday. Weve seen huge investments cuts in the infrastructure of the NHS, he said. In the last year 1bn taken out of infrastructure in order to plug wider gaps in the NHS. He added: The Government have been rather complacent, when they were warned about a cyber security attack on the NHS. An international effort is under way to track down the criminals behind an unprecedented global cyber attack that wreaked havoc across the NHS. The US and Russia were among scores of countries affected by the virus, which also hit a Nissan plant in the UK. Europol said its cyber crime specialists would support affected countries as a "complex international investigation" to identify the culprits begins. Oliver Gower, of the UK's National Crime Agency, said: "Cyber criminals may believe they are anonymous but we will use all the tools at our disposal to bring them to justice." Sign up to the Inside Politics email for your free daily briefing on the biggest stories in UK politics Get our free Inside Politics email Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Inside Politics email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} Jeremy Hunt has been accused of ignoring "extensive warning signs" which could have prevented an unprecedented cyber attack from plunging the NHS into chaos. Hospitals across England and Scotland have been crippled by the global attack, which saw about 45 organisations infiltrated by malicious software on Friday. A number of hospitals were forced to cancel procedures after medical staff reported seeing computers go down "one by one" as the attack took hold, locking machines and demanding money to release the data. About a fifth of trusts were hit, with six still affected 24 hours later, amid concerns networks were left vulnerable because they were still using outdated Windows XP software. Government urged to clarify whether NHS bodies could have stopped cyber attack The apparent chink in the NHS's defences led to criticism of the Tories after the Government decided not to extend a 5.5m support deal with Microsoft for Windows XP in 2015. Labour's shadow Health Secretary, Jonathan Ashworth, in a letter to Mr Hunt, said concerns were repeatedly flagged about outdated computer systems. "The public has a right to know exactly what the Government will do to ensure that such an attack is never repeated again," he wrote. Mr Ashworth demanded to know why NHS organisations had failed to act on a critical note from Microsoft two months ago, what resources were being given to the NHS to bring the situation under control and what arrangements were in place to protect the NHS against cyber attacks. There have been repeated warnings about the vulnerability of the outdated NHS systems, including from the National Cyber Security Centre and the National Crime Agency, Mr Ashworth said. Many had been left "extremely vulnerable" to an attack since 2015, when they continued to use an outdated version of Windows after a security package had been stopped. Everyone the Government blames for the NHS crisis except themselves Show all 6 1 /6 Everyone the Government blames for the NHS crisis except themselves Everyone the Government blames for the NHS crisis except themselves The elderly We acknowledge that there are pressures on the health service, there are always extra pressures on the NHS in the winter, but we have the added pressures of the ageing population and the growing complex needs of the population, Theresa May has said. Waits of over 12 hours in A&E among elderly people have more than doubled in two years, according to figures from NHS Digital. Getty Everyone the Government blames for the NHS crisis except themselves Patients going to A&E instead of seeing their GPs Jeremy Hunt has called for a honest discussion with the public about the purpose of A&E departments, saying that around a third of A&E patients were in hospital unnecessarily. Mr Hunt told Radio 4s Today programme the NHS now had more doctors, nurses and funding than ever, but explained what he called very serious problems at some hospitals by suggesting pressures were increasing in part because people are going to A&Es when they should not. He urged patients to visit their GP for non-emergency illnesses, outlined plans to release time for family doctors to support urgent care work, and said the NHS will soon be able to deliver seven-day access to a GP from 8am to 8pm. But doctors struggling amid a GP recruitment crisis said Mr Hunts plans were unrealistic and demanded the Government commit to investing in all areas of the overstretched health service. Getty Everyone the Government blames for the NHS crisis except themselves Simon Stevens, head of NHS England Reports that key members of Ms Mays team used internal meetings to accuse Simon Stevens, head of NHS England, of being unenthusiastic and unresponsive have been rejected by Downing Street. Mr Stevens had allegedly rejected claims made by Ms May that the NHS had been given more funding than required. Getty Everyone the Government blames for the NHS crisis except themselves Previous health policy, not funding In an interview with Sky Newss Sophy Ridge, Ms May acknowledged the NHS faced pressures but said it was a problem that had been ducked by government over the years. She refuted the claim that hospitals were tackling a humanitarian crisis and said health funding was at record levels. We asked the NHS a while back to set out what it needed over the next five years in terms of its plan for the future and the funding that it would need, said the Prime Minister. They did that, we gave them that funding, in fact we gave them more funding than they required Funding is now at record levels for the NHS, more money has been going in. But doctors accused Ms May of being in denial about how the lack of additional funding provided for health and social care were behind a spiralling crisis in NHS hospitals. Getty Images Everyone the Government blames for the NHS crisis except themselves Target to treat all A&E patients within four hours Mr Hunt was accused of watering down the flagship target to treat all A&E patients within four hours. The Health Secretary told MPs the promise introduced by Tony Blairs government in 2000 should only be for those who actually need it. Amid jeers in the Commons, Mr Hunt said only four other countries pledged to treat all patients within a similar timeframe and all had less stringent rules. But Ms May has now said the Government will stand by the four-hour target for A&E, which says 95 per cent of patients must be dealt with within that time frame. Getty Images Everyone the Government blames for the NHS crisis except themselves No one Mr Hunt was accused of hiding from the public eye following news of the Red Crosss comments and didnt make an official statement for two days. He was also filmed refusing to answer questions from journalists who pursued him down the street yesterday to ask whether he planned to scrap the four-hour A&E waiting time target. Sky News reporter Beth Rigby pressed the Health Secretary on his position on the matter, saying the public will want to know, Mr Hunt. Sorry Beth, Ive answered questions about this already, replied Mr Hunt. But you didnt answer questions on this. You said it was over-interpreted in the House of Commons and you didnt want to water it down. Is that what youre saying? said Ms Rigby. Its very difficult, because how are we going to explain to the public what your intention is, when you change your position and then wont answer the question, Mr Hunt. But the Health Secretary maintained his silence until he reached his car and got in. Getty "NHS Trusts have been running thousands of outdated and unsupported Windows XP machines despite the Government ending its annual 5.5 million deal with Microsoft, which provided ongoing security support for Windows XP, in May 2015," Mr Ashworth wrote. "It effectively means that unless individual trusts were willing to pay Microsoft for an extended support deal, since May 2015 their operating systems have been extremely vulnerable to being hacked," he added. A Freedom of Information request in February found a total of 79 English trusts have suffered ransomware attacks since June 2015, he said. NHS website affected by international computer cyber attack (Rex) Speaking after a Cobra meeting on Saturday, Home Secretary Amber Rudd admitted "there's always more" that can be done to protect against viruses. She said: "If you look at who's been impacted by this virus, it's a huge variety across different industries and across international governments. "This is a virus that attacked Windows platforms. The fact is the NHS has fallen victim to this. "I don't think it's to do with that preparedness. There's always more we can all do to make sure we're secure against viruses, but I think there have already been good preparations in place by the NHS to make sure they were ready for this sort of attack." The instruction file that Nurse Helen Barrow, of Littleborough, Lancashire, found on her desktop after becoming the first known UK victim (PA) However, Ms Rudd was accused of "wild complacency" over her response and many questioned why Mr Hunt had remained quiet during the crisis. Lord Paddick, Liberal Democrat home affairs spokesman and a former Metropolitan Police deputy assistant commissioner, said Ms Rudd was "more suited to the era of analogue". "We need to get to the bottom of why the Government thought cyber attacks were not a risk, when a combination of warnings and plain common sense should have told ministers that there is a growing and dangerous threat to our cyber security," he said. "It is worrying that in Amber Rudd we have a Home Secretary in the digital age more suited to the era of analogue. This is not the first time she has looked lost in cyberspace. "The Government likes to look tough, but this is an example of where it has left Britain defenceless." A woman points to the website of the NHS: East and North Hertfordshire notifying users of a problem in its network (AFP) Britain is spending about 50m on improving the security of the National Health Service's computer systems and had warned the NHS it faced cyber threats, defence minister Michael Fallon said. In an interview with the BBC's Andrew Marr Show, Mr Fallon said Theresa May's Government had identified in its security review that cyber threats were one of the top three greatest threats for the country. "We set aside 1.9billion to protect us better against cyber and a large chunk of that went to the NHS," Mr Fallon said. "We are spending around 50million on the NHS cyber systems to improve their security, we've encouraged the NHS trusts to reduce their exposure to the weakest system, the Windows XP ... and there is money available to strengthen these systems," he added. Additional reporting by agencies Sign up to the Inside Politics email for your free daily briefing on the biggest stories in UK politics Get our free Inside Politics email Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Inside Politics email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} Nick Clegg says he has been passionately advocating against a second coalition in Liberal Democrat circles, insisting there is no glue to hold together another government with either the Conservatives or Labour. Mr Clegg, the former deputy Prime Minister, who took a leap into the political unknown seven years ago to enter, with David Cameron, into the first coalition government since 1945, now believes such an alliance with Theresa May is nonsense and his party would never dignify the current collusion between the Tories and Ukip regarding Brexit. In an interview with The Independent on the day before Parliament was dissolved, the former Liberal Democrat leader, who led the party to a calamitous near-wipeout at the last general election, said the forthcoming vote was a huge opportunity for his successor Tim Farron to capitalise on the transformation of the political landscape in Britain over the last two years. Asked whether he was optimistic about the prospects for a revival of the party, he said: We cant do much worse than 2015. So I think the only way is up. He believes barring a dramatic event in the next four weeks Ms May will remain in Downing Street on 9 June. But he criticised the Conservative party for treating the general election as a regal procession and a coronation rather than a contest. Its an odd election, he added. The question really isnt who is going to be in government, its who is going oppose them [the Conservatives] and who is going to oppose them well. They have this praetorian guard in the right-wing press that will sort of kneecap anybody who stands in their way and Jeremy Corbyn is helping tremendously with this hapless leadership of the Labour party. Its very, very likely Theresa May will be Prime Minister and then the question really becomes what kind of majority does she get, what kind of mandate does she get and how will she continue to be held to account for what I regard to be a series of very bad choices in terms of the future that she wants to impose on this country. Nick Clegg and David Cameron's first appearance together in coalition in May 2010 (Getty) Asked whether Mr Farron was right to categorically rule out entering another coalition after the election, should the situation arise, he responded: Quite right too. In the discussions we had amongst ourselves as Liberal Democrats, I was probably one of the most vociferous advocates of that because times have changed completely. When I was leader a long time ago now, prior to the 2010 election, the essay question for the Liberal Democrats was 'Would we step up to the plate in the wake of the terrible financial crisis in 2008 to provide responsible government for the country?' Now the essay question is entirely different it is 'Will we stand up to the plate to provide effective opposition?' The big prize for the Liberal Democrats, he added, is to return back into the hands of the British people the right to decide their own future once we know what the Brexit deal is in the form of a second referendum. That of course is best done by reinforcing presence on the opposition benches, he said. You have now a Government with some very powerful vested interests, some of these moneyed, rather shadowy elites that have financed the Brexit campaign in the first place. The idea the Liberal Democrats are going to participate in that is of course a nonsense. It is diametrically opposed to everything we believe in, it is a very odd union of this methodical Prime Minister and rather shadowy, unaccountable elites, who have managed to shape the public debate in a way in which pursues their ends: not only the United Kingdom leaving the European Union but doing so in order to covert the United Kingdom thereafter into a sort of low-tax, offshore economy. That is an ideological journey that is absolutely contrary to everything that liberalism and the Liberal Democrats stand for. Mr Clegg said in 2010 there was a meeting point for a coalition. We needed to do something exceptional to pull the country back from the economic brink and that was something which, in a sense, the glue that held the coalition together, he added. Theres no such glue at all. But the former leader of the Liberal Democrats refused to choose whom he would he would prefer as Prime Minister in four weeks time. Its such an invidious choice I couldnt possibly choose, he laughed. I think the sort of slightly self-indulgent nostalgia youve got in the leadership of the Labour party is as damaging as the sort of divisive, Ukip-lite approach to life that we now have from the Conservative party. There are millions of people in the country who I suspect feel pretty hopeless at the moment politically." Mr Clegg was last photographed with his old coalition partner Mr Cameron at the Ivy Brasserie in Kensington, west London, as the pair had breakfast together. But he refused to divulge in any details of the conversation. We had a cup of coffee and a light breakfast if you really must know, he said. Much though we disagree on all sorts of things, not least Europe, we had worked together for many years so we were just catching up. Unsurprisingly, it wasnt a get-together for public consumption. Asked if the coalition he agreed to enter seven years ago had been a mistake, he replied: Clearly not a mistake from the countrys point [of view]. UK General Election 2017 Show all 47 1 /47 UK General Election 2017 UK General Election 2017 12 June 2017 British Prime Minister Theresa May leaves 10 Downing Street for the 1922 committee on June 12, 2017 in London, England. British Prime Minister Theresa May held her first cabinet meeting with her re-shuffled team today Getty Images UK General Election 2017 12 June 2017 DUP leader Arlene Foster stands alongside deputy leader Nigel Dodds as they hold a press conference at Stormont Castle as the Stormont assembly power sharing negotiations reconvene following the general election on June 12, 2017 in Belfast, Northern Ireland. Discussions between the DUP and the Conservative party are also continuing in the wake of the UK general election as Prime Minister Theresa May looks to form a government with the help of the Democratic Unionist parties ten Westminster seats. Stormont and the political situation in Northern Ireland has been in limbo following the collapse of the power sharing executive due to the Renewable Heat Incentive scheme scandal which implicated the DUP Getty Images UK General Election 2017 12 June 2017 Priti Patel, International Development Secretary leaves 10 Downing Street Getty Images UK General Election 2017 12 June 2017 Larry the Downing Street cat runs ahead of Michael Fallon Britain's Secretary of State for Defence as he arrives for a cabinet meeting at Downing Street in London, Britain, June 12, 2017. REUTERS/Stefan Wermuth REUTERS UK General Election 2017 12 June 2017 Michael Gove, Environment Secretary leaves 10 Downing Street on June 12, 2017 in London, England. British Prime Minister Theresa May held her first cabinet meeting with her re-shuffled team today Getty Images UK General Election 2017 12 June 2017 Scottish National Party Leader Nicola Sturgeon (C) leaves after speaking to the media in Parliament Square. Getty Images UK General Election 2017 12 June 2017 British Prime Minister Theresa May (C, L) holds the first Cabinet meeting of her new team. Getty UK General Election 2017 11 June 2017 British Prime Minister Theresa May attends church in her constituency with her husband Philip May, a few days after disappointing results in a general election. Rex Features UK General Election 2017 9 June 2017 Leader of the Labour Party Jeremy Corbyn leaves Labour Party HQ this morning, following a general election yesterday. Parliament is hung, with no individual party gaining an overall majority. Post general election reaction. Rex UK General Election 2017 9 June 2017 BELFAST, NORTHERN IRELAND - JUNE 09: DUP leader and Northern Ireland former First Minister Arlene Foster (C) holds a brief press conference with the DUP's newly elected Westminster candidates who stood in the general election Getty Images UK General Election 2017 9 June 2017 A " Get May Out" demo took place opposite the gates of Downing Street, calling for May to resign, after the shock election results and Mays coalition with the DUP. Rex Features UK General Election 2017 9 June 2017 A demonstrator wears a mask depicting Britain's Prime Minister and leader of the Conservative Party Theresa May, poses with a mock gravestone bearing the words "Hard Brexit, RIP", during a protest photocall near the entrance 10 Downing Street in central London AFP/Getty Images UK General Election 2017 9 June 2017 Britain's Prime Minister Theresa May arrives at the Conservative Party's headquarters in London Reuters UK General Election 2017 9 June 2017 Britain's Prime Minister and leader of the Conservative Party Theresa May flanked by her husband Philip delivers a statement outside 10 Downing Street in central Londo Getty UK General Election 2017 9 June 2017 Britain's Prime Minister and leader of the Conservative Party Theresa May leaves Buckingham Palace in London the day after a general election in which the Conservatives lost their majority Getty Images UK General Election 2017 9 June 2017 A TV cameraman watches the door of 10 Downing Street in London Getty Images UK General Election 2017 9 June 2017 Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn is greeted by his Office Director Karie Murphy as he arrives at Labour Party HQ in Westminster, London, after he called on the Prime Minister to resign, saying she should 'go and make way for a government that is truly representative of this country' Dominic Lipinski/PA Wire UK General Election 2017 9 June 2017 Britain's Prime Minister Theresa May arrives at the Conservative Party's headquarters with her husband Philip in London REUTERS/Peter Nicholls UK General Election 2017 9 June 2017 Ukip leader Paul Nuttall speaks during a press conference at Boston West Golf Club where he announced that he is standing down as party leader Joe Giddens/PA UK General Election 2017 9 June 2017 Ruth Davidson, leader of the Scottish Conservatives, leaves the counting centre for Britain's general election with her partner Jen Wilson in Edinburgh, Scotland REUTERS/Russell Cheyne UK General Election 2017 9 June 2017 Scottish Labour leader Kezia Dugdale celebrates with candidate for Edinburgh South Ian Murray as he retains his seat at the Meadowbank Sports Centre counting centre in Edinburgh, Scotland Getty Images UK General Election 2017 9 June 2017 First Minister Nicola Sturgeon speaks to the media at the Emirates Arena in Glasgow, as counting is under way for the General Election Andrew Milligan/PA Wire UK General Election 2017 9 June 2017 Scottish Conservative leader Ruth Davidson at Meadowbank Sports Centre in Edinburgh, as counting is under way for the General Election PA UK General Election 2017 9 June 2017 Scottish National Party (SNP) leader Nicola Sturgeon reacts at the Emirates Arena in Glasgow, Scotland EPA UK General Election 2017 9 June 2017 Jeremy Corbyn, leader of Britain's opposition Labour Party, arrives at the Labour Party's Headquarters in London REUTERS/Marko Djurica UK General Election 2017 9 June 2017 UKIP Leader Paul Nuttall leaves in a car following the vote count for the constituency of Boston and Skegness in Boston, England Anthony Devlin/Getty Images UK General Election 2017 9 June 2017 British Prime Minister and Conservative Party leader Theresa May speaks at the declaration at the election count at the Magnet Leisure Centre in Maidenhead, England. Getty Images UK General Election 2017 8 June 2017 A policer officer enters a polling station in London AP UK General Election 2017 8 June 2017 A woman leaves after casting her vote at the Hove Museum and Art Gallery near Brighton, in southern England Getty UK General Election 2017 8 June 2017 A polling station sign is seen on a telephone box outside the polling station at Rotherwick Hall, west of London Getty UK General Election 2017 7 June 2017 A woman walks past a general election display in the window of a betting shop in Camden on June 7, 2017 in London, United Kingdom. Britain goes to the polls tomorrow, Getty Images UK General Election 2017 7 June 2017 Britain's Prime Minister Theresa May visits Atherley Bowling Club during an election campaign visit on June 7, 2017 in Southampton, England. Britain goes to the polls tomorrow June 8 to vote in a general election. Getty Images UK General Election 2017 6 June 2017 A supporter wears a pair of Jeremy Corbyn decorated tights at a general election campaign event in Birmingham, central England, on June 6, 2017. Britain goes to the polls on June 8 to vote in a general election only days after another deadly terror attack in the nation's captial. AFP/Getty Images UK General Election 2017 6 June 2017 A picture taken in London, shows election leaflets from various parties displayed ahead of the United Kingdom's general elections. Britain goes to the polls on June 8 to vote in a general election only days after another terrorist attack on the nation's capital AFP/Getty Images UK General Election 2017 6 June 2017 Election workers, George Gaunt and Luca Tragid deliver the first ballot boxes, on the Royal Mile in Edinburgh AFP UK General Election 2017 6 June 2017 British Prime Minister Theresa May meets with Conservative party supporters during an election campaign visit to a bakery during an election campaign visit on June 6, 2017 in Fleetwood, north-west England. Britain goes to the polls on June 8 to vote in a general election only days after another terrorist attack on the nation's capital Getty Images UK General Election 2017 5 June 2017 British Prime Minister Theresa May speaks during a general election campaign visit to a removals depot in Edinburgh AFP/Getty Images UK General Election 2017 3 June 2017 Pro-Independence supporters hold a march through Glasgow AFP/Getty Images UK General Election 2017 3 June 2017 Opposition Labour Party leader Jeremy Corbyn campaigns for the upcoming general election in Beeston, Nottinghamshire AFP/Getty Images UK General Election 2017 3 June 2017 Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn reacts to supporters after a rally at Beeston Youth and Community Centre as he visits the East Midlands during the final weekend of the General Election campaign on June 3, 2017 in Nottingham, England. If elected in next week's general election Mr Corbyn is pledging to create a million new jobs and to scrap zero-hours contracts Getty Images UK General Election 2017 1 June 2017 Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party leader Ruth Davidson joins a selection of Scottish Conservative election candidates and activists during campaigning on May 1, 2017 in South Queensferry, Scotland. With only seven days to go until the general election on June 8th, polls are showing the SNP out in front and the Conservatives set to close in on Labour. Getty Images UK General Election 2017 29 May 2017 Prime Minister Theresa May canvasses in Richmond with Conservative candidate Zac Goldsmith on May 29, 2017 in London, United Kingdom. After suffering defeat in the London Mayoral election Zac Goldsmith resigned over the Government's position on Heathrow expansion. He stood as an Independent but lost in a by-election to the Liberal Democrats. Britain goes to the polls on June 8 to elect a new parliament in a general election Getty Images UK General Election 2017 22 May 2017 Liberal Democrat leader Tim Farron poses for a selfie taken by carer April Preston during a General Election campaign visit to the Barlow Medical Centre, in Didsbury, Manchester Yui Mok/PA UK General Election 2017 22 May 2017 Britain's Prime Minister Theresa May speaks at an election campaign event in Wrexham, Wales Reuters UK General Election 2017 22 May 2017 Britain's main opposition Labour Party leader Jeremy Corbyn, and Labour's former deputy Prime Minister, John Prescott, exit the party's general election campaign 'battle' bus as they arrive at an event in Kingston upon Hull, northern England Getty Images UK General Election 2017 22 May 2017 Britain's main opposition Labour Party leader Jeremy Corbyn walks with supporters between venues, before speaking again at another general election campaign event in Kingston upon Hull, northern England Getty Images UK General Election 2017 22 May 2017 An anti-fox hunting protester is taken away and arrested by police outside the venue where Britain's Prime Minister Theresa May was due to launch the Welsh Conservative general election manifesto at Gresford Memorial Hall in the village of Gresford, near Wrexham, North Wales, on May 22, 2017. Britain goes to the polls on June 8 to elect a new parliament in a general election AFP/Getty Images The record shows it was a remarkably stable and moderate government compared to what we now have. It was a remarkably stable government compared to all the governments that were toppling in the rest of Europe and we did some really big, progressive things. The tragedy is, we were hardly thanked for it, to it put it mildly. The moment the reins came off the Conservatives they screwed it all up again. Having worked so painstakingly to put Humpty Dumpty back together again after the economic damage of 2008, theyve now gone a blown a 59bn further Brexit black hole in our public finances. But the issue of tuition fees remains something that has tarnished his record and still continues to blight the prospects the Liberal Democrats, especially among younger voters. At the beginning of this month, Mr Clegg faced a grilling from the ITV Good Morning Presenter Piers Morgan over the coalitions decision to treble fees for students and became visibly infuriated, describing Mr Morgan as pompous. To be honest, he likes the sound of his own voice too much. I was more sort of thinking 'Am I ever going to have a minute to say anything?' added Mr Clegg. Nick Clegg calls Piers Morgan 'pompous' and 'extraordinary' during interview Hes like a lot of self-absorbed people, he loves the sound of his own voice. To be honest I was just reacting to the idea that we had a few precious minutes together on television and it was taken up by the sound of his own voice. The former Lib Dem leader, however, concedes that the decision was something immensely damaging to us politically. We had choices to make, he adds. There just wasnt enough money to do everything we did, so the choices we made, I think will stand the test of time. We chose to invest in the poorest kids at the youngest point in their lives. Heres the really uncompromising truth: I am not the first and I wont be the last politician who found he couldnt do exactly what he wanted in power than he had hoped in opposition." Sign up to the Inside Politics email for your free daily briefing on the biggest stories in UK politics Get our free Inside Politics email Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Inside Politics email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} Theresa May is set to make her most audacious bid for Labour voters yet ahead of the general election with plans to ensure workers rights are maintained after Brexit and a raft of new provisions for workers. In her biggest raid into Labours territory, the Prime Minister will announce the Conservative manifesto will include a wide range of social policies such as the right to request leave for training, the right to child bereavement leave, up to 52 weeks off for workers who are caring for family members, and possible criminal charges for bosses that break pensions rules. On a visit to a training facility in the south of England on Monday, Ms May will say the manifesto due to be published this week will include the greatest expansion in workers rights by any Conservative government in history. She will add: I said I would use Brexit to extend the protections and rights that workers enjoy, and our manifesto will deliver exactly that. By working with business, reducing taxes and dealing with the deficit we have already delivered steady improvements to the economic prospects of working people. Now is the time to lock in that economic growth and ensure the proceeds are spread to everyone in our country. There is only one leader at this election who will put rights and opportunities for ordinary working families first. The choice next month is clear: economic stability and a better deal for workers under my Conservative team, or chaos under Jeremy Corbyn, whose nonsensical policies would trash the economy and destroy jobs. The manifesto will include the continuation of all workers rights currently guaranteed under European Union law, as set out in the Prime Ministers Article 50 letter to the bloc at the end of March. It comes after Frances OGrady, the general secretary of the Trades Union Congress, which represents millions of workers in Britain, urged Ms May to give a clear commitment to match EU social protections after Brexit. Ms Mays administration will hand new powers to the pensions regulator and give the regulator an automatic power to inspect a takeover could have on the impact on the sustainability of a pension fund, with fines and possible criminal charges against those who break the rules. General election polls and projections: May 14 The 2017 Conservative manifesto will also include new protections for workers in the so-called gig economy, following a review in modern employment practices due to be published this summer by Matthew Taylor, the former head of Tony Blairs policy unit. There will be a commitment to increase the the National Living Wage in line with median earnings for the whole of the next Parliament. But absent from the Prime Ministers bold workplace reforms is any mention of tackling excessive executive pay, something the Prime Minister pledged to address as she took office in July 2016. Labour has gone further in this area, pledging to introduce a pay ratio for firms with Government contracts, preventing executives from earning more than 20 times the wage of their lowest paid employee. The Conservative manifesto will also pledge to increase representation for workers on company boards, to strengthen the voice of employees in boardrooms. The partys plan will ensure that listed companies create stakeholder advisory panels and designate an existing non-executive director as the employee representative, or directly appoint a worker representative to the board. But in a speech to the Confederation of British Industry (CBI) earlier this year, Ms May said her Government would not force companies to do so, leading many to believe her original promise had been watered down. Speaking to business leaders in November, she added: First, while it is important that the voices of workers and consumers should be represented, I can categorically tell you this is not about mandating works councils, or the direct appointment of workers or trade union representatives on boards. Other policies in the manifesto aimed at bolstering workers rights will include a statutory right to child bereavement leave, for those who suffer the tragedy of loosing a child. The Government will consult on the exact level of bereavement leave. At the moment, many companies provide informal leave, but we will act to give employees a legal right to bereavement leave when they experience this tragedy, the manifesto will add. A new Conservative government would also introduce the right to request unpaid leave for training purposes and a legal right to care for family members who require full-time support, for between 13 and 52 weeks. Ms May will add that, if she wins the election in four weeks time, she will introduce reforms to the Equality Act to extend protections from discrimination for those suffering fluctuating or intermittent mental ill health. UK General Election 2017 Show all 47 1 /47 UK General Election 2017 UK General Election 2017 12 June 2017 British Prime Minister Theresa May leaves 10 Downing Street for the 1922 committee on June 12, 2017 in London, England. British Prime Minister Theresa May held her first cabinet meeting with her re-shuffled team today Getty Images UK General Election 2017 12 June 2017 DUP leader Arlene Foster stands alongside deputy leader Nigel Dodds as they hold a press conference at Stormont Castle as the Stormont assembly power sharing negotiations reconvene following the general election on June 12, 2017 in Belfast, Northern Ireland. Discussions between the DUP and the Conservative party are also continuing in the wake of the UK general election as Prime Minister Theresa May looks to form a government with the help of the Democratic Unionist parties ten Westminster seats. Stormont and the political situation in Northern Ireland has been in limbo following the collapse of the power sharing executive due to the Renewable Heat Incentive scheme scandal which implicated the DUP Getty Images UK General Election 2017 12 June 2017 Priti Patel, International Development Secretary leaves 10 Downing Street Getty Images UK General Election 2017 12 June 2017 Larry the Downing Street cat runs ahead of Michael Fallon Britain's Secretary of State for Defence as he arrives for a cabinet meeting at Downing Street in London, Britain, June 12, 2017. REUTERS/Stefan Wermuth REUTERS UK General Election 2017 12 June 2017 Michael Gove, Environment Secretary leaves 10 Downing Street on June 12, 2017 in London, England. British Prime Minister Theresa May held her first cabinet meeting with her re-shuffled team today Getty Images UK General Election 2017 12 June 2017 Scottish National Party Leader Nicola Sturgeon (C) leaves after speaking to the media in Parliament Square. Getty Images UK General Election 2017 12 June 2017 British Prime Minister Theresa May (C, L) holds the first Cabinet meeting of her new team. Getty UK General Election 2017 11 June 2017 British Prime Minister Theresa May attends church in her constituency with her husband Philip May, a few days after disappointing results in a general election. Rex Features UK General Election 2017 9 June 2017 Leader of the Labour Party Jeremy Corbyn leaves Labour Party HQ this morning, following a general election yesterday. Parliament is hung, with no individual party gaining an overall majority. Post general election reaction. Rex UK General Election 2017 9 June 2017 BELFAST, NORTHERN IRELAND - JUNE 09: DUP leader and Northern Ireland former First Minister Arlene Foster (C) holds a brief press conference with the DUP's newly elected Westminster candidates who stood in the general election Getty Images UK General Election 2017 9 June 2017 A " Get May Out" demo took place opposite the gates of Downing Street, calling for May to resign, after the shock election results and Mays coalition with the DUP. Rex Features UK General Election 2017 9 June 2017 A demonstrator wears a mask depicting Britain's Prime Minister and leader of the Conservative Party Theresa May, poses with a mock gravestone bearing the words "Hard Brexit, RIP", during a protest photocall near the entrance 10 Downing Street in central London AFP/Getty Images UK General Election 2017 9 June 2017 Britain's Prime Minister Theresa May arrives at the Conservative Party's headquarters in London Reuters UK General Election 2017 9 June 2017 Britain's Prime Minister and leader of the Conservative Party Theresa May flanked by her husband Philip delivers a statement outside 10 Downing Street in central Londo Getty UK General Election 2017 9 June 2017 Britain's Prime Minister and leader of the Conservative Party Theresa May leaves Buckingham Palace in London the day after a general election in which the Conservatives lost their majority Getty Images UK General Election 2017 9 June 2017 A TV cameraman watches the door of 10 Downing Street in London Getty Images UK General Election 2017 9 June 2017 Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn is greeted by his Office Director Karie Murphy as he arrives at Labour Party HQ in Westminster, London, after he called on the Prime Minister to resign, saying she should 'go and make way for a government that is truly representative of this country' Dominic Lipinski/PA Wire UK General Election 2017 9 June 2017 Britain's Prime Minister Theresa May arrives at the Conservative Party's headquarters with her husband Philip in London REUTERS/Peter Nicholls UK General Election 2017 9 June 2017 Ukip leader Paul Nuttall speaks during a press conference at Boston West Golf Club where he announced that he is standing down as party leader Joe Giddens/PA UK General Election 2017 9 June 2017 Ruth Davidson, leader of the Scottish Conservatives, leaves the counting centre for Britain's general election with her partner Jen Wilson in Edinburgh, Scotland REUTERS/Russell Cheyne UK General Election 2017 9 June 2017 Scottish Labour leader Kezia Dugdale celebrates with candidate for Edinburgh South Ian Murray as he retains his seat at the Meadowbank Sports Centre counting centre in Edinburgh, Scotland Getty Images UK General Election 2017 9 June 2017 First Minister Nicola Sturgeon speaks to the media at the Emirates Arena in Glasgow, as counting is under way for the General Election Andrew Milligan/PA Wire UK General Election 2017 9 June 2017 Scottish Conservative leader Ruth Davidson at Meadowbank Sports Centre in Edinburgh, as counting is under way for the General Election PA UK General Election 2017 9 June 2017 Scottish National Party (SNP) leader Nicola Sturgeon reacts at the Emirates Arena in Glasgow, Scotland EPA UK General Election 2017 9 June 2017 Jeremy Corbyn, leader of Britain's opposition Labour Party, arrives at the Labour Party's Headquarters in London REUTERS/Marko Djurica UK General Election 2017 9 June 2017 UKIP Leader Paul Nuttall leaves in a car following the vote count for the constituency of Boston and Skegness in Boston, England Anthony Devlin/Getty Images UK General Election 2017 9 June 2017 British Prime Minister and Conservative Party leader Theresa May speaks at the declaration at the election count at the Magnet Leisure Centre in Maidenhead, England. Getty Images UK General Election 2017 8 June 2017 A policer officer enters a polling station in London AP UK General Election 2017 8 June 2017 A woman leaves after casting her vote at the Hove Museum and Art Gallery near Brighton, in southern England Getty UK General Election 2017 8 June 2017 A polling station sign is seen on a telephone box outside the polling station at Rotherwick Hall, west of London Getty UK General Election 2017 7 June 2017 A woman walks past a general election display in the window of a betting shop in Camden on June 7, 2017 in London, United Kingdom. Britain goes to the polls tomorrow, Getty Images UK General Election 2017 7 June 2017 Britain's Prime Minister Theresa May visits Atherley Bowling Club during an election campaign visit on June 7, 2017 in Southampton, England. Britain goes to the polls tomorrow June 8 to vote in a general election. Getty Images UK General Election 2017 6 June 2017 A supporter wears a pair of Jeremy Corbyn decorated tights at a general election campaign event in Birmingham, central England, on June 6, 2017. Britain goes to the polls on June 8 to vote in a general election only days after another deadly terror attack in the nation's captial. AFP/Getty Images UK General Election 2017 6 June 2017 A picture taken in London, shows election leaflets from various parties displayed ahead of the United Kingdom's general elections. Britain goes to the polls on June 8 to vote in a general election only days after another terrorist attack on the nation's capital AFP/Getty Images UK General Election 2017 6 June 2017 Election workers, George Gaunt and Luca Tragid deliver the first ballot boxes, on the Royal Mile in Edinburgh AFP UK General Election 2017 6 June 2017 British Prime Minister Theresa May meets with Conservative party supporters during an election campaign visit to a bakery during an election campaign visit on June 6, 2017 in Fleetwood, north-west England. Britain goes to the polls on June 8 to vote in a general election only days after another terrorist attack on the nation's capital Getty Images UK General Election 2017 5 June 2017 British Prime Minister Theresa May speaks during a general election campaign visit to a removals depot in Edinburgh AFP/Getty Images UK General Election 2017 3 June 2017 Pro-Independence supporters hold a march through Glasgow AFP/Getty Images UK General Election 2017 3 June 2017 Opposition Labour Party leader Jeremy Corbyn campaigns for the upcoming general election in Beeston, Nottinghamshire AFP/Getty Images UK General Election 2017 3 June 2017 Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn reacts to supporters after a rally at Beeston Youth and Community Centre as he visits the East Midlands during the final weekend of the General Election campaign on June 3, 2017 in Nottingham, England. If elected in next week's general election Mr Corbyn is pledging to create a million new jobs and to scrap zero-hours contracts Getty Images UK General Election 2017 1 June 2017 Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party leader Ruth Davidson joins a selection of Scottish Conservative election candidates and activists during campaigning on May 1, 2017 in South Queensferry, Scotland. With only seven days to go until the general election on June 8th, polls are showing the SNP out in front and the Conservatives set to close in on Labour. Getty Images UK General Election 2017 29 May 2017 Prime Minister Theresa May canvasses in Richmond with Conservative candidate Zac Goldsmith on May 29, 2017 in London, United Kingdom. After suffering defeat in the London Mayoral election Zac Goldsmith resigned over the Government's position on Heathrow expansion. He stood as an Independent but lost in a by-election to the Liberal Democrats. Britain goes to the polls on June 8 to elect a new parliament in a general election Getty Images UK General Election 2017 22 May 2017 Liberal Democrat leader Tim Farron poses for a selfie taken by carer April Preston during a General Election campaign visit to the Barlow Medical Centre, in Didsbury, Manchester Yui Mok/PA UK General Election 2017 22 May 2017 Britain's Prime Minister Theresa May speaks at an election campaign event in Wrexham, Wales Reuters UK General Election 2017 22 May 2017 Britain's main opposition Labour Party leader Jeremy Corbyn, and Labour's former deputy Prime Minister, John Prescott, exit the party's general election campaign 'battle' bus as they arrive at an event in Kingston upon Hull, northern England Getty Images UK General Election 2017 22 May 2017 Britain's main opposition Labour Party leader Jeremy Corbyn walks with supporters between venues, before speaking again at another general election campaign event in Kingston upon Hull, northern England Getty Images UK General Election 2017 22 May 2017 An anti-fox hunting protester is taken away and arrested by police outside the venue where Britain's Prime Minister Theresa May was due to launch the Welsh Conservative general election manifesto at Gresford Memorial Hall in the village of Gresford, near Wrexham, North Wales, on May 22, 2017. Britain goes to the polls on June 8 to elect a new parliament in a general election AFP/Getty Images Labours manifesto, which was leaked to journalists last week, however, does go further. The party plans to introduce four new public holidays, ban unpaid internships, abolish tribunal fees so that people can have access to justice, and repeal the Trade Union Act. If elected, Mr Corbyns party will also double paternity leave to four weeks from two and the complete ban of zero hours contracts in Britain. Responding to the announcement, Andrew Gwynne, Labour's campaign and elections chief, said Ms May is taking working people for "fools". He added: Theresa May and her Tory Government have failed to stand up for workers; with hundreds of thousands not being paid the money owed to them, thousands unable to get their case against their employer heard and hundreds of complaints of employment agency malpractice going un-investigated. The Tories have spent the last seven years prioritising the few, opposing Labour's proposals to give workers more rights and overseeing wage stagnation which has left people worse off." Sign up to the Inside Politics email for your free daily briefing on the biggest stories in UK politics Get our free Inside Politics email Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Inside Politics email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} The Conservatives will increase the number of homes for social rent with a new right-to-buy scheme, Theresa May has announced. Ministers have since confirmed no new money will be spent on the scheme, which will be funded through cash promised in last year's Autumn Statement. The Tories have pledged to build a new generation of fixed-term, high quality council homes, a proportion of which would be resold after ten to fifteen years, with the tenant being given the first option to buy. The policy announcement refers to thousands of new homes, but the Conservatives could not confirm how many new homes would be built under the new scheme. Former Housing Minister Brandon Lewis told Andrew Neil on Sunday Politics the number of homes would depend on negotiations with local authorities. Shadow Housing Minister John Healey denounced the plans as political spin, with no substance. Theres no commitment on the number of new affordable homes or on new funding. Under Theresa May and the Tories weve seen seven years of failure on housing, with the level of new affordable house building now at a 24-year low. Just 32,110 affordable homes - which can be offered to tenants at up to 80 per cent of the market rate - were built last year, the lowest number since 1991. Defence Secretary Michael Fallon confirmed on Sundays Andrew Marr Show there would be no new money for the policy, which would be funded from 1.4bn outlined in last year's Autumn Statement. "It's a very attractive policy that will give people a real alternative to waiting and waiting and waiting to get into a council house or flat of their choice." "Capitalism is breaking": meet the 25-year-old London politician fighting the housing crisis When the extra funding was announced in November, the Government said the extra 1.4bn would build 40,000 homes by 2021. Rob Warm, head of external affairs at the National Housing Federation, told The Independent there was currently a shortfall of around 100,000 to 120,000 homes each year in the UK. For the first time I can remember theres a bit of an arms race on housing among all the main parties. Social housing is part of the conversation for all the main parties and we welcome that. Historically there have been problems with right to buy. The key problem is not that people bought their homes, it was to do with replacement. Weve always been clear that homes must be built at a rate that replaces ones that are lost." A leaked draft of Labours manifesto includes a policy pledging to suspend right-to-buy arrangements unless the local authority can guarantee homes will replaced at the same rate. Labour have also announced they will build a million new homes over the course of the next Parliament, of which half would be council homes. For free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Breaking News email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} The home of Dramane Maulvi Haidara is down a dusty alleyway of pot-holes with an open drain alongside. There, behind a heavy wooden door studded with metal in a dark, windowless room, lay a rich treasure trove that has been guarded with utmost care from a determined enemy. There was widespread shock and international condemnation in the last act of vindictiveness by the Islamists as they retreated from Timbuktu burning priceless manuscripts taken from the Ahmed Baba library, a renowned repository of Malis historic literature, as they left. But other such losses have been avoided by hiding heritage in private homes such as that of the Haidaras. Around 30 families in the city, most of them of religious scholars known as marabous, hold archives of immense value handed down through generations. As the danger of cultural vandalism from the Salafist fighters grew, a network of volunteers was set up to surreptitiously remove artefacts from public institutions for safekeeping. Some were smuggled out to the capital, Bamako, some were put in with the private collections and stayed behind closed doors in Timbuktu. Despite the Islamists offering money to get information about the private collections, the manuscripts remained largely undetected. Mohammed Sekou, a neighbour of Mr Haidara, said: One of them told me that I would get a reward if I told them of places the books were hidden. He then warned that I would be whipped if I knew the locations and did not tell them. The man wasnt even from Timbuktu, he was from the mountains in the north. Did he think Id betray what our community has guarded for hundreds of years so cheaply? Can you imagine how terrible it would have been if they burnt this? asked Mr Haidara, holding up a book of Hadiths (sayings of the Prophet Mohamed) pages of exquisite calligraphy between fraying covers of Moroccan leather produced in the 14th century. Also of immense historical value was a Koran from a mosque in the city from the 1600s, when Timbuktu was at the height of its literary and theocratic renaissance. The city became especially known for its book trade, with scribes turning out works on a wide array of subjects while the Sankore Madrasah, an Islamic college, became a centre for religious discourse, its fame spreading throughout the Arab world. This is a book of Islam, but that wouldnt have stopped them as you know they burned holy books, they considered everything that did not meet their view of our religion as things to be destroyed, Mr Haidara, a teacher of Islam and Arabic, said. Some of the collection had been taken to Bamako by one of Mr Haidaras brothers. But it was deemed too risky to move the other documents, because they may have been caught doing so and they risked damaging fragile books during the journey over rough terrain. Other manuscripts emerged from two green trunks in which they had been hidden away on astronomy and algebra, poetry and horticulture. The salafists do not like these subjects because they say they are not in the Koran, Mr Haidara, 48, said. But this is our history. Some of the books here are from the public library, the rest are from our family. My grandfather was Sidi Zaian, a well-known marabou. He was also a collector; he handed it all over to my father and now this is my responsibility as a marabou. During his visit to Mali at the weekend, which included a tumultuous welcome in Timbuktu, the French President Francois Hollande was shown the charred remains of the manuscripts at the library. Irina Bokova, the director general of Unesco, who was on the same trip, said that reinforced Mr Hollandes view that he had done the right thing in sending in troops. The Islamists were trying to destroy the heritage and identity of Mali, Ms Bokova said. The damage that has been done to this needs urgent attention just as much as the reconstruction of infrastructure. The guardians of the heritage say they know the collections should be kept under better conditions. This is not the way to keep these beautiful books, Ali Hussein Cisse, 37, said, pointing to the manuscripts at his home. My son Abdulhai Ali is 10-years old, he too is going to be a marabou; I sent him away to Niono when the salafists were here because they were trying to get children to inform on their parents. The salafists have no respect for age, they have no respect for tradition, no respect for learning. They are a curse on our world. French to pull out next month President Francois Hollande has told a cabinet meeting that France would begin to pull its 3,600 troops out of Mali next month. Earlier, the defence ministry in Paris said several hundred Islamist fighters had been killed since France intervened a month ago. The Defence minister, Jean-Yves Le Drian, admitted there had been French casualties, other than a helicopter pilot killed on the first day. He said that two or three French soldiers had been wounded but none seriously. He also confirmed reports of skirmishes between French troops and Islamist guerrillas. Sign up to our Evening Headlines email for your daily guide to the latest news Sign up to our free US Evening Headlines email Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Evening Headlines email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} North Korea, defying calls to rein in its weapons programme, fired a ballistic missile that landed in the sea near Russia on Sunday, days after a new leader in South Korea came to power pledging to engage Pyongyang in dialogue. The U.S. military's Pacific Command said it was assessing the type of missile that was fired but it was "not consistent with an intercontinental ballistic missile". The U.S. threat assessment has not changed from a national security standpoint, a U.S. official said. Japanese Defence Minister Tomomi Inada said the missile could be a new type. It flew for 30 minutes before dropping into the sea between North Korea's east coast and Japan. North Korea has consistently test-fired missiles in that direction. A U.S. official, speaking on condition of anonymity, said the missile landed 97 km (60 miles) south of Russia's Vladivostok region. U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations Nikki Haley called the launch a message by Pyongyang to South Korea after the election of President Moon Jae-in, who took office on Wednesday. "You first have to get into Kim Jong Un's head - which is, he's in a state of paranoia, he's incredibly concerned about anything and everything around him," Haley told ABC's "This Week" program, referring to North Korea's leader. Haley added that the United States will "continue to tighten the screws," referring to sanctions and working with the international community to put pressure on Pyongyang. The White House mentioned Russia in its earlier statement about the launch. "With the missile impacting so close to Russian soil a in fact, closer to Russia than to Japan, the President cannot imagine that Russia is pleased," the White House said, referring to U.S. President Donald Trump. The launch served as a call for all nations to implement stronger sanctions against North Korea, it added. In pictures: North Korea military drill Show all 8 1 /8 In pictures: North Korea military drill In pictures: North Korea military drill North Korea's leader Kim Jong Un watches a military drill marking the 85th anniversary of the establishment of the Korean People's Army (KPA) KCNA/Handout via REUTERS In pictures: North Korea military drill A military drill marking the 85th anniversary of the establishment of the Korean People's Army (KPA) is seen in this handout photo by North Korea's Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) KCNA/Handout via REUTERS In pictures: North Korea military drill A military drill marking the 85th anniversary of the establishment of the Korean People's Army (KPA) is seen in this handout photo by North Korea's Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) KCNA/Handout via REUTERS In pictures: North Korea military drill A military drill marking the 85th anniversary of the establishment of the Korean People's Army (KPA) KCNA/Handout via REUTERS In pictures: North Korea military drill A military drill marking the 85th anniversary of the establishment of the Korean People's Army (KPA) KCNA/Handout via REUTERS In pictures: North Korea military drill This image made from video of still images broadcast in a news bulletin by North Korea's KRT, shows what was said to be a 'Combined Fire Demonstration' held to celebrate the 85th anniversary of the North Korean army, in Wonsan, North Korea. KRT via AP Video In pictures: North Korea military drill This image made from video of still images broadcast in a news bulletin by North Korea's KRT, shows what was said to be a 'Combined Fire Demonstration' held to celebrate the 85th anniversary of the North Korean army, in Wonsan, North Korea. KRT via AP Video In pictures: North Korea military drill This image made from video of still images broadcast in a news bulletin by North Korea's KRT, shows what was said to be a 'Combined Fire Demonstration' held to celebrate the 85th anniversary of the North Korean army, in Wonsan, North Korea. KRT via AP Video The missile flew 700 km (430 miles) and reached an altitude of more than 2,000 km (1,245 miles), according to officials in South Korea and Japan, further and higher than an intermediate-range missile North Korea successfully tested in February from the same region of Kusong, northwest of its capital, Pyongyang. An intercontinental ballistic missile is considered to have a range of more than 6,000 km (3,700 miles). North Korea is widely believed to be developing an intercontinental missile tipped with a nuclear weapon that is capable of reaching the United States. Trump has vowed not to let that happen. Experts said the altitude reached by the missile tested on Sunday meant it was launched at a high trajectory, which would limit the lateral distance it travelled. But if it was fired at a standard trajectory, it would have a range of at least 4,000 km (2,500 miles), experts said. Kim Dong-yub of Kyungnam University's Institute of Far Eastern Studies in Seoul said he estimated a standard trajectory would give it a range of 6,000 km (3,700 miles). "The launch may indeed represent a new missile with a long range," said Jonathan McDowell of the Harvard Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics, referring to the estimated altitude of more than 2,000 km (1,240 miles). "It is definitely concerning." Speaking in Beijing, Dmitry Peskov, Russian President Vladimir Putin's spokesman, told reporters Putin and Chinese President Xi Jinping had discussed the situation on the Korean peninsula, including the latest missile launch, and expressed "mutual concerns" about growing tensions. Putin is in Beijing for a conference on a plan for a new Silk Road. Delegations from the United States, South Korea and North Korea are also there. The launch, at 5:27 a.m. Seoul time (2027 GMT Saturday), came two weeks after North Korea fired a missile that disintegrated minutes into flight, marking its fourth consecutive failure since March. 'CLEAR VIOLATION' South Korea's new president Moon held his first National Security Council in response to the launch, which he called a "clear violation" of U.N. Security Council resolutions, his office said. "The president said while South Korea remains open to the possibility of dialogue with North Korea, it is only possible when the North shows a change in attitude," Yoon Young-chan, Moon's press secretary, told a briefing. Moon won Tuesday's election on a platform of a moderate approach to North Korea and has said he would be willing to go to Pyongyang under the right circumstances, arguing dialogue must be used in parallel with sanctions. China, North Korea's sole main ally which nevertheless objects to its weapons programmes, called for restraint and for no one to exacerbate tensions. "China opposes relevant launch activities by North Korea that are contrary to Security Council resolutions," China's foreign ministry said in a statement. Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe said North Korea's missile launches were a "grave threat to our country and a clear violation of U.N. resolutions". Ambassador Haley said on Sunday that the launch was not the way for North Korea to earn a meeting with Trump, who has said he would be "honoured" to meet Kim Jong Un under the right circumstances. Trump said in an interview with Reuters in April that a "major, major conflict" with North Korea was possible but he would prefer a diplomatic outcome. On Saturday, a top North Korean diplomat said Pyongyang was open to dialogue with the Trump administration under the right conditions. North Korea on Feb. 12 launched a Pukguksong-2 missile, an upgraded, extended-range version of its submarine-launched ballistic missile, from the same site. North Korean attempted but failed to test-launch ballistic missiles four times in the past two months. It has conducted various tests since the beginning of last year at an unprecedented pace. It also conducted its fourth and fifth nuclear tests last year. Reuters Sign up to our Evening Headlines email for your daily guide to the latest news Sign up to our free US Evening Headlines email Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Evening Headlines email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} A man has admitted to tricking ten women into having sex with him by telling them they were auditioning for roles in pornographic films. A court in Kansas heard that Mario Antoine created a series of bogus online identities, as a talent manager, photographer, and videographer. He claimed to work for fictitious porn production companies, such as Playboy Asia, and promised women thousands of dollars to appear in non-existent films. Prosecutors said when the women complained about not being paid, Antoine forwarded images of the sexual activity to their employers or significant others. The court heard that, in one incident, Antoine allegedly promised to pay one of his victims $1,000 (775) per shoot to a victim. When the woman complained, the fraudster said he would sell the images of her if she didnt have sex with him again. He promised ten or more women between $550,000 (427,000) to $1.5million (1.2m), according to Kansas City Star. Recommended Dating fraud reported once every three hours The US attorneys office told the New York Post Mr Antoine pleaded guilty to one count of fraud, and will be sentenced to 10 years in prison. He will also have to pay compensation to his victims, under a new plea deal - although the exact amount of the payout is still to be decided Mr Antoine had previous convictions for fraud from his time as a wedding photographer, when he had on several occasions accepted advance payments for his photography services before failing to show up to the ceremony. Sign up to our Evening Headlines email for your daily guide to the latest news Sign up to our free US Evening Headlines email Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Evening Headlines email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} WASHINGTON - A fiery Michelle Obama vigorously defended the healthy eating initiative that was her biggest legacy as first lady on Friday, telling a public health summit in Washington, District of Columbia, that something was "wrong" with an administration that did not want to give consumers nutrition information or teach children to eat healthily. "We gotta make sure we don't let anybody take us back," Obama said. "This is where you really have to look at motives, you know. You have to stop and think, why don't you want our kids to have good food at school? What is wrong with you? And why is that a partisan issue? Why would that be political? What is going on?" In a 43-minute conversation, peppered with sarcastic remarks and veiled references to the Trump administration, Michele Obama discussed topics from life since her husband left the presidency to her Let's Move! initiative. "Take me out of the equation -- like me or don't like me," Obama added. "But think about why someone is OK with your kids eating crap. Why would you celebrate that? Why would you sit idly and be OK with that? Because here's the secret: If someone is doing that, they don't care about your kid." The comments were Obama's first public remarks on the Trump administration's assault on nutrition policy, which has already seen the delay of rules meant to reduce sodium and refined grains in school lunches and provide calorie counts on restaurant menus. The former first lady championed many of those programs. The former first lady was speaking at the annual summit of the Partnership for a Healthier America, an organization she helped found to extend her nutrition policies to the private sector. Her remarks were made during a conversation with Sam Kass, a longtime friend and the first executive director of her Let's Move! program. Kass and Obama discussed a range of topics, including the Obamas' move to a new D.C. residence and the sorts of meals Obama ate as a child. (Of life since her husband's presidency, Mrs. Obama said: "Being former is alright.") But by far her most pointed comments were about the recent delays to the menu-labeling rules and the changes to the school lunch program. The former first lady appeared to take issue with Agriculture Secretary Sonny Perdue's defense of the school lunch rollbacks, which he justified in part, in his May 1 announcement, by saying many kids didn't like the foods. "That to me is one of the most ridiculous things that we talk about in this movement -- 'the kids aren't happy,'" Obama said. "Well you know what? Kids don't like math either. What are we gonna do, stop teaching math?" A spokesperson for the Department of Agriculture declined to comment on Mrs. Obama's remarks, and said that "Sec. Perdue has nothing but the utmost respect for Michelle Obama." Obama also objected to the proposed delay of new nutrition labels that were scheduled to go into effect in 2018. The new labels would feature information about calories and added sugars more prominently, but the packaged food industry has requested the compliance deadline be pushed back until at least 2020. "Keep families ignorant. That's all I'm hearing," Obama said. "You don't need to know what's in your food. You can't handle that, mom. Just buy this, be quiet, spend your money -- don't ask us about what's in your food." The sharpness of Obama's remarks are unusual for a former first lady: There is an unwritten rule that they do not criticize their successors, said Kati Marton, the author of a best-selling book on presidential marriages. It's also a shift for Obama, who tended to tread cautiously during her husband's tenure. But Marton said the rules, such as they are, were made for different times. "It impossible to compare her to any prior first ladies, because it's impossible to compare the Trump administration to any prior one," she said. "I think it would be a mistake for the Obamas to play by rules that Trump doesn't play by, himself." The past four months have seen the food industry seize onto President Donald Trump's anti-regulatory agenda, arguing for the delay or suspension of rules that Mrs. Obama encouraged. In recent weeks, the National Association of Convenience Stores, the National Grocers Association and the American Bakers Association have all cited the Trump administration's regulatory rollback as reason to delay the menu-labelling rules and new nutrition labels. On April 27, the Food and Drug Administration announced its intention to delay the menu-labelling rules and take additional comment from industry. Four days later, on May 1, Secretary Perdue told reporters at the Virginia elementary school that his department intended to delay planned sodium reductions in school meals and grant waivers for schools who said they couldn't meet higher whole-grain requirements. At the time, Perdue praised the former first lady and her work on public health, and insisted his policies were not a "rollback." But it's clear, based on Obama and Kass' remarks on Friday, that they have not arrived at the same conclusion. "We've already seen them try to ensure there's tons of salt, there's less whole grains," Kass said. "The core of our work is intact, but it makes no sense." Mrs. Obama's work on nutrition was often controversial during her husband's time in office. While her reforms to school meals were initially embraced by a bipartisan coalition of lawmakers, as well as the school-food industry and public health advocates, many conservatives and school-food workers bolted when they saw the extent of the new regulations. Critics said that the former first lady overstepped her public role by becoming so involved in policy, and frequently panned measures like the school lunch standards as examples of government overreach. Some schools and parents accused the first lady of making school meals unpalatable for children, while imperiling the finances of cafeterias and increasing food waste. But Mrs. Obama was undeterred on Friday, making several joking references to "the nanny state." And the former first lady said that she and her husband planned to make children's health and nutrition a pillar of their future advocacy work, once they'd had some time to "breathe." "You take your eye off the ball on things, you let other people determine what you're eating, what you're feeding, how you're moving -- and before you know it your kids have type 2 diabetes and you're confused and shocked and hurt," Obama said. In that situation, the former first lady added pointedly: "I hope you have healthcare." Washington Post Sign up to our Evening Headlines email for your daily guide to the latest news Sign up to our free US Evening Headlines email Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Evening Headlines email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} More than fifteen years after 9/11, the number of Islamophobic attacks recorded in the US continues to soar. Alongside data that shows Americans are seven times more likely to be killed by right-wing extremists than those driven by Islamist views, a new report suggests that incidents of Islamophobia rose by 57 per cent in 2016. This included a 44 per cent increase in anti-Muslim hate crimes. The report by the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR), shows that between 2014 and 2016, anti-Muslim bias incidents increased by 65 per cent. In that two-year period, CAIR found that hate crimes targeting Muslims surged 584 per cent. The finding by CAIR was similar to that of other independent researchers. Looking at data from 20 states, researchers at California State University reported 196 incidents of hate crimes against Muslims in the US in 2015, a 78 per cent increase on the prior year. Those figures were later corroborated by FBI data. Earlier this year, CAIR reported that the number of incidents of alleged Islamophobia involving US Customs and Borders Protection officials has increased by about 1,000 per cent since Donald Trump took office. Laura Pitter of Human Rights Watch, wrote this week that Mr Trumps administration had rejected as absurd the allegation that his own anti-Muslim rhetoric had helped fuel the most recent increase of Islamophobic incidents. How Trump's immigration orders are affecting communities in Detroit But he has lashed out against his critics far more loudly and more often than he has spoken up against hate crimes, she said. Trump should be much more forceful in speaking out against acts of violent intolerance, especially since his own rhetoric and executive actions have so consistently scapegoated Muslims. So far, with the exception of one address to Congress, he has not spoken out against hate crimes, or addressed these issues more broadly in a prominent, public fashion. World news in pictures Show all 50 1 /50 World news in pictures World news in pictures 30 September 2020 Pope Francis prays with priests at the end of a limited public audience at the San Damaso courtyard in The Vatican AFP via Getty World news in pictures 29 September 2020 A girl's silhouette is seen from behind a fabric in a tent along a beach by Beit Lahia in the northern Gaza Strip AFP via Getty World news in pictures 28 September 2020 A Chinese woman takes a photo of herself in front of a flower display dedicated to frontline health care workers during the COVID-19 pandemic in Beijing, China. China will celebrate national day marking the founding of the People's Republic of China on October 1st Getty World news in pictures 27 September 2020 The Glass Mountain Inn burns as the Glass Fire moves through the area in St. Helena, California. The fast moving Glass fire has burned over 1,000 acres and has destroyed homes Getty World news in pictures 26 September 2020 A villager along with a child offers prayers next to a carcass of a wild elephant that officials say was electrocuted in Rani Reserve Forest on the outskirts of Guwahati, India AFP via Getty World news in pictures 25 September 2020 The casket of late Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg is seen in Statuary Hall in the US Capitol to lie in state in Washington, DC AFP via Getty World news in pictures 24 September 2020 An anti-government protester holds up an image of a pro-democracy commemorative plaque at a rally outside Thailand's parliament in Bangkok, as activists gathered to demand a new constitution AFP via Getty World news in pictures 23 September 2020 A whale stranded on a beach in Macquarie Harbour on the rugged west coast of Tasmania, as hundreds of pilot whales have died in a mass stranding in southern Australia despite efforts to save them, with rescuers racing to free a few dozen survivors The Mercury/AFP via Getty World news in pictures 22 September 2020 State civil employee candidates wearing face masks and shields take a test in Surabaya AFP via Getty World news in pictures 21 September 2020 A man sweeps at the Taj Mahal monument on the day of its reopening after being closed for more than six months due to the coronavirus pandemic AP World news in pictures 20 September 2020 A deer looks for food in a burnt area, caused by the Bobcat fire, in Pearblossom, California EPA World news in pictures 19 September 2020 Anti-government protesters hold their mobile phones aloft as they take part in a pro-democracy rally in Bangkok. Tens of thousands of pro-democracy protesters massed close to Thailand's royal palace, in a huge rally calling for PM Prayut Chan-O-Cha to step down and demanding reforms to the monarchy AFP via Getty World news in pictures 18 September 2020 Supporters of Iraqi Shi'ite cleric Moqtada al-Sadr maintain social distancing as they attend Friday prayers after the coronavirus disease restrictions were eased, in Kufa mosque, near Najaf, Iraq Reuters World news in pictures 17 September 2020 A protester climbs on The Triumph of the Republic at 'the Place de la Nation' as thousands of protesters take part in a demonstration during a national day strike called by labor unions asking for better salary and against jobs cut in Paris, France EPA World news in pictures 16 September 2020 A fire raging near the Lazzaretto of Ancona in Italy. The huge blaze broke out overnight at the port of Ancona. Firefighters have brought the fire under control but they expected to keep working through the day EPA World news in pictures 15 September 2020 Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny posing for a selfie with his family at Berlin's Charite hospital. In an Instagram post he said he could now breathe independently following his suspected poisoning last month Alexei Navalny/Instagram/AFP World news in pictures 14 September 2020 Japan's Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga, former Defense Minister Shigeru Ishiba and former Foreign Minister Fumio Kishida celebrate after Suga was elected as new head of the ruling party at the Liberal Democratic Party's leadership election in Tokyo Reuters World news in pictures 13 September 2020 A man stands behind a burning barricade during the fifth straight day of protests against police brutality in Bogota AFP via Getty World news in pictures 12 September 2020 Police officers block and detain protesters during an opposition rally to protest the official presidential election results in Minsk, Belarus. Daily protests calling for the authoritarian president's resignation are now in their second month AP World news in pictures 11 September 2020 Members of 'Omnium Cultural' celebrate the 20th 'Festa per la llibertat' ('Fiesta for the freedom') to mark the Day of Catalonia in Barcelona. Omnion Cultural fights for the independence of Catalonia EPA World news in pictures 10 September 2020 The Moria refugee camp, two days after Greece's biggest migrant camp, was destroyed by fire. Thousands of asylum seekers on the island of Lesbos are now homeless AFP via Getty World news in pictures 9 September 2020 Pope Francis takes off his face mask as he arrives by car to hold a limited public audience at the San Damaso courtyard in The Vatican AFP via Getty World news in pictures 8 September 2020 A home is engulfed in flames during the "Creek Fire" in the Tollhouse area of California AFP via Getty World news in pictures 7 September 2020 A couple take photos along a sea wall of the waves brought by Typhoon Haishen in the eastern port city of Sokcho AFP via Getty World news in pictures 6 September 2020 Novak Djokovic and a tournament official tends to a linesperson who was struck with a ball by Djokovic during his match against Pablo Carreno Busta at the US Open USA Today Sports/Reuters World news in pictures 5 September 2020 Protesters confront police at the Shrine of Remembrance in Melbourne, Australia, during an anti-lockdown rally AFP via Getty World news in pictures 4 September 2020 A woman looks on from a rooftop as rescue workers dig through the rubble of a damaged building in Beirut. A search began for possible survivors after a scanner detected a pulse one month after the mega-blast at the adjacent port AFP via Getty World news in pictures 3 September 2020 A full moon next to the Virgen del Panecillo statue in Quito, Ecuador EPA World news in pictures 2 September 2020 A Palestinian woman reacts as Israeli forces demolish her animal shed near Hebron in the Israeli-occupied West Bank Reuters World news in pictures 1 September 2020 Students protest against presidential elections results in Minsk TUT.BY/AFP via Getty World news in pictures 31 August 2020 The pack rides during the 3rd stage of the Tour de France between Nice and Sisteron AFP via Getty World news in pictures 30 August 2020 Law enforcement officers block a street during a rally of opposition supporters protesting against presidential election results in Minsk, Belarus Reuters World news in pictures 29 August 2020 A woman holding a placard reading "Stop Censorship - Yes to the Freedom of Expression" shouts in a megaphone during a protest against the mandatory wearing of face masks in Paris. Masks, which were already compulsory on public transport, in enclosed public spaces, and outdoors in Paris in certain high-congestion areas around tourist sites, were made mandatory outdoors citywide on August 28 to fight the rising coronavirus infections AFP via Getty World news in pictures 28 August 2020 Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe bows to the national flag at the start of a press conference at the prime minister official residence in Tokyo. Abe announced he will resign over health problems, in a bombshell development that kicks off a leadership contest in the world's third-largest economy AFP via Getty World news in pictures 27 August 2020 Residents take cover behind a tree trunk from rubber bullets fired by South African Police Service (SAPS) in Eldorado Park, near Johannesburg, during a protest by community members after a 16-year old boy was reported dead AFP via Getty World news in pictures 26 August 2020 People scatter rose petals on a statue of Mother Teresa marking her 110th birth anniversary in Ahmedabad AFP via Getty World news in pictures 25 August 2020 An aerial view shows beach-goers standing on salt formations in the Dead Sea near Ein Bokeq, Israel Reuters World news in pictures 24 August 2020 Health workers use a fingertip pulse oximeter and check the body temperature of a fisherwoman inside the Dharavi slum during a door-to-door Covid-19 coronavirus screening in Mumbai AFP via Getty World news in pictures 23 August 2020 People carry an idol of the Hindu god Ganesh, the deity of prosperity, to immerse it off the coast of the Arabian sea during the Ganesh Chaturthi festival in Mumbai, India Reuters World news in pictures 22 August 2020 Firefighters watch as flames from the LNU Lightning Complex fires approach a home in Napa County, California AP World news in pictures 21 August 2020 Members of the Israeli security forces arrest a Palestinian demonstrator during a rally to protest against Israel's plan to annex parts of the occupied West Bank AFP via Getty World news in pictures 20 August 2020 A man pushes his bicycle through a deserted road after prohibitory orders were imposed by district officials for a week to contain the spread of the Covid-19 in Kathmandu AFP via Getty World news in pictures 19 August 2020 A car burns while parked at a residence in Vacaville, California. Dozens of fires are burning out of control throughout Northern California as fire resources are spread thin AFP via Getty World news in pictures 18 August 2020 Students use their mobile phones as flashlights at an anti-government rally at Mahidol University in Nakhon Pathom. Thailand has seen near-daily protests in recent weeks by students demanding the resignation of Prime Minister Prayut Chan-O-Cha AFP via Getty World news in pictures 17 August 2020 Members of the Kayapo tribe block the BR163 highway during a protest outside Novo Progresso in Para state, Brazil. Indigenous protesters blocked a major transamazonian highway to protest against the lack of governmental support during the COVID-19 novel coronavirus pandemic and illegal deforestation in and around their territories AFP via Getty World news in pictures 16 August 2020 Lightning forks over the San Francisco-Oakland Bay Bridge as a storm passes over Oakland AP World news in pictures 15 August 2020 Belarus opposition supporters gather near the Pushkinskaya metro station where Alexander Taraikovsky, a 34-year-old protester died on August 10, during their protest rally in central Minsk AFP via Getty World news in pictures 14 August 2020 AlphaTauri's driver Daniil Kvyat takes part in the second practice session at the Circuit de Catalunya in Montmelo near Barcelona ahead of the Spanish F1 Grand Prix AFP via Getty World news in pictures 13 August 2020 Soldiers of the Brazilian Armed Forces during a disinfection of the Christ The Redeemer statue at the Corcovado mountain prior to the opening of the touristic attraction in Rio AFP via Getty World news in pictures 12 August 2020 Young elephant bulls tussle playfully on World Elephant Day at the Amboseli National Park in Kenya AFP via Getty She added: If Trump really wants to distance himself from these hate incidents, public condemnation, in the wake of this chilling report, would be one way to do it. CAIR said that harassment was the most frequent type of abuse last year, accounting for 18 per cent of the total number of incidents. Incidents during which the complainant was questioned by FBI employees or otherwise appeared to be inappropriately targeted by the agency made up 15 per cent of cases, making this the second largest category. Employment issues, including denial of work, came third, while hate crimes were the fourth largest A report from 2015, by academics Charles Kurzman and David Schanzer, found that Islam-inspired terror attacks accounted for 50 fatalities over the past 13 and a half years. During the same period, right-wing extremists averaged 337 attacks per year in the decade after 9/11, causing a total of 254 fatalities. Sign up to our Evening Headlines email for your daily guide to the latest news Sign up to our free US Evening Headlines email Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Evening Headlines email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} A high profile Republican governor has declined to sign into law, a measure that would have made his state the first to ban child marriage without exception. Chris Christie, the governor of New Jersey and someone who has been a staunch supporter of Donald Trump, said such a ban would conflict with religious customs. He did not specify what religions he was referring to. Reuters said underage marriage is widespread in the US, where about 170,000 children were wed between 2000 and 2010 in 38 of the 50 states where data was available. Although age 18 is the minimum for marriage in most of the nation, every state has legal loopholes allowing children to wed. The New Jersey bill would have prohibited any marriage of children under age 18. Social experiment reveals people's reactions to seeing a child bride Mr Christie conditionally vetoed the measure, sending it back to the state legislature with proposed changes. He said it should have an exception so a judge can approve marriages for 16- and 17-year-olds. An exclusion without exceptions would violate the cultures and traditions of some communities in New Jersey based on religious traditions, Mr Christie said in a statement. World news in pictures Show all 50 1 /50 World news in pictures World news in pictures 30 September 2020 Pope Francis prays with priests at the end of a limited public audience at the San Damaso courtyard in The Vatican AFP via Getty World news in pictures 29 September 2020 A girl's silhouette is seen from behind a fabric in a tent along a beach by Beit Lahia in the northern Gaza Strip AFP via Getty World news in pictures 28 September 2020 A Chinese woman takes a photo of herself in front of a flower display dedicated to frontline health care workers during the COVID-19 pandemic in Beijing, China. China will celebrate national day marking the founding of the People's Republic of China on October 1st Getty World news in pictures 27 September 2020 The Glass Mountain Inn burns as the Glass Fire moves through the area in St. Helena, California. The fast moving Glass fire has burned over 1,000 acres and has destroyed homes Getty World news in pictures 26 September 2020 A villager along with a child offers prayers next to a carcass of a wild elephant that officials say was electrocuted in Rani Reserve Forest on the outskirts of Guwahati, India AFP via Getty World news in pictures 25 September 2020 The casket of late Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg is seen in Statuary Hall in the US Capitol to lie in state in Washington, DC AFP via Getty World news in pictures 24 September 2020 An anti-government protester holds up an image of a pro-democracy commemorative plaque at a rally outside Thailand's parliament in Bangkok, as activists gathered to demand a new constitution AFP via Getty World news in pictures 23 September 2020 A whale stranded on a beach in Macquarie Harbour on the rugged west coast of Tasmania, as hundreds of pilot whales have died in a mass stranding in southern Australia despite efforts to save them, with rescuers racing to free a few dozen survivors The Mercury/AFP via Getty World news in pictures 22 September 2020 State civil employee candidates wearing face masks and shields take a test in Surabaya AFP via Getty World news in pictures 21 September 2020 A man sweeps at the Taj Mahal monument on the day of its reopening after being closed for more than six months due to the coronavirus pandemic AP World news in pictures 20 September 2020 A deer looks for food in a burnt area, caused by the Bobcat fire, in Pearblossom, California EPA World news in pictures 19 September 2020 Anti-government protesters hold their mobile phones aloft as they take part in a pro-democracy rally in Bangkok. Tens of thousands of pro-democracy protesters massed close to Thailand's royal palace, in a huge rally calling for PM Prayut Chan-O-Cha to step down and demanding reforms to the monarchy AFP via Getty World news in pictures 18 September 2020 Supporters of Iraqi Shi'ite cleric Moqtada al-Sadr maintain social distancing as they attend Friday prayers after the coronavirus disease restrictions were eased, in Kufa mosque, near Najaf, Iraq Reuters World news in pictures 17 September 2020 A protester climbs on The Triumph of the Republic at 'the Place de la Nation' as thousands of protesters take part in a demonstration during a national day strike called by labor unions asking for better salary and against jobs cut in Paris, France EPA World news in pictures 16 September 2020 A fire raging near the Lazzaretto of Ancona in Italy. The huge blaze broke out overnight at the port of Ancona. Firefighters have brought the fire under control but they expected to keep working through the day EPA World news in pictures 15 September 2020 Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny posing for a selfie with his family at Berlin's Charite hospital. In an Instagram post he said he could now breathe independently following his suspected poisoning last month Alexei Navalny/Instagram/AFP World news in pictures 14 September 2020 Japan's Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga, former Defense Minister Shigeru Ishiba and former Foreign Minister Fumio Kishida celebrate after Suga was elected as new head of the ruling party at the Liberal Democratic Party's leadership election in Tokyo Reuters World news in pictures 13 September 2020 A man stands behind a burning barricade during the fifth straight day of protests against police brutality in Bogota AFP via Getty World news in pictures 12 September 2020 Police officers block and detain protesters during an opposition rally to protest the official presidential election results in Minsk, Belarus. Daily protests calling for the authoritarian president's resignation are now in their second month AP World news in pictures 11 September 2020 Members of 'Omnium Cultural' celebrate the 20th 'Festa per la llibertat' ('Fiesta for the freedom') to mark the Day of Catalonia in Barcelona. Omnion Cultural fights for the independence of Catalonia EPA World news in pictures 10 September 2020 The Moria refugee camp, two days after Greece's biggest migrant camp, was destroyed by fire. Thousands of asylum seekers on the island of Lesbos are now homeless AFP via Getty World news in pictures 9 September 2020 Pope Francis takes off his face mask as he arrives by car to hold a limited public audience at the San Damaso courtyard in The Vatican AFP via Getty World news in pictures 8 September 2020 A home is engulfed in flames during the "Creek Fire" in the Tollhouse area of California AFP via Getty World news in pictures 7 September 2020 A couple take photos along a sea wall of the waves brought by Typhoon Haishen in the eastern port city of Sokcho AFP via Getty World news in pictures 6 September 2020 Novak Djokovic and a tournament official tends to a linesperson who was struck with a ball by Djokovic during his match against Pablo Carreno Busta at the US Open USA Today Sports/Reuters World news in pictures 5 September 2020 Protesters confront police at the Shrine of Remembrance in Melbourne, Australia, during an anti-lockdown rally AFP via Getty World news in pictures 4 September 2020 A woman looks on from a rooftop as rescue workers dig through the rubble of a damaged building in Beirut. A search began for possible survivors after a scanner detected a pulse one month after the mega-blast at the adjacent port AFP via Getty World news in pictures 3 September 2020 A full moon next to the Virgen del Panecillo statue in Quito, Ecuador EPA World news in pictures 2 September 2020 A Palestinian woman reacts as Israeli forces demolish her animal shed near Hebron in the Israeli-occupied West Bank Reuters World news in pictures 1 September 2020 Students protest against presidential elections results in Minsk TUT.BY/AFP via Getty World news in pictures 31 August 2020 The pack rides during the 3rd stage of the Tour de France between Nice and Sisteron AFP via Getty World news in pictures 30 August 2020 Law enforcement officers block a street during a rally of opposition supporters protesting against presidential election results in Minsk, Belarus Reuters World news in pictures 29 August 2020 A woman holding a placard reading "Stop Censorship - Yes to the Freedom of Expression" shouts in a megaphone during a protest against the mandatory wearing of face masks in Paris. Masks, which were already compulsory on public transport, in enclosed public spaces, and outdoors in Paris in certain high-congestion areas around tourist sites, were made mandatory outdoors citywide on August 28 to fight the rising coronavirus infections AFP via Getty World news in pictures 28 August 2020 Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe bows to the national flag at the start of a press conference at the prime minister official residence in Tokyo. Abe announced he will resign over health problems, in a bombshell development that kicks off a leadership contest in the world's third-largest economy AFP via Getty World news in pictures 27 August 2020 Residents take cover behind a tree trunk from rubber bullets fired by South African Police Service (SAPS) in Eldorado Park, near Johannesburg, during a protest by community members after a 16-year old boy was reported dead AFP via Getty World news in pictures 26 August 2020 People scatter rose petals on a statue of Mother Teresa marking her 110th birth anniversary in Ahmedabad AFP via Getty World news in pictures 25 August 2020 An aerial view shows beach-goers standing on salt formations in the Dead Sea near Ein Bokeq, Israel Reuters World news in pictures 24 August 2020 Health workers use a fingertip pulse oximeter and check the body temperature of a fisherwoman inside the Dharavi slum during a door-to-door Covid-19 coronavirus screening in Mumbai AFP via Getty World news in pictures 23 August 2020 People carry an idol of the Hindu god Ganesh, the deity of prosperity, to immerse it off the coast of the Arabian sea during the Ganesh Chaturthi festival in Mumbai, India Reuters World news in pictures 22 August 2020 Firefighters watch as flames from the LNU Lightning Complex fires approach a home in Napa County, California AP World news in pictures 21 August 2020 Members of the Israeli security forces arrest a Palestinian demonstrator during a rally to protest against Israel's plan to annex parts of the occupied West Bank AFP via Getty World news in pictures 20 August 2020 A man pushes his bicycle through a deserted road after prohibitory orders were imposed by district officials for a week to contain the spread of the Covid-19 in Kathmandu AFP via Getty World news in pictures 19 August 2020 A car burns while parked at a residence in Vacaville, California. Dozens of fires are burning out of control throughout Northern California as fire resources are spread thin AFP via Getty World news in pictures 18 August 2020 Students use their mobile phones as flashlights at an anti-government rally at Mahidol University in Nakhon Pathom. Thailand has seen near-daily protests in recent weeks by students demanding the resignation of Prime Minister Prayut Chan-O-Cha AFP via Getty World news in pictures 17 August 2020 Members of the Kayapo tribe block the BR163 highway during a protest outside Novo Progresso in Para state, Brazil. Indigenous protesters blocked a major transamazonian highway to protest against the lack of governmental support during the COVID-19 novel coronavirus pandemic and illegal deforestation in and around their territories AFP via Getty World news in pictures 16 August 2020 Lightning forks over the San Francisco-Oakland Bay Bridge as a storm passes over Oakland AP World news in pictures 15 August 2020 Belarus opposition supporters gather near the Pushkinskaya metro station where Alexander Taraikovsky, a 34-year-old protester died on August 10, during their protest rally in central Minsk AFP via Getty World news in pictures 14 August 2020 AlphaTauri's driver Daniil Kvyat takes part in the second practice session at the Circuit de Catalunya in Montmelo near Barcelona ahead of the Spanish F1 Grand Prix AFP via Getty World news in pictures 13 August 2020 Soldiers of the Brazilian Armed Forces during a disinfection of the Christ The Redeemer statue at the Corcovado mountain prior to the opening of the touristic attraction in Rio AFP via Getty World news in pictures 12 August 2020 Young elephant bulls tussle playfully on World Elephant Day at the Amboseli National Park in Kenya AFP via Getty Opponents of the measure said exceptions should remain for marriages of young members of the military - 17-year-olds can enlist with parental consent - and pregnant teenagers. The bill as it was already approved by both houses of the legislature would have made New Jersey the first state to outlaw child marriage altogether, according to Unchained At Last, a group that opposes arranged and forced marriages. New Jersey politician, Nancy Munoz, the bills main sponsor, told the news agency she was disappointed. Its not an absolute veto, which is good, she added. The measure could become law if legislators send it back to the governor with his recommendations. Sign up for the daily Inside Washington email for exclusive US coverage and analysis sent to your inbox Get our free Inside Washington email Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Inside Washington email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} A professor of history who predicted Donald Trump would win the race to the White House, has claimed the firing of James Comey as FBI Director is sufficient to see the President impeached. Allan Lichtman, who has correctly guessed the outcome of every presidential election since 1984, claimed Mr Trumps firing of Mr Comey was more serious than Watergate. He arguably could be impeached now, Mr Lichtman told Newsweek. Arguably hes already obstructed justice and already violated the emoluments clause [regarding receiving gifts from foreign governments]. Im not saying we should impeach him now, Im calling for an impeachment investigation. Mr Lichtman may have reason for making such claims; he is promoting his latest book, The Case for Impeachment. We see credible reporting that he may well be guilty of obstructing justice in the FBI investigation, first by demanding loyalty to him personally from the man investigating him, he said. Thats pretty blatant obstruction of justice. And then by firing director Comey and then in effect lying initially, or having his team lie in his direction, about the reasons for the firing. In the aftermath of last weeks firing of Mr Comey, the White House scrambled to provide an explanation for Mr Trumps actions. Officials sought to protect the President from accusations by Democrats and others, that he had fired him because he was heading the investigation into the possible collusion between the Trump campaign and Russias alleged efforts to influence the presidential election. Caitlyn Jenner: I was furious at Donald Trump White House spokespersons claimed he had been fired because of the way he handled the investigation into Hillary Clintons use of a private email server. The administration cited memos from Attorney General Jeff Sessions and Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein, which recommended getting rid of him. Yet it rapidly became clear, those memos had been hastily provided to provide cover for Mr Trump, who had decided last week to get rid of Mr Comey, Indeed, the President admitted as much himself in an interview with NBC News. When I decided to just do it, I said to myself, I said You know, this Russia thing with Trump and Russia is a made-up story, its an excuse by the Democrats for having lost an election that they shouldve won, he said. Allan Lichtman (Getty) He called Mr Comey a showboat and a grandstander. Regardless of recommendation, I was going to fire Comey, Mr Trump said. World news in pictures Show all 50 1 /50 World news in pictures World news in pictures 30 September 2020 Pope Francis prays with priests at the end of a limited public audience at the San Damaso courtyard in The Vatican AFP via Getty World news in pictures 29 September 2020 A girl's silhouette is seen from behind a fabric in a tent along a beach by Beit Lahia in the northern Gaza Strip AFP via Getty World news in pictures 28 September 2020 A Chinese woman takes a photo of herself in front of a flower display dedicated to frontline health care workers during the COVID-19 pandemic in Beijing, China. China will celebrate national day marking the founding of the People's Republic of China on October 1st Getty World news in pictures 27 September 2020 The Glass Mountain Inn burns as the Glass Fire moves through the area in St. Helena, California. The fast moving Glass fire has burned over 1,000 acres and has destroyed homes Getty World news in pictures 26 September 2020 A villager along with a child offers prayers next to a carcass of a wild elephant that officials say was electrocuted in Rani Reserve Forest on the outskirts of Guwahati, India AFP via Getty World news in pictures 25 September 2020 The casket of late Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg is seen in Statuary Hall in the US Capitol to lie in state in Washington, DC AFP via Getty World news in pictures 24 September 2020 An anti-government protester holds up an image of a pro-democracy commemorative plaque at a rally outside Thailand's parliament in Bangkok, as activists gathered to demand a new constitution AFP via Getty World news in pictures 23 September 2020 A whale stranded on a beach in Macquarie Harbour on the rugged west coast of Tasmania, as hundreds of pilot whales have died in a mass stranding in southern Australia despite efforts to save them, with rescuers racing to free a few dozen survivors The Mercury/AFP via Getty World news in pictures 22 September 2020 State civil employee candidates wearing face masks and shields take a test in Surabaya AFP via Getty World news in pictures 21 September 2020 A man sweeps at the Taj Mahal monument on the day of its reopening after being closed for more than six months due to the coronavirus pandemic AP World news in pictures 20 September 2020 A deer looks for food in a burnt area, caused by the Bobcat fire, in Pearblossom, California EPA World news in pictures 19 September 2020 Anti-government protesters hold their mobile phones aloft as they take part in a pro-democracy rally in Bangkok. Tens of thousands of pro-democracy protesters massed close to Thailand's royal palace, in a huge rally calling for PM Prayut Chan-O-Cha to step down and demanding reforms to the monarchy AFP via Getty World news in pictures 18 September 2020 Supporters of Iraqi Shi'ite cleric Moqtada al-Sadr maintain social distancing as they attend Friday prayers after the coronavirus disease restrictions were eased, in Kufa mosque, near Najaf, Iraq Reuters World news in pictures 17 September 2020 A protester climbs on The Triumph of the Republic at 'the Place de la Nation' as thousands of protesters take part in a demonstration during a national day strike called by labor unions asking for better salary and against jobs cut in Paris, France EPA World news in pictures 16 September 2020 A fire raging near the Lazzaretto of Ancona in Italy. The huge blaze broke out overnight at the port of Ancona. Firefighters have brought the fire under control but they expected to keep working through the day EPA World news in pictures 15 September 2020 Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny posing for a selfie with his family at Berlin's Charite hospital. In an Instagram post he said he could now breathe independently following his suspected poisoning last month Alexei Navalny/Instagram/AFP World news in pictures 14 September 2020 Japan's Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga, former Defense Minister Shigeru Ishiba and former Foreign Minister Fumio Kishida celebrate after Suga was elected as new head of the ruling party at the Liberal Democratic Party's leadership election in Tokyo Reuters World news in pictures 13 September 2020 A man stands behind a burning barricade during the fifth straight day of protests against police brutality in Bogota AFP via Getty World news in pictures 12 September 2020 Police officers block and detain protesters during an opposition rally to protest the official presidential election results in Minsk, Belarus. Daily protests calling for the authoritarian president's resignation are now in their second month AP World news in pictures 11 September 2020 Members of 'Omnium Cultural' celebrate the 20th 'Festa per la llibertat' ('Fiesta for the freedom') to mark the Day of Catalonia in Barcelona. Omnion Cultural fights for the independence of Catalonia EPA World news in pictures 10 September 2020 The Moria refugee camp, two days after Greece's biggest migrant camp, was destroyed by fire. Thousands of asylum seekers on the island of Lesbos are now homeless AFP via Getty World news in pictures 9 September 2020 Pope Francis takes off his face mask as he arrives by car to hold a limited public audience at the San Damaso courtyard in The Vatican AFP via Getty World news in pictures 8 September 2020 A home is engulfed in flames during the "Creek Fire" in the Tollhouse area of California AFP via Getty World news in pictures 7 September 2020 A couple take photos along a sea wall of the waves brought by Typhoon Haishen in the eastern port city of Sokcho AFP via Getty World news in pictures 6 September 2020 Novak Djokovic and a tournament official tends to a linesperson who was struck with a ball by Djokovic during his match against Pablo Carreno Busta at the US Open USA Today Sports/Reuters World news in pictures 5 September 2020 Protesters confront police at the Shrine of Remembrance in Melbourne, Australia, during an anti-lockdown rally AFP via Getty World news in pictures 4 September 2020 A woman looks on from a rooftop as rescue workers dig through the rubble of a damaged building in Beirut. A search began for possible survivors after a scanner detected a pulse one month after the mega-blast at the adjacent port AFP via Getty World news in pictures 3 September 2020 A full moon next to the Virgen del Panecillo statue in Quito, Ecuador EPA World news in pictures 2 September 2020 A Palestinian woman reacts as Israeli forces demolish her animal shed near Hebron in the Israeli-occupied West Bank Reuters World news in pictures 1 September 2020 Students protest against presidential elections results in Minsk TUT.BY/AFP via Getty World news in pictures 31 August 2020 The pack rides during the 3rd stage of the Tour de France between Nice and Sisteron AFP via Getty World news in pictures 30 August 2020 Law enforcement officers block a street during a rally of opposition supporters protesting against presidential election results in Minsk, Belarus Reuters World news in pictures 29 August 2020 A woman holding a placard reading "Stop Censorship - Yes to the Freedom of Expression" shouts in a megaphone during a protest against the mandatory wearing of face masks in Paris. Masks, which were already compulsory on public transport, in enclosed public spaces, and outdoors in Paris in certain high-congestion areas around tourist sites, were made mandatory outdoors citywide on August 28 to fight the rising coronavirus infections AFP via Getty World news in pictures 28 August 2020 Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe bows to the national flag at the start of a press conference at the prime minister official residence in Tokyo. Abe announced he will resign over health problems, in a bombshell development that kicks off a leadership contest in the world's third-largest economy AFP via Getty World news in pictures 27 August 2020 Residents take cover behind a tree trunk from rubber bullets fired by South African Police Service (SAPS) in Eldorado Park, near Johannesburg, during a protest by community members after a 16-year old boy was reported dead AFP via Getty World news in pictures 26 August 2020 People scatter rose petals on a statue of Mother Teresa marking her 110th birth anniversary in Ahmedabad AFP via Getty World news in pictures 25 August 2020 An aerial view shows beach-goers standing on salt formations in the Dead Sea near Ein Bokeq, Israel Reuters World news in pictures 24 August 2020 Health workers use a fingertip pulse oximeter and check the body temperature of a fisherwoman inside the Dharavi slum during a door-to-door Covid-19 coronavirus screening in Mumbai AFP via Getty World news in pictures 23 August 2020 People carry an idol of the Hindu god Ganesh, the deity of prosperity, to immerse it off the coast of the Arabian sea during the Ganesh Chaturthi festival in Mumbai, India Reuters World news in pictures 22 August 2020 Firefighters watch as flames from the LNU Lightning Complex fires approach a home in Napa County, California AP World news in pictures 21 August 2020 Members of the Israeli security forces arrest a Palestinian demonstrator during a rally to protest against Israel's plan to annex parts of the occupied West Bank AFP via Getty World news in pictures 20 August 2020 A man pushes his bicycle through a deserted road after prohibitory orders were imposed by district officials for a week to contain the spread of the Covid-19 in Kathmandu AFP via Getty World news in pictures 19 August 2020 A car burns while parked at a residence in Vacaville, California. Dozens of fires are burning out of control throughout Northern California as fire resources are spread thin AFP via Getty World news in pictures 18 August 2020 Students use their mobile phones as flashlights at an anti-government rally at Mahidol University in Nakhon Pathom. Thailand has seen near-daily protests in recent weeks by students demanding the resignation of Prime Minister Prayut Chan-O-Cha AFP via Getty World news in pictures 17 August 2020 Members of the Kayapo tribe block the BR163 highway during a protest outside Novo Progresso in Para state, Brazil. Indigenous protesters blocked a major transamazonian highway to protest against the lack of governmental support during the COVID-19 novel coronavirus pandemic and illegal deforestation in and around their territories AFP via Getty World news in pictures 16 August 2020 Lightning forks over the San Francisco-Oakland Bay Bridge as a storm passes over Oakland AP World news in pictures 15 August 2020 Belarus opposition supporters gather near the Pushkinskaya metro station where Alexander Taraikovsky, a 34-year-old protester died on August 10, during their protest rally in central Minsk AFP via Getty World news in pictures 14 August 2020 AlphaTauri's driver Daniil Kvyat takes part in the second practice session at the Circuit de Catalunya in Montmelo near Barcelona ahead of the Spanish F1 Grand Prix AFP via Getty World news in pictures 13 August 2020 Soldiers of the Brazilian Armed Forces during a disinfection of the Christ The Redeemer statue at the Corcovado mountain prior to the opening of the touristic attraction in Rio AFP via Getty World news in pictures 12 August 2020 Young elephant bulls tussle playfully on World Elephant Day at the Amboseli National Park in Kenya AFP via Getty The FBI has been in turmoil. You know that, I know that, everyone knows that. Mr Trump also claimed Mr Comey assured him on three separate occasions, including once over dinner and on another occasion over a phone call, that he was not personally under investigation. It has been reported that Mr Trump sought repeated oaths of loyalty from Mr Comey, despite the fact that his role is supposed to be independent and non-partisan. The White House has denied such demands were made. Sources close to Mr Comey have denied the Presidents version of events. Only two presidents have been impeached by the House of Representatives Andrew Johnson and Bill Clinton. No president has seen their impeachment approved by the Senate. For Mr Trump to be impeached, Republicans in the House would have to decide to turn on him. Alternatively, if the Republicans lost control of the house in the 2018 midterms, Democrats could lead such a move. Sign up for the daily Inside Washington email for exclusive US coverage and analysis sent to your inbox Get our free Inside Washington email Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Inside Washington email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} A senior Republican senator has urged Donald Trump to back off and stop tweeting about the ongoing investigation into his campaigns alleged collusion with Russias purported efforts to interfere in the 2016 election. Days after Mr Trump fired James Comey as FBI Director, Senator Lindsey Graham said it was essential to get to the bottom of what was said between the President and the former top federal investigator. He urged Mr Comey to take up an invitation to testify under oath before the senate. Mr Graham spoke after Mr Trump claimed Mr Comey had told him on three occasions once over dinner that he was not personally under investigation. Mr Trump also appeared to suggest, in what was widely seen as a threat to Mr Comey, that there existed recordings of those conversations. I think we need Comey to come before the senate and explain what happened at that dinner, he said on NBC. If there are any tapes, they need to be handed over. We cant be cute about tapes. Mr Graham, a member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, was asked whether he thought it was appropriate for Mr Trump to have said on Twitter: James Comey better hope that there are no tapes of our conversations before he starts leaking to the press. The South Carolina senator said he thought the Presidents comments were not appropriate. Right now, I do not believe President Trump is a target or a subject of any investigation regarding collusion with the Russians. That's what I believe, he said. I would advise the President not to tweet or comment about the investigation as we go forward. He needs to back off. Donald Trump says James Comey told him multiple times he was not under investigation Mr Graham spoke as the White House was still scrambling to clean up the fallout of Mr Trumps decision last week to fire Mr Comey. Initially, White House officials said the decision had been taken because of Mr Comeys handling of the investigation into Hillary Clintons use of a private email server. Yet, amid claims from Democrats and others that the President had axed Mr Comey because of his role in leading the investigation into alleged links to Russia, Mr Trump admitted the probe had been a factor. He also said he had taken the decision before receiving a recommendation from officials in his Justice Department. World news in pictures Show all 50 1 /50 World news in pictures World news in pictures 30 September 2020 Pope Francis prays with priests at the end of a limited public audience at the San Damaso courtyard in The Vatican AFP via Getty World news in pictures 29 September 2020 A girl's silhouette is seen from behind a fabric in a tent along a beach by Beit Lahia in the northern Gaza Strip AFP via Getty World news in pictures 28 September 2020 A Chinese woman takes a photo of herself in front of a flower display dedicated to frontline health care workers during the COVID-19 pandemic in Beijing, China. China will celebrate national day marking the founding of the People's Republic of China on October 1st Getty World news in pictures 27 September 2020 The Glass Mountain Inn burns as the Glass Fire moves through the area in St. Helena, California. The fast moving Glass fire has burned over 1,000 acres and has destroyed homes Getty World news in pictures 26 September 2020 A villager along with a child offers prayers next to a carcass of a wild elephant that officials say was electrocuted in Rani Reserve Forest on the outskirts of Guwahati, India AFP via Getty World news in pictures 25 September 2020 The casket of late Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg is seen in Statuary Hall in the US Capitol to lie in state in Washington, DC AFP via Getty World news in pictures 24 September 2020 An anti-government protester holds up an image of a pro-democracy commemorative plaque at a rally outside Thailand's parliament in Bangkok, as activists gathered to demand a new constitution AFP via Getty World news in pictures 23 September 2020 A whale stranded on a beach in Macquarie Harbour on the rugged west coast of Tasmania, as hundreds of pilot whales have died in a mass stranding in southern Australia despite efforts to save them, with rescuers racing to free a few dozen survivors The Mercury/AFP via Getty World news in pictures 22 September 2020 State civil employee candidates wearing face masks and shields take a test in Surabaya AFP via Getty World news in pictures 21 September 2020 A man sweeps at the Taj Mahal monument on the day of its reopening after being closed for more than six months due to the coronavirus pandemic AP World news in pictures 20 September 2020 A deer looks for food in a burnt area, caused by the Bobcat fire, in Pearblossom, California EPA World news in pictures 19 September 2020 Anti-government protesters hold their mobile phones aloft as they take part in a pro-democracy rally in Bangkok. Tens of thousands of pro-democracy protesters massed close to Thailand's royal palace, in a huge rally calling for PM Prayut Chan-O-Cha to step down and demanding reforms to the monarchy AFP via Getty World news in pictures 18 September 2020 Supporters of Iraqi Shi'ite cleric Moqtada al-Sadr maintain social distancing as they attend Friday prayers after the coronavirus disease restrictions were eased, in Kufa mosque, near Najaf, Iraq Reuters World news in pictures 17 September 2020 A protester climbs on The Triumph of the Republic at 'the Place de la Nation' as thousands of protesters take part in a demonstration during a national day strike called by labor unions asking for better salary and against jobs cut in Paris, France EPA World news in pictures 16 September 2020 A fire raging near the Lazzaretto of Ancona in Italy. The huge blaze broke out overnight at the port of Ancona. Firefighters have brought the fire under control but they expected to keep working through the day EPA World news in pictures 15 September 2020 Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny posing for a selfie with his family at Berlin's Charite hospital. In an Instagram post he said he could now breathe independently following his suspected poisoning last month Alexei Navalny/Instagram/AFP World news in pictures 14 September 2020 Japan's Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga, former Defense Minister Shigeru Ishiba and former Foreign Minister Fumio Kishida celebrate after Suga was elected as new head of the ruling party at the Liberal Democratic Party's leadership election in Tokyo Reuters World news in pictures 13 September 2020 A man stands behind a burning barricade during the fifth straight day of protests against police brutality in Bogota AFP via Getty World news in pictures 12 September 2020 Police officers block and detain protesters during an opposition rally to protest the official presidential election results in Minsk, Belarus. Daily protests calling for the authoritarian president's resignation are now in their second month AP World news in pictures 11 September 2020 Members of 'Omnium Cultural' celebrate the 20th 'Festa per la llibertat' ('Fiesta for the freedom') to mark the Day of Catalonia in Barcelona. Omnion Cultural fights for the independence of Catalonia EPA World news in pictures 10 September 2020 The Moria refugee camp, two days after Greece's biggest migrant camp, was destroyed by fire. Thousands of asylum seekers on the island of Lesbos are now homeless AFP via Getty World news in pictures 9 September 2020 Pope Francis takes off his face mask as he arrives by car to hold a limited public audience at the San Damaso courtyard in The Vatican AFP via Getty World news in pictures 8 September 2020 A home is engulfed in flames during the "Creek Fire" in the Tollhouse area of California AFP via Getty World news in pictures 7 September 2020 A couple take photos along a sea wall of the waves brought by Typhoon Haishen in the eastern port city of Sokcho AFP via Getty World news in pictures 6 September 2020 Novak Djokovic and a tournament official tends to a linesperson who was struck with a ball by Djokovic during his match against Pablo Carreno Busta at the US Open USA Today Sports/Reuters World news in pictures 5 September 2020 Protesters confront police at the Shrine of Remembrance in Melbourne, Australia, during an anti-lockdown rally AFP via Getty World news in pictures 4 September 2020 A woman looks on from a rooftop as rescue workers dig through the rubble of a damaged building in Beirut. A search began for possible survivors after a scanner detected a pulse one month after the mega-blast at the adjacent port AFP via Getty World news in pictures 3 September 2020 A full moon next to the Virgen del Panecillo statue in Quito, Ecuador EPA World news in pictures 2 September 2020 A Palestinian woman reacts as Israeli forces demolish her animal shed near Hebron in the Israeli-occupied West Bank Reuters World news in pictures 1 September 2020 Students protest against presidential elections results in Minsk TUT.BY/AFP via Getty World news in pictures 31 August 2020 The pack rides during the 3rd stage of the Tour de France between Nice and Sisteron AFP via Getty World news in pictures 30 August 2020 Law enforcement officers block a street during a rally of opposition supporters protesting against presidential election results in Minsk, Belarus Reuters World news in pictures 29 August 2020 A woman holding a placard reading "Stop Censorship - Yes to the Freedom of Expression" shouts in a megaphone during a protest against the mandatory wearing of face masks in Paris. Masks, which were already compulsory on public transport, in enclosed public spaces, and outdoors in Paris in certain high-congestion areas around tourist sites, were made mandatory outdoors citywide on August 28 to fight the rising coronavirus infections AFP via Getty World news in pictures 28 August 2020 Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe bows to the national flag at the start of a press conference at the prime minister official residence in Tokyo. Abe announced he will resign over health problems, in a bombshell development that kicks off a leadership contest in the world's third-largest economy AFP via Getty World news in pictures 27 August 2020 Residents take cover behind a tree trunk from rubber bullets fired by South African Police Service (SAPS) in Eldorado Park, near Johannesburg, during a protest by community members after a 16-year old boy was reported dead AFP via Getty World news in pictures 26 August 2020 People scatter rose petals on a statue of Mother Teresa marking her 110th birth anniversary in Ahmedabad AFP via Getty World news in pictures 25 August 2020 An aerial view shows beach-goers standing on salt formations in the Dead Sea near Ein Bokeq, Israel Reuters World news in pictures 24 August 2020 Health workers use a fingertip pulse oximeter and check the body temperature of a fisherwoman inside the Dharavi slum during a door-to-door Covid-19 coronavirus screening in Mumbai AFP via Getty World news in pictures 23 August 2020 People carry an idol of the Hindu god Ganesh, the deity of prosperity, to immerse it off the coast of the Arabian sea during the Ganesh Chaturthi festival in Mumbai, India Reuters World news in pictures 22 August 2020 Firefighters watch as flames from the LNU Lightning Complex fires approach a home in Napa County, California AP World news in pictures 21 August 2020 Members of the Israeli security forces arrest a Palestinian demonstrator during a rally to protest against Israel's plan to annex parts of the occupied West Bank AFP via Getty World news in pictures 20 August 2020 A man pushes his bicycle through a deserted road after prohibitory orders were imposed by district officials for a week to contain the spread of the Covid-19 in Kathmandu AFP via Getty World news in pictures 19 August 2020 A car burns while parked at a residence in Vacaville, California. Dozens of fires are burning out of control throughout Northern California as fire resources are spread thin AFP via Getty World news in pictures 18 August 2020 Students use their mobile phones as flashlights at an anti-government rally at Mahidol University in Nakhon Pathom. Thailand has seen near-daily protests in recent weeks by students demanding the resignation of Prime Minister Prayut Chan-O-Cha AFP via Getty World news in pictures 17 August 2020 Members of the Kayapo tribe block the BR163 highway during a protest outside Novo Progresso in Para state, Brazil. Indigenous protesters blocked a major transamazonian highway to protest against the lack of governmental support during the COVID-19 novel coronavirus pandemic and illegal deforestation in and around their territories AFP via Getty World news in pictures 16 August 2020 Lightning forks over the San Francisco-Oakland Bay Bridge as a storm passes over Oakland AP World news in pictures 15 August 2020 Belarus opposition supporters gather near the Pushkinskaya metro station where Alexander Taraikovsky, a 34-year-old protester died on August 10, during their protest rally in central Minsk AFP via Getty World news in pictures 14 August 2020 AlphaTauri's driver Daniil Kvyat takes part in the second practice session at the Circuit de Catalunya in Montmelo near Barcelona ahead of the Spanish F1 Grand Prix AFP via Getty World news in pictures 13 August 2020 Soldiers of the Brazilian Armed Forces during a disinfection of the Christ The Redeemer statue at the Corcovado mountain prior to the opening of the touristic attraction in Rio AFP via Getty World news in pictures 12 August 2020 Young elephant bulls tussle playfully on World Elephant Day at the Amboseli National Park in Kenya AFP via Getty When I decided to just do it, I said to myself, I said You know, this Russia thing with Trump and Russia is a made up story, its an excuse by the Democrats for having lost an election that they shouldve won, he told NBC, saying that Mr Comey was a showboat and a grandstander. Regardless of recommendation, I was going to fire Comey. The FBI has been in turmoil. You know that, I know that, everyone knows that. Mr Trump, who at the weekend delivered a commencement address at the US's biggest Christian college, also claimed Mr Comey assured him on three separate occasions, including once over dinner and on another occasion over a phone call, that he was not personally under investigation. It has been reported that Mr Trump sought repeated oaths of loyalty from Mr Comey, despite the fact that his role is supposed to be independent and non-partisan. The White House has denied such demands were made. Sources close to Mr Comey have denied the Presidents version of events. Mr Comey has yet to publicly comment on the claims. Over the weekend, it was reported that the former director of the FBI might accept an invitation to testify before the Senate Intelligence Committee, if the hearing were to be held in public. For free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Breaking News email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} Donald Trump "cannot imagine Russia is pleased" with North Korea's latest missile test as it landed closer to Russia than Japan. North Korea's ballistic missile flew for half an hour and reached an unusually high altitude before landing in the Sea of Japan, the South Korean, Japanese and US militaries said. "With the missile impacting so close to Russian soil, in fact closer to Russia than to Japan the President cannot imagine that Russia is pleased," the White House said in a statement. North Korea had been "a flagrant menace for too long," it said, and Washington maintains its "ironclad commitment" to stand with its allies in the face of the serious threat it poses. The latest "provocation" should serve as a call for all nations to implement far stronger sanctions against the North, it added. North Korean defector: Kim Jong-Un would launch a nuclear attack if his rule was threatened The North's launch was "not consistent with an intercontinental ballistic missile," the US Pacific Command said. Japanese Defence Minister Tomomi Inada said the missile flew for about 30 minutes, travelling about 800km (500 miles) and reaching an altitude of 2,000km (1,240 miles) a flight pattern that could indicate a new type of missile. David Wright, co-director of the Global Security Program at the Union of Concerned Scientists, said the missile could have a range of 4,500km (about 2,800 miles) if flown on a standard, instead of a lofted, trajectory considerably longer than Pyongyang's current missiles. He said the launch may have been of a new mobile, two-stage liquid-fuelled missile North Korea displayed in a huge military parade last month. The flight path of the ballistic missile was a considerable distance from Russian territory and posed no threat to Russia, the Russian defence ministry said. A Kremlin spokesman said earlier that Russian President Vladimir Putin, who is visiting Beijing, was concerned about the missile test. North Korea is widely believed to be developing an intercontinental missile tipped with a nuclear weapon capable of reaching the United States, which Mr Trump has vowed not to let happen. In pictures: North Korea military drill Show all 8 1 /8 In pictures: North Korea military drill In pictures: North Korea military drill North Korea's leader Kim Jong Un watches a military drill marking the 85th anniversary of the establishment of the Korean People's Army (KPA) KCNA/Handout via REUTERS In pictures: North Korea military drill A military drill marking the 85th anniversary of the establishment of the Korean People's Army (KPA) is seen in this handout photo by North Korea's Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) KCNA/Handout via REUTERS In pictures: North Korea military drill A military drill marking the 85th anniversary of the establishment of the Korean People's Army (KPA) is seen in this handout photo by North Korea's Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) KCNA/Handout via REUTERS In pictures: North Korea military drill A military drill marking the 85th anniversary of the establishment of the Korean People's Army (KPA) KCNA/Handout via REUTERS In pictures: North Korea military drill A military drill marking the 85th anniversary of the establishment of the Korean People's Army (KPA) KCNA/Handout via REUTERS In pictures: North Korea military drill This image made from video of still images broadcast in a news bulletin by North Korea's KRT, shows what was said to be a 'Combined Fire Demonstration' held to celebrate the 85th anniversary of the North Korean army, in Wonsan, North Korea. KRT via AP Video In pictures: North Korea military drill This image made from video of still images broadcast in a news bulletin by North Korea's KRT, shows what was said to be a 'Combined Fire Demonstration' held to celebrate the 85th anniversary of the North Korean army, in Wonsan, North Korea. KRT via AP Video In pictures: North Korea military drill This image made from video of still images broadcast in a news bulletin by North Korea's KRT, shows what was said to be a 'Combined Fire Demonstration' held to celebrate the 85th anniversary of the North Korean army, in Wonsan, North Korea. KRT via AP Video The North's state media said the nation will bolster its nuclear capability unless the United States abandons its hostile policy. "The United States should never expect us to give up our nuclear capability," the main Rodong newspaper said in a commentary carried by the Korean Central News Agency. It said Mr Trump's "maximum pressure and engagement" policy is only aimed at "stifling us" and will compel the North to "strengthen our nuclear deterrent at the maximum speed." Mr Trump has previously said he would be "honoured" to meet North Korean dictator Kim Jong-un under the right circumstances. Yesterday, a top North Korean diplomat said the reclusive state was open to dialogue with the Trump administration under the right conditions. North Korea's leader Kim Jong-un watches a military drill marking the 85th anniversary of the establishment of the Korean People's Army (Reuters) South Korea and Japan also swiftly condemned the launch, which jeopardises South Korean leader Moon Jae-in's willingness for dialogue with the rival North. "The president expressed deep regret over the fact that this reckless provocation ... occurred just days after a new government was launched in South Korea," a senior presidential secretary said. "The president said we are leaving open the possibility of dialogue with North Korea, but we should sternly deal with a provocation to prevent North Korea from miscalculating." Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe told reporters the launch was "absolutely unacceptable" and Japan will respond resolutely. Japan's Foreign Minister Fumio Kishida said he and his South Korean counterpart agreed "dialogue for dialogue's sake with North Korea is meaningless." China's foreign ministry expressed opposition to the missile test and called on all sides to exercise restraint. A Ministry spokeswoman, Hua Chunying, said countries "should not do things that further escalate tensions in the region". In Beijing, Chinese President Xi Jinping told Russian counterpart Mr Putin their countries are both playing an "important role as a balancing power" in world affairs by seeking a peaceful way out for of the crises in Syria and the Korean Peninsula. Kim Jong-un inspects the North's defences (AFP/Getty) Last month, North Korea launched the Pukguksong-2 missile, an upgraded, extended-range version of its submarine-launched ballistic missile, from the same site. South Korean and US military officials said the launch was a significant development as it successfully tested a solid-fuel engine from a mobile launcher. The missile flew about 500km with an altitude of 550km. The North attempted but failed to test-launch ballistic missiles four times in the past two months but has conducted various tests since the beginning of last year at an unprecedented pace. It also conducted its fourth and fifth nuclear tests last year. The launch also comes as troops from the US, Britain, France and Japan gather on remote US islands in the Pacific for drills that are partly a message to North Korea. The USS Carl Vinson, an aircraft supercarrier, is also engaging with South Korean navy ships in waters off the Korean Peninsula. Additional reporting by agencies For free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Breaking News email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} The daughter of Frances new First Lady Brigitte Macron (nee Trogneux) says jealousy is behind the abhorrent attacks on her mothers relationship with Emmanuel Macron, who was proclaimed the President of France Sunday morning. The 24-year age gap between Ms Macron, 64, and her husband, 39, has come under much scrutiny, since the French President launched his leadership bid in November 2016, months after founding the En Marche! political movement. I dont want to give credence to people who do this kind of thing, Tiphaine Auziere, 32, told BFMTV. Recommended Emmanuel Macron becomes President of France in inauguration at Elysee I find it abhorrent in France in the 21st century such attacks, which would not be carried out against a male politician or a male companion of a female politician, she continued. There's a lot of jealousy. Ms Macron has faced considerable abuse since details of how she and Mr Macron met surfaced. Their romance began while Mr Macron was a student at Jesuit school Lycee La Providence in Amiens, northern France. Brigitte was a drama teacher at the school and the pair fell for each other when Emmanuel starred in one of her plays at the age of 15. The pair had collaborated to rewrite a play together the following year, but when rumours began to percolate about their relationship, Mr Macrons parents decided to take him out of the school and enrolled him at the prestigious Lycee Henri IV in Paris to complete his education. Still, the teenager was persistent and told his drama teacher, You cannot get rid of me. I will come back and I will marry you, according to his biographers. He eventually fulfilled that promise, with the couple finally marrying in 2007, when he was nearly 30 and she 54 years old. Mr Macron was officially inaugurated as Frances youngest President since Napoleon on Sunday morning. He is also the only leader under Frances Fifth Republic to be younger than his partner and the Macrons will have the largest age gap of any French first couple under the Fifth Republic. World news in pictures Show all 50 1 /50 World news in pictures World news in pictures 30 September 2020 Pope Francis prays with priests at the end of a limited public audience at the San Damaso courtyard in The Vatican AFP via Getty World news in pictures 29 September 2020 A girl's silhouette is seen from behind a fabric in a tent along a beach by Beit Lahia in the northern Gaza Strip AFP via Getty World news in pictures 28 September 2020 A Chinese woman takes a photo of herself in front of a flower display dedicated to frontline health care workers during the COVID-19 pandemic in Beijing, China. China will celebrate national day marking the founding of the People's Republic of China on October 1st Getty World news in pictures 27 September 2020 The Glass Mountain Inn burns as the Glass Fire moves through the area in St. Helena, California. The fast moving Glass fire has burned over 1,000 acres and has destroyed homes Getty World news in pictures 26 September 2020 A villager along with a child offers prayers next to a carcass of a wild elephant that officials say was electrocuted in Rani Reserve Forest on the outskirts of Guwahati, India AFP via Getty World news in pictures 25 September 2020 The casket of late Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg is seen in Statuary Hall in the US Capitol to lie in state in Washington, DC AFP via Getty World news in pictures 24 September 2020 An anti-government protester holds up an image of a pro-democracy commemorative plaque at a rally outside Thailand's parliament in Bangkok, as activists gathered to demand a new constitution AFP via Getty World news in pictures 23 September 2020 A whale stranded on a beach in Macquarie Harbour on the rugged west coast of Tasmania, as hundreds of pilot whales have died in a mass stranding in southern Australia despite efforts to save them, with rescuers racing to free a few dozen survivors The Mercury/AFP via Getty World news in pictures 22 September 2020 State civil employee candidates wearing face masks and shields take a test in Surabaya AFP via Getty World news in pictures 21 September 2020 A man sweeps at the Taj Mahal monument on the day of its reopening after being closed for more than six months due to the coronavirus pandemic AP World news in pictures 20 September 2020 A deer looks for food in a burnt area, caused by the Bobcat fire, in Pearblossom, California EPA World news in pictures 19 September 2020 Anti-government protesters hold their mobile phones aloft as they take part in a pro-democracy rally in Bangkok. Tens of thousands of pro-democracy protesters massed close to Thailand's royal palace, in a huge rally calling for PM Prayut Chan-O-Cha to step down and demanding reforms to the monarchy AFP via Getty World news in pictures 18 September 2020 Supporters of Iraqi Shi'ite cleric Moqtada al-Sadr maintain social distancing as they attend Friday prayers after the coronavirus disease restrictions were eased, in Kufa mosque, near Najaf, Iraq Reuters World news in pictures 17 September 2020 A protester climbs on The Triumph of the Republic at 'the Place de la Nation' as thousands of protesters take part in a demonstration during a national day strike called by labor unions asking for better salary and against jobs cut in Paris, France EPA World news in pictures 16 September 2020 A fire raging near the Lazzaretto of Ancona in Italy. The huge blaze broke out overnight at the port of Ancona. Firefighters have brought the fire under control but they expected to keep working through the day EPA World news in pictures 15 September 2020 Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny posing for a selfie with his family at Berlin's Charite hospital. In an Instagram post he said he could now breathe independently following his suspected poisoning last month Alexei Navalny/Instagram/AFP World news in pictures 14 September 2020 Japan's Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga, former Defense Minister Shigeru Ishiba and former Foreign Minister Fumio Kishida celebrate after Suga was elected as new head of the ruling party at the Liberal Democratic Party's leadership election in Tokyo Reuters World news in pictures 13 September 2020 A man stands behind a burning barricade during the fifth straight day of protests against police brutality in Bogota AFP via Getty World news in pictures 12 September 2020 Police officers block and detain protesters during an opposition rally to protest the official presidential election results in Minsk, Belarus. Daily protests calling for the authoritarian president's resignation are now in their second month AP World news in pictures 11 September 2020 Members of 'Omnium Cultural' celebrate the 20th 'Festa per la llibertat' ('Fiesta for the freedom') to mark the Day of Catalonia in Barcelona. Omnion Cultural fights for the independence of Catalonia EPA World news in pictures 10 September 2020 The Moria refugee camp, two days after Greece's biggest migrant camp, was destroyed by fire. Thousands of asylum seekers on the island of Lesbos are now homeless AFP via Getty World news in pictures 9 September 2020 Pope Francis takes off his face mask as he arrives by car to hold a limited public audience at the San Damaso courtyard in The Vatican AFP via Getty World news in pictures 8 September 2020 A home is engulfed in flames during the "Creek Fire" in the Tollhouse area of California AFP via Getty World news in pictures 7 September 2020 A couple take photos along a sea wall of the waves brought by Typhoon Haishen in the eastern port city of Sokcho AFP via Getty World news in pictures 6 September 2020 Novak Djokovic and a tournament official tends to a linesperson who was struck with a ball by Djokovic during his match against Pablo Carreno Busta at the US Open USA Today Sports/Reuters World news in pictures 5 September 2020 Protesters confront police at the Shrine of Remembrance in Melbourne, Australia, during an anti-lockdown rally AFP via Getty World news in pictures 4 September 2020 A woman looks on from a rooftop as rescue workers dig through the rubble of a damaged building in Beirut. A search began for possible survivors after a scanner detected a pulse one month after the mega-blast at the adjacent port AFP via Getty World news in pictures 3 September 2020 A full moon next to the Virgen del Panecillo statue in Quito, Ecuador EPA World news in pictures 2 September 2020 A Palestinian woman reacts as Israeli forces demolish her animal shed near Hebron in the Israeli-occupied West Bank Reuters World news in pictures 1 September 2020 Students protest against presidential elections results in Minsk TUT.BY/AFP via Getty World news in pictures 31 August 2020 The pack rides during the 3rd stage of the Tour de France between Nice and Sisteron AFP via Getty World news in pictures 30 August 2020 Law enforcement officers block a street during a rally of opposition supporters protesting against presidential election results in Minsk, Belarus Reuters World news in pictures 29 August 2020 A woman holding a placard reading "Stop Censorship - Yes to the Freedom of Expression" shouts in a megaphone during a protest against the mandatory wearing of face masks in Paris. Masks, which were already compulsory on public transport, in enclosed public spaces, and outdoors in Paris in certain high-congestion areas around tourist sites, were made mandatory outdoors citywide on August 28 to fight the rising coronavirus infections AFP via Getty World news in pictures 28 August 2020 Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe bows to the national flag at the start of a press conference at the prime minister official residence in Tokyo. Abe announced he will resign over health problems, in a bombshell development that kicks off a leadership contest in the world's third-largest economy AFP via Getty World news in pictures 27 August 2020 Residents take cover behind a tree trunk from rubber bullets fired by South African Police Service (SAPS) in Eldorado Park, near Johannesburg, during a protest by community members after a 16-year old boy was reported dead AFP via Getty World news in pictures 26 August 2020 People scatter rose petals on a statue of Mother Teresa marking her 110th birth anniversary in Ahmedabad AFP via Getty World news in pictures 25 August 2020 An aerial view shows beach-goers standing on salt formations in the Dead Sea near Ein Bokeq, Israel Reuters World news in pictures 24 August 2020 Health workers use a fingertip pulse oximeter and check the body temperature of a fisherwoman inside the Dharavi slum during a door-to-door Covid-19 coronavirus screening in Mumbai AFP via Getty World news in pictures 23 August 2020 People carry an idol of the Hindu god Ganesh, the deity of prosperity, to immerse it off the coast of the Arabian sea during the Ganesh Chaturthi festival in Mumbai, India Reuters World news in pictures 22 August 2020 Firefighters watch as flames from the LNU Lightning Complex fires approach a home in Napa County, California AP World news in pictures 21 August 2020 Members of the Israeli security forces arrest a Palestinian demonstrator during a rally to protest against Israel's plan to annex parts of the occupied West Bank AFP via Getty World news in pictures 20 August 2020 A man pushes his bicycle through a deserted road after prohibitory orders were imposed by district officials for a week to contain the spread of the Covid-19 in Kathmandu AFP via Getty World news in pictures 19 August 2020 A car burns while parked at a residence in Vacaville, California. Dozens of fires are burning out of control throughout Northern California as fire resources are spread thin AFP via Getty World news in pictures 18 August 2020 Students use their mobile phones as flashlights at an anti-government rally at Mahidol University in Nakhon Pathom. Thailand has seen near-daily protests in recent weeks by students demanding the resignation of Prime Minister Prayut Chan-O-Cha AFP via Getty World news in pictures 17 August 2020 Members of the Kayapo tribe block the BR163 highway during a protest outside Novo Progresso in Para state, Brazil. Indigenous protesters blocked a major transamazonian highway to protest against the lack of governmental support during the COVID-19 novel coronavirus pandemic and illegal deforestation in and around their territories AFP via Getty World news in pictures 16 August 2020 Lightning forks over the San Francisco-Oakland Bay Bridge as a storm passes over Oakland AP World news in pictures 15 August 2020 Belarus opposition supporters gather near the Pushkinskaya metro station where Alexander Taraikovsky, a 34-year-old protester died on August 10, during their protest rally in central Minsk AFP via Getty World news in pictures 14 August 2020 AlphaTauri's driver Daniil Kvyat takes part in the second practice session at the Circuit de Catalunya in Montmelo near Barcelona ahead of the Spanish F1 Grand Prix AFP via Getty World news in pictures 13 August 2020 Soldiers of the Brazilian Armed Forces during a disinfection of the Christ The Redeemer statue at the Corcovado mountain prior to the opening of the touristic attraction in Rio AFP via Getty World news in pictures 12 August 2020 Young elephant bulls tussle playfully on World Elephant Day at the Amboseli National Park in Kenya AFP via Getty Charles de Gaulle and Francois Hollande were both close to a decade older than their partners when they entered office. Discussing the widespread scrutiny of his relationship with his wife, Mr Macron told Le Parisian newspaper earlier this week that if I had been 20 years older than my wife, nobody would have thought for a single second that I couldnt be. Many have also pointed out the same double standard, highlighting that there was little scrutiny or media attention paid to the nearly identical age gap in the relationship between US President Donald Trump and wife Melania. Others have suggested the Macrons marriage could be considered social revenge for years of powerful men seeking younger wives. French satirical magazine Charlie Hebdo also faced criticism over a front cover showing the French President next to a pregnant Brigitte Macron with the caption: He will do miracles. Ms Macron tweeted out an image of the front page herself, writing: Everything that is technically possible is not necessarily desirable or desired. She also wrote the same day: I've become accustomed to listening only to those who convey positive messages. For free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Breaking News email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} Emmanuel Macron is 24 years younger than his wife, and the incoming French president is exasperated that people keep talking about it. Discussing the assumptions and rumours about his relationship his wife, Brigitte, Macron told Le Parisian newspaper this week that "if I had been 20 years older than my wife, nobody would have thought for a single second that I couldn't be". It's a sentiment many French women seem to relate to. Speaking to The Washington Post's Mary Jordan ahead of the election, some suggested that the Macrons' marriage was social "revenge" for years of powerful men seeking younger wives. But it raises the question: just how unusual is Macron's May-December romance in French politics anyway? When he takes office, Macron will be the only leader under France's Fifth Republic to be younger than his partner; no surprise there. However, the Macrons also will have the largest age gap of any French first couple under the Fifth Republic. Charles de Gaulle and Francois Hollande were both close to a decade older than their partners when they entered office, but those relationships are less than half the age gap the Macrons have. The complicated love lives of some French leaders do make this comparison a little more tricky, however. To the delight of French tabloids, both Hollande and his predecessor, Nicolas Sarkozy, split from their respective partners during their time in the Elysee Palace. Hollande quickly entered a relationship with actress Julia Gayet, 18 years his junior, while Sarkozy married former model Carla Bruni, 13 years younger. The President-elect and his wife have had mixed receptions in the French and world press Another factor is the fact that many French presidents have conducted well-known extramarital affairs. Francois Mitterrand's lengthy but covert relationship with art historian Anne Pingeot is now widely acknowledged and pretty much accepted. The couple had a daughter together, and Mitterrand would appear with her in public later in life. Pingeot was 27 years younger than Mitterrand. Around the world, the picture gets even more complicated. If you look at the leaders of the world's 20 largest economies, at least three have age gaps with their partners that are at least as big as that of the Macrons: President Jacob Zuma (38 years) of South Africa, President Michel Temer (33 years) of Brazil and President Donald Trump (24 years) of the United States. However, there are complexities here, too, some resulting from societal differences. For example, Zuma may top the above list, but he is also a polygamist. His wives are of varying ages. Little is known about the current wife of Saudi King Salman, so she is not included. Meanwhile, the age of Italian Prime Minister Paolo Gentiloni's low-profile wife, Emanuela Mauro, is not publicly known. And Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi is estranged from his wife, while Russian President Vladimir Putin split from his spouse in 2013 (although he has since been linked with a number of younger women). However, it does seem clear that the leaders of the world's largest economies do tend to favour younger partners. There is only one who joins Macron in choosing an older spouse: Angela Merkel. The German chancellor's husband, Joachim Sauer, is five years older. The Washington Post For free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Breaking News email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} A Russian LGBT champion was detained for staging a peaceful protest near Vladimir Putin's official quarters, according to a human rights monitor. Ildar Dadin was one of 11 activists held for reading Russia's constitution out loud near the Kremlin in Moscow, it is claimed. Human rights group OVD-Info reported that Mr Dadin remains in custody following the incident on Friday. The 35-year-old, a dissident known for attending pro-LGBT rallies, was the first and only Russian jailed under tough new protest laws in December 2015. He claimed he was tortured in prison before the country's Supreme Court ordered his release in February following an appeal. It is not clear whether he will face charges over the incident in Red Square. Mr Dadin told TASS news agency: A policeman approached us and warned us that if we dont leave, they will detain us. Ten minutes later police detained us. Russia introduced criminal charges for people who breach protest rules twice or more within 180 days in 2014. Those prosecuted can be jailed for up to five years. Vladimir Putin and the people Show all 11 1 /11 Vladimir Putin and the people Vladimir Putin and the people 561608.bin Vladimir Putin and the people 561611.bin GETTY IMAGES Vladimir Putin and the people 561614.bin EPA Vladimir Putin and the people 561615.bin REUTERS Vladimir Putin and the people 561617.bin AP Vladimir Putin and the people 561618.bin GETTY IMAGES Vladimir Putin and the people 561620.bin PA Vladimir Putin and the people 561621.bin AP Vladimir Putin and the people 561622.bin GETTY IMAGES Vladimir Putin and the people 561624.bin GETTY IMAGES Vladimir Putin and the people 561625.bin EPA Mr Dadin rose to prominence when he became the first person convicted under the law - Article 212.1 - for staging silent street protests without official permission. The pro-democracy activist has continued to protest following his release from prison on 26 February. OVD-Info, a website that tracks the detention of activists, was launched by volunteers in 2011. For free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Breaking News email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} The UK has been accused of employing inadequate provision for childrens rights protection after it fell dramatically in global rankings for child rights within a year, from 11th to 156th. Serious concerns have been raised about structural discrimination in the UK, including Muslim children facing increased discrimination following recent anti-terrorism measures, and a rise in discrimination against gypsy and refugee children in recent years. The UK now ranks among the bottom 10 global performers in the arena of improving rights of the child, after it achieved the lowest-possible score across all six available indicators in the domain of Child Rights Environment (CRE), according to the KidsRights Index 2017. The Index, which collects data from Unicef and the United Nations Committee on the Rights of the Child (CRC) to identify global trends in the arena of childrens rights protection, rates the extent to which a country has implemented the general principles of the CRC and to which there is a basic infrastructure for making and implementing childrens rights policies. Portugal is this years global frontrunner. The Index methodology is such that extremely poor performances in one domain cannot be compensated by higher scores in other areas, as all childrens rights are deemed to be equally important. In light of the findings, Lord Philip Hunt, shadow deputy leader of the House of Lords and shadow health spokesperson, accused the Government of inactivity and inadequate service provision, urging it to do more to protect the rights of the child. This report exposes the inactivity of the current UK government and inadequate service provision in this most important area of policy making; rights of the child, Lord Hunt said. The UK is the sixth largest economy globally and therefore has the resources at its disposal to ensure that our children are adequately protected and cared for across multiple disciplines. Our children are our future and the barometer of our approach to social justice and the state of our society. Marc Dullaert, founder and chairman of the KidsRights Foundation, meanwhile urged the UK to treat non-discrimination as a policy priority, and to speed up the process of aligning its child protection laws with the Convention on the Rights of the Child at both the national and devolved levels, as well as in all crown dependencies. Discrimination against vulnerable groups of children and youths is severely hampering opportunities for future generations to reach their full potential, Mr Dullaert said. Following the general election, the new government should demonstrate to the world that it will not allow the retreat from the EU to adversely affect the rights and opportunities of its children. The Index, which assesses countries commitments to childrens rights relative to available resources, found that economically prosperous countries are not necessarily outperforming the rest. Poorer countries such as Thailand and Tunisia featured in the top 10, while more developed countries came far lower, with the UK and New Zealand among the bottom-ten global performers. UK news in pictures Show all 50 1 /50 UK news in pictures UK news in pictures 7 November 2022 Handout photo issued by Just Stop Oil of a protester who has climbed a gantry on the M25 between junctions six and seven in Surrey, leading to the closure of the motorway PA UK news in pictures 6 November 2022 A grey seal with its pup, at the Donna Nook National Nature Reserve in north Lincolnshire, where they come every year in late October, November and December to give birth to their pups near the sand dunes, the wildlife spectacle attracts visitors from across the UK PA UK news in pictures 5 November 2022 Demonstrators with placards calling for a General Election march near the Houses of Parliament AFP via Getty Images UK news in pictures 4 November 2022 A peacock is seen in the early winter sunshine in the Dutch Gardens in Holland Park AFP via Getty Images UK news in pictures 3 November 2022 A villager cooks roti bread at the site of the annual Camel Fair in Pushkar, in India's desert state of Rajasthan AFP via Getty Images UK news in pictures 2 November 2022 A red squirrel gathers nuts in Pitlochry, Scotland Reuters UK news in pictures 1 November 2022 Englands Tara-Jane Stanley scores their sides seventh try against Brazil during the Womens Rugby League World Cup group A match at Headingley Stadium, Leeds PA UK news in pictures 31 October 2022 GBs James Hall competes during the mens parallel bars qualification at the World Gymnastics Championships in Liverpool AFP/Getty UK news in pictures 30 October 2022 People dressed in Halloween costumes paddle board along the river Avon in Christchurch, Dorset PA UK news in pictures 29 October 2022 Members of the public take pictures as police officers remove activists from a road during a Just Stop Oil protest, in London Reuters UK news in pictures 28 October 2022 A cosplayer attends the MCM Comic Con London 2022 at the ExCel Centre in London Reuters UK news in pictures 27 October 2022 98-year-old D-Day Veteran Bernard Morgan, whose story is among those featured on the giant poppy wall, during the launch of The Royal British Legion 2022 Poppy Appeal, at Hay's Galleria in central London PA UK news in pictures 26 October 2022 A meerkat explores a pumpkin in the enclosure at Wild Place, Bristol, where some of the animals are having pumpkin treats as part of their environmental enrichment PA UK news in pictures 25 October 2022 King Charles III welcomes Rishi Sunak during an audience at Buckingham Palace, where he invited the newly elected leader of the Conservative Party to become Prime Minister and form a new government PA UK news in pictures 24 October 2022 Rishi Sunak celebrates with Tory MPs outside the Conservative Campaign Headquarters after becoming the new leader of the Conservative Party Reuters UK news in pictures 23 October 2022 The Green Man at October Plenty, Borough Market's annual Autumn Harvest festival, in London, which returns for the first time post pandemic PA UK news in pictures 21 October 2022 Sculptor Peter McKenna puts the finishing touches to a pumpkin that will form part of the Planet A Hebden Bridge Pumpkin Trail in the West Yorkshire town PA UK news in pictures 20 October 2022 Britains Prime Minister Liz Truss delivers a speech outside of 10 Downing Street in central London to announce her resignation AFP/Getty UK news in pictures 19 October 2022 Salmon leap up Stainforth Force on the River Ribble in the Yorkshire Dales as they swim upriver to their spawning grounds during the annual Salmon migration PA UK news in pictures 18 October 2022 Just Stop Oil protesters continue their protest for a second day on the Queen Elizabeth II Bridge, which links Kent and Essex and which remains closed for traffic, after it was scaled by two climbers from the group PA UK news in pictures 17 October 2022 Hundreds of students take part in the traditional Raisin Monday foam fight on St Salvator's Lower College Lawn at the University of St Andrews in Fife PA UK news in pictures 16 October 2022 A protester holds a placard during a march into central London at a demonstration by the climate change protest group Extinction Rebellion AFP/Getty UK news in pictures 15 October 2022 A member of the public drags an activist who is blocking the road during a "Just Stop Oil" protest, in London, Britain REUTERS UK news in pictures 14 October 2022 Germanys Womens double skulls during day one of the World Rowing Beach Sprint Finals at Saundersfoot beach, Pembrokeshire PA UK news in pictures 13 October 2022 Family and mourners arrive at St Michael's Church, in Creeslough, for the funeral mass of 49-year-old mother of four Martina Martin, who died following an explosion at the Applegreen service station in the village of Creeslough in Co Donegal on Friday PA UK news in pictures 12 October 2022 Motorists in Coventry pass trees showing autumnal colour PA UK news in pictures 11 October 2022 A woman and her dog in the the North Sea at Tynemouth Longsands beach before sunrise PA UK news in pictures 10 October 2022 Police officers remove a campaigner from a Just Stop Oil protest on The Mall, near Buckingham Palace, London PA UK news in pictures 9 October 2022 A drummer plays during the Diwali on the Square celebration, in Trafalgar Square, London PA UK news in pictures 8 October 2022 Timothee Chalamet attending the UK premiere of Bones and All during the BFI London Film Festival 2022 at the Royal Festival Hall, Southbank Centre, London PA UK news in pictures 7 October 2022 Two young male fallow deer lock antlers in Dublins Phoenix park as rutting season begins PA UK news in pictures 6 October 2022 The Princess of Wales during a cocktail making competition during a visit to Trademarket, a new outdoor street-food and retail market situated in Belfast city centre, as part of the royal visit to Northern Ireland PA UK news in pictures 5 October 2022 Greenpeace protesters interrupt Prime Minister Liz Truss as she delivers her keynote speech to the Conservative Party annual conference PA UK news in pictures 4 October 2022 Prime Minister Liz Truss and Britains Chancellor of the Exchequer Kwasi Kwarteng wearing hard hats and hi-vis jackets, visit a construction site for a medical innovation campus in Birmingham AFP/Getty UK news in pictures 3 October 2022 British artist Sam Cox, aka Mr Doodle, reveals the Doodle House, a twelve-room mansion at Tenterden, in Kent, which has been covered, inside and out in the artist's trademark monochrome, cartoonish hand-drawn doodles PA UK news in pictures 2 October 2022 Erling Haaland celebrates after scoring Manchester City's second goal against Manchester United at Etihad Stadium. Haaland went on to score a hattrick, his third of the season in the Premier League. City beat United 6-3. Manchester City FC/Getty UK news in pictures 1 October 2022 Protesters hold up flags and placards at a protest in London. A variety of protest groups including Enough is Enough, Don't Pay and Just Stop Oil all demonstrated on the day AFP/Getty UK news in pictures 30 September 2022 British Prime Minister Liz Truss, who has not been seen in days, leaves the back of Downing Street after a meeting with Office For Budget Responsibility following the release of her governments mini-budget Getty UK news in pictures 29 September 2022 The Virginia creeper foliage on the Tu Hwnt i'r Bont (Beyond the Bridge) Llanwrst, Conwy North Wales, has changed colour from green to red in at the start of Autumn. The building was built in 1480 as a residential dwelling but has been a tearoom for over 50 years PA UK news in pictures 28 September 2022 Criminal barristers from the Criminal Bar Association (CBA), demonstrates outside the Royal Courts of Justice in London, as part of their ongoing pay row with the Government PA UK news in pictures 27 September 2022 David White, Garter King of Arms, poses with an envelope franked with the new cypher of King Charles III 'CIIIR', after it was printed in the Court Post Office at Buckingham Palace in central London AFP/Getty UK news in pictures 26 September 2022 A gallery staff member poses next to a painting by Lucian Freud - Self-portrait (Fragment), 1956 - on show at a photocall for the Credit Suisse exhibition - Lucian Freud: New Perspectives at the National Gallery in London PA UK news in pictures 25 September 2022 Labour leader, Sir Keir Starmer is interviewed by Laura Kuenssberg in Liverpool before the start of the Labour Party annual Conference which he opened with a tribute to Queen Elizabeth II and sang the national anthem PA UK news in pictures 24 September 2022 Handout photo issued by Buckingham Palace of the ledger stone at the King George VI Memorial Chapel, St George's Chapel, Windsor Castle PA UK news in pictures 23 September 2022 A climate change activist protests against UK private jets while lighting his right arm on fire during the Laver Cup tennis tournament at the O2 Arena in London EPA UK news in pictures 22 September 2022 Woody Woodmansey, Lee Bennett, Kevin Armstrong, Nick Moran and Clifford Slapper attend the unveiling of a stone for David Bowie on the Music Walk of Fame at Camden, north London PA UK news in pictures 21 September 2022 A flock of birds in the sky as the sun rises over Dungeness in Kent PA UK news in pictures 20 September 2022 Flowers which were laid by members of the public in tribute to Queen Elizabeth II at Hillsborough Castle in Northern Ireland are collected by the Hillsborough Gardening Team and volunteers to be replanted for those that can be saved or composted PA UK news in pictures 19 September 2022 The ceremonial procession of the coffin of Queen Elizabeth II travels down the long walk as it arrives at Windsor Castle for the committal service at St Georges Chapel AFP/Getty UK news in pictures 18 September 2022 A man stands among campers on The Mall ahead of the Queens funeral Reuters It concluded that industrialised nations were falling short of allocating sufficient budgets towards creating a stable environment for childrens rights, by neglecting their leadership responsibilities and failing to invest in the rights of children to the best of their abilities. On average, countries scored higher in the domain of Enabling Legislation, which measures the legal framework provided to protect and promote childrens rights. While many states have adopted new childrens rights policies in recent years, the Index reveals that implementation is often lagging, and most new policies fail to fully comply with the principles and provisions of the CRC. Sign up for the View from Westminster email for expert analysis straight to your inbox Get our free View from Westminster email Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the View from Westminster email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} On reading that the Metropolitan Police anti-slavery unit is predicting that numbers of trafficking victims being brought into London will significantly rise by about 60 per cent this year, I felt a strong sense of deja vu. I have no idea how many women are trafficked into prostitution in the UK, but I do know having researched into and campaigned against commercial sexual exploitation for decades that many of the women are terrified to report the crime, due to threats of reprisals from the pimps, and that some are not even aware that what has happened to them is a crime. Police are estimating that numbers might reach 1,600, but this is bound to be an undercount, at least in terms of trafficking of women and girls into the sex trade. Like all sexual crimes towards women and girls, international pimping (a more accurate way to describe sex trafficking) is a clandestine affair, with relatively few reports to police, and even fewer convictions, not just in the UK, but also around the globe. But "trafficking deniers" claim only a minute number of women suffer this fate, and prefer to call women dragged from other countries by exploiters 'migrant sex workers'. Sanitising the language helps nobody. In pictures: Sex workers protest in Paris Show all 8 1 /8 In pictures: Sex workers protest in Paris In pictures: Sex workers protest in Paris A protester (R) holds a sign reading 'Prostitutes with fists raised against the penalisation of clients!' during a demonstration by sex workers and supporters near the French National Assembly in Paris In pictures: Sex workers protest in Paris A protester wears a hat rimmed with red roses during a demonstration by sex workers and supporters near the French National Assembly in Paris In pictures: Sex workers protest in Paris Sex workers hold signs during a protest against new bill against prostitution and sex trafficking In pictures: Sex workers protest in Paris Transgender sex workers protest against a parliamentary vote to enforce the penalisation of solicitation, near the Assemblee Nationale (French parliament) in Paris In pictures: Sex workers protest in Paris A protester wears a mask during a demonstration by sex workers and supporters near the French National Assembly in Paris In pictures: Sex workers protest in Paris Protesters wear masks during a demonstration by sex workers and supporters near the French National Assembly in Paris, as French lawmakers take part in a final debate on a bill that would make it illegal to pay for sex. French lawmakers were poised on April 6 to pass a controversial law that makes it illegal to pay for sex and imposes fines of up to 3,500 euros ($3,970) on prostitutes' clients In pictures: Sex workers protest in Paris Protesters hold up their fists and chant slogans during a demonstration by sex workers and supporters near the French National Assembly in Paris In pictures: Sex workers protest in Paris Protesters hold a banner reading 'Don't liberate me, I'll take care of it myself!' The sex trade is clandestine, even when it is legalised, because in the main women don't ever want to register as 'prostitutes', and most pimps don't wish to pay tax. Ask a woman from Moldova in a brothel who appears to be unhappy, with signs that she has been coerced and forced, if she has been trafficked, and she will probably be too scared to answer. What then can be done to address this problem? Since the late 1990s, billions of dollars have been spent by the UN, rich philanthropists such as George Soros, and various governments around the world, and yet the problem has only got worse. One thing is for certain: legalising the sex trade does not help anyone but the traffickers, sex buyers and brothel owners. In countries such as the Netherlands, Australia, Germany and New Zealand, all with legal or decriminalised sex trades, rates of trafficking are far higher than in counties that take a firm line against the exploiters, such as those that criminalise sex buying. I regularly hear the argument that trafficking would disappear if only the sex trade was fully legalised and "brought out into the open". New Zealand, a country with more sheep than women, decriminalised its sex trade in 2003, and as I discovered when visiting last year, nothing has improved for the women, and trafficking into the country remains a problem. Queer Muslim sex worker on her everyday life: 'I'm a science experiment' In Britain, what would make an immediate difference would be to introduce the Nordic model of criminalising those who pay for sex, which immediately gives the red light to traffickers who realise that their business is too risky to run in countries where sex buyers, and therefore pimps, are deterred. Those running brothels would struggle to fill them, because as I have found during my numerous research trips to the window brothel areas in Amsterdam, few local women choose to earn money this way, so the pimps rely in the importation of desperate women. Women trafficked into the UK are victims of a crime, as opposed to illegal immigrants. Enforcement and criminalisation of trafficked women for immigration crimes is commonplace, which deters women from reporting their abusers. UK-based women in prostitution are often trafficked internally, and need to be supported not criminalised. Taking women out of the asylum system when they're trafficked into the UK and offering real support would go some way to giving confidence to those who might report. All prostituted women (and men) should be decriminalised, not least because internal trafficking is rife. We only have to look at the young women and children targeted and prostituted in Rotherham and Rochdale to realise this is not just a problem involving international borders. Without a vibrant sex trade in the UK, trafficking of women into it would end, in the same way that without a tolerance and normalisation of domestic violence, domestic homicide would be drastically reduced. There is no point creating battery-farmed prostitution, such as the legal brothels in Germany, and claiming it will stop trafficking, when the figures contradicting this are there for everyone to see. To stop trafficking we need to end the sex trade. Anything else will be a monumental waste of time and money. Julie Bindel's book on the global sex trade, 'The Pimping of Prostitution Abolishing the Sex Work Myth', will be published in September 2017 Countryfile presenter Adam Henson says his passion for farming means he often forgets the cameras are rolling when hes out working on the show. Hes one of the anchor presenters on Sunday nights most watched programme in the UK but the star said he considered himself to be a farmer first and a presenter second. Adam was talking ahead of a talk at the ABP stand for farmers at this years Balmoral Show and said that his job meant he was able to satisfy his curiosity for new farming ideas. Im more than just a TV presenter my proper job is farming and so I speak from the heart with passion. TV cameras werent alien in my world which they would be with most farmers because I saw my dad working with them. When Countryfile did a presenter search my partner persuaded me to apply. I amazingly got the job - it was really interesting. I have always wanted to be a farmer. I never sought after a career in presenting so I was fairly relaxed about it which maybe helped I suppose. Adams grandfather Leslie Henson an English actor and film director in the Edwardian era. We need your consent to load this Social Media content We use a number of different Social Media outlets to manage extra content that can set cookies on your device and collect data about your activity. Please review their details and accept them to load the content. Manage Preference But his father fell in love farming, and began collecting rare breed animals and opened the Cotswold Farm Park in 1971. But the family didnt fall out of the limelight and the farm was featured on shows such as Animal Magic and In The Country. It is a great job but I would never be able to do it without having a great team at home, he said. Ive got a brilliant business partner were 50-50 in it - his name is Duncan Andrews and then we have a really good team of managers who look across various aspects of the farm and if it wasnt for them I wouldnt be able to do my television work, because it takes me away from the farm two days a week and thats all year round. As a farmer youre always looking over the hedge wondering what other farmers are up to so for me on the television it takes me behind the scenes. I get to meet people and their families and learn about interesting businesses that may be some form of diversification, that may be a production system they have - whether its making cheese or yoghurt or ice-cream from their milk. For me it opens my eyes to the opportunities in agriculture and it reminds me of the passion and quality of some of the businesses and businesspeople out there on farms. I feel very privileged to be a farmer and very lucky to be on the TV and to go and meet and greet those people is lovely. Because Im a farmer firstly and a presenter secondly I meet and chat to them with genuine interest and I sometimes forget Ive got the cameras there. It was the presenters first time at Balmoral Show as he joined Northern Ireland meat processor ABP. He said: Theres a lovely atmosphere here a lot of very happy people enjoying themselves there are queues of people wanting to get involved with the interactive food production stuff that they are showing children which is so important. What you have in Northern Ireland is a huge passion for agriculture having so many small farmers - the smaller acreage - means that theres so many people who have a connection to agriculture and so that brings a passion to it that in other parts of the UK we have larger agri-businesses and thats a difference. Agriculture Committee MEPs have tabled proposals that would make it easier to use forests to offset carbon emissions under the EU's draft 2030 climate and energy rules. In a report adopted last week, MEPs asked that "forest management" - which involves conservation rather than planting new trees - be factored into EU rules, and voted to hike available carbon credits for forests and grasslands from 280 million tonnes of CO2 equivalent to 425 million. They say the approach is in line with the 2015 Paris climate deal and reflects "the concerns related to the lower mitigation potential in the agriculture sector". But their suggestions have been rubbished by climate NGO Transport & Environment (T&E), which says that reducing emissions in farming is no more difficult than in other sectors. A report commissioned by the group says that using cover or catch crops and crop rotation could aid soil nutrition and drastically reduce farming emissions. "There is a myth that agriculture cannot reduce emissions," said Carlos Calvo Ambel, T&E's transport and energy analyst. "There is no reason why agriculture should be given a free ride." The MEPs' position is at odds with a draft report by environment MEPs, who are in the lead on the issue and want to slash forestry credits to 190 million tonnes of CO2 equivalent. The 2030 targets, proposed by the EU last July, commit the bloc to cutting greenhouse gas emissions by 40pc compared to 1990 in all sectors of the economy. Ireland is being asked to slash emissions by 30pc by 2030, compared to 2005, in transport, buildings, agriculture, and waste, as part of the overall target, with generous offsets for forests, grassland and the fact that the country is not heavily industrialised. Fine Gael MEP Sean Kelly (pictured) says Parliament's final position, due to be put to a vote in the summer, is likely to "put an extra burden on agriculture". Deal But he said he hopes that the positions will soften once MEPs go into three-way talks with the Commission and EU governments. The bloc wants to ink a final deal by the end of the year. Farming emissions make up over a third of total emissions in Ireland, the largest share in the EU. Ireland is already slated to miss its 2020 emission reduction targets. In their report, agriculture MEPs also asked for more aid for precision agriculture and other climate-friendly practices, and called on the bloc to take account of Brexit in the 2030 targets. MEPs propose doubling some CAP payments Young and small farmers could see their EU subsidies doubled under changes to the Common Agricultural Policy proposed by MEPs. Other proposals include doubling the farm size threshold for farmers having to implement the three-crop rule, to between 15 and 30 hectares. But environmental NGOs have hit out at the proposals via an amendment to the EU's budget rules. The European Environmental Bureau (EEB) says MEPs are "effectively attempting to pre-empt official political CAP reform negotiations". Public consultation on the CAP post-2020 closed last week after receiving 320,000 responses from all 28 EU countries. A white paper on the future of the CAP will be published this year with legislation expected in early 2018. Brexit talks timetable EU officials have confirmed that Irish concerns will not be a priority in the first phase of Brexit talks. Following the publication of the blocs more detailed negotiating stance, a senior EU official said Irelands concerns would be addressed in detail during a second phase of talks dealing with trade. The EU expects talks to begin some time in June, following the UK elections. It hopes to agree broad principles on the Irish border by the November. More than two decades after beginning its work on the distinctive limestone grassland habitat in Co Clare, the Burren Life Project has been short-listed for a prestigious EU award. The programme, which successfully developed an evidence-based approach to managing species-rich grasslands, habitats and water quality on livestock systems in the region, is the only Irish project nominated for the EU 'Best Nature' Green Award. The award recognises the most outstanding nature, conservation and climate action projects since the EU Life fund was established 25 years ago. Brendan Dunford, founder and manager of the Burren Life Project and implementation programme said the nomination has brought great excitement to farm families in the area. Although just 20 farmers were initially involved in the research, now there are upwards of 500 farmers participating in the project, which extends over roughly 720km of north Co Clare and south Co Galway. "It's amazing. For a small project where there wasn't that many people involved at the beginning, and the budget was very limited, it has had a huge impact not only in the Burren but nationally and now internationally. "It started in 2005 but for 10 years before that we were doing research with local farmers on the problems they faced so our research dates back to the late '90s. They are incredibly proud of what they have achieved so this nomination is very special," he said. Farming is integral to the character and composition of the Burren. The ancient practice of winter grazing on the rough limestone grasslands and heaths is central to the health and diversity of the many species and habitats therein. Today, hundreds of farm families continue to live and farm in the Burren despite the challenges posed by the rough, unforgiving terrain. These farm families produce excellent livestock as did their forefathers, and in many cases this is achieved using the same ancient pastoral traditions. "The project is very farmer centric, the local farming community took real ownership of it so to be recognised is a credit to them" he said. Now there is a Facebook vote to select the top projects in each category - Nature, Environment and Climate. "We want the public to get behind us and vote. We attract well over a million tourists every year, we always aim very high and we want to be number one," he said. Votes can be logged on the LIFE programme Facebook page but hurry, the deadline for submissions is midnight tomorrow. * The Blue Jean Country Queen is set to celebrate its 30th anniversary in style this June bank holiday weekend. The festival, organised by Meath Macra na Feirme, will see 30 young women vying to claim the glamorous crown in the town of Athboy. The hugely anticipated event, sponsored by Athboy Credit Union, is considered to be a social staple of the Macra calendar and also offers a colourful range of family friendly events and live musical performances throughout the weekend. The talented and sparkling queens, representing vibrant clubs from every corner of the country, will arrive at the Causey Farm, located between Kells and Athboy on Friday June 2 for a team building experience before the official opening of the festival. On Saturday, the annual street carnival and craft fair will kick off on main street, Athboy, with The Great Blue Jean Bake Off. The extravagant gala banquet ceremony will take place in the Darnley Lodge Hotel on Sunday. The winner will receive 1,000 in prize money, while the runner up will be awarded 500 from Forefront Nutrition, while third place will receive 300 from M&G Groundworks. Cork-based retail group Musgrave has notched up an estimated 40,000 customers in China since its own-brand products launched on internet giant Alibaba in March. Musgrave started exporting SuperValu products to China on St Patrick's Day this year and business has grown steadily, with the retail group considering expanding its range to include products from other branded Irish suppliers. Musgrave - which controls the SuperValu and Centra brands here - uses Alibaba's Tmall ecommerce platform to sell SuperValu breakfast cereals, coffee, jam, biscuits and other products to consumers. Chinese shoppers are increasingly purchasing overseas products through online shopping. Alibaba is China's biggest e-commerce group, handling more transactions each year than eBay and Amazon combined. Jack Ma, its chairman, pledges to serve two billion consumers around the world within 20 years. Musgrave offers 40 own-brand products for sale on Tmall Global, selling directly to Chinese consumers. The company is the first Irish firm with a presence on the platform. Its top-selling products are SuperValu Wheat Biscuits and Signature Tastes Muesli. It has a SuperValu storefront on the Tmall Global website. A large number of retailers such as Sainsbury's from the UK, Costco from the US, Spain's Dia, and Germany's Metro also have storefronts on the website. "Working with Alibaba has allowed Musgrave to enter the Chinese market and we are developing our understanding of the Chinese consumer," said David O'Flynn, head of business development at Musgrave Group. "As our understanding grows we plan to tailor our range of SuperValu own brand products and potentially expand the range to include products from other branded Irish suppliers. "The global growth opportunity is certainly in China. The region is an economic powerhouse that you really have to see to appreciate it. "With the population growth and the economic growth at the moment, they are unquestionably the engine of the future," he said. "By 2022 over 550 million people in China will be considered middle class and this presents a huge opportunity for Ireland with our reputation for quality and authentic products from a clean environment." SuperValu is Ireland's largest grocery retailer by market share according to Kantar Worldpanel, with Dunnes Stores in second. Musgrave generated revenue of 3.7bn and a pre-tax profit of 52.8m from continuing operations last year. It also controls the Daybreak franchise, and the Dialprix chain in Spain. Musgrave hopes to emulate retailers such as UK-based Waitrose, which exports branded goods around the world. Family-owned Musgrave has developed a number of own-brand goods for SuperValu under its 'Signature Tastes' label. 'The retreat of banks from the SME industry has left fertile ground for more nimble players but the new entrants lack the scale needed to make a significant impact on the sector, according to Cardinal's spokesperson, who stressed the firm supported the "transfer of risk" from the main banks to alternative lenders.' File photo: PA Cardinal Capital, the investment firm founded by Irishmen Nigel McDermott and Nick Corcoran, is weighing a new 200m credit fund aimed at small and medium enterprises in an effort to capitalise on the main banks' retreat from the sector. While the vehicle remains in gestation, Cardinal has been courting prospective investors in the venture for some time. A spokesperson confirmed the project was under consideration but stressed it may not come to fruition for another six months. He added there was no guarantee Cardinal would pursue the venture. However, the sub-5m loan segment, where the planned Cardinal fund would be targeted, continues to suffer from a dearth of credit as banks huddle in less risky, larger-scale corners of the market, preferring to lend to bigger corporations where margins are tighter but the chances of default are far lower. The retreat of banks from the SME industry has left fertile ground for more nimble players but the new entrants lack the scale needed to make a significant impact on the sector, according to Cardinal's spokesperson, who stressed the firm supported the "transfer of risk" from the main banks to alternative lenders. The firm has already cut a swathe in the non-bank sector with its 300m WLR Cardinal Mezzanine Fund, established in the aftermath of the financial collapse and provided a vital source of capital when the pillar banks reined in lending in the rush to repair their balance sheets. The fund, backed by US commerce secretary Wilbur Ross, also gained backing from Ireland's state investment fund, ISIF. While it was aimed principally at mezzanine lending, which provides a bridge between debt and equity, some of the cash wound up in less risky senior loans. The firm has previously supported some of developer Johnny Ronan's ventures, committing money to a proposed redevelopment of AIB Bank Centre in Ballsbridge. As the Sunday Independent revealed recently, it is also considering pledging cash to the building of Ireland's tallest building adjacent to Tara Street railway station, which will require a financing package of about 150m. Despite the steady stream of deals backed by Cardinal's mezzanine fund, it is understood the investment phase is still some distance from completion, partly due to the flow of redemptions. The firm declined to comment on whether a second, similar vehicle was on the cards. If the trigger is pulled on its SME venture, Cardinal is likely to source all the equity from private investors, preferring to "retain flexibility on the underwriting and pricing" of loans. While the growth of SME non-bank lending has been powered by the Strategic Banking Corporation of Ireland (SBCI), an intermediary of the European Investment Bank, Cardinal said it had little appetite for the restrictions that accompany an investment from the government entity. A spokesperson for Cardinal claimed it preferred a "capital markets" orientated vehicle. While the firm insists the more cumbersome credit criteria imposed by the SBCI are anathema to its more nimble model, the state entity is eager to pursue deals in Ireland. Vice-President of the EIB Andrew McDowell told an Oireachtas committee recently that Brexit offered a "window of opportunity" to Ireland as the bank's executives in the UK were eager to shift focus to its smaller neighbour, where the legal and financial laws are similar. Sam McCauley (p), the founder of the pharmacy chain, told this newspaper last year that he was considering bringing in an equity investor to drive the business forward. Photo: David Conachy Investment fund Carlyle Cardinal Ireland (CCI) is in advanced negotiations to take a majority stake in pharmacy group Sam McCauley, the Sunday Independent understands. It is understood the deal is valued in excess of 50m. Sam McCauley, the founder of the pharmacy chain, told this newspaper last year that he was considering bringing in an equity investor to drive the business forward. "I don't see any reason why an Irish pharmacy group can't hold the same position as Musgraves or Dunnes in the grocery market, in other words, be right there with the market leaders," he said. A spokesman for CCI said it does not comment on speculation concerning investment by the fund. It's understood CCI tends to invest in the brands it acquires and that this deal would see investment in the pharmacy business. The fund - sponsored by US investment giant the Carlyle Group and Irish investors Cardinal Capital - has been active in recent years and counts chilled meats company Carroll Cuisine and motoring organisation the AA among its portfolio. Cardinal was set up by Irishmen Nigel McDermott and Nick Corcoran. McDermott was a founding director of Dermot Desmond's International Investment & Underwriting. Sam McCauley opened its 30th Irish shop last October, a quarter of a century after its first. "We're very much now on the path of organic growth," McCauley said at the time, adding that the chain was also expanding shops. "We're maximising out the existing portfolio, adding on new greenfield sites and may do selective acquisitions. "We see lots of opportunity to expand the business. We're now in a better position than ever before to move the business forward to a new level," he said. A spokesperson for Sam McCauley could not be reached for comment. McCauley (68) is the largest shareholder in the business, according to the company's most recently filed annual return. Pharmacists and McCauley family members have also invested in the business, as has the well-known accountant Bernard Somers. CCI is one of a number of private equity players operating in what has been an active Irish market. Other firms that have recently done deals include MML Growth Capital Partners, which backed a management buyout of Fastway Couriers. International trade is the lifeblood of small economies. Recently, this column looked at new research on Ireland's foreign trade in goods - tangible things, such as meat and medicines, that are put into containers and shipped to other countries. Today, the much less discussed subject of services trade is put under the spotlight. It needs plenty of discussion, because total sales of services to foreigners last year brought in 133bn to Ireland Inc. The value of services export earnings in recent times have come close to the value of goods exports, a very unusual state of affairs (on average globally, economies export four times more goods by value than services). Another reason to discuss the matter is Brexit. In 2015, the most recent year for which figures are available by individual market, Irish services exports to the UK were worth 24bn. It is not well known that this far exceeds the value of merchandise goods, at 14bn, that the British buy from Ireland-based firms. That latter figures, incidentally, includes all food products sold into the UK market. The enormous uncertainty around Brexit is particularly acute when it comes to services trade. Services are one of the 'Four Freedoms' of the EU Single Market. While Europe's is the most integrated service trading regime in the world, there is nothing like perfect freedom to trade services across borders. There are formal and informal barriers, such as national licensing and regulations. The EU also does not have a uniform trade regime with non-EU countries. All of this makes the rules around cross-border sales of services hard to understand. Even the likes of Peter Ungphakorn, a veteran trade practitioner, analyst and blogger, calls the system internationally "unbelievably complicated". This, along with many other factors, will make negotiating an EU-UK free-trade agreement time-consuming, and even more so if there are moves to deepen the Single Market for services among the 27 EU member states before such a deal is inked. At present it appears certain that any new arrangement will result in a deterioration in market access to the EU for UK firms compared to the current single market arrangement. It will also mean a deterioration in access to the UK by EU-based firms. Brexit was always going to mean more barriers to doing business. Services have become an increasingly important part of global and Irish trade. Yet there is less known about them than trade in goods. Services have proven to be more difficult to account for and subsequently harder to analyse. A recent ESRI paper by Martina Lawless and Zuzanna Studnicka attempts to fill in some of the knowledge gap for Ireland*. Using detailed data from the CSO's Annual Services Inquiry, the economists looked at the differences between Irish-owned and foreign-owned firms, and between export-oriented services firms and others (It should be noted that their analysis excludes financial services exports and imports). Ireland's trade in services shares some similarities with its trade in goods. Among the most eye-catching similarities is how little of the exporting is done by Irish-owned firms - a mere 8pc by value in 2012 (the most recent year cited in the paper). The ESRI paper confirms what all other research has shown, that is that foreign-owned firms dominate Irish services exports. It also shows that only 1.5pc of Irish-owned service firms export, compared with 20pc of foreign-owned ones. A small number of large firms account for the most export earnings, something that is not unusual by international standards or compared to goods exports. Despite being a small share of total firms, exporters account for a fifth of total services employment, again reflecting the presence of large firms. The lower number of firms can partly be explained by the nature of many services, which cannot be provided over distance (hairdressers and barbers are the textbook examples). But the difference in the export participation rate between Irish and foreign firms highlights both the weakness and potential of indigenous businesses. According to the ESRI research, there are three big sectors in non-financial services exports: "Computer Programming and Publishing Activities" (47pc of total), "Wholesale trade, except motor vehicles" (27pc) and "Information service activities" (14pc). Owing to a lack of data and confidentiality reasons, these sectors are not further disaggregated. That said, it would be reasonable to assume from the data that the largest non-financial services exporters are IT companies, or more specifically US tech giants based in Ireland. Among Irish firms wholesale, IT services, and air transport are the three largest exporting sectors. The foreign sales of Irish business and professional services (accounting, legal, real estate, R&D, and telecommunications) are a small share of the total, but still amount to hundreds of millions of euro. The ESRI economists also looked at the difference between performance of exporters and non-exporters. In line with previous studies, they find an "export premia". Those Irish service firms which exported performed better in terms of employment, productivity, wages, sales, and investment. There is, of course, a direction of causality issue here: successful firms may have become successful because of exporting or exported because of good performance at home. Either way, there is a good case for incentivising and supporting firms looking to export, particularly given the small size of our domestic market. A rather surprising finding is that a majority of "services" firms in the exporting business sell both goods and services, or even more commonly, only goods - the classic import-export operator. In fact, just 41pc exclusively exported services. The inclusion of the "retail and wholesale" sector in services can account for some of this. However, the finding holds true even when the sector is excluded. A final point is the increasing importance of online presence. Irish firms which made more sales online were more likely to export. Not surprisingly, given role of technology in the modern economy, the study finds that many services are delivered digitally. For an island economy, this route to foreign markets can and should be a game changer. Time will tell whether the opportunity is exploited. * https://www.esri.ie/publications/services-exports-and-exporters-of-services/ Aer Rianta International, the retail arm of DAA, has already rolled out Candy Cloud its bespoke childrens store for confectionery Aer Rianta International has developed a new global toy store concept which it hopes to roll out across its growing retail portfolio, which spans nine countries. Branded Kids' Kingdom, the retail concept will be launched in November at Muscat Airport in Oman. It will feature Sinbad and an in-store pirate ship complete with a cannon and dry ice as well as interactive flooring. Fish and other sea creatures will move underfoot as customers walk around the store. DAA's retail arm ARI learned from the award-winning Candy Cloud confectionery store, which was pioneered in Dublin's T1, that there is a strong desire for themed concept stores within airport retail. ARI has since taken the Candy Cloud concept to a number of its overseas locations, including Bahrain and Auckland. Kids' Kingdom represents the next phase in the evolution of ARI's original Candy Cloud concept as it is a bespoke children's store for toys and gifts rather than confectionery. "Kids' Kingdom will be colourful, engaging and enticing and the presence of Sinbad and the pirate ship is likely to be a significant draw for shoppers of all ages," said an ARI spokeswoman. Kids' Kingdom is due to open this November in Muscat Airport's new passenger terminal and will be one of 13 units operated by ARI. The retail concept is the latest addition to ARI's growing portfolio of global-themed outlets. ARI launched the world's first-ever Guinness tasting bar at Dublin Airport's Terminal 2 this week, although the plans were revealed by the Sunday Independent last month. The Guinness Export House concept represents a substantial investment by Diageo, said a spokeswoman. The new bar concept "invites consumers to immerse themselves in the Guinness culture and partake in a unique in-store tasting experience". "In the expert hands of a Guinness beer specialist, the tasting experience offers consumers a unique opportunity to sample the craft, quality and distinctiveness of specialty beers," she said. DAA is considering a future roll-out of the Guinness tasting bar concept across ARI's global portfolio. Designer Group has said that it will create 100 new jobs in its Blanchardstown office in the coming year, while Aspire Technology will create 150 jobs in Sandyford. The announcement from Designer Group comes as Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform, Paschal Donohoe TD, officially opened the company's new 2m headquarter offices in Blanchardstown on Friday. Describing the company as a great Irish business success story Minister Donohoe said that the announcement was another strong symbol of our growing economy and increasing employment here in Dublin. The Groups local roots and international success are a testimony to the values and ambition of the organisation and its leadership. I wish them every success for the future, Minister Donohoe said. The company, which was established in Ireland in 1992, has experienced considerable expansion over the past two years with employment growing from 400 to 650 in that time. Read more: Facebook Ireland poised to land more jobs Designer Group also currently employs 130 apprentices largely drawn from the local areas of Dublin 7 and Dublin 15, and has converted their old office into a specialist training and pre-fabrication centre. These new offices, which house the latest 3D and virtual technology facilities, will help to drive the companys growth plans in the territories where we currently operate - Ireland, UK, Africa and the US, Michael Stone, ceo of Designer Group, said. The company, which has offices in the UK and Germany, has recently been involved in projects for clients such as Yahoo, Dropbox and Irish Life, and are currently working on Bristol Myers Squibb in Cruiserath, Kennedy Wilson and IPUT. Aspire Technology Meanwhile Aspire Technology, which delivers end-to-end mobile network life-cycle professional services and product solutions to the worlds leading telecommunications, equipment and software providers, has announced the creation of 150 jobs at its Irish headquarters in Sandyford, county Dublin. The roles, which are supported by the Department of Jobs through Enterprise Ireland, include software developers, network engineers, design specialists and project managers at both experienced and graduate levels. "Enterprise Irelands mission is to partner with innovative Irish businesses with the drive and ambition to scale internationally. Aspire Technology is a great example of an indigenous Irish ICT company with global ambition, competing and winning against strong competition in international markets. This expansion is testament to the ambition and capabilities of the company," Kevin Sherry, executive director of Enterprise Ireland said. Recruitment of the new positions is starting immediately and the company will also offer an extensive graduate recruitment programme. "Aspire Technologys growth is based on our world-class people whose deep expertise, allied with the innovative and entrepreneurial culture within the company, has resulted in a significant increase in demand for our solutions. We are thrilled that we are doubling our team in 2017. We have amazing opportunities for ambitious candidates who love working with people and technology," Bill Walsh, ceo and founder of Aspire Technology said. As part of the expansion, Aspire Technology will be adding to their existing headquarters in Sandyford where they will build a state-of-the-art network support centre. The new centre will serve over 16 million mobile customers across 32 markets during 2017. Plans are already in place to grow this facility to manage over 50 million mobile customers. Banking giant JP Morgan has warned that Dublins binding constraint, as it seeks to entice financial services firms from London to the capital in the wake of Brexit, is its infrastructure, including housing, schools and transport. James Kenny, JP Morgans head on investor services, was speaking to Financial Times this weekend as the bank which already employs 500 people in Ireland confirmed that it will hire a significant number of people in Ireland for its custody and fund services business over the next three years. Earlier this year the Irish Independent reported that JP Morgan was considering moving hundreds of staff from London to Capital Dock, the 31,600 sq m (340,000 sq ft) office scheme currently being developed by Kennedy Wilson in Dublin's docklands. The site could potentially house around 1,000 employees. Mr Kenny told the Financial Times that JP Morgans impression is that some jobs can be filled by people moving from other countries because Ireland has a very flexible immigration policy. The binding constraint in Ireland isnt really around the supply of qualified people; its around infrastructure the infrastructure in the city, the supply of housing.....the capacity in the school system, the domestic transport infrastructure, he said. Confirmation of JP Morgan's post-Brexit move will be welcomed, coming as it does in the wake of the decision by two major insurance companies, Lloyd's of London and AIG, to choose Brussels and Luxembourg instead of Dublin for their respective European Union bases. Prior to last June's referendum, J.P Morgan boss Jamie Dimon said as many as 4,000 employees could be relocated if Britain chose to leave. Next month Bank of China will open its first Irish branch in Dublin. Who would have thought that a television series that chronicled the 'goings-on' at a fictional 1960s' New York advertising agency would grasp the attention of an audience. The producers at US cable giants HBO and Showtime certainly didn't, as they passed on the opportunity to buy the first script. However, another cable TV company, AMC, took the risk and seven seasons, 16 Emmy and five Golden Globes awards later, the appeal of Mad Men is evident to everyone. It's more than 50 years on from the time the show depicted, and the advertising industry has undergone monumental changes since. That industry now bears little resemblance to the business of Don Draper et al at fictional agency Sterling Cooper. Nowadays the industry is dominated by six global companies whose activities have expanded far beyond the original advert design and creation work that they were synonymous for. At the top of the pyramid lies the British-listed WPP, a holding company for over 160 communications companies across advertising, media investment management, information and consultancy, public relations and public affairs, healthcare and speciality communications, and branding and identity services. The major advertising agency groups globally have been buffeted by a perfect storm of global economic growth pressures and structural debates about the longer-term role of the agency business model. Agencies' main clients are medium-and large-sized advertisers. The high level of diversification as well as concentration in the industry means that agencies' sales growth is closely tied to the revenue trends of their customer base, which have been slowing for the last few years. However, a number of changes are transforming - or will soon transform - the marketing landscape, with a corresponding impact (not necessarily negative) on the industry. Clients, for example, will increasingly require advice and help on how to conduct their digital transformation, thus creating new streams of revenue to replace legacy ones. As a group, the large agencies have displayed a strong long-term track record of high single-digit or low-double-digit annual profit growth that has been driven in a broadly balanced fashion by general market growth, profit margin improvements and clever use of their cash. WPP has done better than others in the industry by focusing on the second two of these levers. However, just because you are the biggest in the industry doesn't mean you are immune to its issues. WPP's track record shows a near-metronomic delivery of profit growth that came to a screeching halt after 28 quarters with the reporting of the company's year-end 2016 results. The guidance for 2017 was also lacklustre. The main worry for investors is whether the 2pc organic sales growth that management forecast for this year is the new norm for the company and the industry - or whether it is caused by account losses. There are reasons to believe that WPP can weather these storms. It boasts a strong business mix with the largest emerging market business as well as a good digital presence. The more challenged part of its offering, market research, is decreasing in overall importance for the company. In the wake of the lacklustre forecasts for 2017 from WPP management, the share price has fallen. The pullback in the share price offers an attractive entry point for investors with patience to profit from the current poor sentiment. As Don Draper would tell you: "If you don't like what's being said, change the conversation." Aidan Donnelly is head of equities at Davy Private Clients. See disclosures at www.davy.ie/AidanDonnelly Leaks: Killian Ryan faces a bill of over 15,000 to fix defects in his apartment block at Beacon South Quarter in Dublin. Photo: Justin Farrelly Kevin Hollingsworth is still shocked by the poor standards of construction that he sees in his work as a building surveyor. He is called in to investigate serious defects in apartment blocks and other buildings, mostly built in the boom years of the 1990s and 2000s. The surveyor comes across roofs in apartment buildings where the water pours in, basements that flood, leaking building facades, dampness and sewerage problems. But most of all, he has to tackle serious defects with fire safety, as a result of shortcuts taken during the boom. "There are a lot of people in Ireland hurting financially because of this," he says. "Many are living in substandard conditions as a result of a lack of proper building controls from the early 1990s until 2013." When he talked to Review this week, Hollingsworth had just visited a development that was less than a decade old, after a tenant complained of a bad smell in a bedroom. "I opened up the floor and there was a soil pipe from the toilets in the apartment, but it was not connected to anything. "It was not connected to any drain. So all the excrement has just been collecting under the concrete floor in a bedroom. "It really blows the mind when you see things like that. There was no consumer protection." The Celtic Tiger era has left a shoddy building legacy, and it is a crisis that is in many places still only becoming apparent. At the moment, for understandable reasons, attention is focused on the housing shortage. But there is also a mounting crisis over appalling construction standards. All over the country, thousands of homes that were built during the boom have been found to be defective. And in many cases, the botched building jobs are only now coming to light. Some high-profile developments have made the headlines, but many in the property business believe these are just the tip of the iceberg. Residents of Priory Hall had to abandon their apartments over fire safety issues. At Longboat Quay they faced huge costs because of defective fire safety features. There are also fire safety issues at the massive apartment scheme at Beacon South Quarter, and these came to light when there were moves to fix a problem with water leaking into two of the blocks. In the most extreme cases, such as the hundreds of houses built with defective building blocks in Donegal, homes are literally crumbling. And then there is the pyrite crisis - the mineral commonly used to build foundations has caused floors and walls to crack in thousands of homes. "Over the past four years I have remediated fire safety deficiencies in 28 developments, and only one of these was featured in the media," Hollingsworth says. "That is just me personally." Botched jobs In the past fortnight, Hollingsworth had to tell homeowners in one complex that they each faced bills of up to 40,000 to fix defects. In an alarming number of cases it is the homeowner rather than the builder who is left footing the bill for botched jobs. Bregsforum, a blog that covers building controls, lists 30 significant developments that have run into severe difficulties. This does not include the thousands of homes affected by pyrite. In many cases the problems relate to fire safety, water leaking in from the outside, sewerage problems and defective building materials. Killian Ryan was one of those who was shocked to discover earlier this year that he faces a likely bill of over 15,000 to fix defects in his apartment block at Beacon South Quarter in Dublin. He bought the two-bed apartment at the end of the boom for 300,000 as part of an affordable housing scheme. "I first noticed water leaking into the apartment three or four years ago, and it is progressively getting worse. "Water runs down the inside of the window and the wall, and it drips off the ceiling. As a result of the dampness there is mould." Ryan says he will also have to pay towards the cost of fixing fire safety defects in the building, and that is much more costly than the leaks. "We were only told in January that we would be getting big bills, and everyone was shocked and horrified." What seems particularly shocking about this case is the lack of redress. The developer Landmark Enterprises went into receivership. So, it seems highly likely that Ryan and other apartment owners will have to pay the bills for the defects themselves. Ryan says there are more rights for consumers buying a doll's house than if they buy a real home. Construction lawyer Deirdre Ni Fhloinn agrees. "You have more rights if something goes wrong with the iPhone in your pocket than when you buy a home," she says. Fortunately, there have been no major fire disasters in shoddy apartment blocks that went up in the Celtic Tiger era. But we were given a warning of what could happen when a row of six terraced timber-framed houses at Millfield Manor in Newbridge, Co Kildare went up in flames in just 30 minutes in April 2015. According to a consultant's report , the walls that separated the houses had "numerous deficiencies", including "inadequate fire-stopping". The report found that the timber frame partitions did not run to the underside of the roof. Terrace inferno Dublin architect Mel Reynolds says that fire should have been the canary in the coalmine that led the Government to take action. "Walls between houses are supposed to be fire resistant for 60 minutes. You are supposed to have an hour to get out if a fire starts in a house next door to you. "It is appalling that six houses burnt down so quickly. If it was at night, there could have been five or six families dead." The potential implications of the Millfield Manor fire are huge. What is to be done if there are thousands of similar developments all over the country? After the fire there was such alarm at the defects that the then Environment minister Alan Kelly commissioned a report. This was supposed to look into risks faced by residents in apartment developments and housing estates across the country. The minister said at the time: "I am acutely aware of the stressful and distressing situation facing homeowners, such as those in Millfield Estate in Newbridge, who simply do not know whether the home they live in is safe and secure from the risk of fire." The report was due to be published in January of last year, and is now complete, but the Department of Housing under Simon Coveney is sitting on it. Asked to explain the delay, a spokesman for the department told Review: "The report of Steering Group to address non-compliance with fire safety requirements in residential developments remains under examination and the Department is seeking clarification on a number of issues." One of the major causes of the crisis was that developments could be built in the Celtic Tiger era without any proper fire inspection. A system of self-certification had been introduced by Environment Minister Padraig Flynn in 1990. Since 2014, under new regulations, inspections at the time of construction have become more rigorous. Hollingsworth says another problem is that builders used different construction techniques to save time and money. During the boom times there was a move away from traditional building with blocks and cavity walls. Builders preferred system-built construction. Ready-made walls arrived as panels on the backs of lorries and were pieced together in jig time on site. Many builders were not used to this. "Often the seals were not done properly, and there are now problems with water ingress and condensation," Hollingsworth says. Burying heads in sand There are also many defects with timber frame houses, which became popular during the boom. Donegal engineer Damien McKay says the quality of timber-frame houses built during the Celtic Tiger era was variable. "There were some reputable well-established companies doing it, but then new companies were set up out of the blue and they had no experience of that kind of system at all." According to McKay, in poorly built timber-frame homes there are often problems with weather-proofing, insulation and air-tightness. Architect Mel Reynolds says timber-frame houses can be excellent, but they require exacting standards. "There's a big difficulty if developers are cutting corners. If a guy is horsing stuff up and not keeping an eye on it, it is a disaster," he says. Reynolds says local authorities and the Government are not really facing up to the problems caused by our defective buildings. "They are burying their heads in the sand," he says. "Because the construction sector is self-policed this shoddy workmanship will continue. If we replicate the same environment from 2004 where building output doubles in two or three years, we are going to have the same quality issues that we had before. "The official response is more concerned with the costs rather than the safety of citizens - and I think that is disgusting," he says. State must step in as regulator Construction lawyer Deirdre Ni Fhloinn says Irish law is stacked against homebuyers who discover defects in their properties. She says there is a pressing need for a building regulator to oversee the sector. We have regulators for telecoms, data protection and food safety, but none for a sector that has exposed the State and homeowners to huge costs as a result of shoddy practices. "In this country you need a licence to drive a taxi, but you don't need a licence to build a house," says Ms Ni Fhloinn. The lawyer who specialises in building defects says the State needs to step in as a regulator. "It should be monitoring what is happening across the country and it should be licensing builders. "It should be putting together a picture of the most common problems - issues such as fire safety, water getting into buildings and structural defects." The lawyer says the response of the Government to the spate of revelations about building defects has been inadequate. "There isn't even a helpline in the Department of Housing after all that has happened. "There should have been experts appointed to look across the whole country at what happened, why it happened, and what lessons we need to learn." - Kim Bielenberg When the market value of Apple Inc tipped over $800bn for the first time during the week, it wasn't just good news for punters who have bought into the stock. It was also very welcome news for the group's 6,000 or so employees in Ireland. Many of them participate in an employee stock ownership programme which allows them to buy shares in the company at a 15pc market discount. They can't just fill up their boots though, as purchases at this rate are limited to 10pc of annual salary up to a maximum of $25,000 per year. Separately, every staff member also gets a limited number of free shares under a scheme announced by chief executive Tim Cook in late 2015. The real exponential growth in Apple's share price came between 2005 and 2012. Somebody earning $100,000 per year, who bought 10pc of salary each year, between 2005 and 2012, would have enjoyed an estimated 850pc investor return. If they kept it up, and didn't sell any of the shares, their stock today would be worth around $1.2m, having put in about $110,000. When the free shares scheme was announced it was reported that staff were given $1,000 to $2,000 worth of shares each or more depending on years of service, etc. Assuming the average was $3,000, Apple's 6,000 staff have bagged around $9m worth of free shares as the stock has climbed around 50pc since the beginning of last year. No doubt there are quite a few highly-paid Apple millionaires down in Cork who have really benefited from the employee stock schemes by staying with the company since the mid-noughties. And there could be more to come. One analyst has suggested Apple's market capitalisation could hit $1trn in two years having placed a price target of $200. This comes despite lacklustre second-quarter results. I remember one Irish tech investor telling me back in February 2013, that over at least two decades, he had made around $80m in profit from buying and selling Apple shares. At the time, Apple shares had fallen in value by a third and many were questioning its future performance. He told me at the time he was buying them up. They were trading at $65 then and are now at $153. What's that phrase again about money makes money? Confidence in Trump fading Speaking of US share prices, it seems the market is abandoning the "Trump premium" when it comes to financial de-regulation, oil companies and building materials. Investors are instead looking at the performance of each company rather than assuming the new Trump administration is going to deliver massive change to bolster certain sectors. Take the Mexican wall - two cement firms tipped to make millions from supplying material for the wall have seen their share prices trimmed back substantially since January. Building materials group Martin Marietta's shares gained 6pc in a couple of days after Trump was sworn in. The company has since shed $1.2bn from its market value. Vulcan Materials, another company tipped to gain from the wall, has seen $600m wiped off its value since January. The market is still expecting a much- needed US infrastructure programme, but nobody is clear yet on how it will be financed. In the meantime, they are piling into tech shares. Crane business hits new heights There is certainly plenty of building going in Dublin - maybe just not houses. The crane count is somewhere between 70 and 90 depending on who you talk to and the quality of their binoculars. Either way it is seen as a big pay day for developers. But hold on a minute. Lots of cranes are a guaranteed big payday for crane companies. Developers may or may not make their money when the cranes come down. One well-known crane hire business doing very well is Dermot O'Leary's Crane Hire. Run by Dermot and Jarlath O'Leary, its latest accounts show retained profits of nearly 10m as of December 2015. Things have probably got even better since then. In 2015, the two directors received nearly 740,000 in remuneration and the company was in rude financial health with 3m in cash on the balance sheet. Crane Hire has had a total of 60 mortgages or charges as it borrowed to fund crane purchases or leased them. It owns some of the biggest cranes in Ireland including a 500 tonner. A look at its charge history shows how it has tended to pay back borrowings after two years, thereby releasing the charge. It was all go until 2006, and then there were no new charges until 2012. Since the period covering its last accounts, it has continued to expand with four mortgages on Liebherr cranes taken out in 2016 and another one so far in 2017, all with Deutsche Leasing. It is a pretty "uplifting" business to be in right now. Noonan must go for AIB sale With all of this market buoyancy, it is a very good time for Finance Minister Michael Noonan to pull the trigger on the AIB IPO. The minister has suggested that the Cabinet will make a decision in the coming weeks. They shouldn't hang about. KBC Bank Ireland reported a first-quarter profit of 70m, more than double the same quarter last year. Mortgage lending across the main banks is also rising substantially. This all augurs well for bank valuations in Ireland where flogging mortgages is expected to be a big part of the future business model - once there are some houses to sell that is. Now that Marine Le Pen is not president of France and the single currency looks like it might last beyond 2017, there may not be as a good a chance to push the button on AIB. After all, its only a quarter of the State holding going to market. It isn't an all or nothing bet. North West exposed to Brexit The latest set of Census 2016 figures to be released provide some interesting insights about what is happening in rural Ireland. We knew the country was becoming more urbanised, and there is a population shift towards the east coast, but the scale and pace of these trends is significant. There are now 41 towns home to 10,000 or more, with 27 in Leinster. But there are only five in Connacht/Ulster. All three of the biggest towns in the provinces outside Leinster - Ennis, Sligo and Letterkenny - experienced population declines over the five years from 2011 to 2016. It is extraordinary to think population decline isn't just about very remote rural regions of north Mayo, etc. In 2015 I made an RTE TV documentary The Battle for Rural Ireland. It looked beyond the traditional presentation of it being about agriculture, but how demographic and economic changes are posing a real problem even for sizeable towns in some regions - especially places not near a city. The north west is more vulnerable to a hard Brexit than any other region and as a region it is without a city. Samuel Dennigan may only have set up his frozen food company, Strong Roots, in 2015 but already he has succeeded in breaking into the Irish, Northern Ireland, UK and Middle Eastern markets. With offices in Dublin and London, he now employs 13 staff and has an annual turnover of more than 2m. Were a new startup food company from Dublin that is bringing frozen food back from the dead, says an upbeat and confident Samuel when I visited him in SuperValu on the Newcastle Road in Lucan. We are now stocked in all major retail chains in Ireland including SuperValu, Dunnes Stores, Tesco, BWG and Centra as well as most leading independent outlets. We also distribute into Northern Ireland, and are in around 200 Waitrose stores in the UK as well as the specialist wholefood retailer Wholefoods Market and we are soon to launch in the Middle East, he adds. The company has four products in its portfolio oven-baked sweet potato fries, garlic roasted sweet potato cubes, kale and quinoa burgers and ripened avocado halves. Given that these are gluten-free, low in saturated fats, low in salt and are a source of fibre, they have become an instant hit with health-conscious consumers and busy families looking for a convenient but healthy food option. Although a startup entrepreneur, Samuel is not new to the food sector. In fact, he has grown up in the business. His father Joe and uncle Sam run a leading food producers and distributors, Sam Dennigan and Co, which was set up more than 40 years ago by Samuels grandfather, Sam. After school, Samuel went to Art College in Belfast for a year before deciding to return to Dublin to join the family business for the summer. I quickly realised that business suited me better than the creative and so the summer job became a passion and a career that I could never leave, he says. For the next 10 years, Samuel immersed himself in every aspect of the business, from sales and marketing to operations and logistics. Over that period, he progressed from working in the fruit and vegetable market in Dublin and with local farmers and producers in Ireland to travelling all over the world to dealing with growers, manufacturers and retailers. During his time with the company, he managed the development of the Sams Potatoes brand as well as a sub-licensed global brand, Green Giant Fresh. It was then, that he realised that his passion and strengths lay in being able to create and build a brand. Thats when I also realised that I wanted to start my own business, says Samuel. Throughout my career in the fresh food business, I saw that one of the biggest restrictors to exporting was the perishability of fresh produce. However, I grew to understand that frozen brings all the benefits of fresh vegetables but without the perishability, he adds. Convinced that there was an opening for a company that could become an innovator and challenger within the sector, Samuel set up Strong Roots in 2015. For example, our ripened avocado halves are a first in the market. This is because its often difficult for consumers to find perfectly ripe avocados and hard for retailers to predict the demand so we thought, why not ripenthem at source in Peru and then freeze them, he says. We are also working on eight new products that complement the items we already have such as a new burger recipe and some new on-trend vegetable fries which the market hasnt seen before. These will be delicious, helpfully convenient and as always innovative. Although starting with a strong knowledge base and key contacts in the industry. Samuel still faced many challenges in scaling his new enterprise especially in the areas of production and logistics, distribution and finance. However, his experience in these areas was crucial to overcoming these obstacles. He began by travelling around the world to source producers, manufacturing firms and third-party logistics firms with whom he could partner. In the US a land of opportunity for Irish businesses he focused on what he knew was the single most important part of growing a successful food business: developing distribution channels through leading retailers. Here, he concentrated not only on building relationships with the buyers in the head offices of these retail chain but with those who delivered the products, packed the shelves or served the customers. Now, with more than 1,500 stores to service, he has a dedicated team of five staff whose job it is to visit each store regularly to ensure that such relationships are maintained. Cash flow too was an important factor particularly given the amount of product required to stock each outlet as well as maintaining a buffer stock in the event some stores run short. To fund the business, Samuel and his wife invested all their savings. Instead of investing in a house as many other couples might, we decided, instead, to invest in our own business, says Samuel. Thankfully for them, their investment has now begun to pay off. They recently opened an office in London and have moved there to help drive sales in the UK. They have also begun receiving strong interest from retailers in places such as Iceland, Scandinavia and Singapore. To add to all this, they are carrying out research with a view to entering the US market in the near future. For further information see: www.strongroots.ie Q: I have two children going through communions and confirmations this month. While my phone camera is pretty good, I'd like something with a bit more quality to take photos on the day. I don't want it to be too expensive or complicated. Could you recommend something? A Yes. Try a Panasonic Lumix TZ70 (340, pictured) or a Canon G9X (400). The Panasonic has a remarkable zoom while the Canon maximises image quality with a short zoom. Both come in pocket-friendly compact sizes and are easy to use on automatic mode. If this seems a bit steep financially, try Nikon's value-oriented Coolpix 500 (275). This is a little bulkier, but has a great zoom. And for the very budget-conscious, Canon's pocket Ixus 180 (180) gives good picture quality at a zoomed-in level that no phone can compete with. On the other hand, if your budget can stretch the other way to over 500, I would trade up to the super-compact Sony RX100ii (550), which takes amazing photos for its small size. And if your wallet is even deeper, Panasonic's FZ1000 (700) is probably the best quality do-it-all superzoom camera that's geared toward novices. I used this for a while and was delighted with the photos and the zoom range. If you're thinking of a DSLR camera - those classic chunky black models from companies like Nikon and Canon - tread carefully. For most casual snappers, I'd caution against them unless you want to get into photography as a hobby. While these cameras are brilliantly flexible and can be used right up to professional level with amazing (separate) lenses, they're big, heavy and are arguably wasted on someone who just wants high-quality snaps a few times a year and on holidays. However, if that doesn't put you off, Canon's entry-level 1300D DSLR camera is hard to beat for value. For 375, you get an 18-megapixel camera that's relatively beginner-friendly and can also take any of Canon's huge range of lenses if you get a taste for photography. It comes with an 18-55mm lens as standard, which is a modest zoom, but sometimes you'll see it on sale with an extra-long 75-300mm zoom for around the same price. For those with a bit more money looking for a DSLR-equivalent camera that's powerful and stylish, Fuji's excellent new X-T20 model costs 1,000 with a standard zoom lens (16-50mm). This is an amazing-looking camera and produces superb photos, but it may be aimed a little more at someone who's interested in photography beyond a few casual snaps once a month. Rest assured that virtually any camera you buy these days has Wi-Fi transfer built in. That means you can send photos from your camera to your phone or tablet right away over the air. To do this, you have to download the relevant app (Canon, Nikon, Panasonic or whatever.) You can then view photos on your phone and download the ones you want. As for where to buy your camera, I strongly urge going to a standalone camera shop such as Conns Cameras or The Camera Centre in Dublin, Whelan's in Limerick and others. The prices here are almost always the same (or cheaper) than larger retail multiple stores. You also always get much better advice on which model to pick and which model you really don't need. RECOMMENDATION: Panasonic Lumix TZ70 (340 from Conns Cameras) Email your questions to caomahony@independent.ie Two to Try Samsung S8 (from free on contract, 800 unlocked) Expand Close Samsung Galaxy S8 / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Samsung Galaxy S8 Samsung's new flagship smartphone is probably the best new handset of the year. Its amazing design leaves it with a much bigger screen (5.8 inches, bigger than the biggest iPhone) in the same-sized device. This means it's way better for watching videos and reviewing photos. The S8's 12-megapixel camera is very good, though largely the same as that of its predecessor, the S7. It comes with 64GB of internal storage, expandable by a microSD memory card. Microsoft Surface laptop (1,169) Expand Close Microsoft Surface with Alacantra keyboard / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Microsoft Surface with Alacantra keyboard Microsoft has started making rather nice bits and pieces recently. The company, known mainly for software, just announced a gorgeous 13.5-inch skinny laptop that has loads of power, a touchscreen and a decent amount of ports to connect things with. One of its defining features is its suede-like 'Alcantra' keyboard covering which adds a touch of tactile class. A British brand of smoothie drinks has apologised to Ireland after getting 'too far into Eurovision for our own good'. Whoever mans their official Twitter account is clearly a big Eurovision fan as they were tweeting relentlessly throughout the final on Saturday night and got a little excited over the voting. When Ireland did not award the UK any points in the voting, they tweeted, "Ireland, you are dead to us." While some people saw the funny side of their off-the-cuff reaction, others took offence, and the brand apologised profusely and deleted the tweet. We need your consent to load this Social Media content We use a number of different Social Media outlets to manage extra content that can set cookies on your device and collect data about your activity. Please review their details and accept them to load the content. Manage Preference They wrote, "Sorry about this one, guys. We got far too into Eurovision for our own good. Big love to Ireland." After another Twitter user showed them a screengrab of the deleted tweet, they added, "Hello guys. We deleted it because it was rubbish of us. We'll keep the apology up though. Sorry again" We need your consent to load this Social Media content We use a number of different Social Media outlets to manage extra content that can set cookies on your device and collect data about your activity. Please review their details and accept them to load the content. Manage Preference Replying to another tweeter who questioned their comment, they said, "We were reacting to the TV and obviously not thinking clearly. Really sorry for being idiots." Some were unwilling to let them off the hook. We need your consent to load this Social Media content We use a number of different Social Media outlets to manage extra content that can set cookies on your device and collect data about your activity. Please review their details and accept them to load the content. Manage Preference We need your consent to load this Social Media content We use a number of different Social Media outlets to manage extra content that can set cookies on your device and collect data about your activity. Please review their details and accept them to load the content. Manage Preference Video of the Day We need your consent to load this Social Media content We use a number of different Social Media outlets to manage extra content that can set cookies on your device and collect data about your activity. Please review their details and accept them to load the content. Manage Preference However, just as many appreciated it was a joke. We need your consent to load this Social Media content We use a number of different Social Media outlets to manage extra content that can set cookies on your device and collect data about your activity. Please review their details and accept them to load the content. Manage Preference We need your consent to load this Social Media content We use a number of different Social Media outlets to manage extra content that can set cookies on your device and collect data about your activity. Please review their details and accept them to load the content. Manage Preference We need your consent to load this Social Media content We use a number of different Social Media outlets to manage extra content that can set cookies on your device and collect data about your activity. Please review their details and accept them to load the content. Manage Preference U2 will kick off the US leg of The Joshua Tree tour tonight in Seattle. The Seattle Times is unequivocal with its front page: 'Beautiful Day. U2 Is Back In Town.' Not quite a beautiful day though - yesterday it lashed rain and it was windy and cold. Be that as it may, in places like Fado, the Irish bar on 1st Avenue, and in the bars on nearby Pioneer Square, there were a few U2 fans warming up for the show at the 67,000-capacity CenturyLink Field. America is fitting country for The Joshua Tree tour because that classic album from 1987 is indisputably U2's American record. The opening trilogy of The Joshua Tree album - Where The Streets Have No Name, I Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For and With Or Without You - are powerful enough on their own to raise the imaginary roof off any stadium across America. The central part of this new tour is, of course, U2 replaying their biggest-selling album from 30 years ago but Bono goes into other sonic areas, too... Last Friday night in Vancouver, Larry Mullen played the improvised, jazzed-up drum-opening to Sunday Bloody Sunday on his own before being joined by the rest of the band. U2 then played another track from 1983 - New Year's Day - before going straight into A Sort of Homecoming, MLK and Pride (In the Name of Love) from The Unforgettable Fire album from 1984 before turning to The Joshua Tree album... well, this is The Joshua Tree tour. They began with Where the Streets Have No Name, went into I Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For, and then into With Or Without You, before playing Bullet the Blue Sky, Running to Stand Still, Red Hill Mining Town and In God's Country, among others, like Trip Through Your Wires and One Tree Hill. U2 then shifted to the B-Stage where they played Beautiful Day and Elevation from the 2000 album All That You Can't Leave Behind, before going into Ultraviolet (Light My Way) from 1991's Achtung Baby. The finale came on the A-Stage with Miss Sarajevo by The Passengers (remember them?) and finally, the live debut of The Little Things That Give You Away from the Songs of Experience album. In 1987, Reagan was in the White House with the Iran-Contra scandal threatening to wreck his presidency. In 2017, the US has a new president and the songs of The Joshua Tree have a new meaning. Prior to U2's performance of Exit in Vancouver, the aforesaid Prez is inserted into a reworked clip of an old Western film - "You're a liar, Trump." There is a lot riding on this tour for U2. Some might say the band is trapped in the past, suffer from pomposity overload, elevated expectations and, worse of all, fast-dwindling cultural capital. Others, like me, might say U2 is a singularly great band whose songs generally have a quality you could only describe as wisdom. And with the Donald in the White House we need U2 to be great and at their best again. Video of the Day By the end of this tour, U2 could again be the best live band in the world - or they could be a U2 tribute band at their own show. Let's hope it's the former. So, can U2 step up to the plate, if even for one last time? All will be revealed tonight in Seattle. Read Barry's review of U2's concert in Seattle from 6am tomorrow on Independent.ie New skills: the salon at Mountjoy runs 10-week courses in hairdressing for up to seven women. Photo: Colin O'Riordan 'I only did it to get back in here. I'm in for robbery. "It's either here or the streets and I just can't cope on the streets." Elizabeth is in the fourth month of her sentence in the Dochas Centre (Its name means "hope"), the country's largest women's prison based in the Mountjoy campus. "I self-harm as a coping mechanism," Elizabeth says. Expand Close Mary O'Connor, governor at The Dochas Centre, Women's Prison, Mountjoy. Photo: Colin O'Riordan / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Mary O'Connor, governor at The Dochas Centre, Women's Prison, Mountjoy. Photo: Colin O'Riordan "At the beginning, when I came back in, it was almost every day, now that I feel safer, I don't do it as often. "I just can't cope on the outside. And I have everything I want in here. I have safety, I have my own room, I can go to classes, we have a gym, they even take care of my teeth." The officers who watch over Elizabeth regard her case as one of their most difficult. But they have more concerns; on the day Review visits Dochas, its facilities are stretched almost to breaking point by overcrowding. The prison's official capacity stands at 105 but it is catering for 130 women. Prison officer, Amanda, has spent the past six years working in the prison's reception where inmates are processed when they first arrive. Two of the first questions she puts to the women are: "Do you have children and does anyone know you're here?" "A lot of the women coming in feel enormous shame," she says. "They don't want people to know they are here or haven't had the chance to tell someone. They might have been picked up after dropping the children to school so that's something you have to deal with straight away." Other women, Amanda notes, "couldn't care less". "They're used to the system and they'd almost be happy when they see you because they know you. "Some of the women are homeless and present with hygiene issues, while others are in the grips of a drug psychosis. "We adapt to deal with the character in front of us." The presence of high-profile women who have served there like Catherine Nevin, Sharon Collins, Carol Hawkins and Heather Perrin has fostered a tabloid fascination with Mountjoy's women's unit. But in its 18-year existence, the Dochas Centre has housed thousands of women in a medium security setting. Having opened its doors in 1999, it replaced the former women's prison in St Pat's and ushered in a new era of detention for female prisoners. Cells, barred windows and metal doors were replaced by more spacious en-suite rooms and wooden doors. Detainees are referred to as "women", not "inmates". They are provided with key-fobs to their rooms and are allowed to move about within the prison relatively freely. Women are encouraged to organise their own meals in the kitchens, while courtyards provide areas for relaxation. There is a small unit where mothers can stay with babies under one-year-old. Classes are available in everything from woodwork, computers, English and maths to cookery and hairdressing. Governor Mary O'Connor won't brook any suggestions that this is an easy option. "People might see it as a holiday camp but it certainly isn't. "And the impact it has on a family can't be measured. The mother is no longer there to make her children their breakfast. And she can't be there on all those momentous occasions, Christmas morning, communions, confirmations. "The impact on the mother... well, society can say she deserves what she gets but the child is also impacted by this." Addressing the issue of drugs in the prison, the governor outlines a zero-tolerance approach. "I know there was a perception at one stage that people are happy with drugs in a prison but we are never happy with drugs in a prison. "There is never peace when there are drugs." Over in the school, the effects of the overcrowding at Mountjoy are being felt by staff who have to inform disappointed women that classes are full. The salon runs 10-week courses for up to seven women at a time in everything from hair colouring to blow-drying to treatments and French plaits. Trainers Denise Donnelly and Orla McGrage make the salon one of the most popular spots in the prison. "We've been running the salon for the past 14 years," Denise explains. "A lot of what we are teaching in here is self-confidence, the ability to learn how to do these things can have a huge impact on a person's self-esteem. "It's amazing how much a woman can come along in 10 weeks, and many of the women in here will go on to use the skills they have acquired on the outside." Making our way to the hair salon we are approached by an inmate who tells us she has been assaulted and is the subject of ongoing bullying. "I've been attacked. "You can't show emotion in here or talk to anyone about what you're going through or they'll (the other inmates) see it as weakness." Our escort confirms the woman's claim of assault is accurate and says the issue is being investigated but it is clear bullying remains an issue in the prison. "We don't have gangs but there are cliques," Governor O'Connor agrees. "But if we become aware of an issue, we'll speak to the woman engaged in the offending behaviour, and if that doesn't work, she may have to be removed. "People say the Dochas is too soft but I would argue life, for many of these women on the outside, is very, very hard. "And that's what we are working to prepare them for, in co-operation with the Probation Service and other welfare agencies - a return to their lives on the outside." Helen McEntee suggested to Enda Kenny that a minister for mental health should be appointed almost a year ago she was given the job. Now, just shy of 12 months in the portfolio, she said its a long and short year in a sense. Ive probably met with more groups and organisations than I thought I would but its been great because it means Ive got a good sense from absolutely everybody in terms of whats going on on the ground, whats happening with services and what kind of needs to happen, she said. The one thing I would say about mental health is that what got us to where we are today is not necessarily going to get us where we need to be in the future, we have to start changing the way that we are thinking about it. Two key areas identified by mental health reform activists are better access to services for young people and 24/7 access to acute services for those in need. Both areas need significant work the minister admits but insists that work is underway. She hopes that by the end of the year there will be seven day access to services across the country something not everywhere as at the moment and from then there is work underway to install pilot programmes to see how 24/7 access could be rolled out nationally. I would hope that 2018 would be the year that we could look and see what works and what doesnt, she said. The biggest challenge in that is the staffing numbers. Funding is not really the issue, we could have 100m allocated tomorrow but if you dont have the trained staff then youre going to have to try and spend it elsewhere, she said. We have a recruitment problem across the board so were trying to do a number of things. Increasing nursing places in college, increasing wages and upgrading facilities are all measures she hopes will begin to have an improve the success rate of the HSE in recruiting much-needed staff. As of September last there were just shy of 10,000 people working in specialised mental health services across the country about 78pc of the recommended staff level set out in a 2006 plan called A Vision For Change (AVFC) which set out to overhaul mental health policy nationally. A review of AVFC and whether the HSE has met the benchmarks set out in it is due in the coming weeks. It is expected that the staffing level will stay the same. Staffing is a particular barrier when it comes to services for children and teens. This year there was 5m allocated for new assistant psychologists, on kind of a pilot system to increase the support in the community, he said. Our Children and Adolescent Mental Health Services (CAHMS) are obviously stretched and its a problem its a good problem in a way because more people are seeking help but obviously when we are having a difficulty with staffing our CAHMs teams we need to try and reach our young people we need to try and reach our young people before they are sent to CAHMs. The Minister acknowledges that Ireland is only about 60-70pc of the way there when it comes to providing adequate mental health services. When it comes to the long standing stigma around mental health, despite the progress being made to promote awareness we are only 60pc there in eradicating that also she said. Its still there and theres no point in pretending its not, she said. Its about encouraging a conversation and the right conversation. I think we get caught in a trap of talking about it so much that young people think they have to be labelled with something, she cautioned. National campaigns such as the Green Ribbon campaign running currently and the Connecting For Life strategies which are being rolled around the country to tackle our suicide levels are all a means of achieving better outcomes she said. When it comes to her brief Ms McEntee may be more invested than most, having personal experience of suicide. In 2012 her father, a then-minister died by suicide. She went on to fill his shoes, being elected to his seat in Meath East, and she feels she has a unique perspective that drives her on - but is conscious that most people have encountered the effects of mental health difficulties in one form or another. When you have personal experience with anything is that it gives you an insight into that maybe other people dont have but unfortunately the thing with mental health is that everyone has some experience with it. "It might not be as personal as losing a father but everyone has some connection. Even I its a neighbour or a friend thats had a difficulty it doesnt necessarily have to be a someone who has died by suicide everybody has some connection. "I think when you are affected, or when you lose somebody you are more aware. "I suppose thats what its all about making people who maybe havent had that close experience aware of the dangers but aware of possibilities. "If you suffer from an illness and you know the impacts that it can have you are more aware of the impact around you and its the same when you are impacted by mental illness things that you may not have been aware of come into your vision and come into your sight, "Its about getting people who havent had personal experience to notice those things as well and thats sometimes a challenge," she added. With just a year under her belt, and dual responsibility for older people, she is hopeful to remain in her current ministry. "There is a lot of stuff that Im working on that Id like to see through. I think we have a lot more work to do," she said. Relevant helplines that can be accessed by people in distress include: Childline: 1800 66 66 66; Aware: 1800 80 48 48; Samaritans: 116 123 and relevant websites: www.reachout.com, www.aware.ie, www.yourmentalhealth.ie, www.jigsaw.ie Gorse fires that wreaked havoc in the west of Ireland last week were so vast they could be seen from space. Nasa satellites captured pictures of the west coast while the fires raged. They show plumes of smoke billowing from the Cloosh Valley in Connemara where millions of euro worth of damage was caused to forests and bogs. The fires raged for five days and covered an area five times the size of Dublin's Phoenix Park, before they were brought under control by fire crews aided by improving weather conditions and Air Corps helicopters dumping thousands of litres of water. Expand Close Nasa satellite picture shows smoke from a huge gorse fire in Co Galway in 2017 / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Nasa satellite picture shows smoke from a huge gorse fire in Co Galway in 2017 Department of Agriculture officials used the Nasa satellite images to monitor the fires and detect locations under threat. EU Copernicus satellite data was also used to detect illegal fires in 17 counties in the past seven days. Agriculture Minister Michael Creed said satellites had detected more than 50 illegal fire sites before April 21. However, the number of fires has escalated since then as farmers look to burn off gorse and waste while the ground continues to dry out. "An indication of the scale of the problem is that this number represents just under half of the total known fire locations to that date," said Mr Creed. This growing number of fires in the past three weeks has seen rural homes and farms threatened by growing blazes, notably in Cork where a picturesque site near the iconic Gougane Barra church was engulfed with flames as worried locals looked on. Expand Close This natural-color satellite image was collected by the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) aboard the Terra satellite on May 08, 2017 / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp This natural-color satellite image was collected by the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) aboard the Terra satellite on May 08, 2017 More than 1,500 hectares of forest and another 2,000 hectares of bogland were destroyed by the fires in Galway last week. Recent rainfall has helped quash the threat of more fires but the minister said his department will withdraw payments to farmers caught setting illegal fires. So far, no farmers have been prosecuted or faced sanction for setting fires. "My department operates a basic payment scheme and other area-based schemes wherein applicants are obliged to comply with cross compliance, including requirements in relation to the burning of vegetation," said Mr Creed. "I would like to remind farmers that where land has been burned, it is not generally eligible for basic payment." The establishment of a powerful new anti-corruption agency will be a cornerstone of Housing Minister Simon Coveney's election manifesto when he officially launches his leadership campaign. The first-of-its-kind State agency would have the power to investigate and prosecute politicians and judges found guilty of corruption or misuse of power in office. Expand Close Leo Varadkar / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Leo Varadkar Teachers, nurses and civil servants would also be answerable to the anti-corruption commission. Mr Coveney is drafting legislation to set up the Anti-Corruption and Transparency (ACT) Commission which he hopes to have enacted if he is elected as the next Fine Gael leader. The anti-corruption agency is Mr Coveney's first policy proposal ahead of the Fine Gael leadership campaign which is expected to start in the coming weeks. The ACT chief commissioner will have the full powers of a High Court judge and all complaints received by politicians from whistleblowers will be referred to the new office. It is hoped the permanent State agency will reduce the need to rely on costly and time-consuming commissions of investigation and public inquiries which have become prevalent in recent years. The new agency would also offer an avenue to both Government and Opposition politicians who regularly receive allegations of corruption from members of the public. Speaking to the Sunday Independent, Mr Coveney said his key objective was to "build trust in politics again". "When you look at how splintered politics is today and you see how many small protest parties that are there, there is really is a need for one of the larger parties to galvanise the support of the people of Ireland around a new and better way of doing politics," he added. The anti-corruption agency would take anonymous complaints from whistleblowers about elected representatives and people in public office involved in any alleged corruption or misuse of power. The commission would have the power to investigate the complaints and hold hearings to establish if corruption had taken place. It would publish reports detailing its findings and recommendations. A memo on the new commission states it "will have responsibility, by education and training, to strengthen conduct and processes in the public sector and institutions which are funded with public money, around conflicts of interest, gifts, compliance policies and financial controls to promote and integrity culture and ensure accountability and independence". An Garda Siochana would not be answerable to the new agency as the force would work along side the commission to investigate and arrest those suspected of corruption. All members of the judiciary up to Supreme Court judges could be investigated by the commission. As could politicians, their advisers and all staff working in the Houses of the Oireachtas. Mr Coveney's policy launch comes as the Fine Gael leadership campaign intensified last week. Supporters of the Housing Minister and his leadership rival, Social Protection Minister Leo Varadkar, clashed over the number of votes they have secured ahead of Taoiseach Enda Kenny's departure. Mr Varadkar's camp said they expected to have more than 30 members of the parliamentary party standing behind the minister when he launched his campaign. Sources said they believed the minister was firmly in the lead across the parliamentary party and within Cabinet. However, Mr Coveney's supporters believed the gap had narrowed between the two politicians and there were still a lot of undecided voters. Mr Coveney's camp believed they had the support of the majority of senators and MEPs. They believed they could shore up the votes of half of backbench TDs and ensure a similar level of support around the Cabinet table. Varadkar's camp dismissed the suggestion the votes were close and insisted the minister had far more support around the Cabinet table than Mr Coveney's team suggested. It has emerged this weekend that Mr Varadkar has secured the support of first-time TD Josepha Madigan and his former Dublin West running mate Catherine Noone. Ten councillors have also come out in support of the Social Protection Minister over the past week. A list of the councillors compiled by the Varadkar team has been seen by the Sunday Independent. This includes three Galway councillors - Peter Roche, Michael Finnerty and Niamh Byrne - and two Dun Laoghaire Rathdown councillors, Barry Ward (who is a former Fine Gael legal adviser) and Emma Blain (who previously wrote for the Sunday Independent and was a member of the '03 Team' of models). John McCartin in Leitrim, Anthony Donohoe from Wexford and Patrick Connor-Scarteen in Kerry have also signed up to Varadkar's camp. Mayor of Donegal Terence Slowey and councillor John Ryan declared for Mr Varadkar last Friday night at an event in the county. A source reported that Mr Varadkar had a standing ovation at the end of a question-and-answer session in Donegal on Brexit, fishing transport links and tourism. Last Monday night, 150 people turned out in Wexford for a Brexit meeting organised by Paul Kehoe in Enniscorthy, and there was said to have been a similar reception. Labour leader Brendan Howlin said it was "profoundly worrying" that the gardai could be used for "rogue actions" that were politically motivated. He expressed his worries following revelations in the Sunday Independent about the phone-tapping by garda intelligence of a political party worker. "I'm obviously worried myself and I think it adds to the whole broad list of issues that shows that, if it's true as I'm reading the papers like everybody else, shows an element of rogue actions being taken and if they were politically motivated," he said. He said that "if people could utilise An Garda Siochana for political ends, it is profoundly worrying". "The first thing we need to know is what is the truth behind these particular stories that are emerging today and is there more to come. "We need to have clarity in relation to that. Even in terms of who can investigate these matters now. "There are so many different (inquiries)....from tribunals of inquiry to commissions of inquiry to GSOC inquiry and (Public) Accounts Committee inquiries into the myriad of concerns that people have in relation to policing, it's very hard to see how we are going to have the absolute truth on all these matters that the public demand," he said. The Labour leader expressed his concerns on the garda phone tapping story prior to addressing the Labour Party's annual James Connolly commemoration at Arbour Hill in Dublin. Mr Howlin, speaking about the growing concern about the number of serious shortcomings in the operations and management of the gardai and its leadership by the Commissioner, called into question the position of commissioner herself. He said: "I think most people are numbed now by the series of shocking revelations, one after another, some now going back years. "The attitude of Government seems to be to parse each one into its little box, send it to an inquiry or commission or the pubic accounts committee or GSOS, somewhere, anywhere, to get it off the agenda, regardless, because making a decision on the reforms that are necessary, root and branch, would be too catastrophic for the maintenance of this Government," he said. "But there comes a time when doing what is right is much more important than any political consequence and it is quite clear to me that a new leadership is required in An Garda Siochana. "I fully support the review that is to be undertaken about training and the structure of the guards into the future. "We need to bring confidence now. Public confidence has been seriously eroded by all that is going on. Unfortunately, it is likely to continue to go on," he said. Asked about what grounds should be used to remove the Garda Commissioner, he said: "You could take it that any one of the myriad of particular issues but I can't imagine any commissioner of police, anywhere that I know of, when the announcement of one million breath tests that were fraudulent, that didn't take place, would be announced or that 14,700 citizens were wrongly brought and convicted in the courts, that the person in charge wouldn't take responsibility for that. "Whatever culpability is involved, responsibility is something different and normally the head of a State agency, where those manifestly improper things happened, would take responsibility," said the Labour leader. "So, on that level alone, there is no doubt that public confidence is shattered right now. I think that will continue. It is not fair for the thousands of men and women who wear the uniform, who put themselves in harm's way every day on behalf of the people of Ireland, they deserve now a new leadership. One that is committed to the reform agenda that has been laid out by the last two inspector's reports. "We need to see fundamental change happen immediately," he said. When asked about the Government's moves to maintain a pay differential between lower paid new public servants and older better paid public servants, Mr Howlin said maintaining a two-tier pay system would be "a disaster." "During the (economic) crisis, public servants were asked to make very significant sacrifices and new joiners made more sacrifices than most. "It was always on the understanding that it would end once the emergency ended. "All the legislative provisions say that, once the emergency is over, the legislation itself collapses. "So the Government has to enter into the negotiations on the basis of full restoration and equality of treatment in the public service. That was the deal that was done. "It was asking people to step up to the plate in the crisis. Now, in better times, seeing that the deal is honoured," he said. Asked about Brexit creating another emergency for the Irish State and the large numbers of applicants for the lower tiered public service jobs, he said "everyone is entitled to decent terms and conditions. "On the future of work in this country, we want to ensure people can be guaranteed a job and a standard of living and the public service should be the exemplar, not the laggard. "They (public service) should be setting the standards for decency. "It is instructive that in the Public Pay Commission it showed that, at the lowest level, it is the public sector that are actually better than the private sector. That's the way it should be. "If we want people to come and work in the public sector, and the health service for example where there is difficult attracting nurses into the hospital system here because there are more attractive benefits elsewhere. "We have to provide a decent standard. But it has to be obviously on the basis of affordability. "I negotiated two pay rounds in the worst of times. Now we can face into better times with the same degree of confidence but on the understanding we don't set public against private (sectors)," he said. 'Sure, we all thought Patrick would be the one to run after Hugh died. He seemed to be well-placed, welleducated and had a swagger." This was the view last week of a former neighbour of the Coveneys in Minane Bridge. But the oldest Coveney son had other ideas. After graduating with a PhD in management studies from New College Oxford, he joined management consultants McKinsey, with whom he spent seven years before becoming finance director of the food company Greencore in 2003. Two years later, at the age of just 37, he was appointed chief executive of the company, originally formed after the privatisation of Irish Sugar. He has transformed Greencore into the world's largest sandwich-maker. To the year end of September 2016, the international convenience food group saw revenues rise to 1.482bn (1.76bn). A highly influential figure in corporate Ireland, he remains a loyal confidant for his younger brother and will play a key role in his campaign. Expand Close Housing Minister Simon Coveney was in Kinvara yesterday to open the new wastewater treatment plant. Photo: Andrew Downes / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Housing Minister Simon Coveney was in Kinvara yesterday to open the new wastewater treatment plant. Photo: Andrew Downes Some in Fine Gael raised eyebrows over headlines on his pay. His pre-tax income in 2014 was around 6.3m including a pre-tax 3.8m windfall from selling Greencore shares under a deferred bonus plan. In February, Coveney had to defend a proposal which could see his salary jump to 3.6m. Four out of 10 Greencore shareholders voted to reject the new pay deal. Depending on how well he meets targets, Coveney could be entitled to bonus shares equal to 200pc of his salary after the company doubled his maximum potential bonus - consultations with shareholders continue. Expand Close Hugh Coveney chats to Chernobyl Children's Project founder Adi Roch / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Hugh Coveney chats to Chernobyl Children's Project founder Adi Roch Defending the proposals, Patrick said: "These awards for executive directors and senior management are only worth something if the company performs very well." There's also a sour taste in many mouths that the closure of the Irish Sugar manufacturing plants hurt many farmers across the country. "I'd say that could have cost Coveney a good few votes. It was like nobody cared about the little fella, all that mattered was the making the rich richer," one local in West Cork said this week. "The (sugar) beet often put dinner on the table for families." Patrick was inspired by his father, Hugh. In an interview with Miriam O'Callaghan for RTE, Patrick Coveney revealed: "It would be my very strong contention that the event of my father passing away had powerful positive outcomes. It was a catalyst for all my siblings to really grow up. With Simon it was like a night and day change... he became a real man overnight." In 2014, Patrick and his young family moved to the plush Glenthorne house in Ranelagh which he bought for an estimated 3.65m. He's still involved with Munster rugby and sails when he can, and despite their varied and hectic schedules, the brothers try to meet up to compete on the high seas. Politically astute Coveney, the elder, will have his younger brother's back as he bids to become the first Cork-born Taoiseach since Jack Lynch. L-R: Paul, Claire, Aidan Darren and Irene at home in Durrow, taken on the morning of returning to school after summer holidays. 'The last time I saw Aidan' - Irene and her brother Aidan, taken August 2016, directly before she left home on Erasmus The sister of a man who tragically died when he was struck by a car after he had been drinking has called for more awareness about addiction and treatment needs in Ireland. Aidan Bermingham was 26 when he was killed in an accident outside his family home in Durrow, Co Offaly on December 14. One of five children he is survived by his siblings, Claire, Paul, Darren, Irene, his mother Eileen and his dad Terry. His sister Irene was getting ready to fly home from Cyprus where she had been on an Erasmus placement when she learned of her brother's tragic death. Expand Close The Berminghams want to speak out to highlight the need for re-thinking how addiction and mental health problems are treated in Ireland / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp The Berminghams want to speak out to highlight the need for re-thinking how addiction and mental health problems are treated in Ireland "Its safe to say life will never be the same for us, as it isnt for many other families. But for our parents especially, Aidan's life givers, providers and protectors, life has been totally shattered," she writes in a personal blog. Speaking to Independent.ie, Irene said her family are keen to raise awareness about the struggle people with both mental health difficulties and addiction face. Expand Close L-R: Paul, Claire, Aidan Darren and Irene at home in Durrow, taken on the morning of returning to school after summer holidays. / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp L-R: Paul, Claire, Aidan Darren and Irene at home in Durrow, taken on the morning of returning to school after summer holidays. "Aidan was really clever. In his mid-20s he was diagnosed with Aspergers and mild autism, so he couldn't really apply it in a way," she said. "His biggest loves were animals and music. He loved DJing. Since he died I found mixes he made on my laptop. He always said that he wanted to DJ," she added. Expand Close Aidan aged three (Photo supplied by family) / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Aidan aged three (Photo supplied by family) But unable to cope with some of life's challenges, he turned to alcohol and ended up in the throes of addiction. He battled to overcome his addiction issues but at the time of his death he had not managed to do so. "He really did try, and that's part of the problem the psychologists and the counsellors none of them would deal with someone with mental health issues and addiction and he couldn't get himself there. "For five years him and my parents tried and it was all in vain no matter how much he tried he wasn't getting the support." On one occasion a doctor told Aidan to "cop on" she said. "The people who cared and tried hardest to help Aidan weren't qualified to do so. The people who were qualified and paid to help Aidan, had no passion to do so." Irene and her family hope to encourage people to think about the long term effects drink and drug abuse can have on a person's well-being, while also hoping to stimulate a change in how people with addiction issues are treated. "It cant all have been for nothing. "Aidan cant have died for no reason. "We cant let this go, we have to talk about it and tell young people in particular that its just not worth it. We have to do that much for Aidan," she said. For over 100 years, criminals being admitted to Limerick prison were handed bedclothes, a toothbrush and a comb. It was a standard package and nobody saw any reason to change. Until recently, when one woman went to assistant governor Dr Richard Roche and complained. The inmate, who had a particularly thick head of hair, argued that a flimsy plastic comb was useless when tackling her curls. Roche was struck by the simplicity of the request and embarrassed he hadn't spotted it sooner. Today, every female prisoner gets a brush when they are committed to the prison. Expand Close Waiting game: prisoners in Limerick wait in the corridor. Photo: Colin O'Riordan / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Waiting game: prisoners in Limerick wait in the corridor. Photo: Colin O'Riordan Roche tells this story by way of explaining the subtle, and not so subtle, differences between male and female inmates behind prison walls. Our prisons, he says, "are built by men, for men". In his view, our whole thinking surrounding the imprisonment of women needs to change. "We hear it all the time: 'Why don't you treat women the same as you treat men in custody?' "We would argue that equality is not about treating everybody the same. Equality is about treating everybody in accordance with their specific needs." Read More No real security risk On the day Independent.ie visits Limerick prison, 34 inmates are serving a variety of sentences. Expand Close Family pictures: a cell in Limerick Prison. Photo: Colin O'Riordan / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Family pictures: a cell in Limerick Prison. Photo: Colin O'Riordan In total there are 10 women serving life sentences for murder in the Irish prison system, one of whom is in Limerick. But the vast majority of women in custody are jailed for non-violent crimes and women make up less than 4pc of the prison population. According to the Irish Penal Reform Trust (IPRT), almost nine out of every 10 women are committed to prison for failure to pay court-ordered fines. Most women are released within a few hours of admission. Outside of this group, just under a third of female prisoners are serving sentences of less than 12 months, compared with 15pc of male prisoners. And 16pc of women are serving sentences of more than five years, compared with 40pc of male prisoners. Roche argues that the vast majority of women who come into Limerick Prison "are no real security risk". Many are serving sentences for shoplifting and crimes associated with prostitution. "They are not really a threat to anybody other than themselves," he says. Expand Close Richard Roche, assistant governor at Limerick Prison. Photo: Colin O'Riordan / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Richard Roche, assistant governor at Limerick Prison. Photo: Colin O'Riordan "We don't need the same level of security for a lot of the women that we need with the men. Sometimes, because women are a minority in a prison system, we tend to lump them all in together Generally men get all the resources." There are workshops for carpentry and other skills in the male prison while women are "often left with just knitting and school", he notes. Read More The distance factor There are only two female prisons in the state, Limerick and the Dochas Centre in the Mountjoy campus on Dublin's North Circular Road. So if a woman from Donegal or West Cork is jailed, they must serve their time in either Dublin or Limerick. Some inmates are a significant distance away from parents, partners and, crucially, children. Roche says this distance has a disproportionate effect on female prisoners. "It has an unusually extra punitive impact on women when they are put in prison. It is so much greater than it is for an awful lot of men." Asked what the alternative would be, Roche says that each community needs to share the burden. "In an ideal world, if it was my call, I would prefer to have a large number of smaller community care centres in local communities. It would be far more effective. We know that maintaining relationships keeps people from returning to prison. Women don't get as many visits as the lads do," he says. A number of Scandinavian countries follow this model. The community option The IPRT subscribes to this view and says alternatives need to be found to jailing women. Fiona Ni Chinneide, acting executive director of the IPRT, adds: "Offending by women is better dealt with in the community. Gender-specific alternatives to prison, which take into account the complex needs of female offenders - for example, supported community service schemes - should be developed and made available on a nationwide basis." Roche, who deals with both sides of the prison in the course of his work, says the difference between the genders is quite stark when it comes to visits and gifts. "When a male inmate wants a new pair of runners, for example, a family member, usually a woman, will drop these into him and there won't be much further thought put into it. "However, when a woman requires something similar, there often isn't the same support network there." The role that children play in this rehabilitation is huge and this is evident inside Limerick Prison. On the day we visit, almost all of the women we meet in the women's wing - known as the E landing - are mothers. The cells in the female wing are filled with family pictures, children's drawings and school certificates. Managing family life Some of the inmates are coy when asked details about their backgrounds or the crimes that brought them to prison, but their faces light up when asked about their children. Louise (34) is serving her second sentence in the jail and says that this time she has turned her life around for the sake of her daughter. "My own experience in here is that jail is after saving my life. I am in the gym every day, I am fitter now than I was when I was 18. So it has been a positive outcome for me." Louise is serving a sentence for shoplifting and is due for release in two months. She has a 10-year-old daughter who thinks her mother has "gone away to school". "She's very intelligent but she thinks I'm away doing a hairdressing course with the gym. It's like school, she thinks I'm away learning to be a better mam for her." To help address the stigma for visitors, Limerick Prison has introduced a number of family- friendly visiting rooms. These are available to inmates on enhanced programmes. The prison is also attempting to put in place a structured system whereby mothers can meet their children at a venue outside the jail. Another initiative, introduced last January, saw social workers Bernie O'Grady and Anna Maria Murphy meet the women to discuss delivering a bespoke parenting programme. Almost a third of the female population in the prison signed up. Read More A shock to the system For some, the effects of being away from family are enormous. Grainne says she is serving a three-year sentence for shoplifting. When we meet her, she is only in the first week of her prison term. "It's a shock to the system. "Just being locked up, your general freedom being taken away. I have one daughter, it's horrible being away from her." On the other end of the spectrum Carmel, a prisoner from Munster in her 50s, is six years into a lengthy sentence. "They all call me momma," she jokes. Roche is convinced that deprivation of freedom is punishment enough for these women; anything else would be unnecessary and cruel. "I don't think that most people in the public realise how precious your freedom is," he says. "If prisoners want toilet roll, they have to come and look for a toilet roll or a toothbrush. They can't walk more than 20 to 30 yards without being stopped at a gate where an officer has to open that gate for them. They can only have visits twice a week. They can only make phone calls when we allow them to make phone calls. "Deprivation of liberty is a very weighty sanction. The pains of imprisonment are very well documented. If you are taken away from society, it is a very hard position to recover from. Our job is not to punish them any further. Our job is to return them back to society better than the way they came into us." When asked if prison is easy, Carmel responds: "No, it's not. A lot of people say you are hidden. You have to keep so much of yourself back, you can't trust, that's the difficult thing. This is very much a transient jail where everyone is in and out." Returning women to society also poses its own unique set of problems. There are currently two open prisons for men but there is no similar step-down facility for women. Roche and the IPRT argue that this makes it more difficult for women integrating back into the community post-release. "Women leaving prison in Ireland are 4.6 times more likely to experience difficulties accessing accommodation post-release than males," Ms Ni Chinneide explains. According to the IPRT, 60pc of women on the Community Return Programme (early release) return to prison; this compares with 85-90pc compliance among males on the programme. "This significant difference may relate to poor post-release supports and lack of stable accommodation," Ms Ni Chinneide adds. For Limerick Prison, there is some hope. The female landing is due to be ripped down in the next few years and replaced by a new purpose-built facility on the site which will cater for 50 female inmates. The tendering stage is due to begin shortly with the facility scheduled to be completed next year. "We want the best complex in Europe for 2018," says Governor Mark Kennedy. "We want to provide a safe and structured environment with the wider community in mind." * All names of prisoners have been changed at the request of the Irish Prison Service to protect their identities and the identities of their victims The power imbalance between landlords and tenants, coupled with the intrusive requirements for securing a property mark Dublin as one of the worst places to rent, according to a Canadian native new to the city. Spencer Hepburn and his girlfriend moved to Dublin last November for work, having travelled from Montreal and San Francisco. The couple managed to secure temporary accommodation in a sublet apartment grabbed from a friend on extended holiday. They began to search for more permanent accommodation on arrival and received quite a shock when they realised the lengths tenants were forced to go to when securing rental accommodation. Mr Hepburn told Independent.ie: Something I noticed right away is if the ad had been up for more than 24 hours, 24-48 hours generally, if you tried to call them afterwards the viewing would be entirely booked and they wouldnt see anyone else- which I found quite strange right off the bat. Something else that Id never seen previously, either in Montreal or San Francisco, was having a crowd of sometimes ten, sometimes up to twenty people standing outside an apartment waiting for the single agent to come by to walk you through and have person after person after person. He continued: In the places we went to, about 80 per cent of the people we were with said yeah sure, Ill take it. It was beyond bizarre to me that the market functions this way. Mr Hepburn was also shocked by the amount of documentation he was being asked to supply and said having to hand over bank statements, proof of annual income and references from employers felt intrusive. He said: In Montreal, where Id been living previously, generally it was the case of putting down a couple of months rent, maybe a letter of reference from work if it was an expensive place. We were asked to give statements with our annual income and all that sort of thing. I found it very intrusive and I think that sort of ability of the landlord to basically make it a contest based on criteria that arent very clear isnt fair. He continued: The power imbalance between the landlord and the renter here is so hugely in favour of the landlord, in terms of they have their pick of nine to ten different tenants. I dont know what criteria they choose on but I can imagine theres a huge potential for abuse there, where they can say I like this person because theyre from my home county or I dont like this person because I dont like the name or whatever. It really was more like a variety show where youre hoping to get chosen from a group of people and you have to prove your credentials. Mr Hepburn and his girlfriend consider themselves lucky that they were able to secure a small apartment in the city centre, having been turned away from the first five places they tried. I guess we got lucky because we did end up with a one bedroom place downtown but compared to what we were paying in other cities in Canada and the United States, it is not very much for the amount that were paying. I would say it is comparable to San Francisco, where its another situation where you end up spending massive amounts of money and you get a one bedroom place without any windows. It is comparable to San Francisco and San Francisco is known as the worst in North America at the moment. Mr Hepburn holds the opinion that the Government should convert the 183,000 vacant homes dotted around the country into viable housing, but also believes the solution to Dublins rental crisis lies in public transport. The beauty of living in Montreal is that because the public transport system is so good, the number of neighbourhoods you can live in and then still work downtown with a reasonable commute is actually quite high. Its a huge area and you can either take a very reliable bus system or the metro. So it expands the range of living. The number one thing that I would say that Dublin could do to improve its living situation would be to improve public transit and make it more feasible for people who work downtown to live outside the city and commute in. A couple who met on Channel 4 series First Dates have welcomed the show's first ever baby. Ibiba Mudada (28) and Aarron Stewart (32) had a baby girl, Aziza, last month, less than a year after being paired for a blind date on the hugely popular show. Their episode aired in October last year and Ibiba was already pregnant at the time. She becamse pregnant just seven weeks after their meeting. Its true that our meeting and the speed with which weve started a family is certainly far from traditional," Ibiba told the Mail on Sunday. Expand Close Ibiba and Aarron / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Ibiba and Aarron And it is hardly ideal to do everything so fast. But that is the nature of modern Britain. Things move at a much faster pace these days. Dad Aaron said their next plan is to buy a home and get married. They share three children between them from previous relationships. Expand Close Ibiba and Aarron on First Dates / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Ibiba and Aarron on First Dates After meeting on the show they found out they lived just two minutes apart in Bristol and that Ibiba's mum and Aarron's dad had worked together for ten years. Ibiba previously told the Sunday Mirror, "When I found out I was pregnant I wasn't sure how he'd react. It was so soon. We were getting into bed and I said, 'There's a baby in my belly - what's going on?' but he seemed really happy." After years of driving past Da Mimmo, in both its current and former locations in Dublin 3, we finally got our act together and booked a table for an early dinner on a bank holiday Monday. It's the first gloriously sunny day of the year and it feels absolutely right to be eating Italian food in a noisy room full of happy customers who know that summer has officially begun. Every time a bus passes outside, obliterating the sun, the room is plunged into momentary shadow, and there's an amount of manipulating the blinds to ensure that none of the customers facing out to the street are dazzled by its rays. It's not a problem to which I reckon many Irish restaurant designers have to give much thought. I remember an earlier incarnation of Da Mimmo, almost a decade ago, on the southside, and the novel thrill of being able to order a proper pizza at a time when the only alternatives were the chains. The quality of the pizza offering in the city has increased exponentially since then, of course, and great pizza is no longer as hard to come by as it was back then, praise be. Tino Fusciardi opened Da Mimmo on the northside in 2010; the restaurant moved to its current premises last year. And although excellent pizza is central to its offering - with a great big humdinger of a wood-fired oven to prove it - to put Da Mimmo into the pizzeria category would be to do it a disservice. What it is, is a proper Italian restaurant without pretension, serving generous-hearted food that puts flavour to the fore. Because Da Mimmo is open 10 hours a day, seven days a week, the kitchen is manned by two head chefs, both called Angelo. Angelo Scarso is from Sicily, while Angelo Paneduce is from Capua near Naples. Each brings his own different ideas and techniques, heritage and experience to the restaurant. The combination makes for a menu that is way more interesting than the modest premises and casual ambience would lead one to expect. The menu is also very long, stretching to half a dozen pages, although the bulk of it is made up of pizza and pasta variations. We start with calamari fritti that are spiced with paprika and served with a punchy caper mayonnaise - the batter is good, the squid tender, the portion enormous. Anywhere else this would be a main course, and it's priced at just 10. The bread in the crostone di caponata may be indifferent, but the sweet/sour caponata itself pretty delicious: the combination of aubergine, peppers, onions, olives, celery and mint, with pine nuts for texture, dressed with good balsamic vinegar, and topped with sharp Caciocavallo cheese feels classic for a reason. The bruschetta al pomodoro, on the other hand, fails because the tomatoes taste of nothing, which is a pity, because there are flavoursome tomatoes around at the moment, although pricey. I'd prefer a smaller portion, made with better tomatoes. In addition to the long menu, there's a separate list of specials. The orecchiette with sausage, friarielli (wild broccoli), smoked buffalo mozzarella and white wine sauce turns out to be the best pasta dish that I've had since I was last in Italy, or maybe even ever. Again, the portion is enormous but somehow we manage to finish it - the combination of ingredients is just perfect, and the soupy broth that's left after all the pasta is finished cries out not to be wasted. We order two pizzas - a simple bufala topped with tomato sauce, buffalo mozzarella and basil, to which we add some Italian sausage, and a funghi with smoked scamorza, wild mushrooms, meaty porcini, garlic, truffle oil and parsley. Anthony Bourdain went off on an anti-truffle oil rant recently on The Tonight Show, and it can be horrible, as he says, but both these pizzas are a success, with fine, crisp dough and a great-tasting char from the wood-burning oven, which I'll wager must be among the biggest in the country. Not that we really need them, after all that, but we try two desserts as well. The tiramisu, served in a coupe with a strawberry on top, is pleasant without being exceptional (I'd have preferred more marsala and general sogginess), and the cannoli siciliani - two tubes of pastry filled with sweet buffalo ricotta cheese, pistachio and little nibs of chocolate - hit a sweet spot that we didn't even realise needed hitting. Our bill for three, including a bottle of Il Ruspo Sangiovese (29) and a couple of soft drinks, comes to 111.45 before service. That's great value as it is, but you could eat well here for far less, as the portions are more than generous. "It's a family business," Tino Fusciardi tells me, when I ring him a few days later. "My brother sends local cheese and salami and cured meats from the butcher in Casalattico, our village in Italy, and my wife does the books. We work long hours and we have really good staff [this is true - the floor staff are excellent] and we try to look after them as well as we can. We all work together, to keep making the food better, and make it good for our customers." On the evidence of our visit, Fusciardi and his team are making a more than decent fist of things. It's a busy spot, so plan ahead and make a booking. THE RATING 8/10 food 9/10 ambience 9/10 value for money 26/30 ON A BUDGET Penne all'arrabbiata - pasta with a tomato sauce with garlic and fresh chilli - is 10. ON A BLOW-OUT Straccetti alla romana - rib-eye steak with rocket, balsamic and Parmesan, - followed by risotto with scampi and tiramisu would cost 70 for two before wine or service. THE HIGH POINT The orecchiette with sausage, friarielli (wild broccoli), smoked buffalo mozzarella and white wine is a triumph of a dish. THE LOW POINT We were not offered the opportunity to sample the wine. In a lot of households, children are not allowed to assist with food preparation in the kitchen as there can be a belief that they will mess up, cut themselves or will waste time. This leads to a child growing up thinking they are not good enough at cooking to feed themselves, leading to them turning to junk food, convenience food and takeaway meals, especially when they enter secondary school or university and are left to their own devices. I've been interested in food from an early age; firstly I didn't respect food, as I turned to it as a coping mechanism when my dad died suddenly when I was four. I would gorge to fill the void. Only as I got older did I have the realisation that I had an eating disorder - mindless binge-eating. My mum became very worried about my dramatic weight gain. So when she finished work, she got me into the kitchen to do my homework and help her make the dinner - I happily scrubbed veggies, peeled, assisted in chopping, stirring and cleaning up. Over time I lost weight naturally as I came to respect food and became passionate about it. And to this day I will always have cooking as a life skill. Thank you, Mum! Over the past year, I've been bringing 'cooking as a life skill' into primary schools around Ireland with positive results. Once children prepare the ingredients themselves, they trust them - leading to eating a vegetable for the first time and onwards. It's so important to allow children from the age of six to participate positively in cooking so they gain the knowledge and respect for food. It can be simply boiling an egg, mashing potato or grilling chicken. Eventually, they'll be able to prepare a meal once a week for the family, guided by an adult. These are life skills to fuel themselves with confidence for the future. These days I use my own life skills to manage my food cravings and urges to overeat. Communication, motivation, mindfulness about food, cooking and loving my exercise keep me balanced for the future. olivermccabe.ie; selectstores.ie Fresh Bircher Muesli with Mixed Berries and Flaxseed Expand Close Oliver Mc Cabe - Bircher Muesli. Pic Steve Humphreys / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Oliver Mc Cabe - Bircher Muesli. Pic Steve Humphreys A child-friendly dish made from scratch for summer breakfast, a snack or even dessert. Involves washing fruit, stirring, juicing, grating, cleaning and eating. This will keep for three days in the refrigerator in an airtight container. Serves 5. Vegetarian, no added sugar Ingredients 500g oat flakes or gluten-free oat flakes 400ml freshly juiced apple juice 2 tsp ground cinnamon 150g grated pear 150g grated apple 260g natural yoghurt Juice of 1 lemons 300g mixed berries (strawberries, raspberries and blueberries) 4 tbsp ground flaxseed Method Place the oats in a large bowl or airtight container. Mix in the apple juice and cinnamon. Add the grated pears, apples, yoghurt and lemon juice and mix well, until all the oats are saturated and there is no dryness left. Cover the bowl with cling film or seal the airtight container. Soak overnight in the refrigerator. The next morning, spoon into serving bowls. Top with mixed berries and add a scattering of ground flaxseed on top. Get your spice rack ready! These veggie burgers, once cooled, can freeze for up to a month to bring spice to your kids' party or lunchbox as they make perfect fuel food with my hummus or pesto. Ah, bliss! Always remember spices and herbs are a mind-blowing food education for a child to scent and prep. Tip: keep this dry dahl spice blend sealed in a jar for further stir-fry and curry dishes. Living Dahl Veggie Burgers Makes 20 burgers. Vegan, gluten-, nut- and dairy-free Ingredients 1 tbsp Viridian raw organic coconut oil 1 large onion, diced 4 cloves of garlic, finely chopped 1 tbsp grated fresh root ginger bunch of fresh coriander, leaves reserved, roots and stems finely chopped 1 cinnamon stick 8 cardamom pods, crushed 1 tsp yellow mustard seeds 2 tsp ground coriander 2 tsp paprika 1 tsp ground cumin tsp ground turmeric tsp ground ginger tsp chilli powder tsp Himalayan fine rock salt 400g split red lentils, soaked 400g sweet potatoes, peeled and chopped into large medallions 1 litres water 150g baby spinach 200g brown rice, cooked 100g brown rice flour 2 tbsp coconut oil for frying burgers Method Warm the raw organic coconut oil in a large saucepan over a low to medium heat. Add the onion and cook, stirring, for 5-8 minutes, until softened. Add the garlic, ginger, coriander roots and stems, cinnamon stick, crushed cardamom and mustard seeds, and cook for 2 minutes, stirring. Add the remaining spices and the salt and cook for 1 minute more, stirring. Add the lentils, sweet potatoes and water to the saucepan and bring to a boil over a high heat. Reduce the heat to low and allow the dahl to simmer for 15-20 minutes, until the lentils have collapsed and the sweet potatoes are tender. Take off the heat and stir through the spinach and most of the coriander leaves. Leave to cool for an hour. Add the brown rice and brown rice flour to the lentils and mix well. Form 20 burger patties with clean hands. Heat a little coconut oil in a large frying pan over a medium heat. Fry the burgers for about 5 minutes per side, until cooked through and golden on the outside. Beetroot Hummus Hummus will keep for up to five days stored in an airtight container or glass jar in the fridge. Perfectly pink for parties with homemade veggie burgers. Beetroot never tasted so good! Makes 450g. Vegan, no added sugar, gluten-, nut and dairy-free Ingredients 400g can of chickpeas, drained and rinsed (keep the drained water for hummus blend) 250g vacuum-packed beetroot 1 clove of garlic, crushed 100ml extra-virgin olive oil Juice of lemon 2 tbsp light tahini 2 tsp ground cumin tsp Himalayan fine rock salt Finely chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley, to garnish (optional) Method Pop everything except the parsley into a blender or food processor. Use the drained canned water for consistency adding a little at a time and blend for 30 seconds, until the hummus has a chunky consistency. Transfer to a serving bowl and garnish with the chopped parsley. Basil Mint Pesto Keep in the fridge in an airtight container or glass jar, topped with a thin film of extra-virgin olive oil, for up to 10 days. Letting kids make their own pesto allows them to own this sauce for pasta, rice or salad dishes. Makes 200ml. Vegan, no added sugar, gluten- and dairy-free, contains nuts Ingredients 140g toasted cashew nuts 3 cloves of garlic, peeled 80g fresh basil leaves 50g fresh mint leaves 150ml extra-virgin olive oil tsp Himalayan fine rock salt tsp freshly ground black pepper A squeeze of lemon (optional) Method Pulse the nuts in a food processor until finely chopped. Add the garlic and pulse a few more times to blend. Add the basil and mint leaves in batches, pulsing after each addition. Add the olive oil, salt and pepper, and an optional squeeze of lemon, and pulse again until the pesto is creamy and well combined. Roast Sweet Potato & Feta Risotto Expand Close Oliver Mc Cabe - Sweet Potato Risotto. Pic Steve Humphreys / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Oliver Mc Cabe - Sweet Potato Risotto. Pic Steve Humphreys This recipe involves scrubbing vegetables, peeling, assisted chopping, stirring, zesting, crushing and cleaning up. This summer dish is so colourful and appealing, it will be demolished by all at the table, and the children will have a huge sense of accomplishment and confidence for the future. Serves 5. Vegetarian, no added sugar, gluten-free Ingredients 1 unsalted, gluten-free vegetable bouillon stock cube 1 litre hot water 1 tbsp Viridian organic raw virgin coconut oil 1 medium courgette, quartered lengthways and chopped into thick pieces 600g sweet potato, peeled and chopped into cubes 2 cloves of garlic, crushed Zest of 1 lemon 1 tbsp chopped fresh thyme leaves 300g organic risotto rice, rinsed and drained Himalayan fine rock salt Freshly ground black pepper 1 level tsp of organic ground turmeric 80g frozen petits pois 100g feta cheese, crumbled (optional) 80g toasted pine nuts or cashew nut pieces Rocket leaves, to serve Method Add the bouillon stock cube to 1 litre of hot water and stir. Bring this vegetable broth to a boil in a saucepan and keep it simmering over a low heat. Melt the oil in a deep frying pan over a low to medium heat. Add the courgette and cook for 2-3 minutes, until softened. Add the sweet potato, garlic, half of the lemon zest and half of the thyme, stirring to coat with a ladleful of broth. Cover, and cook for 8 minutes, until the sweet potato is al dente. Add the risotto rice to the sweet potato mixture and stir for 1-2 minutes to coat the grains. Add the hot broth one ladleful at a time. Wait for the broth to be fully absorbed before adding more. Continue for 15-20 minutes, stirring constantly, until all the broth has been absorbed and the rice is cooked through and slightly firm to the bite. Season to taste, add the turmeric, then stir in the petits pois and half of the feta. Serve topped with the remaining lemon zest, thyme, feta, nuts and rocket. TOP TIPS * Allow your children into the kitchen to do their homework as you cook * Allow your children to assist with food preparation throughout the week * Always have a positive tone during food preparation, with much praise and appreciation There's something very special about a long-table dinner. On June 18, Cork's elegant and atmospheric South Mall will be taken over by a cohort of the city's restaurateurs and food producers for a long-table dinner for 400 people, as part of the Cork Midsummer Festival. Details of the four-course menu are still being finalised, but guests will be greeted with oysters and Murphy's stout on arrival; there will be a glass of wine to accompany each dish and bubbles with dessert. Among the restaurants involved in putting on what promises to be an event to remember are well-known establishments including Nash 19, Electric, Isaacs, Jacques, Fenn's Quay, The Imperial Hotel, Jacobs on the Mall, Rebel Chilli, The Farmgate Cafe from the English Market, and street food purveyor The Rocket Man. Local producer On the Pig's Back is also on board. Chef Ali Honour of Ali's Kitchen, one of the organisers, says that they are determined to highlight the very best produce available from the fields and seas surrounding Cork. "We are working together to showcase Cork's world-class food culture, incredible home-grown produce and outstanding producers," says Ali. The organisers say that the collaborative event will celebrate the spirit unique to the city and county and will be an essential experience for foodie and culture lovers alike. "The chefs will be working as a team to deliver a set menu, stylishly presented on a beautifully decorated long table and expertly served by 40 of Cork's fantastic service staff." Ali says that the event presents no small number of logistical challenges to those involved. "We have already decided that there will be no 'special requests' in terms of the menu, although there will be vegetarian and coeliac-friendly options. "We have split the roles between everyone involved and there will be three food stations along the Mall. We'll be able to use lots of the restaurants along there. We are going with the elements in terms of the weather and some of the restaurants involved along the Mall will be open. "And there will be plenty of after-parties going on too, so we think it's going to be a great night!" The Long Table Dinner 2017 starts at 5.30pm on Sunday, June 18, on the South Mall, Cork, and finishes at 9pm. See corkmidsummer.com Bites FROM SPOON TO SCREEN Expand Close Dublin's Culture Connects / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Dublin's Culture Connects The National Library is hosting free screenings of Dublin's Culture Connects: Around the Table, a short film exploring Dublin's food history on May 17 and May 24 at 1.15pm in the National Library of Ireland, 7-8 Kildare Street, Dublin 2. No booking required. ASPARAGUS SEASON Expand Close Asparagus / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Asparagus The InterContinental in Ballsbridge is celebrating asparagus grown at Drummond House in Baltray, Co Louth, from May 12-20. Dishes included asparagus with truffled egg ravioli and John Dory with grilled radicchio and wild asparagus. See intercontinentaldublin.ie CLODAGH AT CHELSEA Expand Close Clodagh's garden salad / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Clodagh's garden salad Clodagh McKenna is popping up at the Cheyne Walk Brasserie in London for the RHS Chelsea Flower Show. The menu will be available from May 22-27, featuring floral-focused dishes including Dorset crab cakes with avocado, fennel aioli and edible flower salad; clodaghmckenna.com Anorexia is partly genetic and the risk of developing an eating disorder could be passed onto children, a new study shows. An international collaboration of scientists found that many people who suffer from anorexia nervosa have mutated DNA on a particular chromosome. Until recently the condition was thought to be driven by a mix of physical, social and environmental triggers such as anxiety, depression or Western cultures obsession with thin models. However scientists had noticed that anorexia often ran in families. The researchers from Kings College London and the University of North Carolina compared the genetic code of 3,400 people with anorexia to see how it differed from people without eating disorders. In more than half of anorexia cases they found faulty genes, which are linked to neuroticism, schizophrenia and metabolism - adding to evidence that the condition is a mental and metabolic condition. Read More Professor Cynthia Bulik, of the University of North Carolina, said: Anorexia nervosa was significantly genetically correlated with neuroticism and schizophrenia, supporting the idea that anorexia is indeed a psychiatric illness. "Unexpectedly, we also found strong genetic correlations with various metabolic features including body composition (BMI) and insulin-glucose metabolism. "This finding encourages us to look more deeply at how metabolic factors increase the risk for anorexia nervosa." More than 1.6 million people in the UK are affected by eating disorders. There are more deaths from eating disorders than from any other mental illness, and it is estimated that 10 per cent of all sufferers die as a result of their condition. Sufferers are aged eight to 80, boys and girls, women and men and over the last 25 years, the number of sufferers has rocketed. Read More Although the researchers are yet to pinpoint the exact genes involved, they say it puts them beyond the 'needle in a haystack' stage. Once identified, they hope to develop drugs which could prevent the effects. The study was conducted by the Psychiatric Genetics Consortium Eating Disorders Working Group - an international collaboration of researchers at multiple institutions worldwide. Dr Gerome Breen, of King's College London, said: "In the era of team science, we brought over 220 scientists and clinicians together to achieve this large sample size. "Without this collaboration we would never have been able to discover that anorexia has both psychiatric and metabolic roots." The researchers are continuing to increase sample sizes and see this as the beginning of genomic discovery in anorexia nervosa. Dr Laramie Duncan, the University of Stanford, California, added: "Working with large data sets allows us to make discoveries that would never be possible in smaller studies." The study was published in the American Journal of Psychiatry. Anyone affected by the issues in this article can call Samaritans 24 hour helpline 116 123, or Bodywhys at 1890200444 or email alex@bodywhys.ie Telegraph Media Group Limited [2022] Summer's sudden arrival is exciting but it does bring certain sartorial challenges, like when to retire the black tights... Also high on that list is occasionwear - and it's a problem that & Other Stories has tackled with typical style. The Swedish brand's Bridesmaids collection features dresses, in shades ranging from peach and pink to white and cream, that are all kinds of lovely. And with the majority coming in at under 100, these are fairly affordable summer style solutions for wedding guests/debs/parties/graduations and, of course, maids of honour. BUY: stories.com IT'S A DATE Dublin 8 has a brand-new festival - the much anticipated Culture Date With Dublin 8 is happening in Inchicore and Kilmainham this weekend. A celebration of the cultural and historical life of the area, its highlights include the re-opening of Goldenbridge Cemetery, guided tours of Kilmainham Gaol and exclusive tours of IMMA's landmark exhibitions. All events and activities are free of charge. DETAILS: culturedatewithdublin8.ie PHOTO FINISH Today is your chance to catch events at Remote Photo, a festival dedicated to photographers creating work in a rural context. Taking place in various locations in Donegal and the Northwest, its highlights include a talk from photographers Mads Holm and Linda Conroy, winners of the Jill Todd Photographic Award 2016, as well as Kurt Tong's exhibition, The Queen, The Chairman and I. DETAILS: remotephotofestival.com SPECTACULAR Jewel-encrusted, yellow-tinted or mirrored? It's hard to decide because there's so much going on with sunglasses this season. If your tastes tend towards the classic, with a strong emphasis on functionality and style, Taylor Morris Eyewear's Atlas collection ticks all the boxes. Suitable for men and women, its frame shapes are named after explorers and they look as good on your city break as they do a country stroll. BUY: From 208, from Harvey Nichols, harveynichols.com SING IT LOUD Ireland's biggest gospel music and choral festival, Gospel Rising, now in its eighth year, hits Galway this weekend. Some of the best gospel choirs in the country will be performing, with a Gospel Lunch taking place in Monroe's Tavern today at 1.15pm and the annual festival concert happening at 7.30pm tonight in the Black Box Theatre - all showcasing the many different styles of an 'Irish gospel choir'. DETAILS: gospelrising.com PRETTY IN PINK There's a tropical feel to both fashion and interiors this season, as evidenced by the prevalence of flamingo motifs and designs which have replaced last year's ubiquitous pineapple. The Carolyn Donnelly Eclectic flamingo plate, available from Dunnes Stores, brings an element of fun to dining - use it to serve nibbles or, better still, a platter of the aforementioned pineapple. BUY: 12, dunnesstores.com ROOMS TO IMPROVE The newly opened Neptune at Trevor Morrow Furnishings in Ballina, Co Mayo, is your go-to for ample interiors inspiration. The brand is known for its design-led aesthetic and craftsmanship, and the new Neptune at Trevor Morrow will feature a large number of Neptune designs including four kitchen collections and a large accessories section. DETAILS: trevormorrow.ie and neptune.com Next weekend... DOG-DAY AFTERNOONS There are two chances to catch family pet event Pawsivity in the City - it takes place in Dublin's Merrion Square this weekend and then heads to Cork's Fitzgerald's Park on May 20. Aimed at dog owners and lovers, parents, children and pets, it's a full line-up, complete with doggy dance classes where owners and pets can shake their tails; the chance to test your dog's IQ, and health tips and tricks from Pete the Vet. A pop-up Doggy Cafe is offering complimentary Pedigree food and balloon modellers and face painters will be adding to the fun, as well as a screening of Lady and the Tramp. DETAILS: pawsitiveliving.ie WORD TO THE WISE Expand Close Inua Ellams / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Inua Ellams A stellar line-up of literary heavyweights will be welcomed to Ireland for the International Literature Festival Dublin, launching next Saturday, May 20. Some 60 events are running over the 10 days including workshops, readings, discussions, interviews and debates. An evening with legendary film-maker Werner Herzog in the National Concert Hall is sold out but comedy writer Ruby Wax, poet and playright Inua Ellams (above) and literary giant Colm Toibin will all have events. There's also a strong kids' programme including best-selling author and illustrator Ed Vere introducing Grumpy Frog. DETAILS: ilfdublin.com hotlist@independent.ie In prison, gender differences are revealed with extraordinary clarity. Women engage in much less criminal activity than men and they represent a minority in prisons. Worldwide, women are estimated to represent 2-9pc of national prison populations. In the Republic of Ireland, women make up about 3.8pc of the prison population. There are two women's prisons, the Dochas Centre at Mountjoy Prison in Dublin, with accommodation for 105 women, and Limerick Prison, predominantly a male prison, the oldest operating prison in Ireland, with one female wing which can accommodate 28 women. In 2015, the daily average number of women in prison in Ireland, both under sentence and on remand, was 153. With an overall capacity for 133 women, overcrowding in the women's prisons continues to be an issue. Another issue, of course, is the cost of imprisonment. In 2015, the average annual cost of an available staffed prison space was 68,628. A sentence of imprisonment, the worst punishment the State can inflict, should only be imposed in response to the most serious offending behaviour. Yet women continue to receive short-term prison sentences for non-violent or relatively minor offences. In 2015, for example, 89.9pc of the women sentenced to prison in Ireland were jailed for failing to pay court-ordered fines. Given the cost of each prison place, imagine if some other method could be devised to deal with such offences. Imagine the impact that this would have on our prisons, on the work of prison staff, on rehabilitation and treatment programmes, on the dispersal of budgets, and on overall costs. It is widely accepted that men and women experience prison differently. This is accepted, for example, by the Irish Prison Service, by the Northern Ireland Prison Service, by the Scottish Prison Service, and by HM Prison Service, the prison service of England and Wales. The fact that this has been accepted by these national prison services is evident in the specific policy provision in each of these jurisdictions for women prisoners. In Ireland, this policy of separate and distinct provision is laid out in detail in the publication Joint Probation Service - Irish Prison Service Strategy 2014-2016. In the document, the particular needs of female offenders are highlighted, as is the fact that most women who offend pose a low risk to society; and the fact that many women in prison are mothers of young children, and some of them struggle with their parenting responsibilities because of their personal circumstances and their own unmet needs. Outcomes for children whose mother has experienced prison are a particular concern. Women are fundamental to the functioning of their families and their homes, and women who are imprisoned often lose their families and their homes. This doesn't generally happen to men. When a man is imprisoned, there is usually a woman at home minding the family and the home. In 2010, the United Nations' Rules for the Treatment of Female Prisoners and Non-Custodial Measures for Women Offenders, known as the Bangkok Rules, were adopted by the UN General Assembly. The 193 countries who are members of the United Nations voted unanimously for the Bangkok Rules, acknowledging that women in criminal justice systems do have gender-specific characteristics and needs, and they agreed to respect those needs and meet them. The Bangkok Rules explain that criminal justice systems routinely overlook the specific needs of women and girls, that prisons and their regimes are generally designed for male offenders. The document explains that a considerable number of women in prison are there "as a direct or indirect result of multiple layers of discrimination and deprivation". Many are in prison because they have committed a petty poverty-related offence, such as theft, fraud or a minor drug-related offence. Many have been victims of serious violent offences. There is an acknowledgement that prison is a damaging experience, and an acknowledgement that women, through their circumstances and vulnerabilities, can become trapped in criminal justice systems. Alternative ways of dealing with the offending behaviours of women are proposed. Among the alternatives that might be considered in Ireland for dealing with women's offences are counselling services; the provision of special supports for women with caring, and particularly childcare, responsibilities, such supports should include the possibility of the suspension of detention; the provision of gender-specific diversionary measures; and the provision of alternatives to custody. There needs to be a focus on non-custodial measures, on restorative justice programmes, on community service sentences, and on mentorship schemes. There should be thresholds to imprisonment, and these thresholds should be markers of the seriousness of offending behaviour. In Ireland, we have a punitive penal system. Rather than high-security prisons, what we really need are caring facilities equipped to deal with the needs of women, facilities capable of providing women with supports that can help them redirect their lives. Dealing with women's offending behaviour in local communities as much as possible makes sense on many levels. Women can be very agentic. With a little help, they will develop themselves, and when they do, the positive impact on families and communities can be substantial. In the publication the Joint Probation Service - Irish Prison Service Strategy 2014-2016, a proposal was made for an open centre for women in the criminal justice system, a facility with services such as specialist addiction and mental health services, education, training, and therapeutic programmes co-located on site. We persist in Ireland in imprisoning poor women, many of whom have themselves been victims of serious crime. By any measure of justice, these women have been punished enough. Prisons are archaic structures. We need to be serious now about developing alternatives to them. Dr. Christina Quinlan, Lecturer in Criminology and Criminal Justice, De Montfort University, Leicester. The Brexit mood music sounded melodious at all points across the country last week - but then reality kicked in, thanks to our friends at the International Monetary Fund. But first, Prince Charles and his wife arrived on the latest leg of his European tour to assure us that the future had not yet been written. He did not tell us something that we already knew: the future could be grim, quite grim indeed. Which raises an interesting question: Who will be Ireland's Emmanuel Macron? The European Union's chief negotiator, Michel Barnier, meanwhile, addressed the Oireachtas to invite proposals from Dublin on how to alleviate the impact of Brexit. As Bertie Ahern has said of Europe's negotiating team: "They have a lot of things to do, you know.'' He was referring to the scale and complexity of the challenges ahead, specifically for team Europe. Barnier and Ahern sing from the same hymn sheet: ultimately, it will be up to Ireland to make the case for Ireland, however the mood music may sound now. In the Seanad last month, Ahern also said Ireland needed to set out a vision: "I think that clear vision paper is not done over the next two years, I think it is done over the next two or three months," he said. That has since been done. Well, sort of But the truth is that no authority here or elsewhere can predict with certainty the impact of Brexit, other than a "hard" Brexit will have a more negative impact than a "soft" Brexit, and a hard Brexit it looks set to be. The IMF had a stab at it last week, though: Brexit represented the "most pressing and far-reaching challenge for Ireland"; while the impact to date had been modest, the overall effects over the medium term were expected to be "negative and significant". The risks were most acute for traditional sectors that depended on trade with the UK, with potentially "sizeable consequences" for activity and employment outside of the main urban centres. So, the agriculture and tourism sectors in particular, within rural Ireland, are most likely to bear the brunt. The special issues related to the border with Northern Ireland had also been recognised, the IMF pointed out. Cue elements of the media here presenting images of Prince Charles shaking the hand of Sinn Fein President Gerry Adams. Official Ireland's obsession with the peace process continues unabated, when really it is trade east-west and not south-north that will be most adversely affected.How to measure that impact? The Department of Finance, with the ESRI having a stab at that: overall the "hit" to economic growth could be, at worst, close to 4pc and total numbers at work could be 40,000 below what it would otherwise be in 10 years. We are looking at a possible return to the worst days of the economic crisis. As Prince Charles has said the future is not written, but the political implications of an approximate return to such dark days could be seismic. It is no exaggeration to say that Fine Gael and Fianna Fail could be routed were an election to be held in such a circumstance. Not necessarily for anything either has or said or done, but as a consequence, in the words of Micheal Martin, of the UK's assertion of a narrow vision of sovereignty which developed in the 19th Century and directly led to the two bloodiest wars in history. Back to our friends in the IMF: "At the same time, ongoing changes in corporate taxation at the international level and discussion of further reforms in the US and the EU contribute to uncertainty given the sizeable role of multinationals in the economy and their substantial contribution to the tax base." There is no published "vision" of Ireland without the multinationals in this uncertain environment related to calls for a retreat from global integration, although efforts are underway to strip out "leprechaun economics" from the official figures, which should allow for somewhat more informed economic analysis and policy-making. In such a post-Brexit doomsday scenario, however, Sinn Fein may yet rise to fill the political vacuum, at which point Official Ireland's work will be complete. Or is there a Macron on the horizon? There may be, but his name is not Leo or Simon, and as Willie O'Dea has elsewhere implied, neither is he to be found in Fianna Fail. For all the talk about vision and plans, important though they be, the best that can be done at this stage is to hope that such a figure will not be required, and that the doomsday scenario everybody can outline, but few can predict with certainty, will not come to pass. Meanwhile, Middle Ireland would do well to keep their experts close, be they Enda Kenny or Bertie Ahern and others, and their as yet unseen enemies, closer still. The visit of the chief EU Brexit negotiator Michel Barnier was a largely promising affair during which he assured his hosts that the European Union would be there for Ireland during the challenges ahead. His visit and assurances are to be welcomed. Ireland has had a long and generally productive relationship with Europe since accession 45 years ago, when an overwhelming 83pc voted to join the then European Economic Community. Since then, living standards in this country have improved at an exponential rate, ranking Ireland above the OECD average in housing, personal security, health status, education and skills, social connections, subjective well-being, work-life balance, and environmental quality. By and large this country has had hugely positive engagement with Europe and it is positive that Mr Barnier has taken this occasion to reassure that the relationship will be protected during the forthcoming negotiations. That said, since accession there have been several occasions when Ireland's relationship with Europe has been tested, not least during the recent economic crisis and banking bailout which saw the European institutions, and the International Monetary Fund, drive a hard bargain in return for support in what were unprecedented times. Perhaps more than on any other occasion, these events have placed a strain on relations between Ireland and Europe, to a point now that while the public is still enthusiastic about EU membership, a degree of scepticism has crept into the national discourse and psyche in general. For example, a recent opinion poll in this newspaper found that a significant 71pc felt that Europe had been good for Ireland. However, support for that view was still considerably lower than the level of support for Europe evident when the Treaty of Accession was signed permitting Ireland's membership within the European Communities. Furthermore, the poll also found that barely half (51pc) believed the EU would respect Ireland's special position with the UK when the Brexit negotiations get under way in Ireland.The poll was conducted before Mr Barnier first said that the EU would pay great attention to Ireland during the first phase of negotiations. The priority given to Ireland's unique position at this early stage is a tribute to the diplomatic actions taken at government level since, and before the UK voted for Brexit. While Mr Barnier must and is taken at his word, it would be foolhardy for the Government to take its eye off the ball which, of course, is not the intention. The outcome of the Brexit negotiations will be the single most important issue on the agenda for this and future governments. The Government, therefore, must hold the European institutions to their positive word as the negotiations progress. At this remove, it is difficult to see how issues to do with Northern Ireland, or indeed the Common Travel Area as well as inevitable economic adjustments, can be addressed without some form of new EU legal measures. It may be that new legislative acts will be required. Furthermore, the ratification process for whatever agreement emerges is similar to that adopted for accession treaties. While it is difficult to ascertain with certainty the status of the agreement which will emerge, it may be that Ireland will be required to support the agreement by referendum. Therefore, citizens here are well advised to keep a close eye on the negotiations as they proceed. There's been lots of talk lately about how you can judge the sparkiness of an economy by the numbers going out for Sunday lunch. For me, the real indicator lies in the world of art - and the boats there have certainly lifted. Last Thursday night was a perfect example of that confidence: there was quite a circuit of people popping into various galleries for opening nights. I saw it first-hand at The Doorway Gallery on Dublin's South Frederick Street, where I was invited by colourist and contemporary painter Lucy Doyle for the opening of her Feast exhibition. The Co Wicklow-based mother-of-two has been painting and exhibiting her work for years. Pat Kenny opened her first exhibition back in 2006 and, more than a decade after that debut, I was charmed to be asked to say a few words. It was a little bittersweet because I first encountered her work through our late columnist Paolo Tullio, who loved her gift for painting food. Expand Close 'Marian Kenny and Helen McAlinden at the opening of Lucy Doyle's exhibition. Picture: Arthur Carron / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp 'Marian Kenny and Helen McAlinden at the opening of Lucy Doyle's exhibition. Picture: Arthur Carron When people 'get' an artist, they really will move mountains, or at least walls. One fan had her living-room wall knocked so she could hang her favourite Lucy Doyle to best advantage. Another phoned ahead to say she'd missed the train and made a herculean dash on the bus from Waterford, so a big cheer went up when she finally arrived. Guests included committed collector Marian Kenny (above, left) and fashion designer Helen McAlinden and I chatted to Deirdre Carroll (below, left) and Denise Donnelly from the gallery. Then, after an evening of red dots, Lucy's husband, Nick Gray, hosted a lovely dinner across the road at Dunne & Crescenzi. The exhibition runs until the end of May. Lucy will also be one of the leading artists exhibiting at House, the INM interior design show at the RDS, May 26-28. Expand Close 4/5/16 Deirdre Carroll and Denise Donnelly at the opening of Lucy Doyles exhibition at the Doorway Gallery in Dublin. Picture: Arthur Carron / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp 4/5/16 Deirdre Carroll and Denise Donnelly at the opening of Lucy Doyles exhibition at the Doorway Gallery in Dublin. Picture: Arthur Carron GRAPEVINE Expand Close Minister for Jobs Mary Mitchell-O'Connor (right) with Karen Whelan Fitzgerald. Photo: Dave Cullen / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Minister for Jobs Mary Mitchell-O'Connor (right) with Karen Whelan Fitzgerald. Photo: Dave Cullen Minister for Jobs Mary Mitchell-O'Connor was on hand on Monday to congratulate Karen Whelan Fitzgerald from Aidan Fitzgerald Hair Salon in Blackrock, Co Dublin, after she was presented with the first Colour Expert Salon award in Ireland by Dawson Penn of the Good Salon Guide. SPOTTED Expand Close Georgina Campbell and Nicky Logue. Photo: Paul Sherwood / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Georgina Campbell and Nicky Logue. Photo: Paul Sherwood Video of the Day Georgina Campbell and Nicky Logue, the general manager of the InterContinental Dublin in Ballsbridge, posed for a quick snap at the presentation of Georgina's first ever Irish Breakfast Awards, in association with Failte Ireland. It wasn't all about the rashers and sausages either - there was lots of buzz about the Irish Bread Award, which was won by the King Sitric seafood restaurant in Howth for their incredible brown bread. The recipe, from proprietor-chef Aidan McManus, dates back to 1971 and, just like the old bastable oven over the open hearth, his brown bread is cooked in a cast-iron casserole with the lid on. Yummy! @bairbrepower Senator Kevin Humphreys taking a photo of First Minister of Scotland Nicola Sturgeon MSP and female members of the Seanad. All cosy: Best-selling author of the 'Little Book of Hygge' and CEO of the Happiness Research Institute in Copenhagen, Meik Wiking I love the theatre - the velveteen seats, the hushed whispers and, of course, there's always the tantalising possibility everything could go t**s up at any moment. But the air of self-righteous sanctimony that can surround Ireland's theatre scene makes me want to scream. This week, the Abbey Theatre launched its 2017 programme 'What Happens Next Is This'. The programme consists of previous hits from the last decade of Irish theatre, and a few productions from overseas. Enda Walsh's Arlington and Ballyturk, the Corn Exchange's Dublin by Lamplight sit alongside stage adaptations of Emma Donoghue's Oscar winner Room and Ken Loach's Jimmy's Hall. Oh, and Roddy Doyle's Two Pints Facebook series will embark on a pub tour/crawl around the country. It may not be a high risk or innovative programme, but it does have one thing the 2015 line up was lacking - women. Maybe not a huge amount of female writers (three in total), but that's still more than the 2015 slate (which only had one). However, there was something about the programme launch that didn't sit so well with me. First of all, it was far, far too long. A two-hour discussion on the creative selection process is not fun. On top of this, the underlying tone of self-congratulation irked me. People talked about the Abbey finally being "re-opened". "When I met you," producer Ann Clarke told directors Graham McLaren and Neil Murray, "You said to me 'This is your theatre'. And I want to thank you for that." This sentiment was reiterated by several others during the evening. Some comments seemed to be a not-too-subtle side swipe at the previous artistic director, Fiach Mac Conghail. That bothered me. Sure, Fiach had his share of shortcomings - he didn't see the importance of a good edit, and had an insatiable appetite for the work of George Bernard Shaw - the most boring Irish writer going. Yes, the 2016 centenary programme was a total balls-up, and his reaction ("Them's the breaks") was even worse. But he seems to have become the fall guy for everything the Abbey got wrong in the past decade. It's worth remembering the Abbey board members approved Fiach's 2016 programme. Why aren't they taking more flak? To reduce his contribution down to one season seems grossly unfair. A similar thing seems to be happening at the Gate Theatre. Video of the Day The theatre's announcement in June that Michael Colgan was stepping down was staggeringly disrespectful. The first official statement came in the form of a classified job listing in the back of The 'Irish Times'. I mean, come the f**k on. The man has worked at the theatre for the best part of 40 years! A little fanfare wouldn't go amiss. Trying to relegate people's artistic contribution because you didn't like some of their programme choices is not only unjust, it's kind of pathetic. Are Seoige sisters Ireland's answer to Hygge? Expand Close All cosy: Best-selling author of the 'Little Book of Hygge' and CEO of the Happiness Research Institute in Copenhagen, Meik Wiking / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp All cosy: Best-selling author of the 'Little Book of Hygge' and CEO of the Happiness Research Institute in Copenhagen, Meik Wiking In the past month, I feel like I have scrolled through approximately 768 "How to Hygge" articles. That impossible-to-pronounce Danish word all about being warm and fuzzy inside. If by some miracle of fate, the Hygge hype has passed you by, then here's a quick debrief. It's basically a lifestyle choice constructed around the lyrics of 'These Are a Few of My Favourite Things'. This week, author of the Little Book of Hygge and CEO of the Happiness Research Institute in Copenhagen, Meik Wiking rocked into town c/o of BIC. Meik is very, very handsome - as most Danish men seem to be - and in the toasty surroundings of Whelan's pub he told us about the joy of living 'hygge-ly'. A lot of the stuff seemed blindingly obvious - warm socks, for example, are preferable to cold, wet socks. This may explain why articles such as 'Hygge is Byllshytte' have started popping up. But Meik is charming (did I mention that he's also very, very handsome?) so with his help I have constructed a list of super Hygge Irish things. They are as follows; woollen socks, candles, the Rose of Tralee, barmbrack, Enya, hot chocolate, more candles, Nationwide, Barry's Tea, mismatched china tea cups, Ballymaloe relish, turf, jumpers, porridge, and the Seoige sisters. And the not so Hygge things? Concrete, Twink, sequins, the queue outside Copperface Jacks, Eurovision, high heels, Iarnrod Eireann toilets, the shifting wall inside Copperface Jacks, Buckfast and Linda Martin. Having compared the two lists, I concede that Hygge is more comforting and cosy but doesn't the anti-Hygge list sounds heaps more fun? I mean who would choose drinking tea with the Seoige sisters over a night on the rip with Twink? Mr Pussy's memoirs? Gotta grab them all Expand Close Drag empress: Alan Amsby aka Mr Pussy / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Drag empress: Alan Amsby aka Mr Pussy Drag empress: Alan Amsby aka Mr Pussy Before there was Panti, there was Pussy. Ireland's first drag empress arrived here in 1969, caused a sensation and never returned to London. Along the way, Mr Pussy became BFFs with Bono, tap danced with Lionel Blair, performed alongside Lily Savage and snogged Danny La Rue. This week, he launched his memoir Before I Forget to Remember in Lillie's Bordello. "I haven't set foot in here for 20 years," said Miriam O'Callaghan, who was on hosting duties. The place was packed; TV3's Alan Hughes, Katherine Lynch, Rory Cowan, Sil Fox and Senator David Norris all flitted about the pleather clad room. Journalist Dave Kenny helped write the book and said getting Pussy to 'fess up about his celebrity encounters was like "squeezing champagne from a turnip". Mr Pussy inspired a whole legion of drag artists including Panti Bliss - who wrote the foreword. "I met him when I was a baby drag," Ms Bliss recalled. "Pussy looked me up and down and then imperiously dismissed me, but that made me love her even more." TOPS Toy Show chitter chatter Now Ryan and the kids have had their say, it truly is Christmas Bella Hadid Gave a masterclass in the art of post-break-up side-eye at the Victoria Secrets show FLOPS Trickmas angst Undue amounts of stress caused by those devilishly difficult people to buy for Wearable sleeping bags Expand Close Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger in his onesie style coat, ahead of Jose Mourinhow / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger in his onesie style coat, ahead of Jose Mourinhow The new onesie. Style inspo = Arsene Wenger SAY WHAT? Theyre more focused on glamour than the weather Viewers inform the BAI that they are not impressed with RTE weather forecasters snappy dress sense. #PHOTOFAIL Expand Close Senator Kevin Humphreys taking a photo of First Minister of Scotland Nicola Sturgeon MSP and female members of the Seanad. / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Senator Kevin Humphreys taking a photo of First Minister of Scotland Nicola Sturgeon MSP and female members of the Seanad. Another week, another political selfie scrum this time with Scotlands First Minister Nicola Sturgeon. Can we please have a clause written into our constitution banning politicians from posing for these snaps? The 22-year-old cyber security analyst who accidentally managed to halt the spread of malicious ransomware that has affected hundreds of organisations, including the NHS, has been given a week off from work as a reward. The researcher, who tweets under the name MalwareTech and works for security firm Kryptos Logic, told the BBC he was able to stop vast numbers of attacks by the WannaCry ransomware by buying a domain name hidden in the program for $10.69 (8.29). The domain name appears to have been written into the software by hackers as a kill switch for the malware. The analyst had taken a week off from work, but decided to investigate the ransomware after hearing about the global cyber-attack that sent organisations like the NHS into meltdown, with hospitals across the UK having turn away non-critical patients and resort to pen and paper. Now, he says his boss has rewarded him with another week off for all his hard work. The attention has been slightly overwhelming, the 22-year-old told the BBC. The boss gave me another week off to make up for this train-wreck of a vacation. The analyst has been hailed as an accidental hero after saying his discovery of the ransomware kill switch was actually partly accidental. He wrote on his website: I woke up at around 10 AM and checked onto the UK cyber threat sharing platform where I had been following the spread of the Emotet banking malware, something which seemed incredibly significant until [Friday]. There were a few of your usual posts about various organisations being hit with ransomware, but nothing significant... yet. I ended up going out to lunch with a friend, meanwhile the WannaCrypt ransomware campaign had entered full swing. The analyst said his attempt to stop the ransomware attack by registering the domain name he found was not a whim. My job is to look for ways we can track and potentially stop botnets, he wrote. So Im always on the lookout to pick up unregistered malware ... domains. In fact,I registered several thousand of such domains in the past year. The analyst said he was jumping around with excitment when he realised his hunch that the domain name might work as a kill switch was correct. Now, you probably cant picture a grown man jumping around with the excitement of having just been ransomwared, but this was me, he wrote on his blog. Ransomware is a type of malicious software that blocks access to data until a ransom is paid, displaying a message to internet users requesting payment to unlock pages. In this case, the hack brings up a message telling users they can recover their files but only if they send $300 (232.76) in bitcoins to a specific address. An international effort is under way to hunt down the criminals behind the attack, which affected scores of countries, including the US and Russia. Investigators are working around-the-clock to trace the attackers, as health authorities race to upgrade their security software amid fears hackers could exploit the same vulnerability with a different virus. There have also been calls for an inquiry into the incident, with the UK Government and NHS chiefs questions over Britains preparedness for cyber attacks. Europol said its cybercrime unit would be supporting affected countries as its own complex international investigation to identify the attackers continues. France's new president Emmanuel Macron has pledged to fortify the European Union, redesign French politics and glue together his divided nation. Mr Macron's presidency began with a visit to troops injured in overseas combat - a reminder of France's large global military presence and role in fighting extremists from Syria to Africa. He's expected to name a prime minister imminently, and to show his commitment to reviving European unity. Mr Macron takes his first presidential trip on Monday to Berlin to meet Germany's Chancellor Angela Merkel. In a lofty but lucid inaugural speech, Mr Macron vowed to lift France out of its sense of decline and lost purpose, and seize its place in the world. "The time has come for France to rise up to the occasion. The division and fractures across our society must be overcome ... because the world expects us to be strong, solid, clairvoyant." He promised to take France's responsibilities to tackle today's crises - "the migration crisis, the climate challenge, authoritarian abuse, the excesses of capitalism in the world and of course terrorism. Nothing now strikes one and spares the other. We are all interdependent. We are all neighbours." The 39-year-old is the youngest president in the country's history and the eighth president of France's Fifth Republic, which was created in 1958. A former economy minister with pro-business, pro-European views, Mr Macron is the first French president who does not originate from the country's two mainstream parties. After he was formally declared president at the Elysee Palace, 21 cannon shots were fired from across the Seine River at the Invalides monument, where Napoleon is entombed. Mr Macron later paid tribute at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier beneath the Arc de Triomphe, greeting veterans and military officers in formation beneath the imposing arch. He takes charge of a nation that, when the UK leaves the European Union in 2019, will become the EU's only member with nuclear weapons and a permanent seat on the UN Security Council. Reviving support for European unity will be among his top priorities. France is a founding member of the 28-nation EU and its third-largest economy after Germany and the UK. "We will need a more efficient Europe, a more democratic Europe, a more political Europe because it's the instrument of our power and our sovereignty, I will work on that," he said. Before the ceremony, he met for an hour with his predecessor, Francois Hollande, taking a last few minutes to discuss the most sensitive issues facing France, including the country's nuclear codes. In a visibly moving moment for both, Macron accompanied Mr Hollande to his car, shaking hands and applauding him along with the employees of the French presidency who had gathered in the palace's courtyard. The two men had known each other well. Mr Macron was Mr Hollande's former adviser, then his economy minister from 2014 to 2016, when Mr Macron quit the Socialist government to launch his own independent presidential bid. About 300 guests, officials and family members gathered in the Elysee reception hall, including Mr Macron's wife, Brigitte, wearing a lavender blue dress by French designer Nicolas Ghesquiere for Louis Vuitton. Mr Macron himself wore a dark suit from French brand Jonas and Cie, a tailor based in Paris. The new president arrived on the Champs-Elysees Avenue under a heavy rain - recalling Mr Hollande's inauguration five years ago. But unlike his predecessor, Mr Macron managed to avoid getting wet. The bad weather often associated with the former Socialist president has become a joke for the French. After his time at the tomb, Mr Macron went to shake hands with supporters along the Champs-Elysees, who were taking selfies and waving French tricolour flags, before coming back to the palace for a lunch with his family. Earlier, he and France's new first lady briefly posed for photographers at the front porch of the palace after Mr Hollande left. The couple will now live at the Elysee Palace. Mr Macron met with Paris Mayor Anne Hidalgo later on Sunday and visited the Percy military hospital in the Paris suburb of Clamart to meet with two soldiers injured during French operations in Mali last year and one wounded in Afghanistan in 2010. AP Missiles are paraded in Kim Il Sung Square during a military parade in Pyongyang last month, as North Korea test-fired a ballistic missile (AP Photo/Wong Maye-E, File) North Korea has test-launched a ballistic missile that landed in the Sea of Japan. The launch, which Tokyo said could be of a new type of missile, is a direct challenge to the new South Korean president and comes as US, Japanese and European navies gather for joint war games in the Pacific. It was not immediately clear what type of ballistic missile was launched, the seventh such firing this year, although the US Pacific Command said that "the flight is not consistent with an intercontinental ballistic missile". However, Japanese officials said the missile flew for about 30 minutes, travelling about 800 km (500 miles) and reaching an altitude of 2,000 km (1,240 miles) - a flight pattern that could indicate a new type of missile. David Wright, co-director of the Global Security Program at the Union of Concerned Scientists, said the missile could have a range of 4,500 km (about 2,800 miles) if flown on a standard, instead of a lofted, trajectory - considerably longer than Pyongyang's current missiles. He said Sunday's launch may have been of a new mobile, two-stage liquid-fuelled missile North Korea displayed in a huge April 15 military parade. South Korea, Japan and the US swiftly condemned the launch, which jeopardises new South Korean leader Moon Jae-in's willingness for dialogue with the rival North. "The president expressed deep regret over the fact that this reckless provocation ... occurred just days after a new government was launched in South Korea," said senior presidential secretary Yoon Young-chan. "The president said we are leaving open the possibility of dialogue with North Korea, but we should sternly deal with a provocation to prevent North Korea from miscalculating." Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe told reporters that the launch was "absolutely unacceptable" and that Japan will respond resolutely. The White House took note of the missile landing close to Russia's Pacific coast and said in a statement that North Korea has been "a flagrant menace for far too long". The statement said Washington maintains its "ironclad commitment" to stand with its allies in the face of the serious threat posed by North Korea. The latest "provocation" should serve as a call for all nations to implement far stronger sanctions against the North, it said. Italian Premier Paolo Gentiloni said the G-7 summit his country is hosting later this month will discuss how to deal with the risk North Korea's missile launchings pose to global security. He said in Beijing that "it's a serious problem for global stability and security, and I'm convinced that the upcoming G-7, in friendship, will contribute to resolving this issue." South Korea's Joint Chiefs of Staff said in a statement that the missile was fired early Sunday morning from near Kusong, in North Phyongan province. The Trump administration has called North Korean ballistic and nuclear efforts unacceptable and has swung between threats of military action and offers to talk as it formulates a policy. The North's state media said on Saturday that the nation will bolster its nuclear capability unless the United States abandons its hostile policy. "The United States should never expect us to give up our nuclear capability," the main Rodong newspaper said in a commentary carried by the Korean Central News Agency. It said President Donald Trump's "maximum pressure and engagement" policy is only aimed at "stifling us" and will compel the North to "strengthen our nuclear deterrent at the maximum speed". The launch also comes as troops from the US, Japan and two European nations gather near Guam for drills that are partly a message to North Korea. The USS Carl Vinson, an aircraft supercarrier, is also engaging with South Korean navy ships in waters off the Korean Peninsula, according to Seoul's Defense Ministry. Moon, the first liberal leader in Seoul in nearly a decade, said as he took his oath of office that he wouldd be willing to visit the North if the circumstances were right. Mr Trump has also said he'd be "honoured" to talk with leader Kim Jong Un under favourable conditions. On Saturday, a top North Korean diplomat in charge of US relations, Choe Son Hui, told reporters in Beijing that Pyongyang would be willing to meet with the Trump administration for negotiations "if the conditions are set". She did not elaborate. AP North Korea, defying calls to curb its weapons programme, fired a ballistic missile that landed in the sea near Russia on Sunday in a launch the United States called a message to South Korea days after its new president took office pledging to engage Pyongyang in dialogue. Japanese Defence Minister Tomomi Inada said the missile could be a new type. It flew for 30 minutes before dropping into the sea between North Korea's east coast and Japan. North Korea has consistently test-fired missiles in that direction. A U.S. official, speaking on condition of anonymity, said initial assessments showed the missile landed 97 km (60 miles) south of Russia's Vladivostok region. The missile flew 700 km (430 miles) and reached an altitude of more than 2,000 km (1,245 miles), according to officials in South Korea and Japan, further and higher than an intermediate-range missile North Korea successfully tested in February from the same region of Kusong, northwest of its capital Pyongyang. U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations Nikki Haley called the launch a message by Pyongyang to South Korea after the election of President Moon Jae-in, who took office on Wednesday. "You first have to get into Kim Jong Un's head - which is, he's in a state of paranoia, he's incredibly concerned about anything and everything around him," Haley told ABC's "This Week" program, referring to North Korea's leader. Haley added that the United States will "continue to tighten the screws" on North Korea, mentioning sanctions and working with the international community to put pressure on Pyongyang. Moon held his first National Security Council in response to the launch, which he called a "clear violation" of U.N. Security Council resolutions, his office said. The United Nations Security Council is due to meet on Tuesday to discuss the launch, diplomats said on Sunday. The U.S. military's Pacific Command said it was assessing the type of missile that was fired but it was "not consistent with an intercontinental ballistic missile". The U.S. threat assessment has not changed from a national security standpoint, a U.S. official said. An intercontinental ballistic missile is considered to have a range of more than 6,000 km (3,700 miles). The White House mentioned Russia in its earlier statement about the launch. "With the missile impacting so close to Russian soil in fact, closer to Russia than to Japan the President cannot imagine that Russia is pleased," the White House said, referring to U.S. President Donald Trump. The launch served as a call for all nations to implement stronger sanctions against North Korea, it added. North Korea is widely believed to be developing an intercontinental missile tipped with a nuclear weapon that is capable of reaching the United States. Trump has vowed not to let that happen. Experts said the altitude reached by the missile tested on Sunday meant it was launched at a high trajectory, which would limit the lateral distance it travelled. But if it was fired at a standard trajectory, it would have a range of at least 4,000 km (2,500 miles), experts said. Kim Dong-yub of Kyungnam University's Institute of Far Eastern Studies in Seoul said he estimated a standard trajectory would give it a range of 6,000 km (3,700 miles). "The launch may indeed represent a new missile with a long range," said Jonathan McDowell of the Harvard Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics, referring to the estimated altitude of more than 2,000 km (1,240 miles). "It is definitely concerning." Moon won Tuesday's election on a platform of a moderate approach to North Korea and has said he would be willing to go to Pyongyang under the right circumstances, arguing dialogue must be used in parallel with sanctions. "The president said while South Korea remains open to the possibility of dialogue with North Korea, it is only possible when the North shows a change in attitude," Yoon Young-chan, Moon's press secretary, told a briefing. Ambassador Haley said the launch was not the way for North Korea to earn a meeting with Trump, who has said he would be "honoured" to meet Kim Jong Un under the right circumstances. Trump said in an interview with Reuters in April that a "major, major conflict" with North Korea was possible but he would prefer a diplomatic outcome. On Saturday, a top North Korean diplomat said Pyongyang was open to dialogue with the Trump administration under the right conditions. Speaking in Beijing, Dmitry Peskov, Russian President Vladimir Putin's spokesman, told reporters Putin and Chinese President Xi Jinping had discussed the situation on the Korean peninsula, including the latest missile launch, and expressed "mutual concerns" about growing tensions. Putin is in Beijing for a conference on a plan for a new Silk Road. Delegations from the United States, South Korea and North Korea are also there. The launch, at 5:27 a.m. Seoul time (2027 GMT Saturday), came two weeks after North Korea fired a missile that disintegrated minutes into flight, marking its fourth consecutive failure since March. China, North Korea's sole main ally which nevertheless objects to its weapons programmes, called for restraint and for no one to exacerbate tensions. "China opposes relevant launch activities by North Korea that are contrary to Security Council resolutions," China's foreign ministry said in a statement. Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe said North Korea's missile launches were a "grave threat to our country and a clear violation of U.N. resolutions". North Korean attempted but failed to test-launch ballistic missiles four times in the past two months. It has conducted various tests since the beginning of last year at an unprecedented pace. It also conducted its fourth and fifth nuclear tests last year. Bonnie Glaser, an Asia expert at the Center for Strategic and International Studies think tank in Washington, said among the responses expected from the Trump administration would be further pressure on all countries to fully implement U.N. Security Council sanctions resolutions against North Korea. Alice Fisher was interviewed for the job of FBI director (AP) US President Donald Trump said "we can make a fast decision" on a new FBI director, possibly by late next week, before he leaves on his first foreign trip since taking office. "Even that is possible," Mr Trump told reporters when asked whether he could announce his nominee by Friday, when he is scheduled to leave for the Middle East and Europe. At least six candidates to be the bureau's director were in line on Saturday for the first interviews with Attorney General Jeff Sessions and his deputy, Rod Rosenstein, at Justice Department headquarters. They are among more than a dozen candidates Mr Trump is considering, a group that includes several lawmakers, attorneys and law enforcement officials. "I think the process is going to go quickly. Almost all of them are very well known," Mr Trump said. "They've been vetted over their lifetime essentially, but very well known, highly respected, really talented people. And that's what we want for the FBI." The Trump administration is looking to fill the job, which requires Senate confirmation, after Mr Trump abruptly fired director James Comey on Tuesday. The first candidate to arrive was Alice Fisher, a high-ranking Justice Department official in the George W. Bush administration. She left after about an hour and a half inside the building and declined to comment to reporters. Among those interviewed was Adam Lee, special agent in charge of the FBI's Richmond, Virginia, office. Acting FBI director Andrew McCabe also interviewed for the permanent post despite his repeated willingness to break from White House explanations of Mr Comey's sacking and its characterisations of the Russia investigation. Senator John Cornyn, a former Texas attorney general, was also interviewed. Among those expected to be interviewed Saturday were Michael J. Garcia, an associate judge on New York's highest court, and US District Judge Henry E. Hudson, a George W. Bush appointee who struck down the centrepiece of the Obama administration's health care law in 2010. Mr Sessions has faced questions over whether his involvement in Mr Comey's firing violates his pledge to recuse himself from investigations into Russian interference in the election. Some lawmakers have alleged the firing was an effort to stifle that FBI probe. Justice Department spokeswoman Sarah Isgur Flores said Mr Sessions and Mr Rosenstein are involved in the interviews because the FBI director reports to them as attorney general and deputy attorney general. They can make recommendations, but the president will ultimately make the hiring decision. AP Former US Attorney Michael J Garcia has been interviewed for the post as FBI Director Former US national intelligence director James Clapper has said US democracy is being threatened by Donald Trump (AP) American democracy is separately "under assault" from Donald Trump and Russia, the former US intelligence chief has warned. James Clapper, the former director of national intelligence, expressed his dismay over the sacking of FBI director James Comey amid a probe into Moscow's meddling in US elections and possible ties with the Trump campaign. As Mr Trump works to fast-track Mr Comey's successor, lawmakers from both parties urged him to steer clear of any politicians for the job and say he must "clean up the mess that he mostly created". "I think, in many ways, our institutions are under assault, both externally - and that's the big news here, is the Russian interference in our election system," said Mr Clapper. "I think as well our institutions are under assault internally." When he was asked, "Internally, from the president?" Mr Clapper said, "Exactly." He spoke following Mr Trump's sudden firing of Mr Comey last week, which drew sharp criticism because it came amid the FBI's investigation into Russia's interference in the 2016 presidential election. Mr Clapper said America's founding fathers had created three co-equal branches of government with checks and balances, but with Mr Trump as president, that was now under assault and "eroding". The White House had no immediate comment on Mr Clapper's remarks on a morning in which no White House aide appeared on the Sunday news shows to discuss Mr Trump's firing. Politicians from both parties reprimanded Mr Trump's actions last week, which included shifting explanations from the White House for Mr Comey's dismissal and an ominous tweet by Mr Trump that warned Mr Comey against leaks to the press because he may have "tapes" of their conversations. Mr Trump has been urged to select a new FBI director without any political background and said the president would need to hand over to Congress any taped conversations with Mr Comey, if they exist. Republican Senator Lindsey Graham, a member of the Judiciary Committee, said promoting an FBI agent to lead the agency would allow the nation to "reset". He dismissed as less desirable at least two of the 14 candidates under consideration by Mr Trump, former House representative Mike Rogers of Michigan and senator John Cornyn of Texas, explaining that "these are not normal circumstances". Mr Rogers, an ex-FBI agent and former chairman of the House Intelligence Committee, has drawn the backing of the FBI Agents Association. "It's now time to pick somebody who comes from within the ranks, or has such a reputation that has no political background at all that can go into the job on day one," the South Carolina Republican said. Asked whether it was the right time to have someone such as Mr Rogers or Mr Cornyn, Mr Graham flatly said "no". "The president has a chance to clean up the mess he mostly created," Mr Graham said, adding: "I have no evidence that the president colluded with the Russians at all ... but we don't know all the evidence yet." Senate minority leader Chuck Schumer of New York said the new FBI director should certainly be someone "not of partisan background" with "great experience" and "courage". He left open the possibility that Democrats might try and withdraw support for a new FBI director unless the Justice Department names a special prosecutor. Under rules of the Senate, Republicans could still confirm an FBI director with 51 votes. Republicans hold 52 seats in the chamber to Democrats' 48. Calling Mr Trump's remarks about possible taped conversations "outrageous", senator Mark Warner of Virginia, the top Democrat on the Senate Intelligence Committee, said his panel or another congressional committee would "absolutely" subpoena the tapes. "We have got to make sure that these tapes, if they exist, don't mysteriously disappear," he said. Mr Warner also said he hopes to have Mr Comey give evidence in a public hearing before his committee. Mr Comey earlier declined an invitation this week to give evidence in a closed hearing. Less than a week after Mr Trump fired Mr Comey, the administration has interviewed at least eight candidates to be FBI director, and Mr Trump has said a decision could come before he leaves on Friday on his first overseas trip as president. Mr Trump abruptly fired Mr Comey on Tuesday and later said Mr Comey was a "showboat" and "grandstander" who was not doing a good job, drawing a firestorm of criticism. Mr Trump said in an interview with television network NBC that the Russia investigation factored into his decision to fire Mr Comey. The changing rationales the White House offered added an element of chaos to the president's action. The FBI director serves a 10-year term but can be replaced by the president. So far 14 people - politicians, lawyers and law enforcement officials among them - have emerged as candidates. Eight met at the Justice Department on Saturday with Attorney General Jeff Sessions and his deputy, Rod Rosenstein. Mr Sessions has faced questions over whether his involvement in Mr Comey's firing violates his pledge to recuse himself from investigations into Russian interference in the election. Justice Department spokeswoman Sarah Isgur Flores said Mr Sessions and Mr Rosenstein were involved in the interviews because the FBI director reports to them as attorney general and deputy attorney general. AP The countdown has begun! Priyanka Chopra's big Hollywood debut film Baywatch is all set to hit the silver screens! Much has been said about her and her role in this action-drama. While her fans back in India weren't too appeased with the first trailer where she was seen for a couple of seconds, things changed in the other trailers that followed. After getting acquainted with her character Victoria Leeds, we can't wait to finally see her in the film. Interestingly, she recently revealed that she tried hard to be a jerk on the sets of the film. screen grab/youtube Priyanka, who will be seen as the antagonist Victoria Leeds in Baywatch, which also features Dwayne The Rock Johnson and Zac Efron, said, We got on really well, though I tried really hard to be a jerk, I couldnt because everyone was super fine. screen grab/youtube Also, I was flying in and out as I was shooting Quantico and Baywatch together. But I did try to go a little method in my walk and in my talk. I am happy to be here. Baywatch is great summer fun. By the way, dont take your kids (to theatres), she further added. Talking about her co-stars, Priyanka said: Dwayne Johnson and Zac Efron were a little more conscientious than me. Thank you for the love Miami! Baywatch premiering on May 25 in a theater near you, she wrote alongside a video in which she showed the fans, who gathered to see the stars. screen grab/youtube The movie revolves around the plot where a lifeguard Mittch Buchannon played by Dwayne Johnson, along with brash new recruit (Zac Efron) uncover a criminal plot that seems to threaten the future of the bay. Baywatch will hit the silver screens in India on June 2. If you think the laws in India are too strict, you are in denial. There are countries around the world that have the most bizarre laws in place that can easily make you go 'WTF!' And it would do you well to read up on these legislations before you head out to explore the foreign lands they belong to. Because as Indians, you won't believe you have broken the law if you didn't smile in Milan! People who know about these laws believe that there is no basis behind them but it is not to say that they don't exist somewhere in written. Others still hold the opinion that these are just urban myths. Come, let's take a look at these silly laws that may become not-so-silly if you break them. 1. Milan Who knew not breaking into a smile could land you in soup? In Milan, citizens have to smile all the time and if they don't, they are slapped hard across that non-smiling face with a fine. The only exceptions - hospital visits and funerals. dissolve 2. Australia In the western part of this land, it is illegal to possess more than 50kg of potatoes. The country's Potato Marketing Corporation reserves the right to stop and search any vehicle suspected of carrying so many potatoes. Maybe they are not a huge fan of french fries, who knows? trinixy.ru 3. Florida Listen up, single ladies, this one is for you. In Florida, it's illegal for unmarried women to go parachuting alone on Sundays. Please to be married to be falling off a plane because if you aren't, you can be jailed. Groupon 4. England It is illegal to die in the Houses of Parliament in England because if you do, you will automatically be entitled to a state funeral. And why should you, you non-existant waste of space? The Piccadilly London West End 5. Oklahoma Residents are forbidden to have a sleeping donkey in their bathtubs after 7 PM. But it's a-okay to have your ass at rest at 6.59pm. fact5 6. France The pig population is pretty miffed with this one. Apparently, the French cannot name their pet pigs Napolean. Well, this one doesn't come as a surprise - he is a revered entity. national gallery of victoria 7. Japan One of the least obese developed countries, Japan has what is called a 'metabo law' that makes it illegal to be overweight. The Japanese have to stay below a government-ordained waistline or face the repercussions. japan guide 8. Switzerland The Swiss are prohibited from flushing their toilets after 10 pm. The government considers it as noise pollution. Folks can't even relieve themselves while standing up after 10 pm. Well, if you can't flush, you can't really relieve yourself any which way, whether it's standing or sitting, no? diaspora* brazil 9. Chicago This one takes the cake. But don't expect to eat it in Chicago for the city bans its citizens from eating in a place that's on fire. No matter how yummy that pie tastes, you have got to leave it behind to save your life. tastes of pie 10. Alabama In this southern American state, you can't drive a vehicle with blindfolds on. And we thought, getting a shut-eye behind the wheel was enough to lose the licence. join the drive We wonder if people actually follow these. A Facebook message to Delhi Commission for Women chief Swati Maliwal led to the rescue of a 15-year-old girl from a brothel on GB road in the national capital. The message, sent by a 25-year-old man, provided information about the girl who he had met during his visit to the red light area. He was then called to the DCW office where he furnished more details about the girls whereabouts. The commission then contacted the police. representational image The girl was rescued by Police and DCW officials last night. "The victim said she was a native of Bihar and that both her parents had expired while she was very young," the DCW said in a statement. Though she claimed to be aged 20 initially, she later said the brothel owner had instructed her to misstate her age during police raids. The girl said she was kidnapped from her aunt's house by an unknown woman who sold her to the brothel owner at GB road at the age of nine. She was asked to entertain her first customer at the age of 11. bccl/representational image "When she tried to resist, she was tied to a pole and brutally beaten up. She claimed to have been raped by five different men and since then she was forced to sleep with men every night," the statement said. The girl had made attempts in the past to escape from the brothel but was caught every time because of the CCTV cameras installed there. The girl had expressed her desire to escape with this man who had visited the brothel. But the brothel owner overheard their conversation and the man was beaten up. "He is the same man who informed us about the girl," said a DCW official. In her statement to police, the girl said her life was in danger and that she wants to take legal action against the owner of the brothel. The Delhi Police is yet to register a FIR in the matter. Four days after Lieutenant Ummer Fayaz was abducted and shot by Hizbul Mujahideen militants in Shopian district to serve as a warning to Kashmiri youths aspiring to join the security forces, about 2,000 boys and girls from the Valley lined up at Bakshi Stadium here on Saturday. bccl All of them had come for the physical endurance test (PET) and physical standard test (PST) for the post of sub-inspectors in J&K police. Also Read: Football Club From Kashmir Makes India Proud, Will Become First Team From The Valley To Play On Foreign Soil Various terrorist groups have repeatedly warned Kashmiri youths against joining the security forces by issuing threatening videos from time to time. However, youths from the Valley not only ignored these threats by lining up for posts in J&K police but they far outnumbered their counterparts from the Jammu region. A total of 67,218 candidates have applied for 698 posts of sub-inspector. Read More Here are five other stories that you may like: 1) The Rohtak Gangrape Horror Gets Uglier, Victim's Food Pipe Was Ripped Out And Gnawing Marks Found On Her Chest! AFP The horror story of the 23-year-old gangraped in Haryana s Rohtak is getting gorier. The post mortem report disclosed that the accused not only raped and mutilated her private parts, but their savageness didnt stop there and they distorted her face, tongue, eyes, ears and also removed her oesophagus (food pipe). What makes the brutality, even more, appalling is that not only her oesophagus was missing but gnawing effects were also seen over chest of the victim. "We cannot tell the investigation details. Two accused has been arrested till now. The investigation is underway," said IG, Rohtak range. A case has been registered under the Indian Penal code (IPC) 376, 365, 302 against the accused. Read More 2) Rescued From Child Labour, These Kids From Madurai Are Now Shining In Academics toi V Munieswari, 19, says that she hopes to work in a bank, something she could not dream of six years ago when she was a child labourer. She has secured 1037/1200 in the recently-held Class XII examination the results of which were declared on Friday. She is among 640 former child labourers who were rescued in Virudhunagar district between 2009 and 2010 by the volunteers of National Child Labour Project and enrolled in regular school about six years ago. Read More 3) 18-Year-Old Student From Tamil Nadu Designs World's Lightest Satellite Weighing Just 64 Grams facebook/Rifath Sharook Eighteen-year-old Rifath Sharook, belonging to a comparatively unknown town of Pallapatti in Tamil Nadu, is all set to break a global space record by launching the lightest satellite in the world, weighing a mere 64 grams. The satellite, called KalamSat, will be launched by a NASA sounding rocket on June 21 from Wallops Island, a NASA facility. This will be the first time an Indian student's experiment will be flown by NASA. Read More 4) These Chennai Mothers Donate Their Milk To Unknown Infants Who Need It The Most reuters/representational image For the past few months, Sharanya Govindarajalu has been helping save lives in a way only a new mother can - by donating her breast milk. Five days a week, the 32-year-old mother of a seven-month-old sends 100ml to 150ml of her breast milk to a neonatal hospital so it can be used to feed one of the several pre-term babies in desperate need of nourishment. "My husband is a blood donor, I am a breast milk donor," says Sharanya. "At the end of the day we are both helping another human being. Some of the preterm babies are barely the size of my palm. To know that I can help them in some way is a good feeling," says Sharanya who sometimes visits the recipient babies and their mothers. Read More 5) Modi Govt Will Spend Rs 11,000 Crore On Building Roads In 44 Naxal-Affected Districts The Centre will soon begin work on a Rs 11,000-crore project to provide road connectivity to 44 Naxal-affected districts, including Sukma in Chhattisgarh, which had recently witnessed one of the deadliest Maoist attacks. bccl/representational image Five per cent of the total project cost i.e Rs 550 crore will be kept aside for administrative expenses including for deployment of security forces at strategic locations, officials said. Read more US President Donald Trump repeatedly maintained that he would bring jobs back to the US. Today, Head Hunters India, an executive search firm, said that Infosys' decision to hire 10,000 American is a means to "appease" Trump's administration. Reuters/Representational Image Head Hunters India founder-chairman and Managing Director, K Lakshmikanth, also said local hiring in the US was very costly and would lead to offshore job cuts in India. ALSO READ: UK's New Visa Restrictions On Non-EU Nationals To Hit Indian IT Professionals The move by the Indian software major came amid US accusations that top Indian IT firms, including TCS and Infosys, were unfairly cornering the lion's share of H-1B visas by putting extra tickets in the lottery system. Trump recently signed an executive order for tightening H-1B visa rules to stop its 'abuse' and ensure they are given to the 'most-skilled or highest paid' petitioners, a decision that would impact India's $150 billion IT industry. AFP/representational image Lakshmikanth said the move to hire 10,000 American workers in next two years "can be seen as an act of Infosys to appease Trump's administration, which could file legal suites against IT companies, including Infosys for 'misuse' of H-1B work visas programme." ALSO READ: Indian IT Companies Get A Temporary Relief As US Will Take Time To Make New H-1B Visa Rules He also said the Infosys' announcement came after Acting Assistant Attorney General of Civil Rights Division Tom Wheeler's statement that the Justice Department will not tolerate employers misusing the H-1B visa process to discriminate against US workers. Reuters/representational image "The announcement of the US Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) to deter and detect what it described as fraud and abuse of the H-1B work visas is indicative of US government's intentions to go tough and stringent in approval of H-1B visas this year," Lakshmikanth told PTI. ALSO READ: Here Is Everything You Need To Know About The H1-B Visa And How The New Regulation Could Devastate The Indian IT Sector Infosys had on May 3 announced it will hire 10,000 Americans in the next two years and open four new centres in the US as part of efforts to mitigate the impact of H1-B visa curbs. BCCL/representational image The move was welcomed by the Trump administration as a "political victory" which it said was achieved as a result of US government's "pro-growth economic agenda." To a query, Lakshmikanth said it needed to be seen how soon it will take Infosys to ramp up local hiring in the US. "All said and done, according to me, Infosys will take time to ramp up local hiring as it is very costly. The company needs to pay a minimum of $80,000 (Rs 52 lakh) per year to a skilled American techie. Reuters/representational image For the same amount, it can hire four software engineers in India for its offshore development work, he said. Currently, an Indian IT firm pays $60,000-65,000 per year for techies working in the US on H-1B visas and they return after three years of onsite work. Lakshmikanth also said if Infosys hired about 500 Americans techies, it will result in a loss of 2,000 jobs in India for offshore operations. "Automation and artificial intelligence will reduce hiring by another 30-40%," he added. On April 24, Nasscom had come out in defence of its members -- TCS and Infosys -- saying the two accounted for only 8.8 per cent of the approved H1B visas in 2014-15. The H-1B is a non-immigrant visa that allows US companies to employ foreign workers in speciality occupations requiring theoretical or technical expertise in specialised fields. Indian technology companies depend on it to hire tens of thousands of employees each year for their US operations. While Prime Minister Narendra Modis decision of removal of red beacon to eradicate the VIP culture has drawn a positive response from the masses, the MLAs seem to have a tough time as now they dont get privileges they used to enjoy earlier. Life seems to have changed for MLAs especially for the first time lawmakers who dreamed of demi-god like treatment, they have been seeing MLAs getting for years. But now they have to wait for several minutes at a toll booth and the people at the tool counter also could not recognise them. According to the story published in The Indian Express, a first-time Congress MLA isnt pleased with the decision. I spent Rs 2,500. Now the beacon is lying at home. I look at it every day and laugh at myself. Why have I become an MLA? To go to my constituency, collect piles of files and bring it to the ministers? he was quoted in The Indian Express. Punjab CM Captain Amarinder too banned red beacons and MLAs in Punjab are too not happy with the ban. MLA from Fatehgarh sahib, Kuljit Singh Nagra while going back to Chandigarh from Delhi had to wait on toll booth as the cashier didnt get that car belongs to MLA and asked for IDs. The suspected Chinese and Pakistani hackers tried to hack into the computers of Indian army officer by trying to inject data stealing malware. They tried to lure the army officers with offers of a foreign posting in Sri Lanka. "The pinpointed attacks were launched on Friday by the hackers to middle-rung Indian Army officers by sending them an email purportedly sent from a government server and asking them to avail the offer of going for a posting to attend a prestigious course in a Sri Lankan military academy," Army sources told Mail Today. According to the sources, the sender of the mail was nicknamed ADGMT-16. The mail appeared to be sent by Indian Armys Directorate General of Military Training which details officers and personnel for attending courses within and outside the country. Soon after receiving the mail, the officers referred it to the Army Cyber Group which issued an immediate alert to caution the officers against opening the mail. The Army Cyber Group in its warning, said, "A malicious email from *karmicc16@nic.in* is being sent to Army personnel. The email contains a malicious file 'DEPUTATION_OF_ONE_ARM Y_OFFICER_TO_ATTEND_SRI_ LANKA. Xls'. On opening the malicious file, a data-stealing malware gets installed in the computer. Please do not open the email," said. Both the Army Cyber Group and the Computer Emergency Response Team (CERT-India) are trying to ascertain the source of the attacks. They suspect it to be the job of Chinese and Pakistani hackers as they have been using similar tactics in the past as well. AFP Sources said the first few officers who received the mail got suspicious as soon as they received it as the Army does not offer or announce postings of officers on the private mailbox and communicates only on its intranet. Hamza, Osama Bin Ladens son, is poised to lead a stronger, larger al Qaeda and is "bent on avenging" his father's death, revealed an ex-FBI agent familiar with the personal letters seized in a dramatic US raid that killed the al Qaeda leader in Pakistan's Abbottabad. 28-year-old Hamza wrote those letters when he was 22 and had not seen his father bin Laden in several years. Reuters Ali Soufan, the former FBI agent who was the bureau's lead investigator of al Qaeda after the 9/11 attacks, told CBS News the letters reveal Hamza to be a young man who adores his father and wants to carry on his murderous ideology. The letters collected in the raid by helicopter-borne US Navy SEALs at a secure high-walled compound in Abbottabad, a garrison town north of the Pakistani capital, Islamabad, in May 2011 have now been declassified. For a new episode of '60 Minutes' on the network, Soufan described one of those letters from Hamza: "He tells him that...he remembers 'every look...every smile you gave me, every word you told me.'" Hamza also wrote this: "I consider myself to be forged in steel. The path of jihad for the sake of God is what we live." Soufan said Hamza's potential as a leader was recognised years ago when he was still a boy. He was used in propaganda videos, sometimes holding a gun. In a move that would give Indian some solace, Mumbai terror attack mastermind and Jamat-ud Dawah (JuD) chief Hafiz Saeed and his four aides have been detained for "spreading terrorism in the name of jihad", Pakistan's interior ministry has told a judicial review board. afp Saeed who appeared before the board yesterday said that he had been detained by the government so that he doesn't raise the voice of the Kashmiris. However, the Pakistan government rejected his argument and told that Saeed along with his four aides have been detained for 'spreading in the name of Jihad.' The board comprising Justice Ejaz Afzal Khan of the Supreme Court (head), Justice Ayesha A Malik of Lahore High Court and Justice Jamal Khan Mandokhail of Balochistan High Court directed the ministry to submit a complete record regarding detention of Saeed and his aides - Zafar Iqbal, Abdul Rehman Abid, Abdullah Ubaid and Qazi Kashif Niaz on next hearing on May 15. Though Saeed's counsel advocate AK Dogar was also present, but Saeed himself decided to plead his case before the board. "The allegations levelled by the government against me had never been proved by any state institution. My organisation and I have been victimised for raising voice for freedom of Kashmir and criticising the government's weak policy on the Kashmir issue," Saeed said. afp He said that he had been placed under house in order to stop him for raising voice for Kashmiri people. Saeed appealed to the board to set aside the Punjab government's detention order. "The government detained the JuD leaders on pressure of United Nations and international organisations," an official representing the federal interior ministry told the board. Last Thursday Lahore High Court division bench had questioned as why Saeed and others were not presented before a review board before the government issued notification for extension to his detention for another 90 days. On April 30, detention of Saeed and his four aides was extended by the Punjab government for another 90 days under preventive detention under 11 EEE (I) and 11D of Anti- Terrorism Act 1997. The Punjab government on January 30 had put these five under house arrest in Lahore for their involvement in activities which can be prejudicial to peace and security. The government has also placed JuD and FIF under second schedule of the anti-terrorism act. afp The Nawaz government had reportedly taken action against Saeed after the US clearly told Islamabad that in case of not taking action against JuD and Saeed it may face sanctions. JuD is said to be the front for the banned Lashkar-e- Taiba (LeT). The organisation has been declared as a foreign terrorist organisation' by the US in June 2014. Saeed and his aides said in their petition that the government detained them without any legal justification. They said the UN resolution followed by the government did not seek detention of any citizen. "The detention of the JuD leaders is a simple case of mala fide intention and ulterior motive on part of the government as it has been done so to please India and the United States," the petition said. The IMF was quick to issue a statement following a Sunday meeting in Beijing between the Fund's Managing Director, Christine Lagarde, and Greek Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras , amid the ongoing negotiations over the IMF's involvement in the Greek bailout and its standing demand for specific debt relief measures in order to ensure that the country's debt load is sustainable. The National Identity Management Commission has told the residents o said there are about 10,000 uncollected National Identity Smart Cards in Cross River State. The commission also said the delay in issuing the cards was because the commission had to register up to 10 million Nigerians before printing the cards. In a radio interview in Calabar on Saturday, the Head of NIMC in Cross River State, Mr. Godwin Odey, explained the challenges in the process of getting a comprehensive database for Nigerians. He said, We started registration in Cross River State in 2012 and so far, only 30 per cent of the population registered in the state. The estimated population in the state is three million and we have faced challenges of logistics and poor funding. There are over 10, 000 uncollected national identity cards in the state. He added that all residents of the state were supposed to be captured as the identity card could be used as a form of identification outside the country. Odey also noted that minors could register but would have to wait until they attain the age of 16 before the card could be given to them. Revealing that all databases were currently being harmonised, he stressed that the new identity card was different from the ones issued by the President Olusegun Obasanjo administration. Acting President,Prof. Yemi Osinbajo has received full backing from the United States of America and the United Kingdom in the ability and commitment to continue with the anti-corruption war and economic revival in Nigeria. The two countries said on Friday that they have confidence in Osinbajo to carry on with the quality leadership President Muhammadu Buhari has been providing the country. This is coming on the heels of public outrage and fears expressed by Nigerians over Buharis deteriorating health and continued absence from public. The President left for the UK last Sunday to receive medical attention and he is expected to be there for an indefinite time, according to his media aide, Femi Adesina. In his last medical trip to Britain, Buhari was away for 49 days. In the last few weeks, some prominent Nigerians had expressed angst over a cabal that has purpotedly hijacked power in the Presidency due to Buharis protracted illness, leaving Osinbajo in the cold. The US and the UK, however, said that they believe the VP would take off from where the President stopped when he jetted out of the country to the UK for further medical attention. When asked by our correspondent if the US Government was worried that Buharis poor health could slow down ongoing anti-corruption war in Nigeria, the spokesman for the US Embassy in Nigeria, Russell Brooks, said President Donald Trumps administration believed in Buhari and Osinbajo. Brooks said, We are very much in favour of President (Muhammadu) Buharis campaign against corruption. We also believe that Acting President (Yemi) Osinbajo is strongly committed to this agenda and will continue to pursue it while President Buhari is out of the country. Speaking in a similar vein, the spokesman for the UK High Commission in Nigeria, Joseph Abuku, stated that while the British Government could not comment on whether any crisis resulting from Buharis protracted ill-health would lead Nigeria into political instability, he said the UK had confidence in the President and his deputy. The Vice President is acting President in President (Muhammadu) Buharis absence. The United Kingdom has full confidence in both he (Osinbajo) and President Buhari. Questions on President Buharis health should be directed to his office, Abuku said. Concerning Buharis return to the UK to continue his medical treatment, Brooks stated that the US looked forward to the Presidents return to the country. Again, we wish President Buhari good health and a speedy return to his homeland, he said. Recently, the US had praised the Buhari administrations current agenda of fighting insecurity and corruption, noting that it agrees with Trumps plan of dealing with such issues on the African continent. Speaking last week during a special briefing in Washington, the Deputy Director, Office of West African Affairs, Bureau of African Affairs, Nathan Holt, told journalists that the country was a critical US partner. Nigeria matters to us because its Africas most populous country, and depending on the price of oil, its either the biggest or the second biggest economy on the continent. With a current population of 182 million, Nigeria is projected to grow to over 400 million over the next few decades, which will leave it by the middle of this century as the fourth-largest country in the world, Holt said. When asked about Americas continued support for the country in view of President Donald Trumps rhetoric to cut foreign aids to Nigeria and other African countries, Holt said, Im not the person who can answer your questions about the future of the US Government budget. The probe against the Emir of Kano,Muhammadu Sanusi II,into the financial dealings of the Emirate council has been suspended by the State governments anti-corruption agency. The Emir was allegedly accused for the misuse N6 billion by the Kano State Public Complaints and Anti-corruption Commission. The states House of Assembly launched a separate investigation of the Emir of Kano, Muhammadu Sunusi II, following allegations of funds misappropriation, defamation of character, breach of oath of office/oath of allegiance, abuse of office privileges and protocol, and political and religious interference. The chairman of the anti-corruption body, Muhyi Gado, said the commission was suspending its probe indefinitely. He said the commission could not continue as the House was also conducting an investigation. Mr. Gado declined further comments. But a source told PREMIUM TIMES that the commission viewed the investigation by House of Assembly as interference and an effort to scuttle the probe. We are not happy with the coming in of the House of Assembly into this matter and we cannot continue doing the same thing with them; that is why we allowed them to do it themselves, the source said. You see many would rather see the House interference as purely political while our own has nothing to do with that. We do things professionally according to the dictate of laws. The source said the commission was prepared to resume the probe if the House allowed it. Nigerian socialite and the CEO of YKOM Records, Hon Elvis Madu, got his son a mini BMW jeep to match his own for his first birthday celebration and his his own birthday which coincided on the same day. The popular socialite known as Young King Of Money YKOM or Eze Money ensured that top shots from over the country graced the colorful event which was held at his mansion in Owerri Imo state capital. Source: Naijaloaded The Kenyan Police apprehended a female armed robber whose intention was to rob the customers at a bank and the bank itself, but her plan did not see the light of day as she was apprehended before she could carry on with her plan. A suspected Boko Haram member identified as Bala Ibrahim were arrested by the Troops of Forward Operation Base, Fika on routine patrol on Saturday. He is believed to be a top member of the sect. According to investigations by the troops, it was revealed that the 30-year-old suspect is an indigene of Bulabulin village in Fika Local Government Area of Yobe State, North-East Nigeria. A statement from the Director of Army Public Relations, Brigadier-General Sani Usman, said he is further being interrogated. The statement added that following a tip off, troops deployed at Forward Operation Base, Yuga similarly ambushed and arrested four suspected kidnappers at Mundu village. The suspects, Yahaya Auta, aged 25; Salisu Lawal, aged 20 years; Umar Mohammed, aged 18 years; and Samaila Abubakar, were found to be in possession of one locally made six-loader single barrel gun, one empty cartridge, two machetes, a knife, two mobile telephone handsets, two packets of Tramol tablets and the sum of 360 naira, while on their way to commit crime, the statement added. Brigadier General Usman said they are also currently being further investigated. An 85-year-old man was threatened with a screwdriver during a burglary in Derry. The victim was confronted at a house in the Maple Road area of Coshquin by a man and woman wearing balaclavas on Friday evening. The intruders forced the victim into the bathroom where the woman held him as the man searched the rest of the house. The pair made off with a sum of cash and the resident's mobile phone after pulling out the property's landline telephone cable. PSNI detective constable Richard Donnell said: "The victim, who was unable to raise the alarm until the following morning, Saturday 13 May, was left very shaken but was physically uninjured." Piedmont Triad International Airport could receive nearly $14.3 million in state money from the N.C. Senate budget bill that cleared the chamber early Friday. The allocation would be $7.12 million each for fiscal 2017-18 and 2018-19. The money, which would come from the state Highway Fund, would not be reoccurring. It would represent a vast jump from the $500,000 in annual state funding for urban commercial airports in previous state budgets. PTI would get the second largest amount behind a combined $52.6 million for Raleigh-Durham International Airport toward its $305 million project to replace its longest runway at 10,000 feet. The money could be spent on capital improvements or to pay debt services or other finance costs and expenses on revenue bonds and notes issued by airports. The executive director of PTI, Kevin Baker, said Friday that he is aware the money could be reduced or eliminated as part of budget negotiations with the N.C. House. But if it goes through, we have plenty of projects that could benefit, Baker said, citing improvements to taxiways and ramps, and additional grading. Baker said he believes the additional $90 million in state money for airports could be coming from convincing senators that infrastructure funding wasnt keeping up with what was necessary to keep them operating as smoothly as possible. Notably absent is money for Charlotte Douglas International Airport. It would represent an outstanding first step toward more state funding considering airport infrastructure needs are constant, Baker said. If we have a pothole on our runway or taxiway, it has to be fixed right away, or it is shut down. State Rep. Donny Lambeth, R-Forsyth, said there have been joint discussions regarding the needs of the states airports. I believe the House is generally in support of the request and needs of our airports, Lambeth said. They are a major part of our economy, and thus we need to keep them well-maintained and state of the art. The House is working on our budget priorities now, he said, and over the next week we will decide if these are the same priorities of the Senate. The Senate funding for airports includes language from Senate Bill 351, submitted by state Sen. Bill Rabon, R-Brunswick, and the chairman of the Senate Rules Committee. That bill, which hasnt advanced through the Senate Transportation Committee, would dedicate $50 million to RDU for improvements to infrastructure that supports its international and cross-country flight needs. All airports general aviation also are something that we have allowed to go lacking for years, Rabon told The News & Observer of Raleigh. It is probably one of, if not the best, economic driver we have in this state. The Raleigh newspaper reported that some money for airport projects will come from a short-term motor vehicle lease and rental tax, which generates about $65 million a year. That money goes into the general fund, but the Senate budget proposes shifting about $10 million a year into the Highway Fund. Rabon said he would like to see all the revenue from the tax moved to the Highway Fund. He also hoped the legislature would do more in the future and create a recurring source of funding for general aviation airports as well. If you have a fire in your soul, you can ride on The Wheels of a Dream at Theatre Alliances brash and beautiful production of Ragtime. It opened Thursday and will run through next weekend. The dazzling opening scene lets us know the kind of energy we can expect oodles of it and also introduces the main characters. With New York as a microcosm of the country, Ragtime intertwines the stories of three groups of Americans: black people living in a vibrant Harlem, white suburbanites in affluent and placid New Rochelle, and Latvian Jews eking out a living on the lower East Side. Historical figures from the era also weigh in, including anarchist Emma Goldman, showgirl Evelyn Nesbit, magician Harry Houdini, educator Booker T. Washington, inventor Henry Ford and explorer Admiral Peary. Sylvester Allen in the role of Coalhouse Walker Jr., a talented pianist, brings considerable star power to the production. Allens Coalhouse is handsome, passionate and optimistic. Coalhouse is that rare combination of artistry and natural leadership. He ignites nearly everyone he meets. Force of nature comes close to describing Allens performance and Coalhouses personality, and Allen has a powerful, rich voice and charisma to burn. Coalhouse, with his vivid personality and musicality, wins the heart and mind of the beautiful Sarah and opens the hearts of some of the New Rochelle family members, particularly Younger Brother, well played here by John C. Wilson, and The Little Boy, played by the precocious Paul Gunter. In this role, Gunter is also prescient, often acting as an oracle savant. Wilson gets to show some growth and range as Younger Brother, a man who is radicalized in the presence of terrible injustice. The role of Mother/New Rochelle is a pivot point among the three worlds: black, white and immigrant. Early on, she asks in song, What kind of woman would do what I have done? Open the door to chaos and pain. And she asks it beautifully. Amber Engle inhabits Mother, her voice is splendid, and she convinces us that risking chaos and pain are possibly the only way into real connection and compassion. Natasha Gore is lovely in the role of Sarah, expressing her vulnerability and tenuousness and thrilling us with an unexpected burst of courage. Gores voice is getting stronger and surer with every show. Chuck King plays Father with the uptight restraint of the superior man, as resolute as he is misguided in his beliefs. As usual, Kings voice is mellifluous and well-controlled. Gray Smith is ferocious, protective and appealing as Tateh. His beard gets a credit in the program. Good job, Jennifer Mullins. Isabella Ellis is very good in the mostly silent role of his daughter. At some points, there are 30 actors on stage. The force of that many voices, well-balanced, is stirring, and a testament to music director Blake Moran. Wilsons choreography is creative, and cohesive, and director Jamie Lawson has truly gotten the very best from his actors. Mary Upchurchs period costumes speak volumes and complement the minimal but functional set by Thad Templeton. There are some fine special effects from lighting designer Scott Needham: You will be startled. There were a few glitches in the sound on opening night, but these could be easily overlooked in the context of the sheer greatness of the show. Oh, and the wigs were perfect. The plot is intricate but fortunately transparent. The characters change and grow. Awareness dawns. Good things happen. Bad things happen. And there are moments of musical transcendence. One of them comes at the end of Act II, when Coalhouse sings: Go out and tell our story to your daughters and your sons. Make them hear you. Make them hear you. Its past time for us to hear him, hear him. Listen. Listen. Alan Hunter Johanssons mother spent years taking care of her son. Now, hes returning the favor. A bond forged in a sons love for his mother, Johansson quit his job to become a caretaker for not only his mother Patricia a former dean at Wake Forest University but also her best friend who has Alzheimers disease. Johansson cooks, cleans and cares for the two 85-year-old women around-the-clock. My mom was of the generation where families really held together and took care of each other, Johansson, 60, said. Honestly, this is the closest to a dream job as Ive ever had. In 2015, Johanssons father died, and his mother wasnt capable of living by herself in their Tobaccoville home, he said. Patricia bounced around the homes of some of her six children, living for a stint with her retired son, Chris, before he died unexpectedly in 2016. Johansson stepped up to take his mother into his home, modifying his new house with elderly friendly bathrooms and a library for his mother, who loves to read. He began getting to work at 5 a.m. so that he could leave early to care for his mother. Not long after, Johansson quit his job as a machinist and welder to care for his mother full time. I underestimated how much mom needed fairly constant attention, Johansson said. Its OK to leave for a couple hours, but it was becoming too much leaving for work ridiculously early. A couple months later, his mothers friend, Ann Kessemeier, came to visit, and Johansson and his wife, Debbie, opted to care for her as well. Kessemeier moved in to the Johanssons Arcadia home, where she shares a room with Patricia, her friend for three-quarters of a century. These two women always dreamed of living their last years together, Johansson said. I want them to be as absolutely happy as they can be for the rest of their lives. Best friends Patricia and Kessemeier are only eight days apart in age and have known each other most of their lives, becoming best friends at age 13. Kessemeier spent much of her time living with Patricia and her family growing up in northern Georgia, Johansson said. Kessemeier, who has lived all over the country working as a counselor, remained close with the Johansson family over the years. Johansson said he didnt want to see her go to a nursing home when she could stay with her honorary family. While Patricia likes to spend her time reading, Kessemeier often likes to assist Johansson around the house, helping him with home repairs, cooking and yard work as best she can. With Alzheimers, Kessemeier has a reluctance to try new things, Johansson said, but he has been able to build a level of trust with her. Even though she doesnt know who I am sometimes, we work well together, and I can pull her back out of the rabbit hole pretty easily, Johansson said. When we talk, shell go into counselor mode, and in fairly short order, shes 95 percent Ann again. Full-time job Caring for the two women is a full-time gig, Johansson said as a medicine alert chimed in the background. Johansson frequently takes the women out for lunch or for coffee if the other is occupied at an appointment. Every day, the three venture to the mall to walk around for exercise with Patricia pushing her transport chair for balance. Physically, mom is much less able than Ann, but mentally much more so, he said. It makes for a unique situation. Patricia, a Winston-Salem State University alum, taught English at Wake Forest University. She was an associate dean at the university until her retirement in 1998 after she broke her ankle. Johansson said he has been encouraged by his mothers resilience and zest for life. In 1972, the family of seven embarked on a 65-hour drive from Winston-Salem to Nicaragua in a used checkered taxi cab to participate in a mission trip where they adopted a hospitalized 4-year-old girl. I see a parallel between what my mom did then and what Im doing now, Johansson said. They adopted (my sister) Joanna because it was the right thing to do, and thats why we took in Ann and mom. Patricia expressed gratitude for her sons devotion to caring for her and her friend. He has become the man every mother wishes their son to be, she said. Hes done the best possible job, she said. Hes a fine young man, and Im very grateful and proud of him. But Johansson doesnt see what he does as selfless. People always say they wish they had spent more time with their parents before they died. I get to spend as much time with my mom as I want. Who gets to do that? he said. As far as Im concerned this is the best job in the world. State Senate leaders are trying hard to convince people that their anemic budget proposal moves the state forward by making big new investments in education and providing a middle class tax cut for most North Carolinians. The numbers tell a much different story. The N.C. Budget & Tax Center reports that the Senate spends well below the 45-year average as a share of the state economy and makes unwise cuts throughout their proposal. As for the tax plan, if the Senate reductions for the wealthy become law, millionaires in North Carolina will have received a total annual break of $20,000, thanks to the tax changes since 2013. Those changes are costing the state $3 billion a year in revenue and digging a hole. The legislatures own staff says this years tax cuts will lead to a $600- million budget shortfall in a few years and this year the cuts again forced budget writers to pick and choose what they would fund and who they would leave behind. The Senate does include another raise for teachers, an average increase of 3.7 percent, but many beginning and veteran teachers would receive less and all teachers would not do as well as they would under the pay proposal from Gov. Roy Cooper. The Senate finally manages to give principals a raise North Carolina ranks 50th in principal pay but only makes a few other minor investments in education despite the state ranking 43rd in per pupil expenditures. State employees would get only a 1.5 percent pay increase and state retirees would see no cost of living increase at all. New state employees and teachers would no longer be eligible for health care benefits when they retire, which will make recruiting new employees even more difficult. The budget shuffles money around to reduce the waiting list of at-risk 4-year-olds for NC PreK, though Gov. Cooper found the money to eliminate the waiting list altogether. Senators couldnt do that because they insisted on slashing taxes for corporations and the wealthy again and only increasing overall spending by 2.5 percent to meet an arbitrary formula of how much state government should grow. Never mind the children and families and schools left behind. Theres a partisan pettiness in this years Senate budget, too. It eliminates the jobs of specific state employees in the Department of Environmental Quality and Department of Public Instruction while also making major cuts to both departments. It abolishes emergency judges and special Superior Court judges that help the court system run smoothly when there are backlogs. Theres a gratuitous $4 million cut to the law school at UNC Chapel Hill, which comes to 30 percent of its funding from the state, while $3 million is spent on a new medical residency program for the medical school at Campbell University, a private institution. Senate leaders did manage to come up with the money to pay for a new executive protective detail for Lt. Gov. Dan Forest and his family, and new staff for the UNC Board of Governors that is handpicked by the General Assembly. Republican Superintendent of Public Instruction Mark Johnson also gets new staff positions under his control while the State Board of Education that is battling Johnson has its staff reduced. The budget is also chocked full of state policy decisions that have nothing to do with funding, like a moratorium on new wind farms in the state. One bright spot is a provision to stop automatically trying 16- and 17-year-old as adults when they commit crimes, though that should be in a separate bill too, not in the budget. Theres plenty more and we probably wont know the extent of what the Senate has done for a while. The budget bill comes to 358 pages, and the report with the spending decisions is 499 pages long. No senator or reporter or member of the public had the chance to read it before it was considered by budget committees early Wednesday morning after being posted on line just before midnight. There were no public hearings held on the budget, no testimony from experts about programs to fund, no input from most rank and file senators. It was simply unveiled from on high by Senate leaders. It passed early Friday morning. Its the wrong way to put a budget together and the plan itself is the wrong direction for North Carolina, with its unwise tax cuts, petty partisan attacks and woefully inadequate investments in education, human services and environmental protections. Reportedly, House leaders have been working closely with Senate budget writers in their secret meetings. Lets hope not. But either way, there is still time for the folks running the House to come to their senses and start over. And thats exactly what they should do. We share Gov. Roy Coopers shock and disappointment at the tiny amount of federal disaster assistance offered to help recover from the Hurricane Matthew flooding that devastated Eastern North Carolina last year. We urge our members of Congress to twist a few arms, if thats what it takes, to open the coffers and get the state the assistance needed to rebuild our vulnerable and valuable communities. Cooper expressed his reaction on Wednesday after receiving the news that the Trump administration and Congress had authorized less than 1 percent of the $900 million that the state requested. We realize the Trump administration is into budget cutting, but that amount is ridiculous, an insult to all the taxpaying flood victims who still struggle to build back their lives, home and businesses. After consulting with members of the states congressional delegation that included U.S. Sen. Thom Tillis, R-N.C., U.S. Rep. David Price, a Democrat from Chapel Hill and U.S. Rep. David Rouzer, a Republican from Johnston County, the governor hoped for more than the $900 million, an amount the governor says was a conservative request, The Associated Press reported. Just $6.1 million in federal money was approved. Families across Eastern North Carolina need help to rebuild and recover, and it is an incredible failure by the Trump Administration and Congressional leaders to turn their backs, Cooper said in a statement released Wednesday. Matthew was a historic storm and we are still working every day to help families return home and rebuild their communities. North Carolinians affected by this storm cannot be ignored by the Trump Administration and Congressional leadership, and I will continue to work with our Congressional delegation to get North Carolina residents affected by the storm the help they deserve. Hurricane Matthew, which hit Eastern North Carolina on Oct. 8, was devastating. At the peak of the storm, about 900,000 homes and businesses were without power. The flooding was catastrophic, and families were left scrambling for food, clean clothes and drinking water. The storm caused an estimated $4.8 billion in damage, Cooper has said. The state has received $1.4 billion in federal and state money, so theres a long way to go. North Carolina pays its fair share in federal taxes for assistance at times like this. A generous people, most of us have not begrudged our contributions going to help others in times of similar crisis. Cooper expressed his dismay in a letter to President Trump, U.S. Housing and Urban Development Secretary Ben Carson, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell and House Speaker Paul Ryan. Iinvite you to visit North Carolina and see the devastating impacts of this disaster first hand, Cooper wrote in the letter. Our citizens and communities are struggling, and will only be able to make a full recovery with the aid of much needed federal assistance. Were happy to repeat that invitation: Come see for yourself, Mr. President. We think youll realize the need. F-4E fighter jet crash in August caused by engine nozzle defect: Air Force The crash of a South Korean F-4E fighter jet in August was caused by an engine nozzle problem, the Air Force said Wednesday. It announced the outcome of its probe into the cause... The President of Congos Commission Electorale Nationale Independante (CENI) [advocacy website, in French] , Corneille Nangaa [official website, in French] on Friday warned the presidential election may be postponed due to sectarian violence. Nangaa make the remarks during an interview with Reuters [report]. He expressed concern about the violence in the region and the militias interference with the election process. Nangaa and CENI remain committed [press release, in French] to ensuring the election takes places by the end of the year. Of concern to Nangaa is the issue of fighting in the region of Kasai, Kasai Central and Lomami. In a previous statement Nangaa expressed[Acuatlite report, in French] the following, It is now up to the government to use all means in its power to pacify the provinces of Kasai, Kasai Central and Lomami, favoring peaceful means of conflict resolution and ending the militarization of an oasis of peace. Opinion leaders, for their part, are committed to raising awareness among all sections of the population of Kasai to create a climate of peace and tranquility conducive to electoral operations and to participate massively in them. Violence in the Congo has plagued the nations for years. Spokesperson for the UN Refugee Agency, Babar Baloch, said [JURIST report] in a press release in April that over 11,000 refugees from the Kasai province of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) have recently escaped to Angola due to violence in their province. The top prosecutor at the International Criminal Court (ICC) released a statement [JURIST report] also in April alleging that recent acts of violence in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) could amount to war crimes. In March, Secretary-General Antonio Guterres confirmed [JURIST report] that the remains of two human rights investigators were found in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). The US District Court for the Eastern District of Michigan [official website] on Thursday ordered [text, PDF] the Trump administration to disclose the draft of the so-called Muslim ban executive ored. Arab American Civil Rights League v. Trump, is a case before the court arguing that the immigration ban initially proposed by the administration had discriminatory intent against Muslims. The previous draft in question was alleged to have been made by an adviser of Trump who said the administration asked him to find a way to make a muslim ban legal. The court held the draft had enough significance to warrant limited discovery as the parties involved had standing to proceed with the case. Moreover, in light of the other findings especially the finding that the motion to dismiss will not dispose of the case entirely Defendants concern that the discovery sought will implicate several complex privilege issues, including a matter of first impression pertaining to information related to a president elects activities, weighs in favor of allowing Plaintiffs to initiate limited discovery immediately. Because these issues will inevitably be raised, there is no point in delaying discovery and delaying the progress of this case, just to avoid having to decide these issues now The deadline for disclosure of the draft is the May 19. The US Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit [official website] heard oral arguments [JURIST report] on Monday regarding President Donald Trumps immigration executive order. Texas Governor Greg Abbott on Sunday signed [JURIST report] into law a bill banning so-called sanctuary cities in the state. The US Supreme Court declined to hear an appeal [JURIST report] by a group of Central American asylum-seekers in April who hoped the court would overturn a lower courts ruling preventing them from having their removal orders reviewed by a federal judge. The US Department of Justice filed a notice [JURIST report] in March saying that it will appeal a Hawaii federal judges order against President Donald Trumps revised travel ban. UN Secretary-General (UN SG) Antonio Guterres [official website] on Friday appointed [press release] UKs Mark Lowcock [official profile] as Under-Secretary-General (USG) in the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) [official website] and as Emergency Relief Coordinator (ERC). Lowcock has 30 years of experience as a leader in humanitarian crisis management across the globe, and as a strategic leader in the international development area. Lowcock has been serving as the Permanent Secretary at the Department for International Development (DFID) [official website], formerly called the Overseas Development Administration, since 2011. Lowcock began at DFID in 1985, and has served in a diverse range of roles in Malawi, Zimbabwe, and Kenya. He has also held various leadership roles at the DFID headquarters. The OCHA came into being [OCHA backgrounder] in 1991, when the General Assembly adopted resolution 46/182 [text, PDF] to to strengthen the UNs response to emergencies and natural disasters and to improve the overall effectiveness of humanitarian operations. The USG/ERC is responsible [materials] for the oversight of all emergencies requiring United Nations humanitarian assistance. The USG also serves as the central focal point for governmental, intergovernmental and non-governmental relief activities. The current OCHA USG Stephen OBriens term has been to the end of August 2017, so as to enable him to conclude a number of initiatives and reforms he has been leading at OCHA, without any impediments. OBrien, himself from the UK, was appointed over two years ago [press release] by then UN SG Ban Ki-moon [UN profile]. OBrien brought to the position extensive experience in international humanitarian affairs, and was noted for his contributions to the fight against malaria and neglected tropical diseases, and to UKs achievement of the UN-endorsed target of 0.7 per cent of gross national income on official development assistance. At the OCHA, among other things, OBrien has been at the forefront of the crisis in Syria, attempting to gather support to evacuate civilians from conflict-ridden areas in Syria. Last month O Brien condemned [JURIST report] attacks against people, including many civilians, who were fleeing the Syrian towns of Foah and Kefraya. Neil Bergs 100 Years of Broadway A dazzling cast of stars sings Broadways most celebrated show tunes. 7:30 p.m. Sunday, May 14 Buy tickets Five of Broadway's Finest Stars Fifty of Broadway's Greatest Characters One Magical Evening You'll Always Remember This widely-acclaimed musical revue of Broadway's most celebrated shows features a dazzling cast of five Broadway stars accompanied by an all-star New York band! Guiding the audience through the evening is Broadway composer and producer Neil Berg, contributing fascinating anecdotes about the shows and songs themselves. Something went wrong, please try again later. Invalid email Something went wrong, please try again later. Sign up to our daily newsletter for all the latest Kent stories and breaking news delivered straight to your inbox. The leaders of a far right political party have been temporarily banned from five areas in Kent. Britain First's leader Paul Golding and his deputy Jayda Fransen were arrested near Tonbridge on Wednesday on suspicion of inciting religious hatred. Their arrest followed campaigning surrounding an ongoing trial in which four men face charges of raping a 16-year-old girl in a room above Ramsgate's 555 Pizza takeaway. And during a video message to supporters yesterday they reveal they have been banned from five specific addresses in Kent as part of their conditions. They say their legal team have advised them not to reveal where. A police spokesman would not release details of the bail conditions saying the force never did. But Kent Live understands the locations include 555 Pizza in Ramsgate and Hovenden Close in Canterbury from where Fransen this week shot a video. In it she demands one of the accused Shershah Muslimyar - come out and face her and delivers leaflets to neighbours in which allegations are made about him. But despite saying repeatedly that she knew he was in the house, Kent Live has since revealed he has been on remand since September. He has therefore not been at the property for eight months. Golding and Fransen are due to answer bail on June 3 the day of a planned Britain First rally in Birmingham which has now been cancelled as a result. Archbishop Thomas White, who died last week, aged 85, was a pioneering representative of the Vatican during a critical decade in the turbulent history of two East African nations, as well as serving in several Asian and Central/South American postings. A native of Durrow, he was was ordained in Rome in 1956 and after postgraduate studies in Canon Law, was recruited by the Vatican Diplomatic Service. He served as official, counsellor and head of mission for the next 40 years, retiring in 1996 as Apostolic Nuncio to New Zealand. Born in 1931, he was a son of William and Bridget White, who operated a hotel, grocery and bar, now the Castle Arms Hotel. They raised a family of three boys and two girls. Two have predeceased the archbishop: Sean, who became an international publicist, writer and editor, and academic, died in 1996, and May, who was married to the actor TP McKenna, died in London in 2007. After attending Cullohill NS, he studied at St. Kierans College, where he had an outstanding academic and sporting record, including membership of the colleges senior hurling team (Leinster champions in 1949 and 1950) and the winning Leinster interprovincial hurling side in 1950, when ten of the 15 were from St. Kierans. He was one of a handful of priests ordained for the diocese of Ossory in the late 1940s and early 1950s, when there was a surplus of vocations on the home mission. He was intended to succeed the ailing Fr. Pat OFarrell as a professor of Canon Law at the seminary in St. Kierans. Bishop Patrick Collier fought, unsuccessully, the Vaticans decision to move the newly-graduated Fr. White to its diplomatic service,. There followed a career that saw him first posted as a junior official to eastern Africa, when it was a vast diplomatic territory that stretched from north to south and east to west of that continent. Over the next 20 years he had appointments in central and south America, the international organisations in Geneva, the Secretariat of State at the Vatican and Taiwan, where, as a 36-year-old monsignor, he was charge daffaires in a mission that had to maintain delicate relations with both the Republic of China and Communist China, as well as Hong Kong. In 1978 Monsignor White was appointed Apostolic Nuncio to Rwanda and raised to the episcopate as titular Archbishop of Sebana. His time in the small east African nation was difficult but rewarding and he was able to visit projects supported by Irish charities, including a turf harvesting initiative. On his transfer to Ethiopia in 1983, he was faced with a more critical situation, directing during his six years there the effort of Catholic and other charities to counter the effects of famine. As head of the diplomatic corps he was also responsible for coordinating the contributions of many countries in this regard. He moved to New Zealand in 1989 and combined this assignment with responsibility for the island nations of Fiji and Nauru. After his retirement from the papal diplomatic service in 1996, Archbishop White carried out several important missions for the Vatican Secretariat of State, including liaison work with the church of the Syro-Malabar rite in India. In retirement, Archbishop White lived initially Dublin, then at St. Kierans College in Kilkenny and finally at Gowan Abbey Nursing Home. He is survived by a brother Liam (Willie) who became a leading fashion and news features photoeegrapher and now lives in retirement in London; a sister Alice, who ran a pharmacy in Wicklow, but relocated to Kilkenny in recent years with her husband Eddie OByrne; and by more than a dozen nieces and nephews. In recent weeks, gold and silver pricing moved dramatically higher due to many factors combining to paint the global geopolitical environment as uncertain. Actions in North Korea, as well as Syria, became a primary focus of world leaders as these activities provided the real potential for further escalation and increased turmoil. In the case of North Korea, the turmoil revolved around the countrys desire to become a nuclear power. Raised tensions increased as further hostility and rhetoric from the DPRK (Democratic Peoples Republic of Korea) expanded into threats to use nuclear weapons on their neighbors, as well as the United States. This rhetoric occurred as they continued to test both nuclear armament and ballistic missiles. In response, the United States sent an armada, led by the aircraft carrier Carl Vincent, into the Korean Peninsula waters. This global tension was a contributing factor to gold prices moving substantially higher, trading just shy of $1300 in the middle of April. Tensions in Syria began to wane as Russia proposed a cease-fire in Syria. At the same time, it seemed tensions in the Korean Peninsula were also starting to subside. This resulted in a sharp rise in the U.S. dollar as well as a substantial correction in both gold and silver pricing. This week, gold prices fell to a low of $1215 per ounce, giving up approximately $80 in value as the factored premium from global tension was removed from pricing. However, the brief pause in geopolitical tension might be coming to an end as North Korea prepares for a sixth nuclear test. On Wednesday of this week, the North Korean ambassador to the United Kingdom conveyed that their government is willing to pursue another weapons test at an undisclosed time, despite military threats from the US. According to Newsweek, recent satellite imagery has indicated new activity at North Korea's Punggye-ri nuclear test site, a development that U.N. International Atomic Energy chief Yukiya Amano said Thursday gave the agency "concrete information that the nuclear program is going ahead." As reported by Newsweek today, North Korea is once again threatening to prepare for a nuclear attack until the U.S. abandons its hostile policy. North Korea is blaming the U.S. for instigating what have become heightened tensions on the Korean Peninsula, as Pyongyang vows to go forward with nuclear weapons testing and Washington threatens to use military action to prevent it from doing so. This week, rising prices in both gold and silver reflected a weaker U.S. dollar, rather than the potential escalation of tensions in North Korea. However, it is distinctly possible that a substantial premium will be factored into future gold pricing if the tension in North Korea once again begins to escalate. For those who would like a deeper analysis, I invite you to watch the Weekend Review, our video newsletter. This video will be available for viewing by 7 PM EST today. Simply use this link to view, or to sign up for a free trial. Wishing you as always, good trading, Stuff reports: Labour has moved to distance its promise to slash immigration from any racist overtones, saying it is about the number of people coming in, not the migrants or their race. Speaking at the partys election-year congress in Wellington, finance spokesman Grant Robertson said the immigration debate is a debate about policy. It is not a debate about immigrants. And anyone who makes it about immigrants, or indeed about their race, must be called out for what they are doing as being wrong and against the values of Labour and of New Zealanders. A $5,000 reward has been offered for information leading to the arrest of the gunman who mortally wounded a famous white wolf at Yellowstone National Park, the National Park Service announced. Investigators believe someone on Yellowstone's north side, near Gardiner, Montana, illegally shot the alpha female wolf between April 10 at 1 a.m. and April 11 at 2 p.m. MT, park officials said. Hikers discovered the severely injured animal on April 11. Park officials euthanized her due to the severity of her wounds, according to the park service. Preliminary necropsy results show the 12-year-old wolf was shot, park officials said. Authorities are urging the public to contact them with any information that could lead to an arrest. The wolf was one of three known white wolves in the park; she lived twice as long as an average wolf in the park, officials said in a news release. "As the alpha female for over nine years with the same alpha male, she had at least 20 pups, 14 of which lived to be yearlings," it said. "She was one of the most recognizable wolves and sought after by visitors to view and photography." By Jhoo Dong-chan The American Chamber of Commerce in Korea (AMCHAM) will dispatch a delegation to the United States to lobby on behalf of Asia's fourth-largest economy, it said Sunday. This is the first time for an AHCHAM mission to visit Washington D.C. since U.S. President Donald Trump came into office in January. According to AMCHAM, Sunday, its annual "Doorknock" mission, which will stay in the U.S. capital through Thursday, plans to advocate the Korea-U.S. FTA as a "win-win" treaty for both countries during the four-day trip. Nine officials joined this year's Doorknock with Hyundai Motor Group officials also participating in the AMCHAM mission to the U.S. for the first time. This is the first time for a Korean company to join the Doorknock in the U.S. This year's delegates include James Kim, AMCHAM chairman and current president, CEO and chairman of GM Korea; Jeffrey Jones, former chairman of AMCHAM Korea and chairman of the Partners for the Future Foundation; David Ruch, former chairman of AMCHAM Korea and country manager of United Airlines; and David Kim, vice president of Government Affairs at Hyundai Motor Company in Washington D.C. Along with the White House, the delegates are also expected to secure more than 50 meetings involving senior officials and policy makers from the Departments of State, Commerce, Treasury, U.S. Trade Representative, Federal Trade Commission and research institutes. "This year's Doorknock is especially timely and significant with new presidents in place for both countries," said James Kim. "AMCHAM will do its best to help both governments along with the business communities to fully understand the value of the strong trade and economic partnership between the two countries. We also seek to discuss issues with President Moon Jae-in after the Doorknock." Since 1985, a delegation from the AMCHAM has visited Washington D.C. and on some occasions, New York, and other cities every year to meet with senior officials and policy makers to inform and discuss issues affecting U.S. companies doing business in Korea. These visits, known as Doorknock, are designed to draw key officials and policy makers' attention to the economic relationship between the two countries and highlight issues in bilateral trade and investment. Doorknock serves to remind key U.S. leaders the importance of the U.S.-Korea economic partnership and resolve misconceptions that often arise from communication barriers. U.S. President Trump said last month that he will either renegotiate or terminate what he called a "horrible" free trade deal with Korea and added that Seoul should pay $1 billion for a U.S. anti-missile system. By Park Hyong-ki The regulatory oversight systems of the Financial Services Commission (FSC) and the Financial Supervisory Service (FSS) could be integrated as part of President Moon Jae-in's policy pledges for market reform. During his election campaign, Moon proposed the separation of financial regulatory policymaking and market supervision. Although he and his camp did not give a clear policy direction, he wanted the regulators to concentrate on overseeing the market and conglomerates. Moon did not mention their authority in financial regulatory policymaking, but observers expect the government may move to discuss handing it to the finance ministry. The president was initially negative about reorganizing the regulators because the two agencies always face such an issue whenever a new government is established. Moon seemed to have changed his stance as he proposed to strengthen consumer rights and create a level playing field in the market. He suggested establishing an independent agency focused on protecting consumers from corporate malpractice, while separating the regulators' policymaking and supervision obligations. His proposal was very similar to that of centrist Ahn Cheol-soo of the People's Party. Currently, the two regulators devise policies and supervise the market at the same time, but they oversee segments of the market such as banks, brokerages and insurance separately. The new administration is likely to integrate this separated oversight system to better monitor the financial market and prevent another Tongyang crisis. Given that financial companies are closely affiliated and linked with manufacturing companies via conglomerates' complex cross-shareholdings, the Moon camp has proposed oversight integration. This would enable regulators to oversee the whole market and dealings between chaebol financial and non-financial companies. Even though the International Monetary Fund warned Korea of its separated regulatory oversight system in 2014, politicians never discussed the matter. The FSC also pointed out that it would need to introduce more effective ways to implement regulations governing chaebol financial companies to detect and counter fraud and malpractice such as that in the Tongyang Group in 2013. Cash-strapped Tongyang's manufacturing units could not repay back their debt, but its financial units tried to raise funds via bonds linked to their distressed assets. This affected about 40,000 investors, costing them 1.3 trillion won. Along with the regulators' failure to detect Tongyang's malpractice, its belated measures against Daewoo Shipbuilding & Marine Engineering (DSME) and household debt have brought calls for effective regulatory oversight. DSME was found to have accounting irregularities, and faces a liquidity shortage. Meanwhile, household debt has soared to more than 1,300 trillion won. FSC Chairman Yim Jong-yong submitted his resignation last week as Moon was sworn in as president. South Korean President Moon Jae-in strongly condemned North Korea on Sunday for its latest missile launch, describing it as a grave threat to regional security and a clear violation of the U.N. Security Council resolutions. He also called on Pyongyang to reverse its course of provocations for the resumption of dialogue while warning that his administration would deal resolutely with its provocations in order to ensure it would not "miscalculate" the situation. "Even if dialogue is possible, (we) should show (to North Korea) that it's possible only in case of North Korea changing its attitude," Moon said, presiding over a session of the National Security Council. Earlier in the day, North Korea launched a ballistic missile from a site about 100 kilometers north of Pyongyang, South Korea's military said. "North Korea fired an unidentified missile at around 5:27 a.m. today from an area in the vicinity of Kusong, North Pyongan Province," the Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS) said in a statement. The projectile flew some 700 kilometers, it said, adding it's analyzing more details. The flight distance suggests the success of the missile test. Chinese President Xi Jinping speaks during the opening ceremony of the Belt and Road Forum at the China National Convention Center in Beijing, Sunday. / AP-Yonhap By Park Si-soo China called for "restraint" and for no country to do anything that might increase tension on the Korean Peninsula after North Korea's latest missile test on Sunday. "All relevant parties should exercise restraint and refrain from further aggravating tensions in the region," China's foreign ministry said in a statement. "Relevant (U.N.) Security Council resolutions have clear rules about North Korea using ballistic missile technology to carry out launches. China opposes relevant launch activities by North Korea that are contrary to Security Council resolutions." The test coincided with the opening of the Silk Road summit, a global trade infrastructure project China has prepared to cement its growing leadership in the region. Leaders from 29 countries, mostly in Asia, are attending the two-day summit in Beijing. A North Korean delegation was expected to attend. China, the isolated North's sole major ally and economic lifeline, has been reluctant to exert pressure to upset the status quo in Pyongyang and risk an influx of refugees from its neighbor. The missile test "is absolutely an embarrassment to Beijing but it also shouldn't be overstated," Peking University economics professor Christopher Balding, was quoted as saying in an AFP news agency report. He said the provocation "will not overshadow (the summit) in an enormous way but it will absolutely continue to raise U.S. frustrations with Beijing," adding that Washington was "frustrated" that North Korea was invited to the summit. The summit seeks to link China with Africa, Asia and Europe through an enormous network of ports, railways, roads and industrial parks. The initiative spans 65 countries representing 60 percent of the world population and around a third of global gross domestic product. The China Development Bank has earmarked $890 billion for about 900 projects. President Moon Jae-in speaks during an emergency National Security Council meeting at Cheong Wa Dae, Sunday, following North Korea's launch of a ballistic missile from Kusong, North Pyongyan Province. The launch took place four days after Moon was sworn in as president. / Yonhap NK missile launch overshadows Moon's dialogue overture North Korea launched a ballistic missile Sunday in what appeared to be a test of the new South Korean government's inter-Korean policy just four days after Moon Jae-in took office. Moon immediately convened an emergency National Security Council (NSC) meeting, in which he condemned the launch. The president made it clear he will deal sternly with any provocations, saying dialogue is only possible if the North changes its hostile attitude. The Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS) said an unidentified missile flew about 700 kilometers after being launched at 5:27 a.m. from near Kusong, North Pyongyan Province, a military industrial area about 100 kilometers north of Pyongyang. It was the Kim Jong-un regime's first military provocation since Moon was sworn in Wednesday. The flight distance suggests that the launch was successful, according to JCS officials. It was not clear what type of missile was launched. "South Korea and the United States are analyzing more details in addition to its flight distance," the JCS said in a statement. "Our military is maintaining a full readiness posture, closely monitoring the North's military activities." The U.S. Pacific Command said it also detected the missile launch. It added that the "flight was not consistent with an intercontinental ballistic missile." Japan's Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga said the missile traveled for about 30 minutes and reached an altitude of over 1,000 kilometers before falling into waters under Japan's Air Defense Identification Zone in the East Sea. Some analysts speculated that Pyongyang was testing either a Pukguksong-2, also known as a KN-15 missile, or a modified version, or even a new type of ballistic missile. They cited that the launch site is where the Kim regime test-fired a Pukguksong-2, an intermediate-range ballistic missile (IRBM), in February. "I don't believe the missile test Sunday involved existing models, such Pukguksong-2 or Scud-ER, considering its flight distance was about 700 kilometers," said Kim Dong-yup, a professor at the Institute for Far East Studies of Kyungnam University. "The test appears to be aimed at developing a new type of missile with an improved performance." David Wright, co-director of the Global Security Program at the Union of Concerned Scientists, told the Associated Press that Sunday's launch may have been of a new mobile, two-stage liquid-fueled missile that North Korea displayed during an April 15 military parade to mark that 105th anniversary of the birth of its founder Kim Il-sung Wright estimated that the missile had a range of 4,500 kilometers if it travelled on a standard, instead of lofted, trajectory. By Yi Whan-woo China, the United States, Japan and other members of the United Nations joined condemning North Korea for its ballistic missile test, Sunday. The missile launch was especially was seen as a snub at China, as it came on the eve of China's opening of a forum on the new Silk Road plan. Titled "One Belt, One Road," the plan is aimed at establishing a trade route linking China with its neighbors in Asia, Europe and the Middle East. The two Koreas were invited for the two-day forum that runs through Tuesday in Beijing. The U.S. has been opposed to inviting North Korea to the forum. South Korea's military said the missile flew about 700 kilometers and landed in the East Sea. It marked the North's first provocation since South Korea's new president Moon Jae-in took office on Wednesday. (Yonhap) Young participants interact with a seller at the Fair Trade Festival in Seoul, Sunday. /Korea Times photos by Kim Se-jeong By Kim Se-jeong Seoul Mayor Park Won-soon speaks during a launching ceremony, Saturday. Every year since 2008, the stone-cobbled street along Deoksu Palace is turned into a venue where people can get a sense of fair trade. On Saturday, the 10th festival opened for two days, with coffee beans and teas from Kenya and Asia, oils and sugar from Paraguay, bananas from Peru, handmade bags from Cambodia and many other products. School students, young children and mothers shopped around, roasted coffee beans and made soap using oil. Fair trade is a global movement promoting direct trade between producers and consumers. By selling goods directly to consumers, producers, mostly small business owners in third world countries, benefit the most, being able to support their families more easily. The movement is also anti-big corporate businesses which purchase a large quantity of products at very low prices. Seoul has almost 260 shops that sell fair trade products. The number of businesses that import those goods is way more, and among them 35 took part in the festival. "If fair trade becomes mainstream, we can eradicate poverty," Seoul Mayor Park Won-soon said during an opening message. "This is a small way to help others and to make a better world." The Seoul Metropolitan Government invited a banana producer from Peru to Seoul for talks and business opportunities. The city government has been a reliable supporter of fair trade, especially under Mayor Park. Since 2012 when it began supporting small businesses in the capital, shops have sprung up to sell fair trade goods. The annual festival was also possible with the help of the city. "I hope fair trade in Korea will garner bigger support in years to come," Mayor Park said. Thousands of people showed up at the festival, even braving the rain Saturday. Mo Yoon-suk, 36, from Ulsan, said she wanted to learn how to reach out to the public about fair trade. "I am using fair trade products and trying to get the word out to my fellow Ulsan residents." She is a member of a group that supports fair trade. "My group is trying to get people to be aware about fair trade. It's useful to see what people here do to get people interested." Lee Ye-won, 16, came from Gunpo, Gyeonggi Province with her friends. "We have a small group learning about social economics, and fair trade was one of the topics," Lee said. "We wanted to see how fair trade works and experience it." Although growing, fair trade is still new to many in the city. Lim Joo-hwan, CEO of The Fair Story, who sells handmade bags made in Cambodia and Namibia, said that fair trade is not charity. "We are trying to deliver quality products that local consumers would like to buy." He hired a designer who works with the bag makers. "People can spend a little more money to help others, but that's not sustainable. We need to make good products, and that's what I am trying to do." A variety of bags made by Namibia women are in display for sale at the Fair Trade Festival. Prime Minister Nominee Lee Nak-yon smiles while speaking to reporters at his temporary office located in the training institute of the Financial Supervisory Service in Jongno-gu, Seoul, Sunday. It was Lee's first day at work since being nominated for the position, Wednesday. Lee resigned as South Jeolla Province governor immediately after his nomination. The National Assembly will hold a hearing soon to make a non-binding decision on whether to endorse Lee's nomination. / Korea Times photo by Choi Won-suk By Rachel Lee The Embassy of Belarus will hold an investment and economic forum in Seoul today to showcase the country's prospects in fields including engineering and the automotive industry. Belarus Vice Prime Minister Vladimir Semashiko heads the delegation that also includes senior officials from the Ministry of Industry, Ministry of Finance, Ministry of International Affairs, National Agency of Investment and Privatization, the Industrial Park Development Company and the Hi-Tech Park Administration, the embassy said. During the event at the Korea Chamber of Commerce and Industry (KCCI), the Korean participants will discuss cooperation in engineering, the automotive industry, finance, construction, the chemical industry, pharmaceuticals, ICT and automation and robotics. They also will be told about investment opportunities in Belarus and the benefits of doing business with Belarusian partners. The KCCI co-hosted the event with the National Agency of Investment and Privatization and Belarus' Ministry of Economy and Ministry of Foreign Affairs. By Lee Kyung-min Heated debate is expected among the political parties over President Moon Jae-in's plan to set up an independent investigative body that will look into corruption of high-ranking public officials and their families. The plan, part of Moon's major initiative to reform the prosecution, is supported by the ruling Democratic Party of Korea (DPK) and centrist People's Party, while the Liberty Korea Party and Bareun Party are against it. The parties supporting it say setting up the body is the only way to dispel public distrust against the prosecution, but the conservative opposition parties say preventing Cheong Wa Dae and other high-profile figures from intervening in prosecution investigations is required before establishing the body. Given that at least 180 votes are required to table a motion at the National Assembly, the liberal bloc will need at least 20 more votes as the DPK and People's Party has 120 and 40 votes, respectively. According to a related bill pending at the National Assembly, the body can investigate suspected corruption of former presidents and their fourth cousins, high-ranking Cheong Wa Dae officials, ministers, vice ministers, lawmakers, heads of municipalities, judges and prosecutors. Their families are also subject to investigation. The plan, first introduced in 1996 under former President Kim Young-sam, is better interpreted as "creating the second prosecution," as the body was to be granted the right to investigate, indict and request arrest warrants for suspects, the powerful rights only exercised by the prosecution. The comprehensive prosecutorial reform plan, including sharing its right with the police and abolishing a corruption investigation unit under the Supreme Prosecutors' Office, has repeatedly failed due to opposition from the prosecution. Under the Roh Moo-hyun administration when conflict between the government and the prosecution was at its peak, former Prosecutor General Song Kwang-soo said "I would rather get beheaded" in opposition to Roh's aggressive reform drive in 2004. However, according to experts, the Moon administration is under great pressure to achieve the long overdue reform as he won the presidency following the public outcry against the massive corruption scandal that removed former President Park Geun-hye from office. Yonsei University Law Professor Han Sang-hoon said setting up the body is the most realistic and viable plan to have the prosecution reined in through "checks and balances," the key democratic principle. Korea University Law Professor Jang Young-soo said the reform is the right path to take, but discussion is required to guarantee independence and political neutrality of the body before passing the bill. Presidential Secretary for civil affairs Cho Kuk earlier said police corruption should be monitored by the prosecution and that of the prosecution by the independent body. South Korean political parties condemned North Korea's missile firing on Sunday morning just four days after South Korea's new liberal president was sworn in. The ruling Democratic Party warned of a strong punishment if the regime continued its provocative behaviors that might hamper the new leader Moon Jae-in's engagement policy. "If North Korea doesn't accept the united request by the international community and continues its provocations, it will inevitably face strong punishment," the party's spokesman Youn Kwan-suk said. "We urge North Korea not to test the new Moon Jae-in government and the South Korea-U.S. alliance," he warned. The minor centrist People's Party also voiced criticism and concern over Pyongyang's first missile test after the new president took office on May 10. By Kim Hyo-jin A possible collaboration between the People's Party and the Bareun Party, the second- and third-largest opposition parties, is emerging as a hot-button issue in the post-election political landscape. Rep. Joo Seung-yong, floor leader of the People's Party, first spoke of the possibility of a deal between the parties, Friday. "We need to consider a possible collaboration with the Bareun Party to strengthen our voices in the National Assembly," he said during a party meeting. Rep. Joo Ho-young, floor leader of the Bareun Party, also visited his People's Party counterpart. Joo Ho-young told reporters after their closed-door meeting that Joo Seung-yong's proposal was convincing as it was based on growing support from multiple People's Party members, not just his personal opinion. He also left open the possibility of a deal, saying "the talks can gain further momentum after a new leadership is launched in both parties." This is viewed as a preemptive action by the minor parties to survive a potential political realignment following the defeat of the presidential election, according to political commentators. The ruling Democratic Party of Korea (DPK) is now wooing the People's Party to team up in the Assembly. President Moon Jae-in also stressed they have the same roots in his meeting with its former leader Park Jie-won. The ruling party's priority task is winning support from the 40-seat People's Party as it has no power to pass a bill unilaterally with its 120 seats, which falls short of a majority in the 299-member Assembly. Meanwhile, the People's Party leadership is facing the risk of first-term lawmakers defecting to the DPK. According to party officials, the political newcomers who are not so against establishment politics, or Moon's associates in the DPK, are mulling over changing their party membership. The possibility of their breakaway is getting higher after its presidential candidate failed to garner the expected amount of votes in the party's support base of the Jeolla Provinces, which dimmed the prospects of the party winning local elections next year. The situation is not so different in the Bareun Party. The Liberty Korea Party (LKP) has reached out to the minor party, calling for the need of a "conservative merger" since the election. It recently reinstated the membership of 13 defectors from the Bareun Party, growing to 107 seats. Its former presidential candidate Hong Joon-pyo, who is expected to run for the party's leadership, has courted Bareun Party members, saying, "We wish more of you would come back and rejoin us." Despite the need to strengthen parliamentary leverage, some lawmakers, however, remain skeptical of a possible merger between the two, considering their conflicting policy lines. "The people will not support such an artificial merger when both parties have not yet narrowed the gap on North Korea policies, not to mention it is an unlikely scenario," said Rep. Park Joo-sun, deputy National Assembly speaker, originally from the People's Party. Rep. Choung Byoung-gug, ex-Bareun Party chairman, said, "There is a firm consensus in the party on pursing value of the reformative conservatives independently." But there still is a speculation that the two minor parties can move to forming a policy-based coalition. Their combined 60 seats act as a casting vote in dealing with contentious bills over which the ruling and the largest opposition party remain poles apart. A bill with contested issues can only be sent to a plenary session for a vote with the approval of more than 60 percent of the sitting lawmakers, or 180 seats. Neither of the two largest parties' number of seats meets the requirements. From left are Jun Byung-hun, senior presidential secretary for political affairs; Ha Seung-chang, senior secretary for social innovation; and Kim Su-hyun, senior secretary for social affairs. By Kim Hyo-jin President Moon Jae-in named three senior presidential secretaries, Sunday. Jun Byung-hun of the ruling Democratic Party of Korea (DPK), was tapped as a senior presidential secretary for political affairs. Ha Seung-chang, former deputy Seoul mayor, was named as senior secretary for social innovation, a newly-created position, and Kim Su-hyun, ex-vice environment minister, as senior secretary for social affairs. Jun, a 58-year-old former lawmaker, was a key campaigner for Moon in charge of election strategies during the presidential race. Cheong Wa Dae said Jun, the party's former floor leader, was viewed as fit for the job as he was experienced in negotiations with the opposition parties. He served as a presidential secretary for political affairs in the Kim Dae-jung government. "The appointment of Jun is a show of Moon's strong will for better communication and cooperation with political parties," the presidential office said. Ha, 54, played the role of devising pledges reflecting the voices of civic groups during the election campaign. He will take charge of communications with civic groups. The former civic activist, used to work at the Citizens' Coalition for Economic Justice (CCEJ) and served as deputy mayor for political affairs in the Seoul Metropolitan Government. Calling Ha a representative figure of civic society, Cheong Wa Dae said that he is expected to deliver the public voice in the grass-root movement. Kim is a public policy professor at Sejong University. The 53-year-old served as a former presidential secretary for social policy for late President Roh Moo-hyun. Cheong Wa Dae said Kim is expected to reflect the philosophy of the president well in devising social policies based on a trust-based relationship. By Jason Lim The last seven months in South Korean politics have surely been a whirlwind, concluding with the election of the liberal candidate, Moon Jae-in, as President. According to the breathless coverage from the international media, South Korea is now the epitome of liberal democracy and a model for all would-be democratic activists to follow, including the progressives in America who would undoubtedly like to see the U.S. follow a similar path to political change. Not likely to happen, but hope springs eternal. And it certainly does in South Korea this week, basking in the glow of a candlelit revolution well won. There is a palpable sense of freshness, rejuvenation and hope in the air. Moon has started off on the right foot, promising transparency and communication as his administration's core values. He has so far walked the walk, announcing his initial inner circle appointments in a personable, open and frank manner, which was a great contrast to the formal, stiff and opaque way the prior administration of Park Geun-hye went about its business. But as the warm afterglow of the candlelit rallies darkens and the honeymoon ends, what will really have changed in Korea? As some declare, backed more with fervent dreams rather than any facts, has the old way of doing business in Korea Inc. changed in a fundamental way? Will the old cadre of elites and the nepotistic culture of corruption that drove the governance paradigm of South Korea magically give way to transparency, social justice, economic equality and other noble goals the candlelit crowd supported? Not likely. Change is hard. Fundamental cultural change is even harder. The fight is just beginning, and guess what, the old guard still has more levers of powers than Moon ever will. A quick look at a JoongAng Daily election results map is actually very enlightening. While Moon won overwhelmingly over his runner-up, conservative opponent Hong Joon-pyo, in terms of the number of votes with the largest margin of victory in Korea's presidential election history a number of small to mid-sized municipalities split fairly evenly down the middle between Moon and Hong. The map looks strangely like the Blue/Red Yin Yang circle of the South Korean flag; the left side of the map is all blue (Moon) while the right side of the map is mostly red (Hong). The population density of the municipalities that Moon won is higher, leading to more votes; however, Hong also won an almost equal number of municipalities. This tells me South Korea is still as divided as ever along the traditional demarcation lines of geography, generations and ideology. The red communist scare, otherwise known as the "northern wind" in Korea's political parlance, still lurks strongly just beneath the surface. Even in Seongju County whose residents are protesting the placement of the THAAD system in their backyard, Hong won 56 percent of the vote compared to Moon's 18 percent. Strange? Yes. Does it make sense? Yes, in Korea. Further, the conglomerates that rule the day in the South Korean economy still have great wealth and influence. While Samsung was recently tainted in the Choi Soon-sil scandal and its de facto head might even be sentenced to jail, it's all a part of doing business. Samsung, along with other chaebols, will have an outsized voice in how Korea Inc. operates for the foreseeable future. And the powerful conservative media outlets that were obsessed in finding fault with former President Roh Moo-hyun (for whom Moon served as the chief of staff) are still powerful and ready to defend their turf against liberal encroachment. At least Roh had the national assembly stacked in his favor. Moon's Democratic Party of Korea only commands 120 seats, which means he would have to find common ground with the conservative Liberty Korea Party that holds 94 seats in order to pass any meaningful legislation that goes against the status quo. In fact, there is very little incentive for the Liberty Korea Party to work with Moon at this point to help him win any victories they would be doing everything they can to trip up his agenda for their own political advantage that can sweep them back in power in the next general election in 2018. In other words, politics as usual by either side. This situation somehow reminds me of the first time Barack Obama was elected as president of the U.S. There was a fresh wave of youthful hope by the liberals that everything would change from now on: that America (and even the world) would enter into some type of idealistic era where deep-seated divisions would be magically overcome. It didn't happen then in America. It won't happen today in Korea. In his inauguration speech, Moon spoke eloquently of his desire to be President of all Koreans, even those who didn't vote for him: "Starting today, I will act as the President of all citizens. Those who did not support me are still my citizens and will be served as well." The bigger question is: will they let him? Jason Lim is a Washington, D.C.-based expert on innovation, leadership and organizational culture. He has been writing for The Korea Times since 2006. Reach him at jasonlim@msn.com, facebook. com/jasonlimkoreatimes or @jasonlim2012. Pyongyang has carried out another missile test, only days after President Moon Jae-in took office last week saying that he was ready to go to Pyongyang under the "right conditions." North Korea launched an intermediate-range ballistic missile early Sunday morning. There was a lot of concern among Korean voters about Moon's view of North Korea. Many people were also worried that he may be too soft on it. But Moon dispelled such concerns with the way he dealt with Pyongyang's first provocation since he took office. The president promptly called a National Security Council session at Cheong Wa Dae and strongly condemned the missile test, calling it a "grave threat" to regional security and a clear violation of U.N. Security Council resolutions. The latest provocation came only about two weeks since a missile launch on April 29 which was considered a failure. It is highly regrettable that North Korea is choosing to continue its military provocations even when Korea and the U.S. have signaled that their new presidents are willing to pursue a dialogue with them. U.S. President Donald Trump said earlier this month that he would be "honored" to meet North Korean leader Kim Jong-un under the "right circumstances." President Moon has continued to say that he would be willing to talk with North Korea. His nominee for the head of the National Intelligence Service Suh Hoon even said last week that an inter-Korean summit was necessary. The missile test shows that it is premature to restart talks with North Korea. Inter-Korean relations were severely strained during the 10 years of conservative rule under Lee Myung-bak and Park Geun-hye. Many Koreans wish to see better relations between the two Koreas. But Seoul should not resume dialogue with Pyongyang unless North Korea responds to the international call to freeze its nuclear and missile programs. Populist policies for jobs, welfare should be re-examined President Moon Jae-in will set up an advisory committee to review his election pledges and prioritize policy implementation. The committee will play a key role in setting the policies of the Moon administration since it was launched immediately after the May 9 election without a presidential transition team. "The committee should be established as soon as possible to prepare a five-year plan for managing state affairs," Moon said last week. Presidential candidates were criticized for making various pledges without specifying the necessary financial resources, and Moon was no exception. His opponents took issue with his employment and welfare policies. Moon's advisory committee should thoroughly review the feasibility of the president's key election pledges and prepare a budget and annual action plans. The committee should not be afraid to streamline pledges that will cost too much and impose additional burdens on taxpayers, who are already reeling from the tax hikes from the previous administration. There is no doubt that jobs should be at the top of the presidential agenda. Since taking office, Moon has already shown his resolve for improving the lives of workers. The first presidential instruction on May 10 was to establish a committee for job creation. His first visit outside Cheong Wa Dae took place at Incheon International Airport, which has one of the highest rates of irregular workers among public corporations. About 34 percent of workers in the public sector are irregular workers who struggle with meager wages and low job security. The new president vowed to realize "an era of zero irregular workers" in the public sector during his term. But now that the election is over, Moon should be careful about throwing around such populist pledges for more jobs or better welfare. In particular, the advisory committee should take a closer look at some of Moon's job-related pledges that are too costly and have little promise of achieving the desired outcome. During the campaign, Moon promised to create 810,000 new jobs in the public sector to improve the unprecedented unemployment crisis. He brought this up again during his visit to the airport. This will be done by hiring 170,000 public servants over five years, and create 640,000 jobs in government-affiliated agencies. Many people are worried that it will be inevitable to raise taxes to maintain such a huge additional workforce in the public sector. Increasing jobs in the public sector cannot be a fundamental solution to the unemployment crisis. It is more important to spend on creating a business environment where jobs can flourish and nurture startups which will lead the new tech revolution. The committee should also review some welfare pledges for seniors and working mothers. For Moon's administration to succeed in the long run, it would be wise to revise unrealistic commitments at the onset. Also, the committee should actively collect ideas from citizens on how the president should run the country for the next five years. By Jhoo Dong-chan Korea's largest cosmetics firm AmorePacific has filed a lawsuit against a Chinese online shopping mall for allegedly counterfeiting an official website for its affiliate Laneige to sell cosmetic products. According to Chinese authorities, Sunday, AmorePacific sued the Chinese company for allegedly violating its trademark in January. It is the first time for a Korean company to sue a Chinese company for violation of trademark. The Chinese online mall sold cosmetic products on its webpage, www.laneigeonline.com, as if it was an official webpage for the Korean brand in China. As a number of Chinese consumers questioned the authenticity of their purchased products December, AmorePacific requested an investigation with Chinese authorities. Chinese authorities said the company counterfeited Laneige's official website as well as using a similar homepage address. The products have been found to be imported without customs examination from Korea. AmorePacific said it filed a lawsuit because the Chinese company caused damage to its brand image as well as customers' trust while the Chinese company rebutted their products are all genuine Laneige products imported directly from Korea. "Laneige products sold in China should be imported and distributed through its AmorePacific corporate body in Shanghai. Those products sold via counterfeit websites are clear violation of Laneige's trademark right, causing damage to customers' trust in our products," said an AmorePacific official. It was not the first time Korean cosmetics have been a target in the black market as they have gained popularity over the past few years. During last year's China Beauty Expo held in Shanghai, a Chinese company officially showcased the "Soorunkor" brand, a fake product lineup imitating LG Household & Health Care's affiliate brand Sooryehan. A number of Chinese consumers reportedly believe Soorunkor is a Korean brand. AmorePacific's affiliate brand Sulhwasoo has also been counterfeited under the brand name of "Sulansoo." In September 2015, AmorePacific teamed with Chinese authorities to raid a factory in Guangzhou to confiscate 47,000 pieces of fake goods and suspended the operation of unauthorized Sulhwasoo, Hera and Laneige stores. It also signed an MOU deal with Chinese e-commerce company Alibaba to cooperate in monitoring fake cosmetics and suspend their operations. By Jhoo Dong-chan Korea's e-commerce company Coupang has been the center of concern for its excessive investment in logistics and delivery systems. Despite posting nearly 2 trillion won ($1.7 billion) in sales last year, the company had a 560 billion won operating loss. Some questioned the sustainability of Coupang's profit model, claiming the company will face trouble in a couple of years. However, a Coupang official said the operating loss was "planned and anticipated" as it came from the company's massive investment in establishing differentiated logistics and delivery systems to meet customers' future demands. "Coupang's investments are similar to those of Amazon," the official said. "The company understands it is a challenge. But we aim at providing a whole new experience for our customers. Achieving easy goals and settling for the status quo are not what we are looking for." Amazon also suffered an astronomical amount of losses after it decided to become more than just a fashionable online bookseller. In 1996, it posted an operating loss of $5.7 million on sales of $200 million. Amazon's operating loss peaked in 2000 at $1.4 billion on sales of $2.8 billion. Its stock price, which had once marked $100, plunged to $6 along with the dot-com bubble burst. Back then, a number of Wall Street analysts came up with a dismal outlook for its future. Lehman Brothers top analyst Ravi Suria said in June 2000 that Amazon would be bankrupt within a year due to its deteriorating credit situation. The U.S.-based independent technology and market researcher Forrester Research said that the company's business-to-customer model would soon die out. Amazon's visionary founder Jeff Bezos, however, wanted his company to provide limitless customer satisfaction based on delivery convenience at disruptively low prices to become the so-called "everything store." He continued investing in better delivery networks and generated an operating profit for the first time in 2002. Amazon's market value approached $300 billion last year, beating Walmart and topping the U.S. distribution industry. Coupang CEO Bom Kim believes his company can take a similar route. "Most of last year's operating loss can be attributed to the company's investment in its signature Rocket delivery system and the construction of distribution centers," Kim said. "If we stop investing, Coupang may turn a profit. But we should keep moving forward." Coupang completed its distribution centers on a gross floor area of 730,000 square meters across the country last year. It has also completed nationwide delivery coverage with Rocket covering 85 percent of the country. Coupang's ambitious investment in its delivery and distribution center system has been highly acclaimed abroad. According to U.S.-based technology magazine MIT Technology Review, Coupang was one of the world's 50 smartest companies last June. It was the only Korean company to make to the list. U.S.-based biweekly magazine Forbes also chose Kim as one of the world's 30 global game changers for his restless pursuit of innovation, leading Coupang into new ventures just like Jeff Bezos of Amazon and transforming online retail with his ambition to offer a differentiated customer experience. Japanese multinational telecommunication company Softbank founder Masayoshi Son also invested $1 billion in Coupang in 2015, praising it as Korea's No. 1 e-commerce company. He said it is one of very few Korean companies that drew his attention with its rapid growth over the past few years. Son is famous for his animal spirit of pinpointing potential-loaded startups with one of the most outstanding examples being Alibaba, China's top-tier technology company. Kim said Coupang will continue its venture investment to introduce better customer experiences. "Coupang's challenge is still an ongoing operation, and the company will continue putting its efforts on innovate the customer experience," Kim said. "One day, Korean people will ask how they lived without Coupang." During the Mnet Asian Music Awards, Taeyeon of the hit girl group, Girls' Generation, and American rapper, Wiz Khalifa, were preparing to be performing on stage together. The two artists planned out a performance where they are going to sing the Charlie Puth's hit song, "See You Again". But even though there was a rehearsal video which involved the two artists, the performance still didn't really pushed through. Because of the unfortunate scenario, they immediately went to their respective social media accounts to reason out to their disappointed fans what happened. According to All K-pop, Wiz Khalifa says on his Twitter account that Taeyeon surprisingly backed out of the performance due to a certain reason. However, he showed a positive understanding in accepting Taeyeon's rejection. It was also reported that Taeyeon's fans were angry on Wiz Khalifa because he spelled her name incorrectly as "Teyeon". Soon after, Taeyeon went on to reason out on her Twitter account that her decision to reject the offer was because of the music problem. Taeyeon then adds that she is unable to do a sound check. This has been the real reason why she decided to not push through their collaboration on stage. The K-pop idol went on explaining that the song's other version was instead prepared to be broadcasted. With this, one can clearly see that it's all due to technical issues. Fortunately, the official studio version of the Taeyeon Wiz Khalifa's music collaboration has finally been released. According to Pop Crush, the Minneapolis radio station was the one to broadcast it. Thanks to this, the disappointment of their fans turned to mere awe and surprise because even though their performance on stage didn't push through, their music collaboration recording was still released. Hopefully, they still get to do another collaboration with each other. SOFIA: Bulgaria said on Monday that two Russian diplomats were being expelled from the country, days after the latest in a string of Moscow-linked spy scandals was uncovered. Prosecutors announced on Friday that six people had been arrested on suspicion of spying for Russia, including several defence ministry officials in the EU and NATO member state. On Monday, they said that preliminary investigations have shown that two Russian nationals carried out intelligence activity incompatible with diplomatic relations. The foreign ministry said that two Russian diplomats had been declared persona non grata and given 72 hours to leave the country. Prosecutors allege that those arrested last week belonged to a spy ring led by an ex-intelligence officer whose wife played the role of intermediary with the Russian embassy. The Russian embassy warned in a statement on Facebook that it could respond to the expulsions. It expressed regret that once again this unfounded action by the Bulgarian authorities will not contribute to constructive dialogue between Russia and Bulgaria. Russia reserves the right to take retaliatory measures, it said. The officials arrested last week are accused of passing classified information to the head of the alleged spy ring.AFP RECORDER REPORT ISLAMABAD: Ali Nawaz Awan, Special Assistant to Prime Minister for CDA Affairs on Monday inaugurated a rehabilitated water filtration facility here at the federal capital. The refurbishment was facilitated by the international non-governmental organization, WaterAid, with support from global food and beverage company, PepsiCo. It is expected that approximately 9,000 people from and around Saidpur Village will directly benefit from the new facility. This project is under PepsiCos commitment to the Clean and Green Pakistan Initiative launched by the Prime Minister of Pakistan. To support the access to safe water pillar of the Clean and Green Pakistan Initiative, PepsiCo is working with WaterAid to provide safe water through extensive addition and refurbishment of water filtration plants. Speaking at the inauguration Special Assistant to Prime Minister for CDA Affairs, Ali Nawaz Awan said that there is nothing more essential than access to safe water. I appreciate this important collaboration between PepsiCo and WaterAid in supporting the government in ensuring access to safe water to marginalized communities in the capital. Mohammad Khosa, Senior Director at PepsiCo said that the access to safe water is essential for public health. In partnership with WaterAid, we are on a mission to enable access to safe water for communities across the country and specially for those impacted by the rapid urbanization we are experiencing. Silicon Valley is known for its politically progressive culture and distaste for the policies of President Trump. But Twitter executives are voicing their support for Trumps frequent use of their social media platform and have even encouraged the president to use Twitter more. On Sundays broadcast of the Today show on NBC, Chief Executive Jack Dorsey said in an interview that he thinks Trumps frequent use of Twitter serves a greater political good. I believe its really important I hear directly from our leadership. And I believe its really important to hold them accountable, Dorsey said. And I believe its really important to have these conversations out in the open rather than have them behind closed doors. Advertisement He said Trump has found a tool thats useful for him. Dorsey said that the absence of platforms like Twitter would be bad for open political discourse. It goes in the dark and I just dont think thats good for anyone, he said. His remarks came shortly after Anthony Noto, Twitters chief financial and operating officer, encouraged the White House to use the social media platform even more. Noto was responding to a recent tweet Trump posted in which the president said he was considering eliminating regular White House press briefings. May I suggest questions submitted and answered via Twitter, Noto said on his Twitter account. A perfect record and we distribute to the world not just those with a TV. Last month, Twitter leaders suggested in an earnings conference call that the platform has experienced a bump in users thanks to the rise in political discourse during Trumps first weeks in office. The company said it had 328 million active users after adding 9 million in the first quarter of the year. There is some evidence that we benefited from our new and resurrected users following more news and political accounts in [the first quarter], particularly in the U.S., Noto said during the call. Thats a really positive thing. The San Francisco company reported its first year-over-year decline in quarterly revenue in the first quarter. But the stock has been on the upswing this month after Twitter announcing a deal to stream videos from Bloomberg Media around the clock as it pursues a strategy to make itself more of a video destination. david.ng@latimes.com @DavidNgLAT Dear Liz: My wife and I own a home with $61,000 left on the mortgage. I have a 401(k) with about $30,000 in it and she has a pension plan. We are both in our 50s. We stand to inherit around $180,000 in cash and a condo worth about $250,000 from her mother, who is dying. We have no other debt. I want to use the cash to pay off the mortgage, then stick about $100,000 in a retirement account, then remodel the condo and rent it out. My wife wants to sell the condo because of negative memories and bank the money to use for the kids college fund in a couple of years. My argument is that with our regular income, plus the burden of the mortgage lifted, plus the monthly rental, we should be able to fund college costs on an ongoing basis. But if we liquidate, then in six to eight years we will have no college fund left, no condo and no additional income stream. In addition to all of this, I have home repair and remodeling skills (I remodeled our bathroom, new plumbing, new tub, etc. by myself). She thinks Ive got too much on my plate already (I own my own tech consulting business). My counter is I can hire a property management firm if need be. What do you think? Answer: Its possible, but unlikely, that you will inherit from your mother-in-law. She probably will leave her money and condo to her daughter, who can (and in many cases should) keep the assets as separate property. Ultimately, your wife will make the decisions on what to do with her inheritance. Advertisement Being a landlord, even with the help of a good property management company, is not for everyone. Tenants can be demanding, destructive and litigious. Remodeling, repairs and maintenance can get expensive. Although you may be proud of your do-it-yourself skills, your wife is probably right to question how much time youll be able to devote to this property when youre running your own business. Perhaps that bathroom took a lot longer than you expected, and she realizes that similar delays with the condo could mean months of expenses before shed receive any rental income. Being a landlord may just be more stress than she wants to inflict on herself and on your marriage. Fortunately, she could generate an income stream by investing the money instead. Stocks and bonds wont call her in the middle of the night, demanding that their toilets be fixed, and a well-diversified portfolio probably will earn a better return over time than real estate. Using at least some of the money to offset college costs could be another smart move. A fee-only financial planner can help her sort through her options, including determining how much college is likely to cost and how much of it she wants to pay. You may want to consult the planner as well. If youre in your 50s, you should have at least six times your income saved in that 401(k) according to Fidelity Investments, which has developed handy metrics for retirement readiness. Given how far behind you are, you probably should focus more on generating income that can be stowed into retirement funds rather than on burnishing your plumbing skills. How to improve your FICO score Dear Liz: My FICO score is just under 800. The reason given that it is not higher is that I dont have any non-mortgage leases. What would be the cheapest way to remedy this without buying something expensive? Answer: When you get your credit scores, you may be given sometimes-vague reasons for why theyre not higher or lower. The reason code you saw probably said something like no recent non-mortgage balance information. What that means is that you havent been using revolving accounts such as credit cards. To get higher scores, youd need to dust off your plastic and use it once in a while. (You dont need to carry a balance to get or keep good scores, however. You can and should pay credit card balances in full each month.) Any improvement in your scores is likely to be modest, however. Your numbers are already high and the factor known as mix of credit which means responsibly using both revolving and installment accounts accounts for just 10% of your FICO scores. Plus, theres no real point in having scores over 800, other than to brag about them. Once your scores exceed 760 or so, youre already eligible for the best rates and terms. Liz Weston, certified financial planner, is a personal finance columnist for NerdWallet. Questions may be sent to her at 3940 Laurel Canyon, No. 238, Studio City, CA 91604, or by using the Contact form at asklizweston.com. Distributed by No More Red Inc. MORE FROM BUSINESS Is an $11-million termite job legit or a scam targeting the elderly? Despite those viral videos, airlines are turning passenger bumping into a data-driven art Wells Fargo may have created 1.4 million more unauthorized accounts than we thought, attorneys say Kevin Shenkman, who is tall and bookish, does not look like the aspiring light heavyweight boxer he once was. Clearly, though, he still relishes a good fight. For the past several years, Shenkman, 38, who lives and practices law in Malibu, has been suing, or threatening to sue, cities all over Southern California, demanding they change the way they elect members of their city councils in order to increase the numbers of African-American and Latino representatives. Many have agreed to do so, though some have resisted before capitulating. Advertisement Shenkmans legal cudgel is the California Voter Rights Act, which for 15 years has made it easier for minority groups to prove that they are disenfranchised by at-large elections, where all voters of a city vote for all members of a city council. Many believe this practice has institutionalized racial discrimination, allowing blocs of white voters to overwhelm the choices of blacks and Latinos. Until Shenkman sued Palmdale, for instance, where about two-thirds of residents are minorities, only one Latino, a Republican, had ever been elected to office. Obviously, the leadership did not represent the people they served, said Darren Parker, who serves as chairman of the California Democratic Partys African-American Caucus. Ive lived in the Antelope Valley for over 30 years, and had been trying to obtain some sort of equity or diversity in the leadership. In 2012, Parker decided the only way to change things was to sue the city for violating the California Voter Rights Act. He did some research and found a story about a young attorney who had sued Panda Express for failing to disclose that it put chicken broth in its steamed vegetables. Something about that appealed to Parker, who had once worked for McDonalds, so he phoned Shenkman. I think he is so zealous that he forgets to eat and sleep. Darren Parker, chairman, California Democratic Partys African-American Caucus When he called, I told Darren I had no idea what he was talking about, but I thought, Im a Democrat, and this sounds important, Ill look into it, Shenkman told me. He asked his law partner, Mary Hughes, who happens to be his wife, what she thought. She said, You are crazy. I said, Yeah, lets do this. He contacted three voting-rights experts constitutional law professor Justin Levitt of Loyola Law school, Cal Tech history professor Morgan Kousser and demographer David Ely who helped him figure out how to approach the case, and then brought in two experienced trial lawyers, R. Rex Parris (who happens to be the mayor of Lancaster) and Milton Grimes, perhaps best-known as the late Rodney Kings attorney. Shenkman expected the Palmdale case to resolve quickly, but the city fought back. In 2013, the case went to trial. Palmdale lost. A judge ordered new, by-district elections. In November, Palmdale elected its first Democratic Latino City Councilman, Juan Carillo, from a new district on the citys east side, one of our first success stories, as Parker told me. I think Kevin was heaven-sent, Parker said. He is dedicated to serving others in spite of himself sometimes. I think he is so zealous that he forgets to eat and sleep. As the Voting Rights Act requires, Palmdale had to reimburse Shenkmans legal costs, which were about $4.6 million. Even if other cities didnt see the benefit in switching to district elections for the right reasons, it soon became clear that moving to district elections was a sure way to avoid sky-high legal fees. Because they were probably going to lose. :: Shenkman first came to my attention last week because he was the subject of a meandering profile on the Breitbart website, the platform for the alt-right, as its former executive chairman Steve Bannon so memorably described it. I like to read Breitbart to keep an eye on how the far right filters the news. I got a chuckle out of the original headline, which has since been changed: Meet the Malibu Lawyer Playing the Race Card and Making Millions All Over California. More columns With loaded language like that, imagine my surprise when the first paragraph praised Shenkman as one of the most prolific and successful civil rights lawyers of his generation. Of course, this being Breitbart, there was also a line about how some consider Shenkman a villain, a do-gooder from Malibu who is creating racial divisions where they do not exist. Shenkman, a father of four girls, said he didnt mind the story but was taken aback by some of the anti-Semitic comments from Breitbart readers. Im Jewish, he said, and there were a number of comments like, Look at his last name, that explains it all. When it comes to civil rights activists, this kind of garbage goes with the territory. :: After he won in Palmdale, Shenkman was contacted by the Southwest Voter Registration Education Project, a Lincoln Heights-based group with a decades-long history in the voting rights business, as its president Antonio Gonzalez put it. He considers district elections a paramount tool in the voting rights toolbox. Palmdale created a new conventional wisdom for cities, which is, We are not going to win, so lets work it out, Gonzales said. We just sent another 15 demand letters, so we are up to 25 jurisdictions. Before the year is out, he said, Were going to do 100. As my colleague Phil Willon reported last month, out of Californias 482 cities, only 59 hold district elections, and no city that holds at-large elections has ever prevailed in a California Voting Rights Act lawsuit. Some critics have carped that the promised changes have not occurred, that despite all the letters and lawsuits, relatively few Latinos have been elected to traditionally white city councils. Listen, Ive been doing this for 30 years, Gonzalez said. If you create a viable district, minority voters will elect their candidate. It takes several years to marshal forces. Last year, Shenkman sent demand letters to Hemet, Wildomar, Hesperia, Upland and Costa Mesa, among others. All adopted district elections for no later than 2018. Other cities that have recently made the switch include Oceanside, Carlsbad, Vista, Fremont and Anaheim. He also filed lawsuits against San Juan Capistrano, West Covina, Rancho Cucamonga and Santa Monica. All but the liberal bastion of Santa Monica have either settled or are in the process of doing so. In court papers, Santa Monica city attorneys say that the citys at-large system does not deprive minorities of representation and that two of seven City Council seats are occupied by presumed Latinos. Santa Monica, said Shenkman, has vowed to fight to the death. A trial in that case is scheduled for Oct. 30. On Friday, I reached Juan Carillo, Palmdales first elected Democratic councilman. He represents District 4, in Palmdales heavily Latino east side. If it wasnt because of the Voter Rights Act lawsuit, he said, I am sure we would still have all five council members, including the mayor, residing on the west side. Some of the things hed like to bring to his constituents: free wi-fi for children whose parents cant afford it, better parks, more commercial development and perhaps a nice restaurant or two. Palmdale spent about $7 million defending its losing position. What a waste. Imagine how many kids could be getting better parks and free wi-fi with that kind of money. For more on politics robin.abcarian@latimes.com Twitter: @AbcarianLAT ALSO An aggravating anniversary for Simi Valley, where a not-guilty verdict sparked the 92 L.A. riots Guns, ghosts and guilt: Helen Mirren portrays the widow whose Winchester Mystery House defies logic More from Robin Abcarian Los Angeles County is reviewing how best to handle child welfare donations after an audit found that thousands of toys werent given out, inappropriate payments were made and fundraising efforts were largely ineffective. The Board of Supervisors will consider a motion Tuesday to explore alternatives to the Childrens Trust Fund Unit, an arm of the Department of Children and Family Services that is charged with raising money for foster kids needs that arent covered by other sources. The trust fund has helped provide foster children with holiday gifts, quinceanera dresses and trips to summer camp, among other things. The county conducted an audit of the trust fund unit at the request of department management, who had concerns about whether it generated enough revenue to justify its staffing costs. The audits findings, released last week, show that the unit lacked oversight and disregarded internal controls, leading to unaccounted-for and misspent donations. In 2015, for example, the unit paid out $336,000 for kids to attend summer camp, but most camps werent accredited or licensed, and every camp received the same rate per child, regardless of the camps duration or the services it offered, the report said. The unit also made multiple payments for the same children, for children who did not attend and for children who were ineligible. Advertisement The year prior, during the Spark of Love toy drive, the unit received at least 44,000 toys worth a total of $440,000, but some 7,000 of those toys languished in a warehouse a year later, the audit found. Another 2,500 toys couldnt be accounted for and 12,000 went to organizations without the required tax-exempt status, whereas eligible nonprofits and a county park were denied the items. Similarly, about a quarter of $140,000 in event tickets to ballgames and theme parks, for example went missing or were issued to outside entities instead of to foster kids. The Childrens Trust Fund is needed to enhance the lives of L.A.s children in foster care, said Jennifer Rexroad, a foster parent and executive director of the California Alliance of Caregivers, an advocacy group. It would be a tragedy if children suffered the loss of donations and special opportunities meant for them. Last weeks report is the latest in a series of audits that have documented poor financial management at Children and Family Services. Last year a review of the departments purchasing and payment procedures found that problems with record-keeping, inappropriate purchases and poor gift card controls had persisted since 2007, when they were found to have cost the department more than $1 million. A 2015 review found the department had spent hundreds of thousands of dollars on overly expensive office supplies. Brandon Nichols, the acting director of Children and Family Services, said in an interview that he was horribly disappointed by what the report on the trust fund unit revealed. Of the apparent pattern in recent years, Nichols acknowledged that the departments attention had drifted away from internal controls. Child safety is such an overarching concern, he said. Thats what had gotten most of the attention. Nichols said the department, which was informed of some of the findings while the audit was underway, has already taken steps to correct them. The units manager resigned, and another staff member was moved to a role that doesnt involve fiscal duties. In addition, Nichols said, the department has been working with the countys Internal Services Department to improve how it buys and pays for goods and services, and training staff on the importance of record-keeping and public accountability. Aside from documenting poor management of donations, the audit questioned whether the trust fund unit requires dedicated full-time staff, noting that it only generates minimal income relative to [its] size. Records showed the unit raised approximately $17,000, $22,000 and $7,000 in fiscal years 2012-13, 2013-14 and 2014-15, respectively. But it spent more than $400,000 on personnel costs in each of those years. (The audit noted substantial deficiencies in record-keeping; additional money may have been raised but not recorded.) In a letter to the board, Auditor-Controller John Naimo recommended that the department consider disbanding the unit. Nichols said Children and Family Services is exploring that idea and looking for another place to house the units functions. Options could include a standalone nonprofit organization or another body within the county, such as the Office of Child Protections center for public-private partnerships, he said. But Tuesdays motion, introduced by Supervisor Sheila Kuehl, directs the countys chief executive office to study other county departments and come up with options to fix the unit, rather than immediately dissolve it. Many county departments operate similar funds with strong fiscal controls, Kuehl said in a statement. This motion will allow the board to consider other existing structures that may provide the accountability we need to continue to operate the Childrens Trust Fund Unit. Rexroad, of the caregiver alliance, said counties across the state have various ways of raising money for foster kids, but donors prize organizations where their dollars will count the most. Many people want to help foster children but cant foster, and instead they give money, she said. Its important...to have a place where people can make monetary and other donations that eventually make it to benefit the child. To read the article in Spanish, click here nina.agrawal@latimes.com Twitter: @AgrawalNina Cling to whats good. Monique Clark was good. That was the message recorded on a cellphone video from Kion Goulds hospital bed. The short video was played during a memorial service for Clark, 35, who was fatally wounded April 30 when a gunman opened fire at a University City apartment complex where Gould was celebrating his birthday. On Saturday morning, more than 300 people including many of Clarks family members and friends gathered at The Rock Church in Point Loma to celebrate her life and the positive impact she had on so many people. I have great adoration for Monique, said Gould, who wears a hospital gown in the video. Her flaw is that she loved everyone around her without hesitation. Many of you can attest to that. Advertisement He said he knew that even in death, Clark would continue to watch over her three young daughters ages 13, 11, and 2 and that they will be OK. She will be the invisible hand, along with God, in guiding their lives, Gould said, his voice gentle but deliberate. Her love was sincere. The only thing that we should hate is that which is evil and cling to that which is good. Monique DaVonna Clark was born April 19, 1982. On Saturday, her body lay in a closed casket at the front of the sanctuary, with purple and white roses draped over the lid. Purple was a favorite color of Clarks, and many who came to the service wore shades of purple in her honor. Everybody here feels like they lost a part of themselves when she was [taken] from us. Stephen Groves, Clarks cousin It was a service, held at the church where Clark had been a member since 2015, filled with music, laughter and more than a few tears. Everybody here feels like they lost a part of themselves when she was [taken] from us, said Stephen Groves, Clarks cousin, who wore a purple tie and a purple ribbon on his lapel. He told the crowd he was the first in the family to learn what happened to Clark on April 30, and he had to pass the information on to others. She was like my sister, Groves said. A younger cousin, Ronald Preston Clark, read the obituary he had written for Monique. He said it was a gift to her as well as her parents, Tony Clark and Michelle Fuget. Beautiful, feisty and curious, from the beginning Monique was the greatest kind of handful, Clark said. Spirited, a fighter and full of love, her energy was unmistakable and her family let her be. Attempting to bottle up a young Monique was unnecessary. She did everything to its max and lived life to its fullest. He noted the jobs Clark had worked in her teens and into adulthood, when she worked as a restaurant cashier at the San Diego International Airport. She later worked there in airport security, as her father had before he retired. Her best accomplishment, the younger cousin said, was becoming a mother. There was nothing in her life more precious or important than loving and preserving her children, he said. Her final words only strengthened the bond she will forever have with her girls. He didnt mention the specific words during the service. A guest at the poolside party where Monique Clark was shot said the words were, Tell my kids that I love them. Besides Clark, six others were shot and injured that Sunday at the La Jolla Crossroads apartment complex. The gunman, 49-year-old Peter Selis, was killed in a shootout with San Diego police. According to court document, Selis went to the pool area, sat in a lounge chair and drank from a beer bottle before pulling a pistol from a duffel bag and shooting. His sister, who rushed to the scene suspecting Selis involvement, told officers her brother was extremely distraught over a recent breakup with a girlfriend. During the memorial service, Pastor Miles McPherson of The Rock Church acknowledged the other victims and their families, who are working to heal physically and emotionally. We pray that this incident will bring us together, he said. Several representatives from the San Diego Police Department and San Diego Fire-Rescue Department attended the service, as did City Council President Myrtle Cole and Councilwoman Barbara Bry, whose district includes University City. Mayor Kevin Faulconer spoke briefly to the audience, describing Clark as a beautiful soul. He said a senseless act may have taken her away from her family and the community, but the memory of her kindness endures. That, he told Clarks daughters, is a part of her legacy. Our city stands with you, he said. dana.littlefield@sduniontribune.com MORE LOCAL NEWS 200 protesters spell out RESIST! in flash mob at Trumps Rancho Palos Verdes golf course Gunman in San Diego pool shooting extremely distraught and depressed, frantic sister told police Previously deported hit-and-run suspect criminally charged with federal immigration violation The Marine Corps is rolling out a recruiting commercial starring a female captain in an appeal to women candidates at a time when the military branch is burdened with a sexual harassment scandal. The Battle Up ad starts with a young girl stepping in to stop bullying in a school hallway, who transforms into a young woman scoring on the rugby field, then muscling through an officer training course, then firing a rifle on the battlefield. It ends with the woman extending a helping hand to a homeless man. Its the first time a woman has been featured so prominently in a recruiting commercial, a Marine Corps spokesman said Friday. Advertisement However, the spokesman said the commercial had been months in production and was not a direct response to the Defense Departments announcement earlier this year that it was investigating reports that hundreds of Marines had shared nude photos of female service members on a secret Facebook page. The ongoing probe has focused on approximately 500 men believed to be active-duty or discharged members of the armed forces. The men allegedly swapped salacious photos of female colleagues, denigrated them with sexually violent language and threatened reprisals against people who exposed their behavior. The commercial is an extension of the new brand idea we launched earlier this year, which was years in the making, Gunnery Sgt. Justin Kronenberg said in an email to the San Diego Union-Tribune. Battle Up took months to complete and was unrelated to the efforts underway to recommit ourselves to making sure all Marines are treated and valued equally, Kronenberg said. The uniformed Marine in the ad is Capt. Erin Demchko, a logistics officer from Hackensack, N.J., who is serving as deputy camp commander at Camp Courtney in Okinawa, Japan. The voiceover message in the commercial is gender neutral: No one knows where it comes from. Why some have it. And some dont. Its the fighting spirit, and it needs to be fed. The Marine Corps has proven to be pretty good at promoting its brand. Its The few. the proud and A few good men, commercials are icons of military advertising, Kronenberg said. As for appealing to women, the Corps recruiting research shows that its not as simple as just putting females in commercials. Female prospects respond more favorably to ads that feature women among men, or only men, over ads that exclusively features females, Kronenberg said. When asked, the majority of recruits said that they preferred to think of themselves as a Marine, who happens to be female, he said. The commercial will debut later this month. jen.steele@sduniontribune.com Facebook: U-T Military Twitter: @jensteeley jen.steele@sduniontribune.com Homicide investigators found gun accessories, including a full magazine, as well as syringes in the apartment of the University City man who shot seven people before San Diego police killed him, court documents show. A search warrant affidavit also reveals that a sister of gunman Peter Selis rushed to the Judicial Drive apartment complex April 30, fearing that he might be involved. Eve Selis told officers that her brother lived there and was extremely distraught and depressed over a recent breakup with his girlfriend, the document says. Advertisement The affidavit by San Diego police homicide Det. David Spitzer set out the facts of the case to support the need for a warrant to search Peter Selis apartment. A Vista judge authorized the warrant about 1 a.m. May 1. Among the items seized from a bedroom were a full gun magazine, found in the pocket of a chair, and a gun-cleaning kit in the closet. A gun lock was on a desk. A box for the lock, a bag containing a holster and gloves, and a cardboard box containing syringes lay on the bed. A computer tablet was on the floor, and a black bag of miscellaneous pills was in the bathroom. The affidavit did not describe the syringes or their possible purpose. Selis, a 49-year-old auto mechanic, was deeply in debt after two bankruptcies and had been threatened with jail for an unpaid debt. Late Sunday afternoon, he went to the pool at the La Jolla Crossroads Apartments with a duffel bag and sat in a lounge chair. The area was crowded with many people attending a birthday party. Selis drank from a beer bottle, then pulled a pistol from the bag, the affidavit says. He started shooting shortly after 6 p.m., and after firing two rounds, he called his ex-girlfriend and told her what he was doing and that police were coming. One of his victims, Monique Clark, 35, a mother of three, died. The search warrant document said she was shot once in the chest. Victims were sprawled everywhere, bleeding. Others in the crowd scattered, screaming, and called 911 at 6:06 p.m. A police helicopter arrived seven minutes later. The helicopter crew told the first officers to head to the pool immediately. They did, and when the shooter saw them a gun battle began, the affidavit says. Sgt. Michael McEwen and Officers Jonathan Ferraro and Luke Hammond fired at Selis, and he fired back. He was wounded several times and died there. No officers were wounded. As news reports of the shooting were broadcast, Eve Selis rushed to the complex and described her brother for police, the court record says. Her description matched the shooters. She also gave police his apartment number. pauline.repard@sduniontribune.com Pauline Repard writes for the San Diego Union-Tribune. Brothers Noah, Sumner and Cole Ogrydziak entered West Points grueling world of 6:30 a.m. reveille, 60-pound packs and rigorous course loads on the same day four years ago. Now the three cadets are preparing to fling their caps together at graduation this month, marking a rare fraternal trifecta at this storied academy. The band of brothers from Nederland, Texas, are set to graduate with the U.S. Military Academys Class of 2017 on May 27. The first duty stations for the future Army officers are still being worked out, but its clear to the brothers that their years of being just a short march from one another are numbered. Advertisement Its kind of surreal to think that, Hey, all three of us actually made it here and were kind of living our dreams, doing what we want to do, Sumner said. And soon enough ... well be going off to our own separate duty stations. Cole and Sumner are 21-year-old twins. They are not identical but share the steady posture, close-cropped hair and old-school courtesy common among cadets. Noah, who just turned 23, spent a year at West Points prep school before entering the academy with the twins on July 1, 2013. Cole compares their West Point experience to having automatic friends. They got used to snowy northeastern winters together, learned how to stand in formation and maneuver in the field. They share the nickname O.G., which is easier for fellow cadets to say than Ogrydziak (pronounced oh-GREE-zee-ak). But the Ogrydziaks are in different regiments and take different classes. They are three in a sea of 4,400 gray-clad cadets walking briskly among the imposing stone buildings here. Brotherly connections come when Cole asks Noah for help with a computer course or they share a pizza on the weekend. Every so often Ill see them during the day. But well try to eat dinner at nights together, and especially on weekends well get together and watch a movie. Thats always pretty fun, Noah said. The last time three siblings graduated West Point together was in 1985, when twins Rose and Anne Forrester became officers at the same time as their older brother, John. Its not clear how many other times three siblings have graduated together since the academy was established in 1802. Sumners assigned Army branch is engineers, and hes headed to South Korea. Cole is headed to a medical school to become a doctor and Noah will be in Signal Corps, but they dont know their destinations yet. But its likely they will be scattered around the globe for at least the next several years. I cant speak for my brothers, but if we stay in seven to 10 years, I think theres a good chance that we might end up picking the same duty station, Sumner said. Maybe because we both want to go there or live together, or at least close by. West Point has lost about 100 graduates in the war on terrorism since Sept. 11, 2001. Some of those deaths have been announced in the cadet mess hall since the Ogrydziaks became cadets. The brothers, who are from a military family, shrug off questions about potential dangers ahead. Their mother, Kristine, served in the Coast Guard for 10 years, and their father, Randal, is a Coast Guard captain who is retiring next month after 38 years of service. The oldest Ogrydziak brother, 26-year-old Vaughn, is a chemical engineer in the private sector. Randal plans to retire in June, but not before performing one more heartfelt duty. After graduation, the family intends to gather somewhere on West Point for the traditional pinning ceremony. Randal will exercise his privilege as a commissioned officer to personally give his sons their oaths. The parents will place second lieutenant bars on each of their boys shoulders. Hell be our first salute, too, Sumner said. And I couldnt be more happy. When Donald Trump was merely a real estate mogul, he exaggerated flamboyantly and reporters considered it charming: He promoted Trump Tower as a 68-story building, even though it has only 58 floors. When Trump was a presidential candidate, he lied enthusiastically, but that didnt prevent him from winning: He insisted falsely that he opposed the Iraq war from the start, to cite only one of many instances. Now Trump is president, and his old habits havent changed. Hes still spinning bald-faced untruths whenever it suits his purpose. The difference now is that the stakes are higher, and the lies more consequential. Earlier presidents husbanded their credibility as a precious commodity; not Trump. His modern predecessors from Lyndon B. Johnson to Barack Obama needed years to open a credibility gap; Trump produced his in record time. Thats not merely a problem of ethics or integrity; its a practical problem too. Trump doesnt seem to know it, but hes hurting his ability to govern. Advertisement As one of Napoleons aides said under not-quite-similar circumstances, this is worse than a crime; its a blunder. In the next battle over the Russia investigation, Trump wont get the presumption of truthfulness, because hes thrown it away. The tall tales began on Inauguration Day, when the president celebrated record crowds that werent. He said President Obama wiretapped his campaign; his intelligence agencies say thats not true. He said his approval of the Keystone XL project requires that the pipeline be built with American steel; it doesnt. And so on. The most current example, of course, is the ever-changing story of why Trump decided to fire James Comey as director of the FBI. Initially the White House said Comey was fired because the deputy attorney general reviewed his performance and ruled that he had mismanaged the investigation of Hillary Clintons e-mails. Then it emerged that the deputy, Rod Rosenstein, didnt volunteer; he was ordered to write a memo. And that Comey was fired not because of the Clinton investigation, but because he had lost the presidents confidence months ago. Next Trump, in an interview, admitted that he had wanted to fire Comey all along; Rosensteins recommendation was merely window-dressing. And he said he had Russia in mind too. When I decided to just do it, I said to myself [this] thing with Trump and Russia is a made-up story, the president told NBC News. But before he changed his story, Trump sent underlings out to spin on his behalf, including Vice President Mike Pence. Pence spent an evening earnestly telling reporters that Comey was fired solely on the basis of Rosensteins recommendation only to have Trump pull the rug out from under him. (That was Pences second unfortunate experience fronting for the administration; in January he defended national security adviser Michael T. Flynn against charges of secret dealings with Russia but the charges turned out to be true.) Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell and House Speaker Paul Ryan dutifully echoed the White House talking points too. They put their reputations on the line on Trumps behalf. By way of explanation, Trump tweeted that with lots of things happening, his surrogates cant be expected to provide accurate information. That would seem to make his press officers, who also spread the false account, a waste of taxpayer money. The consequences go beyond bruised feelings. A prominent Republican lawyer and former Trump campaign aide, A.B. Culvahouse Jr., said the episode both prolongs the FBI/DOJ investigation and undermines the credibility of the Trump campaigns denials of no conspiracy with Putin. A few other Republicans are now carefully keeping their distance from White House talking points. Sen. Richard Burr, the chairman of the Senate Intelligence Committee who is leading an investigation into Russian interference, said pointedly that he does not agree with Trumps assertion that Comey lost the confidence of the FBI. The episode also raises the bar for Trumps nominee to be the next FBI director. Republicans as well as Democrats will ask for assurance that the next chief wont be a White House stooge. More immediately, if Rosenstein, Comey or Comeys successor accuse Trump of trying to impede the investigation, who will believe the president? In the next battle over the Russia investigation, Trump wont get the presumption of truthfulness, because hes thrown it away. He will look for allies, but he may find fewer who are willing to stand up for him. Its not surprising that Trump didnt change his ways when he arrived at the White House. Playing fast and loose with the truth had always worked for him before and, to many who knew him, that seemed an integral part of his personality. But it may not be working any more. Trump has diminished his own influence as president, and may not even know it. doyle.mcmanus@latimes.com Twitter: @DoyleMcManus Follow the Opinion section on Twitter @latimesopinion or Facebook MORE FROM OPINION Punishing businesses for working on Trumps wall is foolish and wrong President Trump is behaving a lot like someone who colluded with Russia Spineless Republicans abdicate their responsibility to keep Trump in check Trump doesnt want to be president, he wants to be emperor At a time when Democrats and Republicans appear incapable of working together on even the simplest of matters, one area of surprising agreement has been prison reform. Despite Atty Gen. Jeff Sessions move last week to reintroduce stiffer federal sentences, there remains a great deal of consensus that Americas staggering prison population needs to be reined in. And yet, as the Sessions move exemplifies, the effort proceeds in fits and starts. In 2010, after the earlier passage of bipartisan reform bills, the U.S. prison population did begin to decline. That year, state prisons held 1.4 million people; by 2015 that number had dropped by about 75,000, a decline of 5.5%. But more than half that drop occurred solely in California, in response to a federal court order forcing the state to fix prison overcrowding. Outside California, state prison populations declined by only 2.5%, with 25 states actually experiencing increases. Advertisement One reason for those results is that it simply takes time to turn around our sprawling criminal justice system. Another is that there are politically powerful groups, such as district attorney associations and correctional officer unions, that aggressively oppose reforms and land victories such as Sessions emphasis on mandatory minimum sentencing. There are also deeper and more durable barriers to reform. The most important is the powerful asymmetry that permeates our punishment policy: Even smart leniency is politically costly, but severity is not. In your town or county, its politically safer and economically cheaper to charge someone with a felony than with a lesser charge. This problem is so well known it has a name: the Willie Horton effect. Horton was an inmate in Massachusetts who in 1986 absconded from a weekend-leave program. A year later he brutally raped a woman and assaulted her boyfriend. Horton was an outlier more than 99% of those allowed to go home on leaves returned without incident. But in 1988, Hortons case was used in an infamous attack ad launched by George H.W. Bush in his successful presidential campaign against Massachusetts Gov. Michael Dukakis. Although the impact of the ad on the outcome of the election has been overstated, politicians quickly learned its lesson. No matter how successful an early release prison program is, one single failure can impose huge political costs. The Horton effect continues to play out again and again. In 2011, Arkansas passed a comprehensive criminal justice reform bill that caused its prison population to drop quickly by almost 10%. But when a single parolee, Darrell Dennis, committed a murder, the parole board cut back releases so aggressively that by the end of 2013, Arkansass prison population had risen 17%, to a new high. It didnt matter that overall the reforms appeared to be safely addressing the states mass incarceration problem; one murder derailed the effort. California finds itself wrestling with the same sort of political challenge with regard to its prison reforms, especially Proposition 47, which in 2014 reclassified several drug and property felonies as misdemeanors. With little to no evidence, many police chiefs and sheriffs have publicly asserted that upticks in California crime are tied to 47. In February, the murder of Whittier police officer Keith Boyer was initially blamed on Proposition 47, although the man charged in the killing had in no way been affected by the new rules. In these situations, opposing reform is politically effective and easy, while defending it is difficult and complicated. Chiefs and sheriffs will always be able to point to a shocking crime that was committed by someone who, in the absence of Proposition 47, would still have been locked up for an earlier offense. That crime will provide them with a concise, emotionally powerful attack on the law. Although 47s defenders can point to those saved from a long prison sentence who havent committed further crimes, such stories resonate less, and people will always fear that some act of recidivism is lurking just ahead. In other words, the costs of Proposition 47 will be clear and shocking, while the benefits of keeping more people out of prison which arguably are far greater for society are more abstract and tenuous. This isnt helped by the American practice of electing prosecutors and judges. Voters tend to be ill-informed about day-to-day trends in crime; they focus instead on those single, memorable leniency gone wrong stories, which means elected prosecutors and judges will err on the side of severity, to make sure no surprises like Darrell Dennis arise that could do them political harm. The challenge posed by a poorly informed electorate is then greatly magnified by misaligned budgetary incentives. Police are paid out of the city budget; prosecutors, judges, sheriffs, jails and probation officers are paid out of county budgets. The more defendants they lock up in jail on lesser charges or put on probation, the more expensive for the city and county. Those charged with serious offenses and sent to state prison, however, are on the states dime. Think about it: In your town or county, its politically safer and economically cheaper to charge someone with a felony (which sends them to prison) than with a lesser charge. In order to reduce incarceration, we need to change the incentives. Realignment in California is just such an attempt. It forces counties to incur the cost of locking up non-violent, non-serious, non-sexual offenders such triple nons can no longer be sent to state prison, no matter the charge. However, Sacramento recently decided to make permanent the subsidies it had been providing counties to handle their increased costs, undermining what this cost-shifting could have accomplished. And so far, no other state has attempted to address the way local law enforcement can free ride on state budgets. Mass incarceration has crime-reducing benefits, but the numbers clearly show they are dwarfed by its harms to society: astronomical fiscal costs, increased rates of poverty and disease, elevated risks of perpetuating crime in families, and a myriad of other strains. And even in California, which has tried to change its ways and succeeded to some degree few steps have been taken to address the underlying political problems that make prison sentences the easy way out. Until we do, our reform efforts will continue to disappoint. John F. Pfaff is a professor at Fordham Law School. His latest book is Locked In: The True Causes of Mass Incarceration and How to Achieve Real Reform. To read the article in Spanish, click here Follow the Opinion section on Twitter @latimesopinion and Facebook MORE FROM OPINION History wont be kind to President Trumps Republican enablers Charter-school reforms we need, and one we dont What happened when a 64-year-old liberal attended his first NRA convention In the Comey crisis, Trump needs more than his loyal-to-the-death fans If youre a homeowner, youve likely had someone suggest that the easiest way to lower your long-term debt is to make an extra mortgage payment. Thanks to the miracle of compound interest, your total costs in the long run go down. Last week, Gov. Jerry Brown essentially decided that it was worth applying the same principle to the state governments debt for the pensions of its employees. Advertisement To do so, the governors newly revised state budget includes an almost $12- billion payment in the coming fiscal year to the California Public Employees Retirement System (CalPERS). Part of that amount is mandatory: a $5.8- billion payment required by law to cover retirement promises that were made to workers, in some cases, decades ago. The mandatory portion is about 75% more than what the state was paying just five years ago. And for all of the complexity involved with pensions, theres a simplicity to the math. There are only three pots of money from which to pay pension commitments: employee contributions; employer contributions (which is the state government and, thus, means taxpayer money); and investment returns on CalPERS $320-billion portfolio. Those pension investments have failed to live up to expectations. Last fall, CalPERS directors officially lowered the funds profit predictions, which triggered a bigger invoice being sent to Brown and lawmakers. Smaller, but still serious challenges exist for the California State Teachers Retirement System (CalSTRS). Browns budget team said last week that a $12-billion infusion of cash now will result in a savings to taxpayers of $11 billion over the next 20 years. A similar prepayment idea to improve the bottom line for county retirement systems has been introduced in the Legislature by state Sen. John Moorlach (R-Costa Mesa). Though it may be fiscally prudent to do so, making an extra payment amounts to a lot of money in this case, equal to almost 10% of total general fund revenues in the coming year, and close to double the states combined contribution to the University of California and Cal State University systems. CalPERS trims its investment expectations, raising costs to taxpayers So where does the extra money come from? Its a loan from an obscure surplus cash account, and not from current government services and programs. In all, $6 billion will be borrowed from the Surplus Money Investment Fund for a supersized pension payment. It doesnt take from child care, it doesnt take from any other programs, Brown told reporters last week. The surplus fund is managed by state Treasurer John Chiang, and is essentially money waiting to be spent by various state agencies. Now totaling $50 billion, its larger than ever before. The loan gets paid back through the money earmarked for debt payments under Proposition 2, the ballot measure approved by voters in 2014 that also strengthened Californias rainy-day fund. It reduces the burden of unfunded pension liabilities that would otherwise be passed along to future generations of Californians, Chiang, who is running for governor, said in a statement. To the outside observer, all of this may seem an overly complicated way of just shuffling around what at the end of the day are still all public funds. Thats true, though it likely earns bonus points for trying to creatively use cash that otherwise cant be commingled. But lawmakers probably shouldnt celebrate their cleverness too long. Even with this extra cash, Californias pension funds face an enormous challenge over the next two decades. The proposal is unlikely to face any opposition. If anything, given how it highlights the benefit of compound interest, someone will likely start to wonder what other sources of cash could eventually be tapped to ease the states future pension pressures. john.myers@latimes.com Follow @johnmyers on Twitter, sign up for our daily Essential Politics newsletter and listen to the weekly California Politics Podcast ALSO: Gov. Jerry Brown urges penance for GOP lawmakers in Washington as he unveils a revised budget Political Road Map: Sacramentos closed-door dealmaking didnt go away with Proposition 54 Updates on California politics and government Boy Scouts: Top leaders didnt call Trump to praise speech as the president said By Associated Press The Boy Scouts denied Wednesday that the head of the youth organization called President Donald Trump to praise his recent politically aggressive speech to its national jamboree. Trump told the Wall Street Journal in an interview published Wednesday, I got a call from the head of the Boy Scouts saying it was the greatest speech that was ever made to them, and they were very thankful. Politico published the transcript of the interview. We are unaware of any such call, the Boy Scouts responded in a statement. It specified that neither of the organizations two top leaders President Randall Stephenson and Chief Scout Executive Mike Surbaugh had placed such a call. The White House had no immediate response to the Boy Scouts denial. Surbaugh apologized last week to members of the scouting community who were offended by the political rhetoric in Trumps July 24 speech in West Virginia. Other U.S. presidents have delivered nonpolitical speeches at past jamborees. To the dismay of many parents and former scouts, Trump promoted his political agenda and derided his rivals, inducing some of the scouts in attendance to boo at the mention of former President Obama. I want to extend my sincere apologies to those in our Scouting family who were offended by the political rhetoric that was inserted into the jamboree, Surbaugh said. That was never our intent. Surbaugh noted that every sitting president since 1937 has been invited to visit the jamboree. Stephenson told the Associated Press two days after the speech that Boy Scout leaders anticipated Trump would spark controversy with politically tinged remarks, yet felt obliged to invite him out of respect for his office. Hoping to minimize friction, the Boy Scouts issued guidelines to adult staff members for how the audience should react to the speech. Any type of political chanting was specifically discouraged. Stephenson, who did not attend Trumps speech, said the guidance wasnt followed impeccably. Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Mayor of London again calls on Trump to cancel state visit By Christina Boyle (AFP/Getty Images) The mayor of London has reiterated his calls for President Trumps state visit to Britain to be canceled in the wake of the citys terrorist incident, saying his policies go against everything we stand for. The war of words between the two leaders intensified further Monday evening after Trump criticized Mayor Sadiq Khans response to the London Bridge terrorist attack in two tweets, and the mayor said Trump should not be welcomed in the capital. Since Saturday Ive been working with the police, with the emergency services, with the government and others to deal with the horrific attack on Saturday, Khan said Monday evening. I just havent got the time to deal with tweets from Donald Trump. But when pressed on whether he thinks a state visit for later this year should go ahead as planned, Khan was unequivocal. My position remains the same. I dont think we should be rolling out the carpet to the president of the United States in the circumstances where his policies go against everything we stand for, Khan told Channel 4 news. When you have a special relationship, it is no different to when you have a close mate: You stand with them in times of adversity, but you call them out when theyre wrong. And there are many things about which Donald Trump is wrong. Trump initially criticized Khan hours after the London attack posting on Twitter: At least 7 dead and 48 wounded in terror attack and Mayor of London says there is no reason to be alarmed! Khans office soon pointed out that the president had, in fact, misquoted Khan, who actually said that Londoners should not be alarmed by the increased armed police presence on the streets. Trump took to Twitter again on Monday to slam the London mayor once more. Pathetic excuse by London mayor Sadiq Khan, who had to think fast on his no reason to be alarmed statement. MSM [Mainstream media] is working hard to sell it! the president wrote. This is not the first time Khan, the first Muslim mayor of a major Western capital city, has called for Trumps state visit to be banned. He previously branded Trumps policies on immigration and proposed travel ban on people entering the U.S. from predominantly Muslim countries cruel. An online government petition calling for the invitation to be withdrawn also gathered more than 1.8 million votes. The visit was first announced during Prime Minister Theresa Mays trip to Washington, where she became the first foreign leader to meet the newly-inaugurated president. State visits are personal invites from the British monarch and involve a significant amount of pomp and ceremony, and usually a state banquet. Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print He helped bring down President Nixon. He thinks President Trump is even worse. By Mark Z. Barabak (Francine Orr/Los Angeles Times) John Dean is a connoisseur of coverups, a savant of scandal, so he can more than imagine what its like inside the Trump White House right now. Its a nightmare, he said, presiding in a high-backed leather wing chair off the lobby of the Beverly Hills Hotel. Not just for those in the headlines political strategist Steve Bannon, jack-of-many-duties Jared Kushner but for their unsung assistants and secretaries as well. They dont know what their jeopardy is. They dont know what theyre looking at. They dont know if theyre a part of a conspiracy that might unfold. They dont know whether to hire lawyers or not, how theyre going to pay for them if they do, Dean said in a crisp law-counsel cadence. Its an unpleasant place. Dean was a central figure in Watergate, the 1970s political scandal against which all others are measured, serving at the tender age of 32 as President Nixons White House attorney. In that capacity Dean worked to thwart investigators after the clumsy break-in at Democratic Party headquarters, then flipped and helped sink Nixon by revealing the presidents involvement in the coverup. Read More Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Two decades ago, Washington state Republicans repealed and replaced a healthcare overhaul there. It didnt end well By Noam N. Levey Republicans in the state of Washington didnt wait long in the spring of 1995 to fulfill their pledge to roll back a sweeping law expanding health coverage in the state. Coming off historic electoral gains, the GOP legislators scrapped much of the law while pledging to make health insurance affordable and to free state residents from onerous government mandates. It didnt work out that way: The repeal left the states insurance market in shambles, sent premiums skyrocketing and drove health insurers from the state. It took nearly five years to repair the damage. Two decades later, the ill-fated experiment, largely relegated to academic journals, offers a caution to lawmakers at the national level as Republicans in the U.S. Senate race to write a bill to repeal and replace the federal Affordable Care Act. Its much easier to break something, said Pam MacEwan, who led a Washington state commission charged with implementing the law in the mid-1990s and now oversees the state insurance market there. Its more difficult to put Humpty Dumpty back together again. And thats when people get hurt. The nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office echoed that warning last week, when it concluded that the healthcare bill passed by the House last month would destabilize insurance markets in a sixth of the country and nearly double the number of people without health insurance over the next decade. Read More Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Advertisement Companies accelerate hiring, adding a robust 253,000 net new jobs, ADP says By Jim Puzzanghera A now hiring sign is seen in Baton Rouge, La., on May 5. (Justin Sullivan / Getty Images) Companies accelerated their hiring last month, adding a robust 253,000 net new jobs in a sign the labor market remains healthy and the economy is strengthening after a weak winter. The private-sector job creation figures reported Thursday by payroll firm Automatic Data Processing far exceeded analyst expectations and was well above the downwardly revised 174,000 net new positions added in April. Job growth is rip-roaring, declared Mark Zandi, chief economist at Moodys Analytics, which assists ADP in preparing its report. Read More Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print All jokes aside, Trumps covfefe tweet sparks questions too By Brian Bennett President Trump sparked a global kerfuffle over covfefe with his bizarrely truncated tweet just minutes into Wednesday, spawning countless jokes across Twitter but also more serious questions for which the White House gave no answers. Press Secretary Sean Spicer, during an unusually short 11-minute briefing in which he insisted he not be on camera, declined to give any explanation for Trumps tweet posted just after midnight. Nor would he translate what the president was trying to say in the garbled message that broke off midsentence. But Spicer told reporters that the public should not be concerned that the president sent what the questioner called somewhat of an incoherent tweet. The president and a small group of people know exactly what he meant, Spicer said. Read More Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Biden launches new PAC, keeping the 2020 door open By David Lauter (Steven Senne / Associated Press) Former Vice President Joe Biden is launching a new political action committee, a platform that will allow him to provide help to favored candidates and, inevitably, boost speculation about a possible run for the Democratic nomination in 2020. The organization, which Biden is calling American Possibilities, will be staffed by a former top political aide to the vice president, Greg Schultz, who is also a veteran of President Obamas reelection campaign. The PAC will allow Biden to raise money that he can use to travel the country, contribute to candidates in governors races this year and congressional and state races in 2018 and generally do the sorts of things that aspiring politicians do to keep their names in the headlines. All that cant help but nurture questions about whether Biden, 74, will try yet again to attain the office he first started running for in 1987. In public appearances, which have taken him to electorally important states, and interviews since the 2016 election, Biden has been sharply critical of the Trump administration, but has also pointed to flaws in his own party. In one interview, he pointed to a bit of elitism thats crept in to the partys approach to working-class voters. At the same time, he has given carefully ambiguous answers when asked about his plans. At a conference in Las Vegas earlier this month, he responded to the question about a presidential run by saying: Could I? Yes. Would I? Probably not. In the announcement for the new group, Biden said that the negativity, the pettiness, the small-mindedness of our politics drives me crazy. Its not who we are. Its time for big dreams and American possibilities, he said. Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Advertisement U.S., regions foreign ministers debate Venezuela By Tracy Wilkinson (AFP / Getty Images) The United States and foreign ministers from across the hemisphere met in Washington on Wednesday to attempt to force Venezuelas leftist government and its angry opposition into talks. Hunger and violence have pushed Venezuela to the brink of humanitarian disaster, diplomats say. But Wednesdays meeting of the Organization of American States faced unlikely prospects for success: Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro does not trust the organization and has said his nation will withdraw its membership. Some OAS nations, including several U.S. allies in the Caribbean, have criticized the regional bodys efforts as intervention promoted by Washington. But U.S. officials are hoping the sheer weight of the crisis will unite the region to put pressure on Venezuela. Theres more and more concern about what were seeing, and so more and more countries have gotten over their reluctance to question or go against the wishes of the Venezuelan government, a senior State Department official said in a briefing for reporters. Its really hard to stand by and do nothing in the face of the kinds of institutional steps weve seen in Venezuela, and the increasing humanitarian suffering, said the official, who spoke on condition of anonymity, in keeping with frequent administration practice. Although the OAS periodically brings its members foreign ministers together, this is the first time a meeting has been convened to deal with a single topic, U.S. officials said. At the conclusion of Wednesdays session, diplomats said they had discussed two resolutions. One, promoted by Caribbean nations, called on Venezuela to reconsider withdrawing from the OAS. A second more pointed resolution authored by the U.S., Canada, Mexico, Panama and Peru urged the Maduro administration not to go ahead with a constituent assembly that would rewrite the Venezuelan constitution. Many fear it would dissolve the few democratic institutions that remain and favor the ruling Socialist Party. Separately, the Venezuela opposition, emboldened by a string of increasingly massive street demonstrations, sharply criticized Wall Street for extending what it called a lifeline to the Maduro government. At issue is the purchase by Goldman Sachs of Venezuelan government bonds for a reported $865 million, a major discount for paper originally worth $2.8 billion. Goldman Sachs confirmed the purchase of the bonds, issued in 2014 by the state oil company PDVSA, after it was reported in the Wall Street Journal. We are invested in PDVSA bonds because, like many in the asset management industry, we believe the situation in the country must improve over time, Goldman said in a statement. The firm added that it made the purchase through a secondary dealer to avoid direct interaction with the Venezuelan government. That distinction meant nothing to the Venezuelan opposition, which accused Goldman of making a buck off the suffering of the Venezuelan people. The Trump administration previously has targeted the Maduro government, slapping economic sanctions on its vice president and pro-Maduro Supreme Court justices. Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Former FBI director spoke with new special counsel and is cleared to testify before Senate panel By Joseph Tanfani The special counsel investigating possible links between Russia and the Trump presidential campaign has cleared former FBI Director James Comey to testify before a congressional committee about his contacts with President Trump, according to an associate close to Comey. Comey met with Robert S. Mueller III, whom the Justice Department appointed on May 17 to investigate any Russian ties to the Trump campaign, and Mueller said he had no problems with Comeys testifying, the associate said. Trump abruptly fired Comey as head of the FBI on May 9. The president later said in an interview on NBC News that he was concerned about the FBI investigation into what he called the Russia thing. Comey reportedly wrote internal memos after his meetings with Trump. In one, he wrote that the president had requested he ease up on the FBI probe of Michael Flynn, who served as Trumps national security advisor until he was ousted in February for lying about his contacts with Russian officials. The Senate Intelligence Committee announced on May 19 that Comey had agreed to testify after the Memorial Day holiday. The hearing has not been scheduled. The FBI separately declined a request from the House Oversight Committee to turn over Comeys memos. The bureau said it would need to consult with Mueller before making any decisions. Rep. Jason Chaffetz (R-Utah), the committee chairman, said in response that he would not push the matter. The focus of the committees investigation is the independence of the FBI and the events leading to Comeys firing, he wrote. In a separate development, a senior Justice Department lawyer with experience in complex financial fraud investigations has agreed to join Muellers investigation. Andrew Weissman has led the fraud section at Justice, where he oversaw probes into corporate wrongdoing at Volkswagen and Takata. Weissman also is a veteran of the FBI. Weissman is the highest-ranking Justice Department official to join the special counsel office being set up a few blocks from the main Justice building in downtown Washington. Mueller also hired two colleagues from the WilmerHale law firm, where he worked, and brought on a former Justice Department spokesman, Peter Carr, to handle media inquiries. Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Analysis: In President Trumps wake, divisions mark both Democratic and Republican parties By Cathleen Decker Democratic National Committee Chairman Tom Perez address a crowd at the California party convention in May. (Jay L. Clendenin / Los Angeles Times) Six months after President Trump breached long-standing political boundaries to win the White House, the nations major political parties still muddle in his wake. On the sun-swept lawn of the Hotel del Coronado two weeks ago, national Republican leaders sipped cocktails and listened to San Diego Mayor Kevin Faulconer, one of the partys brightest lights in the most populous state, praise a brand of moderate Republicanism that looks nothing like the versions coming out of Washington either the populism of the president or the more orthodox conservatism of congressional leaders. A week later, Democratic National Committee Chairman Tom Perez talked in a Sacramento interview of the remarkably constructive debate underway in his party, characterizing its divisions as largely in the past. Within hours, he and other party leaders were booed as they welcomed delegates to a state convention that would be filled with persistent internal warfare on healthcare and other issues. No political party is immune to disagreement; indeed the path to power often relies on combustible ideological diversity. But Democrats and Republicans alike seem particularly adrift and quarrelsome these days. Read More Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Trump preparing to pull U.S. from Paris climate accord, amid last-minute lobbying By Evan Halper President Trump hasnt made a final decision on whether the U.S. will quit the Paris Accord on climate change, but White House officials indicated Wednesday that he was headed in that direction, setting off a worldwide reaction. A flurry of leaks, counter-leaks and public statements thrust back into the spotlight a decision that has been agonized and untidy even by the standards of a White House known for internal drama. Wednesday morning, when officials told some news organizations that Trump had settled on pulling out of the climate agreement, seemingly everyone in the world jumped in to try to influence or spin his decision, from the Chinese government to the coal industry to the state of California. That offered a foretaste of the reaction Trump likely will receive if he does follow through on his vow to pull the United States out of the 195-nation pact, which President Obama hailed in 2015 as one of his major achievements. Other nations have swiftly moved to take over the leadership role on climate that the United States would be abandoning. Some states have followed suit, promising they would break with Washington to work with other countries in their efforts to contain global warming. During Trumps recent overseas trip, U.S. allies warned him that Americas broader diplomatic influence would be undercut if the administration gave up its seat at the climate negotiating table. All the public lobbying on Wednesday moved Trump to weigh in himself. He knocked down reports that he had decided to withdraw with a tweet announcing that he was still making up his mind. The mixed messages coming out of the White House left open the possibility that the original news reports reflected the views of officials who were aiming to steer the final outcome by presenting withdrawal as a done deal. Trumps schedule for the day includes meetings with advisors hoping to talk him into staying in the agreement, at least to some extent. If Trump does withdraw the U.S. fully from the Paris pact, scientists warn it will be a tremendous setback to the worldwide effort to contain temperatures from rising an average of 2 degrees Celsius above pre-industrial levels. The consequences for the United States would extend beyond global warming. It will be a very big deal all over the world, said Todd Stern, the lead U.S. climate negotiator during the Obama administration. There will be consequential blowback with respect to our diplomatic position across the board. UPDATES 9:27 a.m.: This post was updated throughout with staff reporting and additional details. 6:23 a.m.: This post was updated with Trumps tweet. 6:04 a.m.: This post was updated throughout with additional details. Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Advertisement U.S. Supreme Court makes it harder to sue police for barging into homes By David Savage The U.S. Supreme Court made it harder to sue police for barging into a home and provoking a shooting, setting aside a $4-million verdict against two Los Angeles County deputies on Tuesday. The money was awarded to a homeless couple who were startled and then shot when the two sheriffs deputies entered the shack where they were sleeping. The unanimous ruling rejected the so-called provocation rule that some lower courts have used. Under that rule, police can be sued for violating a victims constitutional rights against unreasonable searches if they provoked a confrontation that resulted in violence. Read More Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Trump lashes out at Germany over NATO spending and trade after Merkel questions the U.S. commitment to its allies By Brian Bennett (Saul Loeb / AFP/Getty Images) President Trump took aim at German trade practices and defense spending Tuesday following pointed criticism from Chancellor Angela Merkel that Germany may not be able to rely on its allies. We have a MASSIVE trade deficit with Germany, plus they pay FAR LESS than they should on NATO & military. Very bad for U.S. This will change, Trump wrote in a tweet. Last week, White House spokespeople had denied that Trump criticized German trade practices after the German newspaper Der Spiegel quoted him as having done so. Trump unsettled Merkel and other allies during the recent NATO summit when, during his remarks, he did not mention the central commitment members of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization make to defend each other. We have a MASSIVE trade deficit with Germany, plus they pay FAR LESS than they should on NATO & military. Very bad for U.S. This will change Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) May 30, 2017 Trumps policy toward climate change is another point of contention with many European countries. Trump promised during the election to tear up the landmark Paris climate accord. Merkel said the conversation with the U.S. on climate change last week during the G-7 meetings in Sicily, which followed the NATO summit, was extremely difficult. During a campaign speech in Munich on Sunday, Merkel said Germany must rethink how much it can rely on its allies. The era in which we could rely completely on others is gone, at least partially, Merkel said. I have experienced that over the last several days. In a 2014 meeting, NATO defense ministers agreed that each state would move toward a goal of raising military spending to 2% of its annual economic output by the year 2024. German defense spending is below that goal. The U.S. trade deficit with Germany shrank to $65 billion in 2016 from $75 billion the year before. Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Consumers spend at fastest pace in four months in a sign of spring economic rebound By Jim Puzzanghera (Wilfredo Lee / Associated Press) Americans ratcheted up their spending in April at the fastest pace in four months, in a sign the economy has rebounded this spring after a lackluster winter. The new data also could help push Federal Reserve officials to hike a key interest rate again when they meet in two weeks. Personal consumption expenditures increased 0.4% in April, up from 0.3% the previous month, the Commerce Department said Tuesday. Americans had more money to spend, with personal incomes also rising 0.4% twice the pace of growth in March. Read More Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print White House communications director Michael Dubke resigns By Associated Press White House Communications Director Mike Dubke listens as a reporter asks a question during a press conference in the East Room of the White House on April 20. (Shawn Thew / EPA) White House communications director Michael Dubke has resigned. Kellyanne Conway, White House counselor, told The Associated Press that Dubke handed in his resignation before President Donald Trump left for his international trip earlier this month. In an interview on Fox News on Tuesday, Conway said Dubke made very clear that he would see through the presidents international trip, and come to work every day and work hard even through that trip because there was much to do here back at the White House. Dubke issued a statement Tuesday morning: It has been my great honor to serve President Trump and this administration. It has also been my distinct pleasure to work side-by-side, day-by-day with the staff of the communications and press departments. A Republican consultant, Dubke joined the White House team in February after campaign aide Jason Miller Trumps original choice for communications director withdrew from consideration. Dubke founded Crossroads Media, a GOP firm that specializes in political advertising. -- 6:03 a.m.: Updated with Dubkes statement Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Advertisement Should Jared Kushner keep his security clearance? Adam Schiff isnt sure By Laura King The top Democrat on the House Intelligence Committee, Rep. Adam B. Schiff (D-Burbank), says hes not sure that President Trumps son-in-law and advisor, Jared Kushner, should retain his security clearance. The California Democrat, who has been a sharp critic of Trump, also said in an interview aired Sunday that national security advisor H.R. McMaster, a highly respected military officer, had been tarnished by his association with the White House. Schiffs comments, on ABCs This Week, came amid growing questions about Kushners contacts with Russian officials before Trump took office. Trump has denounced the latest round of news reports, saying that some of them could be based on fabricated sources. Top Trump aides, including John F. Kelly, the secretary of Homeland Security, pushed back Sunday against the suggestion that there was anything untoward about establishing back channel communications with the Russians during the presidential transition. Schiff said he regretted that McMaster had done so as well, saying he believed the White House used the solid reputations of people like him to back up dubious actions. Sadly, I think this is an administration that takes in people with good credibility and chews them out and spits out their credibility at the same time, said Schiff, who acknowledged that what McMaster said about back channel communications was true in the abstract. I think anyone within the Trump orbit is at risk of being used, he said. Kelly, in separate talk-show appearances on Sunday, said there was nothing untoward about an incoming administration establishing communications with a foreign power in order to lay the groundwork for better relations. Schiff declined to discuss the substance of the allegations regarding Kushners contact with Russian officials during the transition and whether Kushner had been forthcoming about them, but said enough questions had been raised that his access to top-secret intelligence should be scrutinized. I think we need to get to the bottom of these allegations, Schiff said. But I do think there ought to be a review of his security clearance to find out whether he was truthful, whether he was candid. If not, then theres no way he can maintain that kind of a clearance. Schiff was also critical of continuing involvement in aspects of the Russia probe by fellow Californian Devin Nunes (R-Tulare), the chairman of the House Intelligence Committee, who stepped aside from the probe earlier this year after the House Ethics Committee began investigating whether he had improperly revealed classified information. Nunes remains involved in decision-making about the issuance of subpoenas, Schiff said, adding: I dont think that he should, given that he has stepped aside or recused himself. The committee is investigating Russian entanglements by figures in Trumps circle, including fired national security advisor Michael Flynn, who has been the target of multiple subpoenas. Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Trump still wide open on climate change, Pentagon chief says By Laura King With President Trump set to make a decision this week about whether the U.S. should remain part of the landmark Paris climate accord, Defense Secretary James Mattis said Trump remains wide open on the issue. During a visit to Europe that ended Saturday, Trump dismayed European allies by refusing to commit to remaining in the 2015 accord during talks with European Union officials in Brussels and at the Group of Seven gathering in Sicily. The president said in a tweet that he will make a decision this week. Mattis, who was present at some of the Brussels talks, said that Trump is still making up his mind, and that he has been inquisitive about other leaders opinions. The president was open he was curious about why others were in the position they were in, his counterparts in other nations, the Defense secretary said in an interview aired Sunday on CBS Face the Nation. And Im quite certain the president is wide open on this issue as he takes in the pros and cons of that accord. During his European trip, Trump met privately at the Vatican with Pope Francis, who presented him with a copy of his papal encyclical on environment and climate change. French President Emmanuel Macron, who met with Trump in Brussels, also said he had pressed the issue with the U.S. president, though the White House did not mention that appeal in a summary of their meeting. Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Homeland Security secretary defends Jared Kushner, blasts Manchester intelligence leaks By Laura King There is nothing inherently wrong with an incoming presidential administration establishing back channel communications with a foreign power such as Russia, Secretary of Homeland Security John F. Kelly said Sunday. Appearing on Fox News Sunday, Kelly was asked about reports by the Washington Post and other outlets that President Trumps son-in-law and close advisor, Jared Kushner, sought to set up secret lines of communication with Russian officials prior to Trump being sworn in. The retired general did not confirm the reports, but said the principle of establishing secretive contacts during a presidential transition doesnt bother me and is a legitimate means of building relationships. I think that any channel of communication, back or otherwise, with a country like Russia is a good thing, he said. Kelly did not address a central element of the reports that Kushner discussed the possibility of using Russian communications channels from a Russia diplomatic outpost to shield from U.S. intelligence surveillance whatever discussions Trump transition officials wanted to have with Moscow. The FBI, a special counsel and multiple congressional committees are probing Russian interference in the presidential campaign and whether the Trump camp colluded in it. The U.S. intelligence community says Russian cyberattacks were meant to boost Trump and harm his opponent, Hillary Clinton. In a separate interview on NBCs Meet the Press, Kelly defended the integrity of Kushner, whose involvement in communications with Russia has brought the investigation closer to Trump personally than has previous scrutiny of others in his campaign circle or the White House. Calling Kushner a great guy, a decent guy, the Homeland Security secretary said the presidents son-in-laws No. 1 interest, really, is the nation. Also in the NBC interview, Kelly excoriated intelligence leaks in the wake of last weeks deadly bombing in Manchester, England. British officials including Prime Minister Theresa May were angered by disclosures about details of the investigation, including the release of the dead attackers name and detailed photos from the bomb scene that were published by the New York Times. Several outlets cited unnamed U.S. officials as the source of the information including the bombers identity. The Times did not say how it obtained the photos. Britain routinely shares intelligence with close allies like the United States with the expectation that it will be kept confidential. Kelly said that failing to keep such secrets could seriously damage intelligence-sharing arrangements with other nations. I believe when you leak the kind of information that seems to be routinely leaked - high, high level of classification I think its darn close to treason, Kelly said. It is not clear what level of classification, if any, the information about the British investigation would have had. Trump himself, who recently caused controversy when he passed sensitive intelligence on Islamic State to Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov and discussed the location of U.S. nuclear submarines with the president of the Philippines, Rodrigo Duterte, has denounced the Manchester leaks and vowed to track down the source or sources. Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print In tweets, Trump says stories based on White House leaks are fabricated By Laura King President Trump is back and tweeting. In a Sunday morning series of posts on Twitter, the president repeated his denunciations of the fake media, celebrated the Republican victory in a Montana special election and declared his overseas trip a success. Trump returned to the White House late Saturday after a swing through the Middle East and Europe, the first foreign trip of his presidency. During it, he tweeted only sparingly. While Trump was away, controversy continued to swirl around his White House, with media reports focusing on son-in-law Jared Kushners role in Trump campaign contacts with Russian officials. The GOP healthcare plan and Trumps budget also came under withering scrutiny during the presidents absence. In Sundays tweets, Trump said cascading leaks from within his administration were in fact fabricated lies by news organizations based on sources that did not exist. One tweet was corrected to fix the spelling of exist. It is my opinion that many of the leaks coming out of the White House are fabricated lies made up by the #FakeNews media. Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) May 28, 2017 Trump also complained that the special congressional election in Montana, called to fill the seat vacated when Ryan Zinke became his Interior secretary, was such a big deal to Dems & Fake News until the Republican won. The V was poorly covered, he said, referring to the Republican victory. The victory by Republican candidate Greg Gianforte received extensive coverage. It was widely expected, given Montanas significant Republican edge, but made more suspenseful on the eve of the election when Gianforte was charged with misdemeanor assault for an incident in which he struck a reporter who had asked him a question. The president received mixed reviews for his inaugural overseas venture. He was praised by some for his outreach to Sunni Arab allies in the Persian Gulf, but continued his administrations practice of making no public criticism of serious human rights violations. In Europe, he rattled allies by declining to explicitly endorse the NATO alliances bedrock common defense pledge or pledge to adhere to the Paris climate accord. Whatever the commentary surrounding the trip, Trump counted it a success. Hard work but big results, he wrote. Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Advertisement Trumps international trip underscored what America First looks like on the world stage By Michael Memoli Donald Trump made no secret during the presidential campaign of his disdain for Americas trading partners, his skepticism of longtime alliances and his eagerness to refocus U.S. foreign policy on the single-minded pursuit of American security. That was the largely the president the world got as Trump made his way through the Middle East and Western Europe over the last nine days, Trumps first foreign trip may have produced memorable, and at time cringe-inducing, images of the new president, whether grasping a glowing orb in Saudi Arabia or shoving the prime minister of Montenegro at a NATO meeting in Brussels. But perhaps most profoundly, the trip underscored what America First, as Trump has branded his governing philosophy, looks like on the world stage. Read More Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Trump says hell decide on Paris climate deal next week By Associated Press Seven wealthy democracies ended their summit Saturday in Italy without unanimous agreement on climate change, as the Trump administration plans to take more time to say whether the U.S. is going to remain in the Paris accord on limiting greenhouse gas emissions. The other six nations in the Group of Seven agreed to stick with their commitment to implement the 2015 Paris deal that aims to slow down global warming. The final G-7 statement, issued after two days of talks in the seaside town of Taormina, said the U.S. is in the process of reviewing its policies on climate change and on the Paris agreement and thus is not in a position to join the consensus on these topics. Trump tweeted he would decide his stance on the Paris agreement next week. The announcement on the final day of the U.S. presidents first international trip comes after he declined to commit to staying in the sweeping climate deal, resisting intense international pressure from his peers at the summit. I will make my final decision on the Paris Accord next week! Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) May 27, 2017 Italian Prime Minister Paolo Gentiloni, who chaired the meeting, said the other six wont change our position on climate change one millimeter. The U.S. hasnt decided yet. I hope they decide in the right way. Gentiloni said climate was not a minor point and that he hoped the United States would decide soon and well because the Paris accords need the contribution of the United States. French President Emmanuel Macron also chimed in on the climate issue, praising Trumps capacity to listen. Macron said he told Trump it is indispensable for the reputation of the United States and the interest of the Americans themselves that the United States remain committed to the Paris climate agreement. German Chancellor Angela Merkel was more downbeat, calling the G-7 climate talks very unsatisfactory. Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Everyones a winner! Or what to take away from that special congressional race in Montana By Mark Z. Barabak Republicans were celebrating Friday, and relieved, and it was easy to see why: The party hung on to Montanas sole congressional seat even though its candidate faced a freshly lodged criminal charge for physically assaulting a reporter on election eve. Though they fell short in yet another special election Greg Gianforte won handily, 50% to 44% Democrats also found reason to be pleased: Their candidate, flawed as he was, continued a pattern of polling better than might be expected over-performing, to use the political parlance, and that could hold future promise. Its possible, as elections analyst Nathan Gonzales put it, to lose and still have momentum. Read More Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print In commencement address, Hillary Clinton remembers fallout from Nixon, makes subtle jab at President Trump By Kurtis Lee Hillary Clinton delivers the commencement address at Wellesley College in Wellesley, Mass., on Friday. (Josh Reynolds / Associated Press) Hillary Clinton delivered a subtle dig at President Trump on Friday, offering some parallels between his presidency and that of former President Nixon. While delivering a commencement address at her alma mater, Wellesley College, a private womens liberal arts school in Massachusetts, Clinton, without naming Trump, recalled how many young people in the 1970s reacted to Nixons reelection and later battles with the Justice Department. We were furious about the past presidential election of a man whose presidency would eventually end in disgrace with his impeachment for obstruction of justice, she said, pausing to note she was referring to Nixon. Actually, Nixon was not impeached, though many in Congress, including members of his own party, called for it. Clinton said Nixons resignation came after he fired the person heading the investigation into him at the Department of Justice. In 1973, Nixon ordered Justice Department officials to fire a special prosecutor who was looking into taped conversations recorded in the Oval Office as part of the Watergate investigation. A year later, in August 1974, Nixon resigned. Some political observers mostly Democrats -- have compared Trumps recent firing of FBI Director James B. Comey, who was overseeing an investigation of possible collusion between Russians and Trumps campaign, to Nixons actions. Last week, Rep. Al Green (D-Texas) called for Trump to be impeached. Clinton, who has made few public appearances since Trump defeated her in last years presidential election, also assailed the Republicans new budget proposal. She called the budget, which proposes cuts to education and Medicaid, an attack of unimaginable cruelty on the most vulnerable among us the youngest, the oldest, the poorest and hard-working people who need a little help to gain or hang on to a decent, middle-class life. In a statement, the Republican National Committee said Clinton was lashing out after her election loss. Clinton graduated from Wellesley in 1969 and last delivered a commencement address at the school in 1992. Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Advertisement At G-7 Summit, a day of clarification for the White House By Michael A. Memoli (Sean Gallup / Getty Images) As President Trump met with leaders of the worlds leading economies here Friday within miles of an active volcano, the White House was working to ease a pair of diplomatic eruptions. Trump was due to meet with British Prime Minister Theresa May on the sidelines of the G-7 Summit in this coastal Sicilian resort town, amid tensions between their countries, longtime allies, following leaks to U.S. media outlets involving Britains investigation of the Manchester terrorist bombing. Separately, a top White House adviser partially confirmed reports that Trump had said Germany is very bad during Thursdays NATO meetings in Brussels, but clarified that the president was referring only to German trade policies. Trump said, according to the German magazine Der Spiegel, See the millions of cars they are selling to the U.S.? Terrible. We will stop this. Gary Cohn, director of the National Economic Council, acknowledged that Trump made the remark but added that the president doesnt have a problem with Germany. He said his dad is from Germany. He said I dont have a problem with Germany, I have a problem with German trade, Cohn said. Press access to the G-7 meetings has been extremely limited, though the surrounding setting has produced abundant compelling visuals. Editorial press access extremely limited for G7 meetings. But man, pretty pictures & good times for Taormina Chamber of Commerce (via AP) pic.twitter.com/WT2EdKrwJ5 Mike Memoli (@mikememoli) May 26, 2017 Trump tweeted that he expected to spend the day focused on economic growth, terrorism and security. The summit, and Trumps eight-day inaugural foreign trip, ends Saturday. Other allies here were likely to press Trump on another issue: climate change, specifically whether Trump will carry out his campaign promise to pull the United States out of the landmark Paris climate deal. Trump was hoping to better understand the European position, Cohn said. White House officials have said the president will make a decision once he is back in the United States. He knows that in the U.S. theres very strong opinions on both sides but he also knows that Paris has important meaning to many of the European leaders. And he wants to clearly hear what the European leaders have to say, Cohn said. Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print As Trump wavers over Paris climate accord, European leaders give him an earful By Evan Halper Mining operation near Grevenbroich, Germany. (Martin Meissner / Associated Press) With President Trump balking on his vow to shred the Obama-negotiated Paris agreement on climate change, the last place the pacts staunch opponents wanted to see the president is where he will be this weekend meeting other world leaders unanimous in their warnings that withdrawal from the accord would seriously damage Americas economy and world stature. Trump has repeatedly delayed fulfilling his campaign pledge to move against the agreement. The longer the White House deliberates over Paris, the more Trump seems to be searching for a face-saving excuse to walk back his previous position. The White House indecision over the climate accord which has the support of every nation except Syria and Nicaragua reflects a deeply divided worldview in a Trump inner circle now packed with establishment Republicans. The issue also presents yet another policy reckoning for Trump. On the campaign trail, he vowed to strike blows against the existing world order. But on the Paris agreement, as on other matters, he is finding that political backup for such pledges can fade quickly when the moves lack robust support from major U.S. companies or majority voting blocs. Read More Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Overcoming assault charge, Republican Greg Gianforte wins Montana congressional seat By Mark Z. Barabak Republican Greg Gianforte overcame a last-minute assault charge to win Montanas special congressional election Thursday, keeping its lone House seat in GOP hands and dealing Democrats a setback in their bid to gain a red-state toehold ahead of the 2018 midterm election. Gianforte, 56, a wealthy businessman who ran unsuccessfully for governor in November, had long been the front-runner against Democrat Rob Quist, a professional bluegrass musician making his first run for public office. With more than 90% of the votes counted, Gianforte was holding a healthy lead with just over 50% support. Appearing at an exuberant victory rally in Bozeman, the congressman-elect hushed the crowd and apologized to the reporter with whom he tangled on election eve, reversing his campaigns initial assertion that the journalist was to blame. Read More Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Advertisement FBI investigating Kushner meetings, report says; House leader seeks more Comey documents By Associated Press (Andrew Harrer / Getty Images) The chairman of the House Oversight Committee asked the FBI on Thursday to turn over more documents about former FBI Director James B. Comeys interactions with the White House and Justice Department, including materials dating back nearly four years to the Obama administration. Meanwhile, the Washington Post reported that the FBI is investigating meetings that President Trumps son-in-law, Jared Kushner, had in December with Russian officials. The FBI and the Oversight Committee as well as several other congressional panels are looking into Russian meddling in the 2016 presidential election and possible connections between Russia and the Trump campaign. Trump fired Comey on May 9 amid questions about the FBIs investigation, which is now being led by special counsel Robert S. Mueller III, a former FBI director. Kushner, a key White House advisor, had meetings late last year with Russias ambassador to the U.S., Sergey Kislyak, and Russian banker Sergey Gorkov. The Post story cited anonymous people familiar with the investigation, who said the FBI investigation does not mean that Kushner is suspected of a crime. Kushners attorney, Jamie Gorelick, released a statement saying: Mr. Kushner previously volunteered to share with Congress what he knows about these meetings. He will do the same if he is contacted in connection with any other inquiry. Earlier Thursday, House Oversight Committee Chairman Jason Chaffetz told acting FBI Director Andrew McCabe that he wants records of Comeys contacts with the White House and Justice Department dating to September 2013, when Comey was sworn in as FBI director under President Obama. In a letter to McCabe, Chaffetz said he is seeking to review Comeys memos and other written materials so he can better understand Comeys communications with the White House and attorney generals office. Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Banks want higher debit-card swipe fees, but an effort to allow them has crumbled By Jim Puzzanghera Banks had hoped Congress would let them charge merchants higher fees to process debit card purchases, but an effort to allow that has crumbled a victory for retailers and, possibly, shoppers who might have had to shoulder those costs. In the latest chapter of a long-running fight, a repeal of federal limits on so-called swipe fees no longer will be part of a House financial regulation bill, said the legislations author, Rep. Jeb Hensarling (R-Texas). Hensarling, chairman of the House Financial Services Committee, said he decided to strip the provision from the bill because many lawmakers are balking at removing the limits. Read More Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Appeals court rules against Trump travel ban By David Lauter A federal appeals court has ruled against President Trumps travel ban, upholding a nationwide injunction barring the administration from enforcing the executive order. The ruling is the latest legal setback for Trump on the travel issue and, like several previous court rulings, the outcome rested heavily on his own words. Trumps order restricting travel from six majority-Muslim countries speaks with vague words of national security, but in context drips with religious intolerance, animus and discrimination, Chief Judge Roger L. Gregory of the 4th Circuit Court of Appeals wrote in his ruling. Read the 4th Circuits decision to uphold the block on Trumps travel ban The 10-3 ruling included numerous citations to campaign statements in which Trump called for a ban on Muslims immigrating to the United States. The plaintiffs who have challenged the travel order have argued that it is a disguised version of the Muslim ban that he called for during the campaign. Trumps statements provide direct, specific evidence of what motivated both EO-1 and EO-2, the court said, referring to ther first and second versions of the travel order: President Trumps desire to exclude Muslims from the United States. The 4th Circuit, based in Richmond, Va., is one of two appeals courts that have recently heard arguments on the travel ban. A similar case is pending before the 9th Circuit, based in San Francisco. Read More Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Obama, in Berlin with Merkel, says world cant hide behind a wall By Erik Kirschbaum Hours before German Chancellor Angela Merkel flew to Brussels to meet with President Trump and other NATO heads of state, she rekindled an old acquaintance with Trumps predecessor, Barack Obama. About 70,000 people packed an avenue by Berlins landmark Brandenburg Gate on Thursday to hear the two leaders speak, with cheers and chants of Barack, Barack! breaking out when the former president took the stage. Without mentioning Trump by name, Obama spoke of the need for universal healthcare and a nuanced approach to immigration in response to security threats. This is a new world we live in we cant isolate ourselves, the former president declared, with Merkel looking on. We cant hide behind a wall. Obama spoke of this weeks deadly bombing at a pop concert in Manchester, England, saying leaders had to find ways to balance security fears and fundamental rights. One of the biggest challenges is how do you protect your country and your citizens from the kinds of things that we just saw in Manchester, he said. And how do you do it in a way that is consistent with your values and your ideals? Making his first European speech since his presidential term ended, Obama told the crowd he had spent the last four months trying to catch up with my sleep and devoting more time to his family. Im very proud of the work I did as president, he said to more cheers, adding that he considered healthcare reform a signature achievement. Republicans are now in the midst of trying to dismantle his Affordable Care Act. My hope was to get 100% of people healthcare, he said. We didnt quite achieve that, but we were able to get 20 million people healthcare who didnt have it before. Obamas speech was not timed to coincide with Trumps first visit to Europe as president, aides said. The invitation was extended before Trumps trip to Brussels the fourth leg on multi-stop tour was scheduled. Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Advertisement Macron says he pressed Trump on climate accord By Catherine Stupp French President Emmanuel Macron, who met President Trump for the first time on Thursday, said he urged the U.S. leader to respect the Paris climate accord. The White House, however, did not mention the issue in its readout on Trumps working lunch in Brussels with the newly elected French president. Macron told reporters as he headed into the meeting that climate change would be one of the issues he raised, along with concerns about terrorism and the economy. Afterward, at a news conference, the French president said that in his talk with Trump, he reiterated the importance of the landmark climate accord. No hasty decision on this subject should be taken by the U.S., Macron said. Our collective responsibility is to make sure this commitment remains a global commitment. Referring to the agreement, he added: Its one of a kind. In its readout, the White House said Trump urged Macron to meet NATO commitments on French defense spending and help ensure that the alliance is focused on counter-terrorism. It also said the two leaders talked about the importance of defeating Islamic State and other vital issues. Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Trump lawyers ask Supreme Court to reject 2nd Amendment claim by men who lost gun rights over nonviolent crimes By David Savage President Trump speaks at an NRA event in Atlanta in April. ( Scott Olson / Getty Images) Trump administration lawyers are urging the Supreme Court to reject a 2nd Amendment claim that would restore the right to own a gun for two Pennsylvania men who were convicted more than 20 years ago of nonviolent crimes. The case of Sessions vs. Binderup puts the new administration in a potentially awkward spot, considering President Trumps repeated assurances during the campaign that he would protect gun ownership rights under the 2nd Amendment. But the Justice Department under Trump has embraced the same position in this case that was adopted under President Obama: to defend strict enforcement of a long-standing federal law that bars convicted criminals from ever owning a gun, even when their crimes did not involve violence. Read More Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Former Sen. Joe Lieberman withdraws from FBI director search By Associated Press (AFP/Getty Images) Former Sen. Joe Lieberman of Connecticut has withdrawn his name from consideration for the role of FBI director. Lieberman interviewed last week with President Trump, who publicly identified him as a leading candidate. But in a letter sent to the White House, Lieberman says hes pulling out. He says he wants to avoid the appearance of a conflict of interest, given Trumps hiring of one of Liebermans law partners to represent him in the investigation of ties between Russia and the Trump campaign. The White House declined to comment. Several other people interviewed for the job have also withdrawn from consideration. Trump fired former FBI Director James B. Comey earlier this month. Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print At NATO celebration, Trump tells allies to spend more on defense By Michael A. Memoli (Mandel Ngan / AFP/Getty Images) President Trump used his first NATO meeting to rebuke member nations who fail to meet the trans-Atlantic alliances defense spending target, saying American taxpayers unfairly are left to pick up the slack. Speaking at dedication ceremonies for NATOs new headquarters, Trump noted that the defense budgets of 23 of the 28 members dont meet a target equal to 2% of each respective nations economic output, while the United States has spent more on defense in eight years than the other 27 combined. Many of these nations owe massive amounts of money from past years, he said. We have to make up for the many years lost. By his scolding, Trump was directly delivering to NATO allies the criticism that was a staple of his nationalist campaign for president. But his lecture came at an event intended to be celebratory, showcasing unity and resolve for the nearly 70-year-old alliance: the dedication of its shining, glass-enclosed new headquarters in Belgiums capital. The ceremony also was meant to call attention to the fact that the only time NATO has invoked its collective defense agreement was on behalf of the United States, after the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks on New York and Washington. Trump stood beside a section of wrenched steel from the downed World Trade Center Towers, a relic NATO calls the Article V artifact, to signify that post-9/11 invocation of the NATO charters article holding that an attack on any one member would be considered an attack on all. Speaking to reporters before the president arrived, NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg acknowledged that the alliance had a long way to go to meet its goals. But its much better than it was just two years ago, he said. The reality is that when we decrease defense spending when tensions are going down, as we did after the end of the Cold War, we have to be able to increase defense spending when tensions are going up. And now we see that tensions are going up. Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Advertisement Watch: Trump lectures NATO leaders on defense spending By L.A. Times staff As NATO leaders looked on, President Trump told NATO members that they must finally contribute their fair share of defense payments. President Trump lectured members of the NATO alliance on Thursday, urging them to pay their fair share on defense. As NATO leaders looked on during a ceremony at the alliances new headquarters, Trump said that member nations must finally contribute their fair share and meet their obligations. The president has been urging NATO leaders to live up to a 2011 decision to increase spending on defense to 2% of GDP by 2024. Trump said 23 of the 28 member nations are not paying what they should and that the situation is not fair to the people of the United States. Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print President Trump promises to review Manchester investigation leaks after anger from Britain By Noah Bierman Trying to head off a diplomatic rift with Britain, President Trump on Thursday issued a statement promising a complete review of possible intelligence leaks related to this weeks deadly terrorist attack at a Manchester concert. Some British officials have suggested that U.S. officials are leaking sensitive information to American media outlets about the investigation into the attack. The New York Times posted forensic photographs collected from the scene of the Manchester concert bombing, which upset British officials. Whether the photographs were provided by U.S. officials or came from some other source is not publicly known. Trump avoided questions earlier Thursday about the possible leaks. His statement came just before he was set to address NATO at its new headquarters in a speech considered pivotal to his first trip abroad as president. British Prime Minister Theresa May was expected to confront Trump over the issue when they meet later in the day. May told reporters as she entered the NATO gathering that she would make clear to Trump that intelligence shared between law enforcement agencies must remain secure. We have a special relationship with the USA. Its our deepest defense and security partnership that we have, she said. Of course that partnership is built on trust, and part of that trust is knowing that intelligence can be shared confidently, and I will be making clear to President Trump today that intelligence shared between law enforcement agencies must remain secure. In his statement, Trump said that the alleged leaks coming out of government agencies are deeply troubling. These leaks have been going on for a long time, and my Administration will get to the bottom of this. The leaks of sensitive information pose a grave threat to our national security. The statement continued with a promise to request the Department of Justice and other relevant agencies to launch a complete review of this matter, and if appropriate, the culprit should be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law. Trump also reiterated said there is no relationship we cherish more than the special relationship between the two countries. Separate leaks within his own administration and related to investigations of his campaign ties to Russia have also been a source of anger to Trump. Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Montanas congressional election: that assault charge, the Trump factor, and why is it on a weird day (Thursday)? By Mark Z. Barabak Its election day in Montana after a wild 24 hours, with voters deciding who will fill the House seat vacated when Republican Ryan Zinke left to head the Interior Department under President Trump. The contest Thursday has drawn nationwide attention and an extraordinary amount of money and that was before the GOP front-runner was accused of attacking a national political reporter. The events have turned the contest into one of the strangest in memory. Read More Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Trump ignores questions about intelligence sharing ahead of NATO meeting By Michael A. Memoli (Peter Dejoing / Associated Press) President Trump refused to answer questions Thursday about concerns among key allies on intelligence sharing with the United States, just as he prepares to join many of them here to inaugurate the new NATO headquarters. During a brief photo opportunity at his first meeting with Emmanuel Macron, Frances newly elected president, Trump for a second time remained silent as a reporter asked about a potential breakdown in the U.S.-United Kingdom intelligence-sharing relationship. British Prime Minister Theresa May is expected to press Trump on the issue when they meet later Thursday, after the New York Times posted forensic photographs collected from the scene of the Manchester concert bombing. The acting U.S. ambassador to Britain told the BBC that the leaks were deeply distressing. Speaking to reporters at the site of a NATO leaders meeting, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau also deflected questions about whether the incident has led him to reevaluate his nations intelligence-sharing arrangements. We will continue to work with all our allies to keep Canadians and all citizens around the world safe, he said. Ahead of a working lunch with Macron, Trump said terrorism was at the top of the agenda, while also offering his congratulations to the 39-year-old for his tremendous victory. All over the world, theyre talking about it, he said. In addition to terrorism and the economy, Macron said he planned to discuss climate change and energy. His nation hosted the climate summit that produced the agreement under which countries pledged to reduce their carbon emissions, of which the Trump administration is considering dropping out. Trump also ignored a question about whether former national security advisor Michael Flynn should cooperate with the investigations into Russian meddling in the 2016 presidential election. Trump has no news conference scheduled with reporters for the entirety of his eight-day foreign trip, which ends Saturday. Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Advertisement Trump visits European Union headquarters; EU leaders cite some differences By Catherine Stupp Donald Tusk, the president of the European Council, said Thursday that differences remain between the Trump administration and the European Union on Russia, energy and trade. I am not 100 percent sure that we can say today that we have a common opinion about Russia, Tusk, a former Polish prime minister who is sometimes called the other Donald, said after a meeting with President Trump at EU headquarters. Tusk added that while some issues remain open, like climate and trade, the leaders agreed first and foremost on the need to combat terrorism. EU officials were skeptical in advance of Trumps visit. Their concerns were driven in part by the U.S. leaders positive stance on Britains vote last year to leave the bloc. Trump at the time called it a great idea. However, he has since spoken of the importance of European unity. European officials are also concerned that the Trump administration might withdraw from the 2015 Paris climate agreement to limit global warming, and turn away from trade arrangements with the EU. Trumps visit to Brussels marked the fourth leg of his first overseas trip. Before heading into the talks with Tusk and European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker, he spoke enthusiastically about his earlier stops in Saudi Arabia and at the Vatican. His ceremonial welcome last week in the Saudi capital of Riyadh, Trump told the European officials, was beyond anything anyones seen. The Saudis staged elaborate festivities including a traditional sword dance. And the president called his private encounter with Pope Francis on Wednesday very impressive. The president and the pontiff met privately for half an hour, and Francis presented Trump with gifts including a copy of a papal encyclical on climate change. The pope was terrific, Trump said. After the visit to the EUs sprawling new headquarters, Trump headed to a luncheon with the newly elected French president, Emmanuel Macron. The two men were meeting for the first time. During the French presidential campaign, Trump had praised Macrons far-right opponent Marine Le Pen for her tough positions on immigration and borders, but he had stopped short of endorsing her. Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Manchester attack makes terrorism the focus of Trumps NATO meeting By Michael A. Memoli (Emmanuel Dunand / AFP/Getty Images) The deadly suicide bombing in Britain and threats of more attacks thrust counter-terrorism to the top of President Trumps agenda for talks with NATO leaders here on Thursday, buttressing his bid to enlist the alliance he had called obsolete to join the fight against Islamic State. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson, anticipating the alliance meetings, told reporters flying with the president to Brussels from Rome, where Trump met Pope Francis earlier Wednesday, that Mondays attack in Britain is going to strengthen the resolve in this fight against terrorism. Tillerson stopped short of predicting that NATO would agree to formally join the U.S.-led coalition fighting Islamic State in Syria and Iraq, but said it would be a really important step if the alliance did so. The attack, which killed 22 people at a pop concert and was said to be the work of a 22-year-old British man whose family is from Libya, also figured in Trumps brief meeting with the pope at the Vatican. Read More Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Analysis says 23 million more people would be uninsured by 2026 under GOP healthcare bill By Noam N. Levey (Evan Vucci / Associated Press) An analysis released Wednesday by the nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office finds that the Republican healthcare bill that passed the House earlier this month would nearly double the number of Americans without health insurance over the next decade. The report likely will complicate Republican efforts to get the controversial bill through the Senate. Read More Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Advertisement By throwing Americas lot in with Sunni Arabs, does Trump miss opportunities with Iran? By Tracy Wilkinson On his first official trip to the Middle East, President Trump has resoundingly thrown Americas lot in with Sunni Arab states and cast Shiite Iran as a global pariah, even as Iranians reelected a president who has offered to work with the West. During his two days in Riyadh, Trumps full-throated support for the autocratic monarchies in Saudi Arabia and other Gulf states, as well as his fierce denunciation of Iran, allowed him to claim an historic new coalition of interests. In the next two days, in Jerusalem, he doubled down and argued that Israel and the Arabs should join forces against Iran and along the way, resolve Israels conflict with Palestinians in a grand bargain that has eluded diplomats for decades. But as he departed for Rome on Tuesday, Trump had little to show beyond lofty rhetoric, symbolic visits and a shower of flattery from kings, potentates and a prime minister. Read More Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Fed officials appear ready for another interest rate hike and are considering how to reduce assets By Jim Puzzanghera Federal Reserve Chairwoman Janet L. Yellen (Michael Dwyer / Associated Press) Most Federal Reserve monetary policymakers indicated they were ready for another small interest rate hike -- perhaps as soon as next month -- if economic data strengthened as expected following a weak winter, according to an account released Wednesday of their most recent meeting. Fed officials also considered a plan to start reducing the $4.5 trillion in Treasury and mortgage securities and other assets the central bank has purchased since 2008 in an attempt to stimulate the economy. The plan, which they said likely would begin later this year, would involve slowly allowing some of the maturing securities to be cashed in instead of reinvesting the money in new securities, the meeting minutes showed. The goal would be to avoid roiling financial markets and causing interest rates to jump. Read More Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print So whats with the president and Melania Trump holding, or not holding, hands? By Tom Kington First Lady Melania Trump does not say much in public, but her actions seemed to speak louder than words or at least sent tongues wagging when she appeared to rebuff the presidents proffered hand as the couple descended from their plane in Rome late Tuesday. As President Trump looked to take her hand on the steps of Air Force One, Melania Trump quickly moved it out of reach, raising it to her head to adjust her hair. That made for two such episodes in two days. She had appeared to brush Trumps hand away at the airport in Tel Aviv during the previous stop in the presidents foreign tour. Video of that scene, often accompanied by snarky commentary, quickly went viral. Compare that to Melania Trumps positively hands-on visit on Wednesday to a Rome childrens hospital, Bambino Gesu, following the couples visit with Pope Francis. After praying to a statue of the Madonna at the entrance to the hospital, the Catholic first lady smiled cheerfully and chatted to children, posing for selfies and providing a very happy, maternal presence, according to one onlooker. Great visiting you! Stay strong and positive! Much love, Melania Trump, she wrote in the visitors book. Staff at the hospital said Melania Trump had been buoyed by her meeting with Pope Francis, and further proof came when photos emerged of the Trumps quick visit to the Sistine Chapel on Wednesday. As the president and first lady stood together to admire Michelangelos 16th century fresco, the Last Judgment, they held hands. Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print House Intelligence Committee will subpoena Michael Flynn, Schiff says By Sarah D. Wire The House Intelligence Committee is preparing to issue subpoenas to President Trumps former national security advisor, Michael Flynn, according to the committees ranking Democrat, following the lead of the Senate Intelligence Committee. Rep. Adam Schiff (D-Burbank) said the House subpoenas will be designed to maximize our chance of getting the information we need for the committees investigation of Russian meddling in the 2016 presidential campaign. I think we need to use whatever compulsory [processes] necessary to get the information that he possesses, Schiff said. Earlier this week, Flynns lawyers said he would refuse separate Senate subpoenas for any records about his former business dealings with Russia, citing his constitutional right to avoid self-incrimination. The Senate committee then issued separate subpoenas to two of Flynns businesses, which the panel said were not entitled to 5th Amendment protections. A federal grand jury in Virginia also has issued subpoenas regarding Flynns business dealings with Turkey and Russia, and the newly appointed special counsel investigating the Russia matter, Robert Mueller III, is expected to focus on Flynns role as well. Given the criminal investigations, Schiff said the House panel is highly unlikely to grant Flynns earlier request, through his lawyers, for immunity in exchange for his testimony. He said the panel would need more information about what Flynn would say and whether the testimony would be truthful. It also would need to ensure that granting immunity wouldnt affect the special counsels ongoing investigation, he said. Thats not somthinge I think we would entertain until far later, if at all, said Schiff, a former prosecutor. Certainly count me as very skeptical that we would get to that point. Trump forced Flynn to resign as national security advisor in February after news accounts revealed Flynn had misled White House officials, including Vice President Mike Pence, about his contacts with Russian officials. Schiff spoke to reporters at a breakfast Wednesday hosted by the Christian Science Monitor. Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Advertisement Watch live: Education Secretary Betsy DeVos testifies on Trumps budget Follow live coverage from Times education reporter Joy Resmovits: Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Israel acknowledges pinpoint change needed after Trump intelligence disclosure By Joshua Mitnick After a week of silence, Israel publicly acknowledged for the first time, though in oblique terms, that it was the source of sensitive intelligence that President Trump shared with Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov last week in a White House meeting. Defense Minister Avigdor Lieberman told Israels army radio on Wednesday that Israeli officials had carried out an internal pinpoint correction after discussing and reviewing the episode. Lieberman did not elaborate, and declined to confirm or deny whether Trumps remarks had endangered an agent of Israel. But he said his government considered the matter resolved. Everything that needed to be clarified with the friends in the U.S. was done, he said. All of the conclusions we had to draw it was all done. The Israeli defense ministers comments came the day after Trump wrapped up a two-day visit to Israel and the West Bank. When word of Trumps disclosure to Lavrov emerged in U.S. news reports last week, the defense minister and other Israeli leaders confined themselves to expressing public confidence in the two countries intelligence cooperation. Israel did not comment more directly, presumably to avoid embarrassing the U.S. president just before his visit. But Trump himself mentioned the controversy anyway, in an awkward on-camera moment during the trip. With Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu biting his lip alongside, Trump volunteered to reporters being hustled out of a news appearance: Just so you know, I never mentioned the word or name Israel. Never mentioned it during the conversation. News reports, however, had not said the president mentioned Israel in connection with the intelligence, only that the specificity of his remarks to Lavrov would in all likelihood have allowed the Russians to determine the source. The White House at first denied Trumps disclosure to Lavrov had occurred as reported, but then the president himself tweeted about it, saying he had the right to share information as he deemed fit. Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Trump calls meeting with Pope Francis an honor By Michael A. Memoli "A very great honor," Trump says to the pope when they began their meeting in the pope's private study pic.twitter.com/NGsbsahAyT Carol Lee (@carolelee) May 24, 2017 President Trump held a half-hour private meeting with Pope Francis at the Vatican on Wednesday, declaring it a great honor despite their past public dissension. The unconventional Republican and the first Jesuit pontiff made for an unlikely pair in the Vaticans Apostolic Palace, where Catholic leaders have presided or centuries and American presidents have come or decades. Francis was silent as the two sat across one another at the popes wooden desk to begin the audience at approximately 8:30 a.m. local time. Exactly a half-hour later, the ringing of a bell signified the end of the private encounter. For the White House, the Vatican stop caps a tour through key sites of the worlds three major religions, following stops in Saudi Arabia and Israel, designed to promote tolerance and a united approach to terrorism. When you put it all together, youre really showing that this problem of radical extremism is one of the great problems of our time, a senior Trump aide told reporters Tuesday en route from Israel to Rome, briefing anonymously as is common White House practice. By putting everybody together you can really build a coalition and show that its not a Muslim problem, its not a Jewish problem, its not a Catholic problem, its not a Christian problem, it really is a world problem. In an exchange of gifts after their private meeting, Francis offered the president a medal by a Roman artist of an olive, a symbol of peace. We can use peace, Trump responded. Where Trumps and Francis interests may align on peace and combating terrorism, they disagree sharply on issues like immigration and poverty. Like Trump, the Argentine pope has shown a predilection for unscripted comments that have shaken the staid Vatican bureaucracy, as when he criticized candidate Trumps proposed stricter immigration policies including a border wall as not Christian. Trump fired back, calling the popes remarks disgraceful. Any animosity was not apparent Wednesday, as a meeting between Francis and a larger U.S. delegation ended. Thank you. I wont forget what you said, Trump said. Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Proposed budget would deeply cut State Department and its programs By Tracy Wilkinson (AFP / Getty Images) The State Department leadership voiced support for President Trumps proposed budget, which would impose deep cuts on spending for diplomacy and foreign aid, but critics vowed to fight to restore the funds in Congress. In a statement, the department said the presidents $37.6-billion request for it and for the U.S. Agency for International Development would support a leaner, more efficient government in line with Trumps America first mantra. If approved by Congress, that would represent a reduction of roughly 30% from the current fiscal year. Nongovernmental agencies that receive State Department support to carry out humanitarian and other work around the globe expressed deep alarm. The State Department statement said its new priorities would include efforts to counter terrorism, support Israel, promote border security and battle transnational crime and the spread of infectious diseases. The statement makes no mention of women-empowerment programs or efforts to fight climate change, issues that rose to prominence under the Obama administration. The proposed budget would allow the United States to remain engaged in the United Nations, but officials would seek a more fair distribution of the funding burden, the statement said. And it would eliminate direct funding for quasi- and non-governmental organizations that serve niche missions. The American Jewish World Service, which fights poverty all over the world through 450 local organizations, said much of its work would be jeopardized. At a time when poverty, human rights abuses, famines and conflicts are wreaking havoc globally, said the groups president, Robert Bank, the United States must not abdicate its long bipartisan tradition of providing development assistance and diplomatic support to the most vulnerable people around the world. Mercy Corps, a U.S.-based development and advocacy organization that works in 40 countries, said gutting development programs was short-sighted and absolutely shameful and could put millions of lives at risk. Rep. Eliot Engel (D-N.Y.), ranking member of the House Committee on Foreign Affairs, called the budget cruel and mean-spirited and said it would force the United States to abandon our global role as a champion for freedom, democracy and the rule of law. If President Trump thinks the United States can shrink into a defensive crouch without long-term repercussions, hes sorely mistaken, Engel said. Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Advertisement Sessions first proposed budget: A crackdown on immigration and violent crime By Joseph Tanfani Atty. Gen. Jeff Sessions. (Alex Brandon / Associated Press) In the first budget proposal under President Trump and Atty. Gen. Jeff Sessions, the Justice Department is seeking hundreds of millions in new funding to pay for an immigration crackdown on the border and a surge in resources to fight violent crime. Like the Department of Homeland Security budget, which includes billions for expanded immigration detention, more border agents and technology to catch those crossing the border illegally, the Justice Department budget is a reflection of the new get-tough policies promised by Sessions. The budget asks for another 300 federal prosecutors 230 to focus on violent criminals and gangs, and another 70 to concentrate on filing criminal charges on those crossing the border illegally. The shift in the spending priorities are in line with other policy changes ordered by Sessions, including a renewed focus on seeking stiff mandatory minimum sentences for drugs and other crimes. The $27.7-billion budget seeks 450 new attorneys and support workers for the immigration courts, which are now clogged with a backlog of 560,000 cases. There would also be another $50 million for increased immigration detention, plus 40 new U.S. marshal jobs to help take care of the expected increase in immigrants heading to federal court. With Trumps immigration initiatives tied up in federal court, the budget seeks another 15 lawyers to handle that litigation, plus 12 more to help handle property acquisition needed for Trumps promised Southwestern border wall. Violent-crime enforcement would get another $198 million, with the largest amount, $70 million, going toward setting up more anti-violence and gang task forces. Deputy Atty. Gen. Rod J. Rosenstein said more resources are needed because of what he called an alarming increase in the rates of murder and other violent crimes. The department is also asking for another $40 million for more drug enforcement to combat the opioid epidemic, which he said is spreading havoc throughout the United States. Sessions new policies should lead to an increase in prison population, so the budget contains funding to fully open a new supermax prison in Thomson, Ill., with room for 1,500 to 2,000 inmates. The department also wants to put more resources behind the FBIs efforts to counter cyber attacks and to figure out ways around encryption technology, along with another 50 agents to counter foreign intelligence and threats from homegrown terrorists. Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Economists say Trumps budget proposal doesnt add up By Don Lee President Trumps inaugural budget proposal claims to eliminate the nations deficit in 10 years, thanks largely to faster economic growth that it projects will come from the presidents sweeping tax cuts. Never mind the overly optimistic projections on economic growth. Or that Trumps tax overhaul has not happened yet. Even allowing for both, economists say Trumps budget still does not add up. The administration is counting on generating $2.1 trillion in additional revenue over 10 years from better economic growth. But Trumps budget proposal leaves out the cost, or the revenue lost, from the massive tax cuts. In other words, the economic gains that the administration has said it would use to pay for tax reform is apparently also being counted on to pay for deficit reduction. Some people call that double-counting. You cant use the same money twice, said Marc Goldwein, a senior vice president for the Committee for a Responsible Federal Budget, a nonpartisan group that advocates keeping government budgets under control. Lawrence Summers, former Treasury secretary in the Clinton administration and top economic advisor to President Obama, called it an elementary but egregious accounting error. Douglas Holtz-Eakin, president of the right-leaning American Action Forum and former director of the Congressional Budget Office, said the proposal did not necessarily mean there was an outright omission or a double-counting. Its possible that the administration is looking for such strong economic growth to drive significantly extra revenue from payroll taxes, he said, or it could be that Trump officials were using different base lines from which they were drawing their results. But on the face of it, he said, the budget and tax-plan numbers dont seem to match. The Committee for a Responsible Federal Budget has estimated that Trumps plan to cut corporate and individual taxes would cost the federal government about $5.5 trillion over 10 years, adding more than $6 trillion to the national debt. Details of Trumps tax overhaul, however, are still being developed, and its possible that the administration is assuming a revenue-neutral tax plan although experts say big tax cuts never pay for themselves. On Tuesday, Mick Mulvaney, Trumps budget chief, did not provide a direct answer or explanation to questions about double-counting. Instead, he told reporters that you have to make assumptions about a budget. He went on to say that one of the assumptions that was not made was to take into account the uncollected taxes every year, which he said amounted to $486 billion last year. And we dont assume an additional penny of that being closed as part of our tax reform, said Mulvaney, director of the Office of Management and Budget. Of the 3% annual economic growth assumption, Mulvaney responded that the Obama administration in its first couple of years had based its budget on growth of 4.5%. In fact, Obamas first budget proposal as president, in May 2009, assumed economic growth of between 4% and 4.6% for the budget years 2011 to 2013. Since the Great Recession ended in mid-2009, the U.S. economy has been growing on average about 2% a year, and the Congressional Budget Office, the Federal Reserve and most private economists see the economy advancing at about 2% annually over the next 10 years. Alice Rivlin, a former Fed vice chair and director of the Office of Management and Budget under Clinton, said its true that the Obama administrations growth assumptions proved too optimistic. But she noted that those projections were not unreasonable for that time and period in the economic cycle. Then, there was greater potential for growth with unemployment high and many more people than today available for work. Today, the economy is nearing its eighth year of expansion, and the jobless rate is 4.4%, at or near full employment. With the aging of baby boomers, labor force growth slowing, and lackluster productivity gains, economists see the current moderate growth persisting for the foreseeable future. This has been a very long period of growth and were at the high end already, Rivlin said. If we are so lucky to have continuous, steady growth, its not likely to be at 3% or 4% or 5%. Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Who wins and who loses in Trumps budget The White House Office of Management and Budget sent Congress the presidents inaugural budget today, projecting spending and revenues over the next 10 years. The fiscal package, which include a partial skinny budget from March, reflects President Trumps priorities for the nation, but lawmakers are sure to reject many of the deep cuts in domestic and foreign affairs programs. The departments of State, Agriculture, Health and Human Services, Education and Housing, as well as the Environmental Protection Agency, are the biggest losers. The winners are the Pentagon and Homeland Security programs. Even with the increases in defense spending and large tax cuts, the administration projects that economic growth spurred by tax cuts will erase annual deficits by 2027. Take a look at some of the numbers released today. Read More Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Advertisement What that Montana special congressional race will and wont tell us about Trump and his political problems By Mark Z. Barabak Democrat Rob Quist is a quintessential cowboy who doesnt seem to relish campaigning in Montanas special congressional election. (Justin Sullivan / Getty Images) On Thursday, the political world will eagerly look to Montana and a closely fought congressional race for the latest test of Democratic strength and Republican resilience in the turbulent age of Trump. The major candidates and outside groups have sunk more than $8 million into the contest, a huge sum in a state where $250,000 pays for a robust week of television advertising. But for all that money and all the outside interest, the election will turn less on national trends than circumstances close to home: on the personalities and histories of the main contestants, their different campaign styles and, perhaps most of all, on who is regarded as the more authentic Montanan. Read More Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Terrorist attack in England has conservative media focused on safety of allies By Kurtis Lee (Dave Thompson/Getty images ) Its a sight witnessed all too often: an explosion, screams, people sprinting to safety. Late Monday night, this was the scene at an Ariana Grande concert in Manchester, England, after a man with possible ties to Islamic State militants set off a suicide bomb, killing 22 people and, once again, setting in motion a global discourse on how to fight terrorism. President Trump, while visiting Bethlehem, said the attack was committed by evil losers in life. Throughout the campaign and early in his presidency, Trump has said defeating the Islamic State is a top priority. (He reiterated that point in a speech Sunday in Saudi Arabia, urging Muslim leaders to plot their own course in combating terrorism.) In recent months, with attacks in Berlin, Paris and London, conservative media have questioned the safety of Europe and warned that the United States could face similar attacks. With the latest attack, some on the right are again homing in on the safety of our allies. Here are some of todays headlines: 2017 has seen a terror attack attempted in Europe every nine days (Breitbart) The attack in Manchester blankets the home page of the right-wing website. Europe has indeed been the location of high-profile attacks this year. In Paris last month, Islamic State claimed responsibility for an attack on the Champs-Elysees in which a man fired an automatic weapon, killing a police officer. And in March, a man plowed his car into pedestrians on Westminster Bridge, near the British Parliament in London, and then fatally stabbed a police officer. In all, four people were killed and dozens injured in what police called a terrorist attack. The Breitbart piece is an analysis of different terrorist attacks attempted and carried out in Europe since January. Attacks and attempted attacks have taken place in Austria, France, the United Kingdom, Belgium, Italy, Russia, Sweden, Norway, and Germany, on average every nine days, the piece says. Pences message of civility and open debate lost on those who most needed to hear it (Weekly Standard) The debate over free speech on colleges campuses continues. In recent months, conservative speakers have canceled speeches on college campuses in the face of anticipated protests. And others, who have opted to speak, have faced vocal backlash. On Sunday, as Vice President Mike Pence began to address students at the University of Notre Dame commencement, several dozen stood and walked out of the ceremony. In his speech, Pence talked about civility and open debate, and this piece argues that the m Theyre Totally Cool by Margo Pfeiff, May 7, was totally cool, as the headline put it. Allow me to add a Canadian adventure I experienced that was totally cold. The Kingdom of the Ice Bear tour, organized by the Great Canadian Travel Group, began with an overnight in Winnipeg, Manitoba, followed by a flight to Churchill on Hudson Bay. For the next three days, tundra buggies were our mode of transportation. They are heated and washroom-equipped, and lunch was served on board. Advertisement The result was truly amazing and an up-close photo opportunity to see polar bears preparing for their annual migration north in early November. I heartily recommend this as an addition to ones bucket list of Canadian explorations. Jim Morrow Culver City Dynamic? Bah! Thank you for your very good article on dynamic pricing in the travel industry [Beating the Price Change Odds, On the Spot, by Catharine Hamm, May 7]. I travel from the Bay Area to Mammoth Lakes to ski in the winter. I am always amazed at how hotel room prices vary; it makes no sense. They can vary from purchasing online, calling reservations or directly calling the hotel, all done within 10 minutes. I gave up on the travel industry years ago. You can pay a lot of money and get very little. Service is a thing of the past. Travel industry employees could care less, and Im sure they are treated very poorly. The travel industry sees the customer as the enemy. If dynamic pricing is correct, why dont all industries use it? Why is a McDonalds hamburger not more expensive at peak dining periods? Its just lies and dishonesty. There is nothing dynamic about it. Bill Honey Walnut Creek, Calif. Vantage cruises The article about Danube River trips [Sail Into a Fairy Tale, by Rosemary McClure, April 30] omitted Vantage Travel from the list of European river boat companies. I have been on AmaWaterways and Avalon, and they were fine. I have been on Vantage trips six times and have a seventh booked. I find its cruise directors and travel guides to be the best. They are personable, knowledgeable and very helpful. The cabins are ample; the food is great. Judy Mandel Laguna Woods travel@latimes.com @latimestravel Los Angeles Times columnist Robert Hilburn attended the concert. He began his Feb. 2, 1982, review with: The only thing James Brown has more of than hits is nicknames. Among the tags he has been given by enthusiastic journalists and show emcees since his first records in the mid-'50: Soul Brother No. 1, the Hardest Working Man in Show Business, the Godfather of Soul, the Original Disco Man and the Minister of the New, New Super Heavy Funk. Advertisement But these titles only hint at the impact of a man whose brassy, funk n roll sound and blur-of-energy stage manner have helped shape almost all of soul music and much of rock, from Mick Jaggers dance steps to some of Bruce Springsteens playful show antics. This post originally was published on Sep. 2, 2010. See more from the Los Angeles Times archives here The house was suspected of being a center for drug dealing. A Uzi submachine gun and eight other firearms were found inside. A second nearby home also was raided. Seven suspects were detained. It was the fifth time the six-ton armored vehicle equipped with a 14-foot steel battering ram had been used in LAPD raids. Just a week earlier, on Feb. 10, the Los Angeles Times ran an article headlined A Ram at Rest. The article by Patricia Klein began: Advertisement A six-ton tank with a 14-foot steel battering ram, hailed last year by Los Angeles Police Chief Daryl F. Gates as a revolutionary new weapon in the war against drugs, pretty much sits idle these days, except for occasional spins around a downtown parking lot to keep its battery from dying. ... The machine that Gates last year vowed to use over and over and over again whenever appropriate to smash down the walls of suspected cocaine rock houses had not been used to blitz a single rock house since last April, officials said. A week later, the ram was in action, and Los Angeles Times staff photographer Jack Gaunt got this photo. This post was originally published on Oct. 26, 2010. See more from the Los Angeles Times archives here The White House is calling North Korea a flagrant menace after the test launch of a ballistic missile, the seventh such firing this year. President Trump was briefed on the missile test, according to a statement the White House released late Saturday. The missile firing took place Sunday, North Korea time, with the projectile landing in the sea between North Korea and Japan. The United States maintains our ironclad commitment to stand with our allies in the face of the serious threat posed by North Korea, the statement said. Advertisement Washington and its allies will continue to tighten the screws on North Koreas mercurial leader Kim Jong Un, said Nikki Haley, the U.S. ambassador to the United Nations. Speaking to ABCs This Week, Haley said Kim is in a state of paranoia incredibly concerned about anything and everything around him. The White House statement called for stronger sanctions against the North but did not directly threaten U.S. military action. Trump has said that bellicose actions by Kims government could trigger major, major conflict. North Koreas official Korean Central News Agency said the country tested a new type of long-range missile capable of carrying a large-size heavy nuclear warhead. Kim was reported to have witnessed the launch and hugged officials in the field of rocket research, saying that they worked hard to achieve a great thing. The test firing, against a backdrop of rising tensions on the Korean peninsula, came four days after South Koreas new president, Moon Jae-in, took office. Moon has called for outreach to Kim. Moon, according to his office, called the launch a clear violation of U.N. Security Council resolutions. The Security Council was to meet Tuesday to discuss the launch, diplomats said. In its statement, the White House appeared to call indirectly for Russian support in containing Kims nuclear ambitions, suggesting they posed a threat to Russia as well. With the missile impacting so close to Russian soil in fact, closer to Russia than to Japan the president cannot imagine that Russia is pleased, the statement said. Russia, a onetime ally of North Korea, is a member of a six-nation consortium aimed at reining in the reclusive nations nuclear program through diplomatic and financial incentives, but that forum has been inactive for nearly a decade. Russias Interfax news agency cited military officials as saying that the missile had posed no danger to its territory. It said the projectile was tracked by Russian antimissile defenses during its 23-minute flight before plummeting into the sea more than 300 miles off the Russian coast. Trump has also sought to enlist the assistance of Chinas president, Xi Jinping, with whom he met last month at his Mar-a-Lago estate in Florida, in preventing North Korea from escalating development of its weapons program. The North Korean test came at an embarrassing moment for China, making it appear that Xi lacks influence with Kim. The missile test occurred hours before Chinas biggest diplomatic event of the year, the Belt and Road Forum, built around its highly ambitious One Belt, One Road trade initiative, named to evoke the glories of the ancient Silk Road trade route. Special correspondent Jessica Meyers in Beijing contributed to this report. laura.king@latimes.com @laurakingLAT Aerospace peppers and astronaut robots: A towns transformation reveals Chinas ambitions in space Heres whats driving North Koreas nuclear program and it might be more than self-defense Globalization 2.0: How Chinas two-day summit aims to shape a new world order UPDATES: 6: 20 p.m.: This article was updated with additional details from KCNA. 5:40 p.m.: This article was updated with North Koreas official news agency saying the missile tested was capable of carrying a nuclear warhead. This article was originally published at 4:15 p.m. A Microsoft executive sharply criticized a U.S. spy agency Sunday for its role in weaponizing a weakness in Windows and allowing it to be stolen by hackers and used to launch historys largest ransomware attack. This attack provides yet another example of why the stockpiling of vulnerabilities by governments is such a problem, Brad Smith, president and chief legal officer at Microsoft, wrote in the wake of the WannaCry computer virus attack, which crippled computers worldwide. He compared it to the U.S. military having some of its Tomahawk missiles stolen. And this most recent attack represents a completely unintended but disconcerting link between the two most serious forms of cybersecurity threats in the world today nation-state action and organized criminal action, he added. Advertisement Smiths criticism comes as the virus continues to spread around the globe, despite the efforts of companies, governments and security experts. Europes leading police agency said Sunday that the computer virus had reached an unprecedented level, claiming 200,000 victims and spreading to at least 150 countries. With employees returning to work Monday, there were fears that more infections will be discovered. And there were also reports that new variations of the virus were appearing. In an interview with Britains ITV, Europol Director Rob Wainwright said a cross-border investigation would be necessary to track down the culprits. It is unlikely to be just be one person, I think, he told ITV. The fast-moving virus, which first hit Friday, exploits a vulnerability in the Windows operating system that had been discovered by the U.S. National Security Agency. That information was stolen by hackers and published online. In his response, Smith highlighted the work Microsoft has done to improve the security of its products, long a target of criticism in the security community. He said the company now has 3,500 security engineers, many of whom now act as first responders in such cases. The company had released a security update this year to address the vulnerability that the NSA found. But that leads to the next culprit on Smiths list. He noted that customers, particularly large organizations and companies, are groaning under the burden of hugely complex systems that have evolved over decades and can be difficult to maintain and upgrade. The fact that so many computers remained vulnerable two months after the release of a patch illustrates this aspect, he wrote. As cybercriminals become more sophisticated, there is simply no way for customers to protect themselves against threats unless they update their systems. Otherwise theyre literally fighting the problems of the present with tools from the past. Indeed, Britains National Health Service suffered one of the worst attacks because, in part, many of its systems were running Windows XP, an older version of the operating system that Microsoft had stopped supporting long ago. Over the weekend, the company took the extraordinary step of releasing security updates for XP and other versions it no longer supported. But Smith saved his harshest words for the NSA and called on international governments and policymakers to rethink their approaches to cybersecurity and cyberspying. In doing so, he joined a chorus of critics who had been pointing fingers all weekend at the NSA. The governments of the world should treat this attack as a wake-up call, Smith said. They need to take a different approach and adhere in cyberspace to the same rules applied to weapons in the physical world. We need governments to consider the damage to civilians that comes from hoarding these vulnerabilities and the use of these exploits. In February, Microsoft had called for a Digital Geneva Convention, to reach a new international agreement that would push spy agencies to report vulnerabilities to vendors, rather than trying to exploit them for surveillance purposes. Even with the recent patches, security experts say the makers of the WannaCry virus are still able to target millions of PCs that have not been updated. And while two waves of the attack have been blocked, researchers say it may be impossible to stop new waves. When the virus finds its way into a PC, data are encrypted and users are told they must pay $300 in electronic money known as bitcoin to receive a key to decrypt it. On its website, Europol said it is working closely with affected countries cybercrime units and key industry partners to mitigate the threat and assist victims. It also said: The recent attack is at an unprecedented level and will require a complex international investigation to identify the culprits. James R. Clapper, who was President Obamas director of national intelligence, noted on ABCs This Week with George Stephanopoulos that more victims of the attack could surface Monday, when people return to work. Well, thats the concern, he said. He added that it was a very serious, serious problem and that more such attacks can be expected. The 200,000 victims included more than 100,000 organizations, Europol spokesman Jan Op Gen Oorth told the Associated Press. He said it was too early to say who was behind the onslaught and what the motivation was, aside from the obvious demand for money. So far, he said, not many people have paid the ransom demanded by the malware. The effects were felt across the globe, with Britains National Health Service, Russias Interior Ministry and companies including Spains Telefonica, FedEx Corp. in the U.S. and French carmaker Renault all reporting disruptions. Chinese media reported Sunday that students at several universities were hit, blocking access to their thesis papers and dissertation presentations. The Peoples Daily reported that one student, identified only by the surname Tang, said his computer was hit Friday night and that the ransom note was in several languages, including Chinese, Korean, Japanese and English. ALSO Analysis: Global ransomware attack shows why Apple refused to hack terrorists iPhone Amid tight security, Emmanuel Macron becomes youngest French president, vows to fight terrorism Globalization 2.0: How Chinas two-day summit aims to shape a new world order Special correspondent OBrien reported from Toulouse, France. The Associated Press contributed to this report. UPDATES: 2:55 p.m.: This article has been updated with the letter from Microsofts president. This article was originally posted at 12:10 p.m. Emmanuel Macron became the youngest president in French history on Sunday in an inauguration ceremony organized amid high security prompted by the countrys persistent terrorist threat. A week after his victory, Macron, 39, officially took over from the outgoing Socialist president Francois Hollande, the political mentor who gave him his first high-profile government job. The red carpet was rolled out and the gravel courtyard at the Elysee Palace raked smooth for Macrons arrival for the ceremonial handover. Advertisement A smiling Hollande gave his protege a warm welcome before the two men disappeared behind the closed doors of the first-floor presidential office for an exchange of nuclear codes and a private handover chat that lasted more than an hour showing the depth of affection between the two men. Hollande then left the Elysee, accompanied by the Republican Guard in full ceremonial dress, to applause from palace staff. Brigitte Macron, the new presidents wife, arrived separately, followed by around 50 family members. In his first speech as president, Macron said he understood the seriousness of the honor French voters had given him. Europe and the world need a strong France that is sure of its destiny. They need a France that shouts in defense of freedom and solidarity, he told diginitaries, officials, politicians and press gathered in the 18th century palaces ornate Salle des Fetes. The room, opened in 1889 for the Universal Exhibition, drips with gilt cornicing and decoration and crystal chandeliers. Its ceiling is painted with panels representing The Republic, keeper of the peace and allegories representing art and science. It falls to me to ensure that our country carries in its heart all the materials necessary for being one of the worlds most important nations . I will not back down on promises made, he said. I will ensure that our country regains its democratic energy the people will be listened to. Afterwards the Elysees orchestra broke into a rendition of composer Jacques Offenbachs Orpheus in the Underworld, better known as the French Can-Can, and the equally joyful Hungarian Dance No. 5 composed by Brahms. Macron was said to have chosen the music personally. The presidents media team kept the press, many of them invited by personal telephone call the previous evening, updated with helpful information, such as that Macron wore a dark blue, French-made suit and his wife a lavender blue dress with military-style double-breasted jacket while carrying a handbag borrowed from luxury fashion house Louis Vuitton. And that the presidential couple would be leaving their home in the French capitals chic 7th arrondissement and moving into the Elysee Palace straight away for security reasons but also so as not to upset their neighbors. After the formal ceremony, Macron paid tribute to Frances war dead at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier at the Arc de Triomphe, where he met military veterans. The center of Paris was sealed off as 1,500 police officers deployed around the presidential palace and the Champs Elysees. France has been under a state of emergency since the November 2015 series of bombings and shootings across the city. Ignoring the threat, Macron broke away from his motorcade to shake hands with supporters who lined the world-famous avenue. He then stopped his official car at the spot where police officer Xavier Jugele was shot dead in a terrorist attack last month. Macron is the first French president to take office in his 30s. The youngest head of state before him was Charles-Louis-Napoleon Bonaparte, known as Louis-Napoleon Bonaparte, who was the nephew and heir of the famous military and political leader Napoleon Bonaparte. He took office in 1848 at the age of 40. Macrons first challenge is to persuade French voters to give him a parliamentary majority in the National Assembly in legislative elections to take place on June 11 and 18, without which his hands will be tied. On Monday, he will name his prime minister, who will be asked to form a transpartisan government, with representatives across Frances political spectrum, as well as business leaders; half the new ministers are expected to be women. Macron, who was Hollandes economy minister between 2014 and 2016, will then fly to Berlin for his first foreign meeting as president with German Chancellor Angela Merkel. Macron campaigned on closer ties with Germany and Europe, as opposed to his defeated rival, the far-rights Marine Le Pen, who wanted a Brexit-style referendum on leaving the European Union and on dumping the euro. The new presidents political movement, En Marche! (On the Move!), launched only 13 months ago, was transformed into a party after Sundays victory. Now called La Republique En Marche (La REM), it has already named 428 candidates, just over half of whom have no political experience, and half who are women. The list includes former bullfighter Marie Sara, French air force top gun fighter pilot Marion Buchet, and math genius Cedric Villani, who won the 2010 Fields medal, considered the equivalent of the Nobel Prize in mathematics. La REM has to find another 148 candidates to fill slots before the registration deadline Friday. Willsher is a special correspondent. ALSO Five big takeaways from Frances presidential election Hospitals in Britain struggle to restore their computer systems in wake of cyberattack U.S. economic growth and security outweigh climate policy review, envoy tells U.N. conference UPDATES: 10:10 a.m.: This article was updated throughout with staff reporting, additional details and background. 6:05 a.m.: This article was updated with additional details about Macrons inauguration, as well as background on the French political climate. This article was originally published at 5:40 a.m. Voters in Germany gave Chancellor Angela Merkels conservative party its third straight regional election victory in less than two months with a thumping upset win Sunday over the ruling Social Democrats in the countrys most populous state. The conservatives improbable come-from-behind triumph in heavily industrial North Rhine-Westphalia, long a bastion for the Social Democratic party and home to nearly a quarter of Germanys voters, gave the chancellor a powerful gust of tailwind just four months before the federal election on Sept. 24. Palpable frustration over worsening traffic congestion and crime that has plagued the crowded northwestern state, which borders the Netherlands and Belgium, were the decisive factors behind the Social Democrats sudden demise after the party had ruled there for 46 of the last 51 years. Advertisement Hannelore Kraft, top candidate of the Social Democratic party for regional elections in North Rhine-Westphalia, speaks during an election gathering on May 14, 2017, in Duesseldorf, Germany, (Sascha Schuermann / AFP/Getty Images) Within minutes of the polls closing, the states governor resigned, saying she took personal responsibility for the defeat, which amounted to her partys worst showing in the region since World War II. I did the best I could, said Gov. Hannelore Kraft. Merkels conservative allies celebrated the unlikely win with shouts of joy and champagne toasts at raucous victory parties in Berlin and in the state capital, Dusseldorf. The election in North Rhine-Westphalia came just three months after national opinion polls showed the Social Democrats and their charismatic new leader, Martin Schulz, pulling ahead of Merkels conservative Christian Democratic Union for the first time in 11 years. Im not a magician, said a dejected Schulz at his partys headquarters in Berlin, describing it as a bitter defeat in his home state. The rout seemed to confirm opinion polls that show the Social Democrats fading fast at both the state and national levels. Merkel, who has won three federal elections since 2005, was beginning to show signs of fatigue earlier this year following a steady drumbeat of criticism over her 2015 decision to allow more than 1 million refugees into Germany. But the 62-year-old chancellor appeared to be only rejuvenated by the sky-is-falling fears from some within her party. Her recent international travels to Washington to meet President Trump and to Russia to meet President Vladimir Putin have helped reinforce her image at home as a global figure and as a steady hand at a time of international turmoil. This is a very big win indeed for Merkel because its going to silence her opponents inside her party, said Gero Neugebauer, a political scientist at Berlins Free University. At the same time, shes also dealt the [Social Democrats] a major defeat by taking away control of a state they thought they owned. Projections based on exit polls and early vote counts showed the Christian Democrats winning 33% of the vote, up from 26% in the last election in 2012. The projections showed the ruling center-left coalition of the Social Democrats and Greens taking a clobbering, with the two parties getting 31.5% and 6%, respectively, down sharply from five years ago. The Christian Democrats will most likely try to form a government with the pro-business Free Democrats, which won 12%, or with the defeated Social Democrats as junior partners. German Chancellor Angela Merkel speaks to supporters while campaigning for her Christian Democratic Union in Haltern am See, Germany, on May 10, 2017. (Sascha Schuermann / Getty Images) Merkels party scored a similar upset win over a Social Democrats-Greens coalition in the rural northern state of Schleswig-Holstein on May 7 after pulling off an unexpectedly strong win in the small state of Saarland, on the French border, on March 26. The March victory prompted Trump to place a congratulatory call to Merkel just nine days after they had talked about the state elections at the White House. Nearly 18 million people live in North Rhine-Westphalia, home to four of the countrys nine largest cities, including Cologne and Dusseldorf, as well as to 10 million cars. The number of cars has jumped by more than 1 million since 2011, though the population has remained steady and the number of construction sites has risen dramatically. A German motorist association went to the trouble of tallying the total number of recorded traffic jams in the last year 218,000, an increase of 20% from 2015. Thats an average of about 600 notable jams in the state every day in 2016. The total mileage of traffic backed up in North Rhine-Westphalia last year stretched to 242,500 miles, or more than double the 100,625 miles recorded in 2012. ALSO Amid tight security, Emmanuel Macron becomes youngest French president, vows to fight terrorism Hospitals in Britain struggle to restore their computer systems in wake of cyberattack German army officer posed for months as a Syrian refugee and planned an attack, prosecutors say Kirschbaum is a special correspondent. UPDATES: 2:35 p.m.: This article has updated figures, quotes, analysis. This article was originally published at 10:55 a.m. One person has been confirmed dead from Ebola in an outbreak in a remote corner of northern Congo as health authorities look into nine suspected cases, including another death, the countrys health minister said Friday. One case of the hemorrhagic fever was confirmed of the five tested since the outbreak emerged April 22 in Bas-Uele province, Health Minister Oly Ilunga Kalenga said. He said the confirmed case was of the Zaire strain of the virus. The outbreak could test a recently developed experimental Ebola vaccine the World Health Organization says could be used in emergencies. Global vaccine alliance GAVI said 300,000 doses are available if needed to stop this outbreak becoming a pandemic. Advertisement This vast, impoverished Central African nation has had seven known Ebola outbreaks, including one in 2014 with several dozen cases. That outbreak was not connected to the massive epidemic in Guinea, Liberia and Sierra Leone that left thousands dead. Dr. Allarangar Yokouide, the WHO representative in Congo, said the first teams of specialists should arrive in the affected area of Likati on Friday or Saturday. The zone is some 800 miles from the capital, Kinshasa. The area in Likati is difficult to access, but the work of tracing contacts is very crucial to stopping the epidemic in its tracks, he said. The community is near the border with Central African Republic. Ebola occasionally jumps to humans from animals, including bats and monkeys. Without preventive measures, the virus can spread quickly between people and is fatal in up to 90% of cases. There is no specific treatment for the disease. The new cluster of Ebola cases will again test one of the worlds least-equipped health systems. The U.S. Agency for International Development has said an estimated 70% of the population has little or no access to healthcare. We urge you not to give in to panic, Congos health minister said. The Palestinian Health Ministry said Friday that a Palestinian has been killed by Israeli fire during clashes at a West Bank rally in support of hunger-striking prisoners. The ministry said the 20-year-old was shot near Ramallah. The Israeli military said soldiers monitoring the demonstration opened fire after dozens of Palestinians hurled rocks at them. Hundreds of Palestinian prisoners held by Israel are on an open-ended hunger strike, now in its 26th day, saying they seek to improve their prison conditions. Advertisement Israel maintains that strike leader Marwan Barghouti, a potential successor to Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, is using the protest to raise his profile. Israel has released video it says shows Barghouti breaking his fast. Palestinians say it is a fabrication. Barghouti is serving five life terms after being convicted by Israel of directing two shooting attacks and a bombing. Sorry... ..An error has occured: If you have any queries about this error, try emailing feedback@mirror.co.uk and we'll do what we can to help you. ZID:308457493 The Easton Area School District refuses to release a video purported to show a teacher roughing up a student on a school bus. A source with knowledge of the incident told lehighvalleylive.com that physical education teacher Aaron Dufour roughly disciplined a student on the morning of Feb. 8, 2017, on a school bus dropping off children at Paxinosa Elementary School. The school district refused to comment on the matter, prompting lehighvalleylive.com to file a Right-to-Know request to find out Dufour's employment status and to obtain the bus surveillance video. The school board agreed in 2015 to pay $101,000 to install digital surveillance cameras on all of its school buses. School district Chief Operating Officer Michael Simonetta said at the time the cameras were needed to monitor bad behavior on buses. The request for the video and information about Dufour's employment status is pending with the Pennsylvania Office of Open Records. The office has until June 5 to decide whether to force the school district to hand over the video and disclose whether Dufour was terminated or disciplined. District solicitor John Freund confirmed on Thursday, May 11, that Dufour is not being paid by the district but he wouldn't comment beyond that, other than to say the matter is pending arbitration. Dufour and teachers' union officials have declined comment. On April 18, about two months after the Right-to-Know request was filed, the school district acknowledged in its appeal paperwork that action to discipline, demote or discharge Dufour was pending before the school board and that the bus video was being used in a state investigation involving Dufour under the Educator Misconduct Act. School district attorney Rebecca Young said in a letter April 18 that the district could put federal funding in jeopardy by releasing the video. The school district is classifying the video as an "educational record" linked to the child involved in the school bus incident. All educational records must be kept confidential under the Family Educational Rights Privacy Act, Young wrote. Lehighvalleylive.com isn't seeking the identity of the child. The news organization contends the video is a public record that documents general oversight of public grounds and public employees. But school district human resources Director John Castrovinci wrote in appeal paperwork on April 18 that releasing the video is tantamount to identifying the children in it because members of the public who know the children will be able to recognize them. Melissa Melewsky, media law counsel for the Pennsylvania NewsMedia Association, said the Office of Open Records has granted access to bus videos when they're not part of a student's disciplinary or academic file, but that might be tough to prove in this case. In its appeal, lehighvalleylive.com said the district hasn't demonstrated that the video is part of any student's academic or disciplinary record. Melewsky said the school district is required to disclose Dufour's job title, salary and length of service with the district. Such information would indicate whether Dufour had been demoted or was no longer teaching with the district. The district isn't necessarily required to disclose that Dufour is suspended, only whether he's still being paid, she said. Castrovinci said April 18 that Dufour was earning $65,000 a year. He has been with the school district for more than 10 years. Rudy Miller may be reached at rmiller@lehighvalleylive.com. Follow him on Twitter @RudyMillerLV. Find Easton area news on Facebook. While some people were ordering flowers, buying gifts or making other special arrangements for Mother's Day (... you did remember that Sunday is Mother's Day, right?), the folks at the U.S. Census Bureau were collecting facts and figures about motherhood and the holiday. Here are some of their findings, which come from a variety of sources that you can find on the bureau's website. Feel free to impress mom with the gift of knowledge -- or at least use it to buy time to grab a bouquet. 43.5 MILLION: The number of mothers between the ages of 15 and 50 in 2014. These mothers gave birth to 95.8 million children. 3.98 MILLION: The number of registered births in 2015, down less than 1 percent from 2014. Of this number, 229,715 were to teens ages 15 to 19. 35.7: Percentage of women ages 15 to 50 in 2015 who had a birth in the past 12 months that were unmarried. 62.4: Percentage of women ages 16 to 50 in 2015 who had a birth in the past 12 months who were in the labor force. 5 MILLION: Number of stay-at-home moms in married-couple family groups in 2016. 888,357: Number of people employed at one of the 74,589, child day care services across the country in 2015. In addition, there were 670,887 child day care services without paid employees in 2014. 13,419: Number of florists nationwide in 2015. Since 2005, the number of florist establishments decreased from 21,135, a decline of 36.5 percent. The number of employees in floral shops also declined from 101,861 to 60,076 employees in 2015, a decline of 41.0 percent. 14,162: Number of employees of greeting-card publishers in 2015. 16,345: Number of cosmetics, beauty supplies and perfume stores nationwide in 2015. 22,160: Number of jewelry stores in the United States in 2015. Source: U.S. Census Bureau Steve Novak may be reached at snovak@lehighvalleylive.com. Follow him on Twitter @type2supernovak and Facebook. Find lehighvalleylive.com on Facebook. A central Pennsylvania woman has been charged in connection with a child sex ring in which at least one child was victimized during "animal furry parties," authorities said. Paige Wren Tasker (Courtesy photo) The Pennsylvania Attorney General's Office announced the charges Sunday against Paige Wren Tasker, 27, of Cumberland County. Authorities said she was arraigned in Monroe County, where the crimes occurred, on charges of statutory sexual assault, corruption of minors, involuntary deviate sexual intercourse and indecent assault. Attorney General Josh Shapiro in a statement said her victim, a 14-year-old boy, was earlier identified as the victim abused during so-called furry parties in Bucks County. Authorities have described the behavior as a sexual fetish in which adults dress as animals. They allege Tasker on more than one occasion performed a sex act on the teen victim. State officials in January charged five men in connection with the furry parties. They included David R. Parker, 38, of Saylorsburg, who in 2009 started taking the child to furry parties in a home and was charged with child rape and related counts. Investigators said Tasker had a brief relationship with Parker and in 2015 went to Saylorsburg to visit him. During the visit, she slept in the boy's bed and assaulted him, prosecutors said. "In January, we made a promise when we first filed charges against predators that this investigation would continue as long as it takes," Shapiro said in a prepared statement. "The hard work of the agents and attorneys in our Child Predator Section, working closely with other law enforcement partners, led to this latest arrest. "This is a deeply disturbing case, and we care about this victim and every victim of sexual abuse." Tasker was arraigned on $250,000 cash bail and ordered to Monroe County Prison, the attorney general's office said. A preliminary hearing is tentatively scheduled for May 22. Last week another one of the defendants, 57-year-old Kenneth C. Fenske of Milford Township, outside Quakertown, was held for trial on charges of child rape, involuntary deviate sexual intercourse, corruption of minors and unlawful contact with a minor. The three others charged with sex offenses in the predator ring are Jeffrey Harvey, 40, of West Wyoming in Luzerne County, Pa.; Craig Knox, 35, of Henrico, Va.; and Stephen Taylor, of Virginia. Shapiro praised the cooperation of the Bucks County District Attorney's Office, Bucks County detectives, Pennsylvania State Police, U.S. Postal Inspectors, the FBI and Homeland Security investigators. "We will work relentlessly on this investigation with our law enforcement partners until every perpetrator and child abuser has been arrested and brought to justice," Shapiro said. Suspected child predators can be reported to the Office of Attorney General by calling the Child Predator Hotline at 1-800-385-1044. Individuals who suspect an online predator or abuse can also send anonymous tips by texting PAKIDS + YOUR TIP to 847411. Jim Deegan may be reached at jdeegan@lehighvalleylive.com. Follow him on Twitter @jim_deegan. Find lehighvalleylive on Facebook. A son of Phillipsburg will soon lead the town's schools as superintendent, a position for which he was chosen in perhaps the most Phillipsburg way possible -- amid controversy. Only a few weeks ago, supporters of Greg Troxell -- and there are many -- accused school board members of conspiring against him. There were rumors of feuds, allusions of collusion and claims of campaign favors that were supposedly steering the board away from the internal candidate for the superintendent job. Then, on Monday, the vote to name Troxell as the district's next schools chief was a unanimous 12-0. So what's next for the district of 3,500 students and a new, $127.5 million high school? The first step, according to Troxell's predecessor, is to move past the controversy. "You look beyond all that and you move forward. That's how you get things accomplished," said George Chando, who will retire as superintendent at the end of June. Troxell did not respond to requests for comment on his immediate plans. Phillipsburg Superintendent George Chando is retiring at the end of June. He is also a candidate for the Easton school board. (Saed Hindash | For lehighvalleylive.com) The careers of Troxell and Chando seem to mirror each other. Both attended Phillipsburg schools and returned in their careers, starting as teachers and working their way through the administrative ranks. Since 2015, Troxell -- a father of three who lives in Palmer Township -- has served in the district's No. 2 position as assistant superintendent. That is partially what drew supporters to a school board meeting last month. For hours, past and present students and teachers, among other residents, said they wanted to see the job go to "a Phillipsburg lifer" and praised Troxell for his seemingly constant presence at school events. Many also came to that meeting because they were angry. The teacher's union in a letter days before the meeting said Troxell had already been eliminated from contention. It accused a "political influence of a (singular) special interest" of having "infiltrated" the board via campaigns, under a deal that asks board members "deny the best candidate the seat they have earned." Board members could not respond to the allegations at the time because the selection process was not complete. On Friday -- days after the unanimous vote in favor of Troxell -- school board Vice President Matt Scerbo said the allegations and comments from the union were "in poor taste." He added that the union president, Gregg Babbitt, "means well" and said Babbitt's public statement after Monday's vote affirming Troxell was "sufficient for me." Babbitt did not return calls for comment. But at the latest board meeting he said the vote "shows that you (the board) had an open mind, that you listened to our voice, you listened to what we want moving forward and in the future and so we do appreciate that." Greg Troxell is applauded following his unanimous appointment as superintendent of the Phillipsburg School District during the May 8, 2017, meeting of the board of education. (Tim Wynkoop |Lehighvalleylive.com contributor) Scerbo, the board vice president, said Troxell was always high in the running for the job. He praised the soon-to-be-superintendent as someone who is in touch with both the staff and the community: "Going forward," he said, "the sky's the limit." "I think we have a lot of faith in Mr. Troxell, who's been a P'burg guy all his life," Scerbo said. "He's a hometown hero." Still, be it Phillipsburg or anywhere else, it's only a matter of time before controversy arises again. Chando -- who will receive the Phillipsburg Area Chamber of Commerce's Citizen of the Year award at a banquet June 6 -- offered his successor advice for how to handle it. "Whatever challenges you face, you always have to ensure you have all your facts," he said. "The only thing you have to keep in mind is what's best for the students and the staff of the district." Chando added: "I have no doubt Greg will be very successful." Steve Novak may be reached at snovak@lehighvalleylive.com. Follow him on Twitter @type2supernovak and Facebook. Find lehighvalleylive.com on Facebook. Authorities at Newark Liberty International Airport on Saturday arrested a Lehigh Valley man who they said had a loaded semi-automatic handgun in a carry-on bag. Transportation Security Administration officers stopped the traveler, who was ticketed to fly to Havana, Cuba, after detecting the 9mm pistol at a security checkpoint X-ray machine. Authorities did not immediately release the man's name but said he was from Northampton. The handgun was loaded with 18 hollow-point bullets, including one in the chamber, officials said. TSA officers immediately contacted the Port Authority Police Department, which confiscated the gun and arrested the man on New Jersey weapons charges. Authorities said weapons, including firearms, firearm parts and ammunition, are not permitted in carry-on bags. Travelers who bring firearms to a checkpoint are subject to criminal charges from local law enforcement and civil penalties from TSA of up to $12,000. Passengers are responsible for the contents of bags they bring to the security checkpoint, and TSA's advice to passengers is to look through bags thoroughly before coming to the airport to make sure there are no illegal or prohibited items, according to a news release. Jim Deegan may be reached at jdeegan@lehighvalleylive.com. Follow him on Twitter @jim_deegan. Find lehighvalleylive on Facebook. Education is going through a difficult time, with many schools declaring teachers redundant, increasing class sizes, cutting out subjects and asking parents for money. The Government claims education has never been better funded. It takes no account that this is mainly due to an increase in pupil numbers, or that additional costs are being placed on schools. Nor do they mention the unfunded increase in National Insurance. They are prepared to waste money on Grammar Schools. As Liberal Democrats we should take a different view, scrap the Grammar Schools and start funding education with a fully costed proposal, part funded by savings from staying in the Single Market. When we have sorted out the finance and stopped wasting money on Grammar and Free Schools it is time to break down the National Education System (which Labour appear to support), and remove the Regional Schools Commissioners. The tasks currently carried nationally and regionally should be devolved locally, through revamped LEAs. That is not returning to the old LEA structure, but LEA school support was very valuable and in many cases achieved more than a ticking off from Ofstead. League tables should go, and be replaced by a report of strengths and weaknesses, with proposed improvement actions. The attainment gap needs to be addressed. Poor attainment starts at home. The pupil premium should be increased, on condition that schools work closer with families. We need to address the running down of Youth Services, as these services often inspire children. We need closer working between LEAs, schools, voluntary services, social services and mental health services. This is just a summary of where Liberal Democrat Education policy should be going. The paper to be presented at the Autumn Conference should take us a step forward. Let us make Education Education Education a Liberal Democrat cry. * David Becket is a former Lib Dem County Councillor, Unitary Councillor and District Councillor; he has held positions of responsibility at all levels. In news which will surprise absolutely nobody, the Lib Dems are announcing today that we will maintain the requirement to spend 0.7% of GDP on international aid. Getting this written into law was one of our best achievements in coalition and we are not going to let it go even though ti has become the focus of the ire of the right wing press. We believe that it is important that the UK continues to alleviate poverty across the world, helping to build a more secure and stable international community. Tim Farron explained why this is so important to us: There are five key elements to the Scottish Liberal Democrats main themes for this General Election. We plant ourselves firmly on the side of the majority of people in Scotland pro EU, pro UK and progressive. And we say that our priorities for any extra money coming to Scotland are education and mental health. None of this is particularly surprising as Willie Rennie has been banging on about it for years. The SNP is in charge of health and education in Scotland and has failed miserably on both. This week very poor literacy figures came out. Given every child under 15 has received their entire education under the SNP. One barrier to being able to make the most of education is poor mental health. Willie has been talking for some time about a constituent whose child had to wait a year for mental health treatment. If you think about it, thats a sixth of their secondary education. Once proper support begins, its not a quick job to restore good health so the impact on childrens lives is real and damaging. New statistics acquired by the party through freedom of information requests have shown that five big Scottish health boards, including Lothians, Fife and Highland, recorded cases of children waiting over a year for mental health treatment in 2016/17 or on their current waiting lists. They include children and young people waiting: 666 days in Lothian before starting treatment in 2016/17 623 days in Highland before starting treatment in 2016/17 611 days in Fife currently 448 days in Ayrshire and Arran currently 385 days in Grampian before starting treatment in 2016/17 After publishing the new figures, Willie commented: It is appalling to learn that children and young people are still waiting almost two years for the mental health treatment they need. Waiting more than 600 days for help must feel like a lifetime. SNP ministers should hang their heads in shame. These new statistics show why SNP Government was so wrong to reject the opportunity to invest to transform mental health services in its budget. It shows the damage caused by its letting the mental health strategy expire for 15 months. Its replacement has finally been published but charities and pressure groups have rightly declared it lacks ambition, detail and investment. For years, the First Minister has told me time after time of her commitment to mental health but there is very little evidence of improvement. The urgency and the scale of the investment that we need to see is simply not there. Staff are doing their best but there is nowhere near enough resources or early interventions. This is yet another example of the SNPs obsession with independence taking its toll. Only the Liberal Democrats have set out a comprehensive and positive plan that will deliver a step change in mental health. This includes ending the underfunding of mental health, new units for children and more professionals at more locations capable of delivering therapies. That is the way to give every child a chance of getting on in life. Dr Jean Davis, Liberal Democrat candidate for Ross, Skye and Lochaber added: It is intolerable to learn that children, last year and right now, have been waiting over 600 days for mental health treatment in the Highlands. To make matters worse, there are still no specialist mental health beds for children north of Dundee. There is no justification for forcing children to travel hundreds of miles from home for the treatment they need. Only the Liberal Democrats will deliver the stepchange in mental health that is so desperately needed. One thing that they didnt mention is that making children wait for almost a third of their secondary education before even getting treatment is bad enough but the things put in place to support them are withdrawn rapidly once they reach 18. When Norman Lamb was Health Minister with responsibility for mental health in England, he was open to the idea of extending the scope of the Child and Adolescent Mental Health Service to 25, with extra resource. Its something that we should be thinking about in Scotland. * Caron Lindsay is Editor of Liberal Democrat Voice and blogs at Caron's Musings Welcome to the Golden Dozen, and our 480th weekly round-up from the Lib Dem blogosphere Featuring the five most popular stories beyond Lib Dem Voice according to click-throughs from the Aggregator (7-13 May, 2017), together with a hand-picked seven you might otherwise have missed. Dont forget: you can sign up to receive the Golden Dozen direct to your email inbox just click here ensuring you never miss out on the best of Lib Dem blogging. As ever, lets start with the most popular post, and work our way down: 1. Labour MP airbrushes Lib Dem opponent out of photo but leaves in his legs by Mark Pack on Mark Pack. I think the second photo in Marks piece is instructive, though. 2. The Conservative vs Lib Dem general election battle summed dup in one graph by Mark Pack on Mark Pack. Where are the leaders visiting? Theres a remarkable correlation. 3. *Breaking* Lib Dem candidate statement for Hastings and Rye by Nick Perry on Nick Perry for Hastings and Rye. So how did a genuine attempt to broker a deal on a progressive alliance theme go? 4. The Progressive Alliance have posters up in Richmond Park by Richard Morris on A View from Ham Common. This is how to do it. 5. Lib Dem armchair strategists arent working by James on Badly Drawn Llama. For the people who think they know best. And now to the seven blog-posts that come highly recommended, regardless of the number of Aggregator click-throughs they attracted. To nominate a Lib Dem blog article published in the past seven days your own, or someone elses, all you have to do is drop a line to [email protected] You can also contact us via Twitter, where were @libdemvoice 6. A Liberal Africa, a Liberal EU and Africas young leaders can create a recipe for success by Martin Roche on African Leadership Magazine. How Africas Liberal young people can generate a liberal politics and form an alliance with the EU. 7. Regarding the CPS decision on Tory election expenses scandal by Jennie Rigg on Every second is a new spark, sets the universe aflame. Some common sense and some home truths for a Conservative Party which has been found wanting by the Electoral Commission. 8. Is Danny Alexander trying to tell us something? by Jonathan Calder on Liberal England. Whats in a retweet? 9. Vote for the nonattitudes party by Nick Barlow on What you can get away with. On Labour being behind but having some popular policies 10. I woke up with an ear worm and it might be glee worthy but its the Osmonds by Jennie Rigg on Every second is a new spark, sets the universe aflame. We have Fiddlers Dram in the Glee Club songbook, for goodness sake. The Osmonds is quality in comparison. 11. What Emmanuel Macron becoming President of France means for Britain? by Nick Tyrone on NickTyrone.com. It should give confidence to progressives that winning power can be done. 12. Trans politicians standing for election June 2017 by Zoe OConnell on Complicity. How many out trans people are standing in the GE? And thats it for another week. Happy blogging n reading n nominating. Featured? Add this to your blog post! Featured on Liberal Democrat Voice * Caron Lindsay is Editor of Liberal Democrat Voice and blogs at Caron's Musings We're sorry but this episode no longer available on Lightsource.com. However, below are some other recent episodes from Turning Point. A TIPPERARY company has nailed its colours to the mast in support of the Limerick to Cork motorway upgrade. McHale Plant Sales, based in Birdhill, lodged a submission backing the project with the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform. It was written in response to a public invitation issued by the Minister involved, Paschal Donohoe, and in support of efforts being made by local senator, Kieran ODonnell. The submission cites numerous reasons why the existing N20 should be developed as a motorway in the public good. Key amongst the arguments made by the construction plant and machinery distributor is the urgent need to relieve traffic congestion, a problem they contend is stifling communications and trade along this key south western corridor. They say it poses risks of all kinds to those who live near it and have no alternative but to use it. The N20 is described as a crawling bottleneck that promises nothing but delay, frustration, inconvenience and hazard to those communities who must contend with the numerous threats and drawbacks that heavy traffic brings. Declaring its own interest as a company whose customers could benefit from a decision to undertake the work involved, the submission goes on to list benefits that it believes a motorway would bring. Supporting arguments made under various headings include cost savings, environmental and health benefits, including faster hospital and other emergency access, job creation, economic benefits, safety, and the diversion of traffic flows away from minor roads locally. In light of efforts being made to promote the Wild Atlantic Way to tourists, at home and abroad, they say that an M20 motorway would be a vital new link in a western corridor that would open up the Atlantic coastline and its numerous attractions to an even greater number of visitors. Moreover, it would significantly improve travel time to and from Shannon Airport and between major population centres from Cork to Donegal. Michael McHale, the companys managing director, said he was mindful of the old saying that time is money. It is to be expected that business users would translate savings in journey times into economic benefit through reductions in transportation and distribution costs, while private users would make significant annual savings in fuel consumption and in other ways, said Mr McHale. A YOUNG man who threatened to shoot a woman if she did not hand over her handbag and phone has been jailed for eight and-a-half years. In addition to pleading guilty to robbery, Craig ODonnell, aged 20, of OMalley Park, Southill, also pleaded guilty to charges relating to a spate of burglaries at student accommodation in Castletroy. During a sentencing hearing last month Limerick Circuit Court was told the defendant and another man approached the woman as she was sitting in her car outside her home in Castletroy shortly before midnight on August 1, 2015. Detective Garda Pardaic Quirke said the woman was on the phone when the car door swung open. He said ODonnell, blocked her from getting out of the car and demanded that she hand over her valuables. A pellet gun was pointed at the womans head by ODonnell who said he would shoot and kill her if she did not cooperate. She thought she was going to die, Det Garda Quirke told Cephas Power BL, prosecuting. The culprits escaped with a Michael Kors handbag which contained around 170 in cash and a variety of bank and identity cards. While the handbag and phone were recovered by gardai, the cash was not. In a victim impact statement, the woman, who is in receipt of disability allowance, said she was treated in hospital for post traumatic stress following the incident and still wakes in the middle of the night. She said she has had to leave her home on a number of occasions since as she does not feel safe and is constantly double-checking the locks. Judge Tom ODonnell was told that during one of the burglaries the occupant of a house at Cambridge Close was woken when a male entered his bedroom at around 4am on December 3, 2014. When he followed him, he encountered a second man (Mr ODonnell) who was armed with a knife. After the culprits escaped with his phone and wallet, the student, who is from Ennis, got a taxi home and his parents raised the alarm. Brian McCartney QC said his client was absolutely stoned out of his head when he committed the robbery and the earlier burglary offences and that his motivation was to get money to pay for drugs. Imposing sentence on Friday, Judge Tom said the incidents had been very frightening for each of the victims and that the use of a weapon and the threats of violence were an aggravating factor. He noted the defendant a father-of-one was addicted to drugs at the time and that none of the victims had been physically injured. The judge said ODonnell was living a chaotic lifestyle in the past but that he is now more mature. He imposed consecutive sentences totalling ten years suspending the final 18 months. The judge directed the defendant be given credit for any time he has already served in custody. A LIMERICK city centre secondary school is set to pioneer an innovative entrepreneurship pilot project after getting the green light from the Department of Education. The eN Centre for Entrepreneurs is now in development phase, which will be located on the site of CBS Sexton Street, and was launched by Minister for Education Richard Bruton. The facility will act as a learning hub delivering entrepreneurial studies to young people, and will also be a co-working space for start-ups. Led by former Secretary General at the Department of Finance John Moran, the project has been developed with the support of the Department of Education, the Edmund Rice Schools Trust, CBS Sexton Street, LIT, the Entrepreneurship Academy, Innovate Limerick and the pupils themselves. Minister Bruton said that a strong focus on entrepreneurship works with the Governments Action Plan for Jobs. As the project evolves the school can act as a model for boosting and nurturing entrepreneurship in both primary and post-primary education across Ireland, as well as providing a platform for alumni of those schools to start their own business, he said at the launch. John Moran has announced he is committing over 100,000 to the start-up costs of eN in memory of his father, a local Limerick entrepreneur, who passed away last year. Ireland needs more start-ups. It is now time to teach Irelands future generations that instead of just looking for their dream job they should look for their dream clients and learn how to take control of their own destiny by creating a business for themselves and others, he said. Minister Bruton also visited Gaelcholaiste Luimnigh, which was awarded Irelands first ever Apple School of Distinction, for its excellence in ICT education. May 14, 2017, 10 AM The H.R. Harmer sale of the Richard D. Miggins collection of the Philippines includes this top margin block of the 1881 red overprint on the 2-real blue revenue stamp, the only recorded multiple of this issue. Also offered during the H.R. Harmer auction: a set of 15 complete imperforate sheets from the 1934 issues, each signed and personalized in the margin by Postmaster General James A. Farley. One of three signed mint arrow blocks of the United States 1934 National Parks issue from the collection of Harold L. Ickes, Secretary of the Interior during the administration of Franklin D. Roosevelt. The imperforate stamps are from the original printin By Michael Baadke The H.R. Harmer firm in California will offer its next auction series May 31-June 3 in the Newport Beach Room at the Hilton Costa Mesa, 3050 Bristol St., Costa Mesa, Calif. The auctions are described in two catalogs, with the first presenting United States, British Commonwealth and foreign stamps, covers, and collections. The second offers material from the Richard D. Miggins collection of the Philippines. Together, the two sales include more than 3,800 lots of material. Both catalogs have been posted online on Harmer's website and can be viewed on the website or downloaded as complete PDF documents. Several lots among the United States issues bring together material from the original imperforate stamp sheets presented as gifts in 1934 by Postmaster General James A. Farley to friends and political figures, including President Franklin D. Roosevelt, and Farleys own three children. Connect with Linns Stamp News: Sign up for our newsletter Like us on Facebook Follow us on Twitter When collectors protested these gifts, Farley stopped providing the signed sheets and ordered a new special imperforate printing of the sheets that had been presented, so that collectors could have similar material for their own collections. As described by H.R. Harmer, the items offered in this sale are not from those 1935 special printings identified as United States Scott 752-775, but from actual sheets of the original 1934 printing given out by Farley as postmaster general. An example is one lot offering mint arrow blocks of imperforates from Scott 740-749, including three blocks that are each hand-signed Harold L. Ickes/Secretary of the Interior/Aug. 30, 1934 in the sheet margin (a 2 block of eight, 3 block of eight, and 5 block of 12). The Bureau of Engraving and Printing applied gum to the back of Ickes imperforate sets at his request. Details of the issue, including some small faults, are noted on 2015 certificates from Professional Stamp Experts for each block in the lot. The start price for this lot as determined by H.R. Harmer is $2,000. The show stopper among these offerings is a single lot of 15 intact imperforate sheets of Scott 738-751 and CE1, consisting of 200 stamps each with the exceptions of Scott 750 and 751, which each comprise 20 six-stamp souvenir sheets. All of the imperforate press sheets are margin-signed by Farley to Third Assistant Postmaster General Clinton B. Eilenberger. Each is dated 1934, distinguishing them from the 1935 special printings. The original Farley gift sheets are rarely seen intact, and this particular grouping presented to Eilenberger was last offered at auction 41 years ago. H.R. Harmer estimates that this single lot comprises about 15 percent of the entire number of imperforate sheets distributed by Farley, many of which are now in museum care or have been cut into blocks for sale. The start price for bidding on the Farley sheet grouping is $50,000. Additional lots bring together groupings of imperforate commemorative singles, margin blocks and more, including material from the collections of Ickes and Roosevelt. Other U.S. material in this auction includes 19th-century and 20th-century stamps and postal history, proofs and essays, back-of-the-book, territories and possessions, Confederate States postal history, airmail covers, collections and accumulations and more. The auction also includes an intriguing postal card essay possibly dating from around 1974, which uses a nondenominated design very similar (but not identical) to the 1974 10 It All Depends on ZIP Code stamp (Scott 1911). H.R. Harmer calls it an unadopted design proposed for international mail, very fine and rare. The start price for the postal card essay is $900. More than 200 stamps and covers from Great Britain and the British Commonwealth will be offered during the second session, scheduled for June 1. The offerings include classic as well as modern material, with a number of handsome items from Canada and British North America. The scarce 1851 6-penny yellow-green stamp of Nova Scotia (Scott 4) is one example, an unused very fine sound example with clear to full margins. The stamp is accompanied by a 2008 certificate from the Philatelic Foundation declaring it genuine with no gum (the Scott catalog notes this issue is rarely found with any remaining original gum). The Scott catalog value is $6,000, and the H.R. Harmer start price for this example is $1,200. The Richard D. Miggins collection of the Philippines offers material gathered during the course of 40 years and displayed in Miggins award-winning exhibits. The offerings, numbering more than 1,000 lots, span from the Marianas Islands period through the 1942-44 Japanese occupation period and the 1944 Victory handstamped overprints. Among the stamps of the Spanish Administration period are numerous Habilitado por la Nacion overprints, including one of the rarest: the 1874 5-centavo orange (Scott 24A) in the form of a used single with rich color, ample to full margins all around. Only three or four examples of this stamp are known in any condition, according to the H.R. Harmer description, and this one is accompanied by a 2012 certificate from the American Philatelic Society Expertizing Service. The Scott catalog value for this stamp is $8,000, listed in italics (which denotes an item that can be difficult to value accurately). The auction start price for the single stamp is $5,000. Another rarity is found among the 1881-89 surcharges, and in this case it takes the form of the only multiple recorded for the 1881 red overprint on the 2-real blue revenue stamp (Scott 127A). A single stamp carries a $900 value in the Scott catalog. This 20-stamp imprint block has some small faults, including a small punch hole in one of the stamps, but it remains one of the gems of Philippines philately, H.R. Harmer notes. This block is also certified by the American Philatelic Society Expertizing Service, and has a start price in this auction of $10,000. Online bidding is available with registration on the H.R. Harmer website for both the U.S. and foreign auction and the Miggins Philippines auction. For additional information, contact H.R. Harmer, 2680 Walnut Ave., Suite AB, Tustin, CA 92780-7052. Get back (Image credit: Shutterstock) A human mother carries a growing fetus in her womb for approximately nine months, but even after the baby is born, the helpless newborn still needs to be carried. In fact, many animal mothers transport their young, sometimes many dozens of them at a time, and sometimes lugging them around for years. Animals tote their babies in a variety of ways marsupials like kangaroos, koalas and wallabies have specialized pouches that cradle their still-developing infants, while fish, crocodilians and certain mammals often transport their young using their mouths. But a surprising variety of animals carry their young on their backs, and for Mother's Day, Live Science took a closer look at some of these "piggybacking" mothers (but despite this behavior's nickname, it is not practiced by hogs or pigs). Chimpanzee (Image credit: Shutterstock) Great apes gorillas, chimpanzees, bonobos and orangutans are our closest primate relatives, and all are known to carry their young on their backs. In most primate species, newborns are unable to walk or care for themselves, and are not protected by nests. Their slow development requires that their mothers keep them close, for frequent nursing and for transportation and protection. Infants are usually transferred from the front of the mother's body to her back when they are strong enough to grip her securely typically when they are few months old, according to a study published April 2008 in the journal Naturwissenschaften. Chimpanzees are the most social of the great apes, and they also demonstrate a long period of dependency between mothers and offspring. Infants nurse for up to five years, and frequently stay close to their mothers for several more years after they are fully weaned, according to the nonprofit conservation organization Center for Great Apes. Horned marsupial frog (Image credit: Alamy) The term "marsupial" typically conjures images of mammals that tote their young in furry pouches, such as kangaroos, koalas, and other denizens of the Australian continent. But the rare and endangered horned marsupial frog (Gastrotheca cornuta), which lives in the forests of Panama, Columbia and Ecuador, also bears a stretchy baby-bearing pouch on her back. Inside her pouch, the mother frog incubates a small clutch of the largest known amphibian eggs, which measure about 0.4 inches (10 millimeters) in diameter. To put that into perspective, the mother's entire body measures about 3 inches (77 mm), herpetologist Jay M. Savage, an adjunct professor of biology at San Diego State University, wrote in "The Amphibians and Reptiles of Costa Rica" (The University of Chicago Press, 2002). After a male fertilizes the females' eggs, he guides them into her pouch, where the embryos develop into froglets. The pouch is a permanent structure, but it changes greatly during reproduction, with separate chambers forming to encase each tiny embryo. It is thought that air circulates to the developing froglets' gills through a network of veins in the pouch, Savage wrote. Swan (Image credit: Shutterstock) Swans, the world's largest waterfowl, are widely recognized for their loyalty to their mates and are known to pair up for life. But swan mothers have also been observed providing especially devoted attention to their young known as cygnets by serving as a temporary flotation device to help the little ones as they learn to swim. Of the six knowns swan species, orange-billed mute swans (Cygnus olor) are the most common sight, visible in ponds and lakes in Europe, northern-central Asia and in North America, where they were introduced in the late 19th century. They were brought to the U.S. as "decorative" birds in zoos, parks and private estates, but feral populations spread to the Northeast, Mid-Atlantic, Great Lakes, and Pacific Northwest regions, according to the Cornell Lab of Ornithology. Female swans typically lay five to seven eggs, which incubate for 36 to 38 days, according to the University of Michigan Museum of Zoology. Cygnets are covered in white or grayish down, and can swim and dive about 24 hours after hatching. Their mothers and fathers share parental care, frequently carrying the cygnets on their backs, with their wings curled protectively over their babies. Wolf spider (Image credit: Shutterstock) Wolf spiders practice a form of infant care that is unique among spiders. As soon as the spiderlings emerge from their egg sac, they immediately clamber onto their mother's back, where they remain for up to two weeks, researchers reported in a study of several wolf spider species, published in 1964 in the journal Arkansas Academy of Science Proceedings. The scientists observed that the first spiderling usually hesitated as it poked its head out of a hole in the egg sac. But it soon scrambled out, crawling over its mother's body until it settled on her back, and all of its siblings followed shortly thereafter and crowded aboard. As many as 1,035 spiderlings piled on in the wolf spider species Lycosa rabida, the scientists discovered. Once the spiderlings were settled on their mother's back, the scene could be quite chaotic, according to the researchers. "The egg sacs usually emptied within 3 hours, and the spiderlings have stacked themselves on top of each other over the "mother's" abdomen, and may be spilling over onto the sides and onto her phalothorax which keeps her busy, occasionally, brushing them out of her eyes with her palpi," the study authors wrote. Surinam toad (Image credit: Natural Visions/Alamy) The grey, tongueless, triangle-headed and curiously flat Surinam toad (Pipa pipa) is almost entirely aquatic, living in lowland rainforests in Bolivia, Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador, the Guianas, Peru and Trinidad. During mating season, the male helps the female to position up to 100 fertilized eggs on her back, where they are overgrown by skin, according to the Encyclopedia of Life. While encased in her back, the embryos develop within the eggs as tadpoles for around three to four months, finally bursting out of the mother's back as tiny froglets that measure about 0.8 inches (2 centimeters) in length. After the leggy little ones emerge, the mother sheds her skin in preparation for the next mating season, the San Diego Zoo explained in a species description. Opossum (Image credit: ShuNerstock) Opossums are North America's only native marsupials. There are about 75 species in this family living in both North and South America, and one of the most widely distributed species is the Virginia opossum (Didelphis virginiana). Females give birth to litters of approximately 4 to 25 young that are "honey-bee-sized," following an extremely short gestation period of 12 to 13 days, according to a description published by Animal Diversity Web (ADW). The newborns drag themselves into the mother's pouch with their muscular front legs only about eight of them will survive the journey. Those that do, develop for about two to three months and then transfer to the mother's back for another one to two months, as they gradually wean and become more independent. Scorpion (Image credit: Shutterstock) Keeping track of up to 100 babies is a daunting task for any mother, and female scorpions do so by carrying their scores of young called scorplings on their backs until the scorplings' first molt, according to a study published in 2011 in the European Journal of Entomology. The scorplings are born alive, and their bodies, which look like tiny versions of adult scorpions' forms, are soft and pale. They leave their mother's back after about 10 to 20 days, when their exoskeletons harden and darken. Scorpion mothers sometimes enjoy an additional benefit from bearing their babies on their backs easy access to a quick snack. However, this type of cannibalism typically only happens when the mother can't find any prey, the study authors wrote. Giant anteater (Image credit: Ken Bohn/San Diego Zoo via Getty) For the first year of their lives, giant anteater young known as "pups" frequently ride on their mothers' backs, according to a species description published online by the San Diego Zoo. Giant anteaters (Myrmecophaga tridactyla),usually bear one pup at a time. Newborns weigh about three pounds (1.4 kilograms) at birth and emerge covered in a full coat of hair. They stick close by their mothers for four weeks, nestling under her to nurse and clambering up onto her back for a lift whenever she moves around. Pups grow more independent after about one month, but are still frequent passengers on their mothers' backs, the San Diego Zoo explains, adding that the pups will usually wean by the time they are nine months old, and leave their mothers at about two years old, when they are sexually mature. Whip spider (Image credit: Newscom) Also known as tailless whip scorpions, whip spiders are not true spiders, but rather belong to an arachnid group known as amblypygids, which contains over 155 species. Though they have eight limbs, only six are used for walking, while two whip-like appendages which can be several times as long as their bodies act as sensory organs. Females lay between 6 and 60 eggs, which they carry around in a leathery sac for around three months until the eggs hatch. When the babies first emerge, they are white and very soft, and cling to their mother until after their next molt, according to a species description published online by the Cincinnati Zoo. Banded horned tree frog (Image credit: Alamy) The banded horned tree frog (Hemiphractus fasciatus) has a distinctive triangular "helmet" adorning its head, and is found in parts of Ecuador, Panama and Colombia. It does not have a tadpole stage in its life cycle. Instead, fully-formed froglets miniature versions of adults emerge after developing from eggs attached to the skin on their mother's back, according to a study published in 1974 in the journal Occasional Papers Museum of Natural History at the University of Kansas. Females can grow to be nearly 3 inches (69 millimeters) in length, and their eggs measure about 0.2 inches (between 5 and 6 mm) in diameter. After the froglets have emerged from the eggs, depressions remain visible on the mother's back, the study authors wrote. Its weather can be depressing, the beaches uninviting and it lacks a mining industry to generate wealth. Yet Melbourne is growing at the fastest pace in Australia as employers vacuum up workers to meet the southern city's booming demand. Melbourne, which served as Australia's political capital and financial center from federation through to the mid-1920s, is undergoing a renaissance. Its population is forecast to overtake Sydney's in the decades ahead now that the former rustbelt region has reinvented itself as a hub for education and high tech -- attracting firms such as Geli, a software maker that chose the city for its first office outside the U.S. The city has refashioned its center. Dirty laneways have been turned into clusters of cool cafes and restaurants, and small bars have opened that would just as easily be at home in Paris. Central Melbourne reeks of fashion and has a feeling of being on the cusp of new ideas. "Melbourne and San Francisco share a stylistic and ethical vibe, and we believed the employees in our Melbourne office would immediately identify with the norms we have here at Geli," Chief Executive Officer Daniel Loflin said in an interview from his company's headquarters in San Francisco. "That gave us confidence that we were launching somewhere that was quite akin to our home base." The rejuvenation has occurred in a state bereft of a mining industry and whose manufacturing was hammered by a strong currency during the resource boom -- including the shuttering of its car makers -- testament to Melbourne's capacity to innovate. It has opted for services like education and become a leader in health and the associated sectors that spill off it. "This is a very diversified economy," said Ian Harper, a Reserve Bank of Australia board member and senior adviser at consultancy Deloitte Access Economics who is based in Melbourne. "Across agriculture, professional services, higher education -- Australia's higher education industry, particularly its exports of higher education, are based here in Victoria. So we have a significant broad base: health, education, high-end manufacturing, agriculture, financial services. It's not surprising that this state is very, very strong." It is also experiencing a housing boom. Melbourne prices have almost doubled since 2009, but it's important that properties in the city sell at a 26 percent discount to those in Sydney, where first-time buyers are close to being priced out of the market. Victoria's government also said in February it's planning 17 new suburbs around Melbourne's fringe, with the rezoning of 100,000 housing lots within two years, to help accommodate the new arrivals. Indeed, five of the 10 fastest growing suburbs in Australia are located around the city. Victoria "invested earlier and better in infrastructure than much of the rest of Australia," Deloitte Access Economics said in a report on Australia's states. "In turn, that made house and land packages on the outskirts of Melbourne rather more affordable than their equivalents in Sydney and Brisbane and Perth." To keep the city moving, and to cope with the population spurt, the government has begun a massive infrastructure construction program to ease traffic congestion. Deloitte estimates the city has A$48 billion ($35.4 billion) of engineering activity planned or underway. "It's obvious that the secret is out," Geli's Loflin said of Melbourne's attractions. "If it was a secret then, the congregation of these companies and people shows you that it's not anymore." Lisi Niesner, Bloomberg Austrian Chancellor Christian Kern said his country is headed for early elections in the fall after the conservative People's Party effectively abandoned the government coalition on Friday. "I assume that there's certainly going to be an election this fall," Kern told Austrian public broadcaster ORF in an interview on Sunday. "It was most evident, in front of running cameras and broadcast live, that the designated head of the People's Party told us that the pact is over. Everybody could see that." These days, the gods appear to be blessing Egypt's floundering tourism sector that hinges largely on its ancient past as a cradle of mankind. Virtually every week, it seems, new aspects of Egypt's history are being unearthed. Literally. The country's antiquities ministry announced Saturday that at least 17 well-preserved mummies were found in a necropolis in the village of Tuna al-Gabal, about 135 miles south of the capital, Cairo. The discovery surprised many because the ancient burial site on the fringes of the western desert was mainly known as an area where thousands of mummified birds and animals had been discovered over the years. "It's the first human necropolis to be found here in Tuna al-Gabal," Egypt's antiquities minister Khaled al-Anani told reporters at the site. "2017 has been a historic year for archaeological discoveries." Judging from their elaborate preservation, the mummies likely belonged to officials or priests, he added. Also found at the site were six limestone and clay sarcophagi, two clay coffins and a number of other artifacts, Anani said. The discoveries likely date back to the Greco-Roman period, which lasted for nearly six centuries after Alexander the Great conquered Egypt in 332 BC. The findings were the latest in a series of discoveries in recent months. Among the new treasures: a dozen cemeteries that date back around 3,500 years, the ancient tomb of a nobleman that could be more than 3,000 years old and a giant colossus believed to portray King Psammetichus I, who ruled in the sixth century BC. Even Cairo's crowded neighborhoods have proved fruitful arenas for new discoveries. In March, a German-Egyptian archaeological team uncovered a 26-foot-tall statue believed to be of Ramses the Great, who ruled more than 3,000 years ago and is widely considered ancient Egypt's most powerful ruler. The statue, made of quartzite, was found in several pieces in Cairo's Matariya enclave. Last Tuesday, the antiquities ministry announced the finding of a 3,700-year-old burial chamber near the remains of a recently discovered pyramid at Dashur, south of Cairo. The chamber is likely belongs to a daughter of King Emnikamaw, and contained a wooden box engraved with hieroglyphs, said the ministry. Last month, archaeologists found more ancient artifacts at Dashur, where the pharaoh Sneferu built Egypt's first smooth-sided pyramid about 4,600 years ago. His son Khufu built the Great Pyramid of Giza, one of the country's best-known tourist attractions and a wonder of the ancient world. The discoveries come at a crucial time for Egypt. The tourism sector, a vital source of hard currency, has struggled to recover since the country's populist revolts of 2011 ousted President Hosni Mubarak, triggering political turmoil. Since then, a string of factors have kept many tourists away, including a slew of militant attacks, punctuated by the bombing of a Russian passenger plane in 2015, as well as attacks and abuses by Egypt's own security forces. Egyptian officials hope the new discoveries will change the tourism industry's fortunes. Tourism Minister Yehia Rashed said last month, according to Reuters, that the new finds could raise tourism levels to about 10 million, an improvement from the 9.3 million visitors that came in 2015 but still far below the 14.7 million from 2010. Figures for last year are not yet available. Meanwhile, the work continues at Tuna Al-Gabal, where Egyptian officials predict much bigger discoveries remain to be found. New York State has opened an investigation into the real-estate dealings of President Donald Trump's former campaign manager, Paul Manafort, deepening the already intense legal scrutiny of the young administration. The probe by New York Attorney General Eric Schneiderman, one of the most outspoken critics of the president, is in a preliminary stage, according to a person familiar with the matter who asked not to be named because the investigation isn't public. Manafort, who ran Trump's campaign from April to August last year, has owned property in the Hamptons and Trump Tower in Manhattan. Manhattan District Attorney Cyrus Vance Jr. is also in the early stages of an investigation into Manafort's transactions, a person familiar with that probe said. Representatives for Schneiderman and Vance declined to comment. The inquiries by the two Democrats could pose added legal peril for Manafort if investigators find evidence of a crime. Unlike a probe by the U.S. Justice Department and FBI, the president and Attorney General Jeff Sessions have no authority over New York state investigators scrutinizing whether Manafort broke state laws. Schneiderman is responsible for enforcing New York's securities laws under the Martin Act, which gives him broad powers to pursue white-collar crime. "If someone's leaking information about an investigation, that's a crime," Manafort spokesman Jason Maloni said in a phone call on Saturday. The Wall Street Journal on Friday reported on the state investigations. The newspaper also said the Justice Department had requested Manafort's banking records from Citizens Financial Group as part of its inquiry into whether Trump's former campaign associates colluded with Russia during the 2016 election. Manafort stepped down amid sinking poll numbers and controversy over his past work for a pro-Russian political party in Ukraine. He has offered to speak with the House Intelligence Committee about his ties to Russia and denied any improprieties in his contacts with Russian officials or intermediaries. Manafort's business dealings have featured prominently in discussions of links between the Trump campaign and Russia. He used Cypriot bank accounts to receive money from Russian tycoon Oleg Deripaska and Ukrainian clients, according to court records and former executives at the bank where the accounts were kept. Manafort and Deripaska have said the accounts were opened for legitimate business transactions. Two congressional committees, along with the Federal Bureau of Investigation, are investigating the Trump campaign's ties to Russia and Russia's interference in the 2016 election. Mike Flynn, Trump's former national security adviser, was forced to resign after misleading Vice President Mike Pence about conversations he had with Russian officials, and Sessions recused himself from any decisions related to the Russia probes after he failed to reveal his talks with Russian officials during his confirmation hearing. President Xi Jinping laid the framework for Chinese-style globalization and his ambition to lead it during a speech inaugurating his cornerstone diplomatic trade initiative for a new Silk Road. Grounding the plan in China's history, Xi described the Belt and Road Initiative as a "project of the century" that had its inspiration in the ancient trade routes linking the country with the world. He pledged an additional 100 billion yuan ($14.5 billion) for China's Silk Road Fund, 380 billion yuan in new lending for participating nations, and 60 billion yuan in coming years to developing countries and international organizations that join the program. Xi repeated his call for multilateral trade, describing his initiative as a force for peace in "a world fraught with challenges." He told the almost two dozen world leaders gathered at the forum that countries should "uphold and grow an open world economy." The speech built on an image of Xi as a champion of global free trade that he's sought to hone since President Donald Trump's election, most notably in a January speech in Davos. It set the tone for a major two-day forum starting Sunday to discuss the Belt and Road plan, which aims to connect China with Europe, Asia and Africa through infrastructure and investment. "They see an opportunity to fill the vacuum and take advantage of perceptions globally," said Andrew Gilholm, director of analysis for North Asia at Control Risks Group, referring to changing perceptions of U.S. leadership in the Trump era. The presence of major leaders in Beijing to hear China's plans "fits with the kind of image China has been trying to project." Assembled delegates included representatives from more than 100 countries and heads of state including Russian President Vladimir Putin, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Pakistani Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif. Representation from India, however, was conspicuously absent as were all Group of Seven heads of state except Italy's. During the opening ceremony, the first speakers to follow Xi were Putin and Erdogan, who pledged support for China's initiative while showcasing their own regional projects. Putin called the initiative "timely and promising" while highlighting the Russia-led Eurasian Economic Union. Erdogan told delegates that the world's economic center of gravity was shifting to the East and said he would like Turkey's planned infrastructure expansion to be linked with the Belt and Road. Other world leaders lined up to praise the project. U.K. finance minister Philip Hammond called the initiative "truly groundbreaking," stressing the country's desire for new global trade ties as it prepares to leave the European Union. Pakistan's Sharif called the forum a "historic event" that would "tear down barriers to trade and commerce." Addressing concerns that the initiative will become a bonanza for Chinese companies or a strategic play for regional domination, Xi declared that the plan would be open to all countries and would complement each nation's development goals. Other leaders hinted at potential problems in their remarks. Matt Pottinger, senior director for East Asia on the National Security Council and special assistant to Trump who is representing the U.S. at the forum, urged transparency and "fair process" in his comments. International Monetary Fund Managing Director Christine Lagarde called for high-quality infrastructure that respects the environment while also welcoming the Chinese initiative. Xi's speech also drew implicit contrast between Chinese-style development objectives and those of the West, saying the initiative won't resort to "outdated geopolitical maneuvering." He stressed that China doesn't seek to export its development model to other nations while also calling for mutual respect of one another's sovereignty, territory and "core interests." Eighteen countries including the U.K. agreed Sunday on the guiding principles for financing development of the initiative. The Asian Development Bank, Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank, European Investment Bank, New Development Bank, World Bank, and China's Finance Ministry signed an agreement on promoting Belt and Road, Finance Vice Minister Shi Yaobin said. China will also encourage financial institutions to conduct an estimated 300 billion yuan ($43 billion) in overseas business using yuan, the official Xinhua News Agency said. Xi proposed the initiative, then known as the Silk Road, in 2013. China's investment in Belt and Road countries has surpassed $50 billion, according to Xinhua. Credit Suisse Group AG estimates the plan could funnel investments worth as much as $502 billion into 62 countries over five years. The speech set the ambitious plan against the sweep of Chinese history. The first nine minutes of Xi's remarks traced the Silk Road's genesis 2,000 years ago with ancestors trekking across Eurasian steppes to the opening of the $100-billion AIIB in Beijing last year. He evoked treasure-laden ships, the ancient cultures of the Nile and Ganges, and Buddhism's spread from India to China and beyond. But present-day concerns also intruded on the event. Hours before Xi spoke, North Korea fired a ballistic missile, its seventh such test this year, just days after South Korea elected a president who vowed to engage with Kim Jong Un's regime. The launch defies United Nations sanctions and Trump's warnings that military action is an option to prevent Kim's regime from developing an ICBM with the capacity to carry a nuclear warhead to North America. While Xi didn't address China's irksome ally, his remarks referred to geopolitical difficulties along the Belt and Road route. "The ancient silk routes thrived in times of peace, but lost vigor in times of war," he said. "The pursuit of the Belt and Road Initiative requires a peaceful and stable environment." China's foreign ministry later issued a statement opposing missile launches by North Korea that violate United Nations resolutions. China urged restraint from all parties on the currently "complex and sensitive" situation on the Korean peninsula, the statement said. The real challenge, though, for the initiative will be implementation. "To get a procession of leaders coming and saying nice things in Beijing, to have the vassal states gathering in the ancient center of the world is very nice," said Gilholm, "but to actually implement a gigantically expensive and ambitious project and vision to remake how a large part of the globe interacts is a lot more difficult." --- --With assistance from Xiaoqing Pi, Kevin Hamlin, Andrey Biryukov, Miao Han and Yinan Zhao This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate A Boerne lawyer who formerly was a state district judge in Harris County has received five years probation, surrendered his law license and must attend a rehabilitation program under a plea deal that resolves one of two felony drug cases against him, officials said Friday. Kendall County District Attorney Nicole Bishop said Kevin D. Fine, 50, pleaded guilty Tuesday to attempted possession of a controlled substance, a third degree felony. He was arrested Jan. 8, 2016 by Boerne police in an undercover operation initiated in response to tips that Fine was soliciting sex and drugs in return for his services as a criminal defense lawyer, she said. Fine was free on bond in that case when he was arrested May 2 on the same charge in Kerrville for allegedly trying to obtain drugs from a legal client, officials said, resulting in the revocation of his bond in Kendall County. Before moving to Boerne, in 2008 Fine was elected as a Democrat to the bench in Harris County's 177th District Court. As part of the plea deal, Fine agreed in court Tuesday to enroll in an in-prison rehabilitation program, to be followed by a residential aftercare program, said Bishop, who called addiction an evil and ugly condition. Mr. Fine was given a fair and just plea that will provide him with the highest level of treatment available to us in the criminal justice system, she said, noting the loss of his law license also will preclude him from violating what was his sworn duty to his clients. Fine is free on $25,000 bond on the charge in Kerrville. zeke@express-news.net DENVER (AP) A chairlift malfunction at a ski resort northwest of Denver caused a lurch that toppled a Texas woman 25 feet (7.6 meters) to her death, state investigators said Thursday. A final report released by the Colorado Passenger Tramway Safety Board said recent changes to a control system, as well as rapid speed changes made by an operator, caused Kelly Huber, 40, and her two daughters to hit a support tower and fall onto hard-packed snow at Ski Granby Ranch on Dec. 29, The Denver Post reported https://goo.gl/a5jkvA . The San Antonio woman was killed, and her daughters, then 9 and 12, were injured. The lift's drive control system was listed as the main culprit, and investigators said it might have created pulses of energy along the rope line and "could explain the rope instability." "No one on the investigative team has ever witnessed or heard of a similar event. Likewise, literature does not describe such an event," according to the 151-page report. The drive control system at the center of the accident, typically housed in the operator's shack and which handles a lift's power and operator inputs, had been installed less than a month before. Witnesses said they saw the lift make several sudden accelerations and decelerations, and state investigators said those speed changes were a secondary cause of the fatal fall. Ski Granby Ranch, which is about 50 miles (80 kilometers) northwest of Denver, has said work by an independent contractor on the lift's electrical drive control system before the start of the ski season likely led to the conditions that caused Huber's death, adding that the resort "had followed all prescribed protocols in operating the lift." On Thursday, resort officials released a statement saying they were reviewing the report. The Colorado Passenger Tramway Safety Board declined to comment. The findings have been forwarded to the Colorado Department of Regulatory Affairs for further review. Once that probe is complete, the tramway safety board will determine if the state's tramway safety act was violated. According to an October report by the National Ski Areas Association, the last death on a U.S. chairlift attributed to a malfunction was in 1993. The trade group also said that from 1973 to October, only 12 deaths were attributed to chairlift malfunctions. ___ Information from: The Denver Post, http://www.denverpost.com Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton has filed for a declaratory judgment in federal court in Austin seeking a ruling that the Legislatures sanctuary cities ban is constitutional. This is a ploy that might not have the effect Paxton intends. At its core, it is an attempt to limit the voices of those who want to challenge the shaky constitutional grounds on which this measure sits. The state is still stinging from court rulings that its legislation on voter ID and redistricting were intentionally discriminatory. It wants to avoid another rebuke on sanctuary cities. The lawsuit seeking the declaratory judgment names only three defendants. But other possible plaintiffs abound, as evidenced by lawsuits already filed by the League of United Latin American Citizens and elected officials from two Texas border communities. Others will not be discouraged from suing even if Paxton gets his declarative judgment. While other judges in the Western District where the lawsuit was filed may reason that the judge hearing this case should hear all such cases, there are other federal court districts in Texas. Moreover, the judge presiding over the state lawsuit might reasonably refuse judgment if he ascertains that Texas is premature in filing the suit. Where is the standing since there has been no injury? The law takes effect in September. Among other things, SB 4 would prohibit local officials from barring officers from inquiring about immigration status following mere detention, a traffic stop possibly. The only concrete injury here, then, will be to local jurisdictions whose officials are subject to criminal sanction if they dont comply with the measure and to the Latinos who might be subject to racial profiling because of it. And there will be communities less safe because immigrants will not step forward to report crimes. And there is this: One of the defendants in the state lawsuit seeking declaratory judgment is the Mexican American Legal Defense and Education Fund. It is an organization of civil rights lawyers who cannot legally be enjoined from representing parties that challenge the measure. So, whats Paxtons point: Stopping lawyers from representing plaintiffs? This is constitutionally dubious. This suit should be dismissed, at the very least, as premature, but also because serious constitutional questions do indeed exist. The more voices to challenge this law the better. An Iconic fashion store on Main Street, Longford is celebrating 25 years in business. Aine Farrell first established Aines in Longford in May 1992. The past 25-years have been fantastic. We saw some hard times but weve come through them. I have loved styling customers for weddings, big events and fashionable day wear, said Aine. Im looking forward to the next 25 years and would like to thank all my customers for their continued support. I would also like to thank my staff for everything. To celebrate, Aines is throwing a two day event in-store. Join Aines on Friday, May 12 and Saturday May 13, for what will be the fashion event of the year. This two day event will feature special VIP guest, Alannah Beirne - a finalist on Britain's Next Top Model. The Kildare native has Longford connections as her father, Gerry Beirne, hails from Edgeworthstown. Her mother, Brenda Hyland was a former Rose of Tralee winner. Alannah will appear in store on Friday, May 12. Theres also a chance to win a voucher for 500 with every purchase over the two days. There will be an outside broadcast with music, champagne, branded freebies and much, much more. The event will run from 9:30am to 8pm on Friday, May 12 and 9:30am to 6pm on May 13. If you need fashion inspiration, eye catching pieces or just want to celebrate a thriving Longford business, get down to Aines. Home > Archives (2006 on) > 2017 > Indias Kashmir Policy: Way Forward by Ram Puniyani The turmoil in Kashmir, which got intensified after the fake encounter of Burhan Wani (July 2016), does not seem to abet. It has been worsening as reflected in the ongoing violence leading to low turnout of voters in the by-poll (April 2017). Shockingly, there was a turnout only of 7.14 per cent of voters. The by-polls were also marred by violence in which many a civilian and security force person also died and lately one witnessed with great horror a Kashmiri youth being tied to a military truck to prevent stone-pelters from throwing stones on the vehicle. Those pelting stones dont seem to be stopping despite the lapse of a period of time. These young men are being looked at in various ways. Farooq Abdullah had stated on the eve of the elections that those young men throwing stones are doing so for their nation. This statement of his came under scathing criticism from various quarters and a section of the media and was dismissed by many as a pre-election statement. Another way of looking at those pelting stones, as gleaned from a section of the media, is that these are pro-Pakistan elements. They are being instigated by Pakistan and that they are doing this for money. As such stone-pelting has been used as a method of protest in Kashmir since ages but has become glaringly obvious for the last few years. Intimidated by the terrorist-militants on one side and the security forces on the other, these young men have been resorting to pelting stones as a form of protest and anguish. One can see the clear pattern in the worsening repression and an increase in their activities. As such after every major act of hanging-murder, the protests have become more intense, for example, after the hanging of Maqbul Butt (1984), then after the hanging of Afzal Guru (2013) and now after the killing of Burhan Wani (2016). Who are these boys who pelt stones? Are these merely Pakistan-inspired and funded youth? In the aftermath of the state crackdown, hundreds have died, thousands have been wounded and many more have lost the eyesight! A section of the TV and other media is going hammer and tongs about the role of Pakistan and the funding they receive. The question, which needs to be introspected, is: would the young people risk their life, loss of eyesight or other harm to the body just at someones bidding or for some money? Many of them are teenagers, tech-savvy and they are so much full of deep hatred that they are willing to risk their lives, not caring about their future. The degree of frustration among them must be horrific. Only a small section of the media has gone deeper into the issue and interviewed some of them. The stories of their experiences and feelings shatter ones perceptions about law and order in Kashmir. Many belong to families which have given up hope of any type. Most of these young boys have experienced torture, beating, harassment of sorts and often humiliation. For many of them stone-throwing comes as a sort of catharsis, a feeling of having taken revenge for what has happened to them. It is the only strong way of protest they must be feeling is left for them. Many of them are pro-Pakistan for sure but the basic point remains political alienation which is seeping in, deepening their resolve. This in turn is due to the suffering and pain to which Kashmir has been subjected to due to the prolonged military presence in the area. Post-Burhan Wani murder, the Kashmir- based PDP, or even the National Conference has been able to see the intensity of the situation. Mehbooba Mufti, the Chief Minister of the ruling coalition, wanted to go for a dialogue with the dissenters, but her coalition partner, the party leading at the Centre, the BJP, shot down the idea. Mehbooba Mufti felt that dialogue is the only way out but the BJP feels that dialogue is a way to befool the people. It seems the ruling BJP wants to take a hard line to deal with dissidence, thinks that dissidence is there only due to Pakistan or the ISI and so repression should be intensified. What about earlier efforts for peace? These need to be recalled in the present damning times. In one of the most significant moves the UPA-II had appointed a team of interlocutors to understand and suggest the way out. The eminent team suggested that the autonomy of the Kashmir Assembly, which is part of the treaty of accession, be restored, dialogue with dissidents be initiated and also talks with Pakistan be undertaken along with repeal of the Armed Forces Special Powers Act. Today there can be two approaches: recall the treaty of accession and gravitate towards that and take the recommendations of the inter-locutors seriously. Nearly seven decades after the accession of Kashmir to India, there is a need to recall that forcible merger, repression of dissent was never the idea of the founders of the Indian nation. Lets see what Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel had to say on the matter way back. Deputy Prime Minister Vallabhbhai Patel said at a public meeting in Bombay on October 30, 1948: Some people consider that a Muslim majority area must necessarily belong to Pakistan. They wonder why we are in Kashmir. The answer is plain and simple. We are in Kashmir because the people of Kashmir want us to be there. The moment we realise that the people of Kashmir do not want us to be there, we shall not be there even for a minute... We shall not let Kashmir down. (The Hindustan Times, October 31, 1948) The situation in Kashmir is critical, and worsening by the day due to the high-handed dealings from the Centre. Even the Chief Minister of Kashmir and the people like Farooq Abdulla need to be listened to if we want peace in the green Valley, peace which is crucial. The deeper peace can only be won through winning the hearts and minds of the people of Kashmir. Ultra-nationalist formulations dont work in the long run. The author, a retired Professor at the IIT-Bombay, is currently associated with the Centre for the Study of Secularism and Society, Mumbai. Home > Archives (2006 on) > 2017 > Kashmir and Conscience From N.C.s Writings In the brochures and posters of Indian tourism, Kashmir still figures with its enchanting attractions. In reality, however, the picturesque Valley of Kashmir is becoming out of bounds for the peace-loving citizens of this country. In a sense, Kashmir today represents the gravest challenge to Indian democracyperhaps much more than what happened at Ayodhya on December 6 and all that followed. If the bomb blast in Bombay on March 12 and the blow-up of the bomb storage in Calcutta that came in its wake, announced the arrival of the mafia to disrupt our democracy, dont the bloody clashes in the Kashmir Valley presage the departure of its most significant part from our Republic? The crisis in Kashmir has been worsening year after year. Without going into the protracted history of neglect, high-handedness, corruption and systematic subversion of the democratic order which the Centre has perpetrated in that State for forty years now, one may take the unseating of a duly elected government in 1984planned and carried out with cold-blooded precision by people some of whom today claim to be specialists in the subjectas the last milepost along the dismal trail of progressive alienation of the people of the Valley from the rest of this country. This 1984 coup by which Farooq Abdullahs duly elected government was overthrown by the minions from the Delhi Durbar blatantly arranging defection of MLAs with a Governor specially sent out for the operation, shattered the confidence of the common people in the Valley in the Centres commitment to democratic functioning in Kashmir. And it was during the rickety administration of the Centrally-propped-up regime of Ghulam Shah that the first outbreak of communal violence took place in the Valley. While this monstrosity of a Ministry could not hold out for long and the Governors Raj resumed in this sensitive frontier State, a patch-up between Farooqs National Conference and the Congress brought into office a coalition Ministry which could neither forge a unified front nor win the confidence of the people. Inevitably the militant groups gained in influence and the first serious threat of secession could be discerned. The illumination on the Pakistan Day (August 14) and black-out on the Indian Independence Day (August 15) in 1989 should have opened the eyes of the political leaders, but the Kashmir crisis was hardly examined in detail by either the Congress or the Janata Dal governments. By the time of the Republic Day on January 26, 1990, the crisis had reached the boiling point, and the only thing that could be achieved was the hoisting of the tricolour. Meanwhile, no elected government could be restored as the State Assembly itself had been dissolved, and since then the Governors Rule has continued uninterrupted requiring enabling constitutional amendments being periodically passed by Parliament. In other words, it has turned out to be an open confrontation between New Delhi and the people in the Valley, with the militants assuming their leadership. The last three years has been one of unrelieved unwisdom in the Centres dealing with Kashmir. Even when the Pandit families began to leave their native place in the Valley, there was no waking-up on the part of the Centreneither at the government level, nor at the political party level. The accretion of strength of the militants was ascribed to the Pakistan Governments generous backing of them, and at one stage, the Central leaders accused Pakistan of waging a proxy war against India in Kashmir. But what steps were taken by the government and the political parties to retrieve the fast-dwindling faith of the people of the Valley in the Indian leadership? The only tangible evidence of New Delhis concern and interest in Kashmir was the despatch of forces, more and more in greater numbers. The para-military forces, as they are called, are for all practical purposes engaged in waging a virtual war in the Valley. For sometime, the public in this country was made to believe by the government that all the strident outcry by the human-rights activists was inspired by interested circles in the West which back Pakistan and run down India. But when many of the atrocities began to be exposed in the Indian media by a whole body of intrepid Indian journalists, that official alibi could hardly hold water. Isolated cases of exaggerated reporting were highlighted by official circles to desperately cover up the shocking state of affairs in the Valley. Today, the government seems to be living in a pathetic world of unreality insofar as Kashmir is concerned. At the beginning of this year, it was given out that the government would be coming out with a new set of proposals for Kashmir. In fact, the Prime Minister had earlier hinted on a package for Kashmir. It was given out that Farooq Abdullah was being brought back as this might help to win over at least a sizeable section of the public which alone could be turned into a foothold for resuming the political process. Farooq Abdullah himself stated on March 15 that there was definite rethinking in Delhi for a solution to the Kashmir problem. It was largely at his suggestion that the Governor was changed and General Krishna Rao was brought back to hold the post from which he had stepped down in 1990. Farooq might have been useful in establishing contact with the militants, as he is known to have had personal rapport with some of the JKLF leaders abroad. But New Delhi did not wake up and Farooq Abdullah got fed up and just within a month of his optimistic statement, he withdrew from the scene bitterly attacking the Central Government for being unable to understand the gravity of the situation; and even if they do, they are clearly incapable of taking any firm decision. It is worth noting that statement by Farooq Abdullah came three days after the Union Home Ministers assurance to the press in Chandigarh on April 15 that the government was in the process of framing a definite policy on Kashmir. Farooq Abdullah might have slunk away to hibernate abroad, but what is the record of the government since then? The security force bosses in Srinagar have been claiming that their relentless operation had crippled the militant outfit and soon there would be a turn for the better in the situation. The crackdowns are being conducted with a degree of ruthlessness never resorted to before by the Indian forces, not even in Nagaland. Young and old, men and womennobody is spared as Indian reporters have reported in recent weeks in our media. The criminal record of the para-military forces in Sopore in January would have inflamed the wrath of any people anywhere in the world. And in the very week of the Home Ministers statement promising a definite policy in Kashmir, in that very week the security forces indulged in another round of beastly incen-diarism destroying a good part of the historic Lai Chowk in Srinagar. This had its inevitable repercussion within the administration itself. The State Police force revolted when one policeman was killed in custodial death by the Centres paramilitary forces on April 22. The police took out a protest march to make a representation to the UN office in Srinagar, and the next day the revolt of the policemen was joined by their Kashmiri officers. Could there be a more glaring proof of complete alienation of the people from the Central authorityalienation assuming the character of active antagonism? We, all of us, have to hang down our heads in shame for all the follies and crimes that are taking place in Kashmir today. Not only the government but, it is amazing, the leaders of different parties in Parliament have not cared to demand even a full-scale discussion on the grave situation in Kashmir. What do we gain by pleading with the USA to declare Pakistan a terrorist state when we ourselves have forfeited the trust of the people of the Kashmir Valley who on the very morrow of independence had fought with bare arms to push back the armed marauders from Pakistan? Indias democracy can never sustain itself by stamping the jackboot on the people in any part of this far-flung republic of ours. Kashmir summons us to heed the voice of our conscience. [Mainstream, May 1, 1993] Home > Archives (2006 on) > 2017 > Ultra-Nationalists on Anti-National Spree by M.M. Khajooria A section of self-styled Hindutva zealots have decided the fate of Kashmir. They have dumped all Kashmiri Muslims in the lap of Pakistan and similarly branded the youth of the Valley as stone-pelters. Having made this determination they have decreed that Kashmiri students studying in educational institutions in the country must be made to pay for the sin of humiliation and injuries inflicted on our brave Jawans by the stone-pelters. After all, they were chips of the same block, it is argued. Though prima facie absurd, the perception is gaining currency on account of exertions of a section of the media and elements on the extreme Right. All this is sweet music to the Wahhabis and Pak ISI. It needs to be emphasised that the self- proclaimed ultra-nationalists indulging in harass-ment of Kashmiri students are actually serving the cause of Pakistan, washing out the national gains in Kashmir at tremendous financial inputs and huge sacrifices of our security forces, of course including the J&K Police. Because of their suicidal conduct Pakistan is able to argue in the international fora that Look, even the Indians dont want Kashmiris who are making huge sacrifices to get rid of Indian occupation. So what is the Government of Indias rationale for sticking to Kashmir by force and cause so much unnecessary bloodshed? The argument obviously carries weight with the international community. I need not go into many other obvious advantages that are offered to Pakistan on a platter in the realm of psychological warfare. This madness has to be stopped right here. Safety and security of Kashmiri students studying in universities and colleges in the rest of the country has therefore come to top the list of national concerns especially in reference to the ongoing disturbance in Kashmir. The recent instances of harassment of Kashmiri students in Rajasthan and appearance of obnoxious anti-Kashmiri student posters on the walls of a UP town provoked Home Minister Rajnath Singh to direct the concerned Chief Ministers to ensure their safety. The matter was also taken up by J&K CM Mehbooba Mufti with PM Modi who has endorsed the Home Ministrys directive. I am afraid this is not enough. Only a personal appeal by PM Modi to the students and teachers and warning to those who fail to fall in line may yield the required results. Obviously, the district administration and university authorities will have to devise and operationalise a mechanism for the purpose under which the responsibility and accountability of the officials charged with specific responsibilities of maintaining regular liaison with Kashmiri students and ensuring timely effective response are clearly delineated. Provision of instant communication facility with responsible police and university officers in case of urgency is the bare minimum require-ment. This done, the core issue of providing a relaxed and friendly environment in which the students can study and socialise as young boys and girls normally do still remains to be addressed. Here the student organisations and teaching community have to contribute. All political parties, including the ruling BJP, can provide immense positive inputs by directing their cadres to lend a helping hand in this critical national project. Socially and emotionally integrated into the national mainstream, the returning Kashmiri students can and will prove a huge asset and have the potential of altering the entire discourse in Kashmir concerning national integration. I have seen this happen. What about the stone-pelters tag on the Kashmiri Muslim youth? Is it not true that the stone-pelters have created havoc in Kashmir and harassed and wounded hundreds of our brave soldiers? Why should they not be punished? Hold on. Are you aware that at the peak of the ongoing Wahhabi-mobilised and led street violence about five thousand policemen sustained injuries? Of these four thousand odd belonged to the J&K Police and over eightyfive per cent of them were Kashmiri Muslim policemen? Talking about the Muslim youth, over thirty thousand policemen in J&K Police are Kashmiri Muslim boys and girls. Recently we have recruited ten thousand Special Police Officers to add to the then existing strength of over twentysix thousand. More recruitment in the police force is underway. At a rough reckoning, about seventy per cent of this will again be Muslim youth. Have you heard of the famous and highly decorated J&K Light Infantry? A sizeable segment of this regiment hails from Kashmir and amongst them a large percentage comes from Tral, the home town of Burhan Wani. Recently, the J&K LI held a recruitment rally in Baramullah. The ratio of aspirants was, I am advised, more than ten to one post. The preferred profession of the Kashmiri youth is J&K Police/any uniformed force. Yes, there are Muslim youth on the streets throwing stones and jeering at security personnel. But they represent a noisy, violent minority, some ideologically motivated, some out for kicks. many materially inspired and a large chunk simply alienated. They certainly do not represent the bulk of the youth of Kashmir which resides in the grey area. Overall my assessment is that the situation in Kashmir is indeed very bad but not beyond redemption provided effective remedial measures are determinedly taken both at the political and strategic levels without wasting any more precious time. Yes, the daunting task of reclaiming the materially inspired and alienated stares us in the face. An even bigger challenge lies in insulating the youth from the creeping cancerous alienation. These challenges merit structured, focussed and compre-hensive responses rising above petty party interests. At the grassroot level the critical role should be assigned to the SHO of the Police Station, the Tehsildar and the concerned Education Officer. Their ability to succeed will obviously depend on their public relations quotient, apolitical character and determination to make a go for it. Competent authorities must ensure that only officers possessing the necessary skills, reputation for integrity and impartiality endowed with a positive and sympathetic mind-set are selected for these jobs. They must enjoy the full support of the security grid and rest of the administration. The district heads should cons-tantly monitor the progress on the ground and tender advise where absolutely necessary taking care that the working style of the group is not cramped in any manner. Problems and diffi-culties encountered by them should be quickly, positively and effectively responded to. This should cover the operational dimension. What about the key ideological dimension that inspires, drives and sustains the entire movement? The battle must be joined at the ideological front without wasting any more time. A group of specialists in Perception Management, equipped with excellent communication skills and well versed in theology, local culture, history and heritage, must be put together at the earliest. Name it as a Mission or a Commission, as you wish. The outreach to neo-converts to Ahil-i-Hadith and otherwise alienated youth must become an ongoing process, planned and pursued with vigour, commitment and conviction. Persons qualified for this crucial assignment are available in Kashmir. The outdated and humiliating system of seeking the surrender of boys fallen under the spell of terrorists must end. This could, in fact, be some kind of Ghar Wapsi with the stigma washed out. It is gratifying to note that the Jammu and Kashmir Police are already reaching out to the parents and guardians with a view to motivate them to take necessary precaution to secure their wards from terrorist influence and exercise family and peer pressure for reclaiming the youth gone wrong. This push could be integrated in the suggested format. The political leadership, the administration and ideologists should get cracking with conviction and determination to win back the confidence of the alienated sections of society, get the youth back on the rails and instead channelise their energies towards the pursuit of a bright future wherein avenues of job-oriented education, progress and upward mobility are guaranteed for all. In due course all young boys and girls of Jammu and Kashmir. should be included in the target zone and become recipient of the benefits. This may seem somewhat utopian but given strong political will, clarity of vision, unwavering determination and sustained focus, it can be and has to be done. M.M. Khajooria retired as the Director General of J&K Police. As an administrator with wide and varied experience, he had the distinction of being the first IPS officer to be appointed as the Commissioner of a Division (Poonch-Rajouri) in 1979. After the 1971 Indo-Pak war, he was the State Relief and Rehabilitation Commissioner. Besides being associated with the Centre for Regional and Strategic Studies of Jammu University he is the Chairman, J&K Ex-Policemens League and heads the Centre for Good Governance and Public Accountability. Home > Archives (2006 on) > 2017 > Yogi Adityanath being simultaneously: UP CM and a Lok Sabha Member is (...) The mysterious rise of Yogi Adityanath as a centre of power contenders amongst the BJP/RSS leaders seems to baffle the public. It is a wrong assessment that he has been installed at the instance of Modi/Amit Shah. They are too politically astute not to create another power centre against themselves. Though Yogi was no doubt a Thakur (the Bollywood perpetual tormentor of the weak, and ruthless in accomplishing his aim) he was a Mahant for a long time thus establishing easily his credentials to the Brahmanical family leadership of the RSS. Yogi has proved this by openly announcing immediately his aim of a Hindu Rashtra (against all sense of realism and which is a constitutional monstrosity) that is pleasing to Mohan Bhagwat and his coterie. A win in 2019 could throw Modi beyond challenge and simultaneously weaken the hold of the RSS. Modi has succeeded in creating an illusion of a development man who, by his oratory, conceals his total communal stance and anti-minorityism. But Yogi, on the other hand, flaunts Hindu fanaticism and that is why the RSS is keen to keep him as an alternative. It is a clear signal by Bhagwat and his coterie to Modi that an alternative is being created to him, if he is too neglectful of the RSS bosses. However, there is a serious legal challenge to the continuance of the existing position of Yogi as a Chief Minister and Member of Parliament at the same time. This is a constitutional conundrum which ill-befits a Chief Minister of the biggest State in the country. Article 164 (4) permits a non-member of the State Legislature to remain a Minister for six months without getting elected. This anomaly is explained by historical necessity when in early periods the institution of the parlia-mentary system in UK was brought in and especially for colonies which were being given legislatures for the first time. As a matter of fact Ivor Jennings in his Cabinet Government has pointed out that the House of Commons is however critical of such exceptions. Article 75 (5) makes a similar provision for automatic vacation of a Central Minister at the expiry of six months unless he is elected to Parliament. This shows that these are two distinct bodies and separate provisions are applicable to each. This has no applicability for a situation like that of Yogihow then is it possible for Yogi to continue as a Chief Minister of UP and Member of Parliament at the same time? And if someone argues for it, then it automatically means that he can simultaneously be a Chief Minister of UP and the Prime Minister of India (by getting elected as an MLA of the UP Assembly as he is already a Member of Parliament). How ridiculous and a constitutional monstrosity. The suggestion, if any, that Yogi can retain his parliamentary seat for six months [seeking the analogy of six months from Article 75(5)] of being elected as a Chief Minister cannot stand scrutiny, because there is no such provision in law on the subject. Either the position in law can be that he cannot both be a Prime Minister and Chief Minster at the same time and thus ipso facto cannot be at the same time a Chief Minister of UP [may be by factually treating him as an MLA under 164 (5) of the Consti-tution]; but how does he save his position as a Member of Parliament at the same time, because there is no such provision to this effect under the Constitution? In my view, the Consti-tution does not permit a person to be a member of two legislatures of the State and Centre at the same time. The defence to Yogi is not available that he can continue as a Chief Minister after getting elected within six months and therefore can continue as a Member of Parliament for five years or at the minimum for six months. This is perverse logic and destroys the very spirit and purpose of a responsible democratic government. If this argument of Yogi is to be accepted, we can have a laughable queer mixture of the same person being the Chief Minister of a State and the Prime Minister of India. Can any more quixotic illustration be imagined? Under our constitutional scheme one can take advantage under either 164 (5) or 75 (5). You cannot invoke both, and therefore ipso facts once elected as a Chief Minister he ceases to be a Member of Parliament. Yogi is being asked to do this ill-befitting role of keeping his parlia-mentary seat so that he could vote for the BJP in the forthcoming presidential poll since Pranab Mukherjees term would be over soon. This hardly befits the office of a Chief Minister of the largest State apart from the legality of holding both offices at the same time. The argument that is being put forward is that there is no specific prohibition against Yogi holding both the State Assembly seat and parlia-mentary seat. To me this argument is totally destructive of what Dicey has pointed out in the law and convention of the Constitution, namely, (pg. 430) That the conduct of the different parts of the legislature should be determined by rules meant to secure harmony between the action of the legislative sovereign and the wishes of the political sovereign. This would mean that all laws must be to effectuate the will of the people who are sovereign under our constitutional set- up. The conduct of the legislature should be regulated by the understanding of which object is to secure the conformity of Parliament to the will of the nation. That is why Dicey termed conventions as strong as law. I am of the view that the moment Yogi became the Chief Minister, his seat in Parliament automatically stood vacated and his continuance as an MP is therefore illegal. I feel that if Yogi does not resign his seat in Parliament forthwith his right to be the Chief Minister of UP would come to an end. If, however, a lenient view is to be taken because of the somewhat uncertainty of law, the least that Yogi should do is to appear before the Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha and offer an apology for having attended the sittings (after taking over as the Chief Minister UP) wherein the Speaker, Lok Sabha and Chairperson, Rajya Sabha may take a lenient view and only admonish him and impose a token fine of Rs One, and thus close the matter. Would Yogi take this graceful initiative and at the same time maintain the prestige and dignity of the office of a Chief Minister and that of a Member of Parliament? The author, a retired Chief Justice of the Delhi High Court, was the Chairperson of the Prime Ministers high-level Committee on the Status of Muslims and the UN Special Rapporteur on Housing. A former President of the Peoples Union for Civil Liberties (PUCL), he is a tireless champion of human rights. He can be contacted at e-mail: rsachar1[at]vsnl.net/rsachar23[at]bol.net.in Home > Archives (2006 on) > 2017 > French Presidential Elections: Ultranationalism Rejected, Europe Heaves a (...) by Purusottam Bhattacharya In a way the outcome of the French presidential elections is a vindication of the belief, held by many perceptive observers of Europe, that the prospects of Right-wing populist leaders and parties capturing power in that continent were grossly overrated. This was already proved in the Austrian and Dutch elections held last year and in March this year respectively when voters in those countries decisively rejected the far Right, anti-Islam, anti-immigrant and anti-European Union parties of Norbert Hofer in Austria and Geert Wilders in the Netherlands. Norbert Hofer had campaigned on strengthening the countrys borders (Austria was virtually the gateway of Syrian refugees on their way to Germany in 2015), its Army, limiting benefits to immigrants and favouring Austrians in the job market. Geert Wilders and his Party for Freedom wanted to ban the Koran and close mosques. However, the voters in Austria and the Netherlands would have none of it and preferred to stay the course of liberalism and tolerance that Europe has embraced following its gory, imperialist past, some would say by way of expiation. The results of the French presidential elections were a crucial test if the trend of rejection of ultranationalism, set by Austria and the Netherlands, in contrast to the victory of Donald Trump in the US and the Brexit referendum verdict in the UK last year, was going to be sustained. It may be recalled that, apart from being the land of the great French Revolution which (in many ways) changed the course of human history with its gift of liberty, equality and fraternity, France was the country which took the initiative leading to the Schuman Declaration of May 9 in 1950 that proved to be the precursor for the birth of the movement for European unity culminating in the creation of the European Economic Community (EEC), subsequently renamed the European Union in 1993. (See my article on the EU in Mainstream, April 1, 2017) There is no doubt that a victory of Marine Le Pen of the Front Nationale with its anti-immigrant, anti-Islam and anti-EU agenda would have spelled disaster for the European Union. A Frexit (French exit from the EU) would have sucked the oxygen out of the organisation, perhaps paving the way for its progressive dissolution. Some would argue that the prospect of such a thing happening has not yet gone away altogether until the German elections (scheduled for September this year) confirm (as is expected) the return of Angela Merkel for an unprecedented fourth term. Todays Germany is virtually the nerve-centre and the guardian angel of the European Union. Only Angela Merkels return to power can secure the future of the EU albeit with guarded optimism. The sweeping victory of Emmanuel Macron (66.1 per cent) over Marine Le Pen (33.9 per cent) has been welcomed overwhelmingly not only in France and Europe (except for the hypocritical congratulatory messages from Donald Trump, Theresa May and Vladimir Putin who would love to destroy the EU) but also across progressive circles all over the world. It is a victory of liberalism, rationalism and tolerance (which seems to be in short supply these days) over xenophobic nationalism, racism and an attempt to turn back the clock of history. According to one writer, This, after Britains dismal decision last year to leave the European Union, and in the face of Trumps woeful anti-European ignorance, was critical. (Roger Cohen, French Election Verdict a Victory for Europe too, The Times of India, May 9, 2017) In contrast to Le Pens ultranationalism and racism, Macron stands for a liberal tolerant society, as he stood by the refugees and Europes shared currency, the euro (Le Pen had promised to disengage France from euro and revive the French franc); Macron was brave enough to tell the French that they cannot turn their back on modernity and prosper. However winning the presidency (though an unbelievable feat for a man whom no one knew before 2014, who founded his own party only a year ago and who was trailing in the third position in opinion polls only four months ago) is only half the story. According to experts, the hard part begins now. As a Centrist independent, Macron has blown away the political tradition of the Fifth French Republic (established by Charles De Gaulle in 1958) which always elected either a Centre-Right Republican or a Centre-Left Socialist as the President. His own party En Marche (Onward) is just a year old and he now faces the challenge of the parliamentary elections scheduled for June. Though France has a presidential system of government, the National Assembly (parliament) is also quite powerful and the President is dependent on its cooperation for approval of his legislative business. These presidential elections were the first time that no candidate from the traditional parties (Centre-Left or Centre-Right) could make it to the second round. However, these parties are expected to put up a much better show in the parlia-mentary elections now that the spectre of a far Right presidency is out of the way. So the challenges for Macron are two fold. Either he ensures an absolute majority for his fledgling party (an uphill task given the time and organisational constraints) or he cuts a deal with like-minded groups in the National Assembly to pave the way for smooth governance. Some experts think that as a Centrist independent liberal Macron has a unique opportunity to create a niche for himself and his movement in French politics thus breaking the strangleholds of the traditional parties. But it is a fact that many voters voted for Macron not out of loyalty for him and his policies but out of fear for Le Pen. The number of abstentions or spoilt ballots in these elections was a record 16 million. If one adds to these figures the 11 million polled by Le Pen (as opposed to 21 million who voted for Macron) 27 million people did not vote for Macron. So a clear majority of people did not support him in spite of the fear factor. Even after the election results were declared there were demonstrations by trade unionists against Macrons proposed plans for labour reforms which would make the labour market more flexible making hiring and firing easier in order to make a dent into the unemployment situation (10 per cent; it is 25 per cent among the French youth). Any student of French politics would know that this issue will be a hard nut to crack. Also to be noted here is the fact that for the first time in French electoral history the far Right took more than a third of the vote (note the figures given above). Marine Le Pen has declared that with 33 per cent of the vote the Front Nationale is now the real opposition to mainstream French political establish-ment and she will be preparing for the next elections due in five years time. (Macron himself told a Left-wing news website: If I fail to solve Frances problems or fail to offer a solid start to solving them, in five years it will be even worse. What nourishes the National Front will be even more virulent.) Observers believe (confirmed in television interviews with ordinary voters) that this was a reflection of the anger in the country at lost jobs, failed immigrant integration, economic stagnation and above all the repeated terrorist attacks on France, specially in 2015 and 2016 which show no signs of abating any time soon. Macron has a challenging job on his hand that he and the French nation canlike the Germans, the Dutch, the Swedes and the Danespreserve the essence of their welfare state while implementing the labour market reforms he has in mind. As mentioned, Macrons victory, notwith-standing the domestic pitfals ahead of him, has breathed new life into the prospects of a revival of the EU and European idea through a renewed partnership between France and Germany, the real creators of todays Europe. It has also demonstrated that France is not a country where racism and anti-European jingoism can triumph unlike in the US and the UK. The revival of the EU, however, will not be easy. The high idealism that gave birth to the European movement at the end of the Second World War can no longer be sustained if people across Europe find the EU to be a failure in delivering what matters most to them: jobs, housing, healthcare, education, social security, democratic accountability, a halt to environ-mental degradation, protection from terrorist attacks and, above all, a high quality of life. The Rome Declaration of March 25, 2017 to commemorate 60 years of the EU adopted an ambitious agenda to revive the Union. (See my article in Mainstream, April 1, 2017 for a detailed analysis) It remains to be seen if it remains just a declaration like many previous ones without any meaningful will to implement it in practice or one which makes a real difference to peoples lives turning the EU into an instrument for peace, prosperity and security for all its citizens. Dr Purusottam Bhattacharya is a former Professor and Head, Department of International Relations, and an erstwhile Director, School of International Relations and Strategic Studies, Jadavpur University, Kolkata. BEDFORD Boy Scouts and Cub Scouts involved in a community service project picking up trash along the Concord River in Bedford found a human body near the boat ramp on Route 225 Saturday morning. The Middlesex District Attorney and police said the death of the individual is considered suspicious. The remains were transported to the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner to determine the cause of death. The scouts were participating in the annual Beautify Bedford cleanup day when volunteers help clean up public and conservation areas around the town. The scouts were working along the Concord River when they stumbled upon something they felt was "out of place." Police were called at about 11 a.m. and confirmed what the scouts found were human remains. Authorities did not release any information about the remains race, gender or approximate age. The investigation is ongoing, they said. surveillance camera.JPG Here is a surveillance camera Holyoke installed in the city several years ago. (Republican file) LONGMEADOW - The Police Department is starting a program to register outdoor surveillance cameras to help fight crime. The program is voluntary, confidential and will not give police direct access to any recordings. Residents or business owners who have an outdoor surveillance camera can register it with the Police Department. If a crime happens in the area where the camera is located, a police officer will then ask the owner to check the footage for a date and time to see if it recorded any pertinent information in that crime. Those interested in participating can register on the Longmeadow Police Department website. People can also contact Officer C. Jurkowski to register or to find out more information. He can be reached at cjurkowski@longmeadow.org or 413-567-3311 ext. 310. Worcester Police began a similar program in 2015. Those cameras also do not stream to the department but when a house break, car theft or other crime occurs, police check a map of registered cameras and contact the owner of the camera. A Maine man was sentenced to serve 14 years in prison after he pretended to be a teenager online and traveled to Massachusetts to have sex with minors. Dillan Letellier, 32, of Saco, Maine, was sentenced in federal court last week after he pleaded guilty to two counts of coercion and enticement of a minor, one count of attempted coercion and enticement of a minor, three counts of travel with intent to engage in illicit sexual conduct and one count of possession of child pornography. Letellier will be on supervised release for five years after he is released from federal prison. According to the U.S. Attorney's Office, Letellier pretended to be a 17-year-old when he met two 14-year-old victims online. He was able to get both victims to meet with him for sex, authorities said. "On separate occasions, Letellier traveled from Maine to each of the victims' Massachusetts towns, met each victim, and brought the victims to locations in Massachusetts where they engaged in sexual intercourse," the U.S. Attorney's Office said. Letellier was arrested on Oct. 3, 2013. Investigators checked electronic devices seized from his home and discovered child pornography. Thousands of images and videos were found on the devices. GREENFIELD - A renowned photographer, known largely for his portraits of naked adolescents, is facing a statutory rape charge after being accused of raping a woman when she was only 14-years-old, according to The Recorder. 70-year-old John Sturges, better known as "Jock Sturges," pleaded innocent to statutory rape of a child and indecent assault and battery on a person 14 or over in Greenfield District Court on Friday. The charges stem from accusations made by a woman in June of 2016, who told police that Sturges had sex with her when she was a 14-year-old High School student and he was a 28-year-old counselor working at Northfield Mount Hermon School (NMH) in the mid-1970s. The alleged incidents are said to have occurred between August 1975 and June 1976, according to the woman. NMH, a private, co-ed preparatory school located in Northfield just north of Greenfield, apparently employed Sturges for a year during the window in which the crimes allegedly occurred. The school's records show that Sturges' contract was not renewed "because of some dissatisfaction with his job performance," according to NMH spokesman Stephen Porter. Porter confirmed that Sturges had worked at the school during that period as a photography instructor and a dorm head, and that the school's records do not state in any specific way why his position was terminated. "We don't really know why he was let go. That's all we can determine from the historical records," Porter said. Sturges's work has been featured in numerous high-profile museums, and he has published multiple volumes of photography, much of which consists of black-and-white prints of naked adolescents. His work has not been without controversy, however. In 1990, FBI agents seized thousands of photograph negatives, camera and computer equipment from the photographer's San Francisco home. The Bureau later justified the raid, stating that hundreds of the images confiscated focused on the "the genitals of pre-pubescent girls and fit the definition of child pornography." The raid led to a Federal grand jury on Sturges' work, which eventually failed to indict him on child pornography charges. Sturges has a case status meeting scheduled for July 6. HOLYOKE Water roared over the Holyoke Dam as though stopping would never be an option. The water plunged in curtains off the 30-foot-tall dam and continually exploded up again in puffy white leaps from the Connecticut River while a distance away the churning current occasionally tossed up a rainbow against the blue sky. Inside the Robert E. Barrett Fishway at the Holyoke Dam last week, churning of another sort proceeded: The official count showed that 5,653 shad and 14 gizzard shad were assisted that day by the facility's elevator system to continue their migration up and over the dam. They're heading upstream to spawn. The dam and triple-canal system that runs through the city exploits the terrain's elevation and uses the Connecticut River's flow to surge through turbines and generate electricity for 18,000 home and business customers. "It's just like, where else can you be and see fish swimming by in an aquarium and see a hydro-power generator, and it's right here in Holyoke," said Kate C. Sullivan, marketing coordinator at the Holyoke Gas and Electric Department (HGE), which owns the fishway and dam. Sullivan gave The Republican a tour that showed the fishway at the dam off Bridge Street near the South Hadley-Holyoke Bridge offers practical contact with beauty, science, nature and the powering of homes and businesses. Visitors can watch it happen for another month or so. The annual and free fishway viewing season began May 3 and runs through June 11, Wednesday to Sunday, from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., Sullivan said. The 52nd Annual HGE Shad Derby began last weekend and will continue May 20-21 with a grand prize of $1,000 in cash for the first-place winner in the senior division. For derby rules visit HGED.com. Glass viewing stations and an observation deck overlooking the Connecticut River let visitors watch the fish migrate. Fish are drawn into the lift system by an attraction water flow that the system gives off and which migrating fish instinctively seek out. A gate closes and the fish are lifted to exit at a flume, passing by large windows in the public viewing area and into the counting and trapping areas. Then they are released to travel upstream. The fishway is open for self-guided tours during regular business hours and an HGE guide provides tours on Saturdays and Sundays at 1:30 p.m. during viewing season. Over 250,000 fish pass through the fishway each season before they are released to continue their journey upstream. The counting room keeps daily tallies of each species as required by federal licensing rules. The 250,000 total apparently is an average. A fish count that Sullivan provided, showing totals from when the fishway began in 1955 to last year, showed the total began with 4,899 and hit a high in 1985 with 1,154,806. The fish count in 2016 was 422,649. The overwhelming majority of fish counted at the lift are American shad, which accounted for over 91 percent of last year's recorded migration. The Connecticut River runs from northern New Hampshire near the Canadian border 410 miles south to the Long Island Sound. Migrating fish swim from the Atlantic Ocean up the river each spring. The fishway is named after Robert E. Barrett, who was president of the former Holyoke Water Power Co. from 1945 to 1974. Barrett wanted to aid the survival and spawning of migrating species such as American shad, blueback herring, shortnose sturgeon, sea lamprey, gizzard shad and striped bass. According to information provided by Sullivan (see below), efforts to help the fish had been tried for decades. A timber fish ladder in 1873 didn't work nor did a ladder made of concrete in 1940. In 1955, the first fishlift was built on the area of the dam known as the tailrace and 4,899 American shad were lifted in 35 days manually hauled with buckets, pulleys and ropes. Now, the mechanical elevation system can lift 500 to 700 fish at a time with 2,857 gallons of water for a total weight of 12 tons, according to information from Sullivan. Many of the shad that swim through the elevator are repeat customers, said Liz Austin, HGE coordinator of public programs. Fish that have been tagged by scientists are known to swim to the ocean off North Carolina for the cold months and return north in the spring headed to the Bay of Fundy between the Canadian provinces of New Brunswick and Nova Scotia, via the Connecticut River, she said. "They find their way back to the Connecticut River," Austin said. Shad imprint on the mineral and chemical composition of the river, she said. "Every river has its own composition," she said. Sullivan praised Austin's work at the fishway: "This would not happen without her." The fishway offers presentations to public school fourth-graders, whose curriculum includes learning about fish, Sullivan said. "It's right in our backyard and people don't even realize that it's here and available to them to learn about hydro-power and fish migration. Some people have been coming for years and years. We try to gear activities to fourth-grade classrooms," Sullivan said. Plotted by city planners in the 1840s, the current dam was built between 1893 and 1900. It is made of granite from Vinyl Haven Island, Maine, and is filled with local stone and mortar, according to information from Sullivan. The dam is 1,000 feet long and is not a flood-control dam, the information sheets from Sullivan said: "After heavy rains or melting snow, water pours over the top," How Does Fishlift Operate by Mike Plaisance on Scribd Fishway visitor center presentation: by Mike Plaisance on Scribd SPRINGFIELD-- Federal Court Judge Mark Mastroianni delivered the keynote address to more than 1,500 graduate and undergraduate students from American International College at the commencement ceremony on Saturday. Mastroianni, who served as the Hampden County District Attorney before being appointed to the federal judgeship by then President Barack Obama in 2013, received an honorary Doctor of Laws degree awarded for outstanding achievement in the social sciences and for significant community contributions at the local and national levels. Additionally, Mastroianni is a former AIC Board of Trustees member and he graduated from AIC magna cum laude in 1986 with majors in English and political science. Also set to receive an honorary degree was AIC alumnus James Hagan, of Westfield, who graduated with an MBA in 1988. He received an honorary Doctor of Commercial Science degree awarded for outstanding achievement and service in the field of commerce. Hagan has spent his career in the banking business, having been with Westfield Bank for more than 20 years, serving as vice president of commercial lending and chief operations officer before becoming president and chief executive officer, according to AIC. SPRINGFIELD - Springfield College awarded 873 graduates with bachelor degrees and honored two partners who created a program for those who are deaf and developmentally delayed at the 131st graduation Sunday. Saturday the college also held a graduate degree ceremony and awarded 658 master's degrees, six certificates of advanced graduate study, 15 doctor of philosophy degrees, 34 doctor of physical therapy degrees, and five doctor of psychology degrees. Gale D. Candaras, a lawyer who served as a state representative for 10 years and a state senator for eight, was the keynote speaker at Sunday's graduation. "The days I treasured most during my life of public service were the days when I was able to really make a difference in someone's life," Candaras said. "Helping others is what we do. We walk a mile in the other guy's shoes, we treat others the way we would like to be treated, we serve our country here and abroad and we volunteer and reach out a hand of hope and love in the darkest hours." During the graduation, college officials also granted the Springfield College Humanics Achievement Award to Elizabeth A. Davison, of Wilbraham. The award recognized someone who has exhibited courage in the face of adversity, demonstrated leadership in service to others, advanced diversity and inclusion, served as a champion for the oppressed, furthered education in spirit, mind, and body, or contributed significantly to the understanding of the universe. Candaras and Davidson worked together to establish a residential program at Springfield College for developmentally-delayed adults who are also hearing impaired. Davidson who co-founded and lead the program while Candaras secured the funding. College, a project that Davison co-founded and led, and for which Candaras secured funding. "And, there's one special mom I want to congratulate today, my dear friend, Elizabeth "Betsy" Davison," Candaras said at the ceremony which fell on Mother's Day. "Mrs. Davison conceived of an innovative program for individuals, like her own son, Andrew, who are deaf and developmentally delayed. Her idea lead to a great partnership with Springfield College and the Commonwealth of Massachusetts to create a pilot program to include deaf individuals in campus life." Springfield College Board of Trustees chair, Gregory C. Toczydlowski convened the ceremony and Springfield College President Mary-Beth Cooper also addressed the graduates. Manuel Sandoval, who earned his degree from the School of Professional and Continuing Studies, was the student speaker at the undergraduate ceremony. "Today we pledge to be and do more than just maintain the status quo," he said. "Today we are gladiators, we are architects of a future informed by the guiding philosophy that love, empathy and understanding can conquer hate." Mass State Police in DC (Massachusetts State Police) Two law enforcement officers from Massachusetts, Thomas Clardy and Ronald Tarentino Jr., were honored during a candlelight ceremony in Washington, DC Saturday. The two men had their names added to the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial after they were both killed in the line of duty in 2016. The men's names will be engraved on the memorial. Clardy was killed on March 16, 2016 when the 44-year-old Massachusetts State Police trooper had pulled over a vehicle on the Massachusetts Turnpike in Charlton. David Njuguna of Webster is accused of being high on marijuana and slamming into Clardy's cruiser, leaving the trooper with fatal injuries. He faces charges in Worcester Superior Court. Tarentino was shot and killed on May 22, 2016, after stopping a car on Rochdale Street in Auburn early in the morning. The man wanted for the killing, Jorge Zambrano, was shot and killed later in the day after a standoff with police. Zambrano shot a Massachusetts State Police trooper when STOP Team members tried to get Zambrano to come out of a duplex in Oxford. The trooper recovered from his wounds. Tarentino, 42, had been working for the Auburn Police Department for two years after transferring over from the Leicester Police Department. Three members of the Massachusetts State Police STOP Team were honored by the National Association of Police Organizations for their actions on May 22, 2016 when they confronted the man who shot and killed Auburn Police Officer Ronald Tarentino Jr. The troopers, Sergeant Michael Baker, Trooper A.J. Kardoos and Trooper Scott McDonald received the TOP COPs Award from the National Association of Police Organizations in Washington, D.C. at the 24th Annual TOP COPS Awards Dinner. The same three troopers were awarded the Massachusetts State Police Medal of Honor last year for their response to the Tarentino killing. Tarentino was fatally shot by Jorge Zambrano when the officer pulled over a vehicle in Auburn early in the morning. Authorities said Tarentino was shot in the back and it appears Zambrano fired off five gunshots. The 42-year-old officer was wearing a bulletproof vest. One round went in between the officer's gun belt and the vest. Investigators learned Zambrano was hiding in an Oxford duplex. The STOP Team was deployed and responded to the scene. "The STOP Team undertook exhaustive efforts to resolve the situation peacefully. At one point in the operation, a friend of Zambrano's exited the home and told troopers that the suspect was indeed inside the house and had no intention of surrendering or being captured alive,"State Police said. "Eventually STOP personnel had no choice but to make entry into the house." Last night, Sergeant Michael Baker, Trooper A.J. Kardoos and Trooper Scott McDonald received the prestigious TOP COPs... Posted by Massachusetts State Police on Saturday, May 13, 2017 Baker, Kardoos and McDonald entered the duplex and then went inside a bedroom. They saw a closed door. Suddenly a pit bull ran out from behind the room. A hand holding a gun then came out from a cluster of clothing and the person holding the gun began to shoot. Kardoos was shot in the left shoulder. The troopers returned fire, killing Zambrano. Kardoos was treated at a nearby hospital, underwent surgery and eventually returned to duty. It has never before been easier to completely remove Facebook from your life not missing a single social beat in the process. And when you finally do, youll wonder what took you so long in the first place. By Jack Morse Full Story: http://mashable.com/2017/05/13/living-without-facebook-easy-delete/?utm_cid=hp-hh-pri#m1h5QQ1tfsqq Advertisement Pain Diarrhea Fatigue Weight Loss Loss Of Appetite The research team evaluated the fecal microbiota profiles of children diagnosed with IBD and also children who were healthy. The profiling showed a clear distinction between the two groups.It was found that a most disturbed microbiota profiling called dysbiosis caused the development of extensive IBD. These children would need biological therapy in the future."IBD is often far more aggressive in children than it is in adults but it is very difficult to predict the individual disease course" said Dr Christine Olbjrn, lead researcher. "We and other researchers are interested in the potential of faecal microbiota profiling to help us diagnose and manage these children and we have been helped by the availability of new genetic tests that can quantify different bacterial species in the gut."Inflammatory bowel disease is a chronic inflammatory condition of the digestive tract. It is a debilitating disorder that could lead to life-threatening complications.Though the exact cause of IBD is unknown, genetics, family history, immune system malfunction, childhood infection, and environmental factors are known to trigger its onset.The two main types of IBD are ulcerative colitis and Crohn's disease. Ulcerative colitis affects the colon and rectum and it is characterized by long-lasting inflammation and ulcers in the innermost lining of the intestine.Crohn's disease can affect any part of the digestive tract including small intestine or large intestine or both. It can affect all layers of the intestine.The symptoms usually includeAcross Europe, the number of cases of IBD are on the rise.In Europe, around 500,000 are affected by ulcerative colitis and 30,000 new cases are diagnosed each year.Crohn's disease affects about 250,000 people, with around 18,000 new cases per year.A third of the total number of IBD cases can be attributed to childhood onset of IBD. In children, IBD can affect the psychological, emotional and mental health. It also negatively affects their education level.For the study, fecal samples from 235 children and adolescents (80 children with Crohn's disease, 27 with ulcerative colitis, three with unclassified IBD, 50 with symptoms, but no IBD diagnosis, and 75 healthy children), were collected.The new test, called the GA-ma IBD Dysbiosis Test, was used to analyze the fecal samples. The test helps to identify up to 300 different bacteria on different taxonomic levels by using advanced DNA profiling.A comparison of the microbiota profiles was then made between the children with IBD, those with symptoms but no IBD diagnosis, and healthy children.It was found that the probe signal intensity, that is meant to indicate the abundance of different bacterial species, was significantly reduced in children diagnosed with IBD and those who had symptoms, but had not been diagnosed, compared to the children who had no significant health issues ."What was perhaps more intriguing was that the children with more extensive IBD had significantly more Clostridiales, and those with extensive Crohn's disease had more Proteobacteria than children with limited disease. Children who were subsequently treated with TNF blockers had a lower diversity of Firmicutes, Tenericutes and Bacteroidetes as well as lower abundance of Actinobacteria before treatment than those who were ultimately treated with conventional medications." said Dr Olbjrn.The dysbiosis of gut microbia also played a key role in the pathogenesis of IBD in children."Our findings suggest that fecal microbiota profiles may be used to identify which children are destined for a more severe form of IBD and which, therefore, need more intensive monitoring and possibly earlier, more aggressive treatment." added Dr Olbjrn.The findings were presented at the annual meeting of the European Society for Paediatric Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Nutrition (ESPGHAN) in Prague. Advertisement "Women opting for pregnancy in their 40s is on the rise, to the extent of about 20 to 30 per cent as compared to previous years. Most of them belong to the upper middle class and are career-oriented women," Amita Shah, Obstetrician and Gynaecologist at Gurugram's Columbia Asia Hospital, told IANS.Gursimran Dhaliwal, Consultant, Gynaecology, at Amritsar's Fortis Escorts Hospital, also agreed, saying, interestingly, that late pregnancies are no more perceived as a "western phenomenon" as "more and more Indian women are opting for it".It's not just education or careers that lead women to make such choices."Not meeting the right guy... Even after they meet the right guy, waiting till comfortable in the relationship or marriage can also lead to having children late," said Rajalaxmi Walavalkar-Dalvi, Consultant, IVF and Reproductive Surgery, at Thane's Cocoon Fertility.Devikarani, a Manipur government official, could also enjoy the joys of motherhood late as she never wanted to get married."I stayed single till 37. But then I had to fulfil my mother's dying wish -- to get me married -- and so, I got hitched. Since I got married late, I had a daughter at 39 and a few years later I gave birth to twins," she said.Tough pregnancy?"No, it was a normal delivery. But in the future it would be a little tough as they are still in primary school and I am almost 50. Had I become a mother on time, they would have been financially helping me," said the government official.The problems with late pregnancy don't end here."Chances of a high-risk pregnancy are more. There are more chances of miscarriages, down syndrome, hypertension, gestational diabetes and low-weight babies," said Sarita Sabharwal, Senior Consultant, Obstetrics and Gynaecology, at Dwarka's Venkateshwar Hospital.Walavalkar-Dalvi added that it's harder to get pregnant the longer you wait. "Egg supply decreases significantly as you age, and the risk of miscarriage and birth defects is higher. They are more likely to require IVF treatments and to achieve pregnancy using donor egg treatments."But there's a bright side to becoming a mother at 40."Parents in their 40s are ready, patient and self-assured. They are more experienced, more financially secure and comfortable in their career. It's likely that it is a settled marriage, thus giving a good foundation for starting a family. Also, they are wiser, better educated and better equipped to make wiser parenting decisions," said Walavalkar-Dalvi.Dhaliwal believed that if late pregnancies have many biological disadvantages, they seem to be balanced by social advantages."For older mothers, being more educated, financially secure, prepared to make the necessary sacrifices that having a baby brings... more mature and understanding all the complexities associated with birth of a baby in late life, is a huge plus," she said."So a healthy 40-year-old mother can have a much less risky pregnancy than one who is a healthy 28 if she prepares her body for pregnancy with a healthy lifestyle. Once pregnant, eating well, gaining the right amount of weight, being more vigilant can cut down the vast biological disadvantages of late motherhood," she added.Dhaliwal has the last word: "Every woman has to make her own decision, but having a healthy lifestyle, undertaking regular exercise, genetic counselling and testing for abnormalities in early pregnancy, and booking in early for antenatal care can help in being a mother at any age."(Natalia Ningthoujam can be contacted at natalia.n@ians.in)Source: IANS Please complete this form and we'll send you a personalised information that is requested You may use this for your own reference or forward it to your friends. Please use the information prudently. If you are not a medical doctor please remember to consult your healthcare provider as this information is not a substitute for professional advice. With initial overseas deployments of both the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter and F-22 Raptor completed, the Air Force has a better understanding of the unique maintenance challenges required by its most advanced stealth fighters. The service this month completed the F-35A's first training deployment to Europe and plans to permanently base a squadron of the aircraft on the continent, beginning in 2021. (The service doesn't currently have any F-35As overseas, although the Marine Corps earlier this year stationed a squadron of F-35Bs at Marine Corps Air Station Iwakuni in Japan.) Air Force officials said much of the work needed to prepare bases abroad to accommodate the fifth-generation fighter jets made by Lockheed Martin comes down to the different processes for maintaining stealth technology on the aircraft. "The F-22 is a fifth-generation fighter, but its stealth technology is different than what the F-35 has," Brig. Gen. Scott Pleus, a former F-16 Fighting Falcon pilot who directs the Joint Strike Fighter program integration office, recently said. For example, the Raptor's "stealth ... skin takes much more maintenance actions to maintain the stealth capabilities of the airplane than the F-35, he said, largely because it's older technology. Different Skin, Tooling The Defense Department required the low observable technology for the F-35 to be more durable because the Air Force, Navy and Marine Corps each fly a variant of the aircraft designed for different scenarios, from landing on conventional runways on land, catching arresting cables on aircraft carriers, to hovering down on amphibious assault ships, Pleus explained. The twin-engine F-22 fighter, meanwhile, was built to "just an Air Force standard," he said. "Realize, it's a very difficult logistical challenge to move fighter planes across the ocean," Pleus said. "The Air Force makes it look very easy when we do it, because we do it all the time." In addition, tooling, generators and aging support equipment, such as the Combined Generation and Cooling, or CGAC, cart -- which maintains the aircraft's electric power -- are distinct to each aircraft system. And as the Air Force's number of F-35As increases -- as of last September, the service had 96 in its inventory -- so, too, does the need for the support gear. "As we continue to grow the fleet, we have limited amounts of age equipment," Pleus said. While these pieces are necessities -- like the Autonomic Logistics Information System, or ALIS, as well as the Deployable Debrief Facility, or DDF -- Pleus said bringing on additional equipment is manageable "in an overall logistics footprint, as we move overseas." Even so, the unique maintenance challenges between the F-35 and F-22 determine what all pilots and maintainers wish they had more of -- time. 'Shortfalls' in Past Deployment The Air Force has learned from past transatlantic flights and overseas operations, especially from the F-22's deployment two years ago. In 2015, the Raptor made its first appearance on the continent as part of the European Reassurance Initiative, to support allies in the region following Russia's annexation of Crimea and its support for pro-Russian rebels in Ukraine. Then in 2016, the Air Force deployed a dozen F-22s from Tyndall Air Force Base in Florida to Europe for almost a month of exercises. "We went to Spangdahlem [Air Base, Germany] in 2015 and we ran into all kinds of shortfalls -- those all made our after-action report and, about six months later, there was magically a bunch of money that went to Spangdahlem to fix those shortfalls to better host F-22s or F-35s for the next time," said Lt. Col. Daniel, an F-22 pilot of the 95th Fighter Squadron at Tyndall. During a reporting trip to Tyndall in March, Military.com spoke with Daniel and other pilots and a maintainer at the base. All of the airmen spoke on condition their last names not be used due to safety concerns amid ongoing air operations against the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria. The Spangdahlem shortfalls presumably had to do with maintenance on the planes stealth coatings, but Daniel didn't elaborate despite follow-up questions, and the after-action report wasn't shared with Military.com. Hiccups in England Daniel did say that crews also recently ran into minor stealth maintenance hiccups at Royal Air Forces Lakenheath in the United Kingdom, but took care of them before the F-35 landed at the base on April 15 as part of that aircraft's first training mission in Europe. Sam, the 325th Aircraft Maintenance Squadron commander, said bases must be outfitted with the proper equipment to maintain the low observable technology, or LO. "For example, not that I can't go there and do LO, but there are environmental controls that I need to make sure it's a little bit more effective," he said. "We're always ready to go anywhere, but how do we get there and operate more efficiently and effectively?" New Facility in Germany The European Reassurance Initiative, established in 2014 under President Obama to fund programs for the U.S. military conducting exercises in Europe, includes about $20 million in funding this year for infrastructure improvements so the Air Force can maintain fifth-generation fighters at bases in Europe, according to budget documents. The program also includes money to build a low observable/composite repair facility at Spangdahlem in Germany. In a perfect world, overseas installations would mirror those of stateside Raptor bases such as Tyndall or Langley Air Force Base in Virginia, Sam said. "How close can I get to that same capability?" he asked. "That's what we're always working toward." Keeping Up with Coating Overseas, the F-22 is currently deployed in the Middle East for Operation Inherent Resolve, the Defense Department's air campaign to stamp out ISIS. Stateside, the aircraft is undergoing stealth coating upgrades at bases in Alaska and Hawaii. "When you're talking about a low-observable platform -- the seals, the edges, where your panels meet -- that's where you get a lot of your problems with radar identifications," said John Cottam, F-22 program deputy for Lockheed Martin in Fort Worth. The company is also redoing coatings on the engine inlets through Inlet Coating Repair, or ICR, he said. The corrosion is to be expected, Cottam said. "This has occurred right on schedule -- the material that we use has a life to it ... so it's just that we have to touch it up with new material." Pleus said folks shouldn't read too much into the extra stealth maintenance requirements on the F-22. "Does it make the case that the F-35 is better than the F-22?" he said. "It does not." -- Oriana Pawlyk can be reached at oriana.pawlyk@military.com. Follow her on Twitter at @Oriana0214. Related stories and video: Camp Lejeune Town Halls Aim to Help Those Exposed to Toxic Water. Heres How You Can Go. Retired Marine Master Sgt. Jerry Ensminger made it his mission to tell the world that if they lived or served on Camp Lejeune... GRAND RAPIDS, MI - East Kentwood High School students celebrated an "Under the Sea" themed prom in style Saturday, May 13, at DeVos Place. Students mingled, laughed and danced the night away to the latest hits wearing glamorous gowns and sleek tuxedos and suits. MLive's The Grand Rapids Press was there to capture all the fun from a memorable night. Prom season is coming to a close in West Michigan. MLive will continue to cover as many as possible through May to highlight the annual rite of passage. More: GRAND RAPIDS, MI - Forest Hills Northern High School students celebrated a "Masquerade'' that inspired loads of fun and mystery Saturday, May 13, at the Grand Rapids Public Museum. The prom dresses were trendy and stylish and there were some sharp-looking tuxedos and suits. Students mingled, laughed and danced the night away. MLive's The Grand Rapids Press was there to capture all the fun from a memorable night. Prom season is coming to a close in West Michigan. MLive will continue to cover as many as possible through May to highlight the annual rite of passage. More: 051017_Sierra_Trading_Post_.JPG Sierra Trading Post, located in the Maple Village Shopping Center, is set to open at 8 a.m. on Saturday, May 13, 2017. The Ann Arbor store will be the first to open in Michigan. (Hunter Dyke | The Ann Arbor News) GRAND RAPIDS, MI -- A Sierra Trading Post could be coming to a Grand Rapids shopping center. The owners of the Shops at CenterPoint at 3665 28th St. SE have submitted a request to the city's planning commission that includes plans for a Sierra Trading Post in an existing portion of the mall, documents show. Sierra Trading Post is a Wyoming-based company that is planning to open its first Michigan store in Ann Arbor this weekend. Representatives from TJX Companies, owners of Sierra Trading Post, said the company has not yet announced a store for Grand Rapids. The store sells outdoor lifestyle goods from kayaks to tents to hiking boots, as well as home goods. The Sierra Trading Post is proposed for a storefront adjacent to the existing Nordstrom Rack. It would require a 361-square-foot expansion to the building and a new truck well, documents show. The Sierra Trading Post would need a new storefront and canopy built to the height of the existing height of the Nordstrom Rack. The owners of the Shops at CenterPoint are also seeking the planning commission's approval to build a new outbuilding in the shopping center. A one-story, 9,450-square-foot building for retail or restaurant use is proposed between the existing ToysRUs and the HomeGoods store. No tenant is named in the application. The project will be before the planning commission for a sire plan review May 25. It's the latest in additions to the Shops at CenterPoint. Earlier this year the planning commission gave its approval to a new Chick-fil-A at the mall, which will be built next to the Krispy Kreme. Final edition of the Lansing State Journal on May 18, 1927, the day of the Bath school bombings. Lansing-area community of Bath marks somber anniversary Ninety years ago on Thursday, May 18, 1927, Bath Township experienced the deadliest school massacre in U.S. history when a disgruntled school board member blew up Bath Consolidated School, and then turned his truck into a bomb after people rushed to the scene. A total of 45 people died from that event including 38 children, two teachers and the school superintendent. It was a shocking event from multiple perspectives: The number of deaths; the fact the perpetrator was a respected community leader; the meticulous planning that went into the explosions; the gruesome details of the explosions. Here's the story of what happened. Don't Edit A rural farming community Located in Clinton County just north of East Lansing and Haslett, Bath Township today is a bedroom community in metro Lansing. But in the 1920s, it was a rural, tight-knit farming community. Consumers Power workers were installing the first electrical lines in Bath when the school bombing occurred. Above is a map of Bath Township, showing its location along the Ingham County border. The jagged area in the township's southwest corner is the northern part of the city of East Lansing. The school was located on Main Street n the village of Bath, just northeast of what is today the intersection of U.S. 127 and I-69. Kehoe's farm was located on Clark Road about a mile west of Main Street. This map allows you to zoom in or out. Don't Edit Bath Consolidated School, which opened in 1922. Source: Michigan Historical Archives Creation of a consolidated school In 1921, Bath voters agreed to consolidate the township's one-room schoolhouses into a single consolidated school. It would, for the first time, create separate classrooms for each grade and allow Bath children to continue their education through high school. The consolidation plan also significantly increased property taxes. Still, the referendum for the bond to build the new school passed 56 to 20. Bath Consolidated School opened in 1922 with 236 students . By 1926-27, the school had grown to 314 pupils. Don't Edit Andrew and Ellen "Nellie" Kehoe Source: Michigan Historical Society Among the naysayers: Andrew Kehoe Among those unhappy about the tax increase was Andrew Kehoe, who owned an 80-acre farm on Clark Road, a mile or so southwest of the village. Born in 1872, Andrew Kehoe grew up in Tecumseh and went to Michigan State College to study electrical engineering. During his college years, he met Ellen "Nellie" Price, but they didn't marry until Andrew was 40 and Nellie was 37. They did not have children. The couple initially settled in Tecumseh, where Kehoe owned a farm. Seven years later, in 1919, they moved to Bath, to the home where Nellie grew up. The property had been owned by an uncle who died, and the couple bought the property from the uncle's estate. Don't Edit Source: Michigan Historical Archives 'A showcase for the region' The Kehoes were regarded by Bath residents as "good people" and their farm was one of the finest in the community. "At the center of the property was a three-story home with a roomy front porch and an elegant set of bay windows on the second floor," wrote Arnie Bernstein in his 2009 book "Bath Massacre: America's First School Bombing." "The land was rich, perfect for a food variety of crops. ... It was a showcase for the region, a well-kept estate." Don't Edit Don't Edit Emory Hucyk Elected to school board Kehoe was elected to school board in July 1925, on a platform of assuring fiscal oversight, and he was appointed treasurer. He was known as meticulous bookkeeper, balancing the school's accounts to the penny. But he also frequently clashed with Emory Hucyk, superintendent of the new school, and with other school board members over his frugal tendencies. Still, Kehoe was respected enough that when the Bath Township clerk stepped down, Kehoe was appointed to fill out her term. Don't Edit Julie Mack | jmack1@mlive.com Series of troubles As the 1920s continued, Kehoe became beset by a series of troubles, Bernstein chronicles in his book. He had money troubles, and stopped making mortgage payments to Nellie's relatives. After serving as interim township clerk, he lost election to keep the position. He was in the board minority on a number of issues. And then starting in 1926, Nellie's health began to fail, perhaps tuberculosis. It was a illness that left her gaunt and frail and going in and out of Lansing's St. Lawrence Hospital for months. Something in Andrew Kehoe snapped. Maybe it was anger over school taxes. Or anger over the mortgage payments. Or anger over everything. But Kehoe started buying up dynamite. As a school trustee who was also a talented electrician and mechanic, Kehoe spent plenty of time in the bowels of the building and, it became apparent later, he was spending part of that time stashing dynamite in various nooks and crannies -- 900 pounds of dynamite in all. Don't Edit Source: Michigan Historical Archives May 18, 1927 May 18, 1927, was a sunny spring day. It was the last week of the school year. Commencement was scheduled for the following evening. At 8:45 a.m., a huge explosion rocked the school building, collapsing the north wing of the building, which housed the elementary grades. Simultaneously, Kehoe's farm home a mile away burst into flames, although that was largely ignored as families rushed to the school. Don't Edit "The school's roof was solidly planted on the remains of the first-floor classrooms," Bernstein wrote in his book. "The outer walls crumbled to the sides, although a back wall remained steady. It was as if a great hand had smashed the north wing's roof into the ground, leaving the remainder of the school untouched save for the broken windows. Among the chunk of wood and broken wall, tiny bodies could be seen. The screams of the children in the rubble were joined by the frantic cries of parents now flooding the grounds." Don't Edit Julie Mack | jmack1@mlive.com "The scene was dire," Bernstein wrote. "It was later estimated that 230 to 275 children were in the building at the time of the blast. Just about every family in the area had at least one child in Bath Consolidated School; some had more." Don't Edit Don't Edit The remains of Andrew Kehoe's truck. Source: Michigan Historical Archives The third explosion About 20 minutes after the initial explosions, Kehoe pulled up in his Ford truck and waved over Huyck, the school superintendent, who had been working to pull children from the rubble According to Bernstein's book, Huyck started to ask Kehoe to join the rescue effort, but then blurted: "You know something about this, don't you?" Kehoe responded by pulling a gun and firing into a cache of dynamite in the truck cab. The truck blew up. Don't Edit A car damaged by the truck bomb explosion. Julie Mack | jmack1@mlive.com From Bernstein's book: "Flaming balls of gasoline ascended through the air as the car bomb set off a new wave of destruction. The blast ripped Huyck's and Kehoe's bodies apart. Limbs were ripped from sockets; skulls burst; bodies flew high in the air. "A wide circle of hot metal shards flew outward from the Ford. It wasn't just the body of the machine ripping through the air; Kehoe had packed his truck with scraps of metal, used farm implements, nuts, bolts and nails. The force of the explosion turned these loose items into deadly shrapnel." Four people were killed by the truck bomb, including Kehoe, Huyck, a retired farmer, the Bath postmaster and a second-grader who had just survived the school bombing. A young mother standing a block away had shrapnel that went through her eye and into her brain; she survived but was left with serious brain damage. Don't Edit After Kehoe dynamited his home, only the chimney was left standing. Source: Michigan Historical Archives The scene at the Kehoe farm After realizing Kehoe's role in the school bombing, authorities went to his home and found the home and barn engulfed in fire. (Neighbors heard the initial explosions at the farm, but they ran to the schoolhouse on reports of explosions at the school.) Firemen dragged some of the home's contents out, but there was no sign of Nellie Kehoe, who had returned home two days before from a long hospital stay. It took 36 hours to discover her charred body in a cart outside the sheep barn. The body was so badly burned, it was unclear whether she was killed by the fire or had been killed beforehand. Don't Edit In addition to blowing up the buildings on the property, Kehoe girdled the shade trees -- cut through the bark around the base -- to kill them. He also cut through his grape vines and then put the vines back in place so they looked untouched. Investigators found Kehoe's two horses burned to death in the barn, their feet bound with wire so they couldn't escape. At the edge of the farm, authorities found a sign attached to a fence: "Criminals are made, not born." Don't Edit The death toll A total of 45 people died from the day's events: 39 from the school bombing, including 37 children and two teachers; five from the truck bomb, and Nellie Kehoe at the farmhouse. In all, 14 percent of the student body died and dozens more were seriously injured, including children who lost limbs. The deaths and injuries were concentrated among students in the third through sixth grades, who were in the classrooms most directly impacted by the explosion. There were 13 sixth-graders killed, 10 third-graders, and seven each from fourth and fifth grades. The sixth- and third-graders were in first-floor classrooms while the fourth and fifth graders were on the second floor when the explosion occurred. Don't Edit Don't Edit The aftermath Clearing out the debris and tearing down the school was a difficult undertaking: Work crews found a total of 700 pounds of unexploded dynamite attached to timers still in the building's basement. Those timers also were set to 8:45 a.m. Authorities theorized the initial blast either shorted out the wiring or otherwise disabled the remaining explosives. Don't Edit Replacement school A replacement school was funded by James Couzens, a state senator and former Detroit mayor who made millions by being an early investor in Ford Motor Co. James Couzens School opened in 1928 on the same site as the original Bath Consolidated School. Don't Edit Julie Mack | jmack1@mlive.com School cupola in memorial park The school was torn down in 1975, and the five-acre property is now James Couzens Park. It includes several memorials to the Bath massacre, including the cupola from the bombed school. That cupola also was put atop James Couzens School. Don't Edit Memorial rock in James Couzins Park that lists all those who died in the Bath school massacre with the exception of Andrew and Nellie Kehoe. Julie Mack | jmack1@mlive.com Marking the anniversary Today, Bath Township has about 12,000 residents and the school district has about 1,100 students. The community is holding an event from 4 to 8 p.m. May 18 at the Bath Middle School to mark the 90th anniversary of the school bombing. The event will include a panel discussions, tours of the Bath School Museum in the middle school and a reading of the names of those who died. PETOSKEY, MI -- Northern Michigan's industrial past is returning to haunt the Petoskey waterfront, where environmental and public health officials are going door-to-door to test for poison vapors inside residences built on a Superfund site. The Environmental Protection Agency is investigating vapor intrusion around the former Petoskey Manufacturing Company site at 200 W. Lake Street, which was redeveloped into a condominium complex next to Bayfront Park. Trichloroethylene, (TCE), a cancer-causing industrial solvent still present in high concentration in the groundwater and soil under the site, was found at levels high enough in the indoor air at the Water Street Condominiums in March and April for health officials to suggest that some residents temporarily relocate. A vapor intrusion mitigation system outside the Seeds of Promise nonprofit at Hall Street and Madison Ave. SE in Grand Rapids. Air containment levels dropped after the EPA began to filter the air and stem the vapor intrusion, but an agency spokesperson confirmed that 11 of the 17 units in the condo complex had TCE in the air above the agency's health-based screening level of 0.3 parts-per-billion by volume (ppbv). Indoor air concentrations were as high as 10.6-ppbv in some Water Street units, about 35 times the screening threshold. Underneath the complex concrete slab, TCE levels were as high as 2,865-ppbv, about 220 times higher than the screening level for soil gas under a building. The EPA considers TCE a carcinogen that is dangerous to touch, swallow or breath. The agency says breathing small amounts may cause headaches, lung irritation, dizziness, poor coordination and difficulty concentrating. Breathing large amounts may cause impaired heart function, unconsciousness and death. Breathing it for long periods may cause nerve, kidney, and liver damage. Mike Swain, spokesperson for the Health Department of Northwest Michigan, said "not more than a handful" of units had TCE levels high enough to warrant a suggested relocation, which the state helps pay for. There were no forced evacuations and nobody took advantage of the relocation offer. Thankfully, many of the condo owners are seasonal residents, he said. The EPA screening level is based on the health effects from daily exposure over several decades. The Michigan Department of Health & Human Services says TCE exposure over 0.8-ppbv becomes unsafe after a couple days, especially for pregnant women and unborn children. The condos, built between 2004 and 2014, sit directly atop the former manufacturing company, which dumped solvents and paint sludge on the ground during its 54-years of operation. Contamination was discovered at the site in 1981. Exposure may have been occurring since the units opened. The EPA is installing a long-term vapor mitigation system at the complex. The Superfund site has gone through decades of cleanup and redevelopment that converted the auto supply plant and surrounding industrial area into a picturesque waterfront with a park and condos on the Little Traverse Wheelway. However, the EPA only began looking for potential vapor intrusion in January as part of a nationwide reexamination of toxic sites for the under-the-radar health hazard. The Michigan Department of Environmental Quality estimates there could be as many as 4,000 sites statewide where vapors from toxicant plumes, which enter buildings through poorly-sealed basements, could pose a health risk to people. Many of the 65 Superfund sites in Michigan are being checked, or are scheduled to be checked, for potential vapor intrusion into nearby buildings. Emergency vapor evacuations occurred in Detroit and Grand Rapids last year. Beth Mead-O'Brien, Petoskey site manager for the DEQ, said the new focus on vapor intrusion is being driven by advances in toxicology science, which can detect unsafe levels of contaminants in the air at lower levels. Concentrations of TCE considered safe are now much lower than they use to be. The DEQ and EPA have a history of disagreement over safe levels of pollution existing under the Water Street Condos, with the DEQ arguing during a 2009 site-review that despite many cubic yards of contaminated soil removal and soil vapor extraction, concentrations of TCE in the ground were still too high and more monitoring and cleanup was necessary. Despite past differences, "we're heading in a good direction now," said Mead-O'Brien. On May 8, the combined agencies held a meeting with affected residents to explain the new vapor investigation. The EPA is trying to find the boundary of the soil vapor plume around the area and plans indoor-air testing in nearby houses and condos. "We're fortunate this is a Superfund site because EPA is paying for mitigation," said Swain. "The experts I've talked to say you'll see more of this as years go on." In Lansing earlier this month, the state Legislature denied the DEQ's request for another $1.3 million to investigate vapor intrusion around the state amid 2018 budget negotiations with Gov. Rick Snyder that are going to conference on May 17. Swain said the legislature "needs to step up and acknowledge the problem." "The science is new and, unfortunately, folks won't release it's a problem until the local health department has to go door-to-door," he said. The money is easy to dismiss as unnecessary from a safe chair in Lansing, but Swain called it a very different experience "when you have to sit down with someone and explain to them what they've been living in." COMSTOCK, MI -- Kalamazoo Central High School students celebrated prom 2017 Saturday, May 13. The school's spring formal, themed "A Midsummer Night's Dream," was held at Niko's Landing in Comstock. Kalamazoo Central won the Kalamazoo Gazette's "Prom of the Week" poll for May 13. If you have your own photos you'd like to have included in our photo gallery, email them to kznews@mlive.com. Include your name, names of the students pictured and the school. RAVENNA, MI -- Orchard View High School students stepped out on the red carpet at prom 2017 Saturday night. The May 13 prom was held at the Hitching Post in Ravenna. This year's theme was "Hollywood Red Carpet." Dana Wyant, prom coordinator this year, said approximately 225 students attended the event. Prom was planned by a committee of about 10 students. Students snacked on candy and popcorn in between dancing the night away. Carriage rides were also available to up the "regal" factor of the event. Orchard View High School was voted "Prom of the Week" in the Muskegon Chronicle's poll. Spring Lake High School was the only other Muskegon-area school to hold prom this weekend. Jared Olson Roosevelt Park's new city manager Jared Olson started April 24, 2017. (Meagan Beck) ROOSEVELT PARK, MI - After interviewing several candidates, Roosevelt Park has found its new city manager. The city hired Jared Olson to fill the full-time, non-elected position. His first day was Monday, April 24 and his starting annual salary is $72,000. Olson, 29, is a Spring Lake native and lives in Norton Shores with his wife and their weimaraner. He received his bachelor's degree from Alma College and master's degree in public administration from Central Michigan University. Prior to coming to Roosevelt Park, Olson was the city manager of Caro, Mich. for almost four years. After his wife was hired by Reeths-Puffer Public Schools, Olson said they decided it was time to come back to West Michigan. "It was kind of just good timing how everything lined up," he said. "We bought a house before I had a job here ... we closed on our house on Monday and on Tuesday they offered me the job." Mayor Allan C. Lowe III said Olson was "ready to roll" as soon as he started working for the city. "He was on the ball right away," Lowe said. "I think he's going to be a good fit for the city." Olson said residents can look forward to several upcoming infrastructure projects. A full reconstruction of Westland Road and Dawes Road, including water, groundwater and street work, is coming this July. He said another priority of his is to continue providing high quality service to the city's residents. "I have an open door policy and I strictly adhere to that so if anyone wants to come in to talk," he said. "I'm just excited to be here." Roosevelt Park had been without a full-time city manager for almost two years after former city manager Anthony Chandler took a job in neighboring community Norton Shores. In January 2016, former Muskegon city manager Bryon Mazade began working as the city's interim manager. City council ended its search for a new city manager in February 2016 and Mazade then signed an employment agreement contract with the city. This past February, Mazade announced his resignation. There was no end date for Mazade's work with Roosevelt Park written into the employment agreement. County officials and staff take a tour of Saginaw County Jail Katie Bailey | MLive.com Chains for inmates going to court hang in the basement offices of the Saginaw County Jail, Wednesday, Dec. 4, 2013. (Katie Bailey | MLive.com) SAGINAW, MI -- A nurse formerly contracted to work in the Saginaw County Jail is suing the sheriff's office over allegations she was essentially fired as retaliation for reporting harassment by a jail staffer. The suit, which was filed April 27, alleges the Saginaw County Sheriff's Office violated the Michigan Whistleblowers Protection Act by revoking the nurse's security clearance, which was required to work in the jail, after she reported alleged continual harassment by a jail employee. After her security clearance was revoked Feb. 1, the employer that contracted the nurse, Kelita Moore, to work in the jail fired her. She was employed by Corizon Health. Moore is now seeking compensation from the sheriff's office for suffering physical, mental and financial detriment. "That total amount is unknown," her attorney, Mandel Allweil said. "It's fair to say we'll be asking for substantially more than $25,000 by the time of trial." While the suit calls the sheriff's office a "joint employer" of Moore, Saginaw County Sheriff William Federspiel said he wants to make it clear his office never had the power to fire her, as she wasn't his employee. In regard to the investigation, which resulted in her security clearance being revoked, he said he could not mention specifics. "We regularly do investigations," Federspiel said. "Those are matters that we regularly contend with for the safety of our staff and inmates." Moore's contract with the jail began in June 2010 and was with good record and without incident until Nov. 11, 2016, when she was asked by a jail officer to deliver medication to a patient who had previously said inappropriate things to Moore, according to the suit. Moore deferred the task to another nurse. The following day, Moore was passing out medications when she was approached by the same female jail officer, a 20-year veteran of the sheriff's office, the suit states. Moore failed to reply to the jail officer who was saying inane things and eventually, the suit states, told Moore: "Didn't you hear me talking to you and you are not going to answer me?" The officer then slapped Moore's shoulder and denied touching her when told by Moore not to, the suit reads. Moore reported the event to a sergeant and asked to press charges for illegally touching her, according to the suit. An investigation ensued and depositions were taken, the suit states. Shortly after, the officer began retaliating toward Moore, for example, yelling out that she was walking past Moore as she held both hands in the air, the suit reads. In other instances, the suit claims the officer failed to bring Moore diabetic patients in a timely manner and also didn't stay within the required distance to her when inmates were present. Federspiel said an investigation into the jail officer was conducted and cleared. "Very rarely are they substantiated, sometimes they are, and they're dealt with," the sheriff said of claims against jail staff. "We still take every allegation seriously and it keeps our office very busy, unfortunately." On Feb. 1, about three months after the incident, Moore was notified her security clearance was being revoked as a result of an internal investigation, the suit reads. The suit claims this move changed the terms and conditions of Moore's employment because she reported illegal conduct to a public body, the sheriff's office. Legal counsel for the sheriff's office has yet to formally respond to the suit. FREELAND,MI-- The Tittabawassee Police Department is investigating a shooting that killed a Freeland High School student in the 9000 block of North River Road. Tittabawassee police, Saginaw and Midland County Sherriff deputies responded to 911 calls of a shooting at 2 a.m. on Sunday, May 14, according to a press release from the Tittabaswassee Township Police Department. The press release says when officers arrived to the scene they discovered a deceased 16-year-old student from Freeland High School in the basement of the residence. Officials say the shooting occurred after a bonfire at the victim's home where alcohol was present and is believed to be a factor. Tittabawassee Township detectives interviewed several Freeland High School students who were at the scene to determine if the shooting was intentional or accidental. Saginaw County Victim Advocates and a counselor from the high school were sent to the victim's home to provide counseling, according to Tittabawassee Police Department. No other details were immediately available. LONDON (AP) -- The cyberattack that spread malicious software around the world, shutting down networks at hospitals, banks and government agencies, was thwarted by a young British researcher and an inexpensive domain registration, with help from another 20-something security engineer in the U.S. Britain's National Cyber Security Center and others were hailing the cybersecurity researcher, a 22-year-old identified online only as MalwareTech, who -- unintentionally at first -- discovered a so-called "kill switch" that halted the unprecedented outbreak. By then the "ransomware" attack had crippled Britain's hospital network and computer systems in several countries in an effort to extort money from computer users. But the researcher's actions may have saved companies and governments millions of dollars and slowed the outbreak before computers in the U.S. were more widely affected. MalwareTech, who works for cybersecurity firm Kryptos Logic, is part of a large global cybersecurity community who are constantly watching for attacks and working together to stop or prevent them, often sharing information via Twitter. It's not uncommon for them to use aliases, either to protect themselves from retaliatory attacks or for privacy. In a blog post Saturday, MalwareTech explained he learned on Friday that networks across Britain's health system had been hit by ransomware, tipping him off that "this was something big." He began analyzing a sample of the malicious software and noticed its code included a hidden web address that wasn't registered. He said he "promptly" registered the domain, something he regularly does to try to discover ways to track or stop malicious software. Across an ocean, Darien Huss, a 28-year-old research engineer for the cybersecurity firm Proofpoint, was doing his own analysis. The western Michigan resident said he noticed the authors of the malware had left in a feature known as a kill switch. Huss took a screen shot of his discovery and shared it on Twitter. Soon he and MalwareTech were communicating about what they'd found: That registering the domain name and redirecting the attacks to the server of Kryptos Logic had activated the kill switch, halting the ransomware's infections. Huss and others were calling MalwareTech a hero on Saturday, with Huss adding that the global cybersecurity community was working "as a team" to stop the infections from spreading. "I think the security industry as a whole should be considered heroes," he said. But he also said he's concerned the authors of the malware could re-release it without a kill switch or with a better one, or that copycats could mimic the attack. "I think it is concerning that we could definitely see a similar attack occur, maybe in the next 24 to 48 hours or maybe in the next week or two," Huss said. "It could be very possible." Representative Image. The government is making the right moves to ensure you become the owner of your dream home. The Real Estate Regulation Act is now in place and the government has ensured that the policy framework will be conducive for home buyers. If you are still postponing buying a home just because you are worried about the quality of construction, here is good news for you: RERA offers to protect homebuyers against structural defects. It's still vacation time and money may be the main reason you're postponing a trip. And that is where all pre-approved loan offers come into play. Choosing the right pre-approved loan matters and ensure that you take all the right steps while planning your holiday. And do not forget to buy travel insurance. Here is how much travel insurance you should buy. While the shopping and fun can continue, do not forget the yearly task of filing income tax returns. May is when employers start handing over Form 16 to employees. Filing income tax returns early has its own benefits, so do it now. While most of us are busy with our vacation plans, many employed in the IT sector are a worried lot. The sentiment is poor owing to cost cutting measures and news of downsizing. Just in case the worst happens, here is how you can get your finances in order To activate the text-to-speech service, please first agree to the privacy policy below. Taipei, May 14 (CNA) Taiwanese college students have launched an online petition calling for Taiwan to be allowed to attend the 2017 session of the World Health Assembly (WHA) as an observer after having apparently been excluded from the event, which begins in Geneva on May 22. priority (Eds: Updating with fresh inputs) From K J M Varma Beijing/Islamabad, May 13 (PTI) China and Pakistan today signed six pacts to boost cooperation on the USD 50 billion China-Pakistan Economic Corridor, including one on building an airport at the strategic Gwadar port city, with President Xi Jinping asserting that ties with Islamabad were a priority. The pacts were signed in the presence of Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif and Chinese Premier Li Keqiang ahead of the much-publicised Belt and Road (B&R) Forum beginning tomorrow. The agreements included accords of cooperation in diverse fields, framework of the Silk Road Economic Belt and the 21st Century Maritime Silk Road Initiative, Economic and Technical Cooperation with assistance of 1.5 billion yuan (USD 210 million) for Gwadar Airport, 0.8 billion yuan (USD 115 million) for Economic and Technical Cooperation for Gwadar Airport and 1.1 billion yuan (USD 160 million) for East bay Expressway, state-run Associated Press of Pakistan reported. After the MoUs and agreements were signed, Xi told Sharif that the bilateral ties remain "a priority for China" and Beijing was willing to enrich the "all-weather" strategic and cooperative partnership with Pakistan. Sharif also attended a presentation made by China's National Energy Administration (NEA) on the construction of Bhasha Dam, a project which he said is of critical importance for the future of Pakistan. Pakistani media reported that Chinese companies had "conducted survey and studies on the North Indus Cascade project. The report said China's interest in providing USD 50 billion to fund the project could generate 40,000 MW hydro electricity. The pacts deal with the increasing bilateral cooperation within the framework of China's ambitious Silk Road project, upgrading the main railway track between Karachi and Peshawar - referred to as ML-1 or Main Line-1, and an MoU for the establishment of a dry port in Havelian, Radio Pakistan reported. Three agreements were signed pertaining to economic and technical cooperation worth 3.4 billion yuan (about USD 490 million) for the strategic Gwadar port in southern Pakistan and East Bay expressway, a 19 kilometre controlled access road under construction in Gwadar. Sharif, the only head of government to be represented at the B&R summit, is leading perhaps the largest delegation to Beijing - four chief ministers and five federal ministers. Li said China is willing to work with Pakistan in translating mutual political trust into more fruits of mutually beneficial cooperation. Citing positive results achieved in the cooperation on the corridor, Li said both the sides should efficiently dovetail their development strategies, advance major transportation and energy projects as scheduled, enhance cooperation on industrial capacity, and boost a balanced development of trade. Li expressed the hope that Pakistan will intensify its efforts in protecting the safety of Chinese personnel in the nation, and ensure the security of related projects. On the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), a part of the B&R initiative, Xi said the supplementary projects in and around the Gwadar port in the restive Balochistan province should be steadily advanced and the study on the construction of industrial parks along the corridor facilitated. The deep-water port and the CPEC is of significance to China as they together facilitate Beijing's access to the Arabian Sea and resultantly links it with Eurasia and Africa. The Gwadar port opposite the Mumbai's port housing the Indian Navy's western naval command provides a berth for China in the Arabian Sea and to the Indian Ocean. China has already announced plans to station its marines there as well in Djibouti in Horn of Africa in Indian Ocean. India opposes the CPEC as it runs through the Pakistan- Occupied Kashmir. In the last few days, China tried to assuage India's feelings by asserting that the commercial corridor will not have any impact on its stand that the Kashmir issue should be settled by India and Pakistan through dialogue. But India is not attending the high-profile B&R summit. It worries over a 3,000-km-long project connecting the Gwadar port and Xinjiang stem from the fact Gwadar, which was taken over by the Chinese, will become a future naval base. During his meeting with Sharif, Xi stressed that a long- term planning for the corridor should be completed as soon as possible and cooperation programmes covering energy, transportation infrastructure and people's livelihoods should be promoted. The two countries should not only continue high-level exchanges, but increase interactions between governments, legislative bodies and political parties, Xi was quoted as saying by China's state-run Xinhua news agency. He said the two countries should strengthen cooperation on areas including anti-terrorism and security, and enhance coordination on major international and regional affairs. Xi said China wants to deepen cooperation with Pakistan under the framework of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation. Sharif said Pakistan will continue to cooperate with China under multilateral frameworks such as the United Nations and the SCO to contribute to stability and development in the region and beyond. He said the China-Pakistan friendship is solid and stressed that it was a national consensus to deepen ties with Beijing and participate in the B&R initiative. Pakistan is willing to work with China in actively implementing various projects related to the CPEC and steadily pushing forward the cooperation on energy and infrastructure construction, including the Gwadar port project, he said. "Pakistan fully supports China's vision of the Belt and Road Forum," Sharif said at a separate meeting with Premier Li. "Pakistan considers China its most valuable friend," he said, adding that the participation of the chief ministers of all the four Pakistani provinces at the B&R forum was an indication that "we are all one for [the success of] the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor", he said. Sharif said that the country will accelerate the construction of the corridor and take measures to ensure the safety of Chinese personnel and enterprises. Pakistan hoped that bilateral industrial and trade cooperation will be strengthened, and will work to facilitate Chinese enterprises' investment in the nation, he said. After their meeting, Li and Sharif witnessed the signing of documents related to cooperation on economy and technology. He reaffirmed Pakistan's commitment for the completion of early results under the CPEC. Pakistan's Minister for Planning and Development Ahsan Iqbal, who is incharge of the CPEC, meanwhile told state-run APP that on the agenda of Sharif's visit to Beijing also included deals to build an airport and expressway in Gwadar. PTI KJV ABH CPS ASK . Union minister Prakash Javadekar today said incidents like the attack on an Army patrol in Kashmir by terrorists were part of tactics by Pakistan, which knew it could not fight and win a conventional war with India. "There are no two opinions. Pakistan knows that they cannot defeat India. They cannot fight a war against India and therefore what they are doing is, it is their strategy. But it will be defeated, even as they are isolated in the international forum," he told reporters here. Javadekar was replying to a query on terrorists opening fire on a patrol party of the Indian Army in Tral township of south Kashmir's Pulwama district earlier in the day. The Pakistani army also fired mortars and automatic weapons along Line of Control (LoC) in Jammu and Kashmir's Rajouri district, where two persons were killed and three injured. Javadekar said the nation believes in Prime Minister Narendra Modi's leadership and recalled his warning after the Uri terror attack that it will not be forgotten and the sacrifice of 18 jawans will not go in vain. "In the light of what Pakistan has been doing, including the beheading of two soldiers by Pakistan's special forces along LoC, our Prime Minister had made it clear (after the Uri attack) that the sacrifice of the soldiers will not go in vain." "The nation believes in the Prime Minister," he said. He was also asked about Indian national Kulbhushan Jadhav sentenced to death by a Pakistani military court on charges of "spying". Javadekar said External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj and others were looking into the matter. "Also, we have won the international court verdict." The Hague-based International Court of Justice (ICJ) has stayed the execution of Jadhav following India's submission that he was kidnapped from Iran where he was involved in business after retiring from the Navy. Answer: Python Ransomware - a malicious software designed to block access to a computer system until a sum of money is paid. It encrypts files stored on the user's computer or mobile device and renders it unreadable by the user or the device. In order to restore it for normal use, a decryption key is needed to unlock the file. In a survey, it was found that the average cost of cyber crime attacks in the United States amounted to USD 17.36 million in 2016. Second-ranked Germany averaged USD 7.84 million in damages per company attack. According to the survey, business disruption was the most costly consequence of a targeted cyber attack on their business. Such huge costs are incurred in paying extortions and it is expected to get worse if awareness and better regulation is not laid down from a grass root level. But still how does one deal after being hit by a malware? Should one pay or not? Amit Nath, Head of Asia Pacific - Corporate Business at F-Secure Corporation advises against paying the ransom. He says that while paying the ransom is one way to regain control of your computer and data, the real remediation begins before you ever get hit by taking regular backups. That way, if you do get attacked, you can relax and restore everything from the backups. Furthermore, even though most ransomware lives up to its promise of decryption and returning control of your computer, this may not always be the case. You may end up paying and still being left without access to your files and computer, he adds. Views of Aaditya Uthappa, Director - Enterprise Business, Paladion Networks seem to resonate with Naths as he also suggests not paying the ransom. Well, paying the hacker may get your data back but, there have been cases where the decryption key never arrived or, failed to decrypt the locked files. Additionally, it encourages criminals to attack at a larger scale as the money would be utilised to increase their scale, he adds. While not being slave to such extortions seems legit, but if not to pay or the release of data then how should one respond to a successful malware attack? The first step should be to disconnect the device from the internet and contain the infection as much as possible by disconnecting the affected device from any network. Post disconnecting the device Amit Nath lists the following steps to deal with such an attack. - Scan all connected devices and shares for similar flaws and additional threats. Not only should other connected devices and shares be checked for infection by the same threat, but also for any other threats that may have been installed on the side. -If possible, format and reinstall the device. For larger companies, it may be more expedient to simply wipe the affected device clean and start afresh. Alternatively, there are removal tools available for specific ransomware families. -Reinstate data from backups. If available and clean, the affected data can be restored from backup files. It may be more efficient to restore files in network shares or cloud storage first, to maintain continuity and productivity for other users. -Use incident response findings to reassess attack surface. Based on the results of investigations into the incident, update any relevant security precautions or systems. -Report the incident to the appropriate local law enforcement authority. Each country handles incidents of electronic crime differently, but in general most national law enforcement agencies urge companies to report incidents and avoid paying any ransom demanded. The Flipkart Big 10 Sale to mark its tenth anniversary celebrations has begun. The shopping extravaganza comes even as Amazon's Great Indian Sale nears an end. While many of the discounts and mouth-watering deals on smartphones, HD TVs, ACs, cameras and accessories will be known on the day of sale, we know a few before hand. Flipkart Big 10 sale will continue till May 18. Here's a low down on some of the sweet deals in electronics: Flipkart is already building noise around selling Apple iPhone 7 at lowest price ever on May 15. It hasn't revealed the offer price, but if history is any benchmark, Flipkart has delivered on its deal promises. Similarly, Flipkart will offer a special deal on Xiaomi Redmi Note 4. So, keep a track on iPhone 7 and Redmi Note 4. There's a fantastic deal for smartwatch enthusiasts a flat discount of Rs 5,000 on Apple Watch Series 1 and Apple Watch Series 2. Besides, HDFC Bank credit card users get and additional Rs 1,500 off on both the models. Effectively, you stand to get Apple Watch Series 1, 38 mm model at Rs 18,900. Similarly, Apple Watch Series 2 can be bought for Rs 29,900. This may be one of the best times to pick a big-screen television set for the festive season is still some months away. Flipkart's offering Panasonic Shinobi 49-inch fullHD smart TV for Rs 49,999 against an MRP of about Rs 79,000. Next, for buyers on a budget, there's the 40-inch VU fullHD TV up for grabs at Rs 20,999. It's MRP is Rs 27,000. You can also check out Onida 42-inch full HD smart LED TV for Rs 27,999 a Rs 3,000 discount on its MRP. There are further discounts and cashbacks for using certain credit/debit cards and exchange offers. Flipkart is selling Google Pixel -- one of the best smartphones at an irresistible Rs 34,999. If you're in the market to buy the likes of OnePlus 3T, a few more bucks can bag you the Google Pixel. Mind you, the Google Pixel retails at Rs 57,000. There's a lot on offer for those looking to upgrade smartphones and pawn off old handsets. Flipkart's giving a Rs 5,000 off on reliable smartphone variants of Oppo F1 and Oppo F3 under exchange. There's a Rs 4,000 exchange offer on Vivo V5 and V5 Plus models. Also, Oppo and Vivo phones are protected under Flipkart's Buyback Guarantee offer. Samsung Galaxy On5 and Galaxy On7 can be bought at Rs 6,490 and Rs 7,990 respectively. Please note: These deals are subject to availability of stock. Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif today said China supports dialogue between Pakistan and India as the "most viable solution" to the Kashmir issue as he met his Chinese counterpart Li Keqiang here. "On the Kashmir issue, China has always been supportive of Pakistan's stance and has assured to continue extending the same cooperation in future as well," Sharif told media here after his meeting with Li. Pakistan's state-run APP news agency quoted Sharif as saying that both Pakistan and China favoured negotiations with India as the "most viable solution to the Kashmir dispute." His comments followed recent clarification by China over India's objections to the China-Pakistan Economic (CPEC) Corridor which passes through Pakistan-occupied Kashmir. Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Geng Shuang had told PTI on May 3 that China's position on the issue of Kashmir remains clear and consistent. "It is an issue left over from history between India and Pakistan, and shall be properly addressed by India and Pakistan through consultation and negotiation," he said. "The building of the CPEC does not affect China's position on this issue," he said. In his address to the United Services Institution in New Delhi on May 5, Chinese Ambassador Luo Zhaohui had said China has taken care to India's stand that it should be resolved bilaterally in line with the Shimla Agreement. "We supported the relevant UN resolutions before 1990s. Then we supported a settlement through bilateral negotiation in line with the Shimla Agreement. This is an example of China taking care of India's concern," Luo had said. For its part, Pakistan has been questioning India's stance and calling for "multilateral approach" saying that the bilateral approach has failed. Sharif is in China to attend the two-day Belt and Road Forum starting from tomorrow. In his interaction with the media, Sharif said the scope of CPEC had immensely increased with the Chinese investment swelling from USD 46 to USD 56 billion. He said such a huge investment was unprecedented in Pakistan's history, having objectives of progress and prosperity of the people. He mentioned that Chinese companies were investing in Pakistans power and infrastructure sectors at a massive scale, which had generated exemplary employment opportunities for the local people. Sharif said the economic activity as a result of heavy Chinese investment had resulted in a positive impact on the lives of the common people in Pakistan. He said his visit to China was significant in relevance with the economic conditions of Pakistan, adding "Pakistan was proud of its friendship with China." He said economic development in Balochistan province, where China is building Gwadar port, was getting good results and several projects under CPEC were being completed at a fast pace. The 3000-km CEPC connects Gwadar with China's Xinjiang province. French carmaker Renault said today that it had been hit by the wave of cyberattacks sweeping the globe, forcing it to shut down production at several sites to keep the virus from spreading. "We have been affected," a spokeswoman told AFP, saying they were assessing the situation to try to find a solution. "Work is going on since last night. We are doing what is needed to counter this attack." The attack prompted Renault to stop production at several sites in France, part of measures being taken to stop the virus from spreading. It did not identify the sites, but a union source said the factory at Sandouville in northern Normandy was one of the main sites affected. A spokesman at the site, whose 3,400 employees normally produce about 640 utility vehicles a day, confirmed it had been a victim of the cyberattack. "Production was affected overnight but luckily there was no full production scheduled for this weekend, only some 'stamping' operations," he said. Teams were working on the problem, and he estimated that work would resume on Monday morning. Another factory that was hit, at Douai, also in northern France, was not paralysed because operations were halted for the weekend, but teams were working to evaluate the extent of the breach, a plant official said. Car production was also halted in Slovenia after computers at the headquarters of Renault's Revoz subsidiary in Novo Mesto were affected, a spokeswoman told AFP. "We can confirm that on Friday, May 12, some problems occurred on certain parts of Revoz's information system that led to the halting of production during the night," the spokeswoman said. Production remained suspended Saturday, she added. Renault also said malfunctioning IT systems had led it to curtail activity at a plant operated by its Dacia subsidiary in Mioveni, Romania, requiring it send many employees home today. Renault is the first French company to confirm it has been affected by Friday's wave of cyberattacks, which apparently exploited a flaw exposed in documents leaked from the US National Security Agency. France's ANSSI digital security agency said that for the moment, it knew of no other French victims of the attack. But the agency's director, Guillaume Poupart, told AFP there were probably others who would discover breaches in the coming hours or days. "There's a fear that, on Monday morning especially, we'll have some bad surprises when people turn on their computers," he said. Education Montgomery County Community College will present the spring installment of the interview/talk show program Issues and Insights April 20 from 12:30 to 2 p.m. in Science Center room 214, 340 DeKalb Pike, Blue Bell. The programs will be simulcast to the Colleges West Campus in South Hall room 216, 101 College Drive, Pottstown. Dr. Kolsky will offer a humorous presentation, Carrots, Sticks and Politics: A State of the Nation and the World Message. In this speech, he will provide his interpretation of domestic and international politics and then welcome questions from the audience for discussion. Issues and Insights, is free and open to the public. For information, contact Dr. Thomas Kolsky, professor of political science, at 215-641-6380 or tkolsky@mc3.edu. Montgomery County Community Colleges STEM Scholars Program will host a STEM Jam! open house April 25 from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. in the Advanced Technology Center at the Colleges Central Campus, 340 DeKalb Pike, Blue Bell. The drop-in event is designed for students interested in learning more about careers in science, technology, engineering and mathematics. Activities will include STEM program information and career advising, STEM speakers throughout the day from industry and academia, micro-helicopter and robotics competitive obstacle courses and demonstrations and static models of STEM student and faculty work. For more information about STEM Jam! or STEM programs at MCCC, contact William Brownlowe at wbrownlowe@mc3.edu or 215-641-6644, or Robin Zuhlke at 215-619-7440 or rzuhlke@mc3.edu. Temple Ambler, located at 580 Meetinghouse Road, presents the following events: International Club Global Bazaar April 15 from 5 to 8 p.m. The Ambler Campus International Club invites all students, faculty, staff and the community to celebrate a multitude of diverse cultures, which will be showcased at the organizations Global Bazaar. This family friendly event will highlight cultural traditions and celebrations in Asia, Europe, the Middle East, South American, North America and Africa through music, entertainment, food and informative displays developed and presented by students at the Ambler Campus. Young visitors will be provided with passports, which they may get stamped at each country they visit. Prizes will be awarded to world travelers who talk to cultural representatives, answer questions about the countries theyve visited and take part in fun-filled activities designed to help them learn about the rich diversity of cultures found throughout the world. Refreshments will be served. The event is free. For more information, call 267-468-8108 or e-mail tuc36466@temple.edu. EarthFest 2011 April 29 from 9:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. More than 75 exhibitors, including the Philadelphia Zoo, The Franklin Institute, the Academy of Natural Sciences, the Elmwood Park Zoo and the Insectarium, will take part in EarthFest 2011. School students of all ages are invited to attend and develop displays of their own. EarthFest partner the Pennsylvania Horticultural Society also offers its Kids Grow Expo, featuring the Junior Flower Show, as part of the event. For more information, call 267-468-8108 or e-mail duffyj@temple.edu. Annual Spring Plant Sale May 7 from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. The plant sale an Ambler Campus tradition dating back to the early 1900s will feature woody plants and perennials in portable sizes, hardy trees, shrubs, and vines, native plants that are attractive to wildlife, herbs, and hanging baskets. There will also be numerous special plants for sale to highlight Amblers special anniversary year. Garden books and garden tools will also be available for sale. Students, staff, and volunteers from the Department of Landscape Architecture and Horticulture and the Ambler Arboretum Advisory Committee will be available to answer questions. All proceeds from the Spring Plant Sale will support the Ambler Arboretum Fund and the Pi Alpha Xi National Honor Society. Information: 267-468-8001 or judy.shatz@temple.edu. Learn more at www.ambler.temple.edu/anniversary. June Homecoming/Louise Bush-Brown Garden Dedication June 5 from 12:30 to 2 p.m. (June Homecoming), Bright Hall Lounge; 2 p.m. (Garden Dedication), Ambler Campus Formal Perennial Gardens. Tickets June Homecoming: Participant $18 per person; Sustainer $25 per person; Benefactor $40 per person. The 2011 June Homecoming, sponsored by the School of Environmental Design Alumni Association, will include the Alumni Association annual meeting and luncheon. June Homecoming will be followed by the formal dedication of Temple University Amblers Formal Perennial Gardens as the Louise Bush-Brown Formal Gardens. During this 100th anniversary of the campus, Temple University Ambler and the Ambler Arboretum of the Temple University is honoring Louise Bush-Browns many contributions to the history of the campus by formally dedicating the gardens in her honor. During the program, campus Executive William Parshall will welcome guests, Ambler Arboretum Director Jenny Rose Carey will speak about the Bush-Browns and the history of the garden, and an official ribbon cutting will be held for the Louise Bush-Brown Formal Garden. Following the ribbon cutting, guests are invited to take a tour of the gardens, which will wend their way to the Campus Greenhouse for the School of Environmental Designs annual Plant Auction. Information (Garden Dedication): 267-468-8001 or judy.shatz@temple.edu. Information (June Homecoming): 215-482-0722. Learn more at www.ambler.temple.edu/anniversary. Northview Garden Tour and Fundraiser for the Ambler Arboretum June 12 from noon to 5 p.m. Call for reservations. Tickets: $15 per person or $20 at the door. In addition to the gardens of the Ambler Arboretum of Temple University, Arboretum Director Jenny Rose Carey has a garden oasis all her own right in Ambler Northview. Visitors will have the opportunity to take self-guided tours throughout the many gardens, where garden experts will be available to answer questions about the various designs. The Ambler Keystone Chapter of the Womans National Farm and Garden Association will also provide tea and refreshments. All proceeds from the tours will support the Ambler Arboretum of Temple University. Information or to register: 267-468-8001 or judy.shatz@temple.edu. Learn more at www.ambler.temple.edu/anniversary. The Senior Adult Activities Center of Montgomery County, 536 George Street, Norristown, will hold the following events: SAAC Adult Day Care, an alternative to Nursing Home Care is available for information call 610-275-1960 Volunteers are needed for Meals on Wheels Program (call the number above) SAACs Fifth Avenue Boutique opens Monday through Friday from 10 a.m.-1:30 p.m. Exercise with Theresa will be held every Monday, Wednesday and Friday at 1 p.m. Dance class is held every Monday at 10 a.m. Tai Chi is held every Monday at 10 a.m. Yoga is held every Tuesday at 10:30 a.m. Line Dancing is held every Thursday at 10:30 a.m. Dancing with Joan is held every Wednesday at 10:30 a.m. Sculpture Class is held Wednesdays from 2 to 3:30 p.m. Why Should I Learn Spanish? will be held Wednesdays at 10:30 a.m. Generations On-Line computer classes for seniors will be held Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. 4 p.m. computers are available during those hours. Health Living will be held every Tuesday at 1 p.m. Boomer U will hold the following events. Boomer U is located at 45 Forest Avenue, Ambler. Registration & payment is required for all events: 215-619-8863. Pilates Class is held Wednesdays and Fridays at 9:30 a.m. First class is free; please bring a mat. For information call 610-291-5376. Blue Bell School of Dance, 921 Penllyn Blue Bell Pike, Blue Bell, hosts Argentine Tango Classes and a Milonga dance party every Friday evening. Lessons start at 8:30 p.m. followed by dancing at 9:30 p.m. Andrew Conway, master Argentine Tango dancer, instructor and performer and his partner Linda Chase will instruct. All levels welcome and no partner is needed. Refreshments will be served. Fee is $12 per person and includes lesson and dancing. Information: 215-634-1101 or www.amoretango.com. The Montgomery Hospital Medical Center will offer the following classes: Childbirth Education Class- all parents are invited to participate, including those who are delivering at other hospitals. For more information on maternity services or classes, call 610-270-2020. CPR and First Aid Courses are offered for beginners to experiences health care providers. Call 610-270-2313. The Ambler SAAC (Senior Adult Activities Center), located at 45 Forest Ave in Ambler will hold the following events: Tai Chi every Monday and Thursday at 11 a.m. Yoga is every Tuesday at 1 p.m. and Friday at 10:30 a.m. Strength and balance training every Wednesday at 10 a.m. Armchair Aerobics is held every Monday at 10 a.m. Gourmet Weight Wise every Thursday at 12:30. Fitness Center and Pool Room open daily 8 a.m.-4 p.m. The Diabetes Education Center will offer day and evening classes each month. Health insurance pays for diabetes education classes. Preregistration is required. Call 610-270-2301. For Kids & Families The Ambler Kiwanis Club will host its annual Easter Egg Hunt April 26 at 10 a.m. in Ambler Borough Park, located just off of the intersection of Hendricks Street and Valley Brook Road. Members of the Wissahickon Key Club will assist Kiwanians in hiding thousands of wrapped chocolate eggs in a designated area of the park. Also hidden will be plastic colored eggs, which are redeemed for prizes. Elementary school children are separated by age. Upper Dublin Parks & Recreation will hold its 21st annual Storybook Egg-Stravaganza April 15 fom 6 to 7:30 p.m. at the Upper Dublin Township Building. Toddlers and preschoolers love this annual event where photo opportunities with favorite friends abound! Treasures are collected from UDP&Rs assortment of lifesize cutouts of favorite cartoon characters from Disney, Sesame Street, Nickelodeon and other well-known animation. Children can have their picture taken with Bugsy OHare; bring your own camera. And dont forget a basket for goodies! $7 for UD residents; $12 for non-residents. Pre-register at 215-643-1600 ext. 3443. Splash Week is a free week-long program that teaches children and families basic swimming skills and water safety practices. All YMCA branches will host multiple classes each day from April 11 to 15. For more information, contact the Ambler Area YMCA at 215-628-9950. Healthy Kids Day is April 16 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. The day is filled with fun, engaging and artistic activities that cultivate healthy living as part of the YMCAs larger efforts to help more kids and families become physically active. All activities are free and open to the community. For more information, contact the Ambler YMCA at 215-628-9950. No reservation is required. The Ambler Area YMCA has added several new programs for area youngsters. Classes are held late afternoons or evenings on various weekdays. For more information, visit philaymca.org or call 215-628-9950. Basic Beading: Ages: 10+. Wednesdays 7 to 7:45 p.m. This class will teach you the fundamentals of wiring and stringing along with how color can be used to create unique and vibrant beadwork design. You will create various jewelry including earrings, bracelets, charm pendants and much more! Supplies will be provided. Bringing your own jewelry pliers or tools would be a plus. Messin with the Masters: Ages: 8-12. Thursdays 7 to 7:45 p.m. Learn about some of the worlds greatest artists. You will be inspired to create your own Starry Night with oil pastels and tempera paints, a tissue paper painted Monet garden, a Picasso head using scraps of paper, a Georgia OKeeffe clay flower bowl and a Rousseau jungle collage. Super Scientist: Ages: 5-7. Mondays 4:30 to 5:15 p.m. Well be concocting chemistry experiments such as making slime, mixing potions and having fun with magnet magic. Your budding little scientist will enhance his/her creative thinking and motor skills and to top it off will learn that science can be serious fun. Wacky Junk Art: Ages: 8-12. Thursdays 6 to 6:45 p.m. Why throw it away! Instead join us to make household junk into aliens from outer space, wacky specs, crazy hats, body masks or a recycled train. Globe Trotters: Ages: 4-6. Tuesdays 4:30 to 5:15 p.m. Youre never too young to start thinking globally. Each week, we explore a new country through crafts, games, music, stories and even some taste-testing. A perfect introduction to our great big world! Crazy about Crafts: Ages: 5-7, Thursdays 4:30 to 5:15 p.m. Let your childs creative juices flow with our fun arts and crafts projects each week. Fine motor skills and creative thinking skills will be enhanced with this crafty class. Come out and join the Ambler Area YMCAs Teen and Junior Leaders Club. Participants are given the freedom to plan community service projects year round and truly make a difference in the lives of people in need. Those in Teen and Junior Leaders also attend leadership retreats all along the East Coast three times a year and meet other leaders who are doing the same great work in their respective areas. Dont miss out on this inspiring opportunity. Teen Leaders, ages 13-17, meet every Wednesday from 6 to 7:30 p.m. Junior Leaders, ages 10-12, will begin in the spring and will meet every Monday. For more information, contact Mike Miles, Teen Director, 215- 628-9950 x 1540 or mmiles@philaymca.org. Did you know that the new Ambler Area YMCA holds childrens birthday parties at its site for members and non members as well. The Ambler Y does all the work from start to finish and birthday parties include a personalized cake, ice cream, beverage and paper products. Parties are held on Saturday and Sunday afternoons and include two party hosts to lead activities, set-up, clean-up and assist with serving. You can have a Splash Party for children ages six to 12 in the new zero depth entry pool with water slide and spray fountains. Up to 25 children have exclusive use of the pool area with 30 minutes in the party room. Sports Parties are offered for kids ages four to 12 with age appropriate activities and games, and sports such as floor hockey, soccer, basketball or dodge ball. Children ages three to five years of age will enjoy parties in the Family Active Center with use of the Moon Bounce and organized activities, such as parachute play and songs. For information, 215-628-9950 ext. 1583. Community Events at the Ambler Y: -YAchievers YMCA Achievers is a developmentally based, extracurricular, educational and team mentoring program designed to help students in grades five through 12 prepare for fulfilled livelihoods in college and beyond. Participation is free and all students in this program receive a free YMCA membership. Registration for the 2009 program begins now. You do not need to be a YMCA member to utilize these special services. Call 215-628-9950 to register. Greater Norristown Art Leagues Childrens Weeklong Summer Art Camps will be held at 800 West Germantown Pike in East Norriton, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Monday through Friday throughout the summer. The cost per session is $125 per student for ages 6 and up. Jo Ann Cooksey Bono teaches an introduction to basic drawing skills and techniques from 10 a.m. until the lunch break each day. In the afternoon sessions, Mary Vogel Lozinak involves the students in hands on projects such as collage, papermaking, T-shirt printing, 3D design and sculpy clay. Fridays Graduation Day includes an art show, awards ceremony and reception for parents, siblings, grandparents and friends. All supplies are included. Students provide their own lunch. A refrigerator is available and the building is air-conditioned. This is the 15th year to run this successful program. Both instructors are professional artists with State Police and Child Abuse Clearances. To register, call Jo Ann at 610-279-1008, or register on-line at www.gnal.org. Health Dresher Physical Therapy is hosting an interactive seminar discussing its Golf Assessment Progam April 30 from 10 a.m. to noon at Dresher Physical Therapy, 1075 Virginia Drive, Suite 200, Fort Washington. Physical therapist Chris Miller, certified through the Titleist Performance Institute, will discuss why your body may be the most important piece of golf equipment you invest in and how this can drastically improve your game. $10 in advance; $15 at the door. Call 215-619-4545 to reserve your spot. The Chestnut Hill Center for Enrichment, Center on the Hill and Chestnut Hill Hospital will host a Senior Health and Resource Fair April 14 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at Chestnut Hill Presbyterian Church, 8855 Germantown Ave. The event is free. For more information, call 215-248-0180 or e-mail chseniors@cavtel.net. The Ambler Senior Adult Activities Center is hosting Help Yourself to Health, a new six-week workshop for older adults with ongoing health conditions such as arthritis, diabetes, high blood pressure, anxiety, heart disease and others. The free workshop will take place at the Ambler Senior Adult Activities Center, 45 Forest Ave. on six Thursdays, May 12 through June 16 from 9:30 a.m. to noon. Although there is no charge to participate, registration is required. To register, call 215-619-8863. The Ambler Senior Adult Activities Center is sponsoring an eight-week program called A Matter of Balance: Managing Concerns About Falls. Presented by the Montgomery County Health Department, this workshop will be held on Tuesdays, May 3 to June 21 from 10 a.m. to noon at the Ambler Center, 45 Forest Ave. If you pre-register by April 27, the fee is only $5! Registration at the first class is $10. (Checks should be payable to SAAC and will benefit our Meals on Wheels program that serves homebound seniors.) A workbook will be provided and refreshments will be served. Call 215-619-8863 to register or for more information. Fort Washington Wellness Center classes are ongoing. There are several offered during lunch or right after work, for your convenience: Boot Camp from noon to 1 p.m. on Monday; Zumba is MWF from 11 a.m. to noon and Friday at 4 p.m.; there are 25 cycling classes; Ashtanga and Vinyasana Yoga and Pilates; and a group Womens Strength Training class M-F from 10 to 11 a.m. Questions, call Cathy DeMarco at 215-641-1245. Following the success of other local area programs, Impact Sports and Upper Dublin Parks and Recreation are delighted to team up again to offer a spring program for the 2011 season! Upper Dublin area children ages 3-5 years old can attend a Sports Program featuring their favorite sports games; soccer, rugby, hockey, track and field, basketball, and more. The program will start on April 27 and run through June 1. Cost for the program is $85 for the six weeks. The classes will be running 12- 1 p.m.; 1- 2 p.m.; 2- 3 p.m. For more info or to register, call Upper Dublin Township on 215 643 1600 or visit their website a http://www.upperdublin.net. Spring Aquatic Programs UDHS Pool: -Summer is just around the corner Community Aquatic Programs at the UDHS Pool can help get you into shape! Programs begin in March; preregistration is required. Shallow Water Aerobics Two 5-week programs, Wednesday nights, 8-8:45 p.m., $40R/$50NR. Adult Swim Instructions Two 5-week programs, Wednesday nights, 7-8 p.m., $50R/$60NR -Open Rec Swims are fun for the whole family! Come out on Fridays from 7-9 p.m. or Saturdays from 1-4 p.m. and enjoy use of the pool and diving area. Fridays are offered through June 17; Saturdays are offered March 12-May 21. -Join a growing group of adult lap swimmers and water walkers. Lanes are set aside evenings and weekends for use; lanes are shared. Monday Thursday from 7:30-9:30 p.m.; Fridays from 7-9 p.m. and Saturdays (March 12-May 21) from 1-4 p.m. -Private Swimming & Diving Lessons for ages 3-adult are offered at the UDHS Pool through a partnership with the Upper Dublin Aquatic Club (UDAC). Visit the UDAC website for more information, www.udac.us, and click the link to UDHS Private Lessons. -Looking for local programs for US Masters Swimming (adults) or Water Polo (all ages)? UDAC and UDSD are working together to develop programs that will be offered at the UDHS Pool. Add your name to Interest Lists by emailing slohoefer@upperdublin.net. emails will be sent about clinics and program start dates. Questions about Community Aquatic Programs at the UDHS Pool, group use of the pool or pool rental? Contact Susan Lohoefer, Facility & Community Affairs Manager at slohoefer@upperdublin.net or call 215-643-8800 x8994. SilverSneakers Fitness Program. The Healthyways SilverSneakers Fitness Program is a result-oriented program that enables older adults to take charge of their health. The program is an innovative blend of physical activity, healthy lifestyle and socially oriented programing. Members of the program are eligible for a free YMCA membership, with use of the pool and exercise equipment, along with customized classes designed for older adults who want to improve their strength, flexibility, balance and endurance. If you are a subscriber to Independence Blue Cross (Personal Choice 65 PPO) or Keystone 65 HMO, Bravo Health, or Health Options Programs (HOP), call the Ambler Area YMCA, 215-628-9950 or Hatboro Area YMCA, 215-674-4545. You can also visit www.silversneakers.com. Zumba Fitness offers Zumba dance/fitness classes at Academy of Dance and Music/BBAD Studio located at 1524 DeKalb Pike in Blue Bell (behind Sherwin Williams). Classes are offered three times a week: Tuesdays at 6 p.m., Thursdays at 6:30 p.m. and Saturdays at 8 a.m. For a free trial pass for your first class, email us at info@danceandmusic.biz or call 610-277-2557. For more info, visit our site at www.academyofdanceandmusic.org. Chestnut Hill Health Systems presents the following Health Education Programs: FITNESS CLASSES Golden Yoga: A Breathing, Stretching and Relaxation Class. Fridays, 2:30-3:30 p.m. Lea Auditorium, Chestnut Hill Hospital, 8835 Germantown Ave. Registration for four classes at a time required. Golden Yoga is Classical Yoga, adapted by the SKY Foundation, to accommodate those who have difficulty getting up and down from the floor. The program includes postures, breathing, relaxation and meditation techniques, all performed while sitting in a chair and standing. Registration required. Call 215-247-3029. Cost: $20 for 4 classes per month. Tai Chi: Tuesdays & Thursdays, 8:30 9:30 a.m. Springfield Residence, 8601 Stenton Ave. Classes, for the novice or beginner/intermediate student, are designed to improve balance, power, posture, coordination, flexibility and mental focus. Slow, gentle movements are modified to most everyones abilities. For more information or to sign up for a free introductory class, call 215-882-2804. Cost: $8 per class/paid monthly. SUPPORT GROUPS Weight Loss Surgery Support Group: Fourth Wednesday of the month, 7-8 p.m. Williams Conference Room, Chestnut Hill Hospital, 8835 Germantown Ave., Philadelphia. Join us for a monthly get-together where well share information for those interested in weight loss surgery, learn from guest speakers discussing current news on issues including lifestyle modification, nutrition and exercise and provide ongoing support for those who have completed surgery. Registration required. Call 215-753-2000. Breast Cancer Networking Group: Fourth Tuesday of the month 5:30 7 p.m. Williams Conference Room, Chestnut Hill Hospital, 8835 Germantown Ave., Philadelphia. A free, confidential support group for women living with a diagnosis of breast cancer designed to provide a forum for sharing information, feelings and concerns associated with breast cancer. Facilitated by Tish Wakefield, LCSW, Oncology Social Worker. Registration required. To register or for more information, call 215-248-8047. New Moms Support Groups Tuesdays 10:30 a.m. 12 p.m.; contact Jeanine ORourke, MSW or 2:30 4 p.m.; contact Susan Schack, Ph.D Volunteer Conference Room, Chestnut Hill Hospital, 8835 Germantown Ave. The Center for Postpartum Depression at Chestnut Hill Hospital is pleased to offer two new support groups to support new moms. Both groups will be run by experienced mental health professionals who really get it when it comes to new motherhood and juggling relationships, extended family, work/family balance and self-care. If you are experiencing new mom challenges that often heighten anxiety and involve hormonally driven depression, join us for an informative and supportive forum to connect with other moms. Infants are welcome. $30 per session (flexible based on need). Registration is required. Call Dr. Schack, 646-265-2484, or Ms. ORourke, 215-206-2931. Man to Man Prostate Cancer Support Group Third Thursday of the month 8-9 a.m. Williams Conference Room, Chestnut Hill Hospital, 8835 Germantown Ave. A networking group for men diagnosed with prostate cancer designed to provide education, support and encouragement. Spouses and partners welcome. Harry M. Baer, MD, Chief, Urology Division, will host Ask the Doctor. Registration required. Call 215-248-8325. Contact the Senior Center by phone 215-248-0180 or email (chseniors@cavtel.net) with your questions about these programs or any of our on-going activities and classes. Holy Redeemer HomeCare and Hospice seeks compassionate and emotionally mature volunteers to provide support to local hospice patients and their families in Bucks, Montgomery and Philadelphia counties. Volunteers may also assist with pet therapy and administrative work within the hospice department and are requested to have daytime availability. Hospice patient care volunteers visit with patients in their homes or nursing facilities once a week for two to three hours. They provide emotional support and companionship to patients and family members, assist with errands or provide respite for caregivers. Bereavement volunteers support the families of hospice patients following the loss of a loved one, while administrative volunteers assist with typing, mailings and/or filing. Hospice care workers provide a great service to families and loved ones of hospice patients. Many volunteers also report a great deal of personal satisfaction as a result of their services. Patient care and bereavement volunteers complete an application and attend an 18-hour volunteer training program that covers the medical, psychological and spiritual aspects of hospice volunteering. Day and evening training programs are offered. To sign up for volunteer opportunities in Pennsylvania, contact Holy Redeemer Volunteer Coordinator Jean Francis at 215-698-3737 or email jfrancis@holyredeemer.com. Librarytalk Upper Dublin Public Library, 805 Loch Alsh Avenue, Ft. Washington, 215-628-8744 www.upperdublinlibrary.org APRIL CHILDRENS PROGRAMS: Storytimes: Please register in the library. o Wee Ones: 0 to 23 months Thursdays and Fridays 10:30 to 10:50 a.m. o Tiny Tots: age 2. Wednesdays 10:30 to 10:50 a.m. and Fridays 11 to 11:20 a.m. o Jr. Book Lovers: ages 3 to 6. Tuesdays 10:30 to 11 a.m. o Bedtime Storytimes: 7 to 7:30 p.m. April 20 and 27. Wear your jammies, bring your teddy & hear Miss Barbara read bedtime stories! For ages 3 to 6. APRIL TEEN PROGRAMS: North Hills Library Teens April 28 from 4 to 6 p.m. Movie Matinee APRIL UDPL ADULT PROGRAMS: NEW! ESL Conversation Group. Tuesdays from 7 to 8 p.m. Interested in practicing your English in a safe and caring environment? Come to our conversation group and improve your skills! Please register with Kay Klocko at 215-628-8744 or kklocko@mclinc.org. One-on-One Computer Mentoring. Get personalized assistance from experienced computer volunteers! Sign-up for a one-hour session. Limit one session per month. Please register contact info above. Book Groups Please register with Kay Klocko 215-628-8744. o Daytimers: April 21 at 1:30 p.m. Tired of book groups where you all read the same book? Read any fiction or non-fiction book on this months theme: Explorers. Please register. Meetings: Annual Meeting of the Friends of UDPL: April 14 at 1 p.m. Board of Directors: April 20 at 7 p.m. Blue Bell Library www.wvpl.org Upcoming Events: The Wissahickon Valley Public Library, 650 Skippack Pike (Route 73) in Blue Bell, is diagonally across from the Blue Bell Inn. Call 215-643-1320 or visit their website at www.wvpl.org. For children and teens at Blue Bell: * Story times with guitar music by Miss Michelle, the singing librarian. * Mondays at 10:30 a.m. for all ages. * Wednesdays at 4:30 p.m. for all ages. * Fridays at 10:30 a.m. for all ages. * Family Movies, new releases, second Saturdays of the month at 1:30 p.m. * May 14 Despicable Me * June 11 Alpha and Omega * Special Events * April watch for date of spring/Easter events * April 14 at 4:30 p.m. Junior Lego Club for children ages 3 through 5. Parents and caregivers need to stay with children. * April 14 at 7 p.m. Jeopardy for ages 11 to 18. Test your book and library knowledge for prizes. Sign up to be a contestant. No sign up to be in the audience. Snacks provided. * April 16 at 1 p.m. Adult Mystery Book Group discussing The Beekeepers Apprentice by Laurie King. * April 16 at 1:30 p.m. Childrens event for One Book, Every Young Child celebration. Story and craft for book Whose Shoes? * April 19 at 7 p.m. and April 26 at 1:30 p.m.- Adult book group discusses The Professor and the Madman by Simon Winchester. Group led by Adam Button. * April 30 through May 3 Friends book sale with about 10,000 items for sale for children, teens and adults. * May sign up for Science in the Summer * June sign up for Enrichment Programs for Elementary-Age children * June sign up for Summer Reading, all ages For adults at Blue Bell: * Daytime Book Discussion Group fourth Tuesday, Jan April at 1:30 p.m. * April 26 The Professor and the Madman by Simon Winchester * Night-time Book Discussion Group third Tuesday of each month at 7 p.m. o April 19 The Professor and the Madman by Simon Winchester * Art Series with Dr. Sheldon Weintraub, docent at The Barnes and speaker at local colleges o April 27 at 2 p.m. The Art of Looking at Art-Is She Nude or Is She Naked? *Mystery Book Discussion Group, third Saturday of the month at 1 p.m.; new mystery theme each month; www.wvpl.org/programs * Yoga on Mondays at 1:30 p.m. $20 for eight classes; $5 per drop-in class. * Tai Chi on Mondays at 3 p.m. with Dr. Kurt Findeisen. $20 for eight classes; $5 per drop in class. * Philadelphia Museum of Art presents class on their Marc Chagall exhibit, April 13 at 2 p.m. * Giant Book Sale, April 29 May 3 o Starts with almost 10,000 items for children and adults! o Held during library hours. o Preview for members of the Friends of the Library, April 28 at 7 p.m. o Join the Friends and attend the preview sale. Modest fee to join. * Blooms at Blue Bell Gardening Series o May 11 at 1 p.m. Summer Bulbs by PA Horticultural Society * Knitting group Mondays and Wednesdays at 10 a.m. Work on your project or observe and learn. The groups continue year-round in the community room. * Socrates Cafe discussion group every Monday at 7 p.m. You pick the topic to discuss each week. No sign-up, nothing to read. * Bridge every Friday at 12:30 p.m. New players welcome. * Mah Jong every Wednesday at 1 p.m. New players welcome. *Chess every Wednesday at 7p.m. for adults and teens 14 and older. * Movie Matinee showing recent releases every Thursday at 2 p.m. April 14: Maos Last Dancer; April 21: Welcome to the Rileys; April 28: Conviction; May 5: Inception; May 12: Inside Job; May 19 The Kings Speech; May 26 The Fighter; June 2 Rabbit Hole; June 9 Black Swan; June 16 127 Hours * Ongoing like-new, year-round book sale for adults & children during library hours * Library opening at 10 a.m. Monday through Saturday! Ambler Library, a branch of the Wissahickon Valley Public Library, 209 Race St., 215-646-1072. www.wvpl.org. All the following events occur at the Ambler Library. * Story times with guitar music by Miss Michelle, the singing librarian. * Tuesdays at 10:30 a.m. for all ages. * Thursdays at 4:30 p.m. for all ages. * For adults: * Beading Group meets the first and third Monday of every month at 1 p.m. Work on your own projects or come to watch and learn. * Free Family History Lookup with Connie Briggs. Email Connie for an appointment at the Ambler Library. conniebriggs@comcast.net * Special Events: * April 14 at 1:30 p.m. Book Group discusses Skeletons at the Feast by Chris Bohjalian. * April 19 at 7 p.m. Travel to Paris with world traveler Harry Balin. Tea and scones at 6:30 p.m. * April 21 at 7 p.m. Art with Sara for children in fourth through seventh grades. *May 2 at 6:30 p.m. Discuss the movie Lone Star with Temple Professor Lisa Hawkins. Watch the movie ahead of time. *May 10 Robert Capucci discusses Art into Fashion. Tea and scones served at 6:30 p.m. Program at 7 p.m. *May 12 at 1:30p.m. Book Group discusses The Imperfectionists by Tom Rachman. *May 17 Tour the gardens of Devon and Southwest England with Lois McMullen. Tea and Scones at 6:30 p.m. Program at 7 p.m. *June 13 at 6:30 p.m. Discuss the movie Blade Runner with Temple Professor Lisa Hawkins. Watch the movie ahead of time. Meetings and Lectures The Unisys Blue Bell Retiree Group will meet in the Church on the Mall in the Plymouth Meeting Mall April 14 at 1:30 p.m. Kathy Sacket Young, director/trainer with the North Penn YMCA, will speak on Keeping Fit in Retirement. For more information, contact Membership Committee Chairperson Jerry Feldscher at 610-275-3538 or President Al Rollin at 215-368-4833. The next FWBA meeting will be April 28 at the Hilton Garden Inn Fort Washington. Networking begins at 11:30 a.m.; meeting from noon to 1 p.m. Leon Singletary, Principal, First Contact HR and FWBA Executive Board, will present: Social Media: How to Use It To Get More Business. Lunch is provided courtesy of the Hilton Garden Inn Fort Washington. Members are welcome to bring a guest. An RSVP is requested by return email or 215-628-0313. Big Brothers Big Sisters Southeastern PA is hosting a information sessions over the next few weeks on how to become a Big Brother. The information sessions will take place: April 16 at noon, April 19 at 8 a.m. and April 28 at 6 p.m. All sessions will be held at the groups Norristown Office,t 530 DeKalb St., Norristown. For more information, call 610-277-2200. The North Penn Chapter of the Institute of Management Accountants (IMA) normally meets on the third Tuesday of each month from now until May. Meetings are held at the William Penn Inn on Route 202 and Sumneytown Pike, Upper Gwynedd, PA. Social hour starts at 5:30 p.m., dinner is served at 6:30 p.m., and the technical program begins at 7 p.m. Cost with reservation is $28 for members. Members without reservations and guests pay $30. Students with reservations pay $15. Reservations may be made by noon on the Monday preceding the meeting by phoning 215-371-1854 or emailing the reservation to northpennima@yahoo.com northpennima@yahoo.com. Information about the North Penn Chapter is available at http://northpenn.imanet.org/. LeTip, a professional organization of men and women who are dedicated to the highest standards of competence and service meets every Tuesday at Cedar Brook Country Club, 180 Penllyn Pike, Blue Bell at 7 a.m. -meeting officially starts at 7:16 a.m. and ends at 8:31 a.m. Our purpose is the exchange of business tips, leads, and referrals. Each business category is represented by one member and conflicts of interest are disallowed. Guests are welcome to visit any of our breakfast meetings. Every third Thursday of month, Sunrise Assisted Living of Blue Bell (795 Penllyn Pike, Blue Bell, PA 19422, 215-619-2777) serves as a satellite site to 148th Legislative district PA congressman Mike Gerber from 10 a.m. to noon. Stop by for help needed with things such as disability placards and license plates, vehicle registration, utilities issues, birth/death certificates,property tax/rent rebates, etc. Notary services arranged by appointment. The Eastern Montgomery County Chamber of Commerce is an action-oriented organization dedicated to promoting its members and the economic health of eastern Montgomery county. The Chamber is committed to serving as a catalyst by uniting business, community agencies, government and education to make our county a great place to live and work. For information, call 215-887-5122 or visit www.emccc.org. Do you have a fear of public speaking? Blue Bell Toastmasters Club can help. We meet from 7 to 9 p.m., on the second and fourth Tuesday at the Marriott Courtyard, located on Route 202, directly across from the Montgomeryville Mall. Learn how to improve communication and leadership skills in a friendly and supportive environment. Guests are welcome. Admission fee: $5. For more info, visit www.bbtoast.org. The PennSuburban Chamber of Commerce will hold the following meetings (for reservations to any of the following, email info@PennSuburban.org) -Breakfast News Network, 7:30-8:45 a.m. at Normandy Farm Hotel (1401 Morris Road, Blue Bell, PA 19422) $15 members, includes full buffet breakfast. Join us for a networking program at Normandy Farm Hotel every Thursday morning for breakfast, business news, informative speakers, and plenty of networking. The cost includes a full breakfast buffet. Copies of the business cards will be made available to those who would like them. The BNI, Fort Washington Chapter meets every Monday at The Hilton Garden Inn, 520 Pennsylvania Ave., Fort Washington for a networking meeting. Meetings are from 11:30 a.m. until 1 p.m. Visitors are welcome. The only cost to attend is the cost of your meal. For information or a reservation to attend, please call Luanne Cram at 215-947-7784, or visit our Internet site at: http://www.BNIDVR.Com and click on the menu item Find a Chapter. For the past seven years, people have enjoyed participating in WVWAs Adopt-a-Tree program. Individuals can support the Association in its reforestation efforts by purchasing native trees to be planted. Supporters can plant their adopted tree or have WVWA volunteers will plant it. Trees cost $30 each. If you would like to volunteer or purchase a tree(s), please contact: Bob Adams at Bob@wvwa.org or call: 215-646-8866 for more information. Check www.WVWA.org for directions and maps. Sustainable Upper Dublin, http://sustainableupperdublin.org, meets the first Thursday of each month at 6:30 p.m., at the Upper Dublin Township Building, 801 Loch Alsh Avenue, Fort Washington, PA 19034. Please send any questions to suec@sustainableupperdublin.org or call 610-996-6316. To learn more about Sustainable Upper Dublin, view or join the discussion at http://googlegroups.com/group/sustainableupperdublin. Special Events The Mattie N. Dixon Community Cupboard will hold its first nutrition class April 19 at 10 a.m. at the Community Cupboard, 150 N. Main St., Ambler. Lynne Sinclair, a nutritionist from Abington Memorial Hospital specializing in diabetic nutrition, will conduct the class. Topics will include healthy eating, beneficial foods, recipes, making meals with every day foods, and how to use unfamiliar produce. A healthy snack will be provided.The class is is open to all residents in Montgomery County. The Historical Society of Fort Washington presents The History of Conshohocken April 19 at 8 p.m. at the Clifton House, 473 Bethlehem Pike, Fort Washington. Jack Coll will present an illustrated program on the history of the Borough of Conshohocken. Coll is a longtime resident of Conshohocken and a member of the Conshohocken Historical Society. He is co-author with his son, Brian, of the Arcadia Then and Now Series book Conshohocken. He has also done books Conshohocken and West Conshohocken Sports and Our Lady of Mt. Carmel Italian Feast. He has taken many photos for the Conshohocken Record and the Norristown Times Herald. This program is free. Refreshments will be served. For additional information, call 215-646-6065. Taste of the White House Soiree featuring former White House Chef Walter Scheib will take place April 29 at 6 p.m. at Manufacturers Golf & Country Club in Fort Washington to celebrate HealthLinks 10th anniversary and honor its founders, the Eugene Jackson Family. The evening will heat up with a Chef Meet & Greet, followed by a specially selected presidential menu. Gala tickets are $150 per person. Proceeds benefit HealthLink, a free clinic providing compassionate, quality medical and dental care to uninsured, working adults in Bucks and Montgomery counties who fall in between the health care cracks. Go to http://tasteofthewhitehouse.charityhappenings.org to make reservations online or lend support through sponsorship. For event information, call 267-699-0124 or email jmarushak@healthlinkmedical.org. The Wissahickon Valley Watershed Association will hold an open house at the Evans-Mumbower Mill April 17 from 1 to 4 p.m. The Mill is at the corner of Swedesford and Township Line Roads in Upper Gwynedd. The open house is free but donations are welcome. For more information, call 215-646-8866 o email info@wvwa.org. The Eastern Montgomery County Chamber of Commerce will host Breakfast With Your County Commissioners and State Representatives April 21 from 8 to 9:30 a.m. at the Holiday Inn Fort Washington, 432 W. Pennasylvania Ave. Commissioners: James R. Matthews (Chairman), Joseph M. Hoeffel (Vice Chair), State Representatives: Todd Stephens (District 151) and Josh Shapiro (District 153). Register onlineat www.emccc.org. $10 for EMCCC member; $20 for non-members. Upper Dublins Districtwide Allied Art Show will be held April 27 from 5:30 to 9 p.m. in the Upper Dublin High School Athletic Complex. The Rev. Alfred Muli, chaplain at Fort Washington Estates, will be the featured speaker at the Kiwanis sponsored breakfast observing the National Day of Prayer May 5 at 7 a.m. at the William Penn Inn. The breakfast is open to the public ($15). Reservations can be made by calling 215-646-4356 or by emailing georgesaurman@Juno.com. The Upper Dublin Shade Tree Commission invites people to participate in its spring bare root planting events, sponsored in part by Upper Dublin Parks & Recreation and Friends of Robbins Park. On April 9, zix trees will be planted at the Evelyn B. Wright Park & Community Pool, 401 Logan Ave., North Hills, at 9 a.m., followed by the planting of 10 trees at Sheeleigh Park, Loch Alsh Avenue and Douglas Street, Ambler, at 10:15 a.m. On April 29, students from Upper Dublin High School will join the Pennsylvania Horticultural Society to plant 16 trees in Robbins Park, Butler Pike and Meetinghouse Road, Ambler, to help launch the societys Million Trees campaign. This event will occur in conjunction with Temple Amblers EarthFest. Experienced tree-tenders are sought to assist the students. For more information,contact Ron Ayres at 215-653-0421 or 215-483-4348. The Friends of the Wissahickon and the Wissahickon Valley Watershed Association are teaming up once again to clean the Wissahickon Creek from top to bottom April 30 from 9 a.m. to noon. This spring marks the 41st anniversary of Wissahickon Valley Watershed Associations annual Creek Clean Up, and the second year that FOW has teamed up with WVWA. Volunteers of all ages will clean the creek, the surrounding trails and the many tributaries of the Wissahickon Creek. Armed with bags, volunteers will be assigned to sections of the creek. Following the clean up, all volunteers are invited to WVWAs Talkin Trash picnic in Fort Washington State Park, with food provided by Whole Foods Market of North Wales. The pavilion is located on Mill Road in Flourtown. To help out in Montgomery County, all volunteers must be pre-assigned a section of the Wissahickon Creek to clean. Please contact Bob Adams, WVWA director of stewardship, at 215-646-8866 ext. 14 or bob@wvwa.org. To work with the Friends of the Wissahickon in Philadelphia, meet at the pavilion along Forbidden Drive, a short distance south of the intersection of Forbidden Drive and Northwestern Avenue. Limited parking is available along Northwestern Avenue and other nearby streets. Volunteers are encouraged to bike or carpool to the event. To participate, register at www.fow.org. Contact Kevin Groves with questions at 215-247-0417 ext. 105 or groves@fow.org. Montgomery County Community Colleges International Club invites the community to the second annual International Festival April 20 from 5 to 9 p.m. at the Central Campus, 340 DeKalb Pike, Blue Bell. The rain date is April 26. The International Club will transform the outside quad area into multicultural celebration with various performances by dancers, singers and musicians. Artists will share their artwork at various display tables. Activities include games, raffles, Easter egg decorating and henna tattoos. Students will have samples of international cuisine at tables representing different countries and will serve food from various local ethnic restaurants. Throughout the evening, volunteers will accept donations and will raffle gift baskets and prizes to raise funds for Habitat for Humanity. Donations of food, international clothes and prizes are needed. Volunteers, including artists and performers, are welcome. For more information or to sponsor an activity, contact Gillian Nel, International Club president, at gnel9277@students.mc3.edu or 267-974-0163. The Arts and Humanities Division at Montgomery County Community College is partnering with the Philadelphia Writers Conference to host Memoirs Matter: How Life Stories (Including Yours) Can Transform Your Relationship to Literature April 23 from 1 to 3 p.m. in Advanced Technology Center room 101, 340 DeKalb Pike, Blue Bell. The event is free and open to the public. In the first part of this two-hour seminar, professor and author Robert Waxler will explain how writing his two memoirs affected his life as well as his relationship to literature. In the second part, blogger and workshop leader Jerry Waxler will present a sequence of steps to help writers find their own story. For information, contact Dana Resente at dresente@mc3.edu. The Maple Glen Garden Club will hold its fourth annual Plant Sale on May 7 from 8 to 11 a.m. Perennials, shrubs, vegetables and native plants grown by the club members will be sold. The club uses the plant sale proceeds to fund community projects, a college scholarship and community plantings. The sale will be held in the 500 block of Coach Road, Horsham, as part of a neighborhood garage sale. Plants will be sold at bargain prices. For more information, email MapleGlenGardenClub@gmail.com. The Relay for Life Craft Show is looking for local crafters to participate in show, which will be May 21 from 11:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. on the Wissahickon High School track, 521 Houston Road, Ambler. There is a $10 entry fee, and 20 percent of sales are donated to the American Cancer Society. Participants will receive a 6-foot table under a tent. For information, contact Joanne at joannescoles@comcast.net or Mindy at mcamsilver@comcast.net. Spring House Estates is hosting its annual book fair on April 18 from 4 to 7 p.m. and April 9 from 8:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. Included will be hardback and paperback used books. Spring House Estates is located at 728 Norristown Road, Lower Gwynedd. The PennSuburban Chamber of Commerce will present the Penn Suburban/Hatfield Joint Business Card Exchange April 20 from 5 to 7 p.m. at Univest Bank Lansdale Area Financial Service Center, 120 Forty Foot Road, Hatfield. The event is free. To make reservations, visit PennSuburban.org/Events. Join Univest National Bank and Trust Co. for a spring-inspired Business Card Exchange at its newest office in the Hatfield Pointe Shopping Center. Come out and meet members of Univests executive management team while enjoying fine food and beverages. 13th Annual Community Reading Day Kick-off Breakfast Get Together April 26 from 8 to 9:30 a.m. at the North Wales Area Library, 233 Swartley St., North Wales. The event is free. To make reservations, visit PennSuburban.org/Events. For more information, contact the chamber office at 215-362-9200 or info@pennsuburban.org. Join presenting sponsor Verizon, chamber staff and fellow members for the Community Reading Day volunteer get together. The Community Reading Day program allows volunteers to read a designated book to second-grade students throughout 38 area public and private schools and present the book as a gift to each class. Even if you are not a volunteer, you are cordially invited to stop by to network, enjoy coffee and pastries. Ambler Mennonite Church is hosting a Spring Craft Show and Flea Market May 21 from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Rain date will be May 28. The community is invited to shop the great craft booths, find some gifts and deals, as well as enjoy home baked goods and tasty lunch specials. Childrens activities are planned. All vendors are encouraged to contact the church at 215-643-4876 or AmblerMennonite@verizon.net. Advertising, signage, customer parking and a shuttle to auxiliary parking at nearby lots for vendors will be provided. 10 foot by 10 foot spaces can be rented for $5 each and tables for an additional $5 each. All proceeds from space and table rentals go toward school kits for children around the world. The church is located at the corner of East Mt. Pleasant Avenue and North Spring Garden Street, Ambler. The Wissahickon Valley Watershed Association presents The Life & Times of Aquatic Insects in the Wissahickon Creek April 16 from 1 to 3 p.m. Join WVWA for a hands-on program. RSVP required: www.wvwa.org or 215-646-8866. WVWA member fee: $5 per person / $15 per family. Non-WVWA member fee: $10 per person / $20 per family. The photography exhibition Natures Palette by photo-artist Judy Miller will run March 18 to May 19 at the Art in the Storefront gallery, 41 E. Butler Pike, Ambler. JPRN Networking For People in Transition & People Who Can Help Them Unemployment remains high. JPRN, the Jarrettown Professional Relationship Network can help. Are you trying to network your way to a new job? Do you have expertise or contacts that can help people in transition? Is your company or organization looking for people in the area? This is a free outreach program to support those seeking work, involve people with contacts and networking know how, and involve local companies. Meetings held monthly at Jarrettown United Methodist Church, Limekiln Pike. Pennsylvanias Low-Income Home Energy Assistance (LIHEAP) grant program is now open for the 2010-11 heating season. Grants are based on income, family size, type of heating fuel and region. Additional information, such as specific income limits, and applications for LIHEAP grants are available online via the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania Access to Social Services (COMPASS) website at www.compass.state.pa.us. Applications are available at most public officals district offices, county assistance offices, local utility companies and community service agencies, such as Area Agencies on Aging or community action agencies. Begin your holiday shopping at Upper Dublin Parks & Recreation! Entertainment books for 2011, Philadelphia North, are now on sale at $30 each. Regal/United Artists movie tickets are on sale for just $7.50 each, and tickets to the Adventure Aquarium, Baltimore Aquarium, and the Philadelphia Zoo are also available. Discounted ski vouchers to area mountains will be arriving in December; call 215-643-1600 x3443 for more information. Upper Dublin Parks & Recreation office hours are Monday through Friday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. RSVP of Montgomery County and the Wissahickon Valley Public Library have partnered again to offer the public their popular free mock interview sessions. The mock interviews are conducted by RSVP volunteers who are retired professionals, some of whom were in hiring positions themselves. Packets of information which include a sample employment application and interviewing tips with mock interview questions are available at the library to pick up prior to a scheduled mock interview or will be sent via email once the interview is scheduled. To schedule your interview, please contact Janis Glusman at RSVP 610-834-1040, ext. 16. The library is also offering a free resume review service. Bring in your current resume and the professional reference staff will assist you with hints and tips on capturing your work history accurately. Registration for Upper Dublin Parks & Recreation summer playgrounds, Camp B.I.G. and Small Folks, X-Zone, and sports camps has began. Register online at www.upperdublin.net/store, or at the UDP&R office, 801 Loch Alsh Avenue, Fort Washington. Call 215-643-1600 x3443 for more information. Upper Dublin Parks & Recreation and Danielles Espresso Cafe presents Mornings at Mondaug Bark Park April 16 and May 21 from 8:30 to 10:30 a.m. Meet fellow dog lovers. These events include complimentary coffee, treats for people and pups and raffles/giveaways. Upper Dublins Annual Spring Flea Market will be held June 4 from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. Reserve a table, or come and shop. Tables are $15 for UD residents, $20 for non-residents. This successful event occurs rain or shine. Refreshments available. Call 215-643-1600 ext. 3443 to register for a table. Regal movie tickets available for purchase at Upper Dublin Township Parks & Recreation. Reduced rate: $7.50 per ticket. Some restrictions apply. Call 215-643-1600 x3443. Whitpain Township Parks & Recreation movie tickets $7.50 Regal Cinemas, United Artist & Edwards Cinemas on sale throughout the year Monday Friday from 9 a.m. 4 p.m. Whitpain Township Parks & Recreation Camp Sign-ups for Stony Creek Day Camp Stony Creek Tracers and Park n Tots. Register on-line at www.whitpaintownship.org OrCome to Township Building with check or Visa MasterCard Monday Friday from 9 a.m. 4 p.m. For additional information call 610.277-2400 ext. 374 Upper Dublin Parks & Recreation offers exciting new programs for the fall: -Returning favorites include UK Elite Petite Soccer, Tiny Dancers, Kiddie Tennis, Fun-nastics, Messy Playtime, Little Chefs, and more. Babysitters Training will be offered in November and December. Continuing Adult Fitness Classes include Cardio Circuit, Core & More, Yoga, Boxing, and Adult G.Y.M. For more information call 215-643-1600 x3443. Register for programs online at www.upperdublin.net/store. Music and Theater The community is invited to a Cantors Concert April 16 at 8 p.m. Congregation Beth Or, 239 Welsh Road, Maple Glen. Listen and hum-along to the Yiddish, pop tunes and classical music performed by Congregation Beth Ors own Cantor David Green and his special guest, Cantor Irvin Bell, from Temple Beth Israel in Deerfield Beach, Fla. The cantors will be accompanied by Mark Sobol and his Klezmer musicians. Tickets are $18 in advance and $25 at the door. RSVP with payment to Barb Murtha, 239 Welsh Road, Maple Glen, PA 19002, or call 215-646-5806 ext. 220. Gwynedd Friends Coffeehouse will host the Jameson Sisters May 14. Doors open at 7:30 pm, performance at 8:00 pm. Gwynedd Friends Coffeehouse is located at the corner of Rte. 202 & Sumneytown Pike, Gwynedd. $5 suggested donation. Light refreshment available at a modest cost. For further information, call 215-393-9576 or visit gwyneddmeeting.org/coffeehouse.html. Celebrate patriotism through song with Gwynedd-Mercy Colleges choir, the Voices of Gwynedd, as it presents Hear America Singing April 15 at 8 p.m. The choir will perform song selections from all over the country, including Georgia on My Mind, New York State of Mind, and a medley including Philadelphia Freedom and Allentown. The performance will end with When the Saints Go Marching In to acknowledge the choirs upcoming tour in New Orleans. Hear America Singing will take place in the Julia Ball Auditorium, located in St. Bernard Hall. Parking is available in lots A, C and D. Admission is free. The Choristers will present Anton Dvoraks Stabat Mater April 16 at 7:30 p.m. at Upper Dublin Lutheran Church in Ambler. The choir will be accompanied by a 41-piece orchestra. Tickets are $20 for adults, $15 for senior citizens, $10 for students and children are free. Tickets will be sold in advance or at the door. For more information, call 215-542-7871 or visit TheChoristers.org Religious News The Staircase Gallery at Or Hadash: A Reconstructionist Congregation in Fort Washington will feature the work of Emily Ennuat-Lustine. The artist will be showing paintings and graphics inspired by her own personal spiritual journey and quest for meaning. Some of the works to be shown have been inspired by Biblical Psalms and writings. Her work has been shown at Abington Art Center, Cheltenham Arts Center and Old City Gallery of Jewish Art among others. The exhibition is open Friday evenings starting Feb. 18 after Shabbat services. Gallery hours are: Mondays through Thursdays 10-4:30, Fridays 10-3 and following Shabbat Services and Sundays 10-1. The synagogue is located at 190 Camp Hill Road in Fort Washington. For additional information contact the synagogue office at 215-283-0276. Reunions St. Matthews High School Conshohocken Class of 1961 is looking for classmates. For details, contact Greg Marincola at 215-646-2239, 215-740-1296 or gregcola@comcast.net. Olney High School Class of 1971 is Lloking for classmates for a 40th reunion Oct. 28. For details, contact Judy at ohsclassof71@yahoo.com or 215-870-7572. Abington High School Class of 1961 is seeking classmates for a 50-year reunion to be held Oct. 14-15, 2011.Visit the website, www.abington61.com, for details or call 215-947-1779. Overbrook High School class of January 1956 is having a 55 year reunion on May 22, 2011 at the Bala Golf Club in Philadelphia. For information please contact overbrookreunion56@comcast.net Germantown High School Class Of January 1961 is looking for classmates for 50th year reunion to take place in May of 2011. Please contact: 215-362-9148, 856-577-0659 or samdelcomo@comcast.net The June 1961 class of Germantown High School is holding their 50th reunion on May 15, which will be a brunch. For further details please contact Linda Dorfman Alten at lindaalten@yahoo.com or call 215-441-8411. Support New Life Presbyterian Church in Dresher, will host GriefShare, a special seminar and support group which will run on Monday evenings from 7 to 9 p.m., from March 7 through June 6. At each meeting there will be a DVD about the grief process, discussion and reference to a grief workbook. Preregistration is required to secure a place in the group and to purchase a GriefShare notebook (for a one-time fee of $15). The notebook goes along with the 13-week schedule covering such topics as: living with grief, the effects of grief, and stuck in grief. For more information or to register, call: Sandy Elder at 215-884-5149. PUPS (People Understanding Parkinsons) A self-help group for those adjusting to a new diagnosis or dealing with the early stages of Parkinsons Disease. Meets fourth Tuesday of the month from 1 to 2:30 p.m., at Abington Health Center, Schilling Campus, Willowood Building, 2510 Maryland Road, Suite 251, Willow Grove. For more information or to RSVP, contact Lorna at 215-542-2931. The North Penn Visiting Nurse Associations Meals on Wheels program is looking for volunteers to pack or deliver meals to the elderly and infirmed. Meals are packed and delivered mornings, Monday through Friday. You can volunteer for as many days per week or month as you would like. Packaging meals requires approximately 2-1/2 hours of your time each day and involves making sandwiches, packaging food into individual serving containers and packing coolers with the meals. Delivering meals requires approximately 1-1/2 hours of your time each day and involves loading coolers into your car and delivering a route of approximately 10 to 15 stops. The Meals on Wheels program is also in need of emergency, winter-weather volunteers to pack and deliver meals in bad weather. North Penn VNA is located at 51 Medical Campus Drive in Lansdale and delivers meals in the Lansdale, North Wales and Blue Bell areas. For more information or to volunteer, please call Bridget, North Penn VNA Meals on Wheels coordinator at 215-855-8296. Elkins Park Area CHADD (Children and Adults with Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder) meets the first Tuesday of every month, 7- 8:30 p.m., at Einstein at Elkins Park Hospital in Elkins Park. For information on CHADD or ADHD, please see our website www.chadd.net/249 or call Claire Noyes at: 215-779-6656. Center for Loss and Bereavement, 3847 Skippack Pike, Skippack (610-222-4110) www.bereavementcenter.org Offers professional counseling for individuals, couples, children and families dealing with issues of loss and bereavement. Six-week adult support groups: Newly forming young adult grief support group every other Wednesday, 7 8:15 p.m. (free of charge); Monthly loss of child support second Mondays, 7-8:15 p.m.; Six-week young loss of spouse/partner Thursdays, 10-11:15 a.m.; Other groups scheduled as interest is shown for suicide loss support, adult loss of parent, motherless daughters, adult loss of sibling, coping with chronic illness and disability and mens loss of spouse. Nellos Corner Family Bereavement program offers peer grief support groups for ages 4 through teen and their caregivers Every other Tuesday or Wednesday (free of charge) Local chapter of Parents of Murdered Children also meets at the Center. Registration required. Call for further information. CHADD is a national organization for children & adults with Attention-Deficit/ Hyperactivity Disorder, providing education, advocacy and support for individuals and their families with AD/HD. Einstein at Elkins Park Hospital, 60 Township Line Road, Elkins Park, PA 19027, will host children & adults with Attention-Deficit/ Hyperactivity Disorder on the First Tuesday of each month 7 8:30 p.m. Free, no childcare provided. The Jewish Federation of Greater Philadelphias Kehillah of Old York Road is sponsoring a free Caregiver Support Group for individuals who care for an elderly person with cognitive and/or physical impairments. The group meets at SarahCare Adult Day Care Center, 101 Washington Lane, Suite G-6, Jenkintown, Pa., on the first Wednesday of each month. Patty Rich, Ex-choir director in Bucks County pleads no contest to molesting two students, secretly filming another Letter to editor: Voting is necessary to protect democracy Rabbis installation at Keneseth Israel will get a boost of student creativity We value your privacy. Focus Taiwan (CNA) uses tracking technologies to provide better reading experiences, but it also respects readers' privacy. Click here to find out more about Focus Taiwan's privacy policy. When you close this window, it means you agree with this policy. May 14, 2017 CentCom Breaks "Safe Passage" Deal - Making Its Allies Bleed For It On Friday the U.S. "Inherent Resolve" command of its operations in Syria and Iraq released an statement that points to unnecessary intensified fighting about the city of Raqqa and elsewhere. SAC and SDF Liberate Tabqah The Syrian Arab Coalition and their Syrian Democratic Force partners completed the liberation of the Tabqah Dam, as well as the city of Tabqah and its nearby airfield May 10. ... In Tabqah, the SDF's increased pressure on ISIS from each flank allowed it to accelerate the pace of the fight, clear the final neighborhoods of the city, and isolate Tabqah Dam. Approximately 70 ISIS fighters conceded to the SDF's terms, which included the dismantling of IEDs surrounding the dam, the surrender of all ISIS heavy weapons, and the forced withdrawal of all remaining fighters from Tabqah City. The SDF accepted ISIS's surrender of the city to protect innocent civilians and to protect the Tabqah dam infrastructure which hundreds of thousands of Syrians rely on for water, agriculture, and electricity. (The "Syrian Arab Coalition" is U.S. propaganda parlance for its own forces in the area. That force is part of its Central Command. The "Syrian Democratic Force" are predominantly fighters of the Syrian-Kurdish YPG and a few U.S. special forces embedded with them.) The Kurdish forces obviously made a deal with the ISIS rearguard. They offered safe passage (safe conduct) to the ISIS fighters if those would dismantled their demolition charges on the Tabqa dam and leave their heavy weapons behind. The ISIS group accepted and fulfilled its part of the deal. The dam was saved. The ISIS forces withdrew. The Kurdish commander had made the right decision. Any fighting around, on or within the dam structure could have led to a catastrophic dam failure which would have killed ten-thousands (at least) further down the Euphrates. The next line in the U.S. press release is therefore ominous: The Coalition tracked fleeing fighters and targeted those that could be safely hit without harming civilians. The U.S. military broke the "safe passage" deal the Kurds had made with the ISIS fighters. Quoting that press release via an AFP reporter I remarked: Moon of Alabama @MoonofA -3:03 PM - 11 May 2017 Ahh - the outrage from @afp if the Syrian government would do alike - targeting rebels after they surrender their weapons and move out .. and: Moon of Alabama @MoonofA - 7:26 PM - 11 May 2017 ISIS fighters got screwed on deal, were promised free escape then killed. That trick works only once. To be able to make such deals in similar future situations one needs to keep them. The Syrian government managed to reconcile with about 1,500 towns and local areas that had taken part in the insurgency against it. It promised an amnesty for the fighters and reestablishment of public services. If it would have broken this contract with some of the first areas that took part in it, others would never have agreed to such deals but would have fought down to the last man, woman and child. The Syrian government also offered safe passage to al-Qaeda held Idleb for various Jihadist groups in besieged areas. It stuck to those deals and never attacked the departing enemies. This enabled it to make more such deals. Large parts of Homs, Aleppo and Damascus thereby returned to government control without destructive fighting. In Tabqa the U.S. military broke the deal and the word its Kurdish allies had given to ISIS when the deal was made. It tracked and killed those who were guaranteed safe passage, likely from U.S. helicopters of jets. Like me, the Wall Street Journal found this odd. It asked the Pentagon for an explanation: This was an agreement for them to leave the Tabqa Dam and to leave the remaining portions of the city they held, but it doesnt change the fact that when we see ISIS fighters on the battlefield and we have a clean shot at them, we will continue to take it, [Pentagon spokesman Capt. Jeff Davis] said. Capt. Davis declined to answer whether the U.S. is bound in any way when an ally like the Syrian Defense Forces make an agreement on the battlefield. I think SDF let them have safe passage out of Tabqa, but once they continued on the battlefield, I dont know if thats something were required to honor, he said. The U.S. military did not hit the ISIS group "on the battlefield". Its own press releases quoted above said it "tracked fleeing fighters and targeted those". Those ISIS people were not fighting. The were not on the immediate battlefield. They were not "fleeing" either. They had been guaranteed safe passage. I have yet to see a comment from the Kurdish commanders on the ground who made the deal, or from the U.S. special forces embedded with them. If I were in their place I would be furious. The breaking of this deal guarantees that no future deals can be made. ISIS fighters would never again feel bound to them. They will now kill hostages, not negotiate about them. They will blow up infrastructure instead of accepting deals about preserving it in exchange for safe passage. The Kurdish soldiers on the ground will have to bleed for this stupidity. This was some extremely short sighted and vindictive behavior by the U.S. commanders of the overall operation. The WSJ points out that the problem is wider. The U.S. military itself urges ISIS fighters to surrender, but has no idea what it would do should they actually do so: Pentagon officials have said in the past that Islamic State fighters can surrender on the battlefield, but haven't provided details on how such negotiations might proceed, or who would take the lead on such matters since local forces lead the fight in Syria and Iraq. "..those who do not surrender to the Iraqi security forces will be killed there, Col. John Dorrian, spokesman for the U.S.-led coalition in Iraq and Syria said in February. The U.S.-led coalition didnt respond to a request for comment or an explanation of policy. It would be very helpful for the Kurdish and Iraqi forces on the ground if they would have clear public guidelines for handling surrendering enemies. But the U.S. command seems to have none of those for them. This will lead to a TINA mentality: "there is no alternative, we'll have to kill them all" on both sides of the fight. In terms of propaganda this will work to ISIS' favor. Instead of TV pictures of demoralized, defeated and surrendering ISIS fighters the relevant public will see more ISIS "martyrs" who "heroically" blow themselves up as the only way out. This will reinforcing ISIS' apocalyptic message. Posted by b on May 14, 2017 at 13:49 UTC | Permalink Comments Maintaining independence and editorial freedom is essential to our mission of empowering investor success. We provide a platform for our authors to report on investments fairly, accurately, and from the investors point of view. We also respect individual opinionsthey represent the unvarnished thinking of our people and exacting analysis of our research processes. Our authors can publish views that we may or may not agree with, but they show their work, distinguish facts from opinions, and make sure their analysis is clear and in no way misleading or deceptive. To further protect the integrity of our editorial content, we keep a strict separation between our sales teams and authors to remove any pressure or influence on our analyses and research. Read our editorial policy to learn more about our process. Mount Pleasant, SC (29464) Today Rain showers early will evolve into a more steady rain overnight. Low 64F. Winds NNE at 10 to 20 mph. Chance of rain 80%.. Tonight Rain showers early will evolve into a more steady rain overnight. Low 64F. Winds NNE at 10 to 20 mph. Chance of rain 80%. EOG Resources collected its first profit in nearly two years in the first quarter, wringing money from a revived oil patch amid higher energy prices, the company said. The Houston oil explorer pumped more oil than ever as it slashed the costs of bringing wells into production in Texas and North Dakota. Michael Ciaglo/Staff Tenaris, which makes piping and steel for oil and gas wells, is perhaps a bit of both as well as brave. The Argentinian company began building a $1.8 billion oil and gas pipe mill near Houston when oil prices were booming and then opted to press ahead during the bust. Now the anticipated opening of the state-of-the-art plant in September coincides with the resurgence in onshore oil and gas drilling in Oklahoma and Texas, particularly in the Permian Basin. We are collating signatures to petition ... GET OUR APP Our Spectrum News app is the most convenient way to get the stories that matter to you. Download it here. Firefighters in West Melbourne are battling a brush fire in an area near the intersection of Carriage Gate and Minton Road. According to the Florida Forest Service, the fire is 25 acres in size. Originally, the agency estimated the fire to be 40 acres. As of 7:30 p.m., the fire was 70 percent contained. More video from #WestMelbourneFire off Minton Road and Carriage @MyNews13 no evacuations at this time. pic.twitter.com/jLIO9gD4FT Caitlin Wilson (@Cait_TVReporter) May 14, 2017 Wind and dry conditions are playing a factor in firefighters being able to get the fire under control. No evacuations were ordered, according to Brevard County Fire Rescue. For Carmel Brown, a teacher at Greater Palm Bay Elementary School, the fire is too close for comfort. "I was nervous," she said. "I was really nervous." The school where Brown teach is near the brush fire. "I just stayed here and I watched and I did a prayer," she said. "I said 'Lord, please don't let our school go down.'" Multiple agencies are working the fire, including the Palm Bay Fire Department and the Melbourne Fire Department. They used tractors to plow lines through the dirt to ensure the fire wouldn't spread. Firefighters will monitor the fire through the night and plan to do mop ups on Monday. Crews are also battling multiple fires in the Palm Bay area, which were reported around the same time. ARLINGTON, Texas Not all is wrong in Oaklands bullpen, despite some recent lapses. The As have some strong performers, too, and none perhaps has been more important than left-hander Daniel Coulombe. Coulombe flies a little under the radar, but with Sean Doolittle out for an unknown time with a shoulder injury, Coulombe is the lone lefty, and he has been faring well. He came into Saturdays game in the eighth with men at the corners and two outs and got Shin-Soo Choo to ground out. Coulombe is holding lefties to a .136 average after entering Sundays game in the eighth and striking out Joey Gallo. Opponents are 1-for-17 against him with runners in scoring position, putting him among the top five in the AL. Its a different role for him now, more of a matchup-type thing, manager Bob Melvin said. Maybe we have to start moving him in there a little more so. ... He hasnt been in that role before; not only does he have to get comfortable with it, I have to be comfortable with it. When he goes in and does what he did (Saturday) night ... it makes you that much more confident. Coulombe might get used quite a bit at Seattle this week, especially if left-handed-hitting Robinson Cano or Kyle Seager is up in a big situation late. Oaklands bullpen has allowed 10 runs in the past three games and has blown six of 14 save opportunities, but the team could get a key reliever back this week: Melvin said setup man John Axford, on the disabled list all season with a shoulder injury, might need only one more rehab outing. Melvin said its possible that if all continues to go well, Axford could come off the DL on the next homestand, which begins Thursday. Briefly: The Chronicle has learned that catcher Bruce Maxwell was optioned to Nashville to make room for Monday starter Sean Manaea to come off the DL. In addition, left-hander Ross Detwiler , who had a 1.17 ERA in May with Nashville, opted out of his deal, according to a source, and was granted his release. ... Nashville outfielder Andrew Lambo was released. Susan Slusser is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. On deck Monday at Seattle 7:10 p.m. NBCSCA Manaea (1-2) vs. Gallardo (1-3) Tuesday at Seattle 7:10 p.m. NBCSCA Triggs (5-2) vs. De Jong (0-3) Wednesday at Seattle 7:10 p.m. NBCSCA Hahn (1-2) vs. Bergman (0-1) Leading off Mariners moves: The As head to Seattle next. The Mariners have made 64 transactions in 43 days. Seattle has used nine starters, and 12 players on the 25-man roster have less than a year of major-league experience. Susan Slusser This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate After suffering three strokes in a year, Jacki Burke was ready to chill out and go back to doing what she loved: owning a local ice cream shop. The Plantersville resident first opened Jacki's Ice Cream Hutt in 2008, then again in October 2016 after her doctor recommended she leave the car business for a less stressful job. Opening the shop for a second time in the small town of Plantersville, population roughly 200, was a natural decision for Burke. She said there are no kid-friendly businesses in the area, so it is her dream to create a "hot spot" for children and families to enjoy the sweeter things in life. While many Magnolia residents groan and pull away from the traffic chaos that comes with the Texas Renaissance Festival, Burke incorporates and welcomes it with Jacki's Ice Cream Hutt & CJ's Ye Olde Sweets. The turquoise house is smaller than the original ice cream shop, only occupying roughly 300 square feet in Renaissance Business Park - but that is just the way Burke likes it. The menu features such medieval-inspired delights as the double banana split Pigs Trough and the Jester's Delight, which is ice cream with hot fudge and a brownie. Not only does the shop serve Blue Bell Ice Cream with numerous toppings, but it offers other treats shipped in from across the country. The goal is to obtain candies not found at a local grocer, Burke said, which is why the shop orders pretzel and cookie cones from Philadelphia and specialty candy shipped from Michigan and New Jersey. But reopening a small ice cream shop did not come easy. For one, side effects of Burke's strokes include forgetting names and some short- and long-term memory loss. Sometimes, Burke said, she will begin to make a cone, then quickly forget the flavor the customer requested. "Most people know I've had my stroke, so they know my deficits and they watch over me," Burke said. "People are very considerate, and I'm more embarrassed by it than anybody else." It also became easier for Burke to operate the shop when Burke's friend, Sandra Allen, offered to help run it. Through it all, she tries to make Jacki's Ice Cream Hutt into a place like those she visited during her childhood, one that her 5-year-old daughter can enjoy. "I do everything focused around the kids," Burke said. "Especially since I had my stroke, I kind of went back in childhood in some aspects, because you just forget so much of the things that you grew up with that mattered the most." The ice cream shop offers curbside pickup for those with mobility issues, discounts for veterans and first responders, and rewards local students who make the honor roll with a free ice cream cone. Additionally, Jacki's Ice Cream Hutt hosts family friendly events, such as an Easter Egg Hunt and a free Friday Movie Night. Overall, Burke focuses on giving and receiving good karma. While business is sometimes slow because of the shop's remote location, Burke said as long as she makes enough to keep the lights on, she does not care about getting paid. Giving back to the community, she said, gives her a feeling of purpose. "It may not be where I can give them a million dollars, because I sure don't have it," Burke joked. "But it's just giving back. It's the little things that mean the most, the little things are key." Jacki's Ice Cream Hutt is in Renaissance Business Park at 17021 Village Circle in Plantersville. The business is open from 1-7 p.m. Monday through Wednesday, 1-5:30 p.m. Thursday, noon to 8 p.m. Friday and Saturday, and 1-6:30 p.m. Sunday. For more information about Friday Movie Nights and other events, call 936-314-7607. Bob Luckey Jr. / Hearst Connecticut Media GREENWICH A stretch of road reopened Sunday morning after a driver crashed into utility poles on Clapboard Ridge Road. Police said two poles were damaged in the crash shortly after 5 a.m. Clapboard Ridge Road between Round Hill Road and Lake Avenue was closed until around 11:15 a.m. as crews replaced the poles. 1 Officers killed: A sheriffs deputy and a community service officer died in Modesto when their patrol car struck a building and caught fire Saturday. Stanislaus County Sheriffs Deputy Jason Garner and his passenger, Officer Raschel Johnson, were responding to a burglary call when their car swerved and hit an auto wreckage business. California Highway Patrol Officer Thomas Olsen said the patrol car was engulfed in flames by the time emergency personnel arrived at the scene. The cause of the crash is under investigation. Garner was a nine-year veteran of the department, and Johnson had worked there for 15 years. 2 Terminal relocation: A major moving day at Los Angeles International Airport went off without a hitch, managers said Saturday. Seven airlines switched terminals overnight, while Delta Air Lines completed the first of three days of moving operations. Several other airlines are moving Sunday. The relocation involves moving planes, transporting hundreds of computers and thousands of boxes, hauling furniture and changing signs. In all, 15 airlines are swapping terminals while others are switching ticket counters within terminals. The shuffle was prompted by Deltas move, and that airline is picking up the costs. On the same day President Donald Trump plunged the nation into crisis by sacking the FBI director, a court ruling demonstrated the importance of due process for federal employees being fired. As a political appointee, James B. Comey didn't have the same protection as civil servants. If some in Congress get their way, those regular working folks, particularly in the Department of Veterans Affairs, would be almost as defenseless as he was. That's risky. While the Civil Service disciplinary process can be long and slow, it protects the public, not just employees, by guarding agencies from becoming tainted by politically motivated workplace punishments. The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit put a detour in efforts to fire feds faster with its decision Tuesday. It says VA senior executives can appeal terminations to the Merit Systems Protection Board (MSPB). They were denied that right in 2014 with a law that allowed appeals to administrative judges, but not to board members. But that detour is not the end of the road for efforts to truncate due process. Bipartisan legislation in the Senate would circumvent the ruling by eliminating any MSPB appeal, including by administrative judges, for VA senior executives. The court case involves Sharon Helman, the former director of the VA Medical Center in Phoenix who appealed her firing. She was part of the scandal over the coverup of long patient wait times that led to the Veterans Access, Choice, and Accountability Act of 2014. Among its provisions eviscerating due process rights for VA's senior executives is one that prohibits their appeals of administrative judge rulings regarding personnel actions to the board. The court ruling "strengthens the rights of our civil servants," said Rep. Gerald E. Connolly, D-Va. "While I supported the legislation as it applied uniquely to the VA to ensure badly needed accountability among senior managers I respect the logic underpinning the court's opinion." Helman argued, and the court agreed, that a provision in the 2014 law violated the Constitution's Appointments Clause by blocking presidentially appointed officers, in this case the board members. The decision did not overturn her dismissal, but it does allow the MSPB to consider her case. That's more theoretical than real, however, because the three-member board has only one, not enough for a quorum. "Great day in America," was Senior Executives Association President Bill Valdez's reaction to the ruling. The association agrees federal employees should be held accountable, but there are "sufficient structures in place to do that," Valdez said, adding procedures should be uniform across government. Veterans Affairs Secretary David J. Shulkin did not rejoice. The "ruling underscores yet again the need for swift congressional action to afford the Secretary effective and defensible authority to take timely and meaningful action against VA employees whose conduct or performance undermines Veterans' trust in VA care or services," his statement said. Sens. Johnny Isakson, R-Ga., and Jon Tester, D-Mont., chairman and ranking member, respectively, of the Senate Veterans' Affairs Committee, agreed with Shulkin. "Any appeals by senior VA executives would no longer be brought before the Merit Systems Protection Board, but instead would be handled directly by the VA secretary under an expedited timeline," explains a statement about legislation they and others introduced Thursday. That essentially makes the boss, who fires employees, both prosecutor and judge. Judicial review would remain an option, but that's a more complicated and expensive avenue than the administrative remedy MSPB provides. Speeding discipline sounds good, but what would an abbreviated due process mean for employee rights and, ultimately, a nonpartisan workforce? "You're eliminating two layers of review," said Debra D'Agostino, a lawyer with the Federal Practice Group, referring to administrative judges and the MSPB. "I think it would be a big decrease" in workplace protections. The House has approved the VA Accountability First Act that would expedite firings of employees at VA, which is the guinea pig for rash measures. It would lower the department's burden of proof against employees in some instances and significantly reduce the amount of time allowed for appeals, including MSPB decisions. "Now more than ever, we must uphold the principle that there be strong safeguards protecting the civil service from politically motivated firing," said J. David Cox Sr., president of the American Federation of Government Employees that represents VA employees, but not its senior executives. "Under the legislation being considered, nurses, housekeepers, and cemetery workers at the VA could be fired with the same ease that President Trump fired Mr. Comey," Cox added about House and Senate bills. "The case against them can be as weak and 'trumped up' as the reasons cited in the president's termination notice to Mr. Comey." This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate Two women were arrested Wednesday in connection with the fatal stabbing of a man on the South Side in October. Rosalinda Zertuche Garza, 31, and Brenda Sanchez, 34, now face one charge of capital murder each in connection with the death of Augustin Lopez-Martinez. They were booked into the Bexar County Jail on $500,000 bonds. RELATED: 4th suspect arrested in alleged NE Side gang rape, kidnapping of woman at gunpoint According to indictments for Garza and Sanchez, the women allegedly killed Lopez-Martinez during a robbery attempt around 3:30 a.m. on October 10. A third suspect, 29-year-old Luis Sanchez Jr., is also named in the documents. A witness who notified police about the stabbing said Lopez-Martinez had been banging on his door, trying to get in. The witness looked out his front window and saw Lopez-Martinez lying on the ground with another man in a white T-shirt standing over him, according to police records. RELATED: Man accused of sexually assaulting 15-year-old arrested again after 7 months on the run By the time the witness had opened the front door, the man in the white T-shirt, who is now believed to be Sanchez Jr., had fled. Paramedics found several stab wounds, apparently from a knife, on Lopez-Martinez's body. He was taken to University Hospital in critical condition, where he later died. Nine days after the attack, San Antonio police released a photo of Sanchez and asked for the public's help in identifying him. He was arrested in February by another agency, according to police, and was extradited by the Bexar County Sheriff's Office. Text "NEWS" to 77453 for breaking news alerts from mySA.com cdowns@mysa.com Twitter: @calebjdowns A San Antonio police officer was dragged nearly 40 feet late Saturday night as he was investigating a suspicious vehicle parked behind a PetSmart on the far Northwest Side. Authorities said the officer was responding to a burglary call at 11:45 p.m. when he noticed a suspicious white Toyota Camry parked behind the PetSmart in the 11000 block of Bandera Road near Loop 1604. San Antonio police are searching for a gunman following an incident Sunday morning where an officer was shot at while responding to a burglary call. Police say as the officer was walking up the stairs to a second-floor unit of an apartment complex on the Far West Side when shots were fired. What is the purpose of preserving the Alamo? Is it not to give the visitor a feeling and grasp of what took place in 1836? I have visited the Alamo three times over the years, and each so-called upgrade made the Alamo more sterile. Please do not redesign the Alamo to be more glitzy and tourist-friendly, as so many of our historical monuments have been. Think back to the way the Alamo was and preserve that image as much as possible. Sometimes, it is true that less is more. Marvin Rapp, Clitherall, Minnesota Politics over science Re: 50 programs scrapped at the Environmental Protection Agency, Nation & World, April 23: This story details the dismissal of five members of the EPA Science Advisory Board, an action that appears to be a political move intended to weaken science and promote business interests. I read that Rep. Lamar Smith questions the independence of the scientists on the EPA board, and recent legislation allows replacing academic scientists with industry representatives. Regulated industries already have an outsized influence because they have the resources and personnel to fight regulations. Stacking these boards with industry representatives will tilt the balance away from sound science and harm the health and welfare of all Americans. This dismissal was made possible by legislation designed to move away from science-based decision-making and allow the fox into the henhouse. Kevin M. Henning, Boerne Seniors in school Re: Americans living longer, better, Larry P. Johnson, Another View, May 6: Larry, I always enjoy reading your column. You recently wrote about people living longer and how productive active seniors can be, especially the contributions they continue to make. You wrote about seniors taking classes, but I want to add there is much more available to fellow Texans. In this state, any resident 65 or older can take up to six hours of higher education at no cost each semester at any public-supported state institution. These courses can be taken for credit or audited. Institutions usually state that seniors can take courses on a space-available basis, but that decision is usually left up to the professor. As a professor myself for many years, I welcomed seniors. At the beginning of the course, young students would almost ignore the seniors, but as the course progressed and they listened to each other, the young students looked forward to their input and insight. They learned from each other. When a senior was absent, the young students missed them, viewing them as an inspiration, as well they should. So many seniors are not aware that college courses are available to them. There needs to be more publicity about this. You possess great insight. Keep up the good work. B.S. Caldwell, Pipe Creek Simplify the vote Now that the races for mayor and many council positions are headed for runoffs, the first order of business for the new council should be to institute preferential voting for future elections. When multiple candidates are splitting the votes, the rational way to sort them out is for voters to initially indicate their first, second and third choice. Then the elections administrator applies basic arithmetic to find the candidate with the highest score. That will eliminate the need for runoff elections and the extra expense to taxpayers. It would also make Bexar County Elections Administrator Jacque Callanens life easier! Nick Lee Move over, James James Buchanan, our 15th president, has long been considered our worst chief executive, due to general ineptitude and his refusal to head off the Civil War. His place in executive incompetence is now being threatened by the present incumbent. Donald Trump has alienated the second largest religion in the world by blocking the entrance of Muslim refugees, until he himself was blocked by court orders. This, of course, was a great help to ISIS in its efforts to convince Muslims our country is at war with Islam. He also disregards the painstaking work of scientists all over the world, calling climate change a big hoax because it still gets cold in New York in the winter. Then he spews random accusations, sneers at federal judges, and scorns anyone who disagrees with him. Buchanan, despite being out of his depth as a president, was a gentleman who told the truth and treated people decently. Trump brags about grabbing women by their private parts and lies almost every time he opens his mouth. Move over, Mr. Buchanan. Youve lost your position in history. Steven Botts Evolving dictator The most dangerous man in America is Donald Trump. He might call himself president, but he is a dictator in the making. He is already the ultimate liar and shows no respect for anyone in authority in Washington. His respect seems to be resserved for foreign dictators, like Russias Vladimir Putin and Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte, whom he invited to the White House. My question is, why are Republicans in Congress making excuses for him and watching him dismantle government, one rule at a time? His addiction to executive orders is scary. If he could, I am sure he would write one to abolish all authority except his own. The name president is becoming a nice term for dictator. Leafy M. Travis What happened? I used to think San Antonio was such a beautiful city and Houston was so dirty and trashy-looking. Well, the tables have turned! Trash, weeds and potholes on our city highways make Houston look like the Emerald City! Honestly, are we trying to attract tourists? Maria Q. Martinez Were entering the final week of the upfronts, the process by which various providers reveal whats canceled, whats renewed and what new shows are on tap for the fall season. So well pause from offering info on whats on Monday to give you an idea of what will still be on or not in the fall season. ABC has canceled some shows, renewed several others, and there arent really any surprises. Of the cancellations, I cant cry over the departures of Dr. Ken, Imaginary Mary, Secrets and Lies or The Catch, although Dr. Ken was a hit for a minute and The Catch had potential that never quite clicked. Last Man Standing is done after six seasons, which is part of the reason Dr. Ken isnt going forward. I am sorry about the cancellation of John Ridleys American Crime, an unusually smart, well-written and well-acted anthology series with one of the greatest core casts anyone could ever want in a show: Felicity Huffman, Lili Taylor, Regina King, Connor Jessup, Timothy Hutton and others. King won Emmys for her various roles, and Huffman was nominated, and so deserving. I never felt that ABC quite knew what to do with this show. There was an odd tentativeness about it when they started it three seasons ago. Personally, I think it was just too sophisticated for them, and it was never given the right time slot. Also canceled, The Real ONeals, which probably deserved more support from the network. The shows star, Noah Galvin, did a really bratty interview with Vulture in 2016, making disparaging remarks about Colton Haynes coming-out process. Some members of the LGBT audience were pissed off about that interview, and no doubt they were part of the core audience for the show. It deserved a shot, though. Good ensemble cast, and Galvin may be a jerk, but he was an appealing star. Yes, he copped to being a jerk and apologized. Martha Plimpton was, as usual, fantastic. The bland, chirpy American Housewife got a renewal order, as did major duh alert Designated Survivor. Also coming back: Scandal, but its seventh season will be its last; Black-Ish, The Middle, The Goldbergs, Agents of SHIELD, Greys Anatomy, Speechless, Fresh Off the Boat, How to Get Away With Murder, Modern Family, etc. Still unannounced at this writing: the fate of Quantico which is presumed to be safe for renewal. CBS has cancelled 2 Broke Girls, but renewed Big Bang Theory, Blue Bloods, Criminal Minds, Hawaii Five-O, Mom, Madam Secretary, Code Black, Life in Pieces, all three NCIS dramas, Scorpion, Zoo, Bull, MacGyver, Kevin Can Wait, Man With a Plan, The Good Fight Elementary, The Amazing Race and Superior Donuts. Among the CBS shows whose fate is still unknown is The Odd Couple. Over the weekend, CBS killed The Great Indoors, after one season. CBS holds its upfront presentation on Wednesday, May 17. Fox will hold its upfront Monday, May 15, but so far, the network has axed three first-season shows: Making History (which I kind of liked), Zorn (which I kind of detested) and APB (at which I kind of shrugged). Also axed: Rosewood and Sleepy Hollow. Renewed Fox shows include Gotham, Last Man on Earth, The Simpsons, The Exorcist, Empire, Star, Brooklyn Nine-Nine, The Mick, Lucifer and Lethal Weapon. New Girl has been renewed for one last season, its seventh. Bones ended after 12 seasons. The fate of the rest of the shows should be known today, including Bobs Burgers, Family Guy, Scream Queens, Wayward Pines, Prison Break, Shots Fired and 24 Legacy. NBC also has its upfront presentation scheduled for Monday, May 15. The new comedy Great News, starring Andrea Martin, has been picked up for a second season, which is also in the major duh category not just because its a funny show and Martin kills, but because Tina Fey is among the producers of the show. NBC also OKd a fifth season for The Blacklist, but dumped Blacklist Redemption after one season. Renewed shows so far include three of the Chicago dramas from Dick Wolf, but the jury is still out on the very weak Chicago Justice. Also renewed: Law & Order: SVU, The Night Shift, Blindspot, Shades of Blue, Superstore, The Good Place, Taken and This Is Us. Canceled so far are Emerald City and Powerless. Timeless was also canceled...for a couple of days, but NBC reversed that decision this weekend and has okayed a second season. Im kind of glad, but its up to the showrunners to pump more life into it. The cast is superb and has great chemistry, but theres a bit of same old, same old from episode to episode. The Carmichael Show is still awaiting a verdict, but Id be surprised and disappointed if it was canceled. The CW will bring the 2017 upfronts to a close on Thursday, but much of its plan for the fall is already known. Renewed shows include Arrow, The 100, Supernatural, Crazy Ex Girlfriend, Jane the Virgin, iZombie, Legends of Tomorrow, The Flash, The Originals and Riverdale. Reign and Vampire Diaries both ended this season. Canceled CW shows include Frequency and No Tomorrow. In non-upfront news, The Hollywood Reporter says Jason Bateman has sealed the deal on a long-rumored season 5 of Arrested Development for Netflix. David Wiegand is an assistant managing editor and the TV critic of The San Francisco Chronicle. Follow him on Facebook. Email: dwiegand@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @WaitWhat_TV This website uses cookies to improve your experience. We'll assume you're ok with this, but you can opt-out if you wish. Cookie settings ACCEPT (Natural News) Its amazing how even though Barack Obama is no longer the president of the United States, he still finds ways to remind us of just how self-inflated and egotistical he is. Obama lived like a king throughout his entire presidency, and even though hes been officially out of the Oval Office for nearly four months now, he is still refusing to give up the crown. Earlier this month, Barack Obama gave a speech on climate change at the Global Food Innovation Summit in Milan, Italy. While the speech itself was naturally riddled with lies, propaganda and scare tactics, the real crime was the way in which Obama traveled to Italy. You see, normal transportation is not good enough for the former president; to him, thats reserved for the lesser folk. Instead, Obama preferred a fuel-guzzling private jet to get to Europe, followed by a 14 car convoy escorted by 300 police officers and a helicopter, all so that he could deliver his Alinsky-style speech on climate change. As seen in this video, the convoy consisted of multiple SUVs, police cars, sedans and a few motorcycles. The irony of this situation is almost overwhelming. How much carbon dioxide did Obamas private jet throw into the atmosphere while on his way to lecture the rest of us on the dangers of carbon dioxide? How much pollution was emitted from the 14 cars and the helicopter that were used to escort Obama to a speech on the dangers of pollution? You just cant make this stuff up. But Barack Obamas method of transportation wasnt the only hypocrisy on display at the Milan summit. At one point during his speech, the former president took a moment to warn people about the dangers of eating meat, which according to him is causing a dramatic rise in climate emissions. As reported by Breitbart News, Obama said, As people want to increase meat consumption, that in turn is spiking the growth of greenhouse emissions coming out of the agricultural sector. He went on to say, People arent as familiar with the impact of cows and methane, meaning that the methane gas produced by large herds of cattle is having an increased effect on global pollution. The man of hope and change argued that while an increase in meat consumption is inevitable over the coming years, there are still steps that can be taken to decrease the amount of methane being sent into the atmosphere. For example, Obama said that more advanced countries could teach their people to have a smaller steak and minimize their overall meat consumption. True to form, Barack Obama has once again suggested that more government and an expansion of the nanny state is the solution to all of our problems. But even more than that, there is something incredibly hypocritical about Obama lecturing us on how much meat we can consume. How many times has Barack Obama been seen in public eating a big fat juicy burger or a thick steak with a side of fries? How many steaks were cooked up for him during Obamas time in the White House? According to Sam Kass, Barack Obamas former chef, the answer is thousands of steaks. Kass was with Barack Obama for part of his speech in Milan, and hilariously, the two of them got into a mini argument at one point over just how many steaks Chef Kass had cooked over the course of Obamas two terms. I dont think thousands, Obama said in response to his former chef. Well hundreds maybe, Kass replied. Ive been cooking for you for ten years. So Barack Obama lectures us on the dangers of carbon dioxide while throwing several tons of the pollutant into the atmosphere just hours prior. Then he tells us to eat less steak, even though he himself has eaten hundreds or even thousands over the past ten years. It must be nice to be king. Sources: IJR.com Breitbart.com (Natural News) Some of the biggest fruit orchards in the U.S. may soon use robots in harvesting fruits, as two robotics firms are currently developing machines that could accelerate fruit picking. Mechanical harvesting has become a staple practice in many farms for crops such as wheat, corn, green beans, tomatoes and others. However, the harvesting of fragile, easily-perishable crops such as apples, berries, table grapes and lettuce are still done through manual labor. Fruit orchards in Washington state alone require thousands of farm workers to do the harvesting. Israel-based FFRobotics noted that human pickers are getting scarce, with many young people shying away from farm work. The firm also stressed that elderly pickers are slowly retiring. In line with this, the company is currently working on a machine with three-fingered grips designed to grab fruit and twist or clip it from a branch. According to company co-founder Gad Kober, the machine will feature between four and 12 robotic arms, and can harvest as many as 10,000 apples an hour. The machine would also be able to harvest 85 to 90 percent of the crop off trees. The remaining crops could then be manually harvested by workers, Kober noted. On the other hand, California-based Abundant Robotics is developing a machine that makes use of suction technology to vacuum apples off trees. Plans for machine production were discussed in February at an international convention of fruit growers. The company aims to launch the robotic harvesters in the market before 2019. The two robotics companies are likely to achieve their production targets, with both prototypes projected to be released this fall, according to Karen Lewis. Lewis is a Washington State University cooperative extension agent who assessed the use of robotics in fruit orchards. Lewis also noted that while the machines will serve as game changers in harvesting, fruit orchards across the country may be required to cultivate fruits in new trellis systems to allow the machines to see and harvest the crops. Experts raise flags on potential losses in migrant laborers Despite the agricultural advances, the announcement did not sit well with many agricultural experts. According to experts, robot pickers will negatively impact the livelihood of farm workers especially the migrant labor sector, many of whom have been illegally working in the U.S. An analysis by the Pew Research Center revealed that unauthorized immigrant workers accounted for 17 percent of the workforce in the U.S. agriculture industry in 2014. Washington has long suffered from human power shortages, and has greatly depended on immigrant workers from Mexico to harvest many crops. According to Erik Nicholson, an official with the United Farm Workers union, the eventual loss of jobs among human pickers will have huge implications. Nicholson estimated that about half of Washingtons farm workers are illegal immigrants. However, he stressed that many of them have settled in the state and were productive members of the society. They are scared of losing their jobs to mechanisation [sic]. A robot is not going to rent a house, buy clothing for their kids, buy food in a grocery and reinvest that money in the local economy, Nicholson was quoted in DailyMail.co.uk. President Donald trumps hard-hitting policies against illegal migrant workers have had farms and orchards scrambling for alternative harvesting methods. Some farms have purchased new equipment in order to cut back on human resources. Other farms have even lobbied with federal officials for deals that would limit the negative effects of recent policies on their livelihoods. Jim McFerson, head of the Washington State Tree Fruit Research Centre, stressed that the recent immigration conundrum is now a matter of survival for many farmers. Sources include: DailyMail.co.uk PewHispanic.org North Korea on Sunday test-launched a ballistic missile that flew for half an hour and reached an unusually high altitude before landing in the Sea of Japan, the South Korean, Japanese and U.S. militaries said. The launch, which Tokyo said could be of a new type of missile, is a direct challenge to the new South Korean president elected four days ago and comes as U.S., Japanese and European navies gather for joint war games in the Pacific. It wasn't immediately clear what type of ballistic missile was launched, the seventh such firing this year, although the U.S. Pacific Command said that "the flight is not consistent with an intercontinental ballistic missile." Japanese officials, however, said the missile flew for about 30 minutes, traveling about 800 kilometers (500 miles) and reaching an altitude of 2,000 kilometers (1,240 miles) a flight pattern that could indicate a new type of missile. David Wright, co-director of the Global Security Program at the Union of Concerned Scientists, said that the missile could have a range of 4,500 kilometers (about 2,800 miles) if flown on a standard, instead of a lofted, trajectory considerably longer than Pyongyang's current missiles. He said Sunday's launch may have been of a new mobile, two-stage liquid-fueled missile North Korea displayed in a huge April 15 military parade. The estimated range of the North's Musudan missile is about 3,000 kilometers (1,865 miles), Wright said. That's a little less than the distance between North Korea and the U.S. Pacific island of Guam. A North Korean missile would need to travel more than 8,000 kilometers (4,970 miles) to reach the U.S. West Coast. Outside militaries and experts will closely analyze what the North fired. While Pyongyang regularly tests shorter-range missiles, it is also working to master the technology needed to field nuclear-tipped missiles that can reach the U.S. mainland. Past North Korean missiles have flown farther than Sunday's test, landing closer to Japan, but this launch follows a series of high-profile failures. The White House said in a statement that North Korea has been "a flagrant menace for far too long," and that South Korea and Japan have been watching the situation closely with the United States. The statement says Washington maintains its "ironclad commitment" to stand with its allies in the face of the serious threat posed by North Korea. The latest "provocation" should serve as a call for all nations to implement far stronger sanctions against the North, it said. Whatever the type of missile, the launch forces the new South Korean leader, Moon Jae-in, to put dealing with Pyongyang, at least for now, above the domestic economic agenda he'd made a priority during his early days in office. Moon, who favors a softer approach to the North than his conservative predecessors, strongly condemned the launch during an emergency national security meeting, calling it a clear violation of U.N. Security Council resolutions and a serious challenge to international peace and security, according to senior presidential secretary Yoon Young-chan. "The president expressed deep regret over the fact that this reckless provocation ... occurred just days after a new government was launched in South Korea," Yoon told a televised conference. "The president said we are leaving open the possibility of dialogue with North Korea, but we should sternly deal with a provocation to prevent North Korea from miscalculating." South Korea's military warned that North Korea will face an unspecified "strong punishment" by Seoul and Washington if it continues provocations. Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe told reporters that the launch was "absolutely unacceptable" and that Japan will respond resolutely. Defense Minister Tomomi Inada said North Korea might have launched a "new type of missile," given the altitude and duration of its flight. But she said more analysis was needed. Inada's remarks suggest the missile might have been on a "lofted" trajectory, meaning it could have a far longer range than it actually flew. Japan's Kyodo News said the missile may be capable of covering a range as far as 4,000 kilometers (2,500 miles) if launched at a normal trajectory, citing unidentified sources. South Korea's Joint Chiefs of Staff said in a statement that the missile was fired early Sunday morning from near Kusong, in North Phyongan province. North Korea's past satellite rocket launches have been called clandestine tests of ICBM technology, but it is not believed to have tested a true intercontinental ballistic missile yet. The Trump administration has called North Korean ballistic and nuclear efforts unacceptable and has swung between threats of military action and offers to talk as it formulates a policy. The North's state media said Saturday the nation will bolster its nuclear capability unless the United States abandons its hostile policy. "The United States should never expect us to give up our nuclear capability," the main Rodong newspaper said in a commentary carried by the Korean Central News Agency. It said President Donald Trump's "maximum pressure and engagement" policy is only aimed at "stifling us" and will compel the North to "strengthen our nuclear deterrent at the maximum speed." The launch also comes as troops from the U.S., Japan and two European nations gather near Guam for drills that are partly a message to North Korea. The USS Carl Vinson, an aircraft supercarrier, is also engaging with South Korean navy ships in waters off the Korean Peninsula, according to Seoul's Defense Ministry. Moon, the first liberal leader in Seoul in nearly a decade, said as he took his oath of office that he'd be willing to visit the North if the circumstances were right. Trump has also said he'd be "honored" to talk with leader Kim Jong Un under favorable conditions. On Saturday, a top North Korean diplomat in charge of U.S. relations, Choe Son Hui, told reporters in Beijing that Pyongyang would be willing to meet with the Trump administration for negotiations "if the conditions are set." She did not elaborate. Associated Press writer Mari Yamaguchi in Tokyo contributed to this report. The 29th Annual Candlelight Vigil at the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial honored 394 officers who have died in the line of duty. U.S. Attorney General Jeff Sessions and Department of Homeland Security Secretary John Kelly spoke at the event and lead the crowd in the candle lighting. "We mourn these fallen officers. We cannot avoid this dark truth," Sessions said. "We are here because these men and women gave everything, gave their very lives, for us." The names of 394 officers that were killed in the line of duty were read out loud, 143 of those officers have died last year. The other 251 died before 2016, but their names had never been added to the memorial. "We gather tonight on the National Mall, under the shadows of two of this citys most recognizable monuments, joined by the need and desire, the privilege, to honor the 21,183 names on the sacred Memorial walls," said Craig W. Floyd, President and CEO of the Memorial Fund. With this year's additions, there are now 21,183 names engraved on the memorial. The names represent all 50 states as well as the District of Columbia, U.S. territories, federal law enforcement and military police agencies. "We dedicate the names of the 394 officers added this year to the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial, recognizing the sacrifices these men and women made to protect their country and communities," Floyd said. Twenty-four officers from Texas were added at Saturday's memorial, including the five that were killed in the July 2016 ambush in Downtown Dallas. An estimated 30,000 people attended the ceremony, including surviving family members, friends and law enforcement colleagues, according to the Memorial Fund's press release. Activists marched the streets of Miami Saturday urging the Department of Homeland Security to renew Temporary Protected Status for Haitians. Organizations from across South Florida rallied alongside TPS recipients outside of the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services office, located at 8801 NW 7th Ave., calling for an extension of TPS-- which is set to expire July 22. "I have friends and I have family who are now facing deportation and this is why I'm here today," said Haitian demonstrator Eltard Alexis. Earlier this week, Secretary John Kelly asked Department of Homeland Security staff for the criminal history of thousands of Haitians living in the United States on protected immigration status. Federal law regarding TPS does not specify a recipient's behavior as criteria for extending the program. Those who receive the status immigration are heavily screened before they are granted the protected status, according to immigration experts. Congress created TPS back in 1990 for people whose countries are too devastated by political or natural disasters to safely return. The Obama administration granted temporary protective status to Haiti in 2010 after a massive earthquake devastated the island-nation, killing an estimated 220,000 and displacing 1.5 million. "The situation on the ground in Haiti is not the type of situation you want to send people back to," said Pedro Gassant with the Haitian Lawyers Association. "You have about 58,000 Haitians who have temporary protective status on the basis of the earthquake that occurred in 2010 and last year in the fall you had a significant hurricane that occurred that has displaced entire villages." Gassant says Haitian immigrants see the United States as a country of hope, change, and economic stability. now their calling on President Donald Trump to extend TPS. Demonstrators say they can not ignore the TPS issue given the large Haitian community in South Florida. "We are l'union fait la force," Gassant said. "We believe in unity. Unity is strength and that's on our flag because we believe with unity we can accomplish anything and that's why we're here today." Billionaire entrepreneur Elon Musk can claim a perhaps unparalleled string of visionary company creations -- PayPal, SpaceX, Tesla, The Boring Company. The Boring Company? "We're trying to dig a hole under LA," Musk explained during a recent TED Talk interview. WARNING: The video below contains flashing lights, which has potential to induce motion sickness and/or seizures for people with photosensitive epilepsy. Viewer discretion is advised. WARNING: The video above contains flashing lights, which has potential to induce motion sickness and/or seizures for people with photosensitive epilepsy. Viewer discretion is advised. Soon you might be able to get from Westwood to LAX in about six minutes with the help of Elon Musk's electric sled. Patrick Healy reports for NBC4 News at 5 on Friday, May 12, 2017. After months of social media musing on tunneling to escape traffic congestion in metropolitan Los Angeles, Musk is moving ahead with test boring in a Hawthorne parking lot across Crenshaw Boulevard from SpaceX. It appears to be a step toward what Musk foresees as a "3D network of tunnels to alleviate congestion." What Musk calls "electric sleds" would carry cars piggyback through the tunnels at speeds up to 125 mph. Going from Westwood to LAX would take six minutes or less, Musk predicted. Cars could access and depart the tunnels through roadside auto elevators, each of which Musk said would require the room of only two parking spaces. The scenario is depicted in an animation video posted on The Boring Company's website. Musk contends that unlike surface roadways, underground you need never run out of room to add lanes, because you can simply go down another level. But transportation engineers have doubts about the feasibility of Musk's tunnel vision, and apart from benefiting the tunnel users, how much it would reduce traffic and improve transit overall. "How such a narrow system could contribute to that is not clear to me," said Jim Moore, director of the USC Viterbi Transportation Engineering Program. Be that as it may, Moore said he considers Musk a "bona fide genius," and applauded his investing in researching such a novel approach. Musk believes autonomous driving technology will enable car travel to be more efficient, and that cars -- not public transit -- will continue to carry a large percentage of ground travelers. A major obstacle to underground travel is the cost of boring tunnels. The cost of new underground transit lines runs into the billions of dollars. Musk said the Boring Company is focusing on ways to improve technology and efficiency enough to reduce cost by at least tenfold. An inquiry to The Boring Company for detail on what is being done at the Crenshaw site elicited a response from sister company SpaceX--but no comments on the record. It appears the current work east of Crenshaw is a separate project from the proposed--but yet to be started--pedestrian tunnel which the city of Hawthorned has approved to be bored beneath Crenshaw Blvd. Musk acknowledged improvement in boring technology may have crossover benefit for another vision of his for using tunnels to speed travel: Hyperloops, in which passengers would be transported in pods at near supersonic speeds through tubes with reduced air pressure. Musk sees this as a step beyond high speed rail, such as exists in Japan and the state of California currently is constructing. The test Hyperloop that SpaceX built in Hawthorne alongside Jack Northrop Boulevard is above ground. But future Hyperloops for congested urban areas, such as the Washington-New York corridor, would best be placed underground, Musk said during the April TED talk recorded in Vancouver, Canada. Musk spoke with enthusiasm for the Boring Project, but during the TED talk put it in context -- at this point, it is receiving only 2 to 3 percent of his time. Five people were shot at a club in south suburban Dolton early Sunday, according to police. Around 2:45 a.m., officers responded to a call of shots fired at Club One, located in the 14100 block of S. Chicago Rd., according to Dolton Police Chief Robert Collins. [[422198734, C]] Upon arrival, authorities discovered four men had been shot inside the two-level establishment and another outside, just half a block away. One of the men was shot in the chest, while the others sustained gunshot wounds to the lower extremities, officials said. Four victims were taken to Christ Medical Center and the fifth to MetroSouth Medical Center in Blue Island, according to police. Four of the men were listed in critical condition, while the fifth victims condition was unknown. Further details on their ages and injuries were not immediately available. [[422198564, C]] Early reports indicate that an argument broke out on the upper level of the club, authorities said. Security tried to step in to stop the fight, according to police, when gunfire erupted and chaos ensued. Shootings inside establishments, its hard to control, Collins said. Its hard to control a crowd like that, we cant necessarily patrol inside that, were almost a reactionary force when things happen like this. Witnesses described hearing at least 10 to 15 shots ring out, at a time when they said hundreds of people were packed into the 21 and over club. [[422197133, C]] "It happened so fast," said CJ Spencer, who works at Club One. "It was too much going on, Im still kind of shaken up." "Just too much blood, too much emotions," he added. "Ive never seen this happen." Authorities said the investigation has led them to believe that the shooting was an isolated incident. Officers are looking for at least one gunman but have not ruled out the involvement of others. Police said they were searching for a white sedan that left the scene, when it was located around 6:45 a.m. just a few blocks away with no one inside. No one is in custody in connection with the shooting, according to police, and detectives were reviewing security footage in the ongoing investigation. An 18-year-old woman was killed Friday night when a 24-year-old woman repeatedly rammed her into a tree with a car on Chicago's Far South Side, according to police. The incident occurred around 11:10 p.m. in the 11400 block of S. May St. in the city's Morgan Park neighborhood, authorities said. The two women were in a verbal argument, according to police, when the older woman entered a vehicle and chased the victim down the sidewalk. She then crashed into the teen, repeatedly striking her against a tree before fleeing the scene, police said. The 18-year-old was pronounced dead on the scene, officials said. The Cook County Medical Examiner's office could not immediately confirm the fatality. The 24-year-old woman was taken into custody and charges are pending, according to police, who continue to investigate. Two bystanders were struck by gunfire Sunday morning in Dallas. Dallas police said they responded at about 1 a.m. to the shooting in the 3200 block of Elsie Faye Heggins Street near Malcolm X Blvd. Two people were in the area and got into a shootout near that intersection. The bullets from the gunfight hit a car that was nearby, hitting two bystanders. Police said 26-year-old Dareon Merchant was killed in the shooting and 29-year-old Troylett Dorsey was injured. Dorsey was transported to Baylor Hospital and released. Police are still looking for the those responsible for the shooting and have not released a description. Former Dallas Mayor Pro Tem Don Hill has died after a battle with cancer, just days after his release from federal prison. Hill was serving 18 years for bribery and was released so that he can live with relatives. Hill's former attorney, Ray Jackson, confirmed to NBC 5's Ken Kalthoff that Hill died this weekend. Hill's wife and co-defendant, Sheila Farrington, also was released early from prison in February 2016 for "compassionate" reasons. She has multiple sclerosis. County Commissioner John Wiley Price, who was recently acquitted on bribery and mail fraud charges, posted his condolences for Hill on Facebook. "My condolences to the Hill family. This community is praying for you," Price said. Current District 4 Councilwoman Carolyn King Arnold posted on Facebook, "Condolences to the Don Hill family.. I will certainly miss him, especially that smile." After Hill's release was agreed upon, Dallas City Councilman Philip Kingston tweeted his support of Hill's release. Read more about Hill's release from our media partners The Dallas Morning News. A large fire damaged a produce warehouse near downtown Dallas that sent smoke for miles across the city. The fire happened at American Fresh Produce near the merge of Interstate 45 and U.S. 175, south of Downtown. Dallas Fire-Rescue confirms the roof of the building located at 2400 South Good Latimer Expressway collapsed during the fire. The fire was initially reported at 8:38 a.m. and took more than three hours to extinguish. Three ladder trucks and more than 90 firefighters were called in to help. Smoke could be seen for miles at one point from the fire. No one was hurt during the fire. Crews were forced to tear what was left of the building down to extinguish the fire. Right now crews are not sure what started the fire. Star Alliance returned to Frankfurt, the place of its birth, to celebrate 20 years of Connecting People and Cultures. The Alliances Chief Executive Board, comprising the CEOs of all 28 member airlines, will hold its summer board meeting in Frankfurt today (May 14), during which the CEOs will be briefed on the progress of the Alliances current business plan and future strategy. The meeting falls exactly 20 years to the day when its founder members Air Canada, Lufthansa, Scandinavian Airlines, THAI and United first stunned the aviation industry with the announcement that they would come together to form the world`s first global aviation alliance. The Alliance enters its third decade with a strong and comprehensive network serving over 1,300 destinations in 191 countries. Connectivity continues to expand by member carriers launching new routes and increasing frequencies, while network reach will grow through the addition of local and regional airlines through the Connecting Partner concept. Against this background, the Alliances clear strategic focus has shifted from network expansion, to providing a seamless experience especially to the over 14 million annual customers who connect between member carriers on their journeys. Going forward, digital technologies will lie at the heart of this strategy. The IT hub infrastructure, which the Alliance has put in place in recent years, has allowed for the better integration of back-end services between the member airlines. With this now in place, we can start building and offering digital applications. The new IT hub infrastructure has already enabled the Alliance to, for example, improve the reliability of such processes as through-check in for multi-carrier itineraries or ensuring fast crediting of accrued frequent flyer miles into the correct customer account. In another Alliance first, in the unlikely case of missing miles, members in any Star Alliance frequent flyer programme (FFP) can now claim these online, through their own FFP website, even when the miles were collected on another Star Alliance member carrier flight. The baggage hub, the most recent IT hub project, went live at the end of 2016, and facilitates baggage message transfer between the member airlines, their ground handlers and the baggage handling systems at the airports. Today it processes on average five million baggage messages a day. This allows the airlines to better steer baggage operations and to keep customers informed on the status of their bag. Once implemented across the entire network, it will become easier to give customers proactive updates on their baggage delivery status. Using the existing IT Hub, Star Alliance has now introduced a new functionality which allows front line employees to better assist customers in case of irregularities. Should their feeder flight be delayed, the connecting boarding pass information can now be access by the airline operating the feeder flight, thus enabling a faster and simpler rebooking process. Up to now, such transactions at times still required calling the other airline involved. To support the implementation of the new strategy, Star Alliance has restructured its Frankfurt-based headquarters operation and reorganised the Alliances management team, which now is made up of:. As part of its customer interaction for its 20th Anniversary, Star Alliance will be running a global competition, inspired by the theme of Connecting People and Cultures, which will offer winners the chance to become a mileage millionaire. Each of the Alliances 21 FFPs is offering one million miles (or equivalent) to one competition winner. Entrants are asked to upload a picture of themselves and to share a cultural experience they enjoyed at www.staralliance.com/mileagemillionaire. The cultural experiences will be shown on an interactive world map. The competition runs from May 14th to July 31st, 2017. The Star Alliance FFPs are also providing some inspiration on what can be done with a million miles and are presenting some unique travel experiences at www.staralliance.com/mileagemillionaire. In support of the 20th anniversary campaign, each of the 28 Star Alliance member carriers has come up with their own local cultural experience idea. The five founding carriers, Air Canada, Lufthansa, Scandinavian Airlines, THAI and United, have gone one step further by challenging National Geographics Travel Nomad, Robert Reid, to test their recommendations personally and report back to travellers on his experience. A gruesome discovery south-of-the-border is highlighting a spike in homicides in Tijuana. The details may be graphic for some. On Thursday afternoon, authorities found a severed head outside a kindergarten in the Infonavit Lomas Verdes neighborhood. That murder was one of five homicides reported in a single day in Tijuana, where at least 509 people have been murdered this year. So far in May, there have been 60 killings, according to the Baja California Attorney Generals office. That number puts Tijuana on pace to exceed last years homicide tally of 910 murders. For comparison, 201 murders were recorded in San Diego County during a more than two-year period from January 2015 to March, 2017. Ev Meade, director of the Trans-Border Institute at the University of San Diego (USD) said homicides have increased steadily in Tijuana since 2015. Many of those homicides are the work of international drug cartels, said Meade. But he also noted that smaller, fragmented crime groups and gangs are doing the killing, as they fight for control of the domestic drug trade, in and around Tijuana. This is something that wasn't true in 2008,2009, said Meade, whos an expert in crime, violence and drug trafficking south-of-the-border. It was all about the international market, all about the border. Now that's changed, and it has changed all over Mexico, but Tijuana is one of the places (domestic drug violence) is really showing up. Meade said the areas visited most often by tourists, including the busy downtown streets close to the border, the Rio shopping areas, and the Caliente race track. Those locations are still quite safe, for both tourists and Tijuana residents, he added. The Baja Attorney General reports that most of the murders are taking place deep in the city, well south of the border, in neighborhoods like Lomas Verdes, tres de Octubre and Sanchez Taboada. Meade says violent street gangs in those areas practice what he calls strategic terror. Theyre trying to send a message to the population that they will not tolerate any kind of dissent, Meade explained. That means if theyre collecting protection money, you pay it. Meade said the victims of those murders often include shop owners and professionals, who have nothing to do with drug use or trafficking. The largest terminal relocation in the history of Los Angeles International Airport was off to a seemingly smooth start as officials reported no flight delays or cancellations Saturday connected to the giant move. "LAX on the MOVE" began Friday night, and eight airlines will be at different terminals Saturday. When it is completed next week, 15 airlines will have relocated their operations. Toni Guinyard Shuttle buses wrapped in green to match the vests of volunteer wayfinders are running on the upper departure level and the lower arrivals level until midnight to assist travelers who are at the incorrect terminals. The new airline locations have also been updated on the overhead signs throughout the Central Terminal area, according to Los Angeles World Airports spokesman Charles H. Pannunzio. The airlines in new locations as of Saturday are Allegiant and Frontier, which have both moved from Terminal 3 to Terminal 5; Boutique Air, which has moved from Terminal 3 to Terminal 6; Sun Country, which has moved from Terminal 2 to Terminal 5; and Virgin America, which has moved from Terminal 3 to Terminal 6. Virgin Australian will now check-in passengers at Terminal 2, but continue to stage aircraft at the Tom Bradley International Terminal. Volaris will continue to check in passengers at Terminal 2, but will stage its aircraft at the Tom Bradley International Terminal. The biggest airline relocation in LAX's history is slated to start Friday night. Flyers were advised to check their tickets before traveling. Toni Guinyard reports live for Today in LA on Friday, May 12, 2017. Delta is in the midst of a three-night transition from Terminals 5 and 6 to Terminals 2 and 3. Delta flights arrived and departed at Terminals 3, 5 and 6 on Saturday morning. The moves are a precursor to the Delta Sky Way at LAX -- Delta's $1.9 billion plan to renovate Terminals 2, 3 and the Tom Bradley International Terminal over the next seven years. "Our future in Los Angeles is bright with our $1.9 billion plan for the Delta Sky Way at LAX, an unprecedented public-private partnership through which Delta will undertake the second largest private infrastructure project in the LA basin and completely redevelop Terminals 2 and 3," said Ranjan Goswami, a vice president for Delta. "But first, we have to move into our new home. Delta has planned for this move for nearly a year, and I'm confident that our team will make this as smooth as possible for our customers. But we also need our customers to be prepared if they are traveling during the relocation." [NATL-LA] Pork Tamales, Giant Snails, Fake Viagra and Other Busts at LAX Passengers are strongly encouraged to check in, print or download boarding passes before leaving for the airport so they can arrive at the correct terminal for their departure. They are also encouraged to arrive earlier than usual -- three hours for a domestic flight and four hours for an international flight. Passengers should look at new signage that will be updated nightly to reflect the moves and identify the new airline terminal locations. Travelers are reminded to ask for help if they have problems finding their flights. More information on the terminal relocation is available at laxishappening.com/laxonthemove.aspx. Follow the latest updates on LAX's Twitter page. The cyberattack that spread malicious software around the world, shutting down networks at hospitals, banks and government agencies, was thwarted by a young British researcher and an inexpensive domain registration, with help from another 20-something security engineer in the U.S. Britain's National Cyber Security Center and others were hailing the cybersecurity researcher, a 22-year-old identified online as MalwareTech, who unintentionally at first discovered a so-called "kill switch" that halted the unprecedented outbreak. By then the "ransomware" attack had crippled Britain's hospital network and computer systems in several countries in an effort to extort money from computer users. But the researcher's actions may have saved companies and governments millions of dollars and slowed the outbreak before computers in the U.S. were more widely affected. Kurtis Baron of Fidus Information Security, a cyber security consultance, told NBC News that MalwareTech's name is Marcus Hutchins. Baron also said that he "doesn't doubt for a moment that Marcus, and people like him, will be getting ready to deal with a second attack." Baron said, as others have including MalwareTech, we should be ready for for a second attack from the hackers on Monday. MalwareTech, who works for cybersecurity firm Kryptos Logic, is part of a large global cybersecurity community who are constantly watching for attacks and working together to stop or prevent them, often sharing information via Twitter. It's not uncommon for them to use aliases, either to protect themselves from retaliatory attacks or for privacy. In a blog post Saturday, MalwareTech explained he learned on Friday that networks across Britain's health system had been hit by ransomware, tipping him off that "this was something big." He began analyzing a sample of the malicious software and noticed its code included a hidden web address that wasn't registered. He said he "promptly" registered the domain, something he regularly does to try to discover ways to track or stop malicious software. Across an ocean, Darien Huss, a 28-year-old research engineer for the cybersecurity firm Proofpoint, was doing his own analysis. The western Michigan resident said he noticed the authors of the malware had left in a feature known as a kill switch. Huss took a screen shot of his discovery and shared it on Twitter. Soon he and MalwareTech were communicating about what they'd found: That registering the domain name and redirecting the attacks to the server of Kryptos Logic had activated the kill switch, halting the ransomware's infections. Huss and others were calling MalwareTech a hero on Saturday, with Huss adding that the global cybersecurity community was working "as a team" to stop the infections from spreading. "The 'hero' is a bit strong," MalwareTech said Sunday. "I sort of did what I could." Both said they were concerned the authors of the malware could re-release it without a kill switch or with a better one, or that copycats could mimic the attack. "I think it is concerning that we could definitely see a similar attack occur, maybe in the next 24 to 48 hours or maybe in the next week or two," Huss said. "It could be very possible." Who perpetrated this wave of attacks remains unknown. This is already believed to be the biggest online extortion attack ever recorded, disrupting services in nations as diverse as the U.S., Russia, Ukraine, Brazil, Spain and India. Europol, Europe's policing agency, called the attack unprecedented and said computers in more than 150 countries have been affected. Two security firms Kaspersky Lab and Avast said Russia was hit hardest. These hackers "have caused enormous amounts of disruption probably the biggest ransomware cyberattack in history," said Graham Cluley, a veteran of the anti-virus industry in Oxford, England. In Russia, government agencies insisted that all attacks had been resolved. Russian Interior Ministry, which runs the national police, said the problem had been "localized" with no information compromised. Russia's health ministry said its attacks were "effectively repelled." The ransomware exploits a vulnerability in Microsoft Windows that was purportedly identified by the U.S. National Security Agency for its own intelligence-gathering purposes. Hackers said they stole the tools from the NSA and dumped them on the internet. Officials confirmed overnight that a body found along the banks of the Delaware River is that of a missing boater. Police say a boat overturned on the river just after 2 p.m. on Sunday near the 100 block of Mill Street in Penns Grove. Two men were on board crabbing at the time of the incident and police say they are unsure of why the 12-foot boat capsized. #Developing Crews discover body that washed ashore. They're trying to determine if it's the missing boater. @drewsmithtv with update at 11. Denise Nakano (@DeniseNakanoTV) May 15, 2017 According to police, a 30-year-old man was able to swim back to shore unassisted. He was treated at the Memorial Hospital of Salem County for mild hypothermia. A marine unit began a search for a second 40-year-old man who was on the boat when it capsized. Police said a neighbor on shore saw the man swimming back to shore, but he slipped under the water. Officials have confirmed that a body as been found along the shore of the Delaware River, but have not yet confirmed if it is the body is that of a missing boater. NBC10s Drew Smith has more. Crews called the search off for the night due to tide and wind challenges. The body that later washed up was positively identified as family members as the missing man, Lt. John McDerby of the Delaware Fish & Wildlife Natural Resources Police said. According to police, neither boater had on a life preserver at the time of the incident. A man fell three stories and was critically injured Saturday afternoon after police said someone possibly pushed him out of a window at a North Philadelphia motel. The victim, who was not identified, fell shortly before 3 p.m. from the third floor window at Liberty Motel on Germantown Avenue. Police said he was taken to a nearby hospital with serious injuries. A detective at the scene told NBC10 they still don't know exactly what happened, and police did not say if anyone was arrested. The motel has a troubled past, according to previous NBC10 reports. Located near Broad and Westmoreland streets in the 3200 block of Germantown Avenue, police calls to the hotel was a weekly occurrence. From 2004 to 2014, police have responded to more than 1800 calls at the motel or within a block of it, made 116 arrests for prostitution, 46 arrests for other crimes and responded to 20 deaths, mostly drug-related, according to documents obtained by NBC10 in 2015. The motel was shut down by the city in late 2014, but reopened again in January 2015. Nearby residents said the trouble quickly returned. Theyll move once the police come, one neighbor, Clayton Pickens, said at the time. But theyll come right back. Check back for more details this evening as they become known. A suburban Philadelphia judge has expunged the criminal record of a 16-year-old youth executed more than eight and one-half decades ago for the stabbing death of a matron at a school for adjudicated youth. Attorney Robert Keller told the Delaware County Daily Times that the May 10 order by a Delaware County judge vacates the criminal record of Alexander McClay Williams but keeps the court file and docket. Williams, who was black, was convicted of killing Vida Robare in October 1930 at the Glen Mills School for Boys and executed six weeks short of his 17th birthday. Sam Lemon, great-grandson of his attorney, said he believes Williams was executed for a crime he didn't commit. He and Williams' now 87-year-old sister hope to have the conviction overturned eventually. The 27th Annual Susan G. Komen Philadelphia Race for the Cure 5K Run/Walk and 1-Mile Fun Walk returns to Philadelphia Sunday at Eakins Oval near the Philadelphia Museum of Art. Septa is adding expanded service throughout the area, including the following Regional Rail stations: Airport Terminals Elwyn Station Glenside Station Marcus Hook Station Lansdale Station Norristown (Elm Street) Station Malvern Station Warminster Station Neshaminy Falls Station Bus Detours Due to the race course, the following SEPTA Bus Routes will operate on a temporary detour beginning at 7:30 a.m. and continuing until 1 p.m., Sunday, May 14th. Routing will be impacted in the area of the Ben Franklin Parkway between Eakins Oval and Logan Circle, and Girard Ave. between Poplar and Lansdowne Drives. Routes 7, 27, 32, 33, 38, 43, 48, and Trolley Route 15 (buses replace trolleys during the time noted above) Routing will be published on System Status prior to the race. Customers should select the orange detour icon to view specific detour service information. Travel Tips & Race Day Information Race Day events begin at 7 a.m. with the opening ceremonies at the base of the Philadelphia Museum of Art steps. The 5K Run is scheduled to begin at 8:15 a.m. with the 5K Walk/1-Mile Fun Walk scheduled for 8:25 a.m. The Independence Pass is a sure bet for savings on travel costs. Pricing varies if you are traveling as an individual or family, or from the state of New Jersey. Learn more about the race on the official Susan G. Komen Philadelphia website. The tragic death of a Syrian refugee teenager is leading to a wave of free swimming lessons for other refugee children across San Diego County. Syrian teenager Mohammed Mostafa, 17, who arrived to San Diego as a refugee three months ago, drowned during his first visit to a California beach. The teenager was swept away in a strong rip current in Mission Beach in April. Mostafa's death highlighted the need for water safety education for Syrian children who arrive in the U.S., unable to swim. As a result, the non-profit Hearts 4 Refugees started organizing informal swim gatherings. The organization formed last year when roughly 1,200 Syrian refugees arrived in San Diego. Volunteers in the group sponsor refugee families and serve as connection points for local resources - all with the hopes of helping them get settled. However, with more pressing needs, like finding jobs or getting toothpaste for the families, swimming lessons did not top the list of concerns until the April drowning. Theyve fled war, lived in refugee camps and its really hard for me to understand how does someone survive all of that and then you lose your son on the safe shores, which turned out to be not safe, said Mali Woods-Drake, a volunteer. Through the groups growing network, they have recruited families to host the swim lessons, found instructors to teach them, and found translators to bridge the language gap. The group is hosting a fundraiser tomorrow from 5 p.m. to 9 p.m. at Del Mar Pizza. 20 percent of proceeds will go to the organization and their swimming lessons program. Etihad Airways announced the appointment of Ali Ghanim Hadi as its new Country Manager for Sudan. Based at the airlines Khartoum office, Mr Hadi will be responsible for leading Etihad Airways commercial operations in Sudan, one of the airlines longest-established markets. With over four years of experience at the airline, he has developed excellent contacts with the travel and tourism industry in the Gulf and further afield. He has moved from head office in Abu Dhabi where he worked as a Sales Manager responsible for managing a mixed portfolio of accounts for both local and federal government. Etihad Airways, which began flying to Sudan in 2006, currently operates four flights a week between Abu Dhabi and Khartoum. The service provides passengers with connections between Sudan and the UAE, with access to key destinations across Etihad Airways global network in the Indian Subcontinent, Asia, Europe and North America. Saturday morning San Diego Congressman Scott Peters tweeted that while at the grocery store he received one hello from a constituent followed by two are you going to appoint a special prosecutor? questions. At the grocery store, one "hello" and two "are you going to get us a special prosecutor?" #CA52 #home #ComeyFiring Scott Peters (@ScottPetersSD) May 13, 2017 Calls from Democrats and constituents across the country for a special prosecutor in the investigation of possible collusion between the Trump campaign and Russia have only ratcheted up since President Trumps abrupt firing of FBI Director James Comey Tuesday. Although the official word coming out the White House Tuesday and Wednesday was that Comey had been fired because of the way hed handled Hillary Clintons email investigation, Trump himself contradicted that in a Thursday interview with Lester Holt, saying he felt the Russia thing with Trump and Russia is a made up story. Trump also contradicted the official letters sent about Comey's firing that said the president dismissed the director at the recommendation of the Attorney General and the Deputy Attorney General. During the interview Trump said firing Comey was his idea and he would have let Comey go regardless of what anyone else said. Trump's statements further muddied what some of his aides had told reporters Tuesday and Wednesday. Press Secretary Sean Spicer said Tuesday, "It was all him," referring to Rosenstein, who was appointed just two weeks ago. "That was a DOJ decision." In an interview with CNN's Anderson Cooper, counselor to the president Kellyanne Conway referred Cooper to the three letters sent out after Comey's firing. "Today's actions had zero to do with [the investigation]," Conway told Cooper. "And todays actions have everything to do with what Mr. Rosenstein, the deputy attorney general [recommended.]" Deputy Press Secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders reiterated the same thing Wednesday. Calls for a special prosecutor in the investigation have been swift. Congressman Peters called the firing something that would happen in a dictatorship. "Never before has it been clearer that the integrity of our democracy depends on an independent commission to investigate Russian interference in our election and a special prosecutor at the Department of Justice to follow an investigation to wherever and whomever it leads, he said in a statement. Anyone who stands in the way of an independent investigation denies the American people the answers they deserve." Senator Diane Feinstein, ranking member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, called for judiciary committee hearings on Comeys firing. President Trump and the White House have presented an ever-changing narrative on the rationale for the firing of FBI Director Comey. This triggers a need for the Judiciary Committee to hold hearings and get to the bottom of this, she said in a statement. In reference to a January dinner between the president and Comey that the president discussed in the Holt interview, Feinstein said Trumps reported request of a loyalty pledge from the director was inappropriate. The FBI Director is expected to be independent, she stated. He is expected to be loyal to the Constitution and rule of lawnot the president. If the president thinks he can control the FBIthe decisions it makes and the investigations it pursuesthere are legal as well as constitutional concerns. Trump denies the reports that he asked Comey to pledge his loyalty. Feinstein also said she supports asking Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein, who would make the decision because of Attorney General Jeff Sessions recusal on Russia-related matters, to resign if he does not appoint a special counsel. These investigations are far too important to risk disruption, delay or interference, she added. Senator Kamala Harris, who agrees a special prosecutor is needed, also said she is calling for Attorney General Jeff Sessions to resign because of his involvement in Comeys firing after his recusal. It's been clear for months Sessions should resign. https://t.co/9dBSWGTITB Kamala Harris (@KamalaHarris) May 11, 2017 She also said she and her Senate colleagues have sent a letter to the DOJ Inspector General Michael Horowitz, urging him to investigate political interference in the Russia investigation. California Attorney General Xavier Becerra also said its necessary to have an independent investigation. We must ensure the integrity of our democracy. Why is the Trump administration afraid of this investigation? The American people deserve answers, Becerra stated. Congresswoman Susan Davis also said an independent investigation is necessary. With each passing day, its more clear that we won't get to the truth on #TrumpRussia unless there's an independent investigation. #COMEY Rep. Susan Davis (@RepSusanDavis) May 10, 2017 Congressman Juan Vargas agrees. The firing of FBI Director James Comey has raised many red flags, he said in a statement. It is clear that now, more than ever, we need an independent, bipartisan commission to help us get to the bottom of the Trump/Russia investigation. The American people deserve to know the truth, for the sake of our country and our democracy. Congressman Darrell Issa told NBC 7 that he supports the presidents decision to fire the director, and points to the fact that Comey is not the first FBI director to be fired. President Clinton fired William Sessions in 1993 after an investigation showed ethics violations that included evading taxes. People in both parties called for director Comey to be fired, Issa said. He explained that he was disappointed in the directors handling of both Hillary Clintons email investigation and in pressuring Apple to create a backdoor to obtain information locked inside iPhones relating to the phone belonging to the 2015 San Bernardino shooter. So I lost confidence in him back then, I felt that he was grandstanding, he added So I dont think you look at it as any one thing. I think you see over time a loss of confidence by both Democrats and Republicans and these are all in the public record." Police in Virginia are investigating a shooting at a hotel that injured three people early Saturday morning. Alexandria police responded to the Extended Stay America on Bluestone Road in Alexandria at about 2:20 a.m. for reports of a shooting. When they arrived, they found three victims. A 28-year-old man was transported to a local hospital with life-threatening injuries. A 21-year-old woman and a 35 year-old woman were taken to area hospitals with injuries that are not life-threatening. Police have not released any information about a suspect. Crystal Nosal, a spokeswoman for the Alexandria Police Department, told The Washington Post the shooting happened either inside a hotel room or just outside a room. Fairfax County, Virginia, firefighters had to battle a blaze inside their own station early Sunday morning. An alarm around 12:45 a.m. alerted crews that one of their firetrucks, rescue squad #426, inside the station was on fire. The fire spread to the roof of the station, and a second alarm was called for additional crews. It took about 45 minutes to get the fire under control. There were no injuries and no impact for service in the community. Investigators are examining the squad to determine why it caught on fire. Loved ones of the fifth person who died from his injuries sustained in the May 3 crash at the LynnWay Auto Auction in Billerica, Massachusetts, are speaking out. According to the Middlesex County District Attorney's office, 55-year-old Ruben Espaillat of Methuen died from his injuries at Lahey Hospital on Saturday. Espaillat's sister, Miriam Matos, described his family as "devastated" by his passing. "We weren't expecting this, his leaving us," she said. "We thought he was going to recuperate." She said this time was bittersweet for the family because his twin grandchildren were born the day after he died. "He was expecting" to be a grandfather, she said. "He was very happy, and had a lot of plans for the future." Four people had previously died in connection to the accident, when an employee lost control of a Jeep Grand Cherokee and drove into the LynnWay building and the crowd inside. Brenda Lopez, 48, and Pantaleon Santos, 49, both of Rhode Island, died at the scene. Thirty-six-year-old Leezandra Aponte of Lowell died from her injuries later that day. Elliott Rowlands Jr., 50, succumbed to his injuries at Lahey Clinic on May 10, a week after the accident. Seven others were hospitalized. Espaillat's death comes just days after the auto auction company held a prayer service to honor the other victims in the crash. The employee who was driving the Jeep Grand Cherokee at the time of the accident has previously told us the vehicle "took off all by itself." The driver, who is not being named by NBC Boston, had a suspended license at the time of the crash, but said he had no idea of his status. "I'm very upset, and very unhappy and very, very sorry about what happened and who got hurt," he told us. Police are investigating after a man was killed in a single-car crash in Massachusetts Saturday morning. Brockton police say it happened around 9 a.m. on West Chesnut Street. The driver, a man in his 20s, hit a pole for reasons that are still being investigated. He was the only person in the car at the time of the crash. No other details, including the victim's name, were immediately available. State police's accident reconstruction team assisted local police in the investigation. Emmanuel Macron was inaugurated Sunday as France's new president at the Elysee Palace in Paris, and immediately launched into his mission to shake up French politics, world economics and the European Union. The 39-year-old Macron is the youngest president in the country's history and the 8th president of France's Fifth Republic, which was created in 1958. A former economy minister with pro-business, pro-European views, Macron is the first French president who doesn't originate from the country's two mainstream parties. After Macron was formally declared president, 21 cannon shots were fired from across the Seine River at the Invalides monument, where Napoleon is entombed. Macron later solemnly paid tribute at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier beneath the Arc de Triomphe, greeting veterans and military officers in formation beneath the imposing arch. Macron takes charge of a nation that, when Britain leaves the European Union in 2019, will become the EU's only member with nuclear weapons and a permanent seat on the U.N. Security Council. Before the ceremony, he met for an hour with his predecessor, Francois Hollande, taking a last few minutes to discuss the most sensitive issues facing France, including the country's nuclear codes. In a visibly moving moment for both, Macron accompanied Hollande to his car, shaking hands and applauding him along with the employees of the French presidency who had gathered in the palace's courtyard. The two men had known each other well. Macron was Hollande's former adviser, then his economy minister from 2014 to 2016, when Macron quit the Socialist government to launch his own independent presidential bid. In his inauguration speech Sunday, Macron said he will do everything necessary to fight terrorism and authoritarianism and to resolve the world's migration crisis. He also listed "the excesses of capitalism in the world" and climate change among his future challenges. "We will take all our responsibilities to provide, every time it's needed, a relevant response to big contemporary crises," He said. Macron announced his determination to push ahead with reforms to free up France's economy and pledged to press for a "more efficient, more democratic" EU. France is a founding member of the 28-nation bloc and its third-largest economy after Germany and Britain. About 300 guests, officials and family members gathered in the Elysee reception hall, including Macron's wife, Brigitte, wearing a lavender blue dress by French designer Nicolas Ghesquiere for Louis Vuitton. Macron himself wore a dark suit from French brand Jonas and Cie, a tailor based in Paris, that cost 450 euros ($491), according to his team. The new president arrived on the Champs-Elysees Avenue under a heavy rain recalling Hollande's inauguration five years ago but unlike his predecessor, Macron managed to avoid getting wet. The bad weather often associated with the former Socialist president has become a joke for the French. After his time at the tomb, Macron went to shake hands with supporters along the Champs-Elysees, who were taking selfies and waving French tricolor flags, before coming back to the palace for a lunch with his family. Earlier, he and France's new first lady briefly posed for photographers at the front porch of the palace after Hollande left. The couple will now live at the Elysee Palace. Macron will meet with Paris Mayor Anne Hidalgo later Sunday and will take his first trip abroad Monday to Germany to visit Chancellor Angela Merkel in Berlin. Macron will also have to name his prime minister and form a government in the next few days. He has promised to reinvigorate French politics by bringing in new faces. His Republic on the Move movement has announced an initial list of 428 candidates for the 577 seats up for grabs in France's lower house of parliament in a vote in June. Macron is seeking to elect a majority of lawmakers so he can pass his programs. Many of the Republic on the Move candidates are newcomers in politics. Their average age is 46, compared to 60 for the outgoing assembly. Half of them are women. Only 24 are lawmakers running for re-election, all Socialists. Hollande, meanwhile, went on Twitter to describe the "terrible ordeals" that marked his five-year term, from deadly attacks to Greece's debt crisis. He defended his unpopular presidency in a series of tweets minutes after leaving the Elysee Palace. Hollande noted his accomplishments in getting the Paris Agreement on climate change, legalizing gay marriage and doing "everything possible to ensure that Greece stays in Europe." "We lived through crises but we held together. France remained France," he tweeted. _________________ Angela Charlton contributed to the story from Paris Poppies Community Cafe Blofield Church Poppies Community Cafe, part of Blofield Churchs community outreach, is open every Wednesday of the year from 10am-12 noon offering friendship and company to those in the Mid Norfolk village who may be lonely and have no one to talk to at home. Poppies Community Cafe, which has been running for five years, meets in the old Blofield Court House in the centre of the village, allowing those from the nearby sheltered housing complexes and care home to walk or be brought by wheelchair. John and Elizabeth Stokes, who organize the weekly cafe, also cater for people starting on the dementia pathway by phoning to remind them of the day and arranging lifts. Around 30 people attend each week ranging in age from 46 to 95 years. Everyone is given a friendly greeting and help is on hand to seat guests and carry their drinks to the table. A buffet of cakes, biscuits, tea bread and savory items is laid out as well as tea, coffee or apple juice. There is no charge for refreshments, only a bowl for voluntary donations. John and Elizabeth Stokes said: During the last half hour we enjoy a sing-song of old familiar songs accompanied by percussion instruments which is great fun, so we all go home laughing. This is a great venue for meeting up with friends each week and for learning to love our neighbour as ourselves as the gospel advises. Factfile Woolton Hill's National Women's Register membership soars WOOLTON Hills National Womens Register has proved so popular that it is considering starting a second group. The social group for women meets twice a month at a different members home for an evening of themed discussion, presentations and activities. At the March meeting, Macmillan nurse Madeleine Jenkins gave a demonstration of therapeutic hand massage, which the group were then able to try out for themselves. Woolton Hill group member Nicole Bentham said: It was a brilliant evening. It was very successful and everyone enjoyed themselves. The group sometimes travels further afield, with trips including a behind-the-scenes visit to the Royal Opera House, a tour of the Wallace Collection, London, while last October there was a mini-break to Tewkesbury, following the trail of Capability Brown. The Woolton Hill group was founded nine years ago by Angie Maxwell, who was a member of the Bracknell group before she moved to the area and wanted something local. It started with 12 members and numbers have continued to grow. At present there are 20 members, with more women interested in joining. Any more members may make meeting in private homes difficult, so in September another local branch will be opened. Mrs Bentham said: It keeps the brain cells going. Nearly all of our members are retired, but that was not the point of the National Womens Register. We struggle to get younger people now. Not that they are not welcome, but that they are too busy. There is a lot of fun and laughing involved and they are a hugely supportive group. While there is a skeleton schedule of activities for the year, member input is encouraged. Mrs Bentham said: We feel this year we need to branch out. The next meeting on May 17 will have a short demonstration on the theme signs and gestures. The National Womens Register was started in the 1960s to connect women who were not expected to return to work after having children and were feeling isolated at home. Today, the group appeals to women of all ages and spans the world with groups in the UK, Europe, Africa and Australia. The West Berkshire Branch of the Motor Neurone Disease Association celebrated 30th anniversary THE West Berkshire branch of the Motor Neurone Disease Association celebrated 30 years of the charitys work at an event on Saturday, April 29. The evening, attended by 100 supporters and invited guests, started with a service of music and readings in St Marks Church, Englefield, conducted by the Reverend Derek Spears from Aldermaston, followed by an event at Englefield House, home of the branchs patron, Newburys Conservative Parliamentary candidate Richard Benyon. Speakers included BBC TV and radio presenter Nicholas Owen, who shared his personal story of a close friend who died of MND in 2015, and Newburys Alec Jenkins, who is being robbed of his voice by the disease and agreed for his speech to be read by his brother Paul. Invited guests included Berkshires new High Sheriff Mrs Sarah Scrope, Deputy Lord Lieutenant Professor Suzanna Rose, Dr Clare Galtrey, consultant neurologist at Frimley Park Hospital, and West Berkshire Council chairman Quentin Webb. Mrs Scrope said: I was fascinated and moved again by the speeches. All guests were asked to bring a jam jar of spring flowers to place in the church. Jane Gilbert, of the MND Association, said: It was a very simple idea but effective. Prof Rose said: It really was an inspirational event. I too was heartened by optimistic views around research progress. Association research director Dr Brian Dickie said: We may not see the light at the end of the tunnel yet, but the train is heading in the right direction and its picking up speed. Branch chairwoman Margaret Moss said: To continue our successful work we need more volunteers for the next leg of the journey. MND can leave people locked in a failing body, unable to move, talk and eventually breathe. It kills six people per day in the UK, just under 2,200 per year. At present there is no cure. By Reuters SINGAPORE/TORONTO: Technical staff scrambled on Sunday to patch computers and restore infected ones, amid fears that the ransomware worm that stopped car factories, hospitals, shops and schools could wreak fresh havoc on Monday when employees log back on. Cybersecurity experts said the spread of the virus dubbed WannaCry - "ransomware" which locked up more than 200,000 computers - had slowed, but the respite might only be brief. New versions of the worm are expected, they said, and the extent of the damage from Friday's attack remains unclear. Infected computers appear to largely be out-of-date devices that organisations deemed not worth the price of upgrading or, in some cases, machines involved in manufacturing or hospital functions that proved too difficult to patch without possibly disrupting crucial operations, security experts said. Marin Ivezic, cybersecurity partner at PwC, said that some clients had been "working around the clock since the story broke" to restore systems and install software updates, or patches, or restore systems from backups. Microsoft released patches last month and on Friday to fix a vulnerability that allowed the worm to spread across networks, a rare and powerful feature that caused infections to surge on Friday. Code for exploiting that bug, which is known as "Eternal Blue," was released on the internet in March by a hacking group known as the Shadow Brokers. The group claimed it was stolen from a repository of National Security Agency hacking tools. The agency has not responded to requests for comment. Hong Kong-based Ivezic said that the ransomware was forcing some more "mature" clients affected by the worm to abandon their usual cautious testing of patches "to do unscheduled downtime and urgent patching, which is causing some inconvenience." He declined to identify which clients had been affected. The head of the European Union police agency said on Sunday the cyber assault hit 200,000 victims in at least 150 countries and that number will grow when people return to work on Monday. "The global reach is unprecedented ... and those victims, many of those will be businesses, including large corporations," Europol Director Rob Wainwright told Britain's ITV. "At the moment, we are in the face of an escalating threat. The numbers are going up, I am worried about how the numbers will continue to grow when people go to work and turn (on) their machines on Monday morning." Monday morning rush? Monday was expected to be a busy day, especially in Asia which may not have seen the worst of the impact yet, as companies and organisations turned on their computers. "Expect to hear a lot more about this tomorrow morning when users are back in their offices and might fall for phishing emails" or other as yet unconfirmed ways the worm may propagate, said Christian Karam, a Singapore-based security researcher. Targets both large and small have been hit. Renault said on Saturday it had halted manufacturing at plants in Sandouville, France, and Romania to prevent the spread of ransomware in its systems. Among the other victims is a Nissan manufacturing plant in Sunderland, northeast England. Hundreds of hospitals and clinics in the British National Health Service were infected on Friday, forcing them to send patients to other facilities. German rail operator Deutsche Bahn said some electronic signs at stations announcing arrivals and departures were infected. In Asia, some hospitals, schools, universities and other institutions were affected. International shipper FedEx Corp said some of its Windows computers were also breached. Telecommunications company Telefonica was among the targets in Spain. Portugal Telecom and Telefonica Argentina both said they were also targeted. A Jakarta hospital said on Sunday that the cyber virus had infected 400 computers, disrupting the registration of patients and finding records. The hospital said it expected big queues on Monday when about 500 people were due to register. In Singapore, a company that supplies digital signage, MediaOnline, was rushing to fix its systems after a technician's error had led to 12 kiosks being infected in two of the island country's malls. Director Dennis So said the systems were not connected to the malls' or tenants' networks. "Ransom" payments may rise Account addresses hardcoded into the malicious WannaCry software code appear to show the attackers had received just under $32,500 in anonymous bitcoin currency as of 1100 GMT on Sunday, but that amount could rise as more victims rush to pay ransoms of $300 or more to regain access to their computers, just one day before the threatened deadline expires. The threat receded over the weekend after a British-based researcher, who declined to give his name but tweets under the profile @MalwareTechBlog, said he stumbled on a way to at least temporarily limit the worm's spread by registering a web address to which he noticed the malware was trying to connect. Security experts said his move bought precious time for organisations seeking to block the attacks. Researchers remained on high alert for new variants that could lead to a fresh wave of infections. Researchers from three security firms dismissed initial reports on Saturday that a new version of WannaCry/WannaCrypt had emerged, saying this was based on a rushed analysis of code data that proved erroneous. The MalwareTech researcher warned on Twitter on Sunday: "Version 1 of WannaCrypt was stoppable but version 2.0 will likely remove the flaw. You're only safe if you patch ASAP." Bryce Boland, Asia Pacific chief technology officer for FireEye, a cybersecurity company, said it would be straightforward for existing attackers to launch new releases or for other ransomware authors to start copying the way the malware replicated. The U.S. government on Saturday issued a technical alert with advice on how to protect against the attacks, asking victims to report any to the Federal Bureau of Investigation or Department of Homeland Security. SINGAPORE/TORONTO: Technical staff scrambled on Sunday to patch computers and restore infected ones, amid fears that the ransomware worm that stopped car factories, hospitals, shops and schools could wreak fresh havoc on Monday when employees log back on. Cybersecurity experts said the spread of the virus dubbed WannaCry - "ransomware" which locked up more than 200,000 computers - had slowed, but the respite might only be brief. New versions of the worm are expected, they said, and the extent of the damage from Friday's attack remains unclear. Infected computers appear to largely be out-of-date devices that organisations deemed not worth the price of upgrading or, in some cases, machines involved in manufacturing or hospital functions that proved too difficult to patch without possibly disrupting crucial operations, security experts said. Marin Ivezic, cybersecurity partner at PwC, said that some clients had been "working around the clock since the story broke" to restore systems and install software updates, or patches, or restore systems from backups. Microsoft released patches last month and on Friday to fix a vulnerability that allowed the worm to spread across networks, a rare and powerful feature that caused infections to surge on Friday. Code for exploiting that bug, which is known as "Eternal Blue," was released on the internet in March by a hacking group known as the Shadow Brokers. The group claimed it was stolen from a repository of National Security Agency hacking tools. The agency has not responded to requests for comment. Hong Kong-based Ivezic said that the ransomware was forcing some more "mature" clients affected by the worm to abandon their usual cautious testing of patches "to do unscheduled downtime and urgent patching, which is causing some inconvenience." He declined to identify which clients had been affected. The head of the European Union police agency said on Sunday the cyber assault hit 200,000 victims in at least 150 countries and that number will grow when people return to work on Monday. "The global reach is unprecedented ... and those victims, many of those will be businesses, including large corporations," Europol Director Rob Wainwright told Britain's ITV. "At the moment, we are in the face of an escalating threat. The numbers are going up, I am worried about how the numbers will continue to grow when people go to work and turn (on) their machines on Monday morning." Monday morning rush? Monday was expected to be a busy day, especially in Asia which may not have seen the worst of the impact yet, as companies and organisations turned on their computers. "Expect to hear a lot more about this tomorrow morning when users are back in their offices and might fall for phishing emails" or other as yet unconfirmed ways the worm may propagate, said Christian Karam, a Singapore-based security researcher. Targets both large and small have been hit. Renault said on Saturday it had halted manufacturing at plants in Sandouville, France, and Romania to prevent the spread of ransomware in its systems. Among the other victims is a Nissan manufacturing plant in Sunderland, northeast England. Hundreds of hospitals and clinics in the British National Health Service were infected on Friday, forcing them to send patients to other facilities. German rail operator Deutsche Bahn said some electronic signs at stations announcing arrivals and departures were infected. In Asia, some hospitals, schools, universities and other institutions were affected. International shipper FedEx Corp said some of its Windows computers were also breached. Telecommunications company Telefonica was among the targets in Spain. Portugal Telecom and Telefonica Argentina both said they were also targeted. A Jakarta hospital said on Sunday that the cyber virus had infected 400 computers, disrupting the registration of patients and finding records. The hospital said it expected big queues on Monday when about 500 people were due to register. In Singapore, a company that supplies digital signage, MediaOnline, was rushing to fix its systems after a technician's error had led to 12 kiosks being infected in two of the island country's malls. Director Dennis So said the systems were not connected to the malls' or tenants' networks. "Ransom" payments may rise Account addresses hardcoded into the malicious WannaCry software code appear to show the attackers had received just under $32,500 in anonymous bitcoin currency as of 1100 GMT on Sunday, but that amount could rise as more victims rush to pay ransoms of $300 or more to regain access to their computers, just one day before the threatened deadline expires. The threat receded over the weekend after a British-based researcher, who declined to give his name but tweets under the profile @MalwareTechBlog, said he stumbled on a way to at least temporarily limit the worm's spread by registering a web address to which he noticed the malware was trying to connect. Security experts said his move bought precious time for organisations seeking to block the attacks. Researchers remained on high alert for new variants that could lead to a fresh wave of infections. Researchers from three security firms dismissed initial reports on Saturday that a new version of WannaCry/WannaCrypt had emerged, saying this was based on a rushed analysis of code data that proved erroneous. The MalwareTech researcher warned on Twitter on Sunday: "Version 1 of WannaCrypt was stoppable but version 2.0 will likely remove the flaw. You're only safe if you patch ASAP." Bryce Boland, Asia Pacific chief technology officer for FireEye, a cybersecurity company, said it would be straightforward for existing attackers to launch new releases or for other ransomware authors to start copying the way the malware replicated. The U.S. government on Saturday issued a technical alert with advice on how to protect against the attacks, asking victims to report any to the Federal Bureau of Investigation or Department of Homeland Security. By PTI NEW DELHI: As digitisation and automation become the new normal, IT biggies like Infosys, Cognizant and Tech Mahindra are seeing a spate of layoffs and this trend may continue for the next 1-2 years, say experts. The pink slips are being handed out to thousands of employees as part of their performance appraisal process, but it is believed that these are directed more towards cost control amid pressure on bottom line due to a rising tide of protectionism in most target markets. Indian software exporters in particular are facing headwinds in the business environment and stricter work permit regime in countries like the US, Singapore, Australia and New Zealand. Moreover, with newer technologies in artificial intelligence (AI), robotic process automation and cloud computing, which help complete the job with less manpower, software companies are now having to reconsider their strategies. "It's a situation wherein the available talent haven't kept up with the pace at which the industry was evolving and hence, many of them find themselves redundant," said Rituparna Chakraborty, TeamLease Services Executive Vice-President and co-founder. Executive search organisation GlobalHunt MD Sunil Goel said: "This rationalisation does happen in every 3-5 years in the industry through new-age technologies, but this has impacted it more this time as the US also has changed policies for foreign IT workers." Goel further noted that "the consolidated trend may continue for next 1-2 years", but sees it as an opportunity for IT professionals to upgrade themselves and get into the newage technologies where demand is going to be huge. Pink slips are likely for jobs in manual testing, technology support and system administration since these are increasingly going to be managed by AI and robotics process automation based systems. However, there is surge in demand for latest and innovative technologies like data science, artificial intelligence and digital domain specific skills. "It is a painful transitory phase. However, things would look up in the next two quarters as each of the IT services company successful steers towards a stable growth phase," Chakraborty said. Talent management solutions provider KellyOCG India Country Director Francis Padamadan said, "We will continue to see some amount of rationalisation happening among IT companies though it is difficult to put a number." Japanese brokerage firm Nomura, in a research note, said that the job cuts of 2-3 per cent of the overall headcount of nearly 7,60,000 by Infosys, Cognizant, Tech Mahindra and Wipro are not material. However, this kind of rationalisation is likely to be a continuing phenomenon until the workforce realignment towards digital skills is complete. Moreover, with newer technologies in artificial intelligence (AI), robotic process automation and cloud computing, which help complete the job with less manpower, software companies are now having to reconsider their strategies. "It's a situation wherein the available talent haven't kept up with the pace at which the industry was evolving and hence, many of them find themselves redundant," said Rituparna Chakraborty, TeamLease Services Executive Vice-President and co-founder. Executive search organisation GlobalHunt MD Sunil Goel said: "This rationalisation does happen in every 3-5 years in the industry through new-age technologies, but this has impacted it more this time as the US also has changed policies for foreign IT workers." Goel further noted that "the consolidated trend may continue for next 1-2 years", but sees it as an opportunity for IT professionals to upgrade themselves and get into the newage technologies where demand is going to be huge. Pink slips are likely for jobs in manual testing, technology support and system administration since these are increasingly going to be managed by AI and robotics process automation based systems. However, there is surge in demand for latest and innovative technologies like data science, artificial intelligence and digital domain specific skills. "It is a painful transitory phase. However, things would look up in the next two quarters as each of the IT services company successful steers towards a stable growth phase," Chakraborty said. Talent management solutions provider KellyOCG India Country Director Francis Padamadan said, "We will continue to see some amount of rationalisation happening among IT companies though it is difficult to put a number." Japanese brokerage firm Nomura, in a research note, said that the job cuts of 2-3 per cent of the overall headcount of nearly 7,60,000 by Infosys, Cognizant, Tech Mahindra and Wipro are not material. However, this kind of rationalisation is likely to be a continuing phenomenon until the workforce realignment towards digital skills is complete. NEW DELHI: As digitisation and automation become the new normal, IT biggies like Infosys, Cognizant and Tech Mahindra are seeing a spate of layoffs and this trend may continue for the next 1-2 years, say experts. The pink slips are being handed out to thousands of employees as part of their performance appraisal process, but it is believed that these are directed more towards cost control amid pressure on bottom line due to a rising tide of protectionism in most target markets. Indian software exporters in particular are facing headwinds in the business environment and stricter work permit regime in countries like the US, Singapore, Australia and New Zealand. Moreover, with newer technologies in artificial intelligence (AI), robotic process automation and cloud computing, which help complete the job with less manpower, software companies are now having to reconsider their strategies. "It's a situation wherein the available talent haven't kept up with the pace at which the industry was evolving and hence, many of them find themselves redundant," said Rituparna Chakraborty, TeamLease Services Executive Vice-President and co-founder. Executive search organisation GlobalHunt MD Sunil Goel said: "This rationalisation does happen in every 3-5 years in the industry through new-age technologies, but this has impacted it more this time as the US also has changed policies for foreign IT workers." Goel further noted that "the consolidated trend may continue for next 1-2 years", but sees it as an opportunity for IT professionals to upgrade themselves and get into the newage technologies where demand is going to be huge. Pink slips are likely for jobs in manual testing, technology support and system administration since these are increasingly going to be managed by AI and robotics process automation based systems. However, there is surge in demand for latest and innovative technologies like data science, artificial intelligence and digital domain specific skills. "It is a painful transitory phase. However, things would look up in the next two quarters as each of the IT services company successful steers towards a stable growth phase," Chakraborty said. Talent management solutions provider KellyOCG India Country Director Francis Padamadan said, "We will continue to see some amount of rationalisation happening among IT companies though it is difficult to put a number." Japanese brokerage firm Nomura, in a research note, said that the job cuts of 2-3 per cent of the overall headcount of nearly 7,60,000 by Infosys, Cognizant, Tech Mahindra and Wipro are not material. However, this kind of rationalisation is likely to be a continuing phenomenon until the workforce realignment towards digital skills is complete. Moreover, with newer technologies in artificial intelligence (AI), robotic process automation and cloud computing, which help complete the job with less manpower, software companies are now having to reconsider their strategies. "It's a situation wherein the available talent haven't kept up with the pace at which the industry was evolving and hence, many of them find themselves redundant," said Rituparna Chakraborty, TeamLease Services Executive Vice-President and co-founder. Executive search organisation GlobalHunt MD Sunil Goel said: "This rationalisation does happen in every 3-5 years in the industry through new-age technologies, but this has impacted it more this time as the US also has changed policies for foreign IT workers." Goel further noted that "the consolidated trend may continue for next 1-2 years", but sees it as an opportunity for IT professionals to upgrade themselves and get into the newage technologies where demand is going to be huge. Pink slips are likely for jobs in manual testing, technology support and system administration since these are increasingly going to be managed by AI and robotics process automation based systems. However, there is surge in demand for latest and innovative technologies like data science, artificial intelligence and digital domain specific skills. "It is a painful transitory phase. However, things would look up in the next two quarters as each of the IT services company successful steers towards a stable growth phase," Chakraborty said. Talent management solutions provider KellyOCG India Country Director Francis Padamadan said, "We will continue to see some amount of rationalisation happening among IT companies though it is difficult to put a number." Japanese brokerage firm Nomura, in a research note, said that the job cuts of 2-3 per cent of the overall headcount of nearly 7,60,000 by Infosys, Cognizant, Tech Mahindra and Wipro are not material. However, this kind of rationalisation is likely to be a continuing phenomenon until the workforce realignment towards digital skills is complete. By Express News Service Allowing a bank to fail is a tragedy. More so in India, as PSU banks are the bulwark of banking industry with 70 per cent market share. Little wonder why the RBI, and the government often engage in a two-fisted binge to set the house in order, when banks veer off-track, piling up toxic assets that threaten to suck life out of the system. The Rs 9 lakh crore stressed loans may seem mind-numbing, but we have been here before. In fact, our banks survived even extreme bad loan episodes. Take for instance 1993, when gross NPAs of state-run banks were a staggering 21 per cent of advances, much higher than 9.1 per cent now. Sadly, few or no lessons were learnt as the scary headline NPAs then and now, reveal unmistakable similarities. Though RBIs Health Code categorized loans as satisfactory or bad and doubtful debts since 1985, it wasnt until 1992 that the prudential norms, based on the Narasimhan Committee report, for the first time enabled a proper assessment of NPAs. Alarmingly 12 out of 26 banks reported net losses, but the buck stopped there. The following year, banks were back to old ways window-dressing profits. Take Indian Bank that reported losses worth some Rs 380 crore in FY94, but showed a miraculous Rs 14 crore net profit the following year. All was well until 1998-99, when the Vajpayee-led NDA government along with the then RBI Governor Bimal Jalan cracked the whip. Soon, banks were swimming naked as the norms brought to light loans swept under the carpet, and wilful defaulters were named and shamed. RBI sent several missives to banks and even barred a few from lending. In most cases, it was found that credit was given to curry favour with the top management. Decisions neither had a detailed appraisal, nor the basic tenets of lending were followed. CBI launched investigations and, disciplinary proceedings were initiated against officers, much like the recent arrests of some senior bankers. In 1999, the Verma Committee identified eight loss-making banks, whose net NPAs exceeded their net worth. It also listed Indian Bank, UCO Bank and United Bank of India as weak and proposed a) closure or merger b) change of ownership or privatisation and c) restructuring including a one-time clean-up. The government ruled out the first two and explored the third. Without the taxpayer riches, these banks could have been tossed on the funeral pyres. The problem appears severe now, as 16 out of 22 banks could face regulatory wrath and with wobbly government finances, recapitalisation is a major headache. While banks capture data on asset quality ie., gross and net NPAs, slippages, etc, this exercise was/is purely for reporting purposes as no efforts were made then/now to analyse and improve credit management. Write-offs were introduced to lower tax liabilities on impaired assets, but banks used it to manage gross NPAs. In the past decade, Rs 50 out of every Rs 100 lent was written off, but less than Rs 10 was recovered on an average. Interestingly, private and foreign banks had higher slippages after the 2008 crisis, but they cleaned up the mess pretty quick, while PSBs indulged in retrospective restructuring. This is evident if you see impaired assets ratio, which includes gross NPAs, restructured accounts and cumulative write offs, and considered a robust indicator of asset quality. Between 2009 and 2013, impaired assets ratio rose from 6.8 per cent to 12.1 per cent among PSBs. For private and foreign banks, it was 5.3 and 6.4 per cent in March 2013. A further break-up gives the real picture of how PSBs were delaying the inevitable. Of the impaired assets, restructured accounts comprised 52 per cent for PSBs, while for private and foreign banks, it was 22 and 2 per cent respectively. Then theres the issue of large borrowers, who often find favour in getting loans and getting them restructured. Large borrowers account for 90 per cent of all restructured accounts. In what could be a mockery of the banking system, companies raised debt, without servicing existing loans. If banks arent allowed to fail, timely corrective action is crucial. In 2002-03, RBI introduced Prompt Corrective Action (PCA) listing trigger ratios that were supposed to be sacrosanct. Banks must meet these ratios at all times and a breach is considered a serious violation. But it wasnt effective, as corrective action was left to banks discretion with RBI stepping in only when situations went out of hand. This is pretty much the case even today. The PCA norms revised in May, tightened screws but mandatory action, again, befalls only on extreme cases. The recent Ordinance to clean-up bad loans and the proposed RBI framework serve as speed breakers and trip wires to slow deterioration. They winclude carrots as well as sticks, but hoping that problems will solve themselves is allowing the system to rot. fact file Gross NPAs of PSBs stood at 21 per cent in 1994, while private and foreign lenders it was 1-2 per cent. Till 2003, gross NPAs of PSBs declined, but for others it increased As per Credit Suisse, 10 large corporates share in total credit more than doubled between 2007 and 2013, while their overall debt rose six times to over J6 lakh crore. During 2007-09, NPA ratios decoupled -- private and foreign lenders increased sharply, while PSBs fell. In fact, foreign banks witnessed the highest spurt in NPAs during 2009 A majority of the 30-40 top defaulting accounts comprise infrastructure even today Allowing a bank to fail is a tragedy. More so in India, as PSU banks are the bulwark of banking industry with 70 per cent market share. Little wonder why the RBI, and the government often engage in a two-fisted binge to set the house in order, when banks veer off-track, piling up toxic assets that threaten to suck life out of the system. The Rs 9 lakh crore stressed loans may seem mind-numbing, but we have been here before. In fact, our banks survived even extreme bad loan episodes. Take for instance 1993, when gross NPAs of state-run banks were a staggering 21 per cent of advances, much higher than 9.1 per cent now. Sadly, few or no lessons were learnt as the scary headline NPAs then and now, reveal unmistakable similarities. Though RBIs Health Code categorized loans as satisfactory or bad and doubtful debts since 1985, it wasnt until 1992 that the prudential norms, based on the Narasimhan Committee report, for the first time enabled a proper assessment of NPAs. Alarmingly 12 out of 26 banks reported net losses, but the buck stopped there. The following year, banks were back to old ways window-dressing profits. Take Indian Bank that reported losses worth some Rs 380 crore in FY94, but showed a miraculous Rs 14 crore net profit the following year. All was well until 1998-99, when the Vajpayee-led NDA government along with the then RBI Governor Bimal Jalan cracked the whip. Soon, banks were swimming naked as the norms brought to light loans swept under the carpet, and wilful defaulters were named and shamed. RBI sent several missives to banks and even barred a few from lending. In most cases, it was found that credit was given to curry favour with the top management. Decisions neither had a detailed appraisal, nor the basic tenets of lending were followed. CBI launched investigations and, disciplinary proceedings were initiated against officers, much like the recent arrests of some senior bankers. In 1999, the Verma Committee identified eight loss-making banks, whose net NPAs exceeded their net worth. It also listed Indian Bank, UCO Bank and United Bank of India as weak and proposed a) closure or merger b) change of ownership or privatisation and c) restructuring including a one-time clean-up. The government ruled out the first two and explored the third. Without the taxpayer riches, these banks could have been tossed on the funeral pyres. The problem appears severe now, as 16 out of 22 banks could face regulatory wrath and with wobbly government finances, recapitalisation is a major headache. While banks capture data on asset quality ie., gross and net NPAs, slippages, etc, this exercise was/is purely for reporting purposes as no efforts were made then/now to analyse and improve credit management. Write-offs were introduced to lower tax liabilities on impaired assets, but banks used it to manage gross NPAs. In the past decade, Rs 50 out of every Rs 100 lent was written off, but less than Rs 10 was recovered on an average. Interestingly, private and foreign banks had higher slippages after the 2008 crisis, but they cleaned up the mess pretty quick, while PSBs indulged in retrospective restructuring. This is evident if you see impaired assets ratio, which includes gross NPAs, restructured accounts and cumulative write offs, and considered a robust indicator of asset quality. Between 2009 and 2013, impaired assets ratio rose from 6.8 per cent to 12.1 per cent among PSBs. For private and foreign banks, it was 5.3 and 6.4 per cent in March 2013. A further break-up gives the real picture of how PSBs were delaying the inevitable. Of the impaired assets, restructured accounts comprised 52 per cent for PSBs, while for private and foreign banks, it was 22 and 2 per cent respectively. Then theres the issue of large borrowers, who often find favour in getting loans and getting them restructured. Large borrowers account for 90 per cent of all restructured accounts. In what could be a mockery of the banking system, companies raised debt, without servicing existing loans. If banks arent allowed to fail, timely corrective action is crucial. In 2002-03, RBI introduced Prompt Corrective Action (PCA) listing trigger ratios that were supposed to be sacrosanct. Banks must meet these ratios at all times and a breach is considered a serious violation. But it wasnt effective, as corrective action was left to banks discretion with RBI stepping in only when situations went out of hand. This is pretty much the case even today. The PCA norms revised in May, tightened screws but mandatory action, again, befalls only on extreme cases. The recent Ordinance to clean-up bad loans and the proposed RBI framework serve as speed breakers and trip wires to slow deterioration. They winclude carrots as well as sticks, but hoping that problems will solve themselves is allowing the system to rot. fact file Gross NPAs of PSBs stood at 21 per cent in 1994, while private and foreign lenders it was 1-2 per cent. Till 2003, gross NPAs of PSBs declined, but for others it increased As per Credit Suisse, 10 large corporates share in total credit more than doubled between 2007 and 2013, while their overall debt rose six times to over J6 lakh crore. During 2007-09, NPA ratios decoupled -- private and foreign lenders increased sharply, while PSBs fell. In fact, foreign banks witnessed the highest spurt in NPAs during 2009 A majority of the 30-40 top defaulting accounts comprise infrastructure even today Nirupama Viswanathan By Express News Service CHENNAI: Amidst repeated warnings from the Madras High Court to avoid conversion of agricultural areas for non-farm use, the State government has recently passed orders to regularise unapproved layouts and a set of rules for conversion of agricultural lands for development. Though the orders were suspended by the HC on Friday, experts said that the orders were reflective of the States lack of will to protect agricultural lands still under cultivation. According to G Shyam Sunder, a Chennai-based advocate and author of Property registration, land records and building approval procedures followed in various States in India, in certain states like Karnataka and Himachal Pradesh, agricultural lands can be purchased only by an agriculturist. Likewise in Kerala under the Paddy and Wetland Conservation Act, 2008, a maximum extent of only 10 cents of land can be re-converted from agricultural to non-agricultural purposes and in the 10 cents of converted land, building can be constructed in an area of only four cents. Said advocate Elephant G Rajendran, who moved a PIL seeking a direction to the authorities to forebear giving approval or permission to convert agricultural lands into layouts. The real estate lobby is often behind such orders passed by our government. The authorities give in to the pressure and pass the order to appease the lobbyists, leaving the courts to deal with it. However, the governments disposition in taking a soft stand against unapproved layouts and conversion of agricultural lands might spark off a worrying trend, say experts. People will not hesitate to build on unapproved layouts including agricultural land knowing that the government is on their side, trying to bring in rules that would regularise such unapproved housing plots at some point of time, said Ajay Tannirkulam, trustee of Magasool, an NGO, that works with agriculturists. The order, if implemented, would be an invaluable aide for real estate developers who are looking to capitalise on the drought this year when distress sale is on a high. According to the data available with government authorities, the net area under cultivation in 2014-2015 was 48.19 lakh hectares, 4.25 lakh hectares lesser than in 2005-2006. Though officials said data for the current year were unavailable, records for the last 10 years showed that the land under agriculture had peaked at around 2006, after dipping to a low 45.90 lakh hectares in 2002-2003, again a drought year. As per the union government figures, Tamil Nadu lost 7.13 lakh hectares of net sown area in the last two decades However, some farmers such as Mannargudi S Ranganathan, general secretary, Tamil Nadu Cauvery Delta Farmers Welfare Association, believe that the lines are blurred in such cases and cannot be brought under a generalised law. According to Ranganathan, though food security is only attainable by preventing the area under agriculture from diminishing, with the present state of farmers in the State, such laws may add to their woes. Imagine an 80-year-old farmer who has nobody to take care of her and only has the small piece of land that she owns. In such cases where farmers are looking to sell off their lands for the sake of their lives, these laws may add insult to injury, he said. In such cases, finding another agriculturist to sell off their lands, as in the case of Karnataka, may not be immediately possible. The solution could lie in the involvement of the farming community in such decisions, said Rajendran. Here, the conversion of agricultural land depends on the District Collector and the Joint Director of Agriculture. In States like Kerala, there is a committee that comprises two farmers from the gram sabha and an NGO, that is a part of such decisions, he said. CHENNAI: Amidst repeated warnings from the Madras High Court to avoid conversion of agricultural areas for non-farm use, the State government has recently passed orders to regularise unapproved layouts and a set of rules for conversion of agricultural lands for development. Though the orders were suspended by the HC on Friday, experts said that the orders were reflective of the States lack of will to protect agricultural lands still under cultivation. According to G Shyam Sunder, a Chennai-based advocate and author of Property registration, land records and building approval procedures followed in various States in India, in certain states like Karnataka and Himachal Pradesh, agricultural lands can be purchased only by an agriculturist. Likewise in Kerala under the Paddy and Wetland Conservation Act, 2008, a maximum extent of only 10 cents of land can be re-converted from agricultural to non-agricultural purposes and in the 10 cents of converted land, building can be constructed in an area of only four cents. Said advocate Elephant G Rajendran, who moved a PIL seeking a direction to the authorities to forebear giving approval or permission to convert agricultural lands into layouts. The real estate lobby is often behind such orders passed by our government. The authorities give in to the pressure and pass the order to appease the lobbyists, leaving the courts to deal with it. However, the governments disposition in taking a soft stand against unapproved layouts and conversion of agricultural lands might spark off a worrying trend, say experts. People will not hesitate to build on unapproved layouts including agricultural land knowing that the government is on their side, trying to bring in rules that would regularise such unapproved housing plots at some point of time, said Ajay Tannirkulam, trustee of Magasool, an NGO, that works with agriculturists. The order, if implemented, would be an invaluable aide for real estate developers who are looking to capitalise on the drought this year when distress sale is on a high. According to the data available with government authorities, the net area under cultivation in 2014-2015 was 48.19 lakh hectares, 4.25 lakh hectares lesser than in 2005-2006. Though officials said data for the current year were unavailable, records for the last 10 years showed that the land under agriculture had peaked at around 2006, after dipping to a low 45.90 lakh hectares in 2002-2003, again a drought year. As per the union government figures, Tamil Nadu lost 7.13 lakh hectares of net sown area in the last two decades However, some farmers such as Mannargudi S Ranganathan, general secretary, Tamil Nadu Cauvery Delta Farmers Welfare Association, believe that the lines are blurred in such cases and cannot be brought under a generalised law. According to Ranganathan, though food security is only attainable by preventing the area under agriculture from diminishing, with the present state of farmers in the State, such laws may add to their woes. Imagine an 80-year-old farmer who has nobody to take care of her and only has the small piece of land that she owns. In such cases where farmers are looking to sell off their lands for the sake of their lives, these laws may add insult to injury, he said. In such cases, finding another agriculturist to sell off their lands, as in the case of Karnataka, may not be immediately possible. The solution could lie in the involvement of the farming community in such decisions, said Rajendran. Here, the conversion of agricultural land depends on the District Collector and the Joint Director of Agriculture. In States like Kerala, there is a committee that comprises two farmers from the gram sabha and an NGO, that is a part of such decisions, he said. By PTI NEW DELHI: With JNU student Najeeb Ahmed missing for over 200 days now, the Delhi Police has approached mosques in the national capital and neighbouring Uttar Pradesh to make regular announcements on him in the hope of making some headway in the case. Najeeb went missing after a scuffle at his hostel allegedly with ABVP members on the night of October 14. A reward of Rs 10 lakh was announced by police for any information about him. The probe into his disapperanece has turned up no clue so far with police continuing to grope in the dark. A senior police officer summed it up succintly: "Despite so many teams working on the case, we have failed to make any headway." Now, they they have turned to mosques for help. The investigating officers met the imam of Fatehpuri Masjid in Chandni Chowk and requested him to make announcements about Najeeb during prayers. "We asked them to request people to share any clues or information about Najeeb. We have even requested imams of other mosques in Delhi, neighbouring areas and some cities in Uttar Pradesh like Badaun, Bareilly where Najeeb has stayed to make regular announcements," said a senior police officer. Police have also requested them to share information about the disappearance with "jamaats" who travel between mosques. Meanwhile, Najeeb's family members say they have lost faith in police. "We are as clueless about Najeeb now, as we were on the first day," said Najeeb's brother Mujeeb. He said the police has done "little" in tracing his brother and has only "harassed" them. "It is very mysterious that every time the case is coming up for a hearing in the High Court, we get a fake call sharing information about him. The police, very conveniently, says in the court that they are working on the leads gained through the phone call," he added. The Delhi High Court, while recently hearing a plea by Najeeb's mother Fatima Nafees seeking whereabouts of her son, had rapped the Delhi Police over the manner of its probe. The court said that the agency appeared to be looking for an "escape route" and was "beating around the bush". Amid all the gloom, the family is still hopeful of his return. Whenever his family members receive a call from an anonymous number, they always hope that it might be Najeeb. "We always try and pick calls and in case we miss any call, we call back on the numbers in the hope that someone might be calling to tell us about my brother," said Mujeeb. Recently, the family received a call from a woman in Muzaffarnagar inquiring about their son but it later turned out that she had dialed their number by mistake since it was similar to her boyfriend's number, police said. Najeeb's mother, meanhwile, is trying to stay strong. However, there are times when she breaks down. Friday was one such instance. She broke down in front of DCP (Crime) G Ramgopal Naik, who is investigating the case, after the court hearing, pleading with him to find her son and bring him back. "I don't cry in front of my children since they are also going through a difficult phase. But I cry whenever I am praying to God. I miss Najeeb a lot whenever his favourite dishes are prepared or some other anecdotes are discussed," Fatima said. She said that she prays everyday to seek the almighty's help in finding her son. "Police has projected a negative image of my son. He is very good-natured and unlike what he has been made out to be. I have full faith that he will come back." NEW DELHI: With JNU student Najeeb Ahmed missing for over 200 days now, the Delhi Police has approached mosques in the national capital and neighbouring Uttar Pradesh to make regular announcements on him in the hope of making some headway in the case. Najeeb went missing after a scuffle at his hostel allegedly with ABVP members on the night of October 14. A reward of Rs 10 lakh was announced by police for any information about him. The probe into his disapperanece has turned up no clue so far with police continuing to grope in the dark. A senior police officer summed it up succintly: "Despite so many teams working on the case, we have failed to make any headway." Now, they they have turned to mosques for help. The investigating officers met the imam of Fatehpuri Masjid in Chandni Chowk and requested him to make announcements about Najeeb during prayers. "We asked them to request people to share any clues or information about Najeeb. We have even requested imams of other mosques in Delhi, neighbouring areas and some cities in Uttar Pradesh like Badaun, Bareilly where Najeeb has stayed to make regular announcements," said a senior police officer. Police have also requested them to share information about the disappearance with "jamaats" who travel between mosques. Meanwhile, Najeeb's family members say they have lost faith in police. "We are as clueless about Najeeb now, as we were on the first day," said Najeeb's brother Mujeeb. He said the police has done "little" in tracing his brother and has only "harassed" them. "It is very mysterious that every time the case is coming up for a hearing in the High Court, we get a fake call sharing information about him. The police, very conveniently, says in the court that they are working on the leads gained through the phone call," he added. The Delhi High Court, while recently hearing a plea by Najeeb's mother Fatima Nafees seeking whereabouts of her son, had rapped the Delhi Police over the manner of its probe. The court said that the agency appeared to be looking for an "escape route" and was "beating around the bush". Amid all the gloom, the family is still hopeful of his return. Whenever his family members receive a call from an anonymous number, they always hope that it might be Najeeb. "We always try and pick calls and in case we miss any call, we call back on the numbers in the hope that someone might be calling to tell us about my brother," said Mujeeb. Recently, the family received a call from a woman in Muzaffarnagar inquiring about their son but it later turned out that she had dialed their number by mistake since it was similar to her boyfriend's number, police said. Najeeb's mother, meanhwile, is trying to stay strong. However, there are times when she breaks down. Friday was one such instance. She broke down in front of DCP (Crime) G Ramgopal Naik, who is investigating the case, after the court hearing, pleading with him to find her son and bring him back. "I don't cry in front of my children since they are also going through a difficult phase. But I cry whenever I am praying to God. I miss Najeeb a lot whenever his favourite dishes are prepared or some other anecdotes are discussed," Fatima said. She said that she prays everyday to seek the almighty's help in finding her son. "Police has projected a negative image of my son. He is very good-natured and unlike what he has been made out to be. I have full faith that he will come back." By ANI NEW DELHI: Sacked Delhi minister Kapil Mishra on Sunday alleged corruption in the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) funding while stating that facts were concealed from the Income Tax department. Mishra who is currently on a hunger strike to protest against corruption by AAP said, "For three continuous years, black money was converted into white and spent on foreign trips of AAP leaders. AAP did not inform about some of its fundings which it received from fake companies." Mishra further targeted Kejriwal and revealed that 16 shell companies added money worth crores in AAP's bank accounts. "These fake companies are registered in the name of AAP MLA from Moti Nagar, Shivcharan Goyal. These companies have given Rs 2 crore to Kejriwal at 12 a.m. The fund received from these companies were sent to same branch branch of Axis Bank where there were allegations of converting black money into white at the time of demonetisation," he added. AAP has its bank account at the Krishnanagar branch of Axis Bank and all the transactions happen from there. Mishra also shared a bank cheque without a date which has already been encashed. "I file case against Arvind Kejriwal in Central Bureau of Investigation on Monday in connection with conversion of black money to white," the AAP leader said. However, the press conference took a dramatic turn when Mishra openly threatened to drag Kejriwal by the collar to Tihar jail and then promptly passed out and was carried to the hospital. Meanwhile, the Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) on Sunday sent a summons notice to the political advisor of Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, Vaibhav Kumar in connection with water tanker scam. Kumar will be interrogated by the ACB on May 17. Last Thursday, Mishra made serious allegations against senior Delhi government functionaries in relation to the water tanker scam, which is alleged to have caused a loss of an estimated ?400 crore to the State exchequer, in a detailed statement to the Anti-Corruption Branch (ACB). Earlier, Mishra submitted documents related to the tanker scam to the ACB, while saying that he also apprised the agency about the misuse of the money by the Delhi government. NEW DELHI: Sacked Delhi minister Kapil Mishra on Sunday alleged corruption in the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) funding while stating that facts were concealed from the Income Tax department. Mishra who is currently on a hunger strike to protest against corruption by AAP said, "For three continuous years, black money was converted into white and spent on foreign trips of AAP leaders. AAP did not inform about some of its fundings which it received from fake companies." Mishra further targeted Kejriwal and revealed that 16 shell companies added money worth crores in AAP's bank accounts. "These fake companies are registered in the name of AAP MLA from Moti Nagar, Shivcharan Goyal. These companies have given Rs 2 crore to Kejriwal at 12 a.m. The fund received from these companies were sent to same branch branch of Axis Bank where there were allegations of converting black money into white at the time of demonetisation," he added. AAP has its bank account at the Krishnanagar branch of Axis Bank and all the transactions happen from there. Mishra also shared a bank cheque without a date which has already been encashed. "I file case against Arvind Kejriwal in Central Bureau of Investigation on Monday in connection with conversion of black money to white," the AAP leader said. However, the press conference took a dramatic turn when Mishra openly threatened to drag Kejriwal by the collar to Tihar jail and then promptly passed out and was carried to the hospital. Meanwhile, the Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) on Sunday sent a summons notice to the political advisor of Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, Vaibhav Kumar in connection with water tanker scam. Kumar will be interrogated by the ACB on May 17. Last Thursday, Mishra made serious allegations against senior Delhi government functionaries in relation to the water tanker scam, which is alleged to have caused a loss of an estimated ?400 crore to the State exchequer, in a detailed statement to the Anti-Corruption Branch (ACB). Earlier, Mishra submitted documents related to the tanker scam to the ACB, while saying that he also apprised the agency about the misuse of the money by the Delhi government. By PTI NEW DELHI: Former Delhi minister Kapil Mishra today alleged that the police were trying to "forcibly" take him to hospital based on "fake reports" given by doctors, just a day before he was planning to make another "expose". He claimed that the report of his health is "faked" by the doctors, who were directly reporting to health minister Satyendar Jain, even as a team of doctors from Ram Manohar Lohia (RML) hospital late tonight examined Mishra and said his vitals, including blood pressure and sugar level, were normal. "Before tomorrow's expose, they are spreading fake news and trying to divert attention. It is a ploy to end my hunger strike," Mishra said in a tweet. "Doctors gave fake report. They report directly to health minister Satyendar Jain," he stated in another tweet. Mishra, who was recently sacked from Delhi cabinet, had started an indefinite hunger strike on Wednesday demanding Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) divulged details of foreign tours undertaken by five of its leaders. Doctors had yesterday advised hospitalisation to Mishra due to drop in blood sugar level and dehydration. Mishra also asked the Delhi police commissioner to not take actions based on "fake reports". "Sir @CPDelhi, Please don't do this just based on a fake report. I am fighting for a big cause. It's a conspiracy," the MLA said in a tweet. In a late night development, a team of a team of doctors from RML hospital examined Mishra and said his vitals, including blood sugar level, pulse, blood pressure, is normal. However, he had mild dehydration which is due to no salt intake since last 4 days, the doctors said, adding it was a case of "starvation ketosis". Earlier a team of doctors from Aruna Asaf Ali hospital had examined him in the afternoon and evening and advised his hospitalisation. Mishra mounted a fresh attack on chief minister Arvind Kejriwal today, accusing him of using AAP MLAs as "shield" after party legislator Sanjeev Jha announced a hunger strike to counter the rebel leader's ongoing fast. Jha was detained by the police twice while he was proceeding to stage the planned hunger strike outside Mishra's residence. He later began his "indefinite strike" at Jantar Mantar. Jha has demanded that Mishra come clean on the claim that he saw Health Minister Satyendar Jain pay Rs 2 crore to Kejriwal. In an "open letter" to Kejriwal, Mishra again pressed for divulging the details of foreign tours undertaken by five leaders of the party. "How much drama will you create to hide one truth. You are trying all tactics to divert attention. Don't try any new tactic tomorrow. "You (Kejriwal) made a strategy to use MLAs as a shield. However, only one MLA came forward to be that shield?" Mishra said, adding he would make his next "expose" tomorrow. He further said "thief" is demanding to hand over all the evidences to him. "Then he would prove himself innocent by becoming a judge, a lawyer and a witness," he added. In the morning, Jha, who is an MLA from Burari, went to Rajghat, Mahatma Gandhi's memorial, to "seek blessings". "On May 7, Kapil Mishra had said that Arvind Kejriwal had met Satyendar Jain where he paid him Rs 2 crore. My question to him is at what time did he meet the chief minister. Which car did he use? I have the entire day's video footage (of people entering Kejriwal). "The whole world knows about Kejriwal's credentials and he (Mishra) should give evidence to back his claim. If it turns out to be true, even I will join him in his hunger strike against Kejriwal," Jha said. Mishra hit back at Jha with another "open letter" and "advised" him to drink lots of water during the hunger strike. NEW DELHI: Former Delhi minister Kapil Mishra today alleged that the police were trying to "forcibly" take him to hospital based on "fake reports" given by doctors, just a day before he was planning to make another "expose". He claimed that the report of his health is "faked" by the doctors, who were directly reporting to health minister Satyendar Jain, even as a team of doctors from Ram Manohar Lohia (RML) hospital late tonight examined Mishra and said his vitals, including blood pressure and sugar level, were normal. "Before tomorrow's expose, they are spreading fake news and trying to divert attention. It is a ploy to end my hunger strike," Mishra said in a tweet. "Doctors gave fake report. They report directly to health minister Satyendar Jain," he stated in another tweet. Mishra, who was recently sacked from Delhi cabinet, had started an indefinite hunger strike on Wednesday demanding Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) divulged details of foreign tours undertaken by five of its leaders. Doctors had yesterday advised hospitalisation to Mishra due to drop in blood sugar level and dehydration. Mishra also asked the Delhi police commissioner to not take actions based on "fake reports". "Sir @CPDelhi, Please don't do this just based on a fake report. I am fighting for a big cause. It's a conspiracy," the MLA said in a tweet. In a late night development, a team of a team of doctors from RML hospital examined Mishra and said his vitals, including blood sugar level, pulse, blood pressure, is normal. However, he had mild dehydration which is due to no salt intake since last 4 days, the doctors said, adding it was a case of "starvation ketosis". Earlier a team of doctors from Aruna Asaf Ali hospital had examined him in the afternoon and evening and advised his hospitalisation. Mishra mounted a fresh attack on chief minister Arvind Kejriwal today, accusing him of using AAP MLAs as "shield" after party legislator Sanjeev Jha announced a hunger strike to counter the rebel leader's ongoing fast. Jha was detained by the police twice while he was proceeding to stage the planned hunger strike outside Mishra's residence. He later began his "indefinite strike" at Jantar Mantar. Jha has demanded that Mishra come clean on the claim that he saw Health Minister Satyendar Jain pay Rs 2 crore to Kejriwal. In an "open letter" to Kejriwal, Mishra again pressed for divulging the details of foreign tours undertaken by five leaders of the party. "How much drama will you create to hide one truth. You are trying all tactics to divert attention. Don't try any new tactic tomorrow. "You (Kejriwal) made a strategy to use MLAs as a shield. However, only one MLA came forward to be that shield?" Mishra said, adding he would make his next "expose" tomorrow. He further said "thief" is demanding to hand over all the evidences to him. "Then he would prove himself innocent by becoming a judge, a lawyer and a witness," he added. In the morning, Jha, who is an MLA from Burari, went to Rajghat, Mahatma Gandhi's memorial, to "seek blessings". "On May 7, Kapil Mishra had said that Arvind Kejriwal had met Satyendar Jain where he paid him Rs 2 crore. My question to him is at what time did he meet the chief minister. Which car did he use? I have the entire day's video footage (of people entering Kejriwal). "The whole world knows about Kejriwal's credentials and he (Mishra) should give evidence to back his claim. If it turns out to be true, even I will join him in his hunger strike against Kejriwal," Jha said. Mishra hit back at Jha with another "open letter" and "advised" him to drink lots of water during the hunger strike. By Express News Service MUMBAI: Congress supporters who showed black flags to Devendra Fadnavis on Saturday earned the wrath of the police in Marathwada. Police beat them back with staves after they got a little too close to the Maharashtra chief minister. The protestors waved flags in Fadnaviss face to show their ire at the remarks of Maharashtra BJP chief Raosaheb Danve who called farmers ungrateful saalein (a pejorative term literally meaning brother-in-law) last Wednesday. The chief minister was touring rural Marathwada on Saturday, and local Youth Congress workers massed at Pardi village in Osmanabad district to demonstrate their ire. Fadnavis went to Pardi to review a water conservation project along with the local MP Ravindra Gaikwad of the Shiv Sena, who earned notoriety recently for beating an Air-India officer with a slipper. As Fadnavis inspected a farm pond, the Youth Congress workers turned aggressive and began to shout slogans demanding loan waiver for farmers and procurement of tur dal. Sensing the protesters were getting too close to the CM, police charged with their batons to scatter the crowd. The mobs leader Umesh Raje-Nimbalkar and five comrades of his were arrested. Maharashtra Congress president Ashok Chavan condemned the attack. First they abuse farmers and then they resort to a lathi-charge when they protest. Farmers will teach a lesson to the government, Chavan said. Chavan also condemned similar tactics to quell protesters outside Danve-Patils residence in Jalna. MUMBAI: Congress supporters who showed black flags to Devendra Fadnavis on Saturday earned the wrath of the police in Marathwada. Police beat them back with staves after they got a little too close to the Maharashtra chief minister. The protestors waved flags in Fadnaviss face to show their ire at the remarks of Maharashtra BJP chief Raosaheb Danve who called farmers ungrateful saalein (a pejorative term literally meaning brother-in-law) last Wednesday. The chief minister was touring rural Marathwada on Saturday, and local Youth Congress workers massed at Pardi village in Osmanabad district to demonstrate their ire. Fadnavis went to Pardi to review a water conservation project along with the local MP Ravindra Gaikwad of the Shiv Sena, who earned notoriety recently for beating an Air-India officer with a slipper. As Fadnavis inspected a farm pond, the Youth Congress workers turned aggressive and began to shout slogans demanding loan waiver for farmers and procurement of tur dal. Sensing the protesters were getting too close to the CM, police charged with their batons to scatter the crowd. The mobs leader Umesh Raje-Nimbalkar and five comrades of his were arrested. Maharashtra Congress president Ashok Chavan condemned the attack. First they abuse farmers and then they resort to a lathi-charge when they protest. Farmers will teach a lesson to the government, Chavan said. Chavan also condemned similar tactics to quell protesters outside Danve-Patils residence in Jalna. By PTI SONIPAT: The family of the 23-year-old Dalit woman, found gang-raped and murdered in Rohtak on Thursday, had around a month back complained about a man who was harassing her but the police failed to act, one of her relatives alleged today. Drawing parallels with the brutality witnessed in the 'Nirbhaya' case of Delhi, the victim's family has sought maximum punishment to the accused. The police acknowledged that a "verbal" complaint had been made but refuted the charge of inaction saying that the victim's family had later come to a compromise with the man and said there was no need for action. The same man, named Sumit, has now been arrested for the crime, the sheer savagery of which emerged today in the postmortem report which found the victim's skull shattered, a part of the food pipe missing and suggested sharp-edged objects may have been inserted into her private parts. "We had approached the police with a complaint of harassment by the main accused but no action was taken," a kin of the victim kin told reporters in Sonipat. The police however refuted the charge "There was a verbal complaint some time back by the woman to Sonipat police saying that the main accused was pressuring her to marry him. It was a verbal complaint, there was no written complaint to police station," Superintendent of Police, Sonipat, Ashwin Shenvi said. "However, later, the complainant and her mother again came to the police station and said they had struck a compromise and there no need for police action," the officer claimed. The body was identified by the victim's mother on the basis of her clothes. "He (Sumit) was putting pressure on her to marry him and used to threaten her. A week ago, he stopped her when she was returning from work. When she resisted, he threatened and abused her. She slapped him and ran home," said the mother in her statement to the police. While Sumit (24) has a private job, the other person arrested, Vikas (28), works as a car mechanic. "The woman was a Dalit and out of the two accused, main accused Sumit is also a Dalit," Shenvi said. He said as the victim belonged to Dalit community, the provisions of the SC/ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act have also been invoked. Shenvi said during investigations, involvement of only two people had come to fore and both have been arrested. The post-mortem report also indicated a 'Nirbhaya' caselike savagery. "The findings suggest that it was a brutal rape and murder," said Dr S K Dhatterwal, head of the department of forensic medicine at the Post Graduate Institute of Medical Sciences (PGIMS) in Rohtak, who conducted the post-mortem. He said multiple head injuries, inflicted by some blunt weapon, were the main cause of the death and several bones of the victim's skull were found to be shattered. "There were injuries on the private parts, which means that woman was sexually assaulted," Dhattarwal said adding that the vaginal swab had been sent to a forensic science lab for confirmation regarding rape. The injuries suggest some sharp-edged objects may have been inserted in her private parts, he further said. Indicating that the woman was given sedatives before she was raped and murdered, Dhattarwal said that signs of some such drugs had been found in the stomach. Rohtak range Inspector General of Police Navdeep Virk said that the family gave the names of six more persons last evening. "A supplementary statement of the family has been recorded. Out of these six persons, five are relatives of Sumit, main accused. The sixth may also be related in some way," a police official said. The opposition hit out at the BJP government in Haryana over the incident. Former Chief Minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda alleged a complete breakdown of law and order while demanding exemplary punishment for the culprits. Financial assistance of Rs 10.5 lakh was announced today for the victim's family. As she was a Dalit, the state welfare department would provide Rs 8.5 lakh to her family under provisions of the Scheduled Caste and Scheduled Tribe (Prevention of Atrocities) Act while Rs 2 lakh will be given by the Red Cross, Sonipat Deputy Commissioner K Makrand Pandurang said. National Commission for Women member Rekha Sharma met the family of the victim. The decomposed and mutilated body of the 23-year-old woman, who went missing from Sonipat on May 9 and was gangraped and brutally murdered, was found near the Industrial Model Township in Urban Estate, Rohtak, on May 11. Stray dogs had bitten off the face and lower portion of her body. The sheer brutality of the crime, reminiscent of the 'Nirbhaya' incident in Delhi which triggered nation-wide outrage, occurred barely a month after the BJP-led Haryana government launched 'Operation Durga' to stop harassment of women. Following the incident, Congress president Sonia Gandhi had expressed deep shock, saying it highlighted the need to revisit the issue of women safety. Meanwhile, in Gurugram, also in Haryana, a 22-year-old woman from Sikkim was allegedly raped by three men in a moving car here and thrown out on a road in Delhi. SONIPAT: The family of the 23-year-old Dalit woman, found gang-raped and murdered in Rohtak on Thursday, had around a month back complained about a man who was harassing her but the police failed to act, one of her relatives alleged today. Drawing parallels with the brutality witnessed in the 'Nirbhaya' case of Delhi, the victim's family has sought maximum punishment to the accused. The police acknowledged that a "verbal" complaint had been made but refuted the charge of inaction saying that the victim's family had later come to a compromise with the man and said there was no need for action. The same man, named Sumit, has now been arrested for the crime, the sheer savagery of which emerged today in the postmortem report which found the victim's skull shattered, a part of the food pipe missing and suggested sharp-edged objects may have been inserted into her private parts. "We had approached the police with a complaint of harassment by the main accused but no action was taken," a kin of the victim kin told reporters in Sonipat. The police however refuted the charge "There was a verbal complaint some time back by the woman to Sonipat police saying that the main accused was pressuring her to marry him. It was a verbal complaint, there was no written complaint to police station," Superintendent of Police, Sonipat, Ashwin Shenvi said. "However, later, the complainant and her mother again came to the police station and said they had struck a compromise and there no need for police action," the officer claimed. The body was identified by the victim's mother on the basis of her clothes. "He (Sumit) was putting pressure on her to marry him and used to threaten her. A week ago, he stopped her when she was returning from work. When she resisted, he threatened and abused her. She slapped him and ran home," said the mother in her statement to the police. While Sumit (24) has a private job, the other person arrested, Vikas (28), works as a car mechanic. "The woman was a Dalit and out of the two accused, main accused Sumit is also a Dalit," Shenvi said. He said as the victim belonged to Dalit community, the provisions of the SC/ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act have also been invoked. Shenvi said during investigations, involvement of only two people had come to fore and both have been arrested. The post-mortem report also indicated a 'Nirbhaya' caselike savagery. "The findings suggest that it was a brutal rape and murder," said Dr S K Dhatterwal, head of the department of forensic medicine at the Post Graduate Institute of Medical Sciences (PGIMS) in Rohtak, who conducted the post-mortem. He said multiple head injuries, inflicted by some blunt weapon, were the main cause of the death and several bones of the victim's skull were found to be shattered. "There were injuries on the private parts, which means that woman was sexually assaulted," Dhattarwal said adding that the vaginal swab had been sent to a forensic science lab for confirmation regarding rape. The injuries suggest some sharp-edged objects may have been inserted in her private parts, he further said. Indicating that the woman was given sedatives before she was raped and murdered, Dhattarwal said that signs of some such drugs had been found in the stomach. Rohtak range Inspector General of Police Navdeep Virk said that the family gave the names of six more persons last evening. "A supplementary statement of the family has been recorded. Out of these six persons, five are relatives of Sumit, main accused. The sixth may also be related in some way," a police official said. The opposition hit out at the BJP government in Haryana over the incident. Former Chief Minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda alleged a complete breakdown of law and order while demanding exemplary punishment for the culprits. Financial assistance of Rs 10.5 lakh was announced today for the victim's family. As she was a Dalit, the state welfare department would provide Rs 8.5 lakh to her family under provisions of the Scheduled Caste and Scheduled Tribe (Prevention of Atrocities) Act while Rs 2 lakh will be given by the Red Cross, Sonipat Deputy Commissioner K Makrand Pandurang said. National Commission for Women member Rekha Sharma met the family of the victim. The decomposed and mutilated body of the 23-year-old woman, who went missing from Sonipat on May 9 and was gangraped and brutally murdered, was found near the Industrial Model Township in Urban Estate, Rohtak, on May 11. Stray dogs had bitten off the face and lower portion of her body. The sheer brutality of the crime, reminiscent of the 'Nirbhaya' incident in Delhi which triggered nation-wide outrage, occurred barely a month after the BJP-led Haryana government launched 'Operation Durga' to stop harassment of women. Following the incident, Congress president Sonia Gandhi had expressed deep shock, saying it highlighted the need to revisit the issue of women safety. Meanwhile, in Gurugram, also in Haryana, a 22-year-old woman from Sikkim was allegedly raped by three men in a moving car here and thrown out on a road in Delhi. By Express News Service CHANDIGARH: Two separate accidents in two States claimed eight lives and injured 14 people on Sunday morning. In Punjab, five members of a family, including two children, were killed in a collision while returning from a pilgrimage in Himachal Pradesh, while an infant and another person managed to survive. Sources said that the family was returning from from Chintpurni in Himachal Pradesh when their car collided with a truck near Khatti village in Phagwara. The impact of the collision was so hard that it exploded the trucks fuel tank. The deceased are Vikas, wife Shikha, her sister Reena and sons Raghav and Manav. Reenas husband Surinder Kumar and Vikas and Shikhas infant daughter escaped with minor injuries. Meanwhile police have registered a case against the absconding truck driver for causing death by negligence, rash driving and other sections of the IPC. In the second incident, three tourists from Tamil Nadu died and 14 others were injured after the tempo traveler they were in, en route to Manali, fell into a gorge at Chhodal in Bilaspur district early Sunday. The overcrowded tempo fell into the gorge after the driver lost control of the vehicle. Police said Jai Raman and Jagatri died instantly while one N. Kumar, succumbed to his injuries en route to hospital. The victims were identified as Jagriti (23), Jai Raman (53) and N Kumar (45), all from Madurai district in Tamil Nadu, said police. Five of the 14 people who were taken to a hospital in Bilaspur, Himachal Pradesh, will soon be shifted to Postgraduate Institute of Medical Education and Research, Chandigarh. All the injured, as well as the victims are said to have known each other, and were all from Madurai district. CHANDIGARH: Two separate accidents in two States claimed eight lives and injured 14 people on Sunday morning. In Punjab, five members of a family, including two children, were killed in a collision while returning from a pilgrimage in Himachal Pradesh, while an infant and another person managed to survive. Sources said that the family was returning from from Chintpurni in Himachal Pradesh when their car collided with a truck near Khatti village in Phagwara. The impact of the collision was so hard that it exploded the trucks fuel tank. The deceased are Vikas, wife Shikha, her sister Reena and sons Raghav and Manav. Reenas husband Surinder Kumar and Vikas and Shikhas infant daughter escaped with minor injuries. Meanwhile police have registered a case against the absconding truck driver for causing death by negligence, rash driving and other sections of the IPC. In the second incident, three tourists from Tamil Nadu died and 14 others were injured after the tempo traveler they were in, en route to Manali, fell into a gorge at Chhodal in Bilaspur district early Sunday. The overcrowded tempo fell into the gorge after the driver lost control of the vehicle. Police said Jai Raman and Jagatri died instantly while one N. Kumar, succumbed to his injuries en route to hospital. The victims were identified as Jagriti (23), Jai Raman (53) and N Kumar (45), all from Madurai district in Tamil Nadu, said police. Five of the 14 people who were taken to a hospital in Bilaspur, Himachal Pradesh, will soon be shifted to Postgraduate Institute of Medical Education and Research, Chandigarh. All the injured, as well as the victims are said to have known each other, and were all from Madurai district. Balbir Punj By The result of CPEC (China-Pakistan Economic Corridor) would be Pakistan turning into a country like Greece and taking unprecedented loans in the name of CPEC. Our voice will not be heard until and unless we rebel. This is what Pakistans own intellectual Dr Qaiser Bengali, an economist, was saying in Karachi last week addressing a meeting. It was an expression of the growing concern among social scientists, activists and analysts. Those involved in the meeting have seen Islamabad sliding irretrievably under Beijings thumb in the same manner it came under American hegemony by joining the CENTO, Washingtons group set up to counter growing Soviet influence during the Cold War. They are probably the few remaining civil society activists who oppose the Chinese hegemony. The CENTO arms and cash that Pakistan obtained under that pact with the US were used to build up Islamabads stance vis-a-vis India. In 1965 and 1971, these were used to get India to surrender. But time and again (including 1999s Kargil), it was Pakistan that had to face total defeat and seek the intervention of the US, USSR and China to get itself out of the sure exposure of its failure, both at the diplomatic and military level. Without taking the right lesson from the repeated defeats, Pakistan has now gone over to China which is seeking to dominate the world. The warning to Pakistan PM Nawaz Sharif from Pakistans own intelligentsia has come right at the time Sharif is leaving for Beijing to attend Chinas Belt and Road Forum, of which CPEC is a part. The benefits are all for China: The rail and road line link Beijings troubled province of Xinjiang to the sea. Xinjiang is a Muslim-dominated province. Inspired by their religion, the Muslim Uighurs are battling the communist countrys anti-religious assertions. China has banned wearing of hijabs by Muslim women, even the use of normal Muslim names including those resembling the Prophets name (Muhammad) and holding of religious gatherings like Friday prayer groups. Any public expression of religious identity by the Muslim minority in these areas leads to atrocities by the Chinese army. Pakistan, which calls itself the sword arm of Islam, is not only turning a blind eye to this ruthless suppression of human rights of fellow Muslims, but has also emerged as Beijings sidekick. The CPEC would be piling debt on a debt-ridden (a debt of $73 billion) economy because of the soaring trade deficit ($28 billion) of the economy of Pakistan. For all practical purposes, the Islamic state is in economic decline. Pakistan, for decades, has lived by exploiting the Wests anti-Indian Cold War mentality. But almost all Western governments have become well informed about Islamabads real intentions. Beijing keeps its options in Pakistan alive by extending economic loans and aid in the name of using Pakistani territory as the fulcrum of its own One Belt, One Road policy of rallying Asian countries under its leadership. The Pakistani intelligentsia is saying that the proposed rail, road and industrial belt through Pakistan is Chinas attempt to get rid of its huge surplus of steel, cement etc. in the wake of a steep fall in Chinese exports to the West. By giving all this as part of its loan to Pakistan, China is seen as raising Pakistans debt load which is already high. Ultimately by 2030, when the project is to be competed, Pakistan will be subservient to China like Greece was compelled to please its creditor Germany this decade. To please Islamabad, Beijing, which does not even allow Muslim citizens of China (in Xingiang and other provinces) to use many Muslim names, backs terror leaders of Pakistan by vetoing their listing in international registers of terror-mongers. So China attempts to suppress jihadi terror in its own territories but supports Pakistan and prevents the listing of people like Masood Azhar and JuD leader Hafiz Saeed as terrorists, and thus hinders the international battle to contain and destroy Islamist terror that has affected countries across the world from the US to Europe to Japan. It is informative to recall that the former US Joint Chiefs of Staff head Mike Mullen called yet another Pakistani terror outfit, the Haqqani network, as the veritable arm of Pakistans ISI. New Delhi has therefore done the right thing in not attending the OBOR Forum that Beijing has organised in the name of reviving the ancient Silk Road. However, China is hell-bent on going ahead with this idea even as it threatens to take over territories of several Southeast Asian countries like Philippines and Vietnam in the South China Sea and raises claims over the Indian territory of Arunachal Pradesh. The main purpose is to hold up Beijing as the one leader without a second in the world as the 21st century is increasingly being described as the Asian century. For Pakistan, it is a big opportunity to be a satellite of a power that is seeking to encircle India now that America is refusing to buy Islamabads anti-India political merchandise. But leading Pakistani thinkers are waking up to the danger of such a policy whose sole objective is to destroy India, even as New Delhi is getting increasingly admired for its global economic salience and strong roots of democracy and peaceful economic change. The anti-Indian (read anti-Hindu) virus is so deeply entrenched in the body polity of Pakistan that it has no qualms playing second fiddle to China which is denying even basic human rights to its Muslim minority. And why are our in-house secular and Muslim leaders who shout hoarse against perceived atrocities by Israel on Muslims, keeping quiet over this issue? Balbir Punj Former Rajya Sabha member and Delhi-based commentator on social and political issues Email: punjbalbir@gmail.com The result of CPEC (China-Pakistan Economic Corridor) would be Pakistan turning into a country like Greece and taking unprecedented loans in the name of CPEC. Our voice will not be heard until and unless we rebel. This is what Pakistans own intellectual Dr Qaiser Bengali, an economist, was saying in Karachi last week addressing a meeting. It was an expression of the growing concern among social scientists, activists and analysts. Those involved in the meeting have seen Islamabad sliding irretrievably under Beijings thumb in the same manner it came under American hegemony by joining the CENTO, Washingtons group set up to counter growing Soviet influence during the Cold War. They are probably the few remaining civil society activists who oppose the Chinese hegemony. The CENTO arms and cash that Pakistan obtained under that pact with the US were used to build up Islamabads stance vis-a-vis India. In 1965 and 1971, these were used to get India to surrender. But time and again (including 1999s Kargil), it was Pakistan that had to face total defeat and seek the intervention of the US, USSR and China to get itself out of the sure exposure of its failure, both at the diplomatic and military level. Without taking the right lesson from the repeated defeats, Pakistan has now gone over to China which is seeking to dominate the world. The warning to Pakistan PM Nawaz Sharif from Pakistans own intelligentsia has come right at the time Sharif is leaving for Beijing to attend Chinas Belt and Road Forum, of which CPEC is a part. The benefits are all for China: The rail and road line link Beijings troubled province of Xinjiang to the sea. Xinjiang is a Muslim-dominated province. Inspired by their religion, the Muslim Uighurs are battling the communist countrys anti-religious assertions. China has banned wearing of hijabs by Muslim women, even the use of normal Muslim names including those resembling the Prophets name (Muhammad) and holding of religious gatherings like Friday prayer groups. Any public expression of religious identity by the Muslim minority in these areas leads to atrocities by the Chinese army. Pakistan, which calls itself the sword arm of Islam, is not only turning a blind eye to this ruthless suppression of human rights of fellow Muslims, but has also emerged as Beijings sidekick. The CPEC would be piling debt on a debt-ridden (a debt of $73 billion) economy because of the soaring trade deficit ($28 billion) of the economy of Pakistan. For all practical purposes, the Islamic state is in economic decline. Pakistan, for decades, has lived by exploiting the Wests anti-Indian Cold War mentality. But almost all Western governments have become well informed about Islamabads real intentions. Beijing keeps its options in Pakistan alive by extending economic loans and aid in the name of using Pakistani territory as the fulcrum of its own One Belt, One Road policy of rallying Asian countries under its leadership. The Pakistani intelligentsia is saying that the proposed rail, road and industrial belt through Pakistan is Chinas attempt to get rid of its huge surplus of steel, cement etc. in the wake of a steep fall in Chinese exports to the West. By giving all this as part of its loan to Pakistan, China is seen as raising Pakistans debt load which is already high. Ultimately by 2030, when the project is to be competed, Pakistan will be subservient to China like Greece was compelled to please its creditor Germany this decade. To please Islamabad, Beijing, which does not even allow Muslim citizens of China (in Xingiang and other provinces) to use many Muslim names, backs terror leaders of Pakistan by vetoing their listing in international registers of terror-mongers. So China attempts to suppress jihadi terror in its own territories but supports Pakistan and prevents the listing of people like Masood Azhar and JuD leader Hafiz Saeed as terrorists, and thus hinders the international battle to contain and destroy Islamist terror that has affected countries across the world from the US to Europe to Japan. It is informative to recall that the former US Joint Chiefs of Staff head Mike Mullen called yet another Pakistani terror outfit, the Haqqani network, as the veritable arm of Pakistans ISI. New Delhi has therefore done the right thing in not attending the OBOR Forum that Beijing has organised in the name of reviving the ancient Silk Road. However, China is hell-bent on going ahead with this idea even as it threatens to take over territories of several Southeast Asian countries like Philippines and Vietnam in the South China Sea and raises claims over the Indian territory of Arunachal Pradesh. The main purpose is to hold up Beijing as the one leader without a second in the world as the 21st century is increasingly being described as the Asian century. For Pakistan, it is a big opportunity to be a satellite of a power that is seeking to encircle India now that America is refusing to buy Islamabads anti-India political merchandise. But leading Pakistani thinkers are waking up to the danger of such a policy whose sole objective is to destroy India, even as New Delhi is getting increasingly admired for its global economic salience and strong roots of democracy and peaceful economic change. The anti-Indian (read anti-Hindu) virus is so deeply entrenched in the body polity of Pakistan that it has no qualms playing second fiddle to China which is denying even basic human rights to its Muslim minority. And why are our in-house secular and Muslim leaders who shout hoarse against perceived atrocities by Israel on Muslims, keeping quiet over this issue? Balbir Punj Former Rajya Sabha member and Delhi-based commentator on social and political issues Email: punjbalbir@gmail.com Ravi Shankar By Image matters. Saudi Arabia has enough petrodollars to stay the darling of capitalism, but its medievally regressive reputation is a public relations disaster. Women are jailed for driving; pro-democracy bloggers are jailed; criminals are executed publicly, and women stoned and whipped for adultery even without real evidence. Such barbarism has provoked partially successful calls for reform both within and outside the kingdom. Sharia depends on mobocracy led by mullahs afraid of losing their power. The same Saudi Arabia, by piping in millions of petrodollars into India, aims to spread its religiously claustrophobic version of Islam, Wahhabism. This has led to a profusion of loudspeaker mosques and maulvis, spreading their dark message of intolerance. Islam in the country is under attackboth from within and outside. Its intellectually and socially syncretic image, mapped by its Sufi past, is being endangered. The Indian government is leading the modernisation drive in Islam, to ban triple talaq as unconstitutional and a despicable law promoting polygamy, violating the rights of women. This dovetails with the administrations modernistic policy of sponsoring digital equality in spite of panchayats imposing `20,000 fines on girls using mobile phones. However, the random acts of mobocracy, led by self-appointed cowboys and defenders of the virtue of women, are sullying this progressive perception. Mobocracy is the enemy of democracy since it seeks to promote violence through moral panic. Mob justice does not require proof, only hearsay and hysteria. Historically it transcends religion. The bloodshed of the French Revolution was inspired by mob rule. In 1572, Catholic mobs massacred 60,000 Huguenots on St. Bartholomews Day. Witch-hunters murdered thousands in the Salem Witch Trials. The Ku Klux Klan lynched Negroes. The bloodlust of Roman mobs in gladiatorial arenas exposed the contradiction between ancient Rome as the birthplace of justice and mobocracy. Greek historian Polybius coined the word ochlocracy (mob rule) to typify the pathological version of popular rule viz democracy. While democracy requires the energy of leaders to succeed, ochlocracy needs just a few agent provocateurs with agendas to whip up mass hysteriatoday all they require is the word Hindu in obscure organisations to be seen as leaders of the future. The 1984 Sikh riots were engineered by local goons at the behest of the Congress. Now butchers are assaulted and killed based on filamental rumours of cow-slaughter. Legitimate traders transporting cattle, both Hindus and Muslims, have been beaten within an inch of their lives. Mobs have murdered men on the suspicion of encouraging interfaith couples to elope. These actions do not represent the will of the government, but end up staining its image as a regime whose stringent warnings are ignored by criminals with political aspirations. The media is trapped between news and conviction, forced to report on sword-holding thugs mocking the law of the land, giving them publicity. Rioters on TV warn of assaults in the name of gau raksha. In the age of globalisation, mob rule has to be punished severely by banishing it to where it rightfully belongsthe Dark Ages. Image matters. Saudi Arabia has enough petrodollars to stay the darling of capitalism, but its medievally regressive reputation is a public relations disaster. Women are jailed for driving; pro-democracy bloggers are jailed; criminals are executed publicly, and women stoned and whipped for adultery even without real evidence. Such barbarism has provoked partially successful calls for reform both within and outside the kingdom. Sharia depends on mobocracy led by mullahs afraid of losing their power. The same Saudi Arabia, by piping in millions of petrodollars into India, aims to spread its religiously claustrophobic version of Islam, Wahhabism. This has led to a profusion of loudspeaker mosques and maulvis, spreading their dark message of intolerance. Islam in the country is under attackboth from within and outside. Its intellectually and socially syncretic image, mapped by its Sufi past, is being endangered. The Indian government is leading the modernisation drive in Islam, to ban triple talaq as unconstitutional and a despicable law promoting polygamy, violating the rights of women. This dovetails with the administrations modernistic policy of sponsoring digital equality in spite of panchayats imposing `20,000 fines on girls using mobile phones. However, the random acts of mobocracy, led by self-appointed cowboys and defenders of the virtue of women, are sullying this progressive perception. Mobocracy is the enemy of democracy since it seeks to promote violence through moral panic. Mob justice does not require proof, only hearsay and hysteria. Historically it transcends religion. The bloodshed of the French Revolution was inspired by mob rule. In 1572, Catholic mobs massacred 60,000 Huguenots on St. Bartholomews Day. Witch-hunters murdered thousands in the Salem Witch Trials. The Ku Klux Klan lynched Negroes. The bloodlust of Roman mobs in gladiatorial arenas exposed the contradiction between ancient Rome as the birthplace of justice and mobocracy. Greek historian Polybius coined the word ochlocracy (mob rule) to typify the pathological version of popular rule viz democracy. While democracy requires the energy of leaders to succeed, ochlocracy needs just a few agent provocateurs with agendas to whip up mass hysteriatoday all they require is the word Hindu in obscure organisations to be seen as leaders of the future. The 1984 Sikh riots were engineered by local goons at the behest of the Congress. Now butchers are assaulted and killed based on filamental rumours of cow-slaughter. Legitimate traders transporting cattle, both Hindus and Muslims, have been beaten within an inch of their lives. Mobs have murdered men on the suspicion of encouraging interfaith couples to elope. These actions do not represent the will of the government, but end up staining its image as a regime whose stringent warnings are ignored by criminals with political aspirations. The media is trapped between news and conviction, forced to report on sword-holding thugs mocking the law of the land, giving them publicity. Rioters on TV warn of assaults in the name of gau raksha. In the age of globalisation, mob rule has to be punished severely by banishing it to where it rightfully belongsthe Dark Ages. T J S George By Are we witnessing the final fade-out of communisms run in India? West Bengal was a Left citadel that seemed impregnable for three long decades. Rather suddenly it crumbled and repeated attempts to put it together again have failed. Kerala then became the Marxists only viable address. The electoral victory they gained in the state last year was impressive and the chief ministers chair was filled by the Indian Lefts legendary Strong Man, Pinarayi Vijayan. From day one, however, and for reasons no one can understand, Pinarayi became a standing monument to foolishness. False step after false step led to humiliation after humiliation for himself and for his Government. By last week, in the wake of heavy lashings by the Supreme Court, Pinarayi looked not just a comic figure but also a dangerous one out of tune with all others including his own party leaders. There is a pattern in his conduct: He always takes a position against public opinion. Is it ego, arrogance or the Strong Man showing that he can do what he pleases? When students began an agitation against malpractices in a family-run law college, the Chief Minister supported the erring family. The students gained widespread public sympathy and eventually won their demands, but Pinarayi continued to be on the side of the wrongdoers. More unpopular was his backing of a private college management against which students rose in revolt following the suicide of one of them. The management was accused of torturing him and others who questioned practices like extracting money under various pretexts. When the dead boys protesting mother was manhandled by the police, people across the state were outraged by the Governments insensitiveness. The familys demands were finally conceded, but only on paper, while the Chief Minister went on making disparaging remarks about the grieving mother and her relatives. The loss of public goodwill for the Government was massive. On other fronts, too, the public was either puzzled or offended. In an unprecedented move, the Chief Minister started surrounding himself with special advisorslegal advisor, media advisor, economic advisor (from Harvard University), police advisor; two of his ministers were obliged to resign in unhappy circumstances; Kannur politics (from his region of the state) saw 18 political murders in one year attributed to the CPM and BJP; he was seen generally against the popular drive to remove encroachments in the hills of Munnar, criticising the officials carrying out orders. It was his handling of the police that exposed a confused, inefficient and self-obsessed Pinarayi (who is Home Minister as well). He began his term by removing the police chief, Senkumar. Improving police efficiency was not the intention, for major cases of incompetence followed. A film actress was kidnapped and assaulted and even before investigation could begin, the Chief Minister said it was not a conspiracy. On World Womens Day, Shiv Senas moral police attacked couples, and policemen stood around watching. A woman student died in mysterious circumstances and so did two school girls within two months of each other; police investigations became a farce. And Senkumar went to court. The way Pinarayi handled the matter became a classic case of moronism. The Supreme Court ordered the Government to take Senkumar back as chief of police. A sensible government would have quietly done so and minimised the damage to its prestige. But Pinarayi, with all those advisors around him, delayed Senkumars reinstatement for a week, then filed a new petition asking for clarity in the courts order. The court dismissed the petition, disregarded the Government lawyers apology, imposed a fine of `25,000 towards costs, remarked that it was now convinced that the removal of Senkumar in the first place was done with malafide intentions, and issued notice on a contempt of court petition against the states chief secretary. Shamed as no government had been shamed before, the Pinarayi machine still didnt see the light. Just before Senkumar was reinstated, a hundred police officers were hastily reshuffled in the state, evidently to keep a watch on the new chief. A chief minister so scared of his own police chief? Additionally, he stood before the state assembly and made amazing claims: the Government had not been fined by the court, there was no apology by the Government, we only followed procedures, the Government did nothing wrong.... If this is how Pinarayi Vijayan goes on, the CPM may be off Indias power map for good. People can take the foolishness of fools, but not the foolishness of egoists. Are we witnessing the final fade-out of communisms run in India? West Bengal was a Left citadel that seemed impregnable for three long decades. Rather suddenly it crumbled and repeated attempts to put it together again have failed. Kerala then became the Marxists only viable address. The electoral victory they gained in the state last year was impressive and the chief ministers chair was filled by the Indian Lefts legendary Strong Man, Pinarayi Vijayan. From day one, however, and for reasons no one can understand, Pinarayi became a standing monument to foolishness. False step after false step led to humiliation after humiliation for himself and for his Government. By last week, in the wake of heavy lashings by the Supreme Court, Pinarayi looked not just a comic figure but also a dangerous one out of tune with all others including his own party leaders. There is a pattern in his conduct: He always takes a position against public opinion. Is it ego, arrogance or the Strong Man showing that he can do what he pleases? When students began an agitation against malpractices in a family-run law college, the Chief Minister supported the erring family. The students gained widespread public sympathy and eventually won their demands, but Pinarayi continued to be on the side of the wrongdoers. More unpopular was his backing of a private college management against which students rose in revolt following the suicide of one of them. The management was accused of torturing him and others who questioned practices like extracting money under various pretexts. When the dead boys protesting mother was manhandled by the police, people across the state were outraged by the Governments insensitiveness. The familys demands were finally conceded, but only on paper, while the Chief Minister went on making disparaging remarks about the grieving mother and her relatives. The loss of public goodwill for the Government was massive. On other fronts, too, the public was either puzzled or offended. In an unprecedented move, the Chief Minister started surrounding himself with special advisorslegal advisor, media advisor, economic advisor (from Harvard University), police advisor; two of his ministers were obliged to resign in unhappy circumstances; Kannur politics (from his region of the state) saw 18 political murders in one year attributed to the CPM and BJP; he was seen generally against the popular drive to remove encroachments in the hills of Munnar, criticising the officials carrying out orders. It was his handling of the police that exposed a confused, inefficient and self-obsessed Pinarayi (who is Home Minister as well). He began his term by removing the police chief, Senkumar. Improving police efficiency was not the intention, for major cases of incompetence followed. A film actress was kidnapped and assaulted and even before investigation could begin, the Chief Minister said it was not a conspiracy. On World Womens Day, Shiv Senas moral police attacked couples, and policemen stood around watching. A woman student died in mysterious circumstances and so did two school girls within two months of each other; police investigations became a farce. And Senkumar went to court. The way Pinarayi handled the matter became a classic case of moronism. The Supreme Court ordered the Government to take Senkumar back as chief of police. A sensible government would have quietly done so and minimised the damage to its prestige. But Pinarayi, with all those advisors around him, delayed Senkumars reinstatement for a week, then filed a new petition asking for clarity in the courts order. The court dismissed the petition, disregarded the Government lawyers apology, imposed a fine of `25,000 towards costs, remarked that it was now convinced that the removal of Senkumar in the first place was done with malafide intentions, and issued notice on a contempt of court petition against the states chief secretary. Shamed as no government had been shamed before, the Pinarayi machine still didnt see the light. Just before Senkumar was reinstated, a hundred police officers were hastily reshuffled in the state, evidently to keep a watch on the new chief. A chief minister so scared of his own police chief? Additionally, he stood before the state assembly and made amazing claims: the Government had not been fined by the court, there was no apology by the Government, we only followed procedures, the Government did nothing wrong.... If this is how Pinarayi Vijayan goes on, the CPM may be off Indias power map for good. People can take the foolishness of fools, but not the foolishness of egoists. Prabhu Chawla By Something is rotten in the state of the Opposition. The stench of failure pervades its decaying leadership, which is powerless to resist the Surge of Saffron at a time when India needs credible and saleable alternatives. Desperation leads to deliberation; conflicts of ideologies or alternatives among anti-Modi forces have been packed away with the hope that a joint presidential candidate will emerge from the parleys precluding partisanship. As their satraps crisscross the country searching for the elusive grail of unity, skeletons of graft and nepotism are tumbling out of their cupboards with unending regularity. There is hardly a non-BJP leader not plagued by scams and revolts. Opposition parties are unable to keep their flock together, their rank and file falling prey to the allurements of the ruling establishment. They are unsuccessful in halting the Modi juggernaut in their states. Moreover, India is yet to become a nursery of newbies, where emergent leaders like Emmanuel Macron, Marine Le Pen and Theresa May are incubated to replace the existing leadership and shake up the system. Like the lotus eaters, the Oppositions deluded dream of becoming roadblocks in Prime Minister Narendra Modis pursuit of a second term in 2019 is in limbo. Arvind Kejriwal was considered Mr Clean and Able until former ministers accused him of financial irregularities and nepotism in government contracts. Over half a dozen AAP legislators are facing corruption charges and criminal cases; others are being investigated by agencies. A colleague accused the chief minister himself of accepting cash for favours (denied later). The party itself is being probed for fudging accounts. Kejriwal is facing large-scale desertionseven leaders once considered his close allies are bidding adieu in a hurry, holding him responsible for the drift. Kejriwal is no more seen as a leader with an alternative agenda for governance based on transparency and democratic functioning. The leader, who created history in Delhi by winning 67 of 70 seats, acquired opposition party status in Parliament by trouncing the SAD-BJP power alliance in Punjab and came second in municipal elections, has been reduced to a political pariah. Until recently Kejriwal was being romanced by most non-BJP CMs; West Bengals Mamata Banerjee and Bihars Nitish Kumar wouldnt miss an opportunity to visit him when they were in Delhi. The demagogue, who once drew massive crowds wherever he went, is losing the g in his gloss. Mamata Banerjee, the Tigress of West Bengal, is being eroded within. Over a dozen TMC ministers and MPs are either in jail or under investigation. Hardly a day passes without the CBI, Enforcement Directorate or Income Tax come knocking on the door of party leaders or office-bearers. BJP boss Amit Shahs next target is West Bengal; he has vowed the saffron flag will flutter atop Writers Building. Though dissent is not visible in the TMC yet, Mamatas cadres doubt her ability for a hat-trick. The Bengali middle class, which catalyses her victory and acceptability, is disenchanted over her administrative skills or leadership quality. Mamatas grip over the minorities and weaker sections in the state is intact but she has been forced into assuming a strident pro-minority stance, which works in the BJPs favour. Her major concern appears to be her failure to attract disenchanted leaders from other parties or add new cadres to her stagnant stock. Lalu Yadav sprang a surprise in 2015 by not only winning the largest number of seats in the Bihar Assembly polls but also by inflicting the first electoral bruise on the invincible Modi-Shah duo. Since he was legally banned from joining the government, he got two of his sons important positions in the Nitish Kumar government. Now, the media expose about his familys questionable land dealings in Bihar and Delhi have dented his manoeuvrability in influencing the political agenda both at the state and central level. So far, he has contained any revolt in his Rashtriya Janata Dal but the BJP is exploiting the negative fallout of the scandal, hell bent on breaking the JD(U)-RJD alliance and repeating its 2019 Lok Sabha sweep. Mayawati and Akhilesh Yadav, who ruled Uttar Pradesh for over a decade, face massive revolts both from party leaders and family members. Theoretically, by combining with the Congress, they can prevent the BJP from winning half the 73 Lok Sabha seats it bagged in 2014. In the May Assembly elections, their combined vote share was much higher than the BJP, which won a record 326 seats. Mayawati, reeling under corruption charges, is helpless to prevent many leaders who helped her win in 2007 from leaving. Meanwhile, Akhilesh is under constant threat from father Mulayam Singh and uncle Shiv Pal. Naveen Patnaik, the unstoppable Odisha Chief Minister, is under tremendous pressure from within after the BJDs unsatisfactory performance in local body elections. Many former followers have been speaking against him. Some of his MPs and MLAs are under investigation for economic offences. Naveen had created a state record in 2014 by capturing 20 of 21 Lok Sabha seats despite Modis nationwide popularity. Jayalalithaas death has weakened AIADMK so much that its survival depends more on the magnanimity of Modi Sarkar and less on its current leadership. Many of its leaders are involved in criminal cases. The Communists who rule Kerala and Tripura are not positioned to lead the Opposition either; ideological contradictions make them unacceptable to regional rulers. The BJP cannot take the entire credit for the combined anti-Modi conglomeration being leaderless and directionless. Modi baiters have to own up to the responsibility for their failure to serve as constructive checks on the Centre. The ruling party will use every trick in the trade to dismantle and discredit its opponents. But it is the responsibility of the Opposition to anticipate and tackle turbulent air pockets well in advance. The BJP has broken their opponents with both carrots and sticks. In response, its foes have failed to keep their flag flying with credible criticism of the government. While Modi coins and creates seductive slogans and scenarios on a daily basis, his opponents cannot generate equally compelling narratives. Rushing around like headless chickens, Opposition leaders expect Modi to slip, toppled by the excessive weight of promises. In democracy, power flows from ballot boxes. But Modi baiters are hardly prepared for the battle of ballots. Prabhu Chawla prabhuchawla@ newindianexpress.com Follow him on Twitter @PrabhuChawla Something is rotten in the state of the Opposition. The stench of failure pervades its decaying leadership, which is powerless to resist the Surge of Saffron at a time when India needs credible and saleable alternatives. Desperation leads to deliberation; conflicts of ideologies or alternatives among anti-Modi forces have been packed away with the hope that a joint presidential candidate will emerge from the parleys precluding partisanship. As their satraps crisscross the country searching for the elusive grail of unity, skeletons of graft and nepotism are tumbling out of their cupboards with unending regularity. There is hardly a non-BJP leader not plagued by scams and revolts. Opposition parties are unable to keep their flock together, their rank and file falling prey to the allurements of the ruling establishment. They are unsuccessful in halting the Modi juggernaut in their states. Moreover, India is yet to become a nursery of newbies, where emergent leaders like Emmanuel Macron, Marine Le Pen and Theresa May are incubated to replace the existing leadership and shake up the system. Like the lotus eaters, the Oppositions deluded dream of becoming roadblocks in Prime Minister Narendra Modis pursuit of a second term in 2019 is in limbo. Arvind Kejriwal was considered Mr Clean and Able until former ministers accused him of financial irregularities and nepotism in government contracts. Over half a dozen AAP legislators are facing corruption charges and criminal cases; others are being investigated by agencies. A colleague accused the chief minister himself of accepting cash for favours (denied later). The party itself is being probed for fudging accounts. Kejriwal is facing large-scale desertionseven leaders once considered his close allies are bidding adieu in a hurry, holding him responsible for the drift. Kejriwal is no more seen as a leader with an alternative agenda for governance based on transparency and democratic functioning. The leader, who created history in Delhi by winning 67 of 70 seats, acquired opposition party status in Parliament by trouncing the SAD-BJP power alliance in Punjab and came second in municipal elections, has been reduced to a political pariah. Until recently Kejriwal was being romanced by most non-BJP CMs; West Bengals Mamata Banerjee and Bihars Nitish Kumar wouldnt miss an opportunity to visit him when they were in Delhi. The demagogue, who once drew massive crowds wherever he went, is losing the g in his gloss. Mamata Banerjee, the Tigress of West Bengal, is being eroded within. Over a dozen TMC ministers and MPs are either in jail or under investigation. Hardly a day passes without the CBI, Enforcement Directorate or Income Tax come knocking on the door of party leaders or office-bearers. BJP boss Amit Shahs next target is West Bengal; he has vowed the saffron flag will flutter atop Writers Building. Though dissent is not visible in the TMC yet, Mamatas cadres doubt her ability for a hat-trick. The Bengali middle class, which catalyses her victory and acceptability, is disenchanted over her administrative skills or leadership quality. Mamatas grip over the minorities and weaker sections in the state is intact but she has been forced into assuming a strident pro-minority stance, which works in the BJPs favour. Her major concern appears to be her failure to attract disenchanted leaders from other parties or add new cadres to her stagnant stock. Lalu Yadav sprang a surprise in 2015 by not only winning the largest number of seats in the Bihar Assembly polls but also by inflicting the first electoral bruise on the invincible Modi-Shah duo. Since he was legally banned from joining the government, he got two of his sons important positions in the Nitish Kumar government. Now, the media expose about his familys questionable land dealings in Bihar and Delhi have dented his manoeuvrability in influencing the political agenda both at the state and central level. So far, he has contained any revolt in his Rashtriya Janata Dal but the BJP is exploiting the negative fallout of the scandal, hell bent on breaking the JD(U)-RJD alliance and repeating its 2019 Lok Sabha sweep. Mayawati and Akhilesh Yadav, who ruled Uttar Pradesh for over a decade, face massive revolts both from party leaders and family members. Theoretically, by combining with the Congress, they can prevent the BJP from winning half the 73 Lok Sabha seats it bagged in 2014. In the May Assembly elections, their combined vote share was much higher than the BJP, which won a record 326 seats. Mayawati, reeling under corruption charges, is helpless to prevent many leaders who helped her win in 2007 from leaving. Meanwhile, Akhilesh is under constant threat from father Mulayam Singh and uncle Shiv Pal. Naveen Patnaik, the unstoppable Odisha Chief Minister, is under tremendous pressure from within after the BJDs unsatisfactory performance in local body elections. Many former followers have been speaking against him. Some of his MPs and MLAs are under investigation for economic offences. Naveen had created a state record in 2014 by capturing 20 of 21 Lok Sabha seats despite Modis nationwide popularity. Jayalalithaas death has weakened AIADMK so much that its survival depends more on the magnanimity of Modi Sarkar and less on its current leadership. Many of its leaders are involved in criminal cases. The Communists who rule Kerala and Tripura are not positioned to lead the Opposition either; ideological contradictions make them unacceptable to regional rulers. The BJP cannot take the entire credit for the combined anti-Modi conglomeration being leaderless and directionless. Modi baiters have to own up to the responsibility for their failure to serve as constructive checks on the Centre. The ruling party will use every trick in the trade to dismantle and discredit its opponents. But it is the responsibility of the Opposition to anticipate and tackle turbulent air pockets well in advance. The BJP has broken their opponents with both carrots and sticks. In response, its foes have failed to keep their flag flying with credible criticism of the government. While Modi coins and creates seductive slogans and scenarios on a daily basis, his opponents cannot generate equally compelling narratives. Rushing around like headless chickens, Opposition leaders expect Modi to slip, toppled by the excessive weight of promises. In democracy, power flows from ballot boxes. But Modi baiters are hardly prepared for the battle of ballots. Prabhu Chawla prabhuchawla@ newindianexpress.com Follow him on Twitter @PrabhuChawla R Prithvi Raj By Express News Service What is tormenting the Telugu Desam Party is why did Prime Minister Narendra Modi give audience to Opposition leader YS Jagan Mohan Reddy the other day. At a time when they wanted to see the YSRC chief behind bars, the tete-a-tete between the two leaders has come as a disquieting development for them. Their anxiety is understandable since they are part of the NDA and Jagan Mohan Reddy is their enemy, not just a political rival. For the TDP, its foe should be the foe of all the partners of the NDA, and it is fair enough, but while slamming Jagan Mohan Reddy they had overdone it, making one wonder if they had sensed any change in the political kaleidoscope in the future in the footsie that Modi played with Jagan Mohan Reddy. The YSRC chiefs announcement of his unconditional support to the NDA in the ensuing presidential poll immediately after his meeting with Modi, has set off speculation that it might be signalling the emergence of new relationship and whether Modi is going to switch friends. Maybe it could be his way of keeping the TDP under check. For the last two and half years, the TDP leaders were unhappy over the way the CBI was dragging its feet in pursuing cases that had been registered against Jagan Mohan Reddy and they, in hushed voices, wonder why the BJP is not serious about it. Taunting the TDP, the YSRC leaders kept claiming that Jagan Mohan Reddy during the exclusive meeting had handed over documentary evidence to the Prime Minister on TDP regimes corruption. Though it was a day of mourning for the TDP leaders since Municipal Administration Minister P Narayanas son died in a road accident in Hyderabad earlier in the day, ministers Devineni Umamaheswara Rao and K Atchannaidu, launched a vituperative attack on Jagan Mohan Reddy. They pounced on him saying that he went to Delhi to touch Modis feet only to wriggle himself out of the cases of corruption in which he had been stuck. Without realising that the BJP might take offence, they went on to say Modi should not have given appointment to the YSRC chief. BJP AP affairs in-charge Siddharth Nath Singh who was in Vijayawada, wondered what was wrong if the Prime Minister met Jagan Mohan Reddy since he is an Opposition leader in the State. As regards cases, he said it was courts which deal with them and not the Prime Minister. A section of the State BJP leaders, not very happy with the big brother attitude of the TDP, decided that it was time for them to pay back. They went after the TDP leaders since very recently BJP chief Amit Shah reportedly told a delegation of the party from the State that they should assert themselves in Andhra Pradesh rather than approaching him with complaints that the TDP was ignoring them since a party in power always tends to act that way only. BJP floor leader in the Assembly P Vishnukumar Raju said just because the TDP is a partner in the NDA, it does not mean that the Prime Minister should consult it before meeting the Opposition leader. Jagan Mohan Reddy had secured only six lakh votes less than the TDP in the last elections which accounts for just 2 per cent, he said. He tried to take the wind out of sails of the TDP that Atchannaidu himself said in the Assembly in the past that he had no evidence to prove that Jagan Mohan Reddy had amassed wealth through dubious methods and therefore the argument that Modi met a man with a criminal background does not hold water. It is a very immature line of thinking, Raju said. The YSRC, washing the dirty linen in the public, questioned as to why the TDP leaders sat bolt upright when Jagan Mohan Reddy met the Prime Minister. I dont understand why the TDP instead of welcoming the meeting since the YSRC chief pledged his support in the presidential election to the NDA, was questioning the wisdom of the Prime Minister in granting interview to him, YSRC MLA RK Roja said. When the BJP leaders began expressing their annoyance at the TDP showing displeasure over Modi giving audience to Jagan Mohan Reddy, the TDP leaders piped down a bit. As Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu was returning home from the US tour, they apparently decided to leave it to the party chief to sort it out with the BJP national leadership rather than making hasty statements and hurting the feelings of the BJP leaders further. It is likely that Naidu might take the right approach to nip the friendship between Modi and Jagan Mohan Reddy in the budding stage itself. R Prithvi Raj Assistant Resident Editor, Vijayawada raj@newIndianexpress.com What is tormenting the Telugu Desam Party is why did Prime Minister Narendra Modi give audience to Opposition leader YS Jagan Mohan Reddy the other day. At a time when they wanted to see the YSRC chief behind bars, the tete-a-tete between the two leaders has come as a disquieting development for them. Their anxiety is understandable since they are part of the NDA and Jagan Mohan Reddy is their enemy, not just a political rival. For the TDP, its foe should be the foe of all the partners of the NDA, and it is fair enough, but while slamming Jagan Mohan Reddy they had overdone it, making one wonder if they had sensed any change in the political kaleidoscope in the future in the footsie that Modi played with Jagan Mohan Reddy. The YSRC chiefs announcement of his unconditional support to the NDA in the ensuing presidential poll immediately after his meeting with Modi, has set off speculation that it might be signalling the emergence of new relationship and whether Modi is going to switch friends. Maybe it could be his way of keeping the TDP under check. For the last two and half years, the TDP leaders were unhappy over the way the CBI was dragging its feet in pursuing cases that had been registered against Jagan Mohan Reddy and they, in hushed voices, wonder why the BJP is not serious about it. Taunting the TDP, the YSRC leaders kept claiming that Jagan Mohan Reddy during the exclusive meeting had handed over documentary evidence to the Prime Minister on TDP regimes corruption. Though it was a day of mourning for the TDP leaders since Municipal Administration Minister P Narayanas son died in a road accident in Hyderabad earlier in the day, ministers Devineni Umamaheswara Rao and K Atchannaidu, launched a vituperative attack on Jagan Mohan Reddy. They pounced on him saying that he went to Delhi to touch Modis feet only to wriggle himself out of the cases of corruption in which he had been stuck. Without realising that the BJP might take offence, they went on to say Modi should not have given appointment to the YSRC chief. BJP AP affairs in-charge Siddharth Nath Singh who was in Vijayawada, wondered what was wrong if the Prime Minister met Jagan Mohan Reddy since he is an Opposition leader in the State. As regards cases, he said it was courts which deal with them and not the Prime Minister. A section of the State BJP leaders, not very happy with the big brother attitude of the TDP, decided that it was time for them to pay back. They went after the TDP leaders since very recently BJP chief Amit Shah reportedly told a delegation of the party from the State that they should assert themselves in Andhra Pradesh rather than approaching him with complaints that the TDP was ignoring them since a party in power always tends to act that way only. BJP floor leader in the Assembly P Vishnukumar Raju said just because the TDP is a partner in the NDA, it does not mean that the Prime Minister should consult it before meeting the Opposition leader. Jagan Mohan Reddy had secured only six lakh votes less than the TDP in the last elections which accounts for just 2 per cent, he said. He tried to take the wind out of sails of the TDP that Atchannaidu himself said in the Assembly in the past that he had no evidence to prove that Jagan Mohan Reddy had amassed wealth through dubious methods and therefore the argument that Modi met a man with a criminal background does not hold water. It is a very immature line of thinking, Raju said. The YSRC, washing the dirty linen in the public, questioned as to why the TDP leaders sat bolt upright when Jagan Mohan Reddy met the Prime Minister. I dont understand why the TDP instead of welcoming the meeting since the YSRC chief pledged his support in the presidential election to the NDA, was questioning the wisdom of the Prime Minister in granting interview to him, YSRC MLA RK Roja said. When the BJP leaders began expressing their annoyance at the TDP showing displeasure over Modi giving audience to Jagan Mohan Reddy, the TDP leaders piped down a bit. As Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu was returning home from the US tour, they apparently decided to leave it to the party chief to sort it out with the BJP national leadership rather than making hasty statements and hurting the feelings of the BJP leaders further. It is likely that Naidu might take the right approach to nip the friendship between Modi and Jagan Mohan Reddy in the budding stage itself. R Prithvi Raj Assistant Resident Editor, Vijayawada raj@newIndianexpress.com By Express News Service CHENNAI: More research is needed to define Chronic Kidney Disease of Unknown Origin (CKDu), an emerging public health problem, besides identifying various causes that can lead to it, experts have said. Little information is available about the disease, currently prevalent in pockets of Sri Lanka and Andhra Pradesh. Usually, this disease leads to kidney failure. The symptoms are anaemia, lack of appetite, vomiting and less urine output, doctors say. At a meeting organised jointly by TANKER foundation and Madras Medical Mission Hospital on Saturday, over 25 nephrologists and pathologists gathered to deliberate the issue. According to Georgi Abraham, founder trustee of TANKER and consultant nephrologist in MMM, CKDu mainly affects people belonging to lower social economic status. They have no risk factors such as diabetes or hypertension, he said. In India, districts of Srikakulam and Prakasam in Andhra Pradesh are significantly affected by the disease. Nearly 13 per cent of the population in Prakasam district have different stages of CKDu. Clusters have also been identified in Goa and Odisha, experts say. Although no definite cause has been yet identified, it is suspected that ground water with high silica content could lead to the disease. Latha Kumaraswami, managing trustee, TANKER, called for the support of governments and private organisations in this regard. CHENNAI: More research is needed to define Chronic Kidney Disease of Unknown Origin (CKDu), an emerging public health problem, besides identifying various causes that can lead to it, experts have said. Little information is available about the disease, currently prevalent in pockets of Sri Lanka and Andhra Pradesh. Usually, this disease leads to kidney failure. The symptoms are anaemia, lack of appetite, vomiting and less urine output, doctors say. At a meeting organised jointly by TANKER foundation and Madras Medical Mission Hospital on Saturday, over 25 nephrologists and pathologists gathered to deliberate the issue. According to Georgi Abraham, founder trustee of TANKER and consultant nephrologist in MMM, CKDu mainly affects people belonging to lower social economic status. They have no risk factors such as diabetes or hypertension, he said. In India, districts of Srikakulam and Prakasam in Andhra Pradesh are significantly affected by the disease. Nearly 13 per cent of the population in Prakasam district have different stages of CKDu. Clusters have also been identified in Goa and Odisha, experts say. Although no definite cause has been yet identified, it is suspected that ground water with high silica content could lead to the disease. Latha Kumaraswami, managing trustee, TANKER, called for the support of governments and private organisations in this regard. Ejaz Kaiser By RAIPUR: To augment the anti-Maoist campaign in the state, the Chhattisgarh DGP has instructed all ADGs and IGs posted in the state police headquarter to carry out field works at regular intervals in all strive-torn districts. ADG RK Vij DGP A N Upadhyay has issued orders to top officers to spend time in the eight worst Maoist-affected districtsseven in conflict zone of Bastar and one Rajnandgaon. The eight senior IPS officers (four ADGs and four IGs) who are in-charge of various departments in the PHQ will now interact with the security personnel deployed in Maoist-affected districts, discuss strategies, resolve issues, motivate and raise the morale of the troopers, share experiences and gather feedback. They will also drop in at base camps of the forces. Most senior IPS officers have earlier worked in such difficult terrain. The visits will also add impetus to the ongoing anti-Naxal plan (of action), ADG R K Vij said. Chief Minister Raman Singh had said that a single incident (Sukma attack) doesnt mean a setback. We have not moved back but are going ahead to eliminate the Maoist problem in Bastar zone as we did in Sarguja, north Chhattisgarh, he said. Sources said that the Home Ministry has also approved the movement of security forces for aggressive and bigger strikes against Maoists. The Opposition Congress, however, blamed the government for the recent spate of attacks and said the state hasnt learnt from the previous mistakes. RAIPUR: To augment the anti-Maoist campaign in the state, the Chhattisgarh DGP has instructed all ADGs and IGs posted in the state police headquarter to carry out field works at regular intervals in all strive-torn districts. ADG RK VijDGP A N Upadhyay has issued orders to top officers to spend time in the eight worst Maoist-affected districtsseven in conflict zone of Bastar and one Rajnandgaon. The eight senior IPS officers (four ADGs and four IGs) who are in-charge of various departments in the PHQ will now interact with the security personnel deployed in Maoist-affected districts, discuss strategies, resolve issues, motivate and raise the morale of the troopers, share experiences and gather feedback. They will also drop in at base camps of the forces. Most senior IPS officers have earlier worked in such difficult terrain. The visits will also add impetus to the ongoing anti-Naxal plan (of action), ADG R K Vij said. Chief Minister Raman Singh had said that a single incident (Sukma attack) doesnt mean a setback. We have not moved back but are going ahead to eliminate the Maoist problem in Bastar zone as we did in Sarguja, north Chhattisgarh, he said. Sources said that the Home Ministry has also approved the movement of security forces for aggressive and bigger strikes against Maoists. The Opposition Congress, however, blamed the government for the recent spate of attacks and said the state hasnt learnt from the previous mistakes. By PTI NEW DELHI: The International Court of Justice (ICJ) was last a battleground for India and Pakistan nearly 18 years ago when Islamabad sought its intervention over the shooting down of its naval aircraft. Tomorrow, the ICJ, which is the U.N.'s principal judicial organ, is holding a public hearing at the Great Hall of Justice housed in the Peace Palace at The Hague in Netherlands where the two countries will be asked to present their case over the contentious Jadhav issue. India on May 8 moved a petition before the U.N. body to seek justice for Kulbhushan Jadhav, 46, alleging violation of the Vienna Convention on Consular Relations by Pakistan after its 16 requests for consular access to the former naval officer was consistently denied. A Pakistani military court awarded death sentence to Jadhav last month for alleged espionage and subversive activities. Pakistan has also not responded to the request for visas applied by Jadhav's family. Jadhav was arrested on March 3 last year. The previous case related to shooting down of Pakistan's maritime reconnaissance aircraft Atlantique by the Indian Air Force(IAF) in the Kutch region on August 10, 1999, killing all 16 naval personnel on board. Pakistan claimed the plane was brought down in its air space and sought 60 million USD in damages from India for the incident. A 16-judge bench of the court on June 21, 2000 voted 14-2 to dismiss Pakistan's claim. The decision was announced by bench president Gilbert Guillaume of France at a public sitting. The verdict was final and there was no appeal. The ICJ found that it has no jurisdiction to entertain the application filed by Pakistan on September 21, 1999. Public hearings in the case titled 'Aerial incident of August 10, 1999 (Pakistan vs India)' lasted four days ending April 6, 2000. Arguments centred on the court's jurisdiction in the case which had to be determined before its merits could be considered by the 16 judges. The Atlantique case was ousted by the ICJ on the issue of jurisdiction and not on merits. Both parties had agreed that the question of jurisdiction would be decided first and only then would the issue of merits be taken up. Guillaume said the court would first have to decide whether it had the jurisdiction to go into the case as contended by New Delhi after the Indian delegation led by the then Attorney General Soli Sorabjee, raised preliminary objections to its jurisdiction. Pakistan opened the first round of oral arguments, India replying them, and then Pakistan following with its second round, with India making its response thereto. India argued that the court did not have jurisdiction in the matter, citing an exemption it had filed way back in 1974 to exclude disputes between India and other Commonwealth states, and disputes covered by multilateral treaties. Sorabjee told the court that Pakistan was "solely responsible" for the incident and Islamabad must "bear the consequences of its own acts." Pakistan's Attorney General Aziz Munshi had sought a speedy resolution, saying its application had to be concluded quickly so that it did not remain an irritant in Indo-Pak relations. Pakistan had also sought to politicise the case by referring to the Kashmir issue, the Kargil conflict, Indo-Pak relations and alleged motives for the shooting. Pakistan wanted the court to intervene while India was opposed to its assumption of jurisdiction on the basis of Islamabad's application. It urged the court to "dismiss the objections raised by India and accept its jurisdiction." India maintained that none of Pakistan's arguments is 'sound' and does not provide a basis for invoking the court's jurisdiction. Sorabjee expressed happiness with the court's verdict. "We are very happy. The court has accepted all our contentions," he had said. Former supreme court judge B P Jeevan Reddy and Pakistan's former Attorney General Syed Sharifuddin Pirzada were co-opted into the bench as ad-hoc judges. As per ICJ rules, when it does not include a judge possessing the nationality of the state party to a case, the state may appoint a person to sit as a judge ad-hoc for the purpose of the case. The court also recalled that its lack of jurisdiction does not relieve States of their obligation to settle their disputes by peaceful means. The choice of those means admittedly rests with the parties under Article 33 of the UN Charter, it said, adding, they are nonetheless under an obligation to seek such a settlement, and to do so in good faith in accordance with the Charter. As regards India and Pakistan, that obligation was restated more particularly in the Simla Accord of July 2, 1972. Moreover, the Lahore Declaration of 21 February, 1999 reiterated "the determination of both countries to implementing the Simla Agreement," it said. Accordingly, the court reminded the parties of their obligation to settle their disputes by peaceful means, and in particular the dispute arising out of the Atlantique incident in conformity with the obligations which they have undertaken. India's External Affairs Ministry while hailing the verdict especially welcomed the court's positive observations on the principles enunciated in the Simla agreement and Lahore Declaration as the basis for an Indo-Pak rapprochement. Through its comments, the court has vindicated India's stand on these landmark agreements that are the very cornerstone of India-Pakistan relations, a ministry spokesman had said. NEW DELHI: The International Court of Justice (ICJ) was last a battleground for India and Pakistan nearly 18 years ago when Islamabad sought its intervention over the shooting down of its naval aircraft. Tomorrow, the ICJ, which is the U.N.'s principal judicial organ, is holding a public hearing at the Great Hall of Justice housed in the Peace Palace at The Hague in Netherlands where the two countries will be asked to present their case over the contentious Jadhav issue. India on May 8 moved a petition before the U.N. body to seek justice for Kulbhushan Jadhav, 46, alleging violation of the Vienna Convention on Consular Relations by Pakistan after its 16 requests for consular access to the former naval officer was consistently denied. A Pakistani military court awarded death sentence to Jadhav last month for alleged espionage and subversive activities. Pakistan has also not responded to the request for visas applied by Jadhav's family. Jadhav was arrested on March 3 last year. The previous case related to shooting down of Pakistan's maritime reconnaissance aircraft Atlantique by the Indian Air Force(IAF) in the Kutch region on August 10, 1999, killing all 16 naval personnel on board. Pakistan claimed the plane was brought down in its air space and sought 60 million USD in damages from India for the incident. A 16-judge bench of the court on June 21, 2000 voted 14-2 to dismiss Pakistan's claim. The decision was announced by bench president Gilbert Guillaume of France at a public sitting. The verdict was final and there was no appeal. The ICJ found that it has no jurisdiction to entertain the application filed by Pakistan on September 21, 1999. Public hearings in the case titled 'Aerial incident of August 10, 1999 (Pakistan vs India)' lasted four days ending April 6, 2000. Arguments centred on the court's jurisdiction in the case which had to be determined before its merits could be considered by the 16 judges. The Atlantique case was ousted by the ICJ on the issue of jurisdiction and not on merits. Both parties had agreed that the question of jurisdiction would be decided first and only then would the issue of merits be taken up. Guillaume said the court would first have to decide whether it had the jurisdiction to go into the case as contended by New Delhi after the Indian delegation led by the then Attorney General Soli Sorabjee, raised preliminary objections to its jurisdiction. Pakistan opened the first round of oral arguments, India replying them, and then Pakistan following with its second round, with India making its response thereto. India argued that the court did not have jurisdiction in the matter, citing an exemption it had filed way back in 1974 to exclude disputes between India and other Commonwealth states, and disputes covered by multilateral treaties. Sorabjee told the court that Pakistan was "solely responsible" for the incident and Islamabad must "bear the consequences of its own acts." Pakistan's Attorney General Aziz Munshi had sought a speedy resolution, saying its application had to be concluded quickly so that it did not remain an irritant in Indo-Pak relations. Pakistan had also sought to politicise the case by referring to the Kashmir issue, the Kargil conflict, Indo-Pak relations and alleged motives for the shooting. Pakistan wanted the court to intervene while India was opposed to its assumption of jurisdiction on the basis of Islamabad's application. It urged the court to "dismiss the objections raised by India and accept its jurisdiction." India maintained that none of Pakistan's arguments is 'sound' and does not provide a basis for invoking the court's jurisdiction. Sorabjee expressed happiness with the court's verdict. "We are very happy. The court has accepted all our contentions," he had said. Former supreme court judge B P Jeevan Reddy and Pakistan's former Attorney General Syed Sharifuddin Pirzada were co-opted into the bench as ad-hoc judges. As per ICJ rules, when it does not include a judge possessing the nationality of the state party to a case, the state may appoint a person to sit as a judge ad-hoc for the purpose of the case. The court also recalled that its lack of jurisdiction does not relieve States of their obligation to settle their disputes by peaceful means. The choice of those means admittedly rests with the parties under Article 33 of the UN Charter, it said, adding, they are nonetheless under an obligation to seek such a settlement, and to do so in good faith in accordance with the Charter. As regards India and Pakistan, that obligation was restated more particularly in the Simla Accord of July 2, 1972. Moreover, the Lahore Declaration of 21 February, 1999 reiterated "the determination of both countries to implementing the Simla Agreement," it said. Accordingly, the court reminded the parties of their obligation to settle their disputes by peaceful means, and in particular the dispute arising out of the Atlantique incident in conformity with the obligations which they have undertaken. India's External Affairs Ministry while hailing the verdict especially welcomed the court's positive observations on the principles enunciated in the Simla agreement and Lahore Declaration as the basis for an Indo-Pak rapprochement. Through its comments, the court has vindicated India's stand on these landmark agreements that are the very cornerstone of India-Pakistan relations, a ministry spokesman had said. By AFP WASHINGTON: The US Treasury Department said it is looking at "every tool in its arsenal" to cut off sources of international financing for illegal activities in North Korea. "We don't comment on future sanctions, but we are obviously going to consider every tool in our arsenal to combat any illicit activity and terror financing," a senior Treasury Department official said on Saturday. The official spoke before North Korea fired a ballistic missile in an apparent bid to test US resolve and the South's new president. "We are entertaining all the tools in our arsenal," said the official, which include programs originating from the offices of Terrorism and Financial Intelligence and Foreign Assets Control. After Sunday's missile test President Donald Trump called on "all nations" to impose "far stronger sanctions against North Korea." US Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin, speaking earlier Saturday, said the fight against terrorism financing was a major concern at the G7 gathering of finance chiefs in Bari, Italy. While international trade is important, "the biggest focus is working with our partners on terror financing," Mnuchin told reporters returning to Washington from the Bari event. After meetings with German Finance Minister Wolfgang Schaeuble and Japanese Deputy Prime Minister Taro Aso, Mnuchin "underscored the importance of working together to address the threats posed by North Korea," the Treasury Department said. WASHINGTON: The US Treasury Department said it is looking at "every tool in its arsenal" to cut off sources of international financing for illegal activities in North Korea. "We don't comment on future sanctions, but we are obviously going to consider every tool in our arsenal to combat any illicit activity and terror financing," a senior Treasury Department official said on Saturday. The official spoke before North Korea fired a ballistic missile in an apparent bid to test US resolve and the South's new president. "We are entertaining all the tools in our arsenal," said the official, which include programs originating from the offices of Terrorism and Financial Intelligence and Foreign Assets Control. After Sunday's missile test President Donald Trump called on "all nations" to impose "far stronger sanctions against North Korea." US Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin, speaking earlier Saturday, said the fight against terrorism financing was a major concern at the G7 gathering of finance chiefs in Bari, Italy. While international trade is important, "the biggest focus is working with our partners on terror financing," Mnuchin told reporters returning to Washington from the Bari event. After meetings with German Finance Minister Wolfgang Schaeuble and Japanese Deputy Prime Minister Taro Aso, Mnuchin "underscored the importance of working together to address the threats posed by North Korea," the Treasury Department said. By AFP WASHINGTON: Democrats kept up the pressure on Donald Trump Sunday over his firing of FBI director James Comey, as members of both parties said the president must turn over any secret recordings of the two men's conversations. Trump tweeted Friday that "James Comey better hope that there are no 'tapes' of our conversations before he starts leaking to the press!" White House spokespeople later refused to say whether the president's conversations were in fact being secretly taped. But Democrats appearing on Sunday talk shows said the abrupt firing of the man leading an FBI inquiry into possible Russian meddling in the 2016 election and the Russia links of several Trump associates amounted to obstruction of justice. They called the president's tweet a clear attempt at intimidation. If the current administration did make tapes, Senate Democratic leader Charles Schumer told CNN on Sunday, "the president should turn them over immediately, of course. To destroy them would be a violation of law." In a separate appearance on NBC, he argued that it is important for the Justice Department to appoint a special prosecutor in the case because such a person would have "the ability to actually prosecute people for violations of law." Senator Mark Warner, the top Democrat on the intelligence committee, said that as his panel continues to investigate the Russia matter, it wants to "make sure those tapes, if they exist, are preserved." 'Tapes will be subpoenaed' Perhaps surprisingly, one of the most conservative Republicans in the Senate, Mike Lee of Utah, supported that call, telling a Fox News interviewer that it is "probably inevitable" that any tapes would have to be turned over. "If, in fact, there are such recordings, I think those recordings will be subpoenaed and they will probably have to turn them over," said Lee, a member of the Judiciary Committee. However, Lee gave Trump the benefit of the doubt, saying that "as far as I'm aware, he is fully cooperating and he is willing and eager to see this investigation" through. Republican Senator Lindsey Graham said that the Judiciary Committee, of which he is also a member, needs Comey to appear before it to "clear the air." "You can't be cute about tapes," he told NBC. "If there's tapes of this conversation, they need to be turned over." Trump's tweet, he added, was "inappropriate." Graham said he was "1,000 percent" sure that Russia had attempted to interfere with the election and he wanted Moscow to be "punished." But while he had no evidence of Russian collusion with the Trump team, "the president needs to back off and let the investigation go forward." Institutions 'under assault' James Clapper, the director of national intelligence under former president Barack Obama, was asked on CNN whether he knew if Trump's White House was in fact secretly recording conversations. "I can't say," he said. But he expressed deep concern about the events swirling around the Russia inquiry. "I think in many ways our institutions are under assault externally, and that's the big news here, is the Russian interference in our election system. And I think, as well, our institutions are under assault internally." "Internally from the president?" he was asked. "Exactly," Clapper replied, adding that the constitutional system of checks and balances was "under assault and is eroding." WASHINGTON: Democrats kept up the pressure on Donald Trump Sunday over his firing of FBI director James Comey, as members of both parties said the president must turn over any secret recordings of the two men's conversations. Trump tweeted Friday that "James Comey better hope that there are no 'tapes' of our conversations before he starts leaking to the press!" White House spokespeople later refused to say whether the president's conversations were in fact being secretly taped. But Democrats appearing on Sunday talk shows said the abrupt firing of the man leading an FBI inquiry into possible Russian meddling in the 2016 election and the Russia links of several Trump associates amounted to obstruction of justice. They called the president's tweet a clear attempt at intimidation. If the current administration did make tapes, Senate Democratic leader Charles Schumer told CNN on Sunday, "the president should turn them over immediately, of course. To destroy them would be a violation of law." In a separate appearance on NBC, he argued that it is important for the Justice Department to appoint a special prosecutor in the case because such a person would have "the ability to actually prosecute people for violations of law." Senator Mark Warner, the top Democrat on the intelligence committee, said that as his panel continues to investigate the Russia matter, it wants to "make sure those tapes, if they exist, are preserved." 'Tapes will be subpoenaed' Perhaps surprisingly, one of the most conservative Republicans in the Senate, Mike Lee of Utah, supported that call, telling a Fox News interviewer that it is "probably inevitable" that any tapes would have to be turned over. "If, in fact, there are such recordings, I think those recordings will be subpoenaed and they will probably have to turn them over," said Lee, a member of the Judiciary Committee. However, Lee gave Trump the benefit of the doubt, saying that "as far as I'm aware, he is fully cooperating and he is willing and eager to see this investigation" through. Republican Senator Lindsey Graham said that the Judiciary Committee, of which he is also a member, needs Comey to appear before it to "clear the air." "You can't be cute about tapes," he told NBC. "If there's tapes of this conversation, they need to be turned over." Trump's tweet, he added, was "inappropriate." Graham said he was "1,000 percent" sure that Russia had attempted to interfere with the election and he wanted Moscow to be "punished." But while he had no evidence of Russian collusion with the Trump team, "the president needs to back off and let the investigation go forward." Institutions 'under assault' James Clapper, the director of national intelligence under former president Barack Obama, was asked on CNN whether he knew if Trump's White House was in fact secretly recording conversations. "I can't say," he said. But he expressed deep concern about the events swirling around the Russia inquiry. "I think in many ways our institutions are under assault externally, and that's the big news here, is the Russian interference in our election system. And I think, as well, our institutions are under assault internally." "Internally from the president?" he was asked. "Exactly," Clapper replied, adding that the constitutional system of checks and balances was "under assault and is eroding." By AFP WASHINGTON: President Donald Trump called for tougher sanctions against North Korea after it fired a ballistic missile Sunday in an apparent bid to test the South's new liberal president and the US. "Let this latest provocation serve as a call for all nations to implement far stronger sanctions against North Korea," the White House said in a brief statement. The missile flew more than 700 kilometres (435 miles) before landing in the Sea of Japan (East Sea) surrounded by the Korean peninsula, Japan and the Russian far east. It impacted "so close to Russian soil ... the president cannot imagine that Russia is pleased," the White House said. North Korea "has been a flagrant menace for far too long," it said. Multiple sets of UN and US sanctions against North Korea have done little to deter Pyongyang from pursuing its nuclear and missile ambitions. Trump has threatened military action against the North but recently appeared to have softened his stance, saying he would be "honoured" to meet leader Kim Jong-Un under the right conditions. New South Korean President Moon Jae-In, who was inaugurated on Wednesday, slammed the missile test as a "reckless provocation" after holding an emergency meeting with national security advisors. He said the government strongly condemned this "grave challenge to the peace and security of the Korean peninsula and the international community," his spokesman Yoon Young-Chan said. - 'Seeking leverage' - Moon, unlike his conservative predecessors, advocates reconciliation with Pyongyang but warned Sunday that dialogue would be possible "only if the North changes its attitude". Moon had said in his inauguration speech that he was willing to visit Pyongyang "in the right circumstances" to defuse tensions on the Korean peninsula. "The North is apparently trying to test Moon and see how his North Korea policy as well as policy coordination between the South and the US will take shape," said Yang Moo-Jin, professor at the University of North Korea Studies in Seoul. The launch was also aimed at "maximising the North's political leverage" ahead of possible negotiations with the US, as Pyongyang and Washington both recently signalled they were open to talks, he added. "The North wants to show before negotiations that their precious, powerful weapon is not something they would give up so easily," Yang said. Moon and Washington have signalled an interest in negotiations to ease months of tensions. Choe Son-Hui, a senior official at the North's foreign ministry handling its US policy, also said Saturday the North would be willing to hold talks with the US if the conditions are right. Washington has been looking to China for help in reining in Kim and the missile test is likely to embarrass Beijing, which is hosting a summit Sunday to promote its ambitious global trade infrastructure project. China, the isolated North's sole major ally and economic lifeline, has been reluctant to exert pressure to upset the status quo in Pyongyang and risk an influx of refugees from its neighbour. - 'Fast progress' - The latest test was also the North's first launch since a controversial US missile defence system deployed in the South became operational on May 2 and follows a failed April 29 ballistic missile test. Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe slammed the latest missile launch as "totally unacceptable" and a "grave threat" to Tokyo. "We strongly protest against North Korea," he said. One recent missile launch staged in March saw three North Korean missiles falling provocatively close to Japan, sparking alarm in Tokyo. The North has staged two atomic tests and dozens of missile launches since the start of last year in its quest to develop a missile capable of delivering a nuclear warhead to the US mainland. Most experts have doubted that the North has developed an intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) with that range. But many say the isolated nation has made a great progress in its nuclear and missile capabilities since Kim took power after the death of his father and longtime ruler, Kim Jong-Il, in 2011. The US Pacific Command said Sunday's launch did not appear to be an ICBM. Yang said however it showed "fast progress" in Pyongyang's missile capability. The missile was fired from a site near the northwestern city of Kusong. A previous test at the same site in February sent a missile 500 kilometres, far less than Sunday's launch. WASHINGTON: President Donald Trump called for tougher sanctions against North Korea after it fired a ballistic missile Sunday in an apparent bid to test the South's new liberal president and the US. "Let this latest provocation serve as a call for all nations to implement far stronger sanctions against North Korea," the White House said in a brief statement. The missile flew more than 700 kilometres (435 miles) before landing in the Sea of Japan (East Sea) surrounded by the Korean peninsula, Japan and the Russian far east. It impacted "so close to Russian soil ... the president cannot imagine that Russia is pleased," the White House said. North Korea "has been a flagrant menace for far too long," it said. Multiple sets of UN and US sanctions against North Korea have done little to deter Pyongyang from pursuing its nuclear and missile ambitions. Trump has threatened military action against the North but recently appeared to have softened his stance, saying he would be "honoured" to meet leader Kim Jong-Un under the right conditions. New South Korean President Moon Jae-In, who was inaugurated on Wednesday, slammed the missile test as a "reckless provocation" after holding an emergency meeting with national security advisors. He said the government strongly condemned this "grave challenge to the peace and security of the Korean peninsula and the international community," his spokesman Yoon Young-Chan said. - 'Seeking leverage' - Moon, unlike his conservative predecessors, advocates reconciliation with Pyongyang but warned Sunday that dialogue would be possible "only if the North changes its attitude". Moon had said in his inauguration speech that he was willing to visit Pyongyang "in the right circumstances" to defuse tensions on the Korean peninsula. "The North is apparently trying to test Moon and see how his North Korea policy as well as policy coordination between the South and the US will take shape," said Yang Moo-Jin, professor at the University of North Korea Studies in Seoul. The launch was also aimed at "maximising the North's political leverage" ahead of possible negotiations with the US, as Pyongyang and Washington both recently signalled they were open to talks, he added. "The North wants to show before negotiations that their precious, powerful weapon is not something they would give up so easily," Yang said. Moon and Washington have signalled an interest in negotiations to ease months of tensions. Choe Son-Hui, a senior official at the North's foreign ministry handling its US policy, also said Saturday the North would be willing to hold talks with the US if the conditions are right. Washington has been looking to China for help in reining in Kim and the missile test is likely to embarrass Beijing, which is hosting a summit Sunday to promote its ambitious global trade infrastructure project. China, the isolated North's sole major ally and economic lifeline, has been reluctant to exert pressure to upset the status quo in Pyongyang and risk an influx of refugees from its neighbour. - 'Fast progress' - The latest test was also the North's first launch since a controversial US missile defence system deployed in the South became operational on May 2 and follows a failed April 29 ballistic missile test. Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe slammed the latest missile launch as "totally unacceptable" and a "grave threat" to Tokyo. "We strongly protest against North Korea," he said. One recent missile launch staged in March saw three North Korean missiles falling provocatively close to Japan, sparking alarm in Tokyo. The North has staged two atomic tests and dozens of missile launches since the start of last year in its quest to develop a missile capable of delivering a nuclear warhead to the US mainland. Most experts have doubted that the North has developed an intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) with that range. But many say the isolated nation has made a great progress in its nuclear and missile capabilities since Kim took power after the death of his father and longtime ruler, Kim Jong-Il, in 2011. The US Pacific Command said Sunday's launch did not appear to be an ICBM. Yang said however it showed "fast progress" in Pyongyang's missile capability. The missile was fired from a site near the northwestern city of Kusong. A previous test at the same site in February sent a missile 500 kilometres, far less than Sunday's launch. By AFP LONDON: The unprecedented global cyberattack has hit more than 200,000 victims in scores of countries, Europol said Sunday, warning that the situation could escalate when people return to work. An international manhunt was well under way for the plotters behind the world's biggest-ever computer ransom assault. The indiscriminate attack, which began Friday, struck banks, hospitals and government agencies in more than 150 countries, exploiting known vulnerabilities in old Microsoft computer operating systems. US package delivery giant FedEx, European car factories, Spanish telecoms giant Telefonica, Britain's health service and Germany's Deutsche Bahn rail network were among those hit. Europol executive director Rob Wainwright said the situation could worsen on Monday when workers return to their offices after the weekend and log on. "We've never seen anything like this," the head of the European Union's policing agency told Britain's ITV television, calling its reach "unprecedented". "The latest count is over 200,000 victims in at least 150 countries. Many of those victims will be businesses, including large corporations. "We're in the face of an escalating threat. "I'm worried about how the numbers will continue to grow when people go to work and turn on their machines on Monday." The warning was echoed by Britain's National Cyber Security Centre: "As a new working week begins it is likely, in the UK and elsewhere, that further cases of ransomware may come to light, possibly at a significant scale." The 5,500-strong Renault factory in Douai, northern France, one of the most important car plants in the country, will not open on Monday due to the attack, sources told AFP. 'Ooops' message, $300 ransom Images appear on victims' screens demanding payment of $300 (275 euros) in the virtual currency Bitcoin, saying: "Ooops, your files have been encrypted!" Payment is demanded within three days or the price is doubled, and if none is received within seven days the locked files will be deleted, according to the screen message. Bitcoin, the world's most-used virtual currency, allows anonymous transactions via heavily encrypted codes. Experts and governments alike warn against ceding to the demands and Wainwright said few victims so far had been paying up. Security firm Digital Shadows said on Sunday that transactions totalling $32,000 had taken place through Bitcoin addresses used by the ransomware. "Paying the ransom does not guarantee the encrypted files will be released," the US Department of Homeland Security's computer emergency response team said. "It only guarantees that the malicious actors receive the victim's money, and in some cases, their banking information." The culprits used a digital code believed to have been developed by the US National Security Agency -- and subsequently leaked as part of a document dump, according to researchers at the Moscow-based computer security firm Kaspersky Lab. A hacking group called Shadow Brokers released the malware in April, claiming to have discovered the flaw from the NSA, Kaspersky said. The attack is unique, according to Europol, because it combines ransomware with a worm function, meaning once one machine is infected, the entire internal network is scanned and other vulnerable machines are infected. The attack therefore spread faster than previous, smaller-scale ransomware attacks. Microsoft said the situation was "painful" and that it was taking "all possible actions to protect our customers". It issued guidance for people to protect their systems, while taking the highly unusual step of reissuing security patches first made available in March for Windows XP and other older versions of its operating system. Becky Pinkard, a security expert at Digital Shadows, warned another cyberattack was highly likely despite the discovery of a "kill switch" to prevent the spread of the ransomware. "This is a trivial change for the malware originators or copy-cat authors and so even if a fresh attack does not materialise on Monday, we should expect it soon afterwards," she said. Banks, trains and automobiles Symantec said the majority of organisations affected were in Europe. The companies and government agencies targeted were diverse. Europol's Wainwright said few banks in Europe had been affected, having learned through the "painful experience of being the number one target of cyber crime" the value of having the latest cyber security in place. Russia's interior ministry said some of its computers had been hit, while the country's banking system was also attacked, although no problems were detected, as was the railway system. French carmaker Renault was forced to stop production at sites in France, Slovenia and Romania, while FedEx said it was "implementing remediation steps as quickly as possible". Germany's rail operator Deutsche Bahn said its station display panels were affected. Sky News reported Sunday that seven organisations which manage hospital care within England's National Health Service are continuing to divert patients from the emergency room, a figure which an NHS spokeswoman was not able to confirm to AFP. Universities in China, Italy and Greece were also hit. Meanwhile G7 finance ministers meeting in Italy vowed to unite against cyber crime, as it represented a growing threat to their economies and should be tackled as a priority. The danger will be discussed at the G7 leaders' summit next month. The US Treasury Department said it will play a "leading role" in protecting the global financial system's IT infrastructure. US Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin "has made protecting America's financial infrastructure from cyberattacks a top priority," a senior department official told reporters on the return flight from Italy. LONDON: The unprecedented global cyberattack has hit more than 200,000 victims in scores of countries, Europol said Sunday, warning that the situation could escalate when people return to work. An international manhunt was well under way for the plotters behind the world's biggest-ever computer ransom assault. The indiscriminate attack, which began Friday, struck banks, hospitals and government agencies in more than 150 countries, exploiting known vulnerabilities in old Microsoft computer operating systems. US package delivery giant FedEx, European car factories, Spanish telecoms giant Telefonica, Britain's health service and Germany's Deutsche Bahn rail network were among those hit. Europol executive director Rob Wainwright said the situation could worsen on Monday when workers return to their offices after the weekend and log on. "We've never seen anything like this," the head of the European Union's policing agency told Britain's ITV television, calling its reach "unprecedented". "The latest count is over 200,000 victims in at least 150 countries. Many of those victims will be businesses, including large corporations. "We're in the face of an escalating threat. "I'm worried about how the numbers will continue to grow when people go to work and turn on their machines on Monday." The warning was echoed by Britain's National Cyber Security Centre: "As a new working week begins it is likely, in the UK and elsewhere, that further cases of ransomware may come to light, possibly at a significant scale." The 5,500-strong Renault factory in Douai, northern France, one of the most important car plants in the country, will not open on Monday due to the attack, sources told AFP. 'Ooops' message, $300 ransom Images appear on victims' screens demanding payment of $300 (275 euros) in the virtual currency Bitcoin, saying: "Ooops, your files have been encrypted!" Payment is demanded within three days or the price is doubled, and if none is received within seven days the locked files will be deleted, according to the screen message. Bitcoin, the world's most-used virtual currency, allows anonymous transactions via heavily encrypted codes. Experts and governments alike warn against ceding to the demands and Wainwright said few victims so far had been paying up. Security firm Digital Shadows said on Sunday that transactions totalling $32,000 had taken place through Bitcoin addresses used by the ransomware. "Paying the ransom does not guarantee the encrypted files will be released," the US Department of Homeland Security's computer emergency response team said. "It only guarantees that the malicious actors receive the victim's money, and in some cases, their banking information." The culprits used a digital code believed to have been developed by the US National Security Agency -- and subsequently leaked as part of a document dump, according to researchers at the Moscow-based computer security firm Kaspersky Lab. A hacking group called Shadow Brokers released the malware in April, claiming to have discovered the flaw from the NSA, Kaspersky said. The attack is unique, according to Europol, because it combines ransomware with a worm function, meaning once one machine is infected, the entire internal network is scanned and other vulnerable machines are infected. The attack therefore spread faster than previous, smaller-scale ransomware attacks. Microsoft said the situation was "painful" and that it was taking "all possible actions to protect our customers". It issued guidance for people to protect their systems, while taking the highly unusual step of reissuing security patches first made available in March for Windows XP and other older versions of its operating system. Becky Pinkard, a security expert at Digital Shadows, warned another cyberattack was highly likely despite the discovery of a "kill switch" to prevent the spread of the ransomware. "This is a trivial change for the malware originators or copy-cat authors and so even if a fresh attack does not materialise on Monday, we should expect it soon afterwards," she said. Banks, trains and automobiles Symantec said the majority of organisations affected were in Europe. The companies and government agencies targeted were diverse. Europol's Wainwright said few banks in Europe had been affected, having learned through the "painful experience of being the number one target of cyber crime" the value of having the latest cyber security in place. Russia's interior ministry said some of its computers had been hit, while the country's banking system was also attacked, although no problems were detected, as was the railway system. French carmaker Renault was forced to stop production at sites in France, Slovenia and Romania, while FedEx said it was "implementing remediation steps as quickly as possible". Germany's rail operator Deutsche Bahn said its station display panels were affected. Sky News reported Sunday that seven organisations which manage hospital care within England's National Health Service are continuing to divert patients from the emergency room, a figure which an NHS spokeswoman was not able to confirm to AFP. Universities in China, Italy and Greece were also hit. Meanwhile G7 finance ministers meeting in Italy vowed to unite against cyber crime, as it represented a growing threat to their economies and should be tackled as a priority. The danger will be discussed at the G7 leaders' summit next month. The US Treasury Department said it will play a "leading role" in protecting the global financial system's IT infrastructure. US Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin "has made protecting America's financial infrastructure from cyberattacks a top priority," a senior department official told reporters on the return flight from Italy. By AFP TEHRAN: The 20,000 chanting fans might have come to support Iran's President Hassan Rouhani on Saturday but it was clear their real heroes were the ones still locked away by the regime. "Mousavi! Karroubi! Khatami!" they chanted at deafening volume, over and over, at the election rally in a stadium in western Tehran. Those first two names, drawing such passion from the crowd, belong to reformist leaders who have not been seen in public for six years now. Mir Hossein Mousavi and Mehdi Karroubi -- both candidates in the controversial election of 2009 that triggered months of protests after allegations of rigging -- were placed under house arrest in 2011, allowed out only for medical treatment. The third is Mohammad Khatami -- president from 1997 to 2005 and spiritual head of the reformist movement -- who is banned from travelling abroad or appearing in any form in the media. An immense roar came from the crowd when their images appeared on the screen. The Green Movement, as the protests came to be called, were the biggest Iran had seen in three decades of Islamic revolution, driven by anger over the shock re-election of hardline populist Mahmoud Ahmadinejad. Brutally put down, the regime prefers to call it "the sedition" and the green flags being waved by youngsters in the stadium on Saturday night might normally have attracted the attention of police or hardline militias. But a slightly more permissive atmosphere prevails six days ahead of a presidential election, when the regime is keen to get as high a turnout as possible to buttress its legitimacy. Only six candidates were allowed to run this year by the conservative-dominated Guardian Council. 'Beyond his powers' Rouhani, a 68-year-old moderate cleric, came from nowhere in 2013 to win a sizeable victory after the tattered remnants of the reformist movement told their supporters he was their best hope for change. He still has the support of liberals for his efforts to rebuild ties with the West and slowly improve civil liberties, even if he has markedly failed to gain the release of Mousavi and Karroubi as he vowed four years ago. "It was beyond his powers," said Javad, a 30-year-old graduate in the crowd. "He did everything he could." The president has considerable powers, particularly over the economy, but no control over the conservative-dominated judiciary or security forces, and serves at the pleasure of supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. Rouhani dared not speak the name of the jailed dissidents directly in his speech, but received huge cheers when he told the crowd he had not "forgotten his promises". "Either they have been achieved, or I have been prevented from keeping them," he said. The president has been on the offensive over the past week, framing Friday's vote as a choice between greater freedom and repression. "Let us salute freedom, salute reforms, salute moderation, salute the wise leader, salute Mohammad Khatami," he declared. "What Rouhani says is what we have in our hearts," said 28-year-old Hossein, who works in renewable energy. He was typical of the young, educated crowd packing the stadium -- men and women mixed together in a way that is not seen at more conservative rallies. They were joined by well-known artists and sportsmen who have overwhelmingly thrown their support behind the president for a second term. But the continued stagnation of the economy means Rouhani faces a much tighter race than many expected just a few months ago, with his main conservative rivals -- cleric Ebrahim Raisi and Tehran mayor Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf -- making significant inroads in poorer areas. The thousands gathered for Rouhani on Saturday night may have looked impressive, but many of Iran's 80 million citizens have yet to see much benefit from his austerity measures and outreach to the world. For now, his supporters are enjoying the moment. As the music erupted again inside the stadium, bodies moved and Rouhani's slogan got its own chant: "At the halfway point, we don't turn back!" TEHRAN: The 20,000 chanting fans might have come to support Iran's President Hassan Rouhani on Saturday but it was clear their real heroes were the ones still locked away by the regime. "Mousavi! Karroubi! Khatami!" they chanted at deafening volume, over and over, at the election rally in a stadium in western Tehran. Those first two names, drawing such passion from the crowd, belong to reformist leaders who have not been seen in public for six years now. Mir Hossein Mousavi and Mehdi Karroubi -- both candidates in the controversial election of 2009 that triggered months of protests after allegations of rigging -- were placed under house arrest in 2011, allowed out only for medical treatment. The third is Mohammad Khatami -- president from 1997 to 2005 and spiritual head of the reformist movement -- who is banned from travelling abroad or appearing in any form in the media. An immense roar came from the crowd when their images appeared on the screen. The Green Movement, as the protests came to be called, were the biggest Iran had seen in three decades of Islamic revolution, driven by anger over the shock re-election of hardline populist Mahmoud Ahmadinejad. Brutally put down, the regime prefers to call it "the sedition" and the green flags being waved by youngsters in the stadium on Saturday night might normally have attracted the attention of police or hardline militias. But a slightly more permissive atmosphere prevails six days ahead of a presidential election, when the regime is keen to get as high a turnout as possible to buttress its legitimacy. Only six candidates were allowed to run this year by the conservative-dominated Guardian Council. 'Beyond his powers' Rouhani, a 68-year-old moderate cleric, came from nowhere in 2013 to win a sizeable victory after the tattered remnants of the reformist movement told their supporters he was their best hope for change. He still has the support of liberals for his efforts to rebuild ties with the West and slowly improve civil liberties, even if he has markedly failed to gain the release of Mousavi and Karroubi as he vowed four years ago. "It was beyond his powers," said Javad, a 30-year-old graduate in the crowd. "He did everything he could." The president has considerable powers, particularly over the economy, but no control over the conservative-dominated judiciary or security forces, and serves at the pleasure of supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. Rouhani dared not speak the name of the jailed dissidents directly in his speech, but received huge cheers when he told the crowd he had not "forgotten his promises". "Either they have been achieved, or I have been prevented from keeping them," he said. The president has been on the offensive over the past week, framing Friday's vote as a choice between greater freedom and repression. "Let us salute freedom, salute reforms, salute moderation, salute the wise leader, salute Mohammad Khatami," he declared. "What Rouhani says is what we have in our hearts," said 28-year-old Hossein, who works in renewable energy. He was typical of the young, educated crowd packing the stadium -- men and women mixed together in a way that is not seen at more conservative rallies. They were joined by well-known artists and sportsmen who have overwhelmingly thrown their support behind the president for a second term. But the continued stagnation of the economy means Rouhani faces a much tighter race than many expected just a few months ago, with his main conservative rivals -- cleric Ebrahim Raisi and Tehran mayor Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf -- making significant inroads in poorer areas. The thousands gathered for Rouhani on Saturday night may have looked impressive, but many of Iran's 80 million citizens have yet to see much benefit from his austerity measures and outreach to the world. For now, his supporters are enjoying the moment. As the music erupted again inside the stadium, bodies moved and Rouhani's slogan got its own chant: "At the halfway point, we don't turn back!" By AFP SEOUL: North Korea on Sunday test-fired a ballistic missile, the Seoul army said, the first since South Korea's new president took power. The missile was launched from the country's northwestern city of Kusong at around 5:30 am (2030 GMT) and flew about 700 kilometres (435 miles), according to the South's Joint Chief of Staff. "The South and US are analysing more details about the missile," it said in a statement without elaborating. It is the second missile launch in around two weeks and the first since new South Korean leader, Moon Jae-In, was sworn in. Moon is expected to hold a meeting with his national security advisors soon, his spokesman said. Tensions are running high on the Korean peninsula with Pyongyang and Washington exchanging hostile rhetoric. The North has staged two atomic tests and dozens of missile launches since the start of last year in its quest to develop a nuclear warhead capable of reaching the US. Washington has suggested the military option is on the table, but President Donald Trump recently appeared to soften his stance, saying he would be "honoured" to meet the North's leader Kim Jong-Un. SEOUL: North Korea on Sunday test-fired a ballistic missile, the Seoul army said, the first since South Korea's new president took power. The missile was launched from the country's northwestern city of Kusong at around 5:30 am (2030 GMT) and flew about 700 kilometres (435 miles), according to the South's Joint Chief of Staff. "The South and US are analysing more details about the missile," it said in a statement without elaborating. It is the second missile launch in around two weeks and the first since new South Korean leader, Moon Jae-In, was sworn in. Moon is expected to hold a meeting with his national security advisors soon, his spokesman said. Tensions are running high on the Korean peninsula with Pyongyang and Washington exchanging hostile rhetoric. The North has staged two atomic tests and dozens of missile launches since the start of last year in its quest to develop a nuclear warhead capable of reaching the US. Washington has suggested the military option is on the table, but President Donald Trump recently appeared to soften his stance, saying he would be "honoured" to meet the North's leader Kim Jong-Un. By AFP PARIS: The unprecedented global cyberattack affected "more than 75,000 victims" in dozens of countries, French police said in a statement Saturday, the day after the ransomware hit Russia's banks, British hospitals and European car factories among others. "This is a provisional figure of the number of infected computers and could rise significantly over the coming days," Valerie Maldonado, deputy head of the French police's anti-Cybercrime Office told AFP. Europol described Friday's cyberattack as "unprecedented". The attacks used ransomware, which locks users' files unless they pay the attackers a designated sum in the virtual Bitcoin currency. Images appeared on victims' screens demanding payment of $300 (275 euros) in Bitcoin, saying: "Ooops, your files have been encrypted!" French police described the mode of the online attack as "particularly dangerous". "Once the first computer is infected, it spreads throughout the whole network to which it is connected, paralysing all the computers whose files it encrypts." The ransomware seems to have hit individual and corporate users equally, the police said in a statement posted online. PARIS: The unprecedented global cyberattack affected "more than 75,000 victims" in dozens of countries, French police said in a statement Saturday, the day after the ransomware hit Russia's banks, British hospitals and European car factories among others. "This is a provisional figure of the number of infected computers and could rise significantly over the coming days," Valerie Maldonado, deputy head of the French police's anti-Cybercrime Office told AFP. Europol described Friday's cyberattack as "unprecedented". The attacks used ransomware, which locks users' files unless they pay the attackers a designated sum in the virtual Bitcoin currency. Images appeared on victims' screens demanding payment of $300 (275 euros) in Bitcoin, saying: "Ooops, your files have been encrypted!" French police described the mode of the online attack as "particularly dangerous". "Once the first computer is infected, it spreads throughout the whole network to which it is connected, paralysing all the computers whose files it encrypts." The ransomware seems to have hit individual and corporate users equally, the police said in a statement posted online. By PTI PESHAWAR: At least two persons were killed today when terrorists opened fire on their vehicle during routine patrolling in northwest Pakistan. The incident occurred in village Owlay in lower kurram agency bordering Afghanistan, officials said. Political Moharrar, an administrative clerk, Sarfraz Hussain and his bodyguard Mumtaz Hussain died on the spot when terrorists opened fire at their vehicle, officials said. The attackers fled from scene after the incident. Search operation has been launched to nab the culprits. Kurram is one of the most sensitive tribal areas as it borders three Afghan provinces and at one point was one of the key routes for militant movement across the border. It has witnessed scores of attacks. From the beginning of the year, Kurram Agency has been a target of multiple terror incidents. On April 25, a passenger van hit a landmine in Godar area of the tribal agency, killing at least 14 people. On March 31, at least 24 people were killed and 90 others injured in a blast outside a Shia imambargarh in the agency headquarters Parachinar. In January, a powerful explosion ripped through a crowded vegetable market in Parachinar in northwest Pakistan's restive Kurram tribal agency, killing 25 people, mostly Shias. PESHAWAR: At least two persons were killed today when terrorists opened fire on their vehicle during routine patrolling in northwest Pakistan. The incident occurred in village Owlay in lower kurram agency bordering Afghanistan, officials said. Political Moharrar, an administrative clerk, Sarfraz Hussain and his bodyguard Mumtaz Hussain died on the spot when terrorists opened fire at their vehicle, officials said. The attackers fled from scene after the incident. Search operation has been launched to nab the culprits. Kurram is one of the most sensitive tribal areas as it borders three Afghan provinces and at one point was one of the key routes for militant movement across the border. It has witnessed scores of attacks. From the beginning of the year, Kurram Agency has been a target of multiple terror incidents. On April 25, a passenger van hit a landmine in Godar area of the tribal agency, killing at least 14 people. On March 31, at least 24 people were killed and 90 others injured in a blast outside a Shia imambargarh in the agency headquarters Parachinar. In January, a powerful explosion ripped through a crowded vegetable market in Parachinar in northwest Pakistan's restive Kurram tribal agency, killing 25 people, mostly Shias. By Associated Press SEOUL: Just five days after South Korea elected a president who expressed a desire to reach out to North Korea, Pyongyang sent a challenge to its rival's new leader on Sunday by test-firing a ballistic missile. The missile flew for half an hour and reached an unusually high altitude before landing in the Sea of Japan, the South Korean, Japanese and U.S. militaries said. Tokyo said the flight pattern could indicate a new type of missile. The launch jeopardizes new South Korean President Moon Jae-in's willingness for dialogue with the North, and came as U.S., Japanese and European navies gather for joint war games in the Pacific. "The president expressed deep regret over the fact that this reckless provocation ... occurred just days after a new government was launched in South Korea," senior presidential secretary Yoon Young-chan said. "The president said we are leaving open the possibility of dialogue with North Korea, but we should sternly deal with a provocation to prevent North Korea from miscalculating." Moon, South Korea's first liberal leader in nearly a decade, said as he took his oath of office last week that he'd be willing to visit the North if the circumstances were right. The U.N. Security Council said Sunday it will hold urgent consultations on North Korea's latest ballistic missile test at the request of the United States, Japan and South Korea. Uruguay holds the council presidency this month and its U.N. Mission announced the closed consultations will be held on Tuesday afternoon. U.S. Ambassador Nikki Haley said on ABC television's George Stephanopolous show Sunday that the U.S. has been working well with China, Pyongyang's closest ally, and she raised the possibility of new sanctions against North Korea including on oil imports. The Security Council has adopted six increasingly tougher sanctions resolutions against North Korea U.S. President Donald Trump's administration has called North Korean ballistic and nuclear efforts unacceptable, but he has swung between threats of military action and offers to talk as it formulates a policy. While Trump has said he'd be "honored" to talk with leader Kim Jong Un under favorable conditions, his administration on Sunday seemed to throw cold water on the idea of talks with North Korea. "Having a missile test is not the way to sit down with the president, because he's absolutely not going to do it," Nikki Haley, the U.S. ambassador to the United Nations, told ABC's "This Week." She said it was time to "send a strong, unified message that this is unacceptable, and I think you'll see the international community do that." While it wasn't immediately clear what type of missile was launched, the U.S. Pacific Command said that "the flight is not consistent with an intercontinental ballistic missile." North Korea's past satellite rocket launches have been called clandestine tests of ICBM technology, but it is not believed to have tested a true intercontinental ballistic missile yet. Japanese officials said the missile flew for about 30 minutes, traveling about 800 kilometers (500 miles) and reaching an unusually high altitude of 2,000 kilometers (1,240 miles). David Wright, co-director of the Global Security Program at the Union of Concerned Scientists, said the missile could have a range of 4,500 kilometers (about 2,800 miles) if flown on a standard, instead of a lofted, trajectory considerably longer than Pyongyang's current missiles. He said Sunday's launch the seventh such firing by North Korea this year may have been of a new mobile, two-stage liquid-fueled missile North Korea displayed in a huge April 15 military parade. Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe told reporters that the launch was "absolutely unacceptable" and that Japan would respond resolutely. Japanese Foreign Minister Fumio Kishida said he and his South Korean counterpart agreed that "dialogue for dialogue's sake with North Korea is meaningless." The White House took note of the missile landing close to Russia's Pacific coast and said in a statement that North Korea has been "a flagrant menace for far too long." The statement said Washington maintains its "ironclad commitment" to stand with its allies in the face of the serious threat posed by North Korea. The latest "provocation" should serve as a call for all nations to implement far stronger sanctions against the North, it said. Outside militaries and experts will closely analyze what the North fired. While Pyongyang regularly tests shorter-range missiles, it is also working to master the technology needed to field nuclear-tipped missiles that can reach the U.S. mainland. Past North Korean missiles have flown farther than Sunday's test, landing closer to Japan, but this launch follows a series of high-profile failures. Japanese Defense Minister Tomomi Inada said North Korea might have launched a "new type of missile," given the altitude and duration of its flight. But she said more analysis was needed. Inada's remarks suggest the missile might have been on a "lofted" trajectory, meaning it could have a far longer range than it actually flew. Japan's Kyodo News agency, citing unidentified sources, said the missile may be capable of covering a range as far as 4,000 kilometers (2,500 miles) if launched at a normal trajectory. Italian Premier Paolo Gentiloni said the G-7 summit his country is hosting later this month would discuss how to deal with the risk North Korea's missile launchings pose to global security. "It's a serious problem for global stability and security, and I'm convinced that the upcoming G-7, in friendship, will contribute to resolving this issue," he said in Beijing. South Korea's Joint Chiefs of Staff said in a statement that the missile was fired early Sunday morning from near Kusong, in North Phyongan province. The North's state media said Saturday that the nation would bolster its nuclear capability unless the United States abandons its hostile policy. "The United States should never expect us to give up our nuclear capability," the main Rodong newspaper said in a commentary carried by the Korean Central News Agency. It said Trump's "maximum pressure and engagement" policy is only aimed at "stifling us" and will compel the North to "strengthen our nuclear deterrent at the maximum speed." The launch came as troops from the U.S., Japan and two European nations gather near Guam for drills that are partly a message to North Korea. The USS Carl Vinson, an aircraft supercarrier, is also engaging with South Korean navy ships in waters off the Korean Peninsula, according to Seoul's Defense Ministry. On Saturday, a top North Korean diplomat in charge of U.S. relations, Choe Son Hui, told reporters in Beijing that Pyongyang would be willing to meet with the Trump administration for negotiations "if the conditions are set." She did not elaborate. SEOUL: Just five days after South Korea elected a president who expressed a desire to reach out to North Korea, Pyongyang sent a challenge to its rival's new leader on Sunday by test-firing a ballistic missile. The missile flew for half an hour and reached an unusually high altitude before landing in the Sea of Japan, the South Korean, Japanese and U.S. militaries said. Tokyo said the flight pattern could indicate a new type of missile. The launch jeopardizes new South Korean President Moon Jae-in's willingness for dialogue with the North, and came as U.S., Japanese and European navies gather for joint war games in the Pacific. "The president expressed deep regret over the fact that this reckless provocation ... occurred just days after a new government was launched in South Korea," senior presidential secretary Yoon Young-chan said. "The president said we are leaving open the possibility of dialogue with North Korea, but we should sternly deal with a provocation to prevent North Korea from miscalculating." Moon, South Korea's first liberal leader in nearly a decade, said as he took his oath of office last week that he'd be willing to visit the North if the circumstances were right. The U.N. Security Council said Sunday it will hold urgent consultations on North Korea's latest ballistic missile test at the request of the United States, Japan and South Korea. Uruguay holds the council presidency this month and its U.N. Mission announced the closed consultations will be held on Tuesday afternoon. U.S. Ambassador Nikki Haley said on ABC television's George Stephanopolous show Sunday that the U.S. has been working well with China, Pyongyang's closest ally, and she raised the possibility of new sanctions against North Korea including on oil imports. The Security Council has adopted six increasingly tougher sanctions resolutions against North Korea U.S. President Donald Trump's administration has called North Korean ballistic and nuclear efforts unacceptable, but he has swung between threats of military action and offers to talk as it formulates a policy. While Trump has said he'd be "honored" to talk with leader Kim Jong Un under favorable conditions, his administration on Sunday seemed to throw cold water on the idea of talks with North Korea. "Having a missile test is not the way to sit down with the president, because he's absolutely not going to do it," Nikki Haley, the U.S. ambassador to the United Nations, told ABC's "This Week." She said it was time to "send a strong, unified message that this is unacceptable, and I think you'll see the international community do that." While it wasn't immediately clear what type of missile was launched, the U.S. Pacific Command said that "the flight is not consistent with an intercontinental ballistic missile." North Korea's past satellite rocket launches have been called clandestine tests of ICBM technology, but it is not believed to have tested a true intercontinental ballistic missile yet. Japanese officials said the missile flew for about 30 minutes, traveling about 800 kilometers (500 miles) and reaching an unusually high altitude of 2,000 kilometers (1,240 miles). David Wright, co-director of the Global Security Program at the Union of Concerned Scientists, said the missile could have a range of 4,500 kilometers (about 2,800 miles) if flown on a standard, instead of a lofted, trajectory considerably longer than Pyongyang's current missiles. He said Sunday's launch the seventh such firing by North Korea this year may have been of a new mobile, two-stage liquid-fueled missile North Korea displayed in a huge April 15 military parade. Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe told reporters that the launch was "absolutely unacceptable" and that Japan would respond resolutely. Japanese Foreign Minister Fumio Kishida said he and his South Korean counterpart agreed that "dialogue for dialogue's sake with North Korea is meaningless." The White House took note of the missile landing close to Russia's Pacific coast and said in a statement that North Korea has been "a flagrant menace for far too long." The statement said Washington maintains its "ironclad commitment" to stand with its allies in the face of the serious threat posed by North Korea. The latest "provocation" should serve as a call for all nations to implement far stronger sanctions against the North, it said. Outside militaries and experts will closely analyze what the North fired. While Pyongyang regularly tests shorter-range missiles, it is also working to master the technology needed to field nuclear-tipped missiles that can reach the U.S. mainland. Past North Korean missiles have flown farther than Sunday's test, landing closer to Japan, but this launch follows a series of high-profile failures. Japanese Defense Minister Tomomi Inada said North Korea might have launched a "new type of missile," given the altitude and duration of its flight. But she said more analysis was needed. Inada's remarks suggest the missile might have been on a "lofted" trajectory, meaning it could have a far longer range than it actually flew. Japan's Kyodo News agency, citing unidentified sources, said the missile may be capable of covering a range as far as 4,000 kilometers (2,500 miles) if launched at a normal trajectory. Italian Premier Paolo Gentiloni said the G-7 summit his country is hosting later this month would discuss how to deal with the risk North Korea's missile launchings pose to global security. "It's a serious problem for global stability and security, and I'm convinced that the upcoming G-7, in friendship, will contribute to resolving this issue," he said in Beijing. South Korea's Joint Chiefs of Staff said in a statement that the missile was fired early Sunday morning from near Kusong, in North Phyongan province. The North's state media said Saturday that the nation would bolster its nuclear capability unless the United States abandons its hostile policy. "The United States should never expect us to give up our nuclear capability," the main Rodong newspaper said in a commentary carried by the Korean Central News Agency. It said Trump's "maximum pressure and engagement" policy is only aimed at "stifling us" and will compel the North to "strengthen our nuclear deterrent at the maximum speed." The launch came as troops from the U.S., Japan and two European nations gather near Guam for drills that are partly a message to North Korea. The USS Carl Vinson, an aircraft supercarrier, is also engaging with South Korean navy ships in waters off the Korean Peninsula, according to Seoul's Defense Ministry. On Saturday, a top North Korean diplomat in charge of U.S. relations, Choe Son Hui, told reporters in Beijing that Pyongyang would be willing to meet with the Trump administration for negotiations "if the conditions are set." She did not elaborate. Champaign, IL (61820) Today Clear to partly cloudy. Low around 55F. Winds SSE at 10 to 15 mph.. Tonight Clear to partly cloudy. Low around 55F. Winds SSE at 10 to 15 mph. New Delhi: He has been named the Hottest Chef of America by People magazine and has won a Michelin star for his restaurant in New York, but Chef Vikas Khanna's roots remain in India - and he now wants to take the country's regional cuisines to the world. "My focus for the next 10 years will be on regional cuisine. Though it is extremely tough to assimilate all of Indian cuisines under one roof, I am trying my best. I want to bring as much of India as possible to the US," Khanna, 45, said in an interview on the sidelines of an event where he launched Quaker Nutritious Food products. Khanna has put Indian gastronomical delights on the world food map and was recently named by Gazette Review in its list of Top 10 Chefs in the World. His charm is no secret. From serving food to the Obamas to gifting his book "Utsav" to a host of global personalities, Khanna has immensely contributed to giving Indian culture and delicacies a global identity. Twelve handcrafted, gold-gilded, hand-painted copies of "Utsav" were created. They have been presented to world leaders like Prime Minister Narendra Modi, former US Presidents Barack Obama and Bill Clinton, Britain's Queen Elizabeth, religious leades like the Dalai Lama and Pope Francis and celebrities like Lata Mangeshkar, Amitabh Bachchan and Shah Rukh Khan, among others. The 12th was to have been presented to Apple founder Steve Jobs, but he died before this could happen. It was auctioned earlier this year and went for a whopping Rs 30 lakh (more than $46,000) that will feed 200,000 under-privileged children in India through the NGO Smile that Khanna supports. Talking about his love for regional cuisines, nothing can be more exciting for him than discovering the hidden recipes of the eight northeastern states. "I would love to explore the northeast more. I have travelled extensively in the northeast, even have taken choppers to go to the remote corners of the region to know about their hidden food and recipes. Their way of life has not been touched because of connectivity issues. Things are very pure and natural over there," Khanna explained. On his many trips to the northeast he encountered several techniques that cannot be performed in a modern kitchen. "I have found how, in places where there is no refrigeration, people are preserving food. For instance, take spinach, add garlic, wrap it in a banana leaf and bury it under the ground. It'll virtually be fresh for ever. The whole of the northeast is home to such natural culinary tricks," he pointed out. His love for regional recipes is evident from "Utsav", a magnum opus of 1,200 pages that covers the length and the breadth of the country. The book, which took 12 years to compile, also explores the festivals, ceremonies and rituals that symbolise India. "But still it covers only 12 per cent of what we have. The remaining 88 per cent cannot be penned down. You will not get to know them because they are from diverse regions and so many of the recipes have been forgotten," the chef lamented. Khanna opened his first restaurant, Junoon, and, in virtually no time, it started attracting praise from every quarter. Junoon has been awarded a Michelin star by the Michelin Guide for six consecutive years since 2011. Former US President Bill Clinton once said to him: "Vikas, I hope you will focus on selling culture and not food. Because culture is more important than the food." "More than focusing on food, we need to highlight our culture as cuisines are equally a part of it. We are aware of Western dishes because of their marketing. We have so much of beauty and diversity, but we don't push it," Khanna lamented. Asked about the trends that would rule the gastronomic world this year, he said it was the Spanish Tapas cuisine for him. And what would be over done? "Punjabi food," was the quick reply. Everything else apart, he is also working on a new book. "My new book, 'My First Kitchen', is going to be released soon. It is a massive book on how to run your kitchen, how to do parties in your kitchen, how to make cocktails and mocktails, and how to be very , very conscious about your cooking," Khanna said. India on May 8 moved a petition before the UN body seeking justice for 46-year-old Kulbhushan Jadhav alleging violation of the Vienna Convention on Consular Relations by Pakistan after its 16 requests for consular access to the former naval officer were consistently denied. Guillaume said the court would first have to decide whether it had the jurisdiction to go into the case as contended by New Delhi after the Indian delegation led by the then Attorney General Soli Sorabjee, raised preliminary objections to its jurisdiction. Sorabjee told the court that Pakistan was "solely responsible" for the incident and Islamabad must "bear the consequences of its own acts." It urged the court to "dismiss the objections raised by India and accept its jurisdiction." India maintained that none of Pakistan's arguments is 'sound' and does not provide a basis for invoking the court's jurisdiction. The choice of those means admittedly rests with the parties under Article 33 of the UN Charter, it said, adding, they are nonetheless under an obligation to seek such a settlement, and to do so in good faith in accordance with the Charter. Accordingly, the court reminded the parties of their obligation to settle their disputes by peaceful means, and in particular the dispute arising out of the Atlantique incident in conformity with the obligations which they have undertaken. Its been 18 years since India and Pakistan faced-off at the International Court of Justice. The arch-rivals will meet at The Hague again on Monday when the ICJ hears Indias appeal against the death sentence handed to its national Kulbhushan Jadhav by a military court in Pakistan.The two countries will be asked to present their case at a public hearing at the Great Hall of Justice housed in the Peace Palace in the Dutch city.A Pakistani military court awarded death sentence to Jadhav last month for alleged espionage and subversive activities. Pakistan has also not responded to the request for visas applied by Jadhav's family. Jadhav was arrested on March 3 last year.The last case between India and Pakistan at the ICJ was related to the shooting down of Pakistan's maritime reconnaissance aircraft Atlantique by the Indian Air Force (IAF) in the Kutch region on August 10, 1999, killing all 16 naval personnel on board. Pakistan claimed the plane was brought down in its air space and sought $60 million in damages from India for the incident.A 16-judge bench of the court on June 21, 2000 voted 14-2 to dismiss Pakistan's claim. The decision was announced by bench president Gilbert Guillaume of France at a public sitting. The verdict was final and there was no appeal. The ICJ found that it has no jurisdiction to entertain the application filed by Pakistan on September 21, 1999.Public hearings in the case titled 'Aerial incident of August 10, 1999 (Pakistan vs India)' lasted four days ending April 6, 2000. Arguments centered on the court's jurisdiction in the case which had to be determined before its merits could be considered by the 16 judges.The Atlantique case was ousted by the ICJ on the issue of jurisdiction and not on merits. Both parties had agreed that the question of jurisdiction would be decided first and only then would the issue of merits be taken up.Pakistan opened the first round of oral arguments, India replying them, and then Pakistan following with its second round, with India making its response thereto.India argued that the court did not have jurisdiction in the matter, citing an exemption it had filed way back in 1974 to exclude disputes between India and other Commonwealth states, and disputes covered by multilateral treaties.Pakistan's Attorney General Aziz Munshi had sought a speedy resolution, saying its application had to be concluded quickly so that it did not remain an irritant in Indo-Pak relations.Pakistan had also sought to politicise the case by referring to the Kashmir issue, the Kargil conflict, Indo-Pak relations and alleged motives for the shooting.Pakistan wanted the court to intervene while India was opposed to its assumption of jurisdiction on the basis of Islamabad's application.Sorabjee expressed happiness with the court's verdict. "We are very happy. The court has accepted all our contentions," he had said.Former supreme court judge BP Jeevan Reddy and Pakistan's former Attorney General Syed Sharifuddin Pirzada were co-opted into the bench as ad-hoc judges.As per ICJ rules, when it does not include a judge possessing the nationality of the state party to a case, the state may appoint a person to sit as a judge ad-hoc for the purpose of the case.The court also recalled that its lack of jurisdiction does not relieve States of their obligation to settle their disputes by peaceful means.As regards India and Pakistan, that obligation was restated more particularly in the Simla Accord of July 2, 1972. Moreover, the Lahore Declaration of 21 February, 1999 reiterated "the determination of both countries to implementing the Simla Agreement," it said.India's External Affairs Ministry while hailing the verdict especially welcomed the court's positive observations on the principles enunciated in the Simla agreement and Lahore Declaration as the basis for an Indo-Pak rapprochement.Through its comments, the court has vindicated India's stand on these landmark agreements that are the very cornerstone of India-Pakistan relations, a ministry spokesman had said.(With PTI inputs) Naseer Ahmed alias Sadiq (34), hailing from Banihal in Ramban district of Jammu and Kashmir, was held last evening from Sonauli border post. He was trying to sneak into India from Nepal in the guise of a shawl and carpet vendor, the Sashastra Seema Bal (SSB), which guards the 1,751-km-long open border, said. When he was asked for his identity proof by the SSB personnel at Sonauli, Ahmed was unable to produce any supporting documents, the spokesperson said. "He was in touch with a handler from India, who used to deposit money, in his account, off and on. "On his instructions, he came to India for undertaking terrorist activities but was apprehended by the SSB," the spokesperson said, adding the handler who provided him money has been identified. The SSB said Ahmed sustained two bullet injuries during an encounter with security forces in Banihal in Jammu and Kashmir in 2002. He was among the terrorists who exploded mines during polls in the same year in which two civilians and as many army personnel were killed. : A Hizbul Mujahideen militant was apprehended at the Indo-Nepal border in Maharajganj in Uttar Pradesh as he was trying to cross into the country to carry out terror activities, according to officials.He was carrying a Pakistani passport and an identity card of being a resident of Lala Musa village in Gujrat district in Punjab province of the neighbouring country, it said. Ahmed was handed over to the Uttar Pradesh ATS for further investigation.According to security agencies, Ahmed had joined Hizbul Muzahideen in 2002-03 and moved to Pakistan. He was involved in a number of terrorist activities. In 2002, he sustained bullet injuries during an encounter with the Army in Banihal. "Ahmed was residing in Pakistan since September, 2003.He was involved in many attacks against civilians and security forces including an attack on an STF camp in India in 2003."He was sent to India by his handler for a specific mission," an SSB spokesperson said.The paramilitary, based on initial interrogation of the terrorist, said Ahmed and his associate Mohd Shafi landed in Kathmandu on May 10 from Faisalabad in Pakistan via Sharjah. Shafi separated from him in Kathmandu.A top security official said that Ahmed's name did not figure in the list, maintained by Jammu and Kashmir police, of those who want to shun terrorism and are desirous of returning to the Kashmir Valley for rehabilitation."Ahmed was apprehended by SSB based on its own intelligence inputs and profiling," the spokesperson said. The SSB said Ahmed reached the Indo-Nepal border in a bus "with an intention to sneak into Indian territory and carry out terrorist activities in India".Ahmed had crossed over to Pakistan in 2003 in a group of 23 people to join the Hizbul cadre.He was trained in unarmed combat and weapon handling at Atak in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Province in Pakistan by Hizbul Mujahideen, ISI and the Pakistan Army "with an aim of waging war against India and to fight with Indian security forces in Jammu and Kashmir"."Ahmed revealed he used to preach Quran to Hizbul cadres during his stay at various camps," the spokesperson said. In Pakistan, he married Asha Naeem (25) of Gujrat district on November 2, 2009. He had two sons. He also started a hosiery business in Gujrat district of Pakistan, the official said.Ahmed was part of the terrorist team that attacked the Special Task Force camp in Ramsoo near Banihal in 2003, the spokesperson added.He will be produced by the ATS in court and his custody will be sought for further interrogation, the officer said. India has strong reservations over the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), a flagship project of China's prestigious Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), which is expected to figure prominently in the two-day meet. Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif is perhaps leading the biggest delegation at the summit comprising four chief ministers, five federal ministers and Adviser on Foreign Affairs Sartaj Aziz. Sharif is the only head of government at the event which will be attended by 28 other heads of state. India opposes the CPEC as it runs through the Pakistan-occupied Kashmir. In the last few days, China tried to assuage India's feelings by asserting that the commercial corridor will not have any impact on its stand that the Kashmir issue should be settled by India and Pakistan through dialogue. "Regarding the so-called 'China-Pakistan Economic Corridor', which is being projected as the flagship project of the BRI/OBOR, the international community is well aware of India's position. No country can accept a project that ignores its core concerns on sovereignty and territorial integrity," he said. "Under the 'Act East' policy, we are pursuing the Trilateral Highway project, under our 'Neighbourhood First' policy we are developing multimodal linkages with Myanmar and Bangladesh, under our 'Go West' strategy, we are engaged with Iran on Chabahar Port and with Iran and other partners in Central Asia on International North South Transport Corridor. India on Sunday skipped the Belt and Road Forum (BRF) being held in Beijing, saying a project that violates its sovereignty and territorial integrity cannot be accepted.The CPEC passes through Gilgit and Baltistan in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK). India treats the entire state of Jammu and Kashmir as its integral part, including PoK.On the eve of the summits launch, China and Pakistan signed six pacts, including one on building an airport at the strategic Gwadar port city, with President Xi Jinping asserting that ties with Islamabad were a priority. The pacts were signed in the presence of Sharif and Chinese Premier Li Keqiang.After the MoUs and agreements were signed, Xi told Sharif that the bilateral ties remain "a priority for China" and Beijing was willing to enrich the "all-weather" strategic and cooperative partnership with Pakistan.Sharif also attended a presentation made by China's National Energy Administration (NEA) on the construction of Bhasha Dam, a project which he said is of critical importance for the future of Pakistan. Pakistani media has reported China's interest in providing $50 billion to fund the project could generate 40,000 MW hydro-electricity.The Gwadar port opposite the Mumbai's port housing the Indian Navy's western naval command provides a berth for China in the Arabian Sea and to the Indian Ocean. China has already announced plans to station its marines there as well in Djibouti in Horn of Africa in Indian Ocean.In a strongly-worded statement issued hours before the opening of the forum in the Chinese capital, India said the connectivity initiative must be pursued in a manner that respects sovereignty and territorial integrity."Guided by our principled position in the matter, we have been urging China to engage in a meaningful dialogue on its connectivity initiative, 'One Belt, One Road' which was later renamed as 'Belt and Road Initiative'. We are awaiting a positive response from the Chinese side," External Affairs Ministry spokesperson Gopal Baglay said in a statement.Noting that India has received a formal invitation to participate in the six separate forums that China is organising as part of the BRF, he said India is of the firm belief that connectivity initiatives must be based on universally recognised international norms, good governance, rule of law, openness, transparency and equality."Connectivity initiatives must follow principles of financial responsibility to avoid projects that would create unsustainable debt burden for communities, balanced ecological and environmental protection and preservation standards, transparent assessment of project costs, and skill and technology transfer to help long-term running and maintenance of the assets created by local communities," Baglay said.He also said that expansion and strengthening of connectivity is an integral part of India's economic and diplomatic initiatives.The remarks assume significance given that China is trying to project that by skipping the BRF, India may be "isolated" in the region as all countries in South Asia barring Bhutan which doesn't have diplomatic relations with China are participating.India's stand on the meet comes after a year of bilateral discord over China's stubborn opposition to its entry into the Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG) and a UN ban against Pakistan-based terrorist group Jaish-e-Muhammad leader Masood Azhar. China also protested India's decision to permit the Dalai Lama last month to visit Arunachal Pradesh, which Beijing claims as South Tibet.(With PTI inputs) Sachin Tendulkar Had an 'Unbelievable Experience' While Fishing in Goa and We are Jealous It is 3.55 km longer than the Bandra-Worli sea link in Mumbai, making it the longest bridge in India. "Assam and Arunachal Pradesh have huge strategic value to the country. Since the bridge is located close to our border with China, it will help quick movement of military troops and artillery in times of conflict," Sonowal said. Prime Minister Narendra Modi will kickstart the celebrations of his government completing three years by inaugurating India's longest river bridge in Assam close to the border with China, PTI reported.The 9.15-km-long Dhola-Sadiya bridge over the Brahmaputra river, which is capable of withstanding the weight of a 60-tonne battle tank, is seen as an attempt by India to shore up its defence requirements along the Sino-Indian border, particularly in the Northeast besides providing easy access to the people of Arunachal Pradesh and Assam with air and rail connectivity."The prime minister will dedicate the strategically important bridge to the nation on May 26. It will bolster the road connectivity in the Northeast as the bridge will be used by people of Assam and Arunachal Pradesh besides defence forces extensively," Assam Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal told PTI.The construction of the bridge began in 2011 at a project cost of Rs 950 crore. The design is such that the bridge can withstand the movement of military tanks.The bridge is located 540-km from Assam capital Dispur and 300 km from Arunachal Pradesh capital Itanagar. The aerial distance to the Chinese border is less than 100 km.After Kaliabhomora bridge near Tezpur, there is no bridge over the Brahmaputra for the next 375 km upstream till Dhola, where the new bridge is constructed. Currently, all the transport between the two banks of the river is being carried out only through water.The bridge, when opened for the public, will cut down the travel time between Assam and Arunachal Pradesh by as much as four hours.(With PTI inputs) Lucknow/New Delhi: A Hizbul Mujahideen terrorist has been arrested by border guarding force SSB from Sonauli in Uttar Pradesh along the Indo-Nepal frontier. The Sashastra Seema Bal said it apprehended Naseer Ahmed (34) last evening from the Sonauli border post. The SSB is tasked to guard the 1,751 km long open border. "Ahmed was residing in Pakistan since September 2003. He was involved in many violent attacks against civilians and security forces including an attack on an STF camp. He was sent to India by his handler for a specific mission," an SSB spokesperson said. "Ahmed, a resident of Banihal in Ramban district of Jammu and Kashmir, was trying to sneak into India from Nepal in the guise of a Kashmiri shawl and carpet vendor. When he was asked for his identity proof by the SSB personnel at Sonauli, he was unable to produce any supporting documents," the spokesperson said. The paramilitary, based on initial interrogation of the terrorist, said Ahmed landed in Kathmandu on May 10 from Faisalabad in Pakistan via Sharjah. The SSB said Ahmed reached the Indo-Nepal border in a bus "with an intention to sneak into Indian territory and motive to carry out terrorist activities in India." "He was in touch with a handler from India, who used to deposit money, in his account, off and on. On his instructions he came to India for undertaking terrorist activities but was apprehended by the SSB," the paramilitary claimed. Official sources said a joint team of Army and SoG had launched a cordon and search operation in Bhagatpura in Handwara area of the district based on a specific intelligence input about the presence of militants there. Two weapons were recovered from the encounter site, he said, adding that the identity and the group affiliation of the slain militants is being ascertained. : Two terrorists were neutralised during an encounter with security forces at Waripora area of Handwara in North Kashmir's Kupwara district on Sunday, sources told CNN-News 18.According to sources, the slain terrorists belonged to Laskar-e-Taiba.As the security forces were conducting the search operation, militants fired upon them, an Army official said.The security forces retaliated and in resulting encounter, two militants were killed, the official said.The gunfight is over and the area is being sanitised, the official said. Mumbai: An inspiration, a special person and my world are some of the words that popular celebrities like Raveena Tandon, Boman Irani and Arshad Warsi have used to salute their mothers to mark the occasion of Mothers Day. Here's how these celebrities have paid tribute to their respective mothers: Raveena Tandon: Being a mother of four children has taught me a lot about myself and life in general. It has taught me about my own strength and ability to handle any situation no matter how challenging it is. This strength has helped me in raising strong, loving, independent and happy children, capable of following their own dreams. Arshad Warsi: Every day is Mother's Day to me. I lost my parents at a very early age so it means a lot to me. I used to study in a boarding school so, I couldn't even meet them that often. It really makes me feel the absence. My kids, on other hand, celebrate Mother's Day with all the excitement. They make cards, do other work for my wife and everything. Mothers mean a lot. Boman Irani: My mother means the world to me. She has been my rock and has encouraged me at every sphere of my life - be it education to my journey of becoming an actor. Today whatever I am, it is all because of her. Even today, she guides me whenever I need someone to look up to. With her, I still feel childlike - young and energetic. Param Singh: I want to thank my mother for all that she has taught me. She has been instrumental in shaping me as a person and whatever I am today. My love for my mom is immeasurable and I can do anything for her. Anuja Sathe: It may sound cliched, but yes for me every day is Mother's Day. Having said that, I feel a day dedicated to mothers is special and sweet. I am head over heels with my mother. She stays in Pune but I am always connected with her. Manish Wadhwa: I start everyday with my mother's blessings. Although, May 14 is a special day for all mothers, I celebrate it on May 5 as it's her birthday. We celebrate her birthday and have a lot of fun and give her a lot of joy and love. Aditya Narayan: My mother is my friend and I have so much to thank her for. She is the person from whom our family draws its strength. We often forget to express our love and appreciation, but whatever we have learnt in terms of loving and giving is from her. I don't think my father (Udit Narayan) could have achieved the success he has without her unwavering faith in him. Neha Kakkar: My mother is my strength and the shining star, who has guided us all through our toughest times. Sonu, Tony and I are where we are because of the kind of love, motivation and constant faith my mother has had in us. Gurdeep Kohli: I only started to know the importance of this selfless giving relation of a mother when I became one for the first time. My mother created my world for me and made me what I am today. I hope I can do the same for my kids. Disha Parmar: The pure love that a mother has for her children is just beautiful and special. There are no words that can describe the importance of a mother in our lives. A mother is our friend, philosopher and guide. Priyal Gor: My mother doesn't believe in gifts, she just thinks that her children should be hardworking and should achieve something in their life. She assumes that this will be the best gift she will ever receive. In a dramatic press conference that ended with him fainting, suspended AAP leader Kapil Mishra accused CM Arvind Kejriwal of money laundering and dared him to resign by the evening. Mishra, who is on a hunger strike demanding that party leaders divulge details of their foreign trips, said he would drag Kejriwal by the collar to Tihar Jail if he didnt resign. Stay tuned for live updates: Read all the Latest News , Breaking News , watch Top Videos and Live TV here. The luxuries, however, were quickly withdrawn as soon as the chief minister left the martyr's house, leaving the family "upset and humiliated." The air conditioner was installed on a makeshift stand made of bamboo sticks. Also, new curtains, sofas and carpets were brought hours before Adityanaths visit. Adityanath spent about 25 minutes at the martyrs house talking to family. The Uttar Pradesh chief minister Yogi Adityanath on Saturday visited the family of the BSF jawan, Prem Sagar, who was killed and his body mutilated by the Pakistani forces.However, what led to raised eyebrows was the VIP arrangement made for the Uttar Pradesh chief minister. The local administration is said to have filled the martyr's house with an air-conditioner, sofas, curtains, carpets and chairs etc."They installed an AC, sofa set, lay a carpet on the floor and arranged for a generator to ensure smooth power supply. When the CM left, they took away everything," said Daya Shankar, brother of the slain jawan, adding that they "felt humiliated."A before and after photograph of martyr Prem Sagar's house. (Picture Courtesy: CNN-News18)Deoaria is considered one of the most backward regions in UP. According to sources, the administration was trying to ensure that Adityanath, known for his surprise inspections, doesnt find any fault in arrangements.Few hours before the CMs visit, the dusty and potholed road leading to the house of the martyr was turned into a concrete road and the entire village was decked up. Drains were covered up and even the health centre, which was nearly dysfunctional, was upgraded overnight.The chief minister gave a cheque of Rs 6 lakh to the martyrs family and promised a government job to one family member.Head Constable Prem Sagar was martyred in Poonch on May 1 and his body was mutilated by the Pakistan Army.The Chief Minister said a 'shaheed smarak' (martyr's memorial) and a girls' inter college will be set up in the village in the memory of the deceased. Mishras allegations against Kejriwal came a week after CNN-News18 reported mismatch in AAPs submissions to the Election Commission on its donations. "All this happened with the knowledge of Arvind Kejriwal as these shell companies deposited money in the AAP bank account on the same day and time in January 2014," Mishra said, brandishing documents. In a dramatic press conference that ended with him fainting, suspended AAP leader Kapil Mishra accused Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal of laundering money and threatened to drag him by the collar to Tihar Jail if he didnt resign by evening.The former Delhi water and tourism minister was rushed to RML hospital in the national capital from his residence in Civil Lines, where the press conference was held. Doctors later said he was suffering from a little weakness and mild dehydration but was stable.Mishra has been on a hunger strike for the last five days, demanding that the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) release details of foreign tours undertaken by five leaders.Before taking ill, Mishra alleged that the party received funds worth "crores of rupees" from several "shell" companies.I-T department sources had told CNN-News18 last week that there was a "major mismatch" in the amounts filed before the Election Commission, in AAPs bank account and on its website.Sources said the I-T department issued a showcause notice asking party officials to be present before its investigators at 3:30pm on Monday. The notice said that a deliberate attempt was being made to avoid submission of the requisite documents, sources said.He also showed a presentation to bolster his allegations and said it was clear that Kejriwal is corrupt. I dare you, resign by evening or I will myself drag you by the collar to Tihar Jail, he told Kejriwal.At a hurriedly convened press conference moments later, the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) dismissed the allegations. The BJP and Kapil Mishra are singing the same tune, said Sanjay Singh.(With inputs from PTI) The most disturbing news came from Pujali in South 24-Parganas, Raigunj in North Dinajpur and Domkal in Murshidabad. In these three areas, armed men were seen roaming on motorcycles to terrorise the voters. In some of the booths they forcibly entered and destroyed the EVM machines and hurled crude bombs. In the evening, CPI-M and Congress workers gathered in front of State Election Commission office and resorted to a sit-in after they were denied permission to meet state election officials. They raised slogans against the poll body for failing to conduct free and fair polls. West Bengal Congress president Adhir Chowdhury too demanded cancellation of the elections alleging booth capturing by TMC supporters. "I had told my party candidates in Domkal that there is no point taking interest in this election because we can't do anything in front of TMC's goons - backed by police. In most of the places, Congress agents dragged out of polling booths in Murshidabad," he said. The outcome of poll results in the Hills will be crucial for TMC because the ruling party has so far failed to make any presence in the Hills due to Bimal Gurung-led Gorkha Janmukti Morcha (GJM). Also, it will be a litmus test for Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). : Sporadic violence, including gunfight and explosions, marred the civic polls in three municipalities out of seven in West Bengal on Sunday.In Pujali, BJP complained of massive electoral malpractices, booth capturing and rigging by the TMC.All opposition parties, including BJP, CPI-M and Congress, have alleged widespread violence and booth-capturing by Trinamool Congress workers. They have demanded re-polling of elections in Pujali, Raigunj and in Domkal.Addressing the media, CPI-M state secretary Surjya Kanta Mishra, said,"The ruling party has unleashed terror in most of the municipal seats. Such violence in civic polls was never seen before. TMC goons were seen roaming freely unchallenged - with crude bombs and firearms. We want the elections to be countermanded.""Three of our supporters were injured in firing by miscreants at Pujali. We want that stern action be taken against the miscreants," he added.Citizens stand in a queue to cast their votes. (Speaking to News18, BJP state secretary, Sayantan Basu said, "It is unfortunate that the local administration has failed to control the law and order situation in these areas. Trinamool goons were seen threatening our supporters with fire arms and chopper in their hands. In some places voting was going poeacefully but goons backed by TMC hurled crude bombs to terrorise our voters.""It is unfortunate the even journalists were not spared and beaten up mercilessly," he said.TMC general secretary Partha Chatterjee rubbished all allegations and said, "It is a desperate attempt by the BJP and Congress to win the civic polls. In most of the places BJP-Congress goons were involved in violence and we want stern action against them."In Darjeeling, Kalimpong, Mirik and Kurseong the polling has been more or less peaceful. BJP has not fielded any candidate in the Hills because of their alliance with the GJM.Till 5 PM, polling pecentages (in all the 148 wards) at Darjeeling, Kurseong, Mirik, Kalimpong, Raigunj, Domkal and Pujali were reported at 49.4%, 59.8%, 71.6%, 54.4%, 62.2%, 74.1% and 78.0% respectively. Seven municipalities, including four in the hills around Darjeeling, in West Bengal are voting today after a bitter campaign between Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee-led Trinamool Congress and Bharatiya Janata Party-Gorkha Janamukti Morcha alliance. As it happened Read all the Latest News , Breaking News , watch Top Videos and Live TV here. Whatever the type of missile, the launch forces the new South Korean leader, Moon Jae-in, to put dealing with Pyongyang, at least for now, above the domestic economic agenda he'd made a priority during his early days in office. "The United States should never expect us to give up our nuclear capability," the main Rodong newspaper said in a commentary carried by the Korean Central News Agency. Moon, the first liberal leader in Seoul in nearly a decade, said as he took his oath of office that he'd be willing to visit the North if the circumstances were right. Trump has also said he'd be "honoured" to talk with leader Kim Jong Un under favourable conditions. North Korea on Sunday test-launched a ballistic missile that landed in the Sea of Japan, the South Korean, Japanese and US militaries said. The launch is a direct challenge to the new South Korean president elected four days ago and comes as US, Japanese and European navies gather for joint war games in the Pacific.It wasn't immediately clear what type of ballistic missile was launched, although the US Pacific Command said that "the flight is not consistent with an intercontinental ballistic missile."Outside militaries will closely analyse what the North fired. While Pyongyang regularly tests shorter-range missiles, it is also working to master the technology needed to field nuclear-tipped missiles that can reach the US mainland. Past North Korean missiles have flown farther than Sunday's test, landing closer to Japan, but this launch follows a series of high-profile failures.Moon, a liberal who favours a softer approach to the North than his conservative predecessors, strongly condemned the launch during an emergency national security meeting, calling it a clear violation of UN Security Council resolutions and a serious challenge to international peace and security, according to senior presidential secretary Yoon Young-chan."The president expressed deep regret over the fact that this provocation occurred just days after a new government was launched in South Korea," Yoon told a televised conference. "The president said we are leaving open the possibility of dialogue with North Korea, but we should sternly deal with a provocation to prevent North Korea from miscalculating."Japanese Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga said the missile flew about 800 km (500 miles) from a launch site on North Korea's western coast for about 30 minutes and landed in the Sea of Japan, but not inside Japan's exclusive economic zone. Japan's Defense Ministry says the missile likely reached an altitude of 2,000 km (1,240 miles). Prime Minister Shinzo Abe told reporters Sunday that the launch is "absolutely unacceptable" and that Japan will respond resolutely.South Korea's Joint Chiefs of Staff said in a statement that the missile was fired early Sunday morning from near Kusong, in North Phyongan province.North Korea's past satellite rocket launches have been called clandestine tests of ICBM technology, but it is not believed to have tested a true intercontinental ballistic missile yet. The Trump administration has called North Korean ballistic and nuclear efforts unacceptable and has swung between threats of military action and offers to talk as it formulates a policy.The North's state media said Saturday the nation will bolster its nuclear capability unless the United States abandons its hostile policy.It said US President Donald Trump's "maximum pressure and engagement" policy is only aimed at "stifling us" and will compel the North to "strengthen our nuclear deterrent at the maximum speed."The launch also comes as troops from the US, Japan and two European nations gather on remote US islands in the Pacific for drills that are partly a message to North Korea. The USS Carl Vinson, an aircraft supercarrier, is also engaging with South Korean navy ships in waters off the Korean Peninsula, according to Seoul's Defense Ministry.Last week, South Koreans elected Moon to replace conservative Park Geun-hye, who is in jail awaiting a corruption trial. North Korea needs tests to perfect its missile program, but it also is thought to stage its launches after the elections of new US and South Korean presidents in an attempt to gauge a new administration's reaction.On Saturday, a top North Korean diplomat in charge of US relations, Choe Son Hui, told reporters in Beijing that Pyongyang would be willing to meet with the Trump administration for negotiations "if the conditions are set.During the South's so-called "sunshine" era of the late 1990s and early to mid-2000s, liberal South Korean leaders held two summits with Kim Jong Un's father, the late Kim Jong Il, and shipped huge amounts of aid to the North. Critics say this only helped the elite in Pyongyang build their missile and nuclear programs, while supporters point to the bloodshed, threats of war and nuclear development of the last decade as proof that the conservative approach was no better.Moon has moved more quickly on domestic economic goals than foreign policy. But analysts say that North Korea's weapons program is likely too far advanced for him to be able to return to the type of sunshine policies his liberal predecessors favoured. Abigails ministry When in an abusive relationship, we think that we cant leave for numerous reasons. The reason I stayed was for my children, I did not want them to come from a broken home, I wanted to keep my family together, the 43-year-old tells Sunday Newsday. It took me 14 years to come out of the loneliness and depression I was in. I got severe burns from being in the relationship, she says, recalling one particular incident in 1999 when a violent outburst by her then husband resulted in severe burns to her face, chest and arms. I would stay inside a lot of the times, and not socialise because of the many scars on my skin. I always had to have on makeup, until one day I decided, you know what, this is enough. I have to start being comfortable with myself. This is me, this is what happened and I started taking the negative which took place in my life and changing it into a positive for someone else. Her new aim and focus in life is to help other women deal with and eventually get out of violent relationships. Someone would listen to me more because I speak from experience and I can identify with what they are going through. If I could go to one of my motivational seminars and touch one person, then I know for sure I am doing something good. I have been able to help a lot of women get out of abusive relationships, Wharwood says. She frequently gives speeches at the Princes Town Hospital and at the Seventh Day Adventist Church, San Fernando, where she ends her talks on a tender and emotional note - by removing her makeup, revealing all her scars to the audience. It is always moving when I bare myself to the audience. What I convey by removing my makeup is that I accept and love myself. It is never too late for them to do the same and many women would come up to me after and say that they are being abused in their relationships. I talk to them and then I give them the contacts and addresses for the Domestic Violence Abuse Hotline, The Rape Crisis Society, Victim and Witness support, individual, group and family counselling as well as domestic violence drop in centres. Married at the age of 23, she moved from Princes Town to Diamond Vale, Diego Martin along with her husband and two children. I met my ex-husband at the age of 17, at that time I was more in love with him than I was with myself, that was my mistake. Before we got married I knew he was violent, because there were instances when he would get physical and verbally abusive with me. I thought he would change when we got married, but things only got worse. To the point where it started affecting our children, as threats had turned into blatant acts of violence. We had to get out, Wharwood recalls emotionally. So what gave her the courage to leave? Prayer and faith gave me the strength to leave, as I attended Holy Cross RC Church, Princes Town. It wasnt making any sense losing my peace of mind and happiness. I went right back home to my family, who were really supportive, financially and emotionally. It was the most depressing time of my life. But there was also a silver lining - her independent and philanthropic spirits were ignited. In 2015 she re-opened her Princes Town-based Hair Works by Allison, and registered Once is Too Much, a non-profit organisation that aims to help victims of domestic violence and other forms of abuse. The organisation uses motivational speeches, support groups and prayer to help victims deal with and eventually escape their abusive situations. Once is Too Much also tries to educate the community of Princes Town about domestic violence and its signs. The long-term goal of Once is Too Much is to open a safe house where victims can come and feel like home. Where we would help in building them so they can become people who are not dependent on their abusers, Wharwood explains. Despite her experiences, Wharwood continues to be the family-oriented person she has always been. She plays an active role in her childrens lives. I am truly blessed to have wonderful children. My daughter, Afiya, 24, makes me so proud and my two sons Justin, 20, has Down Syndrome, and Jayden, nine, are my life. I love them dearly, she says with tears in her eyes. Justin is also member of the Down Syndrome Family Network. What advice would she give to someone who is a victim of domestic violence? I would tell that person to leave, just leave. Do not try to take matters into your own hands, love yourself first and know your worth. Love is not supposed to make you unhappy, and seek God for help. He is the only one who sees what you have been through, pray for the courage to leave and once you leave, do not go back. Abigail Allison Wharwood can be contacted via: abigailwharwood@ gmail.com and hairworksbyallison@gmail.com Marcia still a judge I want the JLSC to reconsider, as far as I am concerned, she is still a judge. I kept on referring to her as Justice Marcia Ayers-Caesar, as far as I am concerned, Justice Marcia Ayers-Caesar is a judge of the High Court and as far as I am concerned any such letter of resignation doesnt have any legal effect in the circumstances, Maharaj, a senior counsel, said yesterday. Addressing a media conference at his Irving Street, San Fernando law offices yesterday, Maharaj disclosed that while he had discussions with Ayers-Caesar about the issue, he was not speaking as her attorney. He however dissected the arguments put forward by the JLSC regarding her resignation, saying the removal of a judge involved the appointment of a tribunal by the President. On April 27, 15 days after her appointment as judge, Ayers-Caesar resigned amid growing concern over unfinished cases she may have left behind in the magistracy, as the Chief Magistrate, and one day after prisoners almost rioted in the Eighth Magistrates Court in Port-of-Spain where she presided for the last seven years. Ayers-Caesars resignation was announced in a statement issued by the Judiciarys Court Protocol and Information Department. Maharaj yesterday questioned the validity of the resignation letter suggesting Ayers-Caesar was pressured to step down. I saw on the newspapers, it was a headline, a letter of resignation was signed and there was some story of the circumstances it was signed and based on the knowledge of what I have of some of the circumstances, I am of the view that serious questions arise as to whether that letter of resignation can be effective in law, he said. And if there has to be a letter of resignation, it has to be a letter of resignation given in circumstances which can withstand scrutiny by any reasonable courts, he said, adding that similar cases had occurred where persons had signed deeds or contracts and the courts had been asked to determine whether they had been signed under duress or undue influence. Maharaj said the JLSC possessed the capability to inquire about her workload as a magistrate before appointing her as a judge and having made that appointment, the JLSC cannot use any other power to remove that judge. I do not see any legal barrier put forward by the Judicial and Legal Service Commission to prevent Madam Justice Marcia Ayers-Caesar from functioning as a judge, he said, adding, the duty is on the JLSC and I am confident that ultimately if this matter is further gone into, that this issue of not having outstanding judgements would not be an important issue. He said the court administration department would have been able to provide reports to the Chief Justice for him to access the workload of judges and magistrates and to determine whether there were excessive delays in the magistracy or the Judiciary. I am of the view that the JLSC would have had access to all of the data regarding the outstanding work of the Chief Magistrate before the JLSC appointed the Chief Magistrate as a judge, he said. Asked whether she could be reinstated, Maharaj said, It is not a question to be reinstated, she doesnt have to be reinstated, she has to continue her functions as a judge. The JLSC has no power to say she is no longer a judge, the judge can only be removed from office if there is a genuine letter of resignation, or secondly a committee, a tribunal appointed by the President, there is a special procedure under section 137 and then that has to be a recommendation to the Privy Council and the Privy Council determines that the Judge should be removed from office, he said. A judge cannot be removed from office easily, he said. If the JLSC does not take steps to facilitate to continue her function as a judge, it would be open to the judge, as many judges have done, to challenge that decision and to seek compensation from the State, Maharaj said, and cited the matter involving the late justice Richard Crane and then chief justice Clinton Bernard. Asked whether the JLSC and Chief Justice should resign, he said, From what I see, from what has happened so far, is not every error made by a judge or made by an administrative body merits or attracts resignation or removal from office. From what I have seen so far, I do not think there is any basis to ask the Chief Justice to resign, I do not agree with some of my colleagues that this matter at this stage calls for any resignation of the Chief Justice, he added. What I do think however is that the Chief Justice as chairman of the JLSC has to get this matter reconsidered by the JLSC and to take steps to have reforms in the appointment process so that things like these may not happen again. And whereas Attorney General Faris Al-Rawi has said the Government cannot get involved, Maharaj said if he were still in office he would have written the Chief Justice. I would have told the Chief Justice that you should look at this again and reconsider it, he said. Maharaj said he was willing to challenge the JLSCs decision against allowing Ayers-Caesar to continue as a judge. If for some reason, the judge has to challenge it and I am asked to challenge it, I will undertake that responsibility and if I have to take that responsibility, I would be prepared, if the judge decides to challenge it, I would be prepared to go to the highest level to prove that the rights of the judge have been violated. On May 5, 11 senior counsels in a joint statement called on the JLSC to provide information about the states of Ayers-Caesars unfinished cases in the magistrates court. Days later, the JLSC disclosed Ayers-Caesar had dismissed 16 cases in one day in the Couva court, after accepting her appointment to the High Court. In a statement, the JLSC said they had been misled by her. Also last week, former attorney general Anand Ramlogan initiated legal action on the constitutionality of the composition of the JLSC, specifically the inclusion of two retired judges. Last Friday, Ramlogan asked that the JLSC not make any new appointments until the issue is determined by the court. Find the Creator Speaking to reporters after the 13th annual Mothers Day Programme at the Womens Prison, St Louis said: I am better and I will be better and I owe it to the Creator. Some say God but I say the Creator. Giving an example of her progress since being imprisoned, several years ago, a visibly proud St Louis said she had recently written the CXC English-Language paper and I know to myself that I got a distinction. She said when she returned to the prison after writing the paper, it dawned on her that people must try not to be influenced negatively by others. I learnt that dont ever let somebody change your mind to what you know. If it is that you know that you are something, you must know you can something better. St Louis, who turns 27 on September 29, is charged with the murder of security guard Robert Bobb in April 2013. Quite stylish in her pair of silver heels and black pencil pants, St Louis was among a group of inmates who got to spend time with their children and other loved ones at the Womens Prison function, ahead of todays Mothers Day observance. Yesterday, St Louis was visited by her daughter Trevell, niece Jahmeela Williams and twin nephews, Ezekiel and Elijah Dunbar. She said Trevell was the product of her relationship with her first boyfriend. Asked if she had other children, St Louis joked: So many I cant keep check. Imprisoned for quite some time, St Louis said she has been often told that the mind was the secret to withstanding the ordeal. It is about the way you develop your mind at the end of the day because of all the different types we dealing with and you make a child, you dont make a mind. Being away from my daughter made me understand that. It is real but God is good, she said. She urged her fellow inmates and people outside of the prison walls to find the Creator before finding yourselves. He will make a way. This (referring to herself) is a work in progress and we aint reach there yet. St Louis also urged all biological mothers and mother figures to recognise and celebrate their contribution. Blessings to all mothers. The fathers who have been mothers. The mothers who have been father and mother, like my mother. I really appreciate the people that have been there for me as a mother, when my mother could not be there for me physically. St Louis said forgiveness was also a key ingredient in the rehabilitative process. Forgiveness is very important but I am not a person that has ever really not forgiven somebody that has done something wrong to me. She added: Honestly, when you enter your mothers belly after the sperm, I dont think that the day that you born, was not the day that I got life. I have grown in life. St Louis urged people to learn from their mistakes. So within anything you do in life, please grow. Dont fall, grow first. bp boss: TT LNG story far from over This years theme was Unleash Your Potential - Embracing Opportunities for Business Growth. Saying dreamers often see and envision a world ahead of their time, Christie told ECA members that from his own experience, the greatest examples of potential being unleashed were almost always coupled with whats popularly called a BHAG, or big, hairy, audacious goal. Recalling the time he spent working in Egypt at the start of their gas business in the Nile Delta back in the 1990s, he said that countrys dreams included LNG trains, a cross-Mediterranean pipeline, a pipeline to Israel and a large domestic gas business. As is often the case with big dreams, not everything has worked as envisioned but I look at recent reports from Egypt and the LNG business and large domestic business are a reality. And, with a recent giant gas discovery of approximately 30 tcf (trillion cubic feet), I wouldnt bet against the other elements of the dream coming to fruition. Closer to home, while I was not here at the start of the LNG business I had a close association because of the role I held in Chicago at the time. The story here also has a familiar ring. While we currently are concerned with natural gas supply shortfalls, we shouldnt forget that the dreams decades ago resulted in one of the largest LNG complexes in this hemisphere. Further, I am convinced that the story is far from over. On the balance between risk and reward, Christie said, Once the values boundaries are not violated, we have to be prepared to take risks. Giving the audience some insight into how this plays out in the oil and gas world, he said, In my business, we frequently invest over US$100 million on on exploration well, with a chance of success that is often far less than 50 percent. In fact, bpTT is doing that right now with two exploration wells being drilled off the east coast of Trinidad. Christie added that when one is taking such risks, you understand that wise risk taking utilises appropriate expertise while in a business setting, you learn to appreciate true talent. This is the second important point, he told the ECA audience. When taking wise risks, consider your advisers. In a business setting, you must consider the talent you surround yourself with to instruct the risks you take. Examining the importance of continuous learning, Christie used the example of this countrys petrochemicals industry. In my view, Trinidad and Tobago (TT) has great stories about dreaming big, taking risks and continuously learning. The petrochemicals industry in Point Lisas us a great case study in unleashing potential and growth. By dreaming big and taking risks, TT has, for decades, punched its way above its weight as the largest exporter of traded methanol and ammonia. Linking the theme of his speech to ongoing negotiations with the National Gas Company (NGC) for a new gas sales contract; which expires at the end of 2028, Christie said Throughout these negotiations, we have been reminded of how visionary the political and business leaders were who established Pt Lisas, and the risks they took when natural gas was viewed as a nuisance, associated product, of oil. What is equally important though, is to see how NGC has continued to learn in the face of a fast-changing energy world. In fact, in the negotiations, Christie shared, they repeatedly acknowledged that what got them in here is not going to keep them successful in the future. This kind of learning will unleash potential. JSL wins Champion Employer award This was the energy service providers second award of Friday evening, having edged out the Hyatt Recency hotel for first place in the Employer of the Year - Large Category. The company is a subsidiary of JSL International LLC, which is based in Houston, Texas. Addressing ECA members at the awards function at Hyatt Regency, Port-of-Spain, JSLs managing director Javid Ramcharitar said the company was pleased and humbled to be deemed Champion Employer. As a large contingent of staff stood on stage behind him, Ramcharitar said, It is an honour to join past recipients who I have long admired and respected. Recognising all of the 2017 nominees, he thanked them for making incredible contributions to their communities, as well as to the prosperity of our beautiful twin island republic in different ways. Reflecting on the companys journey to success, Ramcharitar thanked all those who trusted, those who believed in some way that we, JSL, a small fledgling company with no face that started out seven years ago with five employees, sharing a 309 square foot office space, had a chance. On its website (www.jslinternational. net) the company describes itself as a premium service provider, pooling the best group of companies and resources together for any job assigned. From five employees in 2010, JSL International now employs more than 650 people and operates in more than 12 countries. In all, seven awards were given out last Friday. The others were: 1) Micro Champion Employer of the Year - Manuchan (Trinidad) Limited; 2) Employer of the Year (Small Category) - RHS Marketing Limited; 3) Employer of the Year (Medium Category) - Crews Inn Hotel and Yacht Club; 4) Award for Excellence in Staff Development and Industrial Relations - Scotiabank TT; and 5) Award for Excellence in Corporate Social Responsibility and Community Engagement - RHS Marketing Limited. There Was No Red Wave, 'That's for Darn Sure' The US is in the midst of a well-documented opioid epidemic, but less well-known is how some people are making money off it through shady treatment centers that bilk insurance companies and do little to help their actual clients. In a feature in the Christian Science Monitor, Jennifer Flory describes working in a job she didn't like mainly because it came with good insurance. She needed it: Her daughter Alison was going through drug treatment, and the bills would've ruined her. Trouble was, the "treatment" was part of an insurance fraud scheme, something Alison eventually worked out herself, once telling her mother that the people running it were scammers in it only for the money. But her mother dismissed those allegations and asked Alison to trust them. "She is looking down and saying, 'I told you so,'" says her mom. When Alison suffered a fatal overdose in 2016 at age 25 after bouncing between treatment centers for 15 months, it became clear that she'd been a pawn in a money-making scheme in which her addiction was fed instead of treated. In fact, "it is an open secret among addicts enrolled in South Florida treatment facilities that hundreds of suburban homes posing as drug-free recovery residences are little more than co-ed flop houses where the use of drugs is permitted and sometimes encouraged," writes Warren Richey. The houses pay people to recruit addicts, sometimes encouraging them to relapse so they can start a whole new course of expensive treatment all over again. The founder of a now-shuttered treatment center where Alison was enrolled has pleaded guilty to health-care fraud. Read about the problem in Florida and elsewhere at the Monitor. (Read more insurance fraud stories.) Avocados are all the rage. So much so that Huffington Post recently called the opening of New York's first avocado bar "painfully trendy." Turns out avocados are also, quite literally, part of a painful trend. Emergency room doctors are reporting an increase in the number of amateur chefs winding up with serious "stab and slash" injuries as they attempt to cut through the soft flesh and remove the hard pit, reports the Times of London. The injury even comes with its own name: "avocado hand." "I had to go to the [ER] and get three stitches and I have lost most of the sensation in my finger," Freya Watson, a TV producer in London, tells Vice's Munchies. "When I was in the [ER], there was a woman with the exact same injury." Sure enough, people are posting pictures with hashtags like #avocadoinjury, and Simon Ecclessecretary and former president of the British Association of Plastic, Reconstructive, and Aesthetic Surgeonstells the Times he sees four patients a week with avocado hand. So if you're unskilled yourself, maybe watch a few tutorials before attempting to dissect. (Here's why avocados are getting spendy.) An Egyptian archaeological mission has found a necropolis holding at least 17 mummies near the Nile Valley city of Minya, in the first such find in the area, the antiquities ministry said on Saturday. The discovery was made in the village of Tuna al-Gabal, reports the AP, a vast archaeological site on the edge of the western desert. The area hosts a large necropolis for thousands of mummified birds and animals. It also includes tombs and a funerary building. "It's the first human necropolis to be found here in Tuna al-Gabal," Antiquities Minister Khaled al-Anani told reporters at the site, some 135 miles south of Cairo. The mummies were elaborately preserved, therefore likely belong to officials and priests, he said. The new discovery also includes six sarcophagi, two clay coffins, two papyri written in demotic script as well as a number of vessels, he said. The necropolis, which is eight yards below ground level, dates back to the Late Period of Ancient Egypt and the Greco-Roman period, the minister noted. Pointing to the edges of the necropolis where legs and feet of other mummies could be seen, the minister said that the find "will be much bigger," as work is currently in only a preliminary stage. Egypt is taking a recent spate of discoveries as something of a blessing for its lagging tourism industry, notes the Washington Post, which has been hit hard by recent political unrest. (Egypt just discovered a tomb believed to belong to a pharaoh's daughter.) France has inaugurated new president, Emmanuel Macron, a 39-year-old independent centrist who was elected on May 7, reports the AP. Arriving Sunday at the Elysee presidential palace in Paris, Macron slowly marched alone, under a light rain, in the Elysee courtyard. He shook hands with his predecessor, Francois Hollande, at the front porch and the two men briefly posed for photographers. Macron is the youngest president in the country's history and the 8th president of France's Fifth Republic, created in 1958. His Republic on the Move movement hopes to reinvigorate French politics and win a majority of lawmakers in the June parliamentary election. The centrist, speaking Sunday in his inauguration speech, says "we will take all our responsibilities to provide, every time it's needed, a relevant response to big contemporary crises." He listed "the excesses of capitalism in the world" and climate change among his future challenges. Macron says all countries in the world are "interdependent ... we are all neighbors." He announced his determination to push ahead with reforms to free up France's economy and pledged to press for a "more efficient, more democratic" European Union. He is the first French president who doesn't originate from one of the country's two mainstream parties. His Republic on the Move movement hopes to reinvigorate French politics and win a majority of lawmakers in the June parliamentary election. Macron takes charge of a nation that, when Britain leaves the European Union in 2019, will become the EU's only member with nuclear weapons and a permanent seat on the UN Security Council. (Read more Emmanuel Macron stories.) North Korea on Sunday test-launched a ballistic missile that flew for half an hour and reached an unusually high altitude before landing in the Sea of Japan, the South Korean, Japanese, and US militaries said. The launch, which Tokyo said could be of a new type of missile, is a direct challenge to the new South Korean president and comes as US, Japanese, and European navies gather for joint war games in the Pacific. It wasn't immediately clear what type of ballistic missile was launched, the seventh such firing this year, although the US Pacific Command said that "the flight is not consistent with an intercontinental ballistic missile." Japanese officials, however, said the missile flew for about 30 minutes, traveling about 500 miles and reaching an altitude of 1,240 milesa flight pattern that could indicate a new type of missile, reports the AP. One expert said that the missile could have a range of 2,800 miles if flown on a standard, instead of a lofted, trajectoryconsiderably longer than Pyongyang's current missiles. He said Sunday's launch may have been of a new mobile, two-stage liquid-fueled missile North Korea displayed in an April 15 military parade. Past North Korean missiles have flown farther than Sunday's test, landing closer to Japan, but this launch follows a series of high-profile failures. The White House said North Korea has been "a flagrant menace for far too long," and that Washington maintains its "ironclad commitment" to its allies. "The United States should never expect us to give up our nuclear capability," said the North in commentary carried by KCNA. It said President Trump's "maximum pressure" policy is only aimed at "stifling us." On Saturday, a top North Korean diplomat said Pyongyang would be willing to meet with the Trump administration "if the conditions are set." She did not elaborate. (Read more North Korea stories.) "What brings us together is that we are white, we are a people, we will not be replaced," intoned Richard Spencer, the man who coined the term "alt-right," at rallies Saturday near a contentious statue of Robert E. Lee in Charlottesville, Va. As the Daily Progress reports, the second rally was attended by several dozen protesters carrying torches and chanting, "Russia is our friend," "you will not replace us," and "blood and soil." Police broke up that protest within about 10 minutes after an altercation broke out; Spencer tweeted a photo of himself from the scene, captioned simply "#torchlight." At issue: The city of Charlottesville's decision to sell the statue of Lee, though a judge has since ordered an injunction preventing any sale for six months. The town is familiar ground for Spencer, who the Washington Post notes attended the University of Virginia. The protests were attacked by Virginia gubernatorial candidate Tom Perriello, who started a back-and-forth when he tweeted, "Get your white supremacist hate out of my hometown." "We won, you lost, little Tommy," retorted Spencer. "Actually, you lost," responded Perriello. "In 1865. 150 years later, youre still not over it." The Post notes that Perriello's GOP rival, Corey Stewart, has been a staunch defender of the Lee statue, though he was not confirmed to be part of the protests. (Read more Richard Spencer stories.) Police in South Carolina say a woman has been arrested for hitting her young son after he gave a Mother's Day card to his grandmother but not to her, reports the AP. A Spartanburg Police Department report says Shontrell Murphy is charged with cruelty to children for hitting her 6-year-old son on the head Thursday. Murphy's mother, Tracey Joanne Murphy, told police she saw her daughter hitting her son; when she asked why, the younger Murphy responded "because she could," reports WYFF. The boy's sister told police Shontrell Murphy ripped the card to pieces and hit the boy "hard." He was treated and released from a local hospital. Police say Shontrell Murphy has been released from the Spartanburg County Detention Center. It wasn't clear Sunday if she has an attorney. (Read more Mother's Day stories.) A new NBC/Wall Street Journal poll shows unfavorable views of President Trumps move to dismiss FBI Director James Comey. The poll, conducted among 800 adults, found that only 29% of Americans approve of Comeys dismissal, though Trumps overall approval dropped only one point from last months NBC/WSJ poll to 39%. Heres a closer look at the numbers: Party breakdown: While 29% approve of Comey's dismissal, 38% disapprove and 32% have no opinion. Along partisan lines, those who approved of Comeys firing were largely Republican, with a 58% approval rating. Independents and Democrats were more critical, with 36% of Independents and 66% of Democrats giving the move a thumbs down. While 29% approve of Comey's dismissal, 38% disapprove and 32% have no opinion. Along partisan lines, those who approved of Comeys firing were largely Republican, with a 58% approval rating. Independents and Democrats were more critical, with 36% of Independents and 66% of Democrats giving the move a thumbs down. Altered views of Trump?: 30% of participants say firing Comey lowered their opinion of Trump, while 6% say they now have a more favorable view and 61% say the dismissal did not change their opinion. 30% of participants say firing Comey lowered their opinion of Trump, while 6% say they now have a more favorable view and 61% say the dismissal did not change their opinion. How does Comey measure up?: Only 18% of participants had a positive rating of Comey, against a 26% negative rating. The FBI in general received a 52% approval rating and a 16% negative rating. Only 18% of participants had a positive rating of Comey, against a 26% negative rating. The FBI in general received a 52% approval rating and a 16% negative rating. Special commission: Nearly half of participants, 46%, agree with the statement that the Russian investigation drove Trumps decision, while 38% say it was over the handling of Hillary Clinton's email. Meanwhile, 78% prefer that a special prosecutor or independent commission handle the investigation instead of Congress. Read more on NBC News . (Read more James Comey stories.) Sorry! This content is not available in your region We're always interested in hearing about news in our community. Let us know what's going on! Go to form Thank you for reading! Please log in, or sign up for a new account and purchase a subscription to continue reading. New Delhi: In a bid to finish the 2015 BBC documentary on the Nirbhaya gangrape case, Anuradha Singh, the editor, had suffered a crack in her tailbone while working 20 hours a day to finish the film that was later banned. "India's Daughter", based on the life of the 23-year-old paramedic student who was brutally gangraped and died a fortnight later, also left Singh emotionally drained. It took her over two years to edit more than 100 hours of interview reels and archive material. "By the time the documentary finally took shape, I was suffering from a crack in the tailbone and heavily swollen wrists as I used to work for nearly 20 hours a day", Singh told PTI. There was a time when the cameraperson of the documentary left the project mid-way. Read more: Nirbhaya case: Bollywood lauds Supreme Court's verdict, says 'Justice Prevails' "But just to save it from getting shelved I took up the camera", she says. Having worked in the Oscar-winning "Slumdog Millionaire" and "The Hundred-Foot Journey", the filmmaker, now settled in Mumbai, says it was the brutal and inhuman nature of the crime which troubled her on an emotional level. "Imagine going through the material regarding a gruesome rape again and again every day", she says. She recalls how she often used to wake up in the middle of the night shocked and afraid while making "India's Daughter". Asked how she feels now that the Supreme Court has upheld the death sentence for the four men convicted of the rape and murder, she says "I had given two-and-a-half-years of my life to the documentary and so am happy that it has finally come out with the verdict." "More than the actual verdict, the comments and observations made by the apex court have further strengthened my faith in the judicial system of the country." On the documentary still being banned in India, she says, "Yes, obviously I wish the ban to be lifted but let the authorities concerned or court take the appropriate decision. I have full faith in our judiciary and the government." The documentary was banned by the government after its content, including the interview of one of the rapists who showed no remorse, triggered outrage. Read more: 2012 Nirbhaya gang rape case: Juvenile culprit now 'settled' in South India as SC confirms death penalty to other 4 accused A trial court had restrained the airing of the documentary in March 2015. Hailing from the small town of Wazirganj in Bihar, Anuradha Singh, now 45, moved to Mumbai 23 years ago to pursue her dream of working in cinema just after finishing her studies in Delhi and a short stint in journalism. While assisting Renu Saluja, a four-time national award winning editor, on Vidhu Vinod Chopra's "Mission Kashmir", she realised that film editing was her true calling. She later joined FTII, Pune, to learn the art of editing. During her days in FTII, she came in contact with Alex de Grunwald, production manager of Richard Attenborough's film "Gandhi". Her documentary "Touch the Sky with Glory" on the Indian Air Force was appreciated by Grunwald, giving her access to Hollywood. And then one day, Leslee Udwin, with whom she had worked earlier, called her to assist her on "India's Daughter". She also recalls how Hollywood star Meryl Streep praised her work as "incredible" during a screening of the documentary at the New York Institute of Technology. For all the Latest Entertainment News, Bollywood News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps. New Delhi: A heart shivering incident took place after a 10-year-old girl was found to be five months pregnant due to being raped repeatedly by her stepfather. The police reported the same on Sunday. The girl's pregnancy was confirmed by the doctors when her mother took her to a hospital, they said, adding the accused was arrested. Meanwhile, the National Commission for Women Chairperson Lalitha Kumaramangalam has said that the agency has taken a Suo moto cognizance of the case. An NCW team is likely to visit Rohtak tomorrow to look into the matter. The police said that the accused, identified as Suresh, was arrested under section 506 (Punishment for criminal intimidation) of the IPC and relevant section of the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act (POCSO Act) 2012. The family, originally hailing from Bihar, was residing at Durga Colony here, Rohtak DSP (City) Ramesh Kumar said. The mother, in a complaint lodged with the police, alleged that the girl's stepfather had been raping her for a long time and threatened the girl of dire consequences if she dared to disclose it to anyone. The girl was admitted to PGIMS, Rohtak, police said, adding that they were probing further into the matter. For all the Latest India News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps. Deoria: The family members of slain BSF head constable Prem Sagar were shocked to witness that how the Deoria district administration installed a window airconditioner, put up a sofa and carpet at their home ahead of Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath's visit, and later removed it within minutes after the chief minister's depart from their residence. Sagar's family members said they were taken aback when the authorities removed the air conditioner, sofa and carpet soon after the chief minister left their place. "Officials took away the carpet, sofa and AC soon after Adityanath left our residence....within 15 to 30 minutes of his departure, everything was gone," Dayasagar, the brother of the fallen BSF trooper said. There was, however, no official word on it. The Deoria administration had installed airconditioners, put up new curtains, sofas and carpets in the living room where the chief minister was to meet the family. UP CM visited; AC,sofa,carpet were put in room. Officials took back everything after CM left: Brother of Prem Sagar who lost his life in J&K pic.twitter.com/JD9ZK9oNFZ ANI UP (@ANINewsUP) May 14, 2017 A day before CM's visit, dusty roads in the village were cleaned and drains which always used to remain open were covered. Head Constable Sagar was on patrol duty on May 1 along the Line of Control in Jammu and Kashmir's Poonch when Pakistan's Border Action Team (BAT) crossed the LoC and ambushed the patrol team. While taking cover, Sagar and Naik Subedar Paramjeet Singh of the Army were left behind. They were killed and their bodies mutilated. Matter of disrespect: Dayashankar, brother of BSF head constable Prem Sagar on removal of AC, sofa & carpet post UP CM's visit #Deoria pic.twitter.com/vzmufgP69Q ANI UP (@ANINewsUP) May 14, 2017 Sagar's family had refused to cremate his body, insisting that the chief minister visit them. They agreed to hold the last rites only after the chief minister spoke to them. Adityanath visited Sagar's family on May 12 at his native village Tikampaar to offer condolences and presented a cheque for Rs 4 lakh. He also reportedly promised employment to Sagar's children after they complete their studies. The chief minister said a shaheed smarak (martyr's memorial) and a girls inter college will be set up in the village in the memory of the slain trooper. He also promised a road to connect the village to the main road. Also Read: Now, UP CM Adityanath to monitor crime reports personally through special cell With regard to a demand for a gas agency for the family, he had said a recommendation will be sent to the central government. Reacting over the incident, former Jammu and Kashmir chief minister Omar Abdullah said if this had happened with Rahul Gandhi instead of UP CM, people can see the outrage on Twitter. Imagine the twitter outrage if this had happened for Rahul Gandhi to visit instead of for the UP CM. All sorts of name calling would follow. https://t.co/VO0xVQrZXP Omar Abdullah (@abdullah_omar) May 14, 2017 For all the Latest India News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps. Amravati: Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu asked the Centre on Saturday to scrap the banknotes of Rs 2,000 and Rs 500 denomination in order to speed up digital payments. "It was I who first demanded abolition of Rs 1,000 and Rs 500 notes. Now, they brought Rs 2,000 and Rs 500 notes but they too should be scrapped," Naidu, who heads a panel of chief ministers on digital economy, told reporters. He has made the demand in the light of a hawala racket that the Visakhapatnam police busted on Saturday. "A staggering Rs 1,379 crore was sent out using the hawala route. I once asked the RBI -- after the demonetisation-- to send more money to AP. The RBI Deputy Governor told me money was 'coming to AP but don't know where it's going'. Now, we know where the money is going," the Chief Minister said, referring to the hawala racket. "So many fake companies were created for these transactions. Some nondescript persons have done all this. Whois the role model for them," Chandrababu asked, indirectly taking a dig at YSR Congress president Y S Jaganmohan Reddy. "These people are tarnishing the image of AP. Who knows how many such rackets exist (in the state) and who is the role model for them? We have to deal with them in a tough manner and protect the state's image," the Chief Minister remarked. While attacking the YSRC president, the Naidu said that the former provided support to the NDA in the ensuing presidential election as he had no other option. "We (TDP and BJP) are coalition partners. Why did he (Jagan) go and meet the Prime Minister (Narendra Modi)? He announced support to the NDA in the presidential election as he has no other option," Chandrababu said. The Narendra Modi-led government had introduced the Rs 2,000 and Rs 500 notes in November 2016 after announcing the demonetisation of old Rs 1,000 and Rs 500 currency notes. For all the Latest India News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps. New Delhi: Two DRG personnel have been injured in the ongoing encounter between security forces and Naxals in Chhattisgarh's Bijapur. The encounter, which became around noon, comes almost a month after over 25 CRPF men lost their lives in an ambush by Maoists in Suka district. The injured soldiers have been airlifted by Indian Air Force to Raipur, where they have been admitted in Ramakrishna Hospital. The search operation is currently going on. More details are awaited on this. The deadly assault occurred around 12:25 PM in Kalapathar area of south Bastar region, one of the worst-hit by Naxalite violence. Chhattisgarh: Mi-17 helicopter landed in forest area in the midst of Bijapur encounter to evacuate 2 DRG personnel & brought them to Raipur. pic.twitter.com/mTL4rnlR4c ANI (@ANI_news) May 14, 2017 Chhattisgarh: Two DRG personnel injured in Bijapur encounter, airlifted by Indian Air Force to Raipur, admitted in Ramakrishna Hospital. pic.twitter.com/NiXVCtYFzO ANI (@ANI_news) May 14, 2017 Also read: Chhattisgarh: Naxal killed in fire exchange with police in Bijapur district Also read: 25 CRPF jawans killed in deadly Naxal attack in Sukma: Here's how it happened For all the Latest India News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps. Chandigarh: Financial assistance of Rs 10.5 lakh was announced on Sunday for the family of a young woman who was gang-raped and killed in Haryana last week. As the 23-year old woman was a Dalit, the state welfare department would provide Rs 8.5 lakh to her family under provisions of the Scheduled Caste and Scheduled Tribe (Prevention of Atrocities) Act. The remaining Rs 2 lakh will be given by the Red Cross, Sonipat Deputy Commissioner K Makrand Pandurang told PTI over phone. More gory details of Nirbhaya like gang rape-and-murder of a young Dalit woman from Sonipat emerged today, while her family alleged that their plea to police for help prior to the killing went unheeded. An autopsy of the victim showed the bones of the womans skull were shattered into pieces and some sharp-edged objects may have been inserted in her private parts. Read | Haryana's Nirbhaya: Post-mortem report confirms mutilation, states disturbing details about Rohtak gang-rape victim The findings suggest that it was a brutal rape and murder, said Dr S K Dhatterwal, head of the department of forensic medicine at the Post Graduate Institute of Medical Sciences (PGIMS) in Rohtak, who conducted the post-mortem examination. Meanwhile, former Haryana Chief Minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda alleged that there is a complete breakdown of law and order in the state and the BJP government has failed to put a check on the rising crime graph. He demanded exemplary punishment for the culprits in the gang rape and murder of a 23-year-old woman from Sonipat and said such incidents, wherever those happen, shame the humanity. Read | Haryana's Nirbhaya: Police arrests 2 accused in Rohtak gang-rape, SIT formed for fast track investigation The mutilated body of the woman was found near the Industrial Model Township in Urban Estate, Rohtak, on May 11, two days after she had gone missing.Stray dogs had bitten away the victims face and lower portion of her body which was spotted by a passer-by. The woman, said to be a divorcee, had been kidnapped from Sonipat on May 9 and taken to Rohtak in a car, police said. The Haryana Police has formed a special investigation team (SIT) to probe the case. The police have already arrested two men including the one who they claimed was her jilted lover. Read | Haryana shame! Woman gangraped, mutilated body found in Rohtak after refusing marriage proposal (With Inputs from PTI) For all the Latest India News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps. New Delhi: The post-mortem report in the shocking gang-rape and murder of a woman in Haryana's Rohtak has come to the fore. It states that the victim's face is not identifiable and the face, tongue, eye and ears have been totally distorted. Further, it has been revealed in the report that death had been caused by death injury. Multiple wounds were also found on the victim's skull and scalp. The report further claims that the Oesophagus was missing & gnawing effects were seen over chest of the victim. The brutal crime is said to have occurred on May 9. Sources claimed that the victim had allegedly refused a marriage proposal from her lover after which the ghastly attack on her took place. Post -mortem further states that Oesophagus was missing& gnawing effects were seen over chest of the victim in Rohtak gangrape & murder case ANI (@ANI_news) May 14, 2017 Haryana Police has arrested two accused in the gruesome case and a SIT has been formed for fast investigation in the case. Post-mortem report of victim in #Rohtak gangrape&murder case states-face,tongue,eye,ears totally distorted, the face was not identifiable. ANI (@ANI_news) May 14, 2017 The distraught parents of the woman have claimed that this ghastly attack was carried out by her neighbour and have demanded capital punishment for the rapists. ALSO READ: Haryana's Nirbhaya: Police arrests 2 accused in Rohtak gang-rape, SIT formed for fast track investigation Post-mortem report states that the cause of death is head injury.Blunt force injuries & multiple wounds found on skull and scalp. #Rohtak ANI (@ANI_news) May 14, 2017 The horrible incident happened few days after the Supreme Court upheld the death sentence for 4 convicts in Nirbhaya gang rape case. READ: Haryana shame! Woman gangraped, mutilated body found in Rohtak after refusing marriage proposal For all the Latest India News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps. Beijing: The opening ceremony of Chinas Belt and Road Forum (BRF) was skipped by India on Sunday, following sovereignty concerns over the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC). No Indian delegation was seen at the opening ceremony addressed by Chinese President, Xi Jinping. When inquired, Indian diplomats here pointed to the statement issued by MEA spokesperson Gopal Bagley on Saturday night. ...No country can accept a project that ignores its core concerns on sovereignty and territorial integrity, he said. Few Indian scholars attended the meeting. Media was not permitted into the conference hall, where the opening ceremony took place. ALSO READ: CPEC concerns hold India off from One Belt One Road summit in China Indian scholars who took part in the meeting said no Indian delegation was spotted. The meeting called the Belt and Road Forum (BRF) is being attended by 29 heads of state and governments including Prime Minister of Pakistan Nawaz Sharif and his Sri Lankan counterpart Ranil Wickrmasinghe, besides official delegations from other South Asian countries. Leaders and officials from various countries including Russia, US, Japan, UK, Germany and France are attending the meeting. In a strongly-worded statement issued on Saturday night, India had said that the connectivity initiative must be pursued in a manner that respects sovereignty and territorial integrity. Guided by our principled position in the matter, we have been urging China to engage in a meaningful dialogue on its connectivity initiative, One Belt, One Road which was later renamed as Belt and Road Initiative. We are awaiting a positive response from the Chinese side, External Affairs Ministry spokesperson Gopal Baglay had said in a statement. ALSO READ: China invites India to OBOR summit, says CPEC has 'no direct link' with Kashmir issue For all the Latest India News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps. New Delhi: Two warships of the Indian Navy on Sunday reached Malaysia on a six-day visit as the force aims to further deepen bilateral maritime cooperation including effectively containing piracy in the Indian Ocean region. The ships - INS Shivalik and INS Jyoti - are part of an overseas deployment to the South East Asia and Southern Indian Ocean in sync with India's 'Act East Policy'. "The visit of the Indian Naval Ships seeks to under score India's peaceful presence and solidarity with friendly and harmonious countries towards ensuring good order in the maritime domain and to strengthen existing bonds between Indiaand Malaysia," Navy Spokesperson Capt D K Sharma said. Indian naval assets have been increasingly deployed inrecent times to address the main maritime concerns of the region. In addition, as part of the Indian government's vision of SAGAR (Security and Growth for All in the Region), the Indian Navy has also been involved in assisting countries in the Indian Ocean Region with surveillance of the exclusive economic zones, search and rescue operations and other capacity-building and capability-enhancement activities. "The current deployment will contribute towards theIndian Navy's efforts to consolidate inter-operability andforge strong bonds of friendship across the seas," Sharma said. Indian Navy rescues 4 stranded tugboat crew members off Mumbai coast Also Read: For all the Latest India News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps. New Delhi: Recalling decisiveness of Indira Gandhi and giving a subtle message to the present Congress leadership, President Pranab Mukherjee described her as the most acceptable Prime Minister of a democratic country till today. Mukherjee, in a veiled message to the party leadership to speed up decision-making in organisational matters, recalled the former prime ministers decisive style of functioning that helped her party score comeback victories in state elections within a couple of months after the second Congress split of 1978. Gandhi was one of the most remarkable personalities of the 20th century. And to the people of India, she still remains the most acceptable Prime Minister of a democratic country, the President said to wide applause from the audience that comprised a galaxy of top Congress leaders. The Congress was defeated in 1977. I was a junior minister. She told me, Pranab, dont get unnerved by the defeat. This is the time to act. And, she acted! Mukherjee recalled. With Congress vice president Rahul Gandhi seated on the dais, flanked by Vice President Hamid Ansari and former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, Mukherjee paid rich tributes to Indira Gandhi on the occasion of the release of a commemorative centennial volume on her life and works. He also received the first copy of Indias Indira - A Centennial Tribute that was unveiled by Ansari. The Congress is celebrating the birth centenary of Indira Gandhi. The book edited by senior Congress leader Anand Sharma is a compilation of life and work of Indira Gandhi and its foreword is written by Sonia Gandhi, who could not attend the function due to her ill health. Reading out Sonia Gandhis speech on her behalf, Rahul Gandhi said, The brand of patriotism I saw in Indira Gandhi was a noble one that she imbibed from freedom struggle. Sonia said Indira Gandhiher mother in lawwas a friend and a mentor and she was careful not to impose her will on me. Rahul, while quoting the Congress president said, Indira Gandhi disregarded distinctions of rank, caste and creed. She had no time for snobbishness or ostentatious. She was quick to detect hypocrisy and insincerity. She was a proud Indian, but also a proud citizen of the world with a broad and tolerant outlook. ALSO READ: Items from Indira Gandhis family collection sell big at Mumbai auction Recalling the second split in Congress in 1978, President Mukherjee said Indira Gandhi was elected party president on January 2, 1978 and in a matter of few days by January 20 she completed the formation of the working committee, set up the parliamentary board, PCCs and AICC structures and prepared the party to face elections to state assemblies of Maharashtra, Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Assam, and NEFA. Soon after that, he said, she led the Congress to a decisive victory by two-thirds majority in Andhra Pradesh and Karnataka and went on to make her party the single-largest in Maharashtra where it formed the government along with the breakaway faction of the Congress. Mukherjee said by the difference between January 2 and March 6, one can understand how quickly she had to take decisions and how decisively and determinately she took those decisions. I think, this is the characteristic of Indira Gandhi, he said, with Rahul Gandhi, her grandson, listening with rapt attention. Indirajis response to the worst moments in her political life was to push herself into more action, he said, adding that in this centenary year, people will remember her for her various contributions. The President also recalled a series of bold decisions the former prime minister took in the interest of the country, laying special emphasis to her decision to cleanse Golden Temple of militants, which he termed as the most dangerous. As a student of history I was afraid to do anything with the Golden Temple. And as member of the then CCPA I told at the meeting that perhaps the most dangerous decisions we are taking, he said, referring to Operation Bluestar in 1984. Sometimes history demands some action which may not prove correct later on, but perhaps is most relevant at that time. This decision cannot be avoided, he said. Mukherjee said the fearlessness in Gandhis actions, she did not make an inch of change in her policy. He said Indira Gandhi played the second longest innings as prime minister of this country in her two terms. He said her entire life was infused with a tremendous passion for India and its people. Fearlessness in action and boldness in decision making was the unique hallmark of Indirajis character. Indiraji waged throughout her life a relentless war against communal and sectarian violence, he said. He said she left a great legacy and during the almost 16 years as prime minister, India became the third largest reservoir of technical and scientific manpower, the sixth member of the nuclear club and then began the race for space science and technology. She proved that what she decides to do, she does not hesitate to have that, he said. Ansari, in his brief address, said she lived in a period of turmoil and change in the country, the neighbourhood and the world and Destiny bestowed on her the role of being a principle actor. He said this volume is in the nature of an offering to her in her birth centennial year. Former PM Manmohan Singh said, Indira Gandhi was not just Indias prime minister, but was also an acknowledged leader of the developing countries. She believed in world peace and her voice was heard with respect in the world fora. He also said that history will remember with respect Indira Gandhis sacrifice and her everlasting contribution. Singh also recalled her famous speech at Stockholm during the first Environment Summit, where she had said: Poverty was the biggest polluter. The audience comprised a galaxy of top Congress leaders, including former Union Ministers and chief ministers. The guests included Congress veterans Ghulam Nabi Azad, Ambika Soni, Janardan Dwivedi, P Chidambaram, besides former chief ministers Bhupinder Singh Hooda, Ashok Gehlot, Shiela Dikshit and Prithviraj Chavan. ALSO READ: President Pranab Mukherjee signs ordinance to amend Banking Regulation Act For all the Latest India News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps. New Delhi: The Jammu and Kashmir Police on Sunday held a recruitment rally for 698 posts of sub-inspector in the state. The J&K Police got overwhelming response with nearly 3,000 candidates turning up for the rally. This has come up on the backdrop of various terrorist groups warning youth in the valley against joining security forces. Terror groups had also released many videos to warn youths against joining armed forces. The recruitment rally was a success despite the incident of abducting and killing of Lieutenant Ummer Fayaz by Hizbul Mujahideen militants in Shopian district four days ago. The incident didnt act as deterrent to the recruitment drive. Also read: Kashmir valley youths should not go near encounter sites: Nabi Azad For all the Latest India News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps. It was as intense as a turkey hunt could get. By the time Matt Washburn and 7-year-old daughter, Natalie, arrived at their favorite hunting spot, a loud-mouthed gobbler was already sounding off from the opposite side of a grassy hilltop. The pressure was on. Trying their best to stay calm, the hunters quickly popped up their canvas ground blind near the edge of the trees and hastily placed a pair of decoys a lay-down hen and life-sized jake out front. Jumping inside the blind, they began organizing equipment while Matt announced their presence by scratching out a yelp on the box call. As soon as the sound reached the gobblers ear, it ignited an instantaneous chain of events that neither hunter will soon forget. When my dad called, that turkey went nuts, says Natalie. He gobbled and gobbled and gobbled. That really made me excited. The excitement, and the gobbling, continued with each new sound becoming louder than the one before. Expectations soared as the turkey continued its approach. But the prospect of a turkey dinner was short lived as the sounds suddenly began to grow fainter. The gobbler had turned and was now moving away. In the span of just a minute or two, the hunters had gone from highest the peak to the lowest valley. It appeared as if the wheels were coming off the cart; the turkey was walking out of their lives. But turkey hunting can turn on a dime. As Matt continued to call, the gobbles suddenly became louder again the bird was returning. Before long, the duo could see the top of the gobblers fan as he began to crest the hill. But just as the turkey came over the top, the view was obscured by a large brush pile. Matt kept calling and the frustrated gobbler really began to get its blood up. At a distance of 35 yards or so, the sounds were incredible. But as exciting as the hunt had been so far, things were about to become even better. Rounding the brush, the magnificent tom finally came into full view. With tail fanned, wings dragging, and iridescent plumage gleaming in the morning sun; the huge gobbler was a sight to behold. It quickly became apparent, however, that the regal bird was not in the best of moods. Spotting the decoys, the gobbler became instantly enraged at the sight of the counterfeit jake. In less time than it takes to tell, the bird launched a full-scale assault. Instead of walking, trotting, or even jogging to the decoys, the agitated turkey came at a full out run charging head on as fast as its legs could bring it. The sight of that sprinting gobbler did little to calm the nerves of the waiting hunters. When I saw him running, I had to put my head down I was so excited that I couldnt even look at him, said Natalie. When I got it all together, I looked back up. When I did, I just freaked out again. Arriving at the decoys, the angry gobbler lost no time in delivering severe punishment to the plastic jake. The one-sided battle continued until the decoy was on its side and being pounded into the sod. Although the spectacle was certainly providing a dramatic show, it was also nerve shattering especially for a 7-year-old hunter hoping to fill her youth turkey tag. The drama continued as the seconds ticked by. By the time the turkey finally came out of its strut and presented a clear shot, Natalie had calmed down to a point that she remembered where to aim. The 20-gauge barked; sending its charge of No. 7 shot in the birds direction. The gobbler never heard the shot that brought it to bag. There would be a turkey dinner after all. Natalies turkey weighed in at an even 24 pounds, sported a 10-inch beard, and was armed with a needle tipped set of 1 inch spurs. It was her second, and best, turkey. When I shot, Dad was so excited that he just tipped the blind over and I ran out to my turkey. That was pretty much our hunt, reports Natalie. Everything was so exciting that I didnt even get to eat any of my food before I already shot a turkey. New Delhi: Following the drama at former Delhi minister Kapil Mishras residence where a team of Police including DGP reached his house to admit him in the hospital, Kapil alleged that the police were trying to forcibly take him to hospital based on fake reports given by doctors, just a day before he was planning to make another expose. He claimed that the report of his health is faked by the doctors, who were directly reporting to health minister Satyendar Jain, even as a team of doctors from Ram Manohar Lohia (RML) hospital late tonight examined Mishra and said his vitals, including blood pressure and sugar level, were normal. Before Sundays expose, they are spreading fake news and trying to divert attention. It is a ploy to end my hunger strike, Mishra said in a tweet. Doctors gave fake report. They report directly to health minister Satyendar Jain, he stated in another tweet. Mishra, who was recently sacked from Delhi cabinet, had started an indefinite hunger strike on Wednesday demanding Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) divulge details of foreign tours undertaken by five of its leaders. Doctors had on Saturday advised hospitalisation to Mishra due to drop in blood sugar level and dehydration. Mishra also asked the Delhi police commissioner to not take actions based on fake reports. Sir @CPDelhi, Please dont do this just based on a fake report. I am fighting for a big cause. Its a conspiracy, the MLA said in a tweet. In a late night development, a team of doctors from RML hospital examined Mishra and said his vitals, including blood sugar level, pulse, blood pressure, is normal. However, he had mild dehydration which is due to no salt intake since last 4 days, the doctors said, adding it was a case of starvation ketosis. Meanwhile, police officials reached Mishras house to take him to hospital but he remained adamant on not going with them. Kapil Mishra is adamant to not leave his house before he holds a press conference at 11 AM on Sunday. He has gone inside his house saying he wants to meditate, a source said. Earlier, a team of doctors from Aruna Asaf Ali hospital had examined him in the afternoon and evening and advised his hospitalisation. Mishra mounted a fresh attack on Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal today, accusing him of using AAP MLAs as shield after party legislator Sanjeev Jha announced a hunger strike to counter the rebel leaders ongoing fast. Jha was detained by the police twice while he was proceeding to stage the planned hunger strike outside Mishras residence. He later began his indefinite strike at Jantar Mantar. Also read: AAP crisis | Drama unfolds outside Kapil Mishra's house as Delhi Police tries to take him to hospital; Mishra says 'I am fine' Jha has demanded that Mishra come clean on the claim that he saw Health Minister Satyendar Jain pay Rs 2 crore to Kejriwal. In an open letter to Kejriwal, Mishra again pressed for divulging the details of foreign tours undertaken by five leaders of the party. How much drama will you create to hide one truth. You are trying all tactics to divert attention. Dont try any new tactic tomorrow. You (Kejriwal) made a strategy to use MLAs as a shield. However, only one MLA came forward to be that shield? Mishra said, adding he would make his next expose on Sunday. He further said thief is demanding to hand over all the evidences to him. Then he would prove himself innocent by becoming a judge, a lawyer and a witness, he added. In the morning, Jha, who is an MLA from Burari, went to Rajghat, Mahatma Gandhis memorial, to seek blessings. On May 7, Kapil Mishra had said that Arvind Kejriwal had met Satyendar Jain where he paid him Rs 2 crore. My question to him is at what time did he meet the chief minister. Which car did he use? I have the entire days video footage (of people entering Kejriwal). The whole world knows about Kejriwals credentials and he (Mishra) should give evidence to back his claim. If it turns out to be true, even I will join him in his hunger strike against Kejriwal, Jha said. Mishra hit back at Jha with another open letter and advised him to drink lots of water during the hunger strike. Also read: Kapil Mishra writes open letter to Arvind Kejriwal; says planning to reveal big facts on AAP leaders foreign visits on Sunday For all the Latest India News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps. New Delhi: Sacked Aam Aadmi Party leader Kapil Mishra on Sunday presented facts supporting corruption against Kejriwal. Kapil tweeted picture of documents which were ready for the big expose. Kapil Mishra is currently on hunger strike to protest against corruption by AAP convener and Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal. Kapil made a presentation revealing facts on irregularity in party funding and nexus with Axis Bank to convert black money into white. Soon after completing the presentation, Kapil Mishra fainted in front of everyone present at the spot and taken to hospital in ambulance. Here are the live updates: #12:54 AM Kapil Mishra admitted to ICU of Ram Manohar Lohia hospital in New Delhi #11:53 AM Kapil Mishra taken in ambulance to hospital #11:50 AM Kapil Mishra faints during his address #11:49 AM Kapil asks Kejriwal to resign after the revelations else he will personally take him to Tihar Jail #11:44 AM Kapil Mishra also shares a cheque belonging to Axis Bank without name and date #11:43 AM Kapil Mishra shares a bank cheque without a date which has already been encashed #11:42 AM Kapil Mishra shares an address where 187 companies have been registered including 8 foreign companies #11:38 AM AAP has its bank account at the Krishnanagar branch of Axis Bank and all the transactions happen from there #11:35 AM The fund received from these companies were sent to same branch branch of Axis Bank where there were allegations of converting black money into white at the time of demonetisation #11:32 AM These fake companies are registered in the name of Shivcharan Goyal. These companies have given Rs 2 crore to Kejriwal at 12 AM #11:29 AM Kapil Mishra targets Kejriwal, says 16 shell companies added money worth crores in AAP's bank accounts #11:27 AM 16 fake companies were shown. AAP was converting black money into white #11:26 AM AAP did not inform about some of its fundings which it received from fake companies, says Kapil Mishra #11:22 AM Will reveal big scam related to mohalla clinic, says Kapil Mishra #11:21 AM For three continuous years, black money was converted into white and spent on foreign trips of AAP leaders #11:19 AM Kapil alleges corruption in AAP funding, says facts concealed from Income Tax, Election Commission #11:17 AM Kapil showing discrepancy in the actual amount possessed by AAP and disclosed to the Election Commission #11:12 AM Kapil Mishra says he is going to back every fact with a supporting document to be shown on projector #11:10 AM Kejriwal did a lot of work behind the scene including hawala, many things concealed from Election Commission, says Kapil Mishra #11:09 AM Kapil Mishra requests officials to let him continue with the hunger strike #11:08 AM Kapil Mishra begins speech for big expose #11:07 AM Projector installed in front of Kapil Mishra's residence #11:04 AM I am going to present a big truth with documents in front if nation... the truth is very serious, God give me strength: Kapil Mishra #10:39 AM Anti-corruption bureau sends notice to Arvind Kejriwals close aide and adviser Vibhav for questioning in water tank scam matter. ACB asks him to appear before it on Wednesday. Kapil Mishra had revealed the name of Vibhav in front of ACB # 10:05 AM These are the documents which are ready for expose Earlier on Saturday, a team of Police including DGP reached his house to admit him in the hospital. To which, Kapil responded by saying that the police were trying to forcibly take him to hospital based on fake reports given by doctors, just a day before he was planning to make another expose. He claimed that the report of his health is faked by the doctors, who were directly reporting to health minister Satyendar Jain, even as a team of doctors from Ram Manohar Lohia (RML) hospital late tonight examined Mishra and said his vitals, including blood pressure and sugar level, were normal. Before Sundays expose, they are spreading fake news and trying to divert attention. It is a ploy to end my hunger strike, Mishra said in a tweet. Doctors gave fake report. They report directly to health minister Satyendar Jain, he stated in another tweet. Mishra, who was recently sacked from Delhi cabinet, had started an indefinite hunger strike on Wednesday demanding Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) divulge details of foreign tours undertaken by five of its leaders. On May 7, Kapil Mishra on Sunday levied serious corruption allegations against Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal. In a major expose in connection with Water Tanker Scam, Mishra revealed in front of media that he saw Arvind Kejriwal accepting Rs 2 crore from Satyender Jain in cash. "i (sic) have witnessed HIM taking illegal cash.. have shared all details with Lt. Gov..." Mishra tweeted minutes before his scheduled press conference in Delhi. Also read: Kapil Mishra alleges police of trying to forcibly take him to hospital on fake reports by doctors just before big expose For all the Latest India News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps. New Delhi: She is an epitome of selfless love, a God's blessing and to the world she is a mother. India is celebrating motherhood on May 14 and Google with its heart warming doodle has personified the love mothers shower on their children as a part of this celebration. The animated doodle stages different phases of motherhood, from the first stage of pregnancy to the last stage of happily settled life. The first gif image shows a cactus standing on the doorstep of motherhood, waiting to give birth and eager to take on the responsibility. The second image shows the process of watering the plant which represents mothers nurturing their kids. The third, fourth and fifth gifs show the journey of the child (the cacti) growing up under the umbrella of mother's love and guidance and finally ending with a 'happily ever after' family held together by the main root of the house, the mother. Though everday is a Mother's Day, but for once in a while mothers need to be conveyed that they are special and are an embodiment of universe for their children. So step up and make this Mother's Day special for your mother, gift her flowers, cook for her, take her out for a drive and tell her she is 'special'. For all the Latest India News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps. New Delhi : Uttar Pradesh state energy minister Srikant Sharma on Friday informed that a special cell will be set up in Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanaths office where he would personally monitor states crime reports. Sharma told reporters that the state government has ensured the security of the common man and checked crime in 50 days. Reacting on Samajwadi Partys (SP) criticism of the law and order situation in the BJP regime, he said, Those SP leaders, who have carried criminals and rapists with them in their cars should introspect. A special cell will be constituted in CMs office for crime monitoring, which will be done personally by the chief minister, the minister added. Discussing the caste-based unrest in Saharanpur, Sharma said law and order was a serious issue and many things have to be worked out. Also Read: UP CM Yogi Adityanath says his govt wont discriminate between 'teeka' and 'topi' Questioned about party legislator Radha Mohan Das Agarwals spat with a woman IPS officer in Gorakhpur, the minister said the chief minister had asked all MLAs to exercise restraint while dealing with officers, especially women. He, however, defended the MLA saying that people in Gorakhpur had complained about the police officers tough actions. The incident took place in Gorakhpur last week when the police officer, leading a team to evict protesters, was publicly admonished by Agarwal. Also Read | Swachhta Abhiyaan: UP CM Yogi Adityanath wields broom to clean up Lucknow after Swachh Survekshan-2017 For all the Latest India News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps. Beijing: China on Sunday described its new Silk Road as a project of the century and offered 100 billion yuan for projects that are part of its ambitious initiative linking the country to much of Asia, Europe and Africa. We should build an open platform of cooperation and uphold and grow an open world economy, Chinese President Xi Jinping said in his opening address outlining Chinas vision. He said China would contribute an additional 100 billion yuan (USD 14.5 billion) to the Silk Road Fund, which was set up in 2014 to finance infrastructure projects, taking it to USD 55 billion and USD 8.75 billion financial assistance to the countries taking part in his Belt and Road initiative aimed at expanding Chinas influence and global connectivity. Xi said the Belt and Road initiative is a project of the century that will benefit people across the world. We should foster a new type of international relations featuring win-win cooperation; and we should forge partnerships of dialogue with no confrontation and of friendship rather than alliance, he said, adding that Belt and Road initiative focuses on the Asian, European and African countries, but is also open to all other countries. Read | CPEC concerns hold India off from One Belt One Road summit in China He said China will provide assistance worth 60 billion yuan (USD 8.7 billion) to developing nations and international organizations participating in the Belt and Road initiative to launch more projects to improve peoples well-being. China will also set up 50 joint laboratories with countries participating in the Belt and Road initiative to enhance cooperation on innovation, he said.Also China will encourage financial institutions to conduct overseas RMB fund business with an estimated amount of 300 billion yuan (about USD 43.5 billion), Xi said. Named after the historic Silk Road, the Belt and Road initiative was proposed by Xi in 2013 to chart out new territories for international cooperation. India skipped the meeting due to its sovereignty concerns over the USD 50 billion CPEC, which goes through Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK). However, few Indian scholars attended the opening session of the two-day Belt and Road conference in Beijing that brought together leaders from 29 countries. Read | Nepal sign agreement on China's new 'Silk route' plan, One Belt One Road Initiative Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif, his Sri Lankan counterpart Ranil Wickramasinge, Russian President Vladimir Putin and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan were among the world leaders who attended the high-profile meeting. The United States sent a delegation led by Matt Pottinger, special assistant to the president and senior director for Asia at the National Security Council. Other delegates include officials, entrepreneurs and financiers from over 130 countries, and representatives of key international organisations such as UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, World Bank President Jim Yong Kim, and International Monetary Fund Director Christine Lagarde. The B&R includes a maze of roads and port projects. While CPEC is highlighted as flagship project, the B&R included Bangladesh, China, India and Myanmar (BCIM) Economic Corridor, New Eurasian Land Bridge, China-Mongolia-Russia Economic Corridor, China-Indochina Peninsula Economic Corridor and 21st century Maritime Silk Road. For all the Latest India News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps. Dibrugarh: Prime Minister Narendra Modi will inaugurate Indias longest river bridge, capable of withstanding the weight of a 60-tonne battle tank, on May 26 in Assam which is close to the border with China. With the inauguration of the 9.15-km-long Dhola-Sadiya bridge over the Brahmaputra river, the prime minister will kick start the celebrations of the NDA governments three years in office from this eastern-most part of Assam. The bridge is seen as an attempt by India to shore up its defence requirements along the Sino-Indian border particularly in the Northeast besides providing easy access to the people of Arunachal Pradesh and Assam with air and rail connectivity. It is 3.55 km longer than the Bandra-Worli sea link in Mumbai, making it the longest bridge in India. The prime minister will dedicate the strategically important bridge to the nation on May 26. It will bolster the road connectivity in the Northeast as the bridge will be used by people of Assam and Arunachal Pradesh besides defence forces extensively, Assam Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal told PTI. The construction of the bridge began in 2011 at a project cost of Rs 950 crore. The design is such that the bridge can withstand the movement of military tanks. Assam and Arunachal Pradesh have huge strategic value to the country. Since the bridge is located close to our border with China, it will help quick movement of military troops and artillery in times of conflict, Sonowal said. The bridge is located 540-km away from Assam capital Dispur and 300 km away from Arunachal Pradesh capital Itanagar. The aerial distance to the Chinese border is less than 100 km. Also Read | Aadhaar Pay: PM Modi launches new digital payment app; Know how to use it After Kaliabhomora bridge near Tezpur, there is no bridge over the Brahmaputra for the next 375 km upstream till Dhola, where the new bridge is constructed. Currently, all the transport between the two banks of the river are being carried out through water only. The bridge, when opened for the public, will cut down the travel time between Assam and Arunachal Pradesh by as much as four hours. As there is no civilian airport in Arunachal Pradesh, this bridge will help people of the state to reach the nearest rail head in Tinsukia and the airport in Dibrugarh easily. Sonowal said the delayed works of the bridge was expedited after Modi assumed the charge in 2014. The bridge was originally scheduled to open in 2015. The BJP government in Assam will complete one year in office on May 24. Also Read: PM Narendra Modi unveils Lucky Grahak Yojana, Digi Dhan Vyapaar Yojana to promote digital payments The bridge is one of the key projects of the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways in the Northeast and is built in public-private partnership with a construction company. For all the Latest India News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps. New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi will inaugurate Indias longest river bridge on May 26. Capable of withstanding the weight of a 60-tonne battle tank, it will be inaugurated in Assam close to the border with China. It will be a 9.15-km-long Dhola-Sadiya bridge over the Brahmaputra River. With its inauguration, PM Modi will also kick start NDA governments celebrations of three years in office from the eastern-most part of Assam. Besides providing easy access to the people of Arunachal Pradesh and Assam with air and rail connectivity, the bridge is seen as an attempt by India to shore up its defence requirements along the Sino-Indian border particularly in the Northeast. ALSO READ: India skips China's BRF summit ceremony following sovereignty concerns over CPEC Assam Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal said, The prime minister will dedicate the strategically important bridge to the nation on May 26. It will bolster the road connectivity in the Northeast as the bridge will be used by people of Assam and Arunachal Pradesh besides defence forces extensively. At a project cost of 950 crore, the construction of the bridge began in 2011. It is designed in such a manner that it can withstand the movement of military tanks. Assam and Arunachal Pradesh have huge strategic value to the country. Since the bridge is located close to our border with China, it will help quick movement of military troops and artillery in times of conflict, Sonowal further added. The bridge is one of the key projects of the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways in the Northeast and is built in public-private partnership with a construction company. Meanwhile, the BJP government in Assam will one year in office on May 24. With inputs from PTI. ALSO READ: CPEC concerns hold India off from One Belt One Road summit in China For all the Latest India News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps. New Delhi: Sashastra Seema Bal on Sunday apprehended a Hizbul Mujahideen terrorist trying to sneak into India from Nepal. The terrorist, identified as Nasser Ahmed, was residing in Pakistan since 2003. According to an official statement, "An active militant of Hizbul Mujahidin, by name, Nasser Ahmed, was apprehended by Shashastra Seema Bal, 1st Bn, Lucknow Frontier on 13/05/2017 at about 1715 hrs." "Ahmed is involved in many violent crimes against civilians as security forces including an attack on the STF camp," the statement said. He was sent to India by his handler, for a specific mission. Details of the same cannot be disclosed, as of now, an official said. Read | Rift in Hizbul Mujahideen: Zakir Musa quits terror outfit after lack of support to his 'beheading' threats to Hurriyat leaders For all the Latest India News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps. New Delhi: Twitter is buzzing with news alerts from India and rest of the world. Here are the latest updates from the micro-blogging site in one scroll: #9:05 PM BSF Head Constable Prem Sagar was killed by Pak army regulars on May 1 along the #LoC, his body was mutilated 2/2 - PTI #9:04 PM Deoria dist admin keeps AC, sofa, carpet at slain BSF jawan Prem Sagar's home to welocme Yogi Adityanath, removes them after he leaves 1/2 - PTI #9:01 PM BJP fields its Manipur chief Kshetrimayum Bhabananda Singh for RS bypoll (May 25) in state; sitting Cong MP Haji Abdul Salam died on Feb 28 - PTI #9:00 PM Himachal Pradesh: Two children drowned in Beas river in Manali, one body recovered, search operations underway - ANI #8:37 PM Someone has cast evil eye on our children's intelligence...children should study, bigger issues should be dealt by elders: Mehbooba Mufti - PTI #8:36 PM A magnetic bomb explosion reported in Pul-e-Sokhta area in Kabul's PD5, Afghanistan (Source: TOLOnews) - ANI #8:27 PM Anti-Corruption Branch summons Arvind Kejriwal's private secretary Bibhav Kumar in connection with alleged Rs 400-crore Tanker Scam - PTI #7:45 PM J&K: Villagers of Handwara district's Lashipora found one AK-47 rifle & 3 magazines during renovation of a mosque, handed it over to police - ANI #7:19 PM Chhattisgarh: A Maoist who was carrying reward of Rs. 10 lakh on his head, killed by police in Bastar's Jagdalpur; one AK-47 rifle recovered - ANI #7:17 PM My grandmother fell & fractured her leg. She was not able to move; then my mother sold goats to get a toilet constructed: Ramprakash - ANI #7:13 PM 80-year-old woman gifts a toilet to her 102-year-old mother-in-law by selling six goats in Kanpur's Anantapur (Uttar Pradesh) - ANI #7:08 PM We will operate buses tomorrow. there are also private bus services available. Only 10/47 unions are going on strike: TN Transport Minister - ANI #7:03 PM India's Sumit wins silver in 125kg class at the Asian Wrestling Championship - PTI #6:58 PM Rohtak gang rape victim's kin will get financial assistance of Rs 10.5 lakh. State welfare dept to provide Rs 8.5 lakh, Red Cross Rs 2 lakh - ANI #6:50 PM Nepal: Voting concludes in first phase of local elections with about 70% turnout and death of one Nepali Congress cadre in poll violence - ANI #6:40 PM Haryana: Woman allegedly abducted and gangraped in a car, last night in Gurugram. Case registered, probe on- ANI #6:34 PM Delhi: Ex-servicemen protesting OROP, stopped at Jantar Mantar while marching towards India Gate to pay tribute to fallen soldiers - ANI #6:30 PM Brilliant R P Supergiants beat KXIP by nine wickets to enter IPL play-offs -PTI #6:07 PM Fishermen are advised not to venture into Sea along&off Nicobar Islands during May14-15& along&off Andaman Islands during May15-17: MeT dept- ANI #6:06 PM Southwest monsoon has advanced into parts of southeast Bay of Bengal,Nicobar Islands, south Andaman Sea&parts of north Andaman Sea: MeT dept - ANI #5:51 PM We'll continue with proposed strike tomorrow over issues of payment of arrears of pension amounts&wages-M Shanmugam,Labour Progressive Front - ANI #5:48 PM 2 LeT terrorists killed in an encounter at Handwara's Waripora - ANI #5:28 PM Tamil Nadu: Southern Railway will run 3 special trains from tomorrow, in view of proposed strike by employees of State Transport Corporation - ANI #5:24 PM Bihar: CRPF arrested two Naxals for planting two cane bombs in Jamui's Charka Patthar - ANI #5:20 PM Telangana: A 20-year-old woman allegedly molested by a cab driver and his three friends in Hyderabad, case registered - ANI #5:17 PM 7 persons, including 3 children, killed in lightning strike in different districts of Bihar, police say; 2 others injured - PTI #5:11 PM I respect Akshay Kumar for doing content-driven cinema: SonamKapoor (File pic). #5:05 PM South west Monsoon arrives in Andaman & Nicobar Islands: MET - PTI #5:03 PM I tried to go a little method to play Baywatch baddie: Priyanka Chopra - PTI #5:00 PM Boney Kapoor to approach Salman Khan for 'No Entry' sequel soon - PTI #4:52 PM Appeal karunga, Ramzan aa raha hai, kya ye acha ho agar unilateral ceasefire karein. Itna to hoga ki Hindustan yuddh nahi chahta: F Abdullah - ANI #4:51 PM Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh, UP CM Yogi Adityanath review preparations for International Yoga Day -PTI #4:50 PM Prime Minister Narendra Modi will unveil a roadmap for the conservation of Narmada river in Madhya Pradesh tomorrow - PTI #4:41 PM India is going to open 40 new consulate sub-offices in countries with a strong presence of NRIs, says SAD MP Prem Singh Chandumajra -PTI #4:37 PM Told PM it's important to take political initiative.It's not just a law&order issue: Farooq Abdullah on his meeting with PM on J&K situation - ANI #4:27 PM Chhattisgarh: Mi-17 helicopter landed in forest area in the midst of Bijapur encounter to evacuate 2 DRG personnel & brought them to Raipur - ANI #4:21 PM Lashkar-e-Taiba terrorists killed in an encounter between terrorists&security personnel at Handwara's Waripora. Search operation on - ANI #4:16 PM Kupwara (J&K): Encounter begins in Handwara's Waripora area between terrorists and security personnel. More details awaited - ANI #4:15 PM Delhi: DRI intercepted a truck, seized 44 kg foreign marked gold concealed in metallic case of poultry egg incubator; 1 arrested - ANI #4:11 PM Matter of disrespect: Dayashankar, brother of BSF head constable Prem Sagar on removal of AC, sofa & carpet post UP CM's visit Deoria - ANI #4:10 PM UP CM visited; AC,sofa,carpet were put in room. Officials took back everything after CM left: Brother of Prem Sagar who lost his life in J&K - ANI #3:53 PM Jharkhand: Maoist leader Kundan Pahan, who was carrying a bounty of Rs. 15 lakh on his head, surrendered before police in Ranchi - ANI #3:46 PM Need to expose those who distorted history: UP CM Yogi Adityanath - PTI #3:44 PM Two-day meet on disaster risk reduction to begin tomorrow - PTI #3:39 PM GoI has handed over 1083.34 cr to Tamil Nadu under 3 schemes AMRUT, Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojna & Deen Dayal Antyodaya Yojana: Venkaiah Naidu - ANI #3:33 PM Hizbul Mujahideen terrorist nabbed from Indo-Nepal border, Pakistan passport recovered - ANI #3:20 PM Galat nahi bola, Telangana assembly me maine kaha tha ki Hyderabad Old City ek 'mini Pakistan' ka adda bante ja raha hai: BJP MLA Raja Singh - ANI #3:07 PM China to contribute additional USD 14.5 billion to the SilkRoad Fund - PTI For fresh updates on AAP's press conference click here For fresh updates on Kapil Mishra's press conference click here #3:00 PM Marathi film maker Atul Tapkir commits suicide at a hotel in Pune, writes suicide note on Facebook wall. #2:43 PM Outgoing French leader Francois Hollande leaves presidential palace - AFP #2:36 PM Time has come for youth in Kashmir to raise question on those who instigate them to join the so-called freedom struggle: Jitendra Singh - ANI #2:17 PM Sashastra Seema Bal apprehends a Hizb-ul-Mujahideen terrorist trying to sneak into India from Nepal, residing in Pakistan since 2003 - ANI #2:14 PM Indian Air Force evacuates the two DRG personnel injured in Bijapur encounter, airlifts them to Raipur. Search operation continues. - ANI #1:52 PM #CPEC should not be politicised, says #Pakistan Prime Minister #NawazSharif. - PTI #1:41 PM INS Shivalik & Jyoti on overseas deployment to South East Asia&Southern Indian Ocean; Ships will be on a port visit to Kuantan from May14-19 - ANI #1:26 PM Dont conspire from background: Sanjay Singh to BJP #1:25 PM Sanjay Singh dares BJP to fight with AAP directly and not through 'mouthpieces' like Kapil Mishra #1:24 PM Two people arrested in #Kashimira near #Mumbai for betting in @IPL. Police found 4 phones, dairies, and 76 thousand rupees from them. #1:17 PM Case registered under IPC 365, 302,376 A,D, 34& 328 against the two accused in #Rohtak gangrape & murder case: Akil Ahmad,Additional DGP - ANI #1:07 PM Srinagar(J&K): J&K Police held a recruitment rally for 698 posts of sub inspectors, nearly 3000 candidates turned up for the rally - ANI #12:48 PM Mumbai terror attack mastermind and #JuD chief #HafizSaeed spreading terrorism in name of #jihad, says Pakistan's interior ministry. - PTI #12:20 AM Chhattisgarh: Encounter between security forces and naxals underway in Bijapur district, 2 security personnel injured; search operation on - ANI #12:04 PM #Cowvigilantes in #Ujjain thrash man suspecting that he had cut off the tail of a cow; 2 arrested. - PTI #12:00 PM Two District Reserve Group personnel injured in encounter with #Naxals in #Chhattisgarh. Firing on. - PTI #11:57 AM Lucknow: HM Rajnath Singh met UP CM Yogi Adityanath to oversee preparations for celebration of International Yoga Day on June 21,in the city - ANI #11:53 AM Delhi: Kapil Mishra falls unconscious immediately after his press conference on revelations on AAP 's finances, on 5th day of hunger strike - ANI #11:45 AM Madhya Pradesh: Man arrested for a threatening letter to blow up CM House and other important places, interrogation underway. - ANI #11:26 AM AAP did not inform about some of its fundings which it received from fake companies, says Kapil Mishra. #11:24 AM Post-mortem report of victim in #Rohtak gangrape&murder case states-face,tongue,eye,ears totally distorted, the face was not identifiable. - ANI #11:22 AM Will reveal big scam related to mohalla clinic, says Kapil Mishra #11:21 AM For three continuous years, black money was converted into white and spent on foreign trips of AAP leaders - Kapil Mishra. #11:20 AM Delhi:Kapil Mishra shows a presentation,claims false info given to EC regarding AAP accounts; further alleges black money converted to white - ANI #11:18 AM Chennai (TN): Union Minister Venkaiah Naidu inaugurated underground section of 7.2Km of Chennai Metro line from Thirumangalam to Nehru Park - ANI #11:10 AM Mughalsarai: Government Railway Police(GRP) seized 12 pistols & 12 magazines from Mughalsarai railway station; two people arrested - ANI #10:52 AM Election to seven municipalities underway: Situation in Pujali remains tense, EVM broken,Rapid Action Force deployed at the spot #WestBengal - ANI #10:45 AM National Commission for Women Chairperson Lalitha Kumaramangalam takes Suo moto notice in Rohtak gangrape and murder case - ANI #10:41 AM Himachal Pradesh: Three killed, 14 injured after a Tempo Traveller rolled down a cliff in Bilaspur district's Swarghat - ANI #10:38 AM Sehore (Madhya Pradesh): Security forces arrested four people for hunting of Chinkara; meat of Chinakara, 1 revolver, 1 knife recovered - ANI #10:32 AM West Bengal: Bombs hurled at polling booth in South 24 Parganas's Pujali as election to seven municipalities in the state is underway - ANI #10:15 AM 15-year-old boy beaten to death with a cricket bat & stumps after a heated argument in Mumbai's Dharavi,murder case registered.2 teens held - ANI #10:08 AM Chhattisgarh: Man allegedly murders five members of his family in Sarguja's Mainpat village; police investigation underway - ANI #10:00 AM Ramudri Someshwara Rao won a gold in 200 mtrs & Sep Hokato Sema bagged a bronze in shot put,at 2017 World Para Athletics Grand Prix in China - ANI #9:50 AM Fire breaks out in Delhi's Mundka, 20 fire tenders on the spot. - ANI #9:30 AM Moradabad: Fire broke out at a vehicle parking area in Kundarki in early morning hours,more than 6 cars& trucks torched; fire doused now - ANI #9:29 AM Anti-Corruption Bureau hs sent notice to Vaibhav Kumar to be present before ACB fr investigation in WaterTanker scam on Wed:ACB Chief Meena - ANI #9:13 AM 2 accused arrested, case registered under IPC 376, 365, 302; investigation underway: NS Virk, IG Rohtak Range on woman gangraped in #Rohtak - ANI #8:50 AM Missile test calls for 'far stronger sanctions' against North Korea: White House - AFP #8:45 AM TN: Agitated over opening of a new liquor shop in Tippampatti village, residents broke lock and vandalized the shop, urged Govt to close it - ANI #8:45 AM Tamil Nadu: 8 elephants died in Coimbatore Forest Range due to drought and lack of green fodder, following severe heatwave in the area - ANI #8:02 AM Tamil Nadu; 112-foot tall statue dedicated to 'Adiyogi' in Coimbatore, declared worlds largest by Guinness Book of World Records. - ANI #7:53 AM Would advise countries joining OBOR to consider the situation in Balochistan before taking any step:Ashraf Sherjan,Baloch Republican Party - ANI #7:47 AM #India skips #China's Belt and Road Forum (BRF) summit ceremony in #Beijing. - PTI #7:45 AM Pujali: Election to seven municipalities in West Bengal, including four in Darjeeling hills take place today - ANI #7:35 AM Kathmandu: Polling has started in 6,642 polling stations of Nepal in first phase of local election commencing after nearly two decades. - ANI #7:32 AM 158 Bn CRPF along with Jharkhand police unearthed an ammunition dump used by Naxals in Jharkhand's Lohardaga, 5100 detonators also seized - ANI #7:25 AM More than 7 villages targeted in firing by Pakistan in Manjakote area of Rajouri. Indian troops retaliating, firing is on - ANI #7:23 AM Nepal holds its first local-level polls in two decades, polling for which has begun: People queue up outside polling stations - ANI #7:18 AM Pak Army initiated indiscriminate firing of small arms,automatics,82 mm & 120 mm mortars along the LoC in Rajouri. Indian army retaliating - ANI #7:16 AM Polling for municipal bypolls in Maujpur ward of East Delhi Municipal Corp to be held today, which was cancelled after SP candidate's death - ANI #7:10 AM Ceasefire violation by Pakistan in Chiti Bakri in Chingus area of Jammu and Kashmi's Rajouri - ANI #6:19 AM South Korean President Moon Jae-in slams North missile launch as 'reckless provocation' - AFP For all the Latest India News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps. New Delhi: Yogi Adityanath, who started with a bang as Uttar Pradesh chief minister on March 19, completes two months in office this week. The young chief minister of the biggest state of India, Yogi in this past couple of months has made tremendous strides along with certain law and order incidents threatening to eclipse his achievements. Yogi Adityanath Governments achievements in last two months Efficient bureaucracy: Ever since Yogi, the 44-year-old saffron clad priest-turned-politician, took over the reins of the state, the bureaucracy is constantly on its toes. Almost literally. It is an unusual sight to see that the parking lot at the secretariat building in Lucknow to be full even before the clock strikes 9:25 am. Adityanath has proved himself to be a tough taskmaster, holding back-to-back meetings with his ministers and bureaucrats well past midnight, only to return to office the next morning before 9.30 am. Read | UP CM Yogi Adityanath to conduct surprise check by dialing senior babus on their landlines to check if they are in office For almost a month, some 80-odd presentations were made by as many departments before the CM, with top bureaucrats literally burning their midnight oil. There have been at least six significant measures the new government has announced so far, starting with the Rs 36,500 crore loan waiver for farmers. Read | CM Yogi Adityanath's 100-day action plan: Focus on roads, electricity, law and order, security, health Loan waiver to farmers: An election promise, which many political observers credit the victory of BJP in Uttar Pradesh, was amongst the first decisions made by Yogi cabinet. Clearance of dues to sugarcane farmers: The UP government managed to clear the Rs 5,558 crore of sugarcane dues of farmers within 40 days. In fact, at the BJP working committee meeting, Adityanath specifically praised cane development minister Suresh Rana for his efforts. Dawn of illegal mining: A group of ministers constituted by the CM has submitted a report on a new mining policy and clamping down on illegal mining, which is a major problem in UP. Illegal land grabbing: A portal being started under the chief ministers office to allow people to complain about illegal land grab could be a game-changer, too. Electricity privileges: The Power for All agreement, signed by the Yogi government with the Centre, promises to provide electricity around the clock to district headquarters and 18 hours a day to all villages. The erstwhile governments only pushed UP into darkness, providing power to just certain VIP districts or towns, noted BJP general secretary Vijay Bahadur Pathak.What he (Adityanath) has done in 50 days, the earlier CM did in a years time, he said. Anti-Romeo squads: One of the first decisions made by chief minister Yogi Adityanath, the establishment of anti-romeo squads have reportedly been able to instil fear in the hearts of rowdy youth when it comes to eve-teasing other activities which involve women harassment. Rowdyism is dying and crime percentages are falling. Peoples confidence in the government has been restored, the state BJP had said in its political resolution at its recent working committee meeting. Read | Anti-Romeo squad soared UP CM Yogi Adityanath's popularity: Survey Closure of illegal slaughter houses: A cause of a major uproar and strikes in the very first days of the Yogi Adityanath Government, the issue slaughterhouses was eventually resolved as the government made it clear that the crackdown was only of illegal houses, which permit without a license and sub-standard health conditions. The change has started to show in UP since the Yogi government took charge. Well-meaning people are feeling relieved with the closure of illegal slaughterhouses. With the constitution of anti-Romeo squads, anti-social elements harassing women and girls are now in fear, BJP working committee observed. Yogi Adityanath Governments misses in last two months On the ground, certain recent incidents like caste clash in Saharanpur and communal violence in Bulandshahr, Sambhal and Gonda gave the law enforcing authorities sleepless nights. The BJP came to power in UP on the plank of improving law and order, terming the erstwhile Samajwadi Party rule as goondaraj. In Bulandshahr, members of the Adityanath-founded Hindu Yuva Vahini are alleged to be behind the murder of an aged Muslim man after a love-jihad-style elopement. The Bulandshahr incident took place even as Adityanath met senior Yuva Vahini workers during a visit to Gorakhpur and warned them to not take law in their own hands. The attack on Saharanpur senior superintendent of polices residence by BJP activists, allegedly under the leadership of local MP Raghav Lakhanpal, hogged newspaper headlines and even before the controversy ended, caste violence broke out there involving Dalits and Thakurs. An upper caste man was killed, triggering violence, arson and torching of Dalit homes.Four persons were injured in Gonda district and some vehicles damaged following a clash between people belonging to two communities, while in Sambhal tension prevailed in a village after some people created a ruckus, claiming that a man had eloped with a married woman from another faith. Read | UP CM Yogi Adityanath says his govt wont discriminate between 'teeka' and 'topi' These incidents gave ample opportunity to Samajwadi Party to pillory the newly-elected BJP government on the law and order front. We were termed the goonda party. Now, what is happening under Yogi ji? Will he act? former chief minister Akhilesh Yadav asked. Perturbed over the sudden spurt in crime and violence involving different castes and communities, the chief minister has decided to set up a special cell in his office to monitor crime. A special cell will be constituted in CMs office for crime monitoring, which will be done personally by the chief minister, senior UP cabinet minister Shrikant Sharma said. Refuting Samajwadi Partys criticism of the law and order situation in the BJP regime, he said, Those SP leaders, who have carried criminals and rapists with them in their cars, should introspect. Adityanath will be coming out with his 100-day achievement document in June-end and will certainly not want his hits to be outnumbered by misses, say political observers. (With Inputs from PTI) For all the Latest India News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps. New Delhi: Healthy babies have been born to approximately 213 HIV-infected women in government-run hospitals of Chhattisgarh in 2016-2017, according to State health official. The health department is committed to secure the child from infection in the womb of a HIV-positive mother, Chhattisgarhs health services director R. Prasanna told PTI. He told about good results of multi-medicine treatment process, where 213 women infected with HIV have given birth to healthy babies. The HIV examination were conducted on as many as 3,93,475 pregnant women in 2016-2017 and of the total 232 tested positive. Treatment under multi-medicine process was provided to 219 HIV positive pregnant women at government hospitals, he told. After their deliveries, the babies of 213 women were detected uninfected and healthy, Mr. Prasanna said. However, the remaining six children were found to be infected. They are now being given medicines through the anti-retroviral therapy (ART) centres, he said. ART is the combination of several anti-retroviral medicines that help to decease the rate at which HIV makes copies of itself (multiplies) in the body. Mr. Prasanna said the State has 26,000 HIV positive people and of them, 10,289 were being provided medicines through five ART and 12 link ART centres (which work like sub-centres of ART), according to the set guidelines. New Delhi: Pakistan's interior ministry has told a judicial review board that five people including Mumbai terror attack mastermind and Jamat-ud Dawah (JuD) chief Hafiz Saeed have been detained for "spreading terrorism in the name of jihad". I have been detained by the Pakistani government in order to stop me from raising voice for Kashmiris, Saeed said who appeared before the board on Saturday. The interior ministry, however, rejected Saeeds arguments and told the three-member board that he and his four aides have been detained for "spreading terrorism in the name of jihad". The board then directed the ministry to submit a complete record regarding detention of Saeed and his aides - Zafar Iqbal, Abdul Rehman Abid, Abdullah Ubaid and Qazi Kashif Niaz on next hearing on May 15. The board consists of Justice Ejaz Afzal Khan of the Supreme Court (head), Justice Ayesha A Malik of Lahore High Court and Justice Jamal Khan Mandokhail of Balochistan High Court. ALSO READ: Pakistan to keep Mumbai attack mastermind Hafiz Saeed under house arrest for 3 more months Saeed and his four aides were produced amid high security by the police at Lahore registry of the apex court. His supporters were also gathered outside the court. Saeed said, "The allegations levelled by the government against me had never been proved by any state institution. My organisation and I have been victimised for raising voice for freedom of Kashmir and criticising the government's weak policy on the Kashmir issue. Saeed appealed to the board to set aside the Punjab government's detention order. "The government detained the JuD leaders on pressure of United Nations and international organisations," an official representing the federal interior ministry told the board. With inputs from PTI. ALSO READ: Lahore high court issues notice to Pakistan govt over detention of Hafiz Saeed For all the Latest World News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps. New Delhi: Polling for the first phase of local elections has begun in Nepal. It can be termed historic as for the first time in 20 years, such elections are being held in the country. It is also the first polls after the country adopted a new constitution in September 2015. The last elections was held in 1997 and according to reports, more than 16,000 people have lost their lives till now following Maoist activities. Nearly 50,000 candidates are in fray for various positions including Mayor, Deputy Mayor, ward chairman and ward member. ALSO READ: Nepal sign agreement on China's new 'Silk route' plan, One Belt One Road Initiative An Election Commission spokesman on Sunday said around 15 million people are eligible to cast their votes in countrys 6,641 polling stations. Around 46,000 civil servants are being deployed at the polling stations, who will be guarded by 75,000 security forces. The second round of polling is scheduled for mid-June. However, the Opposition said that the second phase should be preponed as the date for the announcement of budget is prior to the date of elections. ALSO READ: Chief justice impeachment: Nepal Army maintains vigil on entire situation For all the Latest World News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps. Seoul: The South Korean, Japanese and US militaries said that North Korea test-launched a ballistic missile that landed in the Sea of Japan. The launch is a direct challenge to the new South Korean president elected four days ago and comes as US, Japanese and European navies gather for joint war games in the Pacific. It wasnt immediately clear what type of ballistic missile was launched, although the US Pacific Command said that the flight is not consistent with an intercontinental ballistic missile. Outside militaries will closely analyse what the North fired. While Pyongyang regularly tests shorter-range missiles, it is also working to master the technology needed to field nuclear-tipped missiles that can reach the US mainland. Past North Korean missiles have flown farther than Sundays test, landing closer to Japan, but this launch follows a series of high-profile failures. ALSO READ: N Korea accuses CIA of conspiring to assassinate Kim Jong-Un with biochemical weapon Whatever the type of missile, the launch forces the new South Korean leader, Moon Jae-in, to put dealing with Pyongyang, at least for now, above the domestic economic agenda hed made a priority during his early days in office. Moon, a liberal who favours a softer approach to the North than his conservative predecessors, strongly condemned the launch during an emergency national security meeting, calling it a clear violation of UN Security Council resolutions and a serious challenge to international peace and security, according to senior presidential secretary Yoon Young-chan. The president expressed deep regret over the fact that this provocation occurred just days after a new government was launched in South Korea, Yoon told a televised conference. The president said we are leaving open the possibility of dialogue with North Korea, but we should sternly deal with a provocation to prevent North Korea from miscalculating, he added. Japanese Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga said the missile flew about 800 kilometers (500 miles) from a launch site on North Koreas western coast for about 30 minutes and landed in the Sea of Japan, but not inside Japans exclusive economic zone. Japans Defense Ministry says the missile likely reached an altitude of 2,000 kilometers (1,240 miles). Prime Minister Shinzo Abe told reporters Sunday that the launch is absolutely unacceptable and that Japan will respond resolutely. South Koreas Joint Chiefs of Staff said in a statement that the missile was fired early Sunday morning from near Kusong, in North Phyongan province. North Koreas past satellite rocket launches have been called clandestine tests of ICBM technology, but it is not believed to have tested a true intercontinental ballistic missile yet. The Trump administration has called North Korean ballistic and nuclear efforts unacceptable and has swung between threats of military action and offers to talk as it formulates a policy. ALSO READ: North Korean leader Kim Jong-Un inspects military unit responsible for bombarding an island For all the Latest World News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps. New Delhi: Tensions arising on the Korean peninsula after a North Korean missile test on Sunday has become a matter of concern for Russian President Vladimir Putin and Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping, Putins spokesperson told. Meeting on the sidelines of an international forum in Beijing, Putin and Xi discussed the situation on the Korean peninsula in detail and both parties expressed their concern over the escalation of tensions, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters. Xi told in the meeting that Moscow and Beijing have played the role of a ballast stone in protecting regional and global peace and stability, according to Chinas official Xinhua news agency. Xinhua did not publish other remarks. Putin and Xi met after the opening ceremony of a summit on the Chinese presidents One Belt, One Road initative. The initiative is a massive global trade infrastructure project in order to connect China to Asian neighbours, Europe and Africa. For all the Latest World News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps. SHERIDAN, Wyo., May 14, 2017 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- . May is Healthy Vision Month, and in recognition of the importance of healthy eyes, WyoVision Associates, Inc. has released several tips for maintaining good eyesight. Following these suggestions can help prevent vision damage in multiple ways, and together, provide plenty of protection. Implementing them as soon as possible is recommended for the best eye health. One of the best ways to protect healthy vision is to get a yearly eye exam. This allows optometrists to spot any emerging eye diseases or other problems long before they cause noticeable changes to vision. In many cases, problems can be halted or slowed before they cause such changes, but only if they're spotted in time. Eye exams also provide the opportunity to fine-tune any corrective lens prescriptions so that glasses and contacts continue to work their best. Some eye care practices have only become standard recently. For example, eye doctors now recommend wearing special lenses to block blue light as well as UV rays. The blue light spectrum is commonly emitted by monitors, flat-screen TVs, smartphone screens, and LED lights all things that people are exposed to now more than ever. Even those who don't need prescriptions should wear blue-light-blocking glasses if they look at any sort of screen or LED lighting for more than a couple of hours per day. "While there are new threats to vision health, it's important to remember that old threats are still present. People should protect their eyes from UV light as well as watch out for crude threats like wood chips and other projectiles. It's important to wear safety glasses while using power tools in the yard as well as in the factory, avoid looking at the sun and other overly-bright light, and take other standard precautions against eye injury," said Dr. Joseph Katschke of WyoVision Associates, Inc. WyoVision Associates, Inc. recommends eye exams on a yearly basis. Some vision problems can crop up quickly, and yearly exams allow problems to be treated in fairly short order. Changes in the eye can also herald serious body-wide (systemic) diseases, such as diabetes and hypertension. Early treatment of these diseases can prevent many other serious problems. About WyoVision Associates, Inc. WyoVision Associates, Inc. has two office locations: one in Sheridan and one in Gillette. The teams at both offices are led by Dr. Katschke, who graduated from the Southern College of Optometry with honors in 2007. Find out more about their hours, services, and locations by visiting their website at http://wyovision.com/. INVER GROVE HEIGHTS, Minn., May 14, 2017 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Cahill Back & Neck Care Center has released information to raise awareness on how chiropractic care can help correct posture. Postural issues are at the root of many ailments, such as pain in the back, neck, hips, legs, and feet. Correcting posture thereby relieves pain in many areas of the body. Good posture also makes it easier to be physically active since it reduces muscle stiffness as well as general physical inefficiency. It is well known that good posture is important for good health. Plenty of sources offer standard advice for maintaining it, such as to sit up straight. Newer advice generally revolves around the same theme, though it offers specifics such as to avoid craning the neck forward when texting and to avoid hunching over computer keyboards. Experts often say that it's a good idea to use specialized ergonomic furniture to make it easier to keep the back straight. Unfortunately, it often takes more than following these tips to maintain good posture. This can be due to habit, but often, it's because the body is compensating for some existing misalignment or even an injury. Then, it's a good idea to get some help to bring everything back into its proper position. "Chiropractic care helps return the body to its proper alignment. This makes it much easier to maintain good posture without the need to consciously think about it. We also recommend therapeutic exercises to strengthen the muscles involved in maintaining posture. For those whose muscles are too tight instead of too weak, we offer massage. Often, it takes a combination of two or three types of treatments to address the issues that contribute to stubborn postural problems," said Dr. Scott Stinson of Cahill Back & Neck Care Center. Once postural problems are suitably addressed, patients can look forward to a reduction or elimination of pain and stiffness in the back as well as the weight-bearing parts of the body. Other benefits include a reduction of abnormal joint wear, decreased fatigue, and an overall improvement in mobility. These improvements don't just help in the short-term. Reducing joint wear, for example, can help prevent arthritis down the road. Decreased fatigue makes it easier to exercise, and this will also bring both short- and long-term health benefits. For these reasons and more, it's a good idea to get chiropractic and other treatment for postural problems. About Cahill Back & Neck Care Center This chiropractic clinic offers spinal alignment treatments, massage, therapeutic exercise plans, and treatment plans that are tailored for specific conditions. They serve the area of Inver Grove Heights, Minnesota. Call (651) 451-7222 to schedule an appointment or visit them online at http://cbncc.com/ for more information. CRANBERRY, Pa. (AP) Teen clothing retailer rue21 is closing nearly 400 stores nationwide as it focuses more on its online business. The privately-held company, based in Cranberry, about 20 miles north of Pittsburgh, still has more than 700 stores in 48 states. Chances are, if youre building a side hustle, running a business, or trying to grow a startup, you need two things: I spoke with Chad Grills about how to do just that. Chad is an Army veteran turned entrepreneur. He has shared the stage with Tim Ferriss and created apps featured by Apple. Now, hes working on a stealth startup in education and growing the publication he started on Medium called Life Learning, which is devoted to accelerated learning, antifragility and definite optimism. I asked Chad five questions on how to help you get eyes on what youre doing, and how to connect with the right people to help you on your journey. Leonard Kim: What are your tips for connecting with hard to reach people? Chad Grills: Plan and prepare before you send your message, and consider if it should be sent at all. I would estimate that 80% of the emails most people send dont need to be sent. In most cases, I advise not trying to connect with hard to reach people. Try to forget about it, but if you're absolutely sure you need to, ensure that the subject line of the email conveys the benefit you want to provide them. Related: How to Start a Business With (Almost) No Money LK: When connecting with those people, how do you make it easy for them to say yes? CG: Keep your email simple, yet eye catching. Like we mentioned before, try to convey the benefit you want to give them in the subject line of the email. Then structure the body of the email in advertising/copywriter format: AIDA. Attention: Convey the benefit of what youre offering. Ideally, fit this into the email subject line. Interest: Answer why your proposition is interesting for them. Desire: Clearly communicate how easy it would be for your proposition to help them. Action: If it makes sense for them, how can they say yes, or take the next step? Write your email in this format, and then edit it down until you have 1-2 sentences for each line. Related: 11 Habits of Truly Happy People LK: Whats the best way to start getting attention or eyes on what youre doing? CG: Just like when reaching out, convey the benefit to the reader as quickly as possible. Like Paul Graham says, make something that people want. If you only have ideas about what people want, go ask them and confirm if youre right. When youre sure you are doing, writing, or creating something people want, you can test it. Figure out how to get it in front of the people who want it. Put it in front of them, and watch their reaction. LK: How can people get more eyes on what theyre working on? CG: After you figure out that people want something, you then have to figure out how to make it easy for them to share. Look at what youre working on, and ask yourself: How is this remarkable? Will people be incentivized to tell others about this after they see it? How can I make it very safe for them to bring up in conversation or share online? Do my clients or customers know how to convey the benefit of this to others? After youve asked yourself those questions, go back and improve the product or offering. Ultimately, more eyes on what youre working on comes down to conveying benefit, making your work remarkable, and then incentivizing others to share it. Related: 8 Reasons a Powerful Personal Brand Will Make You Successful LK: What are signs that you have "the right idea"? CG: Its hard to define the "right idea". It can mean so many different things to different people. If youre going to be a maker, a creator, or make a business or relationship succeed, youll need a steady stream of good ideas. Youll need to be generating ideas consistently, and improving on the ones that are working the best for you. In my own life, I look for signs about what to pursue wherever I have the most ideas. I look for what pursuits give me energy, or are a challenge, but feel rewarding once Im done. There wont be one right idea, but there will be hundreds of little ideas that move you in the right direction. Related: PR Disasters That Global Companies Found Hard to Deal With The Marketing Power of Secure Payments Six PR And Marketing Tips For Luxury Startups Copyright 2017 Entrepreneur.com Inc., All rights reserved GATINEAU, QC, May 14, 2017 /CNW/ - The Government of Canada is committed to deepening bilateral relations and further meaningful and transparent engagement with important partners in the Americas. As part of this effort, the Honourable Jean-Yves Duclos, Minister of Families, Children and Social Development will be travelling to Argentina and Chile from May 14-18, 2017 to share with government officials, civil society and academic representatives Canada's approach to poverty reduction and ensuring that all citizens feel valued and included in society. Minister Duclos' meetings in Argentina build on the successful visit by Prime Minister Trudeau last November and provide Canada with an opportunity to continue strengthening its relationship with Argentina. Minister Duclos will co-host the Canada-Argentina Symposium on Social Inclusion with Carolina Stanley, Minister of Social Development of the Argentine Nation. The Symposium provides an opportunity to work together to strengthen the middle class and ensure that all citizens have an equal opportunity to share in and contribute to the prosperity of society. Themes that will be discussed include demographic changes, poverty reduction, and social mobility. The Minister will also advance bilateral relations with Chile and discuss best practices on poverty reduction, social inclusion and access to affordable housing. The Minister will also speak at the University of Chile to discuss social policy and pension reform. Quotes "I look forward to continuing to strengthen our strong relationship with Argentina and Chile and to applying a global lens on social inclusion to find innovative approaches to growth and prosperity. I welcome the opportunity to share our countries' experiences, successes and common challenges, and to foster further cooperation in order to build stronger, more inclusive societies." The Honourable Jean-Yves Duclos, Minister of Families, Children and Social Development Quick Facts Building on more than 75 years of bilateral relations, Argentina and Canada continue to strengthen their relationship by collaborating to advance priority areas of mutual interest to develop effective policies. and continue to strengthen their relationship by collaborating to advance priority areas of mutual interest to develop effective policies. The 2018 G20 Buenos Aires summit, held in Argentina , will be the first-ever G20 summit to be hosted in South America . summit, held in , will be the first-ever G20 summit to be hosted in . The Canada-Chile Free Trade Agreement is celebrating its 20th anniversary in 2017; it was Canada's first FTA with a South American country. Associated links Prime Minister Justin Trudeau concludes successful first official visit to Argentina Embassy of Canada to Argentina Embassy of Canada to Chile Fact Sheet - Strengthening ties between Canada and Argentina and creating new opportunities for trade and investment Follow us on Twitter SOURCE Employment and Social Development Canada For further information: Emilie Gauduchon-Campbell, Press Secretary, Office of the Honourable Jean-Yves Duclos, P.C., M.P., Minister of Families, Children and Social Development, 819-654-5546; Media Relations Office, Employment and Social Development Canada, 819-994-5559, [email protected] The Bank of Ghana, the countrys central bank has issued a fraud alert on MMM Ghana.MMM Ghana is owned by MMM Global affiliate. This is the same group of people who ran MMM Nigeria, Ponzi scheme that wrecked many Nigerian investors before it collapsed in December 2016.Bank of Ghana through its spokesperson, Caroline Otoo, said:It has come to the notice of the Management of the Bank of Ghana that anEntity named MMM Ghana apart from operating a virtual office is moving from place to place and mobilizing deposits from the general public.The Bank of Ghana wishes to inform the general public that MMM Ghana is NOT LICENSED by the Bank of Ghana to engage in any form of deposit taking activity. Hence, anyone who does business with MMM Ghana does so at his or her own risk.It was not stated in the statement that the Bank of Ghana will shut down the scheme and or accounts of its promoters as in the case of South Africa where bank accounts of MMM South Africa affiliates and investors were frozen in Capitec Bank and other lenders.There is no basis to think the Bank of Ghana will take up regulatory actions either. In Nigeria, the Securities and Exchange Commission basically issued a decisive fraud alert on MMM Nigeria warning investors and the general public to stay way from MMM Nigeria.As in the case of Nigeria, owners of the scheme came out to deny that they were into investment and or financial services activities. The scheme was majorly headed by one Chuddy Anayo Ugorji and Ernest Mbanefo, a South African-based Nigerian who also claimed to be a Christian cleric.Things went south on towards the end of December 2016 when the scheme suddenly announce a temporary freeze of withdrawals. The planned comeback on the 14th of January, 2017 led to a major rally from frustrated investors who had lost billions of Naira (NGN) to the scheme.Based on analysts estimates, at least NGN15 billion was lost to MMM Nigeria owners. However, the Nigerian Deposit Insurance Corporation said the scheme created a financial loss of about NGN80 billion to its victims. At the tail end of February, MMM finally shocked its members that all invested funds in 2016 can no longer be withdrawn from the system. In short, investors were asked to invest fresh funds to get the jumbo returns.While Chuddy Anayo Ugorji was said to have fled Nigeria for the Philippines, Ernest Mbenefo has remained quiet since then. Since the collapse of the scheme in Nigeria, close to 1,000 other Ponzi schemes have been floated by formr affiliates of the scheme, investors, and other fraudsters. Click here to see some of the major schemes, many of whom have collapsed.As for Ghanaian investors who are getting involved or are already in the scheme, the guarantee of a collapse might be debated.A major sign for Nigerian investors in MMM was the collapse of the scheme in Zimbabwe. many civil servants, artisans and even the underemployed lost their life savings to MMM Zimbabwe after it froze accounts of investors. The scheme later returns announcing it has slashed all their investment by 80%.This might a likely scenario that would play out in Ghana. According to BehindMLM, there are about 10,000 investors who have joined the scheme since it starts operations. The latest announcement by the Bank of Ghana is bound to affect the recruitment flow which might end up quickening the collapse of the scheme.for the records, MMM Ghana floated operations after its collapse in Nigeria, there is no information as to who are the major promoters of the scheme in the country.MMM Global, the parent organization of all MMM affiliates was founded in 1194 by a convicted Russian called Sergey Mavrodi . His whereabout is not known to the public since the collapse of MMM China in 2016. Estimados amigos, Les doy cordialmente la bienvenida a este Blog informativo con articulos, analisis y comentarios de publicaciones especializadas y especialmente seleccionadas, principalmente sobre temas economicos, financieros y politicos de actualidad, que esperamos y deseamos, sean de su maximo interes, utilidad y conveniencia. Pensamos que solo comprendiendo cabalmente el presente, es que podemos proyectarnos acertadamente hacia el futuro. Las convicciones son mas peligrosos enemigos de la verdad que las mentiras. There are decades when nothing happens and there are weeks when decades happen. You only find out who is swimming naked when the tide goes out. No soy alguien que sabe, sino alguien que busca. Only Gold is money. Everything else is debt. Las grandes almas tienen voluntades; las debiles tan solo deseos. Quien no lo ha dado todo no ha dado nada. History repeats itself, first as tragedy, second as farce. If you know the other and know yourself, you need not fear the result of a hundred battles. We are travelers on a cosmic journey, stardust, swirling and dancing in the eddies and whirlpools of infinity. Life is eternal. We have stopped for a moment to encounter each other, to meet, to love, to share.This is a precious moment. It is a little parenthesis in eternity. Joseph Timothy, who was arrested in Asaba, Delta State for burglary and stealing has been released According to the CEO of Behind Bars Initiative, Prince Gwamnishu Harrison , Timothy was released late yesterday night, May 13, after two weeks in police custody for breaking into his employer's home and stealing food. Below is the report: FREEDOM AT LAST Late last night Joseph from released to us and not only was he release, "CASE CLOSED" His Story: Joseph like any other Gate man was been owned Salary by his Boss. The Boss traveled and Joseph was hungry. He then sort for alternative and broke his Boss Kitchen door and stole some food and ate. His Boss returned from travel discovered that his Kitchen door was damaged and the soup he kept in refrigerator stolen. Joseph been the only Person at home was the first person to ask. Joseph didn't deny stealing food from his Boss. His Boss alerted his neighbors and Joseph was beaten and handed over to the Nigeria Police. The best way to not feel hopeless is to get up and do something. Dont wait for good things to happen to you. If you go out and make some good things happen, you will fill the world with hope, you will fill yourself with hope" Barack Obama. God bless Nigeria. A Federal High Court in Lagos has ordered Skye Bank Plc to take over a five-star hotel, Intercontinental Hotel, located at Plot 244 and 245 (now 52) Kofo Abayomi Street, Victoria Island, Lagos.The bank had dragged Milan Industries Limited, owner of the 361-room Intercontinental Hotel, to court over an alleged debt.Skye Bank claimed to have granted loan facilities of $29.8m and N3.8bn to Milan Industries Limited to construct the hotel and that it raised an overdraft facility of N500m in favour of Milan Industries Limited to urgently fund payments to contractors and importation of material required for completing the hotel project.The banks lawyer, Mr. Kunle Ogunba (SAN), however, claimed that Milan Industries Limited defaulted in the repayment of the loan to his client, which, he said, necessitated the suit.At the expiration of the tenure of the various facilities extended by the plaintiff, the defendant failed and/or neglected to liquidate the various facilities and same continues to accrue interest.The facilities availed the defendant have since matured and/or expired and the defendant has failed to liquidate same and failed to comply with various repayment plans of the principal and interest despite several magnanimities extended to it by the plaintiff, the bank said.Skye Bank said it was left with no choice but to appoint a receiver/manager in line with the registered deed of legal mortgage.The balance of convenience in the instant suit is in favour of the plaintiff/applicant whose funds are taxpayers monies which ought to be accounted back to the Central Bank of Nigeria, the bank added.Following an ex parte application, Justice Babs Kuewumi ordered Skye Bank to take over all assets of Milan Industries Limited including Intercontinental Hotel, which is covered by a deed of legal mortgage, pending the hearing and determination of the substantive suit.The judge granted the banks prayer to appoint Ogunba as the receiver-manager of the hotel in order to preserve its assets.He directed the Assistant Inspector-General of Police, Zone 2, the Commandant of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps and their agents to assist Ogunba in the performance of his duties as the receiver-manager.The judge ordered all the financial institutions in the country as well as other agencies contractually obligated to Milan Industries to furnish Ogunba with details of sums outstanding to the defendants credit.He restrained Milan Industries Limited and his officials from tampering with the companys funds and assets both within and outside the country pending the outcome of the debt recovery suit.The judge, however, directed Skye Bank to file an undertaking to indemnify the defendant should it turn out that this order ought not to have been made.He adjourned further proceedings in the case till May 17. The Cross River State Chief Vehicle Officer (VIO), Sir Bepeh Paul, said that about 40 per cent of drivers who ply the roads cannot see pr... The Cross River State Chief Vehicle Officer (VIO), Sir Bepeh Paul, said that about 40 per cent of drivers who ply the roads cannot see properly.Paul made the assertion when he visited some motor parks in Calabar in the company of the Director General of the State Primary Healthcare Development Agency, Dr. Betta Edu, to mark the United Nations Safety Week in Calabar.He therefore stressed the need for road users to always be careful at all times.Also speaking, Dr. Betta Edu advised the drivers to be careful with what they eat and drink and also sleep very well before plying the road.She said they must be in good state of health for the safety of the passengers they carry and other road users.Vehicle inspections and free medical checks were carried out for the drivers of the motor parks visited. Free insecticide treated mosquito nets were also distributed to the drivers. The parks visited were Calculux, AKTC and Etim-Edem. The Minister of Health, Prof. Isaac Adewole has called for heightened vigilance and intensified awareness efforts over the latest outbreak ... The Minister of Health, Prof. Isaac Adewole has called for heightened vigilance and intensified awareness efforts over the latest outbreak of Ebola virus in the Democratic Republic of Congo. The Minister noted that health care providers and the general public must report any sign of illness to public health officials immediately. This is coming as the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) has assured of adequate surveillance at the nations airports. Henrietta Yakubu, FAANs Acting General Manager, Corporate Affairs, told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) that there was no direct flight from Congo to Nigeria and that all the preventive measures being put in place at the airports were still in place. The federal government in response to the announcement by the World Health Organisation (WHO) which confirmed cases of Ebola in the DRC has directed port health officials to step up inspection activities and to report any sick person or suspects to ensure that epidemiologists in the states where they are present are immediately alerted and relevant tests conducted. The symptoms to look out for include; fever, fatigue, weakness dizziness and muscle aches. Patients with more severe cases show bleeding under the skin, internal organs or even from bodily orifices like mouth, eyes, and the ears. Nigerians are urged not to panic as the Centre for Disease Control is on ground and equipped to secure the health of citizens. The agency has for a while now, been strengthening states capacities to detect, manage and respond to hemorrhagic fevers including Lassa fever. The minister called on states to begin social mobilisation and media awareness efforts via TV, radio, print and social media and charged state health ministries to strengthen their supervision services and escalate any incident appropriately. Yakubu FAANs spokesperson, said that port health officials were at alert at all airports, adding that the authority had also informed them of the need to increase surveillance. We dont have direct flights from Congo, we only have from Rwanda but I want to assure members of the public that we still have all preventive measures in place at our airports. There are sanitisers at our arrivals with the scanning apparatus called thermal scanners being installed by the Port Health Services. The scanners have camera monitors that display pictures aside the capturing of temperature. Passengers still fill that form to ensure that people arriving the country through our airports are not potential carriers of deadly diseases. The port health officials are always at alert and we will also inform them of the need to increase their surveillance. So, there is no cause for alarm, she said. Nigeria experienced the Ebola virus in July, 2014 when a Liberian-American, Patrick Sawyer, who had the virus flew from Liberia to the Murtala Mohammed International Airport, Lagos and died five days later. Gunmen suspected to be herdsmen Saturday night attacked Etogi community, Gbara ward, in Mokwa local government area of Niger state killing ... Gunmen suspected to be herdsmen Saturday night attacked Etogi community, Gbara ward, in Mokwa local government area of Niger state killing 21 people. Witnesses said the attack was said to be as a result of an earlier disagreement between some Fulani youth and members of the affected community, which resulted in the death of herder. According to an account, the herders who maintained a settlement near the community were offered land to farm on the agreement that certain percentage of the proceed goes to the village head. It was learnt that disagreement ensued when the herders failed to remit the agreed percentage this year, while claiming that the land in question now belongs to them. Irked by the death of one them, the herders were said to have reached out for support from their kinsmen elsewhere and launched an attack on the community mosque, when Muslim faithful were observing their early morning prayers. Malam Mairo Mohammed said that the attackers killed everybody in the mosque, including the Imam. Women and children who were woken by the commotion were said to have fled in different direction with some of them sustaining injuries in the process. The state police command public relation officer, DSP Bala Elkana confirmed the report said 20 people were killed during an early morning prayers. He said the attack was a reprisal to an earlier killing of a herder by the villagers. The killing of a herder was managed but it appears they were not satisfied and decided to retaliate, DSP Elkana stated. According to him eight people sustained various degrees of injuries during the attack and a recuperating in a nearby hospital. He however mobile policemen have been deployed to the trouble community, while Department of the State Security Service and officers if the commands Criminal Investigation Department were also on ground to keep peace. Governor of Benue State, Samuel Ortom, spoke with journalists about his face-off with Governor Nyesom Wike of Rivers State, his inability t... Governor of Benue State, Samuel Ortom, spoke with journalists about his face-off with Governor Nyesom Wike of Rivers State, his inability to pay workers salaries and President Buharis health. Your state is among several others owing workers salaries despite collecting bailouts from the Federal Government and benefiting from the Paris Club loan refund. Why is this so? We have declared a state of emergency on the payment of salaries. This means that we will scale down other things and give attention to the payment of salaries every month as we get resources. We have agreed with workers that we will launch a manhunt for ghost workers. I believe that the wage bill of more than N4bn every month is too much for Benue State; this wage bill includes pensions. Pensions alone are N570m while the overhead is also about N500m. The salaries of workers are about N3bn. We believe that this is too much and there are traces of infiltration here and there. We are going to work together so that no one will complain about victimisation. We must eliminate those ghost workers. Let me give you an instance. I set up a committee headed by very seasoned administrators who are retired. These men of high reputation and integrity did verification and discovered many ghost workers. These workers had retired but their names are still on the payroll. They are using the same account to collect money from different payment vouchers. The committee was able to discover that N1.4bn was being lost monthly to ghost workers. This is just in one third of the MDAs where the verification exercise was carried out. We agreed with workers that we are going to work together to eliminate this. Why are you not paying salaries with the bailout? The bailout was a temporary intervention to settle the immediate problems that we had when we were inaugurated. For instance, when we took over, we received N28bn from the Federal Government as bailout. N12.5bn was meant to pay workers on the state governments payroll while N15.5bn was for the local government staff. We were able to judiciously screen people and pay at the state level. We were able to save about N1.6bn which we channeled back to the treasury. We inherited a treasury in deficit. At the local government level and because of the screening, we were able to save up to N1.4 bn. The money is still in the accounts. I inherited over N69bn as unpaid salaries, pensions and arrears. When we requested for the N69bn, the Federal Government approved just N28bn which was meant for just salaries. The local government took 45 per cent of the Paris Club refund that came, while the state took 55 per cent. I was able to raise money through overdraft and pay two months salaries to clear some backlog. I had more than four months arrears then. The local government administrators too were able to pay about three months salaries and the people were happy. All these things are not profit yielding; they are not earning interest. I believe that if we are able to streamline and have a realistic wage bill and scale down some of our expenditure, we will be able to meet our obligations, especially now that we are about getting out of the recession. For instance, last month, what we got from the Federation Account was an increase of about N400m. At the local government level, there was an increase of N200m. This is something that we have not been getting for over one year. Despite the challenge of paying other category of civil servants, the Benue State University staff were paid as and when due. Right now, they have gone on strike, they are asking for pensions and six years arrears of allowances which I inherited. The negotiation is ongoing. The good news is that six weeks ago, we were able to do a combined convocation, which led to the graduation of over 12,000 people from that school. You have been engaged in a spat with Governor Nyesom Wike of Rivers State. What is responsible for the face-off? I went to campaign in Rivers State with other governors because I was nominated by my party. That was where the insults started but you see, as a Christian, I dont want to join issues with Wike. I have allowed the matter to rest. I have even told my aides not to even join issues with him; there is no point talking about Wike. I have no issues with him. We were ministers of state in the government of President Goodluck Jonathan. I think everything is centred on politics. You hear his party saying that (I campaigned against Wike) because of the way the PDP treated me. Though I was the best candidate for the PDP in the 2015 governorship election in Benue State, they treated me in a manner that was not befitting of a gentleman and I left. Till today, they are still dreaming that Ortom is governor. So, this is purely politics. I have displaced PDP in Benue State and they have found an ally in Rivers State. Are you not worried about the state of health of Mr. President? It is unfortunate. Buhari remains the medicine for Nigeria. He is a selfless man, a disciplined man, a patriotic Nigerian, who fought for the unity of this country. Despite his age, he is willing to add value to the development of this country, at least by trying to instill discipline and wipe away corruption in Nigeria. Everybody will agree that before his inauguration, we all agreed that our problem in Nigeria is corruption. Nobody was bold enough to stand up to fight it the way he is doing it. So, he is the correct person for this job. Whatever is happening to him, my advice to Nigerians is what the bible says in Romans 13. The advice is that we should pray for our leaders. Let us continue to pray for him. The doctors can treat but it is God that heals. For us in Benue State, we have declared a three-day prayer and fasting for him. We have declared it to pray for the quick recovery of Mr. President so that he will come back and continue to do his good work. We need him in this country to give us the inspiration to go back to our glory; we have no business begging in Nigeria. God has given us so much. The only problem is indiscipline, corruption and the impunity that has been going on. With what Mr. President is doing for Nigeria, I think we will get to the right path. Let us continue to pray for him that God heal him and bring him back to us. Benue State has also been in the news for clashes between herdsmen and farmers. What is the situation? Like I keep saying, the land is no longer there. Of course, Nigeria has said there is no way we can continue to depend on oil revenues. There is a need for us to diversify the economy. And once we talk about the diversification of the economy, the first thing that comes to mind is agriculture. In agriculture, you have to use the land and there is no way you can combine agriculture with grazing at the same time. That is why for us in Benue State, we have decided that the way forward is to start the ranching system. When you ranch your cattle, you restrict them in a manner that they will not go into somebodys land and cause destruction, which has been the problem over the years. I know that my people like meat; they eat a lot of it, they appreciate it. They are hardworking and ready to sell their farm produce and buy the meat if the people agree to ranch. The problem has been that the herdsmen are not willing to ranch their cattle. Each time their cattle graze, no matter how hard they tame them since they are animals and not human beings, they cause damage to farm produce. This has been creating nightmares and challenge to my administration. It has been a very big challenge but we have been coping with it. Through the state security council, we have been able to devise various strategies to ensure that we nip some of these challenges in the bud. We have succeeded to a large extent. Flaunting an AK-47 in her Boko Haram camp, one of the Chibok girls remaining in the custody of the terror sect, insisted yesterday that ... Flaunting an AK-47 in her Boko Haram camp, one of the Chibok girls remaining in the custody of the terror sect, insisted yesterday that she is gone with them for good.Maida Yakubu, flanked by three other girls, all dressed in niqob (veil), said in the latest video message from the sect that she is now married to a Boko Haram fighter.But her distraught mother believes Maida could not have willingly said what she said.She said her action came from torture.In a second video released late Friday by the sect, one of the Boko Haram commanders released last week in exchange for freedom for 82 of the Chibok girls vowed that there is no going back for them in fighting the rest of the country.He threatened that Abuja would soon come under a bomb attack.The military responded swiftly to the threat yesterday, branding it mere propaganda.Maida was interviewed in the video by a Boko Haram commander.Below is the interview as obtained by Sahara Reporters:Question: What is your name?Answer: My name is Maida Yakubu.Question: Where are you from?Answer: From Chibok.Question: What are your parents names?Answer: My mothers name is Esther Mutari and my fathers name is Yakubu Kaba.Question: What is the name of your school?Answer: GDSS Chibok.Question: Why did you refuse to return to your parents?Answer: Because they are in the town of infidels. We want them to accept Islam and join us to practise the religion and rest in the hereafter.Question: What is the truth about the allegation that you were married off by force? Is that true?Answer: It is not true, only those who agreed to marry are married off.Question: What message do you have for your parents?Answer: My message to them is for them to accept Islam and practice the religion of God.Question: What message do you have for the people of Nigeria?Answer: I call on all Nigerians to leave any book that is not from God and follow the holy book and the sayings of the Prophet. Gods religion will continue to prosper whether you like it or not. If you refuse, you will die in frustration.A distraught Esther could not believe what her daughter said in the video.She told AFP that Maida acted under duress.For me, this video is torture, she said.I havent slept since I watched it.The tie that binds us is unbreakable. Its just not possible that my daughter prefers her kidnappers to me.Muntari said she immediately understood that she had been forced to say what she said in the video.Another Chibok parent, Enoch Mark, said the video has instilled fear in our minds and has somewhat dampened our hope that our girls will be freed.I dont think any of our girls would choose to stay with Boko Haram if they were given a choice, Mark whose two children are missing, said.The only explanation is that Maida was forced to stay.Maidas comments confirm the statement last week by Presidential spokesman Garba Shehu that one of the Chibok girls refused to return home with the 82 whose freedom was negotiated with the terror sect.Mediator and lawyer Zannah Mustapha spoke in the same vein, saying some of the abducted girls refused to be released, fuelling fears that they have been radicalized.In the second Boko Haram video released on Friday night, a man who identifies himself as Abu Dardaa, or Money, said Boko Haram is back in Sambisa Forest and is preparing to bomb Abuja.More bombs attacks are on the way, including Abuja that you feel is secured, he boasted in Hausa.According to him there can be no peace but war between the group and Nigeria.He also said more than five Commanders from the terror group were released in exchange for the Chibok girls.He said there has been no sulhu or dialogue with the government and there wont be any, he said, saying: only war is between us.Last month, the Department of State Services (DSS) said it had thwarted plans by Boko Haram to attack the British and U.S. embassies in Abuja.The Director Army Public Relations, Brigadier General Sani Usman yesterday branded the Boko Haram threat to bomb Abuja as mere propagandaHe said the terrorists have lost touch with current realities.Usman said the video messages were designed to seek relevance and attention.On Abu Dardaas threat, the army spokesman said: As you are all aware, he was a direct beneficiary of the process that led to the release of 82 of the abducted girls and does not have a say or capacity to do anything, therefore his threats should be ignored.He assured Nigerians of continued commitment of the military to federal governments effort to bring back home all the remaining Chibok girls.He said: We will not relent in our determined efforts of clearing the remnants of the Boko Haram terrorists as manifested through the ongoing clearance operations.The Nigerian Air Force is unrelenting in its bombardment while other security agencies are equally doing their best.We should not give in to terrorists propaganda and empty threats. We have come to a very critical stage of the fight against terrorism and insurgency in Nigeria that requires more patriotism and security consciousness.Gone are the days when people glamorized terrorists and their criminal acts.Dubai-based Nigerian journalist, Ahmad Salkida, reputed to have direct access to top leaders of the sect, released part of the video to Sahara Reporters.He confirmed the identity of Maida in a tweet.The Chibok girl that spoke in the video today, holding an AK47 rifle is Maida Yakubu, he wrote.The Chibok girl that spoke in the video today (Friday), holding an AK47 rifle is Maida Yakubu. Ahmad Salkida (@ContactSalkida) May 12, 2017. Few days ago, we brought you a tell-it-all interview nollywood actress, Mercy Aigbe had with Broadway TV. Well, here is the full intervi... Few days ago, we brought you a tell-it-all interview nollywood actress, Mercy Aigbe had with Broadway TV. Well, here is the full interview with video. She opened up on the crisis that has now engulfed her marriage to Mr. Lanre Gentry, and other related issues When she walked into our office shortly after the first court hearing with her now estranged husband over alleged battering,Mercy Aigbes look and mien were in sharp contrast to the happy girl, vivacious and slay mama reputation she has. Mercy looked beaten, battered and broken. The visible black pouch under her left eye bears screeching testimony to her present struggle and tales of a survivor. Popular actor, Mike Ezuruonye who was in our office as at the time she came in couldnt believe his eyes. It appeared he was looking at another Mercy Aigbe. A Mercy who bore no resemblance to the queen on the screens. He kept muttering to himself, whoever did this to Mercy is a monster. This is unbelievable. Truly, Mercys present state and predicament are unbelievable. Three years ago, she and estranged husband, Lanre Gentry jointly produced a video to debunk rumours of domestic violence. Mercy has consistently portrayed the image of a happily married actress. She is often referred to as an actress with marriage goal in blogsphere. For the uninitiated, this popular Nollywood actress, Mercy and hubby, Lanre Gentry have been in the news for the wrong reasons. Lanre has been accused of beating Mercy to a pulp and dangerous bend. According to the actress and based on medical reports we sited, certain muscles are trapped in the orbit of her eyes and she coughed blood consistently during the near one-hour interview she reluctantly granted Broadway Tv In this tear-filled interview, Mercy remains inconsolable and sad that her seven year marriage is headed for the rocks. However,she firmly believes it is better for one to lose her marriage than gamble with the gift of life while trying to keep up appearances. Mercy Aigbe is a convert. Yes. A convert to the cause to say NO to all forms of domestic violence in Nigeria.In her own words,she intoned,I thought I was going to die during the last round of beating he subjected me to. The traumatic experience still brings palpable fear to her eyes as she narrates the events. Not one soul in the office of BROADWAY TV was left without a tearful eye after the interview. It was obvious after the interview that she had been doing a lot of cover-up, served us false couples goals slogans for years and has a lot of sorting out to do (legal, medical and professionally.) Few weeks ago, you came out to say your husband didnt beat you but you later shared that he consistently beat you. What should we believe the former or the later? In the midst of all these, I have never granted any interview and I have never for once come out to say my husband didnt beat me. It was in 2013 that I had one and it was about the news that broke out then that my husband beat me and we had to do that video at that time. He has consistently beaten me. Why did you stay despite the consistent beating? Because I just wanted a home, because I loved him because every time he beats me, he begs, he gets family and friends to beg me and he promises that he would change but he never did. I prayed, I fasted and I hoped he was going to change but he never did. My husband is a violent person and when he gets angry, he gets physical so it is not just about me. He has actually beaten a house help of mine before, Oluchi. I was even out of the country when this happened and the girl had to go to the police station closest to us to get the police to arrest him. That is the kind of person he is. Aside the fact that I wanted a home, I stayed because of my children. I didnt want to be moving from one man to the other and a lot of people look up to me as a role model and they respect me because I am married, I didnt want to disappoint a lot of people. Some people would probably say I am a fool right now to have endured everything but God knows and he sees my heart that I just wanted a home. A lot of people already have opinions about actors that we do not want to stay under a mans roof so it wasnt just easy for me to walk away. What did you do after the incident and how brutal was the beating? After this whole thing happened I met with my husbands younger brother and told him that this man would just kill me one day. He is not ready to get help or go for therapy as regards to his anger so he can know how to manage his anger, so I told him that this last incident was brutal and he almost killed me. I thought I was going to die. I said to him that I dont feel safe anymore. For a very long time I have been living in fear in that house because any little argument leads to me being beaten up by my husband even in front of my children or my domestic staffs and my neighbors. I just got tired of it. I moved out because I wanted to opt out. I was just scared for my life because a lot of people have died in this kind of process. I just wanted to feel safe and that was why I moved out. 4 weeks after and I am still coughing out blood sometimes the blood is so much. I am bleeding internally and that is how brutal it was. Why did you take him to court? A day before Easter Sunday I discovered that my husband was sleeping with a girl who was like a sister to me because we were very close and I was bitter and not very happy about it because that wasnt the first time. My husband has slept with a lot of my PAs and he has done a lot of things but I endured and it wasnt easy. I was bitter because he promised me he was never going to do it anymore so we had an argument on Saturday but at a point I had to keep quiet because I didnt want him to get physical. On Sunday, I cooked, the children ate and I served him. I told him I was going for a burial which I had informed him prior to that day. At first, he said that I was supposed to stay home with my kids and I said I had promised I was going to attend and that if he doesnt mind we can actually go together since I dont plan staying long. He said no problem and I could go for the party. I went to my designers place Luminee to dress up in case of any adjustment that needs to be done on my outfit; my makeup artist, Ayomide and a colleague were there. We got to the party late and by the time we got there they were already rounding up and we spent just a little time and we went back to Luminees place. At a point my husband called me on the phone to come and pick him up at his office on my way home. I told him to leave me alone and I just want to be left alone that he was choking me. Go home, I will get home soon I told him I wasnt going to come because I was still angry at what I had found out about him sleeping with someone else the previous day and I ended the call. He called me again and asked where I was that I needed to pick him and I told him I was at Luminees place. Then he started shouting that I should pick him up from the office. I knew he was angry and I told him I was going to come. I told Luminee I had to go that my husband was getting angry and if he gets angry I know that he was going to beat me up. At that point, Luminee walked me to the door. When we got to the door I heard a car park. I started panicking and I told Luminee that I was sure that was my husband, at that point he had gotten to the door and immediately I got to the door, Lanre beat me mercilessly. He kept punching me, slapping me, hitting my head on the wall. Everyone saw it. I was begging him and scared he was going to kill me. He said he was going to kill me; he was going to damage my face so people wouldnt call me for a job. He was like someone who was possessed. At a point I had to tell him in Yoruba that Lanre mo ma bimo fun e, Kini mo se? (Lanre I have a child for you, what did I do?) Blood was coming out from my nose, he kept beating me. When Luminee and Ayomide saw this I begged them to take me to the hospital. He said he was going to take me to the hospital. Luminee helped me into the car and he told them that if he sees any of them in his car he would beat them when I heard this; I stumbled out of the car. He came to me and matched me on the face. He kept beating me. I started crying for help. I told Luminee to get the security men at their gate else he was going to kill me. She ran to call the security men and when they got there they walked him out of the Estate. Ayomide had called her husband and Luminee called my husbands friend and when they came, they took me to the hospital, Solid Rock Hospital Ojodu. He followed us to the hospital and he kept shouting that he was going to kill me and I didnt know what I did. What did the doctors say was wrong with you? At the hospital, the doctor gave me drip and they tried to stop the blood coming out from my nose and they gave me injections and they stuffed my nose with cotton wool to stop the blood from coming out. On Monday, which was the following day, Ayomide and her husband were all with me and I was there till about eight oclock and I had to remove the drip myself because I just felt I needed to report the case to the police because I thought I was going to die so I told Luminee to take me to the police station and she took me to Area F where I made the report. Immediately I made the report, I met the Area Commander and I met with one of the human rights representatives at the same station. I wrote a petition and I dropped his number with the Area Commander who tried to reach him but couldnt, so she said the police officer in charge of the case should go with me to invite him to the Police Station so he can also tell his own side of the story. I went to his hotel at Oregun with the Police and when we got there we didnt meet him but met his two brothers. The Police Officer, ASP Amaka called him on the phone and he said he wasnt in Lagos and was in Ibadan which I knew was a lie because the thing just happened and there was no way he could have gone to Ibadan in the morning and I didnt know what he went to Ibadan to do so we didnt get him on that Monday. When we didnt see him at the Hotel, we went back to the Police Station and the Officer gave me a note to go to the General Hospital to treat myself and I went there and saw a Doctor at the Surgical and Emergency Department of the Hospital where they gave me drip, injection and he gave me antibiotics to stop the blood. He gave me another note to go to St. Solomon Health Care Ltd to undergo some series of scans so they can determine what exactly is damaged or why I was bleeding and if I had any internal injury. I did series of tests from Brain CT scan, Chest scan and more. Do you agree on the allegations that you cheated on your husband? I have never cheated on Lanre and he knows it and that is the most painful part of all these. If or maybe he had shown a bit of remorse after what he did to me, I am a woman instead he went online, started granting interviews and fabricating hideous lies just to tarnish my image. He went on saying I have cheated on him several times, I never cheated on him, never! He came up with those lies so as to get sympathy or justify what he did, that was why I told him to come out with proof. It is not enough that you are alleging that I did this; he should come out with proof. He said a lot of things, a lot of damaging things and the day I read those things online I was completely broken. I never knew I was married to my enemy because only my enemy can do that. He lied that I was mentally unstable and I do not take care of my parents. He said that he has caught me with men and all those things that he said, he doesnt have a proof; he just said all those things so as to defame my character. I have never cheated on him. Even when I was single I never had any scandal, so why would he now say that I was cheating on him with different men and none of these so called relationships got out? Is it possible? For someone like me to cheat on my husband several times and he kept catching me. Is it even possible? If you are reading this Lanre, your conscience will judge you. I have been supportive, a lot of people think I married you because of your money, they do not know the story, they do not know anything. I read a lot of things online and I just shake my head because only God knows. I give you my money a lot of times. 2 months ago, I gave you money to buy ticket for your daughter who was on the sick bed abroad for treatments. I gave you Two Hundred and Sixty thousand naira and this is just one of those many times. A lot of people think I married you because of your money but Lanre, you know, people very close to us know that you have never given me money to even shoot a movie. All the movies I have shot was with my money and I have had to work hard. I had my son through Caesarean Section (CS), I was on set not even 40 days after because I needed the money. I dont know someone who claims to love me will go to the extent of trying to ruin me or my image. The image I worked so hard to build. Lanre, the fact is that you beat me and you have always been beating me and everybody knows. 3 years ago, I took you to Area F where you signed an undertaking that you arent going to beat me again and ever since then, you have beaten me several times. I know people will call me a fool for staying that long and yes I do agree with them, I agree that I shouldnt have endured for that long but I am just a woman who wanted a home, who wanted to stay married. I did a series of interviews where I praised you but I just couldnt come out and wash my dirty linens in public. I couldnt come out and tell people about what I was going through. I couldnt come out to put my husband in a bad light. A lot of things that I do by myself I would actually give the credit to you and I agree that I am a fool for doing that but like Yoruba will say Ile eni lati je ekute onidodo (Whatever you are going through should be in the privacy of your home). I couldnt just come out and say that my husband has been beating me or he isnt financially okay because I believe that a wise woman builds her home and I was ready to do everything and that was why I stayed that long. Has he ever caught you with anything incriminating or with any man? No, he has never caught me with any man. Your husband had raised allegations against some people and also said he never granted any interview what can you say about that? He has been granting a lot of interviews since this whole thing started and he has concocted a lot of lies and damaging things. He said some people are influencing me but that is a lie, I know my husband very well but he lies alot and I dont know if thats being disrespectful but my husband lies a whole lot. During the course of our relationship he has told me a whole lot of lies which I later found out. 4 years ago, my husband was in cell for over 7 months. I was in the house, I didnt move anywhere. I suffered, I was working back to back to take care of our children and pay their fees. I kept it all to myself, why would I now want to leave him because as he claims he says all the scars are just make up. It is almost 4 weeks and I still have a black eye, I am coughing out blood and he says it is make up. If I had died he would have lied so hard. Now I cant see well with my left eye and the doctors at the General Hospital say I have to do surgery and I have to do it as soon as possible. They even said that I shouldnt do it here in Nigeria. I cant see well because he broke the orbit and according to the doctors, some of the eye muscles are trapped in broken orbit and they have to do a surgery to release the muscles otherwise I wont be able to see properly. This is what a man who is supposed to be my husband did to me, the father of my child did and he is not showing any form of remorse. Instead he is spreading lies. He has threatened to kill me if I dare to leave him; he said he will damage my image. Like he said, I am the one who has an image to protect. I am going through pains. I cant see but he isnt showing any form of remorse. What do you hope to achieve with the Court case? When this incident happened and I saw the way he was going about it, I went to the Lagos State for Domestic Violence Department, I went to see the Commissioner for Women Affairs, Mrs Lola Akande and I think that was a week after the incident. I also went to the office of the public defender; I saw Mrs Tope Salami and I explained everything because I do not feel safe with my kids. I feel like he is going to send some people to kill me. On Thursday after the incident, I went home to get some of my things and he sent 3 thugs to the house to prevent me from taking anything. One of them almost beat me up, I had to run to Ojodu Grammar School Police Station to get some police and they arrested the thugs he sent. A man who can go to that extent, a man who can do all these things to me after beating me he can do anything. I am scared for my life and my childrens lives. The case is in court, it is not in my place to put him in prison, I have a child for him. I dont want people to see me like that. I just want him to know the gravity of what he did to me and see the consequences. He has to. What is next for you? I dont know what is next for me. All I know is that I have to take care of myself because I still cough out blood and I have to do the surgery. I have to make sure that I am okay. Has he ever accused you of cheating on him with another person? Yes, he accuses me of dating everybody. He has insecurity issues. If he sees anybody close to me he would accuse me of dating the person. At a particular time I sat him down and wanted us to talk about it because I wasnt comfortable anymore. If I go out, he would accuse me, even on set, he would question why I kissed an actor or why I allowed the actor to hold me and more. He knows my job and we never had an agreement that I would stop acting after our marriage. I had to ask him if I have ever given him any reason to doubt me. He is just insecure. People believe your lifestyle is above your income, could that also be the part of the problem? No, my lifestyle is not more that my income? Where do we live? It is not like we live on the Island. I am a very contented person. The Dubai I went to was sponsored by Emirate. They had a package they wanted me to help them put out there as a brand influencer which was what I did. I am not living above my means. I drive an Acura MDS. People close to me know this. I am a very hardworking woman. He said you are mentally unstable, what can you say about that? When I read it online I was shocked. I cant comprehend it. I dont know why he fabricated the story. I am mentally okay. My husband knows and everybody close to me knows I am mentally okay. Anybody that wants to do their findings can go ahead and do their findings. I can subject myself to any test just to show that I am hundred percent okay. Then again, they are all lies just to tarnish my image. Why did you stay so long with him? I have wanted to leave a couple of times but family, friends and my mum kept begging me stay, that they were going to talk to him and he was going to change and he would also beg me after every incident that he would change, yet when I stay two weeks after the incident, he changes then after a while he goes back to his normal self. Since this whole incident happened, It has not been easy for me to refrain myself from granting interviews or talking about this because my person has been bashed. A lot of people have been reading my husbands side of the story and they believe it hook, line and sinker and as a human being I have wanted to defend myself by going online and also granting interviews but my PR team have been on my case asking me not to talk and even if I did talk, people will believe what they want to believe so after this, I promise not to say anything on this issue anymore. The case is already in court so I am not going to talk about it again. Watch the Video below: Two new video by one of the Boko Haram Commanders released by the Federal Government in exchange for the 82 Chibok girls in which he issu... Two new video by one of the Boko Haram Commanders released by the Federal Government in exchange for the 82 Chibok girls in which he issued threats to attack the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Abuja and other locations have been dismissed by the Nigerian Military as mere propaganda.The videos which was posted on social media by a freelance journalist Ahmad Sakilda also featured three of the abducted Chibok girls holding an Ak47 rifle while one identified as Maida Yakubu also spoke threatening the country.The Commander, identified as Shuaibu Moni also issued threats to Nigeria and President Muhammadu Buhari saying there can be no peace but war between the group and Nigeria. He also said more than five Commanders from the terror group were released in exchange for the Chibok girls while also warning of imminent attack in Abuja.He said there has been no sulhu or dialogue with the government and there wont be saying only war is between us.But in a swift response, the Director Army Public Relations, Brigadier General Sani Usman said the terrorists have lost touch of current realities. In the first clip, the terrorist among other things made boastful and spurious allegations, while the second clip was about alleged indoctrination of some of the abducted Chibok school girls in captivity. We wish to state that the terrorist has lost touch with current realities, Usman said.He also said the videos were designed and aimed at seeking relevance and attention. As you are all aware, he was a direct beneficiary of the process that led to the release of 82 of the abducted girls and does not have a say or capacity to do anything, therefore his threats should be ignored, the Army declared.The military also assured the public that the Nigerian Army is totally committed to the Federal Governments determined efforts of rescuing all abducted persons and peace in the country.Usman: We will not relent our determined efforts of clearing the remnants of the Boko Haram terrorists as manifested through the ongoing clearance operations. The Nigerian Air Force is unrelenting in its bombardment while other security agencies are equally doing their best. We should not give in to terrorists propaganda and empty threats, we have come to a very critical stage of the fight against terrorism and insurgency in Nigeria that require more patriotism and security consciousness.Gone were the days when people glamourize terrorists and their criminal acts, he said. The Jonathan administration allegedly overruled the board of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) in disbursing more than $500million cash ... The Jonathan administration allegedly overruled the board of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) in disbursing more than $500million cash to security agencies as Special Intervention Funds, according to information made available to the Yemi Osinbajo Investigative Committee.The committee probed the $43.4million found at an apartment in Osborne Towers, Ikoyi, Lagos; and the alleged involvement of the suspended Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Babachir Lawal, in inappropriate award of contracts under the Presidential Initiative for the North East (PINE).The $43m cash is being claimed by the National Intelligence Agency (NIA) whose Director General, Ambassador Ayo Oke has also been placed on suspension.The Osinbajo Panel, discovered that it was not only the NIA that benefited from the funds.Records made available to the panel indicated that it was only the agency that executed nine projects with funds given to it.There are however issues over the $43.4million which NIA insisted belongs to it.None of the remaining security agencies has submitted any list of projects carried out with their cash.The development made the panel suspect that some of the special intervention funds were used for 2015 Presidential poll.President Muhammadu Buhari is expected to take a final decision soon on the recommendations of the panel and the fate of other agencies which benefitted.It was gathered that the CBN Board strongly opposed direct disbursement of cash to all the security agencies listed for the intervention funds.Apart from the implications of pumping such money into the economy, the board wanted the funds disbursed through due process.It was learnt that the CBN board submitted its caution advisory on the funds to the Osinbajo panel which wound up last week.A Presidency source said the CBN board showed proof that it was opposed to direct cash disbursement to security agencies including the NIA.The source added:but those who testified before the panel said since there was a clear-cut presidential approval, the apex bank was handicapped. It was impossible to ignore the directive of the President.They claimed that since the purposes of the cash were classified matters, the advice of the CBN board was overruled more so when the nation was under security emergency.They explained that the same scenario applied to direct cash disbursement to the Office of the National Security Adviser (ONSA) during the tenure of Sambo Dasuki. This was why Dasuki has consistently maintained that he acted on the orders of the ex-President.The source said the panel could not invite the former President because under a presidential system, there are some unquestionable discretionary powers which a president can exercise.Another source said the panel discovered that apart from the NIA, some security agencies were discovered to have benefitted from the special intervention funds.The panel obtained records indicating cash disbursement to NIA and other security agencies.So far, only the NIA has accounted for the $289million given to it. The suspended DG of the agency, Amb. Ayo Oke itemized a list of nine projects and their cost implications.All the details were contained in a memo Oke sent to President Muhammadu Buhari through the National Security Adviser, Gen. Babagana Monguno.Besides acknowledging the receipt of the memo, a team from ONSA also inspected these projects. The only area of disagreement between the panel and the NIA DG was just the status of the $43.4million which the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) recovered from Apartment 7B in Osborne Towers.NIA insisted that the cash haul was part of the $289million but the panel said it suspected the money might have been part of the special intervention funds allegedly used for 2015 general elections.The panel said it discovered that NIA was very strict in paying all its contractors through the CBN. Even though the agency avoided direct contact with contractors, the panel could not understand what informed the lodgement of the $43.4million in an apartment.A source in NIA said: The $43.4million was part of the $289million. This agency did not commit any infraction. And the agency was straightforward in explaining that this money forcefully retrieved by EFCC was covert operation.There is nowhere in the world where you keep funds for covert operations in banks or in any account. They are like security votes. You can draw examples from the CIA and FBI.Unless there is a predetermined agenda, the suspended DG has been transparent in managing the agency.It was also gathered that President Buhari will take a final decision on the recommendations of the Osinbajo panel and what to do with indicted security agencies.The presidency source said: The panel has completed its assignment, the buck stops on President Buharis table.Before he left, he rubbed minds with the Acting President on the recommendations. Some directions were obvious but he has to sit down or discuss with his team to finalize some issues.Many people were implicated, the recommendations are far-reaching and heads may roll.When you want to determine the fate of those in strategic positions as a leader, you have to look at all the facts. I think there is internal politics within the presidency with forces trying to outwit each other.The Osinbajo panel last week concluded the probe of the suspended SGF and NIA DG.Lawal was probed over alleged N200million contract awarded to a company, Global Vision Limited, linked with him by the Presidential Initiative for the North East (PINE) for the clearing of invasive plant species (weeds) in Yobe State.On his part, Oke was investigated over alleged $43.4million which was recovered by the EFCC at 7B apartment in Osborne Towers, Ikoyi in Lagos. Photo by via Mayor's Flickr We rely on your support to make local news available to all Make your contribution now and help Gothamist thrive in 2022. Donate today Philippe Coutinho kept Liverpool's Champions League challenge in their own hands by destroying West Ham at the London Stadium.The Brazilian master provided a moment of magic to set up Daniel Sturridge for the first-half opener, and then scored two sensational solo goals after the break.Divock Origi put the seal on a 4-0 victory as the Reds emphatically ensured a win over relegated Middlesbrough on the final day will take them back to Europe's elite next season.Liverpool travelled to the capital knowing any slip-up could let Arsenal take the initiative in the race for a top-four finish, and faced a West Ham team who had dashed Tottenham's lofty ambitions just nine days earlier.But they need not have worried, and were inches from taking an early lead when Joel Matip met Coutinho's corner with a downward header which bounced back up and clipped the crossbar.West Ham did have their chances to open the scoring, with Sam Byram firing across goal and wide and Edimilson Fernandes shooting too close to Simon Mignolet.But the breakthrough arrived in the 35th minute when Coutinho's exquisite through-ball, from inside his own half, exposed a gap the size of the nearby Blackwall Tunnel in West Ham's defence.With Jose Fonte playing him onside, Sturridge was able to race towards goal before rounding Adrian and tucking in his first goal since January.West Ham should have been level on the stroke of half-time but for an astonishing double miss from Andre Ayew.The 20 million forward prodded Manuel Lanzini's corner onto the far post from two yards out, and, as the ball rebounded to him, he hit the same upright again before Mignolet gathered.Adrian was back in action after the restart as Liverpool peppered the Hammers' goal, with Origi, Adam Lallana and Georginio Wijnaldum all testing the Spaniard in quick succession.But Adrian was a mere spectator as Liverpool grabbed their second, watching on as Wijnaldum's 57th-minute volley crashed back off the crossbar.The ball came out to Coutinho, who weaved his way through what was by now masquerading as West Ham's defence before slotting the ball low into the corner from the edge of the area.Four minutes later it was three, Coutinho again collecting the ball from Wijnaldum before dancing around a statue of James Collins and firing home.The fourth arrived in the 76th minute when Adrian charged out of his goal to collect Sturridge's cross, missed it, and left Origi with a simple tap-in to round off a clinical display and a crucial victory.Credit: ESPN The prettiest female gangster in Nairobi identified as Clea Addi Vybz was killed by police officers during a gun duel last Tuesday, May 9.T... The prettiest female gangster in Nairobi identified as Clea Addi Vybz was killed by police officers during a gun duel last Tuesday, May 9.The mother of one and wife of a fellow gangster was shot dead in Kayole estate in Nairobi, Kenya after exchange of gunfire ensued between a group of gangsters and the police. Police said that the woman, referred by local residents as Nairobi 'prettiest gangster', was in company of three other female colleagues when they were robbing Kayole residents in broad daylight. Police confronted the four after an alert by the public, ordered them to surrender, but the gang declined and decided to engage the police in a gunfight. Two of the suspects were killed during the incident while the other two escaped. A pistol was seized at the scene of crime with six rounds of ammunition. The bodies of the two were taken to the city mortuary where they await identification and postmortem. The deceased is said to be part of the gang that has terrorized the residents of the famous estate for years. She had participated in various robbery operations and always accompanied her husband, who is in hiding, carrying and ferrying weapons. For years, the lady has managed to escape from the hands of the police, but her proverbial forty days county came to an end when she was killed during the fierce firing battle with the police. According to Kayole OCPD Joseph Gichangi, the gang was hard to track but the police responded swiftly after they were alerted through a WhatsApp group. Gichangi said that police were able to ask for adequate reinforcement before they came head on with the deadly gang that has killed many in Kayole and environs. A senior Nigerian surgeon, Dr Lawal Haruna, has been struck off in the UK after accidentally removing a womans ovary instead of her app... A senior Nigerian surgeon, Dr Lawal Haruna, has been struck off in the UK after accidentally removing a womans ovary instead of her appendix.The 59-year-old mistook the patients reproductive organs for her appendix when she was admitted to hospital with abdominal pain.The unnamed Patient B, who was not of child-bearing age, also had her fallopian tube removed during the bungled procedure.The incident in March 2015 was one of a series of botched operations carried out by Haruna over two years which were so poorly executed colleagues.He said the mistakes were trifling errors while his colleagues described them as never events.Another man, known as Patient A, who had acute appendicitis, had been on a list for emergency surgery yet Haruna mistakenly removed a pad of fat, meaning he was forced to undergo a further operation a month later.Haruna removed a skin tag from a third patient who had been admitted with a cyst.An expert report reads: Dr Haruna was mistaken in his identification of the appendix and removed the ovary and tube in error.This is a serious omission and a breach of duty of care.To have mistaken a fat pad for the appendix and to have failed to deal adequately with the pathology suggests a standard of care which is seriously below that expected of a reasonably competent Staff Grade in General Surgery.Haruna, who says he has 25 years experience, said the appendix and fallopian tubes were similar worm-like structures which lie in a similar area.But at the Medical Practitioners Tribunal Service a disciplinary panel found him guilty of misconduct and banned him from treating patients.Chairman Clare Sharp told Haruna his treatment of one patient was reckless.He added: You were asked to put yourself into your patients shoes and to consider how your actions made them feel.Whilst you have apologised to the patients in question, you showed a lack of empathy for them, as well as for the serious consequences of your failings.The Tribunal did not believe that your misconduct was deliberate but it concluded that there was a continuing risk to patients.The incidents occurred between 2013 and 2015 whilst Dr Haruna was working for the Sheffield Teaching Hospitals Trust, which oversees six hospitals.Haruna said it would be harsh to strike him offHaruna apologised to Patients A and C personally and to Patient B via his medical team.The surgeon, who represented himself, told the Manchester hearing, said he had been suffering from poor vision at the time and claimed it would be harsh to strike him off.He added: I want to apologise to all the patients. I didnt experience operative difficulties, in removing whatever I removed. Everything had gone along fine and it was not difficult to remove.It was only later I realised it was not the appropriate part. The operation itself, the technicality, was fine but the wrong specimen was removed.I have performed hundreds of appendectomies. This was due to lapse of judgement. The Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) has accused the federal government of insincerity over the probe and arrest of killings in th... The Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) has accused the federal government of insincerity over the probe and arrest of killings in the Southern part of Kaduna State.Its President, Rev Supo Ayokunle, said it was unfortunate government has been unable to stop the massive killings in the area.He spoke yesterday in Ibadan, Oyo State capital.Ayokunle said: Till date, no Fulani herdsmen has been arrested for prosecuted.They are still with their guns and if government is sincere to put an end to all this incessant killings there, they ought to probe the procurement and supply of the weapons that the Fulani herdsmen are carrying about.The government is not sincere in bringing reprieve to the victims of the place. The Southern Kaduna rural areas are where the farmers stay but no adequate security has been provided for the farmers and this is rainy season.I believe somebody in position of power is behind the Fulani herdsmen and that is why they are being given preferential treatment.He noted nobody has monopoly of violence, warning if government does not bring the herdsmen to book, it should be prepared for war.Ayokunle added: These Fulani herdsmen are heartless. They also killed many people in Enugu and Benue States and government did not do anything.How will government defend the ammunitions the herdsmen are carrying about? There is hypocrisy and manipulation in this issue and cannot be great if all this continues.The CAN President said the body is praying for the quick recovery of President Muhammadu Buhari, urging Nigerians not to relent in praying for him also.He admonished Vice-President Yemi Osinbajo to exercise authority with caution and the fear of God irrespective of religion or ethnicity. As pro-Biafran groups perfect their plans for the observation of May 30, Biafran Day Anniversary in spite of the stringent bail condition... As pro-Biafran groups perfect their plans for the observation of May 30, Biafran Day Anniversary in spite of the stringent bail conditions granted Nnamdi Kanu, the leader of Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), gathered during the week that some concerned Igbo leaders, including state governors, have been working round the clock to ensure the situation did not get out of hand.A source confided that while direct efforts have been made to persuade the various groups involved in the Biafran agitation not to go ahead with this years anniversary in view of Kanus bail conditions, many noted Igbo leaders, who were approached on this subject vehemently questioned the rationale behind such suggestion, arguing that Biafra is a major experience that cannot be suppressed by anybody under any guise.Even IPOB, whose leaders bail condition was presented as the reason for the negotiations, said there is no going back on the sit-at-home order it declared on May 30, for Biafra Day celebration in remembrance of fallen heroes of Biafra who died during the civil war of 1967 and 1970.Swearing to go ahead with the celebration, the group alleged that the Federal Government has mapped out plans to deal with the people of Biafra during the Remembrance Day celebration.In a statement by the Media and Publicity Secretary of IPOB, Mr. Emma Powerful, the group warned Biafrans to stay at home on that day to avoid security operatives from killing innocent members of the public or IPOB members. He added that there are series of meetings going on between security agencies and saboteurs in our midst who wish to sabotage the Remembrance Day celebration of our fallen heroes and heroines scheduled to hold on May 30.Aside IPOB, Movement for the Sovereign State of Biafra (MASSOB) and Biafra Independence Movement (BIM) have not only expressed their determination to go on with the anniversary but have also called on the United Nations (UN) to step-up action by granting freedom to Biafra with a view to stopping unending killings and brutal treatment already meted out to people of the defunct eastern region by Nigerian government.Okigwe zonal leaders of MASSOB and BIM made the call in a statement jointly issued to mark the 50th Anniversary of Biafra and MASSOBs 18th Anniversary.NE investigation during the week showed that while some top Igbo leaders are convinced the best thing is to ensure the said annual anniversary do not hamper the progress so far made through Kanus bail, others contend that Biafrans must never give up on remembering their fallen heroes.According to our source, this disagreement has left South-East governors and leadership of OhanaezeNdigbo with no option than to adopt, what a top state government official in Ebonyi State described as a delicate diplomatic strategy.Explaining why some Igbo leaders are solidly behind Biafran agitators on the anniversary ceremony, Evangelist Elliot Ugochukwu-Uko, the founder of Igbo Youth Movement (IYM) said, I assure you that our people are 100 percent behind NnamdiKanu and the IPOB. They have called on our people to stay at home on that day and meditate on the blood of our brethren unnecessarily shed in our recent history. I will assure you that in spite of the attempt by enemies of the people to sabotage the stay at home order, I believe our people will comply because they know that Kanu and IPOB mean well for our unborn children.Our people are behind him simply because, he has proven devoted, dedicated and committed to freeing our people from the prison called Nigeria. He has also proven that he will willingly make painful sacrifices for the sake of our people, he said.As at press time, sources said all the Biafran agitation groups are mobilizing their members in the villages to observe the stay at home order, while negotiations to stop rallies continue. Yesterday, there was gist that nollywod actress, Tonto Dike and her estranged husband, Churchhill abandoned their childs nanny in an Abuja... Yesterday, there was gist that nollywod actress, Tonto Dike and her estranged husband, Churchhill abandoned their childs nanny in an Abuja hospital. A certain Queen Ashley Foundation stumbled upon an elderly woman who was said to be abandoned at Maitama General hospital by her madam, after she developed excruciating pains on her legs from her home. The woman was discovered to be King Andrea's Nanny, living with Tonto Dikeh after she left her matrimonial home around January, when she had marital issues with her husband Mr.Olakunle Churchill. The lady, on discussing with her, appealed to kind hearted Nigerians to come to her rescue with donations as the nanny needed to carry out series of test, if not she might loose her leg. TONTO DIKEH has now come out to say that she never abandoned her sons nanny she revealed that she discharged the lady from her duties two months ago, after she realized she was not fit for the job. Here's a video of Tonto Dikeh questioning the nanny, plus a write-up after the cut Via her friend Halimar Abubakar's IG page, Tonto shared the video and wrote: DISCLAIMER! DISCLAIMER!! DISCLAIMER!!! This is to inform the general public about the recently uploaded video about the nanny of my beloved dear son who in a video said I abandoned her at the hospital leaving her to fend for herself. It was so far-off from the truth. She was sadly discharged from her duties 2months ago, after the realization that she wasn't fit enough for the job as she was always suffering from one illness or another which I. Have spent Thousands treating. So I paid her off and she went back to her base, I suddenly saw her about a week ago believing she came to say hello and leave, but begged to be taken back instead. It was obvious that my son missed her, which led me to permit her to stay for a few days. To my suprise, she took ill again and I asked that she should be taken to the hospital, which I normally do whenever she fall sick and her on-Call Personal doctor provided By Me Isnt around. She was rushed to the hospital on Thursday 11th may 2017, and discharged on Friday 12th may 2017, telling me that she is better now. To my greatest surprise, I got a call from one of my domestic staff that she has gone to the hospital again. Waking up today Saturday 13th may 2017, to see a video posted without due consultations by 'some' foundation I wondered why people love cheap publicity. How can someone who left the hospital on Friday and return to the hospital be abandoned as she FALSELY claimed. Nevertheless, I have consulted and instructed my lawyer to serve them with immediate effect for defamation of character and other of charges associated to this act(etc. Using the name of a child for soliciting for money illegally) I am appealiing to the public and especially my fans to disregard the request of paying into the account published on the blog. It's a scam and a malicious act that should never be allowed or encouraged. The nanny is an ingrate for allowing her self to be used against me and my son.This is a woman who has visas to 15 different countries courtesy. Of me,Flies first class,eats 6times a day,has call card allowance, hair allowance,Has her nails taken care of by me,Gets freebies for her family and friends,takes lux Watch the video below: EAST RUTHERFORD -- A 44-year-old off-duty police officer was killed Saturday while he was driving to work in a collision involving multiple vehicles on Route 3, officials said. Mark Zeitounia of Lyndhurst, a Union City police sergeant, was identified as the victim in the collision. Five other people were treated for "relatively minor" and non-life threatening injuries, according to a news release on Sunday from the Bergen County Prosecutor Gurbir Grewal's office. Police responded to the crash at about 11:12 p.m. on Route 3 eastbound and determined that four vehicles were involved in the collision, the release said. The incident is under investigation and no criminal charges have been filed against any driver, the prosecutor's office said. Zeitounian was hired at the Union City Police Department in 1999, according to a post from the department. Zeitounian worked in the patrol division during his career and served as a training officer for newly-hired officers. He is survived by his wife, Debbie, son, Jason, and sister, Maria, according to the post. "Prosecutor Grewal extends his deepest condolences to the Zeitounian family and to the men and women of the Union City Police Department at this extraordinarily difficult time," the release said. Several others posted condolences on social media: Our condolences go out to the @UnionCityPD. They lost Sgt Mark Zeitounian to a tragic accident. We pray for his wife Debbie & son Jason Hoboken PSOA (@HobokenPSOA2) May 14, 2017 Last night while driving into work UCPD Sgt Mark Zeitounian was tragically killed in a motor vehicle accident. Prayers to his family. Union City Police (@UnionCityPD) May 14, 2017 Sara Jerde may be reached at sjerde@njadvancemedia.com. Follow her on Twitter @SaraJerde. DSC_0029.jpg Centenary University graduates walk to the stage at the school's commencement ceremony in Hackettstown on Saturday. The outdoor ceremony was held under tents because of the rainy weather. (Centenary University photo) HACKETTSTOWN -- Centenary University handed out 391 degrees to soggy, but jubilant, graduates in a ceremony on the school's front lawn Saturday. Rita King, who has worked as a futurist for NASA, addressed the graduates at the private university in Warren County. King serves as co-director of Science House, a Manhattan organization focused on imagination and looking to the future. She also helps develop architecture, characters and landscapes for film and TV projects set in the future. Futurist Rita King speaks at Centenary University's commencement ceremony Saturday. (Centenary University photo) "Look around at the faces of your peers. Don't just look at them with your eyes. Look at them with your imagination," King told the graduates in her address. "This event is an inflection point in your life, a milestone that signifies that you are about to take your first steps into the future." University officials went ahead with the ceremony, despite the stormy weather. Tents were put up to help protect the graduates from the rain. The commencement was the first overseen by David Haney, Centenary's new president. He arrived last fall to take over the presidency of the 2,100-student private college. "This commencement is my first as university president, so this graduating class is special to me," Haney said before the ceremony. "I wish all of the graduates much success in their future professional and academic endeavors. I urge them to visit their alma mater and stay connected with their professors and peers." Kelly Heyboer may be reached at kheyboer@njadvancemedia.com. Follow her on Twitter @KellyHeyboer. Find her at KellyHeyboerReporter on Facebook. MO0402GOFISH Greg Hulsman from the The Knee Deep Club releases trout into Lake Hopatcong as they stock the lake for the season. 04/02/2017 (Steve Hockstein | For NJ Advance Media) Who says there aren't plenty of fish in the sea? In a boon for New Jersey fishers, the state Division of Fish and Wildlife, part of the Department of Environmental Protection, announced last week that because of high productivity at the Pequest Trout Hatchery, extra trout will be added to each load of fish in state-stocked waters for the rest of the spring stocking season. According to an email from DEP spokesman Bob Considine, approximately 4,000 additional trout were included in this week's stocking. A similar amount is expected to be added to trout loads for the final two weeks of the spring stocking season. Considine added that every water stocked by DFW will receive some of the surplus trout. To put that in perspective, DFW was scheduled to stock about 47,000 trout around the state this week before the surplus. DFW stocks trout in 176 rivers, streams, ponds and lakes throughout New Jersey. The spring stocking season ends on May 26. A surplus of trout from Pequest is not uncommon, according to Considine. The spokesman said that most years produce some kind of surplus. Considine said that this is because the hatchery raises more fish than the target in order to account for attrition. Considine said that the fall stocking season is expected to meet the target number of fish, and that extra fish are not anticipated in the fall. Michael Sol Warren may be reached at mwarren@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @MSolDub. Find NJ.com on Facebook. NEWARK -- Two men serving life sentences for the 2010 fatal shooting of an Irvington man are staying in jail. An appellate court this week denied the appeals of Derrick Miller and Arthur Thompson, who were convicted in 2013 of breaking into an Irvington home and shooting 47-year-old resident Anthony Hunt. Miller and Thompson had appealed their convictions and sentences, alleging the courts made a slew of errors that violated their rights and denied them a fair trial. In a written decision issued Wednesday, Superior Court Judges Ellen Koblitz, John Kennedy, and Robert Gilson disagreed with the more than 15 arguments made by the two Newark men. "We discern no basis warranting reversal," the judges wrote in the decision. "We affirm the sentences imposed." The two had said, among other arguments, that a witness's identification of the two as the gunmen in the home was questionable and should not have been allowed in the trial. They also argued their life sentences were excessive. The appellate court disagreed. Prosecutors said the two men broke into a two-family Brighton Terrace home on Jan. 18, 2010, and shot Hunt three times in the torso, killing him. At the time, six other people were in the home, including members of Hunt's family and a 6-month old baby. Jessica Mazzola may be reached at jmazzola@njadvancemedia.com. Follow her on Twitter @JessMazzola. Find NJ.com on Facebook. A video shared Thursday by Xi'an Famous Foods CEO Jason Wang documents two men shouting racist insults at employees of the midtown Manhattan location, in an exchange that culminates with one of the customers shouting "F-ck you, n-gger." The altercation occurred on Sunday at the restaurant's 54th Street location, according to Wang's post. Ellon, the employee in the video who asked only to be identified by his first name, tells Gothamist that the unidentified customers were set off after he informed them that the restaurant doesn't accept American Express. "They basically told me that I was a representative of my race and that I make everyone look lazy," Ellon said. After the manager, who was also black, told the men that they shouldn't bring race into, they "blew it totally out of proportion" and "started screaming the n-word as they walked toward the door," Ellon said. "There's no reason to mention my blackness; it's obvious if you look at me, it's not like a burden," Ellon added. He described the men as tall and muscular, and said that one was white and one was Asian. In the video, which was shared to the store's Facebook page Thursday morning, the two customers can be heard taunting the employees, with one shouting: "Being lazy is part of your community," and "black is not a racial slur sweetheart," before yelling the n-word as they stormed out. In the Facebook post, Wang noted that he "personally would not have taken this as calmly as my staff did, and while there's no 'Yelp' for me to give 1-stars to these two, I want to at least try to get some sense of justice by spreading awareness by highlighting how close racism still hits home." He added that the two culprits had not yet been identified, but would be permanently banned from all Xi'an Famous Foods. Ellon told Gothamist that he spoke with Wang on the phone earlier in the week, but was trying to "move past it." "Its New York, you dont think its going to happen, and then it actually happens," Ellon said. "I mean do whatever you want, but saying things like that really hurt, you know?" Update: The CEO of Xi'an Famous Foods provided Gothamist with the following statement: NEW YORK CITY -- A drug dealer charged in connection with the overdose death of a doctor and mother of three has been sentenced to five years in prison, according to media reports. Kiersten Cerveny, 38, who grew up in Gloucester County, died of an overdose in October 2015 after a night of partying in bars and a hotel room. James Holder and Marc Henry Johnson, an HBO producer, were charged in her death after authorities alleged that the pair dumped her body in the hotel vestibule after Cerveny overdosed in Holder's hotel room. Her death was attributed to alcohol and cocaine intoxication. Holder pleaded guilty to maintaining a drug distribution house and was sentenced Thursday. He could have faced up to 20 years in prison on the charge. Johnson pleaded guilty to a charge of accessory after the fact and is to be sentenced June 26. He faces up to 10 years in prison. An attorney for Holder has argued that his client should not be required to pay restitution to Cerveny's family, arguing that she was the "victim of her own poor choices." Cerveny was valedictorian at Gloucester County's Washington Township High School in 1995 and crowned America's Junior Miss that same year. She went on to study at Duke and Tulane Universities before moving to New York. Matt Gray may be reached at mgray@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @MattGraySJT. Find the South Jersey Times on Facebook. JERSEY CITY -- Three men received humanitarian awards at the fourth annual Mark Lee Memorial 5K and Fun Run on Saturday morning. Lee, 54, worked as a firefighter in Jersey City for decades and organized the department's annual toy drive. The fire captain died three years ago after battling cancer. At the Liberty State Park event, which raises money for the American Cancer Fund, awards were presented to Albert Cocurullo, Deputy Chief Anthony Della Rosa, and Jersey Journal freelance photographer Rich McCormack. Lee also aided victims at the World Trade Center after the Sept. 11, 2001 terror attacks. Scroll through the gallery above for a look back on Saturday's event. Caitlin Mota may be reached at cmota@jjournal.com. Follow her on Twitter @caitlin_mota. Find The Jersey Journal on Facebook. BAYONNE -- A heartfelt ceremony was held at the Bayonne Elks Lodge on Saturday afternoon to celebrate the memory of Karen S. Minutella, who was killed in a tragic motorcycle accident two years ago. The memorial at the lodge was the first of its kind and will be an annual event, according to Carl Angermeyer, the motorcycle committee's president. The club will raise money each year to go towards a youth reading and mentoring program in her memory, where older school children in the Bayonne School District will read to younger kids in elementary schools. A Remember Me scholarship, a non profit organization with a mission to decrease motorcycle fatalities and to educate residents on motorcycle awareness, was also created in her name. "We know Karen will be smiling down on this program," said John Kenneth Healy, fiance of Minutella. "Hopefully inside these books will be a sticker that reads 'Donated by the Karen Minutella mentoring and reading program' -- and as these books get passed down from generation to generation, Karen's name will be read and remembered for years to come." Minutella died on May 17, 2015 in Bristol, Connecticut after her motorcycle collided head-on with an SUV. She was 47-years-old. She was pronounced dead at the scene after she and Healey were ejected from their Harley Davidson motorcycles. Healey was sent to a nearby hospital with serious injuries. Minutella and Healey were riding north on Route 81 with a group of motorcyclists when they collided with a southbound 2008 Honda Pilot driven by a 16-year-old. Minutella, a mother of three and grandmother of two, had recently moved to Bristol from Bayonne and had been just as active in the Elks Lodge there as she was in Bayonne, according to several friends of hers at the ceremony. "One of the last duties Karen performed as an Elk in Bristol was reading to grammar school children," Healey said. "She enjoyed it immensely, almost as much as riding her bike." Lodge members remembered Minutella's incredible passion for life, her dimples, her radiant smile, and the joy those around her felt. "Karen was just a kick-ass broad, there's no other way to say it," said Lori Dilorenzo the public relations liaison for the Bayonne lodge. The potential of Stewart Airport A Jet Blue plane, a new sight at Stewart Airport, which the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey intends to turn into the region's fourth airport on December 20, 2006. 12/20/06 PHOTO BY MARK DYE/FOR THE STAR LEDGER A Jersey City family was removed from a JetBlue Flight from Kennedy Airport to Las Vegas earlier this month after a dispute over a birthday cake that was brought on board, according to reports. Cameron Burke set up a surprise 40th birthday trip for his wife Minta and two children on May 3. The family of four brought a birthday cake onto the plane as part of their carry on luggage and placed it in the overhead compartment, The NY Daily News reported. The family was told they couldn't keep the cake overhead and it was placed under Cameron Burke's seat. The father said a flight attendant berated him and then his family was asked to leave the plane, according to the reports. Port Authority police officers were called onto the flight and Cameron Burke began recording the incident. One officer is heard telling the family he doesn't "see any wrongdoing" while their young son is crying in a video obtained by WABC. The crew removed all the passengers from the plane citing security reasons. The Burke family was not allowed back on board, the reports state. JetBlue said the flight's captain made the decision to boot the family, saying the family refused to move the cake from a space designated for emergency equipment, according to the reports. "The customers became agitated, cursed and yelled at the crew, and made false accusations about a crewmember's fitness to fly," JetBlue spokesman Doug McGraw said in a statement to the paper. The Jersey Journal could not immediately reach the Burke family for comment on the incident. Caitlin Mota may be reached at cmota@jjournal.com. Follow her on Twitter @caitlin_mota. Find The Jersey Journal on Facebook. fwBLOGbooks2.jpg ("The Book Browsers," oil painting by Fran Wood) You know how, when you're reading a book that's really gripping, you can't make yourself put it down? You know how, when you're forced to take a pause just to slow down your racing heart, you look at the clock and realize it's way past time to turn out the light, but you just can't? You know how, when the suspense keeps ratcheting up, you think, "Why am I doing this to myself?," and truly want to close the book, but you just can't? If the above adds up to a fresh memory, you must already be reading Dennis Lehane's "Since We Fell" (Ecco, 432 pp., $27.99). It's riddled with tension, almost from beginning to end. Which is to say you're likely to wake up bleary-eyed until you finish it. You may even decide to call in sick so you don't have to stop reading. Just warning you. Rachel Childs has issues with her late mother, chief (but far from only) among them her mother's refusal to divulge the name of her father. Okay, not precisely refusal. She dangled the possibility throughout Rachel's life - maybe if she got all As in school, or after she graduated from high school, Or, or, or. But then her mother ran a stop sign and was demolished by a truck, and Rachel was left with no clue to her father's identity. Although Rachel has a promising career as a journalist, she continues to obsess over finding the dad who split when she was three. An investigator she consults tells her he'd be stealing if he gave her the slightest confidence he could locate a man known to her only as "George," so she embarks on some detecting of her own. But that's not the crux of the story, and certainly not the part that keeps you turning pages. After moving from newspapers to a reporting job on a local Boston TV station, Rachel marries an ambitious executive with the parent network. They quickly become a celebrated couple, recognized on sight, invited everywhere, and frequently mentioned in society columns. Rachel's big career break comes when she is sent to Haiti to cover a devastating earthquake. Her experiences with the poverty-stricken country's displaced prove debilitating. The smell of the dead is everywhere, and the makeshift camp where she spends her nights finds her frantically trying to keep several pre-teen girls from being raped by predators. Haunted by Haiti following her return, Rachel begs her boss to send her back with a cameraman. But her second visit renders her even more fragile, and she has a public, on-air breakdown. This costs her her job and her marriage, and leaves Rachel with paralyzing panic attacks. In short order, she becomes an agoraphobic recluse. When Brian, a minor acquaintance from her past, reappears, Rachel feels she's been saved. As his infinite patience helps her start healing, they fall in love and marry. Rachel's life seems back on track - until a chance sighting of Brian leaves her with doubts about the validity of her happiness. She trades one obsession for another as she plots ways to track her husband. It's sweaty palms all the way, as layer upon layer of revelations erode Rachel's newly-repossessed self-confidence, and put her life in danger. If suspense and terror are your thing, "Since We Fell" is your next must-read. Fran Wood, retired Star-Ledger op-ed columnist and books editor, blogs at nj.com. The Internet is nothing if not filled with artistically-inclined dogs, whether it's the dog who paints to raise awareness of gas chambers or the blind dog who rocks a beret like no other. But we've spent so much time expecting masterpieces from creative souls such as Dogvinci, we've never stopped to think about providing dogs with a forum so they too can appreciate art. But a former Washington Post art critic is about to make the art world a lot more ruff. Jessica Dawson, in conjunction with Arts Brookfield, will open the world's first art exhibit for dogs, dOGUMENTA, this summer. Dawson explained to W that the idea was sparked as she travelled to various art galleries in the city with Rocky, her Maltese/Yorkshire terrier. Rocky is listed as a curator for the exhibit, along with co-organizer Mica Scalin, which will be physically installed at dog-eye view from August 11th to 13th: [Rocky] makes studio visits and personally approved each of the 10 new works contributed by 10 New York-based artists, like Merav Ezer and Eric Hibit. Come August, as a part of Arts Brookfield, each will be installed outdoors at Brookfield Place in lower Manhattan between the carefully chosen hours of 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. and 4 p.m. to 8 p.m., to be respectful of the heat sensitivities of our four-legged friends. Dawson is fully aware that some might giggle at the idea, as she's been telling people about it at various art-world cocktail parties for awhile now: "Some people get it right away and see the multiple levels: the humor and satirical quality, but also how it's heartfelt, how I earnestly believe in it," she said. "Any really revolutionary new art-world action is going to be met with both this look of 'What are you thinking?' and with a real show of solidarity. Thats what happens when youre innovating." In an essay for the Criterion Collection, Dawson expanded on her genesis for the gallery: My own gallery-going experience has been transformed by Rocky, a spirited Morkie whom I met several years ago in a SoHo shelter. To my surprise, Rocky panted with pleasure each time I suggested a Chelsea gallery crawl, even as I remained wary of the dealers overhyped wares. I wondered: What was Rockys secret? As we spent more and more time together, it became clear that Rocky had something to teach meto teach all of usabout finding joy in todays art world. Among his many skills, I noticed a singular capacity to remain in the moment and to see each artwork with fresh eyes. Rockys fearlessness, his capacity to remain curious, and, most importantly, his indifference to the pronouncements of New York Times reviews, were the inspiration for a talk I gave in February to a group of art world insiders gathered in a gallery in the Brooklyn neighborhood of Bushwick. The lecture, titled Five Things My Dog Taught Me About Art, not only considered the dogs capacity to teach us about human ingenuity but also served as the launch event for a radical new exhibition Im organizing called dOGUMENTA. The premise of dOGUMENTA is this: If canines like Rocky and Lolabelle can teach us so much about human creativity, what if they had a show of their own? How would artists respond to this massive new audience? You can get more info about the project here. We rely on your support to make local news available to all Make your contribution now and help Gothamist thrive in 2022. Donate today The head of Louisiana's largest and most influential anti-abortion group said Monday his organization intends to push the Legislature to not give up any ground from the state's strict ban on abortion and make the law even stricter by removing one Get your tissues readywe have an update about the adorable pit bull mix who spent a year (!) recovering from an abusive living situation while looking for a furever homeand she found it. She was recently reunited with the dog she was rescued with... and the ASPCA believes they are mother-and-daughter! The puppers known as Jamie and Zaza were found severely underweight by police officers in Brooklyn's 63rd Precinct in April 2016. One-year-old Zaza's ears were both infected and she also had a skin infection between her toes, but by June, she joined then-Police Commissioner Bill Bratton for "Take Your Dog to Work Day" and was adopted right after. Jamie, who was four at time, was more seriously injured: Her coat was paws were "soaked in urine and feces and her nails had grown so long they were curving into her feet," according to the ASPCA, who looked over her during her six-month road to recovery. By the time she was healthy and ready to be adopted, police officers from 12 different NYPD precincts took her for a special day out. Earlier this month, Jamie and Zaza met each other for the first time since being rescued. The ASPCA believes that Zaza is one of Jamie's daughters, and a spokeswoman said, "It's remarkable how they recognized each other immediately. Jamie doesn't like other dogs much, but she seems to love Zaza! She was rolling around in joy (something her adopters said she's never done) and was giving Zaza lots of ear kisses." Jamie at the 20th Precinct, during her special day out (ASPCA) Zaza was adopted by Stacey Richmanwho also renamed her Daniafter she went with her company to volunteer at the ASPCA. "I wasn't honestly expecting to adopt... I just saw this dog, and that was all she wrote. I needed her. You could say it was fate. I really believe she and I were meant to find one another. I couldn't be more grateful for the day if I tried. She's the best thing to happen to me," she said. Einat Lapidot and her husband Matt Winum are Jamie's new humans and recalled, "We had wanted to adopt for awhile, and when we walked into the ASPCA to look, we knew we wanted to rescue a dog that had the slimmest chances of finding a home. [She] had been in the Adoption Center awhile, and the minute we met her, we knew she was meant to be with us!" They also renamed Jamie "Lucinda." Lapidot added, "She's also completely changed our perceptions of pit bulls. Lucinda is sweet and gentle. We're so happy to have her in our lives!" Richman and Lapidot also plan to have Dani and and Lucinda meet up again. Lapidot said, "We were as happy as Lucinda to see her playing and having a good time," while Richman said, "It would be unfair at this point not to. It's clear it brings them such joy, and I will do anything to make my baby happy." "Dani and Lucinda's story is an incredible example of how dogs can overcome past tragedy to become loving companions," said Howard Lawrence, Vice President, ASPCA Humane Law Enforcement. "Their reunion was made possible through the ASPCA's partnership with the NYPD and the generosity of adopters opening their homes and hearts to canine cruelty victims. We encourage everyone to always make adoption their first option." Gov. Terry Branstad will be in Council Bluffs Tuesday to pronounce Pottawattamie County a Home Base Iowa certified community. The Home Base Iowa program connects veterans and transitioning service members with its partners and resources throughout the state, according to the programs website. Its wonderful for our community and county to showcase that were a veteran-friendly community, said Lori Shields, director of marketing, communications and workforce development for the Council Bluffs Area Chamber of Commerce, which played a key role in receiving the designation. We always knew we were; this is a step that certifies it and announces it to the state, she said. Shields explained the process to become a certified Home Base Community started with collecting the signatures of the countys 14 mayors. From there, organizers worked with area businesses to ensure they are committed to hiring qualified veterans. We didnt have any trouble getting them signed up, Shields said. Pottawattamie County Home Base committee members then put together a list of businesses and organizations that offer discounts and incentives to veterans. Shields said the process took a year, with work by a committee of 11 people that included representatives from the public, private and nonprofit sector. The final step is certification from Branstad. The ceremony on Tuesday will be held at 3 p.m. at the Pottawattamie County Veterans Affairs Building, 623 Sixth Ave. One of the things that makes us unique is were the first and only county to have every towns mayor sign a resolution of support, Shields said. The program was approved by the Legislature in 2014 on a recommendation from Branstad and Major General Tim Orr, according to the Home Base Iowa website. Shields said, after official certification, leaders will place Home Base Iowa signs throughout the county. When vets are looking for a place to live after their service, we want them to know were a good place to stay, Shields said. The Treynor Community School District is paying Kevin Elwood more than the average annual salary of a teacher in exchange for him resigning his role as superintendent. Elwood agreed to resign after 14 years as the leader of the Treynor schools, almost a year after serving a 30-day suspension for violations of professional ethics and after nearly four years of public criticism and challenges in the wake of his sons arrest for suspected sexual assault, as well as other concerns. In a letter to the school board, which was released Thursday, Elwood explained that his relationship with the board had eroded, so he decided to step aside so the district could move forward. Amy Graber, president of the Treynor school board, declined a telephone interview with The Nonpareil on Thursday but responded Friday afternoon to a list of questions emailed by the newspaper. No decision has been reached about how the district will replace Elwood. Possibilities would include hiring a new superintendent for the 2017-18 school year although many potential candidates would already have contracts for the upcoming school year or naming an interim superintendent. The Board currently is reviewing several options regarding the employment of a superintendent for the 2017-18 school year, Graber said. The Board is focused on acting in the best interests of the students, staff, the school district, and the community in selecting a superintendent for the 2017-18 school year. Questions about how long the board has considered making a change in leadership, the timing of the decision to do so, the reasons for wanting a change in leadership, what it wants in a future leader, any specific concerns with Elwoods leadership and Elwoods characterization of the board-superintendent relationship each were responded to with a statement that the district is required to keep information regarding Mr. Elwoods employment with the District confidential. Graber did provide The Nonpareil with a copy of the resignation, separation agreement and release document that was approved Wednesday during a special school board meeting. The first stipulation of the document is that Elwood resigns his employment effective June 30. The agreement commits the district to paying Elwood severance of two months salary worth about $21,856.16, based on Elwoods 2016-17 contract in addition to paying out $1,513.14 for six days of unused vacation and $35,306.60 for 140 days of unused sick leave. In total, the separation agreement agrees to payments of $58,675.90, according to a Nonpareil analysis, which exceeds the districts average annual salary of $50,230 for a full-time teacher, according to 2016-17 data from the Iowa Department of Education. The districts contract with Elwood entitles him to the payouts for unused leave upon the end of his employment. The separation agreement represents a complete financial settlement, and provides Elwood the severance pay as well as a promise by the district to represent him in any civil legal claim against him arising out of an alleged act or omission occurring during his employment. In exchange for those incentives, Elwood agrees not to bring any legal action against the district related to his employment, as well as to cooperate in any litigation, investigation or governmental proceeding related to his employment with the district. Elwood has seven days to revoke the agreement, which would eliminate the districts obligation to pay his severance. Graber told The Nonpareil that Elwoods resignation was submitted and approved by the board, and that decision is final. Treynor board policy states that, should the board not renew a superintendents contract, it would have automatically been extended for one year unless both parties agreed otherwise as was the case with the separation agreement or the board moved to terminate the superintendent. In addition, board policy states that, in the absence of a superintendent, the responsibilities would fall to the high school principal, Gary McNeal, unless the board names an acting superintendent. McNeal does not currently hold a license endorsement to be a permanent superintendent, though, nor do the districts other administrators, according to Board of Educational Examiners online records. Did you know that Doniphan recently had almost 3,000 kids with guns descend upon the townand no one got hurt! The reason was the 48th annual Cornhusker Trap Shoot. High School and Junior High age shooters from all over the country attended. The event is open to all shooters in grades 6-12 who have completed a hunter education course. This great, family-friendly shoot is the largest youth event in the state, said Shoot Director Terry Brentzel of Oshkosh. Parents, grandparents and siblings come out in force to support their shooters. Its fun time for all, with a state fair atmosphere. As Brentzal pointed out, this is the biggest event of its kind in Nebraska, but in my research I cannot find anything bigger is the United States, or the world for that matter. This is a big deal! The Nebraska Game and Parks Commission hosts the event. Early estimates from the NGPC indicated that a record 2,700 students were expected to compete in the event, which was held May 4-6 on the home grounds of the Nebraska Trapshooting Association in Doniphan. The competition has individual and team divisions. Junior high students (grades 6-8) shot 100 16-yard targets. High school competitors (grades 9-12) shot 75 16-yard targets and 75 handicap targets the next day. This events history stretches back to 1970 when Dave Wells and Jim Carlisle set up a college shooting contest between Northeast Community College in Norfolk and Chadron State College. The meet was held in Norfolk. Nine more college teams participated the next year. In 1973 high school students were allowed to shoot and the competition continued to grow. That was also the year that the event moved to Doniphan. In 1987, Dave Wells stepped down as event director and meet was taken over by the NGPC. Rocky Hoffman, who worked for the NGPC here in North Platte, became the event director and held that position until 2010. North Platte has long been the home of some great shotgunners and a lot of young shooters have begun their shooting careers at the Lincoln County Wildlife Gun Club at Lake Maloney. One shooter in particular that I remember was Elle Shad from North Platte. Shad sharpened her aim here with the high school trap team and ultimately went on to shoot in the Olympics with the USA Trap Team. The tradition of grooming good shotgunners continues. A number of young local shooters participated in the Cornhusker shoot. The North Platte Junior High School Team did very well. They finished third out of 81teams. A total of 843 junior high age students shot in this division. Zack Smith and Harley Yenni were the sixth grade shooters. Johnny Gustafson, Jacob Kohler and Zac Silos were the eighth grade shooters that filled out the team. These young men have spent hundreds of hours on the firing line and have developed an extremely high level of discipline to compete at this level. It takes thousands of rounds of shooting to hone the shooting skills and timing that it takes to shoot trap like these kids! They are true athletes in their own right. Being able to shoot at this level takes more than being just a good shot. Each of these young shooters has a real passion for the sport. You can tell it by the way they talk and watch others shoot. There is a high level of comradery with the group, too. I asked the team if they could tell me what they liked about trap shooting before their began their practice. I got some great answers: Being with my friends and shooting is what I like the most, Harley Yenni said. I like it all! Its fun, Zack Smith said. I like the smell (of gunpowder) and the competition, Johnny Gustafson said. It is being able to shoot and have fun is what it is for me, Jacob Kohler said. I like shooting and the awards, Zac Silos said. Although the team is known as the North Platte Junior High School Trap Team, I discovered that it is only the name the team shares with anything related with the North Platte schools. No financial aid is given to the team by North Platte schools. Im guessing it is too politically incorrect to have the words students and guns in the same sentence. The kids even had to be marked absent from their classes to attend this nationally recognized eventthe bane of political correctness run amuck! Congratulations to Team Blue and to all the area shooters who participated in the event. Colt New Cobra One of the biggest news items that came out of the SHOT show back in February was that Colt was going to begin making revolvers again. The first model projected to hit the market was to be the New Colt Cobra .38 Special. It is reminiscent of the snub-nosed detective pistols, but it has been totally re-designed. The Cobra was designed for concealed carry, with its 2 barrel and .38 Special chambering to offer new shooters a rewarding experience, we focused on the manageable .38 Special round, said Paul Spitale, senior vice president for Colt Manufacturing. We want folks to be equally comfortable carrying this great firearm for defense and enjoying it at the range with family and friends. Colt says they have begun to ship these pistols to dealers. Ive heard the MSRP will be $699. Have a great week outdoors! Happy Mothers Day! If you are wondering what is going on at the old Starbucks location at the downtown ONeill and Last Chance Gulch location it is being remodeled for a new T-Mobile store. Out on the west side of town at 600 Shepherd Way, Nistler Construction is building 14 new housing units. They are located southeast of Robert Allen Nissan. A Street Printing, the State of Montana printing facility, is moving to its new location by the Airport Tower on Airport Road. This has been located at the Capitol Complex and they will be moving their equipment in stages to this new location. Vigilante Auto Body is doing a remodel project. They are located at 785 Carter Drive and do auto body and fender work. They can repair your vehicle from fixing the dents to the final, professional paint job. You can contact them at (406) 449-4515. Mountain View Meadows is working to complete annexation of more lots in this subdivision (above the new Blue Cross Blue Shield building) to enable more homes to be built with full city services. Mark Runkle is the owner and can be contacted at 431-7305 or 475-4542. Check out their website at www.MVMeadows.com . The new brewery that I previously mentioned going in off of McHugh Drive will be called Snow Hop Brewery and be located at 685 Barney. The design work for the facility is being done by architect John Mueller. The downtown business district was sad to see Sweetgrass Bakery close its doors. It has been a mainstay on Fuller Avenue for many years and always had amazing baked goods! Next door to the former bakery is Minds Eye Tattoo and Art Studio that appears to be putting a new updated facade on the front of the building. They are located at 324 Fuller Avenue and can be contacted at 449-8287. As reported in the IR previously, St. Peters Hospital is purchasing the Student Assistance Foundation building located across the street from the hospital on Broadway. The hospital is working to bring 30-40 new doctors to Helena to address current needs for primary and specialized care. The building will be used for additional clinic space. The site where the former Recreation Station and the current location of Early Bird Cafe has been for sale for quite some time. It reportedly has sold to a Great Falls developer who has plans to develop the site into a gas station and convenience store. The cafe has up to a year to relocate. Power Townsend is doing a remodeling project to expand their cabinet, appliance, and carpet departments along with other improvements. Seems like just yesterday they did their multi-million dollar expansion to the mega store they are today. It is very impressive that the Wall family just keeps investing in Helena and working to meet the needs of their customers. Congratulations to the community for passing the recent school bond that will not only build three new schools but make improvements to all K-12 facilities in School District 1. This has been a long time coming and will give Helena the high quality facilities that will increase our ability to attract people and businesses to the capital city! Great for the kids, great for businesses, and great for our community! With the spring weather, the Helena Chambers Charm Trail is getting busier and it is getting bigger! We have six new locations coming on board for a total of 40 locations! There are now 48 charms to collect and they are only $1.50 each. The trailheads where the starter bracelets with the Montana Charms can be purchased for only $5 are located at the Montana Historical Society, Radisson Colonial Hotel, Best Western Premier Great Northern Hotel, Helena Chamber and Holiday Inn Downtown. (Please note: Until July, the Holiday Inn Downtown is undergoing major remodeling, so their charms are temporarily at the chamber office) Not only are visitors enjoying the charm trail, but we are seeing local citizens, families, and even parents taking their children & friends around during birthday parties! It is a fun way to get out and enjoy Helena! DETROIT In just a few years, well-mannered self-driving robotaxis will share the roads with reckless, law-breaking human drivers. The prospect is causing migraines for the people developing the robotaxis. A self-driving car would be programmed to drive at the speed limit. Humans routinely exceed it by 10 to 15 mph (16 to 24 kph) just try entering the New Jersey Turnpike at normal speed. Self-driving cars wouldn't dare cross a double yellow line; humans do it all the time. And then there are those odd local traffic customs to which humans quickly adapt. In Los Angeles and other places, for instance, there's the "California Stop," where drivers roll through stop signs if no traffic is crossing. In Southwestern Pennsylvania, courteous drivers practice the "Pittsburgh Left," where it's customary to let one oncoming car turn left in front of them when a traffic light turns green. The same thing happens in Boston. During rush hours near Ann Arbor, Michigan, drivers regularly cross a double-yellow line to queue up for a left-turn onto a freeway. "There's an endless list of these cases where we as humans know the context, we know when to bend the rules and when to break the rules," says Raj Rajkumar, a computer engineering professor at Carnegie Mellon University who leads the school's autonomous car research. Although autonomous cars are likely to carry passengers or cargo in limited areas during the next three to five years, experts say it will take many years before robotaxis can coexist with human-piloted vehicles on most side streets, boulevards and freeways. That's because programmers have to figure out human behavior and local traffic idiosyncrasies. And teaching a car to use that knowledge will require massive amounts of data and big computing power that is prohibitively expensive at the moment. "Driverless cars are very rule-based, and they don't understand social graces," says Missy Cummings, director of Duke University's Humans and Autonomy Lab. Driving customs and road conditions are dramatically different across the globe, with narrow, congested lanes in European cities, and anarchy in Beijing's giant traffic jams. In India's capital, New Delhi, luxury cars share poorly marked and congested lanes with bicycles, scooters, trucks, and even an occasional cow or elephant. Then there is the problem of aggressive humans who make dangerous moves such as cutting cars off on freeways or turning left in front of oncoming traffic. In India, for example, even when lanes are marked, drivers swing from lane to lane without hesitation. Already there have been isolated cases of human drivers pulling into the path of cars such as Teslas, knowing they will stop because they're equipped with automatic emergency braking. "It's hard to program in human stupidity or someone who really tries to game the technology," says John Hanson, spokesman for Toyota's autonomous car unit. Kathy Winter, vice president of automated driving solutions for Intel, is optimistic that the cars will be able to see and think like humans before 2030. Cars with sensors for driver-assist systems already are gathering data about road signs, lane lines and human driver behavior. Winter hopes auto and tech companies developing autonomous systems and cars will contribute this information to a giant database. Artificial intelligence developed by Intel and other companies eventually could access the data and make quick decisions similar to humans, Winter says. Programmers are optimistic that someday the cars will be able to handle even Beijing's traffic. But the cost could be high, and it might be a decade or more before Chinese regulators deem self-driving cars reliable enough for widespread public use, says John Zeng of LMC Automotive Consulting. Intel's Winter expects fully autonomous cars to collect, process and analyze four terabytes of data in 1 hours of driving, which is the average amount a person spends in a car each day. That's equal to storing over 1.2 million photos or 2,000 hours of movies. Such computing power now costs over $100,000 per vehicle, Zeng says. But that cost could fall as more cars are built. Someday autonomous cars will have common sense programmed in so they will cross a double-yellow line when warranted or to speed up and find a gap to enter a freeway. Carnegie Mellon has taught its cars to handle the "Pittsburgh Left" by waiting a full second or longer for an intersection to clear before proceeding at a green light. Sensors also track crossing traffic and can figure out if a driver is going to stop for a sign or red light. Eventually there will be vehicle-to-vehicle communication to avoid crashes. Still, some skeptics say computerized cars will never be able to think exactly like humans. "You'll never be able to make up a person's ability to perceive what's the right move at the time, I don't think," says New Jersey State Police Sgt. Ed Long, who works in the traffic and public safety office. Allen G. Breed in Raleigh, North Carolina; Joe McDonald in Beijing; Nirmala George in New Delhi; and Michael Liedtke in San Francisco contributed to this report. NEW YORK Whole Foods announced a board shake-up and cost-cutting plan last week as it fights to appease investors and hold onto shoppers who have more choices about where to buy organic foods. The company, which has seen sales at established stores fall for seven straight quarters, is under pressure from activist investor Jana Partners. The group disclosed its stake in the chain last month and pushed for a shake-up of the senior management, among other changes. Gabby Sulzberger, Whole Foods' newly appointed board chair, said Wednesday the company had offered to name two of Jana's nominees to its board in exchange for an agreement that would let the company focus on its improvement plan. She said Jana declined. Jana said in a statement that it decided to "keep all options on the table" and will see if the new board "can show a real commitment to fixing the operations at Whole Foods and pursuing all avenues to shareholder value creation." The five new independent board members include Panera CEO Ron Shaich and Sharon McCollam, who was most recently chief financial officer of Best Buy. The company also named a new chief financial officer, and said it plans to cut $300 million in costs by its fiscal 2020. That will be in part through more effective labor scheduling, it said. Whole Foods Market Inc., founded in 1978, disrupted the supermarket industry but is now being unsettled by the trends it helped popularize. The company says people are turning to "good enough alternatives" to its organic and natural foods. Overall competition is also intensifying, with more places where people can buy groceries. "It's become this hypercompetitive space, in which someone's going to end up losing," said Diana Sheehan, director of retail insights at consulting firm Kantar Retail. The pressure on Whole Foods doesn't look to let up. European grocery chain Lidl is planning to enter the U.S. market with 100 stores starting this summer along the East Coast. Aldi has 1,600 U.S. locations and plans to expand to 2,000 stores by the end of next year. The chain focuses on private label products that sell for low prices, similar to Trader Joe's, which has about 460 locations. In the latest quarter, Whole Foods said sales fell 2.8 percent at established locations. As sales have slumped, Whole Foods executives have tried to highlight what distinguishes their chain from rivals. And the company last year launched an offshoot chain named after its "365" private label brand, a nod to the popularity of no-frills chains that draw shoppers with low prices. But in February, the company said it no longer sees the potential for expanding its flagship chain to 1,200 locations, up from the approximately 460 it has in the United States, Canada and the United Kingdom. On Wednesday, Whole Foods said it expects its various initiatives, including the rollout of a loyalty program to help sales at established locations, turn positive by the end of its fiscal 2018. For this fiscal year, it still expects sales to fall as much as 2.5 percent at established locations. It expects total sales to increase by 1 percent or more, and earnings to be $1.30 per share or more. Previously, the company had forecast total sales growth of 1.5 percent and earnings of $1.33 per share for its 2017. For its fiscal second quarter, Whole Foods Market Inc. said its profit fell to $99 million, or 31 cents per share. Not including one-time items, it earned 37 cents per share, which was in line with Wall Street expectations, according to Zacks Investment Research. Total revenue was $3.74 billion, above the $3.73 billion analysts expected. ANACONDA Months after being gutted by fire in an incident that struck an emotional chord with residents, the Club Moderne bar reopened in Anaconda. Stephanie Hekkel, who owns the historic building, 801 E. Park Ave., with her husband John Hekkel, reopened in style with a celebration that included an outside block party along with food, prizes and music. In earlier interviews with The Montana Standard, Hekkel described the Club Moderne as a place thats been home to generations of Anacondans. The building, famous for its Art Deco design, is on the National Register of Historic Places. It opened in 1937, and some of its most loyal customers were smeltermen from the Washoe Smelter, Hekkel told The Standard in December. At the scene of the fires aftermath in October, The Standard interviewed residents, one of whom described the loss of the Club Moderne the most devastating thing to happen to Anaconda. Later on, Victor Zenahlik, a captain with the Anaconda Fire Department, said he felt "heartbroken" and "sickened" when he got the call to respond to the Club Moderne. In the months after the fire, the Hekkels have been busy rebuilding the bar, receiving in-kind support and material donations from Anaconda residents along the way. When asked what its like to see the faces of the Modernes regular customers, Hekkel said it feels good to be back home. John Hekkel, meanwhile, gave The Standard a tour of the work thats been done on the 20th Century bar. In addition to new electric wiring, air-conditioning and plumbing, Hekkel said most of the interior has been completed, including the installation of new lighting and flooring and the refurbishing of the Modernes front and back bars, both of which survived the fire. He pointed to a few dark shapes along the top of the front-room bar, which are burn marks from the fire, he said. He added that he and his wife were able to salvage several items and materials that preceded the fire, including some of the furniture which theyve reupholstered three gaming machines and parts of a quilted, leather ornamentation. Hekkel has repurposed the leather, which now decorates the sides of the bar in the back room. From the outside, meanwhile, passers-by can see the bars yellow siding has been replaced and that a new Art Deco door leads to the bars main entrance. The trim came from the original door, Stephanie Hekkel said, adding to the list of repurposed material. As for the buildings iconic neon lights and curved carrere-glass facade that frames the main entrance, the Hekkels said theyre waiting for their lights to be repaired and that a new glass facade is being shipped from St. Louis. In addition, the Hekkels have purchased the building next door to the Club Moderne, but John Hekkel said hes not sure what the family will do with the new space yet. On Tuesday evening a line of patrons sat at the newly refurbished front room bar munching on popcorn and taking in libations, many of whom said theyre happy to be back at their favorite watering hole. Anaconda resident Jason McElroy described the Club Moderne as a neighborhood bar that exists in a time when neighborhood bars are disappearing. He said the interior of the bar, although slightly altered, still boasts the vibe that hes used to. Its great, said McElroy. It has the same feeling. Anaconda resident Ken Parks, meanwhile, is a man of few words. Parks, who began patronizing the bar almost as soon as it was back in business, described his reaction to the October fire as simply sad eyes. And what was the feeling elicited by the Club Modernes reemergence? Parks only had three words to say: Home sweet home, he said. INDIANAPOLIS Gov. Eric Holcomb is poised to give rehabilitated criminals the opportunity to apply for state jobs without disclosing prior illegal acts, even as he prohibits local governments from requiring businesses to similarly "ban the box." The Republican chief executive has signed into law Senate Enrolled Act 312, which bars localities from adopting ordinances that prevent companies from asking about arrest and criminal history information on employment applications, typically in a box separate from the rest of the form. The new law, which takes effect July 1, effectively scuttles the 2014 "ban the box" ordinance in place in Indianapolis that's similar to statutes enacted in 24 other states, including Illinois, and 150 municipalities across the country. At the same time, the first-year governor vowed to issue an executive order in coming weeks directing the state personnel department not to ask about criminal history in the early part of its hiring process. "The executive branch of the state of Indiana will be banning the box for future state employment," Holcomb said. It's not clear exactly how many Hoosiers with a criminal past will be helped by the governor's forthcoming order, since hiring for numerous state jobs is contingent on a background check that shows no criminal convictions. But state Sen. Eddie Melton, D-Merrillville, and other lawmakers agreed that potential employees should at least have an opportunity to show they are the best candidate before an employer considers his or her criminal record. "All applicants deserve the chance to be judged based on their qualifications, not their past convictions," Melton said. Localities not allowed to prohibit employers from asking State Rep. Matt Pierce, D-Bloomington, said barring localities from prohibiting employers asking about prior crimes is "business as usual for the General Assembly. "Someone doesn't like a local ordinance, so they come up here and they get us to kind of be the city council of the whole and basically wipe out the local ordinance," Pierce said. In recent years, the Republican-controlled Legislature also has blocked local governments from requiring businesses to pay a minimum wage higher than the federal rate of $7.25 per hour, provide employees their work schedules in advance, and limit the use of plastic and other non-biodegradable food packaging. The influential Indiana Chamber of Commerce announced in November that banning "ban the box" ordinances was among its top priorities for the 2017 legislative session. Nevertheless, Pierce and many other Democrats voted in favor of the proposal, because it also limits the civil liability of employers who take a chance on hiring a former criminal by not allowing evidence of the employee's past to be used in a lawsuit unless it directly relates to the facts of the case. Pierce said he isn't entirely convinced that will result in many ex-cons getting hired, but he noted that advocates for post-prison employment, including the author of Indianapolis' "ban the box" ordinance, endorsed the proposal due to that provision. The legislation passed the House, 79-12, and was approved by the Senate, 38-10. Holcomb said prior to signing the measure into law that his support was based on the local government pre-emption language. "I don't believe that I have the authority, or should have the authority, to tell other employers their hiring practices at those initial stages," Holcomb said. LOWELL The Town Council will meet in a special joint session with the Lowell Stormwater Drainage Board at 7 p.m. Tuesday to act on proposals for major repairs to 171st Avenue which has been closed since March 31 due to the collapse of a culvert over McConnell Ditch. The council has been hearing recommendations for both wet weather and dry weather repairs. During the wet season, pumping is necessary and increases the price, but could begin quickly. A dry season project would probably not be done until August. At the same time, the council will consider engineering proposals for the replacement of pavement in Bel Aire subdivision. It is the largest of the projects funded through a Community Crossings grant from the Indiana Department of Transportation. The state grant is $1 million; the town matches that with another $1 million. CROWN POINT For this mom and daughter, on this Mother's Day, the roles have been reversed. After Maria Gonzalez spent much of her life raising her eldest daughter, Elba Rivas, Rivas now takes care of her mom. "I was cleaning her up one time and taking her to the bathroom and she said, 'You're like my mother, and I'm the kid,'" Rivas recalled, seated on the bed at her mother's nursing home, Gonzalez in a wheelchair next to her. "I said, 'No, you're my mother, and I'm your kid.' She is still my mother." And that's why Rivas essentially put her life on hold seven years ago, when Gonzalez began the descent into Alzheimer's disease. For the first 5 1/2 years, Rivas was at her mom's East Chicago home every day, to get her out of bed, feed her and get her ready for the day. Rivas would take her to a caregiver before going to work, then bring her mom back home in the evening. And do it all again the next day. But Gonzalez's condition eventually worsened to the point she could no longer safely live at home. And Rivas had to make the heart-wrenching decision to put her in a nursing home. Rivas had promised her father, on his deathbed 20 years earlier, that she would never do so. But she was out of options. Her doctor told her she was working so hard she was putting her own health at risk. Even so, the guilt can be overwhelming. "I talked to priests. They say I'm doing the right thing. I would have had to quit my job," she said, unable to hold back her tears. "But she is still my mother." Still, Rivas visits her almost every day. And Rivas' daughter, Marriza Negrete, works at the facility where Gonzalez lives, Wittenberg Village in Crown Point, so family is never far away. Mother's Day different but special On this Mother's Day, Rivas and Negrete plan to take Gonzalez out for her favorite meal, huevos rancheros. Rivas, ever festive, already has decorated Gonzalez's room for the holiday, with spring-colored flowers and decals like the one that reads, "Family where life begins and love never ends." Negrete assures her mother that she is doing the right thing. "I tell my mom all the time, 'I hope and I pray that I will be just as half a good a daughter as she has been to my grandma,'" she said, noting the experience also has reinforced the importance of spending time with family. "Pictures, pictures, pictures, memories, visiting. Cherish every moment you have. Don't let anything pass you by. Because this disease is affecting more and more people every day and at a younger age." More than 5 million Americans are living with Alzheimer's, a number that is expected to climb to 16 million by the year 20150. Celebrating Mother's Day with a loved one with Alzheimer's is about changing expectations, said Sarah Milligan, a social worker with the Alzheimer's Association in Northwest Indiana. "Sometimes traditions that families may have had, especially large group gatherings, may overwhelm people with the disease," she said. "We have to find ways to carry out traditions that are important to us as a family and adjust slightly so people with the disease can still participate to the best of their ability and be comfortable." Cherishing the memories At one point during the recent visit, Rivas was talking about her father. Gonzalez, 90, starting looking at a photo board that included pictures of him, pointing at it and making a grunting noise. A few minutes later, a nursing home staffer brought her a bouquet of artificial flowers. Her face lit up with joy. She used to make flower arrangements, including for her granddaughter's wedding, seven years ago, right before her health started to decline. "She loves flowers," said Rivas, 63. "She always said, 'Bring me flowers when I'm alive, not when I'm dead.'" Negrete, 35, pointed out her favorite picture of her grandmother. In it, Gonzalez is sitting next to her husband, Pedro, at their kitchen table, holding a rose, a red-and-white cake on the table in front of them. Negrete took a closer look at the photo. "It was Mother's Day!" she said. "I never realized it was Mother's Day." "The thing that never dies is the memories," Rivas said. "The best thing you have is the memories." VALPARAISO Ken Hackett, who served as the 10th ambassador to the Vatican, will be Valparaiso University's commencement speaker next Sunday. The 1:30 p.m. undergraduate commencement is one of three commencement ceremonies held throughout the weekend, conferring degrees upon 772 undergraduate students. Hackett was nominated to the post by President Barack Obama and served from Oct. 21, 2013, to Jan. 16, 2017. He is an exemplary figure a man of character and wisdom determined to elevate the marginalized who will undoubtedly inspire our graduates," VU President Mark Heckler said. Prior to his appointment as ambassador to the Holy See, Hackett was president of Catholic Relief Services, an international humanitarian agency, from 1993 until he retired in December 2011. Hackett joined CRS in 1972, commencing his career in Sierra Leone, where he managed a nationwide leprosy program and a maternal and child health program. Memorial Elementary students celebrated Indianas history May 5 in a special assembly called "Celebrate Indiana" showcasing students talents and bringing the entire school together. This was a long work in progress that began last year when teacher Megan Becker had an idea to guide her class through the writing of a program that would be a kid-friendly narrative of how Indiana gained statehood honoring the bicentennial. This was an opportunity for learning across the curriculum, as students learned state songs during music class, created costumes in art, while also learning about history in the classroom. By June 2016, a program was written that not only communicated our states history, but also encouraged students to be productive citizens who work hard to serve in their communities by showing HEART (Honesty,Effort, Attitude, Respect, Teamwork) which is our school motto. In front of scenery created by parent volunteers and students, this student-led program began with a welcome message from the student council president, the Pledge of Allegiance and the singing of the national anthem. The choir, accompanied by music teacher, Elizabeth Larson, then sang "Fifty Nifty United States," showcasing all of the states! A fifth grade readers theater group read the narrative as Alicia Watkins third grade class acted out each event describing the great migration, the building of mounds, the settling of Native Americans, the exploring of the French and LaSalle and the trading of furs. After the singing of Indianas state song, "On the Banks of the Wabash," Megan Beckers third grade class acted out events including the signing of treaties over control of the land and trade, the taxing of colonists, the signing of the Declaration of Independence, the rise of population in the Indiana Territory, the writing of a state constitution and finally Indiana gaining statehood. The entire student body sang their hearts out to "My Country Tis of Thee" and "Back Home Again in Indiana" featuring fourth grade soloists. The program came to a close with an exciting reminder that even though Indiana has been a state now for 201 years, as young Hoosiers, we have an important role in creating a bright future for our communities by working together, caring for others and being strong leaders. As a couple students held a heart with Indiana in the middle high in the air, we sang our school song loud and proud, "Show Your HEART." This was a collaborative effort that brought staff, parents and students together! Thats what education is all about! I want to wish a Happy Mothers Day to all those wonderful moms out there including our two daughters-in-law, Miranda and Jessi, who are celebrating their first. My Methodist roots have a place in history of Mothers Day. In 1908, Anna Jarvis held a memorial to her mother at St. Andrews Methodist Church in West Virginia. Her mom was a peaceful women who cared for wounded soldiers during our Civil War on both sides. To this day, St. Andrews UMC holds the International Mothers Day Shrine. The first Mothers Day that was officially recognized in this country was in 1914 by President Woodrow Wilson signing a proclamation declaring the second Sunday of May should celebrate motherhood over all our fair land. It is now celebrated all over the world in a whole host of countries. But before they become mothers, we have quite a few young women busy this last weekend and next weekend in Portage. Prom is over, and its getting closer to the time where the class of 2017 will toss their caps in the air and embark on a new journey. This time of year is also the time when our young soon-to-be-senior women are competing in one of the oldest contests in Portages history. Im talking about the Portage Distinguished Young Woman Scholarship Program. This year marks the 37th year for the program in Portage which has a specific purpose to spotlight young women who are trying to better themselves and the world around them. This program has successfully opened the door for high school senior girls by allowing them the chance to receive scholarship money to assist them in pursuing their educational goals at a school of higher learning. The Distinguished Young Woman program directs attention on their achievements in scholastics, extracurricular activities, community involvement and also leadership qualities. Positive achievements as a personal objective are what theyre looking for in these young hopefuls. Ive always followed this program ever year because I really wished we had something like this when I was in school, but this year I get to be up close and personal with these young ladies. Im honored to be a judge alongside some other noteworthy women, including Chris Broughman, Lisa Ford, Jennifer Smolnicky and former DYW winner Mariah Blackwell. This year there are 27 amazing young women taking the stage this Friday and Saturday for the final nights of competition. They are Johnna Vaughan, Jessica Cretors, Daniela Demko, Corinne Ball, Mary Yong, Jasmine Cuadrado, Kristen Gaffney, Megan Stilwell, Kara Denvit, Cassie Prohl, Mickayla Edmaiston, Faith Zettler, Shelby Rollins, Alexa Burney, Andrea Vance, Macy Danko, Sydney Ford, Emma Garzella, Ariana Delgado, Alexis Serrano, Alexandria White, Kristen Morris, Isabella Paglicci, Madeline Aldrich, Jordan Simko, Jamie Valadez and Autumn Maiden. So come on out and support your favorite outstanding young woman this weekend. Hats off to the DYW committee which includes Carrie Martin, Troy Williams and Kevin Giese. This a great program in a great city with great people running the show. Portage Distinguished Young Woman, youve come a long way, baby. Marc Chase Editor Marc Chase is a veteran investigative reporter, columnist and editor of more than two decades. He currently leads The Times news staff as local news editor. He can be reached at 219-933-3327. Follow Marc Chase Close Get email notifications on {{subject}} daily! Your notification has been saved. There was a problem saving your notification. {{description}} Email notifications are only sent once a day, and only if there are new matching items. Save Manage followed notifications Close Followed notifications Please log in to use this feature Log In Don't have an account? Sign Up Today The smoke plumes of alleged impropriety are again billowing from the Lake County Government Center in thick figurative clouds. Law enforcement agencies and prosecutors should follow their senses on this one and determine if the smoke emanates from the criminal fires of public corruption. We learned about the smoke earlier this week in a civil lawsuit filed against Lake County Recorder Mike Brown. The lawsuit alleges he compelled a part-time government employee of his office to engage in sex acts as a condition of possible promotion to full-time status. But right now, it's just a civil lawsuit claims stacked like firewood into a smoking pit of flaming allegations. Regardless of their veracity, such civil accusations carry enough smoky odor that they should be garnering a probe for possible criminal fires. In fact, the allegations seem to be rooted in the same soils from which other local government officials have been convicted in criminal public corruption cases. The civil lawsuit, filed by former part-time recorder's employee Estela Montalvo, specifically alleges that Brown compelled her to engage in sex acts with him in Brown's county government office in Crown Point as well as at Brown's residences. Montalvo claims Brown tied offers of a future promotion to these encounters and that he perpetrated a similar quid pro quo cycle by rewarding another woman with a promotion. The allegations go beyond their face-value repugnance of possible predation by a person of power on subordinates. As the elected county recorder, Brown oversees 22 employees and a $1 million annual budget in the county's official archive of legal property and other documents. If Brown was compelling a government employee to engage in sexual conduct with him, particularly on county hours and in his taxpayer-funded office, it's no stretch to say he was misappropriating public money and resources. If Montalvo's allegations are true, the case is not much different, on its base, than other Region public officials who've been criminally convicted for using county workers or money for personal purposes or to fuel their political campaigns. In the end, it's alleged personal use of taxpayer resources. Then there's state and federal bribery laws to consider. If sex were traded as a condition of employment or with the enticement of a possible promotion, how is it substantially different from a public official who offers or receives bribes? And if Brown used his position as an elected official and department head to compel sex from Montalvo and others, as is alleged in the lawsuit, it sure seems to fit the spirit of official misconduct, which also is a crime defined in Indiana statute. Most reasonable people would infer official misconduct from an elected official using his or her government office for sexual encounters with government employees. I'm no lawyer and don't even play one on TV. No doubt, truth can be elusive in such cases. However, the smoke of these allegations begs a thorough investigation by the fire marshals that are state and federal agents and prosecutors. Lake County Prosecutor Bernard Carter told us he's looking into the allegations for any basis of criminal activity. That's a start, but most taxpayers would have a lot more faith in the results of a criminal probe orchestrated by the U.S. attorney's office in Hammond. You know, the same office that has garnered 70-plus criminal convictions against corrupt Region politicians or their politically connected crony contractors since the 1980s. Lake County taxpayers deserve to know a thorough search for any fires of criminal wrongdoing has occurred. Most civil lawsuits of this magnitude end up being settled out of court, with no regard for revealing fact or showing true culpability. Such a situation, in this case, would leave embers of distrust burning in the hearts and minds of Lake County citizens. A criminal probe by federal agents, whose offices aren't so close to the smoke of the Lake County Government Center or its partisan politics, could go a long way to truly sorting this one out. Among our Region's greatest attributes is our location in one of the most business-friendly states in the country and our proximity to Chicago, putting us in one of the world's richest economies. Recent rankings in the Wall Street Journal and Chief Executive magazine help illustrate these positives for our Region. But we shouldn't allow the rankings to keep us from needed investment and new innovations to take us to the next level. On Thursday, The Times reported rankings from Chief Executive magazine, which placed Indiana first in the Midwest and fifth in the nation for business. The ranking was based on a survey of more than 500 CEOs, who favored states with business friendly tax and regulatory climates. Indiana has long been known as a state with low business and other taxes and fewer encumbering regulations. Meanwhile, a recent Wall Street Journal article revealed a United Nations-compiled list of the world's richest cities, based on data compiled by the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development. Based on 2012 GDP, the Chicago metro area was ranked 9th in terms of the world's richest, just below San Francisco and just above Houston. These are all great reminders of the strong assets upon which Northwest Indiana, a part of both the greater Indiana and Chicago communities, can build. Most also would agree, however, that our Region can do so much better. It's not enough just to have business-friendly taxes and regulations. We also need quality-of-life enhancements to attract and retain a top workforce, one of the main attributes businesses seek when choosing regions to call home. Business-ready spec buildings, industrial parks and shovel-ready land also should remain a priority for attracting businesses to our area. An emergence of a long-term Indiana road funding plan in the most recent legislative session bodes well for ensuring quality infrastructure for both workers and businesses. Most business leaders are encouraged by the economic bedrock that planned commuter rail expansion represents. These all are the beginnings of transformational investment. The recent rankings provide nice laurels for our Region's marketability and sustainability. But we can't rest on those laurels. We must be willing to roll up our sleeves and invest in the next steps to building a sterling Region economy. While a Carroll College graduate strolled down the aisle Saturday, she stopped for a few seconds to peer up into the stands. As she watched the cheering mass, her eyes began to well up with tears. This was a moment she shared with her 267 fellow graduates alongside their loved ones. Many took selfies while others posed for their parents just before the commencement ceremony began in the Carroll PE Center. All around her, the graduates celebrated their completion of college as well as their personalities with the decorations on their caps. The adornments ranged for pictures of pet dogs to a tiara. Others opted for glitter and confetti. Some represented their major such as depictions of apples for teachers. One degree-related pun scrolled atop a cap was "keep your ion the prize." Another simply read "I already forgot everything." Student speaker Chase Farrell looked out upon his fellow seniors as he reminisced sitting in the same area when he started at the school. "It's amazing how quickly time flies," said Farrell, who is from Spokane, Washington. Farrell, a business administration graduate, was elected by his classmates to speak on their behalf. In what started as a somewhat embarrassing story, Farrell recalled a time he fell down Guadalupe Hill in the dead of winter. It's not an especially tall or impressive hill, he added. But, that experience taught him it's how you pick yourself up that's vital. "No doubt I have stumbled on my way here today," Farrell said. "It's not the fall -- it's the recovery," he added. Farrell, who served as student body president for two years, encouraged his classmates and everyone gathered for Carroll's 107th commencement ceremony to give their personal best every time. It may sound cliche, Farrell said, but he believes his cohorts can and will change the world for the better. "The only way to win is to work harder than anyone else," Farrell said. One graduate who is already making a difference in the community is Theodore Olenick, who received an award for being an embodiment of everything for which Carroll stands. Olenick was chosen for the Michael Murphy Award for Outstanding Collegiate Citizenship, which is presented to the graduate who through achievement and leadership has excelled in promoting the spirit and ideals of the school. The honor is bestowed in memory of Murphy, a former student. Olenick served as a mental health technician at Shodair Children's Hospital while attending Carroll. He graduated with a biology degree. Two graduates were honored with the Bishop Gilmore Memorial Award for Outstanding Scholarship. Celena Louise Alduenda, an elementary education major from Helena, and Alexa Marie Daskalos, a nursing major from Albany, Oregon, were recognized with the award for having the highest grade point averages in their years at the school. Leslie Angel, an associate professor and chairperson of the psychology department, received the Outstanding Teaching Award. Angel was recognized for her legacy of being a giving educator both inside and outside of the classroom. She has been an instructor at the school since 2009. Angel teaches classes ranging from cognitive psychology to human sexuality to canine science. The Distinguished Scholar Award went to Lauri Travis, an assistant sociology professor. Her research focuses on archaeology, evolutionary ecology and prehistoric subsistence. She also leads an archaeological field school in which students excavate and survey in the Big Belt Mountains each summer. Faculty speaker Gary Fischer, who received the Outstanding Teaching Award two years ago, said he always says he learns more from his students than they do from him. Fischer, an associate professor of engineering, said his students continue to enlighten and inspire him. Fischer spoke on three topics he said are the basis for life. The first is faith in God. Next is what he called "show up and step you." Fischer said those graduating must remember to arrive on time and ready to go. The last is to be honest with one's reflection in the mirror. Your image will be different depending on the day, he said. "There are times the mirror is a little too honest and even a little cruel," Fischer said. When in doubt, seek the opinions of people you trust to get the truth, he added. In his advice, Fischer threw in one last piece: "You may have to put down your phone." Author and historian Wayne Flynts connection to southern novelist Harper Lee began decades before the two spoke, or wrote, a word to each other. As a student of southern history, Auburn University professor emeritus Flynt saw no way to separate his interest from its literary traditions. He took a break from poring over history books before his dissertation at Florida State University in the early 60s and picked up a piece of fiction for the first time in three years. Flynt chose To Kill a Mockingbird for his reprieve and, like any good piece of fiction, it illuminated something Flynt thought he knew so well. I thought, Good Lord, if a woman like that from the black belt of Alabama could write a book like that, maybe theres something about Alabama I missed, said Flynt, who had vowed with his wife never to return to Alabama after the 16th Street Baptist Church bombing in 1963. Maybe its more complicated than just Klansman and bombsters and righteous Baptist people who just stay silent in the face of evil. Flynt and his wife, Dartie, fell in love with Nelle (Harpers first name) Lee in absentia, returned to Alabama and never dreamed they would meet Harper Lee. But a late-life friendship formed in the early 2000s first through a friendship with Lees sister, Louise Conner, and later through care for each other. Flynts newest book, Mockingbird Songs: My Friendship with Harper Lee was released on May 2. Through letters exchanged between Flynt and Lee, the book gives a glimpse into their relationship and the inner workings of Lees mind. Chapter 1 Their first meeting was in 1983. Flynt, professor emeritus in the history department at Auburn University and Auburn resident, helped start the Auburn Humanities Center, and through the centers first conference in Eufaula, Flynt connected with Auburn University alumna Conner, Lees sister. The group planning the conference wanted to use Conners connections to invite Lee to speak, but they werent sure she would come. Lee eschewed speaking engagements and had not given an interview to a reporter since 1964. Some suggested reaching out to Truman Capote - the novelist and screenwriter as well as Lees childhood friend - to speak. Flynt saw the horror overcome Conners face at the thought. He learned years later of Capotes tradition of showing up drunk to speaking engagements and said Lees agreement to come was the ultimate gift of love to her sister so that her sister would not be humiliated by Truman Capote. Lee signed scores of copies of To Kill a Mockingbird for children at the event, including Flynts 14-year-old son who would go on to name his daughterthe first female Flynt in three generationsHarper. When Flynt held out his copy, Lee said, I only sign for children, then got up and left. Thats the end of it, Flynt laughed. Thats my one and only meeting with Harper Leenot a very pleasant one. She didnt seem like somebody Id like to get to know well. But Louisewe fell in love with Louise. The Flynts grew closer to Conner and Alice Lee, the eldest sister, over the next 10 years, despite not saying a word to Lee. They would drive to Eufaula once a quarter, taking Conner to get soul food and sit on the porch while talking everything Alabama. The first letter from Harper came in 1992. Flynt wrote an op-ed column about the three Lee sisters that was published across Alabama, and Lee wrote to thank him. To learn that a man of your gifts, by faith in onenovel (To Kill a Mockingbird), chose to make his life in Alabama makes the author humble indeed. I can only say thank you for honoring the state with your presence, Lee said. She continued, pointing out one small error Flynt had made. Lee jested that his mistake, writing that Harper was older than Conner (actually she was the youngest of the siblings) made Louise chortle with delight. Another 10 years passed before the next letter came. Lee knew of Flynts relationship with her sister who was slipping into dementia and wrote, If she were responsive to anybody, she would be responsive to you. Flynt wrote and called Conner, but her memory of their relationship was gone. Then we began to write, Flynt said. Evolving letters The letters were first between distant friends. They would write about 12 to 15 pages of handwritten notes about every six months. Lee would sometimes send stationery or greeting cards simply because she thought it was beautiful and wanted the Flynts to have it. Flynts daughter-in-law would send Lee stationery from Italy. Lee told Flynt, Tell the children I love the stationery. Im just like baby bear; its just right. But after Lees stroke in 2007, the Flynts developed a more intimate relationship with Harper. She was in Birmingham for six months, then moved to the Meadows, an assisted-living home in her hometown Monroeville. The Flynts came for a visit at least once a month The letters took a darker turn. They focused on health and death, and most of all, shes worried about having to go back to Monroeville. All the wads of biographers and people who write about her say she split her time living in New York and Monroevilleshe never lived in Monroeville again, Flynt said. She never owned a house, which is what living someplace means. She would visit Alice during the holidays, before moving back following her stroke, but she could never wait to get on the train (to return to Manhattan), Flynt said. The letters morphed into more and more visits, which Flynt documented in more than 300 pages that he hopes to turn into a book called Afternoons with Nelle. During the last years, Flynt saw himself as a counselor for Lee. She was frightened, Flynt said. To me, this is just part of what I had done as a minister. I felt very comfortable about the relationship, but I certainly didnt feel like I could reveal anything about her. Beginnings of the book Flynt said he promised Lee not to write anything about her during her lifetime, adding that she was furious with the biographies written about her. There are words like reclusive or introvert or shy, all of which are gradations of the same understanding of a persons personality. All are totally wrong as applied to Harper Lee; she is intensely private, Flynt said. Her view was that if people loved her work, thats fine, but she owed them nothing as a result of that. And since Flynt didnt pry into her personal life, and never asked things such as whether she was a lesbian, she opened up to Flynt. She shared a lot of things with me that were very personal, but she shared them in her way on her time and, like I say, in terms of her sexual identity - I never asked, and she never said. I dont care, Flynt said. The thought never crossed his mind to do something with the letters until rumors began to shroud the publication of Lees Go Set a Watchman in July 2015. Flynt was furious about suspicions that accused Lees lawyer Tonya Carter of pushing Lee to publish the novel. While some have questioned his intent with publishing the letters as well, Flynt said he had one motivation. I decide, if only these people could read her letters, they would know that what theyre saying is just bunk, Flynt said. I know she wont defend herself. She wont try to explain. She never tried to explain anything. But I can explain this in her own words. Theres no one thats going to think Tonya Carter or anybody else manipulates Harper Lee because theres nobody who manipulated Harper Lee ever in her entire life, and all I have to do is publish these letters. Flynt brought the letters to Lees agent Andrew Nurnberg and asked if he would be interested. He returned with a first draft, and Nurnberg told Flynt the interest in Go Set a Watchman would make it a perfect time to publish the letters. No, that will not do, Flynt told Nurnberg. Were not going to publish this until Nelle dies. Nurnberg asked Flynt what would happen if Lee were to live another 10 years, and Flynt defended his stance. She was betrayed enough in her lifetime, Flynt said. Why the letters? The manuscript was nearly finished when Lee passed in February 2016. Flynt, inspired by Sally Fitzgeralds edited letters of Flannery OConnor and a collection of Jane Austens, selected and compiled the letters interwoven with commentary and finishing with the eulogy and tribute Flynt gave at her funeral. Flynt said he hoped Lee would be glad to finally have her say. I think in some ways she would chortle and grin and laugh and shed say, Right on, brother. You gave it to em, Flynt said. He had hoped to give readers insight by sharing their written discussions and dispel rumors that Lee had lost her mind by including discussions about C.S. Lewiss works or her memory of what her grandfather said about his role on the second day of Gettysburg. I hope people will go around and say, At last, I understand Harper Lee, Flynt said. WASHINGTON -- Rod Rosenstein: Save yourself. For years, the man who just became the No. 2 official in the Justice Department painstakingly built a reputation as a gifted prosecutor and an above-the-fray lawman, serving Democratic and Republican administrations alike. Now, just over two weeks into his new job, he has become a national joke. He has destroyed his credibility by giving cover and legitimacy to Trump's decision to fire FBI Director James Comey, the man overseeing the agency's probe of the Trump campaign's possible collusion with Russia in tilting the 2016 election Trump's way. The Washington Post reported that Rosenstein threatened to resign because the White House was turning him into a stooge. Others matched the Post report. But Rosenstein says: No, he made no such threat. So he therefore must be content in the work environment he just joined. In case he missed it, this is what we've seen from that administration in the past week: -- The White House press secretary, Sean Spicer, hiding among the bushes on the White House north lawn and demanding that journalists turn off their camera lights before he would speak to them about the Comey affair. -- Comey learning that he had been fired when he saw it on TV on a West Coast swing; he thought it was a prank. -- The White House offering a profusion of conflicting accounts about Comey's dismissal, culminating in Trump contradicting his own aides by saying he would have fired Comey even if Rosenstein hadn't written that preposterous memo citing the Clinton email case. -- The White House blocking American reporters and photographers from covering Trump's meeting with Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov but admitting a photographer from the Russian state news agency Tass, which published photos of the meeting. -- The president went on Twitter to attack, again, a Democratic senator for mischaracterizing his military service years ago and to renew his long-standing feud with Rosie O'Donnell. -- The very same president registering the approval of just 36 percent of the country in a new Quinnipiac University poll. When Americans were asked to volunteer a word that comes to mind when they think of Trump, the top answer was "idiot." But the most surreal happening of the week was none of the above. It was The Wall Street Journal's report that Rosenstein "pressed White House counsel Don McGahn to correct what he felt was an inaccurate White House depiction of the events surrounding FBI Director James Comey's firing." The Journal reported that "Rosenstein left the impression that he couldn't work in an environment where facts weren't accurately reported." Rosenstein can't work in an environment where facts aren't accurately reported? And yet he goes to work for the alternative-fact president, who, by the Post's Fact Checker's tally, churned out 492 false and misleading claims in his first 100 days? Rosenstein is either the most naive man in town, or he's not the honest man we all thought him to be. Let's give him the benefit of the doubt and assume he's an ingenue who was chewed up and spit out by the Trump White House, which commandeered his unsullied reputation to justify its Comey sacking and left his once-vaunted standing in tatters. In that case, Rosenstein needs to wake up to the reality that he has been -- and continues to be -- used by Trump and his defenders to provide a veneer of legitimacy to his decision to eliminate the head of the Russia probe. Trump may now say he would have fired Comey anyway, but everybody else has used Rosenstein, and his three-page memo justifying Comey's dismissal, as cover. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky.: "Mr. Rosenstein recommended Mr. Comey's removal." Spicer: "It was all him. ... No one from the White House. That was a DOJ decision." Senate Republican Conference Chairman John Thune, R-S.D.,: "They decided to take this action, based upon a recommendation from Rob Rosenstein, who was just confirmed by the Senate, 94-6, a couple of weeks ago, and a man who people have a tremendous amount of confidence in." Rosenstein now makes Comey look like Solomon. If he cares at all about rehabilitating the reputation he built, Rosenstein has one option: He can appoint a serious, independent and above-reproach special counsel -- the sort of person Rosenstein was seen as, until this week -- to continue the Russia probe. Rosenstein may never recover his honor. But this is his only chance. Dana Milbank is a columnist for The Washington Post. A man was shot Saturday inside a car parked in a residential section of South Omaha, then was pulled from the vehicle and left in the street to die, police said. Police have identified the victim as Oziel Vazquez-Serrano, 21. As the assailant sped from the scene near 36th and H Streets about 6:30 p.m., a witness noted the cars license plate and reported it to authorities, Lt. Mark Matuza said. Police went to an address, at 40th and Browne Streets in northeast Omaha, connected to the car. There they arrested Benjamin Guevara, 21. He was booked early Sunday on suspicion of first-degree murder and using a gun to commit a felony. Police were not looking for other suspects in the killing, a spokesman said. It was the 10th homicide in Omaha in 2017 and the first south of Dodge Street. A neighbor said she watched as firefighters performed CPR on the victim as he lay on a gurney outside an ambulance. The victim was taken in grave condition to Nebraska Medical Center, where he was pronounced dead. Bruce Whittenberg and Denise King spent the last few days of the legislative session sitting in the Senate gallery, hoping a bill funding an expansion of the Montana Historical Society would be scheduled for a vote. Whittenberg, the executive director, and King, the central administrator, had spent all session promoting the project and fighting off bills they said would have jeopardized the integrity of the state museum. The legislation they hoped would pass was sponsored by House minority leader Jenny Eck, D-Helena, and would eventually fund the $44 million project by increasing the states lodging tax. Ecks bill had passed out of the House and a Senate committee with bipartisan support and was scheduled to be voted on the Senate floor on April 24, the last week of the session. But the bill was wrapped up in partisan politics. It was delayed on April 24 and wasnt scheduled again. When the governor and House leadership failed to reach an agreement on an infrastructure bonding bill, the House voted to adjourn on April 28. Instead of letting House Bill 660 get a vote and possibly move forward, Senate leadership also adjourned, allowing the historical society funding to die. We were very disappointed, Whittenberg said. When bonding was not resolved, they sure as heck werent going to approve a museum project in Helena. Senate President Scott Sales, R-Bozeman, said the decision not to take a vote on the bill was an agreement made by both Democrats and Republicans. It was part of a larger negotiation. Had infrastructure come across along with House Bill 8 (a bill that would have funded rural water projects) it would have gotten scheduled, Sales said. Sales said there was an understanding that the bills would only pass if they all went together. Eck said she agreed, and knew the Senate leadership was uncomfortable putting it to a vote without the infrastructure bill. It kind of got snagged by that whole fiasco, she said. While Eck acknowledged the agreements existence, she said passing the bill would have relieved both Democrats and Republicans of another session arguing over the museum. I felt really good about how creative of a solution it was and it made a lot of sense, She said. It wouldnt have happened overnight. It wasnt everyones first choice. What can you move forward that people can live with? The Montana Historical Society, a state agency under the executive branch, has been asking the Legislature to fund a portion of its expansion since 2005. Whittenberg has concerns about the age of the building and air quality issues that could damage the collection. Due to space limitations, the museum is only able to show 8 percent of its collection at one time. An expansion would fund the construction of the Montana Heritage Center in a nearby parking lot and connect it to the Montana Historical Society via an underground concourse. There would be 65,000 additional square feet for new exhibits, educational space, an outdoor amphitheatre and secure storage space. In the past, the project has been rejected after some legislators refused to vote for any bonding, a form of state debt. Others said they would only vote for a bonding bill that includes what they classify as critical needs, such as sewer, bridges and road projects. The proposal to partially fund the $44 million expansion was again included in versions of the bonding bill, and as expected, faced criticism from a good portion of Republicans. Democrats have been trying to pass a bonding bill to fund a mix of urban and rural projects for several sessions. Theyve also broadly supported the inclusion of the Montana Historical Society, but have been willing to use it as a bargaining chip to win over Republicans. When it became clear they didnt have the support this session to push a bill through if the Montana Historical Society was included, Eck started working on her proposal to raise the state lodging tax from 3 percent to 3.5 percent to fund the expansion project. Eck said the bill was proven to be palatable after several successful votes. Republicans would hopefully be encouraged to vote for the infrastructure bill without an urban building project included. A proposal with a half percent tax increase would largely be paid by people visiting from out of state to finally fund the Montana Historical Society. After the Montana Historical Society found a way around bonding, which had plagued them in previous sessions, they watched their bill die purely due to politics, Whittenberg said. While certain theyll return to the 2019 session making a similar ask, Whittenberg said he wasnt decided on a strategy. During past sessions, The Montana Historical Society has been unable to convince some legislators the museum benefits the entire state, not just Helena. The collection is made up of artifacts from every corner of the state and people are willing to travel to Helena to visit, Whittenberg said. Whittenberg said the complaint about the location of the museum is old and its now clear that preserving Montanas history isnt a priority for certain legislators. Its been suggested multiple times that moving it to a more rural part of the state would provide adequate space at a lower cost. Whittenberg and King said it wouldnt be less costly and said the decision to be in Helena, where the center of government is, was made over a century ago. Whittenberg said the museum constantly loans out portions of its collection to other museums in the state and supports 200 institutions through loans or expertise. There are approximately 30 collections out on loan now. The museum staff provides workshops on how to preserve collections and travels to schools that cant afford to take field trips. Whittenberg said theyd prefer to keep providing support, not replace a museum in a more rural area. Should we keep providing expertise, or is moving in next door and taking over the better option? Whittenberg said. This session, the Montana Historical Society dedicated extensive time and input from experts to fight off bills that they say appeared to be an attempt to save the expansion project, but would only cause harm. When Rep. Dennis Lenz, R-Billings, introduced legislation that would require the Montana Historical Society to sell objects or artifacts to fund the project, Whittenberg and King spent three weeks preparing for the first committee hearing, where it eventually died. But testimony took hours and people came from across the state to oppose the bill that Lenz called creative. Whittenberg received a flood of emails from donors concerned about family heirlooms, and some prominent Montana families said they would refuse to donate if the bill passed. During testimony, Lenz said everyone has to sell things they dont want to and added Id suggest to you there may be a fine line between a hoard and a museum. Whittenberg said certain bills that surface every session, such as the one by Lenz, demonstrate a misunderstanding of the museums role. This isnt a flea market, he said. For now, a first priority is encouraging more legislators to visit the museum to prove its nothing like a flea market, Whittenberg said. The Native American collection has 6,000 pieces, there are 1,000 firearms including a rifle used by Sitting Bull and 200 pieces by artist Charles M. Russell. And while Whittenberg is optimistic about other creative proposals next session, its impossible to know when a bill will be used as a political bargaining chip. We inch a little closer every time, he said. You keep working at it. Jane Kleeb says Democrats need to focus on the 2018 election rather than argue among themselves whether it was a tactical mistake to bring Bernie Sanders to Omaha to stump for Democratic mayoral candidate Heath Mello. Kleeb, chairwoman of the Nebraska Democratic Party, has been criticized by some Democrats for her decision to invite Sanders to Nebraska. She said the criticism is silly and counterproductive. Democrats in this state have got to start looking in the mirror and stop pointing fingers. This is not the first race we have lost, said Kleeb, the partys new leader who supported Sanders in last years presidential election. Kleeb invited Sanders to Nebraska, saying she believed the Vermont U.S. senator would energize the Democratic base and bring national attention to the race. Mello agreed to attend the rally after the invite had already been issued. Paul Landow, who served as chief of staff for then-Omaha Mayor Mike Fahey, a Democrat, lambasted Kleeb for inviting Sanders to Omaha, saying it failed to significantly boost Democratic turnout and, he argued, served only to energize Republican voters to go to the polls. Mello lost to Republican Jean Stothert by nearly 7 percentage points in last Tuesdays election. Youre running in a moderate to conservative town in a conservative state and youre bringing in an East Coast socialist to campaign? How is that good strategy? asked Landow, a political science professor at the University of Nebraska at Omaha. Stotherts campaign manager, Sam Fischer, agreed with Landow. He said the Stothert campaign came to believe the Sanders visit energized their own GOP base. Fischer said that after the visit was announced, the campaign noticed an uptick in volunteers showing up at their office to canvass on Stotherts behalf. Mello was unavailable for comment Friday, but his chief political consultant, Ian Russell, defended the decision to bring Sanders to Omaha. Russell said the campaign needed to take some risks in order to defeat Stothert, an incumbent mayor with high favorability ratings in Mellos own internal polls. Russell also said his own polling showed that Sanders was viewed favorably by many Omahans, and he believed Sanders would be able to energize the base. In the end, about 35 percent of registered voters cast ballots, only slightly above the 33 percent that voted in 2013. The problem with the rally, Russell said, came when Mello found himself embroiled in a national debate over whether Democrats should embrace an anti-abortion candidate. Tom Perez, who is chairman of the national Democratic Party, released a statement that appeared to rebuke Mello as a Democratic candidate for his anti-abortion track record in the Nebraska Legislature, where he served eight years. Every Democrat, like every American, should support a womans right to make her own choices about her body and her health, Perez said in a statement aimed at Mello. That is not negotiable and should not change city by city or state by state. The debate over abortion and not the Sanders rally slowed Mellos momentum that he had garnered in the wake of his strong showing in the primary election, Russell argued. If it had just been a get-out-the-vote rally with Sanders, that would have been great, Russell said. It became a problem when we found ourselves stuck in someone elses conflict over party orthodoxy. As for Kleeb, she said she has no regrets. She argued that Democrats have to take some chances in this state if they plan to win races. She said she would focus her attention on trying to determine why the Democratic base didnt turn out in greater numbers in Omaha. She also said she will now turn her attention to recruiting candidates to run in state and local races in 2018. The top race will likely be the Omaha-based 2nd District congressional race as Democrats try to unseat Republican U.S. Rep. Don Bacon, a freshman lawmaker. Several Democrats are said to be eyeing the race, including Mello and former U.S. Rep. Brad Ashford, who lost to Bacon in 2016. In addition, Kara Eastman, who is the head of a nonprofit group known as Omaha Healthy Kids Alliance, is considering a bid. Correction: Jane Kleeb was misquoted regarding Democrats looking in the mirror in a previous version of this story. Rep. Don Bacon said he expected a barrage of tough questions at his Saturday town hall meeting in Bennington. And got em. About 300 people filled the Bennington Elementary gym to hear Bacon, R-Neb., answer questions attendees had written on slips of paper and turned in at the door. With few exceptions the questions drawn during the hour-and-a-half town hall centered on Bacons stances on health care and appointing a special counsel to oversee an investigation into the Trump campaigns contacts with Russia. Drilled repeatedly on the House GOP plan to replace the Affordable Care Act, Bacon stood by his support of the bill. Frankly this is an emergency mission to save our health care, Bacon said. Every week its getting worse, he said, referring to Aetna Healths announcement last week that it would withdraw from individual health plan markets under the Affordable Care Act in Nebraska and Delaware in 2018. Amid booing and shouts of Lies, Bacon said that under the GOP plan called the American Health Care Act high-risk people will be charged the same as a healthy person the same age and that rates will decrease. The plan added funds for high-risk pools with the aim of keeping those costs down, but many are skeptical the rates still wont increase. When asked about President Donald Trumps recent firing of FBI Director James Comey, Bacon said Comey had lost support from both parties. If theres any information on the president, it doesnt go away now that Comey is gone, Bacon said over loud shouts of disapproval. Later, when a woman asked him why he wasnt concerned about the timing of the firing, Bacon had to take a long pause as the crowd stomped on the bleachers and yelled Do your job! Bacon also said that until there is a red flag to show there was actual collusion, he does not support the appointing of an independent special counsel to investigate Trumps ties with Russia, though he believes that Russia has been trying to throw gasoline on our partisan divide. Bacon announced earlier this year that he didnt plan to hold any town hall meetings, worrying about disruptions. Hes since changed course, hosting his first public town halls at the end of April. It wasnt pleasant, but it does embolden me, he said of the noisy crowd at Saturdays event. To 48-year-old Lisa Schwetschenau of Omaha, those words arent enough. Shes written to Bacon several times and visited his office in Washington, D.C., to share her concerns about the future of health care. Diagnosed with multiple sclerosis three years ago, Schwetschenau said that aside from voting, shed never been politically active until this year. But I have to now, she said, wearing her Nevertheless, she pre-existed T-shirt. The AHCA could drastically change my life and the lives of all those with pre-existing conditions. Though she appreciated that Bacon held the town hall, she said she felt he dodged tough questions and repeated the same lines. Justin Carrizales, a 21-year-old student at Creighton University and a Bacon supporter, said he thought Bacon answered the questions the best he could. Its frustrating that people come and yell over him, he said. But everyone is going to disagree, and Im just glad he came out to listen. Before the town hall about 50 people with Indivisible Nebraskans and a few other groups gathered in Bennington for a rally in support of womens health and Planned Parenthood. We will keep coming to these events as long as he has them, said Layne Jensen with Indivisible Nebraskans. We are ready to hold his feet to the fire on these issues, including health care. 10 year old raped by cop with mother's consent in MP India oi-Madhuri A police constable of Madhya Pradesh was on Saturday arrested for allegedly raping a 10-year-old- girl by taking her mother's consent. According to the complaint, the victim's father had a job which involved much of travelling and was always away from his home. About a year a year-and-a-half ago, he had purchased a TV and a motorbike on installment but his cheques bounced which led to a warrant being issued in his name. Then the constable went to the home with the warrant and struck up a relationship with his wife and then targeted the kid. The crime was reported only when the victim had gathered enough courage and confessed the matter to her grandmother who then lodged a complaint with the police. She even said that the policeman used to beat her when she resisted the abuse. Recalling the horror, the girl said that the accused constable sexually abused her repeatedly for nearly a year. The child's grandparents have also informed the Child Welfare Committee about the abuse. The girl also underwent a medical examination and the results are not known. Jabalpur women's empowerment officer Akhilesh Mishra was quoted saying in a leading daily that it was hard for them to believe that the child's mother had allowed a man to rape her. The girl is traumatised. However, she clearly told us what she had gone through. OneIndia News For Breaking News and Instant Updates Allow Notifications Story first published: Sunday, May 14, 2017, 8:45 [IST] No govt offices will be closed No government offices would be closed on May 23 as the strike has been postponed. Trains too would run normally on that day. The Confederation of central government employees, has temporarily postponed the strike scheduled on May 23 following assurance of government to hike allowances shortly. Govt assurance on 7th Pay Commission The strike was put off following the assurance by the government. The confederation has however said that it would ensure that the genuine demands of the employees would be met. The government has assured that it would hike the allowances soon and hence the strike was put off. Regret expressed The confederation had expressed regret over the fact that the government was delaying the hike in allowances. After the government implemented the recommendation of the 7th Pay Commission from January 1, 2016 in respect of basic pay and dearness allowances, the Committee on Allowances, headed by Finance Secretary Ashok Lavasa was constituted in June last year. 192 allowances assured The 7th Pay Commission had recommended that of a total of 196 allowances, 52 be abolished altogether and 36 be abolished as separate identities by subsuming them in another allowance, which triggered resentment among central government employees that governments complied with formation of the Committee on Allowances. Screening the report The report is being currently examined by the Department of Expenditure. It will be placed before the Empowered Committee of Secretaries set up to screen the 7th Pay Commission recommendations and to firm up the proposal for approval of the Cabinet. MISSOULA -- A stabbing victim used social media to get help after leaving a 34th Street apartment Saturday night, walking more than a mile with a stab wound in his neck, according to Missoula Police. Sgt. Collin Rose said police responded to a call from an apartment on the 1200 block of 34th Street at 10:30 p.m. Saturday and found a bloody apartment with a man and woman inside, both very intoxicated. The man, Natheniel Gregory Burd, was arrested on a felony charge of assault with a weapon, and booked into Missoula County Jail at 6:04 a.m. Sunday. But police didnt charge him with a crime until another call came in, this time from Lake County. The victim used social media Rose wasnt sure which site to ask for help, and a friend in Lake County called police. A search for the victim, who had left the apartment before police arrived, ended more than a mile away and several hours later on the 1900 block of South Avenue. It appears he went that whole way on foot with a neck wound, Rose said. He was pretty disoriented and lost a pretty significant amount of blood. The stab wound was from some type of edged weapon. Rose said police are still investigating the incident and couldnt give a cause for the attack. India's longest bridge 'Dhola-Sadiya' The bridge will run over the Lohit river, a tributary of the mighty Brahmaputra river. In Assam, the bridge is located 540-km away from the state capital Guwahati in Sadia. The other end, which is located in Dhola, is at a distance of nearly 300-km from Arunachal's capital city of Itanagar. The Centre sanctioned a package of 50,000 crore in 2011 aimed at improving road connectivity between border states in the country. This project was part of the sanctioned package.The construction of the bridge began in 2011 at a sanctioned project cost of 950 crore. The design of the bridge is such that it can even accommodate and withstand the movement of military tanks. According to reports, the Dhola-Sadiya bridge will be longer than Mumbai's Bandra-Worli Sealink by 3.55 km. Strategic importance After Kaliabor bridge in Central Assam throughout the 375 km of river bank there is no bridge for transportation across Mighty Brahmaputra river. In the upstream there is a bridge available for crossing the same but it travels through difficult hilly tarrain on north bank. At present all the transport are being carried out through water only. This project serves important logistics for Military personnel for Indo China border at Arunachal Pradesh. A major boost to road connectivity It will bolster the road connectivity in the Northeast as the bridge will be used by people of Assam and Arunachal Pradesh besides defence forces extensively. The bridge, when opened for the public, will cut down the travel time between Assam and Arunachal Pradesh by as much as four hours. Since there is no operational airport in Arunachal Pradesh, this bridge will become as the most convenient way of travel between the two states. Modi to inaugurate on May 26 Prime Minister Narendra Modi will inaugurate the 9.15-km-long Dhola-Sadiya bridge over the Brahmaputra river on May 26. With this, the BJP will start the celebrations of the NDA government's three years in office from this eastern-most part of Assam. The event also co-incides with the first year of the BJP-led government in Assam. OneIndia News Delhi brokers tried to bribe four TRS MLAs: KCR targets BJP Hyderabad should remember Sardar Patel the most: Kishan Reddy RRR box office collection in Japan: SS Rajamouli's flick likely to beat '3 Idiots' record BJP MLA stands by his Hyderabad old city becoming mini-Pakistan' remark India oi-Vikas By Vikas BJP MLA Raja Singh on Sunday said there was 'nothing wrong' in his remark describing old city of Hyderabad as "mini Pakistan". Galat nahi bola, Telangana assembly me maine kaha tha ki Hyderabad Old City ek 'mini Pakistan' ka adda bante ja raha hai: BJP MLA Raja Singh pic.twitter.com/GEwUfHBEV2 ANI (@ANI_news) May 14, 2017 Singh, who is a member of Telangana state assembly from Goshamahal constituency, remained defiant even after Hyderabad police registered a case against him for the objectionable comment. Singh is also said to have made other communal remarks during an interview to a TV channel, said reports. Deputy Commissioner of Police of Hyderabad V. Satyanarayana said that BJP legislator's remarks were 'provocative' and may lead to 'disturbance of peace, public order and communal harmony'. A case was booked at Mir Chowk police station in the old city under section 153-A of Indian Penal Code. (OneIndia News with agency inputs) For Breaking News and Instant Updates Allow Notifications Story first published: Sunday, May 14, 2017, 16:07 [IST] 'Kejriwal must break silence' BJP leader Meenakshi Lekhi said anomalies in the information given by AAP to income tax department must be probed. She said that truth must come out in the open'. Another BJP leader Prabhat Jha said that Kejriwal must speak up and clear the air, adding that his silence shows that he is guilty. Congress called for thorough probe into the matter Congress' Ajay Maken termed the allegations as' grave' and called for thorough investigation into the matter. Maken said that these accusations come under the Money Laundering Act and a special audit should take place to unearth the truth. AAP rubbished the allegations Meanwhile, the Aam Aadmi Party has rubbished Mishra's allegations and called it a BJP conspiracy'. AAP leader Sanjay Singh told the media that over 70-80 percent of the donations received by the Congress and the BJP were from unknown sources. Singh also questioned the authenticity of the cheques shown by Mishra and said that the BJP was using Mishra to malign the AAP's reputation. Kapil Mishra hospitalised Mishra, who is on a hunger strike to protest against corruption in AAP, said that 16 shell companies added money worth crores in AAP's bank accounts. At the end of the press conference, Mishra dared Kejriwal to resign by evening or he will drag Kejriwal with his collar and put him in Tihar Jail. However, immediately after his press conference on revelations on AAP 's finances ended, Mishra who has been on hunger strike for 5th day fell unconscious and was later taken to the RML hospital. Central team roped in as dengue cases in Bihar rise to over 5000 Country not safe in BJP's hands, hold fresh polls: Lalu India ians-IANS By Ians English Patna, May 14: RJD chief Lalu Prasad on Sunday dared Prime Minister Narendra Modi to dissolve the Lok Sabha and hold fresh general elections, as he claimed that the BJP-led central government had "failed on all fronts" in the last three years. "Modi should dissolve the Lok Sabha and get fresh polls conducted along with assembly polls coming up in some states because his government has failed to fulfil the promises made to the people ahead of the 2014 general elections," he told media here. The former Union Minister also demanded that Modi explain to the people about his promise of providing jobs to two crore persons annually. "What happened to his promise of jobs to two crore people every year? The Bharatiya Janata Party-led Union government should reveal how many persons were provided jobs since May 2014," the former Bihar Chief Minister said. The Rashtriya Janata Dal chief said the Modi government should also come out with official data on how much black money stashed in foreign banks had been brought back to the country in three years. "The country is not safe in BJP hands as it is hell-bent on dividing society and create hatred among different communities to continue in power at all cost." The BJP has been doing everything to finish regional parties to end true federalism in the country, the RJD leader said. IANS Hizbul Mujahideen terrorist trying to sneak into India from Nepal arrested India oi-Madhuri Sashastra Seema Bal on Sunday apprehended a Hizbul Mujahideen terrorist trying to sneak into India from Nepal. According to reports, Naseer Ahmed alias Sadiq, who is 34-year old, was residing in Pakistan since 2003. Sadiq was involved in many violent crimes against civilians, including an attack on the STF camp. He was sent to India by his handler, for a specific mission. #FLASJ Sashastra Seema Bal apprehends a Hizb-ul-Mujahideen terrorist trying to sneak into India from Nepal, residing in Pakistan since 2003 pic.twitter.com/oNBQGebdpA ANI (@ANI_news) May 14, 2017 During the interrrogation, Sadiq said that in an attempt to carry out terrrorist attack in India, he left Pakistan and landed in Kathmandu on May 10 along with his accomplice Mohd Shafi. However, he was apprehended by SSB officials and Maharajganj District Police when he was unable to produce any documents to prove his identity. After physical search, a Pakistani passport and identity card having address of Pakistan were recovered. Disguised as a vendor selling carpets and Kashmiri shawls, Sadiq had attempted to sneak into Indian from Nepal but was later nabbed by SSB. Sadiq is well trained in weapons such as AK-47, Ak-56, SLR, Rocket Launcher (RPG7), Assault Rifle (G3 and G2) and grenades. Earlier on Saturday, Hizbul Mujahideen commander Zakir Musa, who on Friday threatened to slit the throats of Hurriyat leaders for calling the Kashmir issue "political", quit the militant outfit on Saturday after the group refused to back his statement. It is also believed that Militants from this group are believed to be behind the killing of Kashmiri Army officer Ummer Fayaz earlier this week. OneIndia News FM Nirmala Sitharaman hints at possibility of Centre considering restoration of state status to J&K In J&K, 14,000 dropouts find their way back to schools J&K: Ceasefire violation by Pakistan in Rajouri's Chingus India oi-Madhuri In a fresh ceasefire violation on Sunday, Pakistan has resorted to heavy firing and mortar shelling in Chiti Bakri in Chingus area of Jammu and Kashmir's Rajouri sector. Ceasefire violation by Pakistan in Chiti Bakri in Chingus area of Jammu and Kashmi's Rajouri pic.twitter.com/3phDVivf3l ANI (@ANI_news) May 14, 2017 The firing started 6:45 a.m. and more than 7 villages have been targeted. Since Saturday, at least two civilians including a minor girl were killed and nine people, including four soldiers were injured as Pakistan pounded 35 villages and Indian posts with mortars along the LoC in Jammu and Kashmir's Rajouri district. Meanwhile, schools of the Nowshera region, Manjakote and Doongi zones have been closed. Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti on Saturday called for 'brotherhood and peace' between India and Pakistan post the cross-border firing in the state's Nowshera sector. "I would like to appeal to both nations, Pakistan and India, to not to indulge in unprovoked firings. We should maintain brotherhood and peace as we used to do during the former prime minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee government," she said. OneIndia News For Breaking News and Instant Updates Allow Notifications Story first published: Sunday, May 14, 2017, 8:50 [IST] J&K: Security forces gun down two LeT militants in Kupwara India ians-IANS By Ians English Srinagar, May 14: Two Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) militants were killed on Sunday in a gunfight with security forces in Jammu and Kashmir's Kupwara district, defence sources said. The gunfight occurred in Warpora forest area of Handwara tehsil in Kupwara, the sources told IANS. "Following specific information about the presence of militants in Warpora forest area of Handwara tehsil, security forces launched an operation but were fired upon by the hiding militants, triggering the gunfight. Two militants of LeT outfit have been killed in this operation," the source said, adding that searches were still going on in the area to track any more militants. On May 6, two policemen and two civilians were killed in a terrorist attack in Jammu and Kashmir's Kulgam region. Last week, The Indian Armed forces began a major operation in Kashmir to snuff out terrorists. The operation comprising nearly 3,000 security personnel was undertaken after videos of terrorists moving around freely in the Shopian district surfaced. IANS Kapil Mishra's fresh expose, claims Kejriwal involved in money laundering India oi-Madhuri In a dramatic press conference that ended with him fainting, suspended AAP leader Kapil Mishra accused CM Arvind Kejriwal of money laundering and dared him to resign by Sunday evening. While addressing Mishra said that Kejriwal and those close to him were involved in converting black money to white. For three continuous years, black money was converted into white and spent on foreign trips. Delhi:Kapil Mishra shows a presentation,claims false info given to EC regarding AAP accounts; further alleges black money converted to white pic.twitter.com/0SteHaiUDF ANI (@ANI_news) May 14, 2017 Mishra alleged that the police were trying to forcibly take him to hospital based on fake reports given by doctors, just a day before he was planning to make another expose. He also said that the report of his health is faked by the doctors, who were directly reporting to health minister Satyendar Jain, even as a team of doctors from Ram Manohar Lohia hospital examined Mishra and said his vitals, including blood pressure and sugar level, were normal. Also, Mishra said that Kejriwal hid funds from Election Commission, income tax department and people. He further alleges that AAP has not given clear details of it's funding to the I-T and EC, says there is bogus entry in the accounts. Mishra said that he submit all these evidences to the CBI and demand a probe into AAP's political funding At the end of the press conference, Mishra dared Kejriwal to resign by evening or he will drag Kejriwal with his collar and put him in Tihar Jail. However, immediately after his press conference on revelations on AAP 's finances ended, Mishra who has been on 5th day of hunger strike fell unconscious and was later taken to the hospital. Earlier today, Mishra, took to Twitter to post a picture of several documents and said that "through these documents, truth will be revealed today". Mishra was removed as Delhi's Water Minister on March 6 in a sudden move and was later suspended from the AAP. He then said he saw Kejriwal taking Rs 2 crore from Health Minister Satyendra Jain. OneIndia News Who started this: Anna Jarvis was the first person who held a campaign to make Mother's Day a recognised holiday in the United States in 1905, the year her mother, Ann Reeves Jarvis, died. First celebrated in 1908: The day was first celebrated in 1908, when Anna Jarvis held a memorial for her mother at St Andrew's Methodist Church in Grafton, West Virginia. The church now holds the International Mother's Day Shrine. How Mother's Day celebrated in different countries: In most Arab countries, the celebrations of Mother's Day are carried out on March 21, which is the Spring equinox. A few Catholic countries observe it on the Virgin Mary Day. In Greece, honouring motherhood has been linked to the Eastern Orthodox celebration of the presentation of Jesus Christ to the temple. The day is marked on February 2. Why did Google doodle showed animated cactus mom The Google's animated doodle represents the celebration of 'motherhood' and 'mothering' with a series of events related to a pregnant cactus and her milestones as a mother bearing baby cacti, looking after them and finally living family life with the grown up babies. It seems that Google chose the illustration of a cactus mom to show that a true mom's love is unconditional for the child even if the conditions are adverse. Coastal Andhra to get heavy rainfall in next 2-3 days: IMD ISRO's LVM3 to launch 36 satellites of UKs global communications network OneWeb on Oct 23 Lightning kills five Andhra farmers India ians-IANS By Ians English Vijayawada, May 14: Five farmers were killed after being struck by lightning in Andhra Pradesh's Anantapur district on Sunday, officials said. Three others were also injured in the incident which occurred in Kalugudu village in Gummagattu block. The farmers had taken shelter in some huts under a tree during rains. In another incident, two cows died of lightening in the same district. Cabinet minister Kalva Srinivasulu, who hails from the district, rushed to the village. He directed officials to provide all help to the families of the victims and ensure best treatment of the injured. IANS In UP 166 criminals killed in encounters in past five years: Yogi Martyr's family given AC, sofa only for show, taken back after CM's visit India oi-Vikas By Vikas It turns out that the Air Conditioner, sofa and carpet given to martyred BSF Head Constable Prem Sagar's family were only for Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath's visit, as the family is saying that all the items have now been taken back by the authorities. Prem Sagar's brother, Dayasagar told news agency ANI that officials took carpet, sofa and AC back soon after CM Adityanath left their residence in Uttar Pradesh's Deoria. "UP CM visited, AC,sofa,carpet were put in the room but officials took back everything after CM left," Dayasagar was quoted as saying. According to reports, the local administration in Deoria district, installed airconditioners, new curtains, sofas and carpets in the martyr's living room where the chief minister was to meet the family. A day before CM's visit, dusty roads in the village were cleaned and drains which always used to remain open in the village were closed. Head Constable Sagar was on patrol duty on May 1 along the Line of Control in Jammu and Kashmir's Poonch when Pakistan's Border Action Team (BAT) crossed the LoC and ambushed the patrol team. While taking cover, Head Constable Sagar and Naik Subedar Paramjeet Singh of the Army were left behind. They were killed and their bodies were mutilated. Head Constable Prem Sagar was from the 200th batallion of the BSF and Naik Subedar Paramjeet Singh was from the Army's 22 Sikh regiment. Head Constable Sagar's family had refused to cremate his body, insisting that Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath visit them. They agreed to hold the last rites after the Chief Minister spoke to them on May 3. [Yogi keeps his word, visits village of martyred BSF soldier] Adityanath visited martyr's family on Friday and presented a cheque for Rs. 4 lakh. He also reportedly promised employment to Sagar's children after completion of their studies The Chief Minister said a 'shaheed smarak' (martyr's memorial) and a girls' inter college will be set up in the village in the memory of Prem Sagar. OneIndia News For Breaking News and Instant Updates Allow Notifications Story first published: Sunday, May 14, 2017, 17:22 [IST] NCW sends notices to Amit Malviya, Digvijay Singh and Swara Bhasker for revealing identity of Hathras victim If Bengal fails to reply on complaints, will handover matter to MHA: NCW chief UP gangrape & murder: NCW meets victim's family, says not satisfied with police probe NCW calls for fair, speedy trial of Rohtak gang-rape case India ians-IANS By Ians English New Delhi, May 14: Taking suo motu cognisance of a brutal gang-rape in Haryana -- reminiscent of the 2012 Nirbhaya gang-rape case in Delhi, the National Commission for Women has sought a fair and speedy trial in the case, its Chairperson Lalitha Kumaramangalam said on Sunday. "We have written to officials concerned to ensure a speedy and fair inquiry. We have also sent a team to inquire into the matter," Kumaramangalam told IANS. Rohtak gang rape victim's kin will get financial assistance of Rs 10.5 lakh. State welfare dept to provide Rs 8.5 lakh, Red Cross Rs 2 lakh ANI (@ANI_news) May 14, 2017 In a savage crime reminiscent of the 2012 Nirbhaya gang-rape case in Delhi, a young woman from Haryana's Sonepat district was abducted, gang-raped and brutally murdered. The woman, aged around 23, went missing on May 9. Her body was found on the outskirts of Rohtak town early on Friday. Reminiscent of the December 16, 2012 Delhi gang rape, the rapists had inserted a sharp-edged weapon in her private parts. Police also said that sedatives were found in her stomach. Her head and face were smashed with a blunt object and later crushed under the wheels of a vehicle. Two men, including her neighbour Sumit who was stalking her, were arrested. Stray dogs had eaten the victim's face and lower portion of her body which was spotted by a passerby in a secluded area of the city in Haryana on May 11. The incident comes days after the Supreme Court upheld the death sentence awarded to four convicts in the December 16, 2012, Nirbhaya gang-rape case. IANS Indian origin doctor had predicted mammoth cyber attack called "WannaCry" International oi-Vicky By Vicky The world was hit by WannaCry, a ransomware. It would be interesting to note that a doctor of Indian origin had warned against the cyber-hack of the UK's state run National Health Service just a few days before it crippled the country's network. On Friday there were 75,000 ransomware attacks in 99 countries . Ransomeware attacks have been targeting organisations across the world. A majority of the attacks targeted Russia, Ukraine and Taiwan. The ransomware locks down all the files on an infected computer and asks the computer's administrator to pay in order to regain control of them. The ransomware, called "WannaCry," is spread by taking advantage of a Windows vulnerability that Microsoft released a security patch for in March. But computers and networks that haven't updated their systems are at risk. Dr Krishna Chinthapalli, a neurology registrar at the National Hospital for Neurology and Neurosurgery in London, had warned that an increasing number of hospitals could be shut down by ransomware attacks in an article on the vulnerability of the NHS network in the 'British Medical Journal' on Wednesday, two days before the major cyber-hack. He had highlighted an incident at Papworth Hospital near Cambridge where a nurse clicked on a malicious link and malware infected her computer and started to encrypt sensitive files. OneIndia News For Breaking News and Instant Updates Allow Notifications Story first published: Sunday, May 14, 2017, 8:52 [IST] North Korea launches ballistic missile International oi-IANS By Ians English Seoul, May 14: North Korea on Sunday launched a ballistic missile which flew around 700 km into the East Sea, the South Korean Joints Chief of Staff said. "North Korea fired an unidentified missile at around 5.27 am on Sunday from an area in the vicinity of Kusong, North Pyongan province." In response, President Moon has strongly condemned North Korea for the launch, describing it as a grave threat to regional security and a clear violation of the UN Security Council resolutions. He also called on Pyongyang to reverse its course of provocations for the resumption of dialogue while warning that his administration would deal resolutely in order to ensure it would not miscalculate the situation. "Even if dialogue is possible, we should show to North Korea that it's possible only in case of North Korea changing its attitude," Moon said, presiding over a session of the National Security Council. The US Pacific Command, based in Hawaii, also announced that it detected and tracked the launch of the missile, which landed in the East Sea. "The type of missile is being assessed, and the flight was not consistent with an intercontinental ballistic missile," it said. "The US Pacific Command is fully committed to working closely with our Republic of Korea and Japanese allies to maintain security." The Japanese government said the North's missile flew for half an hour. Prime Minister Shinzo Abe slammed Pyongyang for again violating the UN Security Council resolutions. IANS For Breaking News and Instant Updates Allow Notifications Story first published: Sunday, May 14, 2017, 11:15 [IST] 2008-2022 One News Page Ltd. All rights reserved. One News is a registered trademark of One News Page Ltd. Four thousand miles is a long way to go to turn on the lights. Matt Eisenmenger, along with 11 other employees of the Association of Illinois Electric Cooperatives, traveled to South America to do their job of providing electricity to families. As a safety instructor for the cooperative, Eisenmenger has a knowledge of how to electrify an area while at the same time keeping his employees safe. His knowledge was tested when the group arrived in a rural area of Bolivia. The Illinois linemen came from various areas including Bloomington, Paxton, Petersburg, Winchester, Jacksonville and Mount Vernon. They spent three weeks working alongside Bolivian linemen stringing electrical wire and other equipment from poles. The terrain was rough and dangerous, making progress slow. We put up nine miles of line, but it was 22 miles by road, Eisenmenger said. Both groups had different work techniques to get the job done. Their conflicts were amplified because of a language barrier. Duane Noland, President of Association of Illinois Electric Cooperatives, joined the group. This isn't Central Illinois landscape, he said. There are a lot of ravines and thousand-foot drop-offs. It is very rough terrain, he said. Although the work was hard under primitive conditions, the men were happy to have had the experience. They found an appreciation for home, and also a fondness for the people they were helping. Linemen have a tendency to be outdoorsy, independent, macho kind of guys. And their linemen were too, Noland said. Before we left, it was fun to watch our linemen and their linemen shaking hands and hugging. Through their sunglasses, you could see tears. Bolivia employs several thousand cooperative employees. However, they have only nine bucket trucks to use in a 950-mile area. Eisenmenger said most Illinois crews of less than five employees have two trucks available at any time. It is 14 hours from one side of the territory to the other, he said. While in Bolivia, the linemen often used ladders and ropes to climb an electrical pole. The wages are low, allowing the company to hire more people to do the manual labor. But they are happy to have the job, Eisenmenger said of his Bolivian co-workers. The rural area is located three hours from the largest nearby city of Santa Cruz. According to Noland, most areas do not have electricity. An occasional town will, but the rural areas do not, he said. Families live in primitive houses consisting of just one room. Toilets are flushed by pouring a bucket of water down the drain. Noland said many residents used telephones and laptops for school and marketing their farm produce. However, they had no nearby facility to charge them. They had to take public transportation to the next town just to charge their laptop, he said. Safety for the workers was another concern. According to the lineman, Bolivian safety practices are not as stringent as those in the United States. A few of the Illinois men chose not to participate during particularly dangerous situations. As part of their safety measures, Bolivian linemen have their names, dominant hand and their blood type embroidered on their shirts. You could be out in the middle of nowhere when you get hurt, Noland said. Although the men could not speak each others' language, they were given more opportunities to bond during leisure days. It was a three-mile walk to see a waterfall, Eisenmenger said. And we walked an hour an a half to see a rock that everybody carved in. When the work was finished, the residents and linemen had a ceremony to turn the lights on, complete with schoolchildren singing and performing skits and a ribbon cutting. They don't cut the ribbon, Noland said. They just pull the knot apart. NRECA National Rural Electric Cooperative Association has been sending volunteers from the United States to Bolivia and other countries as a way of paying back the help their ancestors received more than 70 years ago. According to the organization's website, the program began in the 1930s in the U.S. It was designed to provide electricity to farm communities across the country. The cooperatives are owned by members, similar to credit unions. By the 1960s, most farms were powered by electricity, but the cooperative wanted to continue the work of helping others. The cooperative in Bolivia was started by the cooperative from the United States, Noland said. Bolivia will need more help adding electrical outlets and wires to rural homes. American cooperatives have sent linemen to Bolivia from Missouri, Oklahoma and Arkansas for years and has plans to send crews from Illinois in the future. This group did the same thing in Bolivia that we did in 1936 in Illinois, Noland said. We just are giving back. Name: Katie Gross Occupation: Childrens Librarian at Decatur Public Library Age: 65 City of residence: Decatur How and why did you come to be a librarian in Decatur? Our family moved to Decatur from Virginia in 1985 so that I could accept the job as childrens librarian and my husband could go to graduate school (also in library science) at the U of I. I mentally made a two-year commitment, and here I am almost 32 years later! Decatur was a great place to raise three boys, (my husband) Arthur went on to be the A.V. librarian at DPL (since retired) and we put down roots! Whats the best and worst part of your job? Connecting kids and books and watching children become eager readers is very rewarding. Were building literacy, encouraging curiosity, and readers are gaining knowledge, understanding and empathy, more important than ever in todays world! The most frustrating part of the job is that I rarely accomplish even a third of the things I intend to do. Its certainly never boring! Favorite childrens book and why? Out of a multitude of favorites, one would be Newbery Medal winner "Bud, Not Buddy" by Christopher Paul Curtis. Bud, a motherless 10-year-old in Depression-era Flint, Michigan, runs away from an abusive foster home in search of a father he has never known. The reader will find adventure, mystery, laugh-aloud funny bits, and maybe shed a tear or two while rooting for the ever-so-likable Bud! My favorite fiction books take me inside a characters skin, mind and soul. Reading this one, I shed my older-white-librarian-who grew-up-in-Alabama persona, and become a young African-American boy on a quest in Michigan 25 years before I was even born. Though I came back to reality at the end, I still carry a little of Bud in my heart. Since you work with kids a lot: What lessons do you think adults could take from them? Kids live in the moment, without a lot of preconceived notions, and everything is fresh and new to them. Try to see the world through their unjaundiced eyes! What upcoming programs and opportunities at the Decatur Public Library should people know about? The annual summer reading program starts June 1. Read (or listen to) books and collect rewards! Generations of children have participated in this popular library program. Of course we hope the ultimate reward they take away is the pleasure of reading. Other rewards are a ticket to a performance of the new summer 17 READiculous show, and a paperback book from the Friends. New this summer will be the radio frequency identification system the library is busy installing, which will make it possible for people to easily check out their materials, which will then be instantly checked in upon return. Among other advantages, were hoping for no waiting lines and increased efficiency in getting materials back on the shelves. DECATUR Teaching Spanish is a lifelong calling that Maria Jacobs continues to answer, even five years after retiring. Jacobs taught Spanish for 42 years before she retired in 2012 from Johns Hill Magnet School, but she wasn't away from the classroom for long. Jacobs, who is from Cuba, began teaching her native language again to community members within a few weeks of retiring. She knows Decatur has a large Mexican population, having taught English as a Second Language, or ESL, classes to Hispanic students. She also knew teaching adults would be different. Children are not inhibited. They aren't afraid of making a mistake, and they pick it up quickly, she said. The adults are afraid of making a mistake. As an educator, Jacobs knows how to reach the adults, so she created an adult Spanish class at her church, Central Christian Church. Her students began to tell others creating further interest in the community. Michael Karunas, senior minister at the church, allowed Jacobs to begin the class shortly after her request. He knew the class would be beneficial to the entire community, not just his congregation. Learning another language is really important, he said. It is the best way to build bridges of understanding. The first class had 25 students. For the second semester, church added a second class for advanced students. The 12-week Spanish classes have continued to grow throughout the years. Jacobs promises her adult students no tests, no homework and no pressure. They want to be here and learn, she said. And we have fun. The free classes are offered on Thursday evening for beginners and Tuesday evening for advanced students. Most of her students are simply interested in learning, or relearning, a foreign language. A few of her students plan to travel to Spanish-speaking countries on mission trips. Others want to prepare for vacations to Spain, Mexico and Florida. That's like going to another country, Jacobs said. One of her students, Brad Cain, works for the state of Illinois and encounters several bilingual people. He believes being fluent in Spanish can help his career. Understanding a new language gives an opportunity for professional growth, he said. In teaching children as well as adults, Jacobs refers to the way she was taught English when she first moved to America in 1963. When I learned English, I learned a lot of songs, she said. That is one of the best ways to learn a new language, through music. Jacobs arrived in Miami, Fla., as a teenager from Cuba. She finished high school there and began teaching shortly after college. She met husband, Edwin, while teaching. They married in 1984. The couple along with their daughter, Vicki, lived in South Florida for another 10 years. When Hurricane Andrew hit the area in 1992, it destroyed their hometown of Homestead, Fla., and the church where he preached. Most of the people of the congregation left and never came back. After two years of struggling with Florida weather and a destroyed church, Edwin decided to leave the area. He was originally from Indiana, so he was a Yankee to begin with, Jacobs said of her husband. He said he had had it with hurricanes and he wanted to go home. Edwin was able to find a job as a minister at a Decatur church. After six years, he retired. Edwin passed away two years ago. His wife has made a home for herself in Decatur and doesn't plan to leave anytime soon. I have a lot of friends here, and I like the change of seasons, she said. I like the church; it is like my second family. Leslie Johnson worked with Jacobs at Johns Hill for three years. She learned a lot from her teacher before she retired. Johnson is also a ESL teacher. I have a lot of her former students in my class, Johnson said. She began taking the adult class from Jacobs as a refresher. She has fun in the Spanish class. Maria teaches us to have conversations with each other, Johnson said. But I can understand more Spanish than I can speak. Linda Helton is taking Jacob's advanced class on Tuesdays. She remembers the class from high school as being difficult. I was 14 the last time I used Spanish, I'm now 68, she said. She is picking it up quickly, Jacobs said. Mothers deserve more than a day every 12 months. Twenty-four hours isnt enough for such a daunting title with just three letters Mom. The website Salary.com calculates how much a mother would be paid if it were a paying gig: it works out to $143,102 a year in compensation for stay-at-home moms and $90,223 for working ones. That seems low for such an all-encompassing, 24/7 job. After all, what other job requires the diverse and demanding skills of judge, janitor, housekeeper, caregiver, teacher, grief counselor, fashion consultant, personal shopper, chauffer, therapist, chef, tutor, event planner, academic advisor, dish washer, nutritionist, tailor, nurse, laundry manager, referee and (on really bad days) plumber all in one shift, and occasionally all at the same time? Moms are dozens of unofficial titles, many taken for granted. And, that's only for the first 18 years. Motherhood doesnt end when a son or daughter hits 18. It's a lifetime investment. For non-moms, the job can seem overwhelming, simultaneously requiring both spines of steel, open hearts and the emotional improv skills of a Second City performer. As the abolitionist Harriet Beecher Stowe is quoted as saying, Most mothers are instinctive philosophers. Or to put another way, to quote the jurist Oliver Wendell Holmes: Youth fades, love droops, the leaves of friendship fall; a mothers secret hope outlives them all. Thats why moms get top billing above all others. Sure, dads and other family members do their part rearing families and keeping houses in order. And every family is a little different there are adopted families, mixed families, every other kind of family all with their own roles and dynamics, just as there are single moms, married moms, working moms and guardian moms who arent blood relatives. But by and large, there is one mom of the house, whether by birth or otherwise, who runs the show and has her hand on the controls. Theyre the ones juggling life in this hectic modern age. Theyre the ones with just the right tone, organizational skills and optimistic outlook to make this crazy world seem OK. That need doesnt go away when children become adults. The world needs moms. We all need them. Mary Towles Sasseen, of Henderson, Ky., gets credit for founding Mothers Day in the 1880s, although it seems curious it took that long for humans to realize we should recognize the everyday miracle that is motherhood. Society places so many unfair expectations on moms, along with countless sacrifices professional goals delayed, careers altered, dreams deferred. Moms carry the load, weather the storm and keep the faith. Every mom deserves to be honored this Mothers Day. And how should we show our appreciation? Flowers are nice. Cards never hurt. But a more appropriate gift might be two words that should be used liberally and frequently all year long: Thank you. Thank you for all you do, have done and will do, moms. Yours is a tough job. We cant imagine anyone else doing it. It has become evident that the Trump administration, and in many cases several states as well, are bent on turning this nations public school system into a private, for-profit enterprise. The choice of Betsy DeVos, an individual without a single day of public school on her resume, as our secretary of education has led us to expect a bleak future for our public schools. She has absolutely no experience for this position except as a supporter of vouchers and other public funding for private, parochial and for-profit institutions. Meanwhile, the public schools that have powered this countrys literacy rate to among the highest in the world have been neglected. It is time for the federal and state governments to boost public schools funding, not force them to fight with its private, unregulated and unaccountable competitor for the all too meager amount available. Gerald Gordon, Strawn Mrs. Matilda Amissah- Arthur , wife of the former Vice President of Ghana Kwesi AmissahArthur has taken it upon herself to help and continue to wiping away tears on the faces of less privileged in the society, particularly children. As part of helping the less privileged, Mrs. Amissah-Arthur has donated quantities of assorted fruits and food stuffs, medical equipment and some orthopedic materials to the staff and children of the Nsawam Orthopedic Training Centre in the Eastern Region. Mrs. Amissah-Arthur commended the hospital and staff for their good job and encouraged them to do more to ensure quality healthcare in the country. Giving a speech during her first visit to the Centre, Mrs. Amissah Arthur noted that her visit was upon a request by Father Campbell of the Christ the King Parish to assist the facility, that trains patients how to use their orthopedic appliances and young people to manufacture all the appliances needed by the physically challenged, leg braces and artificial limbs among others. As a crusader for environmental cleanliness, she also lauded the authorities for observing strict environmental cleanliness in the hospital. She further used the opportunity to acquaint herself with the services of the OTC. Sister-in-charge of the Center, Elizabeth Newman welcomed the former Veeps wife and her team during the visit to the Center. She is the Director Educator and administrator with over 25 years of experience in Ghana. Committed to improving the lives of the physically challenged and dedicated to helping each child reach their highest potential, she has been with the OTC since 1975 and responsible for the day to day management of the OTC and fundraising. Sister Newman also thanked her for her kind gesture especially in the area of providing resources for quality healthcare delivery in the country and urged her to continue with her good works. The Orthopedic Training Centre (OTC) was established by the Divine Word Missionaries in 1961. The primary purpose of the Centre is the rehabilitation of the physically challenged in Ghana and people from other countries. Source: Maxwell Okamafo Addo Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority. Featured Video The Minister of Energy, Hon. Boakye Agyarko on May 12, 2017 addressed the Committee of Ministers (COM) of the West African Gas Pipeline Project in Cotonou, Benin. The agenda of the meeting was to follow up on action points from the previous meeting held in Accra last year, provide feedback on WAGPs operational and financial issues as well as tariff issues and to finalize the Western Interconnection Agreement. The meeting was hosted by the Benin Minister of Energy, Water and Mines, Dona Jean-Claude Houssou and brought together senior government officials from Ghana, Nigeria and Togo as well as key stakeholders such as West African Gas Pipeline Authority (WAGPA) and West African Pipeline Company Limited (WAPCo). Proceedings were opened by Dona Jean-Claude Houssou. In his inaugural address, the Minister reinstated the importance of the project and urged for a fruitful deliberation. He further thanked his colleague Ministers present for taking time out of their busy schedule to honour the invitation. Hon. Boakye Agyarko, chairman of the COM, in his address tasked all member states to work together and help ensure that the project succeeds. We need to dedicate ourselves in ensuring that WAPCo survives he said. He further urged stakeholders to find common ground in resolving key issues such as reliable supply of gas and payment guarantee. Representative of the Nigerian Minister of state in charge of Petroleum Resources, Engr. Saidu A. Mohammed affirmed Nigerias commitment to the project. He emphasized that the Nigerian Government is working assiduously to ramp-up gas supply to about 70 mmscfd this year. According to Engr. Mohammed, the ramping up of gas supply will be achieved because the Nigerian Government is making headways in resolving onshore gas pipeline vandalization. The COM re-affirmed its commitment to the project and tasked WAPCo to look into expanding its business model. The Ministers expressed their profound gratitude to the people and Government of Benin, for the warm hospitality accorded to them and their delegation during their stay in Cotonou. Other dignitaries present were representatives from ECOWAS, Ghanas Ministry of Energy, N-Gas, WAGPA and WAPCo. Source: Peacefmonline.com Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority. Featured Video The ruling New Patriotic Party (NPP) and the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC) are trading blames over who is actually responsible for the ballooned judgments that have accrued at the Kumasi Metropolitan Assembly (KMA). Mr Osei Assibey Antwi the Kumasi Mayor late last week revealed that the Kumasi Metropolitan Assembly (KMA) is indebted to the tune of over Gh100 million. He further stated that beyond the Gh119,213,333.22 accumulated debt accued over many years, the assemblys judgment debt portfolio increased from Gh?6,427,287.75 to Gh?50,602,874.43 between October and December in 2016 alone when the then Ashanti regional minister John Alexander Ackon was acting. Many questions have been asked as to how the KMA managed to accrue such GH ?44million cedis debt in 3 months with an additional $3.5 million spent on the Rattray Park above what was initially approved. But a former government appointee of the assembly Francis Dodovi has taken the new administration of the cleaners describing their utterances as amateurish. According to him, the comments of the current mayor indicating that the former signed fake contracts smacks of childish talk and does not augur well for a better understanding of the issues at stake. He should stop talking like a class one pupil, and mention names of the previous mayors who signed fake contracts. Is it Samuel Sarpong, Kojo Bonsu, Madam Patricia Appiagyei or Maxwell Kofi Jumah, he should not hesitate to name and shame. He should also mention the companies which also signed fake contracts with the assembly, he fumed. Mr Dodovi challenged the new administration to back their claims that the debt portfolio of the assembly ballooned within three months of the former administration describing their comments as fabrications to dent the hard won reputation of Mr Kojo Bonsu the former Mayor. Source: mynewsgh.com Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority. Featured Video Last year we reported on the Redefine Women campaign: a movement thats trying to get Google to address the subtle sexism in its dictionary definitions. Not sure what were talking about? Have a butchers at this: Hey @google we think youd agree, this sounds straight from the 1950s! Help #redefinewomen @redefinewomen #womensequalityday #womensequalityday2016 A post shared by @redefinewomen on Aug 25, 2016 at 3:03pm PDT The campaign is run by two Aussie women, Georgia Patch and Kiah Nicholas. When we spoke to them last year, they told us: Redefine Women is about changing perceptions of women starting with definitions. We realised that definitions were reinforcing prejudices against women [and] knew we had to do something. We perceive Google as a progressive company, and were reaching out to them for help. Theyre an aggregator, we know theyre not the ones publishing [the definitions]. But theyre so powerful, I think together we can make a big change. Welp, the big change is afoot. Google have started addressing the gendered example sentences that pop up when you type in words like conniving, flighty, promiscuous, shrill basically a whole lot of words that are often used to denigrate or dismiss women. Check it out: the example sentence for conniving used to be a heartless and conniving woman. Now: And while shrill used to have the eye roll-inducing example of the rising shrill of womens voices, it now reads: Even promiscuous has been changed from shes a wild, promiscuous, good-time girl to promiscuous teenagers and the city fathers were promiscuous with their honours. Nice one, Google. Microaggressions like these make a big difference in peoples subconscious biases, and moving towards gender-neutral definitions is always going to be a good thing. Now lets do hysterical, yeah? Source: Redefine Women. Cassie Sainsburys fiance Scott Broadbridge arrived in Colombia on Friday, local time, but has yet to see her, having been turned away from prison during an attempt to visit. Footage obtained by Nine News shows Broadbridge outside the El Buen Pastor prison on Saturday morning, the day allocated for male visitors. He attempted to gain entry to the facility with the help of several representatives, and though they negotiated for around half an hour, he was ultimately not allowed inside. It is understood that an issue concerning paperwork may have held him up, and this means that Monday is now the earliest that he will be allowed to visit the 22-year-old. Fiance of Cassandra Sainsbury is still waiting to be reunited with his partner after he was refused entry to the Colombian jail. #9News pic.twitter.com/93SEZDX0Uc Nine News Australia (@9NewsAUS) May 13, 2017 Broadbridge continues to maintain his fiancees innocence, and told reporters in Australia: I will support her no matter how long this takes. Cass and I are engaged to be married and I intend to marry her. Sainsburys mother and sister are expected to visit her on Sunday, the day set aside for female visitors. They were earlier seen trying to communicate with her by shouting over a prison moat. Source: Nine News. Photo: Facebook. As a student in a rural, economically-disadvantaged area, I thought all schools were just like mine. My high school had one science laboratory for the entire school. We used an outdoor building as a classroom that was intended to be temporary, but is still in use today. The building lacked air conditioning, so large utility fans were placed at each end of the hallway. Surely, every other school was just the same. It was not until our school district was in the newspaper because the publication date of our textbooks was so old that I realized how underfunded my school truly was. As a student, I was offended and knew it was not right, but there was nothing I could do about it. I now teach in a district that is financially very different from the one in which I grew up. We have well-kept school buildings and our middle school is looked to by others as a School to Watch. We have a science lab for each of the grade levels in our middle school and our building is air conditioned. When I was still new to teaching in the district, I signed my science students up for a building design competition at the University of Illinois. On competition day, we were bursting with pride as we loaded the projects onto the bus. As kids from wealthier districts wheeled their projects in on carts and used cordless power drills to open the crates, the looks on my students faces quickly changed from pride to defeat. My students did not place in the competition, but I felt more horrible for them because the projects they had worked so hard to complete had now become objects of shame. I realized that the financial differences I thought I had left behind in high school were still a factor. Even though the school where I was teaching was far better off than the high school I attended, there were still schools that were able to spend double the money per student. If were to ensure that every student in Illinois has access to quality education, we must level the playing field. For this to happen, our lawmakers must commit to pass legislation that guarantees equitable funding. The two current bills in the legislature, HB2808 and SB1, have the power to do this. Both bills use as their basis the evidence-based models that consider the needs of the students and a districts ability to fund their education. The disparities I have observed and experienced in education funding are clearly evidenced in the per-pupil spending made by districts around the state. Based on the Illinois State Board of Educations Evidence Based Model Calculations for 2017, the school where I teach in Monticello is one of only four schools in our legislative district, Senate district 51, being funded at full adequacy, with many of the schools in our area are funded between 60 percent and 80 percent adequacy. The school district I grew up in, North Clay, is being funded at 60 percent adequacy. In comparison, there are some districts in the state spending over 200 percent of the adequacy target. My students learned a lot by competing in the science competition. Had our access to materials matched their level of understanding, my students still may not have won the competition, but they would have been proud of their entry and carried that pride back into the classroom. Funding inequity doesnt have to continue. Student learning should not be constrained by their schools access to materials. All students in our state are capable of greatness and they should be provided with the tools they need to achieve it, regardless of their schools ZIP code. Overnight, around 40 patrons were evacuated from the Perseverance Hotel in Fitzroy, Melbourne, after a noxious substance believed to be capsicum spray was released on the dancefloor. Police were responding to reports of a minor assault at the Brunswick Street venue at around 1am, when people nearby began to complain of shortness of breath. Up to a dozen of those evacuated were treated by paramedics, and one woman was hospitalised. Police believe an unidentified woman might have released the spray after being hassled by a number of men on the dance floor. Senior Sergeant Steve Mills told media: Ultimately what weve determined is that a girl might have been approached and hassled a bit by a couple of blokes in the hotel and shes used some sort of personal spray that shes had. But we dont know that for sure, neither the girl nor the two blokes who were apparently sprayed came forward. Mills noted that police now use capsicum foam rather than spray, because gases have the potential to spread and injure innocent bystanders, especially in older buildings with recirculation for air conditioning. He added: Im assuming the girl who did it felt genuinely scared. Its important to note that those sorts of things are illegal, although I sympathise with her for using it. Source: ABC News. Photo: Instagram. In this Friday, May 5, 2017 photo, a general view, foreground, of the Ein el-Hilweh Palestinian refugee camp near the southern port city of Sidon, Lebanon. On Monday, Palestinians mark 69 years since hundreds of thousands of them were forced from their homes during the 1948 war that led to the creation of Israel. Palestinians in Lebanon suffer discrimination in nearly every aspect of daily life, feeding a desperation that is tearing their community apart. (AP Photo/Bilal Hussein) New Braunfels, TX (78130) Today Partly cloudy skies this evening. A few showers developing late. Low 67F. Winds SSE at 10 to 20 mph. Chance of rain 30%.. Tonight Partly cloudy skies this evening. A few showers developing late. Low 67F. Winds SSE at 10 to 20 mph. Chance of rain 30%. Local clerks report slightly down percentages in voter turnout Nearly 75,000 people in five Northern Michigan counties had their ballots counted, according to clerks' unofficial election results. There was no mistaking the intent with the word JUROR emblazoned in red. I'd been summoned for duty and not for the first time; only now I decided to give new thought as to how to answer one of the standard, preliminary questions: "Would you be more likely to believe the testimony of a police officer or any other law enforcement officer because of his or her job?" On prior occasions, my answer has been a reflexive "yes," but a lot has happened since I was last commanded to appear. The video age gave me pause before answering that question, but did not delay my response to the follow-up, which asked whether I would be less likely to believe the word of a cop. On that I remain an emphatic "no." It's worth noting that the widespread use of video has not increased the conviction of cops in cases of alleged manslaughter or murder. In fact, videotape has often exonerated police officers, and in some high-profile cases where video played a role, charges were never brought, such as the 2014 killing of Michael Brown by Officer Darren Wilson in Ferguson, Mo. Wilson was not charged after investigations by both a state grand jury and the Justice Department. Video also played a role in the evaluation of the Eric Garner case on Staten Island, N.Y. Garner was placed in a chokehold after selling loose cigarettes. There were no charges filed against police concerning Garner's death. And in Ohio, a grand jury watched an enhanced video of the arrival of Cleveland police responsible for the killing of 12-year-old Tamir Rice. Again, no charges. In Baltimore, six police were charged in connection with the death of Freddie Gray. There, video captured him being dragged to the police van but not what happened inside. Three cops were acquitted at trial; charges against three others were dismissed. But two weeks ago, and for the first time since Ferguson raised awareness, a police officer pleaded guilty based largely on what was captured on video. Former North Charleston, S.C., police officer Michael Slager pleaded guilty to civil rights charges for shooting Walter Scott five times in the back. Scott ran after being pulled over for a broken taillight. To be clear, the combination of these instances has not made me think less of police they've just made me think more deeply about whether my prior position of giving them an edge in testimony was proper. The data suggest I've not been alone in giving that benefit. Since 2004, Philip Stinson, a former cop-turned-associate professor of criminal justice at Bowling Green University, has been tracking what he refers to as "police crime." He told me that police officers get arrested in this country about 1,100 times each year (everything from shoplifting to murder). Stinson said data from 2015-16 show that about 1,000 people are shot and killed by on-duty officers annually and that it's rare for a police officer to be charged with murder or manslaughter resulting from an on-duty shooting. "By my count, since the beginning of 2005, there have only been 80 police officers across the country charged with murder or manslaughter resulting from an on-duty shooting," he said. The dispositions (current as of today) of the criminal cases for those 80 officers are: 29 convicted, 31 not convicted, and 20 still pending (which include a few with mistrials awaiting retrial). Of the 31 non-convictions, 48 percent were acquitted at a jury trial. "Here is what I have concluded from all of this: It seems that jurors are very reluctant to second-guess the split-second life-or-death decisions made by an on-duty police officer who decided to use deadly force in a violent street encounter," Stinson said. "Something happens behind the closed doors of the jury room during deliberations, and jurors just don't want to convict an officer in these cases. Jurors seem to give the benefit of every doubt to the defendant/officer." But are those numbers in decline? It's tough to say. Brian J. McMonagle, who is on Bill Cosby's defense team, told me he still sees a greater number of prospective jurors more inclined to believe police, but conceded that his representation of the Fraternal Order of Police might "shape his opinion somewhat." Veteran criminal defense attorney William J. Brennan said he has seen a change in the responses to these questions. "In 2016 I represented a Caucasian Philadelphia police officer charged with threatening an African American in front of Pat's Steaks and using the N-word repeatedly," Brennan said. "I can tell you the pool of jurors and their responses to the questionnaire gave me great pause while picking the jury." Locally, no data are kept that allow a determination as to whether fewer are inclined to give cops the benefit of the doubt, but here's a snapshot: Last week, plaintiff's trial lawyer Tom Kline, of the firm Kline & Specter, where I am of counsel, picked a jury in Philadelphia concerning a medical-device product-liability case. Kline told me that among his 60 prospective jurors, nine said they'd be more likely to believe an officer, and six said they'd be less likely. There was gender and employment balance in both those responses. The men more likely to believe a cop included a teacher, a letter carrier, a retired police officer, a bus mechanic, and a retiree. The women were a social worker, a cashier, a word processor, and an underwriter assistant. The men less likely to believe a police officer were a marketing employee, a teacher, and a custodian. The women less likely were a social worker, a business service representative, and an IT worker. Former Philadelphia Commissioner Charles Ramsey feels differently. "I am biased toward police, so I would give greater weight to their testimony," he told me. Ramsey said that part of his bias is based in his belief that cops "see things normal persons don't see," but he did acknowledge instances where police have not been honest on the stand and cited the work of the Innocence Project. He also told me that when he was a young cop, together with his partner, he made many "gun pinches" but only once saw the butt of a gun. That's why he's often circumspect in disputed shootings when there is such an alleged sighting. Still, he said that he'd make an assumption that the law enforcement officers were being truthful, while not surrendering to naivete. I'll be at the courthouse in a few weeks. And committed to treating everyone as equals. Michael Smerconish can be heard 9 a.m. to noon on SiriusXM's POTUS Channel 124. He hosts Smerconish at 9 a.m. Saturdays on CNN. The criminal justice pendulum swung in an unexpected direction with the indictment of District Attorney Seth Williams on corruption charges. With Democrats holding an overwhelming voter registration edge in the city, that raises the stakes in Tuesday's primary to choose the party's nominee to replace Williams. Among an impressive field that includes a judge who resigned to run for the office, four former assistant district attorneys, a former federal prosecutor, and a civil rights defense attorney, RICH NEGRIN stands out. His background and reputation make him better prepared to restore the office's dignity. Negrin is a former assistant district attorney who built his administrative chops as managing director for Mayor Michael Nutter. He is well prepared to manage a $52 million budget and 594-employee department. Negrin's independence from the oligarchy known as the city Democratic Party should help him keep his promise to go after corruption. But his first job, if elected, will be to improve morale in an office that was battered by Williams' indictment for allegedly taking gifts in exchange for favors. Negrin also has a deep emotional understanding of what it means to be a crime victim. At age 13, he witnessed his father's murder by a Cuban terrorist group. Beth Grossman, another former assistant district attorney, is unopposed in the Republican primary. In the primary for city controller REBECCA RHYNHART, a former city treasurer, would bring a fresh perspective to an office adequately run by Alan Butkovitz for nearly 12 years. Rhynhart's past roles as city budget director and chief administrative officer should give her powerful insight in monitoring how the city spends its taxpayers' dollars. Count Rhynhart as a member of the city's growing cadre of enthusiastic policy wonks who have figured out the best way to achieve good government is to be a part of it. Like Negrin, she hasn't been part of the old Democratic Party guard, which should ensure the independence needed to ignore petty politics and keep an eye on the public's money. Republican Mike Tomlinson, a certified public accountant, is unopposed in the Republican primary. Two questions are also on Tuesday's ballot: The first rather innocuously asks: "Shall the Philadelphia Home Rule Charter be amended to allow award of certain contracts based on best value to the City?" Sounds reasonable until you realize "best value" doesn't necessarily mean "lowest bid." The question assumes it is impossible to write bid specifications to ensure both value and price. The city already has the power to demand quality work from contractors and fire them for poor performance. Vote No. The second ballot question asks for a charter change to create a Community Reinvestment Commission, which would include representatives of the public, private, and philanthropic sectors who would create strategies to improve low-income neighborhoods. Seems like it shouldn't take a charter change to create a committee for that purpose. But the goal is worthy of a YES vote. Also on the primary ballot are elections to fill seats on the state Supreme, Superior, and Commonwealth courts, and the city's Common Pleas and municipal courts. For guidance, voters can refer to the recommendations of the Pennsylvania Bar Association (www.pabar.org) and Philadelphia Bar Association (www.philadelphiabar.org). Monaco have had an astounding season. They are on course to win their first French league title since 2000. When you consider they finished 31 points behind PSG last season, it is an amazing turnaround. On top of their domestic success, they also managed to reach the Champions League semi-final for the first time since 2004. It is a special time for the Monegasques. However, the vultures are circling, aiming to capture their best players. Monaco are gearing up for a big summer break up, and with that in mind, we take a look at four of their stars likely to leave this summer, where they might go and how much it will likely cost to prize them away. Thomas Lemar Signed from Caen in 2015, Lemar is the latest French midfielder taking the world by storm. Despite being only 21, he has already received two caps for France and has been a key figure for Monaco this season. He plays primarily on the left flank and is a super set-piece taker and an incredible dribbler. Lemar is a real talent and will be coveted by many top European sides. Both the Mirror and ESPN claim that Arsenal have earmarked him as their number one transfer target. The Mirror notes that they would want a fee well more than 30 million euros but with Alexis Sanchez likely to leave, dont be surprised to see Arsenal put in a bid. Bernardo Silva The stylish Portuguese attacking midfielder joined Monaco from Benfica in 2015 and has come on leaps and bounds since then. The 22-years-old has 21 goals in 83 Monaco games and still has plenty of playing time left in him to improve even further. Silva has been linked with a number of clubs, but Frances Le10Sport have strongly linked him with both of the Manchester clubs as well as Real Madrid. Concerning the cost, The Independent state that he would cost at least 60 million and suggest that Jose Mourinhos side are favourites to capture him. Benjamin Mendy Great fullbacks are very hard to come by at the moment with many of the big clubs looking to improve in that position this summer. Mendy has been superb at left back for Monaco this season and at only 22-years-old will continue to grow into a world class fullback. He is an excellent passer, very pacey and a fantastic crosser with 8 assists this season. He is the perfect modern fullback who can both attack and defend well. As with Bernardo, he has been mentioned as a target for both Manchester United and City by the Manchester Evening News (MEN.) MEN goes on to suggest that Monaco would want around 65 million, a world record fee for a full-back. If that price tag doesnt come down, then Monaco could hold onto him but if he puts in a transfer request then expect him to line up outside France next season. Leonardo Jardim Not strictly a player but very much one of the Monegasques jewels, Monacos manager has done a stellar job. He has had to deal with owner Dmitry Rybolovlev scaling back his spending on the club as well as losing top players like James Rodriguez and Anthony Martial to bigger sides. Despite all the challenges, he has managed to craft a team with devastating attacking powers scoring a nearly incredible 98 goals in just 35 league games. Telefoot have reported that Arsenal have made Jardim their number one target if Arsene Wenger leaves this summer, they also note Inter Milans interest. He is under contract until 2019, so there would likely be some kind of compensation involved, but that would be unlikely to keep the interested parties away. If Monaco do win the title, it is hard to see Jardim taking them any further and if the Arsenal job does become available, expect to see the Portuguese manager in London. If not, and if Inter fail in their attempts to capture Conte or Simeone, then the clubs new owners will likely turn to Jardim. Facebook Twitter Pinterest Email Print By Jeremy Wagstaff and Eric Auchard SINGAPORE/FRANKFURT (Reuters) A global cyber attack described as unprecedented in scale forced a major European automaker to halt some production lines while hitting schools in China and hospitals in Indonesia on Saturday, though it appeared to die down a day after its launch. Capitalizing on spying tools believed to have been developed by the U.S. National Security Agency, the cyber assault has infected tens of thousands of computers in nearly 100 countries, with Britains health system suffering the worst disruptions. Cyber extortionists tricked victims into opening malicious malware attachments to spam emails that seemed to contain invoices, job offers, security warnings and other legitimate files. Once inside the targeted network, so-called ransomware made use of recently revealed spy tools to silently infect other out-of-date machines without any human intervention. This, security experts said, marked an unprecedented escalation in the risk of fresh attacks spreading in the coming days and weeks. The ransomware encrypted data on the computers, demanding payments of $300 to $600 to restore access. Researchers observed some victims paying via the digital currency bitcoin, though no one knows how much may have been transferred to extortionists because of the largely anonymous nature of such transactions. Researchers with security software maker Avast said they had observed 126,534 ransomware infections in 99 countries, with Russia, Ukraine and Taiwan the top targets. The hackers, who have not come forward to claim responsibility or otherwise been identified, took advantage of a worm, or self-spreading malware, by exploiting a piece of NSA spy code known as Eternal Blue that was released last month by a hackers group known as the Shadow Brokers, according to researchers with several private cyber security firms. Renault said it had halted auto production at several sites including Sandouville in northwestern France and Renault-owned Dacia plants in Romania on Saturday to prevent the spread of ransomware in its systems. Nissans manufacturing plant in Sunderland, northeast England, was also affected by the cyber assault though there has been no major impact on our business, a spokesman for the Japanese carmaker said.German rail operator Deutsche Bahn [DBN.UL] said some electronic signs at stations announcing arrivals and departures were infected, with travelers posting pictures showing some bearing a message demanding a cash payment to restore access. UNPRECEDENTED ATTACK EASES Europols European Cybercrime Center said it was working closely with country investigators and private security firms to combat the threat and help victims. The recent attack is at an unprecedented level and will require a complex international investigation to identify the culprits, it said in a statement. Some experts said the threat had receded for now, in part because a British-based researcher, who declined to give his name, registered a domain that he noticed the malware was trying to connect to, and so limited the worms spread. We are on a downward slope, the infections are extremely few, because the malware is not able to connect to the registered domain, said Vikram Thakur, principal research manager at Symantec. The numbers are extremely low and coming down fast. But the attackers may yet tweak the code and restart the cycle. The researcher in Britain widely credited with foiling the ransomwares proliferation told Reuters he had not seen any such tweaks yet, but they will (happen). Researchers said the worm deployed in the latest attack, or similar tools released by Shadow Brokers, are likely to be used for fresh assaults not just with ransomware but other malware to break into firms, seize control of networks and steal data. Finance chiefs from the Group of Seven rich countries were to commit on Saturday to joining forces to fight the growing threat of international cyber attacks, according to a draft statement of a meeting they are holding in Italy. Appropriate economy-wide policy responses are needed, the ministers said in their draft statement, seen by Reuters. HOSPITALS IN FIRING LINE In Asia, some hospitals, schools, universities and other institutions were affected, though the full extent of the damage is not yet known because it is the weekend. I believe many companies have not yet noticed, said William Saito, a cyber security adviser to Japans government. Things could likely emerge on Monday as staff return to work. Chinas information security watchdog said a portion of Windows systems users in the country were infected, according to a notice posted on the official Weibo page of the Beijing branch of the Public Security Bureau on Saturday. Xinhua state news agency said some secondary schools and universities were hit. In Vietnam, Vu Ngoc Son, a director of Bkav Anti Malware, said dozens of cases of infection had been reported there, but he declined to identify any of the victims. South Koreas Yonhap news agency reported a university hospital had been affected, while a communications official in Indonesia said two hospitals there had been hit. The most disruptive attacks were reported in Britain, where hospitals and clinics were forced to turn away patients after losing access to computers on Friday. International shipper FedEx Corp said some of its Windows computers were also breached. We are implementing remediation steps as quickly as possible, a FedEx statement said. Telecommunications company Telefonica was among many targets in Spain. Portugal Telecom and Telefonica Argentina both said they were also targeted. Only a small number of U.S.-headquartered organizations were hit because the hackers appear to have begun the campaign by focusing on targets in Europe, said Thakur. By the time they turned their attention to the United States, spam filters had identified the new threat and flagged the ransomware-laden emails as malicious, he added. MICROSOFT BOLSTERS WINDOWS DEFENCES Private security firms identified the ransomware as a new variant of WannaCry that had the ability to automatically spread across large networks by exploiting a known bug in Microsofts Windows operating system. This is one of the largest global ransomware attacks the cyber community has ever seen, said Rich Barger, director of threat research with Splunk, one of the firms that linked WannaCry to the NSA. The Shadow Brokers released Eternal Blue as part of a trove of hacking tools that they said belonged to the U.S. spy agency. The attack targeted Windows computers that had not installed patches released by Microsoft in March, or older machines running software that Microsoft no longer supports and for which patches did not exist, including the 16-year-old Windows XP system, researchers said. Microsoft said it pushed out automatic Windows updates to defend existing clients from WannaCry. It had issued a patch on March 14 to protect them from Eternal Blue. Late on Friday, Microsoft also released patches for a range of long discontinued software, including Windows XP and Windows Server 2003. Today our engineers added detection and protection against new malicious software known as Ransom:Win32.WannaCrypt, Microsoft said in a statement on Friday, adding it was working with customers to provide additional assistance. POLITICALLY SENSITIVE TIMING The spread of the ransomware capped a week of cyber turmoil in Europe that began when hackers posted a trove of campaign documents tied to French candidate Emmanuel Macron just before a run-off vote in which he was elected president of France. On Wednesday, hackers disrupted the websites of several French media companies and aerospace giant Airbus. The hack happened four weeks before a British general election in which national security and the management of the state-run National Health Service are important issues. Authorities in Britain have been braced for cyber attacks in the run-up to the election, as happened during last years U.S. election and on the eve of the French run-off vote on May 7. But those attacks blamed on Russia, which has repeatedly denied them followed a different modus operandi involving penetrating the accounts of individuals and political organizations and then releasing hacked material online. On Friday, Russias interior and emergencies ministries, as well as its biggest bank, Sberbank, said they were targeted by ransomware. The interior ministry said about 1,000 computers had been infected but it had localized the virus. Although cyber extortion cases have been rising for several years, they have to date affected small- to mid-sized organizations. Seeing a large telco like Telefonica get hit is going to get everybody worried, said Chris Wysopal, chief technology officer with cyber security firm Veracode. (Additional reporting by Kiyoshi Takenaka, Jim Finkle, Eric Auchard, Jose Rodriguez, Alistair Smout, Andrea Shalal, Jack Stubbs, Antonella Cinelli, Dustin Volz, Kate Holton, Andy Bruce, Michael Holden, David Milliken, Rosalba OBrien, Julien Toyer, Tim Hepher, Luiza Ilie, Patricia Rua, Axel Bugge, Sabine Siebold and Eric Walsh, Engen Tham, Fransiska Nangoy, Soyoung Kim, Mai Nguyen; editing by Mark Heinrich) Facebook Twitter Pinterest Email Print By David Shepardson and Mark Hosenball WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. Homeland Security officials met with major U.S. airlines and a trade group to discuss the impact of possibly expanding a ban on large electronic gadgets on planes to flights from some European airports, three sources briefed on the meeting said. The afternoon meeting included high level executives from Delta Air Lines Inc , United Airlines Inc , American Airlines Group Inc and trade group Airlines for America, the sources said. They requested anonymity because they were not authorized to publicly discuss the confidential meeting. The airlines and group declined to comment. In March, the United States announced laptop restrictions on flights originating from 10 airports including in the United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, Qatar and Turkey because of fears that a concealed bomb could be installed in electronic devices taken onto aircraft. Britain quickly followed suit with restrictions on a slightly different set of routes. The Trump administration is likely to include some European countries in the in-cabin ban on gadgets larger than cellphones and is reviewing how to ensure lithium batteries stored in luggage do not explode in midair, Reuters reported on Wednesday. Homeland Security spokesman David Lapan declined to discuss the meeting. He said on Wednesday that no final decision had been made on expanding the restriction and there would be no announcement on Thursday. One issue that had been expected to come up at the meeting was how much advance notice airlines would get to impose additional restrictions, which some airline officials say would require hiring more staff. In 2016, 30 million people flew to the United States from Europe, according to U.S. Transportation Department data. A broader ban would have a significant impact U.S. and European carriers, which are concerned about the challenges of checking large numbers of devices. Some U.S. and European airlines have been planning for a wider ban, industry officials have told Reuters. Earlier Thursday, Homeland Security Secretary John Kelly met with senators from relevant oversight committees in a secure Capitol Hill facility to deliver a classified briefing to discuss numerous security issues "including threats to aviation," Lapan said. A congresional official said it appeared that Homeland Securitiy was likely to expand the ban soon, but did not say when or to what airports. Kelly said last month the ban was likely to expand, given the sophisticated threats in aviation and intelligence findings that would-be attackers were trying to hide explosives in electronic devices. (Reporting by David Shepardson; Editing by Yara Bayoumy and Richard Chang) Satik Achikyan, whos produced a line of confectionery for years, has decided to leave Armenia and continue the business overseas. She says that supermarkets, the main market players now, have shut their doors to them. Taxes are too high as well, Achikyan complains. Achikyan was born in Gavar, a town in the countrys Gegharkunik Province. She believes the gatah (round pastry) she makes, sold under the Gavar brand, is the highlight of her confectionery line. Eight years ago, she opened a small plant in Yerevan and started producing her pastries. Inviting some women from Gavar to work with her, the new business was christened Satenik Confectionery. "During the first 6 years, we achieved continuous growth. However, production volumes have drastically dropped during the last two years. The decline is so big that even the turnover tax requirement does not apply to us any longer. We used to produce from 500 kg to 1 ton of pastry. Today, its not more than 50 kg. I halted producing this January. Ive leased the business. They still use my name and brand. They work in small quantities. The market was closed to us. Supermarkets shut their doors on us, because we were not able to provide VAT invoices. In addition, the supermarkets saw the success of our items and started to produce the same, pushing us out of the market, '' says Achikyan. She says that years ago they collaborated with all the major supermarkets and stores. Today, they only deal with one supermarket and some small shops. "Do you want an honest opinion? Taxes are too high, thats why people tend to do business on the sly, without declaring income. Supermarkets claim they cannot work with us because we do not provide VAT invoices. They tell us to go and deal with small companies like ours. And who are those small ones? Small shops are not allowed to breathe; they are closing one after another. " Satenik Confectionery and other companies are paying turnover tax. But supermarkets asked them to move to VAT-paying, saying that they are now required to receive the necessary documents from the suppliers. This assumes an additional tax burden for small companies. On the other hand, supermarkets have started to produce similar goods of the same quality, and they refuse to buy from small suppliers any longer. Satik Achikyan plans to move to Germany and start working there. She wants to take her employees with her. When asked about her expectations from the Armenian government, the businesswoman replied: "I do not have any hope. I knocked on so many doors. None were opened. Im selling all my assets to move. The business I created in my own kitchen is closing. Why? Because they dont sit down with us to discuss our problems. We are told from on high to go and find solutions with the companies not selling our product, in other words supermarket managers. Facebook Twitter Pinterest Email Print The following post, written by The Rev. Robert A. Franek, is a part of Politicus Policy Discussion, in which writers draw connections between real lives and public policy. Following the firing of FBI Director James Comey and Donald Trumps tweets and television interviews on the matter combined with what his administration has said over the past week related to this action, the country has entered an unprecedented constitutional crisis. The rule of law that is foundational and essential to our democracy is being challenged in ways never before seen by a man who proves on a daily basis that he knows nothing about and is unfit to hold the office to which he won the electoral college vote, a matter even he still cant fully believe but nonetheless never stops including in his speeches. Donald Trumps continued attacks on our democracy from his assaults on the media and judges to his unconstitutional executive orders and contempt for women and minorities and now possibly including the obstruction of justice cannot be ignored and must be given the necessary attention such atrocious behavior deserves. Still the past one hundred plus days of this administration have not only been a constant battering to the fabric of our democracy but a neglect to the needs of the poor and vulnerable as well. When the attacks of this administration and the blind eye of accountability by the Republicans in Congress are so frequent and strike to the heart of our democracy there is not time or energy for the much needed work of improving the lives of people through public policies that serve the socio-economic well-being of people and the common good of the country. The inability to address income inequality through raising the minimum wage and assuring equal work receives equal pay continues to keep many trapped in the cycle of poverty and discrimination. Being occupied with Donald Trumps tweet storms and flurry of Executive Orders means there isnt time or opportunity to address comprehensive criminal justice and immigration reforms. For now, it is simply a victory to stop his bigoted travel bans. Public marches and rallies in defense of existing health care provisions such as coverage for preexisting conditions and no lifetime limits along with taking to the streets to fight for science and environmental health, is taking much needed energy and political will away from eradicating homelessness and hunger. Nevertheless, it is no small thing to fight for the lives of tens of millions of people at risk for losing their health care coverage and therefore their lives. It is sad that the fight must be to keep what is already guaranteed rather than to make the coverage better and more affordable for all. These issues along with other needed policies for the betterment of society like affordable college tuition for all and job programs to retrain people for a green economy demand the attention of the nation. However, when the fundamentals of a free press and the rule of law are being attacked and the very fabric of our democracy that guarantees every person the right to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness is on line everything from addressing income inequality and comprehensive criminal justice reform to working to end homelessness and make college affordable for all are tragically put on hold. This constitutional crisis is also a moral one, not only because it goes to the heart and soul of our democracy and the fundamentals of the rule of law and the inherent equality and dignity of all people, but also because this crisis in governing is taking time and resources away from the crises faced by people in their daily lives whether in their homes or workplaces, courts or clinics. Its Mothers Day and I cant help but think of all the mothers who fear losing access to health care through Planned Parenthood clinics, who are paid too little for the work that they do, who struggle to provide food, clothes, shelter, and medicine for their children, who suffer the trauma of abusive relationships, and who rise up every day fighting to make this world a better place for their children. Our Happy Mothers Day wishes this year need to be accompanied with the will and determination to resolve our countrys constitutional crisis that the varied and daily crises of mothers, women, minorities and all the poor and vulnerable may be addressed through substantive public policies that will transform their lives for the better and thus enhance the common good of the country overall. Facebook Twitter Pinterest Email Print In the first clear sign that the Russia scandal is impacting Trump with his own supporters, 78% of Americans want a special prosecutor or a select committee to investigate Trump and Russia. NBC News reported on the latest NBC News/WSJ Poll, And asked if they prefer Congress or an independent commission or special prosecutor to investigate Russias involvement, just 15 percent pick Congress, while 78 percent support an independent commission or special prosecutor. Trumps overall approval rating is 39%, but the number of Americans who support the Republican plan of letting Congress handle the investigation is only 15%. Since most of Trumps approval comes from Republicans, the difference in these two numbers suggests that there are a sizable number of Republicans out there who support Trump, but want a special prosecutor to investigate the Russia scandal. If the Republican base is moving away from Trump, it is easy to see a situation unfolding where members of Congress will have to follow suit. The firing of James Comey made it exponentially more difficult for Congressional Republicans to protect this president. When Trump fired Comey, he crossed a line. People on all sides of the political spectrum are beginning to unify around a desire for answers. When even rank and file Republicans are stepping away from Trump, it is the strongest evidence yet that his presidency is truly in peril. Facebook Twitter Pinterest Email Print During an interview with Trump Secretary of State Rex Tillerson, Meet The Press host Chuck Todd confronted Tillerson directly about the Trump administrations refusal to talk to Russia about their interference in the 2016 election, and it was what Tillerson didnt say that spoke volumes about Trumps guilt. Video: Transcript via Meet The Press: CHUCK TODD: Can you get on a better footing with them if you dont address this issue of the Russian interference? I mean your counterpart, the Russian foreign minister, Mr. Lavrov, said that you guys didnt even talk about this issue of Russian interference in our election because, as he put it, President Trump himself says its fake news, so its not an issue. Why havent you brought it up with them? SECRETARY REX TILLERSON: Well, Chuck, I think we have such a broad range of important issues that have to be addressed in the U.S.-Russia relationship. Obviously the interference in the election is one of those. I think its been well documented, its pretty well understood, the nature of that interference, here and elsewhere. And you know, these are not new tactics on the part of the Russian government, directed not only at us but at others. But again, I think we have to look at this relationship in its broadest contours, and there are many, many important areas which require our attention if we are to bring it back to a relationship that we believe is necessary for the security of the U.S. CHUCK TODD: Mr. Secretary, though. This is fundamental. They interfered with our democracy. I just dont understand how this is not a top issue for you to deal with them in order to, essentially, start with a clean slate. Cant start with a clean slate until maybe they either own up to what they did, or we punish them in a way that theyre not going to do this again. Judging from this exchange, Chuck Todd seems like he would definitely be a more trustworthy Secretary of State than Rex Tillerson, and Tillerson was interesting for what it didnt reveal. The Secretary of State didnt condemn Russia for interfering in the presidential election. Tillerson only mentioned election interference in a general sense as an issue to be dealt with. He never said that Russia would be punished and even more tellingly he never specifically mentioned Russian interference in the US election. Tillersons answer was all about minimizing election interference and discussing how the world wants the United States and Russia to better friends. The Secretary of States answer combined with the Comey firing and the NBC News interview paints a picture of a campaign and now an administration that is guilty of working with Russia to win a presidential election. Tillersons interview wasnt the forceful response of Secretary of State who is interested in protecting democratic institutions. Tillerson sounded like a co-conspirator trying to minimize a crime. Trump loves Tillersons job performance, but it was what the Secretary of State didnt say that suggested that the Trump administration has a huge Russia skeleton in the closet. Charleston, SC (29403) Today Showers this evening, becoming a steady rain overnight. Low 64F. Winds NNE at 10 to 20 mph. Chance of rain 80%.. Tonight Showers this evening, becoming a steady rain overnight. Low 64F. Winds NNE at 10 to 20 mph. Chance of rain 80%. Anthony Heyward II, 34, was fatally shot the afternoon of Oct. 15 at his residence near the intersection of Scarsdale Avenue and Napoleon Drive, according to authorities. North Charleston police have charged an 18-year-old man with murder. Read more18-year-old arrested in fatal North Charleston home invasion It's fake news hunting season again, and we just spotted some at World News Daily Report, where they have an article going titled: "Colorado: Hunter claims he was sexually assaulted by a sasquatch". It leads: Darrel Whitaker, from Glenwood Springs in Colorado, claims a sasquatch attacked him and attempted to rape him while he was walking in the woods. The 57-year old man was walking to his hun And it is accompanied by a picture of what looks like a hunter: The hunter is actually Hershel Parker and he features in an old news video about a hunting accident (around 20 seconds into the video): The website World News Daily Report is a well known hoax website specialized in posting hoaxes and made up stories. The disclaimer on their website is pretty clear about that even though you have to scroll all the way down the page to find it: WNDR assumes however all responsibility for the satirical nature of its articles and for the fictional nature of their content. All characters appearing in the articles in this website - even those based on real people - are entirely fictional and any resemblance between them and any persons, living, dead, or undead is purely a miracle. Meanwhile the story is being shared around widely as you can see in the Trendolizer graph at the end of this article. If you notice anyone spreading the rumor around you can help by pointing them to this article here because nobody likes fake news. In the aftermath of another turbulent election season, maybe its time for politicians, regulatory agencies and the media to return to something that feels almost quaint: the truth. During World War II, the Superman radio show writers coined the phrase Truth, Justice and the American Way. Read moreCommentary: Now that we're finally past Election Day, let's get back to truth and honesty Attorney General Jeff Sessions is committed to reversing the lax law enforcement policies of his predecessors, Eric Holder and Loretta Lynch. Yesterday, he took a significant step in that direction with an order to federal prosecutors regarding the way criminal defendants are to be charged. Sessions instructed: [I]t is a core principle that prosecutors should charge and pursue the most serious, readily provable offense. This policy affirms our responsibility to enforce the law, is moral and just, and produces consistency. This policy fully utilizes the tools Congress has given us. By definition, the most serious offenses are those that carry the most substantial guidelines sentence, including mandatory minimum sentences. There will be circumstances in which good judgment would lead a prosecutor to conclude that a strict application of the above charging policy is not warranted. In that case, prosecutors should carefully consider whether an exception may be justified. Consistent with longstanding Department of Justice policy, any decision to vary from the policy must be approved by a United States Attorney or Assistant Attorney General, or a supervisor designated by the United States Attorney or Assistant Attorney General, and the reasons must be documented in the file. Second, prosecutors must disclose to the sentencing court all facts that impact the sentencing guidelines or mandatory minimum sentences, and should in all cases seek a reasonable sentence under the factors in 18 U.S.C. 3553. In most cases, recommending a sentence within the advisory guideline range will be appropriate. Recommendations for sentencing departures or variances require supervisory approval, and the reasoning must be documented in the file. The left is outraged and some on the right are unhappy. However, Bill Otis reminds us that the most serious readily provable standard was the Justice Departments norm until the Obama administration. Its also the right policy. As Bill says: It amounts to telling prosecutors to charge what the defendant actually did. This is so obviously correct aligning the allegations with the facts that I have a hard time seeing any serious objection to it. The second point in Sessions directive addresses what Daniel Horowitz describes as the Holder Justice Departments attempt avoid mandatory minimum sentences for drug dealers by us[ing] discretion to essentially have prosecutors obfuscate from judges the full scope of evidence and facts of the case that would impact sentencing under the sentencing guidelines. Sessions is directing federal prosecutors to end this practice. The National Association of Assistant United States Attorneys lauded Sessions directive. It said that the move will will make the public safer and give prosecutors to tools that Congress intended to lock up drug dealers and dismantle gangs. The point about Congress intent is well made. The Obama administrations charging and sentencing practices were an attempt to override what Congress intended. As such, they were improper quite apart from the merits. Moreover, Congress was right. Stiff sentencing helped slash the crime rate. Now, however, violent crime is on the upsurge. As Bill Otis concludes: We made it to the Xcel Center this past Thursday night in St. Paul to see Daryl Hall and John Oates in concert. The Xcel Center is the home of the Minnesota Wild; its not built for music. The show did not disappoint, however, and the crowd filled the arena. The crowd packed all three balconies to the rafters. We were seated on the main floor. I milled around after Tears for Fears, waiting to get a photo of Hall and Oates when they took the stage. Attending the show with her husband, Power Line reader Jane Smith stopped to say hello. Like everyone else I chatted with at the show, Jane couldnt have been nicer. My wife didnt know either Tears for Fears or Hall and Oates, but she loved them both. She really flipped over the Hall and Oates portion of the show. At age 70, Daryl Hall is singing better than ever. His voice has matured. It has character. He now sounds better on the Hall and Oates hits live in concert than he does on the recordings of decades ago. Hall and Oates are backed by the same crack musicians you see on Live at Daryls House: musical director Shane Theriot on lead guitar, Klyde Jones on bass, Charlie DeChant on saxophone, Eliot Lewis on keyboards, Porter Carroll on percussion and Brian Dunne on drums. All but Jones and Dunne contribute backing vocals. St. Paul was an early stop on a long tour. If you can seize an opportunity to see the show, I think youll be happy you did. I want to take the occasion to post a few related videos one last time. Hall and Oates grew up on the Philadelphia music scene. They met as undergraduates at Temple University. In the video below they honor their roots covering the Billy Paul hit Me and Mrs. Jones, written and produced by Philadelphias own Gamble and Huff (with writing help from Cary Gilbert). The vocal and the arrangement track the original. Performing before a hometown audience, Hall notes the songs local connection. History must be told! Hall should probably also have explained the ancient concept of guilty love on which the song is based. The video below features the young artist Diane Birch from the Live at Daryls House series. She and Hall sing Fall In Philadelphia. Birch takes to it so naturally you might think its her song, but Hall wrote it when John Oates was living with him in the fall of 1969. Returning from Bryn Mawr with his guitar in hand to Halls rented house in Philadelphia late one September night, Oates was mugged. Courtesy of his guitar teacher, Oates had been out jamming in the dressing room of a folk club with Doc and Merle Watson. The natural high of the evening was suddenly snuffed, Oates writes in his new memoir. The little hippie neighborhood that we lived in was crawling with drug dealers and neer do wells, Oates explains. When he made it home Oates told Hall what had happened. Inspired by Oatess mugging, Hall sat down at his little Wurlitzer electric piano and wrote the song the next day. Halls bicycle had been stolen the week before. The mugging and the stolen bicycle both made it into the song, but this line also bears the stamp of real life: Im getting twenty bills to every letter. Say It Isnt So is a mainstay of the live show. In concert it is one of the two or three songs on which the band stretches out. The video below is from their 2008 set at the Troubador with the late T-Bone Wolk on lead guitar (as he is in the video with Diane Birch). I love the songs pleading. That too bears the stamp of real life. During the past week, President Trump fired FBI director Comey at least in part due to dissatisfaction with an investigation the outcome of which matters to Trump. At first, the administration said the firing was based on the recommendation of the Deputy Attorney General, who believes Comey mistreated Hillary Clinton and hasnt acknowledged his error. Later, the president admitted that he would have fired Comey regardless of what the Deputy Attorney General recommended and that the decision was based on Comeys post-election conduct. President Trump says he discussed the Russia investigation with Comey. He also tweeted that Comey better hope there are no tapes of the talks between the two. And, though denying that he asked Comey for his loyalty, Trump said it wouldnt be a bad question to ask. He added that loyalty to the country, loyalty to the U.S., is important; it depends on how you define loyalty. Is any of this illegal? No, I dont think so. But it is all irregular in the colloquial sense. So are any number of other things Trump has said or done as president. The presumption of regularity is a legal doctrine. In the context of government action, it holds that in the absence of clear evidence to the contrary, a court will presume that public officers have properly discharged their official duties. In the oral argument before the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit in IRAP v. Trump a challenge to the presidents order restricting entry into the U.S. the government repeatedly relied on the presumption of regularity as a ground for upholding Trumps order. Its brief in that case states: Under the Constitutions structure and its separation of powers, courts evaluating a presidential policy directive should not second-guess the Presidents stated purpose by looking beyond the policys text and operation. The presumption of regularity that attaches to all federal officials actions, United States v. Chem. Found., Inc., 272 U.S. 1, 14-15 (1926), applies with the utmost force to the President himself. It is evident that in this case and others, some judges are not just rejecting the presumption of regularity as applied to Trumps actions. They are, in effect, applying a presumption of irregularity. Thats improper. Every administration is entitled to the presumption of regularity. But the more irregularly Trump behaves, the more difficult it will be for him to receive the presumption. Im not just talking about left-wing judges. They seize, improperly, on statements Trump made when running for president as a candidate as an excuse to assume that his actions as president are based on wrongful motive. To them, it doesnt really matter how Trump behaves as president. Im talking about non-leftist judges. They may well be willing, as they should be, to discount Trumps campaign rhetoric. But its human nature to be reluctant to presume that the president is discharging his duties consistent with the presumption of regularity when one witnesses a stream of irregular behavior and commentary from him. Moreover, it will be unfortunate for government attorneys called on to defend President Trumps actions in court if leftist lawyers and judges increasingly become able to cite against the administration not just Trumps statements as a candidate, but also his tweets as president. Dazzling Kannywood actress, Jamila Naguda, has been unveiled as the brand ambassador of Vedan super seasoning. The endorsement ceremony took place in Kano with Jamila signing the contract papers. The actress shared the good news on her Instagram wall on Saturday after the ceremony. She also extolled actor Ali Nuhu for facilitating the contract for her. Alhamdullilah, am now a brand ambassador of vedan super seasoning, thanks to the King of Kannywood, Ali Nuhu,. Jamila wrote. Jamila is also a Globacom ambassador and has featured in a lot of films in 2016. She is also said to be one of the most sought-after Kannywood actresses by film producers. Share this: Twitter Facebook A former military president, Ibrahim Babangida will on Friday in Minna, Niger State give out his last daughter, Halimat, in marriage. The wedding is taking place amidst concerns over the retired generals health. He recently returned from Germany, where he went for treatment. Since then, he has kept off from public functions. Halimat is the second daughter and last child of the family. She was born by his late wife, Maryam, while the military ruler presided over the affairs of the country at Dodan Barracks in Lagos. Mr. Babangida ruled from Lagos between August 1985 until 1991 when he shifted the seat of government to Abuja. The groom is Auwal Abdullahi, who holds the traditional title of Sarkin Sudan Gombe. He is a businessman. All arrangements have been concluded for the wedding and invitations sent to prominent Nigerians, across the country. The News Agency of Nigeria reports that the wedding prayers will take place at the Hilltop Villa of the former military president in Minna by 2.30 p.m. The Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps, NSCDC, in Niger says it will deploy no fewer than 135 personnel to provide security before and during the wedding event Philip Ayuba, Commandant, NSCDC in the state, gave the figure in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria, NAN, on Wednesday in Minna. He said that the command has set up three teams to achieve this purpose, including a surveillance team that will carry out under-cover activities in all the black spots within and outside the metropolis of the city. He said another team will patrol the metropolis patrol, while a third team will secure the venues of the programme. These are Justice Legbo Kutigi conference centre, where a reception will hold for the guests, the El Amin School, which will hold a spill-over reception and the residence of the former president. We have already issued an effective operational order to the officers deployed for that effect, he said. He also said that sufficient personnel will be deployed to all the roads leading to the hill top residence of the former president. Niger Police Commissioner Zubairu Muazu also said 4000 police officers will be deployed to provide security on the highways, major roads in Minna, the airport and the venues of the ceremony. Share this: Twitter Facebook The World Health Organisation, WHO, said it has taken measures to effectively respond to the recent outbreak of Ebola in the Democratic Republic of Congo, DRC. The Regional Director of WHO in Africa, Matshidiso Moeti, said in a statement on Sunday in Abuja that the organisation would work with the UN and other partners to halt the spread of the disease. Mr. Moeti said WHO had assured the DRC Government of its preparedness to respond to the outbreak of the scourge after the governments alarm on it. She said that as at Sunday, 11 suspected cases, including three deaths, had been reported, adding that the disease had been discovered in Likati health zone, Bas Uele Province in northern part of the country. She stated that the organization had mobilised technical experts for deployment to Congo, adding that it would also provide leadership expertise to attain coordinated and effective response. On May 10, 2017, a multi-disciplinary team led by the Ministry of Health and supported by WHO under the new WHO Emergency Programme, and partners, was deployed to Likati health zone to conduct in-depth field investigation. The health zone is situated in the remote, isolated and hard-to-reach northern part of the country with limited transport and communication networks. These factors have impeded transmission of information about the suspected outbreak. Currently, it takes about two to three days to reach the epicentre from Kinshasa. The Global Outbreak Alert and Response Network (GOARN) has been activated to provide additional support if required. Reinforcement of epidemiological surveillance, contact tracing, case management, and community engagement are under way, Ms. Moeti said. She added that the full extent of the current outbreak of Ebola in DRC was yet clear, stating that extensive investigation and risk assessment were still being conducted. She said that the findings from the investigation would be communicated accordingly. According to Ms. Moeti, WHO does not recommend any restriction on travel and trade to DRC based on available information. She urged the public in DRC to work with health authorities and take necessary preventive measures to protect their health. In the statement, she quoted DR Congo Minister of Health, Oly Kalenga, as expressing appreciation to WHO for the swift support in carrying out investigations that led to the confirmation of the outbreak. Mr. Kalenga said a strong multi-sectoral response, better coordination, public awareness, community engagement and adequate resources would be critical in the countrys effort to stop the Ebola spread. According to him, the first case occurred on April 22 in a 45-year-old male. He was transported by taxi to hospital and was dead on arrival. The driver also fell ill and later died. A third person who cared for the first case also became ill and has subsequently died. At present, 25 contacts of the second patient who died are being followed. Of the cases and deaths, one has been tested PCR-positive for Ebola. This is the eighth outbreak of Ebola virus disease in DRC since its discovery in 1976. On November 20, 2014, in line with WHO recommendations, the DRC Ministry of Health and WHO declared the end of the Ebola virus disease outbreak that started on August 24, 2014. This outbreak resulted in a total of 38 laboratory-confirmed cases and 28 probable cases, including 49 deaths in the Boende, Equateur province, Mr. Kalenga said. (NAN) Share this: Twitter Facebook WHO assures emergency Ebola vaccine to prevent outbreak The global vaccine alliance, GAVI, said 300,000 emergency doses of an Ebola vaccine developed by Merck could be available in case of a large-scale outbreak of the disease, after the World Health Organisation (WHO) confirmed a fatal case in Congo. The vaccine, known as rVSV-ZEBOV, has shown to be highly protective against Ebola in clinical trials published in December 2016. The trial was led by WHO, together with Guineas Ministry of Health, Medecins sans Frontieres and the Norwegian Institute of Public Health, in collaboration with other international partners. The World Health Organisation confirmed death due to the disease in the Democratic Republic of Congo where nine suspected cases including 3 deaths were reported. Nigeria meningitis death rises The death toll from the cerebro spinal meningitis outbreak in Nigeria has increased to 1069. The meningitis serogroup C has remained the predominant cause of meningitis among those who tested positive and about 5,724 children majorly within the age group of 5-14 years were affected by the disease. Though the federal government has made efforts to curb the spread of the disease by introducing vaccination for the strain C which was administered in Zamfara and Sokoto states, there is still a huge shortage of vaccines as other parts of the country remain to be vaccinated against the disease. FG to issue new yellow cards The Minister of Health, Isaac Adewole, said the Nigerian government has approved the introduction of a new yellow card with advanced security features to curb the issuance of the card by unauthorized persons to people not actually vaccinated. The new card will be hard to fake as it will be read by a card reader and will also help document carriers vaccination status and know whether the person is truly vaccinated or not. Nigerians will be informed when the roll out will start and what to do with the previous ones and when it will phase out. Medical workers strike affects activities in FMC Yenogoa The strike embarked upon by some medical workers at the Federal Medical Centre, Yenagoa in Bayelsa State has grounded activities in the hospital. The health workers went on strike last week to protest non payment of their two months salary. Most of the wards were locked while others had few patients. However, skeletal services were available at the Accident and Emergency Unit and the National Health Insurance Clinic. Nurses suspend two months strike in Jos The Joint Health Sector Union (JOHESU), Jos University Teaching Hospital (JUTH) chapter, has suspended its two month old one duty shift operation schedule. Nurses normally run three duty shifts in order to attend to patients round the clock. Mustapha Kabir, the chairman of JOHESU in Jos said that the reason for the suspension was as a result of the fruitful meeting between the nursing executives of the striking chapter and the Minister of Health, Isaac Adewole, resulting in the payment of some of the shift duty allowance arrears they were agitating for. Nutritionist advocates increase taxes on sugary food The global panel on agriculture and food systems for nutrition has appealed to the federal government to increase taxes on sugary and processed food to combat malnutrition in the country. The Panel Director, Sandy Thomas, a nutrition expert, said the increasing number of malnourished and stunted children especially in the north-east and north-west of the country is as a result of the consumption of those foods. She, therefore, advised the government to subsidise nutritious foods in the public places to assist consumers make informed decision on nutritious foods. She also said Nigeria needs to transform its food environment in ways that promote diversity, availability and safety. She also advocated that nutritious foods should be made available in prisons, hospitals and school as this will encourage healthy food consumption Ilorin Resident Doctors commence strike The Association of Resident Doctors (ARD), University of Ilorin Teaching Hospital (UITH) chapter, has commenced a three-day warning strike to protest against deductions in their salaries. The chairman of the hospital chapter of the association said only a fraction of their salaries had been paid since 2014 while ARD members in other teaching hospitals in the country are being paid full salaries. He said the deductions in salaries were becoming unbearable thus affecting their livelihood and families. However, the Chief Medical Director of the hospital, Abdulwaheed Olatinwo, said such deductions were not peculiar to the teaching hospital. Sokoto state disburses money to hospitals, pharmaceutical shops The Sokoto State Zakkat and Endowment Commission has disbursed N8 million to various hospitals and pharmaceutical shops for the treatment of indigent patients across the state. The chairman of the commission, Lawal Maidoki, while distributing the money in Sokoto said the gesture was aimed at ensuring a healthy society. He made an appeal to the partners to use the money judiciously. Zakkat is one of the five pillars of Islam and a strong economic institution aimed at redistributing wealth and eradicating poverty in the society. Hospital detains teen patient for inability to pay bills A 17-year-old patient, Ganiyu Jinadu, who sustained severe burns from a gas explosion at a fuel station in Abeokuta was detained by management of Federal Medical Hospital, FMC, Abeokuta over the inability of his family to offset his N150,000 medical bill. Mr. Jinadu survived the fire that claimed the lives of five other victims at Adigbe area of the town about four months ago. His mother, Tolani Jinadu, said the hospital management was magnanimous to have continued the treatment despite her inability to continue to pay her sons bills but the hospital did not release him after he was referred to another hospital for another stage of skin grafting, because the family had an outstanding bill of N150,000 at the FMC. Share this: Twitter Facebook Manpower shortage and deficient infrastructure, especially inadequate equipment and power supply, are the major obstacles to meaningful primary health care delivery in Nigeria, an investigation by PREMIUM TIMES has revealed. The All Progressives Congress-led federal government under President Muhammadu Buhari has anchored its public health agenda on a scheme to revitalize primary health care, PHC, facilities across the country to avail poor Nigerians with qualitative and affordable health services. The initial plan of the administration was to build new primary care centres but it later tweaked this plan last year to revitalizing 10,000 existing centres. The scheme, dubbed the National Primary Healthcare Revitalization Initiative, and assigned to the National Primary Health Care Development Agency, NPHCDA, and the Federal Ministry of Health, aims to make at least one primary health care centre fully functional to deliver a number of services in each of the wards across the country. President Buhari flagged off the scheme on January 10 when he commissioned the renovated Primary Health Care Centre in Kunchigoro, a suburb of Abuja. The centre was adequately staffed and fully equipped, including with ambulances and drugs, and has since been providing services to the appreciation of patients. But that is not the case in most other primary health care centres in the country. A visit to Asata Primary Health Centre in Ogui community, Enugu North Senatorial District of Enugu State revealed the poor state typical of these centres around Nigeria and the struggle of their workers to deliver services to patients, especially at the grassroots. We use torchlight or our phone light to deliver women at night or whenever the room is dark, an official at the centre in Asata told our reporter on condition of anonymity to avoid victimisation. Though this facility looks very small, a lot of people visit here on a daily basis. But because of lack of funds, people have been suffering severely to the extent that some of our staff cannot even afford transportation fares to come to work on daily basis. We dont have enough staff in the centre; we lack adequate manpower, the official stated. We are supposed to have cleaners, night watchmen and care takers, but we dont have any. The building is too small and not conducive at all. As you can see, all the nets and windows are gone. The issue of light (lack of electricity supply) has been on for a long time. For over a year, we had no light at all; not even for a day. When there was no light, we just used our torch lights or phone light. Thats the only option. There is a standby generator but it has been faulty for a long time. Considering the fact that we run two shifts, both morning and night, light is needed. So recently, we borrowed money to fix the light. We need light to preserve our vaccines and to take (birth) deliveries at night. So, we went to good spirited Nigerians to lend us money. We are still owing that money up till now. Despite all these challenges, women prefer having their babies here. In a month, we have between 17 and 20 deliveries. Asked what she expected from the federal governments revitalization scheme, the official eagerly unfurled her shopping list. We want the Federal Government to expand this building for us as this is a centre that serves so many people. Expansion and equipping of this building will make it more conducive and friendly for both the workers and the patients. We have only five rooms and OPD (Out Patient Department) here. If the government can put up five more rooms, it will be good for everyone. We also call on them to train our staff. We need to be updated of recent discoveries, to enhance our knowledge on how to handle certain health issues. If the staff here can be updated, especially in child bearing, it will help us work better. Other members of staff joined in to remind her of the lack of ambulance or any vehicle that can be used in cases of emergency. She stated that patients who needed to be transported to other locations either use Keke (tricycle) or get a taxi. At the Primary Health Centre, Kuduru in the Bwari Area Council of Abuja, it was discovered that there has never been any form of power supply in the past four years since the centre started operating. We have never had light or water in the centre said an official who also prefers not to be named. The centre was commissioned in May 2011 and started operation in 2013. In all these years, we have never had light or water. We buy water on a regular basis from Mai ruwa (water vendor). Asked how the centre operates at night without light, the official said We run only one shift daily. We resume 8 a.m. and close by 4 or 5 p.m., depending on the days work. When there is a delivery and the labour room is dark, we make use of rechargeable lamp. Thats the only option since we do not have a standby generator. The residents already know our plight and the reasons we close early, so when there is a case of delivery after that time, they go to other health clinics. At the Primary Health care centre in Dutse Makaranta also in the Bwari Area council of the Federal Capital Territory, the story was like a recap of the earlier ones in this report. Except that light is not a primary challenge in the facility, as a standby generator is available. The building, however is dilapidated and would almost not pass for a place where people receive treatment and are delivered of babies. As you can see madam, the building is too old and not conducive at all, said one of the nurses on duty. We usually have large number of patients every day, so we need the building to be renovated to ease our work and keep the environment neat. At the Primary Health Care Centre in Idu Karmo also in the FCT, however, power supply is expectedly a big problem. But, according to a source, the staff contributed money to purchase a solar facility which now provides power at the centre. Once there is no light, and since we do not have a standby generator, we use the solar. We bought the solar because of the innocent patients that visits the clinic on daily basis. We cannot continue to wait for the government, a worker at the centre explained. Many Nigerians who have to use the primary health care centres across the country will be eager to see what the 2017 Budget, which was passed by the National Assembly on Thursday, has for the centres within the revitalization scheme of the President Buhari administration. The National Primary Health Care Development Agency, NPHCDA, is a parastatal of Nigerias Federal Ministry of Health with policy and oversight roles on PHC implementation at the state and local government levels in Nigeria. Allocation proposed for the agency by the federal government in the 2017 Budget is over N19 billion (N19,212,923,655) including cost of rehabilitating some of the PHCs. Share this: Twitter Facebook Before Thursday when public discourse in Nigeria substantially changed to the budget, President Muhammadu Buharis medical follow-up letter to the Senate had kept pundits, social media, newspaper stands and inside molue analysts busy, with everyone becoming a grammarian, law interpreter and expert on the inner flow of thought of any letter drafter all at once. On Tuesday, the President of the Senate, Bukola Saraki, had announced to his colleagues, journalists and observers the receipt of an executive communication which turned out to be Mr. Presidents indefinite medical vacation notice. For what has counted to his credit, the President relied on Section 145(1) of the Constitution to inform the lawmakers of his travel, thereby, with force of that referenced part of the law, effectively transferring full powers to the Vice-president, Yemi Osinbajo. But it would not be that simple; the Senate has a critical reader in its fold, Mao Ohuabunwa, PDP-Abia. There is one aspect of the Senate proceedings that has never been reported: Mr. Ohuabunwa has reason to either correct or delete one unit of grammatical structure or the other in prayers that follow nearly all motions. He is well-known for that; and a high prospect is there for him to make a great career in proofreading. That may not be as lucrative as being in government anyway. So, after Mr. Saraki had read Mr. Buharis letter, the Abia senator raised a Point of Order and pointed to the second paragraph of the correspondence, which read: While I am away, the Vice President will coordinate the activities of the Government. By using coordinate instead of perform duties of my office and act on my behalf as used in previous letters on the Presidents medical vacation, according to the senator and as interpreted by many Nigerians, Mr. Buhari did not transfer power to Yemi Osinbajo as the acting president, but merely made him a coordinating vice-president or coordinator. So, for Mr. Ohuabunwa, the letter had to be rejected because the Constitution does not recognize coordinator. No sooner had he stopped his interpretation than Senate Leader, Ahmed Lawan, rose with counter force to explain that the most important instrument of making any vice-president an acting president is Section 145(1) of the Constitution which the President invoked in his letter. Consequently, Mr. Saraki was quick to rule Mr. Ohuabunwa out of order. That ended it at the Senate level; but it would remain the hottest topic for analysts in the public space. Many believe Mr. Presidents handlers inserted to coordinate, instead of previous operational words with an ulterior motive. In any case, the right to make authoritative decisions, allocate resources, command the armed forces, veto any passed bill, sack any minister or even declare war is derived from the Constitution not wording of any letter and it currently resides with Mr. Osinbajo, acting on behalf of Mr. Buhari, the Senate declared. 2017 Budget Passed, lawmakers finally #OpenNASS Early Tuesday, just after midnight, sources close to the Senate President, Mr. Saraki, got through to PREMIUM TIMES Senate correspondent by phone to disclose the outcome of the National Assembly leaders meeting between late Monday and early Tuesday held at the sprawling residence of the Senate President at Maitama, Abuja. The joint leadership of the bi-cameral legislature had just decided to bow to Nigerians and disclose details of the National Assembly budget, last seen in 2009. It is now certain, the excited source said, the budget of the National Assembly will be laid this morning, the leaders of the National Assembly, Senate and the House of Representatives have decided. The Speaker was also here. PREMIUM TIMES had been at the vanguard of using the instrument of the press to demand that the National Assembly open up its budget for public scrutiny. So, the reason why the source first disclosed the #OpenNass decision to this newspaper was understandable. We broke the report that the details of the budget of the National Assembly would be disclosed. So, finally on Thursday just about same time the national appropriation bill, 2017 budget, was passed, the media office of the Senate President released to the public the about 30-page document, a line-by-line details of N125 billion expenditure of the National Assembly, taking a radical departure from previous years when the public only had knowledge of the total sum as one line item in the whole national budget. In 2010, when the budget hit a shocking record sum of N154.2 billion, David Mark, Mr. Sarakis predecessor, decided to block Nigerians from knowing details of how the National Assemblys jumbo allocations were spent, especially how much members earned in allowances, thus wrapping up the federal legislators finances in utmost secrecy. Prior to today, the last time the citizens saw the details of NASS budget was in 2009. Historic. Impact, tweeted Budgit, a civic tech platform, well known for #OpenNass campaign. Out of the N125 billion, for capital and recurrent expenditures, the Senate and the House of Representatives have N31,398,765,886 and N49,052,743,983 respectively. In sum, therefore, N80.45 billion was appropriated for the both chambers, consisting of 469 lawmakers, for salaries, security equipment, insurance premium, cars, computers, internet service, office maintenance, telephone charges, electricity charges, water rates, committees activities, travels, training and medical expenses among others. So, on average, it will take about N171.57 million to maintain each lawmaker in 2017. However, individual earnings differ. Apart from the fact that there are differences in earnings based on whether a lawmaker is a Senator or Reps member and whether an ordinary member or principal officer, most of the sum does not go to lawmakers, but services and other capital items to keep their offices running. In terms of specific salaries, the House of Representatives has N4.9 billion to pay salaries and wages of the 360 members, translating to N13.6 million for each member annually. About N1.8 billion goes to the Senate for salaries and wages of its 109 members, bringing the earnings of each senator to N17.58 million annually. But there are still areas the National Assembly spokespersons, Aliyu Abdullahi and Abdulrazaq Namdas, may have to clarify. Apart from raising its budget by N10 billion, the document contains some rather vague votes like House chamber activities, N1 billion apart from House administration given 619 million; Senate programme activities, N2.6 billion different from Senate committee activities allocated N1.2 billion; Senate chamber, N549 million. Huge Allowances earned by the lawmakers may possibly be spread under these items and others like travels, training, public and investigative hearing etc. National Budget Raised By N143 Billion Unlike last year when the National Assembly slightly cut the sum proposed by the president, the lawmakers in 2017 raised the budget estimate by N143 billion, thereby passing a N7.44 trillion budget. The President had presented a N7.28 trillion budget. According to the lawmakers, the oil price benchmark was raised to $44.5 from $42.5; so, with the additional projected revenue from the increase in the benchmark, provision was made to raise the budget by N143 billion. Among others, the addition was appropriated for the National Assembly, N10 billion; judgment debts in the Justice Ministry, 10 billion; backlog of Corps members allowances (Youth Ministry), N13. 06 billion; repairs of Nnamdi Azikiwe Airport runway (Transport Ministry), N5.8 billion; increase in personnel cost (18 MDAs), N5.1 billion; UNESCO assessed contribution (Education) N1.2 billion; subscription to Shelter Afrique (Power, Works & Housing) N3.6 billion. Others are: Economic Recovery and Growth Plan (Service Wide) N2.5 billion; Amnesty Programme (Service Wide) N10 billion; National Identity Management Commission (SGF) N5 billion, and Roads Nationwide (Power, Works and Housing) N25 billion. The lawmakers also included a vote for Abeokuta airport. Details about this provision are still unclear. But Senate Leader, Ahmed Lawan, on Friday justified the N10 billion the lawmakers added to their budget. He said the National Assembly was building the National Institute for Legislative Studies (NILS) meant for capacity building of legislators and non-legislators. You need to have a national assembly that is really poised, wired and competent to produce good laws, said Mr. Lawan. Imagine a national assembly where you have so many experts, many retired people from the industry, security services, even presidents, for example, coming to the National Assembly. So, we should have a national assembly that is properly and fully kitted and with adequate capacity. After the Senate passed the budget on Thursday, it reconvened about 40 minutes later to pass the votes and proceedings in order to transmit the passed appropriations bill to Acting President Yemi Osinbajo for assent. Share this: Twitter Facebook The Sokoto State Government says it has recovered over N278 million paid to ghost workers on the payrolls of local governments in the past four months. Governor Aminu Tambuwal disclosed this on Sunday during a stakeholders meeting of the All Progressives Congress held in Gwadabawa Local Government Area. Mr. Tambuwal said the money was paid to the ghost workers bank accounts but was not claimed from the various banks. This was sequel to the centralisation of the payment of the salaries of workers of the local governments. About two weeks ago, some banks alerted the Commissioner of Local Governments about the existence of the unclaimed money, the governor said. He said the recent verification of council staff was aimed at ascertaining genuine workers. The exercise was not aimed at witch hunting anyone but to ascertain the actual workforce and monthly wage bill of the local governments, Mr. Tambuwal said. He said many farmers in the state were defaulting in repayment of agricultural loans obtained from commercial banks and assured the banks of the governments support in recovering the money. The money belongs to the Central Bank of Nigeria and we will support any action to recover it. This is to enable other farmers to benefit from the gesture as the money is not a bonanza. Mr. Tambuwal called on the people to continue to pray for President Muhammadu Buhari as well as for sustained peace and unity of Nigeria. Also speaking, Ibrahim Gobir (APC-Sokoto) and Speaker, Sokoto State House of Assembly, Salihu Maidaji, called on party members to obtain their permanent voter cards. (NAN) Share this: Twitter Facebook The Minister of Communications, Adebayo Shittu, says Nigeria is set to hold a smart cities summit in June as part of efforts by the Federal Government to develop ICT sector in the country. Mr. Shittu disclosed this in an interview the News Agency of Nigeria on the sideline of the Transform Africa Summit held in Kigali, Rwanda, an ICT conference focused on development of smart cities. The minister, who said the plan was to replicate the unparalleled ICT transformation of Rwanda in Nigeria, said the Smart Cities Nigeria 2017 Summit was scheduled for June 28 and 29. NAN reports that a smart city is an urban development vision to integrate in ICT and Internet of Things (IoT) technology in a secure fashion to manage a citys assets The initiative aims at leveraging technology solutions to improve efficiency of cities. Rwanda which is spearheading the initiative has rolled out a number of developments such as WiFi in public areas, including public transport vehicles, as well as cashless payment systems in public transport. Currently, the initiative is backed by 18 African countries while more nations including Nigeria are expected to join. While explaining further on the Smart Cities Summit, Mr. Shittu said Nigeria was starting late but steadily. I will say that we have some delays within the government operations we ought to have unleashed some of these ideas in the Nigerian scene more than eight months ago. In consonance with our desire to pursue all initiative in the ICT transformation including smart cities we have planned a summit. The summit is with the theme `Smart Cities Nigeria 2017 fixed for 28 and 29 of June, this year, is with a view to getting the buy in of stakeholders in the Nigeria projects. From that point, we will kick off and there would not be any stoppage, he said. Mr. Shittu said the Smart cities project would provide the opportunity to get a buy in of all stakeholders in the Nigerian project. According to him, Nigeria needs the buy-in of all stakeholders especially that of the state governments if the ICT transformation project is to work. To transform Nigeria using ICT we need the buy-in of all states that must get it right from the onset that ICT is the way to go. Of course, we would demand the patriotic participation of all states, he said. He also said that government was seeking foreign investments into the countrys ICT sectors to fast-track the digital transformation agenda in the country. The minister said that he had spoken with some foreign investors to that effect. I have had the privilege of speaking with a lot of foreign investors persuading them to come to Nigeria because Nigeria offers a lot of advantage in terms of the huge population. On the West African sector of the African continent, Nigerias population is more than that of the other 14 countries. That means that there is a huge market and any investor who comes will never regret. I have spoken with the Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Russian Federation; Strive Masiyuwa, Chairman and founder of Econet Wireless, as well as Inmarsat, among others. In fact, Inmarsat will be coming to Nigeria for a meeting in first week of June. I have spoken with Korean Telecommunications, he said. Mr. Shittu said that when he went to Rwanda four months ago he spoke with them and put in application for them to bring in smart towers to Nigeria, adding that the process was still ongoing. I have renewed our bid for them to come and invest in solar based tower stations and I am confident that once they come, it will be a leap jump towards our having enough infrastructure for the steady progress of ICT, he said. (NAN) Share this: Twitter Facebook The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) says it is monitoring the ongoing Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME), through its central Closed-Circuit Television (CCTV) cameras in Abuja. The Boards Niger Coordinator, Muhammed Ibrahim, told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Saturday in Minna that all the examination centres were linked to the CCTV. Our staff, candidates and supervisors in all examination centres are being watched and recorded; it is part of our efforts to reduce or eliminate malpractices in the conduct of the test, he said. The coordinator said that 32, 000 candidates registered for the examination in Niger and were writing the test in 14 centres. He said the exercise was smooth in many centres except at Jumai Aliyu Babangida Development Centre, Minna where a system failure was recorded. The issue lingered a bit, so we immediately moved the candidates to the zonal office to write the examination, he said. He said the examination, which started on Saturday, would end on Wednesday, and promised a hitch-free exercise. A candidate, Fatima Mustapha, who spoke to NAN in Minna, said the process was smooth, and particularly commended JAMB for the speed of the bio-metric verification of candidates before being admitted into the hall. Saidu Abubakar, a personnel of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps, who also spoke with NAN, commended the candidates for being orderly. The candidates have been very orderly. There are no hitches, he said. JAMB Registrar, Ishaq Oloyede, said recently that 1.736 million candidates registered for the 2017 UTME, signifying a sharp rise in people seeking university admission when compared with the 1,272,284 candidates that wrote the test in 2016. (NAN) Share this: Twitter Facebook Nigerian soldiers of Battalion 38, United Nation Mission in Liberia, UNMIL, who recently came back from a peacekeeping mission have allegedly written an open letter to President Muhammadu Buhari expressing dissatisfaction over the non-payment of their five-month allowances. The troops threatened to resort to lawlessness if the issue of their outstanding allowances by the Nigerian Army was not resolved. They also urged the president to take his anti-corruption war to the armed forces. UNMIL, is a peacekeeping force established in 2003 to monitor the ceasefire agreement in Liberia. Nigeria had deployed 700 soldiers and officers for peace-keeping operations in Liberia last year. The troops completed a seven-month mission and returned to Nigeria in February 2017. Reacting to the Letter, Army spokesperson, Sani Usman, said the issue of the unpaid allowances is the responsibility of Defence Headquarters. But that notwithstanding I am investigating the matter as soon as we wrap up the investigation, we will make it available to you, Mr. Usman, a brigadier general, added. Read the alleged letter by the aggrieved soldiers below OPEN LETTER TO MR PRESIDENT. Mr. President, the Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. We are Officers and Soldiers of Nigerian Battalion 38 (Nibbat 38 unmil) that came back on Feb 27, 2017 from a peacekeeping mission in Liberia. Since we completed our mission for 7 months but only 2 months of service were paid. Is it not disgraceful that the UN had paid defence headquarters mission allowances for complete 12 months and only 2-month payment was given to the troops? Dear Mr President, the Army has refused to pay us the balance of our allowances for 6 months. We urge you to look into these issues to make your anti-corruption campaign in the armed forces a success. If nothing is done very soon, we will be forced to take the law into our own hands which is not good obviously. Because the Nigerian Army specialised in owing its troops their allowances. We have waited for 3 months now nothing has changed, or do you expect us to storm the National Assembly in the name of protest? No. We cant. His excellency, address this issue of payment of outstanding allowances by the Nigerian army. Concerned officers and soldiers of Nigerian Battalion 38. Thanks. Regards. Share this: Twitter Facebook A 22-year-old cybersecurity expert has been rewarded with a week off by his employers after helping the world combat a devastating cyberattack, the BBC reported Saturday. The Briton, who tweets under the handle MalwareTechBlog and works for security firm, Kryptos Logic, has received worldwide accolades after disclosing that his efforts to stop the strain of ransomware, which encrypts a computer and demands a $300 ransom before unlocking it, had paid off. The attention has been slightly overwhelming, he told the BBC. The boss gave me another week off to make up for this train-wreck of a vacation. He had previously taken a week off from work, but decided to look into the virus after hearing about the damage it had caused across the globe. The virus, also known as WannaCry or Wannacrypt, is believed to be part of the United States National Security Agency hacking tools that were leaked earlier in the year. The ransomware virus swept computers running on Microsoft Windows Operating System, especially those not currently supported such as Windows XP, Windows 8 and Windows Server 2003, across the globe. In March, Microsoft, in an unusual move, released a patch for all the old, non-supported operating systems to protect computers vulnerable to the NSA leaks. But the ransomware virus proved so malicious that Microsoft had to issue another patch for all Windows OS-based computers dating back as far as 14 years. Notable organisations affected by the virus since Friday include the National Health Service (NHS) in the UK, along with Telefonica in Spain. Courier giant, FedEx, Sky News reported. Russia was particularly hard hit, with the countrys Interior Ministry acknowledging damages to more than 1,000 computers in its network. Germany, Spain, Sweden, China and India have all reported some degree of infections by the ransomware, although it remained unclear how many people had paid the ransom since the disruption broke out Friday. No case of ransomware has been reported in Nigeria as at Sunday afternoon, but the federal government issued an advisory on Saturday on how Nigerians could protect their machines from falling victim. From an interactive map embedded on MalwareTechs blog, Africa and North America appeared to have largely escaped being hit by ransomware. MalwareTech took credit for accidentally halting the virus from spreading further in a blog postSaturday. The 22-year-old realised that the cyber criminals who developed the virus had included a kill switch, which the hackers designed to stop the virus to victims that paid the $300 ransom via Bitcoin. MalwareTech said he bought the domain name of the kill switch for $10.69 and activated it to make the virus stop spreading. His intervention could no longer save the countries and organisations that were already affected by the attack. He also warned that the hackers could redesign the virus and launch it against some countries where old Windows computers are still widely in use. Its very important everyone understands that all they need to do is change some code and start again. Patch your systems now! he said. Share this: Twitter Facebook A former Secretary to the Oyo State Government, Layiwola Olakojo, on Saturday said ex-President Olusegun Obasanjo conceded a chieftaincy title to him. Mr. Olakojo who was on Saturday conferred with the title of Maiyegun of Ibadanland by the Olubadan of Ibadanland, Saliu Adetunji, said the former president was originally offered the chieftaincy title but voluntarily recommended it be given to him. The Olubadan wanted to give a chieftaincy title to Baba Obasanjo. But Baba said he had got so many chieftaincy titles from across the country. He told Olubadan to give it to me because I have served Ibadanland, he said. This was why Baba put in everything. In fact, he ought to have travelled to Italy, but shifted his travel. I feel very happy and fulfilled. It is Gods doing and not my making. There is the divine hand of God in the affairs of men, Mr. Olakojo said. Now, I should be more loyal to Ibadan people. Secondly, I should be doubly loyal to Obasanjo. I will serve Ibadan more loyally and contribute to its progress as well as the progress of the Olubadan. Within the next two weeks, you will see what I will do in the Olubadan palace, he said. The former scribe under the Alao Akala administration, who is from Oyo town, said it was a special honour receiving such title from outside his hometown. Among the dignitaries at the event were Mr. Obasanjo, former Osun Governor Olagunsoye Oyinlola, Lekan Alabi, an Ibadan high chief, and businessman Oyewole Fasawe. Share this: Twitter Facebook Governor Nasir El-Rufai of Kaduna has released a terse statement disowning a comment by his chief of staff who suggested that he (the governor) would not run for a second term. In the statement, the governor said he did not need a surrogate to communicate his political intentions to the people of his state. He also threatened to fire any of his appointees caught politicking instead of concentrating on their immediate task of serving Kaduna people. Mr. El-Rufai also directed the signage agency in his state to pull down all billboards bearing campaign messages, in violation of election laws and guidelines. Read full statement below. I will inform the public on second term when I am ready My attention has been drawn to statements credited to our Chief of Staff which clearly misrepresented his good intentions aimed at encouraging youths in politics and governance of our dear state. What was reported was that I had no plans to run for another term of office, and will be succeeded by someone below the age of 50. Both statements are misrepresentations of my position and the government. It has become imperative that these wrong impressions thereby created be corrected. In 2014, when I complied with the directive of our leader President Muhammadu Buhari to run for the office of Governor of Kaduna State, I made the announcement in person. I did not employ surrogates to engage the public on this important decision. What I did not do as an aspirant for office, I will not do as incumbent Governor. I will not communicate my decision to run for a second term in 2019 through surrogates, but directly to the people of Kaduna State. Regarding the views ascribed to the Chief of Staff, they are perhaps his personal opinion. I do not wish to be associated with such sentiments. I am of the firm opinion that nobody, no matter the position they hold, can dictate to other citizens what they can or cannot aspire to. No individual can introduce into the electoral process conditions that are not embedded in the laws of our country and the norms of electoral competition. The Constitution of Nigeria, the Electoral Act and the APC constitution have no provisions imposing maximum age limits for those aspiring to elective office. I am a strict law-abiding citizen and loyal party member, and will not countenance anyone even hinting at circumscribing constitutional rights. While our administration believes strongly in encouraging youths, evidenced by the number of young people we have appointed into key government positions, we believe that it is the combination of the wisdom of the elderly and the energy of the youth that leads to societal progress. While our government will continue to train these young persons in leadership responsibilities, and prepare them for the future, we do not believe that decreeing a generational shift is either lawful or pragmatic. Choice is the prerogative of the voting public which decides at each moment who and what platform they believe best represents their needs. Any artificial intrusion into this process can only yield unwanted distortions. And we have already suffered that distortion in Nigeria. When a military government decided to elevate those it called newbreed politicians by curtailing the rights of experienced politicians who were banned from seeking office, it did not improve the quality of our politics. Rather, it monetized the electoral process and left our polity without regard for issue-based platforms. For the avoidance of doubt, the choice of who governs Kaduna will depend, not on the age of the person, but his or her acceptability by the leaders of our party first, and ultimately the voters of Kaduna State. At the right time, these choices will be made and not earlier. The mid-point of an administration is not the time for politics. We were elected to work for four years. And that is what every appointee of this government must do. I have therefore directed all government appointees aspiring to future political or elective positions to stop putting up posters and billboards in violation of the Electoral Act. KASUPDA is further directed to take down all these as the whistle has not been blown for either national or local government elections campaign or politicking to start yet. KASUPDA is expected to impose the applicable sanctions on any violators. Any appointee of our administration that immerses himself or herself into ambitions for 2019, at the expense of the vital public assignments entrusted them will be deemed to have constructively vacated office, and will be relieved of his position. I appeal to all our colleagues in government to comply with this and continue to exercise prudence and commitment in the implementation of our reform and restoration programmes. Nasir Ahmad El-Rufai Governor of Kaduna State 14th May 2017 Share this: Twitter Facebook Supporters of the former Senate Leader, Muhammed Ndume, who was recently suspended for six months by his colleagues at the upper house of the National Assembly on Saturday stormed the streets of Maiduguri to register their displeasure to the visiting Senate President, Bukola Saraki, who was in the city to attend a wedding ceremony. Mr. Saraki was accompanied by several senators to attend the wedding ceremony of a Borno State Senator, Abubakar Kyari, who represents the northern part of the state. Mr. Ndume was in March suspended for 180 days by his colleagues for asking the Senate to investigate allegations against Mr. Saraki and another senator, Dino Melaye, of fraudulent purchase of bullet proof cars and certificate forgery respectively. Ahead of the wedding, Mr. Ndumes supporters had gotten wind that the senate president would attend and decided to flood the streets of the city with posters of the embattled lawmaker. PREMIUM TIMES had also gathered from sources within Borno State government that the state governor had pleaded with Mr. Ndume, who has been in Maiduguri in the past weeks, not to attend the wedding to avoid any chance of violence at the wedding. Though Mr. Ndume was absent at the wedding, his supporters made their intentions known. Armed with posters of Mr. Ndume, the supporters lined up on the major streets through which the motorcade conveying the senate president and his colleagues would pass to the venue of the wedding along Government House road. Governor Shettima received the senate president and his entourage from the airport and led them to the venue of the wedding which was the home of Abba Kyari, the grooms father. As the motorcade moved by, the supporters chanted Mr. Ndumes name, ostensibly to call the attention of Mr. Saraki who is believed to have engineered the suspension of his former ally. Despite tight security around the venue of the wedding, the supporters barricaded the Government House roundabout in a manner that made it difficult for the motorcade conveying the governor and the senate president to move into the Government House where the visitors were supposed to have their lunch. Police officers were eventually deployed to disperse the crowd. Members of the local vigilante, Civilian-JTF, were also ordered to remove all provocative posters and billboards pasted along the streets by the supporters of the senator. At the lunch, hosted within the Government House Maiduguri, Mr. Shettima thanked the senate President and other senators who accompanied him for visiting the state for the third time in about two years. He also called for greater political unity among politicians towards achieving the greater Nigeria project. The event also witnessed the political reconciliation of former governor of Gombe State, Danjuma Goje and the incumbent governor of the state, Ibrahim Dankwambo. Messrs. Goje and Dankwambo have been at loggerheads since the latter succeeded the former in 2011. At the event on Saturday, the Master of Ceremony invited the governors of Gombe and Borno states to deliver goodwill messages. But Mr. Dankwambo turned down the request, saying, I would rather invite our father and elder statesman, Senator Danjuma Goje, to speak on behalf of the government and people of Gombe State. The request was greeted with thunderous applaud as Mr. Goje accepted the responsibility of delivering the goodwill message. I thank my younger brother whom I handed over government to for giving me the honour of speaking in this auspicious occasion, he said. The senate president in his remark congratulated the parents of the bride and the groom for having a successful wedding. He also commended President Muhammadu Buhari, for working so hard so that peace returns to Borno State and other parts of north-east Nigeria. Mr. Saraki also commended Governor Dankwambo, who is of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, for initiating a peace move that finally reconciled him with Mr. Goje. He challenged the governor of Borno State to also ensure that a peace deal is struck between him and his predecessor, Ali Sheriff, who is the national chairman of the opposition PDP. I commend Governor Goje for this peace move done here today, and I believe, from the peace speech of Borno state governor, he is equally giving us a message to take to Abuja, Mr. Saraki said. Mr. Ndume was not mentioned in all the speeches made during the event. Prominent names in the entourage of the Senate president include senators Ben Bruce, Dino Melaye, Phillip Aduda, Bala NaAllah, and Ahmed Lawan. Share this: Twitter Facebook A fleeing Boko Haram suspect, Bala Ibrahim, has been nabbed by troops of the Nigeria army at Fika village in Yobe state, a statement from the directorate of army public relations said. The spokesperson of the Nigerian Army, Sani Usman, a brigadier general, said the 30 years old Boko Haram suspect was nabbed while troops of the Forward Operation Base, Fika, were on routine patrol on Saturday. He said preliminary investigation shows that the suspect is an indigene of Bulabulin village, Fika Local Government Area, Yobe State. He said the suspect is being interrogated. The statement did not explain from where the suspect was running. Mr. Usman said another deployment of troops at the Forward Operation Base at Yuga had, while on blocking position on the same day, ambushed and arrested four suspected kidnappers. He said the troops responded to a tip off and made the arrest in Mundu village. He named the suspects as Yahaya Auta, aged 25, Salisu Lawal, aged 20 years, Umar Mohammed, aged 18 years and Samaila Abubakar. They were found to be in possession of 1 Locally made Six Loader Single Barrel Gun, 1 Empty Cartridge, 2 Machetes, a Knife, 2 Mobile Telephone Handsets, 2 Packets of Tramol Tablets and the sum of Three Hundred and Sixty Naira, while on their way to commit crime. They also currently being further investigated, he said. Share this: Twitter Facebook The Kaduna State Government has begun the rehabilitation of infrastructure in 225 Primary Healthcare Centres, PHCs, with a view to improving health services across the state. The state Commissioner for Health and Human Services, Paul Dogo, said this at the 2017 quarterly news conference tagged, Open Kaduna in Kaduna at the weekend. Mr. Dogo said one PHC facility each was being rehabilitated in each of the 255 wards under the first phase in the state. He said that modern equipment would be provided so as to tackle health challenges at the grassroots. He said PHC facilities were the closest health services to the people, adding that the state government should make it a priority. The commissioner said it was the first executive bill passed into law since the inception of the current administration. The state government is investing many resources to strengthen routine immunization. Already, we have 996 functional PHC facilities in place that are providing routine immunisation and outreach services. Currently, 255 PHCs are undergoing expansion and renovation, all contracts agreement signed by both contractors and the clients. So far, 254 contract agreements have been collected by the contractors, 245 contractors were so far taken to site but only 150 contractors are working on site, he said. He said that some PHC facilities had been completed and handed over to the clients. The PHC Kakau in Chikun and Unguwan Haladu in Birnin Gwari Local Government Areas had been handed over and inspection had been carried out on them, he said. Some defects on the work detected were being rectified before the state government would take over, he said. According to him, the state is collaborating with development partners to strengthen the PHC system along various thematic areas. He said the areas include: governance and leadership, human resources for health, supply chain management, health information management and referral system. This informs the deliberate steps taken by the government to build resilient and sustainable systems that will ensure improvement in health care. Mr. Dogo said that the ministry had developed the minimum service package and the service delivery plan for PHC waiting for the governors approval. The commissioner also said that the cold-chain equipment required to fill the existing cold-chain gap had been procured and awaiting the completion of rehabilitation of the PHCs before its installation. He said additional cold stores, one in each senatorial zone, had been completed with new walk -in-cold rooms installed. (NAN) Share this: Twitter Facebook Following his victory at the Supreme Court, Ben Nwankwo, the member representing Orumba North/South Federal Constituency of Anambra State in the House of Representatives, was sworn in April, two years after the 2015 parliamentary elections. In this interview with PREMIUM TIMES Nasir Ayitogo, the lawmaker narrates his long walk to victory in court, Anambra politics and other issues. Excerpts: PT: You were recently sworn in as a member of the House of Representatives following the decision of the Supreme Court that you won the election in 2015 and not Sopuluchukwu Ezeonwuka who was earlier sworn in. Can you tell us how your journey to victory started? Nwankwo: It started on 7th of December, 2014 when PDP primaries were conducted in Anambra State for National Assembly election. I contested alongside five others and on that day, there was no Sopuluchukwu Ezeonwuka at the venue of the election. That was in Mbarinzu Umunze. He did not show up there. He didnt feature there. He was not seen anywhere around the perimeter of the environment. He never got a single vote. He didnt send an agent (because) he was not serious with that contest. I won the election and all the people who contested with me didnt score up to 20 per cent of my votes. It was a landslide victory. The moon, sun and land witnessed that election. My name was forwarded by the person that conducted the election, one Engr. Okuchukwu, to the electoral panel of the entire state. That election was conducted between 12 and 1 p.m. contrary to what Sopuluchukwu Ezeonwuka claimed that it was by 8 a.m. As at 8oclock we had not even started accreditation for the senatorial election. The Electoral College for the House of Reps is the same as that of Senate as it were then in my jurisdiction. In other words, the delegates that participated in Orumba North/South primaries election that elected me also elected the senatorial candidate, Dr. Andy Uba. It was after the senatorial election that we moved to prepare for House of Representatives primaries. So, I had a landslide victory. My name was transmitted by Mr. Okuchukwu Okafor to the electoral panel sitting in Awka. Somewhere in Abuja, in one hotel owned by one of the self-acclaimed godfathers of Anambra politics, unknown to me, some lawyers were cooking up tales of lies in the name of originating summons in favour of Sopuluchukwu Ezeonwuka. He approached Justice A.R. Mohammed seeking summarily that he should be declared the validly elected and authentic candidate of PDP without joining any of the persons that contested elections. It wasnt that he sued all the people that contested and said to the judge oh look, amongst all of us joined in this suit, Im the one that won the election, declare me the winner following A, B, C and D. He went on a frolic of his own to the judge and the judge so granted in its entirety all the prayers. The judge went ahead without finding it wise to demand that I be joined in the suit. I wasnt aware of it. My name was in the kitty of INEC and INEC was represented in that suit. They also kept quiet. So, I will say that it was a journey that was very tortuous. I passed through a political Golgotha to reach my political salvation because it was a conspiracy of the godfathers who felt seriously threatened by my being elected for the third time into the House of Representatives. There is no Anambra citizen that has been validly elected three times into the House of Representatives and I will be the first to be so elected. That being the case, the conspiracy was thick and the threat was obvious and they conspired and came out with an order which I was not a party to and which was to affect me adversely anyway. I ran in the election, which took place on the 28th of March. On the eve of the election, a SAN representing INEC as Director (Legal) wrote a letter to the REC in Anambra State asking him to remove my name and put Ezeonwukas name as candidate of PDP in obedience and compliance with the directive of the Federal High Court given by A. R. Mohammed. The order was for PDP to send the name of Ezeonwuka to INEC and for INEC to publish. But as at that time publication ended, submission ended and PDP didnt send his name anywhere. INEC again went on a frolic of their own, procured and sponsored him as their candidate and inserted his name 24 hours to election as their candidate via a letter written by Director (Legal). It got to Anambra on the day of election. At the point, I was to take my declaratory certificate, the letter surfaced. My certificate was cancelled and before me, given to Ezeonwuka by the commissioner in INEC who represented the South-East. If you ask me, Ezeonwuka was an INEC candidate who was sponsored by INEC and not by PDP. That was how the legal journey started. So, we took it up from there. We went to Court of Appeal to set aside the judgement of the lower court but the Court of Appeal misconceived the matter totally, ordered for a fresh election all together from nowhere, a relief no one sought. I applied to be joined as an interested party in the case and my application was pending before the Court of Appeal. They gave judgement on the matter when my application was before them. They told me their hands were tied already and that I should go to the highest court. That made things more difficult, more tortuous and more protracted. I went up to the Supreme Court and filed a joinder. It was a very difficult task to argue it through. The Supreme Court rarely join parties at that level because the Supreme Court is not a trial court as you know, it is the highest court in the land. But maybe something struck them, my application was heavily supported by affidavits by PDP lawyer, Arthur Obi Okafor and as God would have it I was joined as an interested party. My joinder in the case actually turned out to be my turning point. They were able to look at the two sides. The judge who presided over the matter said he was interested in knowing the truth and the truth must be discovered because there were two results emanating from one election. One of them must be forged and the other must be original. He ordered the IGP to investigate the two results and prosecute any person that has forged any and they also went ahead to order that I be included as an appellant in the case. That brought another twist to the case. The cabal that was behind Ezeonwuka tried to spite me politically, fought relentlessly and I gave them a run for their money. But then, he that comes from above is above everybody. They succeeded in getting the two warring factions of PDP. First, they got Sheriff to write the court that they should withdraw the PDP appeal upon which mine leveraged on. I went to Makarfi and he linked me up to Ben Obi and that we should go back to the court and follow the case to its logical conclusion. But before the hearing, they did a 360 turn around and wrote a counter letter. In fact, Ben Obi came himself and urged the Supreme Court to withdraw the case but as God would have it, the Supreme Court heard everything on the same day and in the judgement, they agreed that PDP had the right to withdraw the case and debrief the lawyer. Luckily, I had been joined as an interested party and so the appeal succeeded on my own. A lot of waters passed under the bridge which I dont want to discuss publicly but at the end of it, summarily speaking, the godfathers were put to shame by he who is above all. Right now, they are very angry and are fighting back and they are not ruling out any possibility, including assassination. As it is now, Ive been receiving all manners of text (messages), funny calls and funny movements here and there. One good thing that came out of that judgement was that the Supreme Court stood up to its responsibility. They looked politicians in their faces and told them to stop corrupting the political system and stop putting clog in the wheel of progress in this country. For the political system to stand, the political class must be sanitized. First, they ordered him to return every kobo he has received from the National Assembly in whatever manner to serve as a deterrent for other people who may want to try funny things and reap from where they did not sow, those who want to take advantages of leakages in the system, collect certificate and then rush to the National Assembly to be sworn in, particularly in Anambra State. If you know the political history in that state, you will know that anything is possible politically in that state, including kidnapping a serving governor, staging a civilian coup. Someone wont contest for election but will get a certificate of return. All these happen in Anambra State. It took me two years to fight this battle but I am happy I am telling the story. And I have to say this all power belongs to God. He gives to whom he wishes. Without any godfather, you can go ahead and become whom God wants you to be. PT: Why are your elections always marred by controversies? In 2003, your election was stopped, you were not sworn in until 2005 after you got cleared by the court. Nwankwo: The same godfathers, I dont do their bidding. In 2003, prior to that election, a political godfather asked me to help in removing the then governor, Chinwoke Mbadinuju, whom I served in his administration as commissioner for special duties, finance, works and transport, housing and urban development. I told him that I wouldnt have any reason to organise such a coup. He said he needed me desperately to remove Mbadinuju and I should talk against him and say all manners of things. I said I wouldnt do that and that if I do it, it would hurt me and my children because I will be seen as biting the finger that fed me and it will be ungrateful of me. It is also because for you to be a commissioner in Anambra State without being sponsored by a godfather is very difficult. I was a commissioner without a godfather, I had God the father as my Godfather and I said no I wouldnt do that. For that reason, they conspired and wrote a petition against me and the then Inspector General of Police ordered for my arrest without any investigation or intelligence. I was just locked up in a police cell for months without charge. I was kept to prevent me from winning the primaries but as God would have it, that election you are making reference to, I won the primaries while in police detention. When I was released, I came out, contested the election and I won. The same cabal fought and removed my name and brought somebody who contested under the UNPP to replace me as candidate of PDP. I went to court, the court also found out that Nedu Ugochukwu whom they used to replace me was the candidate of UNPP who contested the same election and lost to me. But they went to INEC and replaced my name with his. Somebody who contested in UNPP now became PDP candidate that won the election which I contested and won. So, I went to court for two years again I fought. I didnt come on board again until two years after, I was sworn in around April 2005. My elections are not marred by any controversy but you can say that the godfathers have been against me. PT: It was believed that your name was substituted with that of Ezeonwuka as a result of factionalization in your party, the PDP. How many factions exist in Anambra State? Nwankwo: Well, my name was not substituted as a result of factionalization. Ezeonwukas case was not that his primary election was conducted by another faction of the PDP. Both of us laid claim to the victory of the primaries conducted by the NWC of PDP. It had nothing to do with factions or differences in delegates. He was talking about the same delegates that elected me and the senator but that he was the person that won the election. He won the election from a hotel room in Garki District of Abuja while I won in the field which exists in Orumba North and South Federal Constituency. PT: Why is the Anambra PDP always in crisis? Nwankwo: Clash of the godfathers and absence of consensus which you can also trace to the first PDP governor. There was no arrowhead that every person will follow. There were too many political deities and so what happens in Anambra is that there is interlock of these political deities. They are at war in the then PDP as the ruling party both at the state and federal levels. PT: Prominent South-East politicians have been dumping the PDP for the APC, the latest is former Governor Sullivan Chime of Enugu State. Do you intend to defect to another political party? Nwankwo: The right to defect to any political party is the right of that individual and I will not question that. Those of them who are defecting from PDP to APC in Enugu State know their reasons. As for me I must be guided by one thing what do my people want? Where do I want to take them to? Where can I achieve that which they want me to do for them? If it is guaranteed in PDP, Ill stay put in PDP. If it is more actualisable in any other political party other than PDP then movement will be inevitable. PT: Are you saying there is every possibility you may dump the PDP? Nwankwo: I havent said there is every possibility and I havent said there is no possibility. I said that if remaining in PDP will make my people achieve their political objectives, the reason why I am here, then Ill remain in PDP. But if it is threatened by my continued stay in the PDP then of course. It is only a tree that will hear that it is going to be cut down that will stay in one place. I will be guided by the political objectives of my people. I will also be seriously guided by which party stands the best chance to make things happen for my people. PT: The Anambra governorship election is just around the corner. How bright are the chances of the PDP given the leadership crisis at the centre? Can the PDP upstage Willie Obiano in the contest? Nwankwo: It is a very simple thing. Failure and success are by choice and the two alternatives are before PDP. If they choose success, they must come together. If a house is divided against itself, it cannot stand. If they (PDP) want to fail, they will be divided as they are and if they remain divided, they have chosen to fail. If they decide to come together and stay under one umbrella which is their logo then they become a united front. So, they should mobilize the people and bring them together and tell them you will do our bidding, not that of any individual. Anything other than that, I see very thick clouds. PT: Some say you Anambrarians have too much money and that is why you dont agree, politically. Can you provide some insight into this claim? Nwankwo: To play politics in Anambra state is very stressful because of the nature of human resource capital in that state. The society is republican and there is a very high political awareness and also individuals are not people that can be pushed around. I think that is more like it other than money. Money is playing its own role but Im looking at the nature of Anambra society, the people are very enlightened. You cant find more than 30 per cent of the voters to be illiterates and unenlightened. They look into your eyes and tell you what they want to tell you. There are so many big fishes or big trees but no matter how mighty a tree is, if it doesnt take care, it will fall. That is the lesson they dont know. Most of the time they keep fighting each other. But my advice to them is that Anambra would be a better state than it is now if they can achieve a political consensus, if they can be driven by a shared vision to be the greatest state in Nigeria. It is one state that has the lowest level of poverty in Nigeria. Im not saying they are the richest in the federation. You can rarely find a typical village in Anambra state where there are no basic amenities. It is as a result of the nature of the society, the blessing God has deposited upon the people and the state. I will advise them to look inwards to do some kind of introspective analysis and not to push their luck too far and take their blessings for granted. They should come together as people united by passion and vision then build the strongest state in Nigeria. I know you will talk about Lagos but I will also tell you that a good percentage of the productivity in Lagos is coming from Anambra State. PT: Do you intend to run as governor of Anambra State? Nwankwo: If God finds me probable and worthy, I will be a willing tool, I will be very glad to serve my people but I wouldnt be desperate about it. I will wait for my own time. When the time and tide favours my choice, no man can stop it. As for now, Im a legislator of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and that is the job I am seriously committed to doing for now. PT: Can you disclose how much you earn as a legislator? Nwankwo: To start with, I have not been paid any money since I came to the National Assembly. I have only been advised that my salary is coming towards the end of May and Ill be earning about N600, 000. Maybe, my basic is about N400,000, but I cant give you the real figures. I think there is something that people have been making mistake about. What I earn in the National Assembly is different from any cost of running this office. That is what they keep mixing up. No legislator takes his pen to write anything that immediately translates to release money, unlike the executive where a minister approves something and then payment is made. My own accounts department is the same that serves the entire National Assembly as a system. But out there, Nigerians believe every legislator has a provision of money somewhere called constituency allowance. PT: You have been a member of the House of Representatives even before the 8th Assembly and also a commissioner in former Governor Mbadinuju administration, can you point out some of the things you did for your people? Nwankwo: I was made a turnaround commissioner under Mbadinuju administration and that was why I served in four different strategic portfolios. I was never dropped in any cabinet shake-up and I was never sponsored by any godfather. I only resigned to contest for election which the governor himself refused but I couldnt help it. I gave the best of my youth to my state and Im proud I did and when some godfathers were looking for where to nail me, they went through all the ministries that Ive worked but they couldnt find anything. They came attacking physically and that is why you see them always attacking me during elections. I was a member of the 5th, 7th and now 8th Assembly. Of course, if you ask me my legacy, I will tell you people development especially focusing on the younger generations. The greatness of any society or nation is the leadership pipeline you put in place, the investment you make on the people that will take over. I did a lot of work under youth empowerment. I made sure I bridged the gap between my constituency and the federal government. I see the job of the legislator to be like that of a messenger, bringing the yearnings of my people to the federal government and the message of the federal government back to my people. That is why in my constituency, they call me the messenger of Orumba. I am happy and proud that Ive been a messenger to my people, having empowered many youth. I am proud that Ive served them and I will continue to do so, more so now that I have just two years to do that. I feel Im given a job of piloting the people of Orumba who are on board Boeing 777 to London from Abuja and Im expected to get there in three hours, not in six hours and the aviation fuel for three hours is already rationed to me and Im already airborne and I have two options; to crash the aircraft alongside the people or to land them safely to destination. By the special grace of God, the same God that made it possible for me to be back on the saddle will deliver us with a speed that is rather beyond human imagination to the destination well be proud of. Share this: Twitter Facebook Rajnigandha Silver Pearls' Acha hai #Maa Kehti hai ( Read 9758 Times) 14 May 17 Share | Print This Page Rajnigandha Silver Pearls has launched a new video titled Acha hai #Maa Kehti Hai in a Mothers Day tribute. Taking forward the success of the #Maa Kehti Hai campaign of the past, the new video with an emotional storyline will be released on Facebook, followed by an audience engagement exercise across social media channels where users will be invited to share their mothers story and talk about their greatest hero. Your story begins with your mothers story and that story is the greatest of them all! This #Mothers Day! #MaaKehtiHai the campaign underscores the inherent goodness of a mothers heart and connects with the brand proposition Achchai Ki Ek Alag Chamak Hoti Hai. The film is based on the insight that mothers are taken for granted and their advice not always appreciated. The video puts the protagonists through a day without their mother. The video opens to a couple of shots where children are cribbing about their mother. The next morning, they find a note from their mother informing that she wont be home the entire day. The initial euphoria is followed by a struggle to get by with the father trying to rustle up breakfast for the children and the children trying to get themselves ready for school. The camera then pans into the kids back at home after school and delighted to not have their mother around to stop them from watching TV. However, they soon get bored and switch it off. They miss their mother. The mother returns home in the evening and finds the house in a mess. The younger daughter runs to the mom and hugs her tightly and says, Aap kahan chale gaye thay? The elder one adds: Acha hai aap chali gayi thi, aaj humein pata chala ki Mom banana kitna mushkil hai. An emotional reunion follows. The film ends with a warm family moment as they all cuddle up and the tagline plays out - Kitna accha hai ki ma humare liye har pal maujood hai. Iss Mothers Day, shukriya adaa karen uss mom ka. AcchaHai #Maa Kehti Hai. Commenting on the campaign, Rajeev Jain, Associate VP, Marketing, DS Group said, The core essence of Rajnigandha Pearls is Achchai, the inner goodness, which is an integral part of the brands communication. Rajnigandha Silver Pearls is celebrating Mothers Day by releasing a video titled Acha hai #Maa Kehti hai because mothers have abundant inner goodness that makes them stand out and shine. The video emphasizes not only on a mothers importance in our lives, but also highlights her sacrificing and giving nature. The campaign is in sync with the brands proposition of Achchai ki ek alag chamak hoti hai. - See more at: http://www.exchange4media.com/advertising/mums-the-hero-in-rajnigandha-silver-pearls-acha-hai-maa-kehti-hai-campaign-tribute_68786.html#sthash.iEHRh9KL.dpuf Source : This Article/News is also avaliable in following categories : Business News Your Comments ! Share Your Openion ATLANTIC CITY A call for a neighborhood lockdown came Sunday hours after a man was killed on North Maryland Avenue, the third fatal shooting in the neighborhood in the past two weeks. I am appalled by the callous disregard for human life, said Atlantic County Prosecutor Damon G. Tyner. I urge every resident to work cooperatively with law enforcement, the clergy, and community leaders to end this senseless violence and obtain justice for those families left behind to pick up the pieces. Authorities responded to the 800 block of North Maryland Avenue, where they found the dead man. The Prosecutors Office said they are currently withholding the mans name. Two city councilmen who are Democratic mayoral candidates weighed in hours later. Police are investigating the case as a homicide. The citys ShotSpotter recorded five shots, police said. City Council President Marty Small said he was on the scene after police were called at 2:49 p.m. an met with the family, residents and police Chief Henry White. Small declined to disclose the name of the victim. I asked him to take drastic measures in the Marina District to boost up patrols and hopefully, put the neighborhood on lock down, because three times this week is not a good thing, and the weather has not broken yet, Small said. David Blackwell Jr., 31, of Hammonton, was found fatally shot about 10:15 p.m. May 5 in the 800 block of North Virginia Avenue. Anthony A. Jordan, 28, of the city, was found shot to death about 5:30 a.m. May 11 in a parked car in the 1000 block of Brigantine Boulevard, police said. Small said he spoke to the Atlantic County prosecutor, whose office is investigating. Hopefully, they can dedicate the resources they have, Small said. At the end of the day, we need the community to come together. Councilman Frank Gilliamsaid he found it disturbing to hear another young person lost his life in the 2nd Ward. It is extremely hard to fathom how a mother would feel losing her child on Mothers Day, Gilliam said. Small, who represents the 2nd Ward, did not like Gilliams comment. Its rather disingenuous that Frank Gilliam would play politics by mentioning theres another life lost in the 2nd Ward. We know what area it happened in, and for him to make comments now because he is running for mayor is a shame, Small said. Small said he takes no pride in someone being murdered in the city, let alone ward. Anyone with information may call the Major Crimes Unit at 609-909-7666 or text anonymously to TIP411 (847411), beginning the text with ACPD. The White House has been pressing forward with an aggressive agenda, with President Trump expressing a particular eagerness to reform the U.S. tax code. President Trump announced details of his tax plan shortly before his 100th day in office, promising the largest tax cut since Reagan's time. Trump's tax plan would fundamentally reform the tax code in many ways, but there's one provision of his plan that seems almost targeted to hit the pocketbooks of wealthy blue-state residents: a plan to repeal the federal tax deduction for state and local taxes. Repealing this deduction -- dubbed the SALT deduction -- would increase federal revenue by as much as $1.3 trillion over the course of a decade, with two-thirds of that additional revenue coming from the 18 states that went for Clinton in 2016. How does the SALT deduction work? The state and local tax deduction allows taxpayers who take itemized deductions to deduct either state income taxes or state sales taxes from federal taxable income, with most taxpayers opting for income taxes. Property taxes are also deductible. Some type of deduction for state and local taxes has been permitted since 1913, when the federal government first began collecting tax -- although reforms have occurred over the years -- and the deduction protects taxpayers from paying federal taxes on money sent to local governments. The Alternative Minimum Tax (AMT) and the Pease limitation on itemized deductions -- which reduces the value of deductions by 3% for each dollar of taxable income exceeding a specific threshold -- reduce the benefits of this deduction for some wealthier taxpayers. Nonetheless, more than 95% of all taxpayers who itemize claim the SALT deduction. Of course, the deduction is obviously worth much more to tax filers in states with higher state and local taxes. The larger your local tax bills, the more money you deduct from your federal taxable income. Who would pay if the SALT deduction were repealed? Allowing taxpayers to deduct state and local taxes cost the federal government $96 billion in lost revenue in 2017. If the deduction is repealed, taxpayers will be paying a lot more to Uncle Sam. But these costs won't be spread evenly. In fact, the voters most likely to have cast a ballot for Clinton will be footing the bill. The repeal of the SALT deduction falls so disproportionately on blue states that some refer to it as a tax on liberalism. Blue staters are not only more likely to take this deduction -- 45% of Marylanders claim it, compared with 15% of West Virginians -- but are also much more likely to deduct large amounts. In California, more than 20% of taxpayers would see a tax increase due to repeal, with the average increase coming in at $3,218. New Yorkers would fare worse: More than 30% of Empire State residents would pay more, and the average increase is a startling $4,250. Around a third of all filers in Connecticut, Maryland, New Jersey, Massachusetts, Washington D.C., and Virginia would also pay more in federal taxes, with Connecticut residents facing the nation's highest average increase of $4,286. That said, wealthier residents in all states would take a hit if the SALT deduction were eliminated. In 2014, 81% of filers with incomes exceeding $100,000 deducted for state or local taxes, versus just 10% of those earning $50,000 or less. It's true some red staters would also pay more, but not nearly as many and not nearly as much. In Mississippi, less than 10% of tax filers would face a tax increase, with the increase averaging just $1,223. Less than 10% of Floridians facing a bigger tax bill would pay an average of just $1,453 more, while fewer than 10% of Wyoming residents would pay an average of just $943 more in federal taxes. Why are blue state residents hit so hard? There's a simple reason why blue state residents would pick up most of the tab for the repeal of the SALT deduction: Blue states tend to have higher taxes to support costly programs disproportionately favored by Democrats. In 2017, New Yorkers had the highest total local tax burden of any state in the country, with property taxes, state income taxes, excise taxes, and sales taxes adding up to 12.94% of total personal income. Hawaii, Vermont, Connecticut, New Jersey, Illinois, and California were also among the 10 states where local taxes took the biggest bites out of residents' incomes. Tennessee, Florida, Alabama, South Dakota, and Wyoming, by contrast, had some of the lowest state and local tax burdens nationwide, with Tennessee residents facing around half of the tax burden of New Yorkers. There's an argument to be made that states that want to fund more services shouldn't expect the federal government to subsidize their bigger governments with billions in tax breaks. But whether you buy that or not, one thing is clear: Trump's tax plan would substantially raise the tax bills of some of his staunchest opponents. The $16,122 Social Security bonus most retirees completely overlook If you're like most Americans, you're a few years (or more) behind on your retirement savings. But a handful of little-known "Social Security secrets" could help ensure a boost in your retirement income. For example: one easy trick could pay you as much as $16,122 more... each year! Once you learn how to maximize your Social Security benefits, we think you could retire confidently with the peace of mind we're all after. Simply click here to discover how to learn more about these strategies. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. PLEASE BE ADVISED: Soon we will no longer integrate with Facebook for story comments. The commenting option is not going away, however, readers will need to register for a FREE site account to continue sharing their thoughts and feedback on stories. If you already have an account (i.e. current subscribers, posting in obituary guestbooks, for submitting community events), you may use that login, otherwise, you will be prompted to create a new account. The U.S. Navy loves its Arleigh Burke-class destroyers. Also known as the DDG 51-class, after the hull number on the lead ship of the class, the Arleigh Burke-class has changed a lot since its eponymous vessel first slid into the sea. Since that first ship launched in 1989, the class has undergone several evolutions, known successively as Flight I, Flight II, and Flight IIA -- 64 active destroyers in all. With each Flight, the Arleigh Burke-class has gotten a bit longer, a bit heavier, and a bit better equipped than the one preceding it. The upcoming Flight III will be the largest class of DDG 51s ever built, both in size and in quantity. Current plans call for at least 33 Flight III destroyers to be built, at the rate of roughly two per year, and each one will displace 9,800 tons -- about 18% bigger than the original Flight I Arleigh Burke. They'll also be outfitted with a much more advanced sensor system -- thanks to Raytheon (NYSE: RTN). All systems go for Flight III General Dynamics won the contract to build the first Flight III destroyer (USS Harvey C. Barnum, Jr. (DDG 124)) last year. (Future newbuilds will probably be split evenly between General Dynamics and its archrival, Huntington Ingalls.) Like the warships that preceded it, the Navy's newest destroyer will boast a Vertical Launching System for anti-aircraft and Tomahawk missiles, an advanced anti-submarine warfare system, two Sikorsky Seahawk helicopters, and the famous AEGIS combat system, which is why this class of warship is sometimes referred to as an "AEGIS destroyer." The new Flight III will also feature one brand-new piece of equipment: a new and improved air and missile defense radar (AMDR) system. Introducing the AMDR destroyer It's been a few years, so now's a good time to review what AMDR means to the Navy -- and to Raytheon. As recently as 2013, three companies were vying to build a successor to the Lockheed Martin-built AN/SPY-1(V) radar system that powered previous versions of AEGIS: Lockheed Martin itself, and challengers Northrop Grumman and Raytheon. Raytheon won that competition with its new AN/SPY-6(V) S-band radar system. This new AMDR will boast twice the range of Lockheed's preceding SPY-1 radar, spotting targets "half the size at twice the distance of today's radar." Raytheon also says it will offer "higher reliability and sustainability, and lower total ownership cost." Speaking of cost... Back when Raytheon won the AMDR contract in 2013, I valued that win at $1.6 billion across the American destroyer fleet. Raytheon received the first installment on that anticipated payday earlier this month, when the Pentagon announced the award of a $327.1 million contract to Raytheon, to begin low-rate initial production of the first three AMDR systems. (Production of this installment should be complete by October 2020.) Future systems, one would imagine, will subsequently roll out at approximately the rate at which destroyers are produced, i.e., about a couple of units per year, thus adding about $200 million or thereabouts to Raytheon's annual revenue stream. Now admittedly, $200 million isn't a huge sum for a company like Raytheon, which booked more than $24 billion in revenue last year. But here's the thing: Raytheon designed AMDR as a scalable radar system. Assembled from 2-cubic-foot "boxes" called radar modular assemblies (RMAs), AMDR can be scaled up by adding more boxes, creating more radar "oomph" for large warships such as destroyers (or aircraft carriers). Put nine RMAs together, and AMDR offers capability equivalent to Lockheed's AN/SPY-1(V) radar currently in service aboard U.S. Navy destroyers. Install 37 RMA boxes and the radar's range doubles. 69 RMAs increase range to four times existing capabilities, and so on, with greater ranges but diminishing returns. But AMDR can also be scaled down in size for installation aboard smaller amphibious warfare vessels, frigates, and even the Littoral Combat Ship. That simple fact expands Raytheon's addressable market for AMDR far beyond just the size of the Navy's destroyer fleet -- potentially, to the size of the fleet itself. In theory at least, every Navy warship could one day be an AMDR warship, and with a larger installed base to absorb the radar's development costs, Raytheon should be able to lower prices as well, increasing AMDR's cost advantage over competing systems and growing the market even more. So while Raytheon's AMDR business began with a contract win in 2013, and kicked into action with an order for three radar systems this month, don't expect it to end there. For Raytheon, this could be just the beginning of a brand-new -- and profitable -- franchise. 10 stocks we like better than Raytheon When investing geniuses David and Tom Gardner have a stock tip, it can pay to listen. After all, the newsletter they have run for over a decade, Motley Fool Stock Advisor, has tripled the market.* David and Tom just revealed what they believe are the 10 best stocks for investors to buy right now and Raytheon wasn't one of them! That's right -- they think these 10 stocks are even better buys. Click here to learn about these picks! *Stock Advisor returns as of May 1, 2017 Rich Smith has no position in any stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. BOSTON, May 14, 2017 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Two sexually transmitted diseases Zika virus and human papilloma virus (HPV) are the focus of two new studies, which demonstrate that new techniques to test and prevent these viruses can have significant impacts to minimize spread. The studies will be presented during a special panel for media at the 112th Annual Meeting of the American Urological Association on Sunday, May 14 at 9:00 a.m. at the Boston Convention and Exhibition Center. The press session will be moderated by Robert E. Brannigan, MD, AUA spokesperson and a practicing urologist at Northwestern Medical Group in Chicago, IL. Study Details Urine Based Rapid Molecular Diagnosis of Zika Virus (# MP23-03): Zika, a vector-borne disease, is associated with serious complications for exposed individuals. In pregnant women, exposure to the virus has been shown to cause brain defects in newborns including microcephaly and neurological and autoimmune complications. Researchers in Michigan explored whether a urine-based diagnostic could be effective in detecting Zika exposure. Using urine samples with Zika virus added researchers compared PCR testing to a new technology developed by the team: reverse transcription loop mediated isothermal amplification (RT-LAMP). RT-LAMP was shown to effectively identify Zika-positive samples in under 30 minutes (vs. hours needed for conventional PCR). This test could be used to more easily monitor patients potentially exposed to Zika, particularly pregnant women or those wishing to conceive. Study Details HPV Prevalence in Males in the United States from Penile Swabs - Results from NHANES (# MP11-03): HPV is a common sexually transmitted infection, with some strains of the virus associated with malignancy and others with genital warts. Despite the availability of a vaccine to protect against HPV, the vaccine has not been included in routine vaccination schedules. Using a nationwide sample from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES), which included penile swabs tested for HPV, researchers from Syracuse reviewed data for 1,520 men ages 18-59 and found that more than half tested positive for the virus. More men tested positive for the strains associated with penile cancer than strains that cause genital warts. Circumcision did not have a protective effect against HPV, with circumcised men showing a two-fold increased risk for these infections. Only a small portion of men had received vaccination for HPV, suggesting a need for more widespread use of vaccination "The occurrence of HPV and Zika virus is on the rise throughout the world," said Dr. Branningan. "It's important parents learn more about HPV and the benefits to its prevention. Additionally, the ability to more quickly detect and treat patients with Zika has the potential to vastly advance public health. This novel urine-based diagnostic technique will help improve detection and lead to a more rapid application of treatment." NOTE TO REPORTERS: Experts are available to discuss this study outside normal briefing times. To arrange an interview with an expert, please contact the AUA Communications Office at 410-689-3932 or e-mail [email protected]. About the American Urological Association: The 112th Annual Meeting of the American Urological Association takes place May 12-16 at the Boston Convention and Exhibition Center in Boston, MA. Founded in 1902 and headquartered near Baltimore, Maryland, the American Urological Association is a leading advocate for the specialty of urology, and has more than 21,000 members throughout the world. The AUA is a premier urologic association, providing invaluable support to the urologic community as it pursues its mission of fostering the highest standards of urologic care through education, research and the formulation of health policy. Contact: Christine Frey, AUA 443-909-0839, [email protected] SOURCE American Urological Association Related Links http://www.AUAnet.org PRINCETON, N.J., May 14, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Photocure Inc., (Photocure, PHO: OSE), today announced that new Phase 3 study results with Blue Light Flexible Cystoscopy (BLFC) with Hexvix/Cysview* were presented during a late-breaking plenary session at the American Urological Association (AUA) Annual Meeting in Boston, Massachusetts on Sunday May 14th. The study showed that BLFC with Cysview detected bladder cancer recurrence in 21.5% of the patients undergoing surveillance cystoscopy that otherwise would have been missed with white light (WL) alone, which is highly significant (p<0.0001). Of note, the study showed that nine out of twenty-six patients (34.6%) with flat, more aggressive high grade lesions (carcinoma in situ; CIS) were diagnosed using confirmatory Blue Light Cystoscopy with Cysview alone and not WL (p<0.0001). The study also showed that there was no increase in the rate of related adverse events after repeated administration of Cysview in bladder cancer patients undergoing cystoscopy examination. The study was a prospective, open, comparative, within-patient controlled study, included 304 patients with non-muscle invasive bladder cancer (NMIBC) enrolled at 17 academic institutions in the US. In the study BLFC with Cysview was used with the KARL STORZ D-LIGHT C PDD Flexible Videoscope System. "This study shows that BLFC can provide a significant advantage for patients in terms of early detection of tumor recurrence which may improve treatment and therefore lead to better outcomes," says one of the lead investigators J. Stephen Jones, MD, president of Cleveland Clinic Regional Hospitals and Family Health Centers. "92.7% of the patients said it was worthwhile to undergo BLFC and 93.8% said that they would do it again. The results of the study show that BLFC will play a significant role in outpatient management of bladder cancer." "We are very pleased with the strong results of this Phase 3 study and intend to submit the data to the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to seek approval of BLFC with Cysview in the surveillance setting in the US, and an expansion of the indication to include CIS," says Ambaw Bellete, President, Photocure Inc. "We are committed to working with the FDA to bring this important tool to the US market so that physicians and patients can benefit from potentially better and more cost-effective management of the disease." Click here for a link to the late breaking abstract: http://bit.ly/BLFCC-LateBreaking. In addition, on May 12th at the AUA annual meeting, data from the largest Bladder Cancer Registry Study in the US was presented at a Poster session "BLUE LIGHT CYSTOSCOPY FOR THE DIAGNOSIS OF UROTHELIAL BLADDER CANCER: RESULTS FROM A PROSPECTIVE MULTICENTER REGISTRY." The results from 9 centers included 1325 lesions, from 517 procedures in 426 patients. The conclusion of the study was that BLC significantly increased the detection of CIS and papillary lesions over WLC alone and can result in upstaging and upgrading in about 13% of patients, which can affect patient outcomes. About Bladder Cancer Bladder cancer is the fifth most commonly diagnosed cancer in the US and is the fourth most common cancer found in men in the US1, 2, 3. In 2016, it is estimated that 76,960 new cases of bladder cancer will occur along with 16,390 deaths due to bladder cancer. Risk factors for bladder cancer include advancing age, cigarette smoking, occupational exposure to dyes, tar, rubber and solvent, chronic bladder irritation and infections, and prior diagnosis of bladder cancer. Bladder cancer is one of the most expensive cancers to manage, accounting for approximately $3.7 billion in direct costs each year4, 5. Bladder cancer is classified into two types, non-muscle invasive bladder cancer (NMIBC) and muscle-invasive bladder cancer (MIBC), depending on the depth of invasion in the bladder wall6. NMIBC is still in the inner layer of cells. These cancers are the most common (75%) of all BC cases and include the subtypes Ta, carcinoma in situ (CIS) and T1 lesions. MIBC is when the cancer has grown into deeper layers of the bladder wall. These cancers, including subtypes T2, T3 and T4, are more likely to spread and are harder to treat7. About Hexvix/Cysview Hexvix is a drug that is taken up selectively by cancer cells in the bladder making them glow bright pink during Blue Light Cystoscopy (BLC). BLC with Hexvix improves the detection of tumors and leads to more complete resection, less residual tumors and better management decisions (US)/ reduced risk of recurrence and progression (Nordic). Hexvix is the tradename in Europe, Cysview in the US and Canada. Hexvix is marketed and sold by Photocure in the Nordic countries and in the US with the trade name Cysview. Photocure has a strategic partnership with Ipsen for the commercialization of Hexvix in Europe, excluding the Nordic region. Please refer to https://www.photocure.com/Partnering-with-Photocure/Our-partners for further information on our commercial partners. About KARL STORZ Endoscopy-America, Inc. KARL STORZ Endoscopy-America, Inc., is an affiliate of KARL STORZ GmbH & Co. KG, an international leader for more than 70 years in reusable endoscope technology, encompassing all endoscopic specialties. Based in Tuttlingen, Germany, KARL STORZ GmbH & Co. KG is a family-owned company that designs, engineers, manufactures, and markets all its products with an emphasis on visionary design, precision craftsmanship and clinical effectiveness. For more information, call (800) 421-0837 or visit the company's website at www.karlstorz.com. About Photocure ASA Photocure, headquartered in Oslo Norway, is a specialty pharmaceutical company focusing on urology. Based on its unique proprietary Photocure Technology platform, Photocure is committed to developing and commercializing highly selective and minimally invasive solutions to improve health outcomes for patients worldwide. The company is listed on the Oslo Stock Exchange (OSE: PHO). Information about Photocure is available at www.photocure.com. For more information, please contact: Kjetil Hestdal President and CEO, Photocure ASA Tel: + 47 91319535 Email: [email protected] Erik Dahl Chief Financial Officer Tel: +47 450 55 000 Email: [email protected] Emily Dell Media contact MCS Healthcare public relations Tel: +1 732 589-0757 Email: [email protected] 1 SEER Cancer Statistics Factsheets: Bladder Cancer. National Cancer Institute. Bethesda, MD. http://seer.cancer.gov/statfacts/html/urinb.html. Accessed April 2016. 2 Bladder Cancer. American Cancer Society. http://www.cancer.org/acs/groups/cid/documents/webcontent/003085-pdf.pdf. Accessed April 2016. 3 Hall M, Chang S, Dalbagni G et al. Guideline for the Management of Nonmuscle Invasive Bladder Cancer (Stages Ta, T1, and Tis): 2007 Update. J Urol. 2007;178 (6):2314-2330. 4 Avritscher EB et al., Clinical model of lifetime cost of treating bladder cancer and associated complications. Urology. 2006; 68:549-553. 5 Botteman et al. Clinical model of lifetime costs of treating bladder cancer: a comprehensive review of the published literature. Pharmacoeconomics. 2003; 21:315-1330. 6 Bladder Cancer. American Cancer Society. http://www.cancer.org/acs/groups/cid/documents/webcontent/003085-pdf.pdf. Accessed April 2016. 7 Bladder Cancer. American Cancer Society. http://www.cancer.org/acs/groups/cid/documents/webcontent/003085-pdf.pdf. Accessed April 2016. SOURCE Photocure Inc. Related Links http://www.photocure.com REDWOOD SHORES, Calif., May 14, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Procept BioRobotics, a Silicon Valley robotics company developing intelligent surgical solutions to treat prostate disease, has announced the early safety and efficacy endpoints from the global Phase III WATER (Waterjet Ablation Therapy for Endoscopic Resection of prostate tissue) Study showing a superior safety profile for Aquablation with very strong efficacy outcomes comparable to transurethral resection of the prostate (TURP) for the treatment of benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH). Presented today at the American Urological Association (AUA) Annual Meeting in Boston, the data demonstrated that use of Aquablation resulted in a large improvement in patient symptoms, a substantial increase in urinary flow rates and a decreased risk of sexual side effects compared to TURP. Aquablation, delivered by Procept BioRobotics' AquaBeam System, uses a robotically controlled waterjet to remove prostate tissue without the application of heat. The double blind, prospective, randomized WATER Study compared Aquablation to TURP in 181 male patients, age 45 to 80 years with urinary symptoms due to BPH, at 17 sites across four countries. As reported by Co-principal Investigator, Claus Roehrborn, MD, Chair of the Department of Urology at UT Southwestern in Dallas, Texas, the study met its primary endpoints, indicating that surgeons were able to deliver high-quality TURP-like outcomes using Aquablation. "With the results in the TURP cohort providing a very strong control group, the WATER Study was able to demonstrate that Aquablation achieves comparable overall outcomes for the subjective and objective efficacy measures with even better results in larger glands," said Dr. Roehrborn. A summary of the reported findings of the WATER Study comparing Aquablation to TURP includes: Significantly improved BPH symptoms in both treatment groups as measured by the International Prostate Symptom Score (IPSS) at six months with 100% of Aquablation patients improving from baseline Superiority in IPSS storage symptom sub-scores (p<0.05) Superiority in IPSS improvement with Aquablation in men with prostate volume greater than 50 ml as compared to TURP (p<0.01) Superiority in peak urinary flow rates (Qmax) at six months A significantly lower rate (4 to 1 ratio, p<0.001) of sexual side effects in Aquablation compared to TURP at three months Superiority in ejaculatory function (MSHQ-EjD) and incontinence scores (ISI) at three months "These results indicate that the learning curve with Aquablation is very short in relation to TURP, as a majority of the physicians achieved TURP-like results without any prior experience with Aquablation," said Co-principal Investigator Peter Gilling, MD, Professor of Surgery at the University of Auckland, Bay of Plenty Clinical School Tauranga. "The combination of image guidance and robotics allows the surgeon to identify critical anatomical landmarks and develop an optimal tissue removal plan that seems to provide predictable and reproducible results." BPH is a highly prevalent condition affecting approximately 50 percent of men age 60 or older and 90 percent of men age 85 or older.1 About half of men diagnosed with BPH experience moderate-to-severe lower urinary tract symptoms (LUTS). Today, patients must decide to treat their BPH with surgical treatments such as TURP, which offer sustained symptom relief but a high risk of complications, or minimally invasive techniques that have a low risk of complications but are less effective for symptom relief. Investigational technologies like Aquablation offer the potential for symptomatic improvement similar to TURP with a superior safety profile. "This is a significant milestone for Aquablation and Procept BioRobotics in our goal of bettering the lives of men suffering from BPH," said Nikolai Aljuri, Ph.D, co-founder and chief executive officer at Procept BioRobotics. "The early results of this landmark study challenge the gold standard and suggest that Aquablation could become the treatment of choice offering men a sustained and significant improvement in quality of life with a superior safety profile and reduced risk of sexual side effects." About the AquaBeam System and Aquablation The AquaBeam System is the only surgical technology for Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia (BPH) that combines intra-procedural ultrasound imaging and surgical robotics to deliver Aquablation, a waterjet ablation therapy that enables targeted, controlled, heat-free and immediate removal of prostate tissue for the treatment of lower urinary tract symptoms caused by BPH. By combining traditional cystoscopic visualization with ultrasound imaging, the AquaBeam System provides a real-time multi-dimensional view of the prostate, empowering the surgeon with improved decision making during the procedure. Prior to resection, the surgeon uses the AquaBeam monitor to define the area of resection while sparing the anatomical landmarks responsible for continence and ejaculatory function. The robotically controlled waterjet then resects the tissue according to the prescribed treatment plan. The combination of surgical mapping and controlled resection of the prostate is designed to offer predictable and reproducible outcomes, independent of prostate size and shape. The AquaBeam System is available for investigational use only and not currently available for sale in the United States. The AquaBeam has CE Mark approval, TGA approval and MedSafe registration and is now available in select global markets. About Procept BioRobotics Based in Silicon Valley, Procept BioRobotics is bettering the lives of men by developing robotic surgical solutions to treat prostate disease. With an initial focus on benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH), the Company has developed the AquaBeam System, which leverages Aquablation therapy, the company's core technology platform. Aquablation is a precise and controlled waterjet ablation therapy that enables heat-free and immediate removal of prostate tissue. For additional information, please visit www.procept-biorobotics.com. 1 http://emedicine.medscape.com/article/437359-overview#a2 MEDIA CONTACTS: Matt Salkeld Vice President, Sales & Marketing PROCEPT BioRobotics +1-650-232-5787 [email protected] Diana Soltesz Nobles Global Communications +1-818-618-5634 [email protected] SOURCE Procept BioRobotics Related Links http://www.procept-biorobotics.com CLEVELAND, May 13, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- University Hospitals (UH) has exceeded its Discover the Difference: The Campaign for University Hospitals goal of $1.5 billion. This milestone represents the culmination of a multi-year effort made possible through the generosity of more than 83,500 donors contributing nearly 185,000 gifts totaling $1,511,586,803. Donor support ranged from $1 to $72.6 million. "University Hospitals' unwavering commitment to our community has endured for 150 years. And the community's confidence in UH is equally remarkable," says Thomas F. Zenty III, CEO, University Hospitals. "The extraordinary success of the Discover the Difference campaign is a tribute to the great generosity of our community, and their gifts have transformed the lives of our families, friends and neighbors. We thank them for their strong belief in our mission throughout the campaign." Following the priorities of UH's Vision 2010 strategic plan, UH publically launched Discover the Difference: The Campaign for University Hospitals in 2010 with a goal of $1 billion. After community support far surpassed expectations, in 2012 the goal was increased to $1.5 billion. UH is the second health system in the country, and the only in Ohio, to accomplish such an ambitious campaign goal. The campaign has enabled, enhanced and expanded clinical care programs, new endowed funds, and capital projects, including those identified in the Vision 2010 strategic plan: Ahuja Medical Center; Seidman Cancer Center; Center for Emergency Medicine and Marcy R. Horvitz Pediatric Emergency Center; and the Quentin & Elisabeth Alexander Neonatal Intensive Care Unit. UH established and grew the Harrington Heart & Vascular Institute, as well as Harrington Discover Institute part of the Harrington Project for Discovery & Development which supports 75 Harrington Scholars, created 10 new companies and licensed three drug discoveries to pharmaceutical companies. UH is home to the largest number of research studies in the state, with more than 1,200 ongoing clinical trials. The Angie Fowler Adolescent & Young Adult Cancer Institute at Rainbow became the first of its kind in the country, uniquely specialized in caring for patients between 12-30 years of age. Campaign support created vital programs like the Goodman Discovery Center and Coleman Clinical Trials Center, both at Seidman Cancer Center; Barbara Ruhlman Center for Women & Newborns at MacDonald Women's Hospital; and the Hampson Mole Community Health Project at Elyria Medical Center. More than 1,000 new philanthropic funds have been established, benefiting every department and institute in the health system. UH now has 93 endowed chairs, 74 of which were created during the Discover the Difference campaign, to retain, recruit and recognize the most preeminent physicians. "We are grateful to our many friends and supporters who share our belief in the mission of University Hospitals: To Heal. To Teach. To Discover." says Sherri Bishop, Chief Development Officer, UH. "The extraordinary giving spirit of our community has changed countless lives and will impact Northeast Ohio for generations." Shelly Adelman, Chair of the Board Development Committee, and Monte Ahuja and Jack Breen, campaign co-chairs, guided the vision for Discover the Difference. With their leadership the campaign achieved unprecedented results and UH reached thousands of new donors nearly 90 percent of whom were first-time supporters of the health system. The following visionary supporters have generously supported UH with gifts of $10 million or more. The Harrington Family Rainbow Babies & Children's Foundation The Cleveland Foundation The Elisabeth Severance Prentiss Foundation Jane and Lee Seidman Monte and Usha Ahuja and family and family Dr. Donald J. and Ruth Weber Goodman Foundation Fighting Blindness Ohio Third Frontier Char and Chuck Fowler and family and family Iris S. and Bert L. Wolstein Bob, Eleanore and Kathy Risman Karen Mole Kathy Coleman Barbara P. Ruhlman Leonard and Joan Horvitz and the Richard Horvitz family Today, more than 4,700 UH providers care for more than 1 million patients at 11 community medical centers, three joint-venture hospitals and more than 40 health centers across 15 counties. University Hospitals will open its newest facility, the UH Rainbow Center for Women & Children, in Cleveland's MidTown neighborhood. Opening in Spring 2018, the Center will improve access to quality health care and social services for families in Cleveland and surrounding communities. SOURCE University Hospitals (Logo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20150611/748772 ) Commencing business under the current owners in 1995, Foster Raffan provides accounting and tax, audit, and wealth management services. The firm commenced business under the founding partners in the 1970's. Their Compliance division in particular has grown in the past 20 years as one of the leading business units within the firm, providing accounting, business planning and monitoring, payroll and company secretarial services, superannuation administration and tax compliance. The team of 17 staff at Foster Raffan's Compliance division, led by partner, Vivien Tang, will join Vistra where Vivien will remain responsible for her team, whilst taking up the role of Head of International Expansion in Australia within Vistra. Commenting on the acquisition, Martin Crawford, CEO of Vistra, said "Australia is one of the largest recipients of FDI globally, ranking 14th in 2015. Building a presence in Australia is an important step to enhance our International Expansion network and service offerings. Since the Foster Raffan brand came to fruition in 1995, the partners have created a history of success and collaboration, evident through their longstanding client relationships. This acquisition will continue to nurture and develop the partnership which was first started with Vistra UK 10 years ago, and we are excited to welcome Vivien and her team to the Vistra family." Vivien Tang, Partner at Foster Raffan, added, "We are delighted that our team has been so instrumental in the expansion of Vistra into Australia, and we are equally excited to formally become part of their global network. Through Vistra's wide range of clients we will be able to create a niche position for ourselves in the region for companies looking to expand their businesses into this market, not only in the high-tech industry which is a growing segment in Australia but also clients active in other segments as they look to expand into Australia. We are also seeing growing demand for Australian companies requiring assistance as they expand overseas and it is excellent that we can now access the broader Vistra network to satisfy their requirements. Obviously we will also remain focused on the local Australian market and our long-term clients. This marks a milestone for all of us and we look forward to continuing our path of growth with Vistra." About Vistra Ranked in the top four corporate service providers globally, Vistra is a versatile group of professionals, providing a uniquely broad range of services and solutions. Our capabilities span across company formations to trust, fiduciary, private client services, and fund administration. Vistra employs over 2,800 employees in 72 offices across 43 jurisdictions. For more information, please visit http://www.vistra.com About Foster Raffan Foster Raffan is a boutique three partner accounting firm which has been operating for more than 35 years. The firm is based in Sydney, Australia. We are business minded Chartered Accountants who aim to work in partnership with our clients in order to help them reach their goals. We offer a broad range of services including compliance, tax, management reporting, payroll services, business acquisition, tax planning, advisory services and international expansion advice and services. SOURCE Vistra Group Baghdad, May 9 : Over 100 Islamic State militants were killed on Tuesday during 15 airstrikes by Iraqi jets against IS posts in Iraq's western Anbar province, the Iraqi military said. According to intelligence reports, jet fighters carried out 11 airstrikes against IS militant hideouts in the IS-held town of Aana, killing 47 IS militants, Iraq's Joint Operations Command (JOC) said in a statement. The warplanes also carried out four further airstrikes against the IS posts in the IS-held town of al-Qaim, killing 53 IS militants, according to the statement. The airstrikes targeted the IS militants and destroyed general as well as car bomb-manufacturing sites, as well as suicide bombers' safe houses, elaborated the statement. In late April, the JOC said that Iraqi F-16s and Sukhoi warplanes attacked IS hideouts within and nearby the town of al-Qaim, killing 46 IS militants. Iraq's security forces' attacks which are backed by the anti-IS international coalition come as a major offensive is underway to drive out IS militants from their main stronghold in Mosul's western area in northern Iraq Mumbai, May 12 : Bollywood superstar Salman Khan didn't attend the launch of the first song from his forthcoming film "Tubelight" on Friday. He is busy shooting for "Tiger Zinda Hai" in Abu Dhabi, says director Kabir Khan. Kabir, who has helmed "Tubelight", attended the launch with composer Pritam, lyricist Amitabh Bhattacharya and choreographer Remo D'souza, among others here. Asked why Salman wasn't present on the occasion, Kabir said: "Salman is busy shooting in Abu Dhabi for his film 'Tiger Zinda Hai'. When he will come back, we will meet again." He added: "We will be leaving for Dubai to promote the music this month and release the trailer on May 24." D'souza said he enjoyed working with Salman along with 1000 dancers for the song, "Radio". Pritam added: "I tried to capture the 1960s' era in the musical arrangement as the film is set in that time. I did the instrumentation of the song accordingly. Since I've been working with Kabir for quite some time, I understand his musical sensibility better." Asked why he chose radio as an element of the song, Bhattacharya said: "Radio was a very common and an important medium during that era, and how can I write 'DJ wala babu' for a 1960s' song?" Kabir confirmed that the film will release in China and that the team is processing for it. He also mentioned that the film is an adaptation of the 2015 movie "Little Boy". "Yes, it is the official adaptation of 'Little Boy'. Though the story of the boy was on a religious context, we love the seed of the idea and that is why we bought the rights of the story from the makers, and used it in our film that has war and history," said Kabir. "Tubelight" is set to release on June 23. Washington, May 13 : White House Press Secretary Sean Spicer refused to answer queries about whether the President recorded a conversation with fired FBI Director James Comey, the media reported. "The President has nothing further to add on that," Spicer said on Friday multiple times in his first briefing since Comey's firing, refusing to say any more beyond characterising the tweet as "not a threat". Comey was in charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation's probe into Russian election meddling until he was abruptly fired on Tuesday, reports CBS News. The queries on the recordings followed Trump's tweet that said Comey had "better hope that there are no 'tapes'" of conversations between the two of them. "The bottom line is, is that the director of the FBI serves at the pleasure of the president," Spicer added. The White House has claimed Trump fired Comey because he lost the confidence of rank-and-file FBI employees and because of a Tuesday recommendation from Attorney General Jeff Sessions and Attorney General Rod Rosenstein to fire Comey over his handling of former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton's email probe. But Trump himself on Thursday contradicted initial statements, claiming he was going to fire Comey regardless of any recommendation. He added in an interview with NBC News on Thursday that when he decided to fire Comey, he thought of the "made-up" story about his connections to Russia. Trump suggested on Friday morning over Twitter that maybe "it would be best to cancel" the White House press briefings, after Deputy White House Press Secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders gave an account of the decision to fire Comey that was in direct conflict with what Trump said later, CBS News reported. In this regard, Spicer defended the White House press team and echoed the President's tweet. "He keeps a very robust schedule," Spicer said, adding, "I think sometimes we don't have an opportunity to get into see him to get his full thinking." Still, Spicer continued to refuse to acknowledge that there were multiple and sometimes contradictory rationales for Comey's firing that came from the White House. Seoul, May 14 : North Korea on Sunday launched a ballistic missile which flew around 700 km into the East Sea, the South Korean Joints Chief of Staff (JCS) said. This is the first provocative move from North Korea since South Korea appointed Moon Jae-in as the country's new President on Wednesday. "North Korea fired an unidentified missile at around 5.27 a.m. today (Sunday) from an area in the vicinity of Kusong, North Pyongan province," Yonhap News Agency quoted the JCS as saying in a statement. In response, President Moon has strongly condemned North Korea for the launch, describing it as a grave threat to regional security and a clear violation of the UN Security Council resolutions. He also called on Pyongyang to reverse its course of provocations for the resumption of dialogue while warning that his administration would deal resolutely in order to ensure it would not "miscalculate" the situation. "Even if dialogue is possible, (we) should show (to North Korea) that it's possible only in case of North Korea changing its attitude," Moon said, presiding over a session of the National Security Council. The US Pacific Command, based in Hawaii, also announced that it detected and tracked the launch of the missile, which landed in the East Sea. "The type of missile is being assessed, and the flight was not consistent with an intercontinental ballistic missile," it said. "The US Pacific Command is fully committed to working closely with our Republic of Korea and Japanese allies to maintain security." The Japanese government said the North's missile flew for half an hour. Prime Minister Shinzo Abe slammed Pyongyang for again violating the UN Security Council resolutions. Beijing, May 14 : Close neighbour India skipped China's mega Belt and Road Forum which began here on Sunday, signalling its strong opposition to the multi-million dollar China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC). New Delhi, which for long had been non-committal about attending the event, on Saturday made clear that it will not participate, saying that "no country can accept a project that ignores its core concerns on sovereignty and territorial integrity". India firmly opposes the $46 billion economic corridor which cuts through Pakistan-administered Kashmir. New Delhi lays claim to the region. The CPEC, which connects China's Kashgar in Xinjiang with Gwadar port in Pakistan's Balochistan, is a key artery of the One Belt One Road project (OBOR), and is progressing at a fast pace. On Saturday,China and Pakistan signed several pacts, including one for building an airport at the strategic Gwadar port city. OBOR, Chinese President Xi Jinping's dream project, envisages connecting Asia, Europe, and Africa by a network of roads, railway tracks, and shipping lanes. The CPEC has emerged as a thorny issue between India and China whose ties have been under severe strain over issues ranging from Beijing blocking New Delhi's bid for the Nuclear Suppliers Group and its appeal to get an international ban on Pakistani militant Masood Azhar. Tibetan spiritual leader, the Dalai Lama's visit to Arunachal Pradesh in April added to the tensions between the two neighbours. India's absence at the summit will certainly not be liked by Beijing which was keen on New Delhi joining the connectivity event. The leaders of 29 countries, including Russian President Vladimir Putin, and officials of over 100 countries are attending the event. Among India's neighbours, Pakistani and Sri Lankan Prime Ministers Nawaz Sharif and Ranil Wickremesinghe are in attendance. Nepali Deputy Prime Minister Krishna Bahadur Mahara is also present. Besides its opposition to the CPEC, which India has raised at the highest forums during bilateral interactions, New Delhi in a statement on Saturday also cited its other concerns about OBOR. "We are of firm belief that connectivity initiatives must be based on universally recognised international norms, good governance, rule of law, openness, transparency and equality. "Connectivity initiatives must follow principles of financial responsibility to avoid projects that would create unsustainable debt burden for communities; balanced ecological and environmental protection and preservation standards; transparent assessment of project costs; and skill and technology transfer to help long term running and maintenance of the assets created by local communities. Connectivity projects must be pursued in a manner that respects sovereignty and territorial integrity," it added. (Gaurav Sharma is the IANS Beijing-based correspondent. He can be contacted at sharmagaurav71@gmail.com and gauravians@yahoo.com) If you're retired, you'll want to be especially picky about where you put your money. Some investment alternatives that might be fine for your children might not be so great for you. Ideally, you'd be best off with stocks of companies with solid business models, dependable dividends, and some potential for growth. There are plenty of stocks that fit those criteria, but three especially stand out right now in my view. Here's why Bristol-Myers Squibb (NYSE: BMY), Iron Mountain (NYSE: IRM), and Wells Fargo (NYSE: WFC) are stocks for retirees to consider buying. Bristol-Myers Squibb: Long history and great prospects Bristol-Myers Squibb's roots go back to 1887. The company has developed some of the world's best-selling drugs during its long history. Bristol-Myers Squibb (BMS) has refined its business model in recent years, selling some of its over-the-counter products and its diabetes business, to focus on areas that generate the most shareholder value. Two drugs shine as the crown jewels for BMS -- Opdivo and Eliquis. Opdivo first won U.S. regulatory approval for treating advanced melanoma in late 2014. Since then, the drug has gained approval for treating additional indications, including lung cancer and kidney cancer. Eliquis first won approval in late 2012 to reduce the risk of stroke and blood clots. Both drugs generated sales topping $1.1 billion in the first quarter of this year. BMS's dividend currently yields 2.82%. That dividend is likely to increase in the coming years, since the drugmaker is using just over half of its earnings to fund the dividend program. Those earnings are likely to grow briskly as well. Wall Street analysts project average annual earnings growth of more than 9% for BMS over the next five years. BMS is partnering with multiple drug companies to study Opdivo in combination with other drugs. These combination regimens could provide the greatest success in fighting various types of cancer. Iron Mountain: The REIT stuff Iron Mountain is a real-estate investment trust (REIT), but with a special niche that makes the stock particularly attractive. The company focuses on operating storage facilities for records and data storage. If you're wondering how much demand there is for this type of storage, consider that Iron Mountain claims more than 230,000 customers in 45 countries across the world, including around 95% of the Fortune 1000. The company isn't new to the business. Iron Mountain is now in its 66th year of operations, although it has only been a REIT since 2014. Its growth has been phenomenal, especially in the past two decades. In 1996, Iron Mountain operated fewer than 85 facilities. Today, that number stands at over 1,400. Iron Mountain's dividend yield of 6.3% is so appealing that my colleague Matthew Frankel recently ranked Iron Mountain as one of the top five dividend stocks in real estate. That high ranking is well deserved. Although the company hasn't enjoyed great earnings growth in recent years, that could be about to change. Wall Street analysts estimate that Iron Mountain will increase its earnings by an average annual rate of 32% over the next five years. Iron Mountain should be able to generate that impressive growth through acquisitions and international expansion. Wells Fargo: Bank on its long-term performance Wells Fargo was founded in 1852 and is now one of the world's largest financial institutions. The company provides retail, commercial, and corporate banking services in all 50 states, the District of Columbia, and other countries. Wells Fargo's other operations include a securities brokerage, insurance agency, and investment advisory services. The company received a lot of negative publicity last year from a scandal involving employees who opened fake accounts for customers. However, it doesn't seem likely that the scandal will harm Wells Fargo stock over the long run. Retirees should like Wells Fargo's dividend, which currently yields 2.78%. The company uses only 38% of its earnings to fund its dividend, so there's plenty of room for future dividend increases. Wells Fargo should also enjoy solid growth in the coming years. Analysts think the big bank will be able to increase earnings by an average annual rate of 8% through the next five years. 10 stocks we like better than Wells Fargo When investing geniuses David and Tom Gardner have a stock tip, it can pay to listen. After all, the newsletter they have run for over a decade, Motley Fool Stock Advisor, has tripled the market.* David and Tom just revealed what they believe are the 10 best stocks for investors to buy right now... and Wells Fargo wasn't one of them! That's right -- they think these 10 stocks are even better buys. Click here to learn about these picks! *Stock Advisor returns as of May 1, 2017 Keith Speights owns shares of Wells Fargo. The Motley Fool has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. London, May 14 : A first international retrospective exhibition on the world-famous rock band Pink Floyd which recalls how the British group became a cultural icon since it was born in the 1960s, opened in London. "Pink Floyd is one of the biggest bands of the last century. They came to prominence in the mid-60s when they were in the vanguard of the psychedelic movement, when music was really changing," the exhibition's curator Victoria Broackes told Xinhua news agency on Saturday when the exhibition -- Pink Floyd: Their Mortal Remains -- opened at the Victoria and Albert Museum in London. Pink Floyd, formed by young architecture students -- Syd Barrett, Roger Waters, Rick Wright and Nick Mason, chose the name by amalgamating the names of two American Blues musicians Pink Anderson and Floyd Counsel. The band's living members Waters and David Gilmour who later joined the band as the lead guitarist and vocals after Barrett's departure, and Mason, all of whom offered items for display. Mason acted as a consultant for the exhibition and a liaison with his band members. Pink Floyd's cult status in 1960s London grew, but it was the album "The Dark Side of the Moon" which saw them attain a global audience. "Albums were beginning to outsell singles, and music was beginning to tell the story of the change that was going on in society. But they were still quite a cult band at that stage. And then in 1972-3 they had an amazing hit with 'Dark Side of the Moon', which incredibly still sells 7,000 copies a week. And, so that changed from being a cult success to being a worldwide hit," said Broackes. Pink Floyd earned a reputation for musical success and experimentation and was a forerunner of some of the technologies and theatricalities seen in many modern music performances. The ongoing exhibition records the band's many iconic albums. The exhibition has some of the feel of a grand rock event, and exhibition designer Ray Winkler, of the well-known design company STUFISH, which has had a close design relationship with the band since the early 1980s, said there were many similarities between the exhibition and a stadium concert. Pink Floyd is renowned for being very early adopters of electronic music, according to Broackes. The exhibition has a focus on synthesizers, microphones and other electronic musical gadgets, she added. "We have employed a musicologist, an expert to interpret these because I think that many people, like me, don't actually know a synthesizer from another synthesizer," said Broackes. The exhibition runs till October 1. Seoul/Washington, May 14 : North Korea on Sunday launched a ballistic missile which flew around 700 km, the South Korean Joints Chief of Staff (JCS) said. This is the first provocative move from North Korea since South Korea appointed Moon Jae-in as the country's new President on Wednesday. The US calculated that the missile landed in water 60 miles south of Russia's Vladivostok region, an American security official told CNN. Vladivostock is home to the Russian Pacific Fleet. The US called for repercussions from the international community. "Let this latest provocation serve as a call for all nations to implement far stronger sanctions against North Korea," White House Press Secretary Sean Spicer said in a statement. "North Korea fired an unidentified missile at around 5.27 a.m. today (Sunday) from an area in the vicinity of Kusong, North Pyongan province," Yonhap News Agency quoted the JCS as saying in a statement. A US defence official confirmed that it flew that far, but said Washington was still investigating to determine the type of missile. In response, South Korean President Moon has strongly condemned North Korea for the launch, describing it as a grave threat to regional security and a clear violation of the UN Security Council resolutions. He also called on Pyongyang to reverse its course of provocations for the resumption of dialogue while warning that his administration would deal resolutely in order to ensure it would not "miscalculate" the situation. "Even if dialogue is possible, (we) should show (to North Korea) that it's possible only in case of North Korea changing its attitude," Moon said, presiding over a session of the National Security Council. Moon asked for a review of a missile system that is being developed to protect South Korea. Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe also slammed the launch, reports CNN. "Despite strong warning from the international community, North Korea launched a ballistic missile again," Abe said, adding "This is totally unacceptable and we strongly protest it. North Korea's missile launch is a serious threat to Japan and clearly violate against the UN resolution." The projectile launch comes two weeks after a ballistic missile test that South Korean and US officials said failed. That missile, launched on April 29, blew up over land in North Korean territory, according to a spokesman for the US Pacific Command. Though tensions between the United States and North Korea have been higher than usual over the past few months, a senior North Korean diplomat told Yonhap News Agency on Saturday that Pyongyang is open to talks with Washington "under the right conditions". New Delhi, May 14 : India no longer needs international cooperation to decarbonise itself and needs to pressure countries to remain ambitious, including wealthier countries that need to act domestically and support developing countries in the transition to a green economy. Similarly, China today is the world's largest issuer of green bonds, a new way to fund "green" projects. So says Simon Zadek, co-Director with the UN Environment Programme's (UNEP) Inquiry into the Design of a Sustainable Financial System. The Inquiry is an international platform for advancing national and international efforts to shift the trillions of dollars required for delivering an inclusive, green economy through the transformation of the global financial system. With solar procurement bids in India now below the cost of coal, action in this and other areas no longer needs international cooperation to decarbonise, Zadek told IANS in an email interview. Similarly, within a few years, there will be massive deployment of battery technology and electric vehicles. India must be concerned, however, that climate change is addressed for its own secure development and needs to pressure all countries to remain ambitious, including wealthier countries that need to act domestically and support developing countries in the transition, he said. Zadek was replying to a question: With President Trump mulling a possible pull out of the 2015 Paris Agreement, do you think this will impede or demotivate developing countries like India and China to continue on its path to decarbonise? Speaking at a UN energy forum in Vienna on May 11, Power Minister Piyush Goyal said: "The road from Paris to India today has been somewhat bumpy. We will have to sort that out. But I'd like to reassure each one of you here today that India stands committed to its commitments made at Paris irrespective of what happens in the rest of the world." According to Zadek, China has adopted literally hundreds of policy steps in encouraging the transition to a low-carbon and sustainable economy, many of which are reflected at a high-level in its 13th Five Year Plan. "Of notable importance is massive policy and fiscal support for sustainable infrastructure (especially in the mobility and energy spaces but also water, sanitation, land use, etc.), the State Council adopted recommendations to green China's financial system, and the countrywide carbon market." The UNEP expert, who has advised companies worldwide on sustainability issues, and until recently lived in China, believes there will be no successful "brown" economies in the 21st century. "So the transition is an imperative, and an early transition offers so many first mover advantages to China that catalysing it with fiscal and other policy support makes sense." Zadek said funds from international frameworks like the Green Climate Fund (GCF) would not help transition in countries like India and China. The GCF and other international public funds are far too small to play any significant role for India or China, except in catalytic and experimental roles such as encouraging the use of blockchain and other digital technologies to ease and lower the cost of international capital. The GCF is a unique global initiative by the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) to respond to climate change by investing into low-emission and climate-resilient development. On China's investments in its green programmes, he said the People's Bank of China estimates that $600 billion a year is needed to green the country's economy. "Today the numbers are far from that but progress is being made with China's levels of green credit having hit almost 10 per cent of total banking sector portfolios and China today being the world's largest issuer of green bonds." On steps India could take to accelerate decarbonisation of its economy, he said: "Much more of what you are already doing, ramping up clean energy, including distributed solar for isolated, unconnected communities, shutting down your coal build pipeline for simple economic reasons and preparing India's innovative entrepreneurs to move heavily into clean mobility." He favoured transforming India's domestic financial system to make it fit for the purpose and so enabling the country reduce dependency on expensive international capital. India's draft "Ten Year Electricity Plan" calls for a staggering 275 GW of renewable energy by 2027, in addition to 72 GW of hydro and 15 GW of nuclear energy. (Vishal Gulati can be contacted at vishal.g@ians.in) Washington, May 14 : Former US President Barack Obama did not record private meetings in the White House, an ex-official told CNN. "We obviously didn't record private meetings," the former White House official said on saturday. "The Obama White House didn't secretly record private meetings." The White House press office had a stenographer in meetings with journalists in order to have an independent transcript of the interviews, a common practice, the official said. "None of that was hidden," he told CNN. "The stenographer sat in interviews with a tape recorder and sometimes even a boom mic -- the same stenographers would tape and transcribe press briefings and gaggles. Journalists who interviewed President Obama would have been familiar with that." On Friday, President Donald Trump tweeted a warning to former Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) director James Comey, whom he fired earlier this week, saying he "better hope that there are no 'tapes' of our conversations before he starts leaking to the press." The President's controversial tweet about Comey and 'tapes' is not the first time he has levelled remarks on the subject of having private conversations monitored, reports CNN. In a series of tweets in March, the President accused Obama of tapping the phones in Trump Tower at the tail end of the election, saying in one message: "Terrible! Just found out that Obama had my 'wires tapped' in Trump Tower just before the victory. Nothing found. This is McCarthyism!" When asked to clarify Trump's tweet about Comey, White House press secretary Sean Spicer said the tweet was "not a threat", but he did not rule out the possibility that the President is taping his calls. Chennai, May 14 : S.S. Rajamouli's magnum opus "Baahubali 2: The Conclusion" has officially joined the Rs 100-crore club in Tamil Nadu. It is the second film after superstar Rajinikanth's Tamil science-fiction actioner "Enthiran" to achieve the rare feat. "It took 16 days for the film to officially cross Rs 100 crore in Tamil Nadu. Rajinikanth's 'Enthiran' was the first film to gross over Rs 100 crore in Tamil Nadu and after seven years, 'Baahubali 2' has repeated the feat," trade analyst Trinath told IANS. Having already amassed over Rs 1,400 crore worldwide and counting, "Baahubali 2" is the biggest Indian grossing film. Trade analyst Sreedhar Pillai tweeted on Sunday: "'Baahubali 2' crosses magic Rs 100-crore mark in Tamil Nadu. Gross Rs 100.55 crore (approximately) in 16 days. Net Rs 81.50 crore. Likely share Rs 52 crore. Wow." Starring Prabhas and Rana Daggubati as the male protagonists, the film is about the warring battle between them for the ownership of an ancient kingdom. Anushka Shetty, Tamannaah Bhatia, Ramya Krishnan and Sathyaraj played pivotal roles. New Delhi, May 14 : As attacks on Indian Army establishments continue with the latest being in Kupwara district of Jammu and Kashmir, the government is yet to release vital funds for upgrading security at defence establishments as suggested by a committee that was formed following last year's attack on the Pathankot air base, informed sources said. According to highly placed sources, as per the guidelines issued on the basis of a report of a committee under former Army Vice Chief, Lt. Gen. Philip Campose, Rs 2,000 crore (over $310 million) had to be given for upgradating security at defence establishments over two years. Of this, half the money, that is Rs 1,000 crore , was supposed to be given this year. However, there has not been any allocation by the Defence Ministry so far. "The peripheral security at many Army camps is rather elementary; there are barbed wire fences; tin sheets are put on the fences at places so that any movement may create a noise and alert the guards. These barbed wires are very basic and not sufficient for protection, especially in forward areas," an army officer who did not want to be named, told IANS. "Even the lighting is basic, plus most camps and establishments have dense vegetation around. This provides terrorists a good hideout," the officer added. The Panzgam army camp in Kupwara district, which was attacked on April 27, had a two-layered barbed-wire fence, which the terrorists managed to break through. Three soldiers were killed and seven were injured, while two terrorists were also killed. The Indian Air Force base in Pathankot was attacked on January 2, 2016. Firing and combing operations went on for at least four days, leaving seven security personnel and one civilian dead and 37 security personnel and one civilian injured. All four terrorists, who were from Pakistan, were killed. The Campose committee, with three Army officers and one officer each from the IAF and the Navy, was formed on February 8. It submitted its report on May 20, 2016. Subsequently, guidelines were issued to all defence establishment on enhancing security based on its recommendations. The recommendations included integrated response by the three services through a coordinated mechanism and upgrading the Defence Security Corps (DSC). A standard operating procedure (SOP) on the security of defence establishments was promulgated, and the establishments were divided into different categories based on threat perception. There are around 600 CAT A establishments, the highest category; around 1,000 each in CAT B and CAT C; and 200 in CAT D, according to sources. Short-, mid- and long-term measures were recommended. The short-term measures included perimeter security and access control by hardening perimeter fences, lighting, intrusion alarms and surveillance cameras. The long-term measures included installation of technology-based security infrastructure, positioning of well-trained, armed and equipped Quick Reaction Teams (QRTs) at high-threat and high-priority military bases, and conduct of periodic security audits in other establishments. Other long-term measures included construction of boundary walls and putting in place high-end modern security infrastructure in a phased manner, for which additional funds are required. For the short-term measures, the army was to use its own funds and so far Rs 300 crore has been spent, the sources said. However, the Defence Ministry has not released any funds so far. "The Centre has not given any funds for enhancing security infrastructure so far. Army has spent from its own funds, but the long-term measures require more money," the officer said. In the recently-concluded budget session of parliament, a parliamentary panel on defence had rapped the government for not taking any "concrete measures" following terror attacks at Uri, Pathankot and other places. The panel said it was "disturbed" to note the "apparent lack of sincerity" on the part of the Defence Ministry and desired that the situation should improve, adding that necessary measures should be taken to ensure that intrusions do not recur. Later in the same session, in a written reply in the Lok Sabha, Minister of State for Defence Subhash Bhamre said Guidelines for Security of Defence Installations had been issued. But, as the officer pointed out, guidelines are fine but where is the money to implement them? (Anjali Ojha can be contacted at anjali.o@ians.in) Beijing, May 14 : Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif on Sunday said the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) was "open" to all the countries in the region and the "issue must not be politicised". Sharif made the comments as India skipped China's Belt and Road Summit in opposition to the planned economic route which passes through Pakistan-controlled Kashmir. "Let me make it very clear that CPEC is an economic undertaking open to all countries in the region. It has no geographical boundaries. It must not be politicized," Sharif said here on the opening day of the event. India gave the forum a miss, opposing the $46 billion economic corridor which cuts through Pakistan-controlled Kashmir. New Delhi lays claim to the region. It is the key artery of China's Belt and Road project, which connects Kashgar in Xinjiang with Gwadar port in Pakistan's Balochistan. One Belt One Road (OBOR), Chinese President Xi Jinping's dream project, envisages connecting Asia, Europe and Africa by a network of roads, railway tracks and shipping lanes. Sharif said the Belt and Road "rejected the encirclement for any country. It is about connectivity. It is about emancipation." India sees the project, particularly CPEC, a geo-strategic project by China to limit its influence in South Asia. "We are not striving to merely leverage geography for economic prosperity; we are also trying to build a peaceful, connected and caring neighbourhood," Sharif said. "OBOR belongs to all of us, those who are participating and those who are not as yet. "It is time we transcended our differences, resolve conflicts through dialogue and diplomacy and leave a legacy of peace for future generations," he said at the event with 29 heads of states and governments and 1,500 delegates in attendance. "The OBOR signifies that geo-economics must take precedence over geopolitics and that the centre of gravity should shift from conflict to cooperation," he said. The Prime Minister added: "With the help of our Chinese friends an environment had been created for the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor to take off and has started to create new entrepreneurs, jobs and businesses." (Gaurav Sharma is the IANS Beijing-based correspondent. He can be contacted at sharmagaurav71@gmail.com and gauravians@yahoo.com) Pune, May 14 : Marathi film producer Atul B. Tapkir was found dead at a luxury hotel here on Sunday morning, police said. He was 35. A post on Tapkir's Facebook page indicates he was disturbed over financial loss in filmmaking and a troubled family life. Police had to break open the hotel room where they found Tapkir's body. A case of accidental death (ADR) has been registered by the Deccan Gymkhana Police Station, and the body has been sent for an autopsy, a police official told IANS. One of the last 'suicidal' messages posted on Tapkir's Facebook page on Saturday suggests he was depressed over the financial losses he suffered by producing Marathi film "Dhol Taashe". In the lengthy post, he claimed that while his father and sisters backed him, his wife Priyanka allegedly harassed him. Tapkir said his wife threw him out of their home, and he was living out of the house since six months. He was also upset as she alienated their children from him, apart from making allegations against him, defaming him in the neighbourhood and abusing him. Tapkir's post -- written in Marathi -- mentioned that his wife got her "so-called" brothers to threaten and beat him up. He shared how when some days ago, he called her and abused her, she abused him and his family in return and lodged a police complaint against them. Tapkir has urged Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis that "the police must listen to a man's side of the story too when a woman lodges a complaint". He said his last wish was that since his wife cannot look after their children, his father should raise them. As proof of the harassment he faced, Tapkir said he has saved in a pen drive, the incident when his wife's brother hurled abuses at him. Bhopal, May 14 : Prime Minister Narendra Modi will pay a one-day visit to Madhya Pradesh on Monday to participate in the concluding ceremony of the 'Namami Devi Narmada Sewa Yatra' in Anuppur district. Official sources said Modi will fly to Dumna airport in Jabalpur from Delhi in the morning. Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan will receive him at the airport. Modi will take a chopper ride from Jabalpur in the afternoon to reach Amarkantak to participate in the event, which will mark the end of the Madhya Pradesh government's pet project. The Prime Minister will return to Delhi from Jabalpur around 5 p.m. The Narmada river originates at Amarkantak. The Yatra had started from Amarkantak on December 11, 2016, and is concluding there after covering a distance of nearly 3,500 km. New Delhi, May 14 : Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday said that the belief on the need to convert "waste to wealth" was gaining momentum, and the Swachh Bharat Mission had provided opportunities for a large number of social entrepreneurs to devote themselves towards this purpose. "Waste to wealth is a belief that is gaining momentum. Swachh Bharat Mission provides opportunities for a large number of social entrepreneurs that are being devoted towards this," he said in his addressed at the 90th year celebrations of the Essel Group. The Prime Minister launched two social initiatives - Sarthi and DSC foundation - on the occasion. Sarthi, a people's empowerment programme on subjects such as education, health and employment, and the DSC foundation with a corpus of Rs 5,000 crore, to empower people in need, are the initiatives of Essel Group Chairman Subhash Chandra. Modi said that "while Sarthi presented a good blend of rights and duties, the DSC foundation would help build a large number of job creators". "These initiatives reflect values their (Essel Group's) family believes," he said, adding that the occasion is obviously connected with the Essel Group but it is also connected with values associated with our land and that India had a tradition where successive generations take family values forward, and contribute to the family by adding their capacities and capabilities. "We in our country attach immense importance to family values. The family is a very strong institution. I have known the family of Subhash Chandra for years. Their business group is active in so many sectors." Recalling his earlier meetings with Nandkishore Goenka, father of Chandra, he said the family has always been open to new ideas, and has taken every challenge as an opportunity, to create a presence in a range of initiatives from "soil to satellite". The event was also attended by President Pranab Mukherjee. Welcoming the Prime Minister, the Essel Group Chairman thanked him for graciously accepting the invitation for this event and explained his group's recent social initiatives on themes such as water supply, power supply, Swachh Bharat and affordable housing. Modi also expressed appreciation for the Essel Group's Ekal Vidyalayas (one teacher, one school) initiative. "The manner in which his family has supported these schools is commendable. Today, around 42,000 units are being helped by the group. I hope that this movement will reach 1 lakh by 2022." He also urged countrymen to work towards specific goals for what they could do for the country by 2022, the 75th anniversary of Independence. Kathmandu, May 15 : Nepal expects to enhance cooperation with China within the framework of the Belt and Road Initiative, Nepal's Foreign Minister Prakash Sharan Mahat told Xinhua on Sunday. "The Chinese president's announcement to contribute an additional 100 billion yuan (about $14.5 billion) to the Silk Road Fund is a piece of good news for neighboring countries like Nepal that have recently joined the Belt and Road Initiative," Prakash Sharan Mahat said. The initiative, proposed by Chinese President Xi Jinping in 2013, aims to build trade and infrastructure networks connecting Asia with Europe and Africa along and beyond ancient Silk Road trade routes over land and sea. Commenting on Xi's speech at the opening ceremony of the Belt and Road Forum for International Cooperation held in Beijing on Sunday, the foreign minister said that Nepal wishes to receive more investments from China to develop inter-connectivity and infrastructure projects within the framework of the Belt and Road Initiative. The Belt and Road Initiative is a wide concept. China has given top priority to promoting this initiative since it was introduced in 2013, he added. Nepal wants to enhance railway and road inter-connectivity with China and attract more investments, he said, adding that "We are expecting more loans from China to develop various infrastructure projects within the framework of the Belt and Road Initiative." Nepal and China signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) earlier this week, which is aimed at enhancing cooperation in promoting inter-connectivity of infrastructure, trade links, financial integration and inter-connectivity of peoples. Meanwhile, the forum has received widespread attention from all walks of life in Nepal. "This is an extraordinary address by President Xi at the forum this morning," Suresh Sharma, former brigadier general of the Nepal army, told Xinhua. "Nepal, a birthplace of Buddha and an apostle of peace, always has remained an admirer of this noble Belt and Road Initiative to bring peace, prosperity and brotherhood for the entire world," said Sharma, who is also the executive director of the Kathmandu-based private think-tank National Institute of Strategic Studies. "Nepal as the closest neighbor is soon to benefit from this Belt and Road Initiative," he added. Nepal's Deputy Prime Minister Krishna Bahadur Mahara, who heads a high-level delegation, is attending the two-day Belt and Road Forum for International Cooperation in Beijing. The forum is also covered by mainstream daily newspapers, online media outlets and television channels in Nepal. Kosh Raj Koirala, a Kathmandu-based correspondent with Republica Newspaper, told Xinhua, "In his speech, President Xi has categorically put emphasis on the need to build peaceful and stable environment in the region to implement the initiative. This is expected to create conducive environment in the region for peace and prosperity." The Belt and Road Initiative provides opportunities for countries like Nepal that face difficulties in infrastructure development, he added. Population Health Management Summit Offers Assisted Living Education Opportunities

LaShuan BetheaThe American Health Care Association and National Center for Assisted Living (AHCA/NCAL) will host its 2022 Population Health Management Summit December 7-8 at the Gaylord National Harbor in Maryland. This event has grown each year, as value based care and risk-based models move into the forefront of how long term care communitiesincluding assisted living (AL)continue to deliver quality care and improve the lives of residents.

You may recall that population health management (PHM) is the process of improving the health and quality of life for groups of residents. It focuses on wellness, prevention, and proactive care coordination/management. PHM models help achieve the triple aimthe right care, at the right time, in the right place. Although still a fairly new concept within AL, PHM is something that you not only need to understand but also be able to evaluate employing within your communities in order to improve quality outcomes for your residents, position yourself well in the market, and manage risk within communities.

That is why it is so important for AL providers to attend this year's PHM Summit. This event features an AL-specific track with sessions that will cover the why, what, and how to help you stay ahead of the curve.

Highlights include:

Wednesday, Dec. 7

  • Opening keynote speaker Mark McClellan, M.D., Ph.D., Director at the Margolis Center for Health Policy at Duke University: McClellan is a physician-economist who focuses on quality and value in health care, including payment reform, real-world evidence, and more effective drug and device innovation. He is former administrator of the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) and former commissioner of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration where he developed and implemented major reforms in health policy.
  • Healthcare Transformation: Why Should Assisted Living Providers Care? Value based care, population health, I-SNPs, the alphabet soup continues; what does this mean for AL providers and why should they pay attention? Whether you know it or not, payors and referral sources are tracking your outcomes. What are the implications and what can you do?
  • Considerations for Assisted Living in Value Based Care: Join your peers for an interactive discussion on AL, value based care, and PHM, as well as get a better understanding of the sessions focused on assisted living for the next day.

Thursday, Dec. 8

  • Market Strategies for Assisted LivingExperience from the Field: Consumers have always expressed their strong preference to receive care in their homes. The COVID-19 pandemic has accelerated the actualization of care-at-home services with growth in virtual care, emerging technologies, and value based care. Presenters will share models and market strategies to succeed in this changing landscape.
  • Sorting Through the ACO Maze: Learn about one of the primary trends driving all of health care towards more value based, alternative payment arrangements, accountable care organizations (ACOs). Take a deeper dive into the two main ACO models and gain insight into what you must consider when thinking about ACO partnerships.
  • Primary Care: Do you Own, Contract, or Partner? Primary care is the building block of PHM models. Given its primacy, how do LTC providers approach engagement with physicians and advance practice professionals? What do you need to consider as you evaluate your options?
  • Closing keynote speaker Ellen Lukens, Deputy Director of the CMS Innovation Center: Lukens has deep experience both within and outside the government tackling complex health policy issues. Prior to this role, she served as the Group Director of the Policy and Programs Group within the CMS Innovation Center, where she led the team that provides cross-cutting support for Center-wide policy and portfolio management.

The time to plan for the future of AL is nowand that includes population health management. This Summit offers an invaluable opportunity to learn more about how to be successful utilizing PHM strategies and models in your communities.

I look forward to seeing you there!

Online registration for the Population Health Management Summit is open through November 30. Register today!

LaShuan Bethea is the executive director of the National Center for Assisted Living (NCAL).

2022-11-07T05:00:00Z Population Health Management This event has grown each year, as value based care and risk-based models move into the forefront of how long term care communitiesincluding assisted living (AL)continue to deliver quality care and improve the lives of residents. Finding Answers to the Workforce Crisis

Paul BergeronEmploying and retaining staff at long term care (LTC) facilities continues to be a challenge with nursing shortages, leading to potentially lower staff morale from more challenging workload and insufficient nurse-to-resident ratios.

Many LTC companies are at their wits end over the situation while others are thinking creatively to help develop more certified nursing assistants.

Never Seen Anything Like It

Frank Romano is owner of Massachusetts-based Elder Services, and he said that in his 45 years in this industry hes never seen anything like it. Our centers are about 80 percent occupied so we have empty bedsnot because there arent patients, but because we dont have enough staff.

Christopher Schmidt, president and CEO, Schmidt Wallace Healthcare, based in Alabama, said, lately, we lost some workers who we never thought wed lose as they pursued other professional opportunities. These were workers who we thought would spend their entire careers with us, but things are different now. You have situations where if one person contracts COVID-19 then 20 walk out the door.

Other Industries Are Stealing Our Workers

Matthew Yarnell, president of SEIU Healthcare Pennsylvania, which negotiated the recent contract with several nursing-home operators, recently told The Wall Street Journal (WSJ) that 30 percent of the industrys workforce nationwide exited during the COVID-19 pandemic.

For example, in 2019 in Pennsylvania, 7,000 people applied for CNA certification. That dropped to 2,000 a year in 2020 and 2021. The overall rigors of the job can be measured through CNA-to-patient ratios. In a 7.5-hour day shift, Yarnell said a CNA could expect to serve 20and perhaps as many as 50residents.

People cannot take care of 20 individuals on a day shift and feel good about their work, he said. The new contract raises hourly pay by an average of 20 to 25 percent and incorporates new state rules limiting a CNA to just 12 residents per day shift, later dropping to 10, WSJ reported.

Romano said raising wages can help to make a difference.

Other industries are stealing our workers, he said. In Milford, Amazon was offering $22 per hour with full benefits and was supporting their employees college tuitions. Bank tellers are making $22 per hour. Its hard for us to pay that. I believe wages for CNAs will be $30 by next year. And, making it tougher, Medicare and Medicaid havent been keeping up with the wage hikes.

Romano added that long term care employment agencies are stealing our full-time workers because they can offer them the opportunity to work four days per week (not five) and have a three-day weekend. Who wouldnt want that? Our industry needs to do a better job at creating a career ladder. There are nursing schools, but enrollment is limited because there arent enough certified instructors.

Romano said nursing schools are receiving 4,000 applicants, but have only 120 slots because of faculty shortages.

Class sizes probably wont be getting bigger any time soon because nurses typically arent the type that pursue secondary education in order to teach, he said.

Hiring an Entire Team of Recruiters

Tom Grape is founder, chairman, and CEO of Benchmark Senior Living, a Waltham, Mass.-based provider of senior living in the Northeast with 64 communities. He said that at Benchmark, the company is building an entire team of recruiters within an entirely new structure, headed by a new leader of the talent and acquisition teams. It is also hiring a recruiter for each region; someone who is well-versed in the needs and issues particular to their regions.

Having an entire team dedicated to recruitment will also lead to more robust brainstorming and innovation, Grape said.

Benchmark also continues to expand its partnerships with vocational schools, high schools, and colleges, helping students who are interested in long term care to begin working with the company, in appropriate roles, even before they are certified or have graduated.

Once theyve achieved certification or a degree, they can move into essential care roles with a full understanding of our communities, the residents, and the work we do, Grape said. He said his companys longevity is indicative of their satisfaction. It has more than 100 employees who have been with Benchmark for at least 20 years.

The company has been successful by living our values and creating a supportive and inclusive culturean attribute that our employees consistently cite as the reason they choose to work here, Grape said.

Were retooling our marketing to depict this culture and highlight our accomplishments in ways that will capture the attention of young people launching their careers. One way is to do a better job bringing this information forward at job fairs and onto popular social media channels, Grape said.

Our investment in these workforce recruitment efforts, as well as our retention programs, demonstrates the vital importance of attracting talented caregivers, and giving them the ongoing support that they need to develop and grow in their careers, he added.

Company-Wide Zoom Calls Identify Hiring Needs

Schmidt Wallace Healthcare is a family-run business with five facilities and 780 patients. It employs 1,110 and does not use a hiring agency.

Weve put in new systems to help recruit, retain, and develop a stronger culture, Schmidt said.

Every Friday, it has a Zoom call with its centers and checks in to see how many and what type of job openings they have. Team members then share ideas on how to fill them, Schmidt said. These meetings also are a chance for Schmidt to get his facility leaders minds organized because their jobs are tough with so many things are going on all the time.

Schmidt recruits aggressively when pursuing candidates, reaching out via call, text, and email.

We determine where our population of workers is hanging out and go there to recruit, he said. We visit grocery stores, soccer fields, churches during their evening classes. We are working to establish better apprenticeship programs at the community colleges.

From Soccer Fields to Nursing Field

Four years ago, Schmidt established a strong international recruiting programfocused on Kenya.

Weve hired employees from Kenya, but more than that, we ask them to reach out to their relatives and try to persuade them to work in the US. Weve established liaisons to these potential candidates through local taxi drivers, and weve traveled to Nairobi the past two summers and set up job fairs that about 300 locals attended.

He said hes persuaded about 30 to start working for Schmidt Wallace Healthcare. At his facility in Talladega, Ala., he provides housing for them at an apartment building across the street.

For his existing employees, Schmidt relies on the career-ladder approach, letting those who first join his team know that they can better themselves if they stay with the company. Three of his five nursing directors began at the company as CNAs. To further address the shortage of nurses, Schmidt created four Nursing Assistant Academies that teach students how to become sanctioned through the Alabama Health Department; 450 CNAs graduated from the academies last year.

Improving Culture

Owners also are becoming more focused on improving company culture, in the hopes it prevents staff from walking away. For example, Schmidt makes an effort to have every staff member know every teammates and patient's names.

At orientation, he has all new hires fill out a card, listing their favorite animal, candy bar, hobby, and television show. The information is entered into a spreadsheet, which everyone has access so that it helps them get to know each other more easily and build relationships. For fun, on every new persons first day, they are given their favorite candy bar.

He also has supervisors share their cellphone numbers with their staffs so that each member can reach them at all times if there is a problem.

Our employees know that at any time if a problem such as a materials shortage or difficult situation arises, they can reach out for help, he said.

The company also established its Gold Standard of service. Comprised of 10 rules, all employees are trained to help each other. One rule is, when walking the halls, no staff member should bypass a call light or spill light if it has been activated. Another is, when passing each other in the hallway, they are to address the other person by name or with a wave.

All of these little things make a huge difference in improving our culture, Schmidt said. We want to make a such a strong connection with each employee that they can truly feel it.

Paul Bergeron is a freelance writer based in Herndon, VA.

2022-11-01T04:00:00Z Workforce Employing and retaining staff at LTC facilities continues to be a challenge with nursing shortages, leading to potentially lower staff morale from more challenging workload and insufficient nurse-to-resident ratios. AHCA Announces PointClickCare as New Partner of the Long Term Care Data Cooperative

The American Health Care Association (AHCA) announced today that PointClickCare, a leading health care technology platform enabling meaningful collaboration and access to realtime insights, has joined the Long Term Care Data Cooperative, a collective of leading long term care providers, working together to develop the most comprehensive health records system in the nation to monitor the impact of care treatments among nursing home residents and conduct robust public health surveillance of infections. The Cooperative is the first of its kind where providers oversee how their data is used, particularly by academic researchers and public health specialists.

PointClickCare joins MatrixCare, American HealthTech, Inc., Brown University, and Exponent Inc. in aggregating electronic medical records (EMR) and associated data representing geographically and structurally diverse nursing facilities to create comprehensive health records to monitor the needs and outcomes of residents. The innovative system will allow providers to receive targeted data reports that can help improve care. It will also support public health surveillance and academic research to generate real-world evidence on the effectiveness of different treatments and care practices.

We are extremely excited to have PointClickCare, a company committed to improving residents outcomes with data, join the Cooperative to help us continue to protect and care for our most vulnerable resident population in an ever-changing environment, said Dr. David Gifford, chief medical officer at AHCA and a board-certified gerontologist. Before we started this effort, we found little academic research or evidence on what clinical treatments work in elderly nursing home residents because they are often excluded from federally funded research due to lack of data. Todays announcement opens the door for research to help understand how best to treat our residents.

The pandemic has driven long term and post-acute care providers as well as life sciences companies to leverage longitudinal patient data to alleviate challenges with site based clinical trials, and we can expect this collaboration to pave the way for future health care innovation, said Jeff Wessinger, vice president and general manager of Life Sciences at PointClickCare. We have a pulse on the majority of aging patients in North America, and were proud to share that data, when authorized, with health care organizations, government agencies, and life sciences companies to help unearth cures and improve outcomes.

A barrier to developing appropriate clinical and operational responses to the novel coronavirus has been the lack of comprehensive data. In fact, most clinical guidelines are based on studies among younger and healthier individuals, with little known on what works for older individuals living in nursing homes, often with multiple chronic diseases. While the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention have data reporting systems, they do not provide sufficient clinical information to understand and evaluate the impact treatments such as vaccines and antivirals have on the lives of residents. The Cooperative will attempt to address these challenges and was recently featured in an article in JAMDA outlining its potential.

Visit ahcancal.org/datacooperative to learn more.



2022-10-27T04:00:00Z Quality The partners work together to develop the most comprehensive health records system in the nation to monitor the impact of care treatments among nursing home residents and conduct robust public health surveillance of infections. VOTE NOW! AHCA/NCAL's Mark Parkinson a Finalist for Modern Healthcare's Most Influential People

Modern Healthcare recently published the finalists for its annual listing of the 100 Most Influential People in Healthcare.

Among this year's list of finalists includes AHCA/NCAL's Mark Parkinson. He has received this recognition in previous years which continues to elevate the voice of AHCA/NCAL.

Voting is open to the public and members are encouraged to vote before the deadline on September 27, 2022.

2022-09-20T04:00:00Z Quality He has received this recognition in previous years which continues to elevate the voice of AHCA/NCAL. NCAL Report States Continue Strengthening Assisted Living Regulations

Assisted living regulations, statutes, and policies in 33 states were updated between 2020-2022, according to the National Center for Assisted Living's (NCAL) 2022 edition of the Assisted Living State Regulatory Review" released today.

States continue to demonstrate their ability to respond to the evolving assisted living environment, foster quality improvement, support transparency for consumers, and maintain resident safeguards," said LaShuan Bethea, NCAL Executive Director. NCAL supports ongoing collaborative efforts between assisted living providers, state regulators, and all stakeholders to properly balance oversight while continuing to honor residents' needs and desires."

The report also found the following:

  • Forty-six states and the District of Columbia (92%) require a consumer disclosure, agreement, and/or bill of rights for residents.
  • All 50 states and the District of Columbia require a form of resident assessment and, at minimum, provide activities of daily living for residents.
  • Forty-nine states and the District of Columbia (98%) have provisions around, and allow, providing medication management to residents.
  • Forty-five states and the District of Columbia (90%) have minimum educational and/or training requirements for assisted living administrators/directors.

It is clear from the trends we have seen over the years that state regulations continue to increase in assisted living," said Jill Schewe, NCAL's director of policy and regulatory affairs and the report's author. States are making changes as they determine how to best serve their specific resident populations in the years ahead, and we anticipate this trend will continue."

The Assisted Living State Regulatory Review" summarizes key selected state requirements for assisted living licensure or certification. It provides information for every state and the District of Columbia on topics such as which state agency licenses assisted living, recent legislative and regulatory updates affecting assisted living, and requirements for resident agreements, admission and discharge, units serving people with Alzheimer's or other dementias, staffing, and training.

The report also includes requirements for communities that offer seniors and people with disabilities housing, supportive services, person-centered assistance with activities of daily living, and some level of health care but may use a different term than assisted living (such as residential care and personal care homes).

The full report along with summaries for each state are available on the NCAL website.


2022-09-15T04:00:00Z Assisted Living AL regulations, statutes, and policies were updated, according to a new NCAL report summarizing key selected requirements for AL licensure or certification in every state and the DC. Americas Assisted Living Communities Celebrate Joyful Moments

Beginning today and continuing through Saturday, Sept. 17, Americas assisted living communities are participating in National Assisted Living Week (NALW). The national observancewhich begins each year on National Grandparents Day and is supported this year by official sponsor First Qualityhonors the individuals who reside, work, and volunteer in assisted living and residential care communities with special activities and events.

Created by the National Center for Assisted Living (NCAL) in 1995, this years NALW theme Joyful Moments reflects the strong connection between residents and staff and encourages them to join with their families and local communities to celebrate and create happy memories. This week also provides the opportunity to educate communities across the country about this sector of long term care and the dedicated, hardworking caregivers.

Assisted living staff have continued to provide high-quality care to residents in senior living and should be celebrated for the incredible work they do every day, said NCAL Executive Director LaShuan Bethea. This years theme is special because it recognizes the extraordinary bonds built in assisted living communities. It recognizes the fact that residents, staff, and families are truly one big extended family finding joy in caring for each other throughout every moment in life no matter how big or small.

The annual observance encourages assisted living communities around the country to offer a variety of events and activities to bring together residents, staff, and volunteers, while adhering to infection control requirements and precautions in place for COVID-19. Participants are asked to share their celebrations throughout the week on social media with the hashtag #NALW.

For more information on National Assisted Living Week, please visit www.nalw.org.


2022-09-12T04:00:00Z Assisted Living Joyful Moments reflects the strong connection between residents and staff and encourages them to join with their families and local communities to celebrate and create happy memories. The sought-after American actor, Rob Lowe, hosts the Informed program to help educate the public on important topics. One issue impacting the lives of over 100 million Americans today is chronic pain. The program will visit with some of the top muscle and joint pain specialists on Informed. Whether a patient has chronic pain from an accident injury or pain from degenerative diseases like arthritis, viewers shouldn't miss this special episode. Chronic pain can make the individual feel like a full and active life is now impossible, but this is not true. There are techniques and ways of treating chronic pain by those who specialize in pain control that can help find relief. The "Informed" series will help be a guide and discuss these issues with specialists to help educate consumers on chronic pain and the latest treatment options available today. Due to the large number of people suffering from chronic pain, the treatment of it has become more specialized. If individuals are not working with a pain specialist or are unsure of their treatment and options, this piece should be especially relevant. Informed is an educational program on public television with a goal to educate and inform the public on topics that can affect their daily lives. Rob Lowe hosts to help showcase important issues like pain management and treatment. Give Something Back, a national organization devoted to mentoring and college scholarships for students facing economic adversity, has hired Domenic Merendino as Mentor Manager for Give Back scholars in South Jersey. Were very excited to have Domenic join our staff, said Kelly Dun, executive director of Give Backs Mid-Atlantic Chapter. Domenic is great with kids. He taught English in public junior high schools in Yokohama, Japan for two years, and worked at the United Advocacy Group (UAG) in Bridgeton, NJ, writing grants and planning educational programs for students. Born and raised in Penns Grove, NJ, Merendino attended high school at the Salem County Vo-Tech. At Stockton University, he majored in economics and minored in writing; served as an Admissions Ambassador and Economics Society President; and tutored students in writing, economics and statistics. Merendino graduated summa cum laude in 2013. Despite studying economics, he became very interested in the field of education, even writing his college thesis on the rise of student loan debt over the last decade. Domenic will be instrumental in assisting Give Back with recruiting and training of mentors and developing programming for our scholars, added Dun. For more information about the Give Something Back mentoring program, visit http://www.giveback.ngo/mentors/ About Giving Something Back Give Back awards scholarships to academically driven students of modest means who might not otherwise attend college. Pell Grant-eligible students are selected in the ninth grade and mentored throughout high school. After graduation, Give Back scholars attend one of Give Backs partner universities or colleges in Delaware, Illinois, New Jersey, New York and Pennsylvania. It is the focus of the organization to help students graduate college in four years, debt free for tuition, fees, or room and board. Volunteer public safety workers generally expect certain hazards when they serve and protect the public.....[but] never do they imagine that politics and personal agendas would be allowed to put their freedoms and families at risk. On December 8, 2015, Engine Company 28 (West Lanham Hills) responded to a working house fire in Hyattsville, Maryland and the all-volunteer crew of five personnel proceeded to extinguish the fire within a few short minutes of arrival. Also on the scene of the incident was a three-person crew of paid firefighters (Prince Georges County employees) from a nearby station. The two female members from that engine company alleged that they were prevented from entering the house and further claimed that the two male volunteers from Engine Company 28 pushed and fought with them while the other volunteers were finishing the extinguishment of the fire. However, these allegations proved to be untrue, said Scott Vazquez, President of the West Lanham Hills Volunteer Fire Department. The States Attorney for Prince Georges County issued a statement in December of 2016, announcing the charges against the two volunteers: then-Assistant Fire Chief Jeffrey Miller and Firefighter/EMT Christopher Kelly. That statement and other media reports attempted to highlight the fact that the allegations were not only by career (paid) firefighters against volunteer (unpaid) firefighters, but also the male / female aspect of the accusations. Brian R. Bregman, the attorney for the West Lanham Hills Volunteer Fire Department, which is one of only a small few 100% all-volunteer fire stations in Prince Georges County, commented We feel that the public statements, made by Prince Georges States Attorney Angela Alsobrooks immediately after her office filed the charges in this case, were unfair, premature, and designed for maximum political impact. I will not repeat them because they should not have been made in the first place or before our system of justice was finished. President Vazquez also noted that, Then-County Fire Chief Marc S. Bashoor made public comments after this incident first occurred, insinuating that Company 28 and its volunteers were somehow responsible, which again proved to be wrong after a jury of twelve citizens of this County were finally able to hear all of the evidence. Mr. Bregman, who represented Kelly at the 5-day trial in Upper Marlboro, said, The exoneration of these fine volunteer members is a reminder that accusations should never be reported as fact or certainty. These men never committed any crimes whatsoever. They merely did their jobs and did them well, putting the fire out and protecting lives and property. The complainants eagerly leapt at the chance to cry wolf for political, financial, and other ulterior motives. It was further aggravated when the government chose to side with the career personnel in this situation, perhaps because of the male-female undertones that they saw an opportunity to create, and despite an unbelievable amount of evidence showing that these members were innocentevidence that even included videos and photographs. There were other egregious violations of the members rights, Mr. Bregman said, including their right to a speedy trial because the States Attorneys Office took nearly a year just to present the charges even when they failed to conduct an investigation. He also reported that the claims and allegations were all but completely discredited and exposed during the trial. Prince Georges County, Maryland has the largest combination volunteer and career fire department in the United States of America. It also has the strongest, most experienced, and most dedicated volunteer professionals of any combination department, anywhere, President Vazquez stated. Mr. Bregman, on behalf of the volunteer station, made the following remarks: Volunteer public safety workers such as firefighters, EMTs, and paramedics generally expect certain hazards when they serve and protect the public. These men and women are exposed to harsh and dangerous conditions. They have a surprisingly high rate of heart attacks, high blood pressure, and even cancer as compared with other occupations. However, never do they imagine that politics and personal agendas would be allowed to put their freedoms and families at risk. These two gentlemen can now return to their personal lives and full-time careers with some semblance of normalcy. I just hope that, after this ordeal, we have not lost them as volunteer professionals in our community. At trial, Volunteer Firefighter/EMT Christopher Kelly was represented by Attorney Brian R. Bregman of Laurel, Maryland, and Volunteer Assistant Fire Chief Jeffrey Miller was represented by Ann E. Koshy and Patrick J. McAndrew of Greenbelt, Maryland. The case was heard in the Circuit Court for Prince George's County, Maryland, Case Nos. CT161455A (Miller) and CT161455B (Kelly). For More Information, Contact: Brian R. Bregman, Attorney (http://www.BB-Law.com) Welcome Guest! You Are Here: DAVENPORT -- A couple killed in Kentucky when their plane crashed has been identified as Domenic "Don" Giammetta and Dr. Dianne Giammetta, Bettendorf. A Beechcraft BE36 crashed Friday near Hopkinsville, Ky., said National Transportation Safety Board spokesman Terry Williams. The aircraft was on its way to Muscle Shoals, Ala. The NTSB is leading the investigation with the support of the Federal Aviation Administration. The identities were released by Randy Graham, Christian County emergency management director. Mr. Williams said the investigation was in its preliminary stages, but the NTSB and FAA will look at the wreckage, the weather, and records related to the aircraft, including its maintenance history. The BE36 is also known as the Bonanza 36, according to the FAA. It has a single engine, can seat up to six people and has a range of about 1,000 miles, according to the Beechcraft website. The crash occurred near 8694 Shurdan Creek Road, according to FAA spokeswoman Kathleen Bergen.. A spokesman for the Christian County Sheriff's Office could not be reached for additional information. Al Jazeera, May 14, 2017 From opportunistic guns for hire on the fringe of domestic conflicts to a global force operating within a multibillion-dollar industry - the private military sector seems to be flourishing. As armies and war increasingly become 'outsourced', private military companies have taken on a wider increasing range of responsibilities, from security and intelligence analysis to training and combat roles. "The private military industry is a part of how the countries fight wars today ... The US government doesn't track the number of contractors used in places like Iraq or Afghanistan. We know it's a lot, we don't know exactly how many," says Sean McFate, a professor at Georgetown University who used to work for a private military company. The employees of these contractors can come from anywhere, and sometimes those leading the missions don't know exactly who is working for them. "They [the companies] hire and they sometimes create what they call 'subs', subcontractors. There's been commanders in Afghanistan who just simply say, 'We don't know who the subs of the subs of the subs are.' So you've all these, like, layers of a contract. "It's the complete opposite of the private military world. You look at the budget first," says McFate. "Company self-interest is different than national self-interest. Companies are profit-maximisers, that's what they do, that's natural." As the military trade grows and private military companies try to find the cheapest available soldiers around the world, who are the mercenaries? And what are the consequences of the privatisation of war? Child Soldiers Reloaded looks at the changing nature of war, the business of warfare and the issues behind it. The business of warfare: Aegis Defence Services In 2004, the US Department of Defense signed a deal estimated at $293m with the private military company Aegis to execute operations in Iraq and Afghanistan. Aegis Defence Services is a British private military company founded in 2002 by former British Army officer Tim Spicer. Spicer was involved in the 1998 "arms to Africa" scandal, in which his previous company, Sandline International, was found to be breaching UN sanctions by importing weapons to Sierra Leone. But according to journalist and author Stephen Armstrong, "He's a dashing and charming, public school-educated guards' officer. And that really wasn't massively a feature of the industry before then. It changed the global agenda of what a private military company was." During the US invasion of Iraq, Aegis was contracted to oversee the communication and coordination for all the private security companies on the ground providing guards to protect US military bases. "In effect, it meant that they were the general in charge of all of the private contractors. Now, at that point, the US military was the largest military presence in Iraq. But if you added together all of the private military contractors, Spicer was effectively in charge of the second-largest armed force in Iraq," says Armstrong. However, when the US decided to end its military mission in Iraq, budgets decreased and the private military industry had to start offering different types of deals. As a result, they started to hire cheaper soldiers, many of them from the developing world. Aegis employed many mercenaries from Sierra Leone and Uganda to work in Iraq because they were cheaper than other options. "The Sierra Leonean war has been fought mainly by young combatants. If you're looking for young men to perform military jobs, the chances are quite good that they have also been child soldiers," says Maya Mynster Christensen, anthropologist, Royal Danish Defence College. She explains that "from a Sierra Leone government perspective, the Iraq recruitment was considered a quite good deal, in the sense that they could actually take local troublemakers, sending them away to Iraq for a couple of years, and then returning them after two years with money earned from their overseas deployment. This could serve to stabilise security in Sierra Leone." In 2010, the US Congress appointed a commission to investigate outsourcing to private military companies, but the recruitment of former child soldiers was not part of the investigation. The commission concluded that the US government has been too dependent on private military companies in Iraq and Afghanistan, and that between $30bn and $60bn disappeared to waste and fraud. The number of former child soldiers recruited by private companies to take part in active combat is unknown, as is the total number of employees from the developing world is also unknown. "On the one hand, Western countries have pumped large sums of money into the reintegration of former child soldiers, but now we have governments like the US supporting these so-called security companies that recruit people and continue their exposure to violence and cement their identities as perpetrators of violence as soldiers, that make it impossible to ever reintegrate into civilian life," says Michael Wessels, a psychologist and adviser to the UN and NGOs. "We pride ourselves on being a moral people, trying to do the right thing. What we're doing is, we're exploiting people, using young people who've been child soldiers, deliberately sinking them into the jaws of combat and further violence. Nothing could be worse for these young people, nothing could be worse for security." Originally published on May 1, 2017 You have permission to edit this collection. Edit Close Find a great selection of commercial real estate, manufactured homes, timeshares and more for Sale Buy real estate. Find a great selection of commercial real estate, manufactured homes, timeshares and more for Sale in US and Canada. Search Real Estate Sacked Delhi minister Kapil Mishra fainted at a media conference on Sunday but not before he had accused Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal and his Aam Aadmi Party of massive financial irregularities. Mishra demanded Kejriwal's resignation and said if he didnt step down, the former water minister would drag the chief minister by his collar and lock him up in Delhis Tihar Jail. It has now become clear that Arvind Kejriwal is a corrupt man, Mishra said before he swooned, apparently weakened by five days of fasting in protest against AAPs refusal to disclose details of five party leaders travels abroad. Mishra told the media at his residence that AAP had received crores of rupees from shell companies run by people close to Kejriwal, mentioning in particular AAP legislators Shiv Charan Goel and Naresh Yadav. These shell companies, Mishra alleged, also had ghost directors who donated money to the party and converted black money into white. He said there were also discrepancies in the money received by AAP and the amount it declared before the Election Commission. The party refuted Mishras charges and said he was parroting the Bharatiya Janata Party. In another press conference, AAP MLAs Goel and Yadav denied links with the entities named by Mishra and said they would file a defamation suit against him. Mishra fainted before he could share with the media documents he said proved his charges. He was taken to the Ram Manohar Lohia Hospital in New Delhi, where doctors said he was stable and conscious, but suffered from a little weakness and mild dehydration. His vital signs are all normal, an RML doctor said. Earlier, referring to one of the cases of alleged discrepancies, Mishra said AAP received Rs 90 lakh as donation from a person identified as Priya Bansal of Bengaluru for 2014-15 and 2015-16, but the tax payable on her income was merely Rs 4,000. In 2014-15, AAP had Rs 65,52,40,752 (Rs 65.5 crore) in its bank account, but the Election Commission was informed about only Rs 32,46,16,662 (Rs 32.4 crore) while the party put only Rs 27,38,71,611 (Rs 27.3 crore) in the public domain and told its volunteers it had no money, Mishra said. He also held that the party had made 461 bogus entries. All this happened with the knowledge of Arvind Kejriwal as these shell companies deposited money in AAPs bank account on the same day and time in January 2014, Mishra said, brandishing a sheaf of documents. Mishra was accompanied at the meet by a man identified as Neil Haslam, who he said helped in exposing the funding. This is why I have been demanding foreign travel details of five AAP leaders, Mishra said. He added that he would also approach the Central Bureau of Investigation on Monday with documents and would soon expose another scam related to AAPs mohalla or health clinics. Senior AAP leader Sanjay Singh said Mishra was echoing the allegations the BJP voiced just before the 2015 assembly polls. This is the BJPs ploy to finish AAP. It should stop questioning the credentials of AAP and Arvind Kejriwal. He (Kejriwal) quit as the joint commissioner with the income tax department as well as the chief minister (during his first term as CM). We have ensured all transparency while accepting funds, Singh said. On May 7, Mishra had claimed that he had seen Health Minister Satyendra Jain pay Rs 2 crore to Kejriwal. Meanwhile, the Congress demanded a thorough probe into the allegations levelled by Mishra. The allegations are serious. Kejriwal should step down on moral and legal grounds, Delhi Congress chief Ajay Maken said at a press conference in New Delhi. IMAGE: MLA Kapil Mishra, who fainted after his press conference on revelations on AAP's finances, being taken to the Ram Manohar Lohia Hospital, in New Delhi on Sunday. Photograph: PTI Photo The post-mortem report of the Rohtak gang rape victim states that the cause of her death was due to head injury as blunt force injuries and multiple wounds were found on her skull and scalp. The report said the victim's face, tongue, eye, ears was totally distorted, which made the face totally unidentifiable. What makes the brutality every more evident, is that her oesophagus was missing and gnawing effects were seen over chest of the victim. Financial assistance of Rs 10.5 lakh was announced on Sunday for the family the victim. As the 23-year old woman was a Dalit, the state welfare department would provide Rs 8.5 lakh to her family under provisions of the Scheduled Caste and Scheduled Tribe (Prevention of Atrocities) Act. The remaining Rs 2 lakh will be given by the Red Cross, Sonipat Deputy Commissioner K Makrand Pandurang said. Meanwhile, Haryana Inspector general of police Inspector general of police informed that two accused have been arrested in connection with the case. "We cannot tell the investigation details. Two accused has been arrested till now. The investigation is underway," said IG. A case has been registered under the Indian Penal Code sections 376, 365, 302 against the accused. On May 9, a woman was brutally gang-raped and murdered, wherein later her mutilated body was found in an empty plot in Haryana's Rohtak. The incident came to light when the victim's body was found in city's IMT area. The victim had allegedly refused a marriage proposal, following which the accused reached her home a week later with his friends. A heated argument broke out which resulted in the woman slapping him. In revenge, the accused along with his friends allegedly raped and murdered her. The family of the victim said that on May 9, at least five to six youth abducted her from the gate of a private company. After that the accused took her to a deserted place and gang-raped her. The victim's mother said that the accused have been pressurising the woman for marriage for the past one year. The forensic reports suggested that the victim was mutilated with sharp-edged weapons. Later, the accused tried to run her over to hide her identity. "The victim was tortured and her body was mutilated after the gang rape. She was killed after being raped involving at least seven people. Her skull was smashed in a way which indicates that she was run over by a vehicle in order to hide her identity," the forensic team has stated. The victim was living with her mother and brother and used to work in a private medicine company. The woman's parents had filed a missing complaint, based on which the police tracked her parents down. The parents were called to Rohtak to identify her body. The distraught parents have claimed that this ghastly attack was carried out by the girl's neighbour and have demanded capital punishment for the rapists. With PTI inputs. Mumbai terror attack mastermind and Jamat-ud Dawah chief Hafiz Saeed and his four aides have been detained for spreading terrorism in the name of jihad, Pakistans interior ministry has told a judicial review board. Saeed appeared before the board on Saturday and told it that he had been detained by the Pakistani government in order to stop him for raising voice for Kashmiris. However, the interior ministry rejected his arguments and told the three-member board that Saeed and his four aides have been detained for spreading terrorism in the name of jihad. The board comprising Justice Ejaz Afzal Khan of the Supreme Court (head), Justice Ayesha A Malik of Lahore high court and Justice Jamal Khan Mandokhail of Balochistan high court directed the ministry to submit a complete record regarding detention of Saeed and his aides -- Zafar Iqbal, Abdul Rehman Abid, Abdullah Ubaid and Qazi Kashif Niaz -- on next hearing on May 15. The board also sought personal appearance of the attorney general of Pakistan on next hearing. Police produced Saeed and his four aides before the board at Lahore registry of the apex court amid high security. A large number of Saeeds supporters gathered outside the court. Saeeds counsel advocate A K Dogar was also present but the founder of Lashkar-e-Tayyaba chose to plead his case before the court. The allegations levelled by the government against me had never been proved by any state institution. My organisation and I have been victimised for raising voice for freedom of Kashmir and criticising the governments weak policy on the Kashmir issue, Saeed said. He said that he had been placed under house in order to stop him for raising voice for Kashmiri people. Saeed appealed to the board to set aside the Punjab governments detention order. The government detained the JuD leaders on pressure of United Nations and international organisations, an official representing the federal interior ministry told the board. Last Thursday Lahore high court division bench had questioned as why Saeed and others were not presented before a review board before the government issued notification for extension to his detention for another 90 days. On April 30, detention of Saeed and his four aides was extended by the Punjab government for another 90 days under preventative detention under 11 EEE (I) and 11D of Anti-Terrorism Act 1997. The Punjab government on January 30 had put these five under house arrest in Lahore for their involvement in activities which can be prejudicial to peace and security. The government has also placed JuD and FIF under second schedule of the anti-terrorism act. The Nawaz government had reportedly taken action against Saeed after the US clearly told Islamabad that in case of not taking action against JuD and Saeed it may face sanctions. JuD is said to be the front for the banned Lashkar-e-Tayyaba. The organisation has been declared as a foreign terrorist organisation by the United States in June 2014. Saeed and his aides said in their petition that the government detained them without any legal justification. They said the UN resolution followed by the government did not seek detention of any citizen. The detention of the JuD leaders is a simple case of mala fide intention and ulterior motive on part of the government as it has been done so to please India and the United States, the petition said. From 2-7 to sectional champs, Monrovia has one question: 'Why not us?' Three weeks ago, Monrovia's football team sat at 2-7. Now, after claiming a sectional championship, the Bulldogs are asking themselves, 'Why not us?' DENVER Police are continuing to investigate the death of a woman who had been living in Racine and was found dead last fall on a train upon its arrival in Denver. On Sept. 1, Marina Placensia, 28, a mother of four who lived on the 600 Block of Ninth Avenue in Racine for about three years, was declared dead after being found unresponsive in her train seat by her boyfriend, a resident of a Denver suburb and father of three of Placensias children; he also had been living in Racine. The couple had been together about 10 years, according to Placensias brother, Denver resident Christopher Medina. She was trying to get away from him in April 2015, and then we found out he was out there with her again, Medina said. We thought, why is this fool out there with you? According to Medina, the family had been trying to get Placensia and her children away from the boyfriend, who was charged with battery in March 2015 and was subsequently court-ordered to have no contact with the victim MAP, initials that match Placensias. The Journal Times is not naming the boyfriend because he has not been charged in connection to Placensias death. The family had planned to separate the boyfriend from Placensia and the children when they arrived. We were there to tell him, Youre done, Medina said. I cannot for sure say he beat her to death, I mean, Im not a medical expert, but the kids have been very open and said he beat her and them. After Placensias death, the couples children stayed with the boyfriend for three days, but the children were subsequently removed from his care, Medina said. No sign of a struggle Placensia was pronounced dead at 7:54 a.m. Sept. 1 after attempts to resuscitate her were unsuccessful. Her cause of death was ruled to be undetermined. Train personnel, however, didnt notice any disturbances during the trip and saw no signs of a struggle, the autopsy said. The autopsy, which was completed on Sept. 2, showed that Placensia had 35 different injuries to her body, several bruises and was the victim of past domestic abuse at the hands of her boyfriend. Priscilla Placensia, an aunt of Marinas who lives in Mequon, was in contact with Marina when she first moved to Racine and said the boyfriend arrived a year after Marina. For the most part, however, Priscilla said she didnt notice any issues until near the end of Marinas life. I saw how my brother was really stressing, Priscilla said. I had invited Marina last year to a quinceanera, but my brother said, Shes not going to come. She was always bruised and beat up, so she wouldnt come around family. According to Priscilla, Marina was afraid to tell anyone what was going on for fear of losing her children. She really loved her kids, Priscilla said. There wasnt anything that she wouldnt have done for those kids. Marina, who Priscilla said had aspirations to become a beautician, had been experiencing a sudden loss issue with her eyesight but no other startling medical issues. A girl who had perfect vision suddenly couldnt see anymore, Priscilla said. Marina Placensias death remains under investigation, the Denver Police Department confirmed this week. You think you know your family, but you really have no clue whats going on, Priscilla said. The Virginia is for Lovers advertising slogan, the automated teller machine and the stay-on tab for aluminum cans were all market innovations that have at least one thing in common. They were ideas that came to fruition partly because of work done by the Southeastern Institute of Research. Created in the early 1960s as a division of Bob Klines advertising agency Kline & Co., the consulting firm in Richmond has worked behind the scenes on market research, strategic planning and communications for numerous Richmond-area organizations. An outgrowth of one of the first ad agencies in America to have a full-service research arm, Southeastern Institute of Researchs influence has reached businesses, nonprofits, government agencies and cities across the nation, and globally. Weve worked on more than 15,000 projects, said John W. Martin, the firms CEO and managing partner. This firm has been part of a lot of things. Martin, a longtime advertising and marketing professional in Virginia, acquired the business in 2003 from Bob Miller and Richard Steele, who had become its owners after it was spun off from Kline & Co. in 1964 as a separate business. Now, the firm is doing some rebranding of its own. Southeastern Institute of Research has officially changed its name to SIR. We decided to call ourselves what everybody calls us everybody knows us as SIR, Martin said. And the firm is re-emphasizing its role as a strategic advisory consultancy, in addition to its market research capabilities. We went from being a market research firm some time ago to being a strategic firm that has market research capability, said J.R. Hipple, a longtime public relations professional who merged his practice with SIRs in 2016. There are very few organizations our size that have that in-house. That gives us a real advantage. *** SIRs office on Floyd Avenue in Richmonds Fan District a renovated building that first opened as a bank branch in the early 1920s practically drips with history. It has retained its historic facade but, inside, SIRs 20-person staff is constantly looking into the future for clients. They include businesses and other organizations who hire the firm to do detailed research among their stakeholders, including customers, employees and suppliers, and then help formulate and implement strategic plans and organizational changes to meet future challenges. SIR is different from some other research firms in that what they do is almost exclusively original research, said Gary Rhodes, president of J. Sargeant Reynolds Community College, one of SIRs clients. When SIR started, the best practice in consumer research was intercepts, or door-to-door interviews. Later, the firm became known for consumer telephone surveys. These days, technology has changed its approach to consumer research. For instance, the internet has enabled it to do bulletin board focus groups. You get a focus group and expand the time to three or four days, said Erin Bishop, an SIR principal who leads qualitative research. You put it online and let people log in and join whenever it is convenient for them. There are several advantages to that. One is that it eliminates the problem with traditional focus groups of having one or a few people who dominate the conversation. One of the great things about it is the geographic reach, said Michael Norvell, an SIR principal who leads business development. We can have a group that participates and somebody is from California and somebody is from Europe. It has made it easier for us to expand our reach. Often, clients will come to SIR looking to complete a five-year strategic plan and then get help implementing it, said Susan Baxter, an SIR principal who leads the strategic consulting practice. Then we also get those clients who say wed like to figure out what business we should be in, so we do the research and then help them create that plan, Baxter said. People have trouble taking research into action, and we help them through that path. *** SIR did the consumer research in 1966 behind Virginia is for Lovers for Martin & Woltz, the precursor to todays The Martin Agency (and no relation to SIRs John Martin). The firm did work for Reynolds Aluminum when that company developed the stay-on tab for soft drinks and beer cans, as well as the cutting strip now found on aluminum foil packages. Recent or ongoing local clients have included Goodwill of Central and Coastal Virginia, which operates thrift stores and provides job training and job placement services, and the Richmond-based commercial building contractor ColonialWebb. SIR has worked with Goodwill on improving public awareness of its mission and on improving its operational efficiency, said Charles Layman, president and CEO of Goodwill of Central and Coastal Virginia. ColonialWebb, which has 800 employees in nine Southeastern offices, engaged the firm to help it work on branding and strategic planning since the company was acquired by ComfortSystems USA in 2010. They know how to do research, either one-on-one or through focus groups, or digital surveys, and really ask the right questions and get the right information to understand your brand proposition how your customer views you and how your employees view you, said Mitch Haddon, ColonialWebbs president and CEO. SIR has worked with J. Sargeant Reynolds Community College on several projects in the past few years, including a revamp of the schools branding, Rhodes said. J. Sargeant Reynolds is a little bit of a complicated name, he said. Sargeant was constantly misspelled. We have been referring to it as Reynolds Community College, not changing the legal name, but just branding it that way, which was helpful to us. SIR also conducted research that showed about one in four people in the Richmond regions workforce has attended classes at the college, and one in three health care workers, Rhodes said. SIR research showed there is strong demand in the region for the schools culinary institute, as the Richmond areas restaurant scene has blossomed. *** Martin said he used to cringe at the word futurist, a moniker that could be applied to him, given the kind of public speaking he does. Now, the label doesnt bother him so much. Now, it makes perfect sense, he said. Every single person who hires us wants to be a futurist. They value it. We all have to figure out what is next. The world is going to change more in the next 10 years than it did in the last 100. The question people are asking is, how do you maintain relevance? Everybody is asking these questions. Along with SIRs consulting work, Martin and SIR Managing Partner Matt Thornhill lead the firms Institute for Tomorrow, a strategic think tank that utilizes the companys research to develop trend-related insights, often about how technology and generational differences are driving changes in society. In 2003, for instance, they launched the Boomer Project, a marketing research and consulting firm that is one of the nations leading authorities on the boomer consumer. Martin and Thornhill now travel the world to share those insights through speaking engagements at various industry and civic meetings. One really big question is disintermediation of jobs, said Martin, referring to the dislocation or disappearance of jobs caused by advances in technology. He pointed to one widely cited study by Oxford University researchers that predicted 47 percent of U.S. jobs now performed by people will be handled by computerized technology in 20 years. In recent talks, Martin has spoken about one specific example of that the impact of autonomous vehicles. On a recent trip to Copenhagen, he addressed the board of directors of one of the worlds largest convenience store chains. They asked me to speak on the trends shaping the convenience store industry and what we see for the future, Martin said. They also wanted to talk about the millennial generation, their perception of branding, and what they see as winning brands. When autonomous vehicles become the norm, there are going to be fleets and fleets of these vehicles driving around, Martin said. If they function as taxi services, people may not see the need to own their own cars anymore. That could be especially true of younger generations who do not grow up with a sense of personal ownership of vehicles. The shift could mean the whole economic model surrounding the refueling of vehicles will change, Martin said, so the convenience store industry may need to rethink its value proposition. Martins advice was to tap into the sense of the local store as a community gathering place. But autonomous cars will have a much more widespread effect, on everything from insurance and automobile design, to urban planning and personal injury law, to organ donation, he said. Speaking at a convention of parking industry professionals in Las Vegas, I told them, in front of a crowd of a few thousand people, that they are the only guys in history who know they are going to get disintermediated, he said. It is going to be fascinating, he said. It is going to change communities, and it is going to be one of those game changers that people are not talking about enough. Gov. Terry McAuliffe urged graduates of Virginia Union University to take risks, fight for others and shatter barriers during the historically black institutions 118th commencement. You have an education from an institution that no one else in America can say has grown out of the depths of one of the worst slave trading facilities in the country, he said. That is your history. That is your legacy. You march out that door and you never turn back and you get out there and fight for the rights of everyone. McAuliffe addressed 329 graduates during a Saturday morning ceremony that was moved from VUUs Hovey Field to Saint Pauls Baptist Church in eastern Henrico County because of inclement weather. He left immediately after his 16-minute address to head to his daughters college graduation. The governor noted that 2017 has been a unique year. Id be lying if I sugarcoated the world you are about to inherit, he told the graduates. Like generations past, youll be charged with doing everything in your power to make it a better world. The good news is Virginia Union University has prepared you to rise to that challenge. He called Saturdays graduation address bittersweet because it would be his last as governor of Virginia. As you know when most of you arrived here on campus for the first time, we had just re-elected Americas first black president. ISIS was not yet a household name. And for some people, for some reason, they thought Macklemore was actually a good rapper, he said, drawing laughter. Today, we find ourselves in a world where saying black lives matter is somehow a political statement. And where a president of the United States, just this week, questioned the value and constitutionality of HBCUs, he said to groans from some of the graduates. McAuliffe was referring to a signing statement by President Trump apparently questioning the constitutionality of a program that helps historically black colleges and universities get low-cost construction loans. The White House said it would treat that program in a manner consistent with the requirement to afford equal protection of the laws. Its easy to wonder how can it be 2017 if were still having this debate in this country, McAuliffe said. As we gather here today in Richmond, a place full of extraordinary, complicated and sometimes shameful history, we know that that question is hundreds of years in the making. But even the most complicated stories can have a silver lining, he said, citing VUUs origins at the site of Lumpkins Slave Jail, the notorious Devils Half-Acre whose land was leased to educators by the black widow of the deceased jailer. Among the students McAuliffe cited for praise was co-valedictorian Nhat Hoang Van Le, who maintained a perfect GPA while carrying a triple major in physics, chemistry and mathematics and a minor in biology. He was raised in a household in Vietnam and decided early that education was his passport out of poverty, McAuliffe said. The governor then reflected on his own childhood, recalling the moment he realized hed have to pay for his college education. He launched his own paving business at age 14 before he expanded it a year later with a truck he salvaged from a junkyard. An entrepreneur was born. Take risks. Youre gonna fail. We all fail. The key is what you do that next day, he said, recalling his disastrous run for governor in 2009. I told folks if you dont like my big ideas, dont vote for me. Ha! And they didnt. I got crushed, two to one. But he went back to work, and thats how he became Virginias 72nd governor, part of a chain that began with Patrick Henry and Thomas Jefferson, he said. Follow your dreams, follow your passions. ... Take some risks, take some chances, and fight for people. He said his proudest moment as governor came when he restored the voting rights to more than 200,000 felons, 114 years after a state constitutional convention set in motion laws to disenfranchise black voters. When challenged by the Republican Party and told by the Virginia Supreme Court that he couldnt enact a blanket clemency, he signed the restoration orders individually. People wanna be with winners, not whiners, he told the graduates. If you see a glass ceiling, you knock that down into millions of different pieces. When most people think of a CSA short for Community Supported Agriculture they envision a box of fresh veggies delivered straight from the farmer to the consumer. Now, substitute the A in CSA with art. And the word farmer for artist. Thats the concept behind CSArt Madison, the latest innovative project of the Madison community arts space known as the Arts + Literature Laboratory, or ALL: Buy fresh and original art and get it straight from the producer. Fifty shares of CSArt (pronounced C-S-art) went on sale to the public May 1. Full shares cost $300 and yield 10 small artworks, each created this spring or summer by an accomplished local artist; $150 buys a half-share, or five small works of art. Share-buyers also get to visit the studios of artists creating works for CSArt, and are invited to a celebratory pick-up of the finished artworks, tucked into a tote bag, on July 29. A public exhibition of larger artworks by CSArtists will be on display at the ALL gallery space, 2021 Winnebago St., from July 7-29. CSArt Madison is designed, in part, to show how much valuable, home-grown talent is right in Madisons backyard, said CSArt coordinator Simone Doing, a co-lead curator at ALL. We were looking for alternative distribution models for artists, and thinking about ways of helping connect artists to buyers, and vice versa and how that buy local mentality could be facilitated here in Madison, given that we have such a strong sense of buy local with our food, she said. Agricultural CSAs have a really strong presence in Madison, and we thought that would translate well. The project even will include a series of dinners hosted with VEA Events, where area chefs prepare locally sourced food inspired by the CSArtists works. The dinners will take place July 8, 22 and 23 and serve as a fundraiser for ALL. Some of what will grow out of CSArt Madison is still in the early stages. CSArtist Faisal AbduAllah, an associate professor of printmaking at UW-Madison, is departing from 2D art and making a 7-inch vinyl record as his CSArt piece. Working with him is UW-Madison graduating senior Daniel Kaplan, known as Son!, this years student artist-in-residence at Memorial Unions Wheelhouse Studios. When AbduAllah moved to Madison from London, his huge, diverse record collection moved with him, he said. When I pull up a song, I can place myself 15 years ago the date, the time, the temperature, what I was feeling, he said. The records almost annotate my life. My (art) work does the same thing. He discovered a musical connection when Kaplan, a generation younger, started working with him on an independent study project, AbduAllah said. When CSArt asked me to do something, I thought, well, music, he said. I always ask students to embrace uncertainty and go beyond their own expectations. So he invited Kaplan to do a kind of mash-up of a few songs resonating with the artist right now. The resulting record for the CSArt project complete with original cover and liner notes will be done with the thinking that if you dont have a record player, youll probably have to go to someones house. Theres a journey involved, AbduAllah said. Or if you have one, you have the benefit of putting the needle on the record. Other artists selected for CSArt Madison whose projects are still under wraps include handmade paper artist Katharine Delamater; printmaker and UW-Madison professor John Hitchcock; glass artist Helen Lee, head of glass in the UW-Madison art department; J. Myszka Lewis, a curator at Tandem Press and one-third of the feminist art group Spooky Boobs Collective; and Dakota Mace, who is currently working with Navajo textile design as an MFA candidate at UW-Madison. Also creating CSArt are Jason Ruhl, a master printer at Tandem Press; visual artist Chelsea Thompto, an MFA candidate at UW-Madison; and mixed media artists Bernadette Witzack and Ariel Wood. The artists, selected from among 75 applicants, receive a stipend. CSArt Madison was inspired by a similar program developed by Minnesota-based Springboard for the Arts and now used in 40 cities, said Max Puchalsky, also a co-lead curator for ALL. Since we started working professionally in Madison in the arts, we realized there really isnt that collector class here thats going to contemporary art exhibitions for the purpose of collecting artwork, said Puchalsky, who with Doing makes up the collaborative art team known as Simone and Max. So if you want to be an artist in Madison and sustain your practice, youre going to have to find other ways of making ends meet. We got really interested in alternative models for distribution, or making money as an artist. Located in a refurbished brick building at 2021 Winnebago St., ALL mixes modern gallery space with the buildings industrial past. Founded by graphic artist Jolynne Roorda who helped found the first ALL in New Haven, Connecticut, and brought the concept to Madison the center is a nonprofit community art space designed for visual, literary and performing artists to connect and share their creative work. Roorda, Doing, Puchalsky and others are building ALL into a creative hub, with art exhibitions, literary readings, concerts, workshops and, this August, a series of outdoor screenings of contemporary video art. This summer ALL is hosting Bike the Art, a free, monthly, curated tour of art spaces by bicycle. The first is Saturday, when wheelers of all ages will meet at 5 p.m. at the Madison Museum of Contemporary Art to learn about a collaborative project between MMOCA and ALL called Digital Aura, then pedal (or walk or drive) on to the Old Sugar Distillery and lastly to the ALL gallery. Artists Jennifer Bastian and Jamie Ho were selected this year for ALLs Dane County Emerging Artist Series, another ALL program designed to showcase local talent and help artists advance their careers. As for the artworks being developed right now for CSArt shares, Were trying to keep it exciting and somewhat mysterious, because it will be a fun reveal at the end, Doing said. Like your CSA box, Roorda added. You never know what youre going to get. For two days the White House insisted, loudly and at length, that President Trump fired FBI Director Jim Comey because of a memo from Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein, which blasted Comey for his handling of the Clinton email scandal. Then Trump went on TV and told Lester Holt, Regardless of the recommendation, I was going to fire Comey. In other words, the stated rationale was organic fertilizer as everyone pretty much knew all along. The White House also wanted the public to believe the firing had nothing to do with the Russian investigation, even though Comey recently had asked for more resources to put into it. Then Trump told Holt, When I decided to (fire Comey), this Russia thing, with Trump and Russia is an excuse by the Democrats for having lost an election they should have won. Oh. Trump spokesmen said the FBI rank-and-file had lost confidence in Comey. Andrew McCabe, Comeys temporary replacement, testified to Congress that that was simply not the case. Then came reports that Trump had demanded Comeys loyalty during a private dinner in January. Comey reportedly said he would always be honest, but could not be counted on to be politically reliable. Friday morning, Trump took to Twitter to push back. He suggested that perhaps he should simply cancel White House press briefings, because it is not possible for my surrogates to stand at podium with perfect accuracy. Then he issued a threat that sounded positively Nixonian: James Comey better hope that there are no tapes of our conversations before he starts leaking to the press! Along the way the president took a detour so he could demonstrate his expertise in the field of advanced weapons systems, by teeing off on the digital catapult on the aircraft carrier Gerald L. Ford: Digital. They have digital. What is digital? And its very complicated, you have to be Albert Einstein to figure it out. And I said and now they want to buy more aircraft carriers. I said what system are you going to be Sir, were staying with digital. I said, No youre not. (Youre) going (back) to goddamned steam. Pretty soon were going to see the president storming around in his bathrobe demanding to know why he cant put metal in the microwave. By Jeff Lighthiser and Andrew Browning Springtime heralds a number of transitions. One such transition is the closing weeks of classes on college campuses as students prepare to graduate and pursue careers. The job market is looking up for the class of 2017. The first three months of this year have been very positive for job creation as the government and ADP both reported the addition of hundreds of thousands of new jobs. This is good news for the economy, our country, and graduates. However, this jobs boom is not impacting every sector in the same way and one industry, particularly in Central Virginia, continues to face a significant job shortage: land development. This sector is composed of engineers and developers who are responsible for designing, planning, and developing residential neighborhoods, mixed-use communities, commercial and industrial sites, and critical municipal projects, from new schools and transportation to utilities and storm water management. *** For many years, the land development sector has faced a shortage of qualified engineers and struggled to meet the demand for new projects. As the industry in our region and across the state looked to address this issue, a promising solution emerged: partnerships between universities and the land-development community. Estimates from civil engineering departments at leading universities in the United States show that as many as a quarter to a third of graduates work in the land-development sector. Yet for years no academic institution had a dedicated program to prepare students to tackle the unique issues associated with land development and design. That changed when Virginia Tech launched the Land Development Design Initiative (LDDI), which educates and prepares civil engineering students for a career in the land-development industry, including positions with engineering firms, developers, home builders, equipment manufacturers, and contractors. Partnerships between academic institutions and industries, like LDDI, take many forms. For example, both of us and many other engineers from the Richmond area serve as mentors for students. We also are guest lecturers in classes and assist students on project work. Engineering firms then attract students to Central Virginia for internships and eventual full-time positions. This collaboration is a critical component to the success of these programs. *** When universities and leaders from the private sector work together to establish a dedicated track of course work to address a topic, such as land development, a programs impact for both students and the private sector is tremendous. Among the most significant benefits, three stand out. First, programs that specialize in land development and design produce new professionals who can contribute to projects immediately rather than needing months of on-the-job training. Thanks to a program that cultivates and enhances land-development skills, graduates can tackle a variety of issues right away, from regulatory and zoning requirements, to design challenges, to sustainability concerns. Second, its critical that those professionals who design sites for development manage complex regulatory environments, such as storm-water and erosion controls. Universities can deliver the educational background needed on these topics as well as help develop new insights and solutions. Third, these university programs are key tools to address the labor shortage in the engineering and land-development fields. Its vital that firms have a robust pipeline for talent from college campuses. For example, both of our firms have hired graduates from a dedicated land-development program and seen the difference firsthand. If additional universities created these land-development partnerships, the existing labor shortage could be tackled more quickly. As with all types of partnerships, programs that rely on collaboration between universities and the private sector demand buy-in from both sides. Continued success of an academic program, such as LDDI, requires ongoing support from private sector businesses. Engineers, developers, and others in the land-development sector need to support these programs through sponsorships, mentorships, and internships. Only by raising funds from the private sector and leveraging that support through the university can these innovative and essential programs continue to thrive. Given the impact in the Richmond area, and around the state, its paramount that the engineering and land-development sector support programs like LDDI so our industry can tackle the current labor shortage and cultivate the next generation of leaders. AG wants to target abuse against Medicaid recipients RICHMOND Virginias attorney general is calling on federal officials to let states use federal funds to target more cases of abuse and neglect committed against Medicaid beneficiaries. Attorney General Mark R. Herring was among more than three dozen attorneys general who requested the policy change in a letter to U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Secretary Tom Price. Herrings office says Medicaid Fraud Control Units are currently only allowed to investigate and prosecute abuse and neglect cases that happen in connection with Medicaid-funded services, like nursing homes. Herring and the other attorneys general want to be able to use federal funds to prosecute abuse and neglect of Medicaid patients in non-institutional settings, like home health care. Navy continues cleaning up jet fuel spill in Virginia Beach VIRGINIA BEACH The cleanup of Navy jet fuel is continuing in Virginia Beach. The Navy said Friday in a news release that it has contained the spill of nearly 100,000 gallons. It leaked from a tank at Naval Air Station Oceana and onto some adjoining properties and some waterways. Experts have been called in to respond to reports of impacted wildlife, and vacuum trucks and skimmers have joined the cleanup effort. Crews have removed nearly 20,000 gallons from areas that sit outside the base. Response teams are also monitoring the quality of the water and air. Cleanup efforts are expected to continue through the weekend. George Mason plans 5.5% tuition increase for 2017-18 FAIRFAX George Mason University is planning a tuition increase of nearly 6 percent for the upcoming school year. The schools board of visitors approved a $1 billion budget Thursday for the 2017-18 year that includes a 5.5 percent hike for in-state and out-of-state students. That translates to an additional $624 for in-state undergrads and $1,788 for out-of-staters. Mason says the money will help fund an average pay increase of 3 percent for faculty and staff. The increase is larger than those passed recently by other Virginia schools. The University of Virginia is increasing in-state tuition by 2.2 percent and out-of-state tuition by 3.5 percent. Virginia Techs in-state and out-of-state increases are 2.9 and 3.5 percent, respectively. Mason says its tuition and fees are eighth-highest among Virginias 16 public four-year institutions. Teenager, juveniles charged in use of counterfeit money CHARLOTTESVILLE A 19-year-old man and two juveniles have been arrested after authorities say they used counterfeit money to purchase merchandise online. The Albemarle County Police Department said Thursday in a news release that Yahmil Deyshon Payne and two juveniles were arrested on April 8. Police say the investigation began after citizens reported receiving motion-picture-use-only money in exchange for electronic equipment posted on Letgo, an application that allows users to buy and sell items locally. Local businesses also reported the use of counterfeit money. Authorities say Payne was charged with multiple offenses, including using a false bank note and obtaining money by false pretenses. Authorities say the juveniles face similar charges. Its unclear if they have attorneys. Q: What type of cheese does Wisconsin make the most of? A: Mozzarella production beat out all other types of cheese produced in Wisconsin in 2016 by a long shot, according to the National Agricultural Statistics Service. Americas Dairyland produces more than 3 billion pounds of cheese each year, and nearly a third of that is mozzarella. Mozzarella even trumps all American cheese types put together. In 2016, the production of American cheddar, Colby and Monterey Jack cheeses combined accounted for 955 million pounds compared to mozzarellas almost 1.1 billion pounds. Of the 128 plants that make cheese in Wisconsin, 38 produced mozzarella last year. As cheese production in Wisconsin continues to rise, so does the amount of mozzarella coming from the state. Mozzarella production grew by 3.9 percent between 2015 and 2016, which may not sound like much, but that accounts for 40 million pounds of cheese. Of the cheeses the NASS collects data on, Swiss was the least popular among cheese producers. Just 18.2 million pounds of the holey cheese was produced in the state. Shelley K. Mesch A Place for All Conservatives to Speak Their Mind. CULPEPER Sgt. Cameron Thomas protected his loved ones fiercely, exuded confidence that was contagious and pursued excellence in everything he did. In service to his country, the 23-year-old Army Ranger died on the battlefield in Afghanistan on April 27, leaving behind family and friends inspired by his example. Hundreds of mourners packed into the Salem Volunteer Fire Hall in Culpeper Saturday for an hour-long memorial service that had music, laughter, tears, honor and tradition prior to Thomas burial with full military honors at Culpeper National Cemetery. A sea of fellow Rangers in navy blue and gold filled row after row in the fire hall near his flag-draped casket in the front where those who knew him best stood up to tell of a life lived with zest, enthusiasm, bravery and determination. Sgt. Matt Summers served five years with Thomas, every day, full-time, describing him as a leader who would rather die than quit. Cameron had a fire that burned inside him, one that could not be contained, Summers said. Thomas graduated early from Fairmont High School in Kettering, Ohio, where he grew up, to pursue his dream of being a Ranger, which he achieved, earning his tab as a 19-year-old. He was on his fifth deployment when he was fatally shot during a night raid on a remote stronghold that killed the head of ISIS in Afghanistan. We decided we wanted to be those guys that young Rangers like us looked up to, Summers said. Camerons drive to be bigger, better and harder than anyone else made me who I am. Everything Cameron did, he did with purpose. At the end of his remarks, Summers commanded, Rangers on your feet! to repeat the Rangers Creed, which they did thunderously and with vigor loud enough to reach the heavens. Local citizens holding American flags, both large and small, lined the funeral route along U.S. 522 to show their respect Saturday morning. We cant explain why it happens, said Col. Marcus Evans, commander of the 75th Ranger Regiment at Fort Benning, Georgia, of losing service members in combat. We cannot explain why it always seems to happen to the best of the best, those that everyone loves respects and admires. Cam certainly met that criteria. Police arrested an inmate on Sunday who had been AWOL from the Dane County Jail for nearly a month, the Dane County Sheriff's Office said. Sorrell A. Gilmore, 22, was caught by the Madison Police Department around 3 a.m. and brought back to the jail, sheriff's Lt. Chris Nygaard said. Gilmore left for work around 6:45 a.m. on April 15 on a work release program but didn't return later that evening, Nygaard said. He was in the jail initially for knowingly fleeing an officer, theft and resisting, Nygaard said. Business News Moroccan Ambassador Enhancing Business Linkages With Vietnam | RobinsPost News & Noticias Before the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic, the office regularly organised Vietnamese business delegations ... Vietnamese Ambassador to the Netherlands Pham Viet Anh noted that economic-trade ... Read More The Yendi MP has appealed to the Morocco Ambassador to Ghana, Imane Quaadil to facilitate an arrangement to expose the vast investment opportunities in Yendi to the business community of Morocco. Read More For all latest news, follow The Daily ... Bangladesh is a potential business partner of Vietnam, said Pham Viet Chien, ambassador of Vietnam. Even in the post-pandemic era, the bilateral relation ... Read More United Nations Before the members of the 4th Committee of the United Nations General Assembly, ambassador Omar Hilale, Permanent Representative of Morocco to the UN, deconstructed the myths ... Read More The Moroccan Ambassador to Ghana is scheduled to pay an official visit to Yendi from October 14 to 17, 2022. Imane Quaadils visit is part of her diplomatic duties to strengthen ties between ... Read More Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev has appointed Nazim Samadov Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Republic of Azerbaijan to the Kingdom of Morocco. Following another presidential ... Read More RABAT, Morocco (AP) Adidas acknowledged on Friday that the design for its new jersey collection for Algerias national soccer team was inspired by Moroccos zellige mosaic pattern ... Read More RABAT, Morocco (AP) A rapper arrested in Morocco earlier this week on accusations of incitement to drug consumption, violence, and defamation was released on bail Wednesday pending a trial ... Read More Vietnam hopes to attract more capital from RoK Policies ... said that US firms are able to see Da Nangs potential in digital transformation. Therefore, this business linkage programme will create a ... Read More President of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev has signed a Decree appointing Nazim Samadov ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Republic of Azerbaijan to the Kingdom of Morocco, reports. Read More The lawyer for a rapper arrested in Morocco earlier this week for incitement to drug use, violence, and defamation says his client has been released on bail RABAT, Morocco -- A rapper arrested in ... Read More Business News Business Almanac Oklahoma Business Meetings For May 14 | RobinsPost News & Noticias Port Angeles Business Association ... by Joshuas for those at the PABA meeting who do not order breakfast. This week features District 24, Position 2 candidates Steve Tharinger and Brian Pruiett. Read More Last call for staplers and printer paper. Office Depot plans to close its store at 616 E. Colfax Ave. in the Cap Hill neighborhood. Large Closing signs have been posted on the building. Read More no-jargon" approach to covering the business news helped democratize an entire industry. "We dont just cover stocks in this country. We take stock of the country. For too long, business ... Read More The almanac's 14-month calendar (it begins with November ... But there is something more ominous that followed: "Meanwhile, a tropical storm may play a big trick, with wind and heavy rain across ... Read More MINNEAPOLIS Private equity firm Pacific Avenue Capital Partners has purchased SunOpta Inc.s sunflower and roasted snacks business for $16 million. The acquisition includes three of SunOpta ... Read More Wyndham launched The Meetings Collection in the United States in late 2021 under its Wyndham Business program. As a hub for meeting and event planners, Wyndham Business provides exclusive offers, ... Read More Also, check your regional government website to ensure you meet state or province-level requirements.Assess your business risks. Think about what risks your business may run. Do you work in an ... Read More The anchors of Fox Business Network have long delivered the latest business headlines. Now some may be getting ready to debate them, too. We have had a ton of success on Fox News side with ... Read More The 12th annual event will honor THR's Business Manager Icon Richard Feldstein, as well as the top money managers in Hollywood, and will feature a keynote conversation with CAA's Chief Metaverse ... Read More CINCINNATI--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Jon R. Moeller, Chairman of the Board, President and Chief Executive Officer of The Procter & Gamble Company (NYSE: PG) will lead the Procter & Gamble 2022 Annual ... Read More LYON, France--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Regulatory News: Adocia (Euronext Paris ... (21 November 2022), digital As part of these professional meetings with the financial community through "one-to-one ... Read More Business News Mississippi Business Recalls Meat Poultry Frozen Products | RobinsPost News & Noticias DENVER (KDVR) Prepared chicken ... the voluntary recall on Tuesday after a customer reported having an adverse reaction, the company said in a news release. The products contain cashews ... Read More Also, if you have specific questions about food safety, you can call the USDA Meat and Poultry Hotline at 1-888-674-6854. The products ... recall of a whopping approximately 24,461 pounds of ... Read More STURGEON BAY - Door County Custom Meats and Venison Processing is voluntarily recalling a variety of ready-to-eat meat products ... Consumer Protection, the recalled products include: Jalapeno ... Read More A recall of 148,000 pounds of chicken products has been announced Saturday by the USDA due to possible contamination with hard clear pieces of plastic, the agency said. Read More U.S. Agricutlure Secretary Tom Vilsack announced the investment of $73 million in 21 grant projects through the first round of the Meat and Poultry Processing Expansion Program (MPPEP). MPPEP delivers ... Read More The recall doesn't include its iconic original pine-scented Pine-Sol, which is its only product registered as a disinfectant. The products recalled by the Oakland, California-based company also ... Read More Federal law prohibits any person from selling products subject to a Commission ordered recall or a voluntary recall undertaken in consultation with the CPSC. SHARE THIS POST Find News News ... Read More (WBAY) - A meat shop in central Wisconsin, Johnsons Sausage Shoppe in Rio, is voluntarily recalling 18 products, including beef, chicken ... The DATCP says the recall was initiated because ... Read More PITTSBURGH (KDKA) -- Costco is recalling some of its hummus products for possible mold. They are recalling certain Kirkland Signature brand Pine Nut Hummus, sold between Sept. 21 to Oct. 18. Read More The recall doesn't include its iconic original pine-scented Pine-Sol, which is its only product registered as a disinfectant. The products recalled ... of breaking news and live events ... Read More Business News Growing Number Of Missouri Lawmakers Also Business Owners | RobinsPost News & Noticias Amendment 3, which Missouri voters passed on Tuesday, will go into effect on Dec. 8. Under the newly-approved constitutional amendment, Missourians over 21 will be able to go to a dispensary without a ... Read More Deep red Missouri is joining 20 other states that have legalized marijuana sales for adult use after Tuesdays election. Like the approval of Medicaid expansion in 2020 and the rejection of an ... Read More Legal Missouri 2022, the campaign behind the petition, has earned the support of a number of prominent lawmakers and organizations. But it has also been criticized by ... is a Joplin business owner ... Read More When can you buy legal weed? Who can get a license to sell? What happens to criminal records? Heres what Amendment 3 means for Missourians. Read More Missourians voted Tuesday to become the 21st state to legalize recreational marijuana, approving a constitutional amendment that also establishes a process to clear nonviolent marijuana-related ... Read More In Missouri, though, senseless shootings in a high school, in a parking lot, at a weekend fair are entirely predictable. Its lawmakers have ... For now, it is also bad law. Read More Missouri will likely become the latest state to legalize recreational marijuana. Legal Missouri 2022 claimed victory for Amendment 3 around 11:30 p.m., but the race has not officially been called yet ... Read More WASHINGTON, D.C. The U.S. Department of Treasury announced Tuesday afternoon 11 states, including Missouri, will receive funding to help small business financing. In total, 1 billion dollars ... Read More A new survey from Emerson College and The Hill shows the race over an amendment legalizing recreational marijuana in Missouri is tightening with 47 % in favor, 39% against and 14% undecided. If passed ... Read More It puts Missouri behind only Louisiana in the number of lawsuits against the Biden ... President Donald Trumps administration. It also marks a significant departure from the way Missouri ... Read More Missouri lawmakers and marijuana legalization advocates ... opposed to the governor taking action prior to that, but were also happy to see the voters act on it. Eapen Thampy, a Jefferson ... Read More Health News Health Briefs Hepatitis A On The Rise In Colorado | RobinsPost News & Noticias There are 684 in the Alleghany Health District, and 406 in the Roanoke City Health District, the health district said. According to the health district, the current CDC Variant Proportions ... Read More A berry mix has been recalled across Europe after a number of people were sickened in Hungary by Hepatitis A. Two sizes of Ardo Fruitberry mix were recalled after the Hepatitis A virus was found. ... Read More Reuters Health ... cure for hepatitis B will not be easily achieved with the drugs currently in development. Medscape Medical News, July 05, 2022 ILC 2022 Fatty Liver Disease Drives Rise in ... Read More The largest hepatitis outbreak scare in the nation is playing out in Las Vegas, where 50,000 patients at an endoscopy center may have been exposed to infectious diseases because of unhygienic ... Read More Florida officials declared a public health emergency over the rapid spread of Hepatitis A across the Sunshine State, as thousands of vaccines are being handed out for free each week. (CN) Florida ... Read More More recently, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention data from an August Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report showed that infections continued to rise ... hepatitis as a public health ... Read More Three more cases of hepatitis A have been detected in the past week linked to the recent imported frozen berry outbreak. The Ministry of Health said on Thursday afternoon that the number of ... Read More early in the course of HIV infection when the immune system is stronger results in better long-term health ... Three-Dose Hepatitis B Vaccine Regimen Protects People With HIV Oct. 21, 2022 A ... Read More OKLAHOMA CITY (KFOR) The Oklahoma Health Care Authority says it has launched an initiative to cure SoonerCare members who have been diagnosed with the Hepatitis C virus (HCV). Health officials ... Read More Screening for hepatitis C has been routine for pregnant ... its important to meet with a hepatologist now to assess your health, prepare, and check whether the virus has caused any liver ... Read More While national efforts to eliminate hepatitis C have faced setbacks because of increased drug use, the impact of COVID-19 and insurance complications, theres a bright spot: Some states are now ... Read More No vaccine against hepatitis C is currently available. Science X Daily and the Weekly Email Newsletter are free features that allow you to receive your favorite sci-tech news updates in your email ... Read More Search RobinsPost News & Noticias Politics News Bipartisan Consensus Defies Everything We Thought We Knew About Australian Politics | RobinsPost News & Noticias Politics News California Politics Updates Gov Brown S Adds Cash To Budget Mcclintock Calls For Independent Prosecutor For Russia Investigation | RobinsPost News & Noticias According to the latest finance bulletin from the California Department of Finance, general fund agency cash receipts for ... with the states politics is at least part of the reason why ... Read More If it sounds like theres a familiar name already on the ballot, heres why: When Harris left office, Gov ... unlikely jump into politics in his mid-20s. Like many of Californias most ... Read More Republican Tom McClintock wins reelection to U.S. House in Californias 5th Congressional District. Californians reject sports gambling by wide margins after most expensive ballot question races in U. Read More San Francisco's three-year plan to build a single public toilet for $1.7 million could be going down the drain as California Gov ... updates, exclusive interviews, and more Fox News politics ... Read More California Gov. Gavin Newsom on Sunday again ... Get the latest race updates, exclusive interviews, and more Fox News politics content. Read More Theres always politics involved ... OFarrell said in a news conference. The expanding fallout from the recordings has included calls for Los Angeles to adopt an independent redistricting ... Read More LOS ANGELES (AP) Californias ... calls to address the way politics can still influence the redrawing of district maps after the census count each decade. My office will conduct an ... Read More This year, California voters could play a key role in determining the balance of power in the House of Representatives. Do you know what congressional district you live in? Or whos competing to ... Read More Gavin Newsom will almost certainly win reelection as governor of California ... politics at the same time and place as Newsom, with the pair even sharing political advisers. While Newsoms ... Read More Calls for all three councilmembers to ... JW: Yes, that could be the main way it could cut. But politics are rarely binary. Its very possible it will play both of those ways and also six ... Read More Black and Latino constituents often build alliances in politics ... former executive director of the Pat Brown Institute of Public Affairs at California State University, Los Angeles, said ... Read More Elections News Nepal Votes In First Local Elections In 20 Years | RobinsPost News & Noticias With just three weeks left for the November 20 elections, political parties in Nepal are campaigning at a feverish pitch ... Read More KATHMANDU, Nov 2: Chairman of CPN-UML and former Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli has said that the country will suffer if the CPN-UML does not win the upcoming elections. He said this while addressing ... Read More And the arrests in August of 20 people for alleged illegal voting hasnt helped, according to experts. Also:Voter fraud charge dismissed in first ... of Elections Paul Lux told The News Service ... Read More See live Hawaii midterm election results for the Senate in 2022. View live election maps by county as Brian E. Schatz, Bob McDermott race and other candidates race for Congress. Read More Former Prime Minister KP Sharma Olis attempt to rake up Nepali nationalism by raising Kathmandus border row with India is an opportunistic attempt to win the November 20 elections, say Nepal experts. Read More In 30 states where Catalist has data for 2018 and 2022, pre-election voting ... up 20% of those who have returned pre-election ballots so far, up from their 14% share at this point two years ... Read More This may be an off-year election, but there is a lot on the ballot this fall from federal to county offices, and there is more competition for some of those local seats than you might be used to. Read More One of the 20 people arrested ... had voted in 2020, the first major elections since a state constitutional amendment allowed many felons to have their voting rights automatically restored ... Read More Oregon implemented full vote-by-mail in 1998, and Washington made the switch in 2011. Still, the states were not exempt from skepticism among residents about the 2020 general election first ... Read More Now, two years ... needed by local election officials. A few examples of how stadiums will be used: For this election, the NFL has also expanded its efforts. As part of the NFL Votes initiative ... Read More ST. PAUL Attending college often means packing up and moving to a new place for the first ... or state to vote in person. After applying for an absentee ballot, your local elections office ... Read More While the UMNO fell out of favor with voters six years ago, a string of victories in local elections over the past ... address climate concerns. World News // 20 hours ago Highly anticipated ... Read More Elections News Nepal Heads To The Polls For First Local Elections In Two Decades | RobinsPost News & Noticias KATHMANDU - Nepal votes in local elections ... two phases, will lead to a general election later in the year. A recent dispute between the poor Himalayan nation's Maoist-led government and the ... Read More Ahead of this months elections, Nepals democracy faces a dual challenge: its own factionalism and the Chinese Communist Partys growing influence. Read More A sense of frustration is brewing in Sudurpaschim Province, the home turf of Nepal Prime Minister Sher Bahadur Deuba, where the youth, disenchanted with traditional political parties, is looking at ... Read More Nepal will hold national and provincial elections on Nov. 20, in a contest that the country's ruling coalition, led by the centrist Nepali Congress party, hopes to win against a loose alliance of ... Read More The Himalayan republic is holding general elections on Nov.20 to elect a new 275-member parliament. The country will also hold provincial elections to elect 550 assembly members. We have urged the ... Read More WASHINGTON Millions of Americans will submit their ballots or head to the polls ... election years, but the races can make a big impact on national and local politics. This year's elections ... Read More Elections News Counting Underway After Polls Closed At Yerevan City Council Elections | RobinsPost News & Noticias A city employee in Houston was killed on Election Day after reportedly being electrocuted near a polling place. Houston Mayor Sylvester turner said the unidentified city employee was killed in a work ... Read More More:Vote Yes referendum back on Fayetteville ballots after NC Appeals Court order. Fayetteville voters on Tuesday voted against dramatically changing the structure of the City Co ... Read More Voters in the New York City started casting their ballots on Tuesday in the first national election of Joe Biden's US presidency. With polls open, Democrats were braced for disappointing ... Read More A man was arrested Saturday after allegedly stealing a man's wallet and pepper-spraying the victim and a co-worker who came to his aid, Madison police said. The incident Saturday morning began when a 28-year-old employee of Fuegos restaurant, 904 Williamson St., arranged to meet Brandon L. Nelson, 19, at the restaurant to buy a cellphone, police said. Nelson allegedly grabbed the man's wallet and fled. The man chased down Nelson and a fight ensued, police said, with a fellow employee of the restaurant joining the fray. During the fight, Nelson used pepper spray on both men, police said, before running off and dropping the stolen wallet. Nelson was arrested later in the day at place of employment, Madison police Sgt. Rosemarie Mansavage said. He's being held on a parole violation pending tentative charges relating to Saturday's incident, she said. Potus News Trump Let Congress Do Russia Investigation | RobinsPost News & Noticias Russian President Vladimir Putin has monitored drills of the countrys strategic nuclear forces involving multiple practice launches of ballistic and cruise missiles. Russian Defense Minister Sergei S ... Read More Potus News North Korea Launches Missile Trump Speculates On Russia Response | RobinsPost News & Noticias (Korean Central News Agency/Korea News Service ... to wipe out any and all enemies. North Korea has said recent missile launches were in response to U.S.-South Korean naval drills. Read More Fridays ballistic launch extended a record number of missile demonstrations by North Korea this year as it exploits the distraction created by Russia ... In response to North Koreas ... Read More He said South Korea has the ability to deliver an overwhelming response ... on Russias Iskander missile. The U.S. Indo-Pacific Command said in a statement the North Korean launch didn ... Read More North Korea fired a ballistic missile and hundreds of artillery shells toward the sea Friday and flew warplanes near the tense border with South Korea, further raising animosities triggered by the ... Read More A station employee cleans near a television showing a news ... missiles over more than 20 launch events this year. North Korea has made use of the stalled diplomacy with the United States and ... Read More Potus News Gop Rep Probably More Links Between Clinton And Russia Than Trump | RobinsPost News & Noticias Following nearly every major GOP loss on Tuesday, conservative pundits on Fox News averted attention to the major reelection victory for Florida Governor Ron DeSantis and the red wave in the Sunshine ... Read More Potus News White House Says Trump Cannot Imagine That Russia Is Pleased Over North Korea Missile | RobinsPost News & Noticias Any response on U.S. infrastructure will be met with a response, the White House said on Thursday after Western commercial satellites could become legitimate targets for Russia if they were involved ... Read More Potus News Warner Trump Firing Comey Has Appearance Of Quashing Fbi S Russia Probe | RobinsPost News & Noticias Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell resorted to partisan sniping to give cover to President Donald Trumps suspiciously timed firing of FBI director James Comey. If anything has ever demanded ... Read More Getty Images What is not in doubt, though, is that the trial is highlighting the FBIs shocking malfeasance in the Trump-Russia collusion probe ... s investigation has concluded the ... Read More With the FBI as witting accessories, the Russia hoax took flight and a dilating witch hunt ensued. Any intelligent person who has ever read Steeles ... Trump. Ever the Machiavellian actor ... Read More Fox News contributor Lara Trump responded to revelations that the FBI offered $1 million to Christopher Steele if he could corroborate accusations against former President Trump in his dossier. Read More The portrayal of the FBI as a victim was yet another disappointment for Mr. Trump and his allies, who hoped Mr. Durham would expose a far-left conspiracy within the bureau and other U.S ... Read More Durham took a bat to Crossfire Hurricane, which was the codename for the FBIs Trump-Russia probe before special counsel Robert Mueller took over. The Russia probe has been a major focus of ... Read More ALEXANDRIA, Va. A federal jury acquitted Russian analyst Igor Danchenko on Tuesday on four counts of lying to the FBI in what is expected to be the final case stemming from special counsel ... Read More Former President Donald Trump ... FBI Director James Comey to frame him after he made overtures to Russia to help him win by releasing Clinton's hacked emails. In total, the Durham probe has ... Read More Generally, however, Horowitzs conclusion was one Trump didnt want to hear: The Russia probe ... FBI that opened the investigation in the first place, until the firing of FBI Director James B ... Read More A Trump employee has told federal agents about ... the most direct account to date of Trumps actions and instructions leading up to the FBIs Aug. 8 search of the Florida residence and ... Read More Special counsel John Durham, who once enjoyed a solid reputation as a prosecutor, now owns what may be the worst trial record of any special counsel or independent prosecutor in American history ... Read More Durham has taken two cases to trial, and both have ended in acquittals. After more than three years looking for misconduct in the FBIs Trump-Russia probe, Durham has only secured one conviction ... Read More Potus News Top Dem On Intel Committee Says Trump Fired Comey Because Of The Russia Investigation | RobinsPost News & Noticias Former president Donald Trump and Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis (R) experienced two very different election nights. Read More Science News Students Present Science Fair Projects At Washington Pavilion | RobinsPost News & Noticias About 20 students took part in a STEAM Day at the Washington Pavilion, learning more about science, technology, engineering, art and math (STEAM) through an educational program at the center. Read More You may have heard the big long COVID news ... for science. Morehouse is participating in a long COVID study at Howard University in Washington D.C. Its part of a many-armed giant of a project ... Read More The University of Washingtons Paul G. Allen School of Computer Science & Engineering ... help ensure that our students are up-to-date with where the industry is at present and become the ... Read More The Washington Parish Sheriffs Office says five people were arrested over the weekend at the 2022 Washington Parish Free Fair ... substance with a weapon present. The Sheriffs Office ... Read More Barack Obama, in Scotland and seated at the roundtable in the fight against global warming or global cooling or whatever the latest leftist fad is, says communication between the White House and ... Read More (Alex Panetta/CBC News) This item is part of Watching Washington ... projects might qualify. "Yes there are sums in these acts which Canadian companies can tap into," Champagne, the innovation ... Read More High school students take AP exams and IB exams to earn college credit and demonstrate success at college-level coursework. U.S. News calculated a College Readiness Index based on AP/IB exam ... Read More High school students take AP exams and IB exams to earn college credit and demonstrate success at college-level coursework. U.S. News calculated a College Readiness Index based on AP/IB exam ... Read More With $5 billion invested across more than 100 deals in 2021, Washington's biotechnology, medical technology and digital health sectors are poised for continued growth Life Science Washington ... Read More In September, Sweden announced that teens who werent in certain vulnerable groups were no longer eligible for COVID-19 shots. That same month, Britain rolled back its policy of ... Read More On Oct. 27 at 6 p.m. Pacific time, USGS research statistician Manuela Huso will present Blowing in the Wind: Science to Help Understand and Help Reduce Wildlife Impacts From Wind Energy ... Read More Science News Bringing Social Science Rigor To Jailhouse Programs | RobinsPost News & Noticias That was a prevailing idea in 2019, when I started as the social sciences reporter at Science News. But when I began digging into a possible story on the phenomenon, I encountered an incoherent mess. Read More Despite starting the development for the new jail in Winona through some adversity, construction of the new Winona County Jail is back on track and set to finish in June 2023. With completion of ... Read More If you're looking to bolster that particular argument, you might want to look at the new research published in Discover Science and Health ... in the Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin ... Read More By David Badash,The New Civil Rights Movement The Arizona Republican Partys nominee for governor, Kari Lake, is telling supporters theres no reason for schools to spend so much time teaching science ... Read More LA GRANDE Northeast Oregon Area Health Education Centers long-standing Girls in Science program has a new moniker Investigators of Science. After running the girls-only program for more ... Read More The Virginia State Board of Education is delaying review of the states social science standards at the request of Superintendent of Public Instruction Jillian Balow, who said there was a need ... Read More Fortune is launching its first-ever ranking of the top in-person masters degree programs in data science. Data science is one of the fastest growing fieldsjob openings have increased 480% ... Read More Joseph Vazquez is a third-year mechanical engineering student from Rochester and is a part of the Collegiate Science and Technology Entry Program (CSTEP ... Women get fewer chances to speak on CNN, ... Read More LIMA Apollo Career Center board members learned about the apprenticeship program in the health sciences program. More than 50 students are involved with a two-week on, two-week off school ... Read More To improve on his father's creation and bring the product to a larger market, Gomez Andonaegui joined up with co-founders Philip Winter and Gabriel Parisi-Amon. Their first investor, Tim Cook ... Read More At the University of Amsterdam's Van 't Hoff Institute for Molecular Sciences, the Noel Research ... this presents an important step in bringing photocatalysis to industrial application. Read More Excelencia in Education honored four programs, one in each of four categories, as 2022 Examples of Excelencia from a pool of 93 submissions. The M.S. in Environmental Science was recognized ... the ... Read More Technology News Haiti Technology First International Summit Of Women Of Digital | RobinsPost News & Noticias Bermudas digital business was highlighted this week in the islands first in-person tech summit since 2019. The fourth annual summit was presented by the Bermuda Business Development Agency with ... Read More Editors note: WRAL TechWires weekly Deep Dive feature this week focuses on challenges facing women in technology ... was NC TECHs third Summit, it was the first time it was able to ... Read More Women enter technology-related fields from different angles. Many look for positions in which they can contribute to and grow with an existing company, and some, like me, jump headfirst into the ... Read More The Datec Fiji Tech summit will have the worlds 25 leading technology companies present in Fiji collaborating and connecting with local and regional businesses. Chief Executive, Satyen Singh says the ... Read More Our journey began in 2011 with the tagline ''Big Brand Strategies For Small Business". While PRESS RELEASE For Immediate Release Marketing: Kylie Nero 503.560.8041 kylie.nero@fairwayamerica.com ... Read More ST. LOUIS--(BUSINESS WIRE)--World Wide Technology (WWT), a global technology solutions provider, announces six of its employees will be honored during the Women of Color STEM Conference ... Read More International ... with Technology Vendors Will Be Critical to Building Sustainable Digital Innovation Many enterprises are undertaking software development at scale for the first time working ... Read More Women in Technology (WIT) announced the winners of its' 2022 Women of the Year Awards in STEAM at their Gala held at the Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta, Georgia on Saturday, October 8th. Read More ParetoHealth has achieved a significant milestone with the 2000th employer joining its captive program, marking Ernest D. Menold, Inc. was contracted for a wide array of miscellaneous metals on ... Read More Theres a shortage of women in science, technology, engineering and math. But within the legal tech community, there are many women with thriving careers. Legaltech News presents our latest ... Read More In one 2013 episode, a woman who loses her partner re-creates a digital ... Technology Reviews podcast team that Id record my reaction as I spoke to my parents avatars for the first ... Read More Web Summit, the largest technology conference in Europe, has withdrawn an invitation for speakers from the Grayzone, after a backlash against the websites anti-Ukrainian government narratives ... Read More Travel News Washington State Travel Alerts | RobinsPost News & Noticias KING 5 has activated First Alert for this weather event, which could affect lives, property or travel in the Pacific Northwest region. Read More A serious injury is involved, the State Road 80 westbound lanes are blocked and traffic is heavily congested in the area. Please avoid if possible or approach with caution. 7:38 A.M. Traffic ... Read More A 52-year-old Western Washington man died and two others were taken to the hospital after a two-vehicle crash Tuesday morning 9 miles south of Chewelah. Read More Heading into the general election Tuesday, Lincoln and Ferry counties have indicated no interest in reinstalling the device. Read More "Don't wait until the last minute: Travel insurance is intended to protect travelers against sudden and unforeseen events," the Department of Insurance, Securities and Banking in Washington ... Read More Oregon State Police found 83 pounds of suspected cocaine and a firearm during a traffic stop on I-5 after being alerted by a drug detection K9. Read More Oregon State Police found 83 pounds of suspected cocaine and a firearm during a traffic stop on I-5 after being alerted by a drug detection K9. Read More backing up traffic for commuters in the Tacoma area. Washington State Department of Transportation Peter Talbot covers crime and breaking news in Pierce County. He started with The News Tribune in ... Read More The instant traffic ... news" in the lock screen summary, although some publishers share breaking news without explicitly using the term in the alert. Publishers such as Metro, Washington Post ... Read More Through this deal, you can fly from Baltimore/Washington International Thurgood ... How to book: Directly through Plays website. Travel dates: Oct. 1 through Dec. 10; dates vary by destination. Read More Assailants shot a person and assaulted another during a home invasion in Sun Prairie on Saturday, the Sun Prairie Police Department said. The invaders entered a home on the 1000 block of Andrews Drive around 10:20 p.m. and ordered the residents to the ground at gunpoint, police Sgt. Brian Luckus said. The person who was shot had non life-threatening injuries, was brought to a hospital and released, Luckus said. The other victim was injured in the invasion, he said. The assailants left before police arrived, Luckus said. Sun Prairie police Sgt. Jason Lefeber said at least three people were involved in the break-in, and they demanded money. Anyone with information is asked to call the Sun Prairie Police at 608-837-7336 or anonymously at 608-837-6300. Us News South Korea Japan Us Condemn North Korean Missile Test | RobinsPost News & Noticias T he United States condemned North Koreas latest missile tests. In a statement issued Wednesday, the U.S. condemned the tests and said it would take all necessary measures t ... Read More North Korea's suspected launch of its most powerful intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) failed on Thursday morning, according to a South Korean government source, as Pyongyang intensified its ... Read More The United States and South Korea have agreed to strengthen their alliance and defenses and increase training after a flurry of new missile launches this week by North Korea, the military leaders of ... Read More North Korea fired a short-range ballistic missile toward its eastern sea on Wednesday, extending a recent barrage of weapons demonstrations. Read More South Korea denounced North Korea's latest missile test on Friday, saying Pyongyang was escalating tensions on the Korean Peninsula and throughout the region. Earlier in the day, North Korea launched ... Read More South Korea says the recovered debris of a North Korean missile fired toward the South amid a barrage of sea launches last week was determined to be a Soviet-era anti-aircraft weapon that dates back ... Read More North Korea on Thursday fired at least six missiles into the sea, including a long-range ICBM, which prompted Japan to issue evacuation warnings to residents of three northern regions. Read More North Korea fired at least six missiles ... tensions between South Korea and Japan flared, but Lee said South Korea had agreed to trilateral senior-level policy talks, information sharing and training ... Read More North Korea continued to launch missiles on Thursday, drawing condemnation from the U.S. and others. The Japanese government issued evacuation orders because of an ICBM launch. Read More After already setting an annual record with dozens of ballistic launches in 2022, North Korea has further dialed up its testing activity since late September, including what it described as simulated ... Read More The US Indo Pacific Command said the launches highlighted the destabilizing impact of North Koreas illicit nuclear weapons and ballistic missile programs. Read More SEOUL SOUTH KOREA - North Korea continued its unprecedented pace of missile launches Thursday sending six more missiles into the sea as it continued ... Read More Us News North Korean Missile Landed In Water Off Russian Region Us Official Says | RobinsPost News & Noticias The United States on Friday assailed China and Russia at the UN Security Council for having "enabled" North Korea, which has launched a record-breaking blitz of missile tests. The 10 non-permanent ... Read More The denial came in the wake of dozens of weapons tests by North Korea, including nuclear capable missiles with the ability to strike the continental United States. Read More The latest missiles were launched 22 minutes apart from the Norths capital region and landed between ... of a North Korean weapon modeled after Russias Iskander missile, which travels ... Read More South Korea -- South Korea says North Korea has launched a ballistic missile toward its eastern waters. 24/7 coverage of breaking news and live events ... Read More Despite Moons comments, some observers have said a portion of the Norths newly developed weapons such as a highly maneuverable KN-23 missile modeled on Russias Iskander missile and a ... Read More South Koreas Joint Chiefs of Staff said in a statement the missile lifted off from the Norths capital region at 1:49 a.m ... which created buffer zones along land and sea boundaries and ... Read More The United States and South Korea have decided to extend military exercises in response to a recent spate of missile launches from North Korea, offering stern warnings for North Korean leader ... Read More North Korean ... the full," the Korean Central News Agency said. North Korean leader Kim Jong Un indicated additional provocative tests were to come. The KCNA reported the missile tests were ... Read More some observers have said a portion of the Norths newly developed weapons such as a highly maneuverable KN-23 missile modeled on Russias Iskander missile and a developmental hypersonic missile ... Read More VLADIMIR Putins hands appear to be turning black and may suggest hes very ill, a former British Army chief said. Putins health has long been the source of speculation, with ... Read More South Koreas Joint Chiefs of Staff said in a statement the missile lifted off from the Norths capital region at 1:49 a.m ... Peninsula and Japan. The US Indo-Pacific Command said in a ... Read More Us News Us Japan Request Emergency Un Security Council Session On N Korea | RobinsPost News & Noticias The United States has asked the U.N. Security Council to meet publicly on North Korea on Friday, diplomats said, after Pyongyang fired multiple missiles, including a possible failed intercontinental ... Read More Senior officials from the United States, Japan and South Korea will meet ... denuclearized Korean Peninsula. But North Koreas leader Kim Jong-un has rejected Washingtons proposal for ... Read More The US, Japan, and South Korea ... for the security of the entire world, she said, sending a thinly veiled message to Pyongyangs supporters, China and Russia, in the UN Security Council. Read More The United States criticized China and Russia at the U.N. Security Council on Friday for providing "blanket protection" to North Korea after Pyongyang launched a series of missile tests. North Korea ... Read More North Korea needs to understand that the US commitment to the security of South Korea and Japan is iron clad, she said. And we will use the full range of US defence capabilities to defend ... Read More North Korea was warned on Wednesday that there would be an "unparalleled" response from the U.S., Japan and South Korea ... that blocked additional U.N. Security Council sanctions on Pyongyang ... Read More Envoys from the US, Japan and South Korea ... indeed that everyone on the [UN] Security Council would understand that any use of a nuclear weapon will change the world in incredible ways. For the ... Read More Cho was speaking alongside his Japanese and US counterparts, Vice Foreign Minister Takeo Mori and Deputy Secretary of State Wendy Sherman. "We urge (North Korea ... in the UN Security Council. Read More The United States, Japan and South Korea warned on Wednesday ... Cho Hyun-dong told a news conference in Tokyo. Cho was speaking alongside his Japanese and US counterparts, Vice Foreign Minister ... Read More TOKYO The United States, Japan ... North Korea began testing nuclear weapons in 2006, China and Russia this year vetoed a US-led push for additional United Nations Security Council sanctions ... Read More The United States, Japan and South Korea have warned that an "unparalleled scale of response" would be warranted if North Korea conducts a seventh nuclear bomb test. The US, South Korea and ... Read More World News China Strong Pillar Of Open Multilateral World Un Chief | RobinsPost News & Noticias Largely in response to pressure from liberal democracies, more help from multilateral bodieswhether World Bank loans or missions by UN peacekeepers ... forcing China to open markets and ... Read More [Photo/Xinhua] China will open its door wider to the rest of the world, Xi Jinping ... Xi said. "Its strong fundamentals will not change, and it will remain on the positive trajectory over ... Read More In the eyes of Xi, China is closer than ever to achieving its dream of national rejuvenation and reclaiming its rightful place in the world. But the path ahead is also beset with high ... Read More China Will Accelerate Building of World-Class Military, Strong Strategic Deterrent - Xi BEIJING (Reuters) - China will accelerate the building of a world-class military and strengthen its ability ... Read More Talk to well-connected scholars in Beijing and Shanghai about the world order ... Should Chinas clout at the UN continue to grow, multilateral sanctions will become rarer. Read More Xi Jinping said "the world needs China" as he spoke to the press after ... bur-reb/cwl The Barron's news department was not involved in the creation of the content above. This story was produced ... Read More Fleming warned that the world is approaching ... of its intelligence on China and Russia. Get all the stories you need-to-know from the most powerful name in news delivered first thing every ... Read More Heres a look at how the country has changed under his decadelong rule: The economy has experienced strong growth in ... turning China into the worlds second-largest economy after the United ... Read More European Union Foreign Policy Chief Josep Borrell ... Borrell said Xi had made a "very strong statement" about China's desire to have influence across the world. The EU paper said Beijing was ... Read More EU Should Treat China More as a Competitor, Says Diplomat Chief BRUSSELS ... Xi had made a "very strong statement" about China's desire to have influence across the world. The EU paper said ... Read More Taiwan which China regards as a breakaway province to be reclaimed by force if necessary is a world leader in their production. Events in the Taiwan Straits any risk to that vital ... Read More World News World Bank Signs Trilateral Agreement With Mozambique And Brazil | RobinsPost News & Noticias But that could change next month, when an estimated 1.2 million soccer fans descend on the tiny Gulf Arab nation for the World Cup. Authorities may face calls for labor rights, LGBTQ equality and ... Read More When David Malpass, president of the World Bank, was asked point-blank in September ... And while they commit to aligning with the goals of the Paris Agreement and tackling the climate crisis ... Read More The heads of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and the World Bank on Monday warned of economic headwinds that are raising the risk of a global financial recession. Theres the risk and ... Read More A report released last week by a coalition of more than 50 NGOs called Big Shift Global said since the Paris climate agreement in 2015, the World Bank has provided nearly $15 billion of finance ... Read More World Bank and World Health Organization spoke World Bank Group President David Malpass held a news conference during the World Bank Group/International Monetary Fund International Monetary ... Read More Its a good thing this conversation with the World Bank has started, Thanu Yakupitiyage, the head of U.S. Communications for environmental group 350.org, told ABC News. But it cant ... Read More WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The World Bank said on Monday it had disbursed an additional $500 million to help Ukraine meet urgent spending needs created by Russia's Feb. 24 invasion and the ongoing war. Read More Bank Asia has signed an "Issuing Bank Agreement" with the Export-Import ... and stability in trade finance systems. For all latest news, follow The Daily Star's Google News channel. Read More Climate campaigners also want the World Bank to more clearly describe how it aligns its financing with Paris Climate Agreement targets. Thats the very big first problem, said Kyle Ash ... Read More 17 (UPI) --The European Union and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations on Monday signed the first-ever bloc-to-bloc agreement ... attempt. World News // 1 day ago Putin signs law mobilizing ... Read More World Bank warned of a rising risk of a global recession as advanced economies slow and faster inflation forces the Federal Reserve to keep raising interest rates, adding to the debt pressures on ... Read More World News Story Armed Inmate Killed Hostage Rescued At Illinois Hospital | RobinsPost News & Noticias CHAMPAIGN, Ill. (WAND) - A female inmate died at the hospital after being transported from Champaign County jail Thursday. The News Gazette reports the inmate collapsed at the jail Thursday morning. Read More (WHNT) One inmate at Limestone Correctional Facility was killed following an inmate-on ... Limestone County Coroner Mike West told News 19 that, while a cause of death has not officially ... Read More Two inmates at a Northern California prison killed another inmate on Friday ... Lutts also was seriously injured and taken to an outside hospital, while Smith was moved to an isolation unit ... Read More The inmate landed face-first on the concrete floor, breaking his jaw and several teeth. He was being treated in a hospital two days later when he died of a pulmonary embolism. Four months earlier ... Read More An inmate died last week at the Downtown Detention Center in Denver, and another inmate died in the El Paso County Jail, authorities said. Related Articles Crime and Public Safety | Suspect in ... Read More The two students killed were a 16-year-old male from Republic and a 15-year-old male from Billings. Billings: A police officer shot an armed ... an inmate who tried to escape from a hospital ... Read More (AP/ CBS DETROIT) A state prisoner in southeastern Michigan apparently was attacked and killed, authorities said ... who was stabbed was treated at the hospital and returned to the prison ... Read More SYCAMORE A mountain lion that was struck and killed last weekend along a northern Illinois highway will be analyzed by biologists seeking to uncover the rare animal's origins, state wildlife ... Read More MANILA, Philippines -- Philippine police killed ... taken to a hospital for a checkup following the escape attempt and hostage-taking at the detention center for high-profile inmates at the ... Read More There were no guards around, according to the lawyer. An inmate texted Smith's father and told him "somebody killed" his son and there had been "no security" around. The family of Denarieya Smith, a ... Read More A fire destroyed a house in Mazomanie Saturday night while the family was able to escape unharmed, according to the Dane County Sheriff's Office. Several agencies responded to 417 Meadow Lane at about 11:05 p.m. after a family of five noticed smoke coming into their home from an attached garage, Lt. Chris Nygaard said. The family left the house without incident, he said, but the home and two vehicles are considered a total loss. The blaze is thought to have started in the garage from a vehicle that was having repairs done on it, Nygaard said. The family was assisted by the Red Cross, he said. Damage estimates were not available. Crews from Mazomanie and Sauk also responded to the fire. China will on Monday release April figures for retail sales, industrial production and fixed asset investment, highlighting a busy day in Asia-Pacific economic activity. Retail sales are expected to add 10.8 percent on year, down from 10.9 percent in March. Output is called higher by 7.0 percent on year, slowing from 7.6 percent in the previous month. FAI is pegged at 9.1 percent on year, slowing from 9.2 percent in the previous month. Australia will provide March figures for home loans - which are expected to be flat on month after slipping 0.5 percent in February. Investment lending dropped 5.9 percent in the previous month, while the value of loans fell 0.5 percent. Japan will see April data for producer prices, with forecasts suggesting a decline of 0.1 percent on month and a gain of 1.8 percent on year. That follows the 0.2 percent monthly increase and the 1.4 percent yearly gain in the previous month. New Zealand will release Q1 numbers for retail sales, and also see April numbers for its Performance of Services Index. Sales are expected to add 0.9 percent on quarter after rising 0.6 percent in the previous three months. The services index had a score of 59.0 in March. Thailand will provide Q1 numbers for gross domestic product, with forecasts suggesting an increase of 1.0 percent on quarter and 3.0 percent on year. That follows the 0.4 percent quarterly increase and the 3.0 percent yearly gain in the previous three months. Indonesia will see April figures for imports, exports and trade balance. In March, imports were worth $13.36 billion and exports were at $14.59 billion for a trade surplus of $1.23 billion. Malaysia will release unemployment data for March; in February, the jobless rate was 3.4 percent and the participation rate was 67.8 percent. For comments and feedback contact: editorial@rttnews.com Economic News What parts of the world are seeing the best (and worst) economic performances lately? Click here to check out our Econ Scorecard and find out! See up-to-the-moment rankings for the best and worst performers in GDP, unemployment rate, inflation and much more. Turnout for general election less than expected for Saline County Ballots are still being counted as of Wednesday, but it seems the turnout for the 2022 general election was lower than expected by the county clerk. Last minute Mothers Day shopping yesterday was cut short no thanks to flooding and heavy downpours throughout the country. The town area, especially Fugalei, Saleufi and Taufusi, was flooded after a night of heavy rain. Up the hill at Palisi, residents and motorists were affected by a landslide. Aside from blocking the driveway to the Ah Liki residence, the heavy rain caused the mud to flow into a family home. The mud entered the residence of a family around 4am while they were sleeping. The woman who did not wish to be named expressed her disappointment about what had happened. She said the flooding and landslide ruined a lot of her furniture, clothes, shoes and other valuables. She was grateful however that no one was injured. According to the Assistant C.E.O of the Meteorology Division, Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment, Mulipola Ausetalia Titimaea, the bad weather is the result of a tropical depression to the southwest of Apia. The Meteorology Office released a warning for heavy rainfall and small craft advisory on the 9th May 2017 due to a tropical depression that was located Southwest of Apia which was later on named as Tropical Cyclone Ella and it is slowly drifting westward towards Fiji, a press statement said. The warning on heavy rainfall was then cancelled on the 12th May 2017." The GFS and the UK Model predicted for the 12th May 2017 (00UTC) that rainfall will be below the advisory threshold for the next 24 hours." The Severe Weather Guidance Forecast for the Pacific Region also agreed to what the models predicted and placing the heavy rain potential areas over and northeast of Fiji. That warrant the cancellation of the heavy rainfall warning as mentioned above. According to Mulipola, the Global Forecast System Models suggested a weak divergence aloft however the CIMMS observations yesterday revealed that the divergence aloft was actually stronger which enhanced the development of deep convections leading to heavy rainfall as witnessed today (yesterday). The rainfall is expected to ease today. But the convergence zone is still active over Samoa and the public is advised that another wet weather episode is expected to impact the country at the beginning of next week. A slight inconvenience to traffic was caused on Friday morning as a cavalcade of trailer truck transported Taula Beverages German made Fermenting Tanks The expansion project at Samoa Beverages Company (S.B.C) caused a slight inconvenience to traffic on route from Vaimoso towards the Airport on Friday. This was due to the transportation of six fermenting tanks from the Matautu Wharf to the Samoa Beverages Companys premises at Falelauniu. Samoa Beverage Company has recently commissioned top of the line brewhouse that was assembled by Braukon GMBH, a leading manufacturer of Brewing Technology based in Germany. The fermenting tanks that caused the inconvenience to traffic were also assembled by Braukon and will be commissioned by the technical team at S.B.C. The expansion project will provide S.B.C. the much needed production capacity to satisfy the growing local demand and improve the quality of the products sold in the market. S.B.C. is committed to deliver world class product quality through its product line and dispensing units. The company earlier in the year introduced the Reverse Tap Draught dispensing unit at events like Julia Zahra Show, Samoa Tourism Exchange and Survivor Welcome event. Local customers and visitors were genuinely awed by the Reverse Tap as it is the latest technology and it is already in Samoa. S.B.C is committed to positively contribute to Samoa. Enele Westerlund, General Manager of S.B.C. is excited about the developments. Our new Brewhouse and current expansion delivers global standards product to our local consumer as well as tourist and visitors to our shores, he said. Our products are traditionally brewed using all natural ingredients and is preservative free." We thank our customers for supporting our products and we apologise for any inconvenience caused. SBC strives to deliver the best quality at the best price." About SBC Samoa Beverages Company (SBC) is a 100% Samoan owned company established in 2012. The main office is based at Falelauniu. SBC produces and distributes a beer products namely Samoa Taula 4.9% lager in two sizes 330mls and 660mls, Samoa Taula 7% Lager in 660mls, Manutagi 4.9% Pilsner in 330mls and Pure Sama 4.9% in 330mls. SBC also produces and distributes carbonised soft drink (CSD) product under the brand name Taxi in 330mls and 660mls size in 7 flavours Cola, Lemonade, Cool Lime, Orange, Raspberry, Blueberry and Strawberry Cream. SBC is a proud supporter of grass roots development in Rugby through its support to Apia Rugby Union (ARU) and Rugby Academy Samoa (RAS). We also sponsored Rumble in Paradise featuring the current WBO champion Lupesoliai Laauli Joseph Parker, Miss Samoa Pageant and many more. About Braukon GMBH Beer with Character is our passion. We deliver our brewery systems specifically to mid-sized breweries worldwide. More than 25 master brewers and engineers work in the development department. Together they plan, design and build top-quality brewery systems that are highly flexible, economically efficient and profitable without compromising on beer quality. We guarantee the value and reliability of our systems thanks to high-quality workmanship of first class components. What drives us most is our pride when your passion and our brewery systems come together and create something that is one of a kind Beer with Character. Outstanding beer quality BrauKon systems fulfil the highest technical and design standards. Our individual, ready-to-use brewery systems guarantee brewers worldwide outstanding beer quality and optimal operational procedures. We do everything for your Beer with Character this motto is the centre of our activities. Our customers happy faces are the best references we could ask for. Innovative, individual solutions for your beer Economically efficient, energy saving and innovative. At BrauKon we are more than one step ahead and pride ourselves on revolutionizing the brewery industry over and over again. BrauKon is dedicated to fulfilling your needs and committed to your beer. We create custom breweries tailored to meet your individual requirements. Turnkey breweries: All-in-one solution We deliver turnkey brewery systems worldwide. The process of your entire project, from planning to realization, lies with only one partner us. Our competent, experienced brewers and engineers are always on hand for customer support and advice, for planning, preparing recipes, supplying raw materials and operational controls. BrauKon turnkey breweries are tailored to meet your individual requirements. From brewers for brewers. Own production Made in Germany In our production site in Obing more than 30 professionals assemble your brewery system in a 900 m production hall. There, each brewery system is completely piped, electrically wired and, depending on the size of the brewhouse, mounted on stainless steel frames. In our own production site we currently train 5 apprentices as system mechanics and teach them our quality standards as well as company values right from the start. A Sun Prairie student won an award Sunday after the high school's jazz band competed in a national competition. The Sun Prairie High School Jazz Ensemble I joined 14 other bands from across the country in the "Essentially Ellington" competition. The event, which ran from Thursday through Saturday, brought aspiring musicians together in New York City to celebrate their shared passion and compete against each other. At the end of the week, Bennett LeClaire won an individual award for outstanding tenor saxophone performance, while Dillon Crawford earned an honorable mention for the instrument. Both are juniors. This year was the fifth year in a row that Sun Prairie High School was invited to "Essentially Ellington" and the 11th time overall since 1998. Judges selected the 15 finalists from a group of nearly 100 high schools hoping to take part in the contest, several of which are schools dedicated to performing arts. As a finalist, the Sun Prairie High School will receive $500 to improve its jazz education program. [Editor's note: This story has been updated since it was originally published to note that LeClaire and Crawford are both juniors.] To mark the late Tupua Fred Wetzells 84th birthday, Apia Concrete Products (A.C.P) launched their latest venture last night. It is a Concrete High Tech Turbo mixer (C.H.T.T.), which was unveiled at their compound, Vaitele. The mixer is understood to be the first of its kind in the southern hemisphere. Its a proud moment for Masoe Norman Wetzell, their family and the A.C.P, who have poured more than $2million into the project. This plant at least doubles its output capacity and puts us on par with some plants in New Zealand and Australia, he said. It gives us better quality controls and consistency in our mixes and allows us to provide detailed reports on each truck that is batched. The event last night was well attended. Present was the Head of State, His Highness Tui Atua Tupua Tamasese Efi and the Masiofo, Her Highness Filifilia Tamasese, Prime Minister Tuilaepa Sailele Malielegao, Members of Parliament, the diplomatic core and members of the business community. Prime Minister Tuilaepa hailed the unveiling as a mark to prove to the world that Samoa is ready and capable to take on major projects. The gathering here is so important to know that Samoa is moving fast into a very modern economy, in which, any kind of construction, we can attend to, he said. Especially speaking to the diplomatic core in attendance, you can see now we have the means to develop, you dont have to wonder, we have the capacity. Tuilaepa paid tribute to the mercurial rise of the A.C.P. Over close to 45 years ago, this company was formed up. I discussed the prospects of the company with the Wetzels as I was evaluating projects for government incentive scheme to benefit. I was then working in the Ministry of the Economics Department. Its amazing that over 40 years later, I am still around and this company has grown." It is extremely difficult in a small economy for companies to grow fast because many of these companies depend on funding and funding does not always come readily and cheap. " As you know, commercial loans are always difficult to get. Unless you have enough security and many of us at the time, as small companies, are discouraged to see the banks because the banks are very strict in the application of their funding rules." From that time to today, we have gathered to witness this major expansion, we have to be grateful to the man himself who started this business for the foresight A.C.P. has provided." For this forty odd years, A.C.P. has provided the opportunity to grow fast. We are at the position to move further up and why? Because the belief that we do have the prospects for greater growth." We now have in the government, huge projects that require concrete material. Not only projects that are on going but projects in the pipeline. His Highness Tui Atua unveiled the plaque while Her Highness Filifilia Tamasese officially opened the plant by cutting the ribbon. The celebrations continued well into the night with a dinner at Sheraton Samoa Aggie Greys Hotel in Apia. Its Mothers Day today! And what do mothers really want today? For Sii Leaupepe, she just wants to celebrate with the people that matter. That includes her children, immediate families and church members. This whole week, weve been having practice for mothers day, she said. I never missed a day and Im happy to be part of this special day. He children are her greatest gift. For some moms, mothers day wouldnt be the same without their children. This is so true and this is me. At this point of Mothers Day I only wish to spend it with my children. I dont want any presents but their presence. My children will make my Mothers Day complete. We all know, we lose access to our children when they have families of their own, and we only make contact when we need help, but during these special occasions it the only time we spend time together. It was really tough living without my children; I also dont know how to do Facebook, phone calls, skype or what so ever, so communication is tough, so I barely have time to talk to my kids. Despite the fact they are growing and away from her, she misses them every day. I just want to be together with them, she said. That is all I want for Mothers day. She went on to say the bond between a mother and her children is unbreakable. This is why children are especially closer to their mothers, she said. Even though our kids are old enough to live life; there is always this part where they still need the parents to lead the way. Without the mothers love, the successful child wouldnt be where they are today. As far as a gift, I dont want to be asked what I want. If my child is old enough to make or buy me a gift on his/her own, then I want them to think about me, who I am, who they know me to be. She added Happy Mothers Day to all the mothers of Samoa. No matter how often humans develop crops resistant to a pest, evolution helps the pest find a way around that resistance. But in a counterintuitive study, University of Arizona and Chinese researchers found that resistance to a pesticide in transgenic cotton can be halted by deliberately leaving some plants vulnerable to their global predator, the pink bollworm. The genetically engineered cotton makes insecticidal proteins derived from the bacterium Bacillus thuringiensis. Sold by Monsanto and Dow Chemical subsidiary Dow AgroSciences, Bt cotton is used in the United States and overseas. The GE cotton allows reduction of pesticide use, and the Bt toxin itself is harmless to animals. Dow AgroSciences version came from San Diegos Mycogen Corp., a biotech company that pioneered the use of Bt crops. Dow ultimately purchased Mycogen. Dow and Monsanto spent years on patent battles over the technology. In 2006, they made peace and cross-licensed each others technology. Advertisement While the litigants were struggling in court, the pink bollworm fought in its own way, by developing reisistance against the Bt toxins. And unless some way is found to counter that resistance, cotton farmers will face potentially huge crop losses, forcing them to use more pesticides. Foiling resistance Scientists led by Bruce E. Tabashnik of the University of Arizona, Tuscon say than in an 11-year field study, they reversed resistance by crossing transgenic and unmodified cotton, then breeding the resultant hybrid plants together. This produces a 75 percent to 25 percent ratio of resistant to unmodified cotton. That 25 percent enabled enough Bt-vulnerable pink bollworms to survive that the spread of resistance was halted. And unlike the United States, which mandates planting areas of unmodified cotton to repel resistance, this strategy produced a mixture of unmodified and resistant cotton that prevailed throughout the cotton-growing region. The study was published May 8 in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. It can be found at j.mp/btcotton. Tabashnik was the senior author. The first author was Peng Wan of the Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences in Beijing. Chinas Yangtze River Valley, a region with millions of small-scale farmers, was the test for this experiment. The farmers began planting Bt cotton in 2000; after 2005 pink bollworms began to exhibit resistance. Without major changes, rapid increases in resistance were anticipated after 2010 because refuges of non-Bt cotton varieties had decreased to only 6 percent of all cotton hectares planted and evolution of resistance is an exponential process expected to accelerate after more than 1 percent of the population is resistant, the study stated. However, the results reported here show that pink bollworm resistance to (the Bt toxin) Cry1Ac did not increase from 20082010 to 20112015. The study noted that the farmers themselves voluntarily adopted the strategy, because it produced short-term benefits in better yields and lower costs, as well as the long-term preservation of Bt cottons effectiveness. The efficacy of this strategy for managing resistance in other regions and against other pests remains to be determined, the study stated. Higher yields We have seen blips of resistance going up and down in a small area, Tabashnik said in a University of Arizona press release. But this isnt a blip. Resistance had increased significantly across an entire region, then it decreased below detection level after this novel strategy was implemented. Tabashnik said the results show 96 percent pest suppression and 69 percent fewer insecticide sprays. Moreover, the hybrid plants tend to have higher yields than their parents. Producing the hybrid plants is labor-intensive, as the crossings must be done by hand. But once the first generation has been created, subsequent ones can be produced easily through self-pollination. The major advantage of a seed mixture generated with F2 hybrids is a built-in refuge of roughly one-quarter non-Bt plants, which could be especially important in developing countries where planting of separate refuges is low or nil, the study stated. Whereas compliance with refuge requirements is considered a key factor that delayed evolution of pink bollworm resistance to Bt cotton in the United States, the scarcity of non-Bt cotton refuges probably hastened this pests resistance to Bt cotton in India. Science Playlist On Now In a first, scientists rid human embryos of a potentially fatal gene mutation by editing their DNA On Now Space station flyovers visible from San Diego this week 0:55 On Now UCSD's 'ghost drivers' begin testing people's reaction seemingly empty cars 1:29 On Now 10 interesting facts about Mars On Now Kids can add years to your life On Now LA 90: SpaceX launches recycled rocket On Now Big passions, big giving: Malin Burnham 2:30 On Now Big passions, big giving: Darlene Shiley 2:40 On Now Big passions, big giving: Joan and Irwin Jacobs 2:45 On Now Ocean temperatures warming at rapid rate, study finds bradley.fikes@sduniontribune.com (619) 293-1020 CITY COUNCILS CARLSBAD The Carlsbad City Council will meet in closed session to discuss labor negotiations at 8 a.m. Tuesday in council chambers at 1200 Carlsbad Village Drive. In open session at 9 a.m., the council will discuss a pilot program establishing two police ranger positions, and using asset forfeiture funds to buy a ranger vehicle and computer; and a resolution to buy a public safety mobile command vehicle from Lynch Display Vehicles for no more than $708,839. Reports on the MiraCosta Technology Career Center and the Arts & Culture Plan are scheduled. Advertisement DEL MAR The Del Mar City Council will meet at 6 p.m. Monday in Suite 100 at 2010 Jimmy Durante Blvd., when it will discuss the proposed Public Art Policy and establishment of an arts advisory committee; hear public comments about converting the Surfside Race Place at the fairgrounds to a concert venue; and hear a report on the citys plans to prepare for summer events. The council also will discuss opposing Assembly Bill 805, which would change the governance of SANDAG. A hearing on a request for a permit to build a pedestrian walkway near 1525 Luneta Drive was moved to the June 5 meeting. ENCINITAS The Encinitas City Council will meet at 6 p.m. Wednesday in council chambers, 505 S. Vulcan Ave. ESCONDIDO Escondido Mayor Sam Abed will hold a town hall meeting at 4 p.m. Wednesday in the Council Chambers at City Hall, 201 N. Broadway. The meeting will start with a brief city update, followed by a question-and-answer period on any topic relating to local government. OCEANSIDE The Oceanside City Council will meet in closed session at 3:30 p.m. Wednesday in City Council Chambers at 300 N. Coast Highway to discuss labor and property negotiations and litigation. In open session at 4:30 p.m., the council will discuss a proposal to sell surplus property to Sheldon Development for $3.16 million to develop a residential community. The council will also hold hearings on tax assessment districts and on proposed districts to be created for upcoming by-district elections. POWAY The Poway City Council will meet at 7 p.m. Tuesday in Council Chambers, 13325 Civic Center Drive, when it will hold public hearings on ordinances that would establish two underground utility districts. It will then go into closed session to discuss labor negotiations. VISTA The Vista City Council has scheduled a special public hearing at 7 p.m. Thursday at the Vista Civic Center to review possible district boundary maps for the citys new by-district elections. Dr. Justin Levitt, vice president of the citys demographers, National Demographics Corporation, will be available to discuss the draft maps that have been reviewed and approved by NDC as of May 11. SCHOOL DISTRICTS CARLSBAD The Carlsbad Unified School District board is scheduled to meet in closed session at 5 p.m. Wednesday at the district office, 6225 El Camino Real, and in open session at 6 p.m. ESCONDIDO The Escondido Union High School District board will meet in closed session at 6 p.m. Tuesday at the district office, 302 N. Midway Drive, and in open session at 7 p.m. FALLBROOK The Fallbrook Union Elementary School District board will meet at 5 p.m. Monday in Room 106 of the district office, 321 N. Iowa St., when it will discuss an agreement to organize and operate the San Diego County Office of Education Migrant Summer School Program for FUESD participating migrant students. The program will provide 20 days of instruction for kindergarten through grade 8. The board will then go into closed session to discuss student discipline and personnel. POWAY The Poway Unified School District board will meet in special session at 4 p.m. Tuesday at the district office, 15250 Avenue of Science, San Diego, for a governance workshop led by the superintendent. The workshop will cover board norms and protocols, board/superintendent roles, responsibilities and goals. RAMONA The Ramona Unified School District board is scheduled to meet in closed session at 6 p.m. Thursday at the district office, 720 Ninth St., and in open session at 7 p.m. SAN MARCOS The San Marcos Unified School District board will meet in closed session at 4:30 p.m. Tuesday at the Media Center of the North County Regional Education Center, 255 Pico Ave., to discuss litigation and labor negotiations. In regular session at 6 p.m., the board will hold a short reception to honor its teachers and employees of the year. The board will hold a public hearing on the School Facilities Needs Analysis Report before it imposes new fees for new residential construction; and will consider raising lunch prices at the elementary and middle schools by 25 cents to $2.75 and $3 respectively. The board will also consider contracts for services, including awarding a bid to replace the HVAC system at Richland Elementary to West Coast Air Conditioning Company Inc. for $232,950. SOLANA BEACH The Solana Beach School District board will meet in closed session at 5:30 p.m. Thursday at the district office, 309 N. Rios Ave., to discuss labor negotiations. In regular session at 6:30 p.m., the board will discuss awarding contracts for services, as well as confirming an increase in the school lunch price from $3.75 to $4.50 per meal.and revisions to board policies. laura.groch@sduniontribune.com Mothers Day is usually a time when moms and their children get together to reminisce over brunch and flowers or maybe a long-distance phone call. But for mother-daughter zookeepers Jane Kennedy and Katie Garagarza, every day is cause for celebration. The two Escondido women have worked together at the San Diego Zoo Safari Park for 21 years, after Garagarza decided to follow in her mothers well-worn footsteps. Kennedy, 59, is one of the parks lead zookeepers and is known as the Rhino lady for her decades of devotion to saving the critically endangered African species. Garagarza, who at 37 is a senior zookeeper and has spent more than half her life working in the San Pasqual Valley animal park, most recently with Australian mammals. Besides the family connection the women are also close friends, colleagues, animal experts and passionate conservationists. Advertisement Working together has made our relationship much deeper than just a regular mother-daughter thing, Garagarza said. We have so much more in common and we can bounce ideas off each other. The two dont work in the same department, but they do cross paths every day and are frequently together in their off hours spending time with Garagarzas three children: Sofia, 7, Tomas, 5, and Elena, who will soon turn 4. Im very proud of who she is, what shes become and what shes doing with her life, Kennedy said of Garagarza, whos a single mom. Shes a great mother and role model for her children. And Im impressed by her dedication to conservation of all these species that are in such desperate need of our help. Another of the parks longtime employees, associate nutritionist Michele Gaffney, said shes enjoyed watching Garagarza grow from girlhood to motherhood at the park. I have spent a lot of time with both Jane and Katie over the last 30-plus years and have watched their relationship grow and deepen, Gaffney said. Katie definitely possesses the same passion and dedication for the animals here at the park, just like her mom. Kennedys connection with the zoo began a half-century ago, when the L.A. native visited the San Diego Zoo with her parents when she was 9 years old. That day I told my mom that when I grow up Im going to work at the zoo. It took a little extra time to achieve her goal because when she turned 18 she married her sweetheart, Ed Kennedy. Both had overcome difficult childhoods and vowed to forge a permanent future together. After a few years on the East Coast, they moved in 1979 to San Diego, where Ed worked in the Navys submarine corps. For the first few years in San Diego, Kennedy was busy raising their son Christopher, whos now 39 and lives in Boise, Idaho, with his family, and Katie, who was born shortly after their move here. In 1983, Kennedy was able to fulfill her dream by landing a job in food service at the San Diego Wild Animal Park (which was renamed the San Diego Zoo Safari Park in 2010). Within a year, she transferred into animal care and has worked with every species in the park over the past 33 years. Garagarza said the park has been a part of her life for as long as she can remember. When she was 4 years old, her mom brought her and her brother to the parks animal nursery to bottle-feed baby wisent (European bison), rhinoceros and zebras. I knew that what we got to do was pretty special and it was really fun, she said. At age 14, she spent a day at the park for Take Your Daughter to Work Day. Then at age 15, she started working there as a summer job, setting up tents for campers in the Roar & Snore program. At first, Garagarza said she wasnt excited by the heavy physical work, and she wasnt sure that she wanted to make a career in the park. But Kennedy knew her daughter had a natural affinity for animals. Growing up, Katie enjoyed playing with stuffed animals and took good care of the familys pets, which included dogs, cats, birds and chinchillas. I wasnt sure what I wanted to do when I was in high school, Garagarza said. I wanted to be myself and find my own identity. Then in my senior year, I realized this was the path I wanted. Having my mother here helped. Seeing her at work and all the fun things she got to do, it looked like a lot of fun. Kennedy said she never pushed her daughter to make a career at the park, but she didnt discourage her, either, because the conservation work theyre doing is so significant. Id like to believe I had some influence in that I loved my life and tried to be a good role model, Kennedy said. I think passion is contagious. If youre around other people and youre passionate about what you do, it rubs off. After starting out in the campers program, Garagarza worked as a walking tour guide, then she worked in the childrens petting kraal. In 2004, she was promoted to a zookeeper position at the Lion Camp exhibition. In 2007, she moved to the Village area with gorillas, bonobos, wild pigs and hoofed animals. Then she worked for a few years in the South African area of the large field enclosure, which is home to rhinos, gemsbok, sable antelopes and more. In January, she transferred to the staging ground for the Australian Walkabout exhibit that will open next year. Shes helping set up an animal quarantine area for animals that will populate the new exhibit, including five female Bennetts wallabies that arrived three weeks ago from a zoo in Chicago. Kennedy transferred out of the South African field area last year to move to the parks cheetah breeding center. Because mother and daughter work with different species from different parts of the world, they carefully avoid close contact during work hours to avoid cross-contaminating the animals with foreign germs. In all their years at the park together, Kennedy said her favorite and most poignant memory with her daughter was in 2015 when they both worked in the South Africa field area. Kennedy, who is the president of the International Rhino Keepers Association, has dedicated years of care to the parks population of endangered rhinoceros species, including eastern black and southern white rhinos. She was also lead keeper for Nola, a 41-year-old female, who was one of just four Northern white rhinos left in the world. By early November 2015, Nola was suffering from a bacterial infection and age-related health issues and park medical staff knew she was dying. In Nolas final days, Kennedy and her fellow keepers were on 24-hour watch with Nola. After weeks of overnight shifts, she was mentally and physically exhausted. So on Nov. 21, Garagarza insisted on taking Kennedys midnight shift so she could get some sleep. Around 1:30 a.m., Nola began to struggle and park medical staff made the decision to euthanize her. Kennedy was sad she wasnt there to say goodbye to Nola, but in retrospect shes grateful her daughter stepped in. She believes that she and Nola were holding on for each other and by going home that night at her daughters insistence, they were both able to let go. Katie stepped in for me and for Nola, Kennedy said. Katie has always been there for me. I adore my daughter. Kennedy plans to wind down her career at the cheetah breeding center, with the goal of retiring at age 62. Then she and Ed are planning to move to a cabin they own on Lake Arrowhead. Shes happy that her daughter will carry on their family passion for conservation. And as for those footsteps? They might one day be filled by Garagarzas children, who are all avid park visitors. I would be very proud if my children followed in my footsteps, Garagarza said. They have a good base of knowledge to spread the conservation message and they truly care about animals. pam.kragen@sduniontribune.com The Los Angeles Police Departments disciplinary system is complicated and often criticized, drawing complaints from both inside and outside the department. Some officers feel they are treated inconsistently or unfairly. Department brass has said disciplinary panels routinely impede the chiefs desire to fire problem officers. Outsiders are frustrated that the boards activities are kept confidential under state law. The departments disciplinary process could undergo one of the most significant changes in decades if Los Angeles voters approve Charter Amendment C on Tuesdays ballot. Heres a breakdown of the measure. What would Charter Amendment C change about the LAPDs disciplinary system? Under the current system, LAPD officers facing serious discipline usually terminations have their cases heard by a disciplinary panel, formally known as a Board of Rights. Currently, those panels are made up of two high-ranking officers and one civilian. If approved by voters, Charter Amendment C would revise the City Charter to allow officers the option of having their cases heard by three-person boards composed entirely of civilians. City Council approves ballot measure that could put more civilians on LAPD discipline panels Who are the civilians who sit on the panels? Hired by the Police Commission and paid for their work, civilian panelists must have at least seven years of experience with arbitration, mediation or similar work preferably residents of Los Angeles. Thirty-eight people currently are civilian panelists, most of them attorneys or professional arbitrators. Amid complaints from opponents that the requirements exclude too many Angelenos, some city lawmakers have signaled an interest in exploring how to expand the pool of candidates. Who supports Charter Amendment C? The Los Angeles Police Protective League, the union that sponsored the campaign for Charter Amendment C, along with Mayor Eric Garcetti , Council President Herb Wesson and every member of the City Council all support the measure. Who opposes Charter Amendment C? Organizations that focus heavily on police accountability are campaigning against the measure, including the American Civil Liberties Union of Southern California, Black Lives Matter, Los Angeles Community Action Network and Community Coalition. United Teachers Los Angeles, the League of Women Voters of Los Angeles and other groups have also come out against Charter Amendment C. What does LAPD Chief Charlie Beck think? Beck has not publicly expressed a position, saying recently he did not think it would be appropriate to do so. He did, however, point to a city report one that relied heavily on LAPD statistics that concluded civilians on the disciplinary panels tend to be more lenient than their sworn counterparts. Civilians, Beck said, tend to be less likely to hold officers accountable. I think the changes proposed in C would exacerbate that, he added. The systems of discipline are only as good as peoples belief that theyre being treated fairly. Deputy Mayor Jeff Gorell How did it get on Tuesdays ballot? Charter Amendment C was the product of extensive talks between Garcetti and the Los Angeles Police Protective League, which represents roughly 9,800 LAPD officers and has significant political clout at City Hall. The mayors top public safety advisor worked on the issue for more than a year with the union, which sought changes to the LAPDs disciplinary process. Those talks have prompted critics to portray the ballot measure as the product of a backroom deal between Garcetti and the union, which endorsed the mayor during his recent reelection campaign. Organizations that focus heavily on policing say they were locked out of the conversation and were only asked to weigh in after the measure was a done deal. Backers of Charter Amendment C dispute the notion that the measure is a backroom deal, saying voters will have the final say this week . A 'backroom deal'? Groups that pushed crackdown on police misconduct were left out of talks between Garcetti and the LAPD union Why do supporters like Charter Amendment C? The police union and city officials say officers have long felt that they wont be treated fairly by a disciplinary panel on which two-thirds of the members work under a police chief who is suggesting serious punishment. They point to lawsuits filed by a handful of LAPD captains alleging they were retaliated against after going against Beck in a decision about discipline. Allowing the option of all-civilian disciplinary panels, supporters say, will help assure officers that theyll get a fair hearing. We have four current lawsuits against the city from senior officers, Deputy Mayor Jeff Gorell said in a recent interview. All of them include the accusation that there was retribution as a result of their decisions at a Board of Rights. So whether there's reality there, or whether there's just the perception of influence, the systems of discipline are only as good as people's belief that they're being treated fairly. Backers say the change would also allow greater civilian oversight of the Police Department. This isnt how policy should be made. Peter Bibring, director of police practices for the ACLU of Southern California Why are opponents fighting it? Opponents of the measure also have major complaints about the LAPDs disciplinary system pointing out that the hearings and decisions are kept secret. But they argue that Charter Amendment C is a bad remedy that could result in more lenient treatment of misbehaving LAPD officers. They point to the city report, issued in January, that concluded civilians are less severe than their sworn counterparts when weighing LAPD disciplinary cases. They also say Charter Amendment C does not allow for true civilian participation, because most residents dont have seven years of arbitration-like experience required for the job. Finally, critics contend the mayors behind-the-scenes talks with the union show that elected officials were intent from the beginning on delivering a political favor to a powerful constituency. This isnt how policy should be made. If elected officials are interested in public policy, they should invite input from all stakeholders and experts and have a public process to reach the best result possible, said Peter Bibring of the ACLU of Southern California. Thats not what happened here. Police Chief Charlie Beck, second from right, and Mayor Eric Garcetti, right. inspect a new group of LAPD officers at a 2015 graduation ceremony. (Brian van der Brug / Los Angeles Times) (Brian van der Brug / Los Angeles Times) What exactly did that city report say? The report, prepared for city lawmakers using LAPD data, looked at 287 Board of Rights hearings held from 2011 to late 2016. In 190 of those cases, officers were found guilty of the accusations. Fewer than half of the officers Beck sent to a Board of Rights to be fired were terminated. The report found that the civilian panelists were consistently more lenient than the sworn members. There were 39 cases in which Beck had suggested an officer be fired, but a board acquitted the officer instead, the report said. In all of those cases, the civilian voted to acquit. Supporters of Charter Amendment C say the numbers dont back up claims that civilians are too lenient. Union officials have said that cases are rarely decided by a divided vote. Out of 229 cases in which Beck recommended termination, just 7% involved decisions in which the civilian member was more lenient than at least one of his or her sworn counterparts. There were no cases in which a civilian voted for a harsher outcome. Legislative report on LAPD Board of Rights panels Why do voters make decisions about the LAPDs disciplinary system anyway? The Board of Rights system is outlined in the City Charter, the citys governing document, whose language can be changed only by voters. Although the Board of Rights hearings were established in 1935, it wasnt until 1992 that civilians were added to the panels as part of Charter Amendment F a police reform measure that won overwhelming support from voters on the heels of the Rodney King beating. This year, opponents say such an important issue should not have been put before voters in an election that is expected to have extremely low turnout. There are no citywide candidates on the ballot, and only two of the councils 15 seats are up for grabs Tuesday. The program started with a few kids from the Sunday school at his church. But after a few years, word got around about the computer programming classes Vic Wintriss was teaching to kids, and his program grew. Officially, Wintriss Technical Schools is the name of his non-profit that teaches the Java programming language to kids beginning in fifth grade. Unofficially? They are The League of Amazing Programmers. After 20 years of running a local electronics manufacturing company that I founded, a management dispute forced my departure. I remember clearly standing in the kitchen the next day and talking to my wife, wondering what I was going to do next, he says. The idea popped into my head that I should start a non-profit school teaching kids Java. Advertisement He didnt know Java himself hed studied electrical engineering at Cornell University and spent 20 years as a Navy pilot but he took classes at UC San Diego Extension, rented a classroom and donated $100,000 of start-up funding to begin giving free programming classes. When demand grew, he began charging students whose families could afford to pay and provides scholarships to students whose families cant. They now have more than 200 students attending classes all over San Diego County, along with more students on a waiting list. Wintriss, 85, lives in Carmel Valley with his wife Diane, and they have two children and three grandchildren. He took some time to talk about The League, his focus on getting more girls and underserved kids into programming, and one of his well-known classmates from Cornell. Q: Tell us about Wintriss Technical Schools. A: Although the official, non-profit name of our school is Wintriss Technical Schools, we operate as The League Of Amazing Programmers, a cooler name. The League teaches kids, starting in the fifth grade, the Java computer programming language. We are one of the few schools in the country that teaches professional-level programming to kids this young. There are many short-term enrichment programs around that use graphical, short-cut systems where the computer writes the actual Java code. Our kids write real code. We graduate job-ready programmers, ready for entry-level programming jobs. There is a huge shortage of computer programmers in this country and programming jobs are plentiful. Entry-level programmers earn yearly salaries close to $100,000 in San Diego. Since our founding in 2006, we have made our program available to everyone but are especially interested in helping girls and kids in underserved communities into this satisfying and rewarding career. Q: For those of us who are unfamiliar with computer programming in general, what difference does it make to teach your students Java as opposed to another programming language? A: Java is probably the most popular and widely used computer programming language. Android cell phones are programmed in Java and the computer science Advanced Placement exam is given in Java. The Java syntax is very similar to many other languages, so our students will find it relatively easy to learn another computer language. Q: Why focus on kids? A: Kids in the fragile 10-to-15 age group are most likely to go astray without some compelling interest in their lives. We feel that learning a valuable skill, such as computer programming, can create a focus and a desire in these kids to learn more and become valuable additions to society. Occasionally, we take a fourth-grader, but typically find that they usually cant sit still for 90 minutes, so we generally accept students in fifth grade or older. What I love about Carmel Valley ... Coastal Carmel Valley is near everything, has great weather and is a wonderful community. Q: Walk us through The Leagues program. A: The League curriculum consists of 10 graded, UC San Diego Extension certificated levels, which normally take four to five years to complete. Students attend weekly, 90-minute after-school classes. In the classes, we use step-by-step guides to help the student through the programming process. The students write their own computer games and sometimes dont even realize that they are learning, they are having so much fun. We consider ourselves a trade school that graduates job-ready programmers who can enter the workforce directly, without college. Kids who are able to go on to college start off with a big advantage over their peers and with excellent experience to show on their college applications. Much of our teaching is done by our 30 Java-professional volunteers who donate their time each week. Teachers stay with the same kids all the way through the five-year curriculum, watching them grow in knowledge and maturity. Each of the 10 curriculum levels ends with an exam and a UC San Diego Extension-graded transcript certificate. We prep the kids for the computer science Advanced Placement exam that they normally pass in the ninth or 10th grade. For graduation, they pass the Oracle Professional Certification Exam, which is good at many companies for direct entry into the workforce as a programmer, without college. Q: Whats required of a child who wants to join your program? A: Anyone can join and learn to program. Contrary to common wisdom, computer programming does not require math. A computer program is a sequence of steps, written down in a logical, sequential manner. What we really teach is abstract thinking. Many parents tell us that their kids do better in school after taking our computer-programming classes. As a prerequisite for our longterm program, we require attendance at a weeklong workshop that runs for two hours a day for one week, usually during school vacation periods. The workshop exposes kids to computer programming, many for the first time, and lets them decide whether they like it or not. Students come from all over the county and we teach at the San Diego Central Library, Valencia Park/Malcolm X Branch Library & Performing Arts Center, e3 Civic High School, Gompers Preparatory Academy, Serra High School, Wilson Middle School and at our main campus in Carmel Valley. Students who attend Title I, free-lunch schools, may apply to receive our training free of charge. We use the Robin Hood model: students who can afford the tuition cover for students who cant. Q: Can you tell us about children in your program who stand out in your mind? A: Alex started our classes in the fourth grade. We dont normally take kids that young, but he was cute and his mother insistent. He became one of the youngest Apple Certified Technicians in the country, is graduating from our program this year and going on to college in computer science. Sean and his brother Ryan started with me in the fourth and sixth grades, and Sean graduated from Stanford with a computer science degree last year and Ryan is a senior in computer science at the University of California, Santa Barbara. Deyvid, who also graduated from Reality Changers, just got his first paying gig as an IT expert for a local attorney and is interviewing for a summer job as a computer technician for Staples in Solana Beach. Sherlin and Melissa, who attended Wilson Middle School, have been with us for four years and I am hoping they will be our first graduates who started at Wilson. Q: Why focus on educating girls and underprivileged kids in The League? Why are these two groups, in particular, important to you? A: Women represent only 15 percent of the computer engineering workforce. Programming is a satisfying, rewarding field that can be presented in a non-threatening way without an emphasis on math. For underserved kids, it is a ticket to the middle class. I am convinced that the income and wealth gap in this country is in reality a gap in educational opportunity. In our small way, we want to help change this. We are aiming to have 50 percent of our kids on scholarship. Thirty percent of our present students are girls. Q: Whats been rewarding about your work with The League? A: I cant describe how rewarding it is for me to see our underserved kids become proficient computer programmers and to know how this will change not only their lives financially but also that of their entire extended family and at the same time provide a role model for peers to look up to. Q: What has it taught you about yourself? A: That there is lot of satisfaction to be had helping others. Q: What is the best advice youve ever received? A: Work hard! Q: What is one thing people would be surprised to find out about you? A: That Irwin Jacobs and I were studying electrical engineering at the same time at Cornell in the 0s. We were in different classes and didnt know each other then, however. And after graduating from Cornell, I spent 20 years as a Navy pilot flying patrol planes. Q: Describe your ideal San Diego weekend. A: Taking my wife, Diane, to Kis in Cardiff on a Friday evening to eat healthy food and listen to Peter Sprague. Email: lisa.deaderick@sduniontribune.com Twitter: @lisadeaderick After five straight mornings of waking up inside a shipping container, Bill Earley was tired Saturday. But the man who heads the American Red Cross of San Diego/Imperial Counties had made a promise: that he would not return home until the organization raises $500,000. By Saturday morning, there was still $83,000 to go. Advertisement Its exhausting, Earley said. But I dont think that people were sheltering sleep particularly well. Earleys aim is twofold: to raise money for Red Cross programs, but also build awareness of the plight of families forced to flee their homes in times of disaster. Its supposed to be like the Red Cross experience. Earley, 54, is a San Diego native and former attorney who left the profession in 2014 to lead the local Red Cross chapter. Im of the belief that if everybody just leans in just a little bit more, our community becomes so much better, he said. The current Shelter of Hope campaign is the main fundraising event for the organization, which has a $3 million annual budget supported entirely through donations, split roughly in thirds among corporations, foundations and individual donors. This years campaign started May 1, and for the first eight days, the container moved around the county, with special events at each location and guests invited to spend the night. The container, informally called the box, is a mock disaster shelter that measures 8 by 20 feet, with enough room for a cot, an armchair, a table and a couple of folding chairs. The box gave me some perspective on what it might be like to lose everything and desperately need the help of others, one guest wrote. Events have included hands-on CPR training in Rancho San Diego, a pet disaster preparedness day in Encinitas, a family preparedness event in Chula Vista, a bloodmobile at the USS Midway Museum and a food truck festival outside the Red Cross headquarters off Ruffin Road. There were visits by elected officials: Assemblyman Todd Gloria and state Sen. Toni Atkins, both San Diego Democrats, and county Supervisor Greg Cox. The box now sits parked outside the Red Cross headquarters. Though visitors come during the day, at night it grows quiet. And that has given Earley a chance to reflect about his life and the lives of those who turn to the Red Cross. On the eve of Mothers Day, he was missing his own mother, who died 1 years ago. And the company of his wife and 4-year-old daughter. I know that my family and my home are just fine, he said. When we bring people into shelters, they dont always have that knowledge. The Red Cross of San Diego/Imperial Counties serves an area of 10,000 square miles with a population of close to 3.6 million. Its jurisdiction includes the U.S. territory of American Samoa. Its mission is to offer help when emergencies strike from wildfires to home fires but also to help people prepare. It costs the Red Cross an average of $550 to help a family of three recover from disaster. Over the past 12 months, the organization offered assistance to 516 families just under 1,500 individuals. When people think of the Red Cross, they think of disasters or emergencies, Earley said. They dont think about the day-to-day ways that we impact our community. Thats why its important for us to do outreach. One of its programs involves installing smoke alarms. Since October 2014, we have already saved 215 lives, Earley said. The potential fire victims were able to get out because the alarm went off. To donate or for more information, visit redcross.org/shelterofhope. CORRECTION: The original version of this story had the wrong title for Toni Atkins. She is a state senator. The story has been updated. sandra.dibble@sduniontribune.com @sandradibble The cyber attack that began capturing the worlds attention Friday has crippled about 200,000 computers in more than 150 countries, the security agency Europol said Sunday. It has become the most widespread hacking incident in history, experts said. Here are some essential facts for you the consumer, including information on how to avoid becoming a victim of the same digital assault which is still continuing. * Could the hacking grow? Online security specialists fear the ransomware offensive in which the hacker(s) basically takes over your computer and demands money before giving control of the machine back to you will spread even more as office workers return to work Monday. Employees in many countries, especially Asia and Europe, had gone home by the time the malicious hacking software started proliferating. Advertisement At the moment, were in the face of an escalating threat, the numbers are going up, Rob Wainwright, executive director of Interpol, told the British broadcasting network ITV on Sunday. Im worried about how the numbers will continue to grow when people go to work and turn their machines on Monday morning. * Didnt some techie stop the attacks forward march? Yes and no. Its true that a 22-year-old researcher using the Twitter handle MalwareTech had helped to slow down the cyber assault by accidentally finding the web-domain that can disable the malicious software. But that person and many other cyber experts emphasized Sunday that hackers could easily morph the software and launch a new wave of the attack. True to their prediction, just hours later, new variants of the software were detected circulating through the internet. Experts also worry about copycats using the current global attention to mount their own assaults in coming days. * What countries have been directly affected? They include Britain, China, Russia, India, Mexico, Spain, Taiwan, Ukraine, Romania, Egypt, Iran, Brazil, Italy, Vietnam, Hong Kong, Tanzania, the Philippines, Argentina, South Africa in other words, the list is long and getting longer. The United States has been impacted relatively less, although FedEx was one of the major names hit by the attack. Other victims have ranged from banks, Russias interior ministry, Britains nationalized health system to TV stations, universities and the French automaker Renault. Its unknown how much ransom money has been paid because of this extortion campaign. One estimate said the amount has been only $32,000, but other analysts said the total could turn out to be in the millions. RELATED Soaring number of computers hijacked for ransom. * Has the hacker(s) been identified? No person or group has stepped forward to claim responsibility for the attack. One of the greatest frustrations in cybersecurity is that the vast, often shadowy world of online crime makes it nearly impossible to precisely track down hackers. Other complications include the lack of international agreements for how to arrest and prosecute cyber criminals even if they are found. Thats because everyone from governments to political rebels to people simply out to make money are all players in the hacking universe. We do know that in this latest case, the ransomware has exploited a loophole in the Microsoft Windows operating system. The digital weapon was actually developed by the U.S. National Security Agency, and then it was stolen by a collective of hackers called Shadow Brokers that subsequently made the information available online. Microsoft issued a security patch for the Windows flaw in March, but many people and institutions had not downloaded that fix. * How can I get my hands on that security patch? Just go to this Microsoft page for official instructions. In addition, experts remind consumers to pay attention to the latest update notices for their desktop computers, laptops, tablets and cellphones. If your computer is hit with ransomware, your options include paying the requested ransom something the FBI discourages and getting your machine debugged by a professional. Cybersecurity Playlist On Now Senator Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) slams Equifax On Now LA 90: Yahoo data breach worse than originally reported On Now Lifelock offers to protect you from the Equifax breach by selling you services provided by Equifax 1:02 On Now California beer maker thrives in Germany On Now Cyberattacks on Hollywood On Now Hackers gain access to OneLogin On Now What is WannaCry? On Now Senate overturns privacy rules for Internet providers On Now Online pirates claim to hold Disney's latest 'Pirates of the Caribbean' movie hostage, demand ransom On Now Yahoo warns users of malicious activity Twitter: @grobbins gary.robbins@sduniontribune.com The birth rate among U.S. teenagers hit a historic low last year, according to a new government report, and early estimates for San Diego show similar declines. There were about 22 live births for every 1,000 American teenagers age 15 to 19 in 2015, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said in a preliminary report last month. Its a decrease from the previous year, which saw 24 births per 1,000 in that age group, and marks the lowest rate since the federal government began tracking teenage births in 1940. Advertisement San Diego County rates mirror the national trend. There were about 23 births per 1,000 teenagers in 2013, the most recent county-level data available from the CDCs Center for National Health Statistics. Teen pregnancy has long been considered a public health issue since its known to be associated with higher maternal and infant complications and deaths. Nationally, rates peaked in 1991 with 62 births per population, and have been on the decline since then, the CDC report said. In California, that years peak brought close to 74 births for every 1,000 teens between 15 and 19, a rate that ranked among the highest in the country and far exceeded those of other developed countries, sometimes by double digits. Its since dropped to about 21 births in 2014, the most recent data available on a state by state level. Data show Arkansas had the highest rate that year, about 40 births per 1,000, followed by Oklahoma and Mississippi. On the other end, Massachusetts had the lowest rate of about 11 births, followed by New Hampshire, Connecticut and New Jersey. Potential reasons for the nationwide decline are not clear, but more teens may be delaying or reducing sexual activity, the report said. The teens who are sexually active may be using birth control more than in previous years as well. Ronald Owens, a spokesman for the California Department of Public Health, points to a long list of state-funded education, family planning resources and other youth-oriented sexual health programs for Californias decline. California has a long history of providing services that help young people make informed reproductive choices, Owens said. The state has made the prevention of adolescent childbearing a high public health priority. Among other things, the department funds several community- and school-based teen pregnancy prevention programs, including the Information and Education Program, the Adolescent Family Life Program and the Family Planning, Access, Care and Treatment program or PACT. PACT, administered by the Office of Family Planning, provides family planning services to eligible low income men and women. It serves 1.8 million people through a network of 2,200 public and private providers. San Diego County doesnt have specific teen pregnancy prevention programs but resources may be included in other programs that service a younger population, said county spokeswoman Tammy Glenn. San Diegos rate of 23 births in 2013 fell just under the California average that year and ranked 30th statewide. It was a 10 percent decrease from 25 births the previous year and nearly a 40 percent drop since 2003. At the top of the list are Kern and Imperial County, which both saw 45 births per 1,000 females aged 15-19 in 2013. The two counties have ranked in the top five for more than a decade, data show. Del Norte County came in third that year, followed by Tulare County, with 44 births per 1,000 females in that age group. Data Watch used county birth data and population estimates from the San Diego Association of Governments to calculate approximate rates for a more recent timeframe. Data analyses show the county rate was 16 births per 1,000 last year, a decrease from the previous year, at 18 births for every 1,000 teens. The CDC report is based on a review of nearly 4 million birth certificates filed last year. In addition to teenage pregnancy rates, it also examined birth rates among older women, which have steadily increased in recent years. IRON RIVER, Michigan Through hard work over many years, Ive earned the trust of my repeat customers and am now the proud owner of 37 gas stations in Wisconsin and 36 gas stations in Michigan. The gas I sell at all the stations comes from the same wholesaler, so the cost is identical in both states. It would be a reasonable expectation that the Michigan price of fuel would be higher, since the Michigan gas tax (which does include sales tax) is 5 cents higher than Wisconsins gas tax. But the opposite is true. Our gas stations in Wisconsin sell fuel at a higher price than Michigan. You read that right. Despite Michigans higher tax, Wisconsin prices are higher. Today the price of our fuel in Land OLakes, near the state line in Vilas County, is $2.41, versus our station 8 miles away in Watersmeet, Michigan, where gas is $2.25, a 16 cent difference. Id like to offer lower prices to my Wisconsin customers. But a dumb state law forbids it. So why are the prices in Wisconsin higher? The minimum markup law. Wisconsin is one of two states in the country that specifically identify and protect the profit margin on the sale of gas. The Wisconsin law mandates a 9.18 percent markup. Id like to compete with my peers, not only on cleanliness and service, but on price. But I cant. Fortunately, the recently-announced Assembly Transportation Reform plan, called The Road to a Flat Tax, would at least lower the state minimum markup law to 3 percent. This is a significant drop and will absolutely positively lower the price Wisconsin residents pay for gas. I assure you, at my gas stations consumers will see lower prices at our pumps, compared to todays pre-reform prices, if the Assembly plan is adopted. In 2011, Wisconsin Republicans passed Act 10 to not only fix a pressing budget gap, but to strengthen budgets for the long-term. The Assembly Transportation Plan is the Act 10 of the transportation fund. It corrects bad policies relating to an extremely lucrative and unique advantage for Wisconsins petroleum industry, which also cost taxpayers significant money. As a petroleum marketer, I dont want the crony capitalist protections so many in our industry want. I want to compete without government favor. It has been fascinating to watch Wisconsins lead legislative tax cutter, Rep. Dale Kooyenga, R-Brookfield, get criticized by some for having the nerve to solve Wisconsins compounding transportation problem by applying the sales tax to gas and then subsequently lowering Wisconsins gas taxes. His user-fee approach, coupled with the drastic reduction in the minimum markup, helps consumers and the transportation budget at the same time. Remember, none of the money you pay at the pump right now because of the minimum markup goes to pay for the construction and upkeep of roads. It is merely a government-mandated guaranteed profit margin for one industry. I do not want any favors in state law, I want to sell gas at a price agreed on between the customer and me. Unfortunately, your tax money, instead of fixing our roads or lowering Wisconsins high tax burden, is being used against me in legal action because I want to sell gas cheaper than the state allows. Kooyenga should be applauded for standing up to very powerful, deep-pocketed business interests and their army of lobbyists. I hope he is successful. Wisconsin can have a more solvent transportation fund, better roads, free markets and lower gas prices. It will just take politicians siding with taxpayers over special interests. A lot of Republicans say they are for a free market, better roads and lower taxes. Kooyenga is giving them an opportunity to prove it. Some leading San Diegans and local institutions got roughed up this past week, and the future isnt looking any easier. Mayor Kevin Faulconer: Hes been getting plenty of criticism for the citys growing homeless population for some time. His hiring seven months ago of Stacie Spector as a special aide solely focused on that problem underscored his insistence that hes working hard on solutions. But her abrupt, unexplained departure last week left a lot of questions about the mayors plans for moving forward. His big initiative, a downtown intake center for the homeless with temporary or transitional shelter, hasnt been met with universal acceptance. Some advocates of the homeless said it veers away from the permanent-housing philosophy that seems to be the consensus these days. Others said there are more people on the street and something needs to be done to address that crisis while the housing-first approach chugs along. Advertisement Faulconer also saw a large protest aimed at him by a group that isnt known for taking to the streets: San Diegos arts community. The mayors budget cuts arts funding by $4.7 million, or about a third from current spending. In response, arts leaders and patrons filled the Civic Center Plaza for a rally before taking their beef to a City Council meeting. Council members seemed game to restore some or all of the cuts. Well see how Faulconer reacts this week when he releases his revised budget. Councilman Scott Sherman conceded at the meeting that some restoration was likely to take place. But he took a longer-term, more ominous view that things would get tougher and not just for the arts. An $80 million budget shortfall in the proposed budget is being partially plugged by one-time fixes that likely wont be available in the future. Were going to do on this council what we can to make things a little bit easier this year, but I need to warn you all that you need to prepare for next year because the bookkeeping gimmicks will be over, the reserves will be depleted and well still have the $45 million increase from the previous year on our pension payment, Sherman said. So were going to have to come up with real cuts next year. They mayor didnt need to hear that assessment. He no doubt knows the score well. Rep. Darrell Issa: Talk about somebody who knows the score. Issa has been the target of protests for months after barely winning re-election in November. Some demonstrators even showed up outside a fundraiser held for him in Florida last weekend. The weekly demonstrators outside his Vista district office on Trump Tuesdays have a litany of issues with the congressman. The key one has been health care, and for months, critics have been pressuring him not to support the evolving Republican bill replacing Obamacare. Issa kept his cards close to his vest, but in the end voted for the bill. He said Obamacare has become unaffordable, is on the verge of collapse and that something must be done. Still, the next protest against him exploded. It was the biggest so far and received national media coverage. Some other Republican members of Congress have faced the wrath of opponents and constituents at protests and during town hall meetings as well. But Issa is perhaps the best-known among them, having become a national figure in recent years for investigating the Obama administration on several fronts when he was chairman of the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform. Also, he survived the closest congressional election in the nation last year after cruising through all of his previous re-election campaigns. That suggests he may be as vulnerable as anybody. On Wednesday, he likely enraged some people with his strong endorsement of President Donald Trumps firing of FBI Director James Comey. Another of the protesters complaints is that Issa doesnt meet with constituents enough. He held two big, back-to-back town hall meetings in March and others via teleconference. In addressing the small Florida crowd, he told them that he would indeed hold another one back in the district. Subsequently, his staff said an event was tentatively scheduled for a month later. Organized labor and Mickey Kasparian: The powerful labor leader was booted as the head of the San Diego and Imperial Counties Labor Council, busting wide open a fissure that had been growing for months. Kasparian, still president of United Food and Commercial Workers Local 135, immediately announced the formation of a rival group the San Diego Working Families Council, which includes eight unions that split off from the Labor Council. Hell be the leader of that new outfit. Politics, personalities and lawsuits accusing Kasparian of various misdeeds, including pressuring a subordinate into a sexual relationship, led to the break-up. With the Labor Council temporarily under the stewardship of the national AFL-CIO and much of its membership heading toward Kasparians nascent group, its hard to imagine local labor exhibiting the formidable political power it did in the past at least in the short term. The only good thing in this situation for labor, in a political sense, is that its not an election year. Republican National Committee: The RNC held its spring meeting at Hotel del Coronado late last week, so we declare it a local institution for the time being and one thats under duress. The committee schedulers no doubt hoped for a quiet seaside retreat where members could celebrate electoral successes and deal with mundane (to outsiders) party business. Some events seemed plenty festive. But outside the party bubble there was the partys leader Trump whos not only seemingly detached from the party, but whose gyrations are giving many GOP elected officials heartburn. For example, Issa closely linked himself to Trump by becoming one of his early, high-profile supporters but has since tried to distance himself from Trump. Then again, that wasnt so much the case last week: Issa was front and center at a White House celebration after the House passed the health care bill. And just to give the Republican leaders a flavor of what Issa deals with every Tuesday, one of the groups that organizes protests outside the congressmans office took to the sands of Coronado on Thursday to give the RNC similar treatment. Yeah, CNN was there. Tweet of the Week Los Angeles Times @latimes Dwayne The Rock Johnson considering run for White House The city of San Diego has given nearly 150 high-level managers more than $4 million in pay raises since 2012 despite a voter-imposed salary freeze, saddling the city and its taxpayers with many millions in additional pension debt. Increases in pension debt raise the citys annual pension payment, shrinking the money available for libraries, parks, recreation centers and other cherished amenities. That was a key motivation in 2012 for the successful Proposition B ballot measure, which promised nearly $1 billion in long-term pension savings by mandating a five-year freeze on pensionable pay increases. Advertisement But the freeze has a crucial loophole that has allowed 141 high-level managers to quietly be given large increases in their annual pay that have averaged $28,800 per employee. The ballot measure allows the citys top brass to increase pay, significantly if they desire, for workers who get promotions. Significant pay hikes can bloat the pension debt because a retired employees pension is based on the highest salary they earn during their career. The authors of Proposition B sought to limit such raises by adding strict prohibitions against increasing salary ranges for existing jobs, and outlawing the creation of new job titles with higher salary ranges than those that existed in 2011. But the city has managed to give out large raises despite those prohibitions by utilizing two existing job classifications program manager and program coordinator with unusually high salary maximums. The maximum pay for program coordinator is $143,208 and the maximum pay for program manager is $179,388. The San Diego Union-Tribune was able to identify 141 employees in city compensation data who got large raises after being promoted to either program manager or program coordinator. And the number of city employees with those two job titles has sharply increased from 84 before Proposition B to 219 in 2016. Former City Councilman Carl DeMaio, who helped write the ballot measure, blamed Mayor Kevin Faulconer last week for allowing so many reclassifications with large pay hikes. It really is the failure of Kevin Faulconer because these reclassifications would not be done unless the mayor approved them, DeMaio said. Its clear this is a back door to get out of some of the pension reforms we wrote into Proposition B and that the voters strongly approved. A spokesman for Faulconer called those criticisms baseless, contending the promotions and pay increases violate neither the written restrictions nor the spirit of Proposition B. If youre talking about spirit youre talking about intent, and the intent of Prop. B was never to prevent people from earning promotions that are based on merit, said the spokesman, Matt Awbrey. No private sector business would do that, and voters certainly didnt ask for that when they approved Prop. B. Lani Lutar, who also helped write the ballot measure as head of the San Diego County Taxpayers Association in 2012, agreed. We didnt want to create a retention problem for employees who were going above and beyond their job responsibilities and deserved to be promoted, said Lutar, who now works as a consultant. Awbrey also said the pay hikes have been necessary because the city has expanded services to residents, which has resulted in an expanded workforce to provide those services. Councilman David Alvarez, however, said increased focus on street paving and other infrastructure projects is the only area where there has been an expansion that would warrant so many more program managers, program coordinators and other new high-level management positions. Weve increased funding for infrastructure and weve got to have individuals who can deliver on that, so that makes sense, said Alvarez. But everything else is constant, so why are these increases happening in so many other areas? Awbrey stressed that the impact of the raises on the citys pension debt is relatively minimal because 141 employees are only a small fraction of the citys 11,400 workers. This is an exceedingly small number of folks who earned merit-based promotions in a way that completely follows the law, spirit and intent of pension reform, Awbrey said. Lutar agreed, suggesting the raises wont significantly lower the $963 million in long-term pension savings the salary freeze was projected to create. With only between 1 percent and 2 percent of city employees affected, the potential impact on pension savings is going to be modest at best, said Lutar, noting that the citys $2.5 billion pension debt is much more vulnerable to employees living longer and how the pension systems investments fare. Alvarez, however, stressed that promoting employees into higher classifications has a snowball effect of giving them additional large raises in the future that they are guaranteed for reaching years-of-service benchmarks. Examples include Colin Brazile, a supervising personnel analyst promoted to program manager in 2014. According to data the city provided to Transparent California, an open government group, Braziles base pay went from $58,083 to $84,228, and then increased to $103,836 in 2016. Monty Peretto, who was promoted from a supervising management analyst to a program coordinator in 2013, got an increase in base pay from $78,647 to $84,879. His base pay then increased to $97,044 in 2016. Every such increase has a long-term multiplier effect because retired employees get annual cost-of-living adjustments to their pension benefits. Its difficult to calculate the exact impact of these raises on the citys pension debt for a variety of reasons. Its not clear how many of the employees were hired before another element of Proposition B kicked in: replacing pensions with 401(k) style retirement plans for all newly hired employees except police officers after July 19, 2012. Data show that 124 of the 141 employees were on the citys payroll in 2011, so they are eligible for pensions. Ten were hired in 2013 or later, so they are not pension-eligible. And seven were hired sometime in 2012, making it uncertain whether they are pension-eligible. Its also unknown whether the employees eligible for pensions were hired before 2005, when the city decreased the size of pension benefits, or 2009, when they were shrunk again. And because 2016 had 27 pay periods instead of the normal 26 due to a calendar fluke, some of the 2016 base pay figures could be slightly skewed. Estimates of the increase in the debt caused by these promotions have been as high as in the tens of millions of dollars. Alvarez said he suspects the impact to the pension debt goes beyond just the promotions to program manager and program coordinator, suggesting the city may have promoted many other relatively low-paid employees into higher paying classifications. He said thats based on his analysis of recent city budgets, and he expressed frustration that the City Council wasnt made aware of the practice of reclassifying employees to give them large raises. Its definitely a very non-transparent way to increase salaries, said Alvarez. I dont know that Id call it a loophole, but theyre certainly gaming the system that exists. They want to give raises to people doing quality work but they cant because of Prop. B, so theyve found this end-around. Awbrey noted that all re-classifications are approved by the City Council. But the agenda items the council has approved to allow these havent included any information on the associated salary increases. Alvarez said he recently questioned city financial officials about several planned promotions to program manager, program coordinator and other high-paying positions included in Mayor Faulconers proposed budget for the fiscal year that starts July 1. Examples include the creation of two new program coordinator and two new senior management analyst positions in the citys Office of Homeland Security. The proposed budget would also eliminate an associate management analyst position and three supervising management analyst positions in that department. Alvarez said he suspects this is the city trying to give four people pay raises by using promotions to skirt Proposition B, but that he cant be sure until city officials confirm it. Other examples include increasing the number of program coordinator positions in the Risk Management Department from two to eight. Alvarez said city finance officials told him recently they may not be able to answer his questions about those proposed job changes before the budget is adopted next month. Michael Zucchet, leader of the citys largest labor union, said the pay hikes are clearly legal under Proposition B and that the loophole is just another piece of evidence that it was a badly flawed ballot measure. It doesnt say you cant do the program manager game, he said. It says explicitly you can do anything you want under the existing authority in the charter, which is exactly what theyve done. Zucchet also criticized DeMaios contention that the raises violate the spirit of Proposition B and should have been prevented by Mayor Faulconer. Maybe that was the spirit, but the clear writing of it is that promotions are not included in the section on freezing pensionable compensation, Zucchet said. Carl needs to look in the mirror and remind himself that he wrote this paragraph that explicitly not only allowed but specifically called out any mayors ability to do exactly whats happened. DeMaio said that when he helped write Proposition B he expected to become mayor later that year, and that he would have been adamant about prohibiting such raises if he hadnt lost to Bob Filner in a November 2012 runoff. The mayor has immense powers to continue a pension pay freeze, but Faulconer chose not to, DeMaio said. He has gone wild and wacky with giving salary increases and thats not responsible. He should have said Prop. B is working but I still see a problem with investment returns so we need to extend the five-year freeze. Awbrey, the Faulconer spokesman, said the mayor was one of the first supporters of the pension changes and has spent years fighting to protect it in court. Everyone knows that Prop. B was about requiring new employees to receive a 401(k) instead of pensions and getting the citys labor organizations to agree to a pensionable pay freeze, and thats exactly what we did and what we continue to do, he said. Zucchet said the mayor is acting prudently to help the city avoid losing quality employees to other government jobs or the private sector, which Proposition B turned into a major concern by making it so hard to give people raises. The mayor is choosing the efficient operations of the city over what somebody considers the spirit of a political document, said Zucchet, who is general manager of the Municipal Employees Association. On the other hand, Zucchet said his union has tried to block several such proposed promotions to highlight what a large impediment to keeping quality employees that Proposition B has become. The only way to give raises under the ballot measure without using a program-manager-style loophole is to get a two-thirds vote of the council and have the citys actuary study how the proposed raises would affect pension debt. The city has done that only once, when the council approved large raises for dispatchers last year amid a 9-1-1 response crisis during Mayor Faulconers re-election campaign. Weve encouraged the city at every step to follow Prop. B in that way, and the city has been unwilling to do that except in one instance, Zucchet said. The political will has not been there to do that otherwise, and instead theyve found other ways. Proposition B was approved by 65 percent of voters in June 2012. The pay freeze part of the measure will expire on June 30, 2018 unless the mayor and council decide to extend it, or there is a subsequent public vote. Union-Tribune Watchdog Data Reporter Lauryn Schroeder contributed to this story. david.garrick@sduniontribune.com (619) 269-8906 Twitter:@UTDavidGarrick One of the sad realities of the criminal justice system is that people who suffer from mental illness and commit crime often end up in jail, a less-than-ideal environment for psychiatric healing. In an article I wrote that appeared two weeks ago in The San Diego Union-Tribune, county authorities acknowledged that reality. Jail is where many people accused of crimes end up even when a psychiatric hospital might be the better option. Sheriff Bill Gore acknowledged it, too. Theres something wrong with that, he said, noting that the mens Central Jail in downtown San Diego has long been the largest mental health facility in the county. Advertisement That shouldnt be the case, he said. Gore and his staff would likely also agree that inmates who suffer from mental illness shouldnt die in county jail. But thats another sad reality. Over the past 12 years, 46 people have committed suicide in San Diego County jails, according to a report released this month by the county grand jury. The report cites data from the Sheriffs Department, which runs the countys seven detention facilities. The May 4 report also says the suicide rate in San Diego Countys jails is the highest in all of Californias large county jail systems. Somethings wrong with that as well. Over the past few years, the Sheriffs Department has been working to reduce inmate suicides by creating enhanced observation modules inside the jails for inmates at high-risk of harming themselves, hiring more medical and mental health staff, and revising the screening process to better identify high-risk inmates at intake. In March 2016, the departments Detention Services Bureau updated its policy manual to include procedures for the enhanced observation modules and other specialized units. There were five inmate suicides last year, none of which occurred in the enhanced units. So far, no inmate suicides have been reported in 2017. Still, the county grand jury sees room for more improvement. According to its report, the panel said the departments policy manual lacked detailed training procedures for the deputies who work inside the jails to reduce inmate suicides effectively and a clear policy statement for suicide prevention. The report states that effective communication is key to curbing suicides and must exist in several areas, including: Communication between the officers and deputies who contact a person before booking, and the nurses at the jail who receive the inmate during intake. Communication between intake personnel and internal correctional staff, including medical and mental health personnel. Communication between all staff and the potentially suicidal inmate. Gore told the Union-Tribune in a previous interview that his staff was working to improve communication among sworn staff and medical personnel throughout the time that an inmate is in county custody, but particularly at intake. He explained that people are most vulnerable to suicide during the first 48 to 72 hours theyre in jail. They go through the seven stages of grief (because of) the situation they find themselves in, he said. Thats our challenge, right there, (at) intake. Because the county uses private contract personnel for its mental health workers, the grand jury recommended hiring a full-time mental health director to coordinate services for all jail inmates with mental health problems. County authorities signed a contract in February with Liberty Healthcare Corp., which is responsible for hiring psychiatrists and other clinicians to oversee quality control of the mental health programs. Sheriffs spokesman Ryan Keim said in an email that the department is committed to ensuring the safety of the inmates. The Sheriffs Department, along with the Grand Jury, believes that one suicide in a detention facility is too many, Keim said. The Department has worked tirelessly to improve our ability to identify individuals susceptible to suicide and provide them the necessary mental health services. The department is expected to respond to the grand jurys report within the next few months. dana.littlefield@sduniontribune.com Twitter: @danalittlefield Regarding Time for President Trump to really put America first (May 10): Your editorial shows just how much you want to bend the facts to suit the current rhetoric. The Democrats and left-wing activists are the ones who should be putting America first and stop obstructing. You clearly state how everyone was fed up with James Comeys antics and clearly wanted him removed from his position. So he is removed and the avalanche of hypocrisy is overwhelming. Forget the special investigators and, as another contributor said, Democrats, Republicans and liberals need to get on the stick and get working. Advertisement We have FBI, House and Senate investigations running concurrently. Why is that not enough? Stop wasting my taxes on useless straw men issues and get the country moving: lower taxes, better health care, improved infrastructure and veterans health care. Tony Tartaro Hillcrest The late Barry Goldwater, an ultraconservative Republican senator, told President Richard Nixon that he would not sacrifice his reputation to support Nixons lies during the shameful Watergate fiasco. Integrity and ethics should always be nonpartisan, and yet the silence from Republicans in the wake of the Comey firing is deafening. It is imperative that high-profile lawmakers like Paul Ryan and Mitch McConnell man up and choose the welfare of the American people and democracy over some misplaced fealty toward a man who borders on serious mental dysfunction and threatens to destroy the very fabric of our country. Serena Contreras San Diego Letters and commentary policy The U-T welcomes and encourages community dialogue on important public matters. Please visit this page for more details on our letters and commentaries policy. You can email letters@sduniontribune.com or leave a comment below. The duplicity of the Democratic members of Congress is nothing short of amazing but so typical of todays members of Congress. Just a short time ago, Sen. Chuck Schumer and his minions as well as some Republicans were all about getting rid of Comey. There is little doubt that if Hillary Clinton had been elected, Comey would have been fired regardless of the status of the Russian investigation. Now they are up in arms because Comey was fired based in part upon the recommendation of a Department of Justice official and the attorney general. It also shows how little politicians know about the men and women of the FBI. They will continue the investigation concerning Russias interference in the election regardless of who is the director, the political machinations of both parties or the medias reporting of rumors, innuendo and anonymous sources. Jim Biers Encinitas Trump fired FBI Director Comey because the FBIs ongoing investigations threatened to expose his campaign ties to his Russian connections and their interference with our recent election. Trumps assault on said investigations is an obstruction of justice, an impeachable, felony offense, which like Nixon, could lead to his removal from office. His Republican henchmen will support and justify his illegal and unconstitutional behavior, until an independent, nonpartisan special prosecutor is appointed to investigate his actions. If he is innocent, Trump should welcome such investigations, including releasing his tax returns. In the meantime, Trump will call said investigations a hoax and fake news. Dave White Carlsbad In Chris Reeds opinion piece Comey flap far from first fraught fight between FBI and White House (May 11), he gave them seven Fs if you count FBI, although most of them went to the White House in the text of the article. Thats a pretty poor grade, but deserved, Id say. Greg West Powa Want to see more letters that appear only online? Follow @UTLetters on Twitter and UTOpinion on Facebook. The Union-Tribune had a sad and sensitive story to report last week. A 15-year-old freshman at Torrey Pines High died by suicide. About 3:30 a.m. May 6 he called police to check on a boy himself outside the school. When they arrived, he pointed what turned out to be a BB gun at officers. He refused to drop it. Fearing for their lives, they shot him. The U-T has guidelines on covering suicides. First, they generally are not reported. Most commonly they receive only brief treatment if they occur publicly. The person is not named. A suicide by a prominent or publicly known person, such as Robin Williams, takes a longer story, and the person will be identified no matter where the death occurred. Last Saturdays incident involved a death in public, and one that drew in two police officers. It had to be reported fully, but responsibly. Suicide prevention organizations offer guidelines on news coverage and warn against the effect it can have on vulnerable individuals. How did the U-T do? The Readers Representative asked Yeni L. Palomino, program director for the San Diego County Suicide Prevention Council, to offer feedback on the coverage, specifically on what appeared Tuesday. Advertisement The U-T published the first story at the top of last Sundays front page. The second story ran below the fold on Mondays front page. The boy was not named in either article.Tuesday, the U-T published four stories: one on the latest information about the death and campus reaction; another on suicide by cop; one about schools looking for warning signs of suicide in students; and an article on the Netflix show 13 Reasons Why, which centers on the suicide of a fictional teen girl. The coverage also included photographs of people mourning at the school and lists of suicide-prevention resources and potential signs that a person might be contemplating suicide. The U-T decided to identify the boy. The coverage Tuesday included a note from the Readers Rep about why the paper was naming him, which was because of the public nature of the suicide and that it involved police officers, whom SDPD had identified.In addition, the U-T published a front-page story Thursday on a Torrey Pines student peer-groups reflecting on the boys suicide. Here is the response from Palomino: As the director of the San Diego County Suicide Prevention Council, Community Health Improvement Partners who facilitates the council, I would like to commend you for the stories ... that appeared in the May 9 and 11 issues. They were very well done in that they used article titles that were not sensationalized. The picture used in the front-page article had a caption that reinforced prevention/awareness, and the second front-page article had a picture that reinforced getting help. The stories were very careful with not oversharing unnecessarily, and the sharing that was done contrary to media recommendations for suicide was clearly addressed in a note that rings true to the uniqueness of those stories being a suicide-by-cop incident. The stories overall all highlighted that help is available ... and that reaching out and speaking out are important. The main articles also contained useful information about warning signs and local resources one right on the front page. Stories of suicide that also highlight prevention offer a positive message encouraging people to seek help. Through research we have found that certain ways of describing suicide in the news contribute to ... suicide contagion, or copycat suicides. The magnitude of the increase is related to the amount, duration and prominence of coverage. Deni Elliot, director of the Practical Ethics Center at the University of Montana-Missoula, concurs. Its important to report that deaths are suicide in order to help alert people to the high number of suicides in this country, she says. But publishing suicide notes and gratuitous gory details is voyeurism. Those details are important for families and professionals trying to figure out what happened. When Robin Williams died by suicide in 2014 we saw several articles that did not adhere to the recommendations and used glorifying titles, overly detailed accounts of the incident and very often no information on prevention or resources available for others in need. However, covering suicide carefully, even briefly, can change public misperceptions and correct myths which can encourage those who are vulnerable or at risk to seek help. Your handling of this story truly serves as a good example of the important role responsible reporting plays in preventing suicide contagion and helping save lives. CHICAGO The other day, Rep. Tom MacArthur, R-New Jersey, held a town hall meeting where constituents grilled him about his role in passing the American Health Care Act. When he claimed the insurance market is collapsing, a chant went up: Single-payer, single-payer! That chant will be heard again, and it should worry Republicans. It reflects the fact their replacement for Obamacare is unpopular even before its effects have been felt. It suggests that undoing Barack Obamas alleged government takeover of health care could open the way to a real government takeover of health care. One House Republican said in 2012, Today America is threatened with a stage 3 cancer of socialism, and Obamacare is Exhibit 1. In reality, it was a centrist attempt to preserve the existing framework which relies mostly on private insurance, largely provided by employers while using various measures to expand the number of people with coverage. Though some Democrats preferred a single-payer system similar to Canadas, Obama rejected it, and his party mostly concurred. Sen. Bernie Sanders, who has long favored the idea, acknowledged in 2010 that in the Senate, there are at most 10 votes for a single-payer plan. But the GOP rallied furiously against Obamas blueprint, nearly keeping it from being enacted and opposing its implementation at every turn. Republicans in Congress vowed to repeal and replace it if they ever had the chance, which this year they do. Theyve found that the task was more alluring in theory than it is in practice. For most of its life, the Affordable Care Act has been underwater in opinion polls, with a plurality of Americans taking a negative view. But since Donald Trump became president, its popularity has grown. A March Monmouth University poll showed 58 percent of Americans favor keeping it, and a Quinnipiac University survey found that only 17 percent support the GOP replacement plan. Republicans are learning what Democrats discovered: Americans are maddeningly hard to please. They dislike paying for health insurance, jumping through hoops to get it, dealing with claim forms and copayments, and being denied whatever they want whenever they want it. In 2007, according to Gallup, 56 percent of Americans said our health care system has major problems. Only 25 percent were satisfied with the availability of affordable health care. But when Obama tried to address those issues, they were not happy with his remedies. Rest assured, though, that if Republicans repeal it, citizens will almost certainly dislike the replacement. If none of these options is satisfactory, what others are left? The obvious one is a single-payer system, with the federal government providing coverage financed with tax revenue. Thats the worst option from the GOP point of view. And it has a surplus of flaws. Sanders plan, according to the center-left Urban Institute, would swell the federal budget by more than $3 trillion a year and increase the nations total spending on health care. Liberal economist Paul Starr of Princeton says it would require staggering increases in federal taxes. But if Democrats regain power, theyll have no reason to tinker with the status quo. Obama tried that and got vilified. They might as well try something that would be simpler to explain and more far-reaching in its effects. There are grounds to think a single-payer system would be comparatively popular. A third of Americans are already in one through Medicare, Medicaid or military or veterans insurance. Three-quarters of people in these programs are satisfied a higher figure than among those with employer-provided or individual policies. Single-payer systems are not the only path to near-universal coverage. The U.S. could achieve it with some combination of employer-based insurance, subsidized coverage for individuals and adequately funded high-risk pools, alongside Medicare and Medicaid. But if Republicans succeed in scrapping the law, they will reduce the number of people with insurance rather than expand it. They will also ensure that on regaining power, the Democrats will not bother resurrecting Obamacare. Democrats are more likely to try to build a single-payer system one brick at a time. Starr, for example, proposes Midlife Medicare opening the program to uninsured people between ages 50 and 64. Further expansions could follow when the time is right. Republicans had better find a way to meet the expectation of near-universal coverage if they want to preserve our system of private health insurance. They may never get another chance. The world is on the brink of massive air pollution around the planet. Many green earth activists are battling the causes of greenhouse gasses emissions. The "Friends of the Earth" Movement of Netherlands does exactly what it stands for, they filed legal charges against their government for not doing much to curb the air pollution problem. The charges were filed by "Friends of the Earth" last year and are still awaiting the first court hearing schedule. Campaign activist leader Anne Knol reiterates that humanity is sucking in the polluted air every day and is now pressing the Dutch Government to take action even before the hearing takes place. Infrastructure and Environment Minister Roel Vincken told "Friends of the Earth" that the government has already implemented policies to improve air quality and is now working with local government units to tackle remaining issues of air pollution. According to "Friends of the Earth" leader Anne Knol, the group conducted Independent tests from 58 sites all over the country last year. Eleven of the sites were found to have exceeded normal levels of nitrogen dioxide. The gas is an air pollutant formed by the combustion of fossil fuels such as oil, coal, and gas. It is the main contributor to the formation of smog. Other sources of nitrogen dioxide involve oil refineries, food, and beverage manufacturing, and coal-fired power plants, reports ABC News. "Friends of the Earth" showed its independent statistics they gathered that nitrogen dioxide is causing thousands of deaths each year and is the cause of tens of thousands of sickness by the harmful greenhouse gas emission. Ugrenda, another Dutch environmental group filed a case back in 2015 urging the government to take steps to cut down greenhouse gasses by 25%, which the activists won. The landmark case gave encouragement to the "Friends of the Earth" to follow suit with a similar case. The case was brought to court signed by 900 Dutch citizens, reports Physics.Org. The air people breathe is happening every day and inaction kills the human body slowly, says Knol. The world is exposed to these hazards and climate experts encourage everyone to be vigilant in the cause of environmental protection. Sen. Bam: Youth Entrepreneurship Act implementation long overdue A legislator called on the Department of Education (DepEd) to implement the law encouraging students and graduates to venture into business. "Nananawagan tayo sa Department of Education na ilabas na ang Implementing Rules and Regulations para sa Youth Entrepreneurship Act upang mapakinabangan na ng ating mga kabataan," said Sen. Bam Aquino. The Youth Entrepreneurship Act or Republic Act No. 10679 was passed August 2015 but no IRR has been released. The law mandates that the IRR be promulgated within one hundred twenty (120) days from its effectivity. The law encourages young would-be entrepreneurs to establish their own business by providing them access to capital and other support. It also creates financial literacy modules in all levels of Philippine education, to inculcate a culture of enterprise development among the Filipino youth. "Gusto nating makakita ng trabaho ang ating mga graduates ngunit mayroon din silang opsiyon na pumasok at magtagumpay sa pagnenegosyo. Matutulungan sana ang ating kabataang magtagumpay sa negosyo kung ma-implement ng maayos ang iilang mga batas na ating isinulong noong 16th Congress," said Sen. Bam. Sen. Bam was the author and principal sponsor of the Go Negosyo Act (Republic Act 10667), his first law in the 16th Congress, and the co-author and principal sponsor of the Youth Entrepreneurship Act. The senator pursued the passage of these two laws during his time as chairman of the Senate Committee on Trade, Commerce and Entrepreneurship in the 16th Congress to cater to the needs of micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs). "These two laws provide MSMEs a conducive environment they need to succeed. At the same time, they also help provide fresh jobs and other livelihood opportunities for their fellow Filipinos," stressed Sen. Bam, adding that MSMEs account for 66 percent of jobs in the country. At present, Sen. Bam said 470 Negosyo Centers are already up and running in different parts of the country, catering to the needs of MSMEs. In the 17th Congress, Sen. Bam filed Senate Bill No. 169 or Small Business Tax Reform Act, which provides small businesses with lower income tax rate, VAT exemption and other privileges. Sen. Bam has also submitted Senate Bill No. 175 or the Innovative Startup Act seeking to ease restrictions and provide incentives for startups in the Philippines. Press Release May 14, 2017 Villar says passport 10-year validity will greatly benefit migrant workers Sen. Cynthia Villar said a law that will extend from five to 10 years the validity of passports will greatly benefit migrant workers as they travel outside the country for gainful employment and greener pastures. Senate Bill 1365 seeks to amend Section 10 of Republic Act 8239 or the Philippine Passport Act of 1996 and extend the validity of regular Philippine passport from five to 10 years. Villar sponsored and defended the bill on the Senate floor in her capacity as vice chairperson of the Committee on Foreign Relations. "Much relief will be provided our overseas Filipino workers once the need to renew their passports every five years is removed. There will be less need for them to be subjected to the cumbersome and time-consuming process of applying for renewal," Villar said. The Senate is set to approve the bill on third reading on Monday after passing the measure on second reading last week. Villar said she expects no prolonged debates at the bicameral conference committee as the version passed by the House of Representatives in February is the same as the Senate's. "The 5-year validity of passports of minors or those individuals under 18 years old is being retained. A minor's passport should indeed be renewed every 5 years because a minor's facial features change while growing up," Villar said. Villar said the 10-year validity is also in keeping with the standard practiced by other countries such as the United States, the United Kingdom, Australia, and New Zealand. Villar said passports with longer validity will complement the measures adopted by the Department of Foreign Affairs to address the long queues and ease the backlogs in both application and release of passports such as additional frontline personnel, change in the layout of work stations and locations of service providers, and the institution of a dedicated OFW lane. The DFA reports that there are 868 of its personnel nationwide who are involved in the processing of passports. In 2016, they processed 3,123,004 applications for new passports, renewals or replacements of lost passports. "The 10-year validity will also not have a significant impact on government revenues given the 30 percent annual growth in passport issuances from year 2010 to 2016," she added. Villar also said the proposal will be beneficial to the traveling public as a whole, specially with the increased affordability of international travel nowadays. Firefighters rescued a child trapped in a burning home in Oakland early Saturday, Oakland Fire Department officials said. A small fire was reported at a residential building on the 7400 block of Lockwood Street about 2 a.m., firefighters said. Upon arrival, firefighters learned that a child was still inside and were able to locate and get the child to safety within minutes. The childs age and gender were unavailable. Firefighters said the child was transported to a hospital with serious injuries. The cause of the fire was not released. Vivian Ho is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: vho@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @VivianHo Homelessness is a growing problem in Oakland, both on the streets and now at City Hall as well. Mayor Libby Schaaf recently laid out an ambitious plan to deal with the citys quickly spreading homeless encampments but when it came time to put up the money, she came up way short of what was suggested by the citys Department of Human Services. The departments plan, which was outlined in an April 13 report to the City Council, called for setting up three safe haven camps where homeless people could pitch their tents or park their RVs. Each site could handle 40 campers and would have sanitation, a site manager, round-the-clock security and access to social workers. The cost: about $1 million a year. The plan also called for setting up portable toilets, washing stations and garbage collection for another five existing camps, at a cost of $180,000. That added up to $1.18 million. But two weeks later, when Schaaf submitted her budget proposal, there was only $250,000 for the camps and safe haven sites. The budget did include $1.6 million for a cleanup crew to keep camps from spilling onto city streets. The staff report had also suggested spending $2 million for added transitional housing, plus money for job training and other programs but when Schaafs budget landed, just how the housing would be paid for was unclear. According to Councilwoman Rebecca Kaplan, the mayor told council members during her budget presentation May 3 that she supports using part of a $600 million infrastructure bond approved by Oakland voters last year to buy motels and single-room-occupancy hotels to use for homeless housing. But after poring over the budget, Kaplan said she couldnt find that money included and neither could any of the city staffers she asked. Please provide the specific page and section, Kaplan wrote in a May 3 letter to City Administrator Sabrina Landreth. She said she has yet to get a response. We are drowning in this challenge, said Councilwoman Lynette Gibson McElhaney, whose district includes a city-sanctioned camp that was recently shut down following a fire. Many of the 1,384 homeless people counted in a 2015 one-night tally are believed to live in her district. The city must do something meaningful to address the needs of the unsheltered while keeping our neighborhoods safe and clean, Gibson McElhaney said. Schaaf said in a statement that it is disappointing not to have all the resources we want, and that as a result the city has to make hard choices. She said the primary responsibility for providing homeless services lies with Alameda County. Schaaf also said that she is moving ahead with plans to use the infrastructure money to create more transitional housing. As for Gibson McElhaney, the mayor said, if she wants more city-funded homeless services, she has the right to identify existing services she wants to cut. On board: University of California President Janet Napolitano may be on the hot seat with state lawmakers over the state auditors findings that her office had $175 million hidden away but she is on firm footing with UCs regents, even after their call to bring in their own auditor to review the states assessment. Its total nonsense, Regent Richard Blum, a major financial contributor to UC, said of the Board of Regents-ordered audit. But if I were still (the boards) chairman, I might feel the need to do it as well. Blum said there is nothing improper about keeping millions in reserves and that a portion of the money was mandated to be doled out over time. As for the state investigations finding that Napolitanos staff reviewed UC campuses responses to the auditors surveys before they were sent to Sacramento, Blum says he buys Napolitanos argument that the campuses asked for the help. State Auditor Elaine Howle, however, told the campuses to keep the surveys confidential, and threw them out when she found out what UC headquarters had done. And Chronicle reporting has found no evidence that the campuses requested Napolitanos help with survey answers. Im not easily snowed over, and in my opinion Janet Napolitano is an excellent UC president, and I support her, Blum said. Blum is hardly alone on the board in his view of Napolitano. Even Lt. Gov. Gavin Newsom, who sits on the board and who criticized Napolitano for holding back the money while raising tuition, said, I continue to believe in her ability and capacity to turn it around. Not that Blum exactly embraces Newsom as an ally. In fact, he said the lieutenant governors criticism of Napolitanos money handling was chicken. And you can print that. Well, not in a family newspaper we cant. San Francisco Chronicle columnists Phillip Matier and Andrew Ross appear Sundays, Mondays and Wednesdays. Matier can be seen on the KPIX TV morning and evening news. He can also be heard on KCBS radio Monday through Friday at 7:50 a.m. and 5:50 p.m. Got a tip? Call (415) 777-8815, or email matierandross@sfchronicle.com. Twitter: @matierandross WeWork Cos., the worlds largest co-working company, rents out office space in 140 locations around the world, which means its daily needs are basic but essential: working Internet, clean conference rooms and fresh coffee. To keep customers happy, WeWork hires a small army of community staff, to run the WeWork spaces every day. These 1,200 workers make up more than half of the companys workforce. In the Bay Area, they run 10 locations in Berkeley, San Jose and San Francisco. But as WeWork shot from 350 to 2,200 employees in two years, some community staff said they were overworked, underpaid and misclassified as ineligible for overtime. Some of their allegations have resulted in legal disputes, and now the company is under scrutiny by state and federal authorities. One former worker sued the company a year ago claiming she was owed overtime pay. Last year, WeWork settled a case in arbitration with a second ex-staffer, according to a person who had been briefed on the matter but was not authorized to speak about it. A third said shes planning to sue soon. For some of these workers, the glamour of a job at WeWork, a company now valued at $18 billion, at first obscured the question of whether they were being unfairly denied pay. WeWork executives said theyve spent the last year trying to make workers happier by raising pay, clarifying job roles and offering nontraditional perks like trips to Australia. They acknowledge that rapid expansion left staff working hard without much guidance or proper training, but said the problems are fixed. Those issues are very much behind us at this point, and theyve been behind us for close to a year, said WeWork President Artie Minson. Interviews with more than a dozen former WeWork employees, seven of whom worked there within the last year, echo the allegations and suggest that some problems linger. Former workers describe a chaotic and disorganized company, where young employees are promised they can Do What You Love, a company motto. But they were expected to work long hours and told to Hustle Harder, another slogan often found on WeWork office walls. Many former workers spoke only on condition of anonymity out of fear of retaliation from the company. Im a Millennial, and we dont really know our rights, said Rachel Wynn, a 27-year-old former associate community manager in Washington, who left in 2015 and is planning to pursue a lost-wages case against WeWork. She and other former staffers said they spent much of their time brewing coffee, arranging catering and fixing printers. Sometimes the job involved catching mice and dealing with office party detritus, including used condoms in the meditation room and vomit in the phone booths. The startup worlds approach to work strenuous hours and unwavering devotion can lead to wild success for some employees but can weigh heavily on others, especially low-ranking, non-technical employees. Theres an enormous amount of misclassification at startups, said Cliff Palefsky, an employment lawyer in San Francisco. Many of the people who are working very long hours should be getting overtime. They either dont know or they dont want to rock the boat. Wynn argued that WeWork misclassified her and her fellow community staffers as managers to avoid paying them overtime. She said they werent making many independent decisions in their jobs which can be a federal requirement for someone to be denied overtime and instead, were mostly doing menial tasks. Because I had manager in my title, I thought that part of my job was staying late, Wynn said. I didnt know it shouldnt be that way. WeWork said that Wynn and Tara Zoumer, a 30-year-old former associate community manager in Berkeley who sued the company last year, exercised substantial independence and autonomy in their roles. They both worked on small teams running a WeWork location. WeWork has had a difficult 12 months. Last summer, it cut 7 percent of its workforce and slashed its 2016 profit forecast by 78 percent, citing problems like delayed openings and higher-than-expected construction costs. The worker complaints highlight problems that dont show up in financial documents and in many cases, havent been previously reported. Employees who work more than 40 hours a week are required to be paid time and a half for any hours beyond that, with some exceptions, including one for workers whose primary duty is making independent and substantial decisions about the business. Thats the exemption that WeWork used for years to avoid paying overtime to community staffers. Last year, the Labor Department passed a rule that would ensure that lower-paid full-time workers making $47,476 a year or less would automatically be eligible for overtime. The rule was supposed to go into effect Dec. 1 but was blocked by a judge. In November, WeWork raised salaries for community staff as part of a company-wide pay reassessment. It bumped associate community managers salaries to around $50,000 or more, which keeps them from being guaranteed overtime. Zoumer, who is suing the company over lost overtime wages and wrongful termination, said she wasnt managing anyone but spent her time doing a million tiny jobs like fluffing pillows and setting up catering. She left in November 2015 and sued a few months later. Long hours and late nights are common at WeWork, and the community staff said they had particularly intense demands on their time. All staffers are expected to attend weekly meetings that could last for several hours after their shifts ended at 6 p.m. Community workers were also expected to stay late for evening events. Twelve-hour workdays were commonplace, said three former staffers. Receptionists now get overtime pay since a change in status last year. Air Quality Tracker Check levels down to the neighborhood Ratings for the Bay Area and California, updated every 10 minutes Former community staff said their jobs included post-work rounds of shots and two weekend retreats a year where employees were expected to attend but were not paid or given time off in exchange. WeWorks annual Summer Camp, held by a lake in the Adirondack mountains in August, featured Ice Cube and canoes full of beer. It includes WeWork members. Its yearly winter employee summit was held in Los Angeles in January and included a concert by the Chainsmokers. The median age at the company is 28. Some new employees found the experience intoxicating. It was like something out of a movie. It doesnt quite feel real that its a company that is putting on this event, Zoumer said. A huge stage, top headliners, crazy lights. It felt like a rave. It was a sharp contrast to working at a WeWork office every day. Buildings have a ratio of one community worker for about 90 members, the company said. The community staff are also responsible for finding new members. Former staffers said the pressure to meet sales targets was intense. The goal was to get butts in seats as fast as possible, said Wynn. WeWork said it has hired 60 dedicated salespeople in the last year to help relieve the load. WeWork executives said they have been working to improve the job satisfaction of community workers. In August, the company created a culture committee, where worker representatives can give feedback. Former employees said they stayed at the company as long as they did because they felt an emotional bond to WeWork. Employees were often reminded that they were part owners of the company. When WeWork started getting bad reviews on Glassdoor, Chris Hill, the chief community officer, asked community employees to submit positive reviews, according to three former employees. WeWork declined to comment. At all the meetings, people were always reminded of how lucky they are to be there, how were all so lucky to be part of this experience, Zoumer said. The company lingo was said so often that we all hustle harder. Ellen Huet is a Bloomberg writer. Email: ehuet4@bloomberg.net California court officials are on a mission to pull the technology underpinning their operations into the 21st century. This month, state Chief Justice Tani Cantil-Sakauye is expected to weigh in on a series of recommendations to enhance the publics access to the court system and reducing costs. The modernization proposals, which include expanding the use of video technology and developing chatbots that can help answer routine questions for people called for jury duty, were developed over nine months by a team spearheaded by San Diego Superior Court Judge Robert Trentacosta. Trentacosta recently spoke with The Chronicle about his groups findings. This interview has been edited for space and clarity. Q: How would you characterize your goal for creating these technology recommendations, and how did your group go about its fact-finding mission? A: The goal was to use technology for better service and access to the public, and, internally, perhaps more efficiencies for all concerned. We were hopeful to have a court system that would be easier to use, less costly, more efficient and with increased security. One of the things that we were able to do was to meet with the subject-matter experts. And we were fortunate here in California to have the Silicon Valley companies who were willing to meet with us to talk about where technology is now, and where technology will be in the near future. We set up meetings with various companies that included some very big names like Microsoft and Google and Cisco, just to name a few. And we met with them sometimes for hours, sometimes for days, and we asked them from a technology standpoint, what might be available to help our court users and our court staff now. Q: Did you and your team have a sense of what the court systems biggest pain points were going into the process, or did those present themselves as they went along? A: I think there was a general concern that, you know, litigation is complicated. It can be expensive. It can be really difficult, particularly for self-represented litigants. And by virtue of these difficulties, there was a certain lack of access to justice. That was especially pronounced, for instance, in family law, where some courts report 70 percent or more of one side or the other was self-represented. And obviously you are dealing with significant issues custody and visitation and support. How can we make life better and easier, at least make the people feel like they understand whats going on and that they are being treated fairly? That was absolutely a concern. Q: How much friction in the court system is currently created by language barriers? A: Obviously, as a judge, you want everybody in the courtroom to understand what is going on. And so in California, we have so many languages that are spoken here, that sometimes you cannot get an interpreter for those languages. And the case has to be continued. So we were trying to think of a way that technology could help. So they were able to come up with some terrific ideas. We are increasingly getting some languages that are not so common. And the availability of an interpreter is scarce. And one of the ways that we have found that we might use technology is essentially video remote interpretation, where an interpreter can be at their office (able to speak) a language, for instance, that perhaps is not readily available in the locale. When it comes to efficiency we arent paying them for a half day or full day. So everybody saves money. Q: One of the recommendations was to implement a chatbot to help streamline routine court filings and other matters. Los Angeles County is already using one of those successfully. Can you tell me more about that? A: I can give you an example: You have questions about jury service. We have live people standing by who answer the phone, and who answer a lot of the same repetitive questions. There is a universe of questions that are really frequently asked. So they could create an intelligent chatbot where you could go online and virtually the universe of questions about jury service could be answered, and there would be lots of information and youd know that you were talking to an intelligent chat technology, but it would free up court staff to do other things. So if somebody literally could not get their questions answered, there would still be a phone number and they could talk to somebody. Q: Are you at all concerned about robots taking away your job someday? A: Im not. I think there are some things that machines can do and there are other things that I think it is much better to have a human do. But having a human act as a machine and essentially repeat the same actions over and over again is wasteful. Q: Apart from costs, what are the biggest barriers you foresee toward implementing some of these recommendations? A: Well, I think that there needs to be a change of culture. We have not had the benefit of this technology, and we are used to doing things the way we do them. And I think once people get acquainted with the technology and feel comfortable using it, that they are properly trained, I think the response is going to be this is great! Q: How do you decide where and when some of these recommendations will be tested? A: Thats for the chief (justice) to decide. I suspect that what is going to happen is once she makes a decision about which of these things go forward, because that is clearly her prerogative. But once those decisions are made, I think the (adoption by individual courts) will be on a voluntary basis. I think what we would love to do is for the pilot projects to test them in each of those environments the small, medium and large courts and see what works for each, and then adjust accordingly. Q: How much do you think the Legislature will have to approve for some of these things? And how much can be shifted around in the courts existing budget? A: I cant give you a percentage about how much is going to be done one way or another. But weve gotten clear direction from the governor and the legislators that they appreciate that the third branch of government needs to be modernized that technology is clearly necessary and appropriate. We are going to do pilot projects, sort of as an additional layer of security, to make sure that the money is well-spent. And it seems to me that that is a very reasonable way to proceed. Dominic Fracassa is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: dfracassa@chronicle.com Twitter: @dominicfracassa Proposals to modernize court technology: Develop a pilot project for more remote appearances for most noncriminal court proceedings Authorize more video arraignments Develop a pilot project for self-help chatbots Develop a pilot project for voice-to-text interpretation services Establish an innovation lab to identify emerging technologies Implement a pilot project for comprehensive digital recording for official court services that dont require a court reporter News that thousands of students at the University of California often go hungry because they cant afford meals prompted a generous promise last summer from UC President Janet Napolitano: $3.3 million for more food pantries and other ways of feeding the young scholars. The money, to be spent over two years, would come from the presidents initiative fund, a discretionary pool of cash financed by the interest from university investments, UC officials told The Chronicle in July. It turns out the food allotment is part of the $175 million that California State Auditor Elaine Howle says the presidents office hid in secret funds and did not spend as of June 2016. Howle said in her April 25 audit of spending in the presidents office that Napolitano regularly submitted inflated budgets and swept unspent money into secret reserves to spend on projects of her choosing then asked the regents to raise tuition for next fall. The approved tuition increase is expected to raise $143 million for UC next year less than the money squirreled away in the central office in Oakland that performs administrative services across the UC systems 10 campuses, five medical centers and three national laboratories. The Chronicle took a closer look at the $175 million and met Friday with Napolitanos chief operating officer, Rachel Nava, and other budget experts to learn more about why their office didnt disclose the money to the regents or the public as part of the presidents office budget. In addition to the food program, Napolitanos office set aside funds to pay for initiatives such as carbon neutrality, to help UC become the first university to end its reliance on fossil fuels by 2025; cash to make up for federal financial aid, Pell grants, that have been canceled for summer study; wetlands restoration at UC Merced; and financial aid for immigrant students living here illegally. The presidents staff insists contrary to what Howle found that they were transparent about the funds. Nava said some were lumped together in the budget presented to the regents under such broad categories as the presidents endowment initiative. But she said individual programs were not necessarily broken out in the budget. Instead, Napolitanos staff made separate, periodic presentations about the individual initiatives to the regents, she said. The office also sent press releases out, such as in the case of the $3.3 million food program. We dont believe any of this was hidden, Nava said. Discovery of the reserves, a major finding in the auditors report, forced the UC president to answer questions from angry lawmakers on May 2. It prompted Napolitano to agree to implement, over three years, all 33 of the auditors recommendations for cleaning up the offices unorthodox budgeting practices. And on Thursday, it led Gov. Jerry Brown to announce that he is withholding $50 million from the universitys annual funding allocation in his proposed budget until UC proves it has made progress on reforms. We still have a lot of questions, said Assemblyman Jose Medina, D-Riverside. Napolitano never took full responsibility for the issues found in the audit. Because the presidents staff didnt disclose the funds, her office has said its budget was $686 million last year. The auditor says it was actually $747 million. Howle said the mysterious $175 million was the cumulative amount of undisclosed cash left unspent over four years. Her report says repeatedly that some of the funds should be given to UCs cash-strapped campuses. Nava said Friday that the true amount is $170 million, and that the auditor erroneously included $5 million that belonged to campuses. Howle said her office has had difficulty identifying the amount and source of the reserves, and that Napolitanos office didnt know how much was there until auditors pointed it out. Emails obtained by The Chronicle show that auditors had to repeatedly ask Napolitanos office to show what the reserves were going to be used for. This is a very complex budget, Nava said Friday. Some of these things are difficult to explain not because we dont know whats going on, but because of the complexity. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate 2 1 of 2 Rich Pedroncelli/Associated Press Show More Show Less 2 of 2 Rich Pedroncelli/Associated Press Show More Show Less On Friday, Napolitanos staff offered more information about funds broken down by Howle into these three groups, with the amounts the auditor said were unspent as of last June: Restricted funds ($83 million). Napolitanos staff says the source of each fund prescribes how the money can be spent. The auditor says it is Napolitano herself who is issuing the prescription. An example is $6.3 million left over from an Enron lawsuit settlement after the energy company went bankrupt amid fraud and corruption. Thats restricted for our strategic energy program, said Eva Goode, the presidents budget director, referring to UCs Wholesale Power program, in which the university is the main energy supplier to five campuses and medical centers, including UCSF. Asked if the terms of the settlement required UC to spend the money on its own energy program, Nava, the operations officer, said it was more likely that the presidents staff chose to do so because the money had come from energy contracts and investments in the first place. Howle recommended that UC re-evaluate such restrictions and consider sending the money to campuses to spend on students. Uncommitted funds ($38 million). This money represents savings from unfilled vacancies in the presidents office, interest income from the universitys endowment, and annual fees from campuses that finance most of the budget for the presidents office, according to Nava, Goode and Thera Kalmijn, executive director of operations at the presidents office. Howle said that $32 million of the unspent $175 million came from the fees paid by campuses, and she recommended that this money go back to them. Discretionary commitments ($54 million). These are projects Napolitano specializes in, her staff said. She has set aside funds for practical purposes, like broken heating systems in UC buildings ($2.5 million); improving cybersecurity ($7.2 million); and fixing the homes of campus chancellors ($250,000). But she has also started large projects multiyear commitments of a kind her predecessor, Mark Yudof, never did, said Napolitanos spokeswoman, Dianne Klein. Napolitano became president in July 2013. Among them are employee trainings on how to address sexual violence and harassment on campus ($200,000); financial aid and other services for students in the country illegally ($2.5 million); and the food program for hungry students. Auditors found $5.2 million unspent in the presidents Global Food Initiative fund, which includes the $3.3 million announced last summer after a UC-wide survey of nearly 9,000 students found that 1 in 5 skips meals for lack of funds. A budget for the Global Food Initiative shows that Napolitano started it in 2014. But the budget hasnt been updated since December and shows no expenditures from the $3.3 million touted by her office last summer in a news release. It does show, however, that past expenditures ranged from $606,000 on food research; about $430,000 on food projects for kindergartners through 12th-graders, and nearly $1 million on communication about food, obesity and agriculture. Napolitanos staff will present a new budget for her office to the regents on Thursday for their approval. Unlike in past years, Nava said, there will be a very detailed, lengthy budget presentation. Nanette Asimov and Melody Gutierrez are San Francisco Chronicle staff writers. Email: nasimov@sfchronicle.com, mgutierrez@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @NanetteAsimov, @MelodyGutierrez This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate Summer of Love veteran Bob Mateo says he was disappointed, upon visiting the exhibition at the de Young Museum, to find tie-dye scarce. I noticed that the exhibition had not one photograph nor video showing anyone wearing anything tie-dyed. Curator Jill DAlessandro responds that there is one tie-dye tank top (worn under a purple suede outfit) in the show, and two wall hangings. Long and short, she writes, people started playing with tie-dye mid-60s. Diggers taught it in their store in 1967. At first, it was used mostly for home furnishings. It was really at Woodstock in 1969 where it gained mass appeal and was as popular in mainstream fashion as it was in the counterculture, she adds. Early tie-dye was crude, said the curator, who would have liked to include some crushed velvet tie-dye in the show, but never found a piece that I felt was museum quality. For summertime fun, Vegansaurus is inviting revelers to travel to Ireland, where The vegan food scene is exploding. ... Well be doing all sorts of fun, chill and amazing things like traipsing through castles, low-key hanging with donkeys at a donkey sanctuary, and foraging and cooking a meal with yummy plant geniuses. (I do think thats a typo and they meant genuses but maybe it takes a vegan to appreciate the genius in a genus.) At Point Isabel, the waterfront dog park of El Cerrito, Nina Shoehalter watched while a woman admired a shaggy dog being walked by an elderly gentleman. Looking proud, he beamed, she said, and told his dog, Show us your trick, Pixie. Shed! And Adda Dada was in line at the post office on 20th Avenue in San Francisco, when he overheard a woman he described as panicked: I need to mail this as fast as possible! Its the dogs birthday! Event designer/artist Robert Fountain threw a luxurious party at Filoli the other day to celebrate the 20th anniversary of his business. The party was catered by Taste, and everything was perfect, I am told. Fountains a man of great taste, essential, of course, to his success. In order to pay party tribute to his beloved French bulldogs, Doris and Duke, he had his cake baker, Beth Ann Goldberg of Studio Cakes in Menlo Park, create life-size cake replicas of the dogs. Audible gasps were heard, says an eyewitness, when Robert cut into Doris, revealing her red velvet insides. A report from Native Son Carl Nolte about the Sunday, May 7, party at Reds Java House to honor Tom McGarvey, the original Red in the joints name, on his 90th birthday. McGarvey, whose hair is white nowadays, is one of the last users of the old Potrero Hill accent, which Nolte says is part of S.F. subculture. Its Potrera Hill, ya know, and doan forget it, kid. Pride of the Sunset boxer Irish Pat Lawler attended, as did many other old-timers, says Nolte. Makes you realize that the old city is fading away faster than the smile on a Cheshire cats puss. Leah Garchik is open for business in San Francisco, (415) 777-8426. Email: lgarchik@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @leahgarchik Public Eavesdropping That was awesome, man. My life sucks. Nadja Salerno-Sonnenberg spent more than three decades living the life of the traveling violin soloist playing concertos with the worlds greatest orchestras, touring and recording, and since 2008 serving as the artistic director of the New Century Chamber Orchestra. And it was working for her until it wasnt. When you get to a certain age, you start to value your happiness a lot more than you used to, she said during a recent interview. The priority is no longer what you can achieve or how much money you can make. Instead, you start to ask, Is this gratifying? Am I content? And the answer, for a lot of what I was doing, was no. So a few seasons ago, Salerno-Sonnenberg, 56, began to disengage from the high-profile career that had first made her famous in the 1980s. She took a few victory laps, playing what she knew (even if she didnt feel like making the fact public) would be her final performances of the warhorse concertos of Dvorak, Brahms and Tchaikovsky. She reshaped her schedule to take more assignments as an orchestra leader, guiding an ensemble while playing. Michael Macor/The Chronicle And in 2016, she made the bittersweet announcement that she would be stepping down from the NCCO, the conductorless string ensemble based in the Bay Area that has enjoyed a resurgence of artistic energy and power under Salerno-Sonnenbergs leadership. This week, as the orchestra marks the conclusion of its 25th season, it also celebrates a partnership that has yielded rewards for everyone concerned. The ensemble, always a sensitive collection of players, has adopted some of the electricity and unruly zest that constitute Salerno-Sonnenbergs artistic fingerprint, producing performances that at their best have conjoined spontaneity and elegance. The annual Featured Composer Program that Salerno-Sonnenberg instituted in which each season threw a spotlight on a living composer, culminating in a new commission for the orchestra has made a significant and much-needed addition to the repertoire for string orchestra. And even though the NCCO still doesnt quite enjoy the stature that its excellence would warrant, the sheer star power that comes with having a celebrity at the helm has raised the orchestras profile during the past nine years. All those aspects of this collaboration will be celebrated during the weeks three concerts at the Herbst Theatre. The opening program, on Tuesday, May 16, is a nod to Salerno-Sonnenbergs commissioning legacy, with works by Derek Bermel, Clarice Assad, Lera Auerbach and more. A Farewell to Nadja concert on Thursday, May 18, features Salerno-Sonnenberg as soloist in music of Vivaldi and Piazzolla, and the orchestra observes its silver jubilee on Saturday, May 20, with an all-Gershwin program featuring pianist Anne-Marie McDermott. Once its over, a new chapter gets under way for everyone. The NCCO has appointed the British violinist Daniel Hope to serve a three-year stint with the title artistic partner, while the orchestra brings in a series of guest artists for consideration as the next artistic director. (The 2017-18 season, announced earlier this month, will include appearances by guest concertmasters Benjamin Beilman and Zachary De Pue.) Salerno-Sonnenberg, meanwhile, is gearing up for an improbable relocation after nearly an entire lifetime as a New Yorker (she was born in Rome but immigrated at 8, and she flew into the Bay Area for NCCO concerts). Having come through what can only be described as a midlife crisis, she is getting ready to find solace not through any of the traditional remedies (sports car, younger paramour, dangerous hobby), but with a new city New Orleans, which she now describes as the great love of my life that I just didnt know about. The idea of Salerno-Sonnenberg, who is single, living in the South takes a little getting used to. If nothing else, her distinctively high-energy demeanor, her physical restlessness and her mile-a-minute conversational style all seem like an uneasy fit for any place but New York. Yet New Orleans, with its openness, its devotion to music, its stateliness and grace, has called to her, and in September shes going to answer that call. Along with the allure of the city, an appointment at Loyola University has opened the world of teaching, and shes carrying the legacy of the NCCO there with her. Ive basically created a conductorless string orchestra with these kids, which is something we never had when I was in music school. I went to great schools Curtis and Juilliard and youd think we wouldve had something like this. Because what you learn at that young age is beyond valuable, she says. When I first went down there and started working with these kids, they were awful. But I thought, Im going to get them to play better than they think they can play. And it felt like I was doing something important, something that mattered a lot more than playing one more concerto. The collaborative ethos of a conductorless orchestra is something Salerno-Sonnenberg has been ferrying around to more established ensembles as well. Over the past few years, shes countered invitations for solo appearances with offers to lead performances from the concertmasters chair, as she does with the NCCO and the response from colleagues, she says, is encouraging. Were talking about hardened orchestra players, who have been in the section for 30 or 40 years. And when I come in for the first rehearsal, theres some resentment because now they have to do a lot more work instead of sitting there playing the familiar part and relying on the conductor. But by the time we get to the dress rehearsal or the concert, its like theyre back in college again. I know these people Ive played concertos with them for decades and the experience of making music in that concert is vibrant and engaged in a way I havent seen in them for a long time. Salerno-Sonnenberg knows something herself about that transformation. When she first joined the NCCO as a guest artist in 2007, her experience as a performer had been almost exclusively as a solo virtuoso, and the opportunity to succeed outgoing artistic director Krista Bennion Feeney came as a revelation. The life of a soloist is very isolating. You practice alone, you travel alone I do anyway; some of them have posses and youre alone in the concerto really. But Im not an isolating person, she says. And then to join New Century where we discuss how to play with everyone, and we help each other, we support each other, we hear the improvements together well, it was a fabulous musical experience. It opened a door I didnt know was there, and set me on the path to the life I am about to lead. Asked to identify some high points of her tenure with NCCO, Salerno-Sonnenberg immediately harks back to the groups 2009 performances of Richard Strauss Metamorphosen, a rendition whose splendors were so manifest and unexpected that she tears up while describing it. Shes rightly proud of the collaborations she spearheaded with other local organizations, including Chanticleer, the San Francisco Girls Chorus and the San Francisco Opera Center. And shes glad to have added a host of new works to the repertoire for string orchestra. Regrets? She has a few, including some hoped-for recordings that never materialized and the contractual difficulties of getting the orchestras performances onto the Internet. But the feeling of excitement as Salerno-Sonnenberg begins a new chapter in her life is palpable. Unprompted, she launches into a vivid decade-by-decade personal recap of her career to date. When I was in my 20s, I couldnt wait to get to the concert hall, to get to the dressing room, to see my name on the dressing room, the whole scene. By the time I got to my 30s, I was tired, I was in no hurry to get to the hall but then you hear the orchestra tuning up and they open that door backstage and you think: Its showtime! Youre up! By the time I got to my 40s, I couldnt wait till the concert was over. It was nothing to do with how I played to this day, I would never phone it in but I was looking forward to the afterward. I loved having played. Then I got to my 50s, and when the concert was over, I just wanted to go to sleep. And thats all the sign you need that you have to change something. Change is on the way at last a new home, a new phase in her career and this week, some emotional goodbyes. This all feels very near at hand now. Its like a family, and there are certain people that I do not want to say goodbye to, she says. But I am so looking forward to coming back to San Francisco and going to a New Century concert. I want to see them and watch them and listen to them from the audience. Its something Ive never done. Joshua Kosman is The San Francisco Chronicles music critic. Email: jkosman@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @JoshuaKosman Kamala Harris is not going to run for president in 2020. There is already plenty of speculation on both coasts that Californias new U.S. senator is going to pull a Barack Obama and leverage her noteworthy first step onto the national political stage in November into an almost-immediate campaign for the White House. With such tremendous amounts of media conjecture, grassroots excitement and donor encouragement inevitably comes a great deal of temptation. But Harris and her team understand that while theres little to be lost by allowing such gossip to escalate, that enthusiasm in no way obligates her to act precipitously. Much of the Harris boomlet is driven by the unprecedented emotional dudgeon caused by President Trumps first months in office. The anger and unhappiness that fuel the Democratic resistance to Trumps presidency are accompanied by equally high levels of impatience for identifying his successor. Fully one-quarter of the partys 48 U.S. senators have already been identified as potential presidential candidates, along with a battalion of other national and state party leaders. Democrats want a standard-bearer and they want her (or him) now. A potential Harris candidacy becomes even more tantalizing when the Democrats generational skew is considered. Their three most recognizable potential candidates Joe Biden, Bernie Sanders and Elizabeth Warren will all be in their 70s by the time of the 2020 general election. The partys congressional leaders are all of that same generation Senate Minority Leader Charles Schumer will be a few weeks from his 70th birthday when the polls close, making him the pup of their legislative litter. By contrast, Harris is only 52 years old, and she also presents a unique demographic and ethnic heritage with the potential to appeal to the Millennial voters who now make up the Democratic base. Representing a nation-state with 55 electoral votes doesnt hurt either. There was once a time when any Republican statewide officeholder in California was considered a potential presidential candidate, but until now, circumstances have conspired against the states most prominent Democrats. If Jerry Brown were even a few years younger, he would be one of a small number of potential front-runners for the nomination. But Californias soon-to-be-octogenarian governor seems to have grown wistful as he considers that his age makes another national campaign very unlikely. For most of their careers, Dianne Feinstein was considered too moderate to compete for the nomination while Barbara Boxer seemed too combative (albeit in a pre-Trump era). But Harris has found a way to combine Boxers ideology with Feinsteins temperament, allowing her to rally the partys progressive base on the issues while reassuring moderates and the Democratic establishment with a more measured demeanor. By focusing her most visible efforts against Trumps immigration and refugee policies, Harris has identified a topic that unites a party that is still divided on a range of economic, foreign policy and cultural issues. All of which makes a presidential candidacy an extremely tempting prospect. But a look back at the two presidencies that preceded Trump demonstrate that it is much easier for a rising political star to get to the Oval Office than to succeed there. Drought Map Track water shortages and restrictions across Bay Area Updated to include drought zones while tracking water shortage status of your area, plus reservoir levels and a list of restrictions for the Bay Areas largest water districts. Only the most rabid of partisans would dispute the notion that Obama and George W. Bush could have accomplished much more during their White House years had they come to the presidency with a greater amount of governing experience. Bush had served only slightly more than one term as governor of Texas, a deep-red state almost completely controlled by his party, which left him with little need to pursue bipartisan cooperation. Obamas tenure in the Senate was even briefer, giving him a comparably small amount of experience at reaching across party lines to achieve policy goals. The results were predictable, as both presidents struggled to keep Washington and the country from becoming increasingly and dangerously polarized. The result of those years of hyper-partisanship is Trump. By contrast, Ronald Reagan and Bill Clinton came to the White House with more experience in politically challenging circumstances and therefore a deeper understanding of the benefits of forging common ground with the opposition. Not coincidentally, both men were able to build coalitions that allowed them to achieve sustainable policy victories on trade, on taxes, on Social Security and any number of other policy fronts. Such bipartisan cooperation is looked at with disdain in todays hyper-frenzied political environment. But the smartest and the most patient leaders understand that is still the best path on which to achieve real and lasting success. Dan Schnur, who has worked on four presidential and three gubernatorial campaigns, teaches political communications at the University of Southern California and UC Berkeley. A back-door route to one of the prettiest sites in Northern California the Berry Creek Canyon and its three drop-dead beautiful waterfalls reopened last week in Big Basin Redwoods State Park. This is just in time for hikers to see the waterfalls while the falls are still charged from winter rains. In addition, two more-traditional and shorter routes to the falls will probably open in time for Memorial Day weekend, and perhaps sooner, according to park staff at Big Basin Redwoods and its coastal outpost, Rancho del Oso. After several months, trail crews finished clearing the Sunset Trail this past week, trail supervisor Chris Pereira reported. From park headquarters, the Sunset Trail provides a route through the parks most remote regions to the top of the Berry Creek Canyon. From there, you can turn left and drop down on the trail that leads past the falls in turn from top to bottom, the Golden Cascade, Silver Falls and Berry Creek Falls. Big Basin Redwoods Contact: (831) 338-8860, www.parks.ca.gov. Access: Drive-in campsite Reservations: www.reserveamerica.com. Hike-in trail camp reservations: (831) 338-8861. Tent cabins: www.bigbasintentcabins.com, reserve at www.reserveamerica.com. Rancho del Oso Nature and History Center: (831) 427-2288, http://ranchodeloso.org. See More Collapse Several other trails are still closed in the park. That means you have to return via the same route, not a loop, which makes it a round trip of 12.6 miles, out and back from headquarters. Including the drive, that is an ambitious day for most. In February, drenching rains and pounding winds toppled more than 50 trees across the Skyline-to-the-Sea Trail, the 4.7-mile route to Berry Creek Falls. The damage included a 400-yard section plundered by a landslide that tossed old-growth redwoods in a heap, ranger Alex Tabone said. The Sunset Trail (and others in the park) was also closed then by damage. At the same time, an alternate route to Berry Creek Falls from Rancho del Oso on the coast, the bike-and-hike along Waddell Creek, was impassable from high water at a stream crossing. Scott Peden Big Basin Redwoods is near Boulder Creek in the Santa Cruz Mountains and has received more than 90 inches of rain this season, according to park staff. Other gauges in the region have measured 76 to 87 inches, according to the Santa Cruz Water Department. That level of rainfall has saturated aquifers, has springs pumping and recharged the waterfalls in Berry Creek Canyon. For many, the centerpiece is Berry Creek Falls, the landmark 70-foot waterfall framed in a redwood canyon. Crews built a new viewing deck near the plunge pool. Theres something timeless there, whether you visited 50 years ago or last week. Upstream, a little over a half mile, is Silver Falls, a gorgeous free-fall. A rock staircase leads up the right side to the brink, where from a cable rail you can reach out and touch the water. Its magic to feel the cold water hit your fingers. The brink of Silver Falls connects upstream to the lower span of the Golden Cascade, a series of slides, chutes and falls in which clear water flows over golden sandstone. Theres a spot there that is one of my favorite places in the world, where all the senses can feel as though they spark to life. In the next two weeks, the next route to Berry Creek Falls to open will probably be the bike-and-hike out of Rancho del Oso, interpretive specialist Jeremy Linn said. Crews from the California Conservation Corps will arrive in the coming week, he said, with a mission to install the bridges and reopen the westernmost leg of the Skyline-to-the-Sea Trail to Berry Creek Falls. On this route from Highway 1, you ride 6 miles, including three hills that will get you puffing, to a set of bike racks. You then lock up and walk a half mile to Berry Creek Falls. There is no date for the reopening of the primary route, the Skyline-to-the-Sea Trail out of park headquarters, but with crews on it full time, it seems likely by Memorial Day weekend. Salmon delivery: Only 5 percent of juvenile salmon survive the swim from their nursery grounds on the Upper Sacramento River and tributaries through the delta, bay and to the ocean, according to scientists. In Half Moon Bay, the Coastside Fishing Club has eased the trip. The Coastsiders, as many call the club, took delivery of 240,000 salmon smolts last week, when they were poured from the hatchery truck by chute into an acclimation pen. The fish will then grow out in submerged cages in the harbor for later release. The Coastsiders will receive another 240,000 Wednesday and then again on May 24, at the end of Johnson Pier at Pillar Point Harbor. The survival of the smolts and success of the rearing program is the best in California and has helped get more salmon into the ocean, instead of baby fish getting sucked down water pumps. Cautionary tales: You wonder whether the stories of three of my friends are just tales of bad luck, or perhaps something else. These three, who dont know each other, have traveled across Central America, South America and Africa on many adventures. All three have world-class credentials. When they returned to the United States, each fell victim to an illness that doctors could not decipher, other than calling them likely bacteria-based infections, perhaps introduced by insect bites or parasites. One of my friends went blind, another is in a wheelchair and underwent neurological testing last week with still no answers, and the third was put in intensive care last week while on a trip in South Africa. That got me thinking, to remember the grade school lesson, how Europeans came to the Western Hemisphere and introduced diseases to the native people that their immune systems could not defend. Could the same thing be happening here? Letter of the week: Last week we ran into an old friend who related that on a recent morning near the Cliff House (San Francisco), he was sure that he saw a bald eagle soaring above the cliffs. Then last Thursday afternoon, my wife and I were taking the Coastal Trail from Sutros to China Beach, when we saw what we thought were two red-tailed hawks soaring above the cliffs (two often roost in the trees in Sutro Park), but they were much larger, and one was sporting a white head and tail. The second bird was either a mate, or perhaps a sibling who had not yet fully developed his white markings. As we sat in awe, a young woman came walking in the opposite direction, and I said, Look, a bald eagle! She calmly kept walking without looking up and stated in return, Im from Washington, D.C., and to me they are like pigeons. What we have here is a walk in nature, a sighting of something wonderful, and then an interaction with what must have been a pol from our capital with her mind on another gold-crested bird of prey. Bill Sorensen. Tom Stienstra is The Chronicles outdoor writer. His TV film The Mighty T was named last week as an Emmy finalist and will air at 7 p.m. Wednesday on KQED TV. Email: tstienstra@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @StienstraTom Two competing affordable housing philosophies go head-to-head this week in San Francisco City Hall. One intends to keep middle-class families in a city thats become increasingly white collar. The other seeks to build more affordable housing for the poor. Now an advocacy group called the Council of Community Housing Organizations is throwing in an idea that complicates both proposals and the negotiations to reach a consensus. The group is pushing San Francisco supervisors to change the way that affordable housing is priced, basing it on the market rate for the surrounding neighborhood, rather than the citywide median income. Rents for affordable units would go down in places like Visitacion Valley and the Bayview, and stay about the same in upscale areas like Sea Cliff. Right now its just flat-priced, said Peter Cohen, the councils co-director. So you have these affordable units that are so far above whats affordable for the neighborhood, theyre essentially being built for outsiders. Thats a recipe for gentrification. Cohen and his allies want to cap rents and sale prices for affordable units that are included in new market rate projects, setting the maximum rent for those units at 20 percent below average for the neighborhood, or 120 percent of the citys median income whichever is lower. The group has support from many people in the affordable housing world, including Planning Commissioner Myrna Melgar and Supervisors Jane Kim and Aaron Peskin, who represent the progressive wing of the board. But opponents say the proposal would stymie development in the areas that need it most and potentially lead to economic segregation. If we say that one neighborhood is only for one income level or another whether its high or low then we will create homogenous socioeconomic enclaves, said Todd David, the executive director of the San Francisco Housing Action Coalition, a build-it group thats known, in political circles, as the archnemesis of Cohens council. David calls the idea a scorched earth policy that could make it impossible for market-rate projects to get financing. It costs the same to build in Hunters Point as in Pacific Heights, said developer Oz Erickson, who also opposes the idea. And the only way to pay for those costs is through rents. But Cohen and his co-director, Fernando Marti, are getting some traction in City Hall, where they have spent the week meeting with supervisors. Peskin has cottoned to their idea of recalibrating affordability levels by neighborhood and turned it into a bargaining chip in his and Kims negotiations with moderate Supervisors London Breed, Katy Tang and Ahsha Safai. Peskin and Kim are proposing an affordable housing policy that would make 24 percent of units in all new market-rate projects be affordable, and skew it to lower-income families. A competing ordinance by Supervisors Breed, Safai and Tang would require 18 percent affordable units in new developments, targeted at middle-income populations. Peskin recently ordered a budget and legislative analysts report to illustrate the income inequality in the city and provide fuel for the idea that affordability needs to be readjusted by neighborhood. The report showed stark divisions: The median income for households on Potrero Hill is $153,658 more than three times the median household income of $46,552 a year in Lakeshore. The two sides are to face off Monday afternoon before the boards Land Use Committee, with the resulting legislation then going to the Board of Supervisors. Waiting on the sidelines are people who could be profoundly affected by the legislation. Among them is Jacklyn Laquindanum, a mother of two who manages the office of an affordable housing developer in the Bayview. Raised in the Sunset, Laquindanum became homeless after an eviction last year and currently lives with her boyfriend and children in a one-bedroom in-law in Daly City near the Cow Palace. Shes on six waiting lists for affordable housing developments in San Francisco. Its like Im doing the same process over and over again, and not getting anywhere, she said. On the other side are working families who want to move up the ladder but stay in the city, Breed said. A lot of these folks in low-income neighborhoods many of whom are people I grew up with theyre ready to get to the next level, she said. They have good jobs working for the city or the feds, and they dont want to get priced out to Vallejo or Antioch. Rachel Swan is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: rswan@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @rachelswan This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate Every morning, after dropping her two sons off at school, Mary Michael Pringle would go in search of a place to work. Pringle rotated among a familiar circuit of local coffee shops, anxiously hoping to hit the freelancing jackpot: a table large enough to house both her coffee and her laptop, not to mention high-speed Wi-Fi and a nearby electrical outlet. More often than not, once Pringle finally got settled, shed have to pack it all back up again for a business call, eagerly hoping her Google Docs would load from the car. A similar routine followed whenever she needed to use the bathroom. Now, five days a week, Pringle works at the Hivery, an all-women co-working space in downtown Mill Valley. Its been a slow burn for me to realize I needed to invest in myself and take myself more seriously so that my clients would do the same, says Pringle, 45, a freelance copywriter. Since leaving a big San Francisco advertising agency and striking out on her own, finally solving the workplace piece of the freelance puzzle has proven shockingly transformative. Looking back, its amazing I got any work done. The first Hivery opened in 2014, initially housed inside a converted art gallery in Sausalito. It has since outgrown that space and in March of last year, unveiled its current, 3,000-square-foot Mill Valley outpost. Since 2014, the Hivery has grown from 28 to 300 members with more than 25 percent traveling from San Francisco to work in Mill Valley, while others commute from the East Bay and Sonoma County. Members range from Millennials to Baby Boomers and include writers, artists, activists, women scaling businesses, women running businesses and women changing careers altogether. The biggest thing Im interested in is what creates and supports a courageous woman, says Grace Kraaijvanger (pronounced CRY-vunger), 42, the Hiverys founder and CEO. Thats my mission and my calling. As co-working has proliferated in recent years, so, too, have women-only co-working spaces. According to a 2016 report by Emergent Research, a Lafayette research and consulting firm, there are 3,900 co-working spaces across the country. Of these, about 20 to 25 are women-only. Among women-only workspaces, the Hivery is in good company, alongside the Wing in New York City (with three more locations to open within the coming year), the Rise Collaborative Workspace in St. Louis, Mo., and Hera Hub, which started in San Diego and now operates four locations nationwide (with two more in the pipeline). Segmentation and growth into niche markets are clear signs of an expanding and maturing industry, says Steve King, a partner at Emergent Research. As weve seen in the past with co-working, once a concept or niche is proven, growth quickly follows. Looking ahead, King predicts that the number of women-oriented co-working spaces will likely multiply. In late March, Wayfair, the home-furnishings website, announced the winners of its annual design competition. Among more than 10,000 submissions, the Hivery won for best office space. LeAnn Wanninger, a Hivery member since 2015, runs Design Renegades, a Mill Valley interior design firm. She created the light, bright and airy with a pop of yellow workspace, purposely leaving spaces that feel unfinished and not perfect. The first message is that youre here to find out why youre really here, Wanninger says. Thats the differentiator. From the Martha Graham quote lining the Hiverys front atrium to its careful configuration of shiny, white lacquer desks and Lucite chairs, visitors quickly get the sense that this isnt your typical male-dominated co-working space. Putting a foosball table into a space does not make a woman more creative, Kraaijvanger says of the pervasive bro culture at many Silicon Valley co-working spots. Tequila Thursdays have nothing to do with womens empowerment. Since starting the Hivery three years ago,Kraaijvanger has observed that its members value flexibility above all else with most utilizing its eight-days-a-month membership for $275. An unlimited monthly membership costs $380. In addition to fast Wi-Fi, co-working amenities include access to a large multipurpose room and four individual conference rooms, printers, daytime and overnight storage, and Equator coffee and tea, among several other perks. Part of the Hiverys unique appeal is Kraaijvanger herself, who possesses a quiet charisma and frequently hosts workshops related to personal growth and career development. Losing her mother in 2011 propelled Kraaijvanger to finally act on a longtime dream of creating a space where women were free to collaborate. As more and more women wanted to join, the small Sausalito space quickly grew cramped. Kraaijvanger observed the Hivery filling a void or an antidote to the isolation of working from home. She used her personal savings to fund its expansion, now located in the heart of Mill Valleys downtown. Drought Map Track water shortages and restrictions across Bay Area Updated to include drought zones while tracking water shortage status of your area, plus reservoir levels and a list of restrictions for the Bay Areas largest water districts. I think we all thought it was going to be so great to work from home, Kraaijvanger says. She lives nearby with her husband, who works for a technology company, and their two middle school-age children. The only factor that we didnt bring into that equation is that wed be doing it all alone. Tara Mohr, 38, a writer, entrepreneur and mother of two young children, drives (against traffic) from San Francisco to Mill Valley once a week. As an extrovert working from home, Mohr craves human contact and watercooler chitchat. Once at the Hivery, Mohr finds the Monday meditation and new-member lunches a great way of breaking up an otherwise monotonous workday. You feel a little more professional than if youre at home in your pajamas, Mohr says. You take yourself a little more seriously because the space is taking you seriously. Kraaijvanger said the Hiverys business model is already profitable, with proceeds funding the next stage of its growth. In recent months, theres been an outpouring of interest from investors eager to create a nationwide expansion program. And by years end, Kraaijvanger plans to open two more locations: one in the Bay Area and another in New York, although she declined to be more specific. When scouting future locations, be it on the West or East Coast, Kraaijvanger hopes to replicate much of the Mill Valley magic namely, its visibility. If youre going to create a movement for women working in a different way, you have to be bold, said Kraaijvanger, who believes the centrality of its location is vital. We want little girls riding their bikes to know that women are making a contribution on the floor above. We want to put it out there, for all the town to see. Amanda M. Fairbanks is a freelance writer in Marin. Email: style@sfchronicle.com The Hivery 38 Miller Ave., No. 20, Mill Valley. (415) 569-7760; https://www.thehivery.com/. A roundup of upcoming events: Monday Roundtable: Bay Area political journalists, including The Chronicles Joe Garofoli, discuss the second 100 days of the Trump presidency. It starts at 6:30 p.m. at the Commonwealth Club, 555 Post St. in San Francisco. For information: http://bit.ly/2r425wN. Wednesday Conversation: A discussion on how social media play into political mobilization and change the nature of protests. The event is from 6:30 to 7:30 p.m. at the World Affairs Auditorium, 312 Sutter St., Suite 200 in San Francisco. For information: http://bit.ly/2q5SZCF. Thursday Abortion rights: NARAL Pro-Choice America holds a happy hour to raise funds to support its fight for reproductive freedom. The event is from 6 to 8 p.m. at Tank18, 1345 Howard St. in San Francisco. For tickets: http://naral.org/menforchoicesf. Farming film: A screening of Sunu, a documentary about the struggle of Mexican farmers to grow traditional, non-genetically-modified corn. The screening is from 7 to 9 p.m. at the Arlene Francis Center, 99 Sixth St. in Santa Rosa. For information, contact Occupy Sonoma County at (707) 877-6650 or www.occupysonomacounty.org. Sunday Peace talk: A conversation with author Susan Griffin on How War Erodes and Destroys Democr acies. Hosted by the Womens International League for Peace and Freedom. The free event is from 3 to 5 p.m. at the Ed Roberts Campus, 3075 Adeline St. in Berkeley. For information: www.wilpfeastbay.org. May 24 Fake news: A conversation with Joaquin Alvarado, CEO of the Center for Investigative Reporting, on the obligation of the government and media to filter fake news. The event is from 6:30 to 7:30 p.m. at the World Affairs Auditorium, 312 Sutter St., Suite 200 in San Francisco. For information: http://bit.ly/2qw0OCF. May 27 Immigration discussion: The Interfaith Movement for Human Integrity will host a discussion on immigration, followed by postcard writing to support social justice. The event is from 10 a.m. to noon at Northern Police Station Community Room, 1125 Fillmore St. in San Francisco. For information: info@owlsf.org. A police chase in Concord on Saturday ended in the death of a 24-year-old Pittsburg woman who was the passenger in a stolen vehicle being pursued by police, according to the Clayton Police Department. The chase began around 3 p.m. when Clayton police officers were dispatched to a report of a woman looking into vehicles at the Clayton Station Shopping Center. The woman was seen leaving their area after getting into a white sport utility vehicle that had been reported stolen from Oakley on May 3. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate WASHINGTON American democracy is under assault from both President Trump and Russia, the former U.S. intelligence chief warned Sunday, expressing dismay over the abrupt firing of FBI director James Comey amid a probe into Moscows meddling in U.S. elections and possible ties with the Trump campaign. As Trump works to fast-track Comeys successor, lawmakers from both parties on Sunday talk shows urged him to steer clear of any politicians for the job. I think, in many ways, our institutions are under assault, both externally and thats the big news here, is the Russian interference in our election system, said James Clapper, the former director of national intelligence. I think as well our institutions are under assault internally. When he was asked, Internally, from the president? Clapper answered, Exactly. Clapper spoke after Trumps sudden firing of Comey last week, which drew sharp criticism because it came while the FBI is investigating Russias interference in the 2016 presidential election. Lawmakers from both parties reprimanded Trumps actions last week, which included shifting explanations from the White House for Comeys dismissal and an ominous tweet by Trump that warned Comey against leaks to the press because he may have tapes of their conversations. The lawmakers said the president would need to hand over to Congress any taped conversations with Comey, if they exist. Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., said promoting an FBI agent to lead the agency would allow the nation to reset. He dismissed as less desirable at least two of the 14 candidates under consideration by Trump, former Rep. Mike Rogers of Michigan and Sen. John Cornyn of Texas, explaining that these are not normal circumstances. Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer of New York said the new FBI director should be someone not of partisan background with great experience and courage. Clapper and Schumer made their comments on CNN; Graham spoke on NBC. Hope Yen is an Associated Press writer. 1 Arms embargo: Egyptian President Abdel-Fattah el-Sissi reiterated a call on the international community to lift an arms embargo on Libya on Saturday, which would allow weapons to be delivered legally to a powerful general he backs in the fractured countrys east. After meeting Field Marshal Khalifa Hifter in Cairo, el-Sissi said Hifters Libyan National Army required the weapons to fight terrorism. Libya descended into chaos following the 2011 NATO-backed uprising that toppled and killed leader Moammar Khadafy. The oil-rich nation is now split between rival governments and militias. Hifter is allied with the internationally-recognized parliament in eastern Libya and at odds with the U.N.-backed government in Tripoli. 2 Deadly crash: Turkish authorities say at least 23 people died and 11 others were in critical condition Saturday after a tour bus tipped over, fell 50 feet down a cliff and then hit a car on a mountain road. Deputy governor of Mugla province, Kamil Koten, told Turkeys state-run Anadolu news agency the driver was among the dead and most of those killed were women. Governor Amir Cicek said the bus flipped over at a road bend as it was traveling from the coastal province of Izmir to Marmaris, a popular tourist destination. Cicek said the passengers were all Turkish and the cause of the accident is under investigation. SEOUL North Korea said Monday that the missile it launched a day earlier was a new ballistic missile that can carry a large, heavy nuclear warhead, warning that the United States military bases in the Pacific were within its range. North Korea launched what American officials called an intermediate-range ballistic missile on Sunday. The missile, believed to have a longer range than any other North Korean missile tested so far, landed in the sea between the North and Japan, sparking angry comments from President Trump, as well as from President Moon Jae-in of South Korea and Prime Minister Shinzo Abe of Japan. The Norths official Korean Central News Agency said Monday that the new missile, Hwasong-12, hit the targeted open water 489 miles away after soaring to an altitude of 1,312 miles. The missile was launched at a deliberately high angle so it would not fall too close to a neighboring country, the news agency said. The flight data announced by the North roughly matched that released by Japanese and South Korean officials hours after the launch. David Wright, a director of the Global Security Program at the Union of Concerned Scientists, wrote in a blog post that if the same missile was flown on a standard trajectory, it would have a maximum range of 2,800 miles. That would qualify the projectile as an intermediate-range ballistic missile, which could fly far enough to target key U.S. military bases in the Pacific, including those in Guam. The North on Monday used the unfamiliar term medium-long range to describe the missile. The state news agency said the Norths leader, Kim Jong Un, watched the launch. If the United States provokes North Korea, Kim said, it will not escape the biggest disaster in history, according to the news agency. Although North Korea has vowed to develop the ability to attack the U.S. with nuclear warheads and has tested missiles that can reach throughout the Korean Peninsula and its vicinity, it has never tested a long-range missile that could fly across the Pacific. Missile experts say North Korea may still be years away from mastering the technologies needed to build a reliable intercontinental ballistic missile, although Kim warned in his New Years Day speech that his country had reached a final stage in preparing to conduct its first ICBM test. Choe Sang-Hun is a New York Times writer. BARI, Italy U.S. Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin said Saturday that major trading partners are much more comfortable with the Trump administrations stance on trade and tax policy and understand that they will benefit from the intended U.S. growth. Mnuchin spoke after face-to-face meetings with major trade partners such as Germany, Japan and Canada on the sidelines of the Group of Seven finance ministers meeting in Bari, Italy. The meeting focused on finance and security issues such as keeping multinationals from dodging taxes and a collective response to cybercrime like the ransomware attack that hit dozens of countries Friday. A broader theme not on the written agenda, however, was the desire of foreign leaders to get a better read on Trumps policies, and U.S. officials desire to make their positions clear. Trump has vowed to press for trade that is fair as well as open and benefits U.S. workers and has focused on bilateral, or country-to-country, relations. Mnuchin said that after meetings in Bari and a broader finance summit in Baden-Baden, Germany in March, people feel a level of comfort in understanding the Trump administration policies. He said counterparts understand that we dont want to be protectionist, but we reserve our right to be protectionist to the extent we believe trade is not free and fair. One partner openly pushing back was Canadian Finance Minister Bill Morneau, who rejected as baseless duties the U.S. imposed on some Canadian lumber imports. Still, both he and Mnuchin stressed how important the U.S.-Canada trade relationship is to both economies. A Canadian ministry statement called it a productive discussion and that Canada committed to working out a durable solution. David McHugh is an Associated Press writer. STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. -- In the early 1980s, a small group of Staten Islanders decided to organize a "gay" dance at a housing development near the Staten Island Mall. Although details were only communicated by word of mouth, to their surprise, more than 300 people attended. More than three decades later, having accomplished the monumental task of founding and directing the independent Pride Center of Staten Island, Ralph W. Vogel is announcing his intention to retire from his leadership role. In a statement, the Board of Directors of the Pride Center expressed its "deepest appreciation and gratitude to our founding Executive Director for his selfless work, his vision, and all he has accomplished." An executive search committee is seeking qualified and passionate candidates to lead the Pride Center into the next phase of its existence. To review the full Executive Director job description, qualifications and how to apply, check out PrideCenterSi.org/employment. Check out the 2017 Staten Island PrideFest Schedule at the link below: RALPH'S PRIDE CENTER JOURNEY After the runaway success of that inaugural event in the 1980s, the group recognized an unmet need for socializing and advocacy and responded by creating the Lambda Associates of Staten Island. Lambda hosted monthly meetings with guest speakers, summer picnics, an annual Pride dinner dance, and other events throughout the year. They dreamed of someday having a safe and welcoming space where they could gather to share their stories, support each other, and work towards equality. It was in this spirit that the Staten Island AIDS Task Force submitted a grant proposal to open an LGBT Wellness Center. In May 2008, the Staten Island LGBT Health Center officially opened its doors. The Center soon became a central meeting place for members of Staten Island's LGBTQ community and their allies. THIS ISN'T RALPH'S FIRST RETIREMENT Two years later, in 2010, in response to community members' suggestions to transform the LGBT Health Center into an independent LGBT Community Center, CHASI Executive Director, Diane Arneth, coaxed Ralph from retirement to lead the Center program and to create an independent LGBT Community Center with a broader scope and purpose. Under Vogel's leadership, the Center began a comprehensive community initiative to support and coordinate existing various LGBT groups to work together to produce community-wide programs and events. The Center broadened the scope of services and programs, expanded its staff, and have become the cornerstone for LGBTQ Staten Islanders as well as a hub for events, programs, and services on Staten Island. Ralph has more than tripled the amount of money the Center brings in to operate and fulfill the mission. He built a Board of Directors from the communities and created the infrastructure required to form an independent non-profit and local LGBT Community Center. He worked tirelessly towards the goal of forming the LGBT Community Center and on June 29, 2013, the Pride Center of Staten Island, Inc. was officially recognized and Incorporated by New York State and awarded IRS 501c3 status. Under his leadership the Pride Center has continued to grow. Its signature event, the One Island One Pride Dinner Dance, has become a not-to-be-missed annual gathering for the LGBTQ community to celebrate its founders, heroes, and traditions. The annual PrideFest outdoor celebration has been transformed from a small afternoon event to a full week of special pride events and program including a 5K Run and a PrideFest festival held on the grounds of the beautiful Snug Harbor Cultural Center with a festive showcase for community organizations, vendors, musicians, artists and artisans. Under Ralph's leadership, the Pride Center of Staten Island, the second largest LGBTQ center in New York, has fulfilled the dreams of those early pioneers in ways they could only imagine. AMONG VOGEL'S MANY OTHER ACCOMPLISHMENTS: STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. -- Borough President James Oddo announced the creation of the Drug Prevention Portal, a new website providing data on overdose and addiction. The website, sidrugprevention.org, was created with the help of The Staten Island Performing Provider System (PPS), the Staten Island Partnership for Community Wellness (SIPCW), Staten Island Borough Hall and community and government partners. In addition to overdose information, the portal will include resources for professionals, providers for behavioral health, substance use needs and care management assistance. DEALING WITH THE DRUG EPIDEMIC Borough Hall's policy team researched ways to deal with the opioid epidemic and came across an overdose prevention campaign being used by the state of Rhode Island in partnership with Brown University, according to Oddo. Part of the campaign featured a website with a data dashboard containing information on the opioid epidemic. "We immediately believed that a platform like this would be a transformative tool for all of the task force members that meet regularly here at Borough Hall," Oddo said. "This is an easy-to-find, easy-to-search tool for residents of Staten Island and providers. I want to thank everyone on my team for the outstanding work. I want to thank all of our partners," said Oddo. The data collected was from Richmond University Medical Center, Staten Island University Hospital and over 75 local partner organizations who are transforming healthcare on Staten Island. The data will be updated monthly. The organizations joined forces to tackle the drug epidemic and improve behavioral health for Staten Island residents. Want to discuss this report? Visit the comment section to join the conversation. STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. -- Staten Islanders' pets were blessed by Rev. Terry Troia on Saturday for the annual Blessing of the Animals. The annual free event began at 11 a.m. at the Reformed Church of Huguenot Park in Huguenot. The event invited young children and adults to bring their living and stuffed animals to be blessed. Non-profit organization, Fur Friends in Need, hosted a flea market and brought cats and dogs available for adoption. Anne and Tom Woodman of Eltingville brought their rescue dog Penny -- a half West Highland Terrier and half mixed mutt -- to the event. The couple would bring their late Pomeranian dog, Pal, to other blessings every year. Just a month after losing Pal, a friend contacted the couple about finding Penny in Delaware tied to a pole. After no one came forward to claim her, the couple met her and soon adopted her. "We had looked into other dogs because we wanted to get a companion for Pal and she just kind of came into our lives," Anne said. "She loves people and other pets and loves to meet other dogs." Check out the gallery of cats and dogs blessed on Saturday. Want to discuss this story? Visit the comment section to join the conversation. STATEN ISLAND, N.Y.-- The suspect sought in the New Springville barricade Friday was arrested for assaulting his girlfriend, police allege. John Romaine, 44, allegedly pulled the woman out of the vehicle and threw her to the ground, fracturing her left wrist, according to an NYPD spokesman. The incident occurred at 7 p.m. on Thursday in front of Romaine's home on Naso Court, police said. Romaine was arrested at the 121st Precinct in Graniteville at 6 p.m. Friday and charged with felony assault, said the NYPD spokesman. Heavily-armed Emergency Service Unit police officers responded to Romaine's home Friday afternoon for a possible barricade situation, but left the scene without the suspect in custody, police said. The officers, who were carrying guns and wearing bullet-proof vests, surrounded the home on Naso Court near Rockland Avenue for a few hours. But once they entered, they found the apartment was empty. Emergency personnel cleared the scene at around 5:40 p.m., just before Romaine was apprehended Friday. Romaine has five prior arrests, including an assault in 2010, and is allegedly in a motorcycle gang, according to a law enforcement source. By clicking Agree, you consent to Slates Terms of Service and Privacy Policy and the use of technologies such as cookies by Slate and our partners to deliver relevant advertising on our iOS app to personalize content and perform site analytics. Please see our Privacy Policy for more information about our use of data, your rights, and how to withdraw consent. Agree It seems West Tuggeranong has room for well under half the population originally proposed. Credit:Andrew Sheargold A 29-year-old man died in Canberra's prison, the Alexander Maconochie Centre, on Saturday evening. Police are not revealing any information about the death or the circumstances surrounding it, other than that it happened about 8pm. "ACT Policing Criminal Investigations is investigating the circumstances surrounding the death and a report will be prepared for the ACT Coroner," they said in a statement. Daniel Burdon has more. Abuse survivors want person record release Geelong's Cam Guthrie is set to come under MRP scrutiny after he pushed an umpire out of his way to take a mark in the Cats' shock loss to Essendon. Guthrie pushed umpire Justin Schmitt in the back during the second quarter of Saturday night's match at the MCG, causing the umpire to stumble but keep his feet while the midfielder took the mark. AFL umpiring director Peter Schwab says the MRP will likely look at the incident "as a matter of process" but stressed that sometimes umpires got caught up in the play. He said he believed there was no malice in the incident. Schwab would could not comment on the matter any further. Aldi's Australian chief executive Tom Daunt has described the discount supermarket chain as being the piggy in the middle of a price war between the two majors Coles and Woolworths, with the German-based grocery discounter announcing the ramping up its marketing efforts with a new brand campaign. In the first three months Aldi has hit back competitively by investing $75 million (annualised) in discounting its grocery and fresh food range. "Our customers are paying less today than a year ago," Daunt said. "Price has become a noisy subject (among supermarket operators). The market is definitely competitive. That said we haven't changed fundamentally what we are doing ... as we grow we benefit more and more from scale." Aldi will begin its "Good Different" multi-media brand campaign this week. New rules to fine banks and ban executives over misconduct could transform the role of the nation's most powerful financial regulator, experts say. But the devil will be in the detail as to whether it delivers the kind of results the government is spruiking. The Banking Executive Accountability regime, announced by the government as part of the federal budget last week, aims to improve accountability in the financial sector. It includes measures to fine banks and remove and disqualify senior executives if they fail to meet new integrity measures. The regime, which mimics a similar scheme in Britain, would for the first time in Australia see a regulator have the power to directly fine a bank for misconduct, bringing it closer in line with the United States and Britain. From October, bank customers will no longer need to worry about BSB and account numbers when transferring money to a friend, or paying a tradesman. Instead, they will only need to know the recipient's "PayID." And the first service allowing them to make instant payments in this way will have the brand name "Osko". Ahead of the launch of a $1 billion piece of payments infrastructure later this year, BusinessDay can reveal the brand names consumers will encounter when making payments on bank apps or websites. NPP Australia chief executive Adrian Lovney is talking to industry players about other innovative payment services. Credit:Ben Rushton These brands are linked to the national payments platform, which is a project funded by banks to create real-time payments that are easier to use, and can allow much more information to be included in a payment. But the NPP, as it is known in the industry, is not a consumer-facing brand that consumers are likely to hear about from their bank. Global miner BHP Billiton is taking its first steps to preparing to drop "Billiton" from its name, with the launch of a global rebranding which will also mark the move away from styling the group as "the big Australian". In a $10 million advertising campaign to commence this week, BHP will instead use the slogan "Think Big" as it seeks to improve its public image. The campaign, the first since it used the late actor Bill Hunter 30 years ago in the initial "Big Australian" promotion, will be rolled out domestically at first before also being undertaken globally. Company officials said since the global financial crisis the resources group has encountered rising scepticism over the role of big companies in the economy, which has prompted it to launch the new campaign. During this time, there was also the prolonged public brawling over the Rudd government's introduction of a mining resource tax, and more recently the Samarco dam failure in Brazil. "Billiton" is to be excised from the BHP logo. Credit:David Mariuz As part of the planned revamp, the miner will also seek to use "BHP" as the ticker code for its listings in Australia, the UK and South Africa. A formal change of the company name is expected to be only a matter of time, as the group is to drop the word "Billiton" from all stationary, for example. Even though BHP still has a large shareholder base in South Africa following the Billiton merger, it does not believe the shift will have any adverse impact. The campaign comes in the wake of a push by activist US investor Elliott Associates to force BHP to collapse its dual listed structure as well as to spin out some of its North American assets, although company officials denied there was any link, arguing the planning for the new pitch has been underway for 18 months, with the filming of the television commercial completed at the beginning of the year, for example. In 2001, BHP merged with south African miner Billiton, a merger which has been criticised regularly since, with BHP effectively conceding the merger resulted in a poor mix of assets with decision two years ago to spin out unwanted assets into South 32 which included several of the Billiton assets. Greens senator Peter Whish-Wilson has joined calls for an investigation into the leaking of plans for a levy on Australia's biggest banks, saying it is possible insider trading took place. It comes as the Australian Federal Police has confirmed it is looking into the leak of the federal budget measure. The big four banks and Maquarie, who will pay the $6.2 billion levy, have insisted they knew nothing about the policy until they received a confidential briefing from Treasury about an hour before the budget was revealed, after the ASX closed on Tuesday. But media reports on the levy started to surface Monday night and detailed reports quoting "banking sources" were published at midday Tuesday, triggering a $14 billion bank stock wipe-out. "I recently went to a Sydney store to purchase a bomber jacket. When inquiring where they sold bomber jackets, the teenage sales assistant, despite her inscrutable face, became agitated and spoke to a colleague nearby. She also expressed shock reaching for the phone. She only pressed three buttons and I realised it was 000. I tumbled to the fact that these juniors had never heard of the World War II aerial raids over Germany where the attire became famous. They only knew bombers as baddies in their computer games. I made a hasty retreat. Can I suggest contemporary retailers substitute 'macho jackets' to avoid confusion?" Thanks Geoffrey Healy of Millers Point. "Heard on the bus on the way to work, a group of selective school students putting each other down: 'You're slower than the Greek economy.'" Leanne Kerr, Croydon Park. "Bats have arrived here in huge numbers," says Richard Stewart of Pearl Beach. "The eucalyptus blossoms are prolific so night here is a screechingly sleep-inhibiting time. Any other community experiencing these critters? The mess on the verandah and paths is also an issue." "Recently superglued my reading glasses together (don't ask). Having my optical prescription handy I decided to try two different pairs from online at $4.95. Both pairs arrived within days and both suited my needs perfectly. Free postage as well. May I tentatively ask, who's robbing us blind?" David Taylor, Horsley. "A research scientist in England has concluded that eating cereal from a square bowl rather than a round one increases the brain's perception of nutrition and leaves the brain feeling more nourished as a result. Now we know why pizza boxes are square." Peter Riley, Penrith. As coverage of the Cassandra Sainsbury case progresses, it's been suggested more than once that there is a possibility that Sainsbury (if convicted) may be eligible to serve out some of her sentence in Australia. This is not currently a legal possibility. There are 68 countries that have specific prisoner transfer agreements with Australia - unfortunately for Sainsbury, Colombia is not one of them. Adelaide woman Cassandra Sainsbury faces up to 25 years in a Colombian prison. Credit:Facebook Even where the necessary legal framework is in place, negotiation of each prisoner transfer takes a great deal of co-ordinated effort and negotiation. The prisoner, the foreign government, the Australian government and (for incoming prisoners) the state government must all agree to the transfer in order for it to occur. Budget time often shows Australia at its most sectional and selfish, especially if it is a Coalition budget. This one was no exception. It has been described as a turning-away from the meanness of the Abbott government's 2014 budget and a turning-away from obsession with deficits. But I get the sense that virtually every 2017 budget measure was written with an eye to voters. Not to voters or society overall, but to particular "sectors" of voters who might change their vote for or against the government according to how well or badly or unchanged the budget affected their individual financial position. Let's take housing. It has three sectors: home owners, investors and potential home buyers, who are also often renters. It is impossible to significantly help home buyers by making dwelling prices fall, without hurting investors and home owners. You can only make prices fall if you take the heat out of the market by removing tax concessions to investors. If prices fall, however, the 65 per cent of households comprised of home owners would feel hard done by. The birth of Israel The birth of the Jewish State of Israel had been proclaimed in a "solemn assembly" of the Jewish National Council in Tel Aviv. "The State would be open to all Jewish immigrants. It would develop the country for all inhabitants and would operate on the basis of precepts of liberty, justice and peace. It would uphold full social and political equality without distinction and safeguard religious places of all religions." Displaced persons 860 East European migrants from Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Czechoslovakia, Yugoslavia, and former eastern Poland had arrived in Sydney in a U.S. Army transport. "They are the best bunch we have carried," said the ship's master, Captain K.H. Nebring. "They're the type of people you want. Hard workers who want a chance." All came from displaced persons camps in Germany and Austria. Hope for a new life Managers of Bayswater power station in the Hunter Valley provided staff with precise instructions on how to blend coal to avoid triggering pollution alerts, documents stretching across almost two decades show. As Fairfax Media reported, the NSW Environment Protection Authority has contacted all coal-fired power stations to determine whether operators took advantage of partial monitoring to conceal the full extent of their emissions of sulphur, nitrous oxides and other pollutants. Bayswater power station in the Hunter Valley is being investigated after reports its blended coal to hide its emissions. Credit:Glen McCurtayne Plant operating notes obtained by Fairfax show that as far back as 1991 Bayswater staff were told they had to keep sulphur emissions below 600 parts per million for Unit One because "any exceedence of this limit is reportable to the State Pollution Control Commission". The other three units' emissions were not reportable. That 1991 note also outlines the range of sulphur content in the coal sourced from different mines in the Hunter, with Drayton, Bayswater, Muswellbrook, Novacoal and Liddell State all between 0.6-1 per cent. Jamie Oliver is a celebrity chef, cookbook author and owner of the Jamie's restaurant empire. His rise to fame began with his television show The Naked Chef and was followed by a cookbook that became a bestseller. He has strongly advocated healthy eating and cutting out junk food and in 2003 was made a Member of the Order of the British Empire. Oliver, 41, chats to Kate Waterhouse about why he is back in Australia, his biggest hurdle and what excites him most about his food empire. What are you visiting Australia for? I've basically come over to dot the i's and cross the t's on buying back my Australian business, which was a franchise and they went into receivership. There was nothing wrong with the JI [Jamie's Italian] business but it got dragged down with the mother ship and it's never happened to me before so it's a bit of new one for me. But the good news is that we bought it back and I'm now 100 per cent owner of my [Australian JI] restaurants, instead of a partner of my restaurants. What was your first reaction when you first heard Keystone was going into receivership? I was like OK, why? The business is really good, we are really busy, we get low grumbles, they are all profitable, so why? And then you just realise that you are part of a bigger picture and you can't control it. Was the plan to always buy Jamie's Italian back? Definitely for me, I've just never done it before and it's not necessarily straightforward other people wanted to buy it as well and that was challenging. If there are two things that I am highly susceptible to it's glamour and also supreme comfort. You might think these two weaknesses exist on quite opposite ends of a spectrum, but I assure you they do not. I know this because I just wore striped silk pyjamas to Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week in Sydney and I've honestly never felt so great. Or comfortable. Like, movie star in the 40s great, or Coco Chanel smoking cigarettes in her white silk pyjamas kind of great. There's nothing quite so chic as a slightly louche woman who really doesn't care for either fools or fashion. This is exactly the kind of person that I hoped to become when I finally added my striped silk set from Olivia Von Halle to my basket after months of scrolling through their Instagram feed and noting that Alexa Chung once wore the same pair that I bought. I spent a lot of time idly wondering if I too could wear pyjamas to a pool party like the people on Instagram did. Or in the streets of New York. The answer is ... hopefully. Australians lost a startling $300 million to scams in 2016, a figure which only accounts for those cases known to authorities. The record losses combine those reported to the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission and the Australian Cybercrime Online Reporting Network, which number more than 200,000. Investment scams accounted for the greatest losses, at a total of $59 million, followed by dating and romance scams, which netted nearly $42 million. A weight-loss device described as "medical bulimia" that drains undigested food from the stomach at the press of a button is among an explosion of new treatments for obesity available in Australia. As concern continues to grow about obesity, some doctors are alarmed that some treatments in the lucrative market aren't being adequately researched or followed up. The Australian Therapeutic Goods Administration-approved AspireAssist system connects a tube inserted into the stomach to an outside port on the skin of the belly, which is drained into an external device. Its American manufacturer promises about 30 per cent of food is removed before calories are absorbed into the body when used 20 minutes after a meal. Michele Allen was already working as a teacher when her husband proposed they home school their eldest son. Academically gifted but struggling socially, Alex, then in grade one, would cry himself to sleep every night after a long day in the classroom. Homeschooled: Michelle Allen of Queanbeyan and her sons Xander, 9, and Alex, 11. Credit:Karleen Minney Home education was not easy choice but it's not something the family regrets. "It's not an easy thing because you are giving up a whole wage, and for me it's giving up a career in some ways but not, because I'm still teaching," the Queanbeyan mother said. One man has been arrested and another injured after a brawl involving up to 30 people broke out at a wedding reception in Sydney's inner west. The reception came to an abrupt end when the fight broke out inside the Albert Palais Theatre in Leichhardt and spilled out onto the street. One man was taken to Royal Prince Alfred Hospital with a broken nose. "About 10pm the Leichhardt Police responded to a report of a brawl at the Albert Palais Function Centre which had apparently escalated from the venue to outside on the street," Inspector Grant Watson, from Leichhardt police, said. A man has been shot in the leg in a suspected drive-by shooting outside a house in Lurnea in Sydney's south-west overnight, police say. The 24-year-old man was believed to be standing outside a house in Monica Close about 9pm on Sunday when several shots were fired towards him, hitting him in the shin. NSW Ambulance paramedics treated the man at the scene, before taking him to Liverpool Hospital in a stable condition. The gunman was believed to be travelling in a white Toyota Kluger, which was seen speeding away from Monica Close in the moments after the shooting. For the past few months, a mystery has gripped the northern edge of Leichhardt in Sydney's inner west. Shortly before Christmas, a long-neglected industrial site on Darley Road, just near the City West Link, was transformed into a Dan Murphy's bottle-shop. But then, after only a couple of months of wine and beer sales, it emerged the government wanted to acquire the bottle-shop for a tunnelling site for the WestConnex motorway. Surely they would have known? Why did the government, which has been committed to WestConnex for five years, allow a bottle-shop to be built when it knew it would likely soon tear it down? Less than 24 hours after marking Mother's Day, a bloodied Linda Connors was found sprawled in bed inside the townhouse she shared with her two children. Not long after her eldest son, Simon, made the horrific discovery, police pulled over the 55-year-old woman's car in St Peters in Sydney's inner-west on Monday morning. Behind the wheel was her 28-year-old son Nathan White. Also in the car was a crossbow, a pitchfork wrapped in a towel and the family dog. Police said the car's number plate was automatically detected by a passing police car, with an alert advising officers to pull the car over. About one in five sex offenders and paedophiles are charged with failing to comply with their requirements to report to police in Queensland. Figures released after an LNP question on notice reveal 624 reportable offenders were charged with failing to comply with their obligations to report to police. More than 600 reportable offenders were charged with failing to comply with their obligations in 2016. Credit:Rohan Thomson That culminated in 1572 charges. As of March 31, 2017 there were 3168 offenders on the register. Queensland - beautiful one day, filled with diplomats the next. Foreign Affairs Minister Julie Bishop will take the world to far north Queensland this weekend, with the Sunshine State chosen for only the third time in the past 13 years to host a diplomatic corps visit. Foreign Minister Julie Bishop is trying to sell Queensland to the world. Credit:Louise Kennerley More than 70 Canberra-based ambassadors and high commissioners will follow Ms Bishop to Cairns, in a bid to sell Queensland, particularly the north, to their home countries. The event has been organised in conjunction with the Palaszczuk Labor state government. Trade and investment opportunities will be laid out, with the state keen to build on its "rocks and crops" economy reputation, and promote its burgeoning research and innovation sector. But both governments, often at odds behind the scenes even if managing an uneasy truce publicly, are keen to promote efforts to protect the Great Barrier Reef, after a long campaign to keep the world heritage site off UNESCO's danger list. The reef remains a major drawcard for tourists, with the region attracting nearly 2.8 million visitors each year. Alexander Downer began the tradition of hosting the diplomatic corps in a different region each year while serving in Ms Bishop's role in 2000. Queensland has not hosted a meeting since 2011, when Kevin Rudd was foreign minister. The sole proprietor is often seen as a lonely figure battling against the elements, doing it all on their own. But what might surprise you is that many sole proprietors and small business owners with less than four employees prefer it that way because of a combination of factors such as control, expense and seeking value for dollar. Helen D'Silva runs her psychology practice as a sole trader. Credit:Unknown "I have seen many friends and associates having spent thousands and being left high and dry without the outcomes the service provider promised," Helen D'Silva, a private practising psychologist says. "They are struggling to pay for their own mortgage, rent, food and bills are constantly behind and not paid. For me, that stress is not worth it and it inspires me to find better ways. The email advice turned into a website in 2002 with PDF advice and routines customers could pay to download. From this came a regular parenting column in a magazine which then spawned Hall's bestselling book Tizzie Hall outside her store in Ocean Grove in July 2013. Credit:Eddie Jim EJZ "Having the book, people needed the products recommended in the book and that's where the store comes from," Hall says. "I used to do home visits but I don't any more because we solve all the problems by email. Everybody's babies are hungry and cold. We have a formula to make sure they are not hungry and cold. We use the formula and we fix them." It's a formula that parents are prepared to pay for. Hall's Save Our Sleep website offers 12 months' support through the online forum for a fee of $240 or $1198 for a 30-day email consultation with Hall herself. Every product recommended by Hall is on sale in her store. Tizzie Hall employs 11 staff. Credit:K Matthews "I've never done a business plan and I've never had a business adviser," Hall says. "We just go with the flow and it just keeps growing." Gifting you sleep Elizabeth Sloane is also busy managing a growing business in Sydney with her book, The Gift of Sleep, released this month by Allen & Unwin. Hall's bestselling Save Our Sleep book. Everybodys babies are hungry and cold. We have a formula to make sure they are not hungry and cold. We use the formula and we fix them. Tizzie Hall The publisher won't give out print run details but says "we've certainly got high hopes for The Gift of Sleep, based on the performance of similar titles in the market". Sloane's eponymous website describes a "step-by-step baby sleep program chosen by more than 13,000 parents worldwide, including obstetricians and celebrities, to teach their babies to self-settle and sleep through the night". Elizabeth Sloane is the author of The Gift of Sleep. Sloane does most of her consultations by email and telephone, with rates of $100 for a 30-minute phone call or $450 for email and telephone support for two weeks. "I'm going to teach [the baby] the gift of self-settling and there will be possibly some protests with that and if we stay calm and committed and consistent and don't go back to the old sleep associations, that will let the baby sleep through the night," Sloane says. "A sleep program for me has never been about a family sleeping through, it is about giving the gift of self-settle back to that baby." She has the backing of Mia Freedman, who sold Sloane's The Gift of Sleep e-book on her Mamamia website. "[It] will change the life of every sleep-deprived parent and every exhausted baby who wakes throughout the night," Freedman says. "And I should know. Because it changed mine." Sloane also does overnight visits to families at a rate of about $1000 a night, although she won't disclose her income. "In terms of making an absolute killing, we are not wealthy by any means," she says. "All that does is send a message to mothers that it is just a moving money train and I've never been about that." Growing business It's difficult to uncover any data behind this booming business area. Professor Helen Ball, the director of the parent-infant sleep lab at Durham University, says with no registration or licensing system for sleep consultants, evidence of growth is only anecdotal. "There are a number of reasons parents are turning to sleep consultants," Ball says. "Advertising and availability is a key one. Cultural pressures on parents regarding sleep expectations are another." Hall believes there's a simple reason behind the demand. "We have lost the skill of parenting because we don't get it handed down any more from our mums and sisters and aunts," she says. "The parents today are set up to fail. I think that's why we need the consultants." Police Minister Lisa Neville has backed Victoria Police to continue regulating the private security industry and licensing gun owners, despite critics calling for an overhaul amid a series of internal investigations. The force's internal investigations branch and the taskforce that investigates sexual harassment by police are examining a number of sworn police in the Victoria Police Licensing and Regulation Division (LRD) after complaints from within the security industry. Police Minister Lisa Neville thinks it is best that police undertake gun licensing functions. Credit:Penny Stephens Critics say the division is in turmoil and its responsibilities should be transferred to the Department of Justice. The critics have declined to be named as their security businesses rely on their licences being renewed. The division is responsible for ensuring the integrity of firearms licensing and storage amid a significant increase in the number of gun thefts and the diversion of weapons from legitimate industries to criminals. In an expensive case of deja vu, a Perth man has been charged for getting behind the wheel drunk- not once, but twice in the same evening. At around 12.50am on Sunday morning, officers pulled over the 26-year-old man on North Lake Road in Cockburn Central for a speeding offence. The 26-year-old man will face a number of charges in a Perth court. He was then taken to Cockburn Police Station where he blew in excess of 0.08, and police served him with a disqualification notice. The man was then released to walk home to his nearby residence, and he left the station. Paris: Emmanuel Macron took power as president of France on Sunday in a solemn ceremony heavy with tradition at the Elysee Palace and he pledged to work to heal divisions in society - a nod to the bitter campaign he fought to defeat a far-right leader. His inauguration marked a first for the world's fifth largest economy and founding member of the European Union, installing a 39-year-old centrist newcomer unknown to the wider public three years ago and who stands outside any traditional political grouping. The former investment banker becomes the youngest post-war French leader and the first to be born after 1958 when President Charles de Gaulle put in place the country's Fifth Republic. In his first words in office, he addressed himself to the fraught and fiercely contested election campaign in which he overcame the National Front's Marine Le Pen but which was a disappointment for almost half of France's 47 million voters. New York State has opened an investigation into the real-estate dealings of President Donald Trump's former campaign manager, Paul Manafort, deepening the already intense legal scrutiny of the young administration. The probe by New York Attorney General Eric Schneiderman, one of the most outspoken critics of the president, is in a preliminary stage, according to a person familiar with the matter who asked not to be named because the investigation isn't public. Manafort, who ran Trump's campaign from April to August last year, has owned property in the Hamptons and Trump Tower in Manhattan. Manhattan District Attorney Cyrus Vance Jr. is also in the early stages of an investigation into Manafort's transactions, a person familiar with that probe said. Representatives for Schneiderman and Vance declined to comment. PHILIPSBURG:--- The parking lot of the Government Administration Building was filled to capacity Saturday night as several musicians came out and performed as they honor fallen cultural icon, Neville York. The late Neville York was the head of the Culture department, he also penned the island culture policy and taught steel pan and other culture related activities at several schools. The late Neville York was known throughout the region for his steel pan music he also wrote several songs. On Saturday night several of his students performed at the wake which turned out to be a culture show. York passed away during the early hours Tuesday morning at his Cay Hill home of a massive heart attack, just the day before he played his famous steel pan music at the home going ceremony for his mother who was laid to rest last Monday. While the community and those involved in preserving St. Maartens culture turned out in large numbers to remember a man who helped to enhance and highlight St. Maartens Culture it was evident that the only Minister that came out to support the Civil Servants and the York family was Minister of EYS Silveria Jacobs. Several Ministers that are on the island did not show their faces either Members of Parliament. However, their absence did not stop the musicians and bands from performing for their fallen friend and colleague. The late Neville York will be laid to rest on Tuesday, May 16, 2017. His body will leave the Emerald Funeral home to the Methodist Church on Front Street. Viewing and tributes will begin. Click here to view photos of the Cultural manifestation held Saturday night in honor of the late Neville York 2022 Indiana election results: See the latest updates from St. Joseph County Vote totals are preliminary until all are counted and certified by the St. Joseph County Election Board. Raising the Bar Science History Images/Alamy Astronaut Anna Fisher joined NASA in 1978 and became the first mother to fly in space when she launched on her space shuttle mission. See photos from her space career here. She retired from NASA in 2017. This Photo: Anna Lee Fisher was part of the first group of women announced by NASA as astronaut candidates in 1978. Discovery Crew NASA On November 12, 1984, the Discovery Crew from left to right astronauts David M. Walker, Dale A. Gardner, Anna Lee Fisher, Frederick H. (Rick) Hauck and Joseph P. Allen celebrate a successful mission. Opening a Door NASA The first female astronaut candidates (ASCANS) named by NASA photographed with a model of the NASA shuttle from left to right, Rhea Seddon, Anna L. Fisher, Judith A. Resnik, Shannon W. Lucid, Sally K. Ride and Kathryn D. Sullivan during a January 31, 1978 press conference at Johnson Space Center. Along with these six women, 14 other mission specialist candidates and 15 pilot astronaut candidates were introduced to the press at the Teague Auditorium. Training for the Big Day San Diego Air and Space Museum Archive Anna Lee Fisher, seen here in Houston, Texas, served on STS-51A in 1984 as a mission specialist. Flight Experience San Diego Air and Space Museum Archive Astronaut Anna Lee Fisher completed a year of training before being eligible to fly as a mission specialist on space shuttle flight crews. Anna Lee Fisher was the first mother to go into space. Training and Experience San Diego Air and Space Museum Archive Astronaut Anna Lee Fisher completed many different assignments once her training ended. She was crew representative for both support development and testing of the Remote Manipulator System (RMS) and payload bay door contingency spacewalk procedures, the extra-small Extravehicular Mobility Unit (EMU) and contingency in-orbit Thermal Protection System (TPS) repair hardware and procedures and more for pre-STS-1 through STS-4. She was also crew evaluator for verification and development testing for STS-2, 3 and 4. Before NASA San Diego Air and Space Museum Archive Before joining the NASA program, Anna Lee Fisher earned a Bachelor of Science in Chemistry and a Doctor of Medicine from the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA), 1971 and 1976, respectively; received a Master of Science in Chemistry from UCLA, 1987. During STS-5, 6 and 7 she served as a physician in the recovery helicopter and helped create rescue procedures. Microgravity Training NASA Johnson Space Center Floating in weightlessness is a must-have skill for astronauts. Her, Anna Fisher practices the skill in a NASA training plane. Anna Fisher Practices Robotic Arm Training NASA During STS-51A shuttle mission in November 1980, astronaut Anna Fisher flew the space shuttle Discovery's robotic arm to support the retrieval of two malfunctioning satellites, and the deployment of two new communications satellites. Seen here, Fisher practices robotic arm work for the mission. Anna Fisher: Mission Patch NASA Astronaut Anna Fisher launched into space on the space shuttle Discovery on Nov. 8, 1984 to become NASA's first mom in space. The mission, seen launching here, was STS-51A and was crewed by Fisher, commander Frederick Hauck, pilot David Walker and mission specialists Dale Gardner and Joseph Allen. The mission deployed the Canadian satellite Telesat-H (Anik) and the U.S. defense communications satellite SYNCOM IV-I (LEASAT01). The astronauts also retrieved two malfunctioning satellites, PALAPA-B2 and WESTAR-VI. Flying in Space NASA NASA astronaut Anna Lee Fisher works on board the flight deck of the space shuttle Discovery in November 1984. NASA astronaut Anna Lee Fisher, the first mother in space, highlights what is was like to fly on the space shuttle Discovery only months after giving birth to her first daughter. Fisher was one of the first six female astronaut candidates selected for NASA's first class of space shuttle astronauts in January 1978. She later flew as a mission specialist on the second flight of the space shuttle Discovery, STS-51A, in November 1984. "I was assigned to my flight two weeks before I delivered my oldest daughter," Fisher said in a NASA video. "I remember I delivered Kristin on a Friday and I was at the Monday morning eight o'clock meeting the following Monday. [Astronaut Anna Fisher's Space Career in Photos] Astronaut Anna Fisher poses in an Apollo spacesuit next to a rack of other spacesuits during training for a Hubble Space Telescope servicing spacewalk in 1980. (Image credit: NASA) After being chosen as an ASCAN in 1978 and completing her training, astronaut Anna Lee Fisher logged close to 200 hours in space and she served as chief of the Space Station Branch from 1996-2002 during the early construction days of the International Space Station. (Image credit: NASA) "I wanted to make a statement that, 'yes I had a child, but Im committed to this and I'm going to be here,'" Fisher added in the video. "I was Capcom [spacecraft communicator] at the same time that I had a new baby and training for my flight, so it was quite the challenging time." STS-51A was the second flight of the orbiter Discovery, and Fisher said she could not have picked a more exciting mission to fly on, according to the NASA video. [Top 12 Warrior Moms in History] During the mission, the crew deployed two satellites: Canada's Anik D-2 (Telesat H) and Hughes' LEASAT-1 (Syncom IV-1). As the first space salvage mission, the crew also retrieved the Palapa B-2 and Westar VI satellites for return to Earth, NASA. Fisher servedas arm operator for recovering both satellites from orbit and lead for deploying one of the two satellites, she said. Fisher logged a total of 192 hours in space on her first Discovery flight. She served NASA in many other roles, including Chief of the Astronaut Offices Space Station branch and working on the Orion spacecraft, which will fly beyond low Earth orbit to explore deep space. Being a new mom posed challenges for Fisher, but she acknowledged that it would not have possible without the help she received from those on the ground. On Nov. 12, 1984, the Discovery STS-51A astronauts from left to right astronauts David M. Walker, Dale A. Gardner, Anna Lee Fisher, Frederick H. (Rick) Hauck and Joseph P. Allen celebrate their mission while still in space. The seven-day mission launched on Nov. 8, 1984. (Image credit: NASA) "I was absolutely blessed with the lady who took care of Kristin it was teamwork. Fisher said in the NASA video, which the space agency posted on YouTube. "Without her, I never could have done what I did because I knew that Kristin was 100 percent safe and was getting all the love and care." After more than three decades of service, Fisher retired last month, as the last member of NASA's first group of space shuttle astronauts to still work for the agency. "I think the future for NASA is really exiting. I thought that when I came [to the agency] at the beginning of the shuttle program," Fisher said. "I think it is a real exciting time [for NASA] and I am jealous I have to hand it over to the new people that are waiting in line and I'll be cheering from the side lines." Follow Samantha Mathewson @Sam_Ashley13. Follow us @Spacedotcom,Facebook and Google+. Original article on Space.com. The content herein, unless otherwise known to be public domain, are Copyright 1995-2016 - Space Media Network. All websites are published in Australia and are solely subject to Australian law and governed by Fair Use principals for news reporting and research purposes. AFP, UPI and IANS news wire stories are copyright Agence France-Presse, United Press International and Indo-Asia News Service. ESA news reports are copyright European Space Agency. All NASA sourced material is public domain. Additional copyrights may apply in whole or part to other bona fide parties. Advertising does not imply endorsement, agreement or approval of any opinions, statements or information provided by Space Media Network on any Web page published or hosted by Space Media Network. Privacy Statement Michael Dobson, Contributor Former climate advisor, Independent Diplomat 05/10/2017 Mark Wynne is the CEO of Balance Agri-Nutrients, a New Zealand fertilizer company that imports hundreds of thousands of tonnes of phosphate every year from an illegal mine in a brutally occupied territory called Western Sahara. Fortunately for Mark, the Western Sahara is in north-west Africa, which is not a part of the world New Zealanders spend much time thinking about, despite the fact that our primary export industry is currently built upon on this deeply unethical trading relationship. Such ignorance means that when a vessel carrying Saharan phosphate is stopped as happened last week in Port Elizabeth, South Africa Mark can throw up his hands, claim that the Western Sahara situation is very complex and deep-running and (Im not making this up) geopolitical, and thereby avoid having to explain to New Zealanders why it is okay that his company buys millions of dollars worth of illegal phosphate every year. Marks apparent inability to make head or tail of the situation is passing strange, however. Mark Wynne is a very experienced international executive, responsible for managing a multi-million dollar contract with the Moroccan company that mines the phosphate in question (in a territory Morocco occupies by force, on the basis of a claim to legitimacy that no country has ever recognized). If the true extent of his knowledge of the situation is (again, not making this up) that It really takes someone like the United Nations to resolve it, I would suggest that Balance shareholders find a new CEO, pronto. Anyone with a working internet connection and a spare 30 seconds could inform Mark that the United Nations Security Council created MINURSO the U.N. Mission for the Referendum in Western Sahara in 1991, but that the self-determination referendum promised to the Sahrawi people in 1991 (in return for ending their war against Moroccan occupation) has never been carried out. In the meantime, Morocco has been busily selling Sahrawi phosphate as fast as it can to anyone craven enough to buy it. Dedicate a full ten minutes to the issue, and heres some of what you will find: Both Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch have produced reports recording numerous disturbing testimonies of torture of Sahrawi pro-independence activists by Moroccan authorities. The U.S. State Department calls such reports of torture credible. Only eleven companies in the world still import West Saharan phosphate. Balance is one. Ravensdown, another New Zealand fertilizer company, is another. Two of the biggest fertilizer companies in the world Yara International and Mosaic have ceased trading in Saharan phosphate because of human rights concerns, and seem perfectly capable of maintaining successful fertilizer businesses that dwarf the entire New Zealand industry without depending on it. While Morocco claims that the millions of dollars that Balance and Ravensdown pay it for the phosphate ultimately benefit local Sahrawi, the Harvard International Review has this to say in response: Companies may not solely rely on Moroccos claims to ensure that the local population benefits from revenues they provide to the Moroccan government. Such an arrangement lacks the transparency and accountability... Morocco retains full control and discretion over revenues generated from Western Sahara resources, and there is no way of monitoring or verifying its claims of revenue and expenditures, or holding Morocco accountable for failure to match expenditure with revenue. Visitors to the occupied territory are constantly monitored and accompanied by Moroccan authorities, as befits a police state. The idea that any government-organized tour of the territory will provide a reliable impression of the opinions of the Sahrawi regarding their occupiers is laughable, as is the idea that the trade in Saharan phosphate is legal because it happens with the consent of the Sahrawi people. Lest there be any doubt, a legal opinion issued by the African Union in 2015 spells the matter out plainly: any exploration and exploitation of natural resources by Morocco, any other State, group of States, or foreign companies engaged by Morocco in Western Sahara is illegal since they violate international law and resolutions of the UN and the AU. Tens of thousands of Sahrawi people live as refugees in the Algerian part of the Sahara desert, in some of the most inhospitable conditions on earth. The camps have existed for forty years. They will continue to exist until a referendum on the territorys future is held and the situation resolved. The possibility of reaching such a resolution is actively and substantially undermined by any company that provides Morocco with a financial incentive to the tune of hundreds of millions of dollars a year to do everything it can to retain control of a territory that does not belong to it. The truth, of course, is that Mark Wynne undoubtedly knows all this. Hes not stupid. He just thinks you are. I asked my friend Mulay Smara, a Sahrawi who grew up in the Algerian refugee camps and now lives in the United States, what he thought of Wynnes comments. This was his response: I would say that the New Zealand people would never want to have their resources taken without their consent, let alone by an occupying nation. Our future [as Sahrawi] is based on what is left of our resources. We suffer on a daily basis, in the camps and in the occupied territory, while New Zealand companies profit. That kind of morality should be questioned by ordinary New Zealanders. Ive known many wonderful friends from New Zealand, and to see such complicity with Morocco is heartbreaking. I visited the Algerian camp where Mulay grew up last year. (I subsequently talked to Kim Hill about it, which you can hear here, and also took some photos.) It is impossible to spend time with a people as generous, dignified and resilient and as steadfastly committed to the United Nations as the worlds arbiter of peaceful decolonization as the Sahrawi, and not come away enraged at the obfuscatory drivel that people like Mark Wynne are so well paid to produce. (Not that Balance and Ravensdown are the only ones content to look the other way: the Ministry of Foreign Affairs meets with the New Zealand Fertilizer Association and even offers suggestions on the drafting of their Western Sahara press releases.) The idea that the occupation of Western Sahara is too complicated an issue for New Zealanders to make a moral assessment of, or too remote for them to care about, is horseshit. The occupation is wrong, and brutal. We empower it by our indifference. Fortunately, the tide is finally turning against the trade. The stopping of the ship in Port Elizabeth follows a judgment from the European Court of Justice in December last year that trade deals between the EU and Morocco cannot apply to the Western Sahara. Far too late, the New Zealand Fertilizer Association has finally started discussing alternative sources for phosphate (alternatives that could, of course, include phosphate from within the territory of Morocco itself). Such alternatives should be pursued with alacrity, impelled by our commitment to the importance of international law, territorial integrity and self-determination, and basic human decency. New Zealand has underwritten the suffering of the Sahrawi people long enough. (SPS) 062/090 http://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/what-new-zealand-owes-the-western-sahara_us_591362d5e4b07e366cebb856 Bir Lahlu (Liberated Territories), May 14, 2017 (SPS) - The President of the Republic, Secretrary-General of the Polisario Front, Brahim Ghali. "strongly condemned" the new aggressive behavior through the presence of the Moroccan forces at 50 kilometers outside the buffer zone, in the territorial waters of Western Sahara between Guerguerat and Lagouira, southwestern Western Sahara, in violation of the 1991 ceasefire agreement no. 1 and the supplementary convention of 1997 signed between the Polisario Front and Morocco under the auspices of the UN. "We express our condemnation of this new aggressive behavior, which reflects the lack of a real will on the part of Morocco to deal positively in accordance with resolution 2351,approved by the UN Security Council, Just ten days ago," the President of the Republic wrote in a letter to UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres. The President of the Republic insisted on the new UN SG to take "all urgent measures" to put an end to these dangerous practices and violations of the ceasefire, repeatedly perpetrated by the Moroccan state of occupation, by continuing the civilian activity and the passage of hundreds of trucks through the zone of Guerguerat and the Moroccan navy without interruption on the coast, which is an integral part of the liberated zones of the Western Sahara. (SPS) 062/090/TRA Copenhagen (Denmark) 14 May, 2017 (SPS) - Upon official invitation, the POLISARIO Front representative in Denmark, Mr. Abba Malainin, has participated in the annual Congress of the Red-Green Alliance Party convened in the capital, Copenhagen from 12 to 14 May 2017. The Danish party has traditional unwavering supporting stand with regard to the right of the people of Western Sahara to self-determination, independence, the respect of human rights in Western Sahara and defends also the right of the Saharawi people sovereignty over their natural resources. The Saharawi Representative has met on the margin of the Congress various officials from the Party and different foreign delegations attending the Congress. (SPS) 062/090 This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate STAMFORD Charter Communications deal-making a year ago made the cable provider an industry giant and a target. By closing in May 2016 on acquisitions of Time Warner Cable and Bright House Networks worth a total of approximately $65 billion, Charter transformed itself into the second-largest cable company in the country. The expansion has supercharged the Stamford-based firms earnings and stock prices and ballooned its customer base. But the companys growth has also stoked contractual and legal disputes and set up the possibility of even larger deals. Its increased their market share dramatically in the past year, said John Gerlach, an associate professor and business executive in residence in Sacred Heart Universitys College of Business. The whole industry is consolidating. In the next five to 10 years, there could be perhaps five companies in the industry in this country. Charter officials were not available to comment this week. A larger presence The deals multiplied by several times Charters earnings and customer base. Revenues in the past quarter hit about $10.2 billion, compared with a pre-acquisition total of about $2.5 billion in the first quarter of 2016. Charter now serves some 25 million residences and about 1.4 million small and medium-sized businesses, according to company data. In the past quarter, Charter grew its residential customer base by 330,000 and its clientele of small and medium-sized businesses by 35,000. At the same time, it lost 100,000 video subscribers, reflecting an industrywide trend. More people are not paying for cable TV, but rather using subscriptions to Netflix or Hulu or YouTube those subscriptions are all delivered over broadband internet, said David Souder, an associate professor and academic director of the executive MBA program in the University of Connecticuts School of Business. Charter still has its customers, but theyre focused on getting more things through broadband than getting things that come through a wire in the back of their TV. Charters market value has also benefited from the acquisitions. Compared with a 52-week low of about $201, their shares traded last week for around $325. Based on the stock price, youd have to consider the deals a home run, Gerlach said. Charter now comprises the largest company, by market capitalization, that is headquartered in Stamford. Its market cap totals about $325 million. Since the acquisitions, Charter has also pressed ahead with a number of major infrastructure and personnel initiatives. CEO Tom Rutledge reiterated in March that the company would invest $25 billion in broadband infrastructure and technology. The company has plans to hire another 20,000 employees in the next few years, a contingent that would include some 600 people at a bilingual call center in McAllen, Texas. The company also plans to complete the conversion of the existing Time Warner Cable and Bright House markets to all-digital systems. In a new initiative announced last week, Charter and Comcast, the countrys largest cable provider, said they would work together to support both companies participation in a national wireless marketplace. The partnership would focus on a number of areas, including the creation of common operating systems. Conflicts As it has expanded, Charter has grappled with a number of contractual and service conflicts. In July 2016, Univision filed a lawsuit arguing Charter was obligated to negotiate a new agreement after its acquisition of Time Warner Cable last year. The payment argument led to a two-day blackout in late January of Univision programming affecting Charter customers in 37 markets, including New York. A temporary restraining order granted to the cable provider by New York state Supreme Court restored programming. Univision continues with its accelerated discovery efforts and both parties intend to file motions for summary judgment soon so that the trial court is in a position to rule on the merits by late June, Univision officials said in a statement. We are committed to serving our audience and ensuring that they have access to the Univision networks and content they value. Charter officials have said they are adhering to their contract with Univision. In February, New York state lawyers announced a lawsuit against Charter and its subsidiary Spectrum Management Holdings for allegedly defrauding and misleading New York customers by promising internet service that they knew they could not deliver. The allegations cover a time frame extending some four years before Charter acquired Time Warner Cable. Charter has disputed the allegations. The company also contends with labor unrest. More than 300 cable technicians protested April 25 outside Charters Atlantic Street headquarters as they seek to keep their health care and pension benefits. Potential for change Reports have swirled in recent months about a possible merger between Verizon and Charter. Such a move could revive Verizons lackluster growth and produce a windfall for Charter shareholders. While Verizon offers internet, phone and TV service through its Fios program, about 70 percent of the companys revenues in the past year came from its wireless operations. But the new partnership with Comcast augurs against a union between Verizon and Charter. Charter and Comcast will be working together to develop new technologies, which means theyre helping each other out, Gerlach said. Part of this is a defense against being taken over by Verizon. I think its more likely now that Comcast and Charter would merge. pschott@scni.com; 203-964-2236; twitter: @paulschott Something funny happened during Kevin Sullivans testimony. The head of the state Department of Revenue explained Wednesday why Connecticut faces a $5.1 billion fiscal pit over the next two years. Part of the reason, he said, is that the top 1 percent of state residents, representing 30 percent of state revenues, returned $200 million less than usual, according to the Office of Fiscal Analysis. Thats not the funny part. The funny part was when Sullivan said the deficit wasnt caused by rich residents leaving the state, though he conceded some retire to states tax-friendlier and warmer. Instead, he said, the top 100 taxpayers are parking their money on Wall Street in anticipation of huge tax cuts from Washington. In addition, their accountants have figured out how to lower their state liabilities. Regular readers of this column know I take a dim view of the conventional wisdom saying high tax rates drive people out of the state. Some do leave, especially the elderly, but the vast majority of people do not leave because of high taxes. Taxes may be one among many factors but likely not the most important. A conclusion you can draw is that legislators should go ahead and raise taxes income and sales if taxes are not driving people out. There is something to be said of this. We should figure out what we all need and justify who is going to pay. As Robert Frank, a Cornell economist, has argued, across-the-board tax increases do not decrease purchasing power. If everyone is feeling the same pinch, progressively speaking, few going to notice the difference. But that doesnt mean we should raise taxes. It depends. And it certainly doesnt mean raising taxes would solve our fiscal crisis. As Sullivan noted, the very rich have taken mountains of money out of the state, put it on Wall Street hoping to hit the jackpot, and have otherwise gamed the tax code to avoid owing Hartford more than necessary. Raising taxes on the rich, even if raising them does not drive them out of the state, may lead back to where we started. The takeaway from Sullivans testimony should be this: instead of focusing on tax increases, legislators should focus on tax loopholes. You dont want to raise taxes on people who are resourceful enough to find ways of avoiding those higher taxes. As to what those loopholes are, I should defer to authorities in state tax policy. In the meantime, we might consider how to increase revenue from everyone else. I dont mean raising taxes. I mean raising wages. I do think the minimum should be higher in our high-cost state. And I do think there should be transparency and accountability in who is paid what to advance equity between mens and womens incomes. But lets set those aside for now to talk instead about incentivizing businesses to pay more. How can we get firms to raise wages, boost consumer spending, and reap higher revenues without raising the sales and income tax rates? One idea under consideration one that has not gone far is indexing corporate tax rates to the ratio between a firms highest paid employee and its median compensation. This is what Portland, Ore., did last year. A new ordinance levies a 10 percent surcharge on publicly traded companies paying chief executives more than 100 times the median pay of all employees. The surcharge rises to 25 percent if the pay ratio is 250 times the median. Portland has about 550 firms that would be subject to the tax. The law is still in its infancy. Advocates call it a tax on inequality itself while critics say it wont make a lick of difference. So much depends on credible reporting of pay ratios and on whether the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission decides to keep an Obama era rule requiring publicly trade firms to publish that data. The surcharge would, in theory, do more than raise wages. It would retard the rate of extraction and give firms incentive to reinvest in Connecticut, or risk sending that money to Hartford for politicians to spend as they wish. I dont mean to pass this off a panacea because, you know, life in complicated. But its something lawmakers ought to consider. Its not a tax if companies rearrange a few things to avoid it. But it could broaden the base to fill in some of the hole were in. John Stoehr is a lecturer in political science at Yale University. He can be reached at johnastoehr@gmail.com. A gang of six large-scale drug dealers who posed with huge amounts of cash, flash watches and cars are facing jail after police saw the pictures. Two brothers, Kenechi and Oluchi Ochereobia, ran a network of drugs couriers from their bases in Hackney and Cardiff. During their investigation, officers found several pictures of Kenechi posing with thousands of pounds worth of cash proceeds of his drug dealing. When questioned Kenechi, of Foster Drive, Cardiff, tried to make out he was running a legitimate clothes distribution business. Jailed: Kenechi, pictured, was part of the large-scale drug operation / Metropolitan Police But police said he was unable to provide any evidence to show the business would account for the amount of cash he was seen to be posed with. Kenechi controlled the operation through a mobile phone, which he and his brother used to contact hundreds of people when they had supplies. From this, the pair of thugs would receive orders, and then they would send younger gang members to supply drug users in Norwich. Thousands of pounds worth of cash was seized by police after an investigation was launched last year / Metropolitan Police Kenechi hired cars and travelled between the three locations to oversee the large-scale operation. He and his brother, of Mandeville Street, Hackney, were arrested after police found about 23,000 hidden in his Cardiff home. Four other men involved in the operation, in which crack cocaine and heroin were sold, were also arrested after police launched an investigation in March last year. Elliot Murawski and Frankie Dos Santos were arrested after officers found 6,000 hidden in an oven at a home in June last year. Jailed: Kenechi Ochereobia / Metropolitan Police Murawski, of Riverside Road, Norwich, was again arrested two months later after he was found in possession of about 3,000 of heroin and crack cocaine. Calvyn Green, of Keyworth Close, Hackney, was caught in possession of almost 2,500 on a London-bound train at Ipswich, along with phones containing text messages to and from drug users on September 6. Two weeks later, Jaivon Prince was stopped by police at Liverpool Street station. He admitted concealing two packets of drugs within his body. Prince, of Daubney Road, Hackney, was taken to hospital, where hundreds of wraps of heroin and cocaine were recovered totalling about 2,000. Jailed: Oluchi Ochereobia / Metropolitan Police His home was also searched and 20,000 worth of the same drugs were found. The six men were all subsequently charged with two counts of conspiracy to supply Class A drugs. Murawski and Prince both pleaded guilty to the conspiracy on November 17, and March 17 respectively. The others were all found guilty on Friday, May 12 at Blackfriars Crown Court following a trial. All six are due to be sentenced on May 26. Detective Sergeant Paul Harris, from the Mets Trident and Area Crime Command, said: This was a complex investigation spanning from Cardiff to Norwich via London. Kenechi Ochereobia tried to hide his involvement in the large-scale supply of drugs in Norwich by pretending to be a legitimate clothes distributor, whilst in reality he was getting younger gang members to run drugs across the country. I would like to thank South Wales Police and Norfolk Constabulary for their support on this operation. A n 18-year-old boy has died during a triple stabbing as youths brawled in a north London street. Police rushed to the scene in Hertford Road, Enfield, on Saturday just after 10.30pm after reports of a large group fighting in the road. On arrival, officers found an 18-year-old boy suffering from stab wounds. He was rushed to hospital by paramedics but died around an hour later from his injuries. Cordon: Police descended on the road on Saturday night / Faron Alex Paul/Facebook Two other teens, aged 19 and 17, were found in Palmers Lane, also suffering from stab wounds. They were taken to hospital but their condition is not thought to be life-threatening. The teenager was the second person to die from a stabbing in the capital in a matter of hours, after a man was killed in Bow on Saturday afternoon. Footage posted to Facebook showed the road cordoned off by police as a blue forensics tent was put up. On social media, residents claimed a large group of youths had descended on the area for a party at a nearby community centre before trouble flared. Stabbing: The scene in Enfield / Faron Alex Paul/Facebook A video posted by Faron Paul showed a teenager with his face covered claiming the trouble started at a "rave" before spilling on to the street. The teen says: I was in a rave and then youths kicked off, innit. Murder probe: The road was still blocked off on Sunday morning / Drassick One resident tweeted: Massive incident at the end of my road, ended in a young person losing their life due to being stabbed. Shut off a big part of Hertford Road. Residents said the road was still cordoned off by police on Sunday as investigations into the stabbings continued. A spokesman for Scotland Yard said no one had been arrested so far. The killings came a day after the Standard launched an investigation into the capital's knife crime epidemic, with 11 Londoners killed in just 16 days. Any witnesses, or anyone with information that may assist the investigation, should contact police via 101 or Tweet @MetCC. Alternatively, call Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111. W itnesses have described chaotic scenes as up to 80 teenagers spilled in the street during a night of violence that saw one boy knifed to death and two others stabbed. Emergency services descended on Hertford Road in Enfield on Saturday evening after reports of a mass brawl. An 18-year-old boy was found by lying in the street with stab wounds by police at around 10.30pm. He died in hospital around an hour later from his injuries. Two other teenage boys, aged 19 and 17, were found nearby with knife wounds in Palmers Lane. They were taken to hospital for treatment but their condition was not being treated as life-threatening. Stabbing: Police at the scene in Enfield / Angela Bailey One resident told the Standard how trouble flared before between 40 and 80 teenagers spread out on to the road following a party at a nearby community centre. Angela Bailey, 40, said: I heard the sirens and went outside. One police officer said there had been multiple incidents across the borough of Enfield with multiple injuries. The next time I went out I heard someone had been killed. Police and forensic officers in Hertford Road, Enfield / Nigel Howard She said: Earlier in the night there were an awful lot of youths heading up towards the community centre where a rave, as they called it, was happening. There was no sign of any parents being around at all. Stabbing: The scene in Enfield / Faron Alex Paul/Facebook Ms Bailey said the partygoers were all quite young, aged from around 13 to 20, and there were huge amounts of them. She said large crowds of teens spilled back into the road as ambulances and police arrived following reports of the stabbing. I saw one of the injured boys get put into the ambulance, she said. He was on a stretcher wrapped in foil blankets. Knife attack: Three people were stabbed / Angela Bailey Ms Bailey, who is now in talks to start a youth club in the area, claimed many of the children had arrived from outside Enfield and caused trouble at the centre. She said: "The youths that were walking past afterwards looked a bit shocked, like what have we got involved with? One little girl, you could see she was quite distressed by the incident. In a video published online, resident Faron Paul confronted some of the teenagers, demanding to know why they had been allowed out so late. Murder probe: The road was still blocked off on Sunday morning / Drassick One teen told him: I was in a rave and then youths kicked off, innit. The murder was the second in the capital on Saturday, after a man was stabbed and shot in Bow during the afternoon. It came a day after the Standard launched an investigation into the capital's knife crime epidemic, with 11 Londoners killed in just 16 days. Roads in the area remained cordoned off on Sunday as detectives and forensics officers continued their investigations. A Scotland yard spokesman said: Police were called shortly after 10.30pm on Saturday, 13 May, to a fight involving a number of people in Hertford Road, Enfield. Officers attended and found an 18-year-old man, suffering from stab injuries. A 19-year-old man and a 17-year-old male were found nearby in Palmers Lane, also suffering from stab injuries. Any witnesses, or anyone with information that may assist the investigation, should contact police via 101 or Tweet @MetCC. Alternatively, call Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111. A man is fighting for life after he was stabbed in the head just yards from a murder scene in north London. Police rushed to Southbury Road in Enfield on Sunday at 2pm after reports a man was injured near a Tesco car park. Paramedics also arrived and Londons Air Ambulance landed nearby. They found a man in his 20s suffering from stab wounds to his head and leg. Police in the Tesco car park in Ponders End / Nigel Howard He was taken to an east London hospital where he remains in a life threatening condition. A Scotland Yard spokesman said: At this stage officers believe that the man was stabbed following an altercation with a group of males in Exeter Road. The victim was placed in a vehicle by friends who attempted to seek help. The vehicle stopped in Southbury Road where the emergency services were called. The crime scene was minutes from Hertford Road, the scene of a triple stabbing on Saturday night that saw an 18-year-old die and left two other youths injured. No arrests have been made over Sundays attack. Anyone who saw the incident should all police on 101, tweet @MetCC or contact Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111. A man is fighting for his life after he 'injured himself' following a fight in front of horrified shoppers in a Tesco supermarket in west London, police say. Police were called to West Cromwell Road, in Kensington, at about 3.05pm on Sunday to reports of a man injured inside the supermarket. Paramedics found a man, believed to be aged in his late 20s, suffering a wound to his leg and in possession of a knife. He was rushed to a nearby hospital, where he is in a critical condition, police said. Officers now believe he injured himself following a fight at the supermarket. An investigation into the incident was opened and two people - a man and woman - were followed by officers to Great Western Road, in west London. at about 4.10pm. They had been seen leaving the scene shortly after the incident, police said. They were arrested on suspicion of attempted murder by firearms officers, but have since been released without charge. The scene were police arrested a man and woman in Great Western Road / Tricia Lodge The incident comes after two people were murdered in the space of just a few hours on Saturday, with a man stabbed and shot in Bow and a teenager stabbed to death in Enfield. A man is also fighting for his life after he was stabbed in the head just yards from the murder scene in Enfield on Sunday. The Standard has launched an investigation into London's knife crime epidemic, with 11 people killed in just 16 days. Anyone who witnessed the incident or has any information is asked to contact police on 101 or via Twitter @MetCC or Crimestoppers can be contacted anonymously on 0800 555 111. A 17-year-old has been stabbed after youths carrying a samurai sword fought with knives in front of shocked travellers on a south London bus. Witnesses told police one boy was attacked by two others carrying knives on board the route 64 bus in Danebury, New Addington. All three left the bus and then continued fighting in the street, according to passengers. As the violence continued, a black Corsa pulled up beside the bus and more youths got out, chasing the teen through a nearby estate. Police were called to reports of the knife fight at around 2pm on May 5. By the time they arrived, the youths had already scattered, but officers discovered a samurai sword discarded in the street. Half an hour later, a 17-year-old boy checked into a south London hospital bleeding from a stab wound to the shoulder. Police say his injuries are not life-threatening and he has since been discharged. PC Darren Barlow, the officer in the case, said: "I am appealing witnesses on the route 64 bus, which went from Thornton Heath to New Addington that afternoon to contact me. "I am also appealing for anyone who was in the Danebury area and the saw the fight continuing after all those involved had left the bus." A spokesman for Scotland Yard said there had been no arrests so far. Anyone with information can call PC Darren Barlow on 07825 378 289 or email darren.barlow@met.police.uk. Alternatively contact police on 101, tweet @MetCC, or phone Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111. A leading London private school is planning to introduce gender-neutral uniforms that would allow boys to wear skirts following a surge in trans pupils. Highgate School, in north London, has pledged to bring in the new rules after a number of equality groups pushed for changes such as gender-neutral lavatories and bans on phrases such as man-up. It comes as figures show a surge in the number of young people, mostly girls, looking to change gender. More than 2,000 under-18s were referred to the Gender Identity Clinic (GIC) at the Tavistock and Portman NHS Foundation Trusts in north London last year, according to figures seen by the Sunday Times. Highgate School / Google But critics have warned that introducing such rules would encourage copycat behaviour among pupils. Adam Pettitt, headmaster at Highgate, told the newspaper: This generation is really questioning [if we are] being binary in the way we look at things." He added some former pupils have complained about the changes, saying They write in and say if you left children to their own devices they would grow up differently and you are promoting the wrong ideas". The school already allows children to request that staff address them by a name of the opposite gender and one boy has also been allowed to wear a dress to school. Former pupils at the school include Phil Tufnell and politician Charles Clarke. At Woodside High School, a state school in Wood Green, in north London, staff are discouraged from using words such as lady-like or phrases like boys will be boys. Alan Smithers, professor of education at Buckingham University, warned of the risks of copycat behaviour. He said: Schools need to help young people become comfortable with their identities, not reinforce their anxieties with measures such as gender-neutral uniforms. A pedestrian was rushed to hospital after being ploughed into in a hit-and-run in east London. Paramedics and police were scrambled to the scene in Clapton Common, Hackney, just before 3am on Sunday. The male pedestrian, 19, was rushed to hospital. Police said his condition is not life-threatening. Officers said the car they believed was involved in the crash was recovered nearby. They are still trying to trace the driver. Pictures show what is believed to be the car involved with a smashed windscreen / @Shomrim/Twitter Dramatic pictures from the scene appear to show the car involved with its windscreen completely shattered. One shows paramedics surrounding the pedestrian while the road is taped off. A Metropolitan Police spokesman said: There has been no arrest at this stage and enquiries continue. B urst water mains rose by more than 1,000 this year as the capitals centuries-old pipes struggled to cope with freezing temperatures - causing chaos for Londoners. According to figures obtained under Freedom of Information by the Standard, Thames Water attended 5,229 leaks from April 2016 to April 2017, compared to 4,150 the year before - a 26 per cent increase. Burst mains across London caused chaos for residents, with homes in Muswell Hill, Bexley, Tulse Hill and Lewisham left under swathes of water in separate incidents during the autumn and winter months. Freezing temperatures over winter meant that in January the supplier attended to 1,000 repairs in just one week, with Thames Water forced to bring in extra staff to cope with numerous complaints. Water comes into house in Muswell Hill Road flooding A "major incident" was declared in Lewisham after a burst main submerged the town centre, while homes were left without water for days because of leaks across London. Thames Water put the surge down to plummeting temperatures over January, which makes pipes more likely to burst. The supplier has promised it is working to improve the figures. A spokesman said: Weve increased investment and are being much more innovative to detect and prevent leaks. We know that reducing leakage is a top customer priority, and are determined to bring the rate down. "But large scale mains replacements are disruptive, especially with two thirds of our network running under the busiest and hardest to reach roads in London. "We need to find the delicate balance between creating a more resilient network and keeping disruption and cost to a minimum for our customers." In total, Thames Water attended 38,512 leaks over the past five years, with many pipes across the capital more than 200-years-old pre-dating the reign of Queen Victoria. Burst water pipe in Tulse Hill Officials attended the most broken pipes over the five year period in 2011, having to fix 6,428 leaks. So far, Thames Water has replaced more than 1,700 miles of Victorian water pipes and is hoping to fix a further 370 miles by 2020. While burst mains flooded vast areas of the capital last year, visible leaks only account for two per cent of incidents attended to by Thames Water, with most underground. Flooding in Camberwell in October / Twitter/Carrie Behar The disruption caused by burst pipes over winter was so severe that London Assembly member Jennette Arnold accused the company of having a let if flood, let it burst maintenance policy. A spokesman for London Mayor Sadiq Khan said: "The Mayor is aware of a number of measures Thames Water are taking to reduce water main bursts in London and he expects them to be implemented as quickly as possible." Earlier this year, Thames Water was fined a record 20.3m for polluting the River Thames, with the provider responsible for polluting the river with 1.4bn litres of raw sewage. E mily Thornberry accused defence secretary Michael Fallon of talking b*****ks, in a fiery debate on live television. The pair clashed on the BBCs Andrew Marr Show on Sunday after Mr Fallon claimed she wanted to renegotiate the future of the Falkland Islands. He said the Ms Thornberry, the shadow foreign secretary, left the door open to a Labour government discussing the sovereignty of the islands with Argentina. She strongly denied the claims, saying: That is b*****ks. Its untrue." Ms Thornberry used foul language on live television / BBC During the fiery interview, she went on to accuse Mr Fallon of lying to the electorate ahead of the General Election on June 8. She said: You really cant just go around making this stuff up. Theres an election on and people need to make decisions based on the truth. The Falklands archipelago, 300 miles east of Argentina, remains British territory. Earlier in the programme, Ms Thornberry was asked what Labour would do when approaching the Falkland Islands issue. She said: "There needs to be a future in terms of talking to neighbours of the Falklands... but certainly not undermining the sovereignty of the Falkland Islands." In the same show, Ms Thornberry ambushed the Conservative MP on a meeting he had with Bashar Al-Assad in 2007. She said: Do you know where you were on the 27 May, 2007? You were in Syria and you were celebrating at a reception the re-election of President Assad with a 99 per cent of the vote. Im not going to judge you on you going to a reception with Assad, and I dont think people should judge Jeremy by trying to talk to people who might be open to a settlement in Northern Ireland. Her comments were made after a discussion began over Labour leader Jeremy Corbyns meeting with a top IRA leader in 1983. In response to her Syria claims, Mr Fallon said: I was on all-party visit to Syria, back in 2007. I did meet Assad. I didnt celebrate his re-election. It was 10 years ago we had a different relationship with Assad. Theres a huge moral difference between talking to other foreign leaders, and Jeremy Corbyns quite open support for the IRA. T heresa May will unveil a "new deal for workers" with a commitment to further increases in the national living wage in the Conservative Party manifesto. The Prime Minister's will set out what she claims is the "greatest expansion in workers' rights by any Conservative government" in her latest bid to attract Labour voters for the general election. The manifesto will include measures to protect workers' pensions in the wake of the BHS scandal and a guarantee European Union rights will be protected in the Brexit process. The national living wage for workers aged 25 and over, which is currently 7.50, will rise in line with average earnings until 2022, while workers will also be given a statuary right to be informed of key decisions affecting their company's future. New protections for workers in the so-called "gig economy, such as drivers for Uber and internet delivery firms, follow a review set up by the Prime Minister led by Matthew Taylor, a former adviser to Tony Blair. Visiting a training facility in southern England, Theresa May will say: "I said I would use Brexit to extend the protections and rights that workers enjoy, and our manifesto will deliver exactly that. The policy is aimed at typical Labour Party supporters / AFP/Getty Images "Our plans, backed up with strong and stable leadership, will be the greatest expansion in workers' rights by any Conservative government in history. "By working with business, reducing taxes and dealing with the deficit we have delivered steady improvements to the economic prospects of working people. Other measures in the plans include representation for workers on company boards, although unions are likely to be disappointed that the proposals fall short of forcing firms to have employees in the boardroom. Workers will also be given a new right to request leave for training purposes and the right to leave for workers who suffer the tragedy of losing a child. The package of reforms includes changes to the Equalities Act to extend protections from discrimination to those suffering fluctuating or intermittent mental health conditions. There will also be new returnships, internships for people coming back into the labour market after an absence such as parenthood or a period of caring for a relative. Labour announced on Saturday that it would introduce a 'Robin Hood tax' to raise 26bn for public services from the City of London. A leaked copy of the Labour Party manifesto also showed plans to nationalise the Royal Mail and railways. Labour campaign chief Andrew Gwynne said the Prime Minister was "taking working people for fools". "Theresa May and her Tory Government have failed to stand up for workers; with hundreds of thousands not being paid the money owed to them, thousands unable to get their case against their employer heard and hundreds of complaints of employment agency malpractice going un-investigated," he said. A D-Day war hero became the worlds oldest person to skydive, at the age of 101 and 38 days. Verdun Hayes smashed the current record after completing the tandem skydive with his family at an airfield in Devon on Sunday. The former lance corporal in the Royal Signals said hooray as he touched down, adding that he was feeling absolutely over the moon. The great-grandfather only tried jumping from planes for the first time last year, when he reached 100, breaking the British record. Mr Hayes said he wanted to parachute jump since he turned 90, but was first talked out of it by his late wife. He was determined to take the world record from its previous holder, Candaian Armand Gendreau who did it at the age of 101 and three days in 2013. When asked how he was feeling prior to Sunday's jump, Mr Hayes, who needed a helping hand to navigate his way into the aircraft, replied with a stoic: "alright". He said was "absolutely" looking forward to the experience. The widower took to the skies with 10 members of his family, three generations, who were all raising money for the Royal British Legion. Verdun Hayes gestures prior to tandem skydiving in Devon / AP The youngest skydiver was Stanley, 16, Mr Hayes' great-grandson, while his grandson Roger, 50, son Bryan, 74 and great-granddaughter Ellie, 21, were also among those who took the leap. Speaking prior to the skydive, his daughter, Lin Tattersall, said: "He's made up his own mind that he wants to do it again, and I am extremely proud of the reasoning behind it." Mr Hayes, from Croyde, Devon, served in the Army during the Second World War and was presented with a Legion d'honneur for his heroic actions in Holland, Belgium, Germany and in Normandy, France. He was named Verdun after his father Joseph Hayes, who served in the First World War as a Sapper with the Royal Engineers and who fought during the Battle of the Somme, wrote home to his pregnant wife Mary from the front line suggesting they call their child Verdun after the 1916 battle. Mr Hayes himself served as a signaller and wireless operator for the Royal Signals during the Second World War. The great-grandfather, jumped out of a plane from 15-thousand feet / AP He returned to Normandy in 2016 as a beneficiary of the Royal British Legion's Remembrance Travel arm. During the war, Mr Hayes sustained shrapnel injuries to his ribs and hands after being involved in an explosion that killed his friend, Sgt Edgar Robertson. He said: "How I came home from World War Two I do not know. "I was so near to the edge of everything. I lost any amount of friends in no time at all really. I just didn't think I would ever return home." A spokesman for the Royal British Legion said Mr Hayes would now be celebrating with a glass of champagne. He said: "We are very proud of Verdun's achievements and his family's support for the Royal British Legion and the money raised recognises the service and sacrifice made across all generations of the British Armed Forces. "The money raised will help support individuals and families from across the generations of our armed forces community." Members of the family have separate online donation pages but Mr Hayes, who hoped to raise 1,000, has already beaten his target and the current total on Virgin Money Giving stands at more than 1,600. T he threat from the cyber attack that crippled international services "will continue to grow" as people return to work on Monday, the head of Europol warned. Since Friday's breach more than 200,000 victims - including the NHS - across 150 countries have been infected by the Wanna Decryptor ransomware, also known as WannaCry. London hospitals run by Barts Health NHS Trust were still affected by the problems on Sunday as they battled to return things to normal by Monday. Speaking to ITV's Peston on Sunday, Europol director Rob Wainwright said the attack was indiscriminate across the private and public sectors. "At the moment we are in the face of an escalating threat, the numbers are going up, I am worried about how the numbers will continue to grow when people go to work and turn their machines on Monday morning. "The latest count is over 200,000 victims in at least 150 countries. Many of those will be businesses including large corporations." Organisations across the globe, including investigators from the National Crime Agency (NCA), are now working non-stop to hunt down those responsible for the ransomware. Meanwhile health authorities are racing to upgrade security software amid fears hackers could exploit the same vulnerability with a new virus. There have been calls for an inquiry into the circumstances surrounding Friday's major incident, with the Government and NHS chiefs facing questions over their preparedness and the robustness of vital systems. Mr Wainwright explained: "We have been concerned for some time. The healthcare centres in many countries are particularly vulnerable. They are processing a lot of sensitive data." A British cyber whiz was hailed an "accidental hero" after he registered a domain name that unexpectedly stopped the spread of the virus, which exploits a vulnerability in Microsoft Windows software. The anonymous specialist, known only as MalwareTech, prevented more than 100,000 computers across the globe from being infected. A message appearing on a computer at an NHS trust / PA On Sunday MalwareTech issued a warning that hackers could upgrade the virus to remove the kill switch. "Version 1 of WannaCrypt was stoppable but version 2.0 will likely remove the flaw. You're only safe if you patch ASAP," he wrote on Twitter. A number of hospitals in England and Scotland were forced to cancel procedures after dozens of NHS systems were brought down in Friday's attack. Medical staff reported seeing computers go down "one by one" as the attack took hold, locking machines and demanding money to release the data. Around a fifth of trusts were hit amid concerns networks were left vulnerable because they were still using outdated Windows XP software. The apparent chink in the NHS's defences led to criticism of the Government and NHS bosses, with the Liberal Democrats demanding an inquiry takes place. Speaking after a Cobra meeting on Saturday, Home Secretary Amber Rudd admitted "there's always more" that can be done to protect against viruses. She said: "If you look at who's been impacted by this virus, it's a huge variety across different industries and across international governments. "This is a virus that attacked Windows platforms. The fact is the NHS has fallen victim to this. "I don't think it's to do with that preparedness. There's always more we can all do to make sure we're secure against viruses, but I think there have already been good preparations in place by the NHS to make sure they were ready for this sort of attack." Labour's shadow health secretary, Jonathan Ashworth, in a letter to Mr Hunt, said concerns were repeatedly flagged about outdated computer systems. Speaking to Robert Peston, he demanded that the Conservatives publish the Department of Health's risk register to see how seriously they were taking IT threats. Among those affected by the virus was Nissan UK, but the car manufacturer said there had been no major impact. It is understood its plant in Sunderland is not due to have another production shift until Sunday night. A stage invader was bundled off by security after flashing his bare behind during the Eurovision Song Contest. The unknown man made his move as 2016 winner Jamala was performing her new single to thousands at the International Exhibition Centre in Kiev, Ukraine. Seconds into her song a man draped in an Australian flag got up on stage and circled Jamala before pulling his trousers down and flashing his bottom. A security guard pulled him off stage as Jamala continued. Graham Norton, who was providing the commentary, quickly apologised to viewers. He said: "You may have witnessed a bare bottom. So I'd like to apologise if that offended anybody." Eagle-eyed viewers were quick to spot the incident and took to Twitter to question whether they really did see a bare behind on stage. Comedian Alan Carr feared the stage invader was from the UK and had destroyed our chance of winning. He tweeted: "That a*** has just lost us #eurovision - fuming." But he later realised the man was draped in an Australian flag, tweeting: "I've watched it back ten times and it's an Australian flag so phew! We could still win it." Australia has participated in the competition for three years after being invited to compete in 2015 as part of the competition's 60th anniversary celebrations. They were invited back to perform and even came close to winning in 2016, but just missed out to Jamala from Ukraine. Eurovision moments - In pictures 1 /37 Eurovision moments - In pictures Swedish pop group Abba performs their song Waterloo during the 1974 Eurovision Song Contest AFP/Getty Images Members of the band Kalush Orchestra pose onstage with the winners trophy and Ukraines flags after winning on behalf of Ukraine the Eurovision Song contest 2022 on May 14, 2022 at the Pala Alpitour venue in Turin AFP via Getty Images 1981 Eurovision Song Contest winners Bucks Fizz Getty Images Jedward from Ireland perform in the grand finale of the 2011 Eurovision Song Contest 2011 Getty Images Cliff Richard in a display of enthusiasm outside the Royal Albert Hall, London ahead of the 1967 Eurovision song contest Getty Images Lucie Jones performing the UK's 2017 Eurovision entry 'Never Give Up on You' PA Glasgow born pop singer Lulu (Marie MacDonald McLaughlin Lawrie) performs 'Boom Bang-A-Bang', the British entry at the 1969 Eurovision Song Contest in Madrid Getty Images Finland's Lordi performs the song 'Hard Rock Hallelujah' during the 2006 Eurovision final song contest AFP/Getty Images Conchita Wurst of Austria performs on stage during the grand final of the 2014 Eurovision Song Contest Getty Images Pop group Jemini of United Kingdom - the 2003 entry for the Eurovision song contest AFP/Getty Images British singer Sandie Shaw receiving the winning trophy for the 2967 Eurovision song contest Getty Images Scooch - United Kingdom's entry to the 2007 Eurovision Song Contest AFP/Getty Images Members of the t.A.T.u group from Russia are performing during the final concert of the 2003 Eurovision song contest in Riga AFP/Getty Images Ireland's Johnny Logan winning the 1980 Eurovision Song Contest Getty Images Olivia Newton-John poses with policemen in Brighton, during rehearsals for the 1974 Eurovision song contest PA The New Seekers pop group, chosen to represent United Kingdom in the 1971 Eurovision Song Contest. Getty Images English pop singer Cliff Richard with the 'Breakaways' group during rehearsals at London's Talk of the Town. He sang 'Congratulations', the British entry to the Eurovision Song Contest in 1968, reaching second place Getty Images Engelbert Humperdinck of the United Kingdom performs during the grand final of the 2012 Eurovision Song Contest Getty Images Celine Dion during the 1988 Eurovision song contest Pat Maxwell/Rex Boy band Blue of the United Kingdom perform in the grand finale of the 2011 Eurovision Song Contest Getty Images Dana International of Israel performs in the 2011 Eurovision cog contest Getty Images Hosts Terry Wogan and Natasha Kaplinsky, with winner Javine PA Katie Price as Jordon at the 2005 Eurovision song contest PA Gina G performs at the 1996 Eurovision song contest PA Katrina and the Waves celebrates their victory after winning the 1997 Eurovision Song PA Graham Norton hosting BBC1's Eurovision: Your Country Needs You PA France's Jacqueline Boyer clutches her trophy after winning the 1960 Eurovision Song Contest at the Royal Festival Hall Getty Images Eurovision Song Contest compere Katie Boyle (on the left) checks the scoreboard for the order of the draw in 1960 Getty Images Eurovision is on BBC One. VETERAN, Wyo. The McClun family is typical of many agricultural operations located in eastern Wyoming and western Nebraska. The business is passed to the next generations, and family members work in town or hold other jobs off the farm/ranch. The first McClun, V.H., came to Goshen County in the 1920s where he joined other World War I veterans who took up homesteading. His place was in the Table Mountain community near Lyman, Nebraska. A few years later, he was joined by his brother, Earl, who brought his family from eastern Nebraska. Soon after arriving in 1934, his sone, Jim, was born. Earl later moved his operation to the present location, 4.5 miles west of Wyoming Highway 154, and two miles north of the small community of Veteran. According to Jim, whose family now lives on the place and manages their livestock operation, he was in sixth grade when the move was made to Veteran. He graduated from Veteran High School in 1952, and served in the U.S. Army, 1954-56. He used the G.I. Bill to obtain a Bachelor of Science degree in agriculutural economics from the University of Wyoming (UW). In 1962, he and Jerri Geringer married and settled into the family operation. They met while Jerri, who was raised at Wheatland, was working at the First National Bank in Torrington, Wyoming. The young family grew to include four children: JoAnn, Jean, Julie and Jeff. Although the siblings have taken their own paths in life, they maintain close ties with their parents and the home place. JoAnn, who has a degree from UW, and her husband, Michael, live in Goshen County with their two daughters and two sons. The family is active in 4-H and keeps their animals at grandpas place. Jean has a degree in animal science, also from UW. She lived in Colorado for a while, but has returned to help with the business. Julie and her husband, Troy Davis, and daughter, Janie, live south of Pine Bluffs, Wyoming, near the border with Colorado. She graduated from Chadron State College with a degree in accounting, and works for the State of Wyoming in Cheyenne. Troy is employed by Weld County, Colorado, and Janie is an elementary school student at Pine Bluffs. Jeff and his wife, Kari, who is from the Huntley, Wyoming, community, are graduates of Southeast High School at Yoder, Wyoming, where their children, Kody and Kiffany, a cosmetologist in Casper, Wyoming, graduated, and Kassidy will be a senior next fall. Kari works at Community Hospital in Torrington. Jeff earned a degree in farm mechanics from Eastern Wyoming College in Torrington, and began his life of sharing duties on the home place. He also ventured into politics, and serves as a member of the Goshen County Unified School District #1 board of directors. Kody, in his turn, is carrying on the family tradition of higher education and agriculture. He attended Eastern Wyoming College and the University of Wyoming, studying farm management and earning a degree in ag business. Tyler, his wife, has a degree in elementary education and does substitute teaching while their children are small. Mason, 5, and Kanin, 5 months, are lining up for their turn at running the Lazy JM business. In addition to running a successful livestock and farming operation, the family is also involved in community organizations. Jim, Jeff and Kody are active in the Veteran Volunteer Fire Department. Jim was a charter member, and served as fire chief during his career. He has now retired, but Jeff and Kody are active members. As for the business itself, management is a cooperative effort. We pretty much divide the responsibilities, Jeff said, sitting at the dining room table in his parents farm home where the family gathered for this interview. Right now the focus is calving, then it will be hay time. And theres always repairs. According to Jeff, he wanted a degree from EWC because he likes working with and repairing equipment, and thought he would use his skills at an off-farm job. But after completing the course, and submitting a job application, he wasnt excited about working inside all day. Even if I got a job in a shop, working inside wasnt for me, he explained. Coming back to the farm wasnt just to help Dad. This is what Id grown up with, and all I really like to do. Theres always challenges, and for the most part its a good life, especially for the kids. The family maintains 275-300 head of cattle, both Hereford and Angus, in addition to farming 500 acres, raising corn and alfalfa to feed their livestock. A large part of their operation is pasture across the Fort Laramie Canal from their homes. According to Jim, his father had steers for several years, and in the early 1950s expanded to a cow/calf operation. In 1964, the family switched to registered Herefords. Eventually, following the market trend, about 20 years ago they added an Angus line. Jim said he tried Semintal and Salers in the 1980s, but went back to the Herefords. I like the Hereford temperament, he said of the main Lazy J M line. They are easy to handle. The McCluns have held a spring bull sale for about 20 years, and also have some commercial cattle, feeders and bred heifers, to serve their customers throughout the region. In addition to their other operations, the McCluns also do AI breeding, with an emphasis on genetics. When asked about the future, the response was unanimous: Continue farming and raising cattle, even though 2016 was a poor year. There probably isnt a farmer or rancher who wont agree with that evalution of recent conditions in the agriculture industry. However, continuing to challenge the elements and the markets seems to be part of the nature of true ag producers. As Kody put it, I wanted to join the family operation, so I went to school and got the piece of paper, and came back. He hopes Mason and Kanin follow the family tradition, which seems likely, as even at their young ages, they enjoy being outside, following the footsteps of their great-grandfather, grandfather and father. TORRINGTON, Wyo. A Torrington-area couple received the Distinguished Service to Agriculture Award from the University of Wyoming chapter of the national honor society of agriculture for their accomplishments, work with students and collaboration with researchers. Gamma Sigma Delta recognized Scott and Teresa Forrest during the organizations honors banquet last month on the UW campus. GSD also recognized outstanding academic students in the College of Agriculture and Natural Resources. Forrest Farms produces organic corn and hay for organic dairy producers in Wyoming and surrounding states, said Anowar Islam, UW Extension forage specialist. I was very impressed seeing Scotts great farming operation systems and in-depth knowledge and enthusiasm for agriculture, said Islam, president of UWs GSD. He is a hard-working farmer and has spent his entire life in agricultural production and business systems. The Forrests and their daughter and son-in-law, Crystal and Ryan Woehlecke, operate the farm. Their sons, David and Brian Forrest, haul all the corn and hay. Forrest has collaborated with UW since 2010 when Islam, who had received funding from the National Institute for Farming and Agriculture and Wyoming Department of Agriculture Producer Grants, contacted Forrest Farms about conducting forage research. Forrest is involved in research with faculty members, extension educators and students by providing not only experimental lands and facilities but also daily operations, data collection and monitoring and reporting, said Islam. I noticed Scott is a great helper, especially to students for their land preparation, irrigation, weed control, plot harvesting and overall plot management, noted Islam. Forrests contributions led to Wyoming Agricultural Experiment Station research bulletins in 2015 and 2016. Forrest provides information about his farm to other producers looking for ways to improve agricultural production and test management options. He also volunteers for student projects. A recent great example is helping students for their GPS projects in a remote sensing agricultural course in the botany department at UW, said Islam. Forrest started a dairy farm with his father in Berthoud, Colorado, in 1978. He moved to Torrington in 1994 and operated a dairy until selling the operation in 2013 and switching to raising organic corn and hay. Forrest Farms has been organic for 10 years. Signs are being made and talking points rehearsed in anticipation of Monday nights city council meeting, as a group of residents opposed to the renaming of Lakewood Park to Martin Luther King Jr. Park plans a protest during the public comment portion of the meeting. 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Sign up for our newsletter to keep reading. The business news you need Get the latest local business news delivered FREE to your inbox weekly. Sign up! Already a Subscriber? Already a Subscriber? Sign in Terms of Service Privacy Policy Veteran St. Louis television news anchor and reporter John Auble died Saturday. His death was reported by KTVI (Channel 2) Sunday morning. The station did not give a cause of death. He worked for the station as an anchor for 23 years before retiring in May 2011. He was 77 years old. Auble came to St. Louis in 1967 to work for the Globe-Democrat, according to Post-Dispatch reports. He later worked at KMOX-TV (now KMOV) and Channel 5, which was KSD-TV and later KSDK. He co-hosted the popular Newsbeat show with Dick Ford. He also managed and then owned the Goldenrod showboat on the riverfront for a time before joining Channel 2 in 1988. His career highlights include an interview with James Earl Ray, the man who assassinated the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. He also interviewed Coretta King and Rosa Parks, among others. In 2011, Auble was inducted into the St. Louis Media Halls of Fame for his contributions to television journalism. The Youngstown, Ohio, native was a Vietnam War veteran and the winner of seven Emmy awards. He previously worked as a reporter in Columbus, Ohio; New York City and in San Juan, Puerto Rico. According to KTVI, Auble is survived by his wife, Charmaine Cassin-Auble, five children, seven grandchildren and two great-grandchildren. Service information was not yet available. Each Saturday and Sunday well post a Quick Smoke: not quite a full review, just our brief verdict on a single cigar of buy, hold, or sell. One of the first cigars I smoked under the Casa Fernandez brand was Arsenio, which is named after Casa Fernandez master blender Arsenio Ramos. Its a tremendous value considering $45 gets you a box of ten. In 2014, Casa Fernandez added a new Arsenio line called Serie Oro. Today Im smoking the large Toro (6.5 x 54), which retails for just under $10. The Nicaraguan puro features a Corojo wrapper grown at an Aganorsa farm in Esteli. With a soft, box-pressed shape, the cigar produces medium-bodied flavors with plenty of graham cracker sweetness and black coffee notes. Construction is excellent. It is hard to beat the original Arsenio when it comes to valye, but the Serie Oro is a fine, balanced, well-made cigar. Verdict = Buy. Patrick S photo credit: Stogie Guys, PATIENTS at South Warwickshire Foundation Trust are reassuring patients that they can attend appointments as normal in the wake of the global cyber attacks. In total 48 trusts in Britain were hit by Fridays ransomware attack which locked computer systems disrupting hospital and GP appointments and demanding payments of 230 to free them. SWFT which runs hospials in Warwick, Leamington, Stratford and Shipston was not among the targeted trusts forced to cancel appointments and operations but was quick to take action to protect its systems. A statement on SWFTs website reads: A number of NHS trusts have reported issues with their IT systems. We are taking precautions to safeguard our systems and ensure none of our services are impacted. Please attend all your appointments as planned. If any of our services are affected we will provide an update at the earliest opportunity. The government emergency Cobra committee met yesterday to discuss the attack. Home Secretary Amber Rudd said: Weve talked about how we can make sure the NHS remains robust, that patients are put first. Bank of China (BoC) will be setting up its first branch in Pakistan as it has received its banking license from the State Bank of Pakistan (SBP). Finance Minister Ishaq Dar met with Bank of China Chairman Tian Guo Li in Beijing, where the latter was invited to visit Pakistan to inaugurate bank's first branch in Pakistan, expected to be set up in Karachi. The bank is expected to commence its business after meeting regulatory requirements, and is expected to start its operations in branch mode, said a statement released by SBP. The SBP statement added that BoC is a subsidiary of China Central Huijin, an investment arm of the Chinese government. BoC operates on mainland China and has footprints in more than 50 countries across the globe, with 19 of those countries located across China's 'One Belt One Road' initiative. At the end of 2015, the bank had a total of 11,633 institutions including 644 in countries outside China. BoC is the fourth and fifth largest global bank in terms of Tier-1 capital and total assets respectively. It is listed on the Shanghai Stock Exchange and the Hong Kong Stock Exchange. The bank will initially bring $50 million to fulfill the minimum capital requirements of SBP. The long term objective of Bank of China is to increase its market penetration by opening branches in major cities of Pakistan while aiming to be one of the largest foreign banks in the country. The bank aims to provide differential and specialised banking services to effectively serve financing needs of the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) related projects by leveraging on its experience and global technology platforms. Interior Minister Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan has ordered the Cyber Crime Wing of Federal Investigation Authority (FIA) to take immediate action against all those dishonouring the Pakistan Army through social media. The interior minister stated that the Constitution, while providing guarantee of freedom of expression, makes it clear that security and defence matters and relevant organisation would not be subjected to criticism and no citizen would indulge in any such activity that negatively impacts the prestige, repute and respect of the armed forces. Ridiculing the army or its officers under the garb of freedom of expression is unacceptable, he was quoted as saying in the statement. He said targeting a disciplined and reputed organisation of the country was not only a matter of concern but was also a serious offence and strict action should be taken against those who, intentionally or unintentionally, were committing such an offence. The minister directed FIA to take action without any discrimination against all involved in such condemnable act regardless of their party affiliation, group or profession. The sources said that these instructions were issued after many social media users criticised the military establishment in its recent standoff with the government over the Dawn Leak issue. The critics on social media have been questioning the ISPRs public rejection of an order issued by the PM office on Dawn Leak. The controversial tweet was however, recanted by the spokesman of the armed forces but it remains undeleted. Chairman Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Imran Khan on Sunday said Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif could not stop corruption because he himself was a king of corruption. Chairman of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf, Imran Khan has said on Sunday that leadership of Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) stole Rs 62 billion that belonged to the people of Pakistan. He addressed a rally in Abbottabad and in his speech he said that money laundering done by Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif was proved by material published by Panama Papers. He held rampant corruption a reason for lack of foreign investment in Pakistan. Khan said that the country could not progress until persons guilty of corruption are not put behind bars. He branded Dawn Leaks a conspiracy to malign the military. Khan said that the leak was no misunderstanding between the government and the army. Earlier on Friday, Khan said while addressing a rally in Sargodha: "It was revealed in Dawn Leaks that PM Nawaz wants friendly relations with India however the army does not agree to this." He commented had such sort of a situation arosed in India, appropriate action would have been taken within 48 hours. Imran Khan declared that the premier s lies have been exposed after the Qatari letter was rejected by the Supreme Court in Panama Leaks case. He claimed that the government has failed to fulfill the promises made to the masses. Imran Khan further alleged that the government is busy maligning Pakistan Army when there already is tension along the borders. Former President and Pakistan Peoples Party Co-chairman Asif Ali Zardari said on Sunday that the ruling party Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz will not be successful in making a government again in Punjab, adding that the PPP wont allow rigging in the next general elections. PPP co-chairman was addressing a gathering in Peshawar. They have a misapprehension that they will form a government again in Punjab by introducing new trains, mocked the former president. He said that this time his party workers would be sitting in front of the polling booths and would leave only after receiving results. Would go to every corner of the country to campaign this time, he said. The former president said that the PPP wanted to ensure FATAs inclusion in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, adding that the party gave Pakhtuns their identity. Zardari said that the NFC award was not a favour but a right of the Pakhtun nation. We dreamt of the CPEC for Balochistan and KP, said the PPP co-chairman. He also took aim at ruling party in KP, the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf, saying: Immature people cannot see that KP is up in flames. Zardari is on a five-day visit to Peshawar during which he is scheduled to meet provincial members of the party, members of the parliament, district heads and address the FATA grand jirga, PPP KP president Muhammad Humayun Khan had said. Twenty-three people were killed and 11 injured when a bus carrying Turkish tourists crashed near the southwestern holiday town of Marmaris in Mugla Province, a local official says. Mugla Deputy Governor Kamil Koten told Anadolu Agency that the death toll in the accident increased to 23 when three bodies trapped under the vehicle were taken out. Koten said 11 people had been injured. Amir Cicek, the governor of Mugla province, had earlier put the death toll at 20. He had said that the bus was carrying about 40 people, many of whom were women. The bus was heading to Marmaris from the Buca district of the western province of Izmir for a one-day trip when the driver lost control of the vehicle in the Sakagecidi region and the bus tumbled down a cliff. Ambulances, fire department and teams from Turkeys Disaster and Emergency Management Authority (AFAD) were dispatched to the scene. There were no foreign tourists inside it. The reason for the accident is being examined. There may be a malfunction in the brakes, but the issue is being investigated, Cicek said. Marmaris Mayor Ali Acar also said that the situation is dire. A high number of people were killed. I think that the accident was a result of driver failure. Marmaris is one of the country's main resorts on the Mediterranean, and a popular weekend destination for many Turks as temperatures climb. A gunman has shot and killed a police chief and two nursing home staff members in the US state of Ohio, according to police. Licking County Sheriff Randy Thorp told reporters during a press conference on Friday that the suspected gunman was also found dead. So the incident that happened inside Pine Kirk Care Center in Kirkersville left a total of four people dead. Kirkersville is located about 25 miles (40 kilometers) east of Columbus, Ohio. Thorp identified the slain officer as 36-year-old Steven Eric Disario, who was ambushed while responding to reports of an armed man firing shots inside the nursing home The officer was a father of six children, and the family has another child on the way, Thorp said. Statistics by the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) show that firearms kill more than 33,000 people in the US every year, a number that includes accidental discharges, murders and suicides. It is estimated that there are between 270 million and 300 million guns in the US, about one per person, according to the New York Daily News. This years budget will include an additional investment of $59.2 million over four years to ensure all road ambulance call outs are double crewed. St John has welcomed the news, saying the end of single crewing is the most significant development in their ambulance service history. Health Minister Jonathan Coleman says the government is focused on getting patients the care they need when they need it. Our ambulance services have a key role to play in this, he says. Double crewing all road ambulance call outs will help ensure patients are provided with the best care possible, as well as support the safety and wellbeing of our dedicated paramedic workforce. St John chief executive Peter Bradley says it means they will be able to recruit 430 frontline jobs over four years. Well be able to provide rural New Zealand with the same crewing levels as urban areas a move that will save more lives and make it safer for out crews. It will also give us the chance to promote from within, and for a large number of out volunteer ambulance officers to become paid staff. However, NZ First leader Winston Peters has slammed the governments announcement as a limp response after years of neglect. To be blunt, National has allowed patients to suffer, perhaps die, by failing to heed the calls for more funding for St John and other services, says Winston. Their announcement of 375 extra medical personnel will be welcomed only because ambulance services are desperate. He believes National has cynically ignored needs right up until election year. They have the nerve after nine years to announce a funding model that is not completed until 2021 which, on their record, by that time will be obsolete. Our ambulances only get 70 per cent government funding, so have to beg from the public for more. They are running at losses. St John had a staggering $7m plus deficit in 2015, it has been sending out ambulances with only one crew member and has been warning the government for years that more funding is needed, as did the parliamentary select committee nine years ago. If elected, he says New Zealand First would also ensure all ambulances were double crewed. Dog fees in the Eastern Bay of Plenty are set to rise by $15 per dog for the 2017/2018 year. The Whakatane District Council has agreed to raise the annual registration fee for "entire" dogs to cover an expected increase in the cost of dog control activities. Projected expenditure for dog control across the district is expected to total close to $655,000 for the year, with much the increase focused on delivering enhanced services across the district. This includes increased animal control cover delivered by the Councils Whakatane-based staff; and an animal control partnership agreement with Ngati Manawa, which is already delivering a greatly improved service in Murupara and surrounds, with fewer roaming dogs and an increase in impoundments and registrations noted since the partnership took effect in January, says a statement from the council. To comply with the councils funding policy, 70 per cent of the expected annual cost must be derived from registration, impounding and other dog-related fees. The revenue expected to be generated from registration fees and fines is likely to fall $42,000 short of the required contribution and as much of the animal control effort goes into dealing with aggression and roaming issues often relating to entire dogs, staff recommended that the additional cost should not be recovered from the fees for de-sexed dogs. Following discussion at an extraordinary council meeting earlier this month, most council elected members agreed that the fee for registering entire dogs should increase from $60 to $75 a year (providing the fee is paid by July 31). The discounted annual registration fees for payments received by 31 July are: de-sexed dog - $50; entire dog - $75; dogs owned by incorporated hunt clubs - $50/dog. All of those fees increase by 50 percent if they are paid after July 31. The annual fee for certified companion dogs/hearing dogs/guide dogs is $5. Several committee members expressed concern that the fee change unfairly penalised the rural community, where many working dogs were retained as entires for breeding purposes. However, most felt any potential change to the fee structure should be considered as part of a wider review, in conjunction with next years 2018-28 Long Term Plan process. In his report to the Committee, Council Community Regulation Manager Graeme Lewer also highlighted the availability of Government funding for the free de-sexing of menacing dog breeds. Information on that initiative is available on the Council website Auburn High School students attended their senior prom Saturday evening. The event was held at the Lodge at Welch Allyn in Skaneateles Falls. Above are photos from the event. Buy photo reprints As you're browsing the gallery, look for the "Buy" button on the right just below the photos to order high-quality reprints and other products. Or visit our photo reprint store to purchase photos of this event. More prom photos Check out all our photo galleries from proms, senior balls, and other formals around Central New York. See all prom photo galleries and stories on Syracuse.com Students of Bishop Grimes Jr./Sr. High School celebrated at their junior/senior prom Saturday evening at Traditions at the Links in East Syracuse. The event's theme was "An Evening in Paris." Above are photos from the event. Buy photo reprints As you're browsing the gallery, look for the "Buy" button on the right just below the photos to order high-quality reprints and other products. Or visit our photo reprint store to purchase photos of this event. More prom photos Check out all our photo galleries from proms, senior balls, and other formals around Central New York. See all prom photo galleries and stories on Syracuse.com Cazenovia High School students attended their junior prom Saturday evening. The event was held in the high school auxiliary gymnasium. Above are photos from the event. Buy photo reprints As you're browsing the gallery, look for the "Buy" button on the right just below the photos to order high-quality reprints and other products. Or visit our photo reprint store to purchase photos of this event. More prom photos Check out all our photo galleries from proms, senior balls, and other formals around Central New York. See all prom photo galleries and stories on Syracuse.com Students of Henninger High School attended their junior prom Saturday evening at the high school. Above is our gallery of photos from the event. Buy photo reprints As you're browsing the gallery, look for the "Buy" button to order high-quality reprints and other products. More prom photos Check out all our photo galleries from proms, senior balls, and other formals around Central New York. LaFayette High School students celebrated at their junior/senior prom Saturday evening at the DoubleTree Hotel in East Syracuse. The event had a masquerade theme. Above are photos from the event. Buy photo reprints As you're browsing the gallery, look for the "Buy" button on the right just below the photos to order high-quality reprints and other products. Or visit our photo reprint store to purchase photos of this event. More prom photos Check out all our photo galleries from proms, senior balls, and other formals around Central New York. See all prom photo galleries and stories on Syracuse.com Liverpool High School students celebrated at their junior prom Saturday evening. The event, which was held at the Holiday Inn on Electronics Parkway, had a theme of "A Night in the City." Above are photos from the event. Buy photo reprints As you're browsing the gallery, look for the "Buy" button on the right just below the photos to order high-quality reprints and other products. Or visit our photo reprint store to purchase photos of this event. More prom photos Check out all our photo galleries from proms, senior balls, and other formals around Central New York. See all prom photo galleries and stories on Syracuse.com Students of Manlius Pebble Hill School attended their prom Saturday evening. The event was held at Wellington House in Fayetteville. Above are photos from the event. Buy photo reprints As you're browsing the gallery, look for the "Buy" button on the right just below the photos to order high-quality reprints and other products. More prom photos Check out all our photo galleries from proms, senior balls, and other formals around Central New York. See all Students of Mexico High School attended their junior prom Saturday evening at Alex's on the Water in Oswego. The event's theme was "Beauty and the Beast." Above are photos from the event. Buy photo reprints As you're browsing the gallery, look for the "Buy" button on the right just below the photos to order high-quality reprints and other products. Or visit our photo reprint store to purchase photos of this event. More prom photos Check out all our photo galleries from proms, senior balls, and other formals around Central New York. See all prom photo galleries and stories on Syracuse.com printuppromo.jpg James Printup, 49, of Lewiston, New York, was arrested after driving a vehicle that struck a 5-year-old child, state police said. (New York State Police) LEWISTON -- A 49-year-old Upstate New York man has been charged with driving while ability impaired following an accident in which he backed into a 5-year-old girl in a driveway, authorities said. James Printup of Lewiston in Niagara County faces the DWAI charge under Leandra's Law. He was also charged with unlawful possession of marijuana following the incident, which occurred about 4:15 p.m. Thursday on Upper Mountain Road in Lewiston. Printup had pulled into the driveway and the 5-year-old exited his vehicle from the passenger side, New York State Police said. Printup then put the vehicle in reverse, backed up and hit the child with the open passenger-side door. WKBW-TV reported that the driver was the father of the girl. The child suffered abrasions to her head and leg area and was flown by Mercy Flight to Women & Children's Hospital in Buffalo for treatment. Troopers noted that the child did not suffer any life-threatening injuries. A state police drug recognition expert was brought in to administer field sobriety tests to Printup. After failing the tests, Printup was charged and taken to Mount St. Mary's Hospital for a blood sample. Leandra's Law makes it an automatic felony on the first offense to drive with a person age 15 or younger inside the vehicle while the operator of the vehicle has a Blood Alcohol Content of 0.08 percent or greater, or is intoxicated due to drug or alcohol ingestion. Printup was issued appearance tickets to appear in Town of Lewiston Court. The National Desk contributed to this report. PLATTSBURGH -- A sergeant with an Upstate New York prison has been arrested after he was accused of hiding a camera in a smoke detector at his home. Frank J. Fields, 42, of Plattsburgh was charged with second-degree unlawful surveillance, a felony. On March 19, a 29-year-old man reported to New York State Police that Fields "had set a hidden camera facing into the bathroom secreted in a smoke detector" in Fields' home at 1205 Cumberland Head Road in the Town of Plattsburgh, State Police spokeswoman Jennifer Fleishman said. Fields is employed at Altona Correctional Facility, a medium security prison in Clinton County. Information about who might have been the intended alleged victim of the unlawful surveillance wasn't available. State Police arrested Fields on May 3, Fleishman said. He was arraigned in Peru Town Court before Justice James Kirby the next day and released on his own recognizance. A court official said Fields' case was adjourned to June 8 before Justice Kevin Patnode. Fields was hired by the prison system on March 3, 1997, according to the state Department of Corrections and Community Supervision. As of May 5, he was suspended without pay. Fields had been earning a salary of $81,099 per year. He could not be reached for comment. -- Cara Chapman, Press-Republican, Plattsburgh, N.Y. SYRACUSE, N.Y. -- Around 6,500 students will graduate from Syracuse University and SUNY ESF this morning. The Carrier Dome will host SU's 163rd commencement starting at 9:30 a.m. The live feed will start moments before the procession. will deliver this year's commencement speech. S.I. Newhouse School of Public Communications professor emerita Nancy Weatherly Sharp will lead the procession as mace bearer. Rachel Brown-Weinstock and Nedda Sarshar, students in both the Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Affairs and the College of Arts and Sciences, will be the all-university senior class marshals. SU Vice Chancellor and Provost Michele Wheatly will preside over the ceremony. Chancellor Kent Syverud and SUNY ESF President Quentin Wheeler will each address the graduates. A total of 6,363 bachelor's, master's and doctoral degrees will be conferred at today's ceremony, which covers both SU and the State University of New York College of Environment Science and Forestry. SU's College of Law graduated another 148 juris doctor and 27 master of law degrees in a separate ceremony Friday. Each school and college within the university also held a convocation over the weekend. Follow along with SU's graduation weekend on Twitter, using the hashtag #SUgrad17. Reporter Julie McMahon covers Syracuse University and Syracuse city schools. She can be reached anytime: Email | Twitter | 315-412-1992 South Korea Koreas Tensions A South Korean army soldier walks by a TV news program showing a file image of missiles being test-launched by North Korea, at the Seoul Railway Station in Seoul, South Korea, Sunday, May 14, 2017. (AP Photo/Ahn Young-joon) SEOUL, South Korea -- North Korea on Sunday test-launched a ballistic missile that landed in the Sea of Japan, the South Korean, Japanese and U.S. militaries said. Japan's defense minister said the missile test-fired by North Korea might have been a new type given the altitude and 500-mile duration of its flight. Defense Minister Tomomi Inada told reporters said it flew for about 30 minutes and an altitude exceeding 1,240 miles. She said more analysis was needed. Earlier, Japanese officials said the missile landed in the Sea of Japan but outside the country's exclusive economic zone. South Korea's President Moon Jae-in has strongly condemned the launch, saying there was still the possibility of dialogue with North Korea but that Seoul would deal sternly with any such provocations. The launch is a direct challenge to the new South Korean president elected four days ago and comes as U.S., Japanese and European navies gather for joint war games in the Pacific. It wasn't immediately clear what type of ballistic missile was launched, although the U.S. Pacific Command said that "the flight is not consistent with an intercontinental ballistic missile." Outside militaries will closely analyze what the North fired. While Pyongyang regularly tests shorter-range missiles, it is also working to master the technology needed to field nuclear-tipped missiles that can reach the U.S. mainland. Past North Korean missiles have flown farther than Sunday's test, landing closer to Japan, but this launch follows a series of high-profile failures. Whatever the type of missile, the launch forces Moon to put dealing with Pyongyang, at least for now, above the domestic economic agenda he'd made a priority during his early days in office. Moon, a liberal who favors a softer approach to the North than his conservative predecessors, strongly condemned the launch during an emergency national security meeting, calling it a clear violation of U.N. Security Council resolutions and a serious challenge to international peace and security, according to senior presidential secretary Yoon Young-chan. "The president expressed deep regret over the fact that this provocation occurred just days after a new government was launched in South Korea," Yoon told a televised conference. "The president said we are leaving open the possibility of dialogue with North Korea, but we should sternly deal with a provocation to prevent North Korea from miscalculating." Japanese Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga said the missile flew about 500 miles from a launch site on North Korea's western coast. Prime Minister Shinzo Abe told reporters Sunday that the launch is "absolutely unacceptable" and that Japan will respond resolutely. South Korea's Joint Chiefs of Staff said in a statement that the missile was fired early Sunday morning from near Kusong, in North Phyongan province. North Korea's past satellite rocket launches have been called clandestine tests of ICBM technology, but it is not believed to have tested a true intercontinental ballistic missile yet. The Trump administration has called North Korean ballistic and nuclear efforts unacceptable and has swung between threats of military action and offers to talk as it formulates a policy. The North's state media said Saturday the nation will bolster its nuclear capability unless the United States abandons its hostile policy. "The United States should never expect us to give up our nuclear capability," the main Rodong newspaper said in a commentary carried by the Korean Central News Agency. It said U.S. President Donald Trump's "maximum pressure and engagement" policy is only aimed at "stifling us" and will compel the North to "strengthen our nuclear deterrent at the maximum speed." The launch also comes as troops from the U.S., Japan and two European nations gather on remote U.S. islands in the Pacific for drills that are partly a message to North Korea. The USS Carl Vinson, an aircraft supercarrier, is also engaging with South Korean navy ships in waters off the Korean Peninsula, according to Seoul's Defense Ministry. Last week South Koreans elected Moon to replace conservative Park Geun-hye, who is in jail awaiting a corruption trial. North Korea needs tests to perfect its missile program, but it also is thought to stage its launches after the elections of new U.S. and South Korean presidents in an attempt to gauge a new administration's reaction. Moon, the first liberal leader in Seoul in nearly a decade, said as he took his oath of office that he'd be willing to visit the North if the circumstances were right. Trump has also said he'd be "honored" to talk with leader Kim Jong Un under favorable conditions. On Saturday, a top North Korean diplomat in charge of U.S. relations, Choe Son Hui, told reporters in Beijing that Pyongyang would be willing to meet with the Trump administration for negotiations "if the conditions are set." During the South's so-called "sunshine" era of the late 1990s and early to mid2000s, liberal South Korean leaders held two summits with Kim Jong Un's father, the late Kim Jong Il, and shipped huge amounts of aid to the North. Critics say this only helped the elite in Pyongyang build their missile and nuclear programs, while supporters point to the bloodshed, threats of war and nuclear development of the last decade as proof that the conservative approach was no better. Moon has moved more quickly on domestic economic goals than foreign policy. But analysts say that North Korea's weapons program is likely too far advanced for him to be able to return to the type of sunshine policies his liberal predecessors favored. This page no longer exists or may have been moved.If you believe this is a mistake please email T-Mobile and Sprint - the nation's third and fourth largest wireless carriers, respectively - are reportedly revisiting the idea of a merger. Sources familiar with the matter tell Bloomberg that executives with Sprint and its largest shareholder, SoftBank Group Corp., have had informal contact with T-Mobile parent company Deutsche Telekom AG regarding a deal. Neither side has hired a bank to stand in their corner although sources say several financial firms are already jockeying for position should talks advance to that stage and their services be required. As the publication highlights, negotiations in general have been on hold for nearly a year - a stipulation of the recent FCC spectrum auction (talks were only allowed to resume on April 27). For what it's worth, T-Mobile cleaned up in the auction, walking away with roughly 45 percent of the total spectrum on offer. T-Mobile has served as a potential acquisition target for multiple companies over the better part of the past decade. AT&T, for example, pulled the trigger and got pretty deep into the process before regulatory hurdles derailed the deal. As per that agreement, AT&T had to fork over $4 billion to T-Mobile due to the deal falling through. Regulators were - and like still are - worried that a merger of that caliber would reduce competition and result in a marketplace that gives consumer less choice and potentially higher prices for services. Any deal involving T-Mobile at this junction would be interesting as the scrappy carrier has clawed its way back into relevancy thanks to a series of industry-changing initiatives from outspoken CEO John Legere. Google has announced Project Treble, which is a solution to arguably the biggest problem of the Android mobile operating system. That problem, of course, is the slow pace at which Android updates are rolled out by device manufacturers to smartphones, leading to fragmentation with smartphones on different Android versions and exposing users to security risks. What Is Google's Project Treble? Google describes Project Treble, which will be introduced by Google to Android-powered devices with the upcoming Android O, as the biggest change to date for the low-level system architecture of Android. According to the Android Developers blog post that announced Project Treble, device manufacturers have complained that rolling out updates to bring smartphones and tablets to the latest version of Android is both costly and time-consuming. Google is able to roll out Android updates to its own products including the Pixel smartphones and Nexus devices, but for owners of devices from third-party manufacturers, the wait for Android updates is a very long one. Google said that the problem will be solved by Project Treble, which will make it faster, less costly, and overall much easier for manufacturers to release upgrades that will take devices to new versions of Android. A simple explanation for Project Treble is that Google has split the work it does on Android and the work that its hardware partners do. With Project Treble in place on Android O, device manufacturers such as Samsung will be able to release Android updates to their devices without waiting for chip partners such as Qualcomm to first release their own software updates. Project Treble will not instantly solve all the issues for rolling out Android updates, though. While it will make things much simpler for manufacturers who use stock versions of Android in their devices, companies such as Samsung who customize every nook and cranny of the mobile operating system for their smartphones will still need to do a lot of work once an Android update comes along. Android Fragmentation Still A Problem The fragmentation problem of Android has improved over time, but it is still a major problem for owners of Android-powered devices. Android 7.0 Nougat, the last major version of the mobile operating system, is only installed on 7 percent of Android devices despite being launched eight months ago. To further illustrate the Android fragmentation problem, Android Jelly Bean is on more devices than Android Nougat, despite the fact that Google moved on from it four years ago. Google has been trying to look for a solution and even went as far as saying that it will shame device makers who push out Android updates late. Project Treble is the latest attempt in trying to solve Android fragmentation, though it remains to be seen whether it will be more effective at it than previous initiatives. There is also the problem that Project Treble will not be applied to older versions of Android. Who knows when a significant portion of Android devices will be updated to Android O to benefit from the initiative? Google will be holding the annual I/O conference for developers on May 17 to May 19, so we should learn more about Project Treble in a few days. 2022 TECHTIMES.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) recently confirmed that the Space Launch System (SLS) rocket and Orion Spacecraft will have an unmanned maiden flight despite earlier plans for a crewed mission. According to the NASA, it is already too late into the mission planning schedule to accommodate changes from its original plan for the Exploration Mission 1 (EM-1), which was designed to have an unmanned first flight to test the entire flight system's capabilities. "We appreciate the opportunity to evaluate the possibility of this crewed flight... NASA will continue to work with the Administration and Congress as we move toward a crewed flight test on EM-2 and, right now, we are very focused on accomplishing the EM-1 flight test," NASA Acting Administrator Robert Lightfoot expressed. Strengthening EM-1 Or Keeping Expenses Down? Lightfoot requested a study to determine whether a manned EM-1 would be feasible in February but, despite advances in rocket and space flight technologies now, NASA concluded that keeping EM-1 unmanned is the better option. Associate administrator for NASA's Human Exploration and Operations Mission Directorate William Gerstenmaier said that the space agency looked into the possibility of a crewed EM-1 but has decided to lay additional groundwork instead. "Conducting these tests in advance of EM-1 would provide additional data that will advance our systems knowledge faster and possibly improve the robustness of the overall plan for sending humans into deep space," Gerstenmaier explained. An unnamed source familiar with NASA's study, however, claims that the original plan won out in the end because adding a crew to the EM-1 would blow up its cost by several hundred million dollars. "Any time you are trying to rapidly add capabilities, you are asking for trouble in a system like this... Changing the plans midstream is where you start to incur cost that is not commensurate with your return," Casey Dreier, The Planetary Society's director of space policy, explains. It's not that NASA is not concerned about the crew's safety but experts say adjusting the current system to consider safety for a crewed maiden flight something the agency has not done before would cost a lot more than just sticking to its usual program. Of course, with NASA's budget cut, even if it was less than one percent of the total budget, finances will be a struggle for the agency. Former NASA deputy administrator Lori Garver, however, defended the agency's decision. "Cost is not the [main] problem, it's just that NASA doesn't do things that way," Garver said. 2022 TECHTIMES.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) announced on May 13 that Green Chile Food Company is voluntarily recalling several of its frozen meat and poultry burrito products due to possible listeria contamination. The product recall comes after a Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) inspector did a routine testing on a Beef and Potato Burrito and found evidence of Listeria monocytogenes in the items. More than 252,000 pounds of frozen burritos were made from the contaminated batch so USDA has classified this case as a Class I recall for the serious and adverse health risk it poses. List Of Recalled Burritos The affected Green Chile frozen products were manufactured and packaged on different dates from March 8 to May 10, 2017 and have the establishment number "EST. 21740" printed inside the USDA mark of inspection. According to the company, the affected products were shipped to retail outlets, institutions, and distribution centers located in Illinois, California, Oregon, and South Dakota. Here is the list of affected pre-packaged ready to eat frozen products: 7-Oz. Paper wrap packages Chipotle Chicken Burrito with Salsa & Monterey Jack (case code 833425001426) Carnitas Burrito with Salsa, Monterey Jack & Cilantro Lime Rice (case code 833425001488) Egg & Sausage Breakfast Burrito with Hashbrowns, Salsa, & Cheddar (case code 833425000382) Egg & Bacon Breakfast Burrito with Hashbrowns, Salsa, Green Chile & Cheddar (case code 833425000368) Beef Burrito with Potato, Green Chile, Salsa & Cheddar (case code 833425000320) Chicken Fajita Burrito with Salsa & Cheddar (case code 833425000429) Shredded Steak Burrito with Salsa, Monterey Jack, Green Chile, Onion, Rice & Jalapeno Peppers (case code 10833425008941) Beef & Bean Burrito with Green Chile, Salsa & Cheddar (case code 833425000344) Fiesta Breakfast Burrito with Beef, Egg, Hashbrowns, Green Chile, Cheddar & Sausage (case code 833425000405) 8-Oz. Paper wrap packages Egg & Bacon Burrito with Cheddar Cheese, Potato, Green Chile, Salsa & Jalapenos (case code 833425000900) Poblano Chicken Burrito with Monterrey Jack Cheese, Salsa, Rice, Onion, Green Chile and Green & Red Bell Peppers (case code 833425000931) Beef & Potato Burrito with Cheddar Cheese, Green Chile & Salsa (case code 833425000887) Visit [pdf] the USDA website to view the product labels. What To Do If You Have A Contaminated Burrito The USDA strongly advises that contaminated burritos should not be consumed because listeria is a serious infection that can affect people with weaker immune systems and can even lead to death. As of writing, however, there have been no confirmed reports of illnesses caused by the recalled Green Chile products. Consumers who purchased a contaminated product should throw it away or return the item to its place of purchase. The company also set up a website to address the massive product recall at burritorecall.com. 2022 TECHTIMES.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. Brazil's president-elect, Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, met this Wednesday in the country's capital with the leaders of the National Congress: the president of the Chamber of Deputies, Arthur... | Read More Close Get email notifications on {{subject}} daily! Your notification has been saved. There was a problem saving your notification. {{description}} Email notifications are only sent once a day, and only if there are new matching items. Send your questions to Ask The Advocate, 10705 Rieger Road, Baton Rouge, LA 70809; or fax to Ask The Advocate, (225) 388-0371; or email asktheadvocate@theadvocate.com. Kolkata, May 14 (IBNS): aBook publishing company Power Publishers announced the launch of aa'aPower Publishers Classrooma'a; their new educational division. This new division has published a range of school level textbooks, guidebooks for ICSE, ISC and West Bengal board schools recently. It also plans to come up with classroom courses of media studies. Power Publishers aClassroom ahad published ICSE Sonkolita and ISC Probondo aO aGodyo Sonkolon aBengali text books for ICSE and ISC studentsa sometime back. Power Publishers Classroom also released ISC Accounts books for class 11 and 12 recently. These books are popular among ICSE and ISC board studentsa. This year Power Publishers Classroom has come up with a complete range of West Bengal board guidebooks for students appearing for class 10 school leaving board exams. The series of guidebooks is named as Power to Crack series. The first two books of this series released this week - Power to Crack Madhyamik English and Power to Crack Madhyamik Ganit Prakash. aThese guidebooks aim to provide students with in depth information and better knowledge about the English and Mathematics chapters included ain atheir syllabus. aPower to aCrack Madhyamik English will provide students with comprehensive English guide for every student who have been preparing for their exams all throughout the year and will help them to score well. The book covers all the topics of the new syllabus introduced by WBBSE 2016. Editor of Power to Crack Madhyamik English book, Anupriya Dutta said: We have provided additional textual questions and varied grammatical exercise for the students that will help them to improve both reading and writing skills. aWe have simplified the learning areas through compact definitions and necessary Bengali translations. This book will help the students solve exercises without guidance. aPower to Crack Madhyamik Ganit Prakash concentrates on varied and miscellaneous mathematical exercise to provide the students with better knowledge and understanding about every chapter and discover simpler method to tackle difficult problems. This book can be treated as an additional tool that can assist students in preparing for their Madhyamik maths paper.a The books will be adistributed bya Future aBooks and also online stores like Amazon.in, Flipkart, ebay, shopclues, infibeam, powera-apublishers.com. Survivors of abuse in Australian children's homes and orphanages have called for a new national strategy to secure the release of their own historic personal records held by churches and charities. As the landmark royal commission into institutional child sexual abuse prepares to hand its report to the federal government by Christmas, a national summit has discussed how to give a voice to adults whose lives have been impacted by failings of record keeping and archiving systems in institutions around the country. Care Leavers Australia Network chief executive Leonie Sheedy. Credit:Penny Stephens Care Leavers Australasia Network chief executive Leonie Sheedy said many survivors, including those who have given evidence to the royal commission process, have spent years trying to track down records about their time in institutional care. Even current record keeping processes could be important in instances of historic abuse. West Tuggeranong has room for well under half the population originally proposed, with major cost and environmental hurdles in the way, the National Capital Authority has found. The authority's report from late 2015 has not curbed Liberal Senator Zed Seselja's push for suburban development across the Murrumbidgee River. ACT Liberal senator Zed Seselja. Credit:Andrew Sheargold Senator Seselja said the report had recommended zoning changes to enable the ACT governmentto develop the area and address the issues of affordable housing. "The current lack of both housing and facilities in Canberra's outer suburbs is making it hard and unappealing for young Canberrans to enter the property market, particularly in Tuggeranong," he said. Richmond captain Trent Cotchin headlines the list of AFL players sweating on the match review panel's findings after round eight. Cotchin clocked Fremantle midfielder Lachie Neale in the jaw with a jumper punch during the Dockers' two-point win at the MCG on Sunday. Cotchin could escape sanction, be fined or potentially miss the Tigers' clash with Greater Western Sydney on Saturday, depending on how the panel grade the blow. Sydney superstar Lance Franklin and Brisbane Lions youngster Nick Robertson exchanged jumper punches in the preceding round but both players were cleared on that occasion. New Delhi, May 14 (IBNS): India has boycotted Chinaas Belt and Road summit beginning in Beijing on Sunday over sovereignty issues as the initiative for cross border connectivity runs through Pakistan occupied Kashmir. The decision has been taken on the ground of sovereignty as India considers POK its part. Christened as China Pakistan Economic Corridor, the 57 billion-dollar project envisages connectivity across Asia on to Europe through ports, railways and roads. Besides Pakistan, India's other neighbours Sri Lanka and Nepal are attending the summit. Earlier this week, External Affairs Ministry spokesperson Gopal Baglay said India supports connectivity across the region, but there is a problem with the Pakistan end of "One Belt, One Road" (OBOR). . "As far as OBOR is concerned, you know that our position is that since the so-called CPEC forms a part of OBOR, that is where our difficulty is," he had said. "It passes or proposes to pass through what is sovereign Indian territory and we have made our views in this regard very, very clear to the Chinese side," he had added. The Chinese initiative is also being seen as a move to establish its dominance in Asia, including India's neigbhours. Flamboyant Labor senator Sam Dastyari can't be accused of avoiding one of the more contentious public policy debates at a time when the media landscape could be likened to a World War I battlefield. After engaging in a week of trench warfare with mixed results, bloodied Fairfax journalists have returned to work to find the terrain littered with spent ammunition and the odd booby trap. As the guns fell silent for the moment, Dastyari, at the head of a posse of fellow senators, including independents Nick Xenophon and Jacqui Lambie, and Scott Ludlam of the Greens, initiated a select committee on the worthy subject of the "Future of Public Interest Journalism". Terms of reference include the following: the committee will inquire into and report on "fake news, propaganda, and public disinformation, including sources and motivation of fake news in Australia, overseas, and the international response". Voters have given a big tick of approval to four key measures unveiled in Malcolm Turnbull and Scott Morrison's second budget, according to a Fairfax-Ipsos poll. The four measures tested with voters were a tax increase for Australia's five largest banks, a 0.5 per cent rise in the Medicare levy linked to funding the National Disability Insurance Scheme, an $18.6 billion, 10-year increase in school funding and a boost to infrastructure spending funded by a larger national debt. The school funding deal, dubbed Gonski 2.0 after the policy's architect, David Gonski, and unveiled in the week before the budget, was far and away the most popular measure. A thumping 86 per cent of all voters supported the policy, with just 12 per cent opposed. Broken down according to party allegiances, 87 per cent of Coalition voters backed the extra spending, while 90 per cent of Labor voters and 91 per cent of Greens voters backed it. Two refugees under Australia's care in Nauru are desperately seeking medical evacuations to Australia to escape a health regime that a government-contracted doctor on the island has admitted is "broken". The men, respectively suffering debilitating headaches and a severe anal fistula, have been unable to secure medical transfers and are being told their fate is in the hands of the government of Nauru. Nawaf*, a refugee, has had the advanced fistula for more than two years and has refused surgery in Nauru because of concerns about infection during recovery, which requires the wound be left open to drain. "It has become so bad that I have constant bleeding from the affected area, especially when I shower and use the toilet, and I am in severe pain," he wrote in a complaint lodged last year. "How about Matilda?" Hmmm, Tilly too much like husband Till, but I love it. We can't agree. "Millie?" Is that a complete name? "How about Charlotte?" There are thousands of Charlottes well, there are in 2017, anyway. Maybe Lotte, for her half-German heritage. This must be a conversation that parents-to-be the world over have in their lounge room, maybe the car. In our case, we were in a lift on the way to the operating theatre for an emergency C-section. I would love to tell you who we were delivering, but the baby (a girl, we were about to discover) didn't have a name. Yet. I'd hope fervently that when we awoke it would be the day of the name. Credit:Stocksy No problem. I had heard that when the baby arrived, we would see its face and we would know similar to the way love at first sight strikes or how impending rain is announced with the prickle of anticipation on uncovered skin. Like a primal intuition that speaks. Well, I waited for that conversation, that lightbulb moment, for 59 days. (In NSW, parents have a languid 60 days to name their children. In Switzerland, it's a decisive three.) Finally, it got to the stage when my husband, who lovingly yet passively said he would support my choice, was about to fly to Germany where he was going to register Nameless (as she was endearingly called). The plane was due to leave in three hours and we were in the Office of Births, Deaths and Marriages. The certificate was being rushed through. The stress level was high. But more than the confusion over the name, which lasted until the final moment, was an incredulity. How, oh how, had this naming saga occurred? A nightclub patron has described a scene of chaos after an unknown substance was sprayed on the dance floor of a club in Melbourne's inner north. Dancers began to cough uncontrollably and security guards threw open the doors after the gas, believed to be capsicum spray, forced the evacuation of the Perserverance hotel on Brunswick Street in Fitzroy on Sunday morning. Police and ambulance were called to the venue about 1am after reports of an assault. Paramedics treated about a dozen people who were having trouble breathing and a woman in her 20s was taken to St Vincent's Hospital in a stable condition and has since been discharged. The rise is a worrying development when considered against long-term statistics. Over the period from 1987 to 2017, from January 1 to May 11, rural road deaths accounted for a much lower proportion of the state's road toll at 51 per cent. Mr Fryer said the jump in lives lost on country roads was "really concerning". "Many, many of these crashes are single car, run-off-road, in country areas," he said. "So far this year, out of all of our crashes that have taken lives, there have only been two double fatalities. So almost all of them that we're talking about, are single cars that are running off the road," he said. Mr Fryer said distractions such as sun glare and animals could also be factors in country smashes. And he moved to dispel the perception that most people killed on country roads were from the city. "Two thirds of people who are dying on country roads are country people," he said. "It is not the city-slickers coming out. These are roads that are known to the local community, and still we're seeing significant trauma on them." Statistics showed that country roads were more dangerous than city roads. "If you are a licence-holder in Victoria, statistically, you have four times more likelihood of dying on a country road, than you do on a metro road," Mr Fryer said. Minister for Roads and Road Safety Luke Donnellan warned that fatalities caused "enormous trauma" for families, friends and communities. "The loss of a father, brother, sister, a breadwinner ... It's the terrible suffering that the families go through, the friends go through afterwards, which is just so shattering," he said. "Over the next couple of years we're rolling out $340 million worth of centre-line and sideline barriers, on our top 20 most deadly arterial roads in Victoria," he said. Joe Calafiore, CEO chief executive of the TAC, said 60 per cent of country road deaths this year had been due to "run off the road" crashes, and males were over-represented in country deaths. Country road deaths were due to a combination of many reasons including extra exposure to driving than city motorists, long-distance driving on high speed roads many of which did not have barrier coverage fatigue, an ageing vehicle fleet and other factors. "The simple, harsh reality is: a mistake on a country road is much more likely to be fatal, or a serious injury, than a mistake on a road in the inner-Melbourne area," he said. "The best thing that you can possibly do is put yourself in the safest car that you can afford for yourself, and your kids. Drive at a safe and appropriate speed ... Separate your drinking and your driving ... take a break, be rested, don't be impaired," he said. Dave Jones, roads and traffic manager at the RACV, said there were "some serious road safety challenges on country roads, across Victoria". Victorian universities suffering the country's lowest completion rates fear they will be subject to "catastrophic" funding cuts under a new federal government policy linking funding to performance. Universities will face a 7.5 per cent cut to their Commonwealth Grant Scheme from 2019 if they do not satisfy new performance targets, including retention, completion and student satisfaction. Peter Dawkins, vice-chancellor of Victoria University, says a 7.5 per cent cut to his funding would be "catastrophic". Credit:Luis Ascui The government's new higher education reforms also include a 2.5 per cent efficiency dividend, which will put some universities at risk of losing up to 10 per cent of their funding. Vice Chancellors warn this could unfairly penalise universities that enrol disadvantaged and low-performing students. Cairo: Two days before starting a hunger strike alongside over 1000 Palestinian prisoners, Marwan Barghouti was in good spirits. "Marwan would go out for small runs in the jail every morning with other prisoners and he was at his best physically and mentally before going on hunger strike," his lawyer and longtime friend Elias Sabbagh told Fairfax Media. Protesters gather under a banner of jailed Palestinian leader Marwan Barghouti in the West Bank city of Ramallah earlier this month. Credit:AP The strike, called by Barghouti to protest the conditions in which Palestinians are held and the use of administrative detention by Israeli military courts in the occupied territories, is now entering its fourth week. There are around 6500 Palestinian prisoners, with estimates of over 400 children detained. Barghouti, 58, a key leader in the Fatah party who rose to prominence during the second Palestinian intifada, or uprising, is a more popular figure among Palestinians than his nominal superior, Palestinian Authority president Mahmoud Abbas, who recently met with US President Donald Trump. Nihad Barakat Shamo Al-Awsi is seeking a new life in Australia. Credit:Liliana Zaharia In 2017-18, Australia will accept 18,750 people fleeing persecution. In March, the government announced it had granted protection visas to 12,000 people displaced by the conflict in in Syria and Iraq. Refugees who have suffered torture and trauma are offered specialist counselling services when they arrive in Australia. Nihad and her family may need them. Nihad was one of the 6800 Yazidis now believed to have been captured to become sex slaves or fighters. She cannot erase the mental trauma from her time under the control of the IS "monsters". "Several times I tried to tell my family about my sister who was being raped in front of me and she was screaming at that time, begging for my mother to come to help her. "I can't tell anyone about this." After her capture, Nihad was taken to a village on the Iraq-Syria border, where the male captives were separated from the girls and women. She was then transferred to Mosul, where a fighter claimed her, and raped her repeatedly before his death in the battlefield nearly two months later. She was quickly "purchased" and forced to marry another "monster", a man known as Abu Faris who already had a wife and a Yazidi girl as his slave. Many IS slaves have died in captivity but Nihad says she clung to the hope of reuniting with her family. "I used to go to see my sisters and my brother [all in captivity] and I said, 'Please stick to the hope that one day we will be released and we will be returned to our lives'." Her strength prevailed through the constant rapes and beatings but then she fell pregnant. "I thought I was carrying a small IS man," she says. "When I got pregnant I thought that I am weak and I am wondering and asking myself, 'Why did this happen?'" "I disassociated from the surroundings. I felt 'I am lost' but one day I managed to get a phone to call my family and from that moment I clung to the hope again." Nihad tried to force a miscarriage, but her son did arrive and when he did she named him Issa Arabic for Jesus. He will turn two in July, though it is now unlikely she will ever see him again. When she escaped she had to leave Issa, then just three months old, with the father, Abu Faris. He remains in northern Iraq and has insisted on keeping the boy. Even if Nihad had been able to take Issa with her, her people would have rejected her son, she says. "He is part of me but he's something from those criminals and he represents those criminals. Even if I managed to meet him again, my family and all the Yazidi people would say 'This is a member of ISIS'," Nihad tells Fairfax Media at the headquarters of the London-based charity the AMAR Foundation, which is supporting her rehabilitation. "I used to carry him and I used to hug him and play with him but I have never forgot my family and I was thinking all the time about returning to my family." New research from the London School of Economics has found 9900 Yazidis were killed or kidnapped over the course of just a few days in August 2014. The figure is far higher than previous estimates of IS's brutal "purification" of northern Iraq. An estimated 3100 Yazidis were killed, with nearly half of them executed by gunshot, beheading or being burned alive. The others died from injuries, starvation and dehydration during the siege on Mount Sinjar. More than one-third of those kidnapped remain missing. Nihad escaped her captor because of a dispute between Abu Faris, his wife and his other Yazidi girl. In a bid to resolve the tension, Nihad was passed to Abu Faris' cousin. From here, with the help of a group of Yazidi women, she was able to finally escape Mosul. But although she has escaped IS slavery, Nihad says she will never feel free. "Because Yazidi people are still there under the captivity of ISIS and because I still have a son under the captivity of ISIS, I don't feel that I am free." Nihad has lost two sisters and a brother to Islamic State and two more brothers have been forced into training in fighter camps. Despite the stigma Nihad risks in putting her face to the label of "Islamic State sex slave", she is committed to telling the world about what she endured and the ongoing persecution her people face. "I want all the people to imagine the misery that we have passed through." Nihad doubts she can ever fully recover from her trauma. "Despite all the difficulty that I have suffered, I have decided to continue my life and to be a success but the sadness inside us is so deep." Seoul: North Korea launched a ballistic missile that flew 700 kilometres on Sunday, South Korea's military said. Australia immediately condemned the launch as "reckless and provocative" and said it would fuel regional and global instability. The unidentified ballistic missile was fired at 5.27am Seoul time (6.27am AEST) from the Kusong area located north-west of the capital Pyongyang, South Korea's Office of Joint Chiefs of Staff said. The North had previously test-launched an intermediate-range missile it is believed to be developing from the same location. New Delhi, May 14 (IBNS): Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh will inaugurate the second meeting of National Platform for Disaster Risk Reduction (NPDRR) here on Monday. The meeting will be attended by over 1000 distinguished guests including Union Ministers, State Ministers, Parliamentarians, Heads of Local Self Government, Heads of specialized disaster management agencies, academicians, representatives from private sector organizations, media and civil society organizations. The NPDRR is a multi-stakeholders National Platform headed by the Union Home Minister and it promotes participatory decision making in disaster management, and strengthens federal policy of our country. The Second meeting of NPDRR will be held over two days, i.e. 15-16 May 2017 on the theme Disaster Risk Reduction for Sustainable Development: Making India resilient by 2030. Starting with inaugural ceremony, this second meeting of NPDRR will have a Plenary Session, one session on outcomes of pre-events, four technical sessions on four priority areas of Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction, one technical session on monitoring of Sendai Framework and a closing cum valedictory session. Besides, this Meeting will have an exclusive Ministerial Session after the inaugural ceremony, where Ministers from Centre, States and Union Territories will deliberate on various aspect of disaster risk reduction. Over two days, the subject experts, practitioners, academicians and delegates will deliberate upon various cross cutting issues on disaster risk reduction based on the Sendai Framework and the 10 point agenda on Disaster Risk Reduction given by the Prime Minister, Shri Narendra Modi. As a build up to this meeting, 14 pre-events were organized by National Disaster Management Authority and National Institute of Disaster Management on various issues of disaster risk reduction. A slogan contest was also organized by the Union Home Ministry to generate disaster awareness among common public. More than 500 applicants from different parts of the countries have submitted their entries. Further, the Union Home Ministry with the help of NITI Aayog has organized an online call from startups and innovators in the areas like fire fighting, GPS based solutions, search and rescue operations, reconstruction, low cost shelter etc. in MyGov.in for displaying during this meeting of NPDRR. More than 300 applications have been received and 10 of the shortlisted start-ups will showcase their innovations in the exhibit area during this meeting. This meeting of NPDRR is held at a crucial juncture, after adoption of Sendai Framework in 2015 and Asia Regional Plan for disaster risk reduction in 2016. This NPDRR will be an ongoing effort of the Government to provide a road map for making our country disaster resilient by 2030. A television screen at Seoul Station on Sunday shows a news broadcast on North Korea's ballistic missile launch. Credit:Bloomberg A US official, speaking on condition of anonymity, said initial assessments showed the missile landed 97 kilometres south of Russia's Vladivostok region. The missile flew further and higher than an intermediate-range missile North Korea successfully tested in February from the same region of Kusong, north-west of its capital, Pyongyang. A television screen at Seoul Station on Sunday shows a news broadcast on North Korea's ballistic missile launch. Credit:Bloomberg US ambassador to the United Nations Nikki Haley called the launch a message by Pyongyang to South Korea after the election of Moon, who took office on Wednesday. "You first have to get into Kim Jong-un's head - which is, he's in a state of paranoia, he's incredibly concerned about anything and everything around him," Haley told ABC's This Week program. Haley added that the United States would "continue to tighten the screws" on North Korea, mentioning sanctions and working with the international community to put pressure on Pyongyang. Moon held his first National Security Council in response to the launch, which he called a "clear violation" of UN Security Council resolutions, his office said. The United Nations Security Council is due to meet on Tuesday to discuss the launch, diplomats said on Sunday. The US military's Pacific Command said it was assessing the type of missile that was fired but it was "not consistent with an intercontinental ballistic missile". The US threat assessment has not changed from a national security standpoint, a US official said. An intercontinental ballistic missile is considered to have a range of more than 6000 kilometres. The White House mentioned Russia in its earlier statement about the launch. "With the missile impacting so close to Russian soil - in fact, closer to Russia than to Japan - the President cannot imagine that Russia is pleased," the White House said, referring to US President Donald Trump. The launch served as a call for all nations to implement stronger sanctions against North Korea, the White House added. North Korea is widely believed to be developing an intercontinental missile tipped with a nuclear weapon that is capable of reaching the United States. Trump has vowed not to let that happen. Experts said the altitude reached by the missile tested on Sunday meant it was launched at a high trajectory, which would limit the lateral distance it travelled. But if it was fired at a standard trajectory, it would have a range of at least 4000 kilometres, experts said. Kim Dong-yub of Kyungnam University's Institute of Far Eastern Studies in Seoul said he estimated a standard trajectory would give it a range of 6000 kilometres. "The launch may indeed represent a new missile with a long range," said Jonathan McDowell of the Harvard Smithsonian Centre for Astrophysics, referring to the estimated altitude of more than 2000 kilometres. "It is definitely concerning." Speaking in Beijing, Dmitry Peskov, Russian President Vladimir Putin's spokesman, told reporters that Putin and Chinese President Xi Jinping had discussed the situation on the Korean peninsula, including the latest missile launch, and expressed "mutual concerns" about growing tensions. Putin is in Beijing for a conference on a plan for a new Silk Road. Delegations from the United States, South Korea and North Korea are also there. China, North Korea's sole main ally, which nevertheless objects to its weapons programmes, called for restraint and for no one to exacerbate tensions. "China opposes relevant launch activities by North Korea that are contrary to Security Council resolutions," China's foreign ministry said in a statement. Moon won Tuesday's election on a platform of a moderate approach to North Korea and has said he would be willing to go to Pyongyang under the right circumstances, arguing dialogue must be used in parallel with sanctions. "The President said while South Korea remains open to the possibility of dialogue with North Korea, it is only possible when the North shows a change in attitude," Yoon Young-chan, Moon's press secretary, told a briefing. Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe said North Korea's missile launches were a "grave threat to our country and a clear violation of UN resolutions". Loading North Korea attempted but failed to test-launch ballistic missiles four times in the past two months. It has conducted various tests since the beginning of last year at an unprecedented pace. It also conducted its fourth and fifth nuclear tests last year. Prior to the release of the 2017-2018 Federal Budget an article in The Australian proclaimed Budget 2017: businesses booming and expecting the good times to roll. Research from two of the Big Four Banks support the conclusion. The International Monetary Fund (IMF) chimed in with a pre-budget announcement on the growth of the Australian Economy including forecasts exceeding those of our own Treasury Department. The IMF forecasts economic growth in Australia at 3.1% in 2017 and 3% in 2018. The overall tone of the actual 2017-2018 Federal Budget was positive, predicting a return to a budget surplus by the end of the decade. For contrarians, the budget assumptions of a 14.7% increase in corporate tax receipts based on the recent surge in the prices of iron ore and coking coal give pause. Our positive economic outlook suggests ASX stocks will benefit from an equally optimistic world view. US markets set the pace for global markets everywhere and the US has been in rally mode since the election of maverick Donald Trump as US President. Investors there are salivating at the prospect of a surge in US economic growth propelled by the pro-business agenda of the Trump administration. Changes in the regulatory environment coupled with drastic reductions in the corporate tax rate from the current 35% to a proposed 15% are fueling investor and business optimism. In the US, the best gauge of investor fear is the Chicago Board of Exchange (CBOE) Volatility Index which is at its lowest level since the closing days of calendar year 2006. The latest Quarterly World Economic Outlook from the IMF raised its projections for global economic growth to 3.5%, up from Januarys forecast for 3.4% growth. Given this optimism why would anyone other than the most permanent of Perma-Bears consider going defensive in this environment? The case for that contrarian viewpoint centers on two countries the US and China. In the US, the chairman of investment bank Goldman Sachs recently stated the extremely low levels of the VIX (Volatility Index) may be a bit of a bubble of confidence, but we wont know until we know. Despite holding the Executive Branch of the US Government and majority power in both houses of the legislative branch, the Trump agenda has stalled amidst swirling uncertainty about just about everything going on there. The Tax Plan remains in the minds of Trump and some of his advisers with no formal drafting for legislative debate. Another proposal whetting the appetites of investors is Trumps plan for $1 Trillion dollars in infrastructure spending, also lacking in specifics and currently in limbo. Some veteran Aussie investors view tales of economic disasters looming in China like a broken track on a record. Despite multiple siren calls of impending doom over the past decade, somehow or other the Chinese government manages to pull a proverbial rabbit out of their hats. That may happen again but some investors are taking notice of the recent bearish view from respected Bank of America/Merrill Lynch analysts. An article in the Sydney Morning Herald, with the provocative title: Forget the Trump trade, Chinas the real driver of equity performance: BAML, made the following observation drawn from the BAML note to its investors: global investors should adopt a defensive stance, as growth in China, which accounts for nearly a fifth of the worlds GDP, has passed its peak. In the first week of May China reported lower than expected results in both trade data and the Purchasing Manufacturing Index (PMI) an economic indicator gauging the health of a countrys manufacturing sector. The Chinese official economic growth forecast for 2017 is 6.5%, the lowest growth rate in more than twenty years. The top economic strategist for Charles Schwab has concerns private sector spending in China will not pick up the slack from the government slowdown on infrastructure spending, as the government hoped. The Australian case of going defensive stems from the budgets reliance on revenues from exports of iron ore and coal. These commodities got off to a red-hot start at the beginning of the year but have fallen off the cliff of late, as the following price charts for both indicates. Some cynical investors might scoff at the notion of getting defensive, recalling numerous after the fact observations from market experts that there were no defensive stocks withstanding the crushing impact of the GFC. Stocks in sectors traditionally considered defensive, most notably utilities and healthcare, are often the favorite hiding places in tough times, and virtually no one is even hinting at an impending Round 2 of the GFC. Utilities might seem the best bet, as people can delay certain healthcare treatments but not many consumers or corporations can turn off the lights or the heat. Here is how the ASX Utility Index and two of the top utility stocks on the ASX AGL Energy (AGL) and APA Group (APA) fared since 2007, about a year before investors felt the full fury of the GFC. The Healthcare Index fared better, and two of the top healthcare stocks on the ASX emerged from the GFC virtually unscathed Ramsay Healthcare (RHC) and CSL Limited (CSL). Ramsay hospital beds and CSL blood plasma treatments and vaccines are not the kind of healthcare services one can do without in tough times. For the long term both these stocks are going to benefit from the swelling population of seniors from the baby boom generation. Another stock from a different sector that provides essential services in challenging times is funeral services provider InvoCare Limited (IVC). This company also stands to benefit from all those baby boomers who despite living longer lives will eventually be in need of the services InvoCare provides. The companys stock price performance exemplifies the attraction of defensive stocks. The following price movement chart shows the IVC share price in decline going into the GFC and rebounding almost immediately. On 24 October as the GFC was clearing its throat for the roar to follow IVC was trading at $4.49 and it has been going up ever since. The stock price, like the price of both RHC and CSL, has seen some dips along the way but the historical performance of all three has been stellar. Some market experts remind investors looking in the rear-view mirror is not the thing to do when investing in a stock. However, successful extreme value investors set rigid five and even ten-year performance standards before considering a stock. Certainly, past performance is no guarantee of future performance. But it is an indication of the ability to withstand the ups and downs of economic cycles over long periods. The key is looking to the future to assess changing conditions that might affect performance. The following table looks at the historical performance of these three defensive plays. Some investors prefer to invest in stocks that one might call glamorous. Who wouldnt be proud to brag to friends and associates about a stake in a biotech stock working on a cure for a dreaded disease. There is nothing glamorous about death and stock ownership in the funeral industry does not make for scintillating cocktail party chatter. However, InvoCare controls more than 30% of the Australian and New Zealand markets and is expanding in Singapore and entered the US market in 2015. The company owns and operates branded funeral homes along with cemeteries and crematoria. The US business failed to meet expectations and the company announced closing of the traditional funeral operation in Southern California while keeping the crematoria open. Full Year Results presented in February showed revenues with a modest increase of 3.3%, but net profit after tax (NPAT) rose a healthy 29.4%. The companys business models features funeral services to meet a range of incomes. InvoCares revenue and profit growth has been modest in comparison to Ramsay and CSL but the demand for its services is unquestionable. US founding father Benjamin Franklin reportedly once said in this world nothing can be said to be certain, except death and taxes. At points along the path of success enjoyed by Ramsay Healthcare and CSL, market experts have from time to time cried out the lofty Price to Earnings Ratio for both makes them expensive stocks, yet they continue to grow and reward their investors. The following chart looks at the year over year price performance of all three companies along with two-year growth forecasts for earnings and dividends. CSL Limited may have the highest P/E, but it also has the highest growth forecasts. On 25 January, the company raised its profit forecast for 2017 from an 11% increase over 2016 to a range of 15% to 20%. CSL has room for growth as evidenced by its pipeline of new treatments under development. The company has a strong Research & Development operation, including partnerships with leading academic and research institutions. In December of 2016 the company held an Investor Presentation to highlight its more than 30 new offerings in its pipeline, with more than half in late-stage clinical trials. Ramsay Health Care has grown from its inception in 1964 to become one of the top five hospital operators on the planet. Ramsay operates more than 220 hospitals and day surgeries stretching from Australia to Indonesia to Malaysia to France and the UK and is entering the pharmacy business. The International diversification cushions the company from regulatory issues or downturns in one country. Ramsay has room to grow and despite having paid a dividend every year since 2000 maintains a payout ratio around 50% to preserve capital for expansions. The company is already expanding its bed count to be ready for the demand uptick from the Baby Boomers. In March of 2016 Ramsay withdrew from a Joint Venture operation with Chinese healthcare group Chengdu Jinxin Healthcare Investment. In 2015, Ramsay had announced a Chines government supported Joint Venture with Jinan University No.1 Affiliated Hospital also known as Guangzhou Overseas Chinese Hospital, to open four hospitals in the heavily populated Pearl River Delta Region. The companys Half Year 2017 results released in February reported a 3.5% revenue increase along with a 12.8% rise in NPAT. Management provided a growth strategy update with plans for adding facilities and expanding the companys latest venture -Ramsay Pharmacies. There are 22 pharmacies currently in operation with management pledging to rapidly expand the network in 207 and beyond. There was no mention of the status of the remaining Chinese Joint Venture, but given the companys efforts to begin operating there, it seems likely Ramsay Healthcare will eventually plant its footprint in the Chinese market. >> BACK TO THE NEWSLETTER: Click here to read other articles from this weeks newsletter Beijing, May 14 (IBNS): Even as India boycotted "One Belt, One Road" (OBOR) summit that began at Beijing on Sunday, Chinese President Xi Jinping said that all countries should respect each other's "sovereignty and territorial integrity." In his opening remarks, Jinping said: "All countries should respect each other's sovereignty, dignity and territorial integrity, each other's development paths and social systems, and each other's core interests and major concerns." Christened as China Pakistan Economic Corridor, the 57 billion-dollar project envisages connectivity across Asia on to Europe through ports, railways and roads. Besides Pakistan, India's other neighbours Sri Lanka and Nepal are attending the summit. India boycotted the summit over sovereignty issues as the initiative for cross border connectivity runs through Pakistan occupied Kashmir. The decision has been taken on the ground of sovereignty as India considers POK its part. External Affairs Ministry spokesperson Gopal Baglay in a media statement on Saturday said: "Regarding the so-called 'China-Pakistan Economic Corridor', which is being projected as the flagship project of the... OBOR, the international community is well aware of India's position... No country can accept a project that ignores its core concerns on sovereignty and territorial integrity." "Guided by our principled position in the matter, we have been urging China to engage in a meaningful dialogue on its connectivity initiative," he stated. Baglay also mentioned that India is awaiting positive response from China. The Chinese initiative is also being seen as a move to establish its dominance in Asia, including India's neigbhours. I get a kick out of playing. Its the best part of this whole thing, and recording too. I wrote a song called I Dont Live Today, and we got the music together in the studio. Its a freak-out tune. I might as well say that, cause everyone else is going to anyway Jimi Hendrix Freak out is an apt way to describe how the world reacted to Jimi Hendrix. In 1966, the rock legend arrived in London an unknown guitarist from New York City looking to establish himself as a star. In September, former Animals bassist-turned-music manager Chas Chandler began taking Hendrix around The Smoke, and actively recruited a band to support him, nabbing drummer Mitch Mitchell and bassist Noel Redding. That same month, at a Cream show at Regent Street Polytechnic, Hendrix took the stage alongside that power trio to play a kinetic version of Howlin Wolfs Killing Floor. After a short tour of France, The Jimi Hendrix Experience were signed to Track Records by Chris Stamp and Kit Lambert, managers of The Who. Chas asked me to come to England and get a group going together, Hendrix would tell Jann Wenner in 1968. Chas knows a lot of telephone numbers. Like Georgie Fame and the Blue Flames and all these other people. We had a jam and Noel came around. Noel plays guitar really. He came for the auditioning of the new Animals and we happened to be in the same building. Chas asked him to play bass and it worked out. Then we start playing almost every day for so long, rehearsed for three days then played the biggest theater in Europe, the Paris Olympia, with Johnny HallydayIt is the biggest thing in Europe. The reception was great and we played four songs. By October 1966, the buzz around The Jimi Hendrix Experience was deafening. They played a legendary set at Londons Bag O Nails club, with luminaries like Mick Jagger, Brian Jones, Eric Clapton, John Lennon, Paul McCartney and Jeff Beck in attendance. After that show, the U.K. press began fawning over Jimi Hendrix and his trio. In November 1966, they would record the first Jimi Hendrix Experience single, Hey Joe backed with Stone Free, a Hendrix original. It just happened to come about that we were around at the time of psychedelia and all the in clothes. I dug that scene, but not necessarily what you call the hippie scene, Hendrix told Steve Barker in 1967. Cause I dont like classification anyway, regardless of the scene. Are You Experienced would be released on May 12, 1967, to tremendous commercial success, but some prominent reviewers were taken aback by Hendrixs musical approach. Jon Landau famously derided the album as unrelentingly violent, and lyrically, inartistically violent at that. But it was an epochal recording amongst musicians at the time, and has come to be regarded as one of the greatest debuts in rock history. Definitive songs like Purple Haze, Foxey Lady and the title track are anthems for their era and benchmarks for what hard rock could achieve creatively and sonically. Nonetheless, beyond his musical contributions, Hendrixs free-spirited philosophy and uninhibited performance style earned him a wild man reputation that sometimes overshadowed his music, and he often bristled at the way he was presented in the British press. I dont want to be a clown anymore. I dont want to be a rock and roll star, Hendrix would famously tell Rolling Stone in 1969. For many observers, the spectacle of Hendrix overpowered his musicianship a situation he would come to resent. While praising his musicianship, Eric Clapton was critical of Hendrixs performance style. That stuff he does on stage, when he does that hes testing the audience. Hell do a lot of things, like fool around with his tongue and play his guitar behind his back and rub it up and down his crotch. And hell look at the audience, and if theyre digging it, he wont like the audience. Hell keep on doing it, putting them on. Play less music. If they dont dig it, then hell play straight cause he knows he has to. Its funny. In that same 1968 interview, Clapton wallowed in the same sort of black exotic view of Hendrix that Jimi was growing tired of. When he first came to England, you know English people have a very big thing towards a spade. They really love that magic thing, the sexual thing. They all fall for that sort of thing. Everybody and his brother in England still sort of think that spades have big dicks. And Jimi came over and exploited that to the limit, the fucking tee. Everybody fell for it. But even after the success of Are You Experienced and the British fixation on his otherworldliness and race, Hendrix would continue to push sonic and aesthetic boundaries up through his untimely death in 1970. And as he did so, he set the stage for a new kind of black musical star. Prior to Jimi Hendrixs emergence, black popular artists were still mostly presented through a veneer of conservatism. The buttoned-down suits of Otis Redding and Marvin Gaye, the glamorous nightgowns of the Supremes, the slick conk of James Brownthere was a sense that black artists had to present themselves in as dapper a fashion as possible to counter any racist perceptions of black people and black performers. Even after the British Invasion led to white artists growing their hair long and as Flower Power hippie imagery had begun to take over rocks popular presentation, black artists hadnt been afforded that same rebellious exhibition. That all changed with Jimi Hendrix. After Hendrixs success, popular black artists began to shake off the more buttoned-down image that had defined 60s soul music. As funk began to gain ground and as LSD became more prevalent in the culture, there was an embrace of drug references, free love idealism, and anti-war rhetoricalongside more explicit declarations of blackness from artists such as James Brown. Within months of Are You Experienced, Sly & the Family Stone would release their debut album. A Whole New Thing was one of the first soul/funk releases that was unmistakably psychedelic, and it set the stage for the Family Stones greater innovation in funk and psychedelic soul on their subsequent albums. In 1969, The Impressions (The Young Mods Forgotten Story), Isaac Hayes (Hot Buttered Soul), and The Temptations (Cloud Nine) would all be recording psychedelic music, and by the time the Jackson 5 debuted at the tail end of that year, with their distinctive afros and psychedelic-influenced bubblegum soul, the image and sound had totally shifted from the My Girl days of slick hair and sharp suits. The impact of Hendrix on black music stretches far beyond the 1960s, of course. George Clintons P-Funk collective pushed what had been considered psychedelia to an entirely new plateau in the 1970s, but their embrace of freaked out looks, subject matter and sounds wouldnt have happened without Hendrix kicking the proverbial door down years prior. We created funk for outer space: myself, Jimi Hendrix, Sun Ra, David Bowie and Labelle, Clinton would explain in 2016. All of that was the beginning of the theatrical sci-fi. P-Funk bassist Bootsy Collins put it more succinctly. Hendrix was God, Collins told The Guardian in 2011 after providing voiceover for a documentary about the legendary guitarist. In fact, he still is. The lineage that starts at Hendrix and stretches through Sly and P-Funk in the 70s also connects to later performers like Rick James and Prince and bands like Fishbone and Living Colour; and to more contemporary artists like OutKast, DAngelo, and Meshell Ndegeocello. That spirit of black creativity as filtered through non-conformity and freedom, an expressive cocktail made of ingenuity and sensitivity, a creativity informed by othernessits an integral part of black musical heritage. Oftentimes when we discuss Hendrix and his legacy, his impact as a guitarist overshadows the more nuanced aspects of his influence. Undoubtedly, Jimi Hendrix unlocked the creative potential of the guitar in a way that cannot be overstated; one would be hard-pressed to find anyone more revolutionary on their respective instrument. But beyond just his uniquely significant impact on how guitar is played and recordedand even beyond his still undervalued talents as an all-around musician, producer and songwriterthere is his influence on black art, specifically. Resisting the ahistorical urge to always view Jimi as a black anomaly in a white genre, (Loves Arthur Lee, Richie Havens, and the Chambers Brothers were among his black rock artist contemporaries), its important to present Hendrix as a part of the black musical tradition: his showmanship born of T-Bone Walker, his artistry as celebrated by Miles Davis, and his impact that trickles down to Childish Gambino. Jimi Hendrix helped remind the world that black art wasnt meant to be shackled by the expectations of racism. Or defined by it. He let his freak flag fly. And were all better off for it. This week, the talented Alec Baldwin returned to Saturday Night Live as President Trump for the shows hotly anticipated cold open. The sketch parodied Trumps bizarre interview with NBC News Lester Holt wherein the commander-in-chief admitted that, contrary to several days of misdirection and outright lies from his administration officials, it was he who ordered FBI Director James Comey to be firedand not only that, he also confessed to pressing Comey on the FBIs ongoing probe into possible Trump-Russia collusion during the U.S. presidential election. Hello, Mr. President. I know youre a busy man, so thank you for being here, said SNLs holt, played by Weekend Update co-anchor Michael Che, seated across from the president in the Oval Office. Thank you for having me here, jazz man. But before we begin, I just need to know if I have your undying loyalty, replied Baldwins Trump, echoing a New York Times report that Trump repeatedly asked for Comey to pledge his loyalty to Trump over dinner in January. Baldwins Trump goes on and on about how he won the election fair and squareas is his wontbefore adding: Its one of my favorite hits, and my fans love when I play the hits. Its like when you go to a Beyonce concert they want to hear only Single Ladies and not that Sandcastles crap, OK?! After some more verbal jousting by Holt, Trump finally caves and tells him the real reason he fired Comey, the very man leading a counterintelligence investigation into his administration. I fired him because of Russia. I thought, hes investigating Russia, I dont like that, I should fire him, says Trump. But thats obstruction of justice! shot back Holt. Sure, OK, offers Trump. Wait, so did I get him? Is this all over? says a confused Holt, before pressing his finger against his earpiece to hear his producers response. Oh, no I didnt? Nothing matters? Absolutely nothing matters anymore? It doesnt, because as President Trump readily admits, he holds the Republican Party in the palm of his handincluding House Speaker Paul Ryan. Baldwins Trump proceeds to ring a little bell and Ryan arrives, dressed like an ice cream shop boy. He delivers the President two scoops of ice creama nod to Time magazines recent interview with Trump, where writer Zeke Miller observed that Trump gets two scoops of vanilla ice cream while everyone else at his table receives one. Ches Holt then compares Trump to Nixon, causing Trump to bristle. No, no. I am nothing like Nixon because I am not a crook, OK? Plus, I bet Nixon only got one scoop of ice cream for dessert, and I get two scoops, says Trump, throwing deuces like Nixon. Trump whines about how Holt is omitting all the good things that happened recently under President Trump. On Tuesday, I let Kellyanne out of her crypt. Also, I invented a new phrase. Have you heard it? Its called priming the pump, he says. But that is a widely-known phrase, fires back Holt. No its not. Its when I tug on myself about a half hour before Melania comes in so she can find it easier, OK? Trump says. Holt is beyond disgusted: Ew. That is not what priming the pump means. Indeed. On March 1, 1974 the phone rang in a red brick townhome in Washington, D.C.s Georgetown neighborhood. A man promptly answered it in a rumpled button-down shirt and crew-cut coiffure. He calmly took notes, then winced. Next to him, his wife steadied herself against his chair. What exactly did Bob do? she thought. Her husband was H.R. Haldeman, President Nixons chief of staff, and he had just been told he was being indicted over Watergate. Now more than 40 years later, Joanne Haldeman is finally speaking out. It had been almost two years since the break-in at the Democratic National Committees headquarters in the Watergate, which was followed with Richard Nixons landslide reelection. A year after that, Nixons administration was already crumbling. The Watergate scandal had spawned break-in convictions, a Senate investigation, and top-level government resignations. Until that phone call, the Watergate affair had been a nuisance for the Haldemans, a great gummy fungus Jo called it, that refused to die. Bob stepped outside to face the press gathering outside their home and immediately retreated. His shoulders sagged and his clothes looked frumpy, a startling contrast to the well-dressed optimist at Nixons first inauguration five years earlier. As reporters waited for a comment on his indictment, Bob and Jo embraced. Neither said a word. Jo Haldeman has been silent about her life as the wife of the second most powerful person in the Nixon White House and a key figure in the Watergate scandal that forced Nixon to resign and sent her husband to Lompoc Federal Prison for 18 months. At 88, she has written a memoir, In the Shadow of the White House: A Memoir of the Washington and Watergate Years, 1968-1978. She began two years after Bobs death in 1993 when her eldest grandson casually mentioned the Watergate scandal. I want my grandchildren and all future Haldemans to know that when they hear or see Watergate, Nixon, or the Haldeman name in the news or in books, there is so much more to the story, and much to be proud of as well, she told The Daily Beast. I hope that I have succeeded in giving a more humanized picture of the events and the people involved. The memoir offers a glimpse into their five years at the White House, often sharing personal stories like the evening with the Apollo 13 astronauts, the presidential helicopter ride to Camp David, and Key Biscayne vacations. It also emphasizes the Nixon administrations successes like the opening of diplomatic relations with China. What it doesnt do is come out of its own shadow. Jos book refuses to offer opinions to me on anything rocking the political boat. Im instructed not to bring up the Trump administration during our phone interview. When asked about her verdict on the Watergate scandal in relation to Nixon, she replied: This question goes beyond the scope of our interview. If Bob was Nixons palace guard, Jo is her familys protector. The memoir and interview affirms her desire to remain in the safe zone, to keep wounds healed rather than exposed. I could only surmise based on her initial reluctance for an interview and request for questions upfront, she does not trust the press, a sentiment not only reflected in the Nixon administration but by Jo. Sharks, waiting for their prey, she writes about the reporters outside their home on March 1, 1974. Married to Nixons SOB Jo was guarded and answered questions gingerly, articulating every word as if it were her last. One topic she spoke freely about: how much she missed her husband. The high school sweethearts from California were already married 20 years when they moved with their four children to Washington, D.C. in 1969. Nixon had chosen Haldeman to be his chief of staff after the former advertising executive worked on a handful of Nixon campaigns. More than a year into Bobs new White House position, Jo writes she felt her husband was more married to Nixon than she was. Summoning Bob any time of day or night, Nixon the insomniac called the Haldemans house frequently. I hate that phone, Jo writes. Despite the perception of my being the confident and gracious wife of H.R. Haldeman, I often feel insecure and alone. Throughout the memoir and our conversation, Jo displays an unwavering allegiance to her husband and to the Nixon administration. Sometimes, shed stop herself mid sentence or retract a thought. Although she strongly believed in Nixon, she agreed with his resignation. I did feel there came a time when it was best for the country that he resign and the country move on. But lets move off that now, she said. Nixon is portrayed in the memoir as an odd character incapable of small talk or jokes and sometimes, a self-absorbed opportunist in a symbiotic relationship with Haldeman. Whether it was Nixons overused jokes about Jos drinking problem (knowing she didnt drink alcohol, Nixon teased her about drinking in excess) or his embarrassing silence during his attempt at a birthday toast to his wife, the presidents social awkwardness meant awkwardness for everyone. Apart from Vice President Spiro Ted Agnew, whom Jo writes is offensive, another larger-than-life character in the memoir is Martha Mitchell, wife of Attorney General John Mitchell. An ebullient and outspoken southern belle, the Mouth of the South, gained notoriety for her frequent calls to the press, ranging from allegations she was a political prisoner to confirming stories about the Watergate scandal. Although John Mitchell told the press his prison verdict was better than life with Martha, Jo observes in her memoir that John adored his wife, but her unpredictability was often embarrassing. Jo criticizes Martha for her obsession with attention, engaging in gimmicky acts like perching on Bobs knees at a dinner party and showing up with an entourage of press at Jos daughters outdoor juice stand. Her obsession for attention drives Bob nuts, and at social events, both he and I try to avoid her, she writes. In typical Jo-esque lingo where she rather smooth things over than make waves, another time she writes, Marthas not crazy, just a little kooky. After Nixon gave a televised speech on Haldeman and John Ehrlichmans resignations on April 30, 1973, Nixon called the Haldemans house twice to ask Bob for his opinion on how he did. Nixon insisted Bob do some checking around on the publics reaction, Jo writes. For the life of me, I cant comprehend how the President can be so oblivious to Bobs feelings. On another occasion, Jo writes shes caught off guard when she walks in on Bob, no longer in office, summarizing one of the White House tapes Nixon gave him. Every president needs an SOBand Im Nixons, Jo quotes Bob saying. Break-In, Cover-Up, Fallout Washington, D.C.s truism was born out of the Watergate scandal: Its not the crime. Its the cover-up that gets you. You have to realize, they never thought they would be caught, said Fred Emery, former Washington bureau chief for the Times of London who followed the cover-up trial and interviewed Haldeman about the Watergate scandal. When five men who worked for the Committee for the Re-Election of the President (CREEP) were arrested in a predawn break-in at the DNCs headquarters at the Watergate complex on June 17, 1972, there was much political distancing from the story. White House Press Secretary Ron Ziegler called it a third-rate burglary and Nixon stated that nobody at the White House was involved. Jo writes about the first time she and Bob heard of the break-in while vacationing in Key Biscayne, Florida. Bob called it ridiculous and an ill-advised political prank. I feel very definitely that Bob had no awareness of the break-in, said Jo. I believed that based on Bobs reaction that Nixon also had no awareness of the break in. However, Emery writes in his book Watergate: The Corruption of American Politics and the Fall of Richard Nixon that Nixons deputy assistant and his top adviser claimed Nixon must have known about plans of the break-in, although there is no hard evidence, and Haldeman received memos beforehand about the break-in plans from CREEP liaison Gordon Strachan. Whatever Bob did before the break-in, his involvement in the cover-up was clearer and it became harder for the Haldemans to ignore. In her memoir, Jo repeatedly calls the scandal a stain, especially when the press reported on a slush fund used for spying, sabotage, and silence from the burglars. Bob shrugged the reports off and Jos questioning was met with the Haldeman look: Furrowed brow, steely eyes, and tight lips. Its intimidating but fleeting, she writes. If Jo ever suspected her husband knew more than he shared, she doesnt let on in her memoir or our conversation. She keeps those thoughts hidden. And perhaps, Bob did too. Bob reacted to an article about the Senate approval for the creation of a Watergate committee, where his photo appeared on the front page of The Washington Post. Jo was confused by it. Bob said: Well, it looks like Woodward and Bernstein are back at it. Theyve managed to tie me into their latest story, the story being that he assisted in efforts to get the Senate to shift focus of the investigations from the White House-led campaign of spying and sabotage in 1972. Haldeman remained steadfast in his innocence, suggesting that everything could still be worked out, even as the suggestion of a leave of absence turned into an order for his resignation. In Jos memoir, she shares Nixon vacillating between Bobs and Ehrlichmans leave of absence and resignation. He finally decides on a resignation because theyd be eaten alive otherwise, said Jo. According to Emery, Nixon resolved that both Haldeman and Ehrlichman could not simply take leaves of absence but must resign and fight their case from the outside. Haldeman didnt intend to be the fall guy. He tried, vainly as it turned out, to be the presidents chief defender before the Senate Watergate committee, and brought himself down in the process, says Emery. Seventeen days after Haldemans resignation, the Senate Watergate Committee opened televised hearings into the Watergate affair. Haldeman was one of thirteen targets in the probe. The Saturday Night Massacre and the Smoking Gun Two pivotal events turned Watergate from a scandal into a death sentence for Nixons presidency: secret tapes and the Saturday Night Massacre. Haldeman was one of the handful of people in the White House who knew about the existence of an Oval Office secret taping system. It was exposed publicly by deputy assistant Alexander Butterfield. Soon after, special prosecutor Archibald Cox subpoenaed Nixon for copies of the tapes. Then Nixon fired him, or rather ordered him to be fired and his Watergate investigation office dissolved. What followed makes Trumps firing of FBI Director James Comey look mild by comparison. Attorney General Elliot Richardson and his deputy, William Ruckelshaus, both refused to fire Cox and both resigned in protest. The political interference by a sitting president into an existing investigation eventually led to talks of impeachment and Nixons resignation. But nobody appeared to see it coming. Haldeman was still hopeful, telling his wife the infamous White House tapes would vindicate him, Jo writes. The tapes did the opposite. First, there was the 18- minute gap in one recording of Haldeman and Nixon speaking. I can guarantee you that the president and I were not talking about any cover-up, Bob told Jo. Nixon had three conversations with Haldeman in the six days after the Watergate burglary. One of those conversations was the smoking gun, where Nixon and Haldeman proposed having the CIA halt the FBIs investigation on grounds of national security, proving Nixon ordered a cover-up of the Watergate burglary. After hearing that, 11 Republicans on the House Judiciary Committee who had voted against articles of impeachment announced they would vote in the full House to indict Nixon. Three days after the tapes release, Nixon resigned. A few months later, Bob was already preparing to go to jail, asking a former bank officer what it was like to serve eight months at Lompoc Federal Prison, Jo writes. Containment Haldeman had a long-held line that what he was involved in was a political containment of Watergate. He tried to explain it to his children, as its related in Jos memoir: You should also know that what the press calls a cover-up and the grand jury calls a conspiracy to obstruct justice, I have always considered containment, he told them. The White House experienced many flaps besides the break-in, and it was my job to minimize any fallout I worked to contain the fallout from Watergate. I dont think that I ever broke any law, and I look forward to proving my innocence in court.. I have never knowingly done anything illegal or morally wrong. In short, Haldemans version of the scandal involved a cover-up sans the illegality of it. Emery added, and putting out spin to get the focus away from the White House and the president. Since Haldeman was not a lawyer but an advertising man, he had difficulty in accepting some of these things were unlawful, although he must have known that lying under oath was a criminal offence, Emery said. During Emerys 1993 interviews with him, Haldeman admitted that he had never been able to get across to anybody the concept of containment, even to his wife. Yet publicly, Jo and her eldest son Hank relate similar narratives to Bobs. In Bobs posthumously published book, The Haldeman Diaries, Jo wrote in a final note that containment was steps taken to minimize the political damage of an issue, as a legal, political reality-and an ongoing practice of all presidents and political figures. She added, considering the animosity between the president and press, between the political parties, and the divisiveness on Vietnam, containment was critical for effective leadership. In interviews, Hank said his father was immune from perjury because he didnt know he was lying in the first place. Bob seemed to believe it too. Convinced hed be acquitted unless someone could show what he did was illegal, he turned down a plea bargain offer by the chief prosecutor. When Haldeman took the stand on the 34th day of trial, his lawyer stated his case: Mr. Haldeman did not enter into a conspiracy and did not intend to enter into a conspiracy. But the court thought otherwise. Haldeman was convicted on three charges of perjury, conspiracy to obstruct justice, and obstruction of justice on New Years Day in 1975. His perjury offenses included falsely testifying before the Watergate Senate Select Committee about the knowledge of hush money being paid to the Watergate burglars, falsely claiming that Nixon told John Dean it would be wrong to pay the burglars, and falsely claiming there was no discussion of CREEP deputy director Jeb Magruder committing perjury. Emery said to me, the fact is, he got what he deservedHe took part in a conspiracy to cover up what the president did and was willing to lie. But Jo views it differently. She said had Bob done anything illegal, hed have been the first to submit his resignation. His actions did not meet those required elements of the charges against him, she said, in part because some of the charges required a knowledge or specific intent behind the actions and Bob did not act with that knowledge or specific intent As Bob explained to his daughter, Ann: Perjury is knowingly making a false statement, which I absolutely did not do. End of Power Jo doesnt often admit how the Watergate scandal affected her but there are hints of its financial and emotional burdens in the memoir. When Bob was indicted, they had to live off his retirement fund and income from their investments. When Bob went to prison, Jo became a realtor. Jo recounts another time when she arrived at the ticket counter without airplane tickets or when she burst into tears after the special prosecutor wished her well, no matter what the outcome might be. Bob called Nixon the night of Nixons resignation, asking for a pardon, along with all the others charged with Watergate crimes. But Jo opposed it. I felt that asking for a pardon was equivalent to admitting guilt. Since Bob did not believe he had engaged in any illegal acts, I did not think he should ask for a pardon, she said. But she would have been fine if someone else asked for a pardon on his behalf, she writes. Nixons refused anyway. Before Haldeman went to prison in June 1977, Nixon went public with British journalist David Frost in a series of interviews. In one of them, Nixon blamed Haldeman and Ehrlichman for the cover-up. Jo was angry and Bob felt dumped, she writes. At a press conference on his front lawn, Bob said, I have one brief statement. If you really want to know how I feel about President Nixon, you can find out by reading my book. For the first time, he stated his intention to write about the Watergate story as he saw it, she said. A few months later, Nixon wrote a touching letter to Haldeman that some might see as an attempt to thwart Haldemans Ends of Power (1978) from being too Nixon-negative rather than a form of apology. We will always have our deepest respect, admiration and personal affection. I know I reflect the views of many others who had the privilege of knowing the real Bob Haldeman, Jo records Nixon writing. But by the time of Ends of Power, Haldeman was soft on Nixon again, writing that the Frost-Nixon interviews distortion of Watergate may have been attributed to the questions, answers, or film editing. The Aftereffects Jo ends her memoir with an epilogue that celebrates her husbands remarkable lack of animosity and exceptional ability to accept his destiny. Shortly after his fathers release from prison in 1978, Jos youngest son Peter swallowed a bottle of Smirnoff and sedatives until he passed out and was eventually saved by an LAPD officer. He wrote in his 1994 article for the New York Times Growing Up Haldeman, that he had tried to commit suicide for years. Although Peter was in and out of hospitals, his parents were very supportive. But the Haldeman name haunted him. He wrote that he would mumble his name to receptionists, operators, and interview subjects. Every now and then, a news item would surface to remind me of the stretch of my fathers professional shadow, he wrote. Two weeks before his father resigned from the White House, Peter skipped history class because he couldnt face responding to the disturbing picture of his father on the cover of Newsweek. A month later, Peter was expelled from the prestigious Sidwell Friends School. Upon Haldemans prison release on February 9, 1979, he was still embroiled in civil lawsuits that began as early as 1973, and whose plaintiffs ranged from Jane Fonda to protesters. Much to Jos dismay, Bob created a defense fund and asked friends for help. Jo writes, this disturbs me and I disagree with the idea. After prison, Haldeman engaged in discussions on Watergate and Nixon. Bob continued to read new books as they came out and to follow new theories as they developed. I think he felt that we never had all the pieces put into the puzzle, said Jo. There are many schools of thought on what Haldeman might have been searching for. Some focus questions on what the purpose was of the DNC break-in and who ordered it; a missing portion of the White House funds that were used for hush money to the burglars and others, and allegations of CIA complicity in Nixons demise. The other focuses on the search for a master manipulator that would excuse the Nixon administrations wrongdoing, explained Max Holland, author of Leak, a book about Watergate. The CIA was usually the best candidate. Jo never knew if Bob found his answers. In 1993, he fell seriously ill. Peter hoped his father would consider medical treatment instead of seeing a Christian Science healer. A basic tenet of Christian Science is that to specify a physical problem is to empower it, Peter wrote. As Bob became gravely ill, nobody was to know about it. In fact, none of the children could visit with him until the end. Peter and his younger sister, Ann, were advised not to raise any red flags. I experienced again the comforts and the anxieties peculiar to our brand of collusion. I knew I was no longer ruining it for him, but I also knew I wasnt saving him, he wrote. Two weeks before Bob passed, the nature of his illness was still unclear. He was only 67 when he died. Jo tells me his death certificate reads intra-abdominal neoplasm. Peters article is completely raw and honest, reminiscent of whats missing in Jos memoir. He wrote about the difficulty he had reading Ends of Power, afraid hed like something in it. When he finally reads it, hes disappointed to have learned nothing new about his father. He had hoped to discover more about who his father was. My father, not his ghostwriter, is the invisible one here, he wrote. What would happen if you sat across the table from your mortal enemy and were asked to negotiate peace? What would you do? J.T. Rogers play, Oslo, playing at Lincoln Center Theater, is the story of how the Oslo Accords of 1993 came to be signed at the White House, concluding with President Bill Clinton hugging Israeli Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin and PLO Chairman Yasser Arafat as they shook hands. The play has been nominated for seven Tony Awards (to be held on June 11), including Best Play, alongside Lucas Hnaths A Dolls House, Part 2. There is a back story to the Oslo Accords that has never really been captured until nowand there is a story behind the story of how it all came together in a brilliant drama that is also a dark comedy. Until going to Israel this year, I had but fleeting interest in the Middle East conflict or diplomatic intrigue, and only recently have developed an interest in the the intricacies of Norwegian diplomacy and their talent for pastry making. However, I have long been interested in the works of Mr. Rogers. Full disclosure: J.T. and I have been friends for over 30 years, attending drivers education class together at Rockbridge Senior High School in Columbia, Missouri. So perhaps, I do lack objectivity in praise for this workbut The Daily Beasts critic and others do not. I saw his very first major play, White People and the play preceding Oslo, Blood and Gifts; Oslo began its genesis with that play. The source material for Blood and Gifts is the struggle for control of Afghanistan during the 1980s, from the American, Soviet, British, Pakistani, Afghan sidesas the West saw the country as essential in fighting the Soviet Union, not realizing they would create the Taliban and 9/11 in their wake. The play primarily revolves around a CIA operative, a fictional character who is a proxy for the West. The meticulously researched play masterfully blends fact and fiction including details that only a few ex-spooks ever knew. In January of 2012, a Norwegian diplomat, Terje Rd-Larsen, came to see the play and was suitably impressed. In the lobby after the show and over drinks at New York bar P.J. Clarkes, he told Rogers, I have a tale, and I have been waiting 20 years for the right person to tell it to. Rogers appears to have been the right person. He recalls, that over whiskey, Larsen kindly told me he was amazed that I wasnt a diplomat. That led us to a wonky conversation about how in writing for the stage (or film, or TV) what you do and who are you are is ultimately unimportant. Its can you the writer imagine yourself into a world, place, person so that it becomes real. Rogers was intrigued by their story but not sure it was all true. He tracked down every book he could find about the Oslo back channelmost of which were memoirs (or parts of memoirs) by the actual participants. After devouring those and taking notes upon notes, he went to Oslo to meet diplomat Mona Juul (Larsens wife and currently Norweigian ambassador to the United Kingdom), other participants, and to walk through the rooms where the secret meetings took place. The set for the Lincoln Center Theater production is recreated from the photos and videos of those visits. Rogers notes Blood and Gifts and Oslo are both history plays, trying to tell sweeping personal-cum-political epics. Both use structural devices from thrillers. But in Blood and Gifts all the characters are created whole cloth by me. In Oslo, while every word is mine, the characters are all named for and based on real people. Some of the characters in the play are very much like their flesh-and-blood counterparts and some are very different. The one rule I set for myself was that no one on stage would fight for ideas that were diametrically opposed from what the real person believed. Getting the characters down right wasnt easy. Rogers felt the Israeli and Palestinian characters operated with a passion and verbosity that he understood, and that it worked marvelously on stage. In the early stages, getting the Norwegians down was tricky. The Nordic disposition is cooler and more reserved and it took him a while to coax the right voices and rhythms onto the page, and then again on the stage. Rogers credits his ability to understand other cultures with his childhood experiences. You and I got to grow up in central Missouri, in a sleepy small college town, at a time where we were left alone to wander, both physically and creatively. Pretending and wonder were simply things you drifted through. More, I think, is that when I was young I lived for two years in rural South East Asia (Malaysia and Indonesia) where my father, brother, and I were the only foreigners many people in this village had ever seen. Two years as the other, cut off from anything from America except air-mail letters, was life altering. I asked Rogers, with some curiosity and needling, What drew you to the subject matter? Youre not Jewish. In fact, youre like the whitest and palest person on earth besides the Pillsbury dough boyand thats not even a person. He replied, You know, when I was an actor, when I had to play a character close to me, I was stumpedthat is to say, lousy. When as a young man I was allowed to play the octogenarian druid with a limp, somehow I was liberated and my performance was pretty good. In acting, putting on a mask frees many actors in a way that being themselves cant. The same holds true for me in writing. As well, Im not really interested in myself as a writer. I live with myself every moment Im not writing. Its a fascinating joy try and become other people. The reception of the play has been tremendous and by fleshing out the players he has done something amazing; he makes us understand the people involved in all their complexity. Theres a line in the play about Leninist land reform that brings down the house. Yes, the laughter is great, but the audience is laughing because midway through act one theyve come to understand this character, a hard-liner Palestinian Marxist, to the point that they viscerally get what a huge compliment he is giving by comparing what he is praising to the ideas of the great Lenin. The audience delights in and cares about this mana senior member of the PLO. This audience of New Yorkers watching this play on Broadway. Im chuffed and humbled by that. To have this three-hour deep dive into Israel and Palestine move to Broadway stunned and humbled me, he adds. And now we have collectively been nominated for seven Tony Awards. If more proof were needed that In the Theater, Anything Is Possible... this is it. What a joy. What a privilege. In the real world, the peace talks were a success and a failure at the same time. They did achieve the PLO recognizing Israel and renouncing violence. But the framework of the Oslo accords was never really fulfilled. If you ask Rogers, what the moral is of the play, he wont answer. He will tell you what the play is really about. The plays I end up writing get written not because I have something to show the audience, but because Im gripped by a question that I hope others will be gripped by as well. With Oslo, it was this: What would it be like to sit across from your mortal enemy, to have the courage to see them as a fellow human being, and then to find that you are the one profoundly changed by that seeing? In its ability to change how we see the world and the Middle East conflict, Oslo is a profound play indeed. Oslo is at the Vivian Beaumont Theater, Lincoln Center, New York City. Book tickets through Aug. 28 here. Its Mothers Day, the worlds most popular non-religious holiday. Perhaps you shopped before May 1, getting 25 percent off at the Bath & Body Works Website using the code JUSTPEACHY. Perhaps you splurged on a Ralph Lauren Ricky Bag for $18,500or are taking Mom to brunch at the Waldorf Astoria for $125 per adult. Maybe youre buying Kentucky Fried chicken, charmed by KFCs creepy ad promising to fulfill Moms fantasies. Doesnt matteryouve violated the holidays founding spirit. After founding Mothers Day, Anna Jarvis spent the rest of her lifeand fortunecrusading against the conspicuous consumption that characterizes this holiday. This Saturnalia of shopping, brunching, Hallmark-card-sending, flower-delivering, and now, online love bombing, began in humbler times with simple white carnations and sincere expressions of love. Mothers Day formally began on May 10, 1908, when Anna Jarvis honored her late mother, Ann Marie Reeves Jarvis, at St. Andrews Methodist Church in Grafton, West Virginia, and at a Wanamakers department store in Philadelphia. Clearly, the holiday always offered maternal love American style: fusing nobility and vulgarity, piety, and materialism. Anna Jarvis was honoring her late mothers attempts to honor mothers. Inspired by other aristocratic American women social reformers before the Civil War, Ann Reeves Jarvis had launched Mothers Day Work Clubs in West Virginia. After the Civil War, these clubs teaching moms how to be moms helped heal the wars wounds. In 1868, Jarvis organized Mothers Friendship Day, uniting Union and Confederate veterans through their shared love of their mothers. The elder Jarvis was building on a tradition with classical and Christian roots, especially the European Mothering Sunday on the fourth Sunday of Lent. Two years later, the upper-crust crusader who wrote The Battle Hymn of the Republic issued a Mothers Day Proclamation to bring glory, glory and a whole heap of hallelujahs to mothers. Julia Ward Howe proposed an annual Mothers Peace Day. Arise, all women who have hearts, she proclaimed. Say firmly: We will not have great questions decided by irrelevant agencies, our husbands shall not come to us, reeking with carnage, for caresses and applause. Instead, Howe proposed let women now leave all that may be left of home for a great and earnest day of counsel. Momma Jarvis died in 1905. In 1908, her daughter Anna Jarvis wanted to honor her mothers memory. Jarvis shifted her mothers apostrophefrom speaking about mothers in the possessive plural to mothers. The holiday would be personal, not communal, In honor of the best mother who ever livedYour mother. Jarvis wanted the day celebrated simply, with contemplation, commendations, and white carnations. Jarvis loved the carnations whiteness, which stands for purity; its form and fragrance, representing beauty and love; its wide field of growth and lasting qualities, symbolizing charity and faithfulnessall a true mothers qualities. Two years later, in 1910, West Virginia became the first of what ultimately became many states declaring a properly punctuated Mothers Day on the second Sunday in May. As momentum built, one oddity emerged. The Mothers Day celebration assumed its most significant aspect in the state prisons and penitentiaries, the Florida Star reported. Inmates received carnations on that day in Leavenworth, Cherry Hill, Sing Sing, as prisons lost not a little of their sordidness, and hearts that had not been otherwise accessible were touched, maybe only for the instant in some cases On May 9, 1914, President Woodrow Wilson declared the first national Mothers Day, honoring mothers whose sons died in battle. The national holiday reflected Progressivisms beautifying and nationalizing impulses. Todays 133 million Hallmark card-selling, $20 billion marketing behemoth had begun. All mothers are holy, poor as well as rich, reporters rhapsodized, as happy back then to gush sentimentality as todays reporters are to sling cynicism. Echoing these democratic sentiments, the Washington Hebrew Congregations Abram Simon praised Wilsons proclamation in 1914, hailing this new holiday for knowing no creed, no distinction of wealth or position; its spirit is universal. Identifying the first challenge to the holidays credibility, Dr. Simon observed that Mothers Day is a womans creation, but it must become a mans institution. In a land of growing national bureaucracies, the Mothers Day International Association formed, with local committees, state committees, and a national advisory committee. Former President Theodore Roosevelt, offered his macho blessing, saying: Mothers are more important to the country than the soldier, the literary man, the man of science. These toasts hail the devout, democratic, dedicated mother. They reflect the way men placed women on pedestals in the days of what historians call the Separate Sphereswhile ensnaring them in webs of obligations and expectations that bound women to their husbands, their children, their families, their communities, societys conventions. Today, thanks to feminism, mothers are freer to lean in, bust out, kick back, to be themselves. Yet these ties that bound, often painfully, also sustained, like lifelines. Without returning to those bad old days, must we take the whole package of todays not-so-good days? KFC celebrates Mothers Day with an admittedly tongue-in-cheek ad evoking a steamy stud as delectable to Mom as their chicken is to her family. But who wants to scarf down fried fowl with your mother, while imagining her fantasizing about Fifty Shades of Shake and Bake? Kraft boosts Mac & Cheese with a campaign joking about the 74 percent of mothers who curse in front of their children, proclaiming Heres to swearing like a mother. What happened to role modeling? Delicacy, artifice, restraint, discipline, have their place. Individuals without freedom cannot breathe; but individuals without restraints cannot catch their breaths and build anything constructive. Beyond giving life, mothers are childrens primary socializing agent. This Mothers Day, lets celebrate the discipline and values Moms instill, not just the life and liberties they deliver. Anna Jarvis lived long enough to see the holiday honoring the best mother who ever livedher motherbecome an institution. But the American crassness sullying the holidays purity disgusted her. She spent the rest of her life combating the days commercialism, disrupting candy conventions, hounding public officials, squandering her inheritance; fighting her baby to save it. Eventually, this unmarried, stubborn, opinionated force of nature received the Mary Todd Lincoln treatment for overly assertive Victorian womendying in a sanitarium in 1948. Scholars debate whether committing her reflected the sexist response to a female powerhouse or the necessary treatment for a tortured soul. Nevertheless, Anna Jarvis, this motherless mother of Mothers Day who never became a mother understood something profound we should remember: a valueless society that only values valuables will ultimately lose its value as a community. For Further Reading: Katharine Lane Antolini, ed., Memorializing Motherhood: Anna Jarvis and the Struggle for Control of Mothers Day (2014) L. Wayne Sheets, Mothers DayThe Legacy of Anna Jarvis (2013) In Newton, Mass, a struggling seminary is coming under attack this week for failing to return religious artifacts in its collection to the Native American tribes to which they belong. Andover Newton Theological School possesses a collection of 158 Native American artifacts that, for roughly 70 years, have been housed at the nearby Peabody Essex Museum in Salem, Mass. In 2015, when Andover was attempting to raise funds to cover a shortfall in enrollment, the institution attempted to sell the artifacts. This, they soon learned, would violate the Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act (NAGPRA); the federal law governing the return of sacred items to tribes that produced them. As of last week, Andover Newton had not complied with federal requests that they produce and send inventories of their holdings to Native American tribes. The two-year delay, Andover Newton officials explain, was caused by the difficulty identifying the proper ownership of the artifacts. The schools president indicated that they intended to return the items to their rightful owners once the relevant research had been completed. Andover Newton does have some leads, however. Not only did the Peabody Essex Museum spend approximately $700,000 curating and photographing the collection, and labeling the items currently on display, several tribes have already petitioned the seminary for the return of their artifacts. Rosita Worl, a member of the Tlingit tribe and president of the Sealaska Heritage Institute in Alaska, contacted the seminary several times in 2015 asking for the return of a halibut fishhook that is sacred to her tribe. She has not received a direct response. Tissa Wenger, an Associate Professor at Yale Divinity School and an expert on colonialism and the historical (mis)representations of Native American traditions, told The Daily Beast that the repatriation can be complicated, Native Americans (again like any other group of people) are not all the same and often disagree about how to define these terms and about the rightful ownership or the significance of certain items. The difficulties of repatriation, even when the museums or universities truly want to do the right thing, sometimes revolve around determining which Native nation they should be in contact with in order to properly repatriate a certain object or sometimes which person is acting as the legitimate representative of that nation. The failure of this seminary to comply with federal law likely would not have received much attention were it not for the fact that Andover Newton is in the process of joining the prestigious Yale Divinity School. Yale College currently houses a Native American Cultural Center that identifies Sustaining cultural preservation by acknowledging history and responsibility as a core value and has supported the Association of Native Americans at Yale for nearly twenty-five years. Thus far it is unclear if, post-merger, Yale Divinity School would assume responsibility for the collection. Gregory E. Sterling, the dean of the YDS, told the New York Times via email that the university supports the proper treatment of Native American artifacts and respect for Native American culture and dignity. Tissa Wenger concurred that she would not want to see these objects in the YDS Collection. As Andover Newton President Martin B. Copenhaver stated on Wednesday, repatriation is ongoing. This incident raises the weighty ethical issues surrounding the preservation, sale, and ownership of cultural heritage in general as well as the particular concerns governing the appropriate of Native American artifacts. Under the Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act, institutions and organizations that receive federal funding must return human remains as well as those items that have spiritual and cultural value. But the question of how and, more importantly, who decides which kinds of items qualify as sacred is an important one. Most museums are sensitive to the issues that surround the display of funerary objects and human remains. Some do not display ritual items and locks of hair that have yet to be claimed, choosing instead to exhibit ordinary items like clothing headdresses and household items. The difficulty here, though, is in delineating the sacred from the profane. Modern ideas about what counts as religious are, as much recent scholarship including Wengers book We Have Religion: 1920s Pueblo Indian Dance Controversy and American Religious Freedom (2009) has shown, grounded in Judeo-Christian definitions of religion. So while it is obvious to everyone why locks of hair should be returned, the religious significance of certain clothing or rituals involving food preparation is more ambiguous. Some museums, like the National Museum of the American Indian at the Smithsonian, have guidelines for repatriation freely available on their websites. They also permit delegations to include a traditional of religious leader who has the knowledge and skills to identify objects that may not be properly identified in museums records. Its a gesture that recognizes the different ways that evidence and expertise can be ascertained and categorized, but, broadly speaking, as Wenger told me, Native Americans and Native Hawaiians should have a stronger representation on the NAGPRA review committee that determines both what counts as sacred and how to settles disputes over ownership. Interestingly, societal concern for cultural heritage of all kinds is a relatively novel phenomenon tied to our sense of national identity. In the introduction to their volume Heritage in the Modern World (Past & Present, 2015), professors Paul Betts (University of Oxford) and Corey Ross (University of Birmingham) locate the roots of our concern for preservation in the aftermath of the French Revolution, when the state attempted to create a new national French past, and the Industrial Revolution, which prompted people to try to protect the deeply romanticized past from the aggressive attacks of the modern world. World War I, they write, only amplified the sense that cultural heritage should be preserved for the sake of nationalism, religious identity, and/or civilization itself. An excellent example of this shift in perspective was the designation of the bombing of Rheims cathedral and the Louvain Library as war crimes in the aftermath of World War I. The ethics of preserving of cultural heritage continues to be a matter of some debate, and Hague and UNESCO regulations governing the sale of portable antiquities continue to be flouted both by those who financially profit from the sale of illicit antiquities and by those engaged in cultural terrorism. But even as NGOs, governments, UNESCO, and activists seek to save the past from destruction, not every culture has been treated in the same way. While its true that, in the United Kingdom, legislation passed to protect Englands Ancient Monuments in 1882 was quickly followed by legislation to protect the cultural heritage of Britains then colony, India, in 1904, not every vulnerable populations history has been treated in this way. Often the preservation of artifacts in museums serves to relegate those traditions to the past. As Wenger told The Daily Beast The presence of Native American artifacts in museum collections around the country is a part of the legacy and the continuing injustice of settler colonial rule in the United States For some tribes, the loss (or theft) of traditional artifacts, some of them irreplaceable, was in fact one of the factors that threatened their ability to maintain their traditions as living and not as fossilized traditions. In some cases not even the remains of the dead have been treated with respect. In the case of Native American tribes, NAGPRA emerged out of just this kind of asymmetrical injustice. In the early 1970s Maria Pearson, a member of the Yankton Sioux tribe and the woman credited as the Founding Mother of the modern Indian Repatriation movement, was inspired to act after observing how Native American remains were treated differently than those of whites. In 1971, her husband John, a district engineer with the Iowa Highway Commission, told her that when road construction in Glenwood, Iowa led to the uncovering of 28 sets of remains, the white bodies were reburied and the remains of two Native Americans (a woman and a child) were dispatched for scientific research. Rightly outraged, Pearson sat outside of the Iowa governors office in traditional attire and lobbied him for the return of her peoples bones. The incident led to the eventual passage of the Iowa Burials Protection Act of 1976. In 1987 a group of ten individuals paid the new tenants of Slack Farm, an archeological site in Uniontown, Kentucky, $10,000 for the rights to dig at the 500-year old burial mounds located on the property. (Most nearby mounts had been looted by the late 1980s, but the Slack family, after whom the site is named, had taken steps to discourage digging on their property). With no archaeological training but the assistance of leased heavy machinery, these pot hunters spent two months destroying some 650 Native American graves and Mississippian culture houses. In the process they shattered hundreds of bones and discarded the human remains in the hopes of uncovering financially valuable relics. The digging was legal, as it was on private property, but the discovery of human remains should have been reported to local authorities. Outcry by the people of Uniontown eventually halted the destruction, but the perpetrators were charged with a misdemeanor. The efforts of Maria Pearson and the events at Slack Farm galvanized public support for the formal protection and repatriation of Native American artifacts. But theres no denying that outrage came more slowly for Native American burial grounds than it would have for a white Christian cemetery. Fundamentally, the proper treatment of artifacts is a question of justice. As Wenger said The United States was built on the theft of indigenous lands, and Native Americans continue to live under conditions of colonial rule. People need to understand that their cultures and religions are living traditions, and they should have the right to move forward on their own terms, to reclaim objects that are important to them, as much as possible on their own terms. Being included in a museum as a facet of the past, is not the same as being empowered to flourish in the present. Srinagar, May 14 (IBNS) Two Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) militants were killed in a brief encounter with security forces in Handwara town of North Kashmir on Sunday, police said. According to defence sources, a joint operation was launched by a joint team of police and 21 RR cordoned off the Waripora village of Handwara area following inputs about the presence of militants. "As the operation party approached towards the suspected site, the hiding militants opened fire, leading to an encounter, said an official. He said that two militants were killed in the retaliatory fire. (Reporting by Saleem Iqbal Qadri) Big Peat's Pals celebrate Feis Ile Independent Scotch whisky firm, Douglas Laing & Co has announced two commemorative bottles for Islay Festival of Malt and Music; Big Peat's Pals and Provenance Caol Ila 6 Years Old. Big Peats Pals, is a release of the firms Islay blended malt, featuring the faces of over 300 fans of the brand from all over the world collated via a social media competition earlier this year. Fred Laing and team vatted the Big Peat recipe (comprising spirit distilled at Ardbeg, Bowmore, Caol Ila and Port Ellen distilleries), before finishing the whisky in Spanish Sherry butts, for the first time ever. Commenting on the new release, Fred Laing says: "Every year, our big pal Big Peat travels (big time!) all over the world, meeting old, and making new friends everywhere he goes... Some of them even look just like him, with the handsome(?) face, bushy beard and dark hair windswept by the harsh Hebridean weather! We so frequently receive photos of these avid Big Peat aficionados that we felt it time to give something back, and our gift to them is this limited edition bottling that features over 300 of their faces and is finished in Sherry butts in a first for our feisty Ileach pal." Big Peats Pals Feis Ile 2017 limited edition is produced without colouring or chill-filtration, and bottled at high alcohol strength, 48%. Just 1600 bottles will be available globally. Provenance Caol Ila 6 Years Old, the second of Douglas Laings Feis Ile commemorative bottlings, is also unveiled. Packaged in a premium gift tube with black and gold foiled label, this single cask bottling displays tasting notes written by Cara Laing, third generation in the Douglas Laing family business. The flavour profile is said to comprise smoked meats, bonfire smoke and charred wood, with a honeycomb sweetness prevailing on the finish. Commenting on the release, Cara says: We have enviable stocks of Islay whisky, and were spoilt for choice when selecting our single cask release for Feis Ile 2017. This feisty Caol Ila captured our imaginations, with its youth preserving that archetypal peat smoke character that Islay malts are celebrated for. By making our Feis Ile bottlings available to our global distribution partners, were striving to deliver the ultimate taste of Islay to those who cant make it to the festival in person. Big Peats Pals and Provenance Caol Ila 6 Years Old are sure to transport those Islay enthusiasts to the whisky island during its most magical time of year! Douglas Laing & Co is hosting a series of tastings and Big Peats Be the Blender masterclass during the Islay Festival, and tickets are for sale now via DouglasLaing.com. The firms partnership with local brewery, Islay Ales, continues for a second year, with the family companies joining to produce ale finished in Big Peat and Rock Oyster Whisky casks. 14 May 2017 - Sam Coyne The Drinks Report, news editor Love old or unusual movies but never know when they're on? Here are several I recommend: Blood Simple (1984): This crafty and diabolical little thriller put the writing/producing/directing team of Joel and Ethan Coen on the cinematic map. Dan Hedaya stars as a bar owner who believes his wife (Frances McDormand) is cheating on him with one of his bartenders (John Getz). He hires a private investigator (M. Emmet Walsh) to first spy on and then kill the lovers. This, however, is merely the jumping off point for a wild series of plot twists that would have made Hitchcock's head spin. The midnight burial by the side of the road is just one of the many unforgettable scenes in this bloodcurdling and beautifully made little neo film noir. Turner Classic Movies, 11 p.m. Monday The Seven-Percent-Solution (1976): What if Sherlock Holmes had a drug problem so severe he needed to see a psychiatrist? That's the intriguing question asked by Nicholas Meyer's bestselling novel that Herbert Ross turned into a splendid film in 1976. The title refers to the cocaine Holmes was fond of shooting up. With a little help from his friend Dr. Watson (a delightful and unlikely Robert Duvall), he consults with none other than Sigmund Freud himself. Alan Arkin is adorable as Freud, Nicol Williamson is solid as Holmes and Lawrence Olivier puts in a memorable turn as a very different sort of Moriarty. And did I mention Vanessa Redgrave? The movie is a clever, stylish delight. Turner Classic Movies, 11 a.m. Saturday Tower (2016): I grew up on the horrific story of Charles Whitman, and his 96-minute shooting spree from the top of the Main Building tower at the University of Texas in Austin. This ingenious movie is a combination of survivor interviews and rotoscoped animation re-creations of the events of that terrible afternoon. The result of this unorthodox approach is a short movie that packs a lot of punch. For those of us who know the area where the events happened, it's perhaps even more morbidly fascinating. Now streaming on Netflix. Winter's Bone (2010): Here's a beautiful, sad, scary movie from writer/director Debra Granik. I would describe the movie as an Ozark gothic family thriller. It features a bravura performance by young Jennifer Lawrence who's in a desperate search for her father. Unfortunately, she has to search for them among a decidedly scary group of her relatives in a rural community so depressed, the best job opportunity seems to be running a homemade meth lab. The movie feels as authentic as, and is a worthy successor to, the classic Deliverance. Now streaming on Amazon Prime. Trivia Question #685: Which of this week's performers was nominated for an Oscar for playing a person who famously invented a mop? Answer to Trivia Question #683: Lena Olin, co-star of Chocolat, is married to the film's director, Lasse Hallstrom. Bryan native Ray Ivey is a writer and movie fan in Hollywood, Calif. He would love to hear from you at rayivey@ca.rr.com. You can also visit his blog at www.starkravingray.com. A Bryan man was arrested Friday morning after police say they found him hiding methamphetamine inside his mouth. According to Bryan police, an officer was patrolling a motel on Texas 21 around 3 a.m. Friday and saw a man, David Raymond Gourley, 42, asleep in his car. The officer woke Gourley, who said he was waiting for a friend. The officer ran Gourley's identity and found he was on parole for possession of methamphetamine. Gourley allowed the officer to search his vehicle. Police say in Gourley's car they found a glass pipe similar to those used to smoke methamphetamine, and Gourley was arrested for possession of drug paraphernalia. As Gourley was being led to the officer's patrol vehicle, authorities say he spat a small glass vial out of his mouth that contained 2.6 grams of methamphetamine. During booking, Gourley's mouth was checked, and an officer noticed something in the back of his mouth. When the officer asked Gourley to spit out the object, he swallowed it. He was taken to CHI St. Joseph Hospital for possible drug ingestion, though officers were not able to confirm that the object he swallowed was methamphetamine. Gourley is charged with possession of a controlled substance, a third-degree felony punishable by up to 10 years in prison and $10,000 in fines. He was released from the Brazos County Jail on $8,340 bond. More than 1,800 engineering students received their diplomas Saturday morning at Kyle Field in the first ceremony of its kind in recent memory at Texas A&M. The Kyle Field venue offered a unique experience. Graduates "whooped" when a Wellborn Road train passed the stadium, and hundreds of family and friends of graduates gathered in the Hall of Champions and Legacy Club to escape the rising temperatures and watch the three-hour ceremony from dozens of wide-screen televisions. Overall, more than 10,000 Aggies received their diplomas this week. Filled with joy and celebration for most -- and relief for some -- the ceremony also featured more solemn moments, including university officials honoring the late Ross Travis Lightfoot, who was killed in a February car accident in Bryan. He would have received a bachelor's degree in computer engineering. Saturday morning's ceremony also featured Alyssa Michalke, the first female commander of the Corps of Cadets, receiving her bachelor's degree in ocean engineering. Taylor Fry, of Southlake, had a long journey to Kyle Field with two majors under his belt -- mathematics and mechanical engineering. "It was a lot of work, but it was doable," Fry said. "It all came down to a lot of time management, and having friends to help me through the hard classes." Fry has accepted a job as a facilities engineer for the U.S. Department of Defense, a role she will take on in July. She said her time at A&M was crucial in preparing her to apply for the position. "I really liked the aspect of my major that prepared me for a job in the real world," she said, "It was about teaching me how to problem-solve." Blake Whittington, a Bellville-area graduate who received his degree in petroleum engineering, agreed that Texas A&M provided a satisfying program for his aspirations, noting that he plans to return to campus as an alumnus and visit his professors. For now, he's heading to Midland for work in the petroleum field, and he shared tips with incoming engineering students to do the work necessary to achieve goals in the industry. "Put the work in early," he advised. "Don't put yourself behind freshman year. Study, do it early, and you'll ride on that for the rest of your career." Noemie Makamura, a computer science graduate from Brazil, found her academic path combined her ability to work hard and logically with her need to have fun and show her creative side. She displayed that creative side at Kyle Field by decorating her mortar board cap to depict a "pin" from the Google Maps app, representing Texas A&M as her destination. "My sister and I talked about how it's so hard to find people [in the crowd], so she suggested I should do it like a pinpoint from Google Maps," Makamura said, laughing. Makamura is a first-generation Aggie. Her family moved to Texas years ago, and she chose Texas A&M for her education to remain close to them. She never would have guessed she would be majoring in computer science, or accepting a job in Washington state working for Amazon's game studios. "Computer science really came to me as an accident," she said. "I changed majors a few times between artistic and nonartistic, and with computer science I found I could work both the logical and artistic sides of myself." Fry's father, Richard, noted that his daughter, like Makamura and many other graduates on Saturday, is the first Aggie in her family, but the maroon mania she carries from her experience is spreading like wildfire. "You become an Aggie [as a parent]," Fry said. "I'm from Houston, and Texas A&M is where I want to send all my kids now." Patna, May14 (TheBiharPost/IBNS): The ruling Janata Dal United (JD-U) which is headed by chief minister Nitish Kumar is still to decide on attending RJD chief Lalu Prasadas proposed aBJP hatao, desh bachaoa (remove BJP from power and save the country) rally to be held in August this year. We are yet to decide over the issue. There is still enough time for it, state JD-U president Vashishtha Narayan Singh was quoted as saying in the local media on Sunday. RJD has planned to invite countrys top opposition leaders at the said rally to be held in Patnas Gandhi Maidan. While the RJD wants to take credit for bringing the opposition parties on one platform, the JD-U has been making similar efforts in this direction not to be left behind. Of late, both the parties have been seen taking different stands on varieties of issues, such as Indias surgical strike in PoK, currency ban and use of EVMs in the elections. However, the BJP mocked the rally plan of the RJD chief saying none is sure if he will be able to hold the rally given the Supreme Courts order to conclude trials in all the fodder scam cases pending against him. Who knows if Lalu Prasad will be out there for the rally or will be in jail by that time, senior BJP leader Sushil Kumar Modi told the media today. thebiharpost.com Events will take place May 28 on church grounds off of County Road 304 in Stoneham in Grimes County. Mass begins at 7:30 a.m. and will continue with two services throughout the morning. A beef and pork barbecue lunch will be served starting at 11 a.m. A live auction begins at 2 p.m. There also will be live music, games for kids, tours of the historic church and dancing. The day after his May 7 signing of Senate Bill 4 on Facebook Live, Gov. Greg Abbott told Fox News the bill's purpose is to crack down on sanctuary cities' protection of undocumented immigrants who have committed crimes, not all undocumented residents living in the Lone Star State. "If you are here, regardless of what your status, and you have not committed a crime that makes you subject to an ICE detainer, you have no problems whatsoever," Abbott said. But Felipe Hinojosa, associate professor and the director of undergraduate studies in the department of history at Texas A&M University, said he was dubious that only undocumented immigrants will be affected by the bill because "that's not what history has taught us." In the 1920s and 1930s, during the economically turbulent years of the Great Depression, between 1 and 2 million people living in the U.S. were deported to Mexico. Of those deported, an estimated 60 percent were American citizens of Mexican descent, swept up and deported without regard for their citizenship status. Many Americans across the country, unemployed and poor, blamed those of Mexican descent -- many of whom were Americans themselves -- for the country's economic catastrophe and the lack of jobs and livable wages without regard for their citizenship status. "White privilege and white racism and systemic and institutional bias rarely takes the time to consider who is here legally and who is not," said Hinojosa, adding that "citizens and noncitizens alike" are at risk during times of xenophobia and mass deportation resulting from white supremacy and economic insecurity. Abbot has argued that the deportations are about law and order, not racial profiling. "Let's face it, the reason why so many people come to America is because we are a nation of laws, and Texas is doing its part to keep it that way," Abbott said when signing the bill. With Sept. 1 -- the day SB4 goes into effect -- still just under four months away, it's unclear how the law could affect college campuses. Law enforcement officers will have the ability -- but won't be required -- to ask the citizenship status of those they detain. Hinojosa said that is enough reason to cause more anxiety for minority students already stressed from normal twentysomething concerns. "This is going to bring about a tremendous disruption to stability, especially to students of color, who learn and feel safe and respected at Texas A&M," Hinojosa said. Hinojosa noted there are differences between the repatriation of the '20s and '30s and what's happening in America now but said SB4 "augments" and "makes worse" the implication of criminality simply because of a person's skin color, although he said the bill by no means created that implication. "Citizenship and noncitizenship, these things are quite integrated" in the Latino community, Hinojosa said, meaning that Latino Americans have family and friendships and church networks comprised of people with varying degrees of citizenship and legal statuses. "There's a looming fear that being Latino carries a connotation with being a criminal and being undocumented," he said. Hinojosa said college students are already "overwhelmed" at the prospect of finding a job, paying off student debt and studying for classes, but the constant threat of being racially profiled or harassed will weigh heavily on the minds of Latino students on A&M's campus. According to A&M's Accountability website,almost 20 percent of the university's student body is Hispanic. "That extra weight you put on students, the psychological trauma of being constantly targeted or looked upon as a criminal, weighs heavy on our students," he said. "[SB4] unjustly criminalizes black and brown bodies on our campus." Dan De Leon, pastor of College Station's Friends Congregational Church, said passing SB4 underscores the need for safe spaces in Bryan-College Station. De Leon's church has, in its pastor's words, "officially adopted a statement pledging support of the sanctuary movement," so it's on the path to becoming one of those safe spaces, once its leaders figure out "what that looks like." De Leon said the message Texas put forth once its governor signed SB4 is one that says it's "culturally acceptable to say [certain] people don't belong here," which makes "the need for safe space become all the more vital." Adria Escobedo, a 21-year-old Aggie completing a joint bachelor's and master's program at A&M, said she personally isn't worried about deportation since she was born in the United States, but she does anticipate racial profiling to increase on campus. She said she has friends who are "afraid to be harassed just because they look different." Escobedo said she might not worry for her own safety, and she hasn't had any interactions with campus police in the past, but she does anticipate SB4 making students of color "a little more marginalized than we are already." Amy Smith, senior vice president and chief marketing and communications officer at A&M, said President Michael K. Young had no comment on this story. The University Texas A&M Police Department did not respond to a request for comment. In earlier comments to The Eagle, Brazos County Sheriff Chris Kirk said "it's not gonna change much from what we already do," a sentiment echoed by Bryan Chief of Police Eric Buske and College Station Chief of Police Scott McCollum. The Affordable Care Act -- Obamacare -- was based on a one-size-fits-all approach that put bureaucrats in Washington in charge of your health care. Last week I, along with a majority of my House colleagues, took a vitally important first step in repealing and replacing this disastrous law. The House passed the American Health Care Act to begin the process to provide America with a 21st century health care system that lowers costs, encourages competition and, most importantly, empowers patients to take control of their health care decisions. Across our nation, Obamacare's failures continue to impede access to, and the affordability of, health care for all Americans. Recently, another Virginia insurer announced it will be leaving the Obamacare exchanges next year. A Maryland insurer just publicized a 58 percent rate increase in 2018 to compensate for instability within the marketplace. The only remaining insurer in 94 of 99 Iowa counties declared that it is planning to leave the marketplace altogether. Additionally, Aetna just announced its complete exit from all Obamacare exchange markets. Unfortunately, similar examples across the country continue to mount. Here in Texas, 70 percent of counties only have one health care option, and many of them will lose that option as early as January due to the fatal flaws of Obamacare. By repealing and replacing Obamacare we can end the harm that American families and businesses are suffering. The American Health Care Act delivers immediate relief from Obamacare's taxes and mandates that have stifled job creation, increased premiums, and limited options for patients and providers. The American Health Care Act replaces damaging outcomes with provisions that return control of health care to the states while restoring the free market so Americans can access quality, affordable health care options. Under the American Health Care Act, if you choose to purchase health insurance through the individual insurance market, you will receive a monthly age-based tax credit to purchase quality coverage of your choice. If you currently are utilizing employer-based health care coverage, coverage through Medicare or the military, or are enrolled in traditional Medicaid, you will not be impacted directly by the American Health Care Act. You will, however, see the benefits of a robust free market with increased choices and lower costs. The American Health Care Act does this by establishing a $138 billion Patient and State Stability Fund available for states to facilitate diverse coverage at a lower cost while providing greater health care options for all Americans, including those with pre-existing conditions. Make no mistake: We are committed to caring for those who are most vulnerable within our communities. The American Health Care Act protects individuals with pre-existing conditions by prohibiting insurance companies from denying or rescinding coverage, or raising premiums, assuming they maintain continuous coverage. Under Obamacare, the Medicaid expansion to include able-bodied adults and the program has become so fiscally unstable that it cannot serve those it was originally designed to serve as a safety net: the poor, disabled, elderly, pregnant mothers and their children. The American Health Care Act modernizes and strengthens Medicaid by enacting the largest entitlement reform in the program's history. By reforming Medicaid financing we are empowering states to meet the unique needs of their residents. That said, under the American Health Care Act, Medicaid expansion recipients will be grandfathered in their current coverage, subject to continuing eligibility. We have designed the American Health Care Act, however, so that this population will have improved opportunities to receive health insurance through an employer, qualify for tax credits to purchase insurance on the individual market, or receive health coverage through innovative state programs funded by the American Health Care Act's Patient and State Stability Fund. Like many constituents in my district, I am forced to receive my family's coverage through an Obamacare exchange; and we have had the same frustrating experiences of many other hardworking Texas families, including premium increases, exploding out-of-pocket costs, and fewer options. I continue to believe that Congress live under the laws it passes. So, along with the American Health Care Act vote, the House also unanimously passed legislation to ensure that all members of Congress have the same coverage afforded to Main Street America under the American Health Care Act. Since my first day in office, one of my top priorities has been not only to repeal Obamacare, but to replace it with free market principles that improve competition and increase choices for each and every American. Passage of the American Health Care Act, coupled with administrative actions by Health and Human Services Secretary Tom Price and additional legislation to improve the delivery and cost of health care will create a 21st century health care system that is patient-focused, market-driven, competitive and affordable for all families. I strongly urge my Senate colleagues to work diligently with the House of Representatives to fulfill these goals. Bill Flores of Bryan represents Texas District 17, which includes Brazos County, in the U.S. House of Representatives. Guwahati, May 14 (IBNS): Assamas Hamren police on Sunday arrested a youth following his suspicious post against Karbi Anglong Autonomous Council (KAAC) Chief Executive member (CEM) Tuliram Rongang in social media. According to the reports, Baithalangso police arrested Kangtir Bey hailing from Dongkamukam following his suspicious Facebook post the KAAC CEM. We have arrested the youth after a complaint lodged by Rensing Timung against him, a police official said. A case (40/2017) under section 384, 292 (A) of IPC and 392 of RW section 64 IT act was registered against the youth at Baithalangso police station. Recently, a Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP) officer was arrested for his Facebook post agaisnt a lady Assam BJP legislator. Apart from this, another youth was arrested after he posted suspicious comment against Assam Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal in social media. (Reporting by Hemanta Kumar Nath) Des Moines County Supervisors to grant conservation funding request The increase will allow Des Moines County Conservation to restore the full-time naturalist position needed to run summer camps. Guwahati, May 14 (IBNS): Conflicts increased between opposition Congress and Hills State Demand Council (HSDC) for seat sharing ahead of the polls of Karbi Anglong Autonomous Council (KAAC) is scheduled on June 12 next. The two main opposition parties had earlier announced that both parties will go to fight jointly against Bharatiya Janata Party in the council election. We are still hope that both parties will fight jointly in the polls, Congress Assam unit president and Rajya Sabha MP Ripun Bora said. Congress has already offered eight seats to HSDC in the 26 members council, but the regional party demanded three more seats. We have discussed the issue in a crucial party meeting held in Guwahati last night. We hope HSDC will also come forward with the issue and discussion is going on, Ripun Bora said. The Assam state election commission had recently announced the poll dates of the KAAC and poll date is scheduled on June 12 next. According to the state election commission notification, the last date of filing nomination papers is scheduled on May 19 and counting of polls will be held on June 17. Meanwhile, a top source of HSDC said that, if seat sharing issue with the Congress would not final then the regional party will go to fight in the council poll alone. On the other hand, Congress is likely to announce its candidate list on May 17 or 18. Mom's spend their lives taking care of others, so they deserve something special on Mother's Day. Sure, you could get her flowers from a local florist or buy her a gift, but what she probably really wants is to spend time with her family. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate STAMFORD Something happened to Tracy Brank after birthing her third child two years ago it was like a spark ignited a call to action. Becoming a mother transformed me, the 40-year-old Stamford resident said. I was talking to my nurses about all of the balancing I have to do with a career and children, since I was on my third, and one of them said to me I should share my story. For Brank an investment banker and professional model the best platform to broadcast motherhood was pageantry. What I like about pageants is that youre there to promote something, Brank said. You have to pick a platform and defend it. She entered her first competition a year ago and shes since won a few different distinctions. Brank was most recently crowned Mrs. Connecticut United States in a pageant reserved for married women. Her modeling background helps her with the beauty aspect of the pageants, but its motherhood that inspires her platforms. I want to educate women on importance of balance and combatting the image of trying to do it all, Brank said. Balance is more than being organized its about finding things that fulfill you. Shes also hoping to set a good example for her children, ages 7, 5 and 2. Their safety and their futures have inspired her objectives for the Mrs. United States competition. Family-oriented Brank is deciding between two platforms before she heads to Orlando, Fla. in July for the national leg of the competition. The first, a plea for families to develop emergency preparedness plans, is inspired by two traumatic experiences: witnessing 9/11 as a lower Manhattan resident and watching from the top of the staircase as the first floor of her home was swallowed by Hurricane Sandy. People think its never going to happen to them, but these disasters have happened to me not once, but twice, Brank said. She recalled living on John Street when the World Trade Center fell, and interacting with the Red Cross as her neighborhood spent months rebuilding. That experience inspired her to volunteer with the relief organization. But it was her second brush with catastrophe, when her Long Island home was destroyed in Hurricane Sandy, that has her preaching family preparedness. Brank stood on the second floor as water crept up the stairs of her home, clutching her two children and watching in horror. I thought we would take our last living breath on that second floor, she said. I want to share that story to encourage families to talk about these things before they happen. Her second platform, which she said needs a little more tweaking, encourages open-mindedness and acceptance, an important tool for combatting bullying. While not every woman in the Mrs. United States circuit is a mother, the family-oriented message from Brank, who has been married to her current husband for two years, is not uncommon. She says this competition is designed to elevate resilient women who represent the institution of marriage. In defense of pageantry Brank understands some of the criticisms of pageant women. The beauty aspect can be off-putting in the modern age of working women. But Brank calls it beauty with a purpose. Pageants have empowered me with the confidence to do my personal best in a way my career has not, said Brank, who has a masters degree and has worked on Wall Street for two decades. Beauty and fashion have always been her creative outlets. She says her modeling jobs have worked as a perfect balance to her high-stress, high-pressure career in finance. I got my first modeling job when I was working on my masters in finance and management, she said. Up until that point, work and studying had been everything to me I never did anything hobby-based. It changed my life. Her life changed a second time when she became a mother. The amount of time I wasted back then is just incredible to me, she said. I can multitask in ways I never could before because motherhood really snaps you to reality. nnaughton@stamfordadvocate.com; @noranaughton Assumption School's 1st Annual Ladies and Little Gents Dance held in the school's newly renovated gym in Ansonia, Conn., on Saturday May 13, 2017. In celebration of Mother's Day, moms as well as grandmas, aunts or other mother figures and sons (up to 8th Grade) came to enjoy the dance. The night included light refreshments and pizza as well as snacks and dessert. A DJ provided music and a souvenir photo station was set up to pose moms with their sons. NORWALK Izora Ebron has worked at Norwalks Open Door Shelter for 27 years. This year, she turned 65, but she has no intention of retiring. Ebron is part of a growing contingent of people planning to put off retirement in order to better prepare for life on a fixed income. In my case, my husband and I, were working out of necessity, Ebron said. Living here in the Fairfield County area, were working to pay off some debts that we personally have and we dont want to retire with those debts. Last month, 19 percent of Americans age 65 and over were still working, according to government data released Friday. Thats the highest rate since 1962, and it caps a long trend higher since the figure bottomed out at 10 percent in 1985. As America grows older and as life expectancy gets longer, some workers keep heading to the office because they like it and still feel engaged. But many others are continuing to work for a simpler, darker reason: They cant afford not to. Most seniors havent really saved to be retired and live the same type of lifestyle they were used to when they were working, said Eva Beau, outreach director for the Norwalk Senior Center. So I think that leads many seniors to work longer or look for part time work to supplement the fixed income. Connecticut is so hard to maintain an affordable retirement. More than a quarter of workers age 55 or older say they have less than $10,000 in savings and investments, according to the latest retirement confidence survey by the Employee Benefit Research Institute. Perhaps because of slim nest eggs, nearly a third of workers in that age group say they expect to work until at least 70, if they retire at all. More Information 'Golden years' 19: Percentage of Americans age 65 or older who are still working 13: Percentage of Norwalk's senior population $47,202: Median household income for a Norwalk senior See More Collapse The U.S. Census Bureau estimates 13 percent of Norwalks population is made up by seniors. Of those, roughly 6 percent have an annual income of less than $10,000, and 22 percent have less than $20,000. The average Social Security Income in Norwalk is $17,930 per year, and the median household income for a Norwalk senior is $47,202. Roughly 32 percent of Norwalk residents 60 and over received food stamps in the last year. I have probably three to five people per month who are over the age of 65 and come to me seeking help finding a job, Beau said. Some people just want to remain active and are looking for something to do and usually want to help people. Others are looking for a second career to supplement their income after retirement. Many older Americans would like to work but say they cant find a job, whether because they lack the skills or because employers are looking for someone younger. The unemployment rate for workers age 65 and over was 3.7 percent last month. Thats a tick higher than its median over the last 30 years, though its down from earlier this year. Though there is no official program at the senior center to help workers find jobs, Beau often makes referrals for people that come to her looking for jobs. I mostly am able to point them in the direction of a family or someone who might need help, Beau said. Ive had some members that I recently place in job opportunities, that come back and say thanks. For example, I had one woman who was unemployed for two years and it would have been devastating for her if we didnt find her a job. The numbers may rise still higher, critics say. Congress this past week voted to overturn a federal rule designed to help states give more workers access to retirement savings plans. Several states have been pushing to create their own plans to get more workers into plans like a 401(k) that automatically deduct savings from each paycheck. Low-income workers tend to have much less access to savings plans through their jobs. Republicans and players in the investment industry, though, argue that the state-run plans could end up being much more expensive than imagined and would water down safeguards in place to protect investors. Some people are working because they dont want to sit and not doing anything, but for the most part the people that I know are working to fulfill debt requirements, Ebron said. When most people retire, you still want to have the same quality of life you had when you were working, but thats difficult to do on a fixed income. Ebron said she doesnt plan to take on another career after she retires from Open Door, at least not for a few years. I dont have any intentions of continuing to work once I finally retire, Ebron said. Volunteer, yes. After I rest for a while. This story includes reporting by the Associated Press. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate NORWALK Diesel fumes and the din of construction vehicles have long left many South Norwalk residents with no doubt that they live amid industry. For Lou DiMeglio, who lives on Lubrano Place, the time for allowing such noise and annoyance has passed even though much of the area is zoned for industrial use. You have so much dust and noise and other distractions going on on a daily basis, DiMeglio said. Its unbearable. DiMeglios nemesis is Premier Firewood, which cuts and dries wood across the fence from his property. A representative of the company declined comment Friday. But the firewood company is only one of many such businesses in South Norwalk. On Thursday afternoon, DiMeglio and members of South Norwalk Citizens for Justice stood at Merritt Place and Chestnut Street and called for stronger enforcement from the city. Industry everywhere Ernie Dumas, a longtime South Norwalk resident and founder of the South Norwalk Citizens for Justice, said contractors yards are allowed to operate behind houses and in driveways and everywhere all over the place to bring our properties down. These are the things that the people here in South Norwalk go through, said Dumas as large trucks roared past. Still, we get cards in our mailbox, Will you vote for me? Weve got to stop voting for the people that are not doing anything for us. Diane Lauricella, an advisor to South Norwalk Citizens for Justice, traces the problem to industrial businesses often being issued over-the-counter permits from the citys Department of Planning and Zoning rather than going before the Zoning Commission and public hearings. She said the pattern applies to other city departments. Theres a pattern where violators appear to be helped along and helped by staff at times to cure or fix their problems and get their permits, Lauricella said. The public and the neighborhoods end up taking the brunt of it. They suffer, not only their health, the value of their homes, the stress of having to call the city agencies. Problem fixed Steve Kleppin, Norwalks director of planning and zoning, said Premier Firewood was issued a zoning permit last year to operate as a manufacturing facility after it submitted an environmental report that addressed noise and odor. Before that, the company was operating illegally without a permit, he said. Whether you want to quibble about the quality of the report, thats another story, Kleppin said. But they met that requirement so they were allowed to get their permit. The violation that was existing on the property was that they did not have a permit. If noise or odors emanating from Premier Firewood exceed that allowed by the city, the permit will be revoked. But for us to revoke the permit, we need some kind of documentation that shows theyre in violation, he said. DiMeglio has measured the noise on his property and finds the regulations benefitting the firewood company. Because this is an industrial zone, theyre allowed to stay with 70 decibels, DiMeglio said. I was on the other side of the fence, I got as high as 88 (decibels). At my house, its 62 or 32 (decibels) in my backyard. Meeting with mayor South Norwalk Citizens for Justice has met with Mayor Harry W. Rilling, Kleppin and other city officials to discuss their concerns about such activities. In addition to calling upon the city to stop issuing over-the-counter permits to chronic violators, the group wants officials to amend the citation hearing process to include public comment and notification. Rilling said city departments, when made aware of possible zoning or other violations, inspect the properties and perform their due diligence. Some issues that might seem violations to some might not be violations once we inspect, said Rilling, a former city zoning commissioner. We have to be fair in the enforcement of our zoning laws. At the same time, Rilling indicated that more scrutiny should be given when considering over-the-counter permits for recurrent violators. We dont want to issue over-the-counter permits simply for the sake of expediency, Rilling said. If somebody who has zoning violations on a regular basis asks for a permit we should probably take a closer look at that. rkoch@hearstmediact.com This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate WILTON Alexandra Fordsman, 12, stood before a crowded room at Our Lady of Fatima Parish Saturday late afternoon. She raised her arms with her elbows bent and held a rosary in her left hand, as three children knelt in front of her. The scene, re-enacted by the parishs youth ministry, depicted an event believed to have happened 100 years ago. On May 13, 1917, three shepherd children reported seeing a vision of the Virgin Mary in Fatima, Portugal, urging them to pray the rosary daily for world peace and an end to World War I. This was the first of six apparitions in 1917. The Roman Catholic Church officially recognized the apparitions as a miracle in 1930. Bishop Frank Caggiano, of the Bridgeport Diocese, joined the 100th anniversary celebration at the parish in Wilton to celebrate Mass. Nearly every pew was filled during the gathering, as he led prayers, recited scriptures and shared a story about the time he and his mother visited the Fatima shrine months before she died in 2011. Our Lady reminds us that there is no greater good than eternal; there is no greater good than to be with her son in this life and in the life to come, Caggiano said. She reminded the visionaries and she reminds us that we must pray each day for the strength and courage to remain faithful to what the Lord has asked. After Mass, state Sen. Toni Boucher, R-Wilton, and Selectman Lori Bufano presented the parish with an official state citation recognizing the 100th anniversary. Our Lady of Fatima church has provided moral and spiritual guidance to the Wilton community and beyond, Boucher said. Congratulations on this celebration of Marys presence and maternal protection for the last 100 years. Father Reggie Norman closed the celebration by presenting Caggiano with a Lady of Fatima vestment and a commemorative 100th anniversary plate. He also presented the bishop with the first annual The Most Reverend Frank Caggiano Award for outstanding service to the parish. The second award was given to parishioners Phil Lauria and Elaine Tai-Lauria. On this 100th anniversary, we thought it would be fitting to do something that was long overdue, Norman said. Caggiano responded by expressing his own thanks for Normans service to the parish. Father Reggie, you are such an outstanding, remarkable priest and a great pastor, he said. And I want to say on the Feast Day in this parish, and on behalf of everyone here, thank you for your leadership, your dedication, all that you do and the love that you have in your heart. skim@hearstmediact.com; 203-354-1044; @stephaniehnkim A 2014 Palmer High School graduate will travel to South Africa on a mission trip in late June. Emilie Wolfe, daughter of Dr. Jay and Kathy Wolfe, is in her junior year at the University of Nebraska at Omaha, where shes studying middle school mathematics and natural science. Wolfe said she always wanted to do mission work, but until now, she hasnt had the opportunity. At my church in Omaha, called City Light, they had several opportunities for missions going on, she said. This one fit my schedule best because I am planning on taking summer classes and didnt want to interfere with those. She said she felt called to go on this trip. This is a little out of my comfort zone, but it will be fun, Wolfe said. I will grow as a person, as well as helping out others in the process. She added that she hopes to get a more well-rounded view of life in general. Wolfes trip will be to Pretoria, South Africa, from June 29 through July 18. She will be doing her service work in a township called Mamelodi. She said the area is poverty-stricken and has many orphaned children. We are going to help the people there with life skills such as managing finances, conflict resolution and such, she said. They really dont have resources there to learn those skills. The program will be for 18- to 28-year-olds and will be taught through the lens of Christianity. We have hopes that many will accept Jesus as their savior by the end of our mission. Thats the goal. She said her mission is also about teaching of the Gospel and introducing Jesus to area youth. Once the kids are out of school, we will spend time with them, playing and teaching them about Jesus, Wolfe said. Hopefully, they come to know him and grow in his word. Twenty people will go on the mission. They include 12 from City Light Church in Omaha, where Wolfe attends, and eight from City Light in Lincoln. With a mission trip, finding funding is always a crucial part of the adventure. Wolfe has reached out to members of St. Johns Lutheran Church in Palmer, where she attended growing up and her parents still attend. She has also reached out to the community. As a student, I must rely upon Gods provision through the generosity of others to support me on this mission, she said. She said shes grateful for any donations. She also asks for prayers. If you would be willing to support me through prayer, I would greatly appreciate it, Wolfe said. How to help Donations for the mission trip can be sent to Emilie Wolfe at 5842 Walnut St., Omaha, NE 68106. Guwahati, May 14 (IBNS): The special court of the National Investigation Agency (NIA) in Guwahati will pronounce the judgement in two first cases registered by the NIA on May 15, which related to siphoning off the multi-crore rupees government funds and diverting it to the coffers of the now disbanded militant group Dima Halam Daogah (Jewel). The court will pronounce the judgment of the two NIA cases after seven years, which were registered in 2009. NIA had registered two cases (RC-01/2009 and RC-02/2009) at its Delhi headquarter in Jun 2009. The anti-terror probe agency had registered its first case in the country on June 5, 2009 following took over the investigation of FIR no 170/2009 of Basistha police station in Guwahati and registered its second case on same day after took over the investigation of FIR no 03/2009 of Diyungmukh police station in Dima Hasao district. The investigation agency had already filed chargesheets in both cases and there were a total of 15 accused in the first case of whom 10 are in judicial custody, three out on bail and one had released after serving sentence. In the second case, two are in judicial custody out of 16 accused persons. The anti-terror probe agency had registered the first case after the Assam police apprehended two persons namely Phojendra Hojai and Babul Kemprai and recovered cash amount of Rs 1 crore along with two pistols and letter from their possession. The money had been siphoned from the development funds alloted to the North Cachar Hills Autonomous Council in connivance with the contractors and other government servants and was being sent to militant group DHD (J) for procurement of arms and ammunition for waging war against the state. During investigation, eight numbers of M-16 rifle made in Singapore, one 9 mms pistol baretta, 12 walkie-talkie sets with chargers and one telescope Bushnell were also recovered. In the second case, the anti-terror probe agency said in their chargesheet that, some persons, workers of NC Hills Autonomous Council were going hand over huge amount of money to DHD (J) militants somewhere between Haflong to Diyungmukh for the purpose of procuring arms and ammunition and for promoting terrorist activities with a view to wage war against the state, Assam police stopped and checked a Scorpio vehicle bearing registration number AS-08-5133 in which Golon Daulagpu, Jibangshu Paul were traveling and recovered cash amounting of Rs 32.11 lakh from their possession. During investigation, five numbers of M-16 rifle, three numbers of SLR rifle and other weapons were also recovered. NIA had already submitted chargesheets in both cases and included former DHD (J) leaders and present members of the Council Jewel Garlosa alias Mihir Barman, Niranjan Hojai, Redaul Hussain Khan, Mohit Hojai, Babul Kemprai, Phojendra Hojai, Partho Warisa, Vanlalchhana, Malsawmkimi, Debasish Bhattacharya, Sandip Kumar Ghosh, Karuna Saikia, Jayanta Kumar Ghosh, George Lawmthang, Golon Daulagupu, Jibangshu Paul, Samir Ahmed as accused persons. Among the accused persons, Samir Ahmed was released after serving sentence. (Reporting by Hemanta Kumar Nath) CHI Health St. Francis honors nurses Eight CHI Health St. Francis employees were honored at the annual Nursing Excellence Awards presentation May 10 in recognition of National Nurses Week. Julia Smith of the Intensive Care Unit was named New Nurse of the Year Deena Schaeffer of the Emergency Department was named Clinical Nurse of the Year and Chelsea Enninga of Supportive Care was chosen as Non-clincial Nurse of the Year. Clinical Leadership Nurse of the Year honors went to Paula Ryan, Intensive Care supervisor. Brandi Stein of the Family Birthing Center earnedProfessional Excellence Nurse of the Year honors. The CNA Clinical Excellence Award was given to Nelpha Hughes of the Family Birthing Center. Patricia Haag of the Intensive Care Unit received the Can Above and Beyond Award. Chris Goplin, a respiratory therapy supervisor, received the Friend of Nursing award. Area residents chosen for Leadership Nebraska class Jim Ediger of Hamilton Telecommunications in Aurora, Mitch Hunt of Huntrex LLC in Broken Bow, Michael Krings of Obstetricians & Gynecologists PC in Hastings, and John McHargue of Pinnacle Bank in Grand Island have been named to the 10th Leadership Nebraska class. The program, sponsored by the Nebraska Chamber of Commerce, was founded in 2006 to identify current and emerging leaders throughout the state, enhance their leadership skills and deepen their knowledge of the challenges and opportunities facing Nebraska. The class will meet for six sessions in various locations around the state covering a broad range of key Nebraska issues, including economic development, health care, education, agriculture, government and policy development. It will begin with an orientation in June and conclude next February. Preschool staff attend social development workshop Stephanie Henke, Chris Johnson and Ruth Brooks of First Presbyterian Preschool attended a certification course in Early Learning Guidelines, Social and Emotional Development May 2-4 offered by the state of Nebraska. The workshop provided information to support young childrens self-concept, self-control, cooperation, social relationships and knowledge of families and communities. They learned that it is through strong partnerships between family members, teachers and caregivers that the childs needs are truly met. First Presbyterian Preschool was established in the 1970s at First Presbyterian Church in Grand Island. It can be reached at (308) 382-2947. Hiebner attends training on cancer rehabilitation Carly Hiebner, a physical therapist at Balance, Mobility and Aquatic Center in Grand Island, recently attended a cancer rehabilitation course focused on limitations and impairments directly related to common cancer diagnoses and treatment as well as effects of cancer treatment and how it impacts patient. The course also focused on evidence-based rehabilitation, including exercise, contraindications and precautions, and learning the latest in evaluation, treatment and progression of care. Hiebner has a doctorate of physical therapy from the University of Nebraska Medical Center. She has experience in outpatient orthopedics, neuro and skilled care. Recently, she has been working with a team on a cancer rehabilitation program through the cancer treatment center. She and her husband live in Henderson with their 3-year-old son. Balance, Mobility and Aquatic Center is located at 905 N. Custer Ave. It can be reached at (308) 398-2170. Haack completes state property appraiser certification Jonathan Haack, a real property appraiser at Hendricksen Appraisal Co. in Grand Island, has been credentialed as a Certified General Real Property Appraiser by the State of Nebraska Real Property Appraiser Board. Haack completed the required 300 hours of qualifying education, 3,000 hours of experience as a trainee, a bachelors degree in accounting from Doane College, and passed the National Uniform Licensing and Certification Examination to receive this credential. He has worked as a trainee at Hendricksen Appraisal since 2013. With this certification, he is specializing in appraisals of commercial properties, industrial properties and unique and special use properties. Haack can be reached at (308) 381-4217. Riverside Lodge Retirement Community has renovated a wing within its assisted living facility to increase the level of memory care and support services for seniors in Grand Island. We understand the challenges faced by individuals and families affected by Alzheimers or other related dementias and wanted to offer specialized care to meet those specific needs, Executive Director Deb Friend said. We are excited to announce the opening of the Arbor, the new memory support wing within Riverside Lodge. Riverside Lodge is a locally owned and managed retirement community. Friend said the Arbor memory support wing has a home-like setting that offers personalized attention in a supportive and secure environment. She said studies have shown that individuals requiring memory support often do better in small group environments. Designed with a neighborhood concept, Friend said, the Arbor offers residents a beautiful, open-concept living area that includes a sitting area, dining room/multipurpose space and a kitchen. Residents also have access to a new, secure outdoor courtyard with a patio and walking path. Every part of the Arbor memory support wing was designed to ensure that residents enjoy a serene, tranquil environment, Friend said. She said residents of the Arbor memory support neighborhood are able to participate in a multitude of activities matched to residents interests and abilities. It has been amazing to watch residents blossom when they live in an environment in which they can succeed, said Cathy Roark, independent living manager, who helped develop the memory support activity program. Specially trained memory support employees report to Administrator Melissa Miller and Resident Care Director Jolene Harvey. Miller joined Riverside Lodge as assisted living administrator in August 2016. Harvey has worked in multiple capacities at Riverside Lodge since 1989. For nearly 30 years, Riverside Lodge has set the standard for senior living in Grand Island and the surrounding area, board Chairman David Thayer said. Thayer said that, in deciding to make the investment and effort necessary to improve the facility and add specially trained management and staff, we made a commitment to provide the very best Alzheimers and dementia-related care available in the Grand Island area. And thats consistent with Riverside Lodges approach to providing senior living options since its inception. Over the last few years, Friend said, when the facility discharged people, it was due to cognitive issues. But, because of the reputation for care Riverside Lodge has earned since it was opened in 1988 by the late Jan Thayer, families didnt want their relatives leaving the facility. They wanted them to stay here and wanted to know what they could do, Friend said. That was when we decided that we do something about this. The decision to create a memory support unit was made about 16 months ago. Friend said the memory support unit was created in an existing building wing and now has 17 apartments. With the addition of the new memory support unit, Riverside Lodge has added 12 employees. The memory support unit opened about six weeks ago. Riverside Lodge Retirement Community has 68 independent living units and 75 assisted living beds, as well as adjacent condominium homes within the Village at Riverside Lodge development. Karen Schultz travels across the country, camping out in a fifth-wheeler and bringing care to patients who need it. Schultz has worked at CHI Health St. Francis since March 13. She will work on the fourth floor, in progressive care, until June 10, when shell move on to her next stop. The Iowa native is a traveling nurse. Her occupation gives her the opportunity to travel to different parts of the country. While there, she has time to explore places that a vacationer probably wouldnt have time to get to. In each area, Schultz asks co-workers for inside information on which places to visit. She also makes friends that she holds onto long after she leaves. Schultz has worked in nursing since 1991 and has been a registered nurse since 2004. Shes been a traveling nurse since December of 2012. She is currently working on her 12th contract. Each contract lasts about three months. In the last four and a half years, shes worked in Tyler, Texas, Fond du Lac, Wis., and several places in Arizona Mesa, Phoenix and Lake Havasu City. A traveling nurse is able to head south during the winter if she wants to. Sometimes, Schultz takes jobs in her home state. CHI Health St. Francis is her second stint in Central Nebraska. Last year, she had a contract at CHI Health Good Samaritan in Kearney. She came to Grand Island from Beaumont, Texas. And Im hoping to go to Montana or Idaho from here, says Schultz, who works overnight at St. Francis. Schultz, who turns 65 in July, hopes to continue her traveling lifestyle for several more years. I want to see as much of the countryside as I can while I have my health to get me there. Being a traveling nurse calls for frequent readjustment, she says. Adjusting to the computer system at each stop is one of the challenges. Sometimes you dont feel comfortable when youre walking out on your last day, she said. But she usually adapts quickly. And she takes pride in her patient care. Whats important is the way you communicate with your patients and build that rapport, she says. The same goes with staff members. Schultz works for an agency in Omaha, which provides hospitals with nurses. Schultz is currently the only traveling nurse at CHI Health St. Francis. The need for traveling nurses goes in waves, says Beth Bartlett, who is vice president for patient care services at St. Francis. She points out that nurses arent the only temporary employees at a hospital. St. Francis might hire a traveling surgery technician, a radiology tech, a med tech or a respiratory therapist. But most of the travelers are nurses. When you need them, its a good option to have and Im glad that theyre out there, Bartlett said. But she doesnt think its the best option for health care in general. The Grand Island hospital tries to strike a fine balance between providing high-quality, safe-patient care and not having to turn patients away. CHI Health works with the agencies that do a good job of providing good nurses, Bartlett said. Traveling nurses sign a contract for 12 to 13 weeks. At most, St. Francis keeps a traveling nurse for two contracts in a row. The hospital went many years without needing travelers. But in the last two years, CHI Health St. Francis found itself without enough RNs. Last fall, the Grand Island hospital had 43 travelers at one time. But the hospital was challenged to reduce the number, mostly because of the cost. To bring in a traveling nurse, St. Francis pays the agency $70 to $80 an hour. The nurses salary comes out of that amount. In other words, Were paying somebody more than double the amount that a nurse would cost, Bartlett said. When the nine biggest hospitals in CHI Health, including St. Francis, are using a large number of travelers, that runs into the millions and millions of dollars, Bartlett said. CHI Health Good Samaritan in Kearney also has one traveling nurse right now. Mary Lanning Healthcare in Hastings has a couple of traveling nurses. The hospital has never really used a lot of them, says Lisa Brandt, director of public relations and marketing services. The number of patients at a hospital throughout a year is predictable, yet sometimes not, Bartlett said. Patient numbers are highest in the fall and winter months. Farmers dont usually have elective surgery, such as knee and hip replacement, in the summer. But if St. Francis is budgeted for a daily census of 80 patients, the staff will be overburdened when that number hits 105 to 110. You can do the math and figure out were not going to have what we need, said Bartlett, who has worked at the hospital for 38 years. About 350 registered nurses work at CHI Health St. Francis. In the past, traveling nurses were very experienced. But because of the nursing shortage, even the traveling nurses sometimes have little experience, Bartlett said. But CHI Health St. Francis tries to find travelers who have a lot of experience. Hospitals are all vying for a handful of nurses, Bartlett says. She points out that some very good, high-quality nurses come to the hospital from the University of Nebraska at Kearney. They are professional and well prepared, Bartlett said. CHI Health is putting together its own traveling nurse program, she said. Not all traveling nurses succeed immediately. Weve had travelers that weve had in the door for a day and sent away, Bartlett said. On the other hand, St. Francis has had traveling nurses with whom the hospital has been very pleased. Most of the travelers are pleased with what they find at CHI Health St. Francis. Some will say, You have no idea what a wonderful hospital you have. Bartlett reminds those nurses to pass on that comment to St. Francis full-time nurses, who may not have worked at many other hospitals. Its good to be reminded that they work in a good place, she said. The Holt County Veterans Services Office recently hired a veteran from Atkinson to fill the position left vacant when longtime community servant Arnold Hall passed away in February. Ken Stenka, 50, was hired on April 3 to serve as the veterans services officer for Holt, Boyd and Wheeler counties. The office is at the Holt County Annex in ONeill. I was approached by a couple of individuals asking if I was interested in the position. I was encouraged by them as well as my wife, he said. I am glad I took the position. I hope that I can be effective. I know Arnold was very effective in the position and touched a lot of lives. Hall served as VSO from 1997 until his death in February 2017. The office works to assist veterans and their families with benefits, as well as to bring awareness to the community of what can be done on behalf of veterans. A veteran of the Army National Guard, Stenka signed up when he was 17 years old and a junior in high school. I was always associated with the ONeill National Guard, he said. Stenka dedicated 27 years to the Army National Guard, serving part time for 19 years and full time for eight years. I was cutting meat at Lechs Super Saver in Atkinson when the full-time position came open, he said. I signed on as a training NCO. Then we were deployed to Iraq. We went over as a security force company. We escorted trucks, vehicles and convoys throughout Iraq. Stenka served alongside Sgt. Jacob Schmuecker of Norfolk, formerly of Atkinson, who died on July 21, 2007, in a roadside bomb explosion in Balad, Iraq. The 27-year-old left behind his wife, Lisa, three children and his parents, Rodney and Patricia Schmuecker of Atkinson. He served with the 755th Recon/Decon Company with the ONeill National Guard. When I came back, they offered me the administrative position at the armory. I turned in my letter of resignation in 2011. I then went to work for Green Pasture Products, he said. Stenka currently serves as the commander of American Legion Post 86 in Atkinson. Next month, I will be handing that over, he said. He also is a lifetime member of VFW Post 926 in ONeill and a volunteer for the Nebraska Troop Support formerly headed by the late Beth Tielke of ONeill. In his new position, Stenka hopes to focus on the following goals. I have a lot of expectations Id like to meet. One of my top goals is helping veterans get hired. I think, with the number of businesses around the area, we could help veterans who are looking for work find a job, Stenka said. I am looking to start some kind of a program to assist with this. The current job force is really looking for help from people who want to work. Also, as a member of the American Legion Post in Atkinson, I see that we struggle to keep our youth programs going. Maybe we can develop some programs throughout the area to help keep the legions going and support them, he added. And taking care of the veterans. I know Arnold did a fantastic job. I hope to pick up the torch and keep the flame going. Stenkas family includes his wife, Kim, who is the administrative assistant in the therapy department at West Holt Medical Services in Atkinson. They have two children, Theo, who is a senior at West Holt Public Schools and plans to attend Black Hills State University in Spearfish, S.D.; and Lydia, who is a freshman. I think, with Kim working in the therapy department, it will tie in pretty nicely here. Hopefully, we can work together, he said. Raven Work didnt want to go on the water slide in the lake at Operation Shine Camp last year. But she wants to try it this year. She conquered her fear of going on the zipline last year, so why not do another thing she was formerly afraid of? Operation Shine Camp, hosted by Covenant Cedars Bible Camp in Hordville, is hosted by the Kids and Dreams Foundation. The foundation, co-founded by Aaron Bly, will host its third camp this year June 9-11. The camp is for kids ages 7 to 12 experiencing Autism Spectrum Disorders and related conditions. Raven, 12, is on the autism spectrum with a sensory processing disorder, said Ravens mom, Tammy. The SPD means Raven can be highly sensitive to smells, tastes, sounds and the like. Sometimes Raven will want the music loud, and the next moment she might not want it on at all, which is a part of the SPD. Raven was technically diagnosed with the disorder about two years ago. Around that time is also when the camp started up and Tammy heard about it. I thought What? Theres a camp for kids like mine? Tammy said. Tammy and her husband, Tom, were excited to learn about the camp, especially since it would give Raven a safe and fun place to go while they got a break. During camp weekend, Tammy and Tom spend time as a couple and with their other daughter, Avery. As a parent of a child on the spectrum, Tammy said she often feels guilty. Guilty that she has to focus most of her time on Raven and not Avery, or guilty if her child acts out somewhere. But with Operation Shine Camp, its free game. She said if Raven or other campers act out, the instructors have the tools to help each child with his or her individual needs. When the Works moved into their house more than a year ago, they were sold on it because of the room the basement had. Tammy and Tom made a large spare bedroom into a sensory room for Raven. She has a mat, a mini trampoline and several exercise balls and things to keep her busy and help her sensory needs. To send Raven to camp this year which will be her last year the Works had a bake sale. Tammy said her goal was to raise enough money to create a scholarship to send another child to Operation Shine. Tons of activities go on at the two-day camp, such as horseback riding, swimming, fishing, crate stacking and ziplining. Campers can also participate in games that also have sensory benefits, such as finding items in a pool of shaving cream. Archery, Raven said, was her favorite. Last year, Raven got a few bullseyes, as she likes to do outdoor activities like that with her family. It gives her something to look forward to, Tammy said of Raven and the camp. This is her own special thing. Bly said there will be about 40 campers this year, which requires more volunteers. He said they try to have two volunteers per camper, who hang out with the child at the camp. Theres not really another autism camp around Nebraska like ours, Bly said, who also has children on the spectrum. Were not making the kids do anything. Its just a weekend they can come and they can be themselves and be around people like them. All of the volunteers at the camp are trained on how to handle the different needs of the campers, Bly said. The staff also includes highly experienced people, such as nurses and those in the special education field. Bly said the camp continues to grow each year and, while he didnt expect it to take off like it has, its a good thing. He said the camp is in need of volunteers, especially male volunteers. In order to meet specific individual needs of the campers, Tammy said the volunteers are necessary. She said the camp has been beneficial to her daughter and shes loved seeing her grow. For more information about Operation Shine Camp and the Kids and Dreams Foundation, visit www.kidsanddreams.org/operationshine/. To donate to the foundation or the camp, visit www.kidsanddreams.org/donate. The loose deadline to sign up to volunteer is May 15, but Bly will keep taking volunteers as needed. To volunteer, email Aaron Bly at aaron@kidsanddreams.org. Thank God for the Catholic nuns, says Rep. Nancy Pelosi. In an interview with The Washington Post, the House Democratic leader stressed that many nuns are strong supporters of Obamacare, and are speaking out against Republican attempts to gut the measure. Yet, as believing Catholics, they generally take pro-life positions on abortion. Do we subject them to a test and say, Before you speak out on this bill, we want to know where you are on this, that and the other thing? Pelosi asked. No. No. Pelosi makes an important point. It would be stunningly suicidal for Democrats to ostracize voters like the nuns, who ardently back the partys core principles of economic and social justice, but disagree on one issue: abortion rights. I grew up Nancy DAlesandro in Baltimore, Md.; in Little Italy; in a very devout Catholic family fiercely patriotic, proud of our town and our heritage, and staunchly Democratic, she told the Post. Most of those people my family, extended family are not pro-choice. You think Im kicking them out of the Democratic Party? This issue erupted recently when Tom Perez, the new chairman of the Democratic Party, and Sen. Bernie Sanders backed Heath Mello, a candidate for mayor of Omaha, with a history of pro-life positions. The pro-choice professionals went nuts, with Ilyse Hogue of NARAL Pro-Choice America saying their decision is not only disappointing, it is politically stupid. Perez immediately caved, saying every Democrat should be pro-choice and the issue was not negotiable. That idiocy evoked another backlash, and Perez wobbled again, with a spokesman stating, Tom doesnt believe in litmus tests. Heres the bottom line: Hogue has it exactly wrong. The politically stupid course for Democrats would be to impose a rigid orthodoxy on a highly emotional and complicated issue. The public debate on abortion has always been dominated by purists on both sides, demanding unwavering loyalty to unmovable positions. But most Americans are in the middle, searching for a reasonable compromise that reconciles moral values with practical policies. Gallup finds that only 29 percent want abortion to be legal under any circumstances, with 19 percent wanting it banned in all cases. Fully 50 percent favor keeping it legal but only under certain circumstances. A Pew study gave voters four choices, and 58 percent of respondents picked a moderate option. The partisan breakdown reinforces Pelosis point. One out of 4 Democrats in the Pew study favor restricting abortion in all or most cases. That rises to 1 out of 3 among moderate and conservative Democrats, and 1 out of 2 among Hispanics a key target for the partys future. Alienating those voters over social issues helped sink Hillary Clinton, Pelosi insists. You know what? she told the Post. Thats why Donald Trump is president of the United States the evangelicals and the Catholics, anti-marriage equality, anti-choice. Nancy DAlesandro from Little Italy knows what shes talking about. Democrats trapped in their elitist bubbles cannot win back power by listening to the absolutists who demand total fealty on the abortion issue. Sen. Joe Manchin, a Democrat who manages to survive in West Virginia, told The Hill: Im pro-life. ... Saying you have to fit in one silo to be in the party that doesnt make any sense to me or any West Virginia Democrat. It also makes no sense to Rep. Henry Cuellar, a Texas Democrat representing a heavily Hispanic district along the Mexican border. He told The Hill: When you want to subtract and start using a purity test, thats not good for the party. So you grow a majority by adding, and not subtracting, pro-life Democrats. Sen. Joe Donnelly, a pro-life Democrat facing a tough re-election fight in Indiana, calls a purity test very, very short-sighted. In an interview with the Huffington Post, he explained: We ought to be able to include everyone, as opposed to saying, no, we dont want these folks, even though they fight with us on jobs, even though they fight with us for economic rights, even though they fight with us on health care. Democrats love to berate Republicans for kowtowing to the hardliners in the tea party and the Freedom Caucus. We are so much more intelligent and open-minded, they boast. Except when it comes to abortion. Then theyre ready to burn heretics at the stake. Thats a profound mistake. Democrats must embrace inclusion, not exclusion. Folks who agree with you most of the time should be welcomed, not exiled. Pelosis right: Thank God for the nuns. New York, May 14(Just Earth News): Strongly condemning the latest attacks against civilians and the United Nations in Central African Republic (CAR), Secretary-General AntAnio Guterres on Sunday urged authorities to investigate and bring those responsible to justice. The Secretary-General is outraged by the attacks perpetrated by suspected anti-Balaka against civilians and the United Nations Multidimensional Integrated Stabilization Mission in the Central African Republic (MINUSCA), his spokesperson said in a statement. He added that the Secretary-General reiterated that attacks against UN peacekeepers may constitute a war crime. Armed assailants attacked civilian populations overnight on 12 and 14 May, targeting in particular Muslims, in the Tokoyo neighborhood of Bangassou, in south-eastern CAR, according to MINUSCA. Preliminary information reported that displaced civilians sought refuge at a mosque, a Catholic church and a hospital. These attacks led to significant population displacement, an undetermined number of civilian casualties and the death of one Moroccan peacekeeper, bringing to six the number of peacekeepers killed in the Central African Republic this week, the spokesperson said, noting that Guterres offered his condolences to the family of the bereaved peacekeeper and the Government of the Kingdom of Morocco. In on Sunday's statement, the Secretary-General reaffirmed the UN's support for MINUSCA, which is in CAR to protect civilians and stabilize the country, and extended his appreciation to the Governments whose troops and police contribute to MINUSCA peacekeeping. CAR is emerging from civil conflict which began in 2014, with clashes between the mainly Muslim Seleka rebel coalition and anti-Balaka militia, which are mostly Christian. These recent incidents amply demonstrate that the situation in the Central African Republic is still fragile hence the need for continued and sustained regional and international support to overcome the challenges at hand, the Secretary-General's spokesperson said. The attack came just hours after the UN held a memorial ceremony to honour five peacekeepers killed on 8 May in a nearby village of Yogofongo. People connected with the anti-Balaka group are also suspected in the attack. UN Under-Secretary-General for Peacekeeping Operations, Jean-Pierre Lacroix, and other senior UN officials, took part in the ceremony. UN Photo/Catianne Tijerina Source: www.justearthnews.com Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin EDITORIAL (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta Sun, May 14, 2017 07:35 2005 4065a5a8898c7cc661d4adf97a0b056a 2 Editorial ahok,#ahok Free Deputy Governor Djarot Saiful Hidayat, who was named acting governor of Jakarta after his boss Basuki Ahok Tjahaja Purnama was sent to jail on Tuesday for blasphemy, shoulders the tremendous burden of continuing the pairs work throughout his remaining six months in office. Djarots competence is being tested to ensure that the Ahok-Djarot governorship will leave a good legacy that will epitomize the impeccable job that earned them a good reputation: running a bare-knuckled, transparent anticorruption regime, providing more efficient public services, modernizing transportation systems and promoting cleanliness, to mention a few achievements. Expediting projects started by Joko Jokowi Widodo, who was elected Jakarta governor with Ahok as his deputy in 2012, will not only lighten the load of incoming governor Anies Baswedan but, more importantly, will ensure the Ahok-Djarot legacy. After seeing Ahok at the Cipinang detention house late on Tuesday, Djarot assured a sea of heartbroken supporters he would accelerate the major development programs as Ahok had cajoled him to do during their brief meeting that night. Among the most urgent programs is the provision of low-cost apartments to house people displaced from their homes to make way for public development, the inauguration of the new Semanggi overpasses scheduled for Aug. 17 and the development of a new busway lane connecting Blok M in the south and Cileduk in the west. Ahok also asked Djarot to anticipate price increases ahead of the Islamic Idul Fitri holiday in late June. Another pressing issue is the need to revise the 2017 budget together with the City Council. Since part of the revised budget worth Rp 70 trillion will be implemented by the next governor following the transfer of office this October, naturally Anies must be involved in the drafting to ensure that the updated budgetary plans accommodate the programs he promised on the campaign trail. Obviously, collaboration over drafting a budget will unlikely be easy amid lingering animosity between the supporters of Ahok and Anies. Ahok has rejected his rivals request to accommodate Anies programs in the upcoming revision of the 2017 provincial budget, apparently fearing this would complicate the drafting. Ahok has harbored suspicion of the transitional team that Anies formed to prepare for a smooth transfer. The team aims to harmonize the incumbents budgetary plans with those of the governor-elect. If there is anything the public should closely watch, it is a possibility of a conspiracy involving pay-offs to the political parties backing Ahok and Anies. Unscrupulous politicians may take advantage of Ahoks absence. A popular habit of Ahok and Djarot was to arrive at the office early to meet with people patiently waiting in line to air their grievances directly to them. This tradition began when Jokowi was governor. Despite being incarcerated for a dubious crime, no doubt Ahok retains his popularity as a continuing stream of people from across the country shown by. Practically all by himself, Djarot now bears the responsibility of fiercely guarding the incumbents reputation that serves as a benchmark for other heads of government in Indonesia. Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin Jessicha Valentina (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta Sun, May 14, 2017 13:38 2005 4065a5a8898c7cc661d4adf97a0bbc56 1 Art & Culture Performance,#performance,art,#art,performing-arts,West-Side-Story,musical,#musical Free West Side Story was a giant leap for the Jakarta Performing Arts Community (JPAC). As the first licensed performance for the amateur community theater, JPAC went the extra mile to make the performance happen. Though there is still room for improvement, JPAC proved that they are on the right track. The musical, created by Arthur Laurents with music by Leonard Bernstein and lyrics by Stephen Sondheim, is set in Upper East Side, Manhattan, New York, the United States. A gang war happens between the white Jets and Puerto Rican immigrants Sharks over territory in their neighborhood. In anger, Jets leader Riff (Nicholas Bunjamin) looks for a former member Tony (Emir Aditya), requesting support. Riff wants Tony to join the gang in the dance. Tony comes to the dance reluctantly, until he sets eyes on a Puerto Rican girl Maria (Chezia Aviola). The lovebirds plan to run away, but the situation heats up. Tony tries to stop the gangs feud, but things do not go as planned. Read also: Jakarta Performing Arts Communitys road to West Side Story Held in Graha Bakti Budaya, Taman Ismail Marzuki, Central Jakarta, the show had a bumpy ride in the beginning. The technical issues in the microphones made the dialogues and songs unclear. Fortunately, it got better toward the end of Act 1. Emir and Chezia's duet slowly drew in the audience. Chezia was, perhaps, the best part of the show. Her acting and beautiful voice stole the audiences attention. In addition to Chezias performance, the dance choreography deserves credit, too. Choreographer Elhaq Latief managed to keep the iconic West Side Story dance moves, which were executed beautifully. The Puerto Rican female dancing scenes were a real treat for the audience. For an amateur community theater, the show proved to be entertaining. The performers have talent that can be improved upon with more training. All they need is extra support from musical enthusiasts. (asw) Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin Jessicha Valentina (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta Sun, May 14, 2017 13:03 2005 4065a5a8898c7cc661d4adf97a0bad59 1 Science & Tech ransomware,#ransomware,WannaCry,#WannaCry,cyberattacks,#CyberSecurity,cyber-attacks,cybersecurity Free Massive cyberattacks, identified as WannaCry, happened across the globe on Friday. Appearing as ransomware, an activity when hackers encrypt data or lock the system in a computer and ask for a sum of money to unlock the data, the attacks were considered cyber terrorism. According to the information released by the Communications and Information Ministry on Saturday, WannaCry also attacked two hospitals in Indonesia, Harapan Kita Hospital and Dharmais Hospital. The ministrys informatics application director general Semuel A Pangerapan said that the public needs to stay calm. However, computer users can do these preventive steps as suggested by No More Ransom's website (https://www.nomoreransom.org/prevention-advice.html): Read also: Fast-moving cyberattacks wreak havoc worldwide 1. Disconnect from the internet If there is a suspicious process in progress on the computer, it is suggested to disconnect the machine from the internet by turning off Wi-Fi connections or unplugging the LAN cable. This step is said to prevent malware from spreading. 2. Update Windows security Install the latest version of your operating system (OS) or applications. 3. Back-up your data It is important to have a file recovery system. The No More Ransom website suggests creating two back-up copies: cloud data and offline storage, such as a hard drive or USB. 4. Install anti-virus and anti-ransomware software To protect your device from ransomware, it is suggested to install anti-virus and anti-ransomware software. Make sure to frequently update the software. 5. Do not click on suspicious links or attachments Do not click on links or open attachments from unknown senders as it may contain malware. Furthermore, be careful about email notifications from online stores, a bank, or so forth, as hackers frequently send fake emails to lure recipients to click the links or open the attachments. 6. Enable the "show file extensions" option The "show file extensions" option helps you to identify fake files, such as 'exe,' 'vbs' and 'scr'. (asw) Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin News Desk (Agence France-Presse) London Sun, May 14, 2017 19:32 2005 4065a5a8898c7cc661d4adf97a0c0a8d 2 World #ransomware,ransomware,#CyberSecurity,cyber-attacks,#WannaCry,WannaCry Free The unprecedented global ransomware cyberattack has hit more than 200,000 victims in more than 150 countries, Europol executive director Rob Wainwright said Sunday. The head of the pan-European Union policing agency said that few had given in to the demands for payment to unblock files so far, but warned that the situation was escalating. Wainwright said he was worried that the ransomware attack might spread further once people return to work on Monday and log on to their computers. "We are running around 200 global operations against cybercrime each year but we've never seen anything like this," he told Britain's ITV television. "The latest count is over 200,000 victims in at least 150 countries. Many of those victims will be businesses, including large corporations. "The global reach is unprecedented." He said the motivation remained unknown but ransomware attacks were normally "criminally minded". "Remarkably few payments so far have been made, so most people are not paying this," Wainwright said. "We're in the face of an escalating threat, the numbers are going up. "I'm worried about how the numbers will continue to grow when people go to work and turn on their machines on Monday morning." Wainwright said the attack was indiscriminate, fast-spreading and unique because the ransomware was being used in combination with a worm -- meaning that the infection of one computer could automatically spread it through an entire network. He said few banks in Europe had been affected, having learned through the "painful experience of being the number one target of cybercrime" the value of having the latest cyber security in place. "We have been concerned for some time that the healthcare sectors in many countries are particularly vulnerable. They're processing a lot of sensitive data," he said. Britain's state-run National Health Service was affected by the attack. Wainwright said Europol was working with the FBI in the United States to track down those responsible, saying that more than one person was likely behind it. He said the cybercrime scene was increasingly going underground, meaning it was "very difficult" to identify the offender or their location. "We're in a very difficult fight against these ever more sophisticated cybercrime syndicates that are using encryption to hide their activity," he said. Wainwright said Europol provided free downloads of decryption programs for most ransomware. "Once we get to the bottom of this one, we'll make sure that this is available to people as well," he said. Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin Moses Ompusunggu (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta Sun, May 14, 2017 09:00 2005 4065a5a8898c7cc661d4adf97a0b4699 2 National orangutan,#OrangUtan Free Conservationists taking care of a recently discovered albino orangutan in Kalimantan are calling on the public to help give a unique name to this rare specimen of the native Indonesian ape in an effort to raise awareness for the protection of the endangered species. This little girl needs a name,the Borneo Orangutan Survival Foundation (BOSF), a local conservation group in Central Kalimantan, said over its Twitter account @bornean_OU earlier this week, referring to the 5-year-old female albino orangutan. People can suggest any name they want by replying to the tweet using the hashtag #albinoorangutan, or by sending their suggestions to name@orangutan.or.id. The BOSF will announce the chosen name on May 15. Besides calling for public participation, the group also uploaded a video of the blue-eyed orangutan with details of how people can help protect natures beauty. The International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN) has declared the species to be critically endangered, one category before extinction, since it estimated that there are about 100,000 Bornean orangutans left. The IUCN also estimated the figure will further decline to 47,000 by 2025. The protected animals, which only live on Sumatra and in Kalimantan, the Indonesian part of Borneo Island, still face rampant illegal trading and have had their habitats diminished by industrial expansion in their forests, both of which have contributed to their decreasing population. The BOSF had forecast there were a number of albino orangutans living in the wild on the countrys largest island after the discovery of the first of its kind in the region last week. The BOSF took a white-haired female orangutan in late April from a farmer in Tenggirang village, Kapuas Regency, Central Kalimantan, who found the animal walking infirmly in a forest near the area. BOSF CEO Jamartin Sihite said previously the NGO could confirm the 5-year-old orangutan was an animal with albinism after a test conducted by the groups medical team had found its eyes are very sensitive to lights one of the symptoms of the congenital disorder. Jamartin said the female orangutan, which some workers have proposed to name Baputi (white in Dayaknese), was not an example of a newly discovered species of Borneo orangutan, telling the media the possibility was high there were still numerous albino orangutan surviving in the Kalimantan forest. At least there are her parents from whom the albino orangutan inherited the disorder, for it is a genetically transferred one, Jamartin said. (Read also: 6 more orangutans released into Kehje Sewen forests) In this Dec. 31, 2015, file photo, Tsunami, an eleven year old female Sumatran Orangutan eats fruit during her birthday celebration at the National Zoo Ape Center in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. Primates are heading toward an extinction crisis, a new international study warns. And its our fault that our closest biological relatives are in trouble, scientists said. About 60 percent of the more than 500 primate species, such as gorillas, monkeys and lemurs, are now threatened with extinction and three out of four primate species have shrinking populations, according to a study by 31 primate experts published in the Jan. 18, 2017, journal Science Advances.(AP Photo/Joshua Paul) He said there have been no reports of the presence of other albino orangutan since the group was established 25 years ago, but he was not sure whether this kind of orangutan could also be found on Sumatra. No adequate scientific evidence exists to gauge how rare albino orangutan are compared to normal orangutan, so the number of albinos cannot be estimated. Workers in the BOSF orangutan rehabilitation center in Nyaru Menteng, Central Kalimantan, a one-hour drive from the Palangkaraya site where the albino orangutan is currently being treated, have estimated they needed at least one month to properly take care of the animal before releasing it back into the wild. BOSF officials interviewed by The Jakarta Post said the animal was in a physically weak condition when found and in dire need of intensive medical treatment. Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin Apriadi Gunawan (The Jakarta Post) Medan, North Sumatra Sun, May 14, 2017 22:37 2005 4065a5a8898c7cc661d4adf97a0c2b58 2 National mining,gold-mine,gold-mining,Martabe,Martabe-gold-mine,Agincourt-Resources,gender-diversity,#gender-diversity,mining-sector,South-Tapanuli,North-Sumatra Free It is not easy for Henny Dwi Purnamasari, a resident of Palembang, South Sumatra, to work in the mining sector, given that it is a heavily male-dominated industry. Every day, the 46-year-old leads the operation of a tailing storage facility at a gold mine in South Tapanuli, North Sumatra. Henny is responsible for ensuring the quality of the mines clay cramming processes, which is conducted in a soil laboratory, is in compliance with international standards and Indonesian National Standards (SNI). Henny conceded that managing a tailing storage facility is a male-dominated occupation, but she said that it is the spirit of Kartini, Indonesias national heroine for female empowerment, that has encouraged to say in the industry. Honestly, as a woman, I feel challenged to work in the mining sector, especially because of its long working hours and tough work environment, she told The Jakarta Post on Saturday. The civil engineer said she had experienced no barriers working and sharing knowledge with her colleagues, who are mostly men, at the Martabe gold mine, where she has been working for five years. Martabe is one of the coal and mineral mining companies in Sumatra that has made a commitment to increase female participation in the workforce. Each mining company holds a responsibility to increase the participation of female workers and realize gender diversity in the workforce, said Sri Raharjo, director of the Energy and Mineral Resources He said it was important for miners to pay attention to efforts toward achieving gender diversity in the industry. Female workers potential could be as high as male workers, Raharjo said. He was speaking during the 4th Sumatra Miner Conference in Palembang, South Sumatra, on March 22. Dozens of mineral and coal mining companies from across Sumatra attended the event themed Game Changer in Sumatra Mining. In the conference, the miners conveyed their commitments to increase the participation of female workers in the workforce in the mining industry. They also committed to conserving the environment. Agincourt Resources, a company that manages the Martabe gold mine, has made a commitment to increasing the participation of female workers in all of its work levels, with president director Tim Duffy saying that women play a key role in helping the company achieve its targets. Studies in countries across the world have shown unavoidable facts on a strong correlation between the success of a company and gender diversity. This issue has been widely accepted in behavior theories and practices of organizations, Duffy told the Post on the sidelines of the Sumatra Miner Conference. Only around 18 percent of the total 761 workers at Matabe are female. The company is targeting to increase that figure to 25 percent by 2019, with 40 percent of these female workers holding superintendent and managerial-level positions, Duffy said. We will increase the number of female workers in our company through our recruitment and human resource development initiatives, he added. Duffy asserted that it was important to strengthen a work culture and environment that promote respect and dignity among all workers. It would also be crucial for a company to become a work place that was free from discrimination, and could encouraged openness and confidence of its workers, he added. To that end, Duffy said, concrete efforts needed to be conducted to integrate gender diversity principles in various operational policies, including in recruitment, training and wage systems, and to prevent sexual harassment in work places. (ebf) Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin Fedina S. Sundaryani (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta Sun, May 14, 2017 17:22 2005 4065a5a8898c7cc661d4adf97a0be687 1 Business energy-and-mineral-resources-ministry,Gas,gas-flare,flare-gas,flaring Free The Energy and Mineral Resources Ministry has issued a ministerial decree regulating the sale of flare gas to reduce flaring activities, while also cutting down on greenhouse gasses. Gas flares are gas combustion devices used at industrial plants, such as petroleum refineries, natural gas processing plants as well as at oil or gas production sites, to eliminate any excess gasses. The flaring of natural gas from oil production is a major source of carbon dioxide emissions, one of the most worrying greenhouse gases. (Read also: Government defends oil and gas gross-split scheme) The government hopes that companies will reduce their flaring activities by selling the excess gas. Flare gas can be used for power plants, households and industry through pipe gas, compressed natural gas [CNG], liquefied petroleum gas [LPG], dimethyl ether, or it can be used for other purposes based on its composition, as stated in Ministerial Decree No. 32/2017, which came into force last Monday, but was only made public over the weekend. According to the new regulation, flare gas will be put on offer by the Upstream Oil and Gas Regulatory Special Task Force (SKKMigas), which will evaluate documents submitted by potential buyers along with the ministrys oil and gas directorate general. The energy and mineral resources minister will determine the final gas allocation. The minister will also be responsible for setting the sale price of the flare gas, based on SKKMigas recommendations. The ceiling price has been set at 35 US cents per million metric British thermal unit (mmbtu). (tas) New York, May 14(Just Earth News): Speaking at a major international conference in Beijing, United Nations Secretary-General AntAnio Guterres on Sunday drew comparisons between China's 'One Belt, One Road' initiative and the Sustainable Development Goals, saying both are rooted in a shared vision for global development. Both strive to create opportunities, global public goods and win-win cooperation. And both aim to deepen 'connectivity' across countries and regions: connectivity in infrastructure, trade, finance, policies and, perhaps most important of all, among peoples, the Secretary-General said addressing Chinese President Xi Jinping and dozens of other state leaders at the Belt and Road Forum. The attendees represent some of the more than 60 countries included in the Belt and Road plan that China introduced in 2014 to stimulate trade and economic growth along the ancient Silk Road and beyond. In order for the participating countries along the Belt and Road to fully benefit from the potential of enhanced connectivity, it is crucial to strengthen the links between the Initiative and the Sustainable Development Goals, Guterres noted, adding that the 17 Goals can guide the policies and actions under the Belt and Road towards true sustainable development. The initiative reportedly includes nearly $1 trillion worth of infrastructure investments in Africa, Asia and Europe. As these projects which include bridges, nuclear plants and railways unfold, Guterres highlighted the need to work together to uphold international environmental and social standards, and ensuring that rural areas, not just cities, benefit. With the initiative expected to generate vast investments in infrastructure, let us seize the moment to help countries make the transition to clean-energy, low-carbon pathways instead of locking in unsustainable practices for decades to come, he said, praising Chinese leadership on climate change. He also urged donor countries to continue investing in development projects through official development assistance (ODA), and urged them to fulfil their commitments under the Addis Ababa Plan of Action, which finances projects related to the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Guterres also called on Governments to settle peacefully any tensions related to the One Belt, One Road initiative, saying that just as the initiative opens new corridors for goods, let us also keep open the channels for dialogue. He praised the initiative for its immense potential to promote access to markets, and as far-reaching in geography and ambition. Since arriving in China on 14 May, Guterres has met with senior Chinese officials, including Foreign Minister Wang Yi. He also held a meeting with Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu. UN Photo/Violaine Martin (file) Source: www.justearthnews.com Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin Tama Salim (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta Sun, May 14, 2017 10:00 2005 4065a5a8898c7cc661d4adf97a0b66c2 2 World China-policy,#China-ASEAN Free Indonesia has asked China to make good on its promise to conclude by midyear the ongoing negotiations on a framework for a code of conduct (COC) in the South China Sea (SCS), as Foreign Minister Retno LP Marsudi met her counterpart Wang Yi in the Chinese capital. Retno met Wang in Beijing on Saturday to discuss various issues of common concern, including the SCS debate, wherein Indonesia is not a claimant but acts as an honest broker. One of the issues that will definitely be tabled by the foreign ministers is what to do next to expedite the process of the post-COC framework negotiations, ministry spokesperson Arrmanatha Nasir said. (Read also: Why do Indonesia, ASEAN matter to China?) ASEAN and China are currently in the final stages of finalizing a framework for a COC, an instrument that aims to prevent open conflict in the disputed waters. Negotiations over the code have persisted for the better part of 15 years, after an ASEAN-China non-binding agreement was introduced in 2002 to discourage hostile acts in the SCS. Both parties finally agreed to use a shared draft framework during negotiations in Bali in February and made significant progress in a subsequent meeting in Siem Reap, Cambodia, in April. ASEAN and Chinese diplomats plan to convene another meeting in Guiyang, China, later this month with an eye toward concluding the COC framework by midyear. Last year China made a commitment to revitalize negotiations so that the COC framework could be agreed upon by the middle of this year. We are nearing the end of this process, so we truly hope it will be done, said Arrmanatha. Jakarta is now thinking about the next step, he said, and stressed that it would seek Beijings commitment to a clear timeline for the earliest conclusion of the COC. China is not a member of ASEAN, but has made sweeping claims over the SCS, through which US$5 trillion in seaborne trade passes each year. ASEAN member states Malaysia, Brunei, the Philippines and Vietnam have more or less agreed to negotiate with China bilaterally over competing claims in the sea, but Beijing has been extremely sensitive about objections to its expansion activities there or any mention of the international tribunal ruling that outlawed its claims last year. ASEAN published a non-confrontational statement on the issue during the ASEAN Summit in Laos last year and has since published similar statements. ASEAN chair, the Philippines, which won the tribunal case against China, issued a neutral statement on the South China Sea in April, while another one was published earlier this month after an ASEAN-United States special foreign ministers meeting in Washington, DC. Besides consultations on regional issues, Retno is also expected to discuss efforts to strengthen Indonesias bilateral mechanisms with China, as well as follow up on a few pending issues from a previous meeting between the two countries heads of state last November. The main issue the foreign minister will follow up on has to do with the 20172021 Plan of Action that is meant to implement Indonesias comprehensive strategic partnership with China, the spokesman said. Arrmanatha said both foreign ministers would also discuss the North Korean issue, with Indonesia focusing on Chinas contribution to maintaining peace and stability on the Korean Peninsula. Meanwhile, President Joko Jokowi Widodo and Chinese President Xi Jinping agreed to strengthen a comprehensive strategic partnership during the formers attendance of the Boao Forum for Asia Conference in 2015. Jokowi and Xi are slated to meet again on the sidelines of the Belt and Road Forum in Beijing on Sunday and Monday. Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin News Desk (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta Sun, May 14, 2017 12:33 2005 4065a5a8898c7cc661d4adf97a0b9d5d 1 National cyberattacks,ransomware Free Following the cyberattack, which has hit the Dharmais and Harapan Kita hospitals, the Communication and Information Ministry has called denizens to conduct preventive action on their computer systems from the attack of similar malware. In the release made available to the public on Saturday, the ministry's General Director of Informatics Applications, Semuel A Pangerapan, said that the attack has become a phenomenon in several countries, and it targeted critical resources. He explained that the attack that happened in the country was considered ransomware, which locks or encrypts all files on the victim computer. "This type of ransomware is called wannacry. It targets Windows-based computers, which have loopholes in the SMB function," he said. (Read also: Cyberattacks in Indonesia rising at alarming rate: Officials) He added that the wannacry would ask for ransom in exchange for restoring all files that have been encrypted. The ransom could be paid in the form of a bitcoin payment, which requires the victim to pay US$300. The ministry has suggested several preventive actions to avoid the attack, including updating anti-virus software, updating Windows security and making back-ups of important files. The ministry also told citizens not to panic and provided online consultation regarding the cyberattack at www.nomoreransom.org. (rdi/dmr) Topics : cyberattacks ransomware Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin Yiyik Kerr (The Jakarta Post) Perth Sun, May 14, 2017 14:05 2005 4065a5a8898c7cc661d4adf97a0bbd37 1 National ahok,#AhokDetention,Perth Free Approximately 500 Indonesians residing in Perth and surrounding areas in Western Australia gathered on the Swan River foreshore on Saturday afternoon to join the waves of support for inactive Jakarta governor Basuki "Ahok" Tjahaja Purnama. Local Indonesian community figures spoke of the need, now more than ever, to stand with the countrys leaders, both Ahok and President Joko "Jokowi" Widodo. "I am a double minority - Chinese and Christian - and normally I would stay out of politics, but not this time. I feel I have to say something, and I call on the silent majority - moderate Muslims everywhere in the country - to get vocal, too," Perth resident Daniel Ong said. He said that despite living in the relative comfort of Perth, the Indonesians gathered that afternoon shared the same sadness and deep concern felt by fellow citizens back home. Some were seen carrying banners that read #SaveAhok, calling for the suspension of Ahok from detention. Ahok was sentenced to two years in prison for blasphemy. Through the event, they wanted to express their wish for a peaceful Indonesia and reaffirm their commitment to the country's motto: "unity in diversity." Wearing red and white, the crowd sang the national anthem and other patriotic songs, before posing for cameras, videos and a drone in the formation of the letters NKRI, an abbreviation for Negara Kesatuan Republik Indonesia (Unitary State of the Republic of Indonesia). (dmr) Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin Suherdjoko and Agus Maryono (The Jakarta Post) Semarang Sun, May 14, 2017 08:00 2005 4065a5a8898c7cc661d4adf97a0b3398 2 National #Ramadhan Free Hundreds of men, women and children gathered near the Sendhang Gedhe natural pool in Pucung village, Banyumanik district, Semarang, Central Java, on Friday morning, bringing food such as rice, tofu, tempeh, fried eggs, rempeyek (peanut crackers) and salted fish in baskets. The gathering was more than just a local feast, as the villagers gathered to pray for their ancestors ahead of the fasting month of Ramadhan in a tradition called Nyadran. Following prayers, the villagers sat under large trees on mats and feasted, using banana leaves as a substitute for plates. We welcome Ramadhan by cleansing our soul through prayers and we also pray for our ancestors to God. We also physically clean our environment, including the Sendhang Gedhe pool. So we welcome fasting month with a clean body and soul, local neighborhood chief Sugito Mulyono said on Friday. (Read also: Pulogebang bus terminal prepares for annual Ramadhan exodus) This year, Ramadhan is scheduled to start on May 27. Pudak Payung subdistrict chief Ganefo Anwar said both Muslims and non-Muslims were involved in the Nyadran tradition, which he said symbolized peace and harmony. This has been a tradition of all people. A tradition that upholds togetherness and mutual cooperation, he said. People purchase sweets to break the fast at a Ramadhan food festival in Bendungan Hilir, Central Jakarta, on June 8, 2016. (The Jakarta Post/Wienda Parwitasari) Before the gathering began, dozens of men plunged into the Sendhang Gedhe pool before cleaning it, while other men and women grilled as many as 95 chickens for the feast. Nyadran, a tradition for Javanese Muslims in Central Java that combines culture with religion ahead of Ramadhan, involves visiting the graves of relatives. By doing so, the tradition aims to remind people to improve their lives. Tedi Kholiludin, a researcher at the Religion and Peace Study Center at Wahid Hasyim University in Semarang, said the tradition was rooted in teachings by Walisongo nine saints of Islam who spread the religion across the island of Java. The approach was based on fiqih (Islamic law) and Sufism, he said. The transformation of Islamic teachings [was made] so that it [the approach] could be accepted. Religion and culture need not be in conflict, he said. Similar gatherings also took place in Banyumas regency in Central Java where around 500 residents of Karanggude Kulo village, Karanglewas district, on Thursday morning visited the tomb of Sultan Nur Rohidin, an ancestor who lived in the village hundreds of years ago. After visiting the tomb, they sat together in a yard next to Baitulilmi Al Barokah Mosque where they feasted. They made offerings in the form of meals on clay plates. The tombs gatekeeper, Yaskinu, 90, said it was unclear as to how Sultan Nur Rohidin first arrived in the village. However, many believe he came from the Sumenep kingdom in Madura Island. Yaskinu said that Nyadran was a time to honor ancestors. Besides that we also hope for Gods blessings as well as to continue the fighting spirit of our ancestors, he said. Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin News Desk (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta Sun, May 14, 2017 12:23 2005 4065a5a8898c7cc661d4adf97a0b9ac4 4 City kalijodo,jakarta,concert Free The Jakarta administration plans to conduct a National Awakening concert featuring a number of famous musicians, like Addie MS, Erwin Gutawa, Maia Estianti and Once, at Kalijodo Park on May 21. Acting Jakarta governor Djarot Saiful Hidayat said the concert was also held to welcome the 490th anniversary of Jakarta, which falls on June 22. The concert will involve musicians, artists as well as the participation of the public, Djarot was quoted by kompas.com as saying at the governors official residence in Menteng, Central Jakarta. (Read also: After flowers, Ahok supporters flood City Hall with songs) Djarot invited the artists and musicians involved to the residence to discuss the concert. Djarot further said he was inspired by a choir led by Addie MS at City Hall on Wednesday morning, which had much support from citizens. Thousands of people participated in the choir where national songs like Indonesia Raya, Garuda Pancasila and Syukur were performed. We want to revive the spirit of nationalism that has Pancasila as its ideology and the motto Bhinneka Tunggal Ika [unity in diversity], Djarot said, adding that the city had also prepared 490 doves to be released during the concert. He said that doves are a symbol of peace, love and loyalty to Indonesia. (vny/dmr) Topics : kalijodo jakarta concert Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin Fedina S. Sundaryani (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta Sun, May 14, 2017 14:55 2005 4065a5a8898c7cc661d4adf97a0bcd4e 1 Business Jokowi,Joko-Widodo,OBOR,one-belt-one-road,Xi-Jinping,infrastructure-development Free President Joko Jokowi Widodo is scheduled to attend the opening of Chinas One Belt One Road (OBOR) summit at the China National Convention Center in Beijing on Sunday. The two-day summit will be attended by a total of 29 heads of states, according to a press statement obtained by The Jakarta Post. Foreign Minister Retno Marsudi confirmed that Indonesia had prepared several development programs to be laid out in the summit, including those comprising infrastructure and connectivity. (Read also: RI plays it cool in competition for China's OBOR money) In the ASEAN context, there is also the ASEAN Connectivity 2025, such as the launch of the roll-on/roll-off, or ro-ro, sea route from Davao-General Santos-Bitung, which had been inaugurated by President Joko Widodo and Philippine President Rodrigo Roa Duterte, she said. Retno added that Indonesia was open to all cooperation with other parties, including in the OBOR initiative. Following the opening ceremony, Jokowi is set to visit the Niujie mosque, the oldest and largest mosque in Beijing, where he will meet with ulema and Muslim scholars. The President will also meet with Tsinghua University president Qiu Yong, Polands Prime Minister Beata Szydlo and International Monetary Fund (IMF) managing director Christine Lagarde. Last but not least, Jokowi is also scheduled to meet with Chinese President Xi Jinping before dinner at the Great Hall of the People. (tas) Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin Fedina S. Sundaryani (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta Sun, May 14, 2017 19:56 2005 4065a5a8898c7cc661d4adf97a0c21d9 1 Business Joko-Widodo,Jokowi,one-belt-one-road,Poland,Poland-Prime-Minister-Beata-Szydlo,maritime-cooperation,tourism-cooperation,Polish-students,Polish-tourists Free Indonesia hopes to increase maritime and people-to-people cooperation with Poland, as their top leaders met on the sidelines of a high-profile forum in Beijing, China, on Sunday. President Joko Jokowi Widodo met with Polands Prime Minister Beata Szydlo and called on his counterpart to support the Indonesia-European Union Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (IEU-CEPA) negotiations. He also touted Polands long tradition in the maritime and shipping sectors as a boon to Indonesias maritime industry. (Read also: RI seeks out science, technology cooperation with Tsinghua University) Indonesia is currently developing its maritime infrastructure, including ports and ships, to increase the connectivity among Indonesias islands. This is why I have called for increased cooperation in the maritime sector between Poland and Indonesia, Jokowi said in a press statement obtained by The Jakarta Post. In terms of people-to-people contact, the former Jakarta governor emphasized the need to increase cooperation in tourism. I also wish for Polands support to realize a plan to open direct flight routes traveling Jakarta-Warsaw-Jakarta, he said. As many as 27,903 Polish tourists visited Indonesia in 2016 and Jokowi said he appreciated the establishment of a tourism package between Warsaw and Denpasar, Bali, with Polish flag carrier LOT Polish Airlines. The President also touched on the education sector. Since 1987, up to 400 Polish university students have received the Dharmasiswa scholarship, and from 2011 to 2015, six Polish students received the Indonesian Arts and Culture scholarship. Jokowi and Szydlo are in Beijing to attend Chinas One Belt One Road (OBOR) summit from Sunday to Monday. (tas) Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin Fedina S. Sundaryani (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta Sun, May 14, 2017 19:24 2005 4065a5a8898c7cc661d4adf97a0c0413 1 Business Joko-Widodo,Jokowi,industry-ministry,science-and-technology,Tsinghua-University,one-belt-one-road Free President Joko Jokowi Widodo expressed interest in strengthening cooperation in science and technology with Chinas Tsinghua University during his two-day visit to China. Jokowi met with the universitys president, Qiu Yong, on Sunday, during which he expressed his appreciation for the signing of a letter of intent between Tsinghua University and Indonesias Industry Ministry in relation to community empowerment. I also hope that the plan to establish a Tsinghua South East Asia Center for innovation as well as the cooperation between the Industry Ministry and Tsinghua [university] will be realized soon, he said, according to a press statement obtained by The Jakarta Post. (Read also: Jokowi to attend OBOR opening) The government expects such a research center to improve Indonesian manpower in the industrial sector and create new jobs through vocational education. During the meeting with Qiu, Jokowi was accompanied by several officials, including Industry Minister Airlangga Hartarto and Indonesian Ambassador to China Soegeng Rahardjo. He is in Beijing to attend the two-day One Belt One Road (OBOR) summit in China. Up to 29 heads of states are scheduled to attend the summit. Jokowi is scheduled to meet with Polands Prime Minister Beata Szydlo and International Monetary Fund (IMF) managing director Christine Lagarde. Last but not least, Jokowi is set to meet with Chinese President Xi Jinping before dinner at the Great Hall of the People. (tas) Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin Safrin La Batu (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta Sun, May 14, 2017 17:30 2005 4065a5a8898c7cc661d4adf97a0bf647 1 National Komnas-HAM,human-rights Free A number of human rights groups have called for reform of the National Commission on Human Rights (Komnas HAM) after reports showed that the state-sponsored human rights body had shown "little" progress in investigating past rights abuses. Speaking in a press conference on Sunday, the groups, under the Coalition to Save Komnas HAM, said some cases being investigated by the commission had been left unresolved despite it having been given substantial authority by the state to investigate human rights abuse cases. For example, investigations into alleged rights abuse by the police and the military in Wasior, Wamena, Papua in 2001 showed improper handling by the commission as some documents relating to victims and witnesses had vanished. "[Many] investigations conducted by Komnas HAM have failed," said Asfinawati, the chairwoman of the Indonesian Legal Aid Institute Foundation (YLBHI), which is part of the coalition. (Read also: Komnas HAM commissioner selection eliminates group representation) Besides failure to complete investigations of past rights abuses, the groups also showed some alleged irregularities regarding the commission's financial report in 2015, as uncovered by the Supreme Audit Council (BPK) past year. The groups said in its press release that according to the BPK report, there were at least eight indications of financial irregularities regarding the commission's 2015 financial report. One of the irregularities was an indication of fictive procurements totaling Rp 820.25 million (US$61,506) in the commission's report, the groups said. (wit) Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta Mon, May 15 2017 Indonesia and Germany may move into a new era of maritime cooperation during the G20 meeting in Hamburg, Germany, in July, a minister has said. National Development Planning Minister Bambang Brodjonegoro said that currently, Indonesia and Germany had reached agreements in three areas of cooperation, namely education, renewable energy development and palm oil certification. We will continue with these areas of cooperation. There will be further cooperation in the maritime sector between Indonesia and Germany, but maybe this will happen after leaders of the two countries meet, said Bambang after a signing ceremony marking Indonesian-German cooperation in vocational education on Friday. to Read Full Story SUBSCRIBE NOW Starting from IDR 55,500/month Unlimited access to our web and app content e-Post daily digital newspaper No advertisements, no interruptions Privileged access to our events and programs Subscription to our newsletters We accept Register to read 3 premium articles for free Already subscribed? login Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin Liza Yosephine (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta Mon, May 15 2017 Indonesia is pushing ahead to advance its infrastructure development and connectivity by forging cooperation with Poland and China during meetings held on the sidelines of Beijings new Silk Road forum. President Joko Jokowi Widodo met on Sunday with Polish Prime Minister Beata Szydlo to discuss maritime cooperation, as the eastern European countrys experience in maritime and shipping is seen as beneficial in a partnership to develop Indonesias own maritime industry. to Read Full Story SUBSCRIBE NOW Starting from IDR 55,500/month Unlimited access to our web and app content e-Post daily digital newspaper No advertisements, no interruptions Privileged access to our events and programs Subscription to our newsletters We accept Register to read 3 premium articles for free Already subscribed? login TheJakartaPost Please Update your browser Your browser is out of date, and may not be compatible with our website. A list of the most popular web browsers can be found below. Just click on the icons to get to the download page. Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin Razak Ahmad (The Star/Asia News Network) Petaling Jaya Sun, May 14, 2017 16:23 2005 4065a5a8898c7cc661d4adf97a0be597 2 SE Asia #ransomware,ransomware,#malware,malware,cyber-attacks,#CyberSecurity,Malaysia,#Malaysia Free Malaysias cyber security agency has issued an alert as the country emerged as one of the nearly 100 nations hit by a massive global cyberattack of ransomware. CyberSecurity Malaysia, an agency under the Science, Technology and Innovation Ministry, urged all Internet users and system administrators to secure their machines and networks to protect against the WanaCrypt0r 2.0 or WannaCry ransomware. Ransomware is a type of malicious software, or malware, designed to block access to a computer system until a sum of money is paid. We urge system administrators to patch their systems as soon as possible and keep their users aware of the new ransomware in order to prevent them from opening suspicious e-mails and files, said chief executive officer Amirudin Abdul Wahab in the alert issued on Saturday. The alert said the malware used a vulnerability first revealed to the public as part of a leaked stash of documents from the National Security Agency, Americas military intelligence organization. The cyberattack detected on Friday reportedly hit 99 countries, affecting the computer networks of Britains National Health Service, Russias interior ministry and international shipper FedEx, among others. AFP quoted British Prime Minister Theresa May as saying that the attack was not targeted at any particular country. Its an international attack and a number of countries and organizations have been affected, May said. A real-time map of the attack by security blog MalwareTech that was widely referred to in international news reports put Malaysia as one of the countries hit. However, it did not specify which computer networks or servers were affected. The map can be viewed at https://intel.malwaretech.com/botnet/wcrypt/?t=24h&bid=all Reuters reported that victims who opened infected e-mail attachments would find their data encrypted. The ransomware would then demand payments of up to US$600 (2,640 Malaysian ringgit) to restore access. CyberSecurity said ransomware could lead to temporary or permanent loss of sensitive or proprietary information, disruption to regular operations, financial losses and potential harm to an organizations reputation. It advised Internet users to back up their data regularly, maintain an up-to-date anti-virus operating system and not to click on unsolicited e-mail attachments. We are monitoring the situation in Malaysia and will take necessary action by providing technical assistance to affected organizations and individual users on remediation and prevention, said Amirudin. Internet users can keep track of CyberSecuritys latest threat advisories on its website www.mycert.org.my. As at 10 a.m. on Saturday, the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission said no attacks had been reported. This article appeared on The Star newspaper website, which is a member of Asia News Network and a media partner of The Jakarta Post Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin News Desk (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta Sun, May 14, 2017 15:32 2005 4065a5a8898c7cc661d4adf97a0bd640 1 News ecotourism,Tourism-Ministry,Tourism-Ministry-Pesona-Indonesia,tourism-ministry-wonderful-Indonesia,SDGs,Sustainable-Development-Goals,sustainable-tourism Free In preparation for the upcoming International Year of Sustainable Tourism for Development 2017 event on June 21 to 24 in Manila, the Tourism Ministry recently conducted a focus group discussion (FGD) on May 10 to discuss sustainable tourism statistics. Sustainable tourism has become a priority on the national agenda of several countries, as well as on an international level, such as at the United Nations General Assembly. Thats why this FGD is being held, to prepare material and recommendations from Indonesia that will be presented at the upcoming conference in Manila, explained I Gede Ardika, the head of the Sustainable Tourism Development Acceleration Task Force. Read also: The birth of a new living organism: Indonesia's first Earthship The conference in Manila is going to result in the declaration of how important the development of statistical framework is to measure sustainable tourism. Ardika expressed his wishes for the FGD participants to come up with a methodology to measure sustainable tourism, to understand the statistical issues in measuring sustainable tourism and gain some measuring examples to be implemented on a local and national level to act as a reference for the international level. No one has ever discussed creating a standardized basis for data collection of relevant information on a national or sub-national level. This significant gap is limiting the potential development of the policy to improve sustainable tourism, said Samsriyono Nugroho, Tourism Ministrys technology and information special staff. To bridge the gap, the UN World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) with support from the UN Statistics Division (UNSD) has initiated Towards a Statistical Framework for Measuring Sustainable Tourism (MST). This project is a continuation of the UNWTO's previous projects, which are the Tourism Satellite Account (TSA) and International Recommendations for Tourism Statistics (IRTS). Read also: Protected waterbirds found in Ketapang, indicating healthy wetlands Tourism Minister Arief Yahya said that Indonesia has good judgment when it comes to sustainable tourism. In fact, Indonesia ranked second after China in that category. Tourism isnt merely just about destinations, but also takes into account the overall sustainable development of infrastructures. UNWTO defines sustainable tourism as tourism that takes full account of its current and future economic, social and environmental impact, addressing the needs of visitors, the industry, the environment and host communities, he said. (asw) The leaked draft of Labours election manifesto includes commitments to nationalise or renationalise many British industries. But what does that mean? What is nationalisation? (Stefan Rousseau/PA) Nationalisation is the transfer of a private business to state ownership or control. It is normally applied to the takeover of major branches of industry and companies rather than smaller businesses. Which industries does Labour want to nationalise, according to the draft? The draft includes nationalisation plans for the energy industry, the railway and bus networks and Royal Mail. Would this mean the government would just take over running all of those industries? Rail networks would be nationalised as each private franchise expires. Publicly owned bus companies would be set up. Royal Mail would return to public ownership (it was privatised fully in 2015) and a state owned rival company to the existing Big Six private energy firms would be created. What do nationalisation supporters say? You: haha he wants to renationalise the railways Also you: I'll have a 120 return please, with 4-hour delay and a bus replacement service Anita Singh (@anitathetweeter) May 10, 2017 Unite boss Len McCluskey said the manifesto policies in general were really really exciting and described rail renationalisation as the most popular policy out there. YouGov poll in 2015 showed 58% of people supported re-nationalising rail, water supplies and other utilities. Even though the railways are currently privately owned, the government still provides spends a large amount of money operating, maintaining, renewing and enhancing the railway to the tune of 4.8 billion in 2015-2016. What do its critics say? Josh Hardie, deputy director general of the Confederation of British Industry (CBI), said: Proposals to damage the UKs flexible labour market and competitive markets will threaten jobs and prosperity. Critics of nationalisation say keeping businesses and industries privately owned leads to increased efficiency and less government subsidy. Has nationalisation been done before? Many industries were nationalised during the 20th century. They include railways, coal mining, the electricity, gas, iron and steel and civil aviation industries, telecommunications, the Bank of England and healthcare, which led to the formation of the NHS. All of this was done by the Attlee Labour government in the late 1940s. Have any famous names been nationalised? (Jonathan Brady/PA) Rolls-Royce was nationalised in 1971 by the Conservative Heath government after problems in its aviation engine arm left it in administration and on the brink of total collapse. Similarly the Northern Rock bank was nationalised in 2008 during the Financial Crisis. Travel firm Thomas Cook was in state hands between 1948 and 1972 because it was owned by a rail firm when that industry was nationalised after the Second World War. Was all nationalisation post-war? According to the National Archives in 1916, during the First World War, five breweries and more than 300 pubs and bars in what is now northern Cumbria and south-west Scotland were nationalised as part of the Carlisle Experiment, so the government could control and reduce drinking by workers at armament factories in the area, as part of a nationwide drive to boost war production. So what happened? (Andrew Milligan/PA) Sell-offs have happened at various points but they sped up after Margaret Thatcher became prime minister in 1979, promising widespread deregulation after the industrial turmoil of the 1970s. Her government privatised British Telecom, British Aerospace, British Airways, British Gas and the British Steel Corporation among others. Her successor John Major broke up British Rail and, most recently, the government sold its last shares in Royal Mail in 2015, having floated it it in 2013. To the artist, the landscape constitutes the primary source of melancholy. It's the symbol of death and the ruthless passing of time, but also a symbol of life - because landscapes are eternal , they will always outlive the ones who admires it. The landscape of Nordic Iceland is not only a source of inspiration for many artists, but also a haven for those in need of getting in touch with the invigorating power of Mother Earth. The youngest area of the European continent is situated at the meeting point of the Arctic Sea and the Atlantic Ocean. I visited the land of ice in the winter, seeking inspiration for one of my films. After landing at the airport in Reykjavik, the capital of Iceland - and the northernmost capital in the whole world - I felt as if I were in a fairytale. Right from the start, I could see that the Icelandic people adored elves. They were everywhere - mascots, books, tshirts and figurines, all depicting elves. About 80% of Iceland's population believes in the so-called hidden people, or elves (allegedly). The belief in elves is linked to the Christian faith. Legend has it that the first woman, Eve, was washing her children when God visited her. Embarrassed, she hid her unwashed children behind her back and since then, the so-called hidden people or elves have walked the Earth. In the capital there is even an Elvish School, where you can attend lectures on Elvish history and culture and have a conversation with those who managed to meet and talk to the Elves. People believe that it's the angry elves that bring avalanches to Iceland - for the rock avalanche that fell onto the city of Bolungravik, the residents blamed no one else, but the Elves. The strong belief in supernatural beings is also reinforced by the fact that there are special roads built just for the Elves. Legend goes that whenever someone spotted an Elf walking along a street, a special road was built alongside it for the safety of the Elves. Fascinated by the unconventional culture of Icelanders, I could barely wait until I would be able to take a bath in the most well-known geothermal spa in the world. The Blue Lagoon is a geothermal spa situated about an hours drive from Reykjavik. The geothermally heated groundwater, rising from the Earths crust, is rich in minerals, as well as silica. Around the hot spring, there are many pots filled with silica mud, which you can use to rub on your body. This top tourist destination was named a wonder of the world by National Geographic. In its description, the magazine claims that "the steaming turquoise pools of Iceland's Blue Lagoon, trapped in volcanic rock represent an otherworldly vision." On the first day of my stay, I was immediately intrigued by the Icelanders approach to nudity. Being naked in public showers or the sauna is something completely normal to them. After getting out of the Blue Lagoon, I wrapped a towel around myself and could feel that the locals were giving me strange looks. Well, I was the only one with a towel on after all, and everyone else wasn't embarrassed in the slightest by their nudity. They simply stood there and discussed what they watched in the cinema recently, as if it was the most usual thing in the world. The lady responsible for keeping the Blue Lagoon clean walked up to me and said to me with a smile on her face: "You have to get used to that. Here, nobody is embarrassed by their bodies and nobody will judge you for you what you look like, only for who you are as a human being. Oh, and one more thing! Were a very happy nation and were always smiling. Were naked and smiling." Then the woman laughed and got back to her work. Iceland is known as the land of volcanoes and geysers. Out of the 30-odd geysers scattered around Iceland, some of them are known as dormant geysers, or simply geothermal hot springs. Geysers are hot springs associated with volcanic areas. A geyser eruption could last anything from a few seconds to a few hours! Its the difference in pressure that causes the groundwater to be propelled with great force out of the ground canals. The water inn a geyser can reach temperatures as high as 100C, so there have been instances of geysers swallowing up body parts, when people attempted to submerge their arms or legs in the hot spring. A geyser erupting is an incredible sight to behold and it reminds you that Iceland truly is a land of the fairytales. As the rift, which marks the division between two tectonic plates runs across Iceland, the country has extensive volcanic activity. There are over 130 volcanoes on the island, 18 of which have been active since 874 AD, or the year the settlement of Iceland is generally believed to have begun. It was there, in Iceland, that the largest effusive eruption of lava in recorded history occurred in 1783, which lasted for almost eight months. Iceland fascinated me with the energy and power that dwells within it its a place which I will definitely visit again! 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SD voter turnout 57.5% By Press Trust of India: (Eds: Updating with fresh inputs) From Aditi Khanna London, May 14 (PTI) The "unprecedented" ransomware cyberattack has hit as many as 200,000 victims in over 150 countries, Europes leading security chief said today and warned of possible fresh disruption when workers switch on their computers at the start of the working week tomorrow. advertisement The countries, including India, were hit by what is believed to be the biggest-ever recorded cyberattack on Friday with investigators looking for those behind the hack that affected systems at banks, hospitals and government agencies globally, media reports said. "At the moment, we are in the face of an escalating threat. The numbers are going up, I am worried about how the numbers will continue to grow when people go to work and turn (on) their machines on Monday morning," Europol Director Rob Wainwright said. The threat was "escalating" as cyber experts warned that another attack was imminent in coming days, he said. "The global reach is unprecedented. The latest count is over 200,000 victims in at least 150 countries and those victims many of those will be businesses including large corporations," Wainwright told ITV news channel. Fridays ransomware attack hit over 125,000 computer systems, with 48 National Health Service (NHS) trusts having to cancel appointment and operations. As nearly 45 NHS organisations from London to Scotland were hit in the "ransomware" attack on Friday, patients of the state-funded countrywide service faced chaos as appointments and surgeries had to be cancelled. The virus, which took control of users files, spread to 100 countries, including India, the UK, Spain, France and Russia. Oliver Gower of the UKs National Crime Agency said: "Cyber criminals may believe they are anonymous, but we will use all the tools at our disposal to bring them to justice". After taking computers over, the virus displayed messages demanding a payment of 300 dollars in virtual currency Bitcoin to unlock files and return them to the user. BBC analysis of three accounts linked with the global attack suggests the hackers have already been paid the equivalent of 22,080 pounds (USD 28,458). Individuals and organisations were discouraged from paying the ransom, as it was not guaranteed that the access would be restored. MalwareTech blogger, who wants to remain anonymous, was hailed as an "accidental hero" after registering a domain name to track the spread of the virus, which actually ended up halting it. advertisement Investigators are working to track down those responsible for the ransomware used on Friday, known as Wanna Decryptor or WannaCry. The virus exploits a vulnerability in Microsoft Windows software, first identified by the US National Security Agency. A security update was released by Microsoft in March to protect against the virus. However, it seems that many NHS trusts had not applied it or were using an older version of the operating system which is no longer supported - Windows XP. NHS Digital said that 4.7 per cent of devices within the NHS use Windows XP, with the figure continuing to decrease. Microsoft has now sent out patches for WindowsXP in an attempt to limit the damage, while the NHS took steps over the weekend to send out the recent security updates for trusts who had not put it in place. The hackers are believed to have used "cyber weapons" stolen from the US National Security Agency to lock up computers and hold users files for ransom. The most disruptive attacks were reported in the UK, where hospitals and clinics were forced to turn away patients after losing access to computers. advertisement The ransomware is a type of malicious software that infects a computer and restricts users access to it until a ransom is paid to unlock it. It demands users pay USD 300 worth of cryptocurrency Bitcoin to retrieve their files, though it warns that the payment will be raised after a certain amount of time. The malware spreads through e-mail. An Indian-origin doctor based in London had warned against the cyber-hack of the NHS just days before it crippled the countrys network. Dr Krishna Chinthapalli, a neurology registrar at the National Hospital for Neurology and Neurosurgery in London, had warned that an increasing number of hospitals could be shut down by ransomeware attacks inan article on the vulnerability of the NHS network in the British Medical Journal on Wednesday, two days before the major cyber-hack. He had highlighted an incident at Papworth Hospital near Cambridge where a nurse clicked on a malicious link and malware infected her computer and started to encrypt sensitive files. PTI AK CPS ASK CPS --- ENDS --- Actor and Bengal minister Bratya Basu on Sunday said that he was not sure if censorship of films could be effective in the era of internet. I am not sure how much effect censorship currently has in our country in the wake of the explosion of Internet, Basu told at the screening of short film The Sixth Element, which deals with the intimate relation between a widow and a foreigner. While, praising the film's director Arjun Dutta, Basu said, He did a commendable job by taking up such a subject which had seldom been handled properly in Bengali films. The Sixth Element has won the best director jury award at Delhi International Short Film Festival and the best cinematographer jury award at Mumbai Shorts International Film Festival. I wanted to show this in a very dignified way. I had always wanted to make a film on female bonding and as shooting progressed, I gradually incorporated the queer elements, Dutta said. I think we are indebted to Rituparno Ghosh for bringing up such issues in our films so sensitively, he added. The film features Debjani Chatterjee, Verity Danbold, Anushka Maitra, Shaoni Mojumdar, Mayukh Ray and Kunal Karmakar The English are at it again, looting and pillaging as they have done through colonial times. The only point is, this time its not the Kohinoor or the wealth of Bengal that they are accused of running off with but a wealth of language. Philip Goodens book is designed to tell us how English became the rich language it is today aptly illustrated by the number of synonyms for loot on the cover! Actually borrow is probably the best word since the original ones still remain in the languages they came from and the language has in some cases transmuted the word. Gooden chooses to organise his book differently. According to him, English disponges from other languages. Disponge by the way is a word that Shakespeare used to describe squeezing out of a sponge. The word did not survive but English continued to sponge with vim and vigour. Gooden provides a list of the stolen words starting with the earliest thing for example, is spelled with a Viking thorn instead of a th since the th did not then exist in the language and while talking about the word, taking the reader back through a kind of history of similar words and where they came from. Many words came with the marauders who invaded England, like the Vikings, the Romans and the Normans. Not surprisingly, Shakespeare is responsible for quite a few words like disaster and incarnadine and occasionally affecting the use of language by turning nouns into verbs. And then when the English did set out to look and pillage on their own account, as Shashi Tharoor accuses them of doing, they brought back words with them as well as treasure. Sugar for example is related to sakkar while shampoo comes from the Hindi champna. However, Gooden rather oddly does not delve into the Indian lexicon, restricting it to nirvana and juggernaut, not to mention doolally, which has gone out of use but comes from Deolali in Maharashtra where the Brits set up a transit camp and where people succumbed to melancholy from the malarial miasma. The blow to Indian linguistic pride notwithstanding, the facts that accompany these words make for a fascinating collection of trivia for example, the first American lexicon was compiled by Samuel Johnson Junior who was no relation to the venerable Samuel Johnson responsible for the first English dictionary. Miltons pandemonium meant exactly the opposite when it was first coined and the dreaded juggernaut was first seen in action by a group of French priests! Mumbo jumbo comes from west Africa where it was a name given to a dancer who acted as third umpire in womens squabbles. Gooden adds an interesting series of footnotes as well. Murphys Law, for example was coined by John Bangsund to describe how, if you set out as an editor to highlight someone elses written errors, you will inevitably make ones of your own. Of course Murphys Law has come to mean something else altogether by now. The book is entertaining and rich, highlighting the fact that English has never stood still one of the latest words dates to 1954. But then, that would apply to an Indian language like Bengali as well. Languages have the freedom to reach out and borrow and then reinvent themselves all over again. In the process is a kind of shape-shifting that Shakespeare would have appreciated if it had been pointed out to him. The reviewer is a freelance contributor The government on Sunday said it has activated a "preparedness and response mechanism" to prevent any major cyber attack from a new ransomware "Wannacry" which has infected computer systems around the world. According to the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY), it has activated a "preparedness and response mechanism" by instructing CERT-IN (Computer Emergency Response Team) to gather "all the information of the reported ransomware". Just a few days ago a global cyber attack was launched using the "WannaCry" ransomware. The malicious software infects a computer and restricts users' access to it until a ransom is paid to unlock it. On May 13, CERT-IN had issued an advisory for both reactive and preventive actions to deal with the ransomware. "MeitY has initiated contact with relevant stakeholders in public and private sector to 'patch' their systems as prescribed in the advisory issued by CERT-IN. MeitY has also requested Microsoft India to inform all their partners and customers to apply relevant patches," the ministry said in a statement. "In India, no reports have been formally received so far regarding this ransomware attack. However, it is understood that a few systems of the police department in Andhra Pradesh were impacted. MeitY has informed AP government, to follow the CERT-In advisory." As per the Cyber Swachhta Kendra (Botnet Cleaning and Malware Analysis Centre), ransomware spreads by using a vulnerability in implementations of "Server Message Block" (SMB) in Windows systems. India Today has access to proof of how former PWD engineer Dinesh Sharma exposed nepotism in Kejriwal's AAP by showing that he was relieved of his duty for not working on a contract as asked by the CM's relative. By Syed Masroor Hasan, Md Hizbullah, Ankit Tyagi: After allegations of bribery, fake bills, hawala transactions and money laundering, India Today now has access to irrefutable proof of how deeply entrenched nepotism is in the Aam Aadmi Party government in Delhi. The shocking revelations have come from former engineer in the Delhi Public Works Department Dinesh Sharma, who said that he was arm-twisted into abiding by the writ of Renu Construction company, which belongs to Kejriwal's deceased brother-in-law Surender Bansal. advertisement Sharma has claimed that Bansal's son Vinay Kumar called him in April last year and threatened him of dire consequences if he (Sharma) prevented his (Vinay Kumar's) workers from breaking the drain in Delhi's Mundka area to make a passage for his vehicle to pass through to carry material for the under-construction drain elsewhere. "When I refused to listen to Mr Bansal's son, I was relieved of my duties in the Delhi government in May 2016", Sharma said. WHAT HAPPENED The former PWD engineer said that the department had given a contract to Renu Constructions to construct a drainage in Delhi's Mundka area. "They had bid at very low rates, at just 42 per cent of the minimum amount. Accepting the contract at such low rates was not economically viable. This work could not have begun while I was there because I demanded that the work be done in accordance with rules and propriety. So they had me transferred because they could not afford to let me continue in that post." Dinesh Sharma's letter to the police. Dinesh Sharma's letter to the police. In a letter to the Delhi Assistant Commissioner of Police, Sharma exposes the modus operandi employed by contractors under the AAP government. In the letter, he says that he caught 3 people demolishing a perfectly-built drain using a tractor and a compressor. When Dinesh asked them to stop destroying the drain, he got a call from Kejriwal's nephew, who threatened him with his life. Sharma said, "My seniors in the PWD department could not pressurise me. Everyone knew what kind of a person I was. I wasn't going to take wrong orders from anyone. It was on April 3, 2016 when my boss asked the contractor to demolish the drain on a Sunday, my off day. However, I got to know about it and reached the spot to stop the illegal demolition. I got a call threatening me. But I refused to let the illegal work happen." Last year in May when Sharma was on leave, he was transferred to the parent cadre CPWD and relieved of his responsibilities. "My transfer file was sent to the Secretariat. I got to know. I asked what had I done. On May 6, I left for America to visit my daughter. It was in my absence that I was transferred on May 10. I was relieved of my duty while I was on leave till May 22", Sharma said. advertisement HAVE FACTS TO RESPOND TO CHARGES: AAP Meanwhile, reacting to India Today's Expose, the Aam Aadmi Party has said that the government will respond to the charges as they have facts. According to sources, government and senior officials of the PWD department were told uncertain facts. Sources say out of the two contracts given to Renu Constructions, one has been completed while the other was cancelled. The contract which was cancelled is the one for which the said engineer filed a complaint. The CM's office maintains that there has been no favouritism. AAP says ACB has already registered cases and investigation is going on. The party adds that anyone found guilty - whether that person be the CM's relative, a minister or any official - will be dealt with strictly in accordance with law. WATCH VIDEO --- ENDS --- Delhi Congress chief Ajay Maken on Sunday sought a "thorough probe" into the allegations levelled by sacked Delhi minister Kapil Mishra regarding "illegal" foreign funding received by the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP). At a press meet here, he also demanded Delhi Chief Minister and AAP chief Arvind Kejriwal's resignation. "The allegations are serious. Kejriwal should step down on moral and legal grounds," he said. Maken said there should be an investigation to trace the source of foreign funding to AAP, adding that it was "unlikely that the government agencies were unaware of it". The Congress leader also targeted the BJP-led government at the Centre and wondered why was it not prosecuting Kejriwal and why an FIR under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act was not lodged against the AAP government. "AAP, which floated shell companies to convert black money into white money to show in its accounts, also receives illegal foreign funding, which is a serious matter," he said. Mishra on Sunday accused Kejriwal and his party of "massive financial irregularities". Earlier, Congress leaders Anand Sharma and Amarinder Singh had claimed that "divisive forces sitting in foreign countries" were funding the AAP. The reported killing of an RSS worker, allegedly by CPI-M activists in Keralas Kannur, evoked sharp reactions on Saturday from the RSS and BJP with the former condemning the ruling Left party in the state for the incident and the latter demanding Kannur be declared a disturbed area. Taking the CPI-M threat into account, Biju was provided with police security which was withdrawn last week. That itself implies that he was under their scanner for a long time and the murder was an outcome a sinister political conspiracy. He was falsely implicated in a murder case by the police at the behest of the ruling party and state government. Once again, the ruling party CPI-M has reiterated that the party is reluctant to put down arms in Kannur and support the peace initiatives, RSS senior functionary Manmohan Vaidya said here. The victim Kakkampara Mandal Karyavah Choorakkadu Biju was reportedly hacked to death near Payyannur, in Kannur on 12 May. The assailants in a car reportedly hit Bijus bike near a bridge at Palamkode and later hacked him to death with swords. After the death of the RSS worker came to light a delegation of BJP state unit leaders headed by the partys lone MLA and former Union Minister O Rajagopal, called on Governor P Sathasivam and submitted a memorandum demanding Kannur be declared a disturbed area. They also sought imposition of AFPSA (Armed Forces (Special Powers) Acts). Rajagopal later alleged that the state government had failed to maintain law and order. The only solution to maintain law and order is to hand over the law enforcement of the district to the army, he said. Reacting to the killing, Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan on Saturday termed the incident as very unfortunate. He sought to project it as an isolated incident. Concerned persons have to be cautious to see that the situation is not turning worse. The government will make all efforts to bring the guilty before law, the chief minister said. The BJP called a dawn to dusk strike in Kannur. Kerala has been witness to the politics of retaliation between the BJP-RSS and CPI-M for some time. The increased spate of murders of Swayamsevaks in Kerala under the CPI M) regime affirms the Governments conspicuous role in political killings. It is highly condemnable and despicable that the State Police and State machinery remain as silent spectators while the CPI (M) cadres are on killing spree towards Swayamsevaks in Kannur and other places," the RSS charged, demanding Kerala Police bring all murderers and conspirators to book. Continuing his attack on Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal, sacked minister Kapil Mishra on Sunday alleged that the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) lied about its donation figures to the Election Commission (EC). He collapsed when he was showing some cheques to the media and was rushed to hospital. Addressing a press conference here, Mishra alleged that the AAP had over Rs 45 crore in its bank account during the financial year of 2013-2014 whereas the party in its declaration to the EC had showed an income of around Rs 9 crore. Mishra alleged that the party concealed around Rs 36 crore from the party workers and government. He said the party has accumulated the money through shell companies. Mishra made a presentation during the press conference claiming false information was given by the AAP to the EC regarding its bank accounts, and, subsequently converted black money into white through hawala transactions. The former minister has been on an indefinite hunger strike since Wednesday at his official residence here, demanding that Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal must reveal the source of funding of the foreign trips of five Aam Aadmi Party leaders Sanjay Singh, Ashish Khetan, Raghav Chadhha, Satyendra Jain and Durgesh Pathak in the last two years. Mishra was sacked on May 6 in a sudden move and later was also suspended from the party. This comes a day after he alleged that the police were trying to forcibly take him to the hospital. Mishra, a lawmaker from Delhi's Karawal Nagar assembly segment, had alleged that he saw Delhi Health Minister Satyendar Jain pay Rs. 2 crore to Kejriwal at latters house. He also alleged that Mr Jain helped a relative of the AAP chief with a Rs. 50-crore property deal. He alleged that hundreds of shell companies have been opened by Kejriwal to turn black money into white. He also assured to provide documents of the shell companies. (With agency inputs) In a diplomatic outreach to the Arab world ahead of Prime Minister Narendra Modis visit to Israel in early July, India will host Palestine President Mahmoud Abbas, who is arriving here on Sunday on a four-day State Visit. The invitation to Abbas is being seen in diplomatic circles as a balancing act by New Delhi since there are many nations in the Arab world which are disappointed that the Indian PM will not be going to Palestine when he undertakes his maiden trip to the Jewish nation, a clear departure from the policy followed so far by Indian Heads of State while visiting the region. Abbas will be accompanied by a high-level delegation, including Deputy Prime Minister Ziad Abu Amr and Foreign Minister D Riyad al-Maliki. According to the MEA, Abbas will hold official-level talks with Modi on Tuesday. He will also have meetings with other top Indian leaders while President Pranab Mukherjee will host a banquet in his honour. The visit will provide an opportunity for reviewing the entire gamut of bilateral relations, Middle East Peace Process, regional and international issues, a press release said. Abbass trip will also help New Delhi get a sense of the current Palestinian position on its dispute with Israel ahead of Modis trip. MoUs on cooperation in various areas are expected to be signed during the visit. The two sides are also said to be looking at the possibility of setting in place a security mechanism during Abbas visit. As of now, they share no pact on fighting terror and this security mechanism will enable sharing of information and perspectives, besides combating the menace. Hyderabad police on 13 May registered a case against BJP legislator Raja Singh Lodh, who described old city of Hyderabad as "mini Pakistan" and made some other objectionable remarks. Singh, who is a member of Telangana state assembly from Goshamahal constituency in the city, had told a television channel in an interview that the Constitution and the law currently in force are not his priorities. The controversial MLA also stated that he is preparing a private Army and training the youth with the lethal weapons to fight with others. "His interview is provocative, promoting enmity among the public and leading to the disturbance of peace, public order and communal harmony," Deputy Commissioner of Police V Satyanarayana said. A case under section 153-A of Indian Penal Code has been booked against him at Mir Chowk police station in the old city. Meanwhile, police have also booked Mohammed Abdul Majid of Darasgah Jihad-o-Shadat (DJS) on same charges for conducting mass drill with "arms" and lathis on at Hazrat Ujale Shah Edigha ground on 12 May and for making provocative speech. According to police, he was conducting classes for volunteers/members and youths in the name of self defence. A case against Majid has been booked in Saidabad police station. Mumbai terror attack mastermind and Jamat-ud Dawah (JuD) chief Hafiz Saeed and his four aides have been detained for spreading terrorism in the name of jihad, Pakistan's interior ministry has told a judicial review board. Saeed appeared before the board yesterday and told it that he had been detained by the Pakistani government in order to stop him from raising voice for Kashmiris. However, the interior ministry rejected his arguments and told the three-member board that Saeed and his four aides have been detained for spreading terrorism in the name of jihad. The board comprising Justice Ejaz Afzal Khan of the Supreme Court (head), Justice Ayesha A Malik of Lahore High Court and Justice Jamal Khan Mandokhail of Balochistan High Court directed the ministry to submit a complete record regarding detention of Saeed and his aides Zafar Iqbal, Abdul Rehman Abid, Abdullah Ubaid and Qazi Kashif Niaz on next hearing on May 15. The board also sought personal appearance of the attorney general of Pakistan on next hearing. Police produced Saeed and his four aides before the board at Lahore registry of the apex court amid high security. A large number of Saeeds supporters gathered outside the court. Saeeds counsel advocate AK Dogar was also present but the founder of Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) chose to plead his case before the court. The allegations levelled by the government against me had never been proved by any state institution. My organisation and I have been victimised for raising voice for freedom of Kashmir and criticising the governments weak policy on the issue, Saeed said. He said that he had been placed under house arrest in order to stop him from raising voice for Kashmiri people. Saeed appealed to the board to set aside the Punjab governments detention order. The government detained the JuD leaders under pressure from United Nations and international organisations, an official representing the federal interior ministry told the board. Last Thursday Lahore High Court division bench had questioned as why Saeed and others were not presented before a review board before the government issued notification for extension to his detention for another 90 days. On April 30, detention of Saeed and his four aides was extended by the Punjab government for another 90 days under preventative detention under 11 EEE (I) and 11D of Anti- Terrorism Act 1997. The Punjab government on January 30 had put these five under house arrest in Lahore for their involvement in activities which can be prejudicial to peace and security. The government has also placed JuD and FIF under second schedule of the anti-terrorism act. The Nawaz government had reportedly taken action against Saeed after the US clearly told Islamabad that in case of not taking action against JuD and Saeed it may face sanctions. JuD is said to be the front for the banned Lashkar-e- Taiba (LeT). The organisation has been declared as a foreign terrorist organisation by the US in June 2014. Saeed and his aides said in their petition that the government detained them without any legal justification. They said the UN resolution followed by the government did not seek detention of any citizen. The detention of the JuD leaders is a simple case of mala fide intention and ulterior motive on part of the government as it has been done so to please India and the United States, the petition said. Dreaded Maoist leader Kundan Pahan, facing 128 cases including that of murder of senior police officers and carrying a reward of Rs.15 lakh on his head, surrendered before police here on Sunday. The CPI (Maoist) Jharkhand regional committee secretary is an accused in the killing of special branch inspector Francis Indwar in 2008 and loot of Rs. 5 crore from a cash van of ICICI bank. He was also allegedly involved in Baliba ambush in Saranda and killing of DSP Pramod Kumar in 2008 at Pundigiri near Bundu in Ranchi district, Ranchi Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Kuldip Diwedi said. Family members of Pahan, who takes aliases like Vikash and Ashish, were present as he surrendered before Additional Director General of Police RK Malik, IG (CRPF) Sanjay Lathkar, DIG AV Homkar and other senior police officers here. Malik congratulated the police team for convincing Pahan to come into the mainstream and their continuous success in controlling left wing extremism. True repentance is to accept ones mistakes, Malik said on the occasion and appealed to others connected with the extremist organisation to join the mainstream. Malik said state governments Nai Disha initiative gave one final opportunity this year to the naxalites to surrender. Inspector General of Police (CRPF) Sanjay Lathkar said the naxalites coming forward to surrender have understood the hollowness of Maoist ideology and believe in the Constitution. Deputy Inspector General of Police AV Homkar said it was a historic moment for the CRPF and the Jharkhand Police as several naxalites have given up arms due to their efforts. Kundan Pahan said that he had realised that he had wasted 20 years and would now help in the development works in the state. He said directly or indirectly I take responsibility of the incidents and expressed sorrow for those who died in Maoist violence. Pahan alleged that the senior Maoists get their children educated in foreign countries and indulge in extortion. Hindi film superstar Shah Rukh Khan, one of the world's 100 highest paid celebrities, says the core of his job as an actor remains to spread happiness and that the money, awards and fame that come along are "peripherals", which he is grateful about. The actor, whose TED Talk in Vancouver went viral on social media with his witty one-liners, words of wisdom, and more, spoke to in an email interview about his thoughts on stardom, how he can motivate others to follow their dreams, how he has so many dreams in his life that if he was to be left alone, he can just live in their company. How does the life he is living today as Bollywood's King Khan compare to the dreams he had when he entered the industry? Shah Rukh said: "It's extremely nice to hear the words King and Baadshah, heartthrob, loved, romantic hero, etc All these things are really positive things. I'd rather be hearing these than some negative aspects that people might attach to my name. So, I'm extremely thankful and happy that this happened." "Having said that, my core job is to try and entertain people. Like I always say, make them smile Fulfil some unfulfilled desire or emotion in them that might exist. Give them a couple of hours of happiness. It has to be as simple as that. Everything else that comes is peripheral." "Everything that gets attached to my acting in films whether it's the money, the fame, the name, whether it's on a power list, whether it's an award all of those are windfall games," Shah Rukh said. "I'm very happy about them and grateful about them. But the core of my job is can I make people happy whenever I'm in touch with them? Through my cinema? Through just talking to them or meeting them. When you're a star, people feel happy just meeting you or seeing you pass in a car. So to me, the core is just that, nothing else." Often, the 51-year-old star has said he sells dreams. But does the thought that there might come a time when he loses this ability, bother him? "No. It doesn't bother me. I believe that anyone who has the capability, the ability, the desire to sell dreams, has to dream them first. So, I have lots of dreams. As a matter of fact, if I were to be left alone, I could just live in the company of my dreams." "I don't really always need to get these dreams verified, quantified or substantiated," he said, stressing that he prefers to see the "optimistic side of life". Shah Rukh, who has spent almost three decades in Indian showbiz, will be hosting "TED Talks India: Nayi Soch", a global first Hindi TV talk show created in partnership with TED, the non-profit organisation devoted to 'ideas worth spreading', for Star India. Asked if motivational talks by public figures can bring about a positive change among the country's youths, SRK said: "I think 'motivational talk' as a term itself is overrated. It's not about giving motivation to someone." "I think if you can hold on to the interest of people through your experiences, then it's up to people to take away something of some worth which suits them. Not like the whole talk is going to become something that people are going to live by." "Some aspects may touch some people, some may not touch people, some may not like it at all. But I think as long as you can make it personal, people everywhere in the world get attached to personal emotions because emotions are universal." He also said: "For me to sit down and pen down my struggles and romanticise them, I think it's being ungrateful about the success I've got. But having said that, yes, I think it makes a lot of sense when you achieve something, when you come from no background, like I have When you come from a different city and without anyone helping out when things fall right, it just feels nicer." "It also gives the message to people that if you can work hard, and if you have a bit of talent and you believe in yourself, that's more than enough to achieve your dreams. You need nothing else." North Korea on Sunday launched a ballistic missile which flew around 700 km, the South Korean Joints Chief of Staff (JCS) said. This is the first provocative move from North Korea since South Korea appointed Moon Jae-in as the country's new President on Wednesday. The US calculated that the missile landed in water 60 miles south of Russia's Vladivostok region, an American security official told CNN. Vladivostock is home to the Russian Pacific Fleet. The US called for repercussions from the international community. "Let this latest provocation serve as a call for all nations to implement far stronger sanctions against North Korea," White House Press Secretary Sean Spicer said in a statement. "North Korea fired an unidentified missile at around 5.27 a.m. today (Sunday) from an area in the vicinity of Kusong, North Pyongan province," Yonhap News Agency quoted the JCS as saying in a statement. A US defence official confirmed that it flew that far, but said Washington was still investigating to determine the type of missile. In response, South Korean President Moon has strongly condemned North Korea for the launch, describing it as a grave threat to regional security and a clear violation of the UN Security Council resolutions. He also called on Pyongyang to reverse its course of provocations for the resumption of dialogue while warning that his administration would deal resolutely in order to ensure it would not "miscalculate" the situation. "Even if dialogue is possible, (we) should show (to North Korea) that it's possible only in case of North Korea changing its attitude," Moon said, presiding over a session of the National Security Council. Moon asked for a review of a missile system that is being developed to protect South Korea. Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe also slammed the launch, reports CNN. "Despite strong warning from the international community, North Korea launched a ballistic missile again," Abe said, adding "This is totally unacceptable and we strongly protest it. North Korea's missile launch is a serious threat to Japan and clearly violate against the UN resolution." The projectile launch comes two weeks after a ballistic missile test that South Korean and US officials said failed. That missile, launched on April 29, blew up over land in North Korean territory, according to a spokesman for the US Pacific Command. Though tensions between the United States and North Korea have been higher than usual over the past few months, a senior North Korean diplomat told Yonhap News Agency on Saturday that Pyongyang is open to talks with Washington "under the right conditions". An aircondtioner, a sofa and a carpet that were put up in the room at BSF martyr Prem Sagar's home in Deoria where Yogi Adityanath came to visit them were removed soon after the chief minister's departure. By India Today Web Desk: Family members of BSF head constable Prem Sagar, who was marytred in Jammu and Kashmir and his body mutilated by Pakistan earlier this month, were shocked beyond words when at his hometown Deoria, the district administration first installed an airconditioner and put up a sofa and carpet and then removed the same soon after Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath paid his visit at Sagar's residence. advertisement The Deoria district administration could not have, in a more humiliating way, mocked the martyrdom of a soldier. The martyr's kin said they were taken aback when authorities removed the window air conditioner, sofa and carpet soon after the chief minister left their place. AC, SOFA GONE SOON AFTER CM's VISIT "Officials took away the carpet, sofa and AC soon after Adityanath left our residence. Within 15 to 30 minutes of his departure, everything was gone", Dayasagar, brother of the fallen BSF trooper, said. However, there was no official word on it. The Deoria administration had installed an airconditioner, and put up a sofa and a carpet in the room where the chief minister was to meet the family. A day before the chief minister's visit, dusty roads in the village were cleaned and drains which always used to remain open were covered. WHEN WAS PREM SAGAR MARTYRED Head Constable Sagar was on patrol duty on May 1 along the Line of Control in Jammu and Kashmir's Poonch when Pakistan's Border Action Team (BAT) crossed the LoC and ambushed the patrol team. While taking cover, Sagar and Naik Subedar Paramjeet Singh of the Army were left behind. They were killed and their bodies mutilated. Sagar's family had refused to perform his last rites, insisting that the chief minister visit them. They agreed to cremate his body only after the chief minister spoke to them. Adityanath visited Sagar's family on May 12 at his native village Tikampaar to offer condolences and presented a cheque of Rs 4 lakh. He also reportedly promised employment to Sagar's children after they completed their studies. ADITYANATH's PROMISES The chief minister said a shaheed smarak (martyr's memorial) and a girls inter college will be set up in the village in the memory of the martyr. He also promised a road to connect the village to the main road. With regard to a demand for a gas agency for the family, he had said a recommendation would be sent to the central government. (WITH INPUTS FROM PTI) WATCH VIDEO advertisement --- ENDS --- Olympic gold medalist Kaetlyn Osmond can't wait to skate in front of Newfoundland crowd for her first performance since COVID When Kaetlyn Osmond steps on the ice at the Mary Browns Centre in St. Johns next month, it will be the first time the Marystown native has performed on ice in front of an audience since before the COVID-19 pandemic began in 2020. It's also the ... By Press Trust of India: New Delhi, May 14 (PTI) Indian conglomerate Adani Group plans to begin extracting coal from the USD 16.5 billion Carmichael project in Australia in 2020-21, its Chairman Gautam Adani has said. The Group, which has interests from ports to power, would finalise by June an investment decision for the project, which has been delayed due to protests from environmental groups. advertisement In an interview to PTI, Adani said his group is not just investing in coal but also in renewable energy in Australia, seeking to develop 1,500 MW of solar projects by 2022. "Like in India, we are investing heavily in renewable energy in Australia too," he said. It has signed pacts to build two solar farms, each with capacity of 100-200 megawatts in Queensland and South Australia. Adani said the company has scaled down the coal mine capacity in the first phase. Originally seen producing 60 million tons a year from six open-cut pits and five underground mines, a scaled-down first stage is now planned to produce 25 million tons a year of coal and will cost over USD 4 billion. Other phases will come later. "We will begin work within months of getting final approval from the Australian government," he said. Projections of a global glut of coal and prolonged low prices notwithstanding, Adani is pushing ahead with plans to build the mine that would produce thermal coal to generate electricity and operate for six decades. "About 15 million tons of coal produced from the project (in the northern Australian state of Queensland) will be shipped to India for generating electricity," he said. The group has for more than five years battled opposition from green groups who are opposed to any expansion of the port, saying it will cut into the Great Barrier Reef World Heritage Area. The port is to be used for exporting coal to India. "A port already exists with capacity to handle phase-one coal," he said adding a rail line will have to be built for transporting coal from the mines to the port. The group has so far invested Australian dollar 3.4 billion on the Abbot Point port and preparatory work for the Carmichael coal mine. It has applied for an Australian government agency loan to finance the railway line. Adani said he is expecting Australian federal and state government nods for the coal project soon. advertisement The Adani Group entered Australia in 2010 with the purchase of the greenfield Carmichael coal mine in the Galilee Basin in central Queensland, and the Abbot Point port near Bowen in the north. PTI ANZ SBT ABM --- ENDS --- The Argentinean Navy published a series of documents pertaining to a UFO sighting in Necochea in 1962. The documents present the eyewitness account of a truck driver pursued by a flying saucer in the vicinity of La Dulce. By Inexplicata 5-13-17 CEFORA () recently published an Argentinean Navy file disclosing the details of an important UFO sighting event that took place in our city some 55 years ago.On August 29, 1962, Osman Alberto Simonini told his story of a UFO encounter in the vicinity of Km 28 of Route 86. Simonini was in his truck, driving out of La Dulce from the "Malabrigo" mink farm, property of Ernesto Arias. The case become widely known through an article in Ecos Diarios: the Navy commission launched its investigation through Capt. Omar Pagani and the files now form part of the private archive of researcher Roberto Banchs.The incident took place at around 20:10 hours as Simonini drove at slow speed and noticed - to his left and following a parallel trajectory, at a distance of 3 meters and an elevation of 2 meters - an "artifact" resembling two plates linked by their widest sides, the color of gunmetal, having an approximate diameter of 5 meters.The object projected red-and-blue beams similar to headlights from its lower section. The beams had a diameter of two meters, according to the description.Simonini said that the artifact accompanied his truck for some 200 meters. As it did so, the driver noticed that the grass moved as well, proof of its low altitude and some sort of "air or energy" expelled from its lower section.The object overtook the truck after the 200 hundred meters, racing ahead some 600 meters along the shoulder at low altitude. Upon reaching Km 26, it made a sharp right-angle turn into a seedbed. Simonini followed it and saw the object had stopped at an altitude lower than one meter. He stopped his truck and got up, and tried to approach the fence separating the field from the road, placing his hands on the wire only to find that the material was hot. He removed his hands, set them down again, only to find that [the wire] was even hotter. He moved some meters along, ascertaining that the wire there was completely cold.Two minutes later, the object took up at high speed and vanished into the sky.The witness stated his case to the border superintendent, the head of the federal police delegation, and Air Force officers in Mar del Plata with the support of notary Juan Jose La Terza, who stated that the following verbatim response was received when the incident was brought up [with these authorities]:"The officers specializing in these studies told me there was nothing extraordinary about the event, as this kind of phenomenon was already accepted as real, and that the scientific world was waiting for the next stage: making contact with these artifacts."At the time, Guillermo Gimenez (a member of CEFORA []) conducted an exhaustive on-site investigation in the area, after Juan Jose La Terza got in touch with him. The article can be found here (in Spanish).The documentation contains the report by notary La Terza, who acted as a sort of attorney-in-fact for witness Simonini. But the tribe has a long way to go If you see a logo with a hearing impaired mark and a legend below saying, 'Driver is deaf Please watch out,' you are in Hyderabad. The Telangana state transport department finalised the logo to be used by the hearing impaired drivers on their vehicles. Manikanta Annapragada The logo was designed by city-based graphic designer Manikanta Annapragada who will be the first person to obtain a driving licence under the hearing impaired category in the country. In November 2016, the Union road transport and highways ministry had directed all states to issue driving licences to people with hearing disability. The state RTA also sought the help of the All India Institute of Medical Sciences seeking its opinion. The AIIMS said that hearing disability might not be a problem for driving as long as the person has good eyesight and is healthy. After this, the ministry of roads and highways sent circulars to all the state governments on October 28, 2016. The Telangana government in turn issued a circular on April 29, 2017 to all the RTOs, DTOs and JTCs to issue licences to the persons with hearing disability. Learning that Manikanta was a graphic designer, the RTA then requested him to give a few design samples. Manikanta gave eight designs, of which one was picked up. This will be displayed on both the front and rear sides of the vehicle. "I am grateful to the Telangana government for allotting driving license for people who are challenged by hearing impairment. I had been desperately waiting for this step by the government. It was a good opportunity to make logos for hearing impaired drivers. As per the discussions with the RTA officials, I made eight different logos. The logo signifies that the 'driver is deaf, please pay attention'. It is a way to spread awareness and to avoid accidents and a request for other people to cooperate. I am very happy with the choice made. The logo is simple and self-explanatory," says Manikanta. He says: "I strongly feel that there must be many more persons like me who are waiting for a driving license. Being a graphic designer, I thought making a logo is more important. And more than money, I strongly feel that my logo is priceless as it will be helpful for so many others like me." Manikanta is a hearing-disabled person from Moti Nagar. He says, "Despite having everything, I had to face the challenges as I lost my hearing power. But just because of that I did not keep cribbing. I made myself strong and confidently started moving ahead in life. At the age of 18 years, I began learning to ride gearless two-wheeler all by myself by cautiously looking into the side mirrors. I practiced it cautiously. With the constant support and encouragement of my father A. Sivarama Prasad, my mother late Varalakshmi and my friends, I began riding geared bike four years ago. I was never scared as I was having faith in God and myself.." Manikanta had brain fever when he was a month-old, which led to the hearing problem. His teachers were his mother and younger sister who taught him lipreading. Manikanta says he can understand both English and Telugu. He was home-schooled by his mother. There is no problem in driving and with vehicles in the rear because I use two rear view mirrors," he says. Manikanta started drawing when he was eight and he pursued that line and turned a professional in 2007 after completing a course in fine arts. I completed animation courses at NIMSME and began working in 2010. Now, I am working as a background artist and graphic designer for the animation team for Healthsignz Technologies." Manikanta, who has already obtained a Learner's Driving Licence and has completed the driving test, is waiting to receive the licence. "I have never been an undisciplined driver; I always follow traffic rules and drive slowly. Till date, I have not faced any problems. I am very happy to inform you that, I rode my bike to Vijayawada and back all alone, several times. With Gods grace, I have not faced any problems as I found all the people very cooperative and supportive. This has made me confident and a stronger person." Hyderabad city and the Outer Ring Road have witnessed a number of fatal accidents recently. Two days back state cabinet minister P. Narayana's son Nishith and his friend Raja Ravichandra were killed after their Mercedes SUV rammed into a metro pillar. They died on the spot at 3 am in the morning. In another incident, four IIT students also were killed after they lost the control of their vehicle. Manikanta also thinks the roads are unsafe. The Telangana government and Traffic Police of Hyderabad are putting equal efforts in curbing undisciplined driving. However, it is possible only when people think responsibly and contribute for a safer Hyderabad." Kochi Metro has done something noble and praiseworthy. It has decided to employ 23 transgenders to different sections like housekeeping and ticket counters, based on their qualification. It is the first time that a government-owned company is providing a lions share of their employment to the third gender. Said Reshmi C.R., communication manager, Kochi Metro, We have taken 23 transgenders so far. The target is 60. Of the 23, 18 would do housekeeping jobs and the remaining would be at the ticket counters. All of them were really positive during the training period and somehow wanted to get into the mainstream. We are happy that Kochi Metro has also become a livelihood improvement project. The transgenders, like all the other candidates, were shortlisted through written tests and interviews. They are part of the 530 workers of the self-help group for women, Kudumbashree. The first phase of Kochi Metro, from Aluva to Palarivattom, is nearing completion and will be inaugurated next month by Prime Minister Narendra Modi. The Kochi Metro had, last year, decided to seek the support of Kudumbashree to form a group of transgenders who can take up jobs once the metro starts functioning. Said Tani Thomas, district mission coordinator of Kudumbashree, We invited applications after consulting the police. We rejected people with criminal background. We gave them all the soft skill training that was needed for such a job. Over 30,000 Kudumbashree members appeared for the test conducted by Kochi Metro in February, of which close to 700 women and 23 transgenders were shortlisted. The Kochi Metro had signed MoU with Kudumbashree in December on the management of metro stations. Said Elias George, MD, Kochi Metro, "We hope our maiden attempt will be a runaway success. We expect other firms to follow suit and engage them in respectable positions. We are excited and thrilled, said Vincy, a third gender employed by Kochi Metro. Said Vincy to THE WEEK, "I have been selected to sit at the ticket counter. People from Kochi Metro assessed us and helped us develop skills on customer care and spoken English at Rajagiri college. The training lasted for a month. I hope other companies all over the country will take notice of it and start hiring people from the third gender." By Press Trust of India: Ahmedabad, May 14 (PTI) In an apparent reference to the ruling BJP at the Centre as well as in Gujarat, senior Congress leader Ahmed Patel today asked the party cadres to use social media as a weapon to fight "Goebbels Propaganda." The term Goebbels Propaganda was coined after the name of German politician Paul Joseph Goebbels who was the Reich Minister of Propaganda of Nazi Germany from 1933 to 1945 and was known for his skills in public speaking. advertisement While addressing a seminar of partys IT cell here, Patel, who is the political secretary to Congress chief Sonia Gandhi, alleged that Prime Minister Narendra Modi-led government has changed various parameters for determining GDP to hide its failures. "The social media is not a tool to exploit technology. Some persons use this medium to acquire power and then try to retain it by various marketing tools and spreading lies. Some people are only exploiting social media in a wrong manner," said Patel. "I urge IT cell workers to use social media in a positive manner to defeat those who are into spreading Goebbels Propaganda. Along with strengthening the party, we should also spread message of harmony and national integration," said Patel. Taking a dig at Modi, Patel said the Centre is now trying to change parameters for determining the unemployment rate in the country. "The government failed on many fronts. Thus, they have started changing the goal posts. Earlier, they changed parameters for determining the GDP. "Now, they are changing parameters for unemployment, so that we can not compare the current status with the track record of previous governments," he alleged. "He (Modi) did the same when he was in Gujarat (as chief minister). It is his old tactic to hide failures," said Patel, who was accompanied by Gujarat Congress chief Bharatsinh Solanki and several other party leaders. In his address, Solanki took a jibe at poll strategist Prashant Kishor, by claiming that IT cell members of the party are more competent than him. "As polls are approaching in Gujarat, some said that PK, that is Prashant Kishor, is coming here. Then some said he is not. But, I feel that you are far more competent than PK," said Solanki in his address to the social media team. Solankis views are in a total contradiction of those expressed by another party leader Shankersinh Vaghela, who had favoured Kishor and advised his party to hire him for the upcoming assembly polls in Gujarat. In March, Vaghela, who is the leader of opposition in the Gujarat assembly, had opined that the party should consider hiring services of Kishor, as he can ensure victory for Congress in Gujarat. PTI PJT RMT RAX --- ENDS --- advertisement Indian and Pakistani troops resorted to heavy firing on Sunday along the Line of Control (LoC) in Jammu and Kashmir's Rajouri district. "Pakistan Army initiated indiscriminate firing and shelling on our positions on the LoC in the Rajouri sector," Defence Ministry spokesman Lieutenant Colonel Manish Mehta told IANS. They are using small arms, automatics and mortars, he said. "Our forces are effectively retaliating. The firing is presently ongoing," Mehta added. Two civilians were killed and three others injured in Rajouri's Naushera sector due to the shelling from the Pakistani side. Authorities have closed all schools indefinitely in the areas close to the LoC. Since Friday, dozens of families from the border villages have left their homes to avoid the indiscriminate shelling. India on Saturday refused to be a part of China's One Belt One Road (OBOR) initiative citing its objections to the $46 billion China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) that passes through Pakistan-administered Kashmir. Citing the CPEC that is being touted as a flagship part of OBOR, External Affairs Ministry spokesperson Gopal Baglay said, "No country can accept a project that ignores its core concerns on sovereignty and territorial integrity." In a statement, a day ahead of the launch of the two-day summit in Beijing, he said, "Guided by our principled position in the matter, we have been urging China to engage in a meaningful dialogue on its connectivity initiative, 'One Belt One Road' which was later renamed as Belt and Road Initiative'. "We are awaiting a positive response from the Chinese side. "Regarding the so-called 'China-Pakistan Economic Corridor', which is being projected as the flagship project of the BRI/OBOR, the international community is well aware of India's position. No country can accept a project that ignores its core concerns on sovereignty and territorial integrity." China is organising the two-day Belt and Road conference in Beijing starting Sunday which will be attended by 29 Heads of State including Russian President Vladimir Putin and a US delegation, and see the participation of over 100 countries. India's non-participation comes as the top leadership of Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Maldives and Myanmar are attending, while Bangladesh and Nepal are sending high-level delegations. Bhutan is not attending. On Friday, Nepal officially inked a deal with China on OBOR for development of cross-border connectivity. The $46-billion CPEC is part of OBOR, Chinese President Xi Jinping's signature foreign policy initiative. New Delhi firmly opposes this corridor of Beijing's project linking Xinjiang in China and the Gwadar port in Pakistan because it passes through Pakistani-administered Kashmir. India lays claim to the disputed region. The general view was that India attending the forum might amount to surrendering its claim over the region. However, Beijing has repeatedly sought to allay New Delhi's fears, saying China will not change its position on the Kashmir dispute between India and Pakistan. Beijing terms the dispute as bilateral. Citing other problems, Baglay said, "We are of firm belief that connectivity initiatives must be based on universally recognised international norms, good governance, rule of law, openness, transparency and equality. "Connectivity initiatives must follow principles of financial responsibility to avoid projects that would create unsustainable debt burden for communities; balanced ecological and environmental protection and preservation standards; transparent assessment of project costs; and skill and technology transfer to help long term running and maintenance of the assets created by local communities. Connectivity projects must be pursued in a manner that respects sovereignty and territorial integrity." Noting India shares the international community's desire for enhanced physical connectivity and believes that it should bring greater economic benefits to all in an equitable and balanced manner," Baglay said it was "working with many countries and international institutions in support of physical and digital connectivity in our own immediate and near neighbourhood". He said expansion and strengthening of connectivity was an integral part of India's economic and diplomatic initiatives and referred to New Delhi's Act East policy that focuses on the 10 nations of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean) and the Trilateral Highway project underway to link India, Myanmar and Thailand. Baglay said under New Delhi's Go West strategy, it engaged with Iran on the Chabahar Port and with Iran and other partners in Central Asia on the International North South Transport Corridor. India, Iran, and Afghanistan have signed a trilateral agreement to develop the Chabahar port that will will be vital to link south and central Asia. He also referred to the Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Nepal (BBIN) motor transport agreement saying it is an initiative that is aimed at enhancing logistics efficiencies in the South Asian region. "We are also actively considering acceding to TIR (Transports Internationaux Routiers or International Road Transports) Convention," he said. The TIR Convention establishes an international customs transit system. Hitting back at Rahul Gandhi for dubbing the Rohtak gangrape case as the result of jungle raj in Haryana, the BJP on Sunday asked the Congress vice president not to politicise the issue and assured of stern action against the culprits. I think Rahul Gandhi is giving cover to the Bihar government where jungle and corrupt raj is under rule. Instead of commenting on the dastardly attack and heinous act, it is very unfortunate that he is politicising a rape case, BJP leader S. Prakash told ANI. Any rape is deplorable, shameful and inhuman. The state government is competent to handle the situation. Certainly, the culprits will be arrested and stern action will be taken, he added. A 23-year-old woman was brutally gangraped and murdered. Later, her mutilated body was found in an empty plot in Haryana's Rohtak district. After the incident came to light, Rahul Gandhi sais, Jungle Raj in the BJP-ruled states continues. The incident occurred on May 9 and came to light when the victim's body was found in city's IMT area. The forensic reports suggest that the victim was mutilated with sharp-edged weapons. So far two people have been arrested in the case and a special investigation team has been formed for faster probe. In a dramatic press conference that ended with sacked Delhi minister Kapil Mishra fainting, the former accused Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) convener Arvind Kejriwal of corruption and warned him to resign by the evening. Meanwhile, Mishra has been rushed to the hospital. According to reports, doctors from Ram Manohar Lohia Hospital (RML) are treating him. Doctors had yesterday advised hospitalisation to Mishra due to a drop in blood sugar level and dehydration, but he refused to do so. Earlier addressing a press conference, Mishra said, "Arvind Kejriwal, have some shame. If you don't resign by today evening, I will drag you from your office to Tihar Jail. I'm Kapil Mishra." Mishra further alleged that for three continuous years, black money was converted into white and spent on foreign trips of the AAP leaders. "AAP did not inform about some of its fundings which it received from fake companies," he said. Mishra further targeted Kejriwal and revealed that 16 shell companies added money worth crores in AAP's bank accounts. "These fake companies are registered in the name of AAP MLA from Moti Nagar, Shivcharan Goyal. These companies have given Rs 2 crore to Kejriwal at 12 a.m. The fund received from these companies were sent to same branch branch of Axis Bank where there were allegations of converting black money into white at the time of demonetisation," he added. AAP has its bank account at the Krishnanagar branch of Axis Bank and all the transactions happen from there. Mishra also shared a bank cheque without a date which has already been encashed. "I will file case against Arvind Kejriwal in Central Bureau of Investigation on Monday in connection with conversion of black money to white," the AAP leader said. Meanwhile, the Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) on Sunday sent a summons notice to the political advisor of Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, Vaibhav Kumar in connection with water tanker scam. Kumar will be interrogated by the ACB on May 17. Last Thursday, Mishra made "serious allegations" against senior Delhi government functionaries in relation to the water tanker scam, which is alleged to have caused a loss of an estimated Rs. 400 crore to the State exchequer, in a detailed statement to the Anti-Corruption Branch (ACB). Earlier, Mishra submitted documents related to the tanker scam to the ACB, while saying that he also apprised the agency about the misuse of the money by the Delhi government. Additional Director General of Police (DGP) Akil Ahmad on Sunday assured that maximum possible penalty will be awarded to the accused in connection with the horrific Rohtak gang-rape case, adding that the police will appeal for fast-tracking the case "Maximum possible penalty will be awarded to the accused. We will appeal for fast-tracking of the case," DGP Ahmad told the media. He said a case has been registered under the arrested accused under sections 376 (rape), 365 (kidnapping or abducting with intent secretly and wrongfully to confine person) and 302 (murder) of the Indian Penal Code in this regard. The DGP further informed that the girl was kidnapped from Sonipat on May 9 and was brutally raped, tortured and murdered. "The victim's mutilated body was found in Rohtak. Investigation is currently underway. The main accused belongs to SC, ST," he added. In a chilling reminder of the 2012 Delhi gangrape case, a 23-year-old woman was kidnapped, gangraped and killed in the northern Indian state of Haryana. The horrific incident took place in the state's Rohtak district, barely 70 kms away from the national capital, last Tuesday, but it came to light only on Saturday when her body was found lying in a vacant plot, with her skull in pieces and parts bitten off by stray animals. Meanwhile, the post-mortem report of the Rohtak gangrape victim states that the cause of her death was due to head injury as blunt force injuries and multiple wounds were found on her skull and scalp. The report said the victim's face, tongue, eye, ears was totally distorted, which made the face totally unidentifiable. What makes the brutality even more evident, is that her oesophagus was missing and gnawing effects were seen over chest of the victim. The National Commission for Women (NCW) Chief Lalitha Kumaramangalam on Sunday took suo moto notice in the gruesome case. Kumaramangalam she said that she will be sending a team to Sonipat, following which she will visit herself. NCW member Rekha Sharma, who visited the grieving family of the victim condemned the brutality and urged for death sentence for the accused. "I am shocked the way all this happened. The torture she went through is horrifying. I cannot understand why men cannot take no from a woman. Like Nirbhaya case, I expect death sentence for these criminals," said Sharma. "We have formed an inquiry committee; I have come here to pressure the police to expedite the process. We will also see how they frame charges and that the filing of the case is done properly," she added. President Donald Trump said on Saturday he will move quickly to nominate a new FBI director, after he sparked a political firestorm by firing the man investigating possible collusion between Russia and the Trump presidential campaign. Trump told reporters he might even be able to make his decision on who should succeed James Comey to lead the Federal Bureau of Investigation before he leaves on his first foreign trip on Friday. "Even that is possible," Trump said, speaking on Air Force One before departing for Lynchburg, Virginia, where he delivered a commencement address. "I think the process is going to go quickly," he said, adding that the candidates under consideration were mostly well known. "They've been vetted over their lifetime essentially. But very well known, highly respected, really talented people. And that's what we want for the FBI." Critics have assailed Trump for abruptly dismissing Comey, who was leading the agency's investigation into alleged Russian meddling in the 2016 US election, and possible ties between Moscow and the Trump campaign.. Russia denies the claims and the White House says there was no collusion. Trump made the remarks to reporters prior to speaking to about 50,000 people at Liberty University in Lynchburg, where he did not mention Comey or the controversy his dismissal on Tuesday caused. It was Trump's first public event outside the White House since Comey's ouster. A White House official had said 11 people were under considerationincluding acting FBI director Andrew McCabe, Republican senator John Cornyn, New York Appeals Court judge Michael Garcia and former assistant attorney general Alice Fisherto replace Comey as FBI chief. Two new names, however, emerged on Saturday: FBI special agent Adam Lee and US District judge Henry Hudson. A source familiar with the process said attorney general Jeff Sessions and his deputy, Rod Rosenstein, had interviewed Hudson, Lee and five others on Saturday. The FBI Agents Association, which claims more than 13,000 active and retired agents as its members, on Saturday endorsed another candidateformer Representative Mike Rogers, who had also worked as an FBI agent. Trump also had strong words that seemed aimed at his critics. "No one has ever achieved anything significant without a chorus of critics standing on the sidelines explaining why it can't be done," Trump said. "Nothing is easier or more pathetic than being a critic, because they're people that can't get the job done." Liberty's president, Jerry Falwell Jr. was a key early supporter of Trump during his campaign and helped rally support among religious conservatives. Trump, who has been preparing for his first foreign tripone that will take him to the Middle East and Europealso will deliver the commencement address to the United States Coast Guard Academy in New London, Connecticut, on Wednesday. At Liberty, the nation's largest Christian college, Trump peppered his remarks with the kind of anti-establishment rhetoric that fueled his maverick presidential campaign, telling graduates to challenge "entrenched interests." He thanked the crowd for their support and repeatedly invoked his own unlikely election victory. "Relish the opportunity to be an outsider," Trump said. "The more that a broken system tells you that you're wrong, the more certain you should be that you must keep pushing ahead." Political advisor to Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal has been asked by the Anti-Corruption Branch to join the probe on Wednesday. By Indo-Asian News Service: Delhi's Anti-Corruption Branch (ACB) on Sunday sent a notice to Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal's political adviser Vibhav Patel asking him to join the investigation in the alleged Rs 400-crore water tanker scam on Wednesday. "After rebel and sacked Delhi Minister Kapil Mishra told the ACB that two persons - Vaibhav Patel and Ashish Talwar - close to Kejriwal were responsible for the delay in action in the water tanker scam, the ACB sent a notice to Vibhav Patel," a senior officer of the ACB said. advertisement Kapil Mishra on Thursday recorded his statement with the ACB, after he submitted evidence in support of his allegations that two persons close to Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal tried to influence the scam probe. Ashish Talwar is also likely to be summoned after Patel's statement in the case is recorded, according to the official. The Rs 400-crore water tanker scam involved alleged favouritism shown in the allotment of contracts to private water tankers to supply water to areas not falling under the Delhi Jal Board's network during the previous Congress government in Delhi. Also read: Kapil Mishra fires 'donation scam' salvo at Kejriwal, AAP deflects it towards BJP, Congress Also read: Kapil Mishra 'exposes' Arvind Kejriwal: All you need to know about the charges against Aam Aadmi Party --- ENDS --- Councilman David G. Greenfield is once again offering his constituents access to free legal help. On Monday, May 15th from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. , the New York Legal Assistance Groups mobile van will be parked outside Greenfields Boro Park office at 4424 16th Avenue to offer free legal assistance to residents who cannot afford an attorney. NYLAG lawyers can provide confidential legal advice at no cost on issues such as housing, identity theft, divorce, child custody, advance planning, and government programs such as Medicaid, Medicare, food stamps, and housing. The attorneys at NYLAG are excellent and have wide-ranging areas of expertise, Greenfield said. Im proud that all my neighbors can take advantage of their legal insight. Councilman Greenfield hosted the communitys first ever NYLAG mobile legal assistance day four years ago, and the NYLAGs mobile van has made regular visits to his Boro Park office ever since. Anyone interested in taking advantage of these legal services is encouraged to make an appointment at https://mobilelegalhelpcenter.acuityscheduling.com. Additionally, the Councilman has sponsored free immigration-related legal services in his district office twice a month in partnership with the City University of New York Citizenship Now project. Any resident interested in accessing immigration services is encouraged to call the Councilmans district office at (718) 853-2704 to schedule an appointment. (YWN Desk NYC) By Rabbi Yair Hoffman for the Five Towns Jewish Times So what is the story with bows and arrows on LaG BaOmer? The Ramah Shulchan Aruch (OC 493:2) that on LaG BaOmer we engage slightly in Simcha joy, but no mention is made of the bow and arrow! The reason for this minhag is explained by Rav Tzvi Elimelech Spira (1783-1841) in the Bnei Yissaschar (Maamrei Chodesh Iyar 3:4-5). But let us first get some background: Rabbi Shimon Bar Yochai, of course, was a tremendous Tzaddik who revealed the inner secrets of the Torah (see Chayei Adam Moadim 131:11). In his tremendous merit, explains the Bnei Issaschar, the entire world was saved from Puranios afflictions. Because of this, the world did not have to see a rainbow a reminder that Hashem would not destroy the world. Because no rainbow was appeared during his lifetime, on the day of his ascension to shamayim we bring out bows and arrows to commemorate him and his great merit. A second reason is that when the Romans forbade Torah study, Jews would go into the yaar and pretend to go hunting with bows and arrows. Instead, they learned Torah. We should also know that this day of LaG baOmer commemorates the students of Rabbi Akiva who ceased dying during this day although the deaths persisted between Pesach and Shavuos. (Shla Psachim 525). This is also the day that Rabbi Akiva granted ordination to his five students among them Rabbi Shimon Bar Yochai they did not die in the plague that struck Rabbi Akivas other students (Pri Chadash OC 493) Rabbi Shimon Bar Yochai merited to compose two extraordinary books that form part of the Zohar. They are the Adara Rabbah and the Adarah Zutah. Rav Yoseph Chaim in his Responsa (Rav Pealim YD #156) explains why it was that Rabbi Shimon Bar Yochai, above and beyond his masters the Tannaim, merited to write these extraordinary books. He explains that although his teachers and masters were greater than he was, he had the ability of couching these teachings in esoteric terms. Indeed, Rabbi Shimon Bar Yochai was so adept at obscuring the true understanding of these thoughts, that they could even be expounded upon publically and only those that truly merit understanding it would be able to figure out the true inner meaning and import. According to this, we commemorate the fact that Rabbi Shimon Bar Yochai not only transmitted these remarkable teachings, but vouchsafed them in such a manner that they not be abused or taught to those who are unworthy. Jewish Continuity The ordination that Rabbi Akiva conducted on his five students was a heroic event that changed the course of Jewish history, and that of the world. These students were Rabbi Meir, Rabbi Yehudah, Rabbi Yossi, Rabbi Shimon and Rabbi Elazar Ben Shamoa. Under the pressure of the dark forces of Roman tyranny and religious oppression, these valiant scholars, who were privy to the noblest ideals of the Bible, its teachings and oral traditions, knew that no matter what the cost they must ensure the continuity of these teachings. They were the future educators of us all. It was a point in time where the forces of evil and darkness were pitted against goodness and light. The light of Torah ultimately won out and Torah Judaism was to effect and alter the world. We commemorate this remarkable event on this day of LaG BaOmer. So how do we commemorate this day, other than the bow and arrows? The Bnei Yissasschar states that the custom is to light a number of candles in Shul on this day. We do not fast on this day even for a Yahrtzeit, except for a fast of a bad dream. We do not recite Tachanun on this day, nor on the Mincha before it. We get married and attend weddings. We join in with singing and dancing, and we listen to music (See Pri Magadim Aishel Avrohom 493:1). So as we hear the song and dance of the Jewish weddings and the words, Od Yeshamah, let it still be heard in the cities of Yehudah and in the outskirts of Jerusalem, the sound of joy and the sound of happiness, the sound of the groom and the sound of the bride let us think of the great merit of Rabbi Shimon Bar Yochai who also vouchsafed the teachings of the Torah and enabled our Torah continuity. May Hashem bring the Geulah Shleimah speedily in our days. Oh and one last point: Yes, many Admorim also engaged in using bos and arrows on LaG BaOmer. The author can be reached at [email protected] 9:36AM IL: For the many who traveled to the tziyun of the Rashbi on motzei Shabbos, wishing to head home now, Sunday morning, they are unable to ascertain why there are no buses. The line of people waiting for a bus continues to grow without receiving any official response as to why there are no buses. Many report police are not only unhelpful, but quite belligerent. Israel Police spokesman for the chareidi tzibur Shabtai Gerverchik told Kol Berama Radio a few minutes ago that there is a serious shortage of buses and the problem must be addressed by Transportation Ministry officials. (YWN Israel Desk, Jerusalem) By Rabbi Yair Hoffman for the Five Towns Jewish Times A friend at Shalosh Seudos in shul commented that if LaG BaOmer is when the 24,000 Talmidim of Rabbi Akiva stopped dying, then why do we not commemorate the day when the 1.1 Million at Auschwitz stopped dying? If we did, it would probably be on Yud Gimel Shvat, the 13th of Shvat the day that the Russians liberated Auschwitz. It was a Shabbos, on January 27th, 1945. The Soviet Armys 322nd Rifle Division had entered the concentration camp at Auschwitz on that Shabbos morning. They were mounted on shaggy ponies, and were fearful of a Nazi ambush. But the Nazis had run away. A Russian gunner, Ivan Martynushkin, then a 21-year-old lieutenant, and his fellow soldiers spotted some Jewish prisoners behind barbed wire. It was hard to watch them. I remember their faces, especially their eyes which betrayed their ordeal, Martynushkin told a newspaper several years ago. At first there was wariness, on both our part and theirs, he told a radio station another time, But then they apparently figured out who we were and began to welcome us, to signal that they knew who we were and that we shouldnt be afraid of them that there were no guards or Germans behind the barbed wire. Only prisoners. Ten days prior to the arrival of the Soviet Army, which had been sweeping through Nazi-held territory in Poland, retreating Nazi troops abandoned Auschwitz and forced some 60,000 inmates on a death march away from the site. SURVIVORS HAD REBUILT Since then, many of the survivors of Auschwitz had rebuilt Jewish life. Many of the Yeshivos and the Mosdos that we have in our midst were built by the survivors of this horrible epic in our recent Jewish history. The Five Towns and Far Rockaway have many Mosdos that were built by holocaust survivors. Darchei Torah, Yeshiva Shor Yoshiv, TAG, Yeshiva of South Shore, the Agudah of Long Island, and many more. Yeshivos, shuls and other mosdos in Boro Park, Los Angeles, Lakewood, many Mosdos in Satmar, the kimpetorium in Seagate Brooklyn big or small, they were all built by survivors of the holocaust. And like the five student survivors of Rabbi Akiva who also rebuilt Torah, so did our recent holocaust survivors. Six years ago, Elly Kleinman, the Chairman of the 12th Siyum Hashas of Daf Yomi, had dedicated the Daf Yomi Commission in memory of his father, Reb Avrohom Isaac Kleinman, who was a Holocaust survivor who had rebuilt Torah in America after the war. To a great extent, it was the emunah, bitachon, and many acts of heroism and sacrifice of the kedoshim that provided the yesod for the reestablishment of Torah Yiddishkeit to a degree that was unimaginable 70 years ago, he said. In a remarkable parallel to the events of LaG BaOmer, the survivors and their children have rebuilt the Torah way of life, and have made it stronger. Today is their day as well. So as we take our children to bonfires and play with bows and arrows, our thanks should also go to them. The author can be reached at [email protected] Tomorrow, India and Pakistan will present their cases to the International Court of Justice over the contentious Kulbhushan Jadhav issue. The last time the two nations faced off at the ICJ was all the way back in 1999. Pakistan lost. By India Today Web Desk: India and Pakistan last faced off at the International Court of Justice (ICJ) nearly 18 years ago, when Islamabad sought the Hague-based court's intervention over the shooting down of one of its naval aircraft. Tomorrow, the ICJ, the United Nations' principal judicial organ, will hold a public hearing at the Great Hall of Justice housed in the Peace Palace at The Hague (the Netherlands), where India and Pakistan will be asked to present their case over the contentious Kulbhushan Jadhav issue. advertisement A Pakistani military court had sentenced Jadhav to death last month for alleged espionage and subversive activities. He had been arrested on March 3 last year. India approached the ICJ on May 8 with its plea to stay Jadhav's execution till it hears the matter and reaches a conclusion. It had accused Pakistan of "egregious violations" of the Vienna Convention on Consular Relations (VCCR), to which both India and Pakistan are signatories. India has requested consular access to Kulbhushan Jadhav 16 times, but in vain. As well, Islamabad hasn't responded to the request for visas made by Jadhav's family. After India's application, the ICJ - using its powers under the 'Optional Protocol to the Vienna Convention on Consular Relations concerning the Compulsory Settlement of Disputes of 24 April 1963' - stayed Jadhav's execution. According to a Dunya News report, Pakistan is going to deny the ICJ's jurisdiction in the case. PAKISTAN LOST PREVIOUS ICJ CASE The previous case was related to the shooting down of Pakistan's maritime reconnaissance aircraft Atlantique by the Indian Air Force(IAF) in the Kutch region on August 10, 1999, All 16 naval personnel on board were killed. Pakistan claimed the plane was brought down in its air space, and sought $ 60 million (US) in damages from India for the incident. A 16-judge bench of the court on June 21, 2000 voted 14-2 to dismiss Pakistan's claim. The decision was announced by bench president Gilbert Guillaume of France at a public sitting. The verdict was final and there was no appeal. The ICJ found that it has no jurisdiction to entertain the application filed by Pakistan on September 21, 1999. Public hearings in the case titled Aerial incident of August 10, 1999 (Pakistan vs India) lasted four days ending April 6, 2000. Arguments centred on the court's jurisdiction in the case, which had to be determined before its merits could be considered by the 16 judges. The Atlantique case was ousted by the ICJ on the issue of jurisdiction and not on merits. Both parties had agreed that the question of jurisdiction would be decided first and only then would the issue of merits be taken up. advertisement Guillaume said the court would first have to decide whether it had the jurisdiction to go into the case as contended by New Delhi, after the Indian delegation led by the then Attorney General Soli Sorabjee, raised preliminary objections to its jurisdiction. HOW THE HEARINGS UNFOLDED Pakistan opened the first round of oral arguments, India replied to them, and then Pakistan followed with its second round, and India responded again. India argued that the court did not have jurisdiction in the matter, citing an exemption it had filed way back in 1974 to exclude disputes between India and other Commonwealth states, and disputes covered by multilateral treaties. Sorabjee told the court that Pakistan was "solely responsible" for the incident and Islamabad must "bear the consequences of its own acts." Pakistan's Attorney General Aziz Munshi had sought a speedy resolution, saying its application had to be concluded quickly so that it did not remain an irritant in India-Pakistan relations. advertisement Pakistan had also sought to politicize the case by referring to the Kashmir issue, the Kargil conflict, India-Pakistan relations and alleged motives for the shooting. Pakistan wanted the court to intervene while India was opposed to its assumption of jurisdiction on the basis of Islamabad's application. It urged the court to "dismiss the objections raised by India and accept its jurisdiction." India maintained that none of Pakistan's arguments was sound and didn't provide a basis for invoking the court's jurisdiction. Sorabjee expressed happiness with the courts verdict. "We are very happy. The court has accepted all our contentions," he had said. AD-HOC JUDGES Former Supreme Court judge B P Jeevan Reddy and Pakistan's former Attorney General Syed Sharifuddin Pirzada were co-opted into the bench as ad-hoc judges. As per ICJ rules, when it does not include a judge possessing the nationality of the state party to a case, the state may appoint a person to sit as a judge ad-hoc for the purpose of the case. The court also recalled that its lack of jurisdiction does not relieve States of their obligation to settle their disputes by peaceful means. advertisement The choice of those means admittedly rests with the parties under Article 33 of the UN Charter, it said, adding, they are nonetheless under an obligation to seek such a settlement, and to do so in good faith in accordance with the Charter. As regards India and Pakistan, that obligation was restated more particularly in the Simla Accord of July 2, 1972. Moreover, the Lahore Declaration of 21 February, 1999 reiterated "the determination of both countries to implementing the Simla Agreement," it said. Accordingly, the court reminded the parties of their obligation to settle their disputes by peaceful means, and in particular the dispute arising out of the Atlantique incident in conformity with the obligations which they undertook. India's External Affairs Ministry, while hailing the verdict, especially welcomed the court's positive observations on the principles enunciated in the Simla agreement and Lahore Declaration as the basis for an India-Pakistan rapprochement. Through its comments, the court has vindicated India's stand on these landmark agreements that are the very cornerstone of India-Pakistan relations, a ministry spokesman had said. (Inputs from PTI) ALSO READ | Kulbhushan Jadhav death sentence: Pakistan may overrule International Court of Justice's order ALSO READ | Is International Court of Justice stay on Kulbhushan Jadhav hanging binding on Pakistan? All about how ICJ functions ALSO WATCH | Kulbhushan Jadhav: D-Day on May 15 as International Court of Justice set to conduct hearing --- ENDS --- Teach NYS, a project of the Orthodox Union, encourages yeshivas to apply for New York City Local Law 2, the nonpublic school security guard program. The deadline is May 15, 2017. To qualify for the program, a nonpublic school must have 300 or more pre-K-12 students in the 2017-2018 school year. The applications are complete on the NYC HHS Accelerator System and every school with the qualifying criteria gets accepted into the program. Local Law 2, which was sponsored by Councilman David Greenfield, provides at least one private security officer for nonpublic schools with 300 or more students. With additional guards added for more students, yeshivas and day schools have found this program to provide a critical enhancement to security in these times of need. Teach NYS led the fight for this program in 2015 and 2016 and continues to work to help schools take advantage of the opportunity. To date, there are nearly 80 yeshivas taking advantage of this program. Currently enrolled yeshivas dont have to reapply by May 15th. Simply put, Local Law 2 is one of the most important ways to ensure all kids are safe at school, said Maury Litwack, executive director of the Teach Advocacy Network. We encourage all schools to enroll before the deadline on May 15. Anyone interested in applying for this program should contact Teach NYS at 646-459-5158. (YWN Headquarters NYC) The Federal Railroad Administration agrees with Amtraks assessment that immediate track maintenance and repair efforts are needed at Penn Station. The FRA says it conducted inspections of all 21 tracks with Amtrak and New York railroad inspectors after two recent derailments. It found maintenance issues including loose or missing track clamps, bolts or braces, and insufficient fasteners in track segments or rail joints. The FRA says Amtrak took immediate action to repair or mitigate risks at the nations busiest station. That included reducing track speeds from 15 mph to 10 mph. An Amtrak spokeswoman says all the issues either have been addressed or will be in the coming weeks. The New York and New Jersey governors Thursday called for a private operator to take over Penn Station operations from Amtrak. (AP) Iranian President Hassan Rouhani offered a full-throated defense Friday of his opening the country to the world through the nuclear deal as his opponents sought to sully his reputation in the last televised debate before the presidential election. Rouhani insinuated the top hard-line candidate he faces, Ebrahim Raisi, of being in the pocket of the paramilitary Revolutionary Guard. In response, Raisi and others levied corruption allegations against Rouhani ranging from receiving highly subsidized public properties to blocking a probe into corruption charges against his close relatives. The exchanges marked a harsher turn after previous debates focused on the landmark nuclear accord that Rouhanis government reached with the United States and other world powers. Im ready to, over the next four years, lift the rest of the sanctions against the Iranian nation, like the nuclear sanctions that I lifted over the past 4 years, with strength. Rouhani said in Fridays debate, focusing on the nuclear deal. His first vice president, Eshaq Jahangiri, also a candidate, asked people to vote to protect Iran, We have to protect Iran. We should remove war from the region. Warmongers have reached power in various places in the world. The moderate Rouhani is believed to be the front-runner in May 19 election but the failure of the nuclear deal to bring economic gains for the public has brought an opening that his main rivals, hard-liner Raisi and Tehran mayor Mohammad Bagher Qalibaf, have sought to exploit. Corruption is a major concern among Iranians and in Fridays debate Qalibaf sought to pin it on Rouhani. Qalibaf said that Rouhani and Jahangiri received highly subsidized properties from the government. Qalibaf, a veteran member of the powerful Revolutionary Guard, also said Rouhani administration had facilitated large loans to particular individuals through state-run banks while average citizens still struggle to secure small loans. He added that Rouhanis administration had given extraordinary payments to senior officials. Raisi also claimed that Rouhani had blocked a legal probe into corruption charges against his relatives a veiled reference to the presidents brother and special adviser, Hossein Fere. He also suggested that ministers in Rouhanis government had been linked to illegal imports. Rouhani denied the charges and levelled his own accusations of wrongdoing at his rivals. He said that security institutions had diverted public funds to Raisis campaign and bused people to his campaign gatherings. Rouhani also said Qalibaf had a record of heavy-handed security enforcement, and criticized his handling of student protests in the late 1990s and early 2000s when he was the countrys police chief. He also urged Qalibaf to pay attention to corruption in his hometown of Mashhad, suggesting he was somehow involved. Irans presidential election is being seen as largely a referendum on Rouhanis outreach to the rest of the world following the nuclear accord. With average Iranians yet to see substantial benefits from the deal in their daily lives, however, Rouhani remains somewhat vulnerable in his bid for another four-year term. (AP) The Lebanese government blamed Israel Friday for a recent hacking in which audio messages were sent to people in Lebanon claiming the Hezbollah leader was behind the death of the groups top military commander. A statement issued by the Telecommunications Ministry said that sophisticated technology was used to breach Lebanons telecoms network, making it appear as if the messages were coming from inside Lebanon. The audio and WhatsApp messages were sent to about 10,000 people, the ministry said. The messages were sent during a speech by Hezbollah leader Sheikh Hassan Nasrallah Thursday, marking a year since Mustafa Badreddine died in Syria. The killer of our martyr Mustafa Badreddine is giving his speech in front of you, said the audio. Text messages were also sent via WhatsApp reading: Nasrallah continues to lie. Hezbollah said it is in contact with the ministry to find out how the breach happened. It added that through the hacking, the telephone numbers of the groups media office were used to send the messages to people around Lebanon. Israel has said it believes Badreddine was killed by rivals within the militant group. There was no immediate comment from Israeli officials. The telecommunication ministry said similar hacking occurred during the 2006 war between Israel and Hezbollah. (AP) The following is via CBC: The number of Chasidic children in Montreal being educated at home has jumped dramatically over the past two years, following a crackdown by the Quebec government on ultra-Orthodox Jewish schools. There are currently 705 Chasidic children registered to be supervised by the English Montreal School Board. That is a threefold increase since 2015, said Angela Mancini, the school boards chair. When youre at 705 children, thats a school, Mancini told Radio-Canada. Thats like a small school. The increase comes as Quebec education officials have been attempting to better regulate the schooling of Chasidic children, due to concerns that many attend schools that dont follow the provincial curriculum. Last summer, a school in the RosemontLa Petite-Patrie borough was raided by youth protection workers, escorted by police. As part of the crackdown, the government has encouraged parents in the Chasidic community to sign home-schooling contracts with school boards. The demand for such contracts has proven so great that the EMSB has had to hire additional staff. In addition, the school board will start administering French, English and math exams to home-school students. These are children who havent written exams in the past. They dont have the same path as the students in our schools, Mancini said. The goal of the exams is really to ensure that the children have all the capacities, all the possibilities to succeed to not put them in a failing situation. Only certain students, at first, will write exams, but eventually all of them will, Mancini added. The long-term goal is to have the students write province-wide ministerial exams as well. Many of the Chasidic children enrolled in home-schooling programs still attend private Orthodox schools, where they receive religious instruction. At home, they are taught standard subject matter. At least one religious school, Yeshiva Toras Moshe Academy, has said it will help prepare its students for the school board exams. We obviously want to help them prepare, Jacob Maman, who heads the schools support services. This is something different from what theyve experienced in the past. (Source: CBC News) President Donald Trump said Saturday that we can make a fast decision on a new FBI director, possibly by late next week, before he leaves on his first foreign trip since taking office. Even that is possible, Trump told reporters when asked whether he could announce his nominee by Friday, when he is scheduled to leave for the Mideast and Europe. Eight candidates to be the bureaus director were in line Saturday for the first interviews with Attorney General Jeff Sessions and his deputy, Rod Rosenstein, at Justice Department headquarters. They are among more than a dozen candidates Trump is considering, a group that includes several lawmakers, attorneys and law enforcement officials. I think the process is going to go quickly. Almost all of them are very well-known, Trump said aboard the plane that took him to Lynchburg, Virginia, where he gave the commencement address at Liberty University. Theyve been vetted over their lifetime essentially, but very well-known, highly respected, really talented people. And thats what we want for the FBI. The Trump administration is looking to fill the job, which requires Senate confirmation, after Trump abruptly fired Director James Comey on Tuesday. The first candidate to arrive was Alice Fisher, a high-ranking Justice Department official in the George W. Bush administration. Among those interviewed was Adam Lee, special agent in charge of the FBIs Richmond, Virginia, office. Acting FBI Director Andrew McCabe also interviewed for the permanent post despite his repeated willingness to break from White House explanations of Comeys ouster and its characterizations of the Russia investigation. Also interviewed Saturday were Michael J. Garcia, a former prosecutor and associate judge on New Yorks highest court; GOP Sen. John Cornyn, the No. 2 Senate leader and a former Texas attorney general; and U.S. District Judge Henry E. Hudson, a George W. Bush appointee who struck down the centerpiece of the Obama administrations health care law in 2010. Frances Townsend, former homeland security and counterterrorism adviser to President George W. Bush, and former Michigan Rep. Mike Rogers also met with Justice officials. Rogers came endorsed by the FBI Agents Association, which said his diverse background makes him the best choice for the job. He is the former chairman of the House Intelligence Committee who also worked as an FBI special agent based in Chicago in the 1990s. Fisher and Townsend were the only women on the list of candidates. The FBI has never had a female director. Each has worked in high-profile positions in the Justice Department. Fisher formerly served as assistant attorney general for the Justice Departments Criminal Division. She faced resistance from Democrats during her confirmation over her alleged participation in discussions about detention policies at the Guantanamo Bay facility in Cuba. Among other roles, Townsend led the Office of Intelligence Policy and Review, which at the time handled requests for government surveillance warrants in terrorism and espionage cases. Sessions has faced questions over whether his involvement in Comeys firing violates his pledge to recuse himself from investigations into Russian interference in the election. Some lawmakers have alleged the firing was an effort to stifle that FBI probe. Justice Department spokeswoman Sarah Isgur Flores said Sessions and Rosenstein are involved in the interviews because the FBI director reports to them as attorney general and deputy attorney general. They can make recommendations, but the president will ultimately make the hiring decision. (AP) [PHOTOS IN EXTENDED ARTICLE] Magen David Adom spokesman Zaki Heller reported at 7:00AM IL that hundreds of EMTs, paramedics and doctors are providing first aid in Meron for those requiring the service. In addition to hundreds of personnel, MDA is operating a medical clinic staffed by doctors in addition to basic and advanced life support ambulances standing by along with medicycles which respond with easier access due the volume of visitors. MDA reports treating 353 people as of 7:00AM, including syncopal episodes, cardiac-related, chronic medical issues, and soft tissue injuries. 37 of the patents required ambulance transport to a local hospital, Poriah Hospital in Tiveria or Zif Hospital in Tzfat. In the event of a medical emergency, dial 101. (YWN Israel Desk, Jerusalem/Photo Credit: MDA spokesman unit) [VIDEO IN EXTENDED ARTICLE] Police mounted units are being used to keep hundreds of mispallalim wishing to leave Meron in one area. According to many reports received, persons are waiting hours for buses to head home, standing around, tired, hungry and far from feeling good. Israel Police spokesman Shabtai Gerverchik told Kol Chai Radio a short time ago that the Transportation Ministry is to blame as there is a critical shortage of buses. (YWN Israel Desk, Jerusalem) A year has not passed in which chareidi lawmakers do not decry the transportation failures to and from Meron on Lag BOmer. However, it is being reported this year appears to be a record-breaking. Police did not permit empty buses to pick up mispallalim who wished to return home on Lag BOmer morning. Hundreds are waiting on line, and some, as seen in the video, are finding ways to get on a bus by bypassing the doors. Buses heading to Tzfat, Carmiel and other areas were simply stuck in traffic for hours. The police checkpoints did not operating properly and parking areas collapsed from the lack of organization. Many are already accusing police of not deploying sufficient manpower. (YWN Israel Desk, Jerusalem) Few Indian scholars who attended China's Belt and Road Forum said that no Indian delegation took part in the two-day meet for International Cooperation in Beijing. By India Today Web Desk: No Indian delegation was seen at the opening ceremony of China's Belt and Road Forum addressed by Chinese President Xi Jinping, who delivered a keynote speech at the opening of the two-day meet for International Cooperation in Beijing today. Xi said that the Belt and Road initiative should be an open one that will achieve both economic growth and balanced development. "We should build an open platform of cooperation and uphold and grow an open world economy." advertisement China welcomes efforts made by other countries to grow open economies, participate in global governance and provide public goods, he said. "Together we can build a broad community of shared interests," Xi added. INDIA BOYCOTTS BELT AND ROAD FORUM The Chinese president's remarks came after India on Saturday refused to be part of Beijing's One Belt One Road initiative maintaining its opposition to China's investment in the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor that passes through Pakistan-occupied Kashmir. Few Indian scholars attended the meeting today. Media was not permitted inside the conference hall, where the opening ceremony took place. The general view was that India attending the forum might amount to surrendering its claim over the region.However, Beijing has repeatedly sought to allay New Delhi's fears, saying China will not change its position on the Kashmir dispute between India and Pakistan. External affairs ministry spokesperson Gopal Baglay on Saturday had said, "No country can accept a project that ignores its core concerns on sovereignty and territorial integrity." Xi Jinping also called for upholding the multilateral trading regime, advancing free trade areas and promoting liberalization and facilitation of trade and investment. WHAT IS THE CONFERENCE ABOUT? China is organising a two-day Belt and Road conference in Beijing that started today, which will be attended by 29 heads of states including Russian President Vladimir Putin, a US delegation, Prime Minister of Pakistan Nawaz Sharif, his Sri Lankan counterpart Ranil Wickrmasinghe, and will see the participation of over 100 countries. India will not be participating in the summit and neither will Bhutan. Nepal on Saturday officially inked a deal with China on OBOR for development of cross-border connectivity. The $46-billion CPEC is part of OBOR, Chinese President Xi Jinping's signature foreign policy initiative. WHY INDIA IS WARY Citing other problems, Baglay yesterday said, "We are of firm belief that connectivity initiatives must be based on universally recognised international norms, good governance, rule of law, openness, transparency and equality." He also said that expansion and strengthening of connectivity was an integral part of India's economic and diplomatic initiatives, while referring to India's Act East policy. advertisement The Act East policy focuses on the 10 nations of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean) and the Trilateral Highway project underway to link India, Myanmar and Thailand. GO WEST POLICY Baglay said that under India's Go West strategy, it engaged with Iran on the Chabahar Port and with Iran and other partners in Central Asia on the International North South Transport Corridor. India, Iran, and Afghanistan have signed a trilateral agreement to develop the Chabahar port that will will be vital to link south and central Asia. He also referred to the Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Nepal (BBIN) motor transport agreement saying it is an initiative that is aimed at enhancing logistics efficiencies in the South Asian region. "We are also actively considering acceding to TIR (Transports Internationaux Routiers or International Road Transports) Convention," he said. (With inputs from IANS) Also Read: China backs Pakistan on PoK dam ahead of Belt and Road Forum India to miss China's One Belt One Road summit, Nawaz Sharif to take centrestage: Reports Also Watch: India and China strategic dialogue begins in Beijing; foreign secretaries discuss bilateral issues --- ENDS --- Hotel operator Travelodge is spending 5 million on SuperRooms aimed at attracting budget-conscious business travellers. It is converting 1,000 rooms into the new class, which it has compared to premium economy airline seats. It hopes they will also attract longer-stay guests. Chief executive Peter Gowers said: For British business, the days of extravagance on expenses are long behind us. Value conscious: Business travellers are becoming more likely to opt for budget hotels Were all used to airlines offering a premium economy cabin that bridges the gap between economy and business class and we wanted to bring that choice to budget hotel guests. More business travellers are opting for a budget hotel and last year we generated more sales from them than those on holiday. The rooms, which will cost around 10-20 more than the companys standard rooms, will feature wider desks, extra plug sockets and USB charging points, a Lavazza coffee machine, and extra lighting. Key corporate clients include BT, Vodafone and Lloyds. I have been in business as a hairdresser for 20 years at the same address, employing two part-time staff. The agreement between the landlord and myself is that electricity is included in my rent. I have now received a letter from debt collector Arvato, saying that I owe British Gas 20,038 for electricity. I have never even received a bill before, though the meter has been read regularly. Can you help? TK. Over-sized bill: I have now received a letter from debt collector Arvato, saying that I owe British Gas 20,038 for electricity Tony Hetherington replies: The letter from Arvato is scary. It says: Despite several reminders, your electricity account remains unpaid. If we are unable to reach an agreeable resolution then we may pass this account to our clients field collections team to visit your property with a view to commencing disconnection activity. Arvato goes on to say that if you fail to make contact, British Gas may apply for a warrant of entry entitling it to enter your premises and cut off your electricity. This will add 450 to your bill. It warns: If your supply is disconnected, reconnection can take up to two weeks and may cost up to 1,800 plus VAT, dependent on the size of your meter. All of this threatened to put you out of business, and your staff out of work. But there were a few puzzling questions. For a start, the letter was addressed to your hairdressing business and not to you personally. This made me wonder whether you were even a British Gas customer, so I asked Arvato to comment, but it did not reply. British Gas was a lot more helpful. Its records show you are its customer, though they bear the name of your business, rather than your name. Any agreement that your landlord should pay the bills is between you and him. The company insists it sent four reminders about the bill so perhaps you simply handed these over to the landlord. But the bottom line is that the demand for 20,038 is just plain wrong. Apparently British Gas had been using estimates for quite some time, until last November when an actual reading of your electricity meter showed significantly lower consumption than expected, taking the reading well below the earlier estimates. As a result, British Gas assumed that the meter had gone all the way round to 99999 and had started again at zero, producing a huge bill. A meter reader visited you and confirmed the low reading was correct. Unfortunately, British Gas failed to update its records and carried on demanding payment. Catrin Millar, of British Gas, told me: We are sorry we let Mr K down. As soon as we realised we had sent him a large bill in error, we should have put the matter right straight away. By the time you read this, you will have received an apology from British Gas, a hamper of goodies, and just over 350 as a gesture of goodwill. Excellent. PPI claim left me with court threat Ms D.P. writes: Over a year ago I had a communication from a firm called Bank Smart, advising that I was owed money over payment protection insurance on an Alliance & Leicester mortgage. I filled in a form, authorising it to claim a refund, and last June received a letter advising me it was unable to continue with the claim so no money was owed. Now I have received a letter threatening court action, saying I owe Bank Smart 165. Bank Smart is just one of a long list of trading names used by Symmetric Systems Limited, based in Truro, Cornwall. Manager Amy Piper told me its original letter was just a sales pitch and not an assurance that you were owed a penny. But she added: Having reviewed Ms Ps account, I can see she registered two claims with us. The first was for recovery of mis-sold insurance and the second was for the recovery of unfair penalty charges. She said that when Alliance & Leicester confirmed you never had insurance, this claim was cancelled without charge. Your other claim remained active, but Bank Smart said you failed to reply when it asked repeatedly for details, so it billed you for work done. As you may have been confused over the two separate claims, Bank Smart has closed its file and scrapped the bill. You should hear no more about it. While the FTSE 100 index of companies is up just 10 per cent from where it was a decade ago, over the same period the price of pink diamonds has skyrocketed by an incredible 388 per cent. Last month, a new record was set when the Pink Star became the most expensive diamond ever sold auctioned at Sothebys for an eye-watering $71 million (55 million). But diamonds are not just for millionaire investors. For those who are willing to do their research, investing in the precious stones can make savings sparkle though investors need to tread carefully. Record price: The Pink Star became the most expensive diamond ever sold when it was auctioned for $71 million Tobias Kormind, founder of online diamond retailer 77 Diamonds, says: Diamonds are the next area for alternative investments. People have done wine and art and they are looking for something else. Unlike art and wine, diamonds are portable and using them does not reduce their value they are meant to be worn. While many people might be familiar with traditional white diamonds, it is coloured diamonds that are now catching the eye of experts. Impurities in the rocks in some rare instances lead to a gleaming coloured stone being created. Their price is based on this rarity. Around one carat of white diamond is produced for every ton of rock mined. With coloured diamonds the production rate is around 0.1 per cent of that. A cut above ...stone that was fit for the Monarch THE largest rough white diamond ever discovered is the Cullinan Diamond at 3,106 carats. It weighed 621 grams and was found at a mine in South Africa in 1905. The diamond named after the chairman of the mine, Thomas Cullinan was cut into several gems, including the Great Star of Africa, which sits in the head of the Sovereigns Sceptre With Cross. Another is mounted in the Crown. Both are part of the Crown Jewels. The Cullinan Diamond sits in the head of the Sovereigns Sceptre With Cross. Another is mounted in the Crown Before the Pink Star set a new record in April, the most expensive diamond ever sold was the Oppenheimer Blue, a 14.6-carat stone which sold for $57.5 million (44.4 million.) The largest known yellow diamond is the pear-shaped Cora Sun-Drop at 110.3 carats. Most rare are red diamonds experts do not even know what causes this colour to occur in the stone. Next most valuable are blue diamonds, caused when there is boron in the rock. Pink results from distortions in the stones structure, yellow when there is nitrogen present and green when there is radiation. The price of blue diamonds has climbed 228 per cent over the past decade and yellows by nearly 49 per cent. White diamond prices are up just 3.5 per cent over that period. But there are dangers for investors. Kormind says: Diamonds are not only a store of value but they have outperformed any stock market in recent years. The five Cs of diamonds are carat, cut, colour, clarity and certificate But there are awful stories about people spending their life savings only to find out they bought worthless crystals, so investors must do their research and only deal with a reputable company. The five Cs of diamonds are carat, cut, colour, clarity and certificate. This last point is crucial to any would-be investor. A certificate from an accredited, internationally-recognised body such as the Gemological Institute of America means a diamond has been independently assessed for authenticity and graded according to its quality. Any diamond purchase should come with this certificate not one which is written in-house by the jeweller or dealer. And the next best thing: Invest in mining firms For investors who do not want to buy actual diamonds, another way to access this trend is by buying shares in diamond mining companies or investing in funds that own them. The BlackRock Gold & General fund invests in Petra Diamonds, which has mines in South Africa, Tanzania and Botswana. FTSE 100 company Anglo American has an 85 per cent stake in diamond giant De Beers. Funds that invest in the diamonds business include Baring Global Mining, JOHCM UK Growth and Schroder Recovery. With many precious commodities, such as gold, investors can plough money in through a tracker fund which simply follows the trade price of the chosen product though there is not one following diamonds. Charl Malan, senior analyst at investment manager VanEck, says: Diamond prices are driven by supply and demand. Supply is set to fall and, if the world continues its economic recovery, demand will increase. Diamonds differ from gold in that they do better when times are good. But investing in diamonds, whether actual stones or company shares, is incredibly risky so investors should only ever put a small proportion of their money in them. Darius McDermott, managing director at London-based broker Chelsea Financial Services, says: Investing in diamond-related companies comes with high risk as they are operating in some dangerous areas. Buying diamonds is the obvious way of investing, but investors need to consider whether they would be able to store them safely. Each stone should also have a laser inscription corresponding to its certificate which should be checked by an independent third party. The other four Cs differ in their importance depending on whether they are referring to coloured or white stones. Clarity refers to how pure the stone is, but this is less important in coloured stones although you do not want a stone which has obvious marks or inclusions in it. Carat is the size of the diamond, which can have an even bigger effect on the price when it comes to coloured stones. While a one-carat white diamond is around four times as expensive as a half-carat white diamond, a one-carat blue stone could be 50 times pricier than one half its size. But most important is the intensity of colour a small red stone is more valuable than a large pink one. The colour of a white diamond is graded D to G, while coloured stones are deemed at best vivid and at worst light fancy. Kormind says: Without hesitation, this is an example of where size does not matter. The most important thing is the quality of the colour. This can be subjective, but really you want the most vivid colour. With pinks, for example, what you really want is a bubblegum pink. By Press Trust of India: By Anil Bhatt Nowshera (JK), May 14 (PTI) Forced to flee their homes, leaving behind cattle and ready to harvest crops due to frequent shelling by Pakistan, the residents along the Line of Control are batting for construction of community bunkers in their villages. For the thousands living in these vulnerable zones, fear creeps in when the sun sets as their hamlets come under intense shelling by the neighbours army. advertisement Mortar marks on walls of houses and shops in the area are a testimony to the brute firing by Pakistani army targeting the civilian population. The Pakistan armyhad yesterday pounded civilian areas and forward posts along the LoC in Nowshera area with mortars, killing two civilians and injuring three others. The border dwellers are now batting for construction of community bunkers to safeguard themselves from the heavy cross-border shelling, which have seen a spike since 2002. Madan Lal (62) said he along with his five family members took shelter in an underground bunker set up by him near his house for 20 hours, before being ferried in a bullet-proof vehicle by police and housed in a camp in Nowshera. "It was the worst shelling along LoC in Nowshera since 2002. Hundreds of mortar shells were fired by Pakistan, especially targeting civilian areas and hamlets. It was raining shells," he said. With fear and terror writ large on his face, the farmer said, "We fled our houses, leaving behind the cattle and ready to harvest crops to save our lives. We took refuge in an underground bunker near my house for several hours." His wife Sudha said, "The mud bunker near our house saved our lives as shells damaged our house. For border dwellers, such bunkers are like the bullet proof jackets." The couple said such bunkers could also help in keeping their cattle safe. Jangarh residents--Rajan Choudhary, Mohinder and Suresh Kumar-- also vouched for the usefulness of such bunkers for safeguarding lives. They said community bunkers should be constructed in each and every hamlet dotting the Indo-Pak border. Three civilians have been killed and five others injured in Pakistani shelling along LOC in Nowshera sector of Rajouri district on May 11 and 13. As many as 42 villages along the LoC have been caught in the crossfire recently. "Our village Pukharmi was hit by over 70 mortar shells in just 10 to 15 minutes. A shell hit our house. My wife Akhar Bi died in the attack," 40-year-old Haneef, who was injured in the attack, said. advertisement "If the government would have set up a bunker, my wife would not have died. The government has failed to keep the promise of setting up community bunkers for border dwellers," he said. Underground community bunkers have become like a "second home" for the border residents, with most of these being constructed by the locals on their own. The decision to construct community bunkers was taken by the Union government in December last year. The Jammu and Kashmir government had in 2015 submitted a proposal to the Centre for setting up of over 20,000 bunkers at a cost of over Rs 1,000 crore in 448 border areas in the state. "The proposal will cover a population of 4,02,455 living close to the border areas in districts of Kathua, Samba, Jammu, Rajouri and Poonch," then chief minister Mufti Mohammad Sayeed had said. The border dwellers also want the Narendra Modi-led Central government to deal with Pakistan with an iron hand. "Give them (Pakistan) a befitting reply so that they never dare to resort to even a single ceasefire violation in the future," a border resident Puran Chand said. After the Pakistani shelling, 270 people were evacuated from various areas along the LoC in Rajouri district to safer places. advertisement The government had last month said the Pakistani security forces had violated the ceasefire 268 times in the last one year. Nine perons were killed in these incidents. Minister of State for Defence Subhash Bhamre had said some time back that between April 2016 and March 2017, the maximum of 88 violations were witnessed in November 2016 followed by 78 in October 2016 and 22 in March this year. The ceasefire between India and Pakistan came into force in November 2003. PTI AB SRY --- ENDS --- It is a modern-day version of David versus Goliath where little David triumphed not once but twice. Fifteen years ago, Andy Macpherson took on the financial behemoth HSBC over a disputed protection insurance claim relating to bladder cancer. The bank said his cancer was not serious enough to warrant a payout but he begged to differ. He won despite all the odds with a little help from The Mail on Sunday. Amazingly, he has now won a second protracted battle with the same bank over another insurance claim also involving bladder cancer but this time for cover bought by his younger brother Alistair. Brothers in arms: Alastair, left and Andy Macpherson Again, HSBC considered Alistairs cancer unworthy of a payout. Andy thought otherwise and took up the cudgels on behalf of his brother and won. Andys willingness to fight the bank culminated in a payout of 160,000 for himself in 2002. His refusal to take no for an answer from the bank with regards to his brothers claim has now resulted in a 100,000 award for Alistair plus a further 76,500 payout on another policy that his brother has with insurer Old Mutual Wealth. It is a story of brotherly love to warm the heart. Alistair says: I am delighted that financial justice has prevailed. Andy has been an absolute star. 'If it had not been for his terrier-like tenacity I would have quietly gone away and my policies would have proved worthless, just money down the drain. Support: Alistairs rejection by HSBC was reported in 2015 Crucially, the story highlights the scandalous fact that many protection insurance policies written years ago are now no longer fit for purpose and are often inferior to those that are sold today. Insurers, only interested in acquiring new business, show no inclination to automatically upgrade customers plans, leaving it only to savvy advisers to ensure clients have the best up-to-date cover. Indeed, many policies sold today not by HSBC would have automatically made payments to both Andy and Alistair when their cancers were first diagnosed. At loggerheads: Correspondence relating to Alistair's case Last year, we highlighted the case of Hein Pretorius who lost a leg in a motorbike accident in 2015. His protection insurance claims were declined because only the loss of both legs would have triggered a payout. Vague policy terms, a trait of longstanding cover, also provide insurers with the opportunity as HSBC tried to do with the Macphersons to wriggle out of what they consider contentious claims. Their David and Goliath clash is an epic financial tale. It is about Andy going into battle for Alistair when Alistair was at his wits end enduring numerous operations, just about keeping his import business afloat and contemplating giving up on his battle to get his claim met. It is about a cussed, determined and wily brother who took HSBC and its army of medical advisers to the Financial Ombudsman Service (funded by the financial services industry) and, despite the odds against him, won for his younger sibling. A stack of paperwork is testimony to the hours and days Andy spent writing to HSBC, challenging its rebuttals and urging it to do the right thing and pay up. It is also a tale of extraordinary coincidences. Both brothers fell victim to cancer of the bladder (which is not genetic). Their insurances, sold on the basis they would pay out a predetermined lump sum on diagnosis of a serious illness, were both with HSBC and certain experts acting either for the bank or for the brothers were involved in both 2002 when Andy went to war with HSBC and 2014 when Alistairs battle with HSBC began. David and Goliath: Fifteen years ago, Andy Macpherson took on the financial behemoth HSBC over a disputed protection insurance claim relating to bladder cancer How Andy had to fight HSBC It all started in early 2000 when 66-year-old Andy, then in his late 40s, fell victim to cancer. It resulted in two operations to remove tumours plus extensive chemotherapy. Running a successful recording studio Revolution Studios from near his home in Cheadle Hulme, Cheshire, he was comforted by the fact that he had longstanding insurance with HSBC, designed to provide financial protection in the event of serious illness. But initially HSBC would not pay out the 160,000 sum assured because it said his cancer was non-invasive in situ (it had not spread). Such a cancer is excluded under HSBCs claimable cancer definition. Andys consultant, Gerald Collins, a renowned urological surgeon, took exception, telling HSBC his patients illness was cancer in the purest sense of the term. After Andys case was highlighted in The Mail on Sunday, HSBC did a U-turn and paid up, apologising for the problems he had experienced in its assessment of his claim. The bank chief who didnt even respond Not even an impassioned letter from Andy Macpherson to HSBC boss Stuart Gulliver in December 2015 persuaded the bank to meet his brothers insurance claim. Indeed the 15-page-long correspondence, urging HSBC to accept Alistairs claim, was not even acknowledged by 58-year-old Gulliver, who last year was paid 5.7 million. In the letter, Andy spelt out in black and white terms Alistairs poor health and the devastating impact of HSBCs decision not to pay up on his brothers claim. He wrote: During this year alone my brother has been unable to work for over 100 days due to constant hospitalisation and the unpleasant side effects of his treatment. The current medication regime is very rugged and Mr Collins [Alistairs consultant] is of the opinion that my brothers overall medical condition is very poor. Silence: HSBC boss Stuart Gulliver He concluded his heartfelt letter by referring to a quote Mr Gulliver had made on the citizenship section of the banks website by setting the highest standards of behaviour our aim is that all our employees and customers can be proud of our business. Andy said: Perhaps, having read my brothers story, you could spend some time to reflect on how proud you feel he might be of his treatment by HSBC. On Friday, Alistair told The Mail on Sunday: Every time my consultant came into bat for me with evidence that my claim should be met, the bank pulled up the drawbridge and said no. Every time Andy fired off a letter on my behalf, it came back with the same excuses as to why my claim would not be paid [see above]. The stress it has put me under is immeasurable and Mr Gulliver did not even give my brother Andy the courtesy of a reply. On Friday, HSBC said Gulliver had passed on Andys letter to the head of insurance for him to comment. Fighting back a second time for his brother Since 2002, Andy has been in and out of hospital having tumours dug out of his bladder. Thankfully, since 2012, he has had no further problems. But for the past three years, he has devoted much time to his younger brother Alistair and his quest to get a claim met under insurance bought from the same bank. Like Andy, 64-year-old Alistair, from Poynton near Stockport, was diagnosed with cancer of the bladder but in 2014. Again the bank played hard ball, using the same tactic it employed against Andy, stating his cancer was in situ and there was no evidence of invasion. Watchdog ruling: An initial adjudicator at the Ombudsman found in Alistairs favour, only for the bank to request a review of the decision This was refuted by Alistairs surgeon the same Gerald Collins that had diagnosed Andys cancer who described the cancer as a serious and potentially aggressive malignant tumour. As if further proof was needed, since 2014 Alistair has endured a series of operations which have left him weak and struggling to keep his import business afloat. Despite extensive treatment, the cancer keeps coming back the last time being last December and he now faces the prospect of his bladder being removed. Most people rebuffed by their insurer quietly go away, accepting its reason for not meeting their claim. But brother Andy was having none of it. Armed with all the knowledge he had acquired from 15 years ago when doing his own battle with HSBC, he was determined to get justice for Alistair. Having exhausted all complaints channels at HSBC, Andy took his brothers case to the Financial Ombudsman Service which arbitrates in unresolved disputes. An initial adjudicator at the Ombudsman found in Alistairs favour, only for the bank to request a review of the decision. In March, Ombudsman Jo Storey came down again in favour of Alistair, siding with the consultants evidence that the cancer was invasive and stating that the bank must pay him the 100,000 due under the terms of his cover. Together with returned premiums the figure is 105,851. Andy was not finished. Alistair also has a near identical policy with Skandia Life, now Old Mutual Wealth. Although it had played hard ball like HSBC, it relented when presented with the Ombudsmans verdict against HSBC. Alistair is 76,507 richer as a result. On Friday, Alistair told The Mail on Sunday: Because of Andys never-say-die spirit I now have a degree of financial security. I can devote my energy to fighting my cancer while looking after my family and loving wife Lois. Andy is modest about what he has done for his younger brother but like Alistair he believes it is unacceptable that some protection policies are full of ambiguities. In my eyes, cancer is cancer, he says. On Friday, HSBC told The Mail on Sunday: We accept the decision of the Financial Ombudsman Service and wish Mr [Alistair] Macpherson well in his recovery. At the time the policy was taken out, many insurance companies did not pay out on claims such as that made by him. But the market has changed and we have made a number of improvements to the cover we now offer. Old Mutual Wealth said: We are sorry for any inconvenience caused to Mr Macpherson and wish him a full and speedy recovery. No loyalty: Stick with your insurer for too long and it will take advantage of you by pushing up your premiums while luring in new customers with cheaper deals Loyalty has long counted for nothing in financial services. It is a drum we have banged for a long time. Stick with your insurer for too long and it will take advantage of you by pushing up your premiums while luring in new customers with cheaper deals. A number of insurers, led by Aviva, have now promised to stop discriminating against loyalty although I will not be convinced until their words are turned into actions. While the likes of Aviva boss Mark Wilson (who somehow manages to combine his demanding role with being a part-time journalist) contemplate how to do something they should have been doing all along, I trust they will embrace protection insurance within this loyalty review. As we highlight today, it is unacceptable that hundreds of thousands of people have longstanding cover that is no longer fit for purpose but no one has bothered to tell them it is. Lose a leg and you will not be covered (you need to lose both). Got cancer of the bladder? Tough, as the Macpherson brothers discovered (see above). It is about time the insurance industry found a way of updating existing policies on an ongoing basis so that all customers are treated fairly. At the very least, long-standing customers should be offered the opportunity to update their cover, even if it means higher premiums. There must be a way forward on this. Any thoughts Mr Wilson? While Mark Wilson contemplates his insurance navel, anyone sent a renewal notice should at the very least challenge their provider on the price offered. A work colleague was recently called by British Gas to see if he was happy with the new premium quoted to renew his boiler cover. He wasnt and threatened to leave. The company suddenly pulled a 30 per cent loyalty discount out of its hat and now, rather than facing a 50 annual increase, he has cut the covers cost by 170. What a gas. A work colleague was recently called by British Gas to see if he was happy with new premium quoted to renew his boiler cover Fighting crime Financial crime is a fact of modern life and sadly it is here to stay. Whatever steps you take to thwart it and irrespective of the measures financial companies introduce to combat it criminals still hold the upper hand. They are cunning, driven by the fact that rich pickings can be made and are feeding off our predilection for use of technology that can often be easily compromised. Whether it is fraudsters attempting to dupe you into handing over thousands of pounds to bogus holiday booking websites (an issue investigated by my colleague Sally Hamilton in recent weeks) or criminals tricking you into giving them your bank details under the pretext of a tax rebate coming your way, they are everywhere. They spare no one, including myself. Last week, I withdrew money from a NatWest cash machine opposite work in Londons Kensington. As usual I checked the machine for anything suspicious and then ensured nobody was shoulder-surfing me to get hold of my PIN. All my safety measures counted for nothing because crooks cloned my card. The result was that they then proceeded to withdraw (from China) five identical sums of 229.28 from my account. Although the withdrawals were processed, fraud-busters at my bank Cater Allen soon picked up on the unusual transactions. Accepting that I was not on a flying visit to China, they reimbursed the 1,146.40 plus interest. So a big thank you to Cater Allen for digging me out of a financial fraud hole. And a big warning to all you lovely readers you cannot be too careful in this era of financial crime. Money education Investment houses get a lot of stick for feathering their own nests at the expense of fund investors. Most of it is justified. But hats off to the 16 companies which have just put 1 million behind a campaign to get primary school children interested in money issues. The KickStart Money project will be delivered by financial education charity MyBnk and target 18,000 children in 100 schools. The 1 million may be small beer compared to the 35 million bonus pot that key employees of Aberdeen and Standard Life (both KickStart backers) will feast on once the companies complete their merger. But its a sound start. Target: Mike Pinggera tries to beat the Consumer Prices Index by four percentage points a year The investment objective behind Sanlam Four Multi-Strategy Fund is simple to make money when conditions are favourable, but then not to lose it in difficult times. It is a pretty straightforward goal on paper, but its execution is anything but easy. Manager Mike Pinggera, a longstanding multi-asset investment expert, uses a wide range of financial instruments from options to holdings in global equities, infrastructure, renewable energy and property to deliver on the funds promise. So far, he has done a decent job, though it is relatively early days for the fund, which was launched in early 2013 but has been available to retail investors only since November 2013. Over the past three years, the fund has achieved an overall return of 11 per cent, though much of the performance has been produced in the last year. The fund is one of 100 targeted absolute return vehicles, which try to make a positive return in all kinds of markets. No two are the same, all using different combinations of assets and financial instruments to produce gains. And they have attracted criticism, especially when failing to generate those absolute returns. Pinggera sees his fund more as a savings product than an investment and has his own pension invested in it. For regulatory reasons the funds objectives are more clearly defined than simply making positive returns. The aim is to outperform the Consumer Prices Index by four percentage points a year over five-year periods, with a target of generating absolute returns on a rolling three-year basis. The fund has two key elements. There is a safety core, which primarily provides the portfolios income. This comes from exposure to fixed income, renewable energy, infrastructure and income producing property holdings, such as Land Securities. Key fixed-income positions include corporate bonds in Anglian Water, HSBC and Tesco. Career history: Before Sanlam, Pinggera worked for Credit Suisse Then there is a growth element, built around exposure to global equities. Money is made from holding equities and short-selling specific indices. For example, Pinggera is currently shorting the FTSE 100 Index. Combined, Pinggera says the two strategies produce an income of about three per cent, plus capital uplift. Since November 2013, the fund has produced 22 months of positive return, 17 of negative and one of zero return. We have an eclectic investor base, he says. The fund is popular with charities and pension funds. They are drawn in by the fact that we are trying to make money and if that is not possible then we are doing our best not to lose it. Sanlam Four manages assets of 4.3 billion. It was spawned out of boutique investment house Four Capital Partners, formed in 2006, before South African-owned financial services group Sanlam took a controlling stake in late 2014. It is a tight-knit operation of 23 investment professionals, most with more than 20 years in the City under their belt. Before Sanlam, Pinggera worked for Credit Suisse and Insight. Fund rating website FundCalibre rates nine targeted absolute return funds, but Sanlam Four Multi-Strategy is not one of them. Among its favoured funds are Brooks MacDonald Defensive Capital and Jupiter Absolute Return. Last week, investment house Man GLG launched the UK Absolute Strategy Fund, which ambitiously aims to produce an annual return of 10 per cent within an absolute return strategy. By Press Trust of India: Jammu, May 14 (PTI) Invoking Atal Bihari Vajpayee, National Conference leader Farooq Abdullah today appealed to Prime Minister Narendra Modi to declare a "unilateral truce" along the Indo-Pak border during the holy month of Ramzan. The "bold" move will show that India wants to have peace and is ready to sit together to resolve the issue, the former Jammu and Kashmir chief minister told reporters. advertisement "I will appeal (to Prime Minister Narendra Modi). Ramzan is approaching. It is just a few days away. It will better if they announce unilateral truce," Abdullah said here, a day after two persons were killed in heavy shelling by Pakistan along the Line of Control (LoC) in Rajouri district. The NC leaders statement drew a sharp reaction from the BJP with Deputy Chief Minister Nirmal Singh asking why he was not giving similar advice to Pakistan, which has frequently violated the 2003 Indo-Pak ceasefire along the border and targeted civilian settlements. Asked about the ceasefire violations by Pakistan, Abdullah said that despite the hostile situation in Jammu and Kashmir and on the borders, former prime minister Vajpayee had announced a unilateral ceasefire against anti-terror operations in the year 2000. "It has become a serious problem. To resolve this, we have to take decisions. There was a very serious problem... when Atal Bihari Vajpayee was Prime Minister and he took a bold decision, went to Lahore and announced unilateral ceasefire during the month of Ramdan," he said. Announcing a unilateral truce against terror oprations, Vajpayee had on November 19, 2000 said in a statement, "I hope that our gesture will be fully appreciated and all violence in the State and infiltration across the Line of Control and the International Border will cease and peace will prevail". Later in 2003, the Indo-Pak ceasefire came into force. The government had last month said that Pakistani security forces had violated the ceasefire 268 times in the last one year. Between April 2016 and March 2017, the maximum of 88 violations were witnessed in November 2016 followed by 78 in October 2016 and 22 in March this year. "Time has come when both countries should move forward towards it. Four wars have been fought and except death and destruction, we have got nothing," Abdullah said. The holy month of Ramadan will begin towards May-end. The NC leader said that he had impressed on the Prime Minister during their recent meeting that there was immediate need to take a political initiative on Kashmir issue and the situation in the valley should not be looked as a law and order problem. advertisement "We shared our view point on Kashmir situation. I told him that it is very important to take a political initiative. It is not a mere law and order problem. We have to think beyond the law and order angle. "A Parliament delegation came (to Kashmir). They gave a report on the situation but nothing was done. The iterlocutors report has not been implemented. I told him you need to work fast on it and take an urgent initiative," he said. Abdullah said the situation in Kashmir "is getting bad" and tension is increasing on the borders. "A situation should not be allowed which will result in a war. It is not good for us. It will only cause destruction. So there is need to have talks," he said. Asked about Hizb commander Zakir Moosas statement that militants are fighting for Islam in Kashmir, Abdullah said, "Where in Islam is it written that we have to wage a war and kill innocents. Please show me the book in which it is written. advertisement "It is a state of Muslims, Hindus, Sikhs, Christians and Bhuddists. Does Islam say kill innocents? If you kill one innocent person, you will go to hell. "It (Kashmir) is political issue. It cannot be resolved through a war. It will be resolved through talks. You have keep the door open for commencement of talks," he said. PTI AB RT --- ENDS --- SITEKI As pupils are getting ready for the schools opening for the second term this week, about 350 pupils from the Assembly of God Primary School in Siteki are not quite sure if they should iron their uniforms and dust their books in readiness for the resumption of classes. The pupils are in the dark after Health Inspectors from the Ministry of Health ordered that it be closed as it was found to have poor sanitation and unfit for human habitation hence posing health hazards to the pupils, teachers and to the community members around the school. The inspectors carried out an impromptu sanitary inspection in March, during which they discovered that it lacked proper sanitation, had dilapidated classrooms, no water supply and food stored in a tool shed. Assembly of God Primary School is situated in the outskirts of Siteki. The school was given a 30-day ultimatum to resolve its sanitary problems. Ignatius Shongwe, Lubombo Regional Environmental Health Officer said the current state of the pit latrines at the school can contribute to diarrhoeal diseases, which is in violation of the Public Health Act of 1969. Shongwe said the condition observed at Assembly of God Primary Schools classrooms were in violation of the Act and the state of the kitchen was also in violation of the same legislation and the Food Regulations Act of 1973. Shongwe expressed his dissatisfaction with the state of both the teachers and learners toilets because they lacked signage, water supply, doors and were stinky. He said classrooms were discovered to be in a dilapidated state, with cracked walls and floors had potholes. Nonhle Masango - Head teacher of the school said the issue of poor sanitation and poor learning environment at the school dated back from 2014. She said the school authorities had tried on numerous occasions to get assistance from the Ministry of Education but in vain. The head teacher expressed her grave concern over the issue of poor sanitation at the school mentioning that they posed a health hazard to the learners, especially diarrhoeal infections, since this had been a neglected issue. A report on the sanitary condition of the school is with the Health Environmental office. Masango said the Ministry of Education and Training assisted only with the renovations of the lower grades. Mbabane Without a doubt, the most talked about criminal case at the moment is that of the allegedly kidnapped Matsapha business mogul Almor Oliveira and the fate of the trio that is suspected to be behind the businessmans disappearance. With one of the three Asian suspects already free after being admitted to E5 000 bail, well-known attorney Advocate Mduduzi Mabila is fighting for the release of the prime suspect Qing Ming He the first accused in the matter. The accused was arrested on April 28, 2017 and subsequently charged with eight counts, including one of kidnapping, six of them involving contravening the Arms and Ammunitions Act, and one for the theft of a vehicle number plate. While investigating officer Superintendent Clement Sihlongonyane has presented his own arguments on why Qing should not be freed, Mabila has sought to counter these. The crux of Sihlongonyanes evidence is on four points: By virtue of being a foreigner, the suspect is a flight risk; he would interfere with Crown witnesses; he tried to escape from lawful custody by grabbing the cell keys; and that the business community was gripped with fear and further outraged by the kidnapping of Oliveira. Advocate Mabila, under the instruction of lawyer Ncedo Ndlangamandla, submitted before the Mbabane Magistrates Court a number of arguments, which he believes should see his client being released from jail. Mabila has based his arguments on Section 96(1) of the Criminal Procedure and Evidence Act 67 of 1938 (as amended) which states: In any court- (a) an accused person who is in custody in respect of an offence shall, subject to the provisions of section 95 and the Fourth and Fifth Schedules, be entitled to be released on bail at any stage preceding the accuseds conviction in respect of such offence, unless the court finds that it is in the interests of justice that the accused be detained in custody; (b) subject to section 95, an accused who desires to be released on bail may make a written application in the form of a petition, or in any other form if the court so directs, to the appropriate court; (c) subject to the provisions of section 95, the court referring an accused to any other court for trial or sentencing retains jurisdiction relating to the powers, functions and duties in respect of bail in terms of this Act until the accused appears in such other court for the first time and where the commitment is on a warrant issued by the High Court, it shall only be competent to apply for bail to the High Court; (d) if the question of the possible release of the accused on bail is not raised by the accused or the prosecutor, the court shall ascertain from the accused whether the accused wishes that question to be considered by the court. MBABANE - From owning a posh house that comprised three bedrooms, two bathrooms, a lounge, dining room, kitchen and a garage to living in a rented one-bedroom house located in the outskirts of the city. That is the sad story of an elderly Matsebula couple and their four sons after the place they had called home for almost 20 years was sold by the Swaziland Building Society to recover a debt of E49 741.87. The couple now lives at Mpolonjeni while their sons have had to find alternative accommodation. The Matsebulas believe and are convinced that the Society inflated the outstanding debt, first to E170 000, and later to E220 000 so as to render them unable to settle the amount. For almost 17 years now, the Matsebulas are still fighting, with little success, to see justice prevail in the matter and, most importantly, have their house returned to them. The matter dates back to 1996 and the Matsebulas were eventually evicted from their home in 2000. What has given them further courage to contest the sale of their house is the June 2016 Supreme Court judgment that saw Rodgers Bhoyane Du Pont regaining ownership of his farm which had been sold by the same financial institution over an outstanding debt Simon Matsebula also suffered the same fate after he took a mortgage bond with the Society to purchase the house that is situated at Eveni (Lot No. 1578 Mbabane Extension No.12) measuring 2 249 square metres. The Society even refused an undertaking by the Central Bank of Swaziland (CBS) to provide Matsebula with an advance of E100 000 to settle the debt. At the time, Matsebula was employed by the CBS. Through a letter dated December 8, 1999 written by CS Dlamini, the then Acting Senior Director of the CBS, it was stated: I am writing to advise that following a request for an urgent housing loan, the bank has agreed that it can advance to Mr. Matsebula an amount not exceeding E100 000 (one hundred thousand emalangeni) towards settlement to his housing loan debt, including accumulated interest and other costs with the Swaziland Building Society. In response, the Society, through its lawyers from Robinson Bertram, informed Matsebula in a letter dated December 14, 1999 that an order for his ejectment from the house had been granted on December 3, 1999. Matsebula was told to have vacated the premises no later than December 16, 1999. Kindly take notice that should you still be in occupation of our clients premises after the time limit set out above the Deputy Sheriff will execute the ejectment order on Friday, December 17, 1999, Matsebula was informed. On October 11, 1999, Matsebulas lawyer, the late Bheki Simelane, questioned the Society on the amount that his client owed because various figures were popping up. Entfonjeni National Primary School where the incident took place. MBABANE A Grade III class teacher at Ntfonjeni National Primary School in the northern Hhohho region astounded his colleagues and pupils alike when he instructed the children to sing South Africas National Anthem Nkosi Sikelela iAfrica - instead of Swazilands own. Swazilands national anthem is Nkulunkulu Mnikati Wetibusiso temaSwati, which is a compromise between Swazi and western styles of music, and was adopted after independence in 1968. The lyrics were authored by Fanyana Simelane, and the composer of the tune was David Rycroft. According to Wikipedia, the South African national anthem was first sung as a church hymn but later became an act of political defiance against the then apartheid government. Nkosi sikelela, thina lusapho lwayo (let us live and strive for freedom in South Africa our land!) Most interestingly, national schools in Swaziland are held in high esteem as they are under the directorship of royalty. A national school can be established either by the head of state, royal family members or by a certain community and then handed over to the King. The Times SUNDAY understands that the singing of Nkosi Sikelela iAfrica at Ntfonjeni National Primary School took place two weeks before schools closed for the first term. The first term ended on April 21, 2017. Information reaching this publication is that the issue is still being investigated by the Ministry of Education and Training. It has been further established by this publication that the matter has attracted a lot of interest particularly because the learning centre is a national school and the alleged offender, identified as one Bhekisisa Ndlangamandla, is a civil servant and a Swazi. Giving his side of the story, the teacher in question agreed that he did instruct the pupils to sing Nkosi Sikelela iAfrica, but argued that he did not regard the song as a national anthem of the neighbouring republic. Ndlangamandla said he did not even know any other African national anthem except the Swazi one. The people who have concluded that I forced the pupils to sing Nkosi Sikelela iAfrica do not read the hymn book because it originates from verses in this book. There is no National anthem titled Nkosi Sikelela iAfrica, not even in South Africa as many countries sing such a song. Those who had made this conclusion are all propagandists, said Ndlangamandla. Online registrations for Delhi University's various programmes will begin from May 22. Admissions for merit-based UG programmes are starting on May 22. But some of these courses, including BBA and BA (Hons) are beginning on May 31. By Mail Today Bureau: Bringing the long wait to an end for many admission aspirants, Delhi University on Saturday announced the admissions schedule will start from May 22 for its undergraduate merit-based, entrance-based, postgraduate programmes, MPhil and PhD programmes. Similar to the procedure followed last year, eligible aspirants wanting to make it to Delhi University will have to register online for all the programmes they want to apply for on Delhi University's site du.ac.in advertisement Candidates seeking admission for undergraduate programmes for merit-based programmes can register online, starting May 22. As for aspirants seeking admission under Bachelor of Management Studies (BMS), BA(Hons) Business Economics, Bachelor of Business Administration (Financial Investment Analysis) courses, which are conducted through entrance exams, the online registration starts on May 31. Admission under postgraduate programmes and MPhil and PhD will also begin on May 31. The online registration also includes sports, extra-curricular activities, Kashmiri migrants, children/widows (defence) and persons with disability (PwD) categories. The details of registration process and subsequent admission updates will be published in the bulletin of information soon. In order to make the application procedure accessible and proximate, the DU admission committee members have introduced 12 new centres for conducting DU Joint Admission Test (DU-JAT) across the country for the upcoming academic session this year. Increasing the number of centres which stood at six - Bengaluru, Nagpur, Delhi, Jammu, Varanasi and Kolkata - last year, the students will now be allowed to appear in cities like Ahmedabad, Bhopal, Bhubaneshwar, Chandigarh, NCR, Guwahati, Hyderabad, Jaipur, Mumbai, Patna, Ranchi, Thiruvananthapuram. They are reeling under the exhaustive process to secure a seat in DU, which is delayed in stark contrast to securing a seat in other private colleges. "The wait to get into DU leaves students hanging as the demanding cut-off requires students to be certain of their percentage if they want to get into DU," said a concerned parent. ALSO READ | Delhi University's solution for high cut-offs: An all-India entrance test ALSO READ | Committed to making admission drill glitch-free, say Delhi University panel officials --- ENDS --- Sign up for our amNY Sports email newsletter to get insights and game coverage for your favorite teams By Naeisha Rose With Mothers Day coming up this weekend, some moms are beginning to celebrate their resiliency thanks to the guidance of HELP USA, a Manhattan-based nonprofit that aids individuals in transitional housing. Domestic violence is the leading cause of women and families in shelters, and HELP USA has made it their priority to find people homes, all the while preparing them for practical and emotional obstacles, Program Director Dr. Hayley Carrington-Walton said. Created in 1986 in Brooklyn, HELP USA has been reaching people throughout the country with representatives on the ground and via its hotline to help stem the prevalence of homelessness. Through HELP USA, mothers in domestic violence situations get help with obtaining employment, managing finances, parenting tools, therapy for their kids, and post-counseling resources to help them stay on their journey to becoming independent. Women that have made it after domestic violence, we want to help them continue seeking strength and empowerment, Carrington-Walton said. One of the mothers to benefit from HELP USA was Isha Hemmans, 31, who has five children. Hemmans was in a two-year relationship that went from romantic to almost deadly. Initially, he was loving and caring, Hemmans said of her ex-partner. Eventually, things got violent and she knew she had to leave. He threatened to kill me and when I went to the precinct, they knew he was gang-related, and the police officer said we are going to have to get you out of here, Hemmans said. Buying a bus ticket to Pennsylvania to help move Hemmans and her three children at the time was HELP USA. After returning to New York in 2014, Hemmans reconnected with HELP USA and joined their post domestic violence program. We provide counseling and try to keep them linked to their community, Carrington-Walton said. Realizing that she had co-dependency issues and needed to work more on becoming independent, Hemmans called up a friend who told her about selling makeup for Avon and being her own boss. She now sells from her home in St. Albans. Im just happy that there are people out there that are dedicated to helping women get out on their own feet and get moral support so that they can do better than their life before and that their life does matter, Hemmans said. International investigators hunted Saturday for those behind an unprecedented cyber-attack that affected systems in dozens of countries, including at banks, hospitals and government agencies, as security experts sought to contain the fallout. The assault, which began Friday and was being described as the biggest-ever cyber ransom attack, struck state agencies and major companies around the world from Russian banks and British hospitals to FedEx and European car factories. "The recent attack is at an unprecedented level and will require a complex international investigation to identify the culprits," said Europol, Europe\s police agency. Europol said a special task force at its European Cybercrime Centre was "specially designed to assist in such investigations and will play an important role in supporting the investigation". The attacks used ransomware that apparently exploited a security flaw in Microsoft operating systems, locking users\ files unless they pay the attackers a designated sum in the virtual currency Bitcoin. Images appeared on victims\ screens demanding payment of $300 (275 euros) in Bitcoin, saying: "Ooops, your files have been encrypted!" Payment is demanded within three days or the price is doubled, and if none is received within seven days the files will be deleted, according to the screen message. But experts and government alike warn against ceding to the hackers\ demands. "Paying the ransom does not guarantee the encrypted files will be released," the US Department of Homeland Security\s computer emergency response team said. "It only guarantees that the malicious actors receive the victim\s money, and in some cases, their banking information." Experts and officials offered differing estimates of the scope of the attacks, but all agreed it was huge. Mikko Hypponen, chief research officer at the Helsinki-based cyber security company F-Secure, told AFP it was the biggest ransomware outbreak in history, saying that 130,000 systems in more than 100 countries had been affected. He said Russia and India were hit particularly hard, largely because Microsoft\s Windows XP one of the operating systems most at risk was still widely used there. French police said there were "more than 75,000 victims" around the globe, but cautioned that the number could increase "significantly". The virus spread quickly because the culprits used a digital code believed to have been developed by the US National Security Agency and subsequently leaked as part of a document dump, according to researchers at the Moscow-based computer security firm Kaspersky Lab. Microsoft said the situation was "painful" and that it was taking "all possible actions to protect our customers". It issued guidance for people to protect their systems, while taking the highly unusual step of reissuing security patches first made available in March for Windows XP and other older versions of its operating system. US software firm Symantec said the majority of organisations affected were in Europe, and the attack was believed to be indiscriminate. The companies and government agencies targeted were diverse. In the United States, package delivery group FedEx said it was "implementing remediation steps as quickly as possible," while French carmaker Renault was forced to stop production at sites in France, Slovenia and Romania. Russia\s interior ministry said some of its computers had been hit by a "virus attack" and that efforts were underway to destroy it. The country\s banking system was also attacked, although no problems were detected, as was the railway system. Germany\s rail operator Deutsche Bahn said its station display panels were affected. Universities in Greece and Italy also were hit. Kaspersky said it was "trying to determine whether it is possible to decrypt data locked in the attack with the aim of developing a decryption tool as soon as possible." On Saturday, a cyber security researcher told AFP he had accidentally discovered a "kill switch" that could prevent the spread of the ransomware. The researcher, tweeting as @MalwareTechBlog, said registering a domain name used by the malware stops it from spreading, though it cannot help computers already affected. "If you have anything to patch, patch it," the researcher said in a blog post. "Now I should probably sleep." A hacking group called Shadow Brokers released the malware in April claiming to have discovered the flaw from the NSA, Kaspersky said. "Unlike most other attacks, this malware is spreading primarily by direct infection from machine to machine on local networks, rather than purely by email," said Lance Cottrell, chief scientist at the US technology group Ntrepid. G7 finance ministers meeting in Italy vowed to unite against cyber crime, as it represented a growing threat to their economies and should be tackled as a priority. The danger will be discussed at the G7 leaders\ summit next month. In Britain, the attack disrupted care at National Health Service facilities, forcing ambulances to divert and hospitals to postpone operations. "There will be lessons to learn from what appears to be the biggest criminal cyber-attack in history," Interior minister Amber Rudd said. "But our immediate priority as a government is to disrupt the attack, restore affected services as soon as possible, and establish who was behind it so we can bring them to justice." SOURCE: AFP By Press Trust of India: Chandigarh, May 14 (PTI) A major fire broke out at the administrative block of Panjab University here today, destroying some records of the accounts department. It took about two hours for 10 fire tenders to put out the flames which engulfed the first floor of the Dewan Anand Kumar Hall, the administrative building of Panjab University, which has been facing a "financial crisis". advertisement No casualty was reported in the incident, which took place around 3 am, Station Fire Officer Paramjit Singh Gill said. An electric short-circuit was suspected to have triggered the fire. However, an inquiry has been ordered to ascertain the exact cause. The fire was first noticed by a group of students coming from the library around 3 am. They saw thick smoke coming out from the building and alerted the varsitys security officials. PU vice-chancellor Arun Kumar Grover said an inquiry committee would be constituted to ascertain the probable cause of the fire and assess the extent of damage. Personnel of the Central Forensic Laboratory has visited the site, he said. "Several documents have been destroyed, but the transactional data is retrievable," the VC said. He said a safety assessment would be undertaken to prevent recurrence of fire incident. PTI SUN CHS SMN --- ENDS --- North Korea fired a ballistic missile early Wednesday, South Korean military officials said, the first such launch in two months and just a week after the US slapped fresh sanctions on the hermit state and declared it a state sponsor of terrorism. The North has stoked international alarm over its banned nuclear missile programme but before Wednesday had not staged a missile test since September 15, raising hopes that ramped-up sanctions were having an impact. The missile flew east from South Pyongan Province, the military Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS) said. The US Pentagon said it had detected a "probable missile launch" from North Korea. South Korea\s military staged a "precision strike" missile exercise in response, Yonhap news agency said, also quoting the JCS. Seoul\s unification minister had on Tuesday said signs of unusual activity had been detected in North Korea, hinting at a possible missile test. The US last week unveiled new sanctions targeting North Korean shipping, raising pressure on Pyongyang to abandon it\s atomic weapons programme. Pyongyang condemned the move as a "serious provocation" and warned that sanctions would never succeed. In September the North conducted its sixth and most powerful nuclear test and staged an intermediate-range missile launch over Japan. SOURCE: AFP Nepal held local level polls on Sunday, the first since 1997 and a key step in the country\s rocky transition to democracy over a decade since the end of the civil war. Around a third of registered voters across three provinces were eligible to cast their vote, with the rest of the country due to vote in a month\s time. The vote has been split into two phases because of unrest in the southern plains bordering India, where the minority Madhesi ethnic group is refusing to take part until an amendment to the constitution is passed. Local representatives were last elected in 1997 and their five-year terms expired at the height of the brutal Maoist insurgency. The 10-year war ended in 2006 and the country began a fraught transition from a Hindu monarchy to a secular federal republic, which has seen it cycle through nine governments. The long gap between polls has left an institutional void at the local level, which has seen graft become a way of life in Nepal, hampering the delivery of basic services as well as the recovery from a devastating 2015 earthquake. "It is difficult to expect much from our politicians they have always been selfish and not worked for the people but I hope that with this election things will change," housewife Shova Maharjan, 41, told AFP after casting her vote in the capital. With nearly 70 percent of the population aged under 35, many were voting for their local representatives for the first time. Polls opened at 7:00 am (0115 GMT) and closed at 5:00 pm, with each voter casting their ballot for seven local representatives: mayor, deputy mayor, ward chairman and four ward committee members. The ballot paper in the capital Kathmandu one of the largest constituencies was around one metre long (three feet) to accommodate the 878 candidates. Nearly 50,000 candidates were standing for election across 283 local municipalities in the first phase, with many registered as independents or with a number of small reformist parties hoping to grab some votes from the traditional political heavyweights. While the youth vote is seen as key in undermining the grip of the three main political parties, the elderly were also out in force, including an 105-year-old man who cast his ballot in Gorkha, the epicentre of the devastating 2015 earthquake, according to the election commission. There were sporadic reports of violence on Sunday with one person killed when police opened fire on a group attempting to raid a polling station in Dolakha district, 180 kilometres (110 miles) northwest of the capital Kathmandu, police told AFP. A bomb was also found early Sunday morning outside the house of a mayoral candidate for the main opposition CPN-UML party in Bhaktapur, 15 kilometres (nine miles) east of Kathmandu. It was diffused without incident. The remaining four provinces, considered potential flashpoints for election-related violence, will vote in the second phase on June 14. But with results expected from Sunday\s vote later this week, observers have expressed concern that the first phase will influence the outcome of the second. As part of the deal that ended the civil war, a new constitution was written and finally adopted in September 2015, nearly a decade after the end of the conflict. The charter mandated that local elections, followed by provincial and then national elections, be held by January 2018 the final step in the drawn-out peace process. But the constitution sparked protests by the Madhesi community who say the document leaves them politically marginalised and led to a months-long blockade of the India-Nepal border in 2015 that caused a crippling shortage of goods across the country. The Madhesi threatened to boycott the local polls unless the constitution is rewritten. This forced the government to split the vote into two phases. The government has promised a vote on an amendment to the constitution after Sunday\s election, but the fragile ruling coalition is struggling to get a majority in parliament to pass the bill. SOURCE: Agence France-Presse Times' Game of the Week Preview: No. 4 Mapletown vs. No. 5 South Side No. 5 South Side gears up to stop the top-scoring No. 4 Mapletown Maples and star running back Landan Stevenson in the quarterfinal Class 1A matchup. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate Date: May 13, 2017 Venue: Houston Field House, 1900 Peoples Ave., Troy Degrees awarded: Russell Sage College 226 bachelor's degrees; Sage College of Albany 195 bachelor's degrees; Sage Graduate School 385 master's degrees and advanced certificates, and 77 doctorates. Featured speaker: Sage Colleges President Susan C. Scrimshaw, Ph.D., who is stepping down June 30, delivered the commencement address, "Lessons from Sage History." Notable: A. Alexandra Jupin, a producer on Broadway and London's West End; a Sage alumna, university administrator and former trustee, received an honorary degree. Frederick A. Miller, a Sage trustee, past board member of Ben & Jerry's Homemade Inc., and chief executive officer and lead strategist of The Kaleel Jamison Consulting Group Inc. in Troy, received an honorary degree. Quotable: Susan C. Scrimshaw "What began as a small college for women emphasizing the 'practical arts' is now a soon-to-be university reflected in all of you, the graduates here today. What began as a college that provided educational access to a group that had been denied it, women, now provides access to the diverse group of graduates here today. Like Sage, you continue into a world that is changing ever more rapidly. Your legacy from your alma mater is contained in the themes from our history: courage, vision, tenacity, collaboration, community engagement, giving, mentoring, adaptable, opportunistic, creative, innovative, and nimble." Beirut Syrian Kurdish-led forces were closing in Saturday on the de-facto capital of the Islamic State group in Syria, seizing a cotton mill only a couple of miles north of the city and clashing with the militant group on a number of fronts, activists and Kurdish media reported. The Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces, backed by U.S-led coalition airstrikes, advanced as they clashed with the militants in a multi-pronged offensive northeast and northwest of the city. The offensive brings the SDF 2.5 miles from the northeast of the city, the Observatory said. Fighting was also reported about 3.7 miles north of Raqqa and 8 miles to the northwest, the Observatory said. The Raqqa Campaign, a Facebook page affiliated with the Kurdish-led forces, said the fighters seized the cotton mill just north of the city on Saturday. Kurdish Hawar news agency said the Kurdish-led fighters also seized the office of a farmer's union, a local ruling party headquarters and a prison used by the militants. The agency said the fighters seized about 115 miles north of the city in their advance in the last four days. The Kurdish-led forces said Friday they expect to advance on Raqqa this summer, following their capture of a strategic town and dam, about 25 miles west of the city. "The city is near, very near," said Nasser Haj Mansour, an adviser for the SDF. Kurdish activist Mustafa Bali said the SDF are moving fast to reach the outskirts of Raqqa city, but that the battle for the city is likely to take time. He said in one push, the SDF moved through 5 miles with good air cover, arriving 2.5 miles north of the city. The activist-run Raqqa Being Slaughtered Silently group said the public markets in Raqqa have been closed, suspecting it is because of the proximity of the clashes. Later, the activist-run group said the militants ordered merchants to evacuate the vegetable market for the next few days. The group didn't elaborate. The campaign to recapture Raqqa appeared to be accelerating following a decision by the Trump administration to arm the Kurdish-led forces with heavy weapons, giving a push to their ground partner to move toward the city, held by the militants since 2013. The weapons have not yet been delivered to the Kurdish-led forces, which include an Arab fighters unit. Turkey strongly objects to Kurdish-led forces leading the campaign. Turkey considers the main component in the Kurdish-led SDF to be an extension of the domestic insurgents it labels as terrorists. Also Saturday, activists reported that Syrian government forces were able to regain control of an air base in the northern province of Aleppo from Islamic State militants. Al-Jarrah air base was seized by IS militants in 2014, and the government troops recapturing it comes amid an offensive in rural Aleppo to drive IS out of one of its last remaining territories in the province, Maskaneh, which borders Raqqa. Former investment banker Emmanuel Macron will become the youngest postwar French leader and the first to be born after 1958 when President Charles de Gaulle put in place the country's fifth Republic. By Reuters: Central Paris will come to a standstill on Sunday for the inauguration of Emmanuel Macron as President of France for a five-year term, which he overcame the odds to win and which he has said can unite a divided nation. In a first for the world's fifth largest economy that is a founding member of the European Union, the 39-year-old centrist newcomer was unknown to the wider public three years ago and does not belong to any traditional political grouping. advertisement The former investment banker will become the youngest postwar French leader and the first to be born after 1958 when President Charles de Gaulle put in place the country's fifth Republic. In the coming parliamentary elections in June he must try to win a parliamentary majority for his start-up Republic on the Move (REM) party which has blown apart traditional French political boundaries. Those who believe that the open borders, closer European ties and business-friendly reforms are the key to prosperity and peace were relieved when he won a run-off vote against far-right candidate Marine Le Pen a week ago with 66 percent of the vote. MACRON TO PAUSE ANTI-GLOBALISATION TREND A 21 gun salute at the Esplanade des Invalides behind the Eiffel Tower after he takes power will mark at least a pause in the anti-globalisation trend that brought Donald Trump the US presidency and led British voters to pick a future outside the European Union. But the outcome of a fraught, tight, and bitterly contested election campaign was a disappointment for almost half of France's 47 million voters. Many of them feel dispossessed as manufacturing jobs move abroad and as immigration and a fast-changing world blur their sense of a French identity. In the first round of voting, more than 45 percent chose either Le Pen or other candidates who promised the opposite of Macron's medicine; that they would close the wealth gap by rolling back globalisation, shutting borders and unravelling the institutions of the EU. Macron, once an aide to outgoing Socialist President Francois Hollande and who rose to fame as his economy minister between 2014 and 2016, may therefore struggle to get the country behind him. The business-friendly labour reforms in his programme will push on with an effort Hollande started and which killed his chances of a second term by failing to fix unemployment. They helped make Hollande the least popular French president in modern history. PERFECT TIMING OF MACRON But the timing of France's youthful new leader is good. The economy, in the doldrums for years, is beginning to show signs of recovery. Union power has waned in the Hollande years, even though workers rights are still held dear. And until a financial scandal ruined his campaign at the start of this year, Macron's mainstream conservative rival Francois Fillon had won wide electoral support for a far more aggressive set of pro-business measures. advertisement Macron has already forged close ties with EU anchor nation Germany, and will head for Berlin on Monday to meet Chancellor Angela Merkel and ram home the message that the bloc is resilient despite Britain's 'Brexit' vote. The handover begins at around 10 am (0800 GMT) at the 18th century Elysee palace presidential residence with a meeting that will include the exchange of nuclear missile launch codes. Then Hollande will leave. Back inside the Elysee, the result of the election will be read out - a moment that marks the actual assumption of power. LEGION D'HONNEUR Macron will then be presented with what is effectively his chain of office - a heavy golden necklace mounted on a red cushion that makes him Grand Master of the National Order of the Legion d'Honneur - an honour system for servants of the Republic. Aides said he will not actually put on the necklace. Neither of his two predecessors did. After that, the pomp will ramp up. advertisement An inspection of troops behind the palace will be followed by the 21 gun salute, and the new president will leave the Elysee through a gate topped by a gilded cockerel - a creature symbolic of France for centuries. ARC DE TRIOMPHE Then Macron will visit the Arc de Triomphe and the tomb beneath it of the unknown soldier, one of the millions who died as World War One raged a century ago. Heavy with military symbolism, the site is a potent reminder that France is a member of the NATO defence alliance, of its place in two world wars, and of its turbulent past under Napoleon Bonaparte who ordered the Arc's construction in 1806 to commemorate his brief conquest of Europe. The Arc is also in sight of the place officials believe was the scene of the latest Islamist militant attack to hit France. Days before the first round of presidential voting in April, a policeman was shot dead by a suspected militant on the Champs Elysees shopping avenue that leads from the Arc. Macron's inauguration takes place under a state of emergency in place since 2015. More than 230 people have died in attacks claimed by Islamic State in the past two years as France takes part in military action against the militant group that controls parts of Syria and Iraq. advertisement Fifteen hundred police will be mobilised to ensure security for the event. A large section of Paris will be closed to traffic all morning. WATCH: ALSO READ: French presidential election: All you need to know about France's blue-eyed boy Emmanuel Macron Emmanuel Macron-Brigitte Trogneux love story: If you don't mind, age doesn't matter --- ENDS --- Bolton Landing Angelo Paccione spent 20 years in the NYPD, most recently in a joint anti-terrorism unit. Now he patrols the choppy waters of Lake George aiming to stop a different threat to public safety Log Bay Day. "There is a plan in place. I can't comment on that plan," Paccione, a sergeant for the Lake George Park Commission, said coyly Thursday. David Wick, the director of the commission, a state agency, was equally cagey. "We have met a few times with the entire law enforcement community," said Wick, an East Greenbush native who spent 20 years working with the Warren County Soil and Water Conservation District. "We think we have some pretty good plans in hand just to make sure that day doesn't happen again." Until now, "that day" was Log Bay Day, the last Monday in July. Wick explained it began as a day for local hospitality workers to hit the water and relax. "It was 20 or 25 people who worked at restaurants getting together and just hanging out for the day on the bay," Wick said in his Lake George office. "It has really metamorphosed into what it is right now, which is a massive drunken bash. It can be anywhere, on a good weather day, upward of 800 or 1,000 people out there and anywhere up to about 300 boats. The challenge is making sure that everybody is not only acting responsibly and safely when they're there, but also after the fact on their way home." The annual bacchanal on the east side of the lake turned deadly on July 25 when Alexander West, now 25, partied at Log Bay Day and later crashed his 21-foot Larson motorboat and struck a Gar Wood vessel slowly cruising along the shore by Cramer Point about 9:22 p.m. The crash killed Charlotte McCue, 8, of Carlsbad, Calif., and severely injured her mother, Courtney McCue. It led to West being convicted on May 8 of manslaughter, felony assault leaving the scene and alcohol-impaired boating. He faces 7 1/3 to 22 years at his sentencing next month. Law enforcement officials want Log Bay Day to get a life sentence. "Log Bay Day is no more. It's over," Warren County District Attorney Kate Hogan told reporters after the verdict. In addition to Charlotte's death, a man who partied at Log Bay Day dove off his boat and ended up paralyzed from the neck down, officials said. "One of the things that we've been noting is the incidents and accidents that result just from the single day of Log Bay Day almost equal the rest of the incidents and problems that we have the rest of the year," Wick said. "So if we can eliminate this as a day, that will be going a long way." On Thursday morning, Wick arranged for Paccione to take a Times Union reporter to the site of Log Bay Day. Paccione motored a marine patrol boat from his station near the historic Sagamore hotel in Bolton Landing, cut across the lake hitting water that sounded like concrete and arrived in a tranquil area still within site of the hotel. The water appeared shallow, maybe three to five feet, and inviting if this were the last Monday in July and not a chilly morning in May. Prosecutors showed photos at West's trial of legions of scantily clad twentysomethings partying on boats and the water. Log Bay Day revelers danced to music, tossed beach balls and staged chicken fights. Testimony showed revelers drank too much, smoked pot and hash oil, snorted cocaine and took ecstasy. "This is the area right here," Paccione said, "where the big party happens." The party began about 8 a.m. and continued until nightfall. "We get people from the Albany area, we get people from Massachusetts, from Rhode Island, Jersey. They come from all over for it," Paccione explained. "It's a drinking party. It's a party where they come out here to get as drunk as they can." He said last year was a lighter year because of rainy weather. The next day hangover affected not just drinkers, but the lake as well. "If you come here the day after Log Bay Day, you wouldn't go in the water," Paccione said. "That's how mucked up it gets." Wick stressed that this year, police agencies, state parks officials and prosecutors are all on board. Between 15 and 17 law enforcement boats will be on the water. They will increase the number of checkpoints to stop drunken boaters. The commission plans to issue 20,000 cards out at marinas and boat inspection point telling people that if they plan on drinking, get a designated ride. Last year authorities were prepared for Log Bay Day with more than two dozen officers on both land, where revelers could reach the spot from Washington County, and water. "And we still were unable to avoid the tragedies that happened last year," Wick said. "The concern is, will it move to a new day or another location? There is no other location like Shelving Rocks Bay, where you can access it from the land as well as from the water. So we don't have that concern," Wick said, "And what we also have, which is extremely important, is the public will and sentiment that this thing needs to go away. Every municipality around Lake George, Warren County, Washington County, have come up with resolutions saying it needs to stop. There is a petition with over 1,000 signatures on it and they can easily get another 1,000 if they wanted to saying it needs to stop." Some locals don't want Log Bay Day to stop. Several irked fans of the event posted their opinions in the comments section of news articles about the planned cancellation. They reflect feelings that revelers as a whole are paying the price for West. Some were not hesitant to put their names to those opinions. "It was the individual that should have been held responsible for it," said Christopher Lamoureux, 29, of Bolton Landing, referring to West, when asked about the cancellation. "I don't think that you should just cancel the whole event because one person made a stupid mistake. Maybe they should regulate it more, better and officers should do their jobs, maybe have checkpoints and things like that. I don't think it should be canceled." In Lake George, Linda Duffy had mixed feelings. The owner of Duffy's restaurant and bar said she has made sandwiches for people on their way to the event. "I think if a bunch of friends want to get together on their boats, then they should get together on their boats," Duffy said. "If you have kind of a mob scene, that's one thing. But if they've got 25 friends that want to go hang out, let's just go hang out. It doesn't have to be Log Bay Day." On July 25, West and seven friends partied at Log Bay and then cruised to Bolton Landing, where they docked his boat and walked to Lake Shore Drive to eat at The Huddle, a restaurant and bar. The majority of Bolton Landing business owners who spoke to the Times Union seemed eager to have the day end. "When it comes to making a little money or somebody dying, I'll pass on the money every time," said Bob Lagas, the owner of Bob's ice cream on Lake Shore Drive in Bolton Landing. He has had a location in Lake George for more than 25 years. Sign up for The Knick Get the latest news and features with our afternoon newsletter. In Bolton Beans diner on Lake Shore Drive, a woman identifying herself as the owner was fed up with Log Bay Day and the general history of drinking and boating being accepted on the lake, which she said has not been paid the proper attention. She said she went to the first Log Bay Day. "I get it. It's fun," she said. "Everybody parties, everybody does whatever they've done for years and years and years. Now we have consequences that are really extremely substantial. ... I feel that it's impossible to go out there, get impaired and come back safely, no matter what your plan is." Jeff Strief, owner of Happy Jacks clothing and gifts in Bolton Landing since 2005, said the day is traditionally slow for business. "More people are out on the water than there are in town so it's not a good day for us. So shutting it down, I really don't know if it's going to hurt or help. Not as many people will probably come to town because it's not happening but my sales are likely to go up a little bit because people will be in town shopping." Employees typically find a way to get the day off, he said. "It's terrible on my schedule. Anybody under the age of 30 suddenly magically calls in sick that day. They were fine the night before but so it's always as staffing issue." Asked if he's been to Log Bay Day, he said, "No, I work." Kelly O'Neil-Teer, owner of the Serendipity Boutique in Bolton Landing, said Log Bay Day has changed for the worse. "It didn't become the type of event that it was originally was intended to be a fun day on the lake for people to gather and relax and enjoy themselves," she said. "It turned into a party atmosphere that got out of control and I personally feel bad for the Lake George Park Commission and all of the local sheriff's departments and local police officers because it just seems like it was such a draw on their departments just to sit there and watch them and try to pick them off." Nicole Somma, owner of Lakeside Lodge & Grill on the hamlet's main drag and a mother of two children, said some Log Bay Day revelers have needed their friends to pull them out of the water because they were unable to stand. She has watched them arrive in Bolton Landing drunk. "They come off the boat and they can't function," Somma said. "I went to Log Bay Day when I was younger and is was not like it is now. It's different. It was fun and people were responsible. Now, the crowds are getting younger and younger and out of control. I personally would like it done because I don't want my kids to ever go out there. Ever. And if they do, I'm coming with them." Somma predicted some would-be Log Bay Day revelers will try to find another place to party. That will not include her friends and staff, she said. "A little girl died," she said. "They're done." rgavin@timesunion.com 518-434-2403 @RobertGavinTU Albany Edward Abbott hasn't driven since 2007. When he needs to get around Troy, particularly up the steep incline that carries Route 7 east, he begrudgingly braces for a cab ride. "The Albany-Troy-Schenectady cabs are the worst cabs I've ever been in," the Troy man said flatly. Soured by repeat negative taxi experiences, Abbott is looking forward to this year using a service here that he uses in other cities across the country when he travels for work: Ride-hailing. Yet what is a potentially useful transportation option for Abbott continues to be a policy thornbush just down the river at the state Capitol, even with ride-hailing barrelling toward its arrival this summer. Approved as part of the state budget in April, ride-hailing services, such as those offered by Uber and Lyft, can begin operating as soon as July 9. It's unlikely that users of those services elsewhere like Abbott will see much of a difference when it comes to getting from Point A to Point B. But the industry itself which has operated in a sort of digital Wild West known as the sharing economy that lawmakers across the country are sprinting to catch up with will see differences that may lead to impacts on consumers. Notably, there will be taxes on rides. A four percent assessment will go to the state's general fund and another 2.5 percent assessment will flesh out a workers compensation fund for drivers. There also is the option for cities and counties of 100,000 people or more to opt out of allowing ride-hailing services to operate within their borders, a semblance of the traditional local control of transportation for an industry that primarily will be regulated by the state Department of Motor Vehicles. The other big-ticket mandate on the industry is that every driver will be subject to a criminal background check before they can be approved for a license to drive for a ride-hailing company. Such checks are not required of traditional cab drivers for all companies or in all areas. Yet for all wonkish provisions that lawmakers dumped into the final legislative language, expansion of ride-hailing services outside of New York is what the public overwhelmingly asked them to accomplish during the legislative session this year. The April Siena College poll showed that 75 percent of voters statewide believe that ride-hailing will make New York better. What's good for the public, is good for the politician who represents them. Gov. Andrew Cuomo capitalized on the popularity of ride-hailing expansion by make it an imperative in a budget proposal that was well-received by the public. He wasn't alone. Scores of upstate lawmakers in particular scrambled to surf the wave of public support after ride-hailing expansion fell off the table at the last minute to end the 2016 legislative session. But as they take a victory lap with the lawmaking behind them, it's local elected officials in some of the state's larger municipalities that face a political quandary if they think the brakes should be applied to ride-hailing expansion. "Given where the public is at, any elected official who takes a position against ride-sharing services for upstate New York does so at their own political peril," Siena College pollster Steven Greenberg said. Regardless of if some elected officials decide that ride-hailing isn't for their constituents, it's not as if there is a statutory requirement that the industry operate everywhere. "The bottom line is that the Ubers of the world will go where the people are," said Assemblyman Kevin Cahill, who was integral in the crafting of ride-hailing legislation. "They won't go because the law is written in this way or that way." Yet operators aren't backing off of lofty promises, including Uber's pledges to bring 13,000 jobs to upstate, made during their intense public awareness and lobbying campaign. Sign up for The Knick Get the latest news and features with our afternoon newsletter. "Our mission is to provide affordable, reliable transportation to everyone everywhere as reliable as running water," said Josh Gold, Uber's New York policy director. "And that means being in Kingston, it also means being in the North Country, it also means being in Westchester and New York City and Buffalo and Albany. It means being in the entire state and entire country." "Are we going to be able to launch in Kingston on July 9? I don't know," Gold added, responding Cahill's trepidation. "Do we want to get that done before the end of the summer in Kingston? Yes we do." Even with ride-hailing arriving this summer, that doesn't mean that state lawmakers are walking away from the ongoing debate over the industry. In the month since the state budget passed, legislation has been introduced to amend the new law, primarily to speed up its implementation. One proposal in particular that is gaining steam would move up the date when ride-hailing companies can start picking up fares to June 29, the idea being that July 4 revelers would have another way to get home from the party. The other bill that has gained attention would amend the background check portion of the law to ban all registered Level 1 sex offenders from being able to drive for a ride-hailing company closing a loophole that the bill's sponsors say could have dangerous consequences. Even after the law takes effect, it's entirely possible that over the course of time ride-hailing debates will flare up at the Capitol as lawmakers look to adapt to changes in services. The law calls for a state task force to analyze how services operate and to recommend best practices for the industry. While the task force's mandate is broad, two policies that ultimately were not included in the final ride-hailing deal could offer a window into how the industry may be changed. For one, advocates for the disabled vocally pushed for fleets to be made 100 percent wheelchair accessible. Secondly, the background check process drivers must undergo does not include fingerprinting, an idea pushed by the taxi industry in New York and a popular rallying point across the country. Yet while inside the Capitol bubble conversations about industry flaws and changes undoubtedly will continue, whether riders who have bemoaned transportation problems in some communities will want to change a service they overwhelmingly supported remains to be seen. "I don't think (ride-hailing is) going to be a panacea," said Samuel Johnson, a Colonie man who has been burned by a local cab experience. "... But I do think, if nothing else, having some competition should be helpful." mhamilton@timesunion.com 518-454-5449 @matt_hamilton10 Michael Lowry T.D. is delighted to have supported and assisted Scoil Micheal Naofa, Holycross with additional classroom space. Deputy Lowry has informed the Board of Management that contracts are in place for the 200,000 development. Works are due to commence immediately and the new building will be completed for September. Mr. Ger Corbett, Principal of Scoil Micheal Naofa, Holycross said; The school community is delighted with the news that we have received departmental sanction for the construction of two additional resource rooms in conjunction with the new classroom previously announced. This is a very welcome addition to the facilities ranging from our excellent Gort na nOg Creche, preschool and afterschool facility and our nine classrooms catering for our enrolments of 238. The school community has worked very hard to provide these and Michael Lowry T.D has played a key role in ensuring that the best of educational facilities continue to be provided at Scoil Micheal Naofa to cater for this growing community for many years to come. Our pupils are being catered for by a dedicated and motivated staff of nine class teachers and five special educational needs teachers and our valued ancillary staff. I sincerely congratulate and thank the partners involved in the education of the young children of this community and we confidently look forward to the years ahead, Mr Corbett said. Deputy Lowry pictured at St Michael NS with Cllr Micheal Lowry and members of the Board of management and some pupils. [May 13, 2017] Swiss EY Team Joins Polybius Cryptobank as Advisors, ICO to Follow TALLINN, Estonia, May 13, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Swiss EY (Ernst & Young) Partner Daniel Haudenshild, financial services managers Valdemar Scherer and Sven Moller are collaborating to lead the Polybius project team on banking operations, technology, and legislation. Polybius aims to create a regulated, decentralized bank for the digital generation and the company is planning an ICO this May to garner community support for its initiative. The London-based audit and consulting firm, Ernst & Young is one among the "Big Four" audit companies. Many of EY's activities involve advisory support to financial institutions. The Polybius Cryptobank project attracted the attention of Swiss financiers at the BlockchainUA conference held in Kiev in March. Experts from EY were interested in the idea of re-inventing the bank by using a combination of traditional banking services for all segments of the population, business types and latest technology solutions like blockchain and artificial intelligence to reduce costs, increase efficiency and profitability. Advisors from EY have noted how competently bold and unconventional moves like document circulation on the blockchain and the system of remote verification of the user's identity for interaction with commercial and governmental structures fit into the latest EU regulations. The evolving financial market and changing requirements for EU regulations have driven the European regulators to be at the forefront of technological changes and regulatory requirements. It s a need of the hour to ensure the preparedness of EU's financial institutions for the ensuing opportunities and bold future undertakings. Partner at Swiss EY Daniel Haudenschild applauding the efforts of Polybius said: "We are impressed by the consistency of the Polybius team and how successfully their ideas fit into the opportunities that are opening up against the background of the changes in the European legislation." Polybius Cryptobank, a project established by the Estonian company Polybius Foundation, is a payment institution offering classic banking services fueled by most modern technologies that meet the strictest requirements of European legislation. Polybius ICO The money for launching the project will be collected during the crowdfunding campaign, during which the placement of the tokens will take place. The goal of the campaign is to raise at least $ 10 million. 20% of the annual distributable profit of the bank will be shared among holders of all tokens as dividends. The crowdfunding start date will be announced in May on the project website, via Polybius newsletter and social media. About Polybius Polybius Bank combines features of modern banking, IoT, Big Data and Blockchain-based technologies while also meeting security and UX requirements. The Digital Pass technology, developed by HashCoins and implemented into Polybius Bank, will serve as an automation and digitalization ecosystem, enabling full industry integration. Learn more about Polybius at https://polybius.io Follow on Twitter at https://twitter.com/PolybiusBank Follow on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/polybiusbank/ Join the discussion in Telegram https://t.me/polybius_eng Media Contact Contact Name: Edgar Bers Contact Email: [email protected] Telegram: +37258159212 Company: Polybius Location: Tallinn, Estonia Polybius is the source of this content. Virtual currency is not legal tender, is not backed by the government, and accounts and value balances are not subject to consumer protections. This press release is for informational purposes only. The information does not constitute investment advice or an offer to invest. Related Links Bitcoin PR Buzz Polybius To view the original version on PR Newswire, visit:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/swiss-ey-team-joins-polybius-cryptobank-as-advisors-ico-to-follow-300457192.html SOURCE Polybius [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] Proposed Kentucky constitutional amendment to end right to an abortion defeated in vote By Press Trust of India: Chennai, May 14 (PTI) Union minister Venkaiah Naidu today paid rich tributes to former Tamil Nadu chief minister J Jayalalithaa and urged AIADMK leaders to fulfil her dreams for the benefit of the people. The Union Minister for Urban Development said expansion of metro rail in the state capital was Jayalalithaas dream, as he flagged off the first underground metro rail service from Thirumangalam to Nehru Park here. advertisement "The metro rail project was started by Jayalalithaa ji. I feel sad that we are missing her today," he said. "The expansion of metro rail service in Chennai was Jayalalithaas dream. That dream is coming true today," he said. "That is why I call upon the Tamil Nadu government, the chief minister, ministers, MPs, MLAs to see to it that whatever she promised to the people of the state, they get fulfilled without any problem," Naidu, also the minister for information and broadcasting, said. He assured chief minister Palaniswami that the Centre would extend full support to Tamil Nadu government to fulfil the dreams of Jayalalithaa. The senior BJP leader said over the last 18 years he had been interacting with the former AIADMK supremo, who, he said used to discuss issues very frankly. "It is unfortunate that she is not among us today," he said. "Jayalalithaa ji is one leader whom I admired outside my party (BJP) because she was not only dynamic but also an able administrator. More than that she was a lovable personality and very affectionate," Naidu said. PTI VIJ KIS --- ENDS --- You have reached a premium content area of Transitions. To read this entire article please login if you are already a Transitions subscriber. Not a subscriber? Subscribe today for access to: Full access to the website, including premium articles videos, country reports and searchable archives (containing over 25,000 articles). A new instance of violence in the name of protecting cows has been reported from Madhya Pradesh's Ujjain. A video showing at least 10 men brutally thrashing a man is going viral on social media. E A man being mercilessly thrashed by self-proclaimed cow vigilantes in Madhya Pradesh's Ujjain. Photo: Screengrab from video By India Today Web Desk: Violence in the name of safeguarding cows in India has been making news frequently since the Bharatiya Janata Party backed by Hindutva organisations like RSS came to power at the Centre. Two years ago, in Uttar Pradesh's Dadri, a 52-year-old man -- Mohammad Akhlaq -- was mercilessly beaten to death by a Hindu mob accusing him of consuming and storing cow meat. Earlier this year, 55-year-old Pehlu Khan, a dairy farmer, transporting cattle he purchased in Jaipur to Haryana, was stopped by so-called 'gau rakshaks' affiliated with the Vishwa Hindu Parishad and Bajrang Dal and was thrashed to death. advertisement Disturbing video of a similar incident is now doing the rounds on social media. In the video that is said to be from Madhya Pradesh's Ujjain, a man could be seen singled out and beaten up by at least 10 men. The 2-minute-long video was first tweeted by ANI saying, "Man thrashed by cow vigilantes in Ujjain" and is now going viral. WATCH THE VIDEO HERE: DISCLAIMER: THE CONTENT COULD BE DISTURBING TO SOME. VIEWER'S DISCRETION ADVISED #WATCH Madhya Pradesh: Man thrashed allegedly by cow vigilantes in Ujjain; police arrested four people, search for others underway pic.twitter.com/UqO7pRqyqy- ANI (@ANI_news) May 14, 2017 Madhya Pradesh Police arrested four people in connection with this violent incident and a search is on to find others involved, reported ANI. However, according to news agency PTI, two arrests have been made. The Bharatiya Janata Party is in power in the state. --- ENDS --- By Press Trust of India: Maha police dept partially hit Eds: Updating with details New Delhi, May 14 (PTI) The countrys cyber security agency has alerted Internet users against damaging activities of a strong and globally active ransomware virus- Wannacry- that critically infects work stations and locks them remotely. In the evening, the Maharashtra Police department said it was partially hit by the ransomware. advertisement "Cyber experts have been engaged to fix the systems," a senior police officer said. The red-coloured critical alert was issued by the Computer Emergency Response Team of India (CERT-In), the nodal agency to combat hacking, phishing and to fortify security- related defences of the Indian Internet domain. "It has been reported that a new ransomware named as Wannacry is spreading widely. Wannacry encrypts the files on infected Windows systems. This ransomware spreads by using a vulnerability in implementations of server message block (SMB) in Windows systems. "This exploit is named as ETERNALBLUE," an advisory issued by the CERT-In, accessed by PTI, said. It said the ransomware called WannaCry or WannaCrypt encrypts the computers hard disk drive and then spreads laterally between computers on the same local area network (LAN). "The ransomware also spreads through malicious attachments to emails," it said. A huge extortion cyber attack had hit dozens of nations yesterday, holding computer data for ransom at hospitals, telecommunications firms and other companies. Following the alert, the Gujarat government began equipping its state computer systems with anti-virus softwares and upgrading its Microsoft operating systems. Computers linked to the Gujarat State Wide Area Network (GSWAN), one of countrys largest IP-based IT infrastructure connecting taluka-level government offices to the state capital with around 45,000 computers, are being monitored closely, said Science and Technology Department Secretary Dhananjay Dwivedi. A cyber ransomware is a type of malicious software that blocks access to a computer system until a sum of money is paid through the online medium. The cyber sleuths agency advised users to apply patches to their Windows systems in order to prevent its infection and spread. The ransomware virus is such lethal and smart that "it also drops a file named !Please Read Me!.txt which contains the text explaining what has happened (to the computer) and how to pay the ransom." WannaCry encrypts files with the following extensions, appending .WCRY to the end of the file name like .lay6, .sqlite3, .sqlitedb, .accdb, .java and .docx among others. advertisement The CERT-In has suggested some anti-ransonware measures: Check regularly for the integrity of the information stored in the databases, regularly check the contents of backup files of databases for any unauthorised encrypted contents of data records, do not open attachments in unsolicited emails even if they come from people in your contact list and never click on a URL contained in an unsolicited email, even if the link seems benign. "In cases of genuine (universal resource locators) URLs, close out the email and go to the organisations website directly through browser," it said. The most important advisory by the CERT-In stated "individuals or organisations are not encouraged to pay the ransom as this does not guarantee files will be released. "Report such instances of fraud to CERT-In and law enforcement agencies," it said. PTI NES ND KA ZMN --- ENDS --- WITH THOUSANDS OF LIVESTREAM VIEWS, HUNDREDS OF SHARES AND GROWING CONNECTIONS . . . MR. WASHINGTON IS TAKING HIS CRIME-FIGHTING GAME TO THE NEXT LEVEL VIA SOCIAL MEDIA!!! This week was theMainstream media cut him out of that story but as the growing group of his fans, followers, supporters and friends expressed their outrage . . . Mr. Washington seemed strangely calm.Why?Sadly, Alonzo Washington is accustomed to media neglecting to report his instrumental role in the historic Kansas City case but also because he has found a new audience and a lot of people willing to help his cause on Facebook.Accordingly . . .In the past week he has garnered at least three viral threads where he asks for tips to solve crimes, calls out local media denizens and shares his thoughts on lackluster coverage.Developing . . . "It was a great weekend to see all the families and students graduating from UMKC and Avila this weekend. Traffic was unbelievably conjested at times and one family that consistently shows up uninvited is The Westbound Baptist Church. But there's a different climate in the political landscape that makes Westboro Baptist Church appear to be slipping into the past. WBC members have been banned from other countries because of their hateful views. Now there place in history appears to be banishment because people are glad to see WBC slip into oblivion with hardly memory in even recent history. So much is going on that civilization is tunneling it's way to the another side where it can finally look back and visualize a paradigm shift." Insight into shifting American politics from Kansas City citizens journalists who document their debate over the weekend . . .You decide . . . KANSAS CITY, Mo. - At least two people were shot after an armed robbery in a vacant house at 31st and Brighton early Saturday morning. Police were called to the shooting about 3:00 a.m. Saturday. One victim was located in critical condition, a second victim with life-threatening injuries. KANSAS CITY CITIZENS FOR RESPONSIBLE GOVERNMENT JUST EARNED AN EPIC CHECK FOR $25K FROM JOHNSON COUNTY ACTIVIST PHIL KLEIN!!! We report this in fairness and because those silly anti-Go bond commercials that the newspaper deemed racist were also powered by this JoCo political denizen and they ultimately didn't prove very effective. Quick note for Sunday about the ongoing battle over development and representation . . .$25,500 to be exact . . . It's an impressive sum and know we know how they're paying for all of those billboards amid the streetcar debate.And so, for voters, this news should mean that the struggle over the streetcar, the downtown hotel and the upcoming airport will continue as more cash coming into the fight on both sides powers the debate.Developing . . . Papadimitriou also underlined the need to promote the necessary policies for the relief of those hit by globalization Greek Economy and Development Minister Dimitris Papadimitriou called for the support -in priority- of small- and medium-sized enterprises in all sectors including tourism without adequate funds and know-how in order to exploit the possibilities offered by free trade agreements and to develop their export activity in new markets, during a meeting of the FAC-Trade External Trade Ministers Council in Brussels. The ministers exchanged views on a wide range of issues related with European trade policy, particularly the efficient implementation of free trade agreements, to ensure maximum benefits for European enterprises from preferential terms in accessing markets outside the EU. The ministers also discussed the current situation of negotiations in the framework of World Trade Organization ahead of the 11th ministerial meeting in Buenos Aires. The Greek minister expressed the need to intensify efforts to ensure positive results in supporting free and fair trade and called for a careful handling of agricultural issues in negotiations. Papadimitriou also underlined the need to promote the necessary policies for the relief of those hit by globalization and said that national priority was strengthening human capital, re-integration in the labour market and creating an efficient social insurance system for all. We are focusing on actions to support enterprises, particularly small- and medium-sized and innovative, so that they develop their extroversion, Papadimitriou said, adding that the future of EU depended, among others, on answers to be given in distributing the benefits of globalization to everyone and not just part of the society Read more here. RELATED TOPICS: Greece, Greek tourism news, Tourism in Greece, Greek islands, Hotels in Greece, Travel to Greece, Greek destinations , Greek travel market, Greek tourism statistics, Greek tourism report Kyriakos Mitsotakis on Friday met with Patriarch of Alexandria and all Africa Theodoros who is paying a visit to Greece New Democracy leader Kyriakos Mitsotakis on Friday met with Patriarch of Alexandria and all Africa Theodoros who is paying a visit to Greece. I want you to know that your have our love and unconditional respect, said the main opposition leader to Patriarch Theodoros. I am leaving in the afternoon for Alexandria, we are having difficult times but we thank you for the triangle Cyprus, Greece, Egypt at gives us strength, said Patriarch Theodoros. Read more here. RELATED TOPICS: Greece, Greek tourism news, Tourism in Greece, Greek islands, Hotels in Greece, Travel to Greece, Greek destinations , Greek travel market, Greek tourism statistics, Greek tourism report Pell Frischmann, one of the UK's leading engineering, development and management consultancies, said it has completed the design of a $700-million water infrastructure rehabilitation project in Iraq with the help of Aconex, a major provider of the global platform connecting teams on construction and engineering projects. The Water Supply Sector Loan Project involves refurbishing aging facilities and building new infrastructure to support the public health of residents in the Ninewa, Anbar and Salah El Din governorates of Iraq. Pell Frischmann pointed out that the entire water system had been long overdue for a major upgrade. "The people here badly needed this system," remarked Stewart Neal, civil engineer at Pell Frischmann and design manager on the project. "Since water demand exceeded supply, water would be turned on for 24 hours in one zone of a city, and the next day water would be turned off in that zone and directed to another zone. The intermittent water supply and low water quality created public health risks," stated Neal. In 2012, the Iraqi Ministry of Municipalities and Public Works utilised financing from the Japan International Co-operation Agency (JICA) for the redesign and reconstruction of water intake facilities, water treatment plants, transmission facilities, and distribution pipelines. Following an international tendering process, the ministry awarded the design project to Pell Frischmann. Active in Iraq since 2004, the firm had won the British Expertise International Masterplanning Project of the Year Award in 2017 for its collaborative work on the countrys transportation infrastructure. With design teams in Exeter and London (UK), Baghdad (Iraq) and Mumbai (India) and a client in Iraq with an unreliable IT infrastructure and security issues, Pell Frischmann knew the project would present challenges. The firm selected the Aconex platform to be able to store, access and share design data securely in the cloud, manage complex design reviews, track approvals, and keep all communications and processes connected to the project rather than lost on email or internal servers, said Neal. Even then, Aconex helped Pell Frischmann quickly avert problems that the firm could not have anticipated. We found that the client preferred to review and approve designs on paper, explained Neal. Sending design documents by mail or courier was expensive and time-consuming. File sizes and regional connectivity issues made email impractical, he added. Aconex solved the problem with project-wide collaboration, connecting the entire team and all project data on a single platform. The design phase of the project was completed on schedule due to the visibility and control Aconex gave Pell Frischmann," said Neal. "There was never any ambiguity about who was holding up the workflow. Everyone could see who had approved designs, where the bottlenecks were and who needed to take action," he added. On the achievement, Steve Cooper, the general manager, UK and Ireland, at Aconex, said the Iraqi water system design was yet another example of its leadership in Middle East infrastructure projects across multiple sectors. "We are pleased with the opportunity to deliver value to Pell Frischmann and its project team, and we look forward to supporting the firm with similar projects in the future," he added.-TradeArabia News Service Iran will sign an agreement for buying and building 6,000 freight wagons during the upcoming Iran Rail Expo in Tehran, said the deputy head of Iran Railways Company. Based on the agreement, 4,900 freight wagons will be built by three local companies with a 100-per cent foreign fund plus a 250-million ($273,000) Russian investment, Babak Ahmadi was quoted as saying by Irna. 1,100 wagons will also be imported to Iran, he added, stressing that no import would be allowed in until the launch of manufacturing line of the three Iranian companies for semi-wagons. Noting that the 5th Iran Rail Expo will be held on May 15-18, he said that the event would be the world's second largest exhibition during which 160 local and 130 foreign companies from 16 countries, including Italy, Spain, China, France, Germany and Turkey will put their products on display. Pointing to Iran's need of 8,000 freight wagons plus 4,000 passenger wagons in 1402 (2023) Iran Vision Plan, he said that the country had also to buy 1,000 locomotives by the year. Oman Air Cargo, one of the most innovative and fastest growing Cargo carriers in the world, brought its participation at Air Cargo Europe 2017, held in Munich last week - to a successful conclusion. More than 55,000 visitors from 124 countries attended the event. Mohammed Al Musafir, senior vice president Commercial Cargo, along with a number of commercial cargo managers welcomed visitors to the Oman Air Cargo stand, which showcased a number of the divisions special products, with specific focus on Secure Vault, Oman Air Cargos VAL product offering, as well as the airlines expanding global network and innovative Cargo IT solutions. Oman Air Cargo worked alongside Oman Airports Management Company (OAMC), to promote the country as a strategic regional cargo hub, with major logistics projects and developments, as the Sultanate shifts its focus towards logistics as a major pillar for economic growth. Mohammed Al Musafir said: Its been a pleasure participating at Air Cargo Europe 2017, the leading Air Cargo industry event, which has given us the platform to highlight a number of our special products, with particular focus on our valuable cargo offering, discuss possible partnerships and agreements to further expand our network, and the pleasure to welcome a great number of visitors to our stand. Participation at Air Cargo Europe 2017 comes at an exciting time for the airline, which has seen recent significant increases in the size of the airlines fleet, major expansion of its network to include more than 56 destinations and the introduction of a range of new products and services. The upcoming state-of-the-art cargo handling facility at its hub in Muscat will also offer the airline the opportunity to carry more consignments than ever before, further specialize its product offering, and support the cargo divisions growth strategy. Propelled by national carrier Oman Air, Oman Air Cargo is one of the most innovative and fastest growing Cargo carriers in the world. With a soon to be completed the cargo handling facility at Muscat International Airport, and a 100 per cent cloud based cargo platform, Oman Air Cargo offers access to over 150 online and offline destinations across the globe. - TradeArabia News Service Marking the debut of The Ritz-Carlton brand in Jordan, Marriot International and Al Eqbal Real Estate Development have announced the signing of an agreement to establish The Ritz-Carlton hotel and residences in Amman, which is scheduled to be complete in 2020. The agreement was inked by Tawfiq Fakhouri, founder and chairman of Al Eqbal Real Estate Development, and Alex Kyriakidis, president and managing director, Middle East and Africa, Marriott International, during a private ceremony attended by executive team members from both companies. The Ritz-Carlton hotel and residences are strategically located in the heart of the capital Amman, within proximity to a high-end residential neighborhood. The Ritz-Carlton hotel and residences are situated next to high-end five-star hotels, which sit on the other three corner plots of the Circle, perfecting the picture as the final piece of the puzzle. The Ritz-Carlton, Amman comprises 233 guest rooms, of which 33 are suites, and two specialty restaurants one of which is on the rooftop, and an elegantly-designed 1000-sq-m grand ballroom. As for The Ritz-Carlton Residences, it consists of 20 stories and 90 private residences for purchase from the developing company, overlooking the incomparable and magnificent views of Amman. The residences come in a variety of spaces, ranging from 100 to 1,000-sq-m, as well as two sky villas. On this occasion, Fakhouri said: We are proud to introduce The Ritz-Carlton international brand to Jordan. Through The Ritz-Carlton hotel and residences in Amman, we aim to enhance the hospitality sector with luxury offerings in line with the highest international standards. At Al Eqbal Real Estate Development, we started by hiring the most experienced and talented team of architects and designers from around the world while fostering partnerships with some of the biggest international companies to ensure the implementation of attractive designs and dazzling interior decorations, which reflect the authenticity of the Jordanian culture with a modern twist. The most notable were Dar Al-Handasah for architectural design, engineering and supervision, WATG for the concept design, Wimberley for interior design and DG Jones & Partners for project management. We will also offer the highest levels of service that embody the spirit of The Ritz-Carlton, surpassing the expectations of the citys visitors, whether they are tourists or businesspeople looking for an exceptional stay, or owners of the luxurious residential apartments who seek a life of luxury. We are delighted to be working with Al Eqbal Real Estate to introduce The Ritz-Carlton in Jordan. This property will play a significant role in catering to the desires of leisure and business tourists alike, said Kyriakidis, Jordan is an integral part of Marriott Internationals growth strategy in the Middle East. We have a strong presence in the country with five hotels in operation and now, with the signing of The Ritz-Carlton, we are on track to double our portfolio in the market in the next four years. Along with The Ritz-Carlton, Amman, the brand will open properties in Tunis, Tunisia; Ras Al Khaimah, UAE; Sharm El Sheikh, Egypt; and in the Moroccan cities of Tamuda Bay, Marrakech and Rabat. - TradeArabia News Service By Press Trust of India: (Eds: Added details) Lucknow/New Delhi, May 14 (PTI) A Hizbul Mujahideen militant was apprehended at the Indo-Nepal border in Maharajganj in Uttar Pradesh as he was trying to cross into the country to carry out terror activities, according to officials. Naseer Ahmed alias Sadiq (34), hailing from Banihal in Ramban district of Jammu and Kashmir, was held last evening from Sonauli border post. He was trying to sneak into India from Nepal in the guise of a shawl and carpet vendor, the Sashastra Seema Bal (SSB), which guards the 1,751-km-long open border, said. advertisement He was carrying a Pakistani passport and an identity card of being a resident of Lala Musa village in Gujrat district in Punjab province of the neighbouring country, it said. Ahmed was handed over to the Uttar Pradesh ATS for further investigation. According to security agencies, Ahmed had joined Hizbul Muzahideen in 2002-03 and moved to Pakistan. He was involved in a number of terrorist activities. In 2002, he sustained bullet injuries during an encounter with the Army in Banihal. "Ahmed was residing in Pakistan since September, 2003. He was involved in many attacks against civilians and security forces including an attack on an STF camp in India in 2003. "He was sent to India by his handler for a specific mission," an SSB spokesperson said. When he was asked for his identity proof by the SSB personnel at Sonauli, Ahmed was unable to produce any supporting documents, the spokesperson said. The paramilitary, based on initial interrogation of the terrorist, said Ahmed and his associate Mohd Shafi landed in Kathmandu on May 10 from Faisalabad in Pakistan via Sharjah. Shafi separated from him in Kathmandu. A top security official said that Ahmeds name did not figure in the list, maintained by Jammu and Kashmir police, of those who want to shun terrorism and are desirous of returning to the Kashmir Valley for rehabilitation. "Ahmed was apprehended by SSB based on its own intelligence inputs and profiling," the spokesperson said. The SSB said Ahmed reached the Indo-Nepal border in a bus "with an intention to sneak into Indian territory and carry out terrorist activities in India". "He was in touch with a handler from India, who used to deposit money, in his account, off and on. "On his instructions, he came to India for undertaking terrorist activities but was apprehended by the SSB," the spokesperson said, adding the handler who provided him money has been identified. Ahmed had crossed over to Pakistan in 2003 in a group of 23 people to join the Hizbul cadre. advertisement He was trained in unarmed combat and weapon handling at Atak in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Province in Pakistan by Hizbul Mujahideen, ISI and the Pakistan Army "with an aim of waging war against India and to fight with Indian security forces in Jammu and Kashmir". "Ahmed revealed he used to preach Quran to Hizbul cadres during his stay at various camps," the spokesperson said. In Pakistan, he married Asha Naeem (25) of Gujrat district on November 2, 2009. He had two sons. He also started a hosiery business in Gujrat district of Pakistan, the official said. The SSB said Ahmed sustained two bullet injuries during an encounter with security forces in Banihal in Jammu and Kashmir in 2002. He was among the terrorists who exploded mines during polls in the same year in which two civilians and as many army personnel were killed. Ahmed was part of the terrorist team that attacked the Special Task Force camp in Ramsoo near Banihal in 2003, the spokesperson added. He will be produced by the ATS in court and his custody will be sought for further interrogation, the officer said. PTI NES/ABN SMI DIP RT --- ENDS --- advertisement Exes Hrithik Roshan and Sussanne Khan were clicked while they were on a dinner date last night. By India Today Web Desk: Hrithik Roshan and Sussanne Khan may not be married anymore but boy do they look great together whenever they step for their umpteenth outing. Recently, Sussanne Khan and Hrithik Roshan were spotted at a posh Mumbai restaurant. They were accompanied by, among others, Sonali Bendre and Gayatri Joshi. Hrithik and Sussanne called off their marriage officially in 2015. But the two keep hanging out together frequently leading to fans speculating about the future of their relationship. I request people to stop speculating. There will never be a reconciliation with @iHrithik. But we will always be good parents. #no1priority- Sussanne Khan (@sussannekroshan) May 2, 2016 advertisement At one point, Sussanne Khan herself took to Twitter to rubbish rumours of her patching up with Hrithik Roshan. She added though they they would be good parents. On the work front for Hrithik Roshan, the actor was last seen in the film Kaabil which released in January this year. Hrithik is starring in a small role in the Marathi film Hrudayantar scheduled to release later this year. (All photos by Yogen Shah) ALSO READ: The Hrithik Roshan and Sussanne Khan love story WATCH: Fine with both the truth and lies, says Hrithik Roshn on questions about personal life --- ENDS --- Tribune News Service Chandigarh, May 14 A major fire broke out in the administration building of Panjab University in the early hours on Sunday, destroying at least part of the records of the accounts section, though no casualty was reported. Part of the first floor of the administration building, Dewan Anand Kumar Hall, was engulfed by the fire. The chief of university security reached a little after 3 am, after he received information that smoke was seen coming out of the first floor. The fire service and police were informed, who reached the spot to douse the fire, which took two hours. The fire affected the Accounts, Grants and Plan sections. Vice-Chancellor Arun Kumar Grover, Registrar and other senior officials of the university also reached the spot. The damage to the records is being assessed. An enquiry has been ordered to ascertain the cause of fire. However, there has been no loss of life or injury to anyone. Meanwhile, former Union Minister Pawan Kumar Bansal, local BJP president Sanjay Tandon and other senators visited the university to assess the damage caused by the fire. Experts from the Forensic Department also reached the spot to ascertain the exact cause of the fire. Admitting that the university was not adequately prepared for the disaster, the Vice-Chancellor said each building would now be assessed to make the campus secure. He, however, claimed that all data lost in the fire would be retrieved. The university has been embroiled in a running feud with the government over fund shortage. MK Bhadrakumar IN the Kulbhushan Jadhav case, the governments decision to approach the International Court of Justice (ICJ) at The Hague instead of proceeding further along the back-channel route to Murree is a fateful one. Murree is much closer to Islamabad than The Hague which is so far away, figuratively and literally. The back-channel diplomacy by steel magnate Sajjan Jindal on April 27 was an imaginative move. Jindals meeting with Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif might not have been productive, but it appears to have been substantive. Last Wednesday, Sharifs adviser on foreign affairs, Sartaj Aziz, hinted that if India showed interest, Pakistan would look into the possibility of a meeting between the two prime ministers on the sidelines of the SCO summit meeting in Astana on June 8-9. These are positive vibes. Therefore, the ICJ being operationalised at this point after a political route was quietly opened a few weeks earlier remains incomprehensible. This sort of zigzagging conveys a poor impression of crisis management. The Indian media, quoting a top source, have us believe that the government took recourse to the ICJ route after receiving inputs from the Mission in Islamabad and taking into account the pressure building up in India to do something to get justice for son of India Jadhav. It is an ingenuous explanation that passes the buck to bureaucrats. The efficacy of the ICJ route is debatable and it can only be justified as a public relations exercise by the government to rally domestic opinion. The ICJ is an exotic and esoteric institution whose decisions are not enforceable. All member countries of the UN can file cases with the ICJ and argue cases without being obliged to pay heed to its verdicts. Curiously, member countries have the freedom to inform the UN Secretary-General the specific categories of issues where they shall not be bound by ICJ verdicts. Simply put, the ICJs workings are of interest mainly to diplomats and academics. Take the celebrated case of the so-called Iran hostages, when in the heat of the Islamic Revolution in 1979, the Iranian revolutionaries occupied the American Embassy in Tehran and the consulates at Tabriz and Shiraz and detained their diplomatic and consular staff in Tehran and two more US citizens. Iran refused to take part in the ICJ proceedings following the complaint filed by the US in March 1980. Tehran maintained that the ICJ could not, and should not, take cognizance of the case. The ICJ nonetheless upheld the US petition and in its judgment of May 24, 1980, said Iran had violated its obligations to the US under international conventions in force between the two countries as well as under long-established rules of general international law and must immediately take all steps to redress the situationmust immediately terminate the unlawful detention of the US personnel. But Tehran simply ignored the ruling. The American hostages were finally released as a unilateral step by Iran on January 20, 1981, coinciding with the inaugural of Ronald Reagan as President possibly, as per a tacit understanding. The curious part is that although the US filed the case against Iran, the ICJs decisions are not enforceable in US courts, and the US is not required to submit to the ICJs jurisdiction in any given case. Suffice to say, a false triumphalist narrative has appeared that the ICJ has issued a stay order. Whereas, in reality, the ICJ has far from determined even on its jurisdiction in the contentious case. Incredibly enough, to add to the confusion, while approaching the ICJ in the matter, India was apparently in the dark that several weeks ago, on March 29, Pakistan had already informed the UN, invoking Article 36 of the ICJ Charter that its jurisdiction shall not apply to: a) disputes relating to questions which fall essentially within the domestic jurisdiction of Pakistan; b) disputes relating to or connected with any aspect of hostilities, armed conflicts, individual or collective self-defence or the discharge of any functions pursuant to any decision or recommendation of international bodies, the deployment of armed forces abroad, as well as action relating and ancillary thereto in which Pakistan is, has been or may in future be involved; and, c) all matters related to the national security Pakistan. Alas, we probably didnt even know that the horse had bolted away when our bright IFS officers apparently came up with the tantalising idea of locking it up in the ICJ stable. All this brings us back to the hypothesis that the government took the case to the ICJ largely because of the optics involved. Simply put, the ruling partys core constituency had to be appeased. However, the heart of the matter is that India has approached the primary judicial branch of the UN for a third-party intervention in an India-Pakistan issue when the bilateral route exists. Conceivably, Pakistan too must be in some dilemma over Jadhav. The execution of the son of India will be like slamming the door shut and throwing the key away on dialogue with India for a foreseeable future, while on the other hand, the Pakistani leadership also cannot afford to show leniency toward a terrorist who allegedly undermined their national security. The bottom line is that the Murree route is the only viable route today. Therefore, why the government lost nerve remains a puzzle. Does the government regard the ICJ as a court of appeal against Jadhavs death penalty? If so, it is a deeply flawed estimation. Simply put, the ICJ has no jurisdiction to sit on judgment over facts adjudicated in a criminal trial in any country. Having mustered the political courage to open a back channel, the government should go on the political path. Pakistan seeks talks with India. Its expectation was that once the state election in UP got over, the BJP would have no more compulsions to do grandstanding, and that in turn would give space to the government to resume talks. The heart of the matter is that the Jadhav affair can be handled only through a candid political exchange at the highest level to be followed up with the resumption of talks with Pakistan to discuss a range of issues. For that to happen, Prime Minister Narendra Modi has to take the call. It takes two to tango and Islamabad has signalled its receptiveness to the idea. True, the grave crisis in J&K will be Modis Achilles heel and his core constituency might feel let down. But then, make no mistake: Jadhavs life hangs in the balance. And the government is tempting fate. The writer is a former Ambassador Maj Gen Ashok K. Mehta (retd) CHINAs semi-official mouthpiece, the belligerent Global Times recently warned that it would punish India for allowing the "splittist" Dalai Lama to visit Tawang. The threat needs to be taken seriously. Where can retribution be delivered? Along the 4,000 km LAC is the first place that comes to mind. But it has the potential to blow up into a local war which Beijing does not want. Its hands are full with Kim Jong-un's shenanigans in North Korea and the US challenge to its claims in the South China Sea. It is already punishing India by raising Pakistan's military and economic profile, blocking New Delhi's entry to NSG and refusing to endorse Jaish-e-Mohammad's Masood Azhar as a UN-sanctioned terrorist. It has opened a new diplomatic front in Nepal where it could puncture India's boast of unique and special relations with Kathmandu. China has abandoned its policy of non-interference in the affairs of other countries. Last year, for the first time, it prevented the collapse of the Left Alliance KP Oli government which was blamed on India. When the Oli government finally fell a few months later, it was not without Beijing giving a good fight to save it. Both in Nepal and Sri Lanka, the two regional rivals are jockeying for space to have in place, a government of their choice. For the moment, New Delhi has the upper hand but the contest will continue even as the pro-India Prachanda-led Maoist and Nepali Congress government may survive the full life of the second Constituent Assembly till January 2018. The once pro-China Prachanda who became the Prime Minister after the 10-year-long civil war in 2008 and was removed through Indian intervention in less than a year never succeeded in returning to office till last year after he had publicly admitted that India was more important for Nepal than China. Beijing expressed anger by cancelling President Xi Jinping's visit last year and delaying an invitation to Prachanda as he had put on hold, the 10 agreements his predecessor Oli had signed with China with which India was unhappy. Prachanda did go to China for the Boao Forum and not on a state visit. The converted Prachanda's sense of a balanced foreign policy is realigning Nepal to a special relationship with India from Oli's push to China. Egged on by China, Oli is waiting for his moment to topple the Left-Centre coalition in a country that has seen eight Prime Ministers in nine years. With long view, founder of modern Nepal, King Prithvi Narayan Shah had said Nepal is a yam between two boulders China and India. China has bent with the wind from once calling Maoists as miscreants who had hijacked the fair name of Mao Tse Tung to later hailing the Maoist election victory as rediscovery of ideological similarities. Nepal is afraid of China and accepts its diktat on Tibet, one-China policy and the taboo on its legislators meeting the Dalai Lama. China has sought parity with India in political, economic and military domains. For long, China has asked to do joint exercises with the Nepal army. This happened after the visit of Defence Minister and State Councillor Gen Chang Wanquan last month. Global Times' loaded comment that "holding joint military exercise with China can contribute to deterring ethnic separatism in Nepal" was a veiled reference to Madhesis who have been demanding an inclusive constitution. China has increased military assistance for the Nepal army from a mere $3 mn to $33 mn, invoking the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership Programme. China's FDI has overtaken India's and its ODA is second only to the US. During Nepal's Investment Conclave 2017, China committed $8.3 bn and floated big ideas of connectivity in Nepal with Deputy Prime Minister KB Mahara visiting China to sign the agreement on a railway line from Kyirong to Kathmandu. China's soft power is also at work. Numerous Confucius institutions and China study centres have mushroomed in Nepal. More than 100 Nepali schools offer free Mandarin courses, with maximum youth joining Chinese universities wearing Mandarin tattoos and using Chinese mobiles. Strangely, large number of Nepalese believe China does not interfere in their internal affairs. Nepal's youth leaning towards China is the unintended consequence of the Madhesi blockade of 2015 which India tacitly supported and has cost it dear especially in people-to-people relations. Chinese presence and activity has multiplied several times over in the last decade and is no longer benign. Three elections panchayat, provincial and Parliamentary have to be held within the remaining nine months before the expiry of the term of the Constituent Assembly. Prachanda has announced a two-phase local election on May 14 and June 14, being held after 20 years. China was the first country to provide monetary and material assistance for local elections. Prime Minister Modi's promise of India's assistance for local elections signals that it is not insisting on the constitutional amendments regarding residual Madhesi demands, including provincial boundaries as it did in 2015. The political situation is dynamic. The Chief Justice was removed for impeachment and restored, exacerbating conflict between executive and judiciary. New political alignments are in play. Significantly, Prachanda is required to hand over the Prime Minister's office to Nepali Congress's Sher Bahadur Deupa after the first phase of elections for the remaining life of the Constituent Assembly. This is where trouble could arise. Oli with new allies, and China, are waiting in the wings to return to power. In 2015, India crusaded Madhesi cause demanding constitutional amendments. Initially, Oli refused which led to the five-month long blockade, rupture in India-Nepal ties and Oli turning to China. New Delhi is silent over the revised constitutional amendment, so as not to endanger the ruling coalition. Oli will give his left arm to return to government to hold crucial provincial and parliamentary elections which will decide the fate of Nepal's democratic polity. Can China, using its money power, punish India by orchestrating the return of a UML-led Left Alliance or another coalition to challenge the time-tested India-Nepal relations? The writer is the erstwhile convener of an India-Nepal Track II dialogue A PUBLIC debate on issues that agitate Indians tends to be driven more by emotion than reason or evidence. Genetically modified crops have provoked sharp exchanges in the country before and after Bt cotton without a conclusion. Now a replay is expected with the Genetic Engineering Appraisal Committee clearing GM mustard for commercial cultivation. While experts squabble, the common mans worry in this region is how tasty Bt saron (sarson) da saag would be. Bt cotton arrived here amid stiff opposition from NGOs, academics and environmentalists. The outcome has not been as disastrous as critics had warned. Life has become a little more bearable in Punjabs cotton belt, where frequent crop failures used to trigger farmer suicides. Suicides still happen but now debt is cited as the reason. Maybe, more time and research is needed to assess the real damage of Bt cotton, if any, on Punjabs as well as Indias bio-diversity and citizen/animal health. However, protests against hybrid crops did succeed in stalling Bt brinjal in 2010. Safety evidence given in its support was said to be insufficient. Even though the 26-member Central biotech regulatory authority has vouched for its safety, a previous MNC attempt to sell Bt mustard in India did not succeed. MNCs are red rags to left-leaning activists. This time there is no rapacious MNC to oppose. Developed by a Delhi University team, the genetically altered mustard not only awaits a nod from the Environment Ministry, but also a judgment from the Supreme Court. Unlike Bt cotton, Bt mustard is a food crop and concerns about public health are greater. However, despite the known opposition by an RSS-backed think tank and questions raised about the yield and safety data, the NDA appears more open to GM crops than the previous UPA. Terming the opposition by anti-GM groups as unscientific, the Environment Ministry is trying to clear doubts about the consumption and cultivation of transgenic mustard. Contingent on the Supreme Court verdict, Central approval for the countrys first GM food crop would be a watershed moment as it could clear the way for other transgenic crops. Sonepat, May 14 The family of the 23-year-old Dalit woman, found gangraped and murdered in Rohtak on Thursday, had around a month back complained about a man who was harassing her but the police failed to act, one of her relatives alleged on Sunday. (Follow The Tribune on Facebook; and Twitter @thetribunechd) Drawing parallels with the brutality witnessed in the 'Nirbhaya' case of Delhi, the victim's family has sought maximum punishment to the accused. The police acknowledged that a "verbal" complaint had been made but refuted the charge of inaction saying that the victim's family had later come to a compromise with the man and said there was no need for action. Read: Woman from Northeast 'gangraped' in moving car in Gurugram The same man, named Sumit, has now been arrested for the crime, the sheer savagery of which emerged today in the post-mortem report which found the victim's skull shattered, a part of the food pipe missing and suggested sharp-edged objects may have been inserted into her private parts. "We had approached the police with a complaint of harassment by the main accused but no action was taken," a kin of the victims told reporters in Sonepat. The police, however, refuted the charge. "There was a verbal complaint some time back by the woman to Sonepat police saying that the main accused was pressuring her to marry him. It was a verbal complaint, there was no written complaint to police station," Superintendent of Police, Sonepat, Ashwin Shenvi said. "However, later, the complainant and her mother again came to the police station and said they had struck a compromise and there no need for police action," the officer claimed. The body was identified by the victim's mother on the basis of her clothes. "He (Sumit) was putting pressure on her to marry him and used to threaten her. A week ago, he stopped her when she was returning from work. When she resisted, he threatened and abused her. She slapped him and ran home," said the mother in her statement to the police. While Sumit (24) has a private job, the other person arrested, Vikas (28), works as a car mechanic. "The woman was a Dalit and out of the two accused, main accused Sumit is also a Dalit," Shenvi said. He said as the victim belonged to Dalit community, the provisions of the SC/ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act have also been invoked. Shenvi said during investigations, involvement of only two people had come to fore and both have been arrested. The post-mortem report also indicated savagery as was witnessed in the 'Nirbhaya' case. The findings suggest that it was a brutal rape and murder," said Dr S K Dhatterwal, head of the department of forensic medicine at the Post Graduate Institute of Medical Sciences (PGIMS) in Rohtak, who conducted the post-mortem. He said multiple head injuries, inflicted by some blunt weapon, were the main cause of the death and several bones of the victim's skull were found to be shattered. "There were injuries on the private parts, which means that woman was sexually assaulted," Dhattarwal said adding that the vaginal swab had been sent to a forensic science lab for confirmation regarding rape. The injuries suggest some sharp-edged objects may have been inserted in her private parts, he further said. Indicating that the woman was given sedatives before she was raped and murdered, Dhattarwal said signs of some such drugs had been found in the stomach. Rohtak range Inspector General of Police Navdeep Virk said the family gave the names of six more persons last evening. "A supplementary statement of the family has been recorded. Out of these six persons, five are relatives of Sumit, main accused. The sixth may also be related in some way," a police official said. The opposition hit out at the BJP government in Haryana over the incident. Former Chief Minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda alleged a complete breakdown of law and order while demanding exemplary punishment for the culprits. Financial assistance of Rs 10.5 lakh was announced today for the victim's family. As she was a Dalit, the state welfare department would provide Rs 8.5 lakh to her family under provisions of the Scheduled Caste and Scheduled Tribe (Prevention of Atrocities) Act while Rs 2 lakh will be given by the Red Cross, Sonipat Deputy Commissioner K Makrand Pandurang said. National Commission for Women member Rekha Sharma met the family of the victim. The decomposed and mutilated body of the 23-year-old woman, who went missing from Sonipat on May 9 and was gang- raped and brutally murdered, was found near the Industrial Model Township in Urban Estate, Rohtak, on May 11. Stray dogs had bitten off the face and lower portion of her body. The sheer brutality of the crime, reminiscent of the 'Nirbhaya' incident in Delhi which triggered nation-wide outrage, occurred barely a month after the BJP-led Haryana government launched 'Operation Durga' to stop harassment of women. Following the incident, Congress president Sonia Gandhi had expressed deep shock, saying it highlighted the need to revisit the issue of women safety. Minister demands fast track' courts Condemning the gangraped incident, Haryana Women and Child Development Minister Kavita Jain has demanded that dedicated, separate courts should be set up in the country for speedy trial of cases involving sexual assaults on women. Talking to the media, Jain said, "In order to deal with crime against girls, women, there should be dedicated courts, and trials should be conducted on the line of fast-track courts. So that the culprits should not lose fear of punishment and think twice before committing such crime." The Harayana Minister who visited the family members assured them of strict action will be taken against the culprits. Agencies Gurugram, May 14 A 22-year-old woman from Sikkim was allegedly raped by three men in a moving car here and thrown out on a road in Delhi in yet another chilling rape incident in Haryana days after the Nirbhaya-like case in Sonepat. The woman was attacked at around 2 am when she was returning from Delhi to her residence in Sector-17 here. (Follow The Tribune on Facebook; and Twitter @thetribunechd) As she reached near her house, she was dragged by three men into their Swift car. They then took turns to rape her in the moving vehicle while heading to Najafgarh in the national capital, 20 km from here, a senior police officer told PTI quoting the victim's statement. Read: 23-yr-old gangraped, murdered The woman had gone to visit Connaught Place with her friend on Saturday night. The accused then threw her out in Najafgarh area and sped away, the officer said. The woman later approached some passersby and informed the Delhi Police which alerted the Gurugram police. A case of rape has been registered against three persons. One of the accused was addressed as Deepak by the others, police said. "We have identified a few vehicles on the basis of her statement and CCTV footage and raids are being conducted at various locations to nab the accused," the officer said. The incident comes days the gruesome gangrape and murder of a 23-year-old woman came to light after her decomposed and mutilated body was found near the Industrial Model Township in Urban Estate, Rohtak. The woman had gone missing from Sonepat on May 9. Stray dogs had bitten off the face and lower portion of her body. Women's safety remains an issue of concern despite a slew of steps taken by the government after the December 16, 2012 gangrape and murder of a paramedic student in Delhi sparked nationwide outrage. She later came to be known as 'Nirbhaya' (the fearless). PTI By Press Trust of India: Ranchi, May 14 (PTI) Security forces have seized over 1,000 bullets, 5,000 detonators and 200 kg of explosives from an ammunition dump of Naxalites in Jharkhand. A joint team of the CRPF and the state police had launched a search in the jungles of Murhukarchatoli and Husru in Lohardaga district, officials said, adding the team made the seizure late last evening. advertisement The cache includes 1,010 bullets of different calibre, 5,100 detonators, 21,600 feet-long explosive cordex wire and explosives weighing 200 kg. The seized ammunition has been handed over to the state police, they said. A similar dump was unearthed by the joint security forces squad in the same district few days back. PTI NES DIP --- ENDS --- Tribune News Service Solan, May 14 Villagers from 22 panchayats of Kandaghat sub-division today converged on Rurra village and constituted a Gramin Sangharsh Samiti to deal with the controversial Baba Amardev issue which has vitiated the atmosphere in the area. Jagdish Chand has been nominated samitis pradhan, while Praveen Kumar and Om Prakash have been chosen up-pradhan and secretary, respectively, to deal with the unsavoury episode. The samiti gave a weeks time to the state government to oust the controversial Baba Amardev, who was constructing Shri Ramlok Temple after encroaching upon 5.6 bigha of government land, from the area. The samiti also warned the state government that if the Baba was not ousted from the area within a week they would take to the roads and initiate an agitation. Daggers have been drawn between Baba Amardev and the villagers since the April 26 scuffle which has left a 52-year-old woman grievously injured. Criminal cases have been slapped against 11 villagers. While leaders from the Congress and the BJP lent support to the peoples cause, Kisan Sabha also came forward to share the villagers agony. Deputy Commissioner Rakesh Kanwar was also present on the occasion. He assured the villagers of an amicable settlement of their grievances soon. The villagers demanded that the whereabouts of the Baba should be inquired and how he was constructing temple by incurring crores should also be investigated. They also stressed the need for speedier action in the cases related to the seizure of hides and encroachment and attack on Shanti Devi. Praveen Kumar said that the samiti members would meet Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh tomorrow. In the wake of a patient audience today by the Deputy Commissioner Rakesh Kanwar the villagers were hopeful of an amicable solution. One-week ultimatum to govt Villagers from 22 panchayats of Kandaghat subdivision in Solan set up a committee which gave a weeks time to the state government to oust Baba Amardev, who is constructing Shri Ramlok Temple after allegedly encroaching upon government land. Probe sought The villagers demanded that the whereabouts of the Baba should be inquired and how he was constructing the temple by incurring crores should also be investigated. They also sought speedier action in cases related to the seizure of hides and encroachment. Ambika Sharma Tribune News Service Baddi, May 14 Former Chief Minister PK Dhumal today said people were eagerly awaiting the Vidhan Sabha elections to oust the state government which was neck deep in corruption and was patronising various mafias. He was addressing BJPs Mafia Raj Hatao, Pradesh Bachao rally at Baddi today. Dhumal said Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh had lost the morality to rule as he himself was facing criminal cases pertaining to corruption. Things have come to such a pass that fingers were being raised on the MLAs of the ruling Congress by their own colleagues about embezzlement of government funds worth crores. He said people were fed up with the corruption ridden state government and they would give a befitting reply to the Congress at the hustings. Earlier, Union Minister for Health and Family Welfare JP Nadda, while addressing the gathering, said the Congress government would fall under the weight of corruption. He urged BJP workers to work in unison to ensure partys victory. He said the Congress had become synonymous with corruption, mafia rule, dynasty politics and said the BJP wave which swept Uttar Pradesh, Uttrakhand and Delhi will sweep Himachal too and the BJP will form the government. He said the Central government was providing ample financial assistance to the state but the inept Congress government had failed to utilize the same for ushering in an era of development. State BJP president Satpal Satti said corruption was prevailing in every sector. The overwhelming support which the BJP rallies received across the state indicated the frustration of the people from the state government. MLAs KL Thakur, Govind Ram, Rajiv Senzal, MP Shimla Virender Kashyap former MLA Vinod Chandel were among those present on the occasion. Amir Karim Tantray & Shyam Sood Tribune News Service Jammu/Rajouri, May 13 A Class VII student was among two civilians killed and three others injured as Pakistan resorted to heavy shelling on Indian posts and several villages along the Line of Control today in Nowshera sector of Jammu and Kashmirs Rajouri district. Those killed are Tuffail Hussain and his granddaughter Asiya Banoo of Jhangar village. Hussains wife Zaitoon Begum was critically injured and has been referred to Government Medical College, Jammu. Four soldiers were reportedly injured, too, though there was no confirmation from the Army. The Pakistan army started unprovoked firing around 7:15 am, using 82 mm and 120 mm mortars as well as small arms to target civilian areas mainly in Nowshera and Manjakot sectors. The Indian Army responded effectively, said defence spokesman Lt Col Manish Mehta. Confirming the deaths, Deputy Commissioner Shahid Choudhary said schools in border areas had been shut. As many as 270 people have been shifted to relief camps. Twenty-six villages in Nowshera subdivision and nine in the Manjakot sector have been affected by heavy shelling, Choudhary said. While three camps had been made operational at Nowshera, 28 more had been notified, he added. This is the third ceasefire violation along the LoC (Line of Control) since May 10. Pakistani Rangers had violated truce on the International Border as well yesterday, injuring a BSF constable. On May 10 and 11, Pakistani troops shelled civilian areas near the LoC, killing a woman. Two Pakistani soldiers were injured in retaliatory fire by the Indian side. Pakistan had last time resorted to heavy shelling in 2016 when the Indian Army conducted surgical strikes. Islamabad summons indian envoy Islamabad: Pakistan on Saturday accused India of committing ceasefire violations and summoned the countrys Deputy High Commissioner, who countered the allegation by asserting that the cross-border firing was initiated by Pakistani troops to give cover to terrorists. A Pakistan army statement alleged that three civilians were injured in the firing in Karela, Kotkoterra, Khuiratta, Sabzkot, Baroh, Tandar and Khanjar sectors. PTI Majid Jahangir & Amin Masoodi Tribune News Service Srinagar/Handwara, May 14 In a major breakthrough, security forces killed two Pakistani Lashkar-e-Toiba militants who were a part of the fidayeen attack on an artillery garrison in Kupwara on April 27 that left three Army men, including an officer dead. The militants were killed in a brief gunfight in Kupwara district on Sunday when joint teams of the Army and the police launched an anti-militancy operation in Waripora village of Handwara, around 100 km from Srinagar. Two fidayeen Lashkar militants killed in Waripora were a part of the infiltrating group that launched an attack on an Army base in Panzgam Kupwara, J&K Police chief SP Vaid said. The Commanding Officer of 21 Rashtriya Rifles, Colonel Kuldeep Singh, said they had found evidence that confirmed the involvement of the two militants in the Panzgam attack. We have found a wound on one of the eliminated terrorist which is indicative of likely involvement of these two terrorists in the Panzgam attack. We have found some other evidence, including the war-like stores, Colonel Kuldeep Singh told reporters. In the first fidayeen attack of the year, an Army captain, two soldiers and two militants were killed while a militant managed to flee from the Army base at Panzgam on April 27. The artillery garrison close to the Line of Control was stormed by the militants from the rear of the camp by cutting the barbed wire. Todays firefight erupted when the Armys 21 RR battalion and Special Operations Group of the police, launched an anti-militancy operation following inputs about the presence of the militants. During the 10-minute firefight, two LeT militants were killed. Their identity is being ascertained but they appear to be Pakistani nationals linked to the Lashkar, Senior Superintendent of Police, Handwara, Ghulam Jeelani said. Two AK-47 rifles, two pistols, four AK magazines, two pistol magazines, two UBGL grenades and other articles, including maps, were recovered from the encounter site, he said. Police sources said for the last one week, the forces had been closely following leads about the presence of the two ultras in the area. Mystery blast in Tral Three persons were injured in a mysterious blast in the Tral area of Pulwama district on Saturday night. The police said the incident was being investigated. TNS AK rifle recovered An AK rifle and three magazines were recovered in Handwara on Sunday. The police said the recovery was made during the demolition of an old mosque in the Rajwar area of Handwara. The locals found an AK rifle and three magazines during the demolition of an old masjid sharief in Lashipora, Rajwar. Later, the villagers informed the police and handed over the rifle and magazines to them, a police spokesman said. TNS Vibha Sharma Tribune News Service New Delhi, May 14 BJP leaders are keeping the partys choice for the posts of the President and the Vice-President of the country a closely-guarded secret. But what they confidently reveal is the fact the saffron party has managed to gather the numbers to elect the man or the woman of its choice for the topmost Constitutional posts of the country. Short of just about 8,000 votes, primarily due to lack of numbers in the Rajya Sabha, the NDA alliance last week managed to get on board two crucial vote blocks YS Jaganmohan Reddy-led YSR Congress and K Chandrasekhar Raos Telangana Rashtra Samithi, valuing around 16,800 votes and 22,000 votes, respectively. It was a meeting that made the NDA ally Telugu Desam Party uncomfortable, but its political opponent in Andhra Pradesh Jaganmohan gave Prime Minister Narendra Modi what he needed the most the promise to the support to his candidate. Likewise, the TRS also pledged support provided the candidate chosen by the BJP was in favour of the state. Sources say BJP chief Amit Shah in his visit to Telangana as a part of the partys Vistar Yojana will refrain from being too aggressive on the ruling TRS. The cancellation of his three-day visit (May 10-12) to Tamil Nadu is believed to be linked to the arithmetic of the presidential polls in July. The AIADMK holds a crucial set of around 59,200 votes, which the BJP does not want to jeopardise. So far as the choice of candidate, saffron leaders say the PM will opt for someone who is close to the BJPs ideology, most likely a political personality, a man or woman of stature and of reckoning both in India and abroad and someone who will give the country good representation at the international level. Simran Sodhi Tribune News Service New Delhi, May 15 As India chose to boycott the two-day One Belt, One Road (OBOR) Summit in Beijing, Chinese President Xi Jinping today called the OBOR as the project of the century and stressed all countries should respect each others sovereignty and territorial integrity. India has chosen to stay away from the summit on the grounds that the initiative and some of its projects violate its sovereignty. The Chinese President today sought to assure the world at large that Beijing was not using this as a front to expand its influence globally. That is the suspicion which India and many western countries, including the US, which nevertheless did send a top adviser to the summit, harbour. (Follow The Tribune on Facebook; and Twitter @thetribunechd) However, what ought to worry India is that apart from the fact that Russian President Vladmir Putin and Turkish President Erdogan were in attendance and supportive of the OBOR initiative, is the close linking of Pakistans economy with China as part of the OBOR. Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif met Xi a day before the summit got underway and both countries moved closer on many accounts. Sharif in his comments today said CPEC was open to all the countries in the region and the issue must not be politicised. The reference to India was loud and clear in Sharif's comments. It is time we transcend our differences, resolve conflicts through dialogue and diplomacy, and leave a legacy of peace for future generations, Sharif said. Beijing, May 14 Chinese President Xi Jinping pledged $124 billion on Sunday for his new Silk Road plan to forge a path of peace, inclusiveness and free trade, and called for the abandonment of old models based on rivalry and diplomatic power games. Xi used a summit on the initiative, attended by leaders and top officials from around the world, to bolster Chinas global leadership ambitions as US President Donald Trump questions existing global free trade deals. We should build an open platform of cooperation and uphold and grow an open world economy, Xi told the opening of the two-day gathering in Beijing. China has touted what it formally calls the Belt and Road initiative as a new way to boost global development since Xi unveiled the plan in 2013, aiming to expand the countrys links to Asia, Africa, Europe and beyond underpinned by massive infrastructure investment. (Follow The Tribune on Facebook; and Twitter @thetribunechd) Massive funding boost Xi pledged a major funding boost to the new Silk Road, including an extra 100 billion yuan ($14.50 billion) into the existing Silk Road Fund, 380 billion yuan in loans from two policy banks and 60 billion yuan in aid to developing countries and international bodies in countries along the new trade routes. Leaders from 29 countries attended the forum, as well as the heads of the United Nations, International Monetary Fund and World Bank. Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif, a close Chinese ally, praised Chinas vision and ingenuity. Such a broad sweep and scale of interlocking economic partnerships and investments is unprecedented in history, Sharif said. India refused to send an official delegation to Beijing, reflecting displeasure with China for developing a $57 billion trade corridor through Pakistan that also crosses the Pakistan-occupied Kashmir. No country can accept a project that ignores its core concerns on sovereignty and territorial integrity, said Indian foreign ministry spokesman Gopal Baglay, adding that there were concerns about host countries taking on unsustainable debt. China plans to import $2 trillion of products from countries participating in its Belt and Road initiative over the next five years, commerce minister Zhong Shan said. Unease over summit But some Western diplomats have expressed unease about both the summit and the plan as a whole, seeing it as an attempt to promote Chinese influence globally. They are also concerned about transparency and access for foreign firms to the scheme. We will not interfere in other countries internal affairs. We will not export our system of society and development model, and even more will not impose our views on others. In advancing the Belt and Road, we will not re-tread the old path of games between foes. Instead we will create a new model of cooperation and mutual benefit, Xi said. Reuters Lahore, May 14 Mumbai terror attack and Jamaat-ud-Dawa (JuD) chief Hafiz Saeed and his four aides have been detained for spreading terrorism in the name of jihad, Pakistans interior ministry has told a judicial review board. Saeed appeared before the board yesterday and told it that he had been detained in order to stop him from raising his voice for Kashmiris. However, the interior ministry told the board that Saeed had been detained for spreading terrorism. (Follow The Tribune on Facebook; and Twitter @thetribunechd) The board, comprising a Supreme Court judge, besides judges from the Lahore and Balochistan high courts, directed the ministry to submit a complete record regarding the detention of Saeed and his aides Zafar Iqbal, Abdul Rehman Abid, Abdullah Ubaid and Qazi Kashif Niaz on the next hearing on May 15. It also sought personal appearance of the Pakistan attorney general. The Nawaz Sharif government had reportedly taken action against Saeed after the US warned of sanctions. PTI Lucknow/New Delhi, May 14 A Hizbul Mujahideen terrorist has been arrested by border guarding force SSB from Sonauli in Uttar Pradesh along the Indo-Nepal frontier. (Follow The Tribune on Facebook; and Twitter @thetribunechd) The Sashastra Seema Bal said it apprehended Naseer Ahmed (34) on Saturday evening from Sonauli border post. The SSB is tasked to guard the 1,751-km-long open border. Ahmed was residing in Pakistan since September, 2003. He was involved in many violent attacks against civilians and security forces, including an attack on a STF camp. He was sent to India by his handler for a specific mission, an SSB spokesperson said here. Ahmed, a resident of Banihal in Ramban district of Jammu and Kashmir, was trying to sneak into India from Nepal in guise of a Kashmiri shawl and carpet vendor. When he was asked for his identity proof by the SSB personnel at Sonauli, he was unable to produce any supporting documents, the spokesperson said. The paramilitary, based on initial interrogation of the terrorist, said Ahmed landed in Kathmandu on May 10 from Faisalabad in Pakistan via Sharjah. The SSB said Ahmed reached the Indo-Nepal border in a bus with an intention to sneak into Indian territory and motive to carry out terrorist activities in India. He was in touch with a handler from India, who used to deposit money, in his account, off and on. On his instructions he came to India for undertaking terrorist activities but was apprehended by the SSB, the paramilitary claimed. PTI By Press Trust of India: New Delhi, May 14 (PTI) Domestic products such as textiles and chemicals would get greater market access in Chile as the expanded preferential trade agreement between India and the South American nation will come into effect from May 16. Under this expanded preferential trade agreement (PTA), both the countries have offered to lower or eliminate duties on a number of items traded with each other. advertisement Chile has offered duty concessions on as many as 1,798 goods such as agri items, chemicals, pharmaceuticals, plastics, textiles, apparel, iron and steel items, copper machinery, to Indian exporters as compared to 178 items earlier. On the other hand, India has offered concessions to Chile on 1,031 products including meat items, fish, vegetable oil, processed food, pharma, plastic and pearls as against 296 earlier. "With this pact coming into force, we are going to see a big growth in the bilateral trade," Commerce Secretary Rita Teaotia said. Over 96 per cent of the total trade is now covered by this agreement. Meanwhile, the Commerce Ministry in a statement said that the expanded PTA would immensely benefit both sides as a wide array of concessions has been offered by the two countries on a number of products which will facilitate more trade. Chile is the fourth largest trading partner of India in LAC region after Brazil, Venezuela and Argentina. It also said that during the last few years, bilateral trade has been in favour of Chile because of import of high volume of copper ore which constitute more than 88 per cent of the imports from Chile. It added that keeping in view that Chile is the founding member of the Pacific Alliance to which India is an observer member, implementing the expanded PTA could deepen its engagement with the emerging trade bloc. PTI RR SRK ABM --- ENDS --- Prateek Chauhan Tribune News Service New Delhi, May 14 Hizbul Mujahideen militant Naseer Ahmed (34) was apprehended by the Sashastra Seema Bal (SSB) at the India-Nepal border in Maharajganj (Uttar Pradesh) while trying to enter India in the guise of a shawl and carpet vendor. Naseer, who hails from Banihal in Ramban district of J&K, was allegedly involved in many attacks against civilians and security forces, including an attack on the STF camp. According to an SSB official, when Naseer was enquired about his identity by SSB men at Sanauli in Maharaganj district, he was unable to produce any supporting documents. On physical search, a Pakistani passport and an identity card having address of Lala Musa village in Gujarat district of Punjab (Pakistan) was seized from his possession. Naseer, accompanied by Mohd Shafi of Butpura, Kupwara district, J&K, reportedly landed in Kathmandu from Faislabaad (Pakistan) via Sharjah (UAE) on May 10. From Kathmandu, they got separated and Naseer boarded a bus to reach India-Nepal Border so that he could enter India to carry out terror attacks, said an SSB officer. He is reportedly well-trained in operating weapons like AK-47, Ak-56, SLR, rocket launcher (RPG7), assault rifle (G3 and G2) and grenades. After completing his training in Pakistan, he reportedly stayed at various Hizb camps and preached Quran to the cadres. During his stay in Pakistan, he married Asha Naeem (25) of Gujarat district there in 2009. He has two sons from that marriage. Yash Goyal Jaipur, May 14 A man has been detained for having tried to make an Aadhaar Card for killed al Qaeda founder Osama bin Laden, police said on Sunday. Saddam Hussain Mansuri, an Aadhaar agent, filled up a form for Bin Laden, the man behind the 9/11 attacks in the US and who was killed in 2012. Masuri, who runs an Aadhaar Card Registration Centre in Mandal town, also used Ladens blurred image. Inconsistencies in address caught the eye of officials at the Unique Identification Authority of India, who promptly alerted police. Additionally, the application also had no thump prints and iris imaging. (Follow The Tribune on Facebook; and Twitter @thetribunechd) Police booked Mansuri on Friday evening, Mandal Police Station Head Officer Harish Kumar Sankhla said, adding the suspect claimed that the application was made accidentally and without any malice. Police said the suspect would be detained for questioning. In September 2014, a man had tried to have a 12-digit number Aaadhaar Card for Hindu deity Hanumanji in Rajasthans in Sikar district. The card showed the deity wearing a crown and string of pearls. It listed the cardholder's father as Pawanji (The Ramayana describes Hanuman as the son of Vayu, the Wind God). New Delhi, May 14 The Ministry of External Affairs has said it has not received any request so far for extradition of 26/11 Mumbai attack mastermind Hafiz Saeed and 1993 Mumbai bombings accused Dawood Ibrahim from the agencies probing them. The ministry was responding to an RTI query filed by a PTI Bhasha correspondent seeking information on the action taken by the government for bringing back Jamaat-ud-Dawah chief Saeed and fugitive gangster Ibrahim. "The ministry of external affairs has not received any request for extradition/deportation/return in respect of Hafiz Sayeed and Dawood Ibrahim from the investigating agencies concerned in India," it said. Ibrahim is the main accused in the 1993 serial bomb blasts case in Mumbai in which around 260 people were killed, and more than 700 were injured. He fled the country post the bombings and is understood to be hiding in Pakistan at present. Saeed, also the co-founder of Pakistan-based Lashkar-e- Taiba terror group, is accused of plotting the militant attack in Mumbai on November 26, 2008, in which 166 people were killed by a group of terrorists who had entered the city through a sea route. (Follow The Tribune on Facebook; and Twitter @thetribunechd) In April, Home Minister Rajnath Singh had stated that there was no doubt that Dawood was still in Pakistan. During the last 10 years, India has sent several dossiers to Pakistan in this regard, saying Ibrahim is the key accused in the serial bomb blasts case. In 2011, P Chidambaram, the then home minister in the UPA government, had stated that Ibrahim was based in Karachi. He had also said that India would continue to push its case to bring to justice the people who had planned the 2008 attack. India has for long been advocating an extradition treaty among SAARC countries to ensure quick action against those involved in terrorist activities. PTI Vibha Sharma Tribune News Service New Delhi, May 14 BJP leaders play close to the chest on the partys choice for the posts of the President and Vice-President of the country. But what they do reveal is the fact that whosoever it is, the saffron party has managed to gather the numbers to elect the man or the woman of its choice for the topmost Constitutional posts of the country. Short of just about 8,000 votes, primarily due to lack of numbers in the Raya Sabha, the NDA last week managed to get on board two crucial vote blocks Y S Jaganmohan Reddy-led YSR Congress and K Chandrasekhar Raos Telangana Rashtra Samithi, valuing around 16,800 votes and 22,000 votes, respectively. It was a meeting that made the Telugu Desam Party, an NDA ally, uncomfortable, but its political opponent in Andhra Pradesh Jaganmohan gave Prime Minister Narendra Modi what he needed the most the promise to the support to his candidate. Likewise the TRS has also pledged support provided the candidate chosen by the BJP was in favour of the state. Sources say BJP president Amit Shah in his visit to Telangana as a part of the partys "Vistar Yojana" too will refrain from being too aggressive on the ruling TRS. Meanwhile, the cancellation of his three-day visit to Tamil Nadu Chennai and Coimbatore on May 10, 11 and 12 due to personal reasons, is believed to be linked to the arithmetic of the presidential polls in July. The AIADMK holds a crucial set of around 59,200 votes, which the BJP does not want to jeopardise, it seems. As far as the choice of candidate is concerned several names continue to do the rounds. Saffron leaders say the Prime Minister will opt for someone who is close to the BJP's ideology, most likely a political personality, a man or woman of stature and of reckoning both in India and abroad and someone who will give the country good representation at the international level. The party is no longer susceptible to "leaks" and the BJP leaders say "only the Prime Minister and Amit Shah know who the person will be. It (the name) may come as a complete surprise". This apart, Delhi's political rumour mill continues to be alive with the names of senior BJP leaders Sushma Swaraj, Sumitra Mahajan, M. Venkaiah Naidu and Jharkhand governor Draupadi Murmu. The name is expected to be "finalised" by the core group but the sources say the Prime Minister and Shah, in agreement with ideological fountainhead RSS, have already zeroed in on the BJP's choice for the next President and the Vice-President. The arithmetic is in its favour and there is no way the saffron party can lose, they say, with 412 MPs and more than 1,600 legislators amounting to around 5,32,000 votes. MPs Yogi Adityanath, Keshav Prasad Maurya and Manohar Parrikar's resignation from their Parliamentary seats has been put on hold till the Presidential elections. The President and Vice-President of India are indirectly elected by an electoral college comprising 776 members of Parliament and 4,120 legislators in State Assemblies and the Union Territories of Delhi and Puducherry with the total value of votes amounting to around 10,98,882. The NDA needs 5,49,442 votes and the gap, BJP leaders say, stands bridged. Geetanjali Gayatri Tribune News Service Chandigarh, May 14 The mother of the 23-year-old gangrape victim, whose mutilated body was found in Rohtak on May 11, has named six more suspects, even as the Sonepat police have traced the route taken by the criminals, from the victims house in Sonepats Kalupur village to the site where her body was dumped. Sources said the police were gathering details of the cellphone location of those named. It had obtained CCTV footage of cameras installed between Sonepat and Rohtak and identified a Santro car used for abducting the victim. (Follow The Tribune on Facebook; and Twitter @thetribunechd) Rekha Sharma, member of the National Commission for Women, which has taken suo moto cognisance, today met the victims mother and wrote to the government and the police to act swiftly. She said the police had its own version in the light of the fact that the victims family lodged an FIR only on May 11, two days after the girl went missing. Sources said among the six names mentioned in a supplementary statement were that of the mother of key accused Sumit Kumar and their relatives. As the victim was a Dalit, additional charges under the SC/ST Act have been filed against Sumit Kumar and co-accused Vikas. They were arrested by the Sonepat police on Friday night. Haryanas Director General of Police BS Sandhu claimed they had almost pieced together the sequence of events leading to the barbaric rape and murder and were interrogating those named by the victims mother. The Inspector General of Police, Rohtak Range, Navdeep Singh Virk, and Sonepat SP Ashvin Shenvi today met the family and assured them of a fair investigation. ADGP (Law and Order) Mohammad Akil too visited the family. Three of the six suspects named today are yet to join the investigation, he said, adding that a PCR team had been deployed at the deceaseds house as a security measure. A five-member SIT headed by DSP Mukesh is handling the case. The district administration has announced a compensation of Rs 10.5 lakh for the aggrieved family. Autopsy reveals extent of savagery SC Vasudeva I, an overseas citizen of India, hold a New Zealand passport and am receiving pension from the Ministry of Defence, Government of India. According to the I-T Act, a resident, who has stayed in India for 183 days or so in the previous year, is required to file an I-T return for income earned in India. So to file return, am I required to apply for an Aadhaar card? vinod jaura The issue with regard to providing the Aadhaar number in the income-tax return is not applicable to a non-resident on the basis of a clarification issued by the Central Board Direct Taxes. For resident assesses, there is no exemption from this requirement. It may however be added that a public interest litigation is pending in the Supreme Court with regard to the mandatory requirement of Aadhaar for filing tax return. The Supreme Court is yet to take a call on it. I am a Punjab Government employee. I have a single girl child and she is studying in a private medical college. Last year, I had paid annual tax of Rs 63,000. My particulars for March 2017 are: Gross salary: Rs 74,077 Government Provident Fund: Rs 3,000 Group Insurance Scheme: Rs 120 How can I reduce my tax liabilities? renu bala You can deposit an additional of Rs 1,50,000 in Public Provident Fund which would be deductible for computing the taxable income. Besides, you can also deposit another Rs 50,000 under a pension scheme notified by the government and such amount shall also be admissible as deduction under Section 80CCD(1B) of the Act. This is in addition to the deduction admissible in respect of PPF. You can also avail the benefit of deduction under Section 80D of the Act by taking a health insurance policy. A deduction to the extent of Rs 25,000 is permissible under the said section. My wife, 69, has been maintaining an account under the Senior Citizen Saving Scheme with a post office since June 2014. She had provided her PAN to the post office. As the interest earned was not reflected in AS-26 and the post office did not ask for H16 form, we thought it is tax-free and did not mention it in income tax statements of assessment years 2015-16 and 2016-17. If I add interest earned to the income earned in 2015-16, there is no tax payable. But same is not the case for 2016-17. This year, the post office deducted tax in the first quarter and asked for H16 form, which we gave. No further tax was deducted, but the tax deducted is not reflecting in AS-26. We have filed a revised return in 2016-17. How to show this income in this years return? kk chanana It would be advisable to file a revised return for the assessment year 2016-17. The return can be revised up to March 31, 2018. The revised return should include the amount of interest received from the post office on deposit under Senior Citizen Saving Scheme. The amount of tax after adjusting tax deducted at source should be paid at the time of filing of revised tax return. Such payment should include the interest for non-payment of tax. She can claim the tax credit for the tax deducted at source by the post office on the basis of certificate from the post office. Rachna Khaira Tribune News Service, Jalandhar, May 14 Five persons, including two children, were killed when their car collided with a truck near Khatti village in Phagwara on Sunday, the police said. (Follow The Tribune on Facebook; and Twitter @thetribunechd) The car collided with the truck near Khatti village, 4 km from Phagwara, killing Vikas (41), Shikha (37), her sister Reena (42), Raghav (10) and Manav (7), Phagwara Sadar SHO Lakhbir Singh said. Reenas husband Surinder Kumar (46) and Vikass 8-month-old daughter, Shivaka, escaped with injuries and are out of danger, he added. The impact caused the fuel tank of the truck to burst into flames. The family was on its way back from a pilgrimage to Chintpurni, Himachal Pradesh. The police said it took them several hours to pull out the bodies from the wreckage. The truck driver, who fled the accident scene, has been booked under under Sections 304A (causing death by negligence), 279 (rash driving) and 427 of the Indian Penal Code (IPC). He was fired from job four years ago Parvesh Sharma Tribune News Service Sangrur, May 14 Justice comes at a cost and 42-year-old Dalit labourer Sarbjit Singh knows it well. His temporary service as helper under the incharge of the Persons-with-Disabilities scheme at Sant Longowal Institute of Engineering and Technology (SLIET), Longowal, was terminated in 2013. He lost his job after he raised his voice against the alleged misuse of funds meant for persons with disabilities. Then, he procured information through the RTI Act and wrote to many authorities, but justice continues to elude him. Fearing that their wrongs would be exposed, SLIET authorities are allegedly threatening Sarbjit with dire consequences. But he has refused to compromise. With a bag of documents that Sarbjit has procured under the RTI Act, he has been visiting various villages of the district to trace the students whose money has been misused. Despite having grants, SLIET authorities did not give financial aid to enrolled persons-with-disabilities students for vocational courses under the scheme from 2007 to 2015. The authorities should pay Rs 5,700 to each student. I have detailed information that lakhs have been misappropriated by the authorities concerned. My services were terminated in 2013 after I raised my voice against it, said Sarbjit. He has written to SSP Sangrur for action against SLIET employees. He alleged that on his complaint to the Prime Ministers Office (PMO) in August 2016, SLIET authorities despite having the grant -- gave wrong information to the PMO that a large number of students were waiting for the grant as funds were not available. First, they offered me money. When I refused, they started threatening me. These days, I am being pressured to withdraw my complaints. I fear that I may be killed and SLIET authorities will be responsible for it, he said. Today, he was in Sangrur to board a bus to New Delhi to meet authorities of the Ministry of Human Resource Development. The scheme for integrating persons with disabilities in the mainstream of technical and vocational education was launched in 1999-2000 with an objective to upgrade the skills of physically challenged persons. Mahesh Arora, incharge of PWD scheme, SLIET, has denied the allegations. No one is issuing threats from our side. It is a baseless allegation, said Arora. SHO Longowal Jugraj Singh confirmed that Sarbjit has lodged a complaint and said that he would look into it. New York, May 14 A 26-year-old Sikh-American has made history by becoming the first police officer from the community to join the police department in Indianapolis, the capital of the US state of Indiana, a media report has said. Mittan Katoch feels it is a 'great honour' to join Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department (IMPD) as the first American-Sikh, the Indianapolis broadcaster RTV6 said. "I honestly thought there might be more Sikh police officers in IMPD, but to learn I am the first is quite shocking," Katoch, a graduate of the department's 13th recruit class, was quoted as saying by the RTV6. He said it has been his dream to become an officer since he was a child. "I used to write essays about it," he said. "I've got tons of feedback, tons of support, comments on Facebook like 'hey, we're proud of you, way to lead the way.' I feel like I'm the spearhead to the movement of getting different ethnicities into the department," he said. According to IMPD, the current amount of minorities that make up the population of the department is about 18 per cent - however in Marion County, recent US Census data shows minorities make up more than 34 per cent of the population, the report said. In 2015 and 2016, 17.3 per cent and 17.6 per cent of the IMPD's force were minorities, respectively. Katoch said he is excited about his career and the chance to build a bridge between communities. "Being born and raised in America, I'm Americanised enough to know I can do anything I want," he said. "This is the land of opportunity and to be a part of a police department that's reflective of that is awesome." PTI GS Paul Tribune News Service Amritsar, May 14 The Punjab Government will relaunch the multi-crore Bus Rapid Transit System (BRTS), which was a pet project of the then Deputy Chief Minister Sukhbir Singh Badal. During a review meeting presided over by Local Bodies Minister Navjot Singh Sidhu and Finance Minister Manpreet Singh Badal here today, it was decided to start an integrated public transport system in the PPP (public-private partnership) mode. Also, at least 10 lakh saplings will be planted in the holy city to compensate for the loss of green cover due to the project. Sukhbir had decided to replicate the BRTS in Amritsar after he took a ride on the 52-km route of a similar venture in Turkey in February 2015. A Rs 580-crore project was initiated, with the Central and state governments contributing equally. As per records, civil works to the tune of Rs 495 crore have been completed. However, it is learnt that several irregularities were committed while executing the first phase of the project. A total of 93 buses were scheduled to run on the 31-km corridor, but only 12 became operational. The other buses have been left to rot in the yard at the Verka bypass. Both ministers said those found guilty of siphoning off funds would not be spared. Terming BRTS as a white elephant, Sidhu said, It was an ill-conceived project which was prematurely implemented by the SAD-BJP alliance with an eye on the Assembly elections. Now, when over Rs 450 crore have already been pumped in, it was decided not to scrap it, but give it a fresh try. The aim is to plug traffic snarls and widen the routes. He said the low ground clearance of the buses was posing a problem. We will use vehicles of the city bus service project on the BRTS routes and try to complete the unfinished works, he added. Manpreet said the state government would create an Urban Transport Fund to revamp public transport in Amritsar. He is banking on the upcoming GST (good and services tax) regime for financial relief. We aim to overhaul public transport in the holy city in six months. Under GST, we expect to get 14 per cent tax revenue benefit per annum for the next five years. This implies that we may get Rs 5,000-6,000 crore per year, he said. Others who attended the meeting included Congress MP Gurjit Singh Aujla, party MLA OP Soni and officials concerned. SAD asks Sidhu to prove embezzlement charge Chandigarh: The SAD on Sunday asked Navjot Sidhu to prove his embezzlement charge or apologise for resorting to cheap theatrics. You are in the habit of telling lies to earn a few laughs, said SAD spokesman Dr Daljeet Singh Cheema, reacting to Sidhus charge that Smart City project funds had been embezzled by the Akali-BJP government. Rs 200 crore was sanctioned for Ludhiana, of which the Finance Department released Rs 32 crore. You should work to get the rest released, Cheema said. TNS An Indian Air Force chopper flew two DRG jawans to Raipur for treatment, after evacuating them from a Naxal-infested area in Chhattisgarh's Bijapur district. They were injured during exchange of fire between DRGs and Naxals. The 2 DRG personnel who were rescued after a Naxal encounter in Bijapur, and brought to Raipur (ANI Photo) By Manjeet Negi: An Indian Air Force (IAF) helicopter today evacuated two District Reserve Guards (DRG), who were seriously injured during an encounter between DRGs and Naxals in Basaguda, in Chhattisgarh's Bijapur district. The incident took place in a remote Naxal-infested area with thick vegetation. Since the nearest helipad for Mi 17 operations was far away, it was decided that two helicopters would be launched, with one of them functioning as an airborne escort for protection. advertisement After the choppers left from Jabalpur, one of them landed in a field, successfully evacuated the two jawans, and flew them to Raipur - Chhattisgarh's capital - for treatment. It flew for more than two hours in the process. The most notable aspect of the mission was the IAF's quick response in undertaking a very high-risk mission in an active operation area, by landing on a field and not a secure helipad - which is the norm. The jawans are recovering at the hospital. ALSO READ | UP district uses community outreach, skill development to fight off Naxal threat ALSO READ | Sukma attack: Why Naxals succeed attack after attack in Chhattisgarh ALSO WATCH | Sukma attack: Meet the IAF bravehearts who flew the mortal remains of the CRPF jawans --- ENDS --- PK Jaiswar Tribune News Service Attari, May 13 Union Minister of State for Home Affairs Kiren Rijiju today said a committee had been formed for installation of full-body truck scanners at the Integrated Check Post here to scan goods arriving from Pakistan. Rijiju said the process was delayed due to a complaint by one of the companies, which had quoted higher rates for the scanners. As it was necessary to verify the contents of the complaint, it took time and, therefore, the installation was delayed, he told the media. He said he had expressed anguish over the delay and the panel had been constituted to hasten the process. Our officials visited Saudi Arabia and other countries where such scanners were installed to study the project. Things are almost done now. The Minister also unfurled a 107-foot-tall Tricolour near the border here. After the unfurling, Rijiju said it was a proud moment for the nation, and that funding for the flags maintenance would be provided by the Centre. He interacted with the staff of Landport Authority of India, Customs, Border Security Force and other agencies at the ICP and took stock of their problems. He also met traders involved in import-export business to Pakistan and assured them of addressing their problems. On WhatsApp groups created by terror outfits across the LoC to woo Muslim youth from Jammu and Kashmir and to provoke them for stone-pelting at security personnel, he said false propaganda was being unleashed by various Pakistani agencies. The government is aware of this and appropriate measures are being taken, which cannot be discussed in the media, he said. He was accompanied by MPs Shwet Malik and Gurjit Aujla, MLA Tarsem Singh DC, and Mayor Bakshi Ram Arora besides district administrative officials. Tribune News Service Dehradun, May 14 Uttarakhand Sugarcane Development Minister Prakash Pant has sought a package to the tune of Rs 895 crore for the modernisation of sugar mills in the state. Pant put forward the states demand before Union Agriculture Minister Radha Mohan Singh when he met him later in Dehradun today. Prakash Pant said the package amount besides modernisation of sugar mills would also assist in power generation through cane residue in the mills. He said the package could be given in the form of loan with minimum rate of interest through National Cooperatives Development Corporation. Union Agriculture Minister Radha Mohan Singh on his part assured all support to Uttarakhand. He said the Union Agriculture Ministry understood the concerns of both sugar mills and farmers of the state. Uttarakhand Secretary Sugarcane Development Vinod Sharma disclosed that five sugar mills in the state fell under the Uttarakhand Sugar Cooperatives Federation. These included Bajpur, Nadeyee, Sitarganj, Kitcha and Doiwala. He apprised that a proposal for modernisation of these had been sent to the National Cooperatives Development Corporation. Rudraprayag BJP MLA Vinod Kandari was also present on the occasion. Beijing/Islamabad, May 13 China and Pakistan today signed six pacts to boost cooperation on the $50 billion China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), including one on building an airport at the strategic Gwadar port city, with President Xi Jinping asserting that ties with Islamabad were a priority. The pacts were signed in the presence of Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif and Chinese Premier Li Keqiang ahead of the much-publicised Belt and Road Forum beginning tomorrow. The agreements included accords of cooperation in diverse fields, framework of the Silk Road Economic Belt and the 21st Century Maritime Silk Road Initiative, Economic and Technical Cooperation with assistance of $210 million for Gwadar Airport, Economic and Technical Cooperation for Gwadar Airport ($115 million) and East Bay Expressway ($160 million), state-run Associated Press of Pakistan reported. After the MoUs and agreements were signed, Xi told Sharif that the bilateral ties remain a priority for China and Beijing was willing to enrich the "all-weather" strategic and cooperative partnership with Pakistan. Sharif also attended a presentation made by China's National Energy Administration on the construction of Bhasha Dam, a project which he said is of critical importance for the future of Pakistan. The pacts deal with the increasing bilateral cooperation within the framework of China's ambitious Silk Road project, upgrading the main railway track between Karachi and Peshawar referred to as ML-1 , and an MoU for the establishment of a dry port in Havelian, Radio Pakistan reported. On the CPEC, Xi said the supplementary projects in and around the Gwadar port in the restive Balochistan province should be steadily advanced and the study on the construction of industrial parks along the corridor facilitated. The deep-water port and the CPEC is of significance to China as they together facilitate Beijings access to the Arabian Sea and resultantly links it with Eurasia and Africa. The Gwadar port opposite the Mumbais port housing the Indian Navys western naval command provides a berth for China in the Arabian Sea and to the Indian Ocean. PTI Kathmandu, May 14 Nepalese were voting today in the first local-level polls in two decades, an election crucial for cementing democracy amid political turmoil in the country. The first phase of local elections are peacefully taking place at 281 local units out of 283, said the office Election Commission. Out of 283 local bodies where first phase elections were scheduled, the elections are being held in 281 local bodies as candidates were elected unopposed in two local units, it said. According to an Election Commission spokesperson, around 42% of total registered voters in 34 districts have cast their votes by noon. Altogether 4.9 million voters are eligible to cast their votes in the first phase of elections. Nearly 50,000 candidates are vying for the position of mayor, deputy mayor, ward chairman and ward member in 281 local municipalities. Local-level elections could not be held after 1997 largely as a result of the decade-long Maoist insurgency that claimed more than 16,000 lives. The elections should be held in every five years but due to political instability, they were halted since May 1997. Local bodies remained ignored during the long transitional period even after the peace deal signed between the government and the Maoists in November 2006. PTI As digitisation and automation become the new normal, IT biggies like Infosys, Cognizant and Tech Mahindra are seeing a spate of layoffs and this trend may continue for the next 1-2 years, say experts. By Press Trust of India: As digitisation and automation become the new normal, IT biggies like Infosys, Cognizant and Tech Mahindra are seeing a spate of layoffs and this trend may continue for the next 1-2 years, say experts. The pink slips are being handed out to thousands of employees as part of their performance appraisal process, but it is believed that these are directed more towards cost control amid pressure on bottom line due to a rising tide of protectionism in most target markets. advertisement Indian software exporters in particular are facing headwinds in the business environment and stricter work permit regime in countries like the US, Singapore, Australia and New Zealand. Moreover, with newer technologies in artificial intelligence (AI), robotic process automation and cloud computing, which help complete the job with less manpower, software companies are now having to reconsider their strategies. FAILED TO KEEP PACE WITH CHANGES "Its a situation wherein the available talent haven't kept up with the pace at which the industry was evolving and hence, many of them find themselves redundant," said Rituparna Chakraborty, TeamLease Services Executive Vice-President and co-founder. Executive search organisation GlobalHunt MD Sunil Goel said: "This rationalisation does happen in every 3-5 years in the industry through new-age technologies, but this has impacted it more this time as the US also has changed policies for foreign IT workers." Goel further noted that "the consolidated trend may continue for next 1-2 years", but sees it as an opportunity for IT professionals to upgrade themselves and get into the new-age technologies where demand is going to be huge. SURGE IN DEMAND FOR DATA SCIENCE, ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE Pink slips are likely for jobs in manual testing, technology support and system administration since these are increasingly going to be managed by AI and robotics process automation based systems. However, there is surge in demand for latest and innovative technologies like data science, artificial intelligence and digital domain specific skills. "It is a painful transitory phase. However, things would look up in the next two quarters as each of the IT services company successful steers towards a stable growth phase," Chakraborty said. Talent management solutions provider KellyOCG India Country Director Francis Padamadan said, "We will continue to see some amount of rationalisation happening among IT companies though it is difficult to put a number." Japanese brokerage firm Nomura, in a research note, said that the job cuts of 2-3 per cent of the overall headcount of nearly 7,60,000 by Infosys, Cognizant, Tech Mahindra and Wipro are not material. However, this kind of rationalisation is likely to be a continuing phenomenon until the workforce realignment towards digital skills is complete. advertisement Also read: IT job market crashes: Nearly 2 lakh jobs at stake at Infosys, Cognizant and others Trump effect? Infosys to lay off 2,000 employees, says firings an annual process ALSO WATCH: --- ENDS --- By Press Trust of India: (Eds: Updating with additional inputs) From Aditi Khanna London, May 13 (PTI) An Indian-origin doctor based in London had warned against the cyber-hack of the UKs state-run National Health Service just days before it crippled the countrys network. Krishna Chinthapalli, a neurology registrar atthe National Hospital for Neurology and Neurosurgery in London, had said an increasing number of hospitals could be shut down by ransomeware attacks inan article on the vulnerability of the NHS network in the British Medical Journal on Wednesday, two days before the major cyber hack of the National Health Service (NHS) system on Friday. advertisement He had highlighted an incident at Papworth Hospital near Cambridge where a nurse clicked on a malicious link and malware infected her computer and started to encrypt sensitive files. "Fortunately, the hospitals daily data backup had just been completed. The IT director admitted that they were very lucky, saying, Timing absolutely was everything for us," Chinthapalli wrote. "We should be prepared: more hospitals will almost certainly be shut down by ransomware this year," he wrote. The revelation came as UK Home Secretary Amber Rudd confirmed today that as many as 48 NHS trusts had been affected by thelarge-scale cyber-hack by an international criminal gang wreaked havoc around the country. After chairing an emergency meeting of the COBRA committee, Rudd said that all but 6 trusts were now back to normal. Confirming that 97 per cent of hospitals were "back to normal", she said,"This is a virus that attacked Windows platforms. The fact is the NHS has fallen victim to this." The Opposition Liberal Democrat and Labour parties have both demanded an inquiry into the cyber-attack. Patients of the state-funded country-wide service are still facing days of chaos as appointments and surgeries were cancelled after NHS organisations from London to Scotland were hit in the "ransomware" attack yesterday. NHS Digital said the impact of the cyberattack could continue. "The situation is changing and impacting organisations in a range of different ways," a spokesperson said. Ciaran Martin, who leads the UKs National Cyber Security Centre, said his team was doing everything in their power to get "vital services" back up and running. "We are very aware that attacks on critical services such as the NHS have a massive impact on individuals and their families, and we are doing everything in our power to help them restore these vital services," he said. "Its important to understand that cyber attacks can be different from other forms of crime in that their sometimes highly technical and anonymous nature means it can take some time to understand how it worked, who was behind it and what the impact is," he told the BBC. advertisement Critically ill patients are being diverted to unaffected hospitals as computer systems failed in A&E units and doctors were locked out of test results, X-rays and patient records. NHS England said patients needing emergency treatment should go to Accidents & Emergency (A&E) or access emergency services as they normally would. However, there have been some reports of ambulances being diverted from affected hospitals and individual NHS trusts have asked registered patients not to attend unless it is urgent. Londons Barts Health NHS Trust, the largest trust in the UK, cancelled all outpatient appointments at its five hospitals today. The NHS has not been affected in Wales and Northern Ireland. The assault is part of an attack that has affected organisations in more than 70 countries, including the United States, China, Russia and Spain, disrupting power and telephone companies. Gangs are thought to have used tools stolen from US spies and dumped online by hackers linked to Russia. "This is not targeted at the NHS, its an international attack and a number of countries and organisations have been affected," British Prime Minister Theresa May said. advertisement "The National Cyber Security Centre is working closely with NHS Digital to ensure they support the organisations concerned and that they protect patient safety. We are not aware of any evidence that patient data has been compromised," she said. The attack came after warnings of NHS vulnerability, with cybersecurity allegedly neglected despite a series of attempted hacks. Ransomware programmes, which are sent by email and spread swiftly, can be bought on the dark web with sellers negotiating a percentage of the takings. "We will be advising NHS trusts to modernise their platforms," UK home secretary Amber Rudd said. The malware used in the NHS attack is called WannaCry and attacks Windows operating systems. It encrypts files on a users computer, blocking them from view, before demanding money, via an on-screen message, to access them again. The demand is for a payment of 300 dollars in virtual currency Bitcoin to unlock the files. The virus is usually covertly installed on to computers by hiding within emails containing links, which users are tricked into opening. A German ticket machine, a university laboratory in Italy and a number of Spanish firms - including telecoms giant Telefonica, power firm Iberdrola and utility provider Gas Natural - are among those hit by the outbreak. advertisement Portugal Telecom, delivery company FedEx, a Swedish local authority and Megafon, the second largest mobile phone network in Russia, also said they had been affected. PTI AK MRJ --- ENDS --- The Blue Dome Arts Festival was started as a small event to showcase local artists and has grown to include nearly 300 area artists and performers. Artwork will include painting, pottery, carving, photography, jewelry, home decor and more. All artists produce their art by hand and will be selling their original works. Live music and other performances will be featured on the main stage at Second Street and Elgin Avenue all three days of the free festival, which begins Friday. A food truck court will circle the stage. New this year is a Chill & Grill Zone that will be at the east end of the festival where guests can relax and cool off under a tent with misters while grabbing a bite from a second food court. The Pet Zone, presented by Dr. Chet Thomas of City Veterinary Hospital of Tulsa on Brookside, will return this year. It will include a sodded area where pets can relax, cool off and grab a treat. Pet owners can check out a variety of local pet organizations and businesses that specialize in the industry, as well as local pet adoption through the Tulsa SPCA and Oklahoma Alliance for Animals. The OAA will also be offering microchipping, and PetsWell Pantry, Tulsas only pet food truck, will be offering treats for dogs. Thomas will host a Q-and-A session all weekend and will offer nail grindings. All pets must be registered and must check in at the PetZone once arriving at the festival. They will receive a treat and a Blue Dome bandana. The Family Zone will host a variety of hands-on collaborative and individual art projects, as well as inflatables and a handprint wall, where everyone can make their mark. Food trucks and trailers will set up in three locations throughout the festival. Here are the trucks to find: Stage food court: Andolinis, Back Street, Cajun Boil, Coolray Coffee Cafe, Dog House, Gyros by Ali, Kona Ice, Lick Your Lips Mini-Donuts, Lone Wolf, MASA, MeeMees Strawberry Patch, Mr. Nice Guys, Rub, The Wurst Chill & Grill Zone food court: El Ranchero, Hardens Hamburgers, Kettle Treats, Mods Coffee & Crepes, Pie in the Sky, Steak & Bake Family Zone snacks: Goforth Concessions, Louies Dawg House A major political leader in the U.S. House of Representatives recently remarked that he would not waste time reading anything that was not conservative. Also, I have heard liberals argue that the liberal approach to public policy always should be used. My question is whether or not these absolute types of orientations are realistic, and whether or not they actually undermine the constitutional democracy that our Founding Fathers and more recent political leaders over a period of time have developed. Our political culture has become more ideological and too often it emphasizes absolute thinking, which leaders try to impose on the voter. Personally, I am committed to a fully functioning constitutional democratic approach that enables differing political groups to discuss issues constructively, and to work out compromises that permit the political order to function for the good of the voting community. Serious deadlocks threaten our system of government and promote politics that threaten to lead to an insidious form of authoritarianism. President Trumps denial of certain major reporters to attend his press conferences is a dangerous example of authoritarianism. Radical ideologists will make every effort to impose their ideology on all of us. Think back over the communist ideologists such as Lenin, Stalin and Mao all them imposing autocratic and vicious government, which led to many deaths of the people they ruled. Ideology was imposed absolutely. Do we want absolute ideology and harsh government imposed on us, the American people? Government deadlocks have been damaging enough. Unfortunately, in the United States we are seeing strong currents of ideology, failure to take issues seriously and failure to vote. Under these circumstances, absolutist ideologies rise and crippling deadlocks result. Is there an answer? Of course there is an answer. The history of the United States, starting with our Founding Fathers and the historic changes such as allowing women and 18-year-olds to vote, reflect responses to a viable constitutional democracy. We must be more conscientious and recognize that basic political values should not take an absolutist form. Absolutist policies must be rejected. Education should place much more emphasis on the political values of a constitutional democracy in history, government and other social studies classes. Political leaders must speak to the issue. We must be more pragmatic! Why can we not simply focus on the pragmatic aspects of our problems, have a discussion between reasonable conservatives and liberals, and work out a compromise that relates to the majority of voters? We can have reasonable debates between the people who are inclined toward one orientation or another, make some compromises and stabilize our country. Otherwise the United States is going to become a weaker power. Lets talk to one another. Be reasonable, work out problems, develop policies that are pragmatic and serve the best interests of our country! Harold V. Sare is regents service professor of political science emeritus at Oklahoma State University. NITV premieres a new 6 part culinary program, On Country Kitchen filmed in the south-west of Western Australia. NITV Channel Manager, Tanya Orman said: A series for the whole family to enjoy, On Country Kitchen explores Western Australians beautiful landscape, teaches us how to make bush tucker and makes us laugh at Mark and Dereks funny adventures. On Country Kitchen stars celebrity chef and Bundjalung man Mark Olive (aka the Black Olive). As a renowned Indigenous chef, Mark boasts over 30 years experience cooking. His charismatic personality and creative approach to food has helped him build a reputation and large following in Australia and around the world. Mark has a passion for fusing native and Indigenous Australian ingredients with contemporary cooking techniques to create a dynamic and unique gastronomic philosophy. Marks right hand man in On Country Kitchen is West Australian comic and Noongar man, Derek Nannup. Funny man Derek is eager to learn cooking skills from Mark in the series and goes on the hunt to collect fresh produce, meeting farmers from around the Western Australian countryside. As well as his work as a comedian, Derek is an actor, dancer, circus performer, didgeridoo player, childrens hospital clown doctor and cultural presenter, making him a hilarious character alongside Mark throughout the series. On Country Kitchen takes the complexity out of cooking and starts by teaching simple tips and tricks, as Mark opens his culinary world to Derek, with the two not only cooking up mouth-watering dishes, but a bit of fun too. On Country Kitchen is a Mago Films production, commissioned by NITV, with assistance from Screenwest and Lotterywest. EPISODE ONE: Duck, Tapenade and Abalone, Wednesday 24 May, 7.30pm Derek starts his journey with a special blessing from the local Indigenous Wardan women before heading out on the hunt for some duck. He helps to make an olive tapenade before going to sea to collect abalone straight from the reefs, and even finds time to shake a leg with a local Noongar kids dance group. Recipe: Pan Seared Duck & Mushroom Risotto Recipe: Damper with Dukkah & Tapenade Recipe: Abalone Salad EPISODE TWO: Sheep Cheese, Black Garlic and Marron, Wednesday 31 May, 7.30pm Derek heads to Cambray Cheese in what he says is a town named after him Nannup! He tries black garlic in Osmington, teaches a couple of local kids some busking tips on the streets of Margaret River before watching a local dive for freshwater marron. He even has time for a quick circus lesson. Recipe: Sheep Cheese Frittata Recipe: Black Garlic & Greens Recipe: Marron with Chilli Butter EPISODE THREE: Beetroot Pasta, Beef and Bloodroot, Wednesday 7 June, 7.30pm Derek learns how to make beetroot pasta, goes cattle herding on a four wheeler and even heads on country on a real hunt in the bush for Indigenous bloodroot with a father and son. Recipe: Beetroot Pasta Salad Recipe: Smoked Beef & Vegetables Recipe: Thai Beef Salad with Bloodroot EPISODE FOUR: Pork, Lemon Myrtle and Egg, Wednesday 14 June, 7.30pm Derek is on the hunt for pork, to find some orchard raised free-range eggs, and investigates a very special Lemon Myrtle herb. He also talks country and culture with Indigenous Noongar man Joe Northover. Recipe: Pork Fillet with Cabbage and Apple Recipe: Lemon Myrtle Shortbread and Lemon Myrtle Tea Recipe: Caesar Salad with Egg EPISODE FIVE: Kim Chi, Maple Smoked Bacon and Honey, Wednesday 21 June, 7.30pm Derek starts out with a fun way to harvest cabbages; he then helps prepare smoked meats, and helps a beekeeper put a queen bee into a new hive! We hear the special sounds of two Didgeridoos in the Boranup Forest and we even discover why Derek uses a plastic didgeridoo. Recipe: Kim Chi with Prawns & Oysters Recipe: Maple Smoked Bacon, Lettuce, Avocado & Tomato Recipe: Honey Popcorn with Lemon Myrtle EPISODE SIX: Avocado, Finger Lime and Olive Oil, Wednesday 28 June, 7.30pm Aboriginal school kids sing to a proud Derek in their shared Noongar language before he heads out to pick avocados, learns about native finger limes and gets Mark some more of his favourite olive oil. Recipe: Avocado Salsa Recipe: Finger Lime Butter Recipe: Swordfish with Finger Lime Butter A Ukrainian prankster is facing up to five years in prison for gatecrashing a Eurovision performance by 2016 winner Jamala, and mooning the audience. Draped in an Australian flag, the prankster was Ukranian Vitaly Sediuk, who has form in his celebrity stunts. He was detained for 72 hours, until the court comes up with a sentence a fine or up to five years in jail, Arsen Avakov, Ukraines interior minister, wrote on Facebook. Now, this shame of our country can practice his hobby while in police custody. Last year, Sediuk famously ambushed Kim Kardashian in Paris. At the 2013 Grammy Awards, he stormed the stage and accepted the prize on Adeles behalf. In the replay last night, SBS sought to distance itself from the man in the Aussie flag, telling viewers he was not with us. Source: RT The bridge is seen as an attempt by India to shore up its defence requirements along the Sino-Indian border particularly in the Northeast besides providing easy access to the people of Arunachal Pradesh and Assam with air and rail connectivity. By Press Trust of India: India's longest river bridge, capable of withstanding the weight of a 60-tonne battle tank, will be inaugurated in Assam close to the border with China on May 26 by Prime Minister Narendra Modi. With the inauguration of the 9.15-km-long Dhola-Sadiya bridge over the Brahmaputra river, the prime minister will kick start the celebrations of the NDA government's three years in office from this eastern-most part of Assam. advertisement The bridge is seen as an attempt by India to shore up its defence requirements along the Sino-Indian border particularly in the Northeast besides providing easy access to the people of Arunachal Pradesh and Assam with air and rail connectivity. It is 3.55 km longer than the Bandra-Worli sea link in Mumbai, making it the longest bridge in India. "The prime minister will dedicate the strategically important bridge to the nation on May 26. It will bolster the road connectivity in the Northeast as the bridge will be used by people of Assam and Arunachal Pradesh besides defence forces extensively," Assam Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal told PTI. BRIDGE CAN WITHSTAND MOVEMENT OF MILITARY TANKS The construction of the bridge began in 2011 at a project cost of Rs 950 crore. The design is such that the bridge can withstand the movement of military tanks. "Assam and Arunachal Pradesh have huge strategic value to the country. Since the bridge is located close to our border with China, it will help quick movement of military troops and artillery in times of conflict," Sonowal said. The bridge is located 540-km away from Assam capital Dispur and 300 km away from Arunachal Pradesh capital Itanagar. The aerial distance to the Chinese border is less than 100 km. After Kaliabhomora bridge near Tezpur, there is no bridge over the Brahmaputra for the next 375 km upstream till Dhola, where the new bridge is constructed. Currently, all the transport between the two banks of the river are being carried out through water only. BRIDGE TO CUT DOWN TRAVEL TIME The bridge, when opened for the public, will cut down the travel time between Assam and Arunachal Pradesh by as much as four hours. As there is no civilian airport in Arunachal Pradesh, this bridge will help people of the state to reach the nearest rail head in Tinsukia and the airport in Dibrugarh easily. Sonowal said the delayed works of the bridge was expedited after Modi assumed the charge in 2014. The bridge was originally scheduled to open in 2015. The Bharatiya Janata Party government in Assam will complete one year in office on May 24. advertisement The bridge is one of the key projects of the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways in the Northeast and is built in public-private partnership with a construction company. ALSO READ: Get set UDAN: PM Modi flags off first low cost flight from Shimla to Delhi PM Modi inaugurates Chenani-Nashri tunnel in Jammu and Kashmir WATCH: --- ENDS --- The rocket's main and bigger cryogenic engine has been developed by space scientists and will be powering the rocket for the first time. By Indo-Asian News Service: Buoyed by the successful launch of the South Asia Satellite, the Indian space agency is now busy preparing for the maiden launch of its heaviest rocket -- the 640-tonne Geosynchronous Satellite Launch Vehicle-Mark III (GSLV Mk III). The notable aspect of this rocket is that the main and bigger cryogenic engine has been developed by space scientists here and will be powering the rocket for the first time. advertisement "Our 12 years of labour is expected to bear fruit this June. Preparation for the June launch of GSLV Mk III rocket carrying communication satellite GSAT-19 is on at Sriharikota," K. Sivan, Director, Vikram Sarabhai Space Centre (VSSC), told IANS. "All the officials are confident of the proposed mission's success. The strap-on motors and the core stage/engine have been integrated," Sivan added. Queried about the slight postponement in the rocket's launch -- earlier it was said the rocket would fly end-May -- Sivan said: "As this is a new rocket, we want to carry out extensive tests and hence there has been a slight change in the launch schedule." According to him, the GSLV Mk-III will make its maiden voyage during the first week of June. GSAT 19: HEAVIEST SATELLITE TO BE LIFTED BY INDIAN ROCKET The GSAT 19, weighing around 3.2 tonnes -- the heaviest satellite to be lifted by an Indian rocket -- is already at the Sriharikota rocket port. "The rocket's design carrying capacity is four tonnes. The payload will be gradually increased in the future flights of the GSLV Mk-III," Sivan said. According to ISRO, GSAT-19 is a multi-beam satellite planned to carry Ka and Ku band forward and return link transponders. The satellite's design lifespan is 15 years. The Indian space agency had flown a similar rocket without the cryogenic engine but with 3.7 tonne payload in 2014. "That was mainly to test the structural stability of the rocket while in flight and the aerodynamics," Sivan said. During the atmospheric flight phase, a rocket will encounter different kinds of pressures. "The 2014 mission was a success. The vehicle performed as expected but gave data for slight modifications in rocket's outer shield to improve the aerodynamics. The shape of the heat shield and the strap-on motors has been slightly changed now," Sivan said. 2014 MISSION PAVED WAY FOR NEW LAUNCH "That mission proved the transition of stage (engine) burn, the rocket's overall design and the separation of various stages," S. Somanath, Director, Liquid Propulsion Systems Centre (LPSC), told IANS. advertisement Somanath, who was earlier Project Director for the GSLV Mk-III, said the inputs of the 2014 mission enabled ISRO reduce the load on the rocket by around 20 per cent. "Designing the rocket engines and, more particularly, the cryogenic engine of the GSLV-Mk III is not a simple extrapolation of specifications of the GSLV Mk-II's cryogenic engine," Somanath said. The mass of the GSLV Mk-III's cryogenic engine is double that of the GSLV-Mk II's cryogenic engine. "The GSLV-Mk II cryogenic engine's propellant volume is 12 tonnes while that of GSLV- Mk III is 27 tonnes. The thrust power of the bigger cryogenic engine is 19.5 tonnes while that of the previous engine was 7.5 tonnes," Somanath said. As to the learnings from developing the cryogenic engine for the GSLV-Mk II, Somanath said: "It enabled us to learn about cryogenic materials. It gave us the experience in handling cryogenic materials. We also established the various procedures from scratch." According to Somanath, ISRO has got the government's approval to build more GSLV-Mk II rockets and orders for hardware have been placed. India presently has two rockets -- the Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV) and GSLV-Mk II -- with a lift-off mass of 415 tonnes and a carrying capacity of 2.5 tonnes. advertisement WATCH: ALSO READ: South Asia Satellite GSAT-9: How Pakistan orbited out of SAARC space Countdown begins for ISRO launch of South Asia satellite: PM Modi's gift to India's neighbours --- ENDS --- Burlesque icon Dita Von Teese is set to astound audiences with the west coast run of her North American tour The Art of the Teese variety show, including a stop at the House of Blues Las Vegas on July 10, 2017 (Photo credit: Scott Harrison). Im proud to bring together a show-stopping, diverse cast of the creme de la creme of modern burlesque stars that elate and inspire! The Art of the Teese is an opulent and riotous spectacle that is not to be missed! The decadent spectacle treats audiences to four of Von Teeses most exhilarating performances, including a brand new version of her iconic Martini Glass routine which features a beautiful new champagne glass, crystalized from top to bottom with more than 250,000 Swarovski crystals. She will also debut a brand new costume for the routine featuring her recently added male dancers. Each show throughout the tour will showcase the stunning visuals of the exclusive acts that have made Von Teese the consummate performer in modern Burlesque, captivating the imagination and transporting audiences worldwide. This leg of the tour brings new acts never before seen in the United States including Lazy, an act only ever performed at The Crazy Horse Paris (including new costuming from British designer Jenny Packham), an all-new ballet-themed act Swan Lake Stripteese, plus a revitalization of her show-stopping Cowgirl Act with her sexy male Vontourage. Von Teese will be joined on stage by an eclectic supporting cast of todays brightest stars of Burlesque. Taking audiences on a journey into fantasy and spectacle, Von Teese is renowned for her ornate sets and dazzling haute-couture performance costumes adorned with hundreds of thousands of Swarovski crystals. This Burlesque Superheroine (Vanity Fair) determines every aspect of her burlesque shows from the sets and costumes, to the music and lighting. Von Teese is celebrated for her distinct sense of style and remains on top of Best Dressed lists internationally. Beyond her live performances, Von Teese has curated her brand across multiple platforms including her own lingerie line, fragrances, eyewear, gloves and stockings. In addition, she is a New York Times Best-Selling author who recently released her third book, Your Beauty Mark: The Ultimate Guide to Eccentric Glamour. Pakistan Army on Sunday morning resorted to indiscriminate firing along the LoC in Rajouri sector to which the Indian Army is retaliating. By India Today Web Desk: Pakistan once again violated the caesfire today in Chiti Bakri in Chingus area of Jammu and Kashmir's Rajouri district. This is the third violation in the last 2 days. On Saturday, 2 civilians were killed and 3 injured in Pakistan shelling on the Line of Control (LoC) in Naushera sector of Jammu and Kashmir, leading to an exchange of firing and shelling between Indian and Pakistan armies in Rajouri sector. advertisement Police on Saturday said that Pakistan has now started targeting civilians of three villages along the LoC namely Bhawani, Baba Khowari and Kalsian. The civil administration in Rajouri district announced indefinite closure of all schools on Saturday along the Line of Control in the area till further orders. As many as 14 families from the border villages in Naushera sector fled their homes on Friday following indiscriminate shelling by Pakistani troops. On Saturday, more villagers were seen abandoning their homes to take shelter in safer places away from the line of enemy fire. Also read: J-K: 2 killed as Pakistan violates ceasefire in Nowshera, Army patrol fired upon in Pulwama Also read: Opposed to China's CPEC that passes through PoK, India boycotts Belt and Road initiative WATCH THE VIDEO HERE --- ENDS --- Following the release of his new album Everybody last week, today Def Jam Recordings/Visionary Music Group artist Logic announces Everybodys Tour featuring support from Brooklyn upstart Joey Bada$$ and Big Lenbo. The 29-date tour will make a Las Vegas stop at The Joint at Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Las Vegas Saturday, July 8. On tour, Logic will perform music off his new album Everybody, which was released just last week to rave reviews. Rolling Stone highlighted Logics ridiculous skills on the album while Pitchfork proclaimed Everybody is an album you should listen to now. This week, Logic was featured on the cover of Complex Magazine alongside famed astrophysicist Neil deGrasse Tyson, who is featured on the album, and delivered an rousing performance of his track Black SpiderMan on ABCs Jimmy Kimmel Live! featuring a choir, strings and dancers. Everybody features eclectic line-up, among them Neil deGrasse Tyson, Killer Mike, Alessia Cara, Khalid, Juicy J and more. Along with the album, Logic released an exclusive 45-minute documentary, which follows him through the album recording, giving fans unprecedented access to his life and creative process. The Everybody Documentary Trailer httpvh://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y7J0-WsHseE Everybody Standard & Deluxe http://smarturl.it/LogicEverybody Exclusive Merchandise & Album Bundles www.AllAboutTheFans.com Everybody is the eagerly awaited follow-up to The Incredible True Story (2015). The monster 18-track long-player crafted a sci-fi space odyssey script that developed throughout the interludes on the album, and cemented Logics status as one of musics most creative young MCs. In support of The Incredible True Story, Logics 2016 Incredible World Tour crisscrossed North America from February through April. The Incredible World Tour segued into The Endless Summer Tour, a sold-out 25-city run across the U.S. and Canada, co-headlined by Logic and G-Eazy. Coinciding with the tour, the Bobby Tarantino mixtape (July 2016) upped the ante, as Billboard declared Logic heats up the summer with a new banger, while additional raves were piled on by Pitchfork, Spin, and Complex. Logic, the 27-year-old rapper born Sir Robert Bryson Hall II, first broke free from the pack in 2014 with Under Pressure, his RIAA gold Def Jam album debut, which shocked the industry with a #2 chart debut. Hailed as one of the years finest hip-hop debuts, Huffington Post crowned Under Pressure 2014s Best Hip-Hop Album So Far, iTunes named it Best Hip Hop Album 2014, Artist Direct called it The Best Debut of 2014, and MTV News nominated it as Rap Album Of The Year Contender. The buzz earned Logic performances on The Tonight Show starring Jimmy Fallon, Jimmy Kimmel Live!, Lollapalooza, Wireless Festival UK, Governors Ball, and a headline world tour. The belated-birthday celebrations continued Saturday for Cody Christian as he kicked off the day at TAO Beach in The Venetian (Photo credit: Tony Tran Photography). The Teen Wolf star and his friends partied the afternoon away at a VIP cabana where the TAO Beach staff surprised him with a birthday presentation complete with a giant fortune cookie. Photo credit: Tony Tran Photography. That night, the group headed to TAO Asian Bistro and enjoyed a selection of favorites from the chef. After fueling up with dinner, the party continued upstairs in the nightclub where Christian was once again treated to a birthday presentation from the TAO staff. Sacked FBI chief James Comey (pictured). (Photo: AFP/Nicholas Kamm) It was a complicated week for the Republican billionaire and his spokespeople - one that earned him a mountain of negative press. His aides conveyed a somewhat scattershot message, and Trump was reportedly angry. He turned to Twitter, his communications method of choice, to issue a threat - the possible scrapping of the daily White House briefings. "Maybe the best thing to do would be to cancel all future 'press briefings' and hand out written responses for the sake of accuracy???" he mused, admitting that his own people were struggling to keep up with his "active" presidency. Trump then doubled down on the idea in an interview with Fox News, saying: "We just don't have them, unless I have them every two weeks and I do them myself. We don't have them. I think it's a good idea." "You have a level of hostility that's incredible and it's very unfair," he told the network in an interview to air in full on Saturday. But Trump's critics said the hiccups in his media operation were his own fault, and questioned his willingness to impugn the credibility of his own team members, who the president said could not "stand at podium with perfect accuracy." "He needs to empower his people and spokespeople to understand what's happening and be okay to legally communicate it to the world," Josh Earnest, the former spokesman for Trump's predecessor Barack Obama, told MSNBC. "That is a flaw at the top." Former White House communications director Jen Psaki said the week's events had raised questions about whether Trump's spokespeople "are prepared, and whether credibility and honesty are valued." "That is troubling not just in the United States but around the world," Psaki, also a former State Department spokeswoman, told AFP. SWIRLING STORIES Once the bombshell news of Comey's firing broke late on Tuesday, the White House was at pains to explain it - and its series of contradictory statements were quickly ridiculed. Officials first said Comey had been dismissed over his handling of the investigation into Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton's use of private email while at the State Department. Vice President Mike Pence said the move, which followed the recommendation of Attorney General Jeff Sessions and his deputy, was the "right decision at the right time." But Trump himself later made an about-face, admitting the decision was based at least partly on the fact that Comey was leading a probe into Russia's alleged interference in the 2016 election and the Trump circle's possible collusion with Moscow - a notion the president says was "fabricated" by Democrats. He then went a step farther, warning Comey not to speak to the press about their meetings and suggesting there could be "tapes" of their private conversations in the Oval Office. SPICER IN THE HOT SEAT The embattled White House spokesman Sean Spicer - who had been off for a few days on Naval Reserve duty - returned to the podium on Friday, where he faced a grilling from reporters. On whether Trump was surreptitiously recording Oval Office meetings, Spicer said he had "nothing further to add on that." As for the tweet to Comey, Spicer said: "That's not a threat. He simply stated a fact. The tweet speaks for itself." But the spokesman admitted he and his staff sometimes "don't have an opportunity to get in to see him to get his full thinking." Earnest said that situation was untenable, and not Spicer's fault. "There are days when Sean Spicer can't get into the Oval Office before he does the briefing," said Earnest, who served as Obama's primary spokesman for three years. "That's not Sean's fault. That's the fault of the president of the United States." 'WONDERFUL HUMAN BEING' Trump defended his surrogates in the interview with Fox News, calling Spicer a "wonderful human being" and deputy spokeswoman Sarah Huckabee Sanders a "lovely young woman." The president has so far dismissed the notion that Spicer could be fired, lamenting that "he gets beat up" by the press corps. But it is not only at the White House that Trump has communications problems. At the State Department, regular daily briefings - which are as closely followed by the diplomatic corps as the White House press conferences - have not resumed since late January, save for a few exceptions in March. However, for both Earnest and Psaki, the moment of truth will come when a national security crisis erupts. "When there is a general national security crisis when the world is tuning in to the White House briefing wondering what the president thinks about it, and there may be a spokesperson standing behind the podium that hasn't spoken to the president that day, that's going to be a problem," Earnest said. Psaki added: "When that moment comes, the public and the global community will be looking to the president, the vice president and the White House to speak with one voice." A worker at the B.Braun Viet Nam Company Limited, a Germany-invested medical equipment producer. Germany has invested around US$1 billion in Viet Nam to date. - VNA/VNS Photo Danh Lam They are in the country along with the visiting German Parliamentary State Secretary of the Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs, Iris Gleicke. The visit of Gleicke to Viet Nam has promoted relations between the two nations, and this is a good chance for Vietnamese localities to introduce themselves to German investors, Dr Nguyen Hoang Long, director of the Department of Foreign Affairs for Provinces, said. Germany is the biggest trade partner of Viet Nam in Europe and Viet Nam would like to become the biggest trade partner of Germany in Southeast Asia. Gleicke said: Germany and Viet Nam have had many open political discussions. I highly appreciate this mornings roundtable because our enterprises from Eastern Germany had a unique experience in transitioning from a centrally-planned economy to a market economy. Our Eastern enterprises are very famous for their high-tech, wastewater treatment, air treatment and environmental pollution reduction technology. We recognise that Viet Nam has a very special geographic position and if our enterprises can enter Viet Nam, we can enter the rest of South East Asia. Marko Walde, chief representative of the Delegate of German Industry and Commerce Viet Nam, said: German businesspersons would like to know about investment procedures in Viet Nam and this roundtable is the best place to provide such information. Peter Alltschekow, managing director of Eastern Germany, German Trade and Invest, the German Governments economic development agency, said: This is the fourth time Eastern German enterprises are coming to Viet Nam. We need to meet localities, local enterprises and we hope this visit will open new opportunities for German enterprises. At the roundtable, HCM City, Binh Duong, Dong Nai, Long An, and Da Nang highlighted their investment opportunities to the visitors. An official from the HCM City Department of Planning and Investment told them how to set up a foreign business in Viet Nam. A Da Nang labour official spoke about procedures for obtaining a work permit for foreigners in Viet Nam. A Long An Province official spoke about import/export procedures. Earlier on Thursday, the vice chairman of the HCM City Peoples Committee Le Thanh Liem had met Gleicke. Around 100,000 Vietnamese live in Germany while another 100,000 Vietnamese can speak German. Germany has invested around US$1 billion in Viet Nam, with 90 per cent being concentrated in the southern region. Visitors to the Hanoi Opera House will tour its facilities, hear about its history and architecture, and see a live performance. The 2,600sq.m theatre was designed by two French architects named Harlay and Broyer and constructed between 1901 and1911. Its a phenomenal piece of neo-classical French architecture with pillars, shuttered windows, balconies, a mirrored room, and Gothic detailing on its doors and domes. Tourists will get a close look at the lobby, the main performance hall, and the mirrored room. The lobby welcomes visitors with beautiful Italian marble. The performance hall has a large stage and many small viewing boxes on the mezzanine. At the back of the Opera House are 18 dressing rooms, 2 warm-up rooms, a library, and a meeting room. Nguyen Quy Phuong, Director of the Travel Department of the National Administration of Tourism, said We wanted to create a package tour connecting cultural and historical sites in Hanoi that will allow tourists to experience the local cuisine and lifestyle, visit museums, and watch a performance at the Opera House. All these places are in Hanois Old Quarter and near Hoan Kiem Lake. Nguyen Hong Nguyen of the Hanoi tourist travel company said In order to attract tourists we need to learn about their countries and their tastes. But performances should reflect the character of Hanoi. The National Administration of Tourism has produced publications, brochures, and souvenirs, and trained the staff of the Hanoi Opera House to receive foreign tourists. The statement was made at a closed meeting between VNAT and the Da Nang Tourism Association to address the latters suggestion to amend the controversial planning of a Son Tra National Tourist Zone. According to the VNAT drafted plan approved by the Vietnamese Prime Minister in February, 1,056 hectares of Son Tras total 4,439 hectares will eventually be developed into a national tourist zone capable of accommodating 1,600 hotel rooms by 2030. Over 30 reporters from local news agencies who gathered at the venue for May 11 meeting were barred from entering the room despite the continuous demands of Huynh Tan Vinh, president of Da Nang Tourism Association, for the press to be let in. In a brief meeting with press after the meeting, Vinh acknowledged that Ha Van Sieu, deputy director of VNAT who chaired the meeting, has no intentions amending plans for the Son Tra National Tourist Zone and that the current framework was drafted and approved in accordance with established procedures. Sieu, on the other hand, opted to leave the venue without taking questions from the press. The minutes of the meeting was left unsigned by the representatives from the Da Nang Tourism Association, Vinh said, reiterating that the two parties were unable to reach a mutual agreement. He added that the associations request for scientists, experts, and representatives from relevant associations to attend the meeting was also rejected by VNAT. Representatives from VNAT also refused to attend a seminar hosted by the association on the conservation and sustainable development of the Son Tra Peninsula, Vinh said. The seminars organizers on May 10 sent a letter to the Prime Minister and the administration of Da Nang proposing a comprehensive review of all projects slated to affect the Son Tra Peninsula in order to determine the amount of special-purpose forest that might be harmed. Son Tra Peninsula, dubbed Gods Eye of Indochina by locals, is known for its untouched beauty and natural forest. It shields the city from typhoons, sustains eco-tourism growth, and serves as a key element of the nations defense. Schoolchildren in Ban Qua Commune, in the northern province of Lao Cais Bat Xat District.- VNA/VNS Photo Thanh Ha They expressed confidence that the region would continue to lead global economic growth, despite some political instability and indications of protectionism seen elsewhere. The optimism appears justified given that 95 per cent of the Asias population now lives in middle-income economies, while as recently as the 1990s, more than 90 per cent of Asians were low-income earners. The regions rapid transition and current robust growth also encourage the economies to look forward to a higher stage of development to become high-income countries. However, the transition is expected to be more challenging and might take longer. In fact, the number of the poor in the region substantially declined mostly thanks to Asias large populous countries such as China, India and Indonesia. In many other developing countries, poverty and inequality are still challenging governments seeking to sustain inclusive growth. The challenge will likely be more stubborn under the circumstances of the ongoing Fourth Industrial Revolution that is already fundamentally changing the way people live, work and connect to each other by eliminating physical boundaries and overcoming technology limitations. The Fourth Industrial Revolution or Revolution 4.0 a concept first put forth by Klaus Schwab, the Founder and Executive Chairman of the World Economic Forum (WEF) at the Davos economic summit in 2016 might hurt developing economies rather than create a promising future, for the following reasons. Chart shows the four industrial revolutions.-Source: hame.org.vn Job losses First, it could cause more unemployment. According to Schwab, the Revolution 4.0 is characterised by developments of a range of new technologies such as genetic engineering, artificial intelligence, robotics, nanotechnology and biotechnology. The resulting job displacement would likely occur in labor-intensive industries. The WEFs Future of Jobs report in 2016 shows that on a global scale, by 2020 the Manufacturing and Production job family will see a decline of 1.63 per cent in employment growth rate, led by labour-substituting technologies, more resource-efficient sustainable production use, lower demand growth in ageing societies and threats to global supply chains due to geopolitical uncertainty. On the other hand, the Architecture and Engineering jobs will experience a growth of 2.71 per cent, driven by the demand for skilled workers able to use 3D printers or robotic systems, and the employment rate for Computer and Mathematical jobs will grow by 3.21 per cent. The report, issued in early 2016, also forecasts a negative employment outlook in ASEAN countries. The employment rates in all three job groups mentioned above are predicted to decline, even though the number of employees in these sectors is already much lower than in others groups. The ASEAN region now has 9.34 million people working in manufacturing and production jobs, 3.6 million people in the computer and mathematical job group, and nearly 2.2 million employees in the architecture and engineering family of jobs. Source: World Economic Forum's "The Future of Jobs" Report 2016 The prediction is understandable as most ASEAN economies are pursuing an export-led, labour-intensive and natural resource dependent growth model. From both objective and subjective perspectives, this model would not be easy to shift to a technology-driven one overnight. Lets take Viet Nam as an example. The country has a strong textile and garment industry using cheap labour as a comparative advantage in global trade competition and integration, and most of its revenue is export generated. However, a recent report of the International Labour Organisation predicted that robots would replace 85 per cent of workers in the Vietnamese textile and garment sector in the next few decades. One might argue that the figures of job loss in ASEAN, which comprises only ten Asian countries, are not sufficiently persuasive and representative to prove that developing Asian countries would probably be more negatively affected by Revolution 4.0. This is especially true given that debates over whether the revolution will create a net job growth or a net job loss are continuing. The second reason explained below might make the argument invalid. Rising inequality On the cusp of Revolution 4.0, income disparity could grow, especially in a region where the income gap and inequality in opportunities to access education have been persistent. Cyn-Young Park, an ADB economist, wrote in an opinion piece Inequality in Asia: the case for inclusive growth for the East Asia Forum in June 2016 that The [Asian] region remains home to two-thirds of the worlds extreme poor living on less than US$1.9 a day, with evidence pointing to deteriorating income inequality in recent years. Clearly, the displacement of workers in more sophisticated manufacturing and production sectors results in a strong increase in demand for high-skilled engineers and specialists. As a result, talent and intellectual white-collar workers would obviously be offered higher salaries and benefits, compared to less educated and low-skilled labourers, intensifying the income gap. The WEF Human Capital Report 2016 assesses the effectiveness of countries investment in education and human capital usage. Among the indicators used in the survey, one shows the ease or difficulty of finding skilled employees in each economy. According to the report, Laos, Cambodia, Myanmar and Viet Nam are among one fifth of 124 countries ranked at the bottom. Notably, countries ranked high on this indicator like Malaysia (4th), Singapore (20th), Japan (23rd), and China (27th) are those classified as high-middle income or high-income nations. To some extent, the large gap in the ranking among the Asian countries reflects different stages of education development in various countries, and income inequality is the direct consequence of the skill premium shortage. It should be noted that income disparity occurs not only between countries in the region but also within countries because of the unequal provision of education services, especially between rural and urban zones. Therefore, as long as changes in education do not catch up with the advancements of technologies, the skill-biased technological transformation will affect people with insufficient or unsuitable education, perpetuating the vicious cycle of poverty and inequality. Human resource investment The solution to the negative impact of Revolution 4.0 on countries path to inclusive growth is none other than increasing investment in human resource development. Particularly, inequality in opportunities to access education, usually between rural and urban areas in developing countries, needs to be addressed. In order for the next generations to be fully and equally prepared for the technological revolution, increased education spending is an essential condition. Amid the rapid change in technologies, it is critical for businesses to take part in education and training of the current workforces through reskilling and upskilling as they cannot wait for the next generations to mature. They must change from accepting ready-made human capital to designing their workforce on demand. Governments should cooperate with businesses in making up an innovative and creative education environment and create favourable conditions for talents to live up to their full potential. In short, it might be a little bit early for low-middle income countries in the region to think of leap frogging to a higher stage of development, but it is not early for them to make a shift in human capital investment. Their ability to take advantage of the positive aspects of Revolution 4.0 for productivity improvement and growth promotion in the future totally depends on their actions today. Students at a flag-raising ceremony in Viet Nam - Cuba Primary School. - VNS Photo oan Tung The citys Education and Training Department allows parents to register their kids online via the departments official website http://tsdaucap.hanoi.gov.vn/. The enrollment window for students starting kindergarten is between June 19-22, those starting first grade at primary school June 15-18 and June 23-26 for those entering sixth grade at secondary school, the Tien Phong (Vanguard) online newspaper reported. Although parents were encouraged to register online, for parents uncomfortable or unable to register online, they can register in person at schools between July 1 and July 15, the department said. Nguyen Ngoc Lan, of Hoan Kiem District, said I am very worried if the website suddenly crashes or there are unexpected errors if it has too many people online at the same time that I will fail to register my son for a public primary school. Additionally, the online enrollment time was short, she said. Nguyen Van inh, of Hai Ba Trung District, said It upsets me very much. He could not register online and plans to register directly at school to ensure his daughter can attend. Pham Thao My, of Long Bien District, said she spent a great deal of time reading and copying the registration instructions from the website. When the online registration opens, it will take me little time to finish the registration, she said. The parents worries were easy to understand, given the fact that data from the citys education and training department showed that local public schools only have room for about 70 per cent of students in the city. The rest would have to study at private schools, the department said. Ngo Van Chat, head of the departments examination management and education quality assurance office, said parents should carefully prepare all required information before the registration window. This would make the registration process quicker, more accurate and avoid mistakes that could lead their children to miss the chances to study in public schools they want to, he said. Overloading in public schools Overcrowding at schools, especially kindergarten and primary schools, is predicted to persist in districts with a lot of new urban areas, residential buildings and major industrial zones in the city. Vice chairwoman of Peoples Committee of Thanh Tri District Pham Thi Thu Huyen said in the school year 2017-18, some 6,632 new children are expected to start studying at kindergartens in the district, while primary schools are bracing for 500 more children than the previous school year. For example, Ta Thanh Oai Primary School, located in Ta Thanh Oai urban area, has 12 first-grade classrooms; however, the number of first-graders in the area this year is set to be 913, she said. This means that on average, up to 80 first-graders may have to study in a single classroom, she said. Vice chairwoman of Peoples Committee of Long Bien District inh Thi Thu Huong said the number of sixth-graders this year was estimated to be 6,000 higher than last year. With an average of 41 students per classroom, public secondary schools in the district would need 23 new classrooms to meet demand, she said. For public primary schools, the number of first-graders is set to rise by 995, leaving the district needing five new classrooms, she said. Although the city administration constructed 121 new public schools across the city with total investment of VN3 trillion (US$132.2 million) during 2012-15, this still failed to meet demand because of rapid population growth. Statistics from the education department show the city has 2,265 public schools with about 1.8 million students at all levels. The city administration has ordered districts and agencies to spend more land funds to build schools to fix the situation by 2020. Surrendered Maoist commander Kundan Pahan was carrying a reward of Rs 15 lakh on his head. By India Today Web Desk: A Maoist commander who was involved in the killing of former Jharkhand minister Ramesh Singh Munda surrendered in Ranchi today. Kundan Pahan, who was wanted in 128 cases in Ranchi, Khunti and West Singhbhum districts of Jharkhand, carried a reward of Rs 15 lakh on his head. Surrendered Maoist Kundan Pahan was behind the beheading of police inspector Francis Induwar in 2009. advertisement HERE IS ALL YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT THE THE SURRENDERED MAOIST COMMANDER: Forty four-year-old Kundan Pahan today surrendered before Additional Director General of Police (Operation) R K Mallick, Inspector General CRPF Sanjay Lathkar, and other senior officers of state police and CRPF. Continued pressure against the Maoists by the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) and Jharkhand Police led to surrender of Kundan Pahan. Nearly 10 days ago, another top Maoist zonal commander, Nakul Yadav, also carrying a Rs 15 lakh reward on his head, surrendered. Maoist Kundan Pahan was involved in the killing of former minister and Janata Dal (United) MLA Ramesh Singh Munda in 2008, and the beheading of police inspector Francis Induwar. Kundan Pahan was involved in the 2008 sensational loot of more than Rs 5 crore and 1.3 kg gold from an ICICI Bank's armoured cash van. The surrendered Maoist was involved in the infamous killing of Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM) leader Sunil Mahato in 2007. Mahato was assassinated while he was watching a local football match in East Singhbhum district of Jharkhand. Kundan Pahan carried a reward of Rs 15 lakh on his head and a total of 128 cases were lodged against him in the state, said Kuldeep Dwivedi, Senior Superintendent of Police, Ranchi. The surrendered Maoist was notorious in Ranchi, Khunti and Seraikela-Kharsawan districts. Ranchi and Jamshedpur districts were under his operational control. On Kundan Pahan's orders, Special Branch Inspector Francis Induwar was abducted from Khunti. He was later beheaded. Kundan Pahan joined the Maoists in 1999 when he was 16. He became a member of the Regional Committee in the Communist Party of India-Maoist in 2006. In 2012, he became secretary of the committee. Speaking after the surrender of the Maoist commander, ADG Mallick said Maoists have an opportunity to surrender in 2017. "Otherwise they will face consequences in 2018," the officer said. Jharkhand Police has launched a new programme under which Maoists are encouraged to surrender. Till now, 107 Maoists have surrendered. Speaking to reporters, Kundan Pahan said: "I take responsibility for all the incidents in which I was directly or indirectly involved. I admit I committed mistakes and will try to reform myself." Kundan Pahan's two elder brothers were also Maoists--one surrendered and the other was arrested. (With inputs from Kamaljit Kaur Sandhu) ALSO READ: Maoist zonal commander with Rs 15 lakh on his head and wanted in 70 cases surrenders in Jharkhand Sukma attack: Why Naxals succeed attack after attack in Chhattisgarh Chhattisgarh: Hunger, thirst and illness stunt CRPF men in Maoist hotbed ALSO WATCH --- ENDS --- The 5th plenum of the Communist Party of Viet Nam Central Committee takes place from May 5-10, 2017. Photo: VGP Party General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong said awareness of the role and position of private economy has been improved significantly, thus the sector has become an important driving force of the country's economic growth. He said private and state sectors are the core of an independent and self-reliant economy in the context of international integration. The Party chief called on State apparatus to consistently reform, improve and effectively organize the implementation of laws, mechanisms and policies in line with market rules and international practices and standards. All prejudices and obstacles must be removed while reform of administrative procedures needs to be accelerated to create favorable conditions for the development of private economic sector. The message from the plenum will be the footing for the Government to move forward in improving institutions, reforming business environment and State-owned enterprises. Next week, PM Nguyen Xuan Phuc will chair a dialogue meeting with business community, the second time since he took office in early 2016. This years dialogue will be attended by around 2,000 delegates, including central and local government officials, policy-makers, and business leaders as part of the Governments effort to concretize the outcomes of the CPVCCs 5th plenum. All economic sectors need an equitable, transparent and healthy competition environment but the greatest desire comes from the private businesses. The biggest hurdle for the private economic sector, as may said, is institutions which can only be improved if the State apparatus overcome outdated way of thinking. According to former Minister of Trade Truong Dinh Tuyen, institutional improvement is of significant important and an urgent issue. The dialogue, as PM Phuc required, will take place in a real and direct manner with the attendance of Deputy PMs, ministers and heads of agencies. Organized right after the CPVCCs 5th plenum, the dialogue demonstrates the Governments high determination to create new breakthroughs in the national development path. Viet Nam Competition Authority will hold a public consultation on anti-dumping tariffs on H-shaped steel products.-Photo satthep.net The consultation, related to H-shaped steel products imported from China (including Hong Kong), will be held on June 20, wherein all parties will get the opportunity to express their opinions on anti-dumping tariffs. Applications to participate in the consultation have to be sent to the VCAs Trade Remedies Investigation Division before 5pm on June 5, and concerned parties can send their contents before 5pm on June 9. VCAs deputy director Nguyen Phuong Nam said the public consultation would be based on Order No 20 on anti-dumping tariff on goods imported into Viet Nam, and Decree No 90 on the implementation of this order. Earlier, the ministry had issued a decree imposing temporary anti-dumping duties on H-shaped steel products imported from China. Under Decree No 957/2017/QD-BTC, anti-dumping duties imposed for all Chinese steel produders exported to Viet Nam is 36.33 per cent and will be in effect from April 5 to August 2, 2017. However, some companies such as Heibei Jinxi Iron and Steel Group and Hebei Jinxi Section Steel were charged lower anti-dumping taxes at 29.4 per cent, others such as Rizhao Steel Holding Group and Rizhao Medium Section Mill were charged at 21.18 per cent. H-shaped steel products are used to make support beams during constructions, girders for containers and trucks, steel decks and chassis. The World Health Organization says the Democratic Republic of the Congo is again facing an outbreak of the contagious and deadly Ebola virus. Congolese Health Minister Oly Ilunga announced Saturday that three people had died of the virus in the northeast of the country. Ilunga urged people not to panic and said officials had taken all necessary measures to respond to the outbreak. The World Health Organization said it was working with Congolese authorities to deploy health workers in the remote area where the three deaths occurred, all on April 22. Eleven other cases are suspected in the area. WHO's regional director for Africa, Matshidiso Moeti, went to the Congolese capital, Kinshasa, on Friday to discuss disease response. The remoteness of the affected area, 1,300 kilometers from Kinshasa, means word of the outbreak was slow to emerge. WHO said specialist teams were expected to arrive in the area, known as the Likati health zone, within the next day or two. This was the first outbreak of the virus in DRC since 2014, when 49 people died of Ebola. Larger outbreak Experts say the 2014 DRC outbreak was not linked to a much larger outbreak that killed 11,000 people in Guinea, Sierra Leone and Liberia, beginning in 2013. They say active virus transmission for that outbreak was halted last year. In December 2016, The Lancet, a medical journal, published results of a WHO-led trial showing that the world's first Ebola vaccine provides substantial protection against the virus. Among more than 11,000 people who were vaccinated in the trial, no cases of Ebola virus disease occurred. Reports say the vaccine is now awaiting formal licensing clearance. Ebola, named for the Congolese river near where it was first identified in 1976, begins with a sudden fever, aching muscles, diarrhea and vomiting. It is a hemorrhagic fever, marked by spontaneous bleeding from internal organs and, in most cases, death. It can be transmitted by close contact with infected animals or people, usually through blood or other bodily fluids. People can contract the virus through direct contact with victims' bodies at funerals. Caretakers, nurses and doctors treating Ebola patients also are at high risk. Judges from one of the Egyptian judiciary's three main branches voted Saturday to defy a newly adopted and widely disputed law giving the president a degree of control over the judiciary, nominating as head of their branch a judge who ruled against a government decision to surrender two Red Sea islands to Saudi Arabia. State Council judges, who rule on disputes with the government, voted overwhelmingly to put forward judge Yahya Dakroury, their most senior, as their nominee to head their branch. The move clashes with the new law that stipulates that each judiciary branch nominate three of its seven most senior judges to the president to choose one to head each of the three branches. The judiciary's two other branches the court of cassation and government lawyers already have complied with the new law, adopted by parliament and ratified by the president last month with uncustomary speed. Many judges see the law as an infringement of the judiciary's independence and a violation of the principle of the separation of government branches. Before the new law came into effect, each branch of the judiciary nominated their most senior judge to head their branch, with the president's ratification a foregone conclusion. President Abdel-Fattah el-Sissi will now have to either ratify Dakroury's nomination to avoid a confrontation with the powerful State Council or independently name one of the most senior judges from that branch as its head. Dakroury's ruling last year on the fate of the two islands went against the government's stated position that Tiran and Sanafir, at the mouth of the Red Sea's Gulf of Aqaba, belonged to Saudi Arabia but were placed under Egyptian control in the 1950s to protect them against a perceived threat from Israel. His ruling was upheld in January by a higher court, which declared as unconstitutional an Egyptian-Saudi agreement signed in April 2016 to cede control over the islands to Riyadh. El-Sissi last month said the executive branch has nothing more to do with or say about the agreement, saying its fate was now in the hands of the judiciary and parliament, a 596-seat chamber packed with his supporters. Ahmad Dawoud recalls the day 10 years ago when a Lebanese soldier asked to search his taxi. Then 17, the Palestinian didn't wait for the soldier to find the weapons hidden in the trunk. He jumped from the car and fled into the nearby Palestinian refugee camp, where the Lebanese army has no authority. But it was not long afterward that Dawoud, who once admired the radical groups that have sprouted in the camps in Lebanon, decided he was tired of running. That same year, in 2007, he surrendered to authorities and spent 14 hard months in jail. Although he was released without a conviction, he couldn't erase the biggest strike against him: As a Palestinian in Lebanon, he is a stateless, second-class resident in the only country where he's ever lived. On Monday, Palestinians mark 69 years since hundreds of thousands of them were forced from their homes during the 1948 war that led to the creation of Israel. Many settled in the neighboring West Bank, Gaza, Jordan, Syria and Lebanon. As refugees, various U.N. charters entitle them and their descendants to the right to work and a dignified living until they can return to their homes or such settlement is reached. But Palestinians in Lebanon suffer discrimination in nearly every aspect of daily life, feeding a desperation that is tearing their community apart. Many live in settlements officially recognized as refugee camps but better described as concrete ghettos ringed by checkpoints and, in some cases, blast walls and barbed wire. The U.N. runs schools and subsidizes health care inside. In Lebanon, there are 450,000 refugees registered in 12 camps, where Lebanese authorities have no jurisdiction inside. "Our lot is less than zero," Dawoud said in a recent interview outside Ein el-Hilweh, the crowded camp in Sidon that is one of the most volatile. On peaceful days, children play in the damp alleys and merchants park their carts of produce along the camp's main streets. But the place feels hopelessly divided along factional and militant lines, and it frequently breaks down into fighting between Palestinian security forces and militants or gangs that capitalize on the general despair. Last month, 10 people were killed in a flare-up that drove out thousands of the camp's estimated population of 75,000. Palestinians are prohibited from working in most professions, from medicine to transportation. Because of restrictions on ownership, what little property they have is bought under Lebanese names, leaving them vulnerable to embezzlement and expropriation. They pay into Lebanon's social security fund but receive no benefits. Medical costs are crippling. And they have little hope for remediation from the Lebanese courts. Doctors are prohibited from working in the Lebanese market, so they find work only in the camps or agree to work for Lebanese clinics off the books, and sign prescriptions under Lebanese doctors' names. That leaves them open to employer abuse, a condition normally associated with low-skill work. "If a young boy gets in trouble because he is Palestinian, the prosecutor writes in his note to the judge, `He is Palestinian,' meaning: `Do what you wish to him. Be cruel to him. Forget about his rights,"' said Sheikh Mohammad Muwad, a Palestinian imam in Sidon. The crush of war refugees from Syria has made it even harder for Palestinians here to find work. Nearly six in 10 under age 25 are unemployed, according to the U.N.'s Palestinian relief agency UNRWA, and two-thirds of all Palestinians here live below the poverty line. UNRWA country director Claudio Cordone said they feel trapped in political limbo and see an "almost total lack of meaningful political prospects of a solution" to their original displacement from Palestine. Lebanese politicians say that assimilating Palestinians into society would undermine their right to return. But Palestinians say they are not asking for assimilation or nationality, just civil rights. "They starve us, so we go back to Palestine. They deprive us, so that we go back to Palestine. Well, go ahead, send us back to Palestine! Let us go to the border, and we will march back into Palestine, no matter how many martyrs we must give," Muwad said. For those in the camps, the line between hustling and criminality is often blurred. Unemployed and feeling abandoned by the authorities, many turn to gangs for work. Adding to this is a widely shared disaffection with the Palestine Liberation Organization, which many Palestinians now see as having sold out their rights with the failed Oslo Accords of 1994. This has helped fuel the rise of radical Islam - a shift in the occupied Palestinian territories that is reflected by Hamas' rising popularity, and one outside the territories in the meteoric trajectory of militant groups such as Fatah al-Islam in the volatile and deprived Nahr al-Bared camp. Growing up in Nahr al-Bared, a camp much like Ein el-Hilweh, Dawoud felt a strong affiliation for Fatah al-Islam, his gateway to radical extremism. "They were the only ones who seemed honest," he said. "Of course, later I figured out they were just like everyone else, too." In 2007, the Lebanese army razed most of Nahr al-Bared to crush Fatah al-Islam. By that time, Dawoud already was in Ein el-Hilweh, and his arrest was the beginning of a slow falling out with the gangs that once sheltered him and treated him like a brother. After his stint in prison, they began to feel they couldn't trust him, and he was chased out of Ein el-Hilweh in 2013. Now, he can only enter the parts of the settlement firmly under PLO control. With no job, no prospects and little wealth, Dawoud now runs errands for others in his white 1980s-era BMW - all done under the table, of course. Palestinians cannot apply for the red license plates that identify taxis and other commercial vehicles. "I don't even think about marrying and getting into those situations," he said, waving off starting a family at age 27. His ambition now is to apply for a visa to leave Lebanon. But first he needs a travel document, and for that he needs to be on good terms with the Lebanese authorities. Not all Palestinians live in camps, but even the most privileged among them endure discrimination. At a panel on Palestinian labor rights at the American University of Beirut, Muhammad Hussein asked a Lebanese Labor Ministry official why he was denied work even in sectors that are formally open to Palestinian employment. The 22-year-old graduate showed the official an email he received from a marketing firm in Dubai refusing his job application on the grounds that the Lebanese office had to give priority to Lebanese workers. "The problem isn't finding vacancies," Hussein said. "It's getting the job." U.S. President Barack Obama has condemned what he called the "appalling" terrorist attack at a hotel in the capital of Mali that left 25 people dead, and he vowed relentless pursuit of the killers. Speaking at a summit of regional leaders in the capital of Malaysia, Obama said the Friday assault in Bamako will only stiffen U.S. resolve to combat terrorism. Like the heinous attacks we saw in Paris and attacks we see all too often elsewhere, this is another awful reminder that the scourge of terrorism threatens so many of our nations, said Obama in Kuala Lumpur while attending the annual meeting of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN). He said the U.S., allies and partners are determined to protect their citizens, push back on the hateful ideologies that fuel this terrorism, and root out terrorist networks. Two West African militant groups - al-Qaida in the Islamic Maghreb (AQIM) and its affiliate El Mourabitoune - claimed joint responsibility for the attack. A U.S. defense official called AQIM the "leading suspect" in the assault. In addition to the 25 hostages who were killed, two gunmen also died when Malian special forces conducted a floor-to-floor assault to clear the hotel, according to Malian officials. A reporter for VOA from Bamako says it is not clear if there was a third gunman in the attack. She says forensic investigators were at work inside the hotel Friday evening. Mali's President Ibrahim Boubacar Keita, who cut short a visit to Chad to return to Bamako Friday, has declared a state of emergency and three days of mourning in the West African nation. In remarks broadcast on state television, Keita said the government will do everything it can "to eradicate terrorism in Mali." Earlier reports said the gunmen had taken up to 170 hostages and that only 80 had been released. The discrepancy may be because some hotel guests escaped on their own and have not been accounted for. Obama said the U.S. was still working to account for all citizens who may have been at the hotel. WATCH: Scenes from outside Radisson Blu hotel in Bamako Gunmen went room to room The Radisson is a popular hotel for foreigners and was reportedly hosting delegates to Malian peace talks. Witnesses say gunmen entered the hotel in a car with diplomatic license plates early Friday morning, then went room to room seeking victims. "When it started I thought that it was firecrackers. But it went on and on," one hotel guest told VOA's French to Africa Service. "We heard the alarm from the hotel and I even went out of my room... but I noticed a lot of smoke in the hallway. I went back to my room and the Malian soldiers came, knocked on the door, took a small group of us out." Malian special forces spent several hours going through the 190-room hotel, rescuing guests and tracking down the gunmen. Both of the deceased gunmen were killed by security forces. U.N. peacekeepers stationed in Mali helped with the operation, while a number of French troops and two American military personnel assisted outside the hotel. Condemnation from abroad Besides the U.S., condemnation also came from U.N. Secretary General Ban Ki-moon and French President Francois Hollande. Hollande is scheduled to meet with Obama in Washington in the coming days to discuss stepping up Frances contribution to the U.S.-led effort to counter Islamic State militants in Syria and Iraq. White House Deputy Security Advisor Ben Rhodes said there is a greater sense of urgency to do more following the terror attacks in Paris earlier this month. U.S. security officials have said it appears Islamic State is behind the bloodshed there. The attack in Mali underscores the threat posed by Islamist militants who remain active in northern and central Mali despite the presence of U.N. peacekeepers. A French-led military force ousted Islamist groups from power in northern Mali in 2013. The groups had seized power in the north after a military coup in Bamako in 2012. An attack in the capital in March on a restaurant popular with tourists killed five people. France has inaugurated new president, Emmanuel Macron, a 39-year-old independent centrist who was elected May 7. The president of the Constitutional Council, Laurent Fabius, proclaimed the official result of the vote in a ceremony Sunday at the Elysee presidential palace in Paris. Macron formally took power after his predecessor, Socialist Francois Hollande, met with him for one hour and left. Hollande was applauded by the employees of the French presidency at his departure. He shook hands with Macron, who accompanied him to his car and also applauded him. Macron then posed for photographers at the front porch of the Elysee with his wife, Brigitte. Macron had been Hollande's top economy adviser from 2012 to 2014, then became his economy minister until last year, when he decided to quit the Socialist government and launch his independent presidential bid. As president, Hollande steered his nation through deadly extremist attacks, poured troops into battle abroad and anchored the boldest world agreement to fight global warming. But as he hands power Sunday to his former protege, he may be most remembered for his failure to create jobs and his crushing unpopularity. The two were to meet in the presidents office before Hollandes departure, taking a last few minutes to discuss the most sensitive issues facing France, including the countrys nuclear codes. Macron takes charge of a nation that, when Britain leaves the European Union in 2019, will become the EUs only member with nuclear weapons and a permanent seat on the U.N. Security Council. Macron will then make a speech in the Elysee reception hall in front of about 300 guests, officials and family members, including his wife, Brigitte Macron. Kamal Haasan, who is soon to make his small screen debut with Bigg Boss Tamil, opened up on the hosts of the Hindi version of the show. By India Today Web Desk: After conquering the film industry, Tamil superstar Kamal Haasan has set his sights on television. The actor, who is all set to host Bigg Boss Tamil, spoke to The Hindu ahead of his small screen debut. Kamal said, "I saw both Amitji (Amitabh Bachchan) and Salman Khan hosting the show. I liked Salman's version better because there is an honest approach to it. I'm trying to do something similar, but different." advertisement Although Bigg Boss has earlier been hosted by Amitabh Bachchan, Shilpa Shetty, Sanjay Dutt and Arshad Warsi, it is Salman Khan who has been most popular with the audience and has become an irreplaceable part of the show. Bigg Boss, which recently completed 10 successful seasons in Hindi, currently has Bengali and Kannada versions as well. Kamal Haasan will soon kickstart the Tamil version. ALSO READ: Salman Khan's Tubelight vs Baahubali 2? No, please, says Kabir Khan ALSO READ: Did you know Vinod Khanna inspired Kamal Haasan to take up direction? ALSO WATCH: India will fight for Tamil Nadu in 'civil war of ahimsa,' says Kamal Haasan --- ENDS --- Mutinous soldiers in Ivory Coast have killed one person and injured several others after using gunfire to disperse a march Sunday against their mutiny in Bouake, residents said. Violence by some of the soldiers involved in a January mutiny demanding higher pay began Friday, a day after Ivorian television broadcast some of the mutinous soldiers meeting with President Alassane Ouattara and dropping their demand for unpaid bonuses. Many took over the second-largest city of Bouake, and other cities including Daloa and Korhogo, to show they still demanded the rest of their bonuses promised after the January mutiny. Unrest in Abidjan was quickly controlled by the army. Residents were forced to flee or stay indoors because of the violence. "This morning, we united in the city to protest against being taken hostage by these soldiers. The mutinous soldiers shot at us, and we've registered several wounded who have all been taken to the hospital," said Soumaila Timite, a Bouake resident. Odile Kouame, one of the leaders of Sunday's protest, called on the government to take action. "They cannot abandon us," he said. "Everyone is fearful." A former rebel who participated in Sunday's march was killed and his body is in the morgue, said Ouattara Mamadou, the spokesman for demobilized ex-rebels not in the army. Ivory Coast's Armed Forces chief of staff said a military operation has been launched to bring order. In a statement, he called on the mutinous soldiers to lay down arms, saying that those who continue to threaten civilians and defy authorities will face disciplinary action. The mutinous soldiers are former rebels who helped put President Ouattara in power after his predecessor refused to cede office after losing the 2010 election. They have sought higher pay and better living conditions. Frances youngest head of state since Napoleon Bonaparte presented himself as president of all the French Sunday as he was sworn into office in Paris, following in the Fifth Republic footsteps of political giants Gen. Charles De Gaulle and Jacques Chirac. Much is riding on the 39-year-old Emmanuel Macron, who two years ago set out on what many dismissed as a Quixotic quest to get himself elected to the French presidency as a centrist, pro-European Union candidate on his first ever political campaign and without the support of the countrys established parties. Macron was greeted midmorning at the Elysee Palace by outgoing President Francois Hollande, who for many of the French exemplifies more than most of his predecessors the old saying that all political careers end in failure. Macron has the reputation, reinforced by his election, as a man who always succeeds. Now he has the greatest of all challenges to fulfill objectives even grander than those outlined by Hollande at his inauguration five years ago. Just before Macron's arrival, Hollande stood on his office balcony taking one last sweeping glance from it of the palace grounds. Amid the pomp and circumstance Sunday, future challenges were half-forgotten by the crowds lining the Champs-Elysees, where at the Arc de Triomph, Macron lay flowers at the memorial to the unknown soldier Inside the Elysee's ballroom earlier, Macron was presented with the grand collier de la Legion d'honneur once owned by Napoleon I. One of his supporters, Axelle Tessandier, a marketing consultant, tweeted Emotion immense. But the task ahead wasnt forgotten long. At his swearing-in ceremony, Macron, a former investment banker who served a mere two years as an appointed minister in Hollandes government, told France his goal is to renew the Fifth Republic and to unify the French. The world needs what the French have always taught. For decades France has doubted herself, he said. The world, and Europe, need France more than ever, he added. My mandate will give the French back the confidence to believe in themselves. He said he would convince the people that "the power of France is not declining - that we are on the brink of a great renaissance. Unifying France will be a tall order. Twenty-one million people voted for Macron in the second round of the elections, but 12 million backed far-right nationalist Marine Le Pen, despite her lackluster campaign. Millions more didnt turn up at the polling stations. And four million destroyed their ballot papers as a sign of disapproval of both candidates, the largest number ever to do so in a French election. Having set himself the monumental tasks of trying to expand the center, and of convincing half the country which disapproves of EU membership that the European bloc is something to be valued, Macron has the immediate challenge of securing a parliamentary majority to back him. He can do that either by leading his one-year-old En Marche! Movement -- renamed last week Republique en marche to victory in parliamentary elections next month, or by cobbling together a center coalition. Polls suggest he might be able to pull off a parliamentary victory, one as unthinkable as his presidential win, and secure, a majority in the 577-seat lower house. Much will depend on who he names Monday as his initial prime minister. If his party fails to win the majority of seats, the alternative would be La Cohabitation with a prime minister from an opposing political party, something the Fifth Republic has seen three times since 1958. La Cohabitation, analysts agree, would likely spell major trouble for Macrons highly ambitious policy program. Macron wants to cut public spending and reorder a rigid labor market to allow businesses to hire and fire more easily, all in a bid to revive a stagnant economy. At the same he says he wants to ameliorate the downsides of globalization for those left behind. One of Macrons rivals for the presidency, the conservative Republican Francois Fillon warned during the first round of presidential voting that Macron in office would be forced to cook up parliamentary dishes of impotence and compromises. Grubby legislative deal-making risks fueling public disillusionment with government paving the way, some fear, for a Le Pen victory in five years time and a defeat of Macrons aim to turn the French away from the extremes of left or right. Meeting with Merkel On Monday, Frances new President will endure his first rite of passage a flight to Berlin to meet German Chancellor Angela Merkel. On his election, Merkel acknowledged the expectations many Europeans have of Macron, saying he carried the hopes of millions of French people and also many in Germany and across Europe. Hes likely to enjoy smoother relations with Merkel than Hollande. He has been courting assiduously German leaders the past two years. He intends to push for closer cooperation between EU members as well greater centralization of the countries in the eurozone with the creation of a budget. But he wont please EU federalists in Brussels by likely also arguing the bloc has to be more flexible and in the recent words of Jean Pisani-Ferry, his chief economic adviser, recognize that the governance of the eurozone remains excessively cumbersome and technocratic. Macron has talked tough about Britain when it comes to Brexit, but his approach will likely be shaped by Pisani-Ferry. In a policy paper last year for Bruegel, a think tank in Brussels, Macrons aide argued the EU should use Brexit as a chance to shape a Europe of two circles, with the EU at its core and an outer circle of countries in a structured partnership. Former President Mauno Koivisto, who in the 1980s and 1990s guided Finland from the shadow of the crumbling Soviet Union and into the European Union, has died at a hospital in Helsinki. He was 93. The office of the Finnish presidency announced the death early Saturday. Koivistos wife, Tellervo, said earlier this year that he suffered from Alzheimers disease. The son of a ships carpenter, Koivisto, a Social Democrat, served two six-year presidential terms between 1982 and 1994, a tumultuous period that followed the 25-year presidential reign of Urho Kekkonen. He earlier served twice as prime minister, from 1968 to 1970 and 1979 to 1982. Koivisto is widely credited as president with strengthening the role of parliament, after his nationalist predecessor consolidated much political power within the office of the presidency. Koivisto is also broadly acknowledged for building strong ties with the last Soviet president, Mikhail Gorbachev, while also establishing rapport with U.S. President George H.W. Bush as Europe began in the late 1980s to witness the beginning of the end of communism. He also maintained strong ties with Bushs predecessor, Ronald Reagan. In a statement Saturday, President Sauli Niinisto described Koivisto as a leader in the generation that took part in wars and [the] following rebuilding, and which guided Finland to the path of current success and well-being. In his last interview four years ago, Koivisto was asked by the Helsingin Sanomat newspaper to summarize what he viewed as important in life. In life, it is generally wise to trust that everything will go well. It often pays off, even if you wouldnt have believed it would, he said. At least 1,500 Syrian rebels and their families abandoned another long-held district just outside of Damascus on Sunday, as the army of President Bashar al-Assad and its allies push to seize full control of the capital and surrounding areas for the first time in nearly five years. State media and witnesses said the evacuation began at dawn, less than a day after government forces captured the Qaboun district, and just days after hundreds of other beleaguered rebel fighters and their families departed two other nearby districts. A government deal facilitating the Qaboun evacuation was announced late Saturday.It replicates earlier agreements under which rebels were granted safe passage to rebel-held territory near the Turkish border in exchange for an end to a weeks of shelling and airstrikes by Syrian and allied Russian warplanes. Government forces have pressed for several months to recapture rebel districts north and east of Damascus, and analysts say they succeeded only after discovering and destroying underground tunnels that connected the three neighborhoods. As civil war raged near the capital, Kurdish-led Syrian forces far to the north pressed a separate offensive against Islamic State extremists just outside the de facto IS capital, Raqqa. Syrian Kurds battle Islamic State in north Monitors from the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights reported a third straight day of fighting between the U.S.-backed Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) and IS fighters seeking to defend their stronghold city. There were no reports of casualties, but witnesses reported hundreds of civilians fleeing toward SDF battle lines on Sunday as the anti-jihadist force took aim at extremist fighters. Monitors on Saturday reported that SDF forces had advanced within four kilometers of Raqqa, and an SDF spokesman predicted an all-out offensive on the city within the next several months. Forces pushing to liberate Raqqa include SDF forces attacking from the north and rival Syrian ground forces backed by Shi'ite allies and Russia pressing toward the city from the south. Sunni Arab and Turkmen militias also are involved, along with a separate contingent of Turkish-backed forces opposed to a faction of Kurdish fighters in the U.S.-backed SDF alliance. Conflicts within the widely divergent anti-jihadist alliance have so far been addressed with quiet diplomacy by U.S., Turkish and Russian military commanders. U.S. advisers have so far maintained peace within the factions by creating buffer zones separating Kurdish fighters from Turkish-backed forces. Anti-jihadist push gains steam It remains unclear what, if any, role Syrian government forces and their Russian allies will play in the planning or execution of the complex Raqqa offensive. The push to retake Raqqa appears to have gathered strength, after U.S. President Donald Trump announced a decision last week to arm Kurdish-led forces with heavy weapons. That decision has been roundly criticized by Turkey, which sees a key Syrian Kurdish unit in the U.S.-backed SDF alliance, the so-called YPG, as an extension of the outlawed Kurdistan Workers' Party, the PKK. Turkish leaders have voiced fears that any heavy weaponry used by the SDF against extremists at Raqqa will eventually fall into the hands of PKK fighters, who have battled the Turkish government for an autonomous homeland in Turkey's southeast for more than three decades. Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, who opens an official visit to Washington Tuesday, told reporters last week that he hoped "this [U.S. decision] will be reversed immediately." Authorities in Pakistan have unleashed a crackdown on social media activists accused of criticizing and "ridiculing" the army in their online postings. An official announcement late Sunday said the cyber crime wing of the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) has been ordered to swiftly move against "elements" who are engaging in these "condemnable" activities. "Ridiculing [the] Pakistan army or its officers on social media in the name of freedom of speech is unacceptable" and "a serious offense" under the law, it quoted Interior Minister Nisar Ali Khan as warning. Khan explained that the constitution does not permit citizens to indulge in activities that undermine the "prestige, reputation and honor" of the military institution. The minister directed the FIA to take strict action against anyone found guilty of posting the content on social media "intentionally or unintentionally." Military criticized The crackdown comes amid sustained criticism of the military for issuing a controversial statement days before it was recanted last week. The move purportedly undermined the authority of civilian Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif. The civil-military rift stemmed from a controversial article in a leading English-language newspaper, Dawn, published last October that suggested the army was reluctant to crack down on Islamic militants plotting attacks against neighboring Afghanistan and India from sanctuaries on Pakistani soil. The report outraged the military leadership at the time, pressuring the Sharif government to set up a high-powered commission to investigate the matter and identify officials responsible for leaking information about a security meeting chaired by the prime minister himself. The commission submitted its findings late last month, prompting Sharif to oust a key foreign policy aide along with a senior information ministry bureaucrat for allegedly leaking details of the top-level meeting to the media. Hours after the prime ministers office announced the removals, the military "rejected" Sharifs actions as "incomplete," refueling speculations of a showdown between the civilian and military institutions. But the lingering crisis defused last week when the military unexpectedly announced it had resolved the "Dawn Leaks" row with the government and had retracted its statement that "rejected" Sharifs actions as incomplete. Reaction mixed Opposition parties criticized the government for not making the inquiry report public while social media activists slammed the army for agreeing to maintain secrecy on the whole issue. Pro-democracy groups, however, have declared it a rare victory for civilian leaders over army generals in a country where tensions between the two in the past have prompted military leaders to oust elected governments and impose years of dictatorial rules. The last military coup in Pakistan was staged in October 1999 ousting Sharifs then-elected government before he was forced into exile in Saudi Arabia along with his family. Sharif returned to Pakistan after almost eight years, and his party won the 2013 election to return him to power for a third time in the country's troubled democratic history. Tech staffs around the world worked around the clock this weekend to protect computers and patch networks to block the computer hack whose name sounds like a pop song "WannaCry" as analysts warned the global ransomware attack could be just the first of a new wave of strikes by computer criminals. The United States suffered relatively few effects from the ransomware that appeared on tens of thousands of computer systems across Europe and into Asia, beginning Friday. Security experts remained cautious, however, and stressed there was a continuing threat. In contrast to reports from several European security firms, a researcher at the Tripwire company on the U.S. West Coast said late Saturday that the attack could be diminishing. "It looks like it's tailing off," said Travis Smith of Tripwire. "I hope that's the case," Smith added. The Oregon firm protects large enterprises and governments from computer security threats. Ransomware attack The code for the ransomware unleashed Friday remains freely available on the internet, experts said, so those behind the WannaCry attack also known as WanaCryptor 2.0 and a variety of other names could launch new strikes in coming days or weeks. Copycat attacks by other high-tech criminals also are possible. "We are not out of the woods yet," said Gary Davis, chief consumer security evangelist at McAfee, the global computer security software company in Santa Clara, California. "We think it's going to be the footprint for other kinds of attacks in the future." The attack hit scores of countries more than 100, by some experts' count and infected tens of thousands of computer networks. Industry reports indicate Russia, Taiwan, Ukraine and Britain were among the countries hit hardest, and more hacking reports can be expected when offices reopen for the new workweek Monday or, in some parts of the world, Sunday. One of the weapons used in the current attack is a software tool reportedly stolen from the U.S. National Security Agency and published on the internet by hackers last month. The tool affords hackers undetected entry into many Microsoft computer operating systems, which is what they need to plant their ransomware. However, Microsoft issued patches to fix that vulnerability in its software weeks ago that could greatly reduce the chances of intrusion. Outdated operating systems The crippling effects of WannaCry highlight a problem that experts have long known about, and one that appears to have hit developing countries harder. Some organizations are more vulnerable to intrusion because they use older or outdated operating systems, usually due to the cost of upgrading software or buying modern hardware needed to install better-protected operating systems. Companies like Microsoft eventually stop updating or supporting older versions of their software, so customers using those programs do not receive software patches or security upgrades. Much of the ransomware's spread around the world occurred without any human involvement. The WannaCry malware self-propagates, copying itself to all computers on a network automatically. When a demand for ransom payments appears on a user's screen $300 at first, doubling to $600 in a few days it's usually too late: All files on that computer have been encrypted and are unreadable by their owners. The hackers said they would reverse the effect of their software once they received the payments they demanded. Microsoft patched the "hole" in the newest versions of its operating software Windows 10 for most home users in March, three weeks before the stolen NSA exploit software was published on the internet. Since Friday, the company dropped its refusal to update old versions of its programs and issued patches specifically written for use in Windows XP and several other systems. Microsoft declined a request for an interview, but a statement on the company's blog said: "Seeing businesses and individuals affected by cyberattacks, such as the ones reported today, was painful. We are taking the highly unusual step of providing a security update for all customers to protect Windows platforms that are in custom support only, including Windows XP, Windows 8, and Windows Server 2003." "A lot of people in the security community were impressed with Microsoft's speed, but it highlights an ongoing challenge we have," said Stephen Cobb, a senior security researcher with ESET, a global security software company. "If a malicious code outbreak breaks out tomorrow, and targets unsupported operating systems, Microsoft may have to go there again." Countries across the globe scrambled to respond to a malicious "ransomware" virus, as internet security watchdogs said the attack had disproportionately targeted Russia. The Russian cyber security firm Kaspersky Labs was among the first to identify the so-called "Wanna Cry" malware a viral worm that exploits a vulnerability in the Windows operating system to encrypt files without users permission. A group of hackers known as "The Shadow Brokers" are widely believed to have stolen the program from the U.S. National Security Agency last April and deployed it as a means to ransom user data around the world for cash profits. Kaspersky Labs initially reported 45,000 attacks by the malware in more than 70 countries, with Russia bearing the brunt of the onslaught. The range of targets and victims is likely much, much higher, warned the Kaspersky report. Within hours, other internet security firms put the number of computers targeted at more than 75,000 computers in 100 countries. Those numbers are expected to grow. Russian fallout Russias powerful Interior Ministry and national railway service both confirmed they had fallen victim to the malware. The Russian mobile telecom giant, Megafon, too, issued a statement saying its servers had been compromised. But by mid-day Saturday, spokesmen from all three said they had successfully isolated the virus and were operating as usual. The statements came as other key Russian ministries, and the countrys central bank, pushed back against claims state computer infrastructure had been compromised. In statements to Russian media, all argued they had thwarted the virus using non-Windows operating systems while trumpeting the merits of data backups using a, notably, Russian-made server, Elbrus. The claims have not been confirmed by outside experts. Kremlin-net The Kremlin has long been suspicious of Western technology firms, arguing they work in collusion with American intelligence agencies. In 2014, Russias Duma passed a law requiring Western tech companies such as Facebook, Twitter, and Google to relocate servers to Russia in an effort to protect Russian user data. Though not yet fully implemented, Russian internet activists have argued the law gives Russian security services dangerous access to private data with little legal recourse. Russian President Vladimir Putin has also pushed for digital independence from Western tech firms, partially in response to American and European sanctions introduced following Russias annexation of Crimea from Ukraine in 2014. Sunday, the Kremlins advisor on internet strategy German Klimenko seized the latest cyber attack as a chance to praise those moves. The presidents order to create a Russian segment of the internet, [it created] a closed Internet solely for government bureaucrats, said Klimenko in an interview with Russias Channel One television. The defense against attacks has been in place a long time, he added. It is doubtful our [government] data suffered. NSA connection? Meanwhile, Russias online community debated the disproportionate targeting of Russia, in particular allegations the virus had originated with the NSA. But on the Russian-built secure messaging app Telegram, users traded theories the virus was a U.S. plot aimed at disrupting the countrys 2018 presidential elections, apparent payback for U.S. intelligence agencies conclusion Russian hackers had interfered in last years American presidential elections. But Anton Nossik, a longtime leading internet voice in Russia, rejected those charges as terribly funny in a widely shared post to his Live Journal blog. That 74 countries were implicated in the virus is explained as Russias enemies desire to hide the real goal of their attack, wrote Nossik, who notes that Russian governmental officials had been too lazy to install a Windows "patch" available since last March that resolved the security flaw. Really, how can you deceive our ever wakeful conspiracy theorists? he added wryly, To hack their computers is the simplest thing, but to destroy their vigilance? Never! Other Russian digerati, too, pushed back against the idea that Russia had been a target by design. "There's no politics or intention here. The virus is just spreading randomly," says Ilya Sachkov, Director of the Moscow-based Group IB, a company that tracks internet fraud, in an interview with Moscow's Business FM radio. Sachkov notes ransomeware attacks have been growing in number and strength for years. Snowden, again The unfolding crisis and alleged links to the NSA again thrust Edward Snowden, the former NSA contractor who was granted asylum in Russia after leaking classified NSA documents to the press in 2013, into the spotlight. In a series of Twitter posts, Snowden argued the NSA bore moral responsibility for the leak. Despite warnings, the NSA built dangerous attack tools that could target Western software, wrote Snowden. Today we see the cost. U.S. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson says he is not worried about his standing with President Donald Trump following Trump's firing of FBI chief James Comey. "I have a great relationship with the president," Tillerson told NBC News' Meet the Press on Sunday. "I understand what his objectives are. When I'm not clear on what his objectives are, we talk about it." Tillerson spoke as Trump prepares for his first overseas trip as president. He heads Friday to Saudi Arabia for discussions with King Salman and to Israel for a meeting with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu about ongoing turmoil and security threats in the volatile Middle East. Later, Trump is to visit Pope Francis at the Vatican and meet with more world leaders at NATO and at a G7 economic summit. "I am devoted to helping the president achieve his objectives, helping him be successful," Tillerson said. "And I understand I have to earn his confidence every day with how I go about those affairs and how I go about conducting the State Department's activities consistent with the direction he wants to take the country." Comey's firing Trump on Tuesday fired Comey as director of the Federal Bureau of Investigation. In the wake of Comey's firing, opposition Democratic lawmakers and some Republicans have called for a special prosecutor to be appointed to lead the investigation into Russia's meddling in last year's U.S. presidential election. Tillerson said the Washington political debate over Comey's firing does not affect him and his relationship with Trump. "I will never compromise my own values." Tillerson said. "And so that's my only line. And my values are those of the country." Tillerson met last week with Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov but defended not bringing up the U.S. intelligence community's conclusion that Moscow meddled in last year's U.S. presidential election to help Trump win, a contention that Russia has rejected. Tillerson said the United States and Russia have numerous major issues to consider, but said he has no question in his own mind that Russia interfered. "We have to look at this relationship in the broadest contour," he said, adding that he was committed to improving cooperation between Moscow and Washington. Western diplomats shunned the opening ceremony of a conference in Qatar on Sunday attended by Sudan's president, who is wanted for war crimes by the International Criminal Court (ICC). Omar Hassan al-Bashir, who came to power in Sudan in a 1989 Islamist and military-backed coup, has continued to travel abroad since the ICC charged him with genocide and crimes against humanity in 2008. But his appearance on a list of speakers at a humanitarian conference in Doha on Sunday attended by the deputy head of the United Nations prompted the U.S., Canadian and Australian ambassadors to boycott the event, according to two Western diplomats in Doha. Spokespeople for the three embassies did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Three European diplomats who attended the event said they walked out before Bashir addressed the Doha Forum attended by the Gulf state's emir and U.N. Deputy Secretary-General Amina Mohammed. "The Sudanese president is wanted by the ICC so it would not be appropriate to be present for his remarks," said one of the diplomats. A UN official in Doha declined to comment on Bashir's attendance but said that the U.N. had attended the conference for over a decade in a "spirit of cooperation." Qatar, which has brokered peace agreements in Sudan, is not a signatory to the Rome Statute that established the ICC, a court that has no means of enforcing its arrest warrant on its own and relies instead on states to do so. Bashir denies the charges against him. Many African and Arab states, along with Sudan's key ally China, have called for the warrant to be suspended. In March U.N. High Commissioner for Human Rights Zeid Ra'ad al Hussein said Jordan had broken its treaty obligations by hosting Bashir. Sudan is seen as having drawn closer to Sunni Muslim Gulf states since it sent hundreds of Sudanese soldiers to Yemen in 2015 to bolster the mostly Gulf Arab alliance fighting the Iran-allied Houthi movement. Dr. David Nabarro says he wants to rid the world of two diseases that are close to being eradicated: polio and guinea worm. Polio exists mainly on the Pakistani-Afghan border and in northern Nigeria. Both are conflict zones, where vaccine workers risk their lives to immunize children. The last part of eradicating any disease is always the hardest part, Nabarro said during a visit to VOA. If you dont do it, you lose everything. To do it, youve got to really bring all the energy and commitment you can to bear. The World Health Organization has worked to eliminate polio for more than 30 years. Nigeria was to be declared polio-free this year, meaning the country had no cases for three continuous years, but then the disease returned. We must remain vigilant and focused until we are certain that the last case has been found and that we have got everybody protected, Nabarro said. Watch: WHO to Vote on New Director-General; David Nabarro Wants the Job Guinea worm Nabarro also wants to rid the world of Guinea worm, a disease that starts when people drink water containing fleas infected with guinea worm larvae. The larvae grow in human intestines. And while it is not life-threatening, it is painful when the worm emerges. In 1986, about 3.5 million people had Guinea worm disease. Last year, 25 people had it. This was the result of efforts by United Nations agencies, the Carter Center, which was founded by former U.S. President Jimmy Carter, and the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Nabarro wants to make more inroads in ending malaria, a disease that threatens nearly half the worlds population. Even through malaria can be prevented and cured, the WHO says it caused nearly half a million deaths in 2015. Ebola epidemic During the Ebola epidemic, Nabarro visited the West African countries ravaged by the disease as the U.N. special envoy on Ebola. It took the world a long time to put together an effective response to the epidemic, and before it was over more than 11,000 people died. The WHO was heavily criticized for the way it handled the pandemic. Nabarro wants to make sure a tragedy of this magnitude does not happen again because of a lack of preparedness. I want to be sure the world as a whole helps nations to respond quickly when theres a threat of infection. Usually, that means that the problem doesnt get out of control, he told VOA. Life of public health service Nabarro has spent his life working in public health. He worked in Iraq with Save the Children in 1974. He continued to work in public health positions until he joined the World Health Organization in 1999 and has worked at the WHO and for the U.N. since then. Nabarro has worked on malaria programs. Now, he hopes to be elected director-general of the World Health Organization when the World Health Assembly meets in Geneva May 23. This is the first time candidates will be elected to become director-general of WHO by member nations. Sacked Aam Aadmi Party Minister Kapil Mishra on Sunday fainted after accusing Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal and AAP of "massive" financial irregularities. By India Today Web Desk: It was an unusually hot Sunday in New Delhi where the sun was beating down like a furnace while mercury soared to 44 degrees Celsius and in this sweltering heat, the Aam Aadmi Party leaders - rebels as well as loyalists - hurled fresh salvos at one another. Sacked Delhi Minister Kapil Mishra called Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal corrupt and dared him to quit failing which he "would drag him by collar to Delhi's Tihar jail". advertisement Sanjay Singh, Ashutosh and Raghav Chadha of AAP deflected Kapil Mishra's allegations towards the BJP, which demanded Kejriwal's resignation. The Congress, on the other hand, sought probe into the allegations of foreign funding. KAPIL MISHRA FAINTED Kapil Mishra fainted at a media conference on Sunday but not before he had accused Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal and his Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) of "massive" financial irregularities. "It has now become clear that Arvind Kejriwal is a corrupt man," Mishra said before he fainted, apparently weakened by five days of fasting in protest against AAP's refusal to disclose details of five party leaders' travels abroad. Mishra told the media at his residence that AAP had received "crores of rupees" from "shell companies" run by people close to Kejriwal, mentioning in particular AAP legislators Shiv Charan Goel and Naresh Yadav. These shell companies, Mishra alleged, also had "ghost" directors who donated money to the party and converted "black money into white". Kapil Mishra said there were also discrepancies in the money received by AAP and the amount it declared before the Election Commission. Mishra fainted before he could share with the media documents he said proved his charges. He was taken to the Ram Manohar Lohia (RML) Hospital here, where doctors said he was stable and conscious, but suffered from a "a little weakness and mild dehydration". "His vital signs are all normal," an RML doctor said. KAPIL MISHRA'S ALLEGATIONS Earlier, referring to one of the cases of alleged discrepancies, Mishra said AAP received Rs 90 lakh as donation from a person identified as Priya Bansal of Bengaluru for 2014-15 and 2015-16, but the tax payable on her income was merely Rs 4,000. "In 2014-15, AAP had Rs 65,52,40,752 (Rs 65.5 crore) in its bank account, but the Election Commission was informed about only Rs 32,46,16,662 (Rs 32.4 crore) while the party put only Rs 27,38,71,611 (Rs 27.3 crore) in the public domain and told its volunteers it had no money," Mishra said. He also held that the party had made 461 "bogus" entries. "All this happened with the knowledge of Arvind Kejriwal as these shell companies deposited money in AAP's bank account on the same day and time in January 2014," Mishra said, brandishing a sheaf of documents. advertisement Mishra was accompanied at the meet by a man identified as Neil Haslam, who he said helped in "exposing" the funding. "This is why I have been demanding foreign travel details of five AAP leaders," Mishra said. Kapil Mishra added that he would also approach the CBI on Monday with documents and would soon expose another "scam" related to AAP's mohalla or health clinics. AAP SHIELDS KEJRIWAL The AAP refuted Mishra's charges and said he was "parroting" the Bharatiya Janata Party. In another press conference, AAP MLAs Goel and Yadav denied links with the entities named by Mishra and said they would file a defamation suit against him. Senior AAP leader Sanjay Singh said Mishra was echoing the allegations the BJP voiced just before the 2015 Assembly polls. "This is the BJP's ploy to finish AAP. It should stop questioning the credentials of AAP and Arvind Kejriwal. He (Kejriwal) quit as the joint commissioner with the income tax department as well as the chief minister (during his first term as CM). We have ensured all transparency while accepting funds," Singh said. On May 7, Mishra had claimed that he had seen Health Minister Satyendar Jain pay Rs 2 crore to Kejriwal. advertisement BJP GETS SHOT IN ARM Branding Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal as "Mr Corrupt", the BJP on Sunday demanded his resignation after sacked minister Kapil Mishra alleged "massive" financial irregularities in the AAP's funding. BJP national spokesperson Meenakshi Lekhi also rubbished the Aam Aadmi Party's claim that Mishra was acting at its behest. She said Kejriwal must come clean about the allegations levelled by the sacked Delhi minister. Kejriwal must respond to Mishra's claims instead of resorting to mud-slinging, she demanded. "Mr Corrupt has increased corruption in Delhi by leaps and bounds and this has overshadowed governance. The AAP's leadership is being questioned because it is one man's party indulging in corrupt practice and filling the coffers of his own family and of the people around him," Lekhi said. The Aam Aadmi Party has now become "Kejriwal Aadmi Party", she added. The AAP swept to power in Delhi riding on its anti-corruption movement. Responding to the AAP's claim that Mishra was "parroting" the BJP, Lekhi, an MP from central Delhi, said the sacked Minister was once Kejriwal's confidant. "Nobody has to parrot the BJP's lines. This person (Mishra) is somebody at whose behest people like Prashant Bhushan and Yogendra Yadav were thrown out of the AAP. He was close to Mr Corrupt." advertisement "The BJP has nothing to do with him. When people from within the AAP are questioning the party leadership, we really don't have much task to do. We can only ask questions in consonance," she said. CONGRESS ASKS WHY NO CASE AGAINST KEJRIWAL Delhi Congress chief Ajay Maken has sought a "thorough probe" into the allegations leveled by sacked Delhi minister Kapil Mishra regarding "illegal" foreign funding received by the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP). At a press meet in New Delhi, he also demanded Delhi Chief Minister and AAP supremo Arvind Kejriwal's resignation. "The allegations are serious. Kejriwal should step down on moral and legal grounds," Maken said. Maken said there should be an investigation to trace the source of foreign funding to AAP, adding that it was "unlikely that the government agencies were unaware of it". The Congress leader also targeted the BJP-led government at the Centre and wondered why was it not prosecuting Kejriwal and why an FIR under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act was not lodged against the AAP government. "AAP, which floated shell companies to convert black money into white money to show in its accounts, also receives illegal foreign funding, which is a serious matter," he said. (WITH INPUTS FROM PTI) Also read | Kapil Mishra 'exposes' Arvind Kejriwal: All you need to know about the charges against Aam Aadmi Party Also read | Kapil Mishra fires 'donation scam' salvo at Kejriwal, AAP deflects it towards BJP, Congress Also read | Kapil Mishra continues fast, promises another AAP expose as cops reach his home in late-night drama WATCH VIDEO --- ENDS --- Chinese President Xi Jinping called Sunday for closer cooperation among countries across Asia and Europe in areas from anti-terrorism to finance, as officials from dozens of governments met to promote a Beijing-led initiative to expand trade links across the region. Speaking to an audience that included Russian President Vladimir Putin and leaders of 29 other countries, Xi outlined the most ambitious political vision yet for the Belt and Road Initiative, a multibillion-dollar project to build ports, railways and other facilities. It covers an arc of 65 countries reaching from the South Pacific through South and Central Asia to Europe and Africa. The initiative would provide some of the $7 trillion of investment in infrastructure the Asian Development Bank says the region needs this decade. But governments including Russia, the United States and India are uneasy that China is using its status as the second-largest global economy to expand its political influence. Xi insisted his government has no desire to impose our will on others. But he also called for economic integration and cooperation on financial regulation, anti-terrorism and security all fields in which Chinas economic heft would give it a prominent voice. We should foster a vision of common, comprehensive, cooperative and sustainable security and create a security environment built and shared by all, Xi said. He called for stepped-up action against terrorism and what he called its root causes of poverty and social injustice. In a reminder of the potential security threats facing the region, North Korea test-fired a ballistic missile Sunday that flew for a half-hour and reached an unusually high altitude of 2,000 kilometers (1,240 miles). The launch was seen as a challenge to a new South Korean president who was elected last week and came as U.S., Japanese and European naval forces gathered for war games in the Pacific. Xi foreign policy initiative The Belt and Road is Xis signature foreign policy initiative. The two-day meeting that started Sunday gives him a platform to promote his image as a global leader and an advocate of free trade in contrast to President Donald Trump, who has called for import restrictions. Xi said Beijing will contribute an additional 100 billion yuan ($14.5 billion) to the Silk Road Fund set up in 2014 to finance infrastructure projects. He said his government will provide aid worth 60 billion yuan ($8.7 billion) to developing countries and international organizations. Two Chinese government-run banks also will set up lending facilities valued at a total of 380 billion yuan ($55 billion) to support the initiative, Xi said. Putin sees danger in protectionism Speaking after Xi, Putin echoed the Chinese presidents theme that economic development would help to nurture political stability. The Russian leader said the rise of trade protectionism is creating a breeding ground for international extremism and terrorism. Russia believes that the future of the Eurasian partnership is not just about fostering ties between a few countries and economies, Putin said. It should change the very political and economic landscape of the continent bringing Eurasia stability, prosperity. Xi said Beijing plans to announce dozens of new investment and other agreements during the two-day event. No major Western leaders Other leaders at the gathering included Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif of Pakistan and President Michelle Bachelet of Chile. No major Western leaders attended, though Britain, France and Germany were represented by top finance officials. The U.S. delegation was led by Matt Pottinger, special assistant to Trump and senior director for East Asia at the National Security Council. The United States and other governments have said Belt and Road is a natural outgrowth of Chinas status as the biggest global trader and they welcome the investment. But they also have expressed concern Beijing might undermine human rights and international standards for lending or leave poor countries with too much debt. Most of the Chinese financing is loans, instead of grants. India criticism India delivered an implicit criticism of Chinas initiative Saturday in a statement that said such an initiative should meet international norms and not create unsustainable debt. India has objected to Chinese state-owned companies working in the Pakistani-held part of Kashmir, the Himalayan region claimed by both sides. New Delhi sees that as an endorsement of Pakistans control. No country can accept a project that ignores its core concerns on sovereignty and territorial integrity, the statement said. Some diplomats and political analysts say Beijing is trying to create a political and economic network centered on China, push the United States out of the region and rewrite rules on trade and security. Xi promised to avoid forming a small group of allies, which he said might harm regional stability. Instead, he said, Beijing wants partnerships of friendship and a big family of harmonious coexistence. Sacked minister Kapil Mishra has levelled charges of money laundering against the Aam Aadmi Party, and dared Arvind Kejriwal to quit as Delhi Chief Minister. By India Today Web Desk: Sacked Delhi minister Kapil Mishra today accused the Arvind Kejriwal-led Aam Aadmi Party of running a 'donation scam'. After levelling serious charges at the AAP, Kapil Mishra asked the Delhi Chief Minister to quit or "he will drag him by the collar and take him to Tihar Jail". Here are the charges levelled by Kapil Mishra against the Aam Aadmi Party: advertisement 1) He accused the Aam Aadmi Party of under-reporting its donation figures to the Election Commission. Kapil Mishra alleged that the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) had Rs 45.74 crore in its bank accounts during the financial year 2013-2014. Of this, the Arvind Kejriwal-led AAP declared Rs 9.42 crore to the Election Commission. He alleged that the Aam Aadmi Party concealed nearly Rs 36 crore in donations from the Election Commission. According to Kapil Mishra, the AAP reported Rs 19.82 crore on its donation website. The sacked AAP minister alleged that following notices from the Income Tax department, Arvind Kejriwal's AAP revealed Rs 30.08 crore in donations to the Election Commission. Kapil Mishra alleges under-reporting of AAP's political funding. 2) Kapil Mishra also alleged that the Aam Aadmi Party accumulated money through shell companies. Kapil Mishra alleged that Aam Aadmi Party MLA Shiv Charan Goyal and his wife floated several fake companies or shell companies to route money to the Aam Aadmi Party. Sacked minister Mishra also alleged that AAP MLA Naresh Yadav's wife Preeti Yadav is also linked to these fake companies. She invested in these fake companies and the money was routed to the Aam Aadmi Party, alleged Kapil Mishra. 3) Kapil Mishra alleged that Aam Aadmi Party converted black money into white through hawala transactions. He alleged that the AAP was routing hawala money through Axis Bank branches. Kapil Mishra alleged that Aam Aadmi Party received two cheques of Rs 35 crore each from shell companies. "Arvind Kejriwal was furious with notebandi (demonetisation) because the conversion of black money into white had to be stopped," Mishra alleged. "All these (fake) companies have accounts in Axis Bank which was raided during demonetisation," the sacked Delhi minister claimed. ALSO READ: Kapil Mishra expose: Story of water tanker scam that connects Arvind Kejriwal, Sheila Dikshit and BJP advertisement AAP Ka Scam II: PWD report nails incompetence of Arvind Kejriwal's kin Aam Aadmi Party: Is this an end of the road for Arvind Kejriwal's national ambitions? ALSO WATCH --- ENDS --- I Love Dick A Short History of Weird Girls Season 1 Episode 5 Editors Rating 4 stars * * * * Previous Next Previous Episode Next Episode Kathryn Hahn as Chris. Photo: Amazon There are 500 times as many female nudes in art history textbooks as there are female artists. So says Toby toward the end of this episode, which takes the objectification of women in art and life as its theme. Part of what makes Chris Krauss book (and now this show) so revolutionary is that its a product not of the male gaze, like all those prints in the art-history books, but of the female one, with Dick as the objectified babe. Every woman in Marfa seems to see Dick as a symbol of something different. They all have fantasies in which he plays a starring role. Paula fantasizes about him validating her work as a curator. Toby fantasizes about beating him at his own game. Devon fantasized about being him when she was a kid, and maybe still does. Chris, as we already know, fantasizes about sex with him. A Short History of Weird Girls takes a break from the main narrative to chronicle the back stories of these four women, each in the form of a letter to Dick. Chriss letter pulls back the curtain on her sexual evolution. Ive been horny since I was six, she tells the audience, deadpanning at the camera in the middle of the stark West Texas landscape. As she recounts her various affairs (with a stuffed animal, with a rock star), we see that her need to demand attention and intimacy from partners who do not fully reciprocate did not begin with her arrival on the plains. Her first Dick, as it were, was a stuffed rhino. She liked to hump it in front of her babysitter Karen. Something about the feeling of being watched excited her even then. Her next threesome didnt come until after college, when she and her friend made up their minds to bed a rock star. They told him they wanted to create a living representation of feminist sculptor Louise Bourgeoiss The Couple, a major aluminum work which shows two sets of legs dangling below a pair of spiraling torsos that have melded together. The point of the project seemed fairly lost on the rock star, although he did get one thing right. Youre weird girls, he tells them, wagging his finger lecherously. As we know, this would not be the last time Chris would try to make art of out of something sexual. Sylvere was the first man who didnt dismiss Chris as weird. Nothing freaked him out, Chris remembers, and you begin to understand the roots of their connection. It turns out that the film she submitted to Venice was based in some ways on these early encounters, but her memory of those days is far warmer than her film suggests. Unlike the bored fat man in her movie, Sylvere was lithe and vibrant, twiddling his toes in excitement as he engaged her in post-coital discussion of philosophy. In bed, he tells her to remove her clothing, ordering her to keep her boots on. He lies back and watches Chris touch herself. The present-day Chris, striking in a bold red dress, suddenly enters the scene and has a look around, like Woody Allen in the flashback sequences of Annie Hall. Watching Sylvere watch her younger self, her face is impassive, analytical. Does she like what she sees? Its impossible to say. A Short History of Weird Girls opens with a clip from the 1999 short film Removed, by Naomi Uman. To make it, Uman went through reels of 70s pornography and erased the images of women from every frame using nail-polish remover and bleach. Whats left are shots of men observing and caressing a glowing, ghostly presence or more accurately, an absence. In Chriss flashback scene, Soloway employs Umans technique so that Chris herself becomes an omission, a ghost. Its an enigmatic moment that speaks to the older Chriss efforts to untangle herself from Sylveres powerful gaze. In the early stages of their relationship, Chris loved seeing herself through Sylveres eyes. But a year after they got married, they stopped having kinky sex; five years after that, the sex stopped altogether. Today, Chris says, she doesnt want to see herself through any mans eyes. I dont care how you see me, she tells her fantasy image of Dick, who sits naked on his couch, barely covered by one of his Navajo blankets. I dont care if you want me. Its better that you dont. Its enough that I want you. Dick plays a totally different role in Devons life. She doesnt want to sleep with Dick; she wants to become him. She first saw him when she was five years old and immediately recognized his sexual charisma. I loved watching you play cowboy with all your women, Devon tells us, and we see how Devons whole slow, swaggering, sexy style can be traced to Dicks influence. Her familys relationship with Dick goes back too her grandparents and great-grandparents worked on his familys land. When her female cousins want to practice kissing, Devon pretends shes Dick. In the present, narrating in a red jumpsuit, Devon observes Dick cozying up to a pretty blond, and then taps his shoulder and takes his place. The memory gets darker when she comes home to find Dick walking out of her mothers bedroom. Devon puts on a good Dick act, but shes incapable of playing it cool when she really wants somebody, as is the case with her college girlfriend, a pretty cello player. When the cellist shifts her gaze to a boy named Gabe, Devon, devastated, drops out of school, abandoning her dream of becoming a playwright. She goes back to Texas to try to figure out what to do with her life, working odd jobs at the institute in the meantime. Its not until Chris comes to town that Devon decides to take another stab at writing a play. Paula backs into her Dick story by first telling us about how, as a young girl, she fell out of love with her mother when she saw a tampon string dangling from her crotch one night. Why is this so distressing to Paula? It seems to have something to do with the frank explicitness of the image. Paula, we come to understand, does not like things to be clearly defined. Instead of following her mother around, she turns the closet into a cozy reading nook and locks herself inside. As she reads, she touches herself. I didnt have a word for it, she said. All I knew was that it felt good. The day she learned that this was called masturbation, she didnt want to do it anymore. Naming it was literally the least sexy thing I could imagine. Dick, we learn, never titles his pieces, and its this refusal to be defined and named that draws Paula to his work, which provokes in her a feeling of boundlessness. But when she comes to Marfa to work with him as the curator at the institute, his laconic style proves to be a bummer. He wont offer much in the way of guidance or support. He often says nothing at all to her suggestions. Their relationship is hardly the dynamic collaboration she envisioned. Its as though shes invisible to him. Im still here, she proclaims in her letter, searching for something youll say yes to. Toby begins her letter by listing Dicks accomplishments his scholarship to the San Francisco Art Institute, his MacArthur Genius grant, and so on. Dicks work, she says, is primarily about reminding the world of the size of his massive steel and concrete cock. He embodies everything anyone has ever wanted from a late 20th century alpha-male artist and scholar. Toby projects something close to disdain for the remote, mysterious, unknowable cowboy. Yet she knows so much about him because her hippie parents had one of his coffee-table books. (It was her favorite.) She leads us on a tour of her funky childhood home in Santa Fe. Her pot-smoking dad was an expert on children, so he thought he was allowed to touch me, she coolly remarks. Her cousin Tara introduced her to porn, and thus Tobys obsession was born. As a precocious art-history major at Columbia, she began her formalist study of hardcore pornography, which prompted her frowning male professors to urge her to move into the gender-studies department. Refusing to be marginalized in this way, she holds fast to her vision and launches a promising career. Her letter ends on a taunting note. You havent made a piece in nearly a decade. Your time is running out. Dear Dick, we are not far from your doorstep. Film clips, in order of appearance I Love Dick weaves short clips from avant-garde feminist directors throughout each episode. Sometimes, those clips blend into the story lines unfolding in Marfa; other times, theyre used for contrast. In each recap, well identify them. 1) Naomi Uman, Removed 2) Naomi Uman, Leche 3) Cauleen Smith, Chronicles of a Lying Spirit (By Kelly Gabron) 4) Petra Cortright, enchanted foreststrippersnopeleeasy2girls[1] @FunHomeMusical James Comey has, perhaps unsurprisingly, been laying low ever since he was fired from the FBI last week by President Trump. But the self-imposed short seclusion ended on Saturday afternoon, when Comey and his wife, Patrice, decided to take in a matinee of the touring Tony-winning Broadway musical Fun Home. And what fun it was! The Washington, D.C., outing was less Mike Pence at Hamilton and more Hillary Clinton in the Theater District per the New York Times, the Comeys (and the audience) were in good spirits and were welcomed backstage by the cast at the end of the show. Pictures were taken! Pleasantries were exchanged! Today James Comey and his wife Patrice joined us at #FunHome in Washington, D.C. pic.twitter.com/W5HLrgKaPi Fun Home (@funhomemusical) May 13, 2017 One of Fun Homes lead producers explained that the couple had bought tickets to the show prior to Comeys firing, but they were still keen on attending despite the politically turbulent circumstances. Their daughter saw the tour in Chicago and told them they had to see it, the producer explained to the Times. They were wiping away the tears as they came backstage to meet the cast. He said something to the effect of it was the best thing they could have picked for their first outing both said they were really emotionally affected by the show. Where will he pop up next? Expelled AAP minister Kapil Mishra entered the fifth day of his indefinite fast on Sunday even as Delhi police reached his home on Saturday night in an attempt to get him to end his agitation. Mishra has also promised to unveil another expose implicating AAP leaders today. By Mail Today Bureau: In late night drama, Delhi police reached the Civil Lines house of sacked AAP minister Kapil Mishra and asked him to call off his hunger strike, which entered its fourth day on Saturday. Police want Mishra to end his fast and get admitted to a hospital as his health condition deteriorated. But a team of doctors from RML said Mishra is fit to countinue his hunger strike. Police personnel will remain posted outside his house as a preventive measure, said officials. advertisement Mishra had earlier shown apprehension over his medical examination done by doctors sent by the Delhi government. Mishra said the claims of his poor health are a conspiracy by Delhi Government and Arvind Kejriwal as Delhi government hospital doctors report to health minister Satyendar Jain, who has been accused of corruption by him. Mishra on Twitter appealed Delhi to the police commissioner not to forcefuly make him end this strike as he is fighting for a bigger cause. He announced that he would expose misdeeds of AAP leaders on Sunday and suspected that the cop visit was intentionally arranged by AAP. "I am completely fine and media is covering this. I am being forcefully taken away. I don't rely on these doctors. I need opinion from an independent one," Mishra said. Earlier in the day, AAP had tried a hunger strike of its own, but in vain. Sanjay Jha, who is the MLA from Burari, was detained by the police while he was proceeding to stage a planned hunger strike outside Mishra's residence. He was taken to Sarai Rohilla police station. Jha has demanded that Mishra come clean on the claim that he saw health minister Satyendar Jain pay `2 crore to Kejriwal. Jha also went to Rajghat, Mahatma Gandhi's memorial, to seek blessings in what has become a tradition for AAP leaders. Meanwhile, deputy chief minister Manish Sisodia attacked sacked Delhi minister Kapil Mishra saying his indefinite fast was "sponsored" by the BJP. "On one hand, Sanjeev Jha is picked up by police, while on the other, a BJPsponsored fast is being held that is being provided police protection and other safeguards,"he said. ALSO READ | Kapil Mishra's indefinite fast 'sponsored' by BJP, alleges Delhi Deputy CM Manish Sisodia ALSO READ | RTI activist Sanjeev Jain to help Kapil Mishra with info on AAP ministers' foreign visits ALSO WATCH | AAP crisis: Former Delhi minister Kapil Mishra attacked outside his home advertisement --- ENDS --- India said that apart from the political support, it continues to support developmental projects in Palestine. By India Today Web Desk: India on Saturday reiterated its "political support" to the Palestinian cause ahead of the visit of Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas to New Delhi. Abbas, who arrives today, will be on his third state visit to India after 2008 and 2012. According to reports, the Palestinian President will be accompanied by Deputy Prime Minister Ziad Abu Amr, Foreign Minister Riad Malki, Diplomatic Advisor Majdi Khaldi, Presidency Spokesperson Nabil Aburdeineh and Palestine's Chief Judge Mahmoud Habbash. advertisement Abbas will call on Mukherjee and hold bilateral talks with Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday. Vice President Hamid Ansari and External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj will also call on him. OPPORTUNITY TO REVIEW BILATERAL RELATIONS According to the external affairs ministry, the visit will provide an opportunity for reviewing the entire gamut of bilateral relations, the Middle East peace process, and regional and international issues. Several MoUs on cooperation in various areas are also expected to be signed during the visit. The external affairs ministry on Saturday in a statement said, "Apart from the political support to the Palestinian cause, India continues to support developmental projects in Palestine by extending technical and financial assistance." INDIA-ISRAEL PROXIMITY The statement assumes significance given that there have been commentaries on the increasing proximity between the Modi government and Israel which may have a bearing on New Delhi's relations with Palestine. In July, Modi will travel to Israel, the first Indian prime minister to do so. During his visit to India, Abbas will visit C-DAC (the Centre for Development of Advanced Computing) in Noida on May 15 to forge cooperation between Palestine-India Techno Park being built by India in Palestine and Indian IT industry. He will also deliver an address at the Islamic Cultural Centre here. (With inputs from agencies) Also read: Palestinian stabs woman dead on Jerusalem train, says Israeli police Also read: World diplomats reaffirm backing for two-state Israel-Palestine solution --- ENDS --- Class acts Kaitlynn Dickerson, a fifth-grade student at China Spring Intermediate School, has been invited to join the 4th-6th Grade Talent Search for gifted students sponsored by Duke Universitys Talent Identification Program (TIP). Each year, a select group of students in the United States are identified as academically gifted based on their exceptional standardized test scores in school and are invited to participate in the Duke TIP program. Participants are then invited to take the above-grade level PSAT 8/9 test designed for older students so that their academic abilities and potential can be more accurately evaluated. She is the daughter of David and Shannon Dickerson. Her grandparents are David and Marion Dickerson and Calvin and LaNell Lumpkin. Jill Blaha, of Abbott, was recently initiated into the Honor Society of Phi Kappa Phi, the nations oldest all-discipline collegiate honor society. She was initiated at the University of Texas at Arlington. Membership to the honor society is by invitation only. Courtney Wilson, of McGregor, was named to the deans honor roll for the spring semester at Kansas Wesleyan University in Salina, Kansas. She is a senior majoring in business management. The Affordable Care Act Obamacare was based on a one-size-fits-all approach that put bureaucrats in Washington in charge of your health care. This month I, along with a majority of my House colleagues, took a vitally important first step in repealing and replacing this disastrous law. The House passed the American Health Care Act to begin the process to provide America with a 21st century health-care system that lowers costs, encourages competition and, most importantly, empowers patients to take control of their health-care decisions. Across our nation, Obamacares failures continue to impede access to, and the affordability of, health care for all Americans. Recently, another Virginia insurer announced it will be leaving the Obamacare exchanges next year. A Maryland insurer just publicized a 58 percent rate increase in 2018 to compensate for instability within the marketplace. The only remaining insurer in 94 of 99 Iowa counties declared that it is planning to leave the marketplace altogether. And Aetna just announced its complete exit from all Obamacare exchange markets. Unfortunately, similar examples across the country continue to mount. Here in Texas, 70 percent of counties have only one health-care option. Many will lose that option as early as January 2018 due to the fatal flaws in Obamacare. By repealing and replacing Obamacare we can end the harm that American families and businesses are suffering. The AHCA delivers immediate relief from Obamacares taxes and mandates that have stifled job creation, increased premiums and limited options for patients and providers. The AHCA replaces damaging outcomes with provisions that return control of health care to the states while restoring the free market so Americans can access quality, affordable health-care options. Under the AHCA, if you choose to purchase health insurance through the individual insurance market, you will receive a monthly age-based tax credit to purchase quality coverage of your choice. If you are currently utilizing employer-based health-care coverage, coverage through Medicare or the military or are enrolled in traditional Medicaid, you will not be directly impacted by the AHCA. You will, however, see the benefits of a robust free market with increased choices and lower costs. The AHCA does this by establishing a $138 billion Patient and State Stability Fund available for states to facilitate diverse coverage at a lower cost while providing greater health-care options for all Americans, including those with pre-existing conditions. Make no mistake; we are committed to caring for those who are most vulnerable within our communities. The AHCA protects individuals with pre-existing conditions by prohibiting insurance companies from denying or rescinding coverage or raising premiums, assuming they maintain continuous coverage. Under Obamacare, Medicaid expanded to include able-bodied adults and the program has become so fiscally unstable that it cannot serve those it was originally designed to serve as a safety net the poor, disabled, elderly, pregnant mothers and their children. The AHCA modernizes and strengthens Medicaid by enacting the largest entitlement reform in the programs history. By reforming Medicaid financing we are empowering states to meet the unique needs of their citizens. That said, under the AHCA Medicaid-expansion recipients will be grandfathered in their current coverage, subject to continuing eligibility. We have designed the AHCA, however, so that this population will have improved opportunities to receive health insurance through an employer, qualify for tax credits to purchase insurance on the individual market or receive health coverage through innovative state programs funded by the AHCAs Patient and State Stability Fund. Like many constituents throughout Congressional District 17, I am forced to receive my familys coverage through an Obamacare exchange. We have had the same frustrating experiences of many other hardworking Texas families, including premium increases, exploding out-of-pocket costs and fewer options. I continue to believe that Congress live under the laws it passes. So, along with the AHCA vote, the House also unanimously passed legislation to ensure that all members of Congress have the same coverage afforded to Main Street America under the AHCA. Since my first day in office, one of my top priorities has been not only to repeal Obamacare but to replace it with free-market principles that improve competition and increase choices for each and every American. Passage of the American Health Care Act, coupled with administrative actions by Health and Human Services Secretary Tom Price and additional legislation to improve the delivery and cost of health care will create a 21st century health-care system that is patient-focused, market-driven, competitive and affordable for all families. I strongly urge my Senate colleagues to work diligently with the House of Representatives to fulfill these goals. What happened to James Comey is not particularly unusual in Washington: When a political scandal explodes at your agency, you are expected to protect the president by risking your own reputation and, possibly, your job. Yet the particulars of this case make it deeply troubling. Start with the reason Comey was fired. Coming from the man who basked in chants of Lock her up! at his campaign rallies, firing someone for mishandling the investigation into Hillary Clintons emails does no more than provoke helpless laughter, liberally mixed with tears. Politicos reporting offers a much more plausible explanation: Trump was frustrated by the investigation into his campaigns Russia connections and wants it to go away. So he fired the guy at the head of the agency thats conducting it. In fact, Trump pretty much acknowledged as much in his NBC interview Thursday night. This is not the behavior of an American president; it is the behavior of a tinpot autocrat who thinks that the government exists to serve him rather than the country. And its almost as troubling that Trump seems unaware that he is a tinpot autocrat; he is, he believes, the head of a state with a long (if perhaps somewhat checkered) democratic tradition. This is also the behavior of an ineffective president, since the best way to ensure that this investigation grinds along to its inexorable conclusion is to summarily fire the man in charge of it. Comeys replacement will not dare to shut it down, for fear of looking like the presidents water-carrier. And if that replacement, incredibly, actually does try to interfere, he is likely to face open revolt from the FBIs rank and file, who are, unsurprisingly, already quite unhappy about what was done to Comey. Had Trump put more effort into preparing himself for the job of president, he might have learned about an old adage, one dating to Watergate: Its not the crime, its the cover-up. The investigation into Russian connections has made for some bad news cycles for the president, but my expectation had been that eventually it would wind up with nothing very damaging perhaps tainting a few advisors who could be thrown off the back of the sled to feed the wolves running behind. Now, however, Trump has made sure that the FBI will pursue this thing to the last lead, the press will keep it pinned to the front pages and a lot of astute voters will ask themselves why the president was so desperate to suppress it. If all this werent sufficiently troubling, theres also the way the firing was carried out. Perhaps if he hadnt been so secretive about intending to fire Comey, Trumps advisers would have had time to explain that this was a terrible, horrible, no good, very bad idea. According to Politicos reporting, at least one person did try to explain this: Democratic Sen. Chuck Schumer of New York. Trump, taken aback, ignored his sound advice. Shortly after the firing was announced, Schumer was in front of reporters doing exactly what any moderately politically savvy person would have predicted: suggesting a cover-up and calling for a special prosecutor. Comey, meanwhile, apparently learned that hed been sacked from the television while visiting an FBI office out of town. This flagrant gesture of contempt and disrespect will ensure that the FBI is really thoroughly enraged as they settle down to investigating the presidents campaign. In theory, of course, our law enforcement is splendidly unbiased, interested only in the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth. In reality, of course, it is run by human beings who cannot help but have human emotions when they are abused. Which is why we all know the foolishness of making cops gratuitously angry during a traffic stop. And why the president should have known better than to make open war on the FBI if not out of respect for Americas civic traditions, then out of simple self-interest. This is an ugly moment in Americas political history. And yet I suspect it will end up being somewhat soothing for those who fear that Trump will mark the end of American democracy and the beginnings of an authoritarian regime. Not because the presidents actions are benign: like many other commentators, I see this move as betraying exactly the sort of authoritarian instincts, precisely the disrespect for American civic norms, of which his critics accuse him. But rather, because I doubt its going to work even if the Republican Party rolls over and proves subservient, even if they help him appoint a more pliant successor to run the FBI. There are a lot of sources of political power in the American system, and those civic institutions will fiercely resist any attempt to remake them into hand-crafted tools of Dear Leaders whims. I can certainly see futures in which America betrays its heritage and abandons its ideals. But carrying it out would likely require a stealth attack by someone of political genius and strategic cunning, not this ham-handed, thumb-fingered, thoroughly inept assault on an institution that was, until now, probably considerably more Trump-friendly than most of the federal bureaucracy. The brazen violation of our civic norms should worry everyone. But the stunning incompetence on parade should give us hope that our worries wont become reality. Town-hall protocol I would like to see my congressman, Bill Flores, face his constituents in the future. Thus far he has had town-hall meetings that were very carefully screened with tightly scripted questions and no give and take. Of course, many constituents are angry about President Trump, Congressman Flores vote on the health-care bill, his budget votes and his distinctly partisan votes rather than efforts that look out for the good of all his constituents. I understand that the optics would have been bad at a town-hall meeting this past spring, which is probably why he resorted to doing a telephone town-hall meeting instead. At an in-person event, there will be lots of yelling and little dialogue. Im not in favor of such behavior. However, it seems to me that if he did advance planning with his opponents, together they could probably work out a framework or protocol for a face-to-face. This planning meeting would need his staff and leading Democratic officials who could come together to work out the rules of engagement as it were for example, no yelling or screaming constituents and letting Rep. Flores finish his comments and give his answers. It could allow for polite feedback from the people, then his rebuttal or agreement. Any violation of these guidelines would mean a peaceful removal from the peoples town hall. In addition, participants would be given guidelines in advance of the town-hall meeting and maybe even sign a contract: Flores would let all questions come to him and the crowd would be quiet and respectful when he responded. Call me naive, but I feel Rep. Flores can be a real statesman here and maybe offer a model for other congressmen and their own town-hall meetings. Fred A. Winslow, Waco Selling souls Sen. John Cornyn, have you sold your soul? Our country has been attacked by Russia. The very core of what America stands for is at risk and you attack the messenger who is informing you of what happened? Former acting attorney general Sally Yates informed the president of the United States that National Security Adviser Michael Flynn was untruthful and dishonest and could be blackmailed by Russia. Your question to her during last weeks Senate subcommittee hearing was about why she refused to defend an executive order that was clearly unconstitutional and an attack on Muslims. You asked no questions on the danger she was revealing to protect our country. The president rescinded this executive order and wrote another because she was correct in her assessment. He then fired her. The Republican Party, of which you are a member, championed a health-care bill that puts millions of Americans at risk of death and bankruptcy. The Republican Party considered this a great victory. You, sir, are a high-ranking member of this party. Again, I ask you: Have you sold your soul? Bob Graham, Waco American Honda Motors spokesmen told me their company was selling a new hatchback in the United States. I thanked them for the information and filed it somewhere in the back of my cluttered mind. Hondas are among my favorite cars. But, lets face it, the little Civic, be it sedan, coupe or hatchback and it hasnt been hatchback in America for a while has never been a style leader. It always has been a wonderfully ordinary little car remarkable for its reliability, efficiency and safety. Except in 2008-2009, when Japanese supplier Takata smeared its safety reputation with fatally faulty air bags. Honda has been fighting back ever since and doing a very good job of it, but not good enough for me to be excited by news of a new Civic hatchback. Still, it helps to keep an open mind. It protects you from having yours blown, as mine almost was when the 2017 Honda Civic Sport Touring hatchback was delivered to my driveway. It is a hatchback with attitude, certainly the most attractive Civic Ive ever seen. It wears a sporty front fascia, sculptured side panels and an uplifted rear that gives the compact, front-wheel-drive car an in-flight appearance. At first, about the second day behind its wheel, I thought the new styling was too much, too bold a departure from the vanilla approach to reality that characterized predecessor Civics. I radically changed my mind by the end of the week. Whoever thought of this new Civic hatchback design should get a promotion or a raise. Seriously. People in my generation, baby boomers who have seen it all, loved the excellently functional, simple-as-a-straight-line early Civics. They were a welcome counter to the chrome-laden, gas-guzzling, almost-as-dysfunctional-as-a-politician cars rolling out of Detroit. Note to the Trump administration: You might want to do a serious, academic study of the U.S. automobile industry. Youll find that American companies didnt start making their cars elsewhere solely in pursuit of cheaper foreign labor. Asian and European auto manufacturers forced them to start producing automobiles that Americans and almost everyone else preferred cars such as the little Civic. And, now, Honda has upped the ante again. The 2017 Civic hatchback is offered in two trim levels, Sport and Sport Touring. They are both snazzy. But the Sport Touring has discernibly more attitude. It appeals to a younger generation folks who love functional simplicity but who also have a highly technical sense of style. The Civic Sport Touring gives it to them. It also gives them a turbocharged 1.5-liter, gasoline four-cylinder inline engine that delivers a respectable 174 horsepower and 162 pound-feet of torque. It does more runs well on regular-grade gasoline at 31 miles per gallon in the city and 40 miles per gallon on the highway. To me, the little Civics usually have been noisy cars, prone to battering by high winds and rumbling on rough roads. The 2017 model is substantially quieter, although not as quiet as one might expect given its aggressive wind-cheating styling. Still, I like it. By India Today Web Desk: Marathi film producer Atul B Tapkir (35) was found dead at a Pune hotel on Sunday morning. Police had to break open the hotel room where they found Tapkir's body and have lodged a case of accidental death. Tapkir's body has been sent for an autopsy. A post on Tapkir's Facebook page indicates he was disturbed over financial loss in filmmaking and a troubled family life. advertisement One of the last 'suicidal' messages posted on Tapkir's Facebook page on Saturday suggests he was depressed over the financial losses he suffered by producing Marathi film "Dhol Taashe". In the lengthy post, he claimed that while his father and sisters backed him, his wife Priyanka allegedly harassed him. TAPKIR'S POST Tapkir said his wife threw him out of their home, and he was living out of the house since six months. He was also upset as she alienated their children from him, apart from making allegations against him, defaming him in the neighbourhood and abusing him. Tapkir's post -- written in Marathi -- mentioned that his wife got her "so-called" brothers to threaten and beat him up. He shared how when some days ago, he called her and abused her, she abused him and his family in return and lodged a police complaint against them. Tapkir has urged Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis that "the police must listen to a man's side of the story too when a woman lodges a complaint". He said his last wish was that since his wife cannot look after their children, his father should raise them. As proof of the harassment he faced, Tapkir said he has saved in a pen drive, the incident when his wife's brother hurled abuses at him. ALSO READ: Popular Telugu TV actor Pradeep Kumar commits suicide Vamsam actress Nandhini's husband Karthikeyan commits suicide With inputs from IANS --- ENDS --- But then, keeping a straight face whilst engaged in committing a near-unforgivable tactical outrage is a long-term speciality of the current prime minister's, and this budget is a classic of the genre. Maybe only a banker, like Malcolm Turnbull, can tax another banker to such a cartoonish degree and keep a straight face. And it started running through my head with hysterical insistence as soon as I cracked open the 2017 budget speech and registered pupils dilating with incredulity that the Turnbull government was seriously proposing to slot the banking sector with a $6 billion tax. There's a very funny song about redheads written by the Australian performer Tim Minchin that goes "Only a ginger can call another ginger 'Ginger'." Opposition Leader Bill Shorten is decidedly becalmed after this latest budget. Credit:Alex Ellinghausen It's not just the effrontery of a self-professed small-government titan taking a plug out of a free-market entity that would make Jeremy Corbyn blush, while merrily installing on banks' hiring and firing practices direct government controls with an unmistakeable Soviet whiff. Or the exuberant non-sequitur constituted by a government simultaneously insisting on one hand that giving banks a significant company tax cut will create jobs, and on the other that taxing them to kingdom come on their corporate bonds and Tier 2 capital instruments will work out just tickety-boo. The most central outrage committed by this budget the most confounding tactical manoeuvre upon which its authors shamelessly embark is that it is based on agreement with its political foes. It agrees that banks are essentially villains. It agrees that taxes need to rise to finance government spending. It agrees it is now foolish to imagine that any of the remaining propositions of the 2014 budget still staggering around in the national accounts like drunks refusing to leave a party will ever actually amount to anything. It agrees schools need more money. It agrees running up debt to build things that are productive is an OK thing to do. It agrees doctors should be paid more, and that the National Disability Insurance Scheme should be funded fully. It is difficult to overstate what a colossal shock to the political system this change of tack is. Amnesty International says its experts have verified images and footage from the Good Friday shooting on Manus Island that confirm bullets were fired directly into the immigration processing centre. The human rights group says the digital verification, expected to be released on Monday, contradicts initial claims made by Australian immigration officials and Papua New Guinea police suggesting soldiers only fired bullets into the air. Immigration Minister Peter Dutton has repeatedly stated Papua New Guinea soldiers opened fire on the centre because they were concerned about the welfare of a young boy who was allegedly led into the compound. The Papua New Guinea government, meanwhile, says an investigation into the Good Friday shooting is ongoing. When your guest list reads like the BRW Rich List and is collectively worth around $6 billion, give or take a few hundred million, the pressure is on any bride to shine. But just after 4pm on a cool autumn afternoon, Nadi Hasandedic, managed to do just that as she arrived with her bridesmaids in a fleet of vintage Rolls Royce limousines outside the grand entry to Sydney University's Quadrangle. The bride arrives: Nadi Hasandedic at Sydney University on Saturday. Credit:James Brickwood Hasandedic married her fiance, millionaire luxury car importer Neville "Croaky" Crichton in front of 300 of their nearest and dearest, including billionaire property developer Lang Walker, who arrived with his wife Sue in their Bentley SUV along with Australia's richest truckie Lindsay Fox with his wife Paula. Further swelling the ranks of the super rich were fellow billionaire vitamin mogul Marcus Blackmore and billionaire hamburger king Jack Cowin, while in their wake mere millionaires including John "Aussie" Symond arrived with his new bride, Amber, the former wife of Patrick Keating, son of former Prime Minister Paul Keating. In many ways the red carpet is the modern day equivalent of the colosseum, as the bold and beautiful pout and pose in front of the lions behind their lenses in the battle for the biggest media splash. But when American actress Chrissy Metz emerged on the long carpet snaking its way outside Los Angeles' Shrine Auditorium for last week's MTV Awards, she managed to capture the collective media pit's attention in one fell swoop, but not for the reasons your average size-zero starlet would want. Chrissy Metz has "hit back at fat shamers", revelling in her "Body Pride". Metz stars in the drama series This Is Us, playing a morbidly obese woman struggling with her weight, a character the actor has previously stated she more than identifies with. But it was Metz's red carpet gown which caused all the commotion, a tight, latex "baby doll" dress which stopped just above her knees. A soon-to-be-released book, Cardinal: The Rise and Fall of George Pell, by ABC reporter Louise Milligan, contains detailed claims that he sexually abused two choirboys at St Patrick's Cathedral in Melbourne in the late 1990s. Lawyers for Cardinal Pell last night strongly denied the allegations and said they were false, "unjustifiable, scandalous, deliberate and calculated to cause the most shocking damage imaginable to Cardinal Pell". Cardinal George Pell flew from Rome to London as explosive new details of alleged child sex abuse were levelled against Australia's most senior Catholic. EDITOR'S NOTE: The High Court overturned Cardinal George Pell's conviction for historic child sex offences in a judgment handed down April 7, 2020. In a unanimous decision all seven High Court judges found Victoria's Court of Appeal should not have upheld Pell's conviction It found the evidence could not support a guilty verdict. The legal letter also claimed the publication of the book's allegations were a "deliberate attempt to influence the public opinion in a manner that would make it impossible for our client to receive a fair hearing in court should he be charged". The alleged abuse is said to have occurred after the introduction of the Melbourne Response, the compensation scheme for victims of clerical sexual abuse that Cardinal Pell established in 1996 after breaking ranks with the rest of Australia's bishops who had been working on a national scheme called Towards Healing. A separate statement from his Rome office on Saturday night, in response to a request for comment on the allegations, accused the book's publisher, Melbourne University Press, and media organisations including Fairfax Media of "interfering with the course of justice". "Cardinal Pell has not been notified by the Victorian Office of Public Prosecutions or Victoria Police of the status of their investigations, which have been under way since at least February 2016," the statement said. "Cardinal Pell will not seek to interfere in the course of justice by responding to the allegations made by MUP and media outlets today, other than to restate that any allegations of child abuse made against him are completely false. He repeats his vehement and consistent denials of any and all such accusations, and stands by all the evidence he has given to the Royal Commission." Washington, DC: US politicians are calling on President Donald Trump to turn over any tapes of conversations with fired FBI chief James Comey, potentially setting up a showdown with the White House as Democrats considered a boycott of the vote on Comey's replacement. In a highly unusual move, Trump last week appeared to suggest on Twitter that he might have tapes of conversations with Comey and warned the former director of the Federal Bureau of Investigation against talking to the media. Trump and a White House spokesman declined to confirm or deny whether such tapes exist. Trump claims he removed Comey because he was not doing a good job and that Comey had lost the support of FBI employees. By Press Trust of India: New Delhi, May 14 (PTI) The IT ministry has reached out to key stakeholders like RBI, National Payments Corporation of India, NIC and UIDAI (Aadhaar) to advise them to protect their systems against Wanna Cry ransomware to ensure that the digital payments ecosystem in the country is protected. The Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) has also instructed cyber security unit CERT-In to gather information of Wanna Cry ransomware that has wrecked havoc across sectors like healthcare and telecommunications in more than 100 countries. advertisement Over the weekend, the ransomware hit systems in over 100 countries, including Russia and the UK, in one of the most widespread cyber attacks in history. It infected computers running on older versions of Microsoft operating systems like XP, locking access to files on the computer. The cyber criminals have demanded a fee of about USD 300 in crypto-currencies like Bitcoin for unlocking the device. Microsoft has introduced a security patch to tackle the situation, and consumers across the globe have been advised to download the solution at the earliest. Noting that no reports have been formally received so far related to the ransomware attack, MeitY said a few systems of the Police Department in Andhra Pradesh were impacted and that the state government has been informed to follow the advisory by the Indian Computer Emergency Response Team (CERT-In). "MeitY is keeping a close watch on the developments on the ransomware and is working in close coordination with all relevant agencies," it said in a statement. The ministry has also reached out to the Department of Telecom (DoT) to alert Internet service providers (ISPs) to secure their networks as well as the Data Security Council of India (DSCI) and CDAC to ensure that users across the country, especially those in the private sector, are cautioned about the ransomware. Besides, it has also requested Microsoft India to inform all its partners and customers to apply the relevant patches. As per the advisory issued by CERT-In, the ransomware infects other computers on the same network and is also spreading through malicious attachments to e-mails. Security firms have suggested that users immediately disconnect the infected device from the local network to contain the spread of infection. In Spain, major companies including telecommunications firm Telefonica have been infected. The most disruptive attacks were reported in the UK, where hospitals and clinics were forced to turn away patients after losing access to computers. Reports suggest that over two lakh systems globally could have been infected by the malicious software. advertisement Experts fear the situation could further aggravate as a number of computers in India run on the older operating systems and have not been updated yet. "The impact has been somewhat contained in India because of the weekend. However, one will have to watch the situation as people return to work tomorrow and access their computers," Kaspersky Lab Head for South Asia Region Altaf Halde told PTI. A report by the security solutions firm claims that India is among the countries worst affected by the Wanna Cry outbreak, accounting for about five per cent of the attacks. "This attack is perhaps the largest, most widespread and contiguous malware attack in history as the attackers have used a flaw in Microsoft software to infiltrate unguarded systems. It is important that users keep their systems updated and take a proactive approach to security rather than a reactive one," Pradipto Chakrabarty, Regional Director at CompTIA India said. Saket Modi, CEO and co-founder of Lucideus said, ransomware, as a mode of attack, seems to be gaining traction as it now gets 4-5 requests from a week from enterprises across the country for providing support from such attacks. PTI SR MBI BAL --- ENDS --- advertisement On Thursday past (May 11,2017), the CEO of the Bahamas Chamber of Commerce and Employers Confederation was lamenting that people renting their homes through Airbnb should be regulated. His concerns seem directed more to closing the home rental industry than regulating it because hotel occupancy is down. Either way, proposing closing them or regulating them, is not the purview of the Chamber of Commerce. Besides, international groups like Airbnb provide as much safety through market regulation and oversight to make the renters accountable as the Ministry of Tourism does with regulating hotels here. The suggestion that the Chamber can develop that into a more viable industry is another interesting suggestion. Where do politicians get the idea they know whats best for an industry to develop? Regulations usually get in the way of developing industries. And the Chamber should be discouraging regulation not encouraging it. The Chamber is supposed to be there to help business by seeking ways to make the ease of doing business a priority, not add to the clutter of government regulation, taxation and bureaucracy. If they want to add a registration type service for Airbnb accommodations maybe they have a role to play? Microsoft President Brad Smith said governments of the world should treat the Wanna Cry ransomware attack as a wake-up call and criticised the hoarding of software vulnerabilities by intelligence agencies like the NSA. By India Today Web Desk: Microsoft President Brad Smith slammed government "stockpiling" of software vulnerabilities in a blog post on the Wanna Cry ransomware attack that crippled tens of thousands of computer systems across the world. "The governments of the world should treat this attack as a wake-up call", Smith wrote while also noting how "cybersecurity has become a shared responsibility between tech companies and customers." advertisement The Wanna Cry cyber attack, which used exploits first developed by the National Security Agency, United States's premier signals intelligence arm, affected Microsoft's Windows products. Smith noted that the NSA exploit, which is called EternalBlue (the Microsoft president did not refer to the vulnerability by its name), was stolen and made public last month. Microsoft had released a patch for the EternalBlue exploit a month before it was made public, Smith said. "While this (the patch) protected newer Windows systems and computers that had enabled Windows Update to apply this latest update, many computers remained unpatched globally. As a result, hospitals, businesses, governments, and computers at homes were affected," he added. In the free-wheeling blog post that addresses the challenges of maintaining cybersecurity, Smith directly attack government agencies, saying, "this attack provides yet another example of why the stockpiling of vulnerabilities by governments is such a problem." He named both the NSA and the Central Intelligence Agency, another US spy agency, and said, "Repeatedly, exploits in the hands of governments have leaked into the public domain and caused widespread damage." "An equivalent scenario with conventional weapons would be the US military having some of its Tomahawk missiles stolen," Smith said, referring to how those behind the Wanna Cry attack were probably able to develop the ransomware using the NSA exploit EternalBlue. The NSA has come under criticism following the Wanna Cry attack. Cyber security expert and former NSA contractor Edward Snowden too slammed the NSA. "Low-sophistication attackers are often unable to independently develop exploits," he said adding that the NSA's actions had allowed "low-skill criminals (to) launch government-scale attacks." WANNA CRY: THE LATEST The Wanna Cry cyber attack seemed to have slowed over the weekend, especially after a techie accidentally discovered a kill switch to halt the malware's spread. A cybersecurity expert from Proofpoint Inc, however, told Associated Press that new variations of the ransomware were already in circulation and that millions of devices could potentially be vulnerable if they had not applied the required security patches. Europol, the European Union's law enforcement arm, said that more than 200,000 systems in 150 countries were affected, Reuters reported. This number is expected to go up with the start of business week in Asia today. Companies were largely shut on Friday night when Wanna Cry first struck, leading to fears that the true spread of the ransomware had not yet been seen. India was said to be among the countries worst affected in the attack. An initial analysis by anti-virus provider Kaspersky on Friday showed five per cent of all affected systems were in India. India officials said they had not received major reports of disruptions, but cautioned that true assessment of the ground impact would be clear only by Monday. Indian Computer Emergency Response Team (CERT-In) Director General Sanjay Bahl told news agency PTI that a list of do's and don'ts has been shared with all vital installations and networks, including banks, stock markets, airports, defence, power and public utilities. "If people have already taken action and applied the software patch (issued by Microsoft), they need not worry...If they haven't, they should apply it immediately," he said. The IT ministry also reached out to key stakeholders like RBI, National Payments Corporation of India, NIC and UIDAI (Aadhaar) to ensure digital payments in the country aren't hit. The ministry also asked CERT-In to maintain constant vigil. CERT-In has issued an alert on Wanna Cry, asking citizens and companies to upgrade to the latest Microsoft Windows patch level. Those affected by the Wanna Cry ransomware should not pay ransom and instead inform CERT-In, the advisory added. Meanwhile, reports came that computer systems belonging to the Maharashtra Police had been partially hit. "Only a small section of the computer-based data system, and not the entire system, of the Maharashtra police department has got affected. We have separated those PCs from the system and we are trying to fix it," an unnamed police officer told PTI. The police officer added that a few other institutions, where non-upgraded versions of the Windows operating system has been in use, have also been affected due to the ransomware. The officer however refrained from naming the institutions to "to avoid panic". Wanna Cry first struck on Friday, taking down computer systems at hospitals in the United Kingdom. Russia was the country worst affected, with computers at the nation's interior ministry getting targeted. Chinese media reported that the Wanna Cry ransomware attacked many university networks in China. Car manufacturers Renault and Nissan, German rail operator Deutsche Bahn, international shipper FedEx Corp and Spanish telecommunications company Telefonica were among other companies affected. Wanna Cry works by encrypting and locking up all data on a computer system. The malware then displays a message asking users to pay a ransom of up to $600 (around Rs 39,000) in Bitcoin in lieu of decrypting the data. This is believed to be by far the largest such ransomware attack in history. advertisement ALSO READ | Upgraded ransomware might hit you again tomorrow, warn cyber security experts advertisement ALSO READ | Ransomware cyber hack: Indian doctor in London warned days ago UK healthcare system would be hit advertisement ALSO WATCH | WannaCry scare: Cyber attack hits over 150 countries, cripples multi-national companies --- ENDS --- Tatum's 39 points help Celtics hold on to beat Grizzlies 109-106 By West Kentucky Star Staff May. 13, 2017 | 11:24 PM | HOPKINSVILLE, KY A Hopkinsville man has been arrested in Oklahoma on a murder charge. Hopkinsville police detectives sought a murder warrant for 23-year-old Sergio Del Angelo for his alleged involvement in the May 11 shooting death of 25-year-old Kristofer Armstrong, on Kenwood Drive in Hopkinsville. Del Angelo was arrested on Saturday in Beckham County, Oklahoma. He is currently in the custody of the Beckham County Sheriffs Department. According to police, Armstrong was on the front porch of a home along the 2700 block of Kenwood Drive just after 11 pm Thursday, when he was shot in the upper torso. Police say Armstrong was taken to the hospital and pronounced dead a short time later. By MSU Public Relations May. 14, 2017 | 03:42 PM | MURRAY, KY Murray State University's Spring 2017 Commencement ceremony was celebrated on Saturday, May 13, in the CFSB Center on the Murray campus. During the commencement program, the University awarded an honorary doctorate degree to Mr. John A. Williams, Sr., recognized the achievements of the 2017 Outstanding Students and acknowledged the 2017 Distinguished Faculty. A total of 1,629 pending degrees, inclusive of associate, baccalaureate, master/specialist and doctoral programs were conferred to May and August 2017 candidates as 28 states and 16 countries were represented. The ceremony formally began with the Presentation of Colors by the Murray State University Army ROTC Color Guard. Murray State President Dr. Robert Davies presided over the ceremony with a message for graduates and a Residential College Investiture. He and Acting Provost Dr. Renae Duncan administered the Awarding of Degrees. In addressing the graduates, Davies said, "You were taught skills that will assist you in your future careers. More importantly, you have been provided the gift of knowledge and wisdom that comes through constant effort and asking questions. Your skills will help you get your first job, but it is the gift of knowledge and wisdom that will afford you the opportunity to make a difference in the world and live a life that is fully examined, bountiful, memorable and extraordinary and make a lasting difference in the world." Mr. John A. Williams, Sr. delivered the Commencement Address and received an honorary doctorate from the University. Williams is chairman of the Computer Services, Inc. Board of Directors. Williams graduated from the University of Kentucky in 1962, earning a Bachelor of Science with majors in accounting and economics. Williams weaved together the following three words: education, opportunity and community, in challenging the Class of 2017 to continue their pursuit of excellence while making an impact in the world. The Mace Bearer was Dr. John Dressler, Murray State's Distinguished Professor and a faculty member in the department of music through the College of Humanities and Fine Arts. Outstanding Seniors Jaime Staengel and Jason Matthews led the candidates for degrees and also gave the valedictions. Staengel received a Bachelor of Science in economics and a Bachelor of Arts in German along with minors in mathematics and business administration. Matthews received a Bachelor of Science in Wildlife and Conservation Biology. They were both recipients of the Honors Medallion and graduated summa cum laude. Faculty Marshals assisting with the ceremony were Professors Susana Bloomdahl, Traci Byrd, Heath Keller, Michael Kemp, Robert Lyons, Matt Shultz and Gill Welsch. Faculty were led in by the recipients of The Regents Teaching Awards for Excellence: Mickey Miller, Rebecca Pender Baum, Andrew Black, Matthew Crider, Traci Byrd, Christopher Trzepacz and Michelle Santiago. They were joined by Presidential Research Fellow William R. Jones, Distinguished Researcher L. Murphy Smith, University Distinguished Mentor Michael Flinn, University Emerging Scholars Vladyslav Krotov and Diana Nitiham-Tunney, Faculty Advisor of the Year Beverly Fort and the recipient of the Faculty Distinguished Service Award, F. Gilland Welsch. Advertisement By The Associated Press May. 13, 2017 | LOUISVILLE, KY By The Associated Press May. 13, 2017 | 10:12 PM | LOUISVILLE, KY Ten protesters have been arrested after blocking the entrance to a Louisville abortion clinic. The Courier-Journal reports that Louisville Metro Police responded to a call Saturday morning about people loitering in front of the EMW Women's Surgical Center. The protesters were arrested for trespassing after refusing to move away. The Rev. Joseph Spurgeon of the Sovereign King Church in Sellersburg, Indiana, says the protest was held at the Louisville abortion clinic because it is the last one operating in Kentucky. The state has sought to shut down the clinic for being out of compliance with laws related to its agreements with a local hospital and ambulance service. A federal judge last month ordered the clinic to remain open until a lawsuit aimed at preventing its closure is resolved. RIBBON CUTTING THIS WEDNESDAY FOR SAMTEC AT BRCC WILL TRAIN WORKERS FOR GF LINAMAR NOW UNDER CONSTRUCTION IN FERNCLIFF INDUSTRIAL PARK IN MILLS RIVER WELL OVER 300 MANUFACTURING JOBS TO BE CREATED MAY BEGIN OPERATION AS SOON AS THIS SUMMER Blue Ridge Community College to Host Ribbon Cutting Ceremony for Southeastern Advanced Molding Technology Education Center (SAMTEC) on Wednesday, May 24 Blue Ridge Community College (BRCC) will host a ribbon cutting ceremony to celebrate the opening of its new Southeastern Advanced Molding Technology Education Center (SAMTEC) on Wednesday, May 24 at 9 a.m. The ribbon cutting ceremony is free and open to the public to attend. Carlos Vasto, general manager at GF Linamar LLC, Michael Edney, Chairman of Henderson County Commissioners, Dr. Molly Parkhill, president of BRCC, and WIll Buie, board chair of Henderson County Partnership for Economic Development, will give remarks at the ceremony. Demonstrations of the SAMTEC equipment will be given after the program. SAMTEC is located in the Advanced Technology Building, where it will use the expertise of instructors from several of BRCC advanced technology programs, including mechatronics, computer integrated machining, welding, and engineering technology. Two BRCC instructors traveled to Austria and Switzerland to receive training on equipment set-up, maintenance, and operation. SAMTEC will provide training to GF Linamar employees, as well as molding and die cast training for companies locally and across the nation. Long range plans include the development of a full associate degree program in Molding Technology. We are pleased to announce the grand opening of our new SAMTEC facility, which will provide essential job training for hundreds of students, said Dr. Molly Parkhill, president of BRCC. This new, state-of-the-art facility would not have been possible without the generous support of Georg Fischer, Linamar, the Golden Leaf Foundation, the NCCCS Customized Training Program and Henderson County. Fueled by a joint venture between Swiss Company, Georg Fischer (GF) and Canadian Company, Linamar, the SAMTEC job training initiative is specifically designed to meet the training needs of GF Linamars new high-pressure die cast facility. GF Linamars facility will specialize in high-pressure die casting to produce light-weight aluminum and magnesium parts for power train driveline and structural components. This venture will add 350 jobs to the region with an average annual salary estimated at $47,013. Funding for the equipment and retrofit of the Advanced Technologies Building to accommodate the Center was provided by a $550,000 Economic Catalyst grant from the Golden LEAF Foundation and an $80,000 award from the North Carolina Community College System Customized Training Program to purchase equipment. For die cast training, GF Linamar and its equipment suppliers have donated the majority of the necessary equipment or provided equipment at a low cost, including a new die cast cell. County funds provided a retrofit of the space. The equipment in SAMTEC is valued at more than $2 million. Currently, the southeast region of the United States is home to 25 die cast manufacturers and a wide variety of manufacturers using plastic molding processes. SAMTEC provides quality workforce training in high-pressure die cast of aluminum parts as well as training in the production of plastic molding processes. SAMTEC will also support the training needs of other area companies with plastic molding processes. These companies include Elkamet Inc., B.I.G. Adventures, Continental Automotive Systems, Meritor Inc., Raumedic and Lassonde Pappas. Nara Lokesh launched innovative ideas to solve long pending problems in rural areas including drinking water problem by using various social media platforms and SMS alert systems. By Ashish Pandey: A villager, Ramana, from Patapadu village of Kanigiri mandal in Prakasam district is overwhelmed with joy when the decades old drinking water problem in his village was solved in no time when he tweeted about the problem and pictures tagging Minister for Panchayat Raj Nara Lokesh. Immediately after noticing the complaint, the minister directed the officials to solve water problem, and now the villagers are getting regular water supply. advertisement It is not a lone case of Ramana, thousands of villagers from across the state are tagging the young minister for help. Minister for Panchayat Raj, Rural Development and Information Technology Nara Lokesh, who is also the son of Chief Minister Nara Chandrababu Naidu, launched innovative ideas to solve long pending problems in rural areas including drinking water problem by using various social media platforms and SMS alert systems. As per his ministry, Lokesh received one thousand complaints so far on drinking water problems from villages through Twitter and Facebook, and so far 300 complaints have been solved, 400 complaints settlement is in progress, and for other 300 complaints necessary approvals have been sought from other departments. The minister noticed 707 complaints on drinking water through print media and solved 453 cases, and work on another 254 cases are under progress. Eleven complaints received through electronic media and 9 complaints were solved. Coming to call centres, 2576 complaints received and 1067 cases solved. Work has been started to solve 791 complaints. When the minister collected the views of people on drinking water supply through IVRS 77 per cent people expressed satisfaction and 23 per cent people complained of delay in solving the problem. In addition to this, the ministry headed by Lokesh is also taking into consideration the reports on drinking water problem published in various newspapers and conducting review meeting with officials. Also read: Naidu's rain dance Water level dips in major reservoirs --- ENDS --- By Press Trust of India: From Shirish B Pradhan Kathmandu, May 14 (PTI) Millions of Nepalese today voted in the countrys first local-level polls in two decades as the Himalayan nation took a crucial step towards cementing democracy amid political turmoil. Authorities recorded a 71 per cent voter turnout with sporadic election-related violence reported and one person killed in police firing in Dolakha district, 120 km east of Kathmandu. advertisement The Election Commission has postponed polling in three centres -- one each in Kavre, Kalikot and Dolakha districts. Date for fresh voting will be announced shortly, officials said. "First phase of local poll passes peacefully with estimated 71 per cent turnout," the Election Commission said in a statement. The voting began at 7 AM in almost all the 18,438 polling centres and concluded at 5 PM. Chief Election Commissioner Ayodhee Prasad Yadav thanked the voters for the overwhelming participation in the local- level elections. He said voting was conducted in a free and fair manner. "The first phase of local polls have concluded in a peaceful manner," Yadav said. Ballot boxes from remote locations are being airlifted to the respective headquarters in some districts, he said. Vote counting in Kathmandu and Lalitpur municipalities are expected to begin tonight while counting in other parts of the countries are likely to begin tomorrow morning. Though the voting process was by-and-large peaceful, some instances of violence reported from a few polling stations. The first phase of the local elections took place peacefully at 281 local units out of 283 in province 3, 4 and 6, said the EC. Out of the 283 local bodies where first phase of elections were scheduled, voting was held in 281 bodies as candidates were elected unopposed in two units, it said. Two rural municipalities, one each in Manang and Dolpa districts, unanimously elected their representatives without voting. According to an EC spokesperson, authorities have registered a record 71 per cent voter turnout. Altogether 4.9 million voters were eligible to exercise their franchise in the first phase of elections. Nearly 50,000 candidates were vying for the position of mayor, deputy mayor, ward chairman and ward member in 281 municipalities. Batuli Lamichhane, 115, was the oldest person to cast his vote. He voted at the polling centre at Matra village in Nuwakot district, 75 km west of Kathmandu, the EC said. advertisement Tulasi Kumari Khatri, 104, also cast her vote in Dupcheshwor village of the same district. Nanda Bahadur Poudel, a 105-year-old citizen from Gorkha Municipality was the second oldest person to exercise his franchise. The second round of polls in provinces 1, 2, 5 and 7 will be held on June 14. The absence of elected representatives in the local bodies for more than 15 years obstructed development in the villages and towns across the country, including the capital city Kathmandu. Local-level elections could not be held after 1997 largely as a result of the decade-long Maoist insurgency that claimed more than 16,000 lives in Nepal. The elections should be held in every five years but due to the political instability, they were halted since May 1997. Local bodies remained ignored during the long transitional period even after the signing of a peace deal between the government and the Maoists in November 2006. Prime Minister Prachanda has appealed to the voters to use their sovereign voting rights by casting votes. "I urge all the electors to participate in this historic local-level election and use their sovereign voting rights. In a democracy, people can exercise their sovereign rights through election," he said in a statement. advertisement "On the one hand, the local polls have stood as a linkage to direct Nepals peace process to a logical conclusion, while on the other, it can be looked upon as a milestone to end the unitary and centralised governing system and establish federal governance," Prachanda said. This election will open door for meting out the rights and resources centralised at Singha Durbar (central government secretariat) to peoples doorstep, the prime minister said. Nepal has been witnessing political instability. Although major Madhesi group -- the Rastriya Janata Party Nepal -- has decided to boycott the first phase of polls, two other Madhesi parties -- Federal Socialist Party and Madhesi Peoples Forum Democratic -- are participating in the polls. Some Madhes-centric parties have opposed the elections until the new Constitution is amended to accommodate their views: more representation in the Parliament and redrawing of provincial boundaries. The Nepal government has tabled a new Constitution amendment bill in the Parliament to address the demands of the agitating Madhesis. Madhesis, mostly of Indian-origin, launched a prolonged agitation between September 2015 and February last year against the implementation of the new Constitution which they felt marginalised the Terai community. PTI ZH/SBP UZM CPS ASK CPS --- ENDS --- advertisement Hey there, time traveller! This article was published 14/05/2017 (2005 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current. If you want to know how dedicated employees of the Winnipeg Free Press are to bringing the newspaper to you in its printed and digital forms, look no further than an agreement reached between the company and the union representing its workers. Employees represented by Unifor have agreed to take an eight per cent wage cut if the companys financial position changes and it cannot pay all of its bills. The company has agreed not to lay off anyone during the two-year deal. Both are remarkable commitments. Its rare for a union to offer any possibility of a pay cut. Its almost unheard of these days for a news media company to commit to no layoffs. DAVID LIPNOWSKI / WINNIPEG FREE PRESS FILES Workers at the Winnipeg Free Press agreed to a deal that would see them take a wage cut if the company's financial position changes and it can't pay all of its bills. Why did we do it? We did it because Free Press ownership, management and Unifor recognized there had to be a better way in an industry beset by declining revenues and struggling to reinvent itself. We share the same goal to preserve the role the paper has played since 1872 of informing Winnipeg and Manitoba about itself. But too often, players in the newspaper industry are at odds instead of united. Owners respond to revenue drops by laying off employees. Staff attack their own employers, saying they are cutting the content that makes people read in the first place. Last fall, management at the Free Press got together with representatives of Unifor to explore what could be done. We laid out all the financial information that we have, and what we see ahead choppy waters, to be sure. To be clear, the Free Press has always operated in the black, and we continue to do so. We report on our results publicly each quarter. We have recorded net losses, though those are the result of writedowns in the value of the company, not operational losses. We have been changing the business, moving to digital platforms and altering the printed paper as well. But it is hard to move fast enough. Digital revenues dont replace what has disappeared from print. And wed have a lot of angry readers if we suddenly stopped delivering a printed paper, which one major Canadian newspaper has already done. Workers are concerned about their future. All the uncertainty is not good for morale. In the end, we came up with a true made in Manitoba approach to helping the newspaper industry. Employees have agreed to take a pay cut if the company, in a 12-month period, has not earned at least $800,000 more than needed to pay all its bills, including required debt payments, pension obligations and any other cash outlays. The pay cut includes me, by the way, and all other managers and staff at our group of six Canstar community newspapers in Winnipeg. The reduction would not apply to anyone earning less than $15 an hour about $30,000 a year. The company will issue no involuntary layoff notices during the agreement, which ends June 30, 2019. No dividends will be issued if staff take a pay cut. (None has been issued since 2015.) Unifor will appoint a union representative to the companys board of directors. And there will be a permanent committee of union and company representatives to meet monthly to discuss ways to cope and improve the business, whatever comes our way. I know of no other newspaper company in Canada that has taken this kind of approach. Its a brave step some might say foolish. But weve done it because we need a united approach to ensuring the Winnipeg Free Press continues to serve Winnipeg and Manitoba as it has for 145 years. bob.cox@freepress.mb.ca Hey there, time traveller! This article was published 14/05/2017 (2005 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current. When Lori McFarland sits down with her family to celebrate Mothers Day this weekend, there is one person she knows wont be there. But the family will make sure there is a special place at the table for Amber. Its a way for us to acknowledge her and let her know we are thinking about her not only her absence but also her presence, said McFarland, 58. JOHN WOODS / WINNIPEG FREE PRESS Amber McFarland's family, sister Ashley (from left), mother Lori, father Scott, nephew Christian and sister Lisa. She was 24 when she went missing in October 2008. The sadness is an underlying current in any happy occasion Lori McFarland on her missing daughter, Amber Sunday marks the ninth Mothers Day the Portage la Prairie resident will spend without her daughter Amber McFarland, who went missing in 2008. As they always do on important dates and holidays, her family will set a place for her. Mothers Day can be bittersweet, she said. While I am happy to spend the day with my two daughters and am proud of the women they have become, I remain deeply saddened by the loss of Amber, as would any mother who has lost a child. To mothers, they are our children at any age. The sadness is an underlying current in any happy occasion. Amber McFarlands family including her father, Scott, her identical twin sister, Ashley, her younger sister, Lisa, and her nephew, Christian have not seen or heard from her since October 2008. She was 24 when she went missing. SUPPLIED 'Amber was beautiful inside and out. Amber was loving, and she was loved,' her mother, Lori McFarland, says. Her mother was told in a phone call on the morning of Saturday, Oct. 18, 2008 that she had not shown up for her morning shift at Marks Work Wearhouse in Portage la Prairie. One day after that phone call, Lori McFarland received a second call saying her daughter had not showed up for work for a second straight day. The second call we received the following morning, when they said that Amber again did not show up to open the store, was a turning point, she said. This is the moment that I knew something was terribly wrong. Our lives have never been the same after receiving that phone call. JOHN WOODS / WINNIPEG FREE PRESS A woman enters the Cat & Fiddle Nite Club. Amber McFarland was at the Portage la Prairie bar the morning she went missing. Amber McFarland was last seen by friends at the Cat & Fiddle Nite Club in the Midtown Motor Inn at 177 Saskatchewan Ave. W. in Portage la Prairie at around 1 a.m. on Oct. 18. Her friends have said she was seen at the nightclub with her ex-boyfriend, Kelly Garrioch. Security footage shows her with Garrioch and another man, later identified as Graham Saxon, in the Midtowns beer vendor. Garrioch, who was 38 at the time, later admitted he was with his ex-girlfriend early that morning despite a court order prohibiting him from being around her, stemming from an alleged assault in May 2008. Garrioch has always said he had nothing to do with Amber McFarlands disappearance and doesnt know what ultimately happened to her that morning. A Winnipeg Free Press article from June 2009 states when a friend and relative of Amber McFarlands called Garrioch after she went missing, he told them she had come to his Portage la Prairie home on Yellowquill Trail on the morning of Oct. 18, 2008. He told them she later called an unknown person and left his home, the friend said. Garrioch said he has not seen or heard from Amber since. Saxon, the other man in the footage from the beer vendor, told the Free Press in 2009 that after the group left the hotel, he dropped McFarland off with Garrioch at Garriochs home. Her vehicle was found the morning she went missing at the Canad Inns Destination Centre at 2401 Saskatchewan Ave. W., where she had left it the previous day before going out for the evening. Garrioch did not respond to a request for comment for this article. Amber McFarland was recorded by a security camera at the Midtown Motor Inn before she went missing. Years after her disappearance, which RCMP confirmed was being investigated as a homicide in 2009, Lori McFarland and her family still search for answers about what really happened to her daughter that October morning. We will always seek the truth, Lori said. We believe there are people that know details that could help us find justice for Amber. We implore those people to please come forward with information. We want the investigation to continue. We want justice for Amber. On Wednesday, Manitoba RCMP announced its historical case unit had arrested a woman in connection with the 2007 killing of another Portage la Prairie woman, 46-year-old grandmother Charlene Ward. The night before she was found slain, Ward had been at the Cat & Fiddle. On Thursday, RCMP said the 30-year-old woman arrested had been released without being charged. Sgt. Dan Barnabe of the historical case unit said the investigation into Ambers disappearance is an open and active investigation. Obviously, the evidence pointed us in that direction, and thats why we came out and said it was a homicide despite the fact the remains have never been recovered, Barnabe said. JOE BRYKSA / WINNIPEG FREE PRESS FILES Scott McFarland (left) and volunteers drain the Portage Spillway looking for clues in late October 2008. Barnabe confirmed two searches took place at Garriochs former home in Portage la Prairie, the first happening in the fall of 2008. Barnabe said the investigation led them back to the house for a second search in June 2009 after new owners had moved in. Its just the way the investigation progressed, he said. Something piqued the interest of investigators at the time and required them to go back and do a second search. In the 2009 search, officers from the forensics identification and major crimes units reportedly dug up parts of the property. Ive done nothing, Garrioch told the Free Press at the time of the second search, adding his life had been horrid since his ex-girlfriends disappearance. Barnabe confirmed Garrioch and Saxon were arrested in 2009 and brought in for questioning. Both were released without being charged. Saxon told the Free Press that fall he later passed a lie-detector test at RCMPs Manitoba headquarters in Winnipeg. Barnabe said RCMP want anyone with information on the case to come forward. This is still an active investigation, and we are making a plea for any information to be brought to us, Barnabe said. Sometimes people know something but just think the cops must know about that, but (they) should never take for granted that just because they know something that we know it. We will take any and all information that anyone has. A tip line has been set up for the case, and anyone with information about Amber McFarlands disappearance is asked to call 204-984-6447 or Manitoba Crime Stoppers anonymously at 1-800-222-8477 (TIPS). JOE BRYKSA / WINNIPEG FREE PRESS FILES Volunteers drain the Portage Spillway in October 2008 to search for clues. Lori McFarland said unanswered questions and a need for answers often consume her thoughts. Any alone time or quiet time, my mind drifts toward all the questions and scenarios and suspects, she said. She said she has always believed she knows who is responsible for her daughters disappearance. I do believe that the truth will come out someday. I just hope it is not after we are all passed on, she said. We will not be satisfied until the person responsible for the murder of our daughter is securely behind bars. A $20,000 reward is being offered to anyone who comes forward with information that leads to the discovery of Amber McFarlands remains or a prosecution and sentencing in the case. Despite the pain, Lori McFarland said her family has tried to live as normal a life as possible, although doing so is not easy. We all try to go about our work and aspects of daily living like everyone else, but we do have an underlying current of sadness, Lori said. There are good days and bad days, but generally we put on our game face and head out for the day. This is our normal family life now, going along in life masking the sadness and the anger at the injustice each and every day. Lori McFarland said she has always tried to stay strong for her two daughters and said the loss has always been particularly hard on Ambers identical twin sister, Ashley. In the early days, Ashley would become extremely upset if someone offered their condolences or sympathy for her loss of her sister because she could not resign herself to the fact that this was really final, she said. Twins have a special bond, and Ashley has lost not only her sister, but also her best friend. This Mothers Day, Lori McFarland will remember the woman Amber was and imagine the kind of woman she would have been today. She loved fashion and style, and her dream job was to be an interior decorator, and she would have been awesome, Lori said. I wish she had the chance to go to school to follow her dream. She has a huge family that loved her. She deserves to be laid to rest surrounded by the family that loved her. Amber was beautiful inside and out. Amber was loving, and she was loved. Dave Baxter is a freelance reporter, photographer and editor who writes about Manitoba crimes for the Sunday Special. crimefilesmanitoba@gmail.com Twitter:@davebbbaxter Hey there, time traveller! This article was published 14/05/2017 (2005 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current. A pedestrian was taken to hospital after being hit by a motor vehicle in the 2100 block of Main Street this morning. Police closed two northbound lanes of Main Street following the accident that occurred at 9:49 a.m. near Seaforth Avenue. Few details were available other than a pedestrian was transported to Health Sciences Centre. Hey there, time traveller! This article was published 14/05/2017 (2005 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current. Unexplainable things happened in the Tacoma, Wash., house where infamous serial killer Ted Bundy grew up. So many things, in fact, a contractor hired to remodel the home pencilled Bible scriptures on the walls and brought in two pastors to bless the house. Im not one to believe a lot of this stuff, but this house made me a believer, said the contractor, Casey Clopton. PETER HALEY / THE NEWS TRIBUNE via THE ASSOCIATED PRESS In this April 20, 2017 photo, real estate broker James Pitts III walks up to the fully remodeled childhood home of serial murderer Ted Bundy in Tacoma, Wash. The little blue house was built in 1946, the same year Bundy was born in Vermont. The Bundy family moved into the home in 1955, records show. A cry for help appeared on a window as crew members worked in the basement, heavy furniture wedged into a wall toppled over, and doors and cabinets seemed to open themselves, he said. It all started in September, when David Truong bought the 1,400-square-foot home with plans to redo and flip it. He didnt research its history, so he didnt know the local lore or who had lived there. The little blue house was built in 1946, the same year Bundy was born in Vermont. The Bundy family moved into the home in 1955, records show. Louise Bundy was no longer living there in 1989, when her 42-year-old son was executed in Florida after being convicted of killing two sorority sisters and a 12-year-old girl. Investigators linked him to at least 30 slayings, though they believe there may have been dozens more. His killing spree started in 1974 in Washington and continued for years across 11 states. Bundy was nine years old when his family moved into the four-bedroom, 11/2-bathroom house. Neighbours recall him having a bedroom on the ground floor, though at least one record indicates his room was at the foot of the stairs in the basement. He lived there with his mother, stepfather and four siblings. I dont ever remember seeing Ted, said Hope Murry, a neighbour who grew up a few houses down and later bought her childhood home. She recalls playing with Bundys younger sisters and Louise Bundy babysitting her. Once, she went to their house but was told to stay out of Teds bedroom because he had the measles. They were a really nice family, Murry said. Bundy insisted he grew up in a wonderful home with two dedicated and loving parents. Louise Bundy was a staunch defender of her eldest son and long insisted he was innocent. Her stance softened after he made several death-row confessions. In his final interview with a psychologist just before he was executed, Bundy said his family regularly attended church and believed his violence stemmed from an obsession with pornography that fuelled dark fantasies. Some believe Bundy started killing when he was 14, and that Ann Marie Burr, an eight-year-old girl abducted from her North End home in August 1961, was his first victim. Bundy denied it in a letter to the girls mother, written after he was imprisoned in Florida and named as a suspect in Ann Maries disappearance. Louise Bundy said back then she was sure he didnt commit any crimes while living under her roof. DNA testing done in 2011 was unable to link Bundy to the missing girl. He is, however, still listed as a suspect in the case because detectives could not clear him. Despite Bundy being one of the most notorious serial killers, there is no evidence he committed any crimes in his childhood home. That doesnt stop some neighbours, and now the contractors, from believing theres something spooky about the house. Clopton, the contractor, first visited the house after he was hired in October. He took along his 11-year-old daughter, who sometimes goes with him and takes dictated notes from her dad about the work that needs to be done. My daughter started crying, Copton said. She said she felt weird. She didnt like it there. She refused to be alone in the house and was so uncomfortable they quickly left. Clopton returned the next week with a demolition crew. One crew member echoed the sentiment the house didnt feel right. Then things started happening, Clopton said things he kept dismissing as pranks among the crew. There was the time they re-entered the house which had been locked and every door, every cabinet drawer was open, he said. Or the time the workers were cleaning up the flooded basement and spotted the words Help me written on the glass, Clopton said. A screwed-on screen protector would have made it difficult for someone outside to write it, he said. The contractor said a heavy dresser inset in the upstairs hallway wall somehow pulled itself out and landed face-down on the floor while the crew was downstairs. Workers said it takes at least one strong man to pull it out and there was no way it could have fallen on its own. Periodically, throughout the course of the job, we had weird things keep happening, Clopton said. Cellphones and other electronics occasionally would get unplugged and immediately die, he said, and the word Leave was found written in sheetrock dust on a bedroom floor with no footprints around it. Clopton eventually chatted with some of the neighbours about the odd occurrences, asking if there had been a rash of neighbourhood break-ins. Thats when he learned Bundy once lived in the house. Clopton passed the information along to Truong and James Pitts III, the real estate broker. Pitts said he was shocked but excited by the discovery because he has an interest in true crime. It was really eerie but really neat, he said. We made sure to keep quiet initially because we werent sure how people would react to knowing a serial killer lived there. Although a handful of potential buyers asked Pitts about Bundy once calling the house home, he said the people who recently bought the house did not. Its unclear whether the new owners are aware. They could not be reached for comment. After Clopton found out the houses connection to a serial killer, he decided it was time to seek help. So he called a Puyallup pastor and asked him to bless the house. Two pastors came out and went from room to room, reading scriptures and saying blessings. They encouraged the crew to continue playing Christian music while they worked. They also suggested writing Bible verses on the walls, which the workers did. The pencilled writing can no longer be seen beneath the fresh paint, but Clopton said he hopes they will continue to offer protection. Everything in that house fought us, and I was kind of weird about it, he said. But I go to church, and I have God with me. The house was completely redone with new paint, a bright yellow front door and renovated floors and ceilings. But the history remains. News Tribune (Tacoma, Wash.) Bouncing houses, tractors, booths downtown Winona was filled with energy and enthusiasm on Saturday morning. With temperatures reaching almost 80 degrees around noon, Touch-A-Truck offered engaging activities for kids all ages. All of the trucks showcased something different, and kids had a chance to explore the vehicles while learning what they are used for every day. One truck provided colorful balloons for children to wrap around their wrists and others allowed them to explore the equipment while posing for photos with their families. Community Engagement Coordinator Nicole Schossow said the downtown Winona Main Street program, Live Well and Winona Health have been hosting the event for a few years. Last year, the cold weather prevented some families from joining the event, but this year Schossow said she expected thousands of people to walk downtown with their kids. Winona Health and Live Well also worked together with Play Streets, an event to bring families out in the community, encourage them to bike or walk to reach the activities downtown and promote a healthy lifestyle. Schossow said she hopes families will interact with local businesses and become aware of the activities they can join in Winona right before summer begins, and at the same time, she wants kids to get a lot of experience. In addition to Winona Health, Ridgeway Community School, Bluff Country Co-op, Minnesota Conservatory for the Arts, The Playground, the YMCA and others contributed to the event by providing the bouncing houses, the tractors and other activities. By 11 a.m., groups of 10 kids had lined up by the bouncing houses, hoping to slide with their friends and have a good time. Lily Scharmach tried the velcro wall a few times until she was able to stick for a few seconds. Sticking to the wall was my favorite part, Scharmach said. Elliott Lallaman slide on one of the bouncing houses and held hands with her friend from dance class Erminia Harvey. I liked going fast, Harvey said. While some kids chose to do some physical activity, others were curious to look inside the trucks in the parking lots. A few kids were popping into the Lawrence Transportation Company truck and sat on the drivers seat, pushing the trucks horn several times with excitement. Community member Amy Engel said she had attended the event a couple times and had brought her two sons with for a fun experience. My son really likes the trucks, Engel said. One of the sponsors of the event, The Playground, provided paint and brushes at one booth and kids had a chance to paint their own vehicle on cardboard boxes, all of which were donated by local businesses. The Playground Owner Laura Slavey said the idea of using cardboard boxes came from a collaboration with other members, who thought the boxes could easily remind kids of trucks. Who doesnt like to play with boxes? Slavey said. FOX LAKEA Dixieland Jazz Festival will be held in Fox Lake Friday through Sunday. The Jazz Festival will honor Bunny Berigan who grew up in Fox Lake and is known as one of the most compelling trumpet players in history. Berigan brought unmistakable electricity to the various bands he played with including Tommy Dorsey, Paul Whiteman, and Benny Goodman. Hired as a sideman, Berigan performed on hundreds of commercial recordings including material for the Dorsey Brothers, as well as Bandleader Glenn Millers earliest recording date, playing on Solo Hop (1935). Those who knew Berigan personally had much to say. Joe Bushkin said, Look, if you could have seen him there onstage in a white suit, with his blond hair and penetrating gray eyes, holding that shiny gold trumpetwell, if that didnt knock you over when he started to play, aint nothing gonna knock you down. Irving Goodman, brother of Benny Goodman, said: Like everyone else, I was crazy about Bunny. He was with Benny for only a short period, but whenever he was present it was another story. There havent been many guys who could electrify Benny, but Bunny was certainly one of them. As a leader of his own band he was great to work for. The whole band would do anything he wanted. Berigan was born Nov. 2, 1908, in Hilbert, Wisconsin, and died on June 2, 1942, in New York City. The festival bands will include: Trumpeter Duke Heitger of New Orleans will play as a guest artist with all the bands. While not on the road, Heitger maintains a busy schedule in New Orleans, leading his own Steamboat Stompers. Bob Schulz and his Mid-West All Stars. When not playing his cornet in Wisconsin, Schulz can be found playing at many Jazz festivals around the nation. Although he lives in California, he was born and raised in Wonewoc, and served as a High School Band teacher in Reeseville and Lake Mills. The St. Louis Stompers Classic Jazz Band Led by Steve Lillley on cornet. From traditional jazz tunes to swing, the Stompers attack each with vigor and gusto. Jacks Jubilee Band Playing Bunnys Music. Jack Trowbridge has put together 11 musicians, forming a little big band that will play tunes that Bunny played. The tunes will be Dixieland and Swing that Bunny recorded. Kaye Berigan 5Tet. Kaye Berigan has been featured at all the Bunny Berigan Jazz Jubilees since 2011. Kaye is the nephew of Bunny, but he did not listen to Bunnys music as he grew up and became an accomplished artist on trumpet. Matt Miller Trio. Miller comes to the stage featuring the music of Miles Davis and Frank Sinatra plus other Jazz standards. He was the winner of the Bunny Berigan Scholarship in 1988 and this year he is one of the judges of the scholarship being presented. Dave Majcherzak will be featured for the Piano Special at 5 p.m. Dave is both a fantastic piano player and an arranger. Event highlights are: A free kickoff concert, 4 to 6 p.m. Friday at Mullins Drive In. In the event of rain, the concert will be moved to the American Legion Clubhouse. There will be a Graveside Service led by the Rev. Al Townsend at the St. Marys/Annunciation Cemetery on Saturday at 10 a.m. Mike Zirpolo, Author of Mr. Trumpet; the trials, tribulations, and triumph of BUNNY BERIGAN will conduct educational presentations about Berigan. He plans to give three totally different one-hour presentations. There will be two programs in Fox Lake Saturday and onein Beaver Dam Sunday at 9:14 a.m. at First Evangelical Lutheran Church. Each program will include music that has previously not been heard. Chef In The Kitchen will be offered Saturday and Sunday. Anthony Madison of Milwaukee will prepare for the festival. An Exhibit Hall doubling as the presentation hall will include paintings of Bunny Berigan. At 8 p.m. Saturday there will be a mixology workshop featuring Korbel Brandy. Rippeys Triangle Jazz brings 4,000 CDs, books and DVDs to the Jazz Jubilee. Phyllis Ger is returning to the Jubilee with hand-crafted jewelry. She has a studio in New York and her father, Morty Stuhlmaker played in Bunnys Band. The Sunday morning church service will be held at First Evangelical Lutheran Church, 311 W. Mackie, Beaver Dam. The St. Louis Stompers will be the featured at 8 a.m. and 10:30 a.m. services. The church invites the public. The Bunny Berigan Jazz Jubilee scholarship will be presented at 1 p.m., Sunday. Find more details and how to order tickets at bunnyberiganjazzjubilee.com. Tickets also may be ordered by emailing julieflemming@yahoo.com or by calling 920-928-6094. Tickets will also be available at the door. By Press Trust of India: Kathmandu, May 14 (PTI) Voting began in Nepal today in its first local-level polls in two decades that are crucial for cementing democracy amid political turmoil in the country. The first phase of local elections are peacefully taking place at 281 local units out of 283 in province 3, 4 and 6, said the office Election Commission. advertisement It said as the candidates have been elected unopposed in two local units, polls are taking place in remaining local units only. Altogether 4.9 million voters are eligible to cast their votes in the first phase of elections. Nearly 50,000 candidates are vying for the position of mayor, deputy mayor, ward chairman and ward member in 281 local municipalities. The second round of polls in provinces 1, 2, 5 and 7 will be held on May 14 and June 14 respectively. The absence of elected representatives in the local bodies for more than 15 years obstructed development in the villages and towns across the country including the capital city Kathmandu. Local-level elections could not be held after 1997 largely as a result of the decade-long Maoist insurgency that claimed more than 16,000 lives. The elections should be held in every five years but due to political instability, they were halted since May 1997. Local bodies remained ignored during the long transitional period even after the peace deal signed between the government and the Maoists in November 2006. Prime Minister Prachanda yesterday appealed to the voters to use their sovereign voting rights by casting votes. "I urge all the electors to participate in this historic local-level election and use their sovereign voting rights. In a democracy, people can exercise their sovereign rights through election," Prachanda said in a statement. "On the one hand, the local polls have stood as a linkage to direct Nepals peace process to a logical conclusion, while on the other, it can be looked upon as a milestone to end the unitary and centralised governing system and establish federal governance," Prachanda said. This election will open door for meting out the rights and resources centralised at Singha Durbar (central government secretariat) to peoples doorstep, the prime minister said. Nepal has been witnessing political instability. Although major Madhesi group -- the Rastriya Janata Party Nepal -- has decided to boycott the first phase of polls, two other Madhesi parties -- Federal Socialist Party and Madhesi Peoples Forum Democratic -- are participating in the polls. advertisement Some Madhes-centric parties have opposed the elections until the Constitution is amended to accommodate their views: more representation in parliament and redrawing of provincial boundaries. The Nepal government has tabled a new Constitution amendment bill in the Parliament to address the demands of the agitating Madhesi parties. Madhesis, mostly of Indian-origin, launched a prolonged agitation between September 2015 and February last year against the implementation of the new Constitution which they felt marginalised the Terai community. PTI ZH --- ENDS --- The Columbus Fall River Relay for Life Committee is going platinum June 2, as the event celebrates 20 years of fighting for a brighter tomorrow during the annual walk through Firemans Park. Community members of all ages are invited to join the fight from 5 to 10 p.m. at the Columbus Firemans Park Pavilion. Music, food, bingo, a bouncy house, carriage rides and more will be available. No registration is necessary to participate. The evening will include a survivor ceremony at 6 p.m., a group walk at 8 p.m. and a luminaria ceremony at 9:30 p.m. Proceeds from the event are donated to the American Cancer Society which uses the funds for cancer research, Hope Lodge, Road to Recovery, Look Good . . . Feel Better, Reach to Recovery and advocacy. Participants and teams also conduct fundraising efforts prior to the event. For more than 65 years, the American Cancer Society has been finding answers that save lives from changes in lifestyle to new approaches in therapies to improving cancer patients quality of life, said Erica Borowski, American Cancer Society Relay For Life of Columbus Fall River representative. No single nongovernmental, not-for-profit organization in the U.S has invested more to find the causes for cancer. Registration to attend the event is not necessary. If you would like to join an existing team or log on as an individual to fundraise prior to the event, please visit www.RelayForLife.org/columbusfallriverwi. To volunteer at the event, become a sponsor, or donate a silent auction item, call Erica at 608-662-7549. By Press Trust of India: From Shirish B Pradhan Kathmandu, May 14 (PTI) Nepalese were voting today in the first local-level polls in two decades, an election crucial for cementing democracy amid political turmoil in the country. The first phase of local elections are peacefully taking place at 281 local units out of 283 in province 3, 4 and 6, said the office Election Commission. advertisement Out of 283 local bodies where first phase elections were scheduled, the elections are being held in 281 local bodies as candidates were elected unopposed in two local units, it said. According to Election Commission spokesperson Surya Prasad Sharma, around 42 per cent of total registered voters in 34 districts have cast their votes by noon. Altogether 4.9 million voters are eligible to cast their votes in the first phase of elections. Nearly 50,000 candidates are vying for the position of mayor, deputy mayor, ward chairman and ward member in 281 local municipalities. Batuli Lamichhane, 115, is the oldest person to cast his vote. He cast his vote at the polling centre at Matra village in Nuwakot district, 75 km west of Kathmandu, according to the Election Commission. Tulasi Kumari Khatri, 104, also cast her vote in Dupcheshwor village of the same district. Nanda Bahadur Poudel, a 105-year-old citizen from Gorkha Municipality was the second oldest person to cast his vote. The second round of polls in provinces 1, 2, 5 and 7 will be held on May 14 and June 14 respectively. The absence of elected representatives in the local bodies for more than 15 years obstructed development in the villages and towns across the country, including the capital city Kathmandu. Local-level elections could not be held after 1997 largely as a result of the decade-long Maoist insurgency that claimed more than 16,000 lives. The elections should be held in every five years but due to political instability, they were halted since May 1997. Local bodies remained ignored during the long transitional period even after the peace deal signed between the government and the Maoists in November 2006. Prime Minister Prachanda yesterday appealed to the voters to use their sovereign voting rights by casting votes. "I urge all the electors to participate in this historic local-level election and use their sovereign voting rights. In a democracy, people can exercise their sovereign rights through election," Prachanda said in a statement. advertisement "On the one hand, the local polls have stood as a linkage to direct Nepals peace process to a logical conclusion, while on the other, it can be looked upon as a milestone to end the unitary and centralised governing system and establish federal governance," Prachanda said. This election will open door for meting out the rights and resources centralised at Singha Durbar (central government secretariat) to peoples doorstep, the prime minister said. Nepal has been witnessing political instability. Although major Madhesi group -- the Rastriya Janata Party Nepal -- has decided to boycott the first phase of polls, two other Madhesi parties -- Federal Socialist Party and Madhesi Peoples Forum Democratic -- are participating in the polls. Some Madhes-centric parties have opposed the elections until the Constitution is amended to accommodate their views: more representation in parliament and redrawing of provincial boundaries. The Nepal government has tabled a new Constitution amendment bill in the Parliament to address the demands of the agitating Madhesi parties. Madhesis, mostly of Indian-origin, launched a prolonged agitation between September 2015 and February last year against the implementation of the new Constitution which they felt marginalised the Terai community. PTI ZH/SBP UZM ZH --- ENDS --- advertisement ESCO Technologies Inc. produces and supplies engineered products and systems for industrial and commercial markets worldwide. It operates through Aerospace & Defense, Utility Solutions Group, and RF Shielding and Test segments. 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The RF Shielding and Test segment designs and manufactures RF test and secure communication facilities, acoustic test enclosures, RF and magnetically shielded rooms, RF measurement systems, and broadcast and recording studios; and RF absorptive materials and filters, active compensation systems, antennas, antenna masts, turntables, electric and magnetic probes, RF test cells, proprietary measurement software, and other test accessories to perform various tests. It also provides services, such as calibration for antennas and field probes, chamber certification, field surveys, customer training, and various product tests. The company distributes its products through a network of distributors, sales representatives, direct sales teams, and in-house sales personnel. The company was incorporated in 1990 and is based in St. Louis, Missouri. 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Read More By Press Trust of India: New Delhi, May 14 (PTI) The Ministry of External Affairs has said that it has not received any request so far to extradite 26/11 Mumbai attack mastermind Hafiz Saeed and 1993 Mumbai bombings accused Dawood Ibrahim from the agencies probing them. The ministry was responding to an RTI query seeking to know the action taken by the government to bring back fugitive gangster Ibrahim and Jamaat-ud-Dawah chief Saeed. advertisement "The ministry of external affairs has not received any request for extradition/deportation/return in respect of Hafiz Sayeed and Dawood Ibrahim from the investigating agency concerned in India," it said. Ibrahim is the main accused in the 1993 serial bomb blasts case in Mumbai in which around 260 people were killed, and more than 700 suffered injuries. He fled the country post the bombings and is understood to be hiding in Pakistan at present. Saeed, also the co-founder of Pakistan-based Lashkar-e- Taiba terror group, is accused of plotting the militant attack in Mumbai on November 26, 2008, in which 166 people were killed by a group of terrorists who had entered the city through a sea route. In April, Home Minister Rajnath Singh had stated that there was no doubt that Dawood was still in Pakistan. During the last 10 years, India has sent several dossiers to Pakistan in this regard, saying Ibrahim is accused in the serial bomb blasts case. In 2011, P Chidambaram, the then home minister in the UPA government had also stated that Ibrahim was based in Karachi. He had also said that India would continue to push its case to bring to justice the people who had planned the 2008 attack. India has for long been advocating an extradition treaty between SAARC countries in order to ensure quick action against those involved in terrorist activities. PTI DR KIS BSA --- ENDS --- The Travelers Companies, Inc., through its subsidiaries, provides a range of commercial and personal property, and casualty insurance products and services to businesses, government units, associations, and individuals in the United states and internationally. The company operates through three segments: Business Insurance, Bond & Specialty Insurance, and Personal Insurance. The Business Insurance segment offers workers' compensation, commercial automobile and property, general liability, commercial multi-peril, employers' liability, public and product liability, professional indemnity, marine, aviation, onshore and offshore energy, construction, terrorism, personal accident, and kidnap and ransom insurance products. This segment operates through select accounts, which serve small businesses; commercial accounts that serve mid-sized businesses; national accounts, which serve large companies; and national property and other that serve large and mid-sized customers, commercial trucking industry, and agricultural businesses, as well as markets and distributes its products through brokers, wholesale agents, and program managers. The Bond & Specialty Insurance segment provides surety, fidelity, management and professional liability, and other property and casualty coverages and related risk management services through independent agencies and brokers. The Personal Insurance segment offers property and casualty insurance covering personal risks, primarily automobile and homeowners insurance to individuals through independent agencies and brokers. The Travelers Companies, Inc. was founded in 1853 and is based in New York, New York. North Korea today tested a ballistic missile that officials in South Korea and Japan said reached an altitude higher than 2,000 km. US Ambassador to the United Nations Nikki Haley said North Korea's leader Kim Jong Un was "in a state of paranoia." Here's a map that shows the range of the missile (Reuters Photo) By Reuters: North Korea, defying calls to rein in its weapons programme, fired a ballistic missile that landed in the sea near Russia on Sunday, days after a new leader came to power in South Korea pledging to engage Pyongyang in dialogue. The US military's Pacific Command said it was assessing the type of missile that was fired but it was "not consistent with an intercontinental ballistic missile". The US threat assessment has not changed from a national security standpoint, a US official said. advertisement Japanese Defence Minister Tomomi Inada said the missile could be a new type. It flew for 30 minutes before dropping into the sea between North Korea's east coast and Japan. North Korea has consistently test-fired missiles in that direction. A US official, speaking on condition of anonymity, said the missile landed 97 km (60 miles) south of Russia's Vladivostok region. US WILL 'CONTINUE TO TIGHTEN THE SCREWS' US Ambassador to the United Nations Nikki Haley called the launch a message by Pyongyang to South Korea after the election of President Moon Jae-in, who took office on Wednesday. "You first have to get into Kim Jong Un's head - which is, he's in a state of paranoia, he's incredibly concerned about anything and everything around him," Haley told ABC's "This Week" program, referring to North Korea's leader. Haley added that the United States will "continue to tighten the screws," referring to sanctions and working with the international community to put pressure on Pyongyang. The White House mentioned Russia in its earlier statement about the launch. "With the missile impacting so close to Russian soil - in fact, closer to Russia than to Japan - the President cannot imagine that Russia is pleased," the White House said, referring to US President Donald Trump. The launch served as a call for all nations to implement stronger sanctions against North Korea, it added. The missile flew 700 km (430 miles) and reached an altitude of more than 2,000 km (1,245 miles), according to officials in South Korea and Japan, further and higher than an intermediate-range missile North Korea successfully tested in February from the same region of Kusong, northwest of its capital, Pyongyang. RUSSIA'S PUTIN, CHINA'S XI 'EXPRESS MUTUAL CONCERNS' An intercontinental ballistic missile is considered to have a range of more than 6,000 km (3,700 miles). North Korea is widely believed to be developing an intercontinental missile tipped with a nuclear weapon that is capable of reaching the United States. Trump has vowed not to let that happen. Experts said the altitude reached by the missile tested on Sunday meant it was launched at a high trajectory, which would limit the lateral distance it travelled. But if it was fired at a standard trajectory, it would have a range of at least 4,000 km (2,500 miles), experts said. advertisement Kim Dong-yub of Kyungnam University's Institute of Far Eastern Studies in Seoul said he estimated a standard trajectory would give it a range of 6,000 km (3,700 miles). "The launch may indeed represent a new missile with a long range," said Jonathan McDowell of the Harvard Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics, referring to the estimated altitude of more than 2,000 km (1,240 miles). "It is definitely concerning." Speaking in Beijing, Dmitry Peskov, Russian President Vladimir Putin's spokesman, told reporters Putin and Chinese President Xi Jinping had discussed the situation on the Korean peninsula, including the latest missile launch, and expressed "mutual concerns" about growing tensions. Putin is in Beijing for a conference on a plan for a new Silk Road. Delegations from the United States, South Korea and North Korea are also there. The launch, at 5:27 a.m. Seoul time (2027 GMT Saturday), came two weeks after North Korea fired a missile that disintegrated minutes into flight, marking its fourth consecutive failure since March. advertisement 'CLEAR VIOLATION' South Korea's new president Moon held his first National Security Council in response to the launch, which he called a "clear violation" of UN Security Council resolutions, his office said. "The president said while South Korea remains open to the possibility of dialogue with North Korea, it is only possible when the North shows a change in attitude," Yoon Young-chan, Moon's press secretary, told a briefing. Moon won Tuesday's election on a platform of a moderate approach to North Korea and has said he would be willing to go to Pyongyang under the right circumstances, arguing dialogue must be used in parallel with sanctions. China, North Korea's sole main ally which nevertheless objects to its weapons programmes, called for restraint and for no one to exacerbate tensions. "China opposes relevant launch activities by North Korea that are contrary to Security Council resolutions," China's foreign ministry said in a statement. 'GRAVE THREAT' Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe said North Korea's missile launches were a "grave threat to our country and a clear violation of UN resolutions". Ambassador Haley said the launch was not the way for North Korea to earn a meeting with Trump, who has said he would be "honoured" to meet Kim Jong Un under the right circumstances. advertisement Trump said in an interview with Reuters in April that a "major, major conflict" with North Korea was possible but he would prefer a diplomatic outcome. On Saturday, a top North Korean diplomat said Pyongyang was open to dialogue with the Trump administration under the right conditions. Bonnie Glaser, an Asia expert at the Center for Strategic and International Studies think tank in Washington, said among the responses expected from the Trump administration would be further pressure on all countries to fully implement UN Security Council sanctions resolutions against North Korea. North Korean attempted but failed to test-launch ballistic missiles four times in the past two months. It has conducted various tests since the beginning of last year at an unprecedented pace. It also conducted its fourth and fifth nuclear tests last year. ALSO READ | North Korea fires missile days after new South Korea leader pledges dialogue ALSO READ | North Korea detains another American citizen amid rising tensions, reports state media ALSO WATCH | Malaysian Police Confirm VX Nerve Agent Used to Kill Kim Jong-Nam --- ENDS --- Global Payments Inc. provides payment technology and software solutions for card, electronic, check, and digital-based payments in the Americas, Europe, and the Asia-Pacific. It operates through three segments: Merchant Solutions, Issuer Solutions, and Business and Consumer Solutions. The Merchant Solutions segment offers authorization services, settlement and funding services, customer support and help-desk functions, chargeback resolution, terminal rental, sales and deployment, payment security services, consolidated billing and statements, and on-line reporting services. This segment also provides an array of enterprise software solutions that streamline business operations of its customers in various vertical markets; and value-added services, such as point-of-sale solutions, and analytic and engagement tools, as well as payroll and human capital management services. The Issuer Solutions segment offers solutions that enable financial institutions and retailers to manage their card portfolios through a platform; and commercial payments and ePayables solutions for businesses and governments. The Business and Consumer Solutions segment provides general-purpose reloadable prepaid debit and payroll cards, demand deposit accounts, and other financial service solutions to the underbanked and other consumers, and businesses under the Netspend brand. It markets its products and services through direct sales force, trade associations, agent and enterprise software providers, referral arrangements with value-added resellers, and independent sales organizations. The company was founded in 1967 and is headquartered in Atlanta, Georgia. Valero Energy Corporation manufactures, markets, and sells transportation fuels and petrochemical products in the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, Ireland, and internationally. The company operates through three segments: Refining, Renewable Diesel, and Ethanol. It produces conventional, premium, and reformulated gasolines; gasoline meeting the specifications of the California Air Resources Board (CARB); diesel fuels, and low-sulfur and ultra-low-sulfur diesel fuels; CARB diesel; other distillates; jet fuels; blendstocks; and asphalts, petrochemicals, lubricants, and other refined petroleum products, as well as sells lube oils and natural gas liquids. As of December 31, 2021, the company owned 15 petroleum refineries with a combined throughput capacity of approximately 3.2 million barrels per day; and 12 ethanol plants with a combined ethanol production capacity of approximately 1.6 billion gallons per year. It sells its refined products through wholesale rack and bulk markets; and through approximately 7,000 outlets under the Valero, Beacon, Diamond Shamrock, Shamrock, Ultramar, and Texaco brands. The company also produces and sells ethanol, dry distiller grains, syrup, and inedible corn oil primarily to animal feed customers. In addition, it owns and operates crude oil and refined petroleum products pipelines, terminals, tanks, marine docks, truck rack bays, and other logistics assets; and owns and operates a plant that processes animal fats, used cooking oils, and inedible distillers corn oils into renewable diesel. The company was formerly known as Valero Refining and Marketing Company and changed its name to Valero Energy Corporation in August 1997. Valero Energy Corporation was founded in 1980 and is headquartered in San Antonio, Texas. Hewlett Packard Enterprise Company provides solutions that allow customers to capture, analyze, and act upon data seamlessly in the Americas, Europe, the Middle East, Africa, the Asia Pacific, and Japan. The company offers general purpose servers for multi-workload computing and workload-optimized servers; HPE ProLiant rack and tower servers; HPE BladeSystem and HPE Synergy; and solutions for secondary workloads and traditional tape, storage networking, and disk products, such as HPE Modular Storage Arrays and HPE XP. It also offers HPE Apollo and Cray products; and HPE Superdome Flex, HPE Nonstop, HPE Integrity, and HPE Edgeline products. In addition, the company provides HPE Aruba product portfolio that includes wired and wireless local area network hardware products, such as Wi-Fi access points, switches, routers, and sensors; HPE Aruba software and services comprising cloud-based management, network management, network access control, analytics and assurance, and location; and professional and support services, as well as as-a-service and consumption models for the intelligent edge portfolio of products. Further, it offers various leasing, financing, IT consumption, and utility programs and asset management services for customers to facilitate technology deployment models and the acquisition of complete IT solutions, including hardware, software, and services from Hewlett Packard Enterprise and others. Additionally, the company invests in communications and media solutions. It has a partnership with Striim, Inc. to offer high performance and mission-critical solutions with real-time analytics. It serves commercial and large enterprise groups, such as business and public sector enterprises; and through various partners comprising resellers, distribution partners, original equipment manufacturers, independent software vendors, systems integrators, and advisory firms. Hewlett Packard Enterprise Company was founded in 1939 and is headquartered in Houston, Texas. Pyongang on Monday confirmed that it had indeed carried out a test missile launch on Sunday. The missile test, North Korea said, was aimed at testing the capacity to carry a large scale heavy nuclear warhead. By Reuters: North Korea said on Monday it had successfully conducted a newly developed mid-to-long range missile test on Sunday, supervised by leader Kim Jong Un and aimed at verifying the capability to carry a "large scale heavy nuclear warhead." Kim accused the United States of "browbeating" countries that "have no nukes" and warned Washington not to misjudge the reality that its mainland is in the North's "sighting range for strike," the North's official KCNA news agency reported. advertisement The North fired a ballistic missile that landed in the sea near Russia on Sunday in a launch that Washington called a message to South Korea, days after its new president took office pledging to engage Pyongyang in dialogue. The missile was launched at the highest angle so as not to affect the security of neighbouring countries and flew 787 kilometres (490 miles) reaching an altitude of 2,111.5 kilometers (1,312 miles), KCNA said. Experts said the altitude reached by the missile tested on Sunday meant it was launched at a high trajectory, which would limit the lateral distance it travelled. But if it was fired at a standard trajectory, it would have a range of at least 4,000 km (2,500 miles), experts said. "The test-fire aimed at verifying the tactical and technological specifications of the newly developed ballistic rocket capable of carrying a large-size heavy nuclear warhead," KCNA said. WARNING TO US "If the US awkwardly attempts to provoke the DPRK, it will not escape from the biggest disaster in the history, Kim said, strongly warning the US should not to disregard or misjudge the reality that its mainland and Pacific operation region are in the DPRK's sighting range for strike and that it has all powerful means for retaliatory strike," KCNA said. DPRK is short for North Korea's formal name, the Democratic People's Republic of Korea. North Korea is believed to be developing an intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) capable of carrying a nuclear warhead and reaching the mainland United States. The US military's Pacific Command said the type of missile that was fired was "not consistent with an intercontinental ballistic missile". UNSC TO MEET OVER NORTH KOREA The United Nations Security Council is due to meet on Tuesday to discuss North Korea's latest missile launch, diplomats said on Sunday, which was requested by the United States and allies South Korea and Japan. US Ambassador to the United Nations Nikki Haley called the launch a message by Pyongyang to South Korea after the election of President Moon Jae-in, who took office on Wednesday. "You first have to get into Kim Jong Un's head -- which is, he's in a state of paranoia, he's incredibly concerned about anything and everything around him," Haley told ABC's "This Week" program, referring to North Korea's leader. advertisement The report on the missile's flight was largely consistent with South Korean and Japanese assessments on Sunday that it flew 700 km (435 miles)and reached an altitude of more than 2,000 km (1,243 miles), which is further and higher than an intermediate-range missile tested in February from the same region, northwest of Pyongyang. "North Korea's latest successful missile test represents a level of performance never before seen from a North Korean missile," Washington-based monitoring project, 38 North, said in an analysis issued on Sunday. "It appears to have not only demonstrated an intermediate-range ballistic missile (IRBM) that might enable them to reliably strike the US base at Guam, but more importantly, may represent a substantial advance to developing an intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM)," it said. ALSO READ | North Korea fires ballistic missile; Trump's UN envoy says Kim Jong Un in 'state of paranoia' ALSO READ | Donald Trump says China pressuring North Korea on missile, nuclear weapons ALSO WATCH | Malaysian Police Confirm VX Nerve Agent Used to Kill Kim Jong-Nam --- ENDS --- advertisement China News on Women Sorry, the page you requested was not found. If you're having trouble locating a destination on Womenofchina.cn, try visiting the Womenofchina Home page One Belt One Road project seems to be a survival plan for Chinese industries through which its leadership is aiming to stamp its geo-strategic authority on the globe. It is also the time for India to push its development agenda more aggressively and also beyond its national frontiers. One Belt One Road summit: A para-military soldier at venue of the Belt and Road Forum in Beijing. (Photo: Reuters) By Prabhash K Dutta: International observers may interpret India's decision to stay away from One Belt One Road summit as a step towards isolating itself from a global connectivity project. India's concerns about the violation of territorial integrity and sovereignty were far more serious even though these might not have been the only region to boycott the Belt and Road Forum in Beijing. Nearly state heads from 30 countries attended the meet today. advertisement Japan has also stayed away from the ambitious Chinese project aimed at reviving the ancient silk route - though the modern version is much more than the old one. WHAT IS OBOR? One Belt One Road is a bunch of transport projects building what could be seen as a ring road originating from the eastern part of China and ending on its coast. It originates at Xi'an in northeastern China and passes through central Asia and west Asia to Rotterdam in the Netherlands via Moscow. This is purely a land route. The other half of the ring is largely maritime transport route passing through Venice, Athens in Italy and a host of African countries to end at Fuzhou on the eastern coast of China. In the original plan, the maritime route would also pass through Colombo, Kolkata, Indonesia and Malaysia. It is said to be a USD 1 trillion project. In the opening ceremony today in Beijing, Chinese President Xi Jinping promised USD 124 for the One Belt One Road without giving a time frame. The One Belt, One Road project involves 68 countries. The China-Pakistan Economic Corridor is being flaunted as the flagship project of OBOR. WHY CHINA IS BUILDING OBOR Various reports suggest that Chinese economy is heading towards implosion under the changed economic realities of the world. China has overinvested in manufacturing sector over the past several years. Chinese products are in surplus in many sectors particularly in steel, aluminum and cement. Its industries are suffering from overcapacity. The Chinese economy is consistently slowing down for past few years. The global demand for Chinese products have shown decline in recent times. The domestic demands have also declined on account of weakening middle class. China is facing a major crisis of job loss. A CNN report suggests that since beginning of 2016, about 12 lakh workers have been laid off in China. More job cuts are likely to happen in the country. The project itself will give China the opportunity to send its workers throughout the world. China's One Belt One Road project. (Representation courtsey:@GatewayHouseIND) China's One Belt One Road project. (Representation courtsey:@GatewayHouseIND) advertisement China is facing an impending economic crisis. This has been aggravated by recent emphasis by several governments to focus on domestic production. The Narendra Modi government announced its Make In India police in 2014. Now, America First policy seems to be the guiding principle of Donald Trump administration in the US. France, Brazil and many other countries are emphasising on strengthening local industries. The British exit from the European Union has further complicated the matters for China. China needed a spurt to save its industries and find new markets for its surplus goods. WHAT CHINA AIMS AT THROUGH OBOR China is looking for a robust market for its industrial goods. The Silk Road Economic Belt and 21st Century Maritime Silk Road - unveiled in 2013 - will be built under One Belt One Road project covering areas inhabited by about 4.4 billion people. This will bring the biggest market closer to Chinese industries. This will also give China geostrategic leverage over a wide stretch of the planet. If the project turns out to be successful, China will unseat the US as the biggest super-power of the world. But, there are big challenges. Many countries included in the OBOR project have been prone to political instability and violence including terrorism. advertisement In Pakistan - which is China's all-weather friend - more than 13,000 soldiers are guarding the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor as it passes through terror hot-bed of Pakistan-occupied Kashmir and restive tribal regions of Pakistan. Many central Asian and African countries have high scale corruption and economic instability that threatens the very idea of the OBOR. HOW SHOULD INDIA DO India can take cue from Japan, which too has refused to join the project. Japan launched its own Belt and Road initiative as Partnership for Quality Infrastructure. Japan's project covers Indian-Pacific Oceanic and Eurasian regions. Japan has already invested around USD 150 million on the project. Indian can win over its neighbours including Nepal, Bangladesh, Myanmar and Sri Lanka, and excluding Pakistan with a regional Belt and Road project. It is easier for India to develop regional connectivity in South Asia. India can also actively engage with Japan's Belt and Road initiative to drive more benefits. And, the last but not the least, India must improve its domestic connectivity and provide conducive environment to its own industries so that Chinese challenge can be met. advertisement ALSO READ | China formalises CPEC as OBOR 'flagship' while Xi says will 'respect sovereignty' India skips China's Belt and Road Summit over CPEC 'sovereignty' concerns ALSO WATCH | India and China strategic dialogue begins in Beijing; foreign secretaries discuss bilateral issues --- ENDS --- The surprise firing of FBI Director James Comey, announced late Tuesday afternoon, is a sign of a deep and intensifying crisis of the Trump administration. Trumps firing of Comey smacks of desperation on the part of a White House under siege. The firing sparked widespread condemnation by Democrats and some Republicans, along with demands for the appointment of a special prosecutor or independent commission to investigate charges of collusion between the Trump campaign and the Russian government during the 2016 election campaign. Powerful sections of the US ruling elite are moving against the Trump White House, which is so steeped in corruption that any one of a series of scandals, not just the investigation into alleged Russian interference in the 2016 elections, could leave it politically crippled. There were numerous media comparisons to the Saturday Night Massacre during the Watergate scandal of 197374, when the attorney general and deputy attorney general resigned rather than carry out orders from President Richard Nixon to dismiss special Watergate prosecutor Archibald Cox. That effort to torpedo an investigation failed: ten months later, Nixon was forced to resign as president. Unlike Watergate, however, there is no democratic principle being asserted, even in a limited fashion, by the Democratic Party opponents of the Trump administration. This is a conflict within the US ruling elite and its military-intelligence apparatus, driven largely by differences over foreign policy. No significant evidence has been produced in support of the allegations of Russian interference in the 2016 US elections. The real purpose of the campaign of Russia-baiting is to push the Trump administration into a more confrontational foreign policy in Syria, Central Asia, North Africa and Eastern Europe, where US imperialism regards Moscow as its principal obstacle. Trump has attempted to satisfy these concerns with last months missile strikes against Syria and a harsher rhetorical line towards Iran and Russia, but the divisions persist, as shown in the hearing Monday before a subcommittee of the Senate Judiciary Committee. (see: Senate hearing revives Democratic campaign over alleged Trump-Russia connections) The circumstances surrounding Trumps decision to fire Comey remained murky Tuesday night, with the White House withholding further comment following the announcement of Comeys firing at 5:41 p.m. Press reports suggest that the decision had been in preparation for at least a week, and that Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein, who took office on April 26, had been commissioned to provide a rationale. The New York Times reported on its website, Senior White House and Justice Department officials had been working on building a case against Mr. Comey since at least last week, according to administration officials. Attorney General Jeff Sessions had been charged with coming up with reasons to fire him, the officials said. The argument for the firing elaborated in a three-page memorandum prepared by Rosenstein has no credibility. The memo focuses on Comeys decisions about the investigation into Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton, condemning him not for the substance of the decision that there was no crime to prosecute, but for holding a press conference to announce that decision and proceeding to attack Clintons conduct as extremely careless. The memo also criticizes Comey for the October 28 letter in which he informed Congress that the FBI was reopening the Clinton investigation, only 11 days before Election Day. Trumps expressed opinions are the direct opposite of the Rosenstein memorandum. Last July, he denounced Comeys decision not to prosecute Clinton, while lock her up became a standard chant at Trump rallies and at the Republican National Convention. Later, Trump hailed the October 28 letter as an action in which Comey showed guts. Earlier this week, Trump tweeted that Comey had been the best thing that ever happened to Hillary Clinton, and that his decision on the email server prosecution was a free pass for many bad deeds. There are further contradictions. Attorney General Jeff Sessions declared during his confirmation hearing that he would recuse himself from any actions relating to the case against Clinton, because of his own role in the Trump election campaign. Yet he has now countersigned the decision to fire Comey, supposedly because of the FBI directors actions in the Clinton investigation. Sessions also said that he would recuse himself from decisions related to the ongoing investigation into possible collaboration between the Trump campaign and alleged Russian hacking of the Democratic National Committee and Clinton campaign chairman John Podesta. The firing of Comey removes the head of the agency conducting that investigation. It is absurd to suggest that Trump fired Comey for his transgressions against Hillary Clinton, particularly when he has attacked the FBI director for going easy on her. Moreover, all the events cited in the Rosenstein memo took place before the 2016 election, while Trump reiterated his support for Comey continuing in officehe was serving a fixed ten-year term until 2023as recently as February. What has changed in the interim? On March 20, at a nationally televised House Intelligence Committee hearing, Comey confirmed for the first time that the FBI has opened an investigation into possible connections between the Trump campaign and alleged Russian interference in the 2016 elections. Since then, a series of former campaign advisers and aides has been interrogated by the FBI, each undoubtedly pressured to save their own skins at the expense of those higher up, in a chain leading inexorably to Trump himself. Most serious appears to be the attention given to Trumps former national security adviser, retired Lt. Gen. Michael Flynn, who has been publicly accused of failing to report significant income from individuals and businesses linked to Russia, and who was so close to Trump that he was actively considered as a possible running mate. The extreme sensitivity in the White House to Comeys role in the Russia investigation was indicated in the second paragraph of the official letter from Trump to Comey informing him of his dismissal. While I greatly appreciate you informing me, on three separate occasions, that I am not under investigation, I nevertheless concur with the judgment of the Department of Justice that you are not able to effectively lead the bureau, Trump wrote. The White House apparently informed only a handful of congressional leaders ahead of the firing, including Senators Lindsey Graham and Dianne Feinstein, the top Republican and Democrat on the Senate Judiciary Committee subcommittee that oversees the FBI. Graham publicly endorsed the firing, while Feinstein did not oppose it. Among other Democratic senators and congressmen, however, there was near-unanimous opposition. Senate Democratic Whip Richard Durbin of Illinois, speaking on the Senate floor, condemned the firing. Any attempt to stop or undermine this FBI investigation would raise grave constitutional issues, he said. We await clarification by the White House as soon as possible as to whether this investigation will continue and whether it will have a credible lead so that we know that itll have a just outcome. Senate Minority Leader Charles Schumer noted Trumps firing of acting attorney general Sally Yates, US Attorney Preet Bharara and now Comey, saying on Twitter, If we dont get a special prosecutor, every American will rightfully suspect that the decision to fire Comey was part of a cover-up. Even more significant were the statements from two leading Republican senators. Senator Richard Burr of North Carolina, chairman of the Intelligence Committee, which is conducting an investigation into the Russian hacking allegations, declared, I am troubled by the timing and reasoning of Jim Comeys termination. I have found Director Comey to be a public servant of the highest order. Senator John McCain, former presidential candidate and chairman of the Armed Services Committee, reiterated his support for a special investigating committee. I have long called for a special congressional committee to investigate Russias interference in the 2016 election, he said in a statement. The presidents decision to remove the FBI director only confirms the need and the urgency of such a committee. TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (WTXL) - It's that time of year where it's easy to spot grocery bags hanging from mailboxes and front doors. Mail carriers in Tallahassee picked up a lot more than letters Saturday. They're working to "Stamp Out Hunger" with the help of America's Second Harvest of the Big Bend. "We put out bags for customers on the route to put food in and we come around on the day before Mother's Day and we pick them up off the street," said local mail carrier Talbot Vanbrunt. "We take them back to our post office. Second Harvest, who is the food bank here in Tallahassee, collects all the food that we bring in and they distribute it through there food bank." "It is of course to feed the hungry there is a huge crisis in the community with the economy and everything going on," said Cynthia Mundell, Dir. of Finance, Second Harvest of the Big Bend. "We feed the people in the community for every pound of food that we receive we can provide 1.2 meals." "Of course delivering the mail were out here everyday and were apart of the communities that we deliver too but this one day it's just a little bit more that we do and the customers also do their contribute we couldn't do this without their contribution," said Vanbrunt. " Volunteers in fact these two individuals here, when you go to a mobile pantry for instance you'll see a line individuals showing up and they are very appreciative to have a meal that can fill the gap. A lot of the meals are not provided to just homeless. A lot are working individuals that just cant make ends meet this helps them fill that gap and help feed their family. It is absolutely wonderful it brings great joy to us to see everybody pitching in to help us fight hunger," said Mundell. According to America's Second Harvest, just $100 can feed 400 children and seniors in need in the Big Bend. If you missed Saturday's opportunity to give, it's never too late. Second Harvest of the Big Bend is always accepting donations at their Tallahassee location and online at fightinghunger.org. By Press Trust of India: Mumbai, May 14 (PTI)Cash may have been the most-prevalent payment mode for educational institutions traditionally, but a push for digital economy post-demonetisation is making them change too and this has prompted three young professionals to start OnFees -- an online fee platform. Having tasted big success in Mumbai region with 35 organisations including some chains of institutions,and over 70,000 students on board in a very short span ofjust about 3 months, OnFees is now looking to expand to other parts of the country and is in talks for the second round of funding. advertisement While the first round of funding came from HNIs, the startup is looking for funding from established private equity and venture capital firms in India and abroad, its Chief Marketing Officer Manisha Thakur told PTI. 30-year-old Manisha, an MBA in Marketing, is part of the trio that set up OnFees -- the other two being CEO Mayur Jain and Chief Technology Officer Viral Dedhiya. 32-year-old Mayur is CA by education and has worked with global giant PwC for abut six years, while 31-year-old Viral is an electronics engineer. Speaking about their venture, Manisha said most of the institutes have always been collecting fees mostly in cash but the governments demonetisation move last November, announced by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, made the cash collection very difficult. "We saw that as an opportunity for starting an online fee platform likeOnFees.com. Besides, this also takes care of another pertinent problem faced by the educational institutes -- irregular and untimely fee collection," she said. "We are making the entire process simpler and streamlined -- for payment of feels by the students or their parents as also for the institutions to receive the payments in a timely and hassle-free manner. "We are providing features like regular communications and notifications and are linking the existing accounting solutions of the institutions with our platform to serve the institutes better. We are in a way encouraging people to go digital," she added. MayurJain, CEO,said they are looking to expand to other parts of the country after August, and the areas to be tapped initially include Bangalore as also cities in states like Gujarat, MP and UP. "Therefore, we have decided to go for the next round of funding," he added. In the first round, OnFees raised Rs 2.5 crore of growth capital, giving it a valuation of Rs 10 crore. ?Mumbai is always a great market to test quality. Now that we have been successful inthe Mumbai and Maharashtra region, we are continuing to add more institutions to our platform and the numbers would increase substantially once we start going beyond Mumbai and therefore the valuation would also see a huge jump," Mayur said. advertisement Asked about what kind of valuations they would look at in the second round of funding, he said that we are in talks for the next round of funding and now that we have successfully overcome the teething issues, which any start-up goes through,we should be able to get a good valuation," he added. Viral Dedhiya, CTO,said OnFees is also in talks with several banks for partnerships on fee payment gateways. This will help the customers of these banks to access all the facilities that Onfees has on offer, which today the banks do not provide. Some of the banks provide just the facility offees payment which is one way communication. What OnFees does is that it keeps the students updated on all the communications from their respective institutions. As a value add, OnFees has already tied up with HDFC Groups education loan venture Credila for education loan segment to facilitate funds to students. The startup is targeting to bring on board more than 5,000 institutions and over 60 lakh students, Viral said. Giving example of what kind of positive changes OnFees has brought in for the institutes on its platform, Manisha said Niramala Niketan College in Mumbai, before they had OnFees integrated, was accepting DD or cash for fee payments. advertisement "It was inconvenient for everyone because fee payment was always an extra time taking job amongst many priorities like attending lectures, preparing for exams or other academic events for students. "The institute management started with OnFees to make it convenient for students and save their time, but in the process institutes also benefited by having digitised system at the back end. Fee collection was so seamless this time that institute could collect 70%feeswithin 2 days, and all this at no cost to the institute" she said. PTI BJ BAL JMF --- ENDS --- By Press Trust of India: Jammu, May 14 (PTI) The Pakistan Army resorted to mortar shelling and firing for the second consecutive day today along the LoC in Jammu and Kashmirs Rajouri district, which has affected over 10,000 people and displaced over 1,100 border residents. The Pakistan Army had yesterday pounded civilian areas and forward posts along the LoC in Nowshera area with mortars, killing two civilians and injuring three. advertisement Warning Pakistan of fierce retaliation to any mischief being engineered from its soil, Union minister Jitendra Singh said Indian Army is giving a befitting reply to Pakistani ceasefire violations along LoC. "Pakistani Army has resorted to indiscriminate firing of small arms, 82 mm and 120 mm mortars from 0645 hours along the Line of Control in Rajouri sector," a defence ministry spokesperson said today. "The Indian Army posts are retaliating strongly and effectively. The firing is presently on," he said. Deputy Commissioner (Rajouri) Shahid Iqbal Choudhary said fresh ceasefire violation has been reported in chitibakri area of Chingus in Rajouri today. "Heavy shelling started in Manjakote area of Rajouri at 0620 hours. More than seven villages have been affected," he said. "Fresh ceasefire violation was reported at Manjakote and Chingus areas at 0620 hours today morning. Chhotibakri village in Doongi area received more than 30 shells near habitations however no loss of life or injury was reported," he said adding, three cattle were reported dead. In Tarkudi area 14-15 shells were fired however no loss was reported. A team headed by Assistant Commissioner, Revenue Paramjeet Singh comprising a dozen officers from essential services visited and camped in various areas of Majakote. "In Niaka-Panjgrain village of Manjakote 3-4 shells were dropped in cross-border shelling. More than 40 shells landed in various areas of Manjakote where 3 houses were damaged. A team of officers headed by Assistant Commissioner, Defence visited various affected areas of Doongi-Chingus," he added. Fifty-one schools in Nowshera sector have been closed for an indefinite period while 36 in Manjakote and Doongi zones have been closed for three days. "More than 2,694 families comprised of 10,042 persons have been affected in shelling which lead to 3 deaths, 6 injured, 65 livestock dead and damage to standing crops apart from nearly 45 partially and severely damaged houses in Pakistani shelling on May 11, 13 and 14," the DC said. The district administration provided immediate relief of Rs 1 lakh each to the next of kin of the dead and financial assistance to the injured, he said. Overall, of 64 villages along LoC in Rajouri, 23 are located in Nowshera sub-division where 8 villages are badly affected and remaining 15 villages sustained minor losses, while five villages in Doongi and nine villages in Manjakote have been affected, he added. advertisement The administration has so far shifted 1,114 people of 298 families in five different relief camps established in Nowshera in wake of cross-LOC shelling, he said. "Eight villages of Nowshera have been badly affected by heavy shelling which include Khamba, Sarya, Bhawani, Kalsian, Manpur, Danaka, Khori and Ganya. More than 1,000 people have been shifted to camps in last 24 hours", he added. The DC inspected all the camps and supervised relief and evacuation process in forward areas. Cooked food, lighting, bedding, first aid, medical care, drinking water and sanitary facilities have been provided apart from opening of Anganwadi Centres and playways for children in relief camps. DC said six teams of veterinary surgeons and paravets visited forward areas where more than 50 injured animals were treated. More than 12 animals were reported dead. He has also deputed inter-departmental teams for exact assessment of losses. "Fourteen buses, seven mini-buses, 14 other vehicles were pressed into action for evacuation with forward areas evacuated through bulletproof bunkers," he said. advertisement DC said that the administration is prepared for making more relief camps functional as more than 25 buildings have been earmarked. He added that classwork of migrant students and local students will be resumed this week to ensure that education doesnt suffer. "Risking their lives officials and police evacuated over 1,100 people from affected villages and shifted them to various camps established by administration where facilities of ration, cooking, drinking water, sanitation, first aid and proper accommodation have been provided," Choudhary said. So far, three camps have been made operational and 28 others notified in wake of expected migration from affected villages, Choudhary said. "Six ambulances have been pressed into action for shifting of injured and treatment. One mobile medical unit was stationed at Nowshera and another deputed to forward areas," he added. Around 120 officers from various departments have been deployed to organise facilities at relief camps. The government had last month said that Pakistani security forces had violated the ceasefire 268 times in the last one year. The ceasefire between India and Pakistan came into force in November, 2003. Union minister Singh said "What Pakistan has been doing is known to everybody. They have held a hostile attitude not only at this time but for past 70 years. But difference now is, and people living on border are testimony to it, that the kind of retaliatory action which is being given by Indian side, was not seen for the decades together". PTI AB KUN --- ENDS --- advertisement In recent years, we have heard a lot of Iranian arrogance and Israeli concern in light of Irans ambition to become a regional power. Up until a while ago, the Islamic Republic seemed to be heading in the right direction. In the past two years, however, despite Irans huge investment and the achievements it boasted about, it has been losing fighters and influence. As much as one can talk about the future, Irans political horizon appears gloomy. Follow Ynetnews on Facebook and Twitter The Iranians hopes were driven by the power void created in the Middle East. After the Soviet state disintegrated, Russia began keeping a low profile in the Middle East and there were no signs indicating that it planned to return. The United States, under the leadership of Barack Obama, turned its back on its Arab allies and signed a nuclear agreement with Iran, which eased the economic pressure that has been increasingly suffocating the country in recent years. And while world powers minded their own business, the Islamic State (ISIS) monster appeared, causing old enemies to team up against it. As a result, Iran and its allies turned into legitimate partners in the battle against a group of murderers exporting terrorism across the world. Iranian Revolutionary Guards. Iran failed, and now its situation is deteriorating (Photo: EPA) The world powers disappearance coincided with the growing chaos in two key countries of the Fertile CrescentIraq and Syria. After the Americans destroyed the old Saddam Hussein regime and left Iraq alone, the government gates were opened to the Iraqi Shiites and the Iranians trying to pull their strings. At the same time, the Arab unrest undermined Syrian President Bashar Assads regime, and the Iranians, which have traditionally helped the Alawite regime, entered that arena as well. The chaos in Iraq and Syria, and the world powers absence, created a challenge for Iran: Would it be able to establish a new Middle Eastern order, which would serve its interests and reflect its ambitions and the evaluation of its power and its networks of influence? The answer, in short, is no. Iran failed, and now its situation is deteriorating. Putin and Trump. A Russian-American compromise in Syria will either reduce Assads power or destroy him, along with the power of his Iranian patrons (Photo: AP) The first point of failure was apparent in Iraq. About two years ago, after Haider al-Abadi rose to power, he began working to restrain Irans influence and reinforce the presence of its enemythe US. One of the opposition leaders, Muqtada al-Sadr, who had used to do whatever Iran said, began speaking ill of Tehran too. These two Shiite politicians are refusing to serve Irans interests, and as a result of their growing power, the Iranian influence system seems to have suffered a serious blow. Influential Shiite leader in Iraq, Muqtada al-Sadr. Refusing to serve Irans interests In Syria, the situation is even worse. About a year and a half ago, the Russians returned to the Middle East at Syria's invitation. Over time, it became clear to experts on Middle Eastern politics that the Russians were here to stay. Entering Syria was a critical step in Russian President Vladimir Putins broad plan to restore his countrys status as a world power. In order to establish its power in the Middle East, however, Russia must maintain good diplomatic relations with a variety of forces: Turkey, Egypt, Saudi Arabia, Israel and others. Furthermore, it must maintain channels of dialogue and decide on areas of influence with the US. In other words, it must a compromise in Syria which will reduce Assads power or destroy him, along with the power of his Iranian patrons. The importance of creating the new order in Syria will likely become clear soon, once ISI is destroyed and we will be able to talk about the new political order in the Middle East. Iranian spiritual leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. Trumps political U-turn will narrow the Iranians leeway even more (Photo: Reuters) Another complication in the Iranian expansion plan is Americas possible return to its old rolethe Arabs ally and a determined enemy of Iran. US President Donald Trumps political U-turn will narrow the Iranians leeway even more. ISIS, which imposed chaos on the region in the past, is expected to grow weaker. Along with the world powers return to the Middle Easts power struggles, this brings us pretty close to the old politics of the Middle East. In this balance of powers, Iran has many enemiesincluding Shiitesand few partners. Moreover, the world powers will clip Irans wings without flinching. It seems, therefore, that if these trends continue, the years of expansion of Iranian influence in the Middle East are coming to an end. SEOUL -- South Korea's national security chief, Kim Kwan-jin, spoke to U.S. National Security Adviser H.R. McMaster on Sunday following North Korea's latest missile test, South Korea's presidential office said. They agreed to strengthen cooperation to denuclearise North Korea, it said. Ultra-Orthodox extremists in Jerusalem's Mea Shearim neighborhood burnt effigies of Haredi IDF soldiers during Lag B'Omer celebratory bonfires on Saturday night as part of their protest against the Conscription Law. Follow Ynetnews on Facebook and Twitter In addition to the effigies, agitators also burned Israeli flags in a renewed effort to demonstrate their opposition to the state. The effigies and the flags are the latest example of an annual custom in which ultra-Orthodox communities burn contemporary "enemies" of the community. Past recipients of the dubious honor include Yesh Atid leader Yair Lapid and former Knesset member Yossi Sarid. Extremists burn effigies of Haredi soldiers (: ) X This is not the first incident of violent behavior involving effigies of Haredi IDF soldiers. Several months ago, several dolls dressed as Haredi IDF soldiers were hanged throughout Mea Shearim. Ultra-Orthodox "Jerusalem Faction" members burning the Israeli flag in protest of the Conscription Law Police forces who came to remove the effigies were subject to stone throwing and verbal abuse by locals. The group thought to be behind the majority of inciting incidentsincluding mass protests and disruptions of trafficis an extremist, ultra-Orthodox sect from Lithuania, referred to as the "Jerusalem Faction" and led by Rabbi Shmuel Auerbach. In his opening remarks at the weekly cabinet meeting, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu decried the "reprehensible" burnings, but noted that the culprits represented a tiny minority fringe group. "Last night, there was a reprehensible incident in Jerusalem. An extremist and truly marginal faction of ultra-orthodox society, a faction identified with Neturei Karta, burned effigies of IDF soldiers in uniform along with Israeli flags, in order to offend ultra-orthodox soldiers," Netanyahu said. "This was deplorable. IDF soldiers guard everyone, including the ultra-orthodox, including these people. I expect, request and demand that all public leaders condemn this despicable act and I also request that the police find those responsible." In addition to Prime Minister Netanyahu, a host of public leaders spoke out harshly against the incident. Minister of the Interior, Aryeh Deri, said the act was "indecent and outrageous," while calling on the police to "immediately arrest the perpetrators." Haredi IDF effigies being set ablaze (Photo: Chaim Goldberg) MK David Azulai, Minister of Religious Services, said, "Burning a doll dressed as a soldier is blasphemous, grave act that harms the public and soldiers. This is not the way of the Torah. I condemn these actions and call upon the Israel Police to bring justice to the irresponsible and outlandish minority who did this." Minister of Defense Avigdor Lieberman joined the chorus as well, saying, "The burning of IDF soldier effigies is a shameful and severe event that requires resolute and uncompromising police action and a clear condemnation by the leaders of the ultra-Orthodox community." Yesh Atid Chairman Yair Lapid issued a response on his Facebook page, saying, "Is Israel still a country of law or have we abandoned this? Because it isn't a problem to find those responsible, there isn't a problem with arresting them and there isn't a problem in handing out indictments. This governmentwhich speaks out against peep made by a minor journalist in Australiacannot continue to stay silent in the face of such madness." Lapid went on to write, "This isn't a struggle between the Haredim and the secularthe majority of Haredim are disgusted and shocked by these acts of insanity like all Israeli citizens. We need to investigate, arrest and punish." (Translated and edited by Fred Goldberg) Education Minister Naftali Bennett (Bayit Yehudi) warned Saturday night that Israels failure to revise its policies regarding the peace process with the Palestinians could result in outside nations determining its fate. Follow Ynetnews on Facebook and Twitter We cannot continue to pursue a bunker policy, said Bennett, whose party expounds a platform rejecting any notion of a two-state solution. Israel must initiate its own vision otherwise, as it appears once again, its fate will be decided by others. The comments were made in reference to President Donald Trumps upcoming visit to Israel in May Naftali Bennett and Benjamin Netanyahu (Photo: EPA) On Friday, Trumps National Security Advisor Herbert Raymond McMaster said during a press conference that the president intends to express his desire for dignity and self-determination for the Palestinians. Bennett called on Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to renege on his 2009 Bar Illan speech during which he endorsed the concept of a two-state solution, ostensibly under pressure from the Obama administration. The Bar Illan speech was from the Obama era. The speech and agreement to establish a Palestinian state brought boycotts on us, terror and a serious demographic threat and now is the time to announce its annulment, Bennett declared. Two paths stand before us. We can continue the Bar Illan policy and establish a second Palestinian state, in addition to the one in Gaza, he continued. This messianic formula failed and led to bloodshed, political deterioration and to a demographic disaster. Alternatively, the State of Israel can outline its own vision for the future of the region: regional economic development based on initiative, preventing a second Palestinian state to the one in Gaza. Bennett went on to reiterate his call for imposing Israeli sovereignty over Israeli-populated areas in the West Bank, as well as stabilizing the Gaza Strip, strengthening the State of Israels security, intelligence and economic capacity in the region. The time has come to take the initiative. Our future is in our hands, he insisted. The Likud party responded to Bennetts statements, accusing him of damaging the right-wing camp. Bennett's remarks are an example of self-flagellation this time from the right. The boycotts against Israel stem from a fundamental opposition to the Jewish state and not from anything else, the statement read. Prime Minister Netanyahu is the one who has fought for acceptance of the Jewish state in the world as we hear from President Trump. Prime Minister Netanyahu is also leading the Nationality Bill. One who sends Jewish students to prostrates themselves in mosques, who appoints a radical leftist woman to head civics studies (at the Education Ministry) and doesn't lift a finger to stop the incitement in east Jerusalem schools, should not preach us, the statement continued. One who is unable to withstand leftist pressure he faces in the Education Ministry which he heads, should not preach to Prime Minister Netanyahu, who stands firm and determined against international pressure, more than any other prime minister in the last decades. Self-flagellating policies on the right never achieved a things apart from the overhaul of a right-wing government for a left-wing one. North Korea fired a ballistic missile on Sunday in defiance of calls to rein in its weapons program, South Korean and US officials said just days after a new leader took office in the South, pledging to engage it in dialogue. Follow Ynetnews on Facebook and Twitter The US Pacific Command said it was assessing the type of missile but it was "not consistent with an intercontinental ballistic missile." Japanese Defense Minister Tomomi Inada said the missile could be of a new type. Photo: EPA The missile flew 700km and reached an altitude of more than 2,000km, according to officials in South Korea and Japan, further and higher than an intermediate-range missile North Korea successfully tested in February from the same region of Kusong, northwest of its capital, Pyongyang. North Korea is widely believed to be developing an intercontinental missile tipped with a nuclear weapon that is capable of reaching the United States. US President Donald Trump has vowed not to let that happen. Experts said Sunday's test showed a considerably longer range than missiles North Korea had previously tested, meaning it had likely made improvements since its February test. The reported altitude would indicate the missile was launched at a high trajectory. David Wright, co-director of the UCS Global Security Program and a missile expert, said if the missile had been fired at a standard trajectory, it would have had a maximum range of about 4,500km. North Korean ballistic missile launch () X Kim Dong-yub, Kyungnam University's Institute of Far Eastern Studies in Seoul, said he estimated a standard trajectory firing would give it a range of 6,000km, meaning it would be capable of reaching Hawaii. An intercontinental ballistic missile is considered to have a range of more than 6,000km. Japan said the missile flew for 30 minutes before dropping into the sea between North Korea's east coast and Japan. The North has consistently test-fired missiles in that direction. "If that report ... is correct, then the launch may indeed represent a new missile with a long range," said Jonathan McDowell of the Harvard Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics, referring the estimated altitude of more than 2,000 km. "It is definitely concerning," McDowell said. 'Clear Violation' In Washington, the White House said Trump "cannot imagine Russia is pleased" with the test as the missile landed closer to Russia than to Japan. "With the missile impacting so close to Russian soil in fact, closer to Russia than to Japan, the President cannot imagine that Russia is pleased," it said. Photo: AP The launch served as a call for all nations to implement stronger sanctions against North Korea, it added. The launch, at 5:27am Seoul time (2027 GMT Saturday), came two weeks after North Korea fired a missile that disintegrated minutes into flight, marking its fourth consecutive failure since March. South Korean President Moon Jae-in, who took office on Wednesday, held his first National Security Council in response to the launch, which he called a "clear violation" of UN Security Council resolutions, his office said. "The president said while South Korea remains open to the possibility of dialogue with North Korea, it is only possible when the North shows a change in attitude," Yoon Young-chan, Moon's press secretary, told a briefing. Moon won Tuesday's election on a platform of a moderate approach to North Korea and has said he would be willing to go to Pyongyang under the right circumstances, arguing dialogue must be used in parallel with sanctions. US carrier strike group in the Pacific (Photo: EPA) China, the North's sole main ally which nevertheless objects to its weapons programs, called for restraint and for no one to exacerbate tension. "Relevant Security Council resolutions have clear rules about North Korea using ballistic missile technology to carry out launches. China opposes relevant launch activities by North Korea that are contrary to Security Council resolutions," China's foreign ministry said in a statement. "All relevant parties should exercise restraint." Delegations from the United States, South Korea and North Korea are in Beijing for a conference on a plan for a new Silk Road. Russia's President Vladimir Putin is also there. President Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping in Florida (Photo: Reuters) The launch will also complicate Moon's efforts to mend ties with China that have been strained by a decision by South Korea's former government to deploy a US anti-missile defense system aimed at defending against North Korea. Despite South Korean and US assurances that the deployment is defensive, China considers the system's powerful radar a threat to its security. Moon told Chinese President Xi Jinping last week that while he understood China's concern, it would be difficult to resolve the issue unless North Korea stopped being provocative. 'Grave Threat' Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe said North Korea's missile launches were a "grave threat to our country and a clear violation of UN resolutions." North Korea on Feb. 12, launched the Pukguksong-2 missile, an upgraded, extended-range version of its submarine-launched ballistic missile, from the same site. South Korean and US military officials said the February launch was a significant development as it successfully tested a solid-fuel engine from a mobile launcher. The missile flew about 500km with an altitude of 550km. It represented a more significant threat because of the difficulty of tracking a mobile launcher and because of the ability to keep the missile fuelled, unlike liquid fuel rockets. The North attempted but failed to test-launch ballistic missiles four times in the past two months but has conducted various tests since the beginning of last year at an unprecedented pace. It also conducted its fourth and fifth nuclear tests since then. North Korean leader Kim Jong-un (Photo: AP) Trump warned in an interview with Reuters in April that a "major, major conflict" with the North was possible, but said he would prefer a diplomatic outcome. Trump has also said he would be "honored" to meet North Korean leader Kim Jong Un under the right circumstances. On Saturday, a top North Korean diplomat said it was open to dialogue with the Trump administration under the right conditions. The cyberattack, suspected to be by Pakistani and Chinese hackers, offered posting in Sri Lanka and coincided with Prime Minister Narendra Modi's two-day visit to the nation. By Ajit Kumar Dubey: In a massive cyberattack, suspected Pakistani and Chinese hackers attempted to hack into the computers of Indian Army officers by trying to inject data stealing malware by luring them with offers of a foreign posting to Sri Lanka. "The pinpointed attacks were launched on Friday by the hackers to middle-rung Indian Army officers by sending them an email purportedly sent from a government server and asking them to avail the offer of going for a posting to attend a prestigious course in a Sri Lankan military academy," Army sources told Mail Today. advertisement The sender of the mail was nicknamed ADGMT-16. The mail was made to look as if it had been sent by Indian Army's Directorate General of Military Training, which details officers and personnel for attending courses within and outside India along with the Military Secretary's branch, the sources said. ARMY CYBER GROUP ISSUES ALERT Soon after, the first few officers who received the malicious mail referred it to the Army Cyber Group, which issued an immediate alert to caution the officers against opening the mail. The Army Cyber Group in its warning, said, "A malicious email from *karmicc16@nic.in* is being sent to Army personnel. The email contains a malicious file 'DEPUTATION_OF_ONE_ARM Y_OFFICER_TO_ATTEND_SRI_ LANKA. Xls'. On opening the malicious file, a data stealing malware gets installed in the computer. Please do not open the email," said. Hackers often use links of dubious websites to inject malware in their victim's system. These malware are designed to disrupt or damage or gain unauthorised access to a computer, and may steal critical information. Incidentally, the hackers tried to attack Indian Army officers with offers of Sri Lanka posting at a time when Prime Minister Narendra Modi was in Colombo for a two-day visit. ATTACKS BEING PROBED Both the Army Cyber Group and the Computer Emergency Response Team (CERT-India) are trying to ascertain the source of the attacks. They suspect it to be the job of Chinese and Pakistani hackers as they have been using similar tactics in the past as well. Sources said the first few officers who received the mail got suspicious as soon as they received it as the Army does not offer or announce postings of officers on private mailbox and communicates only on its intranet. In the last couple of months, this is the second massive attack on the Indian Army officers in a bid to steal classified information from their personal emails which could be used in many ways including blackmailing the victims or using the stolen data for anti-Indian activities, sources said. In April, the Army Cyber Group had uncovered a coordinated attempt to hack into the computers of its senior officers with decoy emails that purportedly contained links of "their sex videos". At least four officers of Lieutenant General-rank posted at South Block headquarters were the target of the malicious bid. advertisement The nationality of the hackers in the April attack has not yet been ascertained but the Army unit traced the server and the Internet Protocol address to Germany. After a few incidents of virtual honey-trapping by Pakistani agents, the Army has been on an overdrive to educate its personnel to guard against such attacks. One example of this is evident in calling an official Army telephone number, which plays a recorded message about the need to be careful from foreign agents who have been trying to extract information by all means. ALSO READ | India to set up new defence unit to fight cyber attacks ALSO READ | Wanna Cry ransomware cyber attack: 104 countries hit, India among worst affected, US NSA criticised ALSO READ | Cyber security team uncovers attempt to hack computers of top Army officers with sex videos ALSO WATCH | End-to-end cyber security need of the hour: Cyber security experts --- ENDS --- advertisement The Rebbe of Boyan lit the first bonfire in Meron at 1:15am Sunday, marking the beginning of Lag B'Omer celebrations at the grave of Rabbi Rabbi Shimon bar Yochai. Follow Ynetnews on Facebook and Twitter Police Commissioner Roni Alsheikh, Religious Services Minister David Azoulay and Public Security Minister Gilad Erdan all attended the lighting of the first bonfire. During the two-day hillula (death anniversary) celebrations, 22 bonfires will be lit by the different Hasidic dynasties' rebbes in an order determined in advance. The last bonfire will be lit by the Toldos Aharon dynasty at 7pm on Sunday. Rabbi Nachum Dov Brayer of the Boyan Hasidic dynasty lights the first bonfire in Meron (Photo courtesy of Eli Aviv) Hundreds of thousands of people are expected to attend the hillula celebrations at the Galillee moshav, with some 15-20,000 having already arrived on Saturday night. Due to big crowds expected, police closed roads around Meron, allowing access only to public transportation, security and rescue forces, and local residents. Some 5,000 police officers were sent to Meron to secure the events alongside large forces from the Fire & Rescue Authority and hundreds of doctors, paramedics, medics and other medical personnel from Magen David Adom and other groups. MDA has treated 46 people in Meron since Saturday night, suffering from fainting, heart issues, chronic medical problems, exhaustion and light bruising. Fifteen of them were sent to the hospital for further treatment. United Hatzala has treated 141 people since Thursday, including injuries from falling, snake and scorpion bites, bruises, cuts, and respiratory issues. Hillula celebrations in Meron ( - ) X Celebrations began Friday at noon with the traditional Torah procession from Safed to Meron, held for the 184th year. Preparations for the Meron hillula did not run smoothly this year. The Chief Rabbinate announced the postponement of Lag B'Omer celebrations from Saturday to Sunday to avoid the desecration of Shabbat. Accordingly, the Education Ministry postponed the school vacation from Sunday to Monday. However, the hillula itself was not postponed, as the ultra-Orthodox organizing it insisted on holding it in its original date. This left some 70,000 people with no way to get to the hillula as the 300 buses meant to ferry them to Meron were instead used to transport students to school on Sunday morning. Three soldiers from the Caracal Battalion were left outside their base overnightwithout weaponson the Egyptian border on the orders of their commander. Follow Ynetnews on Facebook and Twitter The incident began when the three soldiers in the mixed-gender battalion were suspected of drug use, before being detained by the Military Police Corps' Criminal Investigations Department (CID) for questioning and eventually sent back to their base. Photo: Yoav Zitun Upon arriving at their base around midnight, their company commander decided that the three soldiers should remain outside without their weapons, which had been taken from them. At this point, ten other soldiers defiantly left the base against the orders of the company commander in order to support the three stranded outside the base. The standoff ended when the three consulted with their attorneys at the Military Advocate General, who ultimately got them on another nearby base for the night. In a letter sent to the Military Advocate General, Brig. Gen. Sharon Afek, defense attorneys demanded that a criminal investigation be opened against the company commander and the battalion commander, claiming that the three soldiers were left in danger. "This is a base on the Egyptian border, a few hundred meters from the fence, when the soldiers' arms were taken from them beforehand," the defense attorneys wrote. "The soldiers had to wait at the entrance to the base with all their personal equipment, in the desert, for a long time. We believe that the action of the commanders placed the soldiers in real mortal danger, which without proper intervention could have ended in disaster," they concluded. "I'm just in shock. I don't understand how a commander dares leave three unarmed soldiers 400 meters from the border," said one of the three soldiers. "Every night there is something that happens. This is one of the hottest areas in the Middle East, the Sinai border, where ISIS is." Ahmad Dawoud recalls the day 10 years ago when a Lebanese soldier asked to search his taxi. Then 17, the Palestinian didn't wait for the soldier to find the weapons hidden in the trunk. Follow Ynetnews on Facebook and Twitter He jumped from the car and fled into the nearby Palestinian refugee camp, where the Lebanese army has no authority. In this Thursday, May 4, 2017 photo, people walk underneath the banners of Fatah and the Palestinian flags inside the Bourj al-Barajneh Palestinian refugee camp in Beirut, Lebanon. Palestinians in Lebanon suffer discrimination in nearly every aspect of daily life, feeding a desperation that is tearing their community apart. (Photo: AP) But it was not long afterward that Dawoud, who once admired the radical groups that have sprouted in the camps in Lebanon, decided he was tired of running. That same year, in 2007, he surrendered to authorities and spent 14 hard months in jail. Although he was released without a conviction, he couldn't erase the biggest strike against him: As a Palestinian in Lebanon, he is a stateless, second-class resident in the only country where he's ever lived. On Monday, Palestinians mark 69 years since hundreds of thousands fled during the 1948 war that led to the creation of the State of Israel. Many settled in the neighboring West Bank, Gaza, Jordan, Syria and Lebanon. As refugees, various UN charters entitle them and their descendants to the right to work and a dignified living until they can return to the areas they or their relatives left, or if such a settlement is reached. But Palestinians in Lebanon suffer discrimination in nearly every aspect of daily life, feeding a desperation that is tearing their community apart. Many live in settlements officially recognized as refugee camps, but better described as concrete ghettos ringed by checkpoints and, in some cases, blast walls and barbed wire. The UN runs schools and subsidizes health care inside. In this Friday, May 5, 2017 photo, a general view of the concrete wall surrounding the Ein el-Hilweh Palestinian refugee camp near the southern port city of Sidon, Lebanon. (Photo: AP) In Lebanon, there are 450,000 refugees registered in 12 camps, where Lebanese authorities have no jurisdiction inside. "Our lot is less than zero," Dawoud said in a recent interview outside Ein el-Hilweh, the crowded camp in Sidon that is one of the most volatile. On peaceful days, children play in the damp alleys and merchants park their carts of produce along the camp's main streets. But the place feels hopelessly divided along factional and militant lines, and it frequently breaks down into fighting between Palestinian security forces and militants or gangs that capitalize on the general despair. Last month, 10 people were killed in a flare-up that drove out thousands of the camp's estimated population of 75,000. Palestinians are prohibited from working in most professions, from medicine to transportation. Because of restrictions on ownership, what little property they have is bought under Lebanese names, leaving them vulnerable to embezzlement and expropriation. They pay into Lebanon's social security fund, but receive no benefits. Medical costs are crippling. And they have little hope for remediation from Lebanese courts. In this Thursday, May 4, 2017 photo, a boy walks by graffiti of the Palestinian flags with Arabic reads: "The flag is four colors that shine on the face of the sun" in the Bourj al-Barajneh Palestinian refugee camp in Beirut, Lebanon. (Photo: AP) Doctors are prohibited from working in the Lebanese market, so they find work only in the camps or agree to work for Lebanese clinics off the books, and sign prescriptions under Lebanese doctors' names. That leaves them open to employer abuse, a condition normally associated with low-skill work. "If a young boy gets in trouble because he is Palestinian, the prosecutor writes in his note to the judge, 'He is Palestinian,' meaning: 'Do what you wish to him. Be cruel to him. Forget about his rights,'" said Sheikh Mohammad Muwad, a Palestinian imam in Sidon. The crush of war refugees from Syria has made it even harder for Palestinians here to find work. Nearly six in ten under the age of 25 are unemployed, according to the UN's Palestinian relief agency UNRWA, and two-thirds of all Palestinians here live below the poverty line. UNRWA country director Claudio Cordone said they feel trapped in political limbo and see an "almost total lack of meaningful political prospects of a solution" to their original displacement from Palestine. Lebanese politicians say that assimilating Palestinians into society would undermine their right to return. But Palestinians say they are not asking for assimilation or nationality, just civil rights. "They starve us, so we go back to Palestine. They deprive us, so that we go back to Palestine. Well, go ahead, send us back to Palestine! Let us go to the border, and we will march back into Palestine, no matter how many martyrs we must give," Muwad said. In this Friday, May 5, 2017 photo, Sheikh Mohammad Muwad speaks during an interview with the Associated Press inside the Hussein Mosque in the village of Dayait al-Arab near the southern port city of Sidon, Lebanon. (Photo: AP) For those in the camps, the line between hustling and criminality is often blurred. Unemployed and feeling abandoned by the authorities, many turn to gangs for work. Adding to this is a widely shared disaffection with the Palestine Liberation Organization, which many Palestinians now see as having sold out their rights with the failed Oslo Accords of 1994. This has helped fuel the rise of radical Islama shift in the Palestinian-populated territories that is reflected by Hamas' rising popularity. Outside of the Palestinian territories, militant groups such as Fatah al-Islam are on the rise in the volatile and deprived Nahr al-Bared camp. Growing up in Nahr al-Bared, a camp much like Ein el-Hilweh, Dawoud felt a strong affiliation for Fatah al-Islam, his gateway to radical extremism. "They were the only ones who seemed honest," he said. "Of course, later I figured out they were just like everyone else, too." In 2007, the Lebanese army razed most of Nahr al-Bared to crush Fatah al-Islam. In this Thursday, May 4, 2017 photo, a teenager rides his scooter inside the Bourj al-Barajneh Palestinian refugee camp in Beirut, Lebanon. (Photo: AP) By that time, Dawoud already was in Ein el-Hilweh, and his arrest was the beginning of a slow falling out with the gangs that once sheltered him and treated him like a brother. After his stint in prison, they began to feel they couldn't trust him, and he was chased out of Ein el-Hilweh in 2013. Now, he can only enter the parts of the settlement firmly under PLO control. With no job, no prospects and little wealth, Dawoud now runs errands for others in his white 1980s-era BMWall done under the table, of course. Palestinians cannot apply for the red license plates that identify taxis and other commercial vehicles. "I don't even think about marrying and getting into those situations," he said, waving off starting a family at age 27. His ambition now is to apply for a visa to leave Lebanon. But first he needs a travel document, and for that he needs to be on good terms with the Lebanese authorities. Not all Palestinians live in camps, but even the most privileged among them endure discrimination. In this Thursday, May 4, 2017 photo, people walk inside the Bourj al-Barajneh Palestinian refugee camp in Beirut, Lebanon (Photo: AP) At a panel on Palestinian labor rights at the American University of Beirut, Muhammad Hussein asked a Lebanese Labor Ministry official why he was denied work even in sectors that are formally open to Palestinian employment. The 22-year-old graduate showed the official an email he received from a marketing firm in Dubai refusing his job application on the grounds that the Lebanese office had to give priority to Lebanese workers. "The problem isn't finding vacancies," Hussein said. "It's getting the job." Israel is the Jewish peoples nation state which sustains, although not perfectly, equality of rights for all its citizens. It is a Jewish state just like Armenia is Armenian and Croatia is Croatian. The enforcement of a Jewish state can be found in the 1917 Balfour Declaration, the 1920 Sam Remo Conferences resolution, the 1922 League of Nations resolution, the 1947 United Nations Partition Plan, the 1948 Proclamation of Independence, the right to self-determination, which is one of the international communitys basic rights, and basic laws which include Israels definition as a Jewish and democratic state. There is no need for additions, patches or new laws. Follow Ynetnews on Facebook and Twitter My colleague, Yoaz Hendel, presented a series of excellent arguments justifying the Nationality Bill. Nevertheless, this is an unnecessary law. Yes, there are those who undermine and criticize Israels definition as a Jewish state. Will a nationality law convince them? After all, there is a broad agreementfrom Bayit Yehudi to Meretzabout Israels definition as a Jewish state. But when controversial clauses are added, like on exclusive residential areas for Jews, it guarantees in advance that the law will only engender strife. Thats also unnecessary. The kibbutzim and the Arab communities never needed any law. Unnecessary legislation only strengthens the claims that a Jewish state is necessarily racist. Will a nationality law convince those who undermine and criticize Israels definition as a Jewish state? (Archive photo: Reuters) When it comes to such a fundamental basic law, a constitutional law, the most harmful thing that can be done is to take advantage of the coalition majority to pass it. The Right has complained, and rightfully so, that the High Courts acrobatic interpretation turned the first basic laws into a sacred constitution which changes government and legal order, although they were adopted by a simple majority without a broad agreement. Thats exactly what the Right is doing nowunderhanded opportunism. Thats not the way to strengthen the national agreement on a Jewish state. Thats the way to harm it. Breaking the Silences lie Breaking the Silence Spokesman Dean Issacharoff recently shared a difficult incident from his military service: His company commander called him, ordered him to bind a young Palestinian with handcuffs, and hebeing the obedient soldier that he waswas forced to abuse the poor guy, beat him up, cause him to bleed and eventually faint: and all that in from of his fellow soldiers. The company commander, Omri Seiner, denied the story. Perhaps it was a different company commander? Well, the units soldiers broke their silence in light of what they saw as a blood libel against them, and with the help of Amit Deri from Reservists on Duty, they posted a video on Facebook filled with evidence refuting the story. Issacharoff himself offered the following response to my question: The events happened as they were described in the testimony. Those who deny the daily violence in the territories are the same people who claim that there is no occupation. Breaking the Silence members. Creating the impression that the IDF is an army of brutal and sadistic soldiers (Photo: Amit Magal) Following the response, I asked Deri if any of the units soldiers supported Issacharoff. On the contrary, Deri replied. Even more soldiers asked to add their testimony. The organizations supporters burst into a series of claims that even if Issacharoff did exaggerate, and even if he did make the story up, it doesnt really matter, because there have been many other cases in which similar things did happen. There is something in these claims. It would be foolish to claim that the tens of thousands of soldiers who served in the IDF never committed any abnormal acts. There have been unnecessary humiliations. There has been abuse too. Innocent people have been hurt. Breaking the silence likely has accurate testimonies. Among 10,000 soldiers, there has to be one who is a sadist or disturbed. And its very possible that one in 100 soldiers deviates from procedures. The problem is that Breaking the Silence activists are creating the impression that this is Israels face and that this is the IDFs face: An army of brutal and sadistic soldiers. The main lie is in the generalization and exaggeration. The lie is in taking unusual events, and there are such events, blowing them out of proportions and then running to the UN to talk about plunder and telling foreign journalists that IDF soldiers use machine guns to fire at civilian populations as a routine practice. A special way of advancing reconciliation On Tuesday, I visited the city of Raanana for a lecture. On the stairs, I was greeted by an elderly woman, a Holocaust survivor, who told me she had come there to hand me one of the latest issues of German weekly Der Spiegel. It included an anti-Israel article by an Austrian writer, Eva Menasse, who shared her experiences from the territories following a tour sponsored by Breaking the Silence. How can people publish such horrible things? the woman asked, her voice trembling. I had a hard time answering her, but I wasnt surprised. According to a poll conducted about three years ago, 48% of Germans believe that Israel is waging a war of annihilation against the Palestinians. A new poll, which was submitted to the Bundestag only two weeks ago, reveals that 40% of the Germans (compared to only 26% in 2014) hold anti-Semitic views because of Israels actions. And we have Breaking the silencewhich uncovers Israels actions, with German fundingto thank for that. There is no doubt that they have a special way of advancing a reconciliation and an end to the occupation. Hit the Jews, pay the abusers, add more and more anti-Semites, and thats the way to promote harmony between the nations. OPPORTUNITIES AT SEA The time has arrived for Israel to take steps designed to transform it into a strategic trading bridge between the East and the West. Follow Ynetnews on Facebook and Twitter The Land of Israel had, in ancient times, played a strategic, overland role, in international trade, acting as a key Nabataean trading route. As my 2016 research paper for the Haifa Research Center for Maritime Policy and Strategy lays out, modern-day Israel has yet to realize this same potential, and currently lacks a grand maritime strategy. Creating a key trading bridge between East and West would require Israel to amplify its naval security capabilities, and its participation in regional naval efforts. These steps would, in turn, promote a grand naval strategy. Photo: AFP To the east, China's economy has made great strides forward over the past decade. China is a major producer and consumer and, as a result, trade between it and the West has grown significantly. Israel is already highly dependent on the sea, through which the vast majority of its national trade occurs. Globally, the vast majority of all trade is sea-based. Currently, sea traffic between East and West passes through the Suez Canal, bypassing the need to navigate around Africa, and saving vast expenses. Yet despite Egypt's recent work to make the waterway deeper and broader, and the addition of lanes enabling increased traffic, Suez still faces constraints. Due to its geographical location, Israel has the ability to initiate an economic maneuver that would create a new 'bridge,' with global opportunities. This 'bridge' would also enable India, a vast, developing economy, to send exports to the West via Israel. Photo: AFP So far, all of Israel's port and rail infrastructure has been designed for internal use, and not to transfer or distribute international goods. The time is ripe for Eilat to be turned into an international Red Sea shipping hub, and to be linked by a high speed rail link to the Mediterranean ports of Ashdod and Haifa. Ships arriving from the east with cargo for distribution to destinations all over Europe and the US could unload their goods at Eilat, and return eastwards for more journeys, saving valuable time. Such international distribution hubs exist in ports such as Singapore, and Greece. China is already heavily involved in building Israel's new ports in Haifa and Ashdod, and Beijing is always seeking opportunities for increased access to European markets. It also has a controlling stake in Greece's Piraeus port, which China turned into a main European distribution center. Israel has a real opportunity to integrate itself into this alignment. SECURITY Such a development undoubtedly requires enhanced defense capabilities, to ensure that trade remains uninterrupted. This means Israel would have to expand its high-level naval defense capabilities, to secure and monitor all international shipping traffic and sea vessels in the area, and possibly, beyond. Criminals, pirates, and terrorists threaten shipping. ISIS in Sinai can impact the whole of Eilat. And Hezbollah and Hamas pose varying degrees of threats to maritime traffic through ballistic projectiles and surface-to-sea cruise missiles. Egypt has had to deal with security threats to Suez too - there have been past, unsuccessful attempts by terrorist organizations to attack the Canal. Photo: AFP Should Israel become a strategic trading bridge, it would have to become a bigger partner in maritime regional security. This means making the sea arena more difficult for terrorists to operate in. Israel Navy ships will require the ability to deal with land-to-sea and sea-to-sea missile attacks on ships and shore-based targets, in order to safeguard maritime lines of communications and trading routes that would pass through Israel's waters. Israel would also have to ensure it can command and control a wider maritime arena than its current operational areas. Hezbollah has evolved from a terror organization to semi-state entity, due to its links to Iran, and is in possession of advanced state-level weaponry. It likely possesses the supersonic Yakhont missile, which can be fired from the Lebanese coastline at targets at sea, or at Israeli ports. Hezbollah poses a significant threat to shipping and ports in the area. The Israel Navy already has defenses in place against such threats, so it can build on this model of defenses when it comes time to expanding operations. THE EXCLUSIVE ECONOMIC ZONE AS A GATEWAY Israel's Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) is currently home to natural gas drilling rigs that the Israel Navy is tasked with securing. The EEZ could become a gateway, through which larger numbers of ships pass, requiring naval defense, control, and response capabilities. Cargo ships arriving at Israel's 'southern gate' - Eilat - would pass by Saudi and Egyptian shorelines, and be near Jordan too. All of these countries have a shared interest in the free flow of sea shipping. Photo: AFP This common interest means that the conversion of Israel into a bridge could foster enhanced regional cooperation with the pragmatic Sunni states. To enable such a vision, Israel would have to actively prevent adversaries and terrorists from infiltrating regions that can threaten shipping, and to minimize the freedom of movement of hostile elements as much as possible. A secure, international distribution hub would greatly increase economic profit for Israel, and endow Israel with a new regional influence through cooperation with its neighbors in the maritime arena. Jordan's Aqaba port could be a part of this program, since there is a limit to how many ships can dock at Eilat. Trains could take cargo from both Eilat and Aqaba to Ashdod and Haifa, and cooperation with Jordan would substantially increase as a result. Ports in Saudi Arabia could, in theory, be involved as well. This is not expected to pose a source of competition to Egypt's Suez Canal. There is enough traffic for more than one sea highway linking East and West. FROM ANCIENT TRENDS TO MODERN OPPORTUNITIES Israel's lacks of a grand maritime strategy is partly because Jewish history has not had a significant sea-based cultural component. This is true for the history of the Diaspora, and also for the ancient era of Jewish sovereignty in Israel. The Hebrews always received assistance from other sea-based cultures, such as the Phoenicians, who were based in modern-day Lebanon. These historical-cultural influences continue to impact decision-making in Israel today. David Ben Gurion, our first prime minister, was one of the few who saw the sea as a strategic asset, and since his time, few have reached the same recognition. Photo: AFP Energy Minister Yuval Steinitz has, in modern times, recognized the great potential benefits to Israel's geo-political regional standing that stems from a good sea strategy. The increasingly crowded Israeli landmass means that Jerusalem should no longer delay setting down a strategy for expanded maritime use. This includes moving national infrastructure, such as power stations and future airports, out to sea, on artificial islands a kilometer or two off the coastline. This can be accomplished through a strategic investment. Ultimately, if these steps are taken, Israel could become a maritime start-up nation. Edited by Yaakov Lappin Co-Edited by Benjamin Anthony Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu addressed on Sunday the cyber attack that struck around the world Friday, confirming that no damage had been caused to Israel's critical infrastructure. Follow Ynetnews on Facebook and Twitter "Several years ago we established a defense network against cyber attacks. We also had the foresight to establish the National Cyber Defense Authority based on the understanding that we yet face a new threat," Netanyahu said during the cabinet's weekly meeting. "I can only request one thing from Israel's citizens and Israel's companiesfollow the directives of the National Cyber Defense Authority." Screen shot of the ransom virus (Photo: EPA) Oded Vanunu of Check Point Software Technologies and Dr. Tal Pavel of the Academic College of Tel Aviv-Yaffo explained in an interview with Ynet that a software update that was available in March could have prevented the weekend cyber attack. According to Vanunu, the attack was a "ransom attack," which contained another elementa cyber weapon developed by the American NSA, which Microsoft had already fixed last March. However, "once the ransom program runs, it begins to spread on the Web, just like an epidemic. This could have been avoided by software that was already released in March." Dr. Pavel added that hackers had already leaked some of the 23 tools the NSA uses last August. "Suddenly, tools used at the state level are in everyone's hands, such as a group of hackers apparently acting for money only." The Defense Ministry announced Sunday the winning bid in the tender for the rebuilding of the Israeli Air Force (IAF) Museum in Hatzerim, located in Southern Israel. Follow Ynetnews on Facebook and Twitter The Ministry of Defense's Engineering and Construction Department, in cooperation with the IAF, announced that they chose the bid submitted by Schwartz Besnosoff Architects to renovate the old museum, which has been using the same facilities since its opening in 1985. The New IAF museum (Credit: courtesy of the Defense Ministry) According to the new plan, the museum will be turned into a roofed and air-conditioned facility spreading across more than 17 thousand square meters, which will be divided into several buildings presenting more than 80 aircrafts that served the IAF throughout its history. In addition, the new museum will have interactive facilities allowing visitors to experience flight via simulators, and even use and install parts of the aircraft like IAF mechanics. In addition, visitors will be able to witness a battlefield through the eyes of Special Forces soldiers in the Israeli Air Defense Command, and through the eyes of drone operators. (Credit: courtesy of the Defense Ministry) According to the decision by the ministry and the IAF, the new museum will offer a plethora of visitation packages, which would make recurring visitations always fresh and interesting, offering new experiences on each visit. (Credit: courtesy of the Defense Ministry) 66 architecture firms submitted bids for the tender, and each of the bids was examined by a team of 9 judges; civilians and army personnel, among them former mayor of Be'er Sheva and founder of the museum, Brig. Gen. (res.) Yaakov Turner. Maj. Elisha, an architect and the project manager on behalf of the IAF's construction division said "we were really excited to learn that this contest will result in a new museum." The IAF Museum today; Using the same facilities for more than 30 years (Photo: Roee Idan) The contenders were asked to submit a plan for a museum that could stand among the best in the world, present the IAF's history and values, be used as a platform to promote scientific and technological education and serve as a display window for Israel's security industry. "We gave priority to preserving the historical structures that exist in the museum today, display the IAF and all its parts and showcase the personnel that are the source of its strength," Elisha added. "The winning bid was the one that best met our criteria and was authorized by the head of the branch." (Translated & edited by Lior Mor) US President Donald Trump is assessing whether moving the US Embassy in Israel to Jerusalem would help or hurt prospects for clinching an Israeli-Palestinian peace deal, Secretary of State Rex Tillerson said, revealing Trump's criteria for a decision that could reverberate throughout the volatile Middle East. Follow Ynetnews on Facebook and Twitter Since taking office, Trump has backed away from his campaign pledge to move the embassy in a gesture to Israel, instead saying he's still studying the issue. But Tillerson linked Trump's deliberations directly to his aspirations for brokering Mideast peace. US President Donald Trump (Photo: AP) "The president is being very careful to understand how such a decision would impact the peace process," Tillerson said in an interview broadcast Sunday on NBC's Meet the Press. He said Trump's decision would be informed by feedback from all sides, including "whether Israel views it as helpful to a peace initiative or perhaps a distraction." Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's Office responded to Tillerson's remarks: Israel's position has been often expressed to the American administration and to the world. Not only will the transfer of the embassy not harm the peace process, but quite the opposite. It will advance it by correcting a historic injustice and by smashing the Palestinian fantasy that Jerusalem is not the capital of Israel. Earlier, Education Minister and Bayit Yehudi leader Naftali Bennett called on the prime minister to "make it clear that we expect the US administration to transfer the embassy to Jerusalem and recognize the united Jerusalem under Israeli sovereignty." Netanyahu's Likud party responded: "We congratulate Bennett on the fact that he is careful to memorize the prime minister's press releases and quote them as if they are his own demands." Trump's decision is being closely watched as the president prepares to depart Friday on his first foreign trip. After stopping in Saudi Arabia, Trump will visit both Israel and the Palestinian territories, in a nod to his nascent bid to strike the Israeli-Palestinian deal that has eluded his predecessors. US presidents of both parties have repeatedly waived a US law requiring the embassy be moved to Jerusalem. The most recent waiversigned by former President Barack Obamaexpires on June 1. Trump is expected to sign a six-month renewal of the waiver before it expires, as he continues deliberating. US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson (Photo: AP) In another sign the White House is proceeding cautiously, Trump's ambassador to Israel, David Friedman, plans to work out of the current embassy in Tel Aviv rather than out of the US Consulate in Jerusalem, as some had urged him to do. Friedman, who owns an apartment in Jerusalem, is expected to live in the US ambassador's official residence in the Tel Aviv suburb of Herzliya. Palestinians argue moving the embassy would prejudge one of the most sensitive issues in the conflict, undermining America's status as an effective mediator. There have been some signs that the Israeli government, while publicly supportive of moving the embassy, has quietly raised concerns that doing so could enflame the political and security situation In the interview, Tillerson downplayed suggestions that the US needed to deal decisively with Russia's interference in the US election before it could pursue better relations with Moscow. Though Tillerson said he'd seen the intelligence implicating Russia and believed there was no question Russia meddled, he said it was just one of a "broad range of important issues that have to be addressed in the US-Russia relationship." He said the notion of a "reset" with Russiawhich both Obama and President George W. Bush pursuedwas misguided. "You cannot erase the past. You cannot start with a clean state," Tillerson said "We're starting with the slate we have, and all the problems we have are in that slate." Jordan's foreign minister insisted that his country's position opposing terrorism was "clear to everyone" on Sunday. The preceding day, Israel's prime minister critized the kingdom's response to the killing of a Jordanian citizen by an Israeli police officer he was stabbing. Follow Ynetnews on Facebook and Twitter Foreign Minister Ayman Safadi made his response at a press conference in Amman with his Egyptian counterpart, Sameh Shukri and Saeb Erekat, the secretary-general of the Palestine Liberation Organization Executive Committee. LR: Sameh Shukri, Ayman Safadi, Saeb Erekat Jordan is and was a voice of reason and peace. Our positions against violence and terrorism are clear to everyone, Safadi said, adding that King Abdullah II is invested in establishing security, peace and freedom for the Palestinians. Safadi then spoke on behalf of all three, saying, "The leaders of Jordan, Egypt and Palestine, through recent separate meetings with US President Donald Trump , were impressed by US commitment to resolving the conflict and achieve peace in the Middle East." Addressing Trump, Safadi said that they stressed that east Jerusalem should be the capital of the Palestinian people, while west Jerusalem should be the capital of Israel, though he warned that matters involving Jerusalem should always be heavily and carefully considered and involve both sides. US President Donald Trump (Photo: AFP) On Palestinian prisoners in Israeli jails , the Jordanian, Egyptian and Palestinian officials called on Israel to "meet the fair humanitarian demands of Palestinian prisoners as per relevant international laws and conventions." The diplomatic spat between Israel and Jordan erupted yesterday in the wake of a stabbing attack in Jerusalem, in which a Jordanian man on a tourist visa, Mohammad Abdullah Salim al-Kasji, stabbed an Israeli police officer, who managed to shoot Kasji dead. Footage of the attack (Credit: Israel Police) X Amman in response called the incident a terrible crime, and demanded details about the incident from the Israeli government. Later that day, Netanyahus office released a statement calling the Jordanian reaction outrageous, and said Amman appeared to be backing terrorism. Education Minister Naftali Bennett wrote in his Twitter account that he "calls upon the prime minister to make it clear that we expect the US administration to move the American embassy to Jerusalem and recognize the united Jerusalem under Israeli sovereignty." Earlier, US Secretary of Defense Rex Tillerson said US President Donald Trump was considering whether the transfer of the embassy would help or harm the peace process. Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas landed in New Delhi Sunday night as he arrived for a four-day visit to India. Abbas will meet Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday. By Press Trust of India: Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas arrived here today on a four-day visit during which he will hold extensive talks with Prime Minister Narendra Modi on key bilateral, regional and international issues, including the Middle East peace process. "Welcoming an important guest. Mr. Mahmoud Abbas, President of the State of Palestine arrives in Delhi," External Affairs Ministry spokesperson Gopal Baglay tweeted. advertisement Ahead of Abbas's visit, India reiterated its "political support" to the Palestinian cause and had said it continued to assist developmental projects there. The visit will provide an opportunity for reviewing the entire gamut of bilateral relations, the Middle East peace process, and regional and international issues, external affairs ministry said. Several MoUs on cooperation in various areas are also expected to be signed during the visit, the ministry added. A delegation-level discussion between President Abbas and Prime Minister Modi will be held on May 16. "India and Palestine enjoy historically close and friendly ties. Apart from the political support to the Palestinian cause, India continues to support developmental projects in Palestine by extending technical and financial assistance," the ministry had said in a release yesterday. MODI TO VISIT ISRAEL The statement assumes significance given that there have been commentaries on the increasing proximity between the Modi government and Israel which may have a bearing on New Delhi's relations with Palestine. In July, Modi will travel to Israel, the first Indian prime minister to do so. During his trip to India, Abbas will visit C-DAC (the Centre for Development of Advanced Computing) in Noida tomorrow to forge cooperation between Palestine-India Techno Park, being built by India in Palestine, and the Indian IT industry. ASLO READ | Netanyahu to Narendra Modi: People of Israel waiting for your historic visit ALSO READ | Ahead of Mahmoud Abbas's visit, India reiterates 'political support' to Palestinian cause ALSO WATCH | India set to sign armed combat drones deal with Israel --- ENDS --- The mostly ultra-Orthodox residents of Modiin Illit in the West Bank have recently been dealing with seemingly biblical plague of mosquitoes due to an effluent of sewage from Ramallah to the settlement. Follow Ynetnews on Facebook and Twitter Members of the Association of Cities for the Environment of Samaria, who have visited the Modiin Stream over the last few days, have noticed accumulated sewage puddles near Modiin Illit. The wastewater flows about 30 kilometers from the Palestinian city towards the cities of Modiin and Modiin Illit and is eventually drained into the Ayalon River. Sewage flowing near Modi'in Illit (Photo: Association of Cities for the Environment of Samaria) Yitzhak Meir, the director general of the association, documented the polluted ponds. He explained: As a result of population growth and massive construction in Ramallah, the absorption capacity of the land has been damaged, so throughout the river the soil doesnt absorb the sewage, which reaches the central region. If this continues, it may soon reach the Ayalon area. These are pools of sewage that attract mosquitoes, and the proximity of these ponds to childrens places of residence is critical, said Meir. Mosquitoes of all kinds can bite children and spread disease. The mayor of Modiin Illit, Yaakov Gutterman, commented: Because there is a large concentration of mosquitoes in various places in the city, I immediately called the environmental representatives in the Civil Administration who came to check and discovered the problem. The Civil Administration commented: The administration is currently working towards establishing a sewage treatment plant in Beitunia, which will provide a solution and facilitate the flow of effluents in the stream. The facility plan has been approved by the planning committees. They added that building permits have yet to be issued. The Ministry of Environmental Protection commented: In light of the importance of the issue and its effects on many residents, our ministry is currently formulating a national plan for the prevention and reduction of cross-border hazards and pollution. (Translated and edited by J. Herzog) By Press Trust of India: Lucknow, May 14 (PTI) Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh and Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath today reviewed preparations for the main function to mark International Yoga Day on June 21 to be attended by the prime minister here. Besides Prime Minister Narendra Modi and other dignitaries, nearly 55,000 people are expected to participate in the Yoga Day event at Ramabai Ambedkar Maidan in the state capital. advertisement A spokesperson of the UP government said Singh met Adityanath to discuss and review the preparations. Union AYUSH Minister Shripad Yesso Naik was also present. The AYUSH (Ayurveda, Yoga and Naturopathy, Unani, Siddha, and Homoeopathy) Ministry is the nodal agency for Yoga Day celebrations. Praising the presentation made for the event, the home minister exuded confidence that the International Yoga Day celebrations will be successful. Adityanath said LED screens would be installed at different parks in the city so that visitors could also take part in the celebrations simultaneously. He issued directions to hold a 28-day workshop for the participants prior to June 21. The Union AYUSH Ministry had proposed Lucknow as the venue for the main function for International Day of Yoga (IDY) celebrations this year. Earlier, the government was considering Bhopal, Jaipur, Ahmedabad, Ranchi and Bengaluru as possible venues for the main event. The ministry is also planning to organise a major yoga event in at least one city in each district across the country. The ministry zeroed in on Lucknow as the possible venue at a review meeting on the preparations for IDY which is observed on June 21. The official website of the ministry on its webpage pertaining to IDY also requests the people visiting the page to make the following pledge -- "I pledge to make yoga an integral part of my daily life." So far, 30.14 lakh visitors have taken the pledge. The first IDY celebration was organised at Rajpath in New Delhi on June 21, 2015 in which representatives of 191 countries had participated. Last year, the main function took place in Chandigarh. The United Nations General Assembly, heeding to a call by Modi, had made a declaration in December 2014 to observe June 21 as IDY. On March 29, Adityanath, while addressing a three-day UP Yoga Mahotsava in Lucknow, had said that surya namaskar was similar to namaz (prayers) offered by Muslims and those opposing the yogic exercise wanted to divide the society on religious lines. advertisement Adityanath, who had in the past lashed out at a section of Muslims for terming the practice of surya namaskar as "un-Islamic", said the sun salutation was a beautiful example of religious harmony. "The namaz offered by Muslims resembles different postures and asanas of surya namaskar including pranayama (breathing exercise). What a beautiful example of harmony (between two religions). But some bhogis who do not believe in yoga, indulged in dividing the society on lines of caste, creed, religion and region among others," he said. "Before 2014 (when the BJP came to power at the Centre), even talking about yoga was considered communal. But things changed after Modi took steps to make yoga popular across the world," he had said. Lauding the prime minister for making yoga a global phenomenon, Adityanath had said, "PM Modi deserves all the credit for the global recognition which yoga has got." "The number of countries which participated in the International Yoga Day celebrations in 2015 was 175, which went up to 192 in the subsequent year," he said. The University Grants Commission has directed all universities to organise training programmes on common yoga protocol. It has urged vice-chancellors to personally supervise efforts in their institutions and affiliated colleges to make the plan a success. advertisement Apart from ensuring mass yoga performances on campuses, the universities have been asked to conduct discourses, lectures and talks by eminent yoga experts. The main programme would be the mass yoga demonstration from 7.00 am to 8.00 am, which will adhere to common yoga protocol (CYP). Other events would include yoga fests, seminars, workshops, musical and cultural programmes. PTI NAV SMI SMN --- ENDS --- Seoul: President Donald Trump called for tougher sanctions against North Korea after it test-fired a ballistic missile Sunday in an apparent attempt to test the South`s new liberal president and the US. "Let this latest provocation serve as a call for all nations to implement far stronger sanctions against North Korea," the White House said in a brief statement. The missile flew more than 700 kilometres (435 miles) before landing in the Sea of Japan (East Sea). It impacted "so close to Russian soil ... the president cannot imagine that Russia is pleased", the White House said, adding that North Korea "has been a flagrant menace for far too long". Russia`s defence ministry later said the missile landed about 500 km from its border and posed no threat. Trump`s national security adviser, HR McMaster, had phone conversations with his counterparts in Japan and South Korea to discuss the situation. China, which has been under growing US pressure to help rein in the nuclear-armed North, called for restraint. "All relevant parties should exercise restraint and refrain from further aggravating tensions in the region," the foreign ministry said. Multiple sets of UN and US sanctions against North Korea have done little to deter it from pursuing its nuclear and missile ambitions. Before the missile test, the US Treasury said it was considering "every tool in our arsenal" to cut off sources of international financing for illegal activities in the North. Trump has threatened military action but recently appeared to have softened his stance, saying he would be "honoured" to meet leader Kim Jong-Un under the right conditions. New South Korean President Moon Jae-In, who was inaugurated on Wednesday, has also been conciliatory. But he slammed the missile test as a "reckless provocation" after holding an emergency meeting with national security advisers. Moon said Seoul strongly condemned this "grave challenge to the peace and security of the Korean peninsula and the international community", according to his spokesman Yoon Young-Chan.Moon, unlike his conservative predecessors, advocates reconciliation with Pyongyang but warned Sunday that dialogue would be possible "only if the North changes its attitude". Moon had said in his inauguration speech that he was willing to visit Pyongyang "in the right circumstances" to ease tensions. The North itself would be willing to hold talks with the US if the conditions are right, according to Choe Son-Hui, a senior official at the North`s foreign ministry, on Saturday. "The North is apparently trying to test Moon and see how his North Korea policy as well as policy coordination between the South and the US will take shape," said Yang Moo-Jin, professor at the University of North Korea Studies in Seoul. The launch was also aimed at "maximising the North`s political leverage" ahead of possible negotiations with the US, as Pyongyang and Washington both recently signalled they were open to talks, he added. "The North wants to show before negotiations that their precious, powerful weapon is not something they would give up so easily," Yang said. The missile test is likely to embarrass Beijing, which was hosting an international summit Sunday to promote its ambitious global trade infrastructure project. Russian President Vladimir Putin and his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping discussed the Korean situation on the sidelines of the meeting and "both parties expressed their concern over the escalation of tensions", Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters. The European Union, in a statement in Brussels, called the test-launch a "threat to international peace and security". But China, the isolated North`s sole major ally and economic lifeline, has been reluctant to upset the status quo in Pyongyang and risk an influx of refugees from its neighbour.The latest test was the North`s first launch since a controversial US missile defence system deployed in the South became operational on May 2. It follows a failed April 29 ballistic missile test by Pyongyang. Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe slammed the latest launch as "totally unacceptable" and a "grave threat" to Tokyo. The North has staged two atomic tests and dozens of missile launches since the start of last year in its quest to develop an intercontinental ballistic missile capable of delivering a nuclear warhead to the US mainland. The US Pacific Command said Sunday`s launch did not appear to be an ICBM. Yang said however it showed "fast progress" in Pyongyang`s missile capability. The missile was fired from a site near the northwestern city of Kusong. A previous test at the same site in February sent a missile 500 kilometres, far less than Sunday`s launch. Kathmandu: The first phase of the historic local-level elections in Nepal has begun. The polls are Nepal's first since the country adopted a new Constitution in September 2015. Elections could not be held after 1997 due to the decade-long Maoist insurgency that has claimed more than 16,000 lives till now. In the first round of elections for local bodies, around 50,000 contenders are vying for the 13,556 positions, the Anadolu Agency reports. A vast majority of 15 million Nepalis who are eligible to vote will cast their ballot in 6,642 polling stations across the country, said Surya Prasad Sharma, an Election Commission spokesman. As many as 46,000 civil servants have been deployed at the polling stations that will be guarded by about 75,000 security forces including over 20,000 temporary police recruit, according to the Election Commission. The second round of elections is scheduled for mid-June. However, doubts over the commencement of the second phase of the polls still dominate discussions in the political and public space. The opposition is demanding that the second phase of polls be preponed, as the date for announcing the budget is prior to the date of the second phase and might influence voters. Meanwhile, the political parties in Nepal reportedly reached an agreement to move ahead on the Constitution amendment process in Parliament on May 18. New Delhi: Pakistan's Federal Review Board has rubbished the Nawaz Sharif-led government's assertion that the Mumbai attack mastermind, Hafiz Saeed has been detained due to international pressure. The three-member law board, which took up the matter on Saturday, has also asked the government to give in writing the reasons for Saeed's house arrest, Pak daily The Nation reported. Interior Ministry's spcl secretary Ahmad Raza, Addl Attorney General Naseer Bhutta and Asst Advocate General Sattar Sahil represented the government. The JuD chief was also produced before the board. The interior ministry submitted that Hafiz Saeed has been detained due to security risks and international pressure. A law officer said Saeed motivated people for Jihad and terrorism. However, the board said that international pressure cannot be a ground for his detention and Saeed must be tried in accordance with Pakistani laws. Saeed and his five aides had challenged their extended detention on April 30. Islamabad: Adviser to the Prime Minister on Foreign Affairs Sartaj Aziz has written a letter to the United Nations Secretary General highlighting alleged Indian attempts to bring demographic changes to Jammu and Kashmir, a Foreign Office statement said on Saturday. "The letter specifically points out the issuance of permanent residence certificates to non-residents, allotment of land to retired Indian army personnel, issuance of land to non-Kashmiris, the establishment of separate townships for Kashmiri pandits and settlement of west Pakistan refugees in held Kashmir," the statement said. "These efforts are being made to try to convert the Muslim majority in Jammu and Kashmir into a minority to preempt the results of the (proposed) UN administered plebiscite," said the statement. Aziz has stressed that the non-implementation of the UN Security Council resolutions is leading to a grave human tragedy in the Valley, added the statement. "It is only by the implementation of the UN Security Council resolutions that we will be able to end the immense sufferings of millions of Kashmiris in Jammu and Kashmir and bring peace and stability to South Asia," the report quoted the letter. Patna: Aiming to put an end to atrocities against the Dalit community in Dhansoi in Buxar district, former chief minister and Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) Chief Lalu Prasad Yadav demanded immediate action against the perpetrators who have subjected dalits to severe mistreatment. The RJD supremo summoned the District Magistrate (DM), Deputy Inspector General (DIG) and Superintendent of Police (SP) to conduct an investigation in the village itself and punish those responsible for the brutal attack. "The natives of Dhansoi's Chattarpur village came to me seeking help after a group of people burnt their house and misbehaved with the women. I have asked the SP, DIG and Collector to visit the place and arrest those responsible for this. This kind of atrocity will be not be tolerated by the government," he told ANI here. Amidst an ongoing tussle over the Dalit land being illegally seized, a group of men burnt down a Dalit's house and allegedly misbehaved with the natives. According to a victim, the community has been facing atrocities for the past three months over the matter. In spite of all legal documents being provided by the government authorities against capturing the land, the miscreants continued to ill-treat the dalits. "We tried to complain to the police, but no action was taken. We have now come to Lalu Yadav seeking justice for our community," a victim said. Ranchi: A senior Maoist commander involved in the killing of a former minister and beheading a police official surrendered to police here in Jharkhand on Sunday. Kundan Pahan, who was a synonym for terror in three districts of the state, gave himself up in the presence of Additional Director General of Police R.K. Mallik and CRPF Inspector General Anand Latkar among others. Kundan carried a reward of Rs 15 lakh on his head, Ranchi Senior Superintendent of Police Kuldeep Dwivedi told reporters. He was involved in the killing of former Minister and then legislator Ramesh Singh Munda in 2008, the beheading of police Inspector Francis Induwar and in the loot of Rs 5 crore from an ICICI cash van. A total of 128 cases were lodged against him in the state, said Dwivedi. Kundan was notorious in Ranchi, Khuti and Seraikela-Kharswa districts. Ranchi and Jamshedpur districts were under his operational control. On his orders, Special Branch Inspector Induwar was abducted from Khuti. He was then beheaded, triggering terror. Kundan joined the Maoists in 1999 at age 16. He became a member of the Regional Committee in the outlawed Communist Party of India-Maoist in 2006. In 2012, he became Secretary of the Committee. Speaking on the occasion, police officer Mallik said Maoists have an opportunity to surrender in 2017. "Otherwise they will face consequences in 2018." Jharkhand Police has launched a new programme under which Maoists are encouraged to surrender. Till now, 107 Maoists have surrendered. Early this month, another top Maoist commander, Nakul Yadav, also carrying Rs 15 lakh reward on his head, surrendered. Speaking to reporters, Kundan said: "I take responsibility for all the incidents in which I was directly or indirectly involved. I admit I committed mistakes and will try to reform myself." His two elder brothers were also Maoists. One surrendered and the second was arrested. New Delhi: President Pranab Mukherjee on Sunday attended the Essel Groups 90 years celebrations as the chief guest. The President congratulated Essel group on completion of its 90 years and on the launch of new initiatives such as WION-World is One News, Sarthi and DSC Foundation. He appreciated the spirit of the celebrations i.e. Young at 90'. Here are the highlights of the speech: - One should always remain young and look at issues with fresh new perspectives. - Unlike 90 years ago, the situation in the world is very different today. Information Technology and communication has brought about major changes. - Technology always has a disruptive impact but if society is ready to accept challenges, it can utilize it well. Thanks to our ingenuity and ability we have absorbed and advanced technology. - Media has a far-reaching impact and influence on people. Today indeed the world is one. While facts and news remain one, views may be different. - It is important to maintain objectivity and truthfulness in news. Media must take note of the positive things taking place in day to day life. - In the next ten years, the Essel Group would be organizing its centenary celebrations. And it should remain young even at 100, remain young forever. New Delhi: The National Green Tribunal has directed the Delhi government to conduct sound mapping in the Connaught Place area. A bench headed by NGT Chairperson Justice Swatanter Kumar asked the city government to examine the sound levels in the area and take steps like fixation of barriers for curbing the noise pollution. "The said mapping shall be done when demonstrations are going on and when the demonstration are not being held in that area. They shall also identify alternative sites to the present one for holding of demonstrations to prevent noise pollution and traffic congestion, resulting in air pollution," the bench said. The green panel said the Supreme Court and the High Courts have passed orders from time to time for relocation of the venue to some other place but nothing has been done. The NGT was hearing a plea filed by Varun Seth and others alleging that processions and agitations held by social groups, political parties, NGOs at the Jantar Mantar Road were a major source of noise pollution in the area. The plea had said regular protests "violate their right to live in a peaceful and healthy environment, right to silence, right to sleep and right to life with dignity." They had also claimed that despite the law being in place disallowing noise to cross 40 decibels, they have to bear the sound from loudspeakers which sometimes go up to as high as 300 decibels. (With Agency inputs) Germany: Baloch Republican Party (BRP) member from Germany, Ashraf Sherjan has advised countries joining China's the One Belt One Road (OBOR) initiative, to first consider the situation in Balochistan before taking any step further. "I would request all other countries to consider the situation of Balochistan before joining the OBOR project," Sherjan said. Asserting that the OBOR initiative is almost linked with the China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), Sherjan said the people and leaders of Balochistan have already rejected the CPEC project. He further said that the CPEC is not in the interest of people of Balochistan but only for people of Punjab province and Pakistan. "We the people of Balochistan have even rejected Pakistan and China. So, we request to the countries that are joining this OBOR initiative, we want to inform them before they take any step forward for OBOR that please considered the situation in Balochistan and see what is happening in Balochistan. Just to make China happy due to the CPEC, Pakistan is already killing the people of Balochistan," he said. Sherjan added that a slow motion of Balochistan genocide is going on just because of the CPEC. "But in between interest of China and in interest of Pakistan and for the people of Balochistan, there is no benefit and no interest in this project," he said. He asserted that Baloch leaders in exile have been protesting against the CPEC and they will continue to do so against Pakistan and China. "So, I and the Baloch nation request to countries which are joining the OBOR that they will be on the losing side. So better don't waste your time, don't waste your energy and don't waste your money on the OBOR," he said. Sherjan also appreciated India for skipping the OBOR summit in Beijing beginning today. Baloch people and activists have been consistently protesting against the CPEC, alleging that Pakistan is only concerned about exploiting the resources of Balochistan for Beijing and its advantage. Considered to be a part of China's One Belt, One Road initiative, the USD 51 billion CPEC will cover significant parts of Balochistan, Sindh and the Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK) By Press Trust of India: (Eds: Rectifying typos in the intro) Ahmedabad, May 14 (PTI) In the face of ransomware virus threat to its information technology network, the Gujarat government has begun equipping its computer system with anti- virus software and upgrading the Microsoft operating system. Computers linked to the Gujarat State Wide Area Network (GSWAN), one of countrys largest IP-based IT infrastructure connecting taluka-level government offices to the state capital with around 45,000 computers, are being monitored closely, said Science and Technology Department Secretary Dhananjay Dwivedi. advertisement The government is also taking various preventive measures to avert the threat of ransomware virus, he added. "By default we have anti-virus softwares in most of the computers, but there are also computers which do not have the anti-virus or upgraded Microsoft operating system. We are installing anti-virus and upgrading Microsoft operating system in these computers following ransomware virus threat," Dwivedi said. Without elaborating, he said the government has since yesterday taken up precautionary measures in the wake of the threat. Computer Emergency Response Team of India (CERT-In), the countrys nodal agency to combat hacking, phishing and fortifying the security-related defences of the Indian Internet domain, has alerted Internet users against damaging activities of a strong and globally active ransomware virus- ?Wannacry? that critically infects work stations and locks them remotely. The virus encrypts files on the infected Windows systems and spreads by using a vulnerability in implementations of server message block (SMB) in Windows systems, it said. PTI KA NRB RAX RAX --- ENDS --- New Delhi: Taking suo motu cognisance of a brutal gang-rape in Haryana - reminiscent of the 2012 Nirbhaya gang-rape case in Delhi, the National Commission for Women has sought a fair and speedy trial in the case, its Chairperson Lalitha Kumaramangalam said on Sunday. "We have written to officials concerned to ensure a speedy and fair inquiry. We have also sent a team to inquire into the matter," Kumaramangalam told IANS. In a savage crime reminiscent of the 2012 Nirbhaya gang-rape case in Delhi, a young woman from Haryana's Sonepat district was abducted, gang-raped and brutally murdered. The woman, aged around 23, went missing on May 9. Her body was found on the outskirts of Rohtak town, 70 km from the national capital, early on Friday. Reminiscent of the December 16, 2012 Delhi gang rape, the rapists had inserted a sharp-edged weapon in her private parts. Police also said that sedatives were found in her stomach. Her head and face were smashed with a blunt object and later crushed under the wheels of a vehicle. Two men, including her neighbour Sumit who was stalking her, were arrested. Stray dogs had eaten the victim's face and lower portion of her body which was spotted by a passerby in a secluded area of the city in Haryana on May 11. The incident comes days after the Supreme Court upheld the death sentence awarded to four convicts in the December 16, 2012, Nirbhaya gang-rape case. Rohtak: The post-mortem report of the Rohtak girl who was gang-raped by seven men and then murdered has confirmed that the victim was subjected to severe torture and rape by the accused. According to the ANI reports, the post-mortem report has indicted that victim's esophagus has been missing and gnawing effects were seen over the chest. "The esophagus is missing from the body and gnawing effects is seen over the chest of the victim in Rohtak gangrape and murder case. The face, tongue, eyes, ears have been totally distorted. The victim's face is not at all identifiable," the report said. It further stated that the cause of the death is believed to be the head injury. "There have been blunt force injuries and multiple wounds on skull and scalp," it added. The Haryana Police had yesterday released the sketch of the main suspect in the case. The brutality of the case has sparked comparison with the Nirbhaya case. At least two suspects were arrested by the city police in connection with the brutal gang-rape-murder case. On Thursday, mutilated body of a 23-year-old woman with her face and lower portion eaten by dogs was found in the urban estate area of Rohtak. The woman, a divorcee, was allegedly kidnapped from Sonipat on May 9 by seven men and taken to a deserted location in Rohtak where she was subjected to gang-raped and brutal torture. Sharp-edged objects were found inserted into the private parts of the victim. Her head had been smashed. A vehicle had been run over her by the perpetrators of the crime apparently to hide her identity. Dr. SK Dhatterwal, head of the department of forensic medicine at the Post Graduate Institute of Medical Sciences (PGIMS) in Rohtak who conducted the post-mortem examination, said the 'findings suggest that it was a brutal rape and murder'. "The bones of the woman's skull were shattered into pieces. The assailants would have used a heavy, blunt weapon to do that. In the stomach, there were findings suggesting congestion which indicates she may have been given some sedatives. That will be confirmed by chemical examination of the viscera samples," said Dr. Dhatterwal. "The victim was tortured and her body was mutilated and tortured after the gang rape. She was killed after being raped involving at least seven people. Her skull was smashed in a way which indicates that she was run over by a vehicle in order to hide her identity," the forensic team has stated. The forensic team also found some drugs in viscera samples taken from the victim's body. When her body was found in an empty plot in Rohtak, the police first tried to ascertain the identity of the victim. Their search led them to the missing complaint lodged in the neighboring district of Sonepat. The victim's parents told police that one of the accused, Sumit, had been harassing the woman for past one year. They told the police that prime accused was their neighbour, who had visited their home only a few days ago. The deceased had turned down his proposal for marriage following which Sumit threatened her with 'befitting reply with dire consequences'. Sonipat: Condemning the brutal shocker emerging from Rohtak, where a girl was gangraped and her mutilated body was discovered, Haryana Women and Child Development Minister Kavita Jain demanded that dedicated, separate courts should be set up in the country for speedy trial of cases involving sexual assaults on women. Talking to media, Jain said, "In order to deal with crime against girls, women, there should be dedicated courts, and trials should be conducted on the line of fast-track courts. So that the culprits should not lose fear of punishment and think twice before committing such crime." The Harayana Minister who visited the family members assured them of strict action will be taken against the culprits. Meanwhile, Haryana Inspector general of police (IG) nspector general of police informed that two accused have been arrested in connection with the case. "We cannot tell the investigation details. Two accused has been arrested till now. The investigation is underway," said IG. A case has been registered under the Indian Penal code (IPC) 376, 365, 302 against the accused. On May 9th, a woman was brutally gang-raped and murdered, wherein later her mutilated body was found in an empty plot in Haryana's Rohtak. The incident occurred on May 9 and came to light when the victim's body was found in city's IMT area. The victim had allegedly refused a marriage proposal, following which the accused reached her home a week later with his friends. A heated argument broke out which resulted in the woman slapping him. In revenge, the accused along with his friends allegedly raped and murdered her. The family of the victim said that on May 9, at least five to six youth abducted her from the gate of a private company. After that the accused took her to a deserted place and gang-raped her. The victim's mother said that the accused have been pressurizing the woman for marriage for the past one year. The forensic reports suggested that the victim was mutilated with sharp-edged weapons. Later, the accused tried to run her over to hide her identity. "The victim was tortured and her body was mutilated after the gang rape. She was killed after being raped involving at least seven people. Her skull was smashed in a way which indicates that she was run over by a vehicle in order to hide her identity," the forensic team has stated. The victim was living with her mother and brother and used to work in a private medicine company. The woman's parents had filed a missing complaint, based on which the police tracked her parents down. The parents were called to Rohtak to identify her body. The distraught parents have claimed that this ghastly attack was carried out by the girl's neighbour and have demanded capital punishment for the rapists. Shimla: Three tourists from Tamil Nadu were killed and 14 others injured on Sunday when a Tempo Traveller they were travelling in fell into a gorge in Himachal Pradesh's Bilaspur district, police said. The tourists, all members of an extended family, were travelling to Manali tourist resort from New Delhi when the vehicle skidded off the road in the Swarghat area, some 120 km from here, on the Chandigarh-Manali route. Survivors told police that the driver probably lost control while negotiating a turn. While Jagrati and Jai Raman died on the spot, N. Kumar succumbed to his injuries while being taken to hospital, police said. The injured were admitted to a hospital in Bilaspur town. Jammu: The Pakistan Army on Sunday initiated indiscriminate firing along the Line of Control in Chiti Bakri area of Rajouri sector of Jammu and Kashmir. The Indian Army is strongly retaliating to the unprovoked firing from the Pakistan side, an official told media. Speaking to IANS, Defence Ministry spokesman Lieutenant Colonel Manish Mehta said, "Pakistan Army initiated indiscriminate firing and shelling on our positions on the LoC in the Rajouri sector. They are using small arms, automatics, and mortars." "Our forces are effectively retaliating. The firing is presently ongoing," Mehta added. Islamabad violated ceasefire post 6:45 am today and has targeted more than seven villages along the border. At least two civilians including a minor girl were killed and nine people including four soldiers were injured as Pakistan pounded 35 villages and Indian posts with mortars along the LoC in Rajouri district yesterday. Two hundred houses have been damaged, mostly partially, in shelling from across the LoC, said Sub-Divisional Magistrate, Nowshera, Harbans Lal Sharma. Livestock in large numbers is also reportedly killed and injured in the shelling. Nearly 1,100 people including women and children were rescued and brought to relief camps set up by the administration at Nowshera last night. In an another development, as many as 51 schools of the Nowshera region and 36 of Manjakote and Doongi zones have been closed for an indefinite period. Delhi: Essel Group celebrated 90 years of its existence Sunday and launched new initiatives WION (World is One News), Saarthi, an initiative of becoming a bridge between the government and masses, and the DSC foundation. A host of dignitaries including Prime Minister Narendra Modi and President Pranab Mukherjee graced the mega event at Indira Gandhi stadium. The event was marked as - 'Young at 90' and the hashtag - #YoungAt90 - was the top trend on Twitter. Following are some of the reactions on social media on the momentous occasion. Joined @EsselGroup_s 90 years celebrations. Congratulated the group for their various achievements in the world of business. Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) May 14, 2017 Congrats to sh @subhashchandra for 90 successful yrs of @EsselGroup_ ! May the grp serve the nation for many more years to come! #youngat90 Rajyavardhan Rathore (@Ra_THORe) May 14, 2017 @subhashchandra my greetings on Essel GRP turning #YoungAt90 gratitude for kind invitation today. An honor to attend celebration at IG stdm Deepa Malik (@DeepaAthlete) May 14, 2017 New Delhi: A Hizbul Mujahideen militant trying to enter India from Nepal was arrested from a border crossing point in Uttar Pradesh earlier this week, the Sashastra Seema Bal (SSB) said on Sunday. Nasser Ahmed, 34, a resident of Dolgam village in Jammu and Kashmir, was trying to sneak in India as Kashmiri carpet and Kashmiri vendor when personnel of the SSB`s 1st Battalion arrested him, SSB Spokesperson Deepak Singh told IANS. He said that Ahmed reached Kathmandu in Nepal on May 10 from Pakistan`s Faislabad via Sharjah, along with his accomplice Mohammed Shafi, a resident of Butpura village in Jammu and Kashmir. "From Kathmandu, they separated and Ahmed reached India-Nepal border. Our security personnel arrested him when he failed to show them supporting documents of his identity while crossing the border. "Subsequently, on a search, a Pakistani passport and identity card having address of Lala Musa village in Punjab (Pakistan) were recovered from his possession," the SSB official said. According to the official, Ahmed is an active militant and was residing in Pakistan since September 2003. "He is involved in many violent crimes against civilians and security forces. He was sent to India by his handler for a specific mission. Initially he was trained by militants operating in Banihal and adjoining areas of Jammu and Kashmir and was active in terror activities since 2002," the official said. Ahmed subsequently went to Pakistan in 2003 with a group of 23 persons and joined the Hizbul Mujahideen. Between November 2003 and January 2004, Ahmed received arms training at a place called Atak in Pakistan from the group`s members as well as personnel of the ISI and Pakistan Army with the aim of fighting with Indian security forces in Jammu and Kashmir, he said. Ahmed informed interrogators that he used to preach Quran to Hizbul cadres during his stay at various camps. New Delhi: The India Meteorological Department (IMD) on Sunday said the Southwest monsoon has advanced into parts of southeast Bay of Bengal, Nicobar Islands, south Andaman Sea and parts of north Andaman Sea. The weather department has advised the fishermen not to venture into the sea along and off the Nicobar Islands during May14-15 and along and off Andaman Islands during May15-17. Earlier, the MeT department has predicted normal southwest monsoon for this year. "This year we are expecting normal distribution and quantity of rainfall across the country with 96 percent of the long period average with a model error of plus or minus five percent," D. S. Pai, Head of Climate Prediction, IMD, told ANI. He further said that the IMD would forecast the monsoon arrival around mid of the next month. K. J. Ramesh, chief of the MeT department said that the combination of a weak El Nino and positive Indian Ocean Dipole is expected to give a positive monsoon for India this year. Ramesh also said that the rainfall this year would be favourable for the farmers. The IMD has said there is 38 percent of a rain being near normal. The IMD said that they expected 96 percent rainfall in the oncoming monsoon season with a margin of five percent. Delhi: The prestigious Essel Group celebrated its 90th anniversary on Sunday with a mega event held at Indira Gandhi Stadium. The Group's journey started in 1926 in Sadalpur, a small village close to Hisar when Essel Group's Chairman Dr Subhash Chandra's family set up a grain market in a place called Mandi Adampur. The function was graced by many dignitaries including Prime Minister Narendra Modi and President Pranab Mukherjee. On the occasion, two social initiatives were launched by the PM. These include Sarthi a peoples empowerment programme on subjects such as education, health and employment and the DSC Foundation with a corpus of Rs. 5000 crore, to empower people in need. Speaking at the event, PM Modi described the programmes as an illustration of Indian traditions and said that India has had a tradition where successive generations take family values forward. He also recalled his earlier meetings with Shri Nandkishore Goenka and said that the family has always been open to new ideas, and has taken every challenge as an opportunity, to create a presence in a range of initiatives from soil to satellite. Following are the top quotes by PM Modi: - Today's occasion is obviously connected with the Essel Group but it is also connected with values associated with our land. - We in our country attach immense importance to family values. The family is a very strong institution. - I have known the family of Dr Subhash Chandra for years. Their business group is active in so many sectors. - 'Waste to wealth' is a belief that is gaining momentum. Lot of social entrepreneurship is being devoted towards this. - Saarthi and DSC Foundation have been inaugurated today. These initiatives reflect values their family believes in. - While 'Saarthi' presents a good blend of rights and duties, the DSC Foundation will help build a large number of job creators. - Dr Chandra ji spoke about Ekal Vidyalayas. The manner in which his family has supported these schools is commendable. The post-mortem report in the Rohtak gangrape and murder case stated that there were gnawing marks over chest of the victim and her wind-pipe was missing. Haryana government and Red Cross Society have announced financial assistance of Rs 10.5 lakh to the victim's family. By India Today Web Desk: Gorier details have emerged from the Rohtak grangrape incident in the post-mortem report. The victim was brutally raped and tortured. The National Commission for Women has taken a suo motu cognizance of the incident and sought death penalty for all the accused. Her body was mutilated and attempts were made to disfigure her completely to prevent identification of the victim. advertisement Meanwhile, Haryana government and Red Cross Society has announced financial assistance to the bereaved family. Rohtak gangrape victim's kin will get financial assistance of Rs 10.5 lakh. State welfare department will provide Rs 8.5 lakh while Red Cross Society announced support of Rs 2 lakh. ROHTAK GANGRAPE AND MURDER: POST-MORTEM REPORT Now the post-mortem report says, according to news agency ANI, that wind pipe of the victim was missing and there were gnawing marks over chest of the victim. "Post-mortem report states that the cause of death is head injury. Blunt force injuries and multiple wounds (were) found on skull and scalp. Post -mortem further states that Oesophagus was missing and gnawing effects were seen over chest of the victim in Rohtak gangrape and murder case," read ANI's tweets. The post-mortem report of victim in Rohtak gangrape and murder case states that face, tongue, eyes and ears of the victim were totally distorted. He face was not identifiable, when police recovered her body from an isolated plot in Rohtak on May 11. NCW DEMANDS DEATH FOR RAPISTS, KILLERS National Commission for Women Chairperson Lalitha Kumaramangalam has taken a suo motu notice in Rohtak gangrape and murder case. The NCW has sought capital punishment for all those involved in Rohtak gangrape and murder case. NCW member Rekha Sharma said that there was "need to be more swift and sensitive enough to handle these cases." She also said that the NCW will "monitor" the progress in the case till the end. Meanwhile, the Haryana police have registered a case under under IPC 365, 302,376 A,D, 34 and 328 against the two accused arrested in connection with the gangrape and murder. Haryana's Additional DGP Akil Ahmad said, "An SIT (special investigation team) has been formed by police... Maximum possible penalty will be awarded to the accused. We will appeal for fast-tracking this case." The victim was kidnapped from Sonipat on May 9. She was "brutally raped, tortured and murdered, her mutilated body was found in Rohtak" two days later, Akil Ahmad said. advertisement ALSO READ | Rohtak's Nirbhaya: Girl gangraped, brutalised, murdered and body mutilated Nirbhaya gangrape verdict: Justice delayed, not denied, say parents Nirbhaya gangrape case: Supreme Court decides the 4 convicts will hang ALSO WATCH | Haryana horror: Woman abducted, gangraped and killed in Rohtak --- ENDS --- Bhopal: Prime Minister Narendra Modi will tomorrow unveil a roadmap for steps to be taken for the conservation of the Narmada river in Madhya Pradesh.Narendra Modi will tomorrow unveil a roadmap for steps to be taken for the conservation of the Narmada river in Madhya Pradesh. The event at Amarkantak, the place in Anooppur district where the river originates, will mark the conclusion of 'Namami Devi Narmade Sewa Yatra'. The Narmada river conservation awareness campaign was launched in December last year. "I am delighted to join the programme to mark the conclusion of the Narmada Seva Yatra in Amarkantak, Madhya Pradesh, tomorrow afternoon. "Narmada Seva Yatra is an excellent mass movement to protect the Narmada & conveys a larger message of saving the environment as well," Modi said in a series of tweets. He said he will launch the 'Narmada Seva Mission' which will have a major impact on Madhya Pradeshs ecology. "The prime minister will release a roadmap for the conservation of Narmada, the lifeline of Madhya Pradesh, at Amarkantak," Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan said today. "The roadmap has been prepared after wide-ranging consultations with various stakeholders, including environmentalists, river conservation experts and people directly associated with the Narmada," he said. The yatra, which started on December 11, 2016 from Amarkantak, will conclude tomorrow after covering a distance of 3,344 km and passing through over 1,100 villages and towns. A number of prominent personalties, including Tibetan spiritual leader the Dalai Lama, BJP president Amit Shah, Union ministers Rajnath Singh, Uma Bharti, Anil Madhav Dave, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath and well-known water conservationist Rajendra Singh, among others, took part in the yatra in its different stages. Modi will arrive at Amarkantak, around 450 km from Bhopal, in the afternoon. He will also take part in 'Narmada Pujan' and address a gathering, an official associated with the yatra said. Elaborate security arrangements have been made for the prime minister's visit, he said. Narmada flows 1,312 km before draining through the Gulf of Khambhat into the Arabian Sea. Narmada, also known as Rewa, is one of only three major rivers in the country that flows from east to west. The other two are Tapti and Mahi. Srinagar: At least two Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) terrorists were gunned down in Jammu and Kashmir's Handwara region in an encounter on Sunday. According to media reports, the gunfight occurred in Warpora forest area of Handwara tehsil in Kupwara. The security forces have launched a massive search operation in the area following the encounter. "Following specific information about the presence of militants in Warpora forest area of Handwara tehsil, security forces launched an operation but were fired upon by the hiding militants, triggering the gunfight. "Two militants of LeT outfit have been killed in this operation," IANS reported, adding that searches were still going on in the area to track any more militants In another incident, a Hizbul terrorist was nabbed by the Sashastra Seema Bal (SSB) jawans while trying to sneak into India from Nepal. A Pakistani passport was also recovered from his possession. The terrorist is identified as 34-year old Naseer Ahmed aka Sadiq, media reports said. He was reportedly involved in several terror activities in Banihal area of Jammu and Kashmir. "He is involved in many violent crimes against civilians and security forces. He was sent to India by his handler for a specific mission. "Initially he was trained by militants operating in Banihal and adjoining areas of Jammu and Kashmir and was active in terror activities since 2002," an official said. The Army has launched a massive cordon-and-search operation in Jammu and Kashmir this week following a spurt of terror attacks on the security forces. The move comes amid heightened vigil along the Line of Control (LOC) as counter-measure for repeated ceasefire violation by Pakistani forces. Bhopal: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday will unveil an ambitious roadmap for conservation of the Narmada river, which flows 1,312 km from east to west before draining into the Gulf of Khambhat in the Arabian Sea. Narmada, also known as Rewa, is one of major rivers in the country. PM Modi will announce the plan during an event at Amarkantak in Madhya Pradesh's Anooppur district. The event coincides with the conclusion of Namami Devi Narmade Sewa Yatra. The conservation campaign was first launched in December last year. "The prime minister will release the roadmap for the conservation of Narmada, the lifeline of Madhya Pradesh, at Amarkantak," PTI quoted Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan as saying. "The roadmap has been prepared after a wide-ranging consultation with various stakeholders, including environmentalists, river conservation experts and people directly associated with Narmada," he said. The Namami Devi Narmade Sewa Yatra, which was started on December 11, 2016 from Amarkantak, will conclude on Monday after covering a distance of 3,344 km and passing through over 1,100 villages/towns. A number of prominent personalties, including Tibetan spiritual leader the Dalai Lama, BJP president Amit Shah, Union ministers Rajnath Singh, Uma Bharti and Anil Madhav Dave, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath and well-known water conservationist Rajendra Singh, among others, had taken part in the yatra during different phases. Modi will arrive at Amarkantak, around 450km from here, in the afternoon. He will also take part in 'Narmada Pujan' and address a gathering, an official associated with the yatra said. Elaborate security arrangements have been made for the prime minister's visit, he said. (With PTI inputs) New Delhi: Overseas investors have so far pumped in over Rs 5,000 crore in the country's debt market this month, helped by stable outlook for the rupee. However, in view of higher stock valuations amid surging markets, foreign portfolio investors (FPIs) invested only Rs 290 crore in equities during this period. "FPI flows into Indian equities are muted as the market has run up in the past four months and valuations are no longer cheap. Having said this, we are seeing some flows coming back to equity market for past 2-3 days," Sharekhan Head Advisory Hemang Jani said. "The differential spread between 10-year bond yields in the US and India is still around 4.5-5 per cent, this, coupled with stable outlook for the Indian currency bodes well for FPI flows into debt market," Jani added. According to latest depository data, FPIs invested a net Rs 5,318 crore (USD 825 million) in debt markets during May 2 -12. This comes following a net inflow of over Rs 51,679 crore in the last three months (February-April) on several factors, including expectations that BJP's victory in recently held assembly polls will accelerate the pace of reforms. Prior to that, such investors had pulled out over Rs 2,300 crore from debt markets in January. With the latest inflow, total investment in debt markets has crossed over Rs 54,000 crore this year. Mumbai: Manoj Bajpayee was being touted as one of the contenders for the National Award this year for his acclaimed performance in "Aligarh", but the actor says losing out to Akshay Kumar did not disappoint him. The 48-year-old actor insists that he does not yearn for recognition. Bajpayee received lot of acclaim for his portrayal of a gay professor in the Hansal Mehta-directed film "Aligarh". This year's National Award for best actor went to Akshay for "Rustom". Bajpayee has won two National Awards- best actor in supporting role for "Satya" and special jury award for "Pinjar". "For me, it has always been easy to move on from disappointments in life. I am used to it. I don't base my life and career on any award in this country. Awards shouldn't be defining you as a person or as an actor," Bajpayee told PTI. "The support that I got from the people was quite overwhelming. At the same time, I would like to congratulate all the winners. Let them celebrate. I will get my chances definitely in the future," he adds. Bajpayee's latest film "Sarkar 3" marks his reunion with director Ram Gopal Varma after almost 14 years. The actor shot to fame with Varma's 1998 cult hit "Satya" and later worked with him in "Road", but soon parted ways with the filmmaker over creative differences. "My equation with him (Varma) is still of a newcomer. I still maintain that. I don't ask for a script (hard-copy), just listen to the script and trust him as I have always been doing. No questions asked, no ifs and buts. It's all about what he wants from me in terms of performance," he says. In "Sarkar 3", Bajpayee plays a local politician who is against the involvement of goons in politics. The actor says contrary to rumours, his character in the film is not based on Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal but his look is definitely inspired by him. "It's just the look. We wanted to have the look of Kejriwal and that's about it. The character is completely different, he is a fiery young politician whose stance is completely opposite to that of Sarkar," says Bajpayee. Ahmedabad: In face of ransomware virus threat to its information technology network, the Gujarat government has begun equipping its state computer system with anti-virus softwares and upgrading its Microsoft operating systems. Computers linked to the Gujarat State Wide Area Network (GSWAN), one of country's largest IP-based IT infrastructure connecting taluka-level government offices to the state capital with around 45,000 computers, are being monitored closely, said Science and Technology Department Secretary Dhananjay Dwivedi. The government is also taking various preventive measures to avert the threat of ransomware virus, he added. "By default we have anti-virus softwares in most of the computers, but there are also computers which do not have the anti-virus or upgraded Microsoft operating system. We are installing anti-virus and upgrading Microsoft operating system in these computers following ransomware virus threat," Dwivedi said. Without elaborating, he said the government has since yesterday taken up precautionary measures in the wake of the threat. Computer Emergency Response Team of India (CERT-In), the country's nodal agency to combat hacking, phishing and fortifying the security-related defences of the Indian Internet domain, has alerted Internet users against damaging activities of a strong and globally active ransomware virus- Wannacry that critically infects work stations and locks them remotely. The virus encrypts files on the infected Windows systems and spreads by using a vulnerability in implementations of server message block (SMB) in Windows systems, it said. Allahabad (Uttar Pradesh): In yet another case of corporal punishment, a Class XII student of St. Joseph's School, Allahabad became the victim of brutality of the worst kind. Serven Terence (14), lost vision in his right eye allegedly because he was caned by the vice-principle for standing in the morning assembly with his school bag on. Initially the student was being treated in Allahabad, but now is in Lucknow. The family of the victim registered the First Information Report (FIR) in the regard on last Friday against the accused in the Civil Lines police station in the city. On May 9, Terence went to school and stood in the morning assembly with his bag on, spotting which vice-principal Leslie Cotino started canning him with a baton and amid the act the baton struck his right eye which started bleeding. He was rushed to the hospital in Allahabad, from where he was sent to Lucknow where it was informed that Terence has lost vision in his right eye. Serven, who is the lone child of his parents, will undergo surgery in a month. Meanwhile, an investigation has been launched into the matter. Lucknow: Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh and Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on Sunday reviewed preparations for the main function to mark International Yoga Day on June 21 to be attended by the prime minister here. Besides Prime Minister Narendra Modi and other dignitaries, nearly 55,000 people are expected to participate in the Yoga Day event at Ramabai Ambedkar Maidan in the state capital. A spokesperson of the UP government said Singh met Adityanath to discuss and review the preparations. Union AYUSH Minister Shripad Yesso Naik was also present. The AYUSH (Ayurveda, Yoga and Naturopathy, Unani, Siddha, and Homoeopathy) Ministry is the nodal agency for Yoga Day celebrations. Praising the presentation made for the event, the home minister exuded confidence that the International Yoga Day celebrations will be successful. Adityanath said LED screens would be installed at different parks in the city so that visitors could also take part in the celebrations simultaneously. He issued directions to hold a 28-day workshop for the participants prior to June 21. The Union AYUSH Ministry had proposed Lucknow as the venue for the main function for International Day of Yoga (IDY) celebrations this year. Earlier, the government was considering Bhopal, Jaipur, Ahmedabad, Ranchi and Bengaluru as possible venues for the main event. The ministry is also planning to organise a major yoga event in at least one city in each district across the country. The ministry zeroed in on Lucknow as the possible venue at a review meeting on the preparations for IDY which is observed on June 21. The official website of the ministry on its webpage pertaining to IDY also requests the people visiting the page to make the following pledge -- "I pledge to make yoga an integral part of my daily life." So far, 30.14 lakh visitors have taken the pledge. The first IDY celebration was organised at Rajpath in New Delhi on June 21, 2015 in which representatives of 191 countries had participated. Last year, the main function took place in Chandigarh. The United Nations General Assembly, heeding to a call by Modi, had made a declaration in December 2014 to observe June 21 as IDY. On March 29, Adityanath, while addressing a three-day UP Yoga Mahotsava in Lucknow, had said that 'surya namaskar' was similar to namaz (prayers) offered by Muslims and those opposing the yogic exercise wanted to divide the society on religious lines. Adityanath, who had in the past lashed out at a section of Muslims for terming the practice of 'surya namaskar' as "un-Islamic", said the sun salutation was a beautiful example of religious harmony. "The namaz offered by Muslims resembles different postures and asanas of surya namaskar including pranayama (breathing exercise). What a beautiful example of harmony (between two religions). But some 'bhogis' who do not believe in yoga, indulged in dividing the society on lines of caste, creed, religion and region among others," he said. "Before 2014 (when the BJP came to power at the Centre), even talking about yoga was considered communal. But things changed after Modi took steps to make yoga popular across the world," he had said. Lauding the prime minister for making yoga a global phenomenon, Adityanath had said, "PM Modi deserves all the credit for the global recognition which yoga has got." "The number of countries which participated in the International Yoga Day celebrations in 2015 was 175, which went up to 192 in the subsequent year," he said. The University Grants Commission has directed all universities to organise training programmes on common yoga protocol. It has urged vice-chancellors to personally supervise efforts in their institutions and affiliated colleges to make the plan a success. Apart from ensuring mass yoga performances on campuses, the universities have been asked to conduct discourses, lectures and talks by eminent yoga experts. The main programme would be the mass yoga demonstration from 7.00 am to 8.00 am, which will adhere to common yoga protocol (CYP). Other events would include yoga fests, seminars, workshops, musical and cultural programmes. Kolkata: Alleging widespread violence and booth-capturing by Trinamool Congress workers, all major opposition parties in West Bengal demanded countermanding of elections to seven municipal bodies being held on Sunday. Representatives of Left parties and the Congress resorted to a road blockade and sit-in-demonstration in front of the State Election Commission office here claiming that it had failed to conduct free and fair polls. "We want the elections to be countermanded as the ruling party has unleashed terror at all the places where elections are being held," CPI(M) state secretary Surjya Kanta Mishra told reporters here. Claiming that the elections have been turned into a farce, he said, "Miscreants owing allegiance to the TMC have been terrorising everyone with guns, bombs and other weapons. Voters, candidates, their agents, police and journalists -- no one has been spared." Mishra claimed that three CPI(M) supporters were injured in firing by miscreants at Pujali in South 24-Parganas district, one of the towns where polls are being held. West Bengal Congress president Adhir Chowdhury demanded countermanding of the elections alleging booth capturing by TMC supporters. Chowdhury said that he has instructed all 10 party candidates in Domkal not to take interest in the election as it has become a farce because of booth capturing and violence by the TMC's goons. He alleged that Congress agents were driven out of polling booths at Domkal town in Murshidabad district by TMC activists. BJP national secretary Rahul Sinha also demanded that the elections be countermanded and fresh polls be declared by the State Election Commission. "The commission should cancel today's elections and fresh polls be held with central forces in charge of security," Sinha, the former state BJP chief said. Representatives of the Congress and the Left Front went to the commission's office in the afternoon to register their grievances. Claiming that the commission's top officials refused to meet them, leaders and supporters of the Left parties and the Congress resorted to a road blockade and sit-in demonstration in front of the office in Kolkata. "The commission had assured us that steps will be taken to ensure free and fair polls, but it has failed miserably," Mishra said. Of the seven municipal bodies where the elections are being held, four are in Darjeeling hills. The Bimal Gurung-led Gorkha Janmukti Morcha (GJM) is the main opponent of the TMC in Darjeeling, Mirik, Kalimpong and Kurseong, where the ruling party has campaigned extensively with several senior ministers participating actively. Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, who frequently visits Darjeeling, has taken a keen interest in the municipal polls in the hills, which has for long seen dominance of hill parties -- the Subash Ghising-led Gorkha National Liberation Front (GNLF) followed by Gurung's GJM. Raiganj in North-Dinajpur district, Domkal in Murshidabad and Pujali in South 24-Parganas in the plains are having a three-way contest with the Left-Congress combine, the BJP and the TMC being in contention. By Press Trust of India: Amritsar, May 14 (PTI) Punjab minister Navjot Singh Sidhu and Finance Minister Manpreet Singh Badal conducted a special meeting here today on the development of Guru Ki Nagri. The meeting took place at Municipal Corporation office where Lok Sabha MP Gurjeet Singh Aujla and some other MLAs were also present. During the course of meeting, the issue of completing pending development projects pertaining to Amritsar and initiating new ones was deliberated upon. Sidhu and Manpreet focused on the beautification of the place. advertisement Divulging the details, Manpreet said the Punjab government would not allow any dearth of funds to hamper the all round development of the holy city and the government would formulate a special policy to ensure that this objective is met. He further said that a third party audit is being conducted of the amount spent in the name of development works in the past 10 years by the previous SAD-BJP Government. He also said that the perpetrators of financial irregularities during the previous regime would not be spared. Elaborating his plans to improve upon the financial condition of the state, Manpreet said that the implementation of the GST (Goods & Services Tax) would result in more income to the state from the central taxes than earlier. He also disclosed that the Union Government has guaranteed the 14 per cent tax share under the GST to the states for next 5 years. He said that the austerity measures of the State government have resulted in cutting down expenditures to the tune of Rs 1,000 crore. On the occasion, Sidhu, while lashing out at the previous SAD-BJP regime, said that the erstwhile Badal Government had started BRTS project in Amritsar without any proper planning. Terming it as a political stunt of the Badals, he said the project had many flaws, due to which it couldnt succeed. He said that out of this Rs 600 crore project, the amount to the tune of Rs 400 crore has been spent but in a haphazard manner which led to its failure. He elaborated that this project would now be run on PPP mode. The minister also said that 60 buses would also be included in the project. Batting for a clean and green city, Sidhu said the state government would plant 10 lakh saplings in the present season to ensure this objective for which the Lok Sabha MP Gurjeet Singh Aujla has announced a grant worth Rs 50 lakh from his MPLAD fund. He further said that under a new and novel policy, every house owner would pledge to plant 2 saplings while getting his/her house map approval and would also make arrangements for conserving the rain water in it. advertisement A committee under the stewardship of Deputy Commissioner has been formed to ensure its implementation. The minister also said that the state government would start solid waste management projects to solve the problem of garbage in the urban centers of the state. He said that efforts are on to start these projects in Amritsar, Bathinda and Jalandhar. The state government would provide land ranging from 100 to 200 acres for these projects so as to permanently solve the problem of garbage within next 50 years. He also said that new special machines have been contracted to clean the sewerage systems in the cities. Commenting further, the minister said that a new advertisement policy is being framed by the state government as per which the collection of Rs 200 crore as revenue has been targeted which would be spent on the developmental purposes. Coming to the transport policy, Sidhu said that the state government is going in for a new policy to finish off the transport mafia in the state which would be aimed at the strengthening of public transport, thereby breaking the monopoly of big transport companies. advertisement He also said that under the newly envisioned policy, mini bus operators would be encouraged and taxes would be lowered. He said that the main aim of the new policy is to provide maximum transport facilities to the people. The minister assured that the Congress government would toil hard day in and day out for the prosperity of Punjab and fulfil each promise that has been made to the people. He said that all the pending projects concerning Amritsar would be completed in the next 6 months. PTI cor VJ ARK --- ENDS --- Beijing: China called for restraint after North Korea's latest missile test on Sunday, warning against ramping up tensions in the region. "China opposes the DPRK`s violation of the (UN) Security Council`s resolutions... and all relevant parties should exercise restraint," the foreign ministry said in a statement. Beijing: China and the Philippines will start bilateral consultations on the disputed South China Sea this week, the Philippine ambassador to Beijing said, as Manila looks to ease tensions with Asia`s top economic power. Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte, who is visiting Beijing this weekend to attend a summit on China`s new Silk Road plan, has opted to court China for its business and investment and avoid rows over sovereignty that dogged his predecessors. Philippine Ambassador to China Jose Santiago Santa Romana told reporters late on Saturday that the consultations between the two countries would take place in a Chinese city, but declined to name it. He added that the dispute between the two countries "cannot be resolved overnight." China has not publicly announced any such talks. Duterte has been accused by critics of taking a defeatist position on China and on defending Philippine sovereignty. He considers his approach is pragmatic and says challenging China risks triggering a war. Santa Romana said Duterte`s attendance at the China summit should not be seen as the Philippines abandoning or "giving up" its claim of sovereignty in the South China Sea. The previous Philippine government in 2013 filed a case with the Permanent Court of Arbitration in The Hague to set the record straight on maritime boundaries. The tribunal did that last year, and invalidated China`s claim to sovereignty over most of the South China Sea. Duterte has put the ruling on the back burner and said he will revisit it later in his term. Santa Romana defended Duterte`s position, saying Manila was "proceeding from our own interests". China claims most of the energy-rich South China Sea through which about $5 trillion in ship-borne trade passes every year. Neighbours Brunei, Malaysia, the Philippines, Taiwan and Vietnam also have claims. Duterte visited China last October for an ice-breaking trip after bilateral relations soured over the South China Sea under the previous Philippine administration of Benigno Aquino. The detente has seen China commit to three infrastructure projects and pledge to donate two bridges, said the ambassador, without giving an investment figure. China has also eased import curbs on Philippine bananas, he said. "If you go around Beijing right now and you go to the market, you will see ... Philippine bananas. The Chinese are eating Philippine bananas again and Philippine pineapples," Santa Romana said. "They have promised to buy over $1 billion worth of tropical fruits from the Philippines and they are interested to buy more." Seoul: North Korea on Sunday launched a ballistic missile which flew around 700 km into the East Sea, the South Korean Joints Chief of Staff (JCS) said. This is the first provocative move from North Korea since South Korea appointed Moon Jae-in as the country's new President on Wednesday. "North Korea fired an unidentified missile at around 5.27 a.m. today (Sunday) from an area in the vicinity of Kusong, North Pyongan province," Yonhap News Agency quoted the JCS as saying in a statement. In response, President Moon has strongly condemned North Korea for the launch, describing it as a grave threat to regional security and a clear violation of the UN Security Council resolutions. He also called on Pyongyang to reverse its course of provocations for the resumption of dialogue while warning that his administration would deal resolutely in order to ensure it would not "miscalculate" the situation. "Even if dialogue is possible, (we) should show (to North Korea) that it's possible only in case of North Korea changing its attitude," Moon said, presiding over a session of the National Security Council. The US Pacific Command, based in Hawaii, also announced that it detected and tracked the launch of the missile, which landed in the East Sea. "The type of missile is being assessed, and the flight was not consistent with an intercontinental ballistic missile," it said. "The US Pacific Command is fully committed to working closely with our Republic of Korea and Japanese allies to maintain security." The Japanese government said the North's missile flew for half an hour. Prime Minister Shinzo Abe slammed Pyongyang for again violating the UN Security Council resolutions. District of Columbia: US President Donald Trump is calling for tougher sanctions on North Korea following its latest ballistic missile test. "Let this latest provocation serve as a call for all nations to implement far stronger sanctions against North Korea," the White House said in a statement. Baghdad: At least 13 Islamic State militants were killed in airstrikes by Iraqi jets targeting a meeting of the IS leaders and other IS posts in Iraq`s western province of Anbar, said the Iraqi military on Saturday. According to intelligence reports, the jet fighters conducted the airstrikes on Friday on an IS hideout where some IS leaders believed they were holding a meeting in the town of al-Qaim near the border with Syria, said Iraq`s Joint Operations Command (JOC) in a statement, Xinhua reported. The IS leaders were discussing plans for terrorist attacks against civilian targets during the coming holy month of Ramadan, late in this month, as wells as assassinating judges and attacks on the towns of Haditha and Rutba and the international highway between Baghdad and neighboring Jordan, according to the statement. The airstrikes killed 13 IS militants and wounded others at the meeting place, in addition to bombing eight other IS posts that included weapon warehouses and a car bomb-making site, along with killing and wounding a number of IS militants at the scenes, it said. On May 9, the jet fighters carried out 15 airstrikes against IS posts near the Syrian border areas, leaving a total of 100 IS militants killed. In late April, the JOC said that Iraqi F-16s and Sukhoi warplanes attacked IS hideouts within and nearby the town of al-Qaim, some 330 km in western of Baghdad, killing 46 IS militants. The airstrikes came as the Iraqi security forces backed by anti-IS international coalition are carrying out a major offensive to drive out the IS militants from their major stronghold in the western side of Mosul in northern Iraq. North Rhine-Westphalia: One in five German voters are heading to the polls in a key state election Sunday, with Chancellor Angela Merkel`s party hoping to deal a crushing blow to her main rival four months before national elections. About 13.1 million eligible voters in North Rhine-Westphalia (NRW) are casting ballots to elect a new regional parliament for the sprawling industrial region, which has a large migrant population and has been a Social Democratic Party (SPD) stronghold for decades. But surveys ahead of the vote showed the centre-left party running neck-and-neck with Merkel`s Christian Democratic Union, with some even placing the CDU ahead. The opinion polls were the latest indication that initial enthusiasm for the new SPD leader, Martin Schulz, could be fizzling out. The SPD had been ailing nationwide but saw a surge in support in February when Schulz took over. But that enthusiasm failed to translate into votes in the last two state elections, when the CDU won comfortably. An election in Germany`s biggest state is always significant, but this year`s NRW vote carries higher stakes, being the last regional vote before national polls and having a direct impact on whether the SPD can close the gap nationwide with the CDU. After casting his vote in his hometown of Wuerselen, Schulz acknowledged Sunday that the race would be close, with 30 percent of voters deciding their pick at the last minute. "That makes it thrilling to the last second. I hope of course that we will be ahead in the evening," he said. Separately, the CDU`s candidate Armin Laschet, who cast his vote in Aachen, said: "There is a real chance that we can win. Now it`s time for the voters to decide." Turnout appeared to be brisk at 33.6 percent as of midday, compared to 29.5 percent at the same time in 2012. The SPD is banking its hopes on incumbent state premier Hannelore Kraft, 55, who secured 39.1 percent in a 2012 vote, while the CDU clinched just over 26 percent. "If Kraft succeeds, then the chances of the SPD`s bid to take back the chancellery grow. If she loses, it would mean that the Schulz train has slammed against a wall," the weekly Spiegel magazine said. Political analyst Oskar Niedermayer also noted the state`s significance to the SPD, telling AFP that "a defeat there would be a disastrous symbol" for the party. Schulz, who held more than 30 rallies in the state, hopes that his push for "social justice" will resonate in NRW, which has lagged behind western Germany economically. He argues that many people are struggling in temporary or low-paid jobs even though the country as a whole is growing richer. But Merkel has also been pounding the streets in the state of 18 million people, including 4.2 million of migrant origin. In the town of Haltern am See on Wednesday, she took aim at Schulz`s arguments, saying the CDU offers "justice in the sense of jobs, strong budgets, funds for local communities". She also urged voters to look at her government`s economic record, noting that with 7.5 percent unemployment, the state fares worse than the national rate of 5.8 percent.Mindful that local issues can tip the balance, Merkel has blamed the incumbents for persistent traffic jams that "are longer than from here to the moon". The CDU has also accused the state`s SPD-Green governing coalition of security failures. State interior minister Ralf Jaeger has faced criticism for failing to detain Anis Amri, the Tunisian asylum seeker suspected in the deadly Berlin Christmas market rampage last year. Amri had lived in the state and was deemed a threat by intelligence officials, but Jaeger argued that there was insufficient evidence to lock him up. On Jaeger`s watch, Cologne also became the scene of mass sexual assaults by groups of mostly North African men on New Year`s Eve of 2015-2016, inflaming the debate over the 890,000 asylum seekers Germany welcomed in 2015. The populist AfD (Alternative for Germany), which has railed against the migration influx, hopes to win its first seats in North Rhine-Westphalia, which would see it represented in 13 of 16 state parliaments. Paris: France on Sunday condemned the latest ballistic missile test carried out by North Korea, warning that the Asian country was a "serious threat" to global security and should immediately abide by its international commitments. "France calls on North Korea to conform immediately with its international obligations and proceed to the dismantlement of its nuclear and ballistic programmes in a complete, verifiable and irreversible way," Foreign ministry spokesman Romain Nadal said in a statement. The statement was the first by the ministry since Emmanuel Macron was sworn-in as president. French diplomats have said North Korea is an area where he may seek to work closely with United States President Donald Trump. Ankara: At least 23 people were killed and 11 other seriously injured after a bus carrying women and children plunged off a cliff near the Turkish resort of Marmaris. It's reported that the bus crashed through a barrier and fell 15 metres (50 feet) on to a lower road, landing on a car with three occupants, reports the state-run Anadolu news agency. The accident occurred on Saturday near the Sakar pass.Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, currently on a visit to China, said he was "extremely pained" by the tragedy and has asked "local authorities to take measures to ensure that such tragedies do not recur." Washington: United States President Donald Trump "cannot imagine Russia is pleased" with North Korea`s latest missile test on Sunday, as it landed closer to Russia than to Japan, the White House said in a statement. "With the missile impacting so close to Russian soil in fact, closer to Russia than to Japan the President cannot imagine that Russia is pleased," the White House said in its statement. The launch served as a call for all nations to implement stronger sanctions against reclusive North Korea, the White House added. By Press Trust of India: medicines: Togadia Allahabad, May 14 (PTI) Senior Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) leader Pravin Togadia today urged the Centre to enforce strict standardisation of medicines and check exorbitant pricing by pharmaceutical companies saying without such measures "generic drug policy will remain a play with words". "There must be strict standardisation of medicines so that no manufacturer is able to push sub-standard products into the market. Poor patients will not purchase cheaper drugs unless they have the confidence that the medicine will be effective", Togadia told reporters here. advertisement Also, there must be a check on "exorbitant pricing by pharmaceutical companies." There can be no justification for so much disparity in the prices of the same medicine, sold under different brand names, he said. Besides, availability of generic drugs must be ensured at all shops, not just a few select stores. Unless these measures are undertaken, "the generic drug policy will remain a play with words", he said. The VHP international working president was here to attend a function of the India Health Line (IHL) initiative, which was launched by him at Hyderabad in 2013 and through which he aims at "making a huge difference to the health care scenario in the country where people spend Rs 14 lakh crore every year for treatment of diseases, many of those easily curable or preventable". He also urged the government to scrap the Clinical Establishment Act "brought in by the previous regime, but in force even now" saying "it is based on the European model which, in effect, throttles small, private nursing homes while benefiting big corporate hospitals and depriving the middle class of affordable treatment options". The firebrand VHP leader, who declined to speak on contentious issues, said "having been a cancer surgeon myself, I feel strongly that many illnesses can be kept at bay by ridding people of their addiction to alcohol and tobacco." "We have developed our own system, which has been approved by the FDA, wherein we use a blend of psychotherapy, Ayurveda and Allopathy to help the people kick their habits". "Through IHL, we have involved millions of trained volunteers, called health ambassadors, who provide their services at our free health check-up camps. We have a mega blood donor group whose members can be accessed through our special mobile app," Togadia said. Thousands of specialist doctors have also been taking time off their busy schedule to attend to patients "who seek help through our call centres", he added. PTI NAC RCJ --- ENDS --- YEREVAN,MAY 14,ARMENPRESS. Armenian PM Karen Karapetyan cast his ballot in the Yerevan City Council election in the 4/53 polling station,accompanied by his wife. In an interview with reporters after voting, the PM said he wants to see Yerevan with a modern and flexible administration system, aimed at the implementation of Yerevan citizens requirements. Asked if the incumbent mayor Taron Margaryan, who is running for another term in office under the ruling partys list, is the mayor whom hed like to see in office, the PM answered yes. Asked if there was a better candidate other than the incumbent mayor, the PM said no. Speaking about the transportation issue in the city, the PM said: Ive seen the transportation condition and I find its very bad and an inconvinient way for peoples transportation, I am convinced that Taron Margaryan has expressed his vision in this regard. There are numerous issues. We have limited capabilities, finances, all issues are solved in order. YEREVAN, MAY 14, ARMENPRESS. Russian missile defense systems tracked the latest North Korean missile test, the Russian Defense Ministry said, adding that it landed some 500 kilometers from Russia and hadnt posed a threat, RT reports. Russias ballistic missile launch early warning system (SPRN) detected the launch form North Korea at about 08:30 GMT on Saturday, the ministry said. The ballistic target had been tracked in flight by the SPRN for 23 minutes before it fell into the central part of the Sea of Japan, some 500 km from the territory of Russia, the ministry statement said. It added the missiles trajectory had been away from Russia at a considerable distance from its border. The missile launch didnt pose any threat to the Russian Federation. Russian early warning radar and air defense forces are on regular duty now, the ministry said. Earlier, the White House condemned the launch in a statement, saying that US President Donald Trump cannot imagine that Russia is pleased, considering that the rocket landed closer to Russia than to Japan. YEREVAN, MAY 14, ARMENPRESS. Twenty-one cannon blasts have boomed out across Paris in a formal salute for the new leader, BBC reports. Rather than rolling artillery through the streets, the cannons are at Les Invalides, home to the army museum and the tomb of Napoleon. As his successor gave his speech on the future of France, Francois Hollande sent a series of (presumably pre-prepared) reflective tweets. "I am bound to you as you are bound to me, by our common history," the ex-president tweeted. "Without you, I would have never had the chance to rule France." He said leading France was a "heavy responsibility" and - reflecting Macron's speech - said the nation should be an example to others. He said he was proud of his achievements - keeping Greece in Europe, the climate change deal, and dealing with testing times for France. "I leave a country in a much better state than I found it," he said. In recent months, President Hollande's approval ratings hit a record low. In his speech, Macron said he would restore France's global standing. "France is only strong if it's prosperous. France is only a model for the world if it is exemplary," he said. "We will have given back to the French a taste for the future - and pride in what they are. "The whole world will pay attention to what France says - because we will, together, go beyond our fears and anxieties. YEREVAN, MAY 14, ARMENPRESS. Nikol Pashinyan, the opposition MP who is running for office in the Yerevan City Council election, heading the proportional list of Yelk bloc, cast his ballot in the 8/32 polling station in the citys Shengavit district. The lawmaker was accompanies by his wife and children. We voted with the hope of overcoming disappointment. We will fight with our entire strength to achieve change in Armenia, he said. Speaking about election bribes, the mentioned that there is a widespread problem of election bribe distribution. We hope our citizens will overcome the election bribe despair. Eventually, the people are the judge and the people must choose what kind of a judge they are. We wont let any vote given to us to be lost, he said. YEREVAN, MAY 14, ARMENPRESS. The task group of the Prosecutor Generals Office is studying the footage of the incident which happened between police officers and opposition MP, mayoral candidate Zaruhi Postanjyan in one of the campaign HQs in Yerevans Avan district, Sevak Hovhannisyan, an official from the Prosecutor Generals Office told a press conference. The task group has viewed the footage online. A citizen has given a report on the incident in Nor Norks police department. We will be able to speak about a legal assessment only after validating the footage. Its too early to make any judgments in the legal level. When materials will be prepared and facts will be acquired, then it will be possible to give legal assessments, he said. Asked whether or not police officers have the right to use force against a Member of Parliament and mayoral candidate, Hovhannisyan said: I havent seen the use of force in the footage. The actions of the police were lawful. What happened there regarding removing a person from the HQ who did have the right to be there, was lawful in terms of criminal judicial legislation. A reporter said its not about removing Postanjyan from the HQ, but rather attempting to detain her, and Hovhannsiyan responded by clarifying that the MP hasnt been detained, which is clearly seen in the footage. If youve watched the footage till the end, then you must have seen that the candidate isnt being detained, he said. YEREVAN, MAY 14, ARMENPRESS. Police were notified from the St. Gregory the Illuminator medical center late May 13 that a couple from Yerevan was admitted with stabbing wounds, the investigative committee told ARMENPRESS. Criminal proceedings were launched by the investigative committee. It turned out that the couple was stabbed by their son during an altercation. Law enforcement officers were immediately dispatched to the apartment of the family. According to preliminary information, the son stabbed his parents in the evening of May 13 during an altercation on household issues. The son jumped out of the window of the 6th floor apartment afterwards, in an attempt to commit suicide. The stabber, however, survived the fall. The mother is in a critical condition, whereas the father and son are out of danger. The son was treated for a fractured leg. Police are currently probing the incident. YEREVAN, MARCH 14, ARMENPRESS. Voter turnout of Yerevan City Council elections was 34.52% by 17:00, CEC Secretary Armen Smbatyan told the reporters at the Central Electoral Commission. By 17:00, 290 thousand and 737 voters had cast their vote which is the 34.52% of the total eligible citizens, Armenpress reports Smbatyan saying. He also provided details on the voter turnout according to the administrative districts. YEREVAN, MARCH 14, ARMENPRESS. Yerevan City Council elections are over. By 20:00 all the 474 polling stations are closed and the counting of votes has started. Armenpress reports starting from 24:00 the Central Electoral Commission of Armenia will start to promulgate the preliminary results of the voting according to the polling stations. On March 15 at 20:00 the CEC will summarize the preliminary results of Yerevan City Council elections. 3 political forces participate in the election the Republican Party of Armenia (RPA), Yerkir Tsirani Party, Yelk bloc. Acting Mayor of Yerevan Taron Margaryan is RPAs candidate for mayor, ZaruhiPostanjyan is the candidate of YerkirTsirani Party and NikolPashinyan is the candidate of Yelk bloc. 32 local and 3 international news outlets have been accredited at the CEC Armenia for covering Yerevan Council elections. The 3 international news outlets are Arevelk, T24 daily, and KavkazskiyUzel. Among local news outlets RFE/RL's Armenian Service is the one that has accredited most reporters it has 40 representatives. Public TV of Armenia has accredited 35 reporters,Shant TV has accredited 23 reporters, Armrus.info -37, and Armtimes daily 24 representatives. Overall, 436 media representatives have been accredited for covering Yerevan Council elections. 17 local organizations have been accredited to observe the elections. Overall, 5138 observers will observe the elections. International observer missions have not shown great interest in observing Yerevan Council elections. Only one international observer organization has been accredited to observe the elections - Congress of Local and Regional Authorities of the Council of Europe. YEREVAN, MARCH 14, ARMENPRESS. Voter turnout of Yerevan City Council elections was 40.99% by 20:00, CEC President Tigran Mukuchyan told the reporters. According to the preliminary results 345 thousand and 226 citizens out of the 842 thousand and 147 eligible citizens cast their vote by 20:00, Armenpress reports Mukuchyan saying. He also provided details on the voter turnout according to the administrative districts. In a new avatar as an anti-corruption crusader, former BSF soldier Tej Bahadur Yadav today got the support of retired service personnel and family members of fallen jawans for a new campaign, which he said was apolitical. By Kamaljit Kaur Sandhu: Terminated a month ago from service after he put up Facebook post complaining about the poor quality of food served to soldiers on the border, former BSF jawan Tej Bahadur Yadav now has a new avatar: anti-corruption crusader. Tej Bahadur today vowed to fight all forms of corruption in the country at a gathering on Sunday at Delhi's Jantar Mantar. advertisement He got the support of retired service personnel, family members of martyrs - like the mother of beheaded soldier Hemraj - and human rights activist Irom Sharmila, among others, for a new initiative: Pratinidhi Parivar campaign. The former soldier claimed the movement was apolitical. "I don't support any political party. We are not doing any kind of politics. Even if in the future I feel that if this is becoming political, I will disassociate myself from Pratinidhi Parivar," Tej Bahadur told India Today. "Tej Bahadur's video may be seem as an act of indiscipline but (he) did not deserve to be dismissed altogether for his expose," Hemraj's mother said. Irom Sharmila, who fought against AFSPA in Manipur, said she was lending support to the movement to prevent exploitation of soldiers. DON'T REGRET FILMING VIDEO, SAYS BAHADUR The dismissed constable has appealed to both the BSF DG and Home Minister to withdraw his dismissal orders, appealing that his video should be seen as an expose on the corrupt. He said he didn't regret shooting the video, but was a whistle-blower turning against a corrupt system. "Unfortunately, the officers whose cover I had blown have been rewarded, while I have been dismissed from service." Tej Bahadur claimed injustice had been meted out to him by the BSF. "I made an expose. At least 70 per cent of the personnel benefited after my Facebook post went viral. But then, during the process of enquiry, my phone was taken away. And the BSF tried to malign me saying that I had Pakistani friends on FB, how can that be?," he told India Today. The soldier, who sought voluntary retirement in January, said "the morale of the soldiers at LoC was getting affected, and that the government should give (a) free hand to security forces, so that if one soldier is beheaded, the Indian Army should teach Pakistan a lesson by beheading a Colonel or General. ALSO READ | EXCLUSIVE: 80 per cent officers in BSF are corrupt, says Tej Bahadur Yadav advertisement ALSO READ | Sacked BSF jawan Tej Bahadur Yadav to India Today: I was asked to apply for retirement, court martial was pre-meditated ALSO WATCH | Suspended BSF jawan Tej Bahadur to India Today: Suspected they would kill me but media saved my life --- ENDS --- YEREVAN, MARCH 14, ARMENPRESS. The body of mandatory serviceman, junior-sergeant Arshak Arshakyan was discovered on May 14, at about 15:15 in the military position of N regiment with gunshot injuries. As Armenpress was informed from the press service of the Investigative Committee of Armenia investigation is underway to find out the death circumstances. Extra information will be provided on the results of the investigation. The Democrat leadership has made constant, profound and incredible pronouncements that one's supportive vote for Republicans is tantamount to surrendering Democracy forever. Understanding their sincere thinking in their extreme position: How will you still vote on this election day? Democrat; because the continuance of this Democracy from the existential threat of extreme Republicans is paramount. Republican; the process of having a choice is the democratic method within what so called "Democracy" does exists. Startup entrepreneurs who sell to major businesses at a profit should be celebrated, not shunned "Just like the sour beer community, Eblen Charities is still of paramount importance to us. With that in mind, we will evolve the Funkatorium Invitational and host a reimagined festival to raise money for Eblen's cause [Sept. 16]." Good for Wicked Weed The Asheville-based brewer has sold to Anheuser-Busch InBev, which, like its counterparts, is gulping down craft brewers in an apparent effort to offset waning sales for Budweiser and other mass-produced adjunct beers.Beer geeks aren't pleased.This week Wicked Weed said it will cancel its July Funkatorium Invitational after almost 50 brewers, who were to take part in the event, backed out.The event has helped Eblen Charities, a nonprofit, provide families with, for example, medical and emergency assistance.Wicked Weed writes on its website.Beer drinkers - and many brewers - are upset about the perceived "sell out," and many talk as if they have a stake in the company or a say in the brewers' decision.They don't, but Wicked Weed's owners did. And they decided to sell.The idea that entrepreneurs toil and sweat and scrimp and save to build a business to achieve only limited profits and marginal growth is as naive as it is selfish and unfair.Wicked Weed makes fantastic beer, which, considering InBev's purchase of the brewer, should be obvious. If, in fact, Wicked Weed had failed to build its brand and churned out mundane beer there would be no such interest from corporations with deep pockets and a willingness to pursue new strategies to compete.So, why not capitalize on that interest? Why not take advantage of a free market that rewards entrepreneurship and innovation? What began as a family operation about five years ago could well gain a national and even international following.That's all good.Will the product suffer? There's always that possibility, but who knows?Further, Wicked Weed jumped at the chance to distinguish itself in a bloated market.The country had 92 breweries in 1990, according to the Brewers Association . Today, there are more than 5,000, including more than 200 in North Carolina alone, the ninth most in the nation. Asheville itself has around 30, and Raleigh will soon have that many.The immense challenges of standing out in that crowd, building a brand, and gaining and keeping loyal customers can't be discounted.Craft beer aficionados will continue to eschew Wicked Weed, and that's their prerogative, just as it was the brewers' prerogative to sell to InBev. There are plenty of choices in beer.But don't view the brewers, who have contributed much to their community and the state, as bad people or "sell outs" or greedy profiteers. See them as smart business people who have done and will likely continue to do big things.Regardless, who knows what happens next? The brewers may take the money from the purchase and apply it toward another venture. Maybe they'll make an even more innovative and funky line of beers, because the InBev sale will allow them to do that.Many people drinking craft beer today aren't old enough to remember a time when craft beer didn't exist. Instead of whining and complaining about Wicked Weed, they would do well to take in the infinite choices available. Taste, compare, buy, and drink up.Then grow up. Or, order a Coors Light. House bill treating fewer teens charged with crimes as adults could reach House vote next week; Senate version included in that body's budget RALEIGH A legislative effort to "raise the age" for some juvenile offenders has instead raised concerns about costs.Most lawmakers agree that, in most cases, 16- and 17-year-0lds should not be criminalized as adults, but the impact on taxpayers of leaving those kids in the juvenile system has become a sticking point.Legislators pored over the cost estimates for House Bill 280 , the Juvenile Justice Reinvestment Act, during a May 11 meeting of the House Appropriations Committee. Under the legislation, teens younger than 18 charged with nonviolent crimes would qualify as juveniles. It would take effect Dec. 1, 2019.The Senate budget included a raise-the-age provision but no funding for the program. It set the start date at Dec. 1, 2020. The Senate was debating the 2017-19 budget as this article went to press.H.B. 280 would cost $44.3 million in annual recurring expenses beginning in 2020, said Mark White, a fiscal research staffer at the General Assembly.Rep. Chuck McGrady, R-Henderson, said costs are a recurring concern.North Carolina is the only state yet to reform its juvenile age limit. Last month, New York raised its juvenile age limit to 18.The General Assembly in recent years has enacted several criminal justice reforms that have wound up reducing taxpayer costs and helped some low-level offenders get out of the prison system and become productive members of the community.McGrady, who chairs the House Appropriations Committee, told legislators to view this bill as another investment.he said.The Senate's budget proposal, released earlier this week, included a stripped-down version of "raise the age."Under that proposal, 16-and-17-year-olds with misdemeanors only would be placed in the juvenile system.Most of the money in H.B. 280 would go to the Division of Juvenile Justice, White said.Unlike adult courts, the juvenile system provides court counselors to assist kids and families. Juvenile cases also require the judge to spend more time working with the offenders.The provisions can get expensive, White said.But the legislature's fiscal analysis overstated some of the numbers involving costs, said William Lassiter, deputy commissioner of juvenile justice at the North Carolina Department of Public Safety.H.B. 280's fiscal note designates need for a 96-bed Youth Development Center estimated to cost the state an additional $10.8 million.There aren't enough sentenced kids to fill that space, Lassiter said, adding that he could do with another 60 beds, then add more later if needed.he said.North Carolina's juvenile justice system has saved the state more than $40 million in recurring funds since 2008. System reforms and dropping delinquency rates have allowed for the savings.The state should reinvest that money in the system, Lassiter said.H.B. 280 passed the committee by voice vote. It may be taken up by the full House next week. Teacher Mobility Report Debunked? Hardly The report did not address all categories of turnover included in the "State of the Teaching Profession in North Carolina," the state's teacher attrition report. North Carolina is a net importer of people and teachers are simply along for the ride. Empirical studies alone cannot capture the various personal and professional reasons why teachers decide to leave or relocate to North Carolina. And no two teachers will base their decisions on identical criteria because no two individuals have the same experiences, values, preferences, and goals. If they did, teacher recruitment and retention would be a cinch. As such, lawmakers have the formidable task of creating and maintaining conditions that make teaching and living in North Carolina as broadly appealing as possible. That is why the N.C. General Assembly should initiate a multi-year effort to lower tax and regulatory burdens and implement recruitment and retention strategies, including the following... "Teaching forces are simply keeping up with population growth," said Domina, who said he doesn't think folks' decisions to move to North Carolina has much to do with how attractive it is to teach here-instead there are greater economic forces at play, like the relatively low cost of real estate and the fact that the economy has been getting stronger with each year since the Great Recession, making it easier for families to secure jobs and move. This week, those on the Left have offered various critiques of my awesome new Spotlight report, North Carolina: A Destination for Teachers . They took issue with two aspects of the report. I will address both.That is true. The only category that I included in my report were those teachers who left North Carolina to teach in another state. That is because the report is about interstate or cross-state mobility of teachers. How do you know? The first section is titled "Cross-State Mobility of Teachers." Those who left the profession to pursue other employment opportunities are no longer teachers. Thus, I excluded them. Teachers who remained in North Carolina to teach at another school have not crossed state lines. I excluded them, as well.That is also why I did not address declining teacher education enrollment among UNC System institutions. Obviously, they are not in the teacher job market and have not pursued opportunities in another state.That is also true. My report includes a table titled,which lists the occupational and personal factors that draw teachers into the state, including factors that are beyond their control, such as the occupation of a partner or spouse. Additionally, in the report recommendations, I write,In other words, I am well aware of the broader forces at play.InI think Republicans have done a good job. Curiously, Dr. Thad Domina, an education policy researcher and associate professor at UNC Chapel-Hill, agrees. Lindsay Wagner of the A.J. Fletcher Foundation writes Are low-cost real estate and a strong economy making it easier for families to secure jobs in North Carolina? It sounds like North Carolina is doing well under the leadership of Republicans at the local and state levels. Indeed, counties and municipalities ensure that real estate prices remain low by holding the line on property taxes and minimizing regulatory barriers to real estate development and growth. Likewise, lower taxes and fewer regulations on individuals and businesses have played a key role in strengthening the state economy since the Great Recession.But it is important to note that, regardless of how or why they came to North Carolina, teachers from other states still choose to teach in the North Carolina public school system. Because of our strong economy, out-of-state teachers may pursue any number of other jobs and occupations after they arrive in the state, particularly if they believed that North Carolina public schools were irreparably crippled by an "almost decade-long conservative war on public schools," as one NC Policy Watch staffer claims I am somewhat puzzled that my liberal friends have paid so much attention to my little report. Doing so simply drives traffic to the John Locke Foundation website. Critics have asked reasonable questions about the report, but I do not believe any of those disagreements undermine my argument or the data and research used to defend it. Two Lashkar-e-Taiba terrorists have been gunned down in Waripora area of Jammu and Kashmir's Handwara. The two terrorists who were killed by security forces in Handwara. By Kamaljit Kaur Sandhu, Shuja-ul-Haq : Two Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) terrorists, suspected to be behind the April 26 attack on an Army camp in Kupwara, have been gunned down in a fierce gun battle in Jammu and Kashmir's Handwara. The terrorists were killed in an encounter with the security forces in Waripora area of Handwara on Sunday. The terrorists are yet to be identified and said to be from Pakistan. advertisement Three security personnel, including a Captain, were killed in the attack on an Army camp in Pangzam area of Kupwara on April 26. Security personnel have started search operations. POLICE's VERSION North Kashmir DIG Nitish Kumar Talking to India Today, North Kashmir DIG Nitish Kumar said, "A joint operation conducted by Jammu and Kashmir Police and 21 Rashtriya Rifles was launched after receiving specific information about the presence of terrorists in Waripora village of Handwara. The two terrorists are suspected to be behind the Kupwara fidayeen attack". Sources said the militants were cornered in an orchard, just meters away from the populated area in Waripora. They opened fire on the security forces and were killed in retaliatory firing. A huge cache of weapons has been seized. Arms confiscated. According to sources, the snow has melted and infiltration from across the border has become easier. While South Kashmir is the hotbed of terror mostly, there have been several attempts of infiltration by Pakistan-backed terrorists in North Kashmir too. DIG Kumar said that the security forces were on the vigil and security grid had been tightened to prevent the recurrence of such attacks. 3 INFILTRATION BIDS IN ONE WEEK IN NORTH KASHMIR In the past one week, there have been three attempts of infiltration in North Kashmir. After one such successful attempt, a Fidayeen alert has been sounded in North Kashmir's Baramulla and Srinagar. The Army recently foiled a major infiltration bid in Rampur and Baramulla where 6-7 terrorists tried to cross over into the Indian territory but were pushed back across the LoC. Radio sets, night vision devices, clothes, ration and Pakistan-based medicines were recovered. Also read | Why Hizbul Mujahideen is rattled after murder of Army officer Ummer Fayaz Also read | 2 killed as Pakistan violates ceasefire in Nowshera, Army patrol fired upon in Pulwama Also read | Hafiz Saeed spreading terrorism in name of jihad, says Pakistan advertisement Watch the video here: Jammu and Kashmir: 2 Lashkar militants behind Kupwara attack gunned down in Handwara --- ENDS --- Homeowners rebuilding after May flood could get zoning break from city Some of the communities across central and eastern Ontario among the hardest hit by spring flooding are now eligible for disaster relief funds, the province announced Friday. Many of the municipalities in Renfrew County, portions of Ottawa alongside the Ottawa River, and townships in Minden Hills have been approved for Disaster Recovery Assistance for Ontarians, the provincial arm of the program. Heavy rains and already high water levels in the Great Lakes contributed to flooding in both Ontario and Quebec in the past weeks, prompting the federal government to send in 1,200 military personnel to the affected areas, including Montreal. Other communities have declared states of emergency, including several along the shoreline of Lake Ontario in Prince Edward County in order to qualify for the funding. Ontario's ministries of municipal affairs and community safety acknowledged that Prince Edward County had been affected by the flooding, noting that the province is still assessing the effect of the flooding and whether other areas will qualify for disaster relief assistance. By Steve Holland WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The United States is close to completing a series of arms deals for Saudi Arabia totaling more than $100 billion, a senior White House official said on Friday, a week ahead of President Donald Trump's planned visit to Riyadh. The official, who spoke to Reuters on condition of anonymity, said the arms package could end up surpassing more than $300 billion over a decade to help Saudi Arabia boost its defensive capabilities while still maintaining U.S. ally Israel's qualitative military edge over its neighbors. "We are in the final stages of a series of deals," the official said. The package is being developed to coincide with Trump's visit to Saudi Arabia. Trump leaves for the kingdom on May 19, the first stop on his maiden international trip. Reuters reported last week that Washington was pushing through contracts for tens of billions of dollars in arms sales to Saudi Arabia, some new, others already in the pipeline, ahead of Trump's visit. The United States has been the main supplier for most Saudi military needs, from F-15 fighter jets to command and control systems worth tens of billions of dollars in recent years. Trump has vowed to stimulate the U.S. economy by boosting manufacturing jobs. The package includes American arms and maintenance, ships, air missile defense and maritime security, the official said. "We'll see a very substantial commitment ... In many ways it is intended to build capabilities for the threats they face." The official added: "It's good for the American economy but it will also be good in terms of building a capability that is appropriate for the challenges of the region. Israel would still maintain an edge." While in Riyadh, the official said Trump would attend three major events: A series of meeting with Saudi officials, a separate session with leaders of the six-nation Gulf Cooperation Council and a lunch with Arab and Muslim leaders, 56 of whom have been invited, to discuss combating extremism and cracking down on illicit financing. Trump will discuss how to counter the threat from Islamic State militants, the war in Yemen and threats of ballistic missiles and maritime shipping in the Red Sea, the official said. U.S. Navy commanders have accused Iran of jeopardizing international navigation by "harassing" warships passing through the Strait of Hormuz. Gulf Arab states are optimistic about Trump whom they see as a hawkish leader opposed to their adversary Iran. A major part of the agenda with Gulf leaders will be the Syrian civil war amid calls for "de-escalation zones" in Syria to provide a safe haven for Syrian refugees. Besides Saudi Arabia, Trump's first foreign trip will also include visits to Israel, the Vatican, Brussels for a NATO summit and Sicily for a Group of Seven summit. (Reporting by Steve Holland; Editing by Yara Bayoumy and Tom Brown) An Uttar Pradesh district has almost wiped off Maoism with the help of a constructive programme that involves community outreach and skill development. The programme includes skill development of youth and women. Besides schoolkids are also given bags and stationery items to encourage them to go to schools. By Rajat Rai: While the Union government is busy formulating a possible solution for the Maoist-hit Sukma, the district administration of UP's Chandauli district bordering Bihar has found a rather suave and constructive way. Community policing, skill development, facilities in schools are the new tools of the district administration to counter Maoism that has been nearly wiped off from the district. advertisement "It (corrective programme) was launched about one-and-a-half years ago by then DM Surendra Vikram and SP Amit Verma and we are carrying forward the legacy," superintendent of police, Chandauli, Deepika Tiwari told Mail Today. The programme includes skill development of youth and women, she added. YOUTH HAPPY "We (youth) are very happy as now we are getting jobs. I am now a trained electrician and earn enough for my family," said Sanjiv, a youth whose father was involved in Maoist activities. "I am now a trained plumber... Our village Naogarh was once affected with Maoist activities but now I am a proud citizen of my mohalla," said Rishabh. "Humaare upar Naxal ka thappa laga tha jo ab mit gaya hai... Ab hum apni rozi roti izzat se kamaa rahe hain (The Maoist tag we had on us is no more. We are now earning a livelihood with respect)," said Mukesh, another youth. The community policing has also helped the youth. "The district administration roped in some sewing experts and now we are into our own tailoring business. We are now earning to our capacities," said Shushila, a homemaker. Besides this, the police are also visiting the government schools on a regular basis. "We are providing the kids with school bags and stationery in a bid to encourage them to come to school. We are also planning to provide pick-anddrop facility to kids so that more and more children come to schools," said Tiwari. Chandauli district was the most Maoist-affected district in the recent past due to its proximity with Bihar. Maoists had an easy escape gateway from Bihar as they used to cross borders after committing any crime. However, for the past 1.5 -two years, the activities have been literally put on hold by the police and the administration as it is also the hometown (Bhabhaura village) of home minister Rajnath Singh. Chandauli had witnessed some dreaded Maoist attacks. In November 2004, 15 policemen including PAC jawans were killed when their van was blown up while passing over a culvert in Naugarh police station area. ALSO READ | Naxal attack on CRPF jawans in Sukma: All you need to know advertisement ALSO READ | Naxalism killed 12000 people in 20 years, says Rajnath Singh as he invokes 9/11, launches SAMADHAN doctrine ALSO WATCH | Life in the Red: When India Today visited Naxal hotbed in Chhattisgarh --- ENDS --- Trader Joe's 2 Customers love Trader Joe's because of its relatively low prices. During a recent trip to a Trader Joe's location in New York City, the cheapest available ground beef cost $4.99 a pound, compared with $9.99 at a New York Whole Foods location, which was selling only organic. The lowest price for a liter of extra-virgin olive oil was $6.99 at Trader Joe's, compared with $9.99 for the same size at Whole Foods. Consumers view Trader Joe's as high quality but inexpensive. How can Trader Joe's afford to keep its prices so low? The biggest reason is that Trader Joe's sells private-label products instead of well-known brands. Eighty percent of the products carried by Trader Joe's are in-house. While that means customers can't get those products anywhere else, it also means the grocer buys those goods directly from suppliers, cutting out the middlemen in a supply chain that can drive up costs. The creativity of the in-house products is also important. Some of the most popular products include Chili-Lime Chicken Burgers, Cookie Butter (a cookie-flavored nut butter), and corn-and-chili salsa. spinach and kale dip trader joe's While Whole Foods has private-label products, they tend to be more basic. The company also sells a wider variety of organic and healthy brands. As Walmart and other grocers begin to stock these products, consumers have less of an incentive to visit Whole Foods. Much like its parent company, Aldi, Trader Joe's also uses a no-frills design. Aldi uses boxes instead of shelves when possible, according to frugalbites.com. This frees up workers from having to stock shelves constantly. Once a product runs out, the workers simply replace it with a box. Another way Trader Joe's cuts costs and passes the savings on to customers is by spending less on marketing, instead depending on word of mouth to attract customers. Stores also use natural and energy-efficient lighting to cut down on utility costs. Story continues Related: NOW WATCH: 14 things you didn't know about Whole Foods More From Business Insider Premise 1) AN airline named "Consolidate airline" ordered - 20 TX MODEL JETS from another aircraft maker called "Manto" Premise 2) But "Consolidated airline" cancelled more expensive- 20 Z SERIES JETS from Manto. (in net effect Manto lost the expensive order and got a less expensive order) Conclusion) Less order for Manto Aircrafts airliner means Manto will have fire employee So Now we have to weaken the conclusion by showing that MANTO will not fire employee . The option that shows that Manto will not fire employees will be correct Keep it for later Wrong:- So employees cannot make Model TX . But now Manto have to produce model TX because order of model Z is cancelled. And these employees cannot make Model TX. Imagine even if Manto fires these employees, it will strengthen the conclusion and not weaken it. We have to show manto will not fire employee. This option suggests Manto will fire employee. Hence Wrong Wrong:- So what, Do they tell us that series Z needed more maintenance than TX model. May be TX model requires a lot of maintainance, may be not. What is the Amount of money that MANTO receives by maintenance . None of these is mentioned in question stem. Wrong:- So MANTO is a good company and rehire workers in the future. But Do we know for sure that Manto will receive subsequent new orders and will be able to rehire the fired workers. We can't say for sure .. so this option is wrong. Also the question is about firing the workers in current time. What happens in future is irrelevant. Wrong:- A large number of planes of "CONSOLIDATED AIRLINES" will start to need maintenance. OK !! so what ! How does it affects MANTO. At worst this options make us assume that maintenance work will be done by other company and not Manto and thus Manto will not gain anything. At best this options tells us that Since CONSOLIDATED AIRLINE is already buying 20 TX model jet , it might not need to maintain its old aircrafts. RIGHT :- Since now Manto does not have to make MODeL Z. It will not heavily use subcontractors from outside. Since it will not heavily use subcontractors from outside, it will not have to pay them lot of money. Since it will not pay outside people, that lot of money will be saved, since lot of mmoney will be saved,that money might be used to pay salaries of employees. Hence Monty will not fire employees. A is correct. Posting an answer without an explanation is "GOD COMPLEX". The world doesn't need any more gods. Please explain you answers properly . FINAL GOODBYE :- 17th SEPTEMBER 2016. .. 16 March 2017 - I am back but for all purposes please consider me semi-retired. Signature Read More The correct answer AExplanation :-First find the premise and conclusion :-A shortage of orders for Manto Aircraft's airliners has led analysts to predict that the manufacturer will have to lay workers ,the new order that consolidated airlines has just made for 20 of Manto's model TX jets does not provide a reason for the analysts to revise their predictions ,because simultaneously with its new order , consolidated canceled its existing order for an equal number of Manto's larger, more expensive model Z jetsWhich of the following ,if true, most seriously weakens the argument?A. Manto relies more heavily on outside subcontractors to provide the labor to manufacture the Model Z than it does the Model TXB. The Manto employees who currently work to manufacture the model Z are Not proficient at manufacturing the model TXC. Manto includes all required maintenance work for the first five years in the price of each jet it sells .D. Manto has had to lay off workers several times within the past ten years but has typically rehired many of the workers when it subsequently received new orders.E. A large number of the airliners in "consolidated fleet" are at the beginning of their expected service life.BAMM.. we are done and we don't have a clear answer except A.. SO by the process of elimination we found out that A id the answer.NOW LETS SEE HOW OPTION A CAN BE THE CORRECT ANSWERA. Manto relies more heavily on outside subcontractors to provide the labor to manufacture the Model Z than it does the Model TX_________________ simar121993 wrote: I've just started my preparation for GMAT and using basic verbal guides as my starting point. I;ve already given diagnostic test and I know my weak areas. So should I directly complete the guide (Manhattan Guides) first and then use my book for practice? or should I use practice questions along with the guides? Why I am asking this question is because after completing two -three chapters from the guides I feel that I need more practice to get a good grip of the concepts that I just learned (as there are only 10 questions and that too not in the official format). But again if I pick for practice I dont know whether that question will be from that topic or not. Please help. I know my weak areas. So should I directly complete the guide (Manhattan Guides) first and then use my book for practice? Hiit is good that you knew your weak area, give more time to themFirst learn a concept, then practice questions related to that concept for both Quant and verbal, after practice Take quizzes of that concept related questionare superb for quizzesBut again if I pick for practice I dont know whether that question will be from that topic or not. Please help.Questions Tags are available at as well as on the forum use tags to know the concept test in questionReview your quizzes find out your mistakes and make an to trace them laterAfter completing all concept and handsome practice, take some CATs (6-8)Review your progress know your mistakes and practice them againGood Luck By Press Trust of India: New Delhi, May 14 (PTI) Voting began on a slow note today in the by-poll to Maujpur ward of East Delhi Municipal Corporation (EDMC). Scorching heat and a holiday kept voters indoors with just 7 per cent votes cast till 10 AM, said a senior officer of Delhi State Election Commission. The voting started at 8 AM and will continue till 5.30 PM. advertisement Elections in Maujpur and Sarai Pipal Thala wards were postponed due to death of candidates there. Voting for rest of the 270 of the 272 wards in three municipal corporations was held on April 23 and results were announced on April 26. In Maujpur ward, Samajwadi Party candidate Naseema died resulting in the bypoll. Her daughter Shaheen is in the fray from the party. The ward is currently held by BJP. The main contenders in the election include Suman Sharma (BJP), Rekha Sharma (Congress) and Reshma (AAP). The bypoll in Sarai Pipal Thala ward in North Delhi Municipal Corporation(NDMC) will be held on May 21. The election from the ward was rescheduled due to death of Samajwadi Party candidate Dinesh Singh whose son Himanshu has now been fielded by the party. PTI VIT DV --- ENDS --- Thousands enjoyed three spectacular live shows at Kyivs International Exhibition Centre this week, with an expected 200 million viewers tuning in on television, Joinfo.com reports with reference to Eurovision.tv. On YouTube, the Grand Final was watched by some 4 million people, breaking records. It was the second time Ukraine hosted the contest, the first time was in 2005, also in Kyiv. What an evening it has been!! 26 terrific acts sang their hearts out on stage, competing for the ultimate prize; the title of winner of the 2017 Eurovision Song Contest. However, in the end there could be just one winner and that was Portugals Salvador Sobral. Many fans at the venue were brought to tears as Salvador was joined on stage by his sister Luisa, who also wrote and composed Amar Pelos Dois, when performing the reprise of their winning song. Luisa covered for her brother during many of the rehearsals, as Salvador himself could not be present in Kyiv for the full two weeks due to health issues. Portugal was followed by Bulgarias Kristian Kostov, who won the second Semi-Final. Moldova came third with 374 points, at quite a distance from the winner and the runner-up. Last years host Sweden finished 5th, closely behind Belgium, which came 4th. Spain came last with 5 points, followed closely by Germany with only 6 points. Host country Ukraine came third-last with 36 points. Italy, which was widely tipped as potential winner by press, fans and bookmakers, eventually finished 6th. On 3-5 October 2017 Kyiv is going to host the Space and Future Forum to network international experts and youth, many of whom will also participate at the first CosmoHack in the world. Joinfo provides media coverage of the Forum, and some of its topics were already discussed ... China is extending its Belt and Road Initiative to include Afghanistan. The development plan refers to the historic Silk Road between China and the West. It aims to link more than 60 countries from Asia to Europe, through land and maritime trade routes. Chinese President Xi Jinping introduced the plan in 2013. The extension plan would involve extending the China Pakistan Economic Corridor, known as CPEC, to neighboring Afghanistan. The CPEC is a program within the larger Belt and Road Initiative. China is now preparing for the first Belt and Road Forum, a meeting of countries involved in the development project. The two-day event begins Sunday in Beijing. More than 25 heads of state will attend the meeting. The Unites States also is sending a delegation to the meeting. It will be led by Matthew Pottinger, an adviser to President Donald Trump and a National Security Council official for East Asia. China welcomed the move, which was first planned when Trump met with Xi last month in Florida. China expanding its Belt and Road project The decision to include Afghanistan has caused some observers to question whether China is trying to expand its influence in this area of Asia. Ahmad Bilal Khalil is a researcher with the Center for Strategic and Regional Studies in Kabul, Afghanistan. He recently spoke with VOA about Chinas development plans. He said that the aim is to create a road linking Pakistans Peshawar to the Afghan capital of Kabul and to Kunduz, and then deeper into Central Asia. Khalil said having projects in Afghanistan will help China with its $50 billion project in Pakistan. He says the effort will bring more Pakistani and Chinese economic interests into Afghanistan. "If there is insecurity in Afghanistan, (it) can also affect CPEC and One Belt, One Road, Khalil said. One Belt, One Road is another name for the Belt and Road Initiative. David Kelly is with China Policy, a consulting company based in Beijing. He said that China hopes its investments in Afghanistan will reduce tensions there. However, he said that reducing the religious and ethnic conflict in the country has been, in his words, something that the Americans and before them the Soviets were unable to do. China has invested in the copper mines of Afghanistan. It wants to improve access to the countrys mineral resources. M.K. Bhadrakumar is an author and an Indian diplomat. He said that extending the Belt and Road project to Afghanistan will help China in those efforts. "One trillion dollars worth of mineral resources are available in Afghanistan, he said. Some observers note that China also may aim to be involved in Afghanistans building industry in the future. But Chinas main goal, some experts say, is to improve regional security through development and economic cooperation. That is a difficult task. Recent clashes on the border between Pakistan and Afghanistan killed more than 50 people in two days. Ahmad Bilal Khalil said, There is also a huge possibility that terrorism and extremism will also be exported to central Asia. Researchers at the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute noted in a recent report that the Belt initiative can do little to improve relations between Pakistan and Afghanistan. But, they wrote, there may be prospects for this over the medium to long term. David Kelly with China Policy said China believes it can reduce religious extremism through offering economic benefits. However, this policy has been proven wrong in the past, he said. Saibal Dasgupta reported this story for VOA News. Ashley Thompson adapted it for Learning English. Mario Ritter was the editor. ____________________________________________________________ Words in This Story maritime adj. having to do with sea travel route n. a way to get from one place to another regional adj. having to do with a large area within a country or including several countries prospect n. the possibility that something will happen In this Thursday, May 11, 2017 photo Susan Grenon, left, chats with her son Pauly, right, as their pet German Shepherd "Ginger," center, looks on in an entryway to their home, in Smithfield, R.I. Guenon makes sure her son is lathered with sunscreen before he leaves for school in the morning, but the red-headed 10-year-old can't bring a bottle to reapply it without a doctor's note. (AP Photo/Steven Senne) Susan Grenon makes sure her son is lathered with sunscreen before he leaves for school in the morning, but the fair-skinned 10-year-old can't bring a bottle to reapply it without a doctor's note. Many school systems categorize sunscreen as an over-the-counter medication requiring special paperwork, but several states have been pushing to loosen restrictions to make it easier for kids to protect themselves from skin cancer. Washington Gov. Jay Inslee, a Democrat, signed a bill into law this month allowing students to use sunscreen at school without notes from a doctor and parent. Arizona Gov. Doug Ducey, a Republican, enacted a similar measure late last month, following Utah in March. Oregon, Texas and New York have also freed students to use sunscreen in recent years. California did it back in 2002. Backed by the personal care products industry, such proposals also have wide and bipartisan support from health experts and state lawmakers. Legislation is moving forward this spring in Rhode Island and Louisiana. In Florida, it's waiting for the governor's signature. The main opposition has come from school nurses voicing caution about children bringing in lotions that can cause allergic reactions. Grenon, who lives in Smithfield, Rhode Island, said her concerns for her son grew after a doctor excised two basal cell carcinomas from her face in February, and another one three years ago. Grenon said she is paying the price for never using sunscreen while growing up as a military kid in sunny climates such as Hawaii and Nevada. "We burn within 10 to 15 minutes," she said of her family. "We're fair-skinned and redheads." It's not just a Sun Belt problem. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has shown that some of the nation's highest rates of melanomathe deadliest form of skin cancerare in northern regions, such as New England, the Pacific Northwest and Minnesota. In this Thursday, May 11, 2017 photo Susan Grenon, left, plays with her son Pauly, right, in the backyard of their home, in Smithfield, R.I. Guenon makes sure her son is lathered with sunscreen before he leaves for school in the morning, but the red-headed 10-year-old can't bring a bottle to reapply it without a doctor's note. (AP Photo/Steven Senne) If he could apply it himself at school, "he probably wouldn't come home with sunburn," Grenon said of her son. "He's got a burn on the back of his neck on the collar line." Democratic state Rep. David Bennett, who sponsored the Rhode Island bill, said making it so hard for children to apply sunscreen on themselves at school "sends kids a conflicting message about the very real danger of unprotected sun exposure." He said part of the problem is that schools are following the lead of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, which regulates sunscreen as a medication. Rhode Island's proposal would exempt sunscreen from state rules banning students from using over-the-counter drugs at public schools without special permission. There was little debate on Bennett's bill in the Rhode Island House of Representatives, which voted unanimously to pass it Tuesday and moved it on to the state Senate. But a statewide association of school nurses is raising objections. Deborah Svitil, a school nurse in the city of Cranston who helps lead the group, said there's a danger of students bringing in sunscreen and sharing it with other students who are allergic to the fragrances and other substances found inside. Svitil said sunscreen is important but she doesn't see what's so hard about a signed note faxed to her office. She also questioned how important it is for kids to put on sunscreen at school, especially if their parents already applied some at home. "In most cases, they do not have extended exposure times," Svitil said. "They're outside for recess, weather-dependent, but that would usually be maybe for 20 minutes or so." Rhode Island last year enacted a law requiring elementary schools to give children at least 20 minutes of recess each day. 2017 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. (HealthDay)In a research letter published online April 30 in the New England Journal of Medicine, Philadelphia doctors write that they have cleared hepatitis C infections in 10 patients who received kidneys from deceased donors who had the virus. In 2016, researchers at Penn Medicine began investigating the effectiveness of transplants from donors with hepatitis C. The kidneys were given to patients between 40 and 65 years old who had waited for at least a year and a half. Patients and their families underwent a thorough vetting process, to make sure they understood the risks involved. After receiving the donor kidneys, all 10 patients tested positive for hepatitis C. All were treated with a 12-week antiviral therapy of elbasvir/grazoprevir. Early data from the study revealed this treatment effectively cleared hepatitis C from all of the patients. "Our pilot data demonstrate the ability to cure the contracted virus following transplantation in this patient population," study co-leader, David Goldberg, M.D., an assistant professor of medicine and epidemiology at the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine in Philadelphia, said in a university news release. "If future studies are successful, this may be a viable option for patients who may otherwise never see a transplant." Copyright 2017 HealthDay. All rights reserved. Manufacturing Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) devices and gadgets on the continent will help to bring down the costs of digitising Africa, says Telecommunications and Postal Services Minister Dr Siyabonga Cwele. Minister Cwele was speaking at the Smart Africa Alliance board meeting in Kigali, Rwanda, as part of his engagements at the Transform Africa Summit. The Smart Africa Alliance will help African countries to digitise the continent and use ICTs to quickly catch up and be competitive with developed nations. The South Africa Government has decided that we should join the Smart Africa Alliance to contribute in the growth and integration of the continent, said Minister Cwele in a statement on Friday. Another factor that he identified as key in the digitising the continent is the building of basic and high end ICT skills to give Africans confidence in using ICT and also developing applications that solve African problems. The summit launched the Smart Cities master plan which is a blueprint for the development of smart cities on the continent. The Department of Telecommunications and Postal Services said the summit views cities as engines of economic growth and the masterplan seeks to maximise this potential by using ICTs to improve the development and management of transport systems, energy efficiency, water, sanitation, the environment, and the provision of online services to support government and business services. Minister Cweles attendance of the board meeting follows Cabinets approval that South Africa joins the Smart Africa Alliance, which is a collaboration between African governments to develop relevant solutions and share resources to address the development challenges facing the continent. The Alliance places ICTs at the centre of meeting the developmental goals of Agenda 2063. The board meeting is the highest decision making platform of the Alliance South Africa will champion localisation and skills development for digital Africa in the Smart Africa Alliance. This is aimed at driving industrialisation through national infrastructure plans, stimulating demand for locally produced electronics and boosting the capacity, as well as growth of local and indigenous Small, Medium and Micro-Enterprises (SMMEs). Other objectives included building relevant and resilient infrastructure to foster innovation, as well as promoting private-public partnerships for ICT innovation throughout the continent. SA News Now read: ANC wants Molefe out of Eskom In West Bengal, local body polls are being held for seven municipal bodies today. By Manogya Loiwal : The municipal elections in West Bengal turned violent in the plains today. Local body polls in the state are being held for seven municipal bodies, including four in Darjeeling hills. The seats going to the polls are Darjeeling Kaliompong, Mirik and Kurseong in the hills and Domkol, Raygong and Poojani. In the plains, bombs were hurled at a polling booth in ward number 16 of Murshidabad district even as voting is underway following violence in Bhatshala, Mamudpur and Titikipara areas of the district. There were incidents of ciolence reported from areas of Mamudpur and Dakhin Nagar. advertisement Some areas also reported of incidents of voter cards being snatched away from people of ward number 5 of the Domkal municipality, as a result of which they decided to boycott the voting process. The voters have been complaining about not being given a fair chance to vote. PARTY WORKERS THREATENED There has been chaos in ward number 98 since early morning as well. Reportedly, alliance party worker Munsar Sheikh was shot and is seriously injured. The CPI(M) agents have also complained of being threatened of being thrown out of the booths. CCTV footage captured some criminals with weapons around the booths. CPI(M) leader Anisur Rahman also complained of being troubled since morning. Trinamool Congress leader Soumik Hussain has in turn complained against the Congress and the CPI (M) of teaming up against him. Criminals have been brought in from different places to threaten the voters, claimed Congress leader and MP Adhir Chaudhury. The police have been on guard with arms in front of the wards from the beginning of the voting process but seem to be failing to ensure smooth conduct of elections. Also Read: West Bengal civic body elections: Bombs hurled at polling booth in South 24 Parganas Also Watch: West Bengal Municipalities go to poll today, all eyes on BJP, TMC --- ENDS --- Poland and Slovakia will increase defense spending Audi presents new crossovers Q8 e-tron Benny Gantz: Israel has an opportunity to strike Iran's nuclear facilities Samvel Babayan: Russia will withdraw peacekeepers from Nagorno-Karabakh Hungarian government sets price ceiling on eggs and potatoes Benny Gantz: Israel does not have the production capacity to supply Ukraine with air defense systems Germany must adopt energy-saving measures in face of skyrocketing inflation Beglaryan: Azerbaijan continues and will continue its policy of genocide and hatred against the Armenian people Kiev believes it is too early to talk about withdrawal of Russian troops from Kherson Raisi: Relations between Tehran and Moscow have a bright future Taliban virtue representative kills minor for refusing to marry Meeting held at Ministry of Defense Kaljurand: A fair peace agreement, that will guarantee the rights and security of the Nagorno-Karabakh people, is needed ATMs closed at night in Germany because of increasing number of break-ins Moldova to request 450 million from EU amid fears of stopping Russian gas supplies Kazakhstan plans to make knowledge of Kazakh obligatory for obtaining citizenship Vladimir Putin to visit Armenia Ayoob Kara: Israel and Azerbaijan must act together against Iran Macron: France ends its military mission in Africa Military forces of Georgia, Azerbaijan and Turkey take part in Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan pipeline protection exercise Shoigu orders withdrawal of troops across Dnieper River Swedish parliament will vote to change constitution for NATO membership on November 16 Reactor at nuclear power plant in southern Sweden stops unexpectedly due to turbine malfunction Margaret Thatcher's dressing table case sells for $145 Zakharova comments on Azerbaijani attacks on Russian peacekeepers in Artsakh Israel may reconsider its position on military aid to Ukraine because of threat from Iran Tehran expresses readiness to play role in resolving conflict between Russia and Ukraine Zakharova: Russia closely coordinates with Armenia and Azerbaijan on preparation of peace treaty U.S. cut its oil production forecast in 2023 Gen. of Justice: Armenia is already going to abyss MFA says Russia promotes comprehensive settlement of Armenian-Azerbaijani relations Australia to ban former military pilots from working in China Ministry: 1,034 participants of 44-day Karabakh war declared disabled Russian Security Council Secretary accuses Western intelligence services of organizing unrest in Iran Niagara Falls is illuminated in colors of Azerbaijani flag through efforts of Azerbaijani Embassy to U.S. 'Armenia' bloc: Authorities going to peace at any cost legitimize change of power Dollar falls, euro rises in Armenia FT: Taiwan plans to establish drone production, allocated $1.6 billion Azerbaijan's 'Horst Wessel' for Iran: Baku media replicates 'murder story' Tesla recalls 40,000 electric cars because of problems with power steering Sky News: Russia handed over Javelin, NLAW and Stinger missiles to Iran in exchange for drones Russia has record number of Armenia migrants outflow Stoltenberg says NATO summit will be held in Vilnius on July 11-12, 2023 Iranian Interior Ministry: Organizers of riots in Iran were trained in 8 unfriendly countries Europe fills its gas storage facilities almost 100% before cold season Greece MPs visit Armenian Genocide Memorial in Yerevan Strasbourg city council adopts resolution on supporting Armenia Ohanyan: We see hope in Armenia-Russia-Azerbaijan format regarding Karabakhs future Turkey says it will not focus only on Russian gas David Babayan says Azerbaijan makes propaganda against Russian peacekeepers in Artsakh Former ECHR judge: UN Security Council does not consider Karabakh's separation illegal Shavarsh Kocharyan says current PM took step of declaring Armenia aggressor AraratBank underwrites FINCA UCO bonds First ombudsperson says current Armenian authorities are illegitimate Armenian National Committee of America: Dr. Oz Defeated in Pennsylvania Senate race Head of Turkish Ministry of Agriculture: 10.1 million tons of grain exported from Ukrainian ports Putin and Lukashenko discuss upcoming CSTO meeting by phone Armenia legislature discusses issues of residents of Karabakhs Kashatagh region handed over to Azerbaijan President pays tribute to martyrs of 3rd Artsakh war Australian pedophile sentenced to 129 years in Philippines Japan says North Korea launches alleged ballistic missile British cabinet minister resigns after recent harassment allegations Eleving Group member Mogo applies the best practices in Armenia Artsakh FM: Azerbaijan will have to take new realities into account in near future Iran MFA. Azerbaijan president's reaction is incomprehensible Parliament speaker considers transit visa requirement for Armenia citizens at Poland airports worrisome Pashinyan: Armenia-Cambodia warm relations have great prospects for development Karabakh state ministers advisor: Aliyev statement was once again filled with confessions of use of force Javier Colomina: NATO supports normalization of Armenia-Azerbaijan relations Copper falls in price Iran official: Goal of $3bn trade with Armenia will be realized under this government Karabakh FM: Azerbaijan has become more aggressive, brazen with Turkeys support MOD: Artsakh army units did not open fire towards Azerbaijan positions Oil prices go down Armenia Security Council chief briefs Poland Senate vice-speaker on regional developments Azerbaijan fires at Armenia positions Gold prices go down Newspaper: Armenia law enforcement agencies operative intelligence teams to enter several officials houses US midterm elections virtually over, counting of votes underway US State Department: Armenia, Azerbaijan FMs agreed to continue meetings, direct dialogue India's Supreme Court releases men sentenced to death for rape and murder Global South needs $2 trillion year to fight climate crisis McDonald's releases chair for gamers with burger stand The Telegraph: Rishi Sunak to announce major natural gas deal with US after COP27 summit U.S. officials secretly ask major banks to continue doing business with some Russian firms 19fortyfive: Is America tired of the war in Ukraine? EU replaces pipeline Russian gas with imported Russian LNG Kommersant: China split the 'unity' of the West Expert estimates level of Azerbaijan's information attack on Armenia in September, comparing it to 44-day war UK wants to work more with the U.S. on gas supplies Donald Trump votes in Florida midterm elections EU admits: It is impossible to set a ceiling on gas prices that will not affect contracts or security of supply Most valuable metal of year is named Mehr: Nikolai Patrushev arrives in Tehran Turkish TV company confesses that Ankara and Israel were arming Azerbaijan against Armenia Who is Baku threatening? Armenia's former deputy defense minister decodes Aliyev's statements Army Commander-in-Chief: Even those who claim to be superpowers do not dare to attack Iran Iran and Russia to build joint pipeline India to continue buying Russian oil Businessman Zhong Shanshan becomes richest man in China In this May 12, 2017 photo, a display panel with an error can be seen at the main railway station in Chemnitz, Germany. Germany's national railway says that it was among the organizations affected by the global cyberattack but there was no impact on train services. Deutsche Bahn said early Saturday that departure and arrival display screens at its stations were hit Friday night by the attack. (P. Goezelt/dpa via AP) An unprecedented "ransomware" cyberattack that has already hit tens of thousands of victims in 150 countries could wreak even more havoc Monday as people return to their desks and power up their computers at the start of the work week. Officials and experts on Sunday urged organizations and companies to update their operating systems immediately to ensure they aren't vulnerable to a second, more powerful version of the malicious software. The cyberattack paralyzed computers that run Britain's hospital network, Germany's national railway and scores of other companies and government agencies worldwide. The attack, already believed to be the biggest online extortion scheme ever recorded, is an "escalating threat" after hitting 200,000 victims across the world since Friday, according to the head of Europol, Europe's policing agency. "The numbers are still going up," he said. "We've seen that the slowdown of the infection rate over Friday night, after a temporary fix around it, has now been overcome by a second variation the criminals have released." His concerns were echoed by James Clapper, former director of national intelligence under President Barack Obama. In an interview on ABC's "This Week," Clapper said the worry was "this ransomware attack will be even larger" as people return to their desks after the weekend. People walk past a Megafon mobile phones shop in Moscow, Russia, Saturday, May 13, 2017. A top Russian mobile operator said Friday it had come under cyberattacks that appeared similar to those that have crippled some U.K. hospitals. Pyotr Lidov, a spokesman for Megafon, said Friday's attacks froze computers in company's offices across Russia. (AP Photo/Ivan Sekretarev) The 200,000 victims included more than 100,000 organizations, Europol spokesman Jan Op Gen Oorth told The Associated Press. He said it was too early to say who was behind the onslaught and what their motivation was, aside from the obvious demand for money. So far, he said, not many people have paid the ransom demanded by the malware. The attack held users hostage by freezing their computers, encrypting their data and demanding money through online bitcoin payment$300 at first, rising to $600 before it destroys files hours later. The effects were felt across the globe, with Britain's National Health Service, Russia's Interior Ministry and companies including Spain's Telefonica, FedEx Corp. in the U.S. and French carmaker Renault all reporting disruptions. Chinese media reported Sunday that students at several universities were hit, blocking access to their thesis papers and dissertation presentations. An exterior view shows the main entrance of St Bartholomew's Hospital, in London, one of the hospitals whose computer systems were affected by a cyberattack, Friday, May 12, 2017. A large cyberattack crippled computer systems at hospitals across England on Friday, with appointments canceled, phone lines down and patients turned away. (AP Photo/Matt Dunham) Had it not been for a young British cybersecurity researcher's accidental discovery of a so-called "kill switch," the malicious software likely would have spread much farther and faster. The 22-year-old researcher known as "MalwareTech," who wanted to remain anonymous, said he spotted a hidden web address in the "WannaCry" code and made it official by registering its domain name. That move, which cost just $10.69, redirected the attacks to the server of Kryptos Logic, the security company where he works. The server operates as a "sinkhole" to collect information about malwareand in Friday's case kept the malware from escaping. While that quick thinking may have slowed the outbreak, MalwareTech said he was now looking into a possible second wave of attacks. "It's quite an easy change to make, to bypass the way we stopped it," he told the AP. A security guard stands outside the Telefonica headquarters in Madrid, Spain, Friday, May 12, 2017. The Spanish government said several companies including Telefonica had been targeted in ransomware cyberattack that affected the Windows operating system of employees' computers. (AP Photo/Paul White) Darien Huss, a 28-year-old research engineer who helped MalwareTech, agreed the threat was far from over. "We could potentially see copycats mimic the delivery or exploit method they used," he said. Both joined security officials in urging organizations to protect themselves by installing security fixes right away, running antivirus software and backing up data elsewhere. "Just patch their systems as soon as possible," MalwareTech said. "It won't be too late as long as they're not infected. It should just be a case of making sure installing updates is enabled, installing the updates, and reboot." A screenshot of the warning screen from a purported ransomware attack, as captured by a computer user in Taiwan, is seen on laptop in Beijing, Saturday, May 13, 2017. Dozens of countries were hit with a huge cyberextortion attack Friday that locked up computers and held users' files for ransom at a multitude of hospitals, companies and government agencies. (AP Photo/Mark Schiefelbein) The ransomware appeared to exploit a vulnerability in Microsoft Windows that was purportedly identified by the U.S. National Security Agency for its own intelligence-gathering purposes. The NSA tools were stolen by hackers and dumped on the internet. Experts say this vulnerability has been understood among experts for months, yet too many groups failed to take it seriously. Microsoft had "patched," or fixed it, in updates of recent versions of Windows since March, but many users did not apply the software fix. Worse, the malware was able to create so much chaos because it was designed to self-replicate like a virus, spreading quickly once inside university, business and government networks. Microsoft was quick to change its policy, announcing free security patches to fix this vulnerability in the older Windows systems still used by millions of individuals and smaller businesses. Before Friday's attack, Microsoft had made fixes for older systems, such as 2001's Windows XP, available only to those who paid extra for extended technical support. People outside a Megafon mobile phone shop in Moscow, Russia, on Saturday, May 13, 2017. A top Russian mobile operator said Friday it had come under cyberattacks that appeared similar to those that have crippled some U.K. hospitals. Pyotr Lidov, a spokesman for Megafon, said Friday's attacks froze computers in company's offices across Russia. (AP Photo/Ivan Sekretarev) "The problem is the larger organizations are still running on old, no longer supported operating systems," said Lawrence Abrams, a New York-based blogger who runs BleepingComputer.com. "So they no longer get the security updates they should be." Short of paying, options for those already infected are usually limited to recovering data files from a backup, if available, or living without them. British cybersecurity expert Graham Cluley doesn't want to blame the NSA for the attack. "There are other criminals who've launched this attack, and they are ultimately responsible for this," he said. "But there's clearly some culpability on the part of the U.S. intelligence services. Because they could have done something ages ago to get this problem fixed, and they didn't do it." This April 12, 2016 file photo shows the Microsoft logo in Issy-les-Moulineaux, outside Paris, France. The cyberextortion attack hitting dozens of countries was a "perfect storm" of sorts. It combined a known and highly dangerous security hole in Microsoft Windows, tardy users who didn't apply Microsoft's March software fix, and a software design that allowed the malware to spread quickly once inside university, business and government networks. (AP Photo/Michel Euler, File) He said most people "are living an online life," and these agencies have a duty to protect their countries' citizens in that realm as well. "Obviously, they want those tools in order to spy on people of interest, on other countries, to conduct surveillance," Cluley said. "It's a handy thing to have, but it's a dangerous thing to have. Because they can be used against you. And that's what's happening right now." People inside a Megafon mobile phones shop in Moscow, Russia, Saturday, May 13, 2017. A top Russian mobile operator said Friday it had come under cyberattacks that appeared similar to those that have crippled some U.K. hospitals. Pyotr Lidov, a spokesman for Megafon, said Friday's attacks froze computers in company's offices across Russia. (AP Photo/Ivan Sekretarev) A view of the logo of a Megafon mobile phone shop, in Moscow, Russia, on Saturday, May 13, 2017. A top Russian mobile operator said Friday it had come under cyberattacks that appeared similar to those that have crippled some U.K. hospitals. Pyotr Lidov, a spokesman for Megafon, said Friday's attacks froze computers in company's offices across Russia. (AP Photo/Ivan Sekretarev) People are reflected in a glass sign of a Telefonica building in Madrid, Spain, Saturday, May 13, 2017. The Spanish government said several companies including Telefonica had been targeted in ransomware cyberattack that affected the Windows operating system of employees' computers. A cybersecurity expert Ori Eisen of Trusona says the biggest cyberextortion attack in history is going to be dwarfed by the next big ransomware attack that could be done to crucial infrastructure, like nuclear power plants, dams or railway systems. (AP Photo/Paul White) 2017 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. The TMC and the BJP will be facing off for the first time in local body elections as seven West Bengal municipalities vote in new representatives today. By Manogya Loiwal : Seven West Bengal municipalities, mostly in the north, are voting for new representatives in local body polls today. Bombs were hurled at a polling booth in South 24 Parganas's Pujali even as voting is underway. The municipalities include Kurseong, Darjeeling and Mirik, in Darjeeling district; Kalimpong in the newly announced Kalimpong district; Pujali in South 24 Parganas district; Raigunj in North Dinajpur district; and Domkal municipality in Murshidabad district. advertisement Apart from Besides South 24 Parganas, TMC does not have a stronghold in any of the local bodies that are going to the polls. In North Bengal, until now Trinamool has won only with the local factional support from parties including the Gorkha Janmukti Morcha. Darjeeling has a BJP MP SS Ahluwalia, a junior minister in the Narendra Modi cabinet, while Murshidabad is a Congress bastion with Adhir Ranjan Choudhary curently the district's MP. BJP national chief Amit Shah's recent visit to north West Bengal had highlighted the importance the party was giving to the municipal elections in the state. TMC chief and West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee had made six election-related visits to north Bengal. The West Bengal muncipalty election marks the first time the BJP and Trinamool Congress will face off in local body polls. Notbaly, the BJP excelled in the previous Assembly bypolls in the state. Other parties in the fray include Gorkha Janmukti Morcha (GJM), Gorkha National Liberation Front (GNLF), Jana Andolan Party (JAP), and Communist Party of India Marxist (CPIM). Counting of the votes will take place on May 17. ALSO READ | Saffron burst on Bengal map puts Mamata in a spot ALSO READ | BJP's multi-pronged strategy to corner Mamata Banerjee and wrest power from Trinamool in West Bengal ALSO WATCH | Amit Shah begins Mission Bengal with meal with booth level workers --- ENDS --- More than 2,200 civilians and rebels evacuated an opposition district in Damascus on Sunday, state media said, bringing the government closer to cementing its control over the Syrian capital. The evacuations from the Qabun district in northeast Damascus follow similar departures from the Barzeh and Tishrin neighbourhoods earlier this week. "The first phase of the agreement in the Qabun district has been completed with the evacuation of 2,289 people, including 1,058 armed men," Damascus governor Beshr Assaban was quoted as saying by the official SANA news agency. He said the aim of the evacuation was to "end the presence of armed forces in the neighbourhood". An AFP correspondent inside Qabun saw around a dozen white buses carrying out residents and fighters, after a deal for the neighbourhood was announced late Saturday following heavy fighting. At the edge of the district, two women embraced and wept as they faced the prospect of parting ways. Suad, 22, was leaving behind her friend Mona, also 22, to follow her family to Idlib province, a rebel-held area in northwest Syria. "I didn't want to leave, but I have to stay with my family, and they prefer to go to Idlib after my uncle left with the group from Barzeh," said Suad. "I never thought one day I'd be in this position," she added, sobbing heavily. "I can't describe how I feel." Those evacuating carried small bags with them as they boarded the buses, while others who had decided to stay registered their names at a military post. - Rubble and tunnels - The evacuation deal came on Saturday night after government forces advanced inside the neighbourhood. "The Syrian army yesterday managed to encircle dozens of armed elements inside Qabun neighbourhood, forcing them to surrender and hand over their weapons," a source from the pro-regime National Defence Forces militia told AFP. The signs of the recent fighting, as well as years of prior bombardment and clashes, were visible all around with rubble from partly and completely destroyed buildings strewn across the roads. Tanks sent up clouds of dust as they manoeuvred over mounds of debris, and dirt and black smoke rose from fires still burning in the neighbourhood. "A few days ago we couldn't be here. The road was too dangerous," said one soldier. Others showed off a tunnel they had discovered, one of many that rebels used to connect besieged neighbourhoods. "This tunnel is ten metres (more than 30 feet) deep, and connects Qabun with the town of Arbin" in rebel-held Eastern Ghouta, one soldier said. "It was used by militants to smuggle weapons and food." He said another tunnel had been discovered between the Barzeh and Qabun neighbourhoods and destroyed on Saturday. "It was the width of two cars." - Evacuation deals - A lieutenant, who declined to give his name, said the capture of Qabun had been months in the making. "This battle lasted for 15 days but we have been planning it for six months," he said. "We would not have been able to succeed without controlling the network of tunnels. We found more than 10 tunnels so far, and there are still more." The deals for Qabun, Barzeh and Tishrin neighbourhoods follow a pattern of agreements under which the rebels agree to surrender in exchange for safe passage to opposition-held territory elsewhere. The government says the deals are the best way to end the six-year war, but the opposition says it is forced into the agreements by regime bombardment and siege. Two groups of evacuees left Barzeh neighbourhood this week, with one leaving from Tishrin. All three headed to Idlib province. Damascus has been insulated from some of the worst violence of Syria's war, which has killed more than 320,000 people since it began with anti-government protests in March 2011. But the government has made securing control of the last remaining rebel districts in the capital a key priority. By Francois Murphy VIENNA (Reuters) - Austria is heading for a snap parliamentary election after the centre-left chancellor said on Sunday the ruling coalition had been shattered by his ambitious young foreign minister, who is poised to take over the main conservative party. An election will give the far-right Freedom Party (FPO) a good chance of entering national government less than a year after its candidate lost a presidential run-off. The FPO is leading in opinion polls and the two centrist parties that have dominated post-war politics in Austria are now at daggers drawn. But surveys suggest the conservative People's Party (OVP) would leap from third to first place, and support for the FPO and Kern's Social Democrats would fall, if Foreign Minister Sebastian Kurz took over as OVP leader, as he is expected to do. Forming a government usually requires at least two parties. "There will definitely ... be an election, I assume in the coming autumn," Kern said in an interview with ORF TV. He had resisted the idea of a snap election, calling for the coalition to keep working until its term ends in more than a year's time. Kurz, 30, is a star of Austrian politics who is widely seen as his party's best hope of reviving its fortunes. The current OVP leader, Reinhold Mitterlehner, announced on Wednesday that he was stepping down, partly because of his inability to stop in-fighting among his ministers. Kurz said on Friday that he wanted a snap election but that he would only accept the OVP's top job if it came with sweeping powers on issues including staffing. The OVP leadership was due to meet on Sunday at 4 p.m. (1400 GMT) to pick Mitterlehner's successor. "The OVP ended the coalition on Friday," Kern said, referring to Kurz's speech. Calling a snap election requires a majority in parliament. The FPO supports the idea -- it and the OVP are three seats short of a majority. "I have difficulty picturing a scenario in which we could put together a stable minority government. It would possibly have a numerical majority but probably not a political majority," said Kern, who took over as chancellor and head of the Social Democrats (SPO) a year ago. DIVIDED PARTIES Kern accused the OVP and Kurz of failing to honour the commitment they made in January to a package of measures that was aimed at breathing new life into the coalition and eroding support for the FPO, but which failed to put an end to squabbling that has marred the centrist coalition. That package included a series of law-and-order measures such as a ban on Muslim face-covering veils in public places. Kurz has made a tough line on immigration one of his hallmarks, to the point that the FPO has accused him of stealing its ideas. "It was the case from the first day onwards that there was a group within the OVP that wanted to work with us constructively ... and then there were some who were less interested in this government succeeding. They have now prevailed within the OVP," Kern said. Although his party has been moving towards lifting a self-imposed ban on national coalitions with the FPO, Kern would not be drawn on whether it might go into government with the far right, as it already has in one of Austria's nine provinces. "A working relationship with the Freedom Party would be a novelty for the SPO and we will therefore now discuss that internally in a sensitive way," Kern said, alluding to a deep split within the party on the issue. (Reporting by Francois Murphy; Editing by Catherine Evans) By Benjamin Kang Lim BEIJING (Reuters) - China and the Philippines will start bilateral consultations on the disputed South China Sea this week, the Philippine ambassador to Beijing said, as Manila looks to ease tensions with Asia's top economic power. Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte, who is visiting Beijing this weekend to attend a summit on China's new Silk Road plan, has opted to court China for its business and investment and avoid rows over sovereignty that dogged his predecessors. Philippine Ambassador to China Jose Santiago Santa Romana told reporters late on Saturday that the consultations between the two countries would take place in a Chinese city, but declined to name it. He added that the dispute between the two countries "cannot be resolved overnight." China has not publicly announced any such talks. Duterte has been accused by critics of taking a defeatist position on China and on defending Philippine sovereignty. He considers his approach is pragmatic and says challenging China risks triggering a war. Santa Romana said Duterte's attendance at the China summit should not be seen as the Philippines abandoning or "giving up" its claim of sovereignty in the South China Sea. The previous Philippine government in 2013 filed a case with the Permanent Court of Arbitration in The Hague to set the record straight on maritime boundaries. The tribunal did that last year, and invalidated China's claim to sovereignty over most of the South China Sea. Duterte has put the ruling on the back burner and said he will revisit it later in his term. Santa Romana defended Duterte's position, saying Manila was "proceeding from our own interests". China claims most of the energy-rich South China Sea through which about $5 trillion in ship-borne trade passes every year. Neighbours Brunei, Malaysia, the Philippines, Taiwan and Vietnam also have claims. Duterte visited China last October for an ice-breaking trip after bilateral relations soured over the South China Sea under the previous Philippine administration of Benigno Aquino. The detente has seen China commit to three infrastructure projects and pledge to donate two bridges, said the ambassador, without giving an investment figure. China has also eased import curbs on Philippine bananas, he said. "If you go around Beijing right now and you go to the market, you will see ... Philippine bananas. The Chinese are eating Philippine bananas again and Philippine pineapples," Santa Romana said. "They have promised to buy over $1 billion worth of tropical fruits from the Philippines and they are interested to buy more." (Reporting by Benjamin Kang Lim; Writing by Ben Blanchard; Editing by Randy Fabi) PARIS (Reuters) - French President Emmanuel Macron appointed Alexis Kohler on Sunday as secretary general of the Elysee palace, the most powerful role among presidential staff, while career diplomat Philippe Etienne was named as his top foreign policy advisor. Kohler, a 44-year old graduate of France's elite ENA administrative school, was Macron's chief of staff when the incoming president was economy minister and has worked for the Treasury. He will be Macron's right-hand man, the top official in the Elysee administration and a key political advisor who is typically the main contact point for ministries, parties, unions and business leaders and plays an important role in crafting policies. Etienne, a 61-year old former ambassador well known both in Brussels and Berlin, was appointed to be the incoming president's diplomatic advisor, Macron's staff said. Also an ENA graduate, his nomination was immediately saluted in the EU capital. "This is very good news. Philippe is an authority on EU affairs and a promoter of Franco-German friendship," Martin Selmayr, the head of cabinet for European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker, said on Twitter. The news was also welcomed among French diplomats. "He is extremely well aware of EU affairs," one senior diplomatic source said, calling him a skilled negotiator. The appointments were announced as Macron readied for his inauguration as president on Sunday at a ceremony in the Elysee palace. Macron will name a prime minister on Monday and the new government will be announced on Tuesday, a source said. (Reporting by Michel Rose and Jean-Baptiste Vey; Additional reporting by John Irish; Writing by Ingrid Melander) Faced with one of the worst levels of crime in the world, Honduras is looking to lower the age of criminal responsibility to under 18. The review, announced by President Juan Orlando Hernandez on Monday, is because of the high proportion of crimes carried out by minors. "Nearly 40 percent of high-impact crimes have minors involved," Hernandez told a news conference. "This is alarming." Currently in Honduras, only persons aged over 18 can be charged with a felony. Those younger risk only "infractions," or misdemeanors, with punishment served in juvenile detention centers rather than prisons. The government review will call on a panel of lawyers and sociologists to see whether minors should be treated the same as adults for serious crimes, as happens in other countries. The panel will also examine whether existing detention centers should be reformed to create some better suited to rehabilitation and social reinsertion. The president did not suggest an age at which a minor could be considered responsible as an adult for a crime. Honduras is one of the countries with the worst crime rates in the world. It has around 60 murders per 100,000 inhabitants, far higher than the global average of 8.9 given by the World Health Organization. Over the weekend, LEGOLAND Malaysia Resort celebrated the launch of LEGO Star Wars Days with a bunch of special activities, including a massive Imperial March featuring over 100 Star Wars characters. Click to view slideshow. Despite the rain, the characters showed up in full force to support the event: A special Carrie Fisher as Princess Leia LEGO piece was also unveiled at the launch on Saturday to commemorate the late actress who passed away in 2016. If you miss the launch over the weekend, you can still experience the special LEGO Star Wars Day activities at LEGOLAND Malaysia Resort. The celebration will run over the course of 34 days across 5 weekends (28 Apr to 31 May) with a variety of exciting and entertaining Star Wars daily activities for the whole family. The star of the show lies at LEGO Star Wars Miniland, the only indoor LEGO Star Wars Miniland in Asia, where guests can experience a special live storytelling of great scenes from the epic space saga exclusively for the month of May. Those who wish to be one with the Force can do so at the Jedi Academy, where they can train to become a Jedi. Click to view slideshow. To bring the Star Wars experience to life even further, Stormtroopers and Star Wars characters can be found roaming around the park and will stop for photo opportunities. The trickiest character to spot will be the elusive LEGO Darth Vader, so be sure to be on a lookout for him. Building on last years successful LEGO Star Wars Day, LEGOLAND is once again embarking on a journey to bring LEGO Star Wars to life for all Star Wars fans, young and old alike. This year, we are kicking it up a notch and ensuring that it will be filled with building activities that will inspire and encourage learning through play. Our guests will be in for a treat as they will be able to participate in various building activities such as Star Wars World, R2-D2 Challenge, Speed Building, Star Wars model build, and create your own Star Wars set, said Kurt Stocks, General Manager at LEGOLAND Resort Malaysia. Story continues Click to view slideshow. The younger guests will also receive a LEGOLAND Star Wars Passport, which can be used to collect stamps from activities such as R2-D2 build, Star Wars World, Trivia Hunt, Jedi Academy, and Speed building competition. Upon collection of all stamps, guests can stand a chance to be rewarded with a special commemorative brick awarded on a first-come, first-served basis to remind them of their fun and exciting adventures at LEGOLAND. Exclusive LEGO Star Wars Merchandise Discounts LEGOLAND Malaysia is offering exclusive deals on the newly launched LEGO Star Wars Classic merchandise. Only available at LEGOLAND Malaysia Resort and during LEGO Star Wars Days, guests spending RM300 and above on LEGO Star Wars Play sets will get their hands on the coveted LEGO R2-D2. Alternatively, for purchases of RM100 and above for LEGO Star Wars Play sets, guests can redeem the exclusive LEGO U-Wing Fighter. From May 4 to 15, LEGOLAND Malaysia will be handing out RM10 cash vouchers at its main entrance which gives guests RM10 off for any LEGO Star Wars Play sets with a minimum spend of RM90. Last but not least, guests who purchase the ultimate LEGO Star Wars Death Star at LEGOLAND Malaysias retail shop will get a free LEGO Star Wars Kylo Ren Command Shuttle worth RM599.90. These offers are valid while stocks last. LEGO Star Wars Days runs till the end of May. More details on the various activities available for guests are as below: Star Wars Miniland Live Enjoy an interactive walkthrough at Star Wars Miniland with the Jedis who will regale guests with the story of the episodes displayed. Jedi Academy Always wanted to be a Jedi warrior? This is your chance! Let our Master Jedi train you in the ways of the Jedi. Spot the Stormtrooper Be on the lookout for the Stormtrooper minifigure on the crews vest. Find him and you can redeem a prize at the admission counter Star Wars Trivia Hunt Prove how much of a fan you are by solving the quiz. Visit the Miniland and lookout for clues on the posters and descriptions. Photo opportunities with the coolest Star Wars characters Spot LEGO Darth Vader and take a photo with him. Also, be on the lookout for the Stormtroopers and Jedis. In addition, the meet and greet with the awesome Star Wars characters including Jedi, Stormtroopers and Princess Leia that started on the 1st of May, will continue for the subsequent weekends (20 to 21 May and 27 to 28 May) where guests can also have their photos taken. The post LEGO Star Wars Days 2017 at LEGOLAND Malaysia Resort appeared first on Alvinology. By Ange Aboa ABIDJAN (Reuters) - Loyalist soldiers were advancing towards Ivory Coast's second-biggest city, Bouake, on Sunday, raising the prospect of clashes with renegade troops who have staged a three-day nationwide mutiny over bonus payments, a witness and a military officer said. At least five protesters were shot and wounded in Bouake earlier in the day when the renegade soldiers used gunfire to break up a march against their mutiny, as popular opposition to the revolt gathered momentum. So far the government has shied away from confronting the mutineers with force. But a large military convoy arrived in the town of Tiebissou, about 60 km (40 miles) south of Bouake, on Sunday afternoon, the witness said. A soldier with the convoy, contacted by Reuters, said it was stopping only for a short time before continuing to Bouake. The uprising by the soldiers, most of them ex-rebel fighters who fought to bring President Alassane Ouattara to power, began in Bouake on Friday before quickly spreading to other cities and towns, mirroring an uprising by the same group in January. "We know that the Special Forces, Republican Guard and gendarmes are arriving here, but we're waiting for them," said Sergeant Seydou Kone, a spokesman for the mutiny. After allowing traffic to circulate earlier in the day, the mutineers again closed off Bouake, which sits on the main axis between the commercial capital Abidjan - one of the region's largest ports - and landlocked neighbours Mali and Burkina Faso. Ivory Coast has emerged as one of the world's fastest growing economies following a decade-long political crisis ended by a 2011 civil war. But deep divisions persist, particularly in a military assembled from former rebel and loyalist combatants. POPULATION RISES UP The 8,400 mutineers received 5 million CFA francs ($8,371) each in order to end the January revolt. But the government has struggled to pay remaining bonuses of 7 million CFA francs, with a budget hit by the collapse in the price of cocoa, Ivory Coast's main export. On Thursday, following a meeting with authorities in Abidjan, a spokesman for the group said they would drop demands for the remaining money. But that decision was rejected by some of the soldiers. "We just want our money. We'll stay here until the president pays our money," Kone said. The defence minister has vowed not to negotiate with the renegade troops, however, and public anger at the mutineers is growing. The soldiers used gunfire to break up a march against the mutiny in Bouake's city centre on Sunday morning. "The population rose up, but the mutineers quickly dispersed the march with shots," said Bouake resident Simon Guede. "Everything is closed." A witness saw five people who had been taken to the city's main hospital with bullet wounds following the aborted march. Other protesters, who had been beaten, were also being treated. Another protest was also broken up by the mutineers in the northern city of Korhogo on Sunday, participants said, though there were no immediate reports of casualties there. Similar rallies and marches were held in the western cocoa hub of Daloa and in Abidjan on Saturday. Three people were shot and wounded by the mutineers on Saturday. ($1 = 597.3000 CFA francs) (Additional reporting and writing by Joe Bavier; Editing by Andrew Bolton) From the 2003 US invasion of Iraq to Washington's latest decision to arm Kurdish groups in Syria, relations between Turkey and the US have been tested repeatedly. The two NATO allies often have conflicting goals in the Middle East, and Ankara is now cultivating closer ties with Moscow and Tehran. These are the key sticking points. - IS or Kurds? - In September 2011, six months after peaceful protests against Syrian President Bashar al-Assad were harshly repressed, Ankara cut the Syrian regime loose and began to back selected opposition groups. In 2013, NATO deployed Patriot missile defence batteries in southern Turkey to protect it against possible Syrian attacks. But Syria and Russia, a key ally, accused Turkey of allowing arms and oil trafficking to flourish with jihadist elements in Syria and Iraq, both of which share borders with Turkey. In August 2015, Turkey joined a US-led coalition fighting the IS, after being hit by a deadly suicide attack near the border in July. President Recep Tayyip Erdogan declared a "war on terrorism" aimed at the Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK) as much, if not more so, than the IS. In August 2016, Turkey launched operation Euphrates Shield in northern Syria, targeting IS fighters but also Kurdish Peoples' Protection Units (YPG). Ankara says the YPG is linked to PKK separatists inside Turkey, who have waged an insurgency since 1984 that has killed more than 40,000 people. But Washington backs the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), of which the YPG makes up roughly half, and which has been effective in fighting the IS group. In April 2017, Turkish warplanes struck a YPG headquarters in Syria and also a pro-Kurdish militia force in Iraq. On May 9, Washington said it will authorise the arming of the YPG, a decision Turkey called "unacceptable". - Gulen - On the night of July 15-16, 2016, an attempted coup by members of the Turkish army, aimed at toppling Erdogan, left almost 250 people dead. Erdogan blamed the coup on Muslim preacher Fethullah Gulen, who lives in the US state of Pennsylvania. The Turkish leader has pressed the US to extradite the cleric, to no avail. Turkey has carried out widespread purges of the civil service to get rid of Gulen supporters. - Armenia - In April 2017, US President Donald Trump termed the massacre of Armenians in 1915 "one of the worst mass atrocities of the 20th century." He did not qualify it as genocide however, though that did not prevent Turkey from sharply criticising what it called "misinformation" and "false definitions." Obama had said during his 2008 campaign that he would recognise the massacres as genocide, but he never used the term once he had won election. - Human rights - In April 2016, Obama criticised a "troubling" path that Erdogan might be putting Turkey on with respect to freedom of the press, a day after the two leaders met in Washington. The Turkish authorities are accused of being authoritarian and of repressing the media and opposition members. - Iraq - In 2003, relations deteriorated between Turkey and the US when Ankara refused to allow its territory to be used during the US invasion of neighbouring Iraq. Turkish officials did however allow US aircraft to fly over the country during the subsequent fighting, and helped with supply operations and US troop rotations. 2017 SkS Weekly Climate Change & Global Warming Digest #19 Posted on 14 May 2017 by John Hartz Story of the Week... El Nino/La Nina Update... Toon of the Week... Quote of the Week... Graphic of the Week... SkS in the News... Photo of the Week... SkS Spotlights... Video of the Week... Coming Soon on SkS... Poster of the Week... Climate Feedback Reviews... SkS Week in Review... 97 Hours of Consensus... Story of the Week... Did Global Warming Really 'Pause' During the 2000s? Flames whip from the Morgan fire near Clayton, California, in September 2013, right as the hiatus was ending. Photo: Noah Berger / Reuters It is the first year of the new Republican presidents term. He has taken over a healthy economy from his Democratic predecessor, and, with it, the freedom to branch out beyond the typical Reaganism. He has also inherited a slew of environmental policies, many of which combat global warming. Most important among these is a fledgling UN treaty, a global agreement to restrict greenhouse-gas emissions. It was never ratified by the Senate, so the new presidentwhose Cabinet members have deep ties to the oil and gas industrymust decide whether to stay in the agreement or abandon it. Global warming does not obsess most Americans, but it frightens the scientists who study it. Just before the new president took office, an unprecedented and monstrous El Nino, the largest ever recorded, set a new annual global temperature recordthe hottest year ever measured, as the newspapers put it. Ocean temperatures surged around the world, bleaching the Great Barrier Reef and inducing a mass coral die-off . Great cracks are even appearing in ancient Antarctic ice shelves. Climate change seems to be already under way. Did Global Warming Really Pause During the 2000s? by Robinson Meyer, The Atlantic, May 12, 2017 El Nino/La Nina Update Introducing El Tio and La Tia, the climate cycles that could mean were about to get a lot hotter An El Nino sees warmer water in the eastern Pacific and hot, drier, conditions in Australia. Source:News Corp Australia EL NINO, and its sister La Nina, have long been one of the key drivers of Australias weather. But environmental scientists now suspect they could be little more than the climactic equivalents of cheeky kids at the family barbecue. Instead, a kindly aunty and cranky uncle could have a far more wide reaching effect on our climate. With El Nino being the Spanish for the boy and La Nina the girl scientists have named these overarching systems El Tio meaning, the uncle, and La Tia the aunt. And if the boy and the uncle join forces, things may be about to get hairy. At the very least, you may want to slap on some more sunscreen Dr Benjamin Henley, a climate scientist at the University of Melbourne, told news.com.au a prolonged La Tia may have lulled us into a false sense of security that global warming had slowed when the reality is climate change could be on the verge of accelerating. Introducing El Tio and La Tia, the climate cycles that could mean were about to get a lot hotter by Benedict Brook, news.com.au, May 13, 2017 Toon of the Week... Quote of the Week... Harri Maki-Reinikka, the Finnish ambassador for northern policies, called for the Paris treaty to be respected. We hope there will be no deals over the heads of others these are very global issues. Arctic conditions are changing. If the temperatures are two degrees higher globally that can be four degrees higher, or even six degrees in the Arctic, he said. What is even more worrying is that ice and snow are melting faster than we estimated, and that will change the composition of the waters and even the sea level might be rising. If we have two countries, Russia and the US, not sharing the view that climate change is happening or is manmade or how much it is manmade, it is very difficult to proceed. Maki-Reinikka said a month ago Putin said climate change is not man made but recent reports of bubbles of methane gas forming in Siberia, potentially putting more greenhouse gases into the atmosphere, could mean a vicious circle of climate change and global warming will be faster, and the Paris climate change agreements will need to be stronger. Finland voices concern over US and Russian climate change doubters by Patrick Wintour, Arctic, Guardian, May 11, 2017 Graphic of the Week... Happy(?) Birthday Temperature Spiral by Andrea Thompson, Climate Cnetral, May 11, 2017 SkS in the News... The just published peer-reviewed paper, Neutralizing misinformation through inoculation: Exposing misleading argumentation techniques reduces their influence by J Cook, S Lewandowsky & U Ecker (PLoS ONE) has garnered considerable attention. Here's just a sampling... Photo of the Week... Artist Lorenzo Quinn just finished the installation of a monumental sculpture for the 2017 Venice Biennale. Titled Support, the piece depicts a pair of gigantic hands rising from the water to support the sides of the Ca Sagredo Hotel, a visual statement of the impact of climate change and rising sea levels on the historic city. Quinn is known for his work with the human bodyspecifically handsthat he incorporates into everything from large-scale sculptures down to jewelry designs. Quinn is represented by Halcyon Gallery, and you can see more installation photos and videos of Support on Instagram. (viaThis Isnt Happiness Support: Monumental Hands Rise from the Water in Venice to Highlight Climate Change by Christopher Jobson, Colossal, May 12, 2017 SkS Spotlights... Launched in 2010, Colossal is a Webby-nominated blog that explores art and other aspects of visual culture. Colossal won the Utne Media Award for Arts Coverage in 2013. Each week youll find 15-25 posts on photography, design, animation, painting, installation art, architecture, drawing, and street art. Colossal is also a great place to learn about the intersection of art and science as well as the beauty of the natural world. There are frequently posts about things far out in left field, but generally Colossal is a reminder that in the digital age there are still countless people making incredible work with their bare hands. Video of the Week... Coming Soon on SkS... Evidence Squared versus National Review (John Cook) (John Cook) NY Times' Stephens has blinders to the climate elephant in the room (Dana) (Dana) SkS Analogy 04 - Ocean Time Lag (Evan) (Evan) Guest Post (John Abraham) (John Abraham) Explainer: Dealing with the loss and damage caused by climate change (Carbon Brief0 (Carbon Brief0 2017 SkS Weekly Climate Change & Global Warming News Roundup #20 (John Hartz) (John Hartz) 2017 SkS Weekly Climate Change & Global Waming Digest #20 (John Hartz) Poster of the Week... Climate Feedback Reviews... Climate Feedback asked its network of scientists to review the article, Analysis of Another Arctic ice panic over as world temperatures plummet by Christopher Booker, The Telegram, May 6, 2017 Seven scientists analyzed the article and estimated its overall scientific credibility to be very low. A majority of reviewers tagged the article as: Cherry-picking, Flawed reasoning, Inaccurate , Misleading. Click here to access the entire review. SkS Week in Review... 97 Hours of Consensus... Eric Wolff's bio page Quote derived with permission from author from: "We do know that in the last century, CO2 has risen to levels well above anything experienced in the last 800,000 years and we know why CO2 causes warming. It's basic physics that's been known for more than a century. It's pretty straightforward. If you put more CO2 and other greenhouse gases into the atmosphere, it will get warmer - there is no way around that one." High resolution JPEG (1024 pixels wide) In 2016, Facebook opened up its Facebook Messenger app to third-party chatbots. Businesses are being encouraged to make chatbots work well with Messenger to serve 1.79 billion monthly active users on Facebook, one billion of whom are active on Messenger. The mass-market potential of chatbots is that its technology will simply understand and do as the human asks, reports Gartner. Research cited by VentureBeat says 86 percent of millennials have a positive view of chatbots. And according to ChatbotsMagazine.com, chatbots in 2017 are like the web 20 years ago: Everyone has a burning instinct that they need to be there, but no ones sure what to do or how to do it right. Frank Salas, also known as The Talented Mr. Salas is a public speaker and serial entrepreneur with a focus in real estate who knows a good deal about both chatbots and virtual assistants. His primary marketing method is social media and has been for almost a decade. Livestreaming included, Salas uses video to inform businesses about cool online processes, to give clear walkthroughs, to stay a valued member of social media communities, and much more. His expertise in outsourcing helps entrepreneurs work on their business not in it. But it is for his knowledge of chatbots and virtual assistants that Small Business Trends approached him. Always traveling and location-independent, Salas is never in one place for too long. Originally from Texas, he loves cigars and the Dallas Cowboys. Long trips are where he fits in most of his writing. His passion for growth hacking keeps him up at night with creative ideas. Outsourcing Trends in 2017: Virtual Assistants and Chatbots Small Business Trends first spoke with Salas via Facebook in late 2016 and reconnected this month to get some uncommon insights about chatbots and virtual assistants. * * * * * Small Business Trends: The ability to save time using chatbots on Facebook Messenger seems to be a hot trend now. What do businesses need to know? Frank Salas: Many businesses dont realize that chatbots can build up a list just like emails! You can segment them to provide super targeted messages. If you set up your chatbots properly, you can get a 96 percent open rate and 100 percent action rate. You can send videos, forms, PDFs, worksheets anything directly through Facebook Messenger. No sign-up needed. When we make videos and people get on our list, people dont want emails. They want help and answers now. Facebook chatbots now allow us as businesses to put out great content and simply say Message my Facebook page. And then a magic Facebook chatbot pops up and guides that person to the appropriate channel. To be clear, this is the flow: Make content > Put out content > Tell people to message your Facebook Page > People message your Facebook page > Your chatbot sends them to the appropriate funnel. For sales, your Facebook chatbot ideally leads someone to a sales page or to use something like Calendly to book a sales call with them. Social media marketing agencies can sell these to their clients as an upsell. Chatbots automate the visitor experience as much as possible to where you, the business owner, gets the most amount of information and context on what the visitor is looking for. Small Business Trends: The other trend which isnt new but hotter than ever is virtual assistants. The demand for VAs is high, but theres a lot of basic advice out there. Being an expert in the space, can you shock us with some advice thats rarely given? Frank Salas: Ive hired, interviewed and trained thousands of virtual assistants since 2008. As youve heard me say before, anything you do with a phone or a keyboard can and should be outsourced. Some tips I share my passwords with VAs safely using a free password vault. To make sure theyre working, you can do what I do I monitor screens with a screenshot monitor every 2-3 minutes to track their activity level as well as which apps they use. If theres no activity for a specified amount of time, theyre automatically clocked out. Many businesses dont even know that this is an option. If you need a personal executive assistant who handles your calendar, helps you with projects and emails, etc., you might want to hire someone monthly, either part-time or full-time. Heres a very brief price breakdown. A full-time VA can cost $400-800. Part time, around $200-300. Thats per month. I know all about rates for VAs. Im a VA matchmaker. Most of the VAs I work with are from the Philippines. I recently opened up in Colombia. I work with India, Thailand, and a few other Latin American countries. Here are some other things you can have a VA do: Price research anything, edit podcasts, book transportation, make graphics, set up and confirm your appointments, rescheduling of appointments, and more. I have a free worksheet available for download which helps you identify what to outsource. There are $10 per hour tasks, $100 per hour tasks, and yes, even $10,000 per hour tasks. If a task doesnt make you money it should be outsourced. Even if you love it your duty to your business is to bring in more business. If you need info on flawless project management using VAs including how to run projects directly from your phone or youre unsure about whether to work with an agency to manage your staff, contact me. I know this space inside and out and Im here to help. Small Business Trends: How should people contact you? Frank Salas: As I tell people at the end of my livestreams, go on my Facebook page and message me there. My chatbot then appears on Facebook Messenger, guiding the visitor according to his or her needs. This is part of the Small Business Trends Livestreamed Livelihoods interview series featuring sessions with today's movers and shakers in the livestreaming world. By Press Trust of India: By Pallava Bagla New Delhi, May 14 (PTI) It may come as a surprise but electronic voting is not the prevailing choice among the worlds democracies, though most forward-looking nations are aspiring to go electronic for casting ballot. Today, only about a two dozen nations have adopted electronic voting. Yet, on this landscape, India is undoubtedly a world leader. In 2014, more than half-a-billion people cast their vote through electronic voting machines, a world record. advertisement A whopping 1.4 million individual electronic voting machines were used in 930,000 polling stations spread across the country in the 2014 parliamentary poll. Chief Election Commissioner Nasim Zaidi had announced that all future elections will be held using a verifiable paper trail. "The commission will ensure 100 per cent coverage of Voter Verifiable Paper Audit Trail (VVPAT) in all future parliamentary and state assembly elections. VVPATs slips of a percentage of EVMs to be determined by ECI will be counted," he had said. This should go a long way in allaying fears that tampering is taking place. Today, electronic voting machines (EVMs) are under an intense scanner. At least 24 countries have dabbled with some form of electronic voting or the other. There were, at the last count, about 120 democracies in the world. These include tiny countries like Estonia to the oldest democracy -- the United States of America. But India stands out as being the largest democracy of the world that has one hundred per cent electronic voting. There are countries like Germany that adopted electronic voting and were then forced to go back to a paper balloting system. The countries that have introduced some form or the other electronic voting includes Australia, Belgium, Brazil, Canada, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, India, Ireland, Italy, Kazakhstan, Lithuania, The Netherlands, Norway, Philippines, Romania, South Korea, Spain, Switzerland, United Arab Emirates, the UK, Scotland and Venezuela. Still small but diverse in nature. The US may be a 241-year-old democracy but it still does not have a uniform system of voting. Many states use ballot papers while some use electronic voting. Recall the chaos in 2000 when vice president Al Gore lost his presidential challenge to George W Bush, thanks to what was called the hanging chads as the US had used paper ballots. Today, Americans are facing a different challenge when allegations are raised suggesting that President Donald Trumps election was influenced by an unknown Russian hand largely through some kind of cyber hacking done to influence the voters while there are still no suggestions of any direct tampering of the electoral process. advertisement Many of the electronic voting machines used in America are all networked and connected to the Internet. While the Internet gives people ease to vote from their homes but like all networked devices they are prone to sophisticated attacks which can result in large scale unnoticed rigging. This is one flaw which makes many countries shun electronic voting machines. Very few can even think of implementing non-networked stand-alone large scale calculator like device based solutions, except for some creative geeks in the worlds largest democracy. Germany introduced electronic voting in 2005 and it used privately-made machines imported from a company in The Netherlands to conduct its elections but many infirmities were revealed off these machines and in 2009 a Federal Constitutional Bench held electronic voting machines as unconstitutional. Experts say it is really the lack of an enabling law which made the judiciary in Germany strike down the use of electronic voting. In India, the Parliament passed an enabling law in 1988 which made use of EVMs constitutionally valid. The tiny European country of Estonia with a population of just 1.3 million became the first country in the world in 2005 to have mandatory electronic voting using the Internet. advertisement Reports suggest that in 2007, Estonia conducted the worlds first national Internet-based election. Voting was available for three days and a total 30,275 citizens used Internet voting and it went of peacefully. Among the larger countries, Brazil and Venezuela have used electronic voting systems on a large scale. Brazil, the worlds fifth largest country with a population of about 207 million, started using electronic voting in 1996. Since the turn of the century, all elections in Brazil have taken place using electronic voting machines of which it owns some four lakh and results of Brazilian elections are usually available within hours of the balloting closes. Venezuela introduced electronic voting in 1998 and in 2004 to make the system more reliable and robust it started a voter verifiable paper trail. But doubts were raised in the minds of people when it was revealed that the machines were made in accompany where the winning candidate had a large stake. In addition, Venezuela became the first country to use touch screens to register votes and duplication of votes was avoided by taking thumb prints of the voters. advertisement But some suggested taking the thumb prints compromised the secret ballot as voters could be traced back. This should act as deterrent to anyone who holds even remote thoughts of linking Indian voting system with the Aadhar cards, even though undoubtedly it offers a tantalising solution to rid some electoral malpractices. The EVM in India is called a direct recording device where the voter has to visit a designated centre to cast their votes. The machine itself consists of a control unit and a balloting unit connected using a long cable. Several layers of seals ensure that the machines are not tampered with in any manner. There is a double randomisation process which makes it impossible for any person to know which machine will be used in what constituency, this is done to safeguard that machines are not pre-programed to cast ballots in favour of a particular candidate. Even the final placement of the list of the candidates on the balloting unit is not known till the last day of withdrawal of the nomination before the election, so tampering with machines is virtually an impossible task. The candidate names are placed in an alphabetical order giving it even more variability. The EC is also promising to hold a challenge to offer opportunity to political parties to "demonstrate that EVMs used in the recently-concluded assembly elections were tampered or that EVMs can be tampered even under the laid down technical and administrative safeguards". The Aam Aadmi Party that has been carrying out a high- decibel campaign suggesting EVMs can be tampered it seems is already planning not to expose itself in the challenge as it is squabbling with the EC literally over semantics and wants the challenge called a hackathon, with its leader Arvind Kejriwal saying "sad that EC has backed out of hackathon". In common parlance, there is really no difference. Only that hackathon is a word that came into existence after the Internet was born and usually associated with networked events. In Indias case, the EC points out the EVMs are stand- alone devices that do not talk to each other through any means including via the Internet. It is this unique standalone nature of the machines which give them the necessary invincibility and make them as tamper proof as any machine can really be. In a judgement, the Karnataka High Court called the EVM a "national pride" and acknowledged the Indian election system as a "global gold standard". PTI COR ZMN BSA --- ENDS --- Toronto 11 May 2017 Canadian Union of Postal Workers (CUPW) hosted a panel discussion during the Convention of the Canadian Labour Congress. The panelists discussed their experiences working with Watch video Toronto 11 May 2017 Canadian Union of Postal Workers (CUPW) hosted a panel discussion during the Convention of the Canadian Labour Congress. The panelists discussed their experiences working with various solidarity coalitions and the need for a national solidarity network that can bridge the divide between labour and social movements. How can a solidarity coalition be used to build support for struggles for social, environmental and economic justice? Moderated by Mike Palecek National President, Canadian Union of Postal Workers. Presentations by: Suzanne MacNeil : President, Halifax-Dartmouth & District Labour Council, Solidarity Halifax : President, Halifax-Dartmouth & District Labour Council, Solidarity Halifax Bilan Arte : Leap Manifesto : Leap Manifesto Patti Dalton : President, London & District Labour Council, London Common Front : President, London & District Labour Council, London Common Front Paul Finch: Secretary-Treasurer, BC Government and Service Employees Union, Operation Solidarity This forum follows two calls by CUPW for the formation of a national Solidarity Coalition: Batman v. Superman Zod corpse Warner Bros LAND O'LAKES, Fla. (AP) A scientific facility where researchers can study how corpses decompose will open next week in the Tampa Bay area with the burial of four donated bodies. Colloquially known as a "body farm," the five-acre patch of land north of Tampa is the seventh in the nation and the first in Florida's subtropical environment. The oldest and most famous body farm in the U.S. is at the University of Tennessee in Knoxville. Officials in Florida hope their farm, to be used at first by detectives and forensic anthropologists at the nearby University of South Florida, will draw scientists from other countries and grow to be the largest in the world. "Our forensic crime scene investigators will get premium training as a result of this," said former Pasco County Sheriff Bob White. "This will enhance our training tenfold." Dr. Erin Kimmerle, a forensic anthropologist at USF, predicts that by studying how bodies react in Florida's sweltering humidity, more evidence will be preserved and breakthroughs made in real-life-cases. The research also would benefit other countries with subtropical and tropical climates, she said. Bodies are obtained by donation. The first four will be buried next week, and in January, Kimmerle and other researchers will hold a course for detectives on exhumation. Later, other bodies will be exposed to water and buried during different seasons to determine how different factors affect decomposition and evidence. After the bodies are studied, the skeletons will be cleaned and preserved and made available for future research. "The legacy of the donations, it is forever," said Kimmerle. About 30 people have already filled out paperwork to donate their bodies to the farm when they die. Kimmerle said if someone who wants to donate dies within 200 miles of the facility, researchers will pick up the body at no cost. Anyone beyond that range would have to pay for their body to be transported to the facility. Story continues While the center is currently a field and grove of trees near the Pasco County Jail, officials eventually hope to build an indoor-outdoor training center that would include classrooms, a morgue, a training facility and evidence storage. The Florida Legislature tucked $4.3 million for the facility in this year's state budget, but it's unclear whether Gov. Rick Scott will approve the budget. Kimmerle and Pasco County Sheriff Chris Nocco said they'll also raise outside money for the project. For now, researchers are concentrating on the science. The field is named after one of the people who will be buried next week. Adam Kennedy, a 46-year-old principal at a local elementary school, died in a car wreck in January. His widow Abigail Kennedy said her husband always wanted to donate his body to science. On Friday, she spoke to a crowd at the forensics field. "There's so much bittersweet in all of this. Adam wanted to continue teaching after his death," she said. "It would be my last gift to education, he'd say. This couldn't be more perfect." ___ Follow Tamara Lush on Twitter at http://twitter.com/tamaralush See Also: PRAGUE (Reuters) - Czech Prime Minister Bohuslav Sobotka said he would tell coalition partners on Monday morning whether he would accept a proposed replacement for the finance minister whose disputed dismissal has shaken the government only five months before elections. Sobotka has demanded the dismissal of Finance Minister Andrej Babis, a billionaire businessman, over allegations he may have dodged taxes and influenced content at a newspaper he owned. Babis has denied any wrongdoing. Babis proposed his deputy Alena Schillerova to replace him, but Sobotka's Social Democrats have objected, arguing that she could hinder the investigation into Babis' business conduct. "Tomorrow morning, before the government session, there will be a coalition meeting. I will tell (Babis' party) ANO my stance regarding their nomination for the finance ministry," Sobotka said on his official Twitter account. The government session starts at 0800 GMT on Monday. Sobotka's party trails ANO by over 10 percentage points in opinion polls ahead of national elections due in October. Czech President Milos Zeman told reporters during his current visit to China that he would accept Schillerova. Under the Czech constitution it is the president who appoints and dismisses ministers upon a proposal by the prime minister. Zeman's office has received the request to dismiss Babis on May 5, but the president said he saw obstacles that prevent him from acting on the proposal. Schillerova worked in the finance ministry's tax department for many years and has been Babis's deputy since 2016. (Reporting by Robert Muller; Editing by Keith Weir) France 24 Videos Is democracy really on the ballot, as Joe Biden claims? The whole world is watching the US midterm elections: the first since Russias invasion of Ukraine fuelled soaring inflation and the first federal elections since Trump supporters stormed the Capitol. We ask about the issues that have pollsters predicting a win for opposition Republicans and what to make of anticipated record turnout in many races. With the former Republican president hinting he will use the result as a springboard to formally announce his bid for re-election in 2024, we ask about the consequences of a no-holds-barred campaign with no limit on spending or vitriol. What does the election mean for democracy in America?More broadly, what does it mean for the rest of the world at a time of war in Europe and stepped-up tensions with China? With leaders from around the globe meeting in Egypt to try to agree on a common plan to address the planets climate emergency, what does the rest of humanity make of the bitter divisions raging inside its biggest superpower?Produced by Alessandro Xenos, Juliette Laurain and Guillaume Gougeon. Read more on FRANCE 24 EnglishRead also:US midterm elections put abortion on the ballotUS midterms: Biden warns of attacks on democracy, Trump hints he'll announce bid next weekUS midterms: Five of the key Senate races to watch By Ange Aboa and Joe Bavier ABIDJAN (Reuters) - Troops were advancing towards Ivory Coast's second largest city on Sunday, part of an operation the head of the army said was launched "to re-establish order" on the third day of a mutiny by soldiers across the country over bonus payments. At least five people were shot and wounded in the city, Bouake, earlier in the day when soldiers broke up a march against the mutiny. One of three protesters shot and wounded by the mutineers on Saturday has died of his wounds. Popular opposition to the revolt is gathering momentum. "These acts of an extreme seriousness are contrary to the mission of protection assigned to the armed forces. As a result, a military operation is under way to re-establish order," Military Chief of Staff General Sekou Toure said in a statement. The government had until Sunday shied away from confronting the mutineers with force. But a large military convoy arrived in the town of Tiebissou, about 60 km (40 miles) south of Bouake, on Sunday afternoon, a witness said. A soldier with the convoy, contacted by Reuters, said it was stopping only for a short time before continuing to Bouake. A spokesman for the mutiny, Sergeant Seydou Kone, said: "We met with the soldiers in Tiebissou and they asked us to lay down our arms and surrender. We refused and we demand our money first ... We're waiting for them." The uprising by the soldiers, most of them ex-rebel fighters who fought to bring President Alassane Ouattara to power, began in Bouake on Friday before quickly spreading to other cities and towns, mirroring a revolt by the same group in January. After allowing traffic to circulate earlier in the day, the mutineers again closed off Bouake, which is on the main axis between the commercial capital Abidjan - one of the region's largest ports - and landlocked neighbours Mali and Burkina Faso. Ivory Coast has emerged as one of the world's fastest growing economies following a decade-long political crisis ended by a 2011 civil war. But deep divisions persist, particularly in a military assembled from former rebel and loyalist combatants. THE PEOPLE RISE UP The 8,400 mutineers received 5 million CFA francs ($8,400) each in order to end the January revolt. But the government has struggled to pay remaining bonuses of 7 million CFA francs, with a budget hit by the collapse in the price of cocoa, Ivory Coast's main export. On Thursday, following a meeting with authorities in Abidjan, a spokesman for the group said they would drop demands for the remaining money. But that decision was rejected by some of the soldiers. "We just want our money. We'll stay here until the president pays our money," Kone said. The defence minister has vowed not to negotiate with the renegade troops, however, and public anger at the mutineers is growing. The soldiers used gunfire to break up a march against the mutiny in Bouake's city centre on Sunday morning. "The population rose up, but the mutineers quickly dispersed the march with shots," said Bouake resident Simon Guede. "Everything is closed." A witness saw five people who had been taken to the city's main hospital with bullet wounds following the aborted march. Other protesters, who had been beaten, were also being treated. Another protest was also broken up by the mutineers in the northern city of Korhogo on Sunday, participants said, though there were no immediate reports of casualties there. Similar rallies and marches were held in the western cocoa hub of Daloa and in Abidjan on Saturday. (Additional reporting by Loucoumane Coulibaly; Editing by Louise Ireland) BEIJING (Reuters) - Nepal is in talks with China to build a cross-border rail link that may cost up to $8 billion (6.2 billion pounds), and funding could be expected after Nepal formally signed up to Beijing's Belt and Road initiative, a Nepali finance ministry official said on Sunday. Yug Raj Pandey, an under secretary at Nepal's Ministry of Finance, told Reuters the proposed 550 kilometre-long railway would connect China's western Tibet region to Nepal's capital of Kathmandu and will carry goods and passengers. The Himalayan nation officially signed an agreement two days ago to be part of President Xi Jinping's ambitious plan to build a new Silk Road, he said on the sidelines of the Belt and Road Forum in Beijing. "Now we are a member of (the initiative) we can get some specific project assistance from China's government. We expect it for the railway," he said. "Once we connect by railway then we can increase our trade and invite more tourists to Nepal." Pandey said the two countries had been in discussions for the past five months about the project, which could cost $7-8 billion and take up to eight years to complete. He said Nepal planned to start preparing a detailed project report for the railway, and that they had yet to decide how much funding they will seek from China. The railway will travel over 400 kilometres in China to the Nepal border, and then about another 150 kilometres from the Nepali border to Kathmandu, he said. "Our first priority is railway, and second will be hydropower projects and cross-border transmission lines between Nepal and China," he said. China last year agreed to consider building a railway into Nepal and to start a feasibility study for a free trade agreement with impoverished, landlocked Nepal, which has been trying to lessen its dependence on its other big neighbour India. Pandey declined to comment about India's opposition to parts of the Belt and Road initiative, in particular an economic corridor China is building in Pakistan. China has touted what it formally calls the Belt and Road initiative as a new way to boost global development since Xi unveiled the plan in 2013, aiming to expand links between Asia, Africa, Europe and beyond underpinned by billions of dollars in infrastructure investment. (Reporting by Brenda Goh; Editing by Randy Fabi) By Suleiman Al-Khalidi AMMAN (Reuters) - More than 2,000 rebels and their family members have left the devastated district of Qaboun on the edge of the Syrian capital Damascus after more than two months of aerial strikes and artillery shelling, state media said on Sunday. The rebels had agreed overnight to a secret evacuation deal after being cornered in a small pocket of Qaboun, which lies on the northeastern edge of Damascus. The area has been largely reduced to rubble after being struck by hundreds of aerial strikes and missiles over a period of about 80 days. The Syrian army had resumed its intensive bombardment of the district on Wednesday after a one-day ultimatum it gave the rebels mainly drawn from the area to surrender and agree to evacuate to rebel-held areas in northern Syria. "The regime has threatened to destroy what is left of Qaboun and will not accept anything but a military solution," Abdullah al Qabouni from the local council of the district told Reuters. Hundreds of rebels and their families were evacuated this week from the adjacent Barzeh district after rebels there decided to lay down their arms and leave to rebel-held Idlib province.. Syrian state media said 2,289 people had left the district to rebel-held Idlib province on Sunday, half of whom were fighters. Rebels put the total figure at more than 1,500 people. At least three people were killed when a shooting took place at a bus among a convoy of more than 30 buses ferrying the evacuees northwards out of Damascus, a rebel source said. Most of the residents of the once-bustling area, which had sheltered thousands of displaced people from other parts of Syria in the course of the conflict, fled in the last two months as the bombing escalated. REBELS UNDER PRESSURE The loss of Qaboun following Barzeh is another blow to rebels as they battle to keep a foothold in the capital and face government troops who are supported by Russian air power and Iranian-backed militias. Syrian President Bashar al-Assad has promoted the use of evacuation deals, along with what his government calls "reconciliation" accords, for rebel-held areas that surrender to the government as a way of reducing bloodshed. But the United Nations has criticised both the use of siege tactics which precede such deals and the evacuations themselves as amounting to forcible displacement. The Sunni Muslim rebels accuse the government of seeking to evict Sunni inhabitants in these areas in demographic changes they say would eventually pave the way for Iranian-backed Shi'ites who back Assad's rule to take over their homes, a claim the authorities deny. Army advances were made possible after tunnels between Qaboun and Barzeh were cut and the army isolated the areas from the rest of the main rebel enclave of Eastern Ghouta. The tightening of the siege in Qaboun and Barzeh, where tens of thousands of people lived, forced the hands of rebels to eventually agree to deals worked out elsewhere that force them to pull back to northern Syria. "They besieged us and even medicines for children or any supplies were no longer left ... and people died of hunger," said Ahmad Khatib, who was among those who left on Friday. Rebels say bloody internecine infighting this month has also weakened their resolve. Fighters in Qaboun and Barzeh said they were not sent reinforcements from powerful rebel groups in the Eastern Ghouta district. The densely populated rural Eastern Ghouta district of farms and towns has been besieged since 2013. It remains the only major rebel bastion near Damascus and the fall of Qaboun and Barzeh have removed a main line of defence that protected it, rebels say. (Reporting by Suleiman Al-Khalidi; Editing by Dan Grebler and Gareth Jones) A Kurdish female fighter from the People's Protection Units (YPG) gestures as she carries her weapon near al-Hawl area where fighting between Islamic State fighters and fighters from Democratic Forces of Syria are taking place in south-eastern city of Hasaka, Syria November 10, 2015. REUTERS/Rodi Said Thomson Reuters US-backed forces got ISIS fighters to surrender a Syrian town near Raqqa, and, surprisingly, it's not the first time. The Syrian Arab Coalition and Syrian Democratic Forces "completed the liberation of the Tabqah Dam, as well as the city of Tabqah and its nearby airfield," on Wednesday, according to a US Central Command statement. The US-backed forces put pressure on ISIS from each flank, cleared the final neighborhoods of the city, and isolated Tabqah Dam. The SAC and SDF then forced the remaining 70 ISIS fighters to dismantle all IEDs around the strategically located dam and surrender their heavy weapons. They also agreed to ISIS' withdrawal to protect civilians and preserve the Tabqah dam, which thousands of Syrians rely on for water, agriculture, and electricity. But "once the ISIS fighters withdrew from the town, [coalition forces] struck them with air strikes," Marine Maj. Adrian Rankne-Galloway, a spokesman for Central Command, told Business Insider. "We feel these actions were within the law of armed conflict." Tabqa Dam Screenshot via Google Maps Rankne-Galloway could not say how many ISIS fighters were killed in those strikes, but according to another Central Command press statement, "two strikes engaged two ISIS tactical units and destroyed two fighting positions" on Wednesday. This is also not the first such capitulation by ISIS fighters. "Partner forces have negotiated limited withdrawals or surrenders like this before," Rankne-Galloway said. ISIS fighters agreed to withdraw from the Syrian city of Manbij last summer after battling the SDF for three months. After Tabqah was liberated on Thursday, children and YPG fighters a Kurdish force that is part of the SDF could be seen dancing in the streets. Tweet Embed: https://twitter.com/mims/statuses/862427998557007872 Wherever #SDF fighters dance & celebrate, that place has been liberated from terrorists. Here, they dance in the streets of #Tabqah today. pic.twitter.com/sR6rA7SGeX Tweet Embed: https://twitter.com/mims/statuses/862421570786140163 The children of #Tabqah are laughing as they are liberated, they can now play on the streets freely, without the darkness of #Daesh gangs. pic.twitter.com/5NssZ9Rn4d Story continues The liberation of Tabqah, which began on March 22, isolates ISIS' self-proclaimed capital of Raqqa on three sides, but Ranke-Galloway would not speculate about how long it would take to fully isolate the ISIS stronghold. SDF commander Rojda Felat, however, told AFP in Tabqah that "the attack on Raqqa will take place in the beginning of the summer," most likely June. The White House also announced this week that the US would begin supplying the YPG with heavier weapons. This move has angered Turkey, which views the YPG as a terrorist organization. The weapons, which will be delivered to the YPG soon, include small arms, ammunition, machine guns, armored vehicles, and bulldozers. NOW WATCH: Kurds uncovered an overwhelming network of ISIS tunnels in Iraq See Also: DOHA (Reuters) - Western diplomats shunned the opening ceremony of a conference in Qatar on Sunday attended by Sudan's president, who is wanted for war crimes by the International Criminal Court (ICC). Omar Hassan al-Bashir, who came to power in Sudan in a 1989 Islamist and military-backed coup, has continued to travel abroad since the ICC charged him with genocide and crimes against humanity in 2008. But his appearance on a list of speakers at a humanitarian conference in Doha on Sunday attended by the deputy head of the United Nations prompted the U.S., Canadian and Australian ambassadors to boycott the event, according to two Western diplomats in Doha. Spokespeople for the three embassies did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Three European diplomats who attended the event said they walked out before Bashir addressed the Doha Forum attended by the Gulf state's emir and U.N. Deputy Secretary-General Amina Mohammed. "The Sudanese president is wanted by the ICC so it would not be appropriate to be present for his remarks," said one of the diplomats. A UN official in Doha declined to comment on Bashir's attendance but said that the U.N. had attended the conference for over a decade in a "spirit of cooperation". Qatar, which has brokered peace agreements in Sudan, is not a signatory to the Rome Statute that established the ICC, a court that has no means of enforcing its arrest warrant on its own and relies instead on states to do so. Bashir denies the charges against him. Many African and Arab states, along with Sudan's key ally China, have called for the warrant to be suspended. In March U.N. High Commissioner for Human Rights Zeid Ra'ad al Hussein said Jordan had broken its treaty obligations by hosting Bashir.. Sudan is seen as having drawn closer to Sunni Muslim Gulf states since it sent hundreds of Sudanese soldiers to Yemen in 2015 to bolster the mostly Gulf Arab alliance fighting the Iran-allied Houthi movement. (Reporting by Tom Finn; Editing by Andrew Bolton) DUBAI (Reuters) - Officials in the Yemeni capital of Sanaa, controlled by the armed Houthi movement, declared a state of emergency on Sunday after an outbreak of cholera, which has killed dozens of people. Yemen's health ministry called on humanitarian organisations and other aid donors to help it deal with the epidemic and avert an "unprecedented disaster". The health system, severely degraded by more than two years of war that also displaced millions, cannot cope, the state news agency, Saba, said. Yemen is reeling from conflict between Houthi rebels, aligned with Iran, and a Western-backed, Saudi-led coalition. More than 10,000 people have been killed, mostly by almost-daily air strikes, since the fighting began. Only a few medical facilities are still functioning and two-thirds of the population are without access to safe drinking water, the United Nations has said. A epidemic late last year faded but outbreaks of cholera are becoming more frequent. The diarrhoea disease has killed 51 people since April 27, the World Health Organisation said on Thursday, and 2,752 people are suspected cases. Fifty eight more cases have been confirmed. Sanaa has been worst hit by the outbreaks, followed by the surround province of Amanat al-Semah, WHO data has shown. Cases have also been reported in other major cities including Hodeidah, Taiz and Aden. WHO said that 7.6 million people live in areas at high risk of cholera transmission. Some 17 million of Yemen's 26 million people lack sufficient food and at least three million malnourished children are in "grave peril", the U.N. has said. (Reporting by Ali Abdelatti Writing by Aziz El Yaakoubi; Editing by Louise Ireland) Cash Game Festival Heads to Gibraltar May 17-21 May 14 2017 Jason Glatzer After successful stops this year at Aspers Casino Westfield Stratford City in London in February, Perla Casino on the border of Italy in Slovenia in March, and Olympic Park Casino in the Estonian capital of Tallinn in April, the Cash Game Festival is about to head to Gibraltar at Sunborn Casino for the first time in its festival history May 17-21. As is always the case, the festival will feature five days and more than 120 hours of nonstop poker along with many events off the felt for players to enjoy. Each day during the Cash Game Festival Gibraltar, there will be two televised feature tables hosted by Cash Game Festival commentator Brandon Allen and guest co-hosts. Those with the hospitality package will also be able to enjoy a variety of activities planned including welcome drinks, a sporting activity, a world-class dinner, a VIP party and a city tour. The difference between the Cash Game Festival and tournament festivals is that players can enjoy all of the activities; there are no time clocks as far as when players need to be at the tables. Of course, if players are at a table that is too good to leave, they can still opt to skip any activities and see the sites and sounds of Gibraltar and nearby Spain when they wish to take a break from the poker action. Those interested in appearing at the feature table, reserving a spot at any cash game table or purchasing the hospitality package should visit the Cash Game Festival website. The poker room at Sunborn Casino is one of the biggest in Europe and is expected to attract many recreational and professional players. While most of the tables will likely be no-limit hold'em and pot-limit Omaha, any game requested will be catered to by the festival's organizers and casino's staff. Past festivals have included super dealer's choice where any game goes, open-face Chinese Poker, Sviten Special (also known as Drawmaha) and variations of super stud high-low which have included wild cards. There have even been games played where players put cards on their heads and can only see their opponents' cards and not their own. Thanks to the great action both on and off the felts, many that have attended previous Cash Game Festivals feel like family with other players looking forward to seeing them again. It is expected that the family will grow even more in Gibraltar. Sometimes this leads to some crazy prop bets, including one during the Cash Game Festival Bulgaria where the loser of best-of-three heads-up matches will be spending a month in a village in Poland. Whether or not there will be other prop bets during Gibraltar is yet to be seen, however, there has been some chatter between some of the Cash Game Festival regulars that something might pop up during the festival. Sunborn Casino provides a great and luxurious environment for poker players with a big poker room. The casino manager, Georg Tsnoulis, shared his excitement about the upcoming event with PokerNews. "We at Sunborn Casino are truly excited to be one the destinations of the Cash Game Festival," said Tsnoulis. "With less than three weeks to go, there is a vibrant atmosphere among poker players in Costa Del Sol and they look forward to fill up the tables. Our luxurious ballroom offers a truly unique setting, with unmatchable comfort and feeling! "Sunborn Casino introduced international poker tournaments last year for the first time ever in the history of Gibraltar. Now it's time for the next step, the CGF. We are sure it will be a resounding success." In case you missed it, here is a look at some of the great action both on and off the felt during the three Cash Game Festivals this year. Head to the Cash Game Festival website for more information about the stop in Gibraltar and to register for televised feature tables and side tables. Sharelines Any poker variant can be played at the Cash Game Festival Gibraltar. BEIJING When the sister of President Donald Trumps son-in-law Jared Kushner promoted investment in her familys new skyscraper from a Beijing hotel ballroom stage earlier this month, she was pitching a controversial American visa program thats proven irresistible to tens of thousands of Chinese. More than 100,000 Chinese have poured at least $24 billion in the last decade into golden visa programs across the world that offer residence in exchange for investment, an Associated Press analysis has found. Nowhere is Chinese demand greater than in the United States, which has taken in at least $7.7 billion and issued more than 40,000 visas to Chinese investors and their families in the past decade, the AP found. The Chinese investors flocking to these programs are people like Jenny Liu, a doctoral student in the coastal city of Nanjing, who sold her apartment two years ago and moved in with her parents. She used the money from the sale to invest $500,000 in a hotel project in the United States. If the project creates enough jobs in two years, shell get a prized green card and a pathway for a less stressful education for her 9-year-old son. My son has a lot of homework to do every day, but I dont think he has learned a lot from school, Liu said. I hope he can actually pick up some useful knowledge or skills rather than only learn how to pass tests. The flood of investors reflects how Chinas rise has catapulted tens of millions of families into the middle class. But at the same time, it shows how these families are increasingly becoming restless as cities remain choked by smog, home prices multiply and schools impose ever-greater pressure on children. They also feel insecure about being able to protect their property and savings. Their money goes toward government bonds, businesses, mountain ski resorts, new schools and real estate projects, including a Trump-branded tower in New Jersey built by the Kushner Companies, once run by Jared Kushner, now a White House senior adviser. But the industry is murky, loosely regulated and sometimes fraud-ridden in the U.S., federal regulators have linked the EB-5 visa program to fraud cases involving more than $1 billion in investment in the last four years. Despite criticism from Congress, Trump signed a spending bill that included a renewal of the program through September, although federal authorities have proposed more than doubling the minimum investment. Just one day later, Kushners sister, Nicole Meyer, was in Beijing courting Chinese for a new project funded by EB-5. Thats raised complaints about conflicts of interest and new calls to revise or even end the program. It is a growing industry and we do need more oversight, said Stephen Yale-Loehr, an expert on the program and a professor at Cornell Law School. EB-5, when it is done properly, can and does benefit the economy. ___ THE LURE OF A GOLDEN VISA The number of Chinese using investment migration programs worldwide tripled between 2010 and 2015, the AP found among the countries in its survey. In the last decade, Chinese have taken 75 percent of the investor visas issued by the United States, 70 percent for Portugal and 85 percent for Australia. China also remains the top recipient of investor visas in Canada, the United Kingdom, New Zealand, Spain, Hungary and Malta. To be sure, those migrating make up only a small fraction of the around 18 million households that could be considered upper-middle-class or wealthier in China, but they echo the laments of many better-educated, urban Chinese. Middle-class investors choosing to leave shows that their confidence in their future, their dreams and the regime in China is fading, said Zhang Lifan, an independent political scholar in Beijing. Chinas golden visa investors are part of a wave characterized not by poverty, persecution or war, but by people with steady jobs and homes who are pursuing happiness thats eluded them in their homeland. After decades of economic mismanagement and political upheaval, the ruling Communist Party reversed some of its most destructive policies and unleashed a four-decade-long economic boom in the 1970s. That growth lifted 500 million people out of poverty and vaulted generations of Chinese from peasantry into relatively well-paying manufacturing or service jobs. More than 3 million households in China now have an income of more than $34,000 a year, according to the consultancy McKinsey & Company. Key to their spending power is Chinas real estate boom. Real estate prices in Chinas largest cities have more than tripled in the last decade, with prices in Beijing rising by an average of 25 percent a year during that time. Since late 2015 alone, Beijings home prices have jumped 63 percent, making a 1,300 square-foot (120 square-meter) apartment worth more than $1 million. A family that gained ownership of an ordinary apartment more than a decade ago can now sell it for the price of a golden visa. And as their dissatisfaction with Chinas problems grows, more families are choosing to do so. Like Liu, many of about a dozen investors or prospective investors interviewed by the AP say they dont want their children to struggle in Chinas rigid and intensely competitive education system, which emphasizes rote learning and can stifle creativity. Cherry Deng, the mother of a 10-year-old boy in Sichuan province, invested in a port construction project in North Carolina through the U.S. EB-5 program. Deng, who used funds from her car dealership business, said she wants her son to learn from the American emphasis on self-reliance. Deng said she sees Chinese parents supporting their children even after theyve graduated from college securing for them homes, jobs and, sometimes, even spouses. I dont want to take care of my children forever, Deng said. I want them to learn how to live independently and to create wealth on their own. Urban Chinese have also been disgusted by scandals ranging from tainted baby formula to toxic running tracks, and alarmed that even the most prosperous cities are not safe from deadly factory explosions and other man-made disasters. Despite her success running an online clothing business in the southwestern Chinese city of Chengdu, Peng Jie isnt confident in her future in China. She sees the prices of property and schools rising and the value of the yuan falling, and fears that success could be taken away. In China, we have family and friends, and daily life is convenient, Peng said. But, she added, someone in the middle class can become poor in one second. ___ WOOING CHINESE INVESTORS China is central to the success of almost every major investment migration program in the world, so many countries are going out of their way to court Chinese investors. Ads for investment programs pop up on Chinese cellphones and websites, full of promise and intrigue. In crowded hotel ballrooms, foreign officials with pamphlets and flashy presentations tout the same message: Start a new life in a country with better education, clean air and a stable future. Agents selling U.S. projects to Chinese take great pains to prove their expertise on the states, the EB-5 program and perceived ties to American leaders. Some marketing materials include photos of Chinese posing with former President Barack Obama. Now, theyre competing directly against the current presidents relatives. Meyer, Kushners sister, appeared this month at events in Beijing and Shanghai to promote One Journal Square, a New Jersey tower project planned by the Kushner family that would be partially funded through EB-5 investment. The presentation included a photo of Trump and vague promises that the project had government support and was founded by celebrity developers. The company later apologized for any implication that her brother was supporting the project, and Meyer pulled out of a presentation to Chinese investors scheduled for this past weekend. Trumps name already appears on another New Jersey residential tower, Trump Bay Street, built with the help of EB-5 funding. And one month before the November election, an ad appeared on a Chinese website catering to foreigners seeking a white American to join our team for a new project: A 200 million dollar hotel developed by The Trump Organization in Austin. A brochure posted online described Trump as the king of real estate and included a photo of him giving a speech. White House press secretary Sean Spicer this month said Kushner would follow government policies on potential conflicts of interest, and that Trump and Congress would review all the various visa programs and whether or not they are serving the purpose that they were intended to. The AP obtained data from officials in 13 countries on how many Chinese have used their investor programs since 2007. To estimate money spent, the AP multiplied the numbers of Chinese investors in each country by the minimum investment required, making the figures an undercount. The market leader is the United States EB-5 program, which gives green cards to anyone who invests $500,000 in a business that creates or saves at least 10 jobs. Several others market themselves as cheaper or quicker alternatives. Portugal has drawn at least $1.7 billion over four years from Chinese investors willing to buy property to support its faltering real estate market. Spain and Greece offer similar programs. Chinese have bought the most visas in all three countries. Five Caribbean nations offer passports for as little as $100,000. Chinese are the top buyers in Antigua and Barbuda, according to government statistics. Australia goes the more expensive route, requiring an investment of 5 million Australian dollars (nearly $3.7 million). Despite a price nearly eight times as high as the EB-5 program, Australia is estimated to have attracted more than $6 billion in Chinese investment in just four years. But problems in the industry worldwide are rife. ___ FRAUGHT WITH RISK The U.S.s EB-5 program has been heavily criticized by government watchdogs and targeted by lawmakers of both parties in Congress, who say it promotes fraud and helps developers building megaprojects more than struggling communities. Sen. Dianne Feinstein, a California Democrat who has introduced legislation to end the program, has called EB-5 a Ponzi scheme. Her Republican counterpart, Sen. Charles Grassley of Iowa, has said EB-5 poses significant national security risks and may be facilitating terrorist travel, economic espionage, money laundering and investment fraud. Federal investigators said in April they found that at least three Chinese investors who obtained green cards through the program were fugitives wanted by Beijing. And the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission has opened more than a dozen civil cases since 2013 alleging fraud in projects involving around 2,000 investors and more than $1 billion in funds. Defenders of the EB-5 program say it creates jobs and provides vital funding for projects across the United States, from massive developments in New York to hotels, restaurants and small businesses in the Midwest and on the West Coast. Thats the program working as it should, and more often than not, it is working as it should, said Matthew Galati, a Philadelphia-based attorney who helps Chinese investors migrate to the U.S. Canadas program drew an estimated $2.4 billion through Chinese investors over the past decade, but the national government ended it in 2014, saying that it significantly undervalued Canadian residency and created little economic benefit. The province of Quebec has kept in place its separate program, which has drawn at least $1.9 billion from Chinese investment. And a former Portuguese interior minister and other senior government officials have been on trial since February for corruption, influence-peddling and misconduct in handling golden visa applications of investors linked to three Chinese businessmen. Hungary suspended its program selling visas for government bonds earlier this year after opposition parties and watchdogs accused it of corruption. Ironically, calls to end investment migration programs often end up as marketing tools for the hundreds of agents selling them in China. One agent made note of proposals to change the EB-5 program by saying, Do not hesitate, and act quickly! Du Juan attended a seminar in Beijing held by an investment group pitching ski resorts and other projects. She knows the potential danger of investing through the U.S. program, but shes willing to bear the risk as long as she can get her 10-year-old daughter enrolled soon in an American school. I dont worry about the $500,000, but I worry about the loss of time, Du said. I am afraid that well be unable to get the visa when we need it. ___ SLOWING THE FLOW There are signs that China is trying to slow down the migration. These investors are among the category of people China hopes will buy its domestically made rice cookers, electric cars and energy-saving light bulbs to fuel a new chapter of consumer-led growth. Research by McKinsey shows that the upper-middle class already accounts for a fifth of Chinas private consumption in cities. Articles critical of investment visa programs have appeared in Chinas state media, often highlighting fraud cases or stories of Chinese who faced trouble after going abroad. China has also tightened controls on how much money individuals and companies can move out of the country as part of broader efforts to stop the currency from further weakening. Banks are expected to enforce more strictly the yearly limit of $50,000 that individuals are allowed to take out of the country, and will be required to report any transfers above $10,000. Still, Chinese have typically worked around such controls by slowly moving money or using friends and family members to help them amass an overseas account. If China, which doesnt recognize dual nationality, cant keep entrepreneurs and middle-class families from leaving, it risks endangering its economic future. That includes people like Joey, a 30-year-old Beijing resident who works for a major Chinese state-owned conglomerate. He shared his story on the condition that his last name not be used because he hadnt told his employer of his plans. Joey and his fiancee have a two-bedroom apartment and plan to get married and have a child in China. Despite their seemingly bright future, they want to raise that child elsewhere. His friends and relatives helped him move enough money offshore to invest in the American EB-5 program. Joey says hes seen parents and children struggling to breathe outside in Chinas smoggy air, and signs that Chinas economy is headed for deeper trouble. In China, you have to plan ahead, Joey said. You cannot just leave today, whenever you want. You never know what happens next. ___ Associated Press researchers Liu Zheng and Yu Bing in Beijing and Fu Ting in Shanghai, and reporters Pablo Gorondi in Budapest, Hungary, and Barry Hatton in Lisbon, Portugal, and data journalist Larry Fenn in New York contributed to this report. I spend many hours at various county clerks offices and court facilities researching public records. I have witnessed on a daily basis some of the struggles associated with accessing our own public data. As New Mexico moves forward in digitizing records and building databases to house such information, now, more than ever, the public needs to be involved in how, when and at what expense it can efficiently access and maintain what is classified as public record. On Feb. 20 the New Mexico Supreme Court passed order No. 17-8500-001. The order limits online access to court records to attorneys, their staff, governmental justice partners, and the press through the Judiciarys new Secured Odyssey Public Access (SOPA) website. Currently, the public does not have access to this system. And yet, it is taxpayer money that is paying for it. The Administrative Office of the Courts has stated that the public will eventually have the access to and convenience of the system, but when that will happen is unclear. AOC has stated the reason the public is being kept out of SOPA is because of the sensitive information found in some of the court records, to include personal identifiers classified as Social Security numbers and dates of birth. Government offices claim they are taking the necessary steps to ensure all such information is redacted but until then the public will continue to have limited access to information. This puts the public at a disadvantage to those specialty groups who currently do have the access without the need to wait on the redactions. Having access isnt enough, however; the data needs to be meaningful, searchable and on demand. Otherwise, its like having access to the Internet without a search engine. Storing public records in searchable .pdf files for one would be a big improvement, as would providing the ability to run a variety of queries for personal and independent research. As taxpayer money is being spent on the development and management of these databases, public input should be a part of that process. Independent advisory boards need to be formed, made up of business owners, researchers, students and any other interested public member to help ensure that the end product is a useful and cost-effective one. Imagine having access to a copy of a marriage license, online, 24-7, or the ability to view a deed or a redacted court record online without having to visit the county clerk or court facilities to do so. Its our data, and the public should be guiding the government as to how we want it managed. As a former intelligence analyst, I am very well aware of the need of protecting sensitive information as well as the dangers associated with holding on to it too tightly. The longer it takes, and the more difficult the process, to access public records just ends up costing us all in the long run. We all have busy lives, but as citizens we have our part in democracy. Without public involvement, the quality and level of access to public records is being determined for us rather than by us. Contact your state representative for guidance and to provide your own input. Ask your neighborhood associations to help keep you informed on the matter. Write to the local newspapers and other media outlets with your comments and concerns. Share your own experiences and ideas on the topic, because public opinion should still matter. Many years ago as an undergraduate majoring in theater, I had the good fortune to see Laurie Metcalf and Austin Pendleton in a production of Educating Rita, Willy Russells version of the Pygmalion myth, which you may know better from the musical My Fair Lady. Now, 30 years later, I was able to see it again. West End Productions Albuquerques newest theater company is currently reviving Russells comedy, which was originally a hit on the West End of London in 1980, and shortly after made into a movie. A young working-class woman from Liverpool, determined to better herself, undergoes tutorials with a boozy failed poet and literature professor. By the end of the play, she is a new woman, quoting Blake by heart and enunciating in the refined diction of the upper classes. The play suggests Rita might have been more authentic before her education, and while Frank initially scolds her for lacking objective analysis in her papers, by the end he misses her unique, if decidedly unacademic, style. (Asked how she would stage the notoriously difficult Peer Gynt, she hands in a paper of one sentence: Do it on the radio.) Russell himself knows the humane value of a liberal arts education, and I dont think he means to denigrate the very education that did so much for him. Ultimately, the play is more about the transformation that Rita induces in Frank than the one he facilitates for her. He is smitten with the bubbly hairdresser who so unexpectedly walks into his office, and to see her grow and change is discomfiting for him. She is authentic and unique at the start of the play, certainly, but her education in the humanities only enhances her lively personality; above all, she becomes independent. Because I was out of town during the plays opening weekend, I saw the preview performance the night before opening with a small audience of about a dozen people. Unfortunately, the excellent cast including Jessica Osbourne as Rita and Frederick Ponzlov as Frank was not quite ready to open the night I saw the play. The actors frequently had trouble getting the words out (especially Ponzlov), as if they were not totally memorized, which dampened the effect. In fact, just such a problem spoiled the climactic scene. When an actor stumbles on a line, particularly in a key moment, the rhythm and effect are sacrificed. Fortunately, these actors are quite talented and they will hit the mark. Casey Mrazs set design would have been excellent, except for one salient miscalculation. Frank is a professor of English literature, constantly quoting Charles Dickens, E.M. Forester, D.H. Lawrence and other titans of English lit, yet the two bookcases were stacked with contemporary popular books like David Ickes The Biggest Secret and Leon Uris Armageddon. This was completely out of character and distracting. I couldnt read many of the titles, but you really can judge a book by its cover, and these were not classics. Otherwise, the set captures perfectly the office of a university English professor in the years before the digital revolution, from the old typewriter on the table to the Botticelli print flanked by two old bookshelves, which were perfect except for the books within. Educating Rita is playing through May 21 at the VSA North Fourth Art Center, 4904 Fourth NW. Go to westendproductions.org or call 410-8524 for reservations. Eleni Bastea enjoys talking about architecture. In fact, her next lecture will be The Unbearable Heaviness of Antiquity: Museum Architecture in Modern Greece. The event is part of the Albuquerque International Associations monthly lectures. Im going to discuss some of the very recent museums, she says. And the Acropolis Museum in Athens. It gets many, many visitors each year. Its an interesting modern building. Although Bastea will focus on the architecture, she will also discuss the politics behind displaying the antiquities. There are many in Greece, she says. But other antiquities are in other countries. I can see the reason for having some of the cultural heritage in other museums. I also can understand why Greek politicians want to see the antiquities returned. Bastea says that in the illustrated lecture, she will take viewers on a visit to some of the countrys best museums, ranging from large and famous, like the Acropolis Museum, to lesser-known ones, such as the Museum of Byzantine Culture in Thessaloniki and the Palace of the Grand Master on the island of Rhodes. She will delve into the buildings that house these museums and consider how the exhibit designs bring the past to life. At the same time, we will reflect on how we, as visitors, influence and are influenced by these presentations and interpretations of historical epochs, she says. At the end of our journey, we will come to understand better how the past, venerable though it is, always depends on todays context for its interpretation. Bastea travels abroad at least once a year and visits museums. Many of the museums she visits are suggested by friends. I will go visit Germany and France, and the recommendations come in, she says. Its very interesting to see what these countries are doing within museums. There are also a lot of archaeological sites that arent in the big cities, and I take a short day trip. Its fun to just visit and learn something new. If you go WHAT: The Unbearable Heaviness of Antiquity: Museum Architecture in Modern Greeceby Dr. Eleni Bastea WHEN: 3-5 p.m. today WHERE: Albuquerque Museum of Art, 2000 Mountain NW HOW MUCH: $15 AIA Members, $20/non-members; Free, students (under 30) with I.D. Special price for Moms $10 WASHINGTON Interior Secretary Ryan Zinke tangled with protesters, weaved through media hives and trotted on horseback across a Utah moonscape this week in pursuit of President Donald Trumps executive order targeting national monuments. Its a directive that may prove legally tenuous but is nonetheless creating rich political theater for the White House. Trump struggled during the campaign in deeply Republican Utah, particularly with its politically potent landowner rights movement. But now the Queens-born president is polishing his bona fides with that crowd by dispatching a rugged Cabinet secretary on a quest that is rankling environmentalists and Native American tribes. Over four days ending Wednesday, Zinke is surveying two hotly contested monuments: the 1.35-million-acre Bears Ears, which President Barack Obama established at the behest of tribes and conservationists in the final weeks of his administration, and the 1.9-million-acre Grand Staircase Escalante, which has riled developers and energy companies since President Bill Clinton created it in 1996. In the hardscrabble communities nearby, these monuments are often derided as a betrayal that deprives them of potential jobs from energy extraction and other uses. Utah Sen. Orrin G. Hatch invoked the word again recently on the Senate floor while railing against the Bears Ears designation. The administrations campaign against monuments was launched in Utah by design. The state is a hotbed of resistance to federal control of land. It has even passed a law calling on the federal government to cede control of most of its vast holdings to the state. They are trying to work with a favorable audience, said Rep. Raul M. Grijalva of Arizona, the ranking Democrat on the House Natural Resources Committee. Once they leave the confines of Utah and start looking at all those other monuments, the politics dramatically changes. Attorneys general in New Mexico and Washington state warned Zinke in recent days that he had no authority to diminish their monuments, and California would not hesitate to engage in a fight should Zinke move on lands within its borders. Even in Utah, polls show the public is divided on whether the Bears Ears designation should be rescinded. But the states political leadership is largely united, and Zinke is getting his fill of attaboys on this trip. We now have an opportunity to discuss and deliberate like we didnt even have during the Bush administration, said Ken Ivory, a Utah legislator who is leading a multistate federal land push that would go much further than Trumps executive order. Ivorys crusade, which has a number of allies in Congress, seeks to export nationally the Utah approach of pushing the federal government to transfer its land to state control. Its a sensitive political issue for Trump and Zinke, who are aligned with a large coalition of hunters, anglers and outdoor outfitters anxious about what states would do with the federal land. Both men consider themselves outdoorsmen and have made assurances that the administration will not relinquish federal control of the millions of acres at issue. But Ivory is nonetheless encouraged by the move against the monuments. This will continue the discussion, he said. The protected lands Zinke came to survey are at the core of Trumps order for a review of all monuments created since 1996 that are larger than 100,000 acres, which is expected to end with Zinke suggesting that both areas either get stripped of the monument designation altogether or be downsized substantially. Zinke is in a race to review those and 19 other monuments, including six in California, before producing two lists of suggested eliminations and rollbacks. He will present the first list in mid-June. There is ample evidence the exercise could go sideways, as some of Trumps other executive orders have. Trumps ban on visitors from six predominantly Muslim nations and his bid to punish so-called sanctuary cities are both unraveling in court. The executive order Trump vowed would force builders of the Keystone XL oil pipeline to use American steel actually wont. The review of these monuments is predicated on the idea that the president has this authority that he doesnt have, said Kate Kelly, who was an adviser to former Interior Secretary Sally Jewell. There is no legal basis for it. The last time a president moved to get rid of a monument on his own authority was in 1938, when Franklin D. Roosevelt sought to jettison the Castle Pinckney National Monument in South Carolina. His attorney general looked into options at the time and reported back that FDR couldnt do that. It would take an act of Congress, which ultimately authorized the federal government to offload the property in the 1950s. The presidents authority to undo monument designations, environmentalists argue, has only shrunk since FDRs administration, after Congress passed laws solidifying the federal protection. (EDITORS: BEGIN OPTIONAL TRIM) Attorneys affiliated with some of the conservative think tanks influential in guiding Trumps agenda argue that FDRs administration got it all wrong. They say that not only does the president have explicit authority to scotch monuments, but that many of the monuments created under the century-old Antiquities Act were done so illegally. The act, their argument goes, was never intended to preserve sprawling land masses the size of Delaware. By this line of reasoning, even Teddy Roosevelt was out of bounds when he designated the Grand Canyon a national monument. (It has since become a national park, and thus untouchable by Trumps executive order). I think the president is in a strong position, said Todd Gaziano, an attorney at the Sacramento-based Pacific Legal Foundation, a conservative advocacy group. (END OPTIONAL TRIM) While no president has ever successfully eliminated national monuments, several have changed their shapes, and even shrunk them. John F. Kennedy substantially redrew the boundaries of the Bandelier National Monument in New Mexico, shaving off nearly 4,000 acres and adding 3,000, saying the borders of what needed to be preserved had evolved. When Olympic National Park in Washington was still a monument, it was reduced in size multiple times to enable timber harvesting, including in 1915 when logs were needed to build Navy ships for World War I. But there was a big difference between those changes and the ones Trump may be on the verge of trying to make now: The earlier presidential moves to redraw monument boundaries were not contested. The courts have yet to weigh in on whether the president can take such action when stakeholders such as American Indian tribes, environmental groups and lawmakers vehemently object. Those groups have made clear that they wont let Trump lift protections off a single acre of monument land without a bitter court fight. Justin Pidot, a former deputy solicitor general at the Interior Department who now teaches law at the University of Denver, said if he were working for this administration, he would be warning Zinke that the legal arguments are shaky. But, Pidot allowed, that may not be an overriding concern in this case. A lot of things this administration does, it does for political theater, he said. They can say they have done them, and then they get to rail against the courts for stopping them. 2017 Tribune Co. Visit Tribune Co. at www.latimes.com Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC. _____ It could be easier now to sue employees of New Mexico tribes after a ruling from the U.S. Supreme Court that took a rare swipe at tribal sovereign immunity from lawsuits. A recent ruling addressed how employees of Native American tribes can be sued for damage caused by the employee while doing a tribal job, specifically if the employee is covered by the tribes insurance. The employee in the case, a limo driver for the Mohegan Sun casino in Connecticut, attempted to argue that, because he was on duty and covered by the tribes insurance when he crashed, he was covered by the tribes sovereign immunity. The concept of sovereign immunity has long held that, because Native American tribes are basically independent nations, they cant be sued unless they agree to be sued. States and the federal government have sovereign immunity, too. But the justices ruled, in a majority and two concurring opinions, that insurance coverage doesnt extend immunity to an individual employee, especially for incidents off the reservation. That means the tribal employee can be sued in Connecticut state court. Extending immunity to the driver would have given him protection beyond what common-law sovereign immunity principles would recognize for either state or federal employees, Justice Sonia Sotomayor wrote in the majority opinion, joined by Justices John Roberts, Anthony Kennedy, Stephen Breyer, Samuel Alito and Elena Kagan. New Mexico Native American law expert Richard Hughes expects the ruling, which he called significant, to open the door for lawsuits against tribal employees. Its the first case I can think of in which the court has rejected a claim of sovereign immunity on behalf of a tribal employee or entity, Hughes said. We can expect now that suits like this will become more common. Justice Clarence Thomas agreed with the ruling, but for different reasons. I remain of the view that tribal immunity does not extend to suits arising out of a tribes commercial activities conducted beyond its territory, he said. The Connecticut Supreme Court originally dismissed the case, saying the tribes immunity did include the employees and any suit against the tribes gaming entity belonged in tribal court not state court where this lawsuit had been filed. New Mexico Attorney General Hector Balderas, along with some New Mexico and Native American tribes and several state attorneys general, agreed with giving the tribal employee immunity. Kenneth Stalter, general counsel for the AGs Office, said in an email that the federal Supreme Courts ruling, while not what they were hoping for, is narrow and we will work to make sure that it does not interfere with the strong relationships that exist between New Mexicos diverse municipalities and tribal entities. The Better Business Bureau provides an interesting way to view the myriad hoaxes, cons and attempted swindles happening wherever you live. The organization calls it Scam Tracker, and a link can be found at the top right corner of the regional BBB webpage, bbb.org/new-mexico-southwest-colorado/. If you click on the embedded map, youll get a list of reports for that area, including type of scam, details of the incident and amount of money lost. Theres also a spot for reporting scams. A review of all reports submitted to Scam Tracker nationwide last year showed something surprising: People became less susceptible to fraud the older they got. The analysis found that 37 percent of 18- to 24-year-olds reporting a scam had lost money, compared to 12 percent of those 65 and older. However, those in the older group who did get conned lost more money per incident a median loss of $390 compared to the amount lost by the younger group $200. Investment scams were the most common type reported to the BBB by men, while online purchases were the most common for women. Thank you, President Trump. An Albuquerque resident reported losing $3,500 to a scheme that offered an ATM card with access to $35.5 million, according to Scam Tracker. The person first, though, had to pay for the certificate for the card to leave the country, according to the report. Such a deal and it was supposedly pre-approved by the president himself, who allowed the card to be released, the scammer said. This is a clear case of the If its too good to be true warning when it comes to scams. Rest assured that no one is going to offer you an unsolicited ATM card with $35.5 million. Especially the president of the United States. People around the country have been reporting calls that appear to come from a Department of Homeland Security hotline, the agency says. The callers claim to be from U.S. Immigration and demand details or verification of personal information. Sometimes, theyll tell you that youve been a victim of identity theft. The calls appear to be coming from 1-800-323-8603, which is the hotline for Homeland Securitys inspector general. The agency says it does not make outgoing calls from that line, which is used to receive reports of internal fraud or mismanagement. Homeland Security advises not answering the phone if a call comes from that number, and says to report the incident at the hotline number. Heres a Paypal scam thats come to town recently. A local reader made a purchase on Ebay using Paypal. Immediately afterward, she got an email that claimed to be from Paypal, telling her she needed to update her account. The emailers wanted her credit card and Social Security numbers to do the job. Fortunately, she caught on to the ploy and did not become a victim of identity theft. Paypal says it doesnt send out emails asking for this kind of personal information. Nor do its emails contain attachments or ask you to download or install any software. Ellen Marks is assistant business editor at the Albuquerque Journal. Contact her at emarks@abqjournal.com or 505-823-3842 if you are aware of what sounds like a scam. To report a scam to law enforcement, contact the New Mexico Consumer Protection Division toll-free at 1-844-255-9210a. WASHINGTON American democracy is under assault on separate fronts from President Donald Trump and Russia, the former U.S. intelligence chief warned Sunday, expressing dismay over the abrupt firing of FBI director James Comey amid a probe into Moscows meddling in U.S. elections and possible ties with the Trump campaign. As Trump works to fast-track Comeys successor, lawmakers from both parties urged him to steer clear of any politicians for the job and say he must clean up the mess that he mostly created. I think, in many ways, our institutions are under assault, both externally and thats the big news here, is the Russian interference in our election system, said James Clapper, the former director of national intelligence. I think as well our institutions are under assault internally. When he was asked, Internally, from the president? Clapper said, Exactly. Clapper spoke following Trumps sudden firing of Comey last week, which drew sharp criticism because it came amid the FBIs investigation into Russias interference in the 2016 presidential election. Clapper said Americas founding fathers had created three co-equal branches of government with checks and balances, but with Trump as president, that was now eroding. The White House had no immediate comment. No White House aide appeared on the Sunday news shows, leaving Nikki Haley, the U.S. ambassador to the United Nations, to defend Trump. The president is the CEO of the country. He can hire and fire whoever he wants, she said. Lawmakers from both parties reprimanded Trumps actions, which included shifting explanations from the White House for Comeys dismissal and an ominous tweet by Trump that warned Comey against leaks to the press because he may have tapes of their conversations. The lawmakers called for a new FBI director without any political background and said Trump would need to hand over to Congress any taped conversations with Comey, if they exist. Republican Sen. Lindsey Graham, a member of the Judiciary Committee, said selecting an FBI agent to lead the agency would allow the nation to reset. He dismissed as less desirable at least two of the 14 candidates under consideration by Trump, former Rep. Mike Rogers of Michigan and Sen. John Cornyn of Texas, explaining that these are not normal circumstances. Rogers, an ex-FBI agent and former chairman of the House Intelligence Committee, has drawn the backing of the FBI Agents Association. Cornyn is the No. 2 Republican in the Senate. Its now time to pick somebody who comes from within the ranks, or has such a reputation that has no political background at all that can go into the job on Day 1, said Graham, R-S.C. The president has a chance to clean up the mess he mostly created, he said, adding, I have no evidence that the president colluded with the Russians at all but we dont know all the evidence yet. Sen. Mike Lee, a Republican from Utah, continued to argue that the president should consider Merrick Garland the federal judge nominated to the Supreme Court last year by President Barack Obama. Lee said he was absolutely serious about it. A former top aide to Sen. Mitch McConnell, Josh Holmes, said McConnell is interested in the suggestion. I think the Senate majority leader thinks thats a fantastic idea, Holmes said. Garland never got a hearing due to Republican obstruction, and the high court vacancy was filled last month by Neil Gorsuch. Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer of New York said the new FBI director should be someone not of partisan background with great experience and courage. Declining comment on a Garland nomination, Schumer left open the possibility that Democrats might withdraw support for a new FBI director unless the Justice Department names a special prosecutor. Under Senate rules, Republicans could still confirm an FBI director with 51 votes. Republicans hold 52 seats in the chamber to Democrats 48. Calling Trumps remarks about possible taped conversations outrageous, Sen. Mark Warner of Virginia, the top Democrat on the Senate Intelligence Committee, said his panel or another committee would absolutely subpoena the tapes. We have got to make sure that these tapes, if they exist, dont mysteriously disappear, Warner said, adding that he hopes to have Comey testify in a public hearing before his committee. Less than a week after Trump fired Comey, the administration has interviewed at least eight candidates to be FBI director, and Trump has said a decision could come before he leaves Friday on his first overseas trip as president. Trump abruptly fired Comey on Tuesday and later said Comey was a showboat and grandstander who was not doing a good job. Trump said in an interview with NBC that the Russia investigation factored into his decision to fire Comey. The FBI director serves a 10-year term but can be replaced by the president. So far 14 people have emerged as candidates. Eight met at the Justice Department on Saturday with Attorney General Jeff Sessions and his deputy, Rod Rosenstein: Alice Fisher, a high-ranking Justice Department official in the George W. Bush administration. Adam Lee, special agent in charge of the FBIs office in Richmond, Virginia. Andrew McCabe, the acting FBI director. Michael J. Garcia, a former prosecutor and associate judge on New Yorks highest court. Cornyn, a former Texas attorney general. U.S. District Judge Henry E. Hudson, a Bush appointee who struck down the centerpiece of the Obama administrations health care law in 2010. Frances Townsend, a former Bush homeland security and counterterrorism adviser. Rogers. The FBI Agents Association says it believes his diverse background makes him the best choice. Clapper and Schumer made their comments on CNNs State of the Union; Graham spoke on NBCs Meet the Press; Haley and Warner appeared on ABCs This Week and Warner also spoke on Fox News Sunday along with Lee and Holmes. ___ Associated Press writers Catherine Lucey, Sadie Gurman and Darlene Superville contributed to this report. LONDON Employees booting up computers at work Monday could see red as they discover theyre victims of a global ransomware cyberattack that has created chaos in 150 countries and could wreak even greater havoc as more malicious variations appear. As a loose global network of cybersecurity experts fought the ransomware hackers, officials and experts on Sunday urged organizations and companies to update older Microsoft operating systems immediately to ensure they arent vulnerable to a more powerful version of the software or to future versions that cant be stopped. The initial attack, known as WannaCry, paralyzed computers that run Britains hospital network, Germanys national railway and scores of other companies and government agencies worldwide in what was believed to be the biggest online extortion scheme so far. Microsoft blamed the U.S. government for stockpiling software code that was used by unknown hackers to launch the attacks. The hackers exploited software code from the National Security Agency that leaked online. The companys top lawyer said the government should report weaknesses they discover to software companies rather than seek to exploit them. An equivalent scenario with conventional weapons would be the U.S. military having some of its Tomahawk missiles stolen, attorney Brad Smith wrote on Microsofts blog. New variants of the rapidly replicating worm were discovered Sunday and one did not include the so-called kill switch that allowed researchers to interrupt its spread Friday by diverting it to a dead end on the internet. Ryan Kalember, senior vice president at Proofpoint Inc. which helped stop its spread, said the version without a kill switch was able to spread but was benign because it contained a flaw that wouldnt allow it to take over a computer and demand ransom to unlock files. However, he said its only a matter of time before a malevolent version exists. I still expect another to pop up and be fully operational, Kalember said. We havent fully dodged this bullet at all until were patched against the vulnerability itself. The attack held users hostage by freezing their computers, popping up a red screen with the words, Oops, your files have been encrypted! and demanding money through online bitcoin payment $300 at first, rising to $600 before it destroys files hours later. The ransomware attack was particularly malicious, because if just one person in an organization clicked on an infected attachment or bad link, all the computers in a network would be infected, said Vikram Thakur, technical director of Symantec Security Response. Thats what makes this more troubling than ransomware was a week ago, Thakur said. It hit 200,000 victims across the world since Friday and is seen as an escalating threat, said Rob Wainwright, the head of Europol, Europes policing agency. The numbers are still going up, Wainwright said. Weve seen that the slowdown of the infection rate over Friday night, after a temporary fix around it, has now been overcome by a second variation the criminals have released. The effects were felt around the globe, disrupting computers that run factories, banks, government agencies and transport systems in nations as diverse as Russia, Ukraine, Brazil, Spain, India and the U.S. Britains National Health Service was hit hard, while Russias Interior Ministry and companies including Spains Telefonica, FedEx Corp. in the U.S. and French carmaker Renault all reported disruptions. Chinese media reported that more than 29,000 institutions in the country had been hit, with universities and other educational entities the hardest hit, along with railway services and retailers. Japanese broadcaster NTV reported 600 companies in that country had been hit, and automaker Nissan and the Hitachi conglomerate said they were addressing the problem at their units that were affected. The full extent of the attack wont become fully clear until people return to their workplaces Monday, for the first time after the attacks. Many may click infected email attachments or bad links and spread the virus further. Its this constant battle, said Ryan OLeary, vice president of WhiteHat Securitys threat research center. The bad guys are always one step ahead. The White House held emergency meetings Friday and Saturday to assess the global cyber threat, a White House official said Sunday. No details were disclosed. The official was not authorized to discuss the private meetings by name and requested anonymity. It was too early to say who was behind the onslaught, which struck 100,000 organizations, and what their motivation was, aside from the obvious demand for money. So far, not many people have paid the ransom demanded by the malware, Europol spokesman Jan Op Gen Oorth told The Associated Press. Researchers who helped prevent the spread of the malware and cybersecurity firms worked around the clock during the weekend to monitor the situation and install a software patch to block the worm from infecting computers in corporations across the U.S., Europe and Asia. Right now, just about every IT department has been working all weekend rolling this out, said Dan Wire, spokesman at Fireeye Security. Businesses, government agencies and other organizations were urged to quickly implement a patch released by Microsoft Corp. The ransomware exploits older versions of Microsofts operating system software, such as Windows XP. Installing the patch is one way to secure computers against the virus. The other is to disable a type of software that connects computers to printers and faxes, which the virus exploits, OLeary added. Microsoft distributed a patch two months ago that could have forestalled much of the attack, but in many organizations it was likely lost among the blizzard of updates and patches that large corporations and governments strain to manage. Its one of those things, in a perfect world, if people were up to date on the patches, this wouldnt be a problem, OLeary said. But there are so many things to patch. The patch lists can be ginormous. It can be tough to tell which patch is important, until it is too late. ___ Rugaber reported from Washington. AP writers Brian Melley in Los Angeles, Catherine Lucey in Washington, Allen G. Breed in Raleigh, North Carolina, and AP Technology Writer Anick Jesdanun in New York contributed to this report. His 1992 Ford Ranger struck three parked vehicles and knocked down a large sign before stopping into a building on the property. Police arrived on the scene to find Christian James Powell behaving in a belligerent manner with witnesses, and he attempting to flee the scene.Officers tasered him, and proceeded to take him into custody. It is thought that alcohol was a contributing factor in the crash. His passenger was injured, and was found unconscious at the time when emergency services arrived at the scene of the accident The 23-year-old driver also had two dogs in the back of the cabin, which were also injured. One of the canines was thrown through the rear window, while the other sustained other injuries.Fortunately, the two pets will make it, and so will his passenger, who probably was unconscious even before the wreck.The Oregon man was placed in the Douglas County Jail with a bail of $125,000, The News Review reports. His arrest warrant includes numerous charges, which start with a suspicion of driving under the influence, along with five misdemeanor counts, one felony, third-degree assault, reckless driving, and several others.Police officers took into account the fact that he endangered two animals, risked the life of his passenger, and was also driving uninsured. The accident goes to show what kind of risks are involved when driving after consuming even the slightest bit of alcohol.If Mr. Powells test results reveal alcohol in his blood stream, he will probably have to join an alcohol addiction center to learn to control himself and stay sober. He will not be able to go to meetings until he faces the legal problems that he has added to his life and criminal record.Maybe accidents like these will change some peoples mind and viewpoint about driving after consuming substances that are known to impair a persons judgment and reflexes. Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei said: If we want the grandeur and sovereignty of the Islamic republic to be preserved and it remains immune (to the harms), all should participate in the elections. The only way to confront the animosity of the enemy is the presence of people at the sceneIf a dereliction is made and some pave the way for peoples disappointment, the country will definitely suffer. Its strange that the worlds leading state-sponsor of terrorism is concerned about security threats when logically their terrorist activity causes security threats throughout the world. Of course, the thing that really worries the Regime is not the security threat posed by other countries interfering with their democratic process. They are scared of a repeat of the 2009 Green uprising in which the disputed election results caused protests in the streets across Iran. Who ever heard of a legitimate government being worried that they would be deposed by their own people? Surely thats something that only dictators and despots fear, right? Well according to the Iranian Resistance, that it exactly what the Regime fears. It knows that it is running on borrowed time and that sooner or later the Regime will be overthrown. Mohammad Mohaddess, Chair of the National Council of Resistance of Iran (NCRI) Foreign Affairs Committee said in a recent online conference, The choices for Khamenei are between the worse and the worse of the worse. This is the reality that Khamenei has to deal with. This is a totally new situation and new prospects and brings the regime closer to its downfall. So the Iranian Regime has deployed 300,000 police officers across the country, according to police chief Hossein Ashtari, with further security personnel from 16 different security agencies, including the Revolutionary Guards (a terror group), the paramilitary Basij, and the Intelligence Ministry. Shahriar Kia, a policy analyst wrote on the Daily Caller: And this is a country where its regime claims to be the safest state in the world without a single bombing, at a time when the region and many countries across the globe are struggling to rein in terrorist groups. He pointed to evidence from Amnesty International which showed that the Regime is no stranger to illegal tactics if it protects the ruling elite. Execution Annually, 55% of global executions are carried out in Iran (if we exclude Chinas numbers). The incumbent President Hassan Rouhani has presided over 3,000 executions in just the past 4 years. Imprisonment In just one year, nearly 500,000 people were locked up (that 0.6% of the entire population of Iran). Iran will imprison people for any criticism of the Regime, its Supreme Leader or its founder (even if that criticism is written in an unpublished fictional story) Its no secret that President Donald Trump is a big fan of coal, but he surprised the Navy with his preference for steam as the power to fling planes from aircraft carriers. In an interview with Time magazine, Trump was quoted as saying that he would not approve equipping new Ford-class carriers with the Electromagnetic Aircraft Launch System that debuted on the Gerald R. Ford. And I saidand now they want to buy more aircraft carriers. I said, what system are you going to be Sir, were staying with digital. I said, no youre not. [Youre] going to goddamned steam, the digital costs hundreds of millions of dollars more money and its no good. It would appear the comments of a crew member who showed Trump the catapult soured Trump on the electromagnetic system when the president asked how the system was working. Sir, not good. Not good. Doesnt have the power. You know the steam is just brutal. You see that sucker going and steams going all over the place and theres planes thrown in the air. The relative gentleness of the electromagnetic catapult was actually a key selling point in the award of the contracts for the Ford and follow-on John F. Kennedy. Although it certainly relies on a battery of computers to progressively accelerate aircraft down the deck, the digital system being criticized by Trump and the unnamed, but suddenly famous, crew member is a lot easier on aircraft. It also requires fewer people to operate it and self-diagnoses its glitches. The steam catapults used on Nimitz-class carriers are no longer made and redesigning the Kennedy to take a steam system, even if it was available, would probably be cost prohibitive. Anytime you get a group of flight instructors together, the topic of weather will enter the conversation in some form. It may range from how crummy it always seems to be when a CFI has nothing but primary students on the schedule to how miserable it is to preheat a Cessna 152 in the winter and still have time for a lesson, to shooting approaches to minimums in IMC with instrument students. Almost invariably it will work around to whether it was a good idea to train primary students and new private pilots in marginal VFR weather, that is, in any combination of strong winds, low ceilings and reduced visibility. After all, a significant proportion of general aviation accidents still involve attempting to fly VFR into deteriorating weather. In their candid moments, instructors want to know why pilots keep insisting on killing themselves in this fashion. Is there something wrong with our training? Is it simple bloody mindedness as the British would say, on the part of pilots, who know what crummy weather can do to them but insist on pressing on and smacking into hillsides and towers? Real-World Marginal VFR Over the years, Ive listened to a lot of the CFI weather conversations to see what I could learn about the subject. I was interested to observe that most instructors and pilots were in favor of taking primary students out and showing them what marginal weather looked like. The overall feeling was that a pilot who is shown how nasty and scary marginal weather is will be so awed by it that he or she will make the decision to stay on the ground when such weather is forecast or divert and land when it is encountered. That pretty much reflected my overall opinion on the subject. I made a point of taking students flying in strong winds so that they could see how difficult it could be to handle the airplane. I wanted them to get a feel for how the difficulty of landing in a crosswind increased almost exponentially as the velocity of a direct crosswind increased. I wanted my students to see what light and moderate turbulence really were, what it was like to have to fight it and how to avoid it. I attempted to show that moderate turbulence is very unpleasant, tires a pilot fast, adversely affects in-flight decision-making and makes it tough to handle the airplane when landing. I also tried to take students up when the visibility was three to five miles, so that they could see what marginal VFR was and demonstrate that they did not even handle the airplane as well as they did on days with better visibility. Then Id try to make a brief flight in the pattern on a day with only two or three miles visibility, getting a special VFR clearance if needed, to show just how fast they covered the territory they could see at any given moment and how diverting their attention to look inside the cockpit could rapidly be fatal. I also tried to take them aloft when the ceiling was below 3000 feet to show the problems inherent with low ceilings, the inability to pick out landmarks and the proliferation of tall towers. I tried to mix this all in with a discussion of why scud running is something that simply is no longer viable in the majority of the United States because of the number of towers. I found that I did what most instructors do. NASAs Research Then I got to know Barbara Burian, Ph.D., an employee of NASA and a pilot, who has been looking at this very issue for many years and has published a number of papers relevant to it. Her research has been fascinating and has included major projects getting pilots at EAAs AirVenture to test their skills and knowledge as well as running pilot surveys here on AVweb. She a deliberate approach to weather training to see what both CFIs and newly-stamped private pilots say about it. As one would expect, there are differences in what CFIs say they taught and what new private pilots say they were taught. She has done the statistical grinding of the data and found that students dont always realize what is being taught when they are learning something (they dont attach the same title to some lessons that CFIs do), but thats no big deal. What rocked her back on her heels and got my undivided attention was what she learned about the unintended consequences of flying student pilots in marginal VFR weather and how pilots self-assess their ability to evaluate weather versus how well they do when given real-world examples to analyze that ability. Dr Burian, a pilot, asked CFIs whether they took their students into marginal weather (high winds, turbulence, low ceilings, limited visibilities, actual IFR) during primary training, and why. Most all said they did so and, in general, said it was to let them see how crummy the weather was so that they would stay out of it in the future; in general, to promote good weather decision-making; the old scared-straight approach. She then queried students about their training; however, she added a brilliant twist that led to answers that told me we instructors might be going about this in the wrong fashion. She asked new private pilots to rate how marginal weather training affected their level of confidence and comfort (two very separate ratings) about flying in such weather, or worse, sometime in the future. She found that 21.7 percent said that, as a result of having been exposed to marginal weather conditions in training, they would both feel more confident in flying in such conditions on their own and more comfortable in doing so. That means nearly a quarter of the students who we are trying to show that this deadly weather, the sort that is not the stuff in which they should be flying, are coming out of the lesson perfectly willing to fly in such weather and probably willing to make decisions to go when they should not. A Head Slapper I spoke with Dr. Burian and then looked at the results and went off by myself for a little while. The head slap followed shortly thereafter. Good grief. Of course we have pilots crunching into the sides of hills in fog and rain and snow and we have pilots snagging towers in haze and pilots generally flying into terrain because we arent teaching how to make decisions. Dr. Burians results are perfectly consistent with the accident stats because a healthy proportion of pilots who do the VFR-into-IMC splat each year (oftentimes a majority) have instrument ratings. (Keep in mind the data doesnt say if the pilots were instrument-current or if they were flying airplanes that were instrument-legal or if they had access to instrument charts.) What we have is a situation where a good percentage of pilots who know what dog-meat weather is like (low ceilings and poor visibility), still motor into it anyway, and crash. That is entirely consistent with other marginal-weather accidents, those involving strong winds and loss of control on landing. Those usually arent fatal, but they keep happening to pilots who have certainly been around the block enough times to know what a strong crosswind is like and, if queried, claim to have a pretty good feel for what sort of crosswind he or she can handle in a particular type of airplane. Its consistent. Pilots who have some degree of experience and training in marginal weather continue to get accurate forecasts for marginal VFR weather or actual IMC and then elect to try to fly VFR into it, or they make the decision to try to continue a flight when they do not know what the weather is ahead, relying on blind optimism. Dont Try This At Home? Nature is a hanging judge. Pilots who make the decision to go, or continue, in weather that exceeds their personal ability to fly an airplane by visual references, do not get probation or any sort of another chance. They die. And they take people with them. I think we flight instructors have the right idea about teaching pilots about marginal VFR weather by showing them just how awful it is, but I think we may be up against the dont try this at home syndrome. Weve got to come up with a better way to teach students how to evaluate the weather information available to them (Dr. Burians studies found that VFR-only pilots are particularly bad at this weather evaluation) and teach the go/no-go weather decision for VFR flight. I think we have to integrate weather evaluation and go/no-go wx decisions into every part of our training process so that students become so accustomed to it that it is a basic part of their subconscious. I fully recognize that the VFR weather decision is also heavily weighted geographically. East of the Rockies, what is considered marginal VFR is probably anything when the visibility is at or less than about three to five miles visibility and the ceiling is at or less than 3,000 feet. Those numbers are not hard and fast, but they are a place to start. In the western high plains and Rockies, marginal VFR is different. There, anything less than 10 miles visibility is suspect because it is rare. When it does happen, it usually means the vis is going to go way down, so a pilot has to be wary of any sort of obstruction to visibility. That trips up a lot of flatland pilots in the mountains. Ceiling is also a challenging concept because it is measured above ground level and ground level varies so greatly. I had a long talk with a very experienced military and civilian pilot and instructor, Terri Watson, now retired from flight instructing and living in Honolulu. Formerly based in the mountains of Lander, Wyoming, she said she taught her students that if there is any indication of a ceiling in the reports or the forecasts, that by itself may trigger a marginal VFR warning. What may be a 5000-foot ceiling at a lower airport may also be less than a 1000-foot ceiling at the pass that must be crossed to get to that airport. As an interesting counterpoint to her experience with teaching students weather judgment, she is very reluctant to put numbers on any pilots personal weather minimums. Now What? So, what do we do? I did a lot of listening to pilots and instructors who know about this sort of thing. One of the results Dr. Burian received in her survey was that 68.1 percent of the private pilots said that after their introduction to marginal weather they felt more confident that they could handle it on their own should they see it again, but that they were not comfortable doing so. Thats definitely positive. Pilots who have internalized a situation and can say that it would make them uncomfortable in the future are probably less likely to depart into such weather. The fact that they have seen something like it and have obtained some degree of confidence in the process also tends to mean that should they get into marginal weather because of a mistake on their part, or a bad forecast, they are more likely to survive the encounter. So, overall, it looks as if we are on the right track; exposing pilots to marginal weather is good for the majority of pilots (assuming we can believe their responses). Thats step one. The next step is to actively put weather interpretation and decision-making into every lesson, including the first one. The instructor and student should go through the process of obtaining the current weather and forecast, discuss the process and then make a decision as to whether to fly. If its CAVU, thats easy. If its marginal, discuss what is going to be experienced. Horizons and Limited Visibility For years, instructors have noticed that a student who is used to flying in good visibility, with a clearly defined horizon, does noticeably worse on lessons where visibility is limited or the horizon is difficult to locate. I believe instructors should point that out to students. All pilots fly more accurately on days when the visibility is better. It may seem a little thing, but it is tremendously important when the visibility is bad and a pilot is trying to navigate with very limited outside references and landmarks. It becomes much more difficult and takes much more concentration to simply fly the airplane. Terri Watson pointed out that virtually all pilots use landmarks that are a significant distance away from the airplane when they fly VFR, whether it is to navigate or simply fly around the local area. When the visibility drops, rendering a number of those frequently used landmarks invisible, the ability to accurately control and navigate the airplane is diminished. Again, that just adds to the problems a pilot has when the weather starts to go south. On the days when the CFI and student make the decision to fly and the weather is marginal, a wonderful opportunity is presented to let the student have difficulty and then bring that difficulty to a conscious level through discussion. The student knows things arent going as well as usual (students are many things, but they are not stupid) but he or she doesnt know why. He or she is simply conscious that the lesson isnt going as well as the last one and its frustrating. The instructor sees that sort of thing all the time, so its up to him or her to point out that a major part of the reason the student is having more trouble flying the airplane and isnt doing as well is because he or she just cant see as much. On days when the weather causes a cancellation, the CFI and student should take the time to discuss it and do a little mental imaging as to what it would be like to try and fly in that weather. The CFI can ask some directed questions such as how long it would take the airplane to cover the ground the pilot can see when the pilot looks down at the map or otherwise into the cockpit. They can look over the sectional chart and see which towers will be sticking up into the clouds. They can discuss simple things such as the landmarks the student normally uses to enter the downwind and the fact that they might not be visible. The cancellation should be viewed as a part of flying. Despite advertising, it isnt possible to fly every day of the year. Based on the CFIs evaluation of the student it may be wise to point out that canceling a flight is not a reflection on the pilots machismo or ability. It is a reflection that the pilot has developed an elevated level of judgment and is therefore to be respected. Maybe So, Maybe Not There will be days when the weather is marginal and the go/no-go decision is not clear-cut. The CFI and student can discuss what to do, look at all available weather and trends and then make the decision to conduct a flight in the pattern as a learning experience. The goals will be letting the student internalize just what that reported weather looks like from the cockpit, observe that many of her or his usual landmarks in the pattern are not visible (with a comment from the CFI to the effect of just think how it would be if we strayed from the area we know well, right around the airport) and add some other comments about the difficulties in controlling the airplane to let the student internalize a discomfort with flying in such weather. The instructor can then terminate the flight after a few takeoffs and landings so that there is some level of confidence built should the student inadvertently get into such a mess in the future. A distressingly high proportion of the respondents (27.5 percent) to Dr. Burians survey said that they had experiences where instructors went ahead with lessons in bad weather not to teach about the weather but because the instructors simply wanted to complete a flight or some training that day (frankly, Ive seen it done by instructors who needed the money). That one scares me because I do not think CFIs always recognize just how powerful they are as role models. In those circumstances they have just given a positive reinforcement of a form of get-home-itis to their students. Personally, I dont think that is at all appropriate. On the days that a flight is made in marginal conditions, I believe that the overall purpose of the flight probably should be observation and decision-making. It gives the chance for the CFI to demonstrate and discuss the concept of ongoing decision-making regarding weather. He or she can show that the process isnt over upon launching the flight, it involves continual evaluation of the conditions by observing and comparing them to the forecast to determine whether the flight may even continue or if its time to stop at the nearest airport or, indeed, land in a suitable field. It involves getting cockpit weather (and the danger of the head-down time reading it in marginal wx) and/or making calls to Flight Watch for weather updates because that is what the pilot does in the real world. Finally, I believe, it involves a healthy discussion of simply being honest with oneself. Aviation does not long tolerate any pilot who will lie to him or herself about anything regarding flight. A pilot who has experienced two-mile visibility and was aware of how difficult and dangerous it was cannot later tell himself that it will be okay to go this time, because it really wasnt that bad. There is no probation for the pilot who does not take the steps to learn what the weather really is or launches with the optimistic it cant be that bad. There is no second chance. I have to defer to Terri Watson again because she described so very well what she tries to do with students: The entire process is conscious decision-making. There may not be a rule regarding what you as a pilot are about to do, but that does not mean you can blow it off. Anything to do with marginal weather means the pilot has to understand deep inside that she or he is entering a statistically significant realm where he or she is likely to wreck an airplane and kill or injure people. It is up to the CFIs to inculcate the concept of conscious decision-making and intellectual honesty in pilots when they look at the weather decision. I fully agree and feel that the process has to be repeated until it is second nature in all pilots, whether or not they have instrument ratings. Rick Durden is a CFII, holds an ATP with type ratings in the Douglas DC-3 and Cessna Citation and is the author of The Thinking Pilots Flight Manual or, How to Survive Flying Little Airplanes and Have a Ball Doing It., Vols. 1 & 2. Voters in Yerevan went to the polls on Sunday to elect a new municipal council that will appoint the Armenian capitals mayor. The ruling Republican Party of Armenia (HHK) and its top candidate, incumbent Mayor Taron Markarian, expected to retain control of the municipal administrations as a result of the elections held on a party-list basis. The HHK was challenged by only two political groups: the opposition Yelk alliance and Yerkir Tsirani party. Yelk finished third in Armenias recent parliamentary elections won by the HHK. Several other opposition forces that fared poorly in the April 2 vote and chose not to join the Yerevan mayoral race. Under the countrys Electoral Code, parties and blocs have to win at least 6 percent and 8 percent of the vote respectively in order to gain seats in the Yerevan council, if municipal polls are contested by more than three political groups. This means that the HHK, Yelk and Yerkir Tsirani will be represented in the new council regardless of their performance. Both opposition contenders attacked Markarian throughout the election campaign, accusing him of corruption and mismanagement. The 38-year-old mayor, in office since 2011, defended his track record during his campaign meetings. He insisted he has largely delivered on his campaign promises given four years ago. We are satisfied with our election campaign and you will see its results a few hours later, Markarian told reporters after casting a ballot at a polling station in Yerevan. Markarian defended his decision to avoid a live televised debate with Yelks mayoral candidate, Nikol Pashinian. The latter has repeatedly challenged the mayor to agree to such a debate. President Serzh Sarkisian, who is the HHKs top leader, voted at another polling station. He said Yerevan will get better if Markarian is reelected. Pashinian, meanwhile, accused the ruling party of again buying many votes. Its clear to me that without vote bribes HHK would stand no chance of winning any election, he charged after casting a ballot. The 41-year-old former journalist, widely regarded as Markarians main challenger, said that hundreds of thousands of Armenians are willing to sell their votes. We have to take into account the existence of such people, he noted grimly. Pashinian and other Yelk leaders demanded on Friday that the HHK be disqualified from the mayoral race because of what they presented as evidence of vote buying. It included online media footage of apparent distribution of vote bribes at an HHK campaign office in the citys Malatia-Sebastia district. Yelk also publicized purported documents detailing vote buying by another HHK office. The ruling party denied the allegations. The Central Election Commission, for its part, refused on Saturday to seek a court ruling disqualifying the HHK. It only agreed to ask prosecutors to investigate the Yelk allegations. Prime Minister Karen Karapetian downplayed the alleged vote buying. Such cases are reported during all elections, but are we sure that those were vote bribes? he told the press during Sundays voting. Law-enforcement bodies are now looking into that. Lets wait and see what they say. The HHK was already accused of buying votes during the parliamentary elections. Opposition groups say that the illegal practice was instrumental in the ruling partys landslide election victory. An RFE/RL correspondent on Sunday again saw voters in the citys old Kond neighborhood visiting a local HHK office before heading to a nearby polling station. Many of them had cash in their hands. A group of men inside the office hastily left it when the reporter, Sisak Gabrielian, went in and tried to talk to them. One of those men held a stack of 5,000-dram notes ($10). Sonia Yeghian, an HHK municipal election candidate apparently running the office, denied that they were handing out cash to impoverished voters. She claimed that the visitors are party activists. Gabrielian was assaulted by government loyalists when he witnessed similar scenes in and outside the same office on April 2. Meanwhile, the Armenian police said they have received nine reports of irregularities by noon. Those included alleged instances of multiple voting and obstruction of the work of an opposition election proxy, read a police statement. All those cases are being verified, it said. Yerkir Tsirani alleged more such violations. The opposition partys mayoral candidate, Zaruhi Postanjian, cried foul as she voted early in the morning. She said her political team is in a combative mood and determined to counter electoral fraud. Police in Yerevan on Sunday forcibly removed Zaruhi Postanjian, an opposition mayoral candidate, from a campaign office of the ruling Republican Party of Armenia (HHK) which she accused of bribing voters. Postanjian, who was accompanied by her teenage daughter, entered the office located in the citys northern Avan district during voting in municipal elections. She tried to get hold of what she described as lists of local resident who were paid by the HHK to vote for Yerevans incumbent Mayor Taron Markarian. HHK activists working there rejected the demands during an ensuing altercation. They and Postanjian accused each other of violent conduct when they continued to bitterly argue in front of journalists. Nobody has the right to enter our office without permission, shouted a middle-aged man managing the office. The head of the HHK chapter in Avan, who also arrived at the scene, likewise argued that under Armenian law citizens not affiliated with a particular party are not free to enter its premises. He denied buying votes, while admitting that HHK offices in the district keep lists of our voters. Evidence of election fraud is kept in those drawers, Postanjian told policer officers called up by the HHK activists. She demanded that they confiscate and examine the documents in her presence. A police colonel said he will do that after all unauthorized persons leave the office. A furious Postanjian refused to leave it before being dragged away by other officers. They seemed intent on detaining her but changed their mind at the last minute. Postanjians daughter, Lilit Drampian, was apparently driven away from the scene. The police insisted afterwards that she was not detained, however. Drampian suffered a concussion and was taken to a hospital, according to her mother. Postanjian, who is one of the two opposition candidates running for the post of Yerevan mayor, defended her actions and condemned the police at a news conference held later in the day. She argued that vote buying is illegal in Armenia. In a written statement, the Armenian police said the use of force was justified because Postanjian defied the law-enforcement officers orders. The statement also said that she broke into the HHK office and tried to search it in breach of Armenias laws. Still, a separate statement by the Office of the Prosecutor-General said that the police will investigate Postanjians allegations. It also said that it will assign another law-enforcement body, the Special Investigative Service, to deal with the Avan incident. Tigran Mukuchian, the pro-government chairman of Armenias Central Election Commission (CEC), denounced Postanjians actions. It is unacceptable when someone enters a campaign office and tries to paralyze its work, he told reporters. Postanjians Yerkir Tsirani party and the Yelk alliance, the other opposition contender in Yerevans mayoral race, have repeatedly accused the CEC of turning a blind eye to systematic vote buying by the HHK. Yelk went as far as to demand on Friday that President Serzh Sarkisians party be disqualified from the race. The CEC rejected the demand. The push started last month, is being orchestrated mainly by accounts belonging to the National Council of Resistance of Iran (NCRI), a France-based opposition group considered one of Irans most powerful opposition movements. Posts opposing the boycott have now reached over 300,000. Three candidates lead Irans May 19th elections President Hassan Rouhani, Ehbrahim Raisi and Tehran Mayor Mohammad Baqer Qalibaf. Raisi is one of the four Sharia judges who oversaw the executions of tens of thousands of political prisoners in 1988. Qalibaf previously commanded Irans Revolutionary Guards Corps. #Shamelections, #MyVoteRegimeChange, and other anti-election hashtags are gaining momentum on Twitter, as are slogans like, Boycott the faked election, and those that say, there is no difference between Rouhani and Raisi, The two candidates are portrayed as two sides of the same coin. What election?! Its a puppet show run by [religious leader Ayatollah] Khamenei to create the illusion of a democracy, a person purporting to be an exiled Iranian living in Europe tweeted. Many attacked Rouhani saying he has been directly involved in all of Iran regimes crimes and has overseen the arrest, torture, and executions of hundreds of people over his four-year presidency. The majority of the tweets seem to have originated outside of Iran, from countries including France, Germany and Albania, where the NCRI has a significant presence. Chairman of the U.S. Senate Armed Forces Committee, Senator John McCain, met with NCRI officials in Albania last month, praising them for their sacrifice for freedom in Iran, according to reports. Videos were uploaded by NCRI users, which allegedly show Iranians in public places in Tehran and Arak holding signs against elections, or against Rouhani, or Raisi. It is said that these actions were coordinated by Mujahedeen e-Khalq (MEK), the military wing of the NCRI. An Iranian official said that Iranians can vote in the elections at 279 polling stations in 103 different countries, which is good news for the 5-6 million Iranians living abroad. Rouhani is expected to be re-elected according to Reuters, because of his wide support among urban populations and women who would welcome relaxed restrictions on social behavior. However, Irans opposition claims, the opposite, arguing that little has changed during Rouhanis presidency. Spectris plc manufactures and sells measuring instruments and controls worldwide. It operates through Malvern Panalytical, HBK, Omega and Industrial Solutions segments. The Malvern Panalytical segment provides measurement and materials characterization and efficiency in R&D and manufacturing sectors. The HBK segment offers differentiated sensing, testing, modelling and simulation solutions for product development. The Omega segment provides process improvement, specialist sensors, and omni-channel distribution services. The Industrial Solutions segment operates high-value precision in-line sensing and monitors businesses. It also provides particle measuring systems, a solution to measure and monitor contamination levels in clean and controlled environments. In addition, the company offers red lion controls, an industrial automation tool that provides solutions to connect, monitor, and control disparate assets, as well as provides servomex, a specialist in gas and moisture analysis solutions. Further, it provides data and insights, test equipment and software for industrial applications. Additionally, the company offers sensor, instrument, software, and services technology, as well as provides training, technical support, spare parts, calibration, and maintenance services. It serves pharmaceutical, automotive, electronics, semiconductors, technology-LED, and primary and advanced materials industries. Spectris plc was incorporated in 1986 and is based in London, the United Kingdom. Church decline could be ending, new report suggests The rapid decline in churchgoers may be slowing thanks to a rise in patriotism and pride in Christianity, a new report is suggesting. The study also indicates the rapid growth of non-religious people, described as 'the story of British religious history over the past half-century or so', may be stalling. Analysis of the British Social Attitudes survey and the European Social Survey by academic Stephen Bullivant, professor of theology and the sociology of religion at St Mary's University, Twickenham, suggests the rise of other religions may have contributed to a slowing of secularisation. 'People see Christianity as an expression of Englishness. There has been more rhetoric around Britain being a Christian nation. 'People are looking for ways to connect with others. I suspect a larger proportion of people who do say they are Anglican tend to be patriotic,' he said according to the Telegraph. Although the proportion of non-religious people make up the largest group with 48.6 per cent of the population, analysis suggests this may have peaked in 2009 when it reached 50.6 per cent, declining in more recent years. Over the same period the number of Church of England worshippers rose from a low of 16.3 per cent and has risen to 17.1 per cent. 'The proportion of self-describing Anglicans in Britain has more than halved, from 40 per cent in 1983, down to 17 per cent in 2015,' the report notes. 'That said, the past three years are worth highlighting. If talk of even a modest Anglican revival would be premature, one certainly can speak of a newfound stability.' He added: 'After decades of bad news, this is certainly welcome for the Church of England. 'If I was in the Anglican Church I would be celebrating this.' However the 'conversion rates' will continue to cause concern for church leaders with non-Christian religions having a significantly higher retention levels. Overall for every Christian convert from a non-religious upbringing, there are 26 raised as Christians who now they are not believers. Among other faiths the retention is much higher with 14 per cent of Jews, 10 per cent of Muslims and Sikhs and 6 per cent of Hindus. Does science confirm what the Bible teaches about creation in Genesis? The uniformity, the consistency, the stability, and the harmony of the universe declares that there is a Creator. The misconception that faith and intellect must remain separate has planted seeds of doubt in the minds of many. "In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth" (Genesis 1:1). Science teaches that time, space, and matter must occur simultaneously Genesis confirms it. The fine tuning of the universe is impossible without a Creator from the perfect distance of the sun from the earth at 93-million miles, to the atmospheres perfect balance, we see that only a Designer could design such a complex structure to produce and sustain life. Richard Dawkins, an evolutionary biologist at Oxford, made the following statement: "The fact that life evolved out of literally nothing, some 10 billion years after the universe evolved literally out of nothing is a fact so staggering that I would be mad to attempt words to do it justice." Yet that's exactly what we do when we try to explain away God. The Bible says that the age of the earth is not billions of years. Adding billions of years is not the magic wand that unlocks the key to evolution. Antony Flew (1923-2010) was once the world's most famous atheist. But in 2004 he shocked the world he left atheism: "The integrated complexity of life itself which is far more complex than the physical Universe can only be explained in terms of an Intelligent Source." He went on to say that Christianity is the most persuasive argument. In short, there must be a Creator. Evolution is not a fact; it's a theory. Charles Darwin, the main proponent for evolution, basically said, "I think this is what happened," when he wrote, On The Origin of Species. Even though there is no fossil support, DNA confirmation, or any physical evidence anywhere, it is taught in our school system as fact and creation is viewed as a myth. How ironic a theory without evidence is taught as fact, and an explanation of creation (backed by science) is taught as a myth. It actually takes more "faith" to believe that everything came from nothing. Additionally, the science of Biogenesis discredits evolution. It says that living things come from other living things, thus answering the age old question: "What came first, the chicken or the egg?" According to the science of Biogenesis and God's Word, the chicken did. This is why many scientists from NASA Langley research center, as well as PhDs from Harvard, Princeton, Yale, and so on, all signed a statement that said the following, "We are skeptical of claims for the ability of random mutations and natural selection to account for the complexity of life. Careful examination of the evidence for the Darwinian theory should be encouraged." See more at http://www.dissentfromdarwin.org/. Christianity looks at the evidence, compares it with science, and confirms it with God's truth. Job said that the earth free floats in space. Isaiah declared that the earth is a sphere. Hebrews talks about tiny unseen particles that appear in the creation of life. Leviticus encourages us to wash with running water to prevent disease and that the life of the body is in the blood. Job knew that springs were at the bottom of the ocean. Genesis disclosed that our bodies are made from the earth (28 base and trace elements). Psalms mentions the 2nd Law of Thermodynamics "The universe will perish; they will all wear out like a garment." Jeremiah said that stars are innumerable but scientists as early as 1600 said that there are about 1,005. God said, "Let Us make man in Our image, according to Our likeness." The human DNA has 3-billion letters in each cell showing how to build life. Did you catch that? Trillions of cells each contain the blueprint for life in the nucleus of the cell. Each blueprint of 3-billion letters is like having 12 sets of The Encyclopaedia Britannica in each cell. Unbelievable! This could not just develop by chance. The chance of ink falling out of a cartridge and writing this article are a millions times more likely than life forming on its own. The probability of life happening on its own is immeasurable. For example, the light rays enter our eye through the cornea which bends the light rays to pass through the pupil. The iris then works like a shutter in a camera enlarging, shrinking, focusing, etc. This cannot happen on his own. Charles Darwin said, "To suppose that the eye ... could have been formed by natural selection, seems, I freely confess, absurd in the highest degree." Yet he goes on and "tries" to explain how it did happened via evolution. Think about this: Sperm meets the ovum. A single cell is born (life at conception). The DNA of the father and the mother begin to work together bones and muscles form to protect the vital organs the heart, kidney, and liver all begin to form simultaneously. The neurological system is formed and begins to connect to the brain. The thought process begins and the five senses are activated. Life is amazing its truly a gift from a Creator. Psalm 139:13, "For You [GOD] formed my inward parts; You [GOD] knitted me together in my mother's womb." So yes, science confirms, verifies, and supports the Bible. But how can people look at the exact same evidence and come to different conclusions? It's an issue of the heart. Many "worship the creature rather than the Creator" (cf. Romans 1). To say that we evolved from primordial ooze gives us an "out" that there is no God. There are no excuses for rejecting God. He uses conviction, the Word, books, articles, blogs, friends, pastors, teachers, and preachers to spread His message of love and grace, repentance and salvation. Romans 1:18-20 tells us that "we are without excuse" because God's attributes are clearly seen. Don't let this discourage you, "Greater is He who is in you than he who is in the world" (1 John 4:4). Fall forward into God's arms of restoration and forgiveness. Jesus said, in Mark 10:15, "Assuredly, I say to you, whoever does not receive the kingdom of God as a little child will by no means enter it." Receive it today and be and experience tremendous peace and hope from the atheist to the adulterer, and from the addict to the arrogant it's not too late. Turn to Him today. This information was taken from a recent debate on this topic. To view the debate, Does Science Confirm the Bible, visit our website at WCFAV.org. Shane Idleman is the founder and lead pastor of Westside Christian Fellowship in Lancaster, California, just North of Los Angeles. Shane's sermons, articles, books, and radio program can all be found at shaneidleman.com or wcfav.org. Follow him on Facebook at: facebook.com/confusedchurch. This article was originally published in The Christian Post. The views expressed by the author do not necessarily reflect the editorial opinion of Christian Today or its editors. ISIS is giving its fighters drugs so that they don't feel any pain on the battlefield Here is another way to defeat the Islamic State (ISIS) terrorists: Deprive them of the narcotics that make them feel no pain and give them greater resilience on the battlefield. Police in Italy did just that recently when they seized a cargo containing 37 million painkilling pills worth $75 million destined for Libya where they were allegedly due to be sold by ISIS to its fighters in the north African country, The Times of London reported. ISIS is known to be in control of some areas along the Libyan coastline. The haul of the drugs called tramadol was found inside three containers at the port of Genoa, marked as blankets and shampoo. The containers were set to be loaded on a freighter bound for Misrata and Tobruk in Libya when Italian authorities found out about the contraband. According to Mayo Clinic, tramadol is an opioid analgesic that acts in the central nervous system to relieve pain. When used for a long time, tramadol may become habit-forming. The drug can only be bought with a doctor's prescription. An Italian investigator said the ISIS is "making a fortune" in selling tramadol pills to its fighters. The Nigerian terror group Boko Haram is also known to feed its child soldiers with dates stuffed with tramadol before sending them on combat missions, according to The Times. Aside from tramadol, ISIS is also said to give its fighters a drug known as captagon, an amphetamine that blocks hunger, fear, and fatigue. According to Forbes, Captagon is the drug that's fueling Syria's civil war. It is part of a family of drugs known as amphetamines, which stimulate the central nervous system, increasing alertness, boosting concentration and physical performance, and providing a feeling of well-being. The three ISIS terrorists who attacked the Bataclan concert hall in Paris on Nov. 13, 2015, killing at least 89 people and wounding about 100 others, reportedly had a "zombie-like" appearance and were high on Captagon. Italian investigators said the tramadol shipment came from the Indian pharmaceuticals company Royal International, which allegedly sold the drugs for $250,000 to a Dubai-based importer. The latter then sent the shipment from India to Sri Lanka. There the records of the contraband shipment disappeared. "The containers were then shipped to Genoa, ready to be delivered to two companies in Libya, which the US Drug Enforcement Administration has informed us are linked to ISIS," the investigator said. He said the tramadol pills would sell for $2 each in Libya, adding: "It's addictive, but so much cheaper than cocaine or amphetamines, and someone's making a fortune." New Photos Reveal Shocking Horrors Of Life In North Korea's Brutal Prison Camps Photographs taken from space have revealed the chilling growth rate of one of North Korea's notoriously inhumane prison compounds, Camp 25. The Committee for Human Rights in North Korea reports that the camp has more than doubled in size in just five years. Despite their size making them clearly visible from space, the regime led by dictator Kim Jong-un denies the camps even exist. The committee, based in Washington DC, worked with AllSource Analysis, a leading provider of high-resolution earth images. Camp 25, also known as Kwan-li-so No 25, is in Susong-dong, Chongjin-si in North Hamgyong Province on the northeast coast of North Korea. About 5,000 political prisoners are believed to be incarcerated there. Its biggest growth period was between 2009 and 2010, when its size increased by 72 per cent, from 565,424 square meters to 972,270 square meters, surrounded by more than 40 guard posts. Analyst Joseph Bermudez Jr said the committee's report confirms that "primary economic activities likely carried out with prison labor are centered on agriculture and light industry." Greg Scarlatoiu, director, said: "It continues to be difficult to quantify the precise economic importance of the slave labor provided by North Korea's political prison camps. That said, our satellite imagery analysis of Camp No 25 and other such unlawful detention facilities appears to confirm the sustained, if not increased importance of the use of forced labor under Kim Jong-un. "Due to an intensified crackdown on attempted defections, the imprisonment of forcibly repatriated refugees, the purging of senior officials, together with associates and family members, and the possible transfer of prisoners from camps in the border areas that are now closed, Camp No 25 underwent a twofold expansion in 2009-2010. Recent satellite imagery analysis indicates that Camp No 25 continues to be fully operational at the expanded scale." Last month, Amnesty International released its own report also proving the massive growth of the camps, often a source of nothing more than brutal slave labour for the regime. Amnesty said: "These camps constitute the cornerstone of the country's large infrastructure dedicated to political repression and social control that enables widespread and systematic human rights abuses. Assessments of the satellite images of two political prison camps known as kwanliso collected in May and August show the addition of new guard posts, upgrading of a reported crematorium, and on-going agricultural activities." Amnesty said the images were "consistent with our prior findings of forced labour and detention in North Korea's kwanliso." Amnesty has also reported rape, infanticide, torture, deliberate starvation, forced labour and executions against the up to 120,000 men, women, and children held incommunicado in political prison camps throughout the country. Many of those detained in these camps have committed no crime, but are collectively punished through guilt by association as family members of those deemed threatening to the regime, the charity said. Amnesty has for years campaigned about human rights abuses in North Korea and released this film documenting one woman's attempt to escape to China. North Korea continues to be considered the worst place in the world in which to be a Christian. A damning report released by Christian Solidarity Worldwide (CSW) in September said Christians face rape, torture, enslavement and being killed for their faith. Freedom of religion or belief "is largely non-existent" under dictator Kim Jong Un's leadership, CSW said. "Religious beliefs are seen as a threat to the loyalty demanded by the Supreme Leader, so anyone holding these beliefs is severely persecuted," the report said, noting: "Christians suffer significantly because of the anti-revolutionary and imperialist labels attached to them by the country's leadership." Among the documented incidents against Christians are "being hung on a cross over a fire, crushed under a steamroller, herded off bridges and trampled underfoot". On Thursday, the Center for Human Rights in Iran commented upon Khameneis speech by emphasizing its similarity to a speech the supreme leader had given in response to the outbreak of nationwide protests against the disputed reelection of President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad in 2009. In addition to the vague threat of reprisal against domestic supporters of the boycott, Khamenei also conveyed familiar, unsubstantiated accusations that this and other protests were the result of attempted intervention by Western powers and Zionists. In a previous speech, Khamenei appealed to the notion of national autonomy in order to urge Iranians of all political persuasions to go to the polls and demonstrate the legitimacy of the countrys government. But the emerging boycott specifically disregards this claim of legitimacy, asserting that the incumbent Hassan Rouhani and his hardline challengers are essentially the same, since the clerical regime has the authority to bar genuinely reformist voices from the political process altogether. The regimes tight control over political dialogue was certainly on display in the recent commentary by Khamenei and others. Addressing the candidates who had passed their vetting by the unelected Guardian Council last month, Khamenei cautioned against addressing issues that might agitate ideological, geographical, linguistic and ethnic fault lines. He also characterized these types of political speech as traps set by enemies, and threats to the countrys security and tranquility. These claims have been reinforced by other hardline public figures. On Thursday, the National Council of Resistance of Iran cited one example that was specifically directed at President Rouhani, who is opposed by hardliners but also regarded as an inadequate alternative by serious reformists and dissident organizations like the NCRI. The report quoted former Member of Parliament Ahmad Tavakoli as saying that some of Rouhanis statements on the campaign trail threated to fuel public resentments and put the country on a track of sedition. Sedition is the term still applied by regime authorities to the 2009 uprising, which was violently suppressed following Khameneis public response, and which led to dozens of deaths and hundreds of instances of political imprisonment. Although Rouhanis successful campaign in 2013 included the promise to release at least some of those political prisoners, his administration has shown no movement on this issue or on any other reform-minded campaign promise with the exception of pursuing a nuclear agreement with world powers. Rouhanis record on civil rights and economic reform led to a significant loss of support in the early days of his presidency. More recently, it has lent credence to the calls for boycott which are being led by the NCRI and its main constituent group, the Peoples Mojahedin Organization of Iran. Vocativ reported upon some of the details of that campaign on Thursday, emphasizing how it has been supported through social media activity by Iranian expatriates in place like France, where the NCRI is headquartered in exile, and Albania, where thousands of PMOI members relocated after spending years as refugees in the former American military base of Camp Liberty, Iraq. The campaign has also made itself apparent in domestic activities, including the public display of posters celebrating NCRI President Maryam Rajavi and graffiti espousing such slogans as my vote is for regime change. But the international support from the Iranian diaspora is arguably a major part of the reason why the regime is struggling to suppress the emerging boycott. That struggle is evident from Khameneis responses to it, which acknowledge widespread non-participation as a real threat. In the Washington Posts coverage of Khameneis speech on Wednesday, the paper pointed out that other regime officials had claimed certain victories in their pushback against the boycott organizers. Claims of dissident arrests and the disruption of particular campaigns were vague, however, and this could suggest that they are little more than propaganda efforts to make the boycott look more precarious than it is. Whats more, the Associated Press issued a report, also on Wednesday, indicating that there has been a great deal of successful resistance to the regimes attempts at clamping down on political speech by private citizens. The article specifically highlights the importance of internationally accessible social media applications in perpetuating conversations that would otherwise be suppressed. These include discussions of the 1988 massacre of political prisoners which primarily targeted the PMOI and which had been subject to a conspiracy of silence until last year when the son of the late cleric Hossein Ali Montazeri revealed an audio recording of the former regime official harshly criticizing his colleagues for the massacre. Social media and the internet have permitted groups like the PMOI to reach residents of the Islamic Republic with formerly inaccessible information about this and other issues. Although sites like Twitter and Facebook are technically banned by the regimes highly active censorship authorities, young Iranians routinely circumvent these restrictions through the use of virtual private networks and other technical workarounds. Whats more, since its introduction to Iran in 2015, the Telegram messaging app has become a very familiar tool for political and social activists throughout the country. It is this service that is given particular credit in the AP report for making effective repression more difficult for regime authorities in the run-up to this election. Of course, this is not to say that Iranian citizens are not suffering for their political activities and pro-reform or anti-regime views. In an effort to strike a blow against Telegram, in March the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps arrested several administrators of the apps local user groups. Whats more, the Center for Human Rights in Iran points out that more than 20 reformist journalists as well as political and civil rights activists have been arrested in recent months and that campaign speeches by prominent supporters have meanwhile been forcibly canceled in several cities. Some of these efforts have simply reinforced Khameneis appeal to the candidates to avoid controversy in their campaigning. But the more repressive efforts have clearly been focused on reformist voices, some of which continue to support Rouhani despite the widely felt disappointment of his first term. Reuters explained on Thursday that the Revolutionary Guards have sought to put their weight behind Raisi, and that they are preparing to bus people to the polls and use familiar intimidation tactics to generate votes for their chosen candidate. This preference has not been associated with any expectation of seriously different policy initiatives from Raisi and Rouhani, although it is believed that Raisi might do more to defend IRGC business interests against the potential influence of foreign investors in the aftermath of the 2015 nuclear agreement. The more salient reason for IRGC support of Raisi, however, is the hardline paramilitarys apparent belief that his presidency could set him up to be selected by the Assembly of Experts as the next supreme leader. Reuters quoted Atlantic Council senior fellow Ali Alfoneh as saying, The IRGC believe that [Raisis election is] their chance to completely eliminate the technocrats and control the succession process after Khamenei. Nevertheless, Khamenei himself apparently remains focused on the short term goal of compelling as many Iranian citizens as possible to go to the polls. Conversely, the NCRI and other opponents of the clerical regime remain focused on exposing the illegitimacy of the political process and the lack of reformist voices. Most global media outlets still seem to believe that the incumbent Rouhani will win, but he lacks the committed support from an institution like the IRGC, and the implications of his possible victory may greatly depend upon the what portion of the population comes out to vote for either leading candidate. As the parallels between Rouhanis recent speech and his speech in 2009 indicate, his preoccupation with that factor seems to reflect regime concerns about the possibility of another Green Movement-style uprising. North Korea causes fury with ballistic missile test North Korea fired a ballistic missile on Sunday in defiance of calls to rein in its weapons program, days after a new leader in its old rival South Korea came to power pledging to engage it in dialogue. The missile flew 700 km (430 miles) and reached an altitude of more than 2,000 km (1,245 miles), according to officials in South Korea and Japan, further and higher than an intermediate-range missile North Korea successfully tested in February from the same region of Kusong, northwest of its capital, Pyongyang. North Korea is widely believed to be developing an intercontinental missile tipped with a nuclear weapon that is capable of reaching the United States. US President Donald Trump has vowed not to let that happen. The US Pacific Command said it was assessing the type of missile but it was 'not consistent with an intercontinental ballistic missile'. Japanese Defense Minister Tomomi Inada said the missile could be of a new type. An intercontinental ballistic missile is considered to have a range of more than 6,000 km (3,700 miles). Experts said the altitude the missile tested on Sunday reached meant it was launched at a high trajectory, which would limit the lateral distance it traveled. But if it was fired at a standard trajectory, it would have a range of at least 4,000 km (2,500 miles), experts said. Kim Dong-yub, of Kyungnam University's Institute of Far Eastern Studies in Seoul, said he estimated a standard trajectory would give it a range of 6,000 km. Japan said the missile flew for 30 minutes before dropping into the sea between North Korea's east coast and Japan. The North has consistently test-fired missiles in that direction. 'The launch may indeed represent a new missile with a long range,' said Jonathan McDowell of the Harvard Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics, referring to the estimated altitude of more than 2,000 km. 'It is definitely concerning.' In Washington, the White House said Trump 'cannot imagine Russia is pleased' with the test as the missile landed closer to Russia than to Japan. 'With the missile impacting so close to Russian soil in fact, closer to Russia than to Japan the President cannot imagine that Russia is pleased,' it said. The launch served as a call for all nations to implement stronger sanctions against North Korea, it added. Speaking in Beijing, Dmitry Peskov, Russian President Vladimir Putin's spokesman, told reporters Putin and Chinese President Xi Jinping had discussed the situation on the Korean peninsula, including the latest missile launch and expressed "mutual concerns" about growing tension. Putin is in Beijing for a conference on a plan for a new Silk Road. Delegations from the United States, South Korea and North Korea are also there. The launch, at 5:27 am Seoul time (2027 GMT Saturday), came two weeks after North Korea fired a missile that disintegrated minutes into flight, marking its fourth consecutive failure since March. South Korean President Moon Jae-in, who took office on Wednesday, held his first National Security Council in response to the launch, which he called a 'clear violation' of UN Security Council resolutions, his office said. 'The president said while South Korea remains open to the possibility of dialogue with North Korea, it is only possible when the North shows a change in attitude,' Yoon Young-chan, Moon's press secretary, told a briefing. Moon won Tuesday's election on a platform of a moderate approach to North Korea and has said he would be willing to go to Pyongyang under the right circumstances, arguing dialogue must be used in parallel with sanctions. China, the North's sole main ally which nevertheless objects to its weapons programs, called for restraint and for no one to exacerbate tension. 'China opposes relevant launch activities by North Korea that are contrary to Security Council resolutions,' China's foreign ministry said in a statement. The launch will also complicate Moon's efforts to mend ties with China that have been strained by a decision by South Korea's former government to deploy a US anti-missile defense system aimed at defending against North Korea, but which China sees as a threat to its security. Moon told Chinese President Xi last week that it would be difficult to resolve the issue unless North Korea stopped being provocative. Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe said North Korea's missile launches were a 'grave threat to our country and a clear violation of UN resolutions'. North Korea on February 12, launched the Pukguksong-2 missile, an upgraded, extended-range version of its submarine-launched ballistic missile, from the same site. South Korean and US military officials said the February launch was a significant development as it successfully tested a solid-fuel engine from a mobile launcher. The missile flew about 500 km with an altitude of 550 km. The North attempted but failed to test-launch ballistic missiles four times in the past two months but has conducted various tests since the beginning of last year at an unprecedented pace. It also conducted its fourth and fifth nuclear tests last year. Trump warned in an interview with Reuters in April that a 'major, major conflict' with the North was possible but he would prefer a diplomatic outcome. Trump has also said he would be 'honored' to meet North Korean leader Kim Jong Un under the right circumstances. On Saturday, a top North Korean diplomat said it was open to dialogue with the Trump administration under the right conditions. The Forgotten Christians Who Faced Brutal Persecution In 2016 Religious freedom has deteriorated rapidly across the globe, that was the conclusion of a US State Department report published in August. The 2015 International Religious Freedom Report released on August 10 said that a quarter of countries around the world, which account for about 75 per cent of the global population, curtail religious liberty through "government policies or the hostile acts of individuals, organizations, or societal groups". "Around the world, governments continued to tighten their regulatory grip on religious groups, and particularly on minority religious groups and religions which are viewed as not traditional to that specific country," the report said. "By any measure, religious freedom abroad is under sustained and serious assault, with governments responsible for many of these abuses," Thomas Reese, chair of the US Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) told Christian Today. "Governments' violations of religious freedom take many forms including: suppressing religious activity; detaining prisoners of conscience; and implementing anti-terrorism and anti-extremism laws (in, for example China and Russia), and blasphemy laws (in, for example, Pakistan and Egypt). Many of these governmental violations seek to control or marginalise those religious groups and their adherents who are deemed threats to the states' supremacy." "The actions of non-state actors also present a major challenge to freedom of religion or belief," Reese added. "For example, in countries including Iraq, Syria, Nigeria, and the Central African Republic, non-state actors are among the primary perpetrators of egregious abuses of religious freedom and other human rights. Governments in these countries either are unable or unwilling to protect the rights of potential victims of persecution." Here are some of the stories of persecution that have stood out over the past year. Iraq and Syria The battle to retake Mosul ISIS' last stronghold in Iraq is well under way, but Islamic State has over the past year continued to perpetuate serious abuses against religious minorities, including Christians, Yazidis and Shia Muslims. At least 30 mass Yazidi graves have been discovered in liberated areas to the north of Sinjar Mountain in Iraq and harrowing stories continue to emerge from groups persecuted by ISIS. The systematic persecution of Christians, Yazidis and Shia Muslims was this year labelled a genocide by the US administration, European Parliament, UK Parliament and Council of Europe. "Religious freedom conditions continue to deteriorate in Iraq, especially in areas under the control of ISIL [ISIS]," Reese said. "While ISIL targets anyone who does not espouse its extremist Islamist ideology, minority religious and ethnic communities, including the Christian, Yazidi, Shi'a, Turkmen, and Shabak communities, especially are vulnerable. In Kirkuk, ISIL has used churches as bases, stormed cemeteries, and desecrated several graveyards; it also destroyed Assyrian monasteries. In late January 2016, it was reported that ISIL had destroyed the oldest Christian monastery in Iraq, the St. Elijah's Monastery in Erbil, which has been a place of worship for more than 1,400 years." In Syria, civilians are suffering not only under ISIS, but also as the nearly six-year-old civil war rages on. "Syria's religious communities largely are deprived of religious freedom due to the actions of President Bashar al-Assad's regime, elements of the armed opposition, and terrorist Jabhat alNusra and ISIL," Reese said. "Since 2011, government forces targeted between 50 per cent and 63 per cent of Christian places of worship as well as members of the Christian community... Prominent Christian civil rights activists, humanitarian workers, and religious leaders have been among the detained and killed." Isaac Six, advocacy director at International Christian Concern (ICC), told Christian Today that the Christian community in Iraq has been "decimated over the past thirteen years." "Of the relatively small number who remain, hope is in very short supply," he added. "ICC has been working since August of 2014 with many of these communities to provide relief and assistance, and what we see now, even with ISIS slowly being pushed out of the country, is still a tremendous amount of fear that it's only a matter of time until they will have to leave the region all-together." In Syria, he continued, the church "has endured incredible suffering over the past five years. Incredibly, there are still some Christians who remain, and our prayer is that they would endure and one day rebuild the church out of the ashes of the civil war." Pakistan One of the most infamous cases of Christian persecution in Pakistan is that of Asia Bibi, a Christian mother of five who was sentenced to death in 2010 after being accused and convicted under the country's notorious blasphemy laws. In October, she was due to appear before Pakistan's Supreme Court in Islamabad for her final appeal after languishing for years on death row, but it was postponed on the day, leading campaigners to question whether the judge had bowed to Islamist pressure. Hardline Muslim groups in Pakistan want Bibi hanged for her alleged crime, and on the day of her appeal, the cleric of the Red Mosque in Lahore said he would issue a fatwa against the Prime Minister of the country if Asia Bibi was set free. Campaigners say Pakistan's blasphemy laws are frequently misused and used against minority groups, especially Christians. The laws prescribe life imprisonment for the desecration of the Qur'an and the death sentence for "defiling" the Prophet Mohammad, and accusations of incidents have often prompted mob violence. According to the Centre for Research and Security Studies in Pakistan, more than 62 people have been killed in such incidents since 1990. More than 40 people are currently on death row for blasphemy, the majority of whom are members of religious minorities. "The Pakistani government continues to perpetrate and tolerate systematic, ongoing, and egregious religious freedom violations," Reese said. "Religiously-discriminatory constitutional provisions and legislation, such as the country's blasphemy law and anti-Ahmadiyya laws, violate international standards of the freedom of religion or belief and result in prosecutions and imprisonments." Reese also condemned "chronic sectarian and religiously-motivated" violence experienced by Shi'a and Ahmadiyya Muslims, Christians, and Hindus, and blamed the government's failure to protect religious minorities. This has created "a deep-rooted climate of impunity," he said. North Korea A horrifying report released in September revealed that Christians in North Korea face rape, torture, enslavement, and being killed for their faith. CSW, a UK-based religious freedom charity, said in the report, Total Denial: Violations of Freedom of Religion or Belief in North Korea, that freedom of religion or belief "is largely non-existent" under dictator Kim Jong-Un's leadership. "Religious beliefs are seen as a threat to the loyalty demanded by the Supreme Leader, so anyone holding these beliefs is severely persecuted," the report said. "Christians suffer significantly because of the anti-revolutionary and imperialist labels attached to them by the country's leadership." Among the documented incidents against Christians are "being hung on a cross over a fire, crushed under a steamroller, herded off bridges and trampled underfoot". Other crimes include "extra-judicial killing, extermination, enslavement/forced labour, forcible transfer of population, arbitrary imprisonment, torture, persecution, enforced disappearance, rape and sexual violence, and other inhumane acts". Though the regime officially says there are just 13,000 Christians in North Korea, the true figure is believed to be much higher. Cornerstone Ministries International, which works with North Korean Christians in the country as well as in China, estimates that there are between 200-300,000 in total. Believers are forced to practise their faith in secret, and if caught, get sent to North Korea's notorious hard labour camps. One escapee told CSW that while he was detained, he met a prisoner who was sent to the camp simply because he had spent a month in China studying the Bible. Six told Christian Today it was "nearly impossible to imagine the horrors that are a daily reality for so many of faith in North Korea". "Religious freedom conditions in North Korea remain dire, especially for Christians," Reese added. "Christians believed to have propagated religion, carried out religious activities, been in contact with religious persons, or are in possession of religious items typically are jailed, forced into hard labour, or executed." China The Chinese government this year continued its campaign to crackdown on Christianity and up to 1,700 churches have been demolished or had their crosses removed over the past three years. However, new rules were drafted this year by the State Administration for Religious Affairs (SARA) that will further restrict religious freedom in the country. Due to be brought into effect in 2017, the new regulations will mean that no religious materials may be published without approval by SARA, no one may study theology without official permission, and no venues may be used for religious services unless a permit is granted. China already has in place a number of draconian laws on religion that systematically repress the liberty of its citizens, and campaigners fear that the proposed new laws could see the climate for Christians and other minorities significantly worsen. In November, it was reported that Christian children in Zhejiang at the centre of the church demolition campaign were being lured away from churches by a government scheme aimed at stopping them from taking part in Sunday services with other believers. In October, more than 20 Christians in Henan province were detained and beaten, and another couple detained for hanging a cross in their home. "It was generally believed that conditions were slowly improving in China over the past decade, but these incidents make it clear that the Communist Party is dedicated to crushing any perceived threat to its authority, regardless of the cost to freedom," Six said. Nigeria Open Doors has ranked Nigeria as one of the most dangerous places in the world to be a Christian. President of the charity's UK and Ireland division, Eddie Lyle, told Christian Today in September that the Church there "is facing its Gethsemane". "For the most part it stands alone and misunderstood. It has endured years of destruction, great human loss, and its people scattered. It's time for the Church around the world to hear not only their cries, but their screams for help, and for the support of the family of God around the world," Lyle said. Much of the violence perpetuated against Christians in Nigeria is by Boko Haram; an Islamist militant group whose name means 'Western education is sinful'. Since uprising in 2009, it has targeted more than 900 schools, deliberately killing at least 611 teachers and forcing another 1,900 to flee. In total, 20,000 people have been killed over the past seven years as a result of the insurgency. In August, Boko Haram's new leader Abu Musab al-Barnawi vowed to eradicate Christianity in Nigeria. Militants will blow up "every church that we are able to reach... killing all of those who we find from the citizens of the cross," he said. "In Nigeria, more Christians have been murdered because of their religious identity than in any other country we know of over the past year," Six said. "Boko Haram and Fulani militants are running rampant in the North and across the Middle Belt of the country. While the Nigerian military and government have taken some action against Boko Haram, the almost weekly slaughter of Christians by Fulani militants desperately needs to be addressed." Violence in Chicago is reaching epidemic proportions. In the first five months of 2016, someone was shot every two and a half hours and someone murdered every 14 hours, for a total of nearly 1,400 nonfatal shooting victims and 240 fatalities. Over Memorial Day weekend, 69 people were shot, nearly one per hour, dwarfing the previous years tally of 53 shootings over the same period. The violence is spilling over from the citys gang-infested South and West Sides into the downtown business district; Lake Shore Drive has seen drive-by shootings and robberies. The growing mayhem is the result of Chicago police officers withdrawal from proactive enforcement, making the city a dramatic example of what I have called the Ferguson effect. Since the shooting of Michael Brown in Ferguson, Missouri, in August 2014, the conceit that American policing is lethally racist has dominated the national airwaves and political discourse, from the White House on down. In response, cops in minority neighborhoods in Chicago and other cities around the country are backing off pedestrian stops and public-order policing; criminals are flourishing in the resulting vacuum. (An early and influential Ferguson-effect denier has now changed his mind: in a June 2016 study for the National Institute of Justice, Richard Rosenfeld of the University of MissouriSt. Louis concedes that the 2015 homicide increase in the nations large cities was real and nearly unprecedented. The only explanation that gets the timing right is a version of the Ferguson effect, he told the Guardian.) Chicago mayor Rahm Emanuel warned in October 2015 that officers were going fetal, as shootings in the city skyrocketed. But 2016 has brought an even sharper reduction in proactive enforcement. Devastating failures in Chicagos leadership after a horrific police shooting and an ill-considered pact between the American Civil Liberties Union and the police are driving that reduction. Residents of Chicagos high-crime areas are paying the price. Felicia Moore, a wiry middle-aged woman with tattoos on her face and the ravaged frame of a former drug addict, is standing inside a Polish sausage joint on Chicagos South Side at 10 PM. Asked about crime, she responds: Ive been in Chicago all my life. Its never been this bad. Mothers and grandchildren are scared to come out on their porch; if you see more than five or six niggas walking together, you gotta run. The violence claimed her only son last year, she says, just as he was being drafted by the Atlanta Hawks. Moore is engaging in some revisionist history: her son, Jeremiah Moore, was, in fact, killed with a shot to his headbut in 2013, a little over a year after he was released from prison for shooting a mother at a bus stop; the Atlanta Hawks dont enter into it. Felicia Moores assessment of the present crime situation in Chicago, however, is more reality-based. Through the end of May, shooting incidents in Chicago were up 53 percent over the same period in 2015, which had already seen a significant increase over 2014. Compared with the first five months of 2014, shooting incidents in 2016 were up 86 percent. Certain police districts saw larger spikes. The Harrison District on the West Side, encompassing West Humboldt Park, for example, had a 191 percent increase in homicides through the end of May. Shootings in May citywide averaged nearly 13 a day, a worrisome portent for summer. A man who calls himself City Streets is standing in a ragtag group of drinkers and hustlers outside a liquor and convenience store on the South Side. They pass around beer, cigarettes, and cash and ask strangers for money. A young woman shoves her boy along, oblivious to the late hour. Its terrible out here. Someone gets shot every day, City Streets tells me. It aint no place to hang, he adds, ignoring his own advice. Social breakdown lies behind Chicagos historically high levels of violence. Fatherlessness in the citys black community is at a cataclysmic levelclose to 80 percent of children are born to single mothers in high-crime areas. Illegitimacy is catching up fast among Hispanics, as well. Gangs have stepped in where fathers are absent. A 2012 gang audit documented 59 active street gangs with 625 factions, some controlling a single block. Schools in gang territories go on high alert at dismissal time to fend off violence. Endemic crime has prevented the commercial development and gentrification that are revitalizing so many parts of Chicago closer to downtown; block after block on the South Side features a wan liquor store or check-cashing outlet, surrounded by empty lots and the occasional skeleton of a once-magnificent beaux-arts apartment complex or bank. Nonfunctioning streetlights, their fuse boxes vandalized, signal the reign of a local gang faction. But disorder, bad before, seems to be worsening. The night after my conversations with Felicia Moore and City Streets, dozens of teens burst into the intersection of Cicero and Madison on the West Side, stopping traffic and ignoring the loud approach of a fire truck. They hold their cell phones high, the new sign of urban empowerment. Earlier that day, a fight involving at least 60 teens took over a nearby intersection, provoking a retaliatory shooting two days later at a local fried-chicken restaurant. On May 14, a 13-year-old girl stabbed a 15-year-old girl to death in a South Side housing complex; the murderers mother had given her the knife. In the summer of 2015, wolf packs of teens marauded down Michigan Avenues Magnificent Mile, robbing stores and pedestrians. The phenomenon started even earlier this year. A couple strolling on Lake Shore Drive downtown on Memorial Day weekend were chased by more than a half-dozen young men, at least one armed with a gun. The two tried to escape across the highway, the teens in hot pursuit. A pickup truck hit the couple, killing the female. A police officer flashed his emergency lights at the teens, and they fled. If it wasnt for the police being there at the time, I dont know where I might be now, the surviving man told the Chicago Sun-Times. Six feet under? Public-order infractions, otherwise known as Broken Windows offenses, abound. Stand just a few minutes on a South or West Side thoroughfare, and someone will stride by hawking bootleg CDs or videos and loose cigarettes. Oliver, a 34-year-old with a Bloods tattoo and alcohol on his breath, has just been frisked by the police in a West Side White Castle parking lot around 9:30 PM. The police are assholes, he says. I know my rights; Im selling CDs, so I know Im doing something wrong, but they werent visible in my bag. Oliver then sells two loosies to a passerby, laboriously counting out change from a five-dollar bill. Oliver, a 34-year-old with a Bloods tattoo, has just been frisked by cops in a West Side White Castle parking lot. Some law-abiding Chicagoans blame the rising violence on just such street disorder. After a woman and four men were shot at a bus stop on the South Side in May, a local resident complained about the illegal vending. This sort of congregation of people who meet at this space dealing drugs and selling loose cigarettes . . . is despicable, he told the Chicago Tribune. The drug trade is less overt but more ubiquitous than the trafficking in CDs and loosies. As I approach a Jamaican jerk restaurant on the West Side, the young men in front melt away. You saw what happened when you pulled up hereeveryone disappeared, a middle-aged man tells me. They sell drugs everywhere. The majority of victims in the current crime wave are already known to the police. Four-fifths of the Memorial Day shooting victims, for example, were on the Chicago Police Departments list of gang members deemed most prone to violence. But innocents, like the Lake Shore Drive robbery victims, are being attacked as well: a 59-year-old Pakistani cabdriver, fatally shot in the head in February by a 19-year-old passenger; a DePaul student brutally beaten in April on the subway while other passengers passively looked on; a 49-year-old female dispatcher with the citys 311 call center, killed in May while standing outside a Starbucks a few blocks from police headquarters; a worker driving home at night from her job at FedEx, shot four times in the head while waiting at an intersection and saved from death by the cell phone at her ear; a trucker shot in the face in May on the Dan Ryan Expressway; three eighth-graders robbed at gunpoint outside their school in May; a six-year-old girl playing outside her grandmothers house in June, shot in the back and lung; a man stabbed in the stomach by a felon, who said: I hate white people. Give me your money. The murder that shook the city to its core was the assassination of nine-year-old Tyshawn Lee. He was playing in a park on November 2, 2015, when a 22-year-old gangster, Dwight Boone-Doty, lured him into an alley with the promise of chips and candy. Boone-Doty fatally shot the boy, then fled with two accomplices, bleaching the getaway car and dumping it in Dalton, Illinois. Boone-Dotys original plan, according to a police source, was to kidnap Tyshawn and send his ears and fingers to his mother. Tyshawns father was a member of the gang believed responsible for shooting the brother and mother of one of Boone-Dotys accomplices a few weeks earlier. After the shooting, local schools went on lockdown, terrified that the children of gang members were now fair game for execution. Officers who try to intervene in this disorder face a virulent street situation, thanks to the current anti-cop ideology. People are a hundred times more likely to resist arrest, an officer who has worked a decade and a half on the South Side informs me. People want to fight you; they swear at you. Fuck the police, we dont have to listen, they say. I havent seen this kind of hatred toward the police in my career. Antipolice animus is nothing new in Chicago, of course. An Illinois state representative, Monique Davis, told a Detroit radio station in 2013 that people in her South Side community believed that the reason so few homicide cases were solved is that it was the police who were killing young black males. Davis later refused to repudiate her statement: We cant say that it is not happening. The no-snitch ethic of refusing to cooperate with the cops is the biggest impediment to solving crime, according to Chicago commanders. But the Black Lives Matter narrative about endemically racist cops has made the street dynamic much worse. A detective says: From patrol to investigation, its almost an undoable job now. If I get out of my car, the guys get hostile right away and several people are taping [with cell phones]. Bystanders and suspects try to tamper with crime scenes and aggressively interfere with investigations. Additional officers may be needed during an arrest to keep angry onlookers away. Its very dangerous out there now, a detective tells me. In March 2016, then-chief of patrol (now superintendent) Eddie Johnson decried what he called the string of violent attacks against the police after an off-duty officer was shot by a felon who had ordered him on the ground after robbing him. The previous week, three officers were shot during a drug investigation. This volatile policing environment now exists in urban areas across the country. But Chicago officers face two additional challenges: a new oversight regime for pedestrian stops; and the fallout from an officers killing of Laquan McDonald in October 2014. In March 2015, the ACLU of Illinois accused the Chicago Police Department of engaging in racially biased stops, locally called investigatory stops, because its stop rate did not match population ratios. Blacks were 72 percent of all stop subjects during a four-month period in 2014, reported the ACLU, whereas whites were 9 percent of all stop subjects. But blacks and whites each make up roughly 32 percent of the citys populace. Ergo, the police are racially profiling. This by-now drearily familiar and ludicrously inadequate benchmarking methodology ignores the incidence of crime. In 2014, blacks in Chicago made up 79 percent of all known nonfatal shooting suspects, 85 percent of all known robbery suspects, and 77 percent of all known murder suspects, according to police department data. Whites were 1 percent of known nonfatal shootings suspects in 2014, 2.5 percent of known robbery suspects, and 5 percent of known murder suspects, the latter number composed disproportionately of domestic homicides. Whites are nearly absent, in other words, among violent street criminalsprecisely whom proactive policing aims to deter. Whites are actually over-stopped compared with their involvement in street crime. Nearly 40 percent of young white males surveyed by Northwestern University criminologist Wes Skogan in 2015 reported getting stopped in the previous year, compared with nearly 70 percent of young black males. Statistically, age is the strongest correlate of being stopped, says Skogannot race. Despite the groundlessness of the ACLUs racial-bias charges, thenpolice superintendent Garry McCarthy and the citys corporation counsel signed an agreement in August 2015 allowing the ACLU to review all future stops made by the department. The agreement also created an independent monitor for police stops. Why McCarthy agreed to put the ACLU in charge is beyond us, says a homicide detective. McCarthys signing of the stop agreement was indeed ironic, since he had encouraged a dramatic increase in stops. They rose 50 percent in his first two years, ultimately reaching about 700,000 a year, more than the NYPD performed at the height of its own stop activity, even though the CPD is about a third the size of the NYPD. On January 1, 2016, the police department rolled out a new form for documenting investigatory stops, developed to meet ACLU demands. The new form, traditionally called a contact card, was two pages long and contained a whopping 70 fields of information to be filled out, including three narrative sections. (Those narrative sections were subsequently combined to try to quiet criticism.) The new contact card dwarfs even arrest reports and takes at least 30 minutes to complete. Every contact card is forwarded to the ACLU. Stops dropped nearly 90 percent in the first quarter of 2016. Detectives had long relied on the information contained in contact cards to solve crimes. When 15-year-old Hadiya Pendleton was killed in January 2013, days after performing with her high school band in President Barack Obamas second inaugural, investigators identified the occupants of the getaway car through descriptions of the vehicle in previous contact cards. Now, however, crime sleuths have almost nothing to go on. Earlier this year, a detective working armed robbery had a pattern of two male Hispanics with tattoos on their faces sticking up people in front of their homes. But virtually no contact cards had been written in the area for three months. So he made car stops in the neighborhood himself, coming across the stolen car used in the robberies and the parolees responsible for the crimes. This is not a maximally efficient division of labor. Criminals have become emboldened by the police disengagement. Gangbangers now realize that no one will stop them, says a former high-ranking police official. And people who wouldnt have carried a gun before are now armed, a South Side officer says. The solution, according to officers, is straightforward: If tomorrow, we still had to fill out the new forms, but they no longer went to the ACLU, stops would increase, a detective claims. But a more profound pall hangs over the department because of a shockingly unjustified police homicide and the missteps of top brass and the mayor in handling it. On the night of October 20, 2014, a report went out over the police radio that someone was breaking into cars in a trucking yard in the southwest neighborhood of Archer Heights; the vandal had threatened the 911 caller with a knife. Two officers found 17-year-old Laquan McDonald a block away; he punctured a tire on their squad car and struck its windshield with his three-inch blade. The cops trailed McDonald, who was high on PCP, for nearly half a mile while waiting for backup units with a Taser. Two additional patrol cars pulled up as McDonald strode along the middle of Pulaski Road, energetically swinging his right arm, knife in hand. One car parked behind him; its dashboard camera recorded the subsequent events. The other car stopped about 30 yards ahead. The officers in that forward vehicle jumped out, guns pointed at McDonald, commanding him to drop the knife. Less than ten seconds after exiting, Officer Jason Van Dyke began shooting. McDonald spun 360 degrees under the impact of the first bullets and dropped to the ground. Van Dyke continued shooting, emptying his cartridge into McDonalds crumpled and gently writhing body. The new contact card takes at least 30 minutes to complete. Every contact card is forwarded to the ACLU. The shooting, pitiable to watch, represented a catastrophic failure of tactics and judgment. Some police use-of-force experts claim that a suspect armed with a knife can rush and slash an unprepared officer if the assailant is within 21 feet. Even if that so-called 21-foot rule applied here, Van Dyke and his partner had no need to exit the car and put themselves within possible reach of McDonald. If they were in any imminent risk of lethal harm, they created that risk themselves. But even then, McDonald did not appear poised to attack, despite his failure to drop the knife. He was on a slight rightward trajectory away from Van Dyke, who was on his left, before the shooting began. What followed the homicide was almost as shocking. Five officers at the scene all told variants of the same tale in their written reports: that McDonald had been advancing toward Van Dyke, aggressively raising his knife as if to attack. Once on the ground, McDonald tried to get up, they said, continuing to point his knife at Van Dyke. None of those claims is borne out by the video. McDonald displayed no aggressive behavior toward Van Dyke. It is true that for two strides immediately before the first bullets hit him, McDonalds trajectory had minimally shifted to the left so as to be perpendicular to Van Dyke rather than veering diagonally away. But that modest and likely unconscious alteration of trajectory does not rise to the level of lethal threat. And having made the mistake of opening fire in the first place, Van Dyke should at least have stopped shooting once McDonald fell. Had McDonald had a gun, capable of striking from a distance, rather than a knife, the analysis might have been different. A police-union spokesman at the scene of the killing told reporters that McDonald had been threatening Van Dyke. The police department press release a few hours later essentially echoed that account, stating that McDonald continued to approach the officers after being warned. Superintendent McCarthy viewed the video the next day, without retracting the departments press release, explaining later that he was too busy trying to learn what had happened. From then on out, officials made no effort to countermand the McDonald attack narrative. (A rumor that cops destroyed a video of the incident taken at a nearby Burger King, however, proved not to be true.) McCarthy immediately stripped Van Dyke of his police powers and forwarded the case to the civilian board that reviews police shootings, the Independent Police Review Authority (IPRA). The case also went to the Cook County state attorneys office, the U.S. attorneys office, and the FBI. In April, the mayors corporation counsel, Stephen Patton, attained city council approval for a $5 million settlement with the McDonald family, conditioned on the continued non-release of the video. Later that month, the detectives bureau cleared and closed the case, astoundingly concluding that the recovered in-car camera video was . . . consistent with the accounts of the witnesses and that Van Dykes use of deadly force was within bounds of CPD guidelines. By then, the Chicago press was clamoring for the videos release, but it was not until November 24, 2015, that the video came out, under a judges order. The reaction was understandably explosive; weeks of angry protests denouncing alleged police racism and brutality followed. The Cook County state attorney announced first-degree murder charges against Officer Van Dyke on the day that the McDonald video was released. Mayor Emanuel fired McCarthy a week later and appointed the Police Accountability Task Force, dominated by critics of the police. That task force issued a report in April 2016, claiming that the Chicago Police Department is shot through with racism. Emanuel is now genuflecting to the citys activists. He has adopted many of the reports most sweeping recommendations, including the appointment of a costly and unnecessary inspector general for the department (that will come on top of the independent monitor for investigatory stops), the replacement of the IPRA with a new entity, the Civilian Police Investigative Agency, and the creation of the Community Safety Oversight Board. All these additional layers of oversight will only complicate chains of command and further discourage proactive policing. McCarthy defends his decision not to release the video or to correct the record early on the ground that he didnt want to compromise the integrity of the investigation. He did not have the legal authority to comment once the case went to federal agencies, he says. Those protocols may be appropriate in the case of an ordinary police shooting, but this was no ordinary police shooting. Allowing a fabrication about a very bad shooting to stand, especially during the current era of fevered antipolice sentiment, is guaranteed to amplify the demagoguery against the police. McCarthy, an able and accomplished police executive, should have at least called in the investigating bodies in emergency session and worked out with them a way to counter the false narrative without jeopardizing their work. The Emanuel administration also bears enormous responsibility for the crisis in legitimacy that now afflicts the department. Emanuel has praised himself for being the first Chicago mayor to acknowledge an alleged police code of silence, but he knew about the shooting, and his aides had seen the video early on. City hall was already in damage-control mode by February 2015, as Emanuel faced a tight runoff election. It is irresponsible for Emanuel to scapegoat McCarthy when his own administration also failed to set the record straight. The damage to the Chicago police and to policing nationally from the mishandling of the McDonald homicide is incalculable. The episode can now be invoked to confirm every false generalization about the police peddled by the Black Lives Matter movement. Yet the shooting was a tragic aberration, not the norm. A New York Times Magazine article in April 2016 tried to establish the departments racially driven malfeasance by citing the absolute number of fatal police shootings in Chicago: from 2010 to 2014, Chicago police killed 70 people, more than any other police agency. The Times article neglected to reveal that Phoenix, Philadelphia, and Dallas all lead Chicago in the per-capita rate of such fatal shootings. Chicagos rate of police shootings is nearly 50 percent lower than Phoenixseven though its murder rate is twice as highand 35 percent lower than Philadelphias. The number of armed felons that the citys cops confront dwarfs the number of officer-involved shootings. No other police department takes more guns off the street. In the first nine months of 2015, the CPD recovered 20 illegal weapons a day. From January 2007 to November 30, 2015, the police made 37,408 arrests of an armed felon, or roughly 4,670 a year. Each of those arrests could have turned into an officer shooting. But in 2015, even as crime was increasing under the Ferguson effect, the Chicago police shot 30 people, eight fatally. Those fatal shootings represent 1.6 percent of the 492 homicides that year. Nationally, police shootings make up 12 percent of all white and Hispanic homicide deaths and 4 percent of all black homicide deaths. Chicagos ratio of fatal police shootings to criminal homicide deaths is less than the national average. The Emanuel-appointed Police Accountability Task Force claimed that police shooting data give validity to the widely held belief that the police have no regard for the sanctity of life when it comes to people of color. The task force pointed to the fact that of the 404 individuals shot by the police between 2008 and 2015, both fatally and nonfatally, 74 percent (or 299) were black, and 8 percent (or 33) were white. Predictably, the task force said not one word about black and white crime rates, which were even more disproportionate in 2015 than in 2014. In 2015, blacks were 80 percent of all known murder suspects and 80 percent of all known nonfatal shooting suspects. Whites made up 0.9 percent of known murder suspects in 2015 and 1.4 percent of all known nonfatal shooting suspects. And blacks were overwhelmingly the victims of criminal shootings as well. In 2015, 2,460 blacks were shot lethally and nonlethally, or nearly seven blacks a day. By contrast, roughly 30 blacks were shot lethally and nonlethally by the police in all of 2015. Those 2,460 black victims of criminal shootings constituted nearly 81 percent of all known shooting victims. Seventy-eight whites were shot in 2015, or one white every 4.6 days, constituting 2.5 percent of all known shooting victims. If 74 percent of police shootings have black subjects, that is because officer use of force is going to occur most frequently where the police are trying to protect the law-abiding from armed and dangerous suspectsand that is in predominantly minority neighborhoods. Emanuel is disbanding the IPRA because it found that of the 404 police shootings between 2008 and 2015, only two were unjustified. The mandate of its replacement body will be clear: penalize more cops. But absent an examination of each of those cases, no conclusion can be reached about whether the low number of findings of misconduct represents a miscarriage of justice. The IPRA has been understaffed over the years, but its fundamental design is strong. The fact that it has not found many bad shootings most likely means that they are rare. The IPRA released more than 100 files of police misconduct cases in early June, as part of a new policy of increased transparency. Prediction: the press will find few cases of clear wrongdoing. The CPDs critics are right about one thing, however: the cumbersome disciplinary process makes it too hard to fire officers found guilty of wrongdoing. And Chicago has had some truly bad cops over the yearsmost infamously, Jon Burge, a detective who tortured suspects from 1972 to 1991 to obtain false confessions. But the vast majority of officers today observe the law and are dedicated to serving the community; what they need is more tactical training, adequate staffing and equipment, and better leadership from an ingrown, highly political management cadre. As for the alleged blue wall, or code, of silence, it is hard in any department to crack the defensive solidarity among officers, who feel that they are facing an uncomprehending and often hostile world. Even now, a few of the officers I spoke with will not pass judgment on the McDonald homicide, on the ground that they were not there. Such solidarity is understandable, but commanders need to stress that when it results in distorting the truth, not only will the officer be severely punished; he is also making todays anti-cop environment all the worse. Despite the activists charge that the Chicago police are intent on killing black males, its easy to find support for the cops in crime-ridden areas. Mr. Fisher, a 55-year-old sanitation worker at a West Side bakery, is waiting for his wife outside Wileys Soul Food and Bar-B-Que on the West Side. Fisher was pulled over earlier in 2016 for a missing light on his license plate. The officer was courteous, he says. I aint trying to buck them, I aint trying to disrespect them, I aint trying to give them a hard time, because I love my job. Its not them, its the younger generation thats got us messed up. Civilians provoke confrontations with cops, not vice versa, Fisher says: I seen a lot of people disrespect them, cussin and fussin. If a cop was to get out of his car here, someone would run. To me, if youre not doing anything, why would you run? (Such commonsensical hypotheses have been ruled illegal by many courtsif a cop makes them.) Melissa, a 24-year-old outside D & Js Hair Club on Pulaski Road, says that she has no problem with the police. They doing they job. I dont give them no reason to talk to me. The problem is crime, she says: I feel unsafe here. It just gets worse and worse. Sometimes support for the cops comes from unexpected places. In May 2016, a 38-year-old drug trafficker named Toby Jones received a 40-year federal prison sentence for repeatedly trying to gun down a federal informant, in the process shooting three people. He told the judge: Even with all the latest police shootings on minorities in Chicago, I dont blame these cops one bit for most of their decisions in the field. And the black community has to first come to grips with why these cops are so afraid, the Chicago Sun-Times reported. Stories of heroic cops go untold, Jones said, but as soon as a black kid gets shot, everyone is in an uproar. Activists and politicians are proposing the usual root causes solution to the current crime wavemore government programsas well as less usual ones, such as abolishing the police department. The mayors Police Accountability Task Force wants the mayor and Cook County to implement programs that address socioeconomic justice and equality, housing segregation, systemic racism, poverty, education, health and safety. Such top-down spending ignores the normative breakdown that renders government social services largely futile. The bakery where Fisher works has been hiring for the last five years; he tells the young brothers about the jobs. Half of them dont show up; the others have drugs in their system. Half want to hang out and make the fast money that can get you in jail, Fisher observes. But the Chicago violence is also undermining the politically correct consensus about crime and policing. The Chicago Tribune has called for the police to make more traffic stops to quell the highway shootings; it points out that the Illinois vehicle code offers plenty of reasons to stop drivers, whether for a broken taillight or an expired registration sticker. Traffic stops are, of course, a prime target in the specious campaign against racial profiling; the mayors Police Accountability Task Force blasted the CPD for its allegedly biased stop rates, ignoring differential rates of vehicle and moving violations. Police superintendent Eddie Johnson wants three-strikes-and-youre-out-type sentencing laws for repeat felons. Chicagos criminal-justice system fails to hold these individuals accountable and allows them to bring . . . violent acts into our neighborhoods, he said in March 2016. Stricter sentencing for repeat offenders is also a prime target for Black Lives Matter protesters. A few days after Johnsons plea, anti-law-enforcement activists assailed former president Bill Clinton for having signed the 1994 Violent Crime Control and Law Enforcement Act, which lengthened federal sentences for repeat felony offenders. Such sentences, protesters charged, resulted in mass incarceration for blacks. And an Illinois bill mandating stricter sentencing for illegal gun possession was blocked by the black caucus in Springfield in 2013, on the ground that it would have a disparate impact on blacks. Some people in the community, however, are demanding even stronger measures than Johnson calls for. After a 15-year-old car passenger was killed in a drive-by shooting on June 1 on the South Side, a friend of his family told the Chicago Tribune, We need martial law. Period. If its to protect our children, then so be it. Such calls will undoubtedly multiply this summer, since the violence shows no signs of abating. It may not be time to call out the National Guard yet. But it is time to reinvigorate the Chicago Police Department. With the Police Accountability Task Force charge of endemic racism and the ACLU straitjacket depressing morale, and with resistance of lawful authority growing, that will be no small task. City leaders will need to show that they understand and will support officers like the cold-case homicide detective who told me, in reaction to the task-force report: Never once has anyone complained to me that Im racist. Im in it to do whats right. Top Photo: Police stops, like this one, have become increasingly rare. (RALF-FINN HESTOFT/CORBIS/GETTY IMAGES) Borders are in the news as never before. After millions of young, Muslim, and mostly male refugees flooded into the European Union last year from the war-torn Middle East, a popular revolt arose against the so-called Schengen Area agreements, which give free rights of movement within Europe. The concurrent suspension of most E.U. external controls on immigration and asylum rendered the open-borders pact suddenly unworkable. The European masses are not racists, but they now apparently wish to accept Middle Eastern immigrants only to the degree that these newcomers arrive legally and promise to become European in values and outlookprotocols that the E.U. essentially discarded decades ago as intolerant. Europeans are relearning that the continents external borders mark off very different approaches to culture and society from what prevails in North Africa or the Middle East. A similar crisis plays out in the United States, where President Barack Obama has renounced his former opposition to open borders and executive-order amnesties. Since 2012, the U.S. has basically ceased policing its southern border. The populist pushback against the opening of the border with Mexico gave rise to the presidential candidacy of Donald Trumppredicated on the candidates promise to build an impenetrable border wallmuch as the flood of migrants into Germany fueled opposition to Chancellor Angela Merkel. Driving the growing populist outrage in Europe and North America is the ongoing elite push for a borderless world. Among elites, borderlessness has taken its place among the politically correct positions of our ageand, as with other such ideas, it has shaped the language we use. The descriptive term illegal alien has given way to the nebulous unlawful immigrant. This, in turn, has given way to undocumented immigrant, immigrant, or the entirely neutral migranta noun that obscures whether the individual in question is entering or leaving. Such linguistic gymnastics are unfortunately necessary. Since an enforceable southern border no longer exists, there can be no immigration law to break in the first place. Todays open-borders agenda has its roots not only in economic factorsthe need for low-wage workers who will do the work that native-born Americans or Europeans supposedly will notbut also in several decades of intellectual ferment, in which Western academics have created a trendy field of borders discourse. What we might call post-borderism argues that boundaries even between distinct nations are mere artificial constructs, methods of marginalization designed by those in power, mostly to stigmatize and oppress the otherusually the poorer and less Westernwho arbitrarily ended up on the wrong side of the divide. Where borders are drawn, power is exercised, as one European scholar put it. This view assumes that where borders are not drawn, power is not exercisedas if a million Middle Eastern immigrants pouring into Germany do not wield considerable power by their sheer numbers and adroit manipulation of Western notions of victimization and grievance politics. Indeed, Western leftists seek political empowerment by encouraging the arrival of millions of impoverished migrants. Dreams of a borderless world are not new, however. The biographer and moralist Plutarch claimed in his essay On Exile that Socrates had once asserted that he was not just an Athenian but instead a citizen of the cosmos. In later European thought, Communist ideas of universal labor solidarity drew heavily on the idea of a world without borders. Workers of the world, unite! exhorted Marx and Engels. Wars broke out, in this thinking, only because of needless quarreling over obsolete state boundaries. The solution to this state of endless war, some argued, was to eliminate borders in favor of transnational governance. H. G. Wellss prewar science-fiction novel The Shape of Things to Come envisioned borders eventually disappearing as elite transnational polymaths enforced enlightened world governance. Such fictions prompt fads in the contemporary real world, though attempts to render borders unimportantas, in Wellss time, the League of Nations sought to dohave always failed. Undaunted, the Left continues to cherish the vision of a borderless world as morally superior, a triumph over artificially imposed difference. Yet the truth is that borders do not create differencethey reflect it. Elites continued attempts to erase borders are both futile and destructive. Bordersand the fights to keep or change themare as old as agricultural civilization. In ancient Greece, most wars broke out over border scrubland. The contested upland eschatia offered little profit for farming but possessed enormous symbolic value for a city-state to define where its own culture began and ended. The self-acclaimed citizen of the cosmos Socrates nonetheless fought his greatest battle as a parochial Athenian hoplite in the ranks of the phalanx at the Battle of Deliumwaged over the contested borderlands between Athens and Thebes. Fifth-century Athenians such as Socrates envisioned Attica as a distinct cultural, political, and linguistic entity, within which its tenets of radical democracy and maritime-based imperialism could function quite differently from the neighboring oligarchical agrarianism at Thebes. Attica in the fourth century BC built a system of border forts to protect its northern boundary. Throughout history, the trigger points of war have traditionally been such borderlandsthe methoria between Argos and Sparta, the Rhine and Danube as the frontiers of Rome, or the Alsace-Lorraine powder keg between France and Germany. These disputes did not always arise, at least at first, as efforts to invade and conquer a neighbor. They were instead mutual expressions of distinct societies that valued clear-cut bordersnot just as matters of economic necessity or military security but also as a means of ensuring that one society could go about its unique business without the interference and hectoring of its neighbors. Advocates for open borders often question the historical legitimacy of such territorial boundaries. For instance, some say that when Alta California declared its autonomy from Mexico in 1846, the new border stranded an indigenous Latino population in what would shortly become the 31st of the United States. We didnt cross the border, these revisionists say. The border crossed us. In fact, there were probably fewer than 10,000 Spanish-speakers residing in California at the time. Thus, almost no contemporary Californians of Latino descent can trace their state residency back to the mid-nineteenth century. They were not crossed by borders. And northsouth demarcation, for good or evil, didnt arbitrarily separate people. What we might call post-borderism argues that boundaries even between distinct nations are mere artificial constructs. The history of borders has been one of constant recalibration, whether dividing up land or unifying it. The Versailles Treaty of 1919 was idealistic not for eliminating borders but for drawing new ones. The old borders, established by imperial powers, supposedly caused World War I; the new ones would better reflect, it was hoped, ethnic and linguistic realities, and thus bring perpetual peace. But the world created at Versailles was blown apart by the Third Reich. German chancellor Adolf Hitler didnt object to the idea of borders per se; rather, he sought to remake them to encompass all German-speakersand later so-called Aryanswithin one political entity, under his absolute control. Many nineteenth- and early-twentieth-century German intellectuals and artistsamong them the philosopher Friedrich Nietzsche, historian Oswald Spengler, and composer Richard Wagneragreed that the Roman Empires borders marked the boundaries of civilization. Perversely, however, they celebrated their status as the unique other that had been kept out of a multiracial Western civilization. Instead, Germany mythologized itself as racially exceptional, precisely because, unlike other Western European nations, it was definable not only by geography or language but also by its supposed racial purity. The fairy-tale origins of the German Volk were traced back before the fifth century AD and predicated on the idea that Germanic tribes for centuries were kept on the northern and eastern sides of the Danube and Rhine Rivers. Thus, in National Socialist ideology, early German, white-skinned, Aryan noble savages paradoxically avoided a mongrelizing and enervating assimilation into the civilized Roman Empirean outcome dear to the heart of Nazi crackpot racial theorist Alfred Rosenberg (The Myth of the Twentieth Century) and the autodidact Adolf Hitler. World War II was fought to restore the old Eastern European borders that Hitler and Mussolini had erasedbut it ended with the creation of entirely new ones, reflecting the power and presence of Soviet continental Communism, enforced by the huge Russian Red Army. Few escape petty hypocrisy when preaching the universal gospel of borderlessness. Barack Obama has caricatured the building of a wall on the U.S. southern border as nonsensical, as if borders are discriminatory and walls never work. Obama, remember, declared in his 2008 speech in Berlin that he wasnt just an American but also a citizen of the world. Yet the Secret Service is currently adding five feet to the White House fencepresumably on the retrograde logic that what is inside the White House grounds is different from what is outside and that the higher the fence goes (higher and stronger, the Secret Service promises), the more of a deterrent it will be to would-be trespassers. If Obamas previous wall was six feet high, the proposed 11 feet should be even better. In 2011, open-borders advocate Antonio Villaraigosa became the first mayor in Los Angeles history to build a wall around the official mayoral residence. His un-walled neighbors objected, first, that there was no need for such a barricade and, second, that it violated a city ordinance prohibiting residential walls higher than four feet. But Villaraigosa apparently wished to emphasize the difference between his home and others (or between his home and the street itself), or was worried about security, or saw a new wall as iconic of his exalted office. Youre about to graduate into a complex and borderless world, Secretary of State John Kerry recently enthused to the graduating class at Northeastern University. He didnt sound envious, though, perhaps because Kerry himself doesnt live in such a world. If he did, he never would have moved his 76-foot luxury yacht from Boston Harbor across the state border to Rhode Island in order to avoid $500,000 in sales taxes and assorted state and local taxes. While elites can build walls or switch zip codes to insulate themselves, the consequences of their policies fall heavily on the nonelites who lack the money and influence to navigate around them. The contrast between the two groupsPeggy Noonan described them as the protected and the unprotectedwas dramatized in the presidential campaign of Jeb Bush. When the former Florida governor called illegal immigration from Mexico an act of love, his candidacy was doomed. It seemed that Bush had the capital and influence to pick and choose how the consequences of his ideas fell upon himself and his familyin a way impossible for most of those living in the southwestern United States. Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg offers another case study. The multibillionaire advocates for a fluid southern border and lax immigration enforcement, but he has also stealthily spent $30 million to buy up four homes surrounding his Palo Alto estate. They form a sort of no-mans-land defense outside his own Maginot Line fence, presumably designed against hoi polloi who might not share Zuckerbergs taste or sense of privacy. Zuckerbergs other estate in San Francisco is prompting neighbors complaints because his security team takes up all the best parking spaces. Walls and border security seem dear to the heart of the open-borders multibillionairewhen its his wall, his border security. This self-serving dynamic operates beyond the individual level as well. Sanctuary cities, for instance, proclaim amnesty for illegal aliens within their municipal boundaries. But proud as they are of their cities disdain for federal immigration law, residents of these liberal jurisdictions wouldnt approve of other cities nullifying other federal laws. What would San Franciscans say if Salt Lake City declared the Endangered Species Act null and void within its city limits, or if Carson City unilaterally suspended federal background checks and waiting periods for handgun purchases? Moreover, San Francisco and Los Angeles do believe in clearly delineated borders when it comes to their right to maintain a distinct culture, with distinct rules and customs. Their self-righteousness aside, sanctuary cities neither object to the idea of borders nor to their enforcementonly to the notion that protecting the southern U.S. border is predicated on the very same principles. More broadly, ironies and contradictions abound in the arguments and practices of open-borders advocates. In academia, even modern historians of the ancient world, sensing the mood and direction of larger elite culture, increasingly rewrite the fall of fifth-century AD Rome, not as a disaster of barbarians pouring across the traditional fortified northern borders of the Rhine and Danubethe final limites that for centuries kept out perceived barbarism from classical civilizationbut rather as late antiquity, an intriguing osmosis of melting borders and cross-fertilization, leading to a more diverse and dynamic intersection of cultures and ideas. Why, then, dont they cite Vandal treatises on medicine, Visigothic aqueducts, or Hunnish advances in dome construction that contributed to this rich new culture of the sixth or seventh century AD? Because these things never existed. Academics may now caricature borders, but key to their posturing is either an ignorance of, or an unwillingness to address, why tens of millions of people choose to cross borders in the first place, leaving their homelands, language fluency, or capitaland at great personal risk. The answer is obvious, and it has little to do with natural resources or climate: migration, as it was in Rome during the fifth century AD, or as it was in the 1960s between mainland China and Hong Kongand is now in the case of North and South Koreahas usually been a one-way street, from the non-West to the West or its Westernized manifestations. People walk, climb, swim, and fly across borders, secure in the knowledge that boundaries mark different approaches to human experience, with one side usually perceived as more successful or inviting than the other. Western rules that promote a greater likelihood of consensual government, personal freedom, religious tolerance, transparency, rationalism, an independent judiciary, free-market capitalism, and the protection of private property combine to offer the individual a level of prosperity, freedom, and personal security rarely enjoyed at home. As a result, most migrants make the necessary travel adjustments to go westwardespecially given that Western civilization, uniquely so, has usually defined itself by culture, not race, and thus alone is willing to accept and integrate those of different races who wish to share its protocols. Many unassimilated Muslims in the West often are confused about borders and assume that they can ignore Western jurisprudence and yet rely on it in extremis. Todays migrant from Morocco might resent the bare arms of women in France, or the Pakistani new arrival in London might wish to follow sharia law as he knew it in Punjab. But implicit are two unmentionable constants: the migrant most certainly does not wish to return to face sharia law in Morocco or Pakistan. Second, if he had his way, institutionalizing his native culture into that of his newly adopted land, he would eventually flee the resultsand once again likely go somewhere else, for the same reasons that he left home in the first place. London Muslims may say that they demand sharia law on matters of religion and sex, but such a posture assumes the unspoken condition that the English legal system remains supreme, and thus, as Muslim minorities, they will not be thrown out of Britain as religious infidelsas Christians are now expelled from the Middle East. Even the most adamant ethnic chauvinists who want to erase the southern border assume that some sort of border is central to their own racial essence. The National Council of La Raza (the race; Latin, radix) is the largest lobbying body for open borders with Mexico. Yet Mexico itself supports the idea of boundaries. Mexico City may harp about alleged racism in the United States directed at its immigrants, but nothing in U.S. immigration law compares with Mexicos 1974 revision of its General Law of Population and its emphasis on migrants not upsetting the racial makeup of Mexicoeuphemistically expressed as preserving the equilibrium of the national demographics. In sum, Mexican nationals implicitly argue that borders, which unfairly keep them out of the United States, are nonetheless essential to maintaining their own pure raza. Migration has usually been a one-way street, from the non-West to the West or its Westernized manifestations. Mexico, in general, furiously opposes enforcing the U.S.Mexican border and, in particular, the proposed Trump wall that would bar unauthorized entry into the U.S.not on any theory of borders discourse but rather because Mexico enjoys fiscal advantages in exporting its citizens northward, whether in ensuring nearly $30 billion in remittances, creating a powerful lobby of expatriates in the U.S., or finding a safety valve for internal dissent. Note that this view does not hold when it comes to accepting northward migrations of poorer Central Americans. In early 2016, Mexico ramped up its border enforcement with Guatemala, adding more security forces, and rumors even circulated of a plan to erect occasional fences to augment the natural barriers of jungle and rivers. Apparently, Mexican officials view poorer Central Americans as quite distinct from Mexicansand thus want to ensure that Mexico remains separate from a poorer Guatemala. When I wrote an article titled Do We Want Mexifornia? for City Journal s Spring 2002 issue, I neither invented the word Mexifornia nor intended it as a pejorative. Instead, I expropriated the celebratory term from Latino activists, both in the academy and in ethnic gangs in California prisons. In Chicano studies departments, the fusion of Mexico and California was envisioned as a desirable and exciting third-way culture. Mexifornia was said to be arising within 200 to 300 miles on either side of an ossified Rio Grande border. Less clearly articulated were Mexifornias premises: millions of Latinos and mestizos would create a new ethnic zone, which, for some mysterious reason, would also enjoy universities, sophisticated medical services, nondiscrimination laws, equality between the sexes, modern housing, policing, jobs, commerce, and a judiciaryall of which would make Mexifornia strikingly different from what is currently found in Mexico and Central America. When Latino youths disrupt a Donald Trump rally, they often wave Mexican flags or flash placards bearing slogans such as Make America Mexico Again. But note the emotional paradox: in anger at possible deportation, undocumented aliens nonsensically wave the flag of the country that they most certainly do not wish to return to, while ignoring the flag of the nation in which they adamantly wish to remain. Apparently, demonstrators wish to brand themselves with an ethnic cachet but without sacrificing the advantages that being an American resident has over being a Mexican citizen inside Mexico. If no borders existed between California and Mexico, then migrants in a few decades might head to Oregon, even as they demonstrated in Portland to Make Oregon into California. Removing borders in theory, then, never seems to match expectations in fact, except in those rare occasions when nearly like societies exist side by side. No one objects to a generally open Canadian border because passage across it, numbers-wise, is roughly identical in either directionand Canadians and Americans share a language and similar traditions and standard of living, along with a roughly identical approach to democracy, jurisprudence, law enforcement, popular culture, and economic practice. By contrast, weakening demarcated borders between diverse peoples has never appealed to the citizens of distinct nations. Take even the most vociferous opponents of a distinguishable and enforceable border, and one will observe a disconnect between what they say and dogiven the universal human need to circumscribe, demarcate, and protect ones perceived private space. Again, the dissipation of national borders is possible only between quite similar countries, such as Canada and the U.S. or France and Belgium, or on those few occasions when a supranational state or empire can incorporate different peoples by integrating, assimilating, and intermarrying tribes of diverse religions, languages, and ethnicities into a common cultureand then, of course, protect them with distinct and defensible external borders. But aside from Rome before the fourth century AD and America of the nineteenth and twentieth centuries, few societies have been able to achieve E pluribus unum. Napoleons transnational empire didnt last 20 years. Britain never tried to create a holistic overseas body politic in the way that, after centuries of strife, it had forged the English-speaking United Kingdom. The Austro-Hungarian, German, Ottoman, and Russian Empires all fell apart after World War I, in a manner mimicked by the Soviet Union and Yugoslavia in the 1980s and 1990s. Rwanda and Iraq dont reflect the meaninglessness of borders but the desire of distinct peoples to redraw colonial lines to create more logical borders to reflect current religious, ethnic, and linguistic realities. When Ronald Reagan thundered at the Brandenburg Gate, Mr. Gorbachev, tear down this wall! he assumed that by 1987, German-speakers on both sides of the Berlin Wall were more alike than not and in no need of a Soviet-imposed boundary inside Germany. Both sides preferred shared consensual government to Communist authoritarianism. Note that Reagan did not demand that Western nations dismantle their own borders with the Communist bloc. Something there is that doesnt love a wall, Robert Frost famously wrote, That wants it down. True, but the poet concedes in his Mending Wall that in the end, he accepts the logic of his crustier neighbor: He says again, Good fences make good neighbors. From my own experience in farming, two issueswater and boundariescause almost all feuds with neighbors. As I write, Im involved in a border dispute with a new neighbor. He insists that the last row of his almond orchard should be nearer to the property line than is mine. That way, he can use more of my land as common space to turn his equipment than I will use of his land. I wish that I could afford to erect a wall between us. The end of borders, and the accompanying uncontrolled immigration, will never become a natural conditionany more than sanctuary cities, unless forced by the federal government, will voluntarily allow out-of-state agencies to enter their city limits to deport illegal aliens, or Mexico will institutionalize free entry into its country from similarly Spanish-speaking Central American countries. Borders are to distinct countries what fences are to neighbors: means of demarcating that something on one side is different from what lies on the other side, a reflection of the singularity of one entity in comparison with another. Borders amplify the innate human desire to own and protect property and physical space, which is impossible to do unless it is seenand can be so understoodas distinct and separate. Clearly delineated borders and their enforcement, either by walls and fences or by security patrols, wont go away because they go to the heart of the human conditionwhat jurists from Rome to the Scottish Enlightenment called meum et tuum, mine and yours. Between friends, unfenced borders enhance friendship; among the unfriendly, when fortified, they help keep the peace. Top Photo: The ruins of a boundary fortress designed to separate Athens from Thebes; in ancient Greece, most wars broke out over territorial disputes. (HERVE CHAMPOLLION/AKG-IMAGES /THE IMAGE WORKS) It wasnt supposed to be this way. In the summer of 2008, Barack Obama was hailed as the healer who would redeem a barren time. (See Obama, Shaman, Summer 2008.) He isnt really one of us, journalist Mark Morford opined in the San Francisco Chronicle. Not in the normal way, anyway. Many spiritually advanced people I know (not coweringly religious, mind you, but deeply spiritual) identify Obama as a Lightworker, that rare kind of attuned being who has the ability to lead us not merely to new foreign policies or health care plans or whatnot, but who can actually help usher in a new way of being on the planet. Yet when, in January, the 44th president made his way through the Capitol to witness the inauguration of his successor, even those on his side could not disguise a sense of letdown. In The New Yorker, George Packer lamented Obamas difficulty in sustaining public support for his program and his party. Slates Jacob Weisberg conceded that Obamas inability to produce any durable consensus must count as a tremendous disappointment. Harvards Stephen Walt went so far as to say that Obamas presidency, for all its promise, was a tragedy. The rest of the country was no less ambivalent. Polls showed Obama to be personally popular as he left office; but at the same time, the Associated Press reported, more Americans felt that his eight years in power had divided the country than felt that they had brought people together. The result, as Obama departed the White House, was that just 27 percent see the U.S. as more united as a result of his presidency. What went wrong? The word we reach for, in attempting to explain an ascent like Obamas, is charisma. But it is a treacherous word, with several meanings. Max Weber, who first applied the term to secular leadership, thought William Ewart Gladstone its most notable modern exemplar. In his 1879 Midlothian campaign, Gladstone broke with convention to speak directly to the British people at mass meetings and open-air rallies. The spectacle alarmed Queen Victoria, who, after the victory of Gladstones Liberals in the 1880 general election, at first refused to accept the Grand Old Man as her prime minister. She would sooner abdicate, she wrote, than send for or have any communication with that half mad firebrand who wd soon ruin everything & be a Dictator. Gladstones charisma was an instrument of policy: he sought both to end British support for the Ottoman Empire (which Benjamin Disraeli was backing as a counterweight to Russia) and to advance his own liberal agenda. By contrast, Obamas 2008 campaign is remarkable for how little it had to do with policy. It was not the candidates new foreign policies or health care plans or whatnot that captivated the imagination of the country and, indeed, the world that year. Obamas campaign closely resembled the book that served as its blueprint. What at first seems the weakness of The Audacity of Hopeits vacuousnessis, in fact, its genius. In it, Obama conspicuously resists the temptation to put forward specific solutions to the nations problems. I offer no unifying theory of American government, he conceded in the prologue, nor do these pages provide a manifesto for action, complete with charts and graphs, timetables and ten-point plans. What Obama offered in lieu of a program was an imageone calculated to appeal to the mood of the moment, one that he could rely on his enthusiasts in the media to embellish. (I was, he admitted, the beneficiary of unusuallyand at times undeservedlypositive press coverage.) He was a child of Kenya and Kansas, of Hawaii and Indonesia, and the exoticism of his background seemed to mark him out as the incarnation of the multicultural romance of the age. The media swooned. In extravagant panegyrics, much was made of the coolness of his demeanor, his Harvard degree, his literary skill. I think hes more talented than anyone in my lifetime, the New York Timess David Brooks said. I mean, he is pretty dazzling when he walks into a room. That so prodigious a combination of virtues should be found in one manand a black man, too!enthralled the fourth estate. For as the novelist Darryl Pinckney observed in The New York Review of the Books, 2008 was not a color-blind election. People arent voting for Obama in spite of the fact that he is black, or because he is only half-black, they are voting for him because he is black, and this is a whole new feeling in the country and in presidential politics. The desire to be part of the whole new feeling perhaps accounts for the element of condescension evident in the press hysteria of the timethe cooing over complexionas well as the parading of righteousness. In romancing Obamas image, the journalist could exhibit his own purity on race questions and congratulate himself on his virtue. Like other purveyors of fables, the Obama romanticists pointed to the fabulous qualities of their heros ascent. The Washington Posts David Maraniss, musing in Haji Ramli Street in Jakarta, where Obama had passed part of his boyhood, could not help but be overwhelmed by how utterly improbable it was that such a child should have grown up to conquer the plain-vanilla heights of the Yankee political establishment. The twists and turns in Obamas story were made to seem as magically implausible as those in a tale from The Arabian Nights, and it was a bit disconcerting to find, in media accounts of the golden child of the souk making his way to his miraculous treasure, a reworking of Orientalist fantasies that the late Professor Said taught good liberals to deplore. Yet Obamas image owed quite as much to repackaged Western myths of the hero as it did to romanticized visions of the East. The motive of the Old Western hero, Lionel Trilling observed, is the legendary one of setting out to seek his fortune, which is what the folktale says when it means that the hero is seeking himself. Obamas first book, Dreams from My Father, is a quest book, the story of its young heros search for a way to reconcile his blackness with his whiteness. The tension between the two identities is resolved when Obama discovers his vocation as a pacifier, a healer of divisions. Religious or secular, black, white, or brown, he wrote in The Audacity of Hope, we need a new kind of politics, one that could replace the old divisive politics by building upon those shared understandings that pull us together as Americans. Obama was well aware of the appeal of the heroic and redemptive myths that he was tapping. As a student at Columbia, he told a friend that he had been impressed by T. S. Eliots poetry, in which he found a certain kind of conservatism which I respect more than bourgeois liberalism. He was drawn to what he called the fatalism of The Waste Land, born of the poets preoccupation with fertility and death. Eliots fatalism was that of Christianity; not only the title of The Waste Land, Eliot wrote, but the plan and a good deal of the incidental symbolism of the poem were suggested by Miss Jesse L. Westons book on the Grail legend: From Ritual to Romance. Eliot equated the Grail that the hero seeks with the fertilizing blood of Christ, which (in theory) could redeem a barren time. Obama found his own Grail not in Christian eschatology but in a redemptive secular politics: he would show his fellow Americans how we can ground our politics in the notion of a common good. Divisive public questions could be transcended through the grace latent in the personality of the hero. It was all very easy for a skeptic to mock, but the image of the redeemer prince, much embellished by Obamas media devotees, proved immensely appealing in a secular age bored with secularism, a scientific age that found no salvation in science. John Stuart Mill described how, in a moment of disenchantment with the spiritual dullness of liberal progress, he turned for consolation to the poetry of Wordsworth. In 2008, the poetry, the spiritual consolation that a good part of the American electorate sought as an antidote to its own discontents, was Barack Obama himselfor rather, the image that that gifted fabulist impressed upon them. It wasnt entirely new. In his 1960 Esquire article on John F. Kennedy, Superman Comes to the Supermarket, Norman Mailer argued that a charismatic leader could liberate Americas hidden potential, all that virtu and desire that had been forced underground both by an unsatisfactory politics and by mass civilization, in which so many electronic circuits made men as interchangeable as commodities. Kennedy, Mailer believed, was the existential hero whose royal image could be a salve for Americas malnourished electronic psyches. A rambling, self-indulgent piece of writing, Mailers essay was more a symptom of the hysteria that Kennedy aroused than a sober analysis of it. What he called his rich chocolate prose anticipated the inanities of the more outre expositions of Obamas own splendors in 2008. Was America brave enough, Mailer asked, to enlist the romantic dream of itself, would it vote for the image in the mirror of its unconscious, were the people indeed brave enough to hope for an acceleration of Time, for that new life of drama which would come from choosing a son to lead them who was heir apparent to the psychic loins? This was a roundabout way of saying that it was not Kennedys policies that were liberating but his image. It was not his prefabricated politics but his charismatic person that would rouse the country from its dogmatic slumbers. That Kennedy was young, that he was physically handsome, and that his wife was attractive were not, Mailer maintained, trifling accidental details but, rather, new major political facts. A Kennedy presidency, he believed, would touch depths in American life which were uncharted and promised to usher in a post-political age in which the nation would rise above the deadening verbiage of its issues, its politics, its jargon, and live again by an image of itself. I suppose that there is a little demon in every soul that would have it grovel before the hero and lick his boots. During most of human history, boot-licking has been the rule rather than the exception, as it continues to be in much of the world today. What is astonishing about Mailers apology for the politics of image is how oblivious he is of the morbidity of the thing. The sort of hero-worship that Thomas Carlyle embraced has often been described as a pathology of the Right, but Mailer shows that the Left, too, is hardly immune to its appeal. The most obvious problem with the politics of image is that its natural home is in authoritarian states, where its purpose is to divert the masses attention from whatever policies are being implemented by the hierarchs at the topthus the personality cults of Hitler, Stalin, Mao, Castro, and others. But in free constitutional states, where politics involves convincing people on the merits, image is largely irrelevant after the election has been won and attention turns to the brass tacks of lawmaking. Kennedy, for all the brilliance of his person, was unable to get his program enacted; Obama, though he saw his health-care legislation pass on a party-line vote, never succeeded in convincing the bulk of the country of its wisdom. The legislation cost him his House majority, and during much of the rest of his presidency, he sought to govern by executive order. It is true that his popular image insulated him, to some extent, from the animosity that, in a free state, government by ukase naturally excites, yet this can scarcely be thought a healthy development in the political life of a republic. What is most malignant about the politics of image is the way that it induces people to find consolation in remote figures glimpsed in a magazine or projected on a screen. Already, in the nineteenth century, Flaubert showed his Emma Bovary escaping the actual life around her through a fantastic identification with romantic personages and distant scenes. If only she could lean over the balcony of a Swiss chalet, or enclose her melancholy in a Scottish cottage, with a husband wearing a long black velvet cloak. As solipsistic technologies offer ever more possibilities of escapeever more reality shows that are fundamentally unreallife becomes, in the words of Santayana, the joy of living every life but ones own. Mailer rightly predicted that the politics of image would make for the ultimate reality show. With Kennedys election, he wrote, Americas politics would now be also Americas favorite movie, Americas first soap opera, Americas best-seller. Resembling Gregory Peck one moment, Marlon Brando the next, Kennedy, in Mailers evocation, was less a politician than a movie star, his coloring vivid, his manner rich, his gestures strong and quick, alive with that concentration of vitality a successful actor always seems to radiate. Put to one side how politically corrupting a personality cult of this kind is, how it tempts us to relax our vigilance, to give up the hard work of thinking through the issues on our own because the appealing figure on the screen has done it for us. Put aside, too, the danger inherent in making the chief executive into a quasi-divine figure, the object of adoration more than a little reminiscent of that bestowed on the Roman emperors. What is most troubling about the transformation of yet another realm of experience into an exercise in media-massaged groupthink is that it further diminishes the ever-shrinking zones of life that are lived outside the gravitational pull of mass society and lie beyond the reach of its screen romance. The deadening of this older way of lifethe diminishment of life writ smallbegan long before the advent of electronic communications. The Viennese thinker Camillo Sitte traced the progress of the bacillus in his 1889 book City Building According to Artistic Principles, in which he described the decay of traditional artistries that gave the old way of living its charm, a charm that can still be sensed in old European towns that have been spared the bulldozers of the barbarians. Here, in ages materially much poorer than our own, was a cultural artistry that was much richer, one that drew on local inspirations to create places where people wanted to be, as opposed to places where they go only for some limited utilitarian purpose, their hearts the whole while being elsewhere, like Emma Bovarys in her daydreams. From the Piazza San Marco in Venice to the modern shopping mall is a steep descent. The point is that the genius and passion that once went into the maintenance of local forms are now, to a great extent, channeled into the life of the universal civilization. Instead of being a valued actor on a small stage, one becomes a passive spectator of the drama of the mass stage. The cycle is vicious; as our sense of ourselves as individuals rooted in a particular place among particular people diminishes, we are the more tempted to identify with one or another of the collectivist hordes on offer: the electronic mobs that light up the circuits of Facebook. Death by monotony, by sameness, by loss of identity, Gerald Brenan wrote in his classic study, The Spanish Labyrinth, is the fate held out by the brave new world of universal control and amalgamation. Our overinvestment of passion in this universal culture not only leads to the drabness and homogenization that Brenan deplored; it also exacerbates the very divisions and animosities that Obama promised to transcend. For just as, in our character as mass-people, we lovingly build up our mass idols and endow them with superhuman, quasi-magical properties, so we as passionately abhor their voodoo-doll nemeses and exaggerate their vices. The apotheosis of Kennedy required the damnation of Nixon. The delirious chants of yes we can find their analogue in the no-less-frenzied lock her up. The hysterical hatreds of mass politics are inseparable from their equally unreasonable idolatries. It is precisely because the remote personages we adore or revile are essentially unreal, the projections of fantasy, that we respond to them in ways that we rarely respond to those whom we encounter in our ordinary flesh-and-blood lives. The new technology, with all its virtues, has aggravated the evil. Read the comments section of any controversial piece of writing published online, and you find a degree of vitriol and incivility rarely encountered outside the virtual mobocracies of cyberspace. Ten years after Obama announced his candidacy, his politics of image appears more a symptom of the problems he attempted to address than a solution to them. He promised to bridge our divisions, yet both the hysterical adoration and the fanatical revulsion he inspired had as much to do with a disconnectedness in our manner of living as they did with the ostensible issues of the moment. With the decay of older forms of belonging and of solace, it is perhaps only natural that we should seek synthetic substitutes. But the result is a morbidity that will not be healed with a fantasy and a trick of famethe artifice of image that is becoming the essence of modern politics. Such artifice can only make it worse. Last month, accounts belonging to the National Council of Resistance of Iran (NCRI), a France-based opposition group considered one of Irans most powerful opposition movements headed up an online movement where posts encouraging the boycott have reached over 300,000. What election?! Its a puppet show run by [religious leader Ayatollah] Khamenei to create the illusion of a democracy, was tweeted by a person purporting to be an exiled Iranian living in Europe.The two candidates are portrayed as two sides of the same coin. #Shamelections, #MyVoteRegimeChange, and other anti-election hashtags are beginning to trend on Twitter, as are slogans like, Boycott the faked election, and there is no difference between Rouhani and Raisi, in reference to the two leading candidates in Irans May 19th elections President Hassan Rouhani, and Ehbrahim Raisi. This is because Raisi is one of the four Sharia judges who oversaw the executions of tens of thousands of political prisoners in 1988, and many have attacked Rouhani saying he has been directly involved in all of Iran regimes crimes and has overseen the arrest, torture, and executions of hundreds of people over his four-year presidency. The majority of the tweets seem to have originated outside of Iran, from countries including France, Germany and Albania, where the NCRI has a significant presence. The NCRI enjoys the support of many major officials, including Chairman of the U.S. Senate Armed Forces Committee, Senator John McCain, who met with NCRI officials in Albania last month, praising them for their sacrifice for freedom in Iran, according to reports. NCRI users uploaded videos that allegedly show Iranians k holding signs against elections, or against Rouhani, or Raisi in public places in Tehran and Ara. It is said that these actions were coordinated by Mujahedeen e-Khalq (MEK), the military wing of the NCRI. Official have said that Iranians can vote in the elections at 279 polling stations in 103 different countries. There are currently between 5 and 6 million Iranians living abroad. Reuters expects Rouhani to be re-elected, due of his support among urban populations and women, who believe there will be a welcome relax on restrictions of social behavior. However, the Iranian opposition claims, the opposite, arguing that little has changed during Rouhanis presidency. In an article by Heshmat Alavi, political and human rights activist, he writes, The mullahs seem to have easily forgotten they initially launched the battle and how their modern day illegitimate support for the Houthis in Yemen are threatening Saudi Arabias southern borders. Tehran is also known for provoking Shiite terrorists inside the Kingdom and other Muslims nations across the region. In a possible reference to the Saudi warplanes in Yemen, Dehghan added, They think they can do something because they have an air force. Major-General Mohammad Baqeri warned Islamabad of his countrys forces, who are willing to attack inside Pakistan to target terrorists, in an attempt to place attention on Irans eastern neighbors. In effect, the head of Irans armed forces accused Islamabad of harboring terrorists. The Al Jazeera website cited Irans Fars news agency quoting Baqeri, We expect Pakistani officials to control the borders, arrest the terrorists and shut down their bases. Such comments led to Pakistan summoning Tehrans ambassador over these recent threats, Alavi writes, adding, Pakistan strongly condemned Tehrans statements, arguing bilateral relations between the two bordering countries would be harming, to say the least. Iranian authorities must abstain from making such negative comments, the Pakistani Foreign Ministry added. Presidential candidate Ebrahim Raisi, who seems to have the favor of Iranian Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei himself, made strong remarks against the Saudis. Raisi, head of the Astan Quds Razavi, a charity foundation said to be funneling revenue to Irans Revolutionary Guards, stated one day soon the filthy stain of arrogance will be wiped from the Noble Sanctuaries. Raisi was referring to the Saudis who administer many of Islams holiest sites on their soil. Raisi is also known to believe Tehrans borders extend across Syria, which we consider our frontier for defending the Islamic Republics security and identity. This is exactly why Raisi is described as a close confidant of Khamenei, according to Alavi. Raisi and four others are running against the incumbent President Hassan Rowhani in the 12th presidential election of this regime. Described by The Wall Street Journal, the election is a race between several Islamic hard-liners and one hard-liner whom the Western media prefer to cast as a moderate. All candidates must be vetted by the Guardian Council, an unelected 12-cleric body appointed directly and indirectly by Khamenei. The two leading candidates, Rowhani and Raisi, are both controversial. Under Rowhani, over 3,000 executions have been carried out during his past four-year tenure. Raisi has led a long career in the regimes judiciary and is known for his role a part of the Death Committee during the 1988 massacre of some 30,000 political prisoners. Alavi writes, As a result, the remarks made by senior Iranian officials lashing at left and right reveal the unending troubles the Iranian regime in its entirety is facing. And with the third and final debate scheduled for Friday, the votes for May 19th and a likely second round vote for May 26th, this entire month can be described as a minefield for Khamenei and the mullahs entire apparatus. Alavi believes that the regime is resorting to threats to maintain face among its dwindling social base the people relied upon to turn out at the polling stations and be displayed for foreign reporters, in order to claim high voter turnout for the presidential election. Mohammad Mohaddessin, Chairman of the Iranian opposition National Council of Resistance of Iran Foreign Affairs Commission, described Khameneis crises, The choices for Khamenei are between the worse, and the worse of the worse. This is the reality that Khamenei has to deal with. This is a totally new situation and new prospects and brings the regime closer to its downfall. Portugal has won the 62nd Eurovision Song Contest with the song Amar Pelos Dois (Love for the both of us) performed by Salvador Sobral. It's the first win for Portugal who have been competing since 1964. 26 countries took part in the Grand Final of the worlds longest running annual television music competition, hosted by EBU Member UA:PBC on Saturday 13 May in Kyiv, Ukraine. Luisa Sobral, Salvador's sister. wrote the winning song which finished the night with 758 points, 143 points ahead of 2nd placed Bulgaria represented by Kristian Kostov singing "Beautiful Mess". Luisa joined her brother for a reprise of the winning song on stage. Moldova with "Hey Mamma" finished in third place. On winning Salvador said: "This is a victory for music - music is not fireworks - music is feeling - let's bring music back." Following the performances of the 26 Grand Finalists, the results of the juries in the 42 participating nations who voted on Fridays dress rehearsal were given out leaving Portugal in the lead. This was followed by an exciting sequence where viewers televotes for each competing country were combined and added to the scoreboard resulting in a thrilling finale that saw Portugal score the most televotes as well to be declared the winner. An estimated audience of 200 million will have seen this year's Contest which was broadcast live in the 42 participating countries and in China, Kazakhstan and Kosovo. Viewers in the United States also saw the Grand Final live for the second year running on LogoTV. The 26 finalists performed live in front of an audience of nearly 10,000 inside the International Exhibition Centre in the Ukrainian capital. In total, 42 EBU Members competed in this years Eurovision Song Contest. 16 nations were knocked out in two Semi-Finals held on 9 and 11 May. Ukrainian Eurovision winners Jamala (2016) and Ruslana (2004) performed new material during the interval between performances and voting. The Director General of the EBU Ingrid Deltenre said, We congratulate Salvador and Portugal on their win. We are thrilled after such a long participation that Portugal has deservedly taken the trophy. Tonight we have seen 26 artists who, true to this year's theme, have celebrated their diversity as well as embodying the values of the Eurovision Song Contest to bridge cultural differences and unite viewers through music. EBU Media Director Jean Philip De Tender said about the event: This years Eurovision Song Contest has shown the power of public service media to create shared experiences that millions of viewers in over 40 countries can enjoy together. We are so proud of our team in Kyiv for delivering 3 incredible shows this week and look forward to begin planning next years competition in Portugal. Around 11,000 people were accredited at the event at on the day of the Grand Final. In total 212 tonnes of technical equipment and over 30 cameras were used inside the Arena to bring the show to the millions watching around the world. 8,000 man hours were spent preparing the event which used 18 Generators to power the venue. 212 microphones and 1816 lighting fixtures were also used on the production. Over 1,300 journalists from 80 countries were also in the host city Kyiv to cover the event. The 62nd Eurovision Song Contest was broadcast live in the 42 participating countries by EBU Members: ORF (Austria), PTV (Armenia), RTSH (Albania), ICTIMAI (Azerbaijan), BTRC (Belarus), VRT (Belgium), RTBF (Belgium), BNT (Bulgaria), HRT (Croatia), CyBC (Cyprus), CT (Czech Republic), DR (Denmark), ERR (Estonia), YLE (Finland), GPB (Georgia), ARD (Germany), ERT (Greece), MTV (Hungary), RUV (Iceland), RTE (Ireland), IBA (Israel), RAI (Italy), LTV (Latvia), LRT (Lithuania), RTCG (Montenegro), MRT (FYR Macedonia), PBS (Malta), TRM (Moldova), RTCG (Montenegro), AVROTROS (The Netherlands), NRK (Norway), TVP (Poland), RTP (Portugal), TVR (Romania), SMRTV (San Marino), RTS (Serbia), RTVSLO (Slovenia), RTVE (Spain), SVT (Sweden), SRG SSR (Switzerland), UA:PBC (Ukraine), BBC (United Kingdom) and Associate Member SBS (Australia). 19 EBU radio members broadcast the Grand Final live: BTRC (Belarus), BNR (Bulgaria), HRTR (Croatia), ERR (Estonia), BR, DKU, NDR, RB, WDR (Germany), RTE (Ireland), RAI (Italy), LRT (Lithuania), RTVS (Slovakia), Cadena COPE & SER (Spain), RTVS (Slovakia), SR (Sweden), UA:PBC (Ukraine), and the BBC (United Kingdom). The 2017 Eurovision Song Contest was a co-production between the European Broadcasting Union (EBU) and UA:PBC. The full list and profiles of participants for the 2017 Eurovision Song Contest, with high resolution photos, can be found on the official website, Eurovision.tv. Meat promoters are looking at an 'exceptionally busy month' of promoting premium British produce around the world in a major export push. In particular, future of Welsh lamb and beef exports post-Brexit was a major topic of discussion in Westminster in the final debates before the UK General Election. But while Parliament is now dissolved until after June 8, red meat agency Hybu Cig Cymru Meat Promotion Wales (HCC) is looking forward to an 'exceptionally busy month' of promoting premium PGI Welsh Lamb and PGI Welsh Beef to existing international customers and searching for new business across the globe. Around a third of the Welsh lamb flock is exported every year, bringing well over 100 million to the Welsh economy. Welsh Beef is also in demand, with annual exports worth in excess of 50 million. Currently, over 90% of the export trade is with the European Union. 'More vital than ever' British produce is on an oriental adventure to showcase the work UK farmers do (Photo: AHDB at Hofex in Hong Kong) This week, HCC is meeting a wide range of clients from across Europe and the Middle East at Tutto Food in Milan, one of the worlds largest food exhibitions, and British meat processors are attending the SIAL Toronto fair in Canada. British meat will also be showcased at the Hofex exhibition in Hong Kong, where the Agriculture and Horticulture Development Board (AHDB) is exhibiting a selection of top quality British beef, lamb and pork. Contestants at a major cookery competition at Hofex will also be challenged to create winning dishes using PGI Welsh Lamb. And later in the month, a delegation of overseas agents and marketers will visit Welsh farms to see for themselves the high standards of production and sustainability for which our meat is renowned. May is an exceptionally busy month for HCC, said Chief Executive Gwyn Howells. Due to the uncertainty over the future terms of trade after 2019, its more vital than ever that we both nurture relationships with our existing European customers and intensify our work to open up new markets. New opportunities Mr Howells said it was important to reassure established markets whilst looking for new opportunities in Asia and America. At Tutto Food, HCC and Welsh meat processors have a packed schedule of meetings with European retailers and foodservice companies who are proud to stock Welsh Lamb and Welsh Beef, to reassure them of our commitment to grow our brands in these established markets, he added But at the same time, its important to showcase our products and attract business in territories such as Hong Kong and Canada, which have potential for increased trade. Mr Howells emphasised that Mays events were also a chance to explore new opportunities which might arise over the next two years. Canada offers Wales a way to establish contacts for the important US market, where work to gain access for Welsh Lamb has been ongoing for many years and may finally come to fruition in the next twelve months. We have similar hopes for gaining market access to Saudi Arabia; its encouraging that Saudi retailers have decided to come to Milan to sample Welsh produce and discuss the potential for future trade with us. Increasing the value of exports has a direct positive effect on the prices for farmers and processors at home, added HCCs interim Chairman Kevin Roberts. Its vital that we keep our options open both maintaining our European markets and continuing to work in new territories. Welsh Lamb and Welsh Beef are iconic premium products which reinforce Waless reputation for quality across the globe. What will Berkshire Hathaway (BRK.A -1.39%) (BRK.B -1.35%) do with the Bank of America (BAC -1.59%) warrants it owns when they expire in 2021? Warren Buffett answered this question at the annual meeting last weekend, suggesting that if the warrants were to expire today, he'd definitely want to keep the stock. Almost immediately, members of the media read through the lines to suggest that Buffett is bullish on Bank of America, but that's not quite true. His supposed bullishness comes with a very big caveat. Mind the taxman Nothing Buffett says or does should be taken at face value, as there's always some nuance at play. For Buffett and Berkshire, the issue isn't whether Bank of America is a good deal at a recent closing price of about $24 per share. The issue is whether Bank of America is a good deal relative to the opportunity cost of paying taxes on the gain and investing in something else. Buffett is notorious for legally avoiding Uncle Sam's tax collectors, preferring a deferred gain to a realized gain. Exercising a warrant and taking ownership of common stock isn't a taxable event. Thus, he can defer taxes on the tremendous gains earned on Bank of America warrants by turning those warrants into B of A shares. Buffett ultimately has to decide which of these two scenarios is better: Holding Bank of America shares that are valued by the market at roughly $24 each; or Exercising the warrant, selling the stock, and having the equivalent of $18.07 in after-tax cash per Bank of America share (roughly 25% less value). To put it in simpler terms, I'll ask this question: Would you rather have $100 worth of Bank of America shares or $75.40 to invest in any other stock? This is essentially the same question that Buffett has to ponder, but at a much larger, multibillion-dollar scale. Any other investment worth about $75 would have to be markedly better than the bank to beat the returns generated by $100 of Bank of America stock. In effect, the B of A stock has a 33% head start. Why you shouldn't blindly follow Buffett This is just one of the many reasons why I think investors have to be very careful when they try to follow Warren Buffett's stock picks and commentary. Earlier this year, Charlie Munger explained that Buffett is investing very differently than he used to, telling an audience of Daily Journal shareholders that Berkshire bought ExxonMobil in 2013 as a cash substitute, believing that the oil giant's shares were better than a microscopic return on cash. With more than $90 billion of cash, it's not remotely surprising that Buffett sees roughly $16.8 billion of Bank of America stock being better than having $12.7 billion in after-tax cash. It's even less surprising that Buffett would choose not to talk down a stock four years before he gets the chance to sell it. The correct read is that Buffett implied he is bullish on Bank of America if the bank has a 33% head start on any other stock. That's not exactly a glowing endorsement, but it is an accurate report of the underlying question he answered last weekend. It's a well-known fact that most Americans aren't in great financial shape. An estimated 69% of U.S. adults have less than $1,000 in savings, while 34% have no savings at all. And the Economic Policy Institute reports that almost half of Americans have nothing to show in retirement savings either. However, while it's one thing to not have many assets to speak of, it's another thing to reach the point of having a negative net worth -- and that's the category 14% of American households fall into. Negative net worth represents a financial scenario where your total debts exceed your total assets. If, for example, you have $500 in short-term savings, $4,500 in a retirement account, and $6,000 in credit card debt, you'll have a net worth of negative $1,000. Now when we think about the reasons why a household might have negative net worth, we may be inclined to blame mortgage and credit card debt. Yet in a New York Federal Reserve study, which found that over 16 million households have a negative net worth, the single largest culprit was none other than ridiculous loads of student debt. Now that's a good reason to think before you borrow. Negative net worth: how we got here Americans have a number of options for accumulating assets. In its study, the Fed identified respondents' total assets, including short-term savings, retirement savings, investments, home values, vehicles, and other tangible items of notable value. It then calculated respondents' total outstanding debts, including mortgage debt, home equity lines of credit, auto loans, credit card balances, and student debt. When the total amount of debt for a given household exceeded its total assets, that household was classified as having negative net worth. What's really surprising, however, is the role student debt has played in propelling so many households into negative-net-worth status. In fact, the Fed found that among households with the greatest negative net worth, the majority of debt comes in the form of student loans. And the more student debt a household has, the greater its negative net worth is likely to be. In fact, among households whose net worth measures negative-$12,500 to negative-$46,300, student loans represent 40% of total debt, compared with less than 10% for households that don't have negative net worth. Of course, the student loan crisis is by no means news. Americans owe more than $1.4 trillion in student loans, and at present, a good 44 million adults are still paying off educational debt. To give that some context, total student loan debt in the country exceeds credit card debt by roughly $620 billion. And while many college hopefuls have no choice but to rack up debt in pursuit of an education, their borrowing is also increasing year over year. The average Class of 2016 graduate came away with $37,172 in student debt, which represents a 6% increase from the previous year. And unless students collectively get smarter and more judicious about borrowing, we're likely to see an even greater uptick in negative net worth households in the coming years. Other contributing factors It's not just student loans, however, that contribute to the problem of negative net worth. Only 20% of households with negative net worth own their own homes, which means they're spending money on rent rather than using it to build wealth. In fact, vehicles are the primary assets held by negative net worth households. That said, owning a home can also lead to negative net worth, especially given the number of Americans with negative equity. Of those surveyed, 36% of negative net worth households are underwater on their mortgages. And while the ongoing housing market recovery might allow some of these households to dig out of their hole, that still only helps those folks in a strong enough financial position to buy a home in the first place. Another factor that plays into negative net worth is health. Households with a negative net worth are more likely to include at least one member who experienced a recent major health issue or deterioration. Income, or lack thereof, also contributes to negative net worth. Households with a negative net worth tend to have considerably lower incomes than those with a positive net worth -- $39,077 versus $86,309, respectively. Breaking the cycle The good news in all of this is that for many households, negative net worth is a temporary condition. For example, recent college grads who emerge loaded with debt have an opportunity to pay off their loans early on in their careers, and once they do, they can quickly begin accumulating assets. The downside, however, is that even just a few years of having negative net worth can impact your ability to save for the future and borrow money at a favorable rate -- which is why it's a better idea to avoid taking on too much debt in the first place. Since student loan debt plays such a key role in pushing households over the edge, a good way to preserve your financial standing is to avoid borrowing too heavily for college in the first place. While limiting your debt might, in turn, limit your choices, opting for a public in-state school over a private one can shave $24,000 off your tuition costs each year. Commuting from home versus dorming, meanwhile, can save you $10,000 or more annually. Furthermore, the less student debt you graduate with, the better positioned you'll be to buy a home earlier on in life. And the less money you throw away on rent (an expense, not an asset), the greater your chances of avoiding negative net worth status at some point in time or another. At the end of the day, net worth is a simple calculation based on the assets you have versus your outstanding debts. Make sure the former category always exceeds the latter, and you'll be in pretty good shape for the long haul. 77 F150 clicks? Got a 77 f150 4x4 4 speed with a 351 in it. Spent most the day cruising around the hills started up an ran fine all day. Started making my way home. Stopped at the Chevron to buy a couple cans of chew went to start an it just clicked. Crossed the terminals on the solenoid an just clicked tapped the starter an nothing. Ended up pull starting with a buddys truck. Put a new solenoid but still clicks. The cable from the solenoid to the starter has seen better days though. Tried jumping it thinking it was the battery nothing. Any suggestions Yes, you can transfer your domain to any registrar or hosting company once you have purchased it. Since domain transfers are a manual process, it can take up to 5 days to transfer the domain. Domains purchased with payment plans are not eligible to transfer until all payments have been made. Please remember that our 30-day money back guarantee is void once a domain has been transferred. For transfer instructions to GoDaddy, please click here. Haiti - FLASH : Moise distributes tractors Friday, during his second visit to Maissade (Central Department) https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-20884-haiti-news-zapping.html in less than 8 days, President Jovenel Moise, accompanied by Deputy Romel Bauge (Commune of Maissade), of the Deputy and President of the Lower House Cholzer Chancy (Ennery), and Senator of the Center, Willot Joseph, proceeded to the handing of thirty tractors to farmers of the Central Plateau. At the end of this handover of agricultural equipment, the Head of State inspected the dredging work that began on the Rio Frio River where he had announced on May 6th the construction of a bridge . See also : https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-11106-haiti-agriculture-presentation-of-the-first-batch-of-agricultural-equipment-of-venezuela.html HL/ HaitiLibre Haiti - Politics : Installation of members of the Bureau of Social Grievances Thursday in the annex of the Ministry of the Interior and Territorial Communities (MICT) in Champs de Mars, President Jovenel Moise and Max Rudolph Saint-Albin the Minister of the Interior, have proceeded to the installation of the members of the Bureau of Social Grievances : Sabrina Demasthil, Berthony Jean-Paul and Lindsay Rashana Louis. The mission of this new Bureau is to allow to respond rapidly and effectively to the needs of different segments of the population, particularly organized groups, to contribute to a local response and, in general, to help the Government to reduce the precariousness of a large segment of the population. In his remarks for the occasion the Head of State said that the initiative aimed to put the country on track for the dignity and work, stating that the Bureau of Grievances should also advise the authorities on any abuses that disrupt the proper functioning of institutions in terms of services to the population and combat corruption. This office will have to support among others the efforts of structures, such as the National Center of Equipments (CNE), whose equipment must be put exclusively at the service of the population. Minister Saint-Albin welcomed this initiative, which will, according to him, promote the fulfillment of the campaign promises of President Moise, address the living conditions of the citizens, in dialogue and respect for the person and the law . In addition, the authorities took advantage of this opportunity to validate the installation of a "Committee on Social Activities and Sanitation" attached to the Metropolitan Service of Collecting Solid Residues (SMCRS) composed of : Galate Saint-Jacques, Lesly Charles and Marie Nerlande Desir. HL/ HaitiLibre Haiti - FLASH : The Ministry of Foreign Affairs close to bankruptcy Thursday in the Lower House, Chancellor Antonio Rodrigue, questioned on his roadmap by members of the Foreign Affairs Committee, drew up an inventory of his Ministry, describing the situation as very serious and alarming. With a budget of 2.9 billion Gourdes, already spent more than 90% after only a little more than 7 months, the Chancellery is now unable to pay its contractors and diplomats abroad. Some figures : Debts: 1.4 billion Gourdes https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-20863-haiti-flash-haiti-s-economy-at-the-edge-of-the-abyss.html ; Staff of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Haiti: 641 members (571 civil servants and 70 contractors) Number of diplomatic missions worldwide: 49; Total number of employees abroad: 1,003 members (188 diplomats, 300 employees and 515 contractors); Amount of total monthly allowances for the 49 diplomatic missions: US $ 4.3 million. Antonio Rodrigue deplored the lack of a competent executives in the Directorates of the Ministry and the excessive number of staff abroad, pointing the finger at the authorities of previous governments. He said that if nothing is done to downsize the staffing "It is the insured bankruptcy of diplomacy and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs", acknowledging that the Chancellery had no well definite foreign policy. Faced with this critical situation, he said that according to its roadmap https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-20519-haiti-politics-foreign-affairs-roadmap.html he intended to face the many challenges in reforming the Haitian diplomacy. He said that a Commission had been working on the reform since last April to: diagnose the situation and propose solutions, reform the structure within the framework of the law and develop tools and protocols in order to be better articulated front of our international partners. See also : https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-20863-haiti-flash-haiti-s-economy-at-the-edge-of-the-abyss.html https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-20519-haiti-politics-foreign-affairs-roadmap.html SL/ HaitiLibre Haiti - News : Zapping... Attack of the PNH motorcade Thursday at Delmas 31 around 7pm , unidentified armed individuals attacked one of the vehicles of the motorcade of Michel-Ange Gedeon, the Director General of the National Police of Haiti. In the exchange of shots, agent 1, Antoine Magath, of the 21st promotion was injured. The information was confirmed by Chief Inspector Garry Desrosiers, Deputy spokesperson of the PNH. Fuel prices, dialogue of the deaf On Friday, no agreement was reached between the Government and the transit union representatives. Worse, we are witnessing a genuine dialogue of the deaf and the confusion is such that we no longer even know how much the increases on both sides increase, as the proposals and counter-proposals are rejected, modified or revert to previous positions. The only thing certain is that the government wants an increase and does not intend to backtrack and that the unions are not willing to accept any increase. Investigation on the Government Jean Charles ? 3 deputies: Alfredo Junior Antoine, Kenscoff (KID), Jean Marcel Lumerant Grand-Goave (INITEI and Yvon Geste Miragoane (PHTK) wrote to the President of the Lower House asking him to obtain the statement of disbursements for the period from October 2016 to 19 March 2017, for the purposes of an inquiry into the management of the Enex Jean Charles Government. End of Mission on the international cooperation of CELAC Friday, at the Hotel Kinam, Stevenson Jacques Thimoleon, the Director General of the Ministry of Planning and External Cooperation, closed the first mission of the Special Commission of the Working Group on International Cooperation Latin American and Caribbean States (CELAC). Diaspora : Tourism and investments Thursday, Tessa Jacques, Director General of the Center of Facilitation of the Investments (CFI), accompanied by several executives held a working session with Emilie Jessy Menos, the Minister of Tourism, accompanied by members of her cabinet. It was question of exploring strategies for research and development of means to promote diaspora investment in the tourism sector. Economy : Haiti in Guyana A Haitian delegation from the Ministry of Trade and Industry is in Guyana to attend the 44th Ministerial Meeting of the Trade and Economic Development Council (COTED). HL/ HaitiLibre Come and view the talk by Sunsara TaylorThe Battle for Berkeley:Why It's Right and Righteous to Drive Fascists Off Campus, Out of Berkeley...and Out of Power!6pm Sunday May 14 at Revolution BooksOn May 4th, Sunsara Taylor began her speech at the University of California Campus by quoting Ann Coulter's insistence that Black children be publicly whipped, along with other shocking quotes. While many have heard Coulter's name, in recent weeks as two sides battled over whether Coulter would be allowed to speak at Berkeley's campus, few had read and taken seriously the content and impact of Coulter's words, so this set an important context for the speech and discussion that Sunsara Taylor led that night. About 150 people turned out to hear Taylor give a talk called, "The Battle for Berkeley: Why It Is Right, and Righteous, to Drive Fascists Off Campus, Out of Berkeley, and Out of Power!"In recent months, a series of "intellectual" hit-men-including Ann Coulter, David Horowitz, and Milo Yiannopoulos-have targeted the UC Berkeley campus and on two occasions ready-to-brawl fascist militia types have amassed in downtown Berkeley by the hundreds. Taylor insisted that this cannot be ignored, that it will not "go away" on its own, and is closely linked to the imposition of fascism across the country by the Trump/Pence Regime. Berkeley has become a flash point with high stakes in this larger battle precisely because of its radical history and because if the fascists succeed in making inroads in Berkeley, it will greatly strengthen their hand in consolidating fascism and suppressing opposition nationwide.At the core of Taylor's presentation and the contentious question and answer that followed was her insistence that the issue was not "free speech"-as most in the media and on campus are claiming-but the right and responsibility of the people to resist and drive fascists out of power in this country before it is too late. Read the article, A Wild Night at UC Berkeley.To contact Refuse Fascism: 510-253-5551 norcal [at] refusefascism.org Refusefascism.org For visitors to Singapore, a trip to the Long Bar at Raffles Hotel is a rite of passage, where you can perch on a padded stool and sip a cerise-colored Singapore Sling in the 130-year-old building named after the countrys founder. But theres a new kid in town. Atlas, housed in what locals affectionately call the Batman Building due to its similarities to Gotham Citys Wayne Tower, bills itself as having the worlds largest collection of gin. Its owner, Vicky Hwang, thinks that after a five-month renovation and two years of planning, the 7,400 square foot Art Deco space will be able to rival Raffles thanks to an extensive menu of 1,011 bottles and counting. The drinks menu at Atlas is currently a work in progress but already stretches to 60 pages, and thats without tasting notes. Inside, you can find Ki No Bi Kyoto Dry Gin, produced at Japans first dedicated gin distillery in the south of Kyoto using Japanese botanicals . If you prefer more of a dry style, go for the Forest Dry Gin Quersus, a classic Belgian gin aged in a former Montrachet white wine barrel. Jason Williams, Atlass master of gin, describes the collection as one of the worlds largest, most diverse and thoughtfully curated physical collections of quality gins. They include Pollination Gin, which is made at the Dyfi Distillery in mid-Wales using botanicals foraged from the Unesco-recognised Dygi Biosphere Reserve. Another, called Gin La Republica Andina, is a Bolivian gin distilled at 4,000m above sea level . One factor common to all the bottles in the collection is strength. Every one is at least 40% ABV, according to Williams. Gin is better when its stronger. You get those botanicals like perfume. The best of the collection is displayed in the three-story-tall gin tower with carved wooden columns and glass shelving that serves as the centrepiece of the room. In the venues previous incarnation, the tower was a wine refrigerator. When a customer selected a bottle from the upper reaches, a wine angel bartender would don a pair of wings before being whisked to the top with a pulley system, where she would pluck it from its shelf. At the time, it was incredible. Twelve years later, it was a bit gimmicky, said Hwang. Getting your hands on more than 1,000 of the worlds most distinctive gins isnt easy. After drawing up an extensive inventory of the worlds best bottles, the tough part was sourcing them. While many distillers were happy to submit a bottle for the collection, others were harder to come by, so Atlas came up with a novel solution employ a barren of gin mules (yes, the collective noun for mules is barren), friends and family around the globe, to bring them into the country. Whenever someone was coming to Singapore, if there was a bottle we needed, we would let them know, and they would buy the bottle and mule it back for us, Hwang said. We had all these gin mules all over the world. While sourcing the bars plush furnishings, Hwang flew to Spain so she could sit on a chair and and personally test whether its stuffing was comfortable enough for guests. She jokingly describes herself as a nightmare client for design firm Hassell, who worked with Hwang throughout the refurbishment. It got to the point where I would take a picture, Id be like, I want this seat, and the carpet needs to be more like this. The lobby makeover was a major overhaul, with just the walls and ceiling remaining intact. Hwang wont say how much it cost to renovate, or what the bars profit expectations are. She reveals only that the bar pays rent, like any other tenant. Diane Aw, head of retail services at Singapore real estate company Colliers International, estimates the space would rent for about 48,000 a month, taking into account location, its Art Deco grandeur, and the limited number of bar operators with the capacity to fit out such a space. If your idea of a good drink involves sipping on a glass of bubbly that spent 75 years on the seabed, you can do that at Atlas thanks to a selection of rare champagne bottles straight from the private collection of Hwangs Uncle George. Among them? Shipwreck champagne. The story goes that 4,400 bottles of 1907 Charles Heidsieck and Co champagne were being transported to Russias Tsar Nicholas II when the Swedish freighter Jonkoping was sunk by a German U-boat. In 1997, salvage crews recovered some 2,000 bottles from the seabed, where the contents had been preserved at a perfect pressure by the dark, ice-cold water. Its actually the same champagne that they drank on the Titanic, Hwang explains. Propped up on a shelf behind the bar is a portrait of Hwangs late grandfather, property magnate CS Hwang, founder of the Chyau Fwu Group. Today the family-run empire includes one of Hong Kongs largest housing estates and developments in China and Europe. Despite the modest size of the portrait, the late tycoons presence looms large in Parkview Square where Atlas is housed it was his last major building project before his death in 2004, aged 78. His legacy was very much in the forefront of Vicky Hwangs mind when it came to tearing up the original lobby bar. They took all the furniture out, and then they started breaking the marble, and I literally had a panic attack, Hwang recalls. I was like, Oh my god, thats my grandfathers marble. If I mess this up theyre all going to kill me. Reddit Email 403 Shares TeleSur | The official said the deal will be good for the U.S. economy. The United States is close to completing a series of arms deals forSaudi Arabia totaling more than $100 billion, a senior White House official said on Friday, a week ahead of President Donald Trumps planned visit to Riyadh. The official, who spoke to Reuters on condition of anonymity, said the arms package could end up surpassing more than $300 billion over a decade to help Saudi Arabia boost its defensive capabilities while still maintaining U.S. ally Israels qualitative military edge over its neighbors. We are in the final stages of a series of deals, the official said. The package is being developed to coincide with Trumps visit to Saudi Arabia. Trump leaves for the kingdom on May 19, the first stop on his maiden international trip. Reuters reported last week that Washington was pushing through contracts for tens of billions of dollars in arms sales to Saudi Arabia, some new, others already in the pipeline, ahead of Trumps visit. The United States has been the main supplier for most Saudi military needs, from F-15 fighter jets to command and control systems worth tens of billions of dollars in recent years. Trump has vowed to stimulate the U.S. economy by boosting manufacturing jobs. The package includes American arms and maintenance, ships, air missile defense and maritime security, the official said. Well see a very substantial commitment In many ways it is intended to build capabilities for the threats they face. The official added: Its good for the American economy but it will also be good in terms of building a capability that is appropriate for the challenges of the region. Israel would still maintain an edge. Via TeleSur Director-general of the North America bureau chief of North Korea's foreign ministry Choe Son-hui (left) arrives at the Beijing Capital International Airport, Friday, as she returns from Norway and transfers a flight to North Korea. / Yonhap A senior North Korean diplomat in charge of U.S. affairs said Saturday Pyongyang will hold talks with Washington "under the right conditions," raising the possibility bilateral contact amid U.S. President Donald Trump having expressed his willingness to meet with the North's leader. Choe Son-hui, director-general of the North America bureau chief of North Korea's foreign ministry, told reporters at the Beijing Capital International Airport that her country "will hold dialogue under right conditions" with the U.S. administration. Choe led a North Korean delegation that met with a group of American experts, headed by Suzanne DiMaggio -- director of the U.S. think tank New America -- in Oslo, Norway, earlier this week, according to South Korean diplomatic sources. DiMaggio is known as an Iran specialist well-versed in the Obama administration's nuclear talks with the Middle Eastern nation. Thomas Pickering, former U.S. envoy to the U.N., and Robert Einhorn, U.S. State Department's former special adviser for nonproliferation and arms control, were also among the American experts' group. The diplomat was in Beijing and was returning to Pyongyang. When asked what she discussed with Pickering, Choe answered, "I met with Pickering and I will discuss it when given the opportunity in the future." This week's meeting took place amid a let-up in military tensions on the Korean Peninsula. The North did not conduct a nuclear test or a long-range rocket launch in April despite a view that it may take such a provocative act to mark a series of key political events in the month. It was also held as South Koreans picked Moon Jae-in of the liberal Democratic Party as their new president. Expectations are running high over a change of mood in inter-Korean ties that have long been frosty. When asked whether Pyongyang is preparing to hold dialogue with Seoul's Moon administration, Che replied, "We will observe the situation." The U.S. government has stated that it will not attach any special meaning to the so-called "track two" dialogue in Oslo. "Track-two meetings are routinely held on a variety of topics around the world and occur independent of U.S. government involvement," a State Department official said. But North Korea watchers took note of the timing of the meeting this time, saying it may provide the two sides with a chance for a type of "exploratory" talks. U.S. President Donald Trump often talks tough about North Korea, emphasizing the need to put more pressure on the Kim Jong-un regime. He recently said, however, he would meet Kim "under the right circumstances." "If it would be appropriate for me to meet with him, I would absolutely, I would be honored to do it," Trump said in an interview with Bloomberg News earlier this month. (Yonhap) Moon's agenda to upend status quo President Moon Jae-in dropped a couple of hints about what policy he seeks regarding three key powers _ the United States, China and Japan _ as well as North Korea. To U.S. President Trump who called him to congratulate him on his election, the new President accepted an invitation for an early U.S. visit. Speaking to Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, he took issue with the popular discontent over the $8.8 million settlement for imperial Japan's sexual enslavement of Korean women during its 1910-45 occupation. Moon asked Chinese President Xi Jinping to go easy on Korean firms being targeted for harassment in retaliation to the deployment of a U.S. missile interceptor. Moon more or less consented with Xi's way of dealing with North Korea's nuclear and missile programs. Xi responded cordially. Now, it is widely speculated that Moon has inherited the legacy of two late former presidents _ Roh Moo-hyun, his mentor and friend, and Kim Dae-jung, the Nobel Peace Prize-winning pioneer for inter-Korean reconciliation. But Moon is finding himself in a better position and more eager to push for his diplomatic agenda with zeal and a sense of purpose that may surprise those who are accustomed to seeing Korea a follower rather than leader. Moon's moves will likely tip the delicate balance of power, now suspended in a temporary equilibrium between the U.S. and Japan together with South Korea on one side, and China, North Korea and, distantly, Russia on the other. Moon and his team favor an independent line, the heritage from Roh, to put more distance with its traditional ally, the U.S., while bringing China closer to make up for the void. Even before his election, Washington had expressed concerns about Moon's rise but they may turn out to underestimate the potential chasm, when the unpredictable Trump factor is thrown in. Would Moon stand berating and blackmail from Trump and accept the fate of a small nation caught in the nutcrackers of the big powers as before? That is less likely. Bad blood between Moon and Trump would give further rise to pro-Chinese members of Moon's camp, tempting him to use China as leverage. His sympathetic view toward the North is the strong currency that can smooth relations between Moon and Xi. Then, with Japan, the Moon government will have no choice but to continue, however backward-looking it may be, a history war, sending their relationship back to the days prior to the December 2015 pact on comfort women. It was a kind of shotgun marriage ministered by the U.S. who needed the two neighbors to patch up their relationship, a pivotal element to the stand the U.S. was taking against expansionist China. How would all these factors affect South Korea and the regional power balance? A drastic change may not be ruled out. By Chang Se-moon Let us be honest. When Trump ran for the presidency of the United States last year, one of his key campaign promises was to re-negotiate the U.S. trade deal with China because the annual trade deficit of the U.S. against China has been exceeding $300 billion, which is clearly unsustainable. Once Trump realized that North Korea posed an immediate threat, Trump made a deal with President Xi of China by suggesting that China rein in the nuclear program of North Korea in return for which Trump would not push for a new trade deal with China that would have lowered the U.S. trade deficit against China. By making this deal, Trump risked his political life because in America, violation of such a key campaign promise usually means the end of the politician's political life. There is no doubt that the deal Trump made with China is a courageous one. Trump made the deal to protect America, not necessarily South Korea. South Korea was not involved in making the deal even if the deal will determine the future of South Korea, and possibly the entire Korean peninsula. The deal by Trump, however, presents a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for South Korea by changing the future course of the confrontational relations between the two Koreas to a more stable relationship. This is true, especially if all political leaders in South Korea rise above personal differences and develop a uniform voice for its future security. In this grand scheme of things, not many people think, let alone worry about, political prisoners in North Korea. The Committee for Human Rights in North Korea (HRNK) is a rare exception. On April 24, HRNK sponsored a workshop at The George Washington University on North Korea's Gulag for political prisoners. The main feature of the program was the presentation by two defectors from North Korea: Mr. Hu Kang-il and Ms. Lim Hye-jin. Hu worked at the Cheongjin Dockyard as a party cell secretary of the North Korean government, and was sent to Russia in 1986 to work as North Korea's Forestry representative. He escaped from North Korea in 1993, and now is the director of the Committee for the Democratization of North Korea. Lim's defection process to South Korea appears more painful. She served in the North Korean military for 7 years as a communication operator. She defected to China by paying brokers to help her get to China, was sold twice to Chinese men, was arrested by Chinese Security and sent back to North Korea, and finally made it to South Korea in 2001. Lim is now working for the New Korea Women's Alliance to help women who defect from North Korea reunite with their children left in North Korea. Owing to the little bit of acoustic issues and the inevitable loss of emotional statements during interpretation, a large portion of their presentations was likely not conveyed to the attentive audience. As far as I can tell, some of the important statements made by the two courageous defectors are the following. The camp for political prisoners, called Gyo-hwa-so in Korean which means camp for re-education, first appeared when Kim Il-sung was the leader of North Korea. Kim Il-sung is the founder of North Korea and grandfather of the current leader, Kim Jong-un. Quite often, prisoners in the camp were reported to the authorities by colleagues and family members for simple statements they made. Once these prisoners are brought to the camp, it is a life sentence for many of these prisoners. Some of them are executed in brutal ways, including execution by high-power electricity wire. When some camps near the border with China were brought to the world's attention, North Korea simply closed those camps, and either built new ones or expanded existing ones. Ordinary people in North Korea are not aware of the reality of these camps. This is partly because these camps are built in places that are not easily visible to ordinary people, and likely because the existence of these camps has long been a part of their lives. News of the existence of these camps and the brutal treatment of political prisoners in these camps began to spread outside North Korea due mainly to efforts of former prisoners and their guards who somehow succeeded in escaping from these camps and defecting to China and eventually South Korea. Efforts of these people have been aided by policies of South Korea as well as the new small-scale market system that has been developing in North Korea where information can easily be exchanged among ordinary North Koreans. A good piece of advice was given in the beginning minutes of the workshop by Suzanne Scholte, who is co-Vice Chair of HRNK and President of the Defense Forum Foundation that sponsors programs on national security and human rights issues. The human rights violation issues relating to political prisoners in North Korea will not disappear when and even if North Korea collapses and the two Koreas are unified. Scholte stresses that efforts to prepare for freeing these political prisoners will have to be a continuous process. Chang Se-moon is the director of the Gulf Coast Center for Impact Studies. Write to him at: changsemoon@yahoo.com. GameStop Corp. is a specialty retailer founded in 1999 and headquartered in Grapevine, Texas. The company was originally known as GSC Holdings Corp. but later changed its name following its IPO. Originally a brand of then dominant Babbages, Gamestop altered the way video games were distributed and it is now the world's largest retailer of video games and video game accessories. The company went public in 2004 and operated 4,573 stores at the start of 2022. Brands under the company umbrella include Gamestop, EB Games, and Micromania as well as 50 pop-culture-themed Zing Pop locations. Gamestop Corp. provides video games and entertainment products through its global network of e-commerce properties and stores. The company sells new and pre-owned gaming platforms and accessories like controllers, headsets, memory cards, and gaming software as well as in-game products like digital currency, downloadable content, and games. The company also sells new and used memorabilia and collectibles. Genres include TV, movie, comic book, and game characters as well as many other items from pop culture. GameStop Corp. also operates Game Informer, a magazine and website dedicated to the gaming industry including reviews, updates, and new developments in technologies. Game enthusiasts enjoy two primary benefits of using Gamestop. The first is access to the full range of games and gaming accessories. The second is the ability to sell or trade their old equipment and games for fair prices. All old equipment is refurbished to a like-new state before resale. In 2021 Gamestop announced it was entering the world of cryptocurrency. The company revealed plans to build an NFT (non-fungible token) platform for listing, selling, and holding digital or digitized artwork and collectibles. The beta version launched in 2022 and has so far seen great success with an average daily volume exceeding $1 million. The NFT marketplace also featured Web3.0 games in which characters and in-game items are held forever on the blockchain. As of September 2022, the most successful retailer on the NFT marketplace was Gamestop Presents, a collaboration of cover art from Game Informer Magazine. Sales at the time were just under 168 ETH or about $221,500.00. GameStop began a slide in 2016 following a series of bad investments that included a foray into the world of mobile phones. The slide came to an end in late 2021 when shareholders using the Reddit thread Wallstreet Bets orchestrated a short-squeeze and brought on the age of meme stocks. Nucor Corporation manufactures and sells steel and steel products. The company's Steel Mills segment produces hot-rolled, cold-rolled, and galvanized sheet steel products; plate steel products; wide-flange beams, beam blanks, and H-piling and sheet piling products; and bar steel products, such as blooms, billets, concrete reinforcing and merchant bars, and special bar quality products. It also engages in the steel trading and rebar distribution businesses. This segment sells its products to steel service centers, fabricators, and manufacturers in the United States, Canada, and Mexico. Its Steel Products segment offers hollow structural section steel tubing products, electrical conduits, steel racking, steel joists and joist girders, steel decks, fabricated concrete reinforcing steel products, cold finished steel products, steel fasteners, metal building systems, insulated metal panels, steel grating and expanded metal products, and wire and wire mesh products primarily for use in nonresidential construction applications. This segment also engages in the piling distribution business. The company's Raw Materials segment produces direct reduced iron (DRI); brokers ferrous and nonferrous metals, pig iron, hot briquetted iron, and DRI; supplies ferro-alloys; and processes ferrous and nonferrous scrap metal, as well as engages in the natural gas drilling operations. This segment sells its ferrous scrap to electric arc furnace steel mills and foundries for manufacturing process; and nonferrous scrap metal to aluminum can producers, secondary aluminum smelters, steel mills and other processors, and consumers of various nonferrous metals. It serves agriculture, automotive, construction, energy and transmission, oil and gas, heavy equipment, infrastructure, and transportation industries through its in-house sales force; and internal distribution and trading companies. Nucor Corporation was incorporated in 1958 and is based in Charlotte, North Carolina. The following companies are subsidiares of Pearson: AEL (S) PTE Limited, ATI Professional Development LLC, Addison Wesley Longman Inc., Addison-Wesley Educational Publishers Inc., Aldwych Finance Limited, Americas Choice Inc., Atkey Finance Limited, Author Solutions, Axis Finance Inc., CAMSAWUSA Inc., CTI Education Group (Pty) Limited, Camsaw Inc., Casapsi Livraria e Editora Ltda, Centro Cultural Americano Franquias e Comercio Ltda., Century Consultants Ltd., Certiport, Certiport China Co Ltd, Certiport China Holding LLC, Certiport Inc., Cogmed Systems AB, Connections Academy of Arkansas LLC, Connections Academy of Florida LLC, Connections Academy of Iowa LLC, Connections Academy of Maine LLC, Connections Academy of Maryland LLC, Connections Academy of Minnesota LLC, Connections Academy of Missouri LLC, Connections Academy of Nevada LLC, Connections Academy of New Jersey LLC, Connections Academy of New Mexico LLC, Connections Academy of New York LLC, Connections Academy of Oregon LLC, Connections Academy of Pennsylvania LLC, Connections Academy of Tennessee LLC, Connections Academy of Texas LLC, Connections Education Inc., Connections Education LLC, Connections Education of Florida LLC, Dominie Press Inc., Dorian Finance Limited, Dorling Kindersley Australasia Pty Limited, EBNT Canada Holdings ULC, EBNT Holdings Limited, EBNT USA Holdings Inc., Edexcel Limited, Edexcel South Africa Pty Ltd, Education Development International plc, Education Resources (Cyprus) Limited, Educational Management Group Inc., Educational Publishers LLP, Embanet ULC, Embanet-Compass Knowledge Group Inc., EmbanetCompass, Embankment Finance Limited, English Language Learning and Instruction System Inc., Escape Studios Limited, FBH Inc., Falstaff Holdco Inc., Falstaff Inc., GED Domains LLC, GED Testing Service LLC, George (Shanghai) Commercial Information Consulting Co. 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Read More Wabash National Corporation designs, manufactures, and distributes engineered solutions for the transportation, logistics, and distribution industries primarily in the United States. The company operates through two segments, Transportation Solutions and Parts & Services. The Transportation Solutions segment provides dry van and platform trailers; refrigerated trailers; converter dollies; van bodies for dry-freight transportation; cutaway van bodies for commercial applications; service bodies; insulated van bodies; stake bodies; refrigerated truck bodies; and used trailers, as well as laminated hardwood oak flooring products. This segment also offers stainless steel and aluminum tank trailers for the dairy, food and beverage, oil, gas, and chemical end markets; dry bulk trailers; and fiberglass reinforced poly tank trailers. The Parts & Services segment provides aftermarket parts and services; aluminum and steel flatbed bodies, shelving for package delivery, partitions, roof racks, hitches, liftgates, and thermal solutions; and door repair and replacement, collision repair, and basic maintenance services. This segment also offers stainless steel storage tanks and silos, mixers, and processors for the dairy, food and beverage, pharmaceutical, chemical, craft brewing, and biotech end markets; and composite products, including truck bodies, overhead doors, and other industrial application products. The company offers its products under the Wabash, DuraPlate, DuraPlateHD, DuraPlate AeroSkirt, and AeroSkirt CX brands, as well as EcoNex brand. It distributes its products directly, as well as through its retail operations and independent dealers to truckload common carriers, leasing companies, private fleet carriers, less-than-truckload common carriers, and package carriers. The company was founded in 1985 and is headquartered in Lafayette, Indiana. EnerSys provides various stored energy solutions for industrial applications worldwide. It operates in three segments: Energy Systems, Motive Power, and Specialty. The company offers uninterruptible power systems applications for computer and computer-controlled systems, as well as telecommunications systems; switchgear and electrical control systems used in industrial facilities and electric utilities, large-scale energy storage, and energy pipelines; integrated power solutions and services to broadband, telecom, renewable, and industrial customers; and thermally managed cabinets and enclosures for electronic equipment and batteries. It also provides motive power products that are used to provide power for electric industrial forklifts used in manufacturing, warehousing, and other material handling applications. In addition, the company offers mining equipment, diesel locomotive starting, and other rail equipment. Further, it provides specialty batteries for starting, lighting, and ignition applications in transportation; and energy solutions for satellites, military aircraft, submarines, ships, and other tactical vehicles, as well as medical and security systems. Additionally, the company offers battery chargers, power equipment, battery accessories, and outdoor cabinet enclosures, as well as related after-market and customer-support services for industrial batteries. The company sells its products through a network of distributors, independent representatives, and internal sales forces. The company was formerly known as Yuasa, Inc. and changed its name to EnerSys in January 2001. EnerSys was incorporated in 2000 and is headquartered in Reading, Pennsylvania. Angels right-hander Garrett Richards is eligible to come off the 60-day disabled list sometime in June, but thats not going to happen. Richards, who hasnt pitched since April 5 because of an irritated cutaneous nerve in his right biceps, isnt healing particularly quickly and probably wont return to action until at least August. Looking at the schedule right now, I think thats realistic, he told Pedro Moura of the Los Angeles Times. I think thats all going to depend on when I start throwing again. But with the past cases, this was like a one-time thing for these guys. So Im hopeful on that, too, that this might just be a fluke thing and I just continue on. Pitchers who have dealt with Richards injury in the past include then-Dodger Brad Penny in 2004 and former Cardinal Chris Carpenter in the same year, as Moura writes. Penny missed two months, and Carpenter sat out the final two weeks of the regular season and the Cardinals World Series-winning playoff run. Angels doctors told Richards that his injury isnt as severe as theirs were, leading to hope that hell pitch again this year. And while Richards doesnt feel any pain in his biceps, the 28-year-old noted that if it isnt strong, the elbow is just gonna be shredded, especially with my velocity and my arm speed. Richards, of course, missed most of last season with an elbow issue, though he was able to avoid Tommy John surgery by successfully undergoing stem-cell therapy treatment. Unlike last year, though, the Angels havent found an alternative recovery method for Richards, whose only hope is to wait for his biceps strength to return to normal. Fortunately, if Richards is able to throw again this season, the Angels are optimistic he wont need to embark on a long program before returning to the mound. Once hes 100%, hes probably already gotten some of the legwork and questions out of the way, compared to where he was in the spring, manager Mike Scioscia told Moura. Hopefully that build-up will happen in a more timely fashion than our seven-or-eight week spring training. As was the case during a 74-win campaign last year, the Angels have stumbled this season without Richards, having posted an 18-21 record to fall 8.5 games behind the AL West-leading Astros. The Halos rotation, which is also without the injured Tyler Skaggs who, like Richards, missed the bulk of 2016 has been a mixed bag, ranking 11th in the majors in ERA (4.16) but only 23rd in FIP (4.56). 14.05.2017 LISTEN Ghana based Guinean model Marie Jean (@mjeanne_l) from Confidence Models (@confidencemodels) hits the net in viral editorial shoot with amazing photography talent Chasquido Studios (@chasquido_studios). The Shoot three part shoot showcases the fierce beauty in a sleek regal black dress in front of the door way, as well as a lovely beach shoot in clothes by fashion label MXDN (@mxdnofficial). Marie Jeans began modeling 4 years ago prior to winning Miss Guinea Ghana. Ever since then she has remained a popular name in Guinea but choses to live in Ghana as she stays very much in love with the culture and the people. Marie Jean Pasquido (1) Marie Jean Pasquido (2) Marie Jean Pasquido (3) Marie Jean Pasquido (4) Marie Jean Pasquido (5) Marie Jean Pasquido (6) Marie Jean Pasquido (7) Marie Jean Pasquido (8) Marie Jean Pasquido (9) Former Minister of Gender and Social Protection, Nana Oye Lithur has described the incoming Chief Justice Sophia Abena Boafoa Akuffo as woman noted for hard work According to her, the Justice of Ghanas Supreme Court is a fine legal brain, expressing her joy to president Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo for her nomination. Recounting their relationship in time past, she said I remember in 1994/95 when I walked into your office and you told me that President Rawlings had nominated you as a Supreme Court Judge. In a reflective mood, you told me it was a call to serve Ghana. You had done so well as Chairperson of Civil Aviation Authority. The airport saw massive transformation under your leadership. Under your tenure you zoned and developed the Holiday Inn airport area, the airport saw a major expansion and you set up the Aviation Social Centre. There was an uproar within the Ghana Bar Association about the Presidents nomination .I distinctly remember the objection by the late ED Kom.You have proved them wrong. You were strict,efficient,hardworking,no nonsense and compassionate as head of chambers.One of the few female senior lawyers heading a law firm in those days.You had left Mobil Ghana as their solicitor and set up the law firm Akuffo &Co.You groomed us all in your law firm to become sharp lawyers.Shiela Minkah Premo,Kwame Akuffo and I. You excelled at the Supreme Court and African Human Rights Court. Justice Sophia Abena Boafoa Akuffo. Congratulations. I am proud of you. I am happy for you. More importantly Ghana has one of its finest legal brains as a Chief Justice nominee. May God chart your path so that justice will roll like waters and righteousness like an everflowing stream in Ghana. The current government has made clear its intention to improve upon human settlements especially in the lass developed parts of the country that includes 600 or more Zongos in Ghana. The Ministry of Inner Cities and Zongo affairs under Hon Alhaji Abubakar Sidik Boniface , would be required to carry out this assignments of development through a laid down plan with a development fund. The Ministry can only succeed when it collaborates with various knowledgeable people, opinion leaders and organizations in the areas concerned. One of the organizations which is well placed to assist in carrying out this assignment is the Islamic Council for Development and Humanitarian Services. Established in 1991 this organization has grown into one of the leading non govermental bodies in Ghana. It is noted for engaging in building free of charge schools , mosques wells and orphanages in the country and other parts of West Africa. The organization was founded by Sheikh Mustapha Ibrahim an islamic acholar, who is also its Executive Chairman. Due to the good works carried out by ICODEHS its Chairman Sheikh Mustapha Ibrahim has been awarded National Awards in Ghana and other Arab Nations. ICODEHS traces its roots from the Islamic Book Development and Translation Council (IBDTC), founded in 1980 by Sheikh Mustapha Ibrahim, the Current Chairman of ICODEHS. Through this body it wrote many books that explains all the tenets of Islam from the meaning of some important Quran texts such as the rules governing prayers, fasting and inheritance among many topics. While Sheikh Mustapha engaged in the writing of books he up-scaled the work of ICODEHS by seeking the support of Kuwait Zakat House [Kuwaiti charity organization] towards building more mosques and schools. When ICODEHS was recognized by Kuwait Zakat House and other donors to be honest and accountable in its dealings the organization was introduced to other donors in United Arab Emirates Qatar, Saudi Arabia and Morocco for more support. Today ICODEHS is permitted, with the support of foreign donors to operate in other West African countries. Apart from building schools, orphanages, clinics, building wells and supporting orphans ICODEHS engages in DAWA or preaching on radio and television to help Muslims and non-Muslims to appreciate Islam. Currently ICODEHS under Sheikh Mustapha Ibrahim is running a weekly program on Marhaba radio for the benefit of Muslims in and around Accra. The last time I checked the program has assumed tremendous popularity among Muslims and non-Muslims especially as the program discussed the coming Ramadan fast. The charity works of ICODEHS goes beyond building mosques , schools wells and support for orphans . Of late it has begun organizing free medical screening for those suffering from their eyes and other conditions. According to Sheikh Mustapha Ibrahim ICODEHS would continue with this free medical service adding that his outfit would also provide health insurance cover for a number of people in the Zongos. As a result of the contribution of ICODEHS towards development in the Muslim settlement the office of the National Chief Imam has apponited Sheikh Mustapha onto his advisiory board. Apasrt from that he has been appointed as the Chairman of the Chief Imams Education Fund SONSETFUND,. Through this body funds are raised to support the education of students in senior secondary schools . SONSETFUND also serves as guaranter for students in our countrys universities. The fund now supprt close to 1200 students from SONSETFUND in our tertiary schools . ICODEHS is also noted for providing suppport to orohans and muslims during the RAMADAN fasting and festival period during which clothing and food is distributed to them. ICODEHS is also noted for sponsoring some muslims to perform the hajj every year providing the tickets and pocket money. Executive Director eanfoworld for sustainable development [email protected]/[email protected] 0244370345/0208844792/0274853710 DURBAN, the capital of the KwaZulu Natal Province in South Africa, is ready to host the 2017 edition of INDABA. The event takes place at the Inkosi Albert Luthuli Convention Centre (Durban ICC) and the Durban Exhibition Centre (DEC) respectively from Tuesday May 16 to Thursday May 18, 2017. The President of South Africa, His Excellency Mr. Jacob Zuma will officially open the 2017 INDABA at the Durban ICC on the morning of Tuesday 16 May, 2017. INDABA is one of the largest tourism marketing events on the African calendar and one of the top three must visit events of its kind on the global calendar. It showcases the widest variety of Southern Africa's best tourism products and attracts international buyers and media from across the world. INDABA is owned by South Africas tourism marketing and development organization, South African Tourism. This year exhibitors in the Durban Exhibition Centre will include provincial authorities, provincial products and African Countries. Exhibitor categories in the International Convention Centre will include accommodation, tour operators, game lodges, transport, online travel, media publications and industry associations. Outdoor exhibitors include transport, camping and safari companies. INDABA has a dedicated following of local and international media who provide extensive coverage of the exhibition for the local and international markets through radio, television, newspaper and dedicated travel publications. This year, as last year, the West Africa office of South African Tourism is hosting a team of top managers of travel and tour companies as well as leaders of travel and tour associations from Ghana and Nigeria to experience interesting destinations before and after INDABA. Also being hosted this year is a team of journalists and travel bloggers from Ghana and Nigeria. The objective is to expose the travel trade executives to the many tourism experiences that South Africa offers and for the media to expose same to audiences back home. Some of the experiences that the team being hosted would have are cultural village visit, picnics, rickshaw rides, boat cruises, Segway tour, power boating, quad biking, horse riding, and many more. Most of these experiences would be had in the KwaZulu Natal Province. This will be the first INDABA since Mr Sisa Ntshona was appointed by the board as Chief Executive Officer of South African Tourism. President Nana Akufo-Addo has stressed the important roles laboratories and workshops in Technical High Schools play in developing the skills that would equip students for the modern world. President Akufo-Addo assured that his government will not turn the Free SHS into a process that simply churns out young people that would not be equipped to cope with the modern world., He noted that a High school educated child without any skills would be even more frustrated than a child that ended her education at the Junior High School. President Akufo-Addo, therefore noted that his government will ensure that our High Schools and their teachers are equipped to deal with the white heat of science and technology that rule today's world. The President was speaking during the 33rd Anniversary and 2nd Speech and Prize Giving day celebration of the Mafe-Kumase Senior Technical School, at the commencement of his 2-day tour of the Volta Region on Saturday. The President noted that, the joblessness and under-employment that have blighted the lives of Ghanas youth will be overcome, when we provide laboratories and workshops and the qualified teachers that would turn out skilled school leavers. According to him, every new policy his government seeks to introduce, such as the 1-District-1-Factory, and 1-Village-1-Dam, requires skilled people to make them work. Science, technology and technical skills, rule agriculture and the entire food industry, and that is where the jobs are. Remember the programme for Planting for Food and Jobs, which I rolled out recently at Goaso in the Bring Ahafo Region? Science, technology and technical skills rule industry, and you rule yourself out if you are not appropriately equipped. That is why we are insisting on the policy of One District, One Factory, he added. To this end, the President assured that his government will prioritize a change in the country's education system to pay the deserved attention to skills training, adding that the provision of laboratories and workshops would be paramount. This would involve huge investments in infrastructure and the proper training of teachers. In order to start the process of trying to turn the technical in the name of your school into a reality, President Akufo-Addo pledged the construction of a modern, well-equipped workshop, which, he said will be an appropriate structure to mark his visit to Mafe-Kumasi Sec-Tech. With the Japanese government helping to build a science laboratory in the school, President Akufo-Addo was confident that the addition of a modern and well-equipped workshop complex would transform your school. By: Sammi Wiafe/citifmonline.com/Ghana 14.05.2017 LISTEN Mukesh V. Thakwani, the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of B5 Plus Limited, the most patronized steel manufacturing company in Africa has been named the Industrialist of the Year at the Ghana @ 60 edition of the Ghana Entrepreneurs & Corporate Executives Awards (GECEA). This recognition attests to the commitment the company has made to become the leading steel manufacturing company in the West African sub-region. It also displays the business leadership and vision in founding B5 Plus Limited and its expansion to become a leading exporter of steel in the sub region. Through its broad range of operations, B5 Plus Ltd has created jobs for several youth in the country thus assisting to improve standards of living and hastening the socio-economic development of Ghana. The event held at the Banquet Hall of the State House in Accra is an initiative of Entrepreneur Foundation of Ghana (EFG) in collaboration with the Ministry of Trade and Industry. The GECE Awards 2017 is a premier competition for emerging entrepreneurs, corporate executives, established business owners, innovative and creative entrepreneurs who own and operate businesses. The ones selected are given recognition for their achievement in business development. This years event under the theme: Promoting Economic Growth through Private Sector Development and Corporate Governance, aimed to enhance business relationship between entrepreneurs and business executives and also promote governments private sector development initiative. In the 15th edition of the Ghana Club 100 ranking organised by the Ghana Investment Promotion Centre (GIPC), B5 Plus Limited improved its position to the 19th position as the most prestigious company in Ghana currently. Under the auspices of GIPC, the ranking uses three main criteria; size of the company, growth and profitability to arrive at the Club 100 list. Mr. Mukesh V. Thakwani who is the Chairman of B5 Plus and Delhi Public School (DPS), International Ghana who expressed excitement about the recognition dedicated the award to customers and workers of the steel manufacturing company. According to him, the hard work exhibited by the workers and the trust repose in his companys products by customers who cut across Africa and who continue to patronize the companys products brought about the award. He pointed out that this recognition will encourage him and his company to invest more and improve on its operations to continue to offer quality products to its cherished customers. The CEO of B5 Plus Limited pointed out that This award means a lot to me and is to encourage me to work extra harder to take over the whole of Africa which is my dream. Now I see myself holding the ECOWAS nations and I want to move to the whole of Africa. Since its establishment, B5 Plus Ltd has a vision to become the best in the worlds steel manufacturing industry through the excellence of its workforce, its innovative approach and overall conduct. The companys steel products remain the most sought for due to their durability and efficiency in all the ECOWAS countries it serves. B5 Plus Ltds steel products come in seven major categories: Mild Steel, High Tensile & Iron Rods, Galvanized Products, Stainless Steel, Marine & Mining, Roofing & Nails and Concrete & Fencing. Mr. Mukesh V. Thakwani who is the Chairman of B5 Plus and Delhi Public School (DPS), International Ghana who expressed excitement about the recognition dedicated the award to customers and workers of the steel manufacturing company. Kashimbila, Taraba State, Nigeria 13 May 2017: Water retained by the Kashimbila Multipurpose Dam built by the Federal government in Takum Local Government Area in Taraba State has been rising and flooding parts of Nigeria and has also submerged villages in three subdivisions in the Cameroons. Work on the dam in Kashimbila located at Latitude 6.87324 N, and Longitude 9.75942 E started in 2009. The project commenced overlooking basic requirements for mega projects like informing the populations of the areas to be affected in advance and obtaining their free consent (FPIC). No environmental and social impact assessment (ESIA) was carried out to determine the suitability of the project in an ecological hotspot like the Katsina Ala Basin. Furthermore, project management has refused to sign any memoranda of understanding (MOU) with the affected communities. Polluted and contaminated water from the decaying biota (animals and plants) under the dam waters has reached Kpep located on Latitude 6.79813 N, and Longitude 10.06849 E into Furu Awa Subdivision in the Cameroons. Nobody here was informed of the project and both the project management and the affected persons did not anticipate the arrival of this water. The Federal Government of Nigeria had bullied all opponents of the project into accepting it claiming that the dam was a buffer against the cataclysmic waters rushing down from the collapsing walls of Lake Nyos located on the Cameroonian territory. According to Nigerian authorities, the gases from Lake Nyos which killed 3000 people in 1986 were still accumulating and a similar explosion today will cause the narrow walls of the lake to break flooding many states in South Eastern Nigeria. Nigeria failed to inform her people that the lake is being degassed on a regular basis and that the gases would never accumulate to a dangerous amount that would explode again. Conferences were organized throughout Nigeria and beyond to cement this fear factor in the minds of people and curry favour for the dam. Today, the world is waking up to an environmental and human disaster, far worse than the doomsday tags put on Lake Nyos by fear mongers. This lone argument is stomached with complicit silence by the Cameroons, itself not sure how to explain the Lake Nyos phenomenon which many believe was a conspiracy. On the fast moving beaches of Alang, in Nigeria where travelers are now forced to board rickety boats to Akum Upkack in the Cameroons, a tired Ramatu Garba said, This water pursue everything. It pursues animals. It pursues people, pursue trees, pursue houses, pursue Cameroon people, pursue Nigeria people. This water too much. Ramatu aged 65 says she has been trading along the Katsina Ala River basin for more than 40 years, and never in her life has she seen the river rise above its banks to devour things more than a kilometer from its river bed. Millions of traditional West African oil palm trees have disappeared under water and it is a free for all those who can afford a boat ride to penetrate the devouring waters to harvest palm nuts. Not being aquatic plants, all these palm trees will decay and collapse. Cocoa trees, in their millions, African bush mango, banana plantains, hectares of corn, cassava, groundnuts have all disappeared under the water. Survival instincts have pushed some daring farmers on the Cameroonian side to move to higher ground to plant new food crops. The earth around these steep rocks sometimes rising to 30 storey building is fast moving and loose being of volcanic ash. Farming here would only lead to erosion that would take away the last shallow earth and the ever permanent giant rocks in the Cameroon trough would reign supreme. Three months into the flooding, authorities from the Furu Awa and Fungom Subdivisions in the Cameroons rode against the shifting tides into Akum Upkack on 12 May 2017. An elite observed that they were at the mercy of God alone. They could be wiped out by the forces of man and water at a time without anyone coming to their rescue. Michael Robbin, who makes occasional incursions into the Cameroonian territory on a flying boat, is said to tell curious Cameroonians who emerge from their collapsing buildings to stop him on his ride like a Hollywood star that he is waiting for the Cameroonian authorities to come for compensation. On their part, the Nigerians say there was no real compensation as only arbitrary amounts were paid them. Ibrahim Sale, son of the Mangwa or quarter head of Alang said, some people were given 3000 Naira about 6000 FCFA or US 10 dollars. What can somebody do with such an amount? Look at Lybia, Qatar, Dubai, Saudi Arabia and Equatorial Guinea. These countries use their resources to develop their infrastructure and people. Kashimbila does not look like a town which has sacrificed much to host such a gigantic project to benefit five states in Nigeria. No pipe borne water could be seen in the town. People still pay Garuwa (water boys) to draw water from katsina Ala to cook, clean their homes and water animals. The palace of Gar Gadin Kashimbila (Chief of Kashimbila) is dilapidated sitting across broken culverts damaged by the dam contractors. Rain water now runs into homes since most culverts have been blocked by mud deposited by company. It is worst upstream where all the tributaries of River Katsina Ala have been flooded and contaminated. All surface and underground water has been contaminated and the water smells like a million decaying corpses. After three months of flooding, some people upstream manage to drink water from the rain. There is no single drop of potable water along the Katsina Ala River basin. Children have started looking sick and an outbreak of cholera, typhoid and other waterborne diseases malaria is just a matter of time for it to happen. Mosquitoes have multiplied exponentially and swarms assail you if you are blocked on the way and forced to stay the night in the affected area. If this company does not wipe us out malaria would soon kill all my people, said Rev Pastor Sara of the Cameroon Baptist Convention, Ezong. To make ends meet in this difficult environment, he commutes to Bariki during the week to teach at a primary school there. Christopher Fada, deputy youth chairman of Kashimbila says it would seem the management of the dam keeps them near the project simply for tourism purposes. The Project manger never intended us to be part of the project. We are just here as part of a circus to be presented to the influx of tourists as the last vestiges of the primitive tribes of Eastern Nigeria. Some of the new homes built from the compensation money on the Nigerian side are ten times worst than the homes swallowed by the dam water. The compensation would not last 12 months in the hands of these indigenous people who would now have to grapple with the man-imposed scorch of hunger. This is one of the worst projects in Nigeria. We could not oppose for fear of political witch hunting. During the last president (Goodluck Jonathan) some of our elders would report us and we would be arrested and detained, said Dauda Audu a boatman. Nigeria is a unique country where you would be presented as an enemy for opposing what the incumbent President wants. Our elders gave their consent out of fear, Dauda lamented. On the Cameroonian side Etsem Jeremiah of Ezong says, It would seem the government of the Cameroons does not consider us Cameroonians, Just as the Federal Government of Nigeria believes most of the people in Taraba State are not Nigerians. The indigenous peoples of the Katsina Ala Basin are victims of an infamous 1961 plebiscite organized by the United Nations for these peoples to vote whether to join the Federation of Nigeria to attain independence or join the Cameroun Republic. The Katsina Ala Basin is a true test on dual nationality experiments as many people are Cameroonians and Nigerians at the same time. As I return to the field to see what would be left after a few days of walking into town to look for telephone network and electricity to power my gadgets, be sure that more houses in the villages would have been devoured by the water from the Kashimbila dam. The water keeps rising uncontrollably, minute by minute. Fon Christopher Achobang Social Commentator, Human rights activist and Environmental Campaigner The Cameroons The writer 14.05.2017 LISTEN Introduction The Ghanaian banking system is growing at a fast pace with the number of commercial banks increasing each year. Most savings and loans and microfinance institutions are working very hard around the clock to meet the Central Banks requirements for gaining licences to become commercial banks. There are currently 35 fully licensed and operational commercial banks in Ghana that are serving just a little above 7million people out of the nations population of about 27million. This simply means that there is a huge unbanked population, although the number of commercial banks is growing. It is very unfortunate that a country with a Gross Domestic Product (GDP) of about USD35billion and a population of about 27million has a growing number of commercial banks of 35 and they just serve 7million people, each of whom maintains either one account or multiple accounts. The minimum capital requirement for an operational commercial bank in Ghana is GHS120 million, as required by our central bank, the Bank of Ghana. Meanwhile, in spite of the growth in the number of operational commercial banks in Ghana, the aggregate of their minimum capital is GHS 4.2 billion which is about USD976, 744,186.04 at an exchange rate of GHS 4.3 to USD 1.0. This is 2.8%,nowhere close to the USD 35billion GDP of the country. Why the Bank of Ghana Must Increase the Minimum Capital As one of the major keys to the success and growth of our economy, the minimum capital requirement for obtaining a licence to operate a commercial bank should be raised to GHS500million. This is almost equivalent to USD120million. A policy of this nature will cause transformations through mergers and acquisitions in the banking sector. One result would be to consolidate the capital base and promote financial growth. Another advantage from a more consolidated banking sector would be to make it feasible for banks to grant more long and medium term loans to the private sector, individuals and to the government. Examples of these loans include the yearly cocoa syndicated loans and crude oil deals which most often are granted by foreign financial institutions. These are services that a consolidated domestic banking sector can and should provide. What is envisaged here would be similar to events in Nigerias banking sector when in 2004 the then Governor of the Nigerian central bank raised capital adequacy requirements from N2 billion to N25 billion. This policy freed Nigerian banks from reliance on public sector funds and better equipped them to finance bigger projects within the oil, gas and telecommunication sectors. Any policy that raises the minimum capital base of commercial banks in Ghana will boost the integrity of our banking sector in such matters as effective adherence to sound practices in corporate governance. This would partly be due to the fact that the central bank would have a much smaller number of banks that it can more effectively supervise and more efficiently monitor their activities. Furthermore, the confidentiality and safety of the funds of depositors can be more effectively be safeguarded with the limited resources of the central bank. A major concern of most of our domestic banks is the ballooning of non-performing loans (NPL) on their books. This problem results from a blend of a monitoring system that has broken down and a credit referencing bureau system that is weak. A consolidation of our banks would facilitate an effective and efficient system of monitoring all credit facilities that are granted to customers and make it easier for credit bureaus to gather accurate data on all businesses and individuals that have been given loans. Issues that need immediate attention within the banking sector of Ghana The most significant issue of concern that needs attention and immediate consideration is that the operational minimum capital for commercial banks, currently GHS120 million (USD27.9million at a rate of GHS4.3 = USD1.0), is too low and should be raised to GHS500 million. Drastic measures need to be taken to improve the safety of the funds of depositors and their trust in the banking system. This has been a long-standing problem that increases, whenever fraudulent acts result from collaboration between criminals outside the affected bank and some equally criminal staff members of the bank to steal the funds of depositors. Many bank workers show no friendliness and courtesy toward the illiterate and less privileged in our society. There have been numerous complaints from ordinary Ghanaians about how they feel intimidated when they enter a bank and see workers dressed up in suits and ties and working within a flamboyant decor of the banking hall. The dress code of bankers and the way most of them talk intimidate and create a barrier that is a major factor why we still have about 70% of the population unbanked. Conclusion I am very confident that if the central bank and its governor implement the recommendations suggested in this write-up, the banking system will experience an unprecedented boost in business, job creation and revenue generation. The sector would be better placed to support both local and international transactions for the massive economic growth that our economy needs and deserves. The present and future of the banking/financial sector is in the hands of the governor and his team to implement policies that would improve its performance and restore the financial integrity of the Ghana economy. The right financial environment is key for the private sector and the government to bring economic growth to our country. Jerry.J.AFOLABI [email protected] Follow me on twitter @Afojel LinkedIN @afolabijelili WhatsApp +233541238987 facebook @Afojel 14.05.2017 LISTEN Accra, May 14, GNA - The Christian Council of Ghana and the Ghana Catholic Bishops' Conference have commended President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo Addo and his government for the efforts to stop illegal mining, popularly known as galamsey. 'We have observed with satisfaction the efforts of His Excellency the President of the Republic and his government to protect our water bodies, farm lands, forest reserves, and their commitment to end illegal mining in the country,' the two bodies said. This was in a communiquA issued at the end of the 2017 Annual Joint Meeting by the Council and the Conference in Accra on Saturday. The CommuniquA was jointly signed by Reverend Dr Kwabena Opuni-Frimpong, General Secretary of the Christian Council of Ghana (CCG), Rev. Fr. Lazarus Anondee, Secretary General of the Ghana Catholic Bishops' Conference (GCBC), Rev. Dr. Ernest Adu-Gyamfi, Chairman of the CCG and the Most Rev. Philip Naameh, President of GCBC. 'We commend the Minister of Lands and Natural Resources, the Media Coalition, religious bodies, traditional leaders, security agencies and all who have committed themselves to the fight against illegal mining in the nation,' it said. It said illegal mining was destroying the livelihoods of ordinary Ghanaians and that, as a result, many of the youth had also abandoned the classroom to engage in the act leading to increase in illiteracy in the affected communities. The communiquA, therefore, called on the Government to sustain the effort in the fight against galamsey to ensure that major river bodies like Birim, Prah, Ankobra and Densu become drinkable again. It also called on pastors to join in the campaign against galamsey and use their pulpits to educate the people It urged Christians to pray and commit themselves to the preservation of the environment and other natural resources at all times. Meanwhile, the annual meeting afforded the two bodies the opportunity to pray for the nation and discuss issues that were of interest to the church and country. GNA By Lydia Asamoah, GNA 14.05.2017 LISTEN Gomoa Feteh (C/R), May 14, GNA - Ms Esther Cobbah, the Chief Executive Officer of Strategic Communications, (Stratcomm) Africa, has encouraged graduates to adhere to the virtues of hard work, determination and dedication to enable them to excel. She urged them not to allow adversities to bring them down but should use them as a platform to build their capabilities for the realisation of their full potentials. Ms Cobbah gave the advice at the third graduation ceremony of the Village of Hope College at Gomoa Feteh in the Central Region which saw 80 students graduating after their three-year Senior High School education. Sharing her life experience, Ms Cobbah said her career achievements did not come on a silver platter and that one would have to overcome hurdles in order to achieve the best in life. She said the journey had not been easy when she started her company; Stratcomm Africa, 23 years ago to nurture talents adding that she had chalked successes and received local and international awards through hard work. 'You are capable of achieving even more in the future if you take advantage of the Hope College promise which includes Christ-like character, rigorous scholarship and selfless servanthood,' she said. She said: 'You best prepare yourselves for the future by steadfastly cultivating the Christ-like nature that Hope College seeks to inculcate in you and nurturing the talents that God has endowed each and every one of you with. 'I can tell you that in my own life, faith in Jesus Christ has provided me a firm anchor throughout all that I have been through and gives me such joy and a blessed assurance.' Ms Cobbah, therefore, called on the continuing students to take their studies seriously and cultivate the habit of reading to enable them to succeed in the competitive, challenging and knowledge-based world. Mr Fred Asare, the Headmaster of the School, advised the graduands to make use of the knowledge acquired to achieve higher heights in their education and contribute effectively to national development. Awards were presented to students who had performed excellently in their various courses. Ms Priscilla Obour Acheampong, a General Arts Student, emerged the Overall Best Student and encouraged her peers to keep working hard to achieve success. GNA By Kwamina Tandoh, GNA 14.05.2017 LISTEN Accra, May 14, GNA - The Christian Council of Ghana (CCG) and the Ghana Catholic Bishops' Conference (GCBC) have called on Christians to bring the values and doctrines of their faith to bear in public service. A communiquA issued at the end of the 2017 Annual Joint Meeting of the CCG and the GCBC said citizens of the nation should cherish values like hard work, honesty, integrity, and respect of the rule of law. 'We call on government to roll out a programme to facilitate attitudinal change which the CCG and the GCBC would be ready to support. A typical example is the need to establish accessible counselling units in our various institutions to help reorient people's minds and attitudes towards nationalism,' it said. 'The avoidable killings on our roads, open defecation resulting in diseases like cholera and typhoid, disregard for the rule of law and environmental cleanliness, lateness to work, lack of maintenance of public property, corruption etc. are examples of such worrying attitudes,' the communiquA said. Meanwhile, the communique has called on all churches to embrace the spirit of ecumenism and foster closer relationships with neighbouring churches. It assured all Ghanaians that the two bodies would continue their public education, Christian advocacy ministry, and prayers for peace, harmony, and justice in the country. GNA By Lydia Asamoah, GNA TeiNkwanta (E/R), May 14, GNA - Very Reverend Dr. Samuel Victor Mpereh of the Trinity Theological College has called on Ghanaians to develop the spirit and culture of forgiveness to enable the country to receive the needed blessings from God. He urged the Methodist Church in Ghana to return to the tradition of evangelism to have a positive impact on the Ghanaian society as Charles Wesley, the Founder of Methodism, did and had great influence on England and its colonies in those days. Very Rev. Dr Mpereh was preaching the sermon at a thanksgivings service to climax a three-day camp meeting of the Adweso Circuit of the Methodist Church at TeiNkwata, near Koforidua. New converts were baptized into the church by Very Rev. Dr Emanuel Asare-Kusi, the Superintendent Minister in-charge of the Adweso Circuit of the Methodist Church. Funds were also raised to acquire a land for the construction of a church building. GNA By Edmund Quaynor, GNA The attention of the Accra Metropolitan Assembly (AMA) has been drawn to a story in some sections of the media of an incident that occurred at the Kwame Nkrumah Interchange on Saturday, May 13, 2017. It is about a trader who was alleged to have been assaulted by personnel of the AMA Rapid Response Unit (RRU); a unit tasked to ensure that hawkers do not encroach the pavements around the Interchange. The publications so far contained some factual inaccuracies that the AMA would like to correct in order not to give the public a misleading impression about the incident. It is unfortunate that none of the media that carried the story verified their facts with the AMA before publication. What occurred there did not involve the AMA Rapid Response Unit (RRU). It was rather between personnel of the United Creative Solutions (UCS), a company contracted by the AMA to manage the lawn and other facilities at the circle Interchange, and a trader who was believed to have trespassed to the decongested area. Contrary to media reports, no one died as a result of the incident though regrettably one trader was injured and is receiving medical attention at the 37 Military Hospital at the full expense of management of UCS. AMA is investigating the matter and will put measures in place to avoid any future occurrence of such incidences. The AMA have also noticed that some undisciplined traders want to use this incident as a leeway to frustrate the efforts of sanitising the enclave. We therefore state unequivocally that the AMA will not relent in its efforts to fully implement our bylaws and activate the punitive sanctions thereof. The AMA however entreats all city dwellers to support the efforts being rolled out as we strive to make Accra the cleanest city in Africa. -Signed- NUMMO BLAFO III Director, Public Relations AMA - Nigerian Army on clearance operation arrested a fleeing Boko Haram terrorist - Some kidnappers were also apprehended in another operation - Weapons and mobile telephones were recovered from them The Nigerian Army has intensified the war against insurgency as it arrested a suspected Boko Haram terrorist on Saturday, May 13. In a statement by Brigadier-General Sani Kukasheka Usman, he said the fleeing terrorist who was captured on morning patrol and preliminary investigation showed he was from is an indigene of Bulabulin village, Fika Local Government Area, Yobe State. READ ALSO: If anything happens to Buhari, the north will fight for another 8 years Also, the army in another operation apprehended four suspected kidnappers on their way to carry out their crime. The suspected kidnappers The army recovered some weapons and mobile telephones belonging to the kidnappers. Read the statement below: "Troops of Forward Operation Base, Fika, on routine patrol earlier today, arrested a suspected fleeing Boko Haram terrorist, named Bala Ibrahim aged 30 years at Fika. Preliminary investigation shows that the suspect is an indigene of Bulabulin village, Fika Local Government Area, Yobe State. He is further being interrogated. Weapons recovered from kidnappers "Similarly, troops deployed at Forward Operation Base Yuga on blocking position, today, following a tip off from well-meaning individuals, ambushed and arrested 4 suspected kidnappers at Mundu village. Suspected Boko Haram terrorist READ ALSO: US, UK express confidence in Buhari's administration "The suspects, Yahaya Auta, aged 25, Salisu Lawal, aged 20 years , Umar Mohammed, aged 18 years and Samaila Abubakar were found to be in possession of 1 Locally made Six Loader Single Barrel Gun, 1 Empty Cartridge, 2 Machetes, a Knife, 2 Mobile Telephone Handsets, 2 Packets of Tramol Tablets and the sum of Three Hundred and Sixty Naira, while on their way to commit crime. They are also currently being further investigated." Source: Legit.ng An activist in Sudan, Mr. Mohamed Al-Dosogy, is set to be sentenced to death for denouncing Islam. Al-dosogy had requested a judge to allow him to change his religion to atheism, a move that was tantamount to renouncing his faith. He had written to the Sudanese court explaining why he wanted to change his religious status after which he was arrested and charged with apostasy. Reports are that authorities ordered his arrest two days after for apostasy, a crime in Sudan that attracts death as penalty. READ ALSO: Governor sentenced to 2 years in prison for 'insulting Islam' Mohamed Al-Dosogy was later released on Friday, May 12, by the police on the order of a judge, APA reports. The police said Mohamed Al-Dosogy was mentally challenged and could not be punished for his alleged crime. The police said Mohamed Al-Dosogy was mentally challenged and could not be punished for his alleged crime. The judge said the defendant had been examined by a psychiatric and it was determined that he is mentally incompetent to stand trial. Meanwhile, in a statement issued on Friday, the defense team rejected the courts decision, saying the defendant never asked the court to submit him to a psychiatric test. Source: Legit.ng - Osama Bin Laden's son, Hamza has reportedly threatened the US over his father's death - Personal letters seized in the raid that killed bin Laden show that his son, Hamza, is set on avenging his fathers death - Hamza recently released a message threatening US in his father's language According to news reports, Osama bin Ladens son, Hamza is reportedly seeking revenge for his fathers death and is poised to become the new leader of Al Qaeda. Some personal letters seized in the raid that killed bin Laden show that his son, Hamza, is set on avenging his fathers death. Former FBI agent, Ali Soufan, while speaking to CBS News in an interview said: He tells him thathe remembers every lookevery smile you gave me, every word you told me." Osama Bin Laden's son. Hamza Soufan also said that Hamza considers himself to be forged in steel. When he was younger,, Hamza was used as a propaganda tool in his father's videos in which he was seen sometimes holding a gun. The agent added that he had even started to sound like his father. Soufan said: His recent message that came out, he delivered the speech as if its his father, using sentences, terminology that was used by Osama bin Laden." Hamza is believed to be about 28 years old and has been named as a specially designated global terrorist by the U.S., as he has recorded four audio messages in the last two years aimed at the U.S. READ ALSO: Declassified CIA file shows that Osama Bin Laden permitted terrorists to pleasure themselves Hes basically saying, American people, were coming and youre going to feel it, Soufan said. And were going to take revenge for what you did to my father. Iraq, Afghanistan. The whole thing was about vengeance, Soufan concluded. Meanwhile, Legit.ng earlier reported that the Nigerian Army has intensified the war against insurgency as it arrested a suspected Boko Haram terrorist on Saturday, May 13. In a statement by Brigadier-General Sani Kukasheka Usman, he said the fleeing terrorist who was captured on morning patrol and preliminary investigation showed he was from is an indigene of Bulabulin village, Fika Local Government Area, Yobe State. Watch a video of the atack on Boko Haram below: Source: Legit.ng Governor Ifeanyi Okowa says Nigerians must make deliberate efforts to live with one another peacefully The Delta state governor stated that when citizens are united, it will help to fight against bias in the country Governor Okowa made the comment while paying homage to late Brigadier-General Dominic Oneya (rtd) who passed on recently Asaba - Delta state governor, Senator Ifeanyi Okowa, on Friday, September 10 called on Nigerians to embrace peace and love, saying they were the panacea for rising insecurity and apathy in the country. Okowa gave the charge at the funeral mass for a former military administrator of Kano and Benue states, late Brigadier-General Dominic Oneya (rtd) at St Jude's Catholic Church, Effurun, Uvwie local government area of the state. Governor Okowa says citizens must embrace peace for Nigeria to defeat insecurity. Photo credit: Delta state government Source: Facebook He said that peaceful co-existence and love among the citizenry would engender much-needed unity. The governor remarked that late Oneya epitomised brotherhood and good neighbourliness in service and in all his activities while alive and urged people to emulate him. PAY ATTENTION: Join Legit.ng Telegram channel! Never miss important updates! A statement sent to Legit.ng by the Delta state government quoted Okowa as saying: We have come here to pay our last respect for one of our own brother and leader Brig. Gen. Dominic Oneya (rtd). It is our prayer that God will encourage the family because he was truly a good man and may the mercy of God be with his family. The funeral service was attended by the deputy governor of Benue state; Benson Abounu, former governor of Delta state; Chief James Ibori, President of Nigeria Football Federation, Mr. Amaju Pinnick, among others. Effects of bad governance in the country Governor Okowa had on Wednesday, August 25 said bad governance, ethnoreligious conflicts, and lack of faith in the electoral process were major causes of disunity in Nigeria. Okowa stated this in his keynote address at the 2021 Annual Lecture and Symposium organised by Ripples Centre for Data and Investigative Journalism in Lagos. The governor stated that bad governance at different levels of government was a major contributory factor to disunity in the country, adding that the absence of a shared national vision or aspiration, primordial loyalties, and sentiments largely held sway among the citizenry. Giving all Nigerians a voice Governor Okowa recently called on the federal government to create an avenue for a national dialogue to dissect and seek a panacea to various challenges facing the country. Okowa made the call at an interdenominational thanksgiving service to mark the 30th anniversary of the creation of Delta state held at St. Peters Anglican Cathedral, Asaba, on Friday, August 27. He said that there were too many voices of anger calling for justice, fairness, and equity in the affairs of the nation and urged the federal government to take steps to listen to the voices. Source: Legit.ng - Leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), Mazi Nnamdi Kanu, has revealed why he won't be Biafra president - He says he is in the struggle for secession to ensure that the rights of the people of Biafra were restored - Kanu says he is not interested in money but wants to ensure that justice and equity reign Leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), Mazi Nnamdi Kanu, has said that contrary to insinuations in some quarters, he does not intend to be president when the Republic of Biafra was eventually actualized, Vanguard reports. Kanu always preferred to operate from the background, pointing out that if the pioneer leader of the Movement for the Actualization of the Sovereign State of Biafra (MASSOB), Chief Ralph Uwazurike, had remained consistent with the struggle, he would not be doing what he is doing with IPOB. Legit.ng previously reported that Nnamdi Kanu, was granted bail by the Federal High Court sitting in Abuja after spending almost two years in detention. READ ALSO: Buharis top aide in trouble as plot to stop Osinbajo from acting revealed Legit.ng gathered that while insisting that the actualization of a Republic of Biafra was a foregone conclusion, the IPOB leader said he also sympathized with the South East governors and some other political office holders position on Biafra, attributing it to their fear of losing their positions and political relevance in Nigeria. He, however, said the fear being entertained by such Igbo leaders was neither here nor there because the Biafra Republic would be founded on the principle of justice, equity and fairness. He was also happy that some Igbo leaders were already identifying with the struggle and encouraged them to remain steadfast. Nnamdi Kanu reveals why he will never leave Biafra struggle He said: I am into this struggle because of leadership vacuum. I am into this struggle because my people are suffering; they are being denied their rights and privileges and nothing will stop this fight. I want to assure our people that we are almost there. The Biafra Republic is almost here with us. Even if one is from Sokoto, he can be a Biafran once he believes in our value system of equity, justice and fairness. Biafra will be a home for all people who agree with our values, whether you are from Kano or Sokoto. "It will be a place for good things for good people. Therefore, those who are distancing themselves from the Biafra struggle will regret it. If you dont join the struggle, you will be irrelevant in the end because Biafra Republic is sure. Legit.ng had previously reported that IPOB gave Nnamdi Kanu beautiful gifts. Kanu described Afaraukwu-Umuahia, where his father is the traditional ruler as being part of the headquarters of Biafra. Afaraukwu-Umuahia was where late Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu had the popular Ojukwu bunker, and operated from till the end of the Biafra war, adding that there was therefore no way he would abandon his fathers land which served Biafra in time of need. He stated that, the same politicians who called them noise makers, internet warriors, miscreants and so many names today sneak in to come and lobby him for support. They will always ask me to support them to get into office, that while they are in office, they will help push the cause, but I know that what they are after is the four or eight years they will stay so that they can make money," he said. READ ALSO: UPDATED: Ex-PDP BoT chairman, Anenihs son slumps, dies at Lagos club Asked whether he agreed with the late Igbo leader, Dim Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu that Biafra should now be a thing of the mind and not a geographical space, Kanu said Biafra had a geographical location and that the people of Biafra were known and defined. Meanwhile, watch this video of Nigerians reacting to Buhari's return to London. Source: Legit.ng This isnt all Microsofts fault though. Its newer operating systems, like Windows 10, are much more secure. There are many more players and dimensions to this ticking bomb. During this latest ransomware crisis, it became clear there were many institutions that could have patched or upgraded their systems, but they had not. This isnt just because their information technology departments are incompetent (though there are surely cases of that, too). Upgrades come with many downsides that make people reluctant to install them. For example, the more secure Windows 10 comes with so many privacy concerns that the Electronic Frontier Foundation issued numerous alerts about it, and the European Union is still investigating it. My current Windows 10 machine is more secure but it advertises to me in the login screen. (Are they also profiling me to target advertisements? A fair question in this environment.) Further, upgrades almost always bring unwanted features. When I was finally forced to upgrade my Outlook mail program, it took me months to get used to the new color scheme and spacing somebody in Seattle had decided was the new look. There was no option to keep things as is. Users hate this, and often are rightfully reluctant to upgrade. But they are often unaware that these unwanted features come bundled with a security update. As an added complication, the ways companies communicate about upgrades and unilaterally change the user interface make people vulnerable to phishing, since one is never sure what is a real login or upgrade message and what is a bogus one, linking to a fake website trying to steal a login. The problem is even worse for institutions like hospitals which run a lot of software provided by a variety of different vendors, often embedded in expensive medical equipment. For them, upgrading the operating system (a cost itself) may also mean purchasing millions of dollars worth of new software. Much of this software also comes with problems, and the no liability policy means that vendors can just sell the product, take the money and run. Sometimes, medical equipment is certified as it is, and an upgrade brings along re-certification questions. The machines can (as they should) last for decades; that the software should just expire and junk everything every 10 years is not a workable solution. Upgrades can also introduce new bugs. How do you test new software when the upgrade can potentially freeze your M.R.I.? Last year, a software update bricked Tesla cars: they could not be driven anymore until another update fixed the problem. Many large institutions are thus wary of upgrades. The next crisis facing us is the so-called internet of things: devices like baby monitors, refrigerators and lighting now come with networked software. Many such devices are terribly insecure and, worse, dont even have a mechanism for receiving updates. In the current regulatory environment, the people who write the insecure software and the companies who sold the things bear no liability. Theyre using military courts because the president is assured of the outcome there. Its not a coincidence that the moment the government feels they dont control the attorney general, they look elsewhere to see that they can lock up dissidents. TAMARA TARACIUK, a senior researcher for Human Rights Watch, referring to Venezuelas prosecution of civilians in military tribunals. Instead, this Decalogue seems, without any radical effects, to be coolly composing a new grammar, and with some largeness of spirit. More than any Peck piece so far, its partnering assignments include female-male and same-sex as well as male-female. And couples are fluid. Jared Angle, the companys most redoubtable partner, is variously paired with both Sara Mearns and Rebecca Krohn; at one point, he holds a first arabesque extending his line on one leg while a woman walks around to revolve him. The exact reverse of the partnering for which Mr. Angle is best known, its an emblem of the changing priorities in this ballet. Coupling is not the central point here anyway. The five women and five men are individuals and a community before they are couples. There are hierarchical groupings in which Ms. Mearns is central, dominant, with the others arrayed as if in attendance; but all such orderings here are impermanent. In one duet, she turns and moves in Mr. Angles arms with fabulously fluent length of phrase; but walking prosaic walking without airs or graces is also a prominent part of the vocabulary. Dancers are often crouched on the ground as well as upright. Thursdays performances included two moments when individual women briefly fell to the floor; they looked to me like accidents, but other members of the audience decided they were choreographed. The mixture of formality and informality is part of the pieces character. The group geometries (always one of Mr. Pecks specialties) are seldom symmetrical; there are off-center parabolas, and chain effects that ripple through the group in diagonally slanted zigzags. All 10 dancers the others are Rachel Hutsell, Claire Kretzschmar, Kristen Segin, Daniel Applebaum, Harrison Coll, Gonzalo Garcia and Aaron Sanz have individual opportunities, but there are quintets in which the differences between men and women are not paramount, as they usually are in ballet. This is the second of two world premieres in City Ballets current four-week Here/Now season, and it closed the eighth of the 10 programs. The 43 Here/Now ballets have all been made in the 34 years since the death of the companys founding ballet master, George Balanchine. The dancers have been working exceptionally hard the more so since there have been a number of injuries so it has not been unusual to see one dancer making two debuts in a single evening. Almost everyone has risen admirably to the challenges; several have revealed unsuspected facets. The conductor Leon Botstein has long argued that classical music is in danger of boring itself to death with endless performances of repertory staples, however great those works may be. Through the programs he has conducted over 25 years as music director of the American Symphony Orchestra, and the summer festivals he has overseen at Bard College, where he is president, Mr. Botstein has championed earlier works that, often for inexplicable reasons, have been nearly forgotten. Mr. Botstein was at it again on Friday at Carnegie Hall, when he led the American Symphony, a strong roster of vocal soloists and the Bard Festival Chorale in a rare performance of Edward Elgars 1903 The Apostles. This two-hour oratorio tells the story of Christs crucifixion from the vantage of his followers. Its performed on occasion in Britain. But in America, even Elgar fans may not realize that this piece exists. It was a revelation to me. After this fine performance, I think I prefer The Apostles, with its soft-spoken, reflective richness, to Elgars better-known oratorio The Dream of Gerontius. Elgar conceived The Apostles during a visit to the Bayreuth Festival in Germany in the summer of 1902, when he saw Wagners Parsifal three times. Flush with inspiration, he embarked on a work of Wagnerian dimensions: a trilogy of oratorios on Christian themes. The Apostles was the first; the second was The Kingdom, a shorter work. But artistic indecision and a crisis of faith caused him to abandon the third. 3. President Trump will host leaders from around the globe this week, including the crown prince of Abu Dhabi, above, the Turkish president and the president of Colombia. On Friday, he begins his first international trip as president. Mr. Trumps first stop, one of many, will be Saudi Arabia. Our Washington correspondents wrote that Mr. Trump remains deeply frustrated over not getting enough credit for winning the election. Theres a lot of anger. Ive talked with him about it, said one of his friends. _____ On this day in 1969, students and community activists clashed with the police over a three-acre plot owned by the University of California, Berkeley. What began as a disagreement over use of the land a site known as Peoples Park resulted in the most violent confrontation in the universitys history, a day that became known as Bloody Thursday. Mr. Reagan responded by sending in the National Guard. Berkeley, home to the University of Californias flagship campus, has long been a center of cultural disputes and civil unrest. The Free Speech Movement began there during the 1964-65 academic year, and protests erupted on campus this year over planned appearances by the right-wing activists Milo Yiannopoulos and Ann Coulter. The recent controversies over campus speakers has reignited a debate over freedom of expression, again testing the city and university on two fronts: speech and safety. Inyoung Kang contributed reporting. _____ This briefing was prepared for the Asian morning. We also have briefings timed for the Australian, European and American mornings. You can sign up for these and other Times newsletters here. Your Morning Briefing is published weekday mornings and updated online. What would you like to see here? Contact us at asiabriefing@nytimes.com. Tell us what we are going to get out of this, said James Zimmerman, a lawyer in Beijing who is a former chairman of the American Chamber of Commerce in China, referring to the West. Its a nonstarter if its all about bringing Chinese goods to Europe, or if its all one way. A top official in the Trump administration, Matthew Pottinger, the senior director for Asia at the National Security Council, said at Sundays conference that China should provide transparency in the bidding for contracts related to the initiative, to give a better chance to companies that arent state-owned. Chinas industrial overcapacity is a big motivator behind the plan. China can make nearly 1.1 billion tons of steel a year, as much as the rest of the world put together, but has domestic demand for only about 800 million tons. The initiative might absorb only about 30 million tons a year, according to a recent study by the European Union Chamber of Commerce. Some American companies are taking steps to improve their chances but that sometimes means manufacturing more in China, not the United States. Ms. Duan said G.E. had focused on ways to produce goods in China to meet the countrys requirements that some of the work be done locally. Honeywell said in a statement that it had also been looking for ways to produce more goods in China for the program. When the roads are built, when the ports are built, when the power plants are built, I think the other opportunities will come, Ms. Duan said. HONG KONG Hackers in Vietnam have been attacking foreign companies and other targets for years, seeking information and using tactics that suggest links to the Vietnamese government, a cybersecurity company said Monday. The findings, laid out in a report released by the company, FireEye, come as companies and experts look beyond traditional sources of attacks like China and Russia to deal with new or rising threats. Smaller countries are now trying their hand at hacking, experts say, as they seek to follow dissidents, undermine enemies or comb corporate files for trade secrets. FireEye, a company based in California that deals with large network breaches, said it had watched a Vietnamese group known as OceanLotus target foreign companies in the manufacturing, hospitality and consumer products sectors since at least 2014. While identifying hackers or the governments that might back them can be difficult, FireEye said OceanLotus had used tactics similar to those in attacks previously identified by experts as having targeted Vietnamese dissidents, journalists and governments at odds with the country. The OceanLotus group accessed personnel details and other data from multiple victim organizations that would be of very little use to any party other than the Vietnamese government, said Nick Carr, a security expert at FireEye and the primary author of the report. Alisa Rose Hartman and Benjamin Craig Winchel are to be married May 14 at Greentree Country Club in New Rochelle, N.Y. Rabbi A. Jonathan Muskat is to officiate. Mrs. Winchel, 28, is a prekindergarten teacher at Temple Israels preschool in Manhattan. She graduated from Hofstra University and received masters degrees in early childhood education from Bank Street College of Education and in social work from Hunter College. She is the daughter of Evelyn T. Hartman and James D. Hartman of the Riverdale section of the Bronx. The brides father is an adjunct professor of English at Manhattan College and at Fordham University, both in the Bronx, and is the author of Providence Tales and the Birth of American Literature. Her mother, a psychoanalyst, has a private practice in Manhattan, and is a member of the faculty at the William Alanson White Institute of Psychiatry, Psychoanalysis and Psychology in Manhattan. Mr. Winchel, 30, is a sanctions compliance adviser at the Bank of Tokyo-Mitsubishi in Manhattan. He graduated from Brandeis University and received a law degree from St. Johns University. Drake Matthew Carden and Charles Allen Bentley III were married May 13. Sam H. Roberson, a friend of the couple who received permission from the Fairfax County Circuit Court to perform the wedding, officiated at Blenheim Vineyards in Charlottesville, Va. Mr. Carden (left), 28, is a third-year law student at Harvard, and expects to graduate later this month. In October, he is to begin as an associate in the London office of Latham & Watkins, the Los Angeles firm. He graduated from the University of Florida. He is the son of Janette D. Peaver of St. Augustine, Fla., and Kevin Carden of Longwood, Fla. His mother is a vice president for wholesale business information at SunTrust Bank, which is in Atlanta. His father is a lawyer at the Bounds Law Group in Maitland, Fla. Mr. Bentley, 30, is a foreign service officer and a vice consul at the United States Consulate in Montreal. In August, he is to become the human rights and political officer at the United States Embassy in Juba, South Sudan. He graduated and received a masters degree in world politics from Catholic University of America. Kathryn Anne Leech and Matthew Raymond Kretschmer were married May 13 at the Fox Chapel Presbyterian Church in Pittsburgh. The Rev. Dr. Chris Taylor, a Presbyterian minister, performed the ceremony. The couple met at the University of Maryland, from which each received a Ph.D., the bride in human development and quantitative methodology, and the groom in physics. Dr. Leech, 29, is a postdoctoral research fellow and lecturer at the Harvard Graduate School of Education in Cambridge, Mass. She graduated magna cum laude from Kenyon College in Gambier, Ohio. She is a daughter of JoEllen F. Leech and Frederick C. Leech of Pittsburgh. The brides father is a partner in Leech Tishman Fuscaldo & Lampl, a law firm there. Sarah Elizabeth Fisher and Ricky Shenhau Lu were married May 13 at Foxfire Mountain House in Shandaken, N.Y. Ricarda OConner, a civil marriage officiant in Shandaken, officiated. Mrs. Lu, 32, is a diversity programs and communications manager in New York for Google, working to increase diversity and inclusivity at the company. She graduated from Columbia. She is the daughter of Sandra A. Fisher and Frank A. Fisher of Mechanicsburg, Pa. The brides father retired as the chief counsel for Pennsylvanias Office of Administration in Harrisburg, Pa., and is a part-time public-sector arbitrator in Mechanicsburg. Her mother is a co-owner of Core Plus Physical Therapy in Mechanicsburg. Mr. Lu, 31, is the associate director for strategic planning and mergers and acquisitions at Time, the New York magazine company. He graduated from Tufts and received an M.B.A. from N.Y.U. Implants have become increasingly popular. From 2000 to 2016, the number of breast augmentations in the United States rose 37 percent, and reconstructions after mastectomy rose 39 percent. Annually, nearly 400,000 women in the United States get breast implants, about 300,000 for cosmetic enlargement and about 100,000 for reconstruction after cancer, according to the American Society of Plastic Surgeons. Allergan and Mentor are the major manufacturers. Worldwide, an estimated 1.4 million women got implants in 2015. Image Nearly all the cases of breast implant-associated anaplastic large-cell lymphoma have been linked to textured implants like this one. Credit... Southern Illinois University, via Science Source As late as 2015, only about 30 percent of plastic surgeons were routinely discussing the cancer with patients, according to Dr. Mark W. Clemens II, a plastic surgeon and an expert on the disease at the University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center in Houston. Id like to think that since then weve made progress on that, Dr. Clemens said. Late last year, an alliance of cancer centers, the National Comprehensive Cancer Network, issued treatment guidelines. Experts agree that the essential first step is to remove the implant and the entire capsule of scar tissue around it. Otherwise, the disease is likely to recur, and the prognosis to worsen. Not all women have been able to get the recommended treatment. Kimra Rogers, 50, a nursing assistant in Caldwell, Idaho, learned last May that she had lymphoma, from textured implants she had for more than 10 years. But instead of removing the implants and capsules immediately, her doctor prescribed six rounds of chemotherapy and 25 rounds of radiation. A year later, she still has the implants. Unfortunately, my doctor didnt know the first line of defense, Ms. Rogers said. She learned about the importance of having the implants removed only from other women in a Facebook group for those with the disease. New Developments in Cancer Research Card 1 of 5 Progress in the field. In recent years, advancements in research have changed the way cancer is treated. Here are some recent updates: Uterine cancer. Women who use chemical hair straighteners frequently could have a higher risk of developing uterine cancer than women who have never used the products, according to new findings from a national study that has followed nearly 34,000 U.S. women for more than a decade. Breast cancer. A new study suggests surgery may not always be necessary for all breast cancer patients. A small early-stage clinical trial found that a carefully selected group of patients who responded remarkably well to chemotherapy could skip surgery altogether. Cancer vaccines. For a long time, the promise of cancer vaccines that would protect healthy people at high risk of cancer has only dangled in front of researchers. Now, though, encouraging animal data and preliminary studies in human patients are making some doctors feel optimistic. Rectal cancer. A small trial that saw 18 rectal cancer patients taking the same drug, dostarlimab, appears to have produced an astonishing result: The cancer vanished in every single participant. Experts believe that this study is the first in history to have achieved such results. Her health insurer, Blue Cross Blue Shield of Montana, covered the chemotherapy and radiation but has refused to pay for removal of the implants, and told her that her appeal rights were exhausted. In a statement sent to The New York Times, a spokesman said, Cosmetic breast implants are a contract exclusion, as are any services related to complications of the cosmetic breast implants, including implant removal and reconstruction. Physicians dispute that reasoning, saying the surgery is needed to treat cancer. Her lawyer, Graham Newman, from Columbia, S.C., said he was planning a lawsuit against the implant makers, and had about 20 other clients with breast-implant lymphoma from Australia, Canada, England and the United States. Lennon and McCartney. Abbott and Costello. Siegfried and Roy. Ahearn and Torres. Who? In the history of creative duos, John Ahearn and Rigoberto Torres may not have name recognition or money but they have longevity. For almost 40 years the two artists have collaborated on life casts, making them from the South Bronx to Taiwan and from Brazil to Puerto Rico. Creatively, they are like John Lennon and Paul McCartney, sharing credit on life-size sculptures of famous and obscure people. Temperamentally, Mr. Torres can be reticent to the point of being more like George Harrison, the quiet Beatle. Their partnership has endured through distance, even as both pursued solo projects. About 15 years ago Mr. Torres left New York for Orlando, Fla., while Mr. Ahearn continued working in his South Bronx studio. With Mr. Ahearn the one with connections to the citys art world, people sometimes forget about Mr. Torress equal contributions to their oeuvre. But if anything, Mr. Ahearn was relieved and excited when Mr. Torres returned to his studio recently to prepare several pieces for a show in Chelsea in the fall. John has his own anxieties going on, Mr. Torres, 54, said with a laugh. Im the more relaxed one. Im the one who fixes everything after theyre broken. Im not so anxious about things. They met in summer 1979 at Fashion Moda, a fabled gallery near 149th Street and Third Avenue in the Bronx that attracted downtown artists like Tom Otterness, Jane Dickson and Mr. Ahearn, as well as local graffiti artists and break dancers. Mr. Ahearn had been making casts of people by the gallerys big storefront windows when a cousin of Mr. Torress stopped by to check out the scene. Mr. Torres soon went to see for himself. For the past two years, Tennessee has led the nation in Fafsa applications. Seventy percent of high school seniors there fill one out, 13 percentage points higher than New York, according to federal Department of Education figures. The number of Tennessee students applying for federal loans, meanwhile, dropped by 17 percent in 2015, said Joni E. Finney, a professor at the University of Pennsylvanias Graduate School of Education, who was a co-author of a report in April analyzing higher education in Tennessee. Enrollment at community and technology colleges for first-time freshmen has climbed by 30 percent. And a majority of Tennessee Promise students who began at a community college in the fall of 2015 were still in school this year, compared with fewer than half of those who were not Promise recipients, according to the Tennessee Higher Education Commission. In many ways, its a good model in terms of how much work you have to do in terms of implementation to get this to work, said William Doyle, an associate professor of public policy and higher education at Vanderbilt University in Nashville. The messaging, the branding, the community outreach. At Antioch High School in south Nashville, where roughly three-quarters of the mostly minority population qualifies for free or reduced-price lunches, signs urging students to sign up for the program are ubiquitous, and college acceptance letters are taped to the wall in the hallways. Previously, the mind-set of the building was, Our kids dont go to college they go to work, said Stephanie Ridley, a Spanish teacher. But if you tell kids they can go to college, they will. Many Antioch students said they saw the program as a way to save money by going to community college for two years free before transferring to a four-year university. The problem is seven, going on eight, years of Governor Christies stubborn refusal to put any new state aid to invest any new money over an extended period of time, Mr. Sciarra said. Some districts in the state, however, are actually overfunded. Places like Jersey City, Hoboken and Asbury Park cities that have gentrified are receiving more money than they are owed from the state. A loophole in the formula allows those cities to continue getting the same aid even after the student population has shrunk or property tax revenue increases. In his February budget address, Mr. Christie criticized the funding formula, calling it unfair. Certain municipalities are ripping off the state; certain school districts are being ripped off, he said. Mr. Christie had promoted a new formula that would set aside the same amount for each public school student, regardless of income. But critics called the proposal unfair to low-income districts. Now, Mr. Christie has asked the Legislature to come up with a new funding plan. Any solution would most likely pit district against district and the needs of property owners against the needs of public school students. And emotions are rising. In Clifton, students staged a walkout. In Paterson, one of the states poorest cities, hundreds of teachers have been laid off. When state legislators recently held a budget hearing, parents and district administrators packed the room to plead for more funding. Valerie Freeman, a parent who lives in Paterson, said nurses and substance abuse counselors had been cut throughout the district. Most of our children, they walk through harsh areas in our school. Most of them are coming to school high. But, what can the teacher do? she said in an interview. The teachers cant do anything about it. ISTANBUL With President Recep Tayyip Erdogan of Turkey visiting President Trump in Washington this week, it might be useful to briefly turn away from the conventional explanatory sources and consider a wildly popular television series that is capturing the zeitgeist in Turkey. Over three bombastic seasons so far, Dirilis: Ertugrul (Resurrection: Ertugrul) has described medieval campaigns waged by Turks against Christian enemies. Focusing on the life of Ertugrul Bey, father of Osman Bey, the 13th-century founder of the Ottoman Empire, the series leads television ratings in Turkey every week. Its loaded tagline: A nations awakening. This chimes with the spirit of the age after Mr. Erdogan framed the constitutional referendum in April as a struggle against enemies of the Turkish nation and domestic traitors. Turkeys national mood can often be measured by the popularity of certain television shows. A few years back, rising self-confidence was symbolized by the blockbuster success of The Magnificent Century, based on the life of Sultan Suleiman, who led the Ottoman Empire at the height of its power in the 16th century. Described by The New York Times in 2012 as an Ottoman-era Sex and the City, The Magnificent Century luxuriated in the opulence and intrigue of the Ottoman court and became an international hit. Carrying torches and chanting angrily, demonstrators marched Saturday in a Virginia city against a vote to remove a statue of Robert E. Lee, leading the citys mayor to compare the rally to a gathering of the Ku Klux Klan. The gathering of several dozen protesters in Charlottesville, Va., was led by Richard B. Spencer, a prominent white supremacist, who posted pictures and video from the gathering to social media that showed a phalanx of demonstrators holding Confederate battle flags and a banner proclaiming, We will not be replaced. Their chants, some of which were captured on video, included Russia is our friend and the Nazi-era slogan blood and soil. According to local news reports, the protesters gathered in Lee Park, which is named for the general, shortly after 9 p.m. and were dispersed by the police after about 10 minutes. On Fox News, Senator Mike Lee, Republican of Utah, said if there are recordings, it was probably inevitable that they would be turned over to Congress, which is investigating possible connections between Mr. Trumps campaign and Russia. Both senators, along with others, were responding to the presidents warning to Mr. Comey, in a Twitter post on Friday, that he had better hope that there are no tapes of our conversations before he starts leaking to the press! The minority leader, Senator Chuck Schumer of New York, said that President Trump should turn over such tapes immediately, if they exist, while Senator Mark Warner of Virginia, the ranking Democrat on the committee investigating the Russia ties, said that such recordings must be preserved. Mr. Schumer also used the controversy to repeat his call for a special prosecutor to lead the Russia investigation, and left open the possibility that Democrats might withdraw support for a new F.B.I. director if the Justice Department did not appoint an independent prosecutor. WASHINGTON As a senator, Jeff Sessions was such a conservative outlier on criminal justice issues that he pushed other Republicans to the forefront of his campaign to block a sentencing overhaul, figuring they would be taken more seriously. Now Mr. Sessions is attorney general and need not take a back seat to anyone when it comes to imposing his ultratough-on-crime views. The effect of his transition from being just one of 535 in Congress to being top dog at the Justice Department was underscored on Friday when he ordered federal prosecutors to make sure they threw the book at criminal defendants and pursued the toughest penalties possible. This is a key part of President Trumps promise to keep America safe, Mr. Sessions said on Friday as he received an award from the New York City police union to mark the beginning of National Police Week. Given Mr. Sessionss long record as a zealous prosecutor and his well-known views on the dangers of drug use, his push to undo Obama-era sentencing policies and ramp up the war on drugs was hardly a surprise. But it was still striking, because it ran so contrary to the growing bipartisan consensus coursing through Washington and many state capitals in recent years a view that America was guilty of excessive incarceration and that large prison populations were too costly in tax dollars and the toll on families and communities. In the days after Mr. Trumps election victory, the mood was different, as Republicans expressed high hopes that they could move quickly on a conservative agenda that merged with Mr. Trumps. Were going to be an enthusiastic supporter almost all the time, Mr. McConnell said of Mr. Trump in November. But Republicans have so far achieved few of their legislative priorities, like repealing the Affordable Care Act or cutting taxes. When Mr. Trump suggested this month that the Senate should change its rules to make it easier for Republicans to push bills through, Mr. McConnell firmly rejected the idea. Lawmakers are also bucking the president by pushing ahead with bipartisan measures on sanctions against Russia. And this month, Republicans rejected many of the administrations priorities in a short-term spending measure, including money for a wall along the border with Mexico. Two Republican senators who face potentially tough re-election fights next year Dean Heller of Nevada and Jeff Flake of Arizona have been unabashed in their criticism of Mr. Trump and his administration, which they have clearly begun to view as a drag on their political prospects. In Arizona, we grow them independent, Mr. Flake said, noting the unpopularity in his state of Mr. Trumps views on the border wall and Nafta. I expect people want someone who will say, Im voting with Trump on the good stuff and standing up to him on the not good stuff. Some Republicans, like Mr. Ryan, have preferred to keep the focus firmly on the good stuff. Mr. Ryan has remained in harmony with the president, last month calling him a driven, hands-on leader, with the potential to become a truly transformational American figure. Mr. Trump retains the support of about 80 percent of Republican voters, and although his overall popularity is at historic lows at this point in a presidency, it remains well above the depths eventually reached by presidents like George W. Bush and Jimmy Carter. At those levels, larger numbers of lawmakers might start to turn away from Mr. Trump though even if they wanted to do so, Republicans would not be able to completely separate themselves from him on issues like a tax overhaul, where his blessing would be needed to move forward in any major way. I dont have enough clothes or even soap to clean her, Ms. Ipangba said of her child. I pray to God to guard me and give me strength to watch over my child because its just me who has to take care of her. Gladis Koutiyote said she, too, had a child with a Ugandan soldier who promised to marry her. She said some Ugandan soldiers did bring her a little bit of sugar in a cup and some rice. I used it for just one day and then it was finished, she said. The girl who said she was raped in the fields at 13 said she had to drop out of school to take care of her child. She wants the soldier to go to prison and to provide money for the babys care. But she said she was not sure she would ever get justice. She still walks miles to a field to grow beans, manioc and maize to eat. But Im scared, she said. I worry that he could come for me again. Brigadier Karemire, the Ugandan military spokesman, said the Ugandan investigations were finished. He said that no cases of rape or statutory rape were registered here in the Central African Republic, and that there was no plan to support any children left behind. All Ugandan forces will be gone from the Central African Republic within a few weeks. BEIJING President Xi Jinping of China delivered a sweeping vision of a new economic global order on Sunday, positioning his country as an alternative to an inward-looking United States under President Trump. Mr. Xi, surrounded by autocratic leaders from Russia and Central Asia at a forum in Beijing, pledged more than $100 billion for development banks in China that he said would spearhead vast spending on infrastructure across Asia, Europe and Africa. Noticeably absent from the gathering were leaders of major Western democracies. Sparing no modesty for the plan, Mr. Xi called the initiative, known as One Belt, One Road, this project of the century. The program, based on Chinese-led investment in bridges, rails, ports and energy in over 60 countries, form the backbone of Chinas economic and geopolitical agenda. In a new twist for China, which has generally been skeptical of social programs by the World Bank, Mr. Xi said the initiative would tackle poverty in recipient countries. He promised to deliver emergency food aid and said China would begin 100 poverty projects, though he stopped short of providing details. The components of the global cyberattack that seized hundreds of thousands of computer systems last week may be more complex than originally believed, a Trump administration official said Sunday, and experts warned that the effects of the malicious software could linger for some time. As a new workweek started Monday in Asia, there were concerns the malicious software could spread further and in different forms, with new types of ransomware afflicting computers around the globe. There were initial reports of new cases found over the weekend in Japan, South Korea and Taiwan. President Trump has ordered his homeland security adviser, Thomas P. Bossert, who has a background in cyberissues, to coordinate the governments response to the spread of the malware and help organize the search for who was responsible, an administration official said Sunday. The attack is more complicated because the experts tell us that this code was cobbled together from many places and sources, according to an administration official who insisted on anonymity to discuss the governments cybersecurity plans. The more potential sources of the malicious code, the harder it is for investigators to run down the trail of possible perpetrators. PARIS Against the regal backdrop of a grand reception room in Frances presidential palace, Emmanuel Macron, 39, was officially installed on Sunday as the youngest president in modern French history. In his short speech to mark the occasion, he encouraged the French to embrace the future, to hold him to a high standard and to join him in the hard work ahead. I reassure you that not for a single second did I think that everything changed as if by magic on May 7, Mr. Macron said of the day he was elected. This will be slow work, demanding, but indispensable. It will be up to me to convince the French that our country, which seems threatened by the sometimes contrary winds of the world, carries in its heart all the resources to be a nation of the first rank. The new president is wasting no time. On Sunday afternoon, Mr. Macron, as the new commander in chief, visited wounded soldiers at a military hospital outside Paris. On Monday, he is expected to travel to Berlin to meet with Chancellor Angela Merkel of Germany, Frances most important ally in Europe, and will also announce his pick for prime minister. By midweek, the rest of his government is expected to be named. DUSSELDORF, Germany The party of Chancellor Angela Merkel scored an upset victory on Sunday in elections in Germanys most populous state that were seen as a dress rehearsal for national parliamentary elections in September, when she will seek a fourth term. The victory in North Rhine-Westphalia, home to 18 million people and one in five German voters, dealt a severe blow to Martin Schulz, Ms. Merkels Social Democratic challenger, who admitted to a bitter defeat in his home state, traditionally the leftists heartland. Cheers erupted at the state headquarters of Ms. Merkels Christian Democratic Union when early results came in. With almost all ballots counted, the Christian Democrats had won almost 33 percent of votes cast, compared with around 31 percent for the center-left Social Democrats. The national elections are still more than four months away a long time in an era of febrile politics across Europe, where mainstream parties have seen their grip weaken in recent elections. But Ms. Merkel, in power since 2005, seems to be bucking the trend, buoyed by experience, a calm temperament and the exceptional economic strength of Germany, which has 4.1 percent unemployment and just last week announced record exports and tax revenues that will exceed expectations by 55 billion euros by 2020. Mauno Koivisto, who as Finlands last president during the Cold War steered the country out of isolation and into the European Union, died on Friday in Helsinki. He was 93. The Finnish presidents office announced his death. His wife, Tellervo Koivisto, said this year that he had Alzheimers disease. Mr. Koivisto served two six-year terms, from 1982 to 1994. His down-to-earth manner and dry humor, often laced with sarcasm and philosophical pondering, won him wide popularity. He succeeded Urho Kekkonen, who had ruled Finland for 25 years until his resignation in 1981. Mr. Koivisto was seen as ushering in a new, freer era, changing the face of the country by reducing the powers of the head of state and strengthening the role of Parliament. MOSCOW Russia was again at the center of a global hacking scandal when computer systems the world over were frozen this weekend by a variant of malicious software known as WannaCry. But this time, Russians were among the victims of the attack, not suspected of being the perpetrators. In fact, of all the countries afflicted in the first wave of the spread of the malicious software, Russia was hit the hardest: The virus tried to infect more computers in Russia than anywhere else, according to an analysis by Kaspersky Lab, a Russian antivirus company. While government computers were crashing, banks, cellphone operators and railroads in Russia were fending off attacks designed to freeze their systems in demand for ransoms to unlock the data. Now on the business end of a cyberattack, Russian officials were quick to voice outrage. Humanity is dealing here with cyberterrorism, said Frants Klintsevich, the deputy chairman of the Russian Senates defense committee, according to the state-run Tass news agency. Its an alarming signal, and not just a signal but a direct threat to the normal functioning of society, and important life-support systems. Register for more free articles. Sign up for our newsletter to keep reading. Obituaries Newsletter Sign up to get the most recent local obituaries delivered to your inbox. Sign up! Already a Subscriber? Already a Subscriber? Sign in Terms of Service Privacy Policy Congress Switchboard: 202-224-3121 "Rob Kall's book, Bottom-Up points the way to a more caring and connected world. This stimulating book combines realistic facts with idealistic optimism at a time when both are so urgently needed." Riane Eisler, author of The Real Wealth of Nations and The Chalice and the Blade Big dogs bite people. Labradors and Labrador mixes were the second biggest biters in Lincoln last year, behind pit bulls and pit mixes. Little dogs bite people. Chihuahuas and Chihuahua mixes were fifth on the list and make the top 5 list most years. The breed of the dog, or whether it's big or small, doesn't really matter when it comes to biting. Fearful dogs of all sizes bite people, according to a local veterinarian. "I think nine times out of 10, maybe more ... the bite is not out of primary aggression. It is out of fear," said Dr. Megan Ehlers. There are very few naturally aggressive dogs, she said. A dog's aggression is usually rooted in fear. Its not the breed that matters, though there are some breeds that, because of their intelligence and nature, are a little more skeptical. "They think a little deeper about situations and are quicker to go to fear," she said. A fearful dog cowers and hides from people. A fearful dog growls when people approach. A fearful dog guards its food. You have to work to eliminate the fear by building confidence and being a strong leader for your dog, she said. Pit bulls, which top the list of dogs that bite, are a popular breed. They have great emotions, including fear, Ehlers said. And too often they have owners who want them to be on guard, who want them to be intimidating, so those dogs are only doing what their owners are asking them to do, she said. If you have a fearful dog, you shouldn't set them up to fail, which means you shouldn't put them where they can bite a mail carrier or the child next door, Ehlers said. Postal carriers cautious Dogs do bite postal carriers in Lincoln. Five carriers were bitten by dogs while delivering the mail in the last year, said Lincoln Postmaster Kerry Kowalski. Usually the dog is somewhere out of sight, on the porch, behind a bush, or it comes out of the house when the customer opens the door for a package delivery, said Kowalski, who himself was bitten by dogs twice, once as a child and once as a carrier. The number of carriers bitten by dogs is rising, likely driven by the increase in online ordering and in the postal services parcel delivery service, said Kowalski. He speculates that dogs, protective by nature, see these strangers, often in uniform, as danger. There have been instances when a dog, in an owner's arms, lunged and bit a carrier, he said. The U.S. Postal Service recommends customers always put their dog in a separate room or a closed space before opening the door to a carrier. And the postal service is going to err on the side of caution. If there is a dog in a side yard, even on a leash, the carrier may leave a notice in the box rather than deliver a package, he said. There are customers who are upset about that. But we dont know your dog wont bite. We are not going to take a risk." Dogs most likely to bite Lincolns list of dogs that have bitten people is evidence that biters come in all sizes, shapes and breeds. The biters on last years list comprise almost 40 different breeds great Danes, corgis, cockers, blue heelers, poodle mixes, dachshunds (who often make the top 10 biter list), shelties, Yorkshire terriers. The generally loving and gentle Labrador is near the top of the biter list, in part because there are so many -- 3,000 licensed -- in Lincoln, Ehlers said. But Chihuahuas, also a popular breed with 1,538 registered in the city last year, are temperamentally more likely to bite, she said. You need to understand their mentality ... They live in a big person world. When everything is 25 times larger, you have to defend yourself. So they are on the defensive constantly." Plus they are too often allowed to dominate -- even their humans. We let them on our shoulder. We let them sleep with us." Its no wonder they bite, she says. But they dont rank among the dogs with the strongest bite (in terms of pounds per square inch). That honor goes to Kangals, Dobermans, English mastiffs and Rottweilers, based on research. For owners, check things out before you buy a dog, said Ehlers. "Not everyone can raise a German shepherd; not everyone can raise a Chihuahua, which is why shelters are filled with Chihuahuas," she said. The number of reports of dogs biting humans in Lincoln is growing, from 297 in 2011-12 to 333 last fiscal year. But the number of registered dogs is also growing -- 39,449 to 41,332, said Steve Beal, head of animal control. But Lincoln residents are less likely to have serious dog bites, based on research. In Lincoln, 51 to 57 people per 100,000 population ended up in an emergency room for a dog bite. In the county, 63 to 69 people per 100,000 population visit the emergency room. Statewide, the average is 66 to 72 per 100,000 population, according to Beal. The city ranks dogs who have bitten based on the situation, from potentially dangerous to vicious. Last year two dogs, declared vicious, were euthanized. Congress Switchboard: 202-224-3121 "In his groundbreaking new book Bottom Up: Tapping the Power of the Connection Revolution, Rob Kall invites and eases us into in a much-needed meta-level shift -- a truly basic paradigmatic shift from top-down to bottom-up. He capably and imaginatively explores the differences between these ways of approaching life, clearly demonstrating that bottom-up allows us to flourish. His vision and his book are enriched by telling references to interviews which he has engaged in over the years with bottom-up researchers, theorists, activists, and dreamers in a variety of areas. Think about Rob's interviews. Read this revolutionary book. And take one step further into the bottom-up universe yourself. You will not regret it." Bonnie Burstow, MD, author of Psychiatry and the Business of Madness and Radical Feminist Therapy, associate professor at the University of Toronto Progressive Content Not Found Sometimes, authors delete their progressive content after publishing. To see if the progressive content was renamed or re-published, please click here. (Image by cnn.com) Details DMCA President Trump is now threatening another destructive war against the North Korean people and their society. He must not be allowed to do this--there is another way to deal with the problem. As a matter of policy, Trump can redirect his energy and efforts onto the person of Kim Jong-un, the country's dictator, who not only threatens the safety of other nations, but who holds his own people in slavery. Why should the United States make war against a captive nation and its helpless people when there is a more effective solution? The Failure of War as an Instrument of Public Policy Making war against nation states and their people no longer works. Unstable and undemocratic countries, such as North Korea, are usually controlled by individuals and cabals against whom military force ends up harming their own domestic victims more than the entrenched leadership. The wrath of the people is directed against the outsiders who slaughter their children and helps solidify the rule of their domestic despots. Destroying the infrastructure of a nation to turn its people against their "leadership" fails--as in Iraq--resulting in the deaths of thousands of innocent children. Targeting "insurgents" using drones and violent nighttime home invasions fails--as in Afghanistan--resulting in "collateral" deaths and injuries to children and noncombatants. Imposition of economic sanctions fail--as in Iran--resulting in the destruction of the middle class and small businesses that are essential to a free society. Support of "rebels" against their government fails--as in Libya--when the new government is controlled by hostile and undemocratic forces. Direct military strikes fail to make a difference--as in Syria--for all of these reasons; and the threat of violent war--as in North Korea--is simply stupid against an immature dictator who has nuclear weapons and nothing to lose by using them. The use of war as an instrument of foreign policy fails in all of these situations because it does not produce the desired change. It primarily injures the innocent victims of their unrepresentative governments and results in their hatred of the aggressors, rather than their oppressors. In addition, the use of war by the United States also harms its own people through the wasteful diversion of scarce tax resources to the military-industrial complex, the compiling of massive and unsustainable public debt, a reduction of personal freedoms by the intelligence-security complex, and a loss of respect by other people and nations around the world. Moreover, continued use of aggressive--yet undeclared--wars by the United States has resulted in an undemocratic shift of power from the legislative branch to the executive branch of government. The Constitution provides that "The Congress shall have power . . . To declare War . . . ." For the past 50 years, however, American presidents, rather than Congress, have repeatedly unleashed military force against far weaker nations and their people--who do not have the means or ability to fight back, except through acts of terror. In addition to Afghanistan, Pakistan, Iraq, and Syria, the United States is also currently conducting military operations in Somalia and Yemen. Not only are these wars undeclared by Congress, their extent is largely concealed from the People. Moreover, in "fighting" these wars, the president, as Commander-in-Chief, claims the right to kill and detain "unlawful combatants," including American citizens, anywhere in the world, without trial. Americans no longer want to militarily intervene in other countries. A CBS/NYT poll found that 72 percent of Americans are opposed to removing dictators where it can, and a CNN poll found more than six in ten Americans desiring a more "non-interventionist" foreign policy. Part of President Trump's electoral support resulted from his campaign promises to avoid military action in foreign nations. He said the United States. should "stay out of Syria and other countries that hate us." Yes, there is violence and repression in the world, some of which may threaten the security interests of the United States, and it would be naive to deny it. It is equally foolish, however, to believe that launching undeclared aggressive wars against nation states and their people can resolve each and every one of these threats. There has to be a better solution, one that is both legal and effective. An Alternative to War Let us, for a moment, think "outside the box" about an alternative public policy to deal with these dangerous geopolitical situations--one based on commonsense and the law. Assuming that the Trump administration can make the case that Kim Jong-un and his regime pose a risk of danger to the People of the United States, shouldn't President Trump present that evidence to Congress and allow it to decide what to do? Rather than an authorization to launch a violent military attack against North Korea--essentially a declaration of war--Congress could pass a resolution along these lines: "The Congress of the United States declares that Kim Jong-un and his administration of the government of North Korea pose a danger to the United States, and he is hereby declared to be an outlaw. Congress directs the President of the United States to file a legal proceeding against the government of North Korea in the International Court of Justice and to take all necessary and reasonable steps to compel the personal attendance of Kim Jong-un to defend his government and its conduct." As a member of the United Nations, North Korea is automatically a party of the International Court; however, it must consent to jurisdiction in a specific case. The congressional resolution would, however, be directed against Kim, personally--as the dictator of North Korea--instead of the people of North Korea. It is narrowly designed to compel him to personally leave North Korea and to accept jurisdiction of the Court on its behalf. As a practical matter, once Kim leaves the country, the chances of his ever returning are very slim. Next Page 1 | 2 (Note: You can view every article as one long page if you sign up as an Advocate Member, or higher). Reprinted from shadowproof.com by Kevin Gosztola Chelsea Manning's prison mugshot from week she began hormone therapy (Image by Chelsea Manning Support Network) Details DMCA Chelsea Manning will be released from military prison at Fort Leavenworth next week. She will finally get a chance to be herself without having to conform to the rigid guidelines or expectations of the United States Army. News media are undoubtedly clamoring for an "exclusive" interview with Manning after she leaves prison. One can imagine the atrocious template, which has persisted, that they probably will call upon once more for her introduction. "There are some who call her a hero. There are others who see her as a traitor. Whatever you think, she served time in prison for one of the biggest leaks in history, and now she joins us for a first-ever TV interview." If her first interview is on NBC's "Today" show, one can be certain Savannah Guthrie will probably ask if Manning thinks President Barack Obama was right to commute her sentence, like she has some obligation to validate those who vilify her and would be unfazed if she had died in prison. It is very possible she takes some time out of the public eye and does not give any media outlet an "exclusive" for pundits to pick apart and berate her. That may include sympathetic media outlets. Very personal aspects of her life have garnered public attention to an extent she never imagined. She now can have private moments without being watched by military officers, journalists, or the public. For two and a half years, I made regular trips to Washington, D.C. in order to cover Manning's court martial at Fort Meade as a credentialed reporter. I was able to glean some insight into her character when she took the stand to give testimony and when she read a providence statement accepting responsibility for her actions. But it was not until November 2015 that I wrote Manning to exchange letters and gain firsthand insight. "I can't be myself. Every time I try to assert my existence or define myself on my own terms, I get beat up by the world. I'm really scarred, bloodied, and bruised at this point," Manning shared in one of her letters. When she appealed to Obama for a commutation in November, she confessed, "I need help, and I am still not getting it. I am living through a cycle of anxiety, anger, hopelessness, loss, and depression. I cannot focus. I cannot sleep. I attempted to take my own life." "When the USDB [Leavenworth] placed me in solitary confinement as punishment for the attempted suicide, I tried it again because the feeling of hopelessness was so immense. This has served as a reminder to me that any lack of treatment can kill me so I must keep fighting a battle that I wish every day would just end," she added. Free from prison, Manning will be able to grow her hair. She will be able to obtain adequate mental health treatment that has been denied to her. She will be able to complete her transition from Bradley to Chelsea, which the Army has done everything in its power to stall at great risk to her health. "For the first time, I can see a future for myself as Chelsea. I can imagine surviving and living as the person who I am and can finally be in the outside world," Manning declared in a recent statement posted by the American Civil Liberties Union. "Freedom used to be something that I dreamed of but never allowed myself to fully imagine," she added. "Now, freedom is something that I will again experience with friends and loved ones after nearly seven years of bars and cement, of periods of solitary confinement, and of my health care and autonomy restricted, including through routinely forced haircuts." In prison, she managed to transcend her act of whistleblowing as an all-source military intelligence analyst by fighting for dignity and rights for herself as a transgendered person. Next Page 1 | 2 (Note: You can view every article as one long page if you sign up as an Advocate Member, or higher). FAKE DUMPTRUCK PRESIDENT -- show us your tax returns and confess your secret collusions with russia and THEN GO TO JAIL (Image by torbakhopper) Details DMCA If the Dems get their sh*t together there's a very good chance that they will take back the House and the senate. In the past when party's president has a support rating of less than fifty percent, the president's party loses an average of 36 seats, as Evan Osnos reports in his New Yorker article, HOW TRUMP COULD GET FIRED "Since 1946, whenever a President has had an approval rating above fifty per cent, his party has lost an average of fourteen seats in the midterms, according to Gallup; whenever the rating has been below fifty per cent, the average loss soars to thirty-six seats. If the Dems pull it off, they will probably successfully impeach Trump and possibly Mike Pence. But impeachment didn't do much to Bill Clinton. He was acquitted in the senate because it takes a two thirds vote to convict. I don't think that will happen, even if the Dems win big. So, we'll have a situation where Trump is laughing at the impeachment. But that doesn't mean it'll be impossible to get rid of Trump and Pence. Impeachment wasn't the way that Nixon was removed. He resigned. That's what will have to happen with Trump and Pence. How will they be persuaded to resign? They'll be given a choice between prosecution for crimes, prosecution that is likely to put them in jail, or they will be allowed to resign. The way to do that is for the Democrats, after January , 2019, when they control the House and the Senate, to open up independent investigations with special prosecutors. One of the first things they should do is to pass a version of the bill Ron Wyden offered in 2016,S.2979 - Presidential Tax Transparency Act. It requires presidential candidates to release their taxes, and if they don't the IRS is required to release them. But it should include the requirement that the sitting president also be required to release his taxes, and if he doesn't, that the Internal Revenue Service be required to release them. I think even Republicans may have to let that pass. Polls show that 74% of Americans want Trump to reveal his taxes and even 64% of Republicans want Trump to publicly release his taxes. Getting Trump's taxes will set a lot in motion. By February 2019 I expect Trump will have lied and engaged in enough corruption that he will have committed crimes. Pence will very likely, out of loyalty, aid and abet him. A special prosecutor should be able to deliver both their heads. And while the Dems are at it, they should be able to do the same to Jeff Sessions. Getting rid of him, and with a Democratic Majority in the Senate, Trump will not be able to appoint another partisan with character and values as impaired as Sessions'. I expect that Trump and Sessions will have disgusted patriotic members of the intelligence services enough so they will happily help the hearings and special prosecutors. That's the way it needs to go, the way it very possibly will go. Impeachment will get things started, but hearings and independent prosecutors will have to finish the job. Part I introduced the problem: the mistaken ideas that human nature is fixed and bound to fight, that warfare is part of human evolution and therefore, inevitable. This false idea both suppresses the older evolutionary truth of humanity's peaceful and co-operative pre-history but leads to the self-fulfilling myth that we are compelled to fight by both our very natures and our history of warfare. In this section, I refute this false idea and thereby undermine the self-fulfilling prophecy which leads to bloodshed. A more accurate picture of ancient humanity is offered by ancient-origins.net : "The earlier Stone Age seems to have been a time of peace and not war, says an anthropologist specializing in war who has studied the published work of dozens of researchers. Unfortunately for many millions of victims of death, wounding, displacement, hunger and loss, humanity began to make war compulsively, some groups as early as 13,000 years ago. "My argument is that war regularly -- not always -- leaves archaeological traces, if a people are known by a substantial record of skeletal remains, and/or settlement remains, sometimes supported by weapons or art. Looking at the archaeological record around the world typically shows that those signs eventually show up, but usually after a more or less long stretch when they are not present. When this appears as a recurrent pattern around the world, the straightforward explanation is that war has beginnings. If forced to answer the question: globally, when did war begin? I would have to say between 11,000 BC and 1400 AD." Brian Ferguson in War, Peace, and Human Nature/2013. The tragic irony of the Agricultural Revolution, which produced the world's first abundance, led to war, the struggle for surplus. "The First Agricultural Revolution, also known as the Neolithic Revolution, is the transformation of human societies from hunting and gathering (more accurately, gathering and scavenging) to farming. This transition occurred worldwide between 10,000 BC and 2000 BC, with the earliest known developments taking place in the Middle East. This is when the first evidence of war and the first images of war appear. Before this era, there is neither evidence of the massacres that typify the violence of war or images of war." Ancient cave drawings show people hunting but never at war. There is no way to hide the scars of war: broken bones, crushed skulls, accompanied by the propaganda of war, images of battles and slaughters. Why would there be no evidence of war in early man if not for the truth that there were no wars? Why would there be no images drawn on caves if there were no memories to recapture? Next Page 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 (Note: You can view every article as one long page if you sign up as an Advocate Member, or higher). Reprinted from www.organicconsumers.org "Our common planet and governing system are fast approaching the point of no return. We must unite to protest and resist the out-of-control corporations and politicians that are degenerating our food, health, environment, climate, economy and politics. But we must also inspire and mobilize a new radical majority by focusing on positive solutions and alternatives in the marketplace and in the political arena--by building a multi-issue, multi-constituency power base in all 50 states, 3200 counties, and 39,000 cities and towns across the nation. The Regeneration Movement is a new grassroots-powered movement arising out of the organic food, natural health, fair trade and climate movements. Inspired by the Bernie Sanders insurgency, this new movement is dedicated to connecting the dots between all of our burning single issues, and to bringing together people and movements into a powerful revolutionary force. Our strategy is to mobilize a critical mass of Americans to oppose corporate crime and political corruption, through powerful public education, protests, consumer boycotts and political action. Over time we believe that our growing movement will gain the strength and power to bring out-of-control corporations to heel and, on the political front, to 'throw the bums out,' to replace the majority of the 500,000 elected public officials--from Main Street to Washington D.C.--who currently represent the interests of the corporate and economic elite (the '1 percent'), and replace these indentured bureaucrats with a new corps of insurgent public servants, willing to stand up and fight for the public interest. We are not talking about minor adjustments to our catastrophic 'Business-as-Usual' model. We are talking about a 'Regeneration Revolution'." -- Ronnie Cummins, "Who We Are: Declaration of the New Nationwide Meetup.com Network called 'Resist and Regenerate,'" April 22, 2017 Degeneration Nation After eight years of failed promises, warmongering, and "business-as-usual, by-the-rich, for-the-rich" governance by the Obama administration and U.S. Congress, the Democratic Party Establishment and the mass media went on to sabotage the 2016 grassroots-powered campaign of radical insurgent Bernie Sanders. Instead, they nominated the hugely unpopular Hillary Clinton for President. As a result, 92 million people stayed home on election day, 62 million voted for the neo-fascist billionaire Republican candidate Donald Trump, and 65 million voted for Clinton. Clinton "won" the popular vote but lost the Electoral College. A hundred days into the Trump administration, what have we learned? Number one: The Trump administration and the Republican-controlled Congress and Supreme Court, aided and abetted by Wall Street, fossil fuel companies, Big Pharma, Big Ag, and the military-industrial complex, as well as by collaborators in the Democratic Party Establishment and the "deep state" (FBI, CIA, and the military hierarchy), are the most corrupt and dangerous ruling elite in U.S. history. Number two: A full 35-40 percent of the electorate (mainly older white people who live in the suburbs and small towns and rural areas outside major cities) are so bitter, nationalistic, greedy, brainwashed, racist, misogynist, homophobic and/or delusional that they continue to support Trump and his cronies no matter what they say or do. Climate change denial, xenophobia, racism, environmental pollution, cutbacks in health and social services, regulation rollbacks that let corporations pollute and poison at will, increased military spending, and tax cuts for the rich and big corporations are apparently no problem for Trump's mass base, even as we rush headlong toward catastrophic global warming, economic meltdown and endless war. The level of Trump support is now approximately the same as the Nazi Party (37 percent of the vote in the 1932 elections) enjoyed before Hitler became Chancellor of Germany in 1933. Given this mass support for what can only be described as 21st Century corporate fascism, the Trump resistance has no choice, at least for the moment, but to focus on mobilizing the "other 65 percent" of the electorate, especially the youth and racial minorities, who did not vote for Trump. Grassroots mobilization and mass protest against the Trump junta have reached an all-time high. Yet our growing Anti-Trump resistance is still rather weak in terms of explaining exactly what it is we are fighting for. Are we talking about a return to Establishment Democratic Party rule, a slight revision of the status quo we experienced during the Obama and Clinton administrations? Or are we talking about a genuine grassroots "Political Revolution" as called for by Bernie Sanders, now the most popular politician in the U.S.? We've protested against Trump's corporate cronies and swamp cabinet; against dirty oil pipelines and fracking; against rollbacks of environmental, food safety, health and consumer protection regulations; against the slaughter of civilians in Syria, Yemen, Afghanistan and Iraq; against racist police and immigration policies; against laws designed to marginalize workers, poor people and minorities; and against anti-choice and homophobic cabinet and Supreme Court appointments and legislation. Now, it's time to work for something. It's time to connect the dots between all of our burning issues, and unite our single-issue constituencies under a common vision and strategy for societal Regeneration--we cannot afford to return to the Democratic Party Establishment's business-as-usual politics. Resistance and Regeneration: Five Rules for Revolutionaries It's no secret that our current food, farming, health, climate and political crises pose a mortal threat, not just to our well-being, but to our very survival. The question is: What do we do about it? Here are several organizing principles that we need to keep in mind, along with concrete action steps to begin to meet up and work with others in our local communities who are also ready for radical change. Next Page 1 | 2 | 3 (Note: You can view every article as one long page if you sign up as an Advocate Member, or higher). Trump meets in oval office with Russian ambassador to the US Sergey Kislyak (Image by Tass Russian State Media) Details DMCA Reprinted from www.republicreport.org Donald Trump is a third rate crook. He had freshly-confirmed Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein write a little essay about Hillary Clinton emails and called that the reason for firing FBI director James Comey, but then tons of Trump associates immediately blabbed to the press with the real, obvious reason. Trump was "screaming" at the TV about the Russia investigation. This is so disgraceful it is beyond words. There may, or may not, be a smoking gun moment where Trump made a deal with Putin or was confronted with a Russian blackmail threat. My guess is we'll never find that, even if the outlines of the corrupt arrangement are clear on the surface. Candidate Trump said he liked Putin and wanted to lift sanctions against Russia; Putin saw a Trump presidency as in Russia's interest, so he engaged in a series of online dirty tricks that complemented the Trump operation's work. Meanwhile Trump and a range of Trump associates have business dealings with Russia, some of which shade into engaging with Russian intelligence. Whether a real sustained investigation of Trump-Russia ties would prove crimes by Trump, I don't know. But anyone being honest knows this: Trump has sought to impede the investigation, to obstruct justice, by firing Comey. He behaved like a tyrant, yes, but also your basic street-level crook, trying to silence a snitch. The decision to fire Comey because he was pushing too hard on an investigation of Trump-Russia parallels the articles of impeachment against Richard Nixon. It is a sufficient ground to begin an impeachment investigation against Trump, if only the GOP House had a shred of integrity. "Ultimately, we need to invest more in our own local workforce." Jesse Torres Amid recent tensions over foreign labor policies in U.S. territories, a new proposal has emerged that could pave the way for individual state governance over non-immigrant foreign labor. Earlier this month, Sen. Ron Johnson introduced the State-Sponsored Visa Pilot Program Act, a measure that would allow states to individually manage worker immigration, as opposed to a "one-size-fits-all" federal policy. Success! An email has been sent to with a link to confirm list signup. Error! There was an error processing your request. "The (current) approach is ill equipped to address the diverse needs of the states. It is simply an impossible task for Congress to determine the economic demands in every corner of the country," immigration policy analyst David Bier stated in a Cato Institute article. "Congress has made no major reforms to the immigration system no temporary worker visa for year-round, lower-skilled jobs, and barely any increase in the high-skilled worker programs." The bill, as introduced, makes no mention of Guam or the other non-self-governing territories, but could hint at future prospects. On Friday, labor officials brought up the issue of bottle-necked H-2B worker visas, the result of continental policies that don't meet the needs of the territories. While the cost of bringing H-2B workers to Guam to fill local jobs can be higher than paying Guam workers, Guam Department of Labor Director Sam Mabini said the island has relied on off-island workers to do jobs that are difficult to fill locally. Guam has had nearly zero approvals of H-2B visa petitions since last year. The matter has had a negative impact on the local construction industry, driving up the cost of labor and causing delays in some projects, Post files state. Some residents, like Jesse Torres, feel Johnson's measure, and similar like-minded policies, could be beneficial to Guam to an extent. "I think it's fine as long as the dependence on foreign workers gets reduced every year," Torres said. "Ultimately, we need to invest more in our own local workforce." H-2B workers are often hired as carpenters, masons and iron workers, according to Greg Massey, administrator of Alien Labor Processing and Certification at the Guam Department of Labor. "Those jobs are the really hot, strenuous outside work. And, it's very difficult these days to get U.S. workers, local workers, to fill those jobs," Massey said. Similar to Torres, Massey said in order to prepare for the military buildup and similar large-scale projects, there needs to be a greater effort to attract and train the next generation of local workers in these skill areas. The bill also explicitly states state-sponsored non-immigrant workers would not be eligible for any benefits, including family assistance, Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, or Medicaid. But they will be subject to federal taxes. "Over the first decade of the program, non-immigrant workers who work for three years will pay $105.3 billion," Bier writes. That number jumps to an estimated $150.7 billion if a majority of foreign workers work for at least five years before returning to their home countries. Gov. Eddie Calvo recently retracted his support for the buildup over the H-2B visa denials. His office did not respond as of press time. Tom Cotter knows there's no such thing as a time machine. But traveling the historic Lincoln Highway in a pale yellow 1926 Ford Model T Speedster comes close. The car enthusiast and author began the transcontinental trip last Sunday, along with the car's owner, Dave Coleman, and a photographer. The trio made a stop at Lincoln's Museum of American Speed Saturday night for some much needed rest and to help celebrate the Model T Ford Club of America Lincoln chapter's 50th anniversary. And, of course, the car got a tune-up from automotive restoration students from McPherson College in Kansas. Cotter, of North Carolina, started his tour in New York City's Time Square Sunday and expects to arrive in San Francisco's Lincoln Park in a week to 10 days, completing a nearly 3,400-mile trip. The idea for a Model T tour of the United States was sparked when Cotter had a conversation with Coleman, a fellow car enthusiast from West Virginia who owned the 1926 Model T Speedster. "I love old cars and I love to travel," Cotter said. "This is something that has been on my bucket list for 20 years, and I just happened to meet Dave." The 1926 Speedster was a project of Coleman's, who fitted out the car with modern touches to boost its performance. "It really hasn't missed a beat," he said. After Cotter landed a book deal to chronicle the trip, the three agreed to travel across the country, with photographer Michael Alan Ross following the Speedster in a car supplied by Ford Motor Co. Mike Vaughn, the president of the national Model T club and Lincoln resident, said a trip like Cotter's is on the bucket lists of nearly every vintage car enthusiast because of the Model T's significance. "It's what put America on wheels," Vaughn said. As he drove his 1914 model -- the first to be manufactured on an assembly line -- through west Lincoln Saturday evening, Vaughn remarked on its eye-catching appeal. "It's a parade every time you drive one." Ford Motor Co. began manufacturing Model T's in 1908, with the car hitting markets a year later in a variety of colors at a cost of $900. It wasn't until 1914 when Model T's were produced in their classic black design. By 1924, models cost around $260, making them affordable for even working-class families. The black design stayed around through 1925, said Vaughn, who owns five Model T's. In 1928, the Model A was introduced as its successor. Cotter and Coleman chose the Lincoln Highway -- one of the first transcontinental roads in America -- because of its significance to automotive history. The highway, which runs from New York to San Francisco, was the brainchild of auto racing pioneer Carl Fisher. Coleman's 1926 Speedster -- which reaches top speeds of 50-55 mph -- hasn't encountered any problems on the highway during the trip. But it has been a learning experience for Cotter, who learned how to drive the car during the first leg of the tour. "You have to have three legs to drive one efficiently," he said, noting the multitude of pedals and handles that make it more difficult to drive than today's cars. For Cotter, the tour is an ode to the American road trip, as driverless cars become an ever-increasing possibility. "I really wonder if road trips in the future will be the same," Cotter said. "Are people going to miss these little places along the way and meet these salt-of-the-earth people? "Stopping in places and meeting people -- that's where the beauty is." After the trip, Cotter will pen an addition to his 17-book oeuvre, entitled "Ford's Model T Coast to Coast: A Slow Drive Across a Fast Country," which he plans to release next year. After reaching San Francisco, Coleman plans to bring the Model T back to Lincoln for the International Speedsters Trials and Reunion in June. But for now, the pair still has to drive the roughly 1,400 miles to Lincoln Park in the Speedster's small cab. That's no problem for Cotter, who has enjoyed the thrill of the ride so far. "It's like traveling with the bare basics," he said. "And I kind of like living on the seat of my pants like that." YEREVAN -- An RFE/RL reporter has been attacked for the second time in two months while investigating potential vote buying. Sisak Gabrielian, a reporter with RFE/RL's Armenian Service, was roughed up by government loyalists after he witnessed voters receiving cash outside a campaign office of the ruling Republican Party (HHK) in Yerevan during municipal elections on May 14. After Gabrielian entered the office and attempted to interview HHK activists, several young men there berated and shoved him. Gabrielian was forced to stop filming them with his mobile phone, and one of the men struck him with his hat. Another man who identified himself as an HHK-affiliated member of Yerevan's outgoing municipal council then threatened Gabrielian but apologized to the journalist shortly thereafter. The HHK leadership and law enforcement authorities did not immediately comment on the incident. Gabrielian was also attacked by ruling party loyalists on April 2 after he asked HHK officials about people leaving a party office in Yerevan with cash in their hands during parliamentary elections that day. He says he sustained minor injuries in that incident. Armenian opposition and civic groups allege that the party headed by President Serzh Sarkisian relied heavily on vote buying to win the April 2 ballot. Monitors from the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe also cited "credible information about vote buying." An HHK spokesman admitted on April 5 that some candidates bribed voters, but said this did not have a "substantial impact" on the election results. An EU spokeswoman has denounced the decision by a court in Azerbaijan to permanently block five online media outlets, including that of RFE/RL's Azerbaijani Service. The court's decision was "not in keeping with the need for free, diverse and independent media in modern and democratic societies," Maja Kocijancic, a spokeswoman for European Union foreign-policy chief Federica Mogherini, said in a May 14 statement. The U.S.-based democracy monitor Freedom House also condemned the court's decision. "By banning independent media websites, the Azerbaijani government has disproved President Ilham Aliyev's most frequently used argument that Azerbaijan enjoys freedom on the Internet," said Robert Herman, vice president for international programs at Freedom House, in a May 12 statement. The Sabail district court in Baku ruled on May 12 that the Ministry of Transport, Communications, and High Technology's request for the blockage of access to the websites must be met. RFE/RL said it will appeal the ruling, which it called "another blatant attempt" at silencing its reporting in the country. In addition to RFE/RL's Azerbaijani Service, the ruling affects opposition newspaper Azadliq, Meydan TV, and two other Internet TV programs. The ministry has limited access to the sites since March 27 on the instructions of the Prosecutor-General's Office, which claimed they "pose a threat" to Azerbaijan's national security. Russia has launched multiple suicide drones on Ukraine's southeastern Dnipropetrovsk region, wounding people and damaging civilian facilities, the head of the regional military administration said, as fierce battles are under way in the eastern Donetsk region and in the south. "The occupiers attacked the area massively with kamikaze drones, said Governor Valentyn Reznichenko. Ukrainian air defense destroyed some of the drones, but others hit targets. The Russian forces also used drones in an attack on the city of Dnipro, targeting a logistics enterprise. Reznichenko said four employees were wounded, and three of them are in serious condition in hospital. Live Briefing: Russia's Invasion Of Ukraine RFE/RL's Live Briefing gives you all of the latest developments on Russia's ongoing invasion, Kyiv's counteroffensive, Western military aid, global reaction, and the plight of civilians. For all of RFE/RL's coverage of the war, click here. Russian forces also bombarded the Nikopol district in the region with Grad missiles and heavy artillery. Reznichenko said the shelling damaged private houses, a factory, and a power line, but no one was injured. A fire spread over more than 3,000 square meters but was extinguished, Reznichenko said. Russian troops regularly shell the Dnipropetrovsk region with various types of weapons, in particular the Nikopol, Kryvorizky, and Synelnyk districts. In Kyiv, President Volodymyr Zelenskiy vowed Ukraine will not "surrender a single centimeter of our land" in Donetsk, and he thanked Ukrainian troops who are holding positions in the Donbas region. The epicenter of the battle for the industrial region of Donetsk is around the towns of Bakhmut, Soledar, and Avdiyivka. "The activity of the occupiers remains at an extremely high level -- dozens of attacks every day," Zelenskiy said in his nightly video address late on November 8. "They are suffering extraordinarily high losses. But the order remains the same: to advance on the administrative boundary of Donetsk region. We will not yield a single centimeter of our land," he said. Donetsk is one of four Ukrainian regions Russia said it annexed in September following referendums considered a sham by Kyiv and its Western allies. Fighting has taken place there between Ukrainian military and Kremlin-backed separatist forces since 2014, the same year Russia illegally annexed Crimea in the south. Zelenskiy said the goal of the Russian troops is to push to the administrative border of the Donetsk region. "We clearly understand the enemy's plans, so we act accordingly: carefully, thoughtfully, and in the interests of the liberation of our entire territory. We are strengthening our positions, breaking Russian logistics, and consistently destroying the potential of the occupiers to keep the south of our country under occupation," Zelenskiy added. Ukrainian Deputy Defense Minister Hanna Malyar said the most intense battles were taking place in Bakhmut and Soledar where the Ukrainian military repels dozens of Russian attacks per day. Pavlo Kyrylenko, the head of the region's military administration, said the city of Bakhmut was badly damaged, and there is not a single surviving house in Avdiyivka, Maryinka, or Krasnohorivka. Russian troops are trying to wipe the cities "off the face of the Earth," he said. Fierce fighting was also going on on the edge of the town of Snihurivka, in the southern Mykolayiv region, according to Yury Barabashov, the town's Russian-appointed mayor, as cited by Russia's RIA Novosti news agency. Kirill Stremousov, deputy head of the Russian-installed administration in the southern Kherson region, said on Telegram that Ukrainian forces had tried to advance on three fronts, including Snihurivka. Vitaly Kim, the Ukrainian governor of the Mykolayiv region, apparently quoting an intercepted dialogue between Russian troops, suggested Ukrainian forces had already pushed the Russians out of the area. "Russian troops are complaining that they have already been thrown out of there," Kim said in a statement on his Telegram channel. The information could not be independently verified. The Ukrainian military said it destroyed two Russian ammunition depots in southern Ukraine on November 8, one in Snihurivka, and one in Kostromka, in the neighboring Kherson region. WATCH: Paratroopers with Ukraine's 79th Air Assault Brigade say they're holding positions around the small city of Maryinka in eastern Ukraine despite daily Russian attacks. Russia has mobilized hundreds of thousands of reservists in recent months seeking to stave off an offensive launched by Ukraine to regain Russian-occupied territories. Kyiv-based military analyst Oleh Zhdanov said on November 8 that 21 Russian conscripts had surrendered to Ukrainian forces around Svatove in the eastern Luhansk region. "These poor mobilized men -- really poor, they had had nothing to eat or drink in three days -- of course they decided to surrender," Zhdanov said on his YouTube channel. In the southern Kherson region, a battle between advancing Ukrainian forces and the Russian occupiers has been looming for weeks in the city by the same name, the only regional capital Russia has captured intact since its unprovoked invasion in February. Kherson is arguably the most important of the four partially occupied Ukrainian regions that Russia says it annexed. It controls both the only land route to the Crimean Peninsula and the mouth of the Dnieper River that bisects Ukraine. Chechen leader Ramzan Kadyrov, a close ally of Russian President Vladimir Putin, also commented on the fighting in eastern Ukraine on November 8. He was quoted by TASS as saying that information released about casualties among Chechen fighters near Lysychansk, a city in the eastern Luhansk region, was false. "Not a single fighter of ours was killed in the aforementioned area," Kadyrov wrote on his Telegram channel, adding that he didn't want to comment on "such falsehoods" but found it necessary "to reassure all sane and concerned people." Russia's Defense Ministry, meanwhile, released video footage that it said showed a drone strike obliterating a Ukrainian tank that was hiding in an urban area and shelling Russian troops. "A Russian squad of unmanned aerial vehicles spotted the Ukrainian tank and destroyed it using a precision strike," the ministry said on November 8, according to TASS. The Ukrainian military's General Staff said Russian troops used drones and artillery on November 8 to shell communities along the Sumy region's border with Russia in northeastern Ukraine. The only damage reported was to utility poles. Sumy borders three regions of Russia: Bryansk, Kursk, and Belgorod. The border regions of Ukraine are regularly shelled by Russia. Neither side's battlefield claims could be independently verified. The Ukrainian military has accused Russian troops of more looting and destroying infrastructure in Kherson. "A convoy of trucks passed over the dam of the Kakhova hydroelectric station loaded with home appliances and building materials," the military said. Russians were dismantling mobile phone towers and taking equipment, it said, adding that near the city of Beryslav, Russian forces "blew up a power line and took equipment from a solar power station." With reporting by Reuters, AP, and CNN Over the past five years, Iranian officials and state media have touted the "indigenous" ingenuity in the Islamic republic's mass-produced Mohajer-6 combat drone, which Russia has deployed in its war against Ukraine. But a new investigation by Schemes, the investigative unit of RFE/RL's Ukrainian Service, has found that electronic components underpinning Tehran's production of the Mohajer-6 are far from homegrown. The Mohajer-6 drones contain components produced by companies from the United States and the European Union, both of which have sanctions restricting the export to Iran of such technology that can be used for both civilian and military purposes dual-use technology. The presence of these components in the Mohajer-6 does not mean their producers are in violation of U.S. or EU sanctions, and RFE/RL does not have evidence that this is the case. The investigation also found Mohajer-6 components produced in China, including a real-time mini-camera made by a Hong Kong firm that said it was "very sorry" that its products were being used in war. At least one major foreign-produced component of the Mohajer-6 has previously been identified by reporters in a Mohajer-6 recovered from the battlefield by the Ukrainian military: an engine made by the Austrian manufacturer BRP-Rotax GmbH & Co KG, a subsidiary of the Canadian company Bombardier Recreational Products. But Ukrainian intelligence assesses that the Iranian combat drone contains components from nearly three dozen different technology companies based in North America, the EU, Japan, and Taiwan, the Schemes investigation has found. A majority of these companies are based in the United States. A Schemes reporter who personally inspected the foreign-made drone parts identified components produced by at least 15 of these manufacturers. These include parts made by the U.S. technology firm Texas Instruments, which said in a statement that it does not sell into Russia or Iran and complies with applicable laws and regulations. To identify these components, Schemes reporters examined parts of the Mohajer-6 drone that the Ukrainian military shot down over the Black Sea near the Mykolayiv region coastal town of Ochakiv. They also reviewed Ukrainian intelligence records on the sources of these components. The drone also contains a microchip bearing the logo of a California technology company and a thermal-imaging camera that Ukrainian intelligence says may have been produced by a firm based in Oregon or China. Both Western officials and experts on illicit technology transfers say Iran has built a broad, global procurement network using front companies and other proxies in third countries to obtain dual-use technology from the United States and the EU. "Exporters will look at the request coming from the [United Arab Emirates] or another third country, and they'll think that they're selling to an end user based there, when really the end user is in Iran," Daniel Salisbury, a senior research fellow with the Department of War Studies at King's College London, told RFE/RL. In September, the U.S. Treasury Department imposed sanctions specifically targeting Iranian companies that Washington links to the production and transfer of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) to Russia for deployment in its war on Ukraine. Fighting rages with no sign of an end more than eight months after Russian President Vladimir Putin launched an unprovoked invasion on February 24. "Non-Iranian, non-Russian entities should also exercise great caution to avoid supporting either the development of Iranian UAVs or their transfer, or sale of any military equipment to Russia for use against Ukraine," U.S. Undersecretary of the Treasury for Terrorism and Financial Intelligence Brian Nelson said in a statement announcing the sanctions. Chinese Cameras, California Chips Development of the Mohajer-6, the latest model in a series of drones Tehran has used since the 1980s Iran-Iraq War, began in 2017, while mass production began the following year. During a ceremony commemorating the Islamic Revolution, then-Iranian Defense Minister Amir Hatami said that the new tactical drone could perform surveillance, reconnaissance, as well as help destroy targets. Hatami extolled what he described as the drones domestic design, a portrayal echoed in later reports by Iranian media. "The homegrown drone was made through cooperation among the army, Defense Ministry, and Quds Aviation Industries," the English-language Tehran Times quoted an Iranian military official as saying in July 2019. The dismantling of the Mohajer-6 drone recovered by the Ukrainian military shows that the UAV is packed with foreign components. One of these parts is a bright-orange real-time mini-camera produced by the Hong Kong-based company RunCam Technology. Documents seen by Schemes show that Ukrainian intelligence has also identified RunCam as the producer of the camera, which likely assists in remote guidance of the drone. Founded in 2013, RunCam is involved in the development and production of so-called "first-person-view" real-time cameras. "Our users are our friends," the company's website states. The site says that RunCam has two authorized Iranian dealers. Reached by Schemes for comment about the use of its camera in the Iranian drone deployed by Russia in its war on Ukraine, RunCam said in an e-mailed response: "We are very sorry to know that RunCam's products were used in warfare. RunCam is specialized in producing products for model aircraft hobby. We never contact any customer related to military." The provenance of the Mohajer-6 drone-s thermal-imaging camera is more difficult to determine. A Ukrainian intelligence assessment reviewed by Schemes indicates it could be the Ventus Hot model produced by Sierra-Olympic Technologies, based in the U.S. state of Oregon, but that it also resembles a cheaper analog available for sale by the Chinese company Qingdao Thundsea Marine Technology. Qingdao Thundsea Marine Technology said in an e-mailed statement that the company did not "have any business with Iran," because "it will affect our business." The company said it specializes in marine services and is not involved in manufacturing. It also said that it did not have a single successful order for its online advertisement of the thermal-imaging camera resembling the one recovered from the Iranian drone. Sierra-Olympic Technologies did not respond to a request for comment on the possible use of its thermal-imaging cameras in Iranian combat drones in time for publication. Microchips recovered from the drone also featured the logos of the California-based company Linear Technology Corporation and its parent company, the Massachusetts-based semiconductor company Analog Devices, Inc. (ADI). ADI did not respond to an e-mailed request for comment on the possible use of its technology in the Iranian combat drone. Schemes reporters also observed among the components of the Iranian drone a voltage step-down converter produced by Texas Instruments. The company said in an e-mailed statement that it "does not sell into Russia, Belarus, or Iran." "TI complies with applicable laws and regulations in the countries where we operate, and does not support or condone the use of our products in applications they weren't designed for," Texas Instruments said. Schemes reporters also saw several components produced by the California-based technology manufacturer Xilinx, whose parent company is the multinational semiconductor company Advanced Micro Devices (AMD), also based in California. According to Ukrainian intelligence, one of these Xilinx components was integrated into a video data-link module located in the wing of the Mohajer-6 that helped carry out attack missions. "This module transmits information from the board to the missile head. That is, guidance for the missile. With the help of this module, it was possible to guide the missile to the target," a Ukrainian military intelligence representative told Schemes. AMD did not respond to a request for comment in time for publication. 'No Authorization' Previous media reports about the components of the Mohajer-6 drone, including by CNN, have shown evidence that its engine was produced by the Austrian manufacturer BRP-Rotax GmbH & Co KG, whose parent company is the Quebec-based Bombardier Recreational Products (BRP). The Canadian company responded to the reports on October 21, saying in a statement that it "has not authorized and has not given any authorization to its distributors to supply military UAV manufacturers in Iran or Russia." "As soon as we were made aware of this situation, we started an investigation to determine the source of the engines," BRP said. . But Schemes reporters found that the authorized Rotax distributor listed on the Austrian manufacturer's website advertised itself as a Rotax aircraft engines distributor for Iran as recently as December 2020. The distributor, the Italian company Luciano Sorlini S.p.a., has posted multiple magazine advertisements on its websites in which it describes itself as a Rotax distributor for numerous countries. Prior to January 2021, Iran was listed among these countries. The Rotax website also lists a Tehran-based company -- MahtaWing -- as an official service center for its engines. The company, known in Persian as Mahtabal, conducts repairs of Rotax engines, including the Rotax 912 iS, the engine that was found in the Mohajer-6 combat drone recovered in Ukraine. BRP said in an e-mailed statement on November 4 that while Luciano Sorlini S.p.a. is the appointed distributor of Rotax aircraft engines in Iran, "since 2019, no Rotax engines have been sold in Iran, and we will not sell any engines to Iran moving forward." The Canadian company said it had "internal controls" that "significantly" restrict the sale of its products for military purposes. "For example, the sale of any BRP product to operators with any military activity in Iran, Turkey, and Russia is strictly prohibited," BRP said. "We conduct our business in compliance with all EU, Canadian, and U.S. applicable regulations." BRP described the Iranian company MahtaWing as a "local service center" that "offers maintenance services for previously sold aircraft engines." Shahriar Siami of RFE/RL's Radio Farda contributed to this report. A Kazakh journalist and civic activist has been hospitalized after he was reportedly stabbed in the stomach before he planned to meet European officials to discuss media freedoms. A nurse at a hospital in the southern Kazakh city of Shu told RFE/RL on May 14 that Ramazan Yesergepov, the former editor in chief of the independent newspaper Alma-Ata Info, was in serious but stable condition after arriving in the morning. Yesergepov's colleagues said he had been traveling by train to the capital, Astana, where he had planned to meet ambassadors from several EU countries to discuss the case of a jailed opposition journalist and his own legal travails. Yesergepov's colleague, journalist Rozlana Taukina, said she received a call early on May 14 from his phone, and that a man on the other end said the journalist had been "stabbed." Taukina said she later received a call from a police officer who hung up after he learned she was a journalist. She said she called back, and that the officer then told her "everything was fine" with Yesergepov. The precise nature and circumstances of Yesergepov's injuries could not be immediately confirmed. Local media quoted transport police in Shu as saying that an investigation into the incident had been opened. Yesergepov, 61, was released from prison in 2012 after serving a three-year sentence for his conviction on charges of disclosing state secrets. He has been fighting for his formal rehabilitation, which Kazakh authorities have resisted. Yesergepov currently runs a nongovernmental organization called Journalists In Trouble. These are certainly tense times for security officials in Central Asia. Barely halfway through this spring, the violence in northern Afghanistan, in provinces just across the border from Central Asia, has already reached levels not seen since the late 1990s. The April 21 attack on a military base in Balkh Province, just across the border from Uzbekistan, left more than 130 Afghan soldiers dead, and the Taliban has besieged Kunduz city, the capital of Kunduz Province, which borders Tajikistan, for the third time in less than two years. There are also the battles in the Zebak district of Badakhshan Province, which also borders Tajikistan. The Ghormach district in Faryab Province, adjacent to Turkmenistan, has been solidly under militant control for weeks and in other areas of Faryab, and Jowzjan Province to the east, control of villages passes back-and-forth between government forces and militants. Officials in the Central Asian capitals north of the Afghan border are surely weighing their options at the moment, including who they might call upon for aid if some element of instability currently present inside Afghanistan makes its way over the northern border. That was the topic of the latest Majlis, or panel discussion, RFE/RL arranged that looked at parties the Central Asians could be expected to call upon should some problem from Afghanistan destabilize their own governments. Moderating the discussion was RFE/RL Media Relations Manager Muhammad Tahir. From the RFE/RL studio, Dr. Stephan Blank, senior fellow at the American Foreign Policy Council, joined the discussion. From Britain, our old friend Dr. David Lewis, senior lecturer in politics at Exeter University, took part. Blank noted, "Everybody in Central Asian establishments is always concerned that whatever happens in Afghanistan will not be confined to Afghanistan." That has generally been the view of Central Asian governments for the last 25 years. The most immediate fear in Central Asia, as the panel made clear, is not the Taliban. The Taliban has never been able to exert control over all of Afghanistan, even in the late 1990s, so the group has never been in a position to consider expansion beyond Afghanistan's borders. Even now, when the Taliban is resurgent, the militants are a very long way off from conquering Afghanistan. Lewis said, "Even if the Taliban itself has not been particularly interested in spreading into Central Asia, it's acted as an umbrella, sort of like a protector for groups, which may well have security designs on Central Asia." Lewis said for Central Asian governments "the bigger problem [in Afghanistan] is...this array of other groups that may be in conflict with the Taliban or at least have different goals from the Taliban, particularly various offshoots of groups that somehow are linked to forms of Islamic State [militant group]." Citizens of Central Asia are present in many of the militant groups currently active in northern Afghanistan. Fighting along or near the Tajik border has been in the news a lot recently. Tajikistan is unique among the three Central Asian states that border Afghanistan (Uzbekistan and Turkmenistan being the other two). Tajikistan has clear agreements for receiving outside military help to defend the country. Tajikistan is a member of the Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO), along with Armenia, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, and Russia. As the security situation in northern Afghanistan has deteriorated over the last three years, the CSTO has offered numerous pledges of rapid military support to the Tajik government if problems from Afghanistan spill across the border. But Blank said, "There are real question marks about the actual readiness of the CSTO as a military alliance." He pointed out, "Formally speaking there's the Collective Security Treaty Organization, in practice that really means the Russian Army." And Blank added that Russia is "already involved in three wars, in the North Caucasus, Ukraine, and Syria, the economy is very constrained, military spending has had to be cut, and the last thing they need is a fourth protracted war." Blank suggested that was one of the reasons Moscow had entered into talks with the Taliban because "Russia has decided that ISIS is the greater threat," and the most likely to destabilize the situation in Central Asia. Russia has the 201st Division stationed in Tajikistan. Russia commands the CSTO base at Kant, Kyrgyzstan, also. But Lewis explained, "Tajikistan's been very cautious about its military relationship with Russia," and "there's a lot of sensitivity in the region about Russian involvement in Central Asia, and that's certainly the case for Uzbekistan and Turkmenistan." Uzbekistan is no longer a CSTO member. The first time Uzbekistan withdrew from the CSTO was in 1999, shortly after Tashkent invoked the CSTO mutual-defense treaty when the Taliban arrived at the Uzbek border (Uzbekistan rejoined the CSTO in 2006 but pulled out in 2012). At that time Belarusian President Alyaksandr Lukashenka said he would not send even one soldier to defend Central Asia. Uzbekistan is a member of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO), along with Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Russia, and China, but Blank said, "The Shanghai Cooperation Organization cannot be relied on, it has never...developed the capability to function as a hard security organization." Lewis suggested there was another option that would probably be particularly unpalatable to the Kremlin. "I think from a Russian perspective, the kind of nightmare scenario is that if Uzbekistan or Turkmenistan come under pressure they turn not to Russia for help but to other countries, maybe even to the West," Lewis said. There is another issue here and that is the definition of an internal versus external security threat. It was noted in the Majlis that when interethnic violence erupted in southern Kyrgyzstan in June 2010, the CSTO did not intervene, deeming that an internal problem. But Lewis said, "It seems to me the real problem is if you get some internal dissention or state collapse in Central Asia." And Blank noted that in Tajikistan's case, "I'm not altogether certain the Tajik government is strong enough to fight off an internal challenge." Should Central Asian militants currently located in northern Afghanistan be able cross into Central Asia and wage a terrorist campaign how would the CSTO, SCO, or others view that situation? The Majlis looked at these topics and also other issues, such as foreign influence in Afghanistan's conflict. You can listen to the full discussion here: Listen to or download the Majlis podcast above or subscribe to the Majlis on iTunes. MOSCOW -- Thousands of people have taken to the streets of Moscow to protest the proposed demolitions of Soviet-era housing blocks in the Russian capital. The May 14 protest, held on a wide central Moscow street named after Soviet dissident Andrei Sakharov, marked a large showing of grassroots anger less than a year before a planned presidential election in which President Vladimir Putin is expected to secure a new six-year term. Backed by Putin, Moscow Mayor Sergei Sobyanin plans to knock down 4,500 prefabricated buildings erected on an industrial scale across Russia in the 1950s-60s to ease a housing crisis. Supporters argue that the 3.5 trillion-ruble ($62.1 billion) project is vital, as it will replace the aged buildings with high-rise housing in a city that faces rising rents and a housing crunch. But opponents say the program, due to start in September, is an assault on their property rights. "People don't quite understand the correlation between freedom and wages. But when you attack the last thing they have, they will of course protest," Nina Braginskaya, a 66-year-old philology professor, told RFE/RL at the protest. Braginskaya held a placard that read: "I won't give away an inch of my home!" Other protesters held anti-Sobyanin signs, such as "I support the demolition -- of Sobyanin," "Hands off my property," and "Moscow is not a separate kingdom. Sergei Sobyanin -- respect federal laws." Sergei Velichkov, a 42-year-old IT worker, told RFE/RL that the proposed demolitions "could lead to armed confrontation." "I'm prepared to buy a rifle, and if they break down my door, I'll shoot. I'm a completely peaceful person.... They've pushed me to this. I'm going to defend my home," he said. Organizers of the protest, which was not spearheaded by the political opposition, claimed from the stage that 60,000 people had participated. Moscow police, who are regularly accused of undercounting the size of antigovernment protests, put the figure at 8,000. White Counter, an independent activist group that tracks turnout at demonstrations, estimated that there were 20,200 people present inside the designated demonstration area. Moscow authorities gave permission for a demonstration of no more than 5,000 people. Russian authorities in recent years have tightened restrictions on public protests, including with a law criminalizing participation in more than one unsanctioned protest in a 180-day period. Critics say these efforts are specifically aimed at clamping down on the political opposition, whose requests to stage demonstrations are frequently rejected by municipal authorities. The May 14 protest in Moscow was a rare public showing of substantial grassroots outrage, though social issues -- such as other housing-related matters and the rights of car drivers -- have triggered occasional large demonstrations during Putin's 17 years in power. The event was organized by local activists who met one another through their opposition to Sobyanin's demolition plan. They explicitly decided not to allow opposition politicians to speak at the demonstration so as to avoid politicizing the rally. Opposition leader Aleksei Navalny arrived at the protest with his wife and son and attempted to reach the stage, but police intercepted them and led them away from the platform. WATCH: Russian Police Ban Navalny From Moscow Protest The protesters' anger was mostly directed at Sobyanin, while there was little or no criticism of Putin, who approved the renovation program in February. Speakers on the stage at the protest repeatedly called for Sobyanin's firing. Dinara Yakusheva, a woman introduced as Sobyanin's representative, was invited to speak on the stage after Moscow City Hall apparently asked the organizers for permission. As Yakusheva tried to speak, demonstrators booed, whistled, and shouted "shame!" Andrei Dukhonin, a 46-year-old real estate agent who attended the rally, told RFE/RL that the protest "is very important, because if similar things do not take place in the future, the authorities will simply continue with their impudence and lawlessness." Sobyanin said in a May 14 tweet that city hall would take into account all "substantive announcements" made during the protest, "including those made by opponents of the program." The housing blocks were designed for rapid assembly, and some versions were considered to have a shelf life of only 25 years. The outcry has elicited a reaction from Putin, who told ministers that "it goes without saying that this should be done in such a way and with such means and methods so as to not breach the rights of citizens." Amid mounting public pressure, Moscow authorities earlier this month decreed that apartment blocks listed for "renovation" will only be demolished if two-thirds of apartments in a building vote in favor. Activists, however, are worried about possible falsifications and that those who fail to vote will be considered to have voted "yes." The voting was scheduled to kick off on May 15 but was launched by city hall hours after the protest on May 14. Legislation related to the plan passed its first reading in Russia's lower house of parliament with almost unanimous support on April 20. Lawmakers have promised to push for changes in later readings. Parliament has postponed the second reading of the bill until July. OVD-Info, a nongovernmental organization that tracks detentions and arrests at public demonstrations, reported that two people were detained during the protests, one of whom was later released. With reporting by AFP, the Financal Times, Current Time TV, and TASS Russian police forced opposition leader Aleksei Navalny to leave a May 14 protest against the planned demolitions of residential buildings in Moscow. Definitely thousands -- but possibly tens of thousands -- of people took to the streets to protest the proposed removal of Soviet-era prefabricated housing blocks popularly known as "khrushchyovki." Backed by Russian President Vladimir Putin, Moscow Mayor Sergei Sobyanin plans to knock down up to 8,000 dilapidated buildings and resettle their 1.6 million tenants in new homes. Opponents say the program, due to start in September, is an assault on their property rights. (RFE/RL's Russian Service) A group of intellectuals has exposed a deep rift within Serbian society by challenging the veracity of Charles Darwin's theory of evolution. Local media say the unidentified "organized citizens" submitted an anti-Darwin petition to parliament in Belgrade, signed by dozens of intellectuals. The initiative calls for a review of the teaching of Darwinism -- the evolutionary history of life on Earth accepted by the overwhelming majority of the scientific community -- and demands that the religiously inspired theory of creationism be taught in Serbian schools alongside evolution. The petition's organizers say their goal is to challenge the dominant status of Darwinism in schoolbooks, arguing it is just one of several theories of human creation and that they question the science behind it. "I tell you that the [Darwin] theory of evolution and claiming that man came from monkeys [sic] offends all [religious] believers, not just Orthodox [Christians]," said Belgrade University professor Ljiljana Colic, whose failed attempts as education minister to oust Darwinism from the school curriculum led to her resignation in 2004. Colic told Danas.rs that she was happy to sign the petition because she "absolutely agrees with everything written in it." Zeljko Tomanovic, dean of the biology department at Belgrade University, countered: "It is the old creationist ideas that are totally anachronistic and unscientific. There is no scientific knowledge that supports the aforementioned claims [of creationism] and that deny evolution." In addition to the signatures of certain elites in Serbia, the petition has been championed by several leading newspapers. The issue has divided the country, and pro-creationists have tapped into an anti-Western, antiglobalist current that has festered in Serbia as high unemployment (16 percent in 2016) and a stagnant economy combine with Brussels' perceived indifference toward Belgrade's aspirations for closer relations and eventual EU membership. "There is a disillusionment with liberal democracy and even an anger against the West," an RFE/RL Balkan correspondent said, adding that "this dogmatic, conservative movement is on the rise." Those who fear the rising influence of the Serbian Orthodox Church -- manifested in the push to teach creationism in schools -- are worried that such proposals will dilute the country's education system and lower public discourse on science and other important topics. The National Assembly said it had received the petition, which had been signed by 166 people, including doctors, professors, priests, and politicians, some of them reportedly also members of the Serbian Academy of Sciences. But the Academy of Sciences said that "we don't share the petition's views" and added that only two of its members had signed the document. Initial media reports said dozens of academicians had signed. Aleksandar Jerkova, a member of parliament's Science, Education, and Technology Committee, told Danas.rs that he regretted that "the signatories to this petition are not engaged in solving the really important problems in education [facing Serbian schools] that will determine the future of our country." He added that the standards and curriculum in Serbian schools were at a "20th-century level" and this anti-Darwin petition will "take the schools back to the [standards] from the start of the 19th century." Belgrade resident Stevan Karic agreed, telling RFE/RL: "I don't know [about this creationism initiative].... I think it's reverse evolution." With reporting by Dragan Stavljanin and Gordana Knezevic of RFE/RL's Balkan Service A portrait of Soviet dictator Josef Stalin has been hung at a Moscow subway station in celebration of the 82nd anniversary of the opening of the Russian capitals underground transport network. The portrait appeared at the entrance of the Sokolniki subway station in northeastern Moscow on May 14 as part of a historical recreation of the opening of the Moscow Metropolitan on May 15, 1935. The event -- which included a banner praising the "great, dear Stalin" as "the initiator and inspiration for the metros construction" -- drew fire from many Russian social-media users who criticized it as an official lionization of a bloody dictator. Viktor Shenderovich, a prominent humorist and biting opponent of President Vladimir Putin, suggested an upcoming holiday should be marked with portraits of Soviet serial killer Andrei Chikatilo. He was a serial killer, you say? Well, thats true, but thats small potatoes. At the very least compared to Stalin," Shenderovich wrote on Facebook. Stalin remains a polarizing figure in Russia. Admirers credit him with the defeat of Nazi Germany in World War II and the industrialization of the Soviet Union, while others denounce his purges that killed millions of Soviet citizens. Critics also say victory over the Nazis was won by Soviet soldiers and people despite major mistakes by Stalin from start to finish. New monuments to Stalin have cropped up in several cities and towns in recent years, and critics accuse Putin of presiding over a steady rehabilitation of the dictator's image during his 17 years in power. Surveys conducted by independent pollster Levada-Center in January showed that almost 50 percent of Russians view Stalin favorably -- the highest proportion in the last 16 years. Putin himself has publicly given a mixed assessment of Stalin, saying in 2009 that "no one can throw stones now at the people who organized and led this victory" in World War II. He added, however, that this "positive picture" was achieved at an "unacceptable price," criticizing a governing style that led to the suffering of "millions of our compatriots." Stalin's portrait at the Sokolniki station was accompanied by one of Lazar Kaganovich, a Bolshevik and Stalin associate after whom the Moscow subway was originally named. With reporting by RFE/RL's Russian Service, AP, TASS, and Interfax U.S. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson says it is clear that Russia meddled in last year's presidential election, and that Washington and Moscow will not be able to restart with "a clean slate." Tillerson's comments in a May 14 television interview with NBC follow Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov's visit to Washington last week that included a meeting with President Donald Trump. Tillerson echoed his earlier statements on bilateral ties, saying relations had fallen to "an all-time low point since the end of the Cold War, with a very low level of trust." He added, however, that this state of relations "is not healthy for the world." Relations between the two sides remain tense over Moscow's seizure of Ukraine's Crimean Peninsula in 2014, its backing of separatists in Ukraine, the Syrian civil war, and other issues. The Trump administration has not budged on the issue of U.S. sanctions targeting Russia over Ukraine, though Trump indicated during his campaign last year that he would consider lifting the punitive measures. "I think it's important to understand we're not trying to start with a clean slate," Tillerson said. U.S. intelligence has also accused the Kremlin of directing a hacking and influence campaign aimed at helping Trump, who says he wants to improve ties with Moscow, defeat Democratic rival Hillary Clinton in the November presidential election. The Kremlin denies it interfered in the election. After voicing skepticism about the allegations, Trump has since said he believes Russia was behind the hacking campaign targeting Democrats but that it had no impact on the outcome of the vote. Tillerson told NBC that Russian interference in the election was "well documented." "I don't think there's any question that the Russians were playing around in our electoral processes," he said. He added, however, that it was "inconclusive" whether this had any impact on the election. Trump's presidency has been dogged by the Russian-meddling allegations and investigations by the FBI and congressional committees about contacts between his associates and Russian officials. Trump has accused the news media and his political opponents of seeking to undermine his presidency with what he has called a "fake" Russia story. With reporting by NBC, Bloomberg, and AFP Maternal depression negatively impacts children's emotional and cognitive development and family life. Studies have shown that a home in which the mother suffers from depression exhibits lower cohesion, warmth, and expressiveness and higher conflict, rigidity, and affectionless control. Since 15-18% of women in industrial societies and up to 30% in developing countries suffer from maternal depression, it is of clinical and public health concern to understand the effects of maternal depression on children's development. A family affair A new study, published in Development and Psychopathology, by Prof. Ruth Feldman and colleagues at the Department of Psychology and Leslie and Susan Gonda (Goldschmied) Multidisciplinary Brain Research Center at Bar-Ilan University has, for the first time, examined whether fathering can moderate the negative effects of maternal depression on family-level functioning. The results of this study are the first to describe the family process by using direct observations of mothering, fathering, and family patterns in homes where mothers suffer clinical depression during the child's first years of life. Feldman conducted a longitudinal study of a carefully selected sample of married or cohabiting chronically depressed women with no comorbid contextual risk, who were repeatedly assessed for maternal depression across the first year after childbirth and when the child reached age six. The families were home-visited when the child reached preschool age in order to observe and videotape mother-child, father-child, and both-parent-child interactions. Sense and sensitivity During the first years of life, sensitivity marks the most critical component of the parental style that affects the child's emotional and social development. Sensitive parents are attuned to their child's needs and attend to them in a responsive and nonintrusive manner. Parents who act intrusively tend to take over tasks that children are, or could be, performing independently, imposing their own agenda without regard for the child. In Feldman's study depressed mothers exhibited low sensitivity and high intrusiveness, and children displayed lower social engagement during interactions with them. Partners of depressed mothers also showed low sensitivity, high intrusiveness, and provided little opportunities for child social engagement, so that the family unit was less cohesive, harmonious, warm, and collaborative. However, when fathers were sensitive, nonintrusive, and engaged children socially, maternal depression no longer predicted low family cohesion. Feldman: "When fathers rise to the challenge of co-parenting with a chronically depressed mother, become invested in the father-child relationship despite little modeling from their wives, and form a sensitive, nonintrusive, and reciprocal relationship with the child that fosters his/her social involvement and participation, fathering can buffer the spillover from maternal depression to the family atmosphere." According to Feldman, because rates of maternal depression appear to increase each decade, and paternal involvement in child care is constantly increasing in industrial societies, it is critical to address the fathers' potential contribution to family welfare by providing interventions for the development of a sensitive parenting style and other compensatory mechanisms, in order to enhance their role as buffers of the negative effects of maternal depression. This study was supported by the Israel Science Foundation, the Simms-Mann Foundation, and the Irving B. Harris Foundation. 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To help you find what you are looking for: Enter Search Term(s): Still cant find what youre looking for? Send us a message using our contact us form. To report a broken link or other problems with the website, please include the URL. Thank you for visiting state.gov. In early May 2017 China publicized the existence of a jet powered three tons UAV that could travel at 750 kilometers an hour at low altitude (under six meters/18 feet) over water and carry a torpedo or missile weighing up to a ton. Endurance was said to be about 90 minutes but that was apparently not seen as a problem as this UAV was mainly intended for coastal defense. This particular this UAV was not a surprise to people in the business (of intel or building UAVs) because it was publicly revealed in 2016. Back then it was not a surprise because China has been building jet powered UAVs for over a decade. The new one was publicized as stealthy and a major threat to American warships. That may be true, but depends on a lot of other factors (mostly of the electronic variety, for both offense and defense). UAVs of this type date back to jet powered cruise missiles first widely used in the 1950s. By the 1970s these had evolved into reusable target drones. The most widely used of these was the American MQM-107, which entered service in the late 1970s. Some 2,200 MQM-107s were produced until production ceased in 2003. This UAV was reliable, sturdy and used for target practice or towing the designated target. The MQM-107 could be recovered because it was equipped with a parachute and built to survive multiple landings. MQM-107 weighed 664 kg (1,470 pounds) had a max speed of 925 kilometers an hour and max endurance of 130 minutes. There were similar drones from other companies but the BQM-167 was what really replaced the MQM-107 in 2006. This is a one ton, single engine aircraft that is 6.1 meters (20 feet) long, with a 3.4 meter (11 foot) wingspan. Max speed is about 1,000 kilometers an hour, and the carbon fiber composite airframe can handle 9 g turns. Launched via a rocket from a rail, the UAV lands via parachute. Max altitude is 16 kilometers (50,000 feet) and minimum is 16 meters (50 feet). The BQM-167 can stay aloft three hours per sortie. Equipped with GPS, the ground based operator maneuvers the BQM-167 to provide realistic targets for air force or navy missile carrying aircraft, or U.S. Army Patriot anti-aircraft missiles. Most of the time, the weapons operators just use the UAV to ensure that they can track and precisely locate an aerial target. But sometimes, the missiles themselves are tested, and the UAV is fired on. In some of these situations, the UAV is equipped with countermeasures (like chaff or flares or electronic jammers) and will also maneuver as a manned aircraft would. Because of this the price of a BQM-167 can vary from about a million dollars to two million or more. The tech used for the MQM-107 and BQM-167 were known to the Chinese and it was already known that the Chinese were developing similar aircraft. Back in 2008 China revealed that it was developing a jet powered UAV, similar to the U.S. RQ-4 Global Hawk, called Xianglong (Soaring Dragon). The Chinese UAV is about half the size of the Global Hawk, at 7.5 tons, with a 14.5 meter (45 foot) wingspan and a .65 ton payload. Max altitude will be 18.4 kilometers (57,000 feet) and range will be 7,000 kilometers. It has a faster cruising speed (750 kilometers an hour) than the RQ-4. Back in 2008 the new Chinese jet powered UAVs were seen serving as high speed recon aircraft for naval forces. Once these UAVs spot an American carrier it was believed high speed cruise missiles, fired from a ship or manned aircraft, would have a target location to home in on. By 2016 the Xianglong was in production and the technology for it could easily be adapted to produce the new one carrying a one ton payload. Chinese firms have already been successful in building and selling clones of the American Predator and Reaper. The Chinese CH-4 entered service in 2011 as part of the Rainbow series of UAVs. The first models were missing some key capabilities of the Predator. By 2016 the CH-4 was updated so it could be controlled via satellite. This included firing laser guided missiles. CH-4 also has a new sensor system. Improvements in this electro-optical (EO) payload are many. The day vidcam now produces 1080p video feeds. The night sensor is FLIR (Forward Looking Infrared sensor), a technology that has been around since the 1980s, and as the heat (infrared) sensing technology became more powerful, it was possible to spot and identify targets at longer ranges. This was accomplished through the development of more sensitive heat sensors, and more powerful computer hardware and software for putting the images together. The new FLIR for CH-4 can identify targets up to 20 kilometers away and enable automatic tracking of distant (up to 18 kilometers) targets. This is made possible by a lot of other improvements like better servo control, inertial guidance inside the EO system, auto focusing and computer controlled image enhancement and identification. This makes possible a much more accurate targeting system for the laser guided missiles the CH-4 carries. The CH-4 is similar in shape to the 1.2 ton American Predator, weighs 1.3 tons, has a 14 meter (46 feet) wingspan, and is 9 meters (28 feet) long. It has max altitude of 5,300 meters (16,400 feet) and an endurance of over 35 hours. Max payload (sensors and weapons) is 345 kg (759 pounds). A CH-4 can carry 4 weapons (or electronic devices) under the wings, each weighing up to 100 kg. China offers Chinese made weapons for their larger UAVs. Chief among these are a Hellfire clone, the AR-1. This is a 45 kg (99 pound) missile with a max range of 10 kilometers and a 10 kg (22 pound) warhead. AR-1 can be equipped with either GPS or laser guidance. The other weapon is a copy of the American SDB (small diameter bomb) which is a 128 kg (281 pound) GPS guided glide bomb in the shape of a missile with a penetrating warhead. The Chinese version is the FT-5 and is a 100 kg (220 pound) GPS guided bomb in the shape of a missile. In early 2106 China began marketing a new combat UAV in the Rainbow series; the CH-5. This one is similar to the 4.6 ton American MQ-9 Reaper but a bit lighter at three tons. The CH-5 has a 900 kg payload and can carry smart (GPS guided) bombs as well as laser guided missiles (similar to the American Hellfire. CH-5 made its first flight in 2015, apparently has endurance of up to twenty hours and is supposed to be available for delivery in 2017. The Chinese UAVs are much cheaper (sometimes about half the price) than the American originals, but for that you get aircraft and missiles that have not had as many of the bugs worked out nor achieved anything like the nearly two decade track record of the Predator. The CH-4 was developed from the earlier (2010) CH-3. This is a 640 kg aircraft with 12 hours endurance and can carry two AR-1 missiles. Thus it is believed that the CH-5 is a scaled up version of the CH-4. In 2016 China revealed that is had sold military UAVs to ten countries, mainly in the Middle East and Africa. Most of the military UAVs delivered so far have been CH-3s and 200 smaller unarmed UAVs equipped for surveillance and reconnaissance. At the same time China has become the largest exporter of commercial UAVs which are used by police and commercial firms for a wide variety of tasks. American Homes 4 Rent is a real estate investment trust (REIT) focused on the US rental industry. The company is a leader in the single-family home rental industry and "American Homes 4 Rent" is fast becoming a nationally recognized brand. The company is known for high-quality rental homes, providing good value and tenant satisfaction while generating profits for investors. The primary investment objective is to provide attractive risk-adjusted returns through dividends and capital appreciation. The company plans to achieve its objective through the disciplined acquisition of new properties, by expanding its own construction and neighborhood building efforts, growing its geographically diverse portfolio, efficient property management, building a strong brand, and maintaining a sound capital structure. The company was founded in 2011 by David Singelyn and his partner. Mr. Singelyn has served as a Trustee and CEO since 2012. The company began by acquiring homes in underserved areas and remodeling them to modern standards. The firm has since expanded its operations to construction and now builds planned communities tailored to different lifestyles as well. The company went public in 2013 and is listed on the New York Stock Exchange. American Homes 4 Rent is an internally managed Maryland real estate investment trust focused on acquiring, developing, renovating, leasing, and operating attractive, single-family homes as rental properties. The company operates through a network of offices and the website AH4R.com. The company owns more than 55,000 properties across 22 states featuring move-in-ready and pet-friendly homes for individuals and families of all sizes. All previously used properties have been renovated to a high Certified Property standard that brings them to a like-new condition. Interested parties can view listings by area on the website and even use the site to fill out applications and sign leases. Properties are located in communities that fit a variety of lifestyle needs including fences, marble countertops, and even attached 2 and 3-car garages. The communities are located in hand-picked neighborhoods with features including access to commerce, schools, and amenities like lawn care, pools, trails, and fitness centers. Tenants are afforded many benefits by renting through American Homes 4 Rent. The first and most obvious is the freedom and flexibility of a mortgage-free lifestyle. On top of that, tenants can pay rent or schedule maintenance on their homes through the website, and dedicated service representatives are available 24/7. Bristol-Myers Squibb Company discovers, develops, licenses, manufactures, and markets biopharmaceutical products worldwide. It offers products for hematology, oncology, cardiovascular, immunology, fibrotic, neuroscience, and covid-19 diseases. The company's products include Revlimid, an oral immunomodulatory drug for the treatment of multiple myeloma; Eliquis, an oral inhibitor for reduction in risk of stroke/systemic embolism in NVAF, and for the treatment of DVT/PE; Opdivo for anti-cancer indications; Pomalyst/Imnovid indicated for patients with multiple myeloma; and Orencia for adult patients with active RA and psoriatic arthritis. It also provides Sprycel for the treatment of Philadelphia chromosome-positive chronic myeloid leukemia; Yervoy for the treatment of patients with unresectable or metastatic melanoma; Abraxane, a protein-bound chemotherapy product; Reblozyl for the treatment of anemia in adult patients with beta thalassemia; and Empliciti for the treatment of multiple myeloma. In addition, the company offers Zeposia to treat relapsing forms of multiple sclerosis; Breyanzi, a CD19-directed genetically modified autologous T cell immunotherapy for the treatment of adult patients with relapsed or refractory large B-cell lymphoma; Inrebic, an oral kinase inhibitor indicated for the treatment of adult patients with myelofibrosis; and Onureg for the treatment of adult patients with AML. It sells products to wholesalers, distributors, pharmacies, retailers, hospitals, clinics, and government agencies. The company was formerly known as Bristol-Myers Company. The company was founded in 1887 and is headquartered in New York, New York. Schlumberger Limited provides technology for the energy industry worldwide. The company operates through four divisions: Digital & Integration, Reservoir Performance, Well Construction, and Production Systems. It offers software, information management, and IT infrastructure services; consulting services for reservoir characterization, field development planning, and production enhancement; petro technical data services and training solutions; reservoir interpretation and data processing services; asset performance solutions; open and cased-hole services; exploration and production pressure and flow-rate measurement services; pressure pumping, well stimulation, and coiled tubing equipment for downhole mechanical well intervention, reservoir monitoring, and downhole data acquisition; and integrated production systems. The company also provides mud logging and engineering support services; drilling equipment and services for shipyards, drilling contractors, energy companies, and rental tool companies; land drilling rigs and related services; drilling tools; well cementing products and services; and well planning and drilling, engineering, supervision, logistics, procurement, contracting, and drilling rig management services, as well as supplies engineered drilling fluid systems; and designs, manufactures, and markets roller cone and fixed cutter drill bits. In addition, it offers well completion services and equipment; artificial lift production equipment and optimization services; valves; process systems; and integrated subsea production systems comprising wellheads, subsea trees, manifolds and flowline connectors, control systems, connectors, and services, as well as designs and manufactures onshore and offshore platform wellhead systems and processing solutions. The company was formerly known as Societe de Prospection Electrique. Schlumberger Limited was founded in 1926 and is based in Houston, Texas. Sociedad Quimica y Minera de Chile S.A. produces and distributes specialty plant nutrients, iodine and its derivatives, lithium and its derivatives, potassium chloride and sulfate, industrial chemicals, and other products and services. The company offers specialty plant nutrients, including potassium nitrate, sodium nitrate, sodium potassium nitrate, specialty blends, and other specialty fertilizers. It also provides iodine and its derivatives for use in medical, pharmaceutical, agricultural, and industrial applications comprising x-ray contrast media, polarizing films for LCD and LED, antiseptics, biocides and disinfectants, pharmaceutical synthesis, electronics, pigments, and dye components. In addition, the company offers lithium carbonates for various applications that include electrochemical materials for batteries, frits for the ceramic and enamel industries, heat-resistant glass, air conditioning chemicals, continuous casting powder for steel extrusion, primary aluminum smelting process, pharmaceuticals, and lithium derivatives, as well as ingredient in manufacturing of gunpowder. Further, it supplies lithium hydroxide for the lubricating greases industry, as well as cathodes for batteries. Additionally, it offers potassium chloride and potassium sulfate for various crops, including corn, rice, sugar, soybean, and wheat; industrial chemicals, including sodium nitrate, potassium nitrate, potassium chloride, and solar salts; and other fertilizers and blends. The company operates in Chile, Latin America and the Caribbean, Europe, North America, Asia, and internationally. Sociedad Quimica y Minera de Chile S.A. was incorporated in 1968 and is headquartered in Santiago, Chile. WASHINGTON -- It was implausible that FBI Director James Comey was fired in May 2017 for actions committed in July 2016 -- the rationale contained in the memo by Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein. It was implausible that Comey was fired by Donald Trump for having been too tough on Hillary Clinton, as when, at that July news conference, he publicly recited her various email misdeeds despite recommending against prosecution. It was implausible that Trump fired Comey for, among other things, reopening the Clinton investigation 11 days before the election, something that, at the time, Trump praised as a sign of Comey's "guts" that had "brought back his reputation." It was implausible that Trump, a man notorious for being swayed by close and loyal personal advisers, fired Comey on the recommendation of a sub-Cabinet official whom Trump hardly knew and who'd been on the job all of two weeks. It was implausible that Trump found Rosenstein's arguments so urgently persuasive that he acted immediately -- so precipitously, in fact, that Comey learned of his own firing from TVs that happened to be playing behind him. These implausibilities were obvious within seconds of Comey's firing and the administration's immediate attempt to pin it all on the Rosenstein memo. That was pure spin. So why in reality did Trump fire Comey? Admittedly, Comey had to go. The cliche is that if you've infuriated both sides, it means you must be doing something right. Sometimes, however, it means you must be doing everything wrong. Over the last year, Comey has been repeatedly wrong. Not, in my view, out of malice or partisanship (although his self-righteousness about his own probity does occasionally grate). He was in an unprecedented situation with unpalatable choices. Never in American presidential history had a major party nominated a candidate under official FBI investigation. (Turns out the Trump campaign was under investigation as well.) Which makes the normal injunction that FBI directors not interfere in elections facile and impossible to follow. Any course of action -- disclosure or silence, commission or omission -- carried unavoidable electoral consequences. Comey had to make up the rules as he went along. He did. That was not his downfall. His downfall was making up contradictory, illogical rules, such as the July 5 non-indictment indictment of Clinton. A series of these -- and Comey became anathema to both Democrats and Republicans. Clinton blamed her loss on two people. One of them was Comey. And there's the puzzle. There was ample bipartisan sentiment for letting Comey go. And there was ample time from Election Day on to do so. A simple talk, a gold watch, a friendly farewell, a Comey resignation to allow the new president to pick the new director. No fanfare, no rancor. True, this became more difficult after March 20 when Comey revealed that the FBI was investigating the alleged Trump-Russia collusion. Difficult but not impossible. For example, just last week, Comey had committed an egregious factual error about the Huma Abedin emails that the FBI had to abjectly walk back in a written memo to the Senate Judiciary Committee. Here was an opportunity for a graceful exit: Comey regrets the mistake and notes that some of the difficult decisions he had previously made necessarily cost him the confidence of various parties. Time for a clean slate. Add the usual boilerplate about not wanting to be a distraction at such a crucial time. Awkward perhaps, but still dignified and amicable. Instead we got this -- a political ax murder, brutal even by Washington standards. (Or even Roman standards. Where was the vein-opening knife and the warm bath?) No final meeting, no letter of resignation, no presidential thanks, no cordial parting. Instead, a blindsided Comey ends up in a live-streamed O.J. Bronco ride, bolting from Los Angeles to be flown, defrocked, back to Washington. Why? Trump had become increasingly agitated with the Russia-election investigation and Comey's very public part in it. If Trump thought this would kill the inquiry and the story, or perhaps even just derail it somewhat, he's made the blunder of the decade. Whacking Comey has brought more critical attention to the Russia story than anything imaginable. It won't stop the FBI investigation. And the confirmation hearings for a successor will become a nationally televised forum for collusion allegations, which up till now have remained a scandal in search of a crime. So why did he do it? Now we know: The king asked whether no one would rid him of this troublesome priest -- and got so impatient he did it himself. A defining trait of Toronto manners, according to the new book Toronto Public Etiquette Guide I wrote about recently, is avoidance of speaking to strangers. On Twitter, Deirdre McCluskey, expressed her surprise at encountering this in the field: Just moved here and this is what I want explained: why do I get ignored when I greet my condo neighbours in the elevator? she wrote. In my sock feet in the hallway after taking out the garbage and smile at someone: get a stone-faced stare! Ugh. We can tell ourselves this is just a necessary attitude in the big city: Its so crowded everywhere that if we interacted with every stranger, wed never have a moments peace. Yet it isnt the case in all big cities, as Katie Harris noticed upon moving to Boston from Toronto. When I first arrived in Boston, I was truly alarmed by how easily strangers would speak to me on public transit. Reading a book on my daily subway ride, I would often be asked what I was reading by the person sitting next to me. This happened frequently enough that I had a fake answer (Wuthering Heights), which I hoped would discourage further discussion, she writes. Despite being not just an introvert but a Toronto introvert (used to a comfortable lack of eye contact and other human engagement while out in public), I did eventually get used to the more outgoing nature of Bostonians. She even recently offered some strangers in downtown Toronto directions, unsolicited. Their collective look of alarm reminded me that I was breaching Toronto etiquette dont make eye contact, dont talk to strangers, but be ready with extremely polite advice if asked. Just so. I asked for advice in my previous column local etiquette tips, observations about customs, lists of rules and people were extremely ready to offer it. No adult bike riding on sidewalks, people agreed. No clipping your nails on public transit, several sadly felt the need to point out. Give a wave when someone lets your car in during crowded traffic conditions, I hear a lot. Several people mentioned that a group of people walking together on the sidewalk should walk single file (on the right, of course) to let those coming the other way pass. And hold the door open for the person behind you in crowded spaces downtown, just push it open wide enough that they can catch it and hold it for the person behind them. All good lessons and most of them covered in the book (though not discussed in my earlier column). A few people also wanted to point out the too-little-understood etiquette of grocery checkout lines. You happen to be in a long line, another checkout counter opens up, the cashier calls next in line please, and what happens? a reader named Jean writes. The last person jumps to the new checkout. Grrrrr. This can be easily solved and sometimes is by having the cashier go to the middle of the long line and asking that person and others to follow. However one would think this was obvious without being led. In the earlier column, I mentioned in passing the Toronto custom of standing to the right and walking on the left on escalators. Though I think this remains an expectation many people have, some readers wrote to point out they and the TTC now think this is dangerous and counter-productive. As a mum of a child with a disability who struggles to walk I was disappointed that again someone wrote about escalator rules, Katharine Harrison wrote, noting the TTC no longer advises doing this. Its unsafe to push past someone on an escalator. The old and infirm and disabled may have less balance and fall down the stairs. Another reader adds that studies have shown the walk-left, stand-right custom has been shown in studies to actually allow fewer people to move during busy times, another reason to change the etiquette. (Although some other readers wrote to emphasize the custom so for now youll still get some passive-aggressive dirty looks if you stand on the left.) The use of mobile smartphones generated more advice, I think, than any other topic. Folks, dont talk so loud on them, especially on transit. Dont read or send messages on them when youre in the middle of conducting a conversation with someone else. Dont use them while driving your car or bike, even when youre stopped at a red light (so often a long line of cars is waiting behind you while you sit at the now-green light, still obliviously liking Instagram photos.) But for pedestrians, one situation in particular was worth attention. While I think it would be nice if people could look up once in a while when walking along a crowded sidewalk, Ive given up on that particular battle. But please, everybody, pay attention while youre using the crosswalk, Terry Lavender writes. Its dangerous enough crossing the street in Toronto, the problem is only compounded when you also have to dodge fellow pedestrians whose eyes are glued to their phones. Others pointed out that your phone doesnt come with a booth like an old-fashioned payphone, so youve got to get out the way of others before you suddenly stop to check your phone on the sidewalk. There were plenty of others some more commonly cited rules were to take your backpack off on transit, dont spit on the ground and dont throw cigarette butts on the sidewalk and Im grateful for all the suggestions I received. But I do not have enough space to enumerate them all. However, since I started with a story about the famous Toronto reserve, I figure Ill end with another. Several years ago my son was returning home late in the evening on the subway. Among the passengers were two young characters noisy enough to have drawn attention to themselves, Anita Dermer writes. Everybody apparently noticed when one of them took out a gun and the two of them began to fool around with it. Nobody screamed or dived for cover. Nobody tackled them. Nobody pushed the emergency signal. But at the next stop, everyone just got up as one person and left the train. She says she was horrified by the incident but admiring of the response however, it reminded her of this citys changing traditions. I did tell him that in my day we would have refused to acknowledge such unseemly behaviour in any way whatsoever. Without a word or a glance at the miscreants we would have continued to our destinations and if shot, would have made our way to the nearest ER in as dignified a manner and with as little disturbance as possible. Edward Keenan writes on city issues ekeenan@thestar.ca . Follow: @thekeenanwire SHARE: MONTREALHundreds of Quebec forestry workers are experiencing the first sour tastes from the softwood lumber battle with the United States as they prepare for the start of layoffs. Starting Monday, Resolute Forest Products is cutting shifts at seven sawmills and delaying the start of forest operations that will affect 1,282 workers. Pierrot Fortin, who experienced such heartache during the last impasse in the early 2000s, is again preparing for lost income and uncertainty. Work stoppages like this are never easy, said the truck driver who hauls wood from forests in the Lac-Saint-Jean region. It has an impact on families and everyone is worried. Read more:Trump administration shrugs off softwood lumber threat from Trudeau government But the 48-year-old says hes luckier than some his house is almost paid for, and his two children are no longer babies. Fortin feels for young families and older workers who have few employment alternatives in one-industry towns. The big worry is that temporary curtailments will be extended as companies feel growing pressure from retroactive duties and the prospect of additional preliminary charges to be announced next month. During the last softwood lumber dispute, Canada shed 20,000 forestry jobs between 2000 and 2006, and about 400 sawmills closed entirely between 2004-09. Unifor, which represents 24,000 forestry workers at 134 companies, fears duties this time will hurt 25,000 Canadian jobs. La Tuque mayor Normand Beaudoin says any downtime longer than two weeks currently planned for about 100 mill employees would be difficult for families in the small town about 200 kilometres south of the Lac-Saint-Jean region. In the short term I dont have a lot of worries, but if it goes on for one or two years it will do a lot of harm, Beaudoin said. Although workers were aware of the challenges facing the industry, they were surprised by the speed with which Resolute moved to cut costs especially since the companys preliminary duties are below the 20-per-cent Canadian average with no retroactivity, said Daniel Leblond, president of the Unifor local at the Dolbeau-Mistassini sawmill. Resolute said the immediate impact on the industry is largely because of volatility in market pricing thanks to the duties, and the fact that some U.S. customers had built up some supply in anticipation of the duties. Still, it has created anxiety because there are no answers to questions if the layoffs will be extended. These families are devastated, just like if they were struck by a hurricane, Leblond said. He fears that more job cuts are coming at two paper mills if theres no relief from punishing duties on supercalendered paper. The Quebec mills are among the first in Canada to feel the effects of softwood duties. However, a cedar mill in New Brunswick recently closed, affecting six workers. Danny Stillwell, owner of Hainesville Sawmill Ltd., northwest of Fredericton, said hes closing for at least six months until a dispute over the new tariffs is resolved. Theres no word of any mill closures in Western Canada, but workers are very nervous, said Bob Matters, wood council chairman for the United Steelworkers union. Many of the workers, probably most of them, have been through the last round of softwood lumber negotiations, and the uncertainty around how long this will last is what is causing the grief, he said. With many families having several members employed in the forest sector, Matters added, any cuts cause widespread pain and have far-reaching ramifications for forest-dependent communities. The major employer in town is the mill or manufacturing facility so it is a very big deal. Read more about: SHARE: OTTAWAA radical idea is being floated or more precisely, revived as a way for the RCMP and its political masters to grapple with all that ails the force. The looming departure of Commissioner Bob Paulson has prompted some rank-and-file Mounties to call for a joint management approach to running the RCMP instead of the top-down hierarchical system some believe has left it unable to adapt to modern workplace expectations and norms. Three reports will bring the RCMPs workplace woes into sharp focus this week. On Monday, the results of an investigation into systemic workplace harassment in the national police force are to be released by the independent watchdog of the RCMP, the Civilian Review and Complaints Commission. Its the first investigation conducted since the watchdog got more robust powers in 2014. In addition, the Star has learned the Liberal government has received and may also release this week a separate report by former auditor general Sheila Fraser into how the RCMP handled complaints by four female employees. Cpl. Catherine Galliford, Cpl. Susan Gastaldo, Const. Alice Fox and Atoya Montague, a civilian member of the RCMP in B.C., sued the force for harassment. Their treatment at the hands of their superiors appeared so egregious that the public safety minister last year demanded Frasers outside review. (Meanwhile, the RCMPs and the governments proposed $100-million settlement of two broader class action lawsuits launched by women who suffered sexual- and gender-based harassment is still in limbo, more than seven months after the RCMP offered a formal apology. The proposal is awaiting final court approvals before even a dollar of actual compensation can be paid out.) On Tuesday, auditor general Michael Ferguson will release his audit of whether the RCMPs mental health programs provide adequate early detection intervention and support for continuous improvement for its employees. The trio of reports are expected to paint a bleak picture, sources told the Star. If all that werent enough, searing testimony in an ongoing trial in a Moncton courtroom is a reminder that RCMP management decisions involve life-and-death consequences. Three years after lone gunman Justin Bourque went on a shooting rampage that left three Mounties dead and two wounded, the RCMP faces four charges of violating Canadas workplace health and safety laws. Officers say they were outgunned by Bourque and, in all the chaos, at his mercy. Bourque pleaded guilty a few months afterward. Yet it is still harrowing to hear how the carnage unfolded from the officers perspectives. Const. Martine Benoit felt as if she was just waiting to be shot again as Bourque fired multiple rounds into the police cruiser she crouched behind. She saw Const. Eric Dubois, who came to her aid, get shot after he peered out to see where Bourque was. Const. Andrew Johnstone tried in vain to save Const. David Rosss life, then strapped on hard body armour only to learn later hed put it on backwards. Each charge under the Canada Labour Code of failing to adequately inform, train and equip its officers to confront active shooters like Bourque carries a potential $1-million fine. More important will be the message such a conviction would send: that RCMP managers failed Canadians, and failed their own. The trial is expected to last two months. By the time its over, the RCMP a police force organized along paramilitary top-down chain-of-command lines, with no civilian police services board could have a new boss. Paulson announced in March hell retire at the end of June. A selection committee to find his successor has yet to be named, but will be announced in the coming weeks, the Star has learned. The delay is confounding to many. Conservative and NDP critics say it is important to get a strong new leader at the top sooner than later. Tony Clement, Conservative public safety critic, said the broader the search for the right leader, the better. He said many of the issues, including recruitment and retention, facing the RCMP are quite complex and they involve the morale, and they involve almost the psychic ability of the force to do the job, not just the kit they have. These are things that I believe require the decision-makers to think outside the box. Now, with that looming vacancy at the top, some are suggesting its time to finally create a management board for the force. That includes organizers of a drive to unionize about 18,000 front-line Mounties under the banner of the National Police Federation. With more than 10,300 card-carrying members, the NPF has filed an application to be certified as the national bargaining agent. Brian Sauve, co-founder of the federation, says Paulsons departure represents an opportunity. We are in the process of writing to the minister of public safety and the prime ministers office, Sauve said, to suggest that perhaps we shouldnt have a new commissioner just yet. Perhaps the organization should spend some time evolving into its future state. Sauve said it might take some kind of joint management committee to assess where weve been, where we are and where we want to go to . . . maintain the confidence of the Canadian public. Were trying to think outside the box, he said, listing a vipers nest of issues that faces any incoming commissioner. It might just be too much for one person. Do we Canada put one person in charge of that task, or are we setting them up to fail? Matthew Dube, NDP public safety critic, said more civilian oversight and more accountability for the force is extremely important. When we look at a lot of the culture change thats necessary, whether its the drive to unionize or the sexual harassment issues that came up over and over again, some good steps have been taken but theres certainly still a lot of work to be done. By increasing accountability . . . I think it can give a good kick in the butt to the folks who need to show leadership on those files. In 2007, a federal task force recommended a civilian management board for the RCMP. So did successive reports from the independent RCMP reform council. The idea was to guide the RCMPs non-operational activities to ensure it didnt lose its way again. In January, Liberal Public Safety Minister Ralph Goodale seemed open to the idea as a concept that needs to be very carefully examined and determined whether that would work effectively given the nature and the character and the tradition of the force . . . . That would be a massive administrative and structural change for the RCMP, so I think you have to think it through very carefully, bearing in mind the principles and the tradition by which the force has functioned for well over 100 years. On Friday, Goodales office pointed to the pending reports on harassment in the force from Sheila Fraser and the CRCC and said it would be premature to comment further on possible changes to the RCMP at this point. SHARE: Black Lives Matter Toronto and other members of the black community say theyre cautiously optimistic about the citys new draft anti-black racism action plan. That action plan has 21 recommendations for the city including the creation of a black caucus at City Hall, hiring more black people for city jobs and overhauling the discipline process for the Toronto Police Service. Mayor John Tory unveiled the draft plan Saturday at an open house attended by dozens of people, many of them long-time activists and organizers from Torontos various black communities. The recommendations alone cannot solve the deep-seated problem of racist beliefs, Tory said, but he said he is confident they are an important first step for the city to take to combating systemic racism across Toronto. We have an alternative, Tory told reporters. We can just shrug our shoulders or we can say its really unfortunate or we can say Thats not right and do everything we can to eradicate racism in this city. Among the draft recommendations is a suggestion the city review the decision not to delete years worth of carding data. Tory reiterated the citys position that it cant delete that data because its lawyers insist doing so would be illegal, but his position is that it should be destroyed if possible. Other recommendations in the plan include an increased focus on education and job opportunities for young black people, particularly young black men with criminal records. The report also calls for better training of city staff, and viewing many issues through an anti-black racism lens. The report includes nine recommendations for the province that the city will push for, Tory said, including creating a black childrens aid society and removing barriers for people to apply for criminal record suspensions. Reaction to the draft action plan ranged from enthusiastic to tepid. I think this is an important step for the city and the community, said long-time community activist Nene Kwasi Kafele. But weve been down this road before. Were cautiously optimistic, but we must be mindful of history, he said. Kafele said while the recommendations are encouraging, there are three areas he would like to see more focus. First, its important to ensure that alongside actions to improve the outcomes for individual people in the education, employment and criminal justice systems, there needs to be a larger focus on economic development for many of Torontos currently struggling neighbourhoods, he said. We need to see large-scale economic development, he said, things like black banks, co-ops and other targeted investments. Second, Kafele wants to see more commitments for community infrastructure, both in terms of bricks-and-mortar facilities like community centres but also in the human infrastructure and people needed to run them. Third, Kafele said the report which does place an emphasis on improving black leadership across the city needs to ensure those leaders are not treated simply as consultants, but are incorporated into the roots of the strategy itself going forward. We need people with lived experience involved in the government structure, he said. The draft action plan is the result of more than 40 community meetings across the city. It also leans on 41 years worth of previous reports that have been written to address systemic anti-black racism. Rather than turn to the so-called experts to write another report, we turned to the community, Tory said. Tory said he personally attended four of the community meetings, and listened to community members describe what it feels like to be followed by store employees or stopped by police for no reason. He said the whole process was sparked by his struggle to understand how to response to Black Lives Matter Torontos encampment at police headquarters last March. That group did not participate in organizing the community meetings and consultations that went into drafting this report. Black Lives Matter Torontos Ravyn Wngz said the group didnt participate officially for fear of dominating the conversation. We wanted to make sure that the community was heard, Wngz said. These are our families (that participated), our friends. Wngz said she is hopeful the recommendations will bring about long-needed change, but she wants to see a greater focus on implementation. If these recommendations are a reflection of what hasnt been happening all along, then that should be a really big red flag for the city, she said. The feedback the city receives from Saturdays workshop will be used to create a set of final recommendations. Tory pledged to champion that final action plan at city council when it comes up for a vote in July. If the action plan passes, the city will begin working on a plan for implementing the recommendations, Tory said. Read more about: SHARE: Jonathan Kay has resigned as editor-in-chief of The Walrus, amid a highly charged controversy over an idea to create a so-called appropriation prize that has triggered intense backlash on social media and exposed deep divides within the Canadian arts and journalism communities. In an email, Kay said he was definitely not asked to file a resignation. He said he chose to step down on Saturday night because he frequently butted heads with his boss and got tired of the internal battles. The Walrus Foundation is moving in a direction that is different from what I was hoping. My dream was always to create a Canadian version of Atlantic magazine, which offers intelligent well-researched viewpoints and articles on all sorts of issues, including controversial topics, he said. The cultural appropriation issue would be only one small example of that. I very much respect all the people on the editorial team there, and I know they will continue to make Canadas best journalism, he added. Deputy editor Carmine Starnino confirmed that Kay had resigned, but declined further comment. The magazines publisher, Shelley Ambrose, could not be reached. Appointed editor-in-chief in 2014, Kay is among a group of prominent Toronto journalists at the centre of a polarizing debate that has grown from appropriation of voice to white privilege, free speech and the lack of diversity in Canadian newsrooms. The controversy began with the resignation of another magazine editor, Hal Niedzviecki, who stepped down last week as editor of The Writers Union of Canada (TWUC) magazine, after backlash over his editorial in a recent issue dedicated to indigenous writing, in which he encouraged writers to Win the Appropriation Prize. Niedzviecki opened the piece by saying, I dont believe in cultural appropriation. Acknowledging that most Canadian literature is written by authors who are white and middle-class, he encouraged those writers to imagine other cultures, and learn from indigenous writers, who so often must write from what they dont know. The editorial triggered immediate outrage on social media. One of the issues contributors, Helen Knott, posted on Facebook that she was seriously disgusted that someone would use the Indigenous issue . . . as a jump point for a case for cultural appropriation on the backs, words, and reputations of the Indigenous writers featured in it. The unions Equity Task Force issued a scathing statement, saying the essay contradicts and dismisses the racist systemic barriers faced by Indigenous writers and other racialized writers. Last Wednesday, the union apologized. Niedzviecki told the Star he failed to recognize . . . how deeply painful acts of cultural appropriation have been to indigenous peoples. He also said it is important that we engage with each other and cautioned against a chill on expressing ideas. Kay, who is a former editor at the National Post, quickly came to Niedzvieckis defence, posting a link to the Stars story on Twitter, with the comments: The mobbing of Hal Niedzviecki is what we get when we let Identity-politics fundamentalists run riot and Sad & shameful. Ken Whyte, a former editor-in-chief of the National Post and Macleans, retweeted Kays post, and said: I will donate $500 to the founding of the appropriation prize if someone else wants to organize. A collection of high-profile editors and columnists from a variety of media outlets, including the National Post, CBC and Macleans, proceeded to pledge hundreds of dollars to fund the creation of such a prize for freedom of thought and expression, as one editor tweeted. Kay retweeted Whytes post, but was not among those who promised to donate money to the cause. He defended his position in a column in the National Post on Friday, in which he criticized TWUC for an over-the-top apology that suggests it is a chorus for the most restrictive views on acceptable speech. The Twitter campaign ignited further outrage, particularly among indigenous writers, some of whom tweeted that they had asked for their writing to be removed from the Walrus website. Journalists from other minority groups described the appropriation prize campaign as evidence of the cluelessness of the primarily white CanLit establishment. Instead of being compassionate about the rage they saw stemming from the pain of exclusion, they ridiculed the marginalized among their own colleagues and readers they profess to represent, wrote the Stars race and gender columnist Shree Paradkar. Niedzviecki posted on Facebook that Calls for an actual appropriation prize are extremely unhelpful and do not represent me in any way. Some of the editors who initially pledged to help fund the prize have since apologized. In an email Sunday, Whyte said: Im beginning to think that no one actually read Niedzvieckis piece in Write magazine. He called for an appropriation prize to celebrate the most sensitive, respectful, and truthful explorations of anothers culture, and he explicitly denounced dishonest and exploitative approaches to other cultures. I happen to agree with those sentiments, he said, adding that Kays resignation is devastating to The Walrus and Canadian journalism. Kay told the Star he never talked about the controversy with his boss or the Walrus Foundation, but said the issue exemplified his frustration, which has been building for a while now. He said his comments about the appropriation issue were directed at TWUC, which is not an indigenous organization . . . and then all sorts of people jumped on my tweet and took it further, including that insensitive appropriation prize tweet. We must have looked like a bunch of stupid Toronto jackasses joking about what to many people is an extremely serious issue, he said. I regret that, and should have called the joke out for being bad and insensitive. Through emails with indigenous writers, he said he educated himself about the special sensitivity in regard to cultural appropriation among indigenous people, however he said he remains an artistic universalist. If a black author wants to write a First Nation story, or an Asian author wants to write a Hispanic protagonist, we should find room for that, and start from the presumption that theyre going to do so respectfully, he said. Only when its obvious that they have bad motives should we call them out for cultural appropriation. With files from Alexandra Jones and Ed Tubb SHARE: One day in 1964, Nicholas Sand, a Brooklyn-born son of a spy for the Soviet Union, took his first acid trip. He had been fascinated by psychedelic drugs since reading about them as a student at Brooklyn College and had experimented with mescaline and peyote. Now, at a retreat run by friends in Putnam County, N.Y., he took his first dose of LSD, still legal at the time. Sitting naked in the lotus position, before a crackling fire, he surrendered to the experience. A sensation of peace and joy washed over him. Then he felt himself transported to the far reaches of the cosmos. I was floating in this immense black space, he recalled in the documentary The Sunshine Makers, released in 2015. I said, What am I doing here? And suddenly a voice came through my body, and it said, Your job on this planet is to make psychedelics and turn on the world. Read more:50 years ago, U of T had an LSD convention Like Moses receiving the tablets, Sand took this commandment to heart. After being trained by the lab partner of Owsley Stanley, Americas premier LSD chemist, he set about producing vast quantities of the purest LSD on the market. His most celebrated product, known as Orange Sunshine for the colour of the tablets it came in, became a signature drug of the late 1960s. Touted by Timothy Leary as the finest acid available, the tiny orange pills quickly acquired near-mythic status, Martin A. Lee and Bruce Shlain wrote in Acid Dreams: The Complete Social History of LSD. Distributed by the Brotherhood of Eternal Love, a drug cult based in Laguna Beach, Calif., it showed up wherever hippies gathered: at Grateful Dead concerts, in California communes, in Indian ashrams, in the hashish havens of Afghanistan. Sand made sure that Orange Sunshine was available to U.S. soldiers in Vietnam; he hoped to bend their minds in the direction of non-violence and brotherly love. The goal was simple. If we could turn on everyone in the world, he said in the documentary, then maybe wed have a new world of peace and love. It did not work out that way. Orange Sunshine was Sands ticket to a life on the run. For years he raced to stay a step ahead of federal agents, and after being convicted on drug and tax-evasion charges, he hid in Canada for two decades under an assumed name. Eventually, after being arrested and unmasked, he was returned to the United States, where he served six years in prison. He emerged an unchanged man, totally committed to the beatific vision granted to him that day in upstate New York. Sand died April 24 at his home in Lagunitas, Calif. He was 75. The cause was a heart attack, said Gina Raetze, his longtime companion, who uses the name Usha, which she adopted as a follower of Bhagwan Shree Rajneesh. After taking his first psychedelic drug, mescaline, in 1962, Sand taught himself chemistry and set up a lab in his mothers attic to make dimethyltryptamine, or DMT. Although it produced only a brief high, it was much easier to formulate than LSD. Brisk demand prompted a move to larger premises in a Brooklyn loft, where he created the fictitious Bell Perfume Labs. An invitation from Richard Alpert, Learys former Harvard colleague, brought him to Millbrook, a farm in Dutchess County, N.Y., where Alpert, Leary and others had started a psychedelic community. After 1966, when LSD became illegal, Millbrook created the Original Kleptonian Neo-American Church, whose clergy members, known as Boo Hoos, administered sacraments in the form of psychedelic drugs. Sand was designated the alchemist of the new religion, as well as of Learys church, the League for Spiritual Discovery, whose initials spelled LSD. The glory days lay just ahead. In 1967, Stanley encouraged Sand to shift his operations to California. To help him get started, he offered him the services of his lab partner, Tim Scully, who proved to be a brilliant teacher. From a lab in Windsor, Calif., north of San Francisco, the two partners turned out four million doses of Orange Sunshine, the first step in a planned production of 750 million doses the right amount, they decided, to precipitate a psychedelic revolution. Federal and state law enforcement officials had other ideas. By late 1971 Sand was being investigated by a joint force of federal narcotics and tax agents, who pressured Billy Hitchcock, the owner of Millbrook and Sands liaison with the Brotherhood of Eternal Love, to testify against Sand and Scully. Both men were convicted on multiple charges by Judge Samuel Conti, known as Hanging Sam, who complained during the trial that the death penalty was not available to him. Conti, telling Sand that he had contributed to the degradation of mankind and society, handed down a sentence of 15 years. In his cell at McNeil Island Penitentiary in Washington state, which he shared with Scully, an unrepentant Sand conducted LSD sessions for his fellow prisoners until he won release pending an appeal of his case. When it became clear that the appeal would not succeed, Sand, dressed as a tourist on a fishing holiday, entered Canada under the assumed name Ted Parody officially Theodore Edward Parody III. He settled in the town of Lumby, in British Columbia, and began growing psilocybin mushrooms as a cash crop. After becoming enchanted by the teachings of Shree Rajneesh, the Indian guru, he spent time at the Rajneesh ashram, taking the name Pravasi. He learned to grow hydroponic vegetables and set up an LSD lab. With the guru, he helped create a Rajneeshee community, Rajneeshpuram, near Antelope, Ore. Rajneeshpuram disbanded in 1985, and Sand returned to Canada, where he eventually created a large lab in Port Coquitlam, near Vancouver, to make LSD and other psychedelic drugs on a grand scale. In 1996, RCMP officers raided the lab and in the course of their investigations discovered that their suspect, now using the name David Roy Shepard, was a fugitive from justice in the United States. The drug haul was stupendous, the case big time. Staff Sgt. Kenneth Ross of the RCMP, speaking at a news conference, called Sand an icon in the world of illicit drugs. In 1998, Sand pleaded guilty to manufacturing drugs in Canada he had been found with enough acid, he said, to dose the whole of Canada two times over and was sentenced to nine years in prison, to run concurrently with his U.S. sentence. He was returned to San Francisco, where Conti was brought out of retirement to preside over the case. The judge added five years, the maximum, to Sands original sentence. Sand was released to a halfway house in 2001 after winning an appeal to overturn the bail-jumping conviction on the grounds that he had not been told what date to return to court. He completed his parole in 2005. SHARE: MAIDUGURI, NIGERIAEver since he was a boy, Bunu Bukar has hunted big game in the forests of northeastern Nigeria, tracking the footprints of wild pigs, antelopes and elephants through the thick brush. Now the prey he hunts leaves motorcycle tracks. Bukar and dozens of members of a century-old hunting association have trained their weapons on Boko Haram, the Islamist militants who have shot, kidnapped and burned their way through villages on an eight-year campaign of murder and destruction across the region. Nigeria has marshalled huge battalions of soldiers to carry out a sweeping operation to attack and kill the insurgents, who have since retreated to remote forest hideouts. Fed up with Boko Harams mayhem, civilians have formed vigilante groups to join the fight. Enter Bukar and the Hunters/Vigilante Association in Borno state, the epicentre of Nigerias battle with Boko Haram. Last weekend, Nigeria scored a major victory in the battle with the militants, securing the release of 82 girls whom fighters kidnapped from a boarding school three years ago as they were preparing for exams in the village of Chibok. Bukar said he was with Nigerian soldiers last fall when they came across one of the abducted schoolgirls: Amina Ali, who was scrounging for food in the forest with other Boko Haram members. She was the first of the girls to be found since the mass kidnapping shocked the world in 2014. Bukars hunting group is well acquainted with the remote forest areas where the militants have taken refuge. His group, which once gathered regularly in the bush to track rabbits, wild hens and other game, first encountered Boko Haram when the militants fled the state capital four years ago and took their rampage to the countryside, encroaching on the hunters turf. In the beginning, there was no problem, said Bukar, 51, secretary of the hunters association. Hunters and insurgents met in the forest and everyone was doing their own business. That changed when the military started chasing Boko Haram through the countryside. The soldiers needed help finding water and shade as they passed through unfamiliar terrain. They turned to the hunters for help. It did not take long for Boko Haram to realize that the hunters were guiding soldiers and the group wanted revenge. Boko Harams first target was Mai Ajirambe, an elderly leader of the hunters group. Insurgents tracked him to a village near his home and kidnapped him. When fellow hunters found Ajirambe, he had been decapitated, his head carefully placed on his back. We decided right then, they wont stop until they kill all of us, Bukar said. He and other hunters gathered their families and moved them from their rural villages to the state capital, Maiduguri, for safety. Then they joined the fight. Now, the hunters sometimes lead soldiers into battle with their own homemade, long-barrelled guns. Like most hunters, they brag about their successes and lament the ones that got away. One of Bukars biggest regrets came on the day he and the soldiers found the first girl from Chibok. He said he caught a fighter and delivered him to the soldiers, but then the man somehow escaped in all the excitement of finding one of the kidnapped students. While last weekends liberation of the Chibok schoolgirls is a victory, Bukar knows the hunt for Boko Haram fighters is far from finished. When Bukar gets ready for a mission, he follows the same routine he has used since boyhood. He rubs a herbal mix across his body to mask his scent. He puts on his lucky necklace. In the field, he stays as quiet as possible, relying on hand signals to communicate with fellow hunters. He never runs after his prey; he lets it come to him. Once you meet it, there are only two options: you kill it or it kills you, Bukar said. The hunters are relying on traditions handed down through generations. Many began hunting when they were young boys, heading to the bush with uncles, fathers and grandfathers. A handful of women who hunt have also joined the Boko Haram fight. Some hunters carry knives fashioned years ago by grandfathers who etched squiggly designs across the blades. Before the bush became too dangerous, they would gather as many as a hundred people at a time for major hunts, combing the bush for prey. The hunters said pursuing humans was trickier than going after animals even elephants, which are notorious for fighting back. If you climb a tree, you might be safe from an elephant. But not with Boko Haram, said Bukar. If you climb a tree, theyll shoot you. The militants specialize in ambushes, he said. Sometimes the best strategy to catch fighters involves carving a hole in a wide tree to hide in and wait for a group of Boko Haram members to pass, typically on motorbikes, which are banned in Borno. Most hunters have superstitions, and Bukar and the others are no exceptions. Their bodies are laden with dangling, round leather amulets. Abba Balomi, a 20-year-old, baby-faced hunter, wears amulets around his waist and a beige, quilted cloth vest designed to look like a bulletproof vest. The items give him a sense of protection, he said. Balomi has recovered war trophies from raids on Boko Haram hideouts mobile phones and cash, mostly, but also the insurgents good-luck charms. He said he and his brothers destroyed them. Ba Bunu, 25, is commander of a local group of hunters. His lucky charm is the tail of a black cat that dangles from a necklace. Muhammed Bakama wears a padlock encased in leather with keys dangling from it. It is tied to a string slung across his torso. His personal arsenal includes a new acquisition: a long, hooked blade called a gariyo, which looks like a cross between an old-fashioned farmers sickle and a weapon that might be carried by the Angel of Death. Bakama, 35, was on patrol in a rural village recently when his phone rang with news that Boko Haram fighters were heading his way. He heard four approaching motorcycles driven by militants. Bakama gathered other hunters and stood in the road to block them. We killed all four, he said. Read more about: SHARE: Mr. and Mrs. Richard Koepsel of 2608 6 Mile Road will celebrate their 60th wedding anniversary this summer with family at the Wisconsin State Fair. Koepsel and the former Avis Opine were married on April 27, 1957, in Milwaukee. The couple has lived in Racine since 1972. The couple met in Milwaukee at a friends wedding in 1956. They went on a double date to a movie on their first date. Koepsel, 81, served in the U.S. Army. He was employed by St. Marys Cement operating a front-end loader until his retirement in 1991. He enjoys golfing. Mrs. Koepsel, 80, was a telephone operator at Wisconsin Bell and also worked for Quality Candy Factory. She enjoys flower gardening. The couple like to attend their grandchildrens sporting activities. The Koepsels said that having trust in each other and forgiveness is what has kept them together all these years. They said the birth of their three children were their happiest moments together. Their children are: Kim (Gary) Janowski and Jill (Mike) Pilger of Racine and Kurt of Oak Creek. The couple has five grandchildren and are expecting a great-granddaughter in July. Their advice to young people getting married today: Learn to work through your problems and dont give up on each other. SEOUL, SOUTH KOREA North Korea fired what appeared to be a ballistic missile early Sunday, the news agency Yonhap reported, days after the election of President Moon Jae In in South Korea. The North launched the missile from the city of Kusong, in the countrys northwest, according to the South Korean military. It was the first missile launch since April 29. It came a day after a senior North Korean diplomat, Choe Son Hui, said Pyongyang would hold talks with the United States under the right conditions. U.S. President Donald Trump said this month that he would be honoured to meet North Korean leader Kim Jong Un under the right circumstances. Tensions on the Korean Peninsula have heightened in recent weeks because of the Norths nuclear program and missile tests. In response to four North Korean ballistic missile launches into the Sea of Japan, the U.S deployed a THAAD missile defense system in South Korea this year. It became operational this month. Read more about: SHARE: LOS ANGELESComputers across the world were locked up and users files held for ransom when dozens of countries were hit in a cyber-extortion attack that targeted hospitals, companies and government agencies. Heres a look at how malware and ransomware work and what people can do if they fall victim to attacks. WHAT IS MALWARE AND RANSOMWARE? Malware is a general term that refers to software thats harmful to your computer, said John Villasenor, a professor at the University of California, Los Angeles. Ransomware is a type of malware that essentially takes over a computer and prevents users from accessing data on it until a ransom is paid, he said. HOW DOES YOUR COMPUTER BECOME INFECTED WITH RANSOMWARE? In most cases, the software infects computers through links or attachments in malicious messages known as phishing emails. The age-old advice is to never click on a link in an email, said Jerome Segura, a senior malware intelligence researcher at Malwarebytes, a San Jose-based company that has released anti-ransomware software. The idea is to try to trick the victim into running a malicious piece of code. The software usually is hidden within links or attachments in emails. Once the user clicks on the link or opens the document, their computer is infected and the software takes over. HOW RANSOMWARE WORKS Ransomware, like the name suggests, is when your files are held for ransom, said Peter Reiher, an adjunct professor at UCLA who specializes in computer science and cybersecurity. It finds all of your files and encrypts them and then leaves you a message. If you want to decrypt them, you have to pay. The ransomware encrypts data on the computer using an encryption key that only the attacker knows. If the ransom isnt paid, the data is often lost forever. When the ransomware takes over a computer, the attackers are pretty explicit in their demands, Segura said. In most cases, they change the wallpaper of the computer and give specific instructions telling the user how to pay to recover their files. Most attackers demand between $300 and $500 to remove the malicious ransomware; the price can double if the amount isnt paid within 24 hours. Law enforcement officials have discouraged people from paying these ransoms. HOW TO AVOID THESE ATTACKS The first step is being cautious, experts say. But Villasenor said there is no perfect solution to the problem. Users should regularly back up their data and ensure that security updates are installed on your computer as soon as they are released. Up-to-date backups make it possible to restore files without paying a ransom. Fridays attack exploited vulnerabilities in some versions of Microsoft Windows. Microsoft has released software patches for the security holes, although not everyone has installed those updates. If your software is not patched, you can exploit that user. Anyone who applied the patch that Microsoft released likely wasnt affected by this, Reiher said. Users should also look for malicious email messages that often masquerade as emails from companies or people you regularly interact with online. Its important to avoid clicking on links or opening attachments in those messages, since they could unleash malware, Villasenor said. SHARE: PARISIn ceremonies marked by youthful optimism and old-world Napoleonic pomp, Emmanuel Macron swept into office Sunday as Frances new president pledging to fortify the European Union, redesign French politics and glue together his divided nation. Macrons presidency began with a visit to troops wounded in overseas combat a reminder of Frances large global military presence and role in fighting extremists from Syria to Africa. Hes expected to name a prime minister imminently, and to show his commitment to reviving European unity. Macron takes his first presidential trip Monday to Berlin to meet Chancellor Angela Merkel. Read more: In France, the far-right is defeated - for now: Editorial Frances far-right leader Marine Le Pen looks ahead to parliamentary elections Emmanuel Macron, right, met with outgoing president Francois Hollande on Sunday. In a lofty but lucid inaugural speech, Macron vowed to lift France out of its sense of decline and lost purpose, and seize again its place in the world. The time has come for France to rise up to the occasion. The division and fractures across our society must be overcome ... because the world expects us to be strong, solid, clairvoyant. He promised to take Frances responsibilities to tackle todays crises the migration crisis, the climate challenge, authoritarian abuse, the excesses of capitalism in the world and of course terrorism. Nothing now strikes one and spares the other. We are all Interdependent. We are all neighbours. The 39-year-old Macron is the youngest president in the countrys history and the eighth president of Frances Fifth Republic, which was created in 1958. A former economy minister with pro-business, pro-European views, Macron is the first French president who doesnt originate from the countrys two mainstream parties. After Macron was formally declared president at the Elysee Palace, 21 cannon shots were fired from across the Seine River at the Invalides monument, where Napoleon is entombed. Macron later solemnly paid tribute at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier beneath the Arc de Triomphe, greeting veterans and military officers in formation beneath the imposing arch. Macron takes charge of a nation that, when Britain leaves the European Union in 2019, will become the EUs only member with nuclear weapons and a permanent seat on the U.N. Security Council. Reviving support for European unity will be among his top priorities. France is a founding member of the 28-nation EU and its third-largest economy after Germany and Britain. We will need a more efficient Europe, a more democratic Europe, a more political Europe because its the instrument of our power and our sovereignty, I will work on that, he said Sunday. Before the ceremony, he met for an hour with his predecessor, Francois Hollande, taking a last few minutes to discuss the most sensitive issues facing France, including the countrys nuclear codes. In a visibly moving moment for both, Macron accompanied Hollande to his car, shaking hands and applauding him along with the employees of the French presidency who had gathered in the palaces courtyard. The two men had known each other well. Macron was Hollandes former adviser, then his economy minister from 2014 to 2016, when Macron quit the Socialist government to launch his own independent presidential bid. About 300 guests, officials and family members gathered in the Elysee reception hall, including Macrons wife, Brigitte, wearing a lavender blue dress by French designer Nicolas Ghesquiere for Louis Vuitton. Macron himself wore a dark suit from French brand Jonas and Cie, a tailor based in Paris. It cost 450 euros ($491), according to his team. The new president arrived on the Champs-Elysees Avenue under a heavy rain recalling Hollandes inauguration five years ago. But unlike his predecessor, Macron managed to avoid getting wet. The bad weather often associated with the former Socialist president has become a joke for the French. After his time at the tomb, Macron went to shake hands with supporters along the Champs-Elysees, who were taking selfies and waving French tricolour flags, before coming back to the palace for a lunch with his family. Earlier, he and Frances new first lady briefly posed for photographers at the front porch of the palace after Hollande left. The couple will now live at the Elysee Palace. Macron met with Paris Mayor Anne Hidalgo later Sunday and visited the Percy military hospital in the Paris suburb of Clamart to meet with two soldiers injured during French operations in Mali last year and one wounded in Afghanistan in 2010. The media wasnt allowed to cover the visit. Macron has promised to reinvigorate French politics by bringing in new faces, and will form a government in the coming days. His Republic on the Move movement barely a year old is hoping to elect a majority of lawmakers in next months parliamentary elections so that he can pass his programs. It has announced an initial list of 428 candidates for the 577 seats up for grabs in Frances lower house of parliament in the vote on June 11 and 18. Many of the candidates are newcomers in politics. Their average age is 46, compared to 60 for the outgoing assembly. Half of them are women. Only 24 are lawmakers running for re-election. Hollande, meanwhile, went on Twitter to describe the terrible ordeals that marked his five-year term, from deadly attacks to Greeces debt crisis. He defended his unpopular presidency in a series of tweets minutes after leaving the Elysee Palace. Hollande noted his accomplishments in getting the Paris Agreement on climate change, legalizing gay marriage and doing everything possible to ensure that Greece stays in Europe. We lived through crises but we held together. France remained France, he tweeted. SHARE: WASHINGTON American democracy is under assault on separate fronts from President Donald Trump and Russia, the former U.S. intelligence chief warned Sunday, expressing dismay over the abrupt firing of FBI director James Comey amid a probe into Moscows meddling in U.S. elections and possible ties with the Trump campaign. As Trump works to fast-track Comeys successor, lawmakers from both parties urged him to steer clear of any politicians for the job and say he must clean up the mess that he mostly created. I think, in many ways, our institutions are under assault, both externally and thats the big news here, is the Russian interference in our election system, said James Clapper, the former director of national intelligence. I think as well our institutions are under assault internally. When he was asked, Internally, from the president? Clapper said, Exactly. Read more: Trump threatens Comey: Better hope there are no tapes of talks Clapper spoke following Trumps sudden firing of Comey last week, which drew sharp criticism because it came amid the FBIs investigation into Russias interference in the 2016 presidential election. Clapper said Americas founding fathers had created three co-equal branches of government with checks and balances, but with Trump as president, that was now eroding. The first candidate to arrive for an interview Saturday was Alice Fisher, a high-ranking Justice Department official in the George W. Bush administration The White House had no immediate comment. No White House aide appeared on the Sunday news shows, leaving Nikki Haley, the U.S. ambassador to the United Nations, to defend Trump. The president is the CEO of the country. He can hire and fire whoever he wants, she said. Lawmakers from both parties reprimanded Trumps actions, which included shifting explanations from the White House for Comeys dismissal and an ominous tweet by Trump that warned Comey against leaks to the press because he may have tapes of their conversations. The lawmakers called for a new FBI director without any political background and said Trump would need to hand over to Congress any taped conversations with Comey, if they exist. Republican Sen. Lindsey Graham, a member of the Judiciary Committee, said selecting an FBI agent to lead the agency would allow the nation to reset. He dismissed as less desirable at least two of the 14 candidates under consideration by Trump, former Rep. Mike Rogers of Michigan and Sen. John Cornyn of Texas, explaining that these are not normal circumstances. Rogers, an ex-FBI agent and former chairman of the House Intelligence Committee, has drawn the backing of the FBI Agents Association. Cornyn is the No. 2 Republican in the Senate. Its now time to pick somebody who comes from within the ranks, or has such a reputation that has no political background at all that can go into the job on Day 1, said Graham, R-S.C. The president has a chance to clean up the mess he mostly created, he said, adding, I have no evidence that the president colluded with the Russians at all ... but we dont know all the evidence yet. Sen. Mike Lee, a Republican from Utah, continued to argue that the president should consider Merrick Garland the federal judge nominated to the Supreme Court last year by President Barack Obama. Lee said he was absolutely serious about it. A former top aide to Sen. Mitch McConnell, Josh Holmes, said McConnell is interested in the suggestion. I think the Senate majority leader thinks thats a fantastic idea, Holmes said. Garland never got a hearing due to Republican obstruction, and the high court vacancy was filled last month by Neil Gorsuch. Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer of New York said the new FBI director should be someone not of partisan background with great experience and courage. Declining comment on a Garland nomination, Schumer left open the possibility that Democrats might withdraw support for a new FBI director unless the Justice Department names a special prosecutor. Under Senate rules, Republicans could still confirm an FBI director with 51 votes. Republicans hold 52 seats in the chamber to Democrats 48. Calling Trumps remarks about possible taped conversations outrageous, Sen. Mark Warner of Virginia, the top Democrat on the Senate Intelligence Committee, said his panel or another committee would absolutely subpoena the tapes. We have got to make sure that these tapes, if they exist, dont mysteriously disappear, Warner said, adding that he hopes to have Comey testify in a public hearing before his committee. Less than a week after Trump fired Comey, the administration has interviewed at least eight candidates to be FBI director, and Trump has said a decision could come before he leaves Friday on his first overseas trip as president. Trump abruptly fired Comey on Tuesday and later said Comey was a showboat and grandstander who was not doing a good job. Trump said in an interview with NBC that the Russia investigation factored into his decision to fire Comey. The FBI director serves a 10-year term but can be replaced by the president. So far 14 people have emerged as candidates. Eight met at the Justice Department on Saturday with Attorney General Jeff Sessions and his deputy, Rod Rosenstein: Alice Fisher, a high-ranking Justice Department official in the George W. Bush administration. Adam Lee, special agent in charge of the FBIs office in Richmond, Virginia. Andrew McCabe, the acting FBI director. Michael J. Garcia, a former prosecutor and associate judge on New Yorks highest court. Cornyn, a former Texas attorney general. U.S. District Judge Henry E. Hudson, a Bush appointee who struck down the centerpiece of the Obama administrations health care law in 2010. Frances Townsend, a former Bush homeland security and counterterrorism adviser. Rogers. The FBI Agents Association says it believes his diverse background makes him the best choice. Clapper and Schumer made their comments on CNNs State of the Union; Graham spoke on NBCs Meet the Press; Haley and Warner appeared on ABCs This Week and Warner also spoke on Fox News Sunday along with Lee and Holmes. Read more about: SHARE: SEOULNorth Korea said Monday the missile it launched over the weekend was a new type of medium long-range ballistic rocket that can carry a heavy nuclear warhead. A jubilant leader Kim Jong Un promised more nuclear and missile tests and warned that North Korean weapons could strike the U.S. mainland and Pacific holdings. North Korean propaganda must be considered with wariness Pyongyang has threatened for decades to reduce Seoul to a sea of fire, for instance but Mondays claim, if confirmed, would mark another big advance toward the Norths goal of fielding a nuclear-tipped missile capable of reaching the U.S. mainland. Some experts, including officials in Tokyo, estimate that Sundays launch successfully tested a new type of missile in Pyongyangs arsenal. Read more: Newly elected South Korean president promises to help resolve North Koreas nuclear crisis New South Korean president willing to talk to nuclear-armed North: Walkom U.S. ambassador to UN warns North Korea about attacking American base or testing ICBM The test is also an immediate challenge to South Koreas new leader, Moon Jae-in, a liberal elected last week who expressed a desire to reach out to North Korea. Pyongyangs aggressive push to boost its weapons program also makes it one of the Trump administrations most urgent foreign policy worries, though Washington has struggled to settle on a policy. North Koreas official Korean Central News Agency called the missile a new ground-to-ground medium long-range strategic ballistic rocket, and said the Hwasong-12 was capable of carrying a large, heavy nuclear warhead. Kim Jong Un witnessed the test and hugged officials in the field of rocket research, saying that they worked hard to achieve a great thing, according to KCNA. The rocket, newly designed in a Korean-style, flew 787 kilometres and reached a maximum altitude of 2,111.5 kilometres, the North said, and verified the homing feature of the warhead under the worst re-entry situation and accurate performance of detonation system. South Koreas Defence Ministry said more analysis is needed to verify the Norths claim on the rockets technological features. Spokesman Moon Sang Gyun said its still unlikely that North Korea has re-entry technology, which would return a warhead safely back into the atmosphere. Japanese officials said Sunday the missile flew for half an hour and reached an unusually high altitude before landing in the Sea of Japan. North Korea is not thought to be able yet to make a nuclear warhead small enough to mount on a long-range missile, though some outside analysts think they can arm shorter range missiles with warheads; each new nuclear and longer-range missile test is part of the Norths attempt to build a nuclear-tipped long-range missile. Kim said the North would stage more nuclear and missile tests in order to perfect nuclear bombs needed to deal with U.S. nuclear blackmail. State media paraphrased Kim as saying that the most perfect weapon systems in the world will never become the eternal exclusive property of the U.S., . . . strongly warning the U.S. should not . . . disregard or misjudge the reality that its mainland and Pacific operation region are in (North Koreas) sighting range for strike. The launch complicates the new South Korean presidents plan to talk to the North, and came as U.S., Japanese and European navies gather for joint war games in the Pacific. The president expressed deep regret over the fact that this reckless provocation . . . occurred just days after a new government was launched in South Korea, senior presidential secretary Yoon Young-chan said. The president said we are leaving open the possibility of dialogue with North Korea, but we should sternly deal with a provocation to prevent North Korea from miscalculating. Moon, South Koreas first liberal leader in nearly a decade, said as he took his oath of office last week that hed be willing to visit the North if the circumstances were right. The U.N. Security Council will hold closed consultations about the launch on Tuesday afternoon, according to the U.N. Mission for Uruguay, which holds the council presidency this month. U.S. Ambassador Nikki Haley said on ABC television that the United States has been working well with China, Pyongyangs closest ally, and she raised the possibility of new sanctions against North Korea, including on oil imports. The Security Council has adopted six increasingly tougher sanctions resolutions against North Korea. President Donald Trumps administration has called North Korean ballistic and nuclear efforts unacceptable, but it has swung between threats of military action and offers to talk as it formulates a policy. While Trump has said hed be honoured to talk with leader Kim Jong Un under favourable conditions, Haley seemed to rule out the possibility. Having a missile test is not the way to sit down with the president, because hes absolutely not going to do it, she told ABC. The U.S. Pacific Command said the flight of Sundays test is not consistent with an intercontinental ballistic missile, a technology the North is believed to have tested clandestinely by launching rockets to put satellites in orbit. David Wright, co-director of the Global Security Program at the Union of Concerned Scientists, said the missile could have a range of 4,500 kilometres if flown on a standard, instead of a lofted, trajectory considerably longer than Pyongyangs current missiles. He said Sundays launch the seventh such firing by North Korea this year may have been of a new mobile, two-stage liquid-fueled missile North Korea displayed in a huge April 15 military parade. Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe told reporters that the launch was absolutely unacceptable and that Japan would respond resolutely. The White House took note of the missile landing close to Russias Pacific coast and said in a statement that North Korea has been a flagrant menace for far too long. Italian Premier Paolo Gentiloni said the G-7 summit his country is hosting later this month would discuss how to deal with the risk North Koreas missile launchings pose to global security. Its a serious problem for global stability and security, and Im convinced that the upcoming G-7, in friendship, will contribute to resolving this issue, he said in Beijing. The launch came as troops from the U.S., Japan and two European nations gather near Guam for drills that are partly a message to North Korea. The USS Carl Vinson, an aircraft supercarrier, is also engaging with South Korean navy ships in waters off the Korean Peninsula, according to Seouls Defence Ministry. Read more about: SHARE: British Columbians are fond of bragging to foreigners that B.C. is different. Foreigners being, of course, anyone from across the mountains. They have a point, but not perhaps in the way they mean. B.C. is the only province to have sanctioned the state-sponsored murder of a trade union leader, Ginger Goodwin. The only place in Canada to have had a coal strike turn into a bloody conflict in which dozens of miners died, at the hands of American rent-a-cops. The only province to have had a cabinet minister continue to serve from his prison cell after a bribery conviction. More recently, it was home to one of the most lurid political money laundering scandals in Canada. To his descendants, it was humiliating that it took place in my late MP grandfathers own riding association, albeit long after his death. Labour and political violence was not uncommon in B.C. until the 1980s. When the province had a liberal party, its candidates offices were firebombed by Social Credit goons. Sign wars that involved crowbar smashing and spray painting billboards were a partisan jape I participated in as a dumb teen. The war in the woods between loggers and environmentalists was violent for nearly a decade until the early 1990s. Race, class and identity divides run deep in Canadas most beautiful province. The B.C. NDP has often found itself on the losing side of them politically and suffered the electoral consequences. Its own, often self-destructive, tribal rituals have also made it hard for voters less invested in the provinces tough and sometimes brutal social history to see them as a dependable party of government. It has governed in only 13 years of the past century as a result. Each of those terms in government ended unhappily, although the most recent, Glen Clarks, collapsed after a stitch-up by his political opponents and their friends in the media. B.C. also invented the Canadian anti-socialist coalition, 72 years ago(!). Its a supple conservative survival strategy that has been exported to Saskatchewan and now Alberta. The idea that everyone from the hard-right tinfoil hats to blue-haired Victoria conservationists should share the same political tent has been an enormously resilient strategy against the CCF/NDP. From its inception in 1945 as an election deal between local Liberals and Conservatives, to its morph into decades of Social Credit hegemony, to its current form a political coalition that receives the support of Justin Trudeau and Jason Kenney it has survived crises of leadership, scandal and economic hard times, brilliantly. David Barrett, the first social democratic premier of B.C., used to stun international political allies observing that B.C. was the only multi-party democracy where the left could win 49 per cent of the vote and lose. The B.C. NDP has been less successful than other provincial parties most notably Manitoba and Saskatchewan in holding together a progressive coalition on the other side. It has bled forestry and building trade workers to the right, environmentalists to the left, and new Canadians to both sides, since the 1970s. The deep fissures of the provinces politics, reflected in its feuding clans, make these tough political divides for any B.C. NDP leader to bridge. But bridge and build John Horgan must now do. If he is determined to seize the opportunity that B.C. voters delivered last week a deeply wounded party and premier he will. He needs to persuade the oleaginous Andrew Weaver that his political bread is not buttered red and B.C. voters that the time for a real change has really come. If he shows he has the skills to deliver that vision, B.C. will have a short fractious second-term Christy Clark government followed by their burial in a rerun. If Horgan allows his caucus and party to revert to partisan form, lashing out to left and right against Greens and Liberals and non-believers inside and out his will be a short fractious second term as leader. There is much to play for. Decisions made in the next two to three years will impact a generation of British Columbians. The wrong ones will underline how sadly different B.C.s very provincial political culture remains. A demonstration of progressive coalition building leadership by the almost-B. C. premier could deliver him the job. It could also help deliver the province a united and world-leading government: environmentally courageous, happily socially inclusive, securely grounded in a technology-centred, post rocks and logs economy. Robin V. Sears, a principal at Earnscliffe Strategy Group and a Broadbent Institute leadership fellow, was an NDP strategist for 20 years. Read more about: SHARE: When should someone be deemed unfit for public office? Clearly, questions of morals and unprofessional behaviour led to Don Merediths resignation from the Canadian Senate. And recently, a disgraceful racial slur caused a York School Trustee to step down from her position. But what about the unpredictable, incendiary and often vulgar actions of U.S. President Donald Trump? Even before the dramatic firing of former FBI director James Comey, allegations about the presidents mental health have been mounting. Escalating the situation were two provocatively titled articles in The Washington Post this past week. When is it OK to say the president might be nuts? blared one headline on May 2. The president had just finished an angry speech directed mostly at the media but which also included a bizarre reference to former president Andrew Jackson. Trump seemed to imply that Jackson could have stopped the American Civil War, although Jackson had died 16 years before the war began. The following day, George Will, a highly respected American journalist and Pulitzer Prize winner, wrote Trump has a dangerous disability and asked if Trump was uniquely unfit to take the nation into a military conflict. He noted the president has an untrained mind bereft of information married to stratospheric self-confidence and further skewered Trump by commenting that the dangerous thing is that he does not know what it is to know something. Americans have seen this movie before. In 1964, Barry Goldwater, the Republican nominee, was deemed unfit by 1,000 psychiatrists who had never met with him. Goldwater subsequently launched a $2 million libel suit against a magazine and publisher who printed a story reporting these findings. The Supreme Court awarded Mr. Goldwater, $1 in compensatory damages and $75,000 in punitive damages. Subsequently, the American Psychiatrists Association, sensing a legal and ethical chill, adopted the Goldwater rule in 1973, which prevents psychiatrists from diagnosing someone they have not met. Yet, in 2016, three professors of psychiatry were not dissuaded from writing to President Obama to express grave concern regarding the mental stability of our President-Elect. They suggested a full medical and neuropsychiatric evaluation of Trumps health be conducted. In February, Scientific American listed 33 other psychiatrists with the same concern, arguing we fear too much is at stake, to be silent any longer. In addition, a Change.Org petition started by Dr. Fred Gartner, a psychologist, has gathered has more than 55,000 signatures, apparently, all from mental health professionals. However, past evidence and modern values make it wrong to assume that a mental health condition makes someone unfit for public office. A study by Jonathan David of the Duke University Medical Center, reviewed the histories of the first 37 presidents, finding that half of them had been afflicted with mental illness. The study concluded that 24 per cent met the diagnostic criteria for depression. Additionally, both anxiety and bipolar disorders were also discovered while 8 per cent of the presidents demonstrated alcohol abuse or dependence. Very capable politicians who experience mental health issues or addiction challenges are numerous. Abraham Lincoln lived with clinical depression throughout his life. Winston Churchill famously fought the Black Dog of depression. Patrick Kennedy, son of Teddy Kennedy, after serving 16 years in the U.S. House of Representatives, resigned and became a mental health advocate after writing a book about his own struggles with mental health. North American society is currently engaged in a mega effort to bring mental health and its issues into the open. In 2006, a groundbreaking report Out of the Shadows by former Senator Michael Kirby sparked the establishment of the Mental Health Commission of Canada. Since then, individuals and corporations have created projects, such as Bells Lets Talk. The Canadian Mental Health Association estimates 20 per cent of Canadians will personally experience a mental illness in their lifetime, while American statistics peg the number at 18.5 per cent. Of that percentage, some of those individuals have run or will run for office. A struggle with mental illness must not prevent someone from holding public office. If that was the case, the world may have missed some of its most brilliant leaders in the past and for the future. Instead, lets unmask those who seek to destroy and divide. Those who are unethical and immoral. Those who are racist or misogynistic. They are the ones who are not fit for office. Penny Collenette is an adjunct professor of law at the University of Ottawa and was a senior director of the Prime Ministers Office for Jean Chretien. Read more about: SHARE: This time, its different. I have argued in the past that many of U.S. President Donald Trumps actions have not been as harmful or dramatic as some have made them out to be. Many Americans and media pundits overreacted to the election Trump, a man who, while considered offensive, ignorant and inflammatory by many, to a demographic of under-represented Americans who have for too long felt silenced has been a hero. I have not agreed with most of his policy proposals or his actions, but it must be acknowledged that Trump was elected with a mandate that he has relentlessly, and often ruthlessly, carried out. Many otherwise reasonable people have drawn unreasonable conclusions about many of Trumps actions. Even innocuous and routine acts have been overblown by overwrought critics, who say he is an authoritarian ruler. Critics decried the recall of politically appointed ambassadors. They howled when district attorneys across the country were dismissed, to be replaced by new ones named by Trump. When Trump shamed big corporations for cutting jobs, he was assailed for interfering in the market and overstepping the appropriate bounds of the presidency. Critics said these things proved Trump was unfit for office and that the president was unworthy of governing the country. But many of these things routinely occurred under former presidents of both parties. Voters become used to the whiplash: Trump does something that is decried as vastly inappropriate in the media, and then the action is revealed to be perfectly reasonable. Its a cycle that has lent itself to a voter fatigue with the anti-Trump forces, as I wrote two weeks ago. But perhaps more importantly, it recalls the fable of the boy who cried wolf. The near-constant outcry over Trumps actions has served to make the public deaf to actual infractions. This feeds into Trumps bids to defend the indefensible. But the firing of FBI Director James Comey is different. It is not business as usual in Washington, coming as it did amid the agencys investigation of Russian intervention in the presidential election. It is unconscionable for a president to remove the person responsible for investigating him. The removal of Comey is a wilful subjugation of the rules and processes that a democratic nation must support. The 2016 election was a deeply flawed election in many ways. However, Trump defeated Hillary Clinton for a number of reasons not only, or even mostly, due to Russian intervention. As much as it pains CNN, he defeated her fair and square. But any sensible observer would say that concern about Russias possible interference has risen to a point where it needs to be independently investigated and addressed. That investigation has, from an optical point of view at the very least, been both damaged and compromised by Trumps actions last week. The administrations justifications for Comeys firing dont even begin to make sense: they range from blaming others who report to Trump, to pretending this is what Democrats wanted all along. Whats more, those justifications change literally hour by hour depending on who is put up as a talking head on TV or who is lurking behind the White House bushes. It is clear that the firing was personally motivated, and aimed at undermining the FBI investigation. It is equally clear the administration did not have a plan, or any semblance of a strategy, in firing Comey. As many have commented, the situation is startlingly similar to Richard Nixons Saturday Night Massacre, where the soon-to-be-disgraced president oversaw the firing of a special prosecutor responsible for investigating his overstepping. Both the attorney general and deputy attorney general at the time resigned in protest of the move. Nine months later, Nixon resigned in disgrace. We likely should not expect the same to happen today. The little boy who cried wolf is back. The constant outcries against every action Trump has taken are coming back to haunt those who are desperate to protect Americas democratic institutions. Simply put, many voters are tired of the critics accusations, exaggerations, and the melodrama that comes along with all of the sky is falling talk. This latest development is indeed a clear-cut case of unacceptable, inappropriate presidential wrongdoing. And yet, there is so little public trust in traditional institutions and those that lead them that voters have simply tuned their messages out. Polls agree. A week that before James Comey was fired, just 31 per cent of Republicans believed he should lose his job. Last week, despite the virtual unanimous criticism of Trumps action, that number was up to 62 per cent. It is hard not to feel pessimistic about the future of the democratic institutions of the United States and even harder to decide where to lay the blame. Jaime Watt is the executive chairman of Navigator Ltd. and a Conservative strategist. Read more about: SHARE: "The animal has to be turned into a machine destined to transform the given feed in the shortest time and in the least amount of space into the maximum amount of milk," agronomist Josef von Schreibers wrote in 1847, a prediction quoted in the entry on Germany in The Oxford Companion to Cheese, which last month won a James Beard award for best reference and scholarship book published in 2016. The industrialization of cheese-making began four years later with the opening of the first cheese factory in the U.S. in Rome, N.Y. By the 1870s, England imported more than a quarter of its cheese from the U.S., which had devastating effects on many English cheese producers. The trend accelerated after World War II. Between 1950 and 2000, the U.S. dairy cow population fell from 24 million to 9.2 million while total milk production rose from 127.2 billion pounds - about 5,300 pounds per cow per year - to 200 billion, about 17,400. (A gallon of milk weighs about 8.6 pounds.) The change stemmed in part from a focus on breeding Holstein cows for higher production, which led to a significant loss in genetic diversity. According to the entry on the breed in the Oxford Companion, the vast majority of Holsteins in the U.S. are related to fewer than 20 animals, since the global trade in semen has made it possible for a single Holstein bull to produce 50,000 heifers. The mechanization of cheese production is a central theme of the 850-page Oxford Companion, which was edited by Catherine Donnelly, a professor of nutrition and food sciences at the University of Vermont and the editor of Cheese and Microbes and contains 855 entries written by 325 authors from 35 countries. Organized alphabetically, the book is a definitive reference work on its subject, from animal husbandry to cheesemaking techniques to kinds of cheese and the mongers who sell them at shops around the world. It's an extraordinary and often engrossing chronicle, though one that only the most dedicated tyrophile should attempt to read from beginning to end. Those who do will be treated to the history of a foodstuff whose origins date to the domestication of cows, goats and sheep. An image of an ancient Greek terracotta statue of a man grating cheese illustrates the entry on ancient civilizations and suggests that even then cheese was a delicacy that enlivened the taste of food. Cheesemaking was a valuable way of storing an otherwise highly perishable food; the Irish would bury butter in peat bogs to preserve it, and perhaps to hide it from tax assessors and thieves. The food also symbolized abundance - as it happens, the name of the first cheese mentioned in the book (Abondance), a cows' milk cheese from Haute-Savoie in the French Alps. The entry on Parmigiano Reggiano mentions that the first reference to the Italian hard cheese's pairing with pasta comes in Boccaccio's Decameron, where the author described the residents of the imaginary land of Bengodi seated on a mountain of grated cheese as they prepare maccheroni and ravioli. These associations have become less powerful in the modern first world with its extraordinary food-producing abilities. Cheesemaking can now be conceived of as the indirect manipulation of proteins, as one entry puts it, rather than a craft developed over generations. But the standardization of products like Velveeta has led many consumers to yearn for distinctive cheeses made by smaller producers. The Oxford Companion tells their story as well, from the American "goat ladies" who revived the popularity of goat cheese in the 1980s to the Cheese Board Collective, the Berkeley, Calif. shop that became a model for ambitious cheese shops around the country. The book is also studded with descriptions of the sensory experiences that drive people to devote their lives to cheesemaking, like a taste of berthoud, which is made by rubbing a ramekin dish with garlic, putting in thin slices of Abondance cheese, adding white wine and pepper, browning the dish under the grill for five to ten minutes and serving with bread and potatoes boiled in their skins. Mr. and Mrs. LeRoy Stoehr of Burlington will celebrate their 70th wedding anniversary with family members. Stoehr and the former Joyce Tauscher were married on May 17, 1947, with Monsignor Kersting officiating at St. Mary Catholic Church in Burlington. They were introduced to each other by her brother in September of 1946. Stoehr, 94, served in the U.S. Marine Corps during World War II, spending much of the time on the South Pacific and in China. Stoehr was employed by Burlington Brass Works for 35 years, Easterday Office and Equipment Supply for 10 years, and during early retirement with M&I Bank, Burlington, as a part-time employee. Mrs. Stoehr, 89, was employed by NEL Laboratories for 23 years. After retiring she enjoyed playing cards. The couple both enjoyed doing local volunteer work and dancing weekly in the Milwaukee area. The Stoehrs have five children: Bill (Mary) of Boulder, Colo.; Debra (Denny) Dean of Eden Prairie, Minn.; Dan (Kacey) of Burlington; Linda (Bob) Menzia of Oak Creek; and the late Julie (the late John) Spitzer. The couple has eight grandchildren and three great-grandchildren. They say the secret for a long and lasting marriage is love of family as well as love and respect for each other. The Clorox Company manufactures and markets consumer and professional products worldwide. It operates through four segments: Health and Wellness, Household, Lifestyle, and International. The Health and Wellness segment offers cleaning products, such as laundry additives and home care products primarily under the Clorox, Clorox2, Scentiva, Pine-Sol, Liquid-Plumr, Tilex, and Formula 409 brands; professional cleaning and disinfecting products under the CloroxPro and Clorox Healthcare brands; professional food service products under the Hidden Valley brand; and vitamins, minerals and supplement products under the RenewLife, Natural Vitality, NeoCell, and Rainbow Light brands in the United States. The Household segment provides cat litter products under the Fresh Step and Scoop Away brands; bags and wraps under the Glad brand; and grilling products under the Kingsford brand in the United States. The Lifestyle segment offers dressings, dips, seasonings, and sauces primarily under the Hidden Valley brand; natural personal care products under the Burt's Bees brand; and water-filtration products under the Brita brand in the United States. The International segment provides laundry additives; home care products; water-filtration systems; digestive health products; grilling products; cat litter products; food products; bags and wraps; natural personal care products; and professional cleaning and disinfecting products internationally primarily under the Clorox, Ayudin, Clorinda, Poett, Pine-Sol, Glad, Brita, RenewLife, Ever Clean and Burt's Bees brands. The Clorox Company sells its products primarily through mass retailers; grocery outlets; warehouse clubs; dollar stores; home hardware centers; drug, pet and military stores; third-party and owned e-commerce channels; and distributors, as well as a direct sales force The company was founded in 1913 and is headquartered in Oakland, California. The Bank of New York Mellon Corporation provides a range of financial products and services in the United States and internationally. The company operates through Securities Services, Market and Wealth Services, Investment and Wealth Management, and Other segments. The Securities Services segment offers custody, trust and depositary, accounting, exchange-traded funds, middle-office solutions, transfer agency, services for private equity and real estate funds, foreign exchange, securities lending, liquidity/lending services, prime brokerage, and data analytics. This segment also provides trustee, paying agency, fiduciary, escrow and other financial, issuer, and support services for brokers and investors. The Market and Wealth Services segment offers clearing and custody, investment, wealth and retirement solutions, technology and enterprise data management, trading, and prime brokerage services; and clearance and collateral management services. This segment also provides integrated cash management solutions, including payments, foreign exchange, liquidity management, receivables processing and payables management, and trade finance and processing services. The Investment and Wealth Management segment offers investment management strategies and distribution of investment products, investment management, custody, wealth and estate planning, private banking, investment, and information management services. The Other segment engages in the provision of leasing, corporate treasury, derivative and other trading, corporate and bank-owned life insurance, renewable energy investment, and business exit services. It serves central banks and sovereigns, financial institutions, asset managers, insurance companies, corporations, local authorities and high net-worth individuals, and family offices. The company was founded in 1784 and is headquartered in New York, New York. Oshkosh Corporation designs, manufactures, and markets specialty vehicles and vehicle bodies worldwide. The company's Access Equipment segment provides aerial work platforms and telehandlers for use in various construction, industrial, institutional, and general maintenance applications. This segment also offers rental fleet loans and leases, and floor plan and retail financing through third-party funding arrangements; towing and recovery equipment; carriers and wreckers; equipment installation services; and chassis and service parts sales. Its Defense segment provides heavy, medium, and light tactical wheeled vehicles and related services for the department of defense. The company's Fire & Emergency segment offers custom and commercial firefighting vehicles and equipment; and commercial fire apparatus and emergency vehicles, such as pumpers, aerial platform, ladder and tiller trucks, tankers, rescue vehicles, wild land rough terrain response vehicles, mobile command and control centers, bomb squad vehicles, hazardous materials control vehicles, and other emergency response vehicles. This segment also provides aircraft rescue and firefighting, snow removal, and broadcast vehicles, as well as command trucks, and military simulator shelters and trailers. Its Commercial segment offers front-and rear-discharge concrete mixers for the concrete ready-mix industry; refuse collection vehicles and related components to commercial and municipal waste haulers; and field service vehicles and truck-mounted cranes for the construction, equipment dealer, building supply, utility, tire service, railroad, and mining industries. Oshkosh Corporation provides its products through direct sales representatives, dealers, and distributors. The company was formerly known as Oshkosh Truck Corporation and changed its name to Oshkosh Corporation in February 2008. Oshkosh Corporation was founded in 1917 and is headquartered in Oshkosh, Wisconsin. AmerisourceBergen Corporation sources and distributes pharmaceutical products in the United States and internationally. Its Pharmaceutical Distribution segment distributes brand-name and generic pharmaceuticals, over-the-counter healthcare products, home healthcare supplies and equipment, and related services to various healthcare providers, including acute care hospitals and health systems, independent and chain retail pharmacies, mail order pharmacies, medical clinics, long-term care and alternate site pharmacies, and other customers. It also provides pharmacy management, staffing, and other consulting services; supply management software to retail and institutional healthcare providers; and packaging solutions to various institutional and retail healthcare providers. In addition, this segment distributes plasma and other blood products, injectable pharmaceuticals, vaccines, and other specialty products; provides other services primarily to physicians who specialize in various disease states, primarily oncology, as well as to other healthcare providers, including hospitals and dialysis clinics; and offers data analytics, outcomes research, and additional services for biotechnology and pharmaceutical manufacturers. The company's Other segment provides integrated manufacturer services, such as clinical trial support, product post-approval, and commercialization support; specialty transportation and logistics services for the biopharmaceutical industry; and sells pharmaceuticals, vaccines, parasiticides, diagnostics, micro feed ingredients, and various other products to customers in the companion animal and production animal markets, as well as demand-creating sales force services to manufacturers. AmerisourceBergen Corporation was incorporated in 2001 and is headquartered in Conshohocken, Pennsylvania. - Militant group al-Shabaab has launched another attack in Garissa county hours after killing two quarry workers in Mandera - The attackers raided Amuma location and destroyed a Safaricom communication mast - The militants are reported to have escaped to Somalia after the attack Terror group al-Shabaab on Friday night, May 12, launched an attack in Garissa county. According to sources who spoke to TUKO.co.ke, the attackers raided Amuma location near the Kenya-Somalia border. READ ALSO: Confusion as Wiper Party female nominee allegedly quits 2017 race after getting USA citizenship Al-Shabaab militants in Somalia. READ ALSO: Meet Nakuru couple mysteriously robbing Kenyans inside banking halls The militants are reported to have destroyed a Safaricom mast during their attack in the location. No casualties were reported during the incident with the police sent to the area to beef up security. The militants according to locals are said to have escaped across the border to Somalia. READ ALSO: Miguna Miguna to unveil running mate and this is what Kenyans think Al-Shabaab militants. Subscribe to Tuko youtube channel to watch more interesting videos! The attack by al-Shabaab comes hours after the militia group launched a horror attack on quarry workers in Mandera as TUKO.co.ke earlier reported. The attack left two quarry workers dead with others injured. It was the third time quarry workers had been targeted by suspected extremists in Mandera in the past two years. Have something to add to this article? Send to news@tuko.co.ke Watch one of 19 presidential aspirants in Kenya talk about his bid in the video below; Source: TUKO.co.ke 05/13/2017 By Katharine Webster Popping flashes, social media Congratulations! messages on the Jumbotron, the universitys brass choir and proud family and friends greeted the UMass Lowell Class of 2017 as they marched into the Tsongas Center on Saturday for their commencement, the largest in university history. Commencement marked a decade of growth for UMass Lowell with 3,970 graduates, more than double the number of students who graduated in 2008. Chancellor Jacquie Moloney noted that nearly 1,200 students were graduating with honors and that 93 students had a perfect 4.0 GPA. The graduates came from 44 states and 87 countries, a sign of the universitys growing national and international reputation, she said. Whether on campus, in the community or during studies abroad, you have advanced our society and improved the lives of the people you touched, Moloney said. You helped us to drive the dramatic transformation of this university, now a national story. Moloney asked this years graduates to bring the values of the university community into the world they are now entering values of hard work, continual improvement, service and inclusion. One of the things we are most proud of is how you came together to form a diverse community that demands fairness, equality and inclusivity a campus where every person from every background is welcomed and treated with respect, she said. The record number of graduates includes the first cohort of six students to earn their doctorates from the Manning School of Business; all are going straight into jobs as assistant professors at universities. The Honors College also set a record this year, graduating 103 students across all departments and majors. Much of that growth was overseen by UMass President Marty Meehan, who served as chancellor for eight years. After noting that he and Moloney both graduated from the university, he asked this year's graduates to remain part of the university community, first by thanking their mentors and supporters and then by paving the way for the students who will follow them. When you get your first paycheck, take someone out to lunch or dinner who helped you get it, he said. And if theres any money left over, contribute to scholarships at UMass Lowell. Photo by Tory Germann Photo by Tory Germann Honorary Degree Recipient and Keynote Speaker Steve Kornacki and Rowdy the River Hawk before the morning ceremony. NBC senior political correspondent Steve Kornacki, who took classes at the university while a high school student in Groton, received an honorary Doctor of Humane Letters and gave the keynote address at the morning ceremony to graduates of the College of Fine Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences, the Manning School of Business and the College of Education. He joked that it was the first diploma hed ever received: Boston University withheld his 16 years ago because he owed $25, which hed charged to his student account so he could eat the week before graduation. On a more serious note, Kornacki spoke about a professor in college who had worked with Paul Tsongas on two of his campaigns. Kornacki hung out at the professor's office to listen to his stories about Tsongas, then returned a year after graduation to ask for his mentor's help deciding whether to stick with a responsible, mature job he didnt love or take a chance on a job covering New Jersey politics as a website reporter. His mentor noted that when Kornacki was describing the New Jersey job, he started to smile. That was the moment for me. That was the decision, Kornacki said. Kornacki wished for all the graduates to have a mentor like his, and the wisdom to give those crucial decisions the smile test. Civil rights activist and University of Maryland Baltimore County President Freeman Hrabowski III, who has received numerous honors for his innovative approach to science and engineering education for underrepresented minorities, spoke at the afternoon ceremony and also received an honorary degree. Hrabowski told graduates of the Francis College of Engineering, the Kennedy College of Sciences and the College of Health Sciences about his love of blueberry pie as a child, and how his grandmother would bake a whole pie just for him a sign of her unconditional love. Today is your blueberry pie. You know you have been loved by family who worked so hard for you to be here today, he said. Times will come in your life that will be very tough, but then remember the blueberry pie and the people in your corner. Photo by Tory Germann Photo by Tory Germann Student speaker Adeja Crearer Students Adeja Crearer, an Honors College English major with minors in political science and digital media, and Solomon Ugbane, who completed his masters in mechanical engineering, also spoke. Based on their inspirational messages, Crearer and Ugbane were selected to speak by a panel of administrators. Crearer, the daughter of Jamaican immigrants and a first-generation college student, noted that many of her classmates were also the first in their families to graduate from college. With their education comes responsibility, she said. Knowledge is power, and being aware and conscious of the world that surrounds us is only the beginning of that power, she said. Less than one-third of the U.S. population has at least a bachelor's degree less than one-third, and yet here we are. And we cannot stop now. Many of our parents look at us as a second chance to be more than they ever could be. This is as much their day as it is ours. Edward Barrett 58 of Naples, Fla., received the Distinguished Alumni Award for his lifelong dedication to education, first as a teacher and later as president of an educational publishing company. He has served as an adviser to the College of Education and established a scholarship for nontraditional students in memory of his mother, Margaret Holland Barrett, who had earned a teaching certificate from Lowell Normal School in 1926 and returned to complete her bachelors in education 30 years later, graduating from Lowell State alongside her son in 1958. Also receiving honorary doctorates of humane letters were Nobel laureate Steven Chu, a professor of physics and molecular and cellular physiology at Stanford University; Francis Spinola 66, a Lowell native who founded INDSPEC Chemical Corp.; and Mary Jo (Roberto) Spinola 66, a retired teacher. The Spinolas, who are celebrating their 50th wedding anniversary this year, have supported the DifferenceMaker program and other university initiatives. Graduating nursing majors Stephanie Wilson of Lexington and Theresa Fullerton of Haverhill got teary-eyed as they talked about everything theyd gained at UMass Lowell and everything theyd miss. I originally didnt want to come to UMass Lowell, but I came, and I fell in love with it. Its the best choice I ever made in my entire life, Fullerton said. Im going to really miss student activities and all the clubs here, Wilson added. Im going to miss having all of our friends one minute away. The two students said they are leaving Sunday for a week of well-earned vacation at Disney World with two of those friends, before they all buckle down and study for their nursing licensing exam next month. EMMITSBURG, Md. At 9:55 a.m. Tuesday, disaster struck Racine County. Dozens were killed, schools were destroyed, martial law was feared. Sort of. In the rolling hills of Maryland, more than 70 people from Racine County went through a simulated disaster in the Federal Emergency Management Agencys training institute located about two hours northwest of Washington, D.C. In Tuesdays mock scenario, two tornadoes touched down on opposite ends of the county. Twenty-nine people were killed, two Racine Unified schools were damaged, a Rochester public works building and Waterford senior living facility were leveled and a large fire broke out in Burlington. Oh, and a tanker crashed on Interstate 94, and five people were found dead in Racine from heroin overdoses. Over the course of four hours Tuesday morning, local officials representing a cross section of agencies and industries formed an emergency operations center and field units to deal with the unfolding crisis. It quickly became clear why such a large county contingent was needed. First responders, of course, handled the immediate emergency on the ground. But officials also needed to set up shelters. Clear debris. Create a hotline for those affected. Coordinate with state and federal officials about assistance. Form a coherent message for the public and hold a media briefing. Thats why the countys delegation to Maryland included personnel from law enforcement, fire departments and Racine Fire Bells, public works, administration, hospitals, schools, health departments, Red Cross, nonprofits, private businesses, media including The Journal Times and other entities. To watch those puzzle pieces all fit together was really extraordinary, County Executive Jonathan Delagrave said. Our citizens should be confident that we can respond in a really efficient matter if a disaster ever happens. Getting prepared Just miles from Gettysburg, Pa., and Camp David, Md., FEMAs Emergency Management Institute is spread across several red-brick buildings. About 8,000 people each year pass through the campus, the former site of a Catholic womens college. Last week, the institute was at full capacity, with eight groups being trained. Participants begin each day moving from dormitories to a dining hall for breakfast. Then its off to several hours of classwork and exercises in the morning and afternoon. The Racine County delegation streamed onto campus Sunday for the four-day training. The group spent the first day in a classroom setting as adjunct instructors stressed the importance of community, how to manage operations in an emergency and communicating with the public. The sessions raised tough questions, like: Who notifies parents of children killed in a school shooting? as instructors prepared participants for worst-case scenarios. And then theres the aftermath. The disasters themselves could last for as little as a couple hours or even a couple minutes. But the recovery could go on for a lot longer as residents clean up their properties and rebuild their lives. Instructors emphasized the importance of developing recovery plans ahead of time. We often practice response and we do very well at responding to an incident and mitigating it, said David Maack, coordinator of the countys Office of Emergency Management. However, if you look at the big natural disasters, recovery takes months, if not years. Its everything from debris management to economic recovery. Brings us together For many participants, the training was a way to meet people whom they would work with closely during a disaster. As instructors often noted, the worst time to exchange business cards is as a crisis unfolds. Many said afterward they were struck by the sheer number of people involved in a response, including many positions they wouldnt think of like county and city finance workers to help coordinate purchases of supplies, or private businesses to provide warehouse space or refrigeration. It allowed me to see the bigger picture of the whole operation and what all happens, Mount Pleasant Police Chief Tim Zarzecki said. Dan Ross, vice president of medical affairs at Ascension All Saints, helped decide which patients should go to which hospitals during Tuesdays simulation. FEMA simulators threw curveballs at many people during the exercise, and Ross was no exception: he was told hospitals were low on two types of blood, so he and others scrambled to replenish supplies amid constantly buzzing phones. This training has been a great opportunity for all of us to learn how we can work together more effectively to keep the community safe and healthy, Ross said. Not just in an emergency, but every day as well. The exercise helped officials see ways to improve. But FEMA and county officials widely praised the countys response, saying the first dry run was impressive. About half of the delegation participated in a second simulation Wednesday involving a plane crash at Highways 20 and 31. Its always going to be chaotic for the first three or four hours as youre trying to assess what your needs are and the calls are coming in, Maack said. I think the exercise went as well as could be expected considering we had a number of people that had never participated in something like that before. Ukraine officials blamed pro-Russian separatists in the country's restive east for the killings of four civilians Saturday by artillery fire in a government-controlled area near the Russian border. The shelling in the Donetsk region occurred just hours before the finals of the wildly popular Eurovision song contest, held this year in Kyiv. The deaths prompted Ukraine President Petro Poroshenko to announce that he and his wife would protest the killings by not appearing at the event, which is followed passionately by tens of millions of Europeans and viewed around the globe each year by millions more. The head of the Kyiv-controlled Donetsk Regional Administration said the shelling the most serious truce violation in nearly two months targeted the government-held industrial town of Avdiyivka, just north of the separatist-controlled hub city of Donetsk. The official, writing on Facebook, said at least one shell struck a courtyard of a private house, "where three women and one man perished." There was no immediate separatist comment on the shelling or the deaths. Fighting erupted three years ago between pro-Russian separatists and government forces near the Russian border, with Russian-speaking separatists demanding an autonomous region free of Ukrainian controls. An estimated 10,000 people have been killed in the conflict, most of them between 2014 and 2016. However, sporadic shelling continues in contested areas of the east, particularly near Donetsk and another nearby separatist hub, Luhansk. Violence in the southeastern part of the Central African Republic, where five U.N. peacekeepers were killed this month, has made it tougher for HIV-positive residents in the remote, lawless region to get treatment. The prevalence rate of HIV in southeastern C.A.R. is 13 percent, nearly three times the national average. The migration of people between the bordering areas of South Sudan and the Democratic Republic of the Congo contributes to the spread of the disease in all three countries. "Here, it's a crossing where everything converges. It's why the level of HIV is high," said Bienvenu Sapioko, a government nurse who works at the only hospital in Zemio. He said the rebels and refugees in the area also increase the high prevalence. An internal U.N. report obtained by VOA found HIV rates increased following the arrival of the Ugandan security forces in the C.A.R. in 2009. The Ugandan and American forces tasked with tracking down Joseph Kony and his Lord's Resistance Army ended their mission in April and are heading home. With prostitution, polygamy and effectively no state authority in the area, weak education contributes to the problem. Stigma, superstition "People believe in the power of nature and traditional doctors. So bush doctors, shamans are also very common in the community," said Olivier Pennec, the Doctors Without Borders project coordinator in Zemio. Stigma compounds the problem. "Before, the people didn't treat themselves. The people would hide the microbes, this disease," said Marcel Elonga, a community leader. They would hide and "speak about this parasite, parasite, parasite." HIV-positive people in local communities can also find themselves shunned by their peers. "They don't want him in the community," community leader Pierre Yakanza said, describing how some people here see an HIV-positive person. "They don't want to be close to him. 'Leave him over there. We don't want to associate with him or have him in the community meetings or give him a job.' He's rejected." Local health workers spread information about safe sex, but even access to condoms remains a challenge. Treatment available More than 1,500 people now come to Zemio's hospital from nearby and as far away as Uganda, South Sudan and the Democratic Republic of the Congo for the free HIV treatment offered by Doctors without Borders. Hospital officials said previously one person would die every month or so from the disease, but they haven't registered a death since 2014. In 2012, Agnes Davouragouni said she used to be sick all the time. "When I did the test and found out I was positive, my husband said he doesn't have HIV, so he left me the same day," said the 35-year-old woman, who now lives alone with her three children, selling wood and charcoal to get by. Once a year, Davouragouni walks 45 kilometers to Zemio over the course of two days in order to get a checkup as part of her treatment. She walks mostly at night and sleeps under a tree along the way. "The roads are very insecure. I don't have a motorcycle or the money to pay to get here," she said. "There's a lot of fear to travel on these roads." Bandits and rebel groups, including the remnants of the Lord's Resistance Army, all move around the area. The security void will worsen with the departure of Ugandan and American forces in the next few months. Group efforts Recognizing the challenges of getting medication, Doctors Without Borders developed a new community approach in which HIV-positive patients work in groups to bring back antiretroviral drugs in bulk every six months, reducing travel time, costs and exposure to risk. Farmer Moise Ouele picks up the antiretroviral drugs for his group of about 30 people and drives them two hours down the road to his village Kitesa, about 50 kilometers away. "It was really tiring for me to come each month to the hospital," Ouele said. "But now, this program helps a lot with this problem, despite the insecurity of the LRA that is growing." Doctors Without Borders is transitioning out of the area at the end of the year and is handing over the administration of the program to the Ministry of Health. MOUNT PLEASANT Racine Countys Skill Bank program is back in business, thanks to the efforts of the Volunteer Center of Racine County. Skill Bank which had most recently been run by Lincoln Lutheran is a program which connects senior citizens in need of a variety of services with other seniors who have skills, knowledge and talents they want to share. After serving the community for more than 30 years, the program was shut down in the fall of 2015, as a result of Lincoln Lutherans financial troubles, according to Al Volmut, Volunteer Center executive director. The Volunteer Center began its re-launch of the program late last year, with some financial assistance from United Way, he said. Skill Bank meshes well with the centers overall aim to keep seniors in their homes, Volmut said. We felt it would be a good addition to those programs we already provide for seniors, such as the Senior Companion Program and MyRide, he said. Its a perfect fit. Wide-ranging skills Skill Banks purpose is two-fold: It helps seniors maintain themselves, their homes and their yards by offering services provided by a trustworthy person, at costs that are typically less than those charged to the general public. And, at the same time, it offers seniors the opportunity to earn a small stipend, while also fulfilling their need to be of service in the community. The programs services are available to Racine County residents ages 55 and older, and Skill Bank helpers include senior men and women with a wide range of skills, including everything from carpentry, painting, appliance repair and yard work to shopping, pet sitting, meal preparation and laundry services. In winter time, services might also include snow plowing or shoveling, and at other times they can be anything from electrical or plumbing repairs to putting a shed up in someones yard, Volmut said. Many Skill Bank helpers are retired trades workers or handypeople, while others might be small business owners or those who simply have a skill to offer and want to help. All helpers are required to go through an application process, which includes a criminal background check and an interview, according to Volmut. They wear identification tags, much like other service personnel do and, if the services they provide include driving, their driving record is reviewed. Making connections The Volunteer Center does the work of matching those persons in need of services with someone from its roster of Skill Bank helpers. And while the program is run out of the VCRC office, 6216 Washington Ave., Mount Pleasant, the center has no say in determining the cost of a service, Volmut said. We are just the conduit that connects people, he said. Prices for Skill Bank services are negotiated between the helper and the person served, with estimates given up front. In doing so, helpers are asked to keep in mind that Skill Bank clients are usually low- or fixed-income seniors. For Skill Bank helpers like Ozzie Flores, that means charging mostly for parts, plus a very minimal fee for his time and skills. The retired plumber who has worked for the service for about eight years, said hes glad to see Skill Bank up and running again, because Ive really missed it. But it isnt the money that motivates him to be involved, said Flores, a 73-year-old Racine resident. I like to stay active and busy, he said. And its fun. Clients grateful Flores said he takes pride in the work he does for Skill Bank clients and that he feels it is important that clients can rely on him. When I say Im going to be there at a certain time, I make sure Im there, Flores said. And the clients seem very grateful for the help, he said. Flores said he also enjoys talking with the seniors he serves, because they have a lot of interesting history to share. Im happy to be able to help the elderly, he said. And Ive made many good friends along the way. Persons interested in using the services of the Skill Bank program, or in becoming a helper, can call Terri Benner, Skill Bank representative, at the Volunteer Center of Racine County, 262-886-9612. Benners office hours are 1 to 5 p.m., Monday through Friday. More about the Volunteer Center and its programs is available at www.volunteercenterofracine.org. The walkie-talkie in the commanders hand buzzes and crackles as soldiers line up their humvees and tanks, readying themselves to enter Islamic State territory. Tell all the men to put on helmets, are the orders over the walkie-talkie. I dont want to see anyone without a helmet! A few minutes later, many of the soldiers still dont have helmets, including the commander with the walkie-talkie, who wears a camouflage cap. Five full Iraqi divisions are fighting in the latest offensive to re-take IS-controlled northwestern Mosul, including the Army, Federal Police and Special Forces known as the Golden Division and the Emergency Response Division. A few kilometers from the battle the Iraqi Armys 16th division appears gleeful as they get out of their vehicles to wait on the dusty once-residential street for the next order to move forward. Some men tease each other and take selfies. Look at my face, says 21-year-old Ghaith, laughing. Im made from the same dust and water as this guy. Why is he more handsome than me? Tattooed on Ghaiths arm are the names of two of his brothers, killed by suicide bombers in Baghdad five years ago and the words never forget in Arabic. Scared at first Only the gunners perched inside humvees with their heads and weapons exposed on the top appear to remain on high alert as we wait. If the battle goes wrong, they are in the most danger. Most of them wear helmets. I was scared at first, says gunner Ali el-Babli, in a rare admission in this world of bravura. But after two years Im used to it. The clamor from the nearby IS-controlled neighborhoods is constant. Airstrikes crash into buildings and militants fire machine guns at helicopters overhead. Plumes of smoke shoot hundreds of feet into the air as car bombs explode. An IS mortar lobbed clear over Iraqi front lines falls in the field across the street. The 16th Division has not seen action in weeks, and soldiers tell us the long days and nights spent in crowded make-shift bases while airstrikes and mortars pound the militants nearby has taken its toll. The waiting, soldiers say, is harder than the fighting. Just five or 10 minutes, Lt. Col. Amar Younis tells us as he whips out of his commanders office, a card-table set up inside an abandoned home. And you will see us beating IS with your own eyes. The wait Around 5 a.m. that morning, more than an hour before the units began lining up for battle, Salim, a cook at one of the 16ths bases, had rattled a spoon in a metal can, shouting at the men to get up. Most bounded out of bed, bypassing breakfast to grab their gear. But as the cool morning fades into glaring noon sun, so does the excitement. The militants defense has proven fierce, and a long night of air attacks has not broken their lines. IS heat-seeking missiles are threatening Iraqi tanks, the first line of Iraqi ground forces, and drone cameras show cars patrolling IS-controlled areas. In IS neighborhoods these days civilians dont drive cars. They are either car bombs, or gunmen, or both. Still waiting on the street to deploy, many soldiers crouch along a wall to stay out of the sun. Body armor leans against the concrete and higher-ranking officers have returned to the base. Orders come to move out, and the men race into their vehicles, engines rattle and the line pulls out. After traveling a block closer to the battle, they pull over again. Men get out of their humvees, some looking deflated. Someone brings lunch, plastic bags full of the usual meal of rice-and-beans and small chunks of meat in white styrofoam containers. Chatter turns away from battle and some men show pictures of their children on their mobile phones. Others show videos of themselves fishing by throwing grenades into small ponds. El-Babli, the gunner, shares his biscuits and tells stories of recent victories. We took the last area in record time, he says. "I killed two IS militants when we liberated the shopping mall. My commander gave me two days off for that. Battle begins Some men are still eating when the orders finally come in the early afternoon. Styrofoam trays are cast aside and the row of vehicles dissipates in a matter of minutes. They head for the fields surrounding an isolated suburban neighborhood on a hill. Parked at the base of the hill are cars and trucks that may or may not be laden with explosives. A technical team of about five men enter the field on foot, searching for IEDs among the weeds. Tanks rumble to the front, parking in a row a couple of hundred meters from the IS-held neighborhood. The cacophony of battle sounds continues, as black smoke from another divisions battle streams into the sky. About 20 civilians attempt to escape the hill, fleeing with a white flag in front of them. "See those buildings over there? says Lt. Col. Younis after firing a machine gun. We are going to take those buildings and we are going to sleep there tonight. The hours that follow are painstaking, with tanks and other vehicles re-positioning themselves closer to the militants meter by meter. Soldiers say the pace of the fight varies as much as the terrain they fight in. Victory for them will mean reaching the next line on the map where they again wait for orders. For politicians, a victory in Mosul will be a defining moment in the battle with IS. But for the army, it will just mean re-deploying resources to Tal Afar, an Iraqi city still entirely controlled by IS or other areas, like Ramadi, where sporadic fighting continues. After this fight there will be more wars to win, says Major Abass Aziz. The U.N. Security Council is to hold an emergency meeting Tuesday on North Korea's latest missile test. The United States, Japan and South Korea requested the emergency discussions after Pyongyang launched a missile Sunday in an unusual high altitude ballistic path that indicated it might be a new two-stage liquid fueled rocket capable of flying up to 4,500 kilometers. South Korea said Monday President Moon Jae-in is sending special envoys around the world as the country seeks to strengthen its global ties in the wake of North Korea's latest aggressive missile tests. The Blue House said the envoys will meet with high ranking officials to explain the new South Korean government's policy plans and exchange ideas. Early Monday, North Korea said it successfully conducted a newly developed mid-to-long range missile test, supervised by leader Kim Jong Un and aimed at verifying the capability to carry a "large scale heavy nuclear warhead." The official news agency KCNA said the missile was launched at the highest angle so as not to affect the security of neighboring countries and flew 787 kilometers, reaching an altitude of 2,111 kilometers. KCNA quoted Kim as accusing the United States of "browbeating" countries that "have no nukes," and warning Washington not to misjudge the reality that its mainland is in the North's "sighting range for strike." International reaction Russia's president said North Korea's latest missile test was "counter-productive, harmful and dangerous." Speaking Monday in Beijing, Vladimir Putin said, "We are categorically against the expansion of the club of nuclear powers." He urged other world leaders to "stop intimidating North Korea and find a peaceful solution to the problem." The test, according to a White House statement, should serve as a call for all nations to implement far stronger sanctions against North Korea. U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations Nikki Haley said Sunday it is time for many nations to "send a strong, unified message that this is unacceptable, and I think you'll see the international community do that." She said the United States will continue to "tighten the screws" against North Korea. U.S. President Donald Trump said earlier this month he would be "honored" to meet with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un "under the right circumstances," but Haley said that "having a missile test is not the way to sit down with the president, because he's absolutely not going to do it." The United Nations first imposed sanctions against North Korea in 2006 and has strengthened them several times following the communist nation's five nuclear tests and two long-range rocket launches. Japan and South Korea also quickly condemned North Korea's action as a grave threat to the region and a violation of U.N. resolutions about North Korea's arms programs. Japans prime minister, Shinzo Abe, ordered his government to prepare for all possible contingencies, according to his office. The launch of such ballistic missiles is a serious threat to our country. The defense ministry and the self-defense forces are continuing to work closely with the United States and South Korea to collect and analyze the information, Japanese Defense Minister Tomomi Inada told reporters in Tokyo. We will make every effort to ensure the peace and security of our country. She explained it was possibly a new type of missile that was fired in a high-angle orbit, reaching an altitude of more than 2,000 kilometers and flying for 30 minutes, before coming down in the Sea of Japan after a total flight of about 700 kilometers. China called for restraint to avoid increasing tensions in the region while the Foreign Ministry expressed opposition to Pyongyangs violation of U.N. Security Council resolutions. Beijing is North Koreas only major ally and Pyongyangs key trading partner. Russian President Vladimir Putin, who is in Beijing for an international summit, expressed concern about the missile test and the escalation of tensions, according to a Kremlin spokesman. The splash-down point was about 400 kilometers from the east coast of North Korea, according to the Japanese government. Scientists: Not an ICBM This is kind of a big deal. But its not an ICBM. Thats the good news, Union of Concerned Scientists co-director David Wright told VOA. If flown on a standard trajectory, the missile fired by North Korea Sunday morning would have a range of up to 4,500 kilometers, according to Wright. Guam, an American territory with two large U.S. military bases, is 3,400 kilometers from North Korea and until now had been considered beyond the range of the most powerful rocket North Korea is known to have developed, the Musudan, with a range of about 3,000 kilometers. With this test, North Korea may have leapfrogged its troubled Musudan series of missiles. It would put together things weve seen them doing that they havent been able to put together, Wright explained. South Korea, US weigh in The U.S. Pacific Command, based in Hawaii, confirmed the rocket launch but said the unidentified projectile did not appear to be large enough to be an intercontinental ballistic missile, a weapon that North Korea says it is developing. Trump was briefed about the North Korean launch on the telephone by National Security Advisor H.R. McMaster, a White House official told VOA news. The White House statement, which said North Korea has been a flagrant menace for far too long also seemed to make an indirect appeal to Moscow for stronger cooperation to counter Pyongyang. With the missile impacting so close to Russian soil in fact, closer to Russia than to Japan the President cannot imagine that Russia is pleased, according to the White House statement issued late Saturday. Pyongyang addresses Washington Just one day earlier, a senior North Korean diplomat had said Pyongyang would be willing to talk with the United States about the two countries disputes, under the right conditions. Choe Son Hui, the North Korean Foreign Ministrys director general for U.S. affairs, raised the issue of talks when she spoke with reporters in Beijing while returning home from a trip to Norway. Some analysts dismissed Choes comment as a long-stated position of Pyongyang, along with its constant belligerent rhetoric toward Washington and Seoul. In the aftermath of the latest North Korean missile launch, meanwhile, American, European and Japanese military units gathered for war games in a group of remote U.S. islands in the Pacific Ocean. The exercises are meant to warn North Korea not to test the allies military might. Venezuela's opposition is pushing other Latin American countries to pressure President Nicolas Maduro's government into implementing a democratic agenda, opposition leader Julio Borges said on Thursday. Borges, the president of Venezuela's opposition-led National Assembly, traveled to Lima to meet with Peruvian legislators and President Pedro Pablo Kuczynski, who has been one of the most vocal critics of Maduro among Latin American heads of state. He said the humanitarian crisis and strong protests against Maduro's socialist government had crossed Venezuela's borders due to a wave of refugees across the region. The request I'm bringing to the Peruvian congress and president is that they help us, together with other presidents who we've spoken with, to create a large group of presidents who are friends and proponents of democracy in Venezuela, Borges told Reuters. Five weeks of protests Venezuela has suffered through more than five weeks of violent anti-government protests that have left at least 39 dead. The opposition has decried Maduro as an autocrat who has wrecked the OPEC nation's economy, and demanded elections to resolve the political crisis. Peru recalled its ambassador to Caracas in late March. Borges said the aim of the strategy of street protests and calls for international pressure was to break the conscience of the armed forces and the political groups that still support Maduro, and to avoid more deaths. It's important fundamental that we get several governments in the region to unite in the short term to make sure in Venezuela there exists nothing other than a popular and democratic agenda, Borges said upon exiting an interview with local radio station RPP. He declined to specify which other countries he had visited or planned to visit, but had told RPP that he would seek support from Colombia, Argentina, Ecuador and Brazil. Socialist Venezuela has lost many regional allies as several Latin American countries have moved to the right in recent years. There's a new map in Latin America that I'm sure will strongly support this democratic agenda for Venezuela, Borges said. Borges meets with McMaster Last week, Borges met with U.S. President Donald Trump's national security advisor H.R. McMaster, where they agreed on the need to bring Venezuela's crisis to a quick and peaceful conclusion. The meeting came after Maduro announced the creation of a new popular assembly, which foes decried as a power grab aimed at sidelining the National Assembly. Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro has fired his health minister after ministry data published this week showed the country's medical crisis significantly worsening. The government said it was replacing Antonieta Caporale, a gynecologist who held the post of health minister for four months, with pharmacist Luis Lopez. In announcing the move late Thursday, Vice President Tareck El Aissami did not provide a reason for the change. "President Nicolas Maduro is grateful to Doctor Antonieta Caporale for her work," he wrote on Twitter. The news comes as elderly protesters, angry over medicine shortages, joined in Friday with demonstrators demanding the president step down. Venezuela is in the fourth year of a recession caused by a collapse in crucial oil exports that has led to widespread shortages of basic goods, including food and medicine. The Health Ministry released data this week that showed cases of infant mortality rose 30 percent, maternal mortality increased 65 percent and malaria cases jumped 76 percent last year. The ministry also said there was an increase in cases of diphtheria and Zika. The report was the first release of Health Ministry figures in nearly two years, part of a wider government data blackout. Maduro is resisting pressure to hold early elections, calling the economic crisis a U.S.-backed conspiracy. Opponents of Maduro blame his socialist policies for the crisis. A month and a half of sometimes violent protests has led to the deaths of 38 people. Elderly join protests In the latest demonstrations Friday, thousands of pensioners marched in the capital, Caracas, calling their protest the March of Grandparents. Riot police with helmets and shields used pepper spray several times to control the crowd, while the elderly threw punches and yelled curses. Chanting "Freedom!" and "Down with Maduro!," the elderly protesters made it onto a highway but were blocked from their intended destination, the state ombudsman's office, by police with armored vehicles. A representative of the office listened briefly to their grievances on the street instead. The crowd, including plenty of octogenarians plus a nun and one white-haired man dressed as Santa, sang Venezuela's national anthem in front of the security cordon. Opposition leaders joined them, hugging and linking arms with the pensioners. Since launching protests against Maduro in early April, Venezuela's opposition has sought to vary tactics by staging silent and candlelit marches, for instance, and rallies for women, musicians and medics. Each time, the ruling Socialist Party has tried to match them. On Friday, other elderly Venezuelans dressed in red to support the government marched to the presidential palace. Europol confirmed Sunday that computer networks in more than 150 countries and more than 200,000 people had been affected by one of the biggest cybersecurity attacks in recent history. It is the biggest ransomware attack ever, Europol spokesman Jan Op Gen Oorth said. The number of affected networks and individuals is likely to go up, he said, because many workers left their computer turned on last Friday and will probably find out that they are also affected by the malware on Monday morning. Although the investigation is ongoing, Europol thinks the malware began to spread Friday from Britains National Health Service. It then affected other networks in countries including Germany, Spain, China, Russia and India. It remains unclear what the motivation was. Usually, ransomware attacks are designed to be revenue sources, but in this case the ransom was quite low, Op Gen Oorth said. According to Europol, only few companies or individuals have so far opted to pay the ransom of $300 or more, following law enforcement recommendations. Organizations around the world faced potentially substantial costs after hackers threatened to keep computers disabled unless victims paid a ransom to receive a decryption key. The German railway network was affected, and passengers in Frankfurt and elsewhere were asked to refer to printed timetables. (Gernot Hensel/EPA) [The Switch: One of the most important lessons of the crippling ransomware crisis] The malware hit Britains beloved but creaky National Health Service particularly hard, causing widespread disruptions and interrupting medical procedures across hospitals in England and Scotland. The government said that 48 of the NHSs 248 organizations were affected, but by Saturday evening all but six were back to normal. When asked if the British government paid any ransom in this situation, a Downing Street spokesman said Saturday that it had not. Amber Rudd, Britains home secretary, also advised against others paying ransom. In Germany, people posted pictures on social media of scheduling screens at train stations displaying the ransomware message. Deutsche Bahn, Germanys national railway service, tweeted that its train service had not been compromised and that it was working full speed to solve the problems. According to DPA news agency, Deutsche Bahns video surveillance technology also was hit. Other targets in Europe included Telefonica, the Spanish telecom giant; the French carmaker Renault; and a local authority in Sweden, which said about 70 computers were infected. It was still unclear who was behind the sophisticated attack. Were not able to tell you who is behind that attack. That work is still ongoing, Rudd told the BBC. She said that it has affected up to 100 countries and that it wasnt specifically targeted at Britains NHS. A warning appeared on the website of Britains National Health Service after Fridays attack. (Andy Rain/EPA) The attack was notable because it took advantage of a security flaw in Microsoft software found by the National Security Agency for its surveillance tool kit. Files detailing the capability were leaked online last month, though after Microsoft, alerted by the NSA to the vulnerability, had sent updates to computers to patch the hole. Still, countless systems were left vulnerable, either because system administrators failed to apply the patch or because they used outdated software. [The Switch: Update your Windows systems now. Right now.] It was a jarring reminder of a stubborn reality facing security experts: Companies and other organizations collectively spent $73 billion on cybersecurity measures in 2016, according to the research firm IDC. Yet systems around the world were crippled by human error failure to do routine software updates and employees unknowingly clicking on email attachments that contained the malware. This was a completely preventable attack to the extent that organizations have comprehensive patching systems in place, said Paul Lipman, chief executive of the cybersecurity firm BullGuard. However, life is never that simple. On Friday, Microsoft released additional security updates to Windows and guidelines for consumers and businesses to protect themselves. Its possible that the malware didnt spread further because of the enterprising work of a 22-year-old British cybersecurity researcher. [How a $10.69 purchase may have sidelined the global malware attack] The researcher, whose Twitter handle is @MalwareTechBlog, realized the hackers had designed a kill switch, which involved a domain name that enabled them to stop the attack from spreading if the victims paid the ransoms. The researcher bought the domain name of the kill switch, and when the site went live, the attack stopped spreading. The move didnt help organizations that were already affected by the attack, but experts said that it limited the spread of the virus. The researcher, however, warned in a blog post that the hackers could alter the code and try again. Hospitals called ideal targets Health-care IT experts said it was no surprise that hospitals so easily fell victim to the ransomware attack. Health systems have faced hundreds of ransomware attacks in the past two years. They are the ideal target for this type of malware due to a perfect storm of factors, said Avi Rubin, technical director of the Information Security Institute at Johns Hopkins University. For one, Rubin said, the data that they have is incredibly time-sensitive, making them most susceptible to ransomware. If no one ever paid these ransoms, the hackers would have no reason to launch these attacks, Rubin said. But Im not the one sitting in a hospital in need of immediate medical attention. Hospitals also lag far behind other industries in upgrading their security and doing basic software updates. Health-care organizations in general spend 2 to 4 percent of their operating budgets on information technology, compared with 25 to 35 percent for financial services, said John D. Halamka, chief information officer of the Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center and Harvard Medical School. We spend billions on new technology, he said. Yet the reality is that were still as vulnerable as our most gullible employee. Health-care organizations in the United States are also subject to additional regulations, which constrain their ability to do updates. Many updates require systems to go dark for some period of time, and many hospitals are not allowed to put critical systems out of use. Poorer hospitals are particularly vulnerable. While wealthy hospitals have effectively built cybersecurity war rooms over the past two years, some smaller hospitals dont have enough budget to keep the lights on, said Rubin. They often cannot afford to back up data, perhaps the most critical tool in fighting ransomware. Cybersecurity researchers were far more surprised that sophisticated telecommunications firms, such as Spains Telefonica, were so vulnerable. This just goes to show that even the largest, most resource-rich enterprises can be brought low by something as simple as a skipped patch, said Lipman. Russia hit hard The malware, known as WanaCrypt0r 2.0, or WannaCry, also affected systems for FedEx, major telecommunications firms, Brazils social security administration, and many others around the world. TMT post, a Chinese online news outlet focusing on the Internet industry, reported that a number of Chinese universities had been affected by the attack. Several schools including Nanchang University, Shandong University and University of Electronic Science and Technology of China issued alerts on their Weibo social-media feeds, warning staff and students to back up important files and not to open suspicious emails. According to Chinese magazine Caijing, some students graduation theses and projects have reportedly been encrypted. In Russia, hacking attacks were confirmed Saturday at the Health Ministry, the state-run Russian Railways and the telecommunications company Megafon, along with the Interior Ministry, which manages the police force. There were also reports that the powerful Investigative Committee, which investigates high-level crime, and several other telecommunications companies had been targeted. The Interior Ministry said that 1,000 of its computers had been blocked by prompts demanding payment. By Friday evening, the ministry said it had contained the attack and denied that any of its information had been stolen. Jakub Kroustek, a malware researcher with Avast, a security software company in the Czech Republic, said in a blog post that Russia was the most-affected country so far. We are now seeing more than 75,000 detections of WanaCrypt0r 2.0 in 99 countries, he wrote Friday night. Kaspersky Lab, a Moscow-based Internet security firm, also said that the attacks were mostly in Russia. One reason Russia may have been hit so hard is the use of outdated software by government agencies. Russia has a very rickety, out-of-date infrastructure, using not just outdated software but pirated out-of-date software, said Mark Galeotti, a senior researcher at the Institute of International Relations Prague. According to Galeotti, one Interior Ministry official in 2013 estimated that 40 percent of the ministrys computers could be using pirated Windows software, which is widely available in Russia for download or at local computer markets. In Brazil, the attack struck at the heart of the government employee computers at the Justice Ministry and Brazils social security administration were infected. The local media also reported that the attack locked up computers in the countrys labor courts and the public prosecutors office. In Britain, which is in the middle of an election campaign, the cyberattack triggered criticism of the NHSs aging computer systems, particularly the use of Windows XP, an outdated version of the Microsoft operating system that doesnt have the same level of defense against cyberattacks as newer operating systems. The opposition Labour Partys Jonathan Ashworth tweeted that the government had been complacent over cybersecurity. We need answers on whether funding squeeze compromised security, he wrote. Rudd, the home secretary, stressed that there was no evidence that patient data had been compromised but said that there were lessons to learn. She told the BBC that Windows XP was not a good platform for keeping your data as secure as the modern ones because you cant download the effective patches and anti-virus software. I would expect NHS trusts to learn from this and to make sure that they do upgrade, she said. Adam reported from London. Rick Noack in London; Andrew Roth in Moscow; Luna Lin in Beijing; Griff Witte and Stephanie Kirchner in Berlin; Marina Lopes in Sao Paulo; and Michael Birnbaum in Tallinn, Estonia, contributed to this report. What Victor Hugo did for the Royal Shakespeare Company, he now does for Synetic Theater. That is to say, as the 19th-century French novelists Les Miserables proved a defining vehicle for that venerable British company, his Hunchback of Notre Dame gives a hyper-creative Washington group a source for one of its most beautifully realized productions. Its the beguiling unity embodied by Synetics Hunchback that sets it above some of Artistic Director Paata Tsikurishvilis other fine shows. The design elements typified by Anastasia Rurikova Simess endlessly elastic modular set, Erik Teagues nightmare-ready costumes and Brian Allards vibrant lighting lay the groundwork in Synetics Crystal City space for Irina Tsikurishvilis inventive choreography and, hallelujah, several exceptionally rich acting turns. Chief among these are Irina Kavsadzes haunting portrayal of dewy Esmeralda, and Vato Tsikurishvilis physically as well as emotionally compelling performance as the gallant Quasimodo, the cathedral bell-ringer with the hump on his back and lovelorn lump in his throat (Vato being Paata and Irinas son). Philip Fletcher supplies all the slinky, sinister ambiguity required for the passion-crazed cleric, Frollo, and Robert Bowen Smith capably conveys the flaky quality required for Gringoire, here a musician entangled in Esmeraldas ever more complicated love life. Synetic has not always had as much success adapting other types of literature as it has had with wordless, movement-based interpretations of Shakespeare. The Tsikurishvilis versions of King Lear, enveloped in Felliniesque surreality, and their Antony and Cleopatra, an occasion for a sensual pas de deux, were far and away more exciting than evenings inspired by Dante or Mikhail Bulgakov. (Then again, their waterborne account of King Arthur was pure liquid pleasure.)Continually in the search of titles they can translate into the companys dynamically lyrical physical style, the Tsikurishvilis and a company approaching 20 years of productions have been compelled to look beyond the Bard to fill their seasons. Happily, they and adapter Nathan Weinberger have made the acquaintance of Hugo and his tale of the reviled Quasimodo, who loves an unattainable Roma girl. The story, staged without dialogue, is well suited to the couple, originally from Georgia in the Caucasus region, whose tastes tend toward tales of damaged hearts and benighted souls. Situated among the spires of Pariss Notre Dame Cathedral, in a labyrinthine set that ingeniously can be divided and reconfigured, Irina Tsikurishvili creates some of her most original dances in some time. The moment, for example, when Quasimodo rescues Esmeralda from captivity, each of her limbs tied to a rope, is thrilling: Vato Tsikurishvili lifts Kavsadze, the ropes still affixed to her arms and legs, and spins her with centrifugal power, until the ropes are flying like helicopter blades. Philip Fletcher as Frollo with the gargoyle ensemble in The Hunchback of Notre Dame. (Johnny Shryock) The choreographer also provides a lilting interlude for Kavsadze and Zana Gankhuyag, the George Mason University senior who plays Phoebus, Esmeraldas true love; its a lovely, lusty encounter between two young Synetic actors who seem naturals as romantic partners. And as the Tsikurishvilis always have in mind some interesting concept for their corps de acrobatic ballet, six company members portray, in delightfully grotesque garb, the cathedral gargoyles, magically made flesh. Teague devises a look for Quasimodo that artfully accentuates his misshapen head and shoulder, though the rigor of the choreography sorely tests the adhesive that binds it to Vatos head. Still, its an effective prosthetic, in a production that is all about masks. The one Fletchers Frollo puts on and takes off constantly suggests the duality in his nature, a set of warring impulses that were meant to recognize as being present in some form in all of us. Konstantine Lortkipanidze, Synetics longtime house composer, creates another of his eclectic soundscapes for Hunchback. This composition is particularly good at amplifying the personality of individual scenes and characters, of guiding us through the stages of pathos and tragedy. Its indicative of a company cracking a difficult code, of being able to marry the elements of storytelling through design and gesture, and finding harmony. The Hunchback of Notre Dame, adapted by Nathan Weinberger, based on the novel by Victor Hugo. Directed by Paata Tsikurishvili. Choreography, Irina Tsikurishvili; set, Anastasia Rurikova Simes; costumes, Erik Teague; movement, Alex Mills; music, Konstantine Lortkipanidze; lighting, Brian Allard; music direction, Irakli Kavsadze; sound, Thomas Sowers; props, Patti Kalil; stage manager, Marley Giggey. With Lee Liebeskind, Tori Bertocci, Anne Flowers, Raven Wilkes, Augustin Beall, Shu-nan Chu. About 95 minutes. Tickets, $35-$60. Through June 11 at Synetic Theater, 1800 S. Bell St., Arlington. Visit synetictheater.org or call 866-911-4111 Elliott Moss is owner and pitmaster of Buxton Hall BBQ in Asheville, N.C., where he uses hog drippings to flavor pots of vegetables and adds smoke and umami to pimento cheese. (Andrew Thomas Lee) One weekend last October, some of the nations top young pitmasters gathered on a pig farm just outside Durham, N.C., to participate in an event called the N.C. Barbecue Revival. On undulating farmland, the cooks, veiled in wood smoke, tended their creations while Duroc and Berkshire pigs trundled freely in the surrounding woods. Without setting out to, these pitmasters theyre all in their 30s and opened their places in just the past few years were making a statement: that the next generation of barbecue has arrived. Tyson Ho of Brooklyns Arrogant Swine slow-smoked a lamb, which he would season with fermented red chiles, fennel and Sichuan peppercorns. John Lewis of Lewis Barbecue in Charleston, S.C., prepared gargantuan beef short ribs. Bryan Furman of Bs Cracklin Barbeque in Atlanta and Savannah, Ga., kept a watchful eye on several glistening beef briskets. In the past, such contributions would be shunned as invasive species in pork country. Meanwhile, Sam Jones, the scion of a prominent North Carolina barbecue family who opened his own barbecue restaurant near Greenville, and Wyatt Dickson, who helped organize the event, supervised the cooking of a trench-cooked whole hog. The hog was a reminder of where barbecue had come from, while the other offerings showed where it was going. There are less and less rules, said Elliott Moss, a co-owner and pitmaster at the retro-modern Buxton Hall BBQ in Asheville, N.C. Moss was cooking Brussels sprouts seasoned with cider vinegar, onions and garlic in a wok over a wood fire in a burn barrel. The coals from the burned wood were shoveled beneath the hog in the trench. Drippings from the hog then flavored pots of vegetables, a technique Moss uses at his restaurant. At his restaurant, the Smoked Pimento Cheese appetizer modernizes the traditional Southern dish by using smoked cheese and fermented red bell pepper, which replaces the pimento. It adds an extra layer of umami, he said. Smoked Pimento Cheese (Goran Kosanovic/For The Washington Post) [Make the recipe: Smoked Pimento Cheese] Its hard to imagine an older generation of pitmasters throwing around the word umami. But the Revival, so-named to reclaim a cuisine once seen as dying in the state, was intended to showcase the up-and-comers, new lingo and all. (Full disclosure: I moderated a panel at the event.) I feel like Im a steward of North Carolina barbecue, said Dickson. Its an extremely large part of our culture. So, I want to respect tradition but not let tradition blind you, which is something that can happen in the South. Dickson is the pitmaster at Picnic, a barbecue restaurant in Durham that opened in 2014. He co-owns the business with chef Ben Adams and financial adviser-turned-farmer Ryan Butler. Together, they epitomize some of the new approaches. Butler owns the pig farm where the Revival took place. He pasture-raises the heritage hogs that Dickson smokes. Adams creates a mix of traditional and upscale side dishes think Brunswick stew and marinated kale salad. Dickson smokes the whole hog in a heavy-gauged, double-walled steel pit completely unlike traditional brick pits. I knew I couldnt stand there, chained to the pit, with a shovel in my hand 24 hours a day, Dickson said. Thats why North Carolina barbecue was dying out. Nobody wants to pick that shovel up. Theyve seen that lifestyle and theyve said, No, thank you. I wanted to find a way to make this more sustainable. Sometimes you have to change to stay around. As recently as 10 years ago, pitmasters used commodity pork and select (the lowest USDA) grade for beef. The next-gen pitmasters gravitate toward choice and even prime grades for beef and pasture-raised heritage hogs for pork. Their approach is marked by more creative side dishes, a return to all-wood smoking, ethnic influences, local sourcing, cheffy experimentation and pan-regionalism. Even smoked tofu is popping up on menus. Austins Aaron Franklin helped ignite a revolution in barbecue. (Jim Shahin) Their patron saint is Aaron Franklin in Austin, who opened his bricks-and-mortar operation six years ago. His use of Angus prime meat, detailed attention to air flow in his self-made offset smokers and strict adherence to all-wood cooking created a transcendent smoked beef brisket that helped him become the only pitmaster to win a James Beard Award for best chef (for the southwest region in 2015). Along the way, he ignited a revolution in the world of low-and-slow cooking. Franklin smoked pork shoulder, a novelty in Texas as recently as five years ago, and, in a state notoriously averse to sauce, he offered an espresso barbecue sauce. Somehow, Franklin escaped the scorn of the region-first purists. Not long after, a long-advancing trend seen as homogenizing barbecue (the barbecue scholar John Shelton Reed mockingly called this trend the International House of Barbecue, or IHOB) became embraced as a way to reinterpret regionalism through experimentation with local traditions. Since Franklin opened in 2011, a scad of other highly regarded newcomers followed in Austin alone: La Barbecue, Freedmens Bar, Valentinas Tex Mex BBQ, Kerlin BBQ, Micklethwait Craft Meats. The upscaling of barbecue is an urban phenomenon. In an article last December for Texas Monthly, the magazines barbecue editor, Daniel Vaughn, called the trend Big City Barbecue and opined that the new region is the Internet. The Revival was a natural extension of that region-less idea. I call the approach citified. Traditionally, the best barbecue in Texas and the Carolinas was found in the rural areas. Now, the cities are matching, sometimes besting, their country cousins. Whether its experimental or high-end traditional, many observers have noted the emergence in recent years of pricey barbecue. The cost isnt just in dollars. Laura Loomis of Two Bros. BBQ. (Dady Restaurant Group) Urban newcomers often talk about the importance of barbecue as community. But their higher prices have put the historically cheap fare out of the reach of the regular working stiff. That, in turn, has pretty much consigned the sense of a broader community to nostalgia. Years ago, it was hard to find a story about barbecue that didnt include a paragraph about doctors and lawyers sitting next to plumbers and house painters, of beat-up Chevy pickups parked next to new Mercedes. Now? Theyre partly about the hipster customer base, but mainly theyre just about the food. As for the food, aficionados maintain that it is perhaps better than ever. Welcome to the glory days of American barbecue, John T. Edge, who directs the Southern Foodways Alliance, wrote in a 2014 story in Parade magazine. This year, Houston Chronicle barbecue columnist J.C. Reid wrote, In many ways, the millennial generation Ive observed is good news for the future of barbecue. He cited several pitmasters, among them 29-year-old Laura Loomis at Two Bros. BBQ in San Antonio. You picture a pitmaster with leather skin and all that, she told me by phone. Now, its just younger kids. Its really cool. We talk about how we want to get together and maybe do a festival in a year or two. Because were new, its like, Can they do it? Cherry-Glazed Baby Back Ribs. (Goran Kosanovic/For The Washington Post) [Make the recipe: Cherry-Glazed Baby Back Ribs] Two Bros. BBQ uses six wood-fueled offset pits. The menu skews traditional, but the cherry-glazed baby back pork ribs break with the Texas norm of no sauces or glazes. Cherry is very different from the usual tomato-based sauces. And spare ribs are far more common than baby backs. We try to offer something for everyone, Loomis said. Transformation is underway in the Kansas City area, as well. I asked barbecue columnist Ardie Davis for names of barbecue restaurants that have opened in the past five years. He emailed a list of 12, nearly all opened in just the past three years. Mark Kelpe is co-owner of one of them, Char Bar Smoked Meats & Amusements in Kansas City, Mo. Although he is 48, the restaurant is aimed squarely at millennials. In addition to a bocce court, full-size croquet course, two outdoor ping-pong tables and a large firepit, the menu offers a variety of vegetarian options. When we set out to create a barbecue concept, we were very wary, Kelpe said. We were treading carefully because we are in Kansas City and its filled with world-class barbecue restaurants. We decided we were going to do a Southern-inspired smokehouse, with something different. I wanted to make sure the barbecue was relevant to 2014 and 2015, especially millennial diners. Jackknife Sandwiches. (Deb Lindsey /For The Washington Post) [Make the recipe: Jackknife Sandwiches] The star of Char Bars vegetarian offerings is a pulled jackfruit sandwich with melted provolone and fried jalapenos. Jackfruit is a large, sweet, nubby-shelled fruit that is native to South and Southeast Asia. The canned version of unripe jackfruit comes in chunks and, when cooked, replicates the mild flavor and texture of pulled pork. I set out to create a vegetarian sandwich that would please a meat eater, Kelpe said. There were no jackfruit sandwiches at the N.C. Barbecue Revival dinner. Patrons did, however, dine on appetizers of grilled oysters and smoked mullet before wandering from one station to the next to try sides that included an Asian take on collard greens, marinated shrimp with pickled vegetable salad and those wood-cooked cider vinegar Brussels sprouts. At the tables serving the luscious brisket, spicy lamb and juicy beef short ribs, the servers were the pitmasters themselves, who will help shape barbecue for years to come. Shahin is an associate professor of journalism at Syracuse University. He will join todays Free Range chat at noon: live.washingtonpost.com. Follow him on Twitter: @jimshahin. THURSDAY, MAY 11 Special agent testies in MS-13 slaying trial FBI Special Agent Fernando Uribe testified Thursday that MS-13 gang member Venus Romero Iraheta stated her full name before plunging a knife into 15-year-old Damaris A. Reyes Rivas so the victim would know who killed her. Romero Iraheta, 17, blamed the Gaithersburg teen for the killing of her boyfriend, Christian Sosa Rivas, just a week earlier in Dumfries, and she wanted revenge. The testimony came before a judge in Fairfax County juvenile court certified Romero Iraheta to be tried as an adult in the slaying of Reyes Rivas. The preliminary hearing and two others offered new details about intertwined killings related to MS-13 that have resulted in the arrests of 18 teens and young adults across the Washington area and underscored the resurgence of the regions biggest and most violent gang. What home buyers can get for $300,000 In this region, the average first-time home buyer is likely to spend about $300,000. According to D.C. real estate blog UrbanTurf, 1 in 4 homes in the District are priced above $1 million. So where does one find homes in the $300,000 range? A look at the region found a mix of properties, from a studio condo in Adams Morgan to a four-bedroom house in Manassas. A look across the country found a one-bedroom condo in Seattle and single-family homes in Madison, Wis., and Asheville, N.C. Traffic moves along Route 29 near the Shoppes of Burnt Mills, where Montgomery County offcicials want to introduce a Bus Rapid Transit system connecting Burtonsville and downtown Silver Spring. (Luz Lazo/THE WASHINGTON POST) Montgomery Countys years-long plan to build a 14-mile Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) line on one of Marylands busiest commuter corridors appears to finally be moving from idea to reality. County Executive Isiah Leggett (D), who has championed BRT as the countys next major transit undertaking, included $21.5 million for the project in his capital budget. A County Council committee earlier this month signaled its support for the BRT project, voting to send the plan to the full council for approval of funding for the design phase, putting the project one step away from construction and closer to a 2020 opening. It is the system of the future, said Esther Bowring, chief spokeswoman for the countys Transportation Department. This is really necessary for the countys economic development and to meet the needs of the future growth that we anticipate in both population and jobs. It is a vital project, and we certainly hope that it will be approved. [An express bus is coming to Route 355 this fall. Next stop, BRT?] Some council members even said the plan does not go far enough to address transit needs in the corridor and urged transportation officials to continue to study other alternatives. Maria Dubon waits for a Metrobus outside the Woodmoor Shopping Center in Four Corners. She stands next to a poster in the bus shelter announcing the countys plans for a Bus Rapid Transit line in the corridor. (Luz Lazo/THE WASHINGTON POST) We have a problem to solve, said council member Marc Elrich (D-At Large), who has pushed for BRT for more than a decade. Weve got to get something that is going to work and is going to make a difference. Bringing BRT to Route 29 would be the Washington regions biggest experiment to date with a system that is designed to prioritize bus travel by using dedicated transit lanes, to provide technology giving buses the green light at major intersections, and to offer features such as off-boarding payments, all-door entry and level boarding, which are designed to shorten the bus dwelling time at each stop. Transportation experts say enhanced bus service is the way of the future as the region and country struggle to fund transportation projects in tough financial times. In addition to being much cheaper than building heavy- and light-rail lines, BRT has proved to be an effective means of moving large numbers of people and easing congestion in cities around the world. Rio de Janeiro and Bogota, Colombia, have BRT systems that have been rated gold under standards set by the Institute for Transportation and Development Policy, and it is being used in several cities in China, India and Mexico. In the United States, Los Angeles and Pittsburgh have successful systems, and several cities are testing elements of BRT, including dedicated lanes, off-board payment and all-door entry. These [projects] can be done well. They can be very effective, said Eric Randall, a transportation engineer at the Metropolitan Washington Council of Governments, which lists BRT as a strategy to improve transit and connect growing activity centers. But people are going to be hesitant about what the changes are going to bring. Relief for busy corridor In Montgomery, officials are pondering the benefits and impact BRT would have on communities. They are responding to concerns about cost and construction and trying to clear up misconceptions that the Route 29 plan would widen the road or take away lanes from general traffic. The plan as it stands would put buses on shoulder lanes for a portion of the route, but also in regular traffic. This decision, which sacrificed earlier plans to have a reversible HOV lane in the southern portion of the route, cut capital costs by more than half to $31.5 million. Officials say the money will pay for new stations, buses, and new bike and pedestrian infrastructure. The countys portion will be matched with a $10 million federal grant. Montgomery officials have plenty of incentives to back the plan from a need to revitalize the struggling eastern section of the county to the federal grant that will cover a third of the cost. With annual operating costs estimated at $7.5 million, the system would be a relatively inexpensive way to ease gridlock and cut emissions, supporters say. The project is really scaled back so it is not a whole lot of money, and we really need it to address the traffic congestion, said Dan Wilhelm, a transit advocate who lives in the corridor. Local buses are not frequent enough and make too many stops so that residents often find it is faster to drive than ride, county studies show. On average, bus trips take 20 percent longer than other trips and as much as 60 percent longer during rush hour. The idea is to make it a reasonable option for people to ride, said Wilhelm, president of the Greater Colesville Citizens Association. [Montgomery council approves revised White Oak science center plan] Besides, Wilhelm said, the BRT line would add capacity for new riders in an area that is at last seeing signs of economic development. A planned life sciences town center in the White Oak area, along with the potential expansion of the Food and Drug Administration and the new Washington Adventist Hospital that recently broke ground nearby, could generate more than 10,000 new jobs in the corridor in the next 25 years. The area, which encompasses shopping hubs, federal offices and other major employers, is one of the busiest commuting corridors in the state. About 366,000 trips per day originate in the corridor, and 46 percent of those are single-occupancy vehicles, according to a county report. As a minority-majority corridor, it also has a high concentration of immigrants, lower-income and transit-dependent populations. About 120,000 people live within a half-mile of the planned BRT stations. Roadwork not a big problem The region has had limited experience with BRT projects. Metro runs specially branded buses on the five-mile route connecting the Crystal City and Braddock Road Metro stations in Northern Virginia. Ridership has grown since service began in late 2014, partly as passengers are lured by the option to travel in dedicated lanes, avoiding congestion on traffic-choked Route 1. Plans are underway for more BRT lines along Route 7 from Alexandria to Tysons and along the Fairfax County portion of Richmond Highway from Alexandria to Fort Belvoir. The District is on track to build a bus lane along 16th Street NW, one of the busiest bus corridors in the Metrobus system, carrying more than 20,000 passengers daily, and plans are to adopt BRT features such as off-board payment and all-door entry to save on travel time. Three years ago, Montgomery approved a vision for 102 miles of BRT lines covering 10 corridors, including along Route 355, Veirs Mill Road and Georgia Avenue. County transportation officials say Route 29 provides the ideal setting to launch a system because buses would run on shoulder lanes and in mixed traffic, which takes away the problem of negotiating right of way. Fortunately, we dont need to build any road infrastructure for Route 29, said Al Roshdieh, director of county transportation. What we need to build is the stations and bike and pedestrian access, but not much of roadwork. But as the plans progress, some county leaders say sending buses into mixed traffic during the peak hours wont do. Bus lanes, they say, are critical to the systems success. Under the current plan, buses will run on shoulder lanes between Burtonsville, near the Howard County line, and New Hampshire Avenue in White Oak. They will then run in regular traffic for the remainder of the route to downtown Silver Spring, where riders will be able to connect to Metros Red Line and the future Purple Line. Officials are still exploring how to make the peak-hour bus lanes work on the southern portion of the line. But even with 60 percent of the route in regular traffic, the BRT would be an improvement over current bus service, officials say. Buses will be more frequent every 7.5 minutes during the peak hours and every 15 minutes at other times, versus the current varying timetables that can mean as long as 30 minutes between buses. The off-board payment system will allow passengers to board quickly, using all available doors and keeping buses running rather than waiting at bus stops, officials say. Stations built with tall platforms will provide level boarding, making them more accessible for the elderly and people with mobility problems. And the buses will be longer, providing more capacity. They also will be equipped with WiFi and USB ports, amenities that officials hope will lure more people to transit in the car-centric corridor. The County Council is expected to vote on the funding proposal this month. SOMERS Along with a strong sense of pride, Kedona Thompsons family must have felt a dollop of deja vu as she crossed the stage Saturday to receive her University of Wisconsin-Parkside diploma. Thompson, 22, was one of just six UW-Parkside students to earn an Outstanding Graduate Award upon graduation this semester. A Racine resident, Thompson earned her degree in biological sciences, and is heading for pre-med with the goal of becoming a physician. Two years earlier, Thompsons family watched as Kedonas slightly older sister Keona graduated from Parkside in biological sciences, also as an Outstanding Graduate and also heading toward premed with the goal of becoming a physician. Two of the other Outstanding Graduates at UW-Parkside Saturday also came from Racine: Simmi Bharvani, a psychology major in the University Honors Program. According to the university, Bharvani is president of the Habitat for Humanity UW-Parkside Chapter and has participated in five missions with the club. She also participated in a medical mission trip to Belize to work in a hospital and a school teaching first aid to the local community. Bharvani served as an AmeriCorps member while she worked with special-needs populations, and she also completed a Human Rights certificate at Stanford University last summer. Monica Drea, a double major in business management and sport management, who excelled while working full-time outside of class. Drea regularly assumes a leadership role in group projects to guide and coordinate other students, encouraging them to succeed. She is described as an invaluable team member, according to the university. They were among more than 500 students eligible to participate in the universitys spring commencement ceremony. According to UW-Parkside, that number of potential graduates continues a trend spanning the past seven years and is the largest number of students eligible to participate in a spring commencement in the universitys history. Michael Haubrich, founder and president of Financial Service Group and a sometime columnist for The Journal Times, was the commencement speaker Saturday. Medical family Fifteen to 20 family members, Kedona estimated, would be there to watch her receive her diploma in much the same fashion that Keona had in 2015. The two sisters goals diverge only slightly, Kedona said: She wants to become an obstetrician-gynecologist, and Keona, currently in her second year of medical school at Michigan State, is pursuing family practice with an ob-gyn specialty. Their mother is a registered nurse with Ascension All Saints Hospital. Kedona, who said shes always had an interest in academics, attended Walden III Middle School and High School, as did Keona. After high school, Kedona attended UW-Milwaukee for three semesters years before transferring to UW-Parkside. There, she was deeply involved in the student Habitat for Humanity chapter including serving as its president for a year. She has been a tutor and supplemental instructor for various science courses, including a tutor for the human anatomy course, a position offered only to the top one or two students each semester, according to UW-Parkside. She also took a year off to do her own research into assessing the health of minorities and has been shadowing Dr. Tasha Johnson, an ob-gyn at Ascension. Asked if she had an alternative goal in mind in case, for some reason, she doesnt become a physician, Kedona replied: I have no Plan B. Im pretty determined. Self-proclaimed white nationalist Richard Spencer led a large group of demonstrators carrying torches and chanting You will not replace us Saturday in Charlottesville, protesting plans to remove a Confederate monument that has played an outsize role in this years race for Virginia governor. What brings us together is that we are white, we are a people, we will not be replaced, Spencer said at an afternoon protest, the first of two rallies he led in the town where he once attended the University of Virginia. At the second rally, dozens of torch-bearing protesters gathered in a city park Saturday evening and chanted You will not replace us and Russia is our friend, local television footage shows. Spencer was not shown addressing that gathering, but he tweeted a photo of himself standing in the crowd carrying what appeared to be a bamboo tiki torch. The evening protest was short-lived. About 10 minutes in, an altercation between Spencers group and counterprotesters drew police to the scene, and the crowd quickly dispersed, the Charlottesville Daily Progress reported. Once an obscure Internet figure promoting white identity, Spencer coined the term alt-right referring to a small, far-right movement that seeks a whites-only state and rose to prominence during Donald Trumps presidential campaign. Although Trump denounced the alt-right, Spencers followers counted his victory as a win for the movement as Trump espoused hard-right stances on undocumented immigrants, Muslims and political correctness. (alsozak/Twitter) [Lets party like its 1933: Inside the disturbing alt-right world of Richard Spencer] You will not replace us. You will not destroy us, Spencer said at the earlier rally, which he broadcast via Periscope video. You cannot destroy us. We have awoken. We are here. We are never going away. Spencer was in Charlottesville to protest a City Council vote to remove a statue of Confederate Gen. Robert E. Lee. A court injunction has halted the removal for six months. The statue has become a rallying cry for Corey Stewart, a Republican gubernatorial candidate. Stewart, who is chairman of the Prince William Board of County Supervisors, was chairman of Trumps Virginia campaign until he was fired. There was no indication that Stewart, who has alienated some supporters with his focus on Confederate symbols, attended either rally. In defending the Confederate battle flag and monuments, Stewart has said he is not promoting symbols of hate but battling political correctness and historical vandalism. Stewart did not respond to a request for comment Sunday. He kept a relatively low profile on Twitter. I want to wish all the mothers a very special Mothers Day today! he said in one of his few tweets of the day. [Do Corey Stewarts Confederate antics help Ed Gillespie or hurt the GOP brand?] The rallies drew condemnation from the other four contenders for governor: former Republican National Committee chairman Ed Gillespie, state Sen. Frank W. Wagner (R-Virginia Beach), and Lt. Gov. Ralph Northam and former congressman Tom Perriello, both Democrats. All are vying to succeed term-limited Gov. Terry McAuliffe (D). The ugly display of divisive rhetoric and intimidation tactics in Charlottesville yesterday . . . does not reflect the thoughtfulness and tolerance I see in my fellow Virginians everywhere I go, Gillespie tweeted. Wagner, who faces Stewart and Gillespie in the June 13 GOP primary, said via email: These actions are totally unacceptable. These people are racists. They dont represent Virginia values. I condemn their actions and beliefs. I call on all Virginians who are involved in efforts to advocate for or against Virginias history to act responsibly and honorably. Said Northam: There is no place for hate, fear or intimidation in Virginia. The display in Charlottesville is the last gasp of a disgusting ideology. In this commonwealth, our doors are open, our lights are on and we are welcome to everyone who shares a love for it, no matter who you are or where youre from. Perriello, who grew up in Charlottesville, tweeted derisively at Spencer after the alt-right leader posted video of the first protest. Get your white supremacist hate out of my hometown, Perriello wrote on Twitter. Spencer replied: We won, you lost, little Tommy. Actually, you lost, Perriello shot back. In 1865. 150 years later, youre still not over it. A record turnout of almost 6,000 Arlington Democrats voting in a three-day caucus chose Erik Gutshall for County Board on Saturday and opted to endorse School Board candidate Monique OGrady over incumbent James Lander. Gutshall defeated three other candidates, taking 3,209 votes, or 55 percent, in the second round of the instant-runoff vote, coming in ahead of Kim Klingler, who got 1,416 votes, or 24 percent, and Vivek Patil, who won 1,189 votes, or 20.5 percent. Peter Fallon came in fourth in the first round with 945 votes, so he did not make it to the final round. OGrady, a first-time candidate, beat veteran School Board member Lander by 1,100 votes, or a margin of 19 percentage points, after a late-campaign-season gaffe by Lander, who criticized domestic violence victim Yeardley Love in a local radio interview last month. Maura McMahon came in third. I hope I won because of the values I put on the table, OGrady said, citing her support for classroom instruction while the system struggles with crowding and the importance of diversity and of listening to teachers and students. In the County Board race, Gutshall cited the endorsements he received this year and last year from many current and former elected and appointed leaders in the local Democratic Party, as well as his message of focusing on the future. I think of lot of people are ready to turn the page in Arlington, said the 47-year-old small-business owner, who lost a hard-fought primary last year against incumbent Libby Garvey. Gutshall was the clear leader in fundraising this time, although he faced two others who had also previously run for office Fallon was on his fourth try and Klingler on her second try for the County Board and energetic newcomer Patil. Gutshall is aiming for the seat being vacated by Jay Fisette (D), who is stepping down from the board after nearly 20 years. Fisette endorsed Gutshall within a day of his announcement. The winner of the caucus is the presumptive victor in the general election because of the heavily Democratic voter base in Arlington. No Republican has yet announced a candidacy for the County Board. Perennial candidate Audrey Clement is in the race as an independent. The caucus format was criticized earlier this spring by the Arlington Young Democrats, who wanted a primary so that there would be absentee voting, among other reasons. The party added a third day to the caucus, which was held Tuesday and Thursday nights, and all day Saturday. The unofficial turnout of 5,972 was the highest since 1993, when 4,951 caucusgoers voted. Consider the number 40,000. Thats larger than the student body of the University of Maryland. Its about double the number of seats at Verizon Center. Its just shy of the total population of Manassas, Va. So its astounding that its also how many children have been born with the help of Shady Grove Fertility (SGF), a practice that was founded in 1991 and is now the largest baby-making center in the country, according to a profile in the May issue of Washingtonian magazine. [How is in vitro fertilization regulated?] Associate editor Caroline Cunningham highlights a few reasons behind this success, including SGFs shared risk program, in which certain patients undergoing in vitro fertilization can pay extra and receive a guarantee: If they dont wind up with a baby, they get a refund. Another factor: SGF is headquartered in Maryland, one of a few states that require insurers to cover IVF. SGF has grown to 25 clinics in Maryland, Pennsylvania, Virginia and the District. According to one former patient, the office on K Street in downtown Washington is Grand Central Station for infertile women in D.C. Thats why, Cunningham notes, the clinics on-staff interior designer has placed translucent walls in its large waiting rooms so even when theyre filling up, they dont feel overcrowded. Cunningham reports that Shady Groves size means it can afford the bells and whistles: A custom alarm system on the egg and embryo storage tanks will call the lab directors cell phone at any hour if the tank temperature changes. Whats next? More babies in more places. SGF is building a center in Chile, which will be its first non-U.S. location, and there are plans to go to China. As the clinics website proclaims, Believe its possible. [Read more] [These two baby boys are twins, but an Italian court says they arent brothers] [Scientists create the worlds first in vitro puppies] There are many risk factors for autism, some genetic and others environmental. But few are more intriguing and disturbing than psychosocial deprivation in infancy. Psychosocial deprivation is essentially a lack of caregiver stimulation and investment. It is particularly common among children reared in institutions. Researchers, myself included, have been studying the effects of psychosocial deprivation in Romanian children who were institutionalized as infants. These orphans lived in large white rooms crowded with cribs. They were fed and changed but otherwise ignored. After the regime of Romanian dictator Nicolae Ceausescu ended in December 1989, journalists from the United States and Europe flooded into the country and began to report on the plight of the more than 170,000 children living in state-run institutions. Many of these orphans were adopted as young children and went on to better homes. But up to 10 percent of these adoptees have persistent social difficulties and repetitive behaviors a set of features sometimes referred to as quasi-autism. Autism features in these children are most likely rooted in their early lack of social experience. Experience serves as the instructions that guide the formation of circuits in the developing brain. When deprived of experience, the brain is left to wire itself, and the process can go awry. The path to autism in Romanian orphans is likely to be different from that of other children with the condition. Whether the orphans who are diagnosed with autism even have the same condition as others with the diagnosis is debatable. Yet understanding what gives rise to autism features in children who were socially deprived as infants could offer clues to these features more broadly, and hint at interventions to ease them. Seeking stimulation Two studies have addressed the link between early psychosocial deprivation and autism. The English Romanian Adoptees study, which began in the early 1990s, is tracking the development of 165 Romanian orphans who were adopted into homes in the United Kingdom before age 2. About 10 percent of the children adopted after 6 months of age were diagnosed with autism sometime in childhood. Asecond study, the Bucharest Early Intervention Project, involving a team of researchers co-led by me, has followed 136 Romanian orphans from as early as infancy into adolescence. At the start of the study, the children ranged from 6 to 30 months of age, when we assigned half of them to a high-quality foster care program; the other half remained in institutional care. About 5 percent of the children meet the criteria for autism regardless of whether they entered foster care. Children in both studies were deprived of a range of experiences and stimuli as infants. They had little to look at or listen to other than the babies in cribs beside them. No one talked to them, played with them or responded to their cries. Infants who lack external stimulation often resort to self-stimulation. A common form of self-stimulation is repetitive behavior, such as hand flapping or rocking. We found that more than 60 percent of children in our study show these behaviors, even though most fall short of an autism diagnosis. Interestingly, placement into high-quality foster care after infancy but before the age of 2 is associated with a dramatic decrease in the prevalence of repetitive behaviors by age 5. The foster care provided the children with the social interaction and sensory stimulation that they had lacked earlier. This improvement suggests that neural circuits that underlie repetitive behaviors can be rewired within a certain window of development. So early intervention may be particularly useful at ameliorating this feature of autism. Social circuits Social difficulties, by contrast, often persist into adolescence, long after the children have entered foster care or adoptive families. For example, many of the orphans show indiscriminate social behavior, such as hugging or jumping into the arms of strangers. They also have difficulty relating to their peers. Children who left the orphanages before age 2 tend to show subtler social difficulties than those who left later or who remained institutionalized. But the fact that some difficulties remain suggests that there is a critical period for aspects of social and emotional development. If children fail to receive the stimulation required to facilitate healthy development, they may not recover. Many of the children in our study are now teenagers and have lasting social difficulties regardless of whether they entered foster care before 2 years of age. They are awkward when initiating interactions with peers or responding to invitations to play, and their teachers rate them as less socially skillful than their peers. The persistence of these problems is additional support for the idea that the neural circuits underlying social behaviors are forged during the first two years of life, and are relatively inflexible after that age. Most researchers who have met the Romanian orphans agree their condition appears to be different from classic autism. So it is unclear whether the mechanisms underlying the features of these orphans are the same as those that underlie autism. Still, there are lessons scientists can learn from these children notably, that psychosocial deprivation can, in some children, lead them down a path that looks similar to what we think of as autism. In particular, we dont know why 90 percent or more of the orphans do not develop autism. Perhaps there are genetic risk factors or resilience factors at play. Identifying the environmental contributions particularly those involving caregiving to the features of these children may reveal treatment opportunities for all forms of autism. This article was first published by Spectrum. Nelson is professor of pediatrics and neuroscience at Harvard Medical School and director of research at Boston Childrens Hospitals Developmental Medicine Center. [Read More] [Studies cast doubt on autism-antidepressant link] [Autisms drug problem: questionable effectiveness and serious side effects] [Young adults with autism face many challenges, often without much support] [The connection between precocious baby teeth and a rare form of autism ] Pope Francis addresses journalists during the traditional press conference on his flight back to Rome, following a two-day visit to Fatima in Portugal, May 13, 2017. (Tiziana Fabi / Pool/EPA) BRITAIN Labour proposes Robin Hood tax Britains opposition Labour Party says it would crack down on tax avoidance and introduce a Robin Hood tax on financial transactions to fund public services if it wins next months national election. Labour, which is trailing Prime Minister Theresa Mays ruling Conservatives badly in opinion polls, said that 4.7 billion pounds ($6.1 billion) could be raised by changing the tax policy on share trading. Labour would also take on those in Britain who dodge paying taxes, closing loopholes and clamping down on havens. Reuters THE VATICAN Pope promises sincerity with Trump Pope Francis says he will be sincere with President Trump regarding their sharp differences on subjects such as immigration and climate change when the two hold their first meeting at the Vatican later this month. But the pope also told reporters aboard a plane returning from Portugal on Saturday that he would keep an open mind and not pass judgment on Trump until first listening to his views at their May 24 meeting. Even if one thinks differently, we have to be very sincere about what each one thinks, Francis said in a typically freewheeling airborne news conference. Topics will emerge in our conversations. I will say what I think, and he will say what he thinks. But I have never wanted to make a judgment without first listening to the person. The popes meeting with Trump could be potentially awkward, given their diametrically opposed positions on immigration, refugees and climate change, which he told reporters on the plane are well known. Reuters Fatima youths added to roster of saints: Pope Francis added two Portuguese shepherd children to the roster of Catholic saints, honoring young siblings whose reported visions of the Virgin Mary 100 years ago turned the Portuguese farm town of Fatima into one of the worlds most important Catholic shrines. Francis proclaimed Francisco and Jacinta Marto saints at the start of Mass marking the centenary of their visions. A half-million people watched in the vast square in front of the shrines basilica, the Vatican said, citing Portuguese authorities. Many had spent days at Fatima in prayer, reciting rosaries before a statue of the Madonna. At least 24 die in tour bus accident in Turkey: A tour bus tipped over on a serpentine mountain road in Turkey, killing 24 people when it fell off a cliff and hit a car, Turkish authorities said. The governor of Mugla province, Amir Cicek, said that the driver is among the dead and that the accident may have been caused by a brake system failure. Turkeys state-run Anadolu news agency said the bus was in a convoy of six, carrying mostly women and children for a Mothers Day event. Fuel thieves suspected in Mexico pipeline fire: A fire in Mexico sparked by suspected fuel thieves killed four people and forced state oil company Pemex to temporarily halt pumping operations along a pipeline in the countrys violent eastern state of Veracruz, the company said. Pemex said that the fire was swiftly brought under control and that none of the four victims found alongside a car near the pipeline were believed to be company workers. The pipeline has a capacity of 73,000 barrels per day and transports gasoline and diesel from Pemexs Minatitlan oil refinery to Mexico City. Jordanian is killed by Israeli police after alleged attack: A Jordanian citizen stabbed and wounded an Israeli police officer who then shot him dead in Jerusalems Old City on Saturday, Israeli police said, the latest in a string of street attacks. Police spokeswoman Luba Simri said the officer was walking down a street when he was attacked by a 57-year-old Jordanian who had arrived in Israel for a visit a few days earlier. Jordanian government spokesman Mohammad al-Momani disputed the Israeli account of the incident, which he described as an ugly crime. From news services Former director of National Intelligence James R. Clapper Jr. warned Sunday that the nations institutions are being undermined by President Trump after his decision last week to fire FBI Director James B. Comey. Citing Russian influence in the U.S. election, Clapper told CNNs Jake Tapper on State of the Union that outside forces were responsible for weakening the U.S. government. He also added that our institutions are under assault internally. Internally from the president? Tapper asked. Exactly, said Clapper. I think the Founding Fathers, in their genius, created a system of three coequal branches of government and a built-in system of checks and balances. And I feel as though its under assault and eroding. Clappers remarks reflect a growing alarm among policymakers and legal experts who say Trump has undercut the credibility of the FBI and its independence, at a time when the agency is investigating alleged links between Trumps campaign and Russian officials. Former Director of National Intelligence James Clapper listens to a question during his testimony before the Senate Judiciary Committee subcommittee hearing on Russian interference in the 2016 election. (Bill OLeary/The Washington Post) When hearing about the possibility of Waukesha shooting millions of gallons of water down the Root River into Lake Michigan, its no wonder red flags go up here Racine. There is fear. Fear of effluent and sewage polluting our rivers. Fear of our beachs water quality being affected. Last year, a flier was sent out in the city that alleged: Waukesha wastewater contains treated sewage, viruses, and discarded pharmacy drugs that kill fish and plants and harm our childrens growth. In addition, those against the proposal have said the Root River would become Waukeshas toilet. But facts should outweigh fear. In a recent Editorial Board visit, Waukesha officials came to Racine to quash fears. Waukesha officials said the water returned trough the Root River will be treated. In addition, the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources has supported the plan and states it will help with fishing in the river. Waukesha needs a solution. The federal Environmental Protection Agency has set the maximum contaminant level for radium at 5 picocuries per liter of water (pCi/L) a picocurie is a measure of rate of radioactive decay due to health risks; Waukeshas aquifer wells are three times that limit, and the city is under federal and state orders to find a new water source. In an August 2015 editorial, we supported the Waukesha plan. Nothing that we have seen since then has changed our opinion. At that time, we pointed out that while some environmental groups continue to oppose Waukeshas proposal, DNR assessments to date indicate the plan will likely have fewer detrimental effects than other proposals on lakes and streams in the area, and it will benefit the Root River by increasing oxygen levels, eliminating low-flow problems and diluting phosphorous levels all of which would help aquatic life. We also pointed out that the City of Racine was once enthusiastic about the Waukesha water purchase and the plan to return treated effluent via the Root River but it became less receptive to the idea when it was outbid for the water supply contract by Oak Creek. Racine Mayor John Dickert, who is poised to resign this summer to become the next executive director of the Great Lakes and St. Lawrence Cities Initiative, said last week that he looked into the option of piping water to Waukesha because he is always willing to explore opportunities to sell water to help Racine Water Utility ratepayers. He changed his mind, he said, after he learned more about the impact Waukeshas diversion would have, and about the opportunities he said the City of Waukesha still has to treat its radium-contaminated water. But Waukesha officials say that is not the case. They say that for Waukesha, the issue is one of survival. The city has municipal wells that draw radium-contaminated water from a sandstone aquifer and it is under court orders to provide water with safe levels of radium. Something needs to be done. Its good that officials are continuing to study this important issue, but evidence so far has shown that the Root River is the best way to return the water. We continue to support that option. The Washington Post identified many events since Election Day in which outside groups paid to rent space at Mar-a-Lago. Hedge-fund investors noshed by the pool. Zoo animals prowled for donors. Navy SEALs dropped from a helicopter near the lakefront cocktail bar and stormed a lawn full of socialites. In at least 10 of those cases, the events turned out to be a little bigger, and to raise a little more money, than in past years, according to interviews with event organizers. That often meant that they paid Trumps club a little more money. Here are some of those events. Gateway for Cancer Research President Trump arrives at Mar-a-Lago Club during the Gateway for Cancer Research St. Patrick's Day Party on March 17, 2017. Meghan Mccarthy/Palm Beach Daily News via ZUMA Press/Alamy The Trump administration has removed or tucked away a wide variety of information that until recently was provided to the public, limiting access, for instance, to disclosures about workplace violations, energy efficiency and animal-welfare abuses. Some of the information relates to enforcement actions taken by federal agencies against companies and other employers. By lessening access, the administration is sheltering them from the kind of naming and shaming that federal officials previously used to influence company behavior, according to digital experts, activists and former Obama administration officials. The Occupational Safety and Health Administration, for instance, has dramatically scaled back on publicizing its fines against firms. And the Agriculture Department has taken offline animal-welfare enforcement records, including abuses in dog breeding operations and horse farms that alter the gait of horses through the controversial practice of soring the animals legs. In other cases, the administration appears to be dimming the prior spotlight on the background and conduct of top officials. The administration no longer publishes online the ethics waivers granted to appointees who would otherwise be barred from joining the government because of recent lobbying activities. Nor is the White House releasing logs of its visitors, making it difficult for the public to keep track of who is stopping by to see President Trumps inner circle. The administration has also removed websites and other material supporting Obama-era policies that the White House no longer embraces. Gone, for instance, is a White House Web page that directed prospective donors to private groups that aid refugees fleeing Syria and other embattled nations. Officials also removed websites run by the Environmental Protection Agency and the Interior Department that provided scientific information about climate change, eliminating access, for instance, to documents evaluating the danger that the desert ecology in the Southwest could face from future warming. (On Friday, protesting against the disappearance of the EPA website, Chicago officials posted the site online as it existed under the Obama administration.) Within a week of Trumps inauguration, the White House retired the two-year-old Federal Supplier Greenhouse Gas Management Scorecard, which ranks firms with major federal contracts on their energy efficiency and policies to curb carbon output. The President has made a commitment that his Administration will absolutely follow the law and disclose any information it is required to disclose, White House spokeswoman Kelly Love said in an email Sunday. The White House takes its ethics and conflict of interest rules seriously, Love added, and requires all employees to work closely with ethics counsel to ensure compliance. Per the Presidents Executive Order, violators will be held accountable by the Department of Justice. But Norman Eisen, who served as President Barack Obamas special counsel for ethics and government reform, said the changes have undermined the publics ability to hold the federal government accountable. The Trump administration seems determined to utilize a larger version of Harry Potters cloak of invisibility to cover the entire administration, said Eisen, now a fellow with the Brookings Institutions governance studies program. Across the vast breadth of the government, agencies have traditionally provided the public with massive data sets, which can be of great value to companies, researchers and advocacy groups, among others. Three months ago, there were 195,245 public data sets available on data.gov, according to Nathan Cortez, the associate dean of research at Southern Methodist Universitys Dedman School of Law, who studies the handling of public data. This week, it stood at just under 156,000. Data experts say the decrease, at least in part, may reflect the consolidation of data sets or the culling of outdated ones, rather than a strategic move to keep information from the public. But the reduction was clearly a conscious decision. [EPA shelves climate website the government has maintained for 20 years] Cortez said the Obama administration increased the amount of government data offered to the public, although the information was at times incomplete or inaccurate and sometimes used as a regulatory cudgel. Under Trump, the government is taking transparency in the opposite direction. In some cases, federal Web pages are being routinely maintained. In other cases, information that was once easily accessible to the public has moved to locations that are harder to find, access and interpret. Yet other data has entirely vanished. The Education Department, for instance, continues to update weekly how many universities and colleges are being investigated for how they handle claims of sexual assault and harassment under Title IX, the federal statute that prohibits gender discrimination. Under Obama, OSHA regularly sent out news releases to publicize the fines levied against companies, aiming to discourage others from engaging in similar behavior. President George W. Bushs administration had a similar policy, issuing dozens of news releases each month. Business groups have criticized the practice as scapegoating. The issue of shaming through news releases has been a real issue with my members, said Randy Johnson, senior vice president for labor, immigration and employee benefits at the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, in an interview, adding, Its about trying to drive customers away, so that will put pressure on companies to settle with the Labor Department rather than fight the alleged violations in court. Since Trump took office, OSHA has issued more than 200 citations of $40,000 or more, said the agencys former deputy assistant secretary Jordan Barab. That was the threshold for issuing a news release under Obama. But OSHA has issued only two stand-alone news releases on fines of at least $40,000, along with one on a judicial ruling. The releases include an incident in which two men died in a collapsed trench in Boston and one in which the agency found that the company did not provide safety training or proper safeguards when a worker in an auto insulation manufacturer in suburban Toledo had his right hand amputated by a machine. A record of OSHAs enforcement actions is still available online, but accessing it requires navigating the Labor Departments extensive website to access raw data that largely lacks context and can be opaque. Howard Mavity, a labor and employment lawyer at Fisher & Phillips who represents management, said in an interview that Obama officials practice of regulation by shame . . . angered some employers, as well as me. But putting a near-total stop to the news releases, he said, was too far the other way. Those news releases served a valuable role, to constantly alert and catch employers attention, Mavity said. Other documents are simply absent. Just days after taking office, Trump instituted a policy under which appointees are barred from working on any issue on which they have lobbied in the past two years, but the government can still waive this restriction. The administration has not made public which waivers, if any, it has granted. The waivers detail contacts that could have precluded the person from serving and in some cases outline what contacts that person can have with former clients. Michael Catanzaro represented clients including American Fuel and Petrochemical Manufacturers and Devon Energy as a partner at the CGCN Group before becoming special assistant to the president for domestic energy and environmental policy in February. Since joining the White House, Catanzaro has played a key role in drafting executive orders that could affect his former clients, including orders on climate and offshore drilling. The administration has not explained what steps, if any, he took to avoid a conflict of interest with those clients. Catanzaro declined to comment. [Want to give a story tip to The Posts agencys reporters? Heres how.] Robert Glicksman, a George Washington University environmental law professor, was making the final edits on a law review article when he noticed that a government website he was relying on had vanished. Gone was the ecological assessment issued by the Bureau of Land Management for the Chihuahuan Desert, while another one was archived and a third was moved to an entirely different site. Its one of the most important tools for BLM in understanding the current and likely impact of climate change on the public lands, Glicksman said, adding that each document ran hundreds of pages and included technical and scientific information. All that research is essentially off the boards, for now. The BLM did not respond to a request for comment. In some cases, experts say, shelving disclosure requirements can hamper innovation in the private sector. Two years ago, the White House launched the greenhouse gas scorecard for federal contractors, listing whether they had disclosed their carbon output, have a goal to cut it and could face business risks from climate change. The site was archived within a week of Trump taking office. Jason Pearson, executive director of the Sustainable Purchasing Leadership Council, said that action removed a powerful incentive for private companies to improve their environmental practices. That transparency about positive action can be one of the most important motivators for the broader community to take action, he said. Emma Brown contributed to this report. First-time politician Emmanuel Macron was inaugurated Sunday as Frances president, facing the difficult task of transforming electoral success into political strength in a society beset by unemployment and divided by anger. The solemn ceremony in the gilded halls of the Elysee Palace capped Macrons rise from political obscurity just a year ago, when he was the economy minister starting a long-shot centrist bid against the parties that had run the nation for decades. Now the 39-year-old is Frances youngest leader since Napoleon. Macron won after a bitter campaign against a strong far-right opponent, Marine Le Pen, who delivered the best-ever result for the countrys far-right party after her furious denunciations of immigration and open borders. He is an outlier in this era of crusading populist politicians: a head of state who unapologetically embraces the borderless European Union and the economic opportunities and disruptions of globalization. The stakes are high in his effort to deliver on his promises. If he fails to budge Frances stubbornly high joblessness, the far-right National Front may roar back stronger than ever in 2022 elections, a step that could bring the entire European Union tumbling down. On Sunday, Macron sought to inject fresh optimism into a French public so disillusioned with the political establishment that in the first round of the presidential elections nearly half of its voters opted for candidates who wanted to blow up the nations political order. Macrons predecessor, Socialist President Francois Hollande, broke records for unpopularity after a five-year term filled with political failure. The world and Europe need France more than ever, Macron said in a brief speech to a packed Elysee ballroom filled with the countrys political elite, his supporters and his family. The address came after he walked down the red carpet at the entrance to the palace to be received by Hollande, who launched Macrons career by appointing the ex-investment banker as an economic adviser, then elevating him to the economy ministry. The two huddled privately for an hour, and then Hollande departed the presidential palace for the last time in a modest Citroen sedan. The power of France is not declining, Macron said. We hold in our hands all the strengths of a power of the 21st century. Acknowledging the fears of the one-third of French voters who opted for his opponent, he said that the French men and women who feel forgotten by this vast movement of the world have to be better protected. A president who has said he is neither of the right, nor of the left pledged to give back the French their self-confidence. After the ceremony, he took part in a slow procession down the Champs-Elysees, walking and riding in a military vehicle until he reached the Arc de Triomphe and the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier at its base. The warm spring day in Paris was punctuated by showers, prompting one observer to joke on Twitter that it was a very Macronian inauguration: its raining AND AT THE SAME TIME its lovely. Macron has vowed to overhaul Frances slow-growing economy by implementing business-friendly reforms while also strengthening the countrys social safety net. He has pledged to push for increased integration of countries that use the euro currency, a step that would mean rich nations such as Germany would have to pay more to support poorer ones such as Greece. But his power to deliver change will be determined by a breakneck legislative campaign over the next four weeks. June elections will determine whether he can sweep in a majority for his new political party, Republic on the Move, which is too new to hold any seats and has nominated hundreds of people to run, half of them newcomers to political life. If Macron fails, he will be forced to share power with his political opponents, an arrangement that could force him to build a piece-by-piece majority for his reforms and sap much of his political energies. Macron on Monday will visit German Chancellor Angela Merkel in Berlin, a traditional first trip to Frances most important partner that will be a test of his ability to jump-start the relationship that has driven Europe since the end of World War II. Macron already has a warm relationship with Merkel after two Berlin visits this year, but she has pushed back on some of Macrons most ambitious plans for Europe. A first sign of Macrons political strategy will also come Monday, when he is to announce his pick for prime minister. Macron will seek to reassure voters on the left and the right that he is not moving too far away from them all while emphasizing his newcomer bona fides. Two candidates frequently mentioned in the French news media are International Monetary Fund chief Christine Lagarde a onetime finance minister who has never held elected office and the center-right mayor of the port city of Le Havre, Edouard Philippe. If we dont want France to fall, he needs help, Philippe said in an interview last month before Macrons May 7 runoff victory. The risk of Marine Le Pen getting elected five years from now, if Macron fails, is strong. Birnbaum reported from Brussels. Read more Todays coverage from Post correspondents around the world Like Washington Post World on Facebook and stay updated on foreign news Hugh Thomas, a historian who wrote sweeping accounts of rebellion, conquest and struggle, particularly about parts of the world touched by the Spanish empire, and who was an adviser to British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher during the Falklands War, died May 6 in London. He was 85. His death was first reported in British news accounts. His family said he had a stroke. Mr. Thomas wrote two novels before gaining acclaim as a historian in 1961 with The Spanish Civil War. Memories were still fresh about the war, which lasted from 1936 to 1939, and Mr. Thomass narrative flair and political analysis gave his book the quality of a modern-day epic. The Spanish Civil War exceeded in ferocity most wars between nations, Mr. Thomas wrote. It was, for the Western World at least, a most passionate war. In popular memory, the war seemed to be a dramatic enactment of a clear moral choice between a Marxist-inspired democratic left and the military might of a repressive fascist-aligned regime. Mr. Thomas realized that perception was, at best, incomplete. The Spanish War, he wrote, appeared as a just war, as civil wars do to intellectuals, since they lack the apparent vulgarity of national conflicts. . . . It looked, at least at first, when all the parties of the Left seemed to be cooperating, as the great moment of hope for an entire generation. In the end, the left-leaning groups were defeated by the nationalist forces of Gen. Francisco Franco, who went on to rule Spain as an autocrat for almost 40 years. Mr. Thomass book portrayed the vast complexity of the Spanish Civil War, with its background of feudalism and religious fervor, but it was also seen as the chronicle of a noble but failed cause. For that reason, his book was banned under Francos regime. Copies were smuggled across the border, and Spaniards caught in possession of the book sometimes went to prison. It wasnt until after Francos death in 1975 that Mr. Thomass history of the civil war could be freely distributed in Spain. The Spanish Civil War was the first of more than a dozen large-scale historical studies by Mr. Thomas, including books on European history and the origins of the Cold War. His 1997 book The Slave Trade was the most comprehensive account of the Atlantic slave trade ever written, UCLA scholar Robert B. Edgerton wrote in the National Review. Mr. Thomas was best known for a series of books about the Spanish-speaking world, including a monumental, 1,700-page history of Cuba, published in 1971. (When Mr. Thomas turned to A History of the World in 1979, he covered the subject in a mere 700 pages.) In the 1990s, he published a book on the Spanish conquest of Mexico, followed by his ambitious Spanish Empire trilogy, the final volume of which, World Without End, appeared in Britain in 2014 and in the United States a year later. His overtly popular style of writing, filled with vivid characters and action, led to sales in the millions. He was 72 when his 700-page Rivers of Gold: The Rise of the Spanish Empire, From Columbus to Magellan, was published. A book the size of Rivers of Gold would be an astonishing work by any author, historian Paul Kennedy wrote in the New York Times in 2004, yet its publication simply affirms Hugh Thomass record as one of the most productive and wide-ranging historians of modern times. Hugh Thomas was born Oct. 21, 1931, in Windsor, England, outside London. His father was a colonial administrator in Africa. Mr. Thomas was a 1952 graduate of the University of Cambridge and worked in the British Foreign Office before deciding to become in independent writer in 1957. He taught at Britains University of Reading from 1966 to 1976. In the 1950s, Mr. Thomas ran unsuccessfully as a Labour Party candidate for Parliament. In the ensuing years, his political inclinations grew progressively more conservative. (His history of Cuba was sometimes criticized for being too harsh on the communist economic policies of Fidel Castro.) By the late 1970s, Mr. Thomas had drifted toward the Conservative Party, whose leader, Thatcher, was elected British prime minister in 1979. Because of his expertise on the history of the Spanish-speaking world, Mr. Thomas was a close adviser to Thatcher during the 1982 British war with Argentina in the Falkland Islands. She named him to a peerage in 1981, and he served in the House of Lords as Baron Thomas of Swynnerton. Beginning in 1979, Mr. Thomas led the Center for Policy Studies, a conservative London think tank. His strong support of British participation in the European Union was often at odds with prevailing conservative orthodoxy and ultimately led to his resignation from the center in 1991. Survivors include his wife of 55 years, the former Vanessa Jebb, and three children. On the whole, Mr. Thomas said the Spanish conquest of the New World was inspired by a desire for some kind of glory, to cut some kind of dash in the world. Yet the Spanish also had a sense of self-reflection that was not demonstrated by any other colonial power. In no other imperial history, Mr. Thomas told NPR in 2011, the British or the Roman or the French or the Chinese, do we see such a discussion of this nature. The Spanish may have been brutal and sometimes contradictory, sometimes foolish, Mr. Thomas said, yet they also questioned whether they had any right to be in the New World. A TV news program playing at the Seoul Railway Station shows an image of North Korean leader Kim Jong Un on May 14. North Korea on Sunday test-launched a ballistic missile that landed in the Sea of Japan, the South Korean, Japanese and U.S. militaries said. (Ahn Young-Joon/Associated Press) North Korean leader Kim Jong Un celebrated a test of the perfect weapon system after his engineers launched what they said was a new kind of intermediate-range ballistic missile system capable of carrying a large-size heavy nuclear warhead. The missile, launched Sunday morning, appeared to show substantial progress toward developing an intercontinental ballistic missile that can reach the U.S. mainland, U.S. rocket scientists said. North Koreas latest successful missile test represents a level of performance never before seen from a North Korean missile, said John Schilling, an aerospace engineer who specializes in rockets. This means North Korea might be only one year, rather than the expected five, from having an ICBM, he said. The latest launch was widely condemned, with the White House calling North Korea a flagrant menace and urging allies to impose stronger sanctions. South Korea and Japan also condemned the launch. Releasing the first photos of the launch something Pyongyang does with missiles it deems successful North Koreas state media said that it was a new ground-to-ground medium long-range strategic ballistic rocket that it called Hwasong-12. It used a reentry vehicle capable of delivering a warhead to a target, the Korean Central News Agency reported. If the U.S. dares opt for a military provocation against the DPRK, we are ready to counter it, the agency said, using the abbreviation for North Koreas official name. [ North Korea launches a ballistic missile that flies about 435 miles ] If the U.S. awkwardly attempts to provoke the DPRK, it will not escape from the biggest disaster in the history, the agency quoted Kim as saying. The U.S. should not . . . disregard or misjudge the reality that its mainland and Pacific operation region are in the DPRKs sighting range for strike and that it has all powerful means for retaliatory strike. Although North Korea is known for its florid rhetoric, experts are concerned that it is making substantial progress toward Kims stated goal of developing an intercontinental ballistic missile. North Korea fired a ballistic missile early Sunday, sending it from a launch site near its border with China 435 miles into the sea between the Korean Peninsula and Japan. Analysts think the Hwasong-12 could be the mystery missile displayed in a huge military parade in Pyongyang last month, which appeared to be a smaller version of its KN-08 ICBM. The missile flew for 30 minutes, much longer than other recent missile launches, meaning that it went straight up rather than trying to fly as far as possible a path that would have sent it over Japan. This was a single-stage liquid rocket, but it was still using high-energy fuel, so it probably had a really great range, said Melissa Hanham of the James Martin Center for Nonproliferation in California, after poring over the North Korean photos. This is the longest-range intermediate range ballistic missile they have shown us, and it could be part of an ICBM, she said. David Wright, co-director of the global security program at the Union of Concerned Scientists, said the missile appeared to have reached an apogee of about 1,240 miles. If it had been launched on a standard trajectory, it would have a technical range of 2,800 miles, he said. That would easily put the U.S. territory of Guam within range. This clearly tells us they have several different development programs going on, Wright said. [ On first day in office, South Korean president talks about going to North ] Schilling, the aerospace engineer, said the latest launch demonstrated only what might be able to reliably strike the U.S. military base on Guam. But more importantly, [it] may represent a substantial advance to developing an intercontinental ballistic missile, Schilling wrote in a post for 38 North, a specialist website devoted to North Korea. This could be a hedge against U.S. military action against it, he said. The Trump administration has repeatedly said that all options are on the table to stop North Korea from advancing its nuclear weapons and missile programs. The president has signaled that this includes military action. Tensions had cooled down somewhat since the heated words of April, when the United States and South Korea were conducting joint military exercises and an aircraft carrier strike group was ordered back to the peninsula. In mid-April, North Korea put on a huge military parade, displaying several new kinds of missile models. It also conducted two missile launches, although neither was successful. Read more North Korea fires another ballistic missile, the 75th of Kim Jong Uns tenure U.S. starts swiftly installing controversial antimissile battery in South Korea North Korea puts out new video showing the White House in crosshairs Todays coverage from Post correspondents around the world Like Washington Post World on Facebook and stay updated on foreign news Using social-media sources, Kinda Haddad researches civilian casualties resulting from U.S. coalition and Russian airstrikes in Syria from her home outside London. (Shannon Jensen Wedgwood/For The Washington Post) One recent morning in the countryside beyond London, Kinda Haddad dropped her two children off at school, came home and began scanning her computer for the days first reports of Syrian civilians killed by American bombs. Outside her living room window, a willow tree was swaying in the breeze. Inside, Haddad was staring at a computer screen full of ghostly images of dead children, dusty and bloodied corpses, and pile after pile of rubble. She kept the volume low. I try not to listen because it makes the images more disturbing, she said. This is her second year of doing this, an almost daily routine since Haddad, 45, became one of the first analysts for Airwars, an eight-person nonprofit group started with a simple question: Exactly how many civilians were being killed in the American-led air campaigns in Iraq and Syria? Was it even possible to know? The usual sources of such information reporters, the United Nations and human rights groups that traditionally monitor civilian deaths have been largely absent from the battlefields, especially after a series of kidnappings and beheadings of journalists and aid workers in Syria. And so Airwars which is to say Haddad in her living room and seven others in London, Jordan, Turkey and Baghdad began quite literally piecing together the answer a painstaking process that involves sifting through tens of thousands of shakily filmed videos, photos, Facebook postings, U.S. military accounts and other fragments of information from a war that often feels remote to everyone except the Syrians and Iraqis trying desperately to document their own destruction. Haddad focused on Syria. (Sarah Parnass/The Washington Post) She at first doubted there would be enough information to even begin her work. But she soon realized the problem was the opposite: There isnt too little information. It is almost too much. The result so far: In more than 1,000 days of bombing, Airwars estimates that the United States and its allies have killed at least 3,200 civilians more than nine times the 352 deaths acknowledged by the U.S. military, which has nonetheless come to see Airwars as a partner, even as it often disputes the groups numbers. We kind of consider them part of the team, said Navy Lt. Michael Grimes, who leads the militarys two-person unit charged with doing an initial assessment of civilian casualty allegations in Iraq and Syria. A lot of the allegations we get can be very vague. It makes the job extremely difficult when we dont have specific information. Haddad tries to get to the specifics. At the moment, they were all over her computer screen. Using social-media sources, Kinda Haddad of Airwars researches civilian casualties resulting from U.S. coalition and Russian airstrikes in Syria from her home outside London. (Shannon Jensen Wedgwood/For The Washington Post) I just open a few sources at a time, she said, clicking open Raqqa Is Being Slaughtered Silently, Voice of the East, the Raqqa Truth and the Euphrates Post sites that secretly report from Islamic State territory. Many had started as Facebook pages or Twitter accounts focused on documenting the brutal excesses of Syrian President Bashar al-Assads government or the bloody deprivations of the Islamic State. As the fighting ground on and the combatants multiplied, the missions of such sources broadened to relaying all of the chaos and suffering that afflicted Syria. Haddad skimmed reports of regime raids in Damascus, medicine shortages in Daraa and the destruction of an Islamic State tank in Raqqa by U.S. forces. Soon she found her first account of possible civilian casualties. According to the Euphrates Post, U.S. planes had struck a field hospital in Tabaqa, about 30 miles from Raqqa, killing a doctor and wounding a nurse and several patients. That brief account led her to others. Smart News Agency, a news source with an editor in Germany and correspondents in Raqqa, was reporting that the attack on the field hospital had taken place in the citys second district and had killed a doctor and several patients. An official U.S. military report for the same day said it had struck three targets in Tabaqa, which had been the site of fighting between the Islamic State and U.S.-backed Kurdish forces. Haddad translated the Arabic posts into English and pasted them into a shared document that she and her colleagues could add to and analyze over the course of the day. Some allegations, such as the Tabaqa strike, yield scarce details, while others result in massive entries that take days to assemble and include names of the dead, photos and videos. In more than two years of work, Haddad and the other Airwars researchers have collected the names of more than 1,300 victims in Iraq and Syria. These are not the anonymous victims of past wars, said Chris Woods, an investigative journalist who founded Airwars in fall 2014. The biggest challenge for the Airwars analysts has been determining with certainty whether the United States or some other combatant dropped the bomb in a given incident. In March, Airwars analysts, overwhelmed by the accelerating pace of the war in Iraq and Syria, temporarily stopped doing detailed assessments of Russian airstrikes. The group doesnt track Syrian government attacks. Nor does it track artillery barrages, which sometimes can be mistaken for aerial strikes. Airwars estimated that the United States and its allies killed more than 320 civilians in Syria in March almost seven times the death toll compiled for February. To Woods, the spike demonstrated that the Trump administration had loosened protections that had shielded civilians. When we are getting these huge numbers of reports saying civilians are dying, we should be listening, he said. Haddad focused on the gritty specifics. Two days earlier, Haddad and Abdulwahab Tahhan, Airwars other Syria researcher, had spent a full day documenting the aftermath of a series of airstrikes in Bukamal, a village in eastern Syria. Haddad dipped back into the now 30-page report and noticed that her colleague had added a video from the scene that she had somehow missed in her initial search. I was probably being blind, she messaged him by way of apology and then clicked on the video, which opened in darkness with flashlight beams dancing over rubble. She eased up the volume on her computer. God help us, a man screamed as rescue workers swirled around him. Move! Move! Move! other voices yelled. The shaky cellphone footage cut suddenly to a makeshift morgue where hands in surgical gloves were cradling the faces of dead children who had been pulled from the rubble. The problem with a war like this one is that people just report the numbers, she said. At first three deaths is shocking, and then 20 she said, trailing off. Using social media sources, Kinda Haddad researches civilian casualties resulting from U.S. coalition and Russian airstrikes in Syria from her home outside London on behalf of Airwars. (Shannon Jensen Wedgwood/For The Washington Post) Sharing with the military It was soon after she started with Airwars that Haddad, alone in her house, decided that the images on her screen were easier to take if she kept the volume low, shutting out the screams. She had clicked on a video from Ber Mahli in northern Syria, which had been the site of a sustained American aerial assault in spring 2015. The scene opened on a pickup truck filled with mangled childrens bodies. An older man, heartbroken and full of fury, picked up the body of a headless child and thrust it toward the sky where the American planes had been. Is this Islamic State? Is this Islamic State? he bellowed. Such graphic images often disappeared from YouTube or Facebook, so it fell to Haddad and her colleagues to archive them. Back then, she imagined that the United Nations, the media or human rights groups would be interested in the information. Lately, though, one of the most eager consumers of Airwars work has been the U.S. military. Last fall, Airwars officials offered to share all of the data it had amassed on civilian casualty allegations. We had this huge public database, and they werent using it, Woods said of the Pentagon. It was kind of laid out on a platter for them. Since then, the U.S. military has reviewed nearly 350 Airwars allegations dating to November and determined that close to 80 of them require a fuller assessment. In the other instances, military officials said they could not find records of potentially corroborating strikes in the area at the time of the allegation. Now Airwars sends the military more allegations to review each month. Military officials, in some instances, have given Airwars precise bomb geo-coordinates to ensure they arent double-counting attacks. I guess it is unusual, but I dont think it is odd, Col. Joe Scrocca, a U.S. military spokesman in Baghdad, said of the partnership. We admit that there is probably evidence in these cases that we dont have. Were not able to interview every single victim out there or their families. We dont have people on the ground for that. Despite the cooperation, the relationship remains tense. Even as military officials concede that their civilian casualty figures are probably low, they insist that the Airwars estimates are too high and sometimes built on unreliable evidence. Airwars doesnt have access to classified surveillance video and U.S. military strike logs that are critical to determining the credibility of an allegation. They are taking allegations at face value, Scrocca said. Airwars workers, such as Haddad, counter that the military is too quick to dismiss on-the-scene evidence from Iraqis and Syrians that contradicts their grainy surveillance video. They only trust what their cameras show, she said, and quite frankly, thats insane. A Syria left behind Hanging over Haddads desk is an image from another Syria. In the 1970s-era black-and-white photo, Haddad and her sister sit between her Syrian father and her Armenian-Dutch mother. My mom wanted us to move before we grew up, married and stayed there, Haddad said of the country where she spent her childhood and teenage years. She didnt want us living in a dictatorship. She asked The Washington Post not to identify the English village where she lives for security reasons. Haddad last visited Syria in 2011 to see her father, who had retired and moved home after many years abroad. Only a few days into their vacation, the uprising against the Assad regime began in their home town of Latakia. You couldnt leave the house, she said. The kids were small, so I thought, whats the point? She left three days into the trip. Several months later, her father died. Haddads husband urged her not to make the dangerous trip back for the funeral, and she reluctantly agreed. Its a decision she now regrets. I should have just put my foot down and gone, she said. Since then, she has experienced Syria almost entirely through the often-confusing fragments she sees online. Two years ago, she was researching the death of a man in his 20s who was reported killed in a U.S. airstrike near Idlib. It was a small incident just one civilian death in a war that seemed to be growing more cruel with each passing day. Haddad plugged his name into a few online search engines and discovered a video from February 2013 of the man, clad in a gray sweatshirt that said New York, singing resistance songs. Muslims and Christians, they are all cursing Bashar, he sang in the short cellphone video that received only 163 views. We wont give up on our revolution until the butcher is condemned to death. In a video made 18 months later, the man has a full beard and is singing a plaintive ballad in praise of Islamic State martyrs. Haddad wondered how she should classify him: Was he a civilian or a combatant? A victim or a terrorist? Now she sees him as something of an omen. The videos show how the revolution began and where it has gone, she said. It shows where Syria has gone. Haddad spent the last part of her day, before her children returned from school, searching online for Amaq, the Islamic State affiliated news agency. Much of the site is devoted to Islamic State propaganda, but it can also be an important source of information, photos and video on civilian casualties in places, such as Raqqa, where the Islamic States brutal clampdown has made it exceedingly dangerous for Syrians to communicate with the outside world. Amazingly, they dont exaggerate civilian casualties, she said. In fact, you get some higher numbers elsewhere. Maybe they dont want people to think theyre losing? Maybe they want to project strength? Lately, though, Amaq has been hard for her to find. Anti-Islamic State activists will break the sites links, taking it off the Internet for several days before it emerges under a new Web address. Haddads search for the site led her to a group focused on keeping it offline. If you find an #ISIS site let us know and we will SMASH it!!! the group boasted on Twitter. Oh, this is annoying, she complained. I need to tell whoever is pulling it down that it is quite useful. She was still looking for Amaq 30 minutes later when her children came home from school and flipped on cartoons in the next room. Did you feed the cat? her daughter asked. Haddad told her to open some canned food and returned to her computer. I often think thats it. I cant do it anymore, she said of her job with Airwars. Then it gets busy and I think that I cant stop. She glanced at the clock on her computer screen and realized it was time for her daughters ballet lesson. Coats, coats, she called out as she herded her children toward the door. A few minutes later they were buckled into the family station wagon, hurtling through the English countryside. Read more: Trump and his America First philosophy face first moral quandary in Syria To understand how the U.S. approaches airstrikes in Mosul, look to Russias war in Chechnya Russian President Vladimir Putin shakes hands with Chinese President Xi Jinping on Sunday during the Belt and Road Forum in Beijing. (Mark Schiefelbein/AP) Russia has yet to collect much of what it hoped for from the Trump administration, including the lifting of U.S. sanctions and recognition of its annexation of Crimea. But the Kremlin has collected a different return on its effort to help elect Trump in last years election: chaos in Washington. The presidents decision to fire FBI Director James B. Comey last week was the latest destabilizing jolt to a core institution of the U.S. government. The nations top law enforcement agency joined a list of entities that Trump has targeted, including federal judges, U.S. spy services, news organizations and military alliances. The instability, although driven by Trump, has in some ways extended and amplified the effect Russia sought to achieve with its unprecedented campaign to undermine the 2016 presidential race. In a declassified report released this year, U.S. spy agencies described destabilization as one of Russian President Vladimir Putins objectives. (Jason Aldag,Sarah Parnass/The Washington Post) The Kremlin sought to advance its longstanding desire to undermine the U.S.-led liberal democratic order, it said. [Read the report on Russian interference] Russias active measures campaign ended with the election last year. But Comeys firing on Tuesday triggered a new wave of Russia-related turbulence. His removal was perceived as a blow to the independence of the bureaus ongoing investigation of possible collusion between the Trump campaign and Russia. Current and former U.S. officials said that even if that probe remains on track, Comeys ouster serves broader Russian interests. They feel pretty good overall because thats a further sign that our political system is in a real crisis, said Eugene Rumer, a former State Department official who served as the top intelligence officer on Russia issues from 2010 to 2014. The firing of Comey only aggravates this crisis. Its now certain to be more protracted and more painful, and thats okay with them. James R. Clapper Jr., the former director of national intelligence, offered a similar assessment in Senate testimony last week, even before Comey was dismissed, saying that Moscow must look on the election and its aftermath with a great deal of satisfaction. The Russians have to be celebrating the success of . . . what they set out do with rather minimal resource expenditure, Clapper said. The first objective was to sow discord and dissension, which they certainly did. Clapper went further in interviews on Sunday, saying that U.S. institutions are under assault from Trump and that Russia must see the firing of Comey as another victory on the scoreboard for them. Even Trump alluded to Russias presumed glee at the post-Comey turmoil, although he blamed Democrats. Russia must be laughing up their sleeves watching as the U.S. tears itself apart over a Democrat EXCUSE for losing the election, Trump said in Twitter post on Thursday. If Russias most specific priorities have proved elusive, it may be partly because Moscow overachieved in its effort to cultivate ties to Trump. Former national security adviser Michael Flynn, who shared many of Trumps pro-Russia positions, was forced to resign in February after it was revealed that he had misled other White House officials about his post-election conversations with Sergey Kislyak, the Russian ambassador to the United States. In a late December phone call that was intercepted by U.S. intelligence, Flynn assured Kislyak that Trump planned to revisit the sanctions issue shortly after taking office. Trump has so far not followed through on that front, largely because the Flynn controversy and multiple Russia probes have made it politically unfeasible. [Flynn was warned by Trump transition officials about contacts with Russian ambassador] Trumps policies toward Russia have also taken a harder line in part because of the rising influence of senior members of his administration, including Defense Secretary Jim Mattis and CIA Director Mike Pompeo, who are critics of Moscow. Even so, Trump himself continues to send pro-Russia signals, sometimes at the expense of agencies that report to him. Trump recently signaled, again, that he remains unconvinced that Russia was behind the hack of the 2016 election and release of tens of thousands of emails that damaged Hillary Clintons campaign. His position is a rejection of the consensus view of U.S. intelligence agencies. Trump has provided a steady stream of material for Russian propaganda platforms. One day after firing Comey, Trump welcomed Russias foreign minister, Sergei Lavrov, to the White House. U.S. news agencies were barred from attending, but a photographer for Russias state-run Tass news agency was granted access to the Oval Office. Photos released later in the day showed Trump warmly welcoming his guests, including a shot that showed Trump smiling and shaking hands with Kislyak, the ambassador embroiled in the controversy with Flynn. [Presence of Russian photographer in Oval Office raises alarms] Russian officials have denied the country meddled in the U.S. election. In brief public appearances last week, Lavrov joked about Comeys dismissal Was he fired? Youre kidding! and mocked claims of Moscow interference. We are monitoring what is going on here concerning Russia and its alleged decisive role in your domestic policy, Lavrov said in a quote reported by Tass. Trumps defenders acknowledge that he seeks improved relations with Moscow but insist that his goals are designed entirely to advance U.S. interests. They point to sharp criticism of Moscow by senior administration officials, strained diplomatic relations on key issues and Trumps decision to order a missile strike on an air base in Syria where Russian military operatives were based as part of Moscows support to Syrian President Bashar al-Assad. The assertion that the Trump administration has been advantageous to Moscow is laughable, said James Carafano, the vice president of foreign and defense policy at the Heritage Foundation, who served as an adviser to the Trump transition team. The president has actually stiff-armed them on a number of occasions. But critics argue that many of Trumps foreign policy positions undercut U.S. influence overseas and, as a result, strengthen Moscow his effective endorsement of nationalist candidates including Marine Le Pen in France; his effort to impose an immigration ban on Muslim-majority countries; and his threats, since softened, to restructure NATO. [On Russia, Trump and his top national security aides seem to be at odds] Trump has repeatedly dismissed allegations of ties between his campaign and Russia as fake news. The White House insisted that Comeys firing was based solely on his handling of the investigation of Clintons emails. But Trumps own later statements made clear the decision was linked to his frustration that the Russia inquiry was expanding under Comey, a director whom Trump viewed as disloyal. Trump had telegraphed the move a day earlier on Twitter, saying: The Russia-Trump collusion story is a total hoax, when will this taxpayer funded charade end? The implication that the FBI would perpetuate an unwarranted investigation out of political animus echoes other instances in which Trump has disparaged U.S. institutions or principles. U.S. intelligence officials said such comments bolster the case that Putin makes against Western democracies. It plays into the idea that we are as corrupt as anybody else, that what the United States is exporting isnt something you want, said a former senior U.S. intelligence official involved in tracking the Russian election hack and its aftermath. The official spoke on the condition of anonymity, citing the sensitivity of the issue. With sanctions still in place, Russia may think that the election interference didnt pan out the way they expected, the official said. But what theyre getting now is more positive than what they had under [President Barack] Obama and what they feared under Clinton. Its not pro-Russia, but its certainly not anti-Russia. Its more a kind of chaos. And that does benefit them. Read more: U.S. squabbles and lies keeping Trump away from a meeting, Putin says Comeys removal sparks fears about future of Russia probe Expectations of a new U.S.-Russia relationship were tanking even before the Syria missile strike North Korea fired a ballistic missile early Sunday, sending it from a launch site near its border with China some 450 miles into the sea between the Korean Peninsula and Japan. It was launched from the same site where North Korea fired two mystery missiles that some analysts thought could have been intercontinental ballistic missiles capable of reaching the mainland United States. But the U.S. military said that the flight pattern was not consistent with an ICBM and did not threaten the United States. Regardless, the apparent success of the launch and the steady pace of firings will only heighten tensions in the region. Sundays launch is the first since Moon Jae-in, a liberal who is promoting engagement with North Korea, took office as South Koreas new president Wednesday. Moon immediately convened an emergency meeting of his national security council to discuss the launch. (The Washington Post) It also comes after repeated warnings from President Trump to North Korea to stop and China to crack down on its errant neighbor. Trump will likely urge Beijing to use its leverage over Pyongyang to punish it for this latest provocation. In a statement late Saturday, the White House said, North Korea has been a flagrant menace for far too long...Let this latest provocation serve as a call for all nations to implement far stronger sanctions against North Korea. The statement also noted the missiles proximity to Russia: With the missile impacting so close to Russian soil in fact, closer to Russia than to Japan the President cannot imagine that Russia is pleased. [ North Korea fires another ballistic missile, the 75th of Kim Jong Uns tenure ] Analysts were still working to identify the kind of missile launched Sunday morning local time. U.S. Pacific Command, based in Hawaii, said it had detected and assessed the missile, and the flight was not consistent with an intercontinental ballistic missile. However, it did not state what kind of missile it appeared to be. The North American Aerospace Defense Command determined the missile launch from North Korea did not pose a threat to North America, Pacific Command spokesman Rob Shuford said in a statement. South Koreas Joint Chiefs of Staff said that the missile was fired shortly after 5 a.m. North Korea time, from Kusong, an area not far from the border with China. In Tokyo, the Japanese government said that the missile flew for 30 minutes. It strongly condemned the absolutely unacceptable behavior. These repeated missile launches by North Korea are a grave threat to our country and are in clear violation of U.N. Security Council resolutions, Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe told reporters. North Korea has been testing missiles at a rapid rate over the past year, apparently working toward leader Kim Jong Uns ambition to develop an ICBM that can reach the United States. The two most recent launches last month were deemed to have failed, as they exploded within seconds. However, Sundays missile appears to have been successful. The site of the latest launches is raising suspicions. North Korea launched two missiles in October last year from an air base in Kusong on North Koreas west coast, on the other side of the country from the usual intermediate-range Musudan test site near Wonsan, on the east coast. U.S. Strategic Command said they were presumed to be Musudans, which are technically capable of flying as far as 2,400 miles, putting Guam within range and almost reaching Alaska. But Jeffrey Lewis, director of the East Asia nonproliferation program at the Middlebury Institute of International Studies at Monterey in California, said at the time that there was an even chance that they were intercontinental ballistic missiles (ICBMs). [ U.S. starts swiftly installing controversial antimissile battery in South Korea ] At a huge military parade that Kim presided over last month, North Korea displayed two of its newest model missiles, including the submarine-launched ballistic type it successfully fired last year and the land-based version it launched last month. One of the missiles looked similar to the KN-08 intercontinental ballistic missile that North Korea had included in previous parades. This missile has a theoretical range of about 7,500 miles, which is enough to reach all of the United States from North Korea. It also put two ICBM canisters, which protect solid-fueled missiles from the effects of the environment, on the trucks that had carried the ICBMs previously. One may have been a KN-14, another missile capable of reaching the U.S. mainland, although it has a slightly shorter range. Although there are still plenty of technical hurdles to be overcome, many analysts believe North Korea will eventually achieve Kims stated goal of developing an ICBM that can reach the mainland United States. Read more: On first day in office, South Korean president talks about going to North North Korea fires another ballistic missile, the 75th of Kim Jong Uns tenure North Korea puts out video showing the White House in crosshairs and carriers exploding Todays coverage from Post correspondents around the world Like Washington Post World on Facebook and stay updated on foreign news 100 Harley-Davidson Models in 10 Years: Keeping Track Not too long ago, the folks at Harley-Davidson started making some pretty bold statements about the companys future, promising to deliver 100 new models over the next 10 years. That is a lot of bikes. A lot. Its hard to imagine what Harleys presently 37-model line-up will look like in 2027. Wed expect to see an electric bike or two; and it seems likely the company will continue its efforts to expand its appeal in markets outside the United States most notably, Europe with bikes like the Street Rod. Dont expect big V-twins to go anywhere, though. This is Harley, after all, and it seems certain that as long as V-twin bikes are allowed on the planet Earth, the MoCo will be making them. To help us follow Harleys progress over the next decade, weve decided to keep track via the list below. Well be updating it every time Harley-Davidson announces a new model, so be sure to bookmark this page. Were excited to see what the future holds. A Florida man in his 20s is facing charges after authorities say he disguised himself as a senior citizen to rob two banks. Abraham Maghen, of Hollywood, allegedly held up two banks one week apart in South Florida this month, bagging some $50,000 in cash. Watch: You'll Never Guess Where These Bank Robbers Used To Work The first time, cops allege Maghen, 26, stole $10,000 from a Chase bank in Pembroke Pines, where the FBI said he was wearing an old man disguise when he pulled out a gun and demanded cash. Agents believe he spent most of the money the following day at the Seminole Hard Rock Hotel and Casino in Hollywood, according to WSVN. Then, this past Tuesday, the FBI says Maghen struck again when he allegedly held up a TD Bank in Boca Raton. He allegedly told the teller: My grandson is sick. I need $40,000 now. Hurry up, hes going to die. A tracking device led investigators to a house where Maghen was renting a room, according to the FBI. The owner of the Hollywood home where Maghen was living told reporters her tenant had recently been fired from his job as a loan officer for being constantly late to work. Read: Woman Robbed at Gunpoint by Man She Had Sex With After Meeting on Dating Site: Cops Maghen recently relocated to South Florida from New York, according to the homeowner. He is due in court next week. Watch: Babysitter Robs Bank While Watching 2 Little Kids, Police Say Related Articles: An Ohio police chief and two nursing home employees were killed Friday after a gunman opened fire in Kirkersville. The chief was identified as Steven Eric Disario. The incident happened at Pine Kirk Care Center, where gunman Thomas Hartless took two passers-by hostage and shot dead 36-year-old Disario. After shooting Disario, Hartless barged into the nursing home and fatally shot his 46-year-old ex-girlfriend Marlina Medrano and Cindy Krantz, 48, a nurse aide, the Columbus Dispatch reported. The hostages were unharmed and police found Hartless dead in the center. "When the shooter got close to the nursing home, he apparently was in very small woods back there and actually took two passersby as hostage," Ohio Attorney General Mike DeWine said. "It was in that vicinity, very close to that, that the chief of police was in fact shot and was killed." Twenty three residents were in the building when the shooting occurred, but were evacuated. Residents in other nearby houses were directed to remain inside until the situation was under control. Students heading to Kirkersville Elementary School, which is close to the nursing home, were diverted to Watkins Middle School, reports said. The elementary school was placed on lockdown. Disario reported in his final communication that the suspect was in his sights. He was found unresponsive by deputies who arrived at the scene. "It's a real hard day for all of us," Licking County Sheriff Randy Thorp said. "The deputies who pulled him to safety, if you will, are having a real hard time." Disario was a father of six and a baby "on the way," Thorp said. Ohio Gov. John Kasich offered his condolences to Disarios family. "Ohio mourns the loss of Kirkersville Chief Eric Disario, who died in the line of duty. Join me in praying for his family, friends and colleagues, and for the others injured in this tragedy, Kasich said. The suspect Hartless had a lengthy criminal history. In court documents filed a week ago, Medrano said she feared for her life, the Columbus Dispatch reported. Story continues I no longer feel that my support can help Tom with his issues, Medrano wrote in a May 5 petition for a civil protection order, according to the report. I am afraid to be alone with him, that he will hurt me for good. In a December 2016 report, she told police that Hartless doesnt like police, has a handgun and threatens that if she ever filed charges on him he would make her pay for it. Thomas has even drove her out SR 79 north past the Wooden Nickel, beat her and then showed her a hole that he dug, advising her that he would put her in it if she did not stay with him, an officer wrote in the filing. She stated that he is always threatening that he will hunt her down and kill her if they are not together. "We had two cases with him about six or seven years back," Knox County Prosecutor Chip McConville told NBC News in a phone interview. Knox County is located in south of Licking County. Hartless also spent time behind the bars for domestic violence and criminal damaging/endangering charges. Prior to this, Hartless completed 15 months jail time for aggravated assault and aggravated menacing, NBC News reported. He also fulfilled a three-year stint on probation in 2014, McConville told the news outlet. "I remember this guy. He wasn't one of our frequent fliers," McConville said. The prosecutor said the abduction case involved Hartless allegedly holding a woman against her will inside a vehicle during county fair week. Related Articles Aric Almirola suffered a compression fracture in his back in a scary crash at Kansas. Almirola was involved in a three-car accident on lap 200 of Saturday nights Cup Series race. He slammed into the crashing cars of Joey Logano and Danica Patrick so violently that the rear wheels of his car were lifted off the ground. Safety workers had to peel the top off Almirolas car to remove him from the vehicle and he was transported to a local hospital. The team said Sunday morning that Almirola had been released from a local hospital and was diagnosed with a compression fracture to his T5 vertebra. He is scheduled to fly home to North Carolina on Sunday and will visit with doctors there. No timeline on a potential absence from the cockpit was given. Almirola came into Kansas on the heels of a fourth-place finish at Talladega, though his car failed inspection after the race. His team was penalized 35 points and crew chief Drew Blickensderfer was suspended three races. Nick Bromberg is the editor of Dr. Saturday and From the Marbles on Yahoo Sports. Have a tip? Email him at nickbromberg@yahoo.com or follow him on Twitter! Today in 5 Lines President Trump suggested on Twitter that there might be tapes of his private conversations with former FBI Director James Comey. When asked about the tweet, White House Press Secretary Sean Spicer repeatedly refused to answer whether or not the president is recording conversations in the Oval Office. Senator Mark Warner, the vice chairman of the Senate Intelligence Committee, said Comey declined an invitation to testify before the panel in a closed session on Tuesday. The White House released a letter from the presidents lawyers that said Trumps tax returns do not reflect any income of any type from Russian sources, with a few exceptions. In a major shift away from Obama-era policies on low-level drug offenses, Attorney General Jeff Sessions directed federal prosecutors to charge and pursue the most serious, readily provable offense against defendants. Recommended: Five Reasons Why the Comey Affair Is Worse Than Watergate Today on The Atlantic Not Looking Good: James Fallows, who covered the fall of Richard Nixon 45 years ago, offers five reasons why President Trumps firing of FBI Director James Comey is worse than Watergate. Update on the Cyber: Ransomware attacks, like the one that happened Friday, have become a kind of lucrative cottage industry, Adrienne LaFrance reports. In recent years, the rate of similar attacks has increased by more than 500 percent. Self-Incriminating?: While President Trumps recent comments about firing Comey dont prove he was attempting to thwart an FBI investigation, they do expose clear White House obfuscations, offer circumstantial evidence for interference, and open up Trump to a possible obstruction of justice investigation. (Conor Friedersdorf) Follow stories throughout the day with our Politics & Policy portal. Snapshot First Lady Melania Trump listens to a performance by United States Army Chorus during a "celebration of military mothers" event at the White House. Yuri Gripas / Reuters Recommended: Two Dead Canaries in the Coal Mine What Were Reading The Short List: President Trump is looking for a new FBI director to replace James Comey. Here are the candidates he is reportedly considering to fill the post. (Maggie Haberman and Jeremy W. Peters, The New York Times) Story continues No Special Counsel, Please: The United States needs to get to the bottom of Donald Trumps potential ties to Russia, Jonathan S. Tobin writes, but Americas history should prove that hiring a special prosecutor is the wrong way to go. (National Review) A Different Kind of Democrat: In order to win back their majority in Congress, Democrats have to win over voters in Trump territory. To do that, strategists say the party should be studying Illinois Representative Cheri Bustos. (Michael Kruse, Politico) Not the Whole Story: Donald Trump continues to use a 2014 research paper as the foundation for his claim that voter fraud is rampant in the United States. But Trump gets the data wrong, Maggie Koerth-Baker points out, and leaves out important context behind the study. (FiveThirtyEight) Dying in Childbirth: The death of Lauren Bloomstein, a neonatal nurse, highlights a shocking trend in the U.S. health system: As infant mortality numbers have dropped to historic lows, the maternal death rate is increasingand is higher than in any other developed country. (ProPublica and NPR) Visualized Confused?: If youre having trouble following the Trump-Comey saga, this timeline could help clear a few things up. (Eric Levenson, CNN) Recommended: Trump Wants Goddamned Steam, Not Digital Catapults on Aircraft Carriers Celebrity Crossword: Try your hand at this puzzle, created by former President Bill Clinton and his friend, Arkansas Judge Victor Fleming. (The New York Times) Question of the Week Donald Trump is expected to visit Saudi Arabia, Israel, and the Vatican during his first foreign trip as president later this month. This week, we asked which countries are the most important for Trump to visit. Here are a few responses: Doug Barde-MacNamara thought Trump should make a point to visit South Korea to meet the countrys new leader and learn more about the region, and to visit Germany because Angela Merkel knows, firsthand, the myriad of problems facing our NATO allies in Europe. Dirk Bloemendaal offered two other suggestions: Canada, because theyre our number-one trading partner, and Mexico, to better understand the source of many immigration challenges. Thanks to everyone who submitted responses, and stay tuned for next weeks Question of the Week. -Written by Elaine Godfrey (@elainejgodfrey) Read more from The Atlantic: This article was originally published on The Atlantic. It's an unusual dilemma that tourists in Berlin have to grapple with -- will getting into a hostel bunk bed help finance North Korea's nuclear ambitions? Backpackers staying at the Cityhostel found themselves struggling with precisely this question after learning that Pyongyang owns the property and is making money from it. "Oh no, we're funding the North Korean embassy! We're sorry. Very sorry," said British tourist Alex Smith. "We didn't realise we were funding North Korea." By booking a room in the Soviet-style building, "my friend made a big mistake", he said, turning to his travel companion and calling him a "silly, silly boy". Cityhostel found itself at the centre of a storm after German media reported Tuesday that the North Korean embassy was not just the guesthouse's neighbour but also the owner of the prime real estate. Rented out since 2004, the property brings in about 38,000 euros ($41,000) a month in rent for Pyongyang, the public broadcaster ARD reported. The German government said Wednesday that it would shut down the hostel because the site had been leased by Pyongyang in violation of UN rules. Tougher sanctions implemented last November require UN member states to only allow "North Korean foreign representations to carry out diplomatic and consular activities". "Any kind of commercial activity on the site of the embassy or in relation to the embassy is prohibited," said German foreign ministry spokesman Martin Schaefer. "Cityhostel in Berlin constitutes neither a diplomatic nor consular activity of a North Korean foreign representation," Schaefer said, adding that Germany would "shut down the financial source to the North Korean regime as quickly as possible". - 'Taken hostage' - Over the past 11 years, the UN Security Council has imposed six sets of sanctions on Pyongyang -- two adopted last year -- to ramp up pressure and deny the regime hard currency to fund its rocket and atomic programmes. Story continues Cityhostel's employees told AFP they were unaware of the North Korean link, but would not say more. The hostel's management, a Berlin company registered as GBI, said in a statement that it "regrets having been taken hostage by international politics". It had "frozen rental payments" until further clarification, it said. Within walking distance of major tourist sites like Checkpoint Charlie and the Brandenburg Gate, Cityhostel Berlin offers dorm beds for as little as 16 euros ($17) a night. The hulking grey building that serves as the hostel is separated from the gated North Korean compound by a metal fence. Canadian traveller Alexandra Brosseau said that "we don't have a lot of money so we decided to go there, but if we had known, we wouldn't have come here". "It should be written somewhere, like on reviews or something." Italian backpacker Emmanuel Giorno, 28, agreed: "Spending money on the North Korean regime really isn't great." Others, like Swiss tourist Diana Vukovic, had a laugh about it. Nothing in the hostel hinted at its North Korean link, she said, though she conceded that inside, it did feel "a little bit like a prison". By Gul Yusufzai QUETTA, Pakistan (Reuters) - A bomb exploded next to a convoy of the deputy chairman of the Pakistan Senate on Friday in the violence-plagued province of Baluchistan, killing at least 25 people, officials said. Islamic State claimed responsibility for the bombing. The group's Amaq news agency said a bomber wearing an explosive vest carried out the attack, which was condemned by a former local Islamic State affiliate. At least 35 people were wounded in the blast near the town of Mastung, 50 km (30 miles) from the provincial capital of Quetta. Television footage showed a vehicle mangled by the blast. Senator Abdul Ghafoor Haideri, the deputy chairman of the upper house of parliament, told Reuters minutes after the explosion he believed he was the target and he had sustained minor injuries. "There are many casualties as there were many people in the convoy," he said by telephone. Haideri is a member of Jamiat e Ulema Islam, a right-wing Sunni Islamist political party that is part of Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif's coalition government. District health official Sher Ahmed Satakzai said the death toll had risen to 25 and 10 were in critical condition in hospital. Security in Pakistan has improved since a crackdown on militancy began in 2014, but a fresh wave of attacks that left more than 100 people dead in February has increased pressure on Sharif's government. Mastung police official Ghazanfar Ali Shah said the convoy appeared to have been hit by a suicide bomber, adding Haideri's driver was among those killed. The senator, who is being treated in hospital, was on his way back to Quetta after distributing graduation certificates to students from a madrassa, or religious academy. Militant group Lashkar-e-Jangvi Al Alami, which has jointly carried out attacks with Islamic State in the past, including a bombing at a shrine in Baluchistan in November, condemned Friday's suicide attack, spokesman Ali Bin Sufyan told Reuters. Sufyan said the two groups have now split due to "policy changes", but did not elaborate on what changes had taken place. Separatist militants in Baluchistan have waged a campaign against the central government for decades, demanding a greater share of the gas-rich province's resources. Taliban and other Islamist militants also operate in the province, which shares borders with Afghanistan and Iran. A U.S. drone strike killed Taliban leader Mullah Akhtar Mansour last year in Baluchistan. The province was rocked by a series of attacks late last year that claimed over 180 lives and raised concerns about a growing militant presence. A judicial report released after an attack on the province's lawyers left more than 70 dead criticised security provisions in the region and called for increased clampdowns on extremists. (Additional reporting by Saud Mehsud in Dera Ismial Khan; Writing by Saad Sayeed; Editing by Nick Macfie and Toby Davis) BEIJING (Reuters) - China defended its military relationship with Sri Lanka as good for regional peace and stability after Sri Lanka rejected a request from China to dock one of its submarines in Colombo this month. Sri Lanka last allowed a Chinese submarine to dock in the capital of Colombo in October 2014, a move that triggered fierce opposition from its northern neighbor India, which worries about growing Chinese activity in a country it has long viewed as part of its area of influence. Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi arrived in Sri Lanka on Thursday for a two-day official visit. China's Defence Ministry, in a statement sent to Reuters, did not directly mention the rejected request for the submarine visit, but said its submarines needed a place to resupply on their way to anti-piracy missions. "The stopping to resupply of our military's submarines that are on their way to the Gulf of Aden and Somali waters for protection missions is an internationally accepted practice," the ministry said. In recent years, the Chinese and Sri Lankan militaries had had fruitful and effective cooperation in areas like mutual visits and training, it added. "The cooperation between the Chinese and Sri Lankan militaries is beneficial to regional peace and stability, is not aimed at any third party and should not be interfered in by a third party," the ministry said, without elaborating. The timing of the incident is awkward as Sri Lankan Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe is expected in Beijing this weekend to attend a summit on China's new Silk Road plan. A senior Sri Lankan government official said China's request to dock one of its submarines in Colombo this month had been rejected. He said Sri Lanka was "unlikely" to agree to China's request to dock the submarine at any time, given India's concerns. A second official, at the defense ministry, also said China's request to dock this month had been rejected but that a decision on a further docking had been postponed. China has invested heavily in Sri Lanka in recent years, funding airports, roads, railways and ports, unsettling India, traditionally the closest economic partner of the island nation of 21 million people. More than 70 percent of the trans-shipment in Colombo port comes from India. Sri Lanka is finalizing a plan to lease 80 percent of its loss-making Hambantota port to China for 99 years, but the deal has been delayed because of opposition from trade unions. A 1987 accord between India and Sri Lanka provides that their territories not be used for activities deemed prejudicial to each other's unity, integrity and security. (Reporting by Ben Blanchard; Editing by Nick Macfie) China was basking in praise Monday for its new Silk Road even as some countries raised concerns over the project seen as boosting Beijing's global clout on trade and geopolitics. Almost 30 world leaders are attending a two-day summit promoting China's One Belt, One Road initiative that Beijing hopes will revive ancient trade routes from Asia to Europe and Africa -- and breathe new life into its own economy. At the opening of the meeting on Sunday, Chinese President Xi Jinping pledged to pump an extra $124 billion into the China-bankrolled project, which involves a huge network of ports, railways, roads and industrial parks. A number of leaders including Russian President Vladimir Putin and Turkish counterpart Recep Tayyip Erdogan applauded the initiative, which Xi unveiled in 2013 and hailed as "a project of the century". "In these times, when the temptation is great to respond to the crisis of globalisation by increasing isolation, and by raising walls, this initiative highlights a vision of connectivity, cooperation and dialogue across Europe and Asia but also other parts of the world," Greek Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras said. British finance minister Philip Hammond said London was "ready to work with all Belt and Road partner countries to make a success of this initiative". But some officials expressed caution. German Economy Minister Brigitte Zypries called for transparency to ensure that the calls for investment bids are "non-discriminatory". Some Belt and Road projects are already raising concerns in certain countries. India has voiced displeasure at the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor, a Belt and Road project aimed at linking northwestern China to the Arabian Sea. Others at the summit warned sustainable lending practices were needed to ensure countries hosting the hundreds of projects were not saddled with unsustainable debts. "Unprofitable investments are not good for anybody," said Andras Vertes, chairman of GKI Economic Research. Story continues The initiative, which is Xi's signature foreign policy, spans some 65 countries representing 60 percent of the world population and around a third of global gross domestic product. The China Development Bank has earmarked $890 billion for some 900 projects. While the summit has been given almost non-stop coverage on Chinese state-run television, attention at the event was distracted by North Korea's latest missile test on Sunday. Xi did not mention the North during his speech, but it was discussed at his bilateral meeting with Putin. "Both parties expressed their concern over the escalation of tensions" on the Korean peninsula, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters. The Chinese foreign ministry also issued a statement saying it opposed such missile tests and called for restraint from all parties. The delegates from both Koreas held a brief meeting at the summit on Sunday, according to South Korea's Yonhap news agency. The summit will resume on Monday at Yanqi Lake in a Beijing suburb near the Great Wall. By Brenda Goh and Yawen Chen BEIJING (Reuters) - Chinese President Xi Jinping pledged $124 billion on Sunday for his new Silk Road plan to forge a path of peace, inclusiveness and free trade, and called for the abandonment of old models based on rivalry and diplomatic power games. Xi used a summit on the initiative, attended by leaders and top officials from around the world, to bolster China's global leadership ambitions as U.S. President Donald Trump promotes "America First" and questions existing global free trade deals. "We should build an open platform of cooperation and uphold and grow an open world economy," Xi told the opening of the two-day gathering in Beijing. China has touted what it formally calls the Belt and Road initiative as a new way to boost global development since Xi unveiled the plan in 2013, aiming to expand links between Asia, Africa, Europe and beyond underpinned by billions of dollars in infrastructure investment. Xi said the world must create conditions that promote open development and encourage the building of systems of "fair, reasonable and transparent global trade and investment rules". Hours before the summit opened, North Korea launched another ballistic missile, further testing the patience of China, its chief ally. The United States had complained to China on Friday over the inclusion of a North Korean delegation at the event. MASSIVE FUNDING BOOST Xi pledged a major funding boost to the new Silk Road, including an extra 100 billion yuan ($14.50 billion) into the existing Silk Road Fund, 380 billion yuan in loans from two policy banks and 60 billion yuan in aid to developing countries and international bodies in countries along the new trade routes. In addition, Xi said China would encourage financial institutions to expand their overseas yuan fund businesses to the tune of 300 billion yuan. Xi did not give a time frame for the new loans, aid and funding pledged on Sunday. Leaders from 29 countries attended the forum, as well as the heads of the United Nations, International Monetary Fund and World Bank. Britain's finance minister told the summit his country was a "natural partner" in the new Silk Road, while the prime minister of Pakistan, Nawaz Sharif, a close Chinese ally, praised China's "vision and ingenuity". "Such a broad sweep and scale of interlocking economic partnerships and investments is unprecedented in history," Sharif said. White House adviser Matt Pottinger said the United States welcomed efforts by China to promote infrastructure connectivity as part of its Belt and Road initiative, and U.S. companies could offer top value services. India refused to send an official delegation to Beijing, reflecting displeasure with China for developing a $57 billion trade corridor through Pakistan that also crosses the disputed territory of Kashmir. "No country can accept a project that ignores its core concerns on sovereignty and territorial integrity," said Indian foreign ministry spokesman Gopal Baglay, adding that there were concerns about host countries taking on "unsustainable debt." China plans to import $2 trillion of products from countries participating in its Belt and Road initiative over the next five years, Commerce Minister Zhong Shan said. UNEASE OVER SUMMIT But some Western diplomats have expressed unease about both the summit and the plan as a whole, seeing it as an attempt to promote Chinese influence globally. They are also concerned about transparency and access for foreign firms to the scheme. Australian Trade Minister Steven Ciobo said Canberra was receptive to exploring commercial opportunities China's new Silk Road presented, but any decisions would remain incumbent on national interest. "China is willing to share its development experience with all countries," Xi said. "We will not interfere in other countries' internal affairs. We will not export our system of society and development model, and even more will not impose our views on others." "In advancing the Belt and Road, we will not re-tread the old path of games between foes. Instead we will create a new model of cooperation and mutual benefit," Xi said. North Korea, which considers China its sole major diplomatic ally and economic benefactor, raised eyebrows when it decided to send a delegation to the summit. The North Korean delegation largely kept a low profile at the summit, and there was no evidence that its presence had affected participation despite U.S. misgivings. FINANCIAL INCLUSIVENESS Xi said the new Silk Road would be open to all, including Africa and the Americas, which are not situated on the traditional Silk Road. "No matter if they are from Asia and Europe, or Africa or the Americas, they are all cooperative partners in building the Belt and Road." The idea of cooperation and inclusiveness extends to funding projects and investments along the new trade routes, which are being developed both on land and at sea. "We need joint effort among Belt and Road countries to boost financing cooperation," Zhou Xiaochuan, governor of China's central bank, said. To sustain the projects, Belt and Road nations should allow companies to play a key role, as government resources are limited, Zhou said. The active use of local currencies will also help to mobilize local savings, lower remittance and exchange costs, and safeguard financial stability, he said. At the forum, finance ministries from 27 countries, including China, approved a set of principles that will guide project financing along the new Silk Road. Germany, which was not among the countries that approved the financing guidelines, said its firms were willing to support the Belt and Road initiative, but more transparency was needed. Some of China's close allies and partners were at the forum, including Russian President Vladimir Putin, Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen and Kazakh President Nursultan Nazarbayev. There were also several European leaders attending, including the prime ministers of Spain, Italy, Greece and Hungary. Chinese state-run media has spared no effort in its coverage of the summit, including broadcasting an awkwardly-named English-language music video "The Belt and Road is How" sung by children from countries on the new Silk Road. ($1 = 6.8972 Chinese yuan) (Additional reporting by Elias Glenn, Kevin Yao, Thomas Peter, Michael Martina and Sue-Lin Wong; Writing by Ben Blanchard and Ryan Woo; Editing by Randy Fabi and Jane Merriman) BEIJING (Reuters) - Chinese President Xi Jinping offered the prime minister of deeply indebted Greece strong support on Saturday, saying the two countries should expand cooperation in infrastructure, energy and telecommunications. Xi told Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras that Greece was an important part in China's new Silk Road strategy. "At present, China and Greece's traditional friendship and cooperation continues to glow with new dynamism," China's Foreign Ministry cited Xi as saying. Cooperation in infrastructure, energy and telecommunications should be "deep and solid", Xi added, without giving details. Tsipras is in Beijing to attend a summit to promote Xi's vision of expanding links between Asia, Africa and Europe underpinned by billions of dollars in infrastructure investment called the Belt and Road initiative. Greek infrastructure development group Copelouzos has signed a deal with China's Shenhua Group [SHGRP.UL] to cooperate in green energy projects and the upgrade of power plants in Greece and other countries, the Greek company said on Friday. The deal will involve total investment of 3 billion euros ($3.28 billion), Copelouzos said in a statement, without providing further details. China has been investing heavily in Greece in recent years. Its biggest shipping company, COSCO Shipping, bought a majority stake in Piraeus Port Authority last year under a plan to turn Greece into a transhipment hub for rapidly growing trade between Asia and Eastern Europe. Xi said China and Greece should focus their efforts on turning the Piraeus port into an important international transhipment hub and key part of the new Silk Road, the Chinese ministry said. China State Grid [STGRD.UL] also agreed last year to buy a 24 percent stake in power grid operator ADMIE for 320 million euros. Greek government borrowing costs hit their lowest level in more than five years this week as the troubled euro zone state looks close to clinching a deal with its creditors to release new loans to it. After six months of tense talks, Athens and its international lenders - the European Union and International Monetary Fund - reached a provisional deal last week on the reforms needed to release new loans. (Reporting by Ben Blanchard; Editing by Robert Birsel) Washington (AFP) - US Republicans struggling to pass a health care overhaul and tax reform this year have seen their path narrow, as Congress reels from fallout over President Donald Trump's firing of his FBI director. The shock dismissal of James Comey -- and the White House's bungling of the aftermath -- has triggered distress on Capitol Hill, with Democrats and Republicans increasingly preoccupied with how Trump's action affects investigations into his team's possible collusion with Russia. The resulting chaos has antagonized some moderate Republicans, who had hoped to move on from the cycles of controversy that have marked the administration's first four months and forge consensus on legislative priorities. Trump campaigned heavily on pledges to repeal and replace Obamacare and reform the tax code. Both are monumental tasks, and while Congress can act with due speed when it wishes, its chambers are paralyzed by gridlock. Seamless bipartisan cooperation is a fantasy on Capitol Hill in 2017, and some say the Comey hue and cry will only make it more difficult to cooperate on big-ticket legislation. "Certainly there is a case to be made that it will be more polarizing and more partisan, not less," Republican Senator Tim Scott said Thursday as he contemplated prospects for getting a controversial Obamacare repeal bill through the Senate. Even staunch conservatives acknowledged that the latest political uproar -- parts of which have unfolded like a spy novel, including subpoenas of Trump's former national security advisor Michael Flynn and hints of clandestine White House recordings -- is cutting into congressional efforts to move forward. "I'd say it's a distraction," warned Orrin Hatch, the Senate's longest-serving Republican. Complicating the schedule in coming months is a series of fiscal deadlines, including passing a spending bill by September 30 and negotiating a raise of the debt ceiling, that could suck up weeks if not months of valuable Washington legislative time. Story continues With Comey's departure, another hiccup to the already tight timing: a potentially protracted Senate confirmation process for a new FBI director. - 'Walk and chew gum' - House Speaker Paul Ryan stressed that Congress can move forward with its 2017 legislative priorities despite three full congressional Russia-related investigations and the Comey disaster. "We can walk and chew gum at the same time," he told Fox News. "We've got a full plate of things that we think are necessary, not only to fulfill our promises, but making sure that we get the economy growing." The top Republican in Congress said Tuesday the US Senate could pass a health care bill before the August recess, and that lawmakers would finish tax reform by year end, but the calendar window is narrowing. After the House passed controversial legislation last week that repeals large chunks of the Affordable Care Act, the Senate signalled it will start from scratch on its own bill. There are deep divisions within Trump's Republican Party over the House bill. GOP senators bristle at provisions that slash Medicaid funding by $800 billion. They also worry that people with pre-existing conditions would be forced to pay higher insurance premiums under the House legislation, potentially leaving millions unable to afford care. Some analysts say the ongoing turmoil is complicating efforts to achieve Trump's goal of passing health and tax reform in 2017. "The firing was impulsive and poorly handled by the White House and it diminishes our confidence in the administration's ability to tackle large, complex issues, like tax reform," analyst Brian Gardner of Keefe, Bruyette & Woods, an investment bank, wrote in a note to investors. "These methods create chaos and make it more difficult to build the political support necessary to pass major legislation." Democrats could throw up their own hurdles, including obstructing the confirmation of Trump's new FBI nominee, unless Republicans back their call for appointment of a special prosecutor to investigate the Russia connections. With a time crunch looming, Republican leaders distanced themselves from Ryan's optimistic predictions. "The Senate needs to control it's own schedule -- no arbitrary deadlines," number two Senate Republican John Cornyn told AFP. Senate Democrat Dick Durbin said Ryan's Senate health care timeline was "wishful thinking." Congress must also pass a new spending bill by September 30, the end of the fiscal year, or risk a crippling government shutdown. While Trump will be pushing hard to include funding for his Mexico border wall, Republicans will need to make nice with Democrats, as at least eight Senate Democrats will be required to pass a spending bill. We all forget things sometimes, whether it's our car keys or the words to a song. As we age, changes in memory are normal, but we also become more susceptible to memory loss linked to dementia. Now, researchers at the University of Bonn in Germany, suggest a daily dose of THC in marijuana can strengthen brain connections to reverse the effects of aging in the elderly. In the study, published in Nature Medicine, German researchers found THC to have a "very robust and profound effect" in reversing brain aging and restoring learning and memory in mice in four weeks. The research team simulated the endocannabinoid system with THC involved in balancing bodies' response to stress in older mice as a potential way to improve brain function. THC affects us by imitating similar molecules in this system, which fulfill important functions in the brain. With increasing age, the quantity of the cannabinoids naturally formed in the brain reduces, said Professor Andreas Zimmer, from the Institute of Molecular Psychiatry at the University of Bonn and member of the Cluster of Excellence ImmunoSensation, in a statement. When the activity of the cannabinoid system declines, we find rapid ageing in the brain. Previous research on young adults and frequent marijuana use has found THC leads to a decline in cognitive function, but little is known about its effect on the older population. For example, teens who smoked pot every day for about three years performed worse on long-term memory assessments. Moreover, the hippocampus the brain region associated with long-term memory looked abnormal in an MRI. This prompted Zimmer and his colleagues to test the effects of THC on the aging brain of mice. The team gave the mice a small dose of THC at age two, 12, and 18 months over a period of four weeks. The amount administered was too small to give them psychoactive effects. After four weeks, the researchers tested the mice's ability to perform cognitive tasks, such as finding their way through mazes and the recognition of other mice. Story continues The findings revealed older mice given THC performed as well as the young mice in the control group. However, aging mice given the placebo showed learning and memory loss, which is commonly associated with aging. In other words, the brain aged much faster when mice did not possess any functional receptors for THC. Meanwhile, further studies showed THC increased the number of connections between brain cells in the hippocampus. This means memory is strengthened in older mice, which could potentially open up new options when it comes to treating dementia. "Although there is a long path from mice to humans, I feel extremely positive about the prospect that THC could be used to treat dementia, for instance," said Svenja Schulze, the North Rhine-Westphalia science minister, in a statement. Previous research has shown THC appears to remove the amyloid clumps the Alzheimer's hallmark from nerve cells grown in the lab. However, no studies or trials have looked into the effects of marijuana or its components on the causes of Alzheimer's diseases in people. Studies like Zimmer's do show some promise, but more research is needed to understand the wider effects of these components before coming to any conclusions. Zimmer and his colleagues are now planning human trials to see whether older people can benefit from low doses of THC, and if so, from what age can they see benefits. There is no formula that can equate mouse months into human years. The trial will use purified THC rather than weed so the dosage can be controlled, possibly cia mouth spray. In a climate where only only 29 states and Washington, D.C. have laws in place medical marijuana, it's unlikely doctors will prescribe THC as a means to prevent cognitive decline in the elderly. However, it's exciting to see scientists trying to find a fountain of youth, even if it's through THC. What a time to be alive. Source: Gorzo-Bilkei A, Albayram O, Draffehn A et al. A chronic low dose of 9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) restores cognitive function in old mice. Nature Medicine. 2017. Related Articles Contents of the letter by former Tennessee teacher Tad Cummins to his wife just before absconding with his teen student Elizabeth Thomas, were released during a court hearing Friday. The letter was taken as evidence during the hearing. Cummins, 50, and 15-year-old Elizabeth were on the run for more than a month after disappearing March 13. Law enforcement officials in Tennessee launched a manhunt for the former teacher, who they believed kidnapped the teen. The two were found April 20 in northern Californias Siskiyou County. Cummins was arrested and taken to Tennessee for sex crime related charges. He made his second appearance in a federal court Friday, where new details about the case emerged. Prior to his disappearance, Cummins wrote a letter to his now-estranged wife Jill Cummins. At the time authorities said the letter was meant to mislead probe. However, Friday the contents of the letter were revealed. In the note, Cummins expressed frustration over Maury Countys Culleoka Unit Schools investigation over his inappropriate relationship with Elizabeth. He taught health science and the teen was his student. Jill, I am so sorry! I am on my way to Virginia Beach or maybe D.C. just to think and clear my mind of all this crap, the letter read. I am not running away. Ill be back. Dont call the police, theyll think I ran cause Im guilty and Im not! For more news videos visit Yahoo View, available on iOS and Android. During the hearing, federal Judge Barbara Holmes ruled Cummins to remain in jail before his trial starts. She cited the letter calling him a flight risk and a danger to the community. FBI agent Utley Noble, in his testimony, said Cummins had sex with Elizabeth on most nights when they were on the run. Their first sexual relationship began on the first night following their disappearance, according to Noble. Here, the evidence of danger is substantial, she said. Story continues Cummins is likely to face additional charges of statutory rape and prosecutors are planning to obtain recordings between him and Jill, who filed for divorce from him a few days after he went missing. Benjamin Galloway, Cummins' public defender in California previously said his client had no history of violence and no criminal history whatsoever, and that he did not force or threaten Elizabeth. However, Elizabeths family attorney Jason Whatley said the indication of the teen willingly going with Cummins was amazingly absurd. This is classic grooming and manipulation, Whatley reportedly said. And I predict this case will be studied years in the future about how authority figures like Tad Cummins can mess up young children who believe their lies and are manipulated into doing things they would never do. Cummins is also facing charges on taking a minor across state lines with intent to engage in sexual activity. The penalties include a minimum 10 years of jail and fines of about $250,000, the Tennessean reported quoting Holmes. Related Articles Donald Trump, frustrated with leaks from his communications team, is now possibly looking to replace them with producers and a host from television station Fox News. The channel, owned by Mr Trump's close friend Rupert Murdoch, has been an ardent supporter of the president and his aides. The murmurs of replacing the communications staff began when Mr Trump kept them in the dark about the firing of FBI Director James Comey. It left the team charged with explaining the decision to the American people with just an hour's notice and no real discussion with Mr Trump himself. Read more Donald Trump says he wants to do press briefings instead of Spicer Their message that Mr Trump decided to fire Mr Comey after reading a memo from the Department of Justice was reversed by Mr Trump himself the next day. He said in an interview with NBC News he had already decided to sack Mr Comey by the time Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein's memo came to him. He then went on Twitter to say that James Comey better hope that there are no 'tapes' of our conversations before he starts leaking to the press! For a White House accustomed to bouts of chaos, Mr Trump's handling of Mr Comey's firing could have serious and long-lasting implications. Already Mr Trump's decision appears to have emboldened the Senate intelligence committee investigating Russia's election interference and the president's associates, with lawmakers announcing a subpoena for former national security adviser Michael Flynn. He leans heavily on daughter Ivanka Trump and son-in-law Jared Kushner, as well as Hope Hicks, his trusted campaign spokeswoman and Keith Schiller, his longtime bodyguard. Mr Schiller was among those Trump consulted about Mr Comey and was entrusted by the president to deliver a letter informing the director of his firing. He has viewed even senior advisers suspiciously, including Steve Bannon and Chief of Staff Reince Priebus, when stories about internal White House in-fighting make it to the media. Story continues He increasingly sees himself as the White House's only effective spokesman and has even floated the idea of ending press briefings entirely in a move that has worried even Fox News host Jeanine Pirro, usually a vocal supporter of the president. As a very active President with lots of things happening, it is not possible for my surrogates to stand at podium with perfect accuracy!.... Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) May 12, 2017 ...Maybe the best thing to do would be to cancel all future "press briefings" and hand out written responses for the sake of accuracy??? Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) May 12, 2017 Mr Spicer was absent from nearly all press briefings in the days following the Comey firing. Instead deputy Sarah Huckabee Sanders made the rounds on morning news programs and conducted daily news briefings. The White House said Mr Spicer was called up to reserve duty for the Navy for those days. He serves as a public affairs officer at the Pentagon. However, the time away fueled rumours that Mr Spicer would be replaced by Fox News' "Take Five" host Kimberly Guilfoyle. Mr Spicer returned at the end of the week for a briefing to a barrage of questions about Mr Trump's erratic tweets and one reporter to asked if the president was out of control. That's, frankly, offensive, Mr Spicer said. A professor of history who predicted Donald Trump would win the race to the White House, has claimed the firing of James Comey as FBI Director is sufficient to see the President impeached. Allan Lichtman, who has correctly guessed the outcome of every presidential election since 1984, claimed Mr Trumps firing of Mr Comey was more serious than Watergate. He arguably could be impeached now, Mr Lichtman toldNewsweek. Arguably hes already obstructed justice and already violated the emoluments clause [regarding receiving gifts from foreign governments]. Im not saying we should impeach him now, Im calling for an impeachment investigation. @Impeach_D_Trump They should stand up to him for no other reason than it's the right thing to do. Mom (@IM4NY) May 14, 2017 Mr Lichtman may have reason for making such claims; he is promoting his latest book, The Case for Impeachment. We see credible reporting that he may well be guilty of obstructing justice in the FBI investigation, first by demanding loyalty to him personally from the man investigating him, he said. Thats pretty blatant obstruction of justice. And then by firing director Comey and then in effect lying initially, or having his team lie in his direction, about the reasons for the firing. For more news videos visit Yahoo View, available on iOS and Android. In the aftermath of last weeks firing of Mr Comey, the White House scrambled to provide an explanation for Mr Trumps actions. Officials sought to protect the President from accusations by Democrats and others, that he had fired him because he was heading the investigation into the possible collusion between the Trump campaign and Russias alleged efforts to influence the presidential election. Story continues White House spokespersons claimed he had been fired because of the way he handled the investigation into Hillary Clintons use of a private email server. The administration cited memos from Attorney General Jeff Sessions and Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein, which recommended getting rid of him. Yet it rapidly became clear, those memos had been hastily provided to provide cover for Mr Trump, who had decided last week to get rid of Mr Comey, Indeed, the President admitted as much himself in an interview with NBC News. When I decided to just do it, I said to myself, I said You know, this Russia thing with Trump and Russia is a made-up story, its an excuse by the Democrats for having lost an election that they shouldve won, he said. allan-lichtman.jpg Allan Lichtman (Getty) He called Mr Comey a showboat and a grandstander. Regardless of recommendation, I was going to fire Comey, Mr Trump said. The FBI has been in turmoil. You know that, I know that, everyone knows that. Mr Trump also claimed Mr Comey assured him on three separate occasions, including once over dinner and on another occasion over a phone call, that he was not personally under investigation. It has been reported that Mr Trump sought repeated oaths of loyalty from Mr Comey, despite the fact that his role is supposed to be independent and non-partisan. The White House has denied such demands were made. Sources close to Mr Comey have denied the Presidents version of events. Only two presidents have been impeached by the House of Representatives Andrew Johnson and Bill Clinton. No president has seen their impeachment approved by the Senate. For Mr Trump to be impeached, Republicans in the House would have to decide to turn on him. Alternatively, if the Republicans lost control of the house in the 2018 midterms, Democrats could lead such a move. A senior Republican senator has urged Donald Trump to back off and stop tweeting about the ongoing investigation into his campaigns alleged collusion with Russias purported efforts to interfere in the 2016 election. Days after Mr Trump fired James Comey as FBI Director, Senator Lindsey Graham said it was essential to get to the bottom of what was said between the President and the former top federal investigator. He urged Mr Comey to take up an invitation to testify under oath before the senate. Mr Graham spoke after Mr Trump claimed Mr Comey had told him on three occasions once over dinner that he was not personally under investigation. Mr Trump also appeared to suggest, in what was widely seen as a threat to Mr Comey, that there existed recordings of those conversations. GOP's Lindsey Graham to Trump: 1/ Give us the tapes 2/ Give us your tax returns 3/ Stop tweetinghttps://t.co/rO4oD6cYei Neil McMahon (@NeilMcMahon) May 14, 2017 I think we need Comey to come before the senate and explain what happened at that dinner, he said on NBC. If there are any tapes, they need to be handed over. We cant be cute about tapes. Mr Graham, a member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, was asked whether he thought it was appropriate for Mr Trump to have said on Twitter: James Comey better hope that there are no tapes of our conversations before he starts leaking to the press. The South Carolina senator said he thought the Presidents comments were not appropriate. Right now, I do not believe President Trump is a target or a subject of any investigation regarding collusion with the Russians. That's what I believe, he said. I would advise the President not to tweet or comment about the investigation as we go forward. He needs to back off. Story continues Video not available for syndication Donald Trump says James Comey told him multiple times he was not under investigation Mr Graham spoke as the White House was still scrambling to clean up the fallout of Mr Trumps decision last week to fire Mr Comey. Initially, White House officials said the decision had been taken because of Mr Comeys handling of the investigation into Hillary Clintons use of a private email server. Yet, amid claims from Democrats and others that the President had axed Mr Comey because of his role in leading the investigation into alleged links to Russia, Mr Trump admitted the probe had been a factor. He also said he had taken the decision before receiving a recommendation from officials in his Justice Department. When I decided to just do it, I said to myself, I said You know, this Russia thing with Trump and Russia is a made up story, its an excuse by the Democrats for having lost an election that they shouldve won, he told NBC, saying that Mr Comey was a showboat and a grandstander. Regardless of recommendation, I was going to fire Comey. The FBI has been in turmoil. You know that, I know that, everyone knows that. Mr Trump, who at the weekend delivered a commencement address at the US's biggest Christian college, also claimed Mr Comey assured him on three separate occasions, including once over dinner and on another occasion over a phone call, that he was not personally under investigation. It has been reported that Mr Trump sought repeated oaths of loyalty from Mr Comey, despite the fact that his role is supposed to be independent and non-partisan. The White House has denied such demands were made. Sources close to Mr Comey have denied the Presidents version of events. Mr Comey has yet to publicly comment on the claims. Over the weekend, it was reported that the former director of the FBI might accept an invitation to testify before the Senate Intelligence Committee, if the hearing were to be held in public. London (AFP) - The European Union could end up paying a Brexit bill to Britain instead of the other way round, British Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson told The Daily Telegraph in an interview on Saturday. Asked if he believed that Britain might end up receiving a payment, Johnson replied: "I do, I think there are very good arguments". "There are assets that we share, that we have paid for over the years and there will need to be a proper computation of the value of those assets," said Johnson, one of the leading lights in last year's Brexit referendum campaign. Johnson dismissed as "absurd" the various estimates for the exit fee that would have to be paid by Britain, which some reports have said could be as high as 100 billion euros ($109 billion). "They are going to try to bleed this country white with their bill," he said, threatening that Britain could "definitely" walk away from the negotiations without paying anything. The payments that London must make to settle financial commitments made when it was a member are considered one of the most difficult Brexit issues and are a top priority for the talks. A report in the Telegraph earlier this week said British officials estimated that Britain was entitled to A9 billion ($11.6 billion, 10.6 billion euros) in funds held by the European Investment Bank and A14 billion of other EU assets including property and cash. Johnson also criticised the "shameful" leaking of details of a meeting in Downing Street last month between Prime Minister Theresa May and European Commission president Jean-Claude Juncker. "Brussels is ruthless in its negotiating techniques. They are going to play dirty. We have got to be very wary and intellectually very firm," the former London mayor said. Quoting the famous Eagles hit, he added: "Jean-Claude Juncker thinks it's the Hotel California where you can check out but you can never leave. He is wrong." Tensions between Brussels and London have risen in the run-up to Britain's general election on June 8, with the government accusing EU officials of "meddling" in the election campaign. Cameron Burke and his wife and two children were ejected from a JetBlue flight due to a conflict over a birthday cake. (Photo: Twitter) In yet another story shedding light on the seeming continuous tension between travelers and flight crew, a New Jersey family is claiming JetBlue forced them off a plane at John F. Kennedy Airport in New York City over a dispute over a birthday cake. According to the family, the incident took place earlier this month, when Cameron Burke traveled with his two children, Cameron Jr., 7, and Camille, 9, and his wife, Minta, to celebrate her 40th birthday in Las Vegas on May 3. After bringing the cake onboard and reportedly receiving unclear instructions about how and where to store the cake, a disagreement ensued between flight crew and the Burke family. Video of portions of the incident were recorded by Cameron Burke and released via ABC 7 News. Jersey City family kicked off flight over a cake. @JetBlue says passenger was agitated/security risk. Video appears to tell different story. pic.twitter.com/q0zQzNbHoa CeFaan Kim (@CeFaanKim) May 14, 2017 JetBlue has pointed blame squarely on the Burkes. According to a spokesperson from the airline, the family stored the cake in a compartment reserved for emergency equipment. The customers became agitated, cursed and yelled at the crew and made false accusations about a crew members fitness to fly, stated JetBlue spokesman Doug McGraw. Burke sees things a little differently, claiming no one in his family raised their voices and they were never told why they had to leave the plane. As Burke described to ABC 7, it appears the situation escalated when the flight crew couldnt agree on what to do with the cake. You could see the gestures then she was pointing to her, did you tell him he couldnt put anything in the overhead compartment? Burke explained. I had approached them, and I said everything was fine, and she said, Sir, this does not involve you. When she told me I had been noncompliant, then I said maam, had you been drinking? because her behavior was not normal. Story continues Even after airport police were called in and decided no wrongdoing had occurred, the JetBlue crew ordered all passengers to exit the plane. Read more from Yahoo Style + Beauty Follow us on Instagram, Facebook, and Pinterest for nonstop inspiration delivered fresh to your feed, every day. For Twitter updates, follow @YahooStyle and @YahooBeauty. Tad Cummins, the man accused of kidnapping 15-year-old Elizabeth Thomas, had sex with the girl most nights while the two were missing, according to an FBI agents testimony. FBI Agent Utley Noble also said 50-year-old Cummins, who was formerly Elizabeths high school teacher, said the two began having a sexual relationship March 13, the day they disappeared. A federal judge ruled Friday that Cummins was to be held until his trial on the grounds that he was a flight risk and a danger to the community. U.S. Magistrate Judge Barbara Holmes cited Cummins abuse of his position of authority and his past attempts to evade police in issuing the decision. Here, the evidence of danger is substantial, she said. Read: Tad Cummins' Daughter Breaks Silence About Alleged Kidnapping An amber alert was issued for Elizabeth March 13 after she left her Tennessee home to attend a local restaurant and never returned. Police immediately suspected Cummins, a former teacher at Culleoka Unit School in Maury County, who was being investigated by school officials and local police for having an inappropriate relationship with Elizabeth. Surveillance footage caught Cummins filling up his car at a gas station near the restaurant. For more news videos visit Yahoo View, available now on iOS and Android. Investigators at the time were quick to caution that this could not be a consensual, romantic relationship. She is 15, a child. He is 50, a grown man, Tennessee Bureau of Investigation director Mark Gwynn told reporters shortly after the two went missing. Shes a high school freshman. Hes a former teacher. This is, and was, not a romance. This was manipulation solely to benefit Tad Cummins. This is not a fairy tale. This is a case of kidnapping. After the pair vanished, they were spotted only once, when TBI officials confirmed a sighting of them on security footage from a Walmart in Oklahoma City. Story continues The two were missing for 38 days before finally being located in Siskiyou County, a remote area of Northern California. Cummins was immediately arrested at the scene. Cummins could face additional charges of statutory rape and prosecutors sought to obtain recordings between him and his soon-to-be ex wife, Jill. She filed for divorce from Cummins shortly after he disappeared. Read: Everything We Know About Elizabeth Thomas And Tad Cummins I asked, Well, did you sleep with her? and he said, Yes I did, and I didnt want any details, Jill told Inside Edition of a conversation she had with her husband while he was at a federal detention center in California. Jill said she planned to have no relationship with her husband and was conspicuously absent from his first appearance in court. One of his daughters, however, said the past months events had not changed her opinion of her father. He was the definition of what a good father should be and still is, Ashley Cummins, 26, told Inside Edition. I believe that. He needs to at least know that everybodys not against him. Cummins faces both federal and state charges and could receive life in prison if convicted. A date for his trial hasn't been set. RTS138DJ Photo: Reuters SaveSave Related Articles Paris (AFP) - French president-elect Emmanuel Macron met party supporters Saturday on the eve of his inauguration and told candidates contesting key parliamentary elections next month that they had an "immense responsibility". The 39-year-old, who beat far-right candidate Marine Le Pen in a second round vote last week, was received "triumphantly" according to tweets by those attending the meeting. "You are the new faces of French politics," they quoted him as saying. "You have an immense responsibility." Macron has promised to refresh France's parliament and his party -- La Republique En Marche (REM, Republic on the Move) -- unveiled 428 out of its 577 candidates this week. Half of them have never held elected office, including a retired female bullfighter and a star mathematician, and half of them are women. The pro-Europe centrist had pledged to bring about a "revolution" in French politics that will inject fresh faces into the stale political landscape and end the pattern of power alternating between traditional parties. A former economy minister to outgoing President Francois Hollande, Macron is due to take oath on Sunday morning in a ceremony that starts at 10:00 am (0800 GMT). Around 1,500 police officers will be deployed near the presidential palace located in the heart of Paris and the nearby Champs Elysees and other roads will be blocked off. Macron won after one of the most unpredictable elections in modern history marked by scandal, repeated surprises and a last-minute hacking attack on his campaign. Hundreds of thousands of emails and documents stolen from his campaign were dumped online, leading Macron to call it an attempt at "democratic destabilisation". The election saw voters eject establishment figures, including one-time conservative favourite Francois Fillon. Unpopular Hollande was the first to bow to the rebellious mood in December as he became the first sitting president not to seek re-election in the French fifth republic, founded in 1958. Tabqa (Syria) (AFP) - When Dalal Ahmad heard that the fighters who expelled the Islamic State group from the Syrian town of Tabqa were distributing food, she began to run, desperate for any scraps. After more than a month of heavy fighting, and a siege that left the city in Raqa province cut off from supplies, Ahmad and others like her in Tabqa are hungry, exhausted and afraid. The Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), an alliance of Kurdish and Arab fighters, seized the town of Tabqa and the nearby dam on Wednesday after fierce fighting. The city has been ravaged by the clashes, and trash and dead bodies were visible on the streets 48 hours after the SDF announced Tabqa's capture. So when one of her neighbours told Ahmad that the SDF was distributing food in Tabqa's central market, she rushed over as fast as she could. But on her arrival, she found the "distribution" was nothing more than a few SDF fighters sharing their meals with local residents. "We're so fed up and disgusted with ourselves," she told AFP, her disappointment clear in her voice. "There's no water to wash or to clean with. Everything has been cut off: water, electricity, food," she said. "We want humanitarian groups to help us out before we die of hunger and disease." Nearby, a woman combed through the remains of an SDF meal, gathering discarded sandwiches and placing them in a box. "The situation in the town is very difficult, particularly because of the major food shortage caused by the fighting and the severing of supply routes after the town was surrounded by the SDF," said Rami Abdel Rahman, director of the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights monitor. - 'Flies and dirt' - On another street, residents waited to fill bottles at a water tank, their supply cut by the fighting for the nearby Tabqa dam. Around them was evidence of the fight for the town, including damaged buildings and the body of a suspected IS fighter lying in the street. Story continues Uncollected rubbish sat in small piles along the road, attracting clouds of flies. In the market, shopkeepers worked to clean the street in front of their businesses. "There is a lot of illness spreading because of the bodies that are still scattered about, which are starting to smell," said 40-year-old Abdel Rahman Shakrushi. "There are flies and dirt everywhere, which is affecting our health." Abdel Rahman said hundreds of people were still missing in the town, with the bodies of many people killed in air strikes still believed to be under rubble. IS jihadists seized Tabqa in 2014, and the town was a key prize for the SDF as they press an operation to recapture the extremist group's Syrian bastion of Raqa, 55 kilometres (35 miles) to the east. The SDF operation was backed by heavy air strikes from the US-led coalition, and civilians trapped in the fighting were terrified. Some were able to escape, and made their way towards the SDF fighters, but others like 20-year-old Muhannad Haj Omar moved around the town looking for safety. "We were going from place to place, from house to house. We didn't even know where we were any more," he said. - 'They destroyed our lives' - Even with IS expelled, and facing a final assault on their stronghold, fear of the group remains strong in Tabqa. Ahmad was still wearing the all-enveloping black robes and face veil that IS required of all women living under its rule. "We're still afraid that they could come back and attack the city. We're afraid for our children," she said. "I don't want to remove the face veil, even though I didn't wear it before Daesh came," she added, using the Arabic acronym for IS. In the middle of the market was a signpost with two horizontal crossbars that residents said IS fighters used to display the bodies of those killed for violating its harsh rules. One resident told AFP on condition on anonymity that his son, a pharmacist, was hung from the post after being executed on accusations of "dealing with the infidels". "They left him there for three days, and I came every day to guard his body so the dogs wouldn't tear into it," he said with tears in his eyes. He refused to give his name or be filmed, saying he too remained afraid that IS could return and take revenge. Omar shook his head as he recalled the terror IS brought to the town. "They made us hate living and life," he said. "They destroyed our lives." 2 injured as Chand Maoist cadres clash with police in Kalikot Two persons were injured when the Netra Bikram Chand-led CPN Maoist cadres clashed with police personnel in Malkot Village Council in Kalikot district on Sunday. Former national intelligence director hammers the presidents actions, calling James Comeys firing another victory for Russia James Clapper testifies on Capitol Hill, during the Senate judiciary subcommittee hearing on Russian interference in the 2016 election. Photograph: Pablo Martinez Monsivais/AP James Clapper, the former director of national intelligence, has accused Donald Trump of placing American democratic institutions under assault following the sacking of James Comey and cautioned that the former FBI directors removal is another victory for Russia. The forceful criticism comes as the Department of Justice began screening candidates for Comeys replacement and Democrats renewed calls for a special prosecutor to oversee an investigation into Russias interference in the 2016 election. I think in many ways our institutions are under assault, Clapper told CNNs State of the Union on Sunday. Both externally, and thats the big news here, is Russian interference in our election system. And I think as well our institutions are under assault internally. When asked to clarify if the internal assault came from the president directly, the former spy chief added: Exactly. In a later interview on ABC news, Clapper added that the Russians have to consider this [Comeys sacking] as another victory on the scoreboard for them. The bleak assessment came days after Trump claimed on Twitter that Clapper had determined there is no collusion with reference to his presidential campaign and Russia, a characterization that Clapper has refuted. The former national intelligence director, who served under the Obama administration from 2010 until Trumps inauguration, said during a March interview that he had no knowledge of any collusion between the Republicans campaign and Russian operatives. He has since clarified that during his time in office he was also unaware of an FBI investigation into such collusion, adding on Sunday: I dont know if there was collusion. And I dont know of any evidence to it so I cant refute it and I cant confirm it. An NBC/Wall Street Journal poll released on Sunday found only 29% of Americans approved of Comeys firing, while 78% supported an independent commission or special prosecutor to investigate Russias interference in the election. Story continues Donald Trump has said he hopes finding a replacement for James Comey will go quickly. Photograph: Mary F. Calvert/Reuters The result is likely to bolster Democrats. Senate minority leader Chuck Schumer renewed calls for a special prosecutor, and raised questions over whether US attorney general Jeff Sessions had violated the terms of his recusal from the Russia investigation by recommending the removal of Comey. Sessions recused himself after it emerged he had failed to disclose contacts between himself and Russian ambassador Sergey Kislyak during the 2016 campaign. The actions of the last week make all the more reason that he should not be attorney general, Schumer told CNN on Sunday. Senate Democrats are discussing the possibility of blocking Trumps eventual nominee to replace Comey until a special prosecutor is appointed. Schumer on Sunday indicated he was supportive of such a move. Comey has rejected an invitation to testify in a closed door Senate committee hearing next week, but has reportedly expressed a desire to testify in public at a later date. Clapper said on Sunday he had been in contact with the former FBI director by email, but declined to characterize the nature of their conversation. Comey has made no public comment since he was sacked on Tuesday, but was spotted on Saturday at a matinee performance of the Broadway musical Fun Home, which is currently on tour in Washington DC. On Saturday at least eight candidates for the vacant FBI position met Sessions and deputy attorney general Rod Rosenstein at the justice department. The list included the acting FBI director Andrew McCabe, Alice Fisher, a high-ranking justice department official in the George W Bush administration, Texas Republican senator John Cornyn, and former Republican congressman Mike Rogers, who is also a former FBI agent. Rogers has won the endorsement of the FBI agents association, which represents 13,000 former and current agents and has ties to Trump surrogate and former New York mayor Rudy Giuliani. Trump told reporters on Air Force One on Saturday that he predicted the selection and nomination process is going to go quickly. Almost all of them are very well-known, Trump said before taking off for Lynchburg, Virginia, where he gave the commencement address at Liberty University. Theyve been vetted over their lifetime, essentially, but very well-known, highly respected, really talented people. And thats what we want for the FBI. Schumer, on Sunday, argued that the eventual nominee should not be a partisan politician and should be someone with courage to stand up to attempted interference with the Russia investigation. Schumers call was echoed by at least one Republican senator on Sunday, as Lindsey Graham told NBCs Meet the Press he believed the new FBI director should be someone who comes from within the ranks or has such a reputation that has no political backgrounds at all, that can go into the job on day one. Graham added of the ongoing investigation into Russias interference in the election: The president needs to back off here and let the investigation go forward. SEOUL, South Korea (AP) -- The Latest on North Korea's missile launch (all times local): 12:30 p.m. Australia's prime minister has called on China to use its leverage over North Korea to end the regime's missile testing. Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull told reporters in Sydney on Monday that North Korea's conduct was "reckless," ''provocative" and "unlawful." Australia will work with the United States and other countries to impose sanctions on Pyongyang. "The greatest responsibility for bringing North Korea to its senses ... lies with China," Turnbull says. "They have the overwhelming dominant economic relationship with North Korea and because they have the greatest leverage, they have the greatest responsibility," he added. ___ 9:10 a.m. Monday North Korea says the medium long-range strategic missile it tested over the weekend can carry a nuclear warhead. The country's official Korean Central News Agency says the missile fired Sunday Korea time was a Hwasong-12 "capable of carrying a large-size heavy nuclear warhead." The South Korean, Japanese and U.S. militaries say the missile flew for half an hour and reached an unusually high altitude before landing in the Sea of Japan. Tokyo says the flight pattern could indicate a new type of missile. Japanese officials say the missile flew for about 30 minutes, traveling about 800 kilometers (500 miles) and reaching an altitude of 2,000 kilometers (1,240 miles). ___ 11:25 p.m. The Trump administration seems to be throwing cold water for now on the idea of talks with North Korea. A top North Korean diplomat had said on Saturday a day before the latest missile test from the North that her country would be willing to meet with the Trump administration for negotiations "if the conditions are set." And earlier this month, President Donald Trump seemed to open the door to talks when he said he'd be "honored" to meet North Korean leader Kim Jong Un. Story continues But Nikki Haley, the U.S. ambassador to the United Nations, told ABC's "This Week" on Sunday that "having a missile test is not the way to sit down with the president, because he's absolutely not going to do it." Haley said that Kim "can sit there and say all the conditions he wants. Until he meets our conditions, we're not sitting down with him." ___ 8 p.m. Italian Premier Paolo Gentiloni says the G-7 summit his country is hosting later this month will discuss how to deal with the risk North Korea's missile launchings pose to global security. Gentiloni, who is visiting China and Russia this week, recommended a response of "firmness," which he suggested should be "predominantly economic." He urged an approach of diplomacy, noting that Italy could play a role since it heads the U.N. sanctions committee. Referring to North Korea's latest ballistic missile test, conducted on Sunday, Gentiloni said in Beijing that "you must not consider these things as local bizarreness or strangeness." The Italian leader said that "it's a serious problem for global stability and security, and I'm convinced that the upcoming G-7, in friendship, will contribute to resolving this issue." The summit, in Sicily, is May 26-27. ___ 3:35 p.m. China's foreign ministry has expressed opposition to North Korea's test-launch of a ballistic missile and called on all sides to exercise restraint. A Ministry spokeswoman, Hua Chunying, said in a statement Sunday faxed to The Associated Press that the situation on the Korean peninsula is "complex and sensitive." Hua says countries "should not do things that further escalate tensions in the region." In Beijing, Chinese President Xi Jinping told his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin that their countries are both playing an "important role as a balancing power" in world affairs by seeking a peaceful way out for of the crises in Syria and the Korean Peninsula. China, North Korea's most important ally and key provider of food and fuel aid, has sought to cool tensions over Pyongyang's nuclear and missile programs, repeatedly calling for dialogue. Shen Dingli, a professor of international relations at Fudan University in Shanghai, says North Korea conducted the test to show its "determination to develop nuclear weapons and missiles remains unchanged." ___ 1:15 p.m. Japan's Foreign Minister Fumio Kishida says he and his South Korean counterpart have agreed that dialogue for dialogue's sake with North Korea is meaningless in the wake of Pyongyang's latest missile test. Kishida says he and South Korean Foreign Minister Yun Byung-se shared the view that dialogue is important for resolving the North Korean tensions. They also acknowledged the importance of the role China is playing in its dealings with its North Korean ally. Kishida says the international community should prioritize efforts to implement the existing U.N. Security Council resolutions barring North Korea's missile and nuclear technology more thoroughly. He says Japan and the U.S. also started discussing the sanctions on North Korea, but did not elaborate. Experts have said the sanctions have been largely ineffective because North Korea still has trade and investment with China and Russia. Kishida says: "We need to keep studying what could be the most effective while monitoring how North Korea would respond." ___ 12:30 p.m. Japan's Prime Minister Shinzo Abe said he and South Korean President Moon Jae-in discussed by phone North Korea's latest missile test, while his top national security adviser also spoke with his U.S. counterpart. Abe says "Japan is closely cooperating with the U.S. and South Korea and analyzing the situation as we firmly respond to the development." It was his second appearance before reporters Sunday after North Korea fired the missile that Japanese officials say may have been a new type given its flight time and unusually high altitude. Abe added that the three countries also seek to cooperate with China and Russia to pressure North Korea to comply with U.N. Security Council resolutions to stop further missile and nuclear tests. ___ Noon The White House says President Donald Trump "cannot imagine that Russia is pleased" with North Korea's latest missile test because the missile landed so close to Russian soil. In a statement issued Saturday night, the White House press secretary points out that the missile landed closer to Russia than to Japan. The White House says North Korea has been "a flagrant menace for far too long." And it says South Korea and Japan have been watching this situation closely with the U.S. The statement says the U.S. maintains its "ironclad commitment" to stand with its allies in the face of the serious threat posed by North Korea. And the White House says the latest "provocation" should serve as a call for all nations to implement far stronger sanctions against the North. ___ 10:50 a.m. Japan's defense minister says the missile test-fired by North Korea might have been a new type given the altitude and duration of its flight. Defense Minister Tomomi Inada told reporters there is a possibility that it was a new type of ballistic missile, saying it flew Sunday for about 30 minutes and an altitude exceeding 2,000 kilometers (1,240 miles). She says more analysis was needed. Earlier, Japanese officials said the missile landed in the Sea of Japan but outside the country's exclusive economic zone. South Korea's President Moon Jae-in has strongly condemned the launch, saying there was still the possibility of dialogue with North Korea but that Seoul would deal sternly with any such provocations. ___ 10:20 a.m. South Korean President Moon Jae-in has strongly condemned rival North Korea's missile test-launch as a "clear" violation of U.N. Security Council resolutions and a "serious challenge" to international peace and security. According to senior presidential secretary Yoon Young-chan, Moon expressed "deep regret" over the fact this "provocation" occurred just days after a new government was sworn in in South Korea. Yoon quoted Moon as saying South Korea is "leaving open the possibility of dialogue with North Korea, but we should sternly deal with a provocation to prevent North Korea from miscalculating." ___ 9:35 a.m. Japan's Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga says the missile test-fired by North Korea flew 800 kilometers (500 miles) for about 30 minutes and landed in the Sea of Japan, but not inside Japan's exclusive economic zone. He says there are no reports indicating there was any safety impact on aircraft and ship transport. He says the missile was not flying toward Japan and that the country did not launch a safety alert system. Prime Minister Shinzo Abe told reporters Sunday that the launch, which is banned by the United Nations, is "absolutely unacceptable" and that Japan will respond resolutely. He says officials are studying possible implications of the launch that came days after South Korea's new president took office and an international conference is being hosted by China. Japan also lodged protest to North Korea over the missile launch through the Japanese Embassy in Beijing. Paris (AFP) - Emmanuel Macron became France's youngest ever president on Sunday, promising at his inauguration to restore the country's lost confidence and relaunch the flagging European Union. Macron, a 39-year-old centrist, took the reins of power from Socialist Francois Hollande at the Elysee Palace a week after his resounding victory over far-right leader Marine Le Pen in an election that was watched worldwide. After a private meeting with his former mentor Hollande and his first speech as president, Macron headed up the rainy Champs Elysees in an army vehicle, waving to small crowds of wellwishers who gathered along the famed avenue. Macron said his first priority would be "to give back to the French people the confidence that for too long has been flagging". "I will convince our compatriots that France's power is not in decline, but that we are at the dawn of an extraordinary renaissance because we have all the qualities which will make... the great powers of the 21st century," he said. While France's place was in the European Union "which protects us and enables us to project our values in the world," the 28-member bloc needed to be "reformed and relaunched", the president said. Macron also suggested he would press on with his ambitious agenda to reform France's rigid labour market and modernise the social security system despite the fierce resistance he is likely to meet. Some analysts and opponents have questioned the strength of Macron's mandate after he won just 24.01 percent in the first round of the presidential election on April 23 before his landslide victory over Le Pen in the second. His rivals on the far-right and far-left, opposed to the EU and major economic reforms, won around 50 percent of the first-round vote. - A man of his time? - The former investment banker was proclaimed president by Laurent Fabius, president of the Constitutional Council, at the 18th-century presidential palace in central Paris where Macron and his wife Brigitte will now live. Story continues Brigitte, a 64-year-old who was his high school drama teacher, wore a light blue Louis Vuitton outfit for the ceremony. Her three children from her previous marriage were also present along with VIPs from France's political scene and the young team of advisors behind Macron's sensational rise. Security was tight, with around 1,500 police officers deployed near the presidential palace and on the Champs Elysees, and surrounding roads blocked off. At the end of the formalities, a 21-gun salute rang out from the Invalides military hospital on the other side of the River Seine. Macron then headed to a hospital outside Paris where soldiers wounded in military operations are treated. He later visited the capital's town hall for the traditional visit made by each new president to his "host city". There he promised to "campaign fully" in the bid by Paris to host the 2024 Olympics, which he said was exactly the kind of event to boost national optimism. "The challenge of the next five years will be to prevent our country from falling apart," he said. The new president faces a host of daunting challenges including tackling stubbornly high unemployment, fighting Islamist-inspired violence and healing divisions exposed by an often vicious election campaign. Hollande's five years in power were plagued by a sluggish economy and bloody terror attacks that killed more than 230 people. He leaves office after a single term. - Prime minister, then Merkel - Macron's first week will be busy. On Monday, he will name his prime minister, rumoured to be Edouard Philippe, a conservative MP and mayor of the northern port city of Le Havre. Macron will then fly to Berlin to meet German Chancellor Angela Merkel, maintaining a French presidential tradition of making the first European trip to the other half of the EU's power couple. The new French leader wants to push for closer cooperation to help the bloc overcome the imminent departure of Britain. He also intends to press for the creation of a parliament and budget for the eurozone. Merkel welcomed Macron's victory over Le Pen, saying he carried "the hopes of millions of French people and also many in Germany and across Europe". Further ahead, Macron will need to win a majority in parliamentary elections in June to enact his ambitious reform agenda. His 13-month-old political movement "Republique en Marche" (Republic on the Move, REM) intends to field candidates in virtually every constituency in the country. It unveiled 428 of its 577 candidates this week. Half have never held elected office, including a retired female bullfighter and a star mathematician, and half are women. A Tennessee man died after setting himself on fire on Facebook Live, police said. Police said they arrived at Murphy's Bar in midtown Memphis on Saturday night and discovered the man severely burned. Read: Mother Streams Beating of Her Daughter on Facebook Live: 'I'm Gonna Need Y'All to Send This Viral' The man, whom Fox 13 identified as Jared McLemore, 33, reportedly doused himself with kerosene while recording live and then ran into the bar. McLemore allegedly erupted in flames in front of horrified patrons, including his ex-girlfriend who works at the establishment. This gentleman comes running into the room on fire screaming incomprehensibly, one witness told Fox 8. Witnesses said some initially thought it was a joke while others tried to help put him out, throwing t-shirts and jackets on him to no avail. McLemore was taken to the hospital where he later died. Another man, who was reportedly trying to help, suffered burns when he tried to take McLemores lighter away. Read: Teen Girl Rescued by Sheriff's Deputies After Attempting Suicide on Facebook Live He was also taken to the hospital in non-critical condition, according to reports. McLemores ex-girlfriend, Alyssa Moore, told Fox 13 that he had a history of domestic violence and threatening to kill her. A GoFundMe has been set up for Moore in the aftermath of McLemore's death. Facebook has taken the video down. Watch: 26-Year-Old Mom Streams Her Death on Facebook While Holding 1-Year-Old Son Related Articles: Protesters gather at Lee Park in Charlottesville, Va., on Saturday. (Allison Wrabel/The Daily Progress via ABC News) The mayor of Charlottesville, Va., condemned Saturday nights demonstration by a large group of torch-bearing white nationalists who were protesting the removal of statues honoring Confederate Gens. Robert E. Lee and Stonewall Jackson. This event involving torches at night in Lee Park was either profoundly ignorant or was designed to instill fear in our minority populations in a way that hearkens back to the days of the KKK, Charlottesville Mayor Mike Signer said in a statement. Either way, as mayor of this city, I want everyone to know this: We reject this intimidation. We are a welcoming city, but such intolerance is not welcome here. I think its horrific, Signer told ABC News. Were a city that proudly values our diversity. According to the Daily Progress, a local newspaper, several dozen protesters gathered in the park around 9 p.m. carrying torches and chanting, You will not replace us, Blood and soil and Russia is our friend. A spokesman for the Charlottesville Police Department told Yahoo News that the first responding officer on the scene observed 100 to 150 people in the park, many of whom were carrying tiki-style torches. The officer said that several members of the large group were arguing with single male who was yelling at them to leave my town. The officer began telling the group to leave the park, and as additional units arrived, all parties involved began to leave the park without incident. No assaults, injuries or damage to the park were reported, and no arrests were made, the spokesman said. Last month, the Charlottesville City Council voted to sell the Lee statue, but a judge later issued an injunction preventing the city from doing so for six months. In February, Signer signaled his support of a plan not to move the statues but instead design new monuments that add to history and challenge and transform the Jim Crow legacy that some believe the statues represent. The City Council is expected to meet again Monday to discuss the issue. Story continues Richard Spencer noted white nationalist and leader of the so-called alt-right was among the torch-carrying protesters. What brings us together is that we are white, we are a people, we will not be replaced, Spencer said in a video he posted using Periscope. Tom Perriello, a Virginia gubernatorial candidate, lashed out at Spencer on Twitter. Get your white supremacist hate out of my hometown, Perriello wrote. Get your white supremacist hate out of my hometown. https://t.co/KfkxHImvze Tom Perriello (@tomperriello) May 13, 2017 We won, you lost, little Tommy, Spencer shot back. We won, you lost, little Tommy. https://t.co/M7qAAJ4VGa Richard ???? Spencer (@RichardBSpencer) May 13, 2017 Actually, you lost. In 1865, Perriello replied. 150 years later, youre still not over it. Actually, you lost. In 1865. 150 years later, you're still not over it. https://t.co/pVLyn3gAjB Tom Perriello (@tomperriello) May 13, 2017 Meanwhile, Signer spent part of his weekend publicly responding to hate-filled Twitter messages. Some especially high-quality trolls out tonight. https://t.co/kSVtuRscrZ Mike Signer (@MikeSigner) May 14, 2017 I'm not an expert, but I love how all these anonymous trolls try and use tropes of machismo to attack actual leaders. #profileincourage. https://t.co/yBvYKl7FOw Mike Signer (@MikeSigner) May 14, 2017 Always good to sample a little good old anonymous Trump-era trolling to learn the true incoherence we're facing. Also, no daughters here. https://t.co/4bAdI5yV1w Mike Signer (@MikeSigner) May 13, 2017 Read more from Yahoo News: Dusseldorf (Germany) (AFP) - Chancellor Angela Merkel dealt a devastating blow to her main rival on Sunday, four months before national elections, when early results showed her party securing a strong win in a regional vote in Germany's biggest state. Her Christian Democratic Union (CDU) clinched 34.3 percent of the vote in North Rhine-Westphalia (NRW), first results showed, snatching control of the sprawling industrial region which has been a Social Democratic Party (SPD) stronghold for decades. The SPD only managed to garner 30.6 percent, its worst score in history in the state and sharply down from its 2012 showing of 39.1 percent, in a serious hit to confidence ahead of general elections in September. SPD leader Martin Schulz admitted that the loss in his home state marked a "difficult day for the SPD" and for him personally, but urged supporters to battle on. "We received a body blow, but we are still striving in the ring... now we're going into the next round, the deciding round. At the end, when we look to the judge, it's going to be the voters who raise the winner's arms," he said. The former European Parliament president turned to France for courage. "My friend Emmanuel Macron was at the bottom five months ago, and now, he is president," said Schulz of the new French leader who took office on Sunday. But Germany's best-selling daily Bild noted that "with the clear state election failures, it would be very difficult for the SPD to win the general elections in September." Likewise, Spiegel Online said: "Martin Schulz now needs a miracle." - High stakes - With a fifth of Germans -- 13.1 million -- eligible to vote in North Rhine-Westphalia, an election in the western state is always closely watched. It carries even higher stakes this year, being the last regional vote before national polls and having a direct impact on whether the SPD can close a nationwide gap of around 10 percentage points with the CDU. Story continues "We are going into the national elections with a lot of confidence," said lawmaker Michael Grosse-Broemer, who heads the CDU parliamentary group in the Bundestag, noting that the latest win gave the party further "tailwind". The SPD had already suffered two setbacks since Schulz took over, with the CDU scoring strong victories in the small states of Saarland and Schleswig-Holstein. Sunday's humiliating result in its stronghold may raise serious questions on the centre-left party's strategy. Schulz had hoped that his push for "social justice" would resonate in NRW, which has lagged behind western Germany economically. He argued that many people are struggling in temporary or low-paid jobs even though the country as a whole is growing richer. But Merkel, who had also gone all out to sway the state of 18 million people, including 4.2 million of migrant origin, took aim at Schulz's arguments. Her party, she said, offered "justice in the sense of jobs, strong budgets, funds for local communities." She had urged voters to look at her government's economic record, noting that with 7.5 percent unemployment, the state fares worse than the national rate of 5.8 percent. - Security problem - The state's SPD-led governing coalition has also been under fire over security failures, and junior partner Greens also suffered a setback Sunday with polling reaching 6.0 percent, just above half of the 2012 score of 11.3 percent. State interior minister Ralf Jaeger has faced criticism for failing to detain Anis Amri, the Tunisian asylum seeker suspected in the deadly Berlin Christmas market rampage last year. Amri had lived in the state and was deemed a threat by intelligence officials, but Jaeger argued that there was insufficient evidence to lock him up. On Jaeger's watch, Cologne also became the scene of mass sexual assaults by groups of mostly North African men on New Year's Eve of 2015-2016, inflaming the debate over the 890,000 asylum seekers Germany welcomed in 2015. The populist AfD (Alternative for Germany), which has railed against the migration influx, on Sunday secured its first seats in NRW, which would see it represented in 13 of 16 state parliaments. Liberal party FDP saw a revival, polling at 12 percent in the state, after being consigned to political wilderness when it failed to cross the five-percent hurdle in national election in 2013. 25-42 pc votes cast so far: EC [UPDATE] The average voting has reached 20 percent by 10.15am in 32 districts, according to EC. By Wa Lone YANGON (Reuters) - Myanmar police have arrested two radical Buddhist nationalists and are seeking several more after they clashed with Muslims in the country's commercial capital Yangon, underscoring the authorities' growing concern over rising religious tensions. The arrests came after nationalists led by the Patriotic Monks Union (PMU) raided flats on Tuesday in a Yangon district with a large Muslim population, igniting scuffles that were only broken up when police fired shots into the air. Two weeks ago, the same people had forced the closure of two Muslim schools. "We have arrested two people since yesterday evening, and are still looking for the rest of them," said Police Major Khin Maung Oo, in charge the police station in Yangon's Mingalar Taung Nyunt district, where this week's scuffles took place. Tensions between majority Buddhists and Myanmar's Muslim minority have simmered since scores were killed and tens of thousands displaced in intercommunal clashes accompanying the onset of the country's democratic transition in 2012 and 2013. Mutual distrust has deepened since October, when attacks by Rohingya Muslim insurgents in northwestern Rakhine state provoked a massive military counter-offensive, causing around 75,000 Rohingya to flee across the border to Bangladesh. The 13-month-old administration of Aung San Suu Kyi had made tentative moves against nationalist hardliners, but the arrests mark a significant step-up in the government's efforts, highlighting official concerns over a potential outbreak of violence in the country's main city, which has a substantial Muslim population. Brigadier General Mya Win, the commander of Yangon's regional police security command, said extra security forces had been deployed and the police were on high alert to prevent communal violence. "We are patrolling around Muslim areas and have taken security measures around places of worship," he told Reuters. Leaders of the nationalist PMU said they were acting independently of the Ma Ba Tha, a larger radical Buddhist and anti-Muslim organization that counts among its leaders the firebrand monk Wirathu, who once called himself "Myanmar's Bin Laden". Ma Ba Tha holds its nationwide congress in Yangon, a city of more than 5 million that has been a focus of foreign investment since a former military government ceded power in 2012, in two weeks and is expecting about 10,000 monks to attend. TARGETING MUSLIMS In both incidents, PMU monks and lay sympathizers targeted Muslim areas after attending a trial of fellow nationalists facing charges of inciting violence during a protest in front of the United States embassy in Yangon last year. "We didn't want any confrontation with the nationalists so we allowed them to shut down our schools," said Tin Shwe, the chairman of the Muslim schools, referring to an incident on April 28. Tin Shwe, and a lawmaker from the ruling National League for Democracy, told Reuters the nationalists came to the schools with local administrators and policemen. On Tuesday the group, again accompanied by local authorities and police, searched a building in a different part of Yangon shortly before midnight, claiming some Rohingya Muslims were staying there illegally. Local residents confronted the nationalists, gathered in front of the building, prompting police officers to fire warning shots to break up the crowd. A Yangon court issued the arrest warrant against seven people, including two monks, charging them with inciting communal violence, which carries a penalty of up to two years in prison. At a news conference on Tuesday, organized shortly before the arrest warrants were issued, the nationalists vowed to keep fighting Muslim influence in the country, citing government reluctance to "protect race and religion" in Myanmar. "We are protecting our people because government authorities are reluctant to do that. Even though many people hate us, we are not creating problems," U Thuseikta, a monk and a senior official of the PMU, told reporters. Tin Shwe, the Muslim community leader, said: "We want to get equal treatment and be protected by the government - we voted for them with our hands." (Reporting by Wa Lone; Editing by Antoni Slodkowski and Alex Richardson) North Korea launched an unidentified projectile early Saturday morning, the South Korean military confirmed to Reuters. While the objects exact nature remained unknown, it was likely a ballistic missile. If the launch was, in fact, a ballistic missile, it would be the first the North fired in the two weeks since its last missile test, which failed a mere two minutes into its flight. North Korea has launched four unsuccessful missile tests over the past two months. Despite the tests ultimate failure, the North likely gleaned significant technical knowledge from the launches, according to Reuters. Its unclear what the launch means for the already tenuous relationship between the United States and North Korea. Both regions have warned each other against taking military action in recent months. President Donald Trump and senior officials in his administration have said that no action is off the table. Read: How Far Can North Korea's Nuclear Missiles Reach? There is a chance that we could end up having a major, major conflict with North Korea, the president told Reuters in April. Wed love to solve things diplomatically by its very difficult. GettyImages-668703980 Photo: Getty Images Vice President Mike Pence reiterated the point during a visit to the demilitarized zone between North and South Korea the same month. Pence essentially ushered in a new era of relations between the U.S. and North Korea, saying the policy of strategic patience was no longer adequate. Since 1992, the United States and our allies have stood together for a denuclearized Korean Peninsula, Pence said. We hope to achieve this objective through peaceable means, but all options are on the table. For more news videos visit Yahoo View, available on iOS and Android. Story continues The U.S. began installation of its missile defense system, or Terminal High Altitude Area Defense system (THAAD), in South Korea in April. The system would, ideally, decimate North Korean missiles before they had a chance to successfully hit their targets. The North, as well as protesters in South Korea, denounced the move by saying it created even more tension in an already strained relationship. By relentlessly bringing in a number of strategic nuclear assets to the Korean peninsula, the U.S. is gravely threatening the peace and safety and driving the situation to the brink of nuclear war, North Korean officials said in a statement. This has created a dangerous situation in which thermo-nuclear war may break out at any moment. Read: North Korea Accuses U.S. Of Trying To Assassinate Kim Jong Un The secretive nature of North Korean military operations makes it near-impossible to discern the exact capabilities of its existing missiles. Military officials have said recently that while the North likely does not yet have the ability to fire long-range missiles that would reach places like the U.S., theyre not far off from the technology. Estimates still vary about the exact distance the missiles might currently be able to reach. Some suggest they could make it as far as 4,000 km, allowing the country to reach targets like U.S. military bases in Guam. Outside nations have urged North Korea and the U.S. to de-escalate the situation before it spirals out of control. The United States and North Korea are engaging in tit for tat, Chinas foreign ministry, Wang Yi, said in April. We call on all parties to refrain from provoking and threatening each other, whether words or actions, and not let the situation get to an irreversible and unmanageable stage. Force cannot solve the problem, dialogue can be the only channel to resolve the problem. GettyImages-664650762 Photo: Getty Images Related Articles North Korea would agree to meet with Trump administration officials if the conditions are set, a senior North Korean diplomat has said amid ongoing concerns about the rogue states development of nuclear weapons and intercontinental missile technology. Choi Sun-hee, who handles relations with the US, did not explain what conditions would be necessary as she spoke to an Associated Press reporter and other journalists in Beijing after arriving back from an informal meeting with US experts in Norway. The US and North Korea last held face-to-face talks in 2008, when international negotiations over the latters nuclear weapons collapsed. President Donald Trump said earlier this month he would be honoured to meet North Korean leader Kim Jong-un. South Koreas Yonhap news agency reported Ms Choe met Suzanne DiMaggio, director of the US think tank New America, Thomas Pickering, a former US ambassador to the United Nations, and Robert Einhorn, a former special adviser on arms control to the US State Department, in Oslo. And Ms Choe confirmed: I met with Pickering and I will discuss it when given the opportunity in the future. Read more North Korea could be preparing to strike US from space, claims expert When asked if the North was also planning talks with South Korea, she added: We will observe the situation. A US State Department official said the track-two talks in Norway did not have official recognition. Track-two meetings are routinely held on a variety of topics around the world and occur independent of US government involvement, a State Department official said. A North Korean defector recently warned that Mr Kim would launch a nuclear weapon if he believed his regime was under threat. He would wage nuclear war even if he knew it would mean finishing himself and harming the North Korean people because he is young and ambitious and doesnt care about the lives of North Koreans, the defector told The Independent. He also doesnt know anything about their lives. A registered sex offender was arrested for allegedly chopping a womans hair off without her knowledge as she rode public transportation in Oregon, police said. The woman was riding a TriMet bus when a man approached her, pulled out a scissor and cut a clump of her hair off before fleeing on May 1, Portland police said. Authorities released footage of the man, who they identified as 30-year-old Jared Walter, a sex offender with three previous convictions for similar behavior targeting women of all ages, cops said. Police on Wednesday released images of Walter, who previously had been sent to jail for cutting and masturbating in womens hair as they rode TriMet buses, and announced a $1,000 reward in an effort to take him into custody after the most recent incident. Read: Women Reveal What It's Like to Be in a Relationship With a Sex Offender and Why They Stay We will not tolerate this type of behavior on our transit system," Harry Saporta, TriMet's executive director of safety and security, said in a statement. "As this individual has clearly shown he will continue to re-offend despite repercussions, we will work closely with transit police and the district attorney's office to find this individual and seek the harshest penalty possible. Hours after his photo was released, a resident spotted Walter at a Walmart, followed him and held him until police arrived to make their arrest, officials said. Walter was charged with two counts of harassment and two counts of interfering with public transportation. Read: Sex Offender Arrested After Arranging to Have Sex With 13-Year-Old Girl, but Meets Her Dad Instead: Cops He pleaded not guilty when he appeared in court Thursday and a judge set bail at $100,000. While straphangers can only be banned from the transit system for a maximum of six months, authorities are investigating the possibility of banning Walter for a longer period, Saporta said. Story continues We, along with transit police, are dedicated to assuring a safe system for all of our riders, he said. Walter is due back in court in June. Watch: See What Happened When Parole Officers Visited Sex Offenders on Halloween Related Articles: The question of whether a God exists is heating up in the 21st century. According to a Pew survey, the percentage of Americans having no religious affiliation reached 23 percent in 2014. Among such nones, 33 percent said that they do not believe in God an 11 percent increase since only 2007. Such trends have ironically been taking place even as the rational probabilities for the existence of a supernatural God have been rising. In my 2015 book, God? Very Probably, I explore five rational reasons why it is very probable that such a God exists. Laws of math In 1960, the Princeton physicist and subsequent Nobel Prize winner Eugene Wigner raised a fundamental question: Why did the natural world always so far as we know obey laws of mathematics? Most working mathematicians today believe that mathematics exists independent of physical reality. It is the job of mathematicians to discover the realities of this separate world of mathematical laws and concepts. Physicists then put the mathematics to use according to the rules of prediction and confirmed observation of the scientific method. But modern mathematics generally is formulated before any natural observations are made and many mathematical laws today have no known existing physical analogues. Einsteins 1915 general theory of relativity, for example, was based on theoretical mathematics developed 50 years earlier by the great German mathematician Bernhard Riemann that did not have any known practical applications at the time of its intellectual creation. In some cases, the physicist also discovers the mathematics. Isaac Newton was considered among the greatest mathematicians as well as physicists of the 17th century. Other physicists sought his help in finding a mathematics that would predict the workings of the solar system. He found it in the mathematical law of gravity, based in part on his discovery of calculus. At the time, however, many people initially resisted Newtons conclusions because they seemed to be occult. Story continues How could two distant objects in the solar system be drawn toward one another, acting according to a precise mathematical law? Indeed, Newton made strenuous efforts over his lifetime to find a natural explanation but in the end he conceded failure. He could say only that it is the will of God. Despite the many other enormous advances of modern physics, little has changed in this regard. As Wigner wrote, The enormous usefulness of mathematics in the natural sciences is something bordering on the mysterious and there is no rational explanation for it. In other words, as something supernatural, it takes the existence of some kind of a God to make the mathematical underpinnings of the universe comprehensible. Math and other worlds Other leading physicists and mathematicians have since offered similar views. The great British physicist Roger Penrose in 2004 put forward a vision of a universe composed of three independently existing worlds mathematics, the material world and human consciousness. As Penrose acknowledged, it was a complete puzzle to him, how the three interacted with one another outside the ability of any scientific or other conventionally rational model to explain. How can physical atoms and molecules, for example, create something that exists in a separate domain that has no physical existence, human consciousness? It is a mystery that lies beyond science. This mystery is the same one that existed in the Greek world view of Plato, who believed that abstract ideas (above all mathematical) first existed outside any physical reality. The material world that we experience as part of our human existence is an imperfect reflection of these prior formal ideals. For Plato, the realm of such ideals is the realm of God. Indeed, in 2014 the MIT physicist Max Tegmark argued in Our Mathematical Universe that mathematics is the fundamental world reality that acting in a God-like fashion drives the universe. The mystery of human consciousness The workings of human consciousness are similarly miraculous. Like the laws of mathematics, consciousness has no physical presence in the world; the images and thoughts in our consciousness have no measurable dimensions. Yet, our nonphysical thoughts somehow mysteriously guide the actions of our physical human bodies. This is no more scientifically explicable than the mysterious ability of nonphysical mathematical constructions to determine the workings of a separate physical world. Until recently, the scientifically unfathomable quality of human consciousness inhibited the very scholarly discussion of the subject. Since the 1970s, however, it has become a leading area of inquiry among philosophers. Recognizing that he could not reconcile his own scientific materialism with the existence of a nonphysical world of human consciousness, a leading atheist, Daniel Dennett, in 1991 took the radical step of denying that consciousness even exists. Finding this altogether implausible, as most people do, another leading philosopher, Thomas Nagel, wrote in 2012 that, given the scientifically inexplicable the intractable character of human consciousness, We will have to leave [scientific] materialism behind as a complete basis for understanding the world of human existence. The supernatural character of the workings of human consciousness offers a second strong rational grounds for raising the probability of the existence of a supernatural God. Looking beyond Darwinism Darwins theory of evolution in 1859 offered a theoretical explanation for a strictly physical mechanism by which the current plant and animal kingdoms might have come into existence, and assumed their current forms, without any necessary role for a God. In recent years, however, traditional Darwinism and later revised accounts of neo-Darwinism have themselves come under increasingly strong scientific challenge. From the 1970s onwards, the Harvard evolutionary biologist Steven Jay Gould, for example, complained that little evidence could be found in the fossil record of the slow and gradual evolution of species as theorized by Darwin. In 2011, the University of Chicago evolutionary biologist James Shapiro explained that, remarkably enough, many micro-evolutionary processes worked as though guided by a purposeful sentience of the evolving plant and animal organisms themselves a concept far removed from the random selection processes of Darwinism. With these developments bringing standard evolutionary understandings into growing question, the probability of a God existing has increased correspondingly. Miraculous ideas at the same time? For the past 10,000 years at a minimum, the most important changes in human existence have been driven by cultural developments occurring in the realm of human ideas. In the Axial Age (commonly dated from 800 to 200 B.C.), world-transforming ideas such as Buddhism, Confucianism, the philosophies of Plato and Aristotle, and the Hebrew Old Testament almost miraculously appeared at about the same time in India, China, ancient Greece and among the Jews in the Middle East these peoples then having little interaction with one another. The development of the scientific method in the 17th century in Europe and its modern further advances have had at least as great a set of world-transforming consequences. There have been many historical theories, but none capable of explaining as fundamentally transformational a set of events as the rise of the modern world. It was a revolution in human thought, operating outside any explanations grounded in scientific materialism, that drove the process. That all these astonishing things, verging on miracles, happened within the conscious workings of human minds, functioning outside physical reality, offers further rational evidence in my view for the conclusion that human beings may well be made in the image of [a] God. Different forms of worship In his commencement address to Kenyon College in 2005, the American novelist and essayist David Foster Wallace said that Everybody worships. The only choice we get is what to worship. Even though Karl Marx, for example, condemned the illusion of religion, his followers, ironically, worshiped Marxism. The American philosopher Alasdair MacIntyre thus wrote that for much of the 20th century Marxism was the historical successor of Christianity, claiming to show the faithful the one correct path to a new heaven on Earth. In several of my books, I have explored how Marxism and other such economic religions were characteristic of much of the modern age. So Christianity, I would argue, did not disappear as much as it reappeared in many such disguised forms of secular religion. That the Christian essence, as arose out of Judaism, showed such great staying power amidst the extraordinary political, economic, intellectual and other radical changes of the modern age is a fifth rational reason for thinking combined with the other four that the existence of a God is very probable. Robert H. Nelson, Professor of Public Policy, University of Maryland This article was originally published on The Conversation. Read the original article. conversation logo Photo: The Conversation The Conversation Related Articles By Christine Kim SEOUL (Reuters) - Russia's President Vladimir Putin told his newly elected South Korean counterpart, Moon Jae-in, in a phone call on Friday that he is ready to play a "constructive role" in resolving North Korea's nuclear threat, the South's presidential office said. Putin made the comment after Moon said the foremost task to boost cooperation between the two countries was to strengthen strategic bilateral communication to find a solution to curb North Korea's nuclear threat, the Blue House said in a statement. "We hope for Russia to play a constructive role in order for North Korea to stop with its nuclear provocations and go the way of denuclearization," Moon was citing as saying to Putin in the 20-minute conversation. "I, too, aim to find a way to begin talks quickly between North and South Korea as well as the six-party talks," Moon said, referring to talks aimed at denuclearizing North Korea involving the United States, China, Japan, Russia and the two Koreas. The talks collapsed in 2008 after North Korea launched a rocket. Tension has been high for months on the Korean peninsula over North Korea's nuclear and missile development and fears it will conduct a sixth nuclear test or test another ballistic missile in defiance of U.N. Security Council resolutions. Moon is a liberal who advocates a more conciliatory approach to North Korea compared with his conservative predecessor. Moon also expressed hopes the two countries would be able to cooperate in developing East Asia, including extending a natural gas pipeline from Siberia to South Korea, the Blue House said. Putin said he was ready to help in all of the matters they discussed and the two leaders invited each other for state visits, the Blue House added. Moon said he would send a special envoy to Russia soon and Putin said he would welcome the envoy. The two leaders said they looked forward to meeting at the Group of 20 summit meeting in Germany in July. Earlier in the day, Moon spoke with British Prime Minister Theresa May and German Chancellor Angela Merkel, the Blue House said. He asked them to help in curbing North Korea's nuclear program and both promised to. (Reporting by Christine Kim; Additional reporting by Se Young Lee; Editing by Robert Birsel) The White House Press Secretary Sean Spicer may be the next in line to be fired by Donald Trump, the New York Times and the Wall Street Journal reported Saturday, citing officials. If this happens, Spicer would join the long list of White House officials he fired since assuming office in January. Trump is considering replacing Sean Spicer, who has had his share of embarrassing slip-ups as the press secretary, with Fox New host Kimberly Guilfoyle, the Times reported, citing six West Wing officials. The president decided to make changes to the communication team because of his dissatisfaction with several top authorities, mainly Spicer. The 70-year-old has also become "increasingly dissatisfied" with the performance of his Chief Of Staff Reince Priebus and Communications Director Michael Dubke, the Times noted. On the whole, Trump was unhappy with the communications team for failing to manage controversy after he fired James Comey from the FBI director post Tuesday, according to the Journal. Several news outlets and Democrats questioned whether Comeys firing had to do anything with the fact that he led an investigation into Russias ties with Trumps associates during 2016 presidential election. Most top White House officials and Vice President Pence stated that the president dismissed Comey following the Justice Department's recommendation. However, Trump refuted that saying the decision to remove Comey was solely made by him and would have done so irrespective of the recommendation. Moreover, the Trump administration was looking for a quiet week, but it turned the other way round following Comeys dismissal, the Journal reported, citing a source. They all thought this was going to be a relatively quiet week, the source told the newspaper. The repeated lesson the White House has learned is there is no quiet day or week. With this president, there will always be something dramatic. Story continues For more news videos visit Yahoo View, available now on iOS and Android. Republican strategist Ford OConnell said, according to the Associated Press, that Trump is responsible for the mixed messaging. President Trump definitely views the Comey firing as a communication failure. This all revolves around what happened over the past week, OConnell said. The president himself also decided to improvise, which compounded some of the problems, OConnell said. But as weve seen in the past, Trump is definitely more than willing to shake things up. He had three campaign managers in 16 months. OConnell told the news agency that the overall strategy is to be blamed instead of the communications officials. The folks he has right now are good, OConnell said. What he needs are more folks with more defined roles ... youre going to have issues that keep coming up like Russia, like health care, like North Korea and he needs some specialty communicators who can tackle the issues of the day alongside his press secretary. On Friday, the president also threatened to rid of press briefings in an apparent jibe at Spicer. The Fake Media is working overtime today! Trump wrote on Twitter. As a very active President with lots of things happening, it is not possible for my surrogates to stand at podium with perfect accuracy! Maybe the best thing to do would be to cancel all future "press briefings" and hand out written responses for the sake of accuracy. Related Articles JOHANNESBURG (Reuters) - South Africa plans to sign new, more transparent nuclear power agreements with five foreign countries after a high court blocked a deal with Russia due to a lack of oversight, the energy ministry said on Saturday. South Africa signed intergovernmental agreements with Russia, France, China, South Korea and the United States in 2014 as part of plans to build a fleet of nuclear power plants at a cost of between $30 billion and $70 billion. Many investors view the scale of the nuclear plan as unaffordable and a major risk to South Africa's financial stability, while opponents of President Jacob Zuma say the deal will be used as a conduit for corruption. Zuma denies allegations of wrongdoing. State energy firm Eskom says nuclear power should play a role in South Africa's energy mix and will help reduce reliance on coal. The Western Cape High Court found last month that the agreement with Russia lacked transparency and offered Moscow favourable tax rules while placing heavy financial obligations on South Africa. The energy ministry said it had "major concerns" about the court judgement but would not appeal the ruling. It will continue with nuclear energy plans adhering to stricter procedural guidelines, including consulting parliament. "There is no intention to table the current agreements but (we) will embark to sign new agreements with all five countries and table them within reasonable time to parliament," the ministry said in a statement. Eskom on Friday reinstated its former chief executive Brian Molefe, a Zuma ally who has supported the nuclear power plan. Molefe stepped down five months ago after being implicated in a report by the country's anti-graft watchdog into alleged influence-peddling. He denied any wrongdoing. Some analysts say former finance minister Pravin Gordhan was fired partly because he resisted pressures from a political faction allied to Zuma to back nuclear expansion. New Finance Minister Malusi Gigaba has said nuclear expansion will only be pursued if it is affordable. (Reporting by Joe Brock; Editing by Mark Potter) 60pc votes cast in Mustang Thirty seven polling centres in five village council of Mustang district have observed 60 percent votes by 2pm Sunday. NAIROBI (Reuters) - South Sudan's President Salva Kiir said on Friday the army chief he sacked was "in a fighting mood", raising the prospect of further turmoil more than three years into an ethnically-charged civil war. Kiir told reporters that Paul Malong had not obeyed orders to return from his home state to the capital to hand over to his replacement, and suggested unnamed foreigners were backing the general. Kiir dismissed Malong - the man who has led his campaign against rebels - this week without spelling out his reasons. The general left Juba with a convoy of vehicles for Aweil in the northwest on Tuesday, raising speculation over his next move. Several other senior officers have left the army in recent months, accusing the military of rights abuses and ethnic bias. One, Thomas Cirillo Swaka, has announced the formation of his own rebel force and threatened to topple Kiir. "When I talked to him (Malong) last, he was not in a good mood, he was in a fighting mood ... I tried to calm him down, but he was rather wild," Kiir told reporters without going into details on what they had discussed or when. Malong was not immediately available for comment. Kiir said Malong needed to return to the capital to formally thank him for his years in the top military job and to hand over the position. "I have assured him (Malong) of his safety as soon as he arrives in Juba," Kiir said. "Nobody wants ... Malong to run into such unplanned problems. There are so many foreign hands that are now being seen behind General Paul," the president added. He did not specify who he thought was backing Malong. Presidential spokesperson Ateny Wek Ateny said Malong had refused to get on a plane sent to collect him, unless all his bodyguards accompanied him. Regulations mean he was only allowed four bodyguards, Ateny said. South Sudan won independence from Sudan in 2011 but plunged into civil war in 2013 after Kiir, an ethnic Dinka, fired his deputy, Machar, a member of the Nuer ethnic group. Forces loyal to Kiir clashed with Nuer in the capital, triggering retaliatory attacks across the impoverished nation. Malong is also a Dinka. The conflict has pitched parts of the oil-producing country into famine, paralysed public services and forced a quarter of the population - 3 million people - to flee their homes. A senior U.N. rights official said in December parts of the conflict involved ethnic cleansing. Last month, Britain said some of the violence in the oil-producing state amounted to genocide. On Thursday night, Kiir promoted Marial Chanuong and another general to lieutenant general, officials said. Chanuong led Kiir's presidential guard, known as the Tiger Battalion, and is under U.N. Security Council sanctions for his alleged role in massacres of hundreds of Nuer in 2013. (Editing by Aaron Maasho; Editing by Jeremy Gaunt and Andrew Heavens) Attendees at the Eagle Scout Porter Buckle flag presentation near the CSI Refugee Center in Twin Falls, Idaho. (Photo: Drew Nash/Times-News) On a sunny and serene May evening, the city of Twin Falls, Idaho, gathered to dedicate a new flagpole. It was the project of a local boy scout, whose troop was on hand to present the colors and lead the crowd of approximately 100 in the Pledge of Allegiance. Refreshments were served and the national anthem was sung, a brief ceremony that featured prayers and thank-yous to those who had donated time or money to the project. Seated among the crowd of native-born Idahoans was a family from Sudan that had immigrated to the United States only a few days earlier from a refugee camp in Chad. Sitting next to them was a family who had fled the Democratic Republic of Congo. The flagpole had been installed outside the College of Southern Idaho Refugee Center, a ceremony that was the second act in as many days from a community that sought to affirm its position on refugees after months of headlines that resulted in, as the mayor put it in a recent speech, a community painted with a brush by artists who are not in Twin Falls. The night before the flagpole was christened, citizens gathered into the crammed city council chamber, where weeks of debate and public input came to a close with a 5-2 vote: Twin Falls would be known as a neighborly city. It was a resolution that changed no policy but felt necessary to show the world as one council member put it thats not who we are. Eagle Scout Porter Buckley during a prayer at his troops flag presentation, May 9, 2017, at the CSI Refugee Center in Twin Falls, Idaho. (Photo: Drew Nash/Times-News) The actions were in response to more than a year of controversy and negative stories in right-wing media and assorted comments sections, a trying time for a city thats accepted refugees for decades but found its image sullied and citizens threatened. Its an example of how the worst elements on the Internet can bleed into everyday life, and a cautionary tale of how the charged politics of immigration can play out in a community that believed it was doing the right thing by welcoming families displaced by conflicts in distant countries. After three Muslim refugees all children were charged in a sexual assault on a 5-year-old girl, right-wing media conjured up a lurid crime wave among the Muslim immigrants in the community. Breitbart embedded a reporter in Twin Falls to look for stories that [dont] fit the narrative about the benefits of diversity that the media and politicians try to spin. Story continues Twin Falls weathered sensationalized charges, grotesque threats and a militia groups anti-immigrant demonstration. And the community has become the venue for a defamation lawsuit by yogurt maker Chobani, one of the areas largest employers, against conspiracy monger Alex Jones, for stories with headlines such as Idaho Yogurt Maker Caught Importing Migrant Rapists. After a long two years, Twin Falls residents didnt recognize the city that was being portrayed in the media so they decided to do something about it. ~ Perrine Bridge in Twin Falls, Idaho. (Photo: Chris Wilson/Yahoo News) Twin Falls is the hub of the Magic Valley, sitting two hours southeast of Boise. It was founded in 1904 by I.B. Perrine, a local rancher who helped spearhead the irrigation system that made farming possible across the region. Its population is more than 90 percent white, with a large Mormon contingent, and until the recent spate of attention the area was probably most famous for stunt motorcyclist Evel Knievels aborted plan to jump over the Snake River Canyon in 1974. The myriad reports about parts of Middle America crumbling do not apply to Twin Falls. The town is booming, with a population creeping toward 50,000 and 3 percent unemployment, its economy buoyed by the local dairy industry and massive new factories at Chobani and Clif Bar. When you roll into town from the north crossing the same river that Knievel had hoped to jump you immediately travel through an expanse of shopping plazas with nearly every conceivable store and restaurant. As you approach downtown, you cant avoid the construction, as entire streets are shut down for revitalization projects. The city is one of two in Idaho the other being Boise to accept refugees for resettlement, a tradition that began in the early 1980s with immigrants from Southeast Asia. Eastern Europeans began making their way from the former Soviet bloc a few years later, and the 1990s saw a surge from those escaping the Bosnian civil war. Over the years, the community began to resettle those from camps in Africa and the Middle East, averaging around 300 migrants per year. The refugees were for the most part professionally successful, with adults taking jobs in local businesses like dairy farms and children fitting in with the school district, which had adapted to the stream of multilingual new students by opening a newcomer center. Jobs were plentiful, the cost of living was low and it was an ideal place for displaced immigrants to settle. In 2015 things started to shift. There were heightened tensions from the presidential election and from the announcement from the refugee center that there would likely be Syrians in the next wave of migrants. The fear that terrorists would infiltrate the refugee process were raised nationwide, and Twin Falls was not excluded from those concerns. There were calls from a representative in the Idaho state legislature for a special session on refugees, protests from a militia group and attacks on minorities in the community: An Islamic center in town was vandalized, with Hunt Camp spray-painted outside of it, a reference to a nearby area that was used to intern Japanese-Americans during World War II. Headlines from Brietbart, infowars and the Geller Report. (Photo illustration: Yahoo News) What had been a local story went national in June 2016, when the headline Idaho: Muslim Migrants RAPE 5-year-old, hold KNIFE to her throat, strip her naked, rape, and urinate on her appeared on the website of Pamela Geller. Geller is described by the extremist-group monitor Southern Poverty Law Center as the anti-Muslim movements most visible and flamboyant figurehead, and her pushing of the story immediately spread it to right-wing and antirefugee outlets. On the conspiracy site Infowars, the headline initially read Report: Three Syrian refugees rape little girl at knifepoint in Idaho with the subhead Furious residents accuse council of coverup. Breitbart embedded a reporter in the city, producing a series of stories on the case and painting the area as a crime-infested wasteland. The problem with the coverage was that there was no rape, no knife, no Syrians and no coverup. There was a horrific incident: On June 2, three refugees from Eritrea and Iraq, ages 7, 10 and 14, sexually assaulted a 5-year-old girl at a Twin Falls apartment complex. The boys eventually pleaded guilty to multiple charges and the records were sealed because those involved were minors. Some members of the community said the case was mishandled, but Twin Falls Police Chief Craig Kingsbury told the Times-News last month that Ive always felt that we followed proper protocol and procedure. Both Kingsbury and the prosecutor, Grant Loebs, spoke publicly during the process. Refugees that resettle in Twin Falls go through the vigorous federal vetting process that has nearly two dozen total steps, with Syrians undergoing additional screening. The narrative pushed by some outlets that the refugees presence was causing a crime wave was rebutted by Kingsbury, who told Yahoo News it was inaccurate to say the refugee community was causing his force problems. Recent studies have shown that a higher refugee population often correlates with lower crime rates. An improbable flashpoint in the controversy was the Chobani plant the largest in the world, the company claims which opened in 2012 and now has about 1,000 workers. The companys founder and CEO, Hamdi Ulukaya, an immigrant from Turkey of Kurdish descent, has found himself a consistent target of right-wing attacks, in part because of his companys policy of hiring immigrants in the words of Breitbart, a scheme to replace American job-seekers with cheap, compliant labor. Alex Jones found the Chobani angle irresistible as well, and his website Infowars began to promote the story with headlines like MSM [mainstream media] Covers for Globalists Refugee Import Program After Child Rape Case and Idaho Yogurt Maker Caught Importing Migrant Rapists, while accusing the company of bringing crime and disease to Twin Falls. Chobani responded by suing Jones and Infowars for defamation. Jones claims to have the ear of President Trump and interviewed him as a candidate in December 2015, where Trump told Jones his reputation was amazing and that he would not let him down. Im choosing this as a battle, said Jones last month in response to the suit. On this I will stand, I will win, or I will die. Im going to be going to Idaho, added Jones. Im going to go on that local radio station. Im going to bring investigative crews there. I am going to show what the locals are doing. I am going to show the Islamicists getting off of the planes. You want a fight? You better believe, baby, youve got one. Infowars did not respond to inquiries about when Jones would be traveling to Idaho. The publicity quickly embroiled the community in a controversy for which it was unprepared. Mayor Shawn Barigar, his wife, city council members and College of Southern Idaho staff members received a slew of angry emails and voicemails, some containing threats so violent they were forwarded to the police and FBI for investigation. Have you any idea how many Americans are hoping and wishing your daughter, wife, mother, sister, aunt, or niece gets gang raped by those [expletive] piece of [expletive] sand [expletive] youre so [expletive] enamoured [sic] with? wrote the anonymous sender of one email, according to the Times-News. The message was one of those forwarded to the FBI because of another, even more threatening comment in it. Barigar told Yahoo News things never reached the level it did surrounding the Pizzagate conspiracy in which an armed man fired shots in a Washington, D.C., restaurant as he investigated claims that it was a front for a pedophile ring but there were plenty from outside the community voicing their thoughts at the weekly council meetings. Many of the threats also came from outsiders. But as the town suffered through the onslaught of headlines and fear-mongering, there was a bright spot: Donations to the refugee center surged, according to its executive director Zeze Rwasama, and so far they havent slowed down. Rwasama understands the hardships suffered by those hes helping to resettle. He grew up in Congo but fled to Rwanda in the mid-1990s to avoid death squads in his home country. He lived in a United Nations refugee camp there for six years before immigrating to Salt Lake City in 2001, eventually moving to Twin Falls to begin work at the refugee center in July of 2014. The center now has a storage area full of supplies, along with volunteers who have come forward to help with everything from mentoring new arrivals to assisting with one-on-one English language lessons. Zeze Rwasama, executive director of the College of Southern Idaho Refugee Center. (Photo: Chris Wilson/Yahoo News) In addition to their time and money, the people of Twin Falls also demonstrated their strong support of the refugees. Multiple Twin Falls residents used the term silent majority when discussing the program, stating that many in the community had thought quietly helping out the migrants was enough, but realized that with all the negative attention they needed to speak out. The city councils consideration of the neighborly city resolution provided them an opportunity. I think that as we have gone through this discussion [about refugees] over the course of the last year, said Mayor Barigar in an interview with Yahoo News last week, theres probably been disproportionate attention paid to the opponents of refugee resettlement sort of the squeaky wheel syndrome, where they tended to be the ones who were showing up to council meetings. But over the course of the last few months and especially the last month, with this request from the Boy Scouts specific to a resolution weve certainly seen more local supporters of not only the refugee center itself but refugees and the resettling program. Barigar was referring to an April proposal from two scouts to make Twin Falls a welcoming city, following the actions of Boise and Ketchum, a city 80 miles north. The measure evolved into classifying Twin Falls as a neighborly city, a minor semantic departure from the welcoming resolution that didnt contain the word immigrant or refugee but emphasized parts of a 2012 strategic plan that urged citizens, businesses and organizations to build a community where all residents are welcomed, accepted and given the opportunity to connect with each other without bias in pursuit of common goals. There was concern expressed by some citizens that the measure might prove a stepping stone to status as a sanctuary city, one that shields undocumented immigrants from deportation. But council member Greg Lanting, who adamantly supported the measure as necessary to counter some portrayals of the town in the media, was just as vocal about how he would never vote to make Twin Falls a sanctuary city. The city council meets in downtown Twin Falls, Idaho, on May 8, 2017. (Photo: Drew Nash/The Times-News via AP) More than 75 percent of those who spoke at the public hearings supported the resolution, with many residents telling their own families immigrant histories or about the humbling experience of working with refugees who came to the United States with nothing. But Vice Mayor Suzanne Hawkins one of the two no votes said during the hearing Monday night that 80 percent of the feedback she had received was against the resolution, with citizens fearful of coming forward and being targeted by supporters. Hawkins declined to elaborate when asked by Yahoo News about specifics of those concerns, but those who voiced opposition during the hearings did so for a variety of reasons. There were the concerns about taking a step toward sanctuary city status and a belief the councils time could be better spent but also more conspiratorial worries, such as accusing the Boy Scouts of a liberal agenda and warning of a broader treason by contract being committed by businesses in the area. The council chose not to take any more public input on the night of the vote, but roughly two dozen residents had signed up to discuss the resolution, most of whom planned to speak in support of the measure. When the vote went final, there was loud applause in the room before much of the crowd filed out into the spring evening, smiling and shaking hands outside. While the resolution was largely ceremonial, those in the refugee community still appreciated it. A Muslim refugee named Ado, 29, immigrated to Twin Falls with his mother and sister after his father was executed in a prison camp during the Bosnian civil war. They arrived on September 9, 2001, and in the aftermath of the 9/11 attacks he dealt with bullying and racism that was so intense he faked illnesses in order to avoid school until his English improved. Ado is now married to a fellow Bosnian immigrant, and the couple has a 6-month-old daughter. City manager Travis Rothweiler speaks during the city council meeting in Twin Falls, Idaho, May 8, 2017. (Photo: Drew Nash/The Times-News via AP) Its like a weight lifted off your shoulders, said Ado of the resolution. It was a great feeling knowing theres people here that support us and they wanted to make it a welcoming city, but I was also nervous because theres a lot of tension out there. I didnt want something to happen something stupid that escalates into a huge blow-up. Ados mosque was one of those vandalized over the past two years, and while he said he enjoyed growing up in Twin Falls, hes still careful about discussing his faith. Rwasama was also pleased with the resolution passing. With the negative coverage, said Rwasama, people might think Twin Falls doesnt welcome diversity. This resolution shows that simply isnt true. This is a great place to settle and a great place to succeed. Bill Colley, a local conservative radio host, spent his show the morning after the vote mocking the resolution as [smacking] of political correctness and taking calls from angry community members. But even Colley had admitted concern about some of the fringe elements in the area, writing in April that it was time for Republicans to disown the extremists in Twin Falls. The process of funding Twin Falls newest flagpole engendered further positive response, according to the scout who spearheaded the fundraising. Porter Buckley, 13, told Yahoo News that he wanted to help the refugee center in some way and settled on the pole installation after it was suggested by officials there. Lots of people thought it was a great idea, said Buckley, when asked about the reception he got while soliciting donations. Rick Martin, head of the Committee to End the College of Southern Idahos Refugee Center, gathers petition signatures in Twin Falls in 2015. (Photo: Otto Kitsinger/AP) One sign of community sentiment came last year when Rick Martin, a conservative activist and opponent of the resettlement program who lives outside the city, began collecting signatures for a county ballot measure on banning refugee centers in Twin Falls County. He needed 3,843 signatures from the population of approximately 80,000 to gain access to the ballot. He managed to collect just 894, falling well short of the necessary total. After a tumultuous two years, the biggest threat to the refugee program in Twin Falls now is likely the White House. The immigration executive orders issued earlier this year both blocked by judges sought to cut the total number of annual refugees accepted from 110,000 to 50,000. Jan Reeves, director of the Idaho Office of Refugees based in Boise, told Yahoo News that there is uncertainty among resettlement organizations about the future, as the number of refugees being halved would also result in funding cuts and a likely reduction in services. One office in Boise is already set to close, part of a national organization shuttering half a dozen offices across the country. The executive order implementation didnt come with instructions so people would know exactly what to do, said Rwasama. Seems like decision makers didnt think about that when all of a sudden they want us to reduce our budgets by half. I would say that many agencies did incredible jobs to try and keep their doors open planning for next year. As resettlement organizations and the displaced people they aim to help await clarity on their fate, Twin Falls is setting an example of the determination of ordinary Americans to protect refugees from Islamophobes, from conspiracy theorists, from right-wing media and from a president who came to power riding all three. MEXICO CITY (Reuters) - Three senior Mexican officials will visit Washington next week to meet U.S. counterparts, Foreign Minister Luis Videgaray told reporters on Friday, as the two countries warm up to renegotiate the North American Free Trade Agreement. Videgaray said Mexico's finance, economy and interior ministers will make the trip to the U.S. capital, just days after the U.S. Senate confirmed Robert Lighthizer as U.S. Trade Representative, bringing the negotiations a step closer. In a sign of the friction in the U.S.-Mexico's relationship since U.S. President Donald Trump took office, the minister added that Mexico wanted to deepen and grow its ties to China and that a series of meetings with Chinese officials have been planned to that end through this year. (Reporting by Ana Isabel Martinez) WASHINGTON (Reuters) - President Donald Trump on Saturday is set to deliver the commencement address - his first as president - to Liberty University, the nation's largest Christian college, where he is expected to find to a friendly audience after a week of turmoil in Washington. Trump has been closeted in the White House all week, making only a few, brief public appearances after he took the highly unusual and fraught step of abruptly firing James Comey as FBI director on Tuesday. Dismissing the head of the Federal Bureau of Investigation at a time when the agency probes alleged Russian meddling in the 2016 election has sparked criticism of presidential overreach and overshadowed Trump's push to boost jobs through tax reform and a massive infrastructure program. On Saturday, Trump told reporters traveling with him on Air Force One that he wants to move quickly to nominate a new FBI director to replace Comey, saying he may be able to make his decision before he leaves for his first foreign trip later next week. The college in Lynchburg, Virginia should provide a receptive crowd for Trump. He campaigned there during his run for office and was bolstered by the endorsement of its president, Jerry Falwell Jr., who helped secure support from religious conservatives. "He's going to tell them what he wants to do to make their careers run more smoothly and make it easier for them to raise families," Falwell told WDBJ7, a CBS television affiliate in Roanoke, Virginia, about Trump's message to graduates. "I've been working with his speech writers and I think he's going to deliver a wonderful speech that will be personal to Liberty," Falwell said in the interview. Trump has expressed frustration that the Russia probe has loomed over his presidency. He insisted this week that he fired Comey over his performance, not because of the investigation, but the timing of the dismissal and his comments afterward have raised alarms with his critics. Trump, who has been preparing for his first foreign trip to the Middle East and Europe late next week, also will deliver the commencement address to the United States Coast Guard Academy in New London, Connecticut, on Wednesday. "To young Americans at both schools, I will be bringing a message of hope and optimism about our nations bright future," Trump said in his weekly address to the nation. Trump will encourage students to "be a force for good in the world by standing up for the values that Liberty has taught them," White House spokesman Sean Spicer said. Liberty University said it expects more than 7,000 of its 18,000 graduates to participate in the ceremonies, most of whom earned their degree online. Past commencements have attracted as many as 40,000 people, the college said. (Reporting by Roberta Rampton; Editing by Bill Trott and Alistair Bell) WASHINGTON (Reuters) - A unit of the U.S. Treasury Department that fights money laundering will provide financial records to an investigation by the Senate into possible ties between Russia and President Donald Trump and his associates, the Wall Street Journal reported on Friday, citing people familiar with the matter. The Senate Intelligence Committee asked for the records from the Treasury's Financial Crimes Enforcement Network, or FinCEN, late last month, the Journal cited the people as saying. (http://on.wsj.com/2qbNL7K) One person said the records were needed to decide whether there was collusion between Trump associates and Russia during the 2016 campaign, the Journal said. Representatives for FinCEN and Republican Senator Richard Burr, the intelligence committee chairman, declined to comment, the Journal said. The Senate probe took on added significance after Trump dismissed FBI Director James Comey earlier this week amid an agency investigation into alleged Russian meddling in the 2016 U.S. presidential election and possible Moscow ties to the Trump presidential campaign. The House of Representatives intelligence panel is conducting a similar probe. (Reporting by Eric Walsh; Editing by Sandra Maler) If President Trump secretly recorded his conversations with fired FBI Director James Comey, the top Democrats in the House and Senate investigations on Russian interference in the 2016 election want those tapes. We have got to make sure that these tapes, if they exist, dont mysteriously disappear, Sen. Mark Warner, D-Va., the top Democrat on the Senate Judiciary Committee, said on ABCs This Week With George Stephanopoulos on Sunday. So I have asked, others have asked, to make sure the tapes are preserved if they exist. If they exist, Congress needs to get them, Rep. Adam Schiff, D-Calif., said on CBS Face the Nation. If they are not provided willingly, Congress should subpoena them. And if theyre not in existence if this was another fabrication by the president he needs to come clean about it. Related: White House wont say if Trump secretly recorded Comey If there are tapes, the president should turn them over immediately, of course, Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer said on CNNs State of the Union. To destroy them would be a violation of law. But he should turn them over to Congress and to the investigators. If there are no tapes, he should apologize to both Jim Comey and the American people for misleading them. Those calls came two days after Trump seemed to threaten the ousted FBI director on Twitter. James Comey better hope that there are no "tapes" of our conversations before he starts leaking to the press! Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) May 12, 2017 James Comey better hope that there are no tapes of our conversations before he starts leaking to the press! the president tweeted Friday morning, following a report that Trump had asked Comey at a private January dinner to pledge loyalty to him and that Comey had declined. On Friday afternoon, the White House refused to say whether Trump recorded his conversations with Comey or whether he regularly records exchanges in the Oval Office or his residence. Story continues Ive talked to the president, press secretary Sean Spicer told reporters at his daily briefing. The president has nothing further to add on that. Are there recording devices in the Oval Office or the presidential residence? a reporter asked. There is nothing further to add on that, Spicer replied. The latest firestorm for Trumps White House began Tuesday, when Comey, who had been overseeing the FBIs investigation into whether the Trump campaign had ties to Russia, was unceremoniously fired by the president. In his letter to Comey, Trump claimed that the FBI director had informed him on three separate occasions that he was not under investigation by the FBI. Yet in an interview with NBC News Lester Holt on Thursday, Trump said that the investigation was on his mind when he decided to fire Comey. When I decided to just do it, I said to myself, I said, You know, this Russia thing with Trump and Russia is a made-up story. Its an excuse by the Democrats for having lost an election that they shouldve won,' Trump said. On Saturday, Trump told reporters on Air Force One that the White House was seeking to make a fast decision on a new FBI director and that a nominee could be announced by the end of this week. According to the New York Times, the White House conducted interviews with eight candidates including acting FBI Director Andrew McCabe, Sen. John Cornyn, R-Texas; New York Appeals Court Judge Michael Garcia; and former Assistant Attorney General Alice Fisher this weekend. Any nominee, though, will have to be approved by the Senate. And Schumer said Sunday that Democrats would consider refusing to vote on a new FBI director until a special prosecutor is named to investigate Trumps potential ties to Moscow. To have that special prosecutor, people would breathe a sigh of relief, because then there would be a real independent person overlooking the FBI director, Schumer said. But Schumer admitted he would need the help of Republicans to actually block a nominee in the GOP-controlled Senate. The key is getting some of our Republican colleagues to join us, Schumer said. Read more from Yahoo News: Two scientists who advised the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) have resigned over Donald Trumps environmental policies. Dr Carlos Martin, a senior research associate at the Urban Institute, and Dr Peter Meyer, President and Chief Economist of The EP Systems Group, both resigned citing political reasons. Read more US says it will take 'right decision for US', not world, on climate As Mr Martin told The Independent, he simply could not be a future prop for bad science". Mr Martin posted their joint resignation letter on Twitter, and in it the pair said they felt the EPA was watering down credible science by putting politics where it did not belong. On several occasions, Mr Trump has called climate a "hoax" perpetrated by the Chinese and is considering withdrawing the US from the global Paris Agreement on climate change. The US is one of the world's top emitters of carbon dioxide. Mr Meyer and Mr Martin were members of the Sustainable and Healthy Communities subcommittee of the Board of Scientific Counselors (BOSC) at EPA. The board, including all subcommittees, advises EPA scientists on various topics. In the letter they detail the reasons for their immediate resignation, prompted by non-renewal of two BOSC members who served as co-chairs of their subcommittee. Just resigned from EPA subcommittee to protest removal of @ecotrope & Courtney Flint. Painful professional decision. #standupforscience pic.twitter.com/Zz09bD0vnj Carlos Martin (@carlosonhousing) May 12, 2017 On 5 May Dr Robert Richardson, a professor at Michigan State took to Twitter with an announcement. He had been trumped from his position. Dr Courtney Flint, a professor at Utah State University also received notice that her term on BOSC would not be renewed. Story continues Today, I was Trumped. I have had the pleasure of serving on the EPA Board of Scientific Counselors, and my appointment was terminated today. Robert Richardson (@ecotrope) May 5, 2017 An EPA spokesperson said they would be replaced by those in industry "who understand the impact of regulations on the regulated community". Mr Meyer told The Independent that non-renewal is just a polite way of saying fired. BOSC and subcommittee members are nominated by peers if they have significant scientific endeavours and have done research in the environmental field. Once approved, they normally serve two three-year terms. Ms Flint and Mr Richardsons first term expired on 27 April, but they were expecting to be renewed. They were not political appointees under the previous Obama administration, but chosen for their scientific and research expertise. As chairs of the subcommittee, they would coordinate recommendations and reports written by Mr Meyer and Mr Martin and present them to EPA scientists. The decision to not renew their contracts was likely not financial despite Mr Trumps 28 per cent proposed budget cuts to EPA, Mr Meyer said. The Office of Research and Development within EPA, to whom BOSC reports, would likely suffer a 40 per cent budget cut should Mr Trump's budget get approved. Mr Meyer is an economist and Mr Martin is an engineer by trade, so BOSC and their subcommittee in particular are multidisciplinary in order to best serve EPA scientists holistically in making science serve you more cost effectively, as Mr Meyer explained. He explained that subcommittee and BOSC members made approximately $50 (38) per hour for their consulting. They met for two to three days a year and worked some hours remotely in order to provide recommendations but Mr Meyer said it did not add up to significant dollars. The only reason for new leadership is to undermine what we're doing, he said. Mr Martin said the decision to resign rather than let their terms expire was because they felt a sense of confusion and lack of clarity about our future. In addition to Mr Richardson and Ms Flint, seven other BOSC members contracts have ended that covered topics like air quality, fracking, and chemical safety. Mr Meyers assumption is that agency administrators will get rid of all of us since many peoples terms are expiring. Given that EPA head Scott Pruitt does not believe that humans cause climate change and Mr Trump's promise to bring back the coal industry, the question remains who will be nominated to take over on BOSC and the subcommittees. Mr Meyer and Mr Martin both said they were only able to guess but do not doubt that the new members will be somewhat politically motivated nominations. You can find another PhD in economics...their credentials on paper may be the same, but they may not have my independence, said Mr Meyers, adding that EPA administrators could nominate someone for the oil and gas industry. Washington (AFP) - Criminal charges were filed Friday against a US passenger train driver for the 2015 derailment in Philadelphia that killed eight people and injured more than 200. Pennsylvania Attorney General Josh Shapiro said charges were filed against Brandon Bostian, the engineer, or driver, of the Amtrak 188 train involved in the deadly May 12, 2015 incident. Bostian faces eight counts of involuntary manslaughter, one count of causing or risking a catastrophe, "and numerous counts of reckless endangerment," Shapiro said in a brief statement. Amtrak 188 was carrying 243 people from Washington to New York on May 12 when it hurtled off the track in Philadelphia. National Transportation Safety Board investigators said the train was traveling at 105 miles (170 kilometers) an hour, twice the speed limit, when the driver slammed on the emergency brakes just before the crash. Bostian suffered a blow to the head in the crash, which his lawyer said affected his memory of the event. If found guilty Bostian faces time in prison. "Bostian was an experienced engineer who was aware of the route and the fact that there were speed limits throughout the route," reads the police criminal complaint filed by Shapiro's office. When the train approached a curve at the Frankford Junction the speed limit dropped to 50 miles per hour -- but instead of decelerating, "Bostian accelerated the train's movement to a speed of 106 miles per hour. "As a direct result of the violation of the lawful speed limit, at approximately 9:20 p.m., the train was unable to navigate the curve, 'jumped' the tracks, and derailed," leading to the deaths and injuries. Shapiro congratulated the team from his office that worked on the case "to pursue justice on behalf of the victims of this deadly crash." The northeastern rail corridor connecting Washington and New York -- which passes through Philadelphia -- is one of the country's busiest, a popular route among professionals and tourists alike. Investigators found no evidence that Bostian had been on his phone at the time of the crash, or that a bullet had been fired as first reported. Caracas (AFP) - Venezuelans in cars and on motorcycles, bikes and even horseback clogged roads and police fired tear gas at them in another day of protest against President Nicolas Maduro. Security forces also used tear gas to disperse protesters in the northern city of Valencia and soldiers blocked the procession from reaching its intended destination. In the capital Caracas, protesters' goal was to fill 25 kilometers (16 miles) of a key highway leading to the coastal state of Vargas. About two hours after the caravan got under way, police on motorcycles fired tear gas to block the procession. The road eventually cleared. Venezuela is mired in an economic crisis that has caused shortages of food, medicine and other basics in the oil-rich country. Protesters blame Maduro. A total of 38 people have died in street unrest since protests first broke out on April 1. Hundreds more have been injured. Elected in 2013, Maduro, the handpicked successor of the late long-time leftist firebrand Hugo Chavez, is resisting pressure for an early vote, calling the crisis the result of a US-backed conspiracy. His opponents have branded him a dictator. Protesters also oppose his plans to elect an assembly -- and do it sidestepping the country's political parties -- to overhaul the constitution, dismissing it as a way to put off elections. "You have to keep finding ways to protest," said Rafael Galvis, 46, as he drove a truck carrying a dozen protesters waving the red, blue and yellow Venezuelan flag and banners with slogans criticizing Maduro. "We are going to stay in the street, building a way out of the crisis," opposition lawmaker Freddy Guevara told AFP as the Caracas rally got under way Saturday. In the central state of Cojedes, groups of people riding horses joined the procession of protest. - 'Just waiting for the day' - Pro-government people rallied in downtown Caracas to show support for the proposed 500 member constituent assembly that would rewrite the constitution. Story continues Maduro stood by his plans in a speech Saturday. "I am just waiting for the day that the National Electoral Council sets the date for electing the national constituent assembly so people can come out and do justice with their votes," Maduro said in a speech carried on state run TV. He confirmed that at least half of the members would be chosen not by popular vote but rather by social sectors like blue collar workers and farmers -- which are heavily pro-government. On Friday, demonstrators in the western city of San Cristobal held two police officers for 10 hours -- first encircling them at a rally and then keeping them in a house -- to demand the release of detained colleagues, citizens' ombudsman Tarek William Saab said. He said they were released after he himself intervened. The latest protests in Venezuela broke out when the Supreme Court issued rulings that stripped the opposition controlled National Assembly of its powers. The court later backtracked amid an international outcry but protests resumed after Maduro called May 1 for creating a body to rewrite of the constitution. Age and physical disabilities are no bar to cast your vote The Kathmandu Post has compiled some photos showing age and physical disabilities are no bar to exercise ones voting rights. Adylkuzz is believed to have infected more computers than WannaCry, using the same vulnerabilities (AFP Photo/Damien MEYER) Washington (AFP) - Security researchers investigating the massive cyberattack campaign that sparked havoc in computer systems worldwide have reported signs of a possible North Korean link, but Europe's cross-border police agency said Tuesday it was "too early" to draw a connection. After days of disruptions affecting networks worldwide, a top US official said the number of computers affected had reached 300,000, but that infection rates had slowed. In the first clues of the origin of the massive ransomware attacks, Google researcher Neel Mehta posted computer code that showed similarities between the "WannaCry" malware and a vast hacking effort widely attributed to Pyongyang. The code used in the latest attack shared many similarities with past hacks blamed on the North, including the targeting of Sony Pictures, said Simon Choi, director of Seoul internet security firm Hauri. "I saw signs last year that the North was preparing ransomware attacks or even already beginning to do so, targeting some South Korean companies," he told AFP. Isolated, nuclear-armed North Korea is known to operate an army of thousands of hackers operating in both the North, and apparently China, and has been blamed for a number of major cyberattacks. But police agency Europol said Tuesday the investigation is ongoing, warning against a rush to judgement. "We are open to investigate in all directions, but we don't speculate and we cannot confirm this. It's still too early to say anything," said senior agency spokesman, Jan Op Gen Oorth. "It could come from everywhere, it could come from any country." In November 2014, Sony Pictures Entertainment became the target of the biggest cyberattack in US corporate history, linked to its release of North Korea satire "The Interview". More attacks were possible, Choi said, "especially given that, unlike missile or nuclear tests, they can deny their involvement in attacks in cyberspace and get away with it". Story continues Israeli-based security firm Intezer Labs said it agreed with the North Korea attribution. The group's chief executive Itai Tevet said in a tweet: "@IntezerLabs confirms attribution to North Korea for #WannaCry, not only because of the function from Lazarus. More info to come." - Finger pointing - Europol said the situation was "stable" after attacks that struck computers in British hospital wards, European car factories and Russian banks. But according to Michel Van Den Berghe, director of telecom group Orange's cyber security arm, a "second wave" is to be expected. Russia, China and India have blamed the United States government for developing the original code. Tom Bossert, President Donald Trump's top cyber and homeland security adviser, brushed aside suggestions that the attack stemmed from a flaw discovered by the US National Security Agency and later leaked. "This was not a tool developed by the NSA to hold ransom data," he said, noting that no US government systems had been hit. "This is a global attack," he added. Russian President Vladimir Putin earlier had suggested the United States bore responsibility. "A genie let out of a bottle of this kind, especially created by secret services, can then cause damage to its authors and creators," the Russian leader said on the sidelines of a summit in Beijing. Russia has recently been accused of cyber meddling in several countries, but Putin said his country had nothing to do with the attack. - Telecoms and carmaking hit - US package delivery giant FedEx, Spanish telecoms giant Telefonica and Germany's Deutsche Bahn rail network were among those hit. The attackers demanded money to unblock their computers. In China, 66 of the country's universities were affected by the global ransomware attack, authorities said. The attack blocks computers and puts up images on victims' screens demanding payment of $300 (275 euros) in the virtual currency Bitcoin, saying: "Ooops, your files have been encrypted!" Bossert said that paying the ransom provided no guarantee files would be unlocked. He told a news conference that "it appears that less than $70,000 has been paid in ransoms and we are not aware of payments that have led to any data recovery." Dutch spy chief Rob Bertholee meanwhile said Tuesday that digital threats "are not imaginary, they are everywhere around us". Sabotage of critical infrastructure "is the kind of thing that might keep you awake at night," he told a timely cyber security conference in The Hague. "In my opinion, we might be closer to a serious act of digital sabotage than a lot of people can imagine," he told hundreds of experts and officials at the conference, organised by the Dutch government. burs-jm/mt For all of Androids strengths, theres one area where it has dramatically lagged behind iOS: updates. Fragmentation is arguably Androids biggest problem, but in a post on the Android Developers Blog this Friday, Google revealed a new feature in Android O that will supposedly make it easier, faster and less costly for manufacturers to update devices to a new version of Android. Don't Miss: You cant stop people from calling you on your Amazon Echo Google says that the new feature, dubbed Project Treble, represents the biggest change to the low-level system architecture of Android to date. As it stands, a lot of code has to be rewritten across Android before a given vendor can update its devices to the latest version of the software. With Project Treble, vendors will be able to roll out Android updates without having to wait for chip manufacturers such as Qualcomm to modify the code to work with their chips. The entire process will be streamlined so that vendors can get Android 8.0 (and beyond) in the hands of consumers more quickly than theyve been able to in the past. Thats what Google is promising, anyway. Google has not been blind to the fragmentation issue over the past several years. The company has ensured Android users on multiple occasions that its working on solutions, but considering that just 7.1% of users are on Android 7.0 Nougat while nearly 20% are still on Android 4.4 KitKat, the success on this front has clearly been limited up to this point. Google says that Project Treble is already running on the Android O Developer Preview for Pixel phones, but well have to wait until the new version of Android begins rolling out to judge its efficacy. See the original version of this article on BGR.com A global ransomware attack of an unprecedented scale took place Friday, affecting healthcare services, banks and tech companies. The attack was reported by the CCN-CERT, the Spanish Governments Computer Security Incident Response Team at 12:26 p.m. EDT, Friday. An alert has been issued for a massive attack of ransomware that affects Windows systems, blocking the access to the files (in their hard disks as in the units of a network to which they are connected). The special criticality of this campaign is caused by exploiting the vulnerability described in bulletin MS17-010 using EternalBlue / DoublePulsar, which can infect other connected Windows systems on the same network that are not properly updated. Infection of a single computer can end up compromising the entire corporate network, the organization said in its press release. (Translated from Spanish) Read: Americans Leading Target Of Ransomware According to antivirus company Avast, 75,000 attacks had been reported in 75 countries, at the time of writing. The ransomware used in the attack is called WanaCrypt0r 2.0 or WanaCry and is available in 28 different languages ranging from Bulgarian to Vietnamese. The ransomware changes the affected file extension to.WNCRY. Once the ransomware has taken control of the computer, it then drops ransom notes in a text file, demanding $300 payment in the form of Bitcoins. The ransom note ends with a peculiar reassurance for victims, saying: "Dont worry about decryption. We will surely decrypt your files because nobody will trust us if we cheat users." Read: Telefonica WannaCry Ransomware: One Of Spain's Largest Telecom Companies Hit By Cyberattack The most interesting aspect of the attack is the malware used, might have been originally written by the National Security Agency. It was dumped by hacking group Shadow Brokers in April. The group had discovered the tools in 2016 and had tried to sell them online. After not being able to sell, it dumped them. NSA had not commented on the leak then, but security firms had warned of an attack at the time, and it turns out their prediction turned out to be accurate. Story continues "This is quite possibly the most damaging thing I've seen in the last several years. This puts a powerful nation-state-level attack tool in the hands of anyone who wants to download it to start targeting servers. "The individual consumer is a little less at risk, as these kinds of tools are targeted at enterprise and business environments," said Matthew Hickey, founder of security firm Hacker House, at the time. The fact that cyber criminals could use NSA tools for large-scale attacks has raised eyebrows. Los Angeles Representative Ted. W. Lie, issued a statement on the attack, saying The massive malware attack that hit multiple countries has caused chaos and has shut down vital institutions such as hospitals. It is deeply disturbing the National Security Agency likely wrote the original malware. I have been working on legislation with industry stakeholders and partners in the Senate to address this problem.. Todays worldwide ransomware attack shows what can happen when the NSA or CIA write malware instead of disclosing the vulnerability to the software manufacturer.. The time is now for Congress to seriously address cybersecurity issues." Correction: An earlier version of this story incorrectly said some Bank of America's systems were impacted. A representative for the company said Bank of Americas systems are operating normally and with no interruptions. Related Articles Microsoft is holding its annual Build conference in Seattle and has revealed that it will be releasing the Fall Creators Update later this year. The update will be bring in some new features and improvements to the companys operating system. Cross-Device Experience Unlike the recently released Creators Update for Windows 10 this past April, the Fall Creators Update will have more impact on average users. The upcoming improvements to Windows 10 focus more on cross-device experiences. This means that a user can start working on something on their Windows 10 PC and immediately transfer that work to another device, regardless of whether its an iPhone running iOS or a smartphone running Android. This feature will work with file transfers, activities and other content. Cortana, Microsofts digital assistant, will ask users if they want to resume where they left off when they switch between devices, according to The Verge. Windows 10 will also provide a Timeline so that users can keep track of all their apps and devices. Universal Clipboard Like with Apples MacOS and iOS, Microsofts Windows 10 Fall Creators Update will add a universal clipboard. The new feature will be cloud-powered and will let users copy-paste content form one Windows 10 machine to another, according to CNET. Users will also be able to copy-paste content from a Windows 10 machine to an Android or iOS device. The cloud-powered universal clipboard is also integrated to Microsofts Office apps. This means that users will easily be able to switch between their mobile device and Windows 10 PC and continue working seamlessly. Fluent Design System With the Fall creators Update for Windows 10, Microsoft is also adding its new Fluent Design System. This will deliver subtle changes to how the Windows 10 user interface will look including added effects like blurring, depth and layering. Animations are also improved by having smoother and sophisticated motion. This type of UI design is similar to one thats found on Windows Vista. Fluent Design System will also be replacing Microsofts current Metro UI, and will be applied across Microsofts other apps and services on Windows, Android and iOS. Story continues New Video Editing Tool Microsoft will be including a new app called Story Remix, a new video editing tool. The Story Remix app has been described as Windows Movie Maker on steroids. Like Microsofts previous video editing tool, Story Remix allows users to edit their footage with tools for adding soundtracks, annotations, transitions and special effects, according to The Next Web. Story Remix also has support for importing 3D images. Users whove created 3D images on Paint 3D would actually be able to import their artwork on whatever video theyre editing on the Story Remix app. Another cool feature is that the Story Remix app allows collaborative editing. This means that multiple users can start contributing footage to an ongoing edit. In keeping with Microsofts focus with cross-device experiences, Story Remix app will also be available for Android and iOS. A Faster Edge Experience Microsofts Edge web browser is far from being the sluggish Internet Explorer. However, it does still lag when users ope and close tabs, or when they start typing a URL in the search box. Microsoft says that the Edge web browser will have improved responsiveness in the upcoming Fall creators Update. With the new Fluent Design System, users should also expect some minor changes to the Edge web browsers look and some of its animations, according to Windows Central. The Fall Creators Update for Windows 10 is expected to arrive sometime in September. Windows 10 Photo: REUTERS/Mike Segar Related Articles - A gas explosion last Tuesday left over 100 people injured, with over 70 of them now discharged - Zen Petroleum donated items to the four hospitals housing the victims to assist in their treatment - An investigation into the cause of the explosion was launched last week YEN.com.gh brings you the latest news in Ghana On Tuesday, May 11, a gas explosion at the OLAM Oil depot left over a 100 people injured along the Sekondi-Takoradi highway, including some fire fighters injured during their attempt to fight the blaze from the explosion. Representatives from Zen Petroleum handing over their donation READ ALSO: Court dismisses Ibrahim Mahama's case The injured were rushed to the Effia Nkwanta regional hospital to receive treatment, with about 70 persons now discharged. Currently, 19 people have still remain at the hospital, receiving treatment for various degrees of injuries from the explosion. On Friday, May 12 however, representatives from Zen Oil donated some items worth GH C11,000 to the recuperating victims to assist in their treatment. Zen Petroleum supports Takoradi explosion victims The donation, according to a report by Graphic Online, was delivered to four hospitals including the Takoradi Hospital, the New Takoradi Hospital and Effia Nkwanta Hospital. A cheque of GHC 5,000 was also donated to the Ghana National Fire Service to aid in the treatment of the fire fighters injured during their job. There have been calls for safety measures to be strictly enforced at gas stations and filling stations across the country, following the recent spike in explosions such as these. Zen Petroleum donates to Fire Service The most recent incident was in December 2016, when a gas tanker malfunction during its offload ad exploded near the La Trade Fair center. READ ALSO: I've never dated President Mahama- Actress Want to be featured on YEN.com.gh? Send your stories, photos and videos to info@yen com.gh or drop us a line via our Facebook page. Source: YEN.com.gh Ballot boxes robbed from Naraharinath Village Council in Kalikot An unidentified group has robbed the ballot boxes at Naraharinath Village Council in Kalikot district on Sunday. Bomb blasts near Panchase booth in Nuwakot A bomb blasted near the Panchase Secondary School Dandakharka polling centre of Belkotgadhi Municipality ward 4 while Nepal Army disposed another suspicious material lying unattended nearby. Prithvi Man Shrestha is a political reporter for The Kathmandu Post, covering the governance-related issues including corruption and irregularities in the government machinery. Before joining The Kathmandu Post in 2009, he worked at nepalnews.com and Rising Nepal primarily covering the issues of political and economic affairs for three years. Dolakha incident: 11 injured airlifted to Kathmandu As many as 11 persons, who were injured during a clash at a polling centre in Pawati of Dolakha district, have been airlifted to Kathmandu on Sunday. Local level election: Voting commences at 6642 polling stations in 3 provinces The voting of the first phase of the much awaited local level elections taking place for the first time after Nepal became a federal democratic republic commenced at 7 am. Man dies in Dolakha police firing A man died in police firing at Powati booth in Melung Village Council of Dolakha district. Mayoral candidates vote in local polls [in photo] Candidates vying in the first phase of local elections are casting their votes at various polling stations in province 3, 4 and 6 on Sunday. NC's official and rebel candidates supporters clash in Humla Situation at a election center in Kharpunath Village Council-5 of Humla district became tense for a while when supporters of Nepali Congress official and rebel candidates clashed during local bodies election on Sunday. Not quite half the sky Nepal is on the verge of making history with the first local election in 20 years that is taking place today. As many as 19,332 women are taking part in the polls being held under the federal set-up, and 5,196 among them are assured posts as per the Local Level Election Act 2017, Nuwakot's 115 year old casts his vote A centenarian from the Kakani Village Council 8, cast his vote in the local level elections underway here in the district on Sunday. PM Dahal casts vote from Bharatpur Metropolitan City [with video] Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal has cast his votes at Lanku school polling centre in Bharatpur Metropolis-4 of Chitwan district this morning. He is the first one to cast the votes. Return to direct democracy Local elections have been heralded as a return to genuine democracy and a more accountable system of decision-making that can deliver better, more inclusive and more transparent public services and infrastructure for the benefit of the general population. Silence period in voting The above news headline struck me as a metaphor of the election that is underway. The metaphorical meaning is that there are many unanswered questions, many quirks and silences not revealed fully in this election. 1. Yes. Taxpayers are funding its operation; they should have a voice in the naming process. 2. Yes. The city should operate with a spirit of inclusivity. Residents will be responsive. 3. No. Public input can be problematic; rejection of suggestions can be divisive for residents. 4. No. Residents elect council members to make decisions on their behalf. No input is needed. 5. Unsure. Its hard to say whether public input would be more of a benefit or a hindrance. Vote View Results By Damali Mukhaye. The Uganda National Teachers Union has raised concerns of the District Chief Executive Officers, diverting the money meant for teachers salaries into other district activities. According to the Secretary General of the union James Tweheyo, after a number of different teachers in different district complaining about the delays in getting their salaries, the union established that the problem was not the ministry of finance. He notes that most CAOs are found of diverting the salary money to daily running of their districts arguing the ministry of education to step up since most teachers instead of teaching; they waste a lot of time moving from one office to another chasing their salaries. Three Trine University education majors have been named Outstanding Future Educators by the Indiana Association of Colleges for Teacher Education. From left are honorees Nicklaus Lang, James Washington III and Kaitlyn Swick and Anthony Kline, dean of the Franks School of Education. DODGEVILLE Before Jerome Griffith was tapped to be the new CEO of apparel and home goods retailer Lands End, he had never stepped foot in Wisconsin. An ardent traveler and Harley-Davidson rider who has visited 79 countries, Griffith had been to every state except Wisconsin and Alaska. When he got here, though, it felt like home for Griffith, who grew up on a dairy farm in Pennsylvanias Amish country and milked 150 head of Holsteins, every morning, every afternoon. Seeing the rural landscape around Lands Ends Dodgeville headquarters, with the rolling hills, barns and silos and cows, it looked a lot like home, he said. Griffith took over as chief executive of Lands End on March 6 and addressed his first shareholders meeting on Thursday. Though the company has struggled with sales declines for the past 10 quarters and has written down the non-cash value of Lands Ends brand for the past two years, Griffith was upbeat about its prospects. Griffith told about 60 company leaders and stockholders gathered at the Comer Center recreation complex named after Lands End founder Gary Comer he is extremely excited about Lands Ends future. The elements of success are here, he said. He called Lands End a heritage brand with a great value proposition and said he will deliver products that are brand appropriate. Stockholders Nicholas and Mary Dominick, of Brookfield, said they were pleased with what they heard. It looks like hes going to change things around, go back to what Lands End stands for, Nicholas Dominick said. Griffith seems very confident, added Mary Dominick. Seems like hes going in the right direction. Griffith, 59, was an executive with fashion brands Esprit and Tommy Hilfiger, and most recently, served as CEO for Tumi Holdings, a high-end luggage company bought by Samsonite International for $1.8 billion in 2016. His message, though, differed from that of Federica Marchionni, the former president of Dolce & Gabbana USA who tried to turn Lands Ends clothing more fashion-forward and youthful in her 19 months as CEO that ended last September. Executive vice presidents Joseph Boitano and James Gooch followed as interim co-CEOs until Griffith took the helm. While Marchionni worked primarily from New York, Griffith and his wife, Elke, have moved to Madison. They bought a condo near the Hilldale Shopping Center and are living in an apartment nearby until it is ready. The couple have two adult daughters. In an interview after the shareholders meeting, Griffith talked about his plans for Lands End. Q. Lands End is an iconic company for southwest Wisconsin and economically, its a huge presence. With all of the changes over the past few years, including splitting from Sears Holdings its parent company from 2002 to 2014 does this company have a future? A. If I didnt think it did, I wouldnt have come. When Tumi was sold, I was retiring. On my second day on the job at Tumi, there was a cash call from a bank (requesting payment); the company was valued at, literally, nothing. Almost eight years later, the company sold for $1.8 billion. I like Lands End; its a great brand name, and I knew David Dyer (Lands End CEO from 1998 to 2003). I read about Gary Comer, read about the business principles ... and I came here and met some of the people. Financially, the company has not performed well over the last several years. I think that may be due to mixed leadership, changing direction constantly, and not embracing who our customer is. Since the last CEO left, (company leaders have) banded together. Theyve started to grow the customer file, theyve done a good job managing the cash. The company (does) over $1 billion in e-commerce (a year). Many, many retailers out there would love to have a company like that. Im pretty excited and bullish about what direction we can take the company in. But its not going to go very far away from what its known for: great quality, very good value and service-oriented. Q. What problems do you see? A. I think the issue with the company is that its living in the 1990s. The company has failed to evolve properly to meet the requirements of todays retail world. Our industry is being incredibly disrupted because many customers have been changing where they shop. The losers have been regional malls and department stores. The winners are the e-commerce companies. Well, were an e-commerce company. Hey, why arent we winning? We have not been embracing our customer like we should. The first thing is to put together a brand vision and the pillars of the foundation. The thing we need to think about is: What innovation do we bring to our customer? Not some other customer that we dont have. Our customer service is in personally handling phone calls. Thats important. But so is one-click checkout. So is having a responsive, mobile website. So is ease of returning merchandise. Things that are important today the company hasnt jumped ahead and embraced that. Weve got to run and catch up, and then move forward. Q. Who is the Lands End customer? A. In many cases, its everyone. They are normal people, they like casual living. They like to be stylish but are not trend-setters. They love to relax, they love family and the outdoors. We need to make products that appeal to that customer. Were an American brand were a casual, relaxed, lifestyle brand. Q. In your conference call with analysts for the last fiscal quarter, you talked about possibly opening more stores. A. I think thats extremely important. Q. Thats an interesting concept because so many clothing retailers are closing stores. But here in Wisconsin, Duluth Trading is opening stores all over the place. A. Well, take a look at your e-commerce companies. Amazon wants to open stores. Warby Parker (an eyeglasses retailer) is opening stores. We have a double challenge: We need to continue to grow our e-commerce business 87 percent of everything we sell is done by clicking. And we have a $200 million-a-year retail business, mostly in Sears but many Sears stores are closing. Our customer likes to shop. The customer that shops online and in the store buys (more than) only online. We have 11 stores that we own and operate, and we make money on them. So I believe we have an opportunity to open stores in the appropriate places where customers already are. Were putting together a strategy now. Well start testing this in 2018, probably. Q. Duluth Trading is opening stores very quickly, 10 to 12 this fiscal year. Could Lands End do that? A. Anything is possible. Q. Jobs here are a major factor. Where do you see that going? A. If I can get the company going in the right direction, I see us being able to maintain our status as a large employer in the state of Wisconsin. I think its important for us to maintain our employer of choice status, which I think weve lost a bit. We have great things for our employees, including the Comer Center thats open to families and the local population, but you know what employees really want? They want to work for a successful company. Were in the Forbes Top 50 Best Midsize Employers list that just came out. Thats great but maybe we could be in the top 10, because at a point in time, we were. We have to keep our technology up-to-date, go back to being a market innovator, and being a company with a bright future. I believe the way that we treat people here is as good, if not better, than much of our competition. Its a nice place to work with nice people. Dry Creek in northern Sonoma, Calif., is celebrating its 45th year of making wine in the classic French Sancerre-style. Fume blanc is a French term for sauvignon blanc. This is Dry Creeks flagship wine, which stays true to the crisp, fresh and herbaceous style that marks the wines of the Loire Valley in France. The grapes are fermented in stainless steel at cool temperatures to accentuate the zesty citrus and tropical fruit flavors. Tart, fresh and clean, this wine would pair well with smoked salmon or fresh grilled asparagus. Sherry: A bouquet of pear, medium-bodied with semi-tart flavors of grapefruit, lime and pear on the finish. (3 stars out of 5) Chris: A nose of lime with elegant flavors of pear, grapefruit and tangerine. (3.5 stars out of 5) Available from $10 to $13. Coming next week: Kendall-Jackson Vintners Reserve Zinfandel WISCONSIN DELLS U.S. Sen. Ron Johnson said Saturday that it would be troubling if President Donald Trump recorded his conversations with fired FBI director James Comey. Talking to reporters at the state Republican convention, Johnson declined to say whether there should an investigation into the possibility of there being tapes of the conversations, saying it was a hypothetical. Trump tweeted Friday Comey better hope that there are no tapes of our conversations before he starts leaking to the press! Johnson said he interpreted the tweet as referring to Comey having a tape, though the White House has declined to say whether it has a recording. Johnson said hes hoping the Senate Intelligence Committee can complete its investigation of Russian involvement in the 2016 election. He said its too early to say if a special prosecutor should be appointed. Regarding the House GOP health care bill, Johnson said half of the premium increases under the Affordable Care Act are related to the requirement that pre-existing conditions are covered. He said the focus of the U.S. Senate as it takes up the House bill is to bring down premiums, which would reduce the subsidy payments the federal government makes to those who receive coverage. He said those with pre-existing conditions could be covered by high-risk pools as they were before Obamacare took effect. He also said he wouldnt vote on a bill unless it had been scored by the Congressional Budget Office, though he defended the House not doing so, saying the bill they passed hadnt changed much from an earlier version, which would have resulted in 24 million fewer people being insured and higher premiums for older adults. We dont want to pull the rug out from anyone, Johnson said. You can cover people with pre-existing conditions without collapsing the insurance markets. Johnson also said he remains committed to his campaign pledge that he wont run for re-election in 2022. Summer in La Crosse means enjoying our parks and restaurants along the Mississippi River. For many of us there is also a certain thrill in spotting majestic barges quietly floating downstream, deep in the water, full of cargo. There is a lot to love about barges. They are eco-friendly and cost-effective. But a closer look at the relationship between barge transportation and crop production reveals a compelling example of how climate change can cause extensive economic hardship in our area. Barges on the Upper Mississippi River carry more than 60 percent of our grain harvest, which is shipped to countries throughout the world from ports on the Gulf of Mexico. While trains and trucks transport these commodities to the river from cities and small towns, barges are used for the greater part of the journey to the Gulf because of their cost effectiveness. Lets look at the average distance a ton of cargo can travel using a gallon of fuel: 59 miles by truck, 202 miles by train, and a whopping 514 miles by barge. While mileage for newer trucks and trains is better than this average, the fuel efficiency for barges remains superior by any measure because they have far greater load capacity. Using much less fuel, towboats pushing barges produce far less air pollution than trucks or trains. Noise pollution is minimized by using towboats. There are ongoing urban planning problems related to land use for highways and railways, while river traffic poses no such problem. In short, our access to barge transportation is a godsend. Of course, infrastructure maintenance is an issue for all modes of transportation, no less so for barges. A system of locks and dams along the Upper Mississippi River was constructed in the 1930s to facilitate commercial navigation, which now consists primarily of towboats pushing barges. By law, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers maintains and administers this system, providing full consideration to fish, wildlife and habitat conservation. There are significant challenges. Weather affects not only crop production but also the cost of infrastructure maintenance for all modes of transportation. Extreme weather, predictably, increases the cost of using and maintaining the Mississippi waterway. With heavy rain and flooding along the Upper Mississippi, the Corps has to close locks to keep water from going over the walls. Barge traffic is forced to come to a halt, while ships at the Gulf of Mexico ports are required to wait for their cargo. All of this is at considerable expense to farmers. Also with flooding, sediment builds up in the river. When a year of drought follows, this sediment build-up can ground barges, stalling river commerce yet again. According to ClimateNexus, in 2012 an extreme dry spell contributed to a severe drought in the upper Midwest that cost the region $35 billion, becoming the second most expensive disaster worldwide that year. The 2012 drought caused water levels to plummet to near-record lows, slowing river traffic and transport of goods along the nations busiest waterway. The Corps does its best to maintain the channel in the Mississippi at over nine feet deep. There is no viable alternative to keeping this channel open for commercial traffic since we do not have enough trucks and trains to carry the immense loads of cargo regularly carried by barges. The Army Corps of Engineers continuous oversight of the locks and dams on the Mississippi is central to our economic vitality. Of note, we are seeing an increase in the kinds of extreme weather events that impede barge traffic. According to the assessment of over 97 percent of climate scientists, the frequency of these extreme weather events is a characteristic of human-caused climate change. This phenomenon contributes to the increasing challenges and costs the Corps faces for waterway maintenance. It also contributes to greater costs for barge transportation. It affects the economic viability of agricultural exports, potentially threatening our world trade partnerships. Our economy in the Upper Midwest depends on the Mississippi River in countless ways, not just for grain transportation. We ignore at our own peril the ways that climate change affects our river and our economy. Watch the barges this summer. Consider their fuel efficiency, their quiet presence, and their precious cargo. Concern yourself with the economic repercussions of barge delays due to floods and droughts. Then remind yourself, yet again, why climate change matters. WASHINGTON This was always the main question: Would Donald Trump move beyond mere Twitter abuse and move against institutions that limit his power? By any reasonable standard, we now have an answer. Trumps official rationale for firing FBI Director James Comey that the president was suddenly seized with outrage at the shocking treatment of Hillary Clinton by the FBI during the election is false in a typically Trump-like way. It requires his supporters to demonstrate their loyalty by defending the indefensible. This is apparently the manner in which Trump identifies true believers. They must be willing, when instructed, to say that 2+2=5. On cable television. In fact, according to media accounts, Trump has been in a spittle-flinging rage since Comeys March 20 testimony before the House Intelligence Committee, in which he confirmed the existence of an investigation of Russian influence on Trumps inner circle. On May 2, Trump tweeted that the Trump/Russia story is phony. On May 9, Trump fired Comey. The president removed a perceived threat, threw an active FBI investigation into chaos and raised the prospect of a Trump stooge being appointed in Comeys place. (The correct answer is 4.) All this is consistent with even mandated by Trumps contempt for institutions. He has called the FBI investigation process rigged. If the system is dirty, only a fool would not play by the same rules. This is the logic of conspiratorial disdain for government. An independent, nonpolitical FBI? What a joke. It is all political. And politics is power. And power is making people do what you want, or destroying those who get in your way. The Gospel according to Nixon. It is dangerous to have a leader with disdain for the law. It is also dangerous to have a leader who believes that anything legal is permissible. Trumps firing of Comey was legal. It also violated a democratic norm a proper presidential deference for an ongoing investigation and the independence of law enforcement. There is no evidence that such considerations even occur to Trump. In their place: What kind of sucker would not press all his advantages? Republicans often talk of judicial restraint; less, recently, of presidential restraint. Presidential limits are often found in norms, not laws what Lord Moulton called obedience to the unenforceable. But Trump seems to take pleasure in throwing acid into the face of convention. In his calls to lock up his electoral opponent; in his wink and a nod toward violence at his rallies; in his groundless accusations of being spied upon by his predecessor; in his Twitter taunting of congressional leaders; in his bold and obvious lies; in his dehumanization of migrants and refugees. Grace, dignity, empathy, integrity and kindness are stripped away, leaving the emperor naked but incapable of shame. Trump is the spendthrift of our public character, squandering an inheritance he does not understand or value. There is a certain power in shamelessness. It is amazing what our democracy has, so far, allowed Trump to get away with, giving only a grimace, a laugh or a shrug. But this tolerance is about to be tested. If Trump selects a political crony of the Rudy Giuliani or Chris Christie variety to head the FBI, the integrity of federal law enforcement and the rule of law will be under direct assault. Such a nomination, again, would not be illegal. But such a bold, banana-republic-style power play by the president which could only be interpreted as an attempt to quash the Russian influence investigation would be properly viewed as a constitutional crisis. And the historical spotlight would burn hot on Republican legislators. Leadership is unlikely to emerge among House Republicans, given the example of sycophancy toward Trump set by Speaker Paul Ryan. The Senate is where the nomination battle and the battle for the rule of law will take place. So far, many GOP senators have taken a wait and see attitude toward preserving the integrity of federal law enforcement. A largely partisan vote to confirm a Trump loyalist would open the city gates to the ruthless, the shameless and the lawless. Historical parallels to the Nixon era can be strained. But it is worth listening to Richard Nixon in a reflective moment: So you are lean and mean and resourceful and you continue to walk on the edge of the precipice, because over the years you have become fascinated by how close you can walk without losing your balance. Donald Trump is dancing along the precipice. But his balance is precarious. Last week I listened to an engineer describe a water project in Africa. He and his team had designed and installed a well in a remote village. It provided clean and accessible water for hundreds of people. It meant the villagers would have access to clean water for drinking and washing, it would reduce disease from water-borne contaminants, the women and children would not have to walk three miles every day to fetch water, and children would be free to go to school. It sounded like a great success story. Except, the engineer said, the women in the village all hated me. It turned out that the daily journey to fetch water was the only time the women were allowed to leave their homes. In their strictly male-dominated society, womens roles were confined to domestic tasks; after the well was built, they no longer had any opportunity to socialize with their friends and neighbors. The fourth part of Rotarys Four-Way Test is: Will it be beneficial to all concerned? It seems like a straightforward question, but it turns out that human beings are not very good at evaluating consequences for others. Actually, we are not even very good at evaluating consequences for ourselves. But that doesnt mean we shouldnt try; it just means we have to be more deliberate in our decision-making. In the 18th century Jeremy Bentham proposed that all ethical decisions be based on what he called the greatest happiness principle. Bentham was disturbed by the fact that so many laws and social policies seemed to be based either on tradition (the way weve always done it) or power (the narrow interests of a few). He argued that morality should be scientific and impersonal. By systematically calculating the relative amount of pleasure and pain that would be produced by different courses of action, and choosing whatever promised the greatest overall benefit, much needless suffering could be eliminated in the world. To a great extent, Benthams moral and political reforms were successful. Western societies today have largely adopted his consequentialist approach to decision making. Pay attention to any of our contemporary political debates and you will find that the overwhelming focus is on the consequences of proposed laws or policies for some group or other. The problem is, we rarely give equal weight to the consequences for everyone affected. That is particularly true when it comes to water. Our bodies are comprised of about 60 percent water; daily access to clean water is therefore necessary for health and survival. Our economy is also dependent upon copious amounts of water for agriculture, transportation and recreation. That sets up a potential for conflict whenever supplies of clean water are limited. Water cannot be regarded as a typical commodity. It defies our efforts at control. Streams and rivers cross township, county, state and national borders. It is a universal solvent, so it absorbs substances with which it comes into contact, depositing those substances into people, plants, insects, reptiles, fish and birds. It flows into and out of our lives, our bodies, our properties Eventually, wrote Norman Maclean, all things merge into one, and a river runs through it. To a great extent, we are what we drink. Unfortunately, what we are drinking is increasingly laden with the waste by-products of highly mechanized, industrial society. Those who are benefiting from the production of those wastes are often not the same ones who are suffering the consequences of consuming them. Here are a few facts indicating how poorly we do at considering the consequences for all when making water policy decisions: Ten communities in Wisconsin have higher rates of children tested positive for lead poisoning than in Flint, Michigan. Pharmaceutical compounds are showing up in lakes and rivers in higher amounts every year, yet there is no regular testing of those compounds in drinking water. Drinking water contamination in private wells is exacerbated by large withdrawals from aquifers. Yet the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources does not look at the cumulative impact of high-capacity wells when reviewing permits. The so-called dead zone in the Gulf of Mexico, caused largely by nutrient runoff from Wisconsin, Minnesota and Iowa, expanded to record size last summer. As our population continues to grow and technology becomes more advanced, we will face problems of increasing complexity and scope. And that means we need to be more intentional about how we make policy decisions affecting large numbers of people in different ways. Whether we are talking about energy, health care, national security or water, we need to take into account all the people who are affected by our decisions. But there is one other step we have to take if we are to avoid unnecessary conflict and turmoil, and that is to continually ask ourselves the question: What is needful for a rich and flourishing life? When we do that, we may find that pursuit of material acquisition and the measurement of societal health by its rate of production and consumption is deeply misguided. Consequences matter. Some consequences matter more than others. But what matters most is that the consequences for all get the same consideration. Consider: that site is 25,000 square feet, and a site in Downtown Brooklyn little more than half that just was sold for $68 million. As YIMBY reported two days ago, in Mixed-Use Development Site Expanded at 625 Fulton Street, Downtown Brooklyn , the 12,415-square-feet three story commercial building at 635 Fulton Street and Rockwell Place now expands the development site owned by Rabsky Group. Rabsky, which bought 625 Fulton--adjacent to 80 DeKalb Avenue--from Forest City Ratner for $158 million, might build either a residential or office tower, with a significant 150,000 square feet of retail space, the Real Deal reported. Rabsky is being advised by Tucker Reed, former president of the Downtown Brooklyn Partnership. In either' case, the market for residential and office space is in flux right now. Last September, I wrote about the low-ball offer of $15.1 million that Empire State Development (ESD), the state authority overseeing/shepherding Atlantic Yards, made in February to P.C. Richard, which owns one of the two buildings at Site 5, across Flatbush Avenue from the Barclays Center.That's well below the value of stated development rights, much less what is currently permitted (or might be permitted in the future) on the property. Of course, as I wrote, in New York eminent domain cases, the condemnor often low-balls owners of the subject property as a way to nudge them into negotiation and a presumably higher payment. A 23-year-old Camp Douglas man was referred to the district attorney on multiple charges after allegedly assaulting a woman in the town of Byron. The Monroe County Sheriffs Department was called to the emergency room at Tomah Memorial Hospital May 7, where a woman told police she was hit, strangled and threatened by Michael Anthony Youngs. The woman said the assault started around 11 a.m., when Youngs told the woman he wanted her to lie down with him. She refused and said Youngs became upset. As she started to leave the bedroom, she said Youngs shut the door and prevented her from leaving and then grabbed her by her sweater and pulled her back onto the bed. She said Youngs held her down by applying pressure to her ribs with his elbows. She said he later put his forearm across her neck. The woman said she banged on the wall and yelled for another person to come into the room, at which point Youngs covered her face with a pillow and began hitting her. The woman said Youngs hit her at least 10 times. She said she didnt fight back because that would have made it worse. After the woman finally pushed Youngs away, she said Youngs grabbed a 9 mm handgun from under the bed and pointed it toward her. At that point, another person came into the room and led the woman from the residence. The report says the womans nose was black and blue from being struck and that her right eye was swollen. She also had fresh bruises on her left arm. Police interviewed Youngs the following day. He said the woman was swinging her arms, which led him to believe she was going to hit him. Youngs admitted punching her, according to the report. He told police he suffers from PTSD due to an abusive childhood and sometimes blacks out. He denied using a gun and said his firearms had been missing for the past week. Youngs was referred for disorderly conduct, battery, strangulation/suffocation, false imprisonment and endangering safety with a weapon. Back in early March, I got a text from an old college friend I don't see too often these days. He was planning a day trip to Massachusetts with two of his friends whom I'd only met once or twice and he asked me if I wanted the fourth seat in the car. They were leaving Camillus at 5:30 a.m. And this was on a Thursday, so I'd have to take a vacation day to tag along. I was being asked, then, if I would take one of my vacation days to get up at 4 a.m., sit in a car for five hours to Massachusetts, continue sitting in a car driving around the state all day, then sit in a car for another five hours returning home all with one friend and two guys I barely knew. I said "yes" immediately. Why? Beer. Our destinations in Massachusetts were Trillium Brewing Co. in Canton, Jack's Abby Craft Lagers in Framingham and Tree House Brewing Co. in Monson. All three are world-class breweries and, in the case of Trillium and Tree House, their beers are only available in take-home form at the breweries. Buying some from Tree House even means standing in line for an hour. Craft beer fans are surely familiar with my experience, my compulsion to go so far out of my way to spend an exorbitant sum of money on beer. It's called beer tourism. And according to the Brewers Association, it's something several million people do yearly. It's something I'll do again in June, when my wife and I visit Vermont and some of its many breweries on a two-day trip. So yes, beer tourism is most certainly a thing. But beyond those of us who'd wait in line for Other Half or drive for hours to Hill Farmstead, there are people who give craft beer much shorter economic and cultural shrift. There are people who think it's no different than Bud Lite, no better than an addictive vice. And some of those people are in Cayuga County. At The Citizen, we've seen some of those people respond to our reporting on Cayuga County's burgeoning craft beer scene. You name a positive of craft beer, they question it: the community it builds, the tourist dollars it attracts, the jobs it creates. After I reported on Prison City Pub & Brewery's announcement that it will open a production facility that will employ up to 25 people full-time, I was baffled to read one response saying, dismissively, that Auburn instead needs factories and manufacturing jobs. As if that's not a factory, and those aren't manufacturing jobs? As Prison City, The Good Shepherds Brewing Co., Lunkenheimer Craft Brewing Co. and Aurora Ale & Lager Co. continue growing, there could come a day when someone in Massachusetts is asked to make the same arduous day trip that I did. And if Cayuga County attracts enough of those visitors, maybe then those critics will come around on the value of craft beer. What's on tap Prison City Pub & Brewery With American Craft Beer Week from May 15 to 21, the 28 State St. brewpub has events planned every day. Highlights include beer trivia from 7 to 9 p.m. Tuesday, May 16, and Pinfest, a tapping of a few house cask beers, on Saturday, May 20. Prison City will also team with Good Shepherds and the Thirsty Pug Craft Beer Market to present the BeerMuda Triangle from 5 to 8 p.m. Thursday, May 18 though that may be a misnomer now, as the Copper Pig BBQ & Taproom will join the three sites this month to offer food and specialty beer flights at the monthly event. The Copper Pig will also host daily American Craft Beer Week events. For full details on the events, visit prisoncitybrewing.com or facebook.com/copperpig. Lunkenheimer Craft Brewing Co. Fresh off attending the Tap NY 2017 Craft Beer and Food Festival in Hunter Mountain along with Prison City, the Weedsport brewery will celebrate American Craft Beer Week by breaking out its randall. Brewers can load the double-chamber filter with ingredients, attach it to a tap and run the beer through it, infusing it with new flavors. Brewers Derric Slocum and Kristen Lunkenheimer-Slocum's plan includes "something with citrus and vanilla," they said, but they haven't finalized it yet. New on tap at the North Seneca Street brewery is Kold Brew Kolsch, featuring coffee from Simple Roast Coffee in Sennett. Lunkenheimer is also collaborating with Roscoe Beer Co. and Seneca Lake Brewing Co., brewing at their facilities, and talking about hosting another collaboration with Cayuga County's own Aurora Ale & Lager Co. COLLECTIVE MADNESS Soft despotism is a term coined by Alexis de Tocqueville describing the state into which a country overrun by "a network of small complicated rules" might degrade. Soft despotism is different from despotism (also called 'hard despotism') in the sense that it is not obvious to the people." SENECA FALLS Fleur De Lis Brew Works, opening Saturday, is putting the "farm" in farm brewery. Owned and operated by the Partee family, Seneca County's seventh craft brewery sits around the corner from the family's 350-acre beef cattle farm. The brewery itself, located off Route 414, is a 15-acre property that's been in the family for three generations now. And the Partees plan to source most of the ingredients in Fleur De Lis' beer from that heirloom soil. For instance, the brewery's flagships, a bier de garde (a French farmhouse-style strong pale ale) and bier de mars (a lighter version of bier de garde), will eventually be made with locally grown strisselspalt hops. Fleur De Lis brewer Jon Paul Partee is working with a Utica greenhouse and the USDA's National Clean Plant Network to import cultures of the varietal from France so the Partees can plant it on a 2-acre field in the brewery's front yard. They've had practice with the flavoring flower: Jon Paul started a 10-variety hop farm four years ago on the other side of Seneca Falls. An electrical engineer, Jon Paul's interest in craft beer began bubbling about a decade ago when his wife, Beth, gave him a home-brewing kit for Christmas. Years later he planted the hop farm, and shortly after that the seed of Fleur De Lis Brew Works. The brewery takes its classically French name and logo from the Partee family's coat of arms. Partnering with Jon Paul in operating the brewery are not only Beth, who will manage its rustic barn-style beer parlour, but his brother, Craig, and his wife, Jennifer. Their interest in craft beer grew in parallel to Jon Paul and Beth's: First wine enthusiasts, Craig and Jennifer converted to craft beer eight years ago when they moved to Florida, which he described as a desert for oenophiles. Many years of traveling to breweries across the country later, Craig will manage Fleur De Lis's overall operations and Jennifer will handle its social media and marketing. Craig and Jennifer live part-time in the house adjoining the brewery, he said, and part-time in Florida. They were motivated to partner with Jon Paul and Beth in Fleur De Lis not just by mutual love of craft beer, but mutual desire to honor their family's agricultural heritage. This generation will just be trading black angus cattle for beer ingredients, Craig said naturally filtered limestone well water, homegrown hops and flavor agents like cardamom, walnuts and pumpkins harvested from the Partees' land or that of their neighboring farmers, then processed on site. "Everything is fresh, fresh, fresh. The fresher the better," Jon Paul said. "That's what beer was meant to be." The Fleur De Lis beer parlour will eventually feature 12 taps, Jon Paul said. Though French farmhouse styles will be the brewery's signatures, it will also make India pale ales, a wit (Belgian ale), a roggenbier (German rye), a barleywine (a strong ale around 10 percent alcohol by volume) and more, all distinguished by an assertive malt presence. A version of the roggenbier aged in whiskey barrels from a local distiller will be available at Fleur De Lis' opening, and Jon Paul would like to make a "beer champagne" a bier de garde fermented with champagne yeast and corked as such. The brewery's current seven-barrel system could produce a ceiling of about 1,000 barrels a year, Jon Paul said. Any distribution Fleur De Lis does will be more for marketing than sales: The Partees would like to expose new drinkers to their beer via taps at area bars and, they hope, impress them enough that they visit the brewery for the full experience, such as a flight or a growler fill. Securing a Crowler (32-ounce can) machine is in the works, Jon Paul said, and a small bottling line for special high-gravity beer releases is also a possibility. Another component of the Fleur De Lis experience is the Seneca Falls countryside, which visitors will be able to enjoy at the brewery's outdoor area. Its driveway corridor of trees leads to a backyard with a cobblestone walkway, fountain and creek, where guests can play life-size lawn games or just drink in the scenery. The brewery's license covers all 15 acres, Craig said. As a farm brewery, Fleur De Lis must also make its beer with a percentage of New York state ingredients that escalates by the year. The Partees anticipate that requirement 60 percent by 2019, 90 by 2024 will pose more of a problem when it comes to grains than hops. However Fleur De Lis meets the mark, it invites everyone to be part of the process. Wanting to "bring people into farming," the new brewery may one day welcome customers to help strip a hop bine or drop hop strings into the processor, Jon Paul said. "People can feel like they're part of the farming community and get a sense of what they go through day to day," he said. "Come out and enjoy what life is like here in the country." Muslim men are usually separated from women during religious services in mosques throughout the world. But one mosque in northern California has opened up to let men and women pray side-by-side. The religious center is called QalBu Maryam, which means Heart of Mary in Arabic. Rabia Keeble set up the new QalBu Maryam mosque in Berkeley, California. She was a Christian until about 10 years ago, when she accepted Islam. It has long been a tradition that Muslim men and women pray separately. They sometimes pray in different parts of the same room. In some areas, they meet in different rooms or are divided by a barrier. As a new Muslim, Rabia Keeble says, she could not imagine women praying in the same room with men. I think at first - like most new Muslims - I accepted everything because I felt that was my role. I felt that thats what God wanted, was for me to accept what already was happening. But I think as an intelligent thinking person, after a while I began to see that there seemed to be an imbalance in that approach. Keeble accepted Islams teachings and customs. But she wanted to see the clergyman during religious services, and not be in a separate room. She eventually found a way to bring males and females together and give women the chance to see the person leading the service. Hussam Mousa was born in Egypt. He says he stopped attending religious services after the birth of his daughter 11 years ago. But he likes the idea of the new mosque and wants to bring his daughter. Show her a new model that can kind of point out to her, like you can retain your religious heritage and retain your religious culture in a space and environment where you are equal. Keeble says some people oppose her idea of having men and women in the same room. Ive had some backlash from Muslim men. But I was determined from the beginning that if I get threats, or if theres language, or something doesnt feel good about it, I would just ignore it. Some women say the separation of men and women in mosques is an important tradition they never had a problem with. Thats how I was raised, said Saleemah Jones, a lifelong Muslim. She now attends the QalBu Maryam mosque in Berkeley. Now, for the first time, Jones prays with men and also gets the chance to lead prayers herself. I had never been to a mosque where a woman led a prayer so much as where I would ever think that I would actually lead the prayer as well. So it gives you an empowering feeling. You know you can pretty much go out and do anything. Rabia Keeble says her goal is to create a space where all people feel welcome. And if someone wants to join me, male or female, Shia, Sunni, whatever you are, whatever color you are, wherever you come from in the world, then you join me here - and that would be very lovely. The mosque is the second woman-led Islamic religious center in California. The Womens Mosque in Los Angeles opened its doors in 2015. That mosque holds worship services specifically for women and children. Im Bryan Lynn. Michelle Quinn reported on this story for VOA News. Bryan Lynn adapted the report, with additional material from Reuters. George Grow was the editor. We want to hear from you. Write to us in the Comments section, and visit our Facebook page. ________________________________________________________________ Words in This Story worship v. to show respect for god by praying or attending religious services approach - n. way of doing something retain v. continue to have or use heritage n. traditions and beliefs that are part of the history of a group or nation backlash n. strong public reaction to something determined adj. having strong feelings about doing something mosque n. an Islamic religious center Welcome to Auburn, New York: Historys Hometown! Take an hour or spend a few days visiting Auburns historical and cultural sites, and youll see why we are called Historys Hometown. See where iconic American heroes Harriet Tubman and William H. Seward lived while helping lead slaves to freedom on the Underground Railroad. View outstanding examples of Tiffany glass at the Willard Memorial Chapel, Cayuga Museum of History & Art and Westminster Presbyterian Church. Visit the birthplace of talking films at the Case Research Lab and take in a contemporary art exhibit or quilt show at the Schweinfurth Art Center. Top off your day with a comedy act, play or even a dance performance at Auburn Public Theater. You will not be short of things to see and do and everything is within a 5-mile radius of downtown Auburn. And, of course, we cant leave out the Finger Lakes Musical Theatre Festival. The words above in quotation marks come from historyshometown.com. I would like to suggest that another piece of history be added to Historys Hometown: the completely restored historic 1890 Carl Barckhoff pipe organ residing in the gallery of St. Marys Church in downtown Auburn. Although St. Marys Parish was founded in 1868 and will be observing its 150th anniversary next year, the church building dates from 1874 and the pipe organ itself from 1890. For 127 years without interruption, the mighty Barckhoff has been providing organ music for church services. It was only in June 2016 that the organ was removed from the church and brought to Parsons Pipe Organ Builders in Canandaigua for a complete overhaul and restoration. The organ was brought back to St. Marys in February and was played for the first time on Easter. Since then, the organ has been rigorously exercised by our music director, Dr. Aaron James, to make sure all the mechanical parts are working correctly. The formal dedication of this instrument will take place at 3 p.m. Sunday, May 21, and the whole community is invited. This instrument is significant because it is the largest extant pipe organ built by Carl Barckhoff, whose company was in Salem, Ohio. And even more significant is the fact that this organ was never altered, mutilated or damaged. It is as Carl Barckhoff built it. Even the recent restoration, for the most part, sought to do everything in a way that honored the historic integrity of the instrument. At the dedication next Sunday, besides some glorious organ and choral music expressing the full range of the restored pipe organ, there will be a word from Mr. Ric Parsons, president of Parsons Pipe Organ Builders. He will give some insight on what went into the restoration process. Mayor Michael Quill, representing the city of Auburn, will be present along with Mr. Bill Czelusniak, representing the Organ Historical Society of the United States. Mr. David Fedor, who has known this organ since his days in St. Marys grammar school, will share his over 60 years' association with it. Also present will be Mr. Joel Morehouse, past music director, who recognized this gem residing in the middle of Auburn and was instrumental in inaugurating the restoration process. A special tribute will be paid to Mrs. Muriel Hickey, who will be retiring as parish organist at the end of the summer after 46 years at the organ console (having begun in 1971). Finally, Dr. Aaron James, the current music director and the concert organist for this occasion, will remind us of the importance that music and art play in our Sunday worship, and indeed in our cultural lives. I hope you will be able to join us for this significant event in the life of St. Marys Church, the city of Auburn and all of central New York state. We have a one-of-a-kind musical treasure in our Historys Hometown. In June, two special musical events will take place at St. Marys Church. On Friday, June 2, Musica Spei, an a capella singing group from Rochester specializing in medieval and Renaissance choral music, will present a concert at 7:30 pm. And on Saturday, June 24, the Land of Lakes Choirboys of Minnesota will give a concert at 7:30 pm. Both events are free and open to the public. Founded in 1991, the Cayuga County Habitat for Humanity is presently renovating a home at 6 Adams St. in Auburn. This renovation joins a growing list of successfully completed community projects that include renovations and the building of a new house. Because of former president Jimmy Carter and his wife, Rosalynn, many people are aware of Habitats work. The roots of the organization date back to 1976 and its founders, Millard and Linda Fuller. Today, the organization works in some 1,400 U.S. communities and in nearly 70 countries. Habitat follows a proven model of working with local organizations, businesses and individuals in the community to help those in need build or improve a place they can call home. Kip Coerper is the current co-president and volunteer coordinator for the organization. He and his wife, Becky, moved to this area about seven years ago from Charleston, South Carolina. It was somewhat of a homecoming, as his wife is originally from New York. While in South Carolina, he applied for a volunteer construction supervisor position and helped start the Habitat program there. When he came to central New York, he worked for a bit in Syracuse with the Habitat there and when that position ended, he became a volunteer locally. Until recently, the Cayuga County Habitat had been a totally volunteer-led and -run organization. Through a grant from the Allyn Foundation, it just hired its first paid program administrator. Kip said that Habitat needed this position to move to the next level. It hopes to generate additional awareness and revenue to continue renovating and building homes locally. Kip said that he loves what the brand is all about: creating an opportunity to make a difference for someone and the community. By establishing partnerships, helping people move into safe and secure housing, and growing a cadre of volunteers, the organization continues to make a tangible difference. And there continues to be a need for quality, safe homes for people. Kip said that his work with Habitat has shown him that one person can truly make a difference. That difference is multiplied when many people are involved. Before a house is chosen, there must first be a family in place. The individual or individuals go through a rigorous selection process. Applicants must be Cayuga County residents, not currently own their own home, meet specific income guidelines, and agree to put at least 250 hours of their own time and effort into the project. Families are selected based on need and their ability to pay a mortgage. Applicants are responsible for paying the mortgage on what it costs to build or renovate the home. Cayuga County Habitat currently has about 10 mortgages in its system. There is no set time frame for when families may apply, as it depends on the projects available. The group is actively seeking additional volunteers. Were all about the volunteer experience, Kip said. You dont need any particular skills, as we can teach you what you need to know. He also noted that Habitat is very safety conscious. Right now, it is working on the Adams Street house from 8 a.m. to noon almost every Friday and Saturday. Work at this house has included reconfiguring the kitchen, replacing plaster walls with sheet rock, installing insulation and replacing the siding. Individuals, groups and corporate volunteers are welcome to help. Kip adds that Habitat is also open to accepting new board members. Later this month, Kip is leading a Habitat Global Village work trip for about eight others to El Salvador. And this is not the first time he has traveled outside the United States to work with a Habitat project: "For me, its part of Gods call. Plus, it pleases me greatly that I can make such a positive difference here and in the larger world." Kip noted that we dont often realize how privileged we are to be living where we do. He truly enjoys the sense of camaraderie that develops on the Habitat projects and the joy of helping to create a safe home for a family. Looking for more information on Cayuga County Habitat for Humanity? Check out its website, cayugahabitat.org. There you will find updates on its current and past projects, as well as ways to become involved. You may also send an email to cayugahabitat@cayugahabitat.org. In 1996, National Geographic made Baby Louie into a 66-million-year-old child star. The magazines May cover featured a model dinosaur embryo tucked within a replica eggwhich, at 18 inches long, looked less like a supermarket egg than a squashed baguette. The sculptor based the model on Baby Louie, a fossilized infant dinosaur that died among unhatched siblings. The cover was striking: The top of the loaf-egg was sliced away to show Louie inside, curled up like a napping cat. This fleshed-out representation of a pebbly brown reptile, though, was a guess. Nobody knew what species Baby Louie belonged to. Publicly identifying Baby Louie took two decades. Scientists were reluctant to publish research about the fossil while, controversially, it remained in private hands outside its home country of China. A new paper published Tuesday in the journal Nature finally gives Baby Louie a species name and a place in the dinosaur family tree. This specimen represents the youngest individual known and the earliest growth stage of a giant oviraptorosaur, said Darla Zelenitsky, a dinosaur researcher at the University of Calgary in Canada and a co-author of the new study. Zelenitsky and an international team of scientists named the new dinosaur species Beibeilong sinensis, meaning Chinese baby dragon. In late 1992 or early 1993, during a boom in dino egg excavation, a group of farmers in Henan Province dug up a fossilized nest. A chunk of the nest made its way to the United States. Zelenitsky could not say if these fossil eggs had been poached. We dont really know the legality of the specimen as the fossil laws in China were apparently gray at the time, she said. I honestly dont know what the laws were. Smuggled or not, Baby Louie wound up in private hands. Even a whiff of impropriety was enough to deter scientists. The lengthy time of the fossils residence outside China certainly slowed down our research on the project, Zelenitsky said, as we wanted to see it returned to China before publication. A Colorado-based fossil seller named Charles Magovern had purchased the eggs and uncovered an infant skeleton amid the clutch. He invited several experts to look at the bones. One paleontologist who viewed the infant in 1995 said he thought Baby Louie was a therizinosaur, a bizarrely shaped dino with giant claws. Another expert disagreed. Without a scientific name to go on, Magovern nicknamed the fossil after Louie Psihoyos, the National Geographic photographer who later directed the Oscar-winning documentary The Cove. In the early 1990s, dinosaur embryos were exceedingly rare, Zelenitsky said. Baby Louie was thus a very unique and unusual fossil. Not only were the fossil eggs in its nest hugemore than twice the length of a modern ostrich eggcomplete skeletons of baby dinosaurs are quite hard to come by. By the end of the 1990s, Zelenitsky and her colleagues determined that Baby Louie was an oviraptorosaur, a type of two-legged dinosaur found guarding its nests. (In the 1920s, paleontologists theorized that oviraptors wanted to eat the nearby eggs. More recent studies absolved them of robberythe oviraptor appears to be parental, like brooding birds.) Baby Louie died, probably during a flood, in ring-shaped nest of the type kept by oviraptorosaurs. Also like oviraptorosaurs, Baby Louie lacked teeth in its lower jaw. Determining what an adult animal looked like from an infant can be tricky business. If you took a newborn human and scaled it up to an adult it would look like an alien, Gregory Erickson, a Florida State University paleontologist who was not involved with this study, told The Washington Post. In the Nature study, the researchers based their work on skeletal features that are fairly constant during maturation, like the toothless bottom jaw. Their evidence is compelling, he said, to place Beibeilong among the oviraptorosaurs. Everything about Baby Louie was supersize. The nest would have been about three yards across. Its egg probably weighed eight to 10 pounds. But before they could advance their work, the scientists had to wait for Baby Louie to scoot on home. In 2001, the Indianapolis Childrens Museum put the fossil on public display. Still the paleontologists waited. Finally, in 2013, the childrens museum gave the fossil to the Henan Geological Museum in Zhengzhou, where it remains. Im glad to see it repatriated, Erickson said. Had it just showed up on somebodys coffee table we never would have learned anything. (Many private fossils do not end up repatriated. There are likely thousands of interesting specimens that are never going to see the light of science, he said. Theyre intellectual treasures. Theyre not art pieces.) Two additional discoveries bolstered Baby Louies oviraptorosaur identification. In February 2015, five paleontologists accompanied one of the farmers to western Henan Province, to examine the original excavation site. There they found additional oviraptorosaur egg fragments. Whats more, in 2007 a separate team of Chinese paleontologists discovered an adult specimen belonging to a new, massive species of oviraptorosaur: Gigantoraptor. Before this finding, Zelenitsky had calculated that whatever birthed Beibeilong probably weighed at least 3,300 poundsright around the low range for the Gigantoraptor adult. Baby Louie represents only the third recorded skeleton from this group of giant oviraptorosaurs, Zelenitsky said. Its a very significant specimen. Many fossils collected illegallyhypothetically speakingtend to disappear, she said. This was nice. It was a happy ending for sure. TWIN FALLS Without the right documents, its hard to prove you finished high school. Twin Falls resident Amie Saunders graduated more than 20 years ago in the Philippines, but doesnt have the paperwork showing she did. She was told it would cost $2,500 to $3,000 to get the records. Saunders decided to pursue another option: earning a high school equivalency certificate through the College of Southern Idaho. She thought it would be easy, but it turned into two-year process. The single mom who works three jobs was the student speaker during CSIs GED graduation ceremony Saturday. Saunders plans to continue her education this summer in CSIs Bridge to Success program, where shell start her general education college classes. Shes interested in pursuing a degree in business administration. Amie is kind of a model student for us, said Jennifer Hall, director of adult basic education. She was very motivated and understood what her goal was and what she could do with it. More than 200 students earned a high school equivalency certificate at CSI this year. About half participated in Saturdays graduation ceremony. Idahos Supreme Court Chief Justice Roger Burdick was the keynote speaker during the event. Each student who participated in the ceremony will receive a $390 voucher to use toward either academic or technical classes at CSI this summer or fall. The new, harder GED Under nationwide changes that took effect in 2014, students are taking more rigorous General Educational Development tests that align with Common Core Standards. The new GED tests reasoning through language arts, social studies, mathematical reasoning and science require more writing and critical thinking. Saunders is known as being a cheerleader for others going through the process. She will round up any friends and fellow students who need encouragement, said Julie Jones, CSIs GED chief examiner. Saunders contagious smile and go-to attitude extend to her studies, too. I dont like boring stuff, she said. If its hard, I make it fun. I always wanted to go back to school Saunders graduated in 1992 from high school in the Philippines after skipping two grade levels. She came to the United States in 1997. Saunders always wanted to live in the U.S., ever since she saw American missionaries as a child in the Philippines. And she wanted to further her education. Ive always wanted to go back to school, she said. Saunders found out earning a high school equivalency certificate in the U.S. would be cheaper than getting a transcript from the Philippines. I thought, why not? she said. It would be a good refresher for me. Saunders juggled classes while working and as a single mother. She has twin daughters, both juniors at Twin Falls High School. Saunders said her daughters are very understanding of her work and class schedule. Its kind of sad sometimes, she said, because she wants to spend time with her daughters over the weekends, but has to work. Saunders has three jobs: as a cashier at Dollar Tree, at a hotel front desk and doing landscaping work. Im tired of working for minimum wages, she said. We learned a lot together To prepare for GED tests, Saunders took adult basic education classes in math and language arts. She also used an online program to study. I got stuck on the (language arts test) because its not my first language, Saunders said, and the essay writing portion was particularly challenging. The reasoning through language arts test has three parts, including 45 minutes to write an analytical essay. They will be given a couple of selections to read on two sides of an issue, and theyll have to analyze who has given a better argument and why, Jones said. Despite the challenges, the best part of the GED experience was being in a tutoring room with classmates, Saunders said. We learned a lot together. Finding someone you can relate to is wonderful, she said, adding its important to surround yourself with positive people. And shes thankful for CSI employees who helped her along the way. During Saturdays GED graduation, Saunders planned to talk about her life experiences and why she decided to pursue a high school equivalency certificate. As she talked Wednesday to the Times-News, she used an analogy of an inch worm slowly making its way up a hill. Im like that worm, you know? she said. Saunders wants to recruit and encourage other people to complete their high school equivalency certificate. I want them to know if I can do it, they can do it. TWIN FALLS Isaiah Palomo, 20, remembers it was scary and very emotional to enter the foster care system. He and his siblings were removed from their home when he was 13 due to an unhealthy spouse my mom was with at the time, he said. During that time, my mom had to fight for us back. It wasnt due to anything with her. It was due to her spouse. Palomo, the oldest of five children, remembers being in a van with his siblings and watching them be dropped off at different foster homes. He didnt have any information about where they were taken. Over the next few years, hed live in five places. For the first two weeks, Palomo and a brother stayed at The Safe House, a Twin Falls group home primarily for youth in crisis. For two weeks, we had no idea what was happening, Palomo said. They finally met with a caseworker, who told them legal proceedings would begin. Palomo spent one month with his biological father in Heyburn he advocated leaving there because he didnt feel safe then was in three foster homes before being reunited with his mother at 16. Palomo shared his first foster home with two of his brothers. The foster parents, he said, had a lot of miscommunication and arguments. Palomo said the couple talked down to him and his siblings but not to their biological children. And once, he said, the parents threw one of his brothers into a refrigerator. Looking back on that foster home, he said: I realize that it wasnt all just them being bad. Palomo said he had his own behaviors and trauma he was working through, but the foster family didnt make it easy. Palomo talked with his caseworker and asked to be placed in a different home. Meanwhile, he knew a girl at school whose parents took in foster children. He wrote them a handwritten note explaining his story. After getting approval, Palomo and his brothers moved in. He said it was his good home and he still communicates with the family. They showed me what good, healthy values are. His third foster home was in Twin Falls with a person hes related to through a family members marriage. He lived there with two brothers and his sister. We were closer to being all together, he said. But the woman was stressed out after taking on four children at once, Palomo said. She felt bombarded toward the end. HAILEY The worst of the flooding on the Big Wood River could be yet to come. The river last crested on May 8 at 7.8 feet at a flow of 5,950 cubic feet per second, Vernon Preston, with the National Weather Service in Pocatello, told a crowd at a town hall meeting at the Blaine County Community Campus. But, he said, most of the snowpack hasnt yet melted. For example, Mount Vienna had a 57-inch snowpack and is down to 52 inches now, while the Lost-Wood snowpack is about half-melted now with 23 inches left, and Dollarhide Mountain had 52 inches of snow and is down to 40 inches now. Weve basically just started to melt that snow, Preston said. The next week or two is expected to be cooler, which means the river will likely recede somewhat but also means delaying the snowmelt. Preston said he expects the river to peak between May 28 and June 9. We have only just begun to fight this fight, said Brad Richy, deputy chief of the Idaho Office of Emergency Management. Communities in Blaine County have been dealing with flooding for the past week. Forty houses in Hailey near the Big Wood River on West Cedar Street, Della Vista Drive and other nearby streets are under a mandatory evacuation order. Almost half of them had to be evacuated on Friday, with the rest being evacuated earlier in the week. Closer to the river, the streets are covered with water, with some houses surrounded by water too. That area is pretty much impassable by road, Fire Chief Craig Aberbach said. The evacuees have mostly been staying with family and friends, Hailey City Administrator Heather Dawson said. We had a shelter situation prepared but no one has asked for it yet, she said. A couple of dozen homes along Warm Springs Creek near Ketchum, another area that has been particularly hard-hit, have also been evacuated. Groundwater levels were already high before the flooding started, said Hailey city spokeswoman Anne Jeffery. Before this even started the ground was saturated, she said. According to Idaho Power, 120 people in the Ketchum and Hailey areas dont have electricity. The flooding has claimed one life Mike Wirth, a landscaper who drowned in Ketchum after getting trapped in a flooded basement. Our condolences go out to his family, said Gov. C.L. Butch Otter, who was in Hailey with other state and local officials Saturday morning to answer peoples questions about the flooding. Otter said he plans to ask for a federal disaster declaration for the area, which will determine much about how much aid is going to be available to rebuild. Another federal declaration has already been approved for the Magic Valley and some other southern Idaho counties due to flooding in February. This is a crisis, Otter said. This is a time when we need to recognize were not simply neighbors. Were family. Hailey resident Holly Wheeler said she has been running three pumps in her home all day, at a cost of more than $150 a day, to try to save her home. She said she doesnt feel like she and others in her situation have gotten enough help or guidance as to what to do. I really dont feel that its trickling down to us individual homeowners as best as it could be, she said. Aberbach said the government agencies involved plan to set up an information center next week, which as well as helping people keep up on whats happening could also serve as a point where people in need can make requests or others who want to help can see what is needed. People have already stepped up to help fill sandbags at the stations the city has set up. County Commissioner Angenie McCleary thanked the emergency personnel and others who have been busy this week, and the ordinary people who volunteered to help fill sandbags to protect their neighbors homes. At times like this Im reminded what a strong and wonderful and compassionate community we really are, she said. Otter and the others all urged people to stay off the water. As well as the more immediate physical danger of getting swept away, Jeffery said some of the flooding is in areas where there are septic tanks, which could contaminate the river. It is extremely important that people stay out of the water, even downstream, she said. Richy said the rivers are extremely dangerous. Just understand what jeopardy youre putting the first responders in too, he said. GOODING Kelsey Peterson and her husband talked about fostering children even before they married in 2011. The young couple was finally licensed to foster in May 2015, allowed to take in two children between newborn and 3 years old. But the first call was a social worker begging them to take a 15-year-old. We had the option to say yes or no, but it was kind of a desperate plea, Peterson remembered. Like, Weve called everywhere else, no one has room, can you guys take her? The couple relented but soon regretted it. It ended up being a lot more than we ever thought, Peterson said. The 15-year-old girl had obvious and understandable emotional trauma despite the social workers assurances to the contrary. But there were bigger issues, too. I was 22 at the time and never had kids of my own before, Peterson said. And here I am parenting a 15-year-old? It was definitely an eye-opener. It was just the beginning of the Petersons fraught relationship with Idahos foster care system: In just two years, theyve been asked to take in seven children at once, have had thriving children taken away for what they consider bureaucratic reasons and have had a social worker give their personal contact information to a foster childs parents without their permission. The Petersons experience isnt an exception to the foster-parenting rule. Rather, its a fairly typical example of issues that plague the system and its foster children, foster families and social workers. And the Petersons story highlights the four problem areas identified in a February report by the Idaho Legislatures Office of Performance Evaluations: Idaho doesnt have enough foster placements. Social workers and safety assessors work more cases than they can handle. A culture of compromise within Child and Family Services excuses poor performance. And the foster care system has no consistent oversight for all stakeholders. These problems arent unique to Idaho, the OPE report pointed out, and as a result 35 states have had class-action lawsuits filed against child welfare agencies. I think every state struggles with the same issues, said Miren Unsworth, Idahos deputy administrator over child welfare. There is nobody who has the magic bullet. But while there are no easy answers to the foster systems problems, ideas are beginning to take shape in Idaho that can help the system improve. Now, its up to Child and Family Services to identify specific ways to fix the system, and the Legislature to approve bigger budgets and more staff. And quickly. Its as urgent as an abused childs need for a safe place to sleep tonight. Overworked foster parents While fostering the 15-year-old girl in their tiny two-bedroom house, Nick and Kelsey Peterson also took in three sisters ages 12, 4 and 2. The Petersons are still licensed for just two children even after moving into a larger home, and after their daughters birth occupied one of those slots but are almost always on waivers to take in more. Once they had seven children in the home. Weve had 19 placements in the two years that weve had our house open, Kelsey Peterson said in the office of the Wendell day care she runs. Outside the office, an employee held Petersons infant daughter while two of her foster children played with the other kids cooking fake meals in a plastic oven and rolling cars around a toy track. Some of them were just one night, Peterson said. Some of them were two weeks. In April, she had five children at home: Her own infant, three siblings ages 1 to 5 and another young boy. All four of the foster children are long-term placements. They called us to just take two of (the siblings), Peterson said. They were going to place us with the two boys and put the little girl in a different home because there wasnt a home that could take them all. You cant separate three little kids at that age, so we took them all. The Petersons situation highlights one of the biggest issues with Idahos foster care system: There simply arent enough foster families to take in all the children without overburdening certain families. This is especially true in the Magic Valley, where available foster beds are in the shortest supply. Without beds readily available, children are placed farther from their biological parents, making visitation and an eventual reunification more difficult like the twin baby girls being fostered by Terri Mortensen of Jerome and her husband. The girls have been with the Mortensens since they were 6 weeks old and will soon celebrate their first birthday, and their mother typically visits twice a week despite living in a different town. We want her to see them, Mortensen said. Most of the time she can. Its harder in the winter because she lives 45 minutes to an hour away. Part of the solution is straightforward: recruiting new foster families. The authors of the OPE report recommended that Child and Family services strengthen its recruitment plan by determining how many foster parents are needed in each region and what additional resources will be needed to recruit them. But just as important, if not more, is retaining foster parents who are already licensed. When the stress gets too great, many foster families quit. At its core, this is about relationships and communication, Unsworth said. Strengthening bonds between foster families and social workers would ensure more families stay in the program. This will require the department to give them better support and resources, Unsworth said, particularly for children with special needs. The OPE report recommended Child and Family Services develop a robust retention plan that includes improving communication and relationships between foster families and social workers, and identifying ways to provide improved, consistent support for foster parents. One factor that will help is giving families more money; when the OPE study was conducted, maintenance payments to families covered just 50 to 60 percent of room and board expenses per child. The 2017 Idaho Legislature approved a 20 percent payment increase for each child in a familys care. But Sen. Abby Lee, R-Fruitland, who co-chairs the interim legislative committee on foster care, said that will mean little to prospective foster families. Not one foster parent has ever said its about the money, said Lee, who became a foster parent herself when her niece from another state needed care. Other ideas are in the works that could improve the fostering experience. One is a pilot program set to begin this summer in the Treasure Valley that will make a liaison available to foster families by phone. Child and Family Services hired two new employees the first week of May who will act in a customer-service role to triage for foster families to get immediate needs met, Unsworth said. Social workers there can now focus on bigger tasks without worrying about basic chores. So when a parent calls and says, I need a voucher for diapers, that doesnt need to go to a social worker, Unsworth said. Or if they say, I need Johnnys immunization records, that liaison can chase that down instead of a social worker. Tasks like those simple but time-consuming, and often requiring immediate attention can free up social workers, Unsworth said, to better communicate with foster families on the important things like a child, his needs and working a case plan. The newly hired liaisons will be asked to track data such as what types of calls they receive and Child and Family Services plans to assess the program for about six months before deciding if its helpful and can be expanded statewide. Overworked case managers Safety assessors and social workers are handling more cases than they can manage, the authors of the OPE report found after interviewing about a third of Child and Family Services employees and surveying all of them. Safety assessors, the survey found, estimated they could handle 11 cases but instead are handling about 15 each. Social workers also estimated they could handle 11 but are tasked with about 14 each. The report called these unmanageable workloads. This doesnt go unnoticed by foster parents. Turnover is huge, said Kate Allred of Jerome, who quit fostering in July. When we were there, there were social workers going through revolving doors. Their workload is too heavy. They are stretched too thin, and it makes them cranky and fuzzy thinkers. Its not the social workers fault. They are overworked. An unnamed chief of social work told an OPE interviewer that social workers must settle for C-grade work because of resource constraints. The problem, the chief said, is that there is an expectation for A-grade results. A judge interviewed for the OPE report also said Idaho foster-care social workers would get a C grade. I believe that most health and welfare workers want to do a good job and are good people, the judge said. I also believe that their caseloads are too big and their resources are too small. Because they are overwhelmed, they are only capable of doing an average job. An obvious solution is adding more staff. A workload analysis conducted by Child and Family Services in 2007 found a need for 36 percent more staff, but it has been able to add just 10 percent more caseworkers since then. The 2017 Legislature added six support staff and two social worker positions, but the state knows it needs more. Hiring more caseworkers, though, is just one element of addressing the workload problem, Unsworth said. We have to figure out: What other efficiencies can we create to help support workload management? The liaison program could help shift menial responsibilities away from caseworkers. Another solution in the works is overhauling the cumbersome data management system. Our staff is working for the system rather than the system working for them, Unsworth said. Child and Family Services requested money from the Legislature this winter to help fix the system, and the Legislature came through, allocating just over a million dollars for the project. Things like this on the technology and business side can help improve efficiency, Unsworth said. We need to improve and ensure folks are only doing necessary tasks. Another contribution to streamlining efficiency among caseworkers is a pilot program that began last fall in Ada County; it allows social workers to attend certain court hearings via video. This cuts down on travel time and precious work time thats wasted outside courtroom doors while waiting for oft-delayed hearings to start. Its still in an assessment period, Unsworth said. There have been conversations among some of the judges who have piloted it that there might be potential to implement it in other parts of the state. The program would be especially beneficial in rural areas, Unsworth said. The next step, though, is figuring out the technology likely to be the most difficult in rural areas where its needed the most. Organizational culture Addressing the issues of overworked foster families and case managers is relatively simple compared with the issue of organizational culture. More families willing to foster, more money and more staff can alleviate placement shortages and workload problems but how do you change the mindset and work culture of overworked and often criticized case managers and safety assessors? The OPE report authors found that on one hand, Child and Family Services employees are committed to improving the lives of the children and families they work with; on the other hand, difficult demands, limited resources and strained relationships with foster families and other stakeholders has created a culture of compromise with a conflicted sense of efficacy. There is a permeating belief among staff that more is demanded of them than they can do, the evaluators found. Because of this belief, each aspect of the organizational culture is undercut by a need to address the constant feeling of crisis. The OPE report also exposed a growing rift between social workers and the foster families they work with. Fifty-five percent of foster parents surveyed said they disagreed that Child and Family Services deeply understands their wants and needs. Only 17 percent said they agreed, while 28 percent were neutral. There is no set standard for cases, an unnamed parent told the OPE report authors. The biggest thing said to foster parents, when we ask about how things go, is Its a case-by-case basis. This removes all liability and accountability of the department. Social workers, on the other hand, feel like they face constant criticism from foster parents, judges and Court Appointed Special Advocates volunteers. It is hard to feel like you are always being scrutinized or criticized from every angle, a chief of social work told the OPE. The workers here feel like they are constantly having to defend themselves to everyone. This belief among Child and Family Services workers that they cant meet requirements and expectations of quality has led to a culture of compromise. Poor performance is explainable, excusable and expected, the OPE report found, resulting in a severe lack of accountability. This type of culture is unacceptable, Unsworth said, and folks need to be held accountable. Addressing workload will help, she said, though the problem runs deeper than just overworked case managers. This is tough, its not easy, Unsworth said. I think we acknowledge it and see it as an ongoing process. Any issues with organizational cultural must be addressed at the leadership level, Unsworth said. To begin fixing this problem, Child and Family Services will hold a conference this summer for managers and supervisors. Its aim: help the department figure out how to address its poor organizational culture. Lee, the state senator from Fruitland who fostered her niece, said she doesnt believe any Child and Family Services employees approach their jobs with anything but the best intentions. But the system has become bogged down in part by poor policies that are not controlled by state statutes. I think were looking through the lens of whats in the best interest for (biological) parents, Lee said. We have to consider family first, which is our policy in Idaho. But this sometimes stands in the way of making decisions that are in the best interest of children, she said such as when a child who is with a foster family since birth is taken away and placed with a family member of her biological parents. What does that do to a child? Lee asked. Were hearing from a lot of foster parents that this is traumatic for children. But this policy of always favoring a placement with biological family or fictive kin is just that a policy created by Child and Family Services, not by state statute, and a policy thats adhered to even when it goes against the best interests of a child. Thats why we need the interim committee, Lee said of the legislative committee she co-chairs. In June, that committee will meet with representatives from Child and Family Services to determine how theyre addressing certain policies. The biggest questions will be: How can the department start acting in the best interest of the children, what does that mean, and how does Idaho compare with other states? But looking past this summer, the committee could have an even bigger role in helping to fix Idahos broken foster system. Systemwide oversight Child and Family Services plays the biggest role in the states broken foster care system, but many stakeholders play critical roles: other agencies, community partners, lawmakers, law enforcement and the court system. Each entity has built-in mechanisms of oversight, but who polices and holds the entire system accountable? Right now, the answer is nobody. There is no formal oversight body, and the OPE report made it clear this is one of the biggest problems with the system. We recommend the formation of a formal, system-wide oversight entity with authority to ensure ongoing accountability, visibility, and accessibility for all child welfare partners and stakeholders, the OPE authors wrote. Lee said its unheard of for the states performance evaluators to make such a recommendation. Thats the strongest language ever, the state senator said. They have never made a recommendation to create a completely new oversight committee. The recommendation speaks to the foster care systems dire situation. The report suggested creating a permanent legislative committee dedicated to overseeing the foster care system, though already there are skeptics of that solution. Lee said the Legislature might balk at adding another standing committee, while the administrative director from the Idaho Supreme Court questioned whether the Legislature could oversee the judiciary without violating the state Constitution. There is always that tension the separation of government, Lee said. But other states have done this. We need to figure out if we need a top-down oversight or a more collaborative approach. For now, the interim legislative committee created last year and approved to continue this year will provide the oversight. Beyond that, there is only uncertainty. Failure to address oversight could render all other changes moot. What good is recruiting more foster families if overworked social workers are unable to build relationships and retain those families? What good is hiring more social workers if theyll be burdened with too many cases and accept their own poor performance? What good is fixing a culture of excuses and compromise among social workers if the departments poor policies arent changed? Whatever the solution whether a permanent legislative committee or something else the state must take action. Without that oversight, Idahos broken system will continue to hemorrhage foster families even solid ones like Nick and Kelsey Peterson, the young couple who planned to foster before their marriage and even moved to a bigger house so they could take in more children. Its hard to imagine a couple being more proactive about wanting to foster, about creating an environment in which they can help children and help families. Yet their poor experience with the system has pushed them to the brink of quitting. My husband is definitely at that point; his leading phrase anymore is, Were not taking any more kids, Kelsey Peterson said. Hes pretty much fed up and its not the kids at all, its the system. He hates the system. TWIN FALLS Bailey and Lilly McGrath battled for the perfect position on their mothers lap. Bailey, dressed in pink, pushed her sister, Lilly, until she cried and clutched their mother Mindy McGraths side. Lillys face was red and tear-streaked while Bailey smiled gleefully sitting between her mothers legs. She a little fighter, Mindy said. Shes our little badass, our little tough girl. Ever since she was born, 15-month-old Bailey has been fighting. Nowadays she fights her sister. When she just months old, she was fighting for her life. Bailey was born with a heart murmur and required open heart surgery at 5 months old. Jon and Mindy McGrath didnt know Bailey had a heart murmur. She passed the congenital heart defect test, but as soon as Bailey was born the heart murmur was detected. And the murmur kept getting louder and louder. Bailey had a big hole in the bottom two chambers of her heart. Her chest would vibrate because the blood was going where it shouldnt, and her ribs would dig into her sides. She would often turn blue quickly when she cried or drank a bottle. One night Mindy woke up to feed the babies and Baileys lips were blue. Mindy, a labor and delivery nurse, grabbed her stethoscope to listen to her heart. I know enough not to freak out over little things, she said. But I knew enough that something could go wrong. Mindy said she handled the news a little better than her husband, Jon. Hed stay up all night watching videos of open heart surgeries. As a paramedic, hes witnessed open heart surgeries, and like his wife, knew things could go wrong. The sign of life When Mindy told Jon she wanted to have more children, he reluctantly agreed to one more. They have a three-year-old son named Chance. When Mindy became pregnant with twin girls, he was scared. There is no history of twins on either side of their families. Ive never raised a daughter before, he said. I know what boys are like and how to teach a boy. But Jon was petrified when he found out Bailey need open heart surgery. Before Baileys surgery, Mindy said Jon would check on Bailey and listen to her heart. How do I put that into words? Petrified and scared beyond belief, Jon said. Anybody who has a child and finds out something is going to require major surgery, its a pretty gut wrenching experience. Bailey had open heart surgery on June 30 at Primary Childrens Hospital in Salt Lake City. On the day of the surgery, Bailey wore an outfit that said Little warrior. Shortly after arriving at the hospital, Bailey puked all over her shirt. It was difficult watching her baby leave with the anesthesiologist, Mindy said. The surgery would take six to eight hours. We were just crying, Mindy said. It was heartbreaking. They had a pager that would give them updates. Jon paced the hospital by himself and Mindy tried to distract herself by taking care of Lilly. They got the notice that she was on bypass or when doctors stop her heart. Its almost like your baby is dead because her heart has stopped, Mindy said. Then they got the call they could see Bailey in the intensive care unit. That was the best moment ever, Mindy said. Nothing can describe it and youre just waiting for that moment. Its like when you go in for that first ultrasound and you want to see that heart beat because thats the sign of life. Bailey was discharged on July 4. Those two little girls are my heart and have me wrapped around their fingers, Jon said. Stubborn and strong Even though Bailey is the youngest, shes described as the strongest. While Lilly stuck close to her mothers side outside on the trampoline between their familys house, Bailey ventured to its edges. I think the best way to describe her (Bailey) is she is my hero, Jon said. Her personality is stubborn and strong and independent and loving. Shes a beautiful little girl. Mindy had to work on Mothers Day, but Jon said thats normal. Last year was the first time he got to spend Christmas with his family in years. The two juggle strange work hours to take care of their children. When one is home with the children, the other is at work. Jon said they will probably celebrate Mothers Day before or after Sunday. Ive always been so maternal and want to love on everything, Mindy said. Im so fascinated that our bodies can make people. And on Mothers Day she got to celebrate her two healthy twin girls. Delean DeDe Crown passed away on April 13th, 2017. DeDe was born in Sioux City Iowa, to Delano and Eva Rice. She had two siblings, her older sister Reata and younger brother Richard. DeDe grew up in Mountain View California and graduated from Mountain View High School before moving to Twin Falls, Idaho where she met her husband Wayne Crown. Wayne was drafted into the United States Army during the Viet Nam War and was stationed in Newport News Virginia. Shortly after being discharged from the Army, DeDe and Wayne moved to Colorado Springs. Their eldest son Michael was born in Colorado in 1965. The family moved to Spokane WA where their youngest son Steven was born. In 1971, the family moved to Filer Idaho where Wayne took over the family farm and started his masonry business. DeDe was a stay-at-home mother until both boys entered school. Dede went to work at Crystal Springs Fish Hatchery and helped run the family hog farm. DeDe loved animals and had fond memories of all the animals she had owned while living on the farm. In 1982, DeDe and Wayne purchased Red's Beverage & Sporting Goods, a small convenience store and restaurant located in Filer. DeDe was the backbone of the business doing everything from being the cook to doing the books. After the death of her husband in 1998, DeDe moved to Wenatchee Washington to be closer to her sons and their families. After selling the farm and store, DeDe was able to travel to many exotic places around the world and always had a sense of adventure. She traveled to Aruba, Panama Canal, Mexico, New Zealand, China, Greece, Tibet, Ireland, Taiwan, and the island of Bonaire. She always enjoyed taking road trips with friends and family around the United States. Her traveling buddies are too numerous to list, but most would say there was never a dull moment when DeDe was around. In retirement, DeDe volunteered as a guardian ad litem for children, ombudsman for vulnerable adults and served as a cook at senior centers. DeDe loved being a grandmother to her grandkids and step-grandkids. She leaves behind countless endearing friends and those that loved her the most and called her sister, G-ma, Gramma D, grandma Crown, Auntie Dee, and mom. Services will be held at 10:30 a.m. on Saturday, May 20, 2017 at Telford's Chapel of the Valley, 711 Grant Road in East Wenatchee, Washington. Memorial donations may be made to the Wenatchee Valley Senior Center. Arrangements are by Telford's Chapel of the Valley. May 14, 1962 Students from East High School and Moravia Central School participated in a "Student Nurse Recruitment Day" Thursday at Auburn Memorial Hospital. Faculty Members of Auburn Memorial Hospital School of Nursing and members of the Student Nurse Association were hostesses for the program, which included tours of the hospital and School of Nursing classrooms and libraries. East High School representatives were members of the newly organized Health Careers Club and were accompanied by Miss Esther Sevier, school nurse teacher; Mrs. Jean Lewis, supervising school nurse teacher, Auburn schools; and Herbert W. Sackett, guidance counselor at East High School. Moravia students were accompanied by Mrs. David Hungerford, school nurse teacher, and J. Stanley Young, guidance counselor at Moravia Central School. A series of eight "Student Nurse Recruitment Days" is being held during May to provide an opportunity for qualified young women to obtain first hand information about nursing requirements and opportunities. Other area schools to participate in the program are: Cato-Meridian Central School; Port Byron Central School; Phelps Central School; Skaneateles Central School; Mynderse Academy; Seneca Falls; and Central High School, Auburn. Miss Ann F. Falvey, Memorial Hospital director of nursing, stated today that the Auburn Memorial Hospital School of Nursing was organized in 1887 and this June will celebrate the 75th anniversary of the founding of the school. The School of Nursing is approved by the New York State Board of Regents and provides a three year basic course in professional nursing. Graduates of the school are qualified to take New York State licensing examinations for registered professional nurses. The school is presently affiliated with Auburn Community College, where student nurses receive instruction in the basic sciences, social sciences and humanities. The nurses receive a total of 28 college credits during the college affiliation. The School of Nursing is also affiliated with Utica State Hospital where each student receives 12 weeks specialized experience in psychiatric nursing. The students also spend four weeks during the senior year at Mount Morris State Tuberculosis Hospital for instruction and care of patients with tuberculosis and allied diseases. Thursday's program was held in conjunction with Auburn Memorial Hospital's observance of National Hospital Week. Monday, Oct. 22, 1973, was the observance of Veterans Day in Washington, so most congressional offices were closed. However, Sen. Charles McC. Mathias Jr., R-Md., and his top aides, including yours truly, gathered that day at his office to review the unprecedented events that had rocked the city 48 hours earlier. Washington had never witnessed a Saturday night like that. President Richard Nixon had ordered special prosecutor Archibald Cox fired for refusing to back off his pursuit of the White House Watergate tapes. The same evening, Nixon had accepted the resignations of Attorney General Elliot Richardson and Deputy Attorney General William Ruckelshaus, both of whom refused to discharge Cox. Nixon directed Solicitor General Robert Bork, as the newly installed acting attorney general, to carry out the order, which he did. That very night, Nixon also abolished the special prosecutors office and had the FBI seal the Justice Department offices of Richardson and Ruckelshaus, as well as Coxs office on K Street NW. The Saturday Night Massacre ignited a firestorm. Just how much of one became apparent as soon as we entered the office that Monday. We had to be there: Mathias, considered a political maverick, had made the enemies list at the Nixon White House. Telephones were jumping off the hook. The receptionists and clerical staff had the day off, so some of us stepped in, taking turns answering the phones. The messages streaming in from Marylands politically conservative Eastern Shore and Western Maryland and more liberal Montgomery County and Baltimore were remarkably similar. Outraged constituents wanted their senator to know they thought Nixon had gone too farthat what he had done on Saturday night was simply wrong. More than 50,000 telegrams in protest reportedly arrived on Capitol Hill in one day. The circumstances surrounding Nixons treatment of Cox, Richardson and Ruckelshaus differed, to be sure, from the factors that led to President Donald Trumps firing of FBI Director James Comey. Coxs firing 44 years ago and this weeks treatment of Comey, however, have one common feature: Both Nixon and Trump moved to quash a federal investigation into activities associated with their presidential campaigns by firing the top officials overseeing the probe. It didnt work then. Will it work now? The 73 electorate had come to realize that Nixon crossed the line and that presidential power had been abused. Many of the callers couldnt cite laws that Nixon might have broken or the constitutional rights he might have violated. But there was collectively a gut feeling in the country that Nixonliked and supported by manyhad gone too far. And Congress, prodded by a fearless press, including this newspaper, stepped up. What feelings about Trump exist today across the fruited plain? Is the dismay limited to Democrats in Congress and a few Republican outliers annoyed by Trumps smackdown of Comey? Because count on it, Trump is not going to hold still for deepening probes into possible ties between the Kremlin and his presidential campaign. That is what Comeys firing was all about. But can Trump get away with misusing the powers of his office to obstruct the FBIs probe of Russias campaign to influence the 2016 presidential election? Whats next? Look for a full-throated Trump campaign to deceive the country into believing that theres no reason to probe whether anyone on his team has been involved in misconduct with the Kremlin. Watch as he and his minions attempt to interfere with the conduct of investigations by the Senate and House intelligence committees by seeking to discredit key members. The last thing Trump wants is a spotlight shining on the money trail that flowed from Russian enterprises connected to the Kremlin to activities and individuals associated over the years with Trump personally, the Trump Organization and his business, family and political allies. Does Russia, because of money, have its hooks into Trump? Thus keep a close eye on former national security adviser Michael Flynn, who was just issued a Senate subpoena for documents related to the Russian meddling and possible Trump campaign/Kremlin ties. It may well be that Flynn regarded Vice President Mike Pence and White House press secretary Sean Spicer as useful idiots who would blithely peddle his lie that he didnt discuss the removal of sanctions with the Russian ambassador before Trump took office. But would Flynn, Army to the core, dare overstep his bounds with the commanderinchief? That Flynn, close campaign adviser, representative of President-elect Trumps transition team and Trumps handpicked national security adviser, would have had communications with the Russians without Trumps knowledge is almost beyond belief. So back to the beginning: Are phones jumping off the hook, and emails flying, because Trump has gone too far? Is Congress going to examine whether Trump hasthrough his behavior as candidate and presidentprejudiced the cause of law and justice? Or will the country, and a cowardly Republican Congress, just roll over and play dead? Over the coming month, thousands of Idaho high school seniors will graduate and face a life-altering decision: whether to pursue higher education. Idahos education stakeholders, elected officials, and leaders should be applauded for their continued work to increase the number of young people who go on. A recent study by the University of Idahos McClure Center indicated that these efforts are rightly focused on the most significant barriers, and that their efforts make a difference. However, the McClure Center study and other recent news stories have demonstrated that financial concerns loom large for many families and students. When faced with the costs of college, the prospects of taking on debt at a young age, and the allure of a paying job, young people may often conclude that the math doesnt work out. Why invest in education, taking on debt, when they can start earning a living now at a wage that seems decent? The choice is understandable, even though Idahos institutions offer some of the highest-value education in the country. Students who take on sizable debt can end up with monthly payments that impact their lives for decades. At IDeal, Idahos 529 College Savings Program, we believe that a key element of addressing financial barriers is getting more families to plan ahead by saving. Over eighteen years, a family that invests just $25 a month for a child can potentially make a sizable dent in the cost of higher education. Idaho taxpaying families can also lighten the load by using Idahos generous state tax deduction for account contributions and by asking other family members to give the gift of college savings for special occasions. By saving, families create a pro-higher education culture that makes it easier for their children to see the investment in college penciling out. We also believe that its important to talk about the value of higher education in terms that go beyond dollars and cents. Last fall, IDeal spoke with a few dozen of our programs biggest fans to determine why families who save for college do so. The parents and grandparents we spoke to, regardless of financial background or educational attainment, believed that having a college degree isnt just about making more money. While they save ahead to reduce their childrens future financial burdens, these families also tell their children that the real value of higher education is that it offers the tools to choose your own path, to have a career in the pursuit of something greater than paying the bills. Understandably, discussions in the public sphere about the value of higher education revolve around community and business concerns. The future of our economy depends on developing a highly skilled workforce. While we elevate these important concerns, lets also keep in mind that higher education is about more than earning a living; its about cultivating a wider range of options in life. In addition to asking teenagers how much money they want to make, we should also keep asking, What is your passion? and, What do you want to be when you grow up? Saving for college ultimately promotes freedom by giving our young people access to a much broader range of life choices and sources of happiness and satisfaction. SHERIDAN, Wyo.(AP) Joe Wesnitzers goal of year-round growing has taken his farming off a horizontal plane to new heights. Behind his house, Wesnitzer constructed a greenhouse filled with more than 1,000 plants, most of which dont root themselves in soil, but out of a vertical system instead. University of Wyoming extension horticulture specialist Karen Panter, Ph.D., said vertical systems have been available for about 20 to 30 years but recently gained popularity. She said while some older systems use peat moss, the latest technology is a hydroponic system, which forgoes soil and grows vegetables in a nutrient solution. Though homemade, Wesnitzers system is no exception. He said he erected the greenhouse last year. He finished it in August and started planting in January, after the cold spell of December passed. Wesnitzer said he used about two pallets of 4-inch sewer pipe for the towers, which he then cut strips out of and sanded for planting. Each tower is connected to pipe at the top and the bottom. The pipes are then connected to a nutrient tank that contains a mixture of water and lettuce formula fertilizer for hydroponic farming. The water is pumped to the top pipe, fed down through the tubes of plants by gravity, and then through the bottom pipe and back into the tank to be reused. Inside the tubes, Wesnitzer uses long strips of pond filter material to sandwich plants and a wicking fabric between before sliding it all into the tube, plants protruding from his cut strips. He said the fabric ensures that roots get nutrients and moisture. Wesnitzer will reuse the pond material with more plantings. He said after about three to four plantings the pond material will be saturated with root mass which will do the job of the wicking fabric. Wesnitzer said he grows mostly greens kale, arugula, chard and basil but is also trying to grow cilantro in the vertical system. But Wesnitzers quick success is not the norm. Panter said shes seen many people get too deep too quickly. What I worry about is that people dont really understand what theyre getting into, Panter said. She later added, Theres this mystique about hydroponics and growing vertically and all this other stuff which is fine, but its also an easy way to lose your shirt virtually overnight. Theres a lot of room for error in a hydroponic system like these. She said in hydroponics the grower has to supply everything the plant needs because its not in soil. This includes proper nutrient type and amount along with lighting, which she said isnt usually a problem in a greenhouse but growing popularity of farming in old warehouses and other enclosed structures cause plants to rely on artificial lighting. Its harder to grow hydroponically, Panter said, and when you add the vertical system to it, the learning curve is pretty steep. So for someone that is a novice, its the hardest way to grow plants. She said the other thing people fail to consider is technical glitches. The system needs electricity to pump water through, and even more if its using artificial light. So when weather causes power outages, while plants may be sheltered, unless theres a backup generator theyre still in trouble. She said the best plants for vertical systems are smaller plants with a quick turnaround, like lettuce, spinach and other salad greens along with some herbs. She said anything that has a three-dimensional growth pattern, like tomatoes and cucumbers, dont work well in a vertical system. There is, however, disagreement as to whether hydroponically grown vegetables are as healthy as soil-based vegetables. Its a dispute that has triggered numerous studies, but resulted in only broad conclusions. For example, a 2015 study done by Chenin Treftz and Stanley T. Omayne for the University of Nevada, Reno, examined the nutritional difference between hydroponically grown strawberries and raspberries with those grown in soil. The experiment concluded that soilless strawberries yielded a higher amount of Vitamin C, Vitamin E and polyphenol compounds by 74 percent, 53 percent and 22 percent, respectively. The study found the opposite for the raspberries, yielding higher Vitamin C and polyphenolic compounds in the soil-based plants by 83 percent and 67 percent respectively. Panter said she doesnt think theres a difference in the final product. From a scientific viewpoint as long as the fertilization and everything for the plant is optimum, theres no difference, Panter said. Despite the hurdles of vertical systems and the debates of hydroponic growing, for those who master the method, the vertical system does have its benefits. The most obvious benefit is that vertical systems allow the grower to make maximum use of space. Panter said, as an example, a horizontal plane may have one lettuce plant per square foot. A vertical system would also have one plant per square foot in the tower leading to eight to 10 plants per square foot of floor space. Again, there are conflicting studies on which method uses more energy and is more environmentally efficient. A 2015 study from the International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, which compared land, water and energy requirements of hydroponically grown lettuce to soil grown lettuce, found hydroponics to require less water but more energy and therefore not be a sustainable alternative to conventional lettuce farming. But the study also said the technique and technology are promising. It said hydroponic growing uses land and water more efficiently than conventional farming and as time reveals how scarce these resources may become, the system could become more appealing to city planners. Panter said the technology regarding water usage as well as fertilization has drastically advanced in the past decade or so. While she said the Dutch are leaders in the technology, Wyoming is home to one vertical farming equipment company that she knows of, Bright Agrotech. She said though she doesnt know for sure what the impetus is behind the vertical movement, as shes received numerous calls about it, she thinks its the local foods movement. And while she admits there are many benefits, she wants people to know what theyre getting into. Wesnitzer is part of the local foods movement and sell his greens at Landons Greenhouse and Nurserys farmers markets, but said the reasons he decided to grow vertically were bigger than that. He said he wanted to maximize space, conserve water and extend the growing season. He said he uses about 50 gallons of water a day for about 1,000 plants and thinks he can grow year round. If people really understood greenhouse crop production they would realize this is one of the toughest ways to grow plants there is, Panter said. Just growing in a greenhouse in a normal situation is very rewarding and its a lot of fun but theres a lot to it a lot more than meets the eye. AUBURN A sculpture of William Seward famous Auburn resident and secretary of state under President Abraham Lincoln was unveiled in Auburn May 13 in honor of Seward's negotiation for the purchase of Alaska. The sculpture was presented in front of over 100 people at the Seward House Museum the same Auburn location where the former state governor and his family resided for the "A Most Fortunate Folly: Alaska at 150" event. The event commemorated Seward's negotiation for the purchase of Alaska in 1867. Some saw the 150-year-old purchase of the territory from Russia as a mistake at the time, famously referring to it as "Seward's folly." The sculpture, which was transferred from Washington, will be embarking for various locations by railroad before going to its permanent location at the state capitol in Juneau, Alaska in July. Siblings David Rubin who lives in Ketchikan, Alaska and his sister Judith Rubin who lives in Boston created the sculpture over the course of three years. They were chosen for the honor by a committee in Juneau. David said he was thrilled to be involved in the former New York governor's narrative. "We feel like a part of the story now, Seward's story," David said. Judith said she was overwhelmed by her involvement in the event. "You drop out of reality for something so special," Judith said. The Auburn Civic Band, led by James Best, performed various patriotic songs at the event. Billye Chabot, the museum's executive director, state Sen. John DeFrancisco, Assemblyman Gary Finch, Cayuga County legislator Tim Lattimore and Auburn Mayor Michael Quill all spoke before the unveiling, praising Seward's achievements and the long-term positive effects that buying Alaska has had for the country. DeFrancisco said that although Seward was called a "fool" for the Alaska purchase at the time, history has shown he made the right choice. "So on behalf of all of the fools that are here including the elected officials maybe some day our actions will be seen to have been justified," DeFrancisco said. Many were skeptical, even afraid, that President Dutertes announcement of an independent foreign policy would spell doom for the economy, and may even trigger political problems for the new president. One year after his astounding victory in the 2016 elections, it does not seem that way. Even his approval and trust ratings from the people have remained high. Two months from now, he will deliver his second State of the Nation Address to Congress and the people, and there will be so much to report, so many changes to show. Changes are happening quite fast. From the very beginning, Duterte simply said what he, as a Filipino, felt about a supra-subservient foreign policy that assumed America could do no wrong by us. Through words and actions, he threw out what the president inaugurated after the Second World War established as doctrine: That the Philippines would always be guided by the benevolent protection of the United States of America. Duterte bristled at the way leaders of the US and even Europe hectored him on the conduct of the countrys war on drugs on account of alleged human rights violations. And he gave colorful retorts that made many wince. He would wean the country away from being a clone of the West in Asia. He would make us think and act like the Orientals that we truly are. ADVERTISEMENT He went overdrive on his rekindling of relations with our nearest neighbor to our northwest, China. Where leaders before him made it a point to visit the US of A after the Asean, Duterte did the opposite. He visited China. And for appropriate balance, Japan as well, where his independence was much appreciated. In the Asean Summit in Vientianne, Laos, he did not seek a one-on-one with POTUS, then Barack Obama. He even spewed epithets against the outgoing American leader, undiplomatic to many observers, but Duterte matter-of-factly said what he felt about the interventionist stance of our former colonial master. And in China on his first visit, he embraced friendship with the dragon, relegating to the back-burner what many flag-waving patriots wanted him to use as weapon against the insistence of the other country on its supposed historical claims over the South China Sea. Duterte was being practical. It may be good optics for him as our new leader to thump our chest on the UN arbitral courts decision, but then what? Could we assert our claims and defend it with weapons we do not have? Could we rely on the great US of A to fight for us? Knowing that neither were in the realm of the probable, and knowing further that our big neighbor to the West was willing to assist us by way of massive investments and economic assistance, he wisely declared to the whole world his turning back on previous foreign policy to embrace a truly independent one where the Philippines would be enemy of none and friend to all. Our newly appointed foreign affairs secretary Alan Peter Cayetano, told me that in his talks with officials of other countries, whether in the Asean or the Middle East, one common thread was admiration for Duterte being able to say on the international stage what they themselves feel but could not publicly express. Now in Beijing for the forum on the Belt and Road Initiative, Duterte will have bilateral talks with President Xi Jinping and Premier Li Keqiang to firm up previous agreements that would greatly spur the Build, Build, Build infrastructure program of his government. Filipinos so used to groveling for pittance from US-sponsored grants will be awed at the magnitude of what China, Japan and other countries will soon give, all because Dutertes credibility as a no-nonsense leader and his independent foreign policy is precisely what we need to start moving forward with purpose and determination. Ambitious though it is, the One-Belt, One-Road initiative of China seeks to link Europe with Asia and Africa by land and sea routes reminiscent of the ancient Silk Road. And the Philippines which would have been an isolated island in the midst of these developments, will now become a major participant. Funding assistance for two new bridges spanning the Pasig River in order to help alleviate the traffic, the railroad modernization from Manila to Calamba, and expansion all the way to Bicol, the Kaliwa Dam for new fresh water sources, as well as the Chico Dam for irrigation expansion are part of some thirteen projects already approved in principle. With a frenetic pace that Duterte has directed his economic managers and implementing agencies to pursue, finally we may be able to catch up with our more advanced neighbors in Southeast Asia. Duterte has likewise demonstrated his determination to stamp out corruption in government by swift action and not mere words. The kind of corruption that has delayed and worse, thrown into the waste-bin significant big-ticket projects under previous governments will now be a thing of the past. Yes Virginia, independence pays. But you need a strong-willed and fully determined leader to make sure it does pay. I recall how President Corazon Aquino towards the end of her term, rued how the noble houses of finance, referring to the World Bank, the IMF, and all the multi-lateral institutions and a slew of foreign banks to which Marcos had earlier pawned our future would teach her, and us, the painful lesson that democracy pays no dividends. Duterte fully understands that, and is intent on ensuring that an independent foreign policy would allow the country to cash in on opportunities brought about by a changing and evolving world economic order. Please enable JavaScript to view the comments powered by Disqus. BUILDING THE LA RAZA 'The Race' WELFARE STATE ON MIDDLE AMERICAS' BACKS: Months ago, the Biden administration publicly defended their proposal to begin providing federal identification cards to border crossers and illegal aliens who they plan to release into American communities. The goal of the proposal is to make securing public benefits easier. For picture posts from 2010 and earlier, see the Earlier Picture Posts Page Just 12 school districts across New York state will be asking voters to approve a 2017-18 budget that exceeds the state-imposed property tax cap and none of them are in the Cayuga County area. Voters in the districts that make up the Cayuga Onondaga BOCES region will decide on spending plans with tax levies that range from no increase (Cato-Meridian and Jordan-Elbridge central school districts) to a 3.98-percent increase (Auburn Enlarged City School District). All of the budgets are at or below the tax cap, meaning a simple majority of "yes" votes are needed for approval. Districts that exceed the cap require a 60-percent approval level. According to the New York Sate School Boards Association, the average tax levy increase this year in New York is 1.48 percent. The average spending increase is 2.15 percent statewide. Locally, overall budget changes range from flat spending (Union Springs Central School District) to a 4.12-percent increase (Jordan-Elbridge). In addition to deciding on budgets, voters will also choose candidates for open seats on local boards of education. Only three districts in the Cayuga County-area this year have contested races. Several districts also have special ballot propositions, such as measures seeking approval for school bus purchases, establishing capital project reserve accounts and local library budgets. One of the wonderful things about Montana is the ability of residents to meet face-to-face with the candidates hoping to represent their interests in Congress. Montanas million-or-so residents, including nearly 700,000 registered voters, are scattered throughout every corner of the states 147,040 square miles, making it a challenge for congressional hopefuls to reach them all during a typical campaign cycle. Its even more of a challenge during the compressed timeline of a special election. But the real work of listening to and serving all these many Montanans of every party affiliation and of no political persuasion begins after the election is won. Gov. Steve Bullock announced on March 1 that the special election to replace former U.S. Rep. Ryan Zinke, now the head of the U.S. Department of the Interior, would be set for May 25, leaving less than three months for the candidates to win over voters. Last week, the Missoulian editorial board sat down with four contenders for Montanas sole seat in the U.S. House in separate hour-long meetings. Independent Doug Campbell, Libertarian Mark Wicks, Democrat Rob Quist and Republican Greg Gianforte have each earned our sincere appreciation for entering this relatively short, heated race, and for providing Montanans with a true choice in this election. Wicks and Campbell are both outlier candidates, not only because they bear the flag of smaller parties but because their views are outside the mainstream, and thus do not represent the majority of Montanans on most of the major national issues. *** Its unfortunate that none of these four candidates for this important federal office has won an election or held an official public post previously. The learning curve in Congress would be extremely steep for any one of them, and they will be starting at the very bottom of the ladder. Given some of the reckless proposals and sweeping changes happening under the Trump administration, Montanas new representative will not have the luxury of taking time to learn the ropes and earning more influential assignments. Indeed, Montana has already lost precious ground as important discussions and votes regarding health care reform took place in the House, discussion in which Montana had no vote and no voice. Montanas only seat in the 435-member House must be held by someone who can immediately dive into the complex challenges facing our country health care, foreign policy, national security and public lands management among them to fight for whats right for Montana in legislative policy. The candidate who is best prepared to take on this enormous challenge right away is Greg Gianforte. He has the education, experience, brains and abilities to be successful in Congress. But only if he holds firm to his promise to set aside his own personal ideology whenever necessary in order to uphold Montana values. Last week, Gianforte repeatedly assured the Missoulian editorial board that he can and will do just that. The people of Montana must hold him to that pledge. Gianforte says he is running for Congress to serve Montanans. He says he has traveled nearly 79,000 miles of Montana over the past 18 months to hear from as many Montanans as possible, in order to better carry their voices to Congress. *** Gianfortes plan to stay connected and keep his feet in Montana is to commute from D.C., returning to his home state as often as possible. Ive made the commitment not to move to D.C., he said last week. Congress is in session two out of three weeks. Ive committed that that third week, I will travel the state, and Ill get to every county every year. That commitment shows that Gianforte understands the importance of listening to the people he will be representing. Its the only way he could hope to know the wishes of Montanans in the high-stakes, high-pressure U.S. House. Gianforte believes that government serves four main purposes: to defend the country, to make and enforce laws, to provide certain infrastructure and to ensure a social safety net. He will doubtless be tempted to veer into other policy areas, but so long as he focuses on those four areas, Gianforte will be on solid ground with most Montanans. For his part, Quists strongest assets are his ability to connect with people from all walks of life and build networks. However, nowhere in his career has it been demonstrated that he can use these strengths to achieve measurable results. He does not yet have a deep enough understanding of complex policy matters, and therefore, he offers only general ideas of how to address them. In any case, no matter how practical his suggestions, they are unlikely to be heard by those writing the bills. With time, Quist may be able to build the sort of coalitions necessary to provide a small-population state some clout. But we dont have that kind of time. Montana needs more than a no vote; it needs a hand in crafting the legislation that passes. The U.S. House, Senate and presidency are currently controlled by Republicans. Gianfortes position as a member of the majority party makes it more likely his suggestions will be heard and considered by those calling the shots. He already has in place strong relationships with Montana Sen. Steve Daines, Interior Secretary Ryan Zinke and certain members of the Trump family. And Gianforte has a proven record of successful negotiation. Most voters have heard the story of how he, with his wife, built a software company from the ground up from his home in Bozeman. He sold that company, RightNow Technologies, to a larger corporation for $1.5 billion in 2011. An engineer and an entrepreneur, Gianforte has also been a philanthropist through the Gianforte Family Foundation, donating to causes that further employment, education and entrepreneurship, as well as arts and culture, family programs and Christian outreach. A heart of faith and the mind of an entrepreneurial engineer is an appealing combination in a representative. Gianfortes faith, he says, tells him that the purpose of any work is to serve others. Let it also remind him to be compassionate, because the powerful are not the ones who need protecting. Meanwhile, his engineering background gives him good practice in untangling complex matters, drilling down to the root causes of those problems and implementing practical solutions at a detailed level. *** Unfortunately, Gianforte has a concerning tendency to sometimes lose sight of the big picture. And on certain critical issues, he appears to be completely blinded by his private religious tenets. For example, when asked whether he agrees with the scientific consensus on evolution and the approximate age of the Earth, his answer was I cant honestly say because I wasnt there. That answer, coming from an engineer, is revealing and deeply troubling. He absolutely must not allow his ideology to drive his public votes on things like science funding. Gianfortes views on womens issues are similarly troubling. He would de-fund Planned Parenthood without any acknowledgement of the life-saving and quality-of-life-improving work done by this organization, or any plan to provide that care to women who would be left without a provider if Planned Parenthood were gone. He needs to understand that nearly half of Montanans are women, and he must represent their interests and not just his own. Should he win election, Gianforte must set aside his own personal convictions every day that he is in Congress, in order to ensure that he serving the will of the people of Montana. This wont be a problem so long as he continues to immerse himself in Montana and listen. BILLINGS In a letter to Secretary of Interior Ryan Zinke, Montana Sen. Jon Tester has urged the former Montana congressman to give his home states wildlife agency some funding certainty. Zinke has delayed distribution of excise taxes collected from hunters, anglers and boaters that are held in trust by the federal government and distributed to states through grants by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. Tester suggested Zinke provide states a timeline and create a waiver or expedited process for time-sensitive projects. Many of the local land managers you have worked to empower count on access to reliable funding from the Department to hire staff and execute land management decisions, Tester wrote. National letter Testers letter came on the heels of Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks revelation that distribution of almost $20 million in federal funding to the agency, largely from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, will be delayed. The federal dollars represent almost half of the funding for fisheries and wildlife staff, according to an FWP memo. Last week Nick Wiley, the president of the Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies which represents state groups like FWP in Washington, also drafted a letter to Zinke pointing to specific state programs across the nation including payroll that could suffer serious consequences. In particular we anticipate harmful effects on the operation and maintenance of the states wildlife management areas, hatcheries, research programs, boat access and other grants that provide for public access and use of facilities by hunters, anglers, boaters and recreational shooters, Wiley wrote. The letter goes on to cite programs in states such as Utah, Colorado, Georgia, South Carolina, Virginia and Puerto Rico that are awaiting the federal grants for projects ranging from striped bass monitoring in North Carolina to hunter education in Colorado. No updates An email request to Zinkes staff for comment on the Tester letter and any possible timeline for when the reviews might be completed was not received by press time. As of Wednesday, May 10, Zinke had not replied to Testers letter, which was dated May 3, according to the senators spokeswoman. Weve heard absolutely zero from either the (U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service) or from the secretarys office in D.C., said Adam Brooks, who oversees the federal grants for FWP. So were just continuing in limbo here. We have 21 grants and two grant amendments that have been with the Service for some time, and we dont know how long it will be before they get a response from the DOI. An official at the regional U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service office in Denver, which oversees Montana FWPs grants, said there had been no update about the Interior department review since Zinke issued the order in April. The impacts of this additional review has the potential to undermine numerous initiatives managed by the Montana Department of Fish, Wildlife and Parks, Tester wrote. Land sale In Montana, one such deal that may be in jeopardy depending on the length of the stoppage is the purchase of 425 acres of undeveloped land adjacent to the Grant Marsh Wildlife Management Area along the Bighorn River, just north of Hardin. Seventy-five percent of the $1.57 million purchase price was being paid for with federal money thats now stalled. Grant Marsh is still on hold until we can get the go-ahead from Washington, D.C., said Darlene Edge, who is overseeing the deal for FWP. Darell Tunnicliff, owner of the 425 acres along with his wife, Robin, said the decision by Zinke caught FWP and him by surprise in a process that has already taken more than a year to work its way through the system. I will do everything I can to facilitate the project, Tunnicliff said. I think it would be a very nice asset for the public. For a smaller acreage it has a very diverse ecosystem. Tunnicliff vowed to remain optimistic until he heard otherwise, but also noted that a lengthy postponement could jeopardize the deal. Im committed to public access, he said, noting that he was raised in Montana at a time when knocking on a landowners door and asking permission to trespass was often granted. We as a culture need these open spaces, he said, adding that such a property within 45 minutes of Billings and so close to Hardin and the Bighorn River are rare and special. Memo The slowdown in distribution of federal funds was sparked by Zinkes April 12 order that all Department of Interior grants of more than $100,000 be reviewed by his deputy secretary, James Cason, as a means for Zinke to understand the immense impact grants and cooperative agreements have on the Interior. The department annually distributes $5.5 billion in grants and cooperative agreements, the memo said. Although sharing Zinkes interest in responsible management of DOI, Tester encouraged the secretary to provide more details on what is being investigated in this final step that has not otherwise been covered by existing application requirements. The move by Zinke seems contradictory to what he told Glacier National Park employees during a visit near his hometown in March. Back then he touted local control. If you dont know the difference between the Potomac and the Yellowstone and the Middle Fork (of the Flathead) rivers, you shouldnt be making decisions about them, Zinke said. That has come to an end. Im going to push a lot of authority to you on the front line. Zinke was elected Montanas lone congressman in 2014 using some advertisements that touted his interest in hunting and fishing. He was nominated 52nd Secretary of the Interior by President Donald Trump late last year. The U.S. Senate confirmed Zinke in March. The U.S. Department of the Interior website features a photo of Zinke fly fishing and notes that while in Congress he championed sportsmens access, conservation, regulatory relief, forest management, responsible energy development, and smart management of federal lands." Burton Kinyon was a mechanic by trade, an outdoorsman at heart, and frugal by nature. He lived many of his 86 years in a small house in Butte with his wife, Etta, even though they had money to go big. He was a quiet but savvy investor who liked to play the stock market. He and Etta deeply wanted children but could not have them. So in his will, after distributions to family members, he bequeathed what turned out to be an astonishing $1.86 million to three causes, two of them dedicated to kids. The Shriners Hospital for Children in Spokane received one third, or $622,612, as did Camp Mak-A-Dream, which gives children with cancer and their families cost-free stays on a working ranch in Montana. Brian Garrett, a longtime friend of Kinyon's who was named a co-representative of his estate, says those recipients have been gracious, thankful, and in touch since getting the money after Kinyon died in 2010. That has not been the case, Garrett and fellow Butte resident Joe Shoemaker say, with the third recipient of $622,612 the Salvation Army. Kinyon's will said the money was given "for use in the Butte, Montana area." But the funds have been controlled completely by a regional Salvation Army office in Denver, they say, even though a letter from a law firm representing the estate specified that the bequest was to be managed by a local board. "If this is not the case, do not negotiate the check and contact our office to discuss," attorney Sean Johnson, who was with Corette Pohlman & Kebe law firm in Butte at the time, wrote in a Nov. 5, 2010, letter to the charity's Denver office. The check was cashed, but the local board never managed a dime, and its suggestions to use some of the money to buy a building so the Salvation Army could expand and provide more services in Butte were brushed aside, says Shoemaker, who served on the board. He said the board was given conflicting answers on how the money could be used something letters and documents appear to confirm and all suggestions were only given "lip service" before members gave up in frustration in 2012 and the local board quit meeting. "We never even got a thank you from the Salvation Army for the donation," Shoemaker said. "Nope," Garrett added. "They never even acknowledged it." They believe the money could now make a big impact on a homeless problem that's gotten worse since the Butte Rescue Mission closed in April. It could aid recent attempts to buy the empty RedZone building on Montana Street and establish a soup kitchen, for example. They have little hope that Denver officials will listen. If they don't, Garrett said, he will likely file a lawsuit seeking to get the money back from the Salvation Army so it can make an impact his late friend would want. "Even if I have to pay for it out of my pocket, because it isn't right," he said. Army response Salvation Army officials in Denver say a final decision was made in March 2011 to put the money into an endowment with 100 percent of the interest allocated to the organization in Butte so the community would benefit "for years to come." According to Tahreem Pasha-Glen, public relations and special events director for the Salvation Army in Denver, $114,454 in interest has accrued and been distributed in Butte for such services as rent and utility assistance, school supplies, and Christmas gifts. Clair Little, a former Salvation Army envoy in Butte who still volunteers for the organization through its service center off of Harrison Avenue, said that is indeed how the money has been used. "It is making a difference every month," he said. "We got so much funds every month, so we can carry this on as long as we possibly can, and we help as many people as possible." Pasha-Glen said late Friday that she had not been able to confirm that the original principal amount was completely intact but pledged to find out. Pasha-Glen, in earlier written responses to questions from The Montana Standard, noted that Kinyon's will said the money was for "use in the Butte, Montana area." "Mr. Kinyon did not specify how it was to be used beyond that," she wrote. When the Salvation Army is first notified about available estate money, leadership explores various strategic investment options that would best benefit the community for years to come, she said in her written response. The money was placed in an endowment on recommendations of a divisional commander and approved by the Territorial Headquarters Legacy Council comprised of Salvation Army officers and financial and legal advisers, Pasha-Glen said. Recommendations by local advisory committees "are always shared and reviewed" with the legacy council overseeing the money, she wrote. "The Salvation Army throughout the nation relies on the advice and guidance from our boards and committees," she wrote. "These committees perform (an) advisory role and not a governing one. We value each (member's) expertise and consider all recommendations. The final decision lies with the Salvation Army and the directions from the donor." Initial instructions But what the will did not specify, Garrett and Shoemaker say, initial instructions to the Salvation Army did. They point to these sentences in the Nov. 5, 2010, letter the law firm sent along with the $622,612 check. "It is our understanding that the funds will be put in an account which will be specifically earmarked for use in the Butte area. It is also our understanding that the local Salvation Army Board is the entity that will be managing the bequest on how the funds will be used. "If this is not the case, do not negotiate the check and contact our office to discuss." It could not be stated more directly or plainly, Garrett said. "They were agreeing to that if they cashed the check," he said. Shoemaker served on the board with numerous others, including Pat Cooney, who was chairman; Bob Brooks; Claudia Hague; Helen Maichel; Carol Johnson; Barry Kippen; Lauren Kippen; Bob McCarthy; and Mary Shoemaker, Joe's wife. He said they suggested several possible uses for the money but got conflicting answers from local and regional Salvation Army officials on how it could be used. They discussed several possible programs to help the needy during an April 2011 board meeting. That was one month after March 2011, the time the Salvation Army now says a final decision was made to put the money in an endowment. According to minutes of that meeting, Salvation Army Capt. Sylvan Young, who split his time between Butte and Bozeman, said the money was in a capital investment fund and could not be used for small projects. He also told the group they should develop a plan for using the money and submit it to the Denver office for approval. "He stated that it is easier to buy land and a building than to use the money for smaller projects," the minutes say. Members then turned their sights on possibly buying a vacant, one-story brick building on Montana Street. It had been a store, among other things, in earlier years. An old church on Granite Street, where the Salvation Army had operated a soup kitchen, had been vacated years ago, and another building on Main Street was in horrible shape and should be torn down, members said. The Montana Street building could house the Salvation Army's remaining social services office, which is still on Harrison Avenue, members said. And it was big enough to offer additional programs that could re-establish and enhance the organization's presence and reputation in Butte. It was still entertained as a possibility during a meeting in February 2012, this one attended by Denver officials. They included Capt. Grady Brown, divisional secretary of the Intermountain Division office in Denver, according to minutes. Also at that meeting were Sean Johnson, the attorney for Kinyon's estate, and Kinyon's brother, R.H. Kinyon, who along with Garrett was a co-representative of the estate. Capt. Brown, according to minutes, said the money was currently earning interest and would only be used for Butte. He also said he would support buying the Montana Street building if it would be financially feasible. R.H. Kinyon said questions about his brother's donated funds should be settled that year, and he agreed that buying and developing the Montana Street property was a proper use, the minutes say. The board then approved a motion to use a portion of the estate money to buy the building, and later that day, Shoemaker says, Brown and other Salvation Army officials visited the site. Cooney sent a letter to Brown in July 2012 saying they still wanted to buy it. Finally, later that month, Brown sent Cooney a letter saying he had taken that request to the finance committee and the business department in Denver and the donation had been deemed a program endowment, not a capital reserve fund. "As an endowment, the Butte operations will receive a designated interest amount each year without endangering the principle donation," Brown wrote in the letter. "The good news is this donation will continue to help Butte citizens for many years." Local frustration Shoemaker, during several meetings, indicated frustration with Denver officials that he still has today. If the Denver office had already decided in March 2011 that it was an interest-only endowment, why did they bother entertaining other suggestions and tour the Montana Street building with him? "At one point, we thought it could be used for a structure, and then we were told it had to be for programs, and then it wasn't for programs," he said. Says Garrett: "They have all these meetings, and you know damn well they were just going through the motions." Regardless of what the board was finally told, Garrett says, he and attorneys for his friend's estate asked for quarterly reports on how the money was being used and never got them. The law firm sent the Denver office a letter in December 2011 months after it now says a final decision had been made saying previous letters of inquiry had been ignored. Garrett says he never has seen an update on the funds. Shoemaker says the board never got one either. "The assumption was they could do anything they wanted with the money, and they have paid us lip service, as far as I'm concerned," he said. When asked why the Salvation Army had not provided the estate with periodic accountings of the money, Pasha-Glen wrote, "Mr. Kinyon's estate has been addressed on several occasions with Salvation Army committee members." After the frustrations, Shoemaker says, the board stopped meeting in 2012. Despite years of volunteering, raising money, and ringing bells in freezing weather during the holidays, members were never asked to continue involvement, he said. He doesn't recall ever being informed by Denver officials that the board was actually defunct. Cooney, who was chairman of the local board in 2012, said he does remember being told by a Salvation Army official perhaps one locally that an advisory board was no longer needed because the organization's presence had shrunk so much. Part of that downsizing, Cooney said, was because the Salvation Army here like so many charities across the country suffered big hits on funding during the "Great Recession" that started in 2007-2008 and lingered long afterwards. The Denver office said the service center on Harrison Avenue is operating without an advisory board but indicated another board could be established. "When a committee is assembled their recommendations will be assessed to ensure that the use of the funds align with The Salvation Army's mission and Mr. Kinyon's wishes," Pasha-Glen wrote. Given the size of operations now and past advice that wasn't followed, Cooney questions whether such a board could do anything. But he understands Garrett's and Shoemaker's frustrations. "I think we were the noisy wheel that needed to be greased," he said. "I think they (Denver officials) were really trying to placate us and string us along." Johnson, the previous attorney for the estate who now lives in Spokane, Washington, said he doesn't recall all the specifics about the situation in Butte. He said there might be some legal weight to the statement he made in the November 2010 letter saying the money was to be managed by a local board. "They need to try to live up to the wishes of the person with the money," he said. But as an attorney who has represented scores of estates, he said, precise wording in the will usually carries the day. The will only says the money is to be used in the Butte area, and charities often have internal controls on how donations are used, he said. Johnson, like Cooney, understands the frustrations. The Butte board had plans to use the money, and Garrett was Kinyon's close friend and is trying to do right by him, Johnson said. Garrett said that was indeed the case, and like Shoemaker, he believes the money could be used to make a bigger impact in Butte now instead of being dribbled out here and there. "They could use $300,000 of it and still have $300,000 to collect interest," Garrett said. Interest reignited Shoemaker said the recent closing of the rescue mission in Butte reignited his interest in the estate money as well as his dismay with the Salvation Army. He says he will never donate a dime to them again. "You can legally say, 'We can do whatever we want,' but morally, as a Christian organization, they should look and see what would be in the best interests of Butte and abide by Mr. Kinyon's wishes," Shoemaker said. Garrett said he knew his friend well and his wishes deserve to be honored. "He loved this country, and he loved Montana, and he loved the outdoors," he said. "He was really frugal and smart in investments, and he did well. But he always wanted to do something for the kids and the town." Evan Barretts guest column in the Standard on May 2 attacks Republican congressional candidate Greg Gianforte based on his success and on false accusations. Barrett writes that if Gianforte is elected, for the first time in Montanas 128-year history, two (Sen. Steve Daines and Gianforte) of Montanas three Congress members would come from the same county, same city, same industry, and same company. While not identical, Gov. Steve Bullock and Lt. Gov. Mike Cooney were just elected to the states highest offices, while coming from the same county, city, and industry/employer (State of Montana). Similarly, all of Barretts allegations against Gianforte can be rebuked, including restricting stream access, opposing legal protection from discrimination, and being a science denier. Barrett cites Gianfortes record of using the courts to restrict public access to the East Gallatin River. This is a politically motivated exaggeration. The dispute wasnt about the publics access right. It was about fixing a boundary from an erroneously granted easement. Upon a site visit, Fish, Wildlife and Parks (FWP) agreed with the Gianfortes. An agreement was successfully reached, and all along the Gianfortes have helped ensure public access to the river. These types of access issues happen all the time. For example the Willow Creek Water Users Association, owners of Harrison Lake, is negotiating with FWP and others to settle property boundaries at the reservoir. Recent surveys show access to water at certain levels is in question, and state campground restrooms are built on association property. Does the association want to deny recreational access to the reservoir? No. It needs boundaries and access settled to have clean title for financing dam maintenance. Barrett supposedly thinks socialist-leaning Rob Quists values are Montanan. As a 5th generation Montanan, let me tell you that the real value in this race is the experience and skill set that Greg Gianforte will bring in service to Montana when we elect him as our next Congressman. Greg will defend our way of life against federal overreach and work with President Trump to return prosperity not only to Montana but to America. Quist reminds me of some of my cowboy hat-wearing uncles. They can talk a good line of bull and theyll say whatever it takes to get what they want. Like Quist, theyd be more at home joining the party with the swamp creatures in Washington D.C. than theyd be fighting to pull the plug. Montana deserves a Congressman wholl look us in the eye and tell us the truth. Greg Gianforte is that man; Quist is not. Like my uncles, hell be dishonest whenever it serves his personal interest. Quist was once accused of fraud and deceit by a fellow band mate in a lawsuit over royalties. And, lets not overlook the constantly growing list of his financial misrepresentations, the latest of which were underpaying property taxes on rental property for years and under-reporting his income by over $50,000. Now get this. Last year, Quists income was in the top 5 percent of wage earners nationwide; yet, he had defaulted on a $10,000 Wells Fargo loan. Many have moved to Montana for what they consider a better life and a chance at opportunity. Just like Rob Quist moved to explore opportunities in both New York City and Nashville. It didnt work out for him so he returned home. It did work out for Greg, so he stayed and made Montana home. With his wife, he raised four children in Montana and hes hardly unaware of daily challenges that face Montanans; he lived them and overcame them. Gianforte is a successful Montanan who calls Big Sky home. -- Suzzann Nordwick, of Butte, is the current V.P. of the Montana Federation of Republican Women, finance chair of the Butte-Sliver Bow Republican Central Committee, and past Republican candidate for State Senate District 39. So it wasn't exactly "Law and Order," but it was a kind of people's court on Monday. There were no cameras (because cameras aren't allowed in federal court) and there weren't any impassioned soliloquies, but U.S. District Court Judge Susan Watters made a small but significant ruling in the higher profile case of Angela Corson Smith who will be sent back to federal prison for 10 months because of 13 probation violations, including that she established a GoFundMe online fund-raiser after her son was born premature, and posed as an Air Force Medic wanting to leave an abusive marriage. At around 6:50 a.m. Monday, less than three hours before the start of the hearing on the probation violations, Corson Smith's attorney, Marvin McCann, filed a hastily written motion to close the hearing. In other words, shut the public out of knowing what's happening to his client, even though there have been many of Corson Smith's victims in the public. This last-minute motion could have gone through, but The Billings Gazette noticed and was prepared to object to closure. Luckily, that was not necessary because Watters made the important and correct decision: Shutting the people out of a United States courtroom (let's repeat that: United States courtroom) was a bad idea. Furthermore, the defense had presented absolutely no basis for closing the hearing, and Watters pointed out criminal court proceedings often have information about medical, mental and personal information. That's the nature of court itself. We appreciate Watters' decision because it didn't deprive the public from knowing what is happening with Corson Smith who, since her release from the federal Bureau of Prisons, took $250 from her employer in Great Falls before quitting, started an unauthorized GoFundMe campaign, and posed as a former Air Force medic. In other words, the federal judge did not shut out the public when clearly the public was at risk by Corson Smith's freedom. Kicking the people out would have been incredibly heavy-handed and without merit. After sitting through the court proceedings, we didn't hear information that sounds different from so many other court proceedings. The only reason for closing the court hearing would have been to avoid some of the publicity around this very public case. It appears that it is just another attempt at manipulation by Corson Smith to avoid the public embarrassment of this case. Watters told Corson Smith that she tries to manipulate everyone else, but it will not work with the federal court. Closing the door would have been to also miss the opportunity to point out that Corson Smith still has restitution of more than $140,000 -- and that means there are people in the area still living with the consequences of her actions who deserve to know what's going on. They were able to know about it because the doors of the court remained open. We appreciate that our judges -- both at the local and federal level -- have continued to fight to keep the courts open to the public. Moreover, we believe our judges also know that in order for people to have faith in the system, they must see it in action. We came to court not wanting to fight but being prepared to do so. Instead, the court had already come to the wise conclusion that the bar to closing the court is set by law and precedent extremely high; and, nothing was too special about Corson Smith's circumstances to warrant clearing the court. For all the flag emblem lapel pins out there and as much as everyone loves talking about the importance of freedom, Watters did the real work of the Constitution when she invoked the First Amendment and said the people of the United States have a place in the courts of the United States, too. The Billings Gazette MUSCATINE Residents still have time to order a tree from a Muscatine organization that is helping the town recover from damage done by the March 6 tornado. The Muscatine Branching Out tree sale was rescheduled to Saturday, May 20, and residents may still place orders this week. Club Secretary Phyllis Avesing said the group is selling five types of trees this year, including Oak, Sweetgum, Redbud, Birch and Crabapple. Residents may purchase trees for $25 or a donation of their choice, or can receive a tree for free if their property was damaged by the tornado. "That helps cover the cost of the tree, and it just seems like every year it's getting harder and harder to find good trees," Avesing said. "We've been really lucky and everyone has been happy with the quality of trees we've gotten in the past." Avesing said finding a variety of trees in Muscatine is difficult because of the invasive species, emerald ash borer, which attacks and kills ash species. "We've been trying to offer different stuff to get diversity back because Muscatine was heavily ash and maple at one time," Avesing said. "Now we're pushing the other trees we can get." She said residents with ash trees should "enjoy the tree while you can, but put something new in its place." "There's been a few people who have planted ahead, and if you do that, especially if you have an ash tree or something, and know it's going to go, you can have them treated," she said. "The thing is you can't ever stop, and if you do it for 10 or 15 years, that's got to be costly." Avesing said the emerald ash borer invasion has made it difficult to find any trees in the area. "People are grabbing whatever they can get," she said. Muscatine Branching Out, a local branch of Trees Forever, works to enhance the local treescape. It has also been working to plant trees around town, especially in areas that were hit hard by the tornado. The group has planted 10 trees at Franklin Elementary School and is working to plant trees at the courthouse and the Muscatine Power & Water facility on Cedar Street. "Power & Water has been our big supporter, and where we get a lot of our funds," she said. "This year was our 25th year with them, and we'd like to plant a couple of trees from them just as a thank you." Avesing said Muscatine Branching Out only sells trees native to Iowa, and provides customers with a description of the tree and how to care for it. Residents who place an order can pick up the trees on May 20, from 9-11 a.m., at the County Parking Lot at 4th Street and Mulberry Avenue. MUSCATINE Customers still wander into the old Lincoln School building on Park Avenue, looking for Muskie Music, the music store that was housed on the first floor for more than 40 years. Now, Muscatine resident, Mike Ritchie is offering those customers a place to go. Last week, he opened a new music store in the same building, called Ritchie Sound & Lights. "A lot of the tenants were telling me they get four or five people, and the (jewelry store) gets up to 10 or 20 people a week, walking into the building, wandering around looking for the music store," Ritchie said. "So there's already some built-in business for a place that wasn't even here." Ritchie, who has run a live production company for eight years, said the location of his new store is "great," because people are familiar with Muskie Music. "Really the idea for the store came from is that bands and musicians rent the second floor of the building for rehearsals and instructions to give lessons," Ritchie said. "So after talking to those guys, I realized there's no music store in town, and it gave me an idea." Before leasing the storefront, Ritchie sold music equipment out of his garage for two months. When he opened the store, with the help of his wife Allison, his plan was to start small. "The plan was I would sell simple stuff, like strings and sticks, to be a convenience for people in town," he said. "It just took a life of its own so fast." Ritchie realized he could be a real service to musicians, as well as the school system. "The local school doesn't have any outlet in town to get anything, or for the students and their parents," he said. "The people I've communicated with seem very positive about having something in town." Ritchie will offer reeds, strings and other equipment students may need, and hopes to eventually order instruments for schools. His main goal, though, is to be a convenience for local musicians, many of whom he has already worked with through his production company. "The inventory just keeps growing," Ritchie said. "And I'm basing a lot of the inventory off of suggestions from people, rather than me picking what I think they should have or should be buying. I'd rather get input from people on what they want to be buying." While chain music stores and online shopping has made it difficult for independent music stores to thrive, Ritchie said local musicians will hopefully realize the benefit of shopping in town. "It's tough because a lot of people are so used to knowing they can buy anything they want with what they carry around in their pocket," he said. "It's changing people's buying habits too. A lot of guys I've talked to, that's what they've been trained to do, instead of just running downstairs and grabbing what they need." Ritchie said musicians are already realizing the convenience of having his store nearby, but he also will sell products on the store's website, ritchiesound.com. NEW YORK Katz's Delicatessen has been urging customers to "send a salami to your boy in the Army" for generations. Now, the New York City restaurant, where everyone's favorite scene from "When Harry Met Sally" was shot, is expanding its shipping capacity so it can send perishable delicacies like pastrami and corned beef around the globe. The plan to offer a taste of authentic, old New York by mail is part of an ongoing effort by Katz's young owner to modernize a business that hasn't changed much since it was founded on Manhattan's Lower East Side in 1888. "I can't necessarily replicate the entire experience for you, wherever you are at home," said Jake Dell, 29. "But I can give you the food. I can bring it a little bit closer to you." A granddaddy of New York City's vanishing Jewish delis, Katz's has become a draw in recent years for tourists looking for bits of the old, immigrant experience in a gentrifying neighborhood where gleaming condo towers are replacing old tenements. And unlike some New York City eateries packed with tourists, it is as popular with foodies as it is with the masses of out-of-towners. Visitors and locals filled the 300-seat restaurant Thursday, polishing off 6-inch high sandwiches under the gaze of the celebrities whose photos line the walls. Waiters threaded their way through the packed dining room amid the clatter of tables being cleared. A sign hanging from the ceiling indicated the spot where Meg Ryan was sitting when she acted out a fake orgasm in the 1989 film about Harry and Sally. Dell represents the third generation of his family to run Katz's. He celebrated his bar mitzvah there. And as owner, he's balancing tradition with some gentle changes. A new 30,000-square-foot shipping facility in Hackensack, New Jersey, will open sometime in the next year. Katz's is also opening a takeout-only outpost in Brooklyn's new DeKalb Market Hall next month. Katz's, lucky to own its building in a city where rent increases have a habit of putting even iconic spots out of business, also recently gave itself a financial cushion by selling off adjoining properties and air rights to a condominium developer. "We're looking at ways of connecting to people that want this food," Dell said. "There's really no limit to the amount of pastramis I can send to people." Katz's began encouraging customers to "Send a Salami to Your Boy in the Army" during World War II and the business still ships salami overseas. But cured meats that require refrigeration are shipped only within the United States. A triple classic sandwich combo includes a pound each of sliced brisket, pastrami and corned beef, a loaf of rye bread, 1 pound of mustard and 2 quarts of pickles. Dell isn't sure exactly when the expanded delivery service will start or which countries he'll market to first. "Canada seems to be the easiest first step," he said. "South America has a strong passion for cured meats. The UK and Australia have been clawing out to us and just craving this food. But it's difficult and navigating those customs waters has been an eye-opening experience. I hope to get there soon." Customers leaving the restaurant said they'd be in favor of global expansion. "The food is delicious. Why not let everybody enjoy it?" said Christine McGee, of Indianapolis. "Each time I'm in New York I have to visit at least once," said Yaakov Sabbagh, of Jerusalem. Les emplois a Rennes sont abondants et varies. Il y a quelque chose pour tout le monde. Que vous soyez a la recherche dun emploi [] Les blattes ou cafards (Blatta orientalis) sont des insectes qui appartiennent a la famille des Blattoptera. Ils se caracterisent par leur forme allongee, leurs ailes [] NEW YORK For the first time since an Oval Office taping system was removed by President Richard Nixon's chief of staff nearly 44 years ago, a president has hinted that White House conversations might again be secretly recorded. If so, President Donald Trump is following a problematic precedent. While several presidents secretly recorded conversations without problems, the practice is most associated with Nixon. His recordings became prime evidence during the Watergate investigation that ultimately led to his resignation. Sooner or later, recordings are likely to become public. "The lesson for presidents since Nixon was, do not tape your Oval Office conversations," said Timothy Naftali, a professor at New York University and the first federal director of the Richard Nixon Presidential Library in Yorba Linda, California. "It can only get you in trouble." Trump tweeted Friday that former FBI Director James Comey "better hope that there are no 'tapes' of our conversations before he starts leaking to the press." The extraordinary if ambiguous tweet came three days after Trump fired Comey, who was overseeing the bureau's investigation into Russian meddling in the presidential election and whether anyone in Trump's campaign was involved. Trump has rejected the probe as "fake news," and claimed Comey assured him at a dinner and in two phone calls that he wasn't under investigation. Comey hasn't spoken publicly since he was fired, but an associate said Trump's claims are puzzling, adding that Trump sought a loyalty pledge from Comey during the Jan. 27 White House dinner, which the ex-director declined to give. That and similar reports apparently led to Trump's tweet. White House spokesman Sean Spicer didn't comment when asked whether Trump recorded Comey or if recording equipment exists in the Oval Office. Under a post-Watergate law, the Presidential Records Act, recordings made by presidents belong to the people and can eventually be made public. Destroying them would be a crime. The top Democrat on the House Intelligence Committee, Rep. Adam Schiff, has already seized on the tweet and asked that Trump give Congress any recordings of conversations with Comey. Federal law allows the secret recording of conversations so long at least one person in the conversation is aware of the recording. Trump's home state, New York, has a similar law. But in Florida, where Trump has his Mar-a-Lago estate, both parties must consent to any recording. There is a rich history of secret presidential recordings since Franklin D. Roosevelt. Tapes of John F. Kennedy in the Oval Office helped cement his reputation as a strong leader during multiple crises. Lyndon Johnson also recorded conversations. But Nixon's recordings are the most famous. His dismissal of a special prosecutor, Archibald Cox, who subpoenaed the White House for the president's tapes marked the beginning of the end of his presidency. Nixon chief of staff Alexander Haig had the recording system complete with five listening devices in the president's desk in the Oval Office removed on July 16, 1973, but it was already too late. Nixon resigned a year later. Trump "is emulating some of the worst aspects of Richard Nixon and for those of us watching from the outside, we have to ask why," said Naftali. "Why would he bring up the taping system? Why? I'm not saying he has one, but why would any president after Nixon even jest about a taping system?" Trump worried about recorded conversations and recording his own conversations well before he got into politics, according to former Trump Organization executives. After Trump tweeted in March that President Barack Obama had ordered a wiretap on his phones in Trump Tower, three ex-employees told The Associated Press that as a businessman, Trump not only worried about possible listening devices in his phones and office but had also occasionally taped his own phone conversations. Trump once denied doing so. And at his New York office during the campaign, workers believed Trump had a system set up to record phone calls. "I would note that New York is a one-party consent state and President Trump has always abided by the law," said Sam Nunberg, a former campaign aide, referring to the law that permits taping conversations without the knowledge of one of the participants. Can a lemon be used as a power source? How salty does water have to be for an egg to float? Do pricey designer nail polishes last longer than the cheap ones? Curious Napa County students put their questions to the test at the Napa County Office of Educations annual Science Fair on Saturday. Every year the projects get more interesting and complex, said Seana Wagner, Napa County Office of Education director of special projects. Im always amazed at what the students come up with. Students in grades fifth through eighth have been working on their projects for months conducting investigations and experiments to test the scientific method. Raquel Stevens, a sixth-grader at Blue Oak School in Napa, had trouble deciding on a project. First she thought about doing a project about bacteria, but then she switched gears and thought shed do her presentation about optical illusions. But ultimately, she chose slime. Slime is easier to make than you might think. All you need is white glue, borax and water. Raquel had made it at home just for fun, but she started to wonder what she could add to her basic slime recipe to improve the texture and durability. A science fair project was born. Slime is fun to make and play with, but I wanted to know how I could change the chemistry to make a better, stretchier slime, Raquel said. Through her tests, she discovered adding more water only made the slime stickier. Add too much borax and the slime because tough and less malleable. Shaving cream helped make the slime fluffier. With each incarnation of slime, Raquel conducted strength and gravity tests to better understand the composition of her creations. She made nearly a dozen variations before she came up with her ideal concoction. Raquel also decided to test ways to color the slime. She tried food coloring, but found that the color came off on her hands as she molded the slime. Through her tests, she found a few drops of acrylic paint added color without the messy hands. This project was a lot of fun, Raquel said. Science is a lot of fun. You have an idea and then you test it. If it doesnt work, you test it again. You dont know what little changes will make a difference until you try it. It keeps you guessing. Collin Durfee, a sixth-grader at Redwood Middle School, decided to take on a more practical project. He wanted to know if name-brand sunscreen is more effective than store-brand lotions. As an athlete who loves outdoor sports, Collin has experienced his share of sunburns, so he decided to make his science fair project personal. For his experiment, Collin applied three types of sunscreen on strips of plastic wrap and took the strips outside. He used a UV ray detector that he bought online to measure the UV index from underneath the strips. I figured the expensive sunscreens must have some special ingredient that makes them better and more expensive, but the store brand was just as effective and it cost way less, Collin said. After determining that the store brand was consistently just as effective as the more expensive options, Collin conducted a second round of tests to see if SPF 50 was indeed stronger than SPF 30 in the store brand sunscreen. Collin concluded that the SPF 50 did offer more sun protection and it also had an economic benefit. The SPF 50 lotion was only 20 cents more, so thats the one I would recommend. Talia Roche and Aribella Farrel, sixth-graders at Robert Louis Stevenson Middle School in St. Helena, also decided to take on a real-world science project. The duo decided to investigate if organic fertilizer would help their parsley plants grow more or less than store-bought fertilizer. We wanted to know what fertilizer would be better to use if we wanted to grow our own food, said Aribella. As a control test, they used only water on one plant. In the other pots, the girls used coffee grounds, worm juice fertilizer and a popular name-brand liquid fertilizer. Just as they hypothesized, Aribella and Talia had most success with the organic worm juice. The plant with the worm castings grew taller and greener than our other plants, Talia said. The plant with coffee grounds mixed in the soil had the biggest leaves, but the plant with the name brand fertilizer didnt survive the testing period. We added the drops and figured it would help a little not as good as the organic materials but within two days the leaves turned yellow and it died, Talia said. I wasnt expecting that. Retired educators and engineers went from project to project on display in the Napa Boys and Girls Club gymnasium Saturday to judge and rank the projects produced by 75 students. The judges selected first-, second-, and third-place winners in the scientific method and engineering categories divided by grade. Winners were given a gift certificate to Scientifics Direct. All participants received a certificate of participation as well as a medal. Grand prize winners Shane McGrath (First Christian School, Napa), Wyntress Mehelis (First Christian School, Napa) and Eva Wendel (Blue Oak School, Napa) were each awarded a Kindle Fire for their scientific efforts. While the judges deliberated, Napa Countys future scientists and their families hung out at the Makers Fair also held at the Napa Boys and Girls Club where they could build with Legos, program robots and have other science-fueled fun. The launch of a new ballistic missile test by North Korea this morning (14 May 2017) is a new flagrant breach of a series of United Nations Security Council Resolutions, constituting a threat to international peace and security. This is a time when de-escalation is needed, not provocation. North Korea should comply with its international obligations, cease all activities related to its ballistic missile and nuclear programmes, abandon all existing weapons of mass destruction programmes in a complete, verifiable and irreversible manner, and engage in a credible dialogue with the international community. After deciding to pause its operations last month because of financial difficulties, the Second Chance Center for Animals is taking the first steps to reopen its doors with a new model that allows the nonprofit to be self-sufficient in the long run. Its first steps will be to meet with the county later this month regarding opportunities for the animal shelter, explore options to provide veterinary clinic services and continue to operate training out of its building, said Rick Bitzer, Second Chances business director. This agency is doing its best to come back. Were looking at all avenues to make this thing work, Bitzer said. The immediate plan doesnt, however, include what members of the communitys local animal welfare task force have been advocating: a partnership between Second Chance and the Coconino Humane Association, the nearly 50-year-old nonprofit that holds the city and county animal control and shelter contracts. Members of the Flagstaff Animal Welfare Task Force say such a partnership could ensure Second Chances facility, measuring 20,000 square feet and built less than 15 years ago, is put to good use while Coconino Humane could retire or expand beyond its current smaller facility that dates back to the 1970s. The Greater Flagstaff community needs the Coconino Humane Association, the designated and tax-supported community animal welfare institution, to open their eyes and their hearts to the opportunity of using this now-closed state-of-the-art facility. This change would allow the caring staff of workers and volunteers to take better care of the unwanted animals who are suffering and dying unnecessarily in our community, Ken Lamm, one of the task forces founding members, wrote in an email. The euthanasia rate at the county shelter was below 10 percent last year, its lowest level ever, thanks in part to Second Chance accepting 400 hard-to-place animals (see related story, page A7.) Collaboration also is probably the only way for both organizations to survive in a smaller community like Flagstaff that has limited potential funding sources, said Sean Hawkins, who stepped down as Second Chances executive director on May 1. It doesn't take a mathematician or a genius to figure out that there are not enough donor dollars to fully support two agencies, he said. NOT SO SIMPLE The two organizations, however, indicate there is still a long way to go between current reality and the task forces vision. For its part, the Coconino Humane Association is resistant to taking on the financial commitment of Second Chances building, the president of the nonprofits board of directors said. Quite frankly as of now we don't see that we are in a position ourselves to assume additional financial or fiscal responsibilities in the operation and maintenance of another facility, Board President Nick Gabriel said. Coconino Humanes Executive Director Michelle Ryan estimated that the monthly costs to maintain and operate the building alone average $5,000, while Bitzer estimated Second Chances run $7,000 to $8,000 per month. Gabriel also said the location of the Second Chance building about five miles outside Flagstaff in Doney Park makes it inconvenient for the public, animal control officers and the shelters other partners. While the two organizations have spoken for about the past six months about some sort of partnership moving forward, the ideas have been scattered and have left certain questions unanswered, Gabriel said. He said the board needs to see more concrete ideas of what Second Chance wants to go and what they want to do, before it would take any further action. For its part, Second Chance is turning its immediate focus to the need to develop a sustainable operating model, Bitzer said. We are looking at this as we need to stop being dependent on just donor money, still being a nonprofit but being self-sufficient and that is what were working on right now, he said. Bitzer said he is still working on a letter encouraging the animal welfare organizations in the community to come together to improve their relationship, but said no letter or other official proposal is yet etched in stone. EACH WITH STRUGGLES Both organizations also have their own sets of challenges. For Coconino Humane, a major one is operating in a building built in the 1970s that has required multiple modifications and expansions over the years. A custom-built shed houses sick cats, for example, because there was no more room in the main shelter building, Ryan said. Additionally, the Coconino County health department reported that it has received complaints about the treatment of animals at Coconino Humane this year, including that staff arent trained in proper euthanasia techniques and cats are not given proper medical attention. In response, the department did its own investigation and then conducted two spot checks. The most serious issues were animals lacking identification cards, a gap in an animal's medication record and the cat isolation room being found in disarray. While operating in a newer, more spacious facility, Second Chance is faced with reviving an operation that had struggled to sustain itself without major infusions of financial support from the nonprofits founders Dick and Jean Wilson and without contracts with the city and the county that help support Coconino Humane. Bitzer said he knows of many instances when Dick Wilson walked in checks to cover payroll and other expenses and said the Wilsons made many major donations that helped keep the kennel afloat. But after Dick Wilson's death in 2011, the financial support started to decline, said the Wilsons' daughter, Winnie Hanseth, who is also the secretary and treasurer of Second Chance's board. Her father left oil and gas royalties to Second Chance in his will, but when fossil fuel prices dropped, the money going to the nonprofit dwindled too, Hanseth said. At the end of last year, Second Chance put out a press release announcing it had received its final support from the Wilsons' foundation with the donation of the $2.1 million building and 10-acre property. Hanseth confirmed that the foundation has no money left to give. Wilson's death two years after his wife's changed our financial picture, forcing the organization to regroup, Second Chances Board President Maggie Sacher said. With operations going more and more in the red, according to Hanseth, the board started thinking about how to reorganize Second Chance a number of months ago and began discussing pausing operations about a month ago, Sacher said. In response to a question about how well Hawkins managed Second Chance, Sacher said, Its hard to say. We're closing. I don't have a comment on that at this time. Diane Jarvis, founder and president of the nonprofit Paw Placement of Northern Arizona, has been working with Coconino Humane and Second Chance as a member of the Animal Welfare Task Force. In discussing the options available to both nonprofits moving forward, she echoed many others in saying she hoped everyone could work together to put animal welfare first instead of just making do. 10:57 The firm has told the apex court that it needs 12 weeks' time to implement the terms of settlement arrived at with the minister of state for information and broadcasting. A bench of Justices Dipak Misra and M M Shantanagoudar adjourned the matter for further hearing in the first week of September after advocate Gopal Shankarnarain sought time for the implementation of settlement. Rathore had earlier termed the flat given to him by the developer as uninhabitable, pointing out several deficiencies. A two-member committee of lawyers was appointed by the court to look into Rathore's allegations. The apex court had on December 14 last year asked Rathore to sit with the representatives of the builder and settle the dispute amicably. It had also asked the realty firm to remove deficiencies in the flat as pointed out by Rathore and the SC-appointed panel, which had visited the site, and hand it over to the minister. Rathore had booked the flat in 2006 by paying around Rs 70 lakh for it. The firm had promised to deliver the flat in 2008-09. The National Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission had earlier directed the builder to refund the principal amount with interest and compensate Rathore. The apex court had on October 21 last year directed Parsvnath Developers to hand over possession of the flat to Rathore in two days, saying he should not pay any additional amount to the builder. Real estate firm Parsvnath Developers has informed the Supreme Court that it has arrived at a settlement with Union minister Rajyavardan Singh Rathore over the possession of his flat in the plush Exotica project in Gurugram. Officials in Balochistan's Gwadar said that unidentified gunmen attacked labourers in two different locations on Saturday and killed at least 10 of them. Several others were injured. All the slain labourers belonged to Sindh province and were engaged in road construction. No group has claimed responsibility. But provincial Home Minister Sarfaraz Bugti blamed "agents of foreign hostile agencies" for the terrorist attack. Local authorities said the gunmen fled on motorcycles after the incidents. On Friday a suicide bomber struck a convoy of the Deputy Chairman of the Senate Abdul Ghafoor Haidery in Mastung area and killed 27 people and injured over 30 more. Haidery was injured in the attack that was later claimed by the Islamic State. The military said that a high level security coordination conference was held in the military headquarters in Quetta, the provincial capital in which senior civil and military officials took review of security situation in the province. "Participants discussed challenges and expressed their resolve to bring enduring peace and stability in the province through a comprehensive and coordinated joint response," an army statement said. Meanwhile Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif strongly condemned the tragic incident of indiscriminate firing targeting innocent laborers working on a road in Gwadar, the prime minister's office said. The Prime Minister said that all efforts will be made to maintain peace in the province at all cost. "We will ensure all necessary measures to fully realize our dream of a developed and prosperous Baluchistan," he said. --IANS ahm/ ( 286 Words) 2017-05-14-02:00:10 (IANS) The OBOR Forum, which is scheduled to be held in Beijing from May 14 to May 16, is being attended by 29 nations, including all South Asian nations, except India, as it has not sent representatives to the event. "We are of firm belief that connectivity initiatives must be based on universally recognised international norms, good governance, rule of law, openness, transparency and equality," Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) official spokesperson Gopal Baglay said. "Connectivity projects must be pursued in a manner that respects sovereignty and territorial integrity," he added. Baglay said India has been urging China to engage in a meaningful dialogue on its connectivity initiative. "We are awaiting a positive response from the Chinese side," he added. India has been opposed to the inclusion of the China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) under the OBOR initiative. It's reported that a part of the project passes through the Pakistan Occupied Kashmir (PoK). The USD 51 billion CPEC project is a collection of infrastructure projects currently under construction throughout Pakistan. Several infrastructure projects would be undertaken in various provinces in Pakistan, including the Gilgit-Baltistan area, which falls in the PoK. (ANI) His remarks came after Chowdhury was seen himself using red beacon after he had questioned Barkati on the same. "Siddiqullah Chowdhury did not follow the Chief Minister's order, whereas I did and removed the red beacon," Barkati told ANI. Barkati further said that he would write to Jamiat Ulema-e-Hind to remove Chowdhury from the post and accused him of disrupting communal harmony in the state. "He tried to disrupt communal harmony in Bengal. He should be investigated and removed from the post," he added. Earlier, Chowdhury had questioned Barkati for not following the Centre's order on the same. "Barkati is Imam and I am a minister of the State Government. I will remove the red beacon as soon as the government orders for it," Chowdhury told ANI. Meanwhile, Imam Barkati, who had initially refused to remove the red beacon from his car, finally agreed to follow the Centre's order. On Friday, an FIR was lodged against Maulana Barkati after a BJP leader Suraj Kumar Singh registered a complaint against him for not complying with the Centre's ban on the use of the red beacon. The Central Government imposed a ban on use of red beacon on vehicles attached to dignitaries with effect from May 1. (ANI) "The massive haul included, 1010 ammunition of different caliber, 5100 detonators, Cordex wire-21,600 feet and explosives weighing around 200 kgs," the CRPF said in a statement. Security Forces are continuing offensive operations against Naxals in Jharkhand and succeeding in recovery of arms and ammunition. A number of important naxal cadres have also surrendered before forces in recent past. Indian Government had stepped up action against Naxal insurgents, especially in the wake of the brutal Sukma attack in which 25 CRPF personnel were killed in an ambush. (ANI) PHOENIX It might take a second for the computer to load, but then its there: a map of Southern Arizona nearly completely covered with red markers, so dense in some areas that its black. Each marker indicates one migrant who died trying to cross the U.S./Mexico border into Arizona. The Arizona OpenGIS Initiative for Deceased Migrants started in 2001 and is managed by the Pima County Office of the Medical Examiner and Humane Borders, Inc. One of the groups goals is for anyone to be able to search for documented dead migrants based on what they know about them their name, gender, year of death, the county in which they died, etc. But if you leave the criteria blank and click search, the map will show every migrant whose death has been documented over the past 16 years. There is a total of 2,797 markers on the map as of the writing of this story. Were not even looking for these people, said Humane Borders Executive Director Juanita Molina. Were just finding them. The causes of death are listed in the results if they are known. Hyperthermia, heat stroke, and exposure to the elements are common listings. And the map serves a dual purpose for both organizations involved in developing it. For Humane Borders, the map shows high-traffic areas where representatives can leave jugs of water for those crossing. Molina said its physically impossible to carry enough water for a safe journey through the Tucson corridor. And for the Office of the Medical Examiner, the map helps officials piece together the remains of a single migrant, many of which the office discovers at different times because they are scattered by weather or animals. Dr. Gregory Hess, chief medical examiner for Pima County, said each marker on the map represents the earliest remains of a person were found to more closely approximate when they died. Hess office examines all the remains, determines the cause and manner of death, and returns the remains to families, he said. He also updates Humane Borders monthly with a list of new remains that have been found. Gary Christopherson, a Humane Borders board member who oversees the map programming, said the remains are found by law enforcement officers, border patrol agents, and people hiking. He said there are groups that go out to look for bodies, though that isnt something Humane Borders does. He said its difficult to determine when the person died based on their remains. If there is still flesh on the bones, the medical examiner can give an approximate date of death, Christopherson said. If its just skeletal remains, its difficult to do that. He said John Chamblee, a Humane Borders research director who wasnt available for comment, started and designed the map and secured funding for it over the years. He said other states are trying to do similar things with mapping, but he wishes there could be a coordinated mapping effort across the border. He said the mapping involves a lot of money and a certain persistence. Because of that, its difficult to make that a priority in other counties, he said. Christopherson said one of the reasons the map began was so families could try and track down their missing loved ones, which is easier to do when the remains are able to be identified. Out of 2,731 total remains found as of January of this year, Christopherson said 947 remains were unidentified. Molina said migration has been down on all counts in general, but she refutes the notion that this is related to the election of Donald Trump. She said Former U.S. Secretary of Homeland Security Jeh Johnson took many measures to stop migration before it reached the United States, and that were now seeing the effects of his actions. She said the number of people crossing fluctuates often, particularly with the changing seasons. But there are other trends have been documented since the map project began. She said after 9/11, law enforcement officers focused on securing urban and popular areas first. A stronger law enforcement presence in urban areas caused migrant routes to shift to less populated and often more dangerous areas, she said. Arizona was especially dangerous in this situation, she said because much of the wilderness includes places with no water, food or cell phone signals. She said the map has shown that people are dying further from towns and roads. The whole project began after 100 remains were found in a single year in the early 2000s. Molina said the question of intervention was raised among Humane Borders and other faith and humanitarian groups wanting to do something about it. Despite the toll it takes on those documenting the dead, Molina said she feels comfort in being able to be of service in some way in this midst of this horrible crisis. Its a spiritual practice to witness such horrors, Molina said. Were looking at a rate of death that is devastating to our community. When Molina thinks about each red marker on the map representing a human being, she said she contemplates the generational footprint this leaves on all these people and their families. Some will have resolutions, she said. But thousands more wont. The Indian Army is retaliating to the unprovoked act strongly and effectively. Islamabad violated ceasefire post 6:45 a.m. and more than 7 villages have been targeted. At least two civilians including a minor girl were killed and nine people, including four soldiers were injured as Pakistan pounded 35 villages and Indian posts with mortars along the LoC in Jammu and Kashmir's Rajouri district yesterday. In wake of the attacks a total of 193 families, comprising of 743 persons, took shelter in camps. As many as 609 border residents were evacuated late last evening. In another development, as many as 51 schools of the Nowshera region, and 36 of Manjakote and Doongi zones have been closed for an indefinite period. (ANI) Maharashtra public prosecutor Ujjwal Nikam on Sunday said serious consequences would follow Pakistan if it fails to adhere to the International Court of Justice's (ICJ) verdict on former Indian naval officer Kulbhushan Jadahv's case. "It is very difficult for Pakistan to disown that they are not bound by the ICJ order, otherwise very serious consequences will follow," Nikam told ANI. Nikam said the ICJ had accepted Jadhav's case only after it found merit in India's contention that Pakistan deliberately violated Vienna convention by denying consular access to him. Nikam further informed that only one day has been given for a public hearing to India and Pakistan to present their case. "Two different timing slots have been allocated. One is given to India to present its details and another to Pakistan and only one day is given in the public hearing and I expect the ICJ will give its verdict only tomorrow," he added. India, in its appeal before the ICJ, accused Pakistan of "egregious" violation of the Vienna Convention on Consular Relations. The plea stated that Jadhav was kidnapped from Iran, where he was involved in business activities after retiring after retiring from the Indian navy, but Pakistan claimed he was arrested from Balochistan on March 3,2016. Jadhav was sentenced to death by the Field General Court Martial (FGCM) last month for his alleged involvement in espionage and sabotage activities against Pakistan. (ANI) As the Pakistan Army continued its unprovoked ceasefire violation in Nowshera sector of Jammu and Kashmir on Saturday, as many as eight villages were seriously affected in the aftermath. Pakistan had originally targetted a total of 26 villages. A total of 193 families, comprising of 743 persons, took shelter in camps. As many as 609 border residents were evacuated late last evening. In another development, as many as 51 schools of the Nowshera region, and 36 of Manjakote and Doongi zones have been closed for an indefinite period. Earlier, two civilians were killed in the ceasefire violation, to which the Indian troops gave a befitting reply. "Pakistani Army initiated indiscriminate firing of small arms, automatics, 82 mm and 120 mm mortars from 0715 hours along the Line of Control (LC) in Naushera sector," said an official statement. Following this, the evacuation of villagers in the region was taken up by the State Government, with thousands of people being relocated to safer places after the heavy area came under mortar shelling from across the border. The government set up make shift tent camps and arranged food for the dislocated. "We don't want anything. We don't want to go anywhere, don't want to go back to our place. We just request the government to shoot us," said a resident in Nowshera. The Deputy Commissioner of Rajouri, Shahid Iqbal Choudhary said earlier that the government has established four relief camps and another 26 are being identified in case people are evacuated from the region. "Four relief camps have been established and 26 others are being identified in case more evacuation is needed. We have 30 relief camps and have provided them with all facilities. Around 100 officers are on duty," Choudhary told ANI. Choudhary said around 20-25 villages are affected, out of which heavy shelling has been reported in Nowshera. He also added that two people have been killed and three others are injured, one whose condition is critical has been referred to Jammu for further treatment. "Right now the kin of the deceased are being compensated with Rs. one lakh. Later on, as per norms, we will provide them with the remaining amount," he said. He said that it is a bit challenging to evacuate people from the region in the middle of heavy shelling, but, they would try to evacuate everyone till the evening. (ANI) With the arrest of prime accused of the alleged murder of Tripura Women's Polytechnic Institute student Anaura Choudhury(19) - her maternal uncle a cadre of CPI(M) Noor Muhammad (42), the students stormed the street demanding arrest of the doctor who had issued certificate of her death due to cardiac arrest. Noor was sent to judicial custody for two days while the court asked police to submit case dairy for deciding the plea of police remand of the accused. In forensic report, it was appeared that Anaura died due to poison in her body but the post-mortem report did not trace it. To cease the tension, police made extra deployment across the city anticipating demonstration in Agartala Govt Medical College (AGMC) demanding the arrest of the doctor. According to report, Anaura was shifted to AGMC with severe abdomen pain on April 9 last and she was left unattended without treatment in the hospital that led to her death on April 10. The doctor on duty mentioned that Anaura died in cardiac arrest and his maternal uncle Noor and his family immediately buried her. "The neighbours and her friends saw fresh blood strains on her nose but when they asked about these to Noor, he was furious and stopped them the discussion. Hurriedly, body was buried as Islamic rituals. Immediately, we went to police station and requested to ensure post-mortem of the body and forensic test but we were thrown out by the police," alleged Manisha Roy, a college student joined the movement following social media campaign. She accused police and doctors of joining hand with Noor to manage the crime committed by him and his family. Two days after when the buried body had to unearth by the civil administration for post-mortem report that indicated the presence of poison in her body and sent for forensic test. However, Trinamool Chhatra Parisad (TCP) alleged that the left government had tried to manipulate the forensic test also but the scientists did not take the risk in the case what usually they do because of the pressure from the students' community. "We were monitoring each and every step of the investigation of the case when SFI state president Nilanjana Roy on April 14 last warned agitating students to be prepared for next action if the murder case was not probe. She requested police to take action against the agitators if their claim do not establish," alleged TCP president Viky Prasad. He demanded the police to register suo-motto case against Nilanjana Roy for making an attempt to influence the entire process of investigation of Anaura Choudhury murder case through her statement made on April 14 besides, action against the doctor and the police officers. In an unusual scene, police put women's police station of Agartala under lock and key from inside since yesterday appending any demonstration there. UNI BB AKM 1019 -- (UNI) -- C-1-1-DL0213-893027.Xml The post-mortem report of the Rohtak gangrape victim states that the cause of her death was due to head injury as blunt force injuries and multiple wounds were found on her skull and scalp. The report said the victim's face, tongue, eye, ears was totally distorted, which made the face totally identifiable. What makes the brutality every more evident, is that her oesophagus was missing and gnawing effects were seen over chest of the victim. Meanwhile, Haryana Inspector general of police (IG) Inspector general of police informed that two accused have been arrested in connection with the case. "We cannot tell the investigation details. Two accused has been arrested till now. The investigation is underway," said IG. A case has been registered under the Indian Penal code (IPC) 376, 365, 302 against the accused. On May 9th, a woman was brutally gang-raped and murdered, wherein later her mutilated body was found in an empty plot in Haryana's Rohtak. The incident came to light when the victim's body was found in city's IMT area. The victim had allegedly refused a marriage proposal, following which the accused reached her home a week later with his friends. A heated argument broke out which resulted in the woman slapping him. In revenge, the accused along with his friends allegedly raped and murdered her. The family of the victim said that on May 9, at least five to six youth abducted her from the gate of a private company. After that the accused took her to a deserted place and gang-raped her. The victim's mother said that the accused have been pressurizing the woman for marriage for the past one year. The forensic reports suggested that the victim was mutilated with sharp-edged weapons. Later, the accused tried to run her over to hide her identity. "The victim was tortured and her body was mutilated after the gang rape. She was killed after being raped involving at least seven people. Her skull was smashed in a way which indicates that she was run over by a vehicle in order to hide her identity," the forensic team has stated. The victim was living with her mother and brother and used to work in a private medicine company. The woman's parents had filed a missing complaint, based on which the police tracked her parents down. The parents were called to Rohtak to identify her body. The distraught parents have claimed that this ghastly attack was carried out by the girl's neighbour and have demanded capital punishment for the rapists. (ANI) Mystery shrouds the recovery of body of a woman patient inside a private hospital premises under Kankarbagh police station area here today as relatives of the patient indulged in violence accusing the hospital management of throwing her body from the roof of the hospital. Police said here that the family members of the patient Puja Gupta (22) smashed glass and indulged in other unlawful activities by forcing their entry into various wards of Sai Hospital alleging that the hospital management threw her body from the roof after her death during treatment. Doctors and employees of the hospital fled from the spot in panic. The woman was admitted to the hospital a few days back, police added. The irate mob also misbehaved with the police which reached the spot on receipt of information. The police used mild force to disperse the mob and bring situation under control. The relatives of the patient are natives of Kansari village under Gaurichak police station area in the district and are living in their own house at Khemnichak locality in the state capital. Police arrested six people on the charge of causing disturbance in the discharge of official duty and indulging in vandalism.UNI DH AKM 1409 -- (UNI) -- C-1-1-DL0213-893282.Xml The National Commission for Women (NCW) Chief Lalitha Kumaramangalam on Sunday took suo moto notice in the gruesome Rohtak gang-rape and Murder case. Kumaramangalam she said that first she will be sending a team to Sonipat, following which she will visit herself. Meanwhile, NCW member Rekha Sharma, who visited the grieving family of the victim condemned the brutality and urged for death sentence for the accused. "I am shocked the way all this happened. The torture she went through is horrifying. I cannot understand why men cannot take no from a women. Like Nirbhaya case I expect death sentence for these criminals," said Sharma. "We have formed an inquiry committee; I have come here to pressure on police to expedite the process. We will also see how they frame charges and will see that the filing of the case is done properly," she added. Two accused have been arrested in connection with the case. A case has been registered under the Indian Penal code (IPC) 376, 365, 302 against the accused. On May 9th, a woman was brutally gang-raped and murdered, wherein later her mutilated body was found in an empty plot in Haryana's Rohtak. The incident occurred on May 9 and came to light when the victim's body was found in city's IMT area. The victim had allegedly refused a marriage proposal, following which the accused reached her home a week later with his friends. A heated argument broke out which resulted in the woman slapping him. In revenge, the accused along with his friends allegedly raped and murdered her. The family of the victim said that on May 9, at least five to six youth abducted her from the gate of a private company. After that the accused took her to a deserted place and gang-raped her. The victim's mother said that the accused have been pressurizing the woman for marriage for the past one year. The forensic reports suggested that the victim was mutilated with sharp-edged weapons. Later, the accused tried to run her over to hide her identity. "The victim was tortured and her body was mutilated after the gang rape. She was killed after being raped involving at least seven people. Her skull was smashed in a way which indicates that she was run over by a vehicle in order to hide her identity," the forensic team has stated. The victim was living with her mother and brother and used to work in a private medicine company. The woman's parents had filed a missing complaint, based on which the police tracked her parents down. The parents were called to Rohtak to identify her body. The distraught parents have claimed that this ghastly attack was carried out by the girl's neighbour and have demanded capital punishment for the rapists. (ANI) The Congress on Sunday urged the Centre to investigate all the companies and ministers exposed by sacked Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) rebel leader Kapil Mishra, adding that the Narendra Modi-led government should also gauge the issue underlining AAP accepting money from anti-national elements. "Kapil Mishra has levied grave charges on Arvind Kejriwal and these accusations come under theMoney Laundering Act. Even Mr. Neel who was with Kapil Mishra had raised matching concerns earlier as well. The agencies know about all this, why has an FIR not lodged till now," said Maken. " Anand Sharma ji had before also raised a point that the AAP is accepting fund from separatists groups. We urge the Government should investigate the foreign funding of AAP. And find out which anti-national elements are funding AAP. If needed a special audit should take place. All the companies and name of ministers which he had mentioned should be brought under scrutiny," he added. Mishra earlier in the day alleged corruption in the AAP funding while stating that facts were concealed from the Income Tax department. Mishra who is currently on a hunger strike to protest against corruption by AAP said, "For three continuous years, black money was converted into white and spent on foreign trips of AAP leaders. AAP did not inform about some of its fundings which it received from fake companies." Mishra further targeted Kejriwal and revealed that 16 shell companies added money worth crores in AAP's bank accounts. "These fake companies are registered in the name of AAP MLA from Moti Nagar, Shivcharan Goyal. These companies have given Rs 2 crore to Kejriwal at 12 a.m. The fund received from these companies were sent to same branch branch of Axis Bank where there were allegations of converting black money into white at the time of demonetisation," he added. AAP has its bank account at the Krishnanagar branch of Axis Bank and all the transactions happen from there. Mishra also shared a bank cheque without a date which has already been encashed. "I file case against Arvind Kejriwal in Central Bureau of Investigation on Monday in connection with conversion of black money to white," the AAP leader said. However, the press conference took a dramatic turn when Mishra openly threatened to drag Kejriwal 'by the collar' to Tihar jail and then promptly passed out and was carried to the hospital. Meanwhile, the Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) on Sunday sent a summons notice to the political advisor of Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, Vaibhav Kumar in connection with water tanker scam. Kumar will be interrogated by the ACB on May 17. Last Thursday, Mishra made "serious allegations" against senior Delhi government functionaries in relation to the water tanker scam, which is alleged to have caused a loss of an estimated ?400 crore to the State exchequer, in a detailed statement to the Anti-Corruption Branch (ACB). Earlier, Mishra submitted documents related to the tanker scam to the ACB, while saying that he also apprised the agency about the misuse of the money by the Delhi government. (ANI) Claiming that the party's leadership faced similar allegations of corruption in the past, the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) on Sunday went all guns blazing at the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and called to stop tampering Delhi Minister Arvind Kejriwal's image. Countering sacked Delhi minister Kapil Mishra's allegations, AAP's Spokesperson Raghav Chadha said, "BJP is raising the same questions from last two years which were raised by Kapil Mishra today. I think he is mentally unstable." Speaking on the accusations of foreign visits, Chadha claimed that even before joining the party, he use to travel abroad. Echoing similar views, AAP senior leader Sanjay Singh alleged that BJP and Kapil Mishra are hand-in-glove. "Neel is an agent of BJP. He has also worked with BJP. I would ask BJP to stop using 'Sanghi Formula'. Refuting Mishra's claims, Singh further stated that "We have followed all the rules while taking donations. BJP is totally involved in this." Condemning the language used by Mishra in his conference, another AAP leader Ashutosh said, "I invite you, Kapil Mishra to AAP's office. I will open the door and then will make Kejriwal stand infront you.. If you won't drag him by the collar then I will think that there is still humanity left in you." In a dramatic press conference that ended with sacked Delhi minister Kapil Mishra fainting, the former accused Kejriwal of corruption and warned him to resign by the evening. Mishra said, "Arvind Kejriwal, have some shame. If you don't resign by today evening, I will drag you from your office to Tihar Jail. I'm Kapil Mishra." Mishra further alleged that for three continuous years, black money was converted into white and spent on foreign trips of the AAP leaders. "AAP did not inform about some of its funding which it received from fake companies," he said. Mishra further targeted Kejriwal and revealed that 16 shell companies added money worth crores in AAP's bank accounts. "These fake companies are registered in the name of AAP MLA from Moti Nagar, Shivcharan Goyal. These companies have given Rs 2 crore to Kejriwal at 12 a.m. The fund received from these companies were sent to same branch branch of Axis Bank where there were allegations of converting black money into white at the time of demonetisation," he added. AAP has its bank account at the Krishnanagar branch of Axis Bank and all the transactions happen from there. Mishra also shared a bank cheque without a date which has already been encashed. "I will file a case against Arvind Kejriwal in the Central Bureau of Investigation on Monday in connection with conversion of black money to white," the AAP leader said. Meanwhile, the Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) sent a summons notice to the political advisor of Kejriwal , Vaibhav Kumar in connection with water tanker scam. Kumar will be interrogated by the ACB on May 17. Last Thursday, Mishra made "serious allegations" against senior Delhi government functionaries in relation to the water tanker scam, which is alleged to have caused a loss of an estimated Rs. 400 crore to the State exchequer, in a detailed statement to the Anti-Corruption Branch (ACB). Earlier, Mishra submitted documents related to the tanker scam to the ACB, while saying that he also apprised the agency about the misuse of the money by the Delhi government. (ANI) The 34-year old, identified as Naseer Ahmed aka Sadiq, was trained by the militants operating in Banhial and adjoining area of Jammu and Kashmir He was involved in terrorist activities in Banihal area of Ramban district along with active group of HuM militants since 2002. In the year 2003, he moved to Pakistan and joined the HuM. He received physical and arms training from November 2003 to January 2004 at a place called Atak (Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Province, Pakistan) by HuM/ ISI and Pakistani Army instructors, with an aim of waging war against India and to fight with Indian Security Forces in Jammu and Kashmir. Sadiq was trained to operate weapons such as AK-47, Ak-56, SLR, Rocket Launcher (RPG7), Assault Rifle (G3 and G2) and grenades during his stint. Aiming to carry out a terrorist mission in India, Sadiq landed in Kathmandu on May 10 from Faisalabad (Pakistan) via Sharjah (UAE), along with his accomplice Mohd Shafi. From Kathmandu, the two parted ways and Naseer Ahmed boarded the bus to reach the Indo-Nepal Border, with the intention to sneak into the Indian Territory. Sadiq was nabbed by the SSB forces here while attempting to sneak into Indian frontiers through from Nepal, disguised as a vendor selling carpets and Kashmiri shawls. Upon interrogation by the SSB officials and Maharajganj District Police, he was unable to produce any documents to prove his identity. Subsequently on physical search, a Pakistani passport and identity card having address of Village - Lala Musa, Tehsil - Kharian, District- Gujarat, State - Punjab, (Pakistan) were recovered from his possession. (ANI) : , , , , - 28 . On April Fools Day, 1997, artist Tina Mion and Allan Affeldt coasted into Winslow, Arizona, in a van packed with an old basset hound, rabbits and a single chair no joke. Graduates of University of California-Irvine, Affeldt planned to advise a local non-profit on how to save the towns most iconic building. The couple quickly realized that to save famed architect Mary Colters Route 66 masterpiece, La Posada Hotel, theyd need to buy it themselves. Soon, Winslows fortunes found an uptick along with residents desire to reclaim their artistic, affordable hub on the Mother Road. Then and now At the Navajo Nations edge, 58 miles east of Flagstaff, Winslow was a railroad headquarters founded in 1880, according to documents from Winslows Old Trails Museum. La Posada, completed in 1930, brought increased travel as well as a cultural meeting place for Hopi and Navajo until hotel operations ceased in 1957. The current owners still host public and private ceremonies and dances. Since Jackson Browne immortalized the town in lyrics, Standing on a corner in Winslow, Arizona folks line up to snap photos with his bronze statue at Standing on a Corner Park, established in the heart of the city in 1999, and visit souvenir shops. Records show the largest job sector is the service industry in the town of 9,600 people. La Posadas growth has led to more than 60 employees a real trick for a private company in a rural community, Affeldt said. Major employers continue to be the BNSF railroad with 500 employees and the Arizona State Prison Complex-Winslow, which employs 460, according to the Arizona Department of Corrections. Mayor Robin R. Boyd knows the inside of the prison well as a dentist. Boyd has served on City Council since 1997 and was elected mayor in 2008. Since moving to Winslow the year after the prison complex opened in 1986, he said he has seen the town change immensely, adding, The railroad has always been the backbone of Winslow. The population has shifted since Winslows heyday, and current demographic data shows 26 percent of the city population claims Native American heritage on the census, 52 percent in the Winslow School District. After the 2016 fatal police-involved shooting of a Dine woman, Loreal Tsingine, the police department has initiated outreach programs, like Coffee with a Cop, to reconnect with residents who have expressed their concerns, especially within the Justice For Loreal movement. Separately, the WPD is hiring a new police chief who will be expected to reinforce these ties, and the city council has proposed some social and cultural initiatives to reconnect and offer resources to the community. Winslow also straddles a kind of political dividing line in Navajo County. Precincts north of the city on the Navajo Nation, for example, voted solidly for Clinton last November, while precincts to the south in the White Mountains went heavily for Trump. In Winslow, the vote was 47.3 percent for Trump, 41.8 percent for Clinton. Right house Another draw is the areas rock-bottom home prices and historic brickwork architecture. Flagstaffs median price for a single-family detached house is $343,000. But Christine Henderson, a West U.S.A. associate broker, said sales of area single-family homes in the last six months are averaging $92,225 and most spend just one or two weeks on the market. Some Winslow residents work in Flagstaff and commute the hour to and from home, noted Boyd. Despite its affordability, Winslow combats what locals point to as the aftershock of being bypassed by Interstate 40: roadside blight, slow job growth, and a 9 percent unemployment rate compared to the states 5 percent average, according to Bureau of Labor Statistics data. When Mion and Affeldt moved in, the couple said downtown essentially had been abandoned. [La Posadas revitalization] more than anything probably helped Winslow turn the corner as far as improving, Boyd said. The couples friend, sculptor Dan Lutzick, moved to Winslow three years ahead of them. He and his wife, Old Trails Museum Director Ann-Mary Lutzick, eventually took on a crumbling department store, once a Babbitt Mercantile, and transformed the 7,000-square-foot footprint into Snowdrift Art Space. Their home and revolving gallery is named for a historic advertisement for food shortening painted on the side of the building. Since then, artists have continued to thrive in those converted shops purchased at the right price. Semi-hidden gems like Paul Ruschas El Gran Garage and metalsmith John Suttmans soon-to-be-renovated home and gallery across the street from Snowdrift represent creative innovation in Winslow. After a 2005 state grant for facade and infrastructure repairs flushed Winslow with cash, the low price of building materials during the Recession helped maximize dollar-for-dollar returns on capital investments that improved the citys look, said Boyd. Conversely, he added, the economys high-tide has led to the reverse problem now. To increase property values, Boyd noted the city draws contractors to voluntarily demolish abandoned buildings along the towns main roads. For speedier approval or denial, City Council is incentivizing development by clearing administrative hurdles in the building permitting processes. BRIGHT FUTURE Today, Winslow is still the gateway to indigenous landmarks: Little Colorado River, Homolovi, Petrified National Forest, and East Clear Creek an easy-to-access lake featuring cliff walls and petroglyphs. Affeldt and Mion, while expanding La Posadas gallery space, are refurbishing the historic train depot on the south end of the building with matched grant dollars. Proceedings are winding through a governmental clog, but they expect ground broken on the Route 66 Museum later this year. Overseen by the Winslow Arts Trust, a collective of Affeldt, Mion, Lutzick, Ruscha and James Turrell, the museum will showcase fine arts and artifacts, including the massive Hubbell Rug and a Turrell light installation. Boyd also noted more industries have been eyeballing Winslow even Tesla Inc. CEO Elon Musk scouted the city for a Supercharging station. The crux here, he added, is Winslow is changing for the better. In furtherance of India's "Act East Policy", Indian Naval Ships -- Shivalik and Jyoti -- are on an overseas deployment to the South East Asia and Southern Indian Ocean to ensure good order in the maritime domain and to strengthen existing bonds between India and Malaysia.The ships would be on a port visit to Kuantan from May 14 to May 19, 2017.The visit of the Indian Naval ships seeks to underscore India's peaceful presence and solidarity with friendly and harmonious countries.India and Malaysia share a rich history and a strategic relationship. A number of bilateral agreements exist between the two countries in various spheres.During the stay in harbour, various activities such as official calls, formal reception on board ships, ships open to visitors, guided tours for Indian Naval personnel and professional interaction between Naval personnel of both the nations have been planned.In April this year, Malaysian Prime Minister, Najib Razak, visited India and held bilateral talks with PM Narendra Modi to enhance the partnership between the two countries.In July last year, Admiral Tan Sri Ahmad Kamarulazaman, the Chief of Royal Malaysia Navy, visited India to strengthen the bilateral ties between the two Navies which have witnessed a steady rise in their cooperation.NS Kora, an indigenously built corvette had recently participated in LIMA-17.Indian Naval assets have been increasingly deployed in recent times to address the main maritime concerns of the region. In addition, as part of the Indian Government's vision of SAGAR (Security and Growth for All in the Region), the Indian Navy has also been involved in assisting countries in the Indian Ocean Region with EEZ Surveillance, Search and Rescue, and other capacity-building and capability-enhancement activities. The current deployment will contribute towards the Indian Navy's efforts to consolidate inter-operability and forge strong bonds of friendship across the seas.Over the past few decades, India has made substantial advances in terms of designing and building warships indigenously and the visiting ships bear testimony to these capabilities. INS Shivalik, a multi-role stealth frigate is commanded by Captain R Vinod Kumar while INS Jyoti, the fleet replenishment tanker is commanded by Captain S Shyam Sundar. UNI SY SNU 1556 -- (UNI) -- C-1-1-DL0093-893357.Xml "We'll continue with the proposed strike tomorrow over issues of payment of arrears of pension amounts and wages," Shanmugam in a press briefing here. Earlier, the efforts to resolve the issue of minimum wages failed on Saturday as well as on Sunday. Transport Minister M.R. Vijayabhaskar and Special Deputy Commissioner of Labour A. Yasmin Begum presided over Saturday's meeting which lasted two hours. Where the government insisted on dropping the strike, the union leaders demanded a permanent solution for addressing the issues related to payment of sum unpaid of pension amount due to the employees. (ANI) There is an instinct in a woman to love her child the most and an instinct to make any child who needs her love, her own. Indeed, Mother is above God. God can be felt, experienced but motherly love is divine. A love that isunexplainable.On Mother's Day, children in orphanages got the ''TasteOfMothersLove'' in the most touching and inspiring way. Mother's Recipe brought together several Mothers to celebrate Mothers Day with children in orphanages across Mumbai and Delhi.The premises of Bal Sahyog, Connaught Place and SOS Children's Village India, Faridabad came alive over excited conversations, bales of laughter, riveting music and dance, fun activities like, card making workshop, photo booth with props, cake cutting ceremony and a dance competition among others. The highlight of the celebration was the joy on the faces of the children when Mother's Recipe distributed gifts to each child and when the mothers fed all the children some delicious cake. It was a heartwarming moment of Maa ke haatho ka pyaar, an experience that mothers and children enjoyed equally.Undertaken every year on the occasion of Mother's Day, ''TasteOfMothersLove'' is a touching initiative by ''Mother's Recipe'' to introduce mothers' to the idea of sharing love and happiness with the wonderful little children living in orphanages, making it memorable and enriching for them all. Brainchild of Sanjana Desai, Head Business Development, Desai Brothers Ltd said, "Words cannot describe the unmatched energy and sea of emotions each one of us experienced today. The mothers had so much love to share and watching them embracing the children, feeding them and playing with them, was truly the greatest feeling. ''''The children are so talented and were very warm and welcoming. We are delighted with the response and more importantly overjoyed to have been able to make a difference to their lives. We have also donated proceeds to each orphanage and will be extending the initiative to all our consumers across the country by donating proceeds from the sales of our special Mothers Day Mixed Pickle Bottle, allowing them to make a difference to the children in these orphanages,'' she said."The ambitious campaign which started three years ago, at present has spread mother's love with more than 900 mothers to 950 children in 18 orphanages across India. We hope to have many more hands joining the cause in the years to come", she concludes. The day was culminated by distributing gifts and goodies to all the kids, thanking the caretakers and the mothers for their formidable support and for sharing their love.UNI SY SHK 2008 -- (UNI) -- C-1-1-DL0093-893744.Xml North Korea's mission to the United Nations has appealed the member states to reconsider implementing sanctions on the communist regime. According to South Korea's Yonhap news agency the North's mission in a press statement also accused the United States of trying to intimidate countries into fully implementing U.N. sanctions by "openly threatening that they would be faced with 'strong measures of sanction' by the U.S." "The U.S. raises its voice before the member states, claiming that many countries are not fully engaged in implementation of the 'sanction resolutions' against the DPRK and even intimidating others into the implementation, openly threatening that member nations would be faced with 'strong measures of sanction' if they do not implement or show less interest in fulfilling their obligation to implement the 'sanction resolutions'," said the statement. The statement came after the U.N. Security Council's panel of experts on North Korea sanctions urged U.N. members to strengthen enforcement of the sanctions adopted in the Security Council Resolutions 2270 and 2321. The new Donald Trump led US administration has stepped up its pressure campaign against Pyongyang while urging China to use more of its influence to rein in the provocative regime. The mission also said its hysterical to sanction restaurant businesses run by the North. "It will be only a laughing stock of the international community that with hysteria about sanctions, the U.S. has mistaken even ordinary restaurants run by the DPRK abroad for nuke or ballistic rocket manufacturers," the statement said. North Korean restaurants in other countries are not directly subject to U.N. sanctions but are often considered a major source of finance for its weapons and nuclear programs. (ANI) The South Korean military said in a statement that the missile took off from the northwestern city of Kusong and flew more than 430 miles, The New York Times reports. Other data was still being analysed by the South to determine the type of missile. This was the North's first missile test since April 29 failure, despite being banned from developing or testing ballistic missiles, under a series of United Nations Security Council resolutions. Meanwhile, South Korean President Moon Jae-in has ordered an urgent meeting of top security officials to discuss the launch. North Korea has been trying to build a reliable intermediate-range ballistic missile, which would be capable of reaching American military bases in the Pacific. U.S. President Donald Trump has said he would be "honoured" to meet North Korean leader Kim Jong-un under the right circumstances. (ANI) "We can make a fast decision," The Telegraph quoted Trump, as saying. "I think the process is going to go quickly." It's reported that Attorney General Jeff Sessions began interviewing candidates for the role on Saturday. Trump's comments came ahead of an address to students at Liberty University. Trump has already suggested a new candidate for the FBI director, who would need to be confirmed by the senate. The candidate may be chosen as soon as this week, before Trump leaves on his first foreign trip since taking office. The first candidate to meet Sessions was Alice Fisher, a 50-year-old white-collar Washington crime lawyer. 55-year-old Michael Garcia, an associate judge on New York's highest court, and John Cornyn, the second most senior Republican in the Senate are also said to be in the running. Andrew McCabe, the acting director of the FBI since Comey was fired is also being considered. (ANI) Trump urged the graduates to "embrace the label" of being an outsider and to not "swim downstream so easily with the current." "No one has ever achieved anything significant without a chorus of critics standing on the sideline saying why it can't be done," he said. "Nothing is easier or more pathetic than being a critic." Trump, as he spoke before the Christian university, dubbed the criticism of his actions as a sign that he was "doing honourable work in remarks that touched upon religion but were not particularly imbued with religious overtones," CNN reports. "You aren't going to let other people tell you what you believe, especially when you know that you're right," the President said. "We don't need a lecture from Washington on how to lead our lives." "Be totally unafraid to challenge entrenched interests and failed power structures," he said, adding, "Does that sound familiar, by the way?" (ANI) Elections could not be held after 1997 due to the decade-long Maoist insurgency that has claimed more than 16,000 lives till now. In the first round of elections for local bodies, around 50,000 contenders are vying for the 13,556 positions, the Anadolu Agency reports. A vast majority of 15 million Nepalis who are eligible to vote will cast their ballot in 6,642 polling stations across the country, said Surya Prasad Sharma, an Election Commission spokesman. As many as 46,000 civil servants have been deployed at the polling stations that will be guarded by about 75,000 security forces including over 20,000 temporary police recruit, according to the Election Commission. The second round of elections is scheduled for mid-June. However, doubts over the commencement of the second phase of the polls still dominate discussions in the political and public space. The opposition is demanding that the second phase of polls be preponed, as the date for announcing the budget is prior to the date of the second phase and might influence voters. Meanwhile, the political parties in Nepal reportedly reached an agreement to move ahead on the Constitution amendment process in Parliament on May 18. (ANI) This is the first provocative move from North Korea since South Korea appointed Moon Jae-in as the country's new President on Wednesday. "North Korea fired an unidentified missile at around 5.27 a.m. today (Sunday) from an area in the vicinity of Kusong, North Pyongan province," Yonhap News Agency quoted the JCS as saying in a statement. In response, President Moon has strongly condemned North Korea for the launch, describing it as a grave threat to regional security and a clear violation of the UN Security Council resolutions. He also called on Pyongyang to reverse its course of provocations for the resumption of dialogue while warning that his administration would deal resolutely in order to ensure it would not "miscalculate" the situation. "Even if dialogue is possible, (we) should show (to North Korea) that it's possible only in case of North Korea changing its attitude," Moon said, presiding over a session of the National Security Council. The US Pacific Command, based in Hawaii, also announced that it detected and tracked the launch of the missile, which landed in the East Sea. "The type of missile is being assessed, and the flight was not consistent with an intercontinental ballistic missile," it said. "The US Pacific Command is fully committed to working closely with our Republic of Korea and Japanese allies to maintain security." The Japanese government said the North's missile flew for half an hour. Prime Minister Shinzo Abe slammed Pyongyang for again violating the UN Security Council resolutions. --IANS ksk ( 282 Words) 2017-05-14-08:24:09 (IANS) The biggest ever collection of rare and unique objects from the Viking age found in Britain has been given a new permanent home at Scotland's national museum in Edinburgh. Queen Elizabeth's official representative in Scotland told National Museums Scotland (NMS) that it must make a payment within six months of 1.98 million pounds ($2.56 million) to the man who discovered the buried treasure, Xinhua news agency reported. Using a metal detector, he unearthed the treasure in the Dumfries and Galway area that had been buried for 1,000 years. Known as the Galloway Hoard, the collection was described by NMS as unparalleled find of Viking-age gold, silver and jewelled treasures. A spokesman for NMS said on Saturday: "The hoard, which brings together the richest collection of rare and unique Viking-age objects ever found in Britain or Ireland, is of international significance and will transform our understanding of this period of Scottish history." "The Galloway Hoard is of outstanding international significance. We now have six months to raise 1.98 million pounds to acquire this unique treasure for the nation and ensure it can be enjoyed by future generations both at home and abroad," said NMS Director Gordon Rintoul. Martin Goldberg, senior curator of Early Medieval and Viking Collections at NMS, said: "Nothing like this has ever been found in Scotland. The stories it can tell will expand our knowledge of the Viking Age." NMS, which runs the National Museum of Scotland in Edinburgh, wants a selection of the find to be displayed at the Kirkcudbright Art Gallery, close to where it was discovered. The Viking Age is the period from the late 8th century to the mid-11th century in European history. --IANS ksk ( 293 Words) 2017-05-14-09:44:11 (IANS) On paper, its a review and a listening tour. But if, as many suspect, the Trump White House has already decided it wants to rescind more than two dozen national monuments dating back to the Clinton presidency, then charade is a more accurate term. Why are some skeptical about just how objective the review by Interior Secretary Ryan Zinke will be? For starters, there was the Trump hyperbole on the campaign trail about federal land grabs even though most of the new monuments were already managed by the Bureau of Land Management. Then there is the statement by Zinke justifying his review as "the first ever formal public comment period for members of the public to officially weigh in on monument designations under the Antiquities Act of 1906." But as Bill Hedden of the Grand Canyon Trust has pointed out, a highly public campaign addressing protection for Bears Ears began in 2011 with an effort by the Native American-led nonprofit Utah Dine Bikeyah. In 2015, an intertribal coalition began to develop a more formal proposal for a Bears Ears national monument. Then in both 2015 and 2016 Obama Administration officials made visits to the area, holding a public meeting last year that local news agencies reported was attended by more than 1,400 people. 6 YEARS VS. 15 DAYS Yet what took six years of input Zinke wants to truncate now to 15 days thats the window for public comment he has set for Bears Ears. In all, there are five national monuments in the Four Corners area covering 4.5 million acres that Zinke will be reviewing under Trumps April 27 executive order. If the White House and/or Congress act to rescind them, there will almost surely be a court battle that will take years. So Bears Ears and other monuments arent going away anytime soon. But the review itself raises questions about just how much local citizens can count on the permanence of federal land use designations. Will this set a precedent for White House reviews and rescissions every four years? And will the states be expected to step in as land owners and administrators, even if they disagree with the decisions? The national parks and monuments in Arizona alone are a $995 million a year boon to local economies. There needs to be predictability beyond the four-year presidential campaign cycle. FEW CHANGES The irony about all of the grandstanding over monument designations for some BLM and Forest Service lands is that most of the dire predictions about ranchers kicked off grazing allotments and wrecked local economies simply havent come to pass. Vermilion Cliffs, Grand Canyon-Parashant and Grand Staircase-Escalante have seen little, if any, change in uses in the last two decades. The biggest change denying new uranium mining permits for 20 years in the Grand Canyon watershed hasnt occurred inside a national monument, and so far the Trump White House isnt talking about lifting that ban. As we have noted in past editorials, collaboration among various stakeholders in setting proposed monument boundaries and uses is always better than unilateral executive action (Congressional action, all agree, is a lost cause.) The original proposed area for Bears Ears shrank considerably by the time President Obama issued his declaration, but well acknowledge that Grand Staircase-Escalante emerged from below radar at the last minute. And we suppose there is still room for designating parts of the new monuments for more intensive uses, with limited motorized travel corridors for forest restoration. But on the whole, western monuments succeed because they can protect natural and cultural resources on a landscape level. Carving out corridors for highways, power lines and mining operations defeats the purpose of preserving the integrity and balance of natural areas. TWO WORDS: 'GRAND CANYON' To those who say national monuments were never intended for anything other than limited cultural sites and natural features, we have a two-word response: Grand Canyon. Teddy Roosevelt came and saw a natural wonder of the world under threat from mining and unbridled tourism. He unilaterally designated it a national monument, buying it time until Congress could declare it a national park in 1919. No one today has any regrets over Roosevelts action, and that is true 100 or even 50 years out from most decisions to protect wildlands from development and overuse. If Ryan Zinke does his homework, he will find a legacy of federal stewardship of special lands in the West that, although imperfect, is far preferable to turning them over to private enterprise by way of the states. These are lands belonging to all U.S. citizens, and survey after survey shows the public wants them protected, especially in a region with rapid population growth and backcountry access. If Zinke has a better idea than monuments and national parks, let him spell him out in detail and defend it then conduct another listening tour that we hope lasts longer than 15 days. The official told Efe news on Saturday that the civilians from al-Zanjili neighbourhood in western Mosul were executed after they were caught attempting to escape. He pointed out that IS extremists hanged the bodies of the victims from electricity poles after declaring them apostates for trying to leave "the land of the caliphate". Al-Bayati added that the civilians had also been accused of providing information to Iraqi security forces. Iraqi government forces are now struggling to expel IS miliatts from the western part of Mosul, where some neighbourhoods are still controlled by the extremists. The IS seized large swaths of northern Iraq in the summer of 2014 and proclaimed a caliphate in the territory under its control in that Arab country and neighbouring Syria. It made the city of Mosul its main stronghold. --IANS ksk ( 179 Words) 2017-05-14-09:44:12 (IANS) North Korea on Sunday launched a ballistic missile which flew around 700 km, the South Korean Joints Chief of Staff (JCS) said. This is the first provocative move from North Korea since South Korea appointed Moon Jae-in as the country's new President on Wednesday. The US calculated that the missile landed in water 60 miles south of Russia's Vladivostok region, an American security official told CNN. Vladivostock is home to the Russian Pacific Fleet. The US called for repercussions from the international community. "Let this latest provocation serve as a call for all nations to implement far stronger sanctions against North Korea," White House Press Secretary Sean Spicer said in a statement. "North Korea fired an unidentified missile at around 5.27 a.m. today (Sunday) from an area in the vicinity of Kusong, North Pyongan province," Yonhap News Agency quoted the JCS as saying in a statement. A US defence official confirmed that it flew that far, but said Washington was still investigating to determine the type of missile. In response, South Korean President Moon has strongly condemned North Korea for the launch, describing it as a grave threat to regional security and a clear violation of the UN Security Council resolutions. He also called on Pyongyang to reverse its course of provocations for the resumption of dialogue while warning that his administration would deal resolutely in order to ensure it would not "miscalculate" the situation. "Even if dialogue is possible, (we) should show (to North Korea) that it's possible only in case of North Korea changing its attitude," Moon said, presiding over a session of the National Security Council. Moon asked for a review of a missile system that is being developed to protect South Korea. Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe also slammed the launch, reports CNN. "Despite strong warning from the international community, North Korea launched a ballistic missile again," Abe said, adding "This is totally unacceptable and we strongly protest it. North Korea's missile launch is a serious threat to Japan and clearly violate against the UN resolution." The projectile launch comes two weeks after a ballistic missile test that South Korean and US officials said failed. That missile, launched on April 29, blew up over land in North Korean territory, according to a spokesman for the US Pacific Command. Though tensions between the United States and North Korea have been higher than usual over the past few months, a senior North Korean diplomat told Yonhap News Agency on Saturday that Pyongyang is open to talks with Washington "under the right conditions". --IANS ksk ( 434 Words) 2017-05-14-10:18:10 (IANS) Baloch Republican Party (BRP) member from Germany, Ashraf Sherjan has advised countries joining China's the One Belt One Road (OBOR) initiative, to first consider the situation in Balochistan before taking any step further. "I would request all other countries to consider the situation of Balochistan before joining the OBOR project," Sherjan said. Asserting that the OBOR initiative is almost linked with the China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), Sherjan said the people and leaders of Balochistan have already rejected the CPEC project. He further said that the CPEC is not in the interest of people of Balochistan but only for people of Punjab province and Pakistan. "We the people of Balochistan have even rejected Pakistan and China. So, we request to the countries that are joining this OBOR initiative, we want to inform them before they take any step forward for OBOR that please considered the situation in Balochistan and see what is happening in Balochistan. Just to make China happy due to the CPEC, Pakistan is already killing the people of Balochistan," he said. Sherjan added that a slow motion of Balochistan genocide is going on just because of the CPEC. "But in between interest of China and in interest of Pakistan and for the people of Balochistan, there is no benefit and no interest in this project," he said. He asserted that Baloch leaders in exile have been protesting against the CPEC and they will continue to do so against Pakistan and China. "So, I and the Baloch nation request to countries which are joining the OBOR that they will be on the losing side. So better don't waste your time, don't waste your energy and don't waste your money on the OBOR," he said. Sherjan also appreciated India for skipping the OBOR summit in Beijing beginning today. Baloch people and activists have been consistently protesting against the CPEC, alleging that Pakistan is only concerned about exploiting the resources of Balochistan for Beijing and its advantage. Considered to be a part of China's One Belt, One Road initiative, the USD 51 billion CPEC will cover significant parts of Balochistan, Sindh and the Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK). (ANI) World Baloch Women's Forum president Naela Quadri Baloch has raised questions on the world leaders who are supporting and contributing to the One Belt One Road (OBOR) initiative of China. At a time when the world leaders have congregated to attend the two-day ceremony One Belt One Road summit , Baloch Kurd liberation activist Naela Baloch asked "Why the world leaders are deciding about Balochistan in the name of development." Naela Baloch accused the Pakistani Army of carrying out brutal activities in Balochistan. She said thousands of women are kept in rape cells where they are confined and subjected to brutal sexual assault. She maintained that her struggle for liberation is not limited to women but extended to all quarters of Balochistan . "The Baloch lawyers, doctors and engineers are being kidnapped by the Pakistani army," she said. Stating that Pakistan is committing this genocide of the Baloch people with the full support of China as a form of "ethnic cleansing", Naela said, "The International Human Rights is silent despite the atrocities and the level of genocide going on in Balochistan by the Pakistan Army and the Pakistani establishment. " Accusing the Pakistan Army of having the licence to "kill, rape and torture Baloch people and to take out their organs to sell them", Naela has demanded that the United Nations - which has "turned blind and has closed its ears and mouth" - to wake up and listen what is going on in Balochistan. "So, the Baloch nation is going to be finished from the face of the earth and the U.N. is silent and the international community is silent, it's a very-very worrisome situation for us," she added. (ANI) A spokesperson of the European External Action Service (EEAS), the EU's diplomatic service, noted in a statement that North Korea move seriously violated multiple UN Security Council resolutions. "This and previous launches constitute a threat to international peace and security and further aggravate tensions in the region at a time when de-escalation is instead needed," the spokesperson said. "North Korea must halt these launches and abandon its ballistic missiles programmes in a complete, verifiable and irreversible manner," the spokesperson stressed, adding "the same holds true for its nuclear, nuclear weapons and all other weapons of mass destruction programmes." The spokesperson urged the Korean country to "engage in a credible and meaningful dialogue with the international community," proclaiming that the EU "is ready to support such a process for dialogue." Pyongyang launched what believed to be a ballistic missile early Sunday, South Korea's Yonhap News Agency reported. The "unidentified missile" was fired early Sunday morning from a site near the city of Kusong in North Pyongan Province, the news agency quoted the Joint Chiefs of Staff as saying. The US Pacific Command confirmed that the missile , fired by the country Saturday, landed in the Sea of Japan. --IANS ahm/ ( 239 Words) 2017-05-15-01:40:09 (IANS) Source: Xinhua| 2017-05-13 23:12:18|Editor: An Video Player Close Hong Kong, May 13 (Xinhua) -- Chief Executive of China's Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (SAR) Leung Chun-ying on Saturday left here for Beijing to attend the Belt and Road Forum for International Cooperation to be held on Sunday and Monday. Speaking to the media at the airport, Leung said he will introduce Hong Kong's strengths to foreign heads of state and overseas and mainland businessmen during the forum. Leung said Hong Kong, as a part of China, has not only the "one country" advantages, but also the privileges of "two systems" and can play a unique role in facilitating the Belt and Road Initiative. The Silk Road Economic Belt and the 21st Century Maritime Silk Road, known as the Belt and Road Initiative, was proposed by China in 2013 with the aim of building a trade and infrastructure network connecting Asia with Europe and Africa along the ancient trade routes. Iranian President and presidential candidate Hassan Rouhani speaks while attending a campaign rally in the capital Tehran on May 13, 2017. (Xinhua/AFP Photo) TEHRAN, May 13 (Xinhua) -- Iranian pilgrims travelling to Saudi Arabia for this year's Hajj ceremonies will be kitted up with electronic bracelets to "avert possible problems," Tasnim news agency quoted an official as saying on Saturday. Iran Electronics Industries has designed and manufactured the bracelets and will also process data from the devices, Head of Iran's Hajj and Pilgrimage Organization Hamid Mohammadi told Tasnim. It will be undoubtedly a great help to the (Hajj) pilgrims and will contribute to better services to the travellers, he added. It was announced here in March that Iran was in talks with Saudi officials to resolve the issues which had hampered the dispatch of pilgrims to the annual Muslim ceremonies in the Saudi Arabian city of Mecca. Most of the disputed issues had been resolved in the negotiations with Saudi Arabia, and hopefully the remaining problems would be settled, Iran's representative in Hajj and pilgrimage affairs, Ali Qazi-Askar, said. Iran plans to send at least 80,000 nationals to Saudi Arabia for Hajj pilgrimage in summer this year. Iran decided to withdraw from sending the pilgrims to the last year Hajj season, in which it cited the reason for fearing the safety of its pilgrims after the deadly stampede in Hajj of 2015. More than 450 Iranians were among 2300 pilgrims who died in stampede in Mina area. Source: Xinhua| 2017-05-14 02:22:55|Editor: yan Video Player Close by Apollinaire Niyirora BUJUMBURA, May 13 (Xinhua) -- The transport sector in Burundi is affected following an oil shortage hitting the east African nation for about a month, car owners and users told Xinhua. In the Burundian capital Bujumbura, several people who used to take taxis or minibuses to their workplaces now walk because taxis and passenger minibuses are scarce due to the acute shortage of oil products. "Due to the shortage of passenger minibuses, I have now decided to walk to my office every morning because there are limited chances to get a minibus at the bus station," "If I wait for the bus, I will get it around 8:30 a.m. or at 9:00 a.m. whereas I have to report to work at 7:30 a.m. at the latest," said Jean Marie Niyonzima, residing at Kigobe in the north of the capital Bujumbura and working in a pharmacy in Bujumbura city center. Another female worker, who used to take a taxi to her workplace, now walks to her office, or requests a ride as the price of a taxi has also increased due to the scarcity of oil. "Before, I had a taxi-man who would take me from home to the office and after work, from the office to my house. But now, I have to join a team of other persons walking to the city center, or if I feel weak, I request a ride from neighbors," Sylvie Bendahafi, residing at Musaga in the south of the capital and working in a bakery in the capital city, said. She indicated that she is unable to pay a taxi whose fare has now doubled. Drivers of taxis as well as owners of cars in general face challenges getting gasoline at petrol stations both in the capital and the countryside. "When I learn that a given petrol station has received oil products, I have to be there with my taxi at 3 o'clock early in the morning so that I will be among the first to be served. Unfortunately, the petrol station attendants cannot accept to give me the needed quantity of gasoline. This means that one day later, I will have to queue again for gasoline at a petrol station," Jacques Harabagabo, a taxi driver said. He said that he has avoided taking passengers far from Bujumbura city center because his car would use a lot of gasoline. Harabagabo added that he is not making money because people now walk instead of taking taxis because the taxi fare has gone on the rise. "We (taxi drivers) get money when it is raining as people don't have any other choices than taking taxis," he said. Harabagabo said that some car drivers can get oil products after seeking them at three or four petrol stations with a risk of getting an empty tank before reaching a petrol station. As gasoline is scarce at petrol stations, it is nevertheless secretly sold in some neighborhoods mainly at Buyenzi in the Burundian capital Bujumbura at higher prices. Herman Bizimana, a taxi driver, told Xinhua that a liter of gasoline sold at 2,100 Burundi francs (1.2 U.S. dollars) at petrol stations is now purchased at 7,000 Burundi francs (4.1 dollars) at the black market at Buyenzi. "We have increased the price of transport because the price of gasoline has also increased. Queuing at petrol stations really gives us a headache. You can spend a whole day or even two days queuing from a petrol station to another for gasoline," said Bizimana. In April, Burundian Energy Minister Come Manirakiza told lawmakers at the National Assembly -- the country's parliament lower chamber that the oil shortage was due to the "failure" by the Burundian government to "have enough" hard currency. Meanwhile, earlier this week, the energy ministry announced that petrol stations should only open during daytime, between 7 a.m. to 6 p.m. to avoid "possible" fraud. The Burundi Consumers' Association (ABUCO) has called on the east African country's government to quickly solve the oil crisis hitting the country. "Urging petrol stations to open during daytime hours is not a solution to the fuel crisis. Urgent solutions to this (fuel) crisis need to be found by the government," the ABUCO said. It further warned that Burundi's economy will face a "terrible decline" if the oil crisis continues to deepen. Burundi has been facing a political and economic crisis following the controversial third term bid of President Pierre Nkurunziza in April 2015. Several partners of Burundi including the European Union (EU) have frozen their financial aid towards the east African country's government. Source: Xinhua| 2017-05-14 08:00:16|Editor: liuxin Video Player Close SAN FRANCISCO, May 13 (Xinhua) -- A research using time-lapse photography in the Galapagos Marine Reserve, a thousand kilometers from the Ecuadorian mainland, suggests the presence of a key multilevel "trophic cascade" involving top- and mid-level predators as well as urchins and algae. In the rocky, species-rich subtidal area, of about 133,000 square km off the Galapagos Islands, researchers examined the relationships among predatory fishes, urchins, the algae that the urchins graze on, and how the interactions among them were influenced by se a lions and sharks at the top of the food chain. The key question for researchers: Do predators high up in the chain affect the abundance of the "primary producers" at the bottom -- in this case algae -- thus causing a trophic cascade? Using GoPro cameras, researchers from Oregon State University (OSU) and Brown University made a number of key findings regarding triggerfish, Spanish hogfish, pencil urchins, the larger green urchins and algae, including: -- Among a diverse guild of predatory fishes, triggerfish can control the abundance of pencil urchins and thus also the abundance of algae the urchins eat; the experiments showed grazing on algae was eliminated when the pencil urchins were exposed to triggerfish predation, meaning triggerfish are a candidate for protection because of their strong effects on ecosystem function. -- Green urchins eat more algae than pencil urchins yet are not the urchin prey of choice for predatory fish. That suggests those fish aren' t controlling green urchin populations and thus that green-urchin barrens in the Galapagos - areas where the urchins have stripped the sea floor of algae - are not the result of the overfishing of predatory fish. -- Spanish hogfish are not major predators of urchins as earlier, survey-based research had suggested. Hogfish mainly eat the smaller pencil urchins and also interfere with triggerfish feeding on large pencil urchins; the hassling hogfish cause triggerfish to spend more time to eat an urchin and in some cases force a fumble. Statistical modeling of predation on pencil urchins indicates that two types of interference behavior -- the hogfish harassing the triggerfish, and sea lions and sharks startling the triggerfish -- could slow the rate of triggerfish predation on pencil urchins. The researcher who did the modeling, Mark Novak of the College of Science at OSU, noted that historically, ecologists believed complex food webs typical of the tropics were more immune to trophic cascades than the simpler food webs of higher latitudes. However, studies such as this one now suggest that is not the case, and that the dynamics of complex food webs can be as predictable as simpler ones provided you understand who the relevant players are. "When the backbone of the system is strong, you can connect the top of the food chain to the bottom despite all of the indirect effects and the complexities of the system," Novak, assistant professor of integrative biology, was quoted as saying in a news release. "It's important to know individual species identity when you've got a suite of consumers. The hogfish, the triggerfish, they all feed on very similar things, yet one of the two is most important, the one that drove that first link." The findings, published in PLOS One, are important because they include detailed information about interactions in a complex food web, and crucial to knowing how to cause, prevent or reverse population changes within the web. Source: Xinhua| 2017-05-14 10:23:00|Editor: Liangyu Video Player Close BEIJING, May 14 (Xinhua) -- President Xi Jinping said Sunday the Belt and Road should be built into a road for peace, as the pursuit of the initiative requires a peaceful and stable environment. "The ancient silk routes thrived in times of peace, but lost vigor in times of war. The pursuit of the Belt and Road Initiative requires a peaceful and stable environment," said Xi while delivering a keynote speech at the opening of the two-day Belt and Road Forum for International Cooperation in Beijing. "We should foster a new type of international relations featuring win-win cooperation; and we should forge partnerships of dialogue with no confrontation and of friendship rather than alliance," he said. All countries should respect each other's sovereignty, dignity and territorial integrity, each other's development paths and social systems, and each other's core interests and major concerns, said Xi. "Some regions along the ancient Silk Road used to be a land of milk and honey. Yet today, these places are often associated with conflict, turbulence, crisis and challenge. Such state of affairs should not be allowed to continue," said Xi. He called for fostering the vision of common, comprehensive, cooperative and sustainable security, and creating a security environment built and shared by all. Xi also urged the Belt and Road to be built into a road of prosperity. "In pursuing the Belt and Road Initiative, we should focus on the fundamental issue of development, release the growth potential of various countries and achieve economic integration and interconnected development and deliver benefits to all," he said. He said, "We should establish a stable and sustainable financial safeguard system that keeps risks under control, create new models of investment and financing, encourage greater cooperation between government and private capital and build a diversified financing system and a multi-tiered capital market." Stressing infrastructure connectivity, Xi called for promoting land, maritime, air and cyberspace connectivity, focusing on key passageways, cities and projects, and connecting networks of highways, railways and sea ports. President Xi proclaims Silk Road spirit BEIJING, May 14 (Xinhua) - Chinese President Xi Jinping on Sunday proclaimed the Silk Road spirit, saying it has become a great heritage of human civilization. Spanning thousands of miles and years, the ancient silk routes embody the spirit of "peace and cooperation, openness and inclusiveness, mutual learning and mutual benefit," he said. Full Story Pursuit of Belt and Road Initiative "not to reinvent the wheel": Xi BEIJING, May 14 (Xinhua) -- Chinese President Xi Jinping said Sunday that the pursuit of the Belt and Road Initiative is not meant to reinvent the wheel. "Rather, it aims to complement the development strategies of countries involved by leveraging their comparative strengths," Xi said in a keynote speech delivered at the opening ceremony of the Belt and Road Forum for International Cooperation. Full Story Xi says China involved in major Belt and Road connectivity projects BEIJING, May 14 (Xinhua) -- China has engaged in the construction of several major projects to improve infrastructure connectivity under the Belt and Road Initiative, Chinese President Xi Jinping said Sunday. China, in cooperation with relevant countries, has accelerated the building of Jakarta-Bandung high-speed railway, China-Laos railway, Addis Ababa-Djibouti railway and Hungary-Serbia railway, and upgraded Gwadar and Piraeus ports, Xi said in a keynote speech at the opening ceremony of the Belt and Road Forum for International Cooperation. Full Story China to contribute additional 100 billion RMB to Silk Road Fund BEIJING, May 14 (Xinhua) -- China will contribute an additional 100 billion yuan (about 14.5 billion U.S. dollars) to the Silk Road Fund, President Xi Jinping said Sunday. Xi made the announcement at the opening ceremony of the two-day Belt and Road Forum for International Cooperation in Beijing. Full Story Pursuit of Belt and Road not intends to form small group: Xi BEIJING, May 14 (Xinhua) -- Chinese President Xi Jinping said Sunday that in pursuing the Belt and Road Initiative, China has no intention to form a small group detrimental to stability. "What we hope to create is a big family of harmonious co-existence," Xi said when delivering a keynote speech at the opening ceremony of the Belt and Road Forum for International Cooperation. Full Story Xi urges anti-corruption cooperation in Belt and Road development BEIJING, May 14 (Xinhua) -- Chinese President Xi Jinping on Sunday urged strengthening international counter-corruption cooperation so that the Belt and Road will be a road with high ethical standards. Xi made the remarks in a keynote speech delivered at the opening ceremony of the Belt and Road Forum for International Cooperation. Full Story Xi says Belt and Road open to nations beyond Asia, Europe, Africa BEIJING, May 14 (Xinhua) -- Chinese President Xi Jinping said Sunday the Belt and Road Initiative focuses on the Asian, European and African countries, but is also open to all other countries. "All countries, from either Asia, Europe, Africa or the Americas, can be international cooperation partners of the Belt and Road Initiative," Xi said when delivering a keynote speech at the opening ceremony of the Belt and Road Forum for International Cooperation. Full Story China to set up liaison office for follow-up activities of BRF BEIJING, May 14 (Xinhua) -- China will set up a liaison office for the follow-up activities of the Belt and Road Forum for International Cooperation, President Xi Jinping said Sunday at the opening ceremony of the forum. China will put in place a Research Center for the Belt and Road Financial and Economic Development, the Facilitating Center for Building the Belt and Road, the Multilateral Development Financial Cooperation Center in cooperation with multilateral development banks, and an IMF-China Capacity Building Center. Full Story China to host China International Import Expo starting 2018 BEIJING, May 14 (Xinhua) -- China will host the China International Import Expo starting from 2018, President Xi Jinping said Sunday. Xi made the announcement at the opening ceremony of the two-day Belt and Road Forum for International Cooperation in Beijing. Full Story Chinese banks to lend 380 billion RMB to support Belt and Road cooperation BEIJING, May 14 (Xinhua) -- Two Chinese banks will set up special lending schemes worth a total of 380 billion yuan (about 55.1 billion U.S. dollars) to support Belt and Road cooperation, President Xi Jinping said Sunday. Xi made the announcement at the opening ceremony of the two-day Belt and Road Forum for International Cooperation in Beijing. Full Story Belt and Road should be road of opening up: Xi BEIJING, May 14 (Xinhua) -- Chinese President Xi Jinping on Sunday said the Belt and Road Initiative should be an open one that will achieve both economic growth and balanced development. Source: Xinhua| 2017-05-14 11:23:30|Editor: liuxin Video Player Close CHICAGO, May 13 (Xinhua) -- U.S. special police killed on Saturday a prisoner who took a nurse as hostage at an Illinois hospital, ending an hours-long standoff. The 21-year-old inmate, Tywon Salters, had been receiving treatment since May 8 at the hospital, some 55 km west of Chicago, local media reported. On Saturday afternoon, he stole a gun from the correctional officer who escorted him and held a female nurse as hostage inside the hospital for several hours. A SWAT team was sent in as negotiators were trying to persuade Salters to give up, said Kane County Sheriff's Office spokesman Patrick Gengler. "Unfortunately, the negotiation broke down and the SWAT team made a decision to make entry into the room," said the spokesman. Salters was gunned down fatally during the operation. The nurse survived and is now being treated for trauma. An investigation has been launched into the incident. Source: Xinhua| 2017-05-14 12:04:27|Editor: MJ Video Player Close Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan addresses the opening ceremony of the Belt and Road Forum for International Cooperation in Beijing, capital of China, May 14, 2017. (Xinhua/Pang Xinglei) Source: Xinhua| 2017-05-14 12:24:00|Editor: An Video Player Close BEIJING, May 14 (Xinhua) -- Chinese President Xi Jinping said Sunday the vision of the Belt and Road Initiative is becoming a reality and bearing rich fruit four years after it was proposed. Belt and Road countries have seen increased connectivity in policies, infrastructure, trade and finance, as well as strengthened people-to-people bonds, Xi said in a keynote speech delivered at the opening ceremony of the Belt and Road Forum for International Cooperation. Xi first proposed the initiative, which aims to build a trade and infrastructure network connecting Asia with Europe and Africa along and beyond the ancient trade routes, in autumn 2013. In policy coordination, Xi said China has signed cooperation agreements with over 40 countries and international organizations, and carried out framework cooperation on production capacity with more than 30 countries. During the forum, a number of cooperation agreements on policy connectivity and action plans will be signed, Xi announced. China will also launch Belt and Road cooperation initiative on trade connectivity together with some 60 countries and international organizations, he said. The pursuit of the Belt and Road Initiative is "not meant to reinvent the wheel," Xi told delegates. "Rather, it aims to complement the development strategies of countries involved by leveraging their comparative strengths," he said. Regarding facilities connectivity, Xi said China and relevant countries have accelerated the building of Jakarta-Bandung high-speed railway, China-Laos railway, Addis Ababa-Djibouti railway and Hungary-Serbia railway, and upgraded Gwadar and Piraeus ports. A large number of connectivity projects are also in the pipeline, he noted. He spoke of a multi-dimensional infrastructure network taking shape, underpinned by economic corridors such as China-Pakistan Economic Corridor, China-Mongolia-Russia Economic Corridor and the New Eurasian Continental Bridge. The network features land-sea-air transportation routes and information expressway and is supported by major railway, port and pipeline projects, Xi said. In addition, countries have facilitated trade and investment and improved business environment. Customs clearance time for agricultural produce exported from Kazakhstan and other Central Asian countries to China has been cut by 90 percent, Xi noted. Trade between China and other Belt and Road countries exceeded 3 trillion U.S. dollars in the 2014-2016 period, and China's investment in these countries surpassed 50 billion dollars, he said. Chinese companies have set up 56 economic cooperation zones in over 20 countries, generating some 1.1 billion dollars of tax revenue and 180,000 jobs for them. Financial cooperation has been expanded, with the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank having provided 1.7 billion dollars of loans for nine projects in Belt and Road countries, Xi said in the speech. The Silk Road Fund has made 4 billion dollars of investment, while the 16+1 financial holding company between China and Central and Eastern European countries has been inaugurated, he noted. Meanwhile, cooperation in science, education, culture, health and people-to-people exchange has helped lay a solid popular and social foundation for pursuing the Belt and Road development, Xi said. Every year, the Chinese government provides 10,000 government scholarships to relevant countries, with special Silk Road scholarships set up by local governments, he elaborated. Projects like Silk Road culture year, tourism year, art festival and think tank dialogue are also flourishing. The fruitful outcomes show the Belt and Road Initiative responds to the trend of the times, conforms to the law of development, and meets the people's interests, Xi said, noting that the initiative "surely has broad prospects." Please Donate In order to maintain this blog I have to pay for its upkeep including a hosting company, support services, virus and other malicious hackers. If you appreciate what I write please make a donation. Racist PayPal Tries to Close Down My Blog As you can see from this article PayPal have removed my blog. I would therefore ask people to make any future donations to the following: Name of Account: Brighton and Hove Unemployed Workers Centre Account No: 04094107 Sort Code: 09-01-50 Reference: Web donations Source: Xinhua| 2017-05-14 13:13:55|Editor: MJ Video Player Close Argentinean President Mauricio Macri arrives in Beijing, capital of China, May 14, 2017, to attend the Belt and Road Forum (BRF) for International Cooperation and pay a state visit to China. (Xinhua/Li He) Source: Xinhua| 2017-05-14 13:34:16|Editor: liuxin Video Player Close JAKARTA, May 14 (Xinhua) -- Indonesia's town of Ubud in Bali Island has been picked by the United Nations World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) as gastronomic tourism development model in a recent forum held by the international organization in the Spanish city of San Sebastian. Indonesia is required to submit reports to address the task, an official statement said on Sunday. The reports would eventually be exposed in next year's UNWTO World Forum on Gastronomy Tourism, Revita Datau Messakh, head of a team to accelerate culinary and shopping tourism at the Tourism Ministry, said the statement. Speaking at the forum, Revita said Ubud and four other destinations - Yogyakarta, Semarang, Solo and Bandung - have been assigned by the ministry to highlight gastronomic tourism so as to give more tour alternative and experiences for foreign visitors during their visits to Indonesia. She said Indonesia applies the triangle concept which digs philosophic aspects of food, culture and history to developing its gastronomic tourism. "Food and history are connected by spices. History and culture are connected by storytelling, meanwhile rituals link food and culture," Revita said. "The meat and spices represent prosperity and enhancements, meanwhile coconut milk and red chili refer to integration and a good lesson," Revita interprets the Indonesian philosophy featured in Rendang, a dish which was on CNN's list of World's Best Food in 2011. Indonesia has myriad of traditional food recipes developed by 1,340 tribes inhabiting more than 17,000 islands across its tropical territory, she said. "The ministry now has registered around 5,000 recipes of traditional foods from all of those tribes," she added. The move to develop culinary tourism is set as tourism has been set as the nation's core industry. The government aims to attract some 20 million foreign visitors and earn more than 24 billion U.S. dollars from tourism by 2019. Source: Xinhua| 2017-05-14 14:04:20|Editor: An Video Player Close Russian President Vladimir Putin addresses the opening ceremony of the Belt and Road Forum for International Cooperation in Beijing, capital of China, May 14, 2017. (Xinhua/Pang Xinglei) BEIJING, May 14 (Xinhua) -- Russian President Vladimir Putin said here on Sunday that he salutes China's "large-scale" Belt and Road Initiative and called for greater Eurasian partnership. Putin made the remarks at the opening ceremony of the Belt and Road Initiative Forum for International Cooperation taking place in Beijing on May 14-15. Calling the Belt and Road Initiative an example of cooperation in such fields as infrastructure, transport and industry, the Russian president said his country has supported the initiative from the very beginning. He said the historical experience of cooperation between countries linked by the ancient Silk Road through Asia, Europe and Africa is important in the 21st century when the world is facing "very serious challenges." Putin called for more cooperation to meet worldwide challenges like unbalanced development in globalization, poverty and regional conflicts, saying that Russia is working with its partners to advance the Eurasian Economic Union (EEU), among others. The integration of the Belt and Road Initiative, the EEU, the Shanghai Cooperation Organization and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) has laid the groundwork for building a great Eurasian partnership, he said. Meanwhile, Putin urged concrete actions to materialize these existing initiatives by facilitating flow of goods, cooperation between enterprises of different countries, infrastructure construction and establishment of joint and large-scale research institutions. He said the Belt and Road Initiative proposed by China is "very timely and promising." The Belt and Road Initiative proposed by China in 2013 consists of the Silk Road Economic Belt and the 21st-Century Maritime Silk Road. It aims to build a trade and infrastructure network connecting Asia with Europe and Africa along and beyond the ancient Silk Road trade routes. During a visit to Moscow in May 2015, Chinese President Xi Jinping signed an agreement with Putin on aligning the Belt and Road Initiative with the EEU, which currently groups Russia, Kazakhstan, Belarus, Kyrgyzstan and Armenia. Source: Xinhuanet| 2017-05-14 15:21:46|Editor: MJ Video Player Close BEIJING, May 14 (Xinhuanet) -- The Belt and Road Forum for International Cooperation is to provide an opportunity to increase connectivity among participating countries, Swiss Ambassador to China Jean-Jacques de Dardel said during a recent interview with Xinhuanet. The forum will provide an opportunity for various countries to meet in a whole new setting," he said. "We hope that this bears the chance to create a new and positive dynamic, where a community of countries can work together on a common aim: increasing connectivity, the ambassador said. Swiss President Doris Leuthards attendance at the forum shows Switzerlands readiness to contribute to the Belt and Road Initiative, he added. The Initiative was proposed by China in 2013 with the aim of building a trade and infrastructure network connecting Asia with Europe and Africa along the ancient trade routes. Ambassador Jean-Jacques de Dardel affirmed in the interview that the increasing connectivity will entail more than mere infrastructure cooperation. In addition to the cooperation in infrastructure construction, he listed another four pillars the Initiative has set up, including investment and trade cooperation, financial cooperation, policy coordination, promotion of people-to-people exchange. He also expressed the willingness of Switzerland to further enhance collaboration with China in these fields. In recent years, the Sino-Swiss relations have been greatly promoted, with deepened cooperation in areas such as trade, finance, innovation industries and climate changes, he said. And China has become the third-largest market for Swiss exports worldwide after the EU and the US, he said. Against this backdrop, the Belt and Road forum will serve as an important platform that provides the two countries with opportunities for more exchanges and deeper collaboration, he said. Source: Xinhua| 2017-05-14 14:43:10|Editor: MJ Video Player Close Delegates attend the opening ceremony of the Belt and Road Forum (BRF) for International Cooperation in Beijing, capital of China, May 14, 2017. (Xinhua/Li Xueren) Source: Xinhua| 2017-05-14 14:54:30|Editor: liuxin Video Player Close NEW DELHI, May 14 (Xinhua) -- In a chilling reminder of the 2012 Delhi gangrape case, a 23-year-old woman was kidnapped, gangraped and killed in the northern Indian state of Haryana. The horrific incident took place in the state's Rohtak district, barely 70 kms away from the national capital, last Tuesday, but it came to light only Saturday when her body was found lying in a vacant plot, with her skull in pieces and parts bitten off stray animals. Police said Sunday they have arrested two suspects in connection with the brutal killing of the woman, one of whom was a jilted lover. It was the jilted lover who plotted the crime after the woman spurned his advances. "We have formed a special investigation team for quick probe of the case," Mohd Akil, additional director general of Haryana police, told the media. Doctors said that the woman was first drugged and then gangraped for hours. The crime took place barely a week after four men were sentenced to death by India's Supreme Court for the brutal and fatal gangrape of a 23-year-old medical student on a bus in Delhi five years ago. The fifth suspect in the case allegedly committed suicide during the trial, while the sixth one, a juvenile, was released after serving three years in a remand home. The crime sparked nationwide protests and compelled then Indian government led by the Congress to toughen sexual assault law. Source: Xinhua| 2017-05-14 15:14:48|Editor: ying Video Player Close NEW DELHI, May 14 (Xinhua) -- At least 12 students have committed suicide in the central Indian state of Madhya over examination results since Friday, a senior police official said Sunday. "The suicides were reported from across the state. The victims were all depressed over their poor performances in class X and XII exams conducted by the Madhya Pradesh education board," he said on condition of anonymity. While three students, including a brother-sister duo, ended their lives in the state's Satna district, other suicides took place in Chhatarpur, Guna, Indore, Balaghat, Gwalior, Tikamgarh, Bhind, Jabalpur and Bhopal districts. "While some died by hanging themselves from the ceiling fans in their homes, a few committed suicide by injecting themselves with toxic substance and others by drinking poison. The bodies have been sent for post-mortem," the official said. It was not the first time that such a number of suicides have taken place in one state over exam results due to high stress that students encounter from their parents who expect their wards to score well to get admission in colleges for future studies. More than 70 students have taken their lives in Kota, a town in the western state of Rajasthan, over the past five years for failing to pass the extremely competitive admission exams for medical and engineering colleges. Source: Xinhua| 2017-05-14 16:20:06|Editor: Hou Qiang Video Player Close BEIJING, May 14 (Xinhua) -- For centuries, the "Four Great Inventions of Ancient China" -- namely compass, gunpowder, papermaking and printing -- have been celebrated as technologies that have made a significant contribution to world civilization. Today, novel technologies have once again shortened the physical as well as cultural distance between different parts of the world. In a video that went viral online recently, foreign students in China have redefined the "four great inventions" of modern age: bike-sharing services, e-commerce, high-speed trains and mobile payment systems. While technically speaking, these are not purely Chinese inventions, there's no doubt that Chinese innovation has made these technologies even more important to a closely connected world. For instance, buyers from Europe can easily purchase Chinese goods through e-commerce services provided by Alibaba, China's Internet giant. With an extensive infrastructure network and multi-currency payment systems provided by Chinese firms, customers worldwide can have enjoyable and convenient online shopping experiences. "Chinese people have a very good life, you can use the apps to benefit yourself a lot... In China there's a lot of good stuff that my country doesn't have," a student from Thailand said in the video, which was jointly produced by the Institute of Silk Road Studies at Beijing Foreign Studies University and the People's Daily. Students from more than 20 countries and regions said that technologies including Alipay (Alibaba's mobile payment system), bike-sharing apps and high-speed trains are among the things that they most want to bring back to their homelands. Their dreams are coming true. In the same way China transported silk and tea via the ancient Silk Road, the country is now sharing knowledge and expertise via the Belt and Road Initiative. The initiative proposed by China in 2013 aims to build a trade and infrastructure network connecting Asia with Europe and Africa along and beyond the ancient Silk Road trade routes. Construction has started or neared completion on some large infrastructure projects along the Belt and Road, including the Jakarta-Bandung high-speed railway in Indonesia and the China-Laos railway. Justin, an Indonesian student interviewed in the video, said he had a wonderful experience riding high-speed trains in China, as they were clean and efficient. In addition to trains, he wanted to bring China's online food ordering and online shopping services to his homeland. "It's very convenient living here in China, all these apps are super integrated, everything is connected," he said. China's Internet companies are not missing out on the opportunities that the initiative brings. JD.com, a major e-commerce site, has already started operating in Indonesia. It is planning to open more than 20 overseas warehouses in the next five years to store and transfer goods from over 100 countries and regions including those along the Belt and Road. The initiative will evolve into a "smart highway carrying information, knowledge, and services across continents, not just goods," said Jerry Hultin, co-founder of Global Futures Group, a consulting firm. For young international students, Chinese innovations that they want to take home are not limited to the above-mentioned fascinating technologies. "I want to bring everything. It's not only the Chinese lifestyle that I want to take back, but all the technological advances," said a student from Romania. As the Belt and Road Forum for International Cooperation which kicked off Sunday in Beijing, more technological cooperation among participating countries and regions are likely to be launched. While delivering a keynote speech at the opening of the forum, Chinese President Xi Jinping underlined the role of innovation in pursuing the initiative. "We should pursue innovation-driven development and intensify cooperation in frontier areas such as digital economy, artificial intelligence, nanotechnology and quantum computing, and advance the development of big data, clout computing and smart cities so as to turn them into a digital silk road of the 21st century," Xi said. Wu Hao, executive dean of the Institute of Silk Road Studies at Beijing Foreign Studies University, said the wishes of the international students reflect a bright future for international cooperation. "The youth are the future of the Belt and Road," said Wu. "Their understanding and involvement in the initiative, to great extent, will decide the breadth and depth of cooperation." Source: Xinhua| 2017-05-14 16:24:38|Editor: ying Video Player Close ISTANBUL, May 14 (Xinhua) -- For Ahmet Cankoyu, a freshman with a university in Ankara, the high-speed rail linking the Turkish capital with the country's most populous city of Istanbul is a boon that lifts him out of a dilemma. The problem of accommodation started to haunt the 19-year-old and his family when he was enrolled into Hacettepe University in Ankara last year, his favorite among other options, as he could not afford the expensive apartments in the city. For him, it was not easy to find roommates, as close friends were enrolled into other parts of the country, or live with his uncle's family of four in a small apartment, or reside in a private or state-run dormitory that is either costly or uncomfortable. Driven to a dilemma, Cankoyu and his family turned to the high-speed line that also links Eskisehir, his hometown, and it turns out to be the very best option for them. Cankoyu pays only 48 Turkish lira, or about 13 U.S. dollars, for a round trip under a special discount for the youth, and it takes just one and half an hours to finish one-way trip. "Now I am traveling between Eskisehir and Ankara 3 days a week as I managed to squeeze my classes into three days," he said. "This is the best option." As a matter of fact, the Ankara-Istanbul high-speed rail has benefited many others over the years since its operation, as trains running on the line are making travelers feel fast, comfortable, secure and affordable. Like Cankoyu, many in Eskisehir have opted to travel to the capital on this line, making the number of passengers skyrocket to 72 percent from a meagre 8 percent, according to figures provided by the State Railways of the Turkish Republic, or TCDD. The Ankara-Eskisehir line was Turkey's first high-speed rail that went into operation on March 13, 2009, and the line was successfully extended to Istanbul on July 25, 2014 at a total length of 533 kilometers. China Railway Construction Corporation and China National Machinery Import and Export Corporation, in partnership with two Turkish companies, built a 158-km-long line of the second phase of the project in between the Inonu-Vezirhan and Vezirhan-Kosekoy sections. The express line cuts the travel time to a great extent, with that from Ankara to Istanbul shortened to 4 hours from 7 to 9 hours on a conventional train. Between March 13, 2009 and April 27, 2017, 32 million passengers, or about half of Turkey's population of 79.814 million, had traveled on the Ankara-Istanbul line, and some 19,000 passengers are on the trains now each day, an increase of 18 percent over the previous year, TCDD data show. "High-speed train speeds up the Turkish economy," said Ramazan Ipek, a fellow in his late 20s who works at a bistro on a high-speed train, known as HST in Turkey. "It provides job opportunities for young Turkish people who are desperately looking for jobs." The bistro hires seven others. "That means eight people earn their bread in that specific bistro," noted Ipek. "Everyone appreciates the services provided by the HST." According to the TCDD, the high-speed rail service has brought "dynamism" to the economic, social and cultural lives in the cities along the line, as it is making these cities each other's "suburbs" by means of reducing the travel time, increasing the demand for travel and making the cities "attractive spots" for both domestic and foreign investors. "Since the HST entered into our lives I don't use any other transportation," said Ayfer Eroglu, a-45-year-old sales manager living in Istanbul who visits her parents in Ankara over the weekends. "It is comfortable, free of traffic and fast." In fact, there are 216 buses, 80 flights from different airlines and 14 high-speed trains shuttling each day between the two most populous cities in Turkey, according to the TCDD. It is not easy, however, to shuttle between Istanbul and Ankara by air, as the airports are not at the centers of the cities and both traffic and security check are headaches for travelers. Tamer Sen, a 60-year-old teacher working with Eskisehir University, was aboard the high-speed train again just days ago for a reunion dinner with schoolmates in Ankara. "If there is no HST, I wouldn't attend the dinner at all," he said. In his view, the HST technology came to Turkey "very late," "We should have had this opportunity years and years ago." Turkey plans to build 3500-km-long high-speed railway and 8500-km-long fast track by 2023, when the country marks its centennial anniversary, said the TCDD. The railway authority said 150 billion Turkish lira, or 42 billion U.S. dollars, will be spent to expand the network from the current 12,532 km to 25,000 km by 2023 and further to 31,000 km by 2035. China boasts the longest high-speed rail system in the world and is making efforts with other countries to promote the connectivity of the Asian, European and African continents and their adjacent seas under the Belt and Road Initiative proposed by Chinese President Xi Jinping. Recognizing China as the fastest-growing country in developing high-speed rail and the leader in the world in terms of its length of high-speed line, the TCDD said, "It is always possible to cooperate with China in the construction of the railway lines that are planned." Under its Middle Corridor plan, Turkey is joining hands with Georgia and Azerbaijan in building a rail linking their cities of Kars, Tbilisi and Baku, a project that is expected to be completed by early summer this year. The Baku-Tbilisi-Kars line is expected as well to increase the flow of containers and other types of cargo from Asia to Europe, as a cargo from China will be able to reach Europe in 15 days, according to Ahmet Arslan, Turkey's minister of transport, maritime and communications. "By opening our Kars-Tbilisi-Baku line this year, we will revive the historical Silk Road," stated the TCDD. "The Kars-Tbilisi-Baku railway will further strengthen our relations with China as well as with the Turkic states in Central Asia." The new Silk Road railway project under the Belt and Road Initiative will provide the opportunity for the regional countries along the route to develop and strengthen their relationships in every areas, the Turkish railway authority opined. The successful completion of the Ankara-Istanbul high-speed rail project has increased the confidence of the countries and generated opportunities for Chinese companies to win the tenders of other infrastructure projects in Turkey, observed Dr. Ozlem Zerrin Keyvan, advisor on Asia Pacific Studies with the Ankara Center for Crisis and Policy Studies. Referring to the fact that the two countries have been strategic partners since 2010, she said China is trying to revive the Silk Road while developing relations with Turkey, and Turkey needs new investments and commercial opportunities for its rapidly-growing economy that in turn will enable the country to be a corridor of transport and energy. "China's involvement in high-speed rail and rail network projects will lead to an acceleration in the ongoing commercial ties," she remarked. Beijing and Ankara signed a memorandum of understanding on harmonizing their Belt and Road and Middle Corridor initiatives in November 2015, under which the two sides have been discussing cooperation on key projects, including a high-speed rail linking Kars in Turkey's east and Edirne in the west. Dr. Baris Adibelli, an assistant professor with Turkey's Dumlupinar University, praised China for pursuing an equality policy on partnerships with developing countries by means of supporting technology transfer, supplying know-how, using qualified materials and workmanship and offering reasonable costs. "That is why Turkey chose China as a partner in her infrastructure project," he said. Noting that Westernization and industrialization have been the main course in Turkey's development since its founding in 1923, he stressed that "The high-speed train project in Turkey should not be seen as a simple infrastructure project." "In that sense, for Turkey doing this prestigious project with China has a deep strategic meaning beyond trade or economic gains," said the scholar, who authored a book on "Turkey-China Relations from Ottoman Period." "Although they are geographically distant from each other, both countries will recognize each other with such prestigious projects without prejudice," he added. "So that, the economic relations will become common ground for political cooperation." Source: Xinhua| 2017-05-14 16:50:14|Editor: ying Video Player Close WELLINGTON, May 14 (Xinhua) -- Single crewing ambulance call-outs will phase out in the next four years with an additional investment of 59.2 million NZ dollars (40.6 million U.S. dollars), New Zealand Health Minister Jonathan Coleman said on Sunday. "The government is focused on getting patients the care they need when they need it, and our ambulance services have a key role to play in this," Coleman said. The government is creating 375 new emergency medical and paramedic roles across the country over the next four years to ensure all emergency road ambulance call-outs are double-crewed by 2021, he said. Coleman said double crewing all road ambulance call-outs would help ensure the best care possible provided for patients, as well as support the safety and well-being of the paramedic workforce. Emergency road ambulance call-outs are already almost entirely double-crewed within the Wellington region, the capital. However, for the rest of the country, only 10 percent of the 393,000 call-outs were single-crewed last year. Source: Xinhua| 2017-05-14 16:55:21|Editor: ying Video Player Close MANILA, May 14 (Xinhua) -- The military chiefs from the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) started arriving in Manila Sunday to attend conferences to strengthen cooperation among ASEAN militaries in addressing common security challenges facing the region. Col. Edgard Arevalo, chief of the public affairs office of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP), said in a statement that the military chiefs from the 10 ASEAN nations will attend the ASEAN Chief of Defense Forces Informal Meeting (ACDFIM) and related meetings that will run from May 15 to May 19. He said regional issues such as maritime security, humanitarian assistance and disaster response, counter-terrorism, infectious disease management and peacekeeping will stay high in the agenda of the meeting. He said Gen. Eduardo Ano, the AFP chief of staff, will chair the five-day meetings. The ACDFIM is an informal networking and confidence building platform among ASEAN chiefs of defense forces. It has since developed into an important avenue for ASEAN militaries to build capacity and strengthen practical cooperation. Before the ACDFIM, he said, ASEAN senior operations and intelligence officers will convene for this year's ASEAN Military Operations Informal Meeting (AMOIM) and ASEAN Military Intelligence Informal Meeting (AMIIM). He said the meetings "encourage common perspectives and understanding for promoting and fostering strong relationships and security cooperation in the region." The Philippines is the chairman of ASEAN this year. The bloc groups Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam. Source: Xinhua| 2017-05-14 16:55:23|Editor: ying Armin Laschet (L), Christian Democratic Union (CDU) leader in North Rhine-Westphalia, casts ballot for the regional state elections of North Rhine-Westphalia at a polling station in Aachen, Germany, May 14, 2017. (Xinhua/Luo Huanhuan) BERLIN, May 14 (Xinhua) -- Germany's western state of North Rhine-Westphalia held elections on Sunday, which are seen as the last public barometer for the upcoming federal elections. About 13.2 million eligible voters in the most populous state went to polls to choose from more than 1,300 candidates from 31 parties. Sunday's vote is the last state election before the federal elections set for Sept. 24, and is seen as a vital pre-duel between Chancellor Angela Merkel's Christian Democratic Union (CDU) and Martin Schulz's Social Democratic Party (SPD). The industrial state has been governed by a center-left coalition of the SPD and the Greens since 2010, with Social Democrat Hannelore Kraft serving as state governor. In the past several months, some opinion polls have shown that Schulz, a former president of the European Parliament, will have an edge over Merkel in the coming federal elections. However, Schulz's SPD has lost two state elections to Merkel's CDU in a row, in Saarland and Schleswig-Holstein, dimming the halo of Schulz. Source: Xinhua| 2017-05-14 17:50:52|Editor: Hou Qiang Video Player Close BEIJING, May 14 (Xinhua) -- The newest way to send freight from China to Europe involves loading it onto a train, with prices half that of air cargo and cutting two weeks off the journey time by sea. China-Europe freight trains, passing through 28 cities in 11 European countries, have been gaining steam, as Europe seeks more convenient and affordable ways to tap into the world's largest consumer market. The rail routes are a key part of the Belt and Road Initiative, proposed by China in 2013, which aims at building a trade and infrastructure network connecting Asia with Europe and Africa along ancient trade routes. Rail cargo services between China and Europe have become an increasingly popular logistics option for Chinese trade with Europe and freight volume has increased substantially every year. It took 16 days for 26 tonnes of frozen pork to travel by freight train from the Netherlands to arrive in Chengdu, capital of southwest China's Sichuan Province earlier this month. "The freight trains slash about 40 days off the travel time compared to shipping, and are about 10,000 yuan (1,450 U.S. dollars) cheaper per tonne air freight," said Shu Changguo, general manager of the importer. Last year, 460 trains ran between Chengdu, Tilburg in the Netherlands, and Nuremberg, Germany. In the first four months of this year, 91 trains have brought about 150 million dollars worth of European goods to Chengdu. "The Netherlands is the most important logistical center in Europe, and Chengdu, in China's west, has huge potential, which means great opportunities for European countries," said Koen Sizoo, head of the Netherlands' consulate in neighboring Chongqing Municipality. Loaded with 32 containers carrying maternity products and soft drinks, the first freight train traveling from Britain to China reached its destination in eastern China's Yiwu in late April. The China-Britain freight service paves a safe and efficient land trade route, strengthening bilateral trade ties and better serving the Belt and Road Initiative, according to the China Railway Corporation (CRC), operator of the trains. Multinational companies also want to take a ride on the new train routes. Peter Tyroller, board member of the Bosch Group in Germany, said the direct freight train service connecting China and Europe enables Bosch to deliver goods faster and cheaper to markets in the Far East. With good links between its subsidiaries in China and those in other Belt and Road countries like Myanmar, Bosch is able to react quickly and offer its solutions for new projects including new airports, harbors and highways. Vice Commerce Minister of China Qian Keming said, with vigorous economic growth, improved infrastructure connectivity and alignment between development plans, trade will grow rapidly among Belt and Road countries. China's trade with countries along the Belt and Road rose 0.5 percent year on year to 6.25 trillion yuan (906.3 billion dollars) in 2016, compared with a 0.9-percent decline in the country's overall foreign trade, official data showed. As well as trade, Belt and Road countries have easier access to the state-of-the-art technology developed by Chinese companies. Zhongguancun, known as "China's Silicon Valley," has set up the Belt and Road Industrial Promotion Association as a service platform to boost international cooperation. Beijing's Haidian District, home to Zhongguancun, has held various events on design and innovation, international technology transfer, energy conservation and bio-pharmaceutical, and helped companies find foreign partners for Belt and Road projects. Yu Jun, head of the district government, said the efforts aim to benefit more countries along the Belt and Road and bring companies fresh opportunities to gain market access and grow. Andrew Robb, a former Australian federal minister for trade and investment, said Australia needs Chinese expertise. "China is at a stage, with not only capital, informed capital, but also expertise they can bring," he said. Cai Jiming, professor with Tsinghua University, said China's continuous innovations based on national conditions may be a reference for not only other developing economies, but also developed countries. Source: Xinhua| 2017-05-14 18:26:04|Editor: Hou Qiang Video Player Close BEIJING, May 14 (Xinhua) -- A senior official of China's central bank said Sunday that the decision to inject capital into the Silk Road Fund stemmed from an enormous funding demand. The fund has a large reserve of projects in waiting, and the demand for funds will be greater in the future, said Yi Gang, deputy governor of the People's Bank of China. President Xi Jinping said earlier Sunday that China will contribute an additional 100 billion yuan (about 14.5 billion U.S. dollars) to the Silk Road Fund as he addressed the opening of the Belt and Road Forum for International Cooperation. The capital boost will help the fund to make the most of its advantages of flexibility and high efficiency, Yi told Xinhua. More funding will also help the fund to play its leveraging role, Yi said. Designed to finance the Belt and Road Initiative, the Silk Road Fund was founded in December 2014 and is jointly backed by China's foreign exchange reserves, the China Investment Corp., the Export-Import Bank of China and China Development Bank. File photo shows people in Bujumbura, Burundi, on June 19, 2015.(Xinhua) by Apollinaire Niyirora BUJUMBURA, May 14 (Xinhua) -- The transport sector in Burundi is affected following an oil shortage hitting the east African nation for about a month, car owners and users told Xinhua. In the Burundian capital Bujumbura, several people who used to take taxis or minibuses to their workplaces now walk because taxis and passenger minibuses are scarce due to the acute shortage of oil products. "Due to the shortage of passenger minibuses, I have now decided to walk to my office every morning because there are limited chances to get a minibus at the bus station," "If I wait for the bus, I will get it around 8:30 a.m. or at 9:00 a.m. whereas I have to report to work at 7:30 a.m. at the latest," said Jean Marie Niyonzima, residing at Kigobe in the north of the capital Bujumbura and working in a pharmacy in Bujumbura city center. Another female worker, who used to take a taxi to her workplace, now walks to her office, or requests a ride as the price of a taxi has also increased due to the scarcity of oil. "Before, I had a taxi-man who would take me from home to the office and after work, from the office to my house. But now, I have to join a team of other persons walking to the city center, or if I feel weak, I request a ride from neighbors," Sylvie Bendahafi, residing at Musaga in the south of the capital and working in a bakery in the capital city, said. She indicated that she is unable to pay a taxi whose fare has now doubled. Drivers of taxis as well as owners of cars in general face challenges getting gasoline at petrol stations both in the capital and the countryside. "When I learn that a given petrol station has received oil products, I have to be there with my taxi at 3 o'clock early in the morning so that I will be among the first to be served. Unfortunately, the petrol station attendants cannot accept to give me the needed quantity of gasoline. This means that one day later, I will have to queue again for gasoline at a petrol station," Jacques Harabagabo, a taxi driver said. He said that he has avoided taking passengers far from Bujumbura city center because his car would use a lot of gasoline. Harabagabo added that he is not making money because people now walk instead of taking taxis because the taxi fare has gone on the rise. "We (taxi drivers) get money when it is raining as people don't have any other choices than taking taxis," he said. Harabagabo said that some car drivers can get oil products after seeking them at three or four petrol stations with a risk of getting an empty tank before reaching a petrol station. As gasoline is scarce at petrol stations, it is nevertheless secretly sold in some neighborhoods mainly at Buyenzi in the Burundian capital Bujumbura at higher prices. Herman Bizimana, a taxi driver, told Xinhua that a liter of gasoline sold at 2,100 Burundi francs (1.2 U.S. dollars) at petrol stations is now purchased at 7,000 Burundi francs (4.1 dollars) at the black market at Buyenzi. "We have increased the price of transport because the price of gasoline has also increased. Queuing at petrol stations really gives us a headache. You can spend a whole day or even two days queuing from a petrol station to another for gasoline," said Bizimana. In April, Burundian Energy Minister Come Manirakiza told lawmakers at the National Assembly -- the country's parliament lower chamber that the oil shortage was due to the "failure" by the Burundian government to "have enough" hard currency. Meanwhile, earlier this week, the energy ministry announced that petrol stations should only open during daytime, between 7 a.m. to 6 p.m. to avoid "possible" fraud. The Burundi Consumers' Association (ABUCO) has called on the east African country's government to quickly solve the oil crisis hitting the country. "Urging petrol stations to open during daytime hours is not a solution to the fuel crisis. Urgent solutions to this (fuel) crisis need to be found by the government," the ABUCO said. It further warned that Burundi's economy will face a "terrible decline" if the oil crisis continues to deepen. Burundi has been facing a political and economic crisis following the controversial third term bid of President Pierre Nkurunziza in April 2015. Several partners of Burundi including the European Union (EU) have frozen their financial aid towards the east African country's government. Source: Xinhua| 2017-05-14 19:21:02|Editor: ying Video Player Close KABUL, May 14 (Xinhua) -- Four militants including a Taliban group commander were killed after their explosive device exploded prematurely in the eastern Logar province Saturday night, said a statement of Interior Ministry released here Sunday. "Four Taliban rebels were killed when their explosive went off accidentally while they were planting the device on a road in Mohammad Agha district last night to target security forces convoys," the statement added. Taliban militants who are largely relying on suicide and roadside bombings haven't comment on the report. Source: Xinhua| 2017-05-14 19:21:04|Editor: Hou Qiang Secretary General of Interpol Jurgen Stock (L) receives an interview with Xinhua News Agency in Beijing, China, May 14, 2017. Interpol will help promote security among countries involved in the Belt and Road Initiative, Interpol Secretary General Jurgen Stock said here on Sunday. (Xinhua/Cheng Tingting) BEIJING, May 14 (Xinhua) -- Interpol will help promote security among countries involved in the Belt and Road Initiative, Interpol Secretary General Jurgen Stock said here on Sunday. "Interpol will work to improve security conditions in its member countries who are also part of the Belt and Road Initiative," said Stock, who is attending the Belt and Road Forum for International Cooperation. "We have some plans on how to strengthen security cooperation in the region, for example Central Asia, and also other parts of the world," he added. According to Stock, the Belt and Road Initiative is very much about connectivity. Interpol also strives to connect its 190 members, and provides a global platform to share information, which is the "life blood" in preventing crimes, terrorist attacks and cyber-attacks, he said. Chinese State Councilor and Public Security Minister Guo Shengkun on Saturday signed a declaration of strategic cooperation with Interpol on behalf of the Chinese government, ahead of the Belt and Road forum scheduled for Sunday and Monday. China and Interpol will collaborate to maintain border and trade security, crack down on illegal markets as well as financial and Internet crimes, and protect key infrastructure facilities, so as to guarantee the security and stability of Interpol members along the Belt and Road, according to the declaration. Source: Xinhua| 2017-05-14 19:26:06|Editor: ying Video Player Close LONDON, May 14 (Xinhua) -- Friday's global cyber-attack has affected more than 200,000 victims in 150 countries and regions, Europol chief Rob Wainwright said Sunday. "Many of those victims will be businesses, including large corporations. The global reach is unprecedented," he said in an interview with Britain's ITV. Wainwright said he was concerned that the numbers of those affected would continue to rise when people returned to work on Monday morning. "We're in the face of an escalating threat, the numbers are going up," he said, adding that the current attack was unprecedented. Wainwright told ITV that the world faced an escalating threat, and there was concern about the level of potential attacks on Monday morning. Wainwright warned the healthcare sector "in many countries" was particularly vulnerable, but that all organizations should ensure they prioritise cyber security and update their systems. The virus took control of users' files, demanding payments. Russia and Britain were among the worst hit countries. Britain's official emergency committee, known as Cobra, met in London Saturday afternoon to discuss the cyber attack that has caused widespread disruption to the country's National Health Service (NHS). Around 45 NHS organisations in England and Scotland, including hospitals, family doctor surgeries, and health services, were hit in the cyber attack which prevented doctors, nurses and staff from accessing vital patient information. However, Wainwright said Europol was working on the basis that the cyber attack was carried out by criminals rather than terrorists, but noted that "remarkably few" payments had been made so far. "Most people are not paying this, so there ain't a lot of money being made with this by criminal organisations so far," he said. Source: Xinhua| 2017-05-14 20:11:26|Editor: ying Video Player Close LAGOS, May 14 (Xinhua) -- The Nigerian government has called for heightened vigilance and intensified awareness efforts on symptoms of hemorrhagic fevers following the outbreak of Ebola in the Democratic Republic of Congo. In a statement made available to Xinhua in Lagos, Nigeria's economic hub on Sunday, Minister of Health, Isaac Adewole, advised health care providers and members of the public, to report any sign of illness to public health officials. He said in response to the announcement by the WHO on confirmed cases of Ebola in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), government had directed health officials stationed at the ports, to step up inspection activities. He said the symptoms to look out for included fever, fatigue, weakness, dizziness and muscle aches. According to him, patients with more severe cases would show bleeding under the skin, or even from mouth and ears. DR Congo's health ministry on Friday confirmed the outbreak of an Ebola epidemic in its northern region. Local authorities said three deaths have been reported among nine suspected cases of the Ebola virus since April 22. The minister urged Nigerians not to panic as the Nigeria Center for Disease Control (NCDC) was equipped to secure the health of citizens. He said NCDC had been strengthening states capacities to detect, manage and respond to hemorrhagic fevers, including Lassa fever. Adewole called on states to begin social mobilization and media awareness efforts, via TV, radio, print and social media. The minister directed all health workers to maintain a high index of suspicion, by screening all fevers for Ebola and other hemorrhagic fevers. Meanwhile, the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) has assured citizens of adequate surveillance at the nation's airports following the outbreak of Ebola virus in the Democratic Republic of Congo. Henrietta Yakubu, FAAN's spokesperson, said there was no direct flight from Congo to Nigeria. Yakubu also assured that all the preventive measures being put in place at the airports were still in place. She said the Port Health officials were at alert at all airports, adding that the authority had also informed them of the need to increase surveillance. Nigeria experienced the Ebola virus in July, 2014 when a Liberian American, Patrick Sawyer, who had the disease flew from Liberia to the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos and died five days later. In response, the Nigerian government observed all of Sawyer's contacts for signs of infection and increased surveillance at all entry points to the country. Nigeria was able to curtail the disease and was subsequently declared Ebola free by WHO. Source: Xinhua| 2017-05-14 20:17:03|Editor: Hou Qiang Video Player Close NANJING, May 14 (Xinhua) -- Chinese Defense Minister Chang Wanquan has called on military and governments at all levels to strengthen national defense education with practical measures. Chang, also a member of the Central Military Commission, made the remarks during his recent inspection tour which included Shanghai and Fujian, Jiangsu, Jiangxi and Zhejiang provinces. He called for clear understanding of the complicated situation facing China's national security and development and of the importance of national defense education for all citizens. Chang said such education should include remembering history, looking at the past as a mirror, remaining level-headed, memorializing martyrs and maintaining a revolutionary spirit. He also called on citizens to uphold the truth, cherish peace and love the Party, the country and socialism. Moreover, Chang noted that national defense education should be a shared responsibility for the whole of society. Birthday wishes Call 281-422-8302 or email sunnews@baytownsun.com to wish someone a happy birthday. We will print your birthday wish on Page 2 of The Sun. Happy Birthday Wishes Source: Xinhua| 2017-05-14 20:17:07|Editor: ying Video Player Close NAIROBI, May 14 (Xinhua) -- Kenya's telecommunication industry regulator on Sunday warned over a cyber attack that is targeting computers around the world and advised Kenyans to exercise caution to avoid falling victim. The Communications Authority (CA) cautioned Kenyans to keep a backup of all their files offline to ensure that they can restore them in case they are attacked. "Once a computer is infected with the virus, it tries to infect other computers in the same network. Individuals and organizations are discouraged from paying the ransom as this does not guarantee access will be restored," CA Director General Francis Wangusi said in a statement. Wangusi said the ransomware virus, which goes by the name Winery or WannaCrypt0r or WanaDecrypt0r, has been reported to have infected tens of thousands in many countries around the world and continues to spread. Once a computer has been attacked, users cannot access their files unless they pay a 300 U.S. dollar ransom to a Bit Coin account. The encryption based cyber attack manifests itself as "ransomware" and attacks computers running on Windows operating system. The malicious software infects a computer and restricts user access until a ransom is paid to unlock it. Wangusi said its existence has been confirmed by the National Kenya Computer Incidence Response Team Coordination Centre (KE-CIRT-CC). "The authority (CA) is therefore advising the public to beware and put in place the following preventive measures," Wangusi said. He advised that individuals and organizations should ensure their computers have updated anti-virus as well as an offline data back-up system. "This will ensure that in the event your computer is attacked, you can restore your files from the back-up," said Wangusi. Most at risk are those using computers running on old Windows operating systems especially Windows XP. Microsoft however has said it would roll out the update to users of older operating systems. It is still not known who is behind the attacks but international investigators have kicked off a major manhunt for those behind the cyber-attack that affected systems in dozens of countries, including at banks, hospitals and government agencies. Unlike most of the malicious programs which depend on humans to spread them by tricking them into clicking on to an attachment, Ransomware has the ability to move around a network looking for computers to attack. Wangusi advised against clicking on links or opening files and email attachments from unknown sources. He said people should also look out for attachments that recommend one to enable macros in order to view a file. "Unless you trust the source, do not enable macros. Instead, delete the email immediately and permanently," Wangusi said without specifying whether the presence of the malware has been reported in Kenya. Source: Xinhua| 2017-05-14 20:26:37|Editor: Hou Qiang Video Player Close HEFEI, May 14 (Xinhua) -- China's first national laboratory for brain-like artificial intelligence (AI) technology was inaugurated Saturday in Hefei, capital of east China's Anhui Province, to pool the country's top research talent and boost the technology. Approved by the National Development and Reform Commission in January, the lab, based in China University of Science and Technology (USTC), aims to develop a brain-like computing paradigm and applications. The university, known for its leading role in developing quantum communication technology, hosts the national lab in collaboration with a number of the country's top research bodies such as Fudan University, Shenyang Institute of Automation of the Chinese Academy of Sciences as well as Baidu, operator of China's biggest online search engine. Wan Lijun, president of USTC and chairman of the national lab, said the ability to mimic the human brain's ability in sorting out information will help build a complete AI technology development paradigm. The lab will carry out research to guide machine learning such as recognizing messages and using visual neural networks to solve problems. It will also focus on developing new applications with technological achievements. Source: Xinhua| 2017-05-14 20:41:44|Editor: ying Video Player Close CANBERRA, May 14 (Xinhua) -- Travellers to Australia's Northern Territory (NT) have been warned to be wary of scrub typhus, a rare tropical disease that can be lethal. Scrub typhus is a bacterial infection that is transmitted by mites, a small type of arthropod, that normally live on native animals. They usually bite in warm, moist parts of the body such as the armpit or groin and leave a black oval-shaped scab up to a centimetre long. Once bitten it takes up to two weeks for the symptoms of scrub typhus to show up and, though easily treatable with antibiotics, the disease can cause organ failure and eventually death. Bart Currie, a professor at the Menzies School of Health Research, said the disease cannot be transferred from human to human. "It can often start out as a mild non-specific illness where people might have a fever and headache and feel unwell, sweating a lot, and then over a couple of days can progress because the bacteria can then spread to other organs within the body from the site at which the mite has injected into the person," Currie told the Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC) on Sunday. Australian man Darryl Gracie was pig-hunting in the NT when he was bitten by a mite. When he was diagnosed with scrub typhus two weeks later he was on the brink of organ failure. "I thought I had the flu, the headaches, feeling bad, the symptoms got worse and worse and I presented myself up to the Royal Darwin Hospital in a very bad way," Gracie said. Currie was the doctor who correctly diagnosed Gracie, saving his life. He said that bushwalkers in the NT could protect themselves by wearing long pants and using insect repellent. Travellers from Asia who have recently returned from a trip to the NT should be aware that they may have contracted the disease, Currie said. Source: Xinhua| 2017-05-14 20:47:19|Editor: ying Video Player Close DUBAI, May 14 (Xinhua) -- The United Arab Emirates (UAE) condemned the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) ballistic missile launch on Sunday, stressing that the test represents "a challenge" to UN Security Council resolutions, Emirati state news agency WAM reported. The UAE said the DPRK's missile test represented a "legitimate threat to international security and stability." The Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation of the Gulf Arab state said there was a need to maintain the rules against the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction in the world. It stressed that violation of these norms is a threat and a flagrant violation of UN Security Council resolutions. The ministry called upon the international community to take all necessary measures to address such "violations," in order to maintain international peace and security. Source: Xinhua| 2017-05-14 20:47:21|Editor: Hou Qiang Video Player Close SHANGHAI, May 14 (Xinhua) -- Tatiana Skuratova, a graduate of Shanghai-based Tongji University, went to a job fair in Shanghai Free Trade Zone (FTZ) this week with confidence in securing a position. She is among the first group of foreign graduates to benefit from Shanghai's revised foreign work permit policy. From this year, international students with a bachelor degree or above can apply for jobs in Shanghai Zhangjiang National Innovation Demonstration Zone and Shanghai FTZ directly after graduation. Previously, foreign citizens required two years of work experience after graduation to work in Shanghai. Russian national Skuratova said she has always wanted to work in Shanghai since arriving when she was 16. She is confident in finding a suitable job with her bachelor degree in world politics from the prestigious Chinese university. Xu Wen, director of the human resources and social security bureau in Shanghai Pudong New Area, said some 39 companies based in Shanghai FTZ were offering 269 positions at the fair. Ian Soder, an American graduate in humanities from NYU Shanghai, said a job with a monthly salary around 20,000 yuan (2,899 U.S. dollars) would be enough to convince him to stay in Shanghai, while if he looks for a job in New York, he expects a yearly package above 50,000 U.S. dollars. NYU Shanghai, jointly set up by the New York University (NYU) and East China Normal University in 2013, is the third degree-granting campus in NYU's global network. Soder was among the school's first group of undergraduates. "I believe better career development prospects in Shanghai. That is why I would consider a lower starting salary here," he said. Iranian PhD student Mahdi Gharibavi attended the job fair, although he still has another year to go for his mechanical engineering studies at East China University of Science and Technology. He was happy to see the many job opportunities available in Shanghai. "I studied for my masters in Italy. The job prospects in Europe were nowhere near that in China," he said. Most employers at the fair said they are willing to offer foreign job seekers starting salaries 10 to 20 percent higher than that given to Chinese graduates. Ding Yifan, a recruiter for global travel booking firm Agoda, said foreign graduates are ideal for the company's customer service team. He received more than 20 job applications within the first hour. As well as enhanced employment policies, Shanghai has also piloted a series of policies streamlining applications for Chinese "green cards," allowing permanent residence for non-Chinese residents. For those working in Shanghai FTZ, a letter of recommendation from the FTZ authorities assists in the application process. Shanghai has 170,000 foreign permanent residents. The municipal government has encouraged large companies and industrial parks to build apartment buildings to provide housing for their foreign employees. Similar policies have been rolled out in cities in Zhejiang and Jiangsu provinces in east China, as increasing foreign talent has become more important than attracting foreign investment. A cholera-infected girl receives medical treatment at the corridor of a hospital in Sanaa, Yemen, on May 13, 2017. A cholera outbreak in Yemen has killed 51 people in two weeks and caused around 2,752 suspected cases since April 27, the World Health Organization (WHO) said on Thursday in a statement on its website. (Xinhua/Mohammed Mohammed) SANAA, May 14 (Xinhua) --The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) warned Sunday of a very serious cholera outbreak in Yemen as hospitals are struggling to cope with increasing numbers of patients. At a press conference in capital Sanaa, the ICRC Operations Director Dominik Stillhart said more than 8,500 suspected cholera cases have been reported in 14 governorates of Yemen during April 27 and May 13. "Unfortunately, 115 people have died from cholera (during this period). This is extremely serious," he said. "The conflict has taken a very serious toll on the water supply, the health system, the sanitation system as well as the economy and that all are about to collapse," he added. The cholera outbreak in Yemen was first announced by Yemen's Ministry of Public Health and Population on Oct. 6, 2016. The World Health Organization has warned the healthcare system in Yemen is on the verge of collapse as many hospitals have shut down. It said only 45 percent of Yemen's hospitals are operational at the moment, but are facing shortages of supplies and staffs. Late last month, the ICRC's director for the Middle East, Robert Mardini, said the ICRC is stepping up its operations and doubling its budget for the country this year to 90 million U.S. dollars. Adnan Hizam, communication officer at the ICRC's Sanaa Office, said their activities are now focused on providing food and medication support to the most war-affected areas in Yemen. "We are active in cities where conflict is escalating, including Sanaa, Taiz, Lahj and Dhali," he said, adding that scarcity of aid funds and security concerns are on top of challenges the ICRC is facing amid the ongoing conflict. "What people need here is much more than we can provide or have at the moment." In 2015, gunmen killed two ICRC workers in Yemen while they were driving on a mission in the far north. In the same year, gunmen kidnapped an ICRC employee who was released a year later. Yemen has the world's largest crisis since 1945. Two thirds of its population, around 19 million, need either humanitarian or protection aid and around seven million are close to famine, the UN has said. Relief organizations are facing big challenges while trying to help the Yemeni people as the war is continuing to rage and expand. On top of these challenges are fund shortages, lack of access to most affected areas because of unabated battles and security concerns, aid agencies have said. Last month, the UN in association with the governments of Sweden and Switzerland sponsored a meeting on Yemen during which donor states and organizations pledged more than one billion dollars in urgent aid to face the humanitarian crisis in the country. Source: Xinhua| 2017-05-14 21:07:00|Editor: Hou Qiang Video Player Close Chinese President Xi Jinping delivers a keynote speech at the opening ceremony of the Belt and Road Forum (BRF) for International Cooperation in Beijing, capital of China, May 14, 2017. (Xinhua/Ma Zhancheng) BEIJING, May 14 (Xinhua) -- Chinese President Xi Jinping's keynote speech delivered Sunday at the opening ceremony of the Belt and Road Forum for International Cooperation has received wide approval from senior officials of foreign countries, China watchers and scholars worldwide. During the speech, Xi proclaimed the Silk Road spirit, saying it has become a great heritage of human civilization. "Spanning thousands of miles and years, the ancient silk routes embody the spirit of peace and cooperation, openness and inclusiveness, mutual learning and mutual benefit," he told an audience of more than 1,500 people from around the world. Xi also highlighted in the speech that the Belt and Road (B&R) should be built into a belt and road of peace, prosperity, opening up, innovation and connection of different civilizations. The proposition is in line with the aim of the B&R Initiative the president first proposed in 2013, which comprises the Silk Road Economic Belt and the 21st Century Maritime Silk Road, to build a trade and infrastructure network connecting Asia with Europe and Africa along the ancient Silk Road routes. The speech was later praised as a "profound intellectual discourse embracing philosophy, history, international relations and other disciplines" by Keith Bennett, vice chairman of Britain's 48 Group Club, an independent business network committed to promoting relations between Britain and China. "It proceeds from today's realities, sums up and draws lessons from history and charts a scientific and realistic road map to a bright future of shared and sustainable prosperity for all countries and peoples," Bennett said. After hearing the speech, David Gosset,a Paris-based global affairs analyst and Sinologist, agreed that the B&R has been "a project of the century" as Xi called, because it combined "movement, clarity of vision and powerful means" that Xi announced during the speech. "The forum will be a major boost and accelerator for synergies along the roads," Gosset said. COMMITMENT TO OPEN, GLOBAL ECONOMY James Laurenceson, deputy director of the Australia-China Relations Institute University of Technology Sydney, also believed that the speech would be received well around the world, "because it emphasized cooperation and an open, global economy." The professor of economics hailed China's commitment to an open, global economy as "a strength of the initiative and a strength of the speech," because the world "tend to be heading in the opposite direction." Laurenceson also said what "stuck out" to him the most was Xi's statement about not reinventing the wheel, because the comment he has heard the most about the B&R was that it was "a solely Chinese initiative." "What he (Xi) is saying is that instead, the Belt and Road is really about building on existing initiatives and leveraging other countries strengths," he said, "In other words, it's not just China. It's China teaming up with other countries to get a better outcome." The speech also stuck out to Laurenceson as President Xi talked about building a diversified financial system. "A multi-tiered Belt and Road financial cooperation network has taken an initial shape," Xi said during the speech, "China will also work with other parties concerned to jointly formulate guidelines for financing the Belt and Road-related development projects." Laurenceson believed the proposed network would be a solution to fund relevant projects along the routes of the B&R. "Chinese money alone is not going to solve the region's productivity problems, but what it will do is leverage other countries' government contributions and private sector funding. Put those together, and the region stands a good chance of being able to fund the initiatives that are going to be able to provide better productivity," he said. MORE FUNDS OF 100 BILLION YUAN As for specific financial support for the B&R Initiative, President Xi announced during the speech that China will contribute an additional 100 billion yuan (about 14.5 billion U.S. dollars) to the Silk Road Fund. Sultan Mehmood Hali, head of Pakistan-China Media Forum and a senior defense and political analyst, called the move "a great gesture" to offer much help to the implementation of the B&R Initiative. "It will also pave way and set an example for other nations that are interested in joining the Belt and Road Initiative to contribute funds, so that the initiative becomes successful and beneficial to the entire region and the world," he said. Echoing Hali, Nepal's Foreign Minister Prakash Sharan Mahat said Xi's announcement was "good news for neighboring countries like Nepal," as Chinese support will be crucial for the country to "upgrade its status from a landlocked and least developed country to a developed country." "Nepal wants to enhance railway and road inter-connectivity with China, and bring (in) more Chinese investments. We are expecting grants and concessional loans from China to develop infrastructure projects," Mahat said. Likewise, the B&R Initiative has been of great significance in economic and technological development to Laos, according to Sykhoun Bouvilay, general secretary of Laos-China Friendship Association. "Just in terms of economic development, Lao's development would suffer a lot without Laos-China cooperation," Bouvilay said, adding that he hoped the forum would bring about more cooperation between the two countries. Owing to President Xi's speech, he said more focus should be put on environment protection and the people's livelihood when talking about development, particularly "issues on people's survival and basic living in countries along the routes of the B&R." Bouvilay also saw China as "a representative of modernization" with its rapid development in science and technology and "a role model for the world." "China's industries and technologies have surpassed those of many countries, and now they need to buy relevant products from China," he added. Source: Xinhua| 2017-05-14 21:17:36|Editor: Hou Qiang Video Player Close BEIJING, May 14 (Xinhua) -- China is willing to cement its sound cooperation with Belarus and push collaborations in various fields, according to senior Chinese official Meng Jianzhu. Meng, member of the Political Bureau of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China (CPC), made the remarks here on Saturday during a meeting with Nikolay Snopkov, deputy director of the Belarusian presidential office, according to a press release on Sunday. Meng, who is Chinese chairman of the two countries' Intergovernmental Committee of Cooperation, said China welcomes Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko to attend the Belt and Road Forum for International Cooperation on Sunday and Monday. Snopkov, also Belarusian chairman of the committee, said Belarus values its relations with China and hopes to actively participate in the construction of the Belt and Road. Photo taken on April 30, 2017 shows a train of Istanbul-Ankara high-speed railway in Ankara Station, Turkey . The second phrase of the principal project of Ankara-Istanbul high-speed railway, built jointly by Chinese-Turkish consortium, was completed in July 2014. (Xinhua/Qin Yanyang) ISTANBUL, May 14 (Xinhua) -- For Ahmet Cankoyu, a freshman with a university in Ankara, the high-speed rail linking the Turkish capital with the country's most populous city of Istanbul is a boon that lifts him out of a dilemma. The problem of accommodation started to haunt the 19-year-old and his family when he was enrolled into Hacettepe University in Ankara last year, his favorite among other options, as he could not afford the expensive apartments in the city. For him, it was not easy to find roommates, as close friends were enrolled into other parts of the country, or live with his uncle's family of four in a small apartment, or reside in a private or state-run dormitory that is either costly or uncomfortable. Driven to a dilemma, Cankoyu and his family turned to the high-speed line that also links Eskisehir, his hometown, and it turns out to be the very best option for them. Cankoyu pays only 48 Turkish lira, or about 13 U.S. dollars, for a round trip under a special discount for the youth, and it takes just one and half an hours to finish one-way trip. "Now I am traveling between Eskisehir and Ankara 3 days a week as I managed to squeeze my classes into three days," he said. "This is the best option." As a matter of fact, the Ankara-Istanbul high-speed rail has benefited many others over the years since its operation, as trains running on the line are making travelers feel fast, comfortable, secure and affordable. Like Cankoyu, many in Eskisehir have opted to travel to the capital on this line, making the number of passengers skyrocket to 72 percent from a meagre 8 percent, according to figures provided by the State Railways of the Turkish Republic, or TCDD. The Ankara-Eskisehir line was Turkey's first high-speed rail that went into operation on March 13, 2009, and the line was successfully extended to Istanbul on July 25, 2014 at a total length of 533 kilometers. China Railway Construction Corporation and China National Machinery Import and Export Corporation, in partnership with two Turkish companies, built a 158-km-long line of the second phase of the project in between the Inonu-Vezirhan and Vezirhan-Kosekoy sections. The express line cuts the travel time to a great extent, with that from Ankara to Istanbul shortened to 4 hours from 7 to 9 hours on a conventional train. Between March 13, 2009 and April 27, 2017, 32 million passengers, or about half of Turkey's population of 79.814 million, had traveled on the Ankara-Istanbul line, and some 19,000 passengers are on the trains now each day, an increase of 18 percent over the previous year, TCDD data show. "High-speed train speeds up the Turkish economy," said Ramazan Ipek, a fellow in his late 20s who works at a bistro on a high-speed train, known as HST in Turkey. "It provides job opportunities for young Turkish people who are desperately looking for jobs." The bistro hires seven others. "That means eight people earn their bread in that specific bistro," noted Ipek. "Everyone appreciates the services provided by the HST." According to the TCDD, the high-speed rail service has brought "dynamism" to the economic, social and cultural lives in the cities along the line, as it is making these cities each other's "suburbs" by means of reducing the travel time, increasing the demand for travel and making the cities "attractive spots" for both domestic and foreign investors. "Since the HST entered into our lives I don't use any other transportation," said Ayfer Eroglu, a-45-year-old sales manager living in Istanbul who visits her parents in Ankara over the weekends. "It is comfortable, free of traffic and fast." In fact, there are 216 buses, 80 flights from different airlines and 14 high-speed trains shuttling each day between the two most populous cities in Turkey, according to the TCDD. It is not easy, however, to shuttle between Istanbul and Ankara by air, as the airports are not at the centers of the cities and both traffic and security check are headaches for travelers. Tamer Sen, a 60-year-old teacher working with Eskisehir University, was aboard the high-speed train again just days ago for a reunion dinner with schoolmates in Ankara. "If there is no HST, I wouldn't attend the dinner at all," he said. In his view, the HST technology came to Turkey "very late," "We should have had this opportunity years and years ago." Turkey plans to build 3500-km-long high-speed railway and 8500-km-long fast track by 2023, when the country marks its centennial anniversary, said the TCDD. The railway authority said 150 billion Turkish lira, or 42 billion U.S. dollars, will be spent to expand the network from the current 12,532 km to 25,000 km by 2023 and further to 31,000 km by 2035. China boasts the longest high-speed rail system in the world and is making efforts with other countries to promote the connectivity of the Asian, European and African continents and their adjacent seas under the Belt and Road Initiative proposed by Chinese President Xi Jinping. Recognizing China as the fastest-growing country in developing high-speed rail and the leader in the world in terms of its length of high-speed line, the TCDD said, "It is always possible to cooperate with China in the construction of the railway lines that are planned." Under its Middle Corridor plan, Turkey is joining hands with Georgia and Azerbaijan in building a rail linking their cities of Kars, Tbilisi and Baku, a project that is expected to be completed by early summer this year. The Baku-Tbilisi-Kars line is expected as well to increase the flow of containers and other types of cargo from Asia to Europe, as a cargo from China will be able to reach Europe in 15 days, according to Ahmet Arslan, Turkey's minister of transport, maritime and communications. "By opening our Kars-Tbilisi-Baku line this year, we will revive the historical Silk Road," stated the TCDD. "The Kars-Tbilisi-Baku railway will further strengthen our relations with China as well as with the Turkic states in Central Asia." The new Silk Road railway project under the Belt and Road Initiative will provide the opportunity for the regional countries along the route to develop and strengthen their relationships in every areas, the Turkish railway authority opined. The successful completion of the Ankara-Istanbul high-speed rail project has increased the confidence of the countries and generated opportunities for Chinese companies to win the tenders of other infrastructure projects in Turkey, observed Dr. Ozlem Zerrin Keyvan, advisor on Asia Pacific Studies with the Ankara Center for Crisis and Policy Studies. Referring to the fact that the two countries have been strategic partners since 2010, she said China is trying to revive the Silk Road while developing relations with Turkey, and Turkey needs new investments and commercial opportunities for its rapidly-growing economy that in turn will enable the country to be a corridor of transport and energy. "China's involvement in high-speed rail and rail network projects will lead to an acceleration in the ongoing commercial ties," she remarked. Beijing and Ankara signed a memorandum of understanding on harmonizing their Belt and Road and Middle Corridor initiatives in November 2015, under which the two sides have been discussing cooperation on key projects, including a high-speed rail linking Kars in Turkey's east and Edirne in the west. Dr. Baris Adibelli, an assistant professor with Turkey's Dumlupinar University, praised China for pursuing an equality policy on partnerships with developing countries by means of supporting technology transfer, supplying know-how, using qualified materials and workmanship and offering reasonable costs. "That is why Turkey chose China as a partner in her infrastructure project," he said. Noting that Westernization and industrialization have been the main course in Turkey's development since its founding in 1923, he stressed that "The high-speed train project in Turkey should not be seen as a simple infrastructure project." "In that sense, for Turkey doing this prestigious project with China has a deep strategic meaning beyond trade or economic gains," said the scholar, who authored a book on "Turkey-China Relations from Ottoman Period." Source: Xinhua| 2017-05-14 21:47:48|Editor: ying Video Player Close ANKARA, May 14 (Xinhua) -- Turkish fighter jets pounded outlawed Kurdistan Worker's Party (PKK) targets in northern Iraq, killing 10 militants, the Turkish General Staff said in a statement on Sunday. The statement said the airstrikes hit PKK targets in Zap and Sinat-Haftanin regions of northern Iraq. Four shelters and three weapon establishments were also destroyed by the airstrikes, it added. The Turkish air forces have been conducting regular airstrikes on PKK facilities in both northern Iraq and southeastern Turkey since July 2015, and becoming more frequent since the constitutional referendum in April. Founded in 1978, the PKK, which is listed as terrorist organization by Turkey, the United States and the Europe Union, resumed its armed campaign in July 2015 after a brief reconciliation. Source: Xinhua| 2017-05-14 21:52:18|Editor: liuxin French president Emmanuel Macron (Front R) attends an inauguration ceremony at the Elysee Palace in Paris, France, on May 14, 2017. Centrist Emmanuel Macron was sworn in as the eighth president of the French Fifth Republic in a ceremony at the Elysee Palace here on Sunday. (Xinhua/Chen Yichen) PARIS, May 14 (Xinhua) -- Centrist Emmanuel Macron was sworn in as the eighth president of the French Fifth Republic in a ceremony at the Elysee Palace here on Sunday. After a warm welcome from outgoing President Francois Hollande at the Elysee Palace at around 10:00 a.m. local time (0800 GMT), Macron and Hollande held a closed-door meeting during which Macron was handed the codes to launch France's nuclear arsenal. President of the Constitutional Council Laurent Fabius then announced the final results of presidential elections and Macron officially assumed the office. In a speech to several hundred guests, Macron said, "The French have chosen hope and the spirit of conquest." "I will not give up on the commitments made with regard to the French," said the new president. "Nothing will make me renounce to defend the interests of France. From this evening I will be at work," he stressed. During the coming five years of his governing term, Macron hopes to draw "one of the most beautiful images of our history," in which Europe must be more "efficient" and more "democratic." Following the ceremony and a review of the guard of honor, the 39-year-old Macron will go to the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier, at the Arc de Triomphe at the top of the Champs-Elysees Avenue, a tradition followed by all his predecessors in France's modern history. Macron won a runoff on May 7, beating far-right Front National candidate Marine Le Pen by a wide margin. Macron, a pro-market advocate and ex-investment banker, offered a relief to the market and supporters for economic openness and closer European links. In his first official visit abroad, Macron will meet German Chancellor Angela Merkel on Monday in Berlin to forge closer links and seek ways to bolster integration in the European bloc. Then, he will visit French army forces in the Sahel region, according to local media reports. Source: Xinhua| 2017-05-14 21:52:18|Editor: Yamei Video Player Close Chinese President Xi Jinping delivers a keynote speech at the opening ceremony of the Belt and Road Forum (BRF) for International Cooperation in Beijing, capital of China, May 14, 2017. (Xinhua/Wang Ye) BEIJING, May 14 (Xinhua) -- World leaders brainstormed the advancement of the Belt and Road Initiative at a two-day event starting here Sunday, joining China in a chorus of common prosperity. Characterized by extensive consultation, joint contribution and shared benefits, the Belt and Road links countries and regions that account for about 60 percent of the world's population and 30 percent of global economic output. Speaking at the opening of the Belt and Road Forum for International Cooperation, UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said the ambitious intercontinental initiative is "rooted in a shared vision for global development." A PROJECT OF THE CENTURY Chinese President Xi Jinping, in a keynote speech delivered at the international gathering attended by heads of state and government from 29 countries, among thousands more others, said the initiative is "a project of the century" that will benefit people across the world. The Belt and Road Initiative proposed by China in 2013 consists of the Silk Road Economic Belt and the 21st Century Maritime Silk Road. It aims to build a trade and infrastructure network connecting Asia with Europe and Africa along and beyond the ancient Silk Road trade routes. "Spanning thousands of miles and years, the ancient silk routes embody the spirit of peace and cooperation, openness and inclusiveness, mutual learning and mutual benefit," Xi told an audience of more than 1,500. Russian President Vladimir Putin said the historical experience of cooperation between countries linked by the ancient Silk Road through Asia, Europe and Africa is important in the 21st century when the world is facing "very serious challenges." Calling the Belt and Road Initiative an example of cooperation in such fields as infrastructure, transport and industry, the Russian president said his country has supported the initiative from the very beginning. Chilean President Michelle Bachelet said the breadth of the initiative, the level of participation and its strategic dimensions, highlight its capacity to become the biggest economic cooperation project in place today. Czech President Milos Zeman, for his part, said he salutes China for this courageous, long-term project. Over the past years, the Belt and Road Initiative has grown from an embryonic proposal into a network, while a cooperation pattern of shared growth through discussion and collaboration has taken shape. As of the end of 2016, more than 100 countries and international organizations have expressed their support for the initiative. China has signed 46 cooperation agreements with 39 countries and international organizations, covering a broad range of fields. The Belt and Road Initiative brings enormous benefits to all involved and serves as a main driver of the global transformation under the UN 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, said Peter Thomson, President of the UN General Assembly who is also present at the forum. INFRASTRUCTURE AND BEYOND The "courageous" vision of the Belt and Road Initiative is becoming a reality and bearing rich fruit in more fields than expected. Four years after it was proposed, Belt and Road countries have seen increased connectivity in policies, infrastructure, trade and finance, as well as strengthened people-to-people bonds. According to World Trade Organization Director General Roberto Azevedo, infrastructure is essential, a point also highlighted by special envoy of German Chancellor Angela Merkel, Minister of Economic Affairs Brigitte Zypries. "A lack of proper transport network was on top of the trade cost list and the One belt, One Road is hugely important in responding to this need," Azevedo told an international audience at the high-level meeting of the Belt and Road forum. Calling the forum "a new and decisive step in the progress of the initiative," special envoy of France's just sworn-in President Emmanuel Macron, former French Prime Minister Jean-Pierre Raffarin noted the development potential brought by the Belt and Road Initiative in tourism, financing, culture and environment. "The Belt and Road Initiative is about connecting cultures, communities, economies, and people, and about adding new economic flavors by creating infrastructure projects that are based on 21st-century expertise and governance standards," said International Monetary Fund Managing Director Christine Lagarde. Greece also highly values the initiative, with Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras saying it brings important opportunities for people-to-people contact, cultural exchanges and tourism. OPEN PLATFORM With various advantages and needs, the partners pay close attention to keep the initiative open, inclusive and beneficial to all. Pakistan's Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif told the forum: "Let me make it very clear, the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor, an economic undertaking, is open to all countries in the region." Sitting at the crossroad of Asia and Europe, Turkey wishes to bring its unique geographical location into full play, said the country's President Recep Tayyip Erdogan. Special envoy of British Prime Minister Theresa May, Chancellor of the Exchequer Philip Hammond, said his country is "a natural partner" in the grand development initiative. He expects that with China driving at the east, and Britain at the western end of the Belt and Road, all countries along the routes could work together to bring more jobs, growth and higher living standard for all people. Klaus Schwab, founder and executive chairman of the World Economic Forum, said the Belt and Road Initiative is "a pioneering, international framework based on an open platform concept." For World Bank President Jim Yong Kim, the Belt and Road Initiative can meet the aspiration of those people living in the countries that are still in need of development support. For ordinary people, the initiative could well represent something simple, "like a fragrant cup of tea," according to Lagarde, which has for centuries "brought cultures, communities and people closer together," and is ready to burst with new economic flavors. Source: Xinhua| 2017-05-14 21:57:53|Editor: Liangyu Video Player Close BEIJING, May 14 (Xinhua) -- The highest-level forum on the Belt and Road opened Sunday in Beijing, an important boost to the grand plan for interconnected development and sustainable growth. Before heads of state and government from 29 foreign countries and delegates from more than 130 countries, Chinese President Xi Jinping, who proposed the Belt and Road Initiative in 2013, outlined principles and measures for advancing the open and inclusive plan in a keynote speech at the opening of the two-day event. Special envoys and delegates from many developed countries, such as France, Germany and the United States, attended the meeting. Greater consensus is being built among countries with different political systems and cultures to push the initiative. Russian President Vladimir Putin said the Belt and Road Initiative is "promising" and his country has supported the initiative. Given the challenges like protectionism and development gaps, it is necessary to find new development engines to promote justice and equality, he said. The coordination of the Belt and Road Initiative and the Eurasian Economic Union strategy will boost the Eurasian development, said Putin. Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said the Belt and Road is an important initiative which connects Asia and Europe and other continents. The mechanism will promote sustainable development and improve the lives of people and bring mutual benefits to all countries, he said, confident of its success at the forum. "The speech is very very impressive and presents a very clear roadmap for the future," said Zafaruddin Mahmood, a delegate from Pakistan. Xi pledged more financial support for the Belt and Road construction, including an additional 100 billion yuan (about 14.5 billion U.S. dollars) to the Silk Road Fund, and assistance worth 60 billion yuan in the coming three years to developing countries and international organizations participating in the initiative. Hailing the solid progress of the initiative in the past four years, Xi proposed five guiding principles for the pursuit of the Belt and Road initiative: building the Belt and Road into a road of peace, prosperity, opening up, innovation and connecting different civilizations. He outlined priorities such as infrastructure and industrial cooperation. "Xi's speech is encouraging and points out the priorities of the plan. The forum undoubtedly is a landmark event for economic and trade cooperation," said Mirzohid Rahimov, a delegate from Uzbekistan. In a complicated international political and economic environment, the Belt and Road Initiative has met the need for win-win development and the common interests of most countries, he said. The five fields of connectivity -- policy, infrastructure, trade, finance and people -- are important for all countries, he added. China will play a very important role in multilateralism with the Belt and Road Initiative, basically a global development vision, said UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, mentioning the Chinese proverb "If you want to get rich, first build a road." The initiative reflects a new model of international cooperation and interaction with mutually beneficial cooperation through the connection of policies and development strategies. "President Xi was talking about the future. He analyzed the challenges, but said more about solutions," Umberto de Pretto, secretary-general of the International Road Transport Union. The Belt and Road Initiative is a vision of the future of the whole planet, not just China or Eurasia, he said. "Since the launch of this initiative, we have seen increasing support from governments, businesses and other stakeholders within and beyond the Belt and Road region," said Klaus Schwab, founder and executive chairman of the World Economic Forum. He regards the Belt and Road Initiative as a shining model for regional collaboration, development and growth. This initiative respects the differences between countries and their various paths for development, not imposing a specific plan or ideological framework, but seeking to create common ground for cooperation and mutual benefit, he said. "Xi's commitment is taken very seriously and it shows that China is engaging the world like never before and I think that is the overarching vision that he gave," said Robert Lawrence Kuhn, an international corporate strategist. "China is not seeking hegemony, China is seeking its rightful role," said Kuhn. Li Xiangyang, a researcher with Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, said the forum will gather consensus and dismiss doubts. "The Belt and Road is an unprecedented project of vast magnitude. It is important for us to explore ways to solve problems," he said. "The initiative is far beyond the economic strategy of any single country or region, its mission is to make the world more innovative, dynamic, and equal," Alibaba founder Jack Ma said. "The Belt and Road is a great vision with a bright future," he said. Source: Xinhua| 2017-05-14 23:23:03|Editor: liuxin Nepali people queue to cast their votes at a polling station during local elections in Kathmandu, Nepal, on May 14, 2017. Nepal held local body elections on Sunday as a major step to implement its landmark constitution adopted in 2015. (Xinhua/Sunil Sharma) KATHMANDU, May 14 (Xinhua) -- Nepal held local body elections on Sunday as a major step to implement its landmark constitution adopted in 2015. The one-day elections conducted from 7:00 a.m to 5: p.m. local time in 34 districts of province 3, 4 and 6 of the Himalayan country, with 283 local municipalities voted for candidates for seven positions, according to the Election Commission. "The elections were concluded successfully in a peaceful manner with the encouraging number of people who voted for their candidates with full of enthusiasm," Chief Election Commissioner Ayodhi Prasad Yadav told a press conference on Sunday evening adding that the voters' turnout stood at 71 percent. Nepal held such elections after a hiatus of two decades. "This is one of our major steps to implement the new constitution promulgated in September 2015," Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal told media after casting votes at a polling station at Chitwan District in the Central Nepal, some 160 km south of the Capital. As many as 5 million voters took part in the landmark local body polls held for the first time in Nepal after the culmination of decade-long armed conflict that ended in 2006. This is the first round of local body elections where some 50,000 contenders vied for the 13,556 positions in various places including Kathmandu Valley that covered nearly half of the country. People who were eligible to vote cast their ballots at 6,642 polling stations. The government deployed some 46,000 government staffs to the polling stations guarded by 75,000 security personnel including over 20,000 temporary police recruit during the one-day election. Governing parties, Nepali Congress and the CPN (Maoist Centre) and the opposition Communist Party of Nepal (Unified Marxist-Leninist) are main contenders in most of the places where elections were held on Sunday. Local body elections followed by provincial and national elections should be held mandatorily by January 2018 as enshrined in the Nepali constitution. Last time local representatives were appointed back in 1997, whose tenure expired after five years. Since then Nepal did not hold such local body elections. According to the election commission, some 60 political parties fielded candidates whether for mayor, deputy mayor, and head of village councils. A Kathmandu-based political analyst Gopal Khanal told Xinhua on Sunday that this election will end the political vacuum at the local bodies which were headless in the absence of elected representatives for the past two decades. "The local body elections will give a concrete shape to the federal setup, putting an end to the long-running unitary and centralized system that existed for decades," Khanal said adding that the election will be instrumental to implement the federalism. Federalism is one of the major characteristics of the new constitution and a key agenda raised by the Maoists during the decade-long armed conflict which took some 16,000 lives. Nearly 40 percent of the seats would be occupied by women including at least a Dalit woman member and either a mayor or deputy mayor in the municipality and either the chief or deputy chief in the rural municipality, according to the Election Commission. General public were seen excited for the historical polls on Sunday following many political developments and gradual economic reforms in the country. "I was quite excited to cast votes for the first time in my life," Sebika Khatri, a 20-year-old student told Xinhua, who cast votes at a polling station in Patan City in the Kathmandu Valley. Nepal will hold the second round of elections on June 14 in provinces number 1, 2, 5 and 7 that border India. Source: Xinhua| 2017-05-14 23:38:50|Editor: liuxin Jordan's Minister of Foreign Affairs Ayman Safadi (C), Egyptian Foreign Minister Sameh Shukri (L) and Saeb Erekat, secretary general of the Palestine Liberation Organization, attend a joint press conference in Amman, capital of Jordan, on May 14, 2017. Jordan on Sunday reiterated its stance that east Jerusalem is the capital of Palestine. (Xinhua/Mohammad Abu Ghosh) AMMAN, May 14 (Xinhua) -- Jordan on Sunday reiterated its stance that east Jerusalem is the capital of Palestine. Jordan's Minister of Foreign Affairs Ayman Safadi said Jordan and the Arabs are committed to the Arab peace initiative as key to peace and ending the conflict in the occupied Palestinian territories. The minister made the remarks at a joint press conference with Egyptian Foreign Minister Sameh Shukri and Saeb Erekat, secretary general of the Palestine Liberation Organization, where he stressed on Jordan's rejection of any plan to relocate the U.S. embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem. "The Arab peace initiative is a historic opportunity to end the conflict between the Arabs and Israel," said Safadi, stressing Jordan's support to the Palestinian prisoners in Israel. Jordan will continue to exert efforts for attaining peace, he said. The Egyptian minister said there was momentum at this stage to push the peace process forward and revive peace talks in line with the 2002 peace deal, which offers Israel normal ties with the Arabs in return for withdrawal from territories it occupied in 1967. Erekat, for his part, stressed that Gaza Strip should be included as part of any peace deal, stressing that there is no Palestinian state in Gaza and that there is no Palestinian state without Gaza Strip. Erekat said the Palestinian Authority will continue coordination with Jordan and Egypt, which are directly interested in the final status issues. He also called for ending divisions among the Palestinian factions. Prior to the press conference, Safadi met with Shukri and Erekat and discussed means to kick start effective peace talks between the Palestinians and the Israelis. The three sides underlined that the two state solution was the only viable and accepted solution to address the Palestinian issue, noting that such a solution should lead to the creation of an independent Palestinian state with east Jerusalem as its capital. In their meeting, they said the Palestinian issue was the core of conflicts in the Middle East. A lack of a solution to the decade-long issue will lead to more tension in the region, they added. Discussions also focused on developments in the region and the need for continued collaboration to uproot terrorism. | 2017-05-15 05:39:19|Editor: Mu Xuequan Video Player Close PARIS, May 14 (Xinhua) -- Following the French presidential election victory for Emmanuel Macron -- the candidate for a political party positioning itself neither on the left nor the right -- internal quarrels related to political orientation have been accentuated within the traditional parties, a sign of political upheaval and restructuring. Will the legislative elections scheduled for June 11 and 18 set the tone for a new political configuration predicted by specialists and observers of the French political scene? The results of the presidential election which overturned expectations, relegating from the first round of voting the traditional parties to third (The Republicans) and fifth (Socialist Party) place, imply major shifts in the political landscape. The contours of this new configuration are already being defined ahead of the legislative elections. For the Socialist Party, former Prime Minister Manuel Valls has shown the way forward, in officially announcing his decision to enroll in legislative elections under the banner of Macron's movement "En Marche!" "This socialist party is dead, it is behind us... I will be a candidate of the presidential majority," Valls declared on Tuesday, saying he was ideologically closer to Macron. In overtly choosing the camp of the presidential majority, Manuel Valls has thrown back into the open the split in the socialist party between the reformers that he incarnates and the radicals represented by Benoit Hamon. This antagonism which has festered for a long time within the Socialist Party, strongly divided it during the presidential campaign. The socialists known as reformers (including both elected officials and activists) supported Emmanuel Macron's candidacy from the first round of presidential voting, to the detriment of Benoit Hamon and his political allies, and despite threats from the first secretary of the Socialist Party, Jean-Christoph Cambadelis. The same variety of internal quarrels has struck the Republicans, obliging certain higher officials such as Alain Juppe to officially take positions. The Mayor of Bordeaux, of which close allies such as Benoist Apparu and Edouard Phillippe have been named part of the incoming government, has excluded all frontal opposition to Emmanuel Macron. "I am not in the state of mind for a systematic obstruction and a frontal opposition. I will be necessary to see that France succeeds with the forms for which it has need," declared Juppe Tuesday to the press. Several close allies to Juppe, who represents the moderate wing of the Republicans, have joined the En Marche! Movement after the defeat of their candidate in the primaries to Francois Fillon, whose program they judged very "radical." The rest of the group Emmanuel Macron gained following the refusal of rightwing candidate Fillon to step out of the race after he was formally put under investigation for the "Penelopegate" scandal. Bruno Le Maire, another disappointed primary candidate for the right who had campaigned in favor of a renewal of the political class says as well that he is ready to work with the new president, and to run under the En Marche! banner for the legislative elections. "My actions echo my political reflections, for five years I haven't stopped saying that France needs renewal. It's here. There is a political world which is dying and another which is being born," Le Maire told the newspaper Le Monde. He was the first leader for the right wing party to have abandoned Fillon for not having kept his promise to step down after being put under investigation. The recent resignation of Christian Estrosi -- in disagreement with the radical wing of the Republicans -- from the presidency of the Regional Council of Provence-Alpes-Cote D'Azur (PACA -- Southeastern France) has also raised numerous questions within the party, even if he has excluded himself for the moment from joining the presidential majority. Rather than enroll Manuel Valls and Bruno Le Maire on its candidate lists for the legislative elections, Emmanuel Macron's movement decided not to name candidates in their respective districts of Evry and Eure, a political response which leaves the door open for closer ties in the future. As for the Socialist Party and the Republicans, they are once again brandishing the threat of exclusion against all those who would run under the banner of the presidential majority. Beyond the traditional parties, the far-right party National Front will not escape the massive upheaval, despite the qualification of its candidate for the second round of the presidential election. Almost immediately after the party was eliminated from the presidential run, a flurry of criticism from within the National Front appeared in the press under the cover of anonymity, and against Marine Le Pen, who has for a long time been considered untouchable. The interventionist economic platform proposed by Le Pen and her lieutenant, Florian Phillipot, has been called back into question by the liberal and conservative camp represented by Marion Marechal Le Pen. Several political observers have interpreted Marechal Le Pen's Wednesday announcement that she would not run again for the legislature as a result of these internal differences. Nevertheless, several hours from her defeat, Marine Le Pen announced her decision to engage in a deep transformation of her party. As part of this metamorphosis, the National Front will become The Patriots, according to media reports. But this announcement has not visibly convinced allies of Marion Marechal Le Pen. Contested more than ever within her own party, Marine Le Pen according to some French press reports is hesitating to commit herself to June's legislative elections. Source: Xinhua| 2017-05-15 00:34:21|Editor: Mu Xuequan Video Player Close KHARTOUM, May 14 (Xinhua) -- Sudan knows well the importance of the Belt and Road Initiative in enhancing common development for all countries, Sudanese presidential assistant told Xinhua in an interview on Sunday. "This great initiative constitutes a suitable framework to enhance common development among all countries under the initiative," said Awad Ahmed Al-Jaz, also an official in charge of maintaining China-Sudan relations. "The Belt and Road Initiative constitutes the peak of the social responsibility for the Chinese leadership and its sincere willingness to exchange benefits with the world and achieve common development. The initiative is a model for the collective thinking to work to achieve the literal meaning of the term 'participation'," he added. "In Sudan, we have pioneering experience in economic, commercial and political cooperation with China. For decades, China has proved itself as a trustful and credible friend, with a spirit of cooperation." The official stressed his country's willingness to play a key role in making the Belt and Road Initiative successful, and to use its potential and resources to achieve the basic principles of the initiative. "Sudan enjoys a geographical location that makes it a linking ring between the Arab world and Africa, where historically, Sudan's eastern ports represented the meeting point of the commercial convoys coming from China towards Africa," said Al-Jaz. He further noted that Sudan is planning to establish a free trade zone in the east area to be a major point for the emerging trade lines under the Belt and Road Initiative. Al-Jaz, meanwhile, commended the speech of Chinese President Xi Jinping delivered Sunday at the the opening of the Belt and Road Forum for International Cooperation in Beijing, and his confirmations that China would not intervene in the internal affairs of other countries. To this end, Al-Jaz said, "From our cooperation experience with China, we are aware of the seriousness of these confirmations. What characterized our cooperation with China is China's non-intervention in our internal affairs. This principle has always remained standing." He reiterated the importance for the countries involved in the initiative to find a peaceful environment that avails the realization of the over-all objectives of the initiative. Commenting on what Xi said in his speech that "the Belt and Road should be built into a belt and road for peace," the Sudanese official reiterated the importance of a peaceful and stable environment for the Belt and Road countries. "Today the world needs peace. It needs to enhance the spirit of partnership, cooperation and mutual benefits. What we need now are innovative initiatives that enhance interconnection instead disharmony, favor peace over war and enhance sharing of values instead of conflict among those values," he said. Xi delivered Sunday a keynote speech at the opening of the two-day Belt and Road Forum for International Cooperation in Beijing, saying that "the ancient silk routes thrived in times of peace, but lost vigor in times of war. The pursuit of the Belt and Road Initiative requires a peaceful and stable environment." "We should foster a new type of international relations featuring win-win cooperation; and we should forge partnerships of dialogue with no confrontation and of friendship rather than alliance," Xi said. The Belt and Road Forum, the highest-level international meeting since Xi proposed the Belt and Road Initiative in 2013, gathers 29 foreign heads of state and government leaders as well as delegates from some 130 countries. The Belt and Road Initiative aims to build trade and infrastructure networks connecting Asia with Europe and Africa along ancient trade routes over land and sea. Since 2013, China has invested over 50 billion U.S dollars in railway, road and ports sectors in many countries. So far, the initiative has won support from more than 100 countries and international organizations, of which over 40 have signed cooperation agreements with China. Italian Prime Minister Paolo Gentiloni receives an interview with Chinese media at Palazzo Chigi in Rome, Italy, on May 10, 2017. ROME, May 14 (Xinhua) -- Italian Prime Minister Paolo Gentiloni said Wednesday that Italy is "enormously interested" in China-proposed Belt and Road Initiative, which envisions a trade and infrastructure network connecting Asia with Europe and Africa. The Italian leader made the remarks in an interview with Rome-based Chinese media prior to attending the Belt and Road Forum for International Cooperation to be held in Beijing on May 14-15. Gentiloni called the Belt and Road Initiative "perhaps the most important infrastructure modernization project underway in the world today." "Bringing the Chinese economy closer through this gigantic infrastructural operation is enormously interesting to Italy, not only for our government but also for our universities and public and private businesses," Gentiloni said. For Italy it's not just looking to become a trade and logistical destination for the contemporary Silk Road, but also about participating in large-scale infrastructure projects in the countries along the Silk Road. "As a country we've been capable of building large-scale infrastructure, roads, and public works for thousands of years -- in this aspect we are somewhat similar to China," Gentiloni said. "So we like to put these strengths together," the prime minister said. Italy used to be the destination for traders along the ancient Silk Road, and the Mediterranean country expects to become an active partner in the contemporary version of the ancient trade route that China has proposed. Gentiloni believes the Belt and Road Initiative could make Italy's ports into new terminals for international trade. "We are convinced that to this day, Italy continues to be an ideal destination for the Belt and Road Initiative, especially as far as the southern link by sea," he said. Emphasizing Italy is a country that connects Europe and Africa, Gentiloni noted that the Chinese economy is very interested in fostering relations with both Europe and Africa. Italy is also looking to "possibilities for joint investments with China and other partners in the various countries -- I'm thinking of Pakistan, for example -- along the Belt and Road route," Gentiloni added. Source: Xinhua| 2017-05-15 00:49:27|Editor: Mu Xuequan Video Player Close KATHMANDU, May 14 (Xinhua) -- Nepal expects to enhance cooperation with China within the framework of the Belt and Road Initiative, Nepal's Foreign Minister Prakash Sharan Mahat told Xinhua in the capital of Kathmandu on Sunday. "The Chinese president's announcement to contribute an additional 100 billion yuan (about 14.5 billion U.S. dollars) to the Silk Road Fund is a piece of good news for neighboring countries like Nepal that have recently joined the Belt and Road Initiative," Prakash Sharan Mahat said. The initiative, proposed by Chinese President Xi Jinping in 2013, aims to build trade and infrastructure networks connecting Asia with Europe and Africa along and beyond ancient Silk Road trade routes over land and sea. Commenting on Xi's speech at the opening ceremony of the Belt and Road Forum for International Cooperation held in Beijing on Sunday, the foreign minister said that Nepal wishes to receive more investments from China to develop inter-connectivity and infrastructure projects within the framework of the Belt and Road Initiative. The Belt and Road Initiative is a wide concept. China has given top priority to promoting this initiative since it was introduced in 2013, he added. < Nepal wants to enhance railway and road inter-connectivity with China and attract more investments, he said, adding that "We are expecting more loans from China to develop various infrastructure projects within the framework of the Belt and Road Initiative." Nepal and China signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) earlier this week, which is aimed at enhancing cooperation in promoting inter-connectivity of infrastructure, trade links, financial integration and inter-connectivity of peoples. Meanwhile, the forum has received widespread attention from all walks of life in Nepal. "This is an extraordinary address by President Xi at the forum this morning," Suresh Sharma, former brigadier general of the Nepal army, told Xinhua. "Nepal, a birthplace of Buddha and an apostle of peace, always has remained an admirer of this noble Belt and Road Initiative to bring peace, prosperity and brotherhood for the entire world," said Sharma, who is also the executive director of the Kathmandu-based private think-tank National Institute of Strategic Studies. "Nepal as the closest neighbor is soon to benefit from this Belt and Road Initiative," he added. Nepal's Deputy Prime Minister Krishna Bahadur Mahara, who heads a high-level delegation, is attending the two-day Belt and Road Forum for International Cooperation in Beijing. The forum is also covered by mainstream daily newspapers, online media outlets and television channels in Nepal. Kosh Raj Koirala, a Kathmandu-based correspondent with Republica Newspaper, told Xinhua, "In his speech, President Xi has categorically put emphasis on the need to build peaceful and stable environment in the region to implement the initiative. This is expected to create conducive environment in the region for peace and prosperity." The Belt and Road Initiative provides opportunities for countries like Nepal that face difficulties in infrastructure development, he added. MOSCOW, May 14 (Xinhua) -- Russian servicemen delivered nearly 5 tons of humanitarian aid to more than 1400 Syrian civilians in the past 24 hours, the Russian Defense Ministry said Sunday. "Within last 24 hours, the Russian Center for reconciliation of opposing sides has held 10 humanitarian actions... Total weight of humanitarian aid has reached 4.7 tons. 1,421 people have received humanitarian aid." the ministry said in a statement posted on its website. The total number of humanitarian deliveries has reached 1,210, the document added. Russia has been providing Syrian residents with medical help and regular humanitarian aid amid the continuous chaos in the war-torn country. According to the statement, Russia and Turkey, as guarantors of the nationwide Syrian ceasefire regime, respectively registered 4 and 2 cases of ceasefire violations in the past 24 hours. Nevertheless, the situation in the de-escalation zones is assessed as "stable", the document said. On May 4, Russia, Iran and Turkey signed a memorandum on the creation of four safe zones (de-escalation zones) in Syria, which are guaranteed to be free of battles and airstrikes for six months. The agreement went into force on May 6. Source: Xinhua| 2017-05-15 01:29:02|Editor: Mu Xuequan Video Player Close MOSUL, Iraq, May 14 (Xinhua) -- Iraqi paramilitary units of Hashd Shaabi units on Sunday continued heavy clashes against Islamic State (IS) militants on the third day of an operation aimed at dislodging the extremist militants from the areas near the Iraqi-Syrian border in west of Mosul, the Iraqi military said. The predominantly Shiite Hashd Shaabi units, backed by the army's helicopters, freed the villages of Khailo and Tal al-Qasab from IS militants near the IS-held town of al-Qairwan, which locates in the rugged sprawling area southwest of Tal Afar and south of Sinjar, the Hashd Shaabi said in a statement. The Hashd Shaabi units also surrounded the village of Tal al-Banat in north of al-Qairwan, where some of IS local leaders are believed to be holed up and using the villagers as human shields, the statement said. The units are now surrounding the town from three sides, isolating the IS-held town and cutting off its supply routes on the main roads between the town and Tal Afar and Sinjar, the statement said. The paramilitary units fought sporadic clashes against IS militants and killed 23 of them, including five suicide bombers and two snipers, along with destroying four car bombs, while the helicopter gunships destroyed a fifth booby-trapped car and three IS posts, the statement added. The operation would enable the Hashd Shaabi units to secure the border areas between Iraq and neighboring Syria and cut off the IS supply routes between Mosul and the Syrian city of Raqqa, the capital of IS self-declared caliphate. The operation came as the Iraqi security forces, backed by anti-IS international coalition, are carrying out a major offensive to dislodge IS militants from their major stronghold in the western side of Mosul in northern Iraq. Mosul, 400 km north of the Iraqi capital Baghdad, has been under IS control since June 2014, when government forces abandoned their weapons and fled, enabling IS militants to take control of parts of Iraq's northern and western regions. TRIPOLI, May 14 (Xinhua) -- Libya's UN-backed Prime Minister Fayez Serraj on Saturday met with elders of the western cities of Bani Walid and Zawiya in the capital Tripoli. The meeting discussed the urgent needs of the cities, including election of mayors and resuming suspended infrastructure projects. Serraj stressed the importance of the role of elders to establish stability and support reconciliation initiatives. The discussion included means for decentralization and provide basic services for citizens in all Libyan areas and cities. Serraj's unity government has been appointed in December 2015 based on a UN-sponsored peace deal signed by the country's political rivals. However, Libya remains politically divided amid insecurity and unrest. A Russian soldier hands a pack of aid to a kid in Damascus, Syria, Nov. 24, 2016. (Xinhua/Ammar Safarjalani) MOSCOW, May 14 (Xinhua) -- Russian servicemen delivered nearly 5 tons of humanitarian aid to more than 1400 Syrian civilians in the past 24 hours, the Russian Defense Ministry said Sunday. "Within last 24 hours, the Russian Center for reconciliation of opposing sides has held 10 humanitarian actions... Total weight of humanitarian aid has reached 4.7 tons. 1,421 people have received humanitarian aid." the ministry said in a statement posted on its website. The total number of humanitarian deliveries has reached 1,210, the document added. Russia has been providing Syrian residents with medical help and regular humanitarian aid amid the continuous chaos in the war-torn country. According to the statement, Russia and Turkey, as guarantors of the nationwide Syrian ceasefire regime, respectively registered 4 and 2 cases of ceasefire violations in the past 24 hours. Nevertheless, the situation in the de-escalation zones is assessed as "stable", the document said. On May 4, Russia, Iran and Turkey signed a memorandum on the creation of four safe zones (de-escalation zones) in Syria, which are guaranteed to be free of battles and airstrikes for six months. The agreement went into force on May 6. KHARTOUM, May 14 (Xinhua) -- Sudan's Minerals Ministry on Sunday said gold registered 37 percent of the country's exports with revenues amounting to 1.2 billion U.S Dollars. "The minerals ministry will be the main way to pull out the Sudanese economy from its current crisis," said Sudan's new Minerals Minister Hashim Ali Salem Sunday. He reiterated that he would complete what the former minister has started, saying "we will continue the projects which he (the former minister) has started and work to develop them." Former minister Ahmed Mohamed Sadiq Al-Karuri, for his part, said that "Minerals have become one of the most important sectors, and the concern of the World Bank with the sector in its current report early this week is evidence of such importance." The World Bank said in its most recent report that Sudan has ranked third in African regarding gold production after South Africa and Ghana respectively. Sudan government is seeking to increase its gold production to reach 100 tons to rank second in Africa in terms of gold production and ninth at the world level. Source: Xinhua| 2017-05-15 02:30:10|Editor: Mu Xuequan Video Player Close BAGHDAD, May 14 (Xinhua) -- A total of 27 Islamic State (IS) militants were killed in airstrikes by international coalition against IS posts in IS-held areas in Iraq's western province of Anbar on Sunday, an Iraqi army source said. According to intelligence reports, the U.S.-led coalition aircraft conducted an airstrike on an internet cafe used by IS militants as a headquarters in the town of al-Qaim near the border with Syria, leaving some 20 of them killed, Nouman al-Zoubaie, commander of the army's 7th Division, told Xinhua. Another airstrike destroyed an IS post in the city of Aana, some 180 km northwest of the Iraqi capital of Baghdad, killing six militants, Zoubaie said. In addition, an international airstrike bombed a booby-trapped vehicle and killed its driver, he added. In a separate incident, a booby-trapped car detonated at a busy intersection in Karrada district in central Baghdad, leaving a civilian killed and five others wounded, a local police source told Xinhua on condition of anonymity. The airstrikes in western Iraq and Baghdad car bombing came as the Iraqi security forces, backed by anti-IS international coalition, are carrying out a major offensive to drive out IS militants from their major stronghold in the western side of Mosul in northern Iraq. Source: Xinhua| 2017-05-15 02:40:33|Editor: Mu Xuequan Video Player Close CHICAGO, May 14 (Xinhua) -- Latest study of the University of Michigan (UM) found that the "open ports" of an internet communication mechanism in mobile devices are much more vulnerable to security breaches than previously thought. UM researchers have analyzed 24,000 popular mobiles apps to arrive at this finding, and posted the results on the website of UM. The researchers found that open port backdoors could be exploited to steal private information such as contacts, security credentials and photos; to remotely control a device; to perform a denial of service attack; or to inject malicious code that could jumpstart widespread, virus-like attacks. They have identified 410 apps with dangerous insecurities, and 956 different individual ways those insecurities could be exploited. The vulnerability the researchers highlighted is most pronounced in Android apps that let users share data across devices and connect to their phones from their computers. The researchers found that more than half of the usage of open ports in the apps they studied is unprotected, and the unprotected nature shows a general lack of awareness of the problem. Investigating the fundamental causes behind this general vulnerability, the researchers found that it is exposed by popular ways open ports are used in the smartphone ecosystem, rather than poor implementation of apps. Open ports are integral pieces of internet infrastructure that allow computer programs to accept packets of information from remote servers. It is safe in traditional computers because computers' Internet Protocol addresses don't change. The researchers have identified certain steps app developers can take to mitigate the vulnerability, and reported the vulnerabilities to affected app developers. Smartphones also use open ports to receive certain types of information. But because of the way mobile networks are structured, phones' IP addresses can change as they move through the world. This and other factors relating to mobile architecture lead to these vulnerabilities, the researchers say. LJUBLJANA, May 14 (Xinhua) -- Slovenian authorities have intensified monitoring the situation in the wake of an unprecedented global cyberattack, although the country did not suffer much consequences. According to the Slovenian Press Agency (STA), latest Europol data shows that the cyberattack has hit more than 200,000 victims in at least 150 countries on Friday, and merely eight victims in Slovenia were hit by the cyberattack. The most serious case in Slovenia, car assembly factory Revoz, the subsidiary of France's Renault, was the only company to have been attacked. The attack resulted in the cancellation of the Friday-to-Saturday night shift and the Saturday shift on the company's production schedule. According to Revoz spokesperson Nevenka Basek Zildzovic, it is too early to say when production would be relaunched and it is hard to assess the damage from it, the STA report said on Sunday, Quoting an unofficial information, the STA report said that Revoz would have made more than 400 cars during the cancelled shifts. While only eight victims reported to have been victims of the cyberattack in Slovenia, the acting boss of the Government Office for the Protection of Classified Information Dobran Bozic believes that given the nature of the attack, the number is much higher. Bozic also believes that victims were targetted randomly rather than carefully selected in advance. KHARTOUM, May 14 (Xinhua) -- The Sudanese government said on Sunday that it believes the U.S. sanctions imposed on the country for 20 years will be fully lifted, after a report by the U.S. Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) indicates Khartoum has fulfilled all requirements, Sudanese Media Center (SMC) reported. "Sudan has fulfilled all requirements, and therefore lifting of the sanctions is considered a fair matter," Sudanese Information Minister Ahmed Bilal Osman was quoted as saying. He described the CIA report as "positive," saying his country is "optimistic that the U.S. Congress and President will fully lift the sanctions from Sudan." The minister also noted that Khartoum is cooperating in all fields, and therefore it is natural for the sanctions to be lifted from it. Earlier, Washington set conditions for fully lifting the sanctions on Sudan, which required the country to present a report by July 12 to commit itself to a number of terms including combating terrorism and ceasing hostilities in conflict areas. On January 13, then U.S. president Barack Obama issued a decision to cancel two executive orders imposing economic sanctions on Sudan. The United States has been imposing sanctions on Sudan since 1997 and putting it on its list of countries sponsoring terrorism since 1993. Since then, Washington has been renewing its sanctions on Sudan due to the continuing war in Darfur, Blue Nile and South Kordofan regions in addition to a number of outstanding issues with South Sudan, such as the territorial dispute over the oil-rich Abyei area. BRUSSELS, May 14 (Xinhua) -- The European Union (EU) on Sunday condemned the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK)'s latest test launch of a ballistic missile, slamming it, as well as previous launches, as a threat to international peace and security. A spokesperson of the European External Action Service (EEAS), the EU's diplomatic service, noted in a statement that the DPRK's move seriously violated multiple United Nations Security Council resolutions. "This and previous launches constitute a threat to international peace and security and further aggravate tensions in the region at a time when de-escalation is instead needed," the spokesperson said. "The DPRK...must halt these launches and abandon its ballistic missiles programmes in a complete, verifiable and irreversible manner," the spokesperson stressed, adding "the same holds true for its nuclear, nuclear weapons and all other weapons of mass destruction programmes." The spokesperson urged the DPRK to "engage in a credible and meaningful dialogue with the international community," proclaiming that the EU "is ready to support such a process for dialogue." The DPRK launched what believed to be a ballistic missile early Sunday, South Korea's Yonhap News Agency reported. The "unidentified missile" was fired early Sunday morning from a site near the city of Kusong in North Pyongan Province, the news agency quoted the Joint Chiefs of Staff as saying. The U.S. Pacific Command confirmed that the missile , fired by the DPRK at approximately 2030 GMT Saturday, landed in the Sea of Japan. . ALGIERS, May 14 (Xinhua) -- Algerian Prime Minister, Abdelmalek Sellal on Sunday stressed the fight against terrorism and various forms of criminality require joint action between international security services and strong commitment of the international community. "The world is witnessing considerable upsurge of terrorism and its new forms while allying with drug, arms and human traffickers, as well as with cyber-criminality and money-laundering," Sellal said in his opening notes at 1st African Union Police Cooperation Mechanism (Afripol). "This is a global organized and multifaceted threat to our security, which requires joint action, coordination and cooperation between international security services, as well as strong and genuine commitment of the international community," he added. The Algerian official further suggested strengthening the operational and technical capacities of the African police services by developing texts, creating centers of excellence in training and judicial inquiry, and generalizing innovative practices and exchange of information and experience. He stressed that Algeria has always called for dealing with roots of any crises, urging to separate religious or ethnic alibis from terrorists, draining the sources of funding, as well as confronting the nurturing matrices of radicalization, both academically and politically. Sellal further added that authorities have to fight the sources of terrorism such as ignorance and poverty, in addition to establishing real national reconciliation policies to bring peoples together and avert hatred and rancor. He concluded that the outcomes of the 1st General Assembly of Afripol would hopefully provide effective actions that would safeguard world's peace. The first general assembly of Afripol kicked off Sunday in Algiers, in the presence of Chairperson of the African Union Commission (AUC) Mahamat Moussa Faki. Source: Xinhua| 2017-05-15 06:16:37|Editor: Mu Xuequan Video Player Close By Gerardo Laborde MONTEVIDEO, May 14 (Xinhua) -- Uruguay this month is celebrating the 10th anniversary of a national program that has made Internet available to the masses by providing all elementary school students with a laptop. The national program, called Plan Ceibal, in conjunction with the global nonprofit initiative called One Laptop Per Child (OLPC), made Uruguay "the first country in the world to provide one laptop to every primary school student," according to OLPC's website. "I must admit that, at the beginning, I never imagined a plan so complete and well executed," OLPC's founder, the U.S.-born Nicholas Negroponte, said during a visit to Montevideo this week. Negroponte, who is also the founder of MIT's Media Lab, said one of the factors that helped to make the plan a resounding success in Uruguay was President Tabare Vazquez, who was serving his first term (2005-2010) when the plan was first adopted. Vazquez was adamant about the scope of the program, insisting it should cover every child, according to the state Uruguayan News Agency (UyPress). "Nobody else did that. That is extraordinary," said Negroponte. In announcing the plan in December 2006, Vazquez said that as of 2007 "the fundamental school supply our children are going to have is going to be this computer." The first green-and-white laptops, which cost 100 U.S. dollars to make, were distributed in May 2007 at a school in the small town of Villa Cardal, in the southern department of Florida, home to just 500 inhabitants. But soon schoolchildren throughout the country had a "ceibalita," as the laptops were called. The first three students to get a laptop were Micaela Rodriguez, Rocio Martinez and German Arrua, today aged 17, 18 and 19, respectively. All three agree the laptop marked a turning point in their educational life. "They came to be used for all the day's work," Rodriguez told national radio network Radiodifusion Nacional del Uruguay (RNU). "With a computer, we could find out about many things that we didn't know existed in Uruguay," she added. Martinez agreed, saying the Plan Ceibal, a Spanish backronym that stands for Basic Informatic Educative Connectivity for Online Learning, "was a great help" for studying. Arrua, meanwhile, recalled using his laptop to take pictures. The president of Plan Ceibal, Miguel Brechner, said prior to the initiative, "only 9 percent of children from the poorest households had access to a computer. Today, more than 90 percent of that population does." Thanks to its effectiveness, Plan Ceibal was expanded to secondary school students and since 2016 is being used to teach the elderly. According to Negroponte, two other factors helped make the program a success in Uruguay, including developing the needed infrastructure, which state telecom Antel was tasked with doing. The third factor was the country's belief in the advantages of promoting equality, he said. "Due to these three things: Vazquez, equality and the telecommunications, this project turned into what it is. And it helped us in many aspects, and that's why I want many other countries to copy this experience," Negroponte said. Uruguay "has become the byword" for progressive educational programs, he said, predicting that "in 20 years, Uruguay will be producing the world's most creative people." SRP constable shoots himself Shadrach Paltoo of Kowlessar Trace, Sangre Grande was up until late yesterday listed in critical condition at the Sangre Grande Hospital. According to reports, Paltoo complained to relatives about severe depression but they never thought he was contemplating suicide. Paltoos father, a retired city police officer, told investigators he never suspected his son was suicidal and had no reason to hide the firearm. Police reports revealed that about 7.15 am yesterday, Paltoo told his younger brother to attend to a farm where they rear chickens. As his sibling left he was alerted to a loud explosion in the living room and found his brother on the floor, bleeding from the head. Relatives and neighbours were alerted and Paltoo was taken to the Sangre Grande Hospital. Officers from the Sangre Grande CID later visited the house. Paltoos colleagues expressed shock claiming hey had often advised him to seek counselling but he refused. Helping moms It was while on the maternity ward at the Eric Williams Medical Sciences Complex, Mt Hope in 2015, that Edmund made the decision that this was her calling. And after giving birth to her second daughter, Arlene-May Chan Wai Hong, the Facebook page, Trinimomcorner, was born. The page is solely dedicated to providing valuable information on pregnancy and motherhood. To date, it has 883 Facebook Likes. Edmund tells Sunday Newsday the initiative has evolved into a charitable organisation, with over 25 families receiving assistance since its inception in April last year. Trinimomcorner started as a page that I made to provide information. I started because a lot of people dont know a lot of things. They dont know about breast feeding, they dont know about the first days (of motherhood), they dont know about parenting and they have a lot of questions and they dont have an informed circle like I do to help them. I started really to educate about car safety and all these things, and it kind of morphed into a charity organisation. I talk to them (mothers) and do perspective shifting. I still try to do articles but its more like a community help thing, she explains. The former El Dorado Senior Comprehensive student says, Ive always wanted to do something with moms. When I made Arlene-May, next to me in the hospital there was a mother who had just had her baby and she had nothing. She didnt know she was pregnant (until late), how far along she was, she didnt know anything and they kept the baby from her because she did not even get HIV tested. She did not even have clothes to change. From that experience, the mothers in the room who barely had - and who had - gave her (items) for her child, and that kind of showed me that we need that kind of community effort. We need to stop saying seven children, look how she make all them children and understand (maybe) she was raped, she wasnt educated. And that was my catalyst to say I need to do something about what I am seeing. Last year we did lectures for breastfeeding week. We teamed up with (chutney star) Omardath Maharaj and his wife and we did talks in St Helena about breastfeeding, and sustainability in breastfeeding. Right now Im training with the Trinidad and Tobago Breastfeeding Association as a counsellor. And the initiative went a few steps further. We do activities like raising funds for food and clothing and baby essentials; collect any used items, clean them, store them and hand them out to people who are in need. Last year also we took a family on over the August vacation and provided them with all their books, shoes and uniforms (for their children) - everything they need to go back to school. Edmund says generally the response from the public has been positive, with the support of family, friends and benevolent individuals. She notes though, that some people have been sceptical of the efforts, offering instead to donate condoms. She questions this rigid stance, arguing: People need to get help to get back on the right track or find the right track, because some of them dont know it. But other than that we have amazing people who donate generously to the cause, either monetarily or to come and drop food, or this and that. Edmund, however, is not swayed by her detractors who think shes just giving handouts, as she believes the charitable arm of Trinimomcorner empowers individuals. Weve been from Barrackpore to Valencia helping people. You would not believe that the same persons weve helped turn around and help others. One of the first families we helped, the husband lost his job and the wife had four kids already and they were on the fifth. He used to be a truck driver but lost his job and she had this baby on the way and things started to fall apart. But shes resourceful, she began to sew and she made cakes for a number of our birthday parties. She came and gave back and now theyre on their feet. Its not about a hand-out, its more a hand up. Edmund plans to have Trinimomcorner registered as a non-governmental organisation in the near future, but says there are certain steps that must be taken to prove what they are do doing. Some people say youre doing this just for (publicity on) Facebook but you kind of have to do that, she explains. She is hoping in five years to set-up a subsidised daycare to assist working mothers whose incomes are small, but need that service because they have no one to supervise their children. Inspiring art The exhibition began on April 12 and ended on May 6. It showcased the creativity of final-year visual arts students of the DCFA at the National Museum and Art Gallery in Port-of-Spain. The art work of 25 students included paintings, sculptures, installations, photography, product designs, and fashion designs. Young design student, Jerrell Riley in his piece, Wide Awake, explores the cultural realm, focusing on the Trinbagonian youths connection to their own cultural identity. He uses coveralls as his medium to symbolise the productivity of the local work force, attaching prominent cultural figures such as the countrys first prime minister Dr Eric Williams, Olympic gold medallist Keshorn Walcott and artist Carlisle Chang to his work. Riley marries the concepts of fashion and cultural icons to promote nationalism and patriotism in the labour force. Riley says his design is aimed at taking our local culture and consciousness into the street fashion realm. Wide Awake, he said, encourages the youth to look inward and promote hardworking values. A Memoriam created by Joy Rajnauth is a special dedication to her mother. The sculptural hand positions depict emotions and moments that Rajnauth experienced with her mother. They portray the influential impact of her mothers career as a seamstress, as well as her level of spirituality. Rajnauth hopes her art help viewers understand the parent/child connection. Impenetrable, an insulation sculpture created by Virginia DOrnellas demonstrated the artists inner emotional journey in understanding herself. It is moulded from layers of clay and plaster, which she says represents her self-discovery in making and breaking the wall of forgiveness in her mind. DOrnellas believes creating art is important not only for the viewers but for artists as well because without it, we lose what it is to be real and human. Artist Shayna Karim uses design as her personal outlet to help solve problems in society. Karims piece, Al-Jadidah is a fashion and detailing design for the hijab. Her inspiration comes from her own cultural up-bringing, in which a struggle has always existed for people who keep the Islamic practice of wearing a hijab. Karims ambition is to introduce unique Arabic fashion designs that are expressive, trendy while still being modest. She also wants her fashion to not be limited to Islamic women, but incorporated into the wardrobes of every Caribbean woman. Camille Parris, one the fledgling artists, revealed her functional design called Octopals. She said its intent is to address the lack of attention given to cerebral palsy, a neurological disorder that affects many children. Parris younger brother lives with cerebral palsy and depends on a wheelchair to get around. However, she said, its design does not always accommodate his needs. Octopals, a colourful wheelchair attachment, is meant to change this. The attachment takes the shape of an octopus that provides back-support. The legs can be adjusted to fit each childs individual need. She uses bright green, yellow and red to appeal to the children. Her art piece is intended to create comfort and therapy for kids and to provide a supportive pal for children with cerebral palsy. Share the joy Delivering the feature address at the Womens Prisons 13th annual Mothers Day function, in Arouca, Johnson said while it has been the custom to have only a small number of mothers celebrate with their children at the function, in the past, that must now change. It really tugs at me to see the kids here coming to come and visit with their Moms but it tugs at me even more when we have to choose a certain amount of mothers. We have to decide who comes out for the children to spend the day with and that destroys me, she said. So, I am making a pledge, once I am in the Trinidad and Tobago Prison Service, that from next year every mother who has a child and is in the womens prison would be allowed to have their children here with them. Johnson expressed hope that corporate citizens in TT will rise to the occasion. I know corporate Trinidad and Tobago, if the problem is funding, corporate Trinidad and Tobago will cause this to happen. We have a lot of good people out there and we have a lot of good people in here. Underscoring her commitment to the rehabilitation of the female inmates, Johnson spoke briefly about her own personal trials to arrive at the function. I too, having my own struggles to come here this morning, this programme takes a lot out of me and when you have to deal with your own self and you still have to deal with all the other selves around you, it is difficult, said a teary-eyed Johnson. I sat in my car outside there for about half and hour with my own mother trying to cheer me up for me to come here this morning because I was not supposed to here, I was supposed to go and do a procedure this morning. Several things happened and I decided I am coming to the Womens Prison this morning because this is where my heart is. This is where I ought to be. Johnson thanked prisons commissioners for their commitment to elevating standards within the Service. We cannot continue doing things the same way all the time. It is not working at all, she said. Johnson said Programmes and Industry was a major unit in the prisons service. We are working towards changing lives one client at a time because we have to do it, she said. We can no longer sit by and blame the police and blame the commissioner and blame the minister and blame the prime minister . We have our jobs to do and all we have to do is to do what we each have to do. Earlier in the function, the inmates performed the popular Sinach song, Waymaker, amid rousing applause from the audience. Johnson urged guests to internalise the lyrics of the song If we embody the lyrics of the songs we sing and love and truly live it out, the world would be a better place, she said. In his address, Robert Payne, executive director of Prison Fellowship TT, said there there were many positive things happening in the prisons that are never highlighted. He also called for a shift in the positioning of the Womens Prisons Mothers Day function to accommodate staff and their families. Payne suggested a neutral Saturday ether before or after the week of Mothers Day, which is held annually on the second Sunday in May. Special tribute was paid to Soroptomists International for their three decades of service to the Womens Prison. Other speakers at the event were Assistant Superintendent of Prisons Avellina Kanhai, Superintendent Jude Gordon and Reverend Michelle Modeste-Homer. Carmona: Nothing greater than mothers love In his Mothers Day message yesterday Carmona said there is nothing greater than a mothers love and a mothers positive influence. The role of the mother is undeniable and indispensable and is critical to the human and social development of any progressive society. A mothers love is all embracing and is often what makes the real difference in all our lives. She is the quintessential first teacher. Simply put, she points the way. She is the ultimate confidante and friend who takes care of household chores and in these modern times, pursues a demanding career and manages the family unit, all rolled into one. He said that motherhood is a vocation that cradles our very humanity and is a job with no time off. The impact of a mothers love and care is immeasurable in action and inspiration and must not and cannot be viewed lightly. Carmona said that on Mothers Day the nation celebrates mothers, mother figures and caregivers who assume the role of moth He urged mothers to continue to work their maternal magic by inculcating in their children and family the positives of being compassionate, honourable, principled and respectful. iStock/Thinkstock(SEOUL) -- The U.S. believes the ballistic missile North Korea launched on Saturday was a KN-17 medium range missile and not a new intermediate range missile, as had been speculated. The launch marked the first successful test of the missile, three previous launches in April had ended in failure. The initial assessment by U.S. intelligence is that the missile launched by North Korea was a KN-17, a medium range ballistic missile, according to two U.S. officials. The liquid fueled single-stage KN-17 may be intended to be an anti-ship missile. Launched from Kusong, in western North Korea, the missile flew for 435 miles before landing in the Sea of Japan. U.S. Pacific Command had said in a statement Saturday that the type of missile launched by North Korea was still being assessed but that it "was not consistent with an intercontinental ballistic missile." Saturday's test marked the first successful flight of the KN-17, three previous launches in April having ended in failure. On its first launch the missile spun out of control into the Sea of Japan after traveling 34 miles, the second missile exploded seconds after launch and the most recent test two weeks ago resulted in the missile breaking up over North Korea after traveling 21 miles. The failures had made it difficult for the U.S. to determine the KN-17's full range capabilities. Japanese Defense Minister Tomomi Inada told reporters Sunday that the missile launched Saturday had reached an unprecedented altitude of 2,000 kilometers, which raised speculation that North Korea may have developed a new intermediate range missile. But U.S. officials did not seem as concerned by the altitude reached by the single-stage missile. Saturday's launch marked the seventh North Korean missile launch this year, all occurring under the Trump administration. North Korea has continued with its missile program despite United Nations Security Council resolutions barring such activity. The country's stated goal is to develop a missile capable of carrying a nuclear warhead that could strike the U.S. mainland. Saturday's launch came days after Moon Jae-In was sworn in as South Korea's new President. Moon had campaigned on improved relations with North Korea and had even expressed a willingness to visit that country under the right circumstances. Copyright 2017, ABC Radio. All rights reserved. Wave elections usually build slowly in the distance. But we are seeing some of the same indicators that portended big shifts in 2006 and 2010. Photo: Panoramic Images/Getty Images Midterm elections are almost always a perilous time for parties that control the White House. The presidents party has lost House seats in 15 of the last 17 midterms, and the opposition party counts on the midterms as a staging point for a comeback. When a party controls both the executive and legislative branches of the federal government, as the GOP does today, a midterm loss can be highly disruptive. If, as seems possible, Democrats win the net 24 House seats necessary to take away Paul Ryans gavel and give it back to Nancy Pelosi, the Trump administrations already sizable difficulties in enacting legislation would metastasize. Lets start with the caveat that odds around what will happen in 2018 are hard to calculate. On the one hand, there are multiple signs the president is maintaining the support of his hardcore base. And Trump and his party took a major step towards solidifying that base by finally getting legislation repealing Obamacare out of the House. On the other hand, looking beyond the base, Democrats seem to have an enthusiasm advantage (as reflected in their candidates relatively strong performance in special elections so far, such as those in Kansas and Georgia). The big legislative product of the Trump Era so far, the American Health Care Act, is very unpopular to the extent people understand it, as reflected both in polls and in the hostile environment Republicans are encountering in meetings with constituents. And the firestorm over Trumps firing of FBI director James Comey is probably not going to help the GOP. That said, veteran political prognosticators are beginning to smell the salty air of a potential Democratic wave election in 2018 possibly large enough to net the 24 seats needed to depose Paul Ryan as Speaker. Heres Charlie Cook: Roughly once a decade we see a tidal wave election, almost always at midterm, in which an invisible hand seems to boost candidates of one party and drag down candidates of the other. Candidates who normally win big end up winning by smaller margins. Lawmakers who usually have competitive races often get sucked away by the undertow. Districts that should be safe are no longer safe. Strong campaigns lose to weak campaigns, underfunded campaigns topple well-funded campaigns. Electoral waves tend to build slowly. In the last really big wave election, in 2010, an awful lot of Democrats who looked safe at the beginning of the cycle wound up in the crosshairs, and in the end, Republicans gained a shocking 63 net seats. But there are usually omens. Cooks ace House analyst David Wasserman recently moved 20 Republican-held seats into more vulnerable territory in recognition of the pro-Democratic dynamics developing. Democrats have been regularly leading in measurements of the congressional generic ballot, a polling question that simply asks which party should control the House. A new poll shows the kind of numbers that if they become common could definitely portend not just a wave but a veritable tsunami. Quinnipiacs latest national poll mainly drew attention for showing some really terrible assessments of Donald Trump. But its congressional generic ballot was a shocker: By a 54 38 percent margin, American voters want the Democratic Party to win control of the U.S. House of Representatives. This is the widest margin ever measured for this question in a Quinnipiac University poll, exceeding a 5 percentage point margin for Republicans in 2013. Indeed, I could not find any polls showing that kind of margin for either party during the 2014 or 2016 cycles (there was one Rasmussen poll in late 2013 when Republicans were getting blamed for a government shutdown that showed Democrats up by 11 points, but no other double-digit leads were evident going into either the 2014 or 2016 elections). If you go all the way back to 2010 or 2006 two genuine wave elections double-digit leads for one party in the congressional generic ballot were common. The final Real Clear Politics polling average in 2010 showed Republicans up by 9.4 percent; their actual national-popular-vote margin was 6.8 percent, which yielded (thanks to the overexposure caused by two consecutive big Democratic wins) a net gain of 63 seats for the GOP. In 2006, the final RCP average was even larger for Democrats: 11.5 percent. Democrats actually won the national popular vote by 7.9 percent, picking up 31 net seats. So there is at least some reason to believe a big shift along the lines of 2006 or 2010 could be in the works, particularly given the presidents persistently poor approval ratings. The Quinnipiac poll may be an outlier, but then again, it is reminiscent of the 2006 exit polls: It shows Democrats actually leading among seniors, a group the Donkey Party won in 2006 and 2008 but has lost consistently ever since (by more than 20 points in 2010 and 16 points in 2014). No one knows what kind of popular-vote margin Democrats would need to retake the House, given the advantages Republicans have via gerrymandering, superior vote distribution, and incumbency. But in February, Harry Enten made a credible rough guesstimate: Since 2012 (or when most states instituted the current House district lines), Republicans have won, on average, 51 percent of the two-party House vote and 55 percent of House seats. If that difference holds for 2018, Democrats would need to win the House popular vote by about 8 percentage points to win half the House seats. Sixteen points would far more than do the trick. Paul Ryans grip on that gavel is looking a bit slippery. One of the potentially new ballistic-missile designs that North Korea displayed during a parade last month in Pyongyang. It is not yet clear what type of missile the regime tested on Sunday. Photo: KCNA VIA KNS/STR/AFP/Getty Images In a new provocation, North Korea successfully test-fired a ballistic missile that traveled some 450 miles over the Sea of Japan early Sunday morning. While analysts arent yet sure what kind of missile it was, U.S. Pacific Command tracked the launch and reported that the flight pattern indicates it was not an intercontinental ballistic missile capable of reaching the U.S. The land-fired missile, which was launched from a site in the northwestern region of Kusong, had a flight time of around 30 minutes, according to the Japanese military. The exact type of missile and its potential range wont be clear until the test data is confirmed and analysts can go over it, but the test may still represent an advancement of North Koreas missile program. Indeed, some nonproliferation experts are already concerned that, looking at preliminary reports about the missiles trajectory and flight time, its at least possible it was the longest range missile North Korea has ever tested even if it wasnt one capable of hitting the U.S. The launch comes days after South Koreas newly elected liberal president, Moon Jae-in, took office on Wednesday. Consistent with his partys policy proposal favoring engagement, President Moon subsequently called for a dialogue with the North to discuss ending its nuclear-weapon program and volunteered to travel there if necessary; Moon also warned that continued military provocations would make that new engagement more difficult. It should be noted that this is not the first time North Korea has responded to the prospect of negotiations with threats or supposed shows of strength. President Moon condemned Sundays launch and called an urgent meeting of his national security council, while Japanese prime minister Shinzo Abe also condemned the test, calling it and previous tests a grave threat to our country and are in clear violation of U.N. Security Council resolutions. The other interesting dynamic to the timing of the test is that on Saturday a top North Korean diplomat told reporters in Beijing that Pyongyang would be willing to meet with the Trump administration if the conditions are set but did not elaborate on what those conditions would be. National Security Adviser H.R. McMaster briefed President Trump about the launch on Saturday night, and the White House later released a statement, declaring that North Korea has been a flagrant menace for far too long and calling for stronger sanctions against the country. The statement also oddly attempts to link the threat to Russia, noting that with the missile impacting so close to Russian soil in fact, closer to Russia than to Japan the President cannot imagine that Russia is pleased. This is by far the dumbest statement I have ever seen in response to a North Korean missile launch. https://t.co/Z9zIabG1vS Jeffrey Lewis (@ArmsControlWonk) May 14, 2017 Related Stories The Problem With Trumps Attempt to Scare North Korea Since taking office, Trump has at times adopted hardline rhetoric in threatening North Korea over further missile and nuclear tests, raising tensions in the area significantly. In an interview late last month, however, Trump expressed his admiration for how North Korean leader Kim Jong Un was able to assume power in North Korea, calling the authoritarian leader a smart cookie. This month, Trump said that under the right circumstances he would be honored to meet with Kim Jong Un to defuse tensions, though White House officials later tried to walk the comment back. In fact, there have been a few contradictory statements from Trump administration officials on the matter. No sitting American president has ever met with a North Korean head of state. Since the crisis escalated this spring, presenting the first real national security threat for the Trump White House, administration officials have reportedly sought to pressure China to help rein in North Koreas missile program, which has been rapidly advancing in recent years. It is not clear if that pressure has had any effect, nor is it clear if the North Korean diplomats remark on Saturday was meant as a reply to Trump or President Moon. Sundays test was the tenth North Korean missile to be fired this year across six separate tests. It follows two failed launches of land-based missiles last month. Kim Jong Un has been accelerating the countrys efforts to develop an ICBM capable of reaching the U.S. over the past few years, but so far it has been unable to successfully do that, or least demonstrate so. The country is believed to be developing at least two types of ICBMs and may have tested missiles from one of those programs last October on the same site where Sundays missile was launched. (The U.S. military believes those missiles had only intermediate range.) Kim Jong Uns regime also displayed a troubling new array of missiles systems, including launchers that could be used to discreetly transport and launch solid-state ICBMs, at an annual military parade last month in Pyongyang. This post has been updated to include the White Houses statement on the launch. The confounder-in-chief. Photo: Ron Sachs-Pool/Getty Images President Trump, frustrated and increasingly isolated, is considering a shakeup of his communications staff following the spectacular fallout over his stunning decision to abruptly fire FBI director James Comey on Tuesday. For their part, White House staff members dont seem very happy, either. Unnamed administration sources, via varied comments to CNN, the New York Times, Wall Street Journal, Washington Post, and Associated Press, have painted an unsurprisingly dour picture of how things have been going at the demoralized White House, where some Trump aides say they are eager for the presidents trip abroad next week. We need to get the president outside the Beltway, someone close to the White House explained to CNN. According to insiders who spoke with the Associated Press, the leak-obsessed president, distrustful of his staff, has shrunk his inner circle to his daughter Ivanka and son-in-law Jared Kushner, as well as longtime aides like former spokesperson Hope Hicks and Trumps personal bodyguard Keith Schiller. Three officials told the AP that Trumps chief strategist, Steve Bannon, has been shut out of major decisions following conflicts with Kushner and didnt even know Comey had been fired until he saw it on television. Reince Priebus, who was consulted regarding Comeys termination, is nonetheless still on the perpetual bubble with Trump continuing to question his leadership as White House chief of staff. Axios additionally reports that, according to Trumps after dark consultants (the friends Trump calls at night), the president may expand the bloodletting beyond the comms team and Priebus to include Bannon and White House counsel Don McGahn. Trump is reportedly angry at everyone, including a few cabinet members who he thinks have been grandstanding, and the advice the president is getting from his informal advisers is to go big that he has nothing to lose The question now is how big and how bold. Regarding Trumps paranoia and micromanagement over leaks, the Washington Post adds that the president has personally conducted postmortem interviews with aides about the Comey saga, investigating the unending stream of headlines he considers unfairly negative, according to several White House officials who spoke on the condition of anonymity because Trump is cracking down on unauthorized leaks. Looking back at Tuesdays PR catastrophe, Trump reportedly gave the White House communications team one hour of notice before firing Comey, and surrogates were then given a false narrative to peddle when they were rushed out to defend the presidents unprecedented decision. Earlier reports indicated that Trump and some advisers hadnt even imagined that firing Comey, who was in charge of the FBIs investigation into the possible ties between the Trump campaign and Russia, could lead to any blowback. When it inevitably did, a furious Trump sent out his surrogates for what ended up being more like ritual sacrifices than a spin campaign. Thats because Trump upset with his surrogates inability to defend him and flip the negative news cycle soon decided he would be his own spokesperson, and by doing so made everything considerably worse. In tweets and interviews, Trump swiftly invalidated his staffs comments and gutted their credibility by offering up new, contradictory explanations for his decision to fire Comey. In addition, Trump started brand-new fires for his team to put out as well, like implying in a threat to Comey on Friday that he was making secret recordings of his meetings which later led to a mind-numbing exchange between reporters and White House Press Secretary Sean Spicer. Not even Vice-President Pence was spared the embarrassment of Trumps shifting narrative, a White House source told CNN, explaining that Pence was not briefed on the presidents thinking regarding Comey and that the vice-president is not rattled very often and he was a little rattled by how everything unfolded. That makes sense, seeing how the last time Pence publicly defended a Trump administration official after receiving incorrect information from said official, that person got fired. Other staffers complained about how the administrations legislative agenda was completely halted by the Comey news and fallout. It was supposed to be a quiet week at the White House, staff had thought. Related Stories Trump Has Sparked the Biggest Political Crisis Since Watergate Despite President Trumps obvious responsibility for most of this weeks disaster, White House sources told The Wall Street Journal that Trump blames his communications team for failing to contain the damage and bipartisan outrage over the Comey news. This is not surprising, considering the presidents almost pathological inability to admit fault, as well as the reputation he earned for using his employees as human shields during his presidential campaign. But the Washington Post reports that White House advisers (and Trump loyalists) like Kushner and other top officials also have their knives out for the communications team questioning why they didnt respond more forcefully to defend Trump, or how Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer and Democrats had better message discipline regarding a story the White House had a big head start on. They were running around like chickens with their heads cut off, an official complained to the Post. But, adopting that metaphor, wasnt it Trump who cut their heads off in the first place? As far as who is now at risk (beyond the aforementioned Priebus, Bannon, and McGahn), Sean Spicers job is once again on the line, surprising no one. Though Trump has reportedly praised Spicer for the good television ratings his press conferences have been getting, Trump also deliberately kept Spicer in the dark about Comeys firing out of fear Spicer would leak the news, according to the Times and Spicer seems to be getting the brunt of the blame over the White Houses ham-fisted response to the Comey blowback. White House Communications Director Michael Dubke may be one of Trumps targets, too. Also on the table is some kind of larger shakeup, including the possibility of bringing in outside talent from Fox News or Trumps cable-news surrogate pool where the administration has been putting out feelers. (In a tweet and interview, Trump additionally suggested getting rid of daily White House press conferences altogether so he can conduct them by himself every other week.) And again, if Axioss sources are correct and Trump does opt to go big with an early-season recast of his White House reality show, the presidents family members are probably the only roles that are truly safe. He may need to bring in some new blood, too, as the Times reports that people seem downright traumatized since few of Mr. Trumps eruptions have had such a destructive effect on his administration or left such deep resentments among his scarred staff, according to Trump aides and surrogates. Relatedly, one unnamed White House official switched roles when speaking with a CNN reporter, wanting to know, Do you think were liars? This post has been updated to incorporate later reporting from the Washington Post and Axios. The more Curtis stays away from Australia the better. Take him. Reply Thread Link Wow so horseface Curtis gets another chance despite his previous flop Bravo show. Reply Thread Link America didn't make Dave Salmoni a household name..I don't know how these people think he would be tbh Reply Parent Thread Link A Lachey post above an AJ McClean post? Reply Thread Link lol this gif Reply Parent Thread Link Oh gosh.. that was Nina's season. She was on top for most of the challenges and then that ending!! Made no sense. I haven't watched the show as much ever since. Reply Parent Thread Link omg nicholas. i thought i could never hate a winner as much as i hate josea until nicholas him losing the team challenge and tom being like "please give up your immunity because this is your fault" still grinds my gears. he ruined the chances of stephanie because he wouldnt take direction Reply Parent Thread Link still have no idea how nina or shirley lost that season bc nicholas basically skid the last five-six episodes and then ~magically won. shirley's still one of my faves. Reply Parent Thread Link i only recently started following vanessa on social media. has she always been into cooking? Reply Thread Link idk, but you missed the good old days when she dated Lindsay & they took knife photos together Reply Parent Thread Link lmao. That was such a tame "scandal". so weird thinking of the fuss now! Reply Parent Thread Link she's no padma but curtis is so fucking hot and his accent is amazing so yes Reply Thread Link I have no idea about his personality IRL but I find Curtis Stone so fucking hot. I'm basic as hell tho. Reply Thread Link I used to find him hot a long time ago. Then he started getting on my nerves for some reason. Reply Parent Thread Link he was quite attractive back when he used to ambush people in grocery stores. Reply Parent Thread Link used to find him cute like 7 years ago then he started to get fatter and fatter and his coles commercials makes me want to punch him in the dick because they play it every 10 minutes on tv Reply Parent Thread Link Haha I ONLY started to find him hot once he got fatter and fatter! What made it all the more delicious was he once criticized a fellow celeb male chef for packing on some pounds. Though it's funny, since you have a Matt Le Blanc avatar, since he, too, was a skinny hunk who kept on getting fatter and fatter as well. Used to crush on him, too. What can I say, I love it when cute guys start to get thick? Reply Parent Thread Link I hate going into Winn Dixie & suddenly hearing his ad over the speakers. Like come on, bitch, you know nobody is having a ~great day~ shopping in Winn Dixie. It's the DMV waiting room of grocery stores Reply Parent Thread Expand Link he seems super chill on Lindsay Price's instagram Reply Parent Thread Link ugh, too many junior chef shows. I get that it's charming and dauntingly impressive that they're so young yet talented but...they're still kids, which is easy to remember when they burst into tears Reply Thread Link "Teddy Teams Up With TED and Vanessa Lachey to Launch its New Soft Bakes Snack" https://www.thedailymeal.com/news/eat/teddy-teams-ted-and-vanessa-lachey-launch-its-new-soft-bakes-snack/021717 This made me spit out my tea laughing at the absurdity:"Teddy Teams Up With TED and Vanessa Lachey to Launch its New Soft Bakes Snack" Reply Thread Link fuck off curtis Reply Thread Link how can people find him hot? he looks like he got dragged behind a tractor for a good ten k Reply Thread Link i find him hot. then again i lust anything with a zip code.... Reply Parent Thread Link idk I find him hot on tv but no so much in pictures Reply Parent Thread Link the Aussie accent probably. At least his home country knows he's nothing special. LMAO. (fellow Aussie here. I always remember you due to your icon!) Reply Parent Thread Link mte his coles commercials are a travesty Reply Parent Thread Link late reply but he reminds me of a former boss of mine who was a dickhead so I can't stand looking at him Reply Parent Thread Link nostalgia goggles? most people know and remember him from Take Home Chef when he was new and hot. I loved him back then but I can't really think of what he's done since, other than show up on the occasional cooking show so my only memory of him is from 10 years ago Reply Parent Thread Link I won't say he's my favorite or least favorite but my most memorable contestant is Katsuji. I just can't hate him for some reason! Every episode I was like "Ugh I know he's an annoying jerk but I want him to stay." Anyway, I'll watch this. I like the kids shows XD; I get really annoyed with ppl on reality shows but with kids no matter how irritating they are all I have to do is think about the fact that they're children and I can't hate. The only thing I dislike are the wide range of ages in these things, I feel like there's just such a difference between a 9 year old and 14 year old, I wish they could put them in two age groups and pick a winner from each. Chopped Jr is the best for that because they usually put kids the same age against each other. Reply Thread Link I feel the same way about Katsuji, he's just a fascinating presence and has a personality seemingly crafted for reality tv. He is not a good person, but every moment he's on the screen I'm captivated and entertained. Reply Parent Thread Link I just wish there was a cooking show where they give the contestants like so much time that it makes the judges have to actually choose among the best rather than someone ALWAYS fucking up. It's like Idol..."HERE'S THE TOP 12 BEST SINGERS IN THE COUNTRY [but, we picked bad people so we know who will actually get to the end]" Reply Thread Link unless they got like literal weeks to perfect a dish, people will always fuck up in cooking competitions regardless of the time because sometimes they get flavors in their head that just don't work. Reply Parent Thread Link my all time cheftestant. i was so salty when he got eliminated so early from last season. ive been waiting since season two for him to reappear. he's SO dreamy Edited at 2017-05-14 05:08 am (UTC) my all time cheftestant. i was so salty when he got eliminated so early from last season. ive been waiting since season two for him to reappear. he's SO dreamy Reply Thread Link Wasn't he on a season with marcel? I hated how they bullied him :( Betty was a witch and fuck that guy for assaulting him. Reply Parent Thread Link Sux for the other member though. Sux for the other member though. Reply Thread Link Lmao, fuck that other member. I didn't post the Jezebel article bc I didn't know how to fit it in, but someone who was assaulted came to Liv about it, and Liv told them that Bend didn't know what they were doing ~ and to talk to them about it~ they're both trashcans Reply Parent Thread Link Oh wow, I didn't know that about the other member, the whole email thing was also really fucking sketchy/bizzare. Reply Parent Thread Expand Link Yeah, I really doubt you could work with someone like this in the close, personal and constant way you do in a band without being just as trash Reply Parent Thread Link Is Ben a straight male? I'm really confused. I thought the band was called power bottom because they were gay. Reply Parent Thread Expand Link bye Reply Thread Link idk them but good Reply Thread Link Edited at 2017-05-14 04:26 am (UTC) yas! i wish them the worst in life. Reply Thread Link I'm listening to grimes' Realiti and this Elmo is dancing prefectly in sync, I can't stop watching. Reply Parent Thread Link lol, i see it Ooh, baby, every morning there are mountains to climb A+ music taste! Reply Parent Thread Link aw what a qt gif :) Reply Parent Thread Link glad ppl are taking action against an abuser but it's very clear why their career ended overnight as opposed to cishet abusers who can keep on living their lives Reply Thread Link No to whatever this is Reply Parent Thread Link omg no i'm not defending him, i was just trying to say that i wish ppl outside queer communities would keep ppl in check as quickly as their fanbase reacted, i'm def not on their side idek their music lol Reply Parent Thread Link Am I suppose to feel bad for a fake queer man? Reply Parent Thread Expand Link Yes, it ended because their progressive fanbase will not have or defend their shit. Pretty simple, really. Reply Parent Thread Expand Link i hope i'm wrong abt how i think this post is gonna go Reply Thread Link Well, in the last post people were intentionally misgendering them and saying it was important to use male pronouns \_()_/ Reply Parent Thread Link Really pleased that the record labels aren't even showing a bit of mercy (which they shouldn't) but you know how most companies go, they try and save themselves too. This is great. I hope this stupid band BURNS. Reply Thread Link lmao end them Reply Thread Link this band is the biggest fraud in indie music since lana del rey Reply Thread Link rude, Lana is amazing. Reply Parent Thread Link since MGMT* Reply Parent Thread Link at least MGMT admitted that they were fucking around and didn't expect any of this tbh. don't u come @ them Reply Parent Thread Expand Link good Reply Thread Link That moment when Polyvinyl has higher standards than the voters of this damn country. I will say, it's been wild to see this band crash and burn so quickly over the past couple of days. Their record was getting serious acclaim, they were about to be the band of summer. You reap what you sow. Edited at 2017-05-14 04:45 am (UTC) Reply Thread Link Yeah it's pretty wild how quickly it all turned. Reply Parent Thread Link yeah i was so surprised how quickly everyone dropped them considering how popular they were becoming. i guess i assumed money would win like it usually does. though, thanks to the act pwr bttm put on, a lot of left-thinking people gravitated towards them. that's probably what sped up the process i mean, mac demarco's love for the underage is pretty known but nothing's going to happen with him because he surrounds himself with ~cool indie dudes~ like himself. Reply Parent Thread Link whoa i've never heard that about mac... what's up with that? Reply Parent Thread Expand Link For some reason I thought Mac was married...? Or had a serious gf. I feel like most musicians sleep around on tour. Reply Parent Thread Link when i lived in a small canadian town three years ago, a lot of people who used to live in montreal with mac had moved back to my town. mac would come around to play house shows...literally everyone in this community were predatory white males. they were all in their late 20s - early 30s and were dating punk girls who just got out of high school. all abusive...most verbally and emotionally, some physically. i could never take their faux broke artist bullshit seriously. Reply Parent Thread Link Okay, lets see if the the next band with straight white cis dudes who has stuff like this come out and are cancelled with such swiftness. This is deserved but I have never seen anything like this happen so fast and to me it's pretty sus. Reply Thread Link I feel like it's easier for the LGBT community to cancel their own since it's such a smaller community compared to the cis/het music community. So, if enough sparks gather, it creates a fire. Whereas, the cis/het community would continue to create excuses to not cancel their faves. We see it here all the time with Fassy/JDepp/Miley/Weekend and other celebs and musicians that have known issues. Reply Parent Thread Link I know. I just think it's shitty that they're not all held to the same standards and these guys are getting dropped because the demographic of their fanbase is more aware and serious about costing whoever is backing them $$$. At the end of the day, that's what it's mainly about. This proves though that the excuses labels, venues, managers, etc; give for continuing to work with artists after things like this are absolute bullshit. Now that that's more glaringly obvious I'm looking for this to set a disgustingly overdue precedent. Reply Parent Thread Expand Link People were still defending Dr. Luke and calling Kesha a lying whore (not on ONTD, really, except for maybe a troll)... Reply Parent Thread Link Port Arthur, TX is home to the U.S. refining fleets crown jewel. With an atmospheric distillation capacity of 603 MBbl/cd, this complex coking refinery is the largest refinery in the U.S. As of May 1st, this marvel of a complex refinery is now 100 percent owned by Saudi Aramco. Saudi Aramco upped its 50 percent ownership in the Port Arthur refinery, which it previously held through the Motiva Enterprises JV with partner Royal Dutch Shell following the decision to disband the JV in early 2016. Along with the giant refinery, Saudi Aramco also acquired ownership of a number of distribution terminals and rights to sell Shell branded gasoline in a number of East Coast states and the eastern half of Texas. This move is an important one, even for a state-owned behemoth like Saudi Aramco. Saudi Aramco now owns approximately 300 MBbl/d more of the U.S. domestic refining capacity. This means that Saudi Arabia now has the ability to send more of its own crude into the U.S. refining fleet, making the volume of sticky imports (those crude oil imports that are difficult to replace due to contractual obligations or foreign ownership stakes in refineries) higher than it was previously. Saudi Arabia is already the second largest source of U.S. crude imports behind Canada. According to the EIA, the U.S. imported 1.34 MMBbl/d from Saudi Arabia in February. Paired with the distribution terminals and rights to sell Shell branded gasoline, it is also a strategic move on the part of Saudi Aramco to capture the value add from refining and distribution in the US. Saudi Aramco also acquired the value of optionality: They can create additional demand for their own crude or decide to buy advantaged feedstock from U.S. or Canada if they wish to take advantage of any arbitrage opportunities in the market. In effect, this refinery creates a market share luxury for them. Related: Expert Commentary: How Hedge Funds Play The OPEC Deal At this point, it is prudent to talk about the U.S. refining fleet as a whole and what possibly lies ahead. U.S. production has reversed its declining trajectory and is expected to post healthy growth moving forward, acting as the swing producer that OPEC (and in particular, Saudi Arabia) once was. The U.S. currently has 18.2 MMBbl/cd of refining capacity. Assuming an average long-term refinery utilization rate of 90 percent, the effective capacity of the fleet is 16.4 MMBbl/cd. Canadian imports (~3.5 MMBbl/d) will continue to make their way into the US refining fleet due to the lack of Canadian refining capacity, the tooling of the U.S. refineries (lending itself well to heavy crudes), and the need to refine heavier crudes in conjunction with the lighter grades to meet the mid and heavy distillate demand for refined products. Additionally, there is ~1.3 MMBbl/d of sticky crude imports that will continue to make their way into the US. This brings the effective refining capacity available to U.S. domestic crude production to 11.6 MMBbl/cd. Using DI ProdCast, given the Drillinginfo price forecast, U.S. production will reach the 11.6 MMBbl/d level before the end of 2019 (Figure 1). As U.S. production grows, the expectation will be for the domestic volumes to push out more imports and to continue to make their way into the global market. According to the EIA, in February, U.S. crude oil exports reached an all-time high level of 1.12 MMBbl/d. As U.S. production grows, more and more volumes will have to find a home in the global refinery fleet. (Click to enlarge) Figure 1 US Production vs. Effective Refining Capacity (Source: DI ProdCast) Neither the pushing out of additional imports or higher exports from the U.S. will be easy to achieve. U.S. shale production is much lighter than benchmark crude oil grades and this is the portion of production that is growing. Most of this crude oil can be classified as ultra-light (42-50API) or as condensate (50+API). These lighter crude oils do not fit as well into the complex refinery tooling of the U.S. fleet. The U.S. fleet is well suited to handle heavy, sour crude oils. Thus, as these lighter crude oils continue to grow in terms of volume and make their way in to the slate, they can cause inefficiencies and sub-par economics due to the product slate that they generate. Lighter crude oils usually yield more gasoline-level refined products, which are not as valuable as the distillate-level products that are the most valuable part of the mid and heavy grade barrels. Refiners will discount lighter crudes to make up for the opportunity cost of refining this type of crude and foregoing the optimal feed slate. Producers who see steep discounts for their lighter crude oils would likely aim to take these barrels abroad, where they may be a better fit for the less complex refinery fleet of other regions. However, it is prudent to note that even these refining centers are not used to the light crude oils from U.S. shale (global crude oil slate is heavier than the ultra-light and condensate production in the U.S.). Thus, these barrels will not be a perfect fit abroad either. Additionally, the variability of shale crude will be new to refiners abroad, who are used to the consistent quality and composition that comes with grades produced from conventional reservoirs. Shale crudes from the same basin and play can differ greatly in terms of chemical composition. This implies that the ultra-light and condensate quality shale crude oil will likely be discounted by both domestic and foreign refineries. Related: OPEC Cuts Move West Refinery slates, economics, and refined product demand patterns will be important to track, as these will shape the general crude oil market as well as the crude oil differentials amongst grades moving forward. Saudi Aramco, with their newly held 100 percent ownership of the Port Arthur, TX refinery will be in a prime position to use their refining capacity to suit their purposes. They can: Import Saudi crude grades into the refinery to keep their U.S. import market share, in effect forcing U.S. production to find a home elsewhere in the global refining fleet. Import Saudi crude grades into the refinery for processing and sell the added value refined products to U.S. or global consumers. Take advantage of proximity to discounted U.S. and Canadian feedstock to generate optimal refinery returns while keeping the option of exploiting arbitrage opportunities for their crude oil production open. In short, the market share luxury and optionality that comes with having an expanded integrated oil and refining operation will provide Saudi Aramco with value for years to come under any crude oil and refined product price scenario. By Drilling Info More Top Reads From Oilprice.com: "Somehow we have developed this large contingent of know-it-all baseball fans who bay like wounded coyotes at any mention of wins, losses, RBI or batting average. I never know whether I should blame myself for this or not.." (Bill James) From Greg Swank, 12-4-2 You are about to read a list of 45 goals that found their way down the halls of our great Capitol back in 1963. As... Ive been visiting out west. For me, out west means areas around Stone Arabia. There, grain farmers still havent gotten their grain corn in because the ground is still too wet. They are worried that the 105-day corn wont have time to mature if they dont get the corn planted soon. One farmer told me that shorter-day grain corn isnt available because it is being bought up all over the country. I dont feel particularly pessimistic about the upcoming season because we dont worry about getting our field corn (Indian corn) in until May 15 anyway. But our soil in Hadley drains readily. So we can be relatively sure that if we get a few days of sun, we can plant in time for our corn to mature. Of course, if you talk to almost any farmer, you will be talking to a pessimist. Ive already been told that first-cutting hay will be late this year because the spring has been so cold. Every year at some time or another, I hear that hay crops will be horrible this year. Usually, despite the dire predictions, things somehow work out. Still, there has been a lot of water from the northern to southern states this year, and a little bit of dry weather is needed to get corn crops in. It will be interesting to read crop predictions in the next few weeks. Back here, the rain is not the only problem. A few weeks ago, John Bennett started telling me that a person should have two extra cords of wood to deal with these cold springs. Ive had to have a fire just to warm up the house every evening except one for the last few weeks, he said. The cold, wet spring is getting to be too much, and Im not the only one to say so! Then, a few days ago, he upped the surplus for spring up another cord. A person should have three cords extra for the spring. John is my local historian and he tells me about gloriously warm springs from way back. We can always dream. Even the goats have been hanging out in the barn because the cold drizzle is not their favorite weather. Wednesday night it was clear and dry, and it had been for much of the day. The little goats couldnt stand being in the barn anymore, even though they had been out all day, so they broke out at 4 in the morning on Thursday. The only reason I knew what was going on was the tapping, tapping outside near the water trough. Then I heard Gilly Goat making the sneezing sound she makes when she is talking to me. I looked out the bedroom window down on four kids dancing around in the moonlight like little fairies. They were jumping and twirling and hopping on an upside-down tank. Gilly was looking on in concern because they were supposed to be in the barn. I told Gilly Goat everything was alright. I didnt want to go outside to round up a bunch of bouncing babies so we could let them out in another hour and a half. I guess I dont want to round up all of the speculation Ive heard about the upcoming growing season, either. It wont be too long before were right in the middle of it, no matter what. So Ill let it show up without me bothering to worry about it. As much as I would love to live in a utopia without taxes (and snakes as long as were going to think big). We live in a world were we have to pay for services we receive. So the only thing I can do to take the sting out of paying taxes, is to work to spend your dollars wisely. There are many programs where judicial cuts would reduce our deficit and spend our tax dollars more wisely. If you can avoid paying taxes, you should. Thats just being wise with your money. If I can move to Ireland and pay as low as 12.5 percent as compared to 35 percent in the U.S., well then Im going to enjoy some Guinness with my savings. So corporations move and we get 0 percent of 0. So I agree with dropping the tax rates on corporations to 15 percent and letting corporations return to the U.S. to do business. Another thing that just burns me is when senior citizens whom have worked hard all of their lives and saved money for retirement are penalized on their Social Security payments. You save and pay into Social Security only to have the benefits you paid slashed for being a responsible hardworking American. If you make more than $32,000 including half of your Social Security benefits, you are taxed 50 percent on your benefits. And if you make more than $44,000, your benefits are taxed at 85%. So even though you paid into Social Security your entire life, it will be stripped from you because you planned for the future too well. These are not huge incomes that are being taxed at 85 percent but relatively modest incomes. I dont believe Americans are the governments property, a cash cows to be milked until we die. We dont owe the government the majority of our labor for the privilege of existing. The government exists to serve us. We need a change of mindset in this country. Our elected leaders need to quit calculating just how much money they can strip from us before we give up and quit being productive. They need to start thinking about how to make the government work without us needing a high-priced tax accountant to protect our money from the government. When Im elected I promise to crusade for wiser spending, and lowering taxes. I wont vote for higher taxes because we all know that Congress will spend even more. Its time for a change in America, and thats not going to happen if we send more establishment cronies to D.C. Republicans and Democrats argue about who is going to get the biggest piece of the pie, and neither you or I, will get a taste of that pie. Well be left with the empty pie pan and the dishes to wash. So when you fill out that ballot, you need to vote Mark Wicks and tell Washington that you are done being used as a cash cow. We are Americans and we expect hard work and wise decisions to be rewarded, not punished by taxation. In the sounds of bagpipes, the release of balloons and dozens of buttons saying "10,000 or Bust," participants and attendees at the 2017 Montana Women's Run remembered a Billings woman who had championed the event for decades. Pat Jaffray, 77, died on April 9, after a roughly three year battle with myelodisplasic syndrome, a disorder where the body's bone marrow does not produce enough healthy blood cells. Pat's sons Tim and Mark came to Billings from Seattle and attended the event on Saturday morning, Mark with his 6-year-old daughter Golden Jaffray and her mother Carterin Jaffray, both of whom participated. "I was hugely impressed," Tim Jaffray said of the tribute to his mother, which included the release of 300 of balloons. In the generations of women participating together, Jaffray said he saw another tribute to his mother. "I saw families with three generations of ladies in the run and to me that was a huge thing," he said. "And so to me that was kind of a realization that I'm super happy that mom was involved in that, but she wasn't the only one." This year was the 36th Montana Women's Run and Renee Coppock, chair of the board of directors for the event, said Jaffray was at the very first run and had been deeply involved in organizing the event since. When Coppock visited Jaffray a day before she died, she said her friend kept asking about the run. "She was the one that wanted to add something new to each race," Coppock said. "She was really active in the community. She just knew that if women got out and exercised, they would feel better." Coppock said that unbeknownst to some, Jaffray would pay race fees for some women who could not afford to participate. "She was just about the biggest cheerleader and all about Billings," Coppock said. According to Coppock, Jaffray dreamed of seeing 10,000 women participate, often saying "10,000 or bust," when talking about race attendance. This year's attendance was about 7,600, a slight dip from last year's, Coppock said. Mark Jaffray said in addition to helping others, community involvement and promoting the advancement of women, his mother deeply valued friendships. "She cultivated friends all her life," he said. The brothers said that even as she fought illness, she still kept up with friends from the first grade. She also kept going to the run when she could, "even when she was scary weak," Mark Jaffray said. Mark Jaffray said though his daughter is missing Grandma, she has moved on from the loss which is still fresh to him. Seeing that resilience in his daughter reminds him of his mother, Mark said. "That was one of my mom's things she loved to say. 'Onward and forward,'" he said. "She would end phone calls like that." "So I think that's how my daughter is. She's just going." Shetler recognized Brad Shetler, a business credit analyst with Capital Credit Union in Bismarck, was named the Emerging Leader of the Year by the Credit Union Association of the Dakotas. The award recognizes one credit union employee each year who has shown dedication and enthusiasm for the credit union movement. Bolinske included Robert V. Bolinske Jr., Bismarck, has been recognized among the 2017 10 Best Criminal Law Attorneys in North Dakota for Client Satisfaction by the American Institute of Criminal Law Attorneys. The attorney rating organizations annual list is based on client and/or peer nominations, research and independent evaluation. Stenehjem attends Peter Stenehjem, president of First International Bank & Trust, was among more than 100 community bankers who attended a recent meeting with President Donald Trump and top administration officials at the White. The meeting was part of the 2017 Independent Community Bankers of America Capital Summit. The bedbugs landed in my partner's former apartment (which she shared with her cousin) just weeks before she was supposed to move into mine. The critters announcing their arrival with a splash of red welts along her cousin's back. We spent a weekend taking apart furniture, spraying everything down with rubbing alcohol, and stacking piles of their possessions in the middle of the apartment for the exterminators. For me, the best part of the cleaning weekend was when the one-eyed Plott hound that lived in their apartment started retching uncontrollably, possibly from the stench of alcohol in the air, and I got to escape for a few hours to walk her to the vet. The vet mentioned that bedbugs don't really feed on or impact most household pets. Unlike lice, ticks, and fleas, bedbugs are an especially human-adapted species. They love our bald skin and penchant for draping our dens with all kinds of comfy hidey-holes where females can lay one to five nearly invisible eggs a day. That got me wondering where and how our two species stumbled into our current, mutually-antagonistic relationship. A bedbug infestation is as much an infestation of your mind as your house or apartment. Bedbugs don't leave behind any diseases, just ugly marks. And the critters are tiny, with even the adults nearly impossible to spot. Some people are immune to bedbug bites, and others won't find them for weeks after the deed was done. Even one pregnant female left alive can start an infestation from scratch. The human-bedbug story between goes back more than 200,000 years. As Brooke Borel, who literally wrote the book on bedbugs, explained in 2015 for Popular Science, bedbugs do infest at least one other species: bats. When early humans started sharing caves with bats, it seems, some bat-bed-bugs made the leap to humans. And some of those bedbugs enjoys the taste of our flesh enough to come out of those caves with us. They followed us through history, from ancient Egypt to England, Germany, and Greece, and then, by way of colonists, to North America. The modern bedbug is human-adapted, and genetically distinct from the cousins it left behind with the bats. We nearly had them beat in the 20th century. Growing up in the '90s and early 2000s, I never heard the creatures mentioned, except in that fragment of nursery rhyme Goodnight, sleep tight, don't let the bedbugs bite. That's because of the success of DDT. Invented in Germany in 1874, the colorless, nearly odorless synthetic chemical was put to work during World War II clearing cities and countrysides of mosquitoes, ticks, and, yes, bedbugs. Rates of infestation fell all over the world. By 2001, countries all over the world were ready to get on board with a DDT ban. At that year's Stockholm Convention on Persistent Organic Pollutants, the pesticide was outlawed all over the world with few exceptions. The year 2001 is also a good marker for when bed bug infestations, almost unheard-of in the wealthy nations of the world at that point, began to climb. These days, over 99% of exterminators report that they've dealt with bedbugs in the last year, and about one in five people in the US has had them in their homes. It's an especially big problem in dense urban areas, where cities are writing laws and pouring funds into efforts to limit the epidemic. No one has a good solution beyond fallible containment schemes. Search the very active network web forums devoted to clearing out bedbugs, and you'll even find folks who advocate bringing back DDT, cancer rates and bald eagles be damned. Even if we did risk bringing back DDT to American life, it probably wouldn't work. When we were busy spraying DDT everywhere, bedbugs were busy mutating. Most are now resistant to the stuff. For now, the best thing any of us can do is thoroughly check our clothes and suitcases when we return from trips, respond immediately when we do find bedbug bites on our bodies, and scoot our chairs surreptitiously away from anyone who mentions their home is infested. In addition, Haruna who has conducted quite a number of botched operations also dislodged the fallopian tube of the subject who was admitted at a hospital for treatment of an abdominal pain. The Telegraph News UK also reported another instance of Haruna's sheer incompetence in surgical operations. It was stated that the so-called surgeon mistakenly removed a pad of fat from a patient who had acute appendicitis causing him to undergo further operation in just a month after he worked on him. "Dr Haruna was mistaken in his identification of the appendix and removed the ovary and tube in error. "This is a serious omission and a breach of duty of care. "To have mistaken a fat pad for the appendix and to have failed to deal adequately with the pathology suggests a standard of care which is seriously below that expected of a reasonably competent Staff Grade in General Surgery," an expert report reads. In his defense, Haruna who claims to have 25 years of experience in surgery insisted that the incidents were "trifling errors". He added that the appendix and fallopian tubes were similar "worm-like structures which lie in a similar area", a reason for his inexcusable error. But a Medical Practitioners Tribunal Service which reviewed the cases would have none of it. The incidents clearly pointed to a high degree of inability, earning him a lifelong ban that will prevent him from treating patients. The Minister made the call in a statement issued on his behalf on Saturday in Abuja by Mrs Boade Akinola, Director Media and Public Relations, Ministry of Health. The Minister advised health care providers and members of the public, to report any sign of illness to public health officials. He said in response to the announcement by the World Health Organization (WHO) on confirmed cases of Ebola in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), government had directed health officials stationed at the ports, to step up inspection activities. He said that the symptoms to look out for included fever, fatigue, weakness, dizziness and muscle aches. He said explained that patients with more severe cases would show bleeding under the skin, internal organs or even from mouth and ears. He said NCDC had been strengthening states capacities to detect, manage and respond to hemorrhagic fevers, including Lassa fever. Adewole therefore called on states to begin social mobilization and media awareness efforts, via TV, Radio, Print and Social Media. A Deputy Health Minister Tina Mensah said the president is taking cogent steps to address the situation in the country. She made the comments in Accra when she joined nurses to mark International Nurses Day. We have taken note of the agitation of the unemployed nurses, the midwives I must say that the ministry is taking practical steps to address the human resources issue in a more sustainable way. We urged all health professionals to exercise patients while his His Excellency [President Akufo-Addo] takes cogent steps to the employment problem in the country. Her comments follow series of agitation by some unemployed nurses who have been picketing the Health Ministry for them to be employed. Government said it has given financial clearance for some 11,000 nurses who completed two years ago to be employed. "She's got accomplices the other one is called Monica, the other the name has slipped me because it's a Chinese name. Part of their strength is that they built up a certain system of blackmailing. They are women so I'm not going to use certain words, I'm not going to say certain things, he said. Reacting to the letter on Newsfile Saturday, Mr Baako said he was intrigued that she is the only Chinese Monica in Ghana, I'm surprised.""If I knew the full name, I might have said it," he said, adding: "You recall that there was a third name I had forgotten, I didn't mention so Madam Monica Wei, if it's not you, why bother? When the evidence comes out, at the appropriate time, when the evidence of those people engaged in illegal mining the Chinese - and the Monica is featured, we would know, so, Im surprised that any lawyer anywhere will write such a letter to me," he said."They are on a fishing expedition." "If I were them, I will relax. They should relax. Tell them to exercise patience. I dont even know her." Sears Holdings Corporation announced on April 21 that it would close 50 Sears Auto Center locations, and the Bismarck location is one of them. The Auto Center portion of the Sears at Gateway Mall will close later this month. The main store will remain open, company spokesman Howard Riefs said in an email. Employees will receive severance and have the opportunity to apply for open positions at other Sears or Kmart stores. Sears would not disclose the number of affected employees, Riefs said. New tire shop Northwest Tire will break ground on a new tire shop in northeast Bismarck this week. The ceremony will take place at 11 a.m. Tuesday at 3601 French St. near KOA campgrounds. The store will be a quick lube for tire and oil changes, a new concept for Northwest Tire in the area. As the company grows in the Bismarck-Mandan community, it decided to add the fourth location for its customers. Bank breaks ground First Western Bank & Trust broke ground on its new four-story Third Street and Front Avenue location in downtown Bismarck last week. Expected to be completed in late 2018, the building will include drive-through banking and a public greenspace. Two of the floors will be available for lease and the building will have a full-roof deck. Little Caesars provides free lunch Local Little Caesar's franchisee Mark Carlson and his employees provided lunch to 60 or 70 people at Ruth Meier's Hospitality House last week. The lunch was part of the Little Caesar's Love Kitchen, a kitchen in a tractor trailer that travels the country offering meals to those in need or those affected by natural disasters, Carlson said. "Its an amazing thing," he said. This was the fourth year the Love Kitchen has come to the city. "When we get a letter, we're excited to do it every time," Carlson said. Carlson's stores donate and cook the pizza. "It's very rewarding to do it, especially for the kids," he said. "Those kids came flying out when they saw us ... We have a lot of fun with it." New employee ownership Morton Buildings Inc., which has an office in Bismarck, is now 100 percent owned by its employees as part of an Employee Stock Ownership Plan Trust. The company will continue to operate under its existing business model and management structure. Several houses belonging to the two rival gate in the conflict, Naba Raymond Alafia Abilba II, and Naba Joseph Abeka Nonge-Buuri, were set blazed in Atulibabiisi, a small community in the Bolgatanga district. It is unclear what trigged the conflict but cores of residents have fled the area as multiple gun shots were fired on Saturday night. The National Fire Service were called to douse the blazing homes. Police have been deployed to the area to restore calm and order. There is no single instance where those names have come up at the ministry in support of illicit mining or that that they are working against us. But if anything of that nature comes up, I will be able to comment on it, he told Accra-based Citi FM. I am not in a position to say that the report is credible. It is those that authored that are in the best position to comment. The BNI report accused the Military of providing security for some illegal miners and that the Okyehenes palace is perceived to behind galamsey in the Eastern Region. In a statement, the Military has denied sponsoring galamsey. According to FOX news, the inspectors determined that the building registered as a church to cover up its lewd activities was being operated as a sex club. It was further reported that the city of Nashville has filed a complaint against the owners of the sex club for maintaining a public nuisance by permitting acts of lewd conduct. The city is also claiming that the sex house is violating a state law banning sex clubs from operating within 1,000 feet of a school. It was also reported that the longtime downtown swingers club underwent a conversion in 2015 when it relocated to a run-down office park in the community of Madison. The club registered its activities as that of a church because the new location is near the back of the private Goodpasture Christian School. However, two undercover agents had launched an investigation into the activities and paid $40 to enter the facility in March 2017 only to discover an array of sexual activities going on in the facility. The Commands Public Relations Officer, Jinjiri Abdu, confirmed the arrest of the suspects in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Dutse on Sunday. Jinjiri said that the male suspects, aged between 18 and 19, were apprehended over alleged house breaking and theft in Dutse and Taura Local Government Areas. He added that a laptop computer, two sets of plasma Television sets and a number of mobile phones were among the items recovered from the suspects. The spokesperson said the suspects have also stolen other items in Kano. Investigations by NAN Correspondent in Takur site quarters revealed that the suspects have been terrorizing residents of the area, including the neighboring Godiya Miyetti and Olayinka Sule quarters by breaking into shops and houses to steal. According to police spokesman, the suspects would soon be charged to court after Investigation. The cleric said there was a need for the people to always seek the face of God for their leaders and country. The Reverend, who prayed for the quick recovery of Buhari, said he would triumph over the sickness and return in good health to continue his duty to the nation. He advised people who form the habit of wishing their fellow human death to eschew such attitude, adding that it was against the scripture. Adeniyi, however, urged leaders to always have the fear of God in their actions toward the led and make it a duty to serve the people. Punch reports that the former lawmaker shed some light on the president's health and how it could affect the 2019 presidential election in a recent interview. When asked about the president's refusal to tell Nigerians about his state of health, he said he thought Buhari should have done things differently. In his words, "Ideally, I think he should have done so even though there is no law which requires him to do so. It would have been better for him to calm the nerves and the psyche of the nation because of the uncertainty which has bedevilled the country (because of issues surrounding his poor health). There are a lot of rumours and occasionally, some opportunistic and reckless statements emanate from some characters who are active players in the political circle, including non-politicians. I wouldnt want to hold that against him because before he left, there was no indication that he was going to leave in a hurry. Being a professional in that field (health care), when a patient leaves in a hurry because the doctors handling his case insist that he should leave in a hurry, we must not make an issue out of that. It is important that he travels to take care of his health. I am glad that for the second time he has left the country to seek medical attention, he has the presence of mind to send the requisite letter to the National Assembly. In the situation we have found ourselves, Buhari is a public property. He is the president of Nigeria. People are concerned about the well-being and state of health of the President of close to 200 million people. This is a President that was freely and creditably elected; they are worried about what is being said concerning the state of being of the President they freely elected the situation needs to be properly managed. You dont leave the management of such information to the hands of two small boys who dont even know the formulae for water to start talking about important medical issues. From the way the President looks, talks and walks, clearly the man is not in good health." Concerning what happens Buhari's presidency ends in 2019, Mohammed said: "One thing I know is that, if Vice President (Yemi) Osinbajo becomes the president from whatever date to 2019, he cannot contest that position again. This was the understanding that was reached with Jonathan Goodluck (with the PDP) and he reneged on it and nearly threw the country into a civil war. This time around, those, whether from the North, South-South, South-West or South-East, who sign agreements with whomever, must make such public. They should also state the time when this agreement will come into force. We cannot now avoid the constitution. If there is the need to follow the constitution we must follow the letter and spirit of the constitution that is up till 2019. Beyond that, power should come back to where Buhari comes from and remain there for a solid eight to 10 years unless in running for a second term the person loses re-election. There is nothing one can do about that." On the Federal Government's decision to swap Boko Haram commanders for the Chibok girls, he said he thinks it's a good idea. He said: "I think what happened should be applauded. If my daughter was to be in the situation the Chibok girls found themselves, whatever is done to bring her home, I will support. If money has been paid, I will support the payment of such. There is the issue of so-called commanders in Boko Haram who were said to have been released. If at all they are commanders, taking them away from the theatre of war for the last three years has rendered them useless even if they go back because the operational theatre has changed." In the past, Mohammed has criticized Buharis government for hinting that the president will seek re-election in 2019. Welcome to the Pulse Community! We will now be sending you a daily newsletter on news, entertainment and more. Also join us across all of our other channels - we love to be connected! Mr Ezekiel Ogbianko, the state Chairman of the association, told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Yenagoa on Sunday, that the youths would be selected from the communities where the farms were located. We have started clearing the farmlands across the state. Five thousand hectares of land is being cleared in each of the selected communities. We have plans to employ over 485 youths to work with us in these farms located in different parts of the state, he said. On the difficult terrain in the state, the chairman said it was not a hindrance to rice cultivation. Bayelsa is a predominantly riverine state with eight local government areas out of which four Yenagoa, Ogbia, Sagbama and Kolokumo/Opokuma can be accessed by road. Ogbianko said that with modern farming tools, the challenge would be surmounted. Difficult terrain is a challenge to only lazy persons and not serious rice farmers; you must know that swamp is good for rice cultivation. Our farming system is now mechanised; we have the tractors and the manpower to tackle any topographic challenge. There are measures to prevent water from entering the farm when it becomes too much. We have plans to partition the farmlands with wedges to free the crops from damage in case of water overflow. News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that because of the significance the butchers attached to this particular election, most of them abandoned the abattoirs and trooped to Lamido cinema, Yola, venue of the election. NAN reports that over 150 cattle, goats and sheep are being slaughter daily at the Yola abattoir, which was deserted Saturday due to the election. One of the butchers, Ali Musa, told NAN that they placed high premium on the election, hence the resolve of every member to suspend business for the day. Musa said they had communicated to their major customers, particularly operators of restaurants, adding that in future, they would use media to alert the public. We are sorry about the inconveniences caused by this development and will try to avoid it next time, he said. NAN reports that many households who went to buy meat in various markets and spots in Yola metropolis, left disappointed. I am shocked at what is happening today; I went to many places but no meat, before someone finally told me at Jimeta market that there was no meat in the whole town due to butchers election, Hussaini Umar, a civill servant said. A woman, Jennifer Martins, said she was taken unawares and advised that henceforth, the butchers needed to alert the public of their decision for people to make contingency plans. Many people like me kept wondering, looking for meat, not knowing that butchers are not in business today. Next time they should alert the public on such decision, Martins said. NAN however reports that some handful of butchers who had remnants of previous days meat, capitalized on the situation to make brisk business. I have voted and that is why I brought out the remnant of yesterdays meat I kept in the fridge, to sell. Any meat you see being sold in few places today, is yesterdays remnant, a butcher who simply identified himself as Yaya, said. Yaya also observed that the scarcity would affect many Suya joint. In an interaction with Tribune on the state of the President's health, Adesina said It is only the president himself that can declare that. "And when he came back from London on March 10, he said it that he had never been that sick in his life. That is a declaration of his health status. It is within his prerogative to do that. Nobody can do it for him. Not even the doctors treating him can do it for him. Under the Hippocratic Oath, nobody can do it except the patient. Nobody; under the Hippocratic Oath, it says that even the doctor has no right to reveal the health status of his patient to anybody. So, its only Mr President that can say what exactly is wrong with him. Dont forget that in June last year, he went abroad to treat an ear problem. That ear problem had first been treated here in Nigeria and then, when he was going on vacation, he used that opportunity to also consult specialists in London. When he came back, he told the country that this was what was wrong with him. So, the prerogative is his own to disclose and if he wants to disclose, he will. But nobody should be asking him to do it. That would be an infringement on his right. If anybody has put himself in suspense, hes just doing it for himself because its not necessary. The law does not compel a president to reveal what is wrong with him. It does not. According to The Nation, the committee has dug evidence implicating former president, Goodluck Jonathan's administration over the distribution of over $500million cash to security agencies as Special Intervention Funds. The panel reportedly began to suspect that some of the special intervention funds were used for 2015 Presidential poll after $43.4million was found at an apartment in Osborne Towers, Ikoyi, Lagos. It was claimed by the National Intelligence Agency (NIA). ALSO READ: Osinbajo panel to submit report on recovered money on May 8th So, investigations began and it was discovered that the former president's administration had allegedly gone against the board of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN)'s advice on how to share over $500million cash to security agencies. The CBN board's caution advisory on the funds was submitted to the VP panel, who found out that the board had wanted the funds to be shared through the due process. However, sources claim that the president wanted to do otherwise. One Presidency source said that the CBN board showed proof that it was opposed to direct cash disbursement to security agencies including the NIA but those who testified before the panel said since there was a clear-cut presidential approval, the apex bank was handicapped. It was impossible to ignore the directive of the President. They claimed that since the purposes of the cash were classified matters, the advice of the CBN board was overruled more so when the nation was under security emergency. They explained that the same scenario applied to direct cash disbursement to the Office of the National Security Adviser (ONSA) during the tenure of Sambo Dasuki. This was why Dasuki has consistently maintained that he acted on the orders of the ex-President. Another source shed more light on the cash disbursement to NIA and other security agencies saying: The panel obtained records indicating cash disbursement to NIA and other security agencies. So far, only the NIA has accounted for the $289million given to it. The suspended DG of the agency, Amb. Ayo Oke itemized a list of nine projects and their cost implications. All the details were contained in a memo Oke sent to President Muhammadu Buhari through the National Security Adviser, Gen. Babagana Monguno. Besides acknowledging the receipt of the memo, a team from ONSA also inspected these projects. The only area of disagreement between the panel and the NIA DG was just the status of the $43.4million which the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) recovered from Apartment 7B in Osborne Towers. NIA insisted that the cash haul was part of the $289million but the panel said it suspected the money might have been part of the special intervention funds allegedly used for 2015 general elections. The panel said it discovered that NIA was very strict in paying all its contractors through the CBN. Even though the agency avoided direct contact with contractors, the panel could not understand what informed the lodgement of the $43.4million in an apartment. However, a NIA source claims the agency did nothing wrong. The $43.4million was part of the $289million. This agency did not commit any infraction. And the agency was straightforward in explaining that this money forcefully retrieved by EFCC was covert operation. There is nowhere in the world where you keep funds for covert operations in banks or in any account. They are like security votes. You can draw examples from the CIA and FBI. Unless there is a predetermined agenda, the suspended DG has been transparent in managing the agency," the source said. Now that all of this has been uncovered, it is left is for president Buhari to make the final decision. According to the presidency source, The panel has completed its assignment, the buck stops on President Buharis table. Before he left, he rubbed minds with the Acting President on the recommendations. Some directions were obvious but he has to sit down or discuss with his team to finalize some issues. Many people were implicated, the recommendations are far-reaching and heads may roll. When you want to determine the fate of those in strategic positions as a leader, you have to look at all the facts. I think there is internal politics within the presidency with forces trying to outwit each other. Meanwhile, the panel has recommended the dismissal of Babachir Lawal and Ayo Oke. For the country to become competitive at the global stage, it must explore, exploit and utilise science and technological innovations; the universities should spearhead such efforts, he said in Kano on Saturday. A statement by Lydia Legbo, spokesperson of the Federal University of Technology, Minna, said that Sanusi spoke when he received a delegation from the institution, led by its Vice Chancellor, Prof Musibau Akanji, on a visit to his palace. It quoted Sanusi as urging education managers across the universities to identify challenges peculiar to their system and address them so as to achieve their mandate. The monarch commended the university for its outstanding achievements over the years, noting that it had remained a leading institution for technology education. The Emir applauded the outgoing governing council, led by Prof. Rufai Alkali, for its selfless service to the university, and advised the succeeding council members to sustain that zeal. Earlier, Akanji had said that the visit was to thank Sanusi for honouring the invitation to the inaugural ceremony of the institutions ultra-modern Mosque. He said that the Emirs presence was worth celebrating, especially after he led the first Friday prayers in the mosque after its inauguration. In a Facebook statement, El-Rufai set the records straight on reports that he had no plans to run for another term of office, and will be succeeded by someone below the age of 50. The governor stressed that he needed to correct wrong impressions, hence the need for his official statement on the reports since the reports were credited to his Chief of Staff. He said: "My attention has been drawn to statements credited to our Chief of Staff which clearly misrepresented his good intentions aimed at encouraging youths in politics and governance of our dear state. What was reported was that I had no plans to run for another term of office, and will be succeeded by someone below the age of 50. Both statements are misrepresentations of my position and the government. It has become imperative that these wrong impressions thereby created be corrected. "In 2014, when I complied with the directive of our leader President Muhammadu Buhari to run for the office of Governor of Kaduna State, I made the announcement in person. I did not employ surrogates to engage the public on this important decision. What I did not do as an aspirant for office, I will not do as incumbent Governor. I will not communicate my decision to run for a second term in 2019 through surrogates, but directly to the people of Kaduna State," he wrote. Continuing, El-Rufai wrote: "Regarding the views ascribed to the Chief of Staff, they are perhaps his personal opinion. I do not wish to be associated with such sentiments. I am of the firm opinion that nobody, no matter the position they hold, can dictate to other citizens what they can or cannot aspire to. No individual can introduce into the electoral process conditions that are not embedded in the laws of our country and the norms of electoral competition. "The Constitution of Nigeria, the Electoral Act and the APC constitution have no provisions imposing maximum age limits for those aspiring to elective office. I am a strict law-abiding citizen and loyal party member, and will not countenance anyone even hinting at circumscribing constitutional rights. While our administration believes strongly in encouraging youths, evidenced by the number of young people we have appointed into key government positions, we believe that it is the combination of the wisdom of the elderly and the energy of the youth that leads to societal progress. "While our government will continue to train these young persons in leadership responsibilities, and prepare them for the future, we do not believe that decreeing a generational shift is either lawful or pragmatic. Choice is the prerogative of the voting public which decides at each moment who and what platform they believe best represents their needs. "Any artificial intrusion into this process can only yield unwanted distortions. And we have already suffered that distortion in Nigeria. When a military government decided to elevate those it called newbreed politicians by curtailing the rights of experienced politicians who were banned from seeking office, it did not improve the quality of our politics. Rather, it monetized the electoral process and left our polity without regard for issue-based platforms," he wrote. For clarity, El-Rufai said: "For the avoidance of doubt, the choice of who governs Kaduna will depend,not on the age of the person, but his or her acceptability by the leaders of our party first, and ultimately the voters of Kaduna State. At the right time, these choices will be made and not earlier. "The mid-point of an administration is not the time for politics. We were elected to work for four years. And that is what every appointee of this government must do. I have therefore directed all government appointees aspiring to future political or elective positions to stop putting up posters and billboards in violation of the Electoral Act. KASUPDA is further directed to take down all these as the whistle has not been blown for either national or local government elections campaign or politicking to start yet. KASUPDA is expected to impose the applicable sanctions on any violators. Here are some of the defining moments of the Socialist leader's mandate which began in 2012 and, following an unprecedented decision not to run for re-election, ends Sunday. Terror attacks A series of deadly jihadist attacks has killed more than 230 people since January 2015, mostly the work of French radicals acting in the name of Islamic State (IS) or other extremist groups. Hollande won praise for rallying a shocked nation after the first attacks in January 2015 on the satirical Charlie Hebdo magazine and a Jewish supermarket. Around 50 heads of state joined him on a march against terror that saw 3.7 million people take to the streets of France. Ten months later, he reacted quickly when IS massacred 130 people in Paris at the Bataclan concert hall, at cafes and bars, and outside the national stadium. Hollande announced a state of emergency, declaring that France was "at war" and deploying troops to patrol the streets. But in July, when 86 people enjoying Bastille Day festivities in Nice were killed in a truck rampage, accusations mounted that Hollande's government was failing to tackle the extremist threat. Tumultuous private life Before taking office Hollande took aim at the romantic antics of his predecessor Nicolas Sarkozy -- who married supermodel Carla Bruni while president -- vowing that on personal matters, he himself would be "exemplary". But cracks began to show in Hollande's relationship with long-term partner Valerie Trierweiler, and the couple split after it emerged he was having an affair with Julie Gayet, an actress nearly 20 years his junior. Trierweiler published a bestselling memoir that proved deeply embarrassing to Hollande, not least with its claim that the Socialist leader disdained the poor. To make matters more complicated, Hollande has four children from an earlier relationship with Environment Minister Segolene Royal. Violent labour protests Hollande took power on a leftist platform -- including a top tax rate of 75 percent -- but later shifted towards business-friendly policies, notably trying to tackle France's famously rigid labour laws. His government suffered months of violent protests in 2016 over reforms designed to make it easier to hire people but also easier to fire them, before finally managing to push through a watered-down version last summer. Hollande's approval ratings sank to catastrophic lows, dragged down by disappointment over his management of the economy. Despite promises to create jobs, unemployment remains near 10 percent. Foreign wars Hollande launched a military operation in January 2013 to halt the advance of Islamists who had taken over swathes of northern Mali, a former French colony. The following December, a second operation was launched in the Central African Republic -- another former colonial possession -- in a bid to restore stability to a country gripped by religious violence. Jihadists remain active in Mali and a vast portion of the country remains out of government control, while violence also remains rife in CAR. Hollande also sought to intervene in Syria in 2013, but backed out of air strikes when it became clear then US president Barack Obama did not intend to follow suit. France began air strikes in Syria only in September 2015 as part of an international coalition targeting IS. French raids against IS in Iraq had begun in September 2014. Row over French nationality After the Paris attacks, Hollande sought to modify the constitution to allow convicted terrorists to be stripped of their French nationality if they were dual nationals. The issue sparked fierce debate over the ethics of such a move, with Justice Minister Christiane Taubira quitting in protest. Hollande finally scrapped the idea. When announcing late last year that he would not seek re-election, Hollande flagged up the row as the one major regret of his presidency. Global climate deal Hollande campaigned hard for the historic climate agreement signed in Paris last December and hailed it as one of his key achievements. Gay marriage The Socialist leader had made "marriage for all" one of his election pledges, and same-sex marriages were signed into law in April 2013, despite angry protests by tens of thousands of social conservatives. Macron's rise Hollande launched the rise of his successor, choosing Emmanuel Macron, a former investment banker with no political experience, as an economic advisor. He then brought Macron into his Socialist government, promoting him to economy minister in 2014. The city of Bouake was the epicentre of a mutiny in January by former rebel soldiers who had been integrated into the army, which triggered months of unrest. "We want our money," a soldier wearing a facemask said Saturday, refusing to give his name. The soldiers forced the police who normally control the four main access points to Bouake to flee, before taking up positions and blocking all traffic into the city. They were also taking up positions elsewhere in the city, and banks and stores remained closed Saturday morning. The situation remained calm however in Abidjan on Saturday, a day after the rebelling soldiers had surrounded the military's headquarters in the city. Late Friday, General Sekou Toure, chief of staff of Ivory Coast's armed forces, warned of "severe disciplinary sanctions" for the soldiers. The January mutiny saw the government promise to pay the soldiers 12 million CFA francs (18,000 euros) each, with an initial payment of five million francs that month. The remainder was to be paid this month, according to rebel sources. The world's top cocoa provider, Ivory Coast has an army numbering around 22,000 soldiers, among them many former rebels who were integrated into the armed forces after years of conflict.